《The Mana Influx: a Post-Apocalyptic LitRPG Adventure》 Whats Come Before The Mana Influx Book 4: Bane World - Detailed Overview Book 1 - Tall Tales of Bronwic Bronwic, a recently retired ice hockey enforcer, is trying unsuccessfully to rebuild himself in the remote Milford Sounds of New Zealand when a Mana Influx hits Earth. Danger is everywhere as oversaturated Mana creates wormholes that bring dangerous creatures to Earth. Animals and vegetation are warped and forcibly evolved into a new hostile food chain, and humanity is no longer at the top. Mana is the new power source for everything. The Sapient Species Alliance intervenes to provide humanity with Mana Interfaces that allow people to gain powerful Classes and Levels, including rare forgotten alien Classes and new ones created from Earth''s mythology. Classes Evolve from Basic to Advanced to Mythic to Legendary to Ascended, each time needing 30 Levels to progress. Skills become more and more powerful as people progress to new Classes, each one having 4 Tiers of Skills gained at Level 0, 10, 20, and 25. Each Class has 3 Skill branches. Many Classes also take advantage of Mana to cast spells and power weapons. Caught in Milford Sound in New Zealand which is one of the highest Level, most dangerous areas on Earth, Bronwic desperately struggles to survive and regain his lost sense of purpose. He manages to escape from Milford Sound and encounters a Shop that is just setting up to cater to Galactic tourists after a short period of time. No humans were predicted to survive in Milford Sound. Within the Shop he meets Taiwo, a mysterious and powerful Merman who helps Bronwic out. Bronwic manages to reunite with his older brother Carter and younger brother Robb, who before the Influx was making the trip to NZ as a last ¡®bucket list¡¯ item before dying of cancer. The Influx has healed humans of their diseases, cancers, and physical issues and all but the most serious injuries are healed by Mana within 10-15 minutes. The brothers go to Queenstown where they meet some Uruk including no-nonsense warrior Kapila, battle some Wargs, and Carter finds out that their parents have died. As someone with a history of being imbalanced, Carter loses his sanity and is desperate to get back to Calgary. With no way back, Bronwic asks Taiwo to help and Taiwo agrees because between Bronwic¡¯s insanely fast Health regeneration and Robb¡¯s pooled Health Skill called Brothers in Arms, they are a perfect pair to help support Galactic tourists. Robb and Bronwic agree to a Contract that binds them to serving at Real Earth Tours and eventually to guide tourists in harsh other planets. Robb and Bronwic have a series of adventures at Real Earth Tours acting as Health batteries for tourists and Bronwic decides to reconnect with others he¡¯s known in New Zealand, including former hockey player and meatworks supervisor Kyle, who has a ¡®Terran Assassin¡¯ Class. He also clears an ice hockey rink Dungeon with Taiwo, Kapila, and the hottest Irish woman he¡¯s ever seen, Alana. Bronwic and Robb then help Kyle and other people from the Hamilton, NZ region to free Hamilton from the clutches of a mind-controlling Illusionist who is making life hard for everyone with high taxes. Now a Settlement owner, Bronwic returns to Queenstown only to find that it¡¯s under attack from Monsters on all sides. He joins the Adventurers trying to defend the city and the barely manage to hold on, only for a dragon to arrive and threaten everything. Taiwo comes to the rescue as the only Legendary around, but he is not permitted to be on Earth and goblins end up taking over Queenstown and Taiwo is exiled. Bronwic and Robb have their contract changed by Taiwo just before he leaves and their only requirement to be free of their debt is to do one Bane World tour. They hurry over with Kapila and go through the Portal, only for Bronwic to be attacked by a huge worm that takes out the Portal. He manages to kill it, but is now stranded. His only chance is to Level up, get his Class Skills, and try to Evolve one to get home. This story is posted elsewhere by the author. Help them out by reading the authentic version. Book 2 - Fury of the Clan Bronwic battles on the Bane World, Holgaad, to rejoin humanity on Earth. Everything is deadly and mutated on Holgaad. Joined by Kapila and a strange alien named Strogan who is trying to obtain her Legendary Class on Holgaad, Bronwic gains Levels and a Dimensional Manipulation Affinity. Eventually Bronwic unlocks his Class Skills and finally jumps up hugely in power, particularly with the addition of his Unbreakable Skill that reduces damage and Acceleration, which allows him to spend Stamina to double his Agility and Perception. After an encounter that leaves him alone and shaken, he decides to Level the rest of the way to 25 by continually clearing a lower Level Dungeon. After some time he reaches Level 25 and Evolves his Tier 4 Mythic Class Skill, Omnipresent, which now allows him to create a Portal to any human-owned MIS Hub, human known to him, or conflict involving humans. Riding high, Bronwic returns to Earth and frees Robb from goblin slavers. Now returned to New Zealand after some time away, he encounters various characters and is approached through Kyle to take over more Settlements, so the target is on his back. After a while Bronwic reluctantly agrees and is in the middle of accepting other Settlements when assassins strike. Bronwic survives but Robb is brutally murdered and Bronwic goes a bit haywire, strongly driven to strike back at the goblins and to get rid of the bounty on his head. Bronwic returns to Calgary to tell Carter about their brother¡¯s death, but Carter already knows and Bronwic, joined by a Necromancer handy with a bow named Tatiana, agrees to help protect Calgary from a swarm of Monsters. He is joined by some higher Level Adventurers, but as the battle is really getting serious there is an assassination attempt on Carter¡¯s family and Bronwic leaves to protect them. When he returns many of the Adventurers have died without him there. Still with lots of mixed emotions, Bronwic returns to New Zealand and finds out a secondary Influx is on the way and he asks for Taiwo¡¯s help again. He then kills the goblins that were responsible for so much pain, taking advantage of the secondary Influx and getting a small amount of closure. Bronwic then hops around the world for the first 2 weeks of the secondary Influx, saving as many people as possible from the massive creatures that arrive through wormholes or that have been mutated by the extremely high levels of Mana. His power grows and he competes in the Koldaavi Combat Championship against the other most powerful humans and Galactics, after choosing a Legendary Class that requires a Class Quest to claim. He wins humanity¡¯s competition while finding some of the other powerful humans are aligned with his Class Quest and overall mission. Bronwic ends up losing in the Finals of the Galactic Division. At the end he gets a surprise righting of past wrongs from a goblin representative of the SSA, once again altering his views of how the ¡®new normal¡¯ works. Determined to return to Earth and save as much of humanity as he can, Bronwic redoubles his commitment. Book 3 - Sentinel Bronwic battles to free Dakar with Kyle, and together they manage to stop the immediate threat. After resting, Bronwic feels refreshed and gathers his team¡ªJon, Finn, and Jeff¡ªthrough Portals and plan to use Queenstown as their base where they find their power has grown way beyond their previous levels. The group decides to work together on select high-impact battles while also considering how to relocate people from vulnerable areas to their Settlements. Bronwic then further ties himself to Taiwo with a deal and the team goes to London where they meet some new people including Dennis, a Mythic Class Seer and he reunites with his Uncle Ant. The team returns to a major battle in Dakar, but eventually prevail and evacuate those who want to leave. The team then agrees to become The Sentinels and Jeff reveals (sponsored) powerful armor for all of them. Bronwic is then offered a partnership from an alien guild which is waylaid when they find out that Oblivion Shroud, a powerful colonization organization, has set its sights on dominating Earth. Bronwic and his allies engage in desperate battles and Bronwic gains his Legendary Class, as do others like Jeff and Jon. Bronwic''s new Class abilities successfully lead a change in the momentum and humanity ends up prevailing despite the odds. Oblivion Shroud vacates Earth and humans are rewarded by the Sapient Species Alliance. The book ends with an unfortunate further, stronger Mana Influx. Bronwic decides to be at Milford Sound where it all began when that Influx hits and helps his nephew Logan to get an extremely powerful Class on his 13th birthday. Currently 84% of the ratings are 5 stars on Amazon. 178. Back in a Minute ¡°Are you sure this is the right move?¡± Uncle Ant asks me as he tilts his head and narrows his wrinkled, slightly rheumy eyes. There¡¯s real concern in his voice and I love that even after everything that¡¯s happened, everything that I¡¯ve survived, he¡¯s still worried about me. ¡°Is this different from all the other times someone¡¯s tried to kill me?¡± I ask absently. Through the Portal I¡¯ve created but not yet manifested, it looks like there are at least a dozen would-be assassins waiting, along with a comprehensive set of deadly traps and high powered weapons. The Galactics resemble four armed, orange seahorses with six powerful legs and they look tense with the way they¡¯re darting around and twitching their heads from side to side, or maybe it¡¯s just their natural state. From what I can see there¡¯s a mix of Levels and Classes amongst them, but all of them are Advanced Class except one mid-Level Mythic. St¡¯iikylt Vi-halltic Orangebrood (Level 15 Extortionist) (Mythic) [Igenis] [Milky Way Leverage Cooperative] ¡°You¡¯re just going to walk into a trap, and I don¡¯t like it,¡± he replies and shakes his head with a resigned look on his aged, unshaven face. ¡°Terrible, just terrible.¡± I move the Portal around to see what¡¯s going on in the MIS Hub on the other side from a few different angles. It¡¯s in one of Toronto¡¯s Settlements and they¡¯ve been doing a great job; the whole area down through and including Buffalo is linked up and thriving, despite being a few days into the third Mana Influx. It helps that they were virtually untouched by Oblivion Shroud¡¯s colonization efforts and they haven¡¯t yet been hit by any high Level Monsters emerging or Teleported in through a spontaneous wormhole. Mentally I lock in a match with what my Foresight Skill warned me I¡¯d encounter, if I¡¯d just blindly shown up to set up a closer working relationship. Uncle Ant and I would be walking into a shitstorm of punishment and he wouldn¡¯t have made it through and the scene plays heavily on my mind despite all the blood and death I¡¯ve seen. Not much danger for me, but losing one of my few remaining family members is something I am bloody determined to prevent. My anger rises just thinking about it and is amplified when I see the Settlement owner bound and helpless, tossed in a corner. In a way I can¡¯t believe that despite the fact we¡¯ve turned back Oblivion Shroud there are still assholes trying to carve something out on Earth at our expense. There¡¯s no doubt that as soon as I manifest the Portal and step through it¡¯s going to get ugly. ¡°Back in a minute,¡± I say and in under a second I¡¯ve manifested the Portal and fully prepared myself for combat. At this point it¡¯s practically instinctual for me to trigger Elemental Aegis, drop Stamina into Acceleration, and call my Swords to my hands before plunging into chaos and mayhem. A split second after I¡¯ve entered the MIS Hub I¡¯ve triggered Guilty as Charged and all of the Galactics are instantly held in stasis, unable to move or take any actions while my Skill judges them and determines the punishment they¡¯ll receive. I can already instinctually feel only one of them will get a very significant debuff and the rest will be slain when the ten seconds of stasis is up. Now that I¡¯ve left Uncle Ant, the magical Eyes that follow me around appear in the room watching everything I do and broadcasting it to a Universal audience. Dozens of auto-targeting defensive measures from plasma beams to disruptive sonic attacks hit me from all sides as their preparations come to life. Some splash against my Elemental Aegis emitting blue flashes and the rest just wash over me without effect. I don¡¯t bother glancing at any of the notifications that flicker by in the corner of my vision; instead, I focus on triggering Wall of the Clan to create an impenetrable barrier over the Settlement owner to protect him from becoming collateral damage. Once that¡¯s locked in I tear around the MIS Hub at high speed and silence all the defensive measures and Galactics with my Swords, ending it quickly. Once it¡¯s quiet for a few seconds I Loot the bodies and use Greatest Need to pull the Settlement owner out of my protective bubble, then free him with my Swords from his restraints. I¡¯ve not met him before even though I¡¯ve heard great things about what¡¯s happening in this area so I pull his status while he equips some armor from his Inventory. ¡°Thank you, Bronwic! Fucking Galactics,¡± he spits and kicks one of the bodies. ¡°What a joke.¡± I glance at the Eyes and wonder who might take offense, but dismiss my concerns. Why would anyone powerful, desperate, or rich enough to get to Earth care about an obscure Settlement owner from Earth thinks? Scotty Burrows, Mayor (Level 29 Economist) (Advanced) [Human] [Settlement Owner: Scarborough, Vaughan, Toronto, Mississauga, more¡­] Health: 1310/1310This novel is published on a different platform. Support the original author by finding the official source. Mana: 1080/1080 Conditions: Efficiency Aura, Arc of Insight, Market Forces Here¡¯s a guy that¡¯s clearly done the right thing and dumped his free Attributes into Constitution; there¡¯s no way his Class has given him that amount of Health. He¡¯s tall and lean with blonde hair and a strong jaw. ¡°They came a couple of hours ago. Somehow they knew you were coming, Bronwic. I never meant for this to happen¡­ I¡¯m going to rip someone¡¯s fucking head off for this!¡± Scotty¡¯s mix of anger and embarrassment seems totally genuine; there¡¯s no way he¡¯s set me up. I think. ¡°Not the first time it¡¯s happened,¡± I assure him. ¡°Let¡¯s get out of this stinking room,¡± he says and we leave, only to pass through other rooms where what¡¯s clearly his people have been slaughtered by these Galactics. I¡¯ve seen a lot of bloodshed since the Influx but even so my anger continues to build as Scotty¡¯s emotions show on his face and I see the people who have paid the price, all because I was meant to visit this place. We pass dozens of them on our way outside and both Scotty and I have clenched jaws. I¡¯m well aware it¡¯s not my fault, but I can¡¯t help but feel a bit of responsibility. Something like this has happened so many times since the Influx I¡¯ve learned to function with it, if not deal with it. So I shove it down into a compartment with all the other things that I need to either accept or go crazy about and leave it there for processing later. Maybe. When we get outside he strides a short distance to a next door park and sits down at a wooden picnic table painted light blue. It¡¯s a beautiful, crisp day that seems to ignore what¡¯s just happened around us. A picnic bench in a park isn¡¯t exactly the typical surroundings for a negotiation but neither of us care. I sit down on one of the benches, which creaks with my weight, and I keep one eye on my minimap while Scotty has a chance to collect himself. It¡¯s a couple minutes before he looks right at me and launches in. ¡°I was keen to negotiate with you and form an alliance, but now I see that was stupid as shit and we¡¯ve just been lucky since the Influx. And specifically I¡¯ve been lucky that this is the first time something like this has happened here, where Galactics show up and try to take over or take advantage of us. It gave me a false sense of security, Bronwic. A few days ago I thought our position - my position - was powerful and we had something great nobody could mess with.¡± Scotty takes a deep breath; his complexion is looking flushed and he seems a bit flustered, but he¡¯s looking me in the eye and seems pretty solid about what he¡¯s saying. I can see why he¡¯s made a very good Settlement owner in the face of all the chaos and shit that¡¯s normal life post-Influx. ¡°It¡¯s better if you take over my Settlements, Bronwic. I¡¯m happy to run these ones or join your team to help your Settlements economically, or whatever you want. Things here have been good but I see now it¡¯s only because we¡¯ve been left alone and that was never going to last forever. I¡¯m just glad for everyone here that it lasted as long as it has.¡± His gaze unfocuses and this bit seems to be harder for him than just admitting he¡¯s been lucky so I wait patiently for a few seconds. Scotty¡¯s world has really been rocked and it¡¯s no surprise really, considering what¡¯s happened. I don¡¯t really have anyone on my team that¡¯s an expert in building post-Influx economies and I¡¯m not sure Scotty is the solution to that, but I imagine there¡¯s a lot to optimizing a post-Influx economy in a world that¡¯s just been Mana saturated. Maybe something about his class helps him understand a whole lot of things about our new reality and I reflect on how much I¡¯ve learned about combat in such a short space of time. At this point surely almost everyone alive has been forced to adjust, grow, and learn quickly in all kinds of directions. ¡°I¡¯ll take your Settlements,¡± I tell him. ¡°But I want you to either run them or, if you want to join my team, find someone who can. I¡¯m short of options.¡± ¡°Thanks Bronwic,¡± he says, and breathes heavily then shakes his head. There¡¯s a pause of a few seconds and then he places his palms on the table to push himself up. I guess the meeting¡¯s over, and that¡¯s fine. Foresight is pressing on me with lots of warnings, though none strong enough to push past the threshold I¡¯ve set. Scotty Burrows has initiated a transfer of 37 Settlements to you. Do you wish to accept? Y/N I hit ¡®Y¡¯ and stand up with him, then make a call. ¡°Hey,¡± I say, and he looks over. ¡°I¡¯m gonna bring a few people here. Can you arrange to join them, give them a tour of your Settlements, and let everyone know what¡¯s happening? If that goes well I¡¯m keen to get your input on improvements to all my Settlements.¡± ¡°Of course!¡± he says, then glances back at the building we¡¯ve just left and I can tell he¡¯s thinking about everyone inside, probably most of his old team. Nothing I can do about that, though. Anyone still alive and functional has had to learn to deal with it in their own way. After checking my minimap I open a Portal back to Uncle Ant and his bodyguards, then gesture for Scotty to come through with me. I make some short introductions and set them up with an outline of what I¡¯d been thinking then leave them to it so I can get down to business by triggering Omnipresent. The number of conflicts and threats to humanity that bursts forth is truly staggering; no surprise two days after the third Mana Influx. I fight the constant urge to race to the biggest, toughest conflict and focus on finishing this mission quickly instead. Galactics need to get the message to leave Earth alone so I prioritize these situations over anything else unless it¡¯s truly dire. My Skill bucks against my intent slightly because of my lack of information for this specific task, but I¡¯m used to this arm wrestle and I harden my will, then push through to filter down to the hostile Igenis and Milky Way Leverage Cooperative that Scotty¡¯s attackers were associated with. Two groups appear in my mind¡¯s eye, one in what I can only assume is a spaceship in Earth¡¯s orbit, and the other in a far off planet somewhere in the Perseus Arm of the Milky Way. Time to pay them a visit. 179. Here to Send a Message This isn¡¯t the first time I¡¯ve Portaled to an enemy ship to cripple it, but the Igenis ship is by far the least prepared for my arrival. As soon as I emerge the seahorse-like creatures around me turn in my direction and seem confused or shocked as I lay down Guilty as Charged twice for good measure and check my minimap. My Danger Sense is silent and nobody on the ship has escaped my Skill. There are no defensive measures to deal with so I stand on the bridge of the alien ship for a few seconds with the Eyes observing while my Skill does its work and the crew collapses. I Loot the nearby ones and look around in the silence, not even a distant alarm or movement to disturb me. I fight against feeling overconfident but I can feel it creeping in. Having the Eyes follow me around helps because anyone pissed off with me has what I can only assume is an easy way of figuring out my habits and weaknesses. Things that used to be impossible now seem routine and it¡¯s a bad, potentially fatal, idea to let my guard down. My Stamina is back to full within a couple of seconds despite the low AMLs in the spaceship, courtesy of Gift of Gaia. I open a Portal to Giza and step through to the Great Sphinx MIS Hub which is, as of yesterday, now the central spaceship port we¡¯ve established for trade and as a hub for travel. I leave the Portal open behind me and a young, energetic Cadet with a square jaw and sharp eyes steps straight up, almost vibrating with energy and enthusiasm. ¡°Bronwic, how can we help?¡± he asks. ¡°Captain for a claimed ship,¡± I request. ¡°Immediately sir!¡± he acknowledges and steps into a nearby room. I roll my eyes at the ¡®sir¡¯ but it seems to be catching on in the military-like organizations despite all my other Titles and general disdain for hierarchy. A few seconds later the Cadet is back with the Captain who¡¯s on standby for exactly these situations. I don¡¯t bother pulling her Status other than to determine she¡¯s a low Level Mythic Class which should be sufficient. We step back through the Portal and she establishes control of the ship quickly with her Skills, then starts piling the former crew¡¯s bodies up in the airlock to be evacuated into space while the automated cleaning functions get to work with the mess that¡¯s leftover. By the time she¡¯s done I¡¯ve got a lock on my real targets. I wonder briefly if she¡¯ll have any difficulty handling a ship crewed by a bunch of aliens with four arms, but she doesn¡¯t seem concerned or worried, and gives me a quick salute. ¡°Good luck, Captain. Moving in 5,¡± I tell her and she nods an acknowledgement to me without pausing in her efforts. ¡°Good luck, sir,¡± she says just as I step through the Portal. This one should be interesting based on who I¡¯ve been able to determine is pulling the strings on Earth, and who my attempted assassins have ultimately been sent by. Ry¡¯aaltivalic Kyc-kychalic Diamondbrood (Level 1 Commander) (Legendary) [Igenis] [Igenis Royal Family] [Milky Way] I emerge into a huge, palatial hall which is not unexpected based on who I¡¯m hunting. My minimap populates instantly and my Danger Sense pushes on me lightly from my right, but it¡¯s not insistent enough for me to worry about yet. I engage the Cloaking capability on my armor and dart to my left side at high speed, my insanely enhanced Perception taking in everything and allowing me to process it in a split second. It looks like I¡¯ve appeared in the middle of some kind of Royal event or ceremony. Crowds of elaborately dressed Igenis are moving around in an orchestrated pattern while others are positioned off to the side eating or speaking. Strange layered, warbling and rhythmic music that includes notes above and below the normal human range of hearing fills the air and alien smells hit me only to be instantly categorized and minimized by my Perception. No surprise that my Portal attracted some attention and I can see the ripples of action flow through the room in response, but nothing much has happened around me except Ry¡¯aaltivalic¡¯s guards have closed around him and he¡¯s triggered a number of Skills that all look like additional defensive layers. It doesn¡¯t matter if he tries to escape because I¡¯ve tagged him, but in another split second I see he¡¯s tagged me too and I¡¯m surrounded by a bright blue aura that moves with me and I wonder if those fucking Eyes have helped him locate me or if it¡¯s just his Skill. I need to get rid of those things somehow. I trigger Guilty as Charged twice to give me some room by holding them in stasis for ten seconds, even though I know most of the people in the room will get a mild debuff at most based on their reputation with humanity. My Skill washes over Ry¡¯aaltivalic without effect because of his Legendary Class, but all of his guards and a big chunk of the guests are out of the action. Ry¡¯aaltivalic looks at me with wild eyes but doesn¡¯t make an aggressive move, despite his Class and Levels. He¡¯s seen what I¡¯ve done to his party in a couple of seconds and probably pulled my Status. Or maybe he¡¯s Royalty and knows there¡¯s a lot more backup coming. I get slammed from behind by plasma beams, instant dry cement grenades, and a charge from new guards that weren¡¯t captured by Guilty as Charged. My Danger Sense isn¡¯t flaring, but I¡¯m feeling a lot less charitable as Elemental Aegis flares like fireworks so I trigger Fury of the Clan three quick times in succession as I dart in close to Ry¡¯aaltivalic. The guards that have entered the room fall, their insides imploded when they¡¯re unable to handle the damage overload. Gift of Gaia is showing its worth again as my Stamina ratchets quickly back to full while I stare Ry¡¯aaltivalic in his overly large black eyes and neither of us makes a move. ¡°High Enforcer Cadimus, I¡¯m sure there¡¯s a misunderstanding. What brings you to my homeworld?¡± he asks while holding up all four of his clawed, webbed hands. Everyone around him is either still in stasis or dead. I trigger a refresh of Elemental Aegis, draining my Mana to halfway. ¡°I¡¯m here to send a message,¡± I snarl at him. ¡°Don¡¯t come to Earth, or mess with humans.¡± Ten seconds is up and most of his entourage are released with only groans and brief collapses rather than wholesale slaughter. I trigger Guilty as Charged twice again and everyone is back in stasis with more punishment coming. I find it hard to generate any sympathy. ¡°I assure you,¡± he says hurriedly and with a degree of panic, ¡°we have no plans to get involved with your world!¡± ¡°I just came from Earth where your fucking assassins tried to kill me a few minutes ago!¡± I thunder. ¡°If you think you¡¯re safe anywhere in the Universe, you¡¯d better think again because I will hunt you, and your entire fucking Royal family, down and execute every last one of you!¡± ¡°I¡¯m sure there¡¯s been a misunderstanding,¡± he says, eyes searching around for an escape or option. ¡°Perhaps we could come to an agreement on restitution?¡± he asks hopefully, desperately. With his position in life, I¡¯m sure he¡¯s not used to being on the back foot. Guilty as Charged expires again and some of the Igenis fire at me with weapons and form up a weak charge, still woozy from my Skill. This time I blast Fury of the Clan eight times in a row, obliterating everyone in the room except for Ry¡¯aaltivalic. ¡°I¡¯m not interested in restitution, I¡¯m interested in you leaving us alone,¡± I growl. ¡°I want a Contract, at the very least, and it better be coming right now. I¡¯m losing patience.¡± My Danger sense flares from my left and pushes on me to move, but it¡¯s not strong enough for me to take my attention from Ry¡¯aaltivalic. I want this over now and although I don¡¯t want to start a full blown war with another race it wouldn¡¯t be the first time. ¡°Sire!¡± someone calls out from the far side of the hall where my Danger Sense has been active. A Legendary Igenis Champion enters the room at the same time a scathing set of attacks smashes against my Unbreakable Evolution. Psychic attack resisted Mental influence resisted Enfeeblement resisted I feel something telekinetic try to grasp me and the anger I feel about this whole thing rises up. I trigger Wraithstrike to escape the telekinesis and flash over to the Champion to materialize just in front of her, Swords pointed at her head and heart. My arms are instantly grasped in a solid telekinetic lock that stops my attack cold, but I¡¯ve done a lot of thinking since the Koldaavi Combat Championship about how to counter what happened to me in the final round and at the speed of thought my Swords both expand unchecked to twice their length to punch a hole in the head and chest of my opponent. I don¡¯t know enough about Igenis physiology to know if it will definitely kill her, but it¡¯s no doubt distracting. I¡¯m freed from her hold so I spin in place and rip my Swords out then slash them through her body again, slicing her into at least three pieces. With a thunderous expression on my face I whirl to Ry¡¯aaltivalic. ¡°Does anyone else have an objection?¡± I shout at him. Then, smoldering and certain, still hoping for a commitment for this species to leave Earth alone, I decide to give it 30 seconds and then be done with it one way or the other. ¡°I¡¯ll wait. But not long.¡± I stand in the middle of the sea of blood with my Swords out and adrenaline pumping through my body, but my focus is clear. I take a few deep breaths while Ry¡¯aaltivalic flicks through notifications and briefly uses what looks like a communicator. I hope it¡¯s to prepare the Contract I need, but if it¡¯s to get reinforcements then bring it on. I keep a close monitor on my Foresight Skill as a notification I¡¯ve been waiting for blinks at me in the corner of my vision, so I open it quickly. Level Up! You have reached Level 15 as a Human Sentinel +4 Aura, +4 Mana +65 free Attribute points to assign You have 65 free Attribute points to assign Would you like to allocate them now? (Y/N)Stolen from its original source, this story is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings. You have 1 unallocated Class Skill point Would you like to allocate it now? (Y/N) I¡¯ve planned my pathway to this point for a long time now and although it will change if I manage to get to Level 16, this time is a repeat of my last few Levels. I drop all 65 Attribute points into Constitution and my Class Skill point into Gift of Gaia, finally reaching its Evolution. Class Skill Evolved! Gift of Gaia (Human Sentinel Skill) (Evolved) The Sentinel¡¯s deep connection with the Earth enables an increased connection to Earth¡¯s Mana wherever they go, bolstering their ability to defend against threats. Synergy with Dimensional Manipulation Affinity Enhanced effect: Sentinel may anchor any point on Earth and constantly draw 100% of the AMLs for their own regeneration purposes (stackable) and increase their Mana regeneration by 100% (stackable) Unique Evolution effect: Sentinel is immune from negative effects on Health, Stamina, and Mana regeneration I didn¡¯t know what to expect from this Evolution but this is beyond anything I¡¯ve considered! As soon as I open the notification and glance through it I feel the Mana surging through me, even in this low Ambient Mana Level area. At long last my penalty for Mana regeneration is gone, but the real showstopper benefit is being immune to negative effects on my regeneration. I¡¯ve been worried that the longer I adventure, especially with the Eyes following me around, the more my Skills and Class are known and that would lead to someone finding a way to cripple my biggest advantage. For the first time in a long time, I pull up my Status despite my surroundings. There isn¡¯t time for a good look now, but going forward there are a lot of new choices to make and some pivotal decisions around Skills and Attributes.
Status Overview
Name Bronwic Cadimus Class Human Sentinel
Race Human (male) Level 15
Titles
Exterminator, Overachiever, Powerhouse, Explorer, Bane World Delver, Survivor, Bastion, SSA High Enforcer, Mark of Tenebris (Hidden)
Health 9900 Health Regeneration 168538 /min
Stamina 14850 Stamina Regeneration 168538 /min
Mana 1980 Mana Regeneration 280 /min
Status Conditions
None
Attributes
Strength 323 Perception 1550
Constitution 990 Charisma 70
Agility 327 Luck 248
Aura 326 Mana 194
SMI Skills and Affinities
Danger Sense 66 Observe 52
Greater Affinity Dimensional Manipulation Survivor Damage Resistance +20% when under 20% Health
Class Specific SMI Dynamics
Physical regen Base + Base*AML Mana regeneration 200%
Personal Weapon Base damage: 743 Tech functionality -25%
Mental Resistance Invulnerable All Resistances 80%
Damage Reduction 80% Potion/Buff Penalty -80% / -90%
Explorer Bonus +20% XP Penetration 1050%
Class Skills
Lesser Detection 1* Power Strike 1*
Charge 1* Instantaneous Inventory 1*
Clan Shield 1* Force Projection 3*
Greatest Need 3* Critical Strike 1*
Regeneration Max* Unbound 1*
Accelerate 1 Rise Again 1
Penetration 1 Greater Regeneration Max
Imbue 1 Environmental Sense 1
Unbreakable Evolved Strength of the Clan 1
Wall of the Clan 1 Fury of the Clan 3*
Omnipresent Evolved Group Party Chat 1*
Gift of Gaia Evolved (+30 AML) Sword of the Sentinel 1
Know Thy Enemy 1 Wraithstrike 1
Elemental Aegis 1 Guilty as Charged 1
Spells
Minor Healing 1
¡°It is done,¡± says Ry¡¯aaltivalic, returning my attention to him. ¡°If the next thing that happens is violence, there will be no mercy,¡± I inform him with dead calm and then sense the Eyes disappear from above and behind me. ¡°High Enforcer Cadimus! That won¡¯t be necessary,¡± another voice says as six Igenis step through a Portal into the hall. Ry¡¯aaltivalic hasn¡¯t moved but his posture shifts to seem less panicked. I pull their basic information as my Danger Sense goes haywire, but Foresight remains silent so I smother my instincts to attack immediately. L¡¯oolxiva Mag-jiit Novabrood (Level 25 Crown Prince) (Legendary) [Igenis] [Igenis Royal Family] [Laniakea Supercluster] Yu¡¯nityyl Hyd-viilkik Diamondbrood (Level 22 General) (Legendary) [Igenis] [Igenis Royal Guard] [Laniakea Supercluster] Bo¡¯aaghicty Jyt-bulcdon Argonbrood (Level 26 Warlord) (Legendary) [Igenis] [Igenis Royal Guard] [Laniakea Supercluster] Cu¡¯yyck Nu-falstix Greenbrood (Level 27 Harbinger) (Legendary) [Igenis] [Igenis Universal Services] [Laniakea Supercluster] Fi¡¯ooltic Wy-coviktic Diamondbrood (Level 20 Guardian) (Legendary) [Igenis] [Igenis Royal Guard] [Laniakea Supercluster] Tu¡¯iizoc Zyn-tulocic Goldbrood (Level 27 Archmage) (Legendary) [Igenis] [Igenis Royal Guard] [Laniakea Supercluster] Shit. ¡°High Enforcer Cadimus, let me start with an apology,¡± says L¡¯oolxiva with an open gesture of his four arms, which is not where I thought we were headed despite Foresight giving me some confidence. I eye them all carefully and then glance over at Ry¡¯aaltivalic, supplicating himself on the floor. The Crown Prince and his bodyguards are powerfully built and obviously equipped with the very best offensive and defensive gear. They literally radiate power. I can only imagine they¡¯ve also got access to the kind of Credits you need to buy the best Skills and spells in the Shop. But¡­ they¡¯re not making any hostile moves. ¡°Apology?¡± I ask, interested but very much ready to react in a split second. I dismiss my Swords from my hands, which is more a show of intent than anything else since I can call them back at the speed of thought. I don¡¯t drop Acceleration or my Elemental Aegis though. No need to be stupid about it. ¡°Yes. On behalf of the Igenis Royal Family in the Laniakea Supercluster, I formally apologize for the actions of Our family against you and your planet. You recently managed to push out Oblivion Shroud, did you not? There will be no further hostilities between us initiated by any of the Igenis people under Our command. I also wish to thank you for sparing the life of Broodmate Kyc-kychalic. He is new to his Legendary Class and I fear his enthusiasm to make a name for himself has caused him to significantly overreach.¡± This is definitely not what I expected and maybe they¡¯re full of shit, but they¡¯ve got the Levels and Titles to make my life difficult if they want to, and Earth doesn¡¯t need any more enemies when we¡¯re trying to fight off another Influx. This is the outcome I was hoping for. ¡°I have no quarrel with the Igenis based on your words, Crown Prince. It seems you¡¯ve already received the message I came here to deliver, and you agree. Earth needs friends more than enemies, but I will not accept attacks on humanity or myself.¡± ¡°I would expect nothing less,¡± L¡¯oolxiva replies and waves his upper left hand casually, sending over a notification. Contract of Peace L¡¯oolxiva and the Igenis Royal Family offer you a Contract of Peace on behalf of the Igenis Kingdom. Accept? (Y/N) ¡°I¡¯m not familiar with Contracts of Peace,¡± I tell him. ¡°Unsurprising, given your planet¡¯s circumstances. You are welcome to review the terms and conditions at your leisure. Our Contract of Peace offer is open for the foreseeable future, canceled only through hostile actions from humanity.¡± ¡°Thank you,¡± I say sincerely. ¡°You will understand what I mean when I say that I hope to never see you again.¡± L¡¯oolxiva and his bodyguards all laugh, or at least the Igenis equivalent of laughter, and I trigger Omnipresent to Portal back to Uncle Ant who looks to already be in Mississauga with our new friend Scotty. Looks like we¡¯re going to need a Galactic lawyer on the team. 180. Letting Go I turn my attention away from the Portal and the strange, unexpected situation I¡¯ve left behind with the Igenis to really look at Uncle Ant for the first time in a while. He¡¯s got a powerful underlying desire to be productive and contribute which keeps him going strongly, despite his age. Some things you can¡¯t change though, despite everything that¡¯s happened; Uncle Ant is hanging on to the past even harder than I used to. He¡¯s weathered and wiry, balding, unshaven, and still dressed in a collared shirt with dress pants and sneakers¡­ even though all of that can be remedied at the Shop. Credits are not the issue. Uncle Ant and his team are working feverishly to tackle challenging problems and Scotty seems to have slotted right in, so I leave them to it. There¡¯s heaps of work to do preparing our Settlements for all types of heavy combat against encroaching creatures and vegetation. Uncle Ant has a small unit of city planners and ex-military leaders, plus some new post-Influx expert blood, to decide where best to spend our Credits and resources. He¡¯s not the leader of the group, but he is making a valuable contribution which I know will keep him going. Accelerated mutation and new wormholes, opening up at an even faster pace than in the past, are causing problems all over Earth. When I trigger Omnipresent and the vast web of conflicts, humans, and human-owned MIS Hubs opens in my mind¡¯s eye I¡¯m not even sure where to start, but it¡¯s clear I need to find some kind of way to deal with all the chaos. I can¡¯t be in thousands of places at once. I can¡¯t save everybody. I won¡¯t even be able to come close to protecting all my own Settlements working around the clock. Sleep isn¡¯t something I need anymore with almost a thousand Attribute points in Constitution, but I¡¯ve seen what happens when we push ourselves too far and get to the breaking point. While I¡¯m wondering what to do, alarm notifications stream past the corner of my vision at a tremendous rate so I dial up my Perception to follow the lightning fast flashes. Dozens of my Settlements are being overrun by Monsters, but it¡¯s mostly just perimeter alarms at this point. I zoom into a few and see people are swarming to meet the Monster waves head on. With nobody there to protect it, Queenstown is flooded, and even all the defences Jeff installed in preparation to beat back Oblivion Shroud can¡¯t hold back the tide. Almost instinctively I open a Portal to the Queenstown MIS Hub and step through to see what¡¯s going on, mentally putting the bigger question of where to go aside for a few minutes. Instantly my minimap populates with thousands of dots, all gray indicating no threat to me. From my recent experience I know that doesn¡¯t mean the creatures are weak, it¡¯s more that the combination of my Environmental Sense and Observe Skills don¡¯t take anything seriously unless it¡¯s truly powerful. A bit of a problem for me when judging how serious a situation is for any group I¡¯m with. I exit the MIS Hub with Acceleration ramped up and leap a dozen meters straight up into the air to get a better look. All over town our defensive emplacements battle with invading creatures, all familiar to me from my time here. Wargs especially seem to be preying on the smaller creatures that have fallen on the outskirts of town. I wonder what has drawn them here until I glance over where they¡¯re headed to Queenstown Gardens, which now looks like a seething mass of vegetation and animals viciously ripping each other to shreds in a chaotic battle royale. The Mana pulsing from the area is palpable and there¡¯s no doubt it¡¯s a siren call for creatures driven to grow and mutate, gaining more power. A flock of ducks spots me as I descend and banks my way in the air with a booming flap of hundreds of wings, vicious teeth bared and clawed webbed feet extended in anticipation. I trigger Guilty as Charged and a hundred of them freeze into stasis and plummet to the ground, but I can tell from the Skill they won¡¯t take much damage because their reputation with humans is neutral - they just haven¡¯t encountered enough of us. I trigger Fury of the Clan a few times to blast the fallen ones and the rest out of the sky before I land back on the ground, then I take off at high speed up into the hills near the Skyline Luge that we used as our command center not long ago during Oblivion Shroud¡¯s invasion. I wonder if I should try to buy more points in Fury of the Clan at the Shop for just these kinds of situations. To purchase the next point would be 32 million Credits, no small sum. Even though the Loot and equipment I seem to collect to sell to Taiwo brings in a lot of Credits, I¡¯d need to think carefully - and the next upgrade of another point for 64 million Credits would be out of the question. Our previous battles with Oblivion Shroud spaceships have blasted clear areas in the trees and I stand in one of them, looking down over Queenstown with my arms crossed and cold wind whipping through my hair. Across the area I can see the mutated life seething and swarming everywhere. My minimap still shows thousands of dots, with a small clear space around me that I enforce by triggering Fury of the Clan absently whenever they start streaming through the trees toward me. I could wade into all of this and try to turn it back. I could keep Queenstown from being overrun today. But what then? I take a deep breath and I try to be objective. As I look down and scan the Settlement my anger rises up, out of proportion to the situation. Why do I care so much about this place? A big part of me wants to rush off and spend a couple of hours mowing down everything to liberate it, but bigger fights call to me, and right now doing anything here is futile. This place will no doubt be overrun again as soon as I leave, even if I eradicate everything. With a deep breath, I harden myself mentally and let Queenstown go, as difficult as that is. It¡¯s not populated, and it doesn¡¯t have any strategic value. Just pure beauty that speaks to my soul, an oversaturation of Mana, and the emotional connection I¡¯ve developed for the place. In a corner of my mind, amongst all the many compartments I¡¯ve shoved things into for dealing with later, I leave a little crack for this one¡­ if there¡¯s a chance to reclaim it one day I¡¯d love to. Having made the call, I need to decide what¡¯s next. If you spot this story on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation. We¡¯re in a lot better shape than the last Influx, despite our population being a lot lower, because of all the people who have Leveled up all over the world. We¡¯ve got many Mythic Adventuring teams and even a few Legendary humans, with more joining the ranks all the time. More people with the ability to take on the Monsters that are being teleported in or warped into powerful threats by the Mana that fills everything around us. Based on last time, dangerous Teleports will spike and then dwindle as our Mana levels become more stable. At the same time, Monsters will be getting more and more powerful over the next weeks and months unless we can cull them. I wonder how many other worlds have been through multiple Mana Influxes as I trigger Omnipresent again and scan all over Earth for the highest Level threat, irrespective of location or what¡¯s around it. One glowing dot outshines the rest and I open up a Portal to Qingdao, on the east coast of China. Through the opening I can see a massive, brown and black alien form with five hydra-like heads positioned to strike in all directions. It¡¯s moving quickly high on a ridge that slopes down around it on all sides. Dozens of legs flow, spaced along an undulating body that looks like it¡¯s covered in bark-like skin and scales. Colossal Thuvaraka Ulalhfavoih (Level 264) Health: 24500/25200 Mana: 6550/9650 Conditions: Mythic Density, Aura Surge, Earth Soak, Environmental Absorption, Slow Time, Two For One, Elemental Mastery, more¡­ Behind it I can see the smashed ruins from the former city plus tougher, more modern post-Influx buildings that are now ripped apart in jagged spears. They look like they should be burning and smoking, but with clean-burning Mana as the power source for everything, flames are rarely part of a destructive landscape anymore. A small army of under a thousand people split into 4 equal wedge shapes are climbing up the slopes to the top of the thin row of jagged, rocky peaks that rise out of the Qingdao Fushan Eco-Park and curve around from east to west. Streams of laser fire, projectiles, and magical attacks surge up the hill, sending chunks of stone and dirt high into the air. They rip up the rock but the Thuvaraka is unaffected, completely shrugging all of it off as it turns to the rightmost wedge of over 200 people. I flicker the Portal over to manifest it between the Thuvaraka and the wedge and leap through, then trigger Wall of the Clan in a square barrier the Colossus slams into at full tilt. I expect a loss of momentum but the body whips around like a slinky at high speed. I barely manage to throw up some Edges that slice into the Thuvaraka¡¯s body and gouge it as the massive beast draws itself in around my Edges and continues on. A dark brown hydra-like head darts down at me, but my Danger Sense and Accelerated Agility has given me plenty of time to react and I¡¯ve already danced out of the way. I ineffectually pound the Thuvaraka with 10 Fury of the Clans in quick succession and watch as it seems to shrug off most of the damage by drawing itself inward and shrinking. Friendly fire lights up my Elemental Aegis as I dart down to put myself between the Monster and the humans, only to find out I¡¯ve been wrong about why the Thuvaraka has drawn into itself. A massive ¡®thump¡¯ reverberates my Unbreakable bones as it hits me and blasts apart my flesh and organs, despite my Resistances. I¡¯m blasted off my feet and my Survivor Title kicks in as my Health plummets under 20% and my body seizes up, unable to function. I hit the ground at high speed and chunks of flesh and blood fly everywhere, my armor shredded and useless. Everything other than my bones and brain, protected by my skull, have been turned into a stew that¡¯s sloughing off. My regeneration kicks into overdrive as pain lances through me; after only two seconds full of overwhelming pain I¡¯m at full Health again. I don¡¯t take my eye off all the people trying to take this thing on as it¡¯s surged past me. The first third of each wedge has been completely obliterated by the Thuvaraka¡¯s attack, hundreds have been vapourized with no chance of fighting back. I need to end this, now. The Thuvaraka rumbles into me, no doubt dismissing me as a steamrolled distraction, which is a big mistake. Its aggressive rumble changes as I extend my Swords to their maximum 30 feet in length and plant my feet, then slice a wicked double chop down through its body to split it in half. Blood, bone, and muscle rip and scrape by me as I part the creature in half, two heads on one side and three on the other. I expect it to slow down or stop but instead each huge segment seals over almost instantly and then they undulate in different directions, now aimed at two of the broken, scattered wedges instead of one. Ragged attacks from the humans pepper the Colossus with little effect as I race alongside the three-headed segment at top speed and run my Sword through it horizontally. Flesh parts and rolls back as the segment unfurls like a sausage being cut open and the creature lets out a piercing scream as it grinds huge gouges into the ground. The three heads on this segment all slam into the rocks at high speed, whipped around on their long necks as it comes to a stop. Somehow, it¡¯s still alive so I leap up and run along the body at high speed, dropping a metric shit ton of grenades and explosives as I go like they¡¯re seasoning on my BBQ meat. I dodge the snapping mouths and shrug off the toxic liquids and fumes sprayed at me in a dense cloud. My eyes and my minimap tell me it¡¯s taken too long to finish this segment and the other one is tearing through more of the humans who are scattering. A tight group of some of the highest Level people are having some limited success in formation and focused on one of the segment heads from behind portable shield generators and re-shaped rock by what can only be the work of an Earth Mage. At least they¡¯re not being mowed down like the rest of them. I curse the wasted life and this monstrosity as I refresh my Elemental Aegis and swap out my armor for a new set and I race through a new Portal to drop directly down on top of what¡¯s left of the Thuvaraka. I manage to close the Portal just as, not too far away, all the explosives I laid down on the other segment go off and rip the segment¡¯s more vulnerable insides apart. Atop the other segment, I extend my Swords fully and spin to deliver a vicious chop with both Swords that rips the segment open and severs one of the necks. It only takes another second to finish it and I leap down to survey the damage. At least half the people have been killed, but the high Level group is still alive and the injured will recover soon enough assuming nothing else nasty comes along. ¡°Bronwic!¡± someone yells and I look to my left. One of the high Level group has a hand raised to me in greeting or thanks or to ask me to wait. I consider it, but this isn¡¯t where I want to spend my time and I know all too well the chains of emotional obligations I can never meet that come with getting to know the people who live in different places all over the world. Instead I raise my hand in what I hope looks like a friendly acknowledgement and open a Portal to the Calgary MIS Hub then walk through without looking back. 181. Vault of Tenebris ¡°I cleared my day today except for weapons testing, which is totally flexible¡± says Taiwo with a grin as he greets me in the reception area of the Shop. He knows nothing short of my family being under threat or my death would stop me from showing up to access the Vault of Tenebris at the first opportunity, and that¡¯s today. I know only too well that you need to take advantage of opportunities before they disappear. ¡°Thank you, Taiwo,¡± I respond, and I mean it. Our relationship has developed toward equals, but he is definitely still first equal in everything except laying down punishment. Taiwo¡¯s eyes twinkle a bit as he acknowledges my thanks; I swear they actually do twinkle or flash or maybe pulse slightly? It¡¯s subtle but magnetic and I wonder if it¡¯s just part of him having such high Charisma or if it¡¯s an actual magical or technological effect. ¡°I¡¯m looking forward to this Bronwic. It¡¯s been a couple decades since I got access to the Vault. Tenebris has even offered me the opportunity to make a minor purchase since I¡¯m taking you, and I think a bit to reward me for what¡¯s happened on Earth. You¡¯re one of the few worlds in the Universe under these kinds of conditions at the moment. As you can imagine based on what I do when I¡¯m not adventuring, it¡¯s always exciting to spend some time in the Vault and see what¡¯s there.¡± ¡°A minor purchase?¡± I ask, curious. ¡°Are there restrictions on what I can buy?¡± Taiwo¡¯s gills flap in amusement and he motions for me to follow him. We step through a couple doors framed in patterned steel, at least one of which seems to be a permanent Portal, and into a room I¡¯ve never seen before. It¡¯s large and a lot more space-age than I¡¯m used to from Taiwo who usually favors comfortable surroundings and natural colors. Dark gray metal and what looks like carbon composite is everywhere and three raised black shimmering pads at least ten meters to a side are in a triangular configuration on the floor. My enhanced Perception picks out the very faint green glow of some kind of stasis field immediately. Taiwo gestures to me to follow and strides over to one of the black pads. I wonder where in the Universe we are but don¡¯t trigger Omnipresent to try to orient myself. Does it really matter? I¡¯d rather pay attention to what¡¯s going on right now. I laugh as Taiwo pulls two comfortable looking blue chairs with plenty of padding from his Inventory, plus a small table and some refreshments. Nothing too permanent, but Taiwo always thinks of the little things I just never seem to get around to doing. He gestures for me to sit down. ¡°No restrictions for you, Bronwic. Not today. Tenebris is pleased with your personal progress and the progress of Earth. Our investments and operations are swimming downstream and you¡¯ve upheld your end of our agreements and beyond. Nobody really knows the mind of Tenebris, but I suspect based on his actions so far he believes there¡¯s a realistic chance humanity could do the rare, almost unheard of, accomplishment of preventing Earth from becoming a Bane World and instead have a planet of thriving, high Level economically advanced Zones. Tenebris specializes in operating on and around Bane Worlds, and in extracting value from the dangerous ecosystems that make them almost impossible to settle.¡± I did know that about Tenebris, and my mind flashes all the way back to the Contract I first signed with Taiwo and how I ended up stranded on the Bane World Holgaad in the first place. At the time I didn¡¯t give much thought to why Galactics didn¡¯t have Settlements there, but I¡¯ve learned a lot since then. ¡°Humanity doesn¡¯t have a lot of options other than throwing everything into defending itself. I know you¡¯ve already realized there are too many humans to move to another world; your only real option for survival as a meaningful species is to fight. If you can somehow reach a balance and thrive despite the high levels of Mana, that would also provide massive benefits to Galactics who are looking to Level very quickly or trade rare and exotic goods. And¡­ if we continue to work together it means Tenebris will, through his people, be in the middle of those opportunities which is good for humanity and Tenebris. It¡¯s rather exciting for me as well, actually, as an opportunity. Though I recognize it¡¯s not something to celebrate given the struggle Earth is once again thrown into.¡± I nod in agreement with that and grab some of the apple sized blue fruit and dried meat Taiwo has laid out. Humans have a real fighting chance based on what I¡¯ve seen, and we¡¯ve proven we can come together to survive even something like an invasion from a powerful Galactic organization. On the other hand, it¡¯s hard to ignore that the level of ambient Mana saturating Earth right now is already causing problems we can¡¯t handle on our own and it¡¯s pushing us back from large areas of the planet. We¡¯re consolidating, but we¡¯re also mostly trapped on Earth with no real options for mass migrations to another planet that I know of. So, I think humanity¡¯s a bit like me; when we¡¯re backed into a corner we come out swinging. ¡°Hey¡­ let¡¯s focus for now on the Vault of Tenebris,¡± Taiwo says, his gaze searching my face and no doubt guessing my thoughts. I¡¯m used to hanging around him, but even still when he turns his attention to me fully I can feel the power of his Charisma. ¡°You¡¯re going to want all the Credits you can bring to the Vault, Bronwic. What else have you got to sell? I might even give you some generous prices¡­¡± he says with a smile. I empty my Inventory onto one of the big black platforms, including the Thuvaraka body. It¡¯s been a little while and there¡¯s a lot of high Level stuff there including some of the things I¡¯ve Looted from Galactics. Taiwo has obviously pulled up a notifications screen that¡¯s giving him an automated assessment of what¡¯s there and allowing him to set the prices. I¡¯ve been through this process often enough to know that unless I bring him something truly unique it¡¯s fast and consistent. A few seconds later he flicks me a notification offering me a chunk of Credits with quite a few digits, which I accept without really looking at it. At this point, am I going to haggle with Taiwo? ¡°You ready?¡± he asks, clearly excited. ¡°Yeah, I am,¡± I reply and find that I¡¯m pretty excited too. We stand up and Taiwo sweeps the chairs, table, and food back into his Inventory with a graceful wave. Everything he does is so smooth and classy. Sometimes I feel like a lumbering bear hanging out with him, despite my massive Attribute increases.Unauthorized use of content: if you find this story on Amazon, report the violation. I¡¯m expecting us to find another doorway to get to the Vault, but Taiwo pulls out a foot-long light gray rod about an inch thick that has alien red runes inscribed all over it in patterns. With a quick snap of his hands Taiwo cracks the rod and an ominous red Portal forms that looks like it¡¯s straight out of a hellscape. Small writhing gargoyle-like figures form a thick border that seems to suck the light from the room. My Affinity flares up and probes the Portal, trying to understand it. I push my will into it and focus on the patterns of how it¡¯s formed and what¡¯s keeping it open to somewhere that I can only assume is well hidden and hard to access. A deep sense of pressure from Mana density pouring off the Portal creates a sense of foreboding and I can imagine would repel almost anyone. Mental influence resisted. Almost immediately after I get the notification I can feel the Portal¡¯s Mana reaching out and scanning me. I¡¯m not exactly sure how, but I can feel the Mark of Tenebris pulse or respond and the pressure goes away as I hear Taiwo let out a shuddering gasp of relief through his gills. The mini gargoyles stop moving, frozen in place, and the intensity of the red glow from the Portal dims somewhat to a more friendly color. This Portal is probably about what I expected given where we¡¯re headed, although opening it by using the equivalent of a sci fi glow stick would absolutely not have been my first guess. Taiwo shakes his head to clear it, his blonde hair tumbling everywhere, then glances at me. I shrug and nod my readiness so we stride through together into pretty much exactly what I pictured, like a massive library from Harry Potter, only instead of books it¡¯s filled with weapons, armor, technological devices I can¡¯t even begin to fathom, and magical artifacts of all descriptions. Some of them even seem to probe me; I can feel the Mana around us churning like a dust devil. A massive looming humanoid figure appears in front of us, teleported without the use of a Portal. He¡¯s twice my height with light gray skin that has red runes inscribed on it that look suspiciously like the ones on the rod Taiwo used to get the Portal to open. Greek robes wrap around his heavily muscled frame and his wild white hair and beard make me wonder if potentially he¡¯s visited Earth sometime in the past. There¡¯s no mistaking him as anything other than a Titan. Waves of power roll off him and I wonder if he is an Ascended Class like Tenebris. ¡°Welcome, Marked of Tenebris. I am an avatar of Coeus, and my role here is to guide you in the Vault.¡± How interesting. I am curious about whether this avatar is as powerful as the original, but Taiwo is practically buzzing with energy. ¡°Thank you for receiving us, Coeus,¡± Taiwo says with true gratitude, or at least that¡¯s how it sounds to me. ¡°We are grateful for the opportunity to enter the Vault.¡± ¡°And so you should be!¡± Coeus booms in agreement, his arms spread wide as he gestures to the surroundings. ¡°How big is this place?¡± I ask Coeus, who doesn¡¯t seem threatening if you ignore everything about him other than his demeanor. ¡°Bigger than it appears, Bronwic. There are untold treasures here and passages to other dimensions and locations to hide its secrets.¡± My first instinct is to wonder whether or not he should have told me that, but considering the high bar to even get access to this place maybe it¡¯s worthless information. Who would fuck with Tenebris anyway? ¡°Physically browsing the Vault is not practical, it would take you an age. Perhaps instead you can tell me how many Credits you have to spend, and what you¡¯re looking for?¡± Coeus swaps his attention back and forth between us. ¡°Taiwo, you are entitled to one minor purchase, Credits will be charged. Bronwic, Tenebris is interested in letting you have the freedom of the Vault on this occasion, within reason of course. There are no particular restrictions on the size or nature of what you purchase, and depending on what you select I may be able to come to a favorable agreement on price. Tenebris has also left something for you, because he desires his affairs to be more¡­ discreet.¡± I¡¯m automatically on the defensive and wondering what Coeus means, and what I might have done to offend Tenebris. Discreet is not exactly my middle name so he could be referring to so many things. Generally I don¡¯t spend a lot of time worrying about what other people think of me, but I feel some concern. If Tenebris is pissed off or chooses not to help Earth that¡¯s bad for me, and it¡¯s bad for humanity. Coeus emits a deep chuckle as he looks at my face. ¡°Not like that Bronwic. Here,¡± he says and pulls something from his Inventory, then hands me what I can only describe as a temporary tattoo on a clear piece of flexible plastic. It looks like an intricate circular maze like I might have tried to solve as a kid, but on steroids. ¡°No way¡­¡± Taiwo breathes out and moves to get a closer look. His reaction convinces me it¡¯s got some value, but I have no fucking idea what it is or how to use it, so I glance up at Taiwo. ¡°What is it?¡± I ask him. Taiwo glances at Coeus, who nods, before he replies. ¡°It¡¯s a practically priceless runic inscription. Well, priceless for some¡­ but apparently not Tenebris.¡± Coeus gives a short huff that causes his beard to ripple in a wave and crosses his massive, tree trunk arms. The corded muscles of his forearms stand out like steel cables, but he looks calm and patient. At least for now. I wonder if this powerful avatar has a timeline he¡¯s working to and other things to do, or if he just lives here to protect the Vault and guide people through it. Perhaps our visit is interesting rather than annoying. ¡°A Rune of Concealment,¡± agrees Coeus. ¡°Hold it before you and activate it by filling it with some of your Mana.¡± I hold it in front of me and glance at Taiwo. ¡°Do you think the Mana draining aspects of my Class will affect my ability to use it? Will it work?¡± I ask Taiwo. He gives my question serious consideration. ¡°I doubt it,¡± he finally answers. ¡°Tenebris has given this to you, and from what I understand that magical artifact has the most powerful known concealment in the Universe embedded in it. This will definitely hide you from the Eyes and any of your enemies. It also will hide you from many of your allies and friends.¡± I consider, but not for long, because this solves a major problem I have and Tenebris must know it. The more people are able to learn about me, the more likely it is that someone will come up with a way to take me out before I can do anything about it. My success and, to an extent, Earth¡¯s success rests on the uniqueness of my Class and the fact I can do things others can¡¯t. Without further delay, I do as Coeus asks and hold the Rune before me in both hands, then use my will to push some of my Mana into it. Magic and enchantments are not something I have a heap of experience handling so I find it fascinating to feel my Mana manipulated by the Rune which expands and leaves the material I¡¯m holding. It pivots and floats above me, circle facing down to the floor, and then it flashes down over me like a cylinder and disappears. I expect a flash or something dramatic, but there¡¯s nothing like that. Just me standing there feeling no different. I check my notifications and Status but¡­ nothing. I feel no different. I wonder if it worked? ¡°I can see the look of confusion on your face, human, and I can assure you the Rune has activated. You are now hidden from magical or Skill detection.¡± I guess I owe Tenebris big time. ¡°Now¡­ what are you hoping the Vault can offer you?¡± asks Coeus. 182. Facing Carter ¡°Sorry,¡± Carter says to me with a stunned look on his face. ¡°You did what?¡± ¡°I went into the secret vault of one of the most powerful beings in the Universe and I bought something¡­ for Logan.¡± ¡°But¡­ why? I mean, thank you. But why?¡± Carter asks, still confused. ¡°Can I come in?¡± I ask him with a grin. ¡°Yeah, yeah, of course. Come on in,¡± he says, and backs away from the door on the front landing and gestures to the stairs up to the top floor. I¡¯ve taken those 7 steps hundreds of thousands of times before and even though I could easily take them in 1 casual leap I make sure to place my feet on each step, grounding myself here to the house I grew up in and feeling the roots of it back before the Influx, and before everything got so complicated. ¡°Where are the kids and Dana?¡± I ask as I sit down on one of the couches. There¡¯s no hiding from my Perception and minimap nowadays so I know they aren¡¯t around. I shift around uncomfortably on the seat and wonder why on Earth people buy things that are so uncomfortable? ¡°You need to get some new furniture,¡± I say to Carter, who laughs. ¡°They¡¯re fine for us, it¡¯s not something I want to spend on. We¡¯re investing all our Credits in equipment and Skills for the family plus a group of us are starting an Academy to help teach kids how to deal with all of this. Well, Dana¡¯s doing it really¡­ she doesn¡¯t need me. I¡¯m always amazed at what she can accomplish when she puts her mind to it.¡± ¡°You need Credits?¡± I ask him seriously with a tilt of my head. Carter wanders over to the fridge and pulls out two Brewsters Beer Pub beers, then hands one to me without answering. I take a long pull and find the beer is average, no better. But still¡­ you¡¯d have to say it is proper beer and it¡¯s been a while since I¡¯ve had one. I wait for Carter to give me an answer patiently because I can see whatever he¡¯s got to say is taking some thought. I¡¯ve got some Credits leftover after the Vault that my previous self would have considered a fortune, and it¡¯s never tough to generate more when I¡¯m taking out the rarest, most valuable Monsters on Earth what seems like every day of the week. ¡°I don¡¯t want to take your Credits, Bronwic. You¡¯ve done a lot for us already.¡± I get where he¡¯s coming from on some level, but it annoys me all the same. ¡°Carter, that¡¯s just a fucking stupid thing to say. I love you guys. If your family hasn¡¯t got the best gear, if this place isn¡¯t jacked up with every defensive measure you can fit in here, if you don¡¯t have everything you need, I¡¯m going to shovel Credits at you or just go on a spending spree until you¡¯ve got it all. The world is fucking dangerous, but let¡¯s make sure you¡¯re meeting danger on your own terms. And Carter¡­ Logan is special. Have you looked at his Class properly? Really thought about how to leverage it and what he¡¯s going to do? The kind of trouble he could get himself into with the wrong crowd? I told pretty much everyone who tried to recruit me to fuck off, but I¡¯m a salty old pirate. He¡¯s still just a kid and you could see him whipped off world or thrown to the wolves way too quick.¡± I¡¯ve made a long speech. Longer than I usually would and as brothers in our family we don¡¯t talk about this shit much. Always leaving lots of things unsaid, but I¡¯m trying to change that. Carter shrugs in a way that makes me certain he¡¯s thought about some of the stuff I¡¯ve said already, but it hasn¡¯t really clicked for him. ¡°Well, I¡¯m going to do everything I can to make sure that kid can leverage his talents and doesn¡¯t get taken advantage of,¡± I say and then hold up my hands, beer positioned to deflect Carter¡¯s protests. ¡°I know, I know, you want to keep him safe and nothing about what I do is safe. I¡¯m not going to bring him on a suicide mission. But you know this is the fucking Apocalypse and he¡¯s got something seriously powerful going for him. And Mille - I¡¯ve never seen a more resourceful, tougher girl. Let¡¯s make sure they can handle themselves no matter what comes along.¡± Carter sighs and stares at the beer in his hands then sits down in one of the massive reclining chairs in the room. It looks a lot more comfortable than the couch I¡¯m on. ¡°You¡¯re right, but you¡¯re also wrong Bronwic. We¡¯re trying to get them help, establish new schools, let them be kids even despite everything that¡¯s going on.¡± ¡°It¡¯s too late for that, mate. They can be kids to a certain extent, especially the really young ones. But¡­ we also have Galactics walking around the Earth, Mana trying to warp things to such an extent we¡¯re in danger of being wiped out, and so much more. You¡¯ve got to give them all the tools they can get to survive. They can still be happy, but it won¡¯t be an innocent happy.¡± ¡°I know.¡± Carter is silent for a long time. The kind of stretch of silence I was used to before he got himself fixed up in the Shop, when his depression and anger bubbled beneath the surface most of the time before they exploded out in unpredictable ways. But he doesn¡¯t explode. Instead he looks me dead in the eyes. This is the most we¡¯ve connected in a long time and I find it brings up a lot of feelings about the kind of brothers we should be, but we aren¡¯t. I miss Robb, he should be here drinking a beer with us and giving us much better advice than we can come up with ourselves. ¡°If we do this your way, you better fucking look after them,¡± he says with a lot of feeling. Some of what drove him to the edge of crazy in Queenstown that convinced Robb and I to enter into the Contract with Taiwo is still there. I¡¯m not sure I can meet the commitment he¡¯s challenged me with. ¡°Fair enough,¡± I agree. ¡°But you know I can¡¯t commit to that. I¡¯ll do my best and take time out to hunt and train with Logan, and with Millie when she¡¯s ready, but I can¡¯t be with them all the time. Not if I¡¯m also going to Level up do what I do. And I need to Level up. There are beings out there so much more powerful than we can imagine, and we¡¯re not going to be safe until we can match them toe to toe.¡±The author''s content has been appropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon. Carter looks up at the low ceiling with its domed adjustable lights and drains his beer, then looks at me. I expect him to hit me with something aggressive, trying to get a further commitment from me. ¡°You want another?¡± he asks instead, holding up the bottle. Maybe we are both older and wiser enough to find a good path together. Robb would have been proud. I shake my head and finish my beer off too. ¡°Should we go give Logan his present? Maybe the two of us can go hunt with him to let him try it out?¡± Carter looks thoughtful for a second and then stands up. ¡°Yeah, sounds good. I need to Level up too so I can contribute to defending this place and my kids. When you¡¯re not around I¡¯ll also need to help Logan Level up. With this Influx who knows what bullshit is going to happen at any time.¡± He pauses for a second while looking at me and then gives out a huff. ¡°Fuck, Bronwic. I can¡¯t even pull your Status, your Level is too high. What did you get for him, anyway?¡± I wave a notification over to Carter. Armor of Arvodis (Mythic Artifact) Arvodis was at the forefront of magical theory development across the entire Universe when he killed himself in a tragic but elegant experiment involving over 40 different types of magic combined into what ended up being a rift that nearly destabilized 88 Galaxies and triggered multiple supernovas. Created using nanites, magical bindings, and rare composite materials, this is the first set of power armor Arvodis designed for his famous Dungeon runs to search for rare components with unique properties. Effects: self-repairing, Strength +60, Agility +40, Perception +30, Luck + 50 Features: force shield with XV7798 Mana battery, Guul¡¯kin ablative plating, flight pack Carter¡¯s eyes bug out of his head and I admit I enjoy it. ¡°What the fuck, Bronwic? Are you trying to get him killed? I thought maybe you got him a shielding ring or a high quality blaster or something¡± I frown at Carter, not understanding what he means. ¡°Mate, I don¡¯t get it. One of Logan¡¯s inherent Class skills is a 200% increase in the effectiveness of technology, which is insane. I¡¯m 90% confident he¡¯s going to make this powerful armor into a beast of a thing worth a dozen Mythic Levels or more. This is going to keep him alive, not kill him.¡± ¡°Bronwic, how many people are going to see that armor and try to kill him for it? How long before he runs into someone more powerful and experienced than him that murders him for it?¡± Carter is really pissed, and I can see what he¡¯s talking about, even though I don¡¯t agree with it. Logan needs everything he can get to give him an edge, and I¡¯ve seen too many people, including Robb, get killed for nothing to do with armor or equipment. To be fair, I¡¯ve only been thinking about the Monsters Logan will be taking on. The non-human kind. There are still the kind of monsters around that Carter is talking about though, no doubt. I pull the armor out of my Inventory and show it to Carter, which calms him down a bit. It looks like a normal, stock standard set of power armor. Hints of dark blue in the metal, but nothing special. Maybe the reddish tint of the armor¡¯s eyes is a bit unusual, but nothing dramatic. This armor is something you¡¯d see on any battlefield, hunting excursion, or even walking down a random street. I can see the look of confusion on Carter¡¯s face as he inspects it. ¡°Yeah,¡± I agree with Carter, even though he hasn¡¯t said anything. I call up the armor¡¯s description to anyone who¡¯s inspecting it. Hytlyrran Power Armor Durable and flexible, with a number of base models and expansion slots, Hytlyrran Power Armor is the most respected and popular power armor for those up to mid Level Advanced Classes. This armor is particularly able to conduct spells and Skills, reducing any penalties for armor interaction effects by 100% in nearly all cases. ¡°So, a nice set of power armor. But not something to get too excited about,¡± I say to Carter, making my case. One of my considerations was how much of a target this armor might make him, but Arvodis apparently had the same kind of paranoia that we do.. ¡°Sorry,¡± says Carter with a sour face that looks like half an apology, but I wave it away. ¡°He means a lot to me, Carter. Nowadays individual Levels and strength, plus a bit of luck, count for a lot more than they used to. So let¡¯s do our best to make sure he has all 3. Should we go see him? I¡¯m keen to get it into his hands as soon as possible, for a few reasons.¡± ¡°How is it out there?¡± Carter asks as he grabs a few things to bring along and shoves them into bags that then disappear into his Inventory. Food, clothes, normal mundane stuff but important nonetheless, especially for a father of four. ¡°A lot better than last time,¡± I reply. ¡°I mean, there are plenty of powerful creatures being mutated and Leveling up, and plenty of Teleports arriving. But outside the highest Level Zones and the most powerful Monsters, it seems like we¡¯re holding our own. Never underestimate humanity, I guess. Plus we have high Level Legendary Adventurer help from the SSA and Tenebris arriving soon.¡± ¡°I was hoping it would go this way after this Influx, though I feel a bit guilty for not Leveling faster and not being able to protect everyone like you can. Those first few weeks after the Influx were crazy Bronwic¡­ man I was messed up. I hope I¡¯ve told you enough times that I¡¯m sorry about what happened then. I got home and kept my family safe, but I¡¯ve fallen behind now.¡± ¡°Nothing to be sorry about Carter. At the time it felt a bit shit, the way you just left, but I understand. I really do. If you want to Level, maybe the Cadimus boys should hit a Dungeon together.¡± Carter rubs his short beard and face with both hands. ¡°Yeah, let¡¯s do that. There¡¯s only so many times we¡¯ll be able to do this with your help, I¡¯m sure. I don¡¯t want to put Logan in danger, but shit danger comes along and smacks us in the mouth all the time. He needs to be as prepared as he can.¡± I nod, knowing exactly what he¡¯s talking about. These same thoughts have played through my mind hundreds of times. I¡¯ve got my own version of Carter¡¯s story that¡¯s different but still¡­ now that I have the Sentinel Class it seems like I made the right call going for it, but there were a lot of times in those 100 days of the Class Quest that I wondered if I¡¯d made a huge mistake. I guess in the end it¡¯s been an outcome based decision. The outcome has been good, so the decision must have been right! I¡¯ll go with that. ¡°Ready?¡± I ask him. ¡°Yeah,¡± he says with a tired voice, then it changes. ¡°Hey Bronwic - thanks. You didn¡¯t have to do any of this. You¡¯ve already done so much for me and Dana and the kids. I can¡¯t ever really repay you but I do appreciate it.¡± He holds my eyes for a few seconds. For the Cadimus boys, it¡¯s a lot to say, a lot more emotion and recognition than either of us is used to in our family. ¡°Dick,¡± is all I say, admittedly with a grin, and the Cadimus emotional balance returns to normal. I open a Portal to Logan and we both step through. 183. Logans First Run ¡°No fucking way!¡± exclaims Logan once he¡¯s wearing the armor and sees how his innate Class abilities make the armor three times as powerful as it should be. The armor even adjusts to his shorter height. He¡¯s big for a 13 year old, but still only five and a half feet tall. ¡°Logan!¡± scolds Dana, but not too severely. ¡°I think what you mean is thank you, Uncle Bronwic. Maybe even¡­ I owe you one?¡± Dana looks at me with real thanks, and an amount of affection that was never there before the Influx. Back then, I was an emotionally stunted ice hockey enforcer without much to add to a family dynamic when I occasionally showed up, and a string of girlfriends that probably didn¡¯t set the best example for a young family. Now at least I¡¯m very aware of my impact on those who are close to me. The other kids are in the next room eating pizza and playing with some old school wooden blocks and mini cars. I pull up Logan¡¯s information through my SMI with a small flex of my will. Logan Cadimus (Level 3 Kinetic Manipulator) (Enhanced Mythic) Health: 550/550 Mana: 160/160 Conditions: Accelerated Metabolism, Lightning Reflex, Untouched, Speed Force I know from the notifications he shared with me just after the Influx he also has a Kinetic Affinity and a Time Affinity, both of which have an undefined classification on potential like my Dimensional Manipulation Affinity. I can¡¯t help but wonder how those Affinities will develop as he uses them, and how they might synergize with his Class. ¡°Let me see your Status sheet?¡± I ask Logan. He doesn¡¯t hesitate to send it to me with a gesture.
Status Overview
Name Logan Cadimus Class Kinetic Manipulator
Race Human (male) Level 3
Titles
Influx Origins, Savant
Health 550 Health Regeneration 71 /min
Stamina 550 Stamina Regeneration 71 /min
Mana 160 Mana Regeneration 13 /min
Status Conditions
None
Attributes
Strength 29 (150) Perception 22 (175)
Constitution 55 (150) Charisma 14 (35)
Agility 34 (250) Luck 106 (90)
Aura 16 (75) Mana 16 (75)
SMI Skills and Affinities
Observe 3 Kinetic Sense 3
Affinity - Unclassified Kinetic Affinity - Unclassified Time
Class Specific SMI Dynamics
Accelerated MetabolismThis story has been stolen from Royal Road. If you read it on Amazon, please report it 3 (+30% Health and Stamina Regen) Lightning Reflexes 3 (+9% Dodge)
Untouched 3 (Tier 1 Base Kinetic Fluidity) Speed Force 3 (+15% Physical Damage)
Damage Reduction 50% Tech functionality +200%
Mental Resistance 20% All Resistances 40%
Class Skills
None
Spells
Minor Healing 1
Just like when I took an Enhanced Mythic Class, Logan doesn¡¯t have access to his Class Skills yet, so for a while we¡¯re going to have to give him every advantage we can and Level him up to gain access and the armor is a massive, almost unfair, leg up. I can see why Credits still play a major part in being able to advance to higher Levels safer, but I wonder if Logan¡¯s Leveling speed will be diminished because of the armor. At least the first few Levels require so little XP it won¡¯t matter. ¡°You¡¯ve still got a long way to go before you¡¯ve built up enough Attributes that you can get your Class Skills, just like I did,¡± I comment, and Logan nods. ¡°Hey Logan, I know the armor doesn¡¯t look as cool as Sentinel armor, but that¡¯s the point,¡± says Carter to Logan, like any Dad would. He¡¯s clearly still a bit worried someone¡¯s going to shank Logan for his gear, or that Logan¡¯s going to reject my gift because it doesn¡¯t look cool enough. ¡°Dad, I get it. Are you kidding? This is amazing! Thank you Uncle Bronwic. It¡¯s worth at least ten Levels of Attribute increases and it¡¯s going to be a while until I get my Class Skills. Right now it feels like my brain isn¡¯t braining, but I¡¯ll definitely get used to this. I need some practice.¡± I pull an open plastic tub from my Inventory that¡¯s full of weapons, mostly blasters and highly technical weapons rather than old school guns. I¡¯m guessing that Logan¡¯s Class abilities will activate on a blaster and potentially make the damage an extra 200% of impact. Worth experimenting, so I slide it over to him. ¡°I¡¯ve also brought some extra weapons Logan. Everything from longer range blasters to katars for close quarter fighting. I don¡¯t know what kind of a style you¡¯ll develop and this should give you a chance to build up your skills. The armor should keep you alive, but don¡¯t rely on it too much, or you might find yourself in a situation you can¡¯t get out of.¡± ¡°Pretty rich coming from you,¡± says Logan, like most 13 year olds would. I raise an eyebrow at him and for a couple of seconds he grins at me. When I don¡¯t break his gaze he looks down nervously realizing maybe this is a topic I¡¯m not fucking around on. I¡¯ll take a lot of shit from my nephew, but he needs to take his own survival seriously. ¡°Thanks Bronwic,¡± he says, and rummages through what¡¯s in the tub before sweeping it into his Inventory. ¡°That¡¯s very generous, Bronwic,¡± says Dana. She brushes her hair back from her face and glances over to the next room then gives me a smile of thanks. ¡°Dana, we¡¯re going to take Logan to the Fish Creek Dungeon while Bronwic¡¯s still here,¡± says Carter. ¡°You ok to look after the others?¡± Logan looks at us in surprise and then over to his Mom, knowing she is probably calling the shots, although in my opinion if she objects I¡¯m comfortable giving up all the good will I¡¯ve built up with her to take Logan anyway. ¡°Of course. A Cadimus boys adventure, eh? I wish it was a pre-Influx fishing trip instead, but this is our new reality,¡± she says with a shrug and a shake of the head. ¡°I appreciate you doing this Bronwic, while he gets used to the armor.¡± As always, Dana is practical and sees straight through why this is needed right now. I¡¯m glad I don¡¯t need to sacrifice our relationship. Logan, Carter, and I say our goodbyes and set a course to the Dungeon together, a winding and twisting 5km through the streets of Calgary. We take as much time as we need and nobody feels a rush to get there. Logan flips, jumps, slides, and ricochets off buildings and vehicles while trying to control his new Strength and Agility. It¡¯s hilarious at first, but more quickly than I expected he begins to integrate it into the way he moves. He¡¯s always been clever and picked up new things fast; I can only assume his new Class is doing some heavy lifting too. Even boosted, Logan¡¯s Agility is only half of mine so I take turns with him. Each of us leads and follows in the most advanced session of parkour ever to hit the streets. After the first hour, Carter and I randomly fire flames and bullets at Logan so he has to dodge without warning. It might feel mean to some that he occasionally gets hit by a shot, but they don¡¯t really hurt him much and it¡¯s is a great teacher. With my incredibly enhanced Perception, I can already see his innate Untouched Class ability and his Kinetic Affinity taking the energy from my bullets as they get close and redirecting it into extra speed for him to tap into. Bystanders dodge or react as we pass by, until they see Carter¡¯s well known and recognized flame form flying with us. Twice I need to stop someone from attacking Logan because they want to help Carter to chase down whatever criminal or invader is in the suit. We get a good chuckle both times and Carter commits to introducing Logan, with his new armor, to the main players in Calgary. Random people are unlikely to be powerful enough to bother Logan, but some of the heavy Mythic Class hitters or Advanced Class teams could make his life miserable or make a massive mistake. A couple hours later we¡¯re standing in front of the main Fish Creek Park Dungeon, a simple, deep hole in the ground. Numerous tunnels branch out at different angles from practically straight down to parallel with the surface. There are enough people in the area of different Levels that, at least from what Carter tells me, the Dungeon is under control and a great source of Leveling up in relative safety. Two other groups are also near this hole in the ground. It looks like the more experienced group is on their way out and warning the less experienced group all the easier Monsters have been culled for today. I¡¯m not that confident with the high ambient Mana levels that are concentrating in the Dungeon, but I don¡¯t bother getting involved. In my experience it¡¯s very likely that there¡¯s almost an endless stream of new Monsters spawning and flowing to the entrance of the Dungeon from deep inside it. Logan is in between Carter and I and looks back and forth between us. I¡¯m guessing he¡¯s either nervous and waiting for us to lead, or just waiting for a signal from us that he can jump in. My experience with Logan tells me it¡¯s probably the second. ¡°You guys want to team up, in case there¡¯s anything nasty in there?¡± calls out one of the people from the group that¡¯s thinking about heading in. ¡°Sure,¡± Carter shouts back with a gesture for them to join us. I¡¯m not keen and wouldn¡¯t have invited them, just more people to watch out for. Logan shakes his head at Carter, I¡¯m sure for different reasons but on this we agree. The group heads over to us so we turn to greet them. Logan even Inventories his helmet to be polite. I¡¯m impressed. ¡°Oh, shit!¡± one of them exclaims, and they all stop in their tracks. ¡°Sorry Bronwic,¡± says another. ¡°If you¡¯re Dungeon diving in there we¡¯ll leave it for next time.¡± I can see Carter start to tell them it¡¯s ok, so I interrupt. ¡°Yeah,¡± I say, talking over the top of Carter. ¡°Heard there might be something down there that needs taking care of. Maybe next time?¡± Carter glares at me but doesn¡¯t say anything, and the group turns to leave. I pivot back to facing the Dungeon and drop down into the hole. My feet sink deeply into the soft dirt and it smells like I¡¯m standing in a bowl of potting mix. Maybe I am. Logan lands with a thump next to me and Carter drifts down without a sound other than the hiss of flames like you¡¯d hear standing at a barbeque. ¡°No distractions from helping your kid,¡± I say to Carter with calm certainty and gesture for Logan to lead. He pulls out a blaster rifle with a quick fire rate then looks around to assess which tunnel we should take. It¡¯s a good weapon choice, I like it, and Logan picks the tunnel that descends down most sharply. At first I wonder if he¡¯s overconfident, but then I do take a step back and realize that I¡¯m along with him so it¡¯s probably appropriate. It¡¯s not long down the tunnel when we encounter our first Monsters, a teeming pack of weasels that let out loud chirps and hisses from a Mana-created cavern as soon as we encounter the first one in the tunnel that leads straight down to it. My enhanced Perception and minimap have tagged them since we entered the Dungeon and although I¡¯m alert, I¡¯m not at all on edge. These should be a piece of cake for Logan. Long Tailed Weasel (Level 20) Health: 340/340 Mana: 100/100 Conditions: Quickstrike, Darkvision They don¡¯t look strong and Logan¡¯s blaster rips each one he targets to shreds. He¡¯s good, much better even than I anticipated with the enhancements from the armor. Kids and their video games, I guess. At the moment there¡¯s not much danger and I¡¯m interested to see what happens when he¡¯s put under some pressure. Not because I want him to be in danger, but because I know he¡¯s going to be in innumerable situations where it¡¯s life or death and I want to see whether his instincts carry him through or betray him. He¡¯s only a 13 year old kid and it feels wrong, but with a Class like his and the world he¡¯s living in there¡¯s not really any other option. I¡¯m impressed. Logan even seamlessly switches out blasters from his Inventory when their Mana batteries get low. A few minutes later even the Weasel Matriarch is smoking on the ground riddled with blaster holes. Sound oddly doesn¡¯t carry far in these tunnels even with the air circulation. It¡¯s only when I really focus my Perception that I can hear the Monsters up ahead that I can see on my minimap. It must be some kind of feature of this Dungeon. 184. Deeper? ¡°Deeper?¡± Logan asks me with a glance back. I can¡¯t see his face under the helmet but I think he¡¯s legitimately seeking my opinion. Carter doesn¡¯t look tempted to answer for me and I¡¯m glad he¡¯s been able to stick to the rules. I¡¯m in charge. Period. Logan¡¯s riding high on three new Levels even though I made him put all his free Attributes into Constitution. To be fair there wasn¡¯t any protesting, he¡¯s already heard it so many times it¡¯s expected, and I can tell he wants to keep going despite the increased difficulty of the Monsters we¡¯ve been facing in the last fifteen minutes. ¡°Yeah,¡± I agree and tap him on the shoulder while triggering my Clan Shield Skill to give him another 1000 Health equivalent in protection. Nothing has really come close to giving Logan major problems yet, but there¡¯s no need to be stupid about it. Carter and I both have a set of Sentinel armor on with the Cloaking engaged and we¡¯re hanging back to let Logan find his own way. There¡¯s no real danger since I can always blast out Fury of the Clans if needed, but Logan is doing it all himself and racking up the XP without us helping. Watching him is interesting, nothing¡¯s changed my mind about how fast he¡¯s picking all of this up. Watching Carter is even more interesting since I can still see him in his Cloaked state, and his concern for Logan shows through with every hit, near miss, and kill. We stand in silence for a few seconds as Logan uses his Perception and minimap to figure out a path forward he¡¯s happy with. So far nothing¡¯s circled around and come at us from behind, and if it does by agreement I¡¯ll just take care of it rather than all of us get in each other¡¯s way. Logan pulls out the most powerful blaster I gave him and makes another good pick with a narrow, straight tunnel that will ensure he can use it to full effect. I¡¯m not sure why the Monsters tend to stay in certain areas rather than roaming around the Dungeon. It¡¯s always puzzled me a bit. Maybe by the time I arrive they¡¯ve already formed some kind of Dungeon homeostasis that only gets disturbed when something truly powerful emerges from deep in the Dungeon, or Adventurers like us start hunting. As we enter the next section I can hear faint chittering and scratching on the rock surfaces that have gradually replaced the packed soil near the entrance. About 20 meters in front of us Logan is moving forward quickly and low with the blaster raised to aim. His armored form moves smoothly and it¡¯s clear each Level he gains gives him a big jump in Agility. This time throws my previous thoughts about one Monster at a time out the window as I clearly see large holes in the tunnel ceiling that line up with the dots on my minimap and a massive raccoon rushing toward Logan. My hand twitches and I glance at Carter as Logan opens fire on the racoon and it emits a screeching sound when the beam weapon sizzles its fur and flesh. I can see Logan aim well at the head to confuse and disorient it while it barrels down the tunnel at us, but I¡¯m keeping one eye on the ceiling and that¡¯s where the danger comes from as a dozens of bats drop down to create a shit storm of chaos around Logan. I quickly pull their information to make an assessment, not wanting to rob Logan of the XP and the learning if at all possible. We¡¯re here as an option of last resort to support him not to steal his kills or fight his battles. The time to legitimately hunt together will come later if he Levels up sufficiently. If you spot this narrative on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation. Racoon (Level 33) Health: 660/660 Mana: 30/60 Conditions: Scavenge, Razor Sharp Brown Myotis Bat (Level 37) Health: 210/210 Mana: 160/200 Conditions: Rabid Bite Like with most flying creatures the bats have low Health for their Level, but there are a lot of them. Both their physical swarming and their sonar play havoc with Logan¡¯s ability to focus and it only takes a couple of seconds for my Clan Shield to evaporate. Carter instinctively activates his Elemental Flame form and emerges from his Cloaked state with heat pouring off him. With a slightly cooler head I step across him with my arm raised to hold him back. It¡¯s symbolic more than anything, but it does stop him from rushing forward and we both watch as Logan is pounded by eagle sized bats that hammer him from all sides and another raccoon scrambles over the first dead one to attack. For another couple of seconds the tension I feel rises and then bats start to fall to the ground, bisected and hacked apart, as Logan starts to appear through the mess spinning and slashing with two short swords that he¡¯s switched to. Thirteen years old or not, hundreds of points in Strength and Agility count for a lot and he leaps, spins, and slashes his way through the cauldron of bats back toward us. He¡¯s allowed himself to become distracted by the bats though and gets crunched from behind by the pickup truck sized raccoon that clamps its jaws down on him. Carter yells and flashes forward, but I instantly put up a Wall of the Clan, sealing us both off from Logan. Searing heat pours from Carter and hits me as he strikes out in anger, melting my Sentinel armor, so I Inventory it. ¡°Status! Check his Status!¡± I yell at Carter, who instantly switches his focus from me back to Logan and the flames die down slightly as we both watch Logan through the Wall stab the raccoon through the eyes and crash to the ground. Carter might have forgotten, but I¡¯ve had Logan¡¯s Status up in the corner of my vision the entire time watching it like a hawk, including the Level he¡¯s just picked up and dumped his free Attributes in Constitution like he should. Logan Cadimus (Level 7 Kinetic Manipulator) (Enhanced Mythic) Health: 1070/1070 Mana: 280/280 Conditions: Accelerated Metabolism, Lightning Reflex, Untouched, Speed Force Between the armor, his innate ability to absorb kinetic energy, and his fast regeneration, Logan¡¯s not even injured as he pries open the raccoon¡¯s jaws and picks himself up off the ground then looks over. I half expect him to Inventory his helmet and grin at us, but maybe the chaos of the last minute has convinced him it¡¯s a good idea to be prepared. I trigger Greatest Need to get Carter and I to the other side of my Wall to join Logan. Carter immediately embraces Logan and I¡¯m not sure what to expect. Has it rattled him? Is that the end for today? ¡°That was sigma!¡± Logan exclaims instead. ¡°Did you see me cooking, Uncle Bronwic?¡± I laugh at my nephew, who sounds a bit too much like Jeff with his enthusiasm for me to ignore it. ¡°Don¡¯t get too cocky, kid. But great job,¡± I tell him. ¡°Sorry,¡± Carter offers to me. ¡°I should have had his Status up.¡± I nod in agreement and equip a new set of Sentinel armor. ¡°Deeper?¡± asks Logan enthusiastically and this time I gesture at Carter for his opinion. ¡°Let¡¯s see what you¡¯ve got, Logan,¡± says Carter. What a fucked up world we live in now, but I fully agree. 185. Intergalactic Proposition We exit the Dungeon with Logan two Levels higher and with the respect of Carter and I. I¡¯m far from comfortable leaving him to his own devices and worried that he¡¯ll be overconfident in his newfound power, but so far he¡¯s had a surprisingly balanced about it. No doubt Carter will be lecturing him for ages afterward, hopefully not enough to turn him away from his family. My Perception has already identified two powerful people waiting outside the Dungeon, both not hostile. My Danger Sense and Foresight are both silent but my enhanced sense of smell picks out Taiwo¡¯s distinctive scent amongst all the stink of the Dungeon. I leap up to the ground above the Dungeon and land a short distance from the pair, Carter and Logan following shortly behind and they sensibly stay back, just in case. With Taiwo is Dhromea which is a bit of a surprise. ¡°Nice to see you, Dhromea,¡± I say to the tall Uxelon teleporter before turning my attention to Taiwo. I only spent a day with her, but she made a big impression and taught me a lot. At the moment my Affinity is quiet but I feel something around her that I didn¡¯t when we last met. Perhaps my Affinity is a lot more sensitive now that I¡¯ve developed it further, or perhaps something about her has changed. I¡¯d be keen to spend some time with her to find out. ¡°What are you doing here?¡± I ask Taiwo with interest and a smile. ¡°I¡¯m not complaining, but I thought it was just going to be the Legendary Strike Force teams coming from Tenebris?¡± ¡°We dropped them off at Uluru. Dhromea volunteered to do our transport and then come see you,¡± Taiwo replies, then peering past me he smoothly addresses my nephew, having seen the armor of Arvodis. ¡°Ah, Logan! Pleased to see you¡¯re adjusting well to your new armor.¡± Logan steps forward beside me and Inventories his helmet out of politeness, with Carter not far behind. Technically it¡¯s a safety violation since we¡¯re standing outside a Dungeon, but it¡¯s a good decision considering the situation so I let it pass. I¡¯m sure Logan recognizes Taiwo from what I¡¯ve told him about the Merman, he¡¯s hard to mistake. Dhromea, though, will definitely be a mystery. Taiwo gives Carter a nod of recognition that¡¯s perfectly neutral without a hint of judgment or warmth, just simply acknowledging his presence. Considering their past interaction I think that¡¯s actually pretty charitable. ¡°Thank you for helping Uncle Bronwic get this armor for me,¡± says Logan, surprising me. Perhaps he¡¯s more appreciative than I thought; thirteen year old boys are not renowned for their social awareness. ¡°I¡¯ve no doubt you¡¯ll make good use of it,¡± says Taiwo, then he turns toward me. ¡°Now, to answer your original question, I¡¯ve come out of retirement.¡± ¡°Wait, what? And why Uluru for the Strike Force? There¡¯s hardly anyone left in Australia.¡± ¡°Should we perhaps find somewhere to sit and talk?¡± asks Taiwo as he glances around. I¡¯m sure none of us are uncomfortable standing around outside a Dungeon because that¡¯s just part of life now, but Taiwo always does manage to sneak in some comfort and luxury no matter what the situation is. ¡°Yeah, sounds good,¡± I agree. ¡°There¡¯s a Brewsters Brew Pub not far from here that¡¯s got good food and drink, and a decent atmosphere. You can try some human specialty drinks?¡± I ask. ¡°Since Dhromea is with us, I was thinking of somewhere a bit different,¡± says Taiwo, and Dhromea activates one of her Skills that causes my Affinity to flare up. I probe what she¡¯s doing at the speed of thought and get a couple small insights as to how the Portal she opens is created. It¡¯s much different than what I do but also has similarities, almost like different languages have different words for things but in the end there are still verbs and nouns. Unlike when I trigger Omnipresent, I can¡¯t see through her Portal and I don¡¯t know where it goes, only that it¡¯s nowhere close to Earth. In the back of my mind I still feel that constant pressure to be out hunting for powerful Monsters, but this is an important relationship and when I glance over at Logan¡¯s curious and excited face I make up my mind since I can always bring us back here quickly if needed. ¡°Feel like a trip off world?¡± I ask Logan with a grin. ¡°Hey,¡± interrupts Carter, and I do feel instantly bad. Nowadays, I¡¯m not used to asking for permission or even forgiveness. I glance over at him and see the conflict written on his face, but by the time Logan registers Carter might object the conflict is gone. ¡°It¡¯s a bit further afield than we told your Mom we¡¯d be going, but as long as Bronwic doesn¡¯t get his stupid ass killed we¡¯ll be able to get back when we said we would.¡± Twenty minutes later we¡¯re sitting in a comfortable curved booth looking out through a transparent material I can¡¯t identify, watching the operation of a huge space station. It¡¯s a first for me just as much as it is for Carter and Logan. Even though I¡¯ve been away from Earth for decent chunks of time and even on spacecraft, I¡¯ve never had the opportunity to just sit and watch massive vehicles and warships docking and taking off in an endless stream in a truly enormous space port. Taiwo and Dhromea sit back patiently in the purple seats with orange streaks that look like rippling underwater vegetation as we watch the action and speculate what different spacecraft might be and express our amazement at what¡¯s going on. I appreciate them letting us have this time to share without interruption since no doubt they know a lot more about what¡¯s going on here than we do. The limitation of my Omnipresent Skill means I¡¯m not able to get to places like this, though I can always return back to Earth. It¡¯s a unique opportunity that I appreciate. A short time later some food arrives on the black shaped table in front of us. Multi-colored plates with hot and cold food are set down by mechanical arms attached to wide, flat purpose-built robots that hover between tables and deliver food and drink ranging from what looks like pasta to sashimi all the way to things I¡¯ve never seen before. You get used to the kinds of colors and shapes of food on Earth but I know from experience with Taiwo and on Holgaad those same patterns are not the same universally.This text was taken from Royal Road. Help the author by reading the original version there. As fascinated as he is by what¡¯s going on outside, it¡¯s been a while since we¡¯ve eaten and Logan¡¯s gaze is drawn to all the food. I¡¯m not surprised when his attention returns to the outside scene with reluctance clear on his face. ¡°Don¡¯t worry Logan and Carter, I¡¯ve spent enough time around Bronwic to know what kinds of foods humans like. If your tastes are similar to his, this will be a bit different than you¡¯re used to, but hopefully in a good way.¡± ¡°Logan, I can¡¯t imagine we¡¯ll have another opportunity like this soon,¡± Carter says and he joins me in taking a selection of things for his plate. He also grabs a drink that looks a lot like Fanta, which was one of his favorites as a kid. Vivid memories rise up of Carter puking more than once without our parents knowing at our Grandma and Grandad¡¯s house after tapping into the unlimited, unsupervised blue crates of specialty sodas that our Grandad used to leave behind the basement bar. I wonder if Carter even remembers that and I try to catch his eye, but he¡¯s lost in his own thoughts. Logan watches all of us pick things and then eventually joins in, though I note he leaves it on his plate and returns his attention to what¡¯s going on outside. We enjoy a fantastic meal while taking in the overwhelming scale of what happens on the space station and Logan asks Taiwo good questions about how this compares to other places. We get a very high level overview of some of the main Galactic players near us and who controls spacefaring. There¡¯s a pretty clean split between groups that mostly specialize in smaller scale operations who lean on teleportation or the Shop, and groups who are involved in physical, faster than light mass transport of people or goods within ships. It sounds like everything science fiction conjured up before the Influx is a reality in the wider Galaxy and Universe. I¡¯m sitting beside Dhromea, who takes the opportunity to ask me about how well I¡¯ve been able to progress my Edges and Affinity, so I share what I have learned without holding anything back. If anyone deserves to know and can help me to progress even further, it¡¯s her. To my surprise, she¡¯s been trying to replicate what I came up with and she¡¯s had some success so I¡¯m keen to spend some time working with her on progress if we get that opportunity. Being right next to her for an extended period of time is also giving me ample opportunity to appreciate her attractiveness, and she seems fully comfortable being in each other¡¯s personal space. After maybe an hour we¡¯re finished eating and the conversation is winding down. I feel restless to get back and almost trigger Omnipresent to check on how things are going, but hold myself back for the few minutes it should take to wrap up. Instead I look across Dhromea at Taiwo. ¡°Thanks to both of you for bringing us here, it¡¯s a pretty unique opportunity and great to spend some time together. Can we pay for lunch?¡± I ask him. Taiwo¡¯s version of a laugh flows out from him lifting everyone¡¯s spirits. His Charisma is just that high. ¡°Bronwic, I¡¯ll always take you up on an offer of Credits. But also I¡¯d like to propose something¡­¡± A part of me has been wondering if this was coming. Taiwo and I certainly enjoy each other¡¯s company, but our relationship is founded on multiple exchanges of value that¡¯s started to move into a more legitimate friendship. I think. With all his Charisma it¡¯s hard to tell. ¡°You¡¯ve inspired me to come out of retirement,¡± Taiwo leads in with. ¡°What do you mean, me? You don¡¯t exactly seem retired to me.¡± ¡°Oh¡­ I¡¯m staying busy. But that¡¯s not the same as diving back into Adventuring. Watching you grow through Levels so quickly, seeing what¡¯s happened on Earth with Oblivion Shroud, observing all the action and occasionally dipping in. I¡¯m also insatiably curious about what opportunities and doors your Level 7 SSA Clearance and SSA Homeworld access will open up.¡± We never really did pick up the conversation about my Level 7 Clearance, granted to me when I gained the Title of High Enforcer. With everything going on I haven¡¯t even looked into it, all I know is that Taiwo had a strong reaction when I revealed it. Part of me is curious too, but I have enough on my plate. I make a mental note to at least find out if there are aspects of it that could help us to make it through this Influx. Taiwo pauses for a few heartbeats. I¡¯m not sure if it¡¯s for dramatic effect or to give me a chance to soak in what he¡¯s saying. Either way, he has my full attention and the attention of the table when he resumes. ¡°What I propose is that we form a small group and travel to a few SSA Homeworlds, and take on some High Enforcer assignments together. As a High Enforcer you are permitted to form a small team of your own, although I don¡¯t know the specific rules around having Level 7 Clearance; the highest Clearance I¡¯ve gained knowledge of or met someone having is Level 4.¡± I don¡¯t say anything for a few seconds, trying to take this in. It¡¯s not the direction I thought it was heading. ¡°I¡¯ve agreed to come to ensure we can travel wherever we need to go, as long as we can also continue to work together on novel ways to use Dimensional Manipulation,¡± adds Dhromea, her vibrant green eyes giving me a searching gaze. That''s definitely a tick in the ¡®pros¡¯ column, but I shake my head. ¡°It¡¯s not for me, Taiwo. At least, not for now. People change, I¡¯ve changed a hell of a lot. But after everything we went through with Oblivion Shroud and the choice I made to take the Sentinel Class, it doesn¡¯t feel right to leave Earth for Galactic adventures. Maybe one day if humanity¡¯s future is secured, but not now.¡± ¡°You¡¯d be free to return to Earth whenever you like, your Skills ensure that. I¡¯d divert a substantial portion of my resources to assist you and join in personally in the battle for Earth as long as we spend at least half the time off world.¡± I consider what he¡¯s saying, not rejecting it out of hand because it¡¯s Taiwo and I¡¯m fully aware he knows a lot more about what goes on in the Universe than I do. The resources he can bring to bear and his personal help could be extremely helpful to me, and possibly even move the needle a bit for humanity. Out of the corner of my eye I can see Carter is worried about this and Logan is part curious and part distracted, not unexpected from a 13 year old. No doubt this is not the kind of conversation he¡¯s usually involved in. ¡°Does Tenebris know?¡± I ask. ¡°No, and although I can¡¯t speak for him I feel confident he would view this as a net positive for his investments both in you, and in Earth. I do always try to ensure my activities don¡¯t conflict with his best interests.¡± I lean back in my seat next to Dhromea¡¯s warm presence and glance over at Carter, who gives me a small shrug. He¡¯s my big brother, but we don¡¯t have that kind of advisor or mentor relationship dynamic that other siblings might have. The silence at our table doesn¡¯t bother me. I don¡¯t feel compelled to give an answer right away or fill the space while I consider. Logan looks up at me in interest as if he¡¯s trying to guess what¡¯s going through my head and then turns back to the view outside. What is going through my head? ¡°I¡¯m not saying ¡®no¡¯ Taiwo and Dhromea, but I am saying ¡®not yet¡¯,¡± I say firmly as I glance back and forth between them. ¡°Maybe if we can stabilize Earth¡¯s high Level Zones or there¡¯s an advantage in doing this that would give humanity an edge I¡¯d do it. But for now, I just don¡¯t think I could do anything that would make more difference than taking on Monsters who rampage through cities, Dungeons spilling out death sentences to humans, and protecting Settlements are being overrun. Even being here I constantly feel the call, the pull to go back and see if I can make a difference. In the end, I am the Human Sentinel and Earth is where I belong.¡± 186. Worm Hunting I end up using Omnipresent to take Carter, Logan, and I back to the Calgary MIS Hub. Things with Taiwo and Dhromea aren¡¯t strained, I think they get where I¡¯m coming from, but they¡¯re definitely disappointed. We step outside and I take a deep breath then glance at my brother and nephew. I feel certain I¡¯ve made the right call, even though a small part of me likes the thought of discovering a new world in a new situation rather than getting stuck into what¡¯s going on here. ¡°Thanks Uncle Bronwic, that was cool,¡± says Logan. ¡®And thanks for staying, but¡­ if you do end up going somewhere like what Taiwo was talking about, maybe I could come?¡± he says with the grin he reserves for when he knows the answer¡¯s going to be no. ¡°No chance,¡± Carter says instinctively. I don¡¯t join in because I¡¯m not totally against the idea, which gets me a scowl from my brother. The fact he might become stranded somewhere in the Universe with no way to get home is clearly a concern, but the danger? Depends what it is and how it¡¯s managed. After all, we¡¯ve just spent the day throwing him into a Dungeon that would kill most people that he handled like a Champion and gained a whole lot of Levels from. The air is cold enough in Calgary today to be invigorating, especially compared to the perfectly climate controlled environment of the space station. Which sets me to wondering why that is¡­ surely aliens have a wide variety of temperatures they prefer? Or maybe Taiwo picked one that was Earth-like in atmosphere and temperature? Seemingly infinite possibilities to explore. I refocus though and trigger Omnipresent to look at what¡¯s going on and the world opens up in my mind¡¯s eye, hotspots of conflict everywhere. Carter¡¯s used to seeing me get that look and places a hand on my shoulder. ¡°Thanks, Bronwic. I know you¡¯ve got to go, but come back soon?¡± ¡°Definitely,¡± I say and give Logan the option of a quick fist bump. He curls up his nose at the uncool idea but does it anyway. ¡°Race you home!¡± Carter exclaims to his son and triggers his Flame form then takes off at high speed, Logan following and falling behind despite the boosted Attributes from his armor and his own enhanced Skills. I grin at Carter who maybe just wants to show that he isn¡¯t completely left behind by his oldest son - yet. It¡¯s been really rewarding to spend some time with Logan and Carter, but when I take a look at what¡¯s happening around the globe it¡¯s clear that I need to spend some time helping out and I¡¯m ready to get stuck in. Logan¡¯s also not the only one who needs to Levels. I alter the thresholds on my Foresight Skill and then the filters on Omnipresent to focus on Monsters of Level 250 or above and located near a human population of over a million. There are still way too many locations for comfort so I pick Madrid. Unlike most cities which are smaller than before the Influx, Madrid has actually grown by collecting all the people from the surrounding areas and due to sheer luck of not being targeted by any huge threats or Oblivion Shroud. I open a Portal and step through with my Elemental Aegis and Acceleration triggered to the top of a narrow, sloped cobblestone street near the Museo Nacional del Prado, right near the center of the city. A huge, undulating worm-like creature with a diameter higher than the surrounding buildings is flowing rapidly through the street, smashing the brick two and three storey houses and businesses on both sides apart into rubble. Dust flies up into the air in billowing clouds amongst the screaming and chaos. People are running everywhere past me and down side streets as dozens of Adventurers and non-combat Classers fire weapons and spells from rooftops all around, to no effect. All along its hundred meter or more length, tentacles that look like huge purple tongues shoot out of openings resembling a whale¡¯s blowhole at all angles including ones that penetrate right through the surrounding structures. Some miss, but it¡¯s moving very fast and most of them pull a person into the creature causing a rapid beat of wet thumps. It takes me only a couple of seconds to assess the situation and the Monster, clearly a Teleport that reminds me of the creature that trapped me on Holgaad. If you discover this tale on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen. Please report the violation. I don¡¯t know if it¡¯s coincidence or convergent biology or something else that means creatures like this keep popping up, but it does give me a chance to build on what¡¯s worked before instead of figuring out what to do from scratch. Colossal Diikon Hunting Worm (Level 301) Health: 14890/16700 Mana: 2010/3000 Conditions: Total Awareness, Tough Skin, Kinetic Reflection, Unstoppable, more¡­ I rush forward with my Swords extended and trigger Fury of the Clan five times quickly to see if the Worm will be affected, but as expected it brushes off most of the damage. Nothing reaches Level 300 without some serious Resistances. Another reason to Level; I need access to some Legendary Skills that do damage from a distance on more powerful opponents. For now it will need to be my Swords up close, I can¡¯t imagine anything else I have in my arsenal having much of an effect. At least a dozen tentacles fly out of the creature from behind its mouth, which could easily swallow a school bus whole. I sweep my Swords back and forth in front of me to slice them up and trigger Wraithstrike to close in on the Monster. Somehow it still senses me and surges in an accelerated turn to my left. The buildings it hits explode instantly from the impact as the Worm exposes its side to me. I sweep my Swords down vertically to bisect it, but the Worm rolls toward me and half a dozen tentacles all shoot out at me from close range, bypassing my Swords. I¡¯m blasted off my feet despite my Strength and rapidly catapult through two blocks of buildings without any control until I trigger Greatest Need and appear back near where I started next to a small Adventuring group still trying to damage the Worm with rocket launchers. The Worm is moving fast and it¡¯s only the tail end of it I see as it smashes through row after row of buildings. Tentacles shoot out even as it blasts through the chaos and grab people whether they run or hide and pull them into its body directly or straight down into its massive mouth, lined with teeth. Weapons fire, Skills and spells fill the air from dozens of people but nothing slows the Worm or even makes it flinch. I trigger Omnipresent and set the Portal right above the Worm, tracking it, then manifest the Portal below me and fall straight onto it, Swords extended. This time there is no chance for the Worm to do anything about it and both my Swords plunge into its super tough body as I lengthen them both to the maximum 30 feet with a push of my will. Even with the unique nature of my Swords I can feel the Worm¡¯s Mana-infused body trying to resist before being overpowered. Using my Strength, I flex my wrists and arms to bring them up crossed over and I slice the Worm apart about a third of the way down. Both segments spasm and lose all their momentum, rolling in a way that flattens more buildings and crushes fleeing and hiding people alike. On high alert for the Worm¡¯s potential ability to recover quickly or even split into two equally powerful creatures, I rapidly place some Edges around the front segment to try to keep it in place and hack and slash at it until there are only car-sized pieces left, then I turn my attention to the back two thirds. It¡¯s not until I¡¯m halfway through that job that I get the notification for the Worm¡¯s death and an influx of XP. I Loot the body and look around at the grim scene. A lot of dead people, especially unsuspecting non-combat Classers who were probably just going about their lives in their houses. Settlement Zones are usually safe places to be, although nowhere is truly safe post Influx. My anger and frustration rise again while I look around. We were just getting to the point where humanity could gain the upper hand and then¡­ this. I¡¯m full of conflict between bouncing to another situation where people need me and the knowledge that for every time I do that there are a hundred or a thousand more situations I won¡¯t get to. In those moments and in dealing with this Influx, more humans will Level up and be able to take on bigger threats. It¡¯s just a race to see if that happens fast enough to tilt the balance in our favor. Within a day or two this part of the Settlement will no doubt be rebuilt using the high ambient Mana levels and a big chunk of their Credits, but the constant loss of life in areas I show up in like this does grind me down. No new high Level Adventurers emerged in Madrid to defeat a massive Monster. Just me and my progress most of the way to a new Level, from one kill. I remind myself again that I can¡¯t save everyone and then trigger Omnipresent again to find the next big problem. 187. Hvitserkur Turns out the next problem¡­ is a big one. I step through a Portal to the small Settlement of Mosfellbaer, barely 10km east of Reykjavik, which is now an obviously fresh and complete ruin. Bodies are strewn everywhere and the town has been absolutely ripped apart. It looks like someone grabbed everything in the Settlement like some crackers in a giant hand and crushed it, then threw it back down on the ground. My Danger Sense flares and pushes on me as strongly as it ever has. The air is thick with danger and I can feel Mana churning everywhere around me, including under my feet. I look up to one of the flat peaks at a massive, hulking figure that looks more like a chunk of mountain than anything else. Surely this is the most powerful thing on the planet right now, at fully 200 Levels above anything I¡¯ve ever seen. Hvitserkur (Level 514 Rock Troll) Health: 58900/59100 Mana: 12450/14600 Conditions: Ascended Regeneration, Unbreakable, Elemental Mastery, Magma Born, Stalwart Aura, Resolute, Mark of Resilience, more¡­ I do a double take, having assumed this was a Monster, but the notification clearly indicates Hvitserkur is sentient. Rocky knobs and spikes cover his oversized limbs and fierce face which is dominated by a massive jaw and glowing green eyes. It¡¯s hard to even get a sense of proportion immediately from this distance but as I hone in with my Perception I can see his rough, thick skin the color of weathered granite looks to be scarred from centuries of weather and battles. My Affinity flares and alerts me to a still open Wormhole not far away, no doubt the source of these creatures and possibly a longstanding one that the Influx has forced open. Hvitserkur notices me immediately, fixing me with his gaze and shifting his stance. It sounds like an avalanche each time he moves. ¡°Human!¡± he rumbles in a voice that seems to shake the foundations of the ground all around us, yet somehow my SMI translates it into one simple word. Mental influence resisted Fear effect resisted Despite my focus on the Rock Troll, my Perception tells me there is more to this than is obvious and I open up my minimap. Thousands of dots, many of them red, are sprinkled around the area. A push with my will overlays them on everything I can see and now it¡¯s obvious there are many, many more Rock Trolls here, hunkered down like boulders and rugged features of the landscape. Some of them are still in the Settlement blending in with the rubble, surrounded by dead humans. My anger rises up to war with my concern. I throw myself headlong into situations all the time but this one makes me hesitate. With Reykjavik so close, if these Rock Trolls decide to move in that direction it will be a bloodbath. There¡¯s no way I¡¯ll be able to stop them, there are too many at too high a Level, and I wouldn¡¯t even know where to begin with Hvitserkur. As all of this flashes through my mind there¡¯s only one option I can think of as all around me rock formations begin to stir and surge up from the ground. I trigger Omnipresent and find Finn, then manifest the Portal and step through. I see immediately he¡¯s shapeshifted into a powerful cat standing at least as tall as me at the shoulder to hunt down a herd of Red Deer who live up to their name. Each massive beast gives off a red glow and all of them have a varied intensity of light swirling inside their antlers. I watch for a second as Finn bounds after them and then pivot to my right as my Danger Sense presses on me. Two intense beams of energy from two of the Red Deer who have built up enough charge slice past me and cut through the forest. Each of the beams lasts long enough that the Red Deer try to track me and whip the beams across my body and although I¡¯m not super worried based on their Level I trigger Greatest Need to land beside Finn at a full run. ¡°I need you,¡± I send to him through our Group Party Chat. He¡¯s not really a member of the Sentinels anymore, but since our group is scattered right now and I haven¡¯t formed a new Party, all the originals are still connected to my GPC when we¡¯re in range. Finn glances over, his feline eyes locking on mine, and instantly shifts back to his human form, stopping dead. The change in momentum is abrupt, but my Acceleration is turned up and I match it without any problem.Stolen from its rightful place, this narrative is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings. ¡°Good to see you,¡± he says. ¡°What¡¯s up? You know we¡¯re still sticking to Ireland, yeah?¡± ¡°I know, but you need to make an exception. Showing is easier than telling and I¡¯ll leave the Portal open so you can step back here,¡± I say to him. We¡¯ve had our differences and our paths have diverged, but there¡¯s still a lot of history fighting and bleeding and saving each other¡¯s lives together, so I expect Finn to give me the benefit of the doubt just like I would do for him, and I¡¯m not wrong. He gives a quick nod and I trigger Omnipresent then open a Portal back to Iceland. ¡°Jesus fuck, Bronwic,¡± says Finn when he steps through the Portal. We¡¯ve emerged in plenty of heavy shit before, but this is next level. In the brief time I¡¯ve been gone the army of Rock Trolls has increased its movement and Hvitserkur is rumbling slowly through the town wreckage in the direction of Reykjavik. Three Rock Trolls each around Level 100 move closer to us and I expect an attack that doesn¡¯t come. Finn and I stare at them and then Finn glances over at Hvitserkur. ¡°Watch my back,¡± he says to me without any hint of a question as he kneels down and plants his hands on the ground. I can feel the disturbance in the Mana around us that signals he¡¯s triggered multiple Skills and spells at the same time, some of his strongest ones. Finn¡¯s Level isn¡¯t far off mine and his Class of Gaia¡¯s Chosen gives him capabilities I can¡¯t even dream of. Just as I feel the Mana disturbance, the Rock Trolls all crack and crunch at the same time to orient on us. At least Finn¡¯s got their attention. I cycle through my options and get ready with a Wall of the Clan, just in case. The ground beneath us trembles as Finn channels his power and Mana ripples around us. I check Gift of Gaia and am relieved that it¡¯s unaffected by whatever Finn is doing since I¡¯m going to need every advantage I can get. My Swords appear in my hands without me really thinking about it and I tighten my grip on them as I watch Hvitserkur and trust in my minimap, Perception, Foresight, and Danger Sense to warn me of anything I have to react to immediately. ¡°He¡¯s so strong,¡± Finn mutters, his voice strained with the effort of whatever he¡¯s doing. My mind races to try to devise a strategy but the odds are stacked heavily against us. Slowly at first and then with an increasingly deafening rumble, thousands of Rock Trolls start to converge on our position. They give us a wide berth, but more and more of them are headed toward us. We can always escape, but then what about Reykjavik? I glance between Finn and Hvitserkur then check Finn¡¯s Mana to see what I suspected, his Mana levels are dropping like a stone and he¡¯s only got less than a third of his Mana pool left. ¡°Can we draw them away from Reykjavik?¡± I ask Finn, but he¡¯s lost in whatever he¡¯s doing. These are the times I wish I knew more about magic. I¡¯m tempted to open another Portal to Jon or Jeff for reinforcements. Just in case, I plunge the syringe of a Mana potion and then a Mana regeneration potion into Finn¡¯s neck, bypassing his armor. He doesn¡¯t even stir and his Mana continues to race toward zero, albeit a bit slower. The Rock Trolls around us regard us with unmoving granite faces while Hvitserkur rumbles toward us with the sound of a thousand ton avalanche. The ground bucks and cracks everywhere around us except a radius around where Finn and I are. Hvitserkur is still a fair distance from us when he stops, although his massive frame looms over us even from far away. I admit I¡¯m tense and playing the sequence of Skills I¡¯ll trigger over and over in my head if Hvitserkur gets any closer to use or the Rock Trolls rush us. Then Finn stands up, slightly woozy. I grab him and hold him upright for the second it takes for him to collect himself and return to himself properly. ¡°They¡¯re stranded,¡± he says softly to me, his eyes still far away. ¡°Their world is years, maybe months, from fracturing and so they can¡¯t go back. This Wormhole was a blessing for them but they don¡¯t understand our world or even anything about the Sapient Species Alliance, or anything else. Hvitserkur has been holding back the catastrophe for a long, long time but it¡¯s at the point there¡¯s nothing he can do.¡± I give Finn a questioning look, unsure of whether his information is reliable. ¡°I spoke with Hvitserkur directly, through the Earth, through the power of our shared Elemental Mastery. Don¡¯t mistake their story with them deserving sympathy. He doesn¡¯t care about us, views us as nothing. He only exchanged information with me briefly because I am Gaia¡¯s Chosen; I suppose maybe he held a similar position on his world, so that part at least he has some small degree of respect for.¡± ¡°So¡­ what now?¡± I ask, glancing around us. The potential for violence still hangs heavy in the air and I¡¯m not stupid enough to be confident in defeating this thing in combat. Even though I understand a bit more about why it¡¯s happened, there¡¯s also the fact we¡¯re still surrounded by a Settlement that¡¯s in ruins and that¡¯s hard to just ignore. ¡°Now¡­ now we leave Iceland to them or they¡¯ll take it for themselves.¡± Finn looks around like me, assessing whether we could bring enough firepower here to defeat them. Whether it¡¯s even worth it to make sure Iceland is in human control. He comes to the same conclusion as me. ¡°Then we turn back the latest fucking Influx and, if Iceland becomes an issue one day, maybe we get back to this problem.¡± ¡°The folks of Reykjavik might not like that,¡± I say, not arguing his view. I¡¯ve had a version of the ¡®abandon your home¡¯ conversation hundreds of times before and I know the struggle people have between doing it and facing impending danger. I also know so well personally the internal conflict between wanting to defend a human Settlement and trying to give them the best chance of survival which is sometimes to cut and run. Finn shrugs, which isn¡¯t like the Finn I got to know who was always trying to fight every battle to the fullest and defend people to the end, but we¡¯ve all had plenty to deal with and adjustments to make. ¡°There¡¯s no choice. Hvitsekur is going to settle here and we¡¯re actually lucky this is just an island instead of the middle of North America or Asia. I¡¯m happy to help whoever who wants to leave make a transition to Ireland and of course anyone who has the ability to leave can do it. Everyone else will die.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t doubt it for a second.¡± 188. The Fate of Reykjavik Where once Reykjavik was thriving, the Settlement is now a fortress of survival with the vast majority of the population human. Finn and I stand on the high walls looking out in the direction of Hvitserkur and his gang of Rock Trolls. The green, rocky expanse only slightly resembles what it looked like before the Influx. I was lucky enough to come here on holiday in my early twenties during the off season of my first year in the minor leagues to see the Northern Lights and visit the Blue Lagoon. I also found the Golden Circle and a bunch of hard drinking, fun people who seemed like Vikings brought to life. That trip was hard on my wallet, but easy on my soul and I find it myself irritated that we have to abandon it, like I¡¯ve had to abandon the South Island of New Zealand. I mentally add this to the list of places to liberate one day. ¡°Shame to let it go,¡± Finn says, echoing my sentiments. His tall, lanky frame has filled out with his progress through Levels and he¡¯s wearing what I can only term as cool old-school dark leather armor and a dark green cloak with some runes on it. Truly he looks like a Warrior Druid or Gaia¡¯s Champion. I glance down at the guards and sentries that have rushed cautiously to cover us with weapons, Skills and spells at the ready. We haven¡¯t made a move to enter the Settlement and there¡¯s nothing they could do to stop us, which I¡¯m sure they know by now from pulling our information through their Mana Interfaces. A woman lands on the wall beside us and we all look out over the landscape for a few seconds. I¡¯d guess she¡¯s in her late 30s or early 40s, though after the Influx it¡¯s a lot harder to guess someone¡¯s actual age. She¡¯s tall, almost as tall as Finn, and imposing with piercing blue eyes and silver-streaked auburn hair. One bare arm is cybernetic and her armor bristles with weapons and defensive measures. Nothing is said for quite some time, which I appreciate compared to what usually happens. No bluster, no nervous chatter. Just peace and unspoken questions. I appreciate it enough to pull her Status; she reminds me a bit of Kapila in the way she stands and her confidence. Freyja Bjarnadottir, Ironclad, Savior of Reykjavik, Steadfast, Survivor, Beacon of Hope, Resolute, Reborn (Level 25 Ironclad Warrior) (Enhanced Mythic) Health: 4910/4910 Mana: 2480/2480 Conditions: Glutton for Punishment, Hardened, Aura of Command, Sentinel¡¯s Gaze That¡¯s a lot more Titles than I¡¯m used to seeing on a Mythic Class human and I note she has a passive Condition that suggests we have some things in common. Eventually she breaks the silence as she contemplates the hulking granite figure of Hvitserkur that can now be seen over the horizon. ¡°Bronwic Cadimus doesn¡¯t usually show up to deliver good news,¡± she says calmly in a powerful voice. The rumble of crashing rocks rolls up to the wall and hits us with a low, resonating vibration that I might feel deep in my bones if I wasn¡¯t who I am now. ¡°Your reputation precedes you,¡± Finn says with a glance at me and a smirk. From Jon or Jeff I¡¯d laugh it off and it would build our camaraderie, but I know coming from Finn there¡¯s a bite underneath the comment and a distance between us that¡¯s hard to close. Not that I need everyone to be my friend¡­ at least we can work together when needed. ¡°It¡¯s not good news,¡± I agree with Freyja. ¡°I don¡¯t think we can stop the big one; he¡¯s over Level 500 and looking for a new place to call home. Luckily for humanity and unluckily for Iceland, this is where a Wormhole brought him and so you need to leave. I can provide a Portal and if we start now hopefully that will be sufficient for the Rock Trolls to leave Reykjavik alone, for now.¡± ¡°Why us?¡± Freyja asks. ¡°Maybe they¡¯ll leave Iceland.¡± ¡°He¡¯s not called Hvitserkur by accident, in my opinion. It¡¯s likely a translation, but that Rock Troll has some kind of connection to Iceland,¡± replies Finn. ¡°Are you saying he¡¯s here because of our legends? Iceland¡¯s landmarks? He¡¯s somehow connected to Iceland?¡± Finn shrugs. ¡°Impossible to know, Freyja. But I¡¯m closely connected to Gaia and I can tell you that through Mana and Wormholes, we are more connected to places around the Universe than we¡¯ve ever been. Possibly the high levels of Mana warping everything and opening up Wormholes found Hvitserkur and so many of the others because of their similarities to other worlds. In other cases, we know Galactics had already visited us and laid foundations here.¡± Freyja looks pensive, angry. Like she¡¯s going to decide to fight anyway and I know that feeling all too well. We need to give her an option that¡¯s viable, and it seems like Finn is on the same page as me. ¡°Ireland¡¯s an option, since you need one,¡± says Finn. ¡°We have the space and would welcome you,¡± says Finn. It surprises me a bit, but maybe it shouldn¡¯t. We¡¯ve had the same general goal of helping humanity since I met him at the Koldaavi Combat Championship.This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere. Freyja frowns and stares in the distance, then turns her gaze toward us. ¡°Surely if we all take them on, we¡¯ll overwhelm them. There are over fifty thousand people in Reykjavik, and at least ten thousand are combat Classes. It¡¯s been a hard road to build up what we¡¯ve got and we fight well together. Some of us, maybe even a hundred, are Mythic Class and we could fight together for our home, with your help?¡± She seems solid, confident, rational. From my point of view, she also seems sheltered despite all that she¡¯s faced, and what the Icelandic people have faced. ¡°What¡¯s the highest Level Monster you¡¯ve taken on?¡± I ask her. ¡°A few in the low 200s. One almost Level 250. We hit them hard and we¡¯re still here.¡± I can see in her eyes those wins were not easy and the weight of the loss is heavy. Perhaps there are a lot of emotional sunk costs in Reykjavik, which I know about only too well. No doubt based on her Titles and her Levels, Freyja was instrumental in those battles. ¡°There¡¯s a world of difference between Level 250 and Level 300, never mind Level 500. Increased Resistances, durability, Skills and spells that can affect large numbers just go get started. Level 500¡­ I think it would be suicide for all of us and it¡¯s not needed. Add on top of that, somehow Hvitserkur is something different. Pull his Status. He doesn¡¯t show up as a Monster and he¡¯s not a Sentient with a Mana Interface. He¡¯s something else. I¡¯m not sure what.¡± ¡°Some will refuse to leave our home. Will you abandon them?¡± she asks. Her voice isn¡¯t full of self-righteous judgment, just seeking clarity. I like her. ¡°This isn¡¯t the first time we¡¯ve evacuated an area,¡± Finn cuts in and looks back over his shoulder at the remolded Settlement of Reykjavik. ¡°There are always people who stay and we accepted that a long time ago.¡± Finn speaking up actually props me up a bit. In the end, since I¡¯m the one who creates the Portals it always feels like it¡¯s my decision, my responsibility, and my burden to leave people behind to their deaths. Perhaps it is my responsibility, but knowing that even now Finn views it as a decision we all made together relieves a tiny bit of the weight I carry around, shoved deep in an emotional box that I do my best to ignore. The rumble of the Rock Trolls continues as they slowly come toward us. They¡¯re not in a hurry, but they are coming. Others are joining us on the wall, flying up with jetpacks, or appearing on roofs to see what¡¯s going on. They give Freya, Finn, and I a wide berth at first but soon thousands of people are around. They¡¯re no doubt used to rallying to turn back Monster swarms or something big and tough. Just not this big and tough. I turn and face the largest number of them I can and start shouting my well practiced speech as I look at the spot I¡¯ll open up the Portal, the city gate. Galactics will have to find their own way to escape or scatter, I¡¯m not able to take them. ¡°People of Reykjavik! A threat we can¡¯t defeat is bearing down on us! In five minutes I¡¯ll be opening a Portal to Ireland and I¡¯ll keep it open as long as I can before we have to leave. This is not a forced evacuation, but if you stay behind you will almost certainly need to abandon Reykjavik and your chances of survival are almost zero. Galactics, you will need to find your own way off Iceland, I can¡¯t help you. My Portals only function for humans.¡± My increased Mana regeneration from my Gift of Gaia Evolution will mean I can hold my Portals open for longer in any given period of time. It¡¯s usual and I expect some Galactics to come and challenge me about being able to use my Portal, but none approach me here when I hop down from the wall. ¡°Where to?¡± I ask Finn over the GPC. ¡°Dublin,¡± he sends back as he hops down beside me and I nod then open up the biggest Portal I can to the Dublin MIS Hub, using my Affinity¡¯s growth in strength to expand it even further to the point it takes up the whole area of the gate. Finn rushes through for a couple of minutes as Freyja moves through the crowd, urging them to gather anything they need and return. Some people rush through and I don¡¯t stop them even though there¡¯s probably nobody on the other side to facilitate a mass movement yet. In my experience you need the first brave or desperate people to give the next group permission to leave, and so on. Finn emerges back to our side shortly and leaps over the wall without effort, no doubt boosting his Attributes through his Class Abilities. I glance around at the crowds of people that are arriving, leaving, and milling around with cautious looks at me and the Portal. The buzz of discussion is everywhere and my enhanced Perception lets me pick out conversations wherever I choose to. I read the mood of the crowd and keep one eye on my minimap, especially where Hvitserkur is. ¡°Come on! Move through whenever you¡¯re ready, there¡¯s not much time!¡± I pick out people who I can see are on the fence and encourage them. ¡°My name¡¯s Bronwic Cadimus, I¡¯m here to help but can¡¯t stay long!¡± That, at least, gets a flow of people going that starts as a trickle and turns into a steady flow. It¡¯s a start, but moving fifty thousand people takes a long time just through simple math, like clearing out an Arena after a game. ¡°They look to be holding?¡± I send to Finn after a few minutes now that the flow is really moving. It will still take hours we might not have. ¡°The impression I get from Hvitserkur, who isn¡¯t all that talkative, is that as long as we¡¯re moving rapidly they will wait. He also mentioned, or maybe threatened, that some of his Clan are hungry for battle. I get the impression he is holding them back because the two of us are here, no other reason.¡± ¡°Should I bring in reinforcements?¡± I send as I watch a large group of Crafters move through quickly with floating barges of materials and items. No doubt all their Inventories are crammed full as well. ¡°How am I supposed to guess what an ancient, super powerful Rock Troll might do?¡± Finn sends. It¡¯s tough to know if he¡¯s expressing confusion or irritation but I assume positive intent anyway. ¡°You¡¯re the one talking to him, mate.¡± I send back. ¡°What do you reckon?¡± ¡°If you can hold two Portals at once and they¡¯re able, it can¡¯t hurt.¡± Unfortunately, I can¡¯t. Foresight is silent, though my Danger Sense is still pressing on me strongly from the direction of the Rock Trolls. I¡¯d estimate it will take us about 3 hours to get everyone out who¡¯s getting out. Let¡¯s roll the dice. 189. Legendary Champions My Affinity flares up as I feel an invisible Wormhole opening right on top of me, intent on sucking me in. I snarl and push back at the speed of thought with my new sense of what¡¯s around me and manipulate the very fabric of space to prevent the teleportation from taking hold. The pressure grows exponentially and I set my feet then clench my fists, stubbornness and determination taking over. Adrenaline dumps into my system as I hold it back. Slowly at first, then faster, I push it back away from me. The power of it surges again and I mentally slam a bubble down around me then grind inch by inch to push it back again. Angry and wondering who the fuck I need to go beat the shit out of, I force it back some more. My body tingles as my Affinity rips me apart more slowly than my massive, overpowered Regeneration pieces me back together and I find an equilibrium, for now. Space all around me for a five meter radius ripples as the irresistible force of a Skill or powerful technology meets my immovable object of will and Affinity. It¡¯s then I realize Foresight hasn¡¯t triggered and my Danger Sense is silent. Cautious, I probe the Wormhole with my Affinity and can tell the other side is still somewhere in the Milky Way, but not at all close to Earth. I also potentially sense a hint of Dhromea¡¯s Portal patterns or essence in the way the Wormhole is formed. Maybe I¡¯m just imagining it, but there seems to be some kind of an imprint of hers on it, now my attention and focus are dialed up to 11 out of 10. I¡¯m still pissed about being ambushed, but now a bit curious. Everything¡¯s sorted in Reykjavik and Dublin. There¡¯s nothing keeping me here right this second, so I take a moment to trigger all my normal Skills and release my Affinity¡¯s push against whatever¡¯s trying to take me somewhere. Like a rubber band stretched to the limit that¡¯s let go, except infinitely more powerful and dealing with the fabric of reality, I¡¯m snapped into another location with my guard up. The first thing I see is Dhromea¡¯s green eyes roll back into her head as she collapses to the floor. There¡¯s plenty of time at the speeds I move to catch her, but Taiwo is right next to her and holds her up with one hand while pulling one of those comfortable chairs he carries around out of his Inventory. He lowers her down and glances at me, looking around as a message I should pay attention to, but my Perception and Skills have already given me a full assessment of the situation. I put Dhromea to the back of my mind; she¡¯s alive and so will recover. I¡¯ve been transported to a large warehouse-like building that looks suspiciously like the one where all the human contenders were kept for Earth¡¯s part of the Koldaavi Combat Championship. My Perception and my minimap both tell me this massive complex is a carbon copy of that KCC spot, but I¡¯m a lot farther from Earth than I was then. I can smell everything from food to aliens and fried circuitry. It¡¯s also clear I¡¯m standing in a room of half a dozen powerful Legendary Galactics whose defences are up as they watch me warily. Perhaps my reputation precedes me once again, or maybe it¡¯s just the way I¡¯ve made my entrance and the fact I am fully ready to launch into combat. With the situation seemingly not dangerous, I dismiss my Swords and release Acceleration then relax a bit. The tension in the room dissipates along with my change in posture. ¡°High Enforcer Cadimus,¡± says a familiar voice. I pull as much information from everyone around me as I can and turn to see a familiar goblin, B¡¯esloor Adwandiansie. He¡¯s dressed quite formally and looks as tidy as a goblin can look. There¡¯s no way I¡¯d ever forget the Sapient Species Alliance representative from the Galactic part of the KCC who granted me my rewards for being a finalist, and added some extra on top to make things right after what the goblins did in Queenstown. I¡¯m surprised to see Kauran, the Beholder-like being who ran the KCC for us is also here. For now he floats and observes us with his one great eye set over a mouth full of shark teeth. The power difference between Kauran and I is not nearly so great as it was the last time we were together. Four other Legendary combat Classers are here and I wonder what¡¯s going on. ¡°Is this¡­?¡± I begin while I look around in confusion. ¡°What is this? Is the KCC on again?¡± ¡°Actually, yes it is on again soon. But we will speak of that later,¡± says Kauran in that strange way that echoes more in my mind than in my ears. Maybe my SMI is somehow able to translate communication that¡¯s not sound and feed it directly to me. Instead it¡¯s B¡¯esloor who continues. ¡°It is a pleasure to see you again, Bastion Cadimus. Humanity is still exceeding all expectations in military and economic exploits. On behalf of the SSA, I¡¯d like to introduce you to the Leaders of the Legendary Strike Forces we committed to you,¡± he says. ¡°And one from Tenebris,¡± Taiwo adds, nodding toward a humanoid dragon-like creature that reminds me a bit of our Sponsor. He¡¯s over seven feet tall with dark crimson scales covering his muscular body and two massive, leathery wings folded across his back. He exudes raw power, with glowing amber eyes and long, sharpened claws that look like they could do some serious damage. I¡¯ve pulled his basic Status information already.This story originates from Royal Road. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there. Zarithrax Vulkaainan, Draconic Warlord, Elemental Mage, War Leader, Destroyer of the Yiiltin, Underworld Combat Champion, more¡­ (Level 28 Battle Tyrant) (L) [Tenebris Strike Force] [Laniakea Supercluster] The three SSA leaders are an impressive group. A powerful Centaur, the first of her kind I¡¯ve encountered, a Tauran, and an incredibly complex spider-like Mech suit stand before me. The Centaur¡¯s skin is etched with tribal runes that give hints at her Skills and Class. The Tauran male looks like a towering figure of muscle and rage dressed in what I could loosely call an outfit from Braveheart. He reminds me of Captain Kulnuk, only bigger and meaner with a bull-like head crowned by massive, sharp horns that seem Mana enhanced. The spider-like Mech suit looks intricate and powerful with 8 hydraulic legs, each equipped with high-precision weaponry and utility tools. They are all Level 30 in their Legendary Class and I realize immediately that they¡¯re probably in a similar situation to what I was, stuck there while they complete their Ascended Class Quest. I wonder if this is part of it. Calyndra Stormhoof, The Thunder Charger, Storm Blessed, Mistress of Weather, Spear Master, Slayer of Imps, Goblins, more¡­ (Level 30 Storm Herald) (L) [Ixionidae] [SSA Legendary Strike Forces] [Laniakea Supercluster] Rogar Qaaldon, Guardian of Bhavnagar, Guardian of Gyritor, Ragebound, Navigator, Protector, more¡­ (Level 30 Voidkeeper) (Enhanced Legendary) [Tauran] [SSA Legendary Strike Forces] [Laniakea Supercluster] The Webweaver, Electromagnetic Dynamo, Unstoppable, Survivor of Ty¡¯sselthod, Mazerunner, more¡­ (Level 30 Mechanical Tactician) (L) [Arak-T7] [SSA Legendary Strike Forces] [Laniakea Supercluster] I look around and wonder if this group could take on Hvitserkur. Within this room there¡¯s certainly enough posturing and collective confidence to take on anything. This is one powerful, scary group of people and I hope the SSA has chosen them well for their abilities and dispositions. Earth needs these Legendary Strike Forces; as long as they do their job then we¡¯ll welcome them and I definitely don¡¯t want to be in the position to try to keep any of their teams in check. Hopefully being SSA representatives keeps them focused on the task at hand. ¡°High Enforcer Cadimus, our teams are ready for deployment,¡± rumbles Rogar. The others seem content to wait for me to tell them what to do. That¡¯s the second time in this room I¡¯ve been referred to by my new Title¡­ maybe there really is something to having Clearance 7 in the SSA. I glance at Taiwo and then around at the others, expecting some advice. None is forthcoming so I consider. It also seems strange that I¡¯m making this call since there are so many people on Earth who are running Settlements and defensive activities on a day to day basis. Since I had a big part to play in having this capability available to us, maybe it makes sense. I consider how they could make the biggest difference and can¡¯t come up with anything better than scaling up what I¡¯m already doing. ¡°What¡¯s the composition of your teams? Can you figure out where you¡¯re needed and get around quickly?¡± I ask the team leaders. B¡¯esloor steps in to answer for them as a group. ¡°I can¡¯t speak for Zarithrax, but the SSA teams all have a mid range Portaling specialist or the equivalent and high grade communications equipment they can set up in a wide net. The same net can provide good scouting of high Level threats. Please remember that all our teams will follow SSA Protocols and stay only within certain Zones. This is usually set at 200+, but you have a special dispensation to go down to Level 100 if required for an initial period.¡± I nod and turn to the Battle Tyrant who seems a bit restless. ¡°Zarithrax?¡± ¡°Similar, but no Zone restriction,¡± he grunts. I like him. ¡°We will take Australia and New Zealand,¡± says Taiwo, gesturing to Dhromea and Zarithrax. ¡°A few more will join us.¡± I furrow my brow in confusion. That¡¯s definitely not where I would have assigned a Legendary team, but I can take it up with Taiwo later. I create a map of Earth in a large notification window and make a couple of adjustments then offer viewing access to everyone in the room. It¡¯s a lot of ground to cover with a few teams, but nobody knows that better than me from trying to do it by myself or with the Sentinels. ¡°Calyndra, your team should cover these areas. Rogar, your team should operate here and Webweaver, your team here,¡± I tell them, indicating North and South America, then Europe and Africa, then Asia respectively. I purposely leave out Iceland; no need to poke that bear. No arguments or discussion, just acceptance of orders. Then it occurs to me that there are probably no humans in any of their teams and that¡¯s going to make it very challenging for me to locate them or get to wherever they are. ¡°I won¡¯t be able to Portal to you, but I¡¯ll keep an eye on the biggest conflicts and help out where I can,¡± I say to try to set expectations. They don¡¯t seem concerned at all. ¡°Move out,¡± says B¡¯esloor and all three of them activate some kind of device that I feel with my Affinity briefly before they disappear. It¡¯s just Kauran, Taiwo, Dhromea, Zarithrax, and B¡¯esloor left in the large space. ¡°Now, for the real reason we¡¯re here,¡± says Kauran and I blink at him in surprise. He has my full attention. 190. Need for Speed ¡°The KCC is coming up soon, and as a former finalist, we have a dispensation to brief you,¡± continues Kauran. He floats closer to me even though I could have seen him just fine where he was, even without my enhanced Perceptions. Totally unrelated, two Foresight notifications flash up at me in the corner of my eye. They both indicate a new powerful Monster over Level 250 fighting with groups of humans, but I¡¯m expecting that to be the case for years to come so I minimize them and focus on what¡¯s going on here. ¡°Hvitserkur is on your world,¡± interjects Zarithrax. ¡°You need to do something about it. Forget about the KCC.¡± I turn my attention to Zarithrax¡¯s imposing form and so do the others. His dark crimson scales seem to deepen as I focus on him. ¡°What do you mean?¡± I ask. ¡°How do you know about that? We¡¯ve left Hvitserkur on a large island and evacuated most of the population. He seemed content to use it as a new home; my understanding is that a Wormhole opened connecting us due to his similarity with some of our legends, and that his world is dying.¡± ¡°Tenebris monitors the movements of all the most powerful beings in the Universe and other special cases. He sent word with me, and also forbade my team to get involved,¡± Zarithrax replies then pauses as if waiting for a challenge. ¡°This is not the first world Hvitserkur has moved to over the ages. On each, he forms a bond with the planet itself and takes over the entire surface with his Rock Troll armies. Only a small portion of his vast armies have made it through the Wormhole with him this time, but make no mistake he will rebuild them. Each day you delay means his strength grows. You must strike Hvitserkur now, while he is at his weakest.¡± Another potentially world ending threat? It seems like we get a new one every few months and I don¡¯t see how this one is any different. ¡°Is there an estimate of how long it might take Hvitserkur and his armies to take over Earth?¡± I ask. ¡°Hard to say,¡± pitches in Taiwo. ¡°Years, certainly. Maybe tens of years or more. But once he gains a foothold history would tell us he¡¯s almost impossible to stop.¡± ¡°I¡¯m not sure where he fits on the list of priorities,¡± I say with a shrug. ¡°We¡¯ve got major threats everywhere and for now he¡¯s not close to any of our major Settlements. Just sounds like yet another reason for me and the rest of humanity to Level up and kick invader ass, if I¡¯m honest.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t think you properly appreciate this threat,¡± says Zarithrax, then his body language seems to indicate he¡¯s dismissed me. ¡°However, you are now fully informed, which is what I committed to Tenebris to do. Taiwo, Dhromea? Let¡¯s go.¡± Dhromea instantly opens a Portal with her Skills. I can tell with my Affinity that her Portal goes to Uluru and I¡¯m not surprised. I suspect there¡¯s a lot more than meets the eye as to why Oblivion Shroud picked it and now Tenebris is claiming it. Surely just the high ambient Mana levels don¡¯t catch the attention of someone like Tenebris. ¡°I¡¯m staying for a bit in my capacity with the KCC,¡± says Taiwo. ¡°I¡¯ll join you shortly.¡± Zarithrax makes an expression I can only interpret as distaste and strides through the Portal with Dhromea following behind. Before she enters the Portal, Dhromea turns and gives me a friendly, inviting look that leaves me with no doubt we will connect sometime later. I rub my face in my hands and take a deep breath then look over at Taiwo, Kauran, and B¡¯esloor. What a strange group of people we are. ¡°Sit,¡± Taiwo says as he pulls those comfortable chairs out of his Inventory and then some food. I¡¯m not sure where he finds the mental bandwidth to always come prepared and take care of himself, but I appreciate it. I plop down in one of the chairs and it doesn¡¯t even groan or creak from my weight. B¡¯esloor also takes a seat, although he pulls out some food of his own. Kauran simply floats near us. It¡¯s hard not to feel he¡¯s staring at me with that one huge eye while I¡¯m eating. We¡¯re all polite enough to wait a minute or so to get down to business and it turns out I¡¯m the least polite, perhaps not a surprise. I definitely want to hear what this is all about, and no doubt we all have places to be. ¡°So¡­ the KCC?¡± I ask, and it¡¯s Kauran who answers. ¡°Yes, Bastion. The KCC. However, unlike last time, humanity now has Legendary Adventurers of a certain classification, namely you, that places your species out of the Koldaavi Combat Championships and into the KCT, the Koldaavi Combat Trials. There are a few other species in the Universe with the same issue. Not many, but a few.¡± ¡°What do you mean, classification? And what¡¯s the difference?¡± I ask, wondering why this hasn¡¯t come up before. ¡°To be plain, your particular Legendary Class is too dangerous for duels,¡± says B¡¯esloor. ¡°You may have a number of terms for it, but essentially our estimate of your threat level or lethality surpasses the threshold where we have any reasonable expectation of being able to safeguard your opponents. For species with individuals of such a nature, instead of the KCC there is the KCT, a set of three trials. If you choose not to enter the KCT, we will still allow other humans to enter the KCC, but you are barred.¡± ¡°What kind of trials?¡± I ask. ¡°It¡¯s not common knowledge, but the SSA uses the KCT to raise Credits, exchange political favors, and occasionally to do good. For the Trial, the species champions are each sent into what is considered an equivalent situation, and all of them are a hundred percent real dangers, sourced from across the Universe. The first champion to complete all the challenges successfully wins, and the rest are given the opportunity to complete their challenge for more points or withdraw,¡± says Kauran.Stolen from Royal Road, this story should be reported if encountered on Amazon. ¡°The three trials are always in the same order,¡± adds B¡¯esloor. ¡°First, combat against one Monster endangering a population. The Monster is always approaching, but never over, Level 300. The second trial is mass combat against some kind of swarm or invasion that has built up to significant proportions, once again this challenge is one that threatens a population. The last challenge is always the most difficult¡­ extraction of prisoners, slaves, or a population from an unsavory group that has captured or oppressed them. To be clear, as far as the rest of the Universe is concerned there are only two trials in the KCT, and the third trial always happens before the other two. There must be no direct connection between the SSA and the third trial.¡± I breathe out heavily and raise my eyebrows. ¡°Heavy stuff, but sounds all like things I¡¯ve done before. Are there support teams on the ground to help? Do the locals join in?¡± ¡°There are no safeguards in the KCT. Involving local populations is not encouraged due to the highly lethal nature of the threats.¡± ¡°What if I choose not to participate?¡± I ask, curious. ¡°If other Legendary Class humans can enter the KCC?¡± ¡°The rewards for your species and home planet are well worth participation, especially if you are victorious. If you turn it down, you miss out on the opportunity, nothing more..¡± ¡°Two months away, you said?¡± ¡°Affirmative,¡± Kauran agrees. ¡°Approximately. We never disclose the actual dates but given the situation on your homeworld and past success in the KCC, plus your Clearance level, we are permitted to tell you this much.¡± I consider. ¡°Thank you for the information. There¡¯s lots going on right now, I¡¯ll make a decision about what to do closer to the time.¡± ¡°Understood,¡± says B¡¯esloor and he stands. ¡°We know you don¡¯t need help returning to your homeworld.¡± I laugh and agree. ¡°I¡¯ll stay with Bronwic for a short while and then return to Earth myself,¡± Taiwo says to Kauran and B¡¯esloor. ¡°Safe travels,¡± Kauran¡¯s voice echoes to us, and they both disappear, Portaled away using some kind of personal device I¡¯m sure is massively expensive and intricate. Taiwo turns his attention to me and offers me some more food that I wave away. We sit comfortably for a few minutes without talking. My Perception easily picks out the faint scent of the sea that always accompanies him and I feel comfortable, but that never lasts. I need to get back to Earth. Before I even start moving Taiwo senses my change in mood and holds up one of his hands with the slightly webbed fingers. ¡°Bronwic, normally I¡¯d let a situation like this pass and let my curiosity about what¡¯s going to happen satisfy me. But¡­ I find on many levels I¡¯m invested in your success and so, do you mind giving you some advice you didn¡¯t ask for?¡± I shrug and nod for him to keep going, knowing Taiwo¡¯s earned a lot more than that from me and I¡¯m curious about what he wants to say. ¡°I highly recommend you advance your Level and Skills as much as possible in the next two months. You need to get as powerful as you can be and try to win the KCT. For most this would be impossible, but your progress has somehow been more than meteoric and constantly surprising so I¡¯m laying the challenge out before you.¡± ¡°There¡¯s no doubt I want to access the next Skills in my Class,¡± I say and call up the notification before I continue. I¡¯ve stared at this table on this notification a fair few times and I¡¯m particularly keen on Psychic Eruption and all of the Tier 4 Skills. I wish I could Evolve all of them, but I¡¯ll most likely need to pick one and then fill in any holes by buying these Skills with Credits. The cost of Legendary Skills is eye watering despite all the Credits I generate from combat and hunting.
Combat Protection Judgment
Tier 1 Sword of the Sentinel Gift of Gaia Know Thy Enemy
Tier 2 Wraithstrike Elemental Aegis Guilty As Charged
Tier 3 Psychic Eruption Guardian¡¯s Blessing Marked for Glory
Tier 4 Echoes of Einherjar Runic Recall Sentinel¡¯s Verdict
¡°Taiwo, what¡¯s got you keen to tell me this right now?¡± ¡°I worry you might spend too much time helping people and not enough time Leveling up,¡± he says seriously. ¡°Can¡¯t I do both at the same time?¡± I ask, a bit bewildered. ¡°Of course,¡± he says while waving away my statement. ¡°But your first priority is Levels, always. You will never make it to Ascended Class in 2 months, but even one Tier 3 Skill, or even a Tier 4 Skill if you can somehow get to Level 25, could make all the difference toward you winning. I think you actually have a chance.¡± ¡°What¡¯s so important about winning anyway? Isn¡¯t it just the same kinds of people that win something like the KCT all the time? I know I got to the Galactic KCC finals, but that was Mythic Class and my Skills were particularly suited for it.¡± ¡°The prizes are worth it, Bronwic. Massive. Things like the terraforming and protection of a Mana overloaded world like Earth by siphoning off some Mana, or extremely significant sums of Credits and assistance directed towards causes you select. You could ensure the survival of humanity. It¡¯s a unique opportunity, but very dangerous. Only one person has won it more than once in the hundreds of thousands of years it¡¯s been held.¡± I look at Taiwo in thought. ¡°How do you know so much about this? You said your Grandfather won the KCC - did he also participate in the KCT? Did he win it?¡± ¡°No,¡± Taiwo says quickly, dismissing the thought. ¡°I mentioned one person has won it more than once¡­?¡± I nod and gesture for him to go on. ¡°Tenebris won it 20 times while he progressed through his Legendary Class. He has not specifically told me this, but I think he¡¯s hoping you can do it at least once, maybe more. The rewards for you would be generational for your entire species, if you could achieve it.¡± I look Taiwo in the eyes and grin. ¡°No pressure.¡± 191. Got To See This ¡°Good to see you Jon,¡± I tell him as he steps through my Portal and we exchange a firm handshake. I know from experience that bro hug attempts with an angel-like being is awkward around huge folded wings. Always, adapting, right? Jon¡¯s dark orbs contemplate me as he gives me a big grin. The beard is still there, but the hair is now shoulder length and everything about him exudes magnetic Charisma that must be on the edge of influencing even me. The difference in height between us has disappeared and he¡¯s got a powerful, lean frame that seems built for speed and power. There¡¯s no doubt he¡¯s put on a few Levels since we last spoke. Jon Murray, Observer, Ritualist, Slayer of Sea Serpents, Scorpions, Zombies, more¡­ (Level 6 Avenging Angel) (Enhanced Legendary) [Human] [Sentinels] Health: 2450/2450 Mana: 6640/6640 Conditions: Underlying Motivation, Path of Humanity, Major Inviolation, Power Incarnate ¡°Those bloody Eyes not following you around anymore?¡± he asks in his deep voice, peering around. None of us were thrilled when they appeared for a whole lot of reasons from it being awkward to know people are watching you, to worrying about how easy it might be for someone who wants to attack you to observe your movements, Skills, and habits. ¡°Had a bit of help and got it taken care of,¡± I agree. It doesn¡¯t really matter where we gather to take back Iceland since I can Portal us from anywhere, but I¡¯m pulling the Sentinels and some others back together, as many as I can, so I decided to do it in Dublin on the hope that Finn and Alana would be more likely to join us. So far, it¡¯s working and they¡¯ve agreed to host us for our preparations. The two of them have used some of their Credits to build a massive fortified residence that wraps around the Poolbeg Lighthouse, which is somehow still standing. The whole thing looks like a giant target to me, but maybe that¡¯s the point. Jon spots Finn and Alana and heads off to greet them while I open the next Portal, this time to England. Jeff has really dived into his Class and has based himself on the site of Cadbury Castle in Somerset. From what I understand the Mana in the wider area has actually manifested itself through historical Monsters being brought back to life and an increase in Classes similar to Jeff¡¯s being offered to Adventurers. Nothing as powerful, there are no other Legendary Classers there, but Squires and other types of Knight seem to be making a comeback. Certainly nothing like Jeff, who as far as I know is the only other human with a unique Legendary Class. I step through the Portal into a dreary, windy, rainy day that isn¡¯t unexpected. The castle I see is unexpected, though. Where Alana and Finn have created something modern that wraps around a historical landmark, Jeff¡¯s gone full Cyberpunk for his castle despite the historical legacy of his Class. The castle itself is a fusion of old and new, its base made of what looks like stone and iron from ancient times, weathered but reinforced with sleek carbon-fiber scaffolding and reinforced steel. Gothic spires reach skyward, but instead of flags and gargoyles, what looks like glowing data streams ripple from the turrets, humming with power. I can¡¯t help but laugh; there¡¯s nothing boring about Jeff, ever. ¡°You around?¡± I send to Jeff through the GPC, even though I can use my Skill to locate him. It¡¯s a few seconds before he answers. ¡°Yeah. Good of you to drop by. Business or pleasure?¡± he sends back. I feel guilty immediately that I haven¡¯t really been here to explore what he¡¯s been up to and how he¡¯s building something for himself, but I put it aside and know Jeff won¡¯t have any bad feelings toward me whatsoever. ¡°Unfortunately, business. We¡¯ve got a big problem in Iceland.¡± ¡°Iceland¡­ do you know why they called it that?¡± ¡°Everyone does, Jeff.¡± ¡°They do?¡± ¡°Yeah, they do. And Greenland.¡± ¡°Why¡¯s it called Greenland?¡± I roll my eyes, not able to tell if he¡¯s serious or not through the GPC. ¡°You good to join us? We really need you,¡± I send. ¡°There¡¯s a couple things I need to wrap up right now. Portal to me in 10 minutes? I¡¯ve also got some of the Demons with me, they¡¯ll want to come.¡± ¡°Got it, thanks.¡± It¡¯s great to hear Jeff has reconnected with the Drumheller Demons and we could absolutely use them. It¡¯s been a while since I saw them in action and I wonder how much they¡¯ve progressed from mid Level Advanced Classers. I trigger Omnipresent and search for Coumba, hopeful she will be willing to join us, despite the short time she was with the Sentinels. Ten minutes later we¡¯re in Dublin along with her small team of Mythic Classers. I have a serious appreciation for what she¡¯s been able to accomplish in Bamako, leading a team that¡¯s bringing together the people of all the surrounding regions including her people from Dakar. Over 10 million humans are now collected there and it seemed like a busy, thriving place. I make a mental note to try to react quickly to any trouble there, what¡¯s going on is worth protecting. So many people collected in one place is amazing until something really, really dangerous shows up.This book''s true home is on another platform. Check it out there for the real experience. In the short time I¡¯ve been away from Dublin, the few combat oriented starships we own have started to arrive and hover over the city, bristling with weapons and blocking out the sun. I briefly wonder what the unintended consequence of this will be on the areas these ships have left, but I¡¯ve called in all the favors I can think of to try to maximize our chances of success, one of the few benefits to being well known. Word has been sent out within Dublin also, and I recognize some of the more powerful Adventurers from Iceland from when I Portaled everyone here. They¡¯ve begun to collect on shore at the Port and surrounding areas and no doubt want a chance to take back their homeland. I don¡¯t blame them and can imagine some are questioning why we didn¡¯t stay and fight instead of retreat and then try to take it back. In my mind, it¡¯s not only because we¡¯ve got more information now that makes it worthwhile to fight rather than leave Hvitserkur to be. I¡¯ll also be taking people who are Mythic Class or higher, as many as I can possibly find. Those people will need to focus on thinning the ranks of the armies of Rock Trolls, rather than Hvitserkur, so that we can try to hit him with a group of the most powerful Legendary Classers without being hit from all sides. If that doesn¡¯t work quickly we¡¯ll retreat just as fast. Not a complicated plan, but I think simple is good. ¡°You in charge?¡± a voice asks me as I stand in front of the Poolbeg Lighthouse and watch our forces gather. It has the beginnings of the most powerful group of humans ever assembled. I turn and immediately recognize Evan Low from the KCC without pulling his Status. He¡¯s still one of the highest Level humans and I¡¯m both surprised and glad he¡¯s here. His military operative background and sense for tactics is legendary post Influx, to the point I¡¯m confident he¡¯s saved at least as many people through organized combat as I have through taking out big threats and giving Oblivion Shroud a bloody nose. ¡°You¡¯re here? You¡¯re staying?¡± I hope, and Evan nods. He¡¯s powerfully built with a military style sleek black jumpsuit and the trademark middle ¡®feather¡¯ part in his hair. It¡¯s a nod to the 1980s he¡¯s carried through with him all this time and silly little things like that somehow raise my spirits. Everything else about Evan, though, screams military precision and danger; he¡¯s like the human version of a black panther. ¡°Level 500? Got to see this, and heard you¡¯re assembling quite a crew here. Tough time, with all the action happening around the world, but hopefully we can hit them hard and disperse.¡± I nod in agreement. ¡°Can you take over?¡± I ask unashamedly. ¡°I can focus on getting people here and you¡¯ll be better at it anyway.¡± ¡°You¡¯re ok to step out of the chain of command?¡± he asks, as if I was the higher ranking officer. ¡°Completely happy for you to give us the best chance of winning and to take orders from you. A hundred percent. Ok?¡± I ask, checking for his reaction. A few people have gathered around after overhearing us. ¡°Affirmative,¡± he acknowledges and starts giving orders through whatever kind of magical or technological communications device he¡¯s using. ¡°Evan¡¯s here, I asked him to take over anything I¡¯m doing,¡± I send to Finn, Alana, Coumba, and Jon. ¡°Except dive headlong into facing an impossibly powerful Level 500 creature as the tip of our Vanguard¡­ right?¡± sends Alana. ¡°Right. Save the really stupid stuff for me and the smart stuff for Evan. I need to be far out in front anyway, everyone¡¯s doing this on my say so, despite all the other threats out there right now.¡± That settled, I open a Portal back to Somerset and Jeff, this time directly to him. He¡¯s waiting outside the castle with three of the Demons, a mage, and a half a dozen high Level Mythic Classers who all look like they¡¯re in line to become Knights of the Round based on their physical builds and Classes. It¡¯s been a while since I¡¯ve seen Jeff and the Demons so I pull up their Status to see how far they¡¯ve progressed. It¡¯s certainly clear that Jeff¡¯s time with the Sentinels and his Enhanced Mythic Class, and now his Unique Legendary Class, have put him ahead of the others. They must have been fighting hard, though, to get where they are now. Jeff Budai, Savior of Drumheller, Chosen One, Founder of the Knights of Round, Slayer of Raptors, Scorpions, Ninki Nanka, more¡­ (Level 7 Knight of the Round) (Unique Legendary) [Human] [Drumheller Demons] [Sentinels] [Knights of the Round] Health: 6790/6790 Mana: 2690/2690 Conditions: Tough as Nails, Aura of Detection, Adaptive Reactions, Health Boost, Glutton for Punishment, Survival of the Fittest, Knight¡¯s Honor, Major Inviolation, more¡­ Jeff¡¯s looking as enthusiastic as ever, his Ronnie Coleman like build and complexion shining. I¡¯ve missed being around him as much, now that the Sentinels have all split up a bit. I make a commitment internally to spend more time here and with Jeff, then immediately come up with a bunch of reasons why I¡¯m going to break that commitment and so is he. Andiar Voltox, Defender of the Plains, Iron Woman, Knight of the Round, Slayer of Salamanders, Bison, Velocoraptors, more¡­ (Level 1 Lancer) (L) [Human] [Drumheller Demons] [Knights of the Round] Health: 5300/5300 Mana: 2120/2120 Conditions: Ironskin, Eye for Battle, Survivor¡¯s Tale, Health Boost Andiar is a powerful woman and cuts an imposing figure, tall and athletic, with a lean, muscular build developed from countless battles in the wild. Her skin has a slightly metallic sheen due to her Ironskin and her auburn hair is tied back into a practical braid, keeping it out of her sharp, battle-hardened face. Rakeesh Damji (Level 21 Hatchetman) (M) [Human] [Drumheller Demons] Health: 4100/4100 Mana: 1800/1800 Conditions: Razor Sharp, Survival of the Fittest, Health Boost Rakeesh is rugged and powerful with a compact and muscular build designed for speed and strength. His eyes are sharp, dark brown, and his black hair is short and neat. He wears an interesting mix of leather and metal armor, customized to allow maximum agility and movement in close-quarters combat. Even though he could and probably should keep his weapons in his Inventory, his hatchets are slung at his sides, gleaming. Brodie Smith, Soul Harvester, Shadow Warrior (Level 29 Reaper) (M) [Human] [Drumheller Demons] Health: 5410/5410 Mana: 2780/2780 Conditions: Mark of Death, Reap What You Sow, Shadow Touched Maybe the most interesting of all of them, Brodie has an almost spectral presence and is only one Level away from his Legendary Class. He¡¯s tall with pale skin and his sandy blonde hair is long and unruly, falling into smoldering, hollowed-out eyes which glow faintly with a green hue. It¡¯s a trope based on his Class that brings a smirk to my face, but black, hooded armor flows around his frame. The armor itself seems to shift with the shadows, making it difficult to track his movements unless I focus with my Perception. It seems different from a cloaking effect and I wonder if it comes to life during combat. Dark tattoos cover his hands and neck, inscribed with runes and symbols that I can only assume are tied to death and shadow magic. There¡¯s an eerie calmness to his demeanor, the type that would have made people nervous in his presence before the Influx. These days, everyone has gotten very used to the things that go bump in the night. ¡°Thanks for agreeing to come Jeff. Thanks to all of you,¡± I say with a nod to the group. ¡°Shut it, Bronwic - we all owe you a lot more than that!¡± he exclaims and I can see at least half of the group look at him in surprise. ¡°Now, let¡¯s go kick some Galactic ass!¡± I laugh, I can¡¯t help it. You gotta love Jeff. 192. Full Retreat! It truly is the most powerful group of humans that have ever been assembled, and I¡¯m now very much on the side that this will be overkill, to the detriment of elsewhere. Many more have answered the call including people I don¡¯t know, friends and associates of friends and associates. Still, if bringing a gun to a knife fight means we have hardly any casualties and can mop this up quickly then surely that¡¯s a good thing. Maybe humanity really is coming together in a new way post the Influxes. ¡°Stop looking at this group like that, you dick. Of course it¡¯s this big and they came when you asked. Do you really think anyone here wanted to say they had the chance to take on a Level 500 invader with Bronwic Cadimus, but they stayed at home?¡± Jeff says while giving me a backhand slap to the chest. I laugh at Jeff again and consciously relax my face while I look around. Everything is pretty much set. Evan Low has sized all of us up and grouped us into 20 squads of roughly 20 people, each with a smart combination of Classes and missions. My group¡¯s role, obviously, with me at the front, is to land right on top of Hvitserkur and try to take him out as quickly as possible. Four groups with most of the Legendary Classers will be supporting us along with air support from our spacecraft. The rest, mostly Mythic Classers, will be strategically entering Iceland near us to keep the rest of the Rock Trolls busy. Those groups are already on the spacecraft ready to drop out when we get to Iceland so that I can focus on just the five Portals that will bring us close to Hvitserkur. I trigger Omnipresent and with a strong push of my will, overlay it onto my minimap and share it with Evan. From what I can detect, some of the Rock Trolls are spread out over Iceland but most are actually near Hvitserkur who is currently stationary on a big mountain in the middle of Iceland called Hvannadalshn¨²kur, part of the ?r?faj?kull volcanic glacier. It¡¯s the highest peak in Iceland and I can¡¯t help but wonder why Hvitserkur is there. Is he trying to activate the volcano? Enjoying the view? Foresight is silent, but I expect that. The Skill tells me about threats about to be initiated against humanity, and in this case we¡¯re the ones attacking. I wish Dennis was here with his Skill to calculate the chances of winning a battle given the plans in place. So many people and valuable Skills lost, so many dead. I pull my head out of that mental spiral quickly and refocus on what I¡¯ve got to do. ¡°Aerial assault, you are green to go. Maintain agreed speed,¡± says Evan and I know it¡¯s being picked up by the slim devices implanted behind his ears and passed on to the ships. We¡¯ve agreed the timing of these Portals so that we all hit Iceland simultaneously. ¡°Twenty minutes for those ships to travel the thousand kilometers from Dublin to Iceland,¡± Evan reminds me. ¡°Be ready.¡± I nod as he darts off to finalize preparations with the others and I check the coordinates again even though my Skills and my SMI mean I know them already like the back of my hand, then set a timer in the corner of my vision. ¡°So, who¡¯s crazy enough to come with the three of us? You know yet?¡± asks Jeff and I see Brodie shift his position then fix his hollow, glowing eyes on us. He¡¯s the only one of Jeff¡¯s group that¡¯s joining us even though Andiar is a Legendary Class and he¡¯s still one Level away. ¡°Got room for one more?¡± asks Jon as he flares his wings and descends next to us, then gives Jeff a nod. ¡°Gladly,¡± I say with a grin. ¡°Shit yeah, Jon!¡± exclaims Jeff. ¡°Normal formation? Anything we need to know?¡± ¡°I picked up a couple new Skills, but nothing that¡¯s going to help in this fight,¡± replies Jon. His dark eyes take in the group around us. Finn, Alana, Coumba, and some that we met at the last KCC plus a few new faces. Overwhelming firepower is an understatement. ¡°Make sure you use those Architect of Destruction Skills when we get there,¡± says Jeff to Jon. ¡°None of us has ever taken on something this high Level before so there¡¯s no game plan other than hit him hard and fast.¡± We all return to preparing for the battle to come and reconnecting with people we haven¡¯t seen for a while. Most are open with their Skills and progress, a few are still cagey and I can understand why. Eighteen minutes later it¡¯s time.Stolen novel; please report. The other groups of 20 are ready. Skills, spells, armor, and items are all activated. I trigger Omnipresent and find Hvitserkur, who hasn¡¯t moved since last time I checked. When I filter for Rock Trolls, who have a hostile reputation with humanity already due to the towns they¡¯ve wiped out, I see there are still a lot scattered around Hvitserkur with him at the middle. However I also see that hundreds of them are making their way from Iceland, spread out and likely walking along the ocean floor. I wonder how many of them will make it past the Monsters of the deep ocean, then put that thought aside and manifest the first Portal. All 20 of the first squad dart through in under a second, followed by the next group through another Portal I manifest. It takes ten seconds to get them all through and then I trigger a Portal to Hvitserkur. I try to find an angle to get close to him but it¡¯s very difficult. He¡¯s surrounded by solid rock and I realize that he¡¯s not on the volcano, he¡¯s burrowed his way inside it. Somehow he¡¯s not even leaving an open trail behind him. In my mind¡¯s eye of Omnipresent the conflicts erupt all around Hvannadalshn¨²kur and we have no way to Portal to Hvitserkur right now. I guess surprise is off the table. ¡°Retreat?¡± I ask Jon, staring into his dark orbs. He hesitates for only a second, maybe to use his Skills. If there¡¯s a way to defeat Hvitserkur in theory he should be able to divine it. ¡°Full retreat, now!¡± he calls. I immediately open a Portal to the first agreed extraction point and we all surge through. ¡°Full retreat!¡± I send to the nominated person in each strike group. The first group we¡¯ve emerged beside disengages immediately from the Rock Trolls they¡¯re fighting as Jon triggers Divine Retribution and floods them with powerful destructive magic that kills the less powerful and stuns our more powerful opponents. Five seconds later all our team is extracted back to Dublin and I open another Portal to the second extraction point. The AMLs are high here between my Gift of Gaia and the elevated levels from the Influx, so my Stamina doesn¡¯t really even dip despite the drain on it. My group powers through the Portal into a much messier battle involving several Rock Trolls over Level 150 along with large numbers of less powerful ones. Their hulking figures, similar in color to the environment, rumble everywhere. The ground shifts and cracks with their Skills to trap and injure us. Despite the chaos, in a second I size up the situation and the others react just as quickly. One of our huge, looming gray spaceships is above providing significant support with rail cannons that shatter Rock Troll bodies and plasma beams that melt them, but their prodigious regeneration visibly begins to pull them together and heal them immediately if they aren¡¯t killed outright. I trigger Guilty as Charged to put the lower Level Rock Trolls in stasis so they¡¯re easy targets and then Fury of the Clan a dozen times and more which causes my Stamina to drop like a stone, pouding them as Jon, Jeff, and many more pile on the destruction. Freyja, though only a high Level Mythic, is especially deadly and throws herself into the thick of the danger without hesitation to take revenge for what¡¯s happened to Iceland. Level Up! You have reached Level 16 as a Human Sentinel +4 Aura, +4 Mana +65 free Attribute points to assign You have 65 free Attribute points to assign Would you like to allocate them now? (Y/N) You have 2 unallocated Class Skill points Would you like to allocate them now? (Y/N) I drop all the free Attributes into Constitution on reflex, even though maybe I should start thinking about other Attributes, and I hold on to the Skill point to build them up for when I get access to my next Tier of Skills at Level 20. We mow through the Rock Trolls and I hesitate for a few seconds, wondering if we should change our minds on the retreat, then I open up the Portal to Dublin. Everyone agreed to this plan and even if I wanted to change it, now that it¡¯s set in motion I¡¯m not sure how I would get word to everyone in time. Humans break off from fighting the few remaining Rock Trolls and my group pulls back toward me while they pick off the stragglers. Another wave of them blasts up from the ground in a shower of boulders and debris, somehow hidden or transported here, and those of our team on the ground are into the air while some of the airborne ones in power armor or using Skills and spells take a hammering from the rock projectiles. The last of this second team makes it through to Dublin under our cover fire and I open another Portal to our third team for extraction while Jon calls down Divine Retribution and I hammer the new arrivals with Fury of the Clan, my Stamina now under half. Even though my regeneration is ridiculous at over 1300 per second I curb my use of Skills to keep plenty in reserve. The charge of the new Rock Trolls is broken and half of my group is through the Portal when Foresight triggers past my threshold and I have two seconds of warning about the ground under me exploding. It¡¯s more than enough with Acceleration that I¡¯m well out of the way when ground under where I was for a hundred meters on all sides explodes like a volcano has gone off. 193. Fallen Angel My Elemental Aegis flares green while getting obliterated as I¡¯m sent spinning into the air out of control at high speed despite my Strength fighting against the force. Before I can even orient myself, I trigger another Elemental Aegis and Greatest Need. I strain and connect with all the remaining humans here, hoping none have been lost, and lock onto Jeff to bring us all right next to him. We appear high in the air beside him flying on his Griffin, bent over its neck and diving toward what I now see is Hvitserkur who has joined the fight, somehow traveling through the ground. ¡°No!¡± I yell at Jeff as I freefall down toward the ground with the dozen or so remaining with me, mostly the Sentinels. Alana is in full fire form and blazes a streak through the sky while Finn transforms into a sleek black dragon and Coumba rockets toward my still open Portal in a suit of power armor. I dive toward Jeff and find Jon right beside me, his wings folded in as he dives like a hawk onto his prey. ¡°The Portal!¡± I send, but all three of us ignore my message; running has never been our strong suit. Hvitserkur¡¯s massive form turns and he flings his arms wide then slams his hands together with surprising agility. Massive boulders float around him and begin spinning at high speed as above us a huge boom sounds. I glance up to see the spaceship blasted apart into dozens of pieces by the massive chunks of rock blasted out of the ground when Hvitserkur emerged. I turn my attention back to Hvitserkur again as we close and hit him with everything we have. My Danger Sense screams at me from all around so I trigger Greatest Need and instantly appear beside Jeff, then rocket past him, my Swords extended to full length as one of the car sized chunks of rock spinning around Hvitserkur slams against me and explodes on my Elemental Aegis with a green flare. I¡¯m catapulted to my left and slam into the rocky ground at full speed, but I fight to orient myself and with Acceleration my reflexes and Strength are just enough for me to grind my feet into the stone and leap straight at Hvitserkur, now inside his cloud of spinning death. ¡°No! Jon!¡± Jeff screams inside my head as I flash past the massive Rock Troll¡¯s right hand, his claws extended, to slice through his thigh. My Swords for the first time encounter something they can¡¯t cut straight through and I watch as the deep cut I inflict heals over almost as fast as my sword passes through it. My view is shattered as I¡¯m somehow slammed by Hvitserkur¡¯s left elbow and blasted away. Chunks of rock crack into me as I pass through his spinning barrier and I¡¯m tossed uncontrollably again, mostly unhurt but disoriented. I hit the ground and skip like a stone several times over a short distance before I find my feet and spring instantly back up toward Hvitserkur. My rage becomes insane as I dart back toward the Rock Troll and see Jon¡¯s broken form, crushed by a collision of massive boulders. His wings are ripped apart and I can only see one arm and a foot sticking out of the rocks that have destroyed him. A last flame of hope that he might still be alive disappears as my angle changes and I see his head smashed open, his skull removed and only the lower part of his jaw remaining. Humanity¡¯s Avenging Angel and the core of the Sentinels, utterly destroyed by this Level 500 invader. Rage surges through me and I yell at the top of my lungs as I charge Hvitserkur¡¯s swirling barrier of rock again, completely consumed by thoughts of revenge, of lashing out. I ignore my Danger Sense, ignore my Foresight, thrust everything aside except the sight of Jon¡¯s broken body. ¡°Bronwic!¡± sends Jeff, but I ignore it and brace myself to smash through the tornado of rock, only for my momentum to be obliterated from above by a bus sized hunk of solid rock traveling at high speed. My flesh is ripped and my bones crack, but remain unbroken, as I¡¯m driven into the rocky ground and grated apart by the intense pressure. More massive blows crush me and the pressure piles on as more and more rock strikes the slab on me. Unstoppable forces grind and crush me like I would use a mortar and pestle, ripping me apart. My regeneration fights the destruction as my Survivor Title kicks in to give me additional damage reduction. Pain overwhelms me as the tremendous forces build and build, then suddenly the ground under me reshapes itself to swallow me up and collapse on me from all sides like a trash compactor. I¡¯m completely locked in a crushing rocky grave, my flesh torn and my bones creaking. My skull feels like it will collapse any split second and I desperately reach out with Greatest Need, somehow finding Jeff. I trigger it and appear once again in mid air, unable to move. There are no muscles left on my bones to move me and the pain is blinding. I feel myself falling, then caught, or maybe I¡¯ve hit the ground, as my regeneration fights to save me. Health: 810/10550 Stamina: 12150/15825 Constitution: 1055Reading on this site? This novel is published elsewhere. Support the author by seeking out the original. Skill Modifier: 5.32 Current Ambient Mana Level (AML): 14 +30 (Gift of Gaia) Physical regeneration rate: 84189 /min --> 1403 /sec I groan in a haze as my body knits itself back together and I feel my eyes reform in their sockets, then I open them to see Jeff yelling at me. Another second and my ears are repaired enough to hear him, my body still on fire and unable to move. ¡°We need to get out of here, Bronwic!¡± Another second and I can stir weakly, and I¡¯m aware we¡¯re flying on Jeff¡¯s Griffin at high speed. A boulder flashes past us as we bank aggressively and down to my right. ¡°Jon! We¡¯ve got to¡­¡± I croak weakly as I regain my strength. In seconds and I¡¯ll be back in the fight, crazy as that is. ¡°Jon¡¯s fucking dead, Bronwic. You need to get us all out of here!¡± Jeff yells at me. A few more heartbeats and my mind is clear, I¡¯m sitting on the Griffin with Jeff, and my emotions are in turmoil. I stare down at the place where I know Jon lays, crushed and broken. He¡¯s near the swirling maul of death that is a Level 500 Rock Troll. I leap off the Griffin and plummet toward the ground as we dive to avoid a collision of three more massive boulders Hvitserkur controls somehow. Sharp stone spikes rising up from the ground now surround him. I check my minimap and see there are still half a dozen of us here, close to Hvitserkur, who are fighting smaller groups of Rock Trolls that now surround them in a thick swarm. Further afield the other groups I brought here and our ships are trying to evacuate everyone. I trigger Fury of the Clan a few times, mostly ineffectually, to keep Hvitserkur¡¯s attention as I land and take off at a dead sprint, randomly dodging every half second while I trigger Greatest Need and form a connection to everyone here, then trigger the second part and appear right next to the Reaper Brodie Smith, who has made it the furthest away. The shadows all around us pull and grab and the powerfully built Rock Trolls, slowing them down as Brodie¡¯s scythe rips through them while he melts in and out of the shadows so fast it¡¯s almost like he¡¯s teleporting. The rest of the people here, including Jeff, aren¡¯t caught unaware and within a few seconds all the Trolls around us are obliterated, rocky bodies basted apart and strewn across the ground, soaked in green blood. My Danger Sense never lets up informing me where Hvitserkur is and a loud rumble comes from that direction as the building-sized Rock Troll pounds at us, his legs churning and the ground beneath him catapulting him forward like he¡¯s on some kind of gargantuan moving walkway. Massive spinning boulders he¡¯s ripped out of the ground spin around him and a cluster of them streaks toward us at high speed. I create the biggest Portal back to Dublin I can to both shield us a bit and give us an escape route. There¡¯s no hesitation from anyone in the group, even Jeff, as they dive through to the other side. I leave the Portal open as we emerge on the other side, battered in every sense of the word. ¡°What made us think we could take on that fucking thing?¡± Jeff asks out loud to nobody in particular. I¡¯m wondering the same thing and why I got this going in the first place. ¡°We¡¯ve never seen anything like that,¡± says Brodie as he stares back through the Portal at Hvitserkur who has come to a rumbling halt, his glowering gaze fixed on us. It¡¯s sometimes a pain that Omnipresent can only transport humans, but for situations like this it¡¯s a feature I¡¯d never trade. ¡°Bronwic,¡± snarls Coumba, who has somehow made it through. ¡°It¡¯s Bronwic. I should have known this would happen. I don¡¯t know why I thought it would be different this time to when I left the Sentinels. Always pushing, always throwing everyone around him into danger. Now Jon is dead, Bronwic. Are you happy yet? How many more of our greatest champions do you want to send to their graves?¡± I stand where I am, staring at Hvitserkur and vibrating in fury. I let her finish because the same things are echoing through my mind, and more. But there are still more people left in Iceland, people I Portaled there after asking them to come. People who humanity needs. I close the Portal to Hvitserkur and trigger Omnipresent, then open another Portal and race through. ¡°Bronwic!¡± I hear Jeff call before I close the Portal off behind me and emerge in the middle of Freyja¡¯s group who are fighting hard against a swarm of Rock Trolls. Anger and shame and so much more race through me as I trigger Fury of the Clan and Guilty as Charged as fast as my Stamina will let me, laying waste to the Rock Trolls around us. Everyone orients on me in surprise and a second later I¡¯ve regenerated enough Stamina to open a Portal back to Dublin for them, which I open without a word. The group pours through to safety and Jeff¡¯s massive form emerges from the other side, his armor glowing and two swords out with all his Skills blazing in readiness. ¡°Where to next?¡± he asks, giving me a level stare through his helm. ¡°You want to end up like Jon?¡± I snarl at him. As the words leave my mouth I know they¡¯re not the right ones to say and I don¡¯t give a shit. I¡¯m too mad, too wrapped up in what¡¯s happened. I wait for a fight I don¡¯t have time for but¡­ Jeff laughs. ¡°I¡¯m tougher to kill than a tardigrade Bronwic. Let¡¯s go.¡± Jeff and I have been through a hell of a lot together and if he truly wants to stay, I¡¯d be an idiot to turn his help away. I close the Portal back to Dublin and trigger Omnipresent again to locate all the remaining humans on Iceland. ¡°Moving in 5. We¡¯ll start at the worst conflict,¡± I tell him, then decide on the next best place to go and trigger a Portal to salvage what we can. 194. Tenebris The sturdy metal cup I hold in my hand crumples like a tin can as the sight of Jon and so many others flash through my mind. As always, physically I feel at my absolute peak, so far beyond normal human range it¡¯s not really even comparable. Even though I think my Mana Interface and the Mana have been helping all of us cope since the Influx, my mental and emotional condition are not nearly as good. I sit alone at a sleek, black metal table in a small self-service restaurant not far from Finn and Alana¡¯s place. There¡¯s nobody here but me; even the food of synthesized meats, cloned vegetables, and nutrient-rich broth that provide small, temporary boosts to Attributes is served by a faceless robot that accepts my Credits. A low-level field of magic that encourages good moods and passivity hums through the air in the same way train stations used to play classical music, but it would roll off me even if I wasn¡¯t immune to its effects. Only an hour has passed since Jeff and I pulled the last humans out of Iceland. I know I need to put this behind me, to get on with the next fight and not just sit here thinking about Jon and the blow I just delivered to humans across the world. I know there¡¯s nothing I can really do about Hvitserkur and despite what Zarithrax said, maybe it¡¯s not actually my problem to solve. I took my shot and it fell way, way short. I throw the cup away in disgust and take a second glance as it rockets right through the wall like a bullet in an explosion and shower of debris. Fuck. Unsure what to do or how to feel, I trigger Omnipresent and look at the conflicts and threats all over the world. So many. Hundreds of thousands of times too many to make a difference to all of them. Like at the end of my Class quest, I don¡¯t really have a choice. I just have to count on humanity to Level up and fight and win, and do what I can for everyone that¡¯s fallen, especially the ones that have fallen because of me. ¡°Still in a funk?¡± Jeff asks from the doorway. It¡¯s impossible for anyone to sneak up on me now with my Perception, but I was hoping he would just pass by. ¡°Saw the cup blow through the wall on my way over¡­ bet the Yankees would have signed you in a second.¡± ¡°Now¡¯s not the time, Jeff.¡± ¡°Actually Bronwic, now is exactly the time. Stop being so fucking arrogant and thinking the world revolves around you. Jon made his choices, and so did everyone else including me. We knew it was risky¡­ that thing is over Level 500 for God¡¯s sake! You¡¯ve done more to save more of humanity than anyone else, and even if you make a bunch of huge fuck ups - and I¡¯m not saying this was your fuck up - you¡¯re still way up in the win column.¡± ¡°Maybe, maybe not,¡± I reply as Jeff sits down a couple tables away on a seat that groans in protest. ¡°Sometimes I just want it to stop. To not have to deal with all of this, all of the time.¡± I finally look up at him and see his dark complexion looking at me without any judgment. Just like always, all the way back to the first time we met in Fish Creek when I left those Adventurers to save Carter¡¯s family. I¡¯m not really sure why he hasn¡¯t fully gone his own way already. He¡¯s established a new Class, he¡¯s building something in Somerset that seems positive. ¡°Why are you here?¡± I ask him. ¡°To make sure your dumb ass doesn¡¯t do something stupid,¡± he growls at me with a glower. ¡°No, I mean¡­ why aren¡¯t you in Somerset or somewhere else? Why are you here?¡± Suddenly I feel only the barest whisper, a faint twisting of space, with my Affinity. My Danger Sense rockets off the charts and I leap out of my chair, sending the table flying. Foresight is silent but every fiber of my mind and body is on high alert. ¡°Bronwic?¡± shouts Jeff and he spins out of his chair into full combat readiness within a split second, instincts now finely tuned to danger. We¡¯ve been together more than long enough for him to know I¡¯m usually the first one to know when the shit¡¯s going to hit the fan. Without so much as a Portal, Tenebris appears before us. His presence is immense, like a mountain just appeared to loom over us while we endure the heat of the sun. His dark, scaly skin ripples as his draconian form settles again into the shape I¡¯m familiar with. Jeff falls to one knee with his arms raised to defend himself, and out of the corner of my eye I see all his defensive Skills flare at once. Fear effect resisted Mental influence resisted Then, as suddenly as the pressure hit us like an avalanche, it¡¯s gone as Tenebris drops or restrains whatever could only be stopped by Unbreakable. Tenebris locks eyes with me for a split second then appears to lose focus, concentrating on something else. Almost immediately his attention returns to me. ¡°Hvitserkur is still on your world,¡± he states to me while his nostrils flare in a tone I interpret as curiosity and judgment. He exhales a sharp breath and glances at Jeff, who is back on his feet and cautiously watches us with no Skills active, looking like he¡¯s ready to bolt or surrender. It sticks in my mind because it¡¯s so far away from everything about Jeff and I¡¯m sure it¡¯s exactly how I¡¯d be if it wasn¡¯t for my Resistances. Just the enormous presence of Tenebris is enough to activate our lizard brains despite our own power and Levels. ¡°We tried,¡± I tell him. I try to keep my tone neutral but the anger and frustration bleed through. ¡°Hvitserkur killed some of the most powerful humans and we didn¡¯t even come close to taking him out. He almost killed me.¡± Tenebris looks in the distance again, calling on some kind of Skills or abilities. ¡°The Mana Influx has forced humanity to progress far beyond most species, or die. Perhaps, though, I have overestimated your capability. As a percentage there are far, far more humans that have surpassed their Basic Class than on other worlds and in time you could truly become a Galactic force. The two of you and others will need to progress further and faster, though. There are already a lot of Ascended eyes that have passed over this planet.¡±This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road. If you spot it on Amazon, please report it. ¡°Can you¡­ help us?¡± I ask. Part of me knows the answer must be ¡®no¡¯; surely a creature like Tenebris with interests all over the Universe doesn¡¯t have time to spend on a task like this. And yet, he stands before us rather than somewhere else. Jeff and I stand waiting for a while as Tenebris clearly works through notifications at high speed. We exchange a look that makes it clear to me Jeff is also surprised the answer is not an immediate ¡®no¡¯, and that he¡¯s more uncomfortable in the same room as Tenebris than I am. Eventually Tenebris subtly shifts his attention back to me and my senses dial up to 11. ¡°I am willing to do this in exchange for something, but Hvitserkur is not why I am here. Perhaps it could be a fair exchange.¡± I see Jeff shift out of the corner of my eye as a flood of hope and curiosity fills me. Tenebris pauses for a few seconds and then sends a notification to me. Tenebris Arawan offers you a Contract to pass him all your existing Settlements in the South Island of New Zealand. In exchange, Tenebris will kill or remove Hvitserkur from Earth for a period in excess of ten Earth years, within 1 Earth hour from Contract signing completion. Review terms and penalties? (Y/N) Accept the Contract? (Y/N) I accept the Contract without looking at it. If Tenebris truly can kill or remove Hvitserkur, what conditions or penalties could be worse than the death I barely escaped only a couple of hours ago? We¡¯ve already thrown a massive chunk of humanity¡¯s firepower at the Rock Troll and come up woefully short. How many more like Jon would have to die to try again? How many will die if I don¡¯t accept the conditions? My Settlements in the South Island are deserted now and there are no Settlements I don¡¯t own. ¡°Thank you, Tenebris,¡± I say with genuine feeling. ¡°What did you do, Bronwic?¡± asks Jeff with concern in his eyes. ¡°Made a deal. A very fair one since whether I manage to complete my side of the bargain or not, Hvitserkur will be gone.¡± ¡°Show me,¡± says Jeff. ¡°Enough!¡± says Tenebris with a gesture and a slight weight from his presence. Even that is enough to cause both Jeff and I to take a step back. ¡°On your own time.¡± I flick the note to Jeff while I turn my attention completely to Tenebris. ¡°Do you mind if I ask, why the Settlements in New Zealand?¡± I ask Tenebris, making sure my tone doesn¡¯t stray from curious, even though I feel trepidation. I can¡¯t imagine someone like Tenebris visits people like me for trivial reasons. ¡°I will establish an Academy and training area covering the whole island. Perhaps in time humans will be allowed into the Academy and on the island again. Particularly the one you gave my armor. He has my interest.¡± ¡°Wait, Logan?¡± ¡°The boy could become very powerful and is already known to the Researchers on your planet. Another time, Bronwic, I must fulfil my part of our deal, then you will not see me for some time. One last thing, I need you to win this round of the Koldaavi Combat Trials. Our interests are aligned in this due to the nature of the rewards for winning. Despite your unusual Class, you will need more Levels and more of your Skills to do it. Until the tournament I require to Level as fast as you can.¡± Researchers after Logan? What does that mean? And I wonder if Tenebris knows about the fact I Level faster than people who got to Legendary Class the hard way, even without my 20% XP bonus. Unlikely, but I also don¡¯t discount or underestimate anything when it comes to the powerful being before me. ¡°Why win?¡± I dare ask. ¡°You¡¯re one of the most powerful individuals in the Universe. Why not spend time on building your empire, or on things that interest you, or even winning the Ascended version of the Koldaavi Combat Trials, if there is one?¡± Tenebris doesn¡¯t seem offended at this question and even huffs from his dragon-like nostrils. He glances at Jeff then back at me, as if deciding whether to answer. ¡°Right now, I¡¯m doing all three.¡± I reel at the implications of that, more questions coming to mind, but Tenebris disappears with that whisper my Affinity can sense. No Portal, no Skill I could detect. Nothing. I woder if he¡¯s merely turned invisible, but my Perception can¡¯t locate him with any of my sensess. A huge weight lifts off the shoulders of both Jeff and I and we both release a big breath at the same time, letting go of some of the tension we hold, then Jeff laughs. ¡°How the fuck do you get yourself into these situations, Bronwic? I mean, not just the craziness. It sounds like you just saved all of humanity from a massive threat we can¡¯t hope to win. Again.¡± I shake my head, a string of situations that led to this point flashing through my mind. So many times things could have ended differently, but I guess that¡¯s the same for everyone all the time. ¡°A long, complicated series of unfortunate events,¡± I manage. ¡°It¡¯s why I love hanging around you, dude. Always in the action. Always something different, riding by the seat of my pants and on the edge of death. Except that one time I was totally blown out just before you got your Class. That time, I needed a beer and a lie down.¡± He¡¯s so genuine and energetic that I can¡¯t help but laugh despite everything. ¡°I¡¯ve missed you,¡± I tell him simply. Jeff nods in agreement. ¡°What do you think I should do?¡± I ask. ¡°I think if one of the most powerful beings in the Universe takes the time to give you a some advice, you don¡¯t think about it - you just do it.¡± Jeff closes the distance between us and places his right hand on my shoulder. Suddenly and unexpectedly it¡¯s now the serious Jeff that only comes out when things are heavy. ¡°You want me to come? To fight with you and gain the Levels you need?¡± he asks while looking me in the eyes, and I know he¡¯s not just talking about a Dungeon dive or two. It¡¯s a good but unusual feeling to know he would drop everything and go somewhere else in the Universe with me, into the unknown with no way back to Earth if I don¡¯t make it. Reminds me of Tatiana throwing herself through any Portal I open, fully committed to whatever path I decide on. ¡°Yeah, mate. I do. I really do. But you have a lot going on and even though you¡¯re the toughest bastard I know, I¡¯m going to have to put myself in situations where only my regeneration can cope, if I want to progress as fast as possible.¡± Jeff looks thoughtful as he obviously wrestles with agreeing with me and arguing with me. Seeing it makes my mind up. ¡°Stay here, mate. Do what you can with your Knights and I promise if there¡¯s a situation I need you and I have the chance, I¡¯ll open a Portal.¡± ¡°Not the first time you¡¯ve taken off on your own,¡± he says with a grin. ¡°Take care of yourself. Watch your back.¡± I nod and wonder to myself what¡¯s going to come next. Time to find out. 195. The Most Dangerous Place on Earth I stare hard at an entrance to what used to be the Derinkuyu underground city in Cappadocia. Unfortunately it doesn¡¯t give up any of its secrets or any hint of why Omnipresent indicates this is the biggest current threat to humanity. The wind blasts me from all directions and swirls around in uneven patterns as if the atmosphere is churning around this localized spot. I¡¯ve triple checked this is the right spot and unless my Skill is glitching for the first time, I¡¯m in the right place. Usually when I come through a Portal it¡¯s really obvious and within seconds I¡¯m battling a huge Monster or a swarm that¡¯s about to overrun a Settlement, sometimes both. Today, it¡¯s a bright, clear day in Turkey. Nobody and nothing else is around which is potentially a signal I should take seriously. The Mana levels sure are high, which would usually mean creatures and other ancient material warped into being with Mana. AMLs this high are unusual for this area of the world even after the last Influx, but not unheard of. My body is definitely feeling the pulses of Mana that flow through me every second. Health: 10550/10550 Stamina: 15825/15825 Constitution: 1055 Skill Modifier: 5.32 Current Ambient Mana Level (AML): 25 +30 (Gift of Gaia) Physical regeneration rate: 145928 /min --> 2432 /sec The gray, moss covered stone opening looks like it¡¯s been blown open from the small original entrance to now be something bigger. Big enough to fit me for at least as far as I can see, and I assume big enough for something that either lives down there now or has escaped. I call up my minimap and stretch my Perception out. The tunnels, shafts, and passageways deep under the ground are filled with creatures that look like low to medium threats to me. The size of the tunnels looks to be mixed between small enough I might have a hard time getting through and much wider. I have no idea if that¡¯s part of the original design or something that¡¯s happened lately. Occasionally I glimpse a red flash indicating something that might do me some harm, but those pass quickly and I wonder if all the layers of Monsters and whatever else is in these tunnels is obscuring my view of the most dangerous things near the bottom. A classic Dungeon dive if I¡¯ve ever seen one. So why am I being so cautious? Maybe the sight of Jon laying dead is hard to put out of my mind. When I realize that, I realize at the same time I have no choice but to get my ass into the tunnels and get over whatever¡¯s bothering me. The last thing I can afford is some kind of hesitation; at the speed of combat I¡¯m usually in, even a split second of hesitation is going to make me a lot less effective, and maybe dead. Done with watching, with an Elemental Aegis in place and my Mana and Stamina at full, I call my two orange glowing Swords to my hands and reduce them down to the length of short swords. No room for big swings and technique down here, it¡¯s probably going to be a dirty knife fight all the way. I enter through the opening, about eight feet tall at this point but it looks already like that won¡¯t last. The rock looks a bit soft which would make sense for creating something like this. I crack my knuckles into it with a half-hearted punch and am surprised to find that Mana reinforces the walls to be much stronger than I would have thought. I give it a good blow and a spider web of cracks forms without crumbing or chipping off. That¡¯s useful to know, I won¡¯t have to worry about collapsing the tunnels unless there are areas that aren¡¯t reinforced or things get really angry. The underground tunnel is cool and damp and the sound of my footsteps echoes softly off the stone walls, though I¡¯m not sure anything without enhanced Perception could pick it up. I consider engaging the Cloaking ability of my Sentinel armor and then laugh at myself. By the time I encounter anything really dangerous there¡¯s no way it will be by surprise. Light from the entryway flickers off rough-hewn walls, casting long shadows that will become the norm soon. A breeze flows through the passages still, making it feel as if the tunnels are full of air and Mana currents. A few dozen steps in and the tunnel has shrunk noticably around my bulky frame. There¡¯s still enough room for me to avoid feeling claustrophobic and my Danger Sense doesn¡¯t even register it when the first attack hits me as a strangely silent wave of rodents surges up toward me. They¡¯re small, agile creatures with patchy fur and glowing, Mana-infused eyes that scurry over the rocky ground and each other to get to me. Level 1 fodder for sure. I blast them all with a single shot of Fury of the Clan and they literally explode like popcorn all over the walls, none of it reaching me. I am left with a bloody, boney, slick walk further into Derinkuyu. If you spot this narrative on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation. Not much further along in the darkness I get to a large round stone door that sits across the tunnel on old, worn down tracks. Around it are gaps due to the altered size of the tunnel more than big enough for the rodents I just obliterated. The door is solid stone, but weighs less than a ton so I toss it aside. It skitters across the broken track and crashes into the space left open to roll it into. Powdery dust fills the air and I hope something else emerges to meet me because of the noise. All I can see on my minimap nearby are creatures that don¡¯t pose a threat to me. Nothing. I stride forward down the hall that begins to twist and turn as it descends down gradually. I can imagine an invading army or force having a tough time clearing out these tunnels, especially against a prepared set of defenders. In this case, I need to be my own one man army which is probably no different - there¡¯s only room for one person to charge ahead, fight, or retreat. As I continue on, more tunnels appear to my left and right at irregular intervals. My Perception, Danger Sense, and minimap all say there¡¯s nothing of interest, just some low Level creatures scurrying around. Soon enough through the damp air I detect a lot of movement in the tunnel ahead. My sight, bolstered by my insane Perception and combining the ability to see all types of wavelengths including infra red, shows me small insectoid creatures with sleek, black carapaces. They cling to the walls and ceilings like a living skin. I feel an ability of theirs pulling on me, trying to drain my Mana, but their Level is too low to affect me in any way and I drop a Fury of the Clan on them, then another and another as I march down the tunnel. The sheer number of them has me wading through knee-deep broken carapaces and insect guts, every step pushing the slimy mass further down the tunnel. My Perception manages to filter out the smell without significantly reducing my ability to smell other things. Still, no danger on my minimap or according to my Danger Sense. After another minute of progress the tunnel opens up into the first cavern I¡¯ve seen. It¡¯s no larger than the inside of a four car garage but feels positively spacious. I haven¡¯t had to crouch or shimmy sideways yet, but it¡¯s been a close thing. Four other openings, all similar to the one I came through, are unevenly placed around the room. Ugly slurps, growls, and barking sounds begin to emerge from all the other openings at nearly the same time. My Danger Sense is still silent and it¡¯s not for another hundred yards or more through some twists and turns that I can see anything on my minimap worth paying attention to. A pack of some kind of cavern ghoul pours out of the openings. They have elongated limbs and hollow, glowing eyes that light up the room, lighting up their twisted, melted faces. Skin that looks like it¡¯s been sewed up with sinew stretches across their bloated torsos and limbs that end in long, sharp claws. No doubt a long time ago in a different world this would have been scary as shit, but right now it¡¯s just pissing me off. I sweep one of my Swords across them and their bodies part without effort, but then give me a nasty surprise as they explode in clouds of toxic fumes that can¡¯t hurt me with my regeneration, but do smell terrible for an instant before my Perception dials it out. I decide to pick things up a little and lay Fury of the Clan down in front of me while I pick the most promising direction based on the increased Levels of the creatures here and surge forward. The tunnel is only the size of a doorway but I keep a good pre-Influx jogging pace up. Rubble shatters everywhere when stone serpents as thick as my thigh detach themselves from the rock and I blast them apart with more Furies. I chain Furies together ahead of me and use my Strength to wade through the waist-high remnants. I descend quickly, moving through the tunnels and impatient to solve the mystery. Why is this the place I should be right now? The threats turn more ethereal as beings made of smoke and air stir in the next cavern I enter. I can feel that Fury of the Clan doesn¡¯t do as much damage to them as I¡¯m expecting; it slides off them and has trouble grasping its targets, but my Stamina is bottomless with the regeneration I¡¯m experiencing and I simply trigger it over and over while brushing them aside or passing through their unraveling beings. The floor levels out and I¡¯m no longer descending as I blow away what I can only assume are a swarm of Djinn. They¡¯re not weak, but they can¡¯t stand up to how quickly I can pour on damage in this high AML environment. The Mana levels are so strong that it¡¯s almost a relief to trigger my Skills rapid fire rather than keep my Stamina at the full level with nowhere to go. My minimap still shows creatures near me that are more dangerous and my Danger Sense is confirming that they are roaming around underneath these tunnels. It takes me a couple of minutes of searching, but eventually I find it. A deep pit, potentially the bottom of one of the air shafts, has now opened up into something completely different, and much more dangerous. As I approach and peer over the edge, I feel an intense increase in the ambient Mana hit me. The pit is over a dozen feet wide and the air around it shimmers with a soft, pulsing blue glow that casts flickering shdows on the surrounding stone. I stare down into the pit and see a rugged, uneven floor about thirty feet down and then realize the diameter of the rim is slowly increasing as it shifts under my toes, and that it¡¯s the entrance to a proper Dungeon. Rather than step back, nudge myself forward to fall down into the pit. Finally we¡¯re getting somewhere. 196. Mana Spike The walls and ceiling are just as roughly hewn as the floor and over ten feet high and wide. All the surfaces are a mix of rough volcanic rock and strange flowing, metallic veins that pulse with a blue light that¡¯s similar to my Portals in color. The faint sound of my movement echoes down the only way forward, a rough corridor that descends down further into the ground. I¡¯m kind of surprised at the transition to a very different environment¡­ there¡¯s no doubt this is new and not part of the original tunnels. Usually Dungeons and things created by Mana pick up traits from their surroundings but in this case the shift is profound, like someone has stuck two completely unrelated things together. Taller¡¯ovst Runic Mana Sink Dungeon Located! Warning! This Dungeon is currently unclassified. Estimate based on known parameters is Level 300+ and rising. Levels and classifications are expected to fluctuate until Mana levels stabilize. A Level 300+ Dungeon that¡¯s this size? Usually high Mana levels warp and grow Monsters that are increasingly large as they grow in power, so unless there¡¯s a truly massive underground cavern here I guess this Dungeon bucks the trend in another way. Iv¡¯e never seen or heard of a Mana Sink before. I can¡¯t help but check the AMLs. Current Ambient Mana Level (AML): 35 It¡¯s not as high as the peak of 70 AMLs I experienced with Logan in the last Influx. Halfway there and must be one of the highest currently on Earth even with everything still in a bit of flux and pockets of high AMLs everywhere. Mana Sink suggests some kind of Mana absorption, draining, or consumption but that doesn¡¯t make much sense if the AMLs here are higher than usual, not lower. I move swiftly down the tunnel, my Danger Sense at last starting to give me the faintest warnings and my minimap shows what looks like a much more geometrical set of turns that continue to descend. Every now and then a distant rumble vibrates through the walls, as if the Dungeon itself stirs restlessly. After the first turn to my left, I see carved out flat sections in the walls with runic inscriptions engraved amongst the rough surroundings. I examine them with my Perception, but can¡¯t get any clue as to their purpose or why they¡¯re positioned in what looks like a haphazard manner to me. It¡¯s a very strange feeling, but Mana seems to flow through me directionally toward a point much lower where the tunnels look to end. The silence here, despite my high Perception, is weird. I¡¯m expecting anything - Monsters rushing me, traps blowing up in my face, a ceiling collapsing. But¡­ only the faintest of whispers from up ahead is what my senses collectively detect. I¡¯m not sure whether the best move is to Portal out of here, or keep going slowly, or get a move on and find out whatever¡¯s at the end of the rainbow. Around another left turn I stop short in confusion. Before me is a space-age silver metal door with a bright surface that doesn¡¯t seem to fit with the surroundings, maybe ten feet across and ten feet high. The frame of the door is thick, at least a foot wide, and looks very strong. In the doorframe above the door a sign is inscribed in some kind of alien language, but my SMI handles it without an issue. Taller¡¯ovst Mana Research Facility Definitely not what I was expecting. I can see with my minimap that beyond the door there are swarms of Monsters, some spread out in a pattern my SMI has interpreted into my minimap, and some clumped up and moving rapidly in front of me beyond the door. If I assume they are at the door then it¡¯s a thick one at over ten feet, or perhaps it¡¯s a ten feet cubed equivalent of an air lock? Ten feet is pretty thick for a door. There are a few panels inset on both sides of the door frame that I can only guess were used for access to the Facility that look inactive. I approach the ones on the left, just in case they are activated by proximity, and examine them. Who am I kidding? I¡¯m not a technologist and there¡¯s no way I can make any of this work. It¡¯s a dead end of sorts, so I consider my options while surrounded by an eerie feeling. I know for a fact nearby is a significant threat and it seems at odds with the quiet and calm where I am. I¡¯m reasonably confident I could slice through the door with my Swords and try to pull it out or push it through. I could also try to open a Portal directly to the location of the threat and dive into it; that¡¯s certainly something I have done before, but when I used Omnipresent to get here, my Skill identified the whole Dungeon as a problem rather than the specific threat. Worth a further try, at least to scout out what¡¯s happening up ahead.Unauthorized use of content: if you find this story on Amazon, report the violation. I trigger Omnipresent and zoom in on this location with my mind¡¯s eye. The entire thing is lit up with danger and I can see, even though I¡¯m not currently in danger, that my Skill doesn¡¯t agree and I¡¯m in the middle of something very, very bad. It¡¯s the first time I¡¯ve encountered a situation like this and I don¡¯t know what to make of it. The closest I can manifest a Portal is outside the Dungeon again. Nothing deeper or further on and the creatures just beyond the door don¡¯t seem to count to my Skill as a legitimate place to Portal to. A bit frustrated, I release my Skill and resort to brute force. I take a few steps back and dismiss one of my Swords with a thought and then extend the other one to well beyond ten feet long. Focused, I stride forward with all my Strength at play and push the tip of my Sword into the space-age silver material. There¡¯s definitely some resistance to my Sword slicing through it, more than I had expected. Part way through my strike I feel a surge of Mana hit me through the door that sends my body racing a bit and my Sword wavers for a second as I¡¯m unable to hold its integrity together, the first time that¡¯s ever happened. Current Ambient Mana Level (AML): 75 What on Earth? Seventy-five? That¡¯s a ridiculous spike to even beyond Mana Influx levels; no wonder my system went nuts. I consider opening a Portal to Jeff, but that feels like paranoia more than anything else at this point. With my Sword now fully through the door, I set myself and use my Strength to push it clockwise around in a circle with my blade angled until I¡¯ve fully cut out a segment taller and wider than I am. My Sword dismissed, I set myself and slam my feet down into the rocks to give myself better purchase, then push with all my Strength. Despite the cut from my Sword being perfectly smooth the door is heavy, close to the limit of what I can do despite my enhanced Attributes. I curse mentally a few times and wonder if I should start putting more free Attributes in Strength as I strain. Slowly, with a loud screeching noise, the door moves forward and I push as hard as I possibly can. Momentum builds and I pull a jetpack out of my Inventory and activate it at full power to give me a slight boost as my feet leave the footholds in the rock and I step up into the tunnel that¡¯s being created as the door segment is pushed out. A few more seconds of pushing leaves me stumped as to why it¡¯s now stuck, but I think about what¡¯s happening in my head and the weight of the stopper I¡¯m pushing out and then focus on the bottom of it to release the pressure on the ceiling from the weight imbalance. Heaving with everything I have and the jetpack on full, I manage to nudge it out. With a dull thud it lands maybe a couple of inches from the other side of the door, leaving a small gap around the outsides and a slightly bigger one at the top. Twisted, white and gray hands with sharp claws at the end of long fingers reach through the small gap. Dozens of them grasp ineffectually at me as tortured growling and shrieking begin echoing through the metal cylinder I¡¯m standing in. I can physically feel increased Mana levels pouring in through the gap and hitting me as they pass by like water being released through a hose. Current Ambient Mana Level (AML): 95 The Mana coursing through me is starting to feel uncomfortable, like my blood is rushing too fast or my body is vibrating with energy. I release my link to the Mana in Milford Sound through Gift of Gaia, reducing the AMLs rushing through my body by 30 and down to the ambient levels here. It feels a bit more manageable and I hope this is as high as it gets. My Danger Sense isn¡¯t really alarmed by the creatures trying to get to me, but they are getting in the way of me properly seeing what¡¯s on either side of the door and I have a ridiculous amount of Mana to burn so I trigger Fury of the Clan. It feels like the Skill itself is wavering with the high Mana levels, like trying to spray someone with a firehose while you¡¯re underwater. I trigger it over and over, marveling at how quickly my Stamina gets topped back up, until the growling and shrieking stop and all the fingers have either imploded or exploded from the damage. I peer through the small openings and see there is an even wider corridor through the door. Even below all the gore and body parts I can tell this one looks like it has a flat, normal black floor. It doesn¡¯t look like there¡¯s enough room on either side of the metal I¡¯ve just pushed out to get it totally out of the way, but it should be enough for me to squeeze through if I can roll it to the side. I plant my right foot on the curved wall and wrap my fingers through the gap and then heave using all my Strength. A bit easier than I expected the metal cylinder rolls to my left leaving enough room for me to slip into the hallway. Carpeting the hallway are maybe a hundred bodies of twisted, mutilated body parts that make it hard for me to even know what these creatures were before I blasted them. As always my SMI is not able to pull anything from them now that they¡¯re dead so possibly I¡¯ll never know. The suits some of them wore give some hints that they may have been short beings, maybe less than 5 feet tall, with 4 or 6 appendages. Inspection of a couple of what almost look like space age hazmat helmets reveal they definitely had a lot of eyeball-like organs in their heads. A lot of the suits are torn open and some of them have some kind of rune or inscription on them. I use my boot to nudge a few of them around to find one that¡¯s intact, and my SMI does the rest. I pull up the notification and blink twice as the notification wavers and breaks up for a few seconds like it¡¯s having trouble staying open, which I¡¯ve never seen before. Taller¡¯ovst Mana Research Assistant Something fucked up is definitely going on. 197. Down the Rabbit Hole My footsteps squelch on the hard, black tiled floor as I wade through the guts, jagged bone, and pieces of uniform that are heaped in the area past the door. The curved corridor slopes gradually down for another hundred paces. My minimap, bolstered by all my Skills including Environmental Sense and my Perception, is doing a great job of helping me to understand what¡¯s ahead. Every step I take my mind feels more jittery and anxious, driven by the oversaturation of Mana in my body. I can tell I¡¯m definitely not ¡®in the zone¡¯. I trigger Omnipresent and the Skill comes rushing in faster than normal, almost overwhelming me. My mind races and stretches to contain the vast information that¡¯s hitting me for a couple of seconds and I draw on the full weight of my Affinity to help me before it stabilizes and my SMI manages to support my mind enough to get it under control. This feels dangerous. I need help here, someone who maybe isn¡¯t as affected by these high levels of Mana as I am. With my teeth clenched, I reach out to find Jon so I can open a Portal to hopefully bring him here to help me, but my Skill comes up short and a wave of anger, grief, and frustration washes through me as I remember he¡¯s dead. My mind really isn¡¯t fine. Instead, I search for Jeff and locate him quickly then open a Portal to him. Before I can even step through the Portal he rushes through, swords in his hands and in full armor with all his defensive Skills triggered, ready for anything. When he sees there¡¯s no immediate danger from Monsters he turns to me. ¡°Took you long enough. I knew you were going to get yourself into trouble,¡± he says without any judgment. Just confirming what we both already know. I can feel the Portal buckle under the intense Mana in the area and with my Affinity I can feel how hard it is to keep it stable. It¡¯s almost as if the Mana wants to claim it for its own, perhaps to bring Teleports here to soak up all the excess Mana that¡¯s in this place. ¡°What the hell is going on here?¡± asks Jeff. ¡®My skin is tingling, and you look like you¡¯ve snorted a barrel of cocaine!¡± ¡°Ambient Mana levels are very high here. Higher than in Milford Sound in the Mana Influxes.¡± ¡°Seriously?¡± he asks and cocks his head at me. I can see the flow of his defensive Skills rippling and fraying around the edges. ¡°Yeah, it¡¯s playing havoc with Skills right now. Almost like a DDoS attack, except instead of the internet it¡¯s Mana overwhelming our Mana Interfaces and interfering with the way things usually work. I¡­ I tried to get Jon. I forgot for a second. Just instinct.¡± ¡°I hear you,¡± agrees Jeff. ¡°I think about him a lot too. Can¡¯t believe he¡¯s gone. What you want to do about this, Bronwic?¡± he asks while gesturing to everything around him. ¡°Not sure.¡± ¡°There are plenty of places in the world with dangerous shit to go toe to toe with, dude. You want to give this one a miss? My Skills seem unstable at best right now.¡± ¡°We might get to the place I want to leave. Are you open to moving through here with me for a bit? I can see some tougher creatures ahead on my minimap,¡± I say and share it with him. The fact he¡¯s looking it over makes me confident Jeff is going to stay. ¡°Should I Portal in anyone else?¡± ¡°Know anyone who can take punishment like the two of us?¡± he counters. My mind flicks back to a couple possibilities, but I discard them and shrug. ¡°Let¡¯s keep going, but I reserve the right to get you to Portal us the hell out of here if it gets too rough,¡± he says. ¡°Agreed,¡± I commit.Royal Road is the home of this novel. Visit there to read the original and support the author. We soon come to another, similar door to the previous one. This time with Jeff¡¯s help it¡¯s a lot easier to get the piece I¡¯ve cut out moving and we shove it together at a good pace right out into the next section and split around it with me on the left and him on the right. My Danger Sense is definitely active now and my minimap shows swarms of Monsters that aren¡¯t individually too much of a threat but at these kinds of numbers they might be. I barely get through the narrow space between the door segment and the wall when a jagged crystalline arm slams into the wall beside me as I dodge back with Acceleration cranked up to maximum. The Mana levels here are even higher, to the point I can almost feel that the air is thicker with it. Shards from the wall bounce off me and I slice up with a Sword, severing the light pink crystalline arm with some resistance. I surge forward and glance to my right to see Jeff do the same and smash into an army of hulking creatures formed from light pink and blue crystal. Their bodies are sharp, jagged, and glow with an inner magical energy. Superheated air washes over me as Jeff blasts straight through the group of creatures with a ¡®firenado¡¯ which doesn¡¯t seem to bother them in the least. I chop into them with my Swords at my fully Accelerated speed, dancing and spinning to avoid their striking limbs. Every time I cut through them my Swords waver a bit and sometimes my blades don¡¯t even make it through their thick, reaching arms. My Elemental Aegis flares green as the blows I can¡¯t avoid are turned aside by my shielding. I trigger Fury of the Clan a few times, but it seems to slide off them without its full effect, or maybe the damage is absorbed in some way. They¡¯re high Level creatures and I growl in frustration that my go-to Skill seems increasingly irrelevant in the fights I¡¯ve gotten into lately. Evolved Crystal Elemental (Level 211) Health: 11450/13590 Mana: 2780/3260 Conditions: Mana Siphon, Shockwave Soak, Impact Reflection, more¡­ There are dozens, maybe hundreds of these things pressing forward trying to get at us. Their crystalline appendages shoot forward like porcupine quills and I can¡¯t even see their bodies to figure out where I need to strike. I pull a pair of warhammers from my Inventory, designate them as Personal Weapons, and then lay about me, smashing the reaching appendages of the crystal elementals apart with brute force, triggering Critical Strike with every blow since Stamina is no concern. My warhammers flash everywhere to crush and crack whatever reaches for me. I glance over at Jeff and see he¡¯s not doing as well. His defensive capabilities are a lot higher than mine with his Class, but his background of being a Blademaster has him falling back to using his traditional swords which are even less effective than mine. ¡°Blunt weapons,¡± I send to him over our GPC and between strikes I see him switch to a pair of large, heavy maces that are more likely to do the job. There¡¯s no finesse with them so close and thick, just endless bashing and Stamina. It takes almost a minute of smashing and getting smashed back to make it through to the first of the front line. I surge into them with Charge, arms crossed, then deliver a double backhand blow to the two closest to me. Their crystalline bodies shatter and I¡¯m blasted back by a shockwave of energy that rips and tears at my shredded armor and my flesh beneath. A deep thump hits me and then passes by and I immediately identify it as Jeff¡¯s Shock and Awe Skill. It thumps twice more and the Crystal Elementals are pushed back and flattened, stunned for only a second. I glance over at Jeff and see he¡¯s torn to shreds, his Health regeneration unable to keep up with the damage despite his massive defensive Skills. Adrenaline dumps into me as I momentarily think he¡¯s at the end just like Jon, until I get a GPC message. ¡°Retreat,¡± is all it says. On instinct I trigger Omnipresent to the Somerset MIS Hub and place the Portal across the entire corridor. The Portal flexes and wavers, bucking against my control, so I grit my teeth and bare down with my Skill and my Affinity. Slowly it solidifies and we can see the inside of Jeff¡¯s castle through it. People nearby have seen us and rush toward us but I leap forward and hold my hand up, then Inventory my warhammers to grab Jeff¡¯s battered and shredded body and drag him through, holding the Portal open behind me with an intense effort of will. I place Jeff gently on the ground. His dark skin is slowly, too slowly, closing over and the blood welling from his wounds gradually slows down. I hit him with Rise Again to instantly give him 1,000 Health and then I hit him again to make sure he¡¯s out of danger. I can feel the Mana on the other side of the Portal pouring through my Portal like water rushing through a fire hose and the strain to keep it open is almost unbearable. I focus for a second to make sure Jeff is going to be fine and then step back through the Portal into the hallway. I can see now that whatever¡¯s in Derinkuyu is deadly and there¡¯s no room to bring in an army; it¡¯s classic Dungeon diving or the threat is going to build and build. I take a deep breath and steel myself to take on whatever¡¯s in here, alone, then drop the Portal. 198. Mana Sink My mind is bathed in pain but I keep going as my body is constantly ripped apart and put together at high speed while I fight the Elementals. It¡¯s a pure contest of determination and willpower. I try everything I can, every option, and find that combining my warhammers with Force Projection and Critical Strike while using Acceleration and Strength of the Clan gives me the most damage output. I trigger Fury of the Clan in rage again and again just trying to get some space, get my Stamina to dip, and give me some relief. Eventually, over an hour of struggle and strain later, the entire corridor is littered with broken crystalline fragments. Every surface is pockmarked and gouged from the fighting even though Mana is working to rebuild and reinforce it. Occasionally the absurdly high AMLs coalesce and bring another Crystal Elemental to life out of the remnants of the previous ones, but I make short work of any new threats and pause. I need a bit of time to get my head screwed on straight after that. Nobody¡¯s meant to experience that kind of mental and pain stimulation at such a high frequency for so long and even though the physical signs are gone, I feel the mental strain. At least I have something to show for it. Level Up! *2 You have reached Level 18 as a Human Sentinel +8 Aura, +8 Mana +130 free Attribute points to assign You have 130 free Attribute points to assign Would you like to allocate them now? (Y/N) You have 4 unallocated Class Skill points Would you like to allocate them now? (Y/N) I contemplate where I should assign my free Attributes. Right now my Constitution seems high enough at 1055, way ahead of my other Attributes. I¡¯ve spent a lot of time doubling down on that advantage and decide instead to bump my Luck up to an even 250, then split the other 128 free Attribute points evenly between Strength and Agility. After this battle I feel bloody good about bolstering those two Attributes, and about saving my Class Skill points until I reach Level 20 and get the next Tier of Skills. I need more powerful Skills and maybe an Evolution to take on threats like this without such a struggle, nevermind ones like Hvitserkur. I open up my Status and shake my head at the massive regeneration rates. They¡¯re truly insane and I¡¯m feeling the strain of it, even now that combat has finished. I keep all my active Skills running and Gift of Gaia released, just to lessen the latent amount coursing through my body being converted to physical potential.
Status Overview
Name Bronwic Cadimus Class Human Sentinel
Race Human (male) Level 18
Titles
Exterminator, Overachiever, Powerhouse, Explorer, Bane World Delver, Survivor, Bastion, SSA High Enforcer, Mark of Tenebris (Hidden)
Health 10550 Health Regeneration 258180 /min
Stamina 15825 Stamina Regeneration 258180 /min
Mana 2100 Mana Regeneration 304 /min
Status Conditions
None
Attributes
Strength 387 Perception 1550
Constitution 1055 Charisma 70
Agility 391 Luck 250
Aura 342 Mana 210
SMI Skills and Affinities
Danger Sense 70Love this story? Find the genuine version on the author''s preferred platform and support their work! Observe 56
Greater Affinity Dimensional Manipulation Survivor Damage Resistance +20% when under 20% Health
Class Specific SMI Dynamics
Physical regen Base + Base*AML Mana regeneration 200%
Personal Weapon Base damage: 819 Tech functionality -25%
Mental Resistance Invulnerable All Resistances 80%
Damage Reduction 80% Potion/Buff Penalty -80% / -90%
Explorer Bonus +20% XP Penetration 1050%
Class Skills
Lesser Detection 1* Power Strike 1*
Charge 1* Instantaneous Inventory 1*
Clan Shield 1* Force Projection 3*
Greatest Need 3* Critical Strike 1*
Regeneration Max* Unbound 1*
Accelerate 1 Rise Again 1
Penetration 1 Greater Regeneration Max
Imbue 1 Environmental Sense 1
Unbreakable Evolved Strength of the Clan 1
Wall of the Clan 1 Fury of the Clan 3*
Omnipresent Evolved Group Party Chat 1*
Gift of Gaia Evolved (+30 AML) Sword of the Sentinel 1
Know Thy Enemy 1 Wraithstrike 1
Elemental Aegis 1 Guilty as Charged 1
Spells
Minor Healing 1
Another huge door at the end of the corridor sits there, imposing and threatening. Or maybe that¡¯s just me. This one has different runes to the previous ones and rather than solid metal, it appears to be made of black energy with bright blue points and streaks of light swirling around through it. I examine the runes carefully for information that might help me progress further. My Danger Sense presses on me from the direction of the door, discouraging me from entering, and my minimap shows a small cluster of red dots in a chamber on the other side. Beyond that, in what must be a huge underground cavern, the red dots are so thick as to be indistinguishable. This time, my SMI is able to help me decipher the meaning in some of the runes, which appear to be warnings and labeling rather than magical in nature. Taller¡¯ovst Mana Research Facility Mana Sink Core Containment Unit !! Danger !! !! Do Not Enter !! Access permitted for Category Alpha Researchers Only Influx World #38745 Experimental Installation Classification: Maximum Security, Maximum Restriction I¡¯m well aware that I¡¯m not an expert at all things. But¡­ this does not sound good. Is this whole situation a serious Mana Influx experiment gone wrong? Something completely different? Are the incredibly high AMLs caused by some kind of experimentation, or by the Mana Sink Core? Has something down here been absorbing Mana since the very first Influx, and now it¡¯s ready to blow? If that was true I don¡¯t even know what the consequences would be. Would the Earth blow up? Would nothing bad happen at all? I¡¯ve got no answers and a lot of questions. My mind scans through people I know, wondering if any of them could help me understand what¡¯s going on here and I come up short. Taiwo? There are only so many times I can play that card and draw on his expertise and network before our relationship gets back out of balance, but maybe this is one of those times. I trigger Omnipresent, but I can¡¯t search for Taiwo because he¡¯s not a human so I do the next best thing and zero in on the MIS Hub in Calgary. It¡¯s a struggle; the difficulty I¡¯ve had using my Skills has only increased. Something, maybe the high Mana levels, is messing with the way they work and it¡¯s almost like trying to listen to music while white noise is playing just as loud. I¡¯m losing all the detail and ability to hone in on specifics. With a grunt, I flex my Affinity strongly and the noise fades to the background leaving me with a lock on the Calgary MIS hub near Carter¡¯s place. I¡¯m just about to trigger the second part of Omnipresent to manifest the Portal when the door in front of me explodes out, hammering into me at high speed. The weight of it slams me so hard my Strength is completely insufficient to keep me in place and I¡¯m blasted back along the corridor, tumbling through the Crystal Elemental fragments. Eventually I skid to a halt, disoriented, and I try on instinct to manifest the Portal I¡¯ve been shaping, but the AMLs have climbed even further and even when I flex my Affinity, I can¡¯t lock on my target. My Skill wavers and I have a hard time controlling it as it bucks and twists against my will. I grit my teeth and focus for a second before I realize I have even bigger problems. My attention has been on Omnipresent and the increased AMLs, which are now causing me to vibrate to such an extent that I don¡¯t really feel my Danger Sense warning me until it¡¯s almost too late. I look up to see beings that look to be made of pure Mana alongside towering constructs made of obsidian stone with intricate, powerful looking runes carved into their surface. The golems move with ponderous, crushing power as the Mana beings flit amongst them and around them. They pour through the opening and dart toward me in a split second. I surge to my feet in desperation and call my Swords to my hands. They flicker a bit, but hold. Current Ambient Mana Level (AML): 112 Mana Warped Obsidian Golem (Level 288) Health: 19900/19900 Mana: 3850/4400 Conditions: Earth Synergy, Defensive Reflection, Runes of Resilience, Crushing Blow, Legendary Inviolation, more¡­ Condensed Mana Construct (Level 318) Health: 15600/15600 Mana: 24560/24680 Conditions: Ethereal, Tortured, Mana Touched, Unstable, Driven, more¡­ Cursing the world, cursing the Influx, cursing this situation, I let loose and re-engage Gift of Gaia to add another 30 AMLs to my regeneration rates. My body vibrates with the potential energy and I feel like it might tear me apart, but I feel like it¡¯s my only chance to make it out of this battle alive. Can I heal and deal out damage faster than they can? Health: 10550/10550 Stamina: 15635/15825 Constitution: 1055 Skill Modifier: 5.32 Current Ambient Mana Level (AML): 112 +30 (Gift of Gaia) Physical regeneration rate: 802602 /min --> 13377 /sec Less than a second to recover my entire Health pool and just barely longer for my Stamina. If something doesn¡¯t kill me right away, it¡¯s going to be an all-out slugfest unless the AMLs humming through my body kill me first. 199. World Ender Two of the hulking, massive Golems crash into me; there¡¯s not enough room for more to engage. Their rune-covered hands and legs strike, each time their runes flare with blue light and multiply the blows to contain incredible force that disrupts my internal organs and shakes my bones. There¡¯s nowhere to go, nowhere to hide. I leverage all my Strength to hold my ground but it¡¯s not nearly enough as I¡¯m blasted back against the wall. I expect it to shatter but it doesn¡¯t, perhaps reinforced with the crazy amount of Mana that¡¯s saturating everything. All my Skills are activated and my regeneration is so high the damage is healed as fast as I take it, but that doesn¡¯t stop the pain from coursing through me and the feeling of being ripped apart and stitched back together. Ten times a second and more I trigger Fury of the Clan and it still doesn¡¯t dent my Stamina. The damage slides off the creatures again and my Skill feels wild, unstable. I up the cadence, feeding the instability, as three Golems surround me while my back is to the wall. More are lined up behind them and the Mana Constructs slip through them to strike at me with hundreds of tendrils. I sweep my Swords back and forth without much hope but they slice through the tendrils with the ease I¡¯ve come to expect. The tendrils that do reach me send shockwaves through my body that cause my muscles to seize up before they¡¯re released by my regenerative healing a split second later. Golem fists rocket out and I dodge as well as I can in the confined space, using my Swords to deflect the worst of the blows. Each time my Swords make contact with the Golems, the runes flare and my Swords penetrate only a few inches before being repelled. Desperate, I flex my Affinity and create Edges between me and the Golems and trigger Wall of the Clan. The Skill bucks and twists, warped by the Mana, and I¡¯m struck again by a Golem fist through the Edges before the Wall snaps into place, severing the Golem arm and giving me some respite in a spall, protected space as the creatures press against it. Bright flashes of their Skills bloom across my Wall as it wavers and I take a breath for a few heartbeats. The time I hope to find doesn¡¯t eventuate as the ethereal Mana Constructs reshape themselves, flowing through the air in a chaotic dance to slide past my Edges and form sharp points that spear into and through my Wall, disrupting it. I reduce my Swords back to their smallest size to hopefully stabilize them and lash out at the Mana Constructs, a dozen blows a second taking chunks out of them that fall to the floor, all while I¡¯m pouring more and more focus into Fury of the Clan. My Stamina starts to slowly drain as I increase the cadence I¡¯m triggering Fury higher and higher while my Wall starts to break down. Golem fists start to punch through the holes created by the Mana Constructs, trying to strike me. The strain on my body and mind is tremendous, but I can¡¯t think of another option so I focus all my effort on it and stop defending myself with my Swords from my attackers. Spears from the Mana Constructs hit me and burrow slowly into my body and explosions of pure Mana blast me while my regeneration pulls on the AMLs and even the essence of the Mana Constructs to rebuild me just as fast as I¡¯m injured. My Wall finally wavers and collapses as I pump more and more Stamina into Fury of the Clan, triggering it faster and faster. The entire area seems unstable but I¡¯m filling the surroundings with so much damaging energy that it starts to disrupt the Mana Constructs and slam into the Golems, pushing them back as their protective runes flare with light. I fire out raw Force Projections ahead of me and trigger Critical Strikes as fast as I can. The press of creatures around me and the punishment I¡¯m taking from them and my own Skills feels like it¡¯s ripping me apart. I focus intently, putting everything else aside except for forming Edges in front of me and triggering all my damage producing Skills as fast as I can. Mana flows through my body like a raging torrent, converted into my physical Regeneration and then my Skills that in turn supercharge the air with damaging energy. My Perception shuts down my senses, overwhelmed, as reality starts to waver and dimensional tears start to appear wherever I¡¯ve left an Edge. I¡¯m smashed back into the corridor wall by a series of blows that I don¡¯t even try to stop. Instead, I turtle up to protect myself and fish myself even further. Unstable energy crackles all around us as blasts of pure energy ricochet around like machine gun fire from a hundred guns combined with shrapnel from a thousand grenades. Unable to handle it anymore, I yell at the top of my lungs to the Universe, to fury, to pain, and to a desperate need to survive as I pour everything I have into it, a primal scream to defy the overwhelming tide of enemies and attacks. I''m losing ground, my body pushed to its limits. The constant regeneration, fueled by the insane AMLs, is a double-edged sword, keeping me alive but pushing my body and mind to the brink. It''s like being caught in a raging inferno with no escape. As the Mana surges around us, threatening to tear apart reality and consume me entirely, all of a sudden the pain coming from outside stops. My internal pain still rages and I realize there are no more targets for my Furies, nothing left on my minimap. I release my focus on triggering my Skills and it¡¯s like my blood vessels and organs, swelled and strained, have collapsed. I writhe on the ground in pain, expecting and waiting for the cool healing to take hold, but it doesn¡¯t. The high ambient Mana burns me, almost in the same way warm water feels scalding when you¡¯re badly sunburned.Unauthorized content usage: if you discover this narrative on Amazon, report the violation. I open my eyes and see the destruction that¡¯s everywhere. Obsidian Golems and Mana Construct parts are scattered, blown up and melted. All around the Edges I still have active, space warps and ripples as it tries to open Wormholes and push dangerous new threats into our world to consume our Mana. I release my Edges with a groan, hardly able to think, and the Wormholes slowly close as if they¡¯re reluctant to leave. Somehow, I¡¯m barely alive. I¡¯ve stared into the abyss and miraculously lived through it. All I can concentrate on is my ragged breath and trembling body as the pain still courses through me. I don¡¯t know how long I lay on the ground. Minutes? Hours? Days? Eventually I feel like I can move and recognize the sensation I¡¯ve felt pressing on me from up ahead. Mana radiating from something. It feels like it¡¯s burning my soul from that direction as it hits me with surges of intensity. With a groan I move to a kneeling position and then stand up. I want nothing more than to retreat from this whole situation and the source of the intense pain. Instead, I stagger down the corridor toward it. I fall twice within the first ten meters and both times I grit my teeth and regain my feet, groping around with my arms to try to find something to keep me upright. Each time I crash into the smashed walls of the corridor and it sends chunks of metal and stone flying. I steady myself and try to focus, but it¡¯s like trying to walk in a straight line while being blind drunk. The corridor curves around to my left and down sharply enough I end up tumbling down, clearing a path through the rubble with my body as I slide. Each time I regain my feet and continue on. Every few steps the intensity of the pain increases until it reaches a fever pitch at the end of the corridor, where I stop and gape through the haze of pain. A notification opens automatically, bypassing all the ones still just sitting there blinking at me furiously. As I open the notification it wavers badly and doesn¡¯t stabilize, but there¡¯s enough there I can read it. !! Warning !! Uncontrolled Dark Mana detected!! Evacuate immediately!! !! Planetary level destructive forces are imminent !! In front of me the corridor opens up into an enormous spherical cavern. The insides of the walls are covered in runes and alien technology. I¡¯m not thinking straight but I can only guess this is the Mana Sink and containment unit. In the middle of the cavern, taking up almost the whole space, is a sphere of dense, swirling shades of dark blue Mana that must be at least a hundred meters in diameter. The color gets darker closest to the core, where it¡¯s almost black. It feels like standing next to the sun. I release Gift of Gaia and try to crank up all my passive Skills to reduce the Mana thrumming inside me, but as soon as I try it feels like my body reaches new heights of burning, searing pain. Current Ambient Mana Level (AML): 480 How is that even possible? Am I somehow standing right next to the Mana equivalent of a nuclear bomb? What kind of a fucked up experiment gone wrong is this? I put my hand on the wall of the corridor to steady myself as the pain spikes to an even greater level and the massive sphere starts to pulse. What can I do? This isn¡¯t a problem I can punch away. In a haze of pain I can only think of one thing to try - get rid of it. I trigger the first part of Omnipresent and convulse as Mana rages through me in a torrent. I pray and beg for unconsciousness but it doesn¡¯t come and I use the pain to focus my mind in desperation, pulling on my Affinity as strongly as I possibly can to help. The Skill wavers and refuses to lock in so I push harder, with everything I can. My insides and mind feel like they¡¯re going to explode when I find what I¡¯m looking for - a small human skirmish on a spaceship, far from Earth in the middle of space. Pushing with everything I can and bending my will to push my Affinity farther than I ever have before in desperation, I manifest the Portal as large as I can just outside the spaceship, pointing out into space, and the other end as close to the core of the ball of Mana as I can get it. I crash to my knees with my head, heart, and soul on fire as the Portal bucks wildly and wavers a million times a second as Mana from the sphere, disrupted, pours through the Portal like water rushing through a hose to equalize the pressure. In my trembling mind¡¯s eye I can see the mana venting in huge plumes out into space. The pace of it accelerates as I strain and strain at the breaking point to keep the Portal open. I force it wider, and wider still. Every inch gives it more chance to drain enough to keep the Earth from being destroyed. I struggle to hold on and focus my mind on Robb, Jon, Logan, Carter, Millie, Benjamin, Tatiana, Uncle Ant, and everyone else I care about. I hold the masses of innocent people I¡¯ve tried to protect in my mind as I¡¯m unable to even hold myself up and my face slams into the ground, almost unnoticed. I open my burning eyes and stare at the sphere of Mana. It¡¯s smaller, a bit smaller, and no longer a perfect sphere as the core is slowly, slowly moving toward the Portal I have open. I can¡¯t hold on but I have to all at the same time. I can feel everything shutting down. With one last desperate push I put everything I can, everything I have, into expanding the Portal as big as it can go, bigger than the core of the Mana sphere, and I yell into the blinding light as something inside me snaps and the world around me goes brilliant white. And then dark. 200. Aftermath I float in a haze. It¡¯s black. I¡¯m disoriented. I can¡¯t feel my body. No smell or sound. It¡¯s not totally unpleasant. ¡°What happened here?¡± asks a female voice from the darkness. I can¡¯t tell what direction. It sounds far away and familiar, but I can¡¯t place it. I drift for a while, mind slowly spinning and disconnected. ¡°Is he dangerous? Why is he like that?¡± asks the same voice from far away. Or maybe it¡¯s not far away, just soft. ¡°He¡¯s always dangerous,¡± says a male voice, slightly closer, and this one I recognize. Taiwo. ¡°But from the looks of this, he probably saved the whole planet. I have no idea how he¡¯s still alive,¡± Taiwo adds. I''m interested in what they have to say and my mind gravitates to Taiwo¡¯s voice. I try to focus on it. Instead, I spin and drift again and lose the voices. They seem far away, muffled. A second, or a week, or maybe year later I hear them again. ¡°Should we call him?¡± the female voice asks. It could be Dhromea. I lose focus and my mind drifts again for a bit. I feel like I can hear echoes of wind through trees and waves on the beach. Am I making that up? Maybe some birds are calling far, far in the distance? Suddenly I¡¯m still drifting, I¡¯m still disconnected, but I¡¯m on high alert. Paranoid. Scrambling to hide, to get away. To push myself deeper in the darkness where I can¡¯t be found. ¡°You call on me with disturbing frequency,¡± says a deep voice that penetrates through the haze and causes all my instincts to flee, to fight, to submit, to defy. I am a jumble and not in control of my own thoughts. Tenebris. ¡°Apologies, my Lord. We thought you should see this. You would want to see this.¡± A pause. My high strung state drifts from a 19 out of 10 to an 18. I¡¯m in a daze but hyper aware. I somehow cling on to discover what the next words will be, if I can catch them. ¡°As ever, Taiwo, you serve me well.¡± Relief. Fear. Floating. Wind through the trees and rain dripping to a forest floor. ¡°What¡¯s happened to him?¡± asks Taiwo. I think he sounds concerned. Or uncaring. Near? Or far? Some time passes. I drift. ¡°Is that what I think it is?¡± asks Taiwo. A pause. ¡°Do you have everything in the Universe?¡± A deep chuckle from Tenebris. Uplifting. Threatening. I try to move, to escape. I¡¯m disconnected. How do I move when I¡¯m floating in the void? The female, I¡¯m more sure it¡¯s Dhromea, says something. I¡¯m too far away to catch it. Floating. ¡°A unique set of circumstances. Truly unique and exceptional,¡± says Tenebris. My soul shakes but it feels solid. Stronger. Powerful. ¡°What is happening to him? Will he live? Should he live¡­ like that?¡± Taiwo asks. I float far above in the darkness. Or nearby. Both. Here, and there, and nowhere. A swirling question of betrayal from Taiwo does not touch me, though it grasps at me to bring me down from the clouds. Smoke from a fire that blows away in a hurricane. ¡°Dhromea, bring Q¡¯harrdoc,¡± instructs Tenebris. ¡°Of course, my Lord,¡± she replies. Her voice is stronger, firmer. Closer. I push against the haze. I try to remember what¡¯s happened to me. To take some control. The disconnection I feel dials down for a second and stabilizes, but then I¡¯m sent spinning and drifting again. Happy. Pain free. Content. Worried. Rage. ¡°By the Gods, Tenebris!¡± A new voice says. Odd. Alien. Angry. Curious. ¡°What can you do?¡± Tenebris asks. ¡°He has been bathed in more Mana than I could survive. Is there a way forward?¡±Love what you''re reading? Discover and support the author on the platform they originally published on. ¡°Bring Uutaalin and Biliskton,¡± replies the voice. Certain. Questing. Determined. ¡°Bring Q¡¯yuhiloog and Talgok. Use the code word if you must.¡± ¡°My Lord,¡± Dhromea says. Then nothing. I spin slowly in the darkness. I fight this time, harder. Determined to be me. To be in my own body. Something is happening. I try with everything, my very being straining, but then¡­ I am a helium balloon released into the air on a lazy summer day, warm and free. Floating again, far from the ground. ¡°Tenebris¡­¡± says Taiwo. His voice drifts away. I strain to hear it but there is only silence. New voices. Hushed. Excited. Shocked. Doubtful. Their words escape me. ¡°His SMI has¡­ Evolved. I did not think it was possible. He is¡­ something unique. I don¡¯t know what. This needs study!¡± A voice declares it and I fight to regain my senses. I claw and claw and pull and the darkness wavers. Faint lights and smells are in the distance. The ground under me is a thousand miles away, but there. I fight. I will not be caged! ¡°There will be no study,¡± says Tenebris with finality. ¡°You will siphon the excess Mana if you can and repair his Mana pathways to the extent you are able. Provide his Evolved SMI with an integration solution and guardrails if you are able. You will do this to the best of your ability. When you leave, you will not remember what you¡¯ve seen.¡± My memories and very being shake when he utters the words. I drift and float in a parallel dimension. I can feel things happening to me. Many things. Disconnected things. Things I do not understand. Cannot comprehend. A voice speaks into my mind but I cannot grasp it, cannot make sense of it. ¡°It is done, Lord Tenebris. We agree it will take time. He may be broken. He may be something we¡¯ve never seen before. Will you change your mind and allow us our memories at least, to study? To learn?¡± ¡°No.¡± The voice is harder than iron. As certain as time advancing. A pause. A long pause. I reach for my mind and try to pull it in. Try to wake. Try to be myself. Try to catch raindrops with chopsticks. It seems possible, but it eludes me. ¡°What do you wish us to do, my Lord?¡± asks Taiwo from far away. ¡°Bring him to my Academy,¡± Tenebris answers. ¡°Invite his relation, the one who wears my armor also. They may train, and rest. The young one needs protection and we owe Bronwic that much. If he regains himself, he may one day surpass even me.¡± Dread. Fear. Curiosity. Determination. Hope. ¡°Are you not¡­ threatened, my Lord? Are you sure this is the path to take?¡± asks Taiwo. My mind races with emotions that flow through me without registering. I spin again, warm and safe. Cold and empty. Grasping and reaching. Tenebris laughs. My soul laughs with him, resonating, though I can¡¯t understand why. ¡°Does the dragon fear the butterfly?¡± asks Tenebris. ¡°He is potential. Vast potential, but only potential. Perhaps an ally now, perhaps an enemy one day. Perhaps not. Perhaps something we¡¯ve never seen before. Even I cannot tell. You are to keep me updated, Taiwo. But I do not wish to be bothered with this matter again. If he somehow recovers and wins the KCT, we will speak again.¡± ¡°Understood, my Lord,¡± says Taiwo. Deference, respect, fear, worship. I sense them and feel the same. Taiwo and I are merely leaves on his wind, drifting and swirling and moving where he demands. No. We are more. Are we more? The voices move away, and this time I can tell they are actually moving away from me rather than my mind wandering uncontrolled away from them. I am starting to come back to myself, but I am not yet there. Floating. Spinning. Stabilizing. Strengthening. Silence for a time, though I know someone is near. Watching, waiting. Protecting? Examining? The first thing that comes to me is my sense of my body. The burning has cooled, but I feel¡­ different. I¡¯m not sure how yet. I feel that I¡¯m sitting, reclined, on something. It¡¯s solid, comfortable. I focus on it. Slowly, I open my eyes and look around. I¡¯m sitting in one of Taiwo¡¯s chairs, still facing the chamber where the Mana sphere was. ¡°Welcome back,¡± says Taiwo with a charismatic smile, not that he has any other kind of smiles. He seems genuinely happy I am awake¡­ or is it just an act? What did he say when I was lost and drifting? It flows away from me like water through my fingers. Still, it¡¯s Taiwo. He¡¯s been there for me so many times. I manage a grin. ¡°We were afraid to move you,¡± he adds. ¡°It wasn¡¯t particularly clear why you¡¯re still alive, so we decided to change as little as possible. The ambient Mana here is still very high. Uncomfortably high.¡± ¡°We?¡± I ask, testing. I can feel the ambient Mana in a different way than I used to, but put that aside. First, to understand Taiwo and his position on this. On me. ¡°Dhromea brought me here and we asked Tenebris to join us. He did, along with some others who helped. Exactly what they did is beyond me.¡± My memories are vague but it seems to add up. I relax a little bit, letting go of some tension I am holding. Only a portion, but some. Eventually you have to trust someone, right? Or face the alternative. Solitude in all things. ¡°What happened?¡± I ask. ¡°Why was I so out of it?¡± Taiwo pauses for a couple seconds as if pondering what to say. ¡°Well¡­ that¡¯s a bit of a mystery to me too. I was hoping you could fill us in. What we do know is when we found you, your body was highly saturated with Mana, just like this chamber. Tenebris had a hypothesis that Researchers were conducting an experiment in concentrating Mana at this facility using a Mana Sink. A good activity on a post-Influx world if you don¡¯t want to wait for eons to test your Mana absorption techniques. It seems like the experiment may have gone wrong, though, and taken over the complex. A bit of a chain reaction or reinforcing loop. Unchecked, it might have caused a lot of damage. How much, nobody really knows. Perhaps catastrophic? The whole chamber is cleared out now and it¡¯s just the containment runes on the walls left. If there was anything else - any technology or magical artifacts - they¡¯re gone now.¡± I sit up a bit and look around, contemplating. My brain is starting to work again and I can move, like I¡¯ve woken up from the deepest sleep of my life. ¡°I have a lot of notifications,¡± I tell Taiwo. They are blinking furiously in the corner of my vision, calling desperately for my attention. I flick my eyes away from them and back to my friend. Friend? Yes, friend. He shrugs, happy with whatever I decide. I decide to open them, and see if they can help us with this mystery. Surely I might get a Level or two out of this trial too. I feel like maybe I deserve it. 201. Evolution There¡¯s one notification that looks more urgent than all the rest, so I open it first. There are so many even without the kill notifications; I wave those away for later, or perhaps never. Maybe one day I¡¯ll want to review what¡¯s happened here. Maybe. Unique Event¡­ Calculating !!...error¡­!! Recovering¡­. failure. !!...error¡­!! Recovering¡­ failure. Pathway found. Forced Evolution executed. !!...error¡­!! Corrective action required, assistance needed. !!...error¡­!! Intervention successful. Refreshing notifications. Significant Event - Planetary destruction averted! Unique Event - Dark Mana and Mana core exposure survival! Unique Event - SMI Evolution! Due to a unique series of events combined with your Class and Skills, you have survived elevated AMLs far beyond previously recorded parameters. Your SMI has integrated and synergized with a portion of your Skills and Evolved. Intervention has stabilized your Evolved SMI. New Parameters currently unknown. Expect a period of fluctuation and unpredictable outcomes from Skills. Expect a period of reduced detection Skill sensitivity during recalibration. Congratulations! Title Granted - Savior of Earth You have, through your actions, prevented your entire world from obliteration caused by a unique extinction level event. Over a billion humans and their potential have been preserved. You have truly embodied your unique Human Sentinel Class. Effect: +10,000,000 XP Effect: Charisma +500 Effect: Unique Ascended Class Unlocked Congratulations! Unique Title Granted - Dark Mana Tempered You have survived something impossibly improbable. Unique Effect: 2 Skill points per Level Effect: Gain Mana Affinity, current potential not yet calculated Effect: +1000 Luck - your destiny bends the Universe Effect: Unique Ascended Class Unlocked As soon as I open the notifications the world warps around me as my Charisma and Luck skyrocket. It feels almost like I have the ability to exert my will on things that I previously took for granted were not able to be changed. Influence things in my favor that I could never control. It¡¯s a lot to take in with a mind that¡¯s still not settled and reality continues to waver for a few seconds while I adjust. A Mana Affinity? Two Skill points per Level? This opens up so many possibilities for me to Evolve more Skills. What unique Class choices have I unlocked? I try to take stock. What¡¯s happened to me? Am I reborn, or broken, or both? ¡°Whoa!¡± exclaims Taiwo, a look of concern and surprise on his face. I wonder if my Charisma is as high as his now. Higher? I¡¯m tempted to ask. ¡°A few things in those notifications,¡± I agree. ¡°Still have a bunch to go.¡± ¡°I recommend you rein that in a bit,¡± he suggests while gesturing at me. ¡°It¡¯s not nearly as strong as Tenebris and my Charisma is high enough to counter it, but your new¡­ disposition¡­ is threatening as hell.¡± Perfect. Instead of immensely likable and influential, I radiate threat level. Not exactly the direction I would have chosen, given I¡¯m supposed to be a leader. I focus on my Charisma and find I can pull in its range and the influence of its effect with a flex of my will. I leave the influence of my Luck at full power. It¡¯s clearly been with me on this Dungeon dive, but who couldn¡¯t use a little more? I open up the next two notifications; they¡¯re a familiar type and I welcome them wholeheartedly. Level Up! *3 You have reached Level 21 as a Human Sentinel +12 Aura, +12 Mana +195 free Attribute points to assign You have 195 free Attribute points to assign Would you like to allocate them now? (Y/N) You have 10 unallocated Class Skill points Would you like to allocate them now? (Y/N) Level Up! *3 You have reached Level 24 as a Human Sentinel +12 Aura, +12 Mana +195 free Attribute points to assign You have 390 free Attribute points to assign Would you like to allocate them now? (Y/N) You have 16 unallocated Class Skill points Would you like to allocate them now? (Y/N) ¡°I¡¯m going to need some time,¡± I advise Taiwo. ¡°I can¡¯t imagine anywhere else in the Universe more interesting than this right now,¡± he replies and settles back into his chair, then pulls out a table full of food and drink from his Inventory. I laugh, not sure if my body is ready for food and a bit surprised he¡¯s content to just lounge around. Maybe this situation is a bit unique. ¡°Need a sounding board?¡± he asks, genuinely curious. Not pushy, not invasive. Just curious as he watches and eats some seaweed with a three pronged fork that looks suspiciously like a mini trident. I shake my head, feeling these decisions need to be mine, free of influence. Am I ready to make these calls so soon? Surely I should have a stand down period, but I feel clear headed. A bit overwhelmed, but clear headed. Unsure, I decide to work it through.If you encounter this tale on Amazon, note that it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it. Four hundred Attribute points is a hell of a lot, but the real prize is 16 unallocated Class Skill points and the fact I¡¯ve unlocked my Tier 3 Skills, with only one more Level to go to my Tier 4 Skills. I am feeling my Strength and Agility lag behind my other Attributes and decide now is the time to rectify that. I drop 113 Attribute points into Strength and 109 into Agility, bringing them both up to an even 500. Looking at the Skill I want in Tier 4, Runic Recall, I drop another 134 in Aura and the last 34 in Constitution, my biggest advantage. My body feels euphoric as the changes take place and I hear Taiwo breathe out heavily as I¡¯m transformed further into something even more powerful than before. I¡¯m keen to experiment before making a final decision and I won¡¯t have enough Class Skill points to Evolve 3 Skills anyway, so I drop 1 Class Skill point in each of my Tier 3 Skills. There seems to be some resistance from my SMI, but they flow through and I take a deep, calming breath as the knowledge of how to use them rushes into my mind. I call up the Skill descriptions and my Status to review everything, and maybe just a bit to put the feelings of near death behind me and focus on moving forward and the new power I¡¯ve just gained. Psychic Eruption (Human Sentinel Skill - Tier 3) (Level 1 of 10) The Sentinel channels unparalleled vision, briefly seeing through the weaknesses and vulnerabilities of their enemies to exploit through a wave of psychic energy that damages and stuns them. Effect: direct psychic damage inflicted upon enemies; Sentinel can choose lethal or non-lethal force Cost: 1500 Stamina Additional Skill points grant additional damage and ability to overcome Resistances Guardian¡¯s Blessing (Human Sentinel Skill - Tier 3) (Level 1 of 10) A pulse of translucent white aura pulses from the Sentinel with mystical energy, providing moderate physical and magical damage protection for allies plus, increased healing and reduction of negative Status effects Effect: +30% Resistances, +100% Health regeneration for up to 4^Skill Level allies Cost: 500 Stamina per second Additional Skill points grant increased coverage of the Skill Marked for Glory (Human Sentinel Skill - Tier 3) (Level 1 of 10) Through the Sentinel¡¯s blessing, special humans are recognized for their potential and contribution to humanity¡¯s survival. Effect: One human per Skill Level bestowed a 20% XP and regeneration multiplier Cost: Mana regeneration reduced by 5 permanently Additional Skill points grant increased number of individuals who can be named There¡¯s no question in my mind who I¡¯m using Mark for Glory on, and I bestow it on Logan immediately. The Skill wavers and although I can feel a connection to Logan through it, the Skill doesn¡¯t lock on and settle. A new notification pops up so I open it. Skill Trigger Failure Due to the current disruption and recalibration of your SMI, this Skill has failed to form and execute. Performing diagnostics¡­. Unable to reach resolution. Great. Perfect. I¡¯ll have to run through all my Skills to see what¡¯s working and what¡¯s not. I can only hope that it¡¯s a limited impact, and temporary. I review my Status to make a plan, and maybe just a bit to take in how far I¡¯ve come.
Status Overview
Name Bronwic Cadimus Class Human Sentinel
Race Human (male) Level 24
Titles
Exterminator, Overachiever, Powerhouse, Explorer, Bane World Delver, Survivor, Bastion, SSA High Enforcer, Mark of Tenebris (Hidden), Savior of Earth, Dark Mana Tempered
Health 10890 Health Regeneration 237533 /min
Stamina 16335 Stamina Regeneration 237533 /min
Mana 2340 Mana Regeneration 610 /min
Status Conditions
SMI Recalibration Active
Attributes
Strength 500 Perception 1550
Constitution 1089 Charisma 570
Agility 500 Luck 1250
Aura 500 Mana 234
SMI Skills and Affinities
Danger Sense 80 (40) Observe 60 (30)
Affinities Dimensional Manipulation, Mana Survivor Damage Resistance +20% when under 20% Health
Class Specific SMI Dynamics
Physical regen Base + Base*AML Mana regeneration 200%
Personal Weapon Base damage: 956 Tech functionality -25%
Mental Resistance Invulnerable All Resistances 80%
Damage Reduction 80% Potion/Buff Penalty -80% / -90%
Explorer Bonus +20% XP Penetration 1050%
Foresight -50%, recalibrating
Class Skills
Lesser Detection 1* Power Strike 1*
Charge 1* Instantaneous Inventory 1*
Clan Shield 1* Force Projection 3*
Greatest Need 3* Critical Strike 1*
Regeneration Max* Unbound 1*
Accelerate 1 Rise Again 1
Penetration 1 Greater Regeneration Max
Imbue 1 Environmental Sense 1
Unbreakable Evolved Strength of the Clan 1
Wall of the Clan 1 Fury of the Clan 3*
Omnipresent Evolved Group Party Chat 1*
Gift of Gaia Evolved (+30 AML) Sword of the Sentinel 1
Know Thy Enemy 1 Wraithstrike 1
Elemental Aegis 1 Guilty as Charged 1
Psychic Eruption 1 Marked for Glory 1
Guardian¡¯s Blessing 1
Spells
Minor Healing 1
You have 13 unassigned Class Skills. Would you like to allocate them now? (Y/N) I need to figure out what my SMI being recalibrated really means, and recover. But it¡¯s clear I¡¯m alive and potentially more powerful, more dangerous than I¡¯ve ever been. I sit back in the chair and let myself relax for a few minutes before I ask Taiwo whether I imagined Tenebris saying something about going to an Academy, or if that was real. 202. Real Nervous ¡°You ready?¡± I ask Logan, looking into his greenish hazel eyes that are so much like his Mom¡¯s. It seems like every time I see him he¡¯s another inch or two taller, even if it¡¯s only been a few days, and he now stands around 5¡¯10¡±. What kinds of changes can Mana enact on us? Given what just happened to me I guess it¡¯s not the smartest question to ask. If women give birth in less than nine months now, and Monsters warp to enormous creatures in days or weeks, a couple of inches of growth is nothing. He¡¯s put on some muscle and looks more like what I¡¯d expect a 16 or 17 year old to look than the 13 he is. I wonder if Mana or our Mana Interfaces help us with coping and being our best selves also. Certainly there have been a lot of times I felt that something was helping me and others cope with the new world. Sure, I¡¯ve seen my share of PTSD, but at this point the fact that not everyone has it must mean something. Logan¡¯s also Leveled up a couple more times, supported by Carter and lots of others. It¡¯s tremendously fast for a Mythic Class to advance, but he still doesn¡¯t have his Skills or a handle on his Affinities. I¡¯ve managed to bestow him with Marked For Glory in person which should help him progress even faster. It took actually making physical contact with him to do it so I¡¯m not sure exactly where I stand with my ability to use my Skills and other Class advantages. It¡¯s disconcerting since I¡¯ve come to rely on them so heavily. My Skill testing with Taiwo has unfortunately turned up a lack of predictability as to what will work and what won¡¯t. ¡°I¡¯m nervous, Uncle Bronwic. Real nervous,¡± he replies and brushes his brown hair from his eyes, then looks back toward his house. My house. I wasn¡¯t much older than Logan is now when I left it to play hockey in the WHL. How different things are. Logan¡¯s whole family is watching through the floor length windows of the second floor lounge and it¡¯s fair to say they¡¯re not pleased. I like that he¡¯s willing to tell me how he really feels and I wonder why for a moment, but unpacking those things isn¡¯t my strong suit. Next door, a sultry and interested Tatiana stands in her front yard, blonde hair cut shoulder length. My eyes linger on her despite my best intentions and what¡¯s calling us. I¡¯m broken. Logan needs protecting. I need a place to get myself back to a place I can handle myself. But something about her means I¡¯m never quite thinking straight. She¡¯s dressed in a toned down version of her normal necromancy related outfits and she looks really good. Really good. We¡¯ve had a short time to chat after Dana kicked me out so they could have some time alone to talk with Logan about leaving Earth for an alien Academy. Enough time to steal a few kisses that ended up with her proposing to accompany me across the Universe. But¡­ there¡¯s just no way. ¡°Where are we going to again?¡± Logan asks, breaking my train of thought. Fair question. ¡°The Academy¡¯s on a planet called Kaelon. I heard maybe it¡¯s the original homeworld of Tenebris¡­ don¡¯t know if that¡¯s true. You¡¯ll have the kind of protection there that I¡¯m not sure if I can give you at the moment, and I need a place to recover. Apparently there are the right kinds of people and environment there for me. You¡¯ll have the option to stay, or to go, when I leave.¡± Less than half of my Skills are functioning normally, and even those are a bit unreliable. Only my regeneration rates and Gift of Gaia seem to be unaffected by what¡¯s happened to me, and the effects of my Titles all seem to be fully in place. Logan glances back at the house and then at me. ¡°Why do you do it?¡± he asks me, and I know what he¡¯s talking about. I¡¯m tempted to shrug and I stop myself. It¡¯s a real question and deserves a real answer. Not something the Cadimus family is good at, other than Dana. Maybe it¡¯s rubbing off on her kids and that would be a good thing. ¡°Sometimes I¡¯m not sure, Logan. But mostly it¡¯s a need to make a difference and protect people who can¡¯t protect themselves. It¡¯s a bit like my hockey career, only the stakes are higher and the situations are a lot more hairy. I just¡­ can¡¯t imagine sitting on the sidelines and doing nothing when I could do something to help a lot of people.¡± ¡°Even if you die trying, Uncle Bronwic?¡± he asks, and there¡¯s so much to that question and behind it that I take a few seconds to really look at him. I can tell there are deep emotions there, along with a strong bond with me and a sense of adventure. Aren¡¯t the Cadimus boys a complex bunch? ¡°Yeah, Logan. Even if I die trying. But I¡¯m not hell bent on a suicide run by any stretch of the imagination. There are challenges that someone just needs to step up into and I¡¯ll do that. But I also try to remember that the best ability is availability, and you can¡¯t help the people you want to if you¡¯re dead.¡± I let him take that in for a little bit, just absorbing it, without any chatter to crowd out his thoughts. I¡¯ve no idea how he views his own future, but I¡¯m not going to lie to him about how I approach mine. Next to us, on the cracked pavement of our suburban street, a Portal starts to form and I recognize the Mana signature of it immediately as Dhromea¡¯s. Logan tightens up and glances back at the house where his parents are still watching with his little brother and sisters. I take it in with a lot of appreciation and apprehension - it¡¯s actually amazing and wonderful that they¡¯re all still alive, and sad that I¡¯m separating them from their oldest boy. ¡°As far as you go, kiddo¡­ you¡¯re pretty unique, that¡¯s for sure. The circumstances you got your Class under I would think are almost impossible to replicate. So¡­ I¡¯m sure you¡¯ll have to make your own choices. Hopefully they¡¯re not taken from you. it¡¯s not a stretch to believe Tenebris that a lot of people will be interested in you or controlling you, including some of the wrong people.¡±You might be reading a pirated copy. Look for the official release to support the author. The Portal finishes forming and solidifies, but I continue. ¡°I kind of got powerful by accident and a weird set of events that kept me hidden and on my own while things were super chaotic on Earth, but you¡¯re living pretty much out in the open if someone is looking. And¡­ you don¡¯t have something like Omnipresent or Greatest Need to get you out of a jam. Yet.¡± Logan nods and I can see he¡¯s really taking on board what I have to say. I feel bad about it but I don¡¯t shy away from the conversation. He¡¯s still just a kid who¡¯s growing up too fast, but we¡¯ve also got to recognize the situation we¡¯re really in. Pretending isn¡¯t going to help. ¡°All powerful teleportation Skills to be selected asap¡­ got it. No problem,¡± he says in the same tone you¡¯d expect from a 13 year old. I do take his point, though, that my particular Skills are rare and we might need to find other ways to make sure he can look after himself. ¡°Perfect!¡± I declare as Dhromea¡¯s tall frame emerges from the Portal and gestures at us in the Uxelon version of a wave or greeting. ¡°In the meantime, I¡¯m going to keep you close or protected by people with serious power that nobody¡¯s going to mess with.¡± Logan looks back one last time at his house where everyone is waving to him and Dana clutches her kids close. Carter is standing with his arms crossed and thunder in his expression, but he doesn¡¯t make a move to stop us. Before we join Dhromea I lean over and speak softly but clearly into Logan¡¯s ear, so there¡¯s no way he can misunderstand me or miss the intensity in my voice. ¡°Logan, remember I can get to you anywhere. Anywhere. And my Foresight is tuned to let me know if you¡¯re in danger. As long as I¡¯m alive someone¡¯s going to have to go through me to get to you, and if I don¡¯t make it back from this you have the option to stay where you are or return here. I promise you.¡± Logan takes a deep breath and gives me a nod, then a cheeky grin. ¡°Let¡¯s go see a dragon planet,¡± he says with certainty, and we walk through Dhromea¡¯s Portal to a large, wide open space at the foot of a sharp mountain range. As we walk through, Dhromea greets Logan with a nod and steps toward me as if to give me an embrace, then pulls out and simply gives me a very friendly nod instead. ¡°The Ironspire Academy,¡± says Dhromea with the gravity I¡¯m guessing is warranted based on where it is and what we¡¯re standing in front of. ¡°For many in this Galaxy and beyond, a beacon for the future¡¯s most promising Adventurers.¡± I glance at Logan, who¡¯s taking it all in. The atmosphere is thicker than Earth with a slight haze that feels a bit toxic. Nothing to worry about with our regeneration. The sky is a strange hue of purple that I¡¯ve never seen on Earth. ¡°Look at those, Uncle Bronwic,¡± he says enthusiastically, and points to towering spires of iron and stone that dominate the dark, rocky landscape. The spires pierce the sky all along the sharp peaks and cliffs of a massive set of mountains. ¡°The Blackstone Range,¡± says Dhromea, gesturing around. ¡°Inside the Academy, you will find the Grand Plaza of Trials, the Hall of Legends, the Trial of the Deep, the Beast Grounds, the Tower of Strategy, the Forge, and the Workshops.¡± ¡°You¡¯ve spent a lot of time here?¡± I ask Dhromea, curious. She pulls a face I know to be the Uxelon equivalent of a smile and shakes her head, meaning no. ¡°Tenebris often has me transport people to and from the Academy, and sometimes when I must wait, I am permitted to explore the Spires and the various areas.¡± ¡°Does Tenebris run or own this Academy?¡± asks Logan. ¡°He was one of the Founders, yes. Along with some other Ascended Class individuals and the SSA. Research on Mana, magic and spells, Skill Evolutions, Class Evolutions, combat techniques, and technology are all conducted here. Plus some very special Healers and people who focus on unusual prolems.¡± Dhromea hesitates then looks back and forth between me and Logan. ¡°I hope you don¡¯t mind me saying, Bronwic, but Logan is very fortunate to have the opportunity to be here. You¡¯ve earned some time here to recuperate and train. But Logan¡­it is usually reserved for the vastly wealthy or young prodigies, mostly both. Compared to the number of Adventurers in the Universe, the number of spots at the Academy is truly miniscule.¡± Sounds like something humanity could definitely benefit from and I feel more comfortable that Logan will be here while I heal and try to participate in the KCT. No doubt all those subjects are vastly further advanced here than on Earth. Dhromea raises her arm and signals a heavily armored dragon the size of a bus stationed beside the gates of the Academy. It has metallic scales resembling forged iron, with short but powerful wings that look more like they¡¯re for gliding than flying. Large tusks jut from its jaw and it has molten glowing eyes that fix themselves on us as it strides forward. As it moves, the dragon¡¯s form shimmers slightly and then it morphs and shifts into a humanoid dragon-like creature, still with metallic scales and armor, and still almost 10 feet tall. A while ago this thing would have me reaching for my Swords and on high alert. Torrdok Z¡¯azzkelsiom, Lord of Lesser Ilsieth, Slayer of Goblins, Ordtocs, Lurrndina, more¡­ (Level 25 Guardian) (L) [Iron Drake] [Velseroth Academy Instructor] Health: 6100/6100 Mana: 1900/1900 Conditions: Ironskin, Battlefield Awareness, Stamina Boost, Health Boost, more¡­ ¡°High Enforcer Cadimus, welcome,¡± rumbles Torrdok and he nods to me in what I can only describe as a draconian show of deference, which surprises me a bit because I¡¯m on his world and he¡¯s around the same Level as me, though it looks like his class isn¡¯t Enhanced or Unique based on his Health and Mana. Classes and Levels don¡¯t account for skill and experience, but they sure do mean a lot. My Health and Mana are both higher than his even though I skipped my Basic and Advanced Classes. ¡°Thank you, Torrdok,¡± I reply. ¡°We are very pleased and honored to be here.¡± That seems to please him, not that I truly understand the nuances of alien body language, and he turns to lead us into the Academy. We follow the massive creature through the gates, and into the unknown. 203. Academy Grounds It might be Torrdok¡¯s role to show us the Academy, but our eyes were taking it all in. A wide street of tidy cobbled stones stretches straight up into the middle of the spires of iron and stone. It¡¯s wide enough for four dragons the size of Torrdok¡¯s dragon form to walk past each other comfortably, and it¡¯s a busy, bustling place. Hundreds of people are making their way somewhere, a mixture of Adventurers, scholars, merchants, students, and all manner of others. Dragon-like people probably make up 70% of the population at first glance so they¡¯re dominant, but there are plenty of other kinds of Galactics and we don¡¯t attract any attention. Occasionally I see someone larger than Torrdok, but even amongst these people he stands out as large and powerful. On either side of the wide streets there are merchant stalls and buildings that seem more for commerce than living. The architecture is like nothing I¡¯ve ever seen, maybe closest to Gothic architecture on Earth, with lots of spires and arches. There¡¯s no stained glass, though. Instead there are many dragon-like features like scales and natural shapes. Huge dragon-like eyes of different colors are a feature and wings, both folded and unfurled, are a part of the tops of many buildings. Logan is taking it all in with a sense of wonder based on the expression on his face, and I¡¯m guessing mine is not that different. It¡¯s strange but familiar at the same time. The streets seem fairly geometrical in pattern near this central one. Further away I can see with my eyes and my minimap that they curve to match land features or for some other reasons I can¡¯t figure out. It seems to become more common as I look up the slope toward the spires; perhaps old trails have gradually become roads and streets and the Academy has been built up around them. After only five minutes or so of following behind Torrdok, he stops and turns to his left, then points to a large cul-de-sac with an entrance at least twice as wide as the main street and addresses us. I can see on my minimap that a single building curves around the cul-de-sac and there are hundreds of people inside, none hostile to us. It¡¯s a very busy place and my Perception picks up sounds and smells that make it easy to identify a Forge. ¡°You will get a feel for the Academy grounds as you spend a bit of time here, and where everyone tends to gravitate. Here, add this to your minimaps,¡± he rumbles and waves a notification over to us. I open it and my minimap is populated with a lot of details I can focus on about the buildings, their purposes, and who owns or runs them. Very helpful. We walk into the cul-de-sac and Torrdok stops again. To the left the sound of hammers striking anvils rings out through the air, mixing with the hiss of steam from cooling pieces of work. It smells of hot iron, burning coal, and magic-infused ores all melding into some kind of a scent of enchanted craftsmanship. On the right it¡¯s quieter, but we can see signs and on our minimaps it¡¯s marked out that it¡¯s more of a workshop space where technology is combined with Mana and magic to make armor, weapons, and utility items. ¡°All students here learn to fight, but many also learn to Craft and enhance their own gear to earn Credits or save themselves from having to spend so many. Some take the knowledge they learn here back to their homeworlds and just as many stay and become part of our society. Being part of organizations sponsored by Tenebris could almost be considered like being part of a Guild, although of course it is not a Guild because that would mean many additional SSA rules and taxes, right High Enforcer Cadimus?¡± ¡°Naturally,¡± I say, without really knowing the rules at all. I know there are a long list of Protocols and agreements that I have access to and as a High Enforcer I have the support and backing of the SSA to enforce them as I see fit, but it¡¯s not something I¡¯ve had a chance to dive into or figure out. Only so much mental bandwidth to fit in between near death experiences¡­ maybe one day as Taiwo suggested we should dive into that world. ¡°What do they make here?¡± Logan asks Torrdok. ¡°The Forge is lined with powerful furnaces, some powered by traditional fire and others from Mana that¡¯s drawn directly from Mana crystals embedded in the walls that act like Mana batteries.¡± The experimental research facility that just almost killed me comes to mind. I suppose that for those on worlds with lower AMLs, getting access to higher concentrations of Mana to do Crafting and enchanting work might be a challenge. With a push of will I quantify the AMLs and check whether Gift of Gaia is working as it should. To my relief, which aligns with how I feel my access to Mana, this is one passive Skill that seems unaffected by what happened to Evolve my SMI. Health: 10890/10890 Stamina: 16335/16335 Constitution: 1089 Skill Modifier: 5.32 Current Ambient Mana Level (AML): 2 +30 (Gift of Gaia) Physical regeneration rate: 191185 /min --> 3186 /sec My regeneration is still thousands of times faster than anyone without the kinds of stacked multipliers and synergized Skills I have, even in an environment where the AMLs are down near baseline. I wonder briefly how unique my combination of Class and Skills and Titles really is, but there¡¯s no real way to know that I¡¯m aware of. It¡¯s a big Universe out there. ¡°The Workshop section always hums with arcane energy and technology as our Craftspeople and students experiment and create items by imbuing them with various properties and fusing them with Mana or magic. Of course, for new students there are base level items to create that also help fund the Academy. Nobody knows how extensive the resources of Tenebris are, but at the Academy we are committed to breaking at least even economically through what we create and charging Credits for services and training.¡± Logan is watching the Forge and Workshop with some interest, but not a lot. I feel the same, if I¡¯m guessing his thoughts through his expression. I have a tremendous amount of respect for people who make things and I¡¯m a big fan of using them, but I don¡¯t have the patience to grind out those skills or pay meticulous attention to detail. Nothing I¡¯ve ever seen in Logan makes me think he¡¯d be any different, though I do think he has a strong streak of creativity that I¡¯m missing.The narrative has been illicitly obtained; should you discover it on Amazon, report the violation. Whether Torrdok is on a schedule or senses our half-interest, he moves on fairly quickly and soon we come to a massive plaza that looks to be in the center of the Academy. ¡°The Grand Plaza of Trials,¡± says Torrdok over the chatter that surrounds us everywhere as he gestures around. Thousands of people, mostly draconic in nature, mill around the massive space. It¡¯s surrounded by towering walls between many entrance roads, each of which is lined with intricate carvings depicting great battles and legendary monsters. As we step into the plaza, I feel a pleasant tingle which dies down quickly. Some notifications flash at me so I pull them up. Plaza effect: learning speed +20% (2% after 90% reduction applied) Plaza effect: Perception +10% (1% after 90% reduction applied) Mental effects resisted: increased feelings of well being and camaraderie A slight shame but I¡¯m more than comfortable that the downsides of my Class are minimal compared to the upsides. Torrdok points a powerful clawed hand at an obelisk that sits in the middle of the plaza. It must be fifty meters tall and ten meters across at the base. The whole thing is covered in runes, some of which look a bit like the ones I saw in the Mana Sink experiment. Now that I¡¯m paying attention, I can feel a thrum of power coming from the obelisk like a low, resonant energy. ¡°The Obelisk of Progression is a key foundational piece of our Academy. It tracks not just all of our students'' advancements in skills, combat ability, and Levels, it also serves as a reminder to everyone at the Academy that their purpose while here must be to grow stronger. There are rankings for almost any type of combat endeavor you can imagine, including historical records.¡± I eye the Obelisk, wondering what kinds of things it measures, and how I might measure up. I can see that Logan is looking at it in the same way. Surrounding the Obelisk at a reasonable distance that allows free access to the Obelisk are a series of around ten circular stations where students seem to be testing themselves in physical, mental, and magical trials. I glance at Logan who is watching them intently. It¡¯s clear they have diverse Classes, Skills, and power sets. ¡°Logan,¡± rumbles Torrdok to get his attention, which is slow in coming. Torrdok¡¯s red eyes are fixed on Logan with intensity that I feel is full of energy rather than threat, so I don¡¯t intervene. Finally Logan turns his gaze to the massive warrior. ¡°While you are here we will test you and your progress. I am to be your personal instructor while Bronwic recovers and then competes in the Koldaavi Combat Trials. It is an unusual arrangement, but the Academy has specifically asked I do this because I am to run the one we set up on your world; it will be modeled after this one. You will help me learn more about Earth, humans, and the place our Academy will be situated while we train you to become stronger.¡± ¡°Sick,¡± says Logan softly as he looks around, unusually quiet. For a second I worry that the translation of that to Torrdok might not convey the real meaning, but it seems to be fine. I consider what Torrdok is saying since this is news to me, but I have no problem with it at all. Tenebris delivered on removing Hvitserkur from Earth and I have no doubt that an Academy on Earth would be an amazing training opportunity for Galactics based on what I¡¯m seeing here with the level of organization and activity. The air feels charged, alive with the intensity of competition as we take it all in. I can only hope that humans are allowed to participate in the Academy based on Earth. ¡°Come,¡± says Torrdok as he leads us through the plaza. ¡°I will show you the Hall of Legends. We continue on toward the iron and stone spires and the looming mountains through some bustling streets with alien smells, sounds, and colors. The proportion of everything seems wrong to me, being used to the ways humans have built things. Soon we come to an expansive, heavy stone structure which sits on a raised piece of ground. The front of the building is open with large stone and metal pillars supporting it across the cavernous space. A vaulted ceiling is illuminated by softly glowing runes that are etched into the walls, and it looks like every inch of the Hall tells a story. Along the walls are intricate tapestries and murals depicting what I can only assume are the Academy¡¯s students and alumni, or legends from this world. We stand before the Hall of Legends for a minute or so before Torrdok says anything, taking in the weight of history and inspiration. ¡°You sense the deep history and tradition here, yes?¡± he rumbles and gestures with his massive arms. ¡°Within the Hall of Legends is also a Wall of the Future. It hums with magic and the students who are here can see their own names displayed. They grow in brightness as they complete their training, ascend through the ranks, and perform great deeds. Many of them hope one day their names will be replaced with pictures and descriptions of their deeds.¡± I have to say, that¡¯s pretty fucking cool. ¡°How much of a human Hall of Legends do you think would be covered by the things you¡¯ve done, Uncle Bronwic?¡± Logan asks. At first I think he¡¯s being a smartass. That changes quickly when I see the contemplative look on his face. Torrdok laughs at the question. ¡°You are a newly initiated world, young human. The deeds here are the greatest through millenia and more of species from across the Galaxies, not just a few years.¡± I¡¯m not sure I agree that it takes a long time to find heroic deeds during an Influx, so I reply to Logan while still scanning all the pictures that move and depict so many stories. ¡°Only a tiny fraction of the heroic things humans have done since the Influx, Logan. But hopefully there would be a few things,¡± I reply, giving it the honest answer his genuine question deserves. Logan looks like he might say something, then turns and takes in the Hall of Legends again. Torrdok gives us a bit more time to take it in and then moves us along. ¡°Come, I will show you the Trial of the Deep, the Beast Grounds, and the Tower of Strategy, and then take you to where you will be staying while you are here. I have a bit of time until I need to commence my next combat instruction class. Logan, you will attend. Bronwic, a special consultation has been arranged for you with our foremost expert on Mana Interface integration to see if there is anything we can do to accelerate your recovery.¡± Logan glances at me, clearly a bit uncertain about diving right into something when we¡¯ve only just arrived today. If I¡¯m honest with myself, I have a bit of anxiety over talking with an expert and revealing what¡¯s happened to me. Mostly I¡¯d just prefer to think everything will come right if I ignore it and some time passes. ¡°I¡¯m sure it will be fine, Logan,¡± I tell him, and myself at the same time. ¡°Can I observe the first class?¡± I ask Torrdok. 204. Whats This Thing Rated? How do I get myself into these situations? ¡°Switch!¡± yells Torrdok, and the second group of 5 students including Logan swaps in, entering the open training room through the force field door. They dive straight into trying to kill me with enthusiasm and youthful energy. I dodge, spin, and take punishment like only I can. We¡¯re not using Skills, so most of their strikes or spells are unable to bypass my Resistances significantly and any annoying damage is healed almost as fast as I take it. I¡¯m not sure what I expected Logan¡¯s first class to look like. Part of me was thinking a classroom session for exploration of tactics and strategy for fights between different Classes and in different environments. Part of me thought maybe it would be a bit like Hogwarts, a relaxed tutorial on different subjects. Part of me thought maybe it would be an all-out slugfest like the training Kapila put me through. In some ways, Torrdok has managed to combine all three by matching the students up in different solo contests or teams and instructing as they go along. None of them have the kind of healing rates I do, including Torrdok, and he doesn¡¯t even seem to feel bad about exploiting the opportunity. I duck and spin to sweep the legs out from under a draconic student that looks like a smaller version of Torrdok. Even though the impact is greater than I anticipated, the student is still swept from her feet and lands heavily. Over top of her a green male dragonkin leaps, small wings unfurling from his back and claws extended. My Agility is a lot higher than theirs even without Acceleration so I bat one powerful claw across his body and roll with it, then pound my fist into its ribcage at about half Strength. Ribs break and the student flies away only to crash into another one of his teammates. Including Logan there are ten students, all Mythic Class, which makes most of them very experienced from working their way up right through Basic and Advanced Class. Perhaps one or two of them started with an Advanced Class, who knows? There¡¯s no doubt they have a lot of combat skill and many of them have Enhanced Classes, but that doesn¡¯t make up for the huge Attribute gains my Enhanced Classes have given me to get to where I am now. There are seven draconian people, Logan, a Tauran who looks truly like the massive minotaurs of legend, and one fairy-like creature that looks like a cross between an anteater and a butterfly. Even with how difficult it is to determine the age of Galactics, nevermind humans, I¡¯m sure Logan is the youngest and least able to hold his own in combat. Just as I think that, it¡¯s Logan who has read the flow of battle and drives a surprise kidney punch into my back and slices a dagger across the back of my legs, to no effect whatsoever. I¡¯m proud of him as I whack him with a casual backhand that sends him flying into the surrounding force field to then crumple to the ground. I can feel his Kinetic Affinity absorb some of the energy as I do it, blunting the blow, but it¡¯s far too little a percentage reduction at this point to keep him out of harm¡¯s way. There are no Skills being used at the moment, but without his armor Logan¡¯s Attributes and combat capability are far below others of the same Level. No surprise, I experienced exactly the same when I started out and that¡¯s fine - it was my Class and my ability to designate a Personal Weapon that were all that kept me alive getting out of MIlford Sound. Double checking for an instant that Logan is ok costs me a raking claw across my neck from a stout, black dragonkin and a fireball directly to my face from an agile, serpentine one that seems hard to locate unless I focus my Perception. Those two blows are trumped only by the wicked sting from a heavy axe that bites marginally into my knee from a gleaming white dragonkin, lightning crackling in her eyes. These three seem to have fought together a lot and never miss a beat, no matter what happens. None of the attacks really penetrates my defences so I elbow, head butt, and strike my way out of theoretical trouble again. I¡¯m sure if I just stood still and didn¡¯t defend myself it would be painful, but they probably couldn¡¯t put me down. ¡°Halt! Stand down!¡± barks Torrdok, and the group disengages from me instantly. It¡¯s a bit harder than I¡¯d like to admit to resist the desire I have to launch into them. Instead I glance at Logan, who is lined up with the rest of them as Torrdok gives them a brutal assessment of their performance. He throws a few specific good things in as recognition while I swap out my jumpsuit for another one in my Inventory since the one I¡¯m wearing is now hanging open and torn up in a lot of places. What a strange transition, to go from fighting for my life against a catastrophic threat and almost ending up dead, to sparring with a bunch of young women and men who mostly have more combat experience than me on an alien planet. When Tarrdok is finished he dismisses them to get something to eat and I¡¯m relieved to see that a couple of them motion to Logan, so it looks like he won¡¯t be the odd one out. Logan has a way of just fitting in wherever he is that I envy. I blink and look over at Tarrdok when I realize he¡¯s fixed his gaze on me. ¡°I have half a mind to come in there myself and knock you around a bit,¡± he rumbles. ¡°Nobody here has the Health, Resistances, and regeneration to let me go full out.¡± I shrug and gesture to the ground a few feet away from me. Maybe what I need to recover is to give myself a good test and work out some anger. ¡°Sadly, it¡¯s time for us to see your Mana Interface specialist.¡± He seems genuinely disappointed and I feel myself rise to the challenge even though I know it¡¯s stupid and doesn¡¯t really mean anything.Find this and other great novels on the author''s preferred platform. Support original creators! ¡°Us?¡± I ask instead. I don¡¯t distrust Torrdok in particular. An appointment with a Mana Interface specialist about my issues just doesn¡¯t seem like something I¡¯m keen to have other people along to. Torrdok huffs, steam billowing out from his nostrils. ¡°I suppose I can just mark it on your minimap,¡± he rumbles. ¡°If you don¡¯t dawdle afterward, we¡¯ve got time for a round.¡± I gesture again to him and he joins me inside the area covered by a force field. ¡°What¡¯s this thing rated?¡± I ask, gesturing at it. ¡°High enough as long as we¡¯re in control,¡± he replies with certainty. In other words, probably not strong enough to stop a direct, purposeful attack. Maybe Mythic Class. I eye Torrdok up as he steps in and wonder if he¡¯s at a disadvantage in his current form compared to his dragon form. His Health and Mana appear to be the same. Is it rude to ask? I discard the idea of using my Swords immediately since there¡¯s no way Torrdok¡¯s going to be able to block them based on what I¡¯ve seen so far. Instead I pull the same warhammers out of my Inventory I used in Derinkuyu, then designate them as my Personal Weapon. Each has base damage of 956 without any enhancements from Critical Strike, but they¡¯ll get some benefit from my enhanced Penetration Skill and of course where I end up landing my blows. I heft them and consider Torrdok¡¯s Level, what Resistances he might have, and his Health of just over six thousand. How much do I have to pull my punches? Do I need to? I decide to swap out my warhammers for gauntlets and designate them as my Personal Weapons so I have more control over the force and placement. Focus on strikes to limbs only, if I can get away with it, until I find out how it all stacks up. I¡¯ve also not yet used Psychic Eruption and maybe this is a handy time to try the non-lethal variant. ¡°I can see you wondering whether you¡¯re about to kill me by accident,¡± laughs Torrdok. ¡°I assure you that despite your reputation and results at the KCC, I am not easy to put down. Instructors at the Academy are not chosen by accident.¡± Torrdok seals the force field around us. It¡¯s a half sphere with a radius of only ten meters, so not a lot of room at the speeds we move at. I know from Torrdok¡¯s previous explanation to the students and my own experience with them that this one is meant to help students build their teamwork and defending in close quarters combat. Other training areas deal in more expansive battlefields and ranged combat, and then there are the areas with actual Monsters for them to really test out their capabilities. ¡°Skills? Items? Armor?¡± I ask. It feels like a long preamble when we could already be trading blows, but I don¡¯t want to use Psychic Eruption on him if he¡¯s not going to use any Skills. ¡°Non-lethal only. Let¡¯s leave the armor,¡± he rumbles with a show of his sharp teeth. ¡°Any time,¡± I say and Torrdok activates the random timer that gives us between 5 and 10 seconds until a red light will appear floating at the top of the force field to signal the start. That¡¯s an eternity for combat preparation at our Level. I trigger Elemental Aegis and Acceleration, just in case Torrdok has something particularly dangerous up his sleeve. Elemental Aegis wavers and flares out in a small explosion of light and the smell of burning hair without manifesting. I grunt in frustration, but at least Acceleration has taken hold. The extra Agility I¡¯ve just gained, doubled by Acceleration, hits me in a good way and my reactions feel significantly sharper, my readiness to move in any way I need to is opened up even further. My newly increased Strength grounds me, making me feel more solid and able to exert my will on the world. In contrast, my Danger Sense feels sluggish and distant which is hard to get used to. I hope we can find a way past this problem soon, it¡¯s become a sense that I rely on as much as my hearing or sight in some ways and the unreliable triggering of my Skills is an easy way to get myself into deep trouble quickly considering what I tend to try to take on. Torrdok ignores the fireworks from my Elemental Aegis and triggers his own set of Skills. His presence grows even further as he puts on more bulk, perhaps some kind of Strength modifier, while his scales and skin take on a more rigid, metallic appearance and his eyes emit an ethereal glow. I remind myself Torrdok is one Level higher than me, and he¡¯s done it without getting to this point through skipping ahead, plus he¡¯s got access to his Tier 4 Legendary Skills. A couple more seconds is all we have to wait until the light appears and we flash into motion. I move to avoid being a sitting duck but wait to see what will happen rather than making an offensive gambit right off the bat. Torrdok slams me with a Skill that must be similar to Jeff¡¯s Shock and Awe; it hammers me back a few inches before I can react, but I manage to exert my Strength and hold myself firm. He follows up behind the Skill with no hesitation and leads with some Skills that try to weaken me and make me submit to his dominant presence. Mental influence resisted Movement speed reduced by 20% No chance. In the split second before he reaches me with his powerful talons I trigger Unbound to counter his movement debuff, but it scatters and fails to form. Frustrated, I trigger Psychic Eruption for the first time, unsure of what to expect against an opponent like Torrdok and knowing if it misfires or doesn¡¯t do anything, whatever follows from him is going to hurt. Instantly I feel a connection with Torrdok¡¯s mind and blast it with a stunning, non-lethal force. My pulse of energy slows down before it takes hold and strikes him through his Resistances, much reduced. Despite that it causes him to freeze up for almost ten seconds, at our speed of combat that¡¯s more than enough to give me the upper hand a hundred times over. I don¡¯t take the opportunity, instead using my Accelerated Agility to slide away from his broken charge and face him again from across the area. Torrdok halts his momentum and turns around slowly, knowing the fight is over without a blow being struck. I can see it in his eyes and his cautious demeanor, wondering when I will surge forward and strike him to end it. ¡°What about no Skills or spells? Just instinct and power?¡± I ask, partly because I can¡¯t rely on my Skills. Mostly because I¡¯ve got a lot of fear, anger, and uncertainty to punch out like I used to on the ice. Even if I¡¯m a lot worse than him, my regeneration will keep me on my feet and there¡¯s no chance I won¡¯t get some good shots of my own in. Tarrdok grins, most likely thinking I¡¯ve only really been a fighter since the Influx arrived on Earth while he¡¯s probably been fighting intensely and instructing for decades or more. I¡¯m confident he¡¯s never seen a hockey fight or a bench clearing brawl before though. Hopefully we¡¯ll call it even. 205. I Think We Can Manage That ¡°That isn¡¯t nearly enough detail for us to work out what might have happened to you,¡± says the Mana Interface specialist. She resembles a cross between an octopus and an elephant with another four arms ending in three-fingered hands. Six eyes that would look natural on a fly except for their grapefruit size contemplate me and it¡¯s impossible for me to interpret the body language of her bulky form, even with the assistance I get from my SMI. However, by all accounts she is one of the top experts in my kinds of problems in this Galaxy so I am nothing but grateful. ¡°Let me run some tests,¡± she says after a few moments. Mental influence resisted. Memory duplication resisted. Surgical mind alteration resisted. SMI parameter diagnostics resisted. I don¡¯t have the slightest idea how my SMI works or got merged with me at the Influx, really, and that¡¯s always been a bit of a concern. Is it somehow implanted in my mind? Is it even a physical thing? It¡¯s clear the specialist is some kind of Telepath or has mental based Skills in her line of work. They don¡¯t work on me, which I¡¯m on the fence about. On one hand I want to know what¡¯s wrong with me and how to fix it. On the other hand¡­ aliens rummaging around in my head feels uncomfortable as a concept, and from what I understand from Taiwo and others that have been around a while, I¡¯ve got plenty to hide. ¡°Can¡¯t you¡­ you know, scan me or something?¡± I ask her. I¡¯m unfortunately pretty light on details of the event that caused my problems or any real, structured information on what¡¯s currently affecting me. ¡°Hmm¡­ yes, we will get to that. Any notifications you received about this event or the impact on you that might help us to understand the situation?¡± she asks. I look around the room full of what looks to me to be experimental scientific or medical equipment combined with torture devices and all kinds of technology. Then I glance back at her and consider the notifications I¡¯ve just received about resisting her mind fuckery, and the notifications that tell me about a unique series of events and their impact on me. ¡°Unfortunately, no. Everything seems to have been on the fritz for a while. I¡¯m only just now getting back to a place where it¡¯s more normal than it was,¡± I tell her. In my imagination she reaches for some of the threatening implements and somehow binds me to a chair while cutting off my access to all my Skills. She tortures me for centuries before exhausting all the knowledge she can from me and finally lets me die, far beyond a broken shell. Maybe I¡¯m a bit paranoid, since what actually happens is she looks up at the ceiling. ¡°Engage full scan.¡± I expect lights moving, sounds buzzing. Beeping. Something. But there¡¯s nothing. Instead she opens a notification window that displays my body, shares it with me, and expands it to life size with a large border around my form that leaves plenty of space. I don¡¯t spend a lot of time looking at myself but it¡¯s clear my latest boost in Strength and Agility has also made me even stronger and faster. Nothing crazy, fortunately, that makes my head look like a pea sitting on top of a steak. Just¡­ more. Around me are powerful currents of smoke or air that wrap around me and seem like they pulse in and out of my body. ¡°Fascinating,¡± she says. Since we¡¯re getting pretty personal, I pull her name with my SMI. The translation comes through as Isyldewenna. ¡°What are we looking at?¡± I ask. ¡°Before I tell you and potentially bias what we see, can I ask you to trigger a Skill?¡± I shrug and trigger Accelerate, since a lot of my active Skills are offensive in nature. I can feel it waver as I try to ramp it up and I clamp down with my will, forcing it to activate. It escapes me though and the Skill flies away from me, releasing the effect and leaving me frustrated. I do note that as I triggered the Skill and tried to hold it the smokey currents around me burst into a raging, chaotic torrent which then exploded in a way that left the smoky remnants similar to before. ¡°Fascinating,¡± Isyldewenna comments. I agree, but have no idea what I¡¯m looking at. Rather than press it, I decide to wait it out as she considers, or is lost in thought. Or flicking through notifications. Certainly her attention is no longer directly on me. ¡°I may need to call on my colleagues,¡± she remarks absently. The last thing I want is a whole room full of people performing experiments on me. ¡°No,¡± I say firmly. ¡°First, your best guess. What is it?¡± ¡°Well, I¡¯m not sure. But I¡¯ve been doing this for a very, very long time. Did you perhaps recently develop or strengthen an Affinity for Mana?¡± I consider and then nod, feeling as though it¡¯s an important piece of information that I shouldn¡¯t hold back since she¡¯s guessed it. ¡°I have a theory that your Mana Affinity is totally incompatible with your Class, which is a very rare condition. You have a lot of Titles and a reputation for one so new; no doubt you and your world have been through hell since the Influx. Normally people with Mana Affinities take Classes that focus on magic and Mana manipulation rather than physical combat Classes, and¡­ whatever you have ended up with.¡±If you stumble upon this narrative on Amazon, it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it. I acknowledge her comment briefly but don¡¯t say anything more. ¡°Gaining a Mana Affinity is an amazing development, but I think in your case it is causing a negative interaction with your Skills. Perhaps you are trying unconsciously to learn from how they work or influence them, or control them with your Affinity. Perhaps your Affinity is trying to grab and manipulate the Mana that flows through and around you to manifest what you will it to. Whatever it is, I believe you need to become consciously aware of what you are doing with your Affinity and then train yourself to suppress it.¡± This is actually a lot more helpful than I thought it might be, assuming Isyldewenna is correct. Definitely sounds like it¡¯s worth trying. ¡°What would you suggest, Isyldewenna?¡± I ask cautiously. In the back of my mind I know it¡¯s a bit irrational to distrust her, but I still have a negative view of the medical profession because of the betrayals I experienced during my hockey career, putting my availability to play games in the short term above my long term health. Sometimes even giving me advice that turned out to be dangerous and left me broken before the Influx came. ¡°First, I suggest a period of time where you meditate and try to feel and connect with your Affinity while triggering your Skills. The goal is to find a deep connection with your Affinity and then learn to dampen it down so it does not affect your existing Skills and Class. Once you have some control you can look to integrate it in a positive way, but that may take years.¡± ¡°Years I don¡¯t have,¡± I comment. ¡°Indeed,¡± she agrees. I¡¯m not sure what she¡¯s been told of the situation but I do know she¡¯s had a briefing even before I arrived. ¡°The goal would be to ensure your Affinity remains in the background, latent, to whatever extent you can make that happen. ¡°Any ideas of who could help me through that process?¡± I ask. At my question, Isyldewenna¡¯s octopus-like tentacles vibrate a bit. ¡°This is a Galactically respected Academy full of instructors, Bronwic. I think we can manage that.¡± Fair enough. A couple of hours later I¡¯m watching Logan¡¯s combat class with Torrdok from a viewing platform above the training ground while being instructed myself by a small, fairy-like creature called Sylvaeryn who looks like Tinkerbell, only a thousand times more dangerous. The wooden platform is sparse, without even any furniture. Perhaps everyone brings their own. ¡°Can you see the flows of Mana around them?¡± she asks me. Two of the Dragonkin are battling using only elemental forces within a shielded circle. In a way it¡¯s like rock, paper, scissors on steroids because the different elements counteract each other. The fire, earth, air, electricity, and water are flashy and distract my attention. It takes a lot of concentration to focus on what I think she means - the flow I can sense around each of the students as they trigger Skills and spells against each other. It¡¯s a faint wisp of smoke that I¡¯m not even sure I can really see. Whenever I start paying attention to who¡¯s winning or anything else, it disappears. Ironically that¡¯s what makes me think I¡¯m onto something since there does actually seem to be a difference I might not be imagining. With a relaxed mind, I move my gaze slowly across to Logan. The Mana swirling around him is much brighter and more vibrant, almost like he¡¯s surrounded by the glowing trail of dozens of glow sticks at a concert. He¡¯s not even doing anything, just sitting and watching with the rest of his class. ¡°I think I can sense it, Sylvaeryn. It¡¯s just new and different so I have to pay attention.¡± She flits around and then gives me an encouraging look. ¡°Now, when we turn our attention to what¡¯s going on with you it¡¯s going to be a lot harder. A similar or different thing will be happening inside and around you when you trigger your Skills. That¡¯s hard to know because the Mana signatures are different for each Skill, Class and person. It¡¯s as unique as your DNA. Perhaps that is a good way to think of it because of course some combinations have shared portions that look very similar or borrow from each other.¡± At a certain level that makes sense, I think I¡¯m following along with what she¡¯s saying. ¡°I have a Skill that will help you, if I have permission to touch you?¡± she asks. I give my permission with a confident nod. She doesn¡¯t reach for me, just continues her lesson. Below us, one of the Dragonkin has won and I¡¯m surprised to see it¡¯s the bulky orange one that looks like he could rip apart a tank. You¡¯d think by now I¡¯d have learned my lesson about stereotypes and how they can get you into trouble in a post-Influx world¡­ but apparently it¡¯s still a ¡®work on¡¯ for me. ¡°First thing to do is to trigger a Skill and observe what is going on. In particular you need to be paying attention to what your Affinity is doing as the Skill is triggered. My Skill will assist you with this. Do you understand the task? Ready to begin?¡± I nod even though Logan¡¯s stepping into the combat ring with one of his classmates. I¡¯m interested in what he¡¯s doing and his progress but this is more important. I don¡¯t know how long Sylvaeryn will be available to help me and this has got to get sorted. Sylvaeryn flits over and hovers near my right shoulder without touching me. ¡°I am going to put my hand on your shoulder,¡± she instructs. ¡°When I do, trigger a Skill and release it as much as you can manage for a couple of minutes. Not too fast, perhaps once every three seconds or so.¡± I nod, understanding what she wants me to do. ¡°Pay attention to your Affinity, not the Skill itself,¡± she reminds me. A grumpier me would have been bothered that she thought maybe I wasn¡¯t listening but the Bronwic of today can admit I had already forgotten that I need to focus specifically on what my Affinity is doing rather than how my Skill works. She touches my shoulder gently and I can feel her Skill interact with my Class and Resistances. Apparently it¡¯s not classified as a buff or a mental attack, or a physical one. Somehow something in between and it¡¯s allowed to be there without a rejection from my crazy Mana-based immune system. I trigger Acceleration and Sylvaeryn¡¯s Skill definitely helps me to feel what¡¯s going on, but there¡¯s no discernable pattern or rhyme or reason. I can feel my Affinity reacting, but not why. I release Acceleration and then trigger it again. And again. And again. It¡¯s a bit like training myself not to flinch. At the start, I just flinch. But over time and repetition I start to get a feeling for why I do it and it¡¯s easier to control. Logan¡¯s class is long gone by the time I get to the point I think I know what¡¯s happening. Sylvaeryn has been hovering beside me, hand on my shoulder and Skill activated, the entire time with her eyes closed. ¡°I think my Affinity¡­ or rather, I think I am unconsciously engaging my Affinity to help me understand what¡¯s happening and how my Skills are working. And because it¡¯s part of me, it¡¯s interfering with the flow of my Skills. The fact my SMI might not be fully recovered or integrated from whatever they did to me is probably also making the problem worse by making it easier to interfere. What do you think, Sylvaeryn?¡± She opens her eyes and contemplates me, then speaks for the first time since we started this exercise. ¡°I think your Affinity is strong and that¡¯s a problem, but you¡¯re right. I agree.¡± The tiny woman takes her hand off my shoulder and flits over to a railing to sit on. Her dragonfly-like wings finally rest. ¡°I will give you some exercises and meet you every few days to see how you¡¯re going. Your main focus must be getting to the place you can consciously control the activation so that your Skills can activate unhindered. For other people with other Classes, your Mana Affinity activating would be a tremendous boost and benefit, but not for you.¡± ¡°I¡¯m ready to put the effort in, Sylvaeryn. Thank you for your help,¡± I say sincerely. I don¡¯t know how long it will be until the KCT and while I¡¯m here, I¡¯m not doing any of what I usually do. No rest for the wicked. 206. Kill Stealer! Three weeks of near constant meditation other than checking in on Logan and watching his training bouts has gotten me to a much better place. My control and understanding of my Affinity has started to develop and I can tell one day it might provide me with new, useful options for bolstering Skills and maybe even controlling Mana directly. For now, it¡¯s still early days and I have no real idea how strong it could get, but my focus has to be on minimizing its impact rather than exploring its potential. Unfortunately the chances of my Affinity affecting my Skills is directly correlated to my mindset. While I¡¯m calm and focused I have no problem, but when things are hectic it¡¯s not easy for me to stay in the mindset I need. It¡¯s like learning to play hockey; you can only really focus on stickhandling and reading the play once skating is second nature. I¡¯m just not there yet. Torrdok has been enthusiastically helpful by doing his best to smash me in training fights while I try to trigger various Skills at the same time, mostly failing to make them manifest properly, but I¡¯m getting better. Logan has exceeded my expectations with how he¡¯s coming along under some real, structured instruction and focus on leveraging his abilities in sparring against his classmates. Together we decided to tell Torrdok about the intricacies of Logan¡¯s Class. I even checked with Carter and Dana first. We¡¯re worried about revealing them, but more worried that we¡¯d waste this opportunity if Torrdok didn¡¯t really know what Logan is capable of. After the initial period of surprise and adjustment, that decision has really paid off in a new training plan for Logan that leverages his abilities. He¡¯s not at the top of his class yet, but has moved up to 4th in the rankings and doesn¡¯t seem to be stopping there. Before watching his matchups this afternoon there¡¯s something I need to do for my own conscience, so I trigger Omnipresent and find Jeff. My mind is clear and there are no troubles with interactions between the Skill and my Affinity. Well controlled and smooth Skill use, just like I used to have. Staying cool headed in a fight is not always my strong suit so Sylvaeryn is continuing to work on other options for me. I can see through the forming Portal that Jeff and a few others are fighting a group of large, hairy humanoids that are all surrounded by a red aura. The humanoids move quickly and lash out with fireballs and flame whips that crash without effect into force barriers and defensive Skills from Jeff¡¯s group. In the distance I can see Jeff¡¯s castle, he hasn¡¯t roamed far. I manifest my Portal and step through behind Jeff¡¯s group onto the soft ground. A burning smell hits me and the air is alive with roaring, crackling flames. Jeff is focused and his group is ruthless, efficient, with little wasted motion or Mana. They dart forward between portable shield generators and rip the creatures apart while others drive their barrier forward to split up and flank their opponents. ¡°Kill stealer!¡± yells Jeff as he spots me, or maybe I just appeared on his minimap. I laugh and stand watching, not moving to intervene. They don¡¯t need my help and finish quickly then Loot the bodies efficiently. Highly practiced and smashing it, making the most of each other¡¯s Skills and strengths. They¡¯ve surpassed the teamwork we had as Sentinels by a small margin and I wonder briefly about grouping up again, then remind myself about the KCT. The other members of Jeff¡¯s group glance at me from time to time, but don¡¯t slow their post-battle activities or say anything. ¡°Continue the perimeter patrol,¡± Jeff instructs them. ¡°I¡¯ll be with you when I can. Comms are open if you run into anything that¡¯s big trouble.¡± The group of men and women turns to our right and heads off at a good clip. There¡¯s no questions or back chat, which surprises me since Jeff is not exactly highly disciplined in his approach. ¡°Bunch of robots you programmed?¡± I ask him with a grin. ¡°You¡¯re such a dick, Bronwc,¡± Jeff replies with a smile and a shake of his head. ¡°They¡¯re focused on keeping things clear and on top of that, you might have noticed that Bronwic Cadimus appeared out of nowhere behind them?¡± ¡°They seem like a good team, mate. But¡­ not your core team?¡± ¡°No,¡± Jeff agrees. ¡°One of our top three patrol teams though. Well behind Brodie and Andiar and the rest, but we¡¯re building a good strong force and we¡¯re looking to claim the surrounding areas back if we can, then expand. Lost it over the last couple of weeks to a few big Monsters and a Teleport. We¡¯ll smash them, dude.¡±Support creative writers by reading their stories on Royal Road, not stolen versions. Always positive and motivated no matter what¡¯s happened. Love it, and remind myself to try to channel Jeff more. I grin at him and he hops over to give me a crushing bro hug, I¡¯m betting to test me. ¡°Dumped a few points in Strength this time, eh?¡± he says. I laugh and then he shifts gears suddenly. The enthusiasm disappears and his strong, dark features frown at me with uncharacteristic seriousness. ¡°I didn¡¯t know if you were coming back after you dove back into that fucking hellhole, Bronwic. I¡¯m guessing whatever happened there wasn¡¯t a walk in the park?¡± ¡°No, not exactly. Still recovering.¡± ¡°I¡¯m sorry I couldn¡¯t see it through with you, man. The shit you can take is beyond what anyone else can even consider¡­¡± He trails off and silence hangs between us for a couple of seconds. He has nothing to be sorry for but I definitely know what it¡¯s like to play these kinds of things over and over again in my mind. ¡°It¡¯s good to see you, Jeff. It¡¯s good you didn¡¯t stay, you¡¯d be dead just like Jon. I¡¯d love to reconnect and help with what you¡¯ve got going on around here, but I¡¯m offworld with Logan and trying to get myself back to fully functional.¡± The comment about Jon keeps him in a sober mood and we both stand there thinking for a few seconds before he moves past it. ¡°Offworld with Logan? And what do you mean fully functional, Bronwic?¡± I gesture to a hill in the distance and we move away from the battle scene. While we¡¯re walking, I get him up to date with what¡¯s happened to me and what I¡¯m doing about it. He just shakes his head and it¡¯s so clear that he¡¯s happy I¡¯ve made it that he doesn¡¯t have to say it. Then, I take a leaf out of Taiwo¡¯s book by pulling out a couple of comfortable chairs and some food for us, which I¡¯ve finally gotten around to sorting. Jeff seems agreeable to stick around and chat for a bit, and also reacts the same way I have whenever Taiwo has done this for me. ¡°Why don¡¯t I have shit like this in my Inventory?¡± he asks as he Inventories his armor and puts his feet up, reclining the chair. I know it¡¯s a rhetorical question so we just sit in silence for a bit. Between us we have enough Skills and abilities to give him plenty of time to get his armor back on if trouble arrives. I only last a minute or two before I launch into why I¡¯m here. ¡°Mate, you know I¡¯ve been offworld for a few weeks and it looks like I might be for a while longer. What¡¯s our situation?¡± I ask. ¡°How is humanity going?¡± ¡°You¡¯re not going to be around for a bit?¡± he asks with a grimace. ¡°We could definitely use you. I¡¯m in touch with a bunch of people around the world now¡­ as shitty as what happened with Hvitserkur was, a good thing that came out of it was a tighter network of us. Nobody liked coming off second best and what happened there, it was a good reminder that we need to get stronger and together.¡± I take a deep breath at the news. It doesn¡¯t make me feel any better about what happened, but the most powerful humans working together more closely can only be a good thing. ¡°We¡¯re going pretty well except for the most powerful Monsters. It seems like more and more of them are showing up and it¡¯s getting hard, real hard, to put them all down. Especially without you. Some people seem to think you attract trouble, but most of us know it¡¯s the opposite, you¡¯re just throwing yourself into the biggest trouble you can find to try to bail us out of it.¡± ¡°How bad is it?¡± I ask. Jeff shrugs and sits up, putting his elbows on his knees and titling his head at me. ¡°At the top end, if this continues, we might not be able to avoid becoming a Bane World, Bronwic. Big parts of the Earth are overrun. Our Settlements, especially the big ones, are holding their own. But we keep losing our top fighters faster than they¡¯re being replaced with others who are Leveling and joining the fight. If this trend continues, we¡¯ll win lots of battles on the ground but we¡¯ll lose the war. We won¡¯t be able to hold back the tide. And then it will just accelerate; we won¡¯t be able to hold our own even in the less dangerous areas.¡± I take another deep breath and nod. I knew deep down it was going to be like this after the Influx hit. I didn¡¯t want it to be like this. Reserved a lot of hope. Payed more attention to the wins and less attention to the losses. ¡°I still might be able to do something about it,¡± I tell Jeff. ¡°There¡¯s something like the KCC but bigger stakes and bigger rewards. It¡¯s not great timing with the trouble I¡¯m having with my Skills.¡± ¡°Seriously?¡± Jeff says. ¡°Something bigger than the KCC? What kind of rewards are we talking about?¡± ¡°I¡¯m not sure,¡± I admit. ¡°But¡­ maybe things that could drain off the really high Mana levels on Earth to reduce the Teleports and evolutions of high Level Monsters. Maybe enough Credits to buy sufficient defensive measures to turn the tables or get us all out of here.¡± ¡°That even possible?¡± Jeff asks with a scoff. ¡°Don¡¯t know, but that¡¯s what I¡¯ve been told. Big deal.¡± ¡°Well, see what you can do, bro. It¡¯s worth a shot if it¡¯s legit. But don¡¯t get yourself killed if you can help it, we sure could use you around to put down some of the really nasty stuff. And¡­ I¡¯ve gotten a bit used to having you around, so don¡¯t go nowhere. Yeah?¡± ¡°I¡¯ll give it my best go, Jeff. For all of us.¡± ¡°How about just for yourself, dude. You don¡¯t owe us anything, though I sure am glad you keep acting like you do.¡± We both laugh at that and I stick around for another few minutes before kicking him out of my chair and putting it back in my Inventory. It¡¯s clear the stakes are high for Earth and if the KCT can help I¡¯ve got to throw everything I can at it. 207. Search For Challenge ¡°There¡¯s nowhere on this planet that will give you the kind of XP you¡¯re looking to get,¡± says Torrdok as we watch Logan nimbly blast his way through an overgrown forest of Monsters from a floating platform. He¡¯s got his armor on and has gained a couple of Levels to get to Level 13 since we¡¯ve arrived here. That still leaves him far from getting his Class Skills, but the armor and his natural Class benefits make him a force to be reckoned with anyway. The training and sparring Logan¡¯s been doing have taken his combat to the next level in only a month. He¡¯s a quick study and I¡¯m sure there¡¯s something more to it even though I¡¯m not sure what. Begrudgingly I agreed with him that he could drop some of his free Attributes in Perception and Strength to keep up with his skyrocketing Agility, taking only his Class mandated 6 point increase in Constitution each Level. I glance at Torrdok and consider what he¡¯s said. I¡¯m sure he knows the truth of it so I don¡¯t even bother to question whether there¡¯s somewhere on this planet that¡¯s suitable. Smashing each other over and over for a month has given us a bit of camaraderie and mutual respect. ¡°I need my next Level at the very least, Torrdok. The Skills I¡¯ll gain access to might make all the difference in the KCT, and I need to press myself to make sure I can rely on my Skills even when things are chaotic and I¡¯m riding on the edge. Getting pounded on by you and the others has been helpful, but I need something more. I¡¯ve even got enough Skill points to Evolve a Tier 4 Skill.¡± Torrdok glances away from Logan and fixes his intense eyes on me in surprise at that. ¡°You¡¯ve put yourself in a good position, then. Most people use their Skill points to stay alive so they aren¡¯t able to Evolve a Tier 4 Skill at Level 25. Just remember you can¡¯t use your Skill points if you¡¯re dead.¡± I don¡¯t tell him about the fact I now get two Skill points per Level and that¡¯s the main reason I¡¯ll be in that position, and maybe even in the position to Evolve three of my Legendary Skills. It¡¯s been made very clear to me that¡¯s information I should never share and I¡¯m in full agreement. Below us Logan¡¯s gotten himself into some trouble, surrounded by some dinosaur-like creatures with armored hides that he¡¯s having trouble damaging. His Agility would probably keep him from getting tied down, but there are also some Monsters that resemble massive flying squirrels that dart around at high speed and disrupt his ability to distance himself. My anxiety spikes as he¡¯s knocked to the ground and trampled so I trigger Rise Again to give Logan an instant boost of 1000 Health, then fight to control my Affinity so that it can properly manifest. My Skill bucks as my urgency to trigger draws my Affinity in to push it faster and farther and disperses, overloaded and untargeted. I growl in frustration and adrenaline dumps into my system as my anxiety spikes even higher. Torrdok lays down some cover fire as I get control of myself and trigger Guilty as Charged followed by a series of Fury of the Clans. I¡¯m in control this time and they all find their targets, freezing a hundred Monsters and then decimating everything in the area. Logan¡¯s already up on his feet and he glances up and holds his hands out in confusion, then engages his power armor¡¯s thrusters and rockets up to our floating platform, high above. ¡°Come on, Uncle Bronwic! That was so dry,¡± he exclaims. It¡¯s not angry, more frustrated and a bit confused. ¡°I had them. Even absorbed heaps of kinetic from that trampling they gave me so I can finally blast through those tough ones.¡± I hold my hand up in apology. ¡°Sorry Logan. I¡¯m still getting used to what you can do,¡± I say, my tone probably more of an explanation than an apology. ¡°It¡¯s ok. I¡¯d rather you were looking out for me than you left me to get myself killed. Just¡­ keep your eye on my Health, at least?¡± I nod and kick myself for making the same mistake as Carter did while we were in the Dungeon. Too much on my mind distracting me at the moment. ¡°I¡¯ve positioned us over another part of the Beast Grounds, Logan. Drop in when you¡¯re ready, they should be Level 50 to 60, no real problem though remember there is always the possibility something wanders across territories. I want you to focus on one strike kills wherever possible. You should be able to take minimal damage, bonus points for none.¡±Enjoying this book? Seek out the original to ensure the author gets credit. Logan nods and gives us a thumbs up, helmet still on, and jumps backward off the side of the platform in freefall and then arrests his descent a few meters above the forest floor with his armor¡¯s thrusters. I should have more faith. At the same time, I don¡¯t want to lose him. ¡°Maybe I should take a quick trip back to Earth to Level up?¡± I suggest to Torrdok while keeping an eye on Logan with my Perception and minimap. This time, I¡¯ve got Logan¡¯s Status up in the corner of my vision including his Health and Mana levels. ¡°I will look after him, Bronwic. In fact, I am due to visit your planet to finalize some of the Academy setup sometime soon. Should we all go together?¡± ¡°I¡¯d be more comfortable if he was with you. I won¡¯t be able to take him wherever I go.¡± Torrdok nods and shifts the platform as Logan darts to our right under heavy foliage. ¡°Dhromea will be here tomorrow. We¡¯ll go to your planet for long enough for me to conclude what I need to,¡± he rumbles. "I may even take Logan hunting around the South Island where you have provided the land for us. I understand it is quite sizable and saturated with Mana, with high AMLs in many places and I am quite looking forward to it; hopefully I will be running the Academy there for decades, at least. Perhaps Logan can bolster my knowledge of your homeworld at the same time.¡± ¡°No desire to Adventure again and make it to Ascended, rather than run an Academy?¡± I ask him as we both watch Logan use a blaster in each hand to take apart some creatures that look like massive blue slugs but move like cheetahs. He¡¯s not that far away from Ascended and I know from personal experience he¡¯s tough as nails. ¡°The Quest XP over time for establishing a new Academy for Tenebris will get me a couple of Levels, and I am content to focus on the students rather than my own advancement. What would I do as an Ascended Class Adventurer? Probably exactly what I¡¯m doing now. I¡¯ve found my calling. You know better than anyone the risks involved in gaining enough XP to move forward once you get to late Legendary Class. It is not easy.¡± It¡¯s more philosophical than I expected from a combat instructor with a Class and background like Torrdok, but he¡¯s not wrong. Our species and worlds are just in very different situations and I¡¯ve got a lot of things haunting me I can¡¯t let go of. Maybe if we can get Earth on the front foot and humanity winning it would be a lot different. To do that I feel we need to eventually colonize other worlds as well. All of us being on one planet that¡¯s constantly being hammered with no real alternatives means all the time our backs are against the wall. We follow Logan for another 30 minutes and I can see how good he¡¯s getting. This area isn¡¯t really a match for him with his armor, but I¡¯m impressed with the variation of techniques he uses and how he leverages his Kinetic Affinity to slow blows as they close in on him, then turns that energy around to empower his own strikes. Even without his Class Skills he switches with high mental dexterity from blasters to closed combat and striking. I wonder where he¡¯s gotten his Skill with unarmed combat and then remember way back when I first visited the Shop in Milford Sound that I upped my already decent skills in that area by downloading some knowledge. Perhaps he¡¯s done the same thing, although I¡¯m not sure where he would have gotten the Credits. Against my best intention, I eventually get a bit bored and stop paying attention. His Health hasn¡¯t dipped below 90% the entire time we¡¯ve been in this Zone and I think he needs something more challenging. I get a serious shock when he starts whooping and streaks up from the forest to our platform, landing on it with ease. ¡°Level up!¡± he exclaims with excitement. ¡°Again?¡± Torrdok asks with slight confusion. I¡¯m not sure he fully appreciates how fast Logan will be progressing compared to a Mythic Class Adventurer who got there the hard way, and now he¡¯s also being boosted by my Marked For Glory Skill that gives him an extra 20% XP and increases his regeneration rates. ¡°How long until you unlock your Class Skills?¡± I ask Logan. He Inventories his helmet and looks through me, staring at a notification screen, then his face turns sour. ¡°Ages,¡± he replies. ¡°I put one point in Strength and six in Perception to keep evening me out. Adding that Constitution at the start will delay me a few Levels, I might not even get there until Level 24 or 25.¡± ¡°Hey¡­¡± I say, nudging him, and Logan joins in with me as I speak while he rolls his eyes. ¡°It¡¯s an Apocalypse. You can never go wrong with Constitution!¡± ¡°I get it, Uncle Bronwic. It only seems like a waste when I want to get my Class Skills as soon as possible. There are some I am really looking forward to like Phase Charge, Gravity Hammer, Telekinesis, Force Wave, and Kinetic Absorption¡­ actually, all of them!¡± I laugh and agree, remembering what a massive step change it was to get my Class Skills. Those were much different and desperate circumstances than Logan¡¯s in now, but I can totally understand Logan wanting to achieve them and take a leap in power. ¡°We¡¯re going to head back to Earth tomorrow, Logan. I need to try to Level up and Torrdok needs to do some setting up for the Academy in the South Island.¡± ¡°Will I be able to see my family?¡± Logan asks. ¡°I¡¯m confident Dhromea will be happy to accommodate that, but only for a short visit,¡± Torrdok rumbles. ¡°Let¡¯s head back,¡± I suggest. ¡°I want a few words with Sylvaeryn before we go, just to make sure I¡¯m doing everything I can to regain my Skills.¡± Logan doesn¡¯t object and Torrdok sends the flying platform back toward the Academy Spires. Tomorrow we¡¯ll be back to throwing ourselves into proper danger. 208. Back Down To Earth No more Dungeons that are holes in the Earth, I decided. Not yet anyway. While Torrdok has some meetings at the new Academy we are definitely not invited to, I take Logan on a quick tour for a few hours of Milford Sound and Queenstown. I show him the classics right from the Sandflies through Wargs and the Ice Arena Dungeon. We breeze through the journey that I barely survived the first time, even though the Monsters are stronger now after the latest Influx. With nobody holding them in check the predatory food chain keeps rising to become more and more powerful. With the ability to build rapidly using Mana and Credits and the technologies available to someone like Tenebris, the Academy will be in place shortly. It will use the entirety of the South Island in the same way the Academy we¡¯ve just been at uses the surrounding area for hunting and training, although the South Island of New Zealand is vastly larger and more full of threats because of the very high AMLs. I can imagine this place would support a very large contingent and perhaps that¡¯s a main reason behind why Tenebris wanted it. Logan and I are sitting high up in the outskirts of Queenstown at what used to be my temporary home here. He¡¯s got a high powered plasma rifle resting on the edge of the balcony and fires every few seconds at the target rich environment racing around below us. Occasionally a flock of carnivorous geese flies at us or something very adventurous tries to close in on us from another angle, so I blast them with Psychic Eruption to get practice with my new Skill and to leave Logan to focus on what he¡¯s doing. I¡¯m finding my new Skill very versatile and powerful, although nothing here has been particularly powerful or had high Resistances. ¡°Yes! Another Level!¡± Logan exclaims. ¡°Fifteen?¡± I ask, barely able to keep track. Logan nods and holds out his hand. ¡°Dab me up, Uncle B.¡± I raise an eyebrow at him but don¡¯t leave him hanging. ¡°Speaking of, I really need to get out and Level myself Logan. You want me to take you back to your folks?¡± ¡°Yeah,¡± he says, smiling. ¡°Love to.¡± When things are uncomfortable Logan doesn¡¯t get serious, his way of dealing with it comes out in fidgeting and laughter. That¡¯s one way he¡¯s different, and probably an improvement, from his dad and uncles. ¡°You¡¯ll keep an eye on them with Foresight, right Uncle Bronwic? If people are looking for us, I don¡¯t want them to find us in Calgary.¡± I pause and look at Logan with a new appreciation. His brown hair is hanging almost down into his eyes and he looks older than his age, but maybe he¡¯s been forced to grow up a lot faster than he should have been too. It¡¯s clear he¡¯s carrying some mental and emotional weight of his own around. ¡°Yeah mate, I¡¯ve got that tuned so that anything involving the family will hit me right away, even if it¡¯s not super dangerous. Doesn¡¯t help me if your dad goes looking for danger, but if something¡¯s trying to find them I¡¯m definitely going to know about it.¡± It¡¯s one of the things I¡¯ve been most grateful for over the last while - nothing else has tried to hold Carter and his family against me. No more assassination attempts, no more threats. I¡¯m almost positive there will come another time, so my anxiety about it was riding high while my Skills weren¡¯t working properly. Now that things with my Skills seem to mostly be back to normal, I''ve been able to relax a bit. I trigger Omnipresent and see that Calgary is near dusk and bitterly cold with snow swirling everywhere. Huge drifts, even bigger than some of the biggest ones when we were kids, have blown up against the house and completely cover the front door and halfway up the walls, up to the bottom of the second floor windows. The roof is so thick with snow that I¡¯m betting if the house wasn¡¯t part of the Settlement, if Mana wasn¡¯t strengthening it, the roof might have collapsed by now. I sigh and manifest the Portal, old feelings about the cold and the wind and the snow creeping in. Why do we live in places where we can¡¯t go outside without freezing our asses off for two thirds of the year?Reading on this site? This novel is published elsewhere. Support the author by seeking out the original. Logan and I step through the Portal into the snow drifts and the cold wind blasts us. It must be 40 below and I register the way it pulls at the heat from our bodies and tries to suck our energy, but it doesn¡¯t affect either one of us. I look around like I always do when I return here and remember what it was like when we were kids. The roads were always bumpy, icy, and dirty from all the neighborhood cars driving through the Crescent and parking. None of that exists now. The streets are smooth, the snow is clean. The dusk light is gloomy and shrouded until I dial up my Perception with a thought and I¡¯m able to see everything as if it¡¯s the middle of a sunny, clear day. With a sigh I start trudging up the buried path to the front door. ¡°Wait!¡± says Logan through the howling wind. My Perception picks it up easily. ¡°I want to try something.¡± I stop and turn to him then gesture with a ¡®be my guest¡¯ motion. Without saying anything, Logan raises his hands up, palms forward, and closes his eyes momentarily, then opens them again. As soon as he does I notice a difference with my enhanced Perception. It seems like the storm around us has lost some of its energy, but the effect doesn¡¯t go far. I reach out with my Mana Affinity and feel a swirling, pulsing force around Logan. No fanfare at all accompanies Logan clapping his hands together in front of him. An instant after he does, the snow drifts in front of the house are obliterated into swirling powder that launches into the air at high speed and rushes past us in a cloud. I raise my eyebrows and give him a few appreciative nods that get his smiling face grinning even wider. ¡°Definitely a work on!¡± I encourage him, the possibilities for anything from movement to combat flicking through my mind at light speed. ¡°I hope Mom¡¯s home,¡± he says as he passes me and knocks on the front door. I wait for a bit before I join him so that he can properly greet his brother and sisters. Benjamin is still so young, just a little boy that looks a lot like a miniature version of his big brother. But he is so cool, stomping around on the front step in the cold. Steam pours out of his mouth and nose as he smashes his little hands together to try to move the snow like his big brother¡¯s just done. It¡¯s not long before everyone moves inside and I take the next couple steps up to the front door. In their excitement to see Logan they¡¯ve ignored me and I¡¯m totally comfortable with that. Part of me hopes that Dana and Carter will feel good that Logan has progressed his Levels and has lots of interesting stories to tell, but I know that¡¯s ambitious since they¡¯d view that as the absolute minimum trade-off for their son heading off into the unknown. No kudos for bringing him back alive, and none deserved or asked for. I pause at the front door. The cold pulls at me and freezes my breath on my eyelashes. Then, rather than opening the door, I glance over at Tatiana¡¯s house. Is she with someone? Is she there? Would it be complicated? Maybe it¡¯s best to let Logan have some time to reconnect with everyone alone, I decide. A quick march through the deep snow gets me in front of her door, assuming this is still where she lives. Of course I could use Omnipresent or even my Perception to find out, but I don¡¯t want to. I¡¯m not sure if I¡¯ll even knock. I¡¯m just¡­ here. I take a deep breath and let it out in a huge billow of steam, heaps of emotions flowing. Standing here, feeling isolated, connected, resolute, tired, more than human, less than human. I close my eyes and just focus on being. On me. Then¡­ something clicks and the world shifts. Everything feels different, like a fog has lifted from my mind and soul. I feel somehow more solid, more in the world, more¡­ full of potential and power, like the world could bend around me. Notifications light up everywhere and I open my eyes, unsure of what¡¯s going on but ready to open them to find out. Instead I lock eyes with Tatiana, who¡¯s opened the door and looks up at me with a wide grin that gives me a jolt. She¡¯s dressed in what I can only assume is necromancer chic, with tight leather pants and boots under a long, thick flowing dark cloak which could just be for warmth, but something about it says there¡¯s a lot more to it. And under it, I add to myself. Her pale white skin, athletic figure, and the way she moves are always a bit mind-bending. Not like Alana, she¡¯s on another planet - beautiful like something you admire rather than the pure attraction that Tatiana exudes. ¡°Hey!¡± I say lamely. ¡°Bad timing¡­¡± The notifications blink at me insistently and despite how I feel about Tatiana it¡¯s tough to focus on her. The shift in how I feel is amazing but a bit disorienting. It feels like an avalanche of new knowledge is poised behind those notifications to crash into me. ¡°There¡¯s never a bad time to see you, Bronwic,¡± she says with a tilt of her head as she opens the door fully. ¡°Where do we need to go?¡± I see the willingness to leave with me like she has before, the interest and the desire to spend time together no matter what happens. It confuses me and gives me a thrill at the same time. It also means I know I can¡¯t take her up on it. ¡°Maybe¡­ inside?¡± I suggest. ¡°I¡¯ve got a lot of notifications to open that I think are going to be pretty complicated. Perhaps you¡¯d like to help me figure out what they mean over a drink?¡± ¡°Sounds good,¡± she agrees and steps back. ¡°You don¡¯t need an invitation.¡± It doesn¡¯t take a rocket scientist to know she¡¯s saying that in the broadest possible way. I stride through the doorway with a grin of my own. 209. Integration and Synergy As Tatiana strolls into another room to get us a drink, an enjoyable thing to watch, I sit down in her living room and open up my notifications, then settle in to read through them. Significant Event - Saturated Mana Interface Evolution Integration Complete! All previous SMI functions now stable and integrated. Examining Aura and physiological changes¡­ Calculating allowable parameters¡­ Calculating new and integrated functionality¡­ Significant Event - Unique Ascended Class Pathways Fully Mapped! Unique Ascended Class pathways granted by your ¡®Savior of Earth¡¯ and ¡®Dark Mana Tempered¡¯ Titles are now integrated in your SMI Evolution pathways. Override permissions have been granted, Class Quests completed in advance. Required prerequisites Class Evolution: reach Level 30 of your Legendary Class. Significant Event - Affinity Integration Due to a unique set of circumstances and a unique SMI Evolution, your Mana Affinity and Dimensional Manipulation Affinities have achieved a limited integration with your SMI functionality. Significant Event - Skill Enhancements Due to a unique Evolution, Affinity dynamics may now be applied to both triggered and passive Skills in a pathway carved by your experience. Likely enhancements to Omnipresent, Greatest Need, Regeneration, Greater Regeneration, Unbreakable, Imbue, Sword of the Sentinel. Current effects unquantified, observation required for new Skill descriptions. Warning! Unprecedented circumstances regarding a Saturated Mana Interface Warning! The extent of effects and enhancements on your SMI are currently unknown and possibly harmful. Warning! Due to the nature of your current and future Class pathways, the limited SMI integration with your Affnities does not apply to spell casting. Attempting to force integration between your Affinities and spell casting is likely to result in catastrophic interactions. Significant Event - Potential Research Notification Due to the nature of the Evolution of your SMI¡¯s known and projected functionality, a notification has been triggered and sent to the SSA¡¯s Mana Interface Research Institute (MIRI) with the highest level of restricted access and encryption. Study Requirement Notification - Compulsory Summons from MIRI Due to the activity of your SMI operating 10 standard deviations beyond estimated implementation parameters, you are required by the SSA¡¯s MIRI to report for evaluation. Automated Portal retrieval initiated¡­. MIRI Portal Failure! Your location is currently unable to be determined. You must report to the closest MIRI facility immediately. Failure to comply with this compulsory summons will not be tolerated by the SSA. Failure to comply will result in the immediate deactivation of your SMI, with grave consequences. Compulsory Study Requirement Enforcement Penalty Initiation Calculating penalty to Bronwic Cadimus¡­ Initializing execution of SMI deactivation¡­ Enforcement penalty blocked. SSA Clearance Level override.Stolen from Royal Road, this story should be reported if encountered on Amazon. User Title dynamics incorporated into allowable punitive action. Special status override implemented. Additional User privileges granted. SMI connection with MIRI forcibly downgraded to message only capability. Enforcement penalty and compulsory summons requirement permanently waived. Automated Portal retrieval process permanently discontinued. Penalties and restrictions now applied to MIRI activities relating to Bronwic Cadimus. MIRI appeal registered¡­ MIRI appeal rejected. Congratulations! Your SSA Clearance Level has been upgraded from 7 to 9. Contact your High Enforcer liaison for further details and assignments if relevant. Urgent Message from the Mana Interface Research Institute Greetings, Bronwic Cadimus. We contact you due to the unprecedented events relating to your SMI that we have just been made aware of. A highly unusual defect with your SMI has been transmitted to us which puts you in danger. We apologize without reservation for the failed attempt at compelling you to report to our finest research facility to ensure that you receive adequate care and support from our Universally respected teams of dedicated professionals. It is important we understand the series of events that have led to this alarming situation in order to assist you. Due to circumstances that may be known or unknown to you, we cannot locate you or interact with your SMI in any way. You may be in immediate, life threatening danger. As a valued member of our SSA High Enforcers with a Clearance Level higher than 3, you are entitled to the very best medical attention in the Universe. Please report to our MIRI Headquarters as soon as possible. You can request special transport to MIRI Headquarters at any Shop, it is pre-approved. Warmly yours and with deepest concern for your safety, X¡¯yylin Gonngular Bharrgiivhlar Executive Director, Mana Interface Research Institute Holy shit. That¡¯s one hell of a lot to take in. I¡¯m not surprised something like this has happened, but I am shocked by the speed of it. What has it been since I felt everything click? A minute? Two? I glance over the notifications again to try to take it all in. Medical assistance from the MIRI my ass. That¡¯s all clearly bullshit. I have no doubt that the equivalent of an all points bulletin has been put out on me and I wonder who¡¯s in my corner or if it¡¯s just Luck, given my recently boosted Attribute. Tenebris? B¡¯esloor? Kauran? Nobody? There is so much about the Universe I am still totally ignorant about. All of these notifications and what¡¯s happening to me breathes some new energy into my veins, thinking about what the future might bring rather than what¡¯s happened in the past. I need to put some things behind me, but they seem to come up all the time whether I want them to or not, haunting my thoughts. A new focus on what¡¯s in front of me and the chance to win the KCT might be just what I need. I admit I¡¯ve been worried about the thought of the KCT starting while I am still struggling to get my Skills under control. Now we¡¯re talking about a whole new ballgame and I¡¯ve tipped over into looking forward to seeing what I can do rather than how I¡¯m going to get myself killed in the most spectacular and unfortunate way. ¡°What¡¯s going on, Bronwic?¡± asks Tatiana as she emerges from another room to join me in the living room, a drink in each hand and boots delicately echoing on the wooden floors. The way she moves and the way she fixes her eyes on me is fascinating, a sultry mixture of confidence, curiosity, and full attention. ¡°What do you mean?¡± I ask, hoping to clarify whether she¡¯s asking about why I¡¯m here, or what¡¯s going on between us, or something else. She laughs with a wide open, joyful twinkle in her eyes and it¡¯s impossible for me not to return a smile. ¡°The expression on your face when I walked in is enough to tell me that something monumental has either happened to you, or it¡¯s about to happen. I can¡¯t imagine you¡¯re about to profess your undying love for me and ask if we can start a family¡­ so, what¡¯s going on? Why are you here?¡± I stare at her for a few seconds, stunned. She hasn¡¯t said any of that with a hint of anger, judgment, resentment, or any of the emotions I¡¯d be unconsciously or consciously expecting from her. She just literally seems curious and caring, nothing more and nothing less. It¡¯s more than enough to make me think my increased Luck has bent the Universe by bringing me here at this time to talk to someone who has nothing but my best interests at heart, and is totally accepting of whatever I might reveal. ¡°The long and short of it is, you¡¯re right. Something has happened to me,¡± I say slowly as she passes me a drink that looks like golden whisky in a tumbler. I think for a second she¡¯s going to sit beside me, but instead she settles comfortably into a dark gray couch that¡¯s still close, but just beyond arm¡¯s reach. ¡°That¡¯s no surprise at all!¡± she says. ¡°You¡¯re practically radiating power and you¡¯re even more broody than usual. Don¡¯t give me some story about how you¡¯re probably going to die, or things are really dangerous, or you have powerful enemies. Let¡¯s just assume those are a given based on everything we both know about you, ok? What¡¯s really going on, Bronwic?¡± she asks and takes a sip from her drink, watching me over the lip of her glass with her eyes that look icey blue at the moment. Have they changed color? I find I can¡¯t remember. Once again, there¡¯s no heat in what she says, no anger or expectation. We exchange grins and it¡¯s like we¡¯re laughing at a movie together that happens to be my life. I¡¯m not sure what I should say. Not because I don¡¯t trust Tatiana - I do. More because I¡¯m not sure if knowing what¡¯s happening to me is dangerous to her or not. I have no idea what kinds of powers and Skills and spells are out there. What if telling her something about this means I put her in danger? What if she tries to help me by taking some actions I don¡¯t know about and that results in her being killed or worse? Or¡­ maybe that¡¯s just glass half full? Maybe telling her is the best thing I could do and nothing bad will happen. Maybe. ¡°I¡¯ve gained a bit of power and some Levels, and now I¡¯ve been given the chance to participate in a competition that¡¯s beyond even the Koldaavi Combat Championships. Getting those Levels caused me some problems, but they seem to have resolved themselves now. I was just thinking how this might be a new start for me. A way to look forward instead of backward for a while.¡± ¡°Beyond the KCC? What¡¯s bigger than that?¡± she asks. ¡°Something that could set humanity up for good if I win it,¡± I say. ¡°I need another Level to get my Tier 4 Legendary Skills, but I also want to support Logan and reconnect with you, and a lot of other things.¡± Tatiana¡¯s face screws up and the dark around her eyes seems to spread to cover more of her face. ¡°What?¡± I ask her. ¡°What do you think I should do?¡± ¡°Stop talking to me, for starters. It¡¯s incredible to see you and what are you doing here? Go get another Level, dump all your Skill points into at least one Evolution, and try to win that fucking tournament for all of us!¡± What she says does resonate deep down. I guess it¡¯s settled then¡­ time to finish my whiskey and hit the road. 210. Ma Te Wa It feels like I¡¯ve left something behind when I cross the short stretch of lawn through the snow back to Carter¡¯s house and knock on the front door. My mind is still at least half full with the smells and feeling of Tatiana¡¯s living room and the feeling of her pressed against me in a more than friendly goodbye hug. The warmth of those feelings scatters as Millie opens the door and squeals at me in joy, bringing a big grin to my face. ¡°Uncle Bronwic! You¡¯re here!¡± She¡¯s not growing as quickly as Logan, but wow every time I see her she seems older and wiser. So resourceful and strong and creative, and wearing jeans and a faded peach colored sweatshirt! It seems like such a throwback to the old days and I wonder if fashion has ever changed as quickly as it did after the Influx. ¡°You lost some teeth!¡± I exclaim before I immediately consider whether she might be self conscious about it. Instead, she gives me a huge smile. There must be 4 or 5 teeth missing, some on both the top and the bottom. I wonder why that even happens now, since we¡¯re healed by Mana so quickly. Maybe the new ones will be in tomorrow? I don¡¯t think I¡¯ll ever be able to understand how it all works. ¡°Can I come in, kiddo?¡± I ask her. ¡°Your house is going to be freezing if we stand here much longer.¡± ¡°Of course!¡± she says with such genuine excitement and welcome that it makes me feel like I¡¯m really part of the family. She lets me in with a little hop and closes the door behind me. There aren¡¯t any secrets from my Perception so it¡¯s no surprise as we climb the stairs and I see everyone at the dining table eating tacos, with a few post-Influx additions laid out for everyone to take what they want. ¡°Bronwic!¡± exclaims Dana as she finishes helping Benjamin get his plate of food sorted. I wasn¡¯t sure what kind of reception I¡¯d get and I find it means a lot that her tone is welcoming and friendly. ¡°How are you?¡± It¡¯s always a tough question to answer; I feel like I owe her and want to say more than just ¡®good¡¯, but there¡¯s so much that¡¯s happened to me since I dropped Logan off that it seems daunting to even start. My thoughts must be apparent on my face and explain the pause because she speaks before I do while wiping some sauce from Benjamin¡¯s hands. ¡°Complicated?¡± ¡°Yeah, probably a good word to land on,¡± I agree. ¡°Want some food?¡± she asks. ¡°Come eat with us, Uncle Bronwic!¡± Benjamin commands as Millie sits down beside him. His little face is serious and I can see he expects his orders to be followed. ¡°I¡¯m not staying long,¡± I let him know with a grin and pop over to ruffle his hair and give him a quick cuddle, and then turn to Dana in apology. ¡°Kind of need another Level pretty badly at the moment, but wanted to drop by and say hi. I¡¯ve gotta say, seeing you guys really fills up my soul.¡± There¡¯s so much good feeling and love and warmth here, somehow generated by Dana. It¡¯s compelling and something I¡¯d die to protect. ¡°You¡¯re welcome here any time, for as long as you want,¡± says Dana, which I do not take for granted at all especially considering that I bring danger with me wherever I go. ¡°Logan tell you much about his trip?¡± I ask. ¡°Yes actually! He¡¯s gained so many Levels!¡± says Dana. It sounds like part amazement and part worry. ¡°He¡¯s worked hard and been smart,¡± I say, backing Logan up. He deserves a lot of respect for the way he¡¯s handled himself and kept his head screwed on straight. No doubt that has a lot to do with the way Dana raised him. ¡°Carter here?¡± I ask. I know he¡¯s not, I¡¯m more asking to gauge how things are and why he¡¯s not around. ¡°He¡¯s out,¡± says Logan with a bunch of food in his mouth as he pauses eating what looks like a mountain of tacos on his plate and then swallows and points back in the direction of the backyard. ¡°Some trouble west of Calgary coming down from the mountains. I offered to come, but he reckoned they had it well in hand and it¡¯s been what seems like forever since I¡¯ve had Mom¡¯s cooking!¡±Support the creativity of authors by visiting the original site for this novel and more. I trigger Omnipresent and hone in on the area around Carter¡¯s location and agree with what Logan¡¯s said. A few Monsters between Level 70 and 85 but there¡¯s a few squads of people that shouldn¡¯t have any trouble handling it. This is the first time since opening the notifications that I¡¯ve triggered Omnipresent and I can feel the way my Affinity has integrated with my SMI and enhanced it. The number of things I can sense through the Skill has skyrocketed and I can now sense non-human people and Monsters even if they aren¡¯t fighting against humans. The extra information available makes my head hurt for a couple of seconds before my SMI and Affinity help me to handle it. I see if I can locate Taiwo and find out it is possible but his location is very confusing, I can¡¯t pin it down. Maybe he¡¯s in the Shop? I know instinctively this means I can Portal to anyone from now on and that¡¯s a huge jump in Omnipresent¡¯s power. At the same time I know I can¡¯t yet open a Portal that non-humans can use, but it does feel on the edge of possibility in the future if I work at it and get inventive. ¡°All ok?¡± Dana asks quietly when my eyes refocus on the room and I realize I¡¯ve been lost in my newly enhanced Skill for quite a while and there¡¯s a good chance that¡¯s given her a big reason to worry. I know she trusts Carter, but danger is always around the corner and can spike at any time so I actually feel it¡¯s impressive she didn¡¯t interrupt me when I took a while. ¡°Yeah, totally fine,¡± I agree and I can see her relax. ¡°Logan, I¡¯m heading out for a while and I¡¯m not sure when I¡¯ll be back. You good to stay here for a few weeks if I¡¯m a while? Dhromea and Torrdok are sorted to take you to the Academy if you want to go.¡± ¡°Yeah for sure. I¡¯m keen to have another go at some of the Dungeons around here after all the training I¡¯ve had,¡± he says, and I nod in acknowledgement. ¡°Dana, I know Carter would take this - we¡¯ve talked about it, so don¡¯t turn it down,¡± I say, and pull a black token from my Inventory and hold it out to her. It¡¯s a bit like a poker chip and matches the ones I gave Robb and Carter that first time we went to Taiwo¡¯s Shop together to get Carter back to Calgary. ¡°What¡¯s this?¡± she asks. ¡°Is it candy?¡± asks Benjamin with interest. ¡°No, it¡¯s not candy silly,¡± says Millie with her gap-toothed smile and a nudge with her elbow into his arm. ¡°It¡¯s a token for you and Carter to use. It gives you access to Taiwo¡¯s Shop and there¡¯s enough Credits on there to get you whatever you need.¡± ¡°Bronwic¡­¡± she starts, but I give her a hard look which stops her in her tracks. It¡¯s the only time I¡¯ve ever stood my ground with her on anything and she instantly notices she change. ¡°Dana, this isn¡¯t charity and I¡¯m not telling you how to handle things with your family. I almost didn¡¯t make it here today and there¡¯s no way I¡¯m letting another day go by without making sure I¡¯ve done this.¡± ¡°What do you mean you almost didn¡¯t make it?¡± Logan asks and I can see the concern appear on Dana¡¯s face. It¡¯s not something I¡¯ve ever said to her before, even with all the craziness that¡¯s happened. ¡°Yeah!¡± exclaims Millie. I look at them all and I¡¯m not sure what to feel. What to say. I¡¯ve been in a lot of situations that I only escaped by the seat of my pants so this isn¡¯t the first time, just my first time telling them. Doing this for my family is long overdue. ¡°Yeah!¡± says Benjamin suddenly after a few seconds of looking around at everyone, and even though they¡¯re still waiting for my answer we all can¡¯t help but laugh. ¡°I¡¯ll fill you in some other time,¡± I say to Logan and gently grab Dana¡¯s wrist then pull her hand up and place the token in it. I can tell she¡¯s a bit torn as she takes it and gives me a searching gaze, then pulls me into a hug that I think is more meant to give me support than thanks. ¡°You sure you can¡¯t stay?¡± she asks. ¡°Yeah Uncle Bronwic, stay!¡± says Millie as she bounces up and down on her seat. ¡°I¡¯m sure,¡± I say. ¡°See you soon kids!¡± I circle the table and give everyone hugs, even Logan, then say a few more goodbyes before I leave through the front door. Of course I can just Portal somewhere from inside the house, but I need the mental separation of leaving. Of leaving them behind if needed, but more to set my intent for whatever¡¯s next. I glance to my left at Tatiana¡¯s house and almost take a step in that direction, then trigger Omnipresent and let my mind expand. The fastest way to my Level is finding the most danger so I look for the biggest conflict happening on Earth, as long as it¡¯s not another Dungeon dive. There are a lot to choose from and I feel a surge of guilt that I haven¡¯t been actively taking out the most powerful Monsters and swarms. At the same time, humanity has been doing pretty well and I don¡¯t see too many places where large groups of humans have been wiped out or migrated. After a few minutes of weighing up options, I decide on Tampere in Finland. A few hundred thousand humans live there and a massive conflict is taking place in the northeast part of the Settlements there. I form a Portal to see what¡¯s going on and see over a hundred humans trying to fight something that reminds me slightly of Hvitserkur as it thunders down a wide open road lined with rubble, smashing everyone and everything aside. Towering at least 20 feet tall, its skin resembles gnarled bark. Moss and lichen cling to its limbs and its eyes burn with an amber glow beneath a heavy brow ridge. Its gaping mouth is filled with jagged, yellow teeth that emerge from a tangled mane of moss and vines. The air around it seems to crackle with energy. I manifest the Portal and jump through into the fray. 211. Tempere When my feet hit the ground I pull the creature¡¯s Status and dart in with all my Skills activated. Colossal Hiisi (Level 263) Health: 15200/17680 Mana: 3720/4670 Conditions: Nature¡¯s Wrath, Stone Skin, Greater Regeneration, Shadow Meld, Soul Siphon, Illusion Weaver, more¡­ As soon as I appear and the Portal closes behind me, the Hiisi pivots away from the main streets in Nikki and heads west, thundering at very high speed into the pine forest toward the Alasjarvi lake. More than a few Adventurer bodies lay broken in the rubble around the street and I flash back to Jon but put it out of my mind. I need to focus. A group of human Adventurers who look like they¡¯re straight out of Asgard rips into the forest behind the Hiisi, but they¡¯re all Mythic Class or high Level Advanced Class. It¡¯s a powerful team that won¡¯t have what it takes to put the Hiisi down and I remind myself that this is part of why I do this - to help people who fight despite impossible odds to protect others. I stop rather than charging after it and trigger Omnipresent again to watch the Hiisi through the Portal. For a few seconds I think my Portal is malfunctioning because the Hiisi keeps disappearing and appearing at the edge of what I can see with my Portal, but my Skills all seem to click in at once and show me that what I thought is the Hiisi is actually some kind of illusion and it¡¯s my Portal that is tracking the actual Monster accurately. I¡¯ve seen a few similar things but never this good; it¡¯s a powerful and dangerous Skill enabling the Hiisi to ambush anyone who mistakes the illusion for the real one. The Hiisi blasts through more pine trees seemingly without effort. Cracks split the air, splinters fly, and trees crash to the ground. I¡¯m amazed to see that the illusion is so strong it must have some kind of physical manifestation, because the trees that shatter are not the ones where the Hiisi actually is. A few seconds later the Monster stops and lays in wait for the Adventurers to catch it, crafty and either smarter than a lot of the Mana warped creatures I encounter or something with extremely well honed instincts. Before the Adventurers can close I manifest my Portal and drop through straight onto the hidden Hiisi, my Swords called to my hands. They feel stronger and heavier than before and I like the feeling of density teamed with my enhanced Strength and Agility. As I swing down the Hiisi almost instantly seems to shift and melt into the shadows, but it can¡¯t hide from my Perception and my Swords cut through even the shadow world. I feel them bite deep and slice all the way through the Hiisi and for good measure I carve it up twice more until I¡¯m sure the death notification has come through. Tricky fucker. I watch on my minimap and sense with my Perception as the Finnish Adventurers close in on my position. I¡¯m keen to let them know the Monster has been put down so I dismiss my Swords and stand over the body after Looting it rather than putting it in my Inventory. Stupid move. I¡¯ve underestimated how on edge and pumped up on fear and adrenaline the Adventurers are and I flinch as dozens of spells and Skills hit me simultaneously. I raise my arm up in front of my eyes as fire appears all around me, lightning fries my position from multiple directions, spikes of rock shoot up and shatter on me, debuffs hit me to slow me down and poison me then slide off, bullets slam into me and drop to the ground, grenades explode chewing up the earth and sending shrapnel everywhere, spears made of light strike me and disintegrate. Notifications pepper the corner of my vision rapid fire as the barrage slowly stops and leaves me standing there in the middle of a war zone. I could move but I don¡¯t want them to mistake me for the Hiisi again and repeat the exercise, so I plant my feet and wait. ¡°Oh, shit! Bronwic!¡± shouts one of the first ones to appear a few dozen meters away, partially obstructed by the trees. There are some upsides of everyone knowing who you are. Another few attacks strike me but I brush them off, nothing has really made it through my Resistances with enough damage to drop my Health beyond what my Regeneration just takes care of.If you come across this story on Amazon, it''s taken without permission from the author. Report it. ¡°You guys done?¡± I call out as around 20 of them appear one by one in quick succession. ¡°Oh, shit¡­¡± ¡°You¡¯re not even hurt¡­¡± ¡°Bronwic! Sorry, we thought¡­¡± ¡°Thank fuck that thing is¡­¡± My Perception picks out a bunch of comments made at the same time as they realize the situation. They group up and manage to look somewhat guilty for hammering me with everything they have. One of the high Level Mythic Classers, a bit of a Thor look-alike, steps forward while the others watch. I wonder if he¡¯s the leader or just drew the short straw. I decide to help him out. ¡°Hey, no blood no foul,¡± I say. ¡°The Hiisi is dead, and I appreciate what all of you were doing and taking on despite the odds. That thing was no joke and had a lot of tricks up its sleeve.¡± ¡°But you killed it in like, two seconds¡­¡± says one of them, seemingly confused. ¡°Thank you Bronwic. It would have been ugly without you here,¡± agrees the Thor look-alike. ¡°Would you like to stay for a while? We owe you our hospitality at the very least.¡± ¡°Appreciate it, but I¡¯ve got a few more similar situations to take care of,¡± I reply. ¡°You go looking for fights like this?¡± a short Sorcerer says, and then looks like he wishes he could take it back. I nod and decide this has been awkward enough so I trigger Omnipresent and open a Portal to the Queenstown MIS Hub and step through. Force of habit, plus I want to see if Tenebris has done anything with it. Nothing¡¯s changed and I look around, still content to let it go but at the same time wishing it was still mine and somewhere I could build back up. I sigh, knowing nobody including Tenebris is going to mind if I¡¯m around, and open the unusual notifications that were pinging me when the Adventurers were hammering me with all their attacks. Fire damage inflicted. Fire Resistance increased 0.002%. Lightning damage inflicted. Lightning Resistance increased 0.003%. Kinetic damage inflicted. Kinetic Resistance increased 0.001%. Holy shit. There are more, a lot more. I pull up the notification about my SMI Evolution and re-read it. Significant Event - Skill Enhancements Due to a unique Evolution, Affinity dynamics may now be applied to both triggered and passive Skills in a pathway carved by your experience. Likely enhancements to Omnipresent, Greatest Need, Regeneration, Greater Regeneration, Unbreakable, Imbue, Sword of the Sentinel. Current effects unquantified, observation required for new Skill descriptions. It looks like whatever¡¯s happened to me is enabling me to adapt to whatever harm I¡¯m taking. The increases are small amounts, but when I think about how much combat I encounter and that these were attacks that didn¡¯t really even give me any trouble, I wonder how far this could go over a long period of time. Could I gradually build this up in a way to become invulnerable to anything I¡¯ve been exposed to? If I use my Skills repeatedly are they going to get stronger? If I do a workout would my Strength and Agility increase? I have no idea! Other than feeling fortunate, there¡¯s one thing I am totally certain of; there is no way I¡¯m telling anyone about this. If MIRI was after me before I can imagine something like this, if it is a unique Evolution, I have no idea what they might try to do in order to study it. I close the notifications and trigger Omnipresent again, then scan the Earth for another dangerous conflict. I¡¯m almost looking forward to getting into a tough situation to see what happens. After filtering and examining a few I decide on Shanghai and trigger a Portal to see what I¡¯m dealing with. Before I can even figure it out my field of vision is taken up by a new notification. Congratulations! You have qualified for special entry into the Koldaavi Combat Trials. You have the option to participate or withdraw. If you withdraw, you will not be able to enter the KCT for another three cycles. You have ten Earth minutes to respond and prepare yourself for transport. Do you agree to participate in the KCT? (Y/N) Well shit - I haven¡¯t even got my Level yet. Ten minutes? I hammer ¡®Y¡¯ and grit my teeth. Let¡¯s see what I can get done. 212. The KCT Begins I don¡¯t resist the teleportation with my Affinity when it engages to pull me away from my battle, which is over except for the mopping up that Rogar¡¯s Legendary Strike Force is more than capable of handling. It was good to see one of the teams sent from the SSA in action, and particularly their Tauran leader. Turns out Rogar doesn¡¯t just look a lot like Captain Kulnuk did, he also has a similar combat style, but far more skilled and powerful. I¡¯m sure they could have eventually beat the nest of massive Fire Salamanders by themselves. They fought like a true team and even worked around me seamlessly when I arrived to pitch in, better than we used to work together in the Sentinels. My help just sped it along and ensured there were no casualties. Waiting for me are my Goblin SSA representative B¡¯esloor, Kauran the Beholder-like being, and Taiwo. We¡¯re in a room that reminds me a bit of the main part of Real Earth Tours, a giant hub with doors all around. Large notification screens display scenes from around the Universe with nothing in common I can understand at a glance. About half are showing a combat scene and the other half are less bloody but no less intense. Everything is on display from pitched battles to meetings between two alien species I¡¯ve never seen before¡­ they could be lovers or the deepest of enemies. I stand without saying anything for a few seconds, smoking and sliced up, as my wounds heal and then I swap out my armor for a new set. Feeling all the hair on my body, including my eyebrows, grow back so rapidly is still a strange feeling. Not as bad as regrowing teeth though, which I¡¯m grateful for being able to do despite how it feels. Teeth moving around and growing in my head is the worst and totally unnatural. Still not used to it even now. I¡¯m keen to check my notifications later to see how much my Fire Resistance may have jumped up after the roasting I just took. My three hosts seem happy to wait the few seconds it takes to get myself back to looking and feeling presentable which I appreciate. ¡°Welcome High Enforcer,¡± says B¡¯esloor. His gnarled face looks spooked and he seems fidgety which I take immediately as a bad sign. ¡°Clearance Level nine¡­¡± he says and trails off in confusion then stares off into the distance with a stout, powerful hand held to his forehead. A few of Kauran¡¯s eye stalks turn toward B¡¯esloor while we wait for him to continue. The silence stretches long enough that Kauran continues instead by addressing me. Somehow his voice still echoes straight in my mind as it¡¯s spoken at the same time. ¡°Bronwic, of course you are familiar with the KCC and the Koldaavi Combat Trial is known to you. My role here is as the SSA representative, to ensure the smooth running of your KCT events and transitions. As with our previous times together, all questions about the SSA¡¯s activities or policies outside of this Championship will not be answered. B¡¯esloor¡¯s role is to advise you what actions may be permissible according to SSA Protocols if you intend to try something unusual. In my experience, over half of the entrants into the KCT do attempt something against the SSA¡¯s Protocols and I strongly suggest you do not put yourself in a no-win position. Remember that the first Trial is not officially sanctioned by the SSA. I am the final adjudicator of any disputes or incidents in this Championship and my word is law under the SSA¡¯s delegated authority. Do you understand?¡± ¡°I do,¡± I reply simply. Kauran¡¯s floating form pivots to fix his large central eye on B¡¯esloor and waits for a few seconds, then pivots back to me and resumes. ¡°B¡¯esloor just made a comment that causes me to conclude you may have a Level 9 Clearance with the SSA. If so it is my responsibility to inform you that your extensive protections and exemptions will not apply during the KCT. Again, for clarity and emphasis I remind you this first trial is in no way endorsed or supported by the SSA and the SSA must not be implicated. ¡°What he¡¯s not saying,¡± adds Taiwo with a grin, ¡°is that whatever you¡¯ll be heading into is a total political hot potato and a clusterfuck at the same time. You will be a lone shark swimming the seas as you please and the consequences of your actions will be entirely on you.¡± I¡¯m a bit surprised that ¡®clusterfuck¡¯ has made it through my SMI¡¯s translation functionality and wonder briefly what the actual term might be in Taiwo¡¯s language. I kind of like being referred to as a lone shark rather than a lone wolf, given the Dad joke pun that¡¯s emerged in a very serious situation. ¡°Taiwo¡¯s role is to brief you on the situation and provide you with advice in advance, should you request it. He will not offer unsolicited advice or give you any equipment, materials, or additional assistance. An introductory information pack is currently being uploaded into your Mana Interface that will provide you with maps and a summary of the situation.¡± ¡°How long do I have to review them?¡± I ask. ¡°Approximately the equivalent of 30 of your minutes on Earth,¡± he replies. ¡°Please remember that the total time taken to complete all Trials, should you manage to do it, is the metric we use to determine the winner. This time is paused if you manage to complete each Trial successfully. If you fail the first Trial and you are still alive when the second period Trial starts and the public is engaged, you are permitted to participate and even win, but the prizes will go to the contestant who completes all three Trials in the least amount of time. Understood?¡± I nod and try to put the Universal politics behind me so I can focus on the task at hand. There¡¯s no way I¡¯ll ever be able to figure them out, or do something about it if I could.Support the author by searching for the original publication of this novel. ¡°Your second and third Trials, if you should make it that far, will be available to everyone in your species through a personal notification screen which shows the Championship progress and allows wagers to be placed on combat outcomes. Other species and individuals will also have access for a fee. As a contestant in the KCT you are permitted to bet on yourself, but not against yourself or on any other contestant.¡± I glance at Taiwo and give a slight nod. He and I have already discussed that I¡¯m going to take a chunk of Credits and bet on me. The odds will be astronomical, but I¡¯m still funneling most of the Credits to other causes just in case. ¡°One last thing¡­¡± says Kauran, and I make sure to keep a politely attentive look on my face as he pivots to B¡¯esloor and then back to me again. ¡°Your liaison in your first Trial will be known to you. Zarithrax Vulkaainan, the Battle Tyrant who was running the Legendary Strike Force from Tenebris, is your contact,¡± says Kauran. ¡°Before you ask,¡± interjects Taiwo, ¡°he¡¯s been replaced by someone just as competent and yes, it means the world you¡¯re being sent to has strong ties to Tenebris.¡± I close my mouth, since those were exactly the two things I was going to ask. ¡°I will leave you now. Good luck,¡± says Kauran. He disappears and I flex my Affinity to track him and see if he¡¯s really gone. The way the technique he uses takes shape is fascinating and I start diving into the intricacies. Unfortunately there¡¯s been no time for me to get anywhere when it shuts off and I return my attention to the room. ¡°You¡¯re looking better since last time I saw you,¡± comments Taiwo. I can tell he¡¯s pleased and curious as to what¡¯s happened. I don¡¯t think I need to hide the fact that things clicked from him, but I¡¯m reluctant to share much more than that and B¡¯esloor is another story. I glance at B¡¯esloor who is still staring off into space and Taiwo takes the hint. We¡¯re still standing around so he gestures to some seating and I agree it would feel less awkward to be sitting down and chatting so we take a seat. B¡¯esloor doesn¡¯t move, just stares off into space and occasionally an expression crosses his face or he makes a hand gesture I can only assume is manipulating his notification screens. ¡°What can you tell me about the Trial? And¡­ bodyguard?¡± I ask Taiwo as I access the information that¡¯s been provided to me. It looks like I have a fully detailed map of the topology of a small world, or actually maybe a large moon, called Orvorax and a cover story already set up. ¡°Not just any bodyguard, since your reputation will precede you if anyone does some digging and be hard to explain away. This particular Merchant that you will be attached to is very well known and deals in the kinds of semi-rare materials found on a smattering of planets like Orvorax. She has an elite guard and often supplements them with high profile bodyguards to discourage her enemies. Although she does not know that this Trial is part of the KCT, she does expect that you will ¡®go rogue¡¯ at some point and already has plans in place to distance herself from any actions you may take.¡± I skim through all the material in the notification screens and before I¡¯m done B¡¯esloor returns his attention to us and addresses me. ¡°Apologies, High Enforcer Cadimus,¡± the Goblin says sincerely. ¡°I thought surely there had been a mistake. However, I have gone through all the correct channels and now understand that you have, in fact, been raised to Level 9. This¡­ well, this changes everything.¡± ¡°What do you mean?¡± I ask, and I can see Taiwo is looking just as interested. ¡°There are only a handful of High Enforcers at your status in this part of the Universe. I have no idea how you were given this extent of empowerment or why, that¡¯s completely classified. I don¡¯t even know what you¡¯re allowed to do and not do. I¡¯m not even sure if all the Protocols apply to you. I can¡¯t advise you and I¡¯m worried that it¡¯s going to look like the SSA pointed you at this situation on purpose.¡± Interesting information. ¡°Wasn¡¯t that the case with my previous status also?¡± I ask, confused. ¡°Level 7 is high, yes, but numerically speaking there are hundreds of times more and those individuals tend to be assigned to work like this, so it¡¯s within the realms of coincidence. Level 9, though¡­¡± ¡°Is still a coincidence,¡± finishes Taiwo and B¡¯esloor fixes his small, dark eyes on him. ¡°Remember who Bronwic is teamed up with and the whole situation. It¡¯s absolutely plausible when you consider he has the Mark of Tenebris.¡± B¡¯esloor¡¯s eyes practically bug out of his head at that. I¡¯m not sure I¡¯m thrilled Taiwo feels comfortable spreading around things that I¡¯m keeping hidden, given some of the other things he knows. For now though I stay silent and go with it. ¡°Taiwo!¡± B¡¯esloor half wails and half growls. ¡°Did you have something to do with this? This smells worse and worse the more I find out!¡± ¡°Kauran is fine with it,¡± Taiwo says dismissively, clearly feeling the matter¡¯s been settled. ¡°Kauran is fine with a High Enforcer with the Mark of Tenebris going to Orvorax to recapture the planet and free the population as part of the KCT?¡± B¡¯esloor asks, clearly doubtful and possibly a bit stunned. I¡¯m not really sure I understand what the big deal is so I keep my mouth shut. Taiwo glances at me and then back at B¡¯esloor, then takes a deep breath. ¡°Look, if Bronwic hadn¡¯t made it here Tenebris would still have paid to have this mission as part of the KCT. He wants it done. The fact Bronwic is still alive and has been assigned to this Trial is a bonus and one we should support. Now, do your job and give Bronwic a rundown of what he¡¯s allowed to do and not allowed to do as part of the Trial. Pretend he¡¯s still got level 7, I don¡¯t care. We¡¯ve wasted enough time already and it¡¯s not long before he¡¯s transported there.¡± B¡¯esloor¡¯s eyes narrow and he looks at each of us, then around the room. I¡¯ve noticed a lot more of the notification screens around the room now depict alien Adventurers of all kinds engaged in combat, almost all of them. I wonder if one of the locations on the screens is Orvorax. ¡°Fine,¡± agrees B¡¯esloor, and I¡¯m glad Taiwo is here. ¡°Any advice for me?¡± I ask. ¡°Yeah. Win,¡± says Taiwo with one of those trademark grins. Time for a crash course then. 213. There Might Be a Better Way Welcome to the Koldaavi Combat Trials - Round 1! Competitor baselining complete. Trial baselining complete. A total of 78 competitors across the Universe are engaged in this Trial. You have been transported to your Trial location, Orvorax. Your Trial liaison has been notified - Zarithrax Vulkaainan. All competitors now have 10000 Universal Time Units (UTUs) to prepare. No hostile activity is permitted until your UTU counter reaches zero. Your task is to drive the Qillathe Syndicate from Orvorax. Success criteria: Round 2 of the KCT will commence in 3 million UTUs. Surviving competitors will be transported irrespective of Round 1 result. Best of luck, High Enforcer Cadimus. This notification window cannot be shared and will be deleted in 20 UTUs. A few seconds later the notification disappears and, as expected, I can¡¯t call it up again. The success criteria and information are fresh in my mind so I create another notification window in case I need to refer back to them. Just over an hour and a half before I can act, reserved as time to prepare to take back a captured and repressed moon. Just over 3 weeks to accomplish it. I wonder how many competitors have experience completing a mission like this. It¡¯s not the same, but what I went through with Oblivion Shroud has at least provided me with a potential path forward. Can I replicate what I did there and more, now that I have even more Skills and power at my disposal? Is this totally different? In a way I¡¯m looking forward to finding out, not just to help right a wrong but also to see what I¡¯m capable of now. Barren reddish land of sand and rock surround me in all directions as far as my Perception can detect, much further than my minimap stretches. It¡¯s how I imagine Mars looks, or at least did before the Mana Influx. It occurs to me that if Earth has been saturated with Mana there¡¯s a very high chance the other planets in our solar system have been too. What kinds of Teleports have arrived or Monsters have formed there? For a moment I worry about interplanetary danger to Earth, but I dismiss it quickly as Zarithrax appears, flying toward me. I¡¯m struck again how much he reminds me of Tenebris as his dark, powerful frame descends from the sky, leathery wings spread to slow his momentum and glowing amber eyes fixed on me. He¡¯s gained a Level I hope is from defeating Monsters on Earth, and I see he¡¯s no longer part of a Strike Force, now part of the Tenebris Special Forces instead, as he lands with a thump and a cloud of dust. He looms over me from a height perspective so I look up into his draconic features and wait to hear what he has to say Zarithrax Vulkaainan, Draconic Warlord, Elemental Mage, War Leader, Destroyer of the Yiiltin, Underworld Combat Champion, more¡­ (Level 29 Battle Tyrant) (L) [Tenebris Special Forces] [Laniakea Supercluster] ¡°So, not totally useless then¡­¡± he allows with a slight sneer. ¡°Not totally,¡± I agree. Something about the way he¡¯s standing and his posture makes me think he wants to test himself against me for a few moments, then it passes and he continues. ¡°This is your Trial, and there are no real restrictions on how you accomplish it, which allows all Classes to leverage their strengths. I have been stationed here for the last few weeks trying to understand the situation and how it can be rectified before it was selected as a KCT location. A fortuitous assignment for me, indeed.¡± ¡°Are you saying that the odds here have been tilted in my favor?¡± I ask, unsure if I should be concerned or not. ¡°That there is some gamesmanship going on? Risking disqualification due to outside help or influence is not something I signed up for.¡± Zarithrax growls in what I interpret as amusement. ¡°Hardly favorable odds. All Trials like this take advantage of circumstances to help to explain what¡¯s happened without tying it directly back to the KCT. In this case, a recent insurrection and takeover by the Qillathe Syndicate is more than enough reason for me to be here on behalf of Tenebris. And of course, those who engage the SSA for a Trial in exchange for Credits or favors have a vested interest in what happens so many Trials have people like me stationed at the location in advance.¡± The imposing Dragonkin pauses for a moment and I wait, aware of his presence but not bothered by it. ¡°No Bronwic, things here are not in your favor just as they weren¡¯t with Hvitserkur. I have been part of three Trials and this one is perhaps the most unfair in the other direction. You will be lucky to accomplish this Trial in the allotted time frame, before the public KCT rounds begin.¡± ¡°You will help me?¡± I ask, curious. Not much about his demeanor is making me think Zarithrax is going to give me a leg up in this Trial.Royal Road is the home of this novel. Visit there to read the original and support the author. ¡°Tenebris is my Liege, and I owe him everything. I will do everything I can to free the people who have been displaced and reclaim this moon, or die trying. Even if you are killed or your Trial time frame elapses, I will continue to fight,¡± he rumbles while his massive clawed right hand tightens into an iron fist. That seems pretty clear to me. I take him at face value and look around, keen to find out what I need to do and begin. ¡°Can you give me an overview of the situation here?¡± I ask. ¡°The population here was operating under one of the resource companies of Tenebris and slowly becoming prosperous, but now it is under heavy duress. There are hostages, Contracts, extortion, and practices that border on violating SSA Protocols. I suspect those are just the ones I can see and there is much worse under the surface. My understanding is your Trial is to fix the situation.¡± ¡°When do we begin?¡± ¡°Now,¡± he says. ¡°We will travel to our forces and join the Merchant, who is our cover story to explain why you are on this moon. Then you will either follow the plan we have laid out or devise another one. I will not support a plan that¡¯s doomed to fail, but we accept you are here to lead us for a reason and I need to make this right.¡± ¡°Where is the Merchant?¡± I ask, curious to try out Omnipresent if I can. ¡°Some distance from here. It will take us some time to get there.¡± ¡°She is powerful?¡± ¡°High Level dual Mythic Class,¡± he agrees. ¡°Very rare.¡± I wonder briefly why anyone on the verge of obtaining Legendary Skills would start again with a Basic Class, but put it behind me quickly. I¡¯m too worked up to use my Skill in a new way to dwell on it. I trigger Omnipresent and open myself up to everything on the moon. Using my newly enhanced Skill in conjunction with my Affinity, I filter through all the possibilities, everything I can find that feels like a cloud of dots lit up in my mind. Some of them are connected to each other like nodes. The brightness and color of the dots in the cloud that surrounds the planet helps me to find what I need, so I concentrate and filter down to only powerful Merchants. There are a dozen on the planet of sufficient Levels to meet the description, but only one is female and allied to Tenebris. I wonder if that¡¯s something only my Skill can sense or if she is openly allied with what is no doubt the losing side of a planetary insurrection. ¡°Found her,¡± I say and Zarithrax huffs through his nostrils in doubt. I form a Portal and he shifts his weight in surprise as he sees the female Goblin on the other side. I push with my will and my Affinity into Omnipresent and adjust the way I¡¯m preparing to manifest the Portal with a thrill, understanding at an instinctive level that I can now create one that allows Zarithrax to pass through it if I need to. ¡°Maybe when I manifest the Portal you should go through?¡± I suggest. ¡°Just in case she has defensive measures in place?¡± ¡°We are her defensive measures,¡± he replies. Still, I manifest the Portal in a position that faces Zarithrax and motion him to go first. He does, and by the time I¡¯m in position to follow him it¡¯s clear that his sudden entrance has caused some commotion on the other side. I smile to myself and step through the Portal. We might have a few weeks to finish this Trial but it¡¯s still a race against time and I¡¯m keen to get started. No defensive measures hit me as I enter the room and close my Portal behind me. I release some of the tension I¡¯m carrying out of habit because I¡¯ve entered enough rooms with people I don¡¯t know through a Portal to expect that 95% of the time somebody reacts immediately, and who can blame them really? I do the same. There are a few Mythic combat Classers here who close around the Merchant protectively, I assume the core part of the bodyguards on a normal day. No weapons are drawn which means they¡¯ll all probably survive this encounter. All of them are totally overshadowed by the power of Zarithrax, who feels more like a tiger prowling amongst some kittens. I turn my attention to the Goblin Merchant and pull her top level Status. Kretchna Plinvarxorith, Peacekeeper, Appraisal Guild Mistress, Explorer, Treasure Hunter, more¡­ (Level 28 Element Merchant, Level 25 Negotiator) (M) [Tagoniin Mercantile Guild] [Laniakea Supercluster] She has the Mark of Tenebris, but it¡¯s hidden and so I¡¯m guessing whoever we¡¯re going to see in the Qillathe Syndicate doesn¡¯t know we¡¯re all associated with Tenebris. Of course, assuming anyone is ignorant ignores the options for collecting warnings and intelligence which far outstrip anything I¡¯ve personally experienced. ¡°Greetings, High Enforcer Cadimus,¡± she says. Her voice is surprisingly light for a Goblin and her Charisma is obviously high, though probably nowhere near where my still-repressed Charisma sits now. I wonder briefly if I should try to find a way to hide my High Enforcer Title, it seems to be the one people outside of Earth gravitate to and I¡¯m still not sure what it means. ¡°Greetings, Kretchna,¡± I reply with a grin. ¡°I understand we have some work to do together. Is it appropriate for us to speak in private?¡± At that her bodyguards bristle, a mixture of Goblins and much more powerful, hobgoblin-like Bauchan Warriors. They don¡¯t call any weapons to hand though, and Zarithrax surveys them critically, completely relaxed, as if daring any of them to try something. It¡¯s a bit arrogant and jerky, but I kind of like it. ¡°Guards, give us 1000 UTUs please,¡± she says to the bodyguards. They don¡¯t look particularly pleased but don¡¯t say a word against it and exit the room which looks a lot like an old style eating hall with huge wooden tables combined with a furniture store. I take a closer look at Kretchna while they exit. Her sharp features are unusually symmetrical for a Goblin with high cheekbones, a pointed chin, slightly upturned almond-shaped eyes, and long black hair that flows like ink rather than a birds¡¯ nest. She¡¯s dressed in layers of mismatched fabrics that somehow blend into something appealing that makes sense and all of her movements look deliberate, calculated to hold my attention or disarm any suspicions. I can see why Zarithrax called her Class combination very rare, and very powerful. ¡°So¡­ Zarithrax mentioned there¡¯s the bones of a plan?¡± I ask once the three of us are alone and gesture to some of the furniture. The mismatched styles and sizes are actually totally appropriate since the size difference between Kretchna and Zarithrax is enormous, with me somewhere in the middle. ¡°The Qillathe Syndicate¡¯s seat of power is about 10 kilometers from here, in the largest extraction and manufacturing facility on the moon. However, there are many other facilities of a similar size and dozens more research and military facilities. Bringing in an army would likely result in the population being slaughtered, the facilities being destroyed, and the Syndicate pulling back to one of their strongholds. My legitimate mission here is to approach them and try to recover the moon by buying it back, essentially paying a ransom. This is an activity I have done many times before, including two successful transactions with the Qillathe. They are reprehensible, but usually open to negotiation. However, in this case we have reliable information that they will certainly refuse because of the economic potential of the resources here, combined with the powerful position they have over the population, which is very skilled, ¡± she says. Zarithrax sneers and shifts forward in his seat like he¡¯s going to surge out of it and knock some heads together. ¡°And¡­ we, or maybe just I, are rogue elements that you can dissociate yourself with during the negotiations and plausibly claim I am acting in my capacity as a High Enforcer rather than a bodyguard?¡± I ask. ¡°Precisely,¡± she agrees. ¡°I have hired you due to your results in the KCC and you are exploring the Universe, escaping the latest Mana Influx.¡± ¡°That doesn¡¯t sound like me,¡± I comment. ¡°They don¡¯t know that,¡± says Kretchna, and I can see she¡¯s right. ¡°You will accompany me into their headquarters and disappear when you deem it appropriate. Security there is very tight, it is only my reputation that will get us in.¡± I scratch my chin in thought. ¡°I appreciate your plan, I really do. And the fact you are willing to put your life and reputation on the line to reclaim Orvorax and help with my Trial.¡± Kretchna tilts her head in acknowledgement. ¡°But?¡± interjects Zarithrax. ¡°But¡­ there might be another way,¡± I suggest. 214. No More Chances Most of the population I¡¯m here to free are Kylaren, an ancient semi-humanoid species generally a bit taller than humans and known for their ability to extract arcane resources. They have long, spindly frames composed of a pale exoskeleton with glowing, bioluminescent veins running through them. Built naturally much more for magical and Crafting endeavors than combat, their natural leanings are then manifested in the kinds of Classes they generally have and their society leans toward Crafting, trade, and economic activities. The Kylaren have a rare adaptation; their large eyes shimmer and allow them to inherently detect Mana currents and mineral Mana signatures deep within rock and solid formations, giving them huge advantages in that kind of work. Their hands are long and dextrous and their fingers end in fine, extremely sharp and durable claws that are capable of carving delicate runes directly into most materials. From what Kretchna has told me, the Kylaren view rare resource extraction as both a science and an art that allows them to mine very quickly with minimum disturbance to the environment. Orvorax is apparently not the only place where you can find Kylaren, the species is spread throughout the Universe on more than a hundred worlds. Unfortunately, due to their nature the kind of oppression that the Qillathe Syndicate has brought to Orvorax isn¡¯t unique. In most cases economic and military ties manage to keep the Kylaren out of the worst of trouble through sanctions and counter-offensives, but in this case the takeover was fast and organised meaning it¡¯s very entrenched and the Syndicate has made their play; they¡¯re not budging. Hurting the Kylaren¡¯s case is that the elements and magical substances found on Orvorax are of medium value and rarity, meaning the cost of trying to take back production is a tough calculation. As a moon it¡¯s apparently not even a huge prize. I don¡¯t know what the deal behind all this is, but I assume getting Orvorax on the docket for the KCT costs less than lunar counter-invasion where there are no winners in the aftermath. I spend a few hours with Kretchna and Zarithrax gathering my own information. We leverage their knowledge of the situation to look through my Portals at what¡¯s going on within the headquarters and a number of extraction and processing facilities. We find and examine locations where hostages are being held under harsh conditions and I have to restrain myself from manifesting a Portal and jumping through to free them immediately. We see Kylarens being beaten, working because their families are being held hostage, and worse. We watch some resist, but those are put down mercilessly and tortured to create horrible examples for others to learn from. The only thing that holds me back is the knowledge that once I¡¯ve learned enough I will unleash everything I have on this situation. After their initial shock of what I can do while I leave the first part of Omnipresent triggered, they get fully on board with the idea we can get a full assessment of the situation and even begin bringing in a few key Kylarens who have managed to avoid capture and are part of what could be termed an underground resistance, if only they were more combat ready as a species. The odd one does have a combat Class and some decent equipment, but it takes no time at all to conclude they¡¯re not turning this situation around by themselves. We view a short battle between some Kylarens and the Chimorak at a more remote processing facility which ends in a massacre; the Chimorak firepower and skill is vastly greater. Why wasn¡¯t this world better protected? Why did the Chimorak decide on a gamble like this and win? I spend only a few short moments considering since it¡¯s not changing and I need to focus on the task at hand. Winning this Trial is still my motivator, but it¡¯s not just about the Trial anymore, this is something that needs fixing. I feel tempted to check on things on Earth just thinking about it. Hopefully what I¡¯m doing here and the potential to win the KCT will make more of an impact than I could back there. A force multiplier. Enough planning. Someone else might already be winning. ¡°It¡¯s time,¡± I say to Zarithrax and Kretchna with certainty, and I move my Portal to the key room in the Chimorak headquarters, where we¡¯ve decided it will begin. The room is a hexagonal functional space with curved walls that flow seamlessly into the ceiling and floor, lacking any sharp edges. It looks like it¡¯s been built for the Kylarens, not the Chimorak who are hybrid creatures with modular biology, allowing them to adapt to multiple environments. I can¡¯t get a clear picture without pulling Statuses of what kind of a Class each of them have. They¡¯re fearsome predators as well as ingenious inventors of organic technology. Infinitely diverse, mostly with multiple body parts whether it¡¯s legs, arms, torsos, or heads. It¡¯s bathed with a dim, phosphorescent light coming from wall panels that reminds me of the veins in a Kylaren exoskeleton. Pod-like, semi-translucent alcoves line the walls with faintly glowing energy fields. At the center of the room is a low, circular table made of a crystalline material. Its surface looks alive with shifting patterns that provide a view of the resource harvesting operations. Suspended from the ceiler are organic-looking vines and cables that pulse with energy. I scan the room looking for the boss and soon find her. Threxil Dravith, Conqueror, Administrator (Level 18 Resource Harvester) (L) [Chimorak] [Qillathe Syndicate Resource Acquisition Force] [Orvorax] Next to Threxil is her Bodyguard. Half a dozen Mythic Class thugs are also hanging around; they don¡¯t look busy. In contrast, twice that many Chimorak are frantically darting around and performing tasks on different panels within the room and moving their limbs around in ways that make me suspect they are manipulating notification screens. I eye the Bodyguard with interest, he might be the biggest problem. Iyhila Tyrvok, Force Multiplier, Protector, Guardian, Shield of Haviir, Delver, Defender of the Nilhoor Gate (Level 21 Elite Mercenary Bodyguard) (L) [Chimorak] [Qillathe Syndicate Resource Acquisition Force] Health: 8390/8390 Mana: 3220/3220 Conditions: Environmental Adaptation, Iron Oath, Wardenshield, Lifebond, Aegis Surge A glance at Zarithrax and Kretchna reminding them to stay back and then I manifest the Portal to the room. Strong resistance, very strong resistance, tries to keep my Omnipresent Skill from forming the Portal. I shove with my will and break through the barrier with ease causing my Portal to snap into being. Spatial Lock penetrated. I enjoy the thought they believed they were safe and protected as I step through the Portal into the room. All of the Chimorak freeze as I unleash my newly raised Charisma to send waves of threat and intimidation washing over them, without even having triggered a Skill. Only the two Legendaries push it aside. Threxil the Resource Harvester looks around quickly as if wondering what happened to the Spatial Lock and the Bodyguard reacts instantly by triggering multiple defensive Skills at Threxil.If you discover this tale on Amazon, be aware that it has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road. Please report it. ¡°Stop!¡± I command, not really expecting it to make any difference. Iyhila Charges me while he pulls a massive tower shield from his Inventory and more Skills and spells trigger from both of them. I lay down a quick Psychic Eruption across the room and everyone else crumples to the ground. Threxil is stunned, but the Bodyguard shrugs it off and it¡¯s clear that if I want this Skill to be effective against Legendary Classes I¡¯m going to have to drop more points into it. Before the Bodyguard can crash into me I¡¯ve called my Swords to my hands and triggered Wraithstrike, passing through him and then I materialize in the middle of a double, spinning backhand chop across his body. My newly enhanced Swords and Strength overwhelm his defensive armor, Skills, and Attributes instantly and carve him into three pieces. I Loot the body casually and turn my attention to Threxil, who is still recovering and watching me warily. ¡°You¡¯ve made a big mistake,¡± she snarls at me. Surrounded by her dead bodyguards and assistants, I¡¯m not sure it lands with a lot of force. ¡°I am Bronwic Cadimus. Release all the Kylarens including the hostages and vacate this moon immediately. Take nothing with you,¡± I growl out, no room for negotiation in my voice. ¡°If you don¡¯t, I¡¯ll remove you from this moon like I removed Oblivion Shroud from my planet.¡± She isn¡¯t phased by my threat and I catch the second she must try to access information about me through my Status or call on a notification. Perhaps send a message. ¡°If you kill me, the hostages will die and my commander will destroy you and whatever pitiful group you¡¯re working with,¡± she declares. Her odd frame shifts position to face me squarely, showing her confidence. It¡¯s clear she still thinks that she has all the cards despite what¡¯s just happened. ¡°More guards are just about to arrive. Surrender or I will start executing hostages immediately.¡± ¡°Your commander will take revenge if I kill you?¡± I ask, my anger starting to build, not just about this situation. I trigger Omnipresent and push with my will to trace the connection from Threxil to her commander and manifest a Portal, then step through. Hundreds of bullets and lasers strike my Elemental Aegis with green flares and collapse it, tearing at me. I ignore them all and grab the Qillathe commander then surge back through the Portal, closing it behind me. ¡°Gah!¡± he grunts as I hold his odd body up, multiple arms and legs straining and striking with me. Spells, Skills, and blades hammer into me as I stare straight into Threxil¡¯s many eyes without flinching, my Resistances and regeneration taking everything he can give and more. ¡°No!¡± shouts Threxil as I call a Sword to my hand and whip it back and forth through her commander¡¯s body like a hot knife through butter. I kick his remains aside as she drops a powerful portable shield generator and then another, trying to protect herself. ¡°Leave or the hostages will all die! I will give the order now!¡± she shouts. I surge forward with Wraithstrike straight through her shields and trigger Omnipresent at the same time, then open a Portal so she can see through it. On the other side are her closest family members. ¡°Ah!¡± she cries. ¡°They will die in glory!¡± I can see in her body position she¡¯s going to do it no matter what the cost. She¡¯s going to order as many Kylarens to be killed as she can unless I surrender. I refuse to let this happen. Refuse to let them continue. Refuse to let them kill the hostages. I release the Portal and dive deep into Omnipresent, pushing with my Affinity and the new strength it has. I reach out all over the moon and force my Skill to show me everyone. All the Chimorak who are holding hostages. My Skill bucks and twists at being forced in this way but my new integrated Skill can do it, I can feel it. I find hundreds of Chimorak, thousands, in a moment. I can feel the strain trying to rip me apart but it¡¯s blunted by my new capability and it¡¯s no match for my Constitution and regeneration rates. I grit my teeth, far away from the room I¡¯m standing in, as physical punishment starts to hit me while more guards arrive to help Threxil. Instead I open Edges. So many Edges, everywhere I can find Chimorak holding hostages. I don¡¯t try to trigger a Portal, it¡¯s too much. Just a small Edge from here to there, hundreds of them. A connection I can use. In the distance I set my feet and hold myself rooted in place with my Strength as my body is battered. With anger and urgency I trigger Fury of the Clan through my Edges, forcing them to accept the Skill through the small conduit across space with my Affinity. I trigger 20 Furies and decimate hundreds of Chimorak in the biggest locations I¡¯m connected to. My Stamina drops like a stone as my Health see-saws and I trigger Elemental Aegis again to help me focus. Each second I trigger four more Fury of the Clans through new Edges as my Stamina recovers. After another three seconds a piercing shout hits me. ¡°Stop!¡± Threxil shouts, trying to shake me with her many limbs even though I¡¯m an immovable object. Her odd face is right in mine and the guards are no longer trying to hurt me. ¡°What are you?¡± she shouts and pauses for half a second, stunned with what I¡¯ve done. I don¡¯t stop and as another second ticks over I kill dozens more Chimorak. ¡°We will leave! We will leave!¡± she shouts at me. I pause for a moment and turn my attention to her. She has an odd, alien, organic smell. The strain of holding open all the Edges is unbearable without my full concentration so I drop them for now and my Stamina starts to build back up. Notifications flash in the corner of my vision. ¡°You have five hundred UTUs to start your evacuation of this world and ten thousand to be completely off this moon. Leave everything. Anyone from the Qillathe Syndicate left on Orvorax in ten thousand UTUs will die.¡± ¡°We need more time!¡± she protests. ¡°This was the road you chose. There will be no negotiation,¡± I declare with no doubt whatsoever in my voice. ¡°Let me send out word now,¡± she asks. ¡°Time is ticking,¡± I reply flatly. The guards file out but Threxil remains, manipulating notification screens and ordering Qillathe Syndicate members to retreat. I wonder how much of it is for me, for show. Surely they have secure communication channels and I can¡¯t see her notification screens. A couple minutes later my Foresight Skill activates and I see Chimorak warriors from the Qillathe Syndicate appear at Carter¡¯s house and try to capture my family. I watch as the scene blurs by and Logan defeats them all, but in the battle Millie and Benjamin are both killed, their bodies laying broken and bloody. I yell in anger and frustration and trigger Omnipresent again and step through to Carter¡¯s house. ¡°Basement!¡± I yell, and not even Logan questions me. They all race down the stairs and a few seconds later a Portal opens. Before any of the Qillathe Syndicate goons can come through I use my Affinity to alter the Portal¡¯s composition and step through myself to their side into some kind of military base. The Chimorak I saw with Foresight are all racing toward this Portal to capture my family and Foresight flashes again showing Uncle Ant under attack. I rip through everything around me with my Swords and Fury of the Clan. Hundreds of specialist troops fall in the first few seconds, then they rally and start hitting me with everything they have. I drop more Fury of the Clans and now that they¡¯re attacking me, Guilty as Charged. Less than a minute later the entire military base is silent and bodies lay everywhere. I¡¯m mad as fuck and trigger Omnipresent to take myself back to Threxil. I emerge on a ship and when she sees me she scrambles away. ¡°We will rape your world!¡± she screams and I decide there are no more chances. I slice her apart with my Swords and reach out with Fury of the Clan all around, imploding every Qillathe Syndicate member I can find. With my new Skills I stand in the ship surrounded by blood and open more Edges every few seconds, closing Edges where I leave behind dozens or hundreds dead. I¡¯m sure some of them are innocent or just doing their job. I don¡¯t give a shit. Twenty minutes later there¡¯s not a single Qillathe Syndicate member on Orvorax, and I¡¯m not done yet. I feel myself shaking and I close my eyes then spend a few minutes trying to center myself. I know what my next step is going to be if the Qillathe Syndicate is now a threat to Earth, and I¡¯ve got until the next round of the KCT to change their minds. 215. Runic Recall Congratulations! You¡¯ve completed the first Trial of the KCT successfully! All conditions met. You have 500 UTUs to prepare to be transported. XP awarded for completion of this Trial: +5,000,000 Additional KCT placement XP awards delayed until KCT completion. It¡¯s good to get confirmation that I¡¯ve completed the Trial successfully. In the chaos I was sure that most of the production facilities remained functional, but I wasn¡¯t as sure about more than 90% of the population making it through. I feel relieved that it¡¯s happened through the still seething anger of my family being targeted again. Before I go after the Qillathe Syndicate I dismiss all the kill notifications and Dark Mana Tempered Resistance increase notifications and open the ones I really want to see. Level Up! *2 You have reached Level 26 as a Human Sentinel +8 Aura, +8 Mana +130 free Attribute points to assign You have 130 free Attribute points to assign Would you like to allocate them now? (Y/N) You have 17 unallocated Class Skill points Would you like to allocate them now? (Y/N) I put all 130 free Attributes in Constitution as I¡¯ve planned now for ages, knowing how much Stamina my Tier 4 Skills will cost me to use. I¡¯ve already brought my Aura up enough to handle the Mana regeneration penalties from Runic Recall and rounded out my Strength and Agility. Time to double down on my biggest advantage. Congratulations! You have reached Level 25 as a Human Sentinel. Tier 4 Class Skills now available. You have 17 unallocated Class Skill points. I¡¯ve had a plan about placing my Class Skill points for a while that has a bit of flexibility and I¡¯ve already picked what I want to Evolve. I call up the Skill descriptions again, just because it¡¯s such a big deal and a one way door that I can¡¯t walk back through if I make a mistake. Echoes of Einherjar (Human Sentinel Skill - Tier 4) (Level 1 of 10) The Sentinel unleashes ancient power, channeling the combined might of human heroes who answer from beyond the veil. Effect: spectral Warriors materialize around the Sentinel for 100 seconds and battle at the Sentinel¡¯s commands Cost: 5000 Stamina Additional Skill points grant access to more Warriors and increased duration Runic Recall (Human Sentinel Skill - Tier 4) (Level 1 of 10) The Sentinel protects humanity to the death and in exchange the collective Mana of humanity can bring the Sentinel back to the living. Effect: This Skill embeds runes in the Sentinel¡¯s body that trigger when the Sentinel reaches 1 Health and absorb all damage until the Sentinel reaches 100% Health Cooldown: 100 days Cost: Mana regeneration reduced by 10 permanently Additional Skill points reduce the cooldown duration Sentinel¡¯s Verdict (Human Sentinel Skill - Tier 4) (Level 1 of 10) On behalf of humanity, the Sentinel delivers retribution and protects those that have not yet fallen. Effect: delivers a powerful targeted attack enhanced by the power of humanity¡¯s recently slain and injured Cost: 3000 Stamina Additional Skill points grant increased damage While I¡¯m looking them over I feel a disturbance around me with my Affinity as the KCT transfer by teleportation triggers around me and tries to pull me back. I fully open up my Affinity and push it back with an effort of will, my Skills and SMI supporting it. Space around me wavers as the forces compete to complete their directives. I stand firm and then slowly use my Affinity to unravel the KCT teleportation attempt, then disperse it. A minute passes as I wait for another attempt that never comes. Perhaps they¡¯re familiar enough with my abilities to know I¡¯m not keen, or perhaps whatever was on the other side of the attempt needs some repair and recovery. Dismissing it from my mind, I refocus on picking my Skills.Unauthorized usage: this narrative is on Amazon without the author''s consent. Report any sightings. I glance over them once more and then put one point in Echoes of Einherjar and one point in Sentinel¡¯s Verdict. I¡¯m keen to see what Echoes can do, especially in the third Trial, since my ability to cause widespread havoc has a very definite ceiling right now. I¡¯m also keen to compare Verdict to Psychic Blast and understand how they compare. In theory Verdict is Tier 4 so will be more powerful, but if it¡¯s similar to Fury of the Clan then Psychic Blast might be a better, different attack vector to Evolve. I will have 8 Class Skill points after this before moving to Ascended Class and that means two Evolutions and a few other points to spread around where needed. There was never any doubt in my mind since the time I saw it that Runic Recall would be a Skill I¡¯d Evolve if I could ever make it this far and not spend my Class Skill points. Looking forward to seeing what happens except for the Mana regeneration I¡¯m going to lose, I drop ten Class Skill points in it and trigger the Evolution. Glowing cryptic runes of all colors surround me in a sphere and then with a flash collapse into my body, etching themselves over every inch of my skin. Class Skill Evolved! Runic Recall (Human Sentinel Skill) (Evolved) The Sentinel protects humanity to the death and in exchange the collective Mana of humanity can bring the Sentinel back to the living. Enhanced effect: This Skill embeds runes in the Sentinel¡¯s body that trigger when the Sentinel reaches 1 Health and absorb all damage until the Sentinel reaches 100% Health Cooldown: 1 hour Synergy with Dark Mana Tempered Unique Evolution effect: Runes double the effects of the Dark Mana Tempered Title It¡¯s been a long road. A fucking long road, actually. This Skill combined with all my others and whatever kind of crazy Evolution my SMI went through are probably going to keep me around for a while, as long as I don¡¯t get myself killed twice in one hour. Over time, doubling my Dark Mana Tempered Title is going to make a big difference too. Automatically adapting to counter whatever damages me is an incredibly powerful passive ability in the long term. Satisfied with my choices, I close all my notification windows and trigger Omnipresent again. My path forward is quite uncertain even though what I want is very clear, to avoid repercussions from what I¡¯ve just done that might fall on Earth, my family, and Orvorax. Do I want to go further? Yes. Do I think I can right every wrong and single handedly take on all the unsavory organizations in the Universe? Definitely not today. I¡¯m still trying to protect Earth and charity begins at home. Perhaps I went a little overboard on Orvorax, but they made it deeply personal for me. Are my actions causing more danger than they¡¯re helping? It¡¯s impossible to know in advance. I settle my mind and try to locate high ranking members of the Qillathe Syndicate. The fact I¡¯ve fought them tooth and nail helps my Know Thy Enemy Skill and my other synergized Skills find what I need. Trouble is, it¡¯s daunting. The Qillathe Syndicate is much bigger than Oblivion Shroud. Tens of thousands of worlds across the Universe. A shit ton of Legendary Classers and a lot of Ascended Class as well. Really a lot. Have I bitten off more than I can chew? Is it better to see if I¡¯m below the radar rather than kick another hornets¡¯ nest? Taking back an entire moon in a few hours wasn¡¯t exactly staying under the radar¡­ maybe that¡¯s why they allow more time for these Trials? My head hurts with the possibilities and I swear in frustration. All these mental and political games are far beyond me. It¡¯s much simpler when someone or something is trying to kill you, so you kill them first. Instead of diving head first into this, I find B¡¯esloor with Omnipresent and manifest a Portal. Maybe he¡¯ll help me understand the situation I¡¯ve gotten myself into. ¡°Bronwic!¡± he exclaims when I step through into a large space with dozens of species of people running around. His vibe is a bit frantic and he tries to pull me aside through an open door to a smaller room. I decide to let him and he closes the door behind us then turns to me without any pleasantries. ¡°By the Gods! How did you do it? Nobody has ever finished this Trial so quickly and my channels are going nuts! The Qillathe Syndicate has directly requested a statement from the SSE as to why you targeted Orvorax. I think it¡¯s just a ploy to see if they can take you out without any repercussions. Apparently the Kylarens have control of Orvorax and none of the Syndicates¡¯ people escaped the moon during the counter offensive. None? None!¡± He stops waving his arms and talking too fast then looks around as if wondering if there¡¯s someone listening in his own room under his own security. ¡°Seriously, Bronwic. What did you do?¡± ¡°I freed them,¡± I reply simply. ¡°I finished the Trial.¡± B¡¯esloor stares at me blankly, not understanding. ¡°They went after my family, B¡¯esloor. I gave them an opportunity to surrender, but they were going to kill all the hostages and more. Then they tried to capture my family on Earth to try to control me. I stopped them and then it got a bit messy. I wasn¡¯t in a negotiating mood.¡± I notice the effect my words have on B¡¯esloor and realize that in my anger I haven¡¯t modulated the impact of my increased Charisma and he¡¯s feeling very uncomfortable, perhaps worried or afraid. I dial it back down and he seems to relax a tiny bit. ¡°It was a brutal takeover by the Qillathe and the situation was difficult, which is why it made it through as a Trial. The odds against you succeeding were very high at all, never mind on the first day.¡± He seems to want me to say something. Instead, I shrug. What is there to say? ¡°What now, B¡¯esloor? Do I need to continue to protect Orvorax? Worry about the Qillathe Syndicate continuing to target my family or Earth? Watch my back?¡± ¡°Give me a moment,¡± he says, and starts working his way through notifications. I glance over at the low couches and coffee table-esque furniture, then go sit down and pull some food out of my Inventory. Something normal to focus on right now is good. After a few minutes of eating some good old fashioned pasta from Earth while B¡¯esloor frantically juggles notifications, he breaks the silence. ¡°Give me another few moments,¡± he says, and I nod and return to my food. I¡¯ve only barely started when a Portal starts to form in the room. On instinct I stand from the couch and call my Swords to my hands then ramp up Acceleration while I reach out with my Affinity, ready for anything. I immediately recognize Dhromea¡¯s Portal signature and dismiss my Swords, then call them back almost instantly. Surely someone¡¯s Portal signature could be copied? When the Portal opens I dismiss my Swords and release Acceleration, this time more at ease, as Dhromea and Taiwo step through. She gives me a wave and an expression I interpret to be genuine pleasure to see me alive. Taiwo, on the other hand, immediately looks at me and laughs; it¡¯s a happy laugh full of joy which is in contrast to my mood. I need to learn to be more like Taiwo. I wonder how Zarithrax and Kretchna feel about how everything went down. ¡°Unbelievable,¡± Taiwo says, his long blonde hair waving back and forth as he shakes his head. ¡°No other word for it. Unbelievable.¡± That feels good. Before I can respond B¡¯esloor interrupts. ¡°Bronwic, I can tell you that you shouldn¡¯t face overt repercussions at this time. During new dialogue between the SSA and the Qillathe Syndicate some prepared evidence was presented and the Syndicate was forced to admit they¡¯ve violated a number of Protocols on Orvorax. This gives them no choice but to agree you were within your rights to act as you did as a High Enforcer who happened to encounter the situation. They have protested your methods as a brutal and unjustified overreach, to which the SSA has simply reiterated its position. They may still seek revenge in the shadows, but overt action is unlikely in the opinion of the SSA. They thank you for your service so far in the Trials.¡± I¡¯m not going to count on the Qillathe Syndicate taking no action against me, just like I¡¯m always wondering in the back of my mind when Oblivion Shroud might show up directly or indirectly. I resolve to make sure my Foresight thresholds are set low for a long, long time when it comes to the people I really care about and, to a lesser extent, to inform me of dangerous situations on Earth. ¡°Let¡¯s chat about what next,¡± suggests Taiwo. I nod and gesture to one of the couches in the room. Ignoring my gesture, Taiwo brings out his comfortable furniture instead. This time I don¡¯t take a seat; I¡¯m not feeling too comfortable right now and I think that¡¯s the right way to be. 216. Deadly Threats ¡°What did you decide?¡± Taiwo asks once we¡¯re settled and I know exactly what he means. He¡¯s clearly seen that I¡¯ve crossed the Level 25 threshold. B¡¯esloor has excused himself to take care of the mountain of trouble I¡¯ve caused him, or so he says. He¡¯s not taking it badly, if anything he seems energized by what¡¯s happened. Dhromea¡¯s been called away to some other situation, not unusual for someone of her talents given the need of so many people to travel quickly on Galactic business. I don¡¯t get a chance to speak with her about the changes to my Omnipresent Skill, but hope I get the chance sometime and now that I can find anyone with my Skill, it can happen. So¡­ it¡¯s just Taiwo and I again as it has been so many times, although the dynamic has changed. I consider how much to tell Taiwo about what¡¯s happened to me. Lingering, unformed doubts about his loyalties make me hesitate slightly even though I have absolutely no real evidence that he¡¯s betrayed me in any way. Half remembered fragments of some hazy conversations that might have been my imagination. I go with my gut and trust him. ¡°I picked up all three of the Tier 4 Skills and Evolved Runic Recall,¡± I reply, then flick over the description to him. He stares at the notification for quite a while before he speaks. ¡°This¡­ I¡¯ve never even heard of something like this,¡± he marvels, and then looks at me. ¡°Unique Class combined with unique Evolutions and unique circumstances. Surely somewhere else in the Universe this has happened, but¡­¡± ¡°I¡¯m going to be pretty hard to put down,¡± I suggest and Taiwo laughs, his gills vibrating. ¡°How many Class Skill points you have left?¡± he asks. ¡°What choices do you have remaining?¡± ¡°Enough that I can drop more points in something if I need it,¡± I say. ¡°And¡­ you want to hunt? Should we hunt? We have quite a lot of time until the next Trial and you still need to Level up as much as you can. More Skill points and Attributes for the Trials can only help, though I admit you may have an insurmountable lead already unless someone else happens to finish in record time. From what I¡¯ve seen, I suspect there will be more danger from outside the Trial than inside it for you.¡± There¡¯s no suggestion from Taiwo that he might be heading somewhere else and I guess it makes sense. We¡¯re friends and he¡¯s part of my KCT advisory team; perhaps that¡¯s more than enough to keep him interested, especially if he¡¯s going to get some XP out of it. ¡°I have some new armor and weapons, very powerful. I¡¯m keen to give them a try,¡± he says, and I can tell he is very serious and interested. ¡°Your next Trial will be a powerful Monster, perhaps almost Level 300, but that seems to be an everyday occurrence on Earth with you Portaling to danger.¡± ¡°Just a Tuesday,¡± I agree and then wonder how that translates to Taiwo. Surely Merpeople don¡¯t have the same days of the week we do. Path forward determined for now, I consider grabbing Logan for a moment and then reject it. For me to get enough XP to keep increasing my Level I¡¯m going to have to go places that are too dangerous for him right now. Maybe not in the future, but for now it¡¯s too much. ¡°Let¡¯s do it.¡± I trigger Omnipresent and search for trouble on Earth while Taiwo equips some inky black armor that seems to flow all over his body. It looks like sludge crawling with nanites that undulates when he moves. A rough wooden staff appears in his hands that¡¯s topped by a fiery red crystal that pulses ominously. My Mana Affinity stirs and I settle my mind then reach out carefully with it toward the staff. The unseen Mana currents beyond what I can easily detect are so complex and dense that it feels like putting my hand on the stove and I retract my Affinity, then go back to exploring with Omnipresent. Jeff mentioned that Earth is still having trouble with the most powerful Monsters that are developing and Teleports that appear through wormholes. Since I¡¯ve got Taiwo with me and I need to test out what I can do now, I pick the highest Level, most powerful threat I can find and open a Portal to scout it in the middle of the Sahara Desert. I¡¯m keen, but looking before I leap is still a sensible move. This looks perfect, like a walking natural disaster. Behemoth Manticore (Level 371) Health: 28120/28320 Mana: 4870/6400 Conditions: Arcane Carapace, Legendary Regeneration, Mythic Mirror, more¡­ The Manticore¡¯s lionine body ripples with muscle as it somehow scutters around a huge sandstone cavern despite its size. All around it are dead carcasses of other large Monsters in various states of ruin. Some of them are still smoking and sizzling while the Manticore¡¯s fur looks untouched and shimmers with a magical aura. A scorpion tail, tipped with a wickedly barbed stinger, crackles with potent green lightning that I can tell is dangerous even through the Portal. ¡°You ready for this?¡± I ask Taiwo. I¡¯ve been around him long enough to know he looks a bit nervous about taking on what I¡¯ve found. ¡°As long as I¡¯m providing ranged support, of course I¡¯ll watch your back¡± he replies and I want to laugh, but instead accept the support with a nod. I won¡¯t be getting up close until I¡¯ve tried out my new Skills and I appreciate he¡¯s not going to bail. ¡°How are you going to get that next Level if you don¡¯t get your hands dirty?¡± I inquire. ¡°There¡¯s dirty, and then there¡¯s¡­ that.¡± Fair enough. This looks like one tough bastard and that¡¯s exactly what I want. I move the Portal to a position well outside the cavern and then manifest it. A blast of hot, toxic air hits us as soon as we step through; it seems like there may be a lot more about the Manticore that¡¯s poisonous than its stinger. This is not the kind of environment that a Merman is comfortable in and although he¡¯s hardy and it¡¯s perfectly survivable, Taiwo is sealed up in his dark armor and helmet. I¡¯m operating under the assumption something this powerful will have a way to detect us, so before the Manticore can focus on us I trigger Echoes of Einherjar for the first time and my Stamina dips by a third. Around me, ten spectral warriors rise up out of the ground. A powerful looking mix of human melee Classes with different weapons and armor takes shape quickly and I feel the pull of bringing them up almost as if I¡¯m lifting them myself. It takes maybe a second for them to fully form into solid, translucent figures. I find that I can command them with a thought and I send them off to fight the Manticore. Let¡¯s see what they¡¯ve got. They move quickly, practically flying across the ground, and hit the Manticore from three sides at the same time. I can see how overwhelming this Skill might be if I wasn¡¯t facing a Monster that¡¯s almost Level 400. Maybe I should think about more Class Skill points in it. More warriors, more damage. An army to command, at least for a minute or two. A few weapons strike the Manticore and its Health drops slightly, but the Manticore doesn¡¯t exactly stand still and wait to be hacked to death by a thousand cuts. Its massive stinger cracks through the air like a whip and slams into spectral warriors, causing them to flicker and pause before they slowly take time to solidify again. The Manticore tramples some, spins to swat others away, and stings the rest. Within a few seconds the mini battle is over, or at least paused until the spectral warriors recover, and all that¡¯s happened is we¡¯ve tickled it a bit. I haven¡¯t been idle during these few seconds and neither has Taiwo. He¡¯s flown a short distance away and pulls a massive rail gun from his Inventory to track the Manticore with. My Stamina is back to full as the Manticore charges out of the cavern and onto the sand, its legs biting deeply into the ground with each step. I¡¯m ready for it.If you encounter this story on Amazon, note that it''s taken without permission from the author. Report it. First I trigger Sentinel¡¯s Verdict, crushing the Manticore¡¯s very being with the weight of humanity¡¯s battles. I can feel the massive power behind my Skill¡¯s attack even with only one Class Skill point allocated as the Manticore¡¯s knees buckle, and then part of the damage is reflected back at me from one of the Manticore¡¯s Skills. Fucking high Level Monsters! I stagger as the Manticore recovers quickly and unleashes what looks like a torrent of necrotic energy from its stinger. I dial Acceleration up to maximum and sprint to my left as the beam tracks me. I trigger Wraithstrike and Charge multiple times to try to get away, just in case its attack can hit me even when I¡¯m insubstantial. Suddenly the beam shoots up into the air and disappears as a railgun slug slams into the Manticore¡¯s tail and explodes, taking a chunk of the tail with it. Half a second is all I allow myself to admire the shot before I trigger Psychic Eruption. Although the raw damage output is much lower, the Skill seems to bypass the Manticore¡¯s Resistances a lot better and as I make a connection with its chaotic, wild mind I pump eight Psychic Eruptions at full lethality through my Skill. The Manticore collapses, but immediately tries to stand and buckles. In the seconds my Stamina takes to rebuild Taiwo slams another explosive slug straight between the glazed eyes of the Manticore. Its head rocks back and a chunk of its face is ripped away. I trigger two more Psychic Eruptions and then sprint forward and trigger Wraithstrike as it recovers, my Swords extended to maximum length. Just as I¡¯m about to sweep my Swords across it, the Manticore flickers and disappears. All my senses and my Dimensional Manipulation Affinity tell me the Manticore has somehow short-range teleported back into the shadows of the cavern. My Stamina is still low; at the speeds we fight a few seconds to recover is a long time and I want to finish this while its mind is still mangled from my attacks. I feel my connection to Runic Recall and then rush forward into the cavern and leap over Monster carcasses to close in on the Manticore. The major downside of Runic Recall, Evolved or not, is that I basically have to get killed to test whether it works or not. The Manticore must sense me; it flickers again and disappears. My Perception finds it easily even without the big red glowing dot on my minimap and I dart out of the cavern and turn to my right. Taiwo is temporarily out of the fight but I can sense him flying this way, no doubt equipped with one of his Mana-driven jetpacks. My Danger Sense pulses slightly higher and I trigger Wraithstrike to slide toward the Manticore at high speed. More elemental energy and deadly beams fill the air from the Manticore and part of the damage unexpectedly hits me from the powerful attack even though I¡¯m insubstantial. I close the distance and emerge from Wraithstrike with my Swords swinging, fully committed. The Manticore sweeps a paw at me lightning fast to bat me away and my Swords slice into its foreleg. The defensive Resistances of such a high Level Monster battle with the power of my Swords and lose, but the strike is so fast my Swords don¡¯t have time to slide all the way through before I¡¯m knocked away despite my Strength. I skim across the ground like a skipping stone and quickly slam into the wall of the sandstone cavern, which blasts apart in a shower of pieces and dust then collapses on top of me. Annoyed and always oriented on the Manticore, I trigger Wraithstrike to emerge from the desert tomb and emerge just as another railgun slug from Taiwo, this time from high above, slams into the Manticore¡¯s back causing it to slam into the ground. I can see its leg is already partially healed by the way it¡¯s weight bearing again. That¡¯s fast. Taiwo swoops away quickly, barely avoiding the hail of destructive energy from the Manticore, which it then turns on me. I¡¯m already moving and this time I trigger Omnipresent and place a Portal between us, with the other side tracking the Manticore from just above it. I trigger Psychic Eruption four times to stun it and dart straight through the Portal at high speed, leading with my Swords. The Manticore is a tough bastard and instinctively tries to leap away, but I¡¯m too close and this time my Swords get a full chance to carve it up. Just as I slide a double chop through the Manticore¡¯s neck, Foresight triggers and I see in my mind¡¯s eye an assassination attempt on me just about to happen. It¡¯s so little warning I won¡¯t even be able to finish letting Foresight play out to see what I¡¯m dealing with. There are no monologues, no posturing, before the attack on me. Just a vicious unleashing of lightning and weapons to bring death. I have less than a second to decide - run or fight? My Stamina is lower than I¡¯d like, but I¡¯m uninjured and angry. Adrenaline surges as I Loot the Manticore and race to my right then spin, then I trigger Wall of the Clan and scatter Edges in front of me instantly. My attacker appears and his killing blow scuttles along my Wall causing it to waver. In that half second I pull what I can to see what I¡¯m dealing with and I rashly spend some of my precious remaining Stamina on Omnipresent to track his connections elsewhere. Koarvex Dor¡¯urggent, Herald of the Unlit Throne, Dealer of Retribution, Unstoppable, Reality Warper, more¡­ (Level 10 Warrior-Priest) (Ascended) [Raijonni] [Qillathe Syndicate Universal Enforcement] Fucking Ascended Class, and with access to his Tier 2 Skills. His body crackles with arcs of electricity and his metallic-blue skin etched with intricate, glowing circuits resembling storm clouds. The eyes that fix on me are pure white, sparking with lightning and his four arms each wield a weapon charged with elemental energy: twin thunder hammers and two smaller blades crackling with currents. His movements leave faint trails of static energy in the air, and his grunt rumbles like distant thunder. Koarvex teleports right next to me, bypassing my Wall and Edges. I dodge and trigger Wraithstrike but he¡¯s already gone, teleported or moved at the speed of light behind me. Blades strike my Elemental Aegis and explode through it through multiple angles as he teleports again and again. Each attack sends out a shockwave that knocks me off balance for a fraction of a second, leaving me open for the flashing, machine gun attacks of electricity and kinetic energy. I extend my Swords and strike through where I sense he¡¯ll be using my Danger Sense. The pace of the fight is faster than anything I¡¯ve experienced before, he must have some kind of a crazy speed build that allows him to flicker through the spot I know he¡¯ll be so fast that I only clip him with my Swords. Mental attack resisted Stunning burst resisted Nervous system overload resisted Koarvex appears in another place and destructive energy blasts me, destroying the rest of my Elemental Aegis and ripping into my flesh. Even with Acceleration dialed up to maximum I don¡¯t have time to react before he¡¯s gone again, a static field left behind that I can feel slows my reaction and motions. A second has passed and I¡¯ve gained back enough Stamina to trigger something. I instinctively reach for Sentinel¡¯s Verdict, then change and trigger Psychic Eruption at full lethality. I¡¯ve only got one point in the Skill, but it seizes up Koarvex¡¯s mind for half a second and causes him to stutter step. I whip my Sword toward him, sure I¡¯ve finished it, but he¡¯s so fast that a jink to one side means I only clip his left arms, slicing clean through both below the elbow. If it bothers him, Koarvex doesn¡¯t show it at all. The swing has put me in a vulnerable position and I trigger Edges behind me to slow Koarvex down. Instead he appears a few meters in front of me, surrounded by a churning shield of storm energy. White hot lightning fills the space around me and I fail to dart out of it, my muscles have seized up and instead I stagger forward, triggering Unbound then Wraithstrike to escape the savage pain. I¡¯m ripped out of my insubstantial state by powerful energy and find myself collapsed on the ground. Koarvex has transformed into an impossibly dense lightning Elemental and flashes toward me. I can¡¯t move fast enough and he rips straight into my body, tearing me apart. The pain is so great I can¡¯t think, can¡¯t move, can¡¯t breathe. Just white hot nerves and pain. Fucking Ascended! Suddenly, the pain disappears as my Health flatlines and Runic Recall rises up from deep within my bones, deep within my being. Invulnerable to damage while my Health is ticking up, I flash my Swords all around me, biting into whatever holds him together. A second later my Health is restored by a third and I only have a couple of seconds of invulnerability left before Koarvex has the drop on me again. My body is healing but my mind is rattled. I trigger Sentinel¡¯s Verdict and the Skill comes in like an avalanche, swamping Koarvex. It¡¯s doing damage, but it¡¯s not enough to stop him and my Stamina is dangerously low. I swing my Swords but he easily dodges out of range and slams me with more lightning and savage energy. I wonder where Taiwo is and hope he¡¯s gotten the fuck out of here. My mind reflexively tries to trigger Omnipresent to escape but I grit my teeth and drop all five of my remaining Class Skill points in Psychic Eruption. It¡¯s a risk compared to putting them in Sentinel¡¯s Verdict since it¡¯s only a Tier 3 Skill, but I go with my instincts based on how I¡¯ve seen it bypass Resistances, the lower Stamina cost, and the ability to inflict lethal or stunning damage. My connection with the Skill ramps up massively in an instant and I trigger it once, twice, a third time as my Stamina ticks up again. I can feel the flood of abrasive, clawing energy flow through the Skill into Koarvex and his Elemental form evaporates from around him. No doubt he¡¯ll be fine again in less than a second so I dive at him with desperation while triggering Charge and Critical Strike and everything I can think of. I whip my Swords right through him and then stand in a state of intense tension, waiting for him to rise again or for someone else to show up. The seconds tick by and nothing happens. My Perception on such high alert I feel like an elastic that¡¯s about to snap, I check and see the kill notification confirming Koarvex is dead. Fucking Qillathe Syndicate! I dial Foresight even further down as it relates to my family and the people I care about. If they¡¯re about to get a fucking paper cut, I¡¯ll know about it. I take a deep breath and let it out again. That one was close. Another close one. I sense Taiwo flying back and feel him land near me as I flex my internal mental muscles to try to regain some stability and control. ¡°You swim in the deepest of seas, Bronwic,¡± says Taiwo softly after a short, comfortable silence as we both look down at Koarvex and I Loot him. Surely the equipment, Credits, and XP for killing an Ascended will be substantial? ¡°I¡¯ve got to go after them,¡± I say. ¡°Who?¡± asks Taiwo. ¡°The Qillathe Syndicate. He¡¯s from the Qillathe,¡± I say and kick Koarvex¡¯s corpse. He still looks threatening, even dead and missing half of two arms. I Inventory the body, just in case. Taiwo sighs. I¡¯m not sure if he¡¯s disagreeing with me or just wishes that what¡¯s true right now would be false instead. ¡°It¡¯s always a risk, during the KCT,¡± he says. ¡°But I hoped you would just be able to focus on Earth.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll get to it,¡± I agree. 217. Awesome. Unexpected. ¡°I don¡¯t think you should come.¡± My opinion on this is pretty firm, and I¡¯m in control of who goes through my Portals and who doesn¡¯t. ¡°You don¡¯t need to get mixed up in this. I¡¯ll take you somewhere you can access the Shop.¡± Taiwo looks me in the eyes and nods. I can tell part of him wants the adventure, but most of him agrees that it¡¯s too far. It¡¯s not aligned with the awesome life that he¡¯s created for himself, where occasionally he puts himself into danger. When he wants to, in the way he wants to. Not pitting himself against organizations that stretch across multiple galaxies and can send Ascended Class assassins after you. I open a Portal for Taiwo and he gives me a grin then steps through. No parting words. Do we need them? What could he say with words that he hasn¡¯t said with actions? After I¡¯ve closed it behind him I open my notifications. There are quite a few of the important classification, more than I expected. I have an existential moment where I consider the fact I¡¯m totally comfortable in the middle of nowhere surrounded by slain enemies and contemplating racing off through the Universe to enact preventative deterrents. What a fucked up life it¡¯s become. Level Up! You have reached Level 27 as a Human Sentinel +4 Aura, +4 Mana +65 free Attribute points to assign You have 65 free Attribute points to assign Would you like to allocate them now? (Y/N) You have 2 unallocated Class Skill points Would you like to allocate them now? (Y/N) Skill Synergy Integration Progression Complete As part of your SMI Evolution, Skills with synergistic properties have completed integration. Class Skill points have been combined and upgraded where relevant. Further integration changes are possible in future. Current integration changes: Sentinel¡¯s Verdict integrated with Fury of the Clan -> Sentinel¡¯s Fury Environmental Sense integrated with Lesser Detection -> Environmental Sense Environmental Sense integrated with Danger Sense -> Danger Sense Wraithstrike integrated with Charge -> Wraithstrike Wraithstrike integrated with Unbound -> Wraithstrike Critical Strike integrated with Power Strike -> Critical Strike Critical Strike integrated with Imbue -> Imbued Strike Imbued Strike integrated with Penetration -> Imbued Strike Imbued Strike integrated with Force Projection -> Imbued Strike Elemental Aegis integrated with Clan Shield -> Elemental Aegis Strength of the Clan integrated with Guardian¡¯s Blessing -> Guardian¡¯s Blessing Awesome. Unexpected. I can feel the power increase in the Skills that have been integrated, taking them further. And it sounds like there may be more integrations in the future. I notice none of the Skills that have integrated are Evolved and now that Fury of the Clan has been integrated with Sentinel''s Verdict, Sentinel¡¯s Fury won¡¯t ever be able to be Evolved. It¡¯s lucky I picked Psychic Eruption to put my Class Skill points into, or maybe it¡¯s my Luck at play nudging me the right way. I drop all the free Attributes into Constitution and the two Class Skill points in Psychic Eruption, taking it closer to an Evolution.
Status Overview
Name Bronwic Cadimus Class Human Sentinel
Race Human (male) Level 27
Titles
Exterminator, Overachiever, Powerhouse, Explorer, Bane World Delver, Survivor, Bastion, SSA High Enforcer, Mark of Tenebris (Hidden), Savior of Earth, Dark Mana Tempered
Health 12840 Health Regeneration 280066 /min
Stamina 19260 Stamina Regeneration 280066 /min
Mana 2460 Mana Regeneration 434 /min
Status Conditions
None
Attributes
Strength 500 Perception 1550
ConstitutionSupport the creativity of authors by visiting the original site for this novel and more. 1284 Charisma 570
Agility 500 Luck 1250
Aura 512 Mana 246
SMI Skills and Affinities
Danger Sense 150 Observe 100
Affinities Dimensional Manipulation, Mana Survivor Damage Resistance +20% when under 20% Health
Class Specific SMI Dynamics
Physical regen Base + Base*AML Mana regeneration 200%
Personal Weapon Base damage: 9000 Tech functionality -25%
Sentinel¡¯s Swords Max
Mental Resistance Invulnerable All Resistances Variable [Breakdown]
Damage Reduction 80%
Explorer Bonus +20% XP Foresight Variable [Thresholds]
Potion/Buff Penalty -80% / -90%
Class Skills
Unbreakable Evolved Omnipresent Evolved
Gift of Gaia Evolved (+30 AML) Runic Recall Evolved
Psychic Eruption 8 Regeneration Max*
Sentinel¡¯s Fury 4* Greater Regeneration Max
Greatest Need 3* Imbued Strike 6*
Guardian¡¯s Blessing 2 Wraithstrike 3*
Elemental Aegis 2* Echoes of Einherjar 1
Accelerate 1 Guilty as Charged 1
Know Thy Enemy 1 Marked for Glory 1
Wall of the Clan 1 Group Party Chat 1*
Rise Again 1 Instantaneous Inventory 1*
Spells
Minor Healing 1
Danger Sense has almost doubled. My Personal Weapon base damage has gone through the roof now that it¡¯s integrated with other Skills and I can see there¡¯s a breakdown of heaps of Resistances that are being built up as I¡¯m exposed to them. This latest fight with Koarvex bumped my Resistance to electricity up by an entire percent. One more Level and I¡¯ll be able to Evolve Psychic Eruption¡­ three more Levels to Ascended. I won¡¯t be able to accept my Class Evolution until after the KCT unless I want to make myself ineligible, but let¡¯s see how it goes. If I can make it that far. I trigger Omnipresent and shift things around in my mind¡¯s eye, seemingly infinite points of light that represent everything I can reach using my Skill. I filter down to Qillathe Syndicate members involved in this attack on me, just to make sure I can still do it, that I¡¯ve captured all of them and I can bring it back at will. Dozens of points of softly glowing red light highlight them and I dismiss everything else, focusing on them. All of them are stationed on one of three different worlds. I wonder if they feel safe. I wonder if they¡¯re already sending someone after me, or my family. Maybe something or someone else on Earth. If I can possibly do it, I¡¯ll avoid confronting another Ascended until at least after I¡¯ve reached another Level and Evolved Psychic Eruption. I don¡¯t know what it¡¯s going to bring, but hopefully something even more useful. Armies of Mythic Classes and even most Legendary Classes don¡¯t really intimidate me, but there¡¯s something about Ascended Classers that¡¯s just different. The power jump is huge and I¡¯ve encountered them more often than I should have, for sure. I need to send this message, but there¡¯s someone I need to talk to first. B¡¯esloor. I shift my filters in Omnipresent to find him with a push of will. The pivot is slightly mind bending for a few seconds and then my mind settles. He¡¯s a long, long way away. I trigger a Portal to make sure he¡¯s in a situation I can pop in on and see him in some kind of shop, not the Shop. Advanced technology is everywhere. Not my bag, obviously, but based on what I can see I don¡¯t think there¡¯s any reason to drop in and I manifest the Portal then step through. A dozen weapons are instantly trained on me and Skills and spells are triggered to shield B¡¯esloor and debuff me, although those mostly wash over me without any effect. Space ripples around me so I reach out with my Affinity. Before I¡¯m transported away somewhere I harden the tendrils of my Affinity and rip apart whatever someone¡¯s creating. A Tauran in the group cries out and grabs his head with massive hands, thumbs wrapped around his horns. I¡¯ve never encountered a Tauran who had Portaling abilities before, usually their minotaur-like builds and culture mean they¡¯re focused on combat. To their credit, I think, nobody actually attacks me as they wait to see what I¡¯ll do. Suddenly, they stand down and pull up their portable shields so that B¡¯esloor can emerge through them and address me. Guess he must have ordered them with a Skill or some tech. I look around and realize they¡¯re still very much on edge. ¡°Sorry,¡± I say, trying to make it sound like a real apology. ¡°Just need a quick chat with B¡¯esloor.¡± ¡°Bronwic, what brings you here?¡± he asks and glances around as if to remind me where I am. ¡°Assassins. You want a private place to talk, or should we do this right here?¡± ¡°Near here,¡± he says immediately and sweeps out of the shop on his short legs with the whole entourage. I don¡¯t have much choice but to follow the Tauran I accidentally injured who is the last out. As soon as we¡¯re outside B¡¯esloor turns to me. ¡°You¡¯ve put our transporter out of commission. Why didn¡¯t you just send a message?¡± he asks with a frown. So much for doing this somewhere else. At least we¡¯re not still in someone¡¯s shop. ¡°Not too good with technology,¡± I admit and then dump Koarvex¡¯s body out into the street and gesture at it while alien pedestrians and vehicles whiz by. B¡¯esloor hisses at me, but nobody really slows down or stops to look at us. His entourage closes in to protect us. Or maybe because they¡¯re interested; I see a few of them staring at the body. B¡¯esloor Inventories Koarvex¡¯s corpse as quickly as he can and looks around like he¡¯s nervous someone might have seen it. ¡°I thought you said I was unlikely to face any repercussions,¡± I say to him with a little heat in my voice. ¡°That¡¯s someone who dropped in on me. Ascended Class, by the way.¡± ¡°How many of the people fighting with you were slain?¡± he asks, seeming to actually care what¡¯s gone on. ¡°Nobody, it was just me and him,¡± I reply. He looks doubtful but I can see in eyes that if he ever underestimated me in the past, it won¡¯t happen again. ¡°I can¡¯t know everything that might happen,¡± he says to me with his voice lowered, looking through his thick brown eyebrows at me in a conspiratorial posture. His guards are looking very nervous and move out in a rough circle to give us some space. Their weapons are out. ¡°No shit,¡± I reply. ¡°But that¡¯s not why I¡¯m here.¡± I watch as B¡¯esloor starts to relax and then starts to look anxious all in the space of a second. He¡¯s worried, and I wonder if he¡¯s worried about what I might do to him. With my High Enforcer status could I kill him and just walk away? No idea, right now. And that¡¯s the crux of the problem¡­ I don¡¯t have the information I need to make good decisions. ¡°I want to go after them, B¡¯esloor,¡± I state flatly, staring him in his dark eyes that know so much more than I do. ¡°The Qillathe? The whole Syndicate?¡± he asks to clarify with a bit of surprise. Then again, he¡¯s met me. ¡°Is the SSA going to care if I clean house? Anyone that was involved in trying to assassinate me,¡± I inform him. He gets a far off look in his eyes and a few of his guards move him into a more sheltered spot closer to the buildings while the rest keep up a perimeter. I follow B¡¯esloor and nobody tries to stop me. ¡°Get it done before the KCT officially starts,¡± he says with firmness and then puts a gnarled, clawed hand on my arm. His skin looks like tough, old leather with short wisps of white hair emerging. ¡°Bronwic, if you don¡¯t get yourself killed you¡¯ve got a very good shot at winning the KCT. A very good shot. I¡¯m not going to go into the whys of doing it quickly. Just¡­ look, trust me, ok? Anything you¡¯re going to do, get it done now.¡± I can tell that¡¯s all I¡¯m going to get out of him and so I pivot my forearm to grasp his. There¡¯s a big mismatch in our sizes but he grasps my arm with his wiry one and I¡¯m surprised how strong it is. ¡°Take care, Bronwic.¡± ¡°Never,¡± I reply and open a Portal to my first stop on the Qillathe Syndicate train. 218. Surgical Strikes A small, nondescript room on the fourth floor of a boring building in Madrid. Unremarkable except for the three Qillathe Syndicate members there. My Swords whip back and forth twice and then I open another Portal to Shanghai where dozens of their Merchants, Thugs, and Extortionists gather to get a foothold on our planet. This time I trigger my newly Evolved Sentinel¡¯s Fury and feel the increased power surge through me as all of them are instantaneously pulped and kill notifications blossom in the corner of my vision. Vienna. Cape Town. Edinburgh. Quebec. Bruges. Cartagena. I spend ten minutes moving from location to location on Earth, never in any place more than half a minute and sometimes only a few seconds to hammer Qillathe Syndicate members with my new Skills so quickly they don¡¯t have time to react. No questions, no discussion. It¡¯s clinical. Surgical. I harden myself with thoughts of my family and fallen friends, wrapped around me like armor, because there¡¯s no room for mercy or pity. This is just the start of what I have to do. Once Earth is scoured I return to Orvorax. The Syndicate has somehow managed to regain a foothold in one of the mining outposts, maybe assuming I¡¯ve moved on. I eradicate it in a few minutes with Sentinel¡¯s Fury, then emerge from a Portal in a small military base on a massive space station near Orvorax where hundreds of Chimorak troops are ready to invade again. None of them are even higher than Mythic Class and although those kinds of numbers might have been able to take me on a few weeks ago, today in less than a minute they¡¯re all wiped out. I open another Portal and peer through it at the head of the Syndicate resource acquisition forces for a few seconds. Based on the filtering I¡¯ve done with Omnipresent he¡¯s a low Level Ascended Class, so I take slightly more care. I¡¯m also trying to stop a future war rather than start one, so I need to consider how to attack this situation. How to get my point across without calling down the full might of the Qillathe Syndicate. The silence around me in the bowels of the space station I¡¯ve claimed is strange, I feel like there should be more noise. Engines or air conditioning systems or beeping notifications, maybe an alert. Something. This should be more dramatic based on how many I¡¯ve killed and what¡¯s still yet to come, but it feels¡­ hollow and empty. The asshole I¡¯m keeping an eye on that rapes other worlds for a living doesn¡¯t seem to be on the alert or threatened in any way. I hope that¡¯s just because word hasn¡¯t reached him yet, but I suspect that nothing I¡¯ve done yet is worth his bother and time. My actions aren¡¯t ever going to turn the tide of the entire Qillathe Syndicate and change its fortunes unless I dedicate my life to that goal, and I have other stuff I¡¯d like to do. The Syndicate is too big. What I might be able to do is replicate what I did with Oblivion Shroud. Make sure the likely future equation of costs in Credits and lives is greater than the benefit of going after me and Earth. Make sure it doesn¡¯t stack up for them. Make sure I put them on the back foot personally and make it professionally unattractive to go down that route. If needed, I¡¯ll make targeted strikes against their assets. Get them to do the math. I pull up his Status to see what I¡¯m dealing with. Kzethroq Duunil T¡¯arvink, Reclaimer, Commander, Seeker, High Tactician, Warmaster, more¡­ (Level 19 Knight-Marshall Prospector) (Ascended) [Chimorak] [Qillathe Syndicate Prospecting Force] [Laniakea/Shapley Superclusters] As I watch and assess the situation, Kzethroq and several others are teleported somewhere. Omnipresent tracks them as they appear in some kind of outdoor military compound. Dust flies everywhere, kicked up from barren ground. Armored vehicles and what looks like troops in heavy armor move with purpose through the area I can see while watching Kzethroq. His six legs move him rapidly into what looks like a strong temporary shelter and a group of diverse Chimorak follow him, mostly the ones he arrived with.Ensure your favorite authors get the support they deserve. Read this novel on the original website. I reposition the Portal inside and look from a few angles. Four high Level Legendary Classers, three of them combat, and another four combat-oriented lower Level Legendary Classers and half a dozen non-combat Legendary Classes are all together with another dozen Mythic Classers and even an Advanced Classer scurrying around. I take a deep breath and wonder if I should wait to do something until Kzethroq is alone. That option feels infinitely more comfortable but my instincts say it¡¯s the wrong thing to do, I¡¯m hoping nudged by my Luck. Going in while he¡¯s surrounded by so many powerful combat Classers and in his own environment might mean he¡¯s overconfident, not panicking. A more open mood to listening, if I can get through. I pull up a separate notification screen to review a Contract I¡¯ve prepared, with a bit of help. I¡¯ve taken sections out of the agreement I made with Oblivion Shroud to use in the event this goes well and we can come to an agreement. I don¡¯t feel super hopeful, since most of the time I try to avoid bloodshed it happens anyway - and it¡¯s not always the other side that instigates it. After a deep breath in and a surge of confidence that this is the time to do it, while they are in their element and calm, I manifest the Portal and step through then close it. Time to walk into the lion¡¯s den. The instant I emerge I manage to keep my cool, knowing I¡¯m going to get hit with a bunch of shit. I also feel a surprisingly big surge of Mana flowing through me. Unlike the past it doesn¡¯t feel uncomfortable in the least. It feels like my Affinity and my body are ready for a lot more. Health: 12840/12840 Stamina: 19260/19260 Current Ambient Mana Level (AML): 25 +30 (Gift of Gaia) Physical regeneration rate: 382529 /min --> 6375 /sec That¡¯s good, very good - this must be a Scorched World where Mana has scoured the planet and only the toughest or most powerful Monsters are able to survive. My chances of succeeding at this, or at least not getting killed outright, just increased. Colors whip through the air as my Elemental Aegis flares from attacks that hammer me from all sides. I refresh it again and then again in quick succession, draining half my Mana in a second. I spend another 500 Mana on Wall of the Clan to create an impenetrable clear box around myself. I make sure to include the bottom of the box to protect me from attacks from below. It¡¯s supposed to last 100 seconds, but as multiple Legendary Warriors hammer it wavers immediately and I can feel it will collapse. I still haven¡¯t made an offensive move. Mental attack resisted. Mental influence resisted. Movement debuff resisted. Necrotic curse resisted. My cube is suddenly surrounded by a dark, inky, flowing cage. I can tell immediately with my Dimensional Manipulation Affinity that it¡¯s a Spatial Lock meant to keep me here trapped. Multiple Chimorak stab at my protection between the gaps in the black cage and my Wall of the Clan buckles again then collapses. I don¡¯t move. Their weapons and ranged weapons slam into me as I stand facing Kzethroq. The pain spikes but my Resistances and regeneration are both high so I ball my hands into fists. More attacks slam into me. Burning plasma fills the cage and I almost move, but instead I grit my teeth and close my eyes, feeling on fire. A few seconds of torture later my Health is down only 25% and when they stop it shoots straight back to full and I¡¯m recovered physically, though it always takes longer to reset mentally. My armor is shredded and melted but I stand, apparently untouched, and wait. A Chimorak with six arms, each holding a blade, lashes out and all six blades pass through the gaps in my cage and strike me. Each of them sinks an inch or so into my flesh before they strike bone or simply can¡¯t penetrate further. One glances off my skull, turned aside by the Unbreakable bone, and slices my scalp open. Blood flies and I almost snarl but clench my fists tighter instead as the blades are withdrawn and I stand, still unmoved. A line of the combat Classers loom between me and Kzethroq, staring and ready, and looking like they aren¡¯t going anywhere. The ranged damage dealers and a couple of defenders are nearer to Kzethroq and look a lot more ready to run. If needed, I¡¯ll chase them across the Universe. Perhaps it¡¯s my Luck, but this is the ideal place for this confrontation. ¡°What trickery is this?¡± one of the Legendary Warriors hisses. By now they¡¯ve pulled my Status and can see I¡¯ve survived what might have killed anyone else. ¡°Interesting Titles you have, human,¡± says one in the middle, unusually with only two arms placed centrally on two torsos. ¡°Perhaps we will be lucky and it will take a long, torturous time to discover all your secrets now that you¡¯re trapped like a Vullcoonin Grektar.¡± It seems to me they¡¯re all a bit unbalanced by the fact I¡¯m still alive but they don¡¯t seem worried. Confident I¡¯m all locked up. Time to make my move. 219. Deal With The Devils ¡°Or¡­ how about we talk instead?¡± I ask, and trigger Wraithstrike. My form flows right through the cage and I solidify just in front of its bars, still facing the line of Warriors. No threatening moves. A fresh round of Skills and spells hit me and stagger me, followed by weapons backed by Legendary Skills and Attributes slamming and cutting into me. ¡°No,¡± I declare as I keep myself as rooted to the spot as I can and trigger Psychic Eruption with a non-lethal blast to disrupt their attack. It¡¯s not yet Evolved, but the extra Class Skill points make a huge difference. The Warriors and everyone else in the room other than Kzethroq flinch and freeze up for a couple of seconds, an eternity in battle at this level. During those two seconds I stare calmly at Kzethroq, my heart racing and determination dialed up to maximum, as my regeneration fully heals me again. Space buckles and warps around me as a powerful Skill tries to teleport me away. ¡°No,¡± I say again as I catch it like an incoming fastball and with my Affinity I unravel it before it can take hold and send me into the middle of the raging nearby sun. Two more teleportation attacks hit me and I handle them easily. The Warriors are back to full alert though a few of the others around the room are still trying to shake off the effects of Psychic Eruption. ¡°Talk,¡± says Kzethroq and the others, some very close to me, stand down. I look past them at Kzethroq and wonder if any of the attacks I¡¯ve been able to counter are from him, or if he¡¯s keeping his powder dry. He¡¯s one Level short of his Tier 3 Ascended Class Skills, but from my perspective his Skills are the biggest wild card. What can he bring to the table? ¡°I can do this all day. Unless¡­ you want me to finish it?¡± I ask and call my Swords to my hands for the first time. Waves of destructive, threatening energy roll off them and a few of the closest Chimorak take half a step back despite themselves. ¡°I believe I said talk, not swing your little sticks around. You¡¯ve earned a moment of my attention,¡± says Kzethroq. I wouldn¡¯t call him wary or worried. His attention and presence are intense and his confidence is supreme. Suddenly Foresight flashes and I see the location we¡¯re in engulfed by an incredibly powerful attack that hits a split second after they teleport out, overcoming all my Resistances and vaporizing me. I reach out powerfully with my Affinity and lock down all dimensional manipulation in the area and get ready to trigger Wraithstrike or Omnipresent. Strong, insistent dimensional forces try to form inside the area I¡¯ve locked down, but I flex my will with grim determination and shunt them aside or pull them apart as fast as they come in. This gets a reaction from Kzethroq. A massive beam of destructive energy forms and shoots from him toward me, obliterating one of the Legendary Warriors standing close in front of him on the way. I haven¡¯t moved, locked in position with my Dimensional Manipulation Affinity on full and huge amounts of Mana flowing through me. Everything is dialed up so high I¡¯ve sensed the beam as it formed and I reach out with my Mana Affinity, intertwining it with my Dimensional Manipulation Affinity. It¡¯s like I¡¯m fully aware of every bit of space around us so completely that as the beam streaks toward me I unite my Affinities to unravel the Mana signature of the Skill before it reaches me. The beam dissipates a few feet in front of me and all that¡¯s left is wisps of bright, white hot Mana swirling around. Despite the fact they¡¯re Warriors, and many of them Legendary at that, the Chimorak are standing around, seemingly unsure what to do. I guess I¡¯m a bit of a wild card.Unauthorized duplication: this tale has been taken without consent. Report sightings. ¡°You got more where that came from?¡± I ask Kzethroq with what I admit is an almost gleeful intensity. The way I can feel everything around me in a new and different way is a bit intoxicating, especially after narrowly avoiding obliteration by an Ascended Class death ray. ¡°What is it you want from us? Why are you here?¡± asks Kzethroq. He doesn¡¯t sound worried, but his tone has definitely shifted. The smoking remains of one of his retinue still lay at his feet and the rest look poised for action or retreat, I can¡¯t tell which. ¡°Leave Earth, and leave me alone. You made a massive miscalculation going after my family. Leave Orvorax alone. Vacate any planet I visit that you occupy where you¡¯re committing SSA Protocol violations. I want a Contract,¡± I say, and then flick him over the notification with the agreement. ¡°In return, I won¡¯t come after you. I¡¯m not talking about coming after the Syndicate. I¡¯m talking about coming after every single one of you, and everyone you know, and never stopping. Never.¡± Kzethroq looks over the document quickly. It¡¯s not long but it is crystal clear so it only takes him a moment. He looks up at me. It¡¯s clear as a mid Level Ascended with his position that he views this ask as irritating and immaterial, although I definitely have the impression he no longer dismisses me as a threat. My Danger Sense still presses on me from all around and reminds me this is definitely not over. I stay focused and righteous by channeling my anger, giving them no hint I might back down. ¡°The Qillathe Syndicate has no interest in your planet and no longer has an interest in Orvorax. On the rest, both of us will need to take our chances.¡± ¡°I can live with that,¡± I agree after a few seconds of thought, even though I want to press it further. I simply can¡¯t start collecting grudges with organizations like this as a hobby, it¡¯s too dangerous for me and for Earth. Kzethroq sends the document back to me fully agreed by him and the Qillathe Syndicate. Violating the Contract triggers some very heavy penalties, so while it doesn¡¯t categorically and permanently protect humanity from them, or them from me, the disincentives are very high. I agree to the document and then, while still holding the space around me, I trigger Omnipresent. Space starts to ripple around us and I can feel the Skill waver, but then I reach out and stabilize it with my Affinity. It¡¯s a real strain doing all of this at the same time and for so long; it¡¯s only my absurd regeneration in this Scorched World that¡¯s allowing it to happen. With some relief I step through the Portal and close it behind me, then slump down against a wall in the abandoned Queenstown MIS Hub and put my trembling head in my hands. Now that it¡¯s over, I take a few deep breaths to try to calm myself, then replay the events in my mind. It all happened so fast, I was just in a mental mode to finish the mission, to get to the outcome. Part of me can¡¯t believe I was able to stand my ground against all of them and take the punishment they dealt out. My survivability has taken a huge leap and I didn¡¯t even need Runic Recall. I flex my Dimensional Manipulation and Mana Affinities together and feel the space around me again. It¡¯s such a new feeling and now the situation isn¡¯t desperate I can take some time to properly understand this breakthrough. Something about using it right now is different. Lesser than it was when I was fighting Kzethroq. Is it just me not being so highly strung and in combat? On a hunch I check the AMLs. Current Ambient Mana Level (AML): 13 +30 (Gift of Gaia) They¡¯re still higher than on other planets and places on Earth, but a lot lower here than where I was, and I can feel the difference with my Affinities. I don¡¯t have quite the same level of granularity on what I can sense. Definitely something I need to train up and improve, if that¡¯s possible. I don¡¯t even think I¡¯ve really started to tap into what¡¯s possible with this. ¡°Hey! What are you doing here?¡± someone says as they enter the MIS Lobby. It¡¯s still being maintained so maybe the Academy is still on track to start up. I don¡¯t even bother to look at who it is. Instead, I trigger Omnipresent and just focus on the default most dangerous threat on Earth, then form a Portal underneath me on the floor and fall through it to Malaysia. I¡¯m not sure I¡¯m in the right mindset, but I need another Level and to test out my new abilities. 220. Iron Revenant I land easily on a concrete parking lot outside of a massive shopping mall that¡¯s been converted into a Settlement; it looks from the old signs nobody¡¯s replaced like it¡¯s IOI City Mall. Chaos is everywhere as people and ammunition fly everywhere. I trigger Elemental Aegis and take in the scene quickly as flares spark up around me when something strikes my Skill. The parking lot is now more of a kill zone between a high wall circling around the whole mall and a lower wall that circles around the Settlement itself. They look solid, but not nearly solid enough to even slow this thing down. It¡¯s definitely a Teleport from another world. Kaelmar, the Iron Revenant (Level 327 Undead Mecha) Health: 28900/31450 Mana: 6200/10100 Conditions: Overclock, Corruption, Aura of Death, Cursed to the Core, more¡­ It¡¯s a hulking fusion of necromancy and machinery, and something I don¡¯t have a lot of experience fighting. Towering Settlement laser cannons blast thick beams from turrets that glance off the Mecha¡¯s brass and black colored metallic armor. A small group of low Level Mythic and high Level Advanced Class Adventurers are working together with good cohesion, but it¡¯s not nearly enough. A Mage¡¯s spell turns the ground slick, a Stormbringer Class calls down lightning, a Gunslinger fires explosive projectiles at high speed. The Iron Revenant ignores it all and smashes into the Settlement right through the shields and protections. Powerful guns placed all over its body, targeting dozens at a time, smash people apart. Waves of corrupting energy radiate from it, crippling and killing everyone within twenty meters, and I¡¯ve seen enough to know this whole Settlement is going to be wiped out in a bloodbath; it will just be a race to see how many people can escape. I trigger Omnipresent and open a Portal directly above the Mecha then drop through with my Swords extended to full length. Instantly the Iron Revenant¡¯s systems swivel and target me as I swing my Swords to bisect it. My blades part the machinery like the proverbial hot knife through butter until explosive shells blast me spinning away. Health regeneration penalty partly resisted - currently down 50% Stamina drain resisted (Gift of Gaia) Necrotic toxin damage partly resisted - currently 100 Health / second Cursed! -200 Luck, -100 Strength, -50 Agility; Duration: 100 seconds Fuck this! Before I even hit the ground I trigger Psychic Eruption and blast the Mecha, but its Undead nature allows it to shrug my attack off. As soon as I hit the pavement I slam down my right foot to stop my momentum. Kaelmar seems to have dismissed me and continues to mow down people and smash through the buildings instead. Angry, I trigger Sentinel¡¯s Fury the maximum five times I can with my current Stamina levels to hammer him. My Stamina drops like a stone while the Iron Revenant staggers and convulses, then rights itself. He¡¯s moving a lot more slowly and orients directly on me, ignoring the rest. I¡¯m overcome by weakness as it feels like something is pulling my soul and energy directly out of my body, but I harden my resolve and grit my teeth, banishing whatever it is by mentally flinging it away from me with significant heavy lifting from my Skills and Constitution. Deathtouch resisted. Yvisar¡¯s Rending resisted. Parting of the Flesh resisted. My Health recovers and my Stamina ticks up, giving me over 5000 to work with. Now that the Iron Revenant¡¯s attention is focused totally on me, a space around him is developing as people continue to flee and the Adventurers who were fighting without making any progress back off to see what happens. ¡°Go Bronwic!¡± I hear someone nearby yell as I trigger Omnipresent and manifest a Portal that takes me close to the Mecha with Acceleration dialed up to maximum. I shoot through and trigger Wraithstrike; its upgraded power and combination with other Skills gives me a rush as I virtually fly through the air and release it to become substantial just as my Swords slice at maximum force through the Iron Revenant. The Mecha is cut apart revealing a hideous, twisted grey undead head and torso inside, swirling green and black energy shooting from it in waves. In pure revulsion I trigger Sentinel¡¯s Fury twice and stab it over and over, then swap out my Swords for my warhammers and crush it like a manic drum solo until I¡¯m sure the kill notification has flashed up on my screen. I shudder and look up, surrounded by pulped flesh and smashed technology. I Loot the Monster and no doubt all this technology is worth something, but I just can¡¯t bring myself to sweep it into my Inventory. Let a scavenger with a stronger stomach than me handle it. You might be reading a pirated copy. Look for the official release to support the author. My amped up state returns toward normal and I look around at the death and destruction. A few groups of people are headed toward me in the very familiar march I see all the time of people who are grateful and want to express their thanks, but they¡¯re still in shock or grief and trying to cope with what¡¯s just happened. I stick around for a few minutes to connect with them, set my intent and mindset for the next one, and to remind myself that what I¡¯m doing really does make a difference. As I¡¯m talking with a pair of small sisters, a Merchant and a Healer, my Foresight Skill flashes and I see Logan. Instinctively I trigger Omnipresent in panic and open a Portal and leap through, absolutely ready for anything and to tear someone a new asshole. ¡°Hey Uncle Bronwic,¡± says Logan with a nod, then he catches my vibe and crouches. I can feel him trigger several Skills as I look around. Foresight finishes giving me a glimpse into the future and I relax then look at Logan. We¡¯re standing in one of the Dungeons in Fish Creek, this one underground with wide tunnels. It¡¯s dark and cold, but we¡¯re deep enough that I can see the hard packed ground isn¡¯t frozen around us in the tunnel walls and ceiling. ¡°Hey Logan. Big spider ready to ambush you around the corner up there,¡± I let him know and wave vaguely up ahead. My Danger Sense and minimap both let me know there is zero danger to me and only marginal danger for Logan. I guess I need to move the threshold for Foresight triggering on Logan and my family just a little bit higher. ¡°Thanks!¡± he replies. I can imagine his eyes narrowing behind his armored helmet. The armor doesn¡¯t even have a scratch on it. ¡°Anything else, Uncle Bronwic?¡± He knows usually when I show up ready for combat it means trouble. ¡°Nah,¡± I reply and give him a grin then dismiss my Swords and rub my face with my hands. I check and see he¡¯s gained another three Levels since I last saw him. He must be grinding pretty much all day every day to make that kind of progress. A group of large spiders skitters around a corner to attack us and Logan blasts all but one of them with surgical precision with his two large plasma beam guns, then dismisses the one in his right hand and throws his palm out to send a wave of kinetic energy at the last one. It explodes back into the dirt wall in a shower of gore that coats it in a messy pattern. ¡°Few more Levels?¡± I ask, and he nods. ¡°Still a long way to go, but getting there!¡± he says. ¡°Could use a tougher challenge, but these Dungeons keep overflowing so I¡¯m being useful here too.¡± I struggle internally to avoid telling him to make sure he stays safe. Who am I to tell him? He¡¯s probably better off being ready for danger at any time than trying to avoid it anyway. ¡°So¡­ why the visit?¡± he asks, and I laugh. ¡°I might be keeping a bit too close of an eye on you!¡± I allow. ¡°I¡¯m the Alpha and the Sigma, Uncle Bronwic¡­ but, tag along if you like.¡± I spend a couple of hours clearing the Dungeon with Logan essentially not doing anything except watch how much he¡¯s developed his skills. He¡¯s just a complete natural and never really seems to panic or make a wrong move. For a week I bounce back and forth between high Level threats and hunting with Logan. We get him another two Levels and all the closer to unlocking his Class Skills and I get my all important last Evolution before the notification finally comes. Level Up! You have reached Level 28 as a Human Sentinel +4 Aura, +4 Mana +65 free Attribute points to assign You have 65 free Attribute points to assign Would you like to allocate them now? (Y/N) You have 2 unallocated Class Skill points Would you like to allocate them now? (Y/N) Yes¡­ yes I would like to allocate my Class Skill points. I drop the 65 free Attributes in Constitution, sending me over 20,000 Stamina. Class Skill Evolved! Psychic Eruption (Human Sentinel Skill) (Evolved) The Sentinel channels unparalleled vision, briefly seeing through the weaknesses and vulnerabilities of their enemies to exploit through a wave of psychic energy that damages and stuns them. Enhanced Effect: This Skill inflicts massive psychic damage directly upon enemies; Sentinel can choose lethal or non-lethal force Cost: 1500 Stamina Unique Evolution Effect: Sentinel can place a Geas on any sentient. A Geas which goes against the sentient¡¯s nature may fail. Duration: variable depending on the nature of the Geas and the Level of the target Cost: 15000 Stamina That¡¯s¡­ totally unexpected! I can feel the knowledge of how to use the Skill, but since I haven¡¯t actually used it I have no real information to help me understand what it can do. I¡¯ll need to do some experimentation, and not on my friends. I¡¯m not sure how much of a boost to damage Evolving Psychic Eruption has added, but I¡¯m hoping it¡¯s substantial. The connection and power behind it definitely feels stronger. The last notification is expected and, for once in my life, well timed. Welcome to the Koldaavi Combat Trials - Round 2! Competitor baselining complete. Trial baselining complete. A total of 22 competitors across the Universe are engaged in this Trial. You are about to be transported to your Trial briefing location. Your Trial liaison has been notified. All competitors now have 10000 Universal Time Units (UTUs) to prepare. Best of luck, High Enforcer Cadimus. Only 22 of the competitors from the first Trial have made it through. I wonder if they failed to meet the criteria or failed to survive the Trial? Either way it looks like a smaller, best of the best group and since I¡¯m competing against the top people of the group, not the bottom, it doesn¡¯t really matter. 221. How Long Until The Next One? ¡°Bronwic, you madman!¡± exclaims B¡¯esloor as soon as I appear in front of him. His beady eyes are wide and animated, and he waves his arms around like he can barely contain himself. I¡¯m not sure if he¡¯s angry or incredulous or impressed. Maybe all of them? I feel slightly uncomfortable since I don¡¯t really know the implications of what he¡¯s saying. Am I in deep trouble? Taiwo isn¡¯t here, but Kauran¡¯s floating, spherical body rotates so his central eye can focus on B¡¯esloor. ¡°What¡¯s he done?¡± ¡°Ha! Nothing but stare down one of the top members of the Qillathe Syndicate, who happens to be a mid Level Ascended Class, and his Legendary Elite Guards. By himself! They¡¯ve signed the equivalent of a non-aggression pact. I literally can¡¯t believe it.¡± He turns his attention back to me. ¡°When I told you to do it quickly, I thought maybe you would just give them a bit of something to think about before the KCT, and that was fine. I never expected you¡¯d possibly do what you¡¯ve done. The paperwork and politics is going to keep me buried for ages!¡± ¡°Perhaps you should adjust your assumptions when it comes to High Enforcer Cadimus, B¡¯esloor,¡± suggests Kauran in that weird voice of his that I can hear but also echoes in my mind. B¡¯esloor starts to reply but Kauran cuts him off. ¡°Bronwic, we are here to brief you for your next KCT round. You may have seen there has been significant attrition¡­ these tasks are not for everyone and the three Trials test disparate aspects of all who participate. A reminder that from the public¡¯s perspective, this is the start of the KCT and as such your exploits will be promoted in a heroic light. The Universe¡¯s top Legendary combatants compete to see who will put themselves in the line of danger and save the people of the Sapient Species Alliance.¡± I nod back at Kauran. I get it. This is the part of the Trials that¡¯s above the line. ¡°You¡¯ve finished the first Trial faster than I ever thought possible,¡± interjects B¡¯esloor. ¡°It gives you a significant lead, and I¡¯m betting this next Trial plays to your strengths. See if you can finish in under an hour. I think that would be a leading benchmark. The next Trial after this might pose more of a challenge for you.¡± Now that a bit of time has passed I feel weird just standing there talking to them, so I pull out a chair from my Inventory and sit down. It does seem to relax the mood a bit. As usual, I take advantage of times like this to grab something to eat since we have a few minutes. ¡°What can I expect?¡± I ask, then pop a handful of nutrient dense nuts in my mouth. ¡°Shortly you will be transported to your Trial; the pool of eligible situations is currently being finalised through auctions and then random assignment of Trialists will take place,¡± replies Kauran. ¡°There is also a short period for people all over the Universe who are interested in such things to place bets and prepare to watch. Feeds of the Trial will be available across most of the Universe.¡± ¡°Auction? Does that mean it¡¯s only the rich that the Trial focuses on saving?¡± I ask. ¡°Credits make the Universe function, Bronwic. For the most part the answer is yes. There are several charities and philanthropic foundations that support bids from some of the less wealthy worlds; each of these tends to focus on certain situations and advancing the interests of whatever they were set up to do.¡± ¡°Good to know,¡± I say, and remember those early notifications on Earth indicating some kind of a charity had given humanity access to the Title system and other benefits. Hopefully it works on some level, otherwise it feels a lot like Real Earth Tours did¡­ only for the amusement of the rich. Robb especially had an objection to that and I came to agree with him.Unauthorized content usage: if you discover this narrative on Amazon, report the violation. ¡°Whatever you face, it¡¯s capped at Level 300 to ensure we don¡¯t have wholesale slaughter of our Trialists,¡± adds Kauran. ¡°Just sounds like a Tuesday,¡± I say. ¡°What else can I expect?¡± They don¡¯t have much else to say that¡¯s valuable and we don¡¯t have long to wait until I hop up and sweep everything back into my Inventory. It¡¯s been a while since I emptied it, actually. I make a mental note. Perhaps I should be taking this more seriously, but at this point Level 300 doesn¡¯t really even phase me that much. Famous last words, I remind myself. Koldaavi Combat Trial Round 2 Commencement You will be transported in 100 UTUs. Good luck, Adventurer Cadimus! I check to make sure my Elemental Aegis is active and ramp up Acceleration, then call my Swords to my hands. I feel calm, good. With the remaining few UTUs I trigger Omnipresent and have a look at Earth. Doing well, but still struggling in some big hotspots where I¡¯m needed. It¡¯s good motivation to end this quickly and try to win. The timer in the corner of my vision ticks down to zero as the familiar feeling of space twisting takes hold of me. I hold back my Affinity and ride it out. Waves of sickly energy and a low, otherworldly hum hit me as soon as I materialize. Something deep within me flinches with instinctive revulsion at the monster smashing its way through an army of small blue humanoid creatures on the outskirts of a sci fi, tech city. They¡¯re losing very badly and the Monster is about to reach some kind of industrial complex. Mental influence resisted Crippling Aura resisted I quickly take stock of what I¡¯m dealing with. It¡¯s an enormous, writing mass of black tendrils that seem to absorb light, making it hard to see its true form. The Monster¡¯s body constantly shifts, with eyes blinking in and out of existence across its surface and the air around it seems to warp as if reality, or maybe just light, bends in its presence. I reach out with my Affinity and tell straight away it''s just a visual effect rather than an actual warping of space. The low hum is coming directly from it. Xytherimox (Level 293) Health: 17890/18000 Mana: 6610/8540 Conditions: Hard Light, Pool of Darkness, Tendril Lash, Phase Form Tendrils stab out of the writhing form to grab targets and pull them straight into the body where they disappear. The little blue humanoid combat Classers blast the Xytherimox with weapons and grenades even when their fellow fighters are being absorbed into the Monster, but it seems to be largely unaffected. I trigger Psychic Eruption and hammer it twice in quick succession. The Xytherimox emits a screech that disrupts the low hum the Monster is emitting and reverberates through the air and ground. It freezes for a moment and then collapses to the hard cement-like ground, losing all its form. Blue body parts leak out the sides at odd angles and it whimpers, struggling to move. I fucking love this Skill Evolution! Quickly I trigger Sentinel¡¯s Fury three times and Wraithstrike to finish it, but it¡¯s dead before I reach it and my Swords slide through its bizarre body easily. Pixelated fragments of light come apart and crumble in a way that¡¯s super alien and I¡¯ve never seen before. Some of the blue humanoids are rushing around and trying to pull on the blue limbs sticking out of the Xytherimox, but most of them are staring at me, wary and watchful. I remember to Loot my kill as a new notification flashes up and I feel the pull of an automated teleport that tries to grab me and take me back to wherever I was. I glance around and wave then let the teleportation take hold and twist through space to rejoin B¡¯esloor and Kauran. ¡°Did he really just take that thing out in a few seconds?¡± B¡¯esloor is asking Kauran as I materialize. If he¡¯s referring to the outcome of my second Trial, that¡¯s promising. They both turn to orient on me and there¡¯s silence for a few seconds. I guess they¡¯re waiting for me to say something, so I shrug and then open up my kill notifications to see how much progress I¡¯ve made to my next Level and a couple more Skill points. ¡°How long until the next one?¡± 222. The Third Trial B¡¯esloor and Kauran wanted more time to talk to me about the Trial, but I wanted another Level, so I left them and spent almost a day fighting Monsters more deadly than the one I had to face in the Trial. Imagine if we just held the whole competition on Earth¡­ there are more than enough opportunities to fight high Level Monsters. Everyone would win, except I guess the other worlds that are benefiting from being part of the KCT. Mana levels on Earth are still absurdly high after the last Influx and at the top end there are a lot of threats to humanity. Enough that I managed to get what I was looking for. Level Up! You have reached Level 29 as a Human Sentinel +4 Aura, +4 Mana +65 free Attribute points to assign You have 65 free Attribute points to assign Would you like to allocate them now? (Y/N) You have 2 unallocated Class Skill points Would you like to allocate them now? (Y/N) I drop all the Attributes in Constitution and consider for a while between putting the Class Skill points in Sentinel¡¯s Fury or Echoes of Einherjar. I have these two points and two more when I reach Level 30. So, split them to end up with six and three points? Put all of them in Echoes to bring it up to five points? Put all of them in Fury to bring it up to eight points? Only a few days ago I would have gone all in on Echoes of Einherjar to advance it far enough that I could pump out an army of spectral warriors when I¡¯m fighting large groups of enemies. Now though, after what I did with the Qillathe Syndicate, I¡¯m rethinking. If I can perfect the technique of using Omnipresent to open up hundreds or thousands of Edges, then trigger Sentinel¡¯s Fury through them, a more powerful Sentinel¡¯s Fury is the better choice. Maybe this new kind of Evolution I¡¯ve gone through has opened up unusual pathways for me to follow. In the end the key factor that makes my mind up is the role I¡¯ve taken on for Earth. There are other Adventurers and groups like Strike Forces or even platoons that can take on big swarms on Earth. It¡¯s possible, but rare that a swarm gives a population of humans a massive issue. Where I¡¯m really needed is for stopping power. Eight points in Sentinel¡¯s Fury gives me the best chance of taking out the really big threats irrespective of my ability to blend it with my Affinity, so I drop my two free Class Skill points into it. Anything else is just a bonus. I can feel the potency of Sentinels Fury has risen substantially even from increasing it from four to six points. There¡¯s no real chance I¡¯ll have enough time to get my last Level before the third Trial, so instead I grab what rest I can back in Queenstown, in my out of the way favorite place up on the hill. The scenery still fills up my soul and even though technically I might be trespassing since Tenebris owns all of this now, I don¡¯t think anyone will mind. It ends up being a couple hours before I¡¯m teleported back to B¡¯esloor and Kauran with a notification. Welcome to the Koldaavi Combat Trials - Round 3! Competitor baselining complete. Trial baselining complete. A total of 18 competitors across the Universe are engaged in this Trial. You are about to be transported to your Trial briefing location. Your Trial liaison has been notified. All competitors now have 10000 Universal Time Units (UTUs) to prepare. Best of luck, High Enforcer Cadimus. Another four competitors knocked out. It occurs to me that I probably could have checked on the other contestants in between the Trials, but what would be the point? B¡¯esloor is very keen to get my attention as soon as I appear and the words start spilling out of his mouth.This narrative has been purloined without the author''s approval. Report any appearances on Amazon. ¡°Bronwic, there are technically no limits on difficulty for the third Trial. Your individual combat Trial is meant to be a challenge, and four of the Trialists didn¡¯t complete it on time. However, compared to your upcoming Trial that one was more of an appetizer. In the upcoming Trial, you may be battling for days or even weeks before you complete it. Betting and viewership tends to ramp up over the first few days as it becomes clear what situation each of the Trialists is in, and it¡¯s not unheard of for the Trialists to be thrown additional challenges. Sometimes these are legitimately unknown things that emerge, but mostly they are carried forward from the first Trial you participated in, when you removed the Qillathe Syndicate from Orvorax.¡± ¡°What does that mean for me?¡± ¡°In theory, you won¡¯t have to overcome any additional challenges because of your performance in the Trial. But we can¡¯t guarantee it,¡± answers Kauran. A notification appears in the corner of my vision and I open it out of curiosity because I¡¯m not doing anything right now that¡¯s notifications worthy. Best of luck in your upcoming KCT round! The Igenis Royal Family wishes you great success in this next round of the KCT. We follow our progress and humanity¡¯s progress with interest and friendship. Bend your knee to no one, Sentinel. L¡¯oolxiva Mag-jiit Novabrood ¡°Is it usual to get notifications wishing me well before this KCT round?¡± I ask them. ¡°Highly unusual now that the round has started,¡± says Kauran. ¡°Someone has spent a lot of Credits to get that message to you. Perhaps they wish to ally with you or win your favor. If you do well in this Trial you can expect a lot more offers to come your way for alliances with you and humanity. If you win it, you can expect an avalanche of them.¡± ¡°Not something I need to worry about right now. Anything else I need to know?¡± I ask, looking back and forth between them. ¡°Pay particular attention to the conditions of your Trial. History has shown us some of them are unusual and some of them are ambiguous, but they always contain all the information you need to complete the Trial,¡± says Kauran. I nod and wait for him to go on. Instead the large eye in the middle of his floating grey body stares at me unblinking along with all the other, smaller eyes at the end of flexible stalks. I glance at B¡¯esloor and he¡¯s similarly waiting for something. But what? ¡°Why are the two of you staring at me? It¡¯s uncomfortable.¡± ¡°Aren¡¯t you going to say anything about the last Trial?¡± asks B¡¯esloor. He¡¯s practically bursting with energy or expectation. I look at them, unsure of what to say. Perhaps from their perspective smashing a Level 300 Monster in a few seconds is noteworthy. For me, it¡¯s just a question of survival every day or every week. If I can¡¯t put down something that strong then Settlements are destroyed and tens of thousands of people are killed. I¡¯m saved from having to respond by a notification. Welcome to the Koldaavi Combat Trials - Round 3! Prepare for transport to your Trial location. Your task is to defeat Sath¡¯Threkrra, the Mindshredder Hive Queen Success criteria: There is no specified time limit on the third Trial. Based on current standings, from the time the first competitor completes their Trial, all remaining competitors will have a maximum of 2 million UTUs to complete their Trial. Best of luck, High Enforcer Cadimus. My Affinity feels the teleportation form the instant it starts and I let it happen without interference other than to send a tendril of my Perception through to make sure I¡¯m not going to be ambushed, Foresight is silent and so is my Danger Sense. I emerge at the top of a cliff surrounded by a purple sky and three looming moons. The gravity is at least twice as strong as Earth and the air is mildly toxic, but nothing compared to other areas I¡¯ve spent time in. In the distance a towering city of ruddy brown and red spires and high walls is already surrounded by a seething mass of creatures that carpet the ground and swarm up, finding purchase wherever they can. Two almost identical, massive cities are positioned close by and are in the same situation. On the top of the walls of each city, laser turrets and weapons clear swathes of attackers, but there are always more. I zoom in further and see that the defenders are four-armed humanoids with plated obsidian skin and glowing veins of bioluminescent liquid. I seem to be on some kind of a streak encountering this particular attribute in alien species. I can only assume these creatures, who my SMI identifies as Klyvarr, are the ones who have paid for their planet to be part of the KCT. As I look around, my target for this Trial is clear. Down in the distance at a Dungeon set within a deep chasm that has serious trouble written all over it. The Dungeon is clearly overflowing, with drone insects the size of a pony pouring out of the opening at a rate of several per second. I zoom in with my Perception to inspect them and see they¡¯re mostly a cookie cutter of each other. Ten legs, hard black and dark grey patterned carapace, vicious looking mouths with the teeth of a shark and the eyes of a fly. The front two legs have blades that extend out like swords and they skitter around with extraordinarily high Agility and Strength. Skills and spell-like effects fire out from the creatures, called Vortheks, in what looks like an overwhelming flood. Each one looks to only be able to fire something out every few seconds, but there are so many of them that it turns into a constant barrage of attacks that¡¯s hard to turn back. I¡¯ve seen enough. Determined to end this as quickly as I can for the Klyvarr and humanity, I trigger Omnipresent and watch as hundreds of thousands of dots bloom in my mind¡¯s eye, with one so much brighter than the rest and colored red. I use a Portal to see what I¡¯m about to deal with and it¡¯s clear immediately I¡¯m in deep shit. 223. Sath鈥橳hrekkra Through the Portal I can see the heart of this threat and adrenaline dumps into my system as I¡¯m reminded of Hvitserkur, another named Monster. I¡¯m not sure why I didn¡¯t click onto this when I saw the completion conditions for the Trial, but it¡¯s obvious now and I feel a small spike of panic as my mind flashes back to the sight of Jon¡¯s broken body. I grit my teeth and remind myself that I¡¯ve had a major upgrade in power since then. Not Tenebris level power, but I¡¯ve got a lot more options now. Either I¡¯ve drawn a very short straw, or these third Trials are no joke. Sath¡¯Threkkra, The Mindshredder Hive Queen (Level 430) Health: ?????/????? Mana: 9890/13520 Conditions: Crystalline Armor, Hive Link, Psionic Domination, Strength of the Many, Disruptive Swarm, Assimilation Protocol, Tendrils of Fate, more¡­ The Mindshredder is a towering insectoid, maybe 20 feet tall, encased in a pink hued crystalline exoskeleton that glows faintly with energy. Every surface of its body looks sharp and deadly. Dozens of eyes located mostly on the head and other strange jutting protrusions look cold and calculating, or maybe that¡¯s just the robotic way it seems to move as it alternates between smooth motions and quick, precise movements. It¡¯s located in some kind of a cave and based on what I can see from my minimap, it looks like the Hive Queen has a strategically advantageous position where she can see her followers doing her bidding. Based on Sath¡¯Threkkra¡¯s Conditions and the fact my SMI can¡¯t determine how much Health this thing has, my guess is that it has a shared Health pool with the rest of the Hive. I¡¯ve seen that before, including with the Brothers in Arms Skill that Robb had; that Skill saved our bacon a lot of times, but I¡¯ve never seen something on this scale. I take a heavy breath and glance between the Portal and the swarm of hundreds of thousands, maybe millions of drones that are attacking the walls and spires. How much damage will I have to do just to put a dent in a shared Health pool like that? I remember way back to the Warg Matriarch I killed to get my Powerhouse Title and its bonus damage against higher Level enemies. In that case I was able to pile on the damage faster than its Health could be recovered through the link. Could the same hold true here? Or is it some kind of actual shared Health pool? There¡¯s no way to know. One thing¡¯s for sure; my Exterminator Title is going to be active as hell during this Trial. So long ago that I got it killing sandflies in Milford Sound, yet I¡¯m still reaping the benefits. I wonder briefly how many people across the Universe are watching me hesitate to attack this thing. How many humans might be watching, and if they know what¡¯s riding on this. I wish I had more answers. The only way to get them is to jump through a Portal. As prepared as I can be, I manifest the Portal making sure only humans can pass through it, then jump through and keep it open behind me. The minimal Mana drain is worth the potential quick exit. As soon as I jump through I check the AMLs. I can already feel the Dungeon has higher Mana levels than the cliff I was on. Current Ambient Mana Level (AML): 8 (+30 Gift of Gaia) Not super high for a Dungeon and even lower on the surface of this planet. The odds aren¡¯t stacked in my favor. Mental influence resisted. Psionic destruction resisted. Mind Shatter resisted. Neural Spear resisted.If you discover this narrative on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen. Please report the violation. This thing¡¯s reactions are fucking quick! I trigger Psychic Eruption just in case the Mindshredder is somehow weak to its own attacks, but even though my Skill is Evolved it only smashes head to head with the Hive Queen¡¯¡¯s defenses for a second before unraveling. Battle drone insects all around me in the cavern pivot as one and start hammering me with blade-like appendages on their legs and minor effects I ignore, instead I trigger Sentinel¡¯s Fury three times, focused completely at Sath¡¯Threkkra. I can feel the damage taking hold but then it¡¯s defrayed out to the collective Hive. This shit is not good. My Elemental Aegis is sparkling green, blue, and white from deflecting the attacks so I trigger Sentinel¡¯s Fury again, but this time at the battle drones. Unlike their Queen, they implode from the damage and I¡¯m left standing staring at my opponent. A lot of legs are skittering across cavern rock to get to us. I trigger Wraithstrike and flash toward the Mindshredder at high speed then materialize just in time to swipe my Swords across its body at full extension. The blades sweep through the body with almost no resistance and I carve it up a few times to make sure there¡¯s no chance of recovery. A few seconds pass, but the notification I¡¯m expecting for completion of the third Trial doesn¡¯t come. What does come is a flood of insect battle drones so I decimate a few hundred of them in the surrounding area with Sentinel¡¯s Fury and check my minimap. Not far away is another red dot indicating something seriously dangerous to me, so I rush outside and take great leaps across the rock face until I land at another cavern opening. What I find there turns my blood cold. Sath¡¯Threkkra, The Mindshredder Hive Queen (Level 430) Health: ?????/????? Mana: 10300/13520 Conditions: Crystalline Armor, Hive Link, Psionic Domination, Strength of the Many, Disruptive Swarm, Assimilation Protocol, Tendrils of Fate, more¡­ This fucker can transfer itself to one of its drones! To any of its drones? Only some of them? I leap and scramble back to the original cavern, which is now deserted, and leap back through my own Portal to the top of the cliff. Pissed off, I trigger Omnipresent and spend a couple of minutes trying to force the filters to show me what I need to see, to show me how the Hive Queen¡¯s colony works. I force my will through Know Thy Enemy and push it to new heights. The Skills push back and tear at me, causing me to lose focus and lose the track I¡¯m on. I snarl and push again with my will, braced this time for the backlash. I¡¯m not braced for the flood of Foresight that hits me, showing shadowy kidnappers and assassins heading for Uncle Ant, Carter¡¯s family, Tatiana, Jeff, and more. Seriously fucked off now, I pivot Omnipresent to find all of them. All of the fuckers that are trying to mess with me while they know I¡¯m in the middle of the KCT, no matter where they are. Some of them aren¡¯t even in this Galaxy, but I find them and open up Edges, then send through Sentinel¡¯s Fury and death. The kill notifications roll in. Each and every one spikes my anger and rage. I take note of every organization, every association. The notifications will be there for me to review, but they¡¯re burned in my brain. When it¡¯s done, I open my eyes and look out over the sea of insect battle drones controlled by the Mindshredder and wait for my Stamina to build back up to full. Time to go to work. Refusing to let my purpose be diverted, I force my Skills to give me what I need and they respond, continuing the Evolutions that they¡¯ve been through with my SMI. A dam bursts in my mind and information floods into me through Omnipresent. I¡¯m staggered and fall to my knees, then grasp my head with fistfuls of hair to anchor myself. I feel like I might be swept away and lose my mind. Congratulations! Skill integration complete. Know Thy Enemy now fully integrated with both Omnipresent and Observe. Slowly it settles. I don¡¯t know if it¡¯s been seconds or hours until I check the timer in the corner of my vision and see it hasn¡¯t been long. I trigger Omnipresent and now it blossoms with not just the red dot indicating Sath¡¯Threkkra, but also maybe a thousand other blue dots indicating a special kind of alternate that the Hive Queen can transfer her consciousness to and force an Evolution. I open up a thousand Edges to end it and send through wave after wave of devastating damage. I¡¯m almost finished when the Hive Queen manages to find me. She leaps up to the flat area I¡¯m standing in, arms raised, and charges me down followed by hundreds of her minions. Like the last time, I use Wraithstrike and brutally slice her apart. When we¡¯re in the same room it¡¯s a stalemate since she doesn¡¯t seem to be able to damage me and I can¡¯t kill her, but I¡¯m closing down her options rapidly and she seems to know it. Without any pause or mercy I keep hammering them as fast as I can. It¡¯s only a matter of time, but time is critical in the KCT so I bear down and savage the colony, starting at the top. Less than an hour later there isn¡¯t a single remnant of the colony alive and the notification I need appears. It¡¯s been a slaughter, a genocide. My anger has long faded. Congratulations! You have completed the third Trial of the KCT! All victory conditions have been satisfied. Prepare for transport in 100 UTUs. Fuck everything. That¡¯s how I feel right now, and at the same time I hope I¡¯ve won. 224. Ascendant I appear in a black and dark blue room with subtle glowing white moving patterns on three walls. The fourth wall is a transparent window or force field that overlooks a planet that looks somewhat similar to Earth, but clearly isn¡¯t. Massive structures stretch kilometers into the sky below us like gargantuan pyramids. Between them are towers that stretch even higher. I have no idea where I am, but I do know the two characters that are here with me. Kauran and B¡¯esloor are buzzing out at how quickly I¡¯ve finished the Trial and debating about whether it¡¯s some kind of record. They try to involve me in the conversation, but they make so many references to a whole bunch of people and past dates that don¡¯t mean anything to me that I can¡¯t even keep up. It does lift my spirits a bit, though, considering that I may be near or at the top of the KCT results and I start to turn my mind toward the next step. I also have some very brightly colored and insistent notifications to open that I¡¯m keen to get to. Despite their protests that I need to stay with them and understand the significance of what I¡¯ve just achieved, I manage to convince them to give me some time to myself, mostly by threatening to Portal somewhere else. The first one I¡¯m expecting from the XP I gained from the third Trial, and my excitement starts to build as I consider what an Ascended Class might offer me. Level Up! You have reached Level 30 as a Human Sentinel +4 Aura, +4 Mana, +65 free Attribute points to assign You have 65 free Attribute points to assign Would you like to allocate them now? (Y/N) You have 2 unallocated Class Skill points Would you like to allocate them now? (Y/N) The allocation of these points was decided a long time ago, so I drop all 65 free Attributes into Constitution and the two Class Skill points in Sentinel¡¯s Fury to bring it up to 8, almost as powerful as it can be without an Evolution. I open the next notification with excitement and then a pause. Is this something I want to do right now, irrespective of what happens with the KCT results? Congratulations! You are eligible for an Ascended Class Evolution! Depending on circumstances, Ascended Class Evolutions may take up to 10,000 UTUs. It is advisable to avoid intensely hostile environments during Ascended Evolutions. Banked XP will be released upon Evolution. Would you like to proceed? (Y/N) I stride back over to Kauran and B¡¯esloor across the dark, space age floor and glance out the window again. The view really is stunning. ¡°How safe is this place?¡± I ask them and glance around. B¡¯esloors pinched face looks puzzled. ¡°We¡¯re above a core SSA Homeworld and surrounded by some of the most powerful technology and beings in the Universe. Anything can happen, especially with someone like you, but this is one of the safest places in the Universe.¡± ¡°Can I bring some people here, for up to 10,000 UTUs? Is that possible? I would consider it a favor. I have something I need to do and while I¡¯m doing it, I won¡¯t be able to protect them.¡± ¡°You¡¯ve earned that and more, Bronwic,¡± says Kauran as he floats toward me. He seems to take my request as an official one for help, and I¡¯m fine with that if it means everyone can be protected. B¡¯esloor is quick to jump in and agree. ¡°Of course! Consider it done. There¡¯s virtually no chance at all that the KCT will be over so soon, although once word gets out about how fast you¡¯ve completed your Trial I expect a number of competitors to abandon their Trials. Especially the really dangerous ones.¡± Something about that feels wrong to me, but I put it aside for later. I don¡¯t see any reason to delay, so I spend half an hour creating Portals to bring my family to this space station. It doesn¡¯t take long and feels good to have everyone together and safe. Uncle Ant looks old but spry, and is still spending his time moving between Settlements I own to upgrade them with his bodyguards. Logan has gained another Level and is only three away from gaining his Mythic Skills; Carter and the rest of the family who are all doing well. None of them know they were the target of attacks during the KCT and I remind them to always be on guard, just in case, but it¡¯s a tough balance. I don¡¯t want them to creep around all day in fear. I also convince Tatiana to come with them, after a very short time to connect with her. As I watch the kids marveling at Kauran in particular and the view from the space station, I feel odd. Normal but not normal. None of this is normal. It¡¯s unsettling to feel a bit of comfort and warmth creep in when most of my time is spent in combat. ¡°You¡¯re going to be safe, Uncle Bronwic?¡± Millie asks me as I let everyone know I¡¯ll be gone for a short time. ¡°Yeah, kiddo. They¡¯ll take care of you here and I¡¯ll be back real soon, in less than a day. Maybe even real short, I¡¯m just not sure.¡± I smooth down her long blonde hair and marvel at how tall they¡¯re getting. She¡¯s strong and wiry with an open, warm grin and a tough underlying sense of resilience. ¡°You guys enjoy something a bit different. Maybe a tour of the space station or even the planet can be arranged?¡± I ask, eying B¡¯esloor.Unauthorized duplication: this tale has been taken without consent. Report sightings. ¡°Kauran and I have some things to take care of, but yes that can be arranged,¡± he agrees. There are a few people wandering in and out of the large room setting up some notification screens, food, and equipment for a Portal that leads directly to a top class sparring facility¡­ a special request from Logan, but Mille seems almost as interested as he is, even though her Class selection is still a couple of years away. I decide to use a secure room on the space station instead of Portaling to one of the safe spaces I¡¯ve set up on Earth, since this seems just as safe and I¡¯ll be wrapped in a cocoon of protective energy during the transition. When I¡¯m settled, I call up the notification and mentally will the Evolution to begin. Golden light surrounds me and I feel wrapped in a super dense core of Mana that my new Affinity plugs into right away. I¡¯m curious about the patterns of Mana that form the cocoon and get lost for a few minutes watching them closely. It¡¯s like looking at a masterpiece I can¡¯t really understand and can¡¯t pull apart. It¡¯s mesmerizing, but I don¡¯t think at my current understanding of Mana through my Affinity I can learn anything meaningful so I pull myself out of it and focus on my Evolution. Congratulations on achieving your Ascended Class! Based on your progress and special achievements to date, the following four Classes are available for you to select from. Note that this will be your final Class Evolution. If you reach Level 30 as an Ascended Class, further XP gains will be converted over time into Ascension Points that you can use to upgrade Attributes and Skills. I know from research and speaking with Taiwo that Ascended Class Levels require an order of magnitude more XP than Legendary Class Levels and that jumps again as each Tier is reached, then further again at Level 30. Even with my accelerated rate of XP gain and the fact I started at Mythic, my progress is going to slow down substantially. Excited, I call up the notification outlining my potential Class choices. The first one is no surprise. Ascended Class (Unique): Human Sentinel Fortunate species have a champion who stands watch, protecting them from hostile forces and each other. The few Sentinels that exist in the Universe give even the most powerful organizations and individuals pause when considering hostile action. Always on guard, the Sentinel will challenge all comers, prevent surprise attacks, and stand time after time to defend, protect, and advance humanity¡¯s best interests. The Sentinel becomes whoever they need to be to protect their species. Class Attributes: +5 Mana, +5 Aura, +85 free Attributes per Level. Attributes scale with AMLs. Class Skill Branches: Combat / Protection / Judgement. Evolution selection unlocked. Class Quest completed through Title Grant - Savior of Earth. I expected a continuation of what got me here and I¡¯m not disappointed. Ascended Classes usually get up to 78 Attributes per Level, even at Enhanced, so this Class is clearly something special. I¡¯ve never seen or heard anything like that small line in the description that you could almost miss, ¡®Attributes scale with AMLs¡¯. A small line with a potentially massive impact depending on the scaling factor. I focus on it, but there¡¯s no additional information forthcoming. Given everything that¡¯s happened so far, I feel a strong pull to select this and continue the mission that¡¯s driven me to where I am today. Ascended Class (Unique): Dark Mana Knight Tempered through circumstances thought impossible, the Dark Mana Knight is a unique Class in the history of the Universe. Class Attributes: +20 Mana, +30 Aura, +60 free Attributes per Level. Further Saturated Mana Interface Evolutions and integrations are possible. Effects related to Mana absorption, processing, and advancement doubled. Multiple Skill and Affinity integrations with Dark Mana Knight Skills is highly probable. Class Skill Branches: Combat / Dominion / Utility. Dark Mana Knight Evolution selection unlocked. Class Quest completed through Title Grant - Dark Mana Tempered. This is a pretty significant departure from my path so far, but rejecting it out of hand seems premature. There¡¯s no doubt that the SMI Evolutions and integrations I¡¯ve been through, including the level of integration I¡¯ve achieved with my Affinities, have boosted my power significantly. Ascended Class (Enhanced): Galactic Enforcer Roaming the Universe, Galactic Enforcers are feared and respected amongst all within the Sapient Species Alliance and many outside of it. Invested with the full power of the SSA behind them, Galactic Enforcers have limitless resources at their disposal and answer to no one. Class Attributes: +5 Mana, +5 Aura, +10 Constitution, +10 Strength, +10 Agility, +10 Luck, +10 Perception, +25 free Attributes per Level Gain inherent Galactic Enforcer exclusive Class Skills: Quantum Pursuit Lock, Interstellar Command Network, Warden Protocol Class Skill Branches: Combat / Protection / Investigation. Evolution selection unlocked. Class Quest completed through SSA Clearance 9 or above qualification. No doubt a lot of people would give up a lot to get an Enhanced Ascended Class like this, but it¡¯s not for me. My involvement as a High Enforcer and with the SSA is a byproduct of other things that I¡¯ve done or tried to accomplish, rather than because it¡¯s really where I want to focus. I can¡¯t imagine that changing, despite how much Taiwo wants me to shift my views on it. On the other hand, the last one definitely sparks my interest. Ascended Class (Unique): Human Combat Paragon Fortunate species in the SSA have someone who embodies their fighting spirit and has the ability to emerge victorious from situations otherwise thought impossible. There can be no more than one Human Combat Paragon at any point in time and is the perfect example of humanity¡¯s ability to produce a combat champion. The Paragon is the standard of excellence that all others aspire to. Class Attributes: +5 Mana, +10 Aura, +15 Constitution, +10 Strength, +10 Agility, +10 Charisma, +35 free Attributes per Level Gain inherent Human Combat Paragon exclusive Class Skills: Adaptive Combat Mastery, Unyielding Resolve, Battlefield Instinct, Martial Focus Class Skill Branches: Single Combat / Mass Combat / Resilience. Evolution selection unlocked. Class Quest completed through Koldaavi Combat Trial victory. This Class sounds like an upgraded Sentinel, specializing in combat and with a more offensive leaning build, although it doesn¡¯t have Attributes that scale with AMLs. I can already take a beating with the best of them and often find it¡¯s my firepower that¡¯s lacking, so maybe this is the best option. Not for the first time, I wish there was more information available to guide me on these choices. I look over the options again a few times and consider how each of the Classes might grow, and what Skills they might have. How they might complement or synergize with what I already have. I think about what I want to accomplish. What Class might have the most immediate punch and what might have a longer term advantage. Could they be the same Class? Can I have my cake and eat it too? There¡¯s some pressure to choose, but this is important so I take my time. This choice will be with me for the rest of my life. Eventually, I¡¯m ready. I¡¯m fully committed, and I make my selection. Gold light and rushing Mana infuse me and lift me up, my whole body tingling. The Mana and my SMI pull me apart and then put me back together in a warm glow. I¡¯m lost in it with absolutely no concept of time or reality. 225. Evolution Progression Completed I feel a rise of anxiety wash over me as my Evolution finishes and I come out of the warm glow to become fully aware. The completion notification is flashing in the corner of my vision and I open it up before I do anything else, even rise from the bed I¡¯m on. My body feels leaner, more solid and dense. More grounded in reality as if the area around me bends to my presence. Congratulations! Dark Mana Knight Evolution Initial Step Complete! Exploring synergies and integrations currently available¡­ multiple found. Quantifying synergies and integrations¡­ Outputs and outcomes calculating¡­ It¡¯s not a completion notification after all, there¡¯s more to come with my Evolution. I hope with everything I have that the main reason I picked this Class will come shining through. Effects related to Mana absorption, processing, and advancement doubled. I feel dizzy and disoriented so I stay where I am. Intense changes continue to take place inside of me that I can sense with my Mana Affinity, although they¡¯re way beyond my comprehension. As some time passes, the sensations clarify and my mind fog lifts to the point I can track the changes that the Mana is making to me. The patterns are so complex there¡¯s no way I can unravel them, so I just watch them with wonder. Maybe after a few hundred years of practice with my Affinity I could extract some of their secrets. Evolution Progression Complete As part of your Ascended Class Evolution, additional changes have now completed. Further Progressions are possible in the future. Current Evolution Progression outcomes: I¡¯m stunned and I swing my legs over the bed and sit up, then look at the ceiling and take a deep breath in and out, not believing it. I¡¯ll never get to compare this Class I picked to the other options I didn¡¯t, but this is beyond what I was hoping for. My Dark Mana Tempered Title already gave me a unique benefit of getting two Class Skill points per Level instead of one, and now to double it to four through my Class is fucking crazy. I do a quick calculation and realize that it means I can Evolve every single one of my Ascended Class Skills if I make it to Level 30, probably breaking ground that¡¯s never been seen before. It¡¯s like gaining four Ascended Class Levels for every Level! An extra Gift of Gaia anchor point is going to mean I can double the amount of AMLs to draw on, and combined with my base physical regeneration doubled it means my already sky high Health and Stamina regeneration have just been vastly increased. Once I get another anchor point, even in areas with only one AML my Health is going to be fully regenerated in only a second compared to the base I started with of about ten minutes. Crazy! In a high AML environment like a Dungeon, Earth, or a Bane World my injuries are going to heal almost instantly. Add all that to doubling the adaptive benefit that allows me to build Attributes and Resistances, plus another big boost of Stamina, and over the long haul I really love where I could take this. An increase of anything at this stage by double or quadruple amounts to a skyrocketing of power and potential. There¡¯s another notification waiting for me that it¡¯s time to open, before I go any further. Level Up! All banked XP now released. You have reached Level 2 as a Dark Mana Knight +30 Aura, +20 Mana, +60 free Attribute points to assign You have 120 free Attribute points to assign Would you like to allocate them now? (Y/N) You have 8 unallocated Class Skill points Would you like to allocate them now? (Y/N) This is crazy. I¡¯ll be able to Evolve one of my Tier 1 Ascended Class Skills at Level 3! In fact, I¡¯ll be able to Evolve all of my Tier 1 Class Skills before I even have access to my Tier 2 Skills, with Class Skill points left to spare. I look around the room and up again, wondering if something is broken. If something or someone like Tenebris is going to appear and either rip this all away from me or kill me before I become too powerful. I take a few more deep breaths to calm myself and shake my head, then laugh. Fuck thinking like that! I¡¯ve been through too much. Fuck playing it safe, or hiding away. I¡¯m going to drive this fucking Class like I stole it. After a minute of thought I decide to split my free Attributes evenly between Constitution, Strength, and Agility. Then I call up my new Class Skills to check them out.
Combat Dominion Utility
Tier 1 Resonant Strike Perfect Focus Dimensional Forge
Tier 2 Tempest Siphon Iron Mandate Dimensional Step
Tier 3 Starfire Scourge Temporal Anchor Reality Shaper
Tier 4 CataclysmA case of literary theft: this tale is not rightfully on Amazon; if you see it, report the violation. Ascendent Edict Fatebinder¡¯s Touch
I have three to choose from at this Level, my Tier 1 Skills. Resonant Strike (Dark Mana Knight Skill - Tier 1) (Level 1 of 10) Like Dark Mana interacts with Mana, the Dark Mana Knight can disrupt enemies through powerful, destructive interactions. Effect: emits powerful targeted waves of resonant energy that create shockwaves and disruption at a molecular level Cost: 3000 Stamina Additional Skill points grant increased damage and control Perfect Focus (Dark Mana Knight Skill - Tier 1) (Level 1 of 10) The concentration and focus required to handle an environment near Dark Mana is absolute. The Dark Mana Knight can block out all other considerations, including time. This Skill has been additionally enhanced through Skill integration. Synergy with Acceleration ¡ú Perfect Focus Effect: allows the user to slow down their Perception of time and increase their speed Cost: 50 Stamina per second Additional Skill points grant increased time dilation multiples and speed Dimensional Forge (Dark Mana Knight Skill - Tier 1) (Level 1 of 10) Dark Mana Knights manipulate pure energy and Mana to form unbreakable temporary constructs. This Skill has been additionally enhanced through Skill integration. Synergy with Sentinel¡¯s Swords ¡ú Dimensional Forge Effect: crafts weapons, armor, or tools from pure energy, tailored perfectly to the user¡¯s needs and designs within the limits of the Skill Cost: Mana regeneration reduced by 20 permanently, variable Stamina drain per second Additional Skill points grant increased variety of creatable objects and durability I drop one point in Resonant Strike and Perfect Focus, and the other six in Dimensional Forge. Being able to create powerful armor that I can refresh with a thought is worth the 120 Mana regeneration penalty I¡¯ve got to take, but I will need to be a bit cautious with how much I cripple my Mana regeneration going forward. I¡¯ve only got so many Attributes I can drop into Aura to gain passive Skills and regenerate my Mana. I¡¯m less worried about regeneration since it¡¯s clear
Status Overview
Name Bronwic Cadimus Class Dark Mana Knight
Race Human (male) Level 2
Titles
Exterminator, Overachiever, Powerhouse, Explorer, Bane World Delver, Survivor, Bastion, SSA High Enforcer, Mark of Tenebris (Hidden), Savior of Earth, Dark Mana Tempered
Health 15190 Health Regeneration 437176 /min
Stamina 30380 Stamina Regeneration 437176 /min
Mana 2980 Mana Regeneration 358 /min
Status Conditions
None
Attributes
Strength 540 Perception 1550
Constitution 1519 Charisma 570
Agility 540 Luck 1250
Aura 584 Mana 298
SMI Skills and Affinities
Danger Sense 160 Observe 120
Affinities Dimensional Manipulation, Mana Survivor Damage Resistance +20% when under 20% Health
Class Specific SMI Dynamics
Physical regen Base + Base*AML Mana regeneration 200%
Personal Weapon Base damage: 9000 Tech functionality -25%
Mental Resistance Invulnerable All Resistances Variable [Breakdown]
Damage Reduction 80%
Explorer Bonus +20% XP Foresight Variable [Thresholds]
Potion/Buff Penalty -80% / -90%
Class Skills
Unbreakable Evolved Omnipresent Evolved
Gift of Gaia Evolved (+30 AML) Runic Recall Evolved
Psychic Eruption Evolved (Geas) Sentinel¡¯s Fury 8*
Dimensional Forge 6 Imbued Strike 6*
Greatest Need 3* Wraithstrike 3*
Guardian¡¯s Blessing 2 Perfect Focus 1
Elemental Aegis 2* Echoes of Einherjar 1
Resonant Strike 1 Guilty as Charged 1
Know Thy Enemy 1 Marked for Glory 1
Wall of the Clan 1 Group Party Chat 1*
Rise Again 1 Instantaneous Inventory 1*
The difference between my Mana and Stamina regeneration is laughable, but hardly any of my active Skills use Mana and I don¡¯t expect that to change. If this Class was created to suit me then a bunch of Skills requiring Mana wouldn¡¯t be much of an Evolution. As I stand up, I feel raw power flowing through me. With a thought I trigger Dimensional Forge and create a super strong dark armor from raw energy and Mana that covers me from head to toe. The faceplate is clear from my side, I can¡¯t even tell there¡¯s something there. This is by far the most protective and free flowing armor I¡¯ve ever worn and I can refresh it with a thought. Combined with my Resistances I can¡¯t even imagine how much punishment I can take before losing even a single point of Health. I call my Swords to my hands. They¡¯re even more solid and powerful than before, lined with a mononuclear edge that¡¯s impossibly sharp. With another thought I switch them to warhammers, then a spear and shield, then a wicked two-handed scythe. The versatility, speed, and potency is incredible. I trigger Perfect Focus and feel it take hold. My Agility and Perception ramp up and time seem to slow down but nothing really changes since nothing is moving. I release it and look forward to seeing what happens with it in combat. Resonant Strike is going to have to wait as well. Satisfied and ready, I open my minimap to find my family. They¡¯re spread out all over the space station so I trigger Omnipresent and manifest a Portal to Carter. The Skill works even more smoothly and powerfully than I¡¯m used to and I can¡¯t pinpoint which of the changes has driven it, but it¡¯s definitely there. I step through and it¡¯s clear Carter hasn¡¯t seen the Portal manifest because he pivots and takes a step back then activates his Flame form. With a laugh I drop my armor, revealing my face and form. I¡¯d forgotten about my armor already. ¡°Fuck, Bronwic. Being on an alien space station isn¡¯t the best for my nerves, and if you can turn that feeling of threat off then do it. I don¡¯t like the feeling that I¡¯m going to shit my pants because my younger brother is in the room.¡± I guess I¡¯ve got a few things to get ahold of. 226. A Bit Rich Coming From You A couple hours later, I¡¯ve left everyone back where I got them before my Evolution, except Logan. B¡¯esloor and Kauran weren¡¯t around and I found myself being glad that I don¡¯t need to be caught up in anything before testing out my new Skills properly. No doubt once the third Trial is officially ended I¡¯ll see them again. In the meantime, Logan and I are peering through a Portal at the biggest threat on Earth at the moment. I exert my will and pull through information about what I¡¯m seeing. Eryvalis, The Rootmother (Level 409) Health: 46840/46840 Mana: 14940/15110 Conditions: Entropic Bloom, Vine Warden, Corrupt the Wild, Verdant Fury, Withering Aura, Heart of Rot, more¡­ Not far from the Mindshredder Hive Queen, but still far from Hvitserkur. I glance over at Logan, who¡¯s watching intently, and rethink whether I should do this with him. Through the Portal we can see Eryvalis in what was the Amazon rainforest, near Manaus which somehow still has over a million people living in it. She¡¯s a twisted tree-like entity with vines that move purposely. Some combine to form monstrous limbs and others stretch out like long, thin fingers that grasp and search. All around her are an army of corrupted forest creatures of all shapes and sizes. I can only assume that she controls a massive area given her Level, the length of time since the Influx, and the remoteness of the location. ¡°What do you think?¡± I ask him. ¡°I think I¡¯m close to getting my Mythic Class Skills so I need XP. And I want you to think I¡¯m ¡®Himothy¡¯. But that thing is out of my league.¡± ¡°Part of what helps us to become powerful is knowing when not to take on a fight,¡± I suggest to him. ¡°That¡¯s a bit rich coming from you, isn¡¯t it Uncle Bronwic?¡± ¡°Probably,¡± I admit. We watch for a few more minutes and then I make a decision. ¡°I¡¯ll hold the Portal open when I go through. Nothing will be able to pass through it except humans. If I can take that thing out then you should be ok with the rest of it. Just don¡¯t get locked down, eh?¡± Logan nods and I can see he¡¯s taking it as seriously as he should, so I manifest the Portal and stride through into the jungle. Instantly rough vegetation and foliage as hard as steel and covered in barbs that glow with necrotic and poisonous energy move to wrap around me. I trigger Perfect Focus and watch them slow down to a crawl while my Agility and Perception ramp up. I bat a few of them aside easily to get used to the speed I¡¯m operating at and realize right away that to fully take advantage of this I¡¯m going to have to put a lot more free Attributes in Strength. Only a second has passed and I want to see how my new armor handles attacks so I stand still and let the attacks come. Vines try to bind me and a few scratch or even penetrate my armor a short way, but they¡¯re pushed out quickly as the Stamina drain from Dimensional Forge increases slightly and the armor reforms and strengthens at the point of attack. It¡¯s not remotely enough to touch my Stamina regeneration levels. The fury of nature blasts me from all directions as the Rootmother turns her focus to me and withering and rotting debuffs slam into me from all directions without taking hold. I give it a few seconds while watching my minimap. Eryvalis is the only red dot and she continues her slow march toward Manaus while the Monsters under her control swarm toward me. The ground under her seems to surge and open up to let her pass by at high speed. Very satisfied with the amount of protection Dimensional Forge gives me in combination with my other Skills, it¡¯s time to swap to offensive. I trigger Resonant Strike in a blast all around me with me at the center. As the Skill releases I feel I have some control over what it affects through its resonant waves, but it¡¯s mostly raw destruction. As the blast pulses out in a ripple I watch Monsters, vegetation, trees, and even hills and other terrain features all explode apart. All that¡¯s left behind is a coarse, heavy mist of particles that falls to the ground with a wet thump. For a radius of fifty meters around me the ground is now stamped flat and covered in a thick layer of remnants. This story originates from a different website. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there. I look around in a bit of shock, trying to process the damage my Skill has just smashed out, then dart straight toward the Rootmother and trigger Resonant Strike again, this time focused in a tight cone. The thick jungle explodes apart as the blast pulses out and when it reaches the Rootmother I can not only see it ripping her up, I can feel it wrestling with her Resistances and inherent damage reduction. Nothing gets to this Level without being able to take a serious hammering, but my Skill has disrupted her momentum and she halts as her fibres and form are shredded. One Wraithstrike and I¡¯m in close, devastating the Rootmother with two massive battle axes I¡¯ve formed with Dimensional Forge. Perfect Focus allows me to dodge most of her attacks, other than the true Area of Effect attacks and the occasional time where my Strength can¡¯t keep up with what I¡¯m trying to do. All her minions swarm back in toward her in a synchronized defence that must be part telepathy. I use Wraithstrike with abandon to attack her from all angles and it leaves her vulnerable as I chop and hack and slash. Soon the kill notification comes and I dart back over to the Portal and step through. Logan has his armor fully on including his helmet and turns slowly toward me, then starts to say something that I can¡¯t understand until I drop Perfect Focus and time speeds up to normal. ¡°-at was that?¡± he asks, pointing toward the Portal. ¡°New Skill. You didn¡¯t want to join?¡± ¡°I saw that massive wave of destruction and decided to stay out of the way.¡± Fair enough. I¡¯m not even sure right now if I can stop it from damaging my allies. Maybe more points in the Skill will give me more control. ¡°The tough one is dead,¡± I let him know. ¡°Let¡¯s go have some fun.¡± Logan leaps through the Portal before I even finish my suggestion. I step through again and watch him mow down the lesser creatures the Rootmother was bringing toward the city. I walk behind his trail of destruction and keep an eye on my minimap. Maybe he¡¯ll get those last Levels he needs to get his Mythic Skills today after all. We¡¯ve almost finished mopping up and Logan has only one more Level to go when I get the notification I¡¯ve been waiting for, and it¡¯s good news. Congratulations! You have completed the Koldaavi Combat Trials in First Place! Your fame throughout the Universe has increased substantially. Victory reward: variable Your completed time and score is a new record. Reward: 10,000,000 XP Would you like to select your KCT victory reward now? (Y/N) Your KCT liaisons wish to teleport you to their location. Do you accept the transport? (Y/N) I mentally depress ¡®N¡¯ on both options for now and watch Logan take out another three high Level Boa Constrictor derivatives. It¡¯s going to be exciting to see him with his Skills. Another ten minutes and the whole threat is wiped out, perhaps with nobody in Manaus any the wiser. ¡°Great job, Logan. I¡¯ve gotta get you home now, a few things to take care of.¡± ¡°Whoo! Sure Uncle Bronwic. Thanks for watching my back, that was crazy.¡± I laugh since it certainly didn¡¯t look like he was out of his depth. ¡°Any time, kiddo. Now¡­ here you go.¡± I open a Portal to Carter¡¯s house and he jumps through without saying another word, already on to wherever his mind is wandering. I set it aside with a smile. He¡¯s a teenager. There¡¯s another notification I need to open. Level Up! You have reached Level 3 as a Dark Mana Knight +30 Aura, +20 Mana, +60 free Attribute points to assign You have 60 free Attribute points to assign Would you like to allocate them now? (Y/N) You have 4 unallocated Class Skill points Would you like to allocate them now? (Y/N) I drop all the free Attributes in Strength and even though I know I could Evolve Dimensional Forge right now, I decide to put them in Resonant Strike instead. As I do, the knowledge of how to use it without harming my allies fills my mind, along with how to focus it on something distant without destroying everything along the way. Massive upgrade! The question of how to explain when I Evolve my first Ascended Skill has been playing on my mind and I¡¯m not sure how to deal with it, other than to stop caring. My next stop isn¡¯t Kauran and B¡¯esloor even though I¡¯m probably breaking some kind of unwritten rule at the very least. I trigger Omnipresent and find Taiwo several Galaxies away, so instead I open a Portal to the MIS Hub in Queenstown and touch the Shop orb. 227. Youre The Only Jerk Whod Do This ¡°You must swim with the strongest currents in the Universe, Bronwic. How else could you have come so far so fast?¡± Taiwo asks when he sees me. He even relents and gives me the bro hug I know he¡¯s always secretly wanted to before he leads me through a short maze of doors and hallways to a spacious, comfortable room with light colored furniture placed all around it. In the center is a floating holographic depiction of Earth; our planet is around the size of a large Swiss ball. ¡°What¡¯s this about?¡± I ask. ¡°I assumed you were here to discuss what reward you might select with your KCT victory,¡± says Taiwo. ¡°And I also feel compelled to make sure you understand some things about gaining your Ascended Class.¡± ¡°Can¡¯t a guy just come chat with his friend after a lot¡¯s happened?¡± I ask, and he hesitates slightly to answer before I continue with a grin. ¡°And¡­ yeah, that would be great.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll remind you about Legendary Classers not being allowed on Earth except in special circumstances approved by the SSA? That¡¯s the case on a lot of worlds, and the same applies for Ascended Classes, although some like Tenebris bend the rules a bit to their liking. Ascended Classes operate on a whole different level than everyone else. New rules, new threats, new alliances, and new challenges. You¡¯re part of it now.¡± Before I can get into it with him, I sense a flexing of reality all around us with my Dimensional Manipulation Affinity and instinctively I reach out to strengthen everything around us to protect against some kind of attack. Before I use my Affinity to seal it up, I recognize something about the attempt and explore it for a few seconds, then realize it¡¯s Tenebris attempting to join us by breaching the Shop¡¯s dimensional locks and defenses. ¡°Tenebris is trying to join us¡­?¡± I say to Taiwo. ¡°It is advisable to allow him to do so if you can assist,¡± he replies with a lot of certainty, but no urgency. I use my Affinity to bend the threads of the defensive measures that prevent Tenebris from easily breaking through, without removing them. A small nudge and a bit of convincing to let the powerful attempt through, and a couple seconds later Tenebris materializes before us. The pressure of his presence is still intense, but it weighs on me a lot less heavily than it used to. He turns his huge, powerful body and gaze toward me and I feel no need to cower or make myself scarce. We stand in silence for a few seconds and I lock eyes with him. I still have no idea how much information about me he can pull through his Mana Interface, or divine through other means, but eventually he grunts and it seems like I passed the first inspection. ¡°I was hoping you might get another shot at the KCT,¡± rumbles Tenebris to me. His attention is intense and full, like this is the only thing in the world that matters to him right now. ¡°Your progression is unnaturally fast.¡± I don¡¯t know where this is going, so I don¡¯t say anything and I find myself relatively unbothered about wherever he takes it. ¡°Dark Mana Knight. Unique amongst Ascended, I can tell you Bronwic. You are aware Dark Mana is highly dangerous and its properties are still mostly unknown? Despite all you went through to gain your Dark Mana Tempered Title, you have still chosen this Class¡­¡± Tenebris pauses and contemplates me for a few seconds while I wonder where he¡¯s going with this, then he continues. ¡°I approve greatly. Perhaps one day I will have the Mark of Bronwic,¡± he suggests with what I think is¡­ humor? A prediction? Respect? All of them seem unlikely and I try to puzzle out what he means. Taiwo and Tenebris both begin to laugh at the look on my face, which is very motivating, and I decide that¡¯s exactly what I¡¯ll aim for. Giving Tenebris the Mark of Bronwic because I¡¯m so much more powerful than he is. I don¡¯t really care if they notice I¡¯m not laughing along with them. Tenebris gestures with a powerful arm around the room and in particular at the hologram of Earth. ¡°I assume based on this you have not selected your KCT reward yet?¡± he asks me. ¡°No, I came here to discuss it.¡± ¡°Good, very good. If you let me assist you, humanity will benefit greatly and I will only take a small slice of the benefit. I will also assign you an Ascended advisor so you don¡¯t get yourself killed immediately.¡± He sounds magnanimous about it, like he¡¯s doing me a favor. Maybe he is. Part of me wants to tell him to fuck off, that we¡¯ll determine our own fate. That we won¡¯t sell our future off to vultures that are circling or bend our knee to organizations like Oblivion Shroud or the Qillathe Syndicate, and that I can forge my own path. But I know that¡¯s dumb and there¡¯s no way we will thrive to the extent we could without the right people to coach, advise, and help us - and that includes me. There might be a downside of dealing with this particular devil, but at least there is some evidence that he¡¯s a net positive for humanity and there¡¯s more than a shred of trust between us. Pretty much any other Ascended Classer I¡¯ve encountered is dead or tried to kill me. ¡°I¡¯m very happy to hear what you have to say and listen to your suggestions, but I can¡¯t commit right here and right now that I¡¯ll follow them. Humanity needs to find its own way, even with strong allies.¡± ¡°The strongest allies,¡± Taiwo interjects with emphasis on strongest, perhaps reminding me who I¡¯m dealing with. Tenebris seems unperturbed.If you stumble upon this narrative on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen from Royal Road. Please report it. ¡°If we do this right, Earth will become less dangerous to humans while also giving them the chance to gain Levels and the ability to colonize other worlds, plus significantly increase trade with Galactics.¡± ¡°And¡­¡± I ask, knowing there must be more to it, but these kinds of discussions and negotiations aren¡¯t my strength. ¡°And we will be right there to help you and take a cut of the meat,¡± says Tenebris with no shame. ¡°Not the biggest cut, or the best. But a cut that has value to all parties.¡± Since I don¡¯t know what I¡¯m doing, is it really so bad if he¡¯s involved? The world was full of people pre-Influx who helped to advance other people¡¯s interests in exchange for a slice of the pie or for money. Why should it be any different now, if I don¡¯t understand his motivations? Seems like a problem that¡¯s existed before the Influx and will exist long into the future. Tenebris and Taiwo take turns explaining what I should do. We run over the whole design of what needs to get set up and we bring it to life on and around the holographic depiction of Earth. We discuss partners we might need for transport, trade, and military alliances. What Guilds we might want to ally with and what kinds of deals will be net positive for both sides. It¡¯s a massive fucking headache for me and I take a bunch of notes, knowing I¡¯m going to confuse all of it in my head. ¡°I¡¯m not confident at all that doing all this is in my skill set,¡± I tell them honestly. ¡°Delegate as much as you can,¡± says Taiwo. ¡°But¡­ you need to know how the KCT reward you select fits into the puzzle and broadly what¡¯s needed, so that you don¡¯t derail everything by accident. Plus, irrespective of what delegations you put in place, some people are going to want to talk to you directly.¡± What he¡¯s saying of course makes perfect sense, but I¡¯m still not that keen to be spending my time working out trade partners and global politics. I¡¯d much rather be out there gaining Levels and doing the kind of work only I can do. ¡°And,¡± he continues, ¡°I¡¯ve got a certain nephew who I think we could convince to work with your delegates full time to set everything up and manage it.¡± I roll my eyes, but it¡¯s actually a good idea. I tell Taiwo I¡¯ll consider it. When I¡¯m sure I¡¯ve asked all the questions I need to and then some more on top, I thank them and exit the Shop, then trigger Omnipresent to take me to Jeff to get his opinion before I find B¡¯esloor and Kauran to proceed with my reward. If Jeff is on board, I¡¯m ready to claim the reward the way Taiwo and Tenebris think I should. There¡¯s nobody I know of on Earth who knows more about what I¡¯ve been through and been right in the action firsthand like Jeff. I feel like he has the perspective and optimism I need to make sure it¡¯s the right call. Jeff is sleeping when I manifest a Portal and enter his room and, like all of us that have lived with danger hovering everywhere, it lasts a split second before he¡¯s awake. I watch his eyes pop open, white against his dark skin, though he doesn¡¯t move. ¡°You¡¯re the only jerk who can bypass all my defenses and walk in here. And you¡¯re also the only jerk who would do it in the middle of - holy fuck, Bronwic!¡± he exclaims and leaps out of bed, whatever he was going to say forgotten. The excitement on his face is infectious and I¡¯m glad he doesn¡¯t sleep nude, because Jeff barrels over and gives me a massive bearhug. I wouldn¡¯t let anyone else get away with it, but for Jeff I laugh as he squeezes me tight enough that I half think he¡¯s just trying to test his Strength against my Resistances. When he releases me the words tumble out at high speed. ¡°Dark Mana Knight? What¡¯s that? And you¡¯ve Ascended? Dude, you didn¡¯t even invite me to the party! Did you have a party?¡± ¡°No, no party¡­¡± I start to say, but he¡¯s already on to the next thing. ¡°Wait.. does this have to do with that hellhole with the Mana experiments? Fuck that place sideways, dude. Did it corrupt your Class choices or some shit?¡± I hadn¡¯t considered that. I laugh and hold up my hands, palms out. ¡°Alright, alright, hold on. I¡¯ll tell you all of it. But first I¡¯ve got to ask your opinion about something.¡± Instantly Jeff¡¯s full battle armor appears on him. I can see he¡¯s made a lot of progress as well, up to Level 15 in his Legendary Class. ¡°Bronwic, we can do it while you¡¯re showing me what Ascended Level Skills can do, and I ain¡¯t taking no for an answer.¡± I didn¡¯t specifically expect this, but I can see now that it was stupid not to. Jeff is always ready to jump into the action. He sees a tiny bit of hesitation in my expression and jumps in again. ¡°Dude, you¡¯ve got to take us to fight something. Let¡¯s smash some shit up. Something hard. But not as hard as that Hive Queen motherfucker you had to fight in the KCT - that was sick.¡± ¡°Fair Jeff, that¡¯s fair. Let me find something.¡± I trigger Omnipresent and look for something remote and over Level 300, where we can do some good and won¡¯t have to worry about collateral damage or rescuing people. I hit the jackpot in South Africa near where Capetown used to be and open a Portal. As we glance through it to check out the situation like we have hundreds of times before, I trigger my armor with Dimensional Forge and get ready, only to be berated by Jeff, who backhands me in the chest before I can take a step forward. ¡°What the fuck is that, Bronwic? Holy shit! Now that we don¡¯t do the Sentinels anymore, I¡¯m supposed to be the one with the fucking awesome Class armor. You¡¯re supposed to get your ass handed to you during our fights and get all ripped up, then heal up super fast like a tough guy super hero. That¡¯s how it works, dude. You¡¯re messing with our vibe.¡± He¡¯s gesticulating around and animated as hell even though I know he¡¯s only half serious. I shake my head at him and can¡¯t believe how much I¡¯ve missed hanging out with Jeff. Everything seems easier to deal with when he¡¯s around. ¡°Seriously dude, how strong is it? Can I take a good shot at it?¡± he asks. Why not? I hold my right arm straight out and tilt my chin at him. ¡°Be my guest.¡± Jeff doesn¡¯t need a second invitation and without any hesitation he calls his flaming sword from his Inventory and whips it down onto my forearm at full Strength. He knows how much punishment I can take and how fast I heal, and uncomfortably this isn¡¯t the first time the two of us have done something like this. This time, the expression on his face makes me wonder if he¡¯s hoping to slice clean through despite Unbreakable. I brace myself with my own Strength and his sword bites into my armor, but doesn¡¯t even make it through to my arm. My skin is untouched. ¡°How the fuck is that fair?¡± Jeff asks quietly, then presses his lips together while he shakes his head. He throws his arms into the air and gestures to me. ¡°Manifest the bloody Portal. Let¡¯s go kick some ass,¡± he commands. I¡¯m only too happy to make it happen. 228. Mana Siphons I¡¯m not sure Jeff really paid that much attention to the plan while he was watching me tank some attacks and use my Ascended Class Skills. But then after half an hour he asked some real good questions which showed me up, he had been paying attention after all. We crushed a few Monsters and even took on one of the unfinished third Koldaavi Combat Trials, where the Trialist left once they found out they hadn¡¯t won. Admittedly it was a tough one, but having both Jeff and I there made all the difference to the local population. In the end Jeff stated with authority that the plan I developed with Taiwo and Tenebris was, in his words, ¡®A fucking amazing plan and everyone on Earth better get you a Christmas card every fucking year from now to eternity.¡¯ I love Jeff. So now I¡¯m here, doing stuff I hate to do so that I can get all those cards every year; no doubt Jeff will design one so he can take a royalty. My feet thud softly on short, narrow wooden steps as I climb up to a podium that sits on a wide stage I¡¯ve had fixed up in Rattvik, Sweden. I¡¯ve always thought Dalhalla was cool and it is still mostly untouched by the Influx, so this is the spot to do this. I definitely wanted wherever we met to be open air to give the best chance for everyone to scatter or rally if someone tries to do something stupid like take us all out. I¡¯ve rented absurdly expensive and powerful Settlement shield generators for this, but you never know. I go slowly to give everyone a chance to finish their conversations, but by the time my right foot hits the second step the noise has died down to nothing. Around the room is the post-Influx equivalent of the United Nations, a gathering of the most powerful Settlement owners or their representatives. At least half of them are here virtually rather than in person, because it doesn¡¯t make any sense for us to give anyone with a grudge or colonization desires a juicy target. There aren¡¯t many, but any Legendary Class human with a combat Class above Level 20, giving them their Tier 3 Class Skills, has been invited to attend. A few even showed up in person to meet me and I admit it¡¯s good to get to know more people who are approaching my Level, even if they¡¯re not at my level of power. Some of them I recognize from the failed attempt to clear Hvitserkur from Iceland. Despite that, I find each of us treats each other with respect and interest. I also invited any Legendary Class human with a non-combat Class to be here, but none of them have shown up. There are a lot fewer of those, for sure. It¡¯s hard to get the XP you need when you don¡¯t constantly dive into life threatening danger. I invested my own Credits in this setup and even paid for the transport for people to get here which was a massive expense; I can¡¯t think of any other way to get this task done. A few of the Settlement owners who came in person have brought along their highest Level Mythic or the occasional low Level Legendary combat Classer as well. On the surface they¡¯re here to provide protection, but I¡¯m 90% sure that most of them are here to size me up, ask about what Skills and Classes they should be trying to develop to get to Ascended Class, or for some other reason. Definitely a few want to see if they can kill me, I guess to take my Settlements or get some fame, or XP? Maybe they hope to Loot my amazing equipment that doesn¡¯t exist? I don¡¯t really get it. Certainly none of them have any concept of how laughable any attempt they make on my life would actually be. Maybe the higher Level Legendary Classers have more of a concept and that¡¯s why they don¡¯t stare daggers at me. I¡¯m 100% confident I could lay down with my new armor refreshed and let the entire lot of them try to kill me at the same time, then stand up again whenever I get bored. There¡¯s a device on the podium to broadcast my image and voice all over Earth and in this open air auditorium. I¡¯ve also asked for significantly over-specced Mana batteries that power the device, since my impact on technology is still problematic and has even grown worse since I became the Dark Mana Knight. The flows of Mana around me have a disruptive quality on everything, to a greater or lesser degree. Ready, I take a deep breath and begin. ¡°Welcome, leaders of Earth. I¡¯ll get straight to the point. When I won the KCT I was given many choices of reward, all significant. What I chose was something not for myself, but instead for Earth.¡± I feel like I¡¯m off to a good start, since I¡¯ve practiced this in my mind a whole bunch of times. It goes south quickly as someone in the front starts yelling with his own amplification device. We don¡¯t exactly have security at the door. ¡°We¡¯ve heard you¡¯ve been spending time offworld helping Galactics instead of Earth. You led a group of our strongest fighters into a death march in Iceland that left us crippled. Yes, we do know you have assisted some Settlements turn back Teleports and powerful Monsters, and you¡¯re clearly the strongest fighter we have. The only Ascended Class humanity has. Did the Galactics help you get it? Why should you decide things on behalf of all of us? Is this the start of an even greater betrayal of our trust that gets us all killed?¡± I let him finish without reacting and so does everyone else. Nothing he says is new to me, or something I would particularly disagree with. But someone needs to decide what¡¯s going to happen, and through all the ups and downs I¡¯m the one in that position. I can see a lot of eyes waiting to see what I do. Maybe some of them agree with what¡¯s been said. Maybe not. They have no idea of the endless hours I¡¯ve spent, with the Sentinels and without them, Portaling around the world and facing off against the most dangerous threats on Earth. They probably don¡¯t know the extent of my involvement in Oblivion Shroud¡¯s exit from Earth. And maybe they shouldn¡¯t; they never asked me to do it on their behalf. I look at the black bearded, combat-ready heckler and smile, then look over the crowd and out all over the Earth. ¡°If you don¡¯t want to participate, you¡¯re welcome to leave or do your own thing. You¡¯re also welcome to rejoin any time in the future. This isn¡¯t a popularity contest, I¡¯m not seeking votes or approval, and I¡¯m not here to tell you what to do. I¡¯ve decided to give anyone who wants it an opportunity.¡± There¡¯s some murmuring about this, but I silence it when I look straight at the heckler and release all the hostility my 570 points of Charisma and Ascended Class Aura can muster. I can feel something dark within my Mana Affinity swirling. Powerful, deep, and dangerous. I broaden my attention to everyone and note a lot of them have scampered back and activated defences or brought out weapons. So far, nobody has done anything stupid. I bark at all of them with a snarl. This tale has been unlawfully lifted without the author''s consent. Report any appearances on Amazon. ¡°But let me make it clear. If anyone sabotages my offer or interferes in the right of others to participate, I will come for you and there will be no mercy.¡± I pause to let that sink in, then lean forward and stare from side to side. ¡°None.¡± I pause another few seconds then, satisfied my message has been received loud and clear, I pull in the effects of my Charisma and Class. ¡°Dude, I think you just cut down the number of Christmas cards you¡¯re getting by, like, at least thirty percent. Maybe higher!¡± Jeff says in a completely normal tone and volume from the side of the stage. I glance back at him and grin, then try to relax my posture. The tension in the amphitheater tangibly drops and weapons, but not all of the defensive measures, are put away. I wonder if they all know their precautions only provide an illusion of safety. ¡°As we speak, a specialist team from the SSA is setting up a series of extremely expensive and rare space stations around Earth. They are not weapons,¡± I assure everyone, dismissing any concern with a wave of my hand. There¡¯s a lot of voices that rise up at this and with my Perception I can pick many of them out, some in support because of what the SSA has done for us, and others against making deals with Galactics and wondering if this is the beginning of the human genocide. Rather than address them I continue. ¡°These space stations have three purposes. First, they siphon off a portion of the Mana that¡¯s still hitting Earth from the Mana Flare and some of the excess Mana that¡¯s on Earth. The net effect of this will be an overall reduction of Mana on Earth, particularly in the high Ambient Mana Level areas. We will see less Teleports and less Monsters over Level 200 emerge. It can still happen, but it should be rare rather than commonplace.¡± Nobody in their right mind has an objection to this if it¡¯s true. For now, I have their full attention. ¡°Second, part of the Mana that is siphoned off is used for extraordinarily strong defensive measures that even high Level Ascended Classers would take hours to break through. Hours they would not have, because the SSA takes a very protective stance toward its most advanced and desired technology. Do not, and I repeat, do not try to approach or attack any of these space stations. It will not go well for you.¡± I can see this has raised more concerns about what the SSA might be hiding from some of the stupider ones in the crowd, but I ignore it. Personally I am more interested in the technology and techniques that are behind the Mana siphoning, and particularly if they are using Dark Mana or if the experiment I encountered has anything to do with how they do it. ¡°Last, and perhaps just as important as the first point, the SSA will be installing Portaling equipment in every MIS Hub that is powered by the Mana siphoned off by the space stations. These Portaling stations can either be claimed by the Settlement, in which case you can select specific Galactic destinations to be inexpensive or free to travel to in exchange for increased Credit charges for other destinations, or the Settlement can leave the MIS Portals unclaimed meaning a flat Credit fee for transportation will be in place. Galactics will also be able to use these Portals at substantially higher fees than humans will pay. Settlements will earn tariffs on transport costs Galactics pay irrespective of whether they claim the MIS Hub Portal or not.¡± Now this really gets them going, as I expected it would. How many people can travel? What will the Credit fee be? Is this just another tax on humanity? Who is getting rich? Why can¡¯t it all be free? The level of entitlement of some of the crowd astounds me, but I remind myself it¡¯s in the minority and use my Perception to focus on the positive conversations, the ones where people are already thinking about all the good things that could come from this. I let it go on for quite a while before I decide it¡¯s time to wrap things up. ¡°More information will be available in your Settlement interfaces within the next few days as everything is set up. Everything will be transparent. It¡¯s as fair as I can make it. As an added bonus, transport between MIS Hubs for humans will be free.¡± Stunned silence greets that pronouncement. The ability to travel quickly to anywhere on the planet for so many reasons until now has been expensive, difficult, and limited to the powerful or lucky like myself. It¡¯s time everyone had the ability to connect with loved ones, explore, conduct commerce, and so many other activities. I look around and do feel like the tide has turned in my favor. Even the heckler doesn¡¯t look so indignant anymore. I wonder how many Settlements he has, and what they might gain from this. ¡°Lastly, and I know you may not fully appreciate what I¡¯m about to say because you¡¯re still thinking about what I¡¯ve just told you,¡± I say after a while, and there are a few chuckles at that. ¡°I¡¯d like to say this. It¡¯s just my opinion, it¡¯s not fact, so indulge me please. I believe our next step once these space stations are in place and operational is to colonize other worlds.¡± A bit of a reaction to that, but I press on. ¡°I love the Earth as much as you do. I¡¯ve also left it and come back, which perhaps all of you have not. I admit, most of the places I¡¯ve been to have sucked.¡± Laughter at that. ¡°However, as long as humans are only on Earth we will always be a target that¡¯s easier to take aim at. We have no real allies from other places to join up with. No connections within this Galaxy, nevermind other Galaxies. It¡¯s way too easy for someone with a grudge or an agenda to know exactly where we are, and to take aim and fire.¡± I pause here because I know this point needs to sink in. It¡¯s something I¡¯ve realized while being on other worlds, and fighting to protect Earth from huge inter-Galactic organizations. I can see that the point is hitting home with most, but not for all. ¡°I am willing to lead this initiative. I¡¯m not abandoning Earth, but once these space stations are in place and the kinds of Monsters I¡¯ve been taking on are much more infrequent, I¡¯m going to find us other worlds to inhabit. Worlds that don¡¯t have a sapient species already or need a species like us to collaborate with to survive. I¡¯m going to prepare those worlds for humans to settle. And I¡¯m going to make sure anyone with an adventurous spirit who agrees with me has the chance to build something awesome that humanity needs.¡± This crowd is full of people who naturally lean toward the opportunities I¡¯m talking about, and I can feel the buzz spreading everywhere. Of course it¡¯s not unanimous, but I¡¯m confident that if I can prepare a world properly for humans to inhibit then it won¡¯t be wasted effort. ¡°Good luck, fight hard,¡± I say, and raise my hand then step off the stage without any applause or calls for an encore, and over to Jeff. ¡°Proud of you, bro,¡± he says, his white teeth gleaming at me. Has he had them enhanced at the Shop? Yeah. Done all I can on Earth now. Time to turn our minds to the Universe. 229. The Leap There are windows in the space stations orbiting the Earth that run our Mana Siphon, which is a bit of a surprise. They¡¯re alien space stations with all the protections the SSA can muster using a truly incomprehensible amount of Mana and not tourist destinations. In fact, I¡¯m the only human allowed on them. But, maybe it¡¯s a universal thing to want to see a planet from above and so¡­ windows. I look down and feel great. Positive, grateful, and proud. I trigger Omnipresent and overlay what I see in my mind¡¯s eye. Billions of points of life in a spiderweb around the planet. A struggle for survival and also the amazing potential of humanity all contained in one small little orb in the Universe. It¡¯s comforting to know that even without me the Earth is now likely to make it. Humanity still needs a diaspora to ensure we survive as a species, that¡¯s not going away, but probably someone else could achieve it now with what¡¯s been set up. Perhaps what I¡¯ve put in place will be a blessing because it will force us to adapt, grow stronger, and stay together. Or perhaps it will encourage the worst of us and cause fighting and power struggles. As with everything, both things can be true and maybe they will be. As long as I¡¯m alive, though, there will be no mercy for messing with this system that gives us the ability, at least in my opinion, to thrive and survive. Absolutely none. It¡¯s a commitment I¡¯ve made to myself and all the people that have lost their lives on the way to this point. Robb, Mark, Kyle, Jon, and so many more. Some of those points of light are particularly special and I keep an eye on them. They¡¯re marked with a special color. Logan is one of them, and not just because he¡¯s my nephew. I have no real idea what awaits me in the circles of Ascended Class Adventurers, but these little colored specks of light are the future hope of humanity, the ones powerful enough to make a difference. They¡¯ll surpass Jeff one day and maybe even me, though I feel there¡¯s something deep down about my Dark Mana Knight Class that is yet to reveal itself. Something that churns down in the very essence of me and connects to something out in the Universe and all around me. I feel it in a way I can¡¯t describe or figure out yet. I turn my attention to the Galaxy and shift Omnipresent to open up my mind¡¯s eye to what¡¯s out there. It¡¯s a strain, but my newly integrated Skills along with my SMI allow me to find a shortlist of planets where humanity might be able to establish a new foothold. Bane Worlds mostly, ones that didn¡¯t manage to achieve what we have. Some other worlds that have also been hit by an Influx less powerful than the one that hit Earth, but they need help and allies. My task is to bring them under control and make alliances to the extent we can leverage them for combat and economic might, and spread humanity out a bit. When it comes to Bane Worlds, Tenebris is the perfect ally who specializes in Bane World expeditions and high value material recovery. It¡¯s the root of our connection way back in Milford Sound and Queenstown through Taiwo and the tours for Adventurers on these worlds. It helps that Taiwo is also an expert in these matters. Luck? Coincidence? If it was a storyline it might seem like plot armor, but I put it down to dealing with the cards you¡¯re dealt with. It also plays to the strengths of my Class to spend time in high AML environments, although that need has been reduced significantly by choosing Dark Mana Knight. I¡¯ve picked up another anchor point for Gift of Gaia, and I thought it only fitting to place it on Holgaad, where I was stranded so long ago. Now even in a low AML environment my Health and Stamina regeneration is over 13,000 a second and in a high AML environment it could easily approach 20,000. Perhaps it¡¯s also time to take Taiwo up on his offer to see what benefits I can extract from being a High Enforcer in the SSA, although now I don¡¯t need Dhromea¡¯s help to move around with whoever I choose. For the first time in a while I don¡¯t feel a massive weight on my shoulders to carry a burden that seems overwhelming and it¡¯s incredible. I lock on a target with Omnipresent and open a Portal to Calgary. A good place, maybe the best place, to reconnect with before I embark on a journey. Tatiana is only too happy to welcome me for a couple of nights and days before I walk a few meters through crunching snow next door to Carter¡¯s place and knock on the door. We¡¯ve talked it over and Tatiana simply doesn¡¯t have the kind of Class that could keep her alive where I¡¯m going to inevitably go. I nudge her to make sure she enjoys herself without me, but I don¡¯t think it¡¯s necessary. She¡¯s pragmatic and fearless. People have heard, I guess everyone¡¯s heard, what¡¯s happening with the Mana Siphons and what my plans are. Carter, Dana, and I put that all aside sitting in their living room. The kids other than Logan are in bed; he¡¯s out with his friends. I used to play midnight basketball or maybe even drive around the neighbourhood looking to toilet paper some houses, but they spend their nights clearing out the surrounding Dungeons or patrolling for Monsters on the outskirts of Calgary. Do I sound super old if I reflect on how times have changed? The smell of onions and garlic lingers in the air from their dinner and I have to admit I¡¯m a sucker for it. Always have been. Carter offers me a beer and I accept even though the concept of alcohol doing anything to me is completely laughable. It is a reminder of simpler times though, and a warm feeling of hospitality that I¡¯m not exactly used to these days. It¡¯s good to see them. It¡¯s also stressful being in my childhood home and sharing some time with them, because of the conversation I know I need to have. A strange mix. I¡¯m not sure I¡¯ll ever completely get used to coming back here. ¡°So¡­ my little brother, saving the world,¡± says Carter. He¡¯s come out of his shell a lot since we were kids and especially since Logan got his new Class. It suits him. Dana, sitting beside him on the couch, gives him a light backhand slap to the arm. ¡°Enough of that, Carter.¡± I happen to agree. ¡°I need to bring something up that¡¯s hard to talk about,¡± I tell them while looking around at the many notification windows they have open around the room on the walls that depict changing views of their kids. It doesn¡¯t make this any easier. ¡°Breaking new ground for the Cadimus boys?¡± asks Dana. It¡¯s lighthearted, but I can tell she¡¯s concerned. If we¡¯re talking about serious stuff, there¡¯s something different in the air. ¡°You know I¡¯m going offworld, and you know Logan¡¯s a target. I¡¯m watching him like a fucking hawk and you know I¡¯d drop anything to protect any of you, but perhaps it¡¯s best if he comes with me. I think I can protect him even more than the Academy can, although that¡¯s still an option,¡± I suggest. Their expressions are both solemn and part of me immediately regrets bringing it up. I expect anything but what comes out of Dana¡¯s mouth next. ¡°We agree.¡± ¡°What?¡± I ask. I can¡¯t help it. ¡°We¡¯ve discussed it,¡± continues Dana. It¡¯s not that she makes all the decisions, although she is totally the leader of the family. I think she¡¯s the one talking so that I know there¡¯s no doubt this is coming from both of them. ¡°We agreed that if you suggested something like this we¡¯d support it fully. But we also think the Academy is a good idea, if he can attend.¡± ¡°It¡¯s not about him being a target,¡± adds Carter right away. ¡°At least, not how you think. We know he¡¯s special, but we knew that anyway. All the kids are. The thing is¡­ I can¡¯t keep up with him anymore, and I¡¯m one of the highest Level Adventurers in Calgary. He¡¯s leading teams successfully through Dungeons the adults are worried about taking on.¡± ¡°We¡¯re both worried, Bronwic,¡± says Dana as she looks me in the eye. I can see the raw emotion there. ¡°He¡¯s on the verge of getting his Mythic Class Skills and then continuing to build his capability and power quicker than anyone around him. We can¡¯t teach him, Bronwic. You can or maybe some instructors at the Academy.¡± I look up at the ceiling and breathe out heavily. I hadn¡¯t thought of it from this angle, but I can totally see it now that they¡¯ve said it. It really is turning over a new leaf in the Cadimus family to talk about real shit. ¡°You know anything can happen, but I swear to you on my life I will die to protect him,¡± I tell them. It¡¯s absolutely certain in my mind and to my core that what I¡¯ve told them is true.Stolen from its rightful place, this narrative is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings. ¡°We know,¡± says Dana with tears in her eyes. ¡°Bronwic, we know,¡± adds Carter. My big brother. His oldest son has grown beyond him. Little fucker won¡¯t grow beyond me though, will he? I trigger Omnipresent and open up a Portal to Logan. He and two friends are taking casual potshots at low Leveled prairie dogs as target practice. It looks like they¡¯re either new weapons or new skills based on their success rate. I manifest the Portal and am pleased to see Logan perceive it immediately. ¡°C¡¯mon guys,¡± he says, and steps through. Two others I identify as Isaac and Arun step through with him. ¡°Hi Mister and Missus Cadimus,¡± says Arun. ¡°Oh shit, it¡¯s Bronwic!¡± adds Isaac. ¡°I mean, Mister Bronwic! I mean¡­¡± ¡°Chill, my guys, it¡¯s just my Uncle,¡± interjects Logan, and I can tell he loves doing it. ¡°Logan¡¯s got some business with me,¡± I tell Arun and Isaac, looking at them in turn. ¡°Where can I get you to?¡± ¡°They¡¯ve got it, Uncle B,¡± says Logan. I raise my eyebrow at him, but he just gives me a cheeky smile that informs me I¡¯m on notice that he¡¯s not going to follow along with whatever I say blindly. ¡°See you soon, boys,¡± says Dana while she stands and helps them through the door. ¡°I¡¯ll be back in a while,¡± I tell Logan, knowing his parents will pack him up with stuff and say their goodbyes. ¡°You¡¯re headed to the Academy. I¡¯ve got you a spot.¡± Logan pumps his fist and looks excited, whereas his parents look a bit stunned, so I shrug at them. ¡°You¡¯ve convinced me.¡± I¡¯ve got two more stops before I leave Earth, so I trigger Omnipresent and manifest a Portal then step through to the Queenstown MIS Hub, knowing it will be deserted. Once I close the Portal behind me I open up another one and look through. It¡¯s nighttime in Ireland and Alana is by herself in a cave roasting Trolls like she¡¯s got a serious grudge. I manifest a Portal and step through then close it behind me. Intense, superheated flame washes over me, but I shrug it off and even trigger Dimensional Forge to create armor so that what I¡¯m wearing doesn¡¯t disintegrate. Alana realizes it¡¯s me and turns her attention back to the Trolls. I trigger Resonant Strike and with an impressive display of control explode the Trolls into a fine mist that¡¯s not going to regenerate while leaving the surroundings and Alana untouched. Beautiful, intense, hot as hell, my original crush and the most amazing woman I¡¯ve ever met, even considering some truly awesome ones I¡¯ve encountered. Alana turns her focus entirely to me, and as always my heart skips a beat. Right from the first time at the Queenstown Ice Arena Dungeon. ¡°Going to be tough to Loot them now,¡± she accuses me with a smile that makes my heart skip a beat. I nod in agreement and think about saying nothing, just staring at her, but it¡¯s me that showed up and so I¡¯m committed to this path now. ¡°So¡­ I¡¯m heading offworld,¡± I say. ¡°I heard,¡± she replies. My ears are straining for the most miniscule hint about what she feels in those two syllables, and all I can come up with is¡­ acknowledgement. Fucking Irish girls. ¡°You want to come?¡± I ask. It¡¯s the biggest gambit I¡¯ve ever played. So big I¡¯ve stuffed it down under a million miles of denial and Cadimus compartmentalization. But I¡¯m here now and it¡¯s like I dropped a nuclear bomb right on top of my own head. ¡°I¡¯m with Finn,¡± she says, tilting her head. ¡°And being around you is pretty hazardous to anyone¡¯s health.¡± ¡°I know,¡± I say. I look her in those amazing, incredible eyes and absorb her beauty and strength and resourcefulness and resilience. And for once, I don¡¯t look away or wait for another time. I¡¯m here. I¡¯m solid. I¡¯m the fucking Dark Mana Knight. There¡¯s a long pause and I wait, impressing myself. I thought my emotions would be all over the place, but I¡¯m calm and certain. Accepting of the outcome, whichever way this falls. How do you court a goddess except with courage and clarity? ¡°Where are we going?¡± she asks, and I can¡¯t even begin to describe the turmoil that churns through my guts, my heart, and my mind. I¡¯ve had a lifetime of ignoring emotions, though, and potentially this is the first real time it¡¯s paid off. ¡°Wherever the fuck we want,¡± I tell her. Is this the right move? Time seems to stand still. ¡°Sounds good,¡± she says, and she steps toward me. Her curves and lips and everything about her is insane. ¡°But you know why I¡¯ve said no before, even though I¡¯m tempted. What do you say sometimes¡­? The best ability is availability? And¡­ you¡¯ll definitely get me killed by accident. We both know that.¡± My heart and mind is racing and crushed at the same time. Partly because I don¡¯t want this to be the answer, and partly because I know she¡¯s right. Alana is so close to me I can feel the heat radiating off her and she stares deeply into my eyes. ¡°Go save humanity. I¡¯ll save you a spot for when you get back,¡± she says softly, and puts a hand on my chest then pushes me away with a sultry grin. I take a deep breath and let her push me away. I know it¡¯s the right move. It sucks and drains some of the excitement about my next adventure. I now realize it was naive to think she would come and I didn¡¯t think it through properly. ¡°Take care of yourself,¡± I tell her. It feels inadequate, but I mean it, and I¡¯m not the best with words. Before it becomes really uncomfortable I trigger another Portal, this time to Jeff, and step through into his training area. Jeff takes one look at me and Inventories his weapons then gives me an all-encompassing hug that I find myself returning with thanks. ¡°Finn¡¯s going to be pissed when he finds out. Where are we going?¡± How the fuck did he know? Was it my expression? Did he see Alana in the background when I stepped through the Portal? ¡°If you¡¯re up for it, it¡¯s time to find some more places humanity can call home,¡± I tell him, but I can already feel from deep inside me it¡¯s the wrong thing to say, just like with Alana. ¡°You know nobody can keep up with you, dude. Not even me,¡± he says with a grin. Maybe it¡¯s true, but it stings. Do I choose my friends or my duty? ¡°That¡¯s what everyone says about me too,¡± says a sultry voice from the corner of the room. It¡¯s low and resonant, with an edge of wicked amusement that would send shivers down my spine if I was a few Levels lower. Jeff and I whirl around with shock, but my Foresight and Danger Sense are both silent and Jeff has learned to follow my lead in these kinds of situations, so he holds any attacks in reserve. What we see is a smoldering hot demonic woman. Raw power and a dangerous sense of threat radiate off her, along with a magnetic attractiveness. The air around her seems heavier, charged with something I can¡¯t quite quantify and shadows twist in flowing patterns around her body as if searching for something. She¡¯s dressed in stereotypical tight red and black leather with sleek black forearm guards and long boots to her knees. ¡°Tenebris asked me to guide you for a time, Bronwic. I eagerly agreed,¡± she says, her voice deliberate and expectant. Every motion she makes and even her expression suggests she is in complete control of her surroundings. Lirathel Khaltheris, Infernal Ascendant, Ember Sovereign, Dread Empress, Breaker of Chains, Warden of Ash and Shadow, Slayer of Ash Hydra, Nether Stalkers, Charred Revenants, more¡­ (Level 19 Dreadflame Inquisitor) (Ascended) [Ashwalkers] [Infernal Concord] [Scorchbound Legion] [Mark of Tenebris] Health: 10690/10690 Mana: 12420/12420 Conditions: Hellfire Manipulation, Crimson Pact, Erupting Shadows, Souflame, Internal Resilience, Demonic Dominion, Cindervale Cloak, Hellborn, more¡­ When Tenebris said he would find a guide for me now that I¡¯ve reached an Ascended Class, this is not what I expected. Striking doesn¡¯t begin to describe Lirathel; in many ways she rivals even Alana. Her skin gleams and her hair cascades down her back in waves of almost living flame, each strand flickering and waving as if caught in the breeze. Her eyes glow a deep, molten orange that burns with a piercing intensity. She watches us with interest. ¡°Almost all Ascended must leave their pasts behind for a time,¡± she informs me. I can tell she views this as a statement of simple fact and not something to be concerned about. Jeff looks at me and smacks me on the arm. ¡°Could be a hell of a lot worse, Bronwic. At least she seems equipped to deal with the messy shit you get yourself into.¡± I glance back and forth between them. Maybe they¡¯re both right. I need to leave things on Earth behind for a time and I need someone with me who¡¯s going to be able to hold their own, maybe even help me with what I want to achieve. ¡®Ok,¡± I agree. Now that I¡¯ve made the decision I find myself looking forward to chasing this mission down. And¡­ the prospect of spending time with Lirathel is intriguing. Perhaps Tenebris picked better than I would have picked myself. ¡°Stay in touch, dude,¡± Jeff says with uncharacteristic seriousness. ¡°Always,¡± I say. Lirathel glides forward toward us like she has all the time in the world, her motions graceful and mesmerizing. ¡°How about you give me a tour of Earth to start off with, so I can understand a bit better where you¡¯re coming from?¡± she suggests. I¡¯m surprised, that¡¯s not what I expected. It makes a lot of sense though. ¡°Mind if we kick a bit of ass while we tour around?¡± I ask, eyebrow raised. While we¡¯re still here, we might as well do some good and I¡¯d like to see Lirathel in combat action before the situation is dire. ¡°Could be a chance to get to know each other inside and outside of combat.¡± ¡°I wouldn¡¯t have it any other way,¡± she says with a knockout smile and the kind of direct eye contact that occasionally leads somewhere. I open a Portal and find I¡¯m looking forward to it already. 230. You Want The Honors? Planetary Mana Siphon Implementation Complete This notification is an official notice that your Koldaavi Combat Trials victory reward has now been fully implemented and will remain in place for up to a minimum period of 14.2 Earth years. Defensive measures are fully charged and fed by incoming and siphoned Mana. All Settlement MIS Portal installations complete. Current projections indicate a reduction of Teleports exceeding Level 250 by 96%, a reduction of Teleports exceeding Level 200 by 89%, and a smoothing of Ambient Mana Level peaks on Earth to a general limit of 30, over time. Please note this may mean an increase in AMLs for the lowest current AML locations. It feels weird to think humanity might not need me as much now. I¡¯m more powerful and useful than I¡¯ve ever been at the same time that the danger on Earth is more under control than it¡¯s ever been. It¡¯s nothing like the transition after my hockey career¡­ trying to rebuild myself when the Mana Influx hit. Then, I was at the bottom of my game and nobody really needed me anymore in every sense of it. Now¡­ things are a bit different and I¡¯m used to being someone that other people need. It drives me and keeps me from spending too much time angsting about the past. I break from the wandering thoughts caused by the Mana Siphon notification and with a push of will, pull the Status information from the creature in the distance below us. It¡¯s one hell of an impressive beast, bigger than a 777 and powerful. Its obsidian-black scales shimmer and shift in the sunlight as though they¡¯re somehow coated in shadow. Wickedly curved horns sweep back from the front of its skull and its spine is lined with razor sharp blades as long as a dagger that swirl with dark energy. Black Dragon Patriarch (Level 307) Health: 34500/36990 Mana: 16060/17100 Conditions: Dragon Heart, Lightning Reflexes, Razor Sharp, Indomitable Will, more¡­ Lirathel and I are now looking at the only Monster on Earth currently above Level 250 from a rocky outcropping on Socotra. On one side we look out over large, sloping white sand beaches that probably look the same as they did before the Influx. On the other is another sloping hillside sprinkled with Dragon blood trees that rolls down into a valley of Cucumber trees. I admit that despite the amazing location and powerful Dragon not far from here, it¡¯s hard to keep my eyes on the surroundings rather than her. ¡°Not really my kind of place, but that is my kind of dance partner,¡± drawls Lirathel as she points to the powerfully built black Dragon that¡¯s savaging a small group of Crystalback Lizards who are all around Level 100, crunching on their crystalline armor. This Dragon¡¯s grown a lot more powerful than the Smaug look-alike that first attacked Queenstown and got Taiwo temporarily exiled from Earth. At that time I didn¡¯t think anything could be more powerful, but my perspective has definitely changed. ¡°You know, Lirathel, before the Mana Influx this was known as the most alien landscape on Earth, due to the uniqueness of the plant life here. Most of what¡¯s on this island can¡¯t be found anywhere else. Of course now our definition of ¡®alien¡¯ has changed a lot,¡± I say. ¡°Cute,¡± she says in a way that leaves no doubt she¡¯s not interested in how things have changed for humanity since the Influx hit. I¡¯ve shown her a few spots on Earth since she arrived and we left Jeff, but she got the idea pretty quickly and seems keen to move on. Support the creativity of authors by visiting the original site for this novel and more. ¡°This is the only one, right? Then we leave?¡± she asks me, perfect eyebrows raised. I consider, despite the fact Tenebris asked her to help me and everything up to this point has led me to finish up my business on Earth and go. Am I really ready to leave? It¡¯s what I think I should do, but that¡¯s a lot different than everything since the Influx. I¡¯ve been bouncing from one thing to another just to stay alive and save as many people as I can. This¡­ this is more long term thinking and it¡¯s not driven by the same kind of urgency. Have I become addicted to the thrill of combat and the thrill of being needed? ¡°Yeah,¡± I agree with her. ¡°This is the last one. Just give me a minute.¡± As I turn I catch a confused look in her molten orange eyes, but I¡¯m already sizing up my options. Level 300 is high, but not the highest I¡¯ve faced by a long shot, even in the last few days. I haven¡¯t really tried Perfect Focus along with my Dimensional Forge armor and weapons and I¡¯m tempted to see how they stack up against something this powerful. Since it¡¯s only one target and I¡¯ve got 30,000 Stamina to play with now, due to the extra boost from my Dark Mana Knight Evolution, I¡¯m also keen to see if I can hammer it into submission without even going near it. And to test out how much punishment my different Skills can dish out against something like this. Decided, I take a few seconds to consider the order I use my Skills in. My options tend toward more focused power in a few Skills rather than many permutations of average or weak Skills, so there aren¡¯t a heap of combinations and it doesn¡¯t take long. Before I start I look over at Lirathel, who is watching me closely. ¡°You want the honors?¡± I ask and nod at the Dragon, wondering if she wants to have a go at ¡®dancing¡¯ with it. I¡¯m unsure of what kind of combat ability she has, but given the way she moves and her confidence this close to the Dragon I¡¯m betting she can handle herself. ¡°Be my guest,¡± she replies and gestures to the Dragon, her forearm guard flashing in the sun. ¡°I¡¯m not here to mess around and maybe get myself killed.¡± The Dragon looks pretty much done with its fun; all the Crystalback Lizards are dead and the proper feeding has begun. Experience tells me the Dragon must be aware of us from this distance, but since we haven¡¯t taken any action it¡¯s probably dismissing us as a threat or views us as too small to be a hearty snack. I activate Perfect Focus to watch what I¡¯m about to do in as much detail as possible and feel everything slow down around me. For quite a while by my Perception that might only be a couple of seconds in real time, I watch the Dragon rip apart the Lizards in slow motion. I can already tell this Skill is going to be crazy when it¡¯s Evolved. Then, without any warning, in rapid succession, I trigger Psychic Eruption, Sentinel¡¯s Fury three times, and Resonant Strike three times. Psychic Eruption stuns the Dragon despite its Resistances; the Evolved Skill rattles its brain. It¡¯s unclear which Skill or the combination causes it to stagger two steps then collapse dead, because even with Perfect Focus dialed up to maximum all I see is the whole of the Dragon¡¯s body contort with breaks and bulges, then tear apart in a shower of bone, blood, and flesh as fast as I can pick out the details. Next time I¡¯ll have to trigger the Skills more slowly or find something with a higher Level or Resistances. I frown at the lack of real information about what was most effective as my Stamina, almost bottomed out, ticks back up to full in a couple of seconds. It seemed like all of my Skills really took hold and smashed it. ¡°I saw the footage from the KCT, but watching something like that in person is even more¡­ threatening,¡± she says with interest, and maybe a bit more care or respect than before. Lirathel takes a powerful leap out from the outcropping, waves of flame-like hair fluttering in the air behind her. When her lithe, athletic form lands lightly next to the Dragon that¡¯s now a pulped and shredded mess on the ground, she stalks around it as if trying to pull secrets from the corpse. Maybe with her Class she can. No doubt a Level 19 Ascended Class Dreadflame Inquisitor has a few tricks in the kit bag. She¡¯s almost reached her Tier 3 Skills. I land near her with a much less delicate thump that kicks up a cloud of dust and Loot the Dragon, then stand up straight and take a deep breath. Almost like a reflex I trigger Omnipresent just to check one final time there¡¯s nothing out of control. I find no runaway Monsters, no threat to humanity that will devour entire cities if left unchecked. Nothing the people of Earth can¡¯t handle right now, with a little help from the Legendary Strike Forces still operating. It feels good, and weird. ¡°Ready when you are,¡± I tell Lirathel, and she gives me a smile that shows her perfect teeth and the intensity of her orange eyes grows brighter. ¡°How far can you take us in one hop?¡± she asks, and I shrug in reply. ¡°Anywhere.¡± ¡°Perfect. Our first stop is still in this Galaxy.¡±