《100th Run: A Regressor's LitRPG Adventure (Book 5 stubs @11pm est on January 27th!)》


 Prologue

    Hall of the End - 99<sup>th</sup> Run


    ¡°Sweet bountiful Eden, what in Heaven¡¯s name was that?¡±


    I laughed breathlessly at the woman¡¯s hysterical voice as I collapsed to my hands and knees. Laughing hurt, but the pain was temporary. If I hadn¡¯t been used to pain, then I would have never made it this far.


    The floor beneath me was made of gold so polished that I could see my reflection clearly. I almost wished I couldn¡¯t. My body was plastered in purple viscera from the demons I had slaughtered to get here. It covered my coat and pants and most of my face, giving me a messed up Braveheart vibe.


    But I could see life in my brown eyes. Felt the excitement, the rush, these endorphins flowing freely through my brain. I winked at myself for no other reason than it felt right.


    As I shifted from my hands and knees so that I was sitting, I snapped my fingers and reached into the air in front of me. A floating square labeled Inventory appeared at the end of my fingertips. I scrolled through with the swipe of my fingers, passing by countless items before finally reaching what I needed. A small lime-like object appeared in my hand, and I set it on the ground.


    ¡°How did you make it through the last scenario so fast? No one¡¯s ever made it through that fast.¡±


    My gaze shifted to the woman, but my laughter renewed when I saw her. At the end of the golden hall, past a series of golden statues and hovering over a pedestal was a horrifying creature.


    Large, flowing dove wings emerged out of a small center mass like windmill blades, but in every direction. Numerous eye sockets lined the wings and its feathers, each widened and staring at me with the free-floating flames held within. Above it, elevated just a few feet higher, was a shining halo. It was hard to look at the first time I arrived here, but it had certainly lost its luster since then.


    ¡°Hello, Sara,¡± I wheezed. I coughed and spat blood into the ground. ¡°Ugh, that¡¯s really gross. I¡¯ll have to stop being so close to demons when I start eviscerating like that.¡±


    The being had frozen at my words. Its wings stopped moving, but it didn¡¯t fall to the ground. ¡°What did you say?¡±


    ¡°Sorry, Esaraphelscion,¡± I corrected, before shaking my head. ¡°Sara¡¯s just much easier to say, isn¡¯t it? I¡¯m going to keep calling you Sara.¡±


    The eyelids all blinked once. Sara still didn¡¯t move, just floated there processing. That was fine by me. I needed to catch my breath. Demon slaying was tough work.


    ¡°... W-what?¡± she finally stuttered.


    ¡°Sara, Angel of the End, keeper of The Prize,¡± I said, waggling my fingers in the air when I said The Prize. ¡°New to her job, but we¡¯ve met before. Actually, aren¡¯t you supposed to be in that hot girl form instead of this biblical ¡®be not afraid¡¯ nonsense you¡¯ve got going on?¡±


    The angel dipped in surprise at my words, and her wings folded in on one another. It only took a moment, but Sara went through a whole process of origami before taking on a shape that was recognizable as a person.


    Where a biblical angel once floated, a humanoid one now descended on six white wings. Sara landed gently on the pedestal and plucked at her short, literally flaming hair to make sure it was in order. Her bronze skin contrasted nicely with her shining white and gold armor. Now that she had eyes, round and orange ones, I could see the fluster in them.


    ¡°Ah yeah, that¡¯s better,¡± I said, giving her two thumbs up.


    That earned me a glare, her hair flaring up in a moment of indignant anger. She composed herself and cleared her throat. ¡°Welcome to the Hall of the End, valiant warrior,¡± Sara greeted stiffly. ¡°You have suffered many trials and tribulations to arrive here, Player Anthony Franklin, and yet you arrived victorious! Here, you may¡ªw-wait, stop! What are you doing?¡±


    I proceeded to pull off my jacket in the middle of her speech, letting it fall to the ground with a disgusting splat.


    [[Unequipped]]


    Stinging Yellow Jacket


    (-200 hit points, -25 Strength, -15 Dexterity, -15 Sting, -3 to the Piercing Weapons Mastery ability (18 -> 15), Wasp Knight¡¯s Venom skill removed)


    The shirt I had on underneath wasn¡¯t in good condition, either. I was in the process of unbuttoning it when Sara suddenly objected. ¡°What?¡± I asked, acting innocent. Teasing her was just too damn fun. ¡°I¡¯m soaked in gore and it¡¯s really, really gross.¡± I pulled my shirt off.


    [[Unequipped]]


    Calico¡¯s Button-Up


    (-250 hit points, -30 Dexterity, -15 Constitution, Nine Lives (7/9 used) passive removed)


    I stood up and began unbuckling my belt next.


    ¡°For the love of all things decent, will you stop undressing! There¡¯s stuff we have to go through!¡± Sara screeched. She turned away from me, which I found very amusing.


    ¡°Oh, come off it, Sara,¡± I teased. ¡°You¡¯re an unknowable being with a lifespan counted in thousands of years. Don¡¯t be a prude.¡±


    [[Unequipped]]


    Belt of the Brazen Badger


    (-400 hit points, -25 Constitution, Ferocious Rage skill removed)


    ¡°It¡¯s not every day that a human comes in here and starts disrobing, Anthony Franklin!¡± Sara responded indignantly. ¡°And my name is Esaraphelscion, which you already know somehow, so use it.¡±


    ¡°All will be revealed shortly,¡± I snickered.


    ¡°That¡¯s the last thing I want!¡± Sara yelled back. She had turned away from me completely now. I just laughed and kicked off my shoes.


    [[Unequipped]]


    Sneakers of the Charging Chaska


    (-10 Tenacity, -10 Constitution, Blocked Escape skill removed, Doubled Movement passive removed)


    Followed by my pants.


    [[Unequipped]]


    Leather Jeans of the Dolphin


    (-200 hit points, -20 Dexterity, -10 Constitution, Aquatic Displacement spell removed)


    And my underwear.


    [[Unequipped]]


    Leopard Print Undies


    (-1 Dexterity, Comfort Plus passive removed)


    I immediately became uncomfortable. Comfort Plus really was the best passive in the entire system. I would have to look for that in the next run; it was like being swaddled in a cloud.


    I caught my reflection in the wall. There was no way I could sugarcoat it... I was ripped. My body had been sculpted by the system as my stats reached demigod-like numbers. Muscular, but not in a professional weight lifter kind of way. Chiseled, I¡¯d say.


    ¡°Alright, Sara,¡± I said. ¡°I¡¯m going to need you to turn around. You¡¯ll understand.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not looking at your junk, dude!¡± she called back, dropping any pretense of otherworldly dignity she had tried to assume. ¡°This harassment is most foul. Who do you think you are?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll cover my junk,¡± I insisted. ¡°But you need to see this.¡±


    Sara stood there silently, wrestling with her thoughts. Finally, she slowly turned. True to my word, I was covering myself; I took off my underwear but did not drop it. She looked me up and down before throwing her arms into the air. ¡°This answers nothing!¡±


    Smirking, I reached for my neck. I scratched at an imperceptible line with my nails. Once I got underneath it, I pulled. My skin peeled off, causing me to shiver from the sensation. It was like picking at sunburned skin, but all over. Sara watched in horror as I did so.


    [[Unequipped]]


    Ouroboros Cover-up


    (Ouroboros tattoos from repeated plays are hidden from all players and administrators regardless of status)


    Sara couldn¡¯t look away. In fact, she stepped off her pedestal and approached with hesitant steps. The cover-up disappeared as I dropped it to the ground. My body was covered in Ouroboros tattoos, a snake in the shape of a circle eating its own tail. My arms, chest, back, and legs were covered by them.Stolen content alert: this content belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences.


    A look of horrified bewilderment was plastered on Sara¡¯s face, and I gave her some time. This wasn¡¯t something that could be processed quickly, by a supernatural entity or not. While she stared, I put my underwear back on.


    [[Equipped]]


    Leopard Print Undies


    (+1 Dexterity, Comfort Plus passive acquired)


    Ah, that¡¯s the ticket. Then, I waited. Maybe I should have given her the memory orb before showing her the tattoos. The look on her face was always just priceless, though, and I couldn¡¯t help myself. I looked down at my body. The gore had, thankfully, come off with the cover-up.


    Three years ago, Earth became hell. They had come with no warning, no fanfare. Monsters appeared from nowhere, killing people left and right. It came with a system, like some sort of twisted video game. Everyone had a chance through the system, they claimed.


    That had been three years ago this time. Each Ouroboros adorning my body was one that I earned by playing their games, by losing my friends and families, and by putting my life on the line for their entertainment. It was one I earned, and then bought to return to just before the beginning.


    ¡°How many?¡± Sara asked quietly. ¡°How many do you have?¡± I didn¡¯t answer. Instead, I picked up the lime I had set down and offered it to her.


    [[Item]]


    Esaraphelscion¡¯s Memory Orb


    Contains the memory of previous iterations of the Angel of the End, Esaraphelscion.


    Sara looked at it for a moment before taking it. She crushed it in her hand after some deliberation, and her eyes clouded over.


    At the end of every run, Sara was the one waiting for me in these golden halls. At first, I had purchased these memory orbs out of anger. If I was going back, then I would make sure she knew what I went through. That she would know what I had gone through. It was something I had a measure of control over and I had grasped at it like it was a life raft. At first.


    The more we spoke, the less my anger had been directed towards Sara. Her job was literally only to congratulate the one who completed the last scenario and to ask what the player wanted as a prize. She watched the game, but I couldn¡¯t blame her for that; she was left in this room and forgotten from the beginning. This room was her prison as much as I had made the system mine.


    It had been unbelievable to me at first. Who locked an angel away to do one thing that might not even happen? It was wasteful and stupid, but there was an answer: someone higher up than her on the ladder probably found it amusing. That was all that mattered to them, and they rewarded their most amusing pawns.


    That was the guiding principle of the administrators, more power. Here, Sara had no such aspirations with the higher powers. She was stuck until someone else had the misfortune of making it to the Hall of the End and no amount of wishing would change that.


    Lucky for me, that didn¡¯t mean Sara was without aspirations. She had been instrumental in helping refine my runs, pointing out various abilities and items to keep an eye out for. She generally watched the same feeds from timeline to timeline, but every so often I¡¯d change enough things around enough that she¡¯d end up watching different folk.


    Sara¡¯s eyes fluttered as the memory orb finished its work. Her eyes focused on mine, and her armor melted away. She was a lot more relaxed when she knew she didn¡¯t have to play the part. The armor transformed into a loose hanging toga, still a contrasting white against her bronze skin. It was much better than the armor.


    Then she smacked me on the arm. ¡°You asshole!¡± she half-laughed, half-yelled. ¡°I told you to stop stripping in front of me before giving me the orb!¡±


    I smiled down at her. Almost all tension had drained from her body. ¡°This was my last chance,¡± I told her. ¡°I wanted to see that reaction one last time. I wasn¡¯t expecting to see your true form, though. That was trippy.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t make fun of me,¡± Sara whined, sticking her tongue out at me. She had picked up on a lot of human mannerisms during my resets. ¡°I was just surprised. No one blows through the final scenario in an hour. I couldn¡¯t comprehend it. Forget that you saw me that way, or else.¡±


    ¡°Or else what, Sara?¡± I asked, waggling my eyebrows. She smacked my arm again, shoving me away some. I let it go. ¡°The Needle Lancer class with the paralyzing Wasp Knight¡¯s Venom worked like a charm against the demons, so I got through them faster than usual.¡±


    Sara nodded. ¡°Tell me what you were doing this time,¡± she said. ¡°I only watched you during the end, so I have no idea what kind of shenanigans were pulled.¡±


    ¡°Honestly, I took a vacation,¡± I said with a chuckle. ¡°Invested all of my points into Rexxel¡¯s Bank, did a few quests early on to help him out, and waited on a beach for like a year and a half. By the time I came to collect, I had enough points to jump up to endgame levels and to get some decent equipment.¡±


    ¡°I was watching Coe when you blew through his force¡¯s gate holding the demons back from Earth,¡± Sara said, smiling.


    ¡°Oh, he was pissed,¡± I chuckled again. Coe was one of the top players in nearly every iteration of the game. I liked to needle him, but he was honestly a godsend in my runs; he took care of a lot of big problems that I wasn¡¯t built for or around to solve. ¡°Had plans for the demons and everything, then I just came in and went through the whole gauntlet.¡±


    A silence descended on the hall, and we stared into each other¡¯s eyes. I broke it first after just a few seconds. ¡°Are you sure?¡± I murmured. ¡°About the next tattoo?¡±


    Sara sighed and reached up to my head. Ignoring the demon blood that had dried in my hair, she pulled me down so that our foreheads were touching. I closed my eyes. The fire that made up her hair radiated a gentle heat. She smelled like a campfire. Odd, but pleasant.


    ¡°I¡¯m very certain, Ant. After your 100<sup>th</sup> tattoo, it¡¯s going to be prohibitively more expensive. This will be your last run.¡±


    This was going to be my 100<sup>th</sup> run. I had been through 99 instances of this hell. It was self-inflicted, I could admit that, and I had no right to complain about what I had done to myself. The system¡¯s administrators may have started it, but I¡¯m the one who went back time and time again.


    ¡°You can¡¯t save everyone, Ant,¡± Sara said, wrapping her arms around me. I reciprocated, relishing the comforting embrace of another. ¡°But you¡¯re going to save a lot of people. A lot more than anyone else would ever be capable of.¡±


    I nodded slowly. That was why I was doing this. I had to save as many people as possible, and the only way to do that was to beat this twisted game as fast as I could.


    ¡°You¡¯ve been building up to this moment,¡± Sara continued. ¡°You¡¯ve been testing different builds, gathering information on people, and figuring out the optimal strategies for the scenarios. You know how the administrators are going to react to you. Ant, you can do this.¡±


    Sara had gone through various pep talks throughout our meetings, but this time she surprised me. She tilted her head up, our noses brushing, and gently placed her lips on mine. While surprised, I didn¡¯t fight it. I returned the kiss.


    When we pulled away from each other, we both exhaled. I couldn¡¯t help it, I had to tease her. ¡°Did you just sigh?¡± I asked cheekily. ¡°I didn¡¯t think you needed to breathe.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t make me regret that, you jerk,¡± Sara said, trying to pull away.


    I didn¡¯t let her. My Strength was near 200 even without my gear, and she didn¡¯t put up a real fight. I pulled her in close to my chest, which she allowed. Her feathers, which brushed against my arms, were soft and warm. When I stroked one of her wings, she shivered. Didn¡¯t pull away, though, so I continued.


    ¡°I won¡¯t,¡± I whispered. ¡°True form or not, you¡¯re just as human to me as the ones I¡¯m trying to save. You won¡¯t regret helping me.¡±


    She rested in my arms for a few minutes. It was something I sorely needed, and I wasn¡¯t afraid to admit it. Sara was the only being in all of existence who knew of my plight aside from the system itself, which was calculating and uncaring. That understanding was exactly what I needed right now. The sense of closeness with another recharged me, something I couldn¡¯t get on the ¡°vacation¡± I claimed to have taken.


    ¡°You should pick out your prizes,¡± Sara said as she finally started extricating herself from my arms. I let her go with no small tinge of longing. ¡°There¡¯s something new this time, and you should take it.¡±


    ¡°Something new?¡± I asked. It had been a long, long time since anything new had shown up in the after game shop. Instead of answering, Sara took a step back. A box appeared in front of me.


    [[Notice]]


    Congratulations on your victory, Player Anthony Franklin. Please pick your prize(s) below.


    [[Shop]]


    The Prize (All remaining points)


    This was the big one. According to Sara, it was any single wish you had. The problem was that the system had not been designed to be your friend. It took all of the points you accumulated at the end of the run regardless of the wish, but it didn¡¯t tell you how much your wish actually cost.


    So if someone had the same thought I did and wanted to wish back everyone who died, they could certainly try. The number of points needed to do this was simply astronomical, and anything less than the required payment would cause the wish to be corrupted.


    The opposite wasn¡¯t so much true as it was infuriating. If you wished for something easy, like, I don¡¯t know, an ice cream cone, then you¡¯d get it. You¡¯d have also wasted the other hundreds of thousands of points on a ten-point wish. Sara and I had discussed this at length, and it was crappy all around.


    I kept reading, picking out the ones I knew I would need.


    Memory Orb [Angel] (300,000)


    Ouroboros Tattoo (500,000)


    Ouroboros Cover-up (100,000)


    Administrator Black-out [intermediate] (200,000)


    Time Capsule [x3] (150,000)


    Wondrous Beginner¡¯s Stat Kit (20,000)


    Wondrous Beginner¡¯s Survival Kit (15,000)


    Total: 1,285,000


    You have 1,297,456 points available. Spend?


    Yes


    No


    I reached for the button to confirm when Sara stopped me. ¡°Scroll to the bottom, there¡¯s the new thing,¡± she urged.


    And I did so. Most of the things down here were bottom of the barrel items that were useful for the first scenario and then practically worthless after that. I couldn¡¯t dismiss it if Sara was telling me about it, though. The item at the very bottom made me blink.


    Esaraphelscion¡¯s Kiss [boon] (discounted price: 12,456)


    ¡°And here I thought you finally caught feelings for me,¡± I said sarcastically. ¡°But then you go and charge me for it. And take the rest of my points!¡± My response was in good nature, and I trusted her. Boons often came with good skills or abilities, and I wasn¡¯t going to pass it up. I added it to my purchases.


    ¡°Hey, I said don¡¯t make me regret it,¡± she retorted. ¡°It¡¯ll help you; I promise. It¡¯s normally much, much more.¡±


    Memory Orb [Angel] (300,000)


    Ouroboros Tattoo (500,000)


    Ouroboros Cover-up (100,000)


    Administrator Black-out [intermediate] (200,000)


    Time Capsule [x3] (150,000)


    Wondrous Beginner¡¯s Stat Kit (20,000)


    Wondrous Beginner¡¯s Survival Kit (15,000)


    Esaraphelscion¡¯s Kiss [boon] (discounted price: 12,456)


    Total: 1,297,456


    You have 1,297,456 points available. Spend?


    Yes


    No


    ¡°I believe you,¡± I chuckled. I hit Yes and the window disappeared, replaced with another one.


    [[Shop]]


    Thank you for your purchase. Your items will materialize in the order purchased, so please be patient as they are fulfilled. You currently have 0 points left.


    ¡°So what does it do?¡± I asked, waving this latest window away.


    ¡°Two things. One I¡¯m going to tell you, and another that I¡¯m going to surprise you with,¡± Sara said. I couldn¡¯t help but notice her eyes twinkling with excitement.


    ¡°That¡¯s going to make things hard to plan out, Sara,¡± I chided.


    ¡°We¡¯ll get there when we get there,¡± she said. Taking me by the arm, Sara led me to the pedestal she had been hovering over and sat down. I sat down beside her. ¡°The first boon is that you¡¯re not going to start at the beginning of the system, but roughly a half an hour before. I¡¯m not sure exactly how much time it was because of how heavily discounted it was.¡±


    My jaw dropped. That was a huge boon no matter how you looked at things. With a head start like that, I could position myself wherever I needed to be. Within reason, of course. I nearly jumped to my feet. ¡°How come you¡¯ve never offered this before?¡± I asked, almost yelling.


    ¡°Because it¡¯s breaking the rules,¡± Sara said. She¡¯d anticipated my response and didn¡¯t hold it against me. ¡°The second thing does, anyway. You¡¯ve had a good track record, phenomenal really, but I wasn¡¯t ready to put that level of trust in you. Especially since I wasn¡¯t sure what the alternate version of me would think. It¡¯s dangerous and it¡¯s going to bring a lot of attention down on you.¡±


    ¡°Are you going to be upset?¡± I asked. Her warnings gave me some concern, but I still trusted her. Plus, this was going to be my last chance anyway, so it was now or never.


    ¡°We¡¯ll¡­ get into that later,¡± she said. Sara rested her head on my shoulder and placed her hand on my leg. ¡°So, you have a spare half hour at the beginning, run me through what you plan on doing. I want this conversation for the memory orb.¡±


    I mulled it over but decided not to worry about it. Once she revealed it to me, I¡¯d decide then whether or not I¡¯d use it. Even if I never used it, the half hour was well worth it.


    ¡°Okay,¡± I said, looking off at the pile of gross stuff that was my former gear. ¡°So the first three things I have to do are: 1, evacuate a building; 2, warn a barista and get them thinking in the right direction; and 3, pick up a book from the local library.¡±


    ¡°The book, huh?¡± Sara chuckled. ¡°Makes sense. That path always was your favorite.¡±


    I nodded. ¡°Yeah, so I¡¯m thinking the first thing I do is call in a bomb threat¡­¡±

 Chapter 1

    Etson - 4:01 PM


    There was a moment of disorientation as my consciousness flooded into my younger body. Pain hammered through my head, though it quickly receded as I blinked away the stars in my vision. I loosened the black and green paisley tie from my neck.


    When the system first began alerting people that our world was about to become a living nightmare, I had been on my way to a job interview for an assistant manager position at a small mom and pop bagel shop. Guaranteed to get me nowhere in life but would keep me from spending all my tuition money on rent.


    I pulled my phone from my black slacks. The system started at 4:22. I groaned when I saw it was 4:01. About a half hour, my ass. Spinning, I started running back to where I came from. I still had twenty minutes. Not sure if I¡¯d call that plenty of time, but I¡¯d make it work.


    I unlocked my phone, scrolled through my contacts, and hit the dial button. It rang twice before someone answered.


    ¡°Etson College Security,¡± a gruff voice said. ¡°This is security officer Davis.¡±


    ¡°Hi, my name is Anthony Franklin, business major,¡± I began. I was already starting to feel winded and I had only run about a hundred feet at most. Nothing whipped you into shape like artificially inflating your stats. ¡°I just overheard two guys talking about blowing up the library.¡±


    A pause. ¡°Is this a prank?¡±


    ¡°I gave you my name, man,¡± I said. ¡°These two dudes were talking about how they planted a bomb in the library to get back at the school. They said 4:25 was boom time, their words. I don¡¯t know where they planted it, I ran before they could say. I¡¯m still running.¡± And sounding very out of breath.


    ¡°Are you sure?¡± Davis asked, panic rising in his voice. "You¡¯re completely serious?¡±


    ¡°I saw who they were, so I could¡­¡± I took a breath. ¡°I can identify them.¡±


    ¡°Okay, stay on the line, Anthony,¡± Davis ordered before yelling something I couldn¡¯t make out to someone else.


    ¡°Yes, sir,¡± I lied before hanging up. Since I still had another few blocks before I reached the cafe, I would use them.


    I sent out a message to every contact I had with a warning to get somewhere safe. Not everyone would get it, but some would and, as much as I hated it, I had to keep my sights on the big picture. Turning off the sound, I slid my phone back into my pocket just as it started vibrating from the responses.


    It continued to do so for the next four blocks before I arrived at my destination: Garcia¡¯s Caf¨¦. A cozy place not too far from the college, it was a common hangout spot for students who didn¡¯t want to stay at school.


    My vision tunneled as soon as I went in. A young woman with dark, curly hair and a blue apron looked at me from behind the counter with concern. ¡°You okay, dude?¡± she asked as she looked me over.


    ¡°Yeah, water and whatever energy drink you have on hand, please,¡± I panted out. Leaning on the counter, I looked at the clock on the register. 4:09. Plenty of time. Probably.


    ¡°Six dollars, fifty-three cents,¡± she said, ringing it up before heading to a fridge against the far wall.


    Gabrielle Garcia, daughter of the proprietor of Garcia¡¯s Caf¨¦. Without my intervention, she never saw the dawn of the second day. That was a shame because, every time I saved her, she went on to do remarkable things.


    More often than not, Gabrielle became a powerful healer of some sort. In fact, she was working at her father¡¯s shop in order to pay for school, working towards becoming a certified nursing assistant. In the coming days, many would flock to her, and many would be saved due to her powers.


    I began weaving my web of lies. ¡°Hey,¡± I panted. ¡°You know what¡¯s up with the square?¡±


    Gabrielle pulled an Aquafina and a Red Bull from the fridge and started heading back my way. ¡°Haven¡¯t heard anything,¡± she said. ¡°You running from there? You¡¯re not exactly in the right clothes for a workout.¡±


    ¡°Just got out of a job interview, got a lot of nervous energy,¡± I lied as I plucked at my long sleeves. ¡°But no, there were a bunch of firefighters, cops, and EMTs there. Looked like they were setting up a barricade or something.¡±


    The downtown square was one of the few natural safe zones the system laid down and was only about ten blocks from here. Gabrielle wouldn¡¯t have too much trouble getting down there. I had sent her down that path before, at least, and she had always made it. Then, I wouldn¡¯t have to worry.


    ¡°News to me,¡± Gabrielle said. She placed my drinks in a small paper bag. ¡°Six fifty-three.¡±


    ¡°Right, yeah,¡± I said, pulling my wallet out of my back pocket to grab my debit card, which I swiped. ¡°I don¡¯t know if it¡¯s just nervous energy or whatever, but I have a feeling something is going to go wrong today. You stay safe, yeah?¡± I punched in my pin after changing the tip to 50 dollars. You will remember me, Gabrielle.


    ¡°Yeah, sure thing,¡± Gabrielle said skeptically. Her eyes bulged when she saw the tip.


    ¡°Awesome, thanks,¡± I told her before grabbing my things and dashing out. It was 4:12. For sure, it certainly hadn¡¯t felt like three minutes inside. The clock must have been fast or something.


    I grabbed the energy drink, popped it, and drank the best I could while running. Some of it dribbled onto my dark green button-up, but I didn¡¯t care about that. The taste of it almost made me gag; how could people drink this regularly? Once the can was empty, I drank half of the bottle of water to rinse away the taste.


    I jaywalked across the street when I saw a moment free of traffic. Lucky, honestly; Etson College was right off of the main road and things were pretty busy this time of day.


    Regardless of my luck, I couldn¡¯t afford to stop. The mostly glass building at the front of campus loomed over me, but it wasn¡¯t my destination. I ran around it and into the large courtyard that had always seemed like a waste of space to me. Like, sure grass is green, but some tables and benches would go a long way.


    Shaking my head, I emptied my mind of those thoughts. My opinion on the courtyard never mattered, and it would matter even less in¡ªI checked my phone¡ªfour minutes.


    The library was on the far end of the campus, but now it was a straight shot from me. The Jody Etson Library was a large, two-story brick building that was much older than the rest of the campus.


    People were congregated a safe distance away from the building. I didn¡¯t see any police officers yet, but I did see three men in gray uniforms. Those were the security officers. Mentally, I thanked them for working as quickly as I needed them to. They were always gone by the time I had made it to the library, so I wasn¡¯t sure of their efficiency.


    Gone as in run away, not dead. I never found their bodies. Though that could have been something else entirely.


    I slowed to a stop as I neared the crowd, positioning myself close by but away from the security guards. There was no way in for me except the front door. If I had more time, I could find a brick or something and smash a window, though that wasn¡¯t an option with so little time remaining. My body ached, but adrenaline pumped through my veins and gave me life.The tale has been illicitly lifted; should you spot it on Amazon, report the violation.


    The crowd was talking about the bomb threat that had been called in. A lot of students thought it was a hoax and complained, loudly, to anyone who was in earshot. Most of the faculty were taking it seriously, which was good. If anyone was left in that building when the system dropped, they would be dead. They were always dead.


    I checked the phone again to see it tick to 4:22. We were seconds away. I thought about the layout of the library. The staircase to the second floor was across from the entrance with a mostly open floor plan. The book I needed would be on a return cart up the stairs and near the librarian¡¯s desk. Maybe, if I hurried, I could make it before the bookshelves started shifting.


    The world turned into static for just a moment as the system connected to the world¡¯s population. I had already started running by the time my vision returned. I could barely hear my own thoughts as my blood rushed through my ears. In front of me, a bright yellow light erupted from the library, shattering all of the glass with a deafening boom. If anyone called after me, I couldn¡¯t hear them.


    A deep, smooth, male voice filled my mind. It would fill everyone¡¯s mind.


    ¡°Greetings, population of Earth. I am the Angel of the Beginning, Seraphim.¡±


    I ducked under the metal in the middle of the broken glass door to enter the library, doing the same for the next set of glass doors. I never understood why they needed two sets, but now wasn¡¯t the time to contemplate that.


    ¡°Congratulations to all. You have been judged worthy of joining us under the umbrella of the system that allows us to ascend ever higher.¡±


    This was usually the part where I scoffed and rolled my eyes, but I had no time for it now. My eyes darted around the library. It looked like the bookshelves hadn¡¯t moved yet, but the tables on the ground floor had tilted and moved to block the way to the stairs.


    Once I was fully standing again, I continued sprinting. To the left of the path forward were doors leading into small rooms, nothing but dead ends there. To the right were a few large counters for librarians to speak to students. If I wanted to avoid most of the tables, which were shifting so that they were facing me, I would have to take the detour to the right.


    ¡°You may ask what this means for you and your planet, and all will be revealed soon. For now, your world will change. But the system does not just take, it gives new life to all things.¡±


    The table closest to me surged forward in an attempt to bowl me over, but I was ready. I jumped, leaping into the air as best I could and twisting so that I would slide over the table¡¯s edge and land on the other side of the counter. The tables, grounded as they were, couldn¡¯t hit me here.


    The chairs, on the other hand, accelerated in an attempt to knock me over.


    ¡°You may have noticed that your ails are gone, and any physical disability that has plagued your existence has been fixed. This is the power of the system. This is the power we offer. We give it freely, and yet, it is anything but free.¡±


    With adrenaline-fueled recklessness I jumped onto one of the wheeled office chairs and used it as a springboard to get onto the counter. Leaping from one to the next, I jumped onto the floor where the tables were attempting, and failing, to turn around. It was good for me that they were each acting as individual entities.


    My gawking was soon put to an end when office supplies such as pens, staplers, and straightened paper clips started flying towards my head. Dodging the projectiles, I ascended the stairs.


    ¡°The system demands that you earn the power it allows you. Your world will be populated with monsters, some of which are native to your various mythos and some that are not. These beasts are powerful, but now, so are you.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t feel powerful yet, jackass!¡± I yelled breathlessly as I ran up the stairs. I noted with elation that the second floor hadn¡¯t been set up yet. If the right path had been closed off as it normally was, I would have been forced to go left and around through a small room connecting the two sides above the entrance. A less than ideal path, that.


    The bookshelves weren¡¯t in position, but the books sure were.


    ¡°Everybody starts equal in the eyes of the system. You have the same chance of success as all others around you, younger or older, and as those trained in the art of combat or not. All are equal.¡±


    I threw myself to the ground as a volley of books launched themselves from a nearby table, rolling underneath it and toppling over the chair on the other side. It slid only a few inches on the carpeted floor before it changed directions and slammed into me, knocking the wind out of my lungs.


    There wasn¡¯t any time to waste recovering, though. The table above me started to hover and flip. I pushed on the chair and scrambled to my feet, diving out of the way just in time for the table to crash down on where I was just paused.


    My body ached as I pushed on.


    ¡°Those monsters will attack you, but you can defeat them. This is now the task that befalls each and every one of you. I beseech you all, survive.¡±


    I ducked under more thrown books by diving behind the counter of the second-floor librarian¡¯s desk. I knew the book would be on the other side, just two counters away. As I moved to look, a handful of paperclips embedded themselves in my shoulder. I grunted in pain; the wounds were shallow but still hurt. They would have struck my neck if I hadn¡¯t shifted.


    ¡°Those who survive are rewarded. Those who thrive will ascend to ever greater heights. Those who do not have faith in the system will perish.¡±


    I rolled out of the way as additional sharp objects slammed into the space I just vacated. Turning the corner, I could see it. A faint yellow glow on a return cart not far away. It started slowly trundling towards my location as soon as I laid eyes on it. Reaching for a fallen stapler, I aimed and threw.


    It collided with the tall stack of books atop the cart, which fell over in its path. I moved forward as the fallen books were tossed aside to make room for it to escape.


    ¡°Tomorrow morning, everyone who survived the night will be given the chance to partake in a tutorial to enhance your understanding of the system.¡±


    I dove for the glowing book. The return cart tipped in an attempt to keep me away for seconds more, and I heard something loud shifting behind me. It was too late; I reached out and snagged the book before it could crush me.


    Not sparing a glance backwards, I rolled to the side and reached for my keys. The book was a large, leather-bound tome in a language that seemed like gibberish. On the front cover, however, was the source of the glow. The Medallion of Uuska. It was a fist-sized, circular clay medallion on a long leather string with a spiral leading from the outside to a toothy maw in the center.


    ¡°Until then, I wish you all the best of luck in your survival.¡±


    I fished my keys from my pocket. In particular, I was reaching for the plain, stainless steel bottle opener that was on the key ring. I slid it onto the Medallion, shifted the bottle opener, and it popped right off.


    Every item in the library still floating, including the bookshelf that had been the last defense, fell to the ground in a deafening cacophony. Then, all was peaceful.


    ¡°Remember these words. I am Seraphim, Angel of the¡­¡±


    A pause. That was new. I didn¡¯t dwell on it, though. I was too busy catching my breath. My side still hurt. Everything still hurt.


    ¡°¡­ Beginning. Have faith in the system, gain strength from the system, and grow within the system. Farewell for now, population of Earth.¡±


    ¡°Suck it, scum sucker!¡± I croaked, raising my middle finger towards the sky. My speed had even made him stumble, much to my amusement. The administrator claimed to be the Angel of the Beginning, but I knew that as a lie. He wasn¡¯t an angel of anything, just a charlatan who figured out that Florida¡¯s population was religious and decided to call himself an angel to make himself look better. The dick.


    I could not dwell on my victory, however, as I had work to do. I opened the tome as a series of text boxes littered my vision.


    [[Notice]]


    Welcome to the system, Player Anthony Franklin.


    [[Item]]


    You have received Time Capsule x3. Open your inventory to claim their contents.


    Ouroboros Cover-up has been applied automatically.


    Administrator Black-out [intermediate] has been applied automatically.


    [[Victory!]]


    You have defeated the Hidden Boss [Medallion of Uuska]; +100 points.


    [[Item]]


    You have acquired the Book of the Warmongering Mystic.


    This is a class-changing item.


    WARNING: once you have selected a class, you may not choose another except under certain circumstances.


    Would you like to use the Book of the Warmongering Mystic?


    Yes


    No


    I groaned at the default blue of the initial system messages and vowed to change them to a better color immediately after getting my new class.


    Reaching for the box, I tapped Yes. A new text box appeared.


    [[Congratulations!]]


    Your class has been changed from "None" to "Warmind.¡±


    Wisdom and Willpower stats have been unlocked.


    Mental Points (MP) have been unlocked.


    [[Notice]]


    You are the first player to unlock a class. +500 points.


    I grinned as my adrenaline finally failed me, and I fell onto my back. My first major milestone was complete!


    Now it was time to sort out the spoils.

 Chapter 2

    Etson College - 4:24 PM


    I lay on the floor in a mixture of elation and despair as the crash caused me to feel like my head was splitting in two. As I laid on the ground, the Book of the Warmongering Mystic disappeared from my hand. I paid it no heed; that¡¯s what was supposed to happen. Instead, I decided I deserved a break, and I waited for my ravaged lungs to calm down before looking at my other prize: the Medallion of Uuska.


    There were two ways to obtain the Warmind class in my area. The first way was through the Book of the Warmongering Mystic, and the other was through the Medallion of Uuska. Only, the latter caused a major problem: you could only get the full class very early, or very late.


    The Medallion sucked the power out of the Book by using its class abilities, which was why the library tried to kill me with books, tables, chairs, and miscellaneous office supplies. If the Medallion had been allowed to suck more power out of the book, then the pages would have slowly gone blank. Since the pages were filled with gibberish anyway, this meant the mechanical difference was that you gained fewer class abilities when using the book.


    Therein lay the problem. If you came in the middle of the Medallion¡¯s cycle, then you would have half the class through one item, and half through the other. Francis and Jess Alurne, brother and sister, would usually brave the library after hearing it was ¡°haunted,¡± and they would both become two halves of a Warmind. Their powers augmented and boosted each other in wonderful ways.


    But power bred jealousy. Francis and Jess never made it past the second scenario as Warminds because Jess often became angry at her brother for having more powers. They split up midway through the scenario and died not long after. I had managed to keep them both alive until the fifth, but it was often an arduous task that required too much social management. Without the Warmind class, they would make it much further because they weren¡¯t stuck to each other.


    I was fairly certain that I had gotten here in time to keep the Medallion from taking the last pages of the Book, thus leaving it complete. Whenever I¡¯d had to run through here from my job interview, I never made it in time. It was still worth getting, of course; Warmind was a devastating psychic class that was incredibly powerful with my knowledge and expertise. I had been a Warmind in over a fourth of my previous runs, with the vast majority of those having come from the Book, but a few coming from the Medallion even though it meant I spent a long time being classless.


    Waving my hand in the air, I immediately went to my settings and changed three of them.


    [[Settings]]


    Text box window background color has been changed from [Blue] to [Green].


    Text box window activation has been updated. Activation signals are now [Wave] and [Snap].


    Stat text box intricacy has been changed from [Full] to [Simple].


    I snapped twice, closing the settings text box and pulling the menu back up. Now that the text boxes were back to my preferred green, I felt better. It was just a little thing, I knew, but I¡¯d had it like that for countless runs now. It comforted me. Though maybe I should make it red so that I would be more aggressive? That made me shake my head; I was already going to be aggressive this run, no need to exacerbate it.


    Now that the text box was as it needed to be, I looked over my stats.


    [[Status]]


    Player Anthony Franklin


    Class: Warmind


    Race: Human


    Points: 600


    Stats:


    Hit Points: 17/30


    Mental Points: 70/70


    Strength: 3; Dexterity: 4; Constitution: 3; Wisdom: 4; Willpower: 7


    Mentally, I clicked on Warmind.


    [[Class]]


    Warmind


    The Warmind is a powerful psychic warrior with the ability to alter their surroundings on a whim. If allowed to grow, Warminds can create and destroy with but a thought, and even alter some laws of reality. Each ability costs a variable level of Mental Points.


    <u>Abilities</u>


    Push (Willpower) lvl 1: Push an inanimate object no more than Willpower*5 lbs. away from you. The weight of the object determines the distance and speed at which it is pushed.


    Pull (Willpower) lvl 1: Pull an inanimate object no more than Willpower*5 lbs. towards you. The weight of the object determines the distance and speed at which it is pulled.


    Lift (Willpower) lvl 1: Lift an inanimate object no more than Willpower*10 lbs. off of the ground. The weight of the object determines the height and speed at which it is lifted.The author''s tale has been misappropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon.


    Shield (Wisdom) lvl 1: Block incoming attacks up to an amount of damage equal to or less than Wisdom*3. Shield can be activated, sustained, or deactivated at will and recharge at a rate of Wisdom*1 hit points per second after 5 seconds of not taking damage. Broken shields cannot be reactivated for 30 seconds.


    I smiled and nodded to myself. This was perfect. Whenever I used the Medallion for acquiring Warmind, this was the ability spread that I started with. Whenever I used the Book, however, I had to earn Shield down the line. Luckily, I had gotten here in time. Unluckily, the damn class still didn¡¯t state the formula for how the Warmind used up Mental Points, or MP, or about how the ability¡¯s effect dropped off based on weight and distance. I had enough experience to figure things out on instinct, but it would be nice to have the exact numbers.


    Now I looked at the Medallion of Uuska. It was still in its base form, having not had time to steal from the Book of the Warmongering Mystic, which meant that it was still useful. Sure, it sucked away power, but that wasn¡¯t its only purpose. I slid it around my neck.


    [[Equipped]]


    Medallion of Uuska


    (+10 hit points, +2 Wisdom, +2 Willpower, MP Storage skill acquired, Class Steal skill acquired)


    [[Skill]]


    MP Storage


    The Medallion of Uuska can store Mental Points for future use, up to 100 MP. This MP can be exchanged between the bearer and item at will, though if the item is removed then all stored MP is lost.


    [[Skill]]


    Class Steal


    The Medallion of Uuska can be put on a class-giving item or foe and absorb the class to be acquired at a later time.


    WARNING: You already have a class and will not be able to gain another.


    I felt my mind clear as the Medallion increased my stats. Even though I was still heaving on the floor, out of breath, I could think as clearly as I ever had. I knew that the rate of return on Mental Power was slow, but as my Willpower got higher and higher, that would be less of a problem. I activated the MP Storage ability and transferred 40 points, leaving me with 50 after my augmented stats increased my overall total to 90.


    Sitting up, I navigated to my Inventory and opened my three time capsules. On the floor in front of me appeared a green, lime-shaped crystal and two satchels. I reached for the crystal, holding it tightly in both hands. Ninety-nine versions of Sara were in this memory orb. A part of me sorely missed her even though we had only parted about half an hour ago. Her scent haunted me and her kiss lingered on my lips. The feeling burned me, and I remembered her words.


    ¡°I will do better,¡± I declared to the orb before placing it into the safety of my inventory.


    My attention shifted to the satchels. Both were made of brand-new leather, but the larger of the two had straps so that it could be worn on a belt. I took the smaller one first and opened it. Inside were eight vials neatly divided by a soft, cotton fabric. Three had tops that were colored red, yellow, and green, while the others were all black. I pulled out those three and two more before closing up the pouch.


    The Wondrous Beginner¡¯s Stat Kit was something utterly useless in the end game shop but was an instant purchase for anyone looking for an Ouroboros Tattoo. I watched as the two black-topped vials shifted in color to blue and aquamarine. I laid them out in front of me and grabbed the red vial.


    [[Item]]


    Wondrous Strength Enhancement Potion


    Imbibing this potion will cause your Strength stat to rise to the maximum allowed by the system in the first scenario. This potion will work no matter how high or low the initial Strength stat is but will fail if Strength is already maxed.


    The stat kit changed based on the stats gained by the person taking the vials, but Strength, Dexterity, and Constitution were the default of every player. Only by gaining a class could you unlock more stats, like how the Warmind provided me with Wisdom and Willpower. At least those two were pretty easy to figure out. In the past, I had classes with stats like Wrath, Guts, Moxie, and Fierceness. The Needle Lancer had a stat just called Sting, which was necessary because it increased the damage and penetration power of piercing weapons, but I really had to question what the system was doing.


    I had the Strength enhancing potion to my lips before I realized that I was zoning out. I corked it and set it back down. That had almost been a bad decision. Instead, I picked up the yellow Dexterity potion and knocked it back. Tasted like bananas.


    Over the next few seconds, I felt my body shift under the effects. It wasn¡¯t painful, but it did cause me to shiver violently as my muscles contracted and my bone structure changed. Once the process was done, I shook it off. My body had just gained 16 points in Dexterity to put it at 20, which was considered well over the peak of humanity.


    With my body more streamlined, I chugged down the Strength potion. Just like before, my body shivered uncontrollably as my muscles expanded to fit the new superhuman stat. If I had done it first, my body would have ballooned into too-serious-about-weightlifting territory and my clothes would have become shredded. Getting naked in front of an angel friend? Sure, that¡¯s fine. The confused bulk of humanity? Absolutely no thank you.


    Instead, the Dexterity stat helped keep the muscle gains from Strength down, and I looked a lot like how I did in the Hall of the End. Muscular, but in a very flattering way. Like I went to the gym three times a week instead of living there. Funnily enough, you could always tell if someone had unbalanced their stats because of this trend. Early on it was very easy to find people who were suddenly in ill-fitting clothes because they became too muscular by boosting Strength or became too lean because of a Dexterity dependence.


    The next three potions weren¡¯t nearly as dramatic, as Constitution dealt with the inner workings of the body and both Wisdom and Willpower changed the brain. I did immediately regain my breath, however, which was a nice benefit. I pulled up my status screen and felt an immense satisfaction at how lovely my numbers looked lined up in a row.


    [[Status]]


    Player Anthony Franklin


    Class: Warmind


    Race: Human


    Points: 600


    Stats:


    Hit Points: 199/210


    Mental Points: 181/220 (40/100)


    Strength: 20; Dexterity: 20; Constitution: 20; Wisdom: 22; Willpower: 22


    The only thing ruining it was the stat increases from the Medallion of Uuska, but having higher stats was the opposite of a problem so I really shouldn¡¯t complain. At least I wouldn¡¯t have to waste points boosting my stats, and I was glad items could push stats over the limit.


    Tossing the satchel with the remaining three vials into my inventory, I grabbed my Wondrous Beginner¡¯s Survival Kit. This one contained four of both health and resource recovery potions, the latter of which changed to Mental Health Potions after I opened the bag for the first time, antidotes and anti-plagues, and a single knife. Oh, but what a knife it was.


    I grinned as I pulled the 12-inch serrated Bowie knife from the satchel. It shone in the light, and I could clearly see my reflection in the blade. The black grip was perfectly made for my hand with the cross guard fitting comfortably above my thumb and index finger. Not that I¡¯d be using it in a traditional sense all that much, but it still felt good. I put the sheath on the opposite side of my belt from the satchel and slid it into its resting place.


    I slowly began to stand as the sounds of screams and roars filled my ears. Monsters spawned from the system finally started appearing, and the confusion felt by people around the world would now be morphing into a terrible fear. My short respite was over. I headed to the shattered window to see my new, broken world.

 Chapter 3

    Etson College - 4:33 PM


    I took in the scene unfolding in the courtyard.


    People who had been milling around in front of the library began to scatter. They would have already been shaken up by the arrival of the Medallion and the subsequent explosion it caused in the library, but even as monsters started coming from unobserved buildings and alleys, they remained frozen like deer in headlights. One of the security officers broke off as a group of quadrupedal enemies ran towards them, and the others seemed to slip free of their paralysis, chasing after them.


    ¡°Time to get to work,¡± I said to myself as I deftly jumped out of the second story window. The glass crunched under my feet as I landed. Aside from a slight shock that resonated through my body, I was fine. ¡°Come and get some, you stupid mobs!¡±


    There was only one type of mob around the courtyard, an army of Trats. I sighed at the name, as I always did. A Trat was what you got when you combined a rodent of unusual size with a toad. The quadrupedal enemies were fast on their long, rat-like legs, and the tail they sported made it hard to unbalance them. Their dark, hairless skin was covered in a mucus that would paralyze you if your Constitution was too low and made them a real menace to anyone without a weapon. The main tactic of the Trat was to ensnare you with its long tongue, and then nonconsensually cuddle you until you were safe to eat.


    Some of them had their attention focused on me, but a few had gone after the throng of people, looking to feast on the stragglers. They wouldn¡¯t have been this bold if it weren¡¯t for their superior numbers and the presence of an Alpha Trat, a bigger version that led the pack. I cracked my knuckles. It was time to correct that.


    I ran forward on what felt like new legs towards the bigger enemy, my previous fatigue removed by the wonderful stat boosts I had just received. Three tongues lashed out behind me, but I ignored them in favor of going after the Alpha, which was part of the group chasing the humans. The increased speed caused me to stumble as I got used to it, but I caught up with the group halfway across the courtyard. I¡¯m not sure where the people were fleeing to, but they sure were booking it.


    Unsheathing my knife, I lunged at the Trat that was closest to me. It tried to skid to a stop as it heard me coming behind it, but I stabbed the weapon deep into its spine and continued to run, tearing into its bone and flesh like it was paper. My 20 Strength made it easy. Trats had Strength and Dexterity scores above the average human, but they were lacking in the Constitution department. That¡¯s what you get for relying on toxic skin to not get eaten.


    The Trat collapsed to the ground, but I kept a tight grip on my knife so that it wouldn¡¯t go with it. A quick glance backwards showed that I had five of them trailing me, but they wouldn¡¯t be catching up if I kept running at this speed. Ahead, the crowd of people continued to panic as the Alpha had grabbed the leg of one of the men in the back of the pack. He screamed in terror as he hit the ground, clawing the grass but doing nothing more than pulling up chunks of the yard. The tongue whipped backwards, pulling the man off of the ground as he flew backwards.


    I gritted my teeth. Originally, I had wanted to get used to my physical stats since I had spent so much time in my last run at the pinnacle of the system. My skills as a Warmind were ones that I had cultivated over many of those runs, and I had full faith in my abilities there. But a life was in danger, so even if there was time to run up there and stab, this wasn¡¯t the time to hold back. I threw my knife.


    One of the things that the Warminds I spoke to always complained about were the initial telekinetic abilities: Push, Pull, Lift. Like there was something inherently wrong with only having three actions, that you were being artificially limited in the scope of control you got. Of course, more actions became unlocked as you leveled up these three skills, four if you counted my Shield, but they never seemed to care about that. They thought it was too restricted.


    I understood where they came from. They were also dead wrong; what it offered was plenty.


    The knife flew faster than I could run as I Pushed it towards the Alpha Trat. It was opening its maw wide for its prey, and I could clearly see the saliva dripping from its mouth. I deliberately aimed between the beast¡¯s four legs, and time seemed to slow as I gave it my full focus regardless of the enemies around me. Once the knife reached the Alpha¡¯s throat, I stopped Pushing and switched my efforts to Lift on the sharp tip of the knife¡¯s blade.


    It pierced the Trat¡¯s skin up to the cross guard, causing the monster to scream around its tongue, which unraveled from the man¡¯s leg. He wasn¡¯t out of the woods yet¡ªhe was prone¡ªbut at least he could get to his feet now. As for the Trat, I wasn¡¯t done.This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.


    I stopped Lifting and began Pulling.


    I stopped Pulling and began Lifting.


    Pull, Lift, Pull, Lift.


    I used my telekinetic powers to saw open the oversized toad rat from throat to stomach. Blood and gore fell as my serrated knife did the work that I needed it to do. The air filled with the fetid, unearthly stench of the Trat¡¯s innards as they slopped onto the ground. I managed to Pull my knife one more time before the Alpha Trat collapsed, and it was covered in red blood when its grip slapped safely into my palm.


    ¡°Run!¡± I yelled at the prone man, who watched me with wide, terror-filled eyes. My shout seemed to snap him out of his paralysis, and he scrambled to his feet, resuming his terrified flight.


    My feet had never stopped even though my mind was, literally, focused on something else. I jumped the corpse of the Alpha to go after the third Trat chasing the humans. It looked up at me, fear evident in its yellow, toad-like eyes. Without its Alpha and its pack too far behind to catch me, it was nothing more than a coward. It jerked back as I landed in front of it, but I lunged forward and sank my knife directly into the top of its skull. The mucus coating its body made my hand numb, but it was hardly a problem for someone with my Constitution.


    One more jump put me on the other side of the newly deceased Trat, my knife pulled effortlessly from its brain, and I turned. Winding up, I kicked it towards the pack that was chasing after me. The corpse¡¯s bones cracked from my efforts as it sailed through the air, but it was going to fall short of the lead Trat by a few feet. So, I reached out with my mind and Pushed.


    The approaching monster had slowed when it saw the incoming corpse missile and would have dodged if it weren¡¯t for my Push. The corpse slammed into the Trat, knocking it to the ground with a vicious crunch. It wouldn¡¯t die, not from that, but I could see its front legs broken at unnatural angles. It was out of the fight, at least.


    I turned my attention to the other four that had been chasing me. The two in the back started to slow, no doubt considering withdrawing to save their own skin. The two in the front continued to barrel towards me. I ran to meet them.


    The lead Trat lowered its head to the ground and shot out its tongue. It wrapped around my leg. Before it had a chance to pull, I dove forward and stabbed my knife into its tongue. It roared in pain as it tried to retract, but only succeeded in slicing its tongue in half as the blade remained immobile.


    I tumbled the rest of the way to the beast and wrapped my arms around its neck. The numb feeling returned as the mucus easily soaked through my shirt, but I ignored it. I began choking the monster. The Trat on this one¡¯s heels lunged at me, jaws wide and ready, but I shifted so that my prey and I fell to the ground. I lifted my leg and kicked my second assailant in the throat, crushing its windpipe and sending it falling to the ground.


    The other two finally decided that enough was enough. With terrified yelps, they turned tail and ran. Still crushing the neck of the one I held firm, I recalled my knife and threw it at one of the fleeing enemies. I Pushed it into the monster¡¯s flank, and it fell to the ground. I alternated between Pull and Push as I continuously stabbed the beast in its rear. Eventually, it stopped moving altogether. One had escaped, but I wasn¡¯t worried about a single Trat. Somebody else should be able to handle that.


    I snapped the neck of the Trat, eliciting one last squeal, and stood up. My shirt felt gross. I felt gross. I really should have thought this through before I decided to reacquaint myself with my low stat points. Sighing, I ripped my shirt from my body and used the dry side to remove any lingering mucus. At least I was ripped now, I guess. I walked over to the whimpering, disabled Trat and put my foot on its head. The beast scrambled, but it knew its fate. Its skull crushed easily under my boot. I wiped my shoe on the grass as the notification filled my vision.


    [[Victory!]]


    You have defeated x1 Alpha Trat. +5 points.


    You have defeated x6 Trats. +12 points.


    I took a deep breath as I looked at the carnage around me. The Alpha had a chance to drop something on defeat, but it looked like my first actual fight in the run was points-only. I shrugged, but it wasn¡¯t that big a deal. These first waves of random mobs were panic inducing to the general populace, sure, but they weren¡¯t as bad as the things that would come after the tutorials. At least the crowd of humans didn¡¯t suffer any casualties. I had no idea where they were now, but they were safer than being out in the open like they would have been at the system¡¯s start if not for my efforts.


    Pulling the five empty potion vials from my inventory, I collected the mucus of the Alpha Trat and sealed them up tight. They might not work on me or anyone who had a Constitution score over ten, but that didn¡¯t mean they were useless. I thought about drinking one of my Mental Health potions to fill up my MP for one extra vial but thought better of it. MP would tick up slowly over time, but who knows when I¡¯d need a potion?


    ¡°I¡¯m not a hoarder,¡± I told myself. ¡°I¡¯m just being practical.¡±


    Taking in a deep breath, I nodded. I wiped off the blood and gore from my knife on a patch of grass that wasn¡¯t already covered in the stuff. As an item that came out of a Wondrous Kit, it worked like a charm. Despite the abuse I had just put it through, it was still in pristine condition. It would take a lot to break this knife, though it would be overshadowed very quickly. It wasn¡¯t meant for combat so it didn¡¯t come with any of the stats a combat weapon would impart. That was okay for now since it handled random mobs like these, no problem.


    I sheathed my blade and looked up to the sky. There were still about two hours of sunlight left, which gave me plenty of time to grind before I reached my next destination.


    Shirtless and still partially covered in bloody mucus, I headed west. It was time to hunt more prey.

 Books 1 through 4 are available on Amazon & Audible!

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    <div>


    Thank you so much for reading! I appreciate everyone who has been willing to give this series a follow and continue enjoying the adventures of Anthony Franklin and friends. Royal Road has been a delight to post on, and I will continue to do so in the future.


    On the link above you can get access to the Kindle version, both eBook and Kindle Unlimited, paperback, and audiobook narrated by Daniel Thomas May.A case of theft: this story is not rightfully on Amazon; if you spot it, report the violation.


    Thank you again for reading what''s on Royal Road so far, and I hope you like what you''ve read enough to give the rest of it a try! I would appreciate it if, once you''re all caught up, you could give me a rating or review here on Royal Road and on Amazon. Every little bit helps!

 Chapter 184 (Book 5 start)

    Location: unknown - Time: unknown


    I was disoriented. My vision blurred and my head felt like it was going to split open. It was bad enough to elicit an actual groan of pain.


    The feeling slowly receded, and I was face to face with an old, though familiar, sight. I stared, not fully comprehending my environment as I felt the blood rush through my head.


    The door in front of me was sloppily painted an ugly dark green. It was labeled as apartment 101 in golden numbers, though the zero had excess paint dried in streaks on and around it. Under my feet was a doormat depicting orange and yellow leaves with the word ¡°Welcome!¡± in swooping black letters. In my hands was a set of keys.


    I already had one prepared, but there were also several others including a fob for an old Kia, a compass-bottle opener combo attached to a green carabiner, and a few I didn¡¯t recognize. My body moved using muscle memory I had long thought gone, and I unlocked the door to my old apartment.


    Stepping inside, my confusion remained as I was blasted back to the past. My old, hand-me-down entertainment center took up most of a nearby wall and held a flat screen TV I had gotten dirt cheap at a Black Friday sale. A few different consoles and a Blu-ray player were set up in cubbies beside it, but they were much neater than I remembered them being.


    My gaze traveled across the room. The plush brown sofa, also a hand-me-down, now had a bunch of throw pillows I didn¡¯t remember on it and the wooden coffee table was surprisingly clean. A trio of scented candles on a black metal plate sat upon a white and gold crochet doily along with remotes and controllers. The off-white walls were still barren.


    Slowly, I removed my backpack and set it on the floor beside the door. It wasn¡¯t the thin, brown Second Inventory I had bought from the Dealer, but a bulky black affair that was bulging at the seams. It took me a few seconds to process, and I realized that my mind was still foggy. I tried to shake it off, but a dizzy spell overtook me.


    With my hand to my head, I stumbled backwards into the wall. An orange umbrella and a matching white one clattered onto the vinyl floor that had been fabricated to look like hardwood.


    ¡°Ant?¡± asked a sweet, familiar voice. ¡°Is that you?¡±


    Every thought I had ceased when I heard her question. I pushed myself away from the wall, not bothering to close the door behind me, as I trudged towards the kitchen. It wasn¡¯t far from the entrance, and I slowly peaked inside.


    ¡°¡­ Sara?¡± I asked, leaning against the wall dividing the kitchen from the living room.


    The room wasn¡¯t anything spectacular. Everything except the air fryer came with the apartment, and most of the appliances were as old as I was. The black granite countertop was a new addition, perhaps a year or so old, but clashed with the cheap laminate cabinets it was attached to.


    Even more out of place was the woman standing near the sink. Her hair was fire red on top, but as it reached the bottom of her short curls they shifted to orange and yellow, like an upside down flame. It paired well with her bronze skin, which seemed to glow under the light. She wore an oversized black t-shirt that was long enough to reach her thighs. It hung from her like a curtain, and I recognized it as one of mine.


    My eyes met her orange ones as her face lit up. Sara pulled the spoon out of her mouth, revealing an overjoyed smile as she set it and the yogurt she was eating on the counter. I hesitated. Something was missing.


    She had no halo. No wings.


    Her face searched mine, taking on a look of confusion and concern that marred her beautiful face. Then, recognition.


    ¡°Oh, no. It¡¯s happened again,¡± the woman who could have been Sara said, smoothing the t-shirt with an almost nervous gesture. She took a step forward.


    I took a step back. ¡°What¡¯s going on?¡± I rasped, my voice not strong enough to demand the answers I wanted.


    ¡°Anthony,¡± she said gently. ¡°You¡¯re confused, you-¡°


    ¡°Damn right I¡¯m confused,¡± I responded, taking another step back. ¡°Why are we back in Etson? How can you be here?¡±


    ¡°Please, wait,¡± she pleaded, holding out a hand towards me.


    ¡°How are you here in my apartment?¡± I continued. Reaching out, I tried to smack her arm away but I might as well have hit a sturdy tree branch for all the good it did. I felt weak, and for the first time I realized that I was in my pre-system body. ¡°How am I in my apartment? What the fuck happened?¡±


    Realizing how vulnerable I was, I attempted to run for the door. My instincts screamed at me to get to a place where I could flee if need be, not stay in this box with something strong that looked like my girlfriend. I would have more options outside.


    To aid my escape, I mentally reached out for the umbrellas to Pull them to me. Whether it was the mind fog or something else, they didn''t so much as twitch.


    Sara appeared in front of me in a blink, and I wasn¡¯t sure if it was teleportation or just end-game level speed. I nearly ran into her, but she cradled me in her arms and spun us. The woman gracefully knelt down, pulling me with her, and my face was pulled into her chest. I struggled, but she ran her fingers through my hair.


    ¡°There, there,¡± she cooed as her fingernails lightly scratched my scalp. ¡°It¡¯s alright. Everything¡¯s going to be alright. You¡¯re safe, Anthony. Everything¡¯s okay.¡±


    Something in my mind snapped into place. Whatever resistance I had planned to put up left me without any further fight as I breathed in, smelling her smoky scent mingling with mine from the soft shirt. She was exactly as I remembered her.


    Five long, soft white-feathered wings engulfed me, and I could see the last one shut the door before I was almost fully cocooned. Wrapping one arm around her and placing a hand on her thigh, which made her jerk slightly as if tickled, I breathed in again and calmed myself.


    ¡°Everything¡¯s okay,¡± she repeated gently. ¡°You¡¯re having a tough time right now, but that¡¯s okay. You¡¯re safe. You won.¡±


    ¡°What do you mean?¡± I asked, relishing in her soft touch now that I was getting my bearings. ¡°What did I win?¡±


    ¡°The system, Ant,¡± she said, kissing the top of my head affectionately. ¡°You won everything.¡±


    I wanted to pull away, but she was far too soft, warm, and comfortable to entertain the thought for long. ¡°I¡­ won?¡±


    Sara kissed the top of my head again before she started tracing circles on the back of my neck. I shivered. ¡°We¡¯ll get to that in a moment. Why don¡¯t you tell me what you remember? We¡¯ll start there, just like we always do.¡±


    I furrowed my brow as I thought that over. Her words didn¡¯t make sense to me, but I focused on her patient tone and thought about her request anyway. My confusion grew as I found my last memory.


    ¡°Pittsburgh, the Pitt. I was about to start the Trial of the Silver Nightmare when¡­¡± I trailed off as a spike of pain bored into my temple. My hand was quick to leave Sara¡¯s thigh as I used it to cover half of my face. It came and went quickly. ¡°Kayla went with me, but didn¡¯t go in. Once I was alone, I laid down and went to sleep. Everything was going according to plan.¡±


    That¡­ doesn¡¯t sound right, I thought to myself.


    Before I could think too deeply about it, Sara nodded. ¡°That¡¯s better than last time, when you could only remember back to recruiting Jamie and Ashley.¡±


    I slowly tilted my head to look up at the Angel. Her hair was still like that of a normal person¡¯s and her halo was missing, but the wings were real. Almost like she was disguising herself.


    ¡°This has¡­ happened before?¡± I asked.


    Sara offered me a sad smile. ¡°Right now we have to follow procedure, but I¡¯ll explain soon,¡± she promised, her voice nothing but patience and understanding. It was soothing. ¡°Could you tell me about Pittsburgh?¡±


    ¡°I guess,¡± I answered before burying my face in her chest again. The feeling of being so close to her relaxed me, and I took another deep breath before I started speaking. ¡°The Mills and I left Atlanta with Ash and Jamie. You were my Patron.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s true, I was.¡±


    Her right hand continued to pet my hair, but her left rested on my chest. A golden ring similar to Esaraphelscion¡¯s Love rested where a wedding band was. On closer inspection, it seemed thicker than the one I wore, which I could still feel on my own ring finger. I realized that she was wearing a copy of my halo just as I wore a copy of hers.


    ¡°We¡¯re married?¡± I asked, surprised but not at all displeased by the revelation.


    Sara giggled, which was music to my ears. ¡°At the Patron¡¯s Ball,¡± she answered. ¡°But that¡¯s a long way from Pittsburgh. Tell me your story, Ant, like you used to.¡±


    ¡°You were there for it,¡± I protested weakly.


    ¡°Yes, but like I said, we must follow procedure.¡± Her voice was sweet, but there was a firmness in it.


    I nodded slowly. ¡°When we arrived, I surprised everyone because I didn¡¯t tell them that Pittsburgh¡¯s buildings were missing,¡± I said. ¡°After explaining that they had been taken underground and turned into dungeons, Jamie and I went to start the second scenario early. We had to travel into the Pitt and fight an obese acid zombie at a DMV to get the Guild of Guilds up and running.¡±If you stumble upon this narrative on Amazon, it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it.


    ¡°You named it Sol Ligatus.¡±


    ¡°Yeah, loosely translates to fettered sun,¡± I said before squeezing her. ¡°Though, it seems the sun¡¯s not so fettered now, huh?¡±


    ¡°We¡¯ll get to that,¡± Sara promised. ¡°What next?¡±


    ¡°Afterwards, we went back to bring Kayla and Jeff into the guild. We met the Dealer there,¡± I said before my eyes darted up to see hers. There didn¡¯t seem to be any animosity left for the treasure hunter, so I continued. ¡°I asked for a few things thinking Pustibule and Jeremiah would show up, and we went on our way.¡±


    I shifted so that I could get a better look at her face, and she put her hand on my forehead. ¡°Would you like to lay on the couch?¡± she offered. ¡°Or the bed?¡±


    ¡°Bed.¡±


    Raising her hand, Sara snapped her fingers. We were no longer in my apartment, but in the Hall of the End. Its familiar golden walls were unmistakable, and we laid on a bed covered in white blankets. I was now on my back using her arm as a pillow, and she was cuddled up to me. A trio of wings were draped comfortably across my body.


    My clothes had changed so that I was wearing white pajama pants, and she opted to stay in my black shirt. I noticed that my chest, abs, and arms were more defined than they were at the beginning of the system, but I certainly didn¡¯t have the chiseled version of my body I was used to. My mind went into overdrive trying to fill in the gaps, which Sara noticed immediately.


    ¡°You¡¯ll get answers after you tell me about Pittsburgh,¡± she said gently.


    Pursing my lips, it took me a moment of thought before I continued. ¡°Jamie and I went our separate ways. I sent her to take care of Hao¡¯s Auction House while I liberated Rexxel¡¯s Bank. Your picture really helped.¡±


    Sara groaned and hid her face in my chest. ¡°My first selfie, ugh,¡± she said, voice muted because of my body. ¡°You have so many better pictures now, but you should focus on what you remember now, not that.¡±


    ¡°It was beautiful,¡± I told her, though I couldn¡¯t help but wonder what other pictures I had of her. ¡°But, procedure. Right. I climbed my way to the top, taking out a bunch of midbosses and destroying Canopic Objects before fighting the Pharaoh. He was the boss, a mummified Dragon, at the top. I had to weaken him in order to ensure I got everything I needed from the one man raid.¡±


    ¡°Points and your breath weapon,¡± she said, nodding.


    ¡°Honestly, I almost didn¡¯t have enough points,¡± I chuckled. ¡°I needed a hundred grand in order to invest in the Platinum Patron¡¯s Package and I only made it by a few hundred points. Thank you for negotiating for me, by the way.¡±


    Sara unburied her face to give me a brilliant smile. ¡°It was my pleasure, darling.¡±


    I couldn¡¯t help but smile back. ¡°The dungeon took a lot out of me, and I fell asleep while meditating,¡± I admitted. ¡°But the next day I went out and showed the Mills the state of the city. It was a bit misguided, but I wanted to keep them on the surface. We didn¡¯t really need them too badly in the Pitt, and I was working through some things without realizing it.¡±


    ¡°I remember your conversation with Kayla about her trauma,¡± she said. ¡°They¡¯re the good kind of degenerates, Demon dog or not.¡±


    That worried me. ¡°Is Corwin¡­?¡±


    ¡°Yes, Corwin is around,¡± she answered.


    I breathed a sigh of relief. ¡°That¡¯s really good to hear,¡± I said. When it became obvious she wanted me to continue, I did. ¡°Okay, so, on this trip I sent them to Greg Davis and his second in command, Olivia Hunt. He was the one who usually took care of Pittsburgh after we left, even though he¡¯s a raging narcissistic asshole.¡±


    ¡°I did not like that man.¡±


    ¡°Nobody does. Not even Olivia, though she stuck around for other reasons,¡± I said before remembering what happened to her. Anger welled up inside me, but it was offset by the soothing warmth of my Angel. ¡°The next day I sent them with Jamie to liberate a library and the field house. It was my day off, which was really just an excuse to work on my letters in advance. With the auction house and bank up and running, Pittsburgh was in a really good place.


    ¡°Speaking of the auction house, I took Jamie there,¡± I continued. ¡°And I went ahead and spoke to Greg. I knew that Pustibule would try to get to him on his side. There was a chance he¡¯d kill the Demon for points and loot, but I wasn¡¯t going to bet on that. Plied him with compliments, worked his ego a bit, and gave gifts. I wish it had been enough.¡±


    A moment of silence passed over us before I shook my head.


    ¡°Jamie and I went to the Phipps Conservatory to fight the Thistle Hag. It had a few things we needed, including the Tea Witch class that the Medallion of Uuska could pull. For our potioneer, you see,¡± I explained. ¡°I fought it and picked up the Greenhouse Car while Jamie gardened, and I was all set to ambush my newest recruit. After that conversation with Kayla and a few days of waiting, I mean.¡±


    ¡°Mercury Moonslayer,¡± Sara said, drawing out the name. ¡°I never really got the appeal, but it is fun to say.¡±


    ¡°Yeah, he¡¯s a good kid,¡± I said with a smile. ¡°I fought some members of Shakespeare at the Frick once he came into the Fieldhouse. He checked out my paperwork, was intrigued, and followed after me to the PPG Paints Arena.¡±


    ¡°That was your first really big boss that run, wasn¡¯t it?¡± Sara asked.


    I thought about that for a moment. ¡°I¡¯d say only Etson¡¯s Coalem Colossus came close, but the Accumulator of Bones ended up dwarfing even that at the end,¡± I said before nodding. ¡°That¡¯s when I manhandled Mercury a little bit and had him join the guild. Once he saw me fight, his mind was made up.¡±


    ¡°He has excellent tastes in mentors,¡± my girlfriend- my wife stated, making it sound like the objective truth. I accepted the praise.


    ¡°Afterwards, we went to pick up the Princess,¡± I continued. ¡°She was a sentient sword that would help bring out his latent potential. On the way we did end up being followed by a guild called Black & Gold. Jeremiah attached himself to them, and we managed to have a conversation. He mentioned that Pustibule put a bomb in him and was setting up a Conversion Grinder to change the souls of the undead and dead players into demons. Jeremiah, unfortunately, escaped.¡±


    ¡°The Dealer was too late bringing you your stuff,¡± Sara said. ¡°It wasn¡¯t your fault.¡±


    ¡°Yeah, I just wish I had another shot at him,¡± I lamented before shrugging. ¡°Either way, it¡¯s what happened. Jeff and I went off on an adventure while Kayla and Jamie took care of things at the Guild of Guilds and Mercury got his sister, Bethany. When we returned, Kayla said that Olivia was looking for me.¡±


    I sighed and looked away. ¡°That didn''t end well.¡±


    Sara tapped my chest. ¡°There was no way you could have known.¡±


    ¡°Still, I should have guessed. Saw it coming.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t beat yourself up. She¡¯s fine now, and that¡¯s all that matters.¡± I snapped my attention back to her, and she smiled. ¡°Pittsburgh, please. You¡¯re almost there.¡±


    Blinking, I nodded. However, what she said made me speed things up. ¡°I talked with Greg and he agreed to give me directions to Pustibule so long as I threw a match against him in the Fieldhouse. I did, and we discovered that he was hiding in the Presbyterian, a huge hospital.¡±


    ¡°Still don¡¯t like that,¡± Sara muttered between her teeth. ¡°Sorry, I suppose I¡¯m still mad.¡±


    ¡°You and me both,¡± I agreed. ¡°I surrendered when I received a message from Kayla that Jamie had been shot. Jeremiah pumped her full of gunk that was going to change her into a Demon, and we couldn¡¯t have that. After setting up a backup plan with Ashley¡¯s Dragon egg, I took Mercury and went after Pustibule.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s the first time your soulfire became more prominent,¡± she said, her voice huskier than usual as she ran her fingers across my chest. She stopped, blinking, as if realizing her own thoughts.


    I didn¡¯t let her stew in it for long; there were still answers waiting for me. ¡°Yes, that¡¯s when I got a little deeper into my heritage. But the real boost to that came later. At that time, I had to fight my way through the hospital to get to that damned doctor. Pustibule had torn apart his own soul in order to speed up the Demonification process on Jamie as well as buff the members of Black & Gold, and¡­ Olivia.¡±


    ¡°I wish I could have helped you through that. I¡¯m sorry,¡± she apologized softly.


    ¡°I¡¯m glad you were there for me once I got out,¡± I reassured. ¡°Thanks to Mercury rusting Pustibule¡¯s suicide toys, I was able to drag him into Hell. Literally, thanks to a Relocation Grenade and the urban legends of Hellam Township.¡±


    A shiver ran through my spine as I thought back to my first steps into Hell. There had been two hidden options on Esaraphelscion¡¯s Love, and the first one let me borrow her armor. It had essentially given me unlimited Mental Points, though casting too much still gave me a headache. The second one, Angelic Ascent, pushed Break Free to brand new heights as each permanent Demon death strengthened me.


    Realizing that she was waiting, I kept going. ¡°I killed the Demonic Doctor Pustibule, but it turned out he was only a vessel. The real threat was the Demon Lord of Invention of the same name,¡± I said. ¡°Never knew about him before, which was strange. Hell was a place I had to go through in every run. I thought there weren''t any surprises left for me there.¡±


    ¡°No one can know everything,¡± Sara stated. ¡°Though you certainly tried.¡±


    I shrugged. ¡°Thankfully, I was able to power up through Angelic Ascent thanks to all the mobs around. The Demon Lord was too much to handle, but after a few minutes of taking out the trash and tanking damage in your outstanding armor, I was able to push him into fleeing.¡±


    A strangled laugh came from my throat. ¡°If he hadn¡¯t, I would have certainly failed that quest you gave me. Thank Sara that he was a coward,¡± I said, and she smiled at how I used her name. ¡°I was able to set up with literally everything I still had and only barely managed to kill him. The boost after that was super substantial and I wanted to play in Hell a little longer, especially when you said Zalzarog the Soul Drinker was on his way, but I listened to your very wise words and got out of there.¡±


    ¡°A very wise choice, indeed,¡± she agreed happily.


    I shifted so that I was on my side and facing her. Her nose nuzzled against mine, and I smiled. ¡°You helped me get home faster, and when I did Jamie was a Half-Dragon instead of a Demon. Bethany had made some tea for me, which I took. I was ready to go on a crusade against Greg when you told me to go and take the Trial of the Silver Nightmare.¡±


    ¡°I never liked the sound of that trial,¡± she admitted quietly.


    ¡°It¡¯s not something anyone would like, but I needed the Fruit from the Tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil,¡± I explained with a dark chuckle. ¡°Man, that''s a mouthful. Anyway, I took Kayla so I could give her instructions on how to run the guild in my absence and a few things since I was going to be gone for a week. We parted ways and now¡­ I¡¯m here.¡±


    Sara tilted her head. ¡°You don¡¯t remember anything that happened during or after the trial?¡± she asked.


    ¡°I remember laying down on a bed and falling asleep. Next thing I know, I¡¯m back at my old apartment in Etson,¡± I answered, shaking my head. ¡°I know this isn¡¯t the trial because there¡¯s not nearly enough screaming or pain. Is this the part of the conversation where you tell me what¡¯s going on?¡±


    Smiling, Sara produced a cell phone from thin air. She thumbed a pad on the side, revealing her wallpaper to be a picture she took of us in front of the Jody Etson Library at my college. Something seemed odd about it, but I didn¡¯t have time to dive in as she opened the calendar and showed it to me. ¡°What do you notice first?¡±


    I blinked. ¡°It¡¯s¡­ June, 2024?¡± I asked. ¡°That can¡¯t be right, that¡¯s over a year since the system dropped.¡±


    With a smile, Sara pulled me into a gentle hug. Our foreheads and noses touched as she looked me right in the eye. ¡°I don¡¯t like it when you have these amnesiac episodes, but I do like this part,¡± she said.


    Taking a breath, her smile grew brighter. Some of her hair shifted like it did back when it was made of fire, though it didn¡¯t actually light ablaze.


    ¡°Congratulations!¡± she announced. ¡°You have suffered many trials and tribulations to arrive here, Avatar Anthony Franklin, and yet you arrive here victorious. Please allow me to re-welcome you to your reward, valiant warrior. Welcome¡­ to the post-game.¡±


    Before I could ask what, or how, or why, or anything, she leaned in and kissed me. The confusion didn''t go away, but I decided that I could stay ignorant for a few moments longer if this was what I was being offered. I returned her affection with everything I could muster. It only seemed right.

 Chapter 185

    Etson College - 5:27 PM


    Sara insisted on a change of venue and, after she got changed, we decided to walk around my college. The Florida heat was bearing down on us, but it wasn¡¯t terrible. My girlfriend didn¡¯t sweat at all despite being in a copy of my Ringmaster¡¯s Hoodie, which made sense given what she was. She wanted me to feel like I could be at ease, and she clung to my arm as we walked.


    During this part of the year, there weren¡¯t many students walking around. Not this late in the day, anyway. Summer classes had always left the commons sparse since most people wanted nothing to do with the hot, humid weather. Park close and get back to air conditioning as quickly as possible was the way to go.


    I paused in front of the Jody Etson Library, and Sara stopped with me. It was strange seeing the building in one piece. The hidden boss, Medallion of Uuska, blew out the windows and rearranged everything inside to protect itself at the very beginning. This was my first stop on any run where I had wanted to be a Warmind and, thanks to my wife¡¯s first boon, I had made it there before the system had even dropped.


    She led me to a set of secluded picnic tables that were protected from the sun by tall trees. We sat down and she took the seat across from me, though she didn¡¯t let go of my hand. I stretched my legs and her feet were there, waiting, before she set her shoes on mine. It felt like a habit we had done several times before.


    ¡°I know you have a lot of questions,¡± she started, rubbing my hand with her thumb. ¡°You¡¯ve been suffering from bouts of amnesia every few months, and they can last anywhere between a few days to a few weeks.¡±


    ¡°Okay,¡± I said, feeling calmer than I had back in the apartment, though I was having problems shaking my apprehension. ¡°Why? What happened?¡±


    ¡°After getting rid of Pustibule, most of your plans fell back into place,¡± Sara explained. ¡°With the help of Kayla and Jeff, as well as my ring, you were able to defeat the Demon Emperor at the end of your 100th Run and make it back to the Hall of the End.¡±


    I blinked. ¡°No hiccups?¡±


    Sara raised her free hand and shook it in a wishy-washy gesture. ¡°Kind of? No plan involving other people ever works out as well as you¡¯d hope it does, but it did well enough. The only really big difference was what you did to Washington D.C.¡±


    ¡°What did I do to D.C.?¡± I asked, squeezing her hand.


    ¡°Well, I didn¡¯t want you going back into Hell until after the Patron¡¯s Ball, and you technically didn¡¯t,¡± she said, pursing her lips into a disapproving smile. ¡°So you took the largest population of Demons on the planet, summoned a little slice of Hell there, and invaded. You racked up a lot of points with that little stunt.¡±


    ¡°That¡­¡± I frowned and looked down at the wooden table. ¡°That could have worked. Angelic Ascent would have built up a lot of power from that since there¡¯s at least one Demon Lord there depending on how many Angelic Templars there are in Ottawa at any given time.¡±


    Nodding, Sara continued. ¡°It was a reckless, off-script move, but one that worked out for you. Remember that, okay?¡±


    I was about to agree when I saw the determined look in her eyes, as if this was a matter of life or death. ¡°I¡¯ll try to remember it,¡± I answered before poking the side of my head. ¡°If this amnesia thing lets me. As much as I¡¯d love to hear about my apparent rampage through a slice of Hell I caused, what¡¯s going on? Like, right now, at this very moment. Because, as I said, there would be a lot more screaming and pain if I were in the Trial of the Silver Dream and going to the place where I could enter it was the last thing I remember.¡±


    ¡°Once again, you are not in the Trial of the Silver Dream,¡± Sara said patiently, her soft features relaxing after I said I¡¯d try to remember. ¡°When you returned to me, you didn¡¯t have enough points to bring back everyone that you could.¡±


    ¡°Fuck.¡±


    Another squeeze of my hand. ¡°You were ready to try anyway, but you stopped and started thinking about it for a while. I gave you some time to work whatever it was out. When you opened your eyes, you bought another Ouroboros Tattoo.¡±


    ¡°That doesn¡¯t make sense,¡± I said, frowning. ¡°You told me that it would be prohibitively more expensive after the 100th Run. You said it was going to be my last one and even heavily emphasized the fact.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not proud of it, but it wasn¡¯t a lie. I just¡­ didn¡¯t tell you the whole truth,¡± she admitted, looking away in shame. ¡°It didn¡¯t change in points.¡±


    ¡°So¡­ the cost must have been with me, specifically,¡± I guessed, speaking slowly as I still wasn¡¯t sure.


    ¡°You¡¯re so smart, Ant,¡± Sara praised, reaching over to stroke my cheek. ¡°This is the next stage of what you call Regression Imbalance. You have so many Ouroboros Tattoos, so many memories locked up on your body and fed into your mind that you become confused sometimes. You lose your memory, and all of a sudden you¡¯re back in your 100th Run. You¡¯d never have survived a 101st with that kind of debilitating problem, and I couldn¡¯t bear to think of you fighting something like the Writhing Juggernaut or the Merger Mannequin and then just¡­ forget what you were doing.¡±


    I winced. ¡°That would have been disastrous, yeah.¡±


    ¡°Yes. So I was very concerned, but then you told me what your wish was,¡± she said, leaning forward and setting her chin in her palm. A proud smile plastered itself on her face. ¡°I suppose you can be absurdly clever at times, and something the Dealer either said or did had given you a brand new idea.¡±


    When I noticed that she wanted me to ask what it was, I gave in. ¡°What did I wish for, Sara?¡±


    ¡°To make me the top administrator of the system in your next run,¡± she said, grinning.


    ¡°That¡­¡± Words failed me as my mind worked through the full ramifications of what she said. ¡°That¡­ worked?¡±


    ¡°It was a gamble. A million different things could have gone wrong, but it worked,¡± she answered. ¡°You took my memories as well as the memories of your friends and went back to the beginning. Everything went wrong once you did, but you were screaming your head off for me and it got my attention. Before the monsters could be let loose, I came down and retrieved the Memory Orb. After that, it was easy to banish the administrators, Patrons, and treasure hunters. Everyone who didn''t belong.¡±Unauthorized usage: this tale is on Amazon without the author''s consent. Report any sightings.


    I let that sink in. If I couldn¡¯t revive everyone, then the next best thing would have been to make sure it never happened in the first place. I hadn¡¯t tried it before now given how fast everything had happened, but I snapped the fingers of my free hand.


    No system message popped up.


    ¡°It¡¯s working in the background, but no one has access to it anymore,¡± she said. ¡°I¡¯m keeping it to myself. If I think Humanity is ready for it, I may release it in small doses in the future, but I don¡¯t think that¡¯s for the best given the current state of the world.¡±


    ¡°Probably for the best,¡± I agreed, though I wasn¡¯t sure what the state of the world even was. I couldn''t remember. Before I had the chance to ask, my phone buzzed in my pocket.


    ¡°That¡¯s probably Jeff. I¡¯ve got a girl¡¯s night out planned for tomorrow, and you all had plans to go bowling,¡± Sara said excitedly. ¡°I¡¯m so glad to have friends. Still super happy with you, of course, but girl talk and shopping and not being stuck in the Hall of the End is everything I¡¯ve dreamt it would be.¡±


    ¡°We all?¡± I asked, confused. Reaching into my pocket, I pulled out my phone. I did indeed receive a text from Jeff asking about tomorrow. Scrolling through the messages, I noted the vast majority of them were pictures of Corwin. That certainly seemed like something he would do.


    ¡°Coe and Klaske are in town,¡± Sara explained. ¡°They got together during the final battle, which was one of my most anticipated moments of any run if I can be honest, and you were happy to indulge me by giving them Memory Orbs like you did Kayla and Jeff.¡±


    ¡°Does anyone else remember?¡±


    ¡°Just the core members of your team minus Bethany,¡± she answered. ¡°Because she¡¯s ten. Well, eleven now. You made one for her, but it¡¯ll still be several years before she¡¯s old enough to accept it. Leo has it. Right, Leonard - Mercury - goes by Leo now. He¡¯s made a big splash as a content creator on the internet now that he has some confidence. Misses the Princess, obviously, but he¡¯s been over that for a while now.¡±


    Sara let me soak everything in, and I appreciated her patience. She had done nothing but been patient with me for this whole conversation.


    Still, something didn¡¯t feel right. I just couldn¡¯t put my finger on it.


    ¡°What about my parents?¡± I asked.


    ¡°Should probably respond to Jeff before he sends you five more pictures of Corwin,¡± Sara stated.


    Nodding, I did so before looking back up at her. ¡°They¡¯re okay?¡±


    ¡°Yeah, just fine,¡± she answered. When I breathed a sigh of relief, she suddenly sat up straight. ¡°Oh, I¡¯m sorry. I didn¡¯t mean to not answer you about that. Yeah, they¡¯re absolutely fine. They¡¯re on another cruise. Your parents take a lot of cruises.¡±


    ¡°They do. It¡¯s kind of their thing,¡± I replied. ¡°You¡¯ve met them? They seem healthy and well?¡±


    ¡°Met them? I love Delilah and Matthew Franklin,¡± she said. ¡°So much. They¡¯re such good people. Your father did have a serious health scare, but it wasn¡¯t anything your resident Angelic wife couldn¡¯t handle. I¡¯ve been doing a lot of work, actually. Unlike you, I don¡¯t have to sleep, so whenever you do I tend to sneak out and do what I can for the people in need all over the world.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re the best, Sara,¡± I said honestly.


    ¡°I know, but thank you,¡± she said happily. ¡°After the system, though, we had a small ceremony to become married in this timeline. Just our closest friends, so mostly yours, though I¡¯m a part of your group now.¡±


    ¡°Big improvement.¡±


    That pulled a grin from her. ¡°You¡¯re back to school. Something to occupy your mind, you said. It was something familiar and normal, like the apartment. We could be living somewhere else, but it¡¯s an anchor for your memories, you know? You¡¯re going to graduate with your AA after the fall semester. You¡¯ve already talked to your counselors about a four year degree, too.¡±


    I grimaced. ¡°But I don¡¯t remember my classes.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t you worry,¡± she said, reaching over the table and playfully bopping my nose. ¡°The administration knows about your memory lapses, so I¡¯ll talk to them and sort everything out. It won¡¯t hinder your plans in the slightest.¡±


    ¡°Okay, that sounds fine,¡± I said, though I was a little apprehensive about going to school for classes that I never studied for. Or rather, that I didn¡¯t remember studying for. I looked back down at my arms. ¡°Have I been working out?¡±


    Sara nodded. ¡°That was one of the first things you started doing when you got back. Jeff¡¯s been helping you a lot in that regard. He wasn¡¯t the most in shape guy when the system came, but he had been pretty athletic back in his fencing days. You¡¯ve both been doing wonders for each other, according to Kayla.¡±


    Suddenly, she gasped. ¡°Oh! Oh!¡±


    ¡°Oh?¡± I asked, concerned.


    ¡°Kayla¡¯s pregnant now!¡± she announced, waving her free hand in excitement. ¡°She couldn¡¯t be before, but I¡¯m going around and healing people so I may have done that first and she¡¯s expecting in August. Isn¡¯t that great news?¡±


    Her excitement made me smile. ¡°Yeah, that¡¯s wonderful. Do you think Jeff would have wanted to tell me first? On account of the memory loss?¡± I asked, though my eyes couldn¡¯t help but drop to where Sara¡¯s stomach was, even though it was obstructed by the table.


    I pushed that thought aside with incredible quickness. As nice as it could have been, I knew I wasn¡¯t anywhere close to being in the right mindset to ask.


    ¡°Probably,¡± she admitted, an apologetic smile on her face. ¡°I just like being the one to surprise you. Especially after all those times you messed with me before giving me the Memory Orb. Don¡¯t think I forgot, Anthony Franklin. You have to deal with a lifetime of me getting back at you for those. More than a lifetime, even.¡±


    ¡°That doesn¡¯t sound bad at all,¡± I said with a chuckle.


    ¡°No, it doesn¡¯t,¡± she agreed wistfully. ¡°Anyway, everything we have going on is in your calendar on your phone. After your first amnesiac episode, you got really good about putting everything in there.¡±


    ¡°You haven¡¯t mentioned if that¡¯s going to go away. Will my mind ever be right again?¡±


    Without hesitation, Sara nodded. ¡°You will, darling. Like I said. We have a procedure for every time it happens, and it¡¯s there for a reason. It may take a few years because I can¡¯t just wave my hand and fix this without wiping away all the tattoos and your memories at the same time, but I¡¯ll be with you every step of the way.¡±


    With a smile, I offered my wife my other hand, and she took it. ¡°Thank you, Esaraphelscion, for everything.¡±


    ¡°It is my pleasure, Avatar Anthony Franklin,¡± she said right back.


    We sat there for a few seconds, relishing in the peaceful atmosphere, before noticing that a few frisbee bros had arrived nearby. I shook my head. ¡°Alright, procedure,¡± I started. ¡°What¡¯s next?¡±


    ¡°Business as usual,¡± she answered. ¡°I say we stop for some ice cream before going back to our apartment. We can change into our pajamas and keep watching Psych. You introduced me to it, and it¡¯s very fun.¡±


    I laughed and hung my head for a moment. ¡°Yeah, ice cream and Psych sounds absolutely perfect right now. I¡¯m ready when you are.¡±


    As we stood up, I still couldn¡¯t shake that feeling that something was wrong. Everything seemed mostly fine, though, and that clearly meant I couldn¡¯t be in the Trial of the Silver Nightmare.


    Filing it away for later, I decided to put my paranoia aside and go with the flow. Maybe not everything had to be fought against. Memory issues aside, everything seemed perfect.


    I put on a smile, waiting for the other shoe to drop.


    If it took some time to do so, well, maybe that wouldn''t be all that bad.

 Chapter 186

    The Seven-Ten Bowling Alley, Etson - 7:56 PM


    I readied myself as I tuned out everything else. The ball I held in my hand was not the regulation breaking 30 pound lunker I had inherited from Boss Steener. This 14 pounder was a custom specimen that rocked a shining gold sheen, had ¡°Boss Anthony Franklin¡± in bold letters along with the Sol Ligatus emblem, and was chosen for its aggressive hook.


    It had taken me only one game to get back into the swing of things. There were a lot of things that I had been proud of during my time in the system and, for whatever reason, my bowling prowess was up there. I understood that it was something small in the grand scheme of things. The fact that it came with a whole quest line involving Filbins helped, but it was also something that I chose for myself to learn and improve at.


    The fact that I could bowl as well as I could without the superhuman Dexterity the system allowed for had filled me with joy. It reaffirmed that I had learned the sport to its highest level even though I had been built for success.


    I sent the bowling ball rocketing down the edge of the lane. It went dangerously close to the gutter, almost seeming to tip in, before it curved dramatically to the left near the end. That satisfying crashing noise rang out, and I watched as every pin before me fell.


    ¡°Yeah! That¡¯s the man right there!¡± Jeff shouted from our seats. He raised his beer to toast me as I returned to where we were sitting. ¡°See? What did I tell you? Memory lapse or not, the boss¡¯ll get back in the swing of things quick.¡±


    ¡°Out of everything you can do running through the apocalypse a hundred times, you choose to make bowling a recurring hobby,¡± came the elderly voice of our third.


    ¡°You¡¯re just jealous because you¡¯re only beating Jeff, old man,¡± I laughed. He harrumphed before standing up for his turn. I gave the older man a slight nod before taking a seat next to Jeff.


    Coe Valen had been an enigma for a lot of my early runs. The grandfatherly Kansas native had been reluctant to leave his state at first, but there was no doubt that he was a scenario-clearing monster. He was widely regarded as the world¡¯s best tank, and I agreed. There were only a handful of people who I thought were guaranteed to make it to the end, and he was at the top of the list.


    The class he had always picked, Rubberbuilt, was a powerful one. It focused on damage nullification, damage reflection not only for himself but a large group, and counters. His abilities didn''t give him any way to cause damage besides getting hit, but he made up for that with a selection of low-cooldown attack skills.


    Just like the Warmind, Rubberbuilt had a six class specific armor set that augmented his abilities. By the endgame, it allowed him to avoid damage more frequently while keeping his counters and reflects active. I had once watched him stand inside an intense barrage of bullets, projectiles, and magic for nearly thirty seconds, arms crossed, only for everyone around him to fall dead instead.


    Thankfully, he was an honorable sort. Aside from being a sore loser, anyway, but I wouldn¡¯t fault him for that. If I hadn''t made it to the Hall of the End, he would have. I wasn¡¯t sure if he¡¯d have made the same choice, though. From what I heard, he looked at me like I was crazy when I said I¡¯d done this 100 times.


    Which I could admit was the right reaction, all things considered.


    ¡°So this memory lapse thing,¡± Coe said as he picked up his ball. ¡°You¡¯re dealing with it every few months?¡±


    I offered him a lopsided smile. ¡°That¡¯s what I¡¯ve been told. I don¡¯t think it¡¯s a bad trade if it means I can be like this with all of you.¡±


    Looking off into the distance, Coe eventually nodded. ¡°I¡¯ll concede to that,¡± he said as he picked up an ice blue loaner ball. ¡°I¡¯m surprised, though. With your para-¡°


    His lips continued to move, but the sound of pins being knocked down and cheers from a nearby group made it all but impossible to hear what he was saying.


    ¡°Sorry, I didn¡¯t quite catch that,¡± I said apologetically.


    Coe frowned. ¡°I said I¡¯m surprised because you always seemed so skep-¡°


    Another strike, but this time it was in tandem with a celebratory whoop while the rest of the group groaned as they lost the game.


    ¡°Yeah, I don¡¯t know, man,¡± I said, shrugging. Frowning, the older man turned and readied his ball.


    ¡°You catch what he was saying?¡± Jeff asked.


    I shook my head. ¡°Not a damn clue,¡± I admitted. ¡°Something about something. As gentlemanly as Coe is, never ask him to repeat himself more than twice. It really gets him nettled. I can¡¯t remember it, but I¡¯d put down good money betting that he said something similar to measure twice and cut once when I told him I¡¯d run the apocalypse 100 times.¡±


    ¡°Yeah, I can see it,¡± Jeff said with a nod. ¡°Well, at least he¡¯s polite about it. There were a lot of people out there with a less than gracious personality. Especially near the end. At the beginning, too, but I mean the endgame endgame.¡±


    ¡°I get you, Jeff,¡± I said with a chuckle. ¡°Congrats on the kid, by the way.¡±


    ¡°Aww man, I forgot Sara said she already spilled the beans,¡± he sighed. ¡°I was planning on springing that on you once Coe left for the evening.¡±


    ¡°Please don¡¯t hold it against her, alright?¡± I requested, reaching out and tapping him on the arm with my fist. ¡°She was so excited to tell me. Sara didn¡¯t have any kind of social group before this, so I hope any faux pas can be overlooked.¡±


    ¡°Oh, no, we¡¯re cool,¡± Jeff said as he pulled out his phone. He started going through it before offering it to me. ¡°She¡¯s been taking pictures of cats and dogs she sees and sends them to me as penance for letting it slip.¡±


    I smiled as I scrolled through them. Just like my texts with Jeff, Sara¡¯s was full of pictures of Corwin and a few of Kayla. However, she sent back a ton of pictures of dogs, cats, and other cute animals. Even a moose on one occasion, which seemed like a weird choice but still neat. I gave him his phone back once I was done.


    ¡°I see you two have come to an understanding,¡± I said with a laugh.


    ¡°Kayla¡¯s thankful, at least,¡± he replied. ¡°I still send my wife pictures, of course, but she¡¯ll get annoyed if I send too many. A few a day is the most I can get away with.¡±


    ¡°How is Kayla doing?¡± Coe asked as he returned. I glanced up to see that he had picked up a spare, and gave him a thumbs up. ¡°I can¡¯t imagine being with child has fazed her much.¡±


    ¡°After all we¡¯ve been through? She¡¯s still on the fence, but she¡¯s doing just fine,¡± Jeff said with a grin. ¡°Still hopeful it¡¯s a boy so she doesn¡¯t have to put up with a mini-her running around, but I¡¯ve got my fingers crossed that we have a girl, you know?¡±


    I thought back to the last picture I had seen of them together. ¡°She''s pretty far along, shouldn¡¯t you know by now?¡±


    He shrugged before standing up. ¡°Kay doesn¡¯t want to know, so I don¡¯t know. The only ones who do are our doctor, his staff, and Sara, probably. Of course, she refuses to indulge me in a gender reveal party, so we¡¯ll know¡­ eventually.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m with her on this one. Gender reveal parties are pointless,¡± Coe said firmly. ¡°You shouldn¡¯t need a cake or balloons or explosions to tell you what you¡¯re having. Just find out the normal way and have a regular cake.¡±


    ¡°Thanks for parroting what my wife says, Coe. I¡¯ll let her know you approve,¡± Jeff replied with an exaggerated roll of his eyes. Before he could get huffy, he headed down to grab his ball.


    ¡°Hey, did you and Jeff get along back then?¡± I asked, leaning towards the old man. ¡°I¡¯m really bummed that I can¡¯t remember you two interacting. It seemed like it would have been a good fit.¡±


    ¡°Of course we got along, he¡¯s a golden retriever in the skin of a man,¡± Coe chuckled. ¡°He may be a bit too excitable sometimes, but his heart¡¯s in the right place.¡±


    ¡°Yeah, he¡¯s a really good dude all around,¡± I agreed.


    We watched as Jeff threw a gutter ball. He turned around and gave us a shrug before waiting at the return. Both of them were down a substantial amount of points compared to me, but he hadn¡¯t breached 100 yet. Even though he wasn¡¯t doing great, it was clear that he was enjoying himself.


    I always liked that infectious energy of his. It made the feeling that some things weren¡¯t quite right disappear for a while.


    ¡°Are you alright, son?¡± Coe asked as he set down his beer. ¡°You¡¯ve got that look on your face.¡±


    ¡°Which one?¡± I asked, frowning.


    ¡°The one you get when you¡¯re thinking something unpleasant.¡±


    I was about to answer when my phone buzzed, and I pulled it out of my pocket. Coe muttered something about kids these days, but I unlocked it to see a selfie of Sara and Kayla at the Etson Mall. Unlike the very first picture the Angel had sent me, this one was full of confidence. She had her arm around the shorter woman, and they both looked to be having a great time. Klaske wasn¡¯t anywhere to be seen, but the Shieldmaiden never struck me as the type to enjoy being photographed.You could be reading stolen content. Head to Royal Road for the genuine story.


    ¡°And now you¡¯re smiling like a fool,¡± Coe said.


    ¡°Sorry, grandpa, just happy,¡± I teased.


    ¡°I told you to stop calling me that. I¡¯ve got enough grandchildren to take care of without adding one more.¡±


    ¡°And yet, you still came to visit.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ve come to visit some old war buddies at the request of a fan, that¡¯s all,¡± he said with a dismissive wave of his hand. ¡°It may not have happened in this timeline, or whatever this is, but it¡¯s good to keep up. What we went through was a heavy burden.¡±


    Before I could reply, Jeff returned with a grand total of +4 to his score. Still, he seemed to be in high spirits. ¡°So, I know I¡¯ve never said this before, but enough about Kayla. Ant-¡±


    ¡°Hold up a moment, enough about Kayla?¡± I repeated incredulously. ¡°Are you really Jeff? Are you a doppelganger? Did the golden retriever in your skin suit get replaced by a trio of trash pandas?¡±


    That last one made him pause. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, huh?¡±


    I tried not to laugh at his expression, but even Coe let out a chuckle. ¡°What¡¯s this about no longer talking about Kayla?¡±


    ¡°You, Ant!¡± he said, sitting down and punching me in the arm. ¡°When are you and Sara finally having a kid?¡±


    That caught me off guard, and I blinked. My thoughts wandered to the moment when Sara had announced Kayla¡¯s pregnancy and my immediate gaze at her stomach.


    ¡°Fuck, man,¡± I said, if only because I didn''t know what to say.


    ¡°Vulgar language and at least a few layers of blasphemy aside,¡± Coe started. ¡°That is generally how two people make a child of their own, yes.¡±


    ¡°Ha, ha, grandpa,¡± I said as Jeff leaned forward and offered the old man a fist bump. He was quickly taken up on it. I shrugged when they turned their attention back to me. ¡°What¡¯s with people who have kids always wanting others to have kids at the same time?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s so you can all suffer together,¡± Coe explained. ¡°It is easier, in a way.¡±


    ¡°Plus, our kids get to grow up together,¡± Jeff added. ¡°Distract each other and give us some down time and stuff.¡±


    I crossed my arms defensively. ¡°You both know I can¡¯t remember shit right now, why are you asking?¡± They deflated for a moment as my words sunk in. ¡°Look¡­ maybe. That¡¯s the only answer I can give you. I don¡¯t even know if we¡¯re compatible like that or even if Sara would want to or-¡±


    ¡°This is paradise, be happy,¡± came a smooth voice from behind me. I hadn¡¯t heard or sensed anyone approaching.


    It made my skin crawl.


    I was quick to rise out of my seat and spin around, coming face to face with a short man about my age. His face was strong and angular, and he looked up at me from behind blue bangs. Warning bells blared through my head.


    ¡°What did you say?¡± I demanded, a moment away from grabbing the Seven-Ten alley shirt he was wearing. It looked just like my old one.


    ¡°I said, I have your beers and pretzels. Sirs,¡± the man sighed. His voice no longer put me on edge, and he looked a little browbeaten. Frowning, I looked down at the tray he was carrying to see that it was, in fact, covered in beer bottles and pretzels.


    ¡°Thanks, Aaron!¡± Jeff said as he quickly took the offerings to put it on the nearby table before turning to me. ¡°Hey, Ant, it¡¯s your frame.¡±


    ¡°What was that?¡± I asked, not taking my eyes off of the blue haired man as he walked back towards the bowling alley¡¯s bar. A moment later, my bowling ball was being placed into my hands. I looked down at it.


    ¡°Your frame, boss,¡± Jeff repeated a little more insistently.


    I glanced at Coe, who looked confused by what happened, before taking the ball. The man, Aaron, was out of sight now, but if he worked here then he would probably be around for a while. There was no reason not to bowl. Without another word, I walked towards our lane.


    ¡°PTSD?¡± I heard Coe whisper despite the alley¡¯s distractions. Of course it was quiet enough for me to hear that but not what he said before.


    ¡°Yeah. Bowling¡¯s usually a safe space,¡± Jeff explained, though he was much louder. The man couldn¡¯t whisper properly to save his life. ¡°There¡¯s a procedure, depending on how well he does.¡±


    I scowled at that, but didn¡¯t turn around. It made sense that Jeff knew what Sara¡¯s procedure was. Kayla probably knew it by heart, too. Taking my stance, I looked at the pins ahead of me.


    They blurred in my vision as ten pins turned into twenty. The ball trembled in my hands, and it suddenly felt far heavier than I knew it was.


    Closing my eyes and taking a breath, that made things worse. For the first time, I realized that Charlie Daniels¡¯ The Devil Went Down To Georgia was playing through the alley¡¯s speakers. That was the only record the Seven-Tenner Filbins had gotten their hands on, and they had it playing at max volume constantly. The image of Boss Steener and his crew fighting against the Writhing Juggernaut was pulled to the front of my mind.


    The employee, Aaron, had hair the same color as the boss.


    Before I knew it, I had tossed the ball. Straight down the middle, and it was no surprise that it hooked into the gutter long before it made it to the pins. Out of habit, I focused on the bowling ball and willed it back onto the lane. With my power, it would have been easy to get it back where it belonged and on the right path again even if it was a small bit of cheating.


    It didn¡¯t. The ball remained in the gutter until it hit the end, and it disappeared to be returned.


    For the first time in a long time, I felt an anxiety that I couldn¡¯t shut down. My body shook no matter how hard I fought against it.


    I felt an arm around my shoulder and I almost flipped them before I realized it was Jeff. He turned me, phone in his free hand as he started leading me back. I let him do it, glad that he was here. Coe appeared concerned, but I couldn¡¯t look at him.


    ¡°We''re never free from war, Anthony,¡± the old man said softly. ¡°But the worst of it is behind you. Just enjoy your own personal Heaven, and it¡¯ll all be okay.¡±


    Jeff led me outside and around to the side of the building. ¡°I have Sara coming to pick you up,¡± he said, checking his phone again. He still hadn¡¯t let me go. ¡°But I¡¯m here for you, boss. Always will be.¡±


    ¡°Thanks, Jeff. Thanks.¡±


    ¡°Sara told me I should tell you a bit about Pittsburgh if you need something to take your mind off of things,¡± Jeff offered before lowering his voice. ¡°Or if you want her to teleport here, that¡¯s an option.¡±


    I didn¡¯t need to think about that long before I shook my head. ¡°Nah, I already feel bad that you had to call her and break up her girl¡¯s night. You¡¯re good, Jeff.¡±


    He tapped out a message before leading me to a bench. We sat and he set it down beside him. It was hot out even with the sun setting, but neither of us complained.


    ¡°Alright, so, Greg, right?¡± Jeff asked, seemingly starting his story that way.


    ¡°Fuck that guy,¡± I said.


    ¡°Yeah, fuck that guy,¡± he agreed, nodding. He paused, and I could sense that he meant for it to be a dramatic one. ¡°Jamie cut off his hand.¡±


    Blinking, my head whipped towards him. ¡°Excuse me?¡±


    ¡°It was awesome,¡± he said with a grin. ¡°So, once the Cathedral of Learning was up and active, everyone got invited to find it.¡±


    ¡°Yeah, that¡¯s standard,¡± I told him, turning to face him so I could see him better.


    ¡°While you were still asleep, he came to the train to make amends,¡± he continued, using air quotes for the last couple of words. ¡°Well, he came to the shack and, after learning you hadn¡¯t returned yet, his whole attitude changed. He demanded we lead him there. Because of course we would know how to get there, and apparently you told him that you would let him be MVP?¡±


    ¡°It was a little lie,¡± I admitted with a shrug.


    ¡°He seemed to think it was his Sara given right since you were out of commission, and even said Jamie was there when you said it. She pretended she had no idea what he was talking about, or she was just being mean, and he went off on her calling her a blond bitch and that she probably slept her way into being MVP and it was just a huge slurry of little dick energy if I can be honest.¡±


    I snorted. ¡°That describes Greg to a tee.¡±


    ¡°Right? She didn¡¯t take kindly to that at all,¡± Jeff laughed. ¡°So she calmly turns to my wife, right? Jamie asks Kayla how many strikes she could level at someone before the guild really got in trouble. Answer was two, obviously. The moment she pulled her spear, Greg was backpedaling. Like, the man started sweating bullets. He tried to get one of his minions to light his cigar and they fumbled hard.¡±


    ¡°Bet that made him miss Olivia,¡± I said, my humor a little darker than anticipated.


    ¡°Didn¡¯t even have the time. She sliced the cigar he had hanging in his mouth in half, split his lip and everything, and the moment he started complaining, Jamie took his fucking hand, man! Like halfway up to the elbow and right through his armor. And, get this, Ant,¡± Jeff said, leaning in.


    I leaned in to match his energy.


    ¡°Dude straight fell to the ground, right? Fear all over his face. Pretty sure he wet himself, but get this,¡± he said, lowering his voice. ¡°Jamie got down real low. None of his minions helped, they looked like they were about to flee the state. She got down really low and placed a hand on his shoulder. He wanted to back away, but he couldn¡¯t. Jamie was strong, man. But she got close to him and said¡­¡±


    Jeff cleared his throat before putting on his best Jamie impression. ¡°I want you to be 100% clear that I don¡¯t have a problem killing you, you absolute shitstain. The only reason why you¡¯re still alive right now is because Anthony declared that he would bring down the wrath of the Heavens on you, and that sounds way more entertaining than simply taking off your head.¡±


    ¡°Then she got even closer,¡± he said, doing the same before slipping back into his impression. ¡°By the time he sees you, you¡¯re going to want to have had your come to God moment, because he¡¯s going to pull straight from the holy book when he deals with you.¡±


    ¡°Really?¡± I snorted, arching an eyebrow.


    He shrugged. ¡°A little embellished. Just a little, but it¡¯s mostly true¡± Jeff answered before becoming more serious. ¡°Greg¡¯s missing a hand and is still scared waiting for your judgment. Remember that, okay?¡±


    ¡°Yeah, I¡¯ll remember that he¡¯s¡­¡± I furrowed my brow, looking away as I thought about what he just said. ¡°Hold on, waiting? Don¡¯t you mean-¡°


    I looked up to see that Jeff was grinning and pointing at me. ¡°You¡¯re out of your funk, aren¡¯t you?¡± he asked. I took a moment to assess myself and found that I was actually feeling alright, and I nodded. He pumped a fist in celebration. ¡°Alright! Just had to shock you out of it. Nothing to it, boss.¡±


    I laughed. ¡°I guess. Still feel bad about pulling Sara away from the girls.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s the best part. Told her I¡¯d handle it,¡± he said, still grinning. ¡°C¡¯mon, man, I know you. I know her procedure. I¡¯ve got you, boss, whenever you need it! Now, you wanna go home or back to bowling? Coe probably ate all the pretzels by now but we can still finish the game.¡±


    ¡°Damn. You¡¯re good, Jeff,¡± I praised as I patted him on the back. ¡°Let¡¯s finish out this game and we¡¯ll see how I¡¯m feeling afterwards.¡±


    ¡°My man!¡± he exclaimed, hyping me up as he bounced out of his seat. ¡°Shame about the spare you¡¯re about to pick up, but hey, sometimes shit happens.¡±


    ¡°Sometimes, indeed, Jeff,¡± I agreed. ¡°Sometimes, indeed.¡±

 Chapter 187

    The Franklin Estate, Etson - Monday


    ¡°I¡¯m telling you, mom, I¡¯m feeling fine,¡± I complained as I set the table for four while my mother once again tried to help. It hadn''t even been a minute since she arrived and she was already fussing. ¡°Might not remember much, but I can still set a table.¡±


    The first time I had spoken to her and dad since the memory reset had been a surreal experience. They had just returned from their latest cruise and Sara had made sure to tell them my situation right away. While I didn¡¯t want to make them worry, she told me it was procedure. It wasn¡¯t like I was trying to keep them away, I just didn¡¯t want them to know how big a problem it was.


    Of course, they already knew. Acting like I wasn¡¯t thrilled to see them alive and well after literal centuries was the hard part.


    ¡°Nonsense, Anthony. You should relax and let us handle it,¡± my mother said, heading back into the kitchen to grab silverware, cups, and napkins when I put down the last plate.


    ¡°Got the pork!¡± dad announced as he walked in from the car. He was holding a bulging thermal bag. ¡°Got the meat straight from the farm, so you know it¡¯s going to be good. How are you holding up, Ant?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯d be holding up better if mom would let me set the table in peace,¡± I complained.


    ¡°You¡¯re still fighting?¡± he laughed. ¡°I thought she busted you out of that when you were a teenager.¡±


    ¡°Matthew!¡± mom protested indignantly. ¡°I didn¡¯t bust anything. Don¡¯t say things like that when Sara¡¯s around.¡±


    ¡°She¡¯s not here now, and I¡¯m just calling it like I see it,¡± dad offered without remorse. While mom was distracted, I grabbed the silverware out of her hands and continued to set the table. ¡°Just in the kitchen here, Ant?¡±


    ¡°There¡¯s space on the stove for it,¡± I told him.


    He entered the kitchen. ¡°And a big pot of rice, I see. Got eggs?¡±


    I scoffed. ¡°Of course we have eggs! Did you think we¡¯d plan to have pulled pork and rice and not buy eggs? What are we, savages?¡±


    ¡°Of course not, dear,¡± mom said as she set cups down at our table, looking proud of herself for helping even if it was just a little bit. ¡°He¡¯s just making sure.¡±


    About my memory, no doubt, but I didn¡¯t say it. There was no reason to get worked up; they just cared. Thankfully, I didn¡¯t have to deal with it alone for long. Sara came out of our bedroom with a big smile. She winked at me just as I noticed the Warmeowger shirt she wore, and I fixed her with my best deadpan look while trying to hide a smile.


    ¡°Sara Franklin, you are a shining light in this dark world,¡± my mother announced as she met my wife in the hallway and embraced her.


    That was the first time I heard Sara¡¯s name with my surname, and I loved the sound of it.


    ¡°It¡¯s good to see you, Delilah,¡± Sara greeted.


    ¡°And your hair is as lovely as ever!¡± mom continued, reaching for and bouncing one of the Angel¡¯s curls. ¡°I was just telling Matthew that I want something similar to what you have going on. Wasn¡¯t I, Matthew?¡±


    ¡°She sure was,¡± he confirmed before popping his head out of the kitchen. ¡°Hey, Sara.¡±


    ¡°Hello, Matthew,¡± Sara greeted with a smile.


    My mom stopped playing with my wife¡¯s hair. ¡°I think maybe green? Or pink. Or blue. Oh, I haven¡¯t decided yet. What stylist do you go to?¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re impressed by her hair, we know we know,¡± my father said from the kitchen. ¡°If you want to sneak in more help then I could use a hand, Delilah.¡±


    My mother turned to look back at me before patting Sara on the shoulder. ¡°Tell me over dinner, dear. I¡¯ll set up an appointment.¡± Looking at me again to make sure I wasn¡¯t on my way to dad, she quickly joined him.


    ¡°Really? The Warmeowger shirt?¡± I quietly asked, picking some lint off of her shoulder when she joined me.


    ¡°It¡¯s never going away. You tease me, I tease you. Besides¡­¡± A mischievous look appeared on her face. Her voice lowered, becoming more husky. ¡°If you really have a problem with it, then take it off of me later.¡±


    I blinked. ¡°Sara, are you flirting?¡±


    With a satisfied smile on her face, she patted me on the chest. ¡°You¡¯re not the only one who can learn, Ant.¡±


    ¡°Sara, where do you put your butter?¡± my mother called. ¡°I need it so I can fry up these- Never mind! Found it!¡±


    ¡°Why don¡¯t you let me handle that, Delilah?¡± Sara asked with a good natured roll of her eyes. She pointed me towards the couch and gave me a small shove before heading into the kitchen.


    With a smile I couldn¡¯t contain, I sat on the couch and closed my eyes, just listening to Sara interact with my parents.


    It was a surprisingly mundane yet treasured experience.


    <hr>


    Etson - Tuesday


    ¡°Hey, heard you had another episode. Thought I¡¯d give you a call and see how you were doing,¡± the familiar voice on my phone said.


    I glanced at Sara, who continued to drive with an innocent look on her face. ¡°Seems everyone knows about it by now. How¡¯s it going, Jamie?¡± I greeted, turning the radio down.


    ¡°She¡¯s being a pain in my ass,¡± came Ashley¡¯s voice. ¡°She wants me to teach her how to weld, and I keep telling her there¡¯s classes for that.¡±


    ¡°Or, I can learn from the best crafter we¡¯ve met, Ash,¡± Jamie retorted. ¡°I¡¯m not going to go get some second rate education when I can learn from you.¡±


    ¡°Hi, Ash. Jamie, you want to learn how to weld?¡± I asked incredulously. ¡°Since when did you have any interest in that kind of stuff?¡±


    ¡°Why¡¯s that so hard to believe?¡± she scoffed.


    The sound of someone snatching the phone came through loud and clear. ¡°She doesn¡¯t just want to learn welding, but fucking underwater welding. You know, the most dangerous kind. That answer your question?¡±


    ¡°You can¡¯t see him, but he¡¯s nodding,¡± Sara called.


    ¡°That kind of stuff is super dangerous, yeah,¡± I said. ¡°Makes sense, though. You always wanted that risk factor, Summers.¡±


    ¡°I mean, it¡¯s not like when we went to Jamestown, right, Ant?¡± Jamie huffed.


    ¡°You mean how everything went wrong?¡± Sara asked, glancing my way. ¡°Remember that, okay?¡±


    Tilting my head forward, I thought about it, trying to remember.


    Jamie laughed. ¡°That¡¯s exactly it. Talk about risky, right? I¡¯d kill for that kind of thrill again. Do you at least remember that?¡±


    I shook my head even though she couldn¡¯t see me over the phone. ¡°Not particularly, on account of my memory. What went wrong?¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry about it. Going over it will take too long and I don¡¯t have that with Ash here,¡± she replied. Based on the noise and Ashley¡¯s swear, Jamie had grabbed her phone back. ¡°But this isn¡¯t about me. How are you, Franklin?¡±


    ¡°Well, Summers, I imagine I¡¯m just as peachy keen as I could possibly be,¡± I answered, partially sarcastic but mostly honest. ¡°Haven¡¯t had any issues since the day after. Still don¡¯t remember anything, but I¡¯m not forgetting anything, either. Oh! Jeff regaled me with a tale of how you cut off Greg¡¯s hand.¡±


    A pause. ¡°Who?¡± she asked.


    ¡°Smoke guy in Pittsburgh.¡±


    ¡°Wasn¡¯t his name Gary?¡±


    I snorted. ¡°Suppose it doesn¡¯t really matter now.¡±


    ¡°Either way, yeah. He was the absolute shitstain with little dick energy,¡± Jamie laughed. ¡°Yeah. That was a real feel good moment. He absolutely deserved it after what he said to me.¡±If you stumble upon this narrative on Amazon, it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it.


    ¡°Do I even want to know?¡± I asked.


    ¡°Nah, I don¡¯t want to make your wife mad at me for getting too graphic,¡± she answered.


    ¡°Oof, sounds real bad, then,¡± I said, glancing over at Sara. She nodded.


    ¡°It was. But if you¡¯re doing alright then I¡¯m going to pester Ash about welding some more.¡±


    Ashley sighed. ¡°Sara, could you send her halfway across the damn planet for me?¡±


    ¡°Sorry, Ash, that¡¯s not a miracle I¡¯m willing to perform at this time,¡± my wife said, not hiding her smile from me. She reached over and set her hand on my leg, and I placed mine on top of it, interlocking our fingers. ¡°Besides, you clearly don¡¯t mind the company. Why don¡¯t you teach her?¡±


    There was silence for a moment before Jamie responded. ¡°She just stomped off.¡±


    ¡°One of those stomps where it¡¯s clear she¡¯s not really mad?¡± Sara asked.


    ¡°The very one.¡±


    ¡°Then you better chase after her, girl.¡±


    ¡°Good call. Talk to you two eventually. Franklin, Franklin.¡±


    ¡°See ya, Summers,¡± we said at the same time, and I hung up.


    ¡°They really get along well,¡± I chuckled.


    ¡°It¡¯s too bad they won¡¯t come to Florida,¡± Sara said. ¡°I mean, I can see why they wouldn¡¯t want to - it¡¯s Florida - but it¡¯d be nice to see them again.¡±


    ¡°Maybe over break?¡± I asked. Classes had been surprisingly simple to get back into, and I wasn¡¯t nearly as worried as I had been when I first woke up here. As it turned out, having literal centuries of easily parsable knowledge made some things easy, mental turmoil notwithstanding. Maybe a bit too easy, but it gave me something to do.


    She thought it over before nodding. ¡°Yeah, that sounds like a lot of fun. Boston isn¡¯t too far from Pittsburgh, either. We could visit Leo on the way there or back.¡±


    ¡°That sounds great,¡± I said, turning the music up before leaning back in my seat. I sighed and closed my eyes, enjoying the simple comfort of holding Sara¡¯s hand. Things were finally starting to feel like normal.


    <hr>


    The Franklin Estate, Etson - Wednesday


    ¡°Warmonger, I need your help!¡± Mercury - Leo - whined through my headset. ¡°I told chat that I¡¯d get the Angel of Sol Ligatus back for another stream and, when I asked Sara about it, she said I shouldn¡¯t have promised that and she wasn¡¯t coming back.¡±


    ¡°Look, man, that¡¯s on you,¡± I replied, stifling a laugh as I played our game. We had Minecraft wind-down nights every week, and messing around with Leo while building our own version of Pittsburgh was a lot of fun. ¡°You know how she feels about putting herself out there. The only reason you got her to play once was because it was your birthday and you asked for both of us.¡±


    ¡°Yeah, but you don¡¯t understand,¡± he claimed. ¡°I have never had so many viewers than when Sara was there. Like, she can¡¯t play Among Us to save her life - sorry, Sara, if you can hear me because you¡¯re God or whatever now - but they absolutely fell in love with her. My channel anniversary¡¯s coming up soon and they want an all star cast!¡±


    I scoffed. ¡°And you haven¡¯t invited me back?¡±


    Leo groaned. ¡°Man, it¡¯s no fun playing with you. It¡¯s like you¡¯ve got a lie detector between your ears. Sure, chat liked watching me flounder, but that¡¯s not the vibe I¡¯m going for. It¡¯s my one year anniversary, boss!¡±


    ¡°Alright, you wore me down,¡± I said, exaggerating a sigh. ¡°I¡¯ll ask her, but I won¡¯t make any promises. Especially after she caught wind of some of those comments.¡±


    I could almost physically feel Leo cringe. ¡°I mean, they¡¯re internet comments, Warmonger,¡± he said in a quiet voice. ¡°Not much I can do about that. They¡¯re all like that.¡±


    ¡°Shall I revisit some of my favorite terrible ones?¡± I asked, fully intending to make him sweat. ¡°Because I may not remember the night in question, but she had a list. It included quotes, user names, real names, and addresses.¡±


    ¡°No, no, that¡¯s okay,¡± he quickly said. ¡°Hey, that¡¯s something to talk about. While I start working on the Presby, why don¡¯t you tell me how you¡¯re doing?¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re making this too easy, man,¡± I replied with a laugh. ¡°But I¡¯m doing good. Yeah, can¡¯t complain.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s good, Warmonger,¡± Leo said. ¡°I¡¯m glad you¡¯re doing- Oh! Before I forget, I wanted to talk to you about a monster I want to throw at my players in my Saturday game! Since you¡¯re getting Sara to join the anniversary stream-¡±


    ¡°Promising to try,¡± I interrupted.


    He ignored that. ¡°What do you think the challenge rating of the Accumulator should be?¡±


    Smiling, I shook my head. Leo was always talking about throwing system monsters into his games. He swore that one day the sessions would get edited and tossed online, but we were all dubious it would actually happen. Either way, it wasn¡¯t hurting anyone, and from the sounds of it he had a good time.


    Leo was really coming into his own, a far cry from the roleplayer who had to wear a mask to interact with people. I was really proud of him.


    <hr>


    Etson Public Library - Thursday


    ¡°I look forward to seeing you all again next time,¡± I said and signed as the deaf community left the library. Their responses were enthusiastic as usual, and I turned to Kayla as she leaned back against a table. ¡°Your ASL has really improved.¡±


    The librarian smiled as she placed a hand on her stomach. ¡°Thanks. Speaking to Bethany so much helped it along,¡± she replied as she took a moment to herself. ¡°Kind of wish she¡¯d grow up faster. Horrible thing to wish for, but she really worked hard for the team.¡±


    ¡°Yeah. She¡¯s a really good kid,¡± I said with a smile. ¡°Glad that she¡¯s back with her parents now, though. I¡¯m still not sure if she should use the Memory Orb, but that¡¯ll be up to her and Leo when the time comes.¡±


    ¡°I know, I know,¡± she sighed with a wave. Standing up, she started heading towards the desk.


    The library was nearly empty now that the group was gone. Kayla was in charge of the whole place now, so we didn¡¯t have to clear out once the doors were locked. Instead, she went to her office and returned with a cryptex. I rubbed my hands together as she stood before me, the puzzle held high with her other hand on her hip.


    ¡°Alright, psychic boy,¡± she started. ¡°We got interrupted by your memory lapse, but we¡¯re continuing this scavenger hunt.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m ready, coach,¡± I said, only partially joking.


    ¡°Are you sure?¡± Kayla asked, arching an eyebrow. ¡°Because we¡¯re pretty deep into it and you may not have the knowledge to figure out what comes next.¡±


    ¡°Please. I¡¯ve been studying your notes between my actual studies,¡± I said, putting my hands on my hips and puffing out my chest. ¡°I¡¯ve got this.¡±


    ¡°Yes, you¡¯ve been studying. But you¡¯ve also been socializing,¡± she pointed out. ¡°You always do afterwards because that''s the procedure. I don¡¯t want you to get frustrated that you can¡¯t remember something, is all.¡±


    I flashed her a confident smile. ¡°How often does that really-¡°


    ¡°Twice now,¡± Kayla interrupted. She handed me the cylindrical puzzle box and leaned back against the table again.


    ¡°Are you sure you¡¯re up for this?¡± I asked hesitantly after she let out a breath. ¡°I can take you home, if you want. We can take a break.¡±


    She shook her head. ¡°No, I¡¯m good. I like coming up with puzzles for someone like you to crack, psychic boy. Plus, it keeps me out of the house,¡± Kayla admitted, though it was with a smile. ¡°Jeff¡¯s back to doting on me as much as he did the first few days after we were reunited in the system.¡±


    I arched an eyebrow. ¡°First few days?¡±


    ¡°First few weeks,¡± she corrected. I stared at her, and she hung her head. ¡°First few months.¡±


    ¡°Yeah, that¡¯s what I figured,¡± I snickered.


    ¡°Alright, alright. Let¡¯s put aside significant others who are too good for us and get to the scavenger hunt, shall we?¡± she asked. I nodded, ready. ¡°Then your first clue is¡­ Atlanta.¡±


    Hesitating, I looked down at the cryptex she had handed me. ¡°This doesn¡¯t have to do with anything related to G.H. Ostwriter, would it?¡±


    The memories of Moist Flesh: The Memoir Of Enigma Hemingway: One Zombie¡¯s Underwater Journey To Find The Twice Lost City Of Atlantis, Georgia came back to me, causing me to shiver.


    Truly, one of the most poorly written books of all time.


    Kayla only smiled in response and pointed towards the shelves. Sighing, I slumped my shoulders and turned around, hoping against hope that Sara didn¡¯t give her a copy.


    <hr>


    The Franklin Estate, Etson - Friday


    There was some extra pep in my step as I parked my car and grabbed my backpack. Classes were going extraordinarily well, my social circle had never been so tight despite the distance, and the time I spent with Sara was better than I could have dreamed.


    Stepping out of my car, I looked up at the cloudy sky and smiled. The afternoon rain was about to fall, and I had made it home just in time. That thought made me tilt my head.


    Before, my apartment was certainly somewhere I lived, but it hadn¡¯t been home. I knew I was going to leave it after two or four years, so I never bothered decorating beyond things that were easy to move afterwards. It had taken Sara to turn this place into my home.


    Breathing in and enjoying the moment, something seemed to prickle my skin. Instincts that had laid dormant began waking up as I slowly looked around the area.


    While it wasn¡¯t uncommon to see no one coming and going from their apartments, the road we lived off of was fairly busy. As I watched, no cars came from either direction.


    The sound hit me next. Or, rather, the lack thereof. Normally the cicadas would be in full drone, ruining the atmosphere with what had since become background noise to me. There was nothing. No vehicles, no bugs, not even the air conditioners.


    Dropping my backpack, I left it behind as I sprinted towards our apartment. I didn¡¯t even bother closing the car door.


    Something was wrong; I needed to find out what it was.


    A downpour started as I fumbled with my keys. It was cold, almost freezing, but I got what I was looking for and threw open the door.


    A golden ring the size of my head flew towards my face, and I snatched it out of the air. I didn¡¯t need to glance at it to see that it was Sara¡¯s. My eyes took in the rest of the room.


    Shining blood splattered against nearly everything. White feathers littered the room, many of them ripped and torn.


    My wife, in full Angelic form, had been beaten, mangled, and left twitching on the ground. Her eyes made it seem like she was still alive though likely unconscious despite remaining open. Cuts with a thin layer of frost covered her body in a random pattern.


    Behind her on the couch, which had been moved to face the door, sat Aaron, the blue haired server from the Seven-Ten alley. He still wore their official bowling shirt.


    Now, though, his hair was made of ice and clung close to his head, which a silver halo hovered over. Six wide, black feathered wings came sprawling out from his back, the top two joining his arms over the back of the couch as he sat there, legs crossed, watching my reaction.


    While I was processing, unsure what I was really seeing, he leaned forward and set both feet on the ground. He didn¡¯t stand, but held his hands in front of him as if presenting the damaged body of my wife to me.


    ¡°Welcome home,¡± he greeted, his voice making my skin crawl just as it had before. My eyes met his, and I seemed to be pierced by their silver sheen. He sneered. ¡°It¡¯s good to finally meet you after all these centuries, brother.¡±

 Chapter 188

    The Franklin Estate, Etson - 6:07 PM


    My eyes refused to focus on any one thing as I tried to take in the room. I saw it, but nothing registered. It took a few, long seconds before everything clicked, and my mind went in two directions at once. One was the correct path, the logical one, but the other was pure rage.


    Whoever this strange Angel was, he wasn¡¯t injured. That meant he had to have overpowered Sara by such a margin that she couldn¡¯t fight back properly. Given her status as the sole administrator of the world, this was a baffling thought.


    Also, how dare he touch my wife?


    Her wounds were mostly slashes, and it looked like there was still frost lingering on her body. The room felt cold, too. I had never seen an Angel that didn¡¯t have soulfire hair, even if they generally hid it underneath a helmet. Whatever he was, he was the polar opposite of her.


    And, who the fuck does he think he is?


    My heart started beating more frantically as I stared into his silver eyes. The reaction I felt from seeing him echoed the one I felt when I saw Sara for the first time. Even without the scene set before me, I instinctively knew that this man was effortlessly dangerous. What I had felt back in the bowling alley wasn¡¯t a fluke, but I was too angry to give in to the feeling this time.


    In addition, I''m going to kill the goddamn son of a bitch.


    As much as I wanted to attack him, to grab something and smack him around, I didn¡¯t. Instead, I turned to the door and punched it as hard as I could. It splintered but didn¡¯t shatter like it would if I were still enhanced by the system. My damaged hand didn¡¯t start healing itself, either.


    I needed the reminder that, right now, I was only Human.


    ¡°Why?¡± I growled, refusing to face him. If he wanted to kill me, then he would have done so already.


    ¡°Plenty of reasons,¡± he remarked offhandedly. ¡°Let¡¯s see if I can name a few. Because it was fun. Seeing her suffer is incredibly therapeutic, even if it¡¯s not real. I wanted to see how you would react to her mangled body. The door punch was nice, but it was really disappointing otherwise. I was hoping for more mindless rage. Really throw yourself at me, you know?¡±


    His nonchalant attitude was doing nothing to assuage my anger, but that was probably the point. I continued staring at the bloody hole I had left. ¡°Who are you?¡±


    ¡°Please, it would be a lot more fun if you were to try to guess,¡± the cold Angel said as if talking to a toddler. ¡°You¡¯ve been around for ages. I¡¯m sure you can figure it out, brother.¡±


    I seethed as he called me that. However, I knew that thinking it through would calm me, if only a little. There was nothing like forgetting one problem by solving another. If these two weren¡¯t so intrinsically linked, it might have worked better.


    ¡°An Angel,¡± I said, glancing over at his wings and halo. ¡°But not a usual one. Your soulfire has been ripped away, I¡¯m guessing, and replaced by something stupid sounding like, I don¡¯t know, void ice or something. Fallen, probably, but too powerful to be hunted down by the others.¡±


    The man whistled and clapped. ¡°Got it in one!¡± he announced. ¡°That is what you say, isn¡¯t it? Got it in one?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ve been known to say that, yes.¡±


    He grinned. ¡°Good. Now keep going.¡±


    I nearly snarled as he commanded me, but reigned it back in. My hands were starting to shake, I noticed, and the feeling of anxiety was coming back. I dropped the halo that I still had in my hand.


    Instead of letting it overtake me, I clenched my injured fist. The pain spread through my hand before I punched the door again. There was less power this time, but the sensation kept me sharp. I punched it once more for good measure. It seemed to work.


    ¡°You called me brother, which only makes sense if you¡¯re related to Sara,¡± I continued, turning away from the door. At the very least, the longer I kept him talking the more information I would get from him. I had to focus on that. ¡°She¡¯s not allowed to talk about other Angels thanks to some kind of restriction, so I¡¯m assuming that¡¯s because of you.¡±


    ¡°Esar-¡° the man winced as he cut himself short, then rolled his eyes. He shook his head and gestured towards my wife. ¡°This Sara is a facsimile. As such, I can speak of this wretched Whore of Babylon as much as I want.¡±


    Just as I was about to defend my wife, I shut my mouth. I stared at him as he watched her, thinly veiled hatred beating out the casual, bored look on his face before.


    ¡°You can¡¯t talk about other Angels, either,¡± I stated.


    ¡°Getting warm.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re under the same restrictions she is,¡± I continued, running my uninjured hand through my hair as I connected the dots. ¡°You can talk about this Sara because she¡¯s¡­ not real, which is what you said. Okay, this is going to require some monologuing as I think this through.¡±


    The Angel snorted. ¡°Please, by all me-¡°


    ¡°Yeah, don¡¯t say anything. This isn¡¯t a conversation right now,¡± I said, cutting him off. I ignored the thin lipped smile he gave me and clenched my fist again, using the pain to clear my mind. ¡°You have the same restrictions because you two are tied together. Because¡­ you¡¯re the Hidden World Boss of Hell. Makes sense considering the Cocytus vibes you¡¯re giving off. I always knew there had to be one. There¡¯s Sara, there¡¯s the one pretending to be an island in the Pacific Ocean, and there should have been one more. Rule of three.


    ¡°But, when Sara came to Earth for the first time thanks to my shenanigans, that was also when the never before seen Unknown Entity appeared.¡± I started snapping my fingers as it all came together. ¡°You thought you were clever showing off how you could manipulate the system, and when I thanked you Sara said you were nothing but trouble.¡±


    Bringing my hand up, I started stroking my chin. ¡°That was something small, but vague enough that it might not have bothered the rule that she can¡¯t talk about others of her kind. But, if you share restrictions, then logic would dictate that you would share freedoms, right?¡± I asked, then shook my head. ¡°I¡¯m not actually looking for an answer yet, so don¡¯t bother.¡±


    Glancing at the Fallen Angel, I saw that he was twiddling his thumbs, though he was watching me with interest.


    ¡°Sara keeps stating that she gave up a lot of system access in order to be my Patron. You, the Unknown Entity, can send messages as if you are one but can also mess with the system. I know that Sara would do that to help me then she could. That means you aren¡¯t Jeremiah¡¯s Patron. At least, not yet...¡±


    I pursed my lips. ¡°The messages said you¡¯re looking forward to throwing your champion against me, so you have an avatar in mind. You just needed me in here for¡­ reasons¡­¡± I paused, looking around at the apartment. If this really was a dream, then my memory didn¡¯t actually lapse, this was just where I was placed afterwards. ¡°This isn¡¯t the Trial of the Silver Nightmare. Anxiety attacks aside, this place is too peaceful for that. Is it a trial at all? Which dream realm is this? Am I stuck in the Peaceful Future, or the Beautiful Slumber?¡±


    There was a lull. ¡°Oh, are you finally permitting me to speak, gracious regressor?¡± the Fallen Angel mocked.


    ¡°This gracious regressor allows it,¡± I mocked back.


    He laughed. ¡°I twisted your destination,¡± the Fallen Angel admitted. ¡°It was simple, really. The Trial of the Golden Dream is right next to the Silver Nightmare. All it took was a nudge.¡±


    ¡°Yeah, that¡¯s a bold faced lie,¡± I accused with a scoff. ¡°The Golden Dream is supposed to be perfect. There¡¯s no way I¡¯d suffer from amnesia and anxiety, let alone both at the same time.¡±


    ¡°Do you really think you wouldn¡¯t need therapy after everything you¡¯ve seen? Really?¡± he asked, waggling a finger. ¡°My theory is that the Golden Dream is trying its best to help you out, and it¡¯s a little out of its element. Who goes to paradise and can¡¯t be fixed immediately? Honestly, I''m a little worried; you might want to get yourself checked into a hospital somewhere. But that¡¯s neither here nor there. Have you ever experienced this dream world?¡±


    ¡°No,¡± I said with a scowl, ignoring his long-winded jab at me. ¡°I¡¯ve only heard about it from Patrons and treasure hunters. Since I¡¯ve never heard of a single person actually surviving the trial, I¡¯ve never tried it myself.¡±


    ¡°Smart child,¡± the Fallen Angel praised. ¡°The key to winning is to kill the one who brings you the most joy. A little cliche, but since it kills your memories of entering this place it¡¯s ingenious, don¡¯t you think? I mean, the same thing happens when you enter the Silver Nightmare, but there''s something special about it here. The good vibes, the warm and fuzzies, everything about it wants you to stop fighting. You don¡¯t think you need to escape from something, so you don¡¯t think of the violent solution."


    "I''m thinking of a very violent solution right now, actually," I said, though I couldn''t help my glance at Sara.


    He only sneered. "And your asinine wish fulfillment fantasy casts your whore as the most powerful being in existence? No powers, no strength? You would never have succeeded in killing her unless she allowed it. So I needed to beat her within an inch of her life for you as you were clearly incapable. In a way, I am your savior, but you don''t need to thank me. It was my pleasure.¡±


    I crossed my arms, not at all pleased by his words. Not because I couldn¡¯t refute them, but because they made perfect sense. That seemed like the kind of shitty win condition the Trial of the Golden Dream would require.


    ¡°If you''re my so called savior,¡± I spat, not liking that word on my lips. ¡°Then what''s the plan? You could have easily let me rot here. Why didn¡¯t you?¡±


    ¡°That certainly wouldn''t be very sporting of me, would it?¡±


    ¡°Sporting?¡± I asked, arching an eyebrow. ¡°That''s barely an answer. What¡¯s the plan? You want to take a turn monologuing?¡±


    ¡°I wouldn¡¯t dare steal your thunder,¡± he bantered.


    ¡°Nah, go for it,¡± I insisted. ¡°Indulge me, brother.¡±


    His thin smile turned into a grin. ¡°So that¡¯s what it feels like to be on the other end of it. Very well. I suppose I can indulge you for a short time.¡±This narrative has been purloined without the author''s approval. Report any appearances on Amazon.


    Not understanding what he was waiting for, I gestured for him to continue. He placed his hand over his heart and bowed, flaring his wings.


    ¡°I am Arontalscion, the Fallen, the Heavenly Calamity, the Disaster from the Skies,¡± he introduced before standing up straight.


    ¡°That first title is a little on the nose, don¡¯t you think?¡± I remarked. He simply shrugged. "Also, your name''s a mouthful. If it¡¯s all the same to you, I¡¯m going to call you Aaron. It''s what your bowling shirt says your name is, so I imagine it¡¯s fine.¡±


    ¡°Of course that¡¯s fine. I¡¯m an unknowable being with a lifespan counted in thousands of years, I¡¯m no prude,¡± he replied with a grating grin.


    My eye twitched. That was something Sara and I had said to each other in the Hall of the End where we had total privacy from even the administrators. ¡°You¡¯ve been spying on us?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s all we can do,¡± he said, sighing dramatically.


    ¡°We?¡± I asked. ¡°Like the royal we or do you have a choir of damned souls or something?¡±


    Aaron shook his head. ¡°That¡¯s for you to find out. What I will tell you is this,¡± he started, before walking around Sara. I tried not to look at her, but failed. Dream recreation or not, I was still having a hard time. My blood began to boil again. ¡°I trapped you in here because you have unfair advantages: time, knowledge, and experience.¡±


    ¡°Hard won advantages, thank you very much.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re a cheat,¡± he countered.


    ¡°I earned my way here, asshole,¡± I growled.


    ¡°Seduced your way here, maybe,¡± he rebuked with a smirk. I really wanted to wipe that look off of his face. ¡°But my champion has not. You¡¯re right; I haven¡¯t taken an avatar yet. However, I have been in contact with a few different candidates. Might try a pair, maybe a small group. May put all my eggs in one basket. I haven¡¯t decided yet, but they all needed time to catch up. Which is what I gave them.¡±


    ¡°Who?¡± I demanded. ¡°How badly are you planning on fucking up the timeline?¡±


    ¡°Fucking up the¡­¡± Aaron laughed as he brought his hand to his chest. ¡°Poor little Anthony, you seem to think I¡¯m some kind of bad guy here. Am I not in the process of saving you at this very moment?¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re obviously some kind of Lucifer analogue,¡± I said. ¡°You¡¯re clearly the bad guy.¡±


    ¡°Perhaps you don¡¯t remember that story very well,¡± he tutted. ¡°You should have been paying more attention. Lucifer was banished to Hell for bringing fire to mortals.¡±


    I furrowed my brow. ¡°That was Prometheus, or Amirani, or Coyote, dumbass, not Lucifer.¡±


    Aaron shrugged. ¡°Practically the same myth. Tomato, tomato,¡± he claimed, saying both words exactly the same way. For some reason, that irked me more than anything other than my wife¡¯s condition.


    ¡°To-may-to, ta-mah-to,¡± I corrected, unable to help myself. From the look on his face, it became clear that he was messing with me.


    He ignored my correction. ¡°Besides, it doesn¡¯t matter anyways. You¡¯re not getting the Fruit of Knowledge from the whatever tree anymore, so part of your plans are already foiled.¡±


    ¡°Thanks for fucking that up for me,¡± I said sarcastically. ¡°That path was going to save a lot of lives.¡±


    ¡°Then you¡¯re just going to have to think up a better one,¡± he said, tapping his temple with a smug smile. ¡°But that¡¯s not for me. That¡¯s for you. I just need to keep you here for a few more minutes.¡±


    I shifted towards the door and the umbrella stand. Now that I knew he was stalling, I knew there was a time limit I was working against. I didn¡¯t know why or what, but it was something. ¡°What happens in a few minutes?¡±


    ¡°You want me to pull away even more of the curtain?¡± he asked, sounding scandalized. ¡°What do you take me for?¡±


    ¡°Someone who¡¯s been shackled in a room with no one to talk to for centuries, if you¡¯re anything like your sister,¡± I answered.


    ¡°I¡¯m nothing like this holier than thou swine,¡± he said quickly, a hint of irritation in his voice as he gestured towards Sara behind him.


    ¡°Dunno about that, you¡¯re just as cryptic. Must run in the family,¡± I taunted. He let me move easily enough, doing nothing to stop me. ¡°Probably just trying to hinder me in whatever way you can. Do you even have a plan?¡±


    Aaron took a moment as he realized I was riling him up, and his irritation disappeared. ¡°Nice try, but-¡±


    I grabbed the white umbrella from the stand as I pivoted around the Fallen Angel, ducking under his wings. It had a slight point to it. Not enough to be considered a weapon, but it would absolutely pierce broken skin if I put my weight behind the attack.


    My body strained as it moved in a way it was no longer used to, but I only needed one good strike. I aimed towards a wound on Sara¡¯s throat for the kill. As much as it pained me, this was the only way to get out of the Golden Dream.


    According to Aaron, anyway, but something about it felt right. I steeled myself, thinking of all the times this world didn''t make sense; I was willing to take the chance.


    Sara help me if I was wrong.


    He moved so quickly that I couldn¡¯t see it, but the tip of one of Aaron¡¯s wings was suddenly there. It was almost as if the umbrella was balancing on the very edge, and when I tried to slide it away the black barrier moved with it.


    My free hand fished my knife out of my pocket. It was a short blade, only 4 inches, but it would do well enough. I twisted and fell, aiming for her stomach.


    Before I could even come close, I felt a wing gently touch my side and I sailed through the air. My body hit the back of the couch, causing it to flip backwards while I tumbled to the ground. At some point the umbrella had left my grip, but I still had the knife.


    ¡°So desperate,¡± Aaron laughed. ¡°You¡¯re lucky I want you alive, otherwise it would be so easy to kill you.¡±


    Rolling over, I saw the umbrella sticking in the ceiling from its point. Mentally, I reached out to Drop it. The ability didn¡¯t work, but I didn¡¯t stop trying. I pushed down the despair I felt as I worked through it in my head.


    If this was the Trial of the Golden Dream, then I shouldn¡¯t be completely cut off from the system. In fact, I knew I wasn¡¯t because Sara had mentioned it earlier. Of course, that could have been part of the ruse, which meant-


    I shook my head free of those thoughts. This was still the system. It might have been missing, but I had to be connected. There was an emptiness where my abilities once were, and I fought to fill it in.


    ¡°Break Free From The Shackles Of Man!¡± I yelled as I stood up, ignoring the pain from my broken ribs. The skill didn''t work.


    ¡°That¡¯s such a stupid activation phrase,¡± Aaron remarked in a bored voice. ¡°Just wait it out. There¡¯s no harm in it, I promise.¡±


    Ignoring him, I jumped back over the couch. The kitchen was in view now, and I attempted to Pull the block of knives, toaster, and air fryer towards us. I even tried to activate Dragon¡¯s Breath. It didn¡¯t work, but I continued to reach out for the system that molded me into who I was today.


    His wings covered her as he took a single step. More of a pivot, really. The knife met feathers and slid away harmlessly. Aaron¡¯s felt hard like metal rather than soft like Sara¡¯s. I could see her wings, mostly defeathered, and reached down to pull her out from under his shield. She didn¡¯t react to being jerked around, which I counted as a small blessing.


    Aaron took another step and stopped me with his wing again. It flipped upwards and struck the knife, knocking it out of my hand. I lunged for a nearby lamp.


    ¡°Break Free From The Shackles Of Man!¡± I shouted again.


    Grabbing the lamp, I spun and tried to bring it down on Sara¡¯s head. It was a heavy glass lamp and the cord knocked the table over before it was ripped from the wall. It shattered over Aaron¡¯s black wings, and I looked for a big piece. Finding one, I snatched it. My hand got cut as I tried to maneuver under the feathered barrier.


    Once again, I found myself soaring through the air. This time I landed on top of the entertainment center. The cheap furniture didn¡¯t bear my weight and I fell through, gritting my teeth as I toppled onto the ground with my flat screen TV. There was no superhuman healing factor, no Willpower boost to push through the pain, and yet I did.


    The umbrella in the ceiling was still there, and I attempted to Drop it again. There was no response.


    Anger welled up within me at my helplessness. Even if I had all of my powers, I wasn¡¯t going to be a match for a world boss. Back when I summoned Sara she had been nerfed to Hell and back to the first scenario''s limits and she had almost broken me with a hug. I had considered myself strong at the time.


    Before I knew it, I was back on my feet. It wasn¡¯t a conscious decision, but one that my body made for me. That was what I knew. When I got knocked down, I refused to stay there. Wiping the blood from my lips, I spat on the floor.


    ¡°Don¡¯t even bother-¡°


    ¡°Break Free From T?h?e? ?S?h?a?c?k?l?e?s? Of Man!¡± I screamed, determined to make something of this.


    A screen popped up in front of me. The words looked like a big, jumbled mess and disappeared before I could make sense of them. Aaron looked surprised, and I felt the same way. My voice had thrummed with power there for a moment, just as it was supposed to.


    ¡°How?¡± he asked, confusion evident in his voice.


    There was no reason to answer him. Instead, I glanced into the kitchen and attempted to Pull the knives from their block again.


    One of them twitched.


    I took a step forward and roared, trying to rekindle that spark of power. ¡°Break Free!¡±


    ¡°You win!¡± he yelled, putting his hands and wings up.


    Ignoring him, I continued and grabbed Esaraphelscion¡¯s Love. ¡°Break Free!¡±


    ¡°I said I¡¯m done!¡±


    ¡°B?r?e?a?k? ?f?r?e?e?!¡± I yelled, finally hitting that feeling of power.


    ¡°Just kill her already!¡± Aaron shouted at me.


    ¡°F?r?o?m? ?T?h?e? ?S?h?a?c?k?l?e?s? ?O?f? ?M?a?n?!¡± I finished.


    Translucent wings unfurled from my back as my wounds began to slowly heal. Energy rushed through my veins as I returned to my system standard. Above my head, Esaraphelscion¡¯s Love hovered there as my halo.


    <<<>>>


    [[Welcome Back, Anthony Franklin]]


    Your connection with the System has been restored.


    <<<>>>


    ¡°Damn,¡± Aaron swore as he kicked the floor, creating a small crater in the vinyl. ¡°Shouldn¡¯t have pushed you for nothing.¡±


    ¡°Step away from my wife,¡± I demanded, snapping away the message as I Pulled three knives towards me from the kitchen. I redirected them into the Fallen Angel, but he didn¡¯t move and they only succeeded in tearing his clothes.


    ¡°This is what I get for being a showboat,¡± he lamented, putting a hand to his head. It didn¡¯t even seem like he was talking to me. ¡°That¡¯s another step up I¡¯m going to have to account for. Shouldn¡¯t have pushed.¡±


    ¡°Step! Away from! My wife!¡± I shouted. Looking up, I Dropped the umbrella, Spinning it so that it would pierce her.


    Aaron reached out and snatched it before looking at me. The whole thing froze in an instant, becoming an icicle that reached the ceiling. ¡°Fine, but let the record show, I wasn¡¯t stalling. I was toying. There''s a difference. The thing I was waiting for happened four nights ago. 8:30 PM. Check your logs when you wake up.¡±


    Before I could ask, the Fallen Angel disappeared. The icicle fell under my power, spearing Sara through the throat. Her twitching stopped as she finally perished. I watched her, indescribable sadness passing through me upon finishing my task.


    By the time I fell to my knees, the world had melted.


    I was no longer in our apartment. Instead, I was on the floor of the Mattress Firm I had fallen asleep in. My stomach growled and my mouth was dry, but my Constitution and healing had kept me alive.


    ¡°Sara!?¡± I coughed, hoping for a message as I rose to my feet. A wave of dizziness crashed over me, and I stumbled, falling onto one of the beds. A screen popped up, but it was for liberating the dungeon and I ignored it. ¡°Sara!¡±


    Nothing else popped up, and I snapped open my menu. I couldn¡¯t think of checking my condition even now, but I remembered Aaron¡¯s words. I brought up a single message from that time.


    ¡°What the¡­ fuck¡­¡± I said as I read it once, twice, and a third time. Over and over again.


    <<<>>>


    [[Notice]]


    The Patron¡¯s Pact with the Hidden World Boss [Esaraphelscion, Angel of the End], has ended.


    You may now make a pact with another Patron if they so choose to deem you worthy.


    <<<>>>


    Falling backwards onto a mattress, I kept reading it, trying to make it make sense.


    It took me longer than I was willing to admit.

 Chapter 189

    Mattress Firm Shadyside, Pittsburgh - 7:45 PM


    I didn¡¯t leave the building after it was liberated. The first thing I did once I got my bearings back was clean myself up, then eat and drink. My body had been malnourished after over a month of sleep in the Trial of the Golden Dream. If it hadn¡¯t been for my high Constitution and healing factor, I probably wouldn¡¯t have been in such relatively good condition.


    It also allowed me to get back into a better mental state. I took my time processing my feelings and putting them in their proper boxes.


    At first, I was absolutely livid. That bastard had stolen so much time from me. Over a fucking month where I had done nothing but dream, and it hadn''t even felt that long.


    ¡°Long enough that my friends waited until the last possible minute to leave," I muttered. "We could have been so much farther ahead than now."


    If Aaron had only been planning on stalling me, then he had certainly accomplished his mission. Still, a prolonged absence had been planned for. The others would have to rush, but it wasn''t too incredibly dire.


    But it was fucking annoying.


    I took a breath as I felt myself slip. The plan was still in motion even without my input. I knew this. I had to compartmentalize.


    To freak out would be to lose, and I didn''t have Regression Imbalance to blame anymore.


    I wasn''t about to admit a loss to an asshole like Aaron.


    Especially not when he was kicking himself at the end. Using that image, I took a breath. I needed to see if I could find out why he had done that.


    "Sara warned me about this," I told myself as I kept my eyes closed, and she had.


    Back in the Vespae Hive, she had added extra clauses and rules to the System Contract that allowed her to be my Patron. To protect me and potentially stop a disaster, she had said. The whole thing had grown nearly twice its size. I pulled the contract and the glasses I need to see the words from my inventory and attempted to read it, but I still couldn''t decipher the Enochian she had written it in.


    While it certainly hadn''t stopped Aaron from messing with the Trial, I wondered if this was all he could do. Even during our fight, if I could even call it that, he had been exceedingly gentle with me. His wings were hard and cold, but both of the times he had knocked me back hadn''t caused any damage except for when I fell.


    It killed me knowing I couldn''t just ask Sara about him later because her rules about other Angels would stop her from answering. All I had were assumptions and questions.


    If Sara could only touch Earth once, then would the laws binding them together as equals allowed him to do the same? Was this his only chance, and all he could do was stall my inevitable victory? Did Sara''s memory orb affect him as well, or did he have some other way of regaining memories once she did?


    Thinking about all she could do, though, made me think his influence was going to heavily diminish soon if they hadn''t already. Once he became someone''s Patron, he would be bound by much greater laws than the System Contract. That would rightly neuter him, even if it wasn''t a perfect solution. He obviously wanted to go after Sara and I, which would never be ideal.


    The two things that stuck with me, now that I had time to think and calm down, was that he said he trapped me because of my advantages and that it wouldn''t be sporting to keep me there. I couldn''t say if it were true, but it sounded more like he wanted to have his eventual avatar compete with me.


    Being tied to someone like Sara was something he clearly took umbrage with, but she was obviously the golden child and the silver bastard was second place. It might be a race to the end against someone with an inferiority complex and ego the size of Heaven itself. Fitting for the Lucifer of the system.


    And his chosen avatar would probably have the knowledge of how to kill Sara if that were the case.


    "Speculation," I told myself, shaking the thought from my head. This wasn''t doing me any good; I needed to get moving.


    Now that I was calmer, I started going through the long list of system messages I had received. The vast majority of them were warnings that my body was starting to shut down from lack of food and water and the notice that my healing was preventing damage. I deleted those with a single swipe and pulled up some others that gave me a better grasp of the timeline.


    <<<>>>


    [[Patron Quest Complete!]]


    Anthony, I can¡¯t see you and the system is telling me that you can¡¯t receive my messages at this time. I hoped that you would leave once I could no longer see you, but considering this is the quest completion prompt, I don¡¯t think that¡¯s on the table anymore.


    Whatever is happening in there, I hope you are well by the time you can read this message. I don¡¯t want to think something terrible has happened. All I can do is keep an eye on Sol Ligatus for you in your absence, and that¡¯s just what I intend.


    Be safe, Ant.


    Reward: 5,000 points.


    <<<>>>


    ¡°I¡¯m well, at least,¡± I muttered.


    The next screen I checked was for the liberation of the Mattress Firm. I had gotten the 2,500 points as promised, but it mentioned that the guildhall was too far away to earn the 20 guild points. That meant they had left me behind to go to the next destination.


    Looking at the order of the messages, I figured they had to have waited until the last minute to do so. That was why Sara left me when she did, because Sol Ligatus was moving on. In a way, it made me feel alone, but once I realized what had happened I felt grateful. I assumed she attached herself to Kayla, and she would be a big help.


    Going back, the next few messages were spaced out fairly evenly. Every couple of days, Sara would send me updates on how everyone was doing. Guild rank up screens became frequent, and I saw Kayla accept them as Guildmaster. The perks were pretty substantial such as specialty room enhancements, an automatic map of the area and any places of interest, and more.


    Pulling up the guild menu, I checked the new tab but saw that no one was in range and dismissed it. I already knew that was going to be the case, but I felt compelled to see anyway.


    I moved on. The next big announcement was that the Cathedral of Learning was open to the public. Its whereabouts were still unknown, but it could be raided. The lich inside was the scenario boss and the reason why the undead continued to rise. It promised a ton of points, guild points, and rewards for whoever finished it.


    I received a guild message from Kayla dated two days later.


    <<<>>>


    [[Guild Notice]]


    Anthony, it¡¯s been a week and a half since you left us. I can see that you¡¯re still part of the guild so I know you¡¯re still alive, but your disappearance has us worried.


    Everything is fine here. Taking over the guild led to a bit of a bumpy start, but things are going smoothly now. The lone wolves (and Jeff) are all working well together, which is something I know you were worried about. Don¡¯t worry, psychic boy, I¡¯m keeping them together!


    We¡¯re training up the protectors of Pittsburgh. Basically everyone in the top ten aside from the guild of you know who wants to hold joint operations with us, so it¡¯s been a smooth process. They¡¯ll be ready by the time we leave.


    Doneralego¡¯s arena opened recently. Greg finally showed his face. At first he was respectful, but slimy. The moment he figured out that you weren¡¯t around he started getting belligerent. Jamie stepped up to protect me and got cussed out for her trouble.


    Long story short, when you find Greg to dish out justice he¡¯s going to have one less hand to fight back with. Jamie got approached by a Patron for protecting the guild, too.


    Anyway, we¡¯re going to wait another day or two to go after the lich. That¡¯s the longest you said we¡¯re allowed to wait, so that¡¯s what we¡¯re doing.


    Hope to see you soon.


    - Kayla


    <<<>>>


    The update gave me mixed feelings. On one hand, I was glad that everything seemed to be going well. Unless she was lying, Kayla was doing a good job running the guild in my absence.


    On the other hand was the part about Greg¡¯s. The fake Jeff had told me that the man''s loss and that he was waiting for my divine judgment back when we were in the Golden Dream. I had thought it was just a tactic to shock me out of my episode, but it seemed like there was more to it than that.


    Pushing it aside for now, I scrolled through to the next big message.


    <<<>>>


    [[Second Scenario Complete!]]


    The Learned Lich, Doneralego, has been defeated in a most unorthodox way by the guild Sol Ligatus.


    His disappearance from the scenarios has set a different path into motion.


    Expect something more dire from here on out.


    Scenario MVPs: Sol Ligatus


    <<<>>>


    ¡°More dire, my ass. Your lich got jacked and you¡¯re scrambling to figure out what to do next,¡± I muttered as I confirmed my MVP Token had another entry on it. That would be huge for my bank account.


    Doneralego¡¯s phylactery, the item that housed his soul and allowed him to come back when destroyed, had been unbreakable and immovable using conventional methods. This was because the administrators wanted to keep him as a recurring boss to continue the undead theme. Thanks to the Relocation Grenade I had purchased from the Dealer, it would now be sitting inert in our guildhall and unable to function due to safe zone rules.


    Instead of reusing the lich, the administrator would liberate the US Steel Tower himself and turn it into a factory for metal golems. It wasn¡¯t active yet, but I knew the dungeon down below had already been sealed off.


    The undead were less threatening, but they were far more of a mental strain on the population. Pittsburgh would be fine.


    I pulled up the message that came directly after it.


    <<<>>>


    [[Guild Rank Up!]]


    Sol Ligatus is now at rank 10!You might be reading a stolen copy. Visit Royal Road for the authentic version.


    Rewards: the guild now has access to a guild-wide chat that costs 10 points per message to use with a maximum range of 50 miles from the Guild Board, the guildhall can now be placed in buildings outside of Pittsburgh and still allow access to benefits.


    Sol Ligatus has reached the maximum rank.


    <<<>>>


    That was a huge win for all of us. We couldn¡¯t leave Pittsburgh without taking all of our buffs with us. Getting this far took some time, but they were too helpful to leave behind. Not reaching the goal had been a slight worry, but I wouldn¡¯t have jumped into the Trial if I didn¡¯t trust them to deliver.


    I hesitated on the last message Sara sent me. They had all seemed upbeat, but I knew her well enough to tell there was worry and sadness hiding behind her words. This one was just morose.


    <<<>>>


    [[Patron Message]]


    Anthony, I miss you.


    I have made a decision. Instead of waiting for you like I want, I¡¯m going to offer my Patronage to Kayla. Ares has already claimed Jamie, and the others have gathered some interest due to the defeat of Doneralego. I¡¯m doing it for the sake of your plan, so I hope you don''t feel as though I''m abandoning you.


    Before I go, though, I think it would be terrible of me not to say something. It¡¯s been weighing on my mind, but I wanted to wait until we were together to say it.


    Anthony, I love you, too.


    You said it to me after you received the ring, and you said it to me back in Atlanta, but I didn¡¯t want to say it back to you without being face to face. Now that you¡¯re missing in action, I regret it.


    I¡¯ll help hold down the fort for as long as I need to. Please return to us safely. Check guild chat if you want to see what the others had to say.


    And, again, I love you, Anthony.


    Only yours,


    Sara


    <<<>>>


    I had to take a breath after that one. My heart ached, but I muttered at it to stop. They weren¡¯t gone, just somewhere else. At best, Aaron had only managed to mildly inconvenience me and my plans. Though, given that he was biding time, it was proving effective.


    Following Sara¡¯s advice, I did check out the guild chat. Most of the beginning was Jeff and Mercury playing with it while Ashley complained about the chat noise, but near the end I found the section that Sara was alluding to.


    <<<>>>


    [[Guild Chat]]


    Kayla: Anthony, the menu says you¡¯re still a part of the guild so I''m sending this message for you. We¡¯re all thinking of you, and we know you¡¯ll make it out of whatever nightmare you¡¯re going through. Come find us ASAP after you get out. Also, we are at guild-approved war with the Greg Davis Crew, so don¡¯t worry about any penalties when you finally show back up to deal with him.


    Jeff: Yeah, boss. We¡¯re all rooting for you. Isn¡¯t that right, Ash?


    Ashley: Why are you singling me out?


    Jamie: I heard her say she wanted you to come back soon.


    Ashley: Don¡¯t you go lying, f******!


    Mercury: Come back safe, Warmonger! I¡¯m going to keep training with Atlanta¡¯s Goddess of War and the Golden Retriever Knight and really surprise you next we meet.


    Jeff: Really man, you have to stop calling me that.


    Jamie: Keep it up, Mercury. It fits.


    Kayla: Alright, enough spending points. We¡¯re getting this train moving in five. We¡¯re rooting for you, psychic boy.


    Ashley: You better not die to some stupid trial.


    Jamie: Get back safe, Franklin.


    <<<>>>


    A smile overtook me despite my mood, and I read through that small section again. Bethany hadn¡¯t used it, but I expected that. She was shy and had only met me once; I wasn¡¯t going to hold it against her.


    Snapping away from the guild menu, I checked out the last screen waiting for me.


    <<<>>>


    [[Quest Complete!]]


    You have survived the Trial of the Golden Dream! Despite being inside for over a month, you managed to clear the conditions for your release. Your rewards will be decided based on the contents of the trial.


    Major Action: You have managed to reconnect with the system when it was running in the background.


    Major Action: An administrator gave her life without a fight so that you could clear the Trial of the Golden Dream.


    Reward: Fruit from the Tree of Life, Entwined With The System skill, Under Her Watchful Eyes passive.


    First Clear Reward: MVP.


    <<<>>>


    My eyes stopped on the second major action, and I frowned. ¡°Wait, she didn¡¯t fight back?¡±


    An indescribable feeling passed through me when I realized that even a fake Sara was 100% on my side. "But, that''s exactly what the Golden Dream is about," I said, rubbing my face.


    Not being able to handle that right now, I crossed my arms as I checked the rewards. This fruit was just as obscenely rare as the one I had attempted the trial for in the first place. While the Angelic Patrons wouldn¡¯t scramble to remove it from Earth like the Forbidden Fruit, it was still considered a holy relic in its own right.


    If the Golden Dream was the ¡°good¡± version of the ¡°evil¡± Silver Nightmare, then the opposite of the Tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil from Eden would have been the Tree of Life. Snapping open my inventory, I was surprised to see an apple appear out of thin air, touching my fingers before gravity took it.


    As it fell, I Lifted the fruit before it could hit the ground. It felt damn good to have my powers back, and I took the apple in my hand to pull up the description.


    <<<>>>


    [[Item]]


    Fruit from the Tree of Life


    This apple, when consumed, will permanently increase your Constitution stat by 50 points. This is a holy effect.


    <<<>>>


    The urge to eat it now was substantial, but I didn¡¯t. It wasn¡¯t like I needed the extra boost; I had planned out everything I needed to do and the stats needed to do them.


    I thought about it for a few seconds before getting ready to toss it back into my inventory, but it disappeared the moment I did. Staring at the spot where the apple just was, I thought about retrieving it, and it reappeared.


    Mentally sending it away one more time, I opened the system-based skill.


    <<<>>>


    [[Skill]]


    Entwined With The System


    Your connection with the system is so hardwired into your very being that you can even make it work in situations where you no longer have access. You have become a part of the system, just as the system is a part of you. You gain the following benefits.


    Instant Inventory: You can now place unattended and unclaimed items into your inventory without physically opening it first with a mental command. You may retrieve items the same way.


    Further benefits may become unlocked depending on player activity.


    <<<>>>


    ¡°That¡¯s fucking nuts¡­¡± I said out loud, unable to help myself.


    This was a crazy meta skill that I had never seen or heard of before. I wasn¡¯t sure if being more connected to the system was something I actually wanted, but that was a question that could only be answered with time. It would depend on what other powers it picked up.


    ¡°Probably what Aaron meant when he said he shouldn¡¯t have pushed me,¡± I muttered as I thought of the possibilities.


    ¡°Fucker shouldn¡¯t have tried me, then,¡± I responded to myself.


    Then, I blinked. Sara had only been gone for a little bit and I was already talking to myself like I used to. ¡°Well, at least the reward is a great one. Silver linings.¡±


    I pulled up the last trial reward. Based on the title alone, it clearly had something to do with Sara.


    <<<>>>


    [[Passive]]


    Under Her Watchful Eyes


    The bond you share with Esaraphelscion, Angel of the End, goes beyond that of a normal avatar. So long as she is your Patron, communication between you two is easier. You may now send private messages to her as she could to you.


    In addition, Esaraphelscion no longer has to spend points to send messages to you and she may now offer up to three quests per day instead of the standard two.


    Esaraphelscion is currently not your Patron. This passive will remain dormant until you become her avatar again.


    <<<>>>


    ¡°Two good skills,¡± I said with a forced whistle.


    Unlike Entwined, Watchful Eyes was something I knew about. I had never received it because I refrained from becoming that attached to my Patrons before, but I had seen it come about under a number of circumstances. Usually when an avatar worshiped or fell in love with their Patron. It wasn¡¯t entirely uncommon, depending on the nature of either party.


    Thinking about the events that just transpired, I stood up. Now that I had eaten, drank, and spent some time recovering, my legs didn¡¯t threaten to fall out from underneath me. Mentally retrieving the Staff of Raphael from my inventory, I snapped open my menu to pull up my status.


    <<<>>>


    [[Status]]


    Player Anthony Franklin


    Class: Warmind


    Race: Half-Angel (Dormant)


    Patron: None


    Guild: Sol Ligatus


    Player Kills: 7


    Points: 26,536


    Stats:


    Hit Points: 1,108/1,108


    Mental Points: 1,925/1,925 (300/300)


    Strength: 54; Dexterity: 58; Constitution: 84; Wisdom: 112; Willpower: 125


    <<<>>>


    I frowned at the new Player Kill counter before moving on. The loss of my Heelies of Hermes was a big hit, but nothing I was too worried about. Aside from the huge stat boosts, it just meant I was slower. That didn''t matter all too much. I just had to make it to the train station after I finished my work here in Pittsburgh.


    As I turned towards the door, I saw a familiar figure waiting just outside. Putting on what I knew would be a convincing smile, I walked to the entrance and emerged into the dimming light.


    ¡°About time you showed back up,¡± the Dealer said, leaning against the building. ¡°Your crew was worried sick about you. Had me promise I¡¯d keep an eye out for this place¡¯s arrival.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t act like you weren¡¯t worried, too,¡± I responded, standing next to him. There weren¡¯t many players on the street, but I figured they wouldn¡¯t see the alligator if he didn¡¯t want them to.


    ¡°Of course I was worried,¡± he scoffed. ¡°Golden goose, golden eggs, all that. You¡¯ve heard it before.¡±


    I snorted. ¡°I sure have. Still, it¡¯s good to see you.¡±


    ¡°Yeah, you, too,¡± he conceded. ¡°I¡¯m assuming you want to finish your business with Greg and catch up to your crew?¡±


    ¡°I imagine he hasn¡¯t gotten more repentant since his hand got cut off?¡± I asked.


    The Dealer scoffed and shook his head. ¡°No, he¡¯s back to trying to run the town. Getting more violent about it now that there¡¯s more resistance, too, since your crew trained up his replacements.¡±


    ¡°Then you¡¯ve got it right; I¡¯ll be taking care of him as soon as possible. Have a few things to run by you as well. A lot of weird things happened while I was asleep.¡±


    ¡°Silver Nightmare¡¯s dirty like that, so I believe it,¡± he said as he pulled a severed hand plugged into some kind of strange device. ¡°This here¡¯ll tell us where Greg is going to pop out. He¡¯s in the Pitt trying to liberate something according to my informants. This¡¯ll lead us to where. Then, you wait.¡±


    ¡°When did you come up with that?¡± I asked. Based on what he said I assumed the hand was Greg¡¯s, which meant Jamie had to have saved it.


    Jerking his head to tell me to follow, he started down the street. ¡°Kayla said you probably wouldn¡¯t want to leave without taking care of him, so I¡¯m helping expedite the situation for a small fee.¡±


    ¡°That tracks,¡± I said, nodding.


    ¡°So does this,¡± the alligator snorted, lifting the contraption.


    I had to chuckle. ¡°Though, you are wrong about one thing. I think I got my hands on some information that you¡¯ve never had before.¡±


    The Dealer looked down at me. ¡°Oh? Color me intrigued.¡±


    Looking up at him, I let the Staff of Raphael disappear back into my inventory without pulling up the menu. ¡°I wasn¡¯t in the Trial of the Silver Nightmare,¡± I said, causing him to look confused. ¡°Arontalscion messed it up and sent me to the Golden Dream. I know how to beat it now.¡±


    The look of surprise on the Dealer¡¯s face was almost enough to put the whole thing behind me. Almost.

 Chapter 190

    Pittsburgh - 8:27 PM


    ¡°I can¡¯t believe you, of all people, know about Sara but you don¡¯t know about Aaron,¡± I complained, throwing my hands in the air.


    ¡°Hey, I know of the Fallen,¡± the Dealer defended. ¡°Cut me some slack. You¡¯re talking about bosses that are basically locked up gods like it¡¯s a casual topic. Getting information on them isn¡¯t supposed to be easy, even for us treasure hunters. In fact, I bet no other one knows more about this stuff than I do.¡±


    ¡°Bellzee,¡± I said immediately.


    The alligator threw up his arms. ¡°Really? You think Bellzee has more information than I do? You must think lower of me than I thought.¡±


    Bellzee was a treasure hunter that focused on information just like the Dealer. They were a slime monster with a crystal ball floating in their center and, unlike the vast networks belonging to my reptilian friend, they got their knowledge through divinations. They weren¡¯t always accurate, but they were usually close enough that I could get by.


    I snorted. ¡°Bellzee was the one who gave me all the information I needed to find the world boss here on Earth.¡±


    He looked at me like I was crazy. ¡°And you tried to fight it?¡± he almost shouted before shaking his head. ¡°No. Regressor or not, you wouldn¡¯t be here if you did.¡±


    ¡°Yeah, I lost pretty bad,¡± I admitted. ¡°But the Calico¡¯s Button-Up was really nice insurance.¡±


    ¡°And how many lives did you use up?¡± he asked, referring to the Nine Lives passive the shirt came with.


    I grinned. ¡°It snapped my HP from zero back to half seven times. Six during the fight, and once during my tactical retreat.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re a damn fool,¡± he said, barking a harsh laugh. ¡°Then again, you did convince one of them world bosses to be your Patron somehow. I still say you¡¯re a fool, but something¡¯s working.¡±


    More than just a Patron, I thought but didn¡¯t say. ¡°You¡¯re not wrong. You don¡¯t have anything on him, though?¡±


    The Dealer shook his head. ¡°Nothing substantial, but I¡¯ll look into it. Especially since you¡¯re giving me the secret to how to beat the Golden Dream.¡±


    ¡°I haven¡¯t said anything about that yet,¡± I told him. When he gave me the side-eye, I laughed. ¡°I will. But I want to run something else by you first.¡±


    ¡°Shoot,¡± he said, moving out of the way of a couple of players coming down the road. They didn¡¯t react to him at all, and I knew that he was cloaked in some way.


    ¡°When I was in the Golden Dream, I was told to remember some things,¡± I said. ¡°Like, wide eyed, stare into my soul, you will remember this kind of thing, which was really strange at the time. The first was something Sara said, then Jeff told me that Greg was missing a hand and waiting for divine judgment or whatever.¡±


    ¡°That part is certainly true,¡± the Dealer said, lifting the severed hand he was carrying. ¡°And easy to check the moment you woke up.¡±


    ¡°Yup. The first time it happened, we were talking about something that isn¡¯t so easy to check.¡± Crossing my arms, I looked up at the sky in thought. ¡°I was told that my big, off-script move was taking Washington D.C. and summoning a piece of Hell for the Demons there. Then, since I could permanently kill them, I went on a rampage.¡±


    ¡°Did that help somehow?¡± he asked.


    ¡°I have a new passive called Angelic Ascent,¡± I said. ¡°Basically, every time I permanently kill a Demon, my Angel form grows in power. I don¡¯t get points, which sucks because I didn¡¯t get the points for killing the Demon Lord of Invention, but-¡°


    The Dealer nearly stumbled. ¡°You killed the Demon Lord?¡±


    ¡°Yeah, when I popped into Hell before I went to sleep,¡± I answered. ¡°Did you not get that memo?¡±


    He slapped his arm around my shoulder, nearly knocking me down. ¡°I knew they died, I just didn¡¯t know it was you. There was a Demon Lord¡¯s death, some guy who worked out of the shadows, and Hell¡¯s in an uproar about it. The details are being kept surprisingly tight, though. Current rumors say that Zalzarog did it, since he was the last on the scene.¡±


    ¡°You owe me for this one,¡± I said, and he winced. ¡°I fled before the Soul Drinker could show up on Sara¡¯s request. Not by choice; at the time I was drunk on power, but it was absolutely the right call.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m going to give that one to you,¡± he said, nodding. ¡°If only because everyone¡¯s going to want to know that an Angel- no, someone Angel-blooded went into Hell and took out one of their biggest bads. That¡¯s going to fetch me a pretty point, Anthony.¡±


    ¡°I know,¡± I laughed. ¡°That¡¯s why you¡¯re hanging out with me despite there being so many places you could be.¡±


    ¡°True, true. Okay, so revelations aside, you were told that you summoned Hell and basically broke the troops there,¡± the Dealer reiterated, stroking his long chin. ¡°That¡¯s going to take a lot of firepower. Did they say when?¡±


    ¡°No.¡± I shook my head. ¡°The sooner the better, I¡¯m guessing, but no timeline was given.¡±


    ¡°And this Aaron is basically, what? Evil Sara?¡± he asked.


    Just as I was about to refute that, I stopped. Thinking about it that way, it made sense. ¡°You know, I think so.¡±


    ¡°Alright, then it¡¯s a trap,¡± he said simply.


    ¡°I thought about that, but I need to talk to Sara before I jump to any conclusions,¡± I replied. ¡°If Aaron can control the Golden Dream, then I absolutely can¡¯t trust it. If all he can do is put me to sleep and shift me from one dream world to another, then that means there is some other force at work giving me that information.¡±


    ¡°You think it could be an opportunity?¡± he asked, stroking his chin.


    ¡°I do,¡± I confirmed. ¡°Because the dream is supposed to be perfect, so it may have some insight on a better path forward. It¡¯s worth asking about, at least. Taking down the Demons in Washington D.C. early and with Angelic Assent would be a huge boost. Absolutely worth going after. I would be able to complete the final scenario much sooner than planned. That alone will save more lives than I can imagine.¡±


    ¡°Sounds like you¡¯ll be cutting into my profits,¡± the Dealer snorted.


    I shrugged. ¡°That¡¯s dealing with a regressor for you.¡±


    ¡°Suppose so. Guess ending things early wouldn¡¯t be too bad. Could still do well for myself, if I get on it now,¡± he admitted. I wasn¡¯t sure exactly what he was referring to, but I wasn¡¯t going to ask if he was on board. After a few moments, he nodded. ¡°Alright, so it could be an opportunity. What if they were clues dropped by Aaron?¡±


    This time, it was my turn to stroke my chin as I thought it over. It was a valid question. ¡°I might still go on a rampage. The way I see it, whoever his champion is will likely have the same kind of Patron boons I do, right?¡±


    ¡°If they¡¯re your opposite, then it makes sense.¡±


    ¡°So he¡¯ll probably have his own version of Angelic Ascent,¡± I reasoned. ¡°I mean, sure, Hell is the Fallen¡¯s domain, or at least it should be? Still up in the air on that one. It might be the opposite because he might be trapped there like Sara. It¡¯ll be worth looking into. But killing Demons in Hell has to be easier than killing Angels in Heaven, and he wants his champion to compete with me. That¡¯s a tall order.¡±A case of theft: this story is not rightfully on Amazon; if you spot it, report the violation.


    The Dealer started nodding. ¡°You think that he wants you to summon Hell so his avatar doesn¡¯t have to, then steal some of the glory and points?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s what I¡¯ve come up with in this short time,¡± I said with a shrug. ¡°But, killing another Demon Lord or two will give me a substantial boost. I¡¯m not sure when I¡¯ll be ready for it, but I think it¡¯s worth a shot. Aaron already had his opportunity to kill me or leave me for dead and he either decided not to or couldn¡¯t, so I think he¡¯s got something to prove.¡±


    ¡°A little competition between world bosses using avatars sounds like it could be disastrous,¡± he remarked.


    The thought made me shiver. Thinking of how much damage I could do and then putting a second Anthony to run counter to it, there was very little that anyone could do to stop us. Of course, whoever he picked wasn¡¯t going to have my expertise so, thankfully, it was only a thought.


    One that I wasn¡¯t about to admit was dangerously enticing. I shook it away; it certainly shouldn¡¯t be something I wanted.


    ¡°I think I may have something for you,¡± the Dealer said as he stroked his chin. ¡°I don¡¯t have it yet. Just have to confirm that it¡¯s where I think it is and jump through a bunch of hoops to get it.¡±


    ¡°What is it?¡± I asked curiously.


    ¡°Something that will give you the edge in a war against a city full of Demons. I think it¡¯ll let you bypass any traps or tricks Arontalscion is planning on throwing your way,¡± he answered. ¡°I don¡¯t want to get your hopes up by telling you what it is, but if I can confirm it, I¡¯ll give it to you in exchange for telling me how to win the Golden Dream.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s gotta be worth it.¡±


    ¡°It will be,¡± he said, grinning deviously. ¡°Michael, the Patron, put out a call for it.¡±


    I arched an eyebrow. ¡°And you¡¯re willing to give it to me instead of giving it to a Patron as powerful as an Archangel?¡±


    ¡°What can I say? I have faith in you, kid.¡±


    That put me at a loss for words, but I nodded. ¡°Alright, Dealer. Thank you. I really appreciate what you¡¯re doing for me.¡±


    ¡°Yes, I¡¯m amazing. Surprised it took you so long to see it,¡± he said, stopping in front of a large lot with a swimming pool in the center of it. ¡°Alright, we¡¯re here and we have a few minutes according to the tracker. Next order of business, Kayla made me pick up some of your requests from the Auction House.¡±


    ¡°Aww, thanks Kayla,¡± I said, and he shot me a glare. ¡°And the Dealer, of course.¡±


    ¡°Of course, he says,¡± the alligator snorted. Tucking away Greg¡¯s hand and the device it was attached to into his pocket, he retrieved two books and handed them to me. ¡°Missed out on In The Palm and Hard Body because I was told too late, but I picked up both of these for you.¡±


    ¡°Did you miss out on Comfort Plus?¡± I asked sharply.


    ¡°Nah, nothing¡¯s popped up.¡±


    ¡°Okay. I would have ruined Aaron¡¯s entire existence right this moment if he made me miss Comfort Plus,¡± I said, breathing a sigh of relief.


    I ignored the weird look the Dealer gave me and looked at the books.


    The one on top was larger than average and was light blue with the picture of a head. The brain was escaping from inside of it, bulging as if it had somehow become muscular. Just like the Bodily Inferno compilation I told the Mills they should get for Corwin, this book was the result of passives stuck together and placed into a Blank. The second one was a group of people surrounding one who was blindfolded, but they each had an eye above their heads.


    ¡°Mental Juggernaut and Spatial Awareness!¡± I exclaimed. ¡°Nice! Thanks a lot, Dealer. These two were at the top of my wish list. Aside from, you know, Comfort Plus.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re welcome. I¡¯m glad something is going right despite your absence,¡± he said.


    ¡°Same, man.¡±


    ¡°Alright, then I¡¯m on my way out. I¡¯ll get the information on that secret weapon verified as soon as possible and meet you in Chicago.¡±


    ¡°Sounds good. I¡¯ll be taking the train as soon as I¡¯m done with Greg, so I should be there early tomorrow morning. Until then, stay safe,¡± I said.


    With an acknowledging grunt, the Dealer pulled out another gadget from his pocket and pressed a big red button. He disappeared with an audible pop, and I was alone in the dark.


    I looked around. Whatever building this was, it was huge. Definitely worth a lot of points if I were to judge it solely on its size. Maybe an apartment or shopping complex of some sort.


    Instead of dwelling on it for too long, I looked back down at the two skill books in my hands. The Mental Juggernaut was a great standalone, and I decided to do that first. Spatial Awareness was going to need both of my Synthesis Pages to get to where I wanted it to be.


    Opening up the first one, I hit Yes and relished in the feeling of my mind fortifying itself.


    <<<>>>


    [[Passive]]


    Mental Juggernaut


    When targeted by any ability, skill, spell, or passive that attempts to affect your mind, treat your Wisdom or Willpower as 20% higher, depending on which is targeted. When using Mental Points, decrease the costs required by 20%.


    <<<>>>


    ¡°Now that¡¯s a damn good hybrid skill,¡± I said aloud. The person who had synthesized had been aiming for a psychic class, but didn¡¯t get one in the end. Thanks to that, they ended up putting it on auction to pay for their new spell-focused build. It was a huge boon for me.


    Instead of taking the time to absorb the skill book for Spatial Awareness, which would essentially allow me to see around me constantly with something similar to echolocation, I pulled out a synthesis page so I could merge it with Aura Sense. That had been a huge help to me in Pittsburgh thanks to Sara gifting it before I would normally get it. When prompted, I hit Yes and pulled up the new skill.


    <<<>>>


    [[Skill]]


    Awareness Aura


    When this skill is active, you are aware of everything inside of your aura. Your aura stretches out in a radius as far out as a half foot per point of Wisdom by paying a moderate cost of Mental Points.


    <<<>>>


    ¡°Not as great as either alone, but then we do a little of this¡­¡± I said, trailing off as I pulled out my last Synthesis Page.


    I selected both Awareness Aura and Dungeon Sight to be mixed.


    Dungeon Sight had been a fabulous skill. It was already a synthesis between Trap Sense and Clear Eyes which allowed me to see in the dark and through things like smoke as well as occasionally get glimpses of special treasures, hidden objects, and traps. Now, it was being used as fodder.


    With excitement welling up inside of me, I hit Yes again.


    <<<>>>


    [[Passive]]


    Absolute Awareness


    Your vision is absolute.


    Increase the distance at which you can make out fine details by a magnification of 10. You can see through darkness as if it were daylight, and can see through magical obscurement and weather effects without hindrance.


    In addition, you can use your aura to see in a radius as far out as a foot per point of Wisdom. With this, you can see through walls, though some thick, rare, or magical materials can reduce visibility. Abilities, skills, spells, and passives that require line of sight will work through Absolute Awareness.


    <<<>>>


    Even without closing my eyes, my sight opened up around me. While the passive didn¡¯t specifically say it, using my aura worked a lot like the Aura Sense skill. Items and buildings showed up in varying shades of gray as if I was looking at them through a filter, and I could see inside the buildings across the street. There was someone looting the place, their aura a dim yellow, but it didn¡¯t seem to be anyone of consequence.


    Without turning to look, I Lifted a sign off of the ground. When it did as I wanted, I grinned like the fool the Dealer thought I was.


    One of the biggest hurdles of the Warmind class was that I needed line of sight to use my abilities. It didn¡¯t matter if I had a line of effect so long as I could see the item and it was in range. With Absolute Awareness, that weakness disappeared almost completely. Raising my hand, I Pulled the sign from behind me to catch it.


    ¡°And it¡¯s a passive!¡± I cackled.


    Unlike those that came before, the ultimate rendition of this skill changed into a passive that worked all the time. Of course, it took a lot of getting used to; my mind was already feeling a little dizzy from my expanded field of view, but that would pass quickly. To help ease that, I drew my aura sight in, allowing it to only be as large as the lot I was waiting for. The feeling immediately lessened.


    My outburst did do one thing, however: it made me miss Sara. My mood dimmed as I looked to the sky. It had been such a short amount of time, but I had gotten used to sharing my excitement with my wife.


    My girlfriend, I gently reminded myself.


    ¡°Soon,¡± I said aloud.


    There was no reason to linger on sentimentality. I pushed away the feeling as the lot in front of me started to glow. Raising my hand, I conjured the Staff of Raphael while I watched the building rise from the ground. I saw the auras of several people inside, including a familiar smoky one with a missing hand.


    ¡°Now, it¡¯s time to do Sara¡¯s work.¡±

 Chapter 191

    Eastside Bond Apartments, Pittsburgh - 8:58 PM


    Deep inside the building in an open air courtyard, Greg was surrounded by a platoon of other players, and I made my way towards them. Based on their auras, everyone aside from the Guildmaster was in bad shape. There weren¡¯t any bodies so they hadn¡¯t lost anyone, but the battle had clearly not been kind to them. That didn¡¯t matter, I was only after one person.


    I watched as Greg¡¯s aura slowly changed from its normal, wispy state to something more erratic. Confusion, then anxiety, then fear. He stared up at the sky as if he didn¡¯t want to believe whatever his Patron was surely telling him, and then he focused on my direction. Just as he seemed ready to flee, I made my way into the atrium.


    Most of the people were resting on the ground around a frozen pool. They were out of breath and barely reacted to me, though I did receive a few curious glances. My assessment had been right; not a single person came back to the surface without heavy wounds except for Greg. He stood on the ice, and I met his eyes after looking him over.


    His hole-covered armor was gone, replaced by a long coat that constantly released a haze from it. Whatever he wore underneath it was probably magical, as well. A bandanna covered his head, and he had an assortment of rings on the fingers of his remaining hand. His stump was covered with some kind of metal cap, though it didn¡¯t seem like magical gear to me.


    In the building all around us, there was smoke. It seemed to be creating a solid wall between us and the outside, but I knew it wouldn¡¯t hinder Greg. His abilities were now at the same level as mine and his stats likely were, too. I had been asleep for too long.


    ¡°Anthony!¡± he greeted, trying to hide his nervousness. ¡°I''m glad to see you soon against that detectable-¡±


    Olivia¡¯s head appeared in my hand as I mentally retrieved it from my inventory, and I tossed it. I watched as Greg¡¯s eyes widened as he tracked it flying through the air. Black blood splattered on the snow underneath its arc. I Lifted it just as it was about to hit the ice, giving it a soft landing, and let it slide until it hit the smoker¡¯s foot.


    He stared at it with wide eyes.


    ¡°Who here was with Greg and Olivia in the Pitt before her disappearance?¡± I demanded, taking my eyes off of the smoker to look around.


    ¡°You¡¯re the bastard who killed Olivia!¡± one of the men shouted. Others started to join him.


    Instead of responding, I sent out a pulse of my Tyrant¡¯s Will. The shouts were immediately quelled as the group of fighters shivered. Two of them bolted, attempting to flee only to be stopped by Greg¡¯s smoke wall. They stood there, staring, wanting to escape but knowing better than to cross the threshold into the blinding mist.


    ¡°Once more,¡± I called. ¡°Who saw Greg give Olivia to Pustibule?¡±


    ¡°What an absurd sentence,¡± Greg barked. He seemed to be getting his nerve back now that his wall was nearly finished. ¡°What even is a Pustibule? Stop making up words, Anthony!¡±


    Raising my hand, I summoned Olivia¡¯s Demonic body from my inventory. The thin, headless form had two small, malformed hands come out of the middle of its torso. Dozens of spindly legs dangled freely towards the ground, making it look like I was holding some kind of weird, messed up broom. This, too, freely bled.


    ¡°Greg Davis, there is none here who have seen your deeds, but that won¡¯t stop my judgment,¡± I announced.


    ¡°You clearly did this!¡± he loudly accused. ¡°You killed Olivia after turning her into some kind of monster!¡±


    ¡°Are you saying that I turned her into a Demon, Greg?¡± I asked, keeping my voice even.


    ¡°That¡¯s the only explanation for this sick act!¡± he screamed, seeming to get over his nervousness as he saw his men take up arms. Though they were confused, they were loyal. ¡°Everyone, get ready to cut this freak down!¡±


    I cast my gaze over the others, watching as they prepared themselves for battle out of loyalty and camaraderie. If it were to anyone other than Greg, I would have been impressed. Not this time, though. Not today.


    My voice thrummed with power. ¡°B?r?e?a?k? ?fr?e?e? F?r?o?m? ?T?h?e? ?S?h?a?c?k?l?e?s? ?O?f? ?M?a?n?!¡±


    I transformed, becoming antithetical to everything Demonic and showing my true colors. Lifting myself off of the ground with my wings, I hit everyone in the area with my new Peacekeeper¡¯s Will for the first time. The only exception was Greg, and I activated Tyrant''s Will in tandem to keep him sweating.


    <<<>>>


    [[Skill]]


    Peacekeeper¡¯s Will


    You can ease tension with a glance. By looking into another¡¯s eyes and paying a low cost of Mental Points, you can instill a feeling of peace and serenity in them based on the difference between your Willpower stat and their defensive mental stat. If they do not have a defensive mental stat, their resistance depends on their highest stat divided by 2. At a higher cost, you can project Peacekeeper¡¯s Will as an aura that affects everyone inside a radius as far out as one foot per point of Willpower.


    <<<>>>


    The group as a whole took a step back as I revealed my true form. Some started kneeling, others began praying, most stared with open mouths. None resisted my forced peace. One stepped forward.


    ¡°I was there!¡± yelled a man in dark tactical gear wielding a silver assault rifle. ¡°I saw him negotiate with the Demon!¡±


    ¡°Shut up, Brett!¡± Greg growled, though he didn¡¯t dare take his eyes off of me. He made a small motion that I knew was to open his inventory, but I let this play out despite his actions and the cost to me. It had to happen.


    ¡°I can¡¯t lie to an Angel, Greg!¡± Brett practically screeched, turning to face his boss. ¡°You got invited to that place-¡±


    ¡°He¡¯s not a real Angel!!¡±


    ¡°- by that Jeremiah guy and-¡±


    ¡°Shut your mouth, Brett!¡± Greg screeched, taking an angry step towards the other man.


    ¡°-talked to the Demon!¡± the gunner continued anyway. ¡°You even congratulated yourself for playing both sides.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re a goddamn liar and a traitor to the crew!¡±


    Brett scowled. ¡°When Olivia protested, you gave her up, saying she shouldn¡¯t-¡±


    A plume of smoke violently emerged from the windows closest to Brett, shattering the glass and breaking the metal casing. Shrapnel hit those surrounding the gunner as the cloud headed straight for him. I took a step forward.


    Reappearing next to the man with Fae Step, I shoved him to safety and ascended into the air. The smoke nearly caught my foot on the way up.


    With a flick of my wrist, I summoned the Scalpel of Angelic Healing from In The Palm and activated the Demon Slayer skill. The small tool changed in an instant, expanding into a wing-shaped sword with a halo crossguard. I didn¡¯t think Greg had let himself go through with Demonification, but Olivia¡¯s body would still have enough energy to allow me this.


    ¡°Greg Davis,¡± I called as I released my aura of peace and leaned into my Angelic appearance. ¡°For crimes against humanity and those who pledged themselves to your service, I am here to render divine judgment.¡±


    Sweating from the constant despair aura I was forcing on him, Greg wiped his forehead before pulling out a golden cigar from his inventory. This was one of the special ones I had directed him to, and it was already lit. As much fun as he must have had ordering someone as powerful as Olivia to perform small tasks, it seemed he had learned his lesson about going into battle unprepared.


    Greg put the cigar to his mouth and took a drag, desperate to take in as much smoke as he could. The temptation to Bend it and break it was strong, but I let him.


    ¡°I really was going to let you be, Greg, if you had taken Heaven¡¯s side,¡± I announced. ¡°But your ego got in your way like it always did. If I hadn¡¯t stopped Pustibule¡¯s plans, then the people of Pittsburgh would have all turned into something like Olivia.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s impossible!¡± Greg snapped, smoke falling from his mouth like a waterfall. ¡°You don¡¯t know jack shit, you false Angel!¡±


    ¡°You lie as easily as you breathe,¡± I said before looking at everyone else. ¡°Leave the Greg Davis Crew. Find new guilds to join that don''t have a leader that will sacrifice you at the earliest convenience. That''s my advice for you all.¡±


    Even without Peacekeeper¡¯s Will active, the Greg Davis Crew didn¡¯t look like they wanted to fight me. In fact, the vast majority were staring daggers at their Guildmaster. Not only because of my words, but because of Brett taking a stand and his subsequent treatment.


    ¡°Fuck you!¡± Greg yelled before raising his hand and flipping me off.


    The pillar of smoke that had remained underneath me flexed and rose up. It attempted to grab my feet as the rest of the glass in the atrium exploded inward. The only one who was safe from it was Greg.This tale has been unlawfully obtained from Royal Road. If you discover it on Amazon, kindly report it.


    I activated Shield as I shot forward. Flying downwards, I dove towards Greg when a wall of smoke emerged from his mouth.


    This one didn¡¯t turn into the giant that he liked to use before I went to sleep, but solidified around him as a barrier. Twisting, I put my sword in front of me. When I collided with the smoke, I broke through despite the resistance.


    The scalpel was carefully aimed, and I had planned on taking off his remaining hand. It wasn¡¯t meant to be. The last time we fought he had mistimed a skill that froze him and made him immune to damage for a split second, but he had obviously gotten better at using it. The scalpel broke through his defensive cloud to tear his clothes but didn¡¯t break the skin, and I had to stop myself before it pierced the ice.


    Smoke rushed in from all around us while Greg backpedaled in panic. In less than a second I had conjured four large fans strategically placed around us. I began Spinning them the moment they finished forming, and the smoke struggled to push against the sudden wind. The mist around us was sucked away.


    His escape route cut off by spinning blades of death, Greg roared. ¡°You can¡¯t do this to me! I¡¯m going to be the king of Pittsburgh!¡±


    ¡°Were,¡± I corrected. ¡°You were.¡±


    Greg retrieved another item from his inventory. I saw that it wasn¡¯t his old baseball bat but a sawed-off shotgun. Before he could point it at me, I reached out and grabbed the barrel.


    It went off as I pointed it towards the sky, and my hand would have burned if it weren¡¯t for my glove. A current of pain went through me, likely from some other skill or passive, but I ignored it. It wasn¡¯t any worse than other things I had gone through recently.


    ¡°I find this battlefield fitting,¡± I said loudly as I headbutted Greg in the nose. He released the shotgun to grab it, swearing, and I tossed it away. ¡°In Dante¡¯s Inferno, Cocytus is a frozen lake that marks the last circle of Hell. Now, we are fighting over a frozen pool. Do you know the type of people who end up there?¡±


    With another scream of fear and frustration, Greg blew smoke onto his arm. It coalesced into the form of a disembodied hand that stayed just under his stump, acting as a cloudy prosthetic. Next, he retrieved a longsword from his inventory.


    Once he realized that I wasn¡¯t planning on shoving him into one of the fan blades, he figured fighting was his only choice. He was right about that, but was entirely too optimistic about the outcome.


    Some of the smoke started to make it through, mostly from above, and I let it. So long as I didn¡¯t let him gather enough to fully trap me, I was okay. The Death Mist wasn¡¯t going to blind me now that I was blessed with Absolute Awareness. I parried his sword with my own.


    ¡°Betrayers, Greg. The frozen lake was for the betrayers, traitors, and Judas of the world,¡± I informed. ¡°You, in particular, would be sent to Antenora, where those who betrayed their party or country were punished by being submerged in ice, as all were in Cocytus.¡±


    ¡°What the fuck are-¡± Greg¡¯s eyes suddenly widened as he glanced down at the frozen pool underneath us. ¡°No!¡±


    The Guildmaster redoubled his efforts to hit me. His Strength was higher than mine even with the boost I received from Break Free, but he didn¡¯t have any of my skill or finesse. I let him push me back in a circle between the fans, but any time he tried to flee or break them I would parry and prevent it.


    Tendrils of smoke started to cling to me, especially my face. They pulled, but didn¡¯t have enough mass to truly hinder me. Everyone else in the atrium had been forced to the ground by the sheer amount of pressure the cloud was putting out, but they seemed safe enough when I checked their auras.


    ¡°Yes. This is the end you deserve,¡± I said, remaining loud enough that all can hear. ¡°It will be neither swift nor merciful.¡±


    ¡°You can¡¯t do this to me!¡± he shouted. ¡°I¡¯m Greg Fucking Davis! I¡¯m the best here in Pittsburgh!¡±


    He raised his sword and brought it down hard, and I felt the ice crack underneath when I blocked. In the corner of my vision, the smoke started pushing back against the fans with an intensity matched only by my opponent¡¯s panic. That would have to go.


    ¡°No. You¡¯re perhaps the smallest man I¡¯ve ever known,¡± I returned, causing his face to turn an entirely new shade of red from fear and anger.


    I continued to parry and position as the enemy¡¯s wall closed in on us like a coffin. Inside of my head, one of my trump cards was activating. It wasn¡¯t for him, but for the smoke. Opening my mouth, a beam of golden light spilled out over Greg¡¯s shoulder.


    <<<>>>


    [[Skill]]


    Dragon¡¯s Breath


    Gather energy in your mouth and open it to unleash your fury. This skill allows you to convert Mental Points into pure elemental damage based on your stat total. As a Half-Angel, your breath weapon is infused with the Holy property. You may concentrate the beam of energy or cause it to widen, altering the damage output accordingly.


    Activating Dragon¡¯s Breath takes 2 seconds and costs 180 Mental Points. Extended use of this skill drains 18 Mental Points per second.


    Notice: the Heavenly Hero passive decreases the cost of this skill by 10%. This deduction has already been factored into the description.


    <<<>>>


    As the breath weapon cut through the smoke around us, I was reminded of the time I used it against the Thistle Hag. Her necromantic flames had popped out of existence from just being near the beam. Greg¡¯s smoke, now that he was the avatar of Achlys, worked much the same way. The death energy pervading the mist was anathema to the holy energy I was outputting. At my level, I was perfectly capable of disintegrating the smoke.


    I spun in a circle, letting my constructed fans fade one by one as I destroyed the sea of clouds pressuring the guild members as well as most of the building. Greg continued to swing on me, but well placed blocks, Force Fields and my Shield ability stopped the blows. I was careful not to hit any of the bystanders. While some of them may have been complicit in Olivia¡¯s fate, I only cared about their boss.


    Once the smoke was clear, I turned to face Greg. He reached into his inventory and pulled out another lit golden cigar. I Bent it, breaking it before he could pull it to his lips, and he stared at it dumbly. The others started rising to their feet.


    ¡°Guildmaster Greg Davis,¡± I announced as I swung my sword. Whether it was in shock, defeat, or lack of skill, his focus was gone. His natural hand and weapon flew away, sliding to a stop near the corner of the atrium. I returned my scalpel to its original form and put it back into the small pocket dimension as he doubled over, clutching his new stump to his chest. ¡°The judgment is set, and your sentence will begin immediately. Your sins will not be forgiven.¡±


    ¡°Wait, wait!¡± he yelled, pain and panic evident in his voice, eyes, and aura. ¡°Mercy! Please! I was tricked by that Demon, tricked! Give me a second chance!¡±


    Pausing, I regarded the man who hadn¡¯t even gotten on his knees to beg. ¡°Tricked," I repeated. "Do you really believe you deserve one?¡±


    Greg nodded vigorously.


    ¡°On your knees.¡±


    He hesitated for a fraction of a second before doing so, and I could feel defiance welling up in his aura.


    I smiled at him. From the look on his face, he immediately knew that this was not a gentle gesture. ¡°No.¡±


    As Greg¡¯s panic was replaced by outrage, I raised my foot and slammed it down on the ice beneath us. It was already cracked from our skirmish, but now it shattered. I used Drop on the other man with all four uses of Split at my disposal. He attempted to grab me, to pull me down with him, but I flew backwards out of his reach.


    The moment he was submerged, I retrieved the Endless Smoker from my inventory and filled it with ice. The mist it began releasing was colder than the air around us, and I used it to refreeze the top layer of the pool.


    I could see and feel Greg as he struggled, trying his hardest not to breath in the water, but felt nothing for him. There was nothing to feel. He gave up the one person who was most loyal to him even when she was treated like shit the entire time. The fact that his death would fit his crime was nothing but a coincidence.


    No one interrupted my work as I repaired the ice, making it thicker by going around the pool several times. Someone could break through it if they really tried, but I gave Greg no chance to succeed as I continued to use Drop on him in the deep end. Blood stained the water around him as he tried, and failed, to figure out how to open his menu without hands.


    The bottom of the pool started to crack from the force of his struggle, but it wasn¡¯t long now. Even with a heightened Constitution, he was losing this fight as he ran out of air and the cold sapped his strength.


    Just when the Endless Smoker ran out of ice and started emitting regular smoke, I received the notification I was waiting for.


    <<<>>>


    [[Victory!]]


    You have murdered Guildmaster [Greg Davis]; +1,241 points


    [[Victory!]]


    You have slain the Guildmaster of [Sol Ligatus]¡¯s sworn enemy. Without a Deputy Guildmaster, the guild you¡¯re at war with will come to an end.


    [The Greg Davis Crew] will be forcibly disbanded in 10 minutes. The guildhall is too far away to receive guild points.


    Reward: 2,000 points.


    <<<>>>


    ¡°Not that I¡¯m happy about this outcome,¡± I muttered as I put the Endless Smoker into my inventory.


    Dropping Break Free and returning to my normal form, I checked my status to see that I had a hundred Mental Points available and my Medallion of the Warmind Uuska was still full. Plenty of resources in case anyone else wanted to try me.


    I looked around, seeing the mixed reactions in the crowd surrounding me. ¡°Does anyone have any grievance with what I¡¯ve done here today?¡± I asked. Only a few seemed to consider my words, the others too shocked at either Greg¡¯s death, what he had done to Olivia, or how he flattened them to protect himself. Many seemed to be blinking the Death Mist out of their eyes. ¡°No? Good, then I¡¯m leaving Pittsburgh.¡±


    When I turned to leave through the door I came in from, somebody spoke up. ¡°What are we supposed to do now?¡±


    ¡°I already told you. Find better people to work with, not for,¡± I said without stopping. ¡°Stop being sycophants and find your own way. Do good things, kill Demons, and do right by your community. How you do that is up to you.¡±


    ¡°Is that it?¡± Brett called. ¡°Do right?¡±


    That made me stop, and I turned around and looked at him. ¡°You, in particular,¡± I said, acid in my tone. ¡°Do better.¡±


    Brett nodded slowly. He understood.


    Silence followed me, and I left. I was sure that the transportation hub was up and active by now, and I had a train to catch. A series of messages popped up while I ran.


    <<<>>>


    [[Notice]]


    The Patron [Dhumavati] thanks you for avenging her avatar.


    [[Notice]]


    The Patron [Achlys] admits they underestimated you.


    [[Notice]]


    The Patron [Achlys] has extended a Patron Pact to you. If you so choose to accept, benefits befitting an avatar of [Achlys] will appear to you.


    <<<>>>


    ¡°No,¡± I said firmly, looking at the sky. ¡°Sorry, but even if my Patron left me, it¡¯s only temporary. My advice is to find better people in Pittsburgh. There should be a big class to choose from after my guild trained them up.¡±


    There was no response, but that was fine. I continued running through the snowy streets of Pittsburgh, ready to leave this city and its sour memories behind.

 Chapter 192

    Public train en route to Chicago, Illinois - 2:20 AM


    Despite being much smaller than what I was used to, the private room on the public train was cozy enough. The one I purchased a ticket for came with its own bathroom and shower, though nothing to do laundry with. There were two beds, one that pulled out from the wall around chest height and another that was made by laying down the two chairs by the window.


    I missed my luxury sleeper car, but this would do for now.


    Staring out of the window, I sipped from a water bottle as I watched the scenery pass by. Several cities and towns weren¡¯t available as destinations just yet, though there were a few along our route that had had been unlocked. Cleveland and Toledo, the biggest cities on this route to Chicago, both had their transportation hub bosses defeated, amongst others.


    Any place that did were options passengers could choose as a destination. While the Angel Express could go anywhere with a track thanks to it being a private vehicle, the transportation hubs were different. The best you could do was leave a train early if there was a place you wanted to go to that wasn¡¯t unlocked yet, but that came with its own set of problems.


    Putting my hand over the table, I summoned the Fruit from the Tree of Life out of my inventory. I had expected Entwined With The System would take me longer to get used to, but it had been incredibly intuitive so far. Perhaps it was because I was used to giving mental orders to the world as a Warmind, though that hadn¡¯t been easy to get used to at all.


    After giving it some thought, I figured that must have been it. The skill literally said the system and I were hardwired together, so it was no different than interpreting my thoughts to make objects move with my mind..


    But I shoved that thought aside for now. Even though it had the possibility of further benefits, I didn¡¯t even have an inkling of an idea on what those could be or how to unlock them. That was for Future Anthony to figure out.


    For now, I stared at the apple on the small table. It was a perfect, healthy specimen with a reflective red luster and a stem with two leaves on it. Now that I was taking my time and in a better frame of mind, I could see that it was damn near picturesque. It wasn¡¯t what I wanted, but it was what I had to work with.


    It wasn¡¯t as though the fruit was weak. Far from it, in fact; the +50 Constitution buff was insane. Any single Patron would kill to get their hands on this holy relic if only because it made their avatars so much harder to kill. However, that was the problem; I could only barter with it once.


    Unfortunately, I wouldn¡¯t be able to trade it to the biblical Patrons as a group with just the one. Not in the way I wanted to, anyway. If it were the Forbidden Fruit that came from the Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil, then I would have been able to mobilize Heaven itself for my purposes.


    It wasn¡¯t just because the item was powerful. Instead, it was because they received a ton of accolades, points, and gifts from the system for following their roles. And, for the biblical Patrons, keeping the Forbidden Fruit out of human hands was a role for everyone on the side of good from that faction.


    I tapped the apple and thought about the circumstances. The event that I wanted to rally the avatars of the Angels for was still a long way off. If left unattended, the war between Ottawa and Washington D.C. would last for almost 9 months with Heaven eventually pulling off a win, albeit with heavy casualties.


    When I¡¯m intervening, the Demons quickly lose. This is due to flawless intelligence, a few hints here and there, and partaking in several gruesome battles. Even though I couldn¡¯t usually take them on, the side of good prevails thanks to the Angelic Templars canceling out the Demon Lords.


    Then, after their victory, the avatars of the biblical Patrons scatter. Even though I try to warn them, they don¡¯t listen to me. Not only did they think they know best whether their avatars want to listen or not, they have their own Patronly duties to attend to after the Templars return to Heaven because they¡¯re too powerful to stay on Earth and help out.


    A couple of months later, the Demons inevitably attempt to try again.


    As far into the scenarios as their second invasion is, the beings in the hierarchy under Demon Lords are allowed onto Earth with only a relatively small hit to their power. Zalzarog was usually the first to regain his strength due to his captured souls empowering him, but others could be just as destructive in the meantime. The Angels, assuming they had won, only act when it¡¯s too late despite the constant warnings.


    But, with the Forbidden Fruit, I could force them to reunite with me long enough to seal the oversized Hell gate the Demons make to get their revenge. This was, by far, the path of least resistance.


    And I was expecting a lot more resistance this time around. Not only was a Demon Lord dead, but it happened in their own domain. That was just like walking into a king¡¯s throne room and killing him in cold blood. If I went on a successful rampage in Washington D.C., they¡¯d have to be absolutely livid. Especially if they found out that I was the main cause of both big losses.


    Tilting the apple until it fell over, I continued staring. Thanks to Aaron¡¯s sudden appearance and foiling of my plans, I needed to change gears. With Sara, I may still be able to barter for the respect of the Patrons of Heaven. She had already given me the Staff of Raphael somehow, which was a huge get. That particular Archangel might be willing to work with us if we both asked.


    I wasn¡¯t going to hold my breath about it though. If I attacked for the sole purpose of pushing Angelic Ascent to its limits, then I wouldn¡¯t require Ottawa¡¯s Angelic army at all. All I needed was a Demon to open up the barrier for me and help bring Hell to Earth. That required a very powerful ritual, but the beings stuck inside would take care of that once they got their hands on it. They¡¯d jump on it.


    All I needed was someone willing to go in there and give it to them.


    ¡°Jeremiah Wilson,¡± I decided. ¡°He''s a Demon, so he''s probably not Aaron''s actual choice of avatar.¡±


    ¡°Unless he is,¡± I countered. ¡°You can¡¯t think you can predict what this bastard¡¯s going to do. That¡¯s a recipe for disaster.¡±


    ¡°True,¡± I sighed. ¡°But then I''ll need him for other reasons. Either way, reaching out to him helps me.¡±


    It wasn¡¯t as though I trusted the Shadow Sniper, but he was someone who knew my reputation. Jeremiah had also risked himself to deliver information about Pustibule¡¯s plans. I wouldn¡¯t count him as a true ally, but I felt as though I could persuade him to join my side for a job or two provided that the price was right and he had assurances that I wouldn¡¯t kill him once it was all over unless he did something horrendous.


    Luckily, I had a Dealer who could help with such system-binding assurances.The narrative has been taken without permission. Report any sightings.


    The hard part would be figuring out where the sniper fled to. He could have gone anywhere in the western hemisphere while I was asleep. If I were Jeremiah, I would have gotten as far away from Pittsburgh as I could as quickly as possible. Perhaps even out of the country.


    Once I was back on the Angel Express and worked out the details with Sara, I decided to have the alligator look for him. The treasure hunter would be able to find Jeremiah easier than I could and act as a mediator between the two of us.


    Not only that, but the Dealer would probably have some of the Hell Gate ritual materials on hand and could get the rest for me. Unlike the last time I had put in an order, there wouldn¡¯t be any big rush. The Patron¡¯s Ball was still a ways off.


    My tentative to-do list was now to gather the things that were needed to rip open a portal and turn a piece of Earth into Hell. I was up for a tour around North America to get what I needed. It would basically be a glorified series of fetch quests that I gave myself, but it gave me a chance to visit places I didn¡¯t often go.


    If only I could actually give myself quests, that would make my life a whole lot easier. I paused briefly, considering it.


    ¡°System, give myself a quest: make it to Chicago in one piece,¡± I said aloud. ¡°Reward: 100 points.¡±


    No screens popped up in front of me, not that the attempt was serious. If Entwined With The System could evolve to let me give myself quests, that certainly wasn¡¯t how to activate it.


    A bright light flashed across the window, causing me to have to shield my eyes for a moment. When I next blinked, it was gone. It had gone from the back of the train to the front, but when I got up to check what it was, I didn¡¯t see anything out of the ordinary.


    ¡°It¡¯s always something,¡± I muttered before sitting back down.


    Grabbing the Fruit of the Tree of Life, I returned it to my inventory. My thoughts went to the mysterious secret weapon my reptilian friend alluded to. Whatever it was, I was intrigued. If it was something that the Archangel Michael was interested in, it had to be some kind of tool of war.


    I thought back to the various wars I had fought with his avatar. He had chosen a man named Michael, which I always thought was a confusing choice. He had been a good guy, very willing to help as long as the net gain was positive for the people, but not very bright when put up against my current team. Still, he was fun to be around.


    Michael, the avatar, had been given so many different weapons that I couldn¡¯t think of what the Dealer might have been planning. From flaming swords to biblical slings to spells that turned sinners into pillars of salt, it could have been damn near anything. It didn¡¯t take me long to give up trying to guess.


    Pulling up my status, I checked my points again.


    ¡°29,627. Not enough for the Patron''s car,¡± I sighed. ¡°I¡¯m going to have to dig into my bank account to make up the difference.¡±


    The Patron''s car was an expensive addition I normally didn¡¯t purchase, but it was one that I wanted this time around. For one hour a day, it could summon a holographic image of a person¡¯s Patron. Jamie would be the avatar of Ares at this point so she could use it to meet with him, but if Kayla or, later on, I used it, we could see Sara.


    Not physically, much to my dismay. That could only happen at the Patron¡¯s Ball, which would happen later and then be scheduled yearly. While it meant I could only see and chat with Sara, that would be enough for me if only because of the car¡¯s secondary perk.


    When an avatar was with their benefactor, the administrators weren¡¯t allowed to observe the meeting due to Patron¡¯s privilege. This perk wasn¡¯t nearly as important since Aaron continued to increase my Administrator¡¯s Black-out without my consent, but it would allow me to talk to my friends more candidly. They would have a lot of Patrons and administrators watching them at this point, so having a safe space would never be a bad idea.


    Especially when talking about things as sensitive as destroying several scenarios worth of work by summoning Hell and wiping its Demons off the face of the planet.


    The announcement system of the train quietly rang. ¡°We are approaching the Cleveland Train Station,¡± a pleasant female voice said. ¡°I repeat, we are approaching the Cleveland Train Station. If this is your stop, please prepare to disembark. Stowaways will be punished. Remember to take all of your belongings with you when you leave. Thank you!¡±


    Settling into my chair, I kicked my feet up and relaxed. This was only the first irrelevant stop on my journey and it would take several more hours to get to Chicago. The public trains had the same system as the Angel Express where it traveled in a pocket dimension to bypass everything that was broken down on the rails.


    However, it was much slower and could potentially spawn raid bosses that occasionally stopped the trip. That kind of event was fairly rare this early on and not at all consistent. It was usually set up specifically by administrators if someone they or Patrons didn¡¯t like were on board.


    Still, it beat running.


    The train started to slow as it came into the station. I couldn¡¯t hear anyone outside of my private room, but I imagined a few people from the public cars would be getting off here. There were always at least a few, even this late.


    One thing I did have to give the system credit for was that it made traveling a lot less expensive. Many of the people I had met on the train before were those suffering from wanderlust. With significantly reduced responsibilities wherever they came from, it allowed them to go wherever they wanted to. It helped if they had reached a certain power threshold, but even those who didn¡¯t such as merchants and craftsmen found great success moving to new places.


    I really couldn¡¯t blame them, either. Monsters and administrators aside, it was an eye opening experience. They got to see more of the world in exchange for fighting or selling the things they picked up. For the independent wanderers out there that didn¡¯t mind near constant adventure or getting their hands dirty, it was almost perfect.


    The train platform was well lit, but something caught my eye. A tall man in white armor with a glowing hat and a bulky backpack. He stared at my car as it passed him by. Standing up, I went to the window.


    I narrowed my eyes. As much as I wanted to trick myself into thinking things weren¡¯t as they seemed, I knew better. Total Awareness wouldn¡¯t allow me to see something incorrectly.


    That wasn¡¯t a glowing hat, it was a halo and short, flaming hair. He wasn¡¯t wearing a bulky backpack, but had wings folded against him.


    When the train stopped, the Angel was back with supernatural speed. He stared down at me from the window, his angular face tense from the scowl he wore, as if he was looking at something a cat just threw up.


    ¡°Nephilim!¡± he roared, apparently angry for no discernible reason.


    ¡°Half-Angel, actually!¡± I helpfully yelled back through the window. His eyes narrowed. I didn¡¯t want to deal with this.


    When I discussed my new heritage with Kayla and Jeff back in Cordele, she had asked me why I was called a Half-Angel instead of a Nephilim, which was the offspring of an Angel and Human. My answer had been one of ignorance because I had never heard of anyone being either.


    Based on the look of fury on this Angel¡¯s face, I had a pretty good thought on why I never had. He looked like he was ready to destroy the train if it meant he could get to me. The only reason why he was being civil was because he was going to give me the chance to surrender.


    I had planned on going to Los Angeles on my trip around the states. Suddenly, going to the City of Angels didn¡¯t seem like such a good idea.


    ¡°Nephilim!¡± he repeated. ¡°Step out of the train!¡±


    ¡°Not a Nephilim,¡± I said again. ¡°And no thank you. I have a date with an Angel much more powerful than you in Chicago.¡±


    His scowl deepened. ¡°There are no Angels in Chicago.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m going there to meet the Angel of the End, Esaraphe-¡±


    Before I could finish name dropping my girlfriend, the Angel¡¯s massive hand broke through the window and grabbed me by the collar of my Ringmaster¡¯s Hoodie. It had happened quickly, and I hadn¡¯t been able to react as quickly as I had hoped. A part of me wondered if it was because of my peaceful sabbatical or if he was simply stronger than I anticipated.


    Regardless, I was forcefully pulled out of the train and tossed onto the ground. The few people who had stumbled off of the vehicle fled at the sight of the Angel flexing his wings as he walked towards me.


    Whether I liked it or not, it seemed as though I had a fight on my hands.

 Chapter 193

    North Coast Station, Cleveland, Ohio - 2:36 AM


    ¡°Sheesh, do I at least get the honor of a name?¡± I asked as I stood up. I was bleeding from being dragged through the train¡¯s window, but overall my injuries weren¡¯t too bad.


    The Amtrak station building had been destroyed, likely during the fight with the Transportation Hub boss, but the North Coast Station just down the tracks was now where the train stopped. I had been casually tossed onto the platform close to the glass and metal building.


    I could see the towering Cleveland Browns Stadium across the shoreway. It made for a good defensive fortress for the people of the city. Being next to a massive source of water, Lake Erie, also helped when it came to gathering the essentials.


    Since I didn¡¯t expect this to end with a peaceful chat, I prayed to Sara that we wouldn''t alert anyone. I knew from experience that some Angels couldn¡¯t be talked down.


    The memory of meeting Sara for the first time came to me. She had been standoffish and a little cruel. My attitude didn''t help that at all, but I had the excuse of being understandably stressed given my campaign through Hell and all but one of my friends dying during the fights.


    ¡°Nephilims do not get answers,¡± the Angel said harshly, interrupting my reverie. Raising his open hand, he brought it down in front of himself with a wide, sweeping gesture.


    His head disappeared behind a closed, faceless helmet with no slits for vision. As he lowered his hand, his white and gold armor became thicker, sturdier, all the way to his feet. Every movement made noise, though it seemed muted compared to how it looked like it would sound.


    ¡°I already corrected you because I¡¯m a Half-Angel, but you didn¡¯t like that,¡± I said, brushing myself off as I stretched. ¡°Can you at least tell me what Nephilims do get if not answers? Because it certainly doesn¡¯t seem like peace and quiet.¡±


    ¡°Abominations get death,¡± he answered, angry but seemingly unfazed by the fact that he was apparently about to try and take my life.


    The Angel twisted his wrist and a wicker shield appeared in his hand. Despite not looking to be the sturdiest of constructions, I knew better than to think it would be easily cut through. A matching gesture with his free hand saw the appearance of a flaming short sword. A very Angelic weapon if I¡¯d ever seen one.


    ¡°Well, doesn''t that sound like a fun time,¡± I said, continuing to stretch. ¡°I feel like I should warn you, I''m a bad match for you.¡±


    He didn''t reply. The Angel lunged for me with his sword raised high. He was faster than I had anticipated at first for a being with only two wings. Faster than I was by a small margin, though, and I had a solid guess on where he fell in the hierarchy.


    Raising my hands, I summoned the Staff of Raphael from my inventory. The wooden weapon caught the blade of the flaming sword without getting harmed at all. I was nearly pushed down from the impact, but held firm. Thanks to my constant aura sight, I could see the Angel¡¯s eyes widened in shock.


    ¡°Two wings, heavy armor, that makes you a Powers,¡± I stated. ¡°Middle of the road Angel along with Dominions and Virtues. Or Principalities, depending on who you ask. Your kind are usually soldiers, which would explain your need to dive right into an ill-advised battle.¡±


    He looked down at me, still wide-eyed as he processed both my weapon and my words. I saw people watching us from within the dimly lit train car, and I nodded at them as if to say there was nothing to see here.


    When the Power moved, I saw his wicker shield coming straight for my head. His wings were raised, and I knew that any movement to dodge to the left or right would be met with a swift downward strike. Not giving him a chance, I put my elbows together and jumped.


    The shield bashed into my forearms and I went flying backwards. His wings slashed downwards even though I hadn¡¯t fallen into his trap. A dangerous curtain of feathers from both flew towards me like arrows. I knew that the edges would be razor sharp.


    Using Drop on my boots, I hit the ground and leapt towards the train. The feathers struck the platform behind me, embedding themselves into the concrete just as I expected they would. My foot hit the car¡¯s window and I jumped off towards the Power.


    He had just folded his wings behind him and I could see the feathers regenerating. Raising his shield, he pulled his flaming short sword back to thrust at me once he blocked my next attack. I held the Staff of Raphael over my head as if to bring it down.


    I didn''t. Instead, I used Orbit to pull three of the feathers out of the concrete and flung them right back at him. His attention was pulled away from me for a split second, which was long enough. If I still had my Heelies of Hermes I would have used Air Step to get over him, but that wasn¡¯t an option. What I could do, though, was make a Force Field and use that to get an extra boost.


    The Power expertly slashed through the trio of feathers without hesitation as I stepped onto his wicker shield. I used Drop on it and one of my boots to weigh it down, and his arm buckled. My other foot came flying forward, kicking him in the head.


    He went sprawling backwards. I expected him to fall, but he dug the bottom of his wings into the concrete platform to stop himself. As soon as I hit the ground, I adjusted the Staff of Raphael so the spike on the bottom was facing the Power and activated Crash Test.


    <<<>>>


    [[Skill]]


    Crash Test


    Pick a direction adjacent to the ground and move up to Dexterity*? feet in that direction at twice your fastest speed. If any objects are in your way, you violently burst through their space, knocking them away or breaking through them. This deals damage equal to Strength*4. If an object you hit stops you, then you also take that damage. After using this skill, you cannot use it again for 1 hour.


    <<<>>>


    The Power wasn¡¯t as surprised as I had hoped. Reaching out, he thrust his sword towards my heart. In the short moment I had to react, I used Orbit to knock the weapon away from piercing my chest and activated Shield.


    My defense shattered almost immediately, but the ability took the flaming sword even further off course. I grit my teeth as it cut and seared my side. The Staff of Raphael pierced through the Power¡¯s chest plate, but it didn¡¯t make it far despite the power behind the skill. He went flying as I skidded to a stop and I lunged forward, following him.If you spot this narrative on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation.


    The Power was faster and stronger than I, but he was a few centuries behind me in skill. I knew that I had to overwhelm him if I wanted to get back on the train before it continued its journey, and the disembodied voice of the station was announcing that it would be leaving soon. My window was closing.


    I took a breath. It didn¡¯t matter if I had to wait for the next train so long as I survived. That was my priority.


    Summoning My Golden Bowling Ball, I raised it in time to slide the flaming sword to the side. Immediately returning it to my inventory, I ducked and spun. A wing passed over my head, narrowly missing where I had just been.


    Using Orbit on the staff to enhance my spin, I struck the Power in his side with as much strength as I could muster. He staggered towards the train, off balance, and I leaned back. His wicker shield came within inches of bashing me in the skull. I swung, giving myself some extra power with Orbit. The Staff of Raphael hit him in his ribs, sending the Angel flying into the train.


    Putting the weapon back into my inventory, I started pulling his feathers out of the ground. If he was going to throw them at me, then I was going to take them for monster parts at the very least. This earned me a powerful glare from behind his visor. To an Angel, every part of their body was sacred.


    But Ash could do some good things with them, and I wasn''t feeling particularly happy with the way things had gone so far.


    What I really wanted was a wing, but that would be too far. It felt a little dirty to take parts from this particular enemy given my relationship and heritage, but the fact that he brought this fight to me with little to no justification made it hard to empathize with him.


    ¡°Blasphemer!¡± he yelled angrily. ¡°Heretic! You profess to be half of what I am, carry a holy relic, yet you do not follow our rules! Nephilims are to be put to death on sight!¡±


    ¡°Half-Angel,¡± I insisted again. ¡°I am very specifically not called a Nephilim on my status screen, probably for this reason. I am definitely not a cross between a fallen Angel and a Human. Any animosity between us comes from you, not me. I¡¯m willing to call this a draw.¡±


    ¡°A draw,¡± the Power spat. ¡°You are arrogant.¡±


    ¡°So far it seems kind of warranted, don¡¯t you think?¡± I asked, ignoring the anger in his aura. ¡°Look, we can go our separate ways. All you gotta do is leave me alone. I¡¯ll even return your feathers.¡±


    ¡°I do not need your pity or your platitudes,¡± he said, his voice becoming quiet with righteous fury. The halo around his head flickered, and I activated Cheetah Sprint as quickly as I possibly could. Taking the gamble, I jumped.


    Every type of Angel had different abilities when it came to their halo. For Seraphims like Sara, the highest rank, it was a defensive tool. It automatically intercepted projectiles and other attacks and warped them to a copy of itself, usually aimed towards the attacker. Virtues used theirs to command elemental powers, while Dominions used them to buff allies.


    Powers used theirs offensively.


    The halo above his head disappeared and reappeared around me. I wasn¡¯t high enough. Hugging my knees to my chest, I Lifted my clothes to try and get more height. At the same time, I retrieved Vernon''s Smash Stick and the Vague Stick from my inventory.


    Just underneath me, the halo contracted and collapsed into itself. My heels were caught and sliced by the shrinking circle, and I grunted in pain. On my left, it had only taken the rubber sole, but it cut through bone on my right.


    Dropping myself, I carefully made sure that I landed on my toes. My stance was weird, but I couldn¡¯t be bothered by it. I flung myself forward when the halo returned around the Power¡¯s head.


    Mentally commanding the Vague Stick into the shape of a sword, I slashed the air between us. The Power raised his wicker shield, nullifying the blow, but he didn¡¯t catch all of it. I used Distant Slice to catch him on either side, the energy ramming into his chest, shoulder, and wing, cutting through some of his feathers. He recoiled and I spun on my toes.


    Returning the Vague Sword to my inventory, I put both hands on Vernon¡¯s Smash Stick and used Orbit as I took another step forward. The halo flickered again, but I wasn¡¯t about to give him the time to activate it. The Power raised his shield, and I Pushed it.


    The singular ability wasn¡¯t enough to throw the Angel off balance, but it did shift the wicker shield enough for me to do what I needed. Thanks to Orbit, the mandible club I wielded collided with the shield¡¯s edge, breaking it with the power of the Smasher passive.


    I lowered myself as the Power attempted to thrust at me, this time aiming to debilitate. He now knew that I was too slippery to get a one shot kill to my heart, neck or head, and changed tactics. It was the smart thing to do under most circumstances. Unfortunately for him, I saw through him.


    It wasn¡¯t the Power¡¯s fault; like all Angels, he had been trained in a certain style. One that I knew how to predict and counter. I swung the Smash Stick back towards the flaming sword. There wasn¡¯t enough power to break the weapon, but he didn¡¯t know that, and he took another step back.


    There was nowhere else to go. He fell between the train and the platform. His armor didn¡¯t allow him to fall all the way through, and he became stuck.


    I wasn¡¯t sure if he noticed or not, but the doors were already closed.


    With the Smash Stick already above my head, I jumped into the air and swung. Using Drop to give it a little extra oomph, I brought it down towards the Power¡¯s head. He attempted to raise his wings to protect himself, but they were firmly lodged between him and the train. His sword was raised next, but I managed to keep it away with Push.


    The Smash Stick passed harmlessly by his halo. With a scream of rage, the Power¡¯s helmet was thoroughly clobbered. It cracked, though did not shatter, and I took a step back. His struggles didn¡¯t cease, but they became much less coordinated than I had seen before.


    I took a step back and waited.


    ¡°Your attention, please,¡± the voice over the intercom requested. ¡°The 2:45 morning train en route to Chicago with intermediate stops at Sandusky, Toledo-¡±


    ¡°Sorry, nameless Power,¡± I said, interrupting the announcement as I pulled the Smash Stick back into my inventory. ¡°Please don¡¯t hold what happens next against me.¡±


    The cracked helmet looked up at me as if confused before the train started moving. I winced as I heard the armor creak and moan, and shook my head as the Angel was dragged along the platform. He screamed for a few terrible seconds before disappearing underneath the train. The vehicle was fine, of course; the system wouldn¡¯t allow it to derail.


    The same could not be said of the Power.


    ¡°What a damn way to go,¡± I sighed as the screen appeared in front of me.


    <<<>>>


    [[Victory!]]


    You have defeated the Roaming Boss [Glaraphel, Wandering Inquisitor]; + 1,800 points.


    <<<>>>


    ¡°Wandering Inquisitor, great,¡± I complained, recalling the Staff of Raphael in order to heal faster. ¡°Well, at least it¡¯s a boss kill and there probably won¡¯t be another of him for a while.¡±


    ¡°You hope,¡± I told myself.


    Nodding at my words, I waited for the train to fully leave before jumping onto the tracks. There was no body. Unlike Demons, Angels didn¡¯t usually leave anything behind on death. Their gear and corpse were sent back to Heaven the moment their hit points hit zero.


    That knowledge was what gave me pause when I looked at the loot and saw that there was a halo left behind. No book, which was strange, just the head-sized golden hoop. I Pulled it towards me and snapped open the description.


    I frowned. The description wasn¡¯t written in English like it should have been but Enochian, the language of Angels. It made sense, the same thing happened to my Status screen when I used Break Free, but that didn¡¯t mean I liked it.


    Jumping back onto the platform, I sat down cross-legged and tossed the halo into my inventory. There was no sense dwelling on it because I would figure it out once I was reunited with Sara. Closing my eyes, I began to meditate. For now, unsure as to when the next train would arrive, I was content to wait.

 Chapter 194

    Chicago Union Station, Chicago, Illinois - 7:58 AM


    I stepped off of the train with the other bleary eyed travelers, a big smile plastered on my face. Stopping a few feet from the exit, off to the side so I wasn¡¯t in anyone¡¯s path, I breathed in and reread the text box I had received not too long ago. Since I felt safe, I didn¡¯t want to get rid of it.


    <<<>>>


    [[Notice]]


    An unknown Patron proclaims that she knew you were going to be okay, but is glad to see it.


    <<<>>>


    Before she became a Patron, Sara had been able to see anywhere in the world from the Hall of the End. If she wanted to observe something, nothing could escape her sight. Unfortunately, the people she chose to watch only amounted to a few dozen at the best of times.


    I was not one of them. Not until near the end, anyway.


    Now, her sight had been heavily limited based on where her avatar, Kayla, was. I had asked her not to abandon my friend yet. She was no doubt already out and about with Jeff and Corwin and I didn¡¯t want to mess up whatever they were doing. For the same reason, I didn¡¯t send out a message in the guild chat.


    That didn¡¯t seem to matter much, because it didn¡¯t take long for her to tattle on me. Messages started appearing in a text box in the corner of my vision, beeping with each arrival.


    <<<>>>


    [[Guild Chat]]


    Kayla: Sara just told me that Anthony arrived in Chicago, so, welcome back, psychic boy!


    Jeff: Hey, boss! We¡¯re coming back to the train right now. We¡¯ll see you soon.


    Jamie: What took you so long?


    Mercury: Warmonger! With his triumphant return, a new age of peace and prosperity has been ushered in!


    Jamie: I¡¯m not coming back to see you. You should have been faster, I¡¯ve already left the city on my mission.


    Mercury: I shall return to greet the liege, as I am much faster than the Goddess of War.


    Jamie: ¡­ I¡¯ll make it back before he does.


    Anthony: Y¡¯all don¡¯t have to come back just for me. There¡¯s work to be done.


    Kayla: There¡¯s time.


    Jeff: Of course we do!


    Mercury: Speak not such nonsense!


    Jamie: As if you could stop us.


    Ashley: Will you all stop that ******* beeping! I¡¯m trying to finish this before I go to bed and you are all making a racket.


    Ashley: Also, good to have you back, or whatever. Better have brought me some nice things to work with.


    <<<>>>


    The guild chat immediately went silent at Ashley¡¯s outburst, but my smile remained. Interacting with them in the Golden Dream had been nice and certainly one of the highlights of my various runs, but now that I knew the truth of what that was, it didn¡¯t feel real. This definitely did.


    Once the crowd thinned and I didn¡¯t have to worry about the Union Station pickpockets anymore, the kind that could pilfer things straight from your inventory, I walked around the train and onto the tracks. There weren¡¯t any guards, and no one tried to stop me as I jumped off of the platform.


    Thanks to Absolute Awareness, I could pick up details much farther away than I could have before, and I immediately spotted the silver shack hiding in the shadows. The train tunnel went under both the old post office and the new one that was in use before the system dropped, and it was the latter building where Kayla had been instructed to stop.


    I took a moment to revel in the feeling returning home before opening the door to the Subspace Depot, revealing the Angel Express in all its glory. I walked inside, taking it in. The first thing I noticed was that there were new cars attached to it.


    Before, it was the engine, luxury sleeper, dining car, sleeper, vault, greenhouse, and then the workshop. This was a fairly standard setup for the Angel Express at this point.


    Now, there was an open air car with lowered walls between the vault and the greenhouse and a half-length car between the engine and the luxury sleeper. I recognized both of them.


    The first was meant for training and operated similar to Pittsburgh¡¯s Fieldhouse. There was plenty of room when the walls and ceiling unfolded into an arena, though it couldn¡¯t be used like that while the Angel Express was in motion. People could use the closed car if they wanted to practice during that time.


    My eyes locked onto the half-length car in the front once I was done assessing the training car. This was what I had been planning on purchasing once I arrived: the Patron''s car. It was 45,000 points with the Sol Ligatus guildhall discount, which was still pricey.


    Most Patrons who had an avatar that ran a guild or safe zone would specifically ask them to work towards being able to purchase one. This usually came from the more social of their kind, or those who wanted to be able to put on an intimidating show, or even those who just wanted the novelty of speaking with a player face to face.


    I remembered that, back when we first arrived in Atlanta, I mentioned wanting to buy it. Kayla had teased me about it being a booty call train car, and Sara called humans degenerate. That had been a fairly fun moment.


    My attention was drawn to the food truck that was parked in the Subspace Depot. I turned in time to see the Dealer emerge from a manhole behind a green, brown, and black food truck. It had a swamp theme and was labeled Tail-gator¡¯s Gator Tails. I raised my hand in greeting.


    ¡°Sure took your sweet time,¡± the Dealer complained as he brushed off his overalls. ¡°I expected you back hours ago.¡±


    ¡°You didn¡¯t tell them I was coming?¡± I asked. I had pulled back my Absolute Awareness as much as I could in respect for Ashley and Bethany. They wouldn¡¯t know that I¡¯d be able to see their auras unless I told them, but snooping was beneath me.


    ¡°Nah. I didn¡¯t see you here, so I went back home. They left in the meantime,¡± the Dealer answered as he made his way to me.


    ¡°Gotcha. Well, in my defense, I was attacked by a Wandering Inquisitor for being half the Angel he was,¡± I said. I received a strange look from the alligator, and shrugged. ¡°He thought I was a Nephilim. Clearly, I¡¯m a Half-Angel.¡±


    ¡°There¡¯s a difference?¡± he asked, looking me up and down.


    ¡°According to Sara? Yes. According to everyone else? Apparently not,¡± I said with a shake of my head.


    The Dealer grunted and shrugged. ¡°Well, they get shoved back into Heaven when they die, so it¡¯s not that big a deal. Points are points, right?¡±


    ¡°Some points are more socially acceptable than others, but, yeah. That¡¯s the gist of it,¡± I agreed. ¡°Want to take this inside?¡±This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.


    ¡°Sure. Your dining car serves an assortment of teas now thanks to the kid. Wouldn¡¯t mind a cup.¡±


    ¡°How¡¯d Bethany take your arrival?¡± I asked as we walked onto the platform towards the train.


    ¡°She had plenty of warning about the big, bad alligator man, so she wasn¡¯t too scared,¡± the Dealer said, opening the door and walking in. I followed behind him, careful of his tail. ¡°Still didn¡¯t say anything to me, though, signing or otherwise.¡±


    ¡°Yeah, she¡¯s like that. You shouldn¡¯t take it personally,¡± I replied, taking a seat at the bar. Snapping open the menu, I started going through the new options. There were only a few, but I selected the one labeled Earl Grey-ish. It appeared in front of me at the perfect temperature, and I took a sip before nodding my head. ¡°That¡¯s a damn fine cup of tea.¡±


    ¡°Wouldn¡¯t dream of it. She¡¯s just a child,¡± the alligator snorted. He eyed me for a moment before going through the menu as well. A cup of iced tea appeared in front of him. ¡°I¡¯m a bit surprised you¡¯re not rushing into the Patron''s car. Was hoping to use it to discuss our next steps. I¡¯ll need you there when I go to retrieve it.¡±


    ¡°You found something out?¡± I asked.


    ¡°Yeah, something big,¡± he admitted with a grin. ¡°You¡¯re going to really like it.¡±


    I nodded before pausing. ¡°Wait, doesn¡¯t our contract put you under the effects of an Administrator Black-out when you¡¯re with me? Why do you want the privacy of a Patron''s car on top of it?¡±


    ¡°What I¡¯m going to propose will blow your mind,¡± he said, causing me to arch an eyebrow. ¡°Yes, even yours. I want the extra protection, just in case.¡±


    His answer confused me and I wondered what he had up his sleeve. Before I could try and pressure more answers out of him, I saw a trio of people walk into the depot and Corwin bounding towards the train. I set my teacup down and knelt next to my chair.


    The yellow labradoodle was a blur as he ran through the door, skidded on the floor, and practically flew into my arms. His tail wagged so much that his entire back half was moving along with it, and he started trying to lick my face.


    ¡°Hey, little buddy,¡± I cooed, pushing his head away and letting him lick my hand instead. ¡°I¡¯m excited to see you, too.¡±


    Kayla, Jeff, and Mercury entered the dining car together. Despite Corwin making for a fairly spectacular barrier, the Queen¡¯s Knight reached over him and picked me up to pull into an almost crushing hug. Given my high Constitution and the Anchored passive boosting it by half, this was no small feat.


    ¡°We missed you, Ant,¡± he said, spinning so he could set me down between the other two. Kayla was the next to hug me while Corwin returned to my side.


    Neither of them wore their Twinned Rings of Gareth and Lyonesse, wearing a different matching set instead. It appeared as though that talk I had with Jeff had actually changed something.


    Mercury placed a hand over his chest and bowed. ¡°The noble Warmonger, welcome back.¡±


    ¡°Alright, enough of that, Merc,¡± I laughed, reaching out and tapping the ninja on his headband. ¡°You comfortable enough around the group to be yourself yet?¡±


    I couldn¡¯t see his face because of his ninja outfit, but his eyes flicked to the Dealer, who was busy greeting Jeff now that his wife had a hold of me. ¡°Mostly,¡± he admitted.


    Kayla backed up and Corwin took her spot in front of me, leaning against my legs. Just as I was about to greet her, she raised her hand and flicked my nose. I recoiled. ¡°You¡¯ll be gone for a week or so, huh?¡± she asked, crossing her arms. ¡°Do you know how worried sick some of us were? Some more than others.¡±


    With that line, she glanced up towards the ceiling before looking back down at me.


    I gave her a sheepish grin as I understood. ¡°Well, that¡¯s my bad,¡± I said. ¡°Something came up. Did you two get along?¡±


    ¡°Famously,¡± Kayla answered before leaning in close to whisper. ¡°And she no longer calls us degenerates. Why didn¡¯t you clear that up before?¡±


    My attempt to hide my laughter failed, and I did so right in the Double Agent¡¯s face. ¡°Sorry. I just thought it was funny at the time.¡±


    ¡°Should flick your nose again,¡± Kayla muttered before smiling and shaking her head. ¡°We¡¯ve only had the Patron''s car for a day and Ares wanted first dibs, so I haven¡¯t met her yet. She insisted that you be the one to introduce her. Why did you tell her not to become your Patron when she saw you?¡±


    ¡°Because we have a few things to discuss with the Dealer first about what happened when I was asleep,¡± I told her honestly. ¡°A Patron that jumps between avatars can rack up a heavy bill if it¡¯s done enough times, so until all of our cards are laid on the table, this is fine.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s a good level of caution,¡± the Dealer said, nodding approvingly. ¡°Especially with what I¡¯ve got in store. You trust Kayla, Ant?¡±


    ¡°Yeah? Of course I do,¡± I answered, trying not to make it sound like I thought it was a stupid question.


    He nodded again and turned to look at the Double Agent. ¡°Can you keep a secret to your grave?¡±


    She looked taken aback by the blunt question. ¡°You think so little of me that you have to ask?¡±


    ¡°For this, I¡¯ll think as little of anyone I want. Such are the stakes on the line,¡± he said somberly. ¡°The only reason why I¡¯m willing to let you in on it is because Ant and I need to talk to Sara, and you¡¯re her avatar. I¡¯d prefer that she switches over, but like he said, it¡¯s a costly endeavor, especially if he leaves her here to help you.¡±


    ¡°Where do you think we¡¯re going?¡± I asked, now more confused than ever.


    ¡°Why do you think I¡¯m going to answer that out here after all I¡¯ve said?¡± he scoffed, making it clear that I did ask a stupid question.


    I shared a glance with Kayla before sighing. ¡°Jeff, Merc, you guys okay waiting out here? As much as I¡¯d love for everyone to meet her, she does like her privacy. Maybe it can happen a little later on, depending on the circumstances.¡±


    ¡°Yeah, no problem, boss,¡± Jeff said, snapping his fingers to get Corwin¡¯s attention. The dog left me alone to be with his owner.


    ¡°That¡¯s fine,¡± Mercury agreed before tilting his head. ¡°Not sure why Jamie thought she could beat me here, though. I only had to come from O¡¯Rabbit-¡°


    ¡°O¡¯Hare,¡± Kayla quickly corrected.


    The ninja nodded. ¡°Right, the airport. I am faster than her, and I¡¯m closer. Just doesn¡¯t make sense.¡±


    ¡°She¡¯s taking the tunnels,¡± I answered. ¡°Saves some time, but mostly she likes the challenge.¡±


    ¡°I guess. Maybe I¡¯ll hide when she gets here, let her save face,¡± he said with a shrug.


    ¡°Nah, rub her face in it,¡± Jeff responded.


    ¡°That¡¯s the choice to go with if you want to turn on hard mode in training,¡± I chuckled, seeing that Jamie had entered the depot. She had made good time. ¡°You manage to beat her yet, Jeff?¡±


    The Queen¡¯s Knight huffed, lowering his head. ¡°Nah. She keeps pulling out the big guns. Including the big gun. I¡¯m getting used to it, but I wonder if I¡¯m ever actually going to catch up.¡±


    ¡°Catch up with what?¡± Jamie asked as she entered the dining car. She seemed intent on ignoring Mercury¡¯s presence, focusing on me instead.


    ¡°Catch up with Sara,¡± I covered for Jeff. Looking at the Dealer, he shrugged and leaned against the bar. It seemed like the conversation would have to wait. ¡°Since there¡¯s a Patron Car and everything, I thought it¡¯d be good to catch up with her while Kayla is still her avatar.¡±


    ¡°I get you,¡± she said, reaching a fist out towards me. ¡°Good to have you back, Franklin.¡±


    ¡°Good to be back, Summers.¡± I reached out and bumped her fist with mine. My eyes lifted to the crown of bones on her head. It was similar to mine, but released an unpleasant energy that I knew the guild would have already gotten used to. ¡°Congrats on getting Ares as a Patron, by the way. Are you used to it yet?¡±


    ¡°No. It¡¯s just as bad as the Princess,¡± she snorted.


    ¡°You told her to leave you alone and she does,¡± Mercury defended.


    Jamie wrinkled her nose, but didn¡¯t respond. Her eyes skimmed a message in front of her. ¡°Ares says thank you. He was very pleased that you helped the Dealer find the crown for him.¡±


    ¡°Could have told me he was watching your guild,¡± the Dealer muttered sullenly.


    I shrugged. ¡°Sorry, friend. We both got what we wanted with that deal, so don¡¯t expect me to feel bad about it.¡± He snorted, but didn¡¯t say anything. I knew he wouldn¡¯t hold a grudge.


    Jamie reached up and removed Conquest¡¯s Crown from her head to put back into her inventory. The uneasy feeling disappeared immediately. ¡°I¡¯m going to go check in on Ashley while you¡¯re doing that. She¡¯s going to be more ornery than usual since she¡¯ll want to go straight to sleep. Might let her get a nap in. When you¡¯re out, we¡¯ll catch up.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll go with you,¡± Mercury offered as the Weapon Master started to leave. ¡°To tell Bethany. She¡¯ll probably want to leave immediately after saying hello, but it¡¯ll be good for her. Plus, seeing the Warmonger again isn¡¯t going to be like seeing Ares for the first time.¡±


    That was an understatement. The Greek Patron¡¯s chosen form was an olive skinned man half again as big as Jeff. He wore bronze armor modeled after what the Spartans wore in their Classical period with the iconic horsehair crest on his helmet. Like Jamie, he was a walking arsenal of swords, shields, and spears.


    It made for an intimidating figure, especially for a ten year old.


    ¡°I won¡¯t insist that she stay or anything,¡± I said. ¡°There won¡¯t be anything to worry about there.¡±


    He nodded. ¡°Alright, that¡¯s good. I¡¯ll let her know.¡±


    Once they were gone, I looked at Jeff. ¡°Since you know her secret identity and even seen her once, you want to come along?¡±


    ¡°Can I?¡± he asked, his eyes lighting up.


    ¡°Of course,¡± I replied.


    ¡°For the record, though, you can¡¯t stay,¡± the Dealer reminded.


    ¡°No problem. I¡¯m fine with a quick hello,¡± he said before kneeling down for Corwin. ¡°Go watch Bethany, okay?¡± The dog looked at him for a moment before licking the man¡¯s face and trotting off towards the back of the train, sniffing the ground.


    ¡°And by a quick hello, he means he¡¯s fine doing that thing where you say goodbye, talk for five more minutes, say goodbye again, then talk for another ten minutes,¡± Kayla translated.


    ¡°We¡¯ll get him out in a timely manner, Dealer,¡± I said, patting the alligator on the shoulder when he sighed. ¡°Come on, let¡¯s go meet the boss at the end of the world.¡±

 Chapter 195

    The Angel Express, Chicago, Illinois - 8:23 AM


    The Patron¡¯s Car was fairly simple in the way it worked. When an avatar placed their hand on the door, they were given two options that were available from the outset.


    The first was to allow the car to look like it always did, which in this case would be a fairly fancy room with an open floor plan, plenty of comfortable seats, windows that showed pleasant scenes no matter where we were, and the option to order food.


    The second was to make it appear as the Patron¡¯s chosen dwelling. It would retain the seats and the meal option, but they would be in control of what it looked like. Ares had the train car take on a war room theme with Mount Olympus showing in the windows on one side and an ancient Greek city on the other.


    Kayla opened the door to the Patron¡¯s Car after choosing the first option. Like the luxury sleeper¡¯s hallway, there was a red and gold motif for the carpet and drapes with rich dark wood panels making up the walls. It didn¡¯t look anything like the Hall of the End, which was likely what she requested.


    Not five feet from the entrance was Sara. She wore a white and gold sundress that made her look absolutely stunning. I had expected her flaming hair to be short and curly as usual, but it cascaded over her shoulders and halfway down her back. Her six wings were pulled in close but fidgeted with excitement, clearly unable to stand still.


    We grinned at each other, together again.


    I walked in after Kayla, but quickly passed her to stand next to the Angel. ¡°Kayla, Jeff, Dealer,¡± I said once the others were inside and the door closed. ¡°I would like you to meet my girlfriend.¡±


    The Dealer¡¯s eyes nearly popped out of his head. ¡°Girlfriend?¡± the Dealer asked, his voice strangled by surprise. Shocking him never got old.


    Sara¡¯s flaming hair and halo both shined brightly, though it wasn¡¯t enough to blind anyone. She nervously brushed her bangs away from her eyes and waved. ¡°Hello, e-everyone. It¡¯s nice to finally meet you. And yes, I¡¯m Anthony¡¯s g-girlfriend,¡± she said, her voice squeaking adorably at having to address so many people at the same time. ¡°I am Esaraphelscion, Angel of the End. Please, call me Sara.¡±


    ¡°What are you¡­¡± the alligator started, mouth agape as he stared at me.


    ¡°I told you back in Pittsburgh that I gave her the whole Anthony Franklin experience,¡± I answered, waggling my eyebrows.


    ¡°It¡¯s nice to see you again, Sara,¡± Jeff said, taking a step forward and offering her a handshake.


    Kayla nudged him with her elbow. ¡°Hologram, remember?¡± she gently reminded.


    The knight smiled sheepishly. ¡°Right, sorry,¡± he said, lowering his hand. ¡°Got caught up in it. My bad.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s all right, really,¡± Sara assured Jeff. ¡°I¡¯m just glad to actually be interacting with people face to face. I¡¯ve known Anthony for a long time now, but this is the first time I¡¯ve spoken to other people. Except for rare occasions. Like the Dealer, once or twice.¡±


    ¡°We¡¯ve spoken?¡± he asked, still wrapping his head around the situation.


    ¡°Texted, really, and I was sour about it for a long time,¡± she admitted before crossing her arms. The feathers on her wings rustled. ¡°I don¡¯t think you knew it was me, but it was during one of your experiments reaching out to various beings. I¡¯m pretty sure you thought I was a Patron. I was excited to talk to someone about a person we were both watching, and you proposed a bet. When I won, you accused me of cheating.¡±


    The Dealer thought about that for a moment before appearing to become nervous. ¡°Ah, well, it was all in good fun, right?¡± he asked, hopeful.


    ¡°I¡¯ve realized that you might not be as detestable as I once thought, thanks to him,¡± Sara said, gesturing towards me. ¡°Since I¡¯ve seen how hard you¡¯ve been working for Anthony, I¡¯ve decided that you¡¯re a fair man with a strong moral backbone. When you¡¯re not asking too much, of course. Thankfully, he can look after himself in that regard.¡±


    ¡°I sure can,¡± I said with a chuckle. The urge to reach out to her was strong, but easy to repress. I knew she wasn¡¯t really here. ¡°Shall we sit?¡±


    ¡°Yes, I think we shall,¡± the Angel answered. Her arm passed through mine as she turned and walked away. It felt intentional, but I didn¡¯t mention it as I followed.


    ¡°Thank you again for your help against Amlex,¡± Kayla said, following us. ¡°I¡¯m sure Anthony would have won in the end, but I don¡¯t think it would have been without casualties.¡±


    ¡°I think she was tougher than Anthony expected her to be thanks to that fraud¡¯s surgery,¡± Sara replied. ¡°But I¡¯m happy I was called to help. Even if my first thought was that I was probably going to incinerate him after he made his request, once I regained my memories I was nothing short of ecstatic.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m glad it didn¡¯t come to that,¡± I laughed as I sat down on one of the loveseats. She sat down next to me, her wings clipping through the sofa and her leg slightly through mine.


    As Kayla and the Dealer sat down in chairs across from us, Jeff remained standing. ¡°I¡¯m going to get out of here before I take up fifteen minutes of your time like Kayla¡¯s worried about. I know y¡¯all have a lot to discuss, and I¡¯m just happy to see our Guardian Angel again.¡±


    ¡°It was all Anthony, you know,¡± Sara protested, though she was obviously pleased at his words. ¡°None of this would have been possible without him.¡±


    ¡°Maybe, but you¡¯re the one who gave him the ring that pulled us out of the fire,¡± Jeff insisted. ¡°Thank you.¡±


    The Angel beamed. ¡°You¡¯re welcome, Jeff.¡±


    The Knight leaned down to kiss his wife before he started leaving. ¡°Have fun with your discussion, all.¡±


    ¡°Bye, Jeff,¡± Sara said, still smiling even after the door closed behind him. ¡°I like him. Actually, I like all of your friends, Ant. Kayla and Jeff are definitely at the top, though.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m glad you decided to come with us,¡± Kayla admitted. ¡°I was already really nervous about leading Sol Ligatus in Anthony¡¯s absence, but your advice helped out a lot.¡±


    ¡°Think nothing of it,¡± she said, waving her hand. ¡°I was just doing what I thought Ant would do in my place.¡±


    ¡°Waking up without you was a bit disorienting, but I definitely appreciated what you did when I realized you went with Kayla,¡± I replied. ¡°I took care of Greg, but I also had to fight an Angel on the way here. Glaraphel, the system said. Called him a Wandering Inquisitor.¡±


    Sara groaned. ¡°That branch of the Templars was the only one I was worried about when I decided to turn you into a Half-Angel. But I know he was only banished to Heaven, so I won¡¯t hold it against you. Was it a tough fight?¡±


    I shook my head, relieved that she wasn¡¯t mad at me for defending myself considering the enemy. ¡°No. I¡¯ve fought beside Angels in an overwhelming amount of runs and I¡¯m well versed in their fighting style. Like I tried to warn him, I¡¯m a very poor match up for any Angel. He wasn¡¯t the exception to that rule.¡±


    ¡°That must have been terrible,¡± she said apologetically. ¡°I don¡¯t want you to have to worry about Angels assailing you whenever they see fit.¡±


    ¡°Eh. It¡¯s not great, but I can deal with it,¡± I told her honestly. ¡°He also dropped a halo that I couldn¡¯t read the description for.¡±


    Sara frowned. ¡°You should be able to gain more abilities through Break Free with the halos of the different types of Angels,¡± she said, and I sat up straight. That sounded like it could open up a lot more avenues for my other form. ¡°However, you were supposed to get those by negotiation, not death.¡±


    ¡°The system seems to disagree with that if he¡¯s got one through combat,¡± the Dealer noted.


    ¡°Sure seems that way,¡± I agreed. ¡°But I¡¯ll try harder next time. I still don¡¯t think he was going to hear me out, especially not enough to give me his halo or whatever, but I could have done more.¡±


    ¡°I wasn¡¯t there, so I¡¯ll defer to your judgment,¡± Sara said. ¡°If you don¡¯t think he could be talked down, then I believe you. When we have time later, I¡¯ll tell you how to incorporate it into the ring.¡±


    I nodded, and leaned back on the sofa, putting my arm over the back. It wasn¡¯t the same as when we sat together at home in the Golden Dream, but the image of us being so cozy seemed to break the Dealer again and that was well worth it.


    ¡°How did the Trial go?¡± Kayla asked. ¡°Or, should we talk about the Dealer¡¯s plan first?¡±


    The alligator gestured towards me. ¡°Let¡¯s hear about the Golden Dream.¡±


    ¡°Golden Dream?¡± Sara asked, looking at me in confusion. ¡°What happened to the Silver Nightmare?¡±


    ¡°Right¡­¡± I said slowly, shifting towards the Angel. ¡°I have some questions for you before we get into that.¡±


    ¡°Sure, go ahead.¡±


    ¡°If you weren¡¯t a Patron but you were under the effects of our contract, could you alter someone¡¯s destination within the realm of dreams?¡± I asked. It took her a few seconds to process the question, and I noticed her feathers bristle. ¡°I¡¯m sure you know what my question means, but I¡¯m asking if you, specifically, could do it. Not anyone else.¡±


    ¡°Yes,¡± she admitted, though not without some hesitation. ¡°The Hall of the End and¡­ it¡¯s situated at the farthest reaches of the dream world. Like an island close to Heaven but not close enough to touch it. My native abilities as a Hidden World Boss would, post-boon not contract, allow me to switch destinations such as the Silver Nightmare and the Golden Dream, but that would be it.¡±


    ¡°So, hypothetically, you could alter my course from one to the other,¡± I asked, wanting to completely confirm it.


    ¡°Not alter your course, but change their metaphysical positions in the dream world,¡± she corrected. ¡°I couldn¡¯t change anything about the Trial; that¡¯s decided by the system itself.¡±If you come across this story on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen from Royal Road. Please report it.


    I shared a glance with the Dealer, and he nodded. It seemed as though Sara and Aaron were tied together in a way that let them share power somehow. Good to know. That put some puzzle pieces in their place.


    ¡°Could you manifest yourself in the dream world?¡± I asked next.


    Sara stood up abruptly, looking down at me with her hands clasped together. ¡°Did someone show up there?¡± she asked quickly.


    ¡°Please, calm down, I¡¯m okay,¡± I assured her with a smile. To see her get so worked up over me was a little heartwarming. She slowly nodded before sitting down, though now her leg and hand were inside of mine as if she dearly wanted to touch me. ¡°Will you please answer?¡±


    Sara nodded. ¡°I could have, but only if you hadn¡¯t summoned me to the Vespae hive,¡± she huffed, upset. ¡°I left my prison once and that was all the boon allowed. Once, to a place where you were, Ant.¡±


    ¡°Specifically Anthony?¡± the Dealer asked, stroking his chin.


    ¡°Yes, because he is the one with the boon,¡± Sara confirmed.


    "Without giving me points for meeting you?" I continued. The Dealer gave me a look, but I ignored him. He probably just took my word for it back in Pittsburgh, but not getting points was a big tell that it might not have been real.


    I knew it was, though. It had to have been.


    Sara thought about this answer for a short while before nodding. "I believe so. The dream worlds are weird and there''s some plausible deniability when appearing in them. If I didn''t want to help whoever I was manifesting in front of, I could ask the system not to give them the points notification."


    I nodded. That made perfect sense to me. The Dealer''s dubious look faded, and he looked thoughtful.


    ¡°And you couldn¡¯t tamper with the Golden Dream, except by switching the location and through manifestation? You¡¯re sure?¡± the Dealer asked.


    ¡°That is correct.¡±


    ¡°What¡¯s going on?¡± Kayla asked. ¡°I feel like I missed a lot here.¡±


    I took a breath and nodded. ¡°Yeah, sorry, I just had to make sure of some things,¡± I said. ¡°My original destination was the Trial of the Silver Nightmare, a dream world that plunges people into their deepest fears.¡±


    ¡°That sounds like it¡¯s really easy to tell you¡¯re in a dream,¡± she replied.


    Shrugging, I gave her a half smile. ¡°All Trials alter your memories of entering,¡± I explained. ¡°Oftentimes in a way that makes sense, though I¡¯ve been through some weird ones. Their goal is to get you to complete the trial without realizing you¡¯re in one. If you know you¡¯re in a nightmare, then it¡¯s really easy to complete, right? After so many iterations, I¡¯ve trained myself on what to look for in the Silver Nightmare to identify it, though it does usually take some time. That¡¯s why I told you it would take about a week.¡±


    Kayla¡¯s eyes widened. ¡°And you subject yourself to that every time you reset?¡±


    ¡°He¡¯s not sane,¡± the Dealer snorted.


    ¡°I am sane, and I needed the item that comes with completing the Trial,¡± I said. ¡°It was the fruit Eve eats in the story of Eden. I was supposed to use it as a bargaining chip to squash a second Demonic invasion after the Heavenly Patrons disbanded.¡±


    ¡°From the sounds of it, that plan is no longer on the table,¡± Kayla guessed.


    ¡°Got it in-¡° I stopped myself before saying it, and shook my head. It was my saying, I shouldn¡¯t be wary of it just because Aaron used it. ¡°One. Instead of being sent to the Silver Nightmare, which won¡¯t open up again for a while, I went to the Golden Dream.¡±


    ¡°Which is completely different,¡± the Dealer informed. ¡°Instead of pain and misery, it¡¯s lollipops and rainbows. As far as I know, you could suffer through the Silver Nightmare and win eventually but no one knew how to beat the Golden Dream.¡±


    ¡°Until now, and only because someone wasn¡¯t trying to kill me,¡± I added. ¡°Which is still odd to think about.¡±


    ¡°The contract stipulates that I can¡¯t harm you,¡± Sara said. ¡°At least, not in ways that would kill or maim you.¡±


    I nodded. ¡°We¡¯ll talk more about that and the disaster you warned me about later. Though, I think it¡¯s more than him wanting to hurt me. I think he really, really wants to show you up, Sara.¡± She sat there, her wings fidgeting and hair burning as she remained silent. ¡°Yeah, he didn¡¯t like not being able to talk smack about you, either.¡±


    ¡°He?¡± Kayla asked.


    ¡°Arontalscion, the Fallen,¡± I said, and Sara¡¯s hair immediately became brighter as anger showed on her face. ¡°Hey, I¡¯m okay. I¡¯m here with you now, no harm done except for some time lost. Which I compensated for, thanks to everyone. Speaking of, Kayla, because I can¡¯t say it enough, thank you again for taking over Sol Ligatus.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m happy to help, but something tells me there¡¯s still a lot more to this story,¡± the Double Agent said cautiously, watching Sara.


    I nodded. ¡°The Golden Dream set me a year after the system dropped. I had used the Prize in order to make Sara the top administrator, and I regressed one last time. This put her in charge, I got her attention, and after she accepted the Memory Orb she banished everyone and everything that didn¡¯t belong.¡±


    ¡°Even the poor old Dealer?¡± the alligator asked.


    ¡°Yes,¡± I said, not mentioning that Corwin got to stay for whatever reason. I didn¡¯t know what that said about the Golden Dream or myself, but I kept it to myself. ¡°Then, I started getting amnesia every few months thanks to an overload of Ouroboros Tattoos, the thing that lets me come back to the start.¡±


    ¡°But you don¡¯t have any tattoos,¡± Kayla pointed out.


    ¡°They¡¯re covered up so the administrators don¡¯t find me,¡± I explained. ¡°Sara, does that sound right?¡±


    ¡°It does,¡± she confirmed. ¡°I think you always thought I meant points when I said it would be too costly to continue, but I knew if you accepted more tattoos, then you¡¯d start having issues. More issues, I mean, than just Regression Imbalance. I¡¯m sorry I didn¡¯t tell you.¡±


    ¡°No, you were right to,¡± I told her with a smile. ¡°Having an endpoint was good for me. I can understand that.¡±


    ¡°You didn¡¯t just regress seven times,¡± the Dealer accused with narrowed eyes.


    ¡°Did you believe me when I said that?¡± I asked with a raised eyebrow.


    He jabbed a finger in my direction. ¡°I decided to let you keep your secrets, is what I did. How many times?¡±


    I offered him a smile. ¡°The real answer is 99. This is my 100th run.¡±


    ¡°Oh boy,¡± the Dealer wheezed, running his hands over his head. ¡°He really is insane.¡±


    ¡°More sane than most people,¡± Sara defended before reaching up. It looked like she was about to stroke my hair before running her hand through her own. ¡°But definitely not right in the head.¡±


    ¡°I think we¡¯re all on the same page there,¡± Kayla agreed. She wasn¡¯t fazed by that knowledge at all, but then again she did expect it based on our conversation in Cordele.


    ¡°Hey, I¡¯m doing it to save the world, alright?¡± I asked, crossing my arms. ¡°I¡¯m what you get when you do this for what feels like forever.¡±


    ¡°Well, whatever,¡± the Dealer said with a wave of his hand. ¡°Go on to the remembering part.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll get there, man,¡± I replied, waving my hand back at him. ¡°Anyway, it was Sara and I living together. I went back to school. She also made Memory Orbs for all my friends and a couple people she wanted to see, which should have been a dead giveaway that something was wrong. You had me give one to Coe and Klaske.¡±


    ¡°Oh, I love those two,¡± Sara said wistfully. ¡°Did they stay together?¡±


    ¡°Just like you wanted,¡± I answered with a smile. ¡°Things were great. Better than I ever really expected, aside from the anxiety and the amnesia. But, those made sense and the Golden Dream is supposed to be realistic enough to draw you in completely. While I was there, I had three moments where I was told to remember something. Not, like, past tense, but as if telling me to remember when I got out.¡±


    ¡°That makes sense given what I know. What were they?¡±


    I held up one finger. ¡°In order of least to most important, the first one was Greg¡¯s missing hand. Jeff told me the story of it happening to knock me out of a panic attack.¡±


    ¡°Greg came to the train and wanted to talk about the lich,¡± Kayla said. ¡°Once he learned you weren¡¯t there, he immediately became nasty and Jamie cut off his hand to teach him a lesson.¡±


    ¡°That confirms that, then,¡± I responded with a nod. ¡°Second, Jamie mentioned that everything went wrong in Jamestown.¡±


    ¡°That little place between Stanley and Etson?¡± Kayla asked, confused. ¡°What¡¯s there?¡±


    I shook my head. ¡°No, I¡¯m sure she meant Jamestown in Virginia. There¡¯s going to be an invasion starting there.¡±


    ¡°From the Atlantians,¡± Sara added. ¡°The underwater city kind, not the ones from Georgia.¡±


    ¡°Yeah. They¡¯re going to start their invasion of the east coast, but the first strike is on Jamestown,¡± I continued. ¡°That¡¯s going to be one of our last stops before Jamie, Mercury and I get transported to Dublin for an event. You¡¯ll be in charge of picking us up in our starting cities when we¡¯re done.¡±


    ¡°Dublin, that¡¯s where the American MVPs are going, right?¡± the Dealer asked, leaping at the mention of Ireland. ¡°The Star Spangled MVP Shadow Invasion. That¡¯s what my sources say it¡¯s called, anyway.¡±


    I almost laughed at the look on Kayla¡¯s face when she heard the title, but suppressed it. ¡°That¡¯s right. It¡¯s a special event hosted for each state¡¯s most prolific MVP. The system picks the participants, not the administrators, which is why I¡¯m in the running. It transfers 50 of us to Dublin, Ireland, but a shadow version of it. It¡¯s hard to explain, so I won¡¯t. Either way, something is apparently going to go wrong there. I¡¯m not sure if the Golden Dream can tell the future or something, but I¡¯m inclined to believe it.¡±


    Kayla arched an eyebrow. ¡°Why Dublin?¡±


    ¡°The administrator overseeing the area won a raffle,¡± I answered. ¡°So they get to host the event.¡±


    ¡°Really?¡± she asked.


    I shrugged. ¡°Really.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s kind of stupid, but I guess that¡¯s expected at this point.¡±


    ¡°Yeah, I don¡¯t recommend looking too far behind the curtain. You get answers like that when you do,¡± I said, smirking. ¡°Back to the topic at hand. The last one was the big one, and dream Sara told me about it. Do you remember how you asked me not to go back into Hell because you wanted me to wait for the Patron¡¯s Ball?¡±


    ¡°I do,¡± she said, nodding.


    ¡°Apparently, I came up with a loophole. You told me that I summoned Hell to Washington D.C., where the Demons already were. Then, I killed them for the Angelic Ascent boost.¡±


    ¡°That¡­¡± Sara stopped for a moment, lowering her head in thought. ¡°Is plausible. I don¡¯t like the risk, but I do like the idea of slaughtering the Demons there. You¡¯d also save countless lives by breaking the scenario early.¡±


    ¡°Exactly my plan. My only worry was whether or not Arontalscion, or Aaron as I¡¯ve been calling him, was altering the dream and if I was going to be playing into his hands or not.¡±


    ¡°Which, it clearly seems like you¡¯re not,¡± the Dealer said. He looked rather pleased with himself. ¡°I¡¯m going to skip ahead to my announcement now that we know this isn¡¯t his plot, if you don¡¯t mind.¡±


    ¡°Sure, go ahead,¡± I said, leaning back and gesturing for him to continue. Since ending the dream meant I had to kill Sara, I wasn¡¯t particularly eager to divulge that information.


    The Dealer stood up and looked me in the eye. ¡°Of course, this information comes at the cost of how to beat the Golden Dream. I¡¯m not sure if you¡¯d even know to look for this particular item, but the fact that you haven¡¯t brought it up yet makes me think you either don¡¯t know about it or forgot.¡±


    I winced. ¡°I¡¯ll be the judge of that.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m going to be pissing off Michael and countless others for this, so I think it¡¯s worth it,¡± he said adamantly. ¡°Do you know the wrath of an Archangel, Anthony?¡±


    Frowning, I nodded. ¡°Sorry, Sara, but in order to break me out, Aaron brought your dream self to the brink of death so I could finish the job. The only way to break out of the Golden Dream is to destroy the person, thing, or whatever brings you the most joy.¡±


    ¡°It wasn¡¯t really me, so I can¡¯t hold it against you,¡± Sara said soothingly, smiling at me though I could tell it was strained. Her hair fluctuated, like she was trying not to show how upset she was by the news.


    ¡°That¡¯s it?¡± the Dealer asked, scoffing. ¡°Kill whatever brings you the most joy? I could have guessed that.¡±


    ¡°Guess or not, it¡¯s never come up. I¡¯ve never in a hundred runs ever heard of anyone beating the Golden Dream,¡± I rebuked. ¡°This information is verified from a very trustworthy source, which is more than enough for a Dealer guarantee. That means you can sell it for a lot of points, does it not?¡±


    The alligator grumbled, but nodded. ¡°I suppose so,¡± he admitted, though he clearly wasn¡¯t happy about it. ¡°Not knowing you¡¯re in the Golden Dream is going to be the hard part, but fine, it is what it is. The reason why I¡¯ll be pissing off Michael is because he specifically requested a one-time-use blueprint for an item that doesn¡¯t exist on Earth. Not yet, anyway. However, I know how to get it. Since you need to be there to help me, and you owe me a favor, I figured it wouldn¡¯t hurt to let you grab something extra.¡±


    I arched an eyebrow. ¡°Alright, fine. What¡¯s this favor and why did we have to use the Patron¡¯s Car to discuss it?¡±


    He took a breath, then grinned, showing off all his teeth. ¡°Because the blueprint¡¯s locked in a special location where I¡¯d be caught immediately without you,¡± he explained. ¡°Anthony, when the Star Spangled Shadow Invasion starts, you and I are going to use it as an opportunity to rob the administrators.¡±


    The Dealer¡¯s words took me off guard, but I grinned with him. ¡°You son of a bitch,¡± I said. ¡°Tell me everything.¡±

 Chapter 196

    The Angel Express, Chicago, Illinois - 9:09 AM


    ¡°I can¡¯t believe he had the gall to say I was the insane one,¡± I remarked once the Dealer left before looking at Sara still sitting beside me. ¡°Out of everything I¡¯ve done, can you think of anything half as crazy as that?¡±


    ¡°Please,¡± she said with a good natured eye roll. ¡°If you knew how and thought you could get away with it, you would totally go all in on a heist against the administrators.¡±


    ¡°Well, of course I would,¡± I admitted with a scoff. ¡°But I¡¯m me and he¡¯s a treasure hunter. Those are two very different demographics right there.¡±


    ¡°And yet, you¡¯re the one who agreed to it,¡± Kayla said. ¡°With only the slightest shred of hesitation, might I add.¡±


    ¡°Kayla, if someone like the Dealer comes and says they want to rob the administration with you, you don¡¯t pass it up,¡± I replied.


    ¡°Even if you think he¡¯s insane?¡± she challenged, crossing her arms.


    ¡°The only insane part is thinking we can do it,¡± I countered. ¡°But, with a plan as sound as that one, I¡¯d be a fool not to go along with it.¡±


    Kayla frowned. ¡°And if it¡¯s a trap?¡±


    I immediately shook my head. ¡°The Dealer¡¯s fine. I¡¯ve known him for a long, long time. If he wanted to screw me over, it wouldn¡¯t be like this. I trust him. And, from the sounds of it, Sara does, too.¡±


    ¡°I suppose I do,¡± she sighed, not sounding happy about it. ¡°Sorry, I¡¯m still getting used to seeing him as a trustworthy ally. At the very least, you can expect him to continue working with Ant until the goose no longer lays its golden eggs. Which is something he says a lot.¡±


    ¡°He does,¡± I agreed.


    Sara turned so that she was facing me, sitting on one of her legs as her holographic wings pierced the side of the loveseat. ¡°There is something more prominent to discuss than whether you can trust the Dealer, and I think it¡¯s prudent to do so with Kayla here.¡±


    ¡°Something that involves me?¡± the Double Agent asked.


    The Angel nodded, but didn¡¯t turn away from me. Her gaze was stern enough that I blinked in surprise. ¡°Yes. Since Anthony is leaving on a long trip to collect the things he needs for the assault on Washington D.C., I have decided to go with him.¡±


    I tilted my head. ¡°You told me and the Dealer that you were fine staying here and helping Kayla with Sol Ligatus,¡± I said slowly. ¡°That wasn¡¯t even ten minutes ago.¡±


    ¡°I was alright with it for a few minutes,¡± she softly replied, brushing her hair out of her face. ¡°A little taken off guard, maybe, but the more I thought about it, the less fine with it I became. Sol Ligatus is a nice enough group. They have their issues, one in particular has a problem with blasphemy, and there had been some misunderstandings in the past about who might be degenerates and who aren¡¯t.¡±


    ¡°Which Jeff and I are not,¡± Kayla stated firmly.


    ¡°Yes, and I apologize that my boyfriend allowed me to think that for so long,¡± Sara said with a nod. I was about to defend myself when she continued. ¡°But I am not here for them. Don¡¯t get me wrong, I pray for their safety, but I am here because I gave you my personal boon. I am here for you, Anthony Franklin.¡±


    I glanced at Kayla, but she shook her head. ¡°She already sent me a message about it, psychic boy. And, I agree. Having Sara around was nice, especially for the quests and the advice, but I didn¡¯t become her avatar until right before we fought Doneralego so I haven¡¯t really had time to get used to her help. Plus, she really misses you. Every night that she¡¯s been my Patron she¡¯d send a mes-¡°


    ¡°Now hold on, Kayla,¡± Sara said, turning towards the Double Agent and raising her hands. Her hair, like her face, burned. It was adorable. ¡°You don¡¯t need to bring those up. While I may not have been at ease, I was completely fine.¡±


    ¡°Like you said: she¡¯s a fighter, not a lover,¡± Kayla teased, smug as she leaned back into her chair. ¡°I¡¯m sure you can figure it out from here.¡±


    I smiled, glad that my friend was comfortable enough with Sara that she could tease her. ¡°I think I can.¡±


    The Angel covered her face with both hands, her hair still burned brightly though now her halo did the same. ¡°Kayla, I sent you those messages in confidence.¡±


    ¡°I didn¡¯t tell him what was in them,¡± she replied, barely defending herself. ¡°But you didn¡¯t say they were sent in confidence and I want Anthony to know how much he means to you. Communication like that is important in a healthy relationship. Especially a long distance one.¡±


    ¡°But, for the record,¡± I interjected. ¡°Don¡¯t feel like you have to do anything that makes you uncomfortable.¡±


    It took Sara a few moments before she sighed and put her hands down. ¡°Anthony Franklin, I¡¯m coming with you and that¡¯s final,¡± she said sternly. The Angel¡¯s face had that same nervous quality to it from the picture she sent me, like she wasn¡¯t sure how to deal with the rejection that she was sure was coming.


    I smiled, unable to shoot her down.


    ¡°Alright,¡± I agreed. ¡°I¡¯ll be happy to have you back.¡±


    Sara blinked. ¡°Really? Just like that?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m used to sacrificing some measures of my own happiness for the sake of the world, but it looks like I can¡¯t do that to you,¡± I answered softly. My girlfriend beamed, and I held up a finger. ¡°However, there is one condition.¡±


    The smile faltered, but didn¡¯t go away. ¡°Name it.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s less for you, and more for Kayla,¡± I said, taking my raised finger and pointing it at the Double Agent. She was watching us like we were her favorite soap opera, but perked up immediately. ¡°You need to get in touch with the Dealer and get the attention of a new Patron.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s pretty easy, then,¡± she said, swiping the air in front of her. ¡°The Dealer gave me a notebook that lets me write to him in case we need help. It¡¯ll take him a bit to see it, but I¡¯m sure we can work something out. Probably as an advance on Corwin¡¯s next visit.¡±


    I nodded. ¡°That¡¯s probably what he¡¯s going to ask for, but being introduced to a Patron is probably going to be worth half that, especially if they agree to make you their avatar.¡±


    ¡°Good information. Anyone you recommend?¡±


    ¡°Yes. It should be one with the power of Fate, because they¡¯ll have limited information that they can give you from the future,¡± I said. ¡°Which, even limited, is very useful. Ares isn¡¯t going to stick around for very long, but given who Jamie will replace him with I wouldn¡¯t recommend any of the Parcae.¡±


    Kayla arched an eyebrow. ¡°What¡¯s going on with Ares?¡±


    ¡°He¡¯s a god of war, yes, but he¡¯s really more into brutality and slaughter,¡± I explained. ¡°Jamie¡¯s got that in her, but we¡¯re too good an influence. He¡¯s riding the waves of a shiny new avatar right now but he¡¯s going to get bored soon. Usually, during the siege of Jamestown, she refuses to follow his more barbaric orders. Then, later on, Athena will see her. She¡¯s much more strategically inclined and has a much more balanced portfolio. Plus, taking Jamie as her avatar will piss off Ares, which is a win for her.¡±


    ¡°Okay, that makes sense,¡± she said with a nod. ¡°And who are the Parcae?¡±


    ¡°They¡¯re the Roman equivalent of the Greek Moirai. The Fates,¡± I answered. ¡°The Patrons from both pantheons kind of go at each other¡¯s throats, calling them copycats and all sorts of things. It also doesn¡¯t help that the Greek are more well known and flaunt that fact, which the Romans don¡¯t like.¡±


    The Double Agent nodded. ¡°Understood. So I should go with one of the Moirai?¡±


    ¡°Can¡¯t, they¡¯re already taken by important individuals. The best ones would be¡­¡± I trailed off, running my hand through my hair as I leaned back. The first one probably wouldn¡¯t go as well as the second, but she was still a solid option. ¡°At this point, we can probably make it so Laima, from Latvian myth, doesn¡¯t meet their avatar. That wouldn¡¯t mess things up too bad. She deals with fate, luck, marriage, childbirth. That kind of thing.¡±


    Kayla made a face at the mention of childbirth. ¡°I feel for any woman who¡¯s expecting while all this is happening. That has to be tough. Fate, luck, and marriage all sound fine, but children aren¡¯t really in my cards.¡±


    ¡°Do you want to skip over Laima?¡± I asked, offering a supportive smile. I remembered Sara talking about the Mills'' issues on that, but I didn''t think telling her that now would be a nice thing to do.


    ¡°Skip, thank you.¡±


    I nodded. Laima was a good option, but not enough that I felt compelled to push it. ¡°Okay, that¡¯s fair. The other one would be Skuld.¡±


    ¡°The Norn. And she won¡¯t butt heads with Athena?¡± Kayla asked, leaning back.


    ¡°Two very different pantheons, so there won¡¯t be any meaningful overlap,¡± I answered. ¡°The future she can show you will be muddled, but I know you¡¯re smart enough to figure it out.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s what I¡¯ll tell him I want, then,¡± Kayla said before releasing a huge breath. ¡°But, because nothing can go as planned, I¡¯ll¡­ keep Laima open as a backup option.¡±


    ¡°Sorry,¡± I told her honestly.


    Portfolio aside, Laima really would have been a great addition to the team. It was likely that she¡¯d offer boons that involved Jeff as well thanks to her marriage focus. The Queen¡¯s Knight could get more buffs from the Queen.


    Still, Skuld would be great as well. So long as she didn¡¯t have to settle for a Roman Fate, things would go smoothly.


    She shook her head. ¡°It¡¯s not your fault. I just didn¡¯t expect it. Or think of it. Or anything.¡± There was a moment of pause as Sara and I looked at each other, then Kayla shook her head. ¡°I¡¯ll get in contact with the Dealer. If I leave, will the Patron''s car still work?¡±If you spot this story on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation.


    ¡°No. You¡¯re the one who activated it, so even if she switches over you have to stay. I don¡¯t think they coded the car correctly, to be honest,¡± I said. ¡°But, if you want to sit near the door, then we¡¯ll be quiet. I have a few things I want to discuss with Sara now that we¡¯re face to face and still have some time left.¡±


    The Double Agent stood up, finally pulling the notebook out of her inventory. ¡°Okay. Thank you, Sara, for all your help.¡±


    ¡°It was my pleasure,¡± the Angel replied, smiling.


    Kayla hadn¡¯t even made it to the other side of the car when I received the notification.


    <<<>>>


    [[Notice]]


    An unknown Patron has extended a Patron Pact to you. If you so choose to accept, benefits befitting an avatar of [redacted] will appear to you.


    <<<>>>


    I accepted the invitation.


    <<<>>>


    [[Notice]]


    You have signed a Patron¡¯s Pact with the Hidden World Boss [Esaraphelscion, Angel of the End].


    [[Notice]]


    The passive [Under Her Watchful Eyes] is now under full effect.


    <<<>>>


    ¡°Under Her Watchful Eyes?¡± Sara asked, her eyes moving as though she were reading something in front of her. ¡°What is this?¡±


    ¡°Just a little something I got from-¡°


    Suddenly, she gasped and reached for my arm. Her hand passed through me, but her excitement didn¡¯t dim. ¡°You got a passive about me in the Golden Dream!¡± she announced excitedly. I glanced back at Kayla, who looked our way, and smiled when I returned my attention to my girlfriend. ¡°I can¡¯t believe it. Wow, you really do lo-¡±


    I arched my eyebrow as her voice got caught in her throat. ¡°I really do what?¡±


    The excitement on her face didn¡¯t dwindle as no doubt countless thoughts ran through her head. I knew that she was capable of thinking much faster than we could, and the fact that she was buffering like an old computer was a little adorable. She lowered her head slightly, looking at me from under her bangs.


    ¡°You really do love me,¡± Sara said, fidgeting nervously.


    ¡°I do,¡± I agreed. ¡°And I¡¯ve read your message many times on the way here. You know the one.¡±


    ¡°I do,¡± she said shyly before taking a completely unnecessary breath. ¡°It took me a lot of effort to send that. I¡¯m glad you appreciate it.¡±


    Smiling, I somehow resisted the urge to brush her bangs away from her face. It almost looked like she was hiding behind them. ¡°I¡¯ll always appreciate you.¡±


    Reaching out, I offered her my hand and she placed hers right on top of mine. We couldn¡¯t touch, but it looked like we could and, in the moment, that was good enough for me.


    ¡°I have a confession,¡± Sara hesitantly admitted.


    ¡°Isn''t confession something I''d normally be doing as the mortal man?¡± I joked.


    She lowered her head. ¡°Probably, but I''m still the one in the wrong.¡±


    ¡°I doubt that, but I''ll hear you,¡± I said, picking up on the tone.


    It took her a few seconds to start talking again. ¡°I was complacent. About you know who. I got so caught up in the adventure, the conversations, and everything that I let my guard down.¡±


    I offered her a sympathetic smile. Of course this had something to do with Aaron. ¡°By your own rules, he wasn''t allowed to hurt me. You put that clause in there. Plus, you couldn''t warn me anyway.¡±


    ¡°But I sent you to do the Trial,¡± Sara whispered, her wings fidgeting while her halo dimmed. ¡°I asked you to put Greg aside and sent you there. If I had been thinking about it, I could have seen the danger. Warned you indirectly. Something. That whole thing was my fa-¡±


    ¡°Hey,¡± I interrupted a little more forcefully than I wanted. She stopped talking. ¡°What happened, happened. I was going to go into that Trial whether you pushed me or not. Even if you could tell me flat out that Aaron could manipulate it, I''d have had to go in there.¡±


    ¡°But you got trapped there for a month,¡± she offered weakly.


    ¡°And now I''m back with a whole new game plan and a couple new toys, one of which he probably regrets terribly,¡± I said with a light chuckle. ¡°I don''t think you made a mistake. And even if you insist you did, I don''t think that''s a bad thing.¡±


    Sara looked back up at me. ¡°Why?¡±


    ¡°Because to err is human,¡± I said with a smile. ¡°And I meant it when I told you that you''re just as human to me as the people I''m trying to save.¡±


    That drew a small smile from her. ¡°Thank you.¡±


    ¡°There''s no need for that. I''m glad you''re here, and nobody''s perfect.¡± I cleared my throat. ¡°While we have time, is there anything more upbeat you''d like to talk about?¡±


    ¡°I want you to tell me something about the Golden Dream,¡± she requested, her voice low. ¡°About us, the life we could lead if our circumstances were different.¡±


    ¡°There¡¯s a lot to go through.¡±


    ¡°We¡¯ve got a few minutes.¡±


    I took a moment to think about the request before I began speaking.


    ¡°The Trial of the Golden Dream seemed to think that one of the best ways to make me happy was to make you my wife,¡± I said softly. Sara smiled brightly, and I returned it. ¡°That version of us had gotten married at the Patron¡¯s Ball, and then when I reset the timeline we got married again. Because the first one didn¡¯t happen, what with the regression and all.¡±


    ¡°We had to make sure everything was still in order,¡± she whispered.


    I nodded. ¡°You were there for me from the moment I entered my apartment, still unsure about what was happening,¡± I continued. ¡°No wings, no halo, and your hair was like that of a normal person¡¯s. Short, curly, though dyed to look like fire. You were very happy to see that I was home, but that only lasted until you saw my confusion. When I tried to flee, my instincts telling me to get to an open space, you caught me.¡±


    Reaching out with my free hand, I ran it along the hologram of Sara¡¯s wing. It shivered as if she could feel it. ¡°Immediately, actually. You pulled me onto the ground, stuffed my head in your chest, and wrapped your wings around me.¡±


    The memory of her scent came back to me. The Patron''s car didn¡¯t replicate it, but that didn¡¯t matter. I remembered the slight hint of fragrant smoke, her scent mingling with mine leftover from when she stole my oversized t-shirt. The Golden Dream had chosen that scene well.


    ¡°You were patient, comforting, and made me feel like nothing else mattered except for us. The kind of thing I usually deny myself from finding,¡± I admitted. ¡° Which¡­ was something I don¡¯t often admit that I sometimes need.¡±


    ¡°Something we both need,¡± she corrected.


    ¡°Yeah, something we both need,¡± I agreed. ¡°Over the next few weeks, you were never far from me. You were the perfect Guardian Angel. Whenever I had issues and I wasn¡¯t with one of my friends, you made time for me. I¡¯ll be honest; I thought I¡¯d be okay with leaving you here with Kayla, but I¡¯d probably have ended up being miserable the whole time.


    ¡°Now, that¡¯s nothing new. The life I lead isn¡¯t really glamorous, safe, or anything I¡¯d normally call sane. It¡¯s had its ups and downs. The highest highs, balanced by the lowest lows. For all that the odds are against me making it this far, I have met with miracles every single day. But there has not been anything better for me than you.¡±


    Sara watched me with an intensity I hadn¡¯t seen from her before. Her gaze gave me butterflies in my stomach, which was a feeling I hadn¡¯t felt in a very long time. It wasn¡¯t bad.


    ¡°I can¡¯t deny it; even though it wasn¡¯t real, having you by my side in the Golden Dream was the sweetest point of my life. I had never felt more assured that everything was okay than I did when we were just sitting on the couch watching old TV shows. Even with the amnesia and the anxiety, I knew deep in my bones that, so long as you were with me, everything was going to be okay.¡±


    ¡°You wouldn¡¯t have made it out if it weren¡¯t for¡­¡± Sara trailed off, unable to complete her sentence due to the rules she was bound by.


    ¡°I would have never made it out of there if it weren¡¯t for you. The dream version of you died without a fight so I could escape,¡± I told her.


    ¡°That sounds about right.¡±


    ¡°Just don¡¯t go sacrificing yourself for me out here, okay?¡± I requested with a soft smile, and she returned it. ¡°I¡¯m grateful to you because I would have never entertained the thought of doing it myself. Watching you talk to my parents who obviously loved you, going out on double dates with Kayla and Jeff, going shopping for something as mundane as new curtains. No matter what it was, doing it with you gave me a peace of mind that I didn¡¯t have even before the system dropped.¡±


    I took a breath. ¡°I don¡¯t know if making you an administrator and going back in time again is the solution to our problems or just wishful thinking, but this will be the end of my journey no matter what happens. And afterwards¡­ I¡¯d like to be back in that place with you.¡±


    ¡°Yes,¡± Sara said. ¡°Anthony, I will marry you.¡±


    ¡°This isn¡¯t a proposal,¡± I quickly replied, holding up a hand. ¡°I mean, I don¡¯t even have a ring-¡°


    ¡°I don¡¯t care,¡± she said with a shake of her head. ¡°Anthony, I will marry you.¡±


    ¡°I haven¡¯t even gotten on one knee, I just wanted you to know that I-¡±


    ¡°Want to get married to me again?¡± Sara asked, arching an eyebrow. ¡°Sweet bountiful Eden, Anthony. You said ¡®I do¡¯ back when I put my halo on your finger in Amlex¡¯s hive. Now, I¡¯m telling you that I accept.¡±


    Chuckling, I lowered my head to look at our hands. Esaraphelscion¡¯s Love, the ring she gave me, shined from her light. ¡°Will you at least let me do it properly?¡± I requested.


    The Angel tilted her head upwards as if thinking about it before making a show of sighing. ¡°I don¡¯t see anything wrong with you proposing today,¡± she said, pouting. ¡°I¡¯d welcome it, even.¡±


    ¡°And I really appreciate that, I just want to do it the way I always thought I¡¯d do it, is all,¡± I replied. ¡°I even have a ring in mind for you. If you¡¯re willing to wait until the Patron¡¯s Ball, that is.¡±


    Sara smiled. ¡°If that¡¯s what you need to be happy, then I¡¯ll allow it,¡± she said, relenting. ¡°Our time is running short, though.¡±


    ¡°I lo-¡±


    ¡°Please wait,¡± she requested, holding up her hand. I stopped. ¡°I¡­ I want to say it first this time.¡±


    I sat up. ¡°It is a little strange to hear you say you wanted to marry me before I heard you say that out loud.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t tease me, that was a spontaneous thing,¡± she pouted.


    ¡°Fighter, not a lover,¡± Kayla interjected from across the room. Sara looked back at her, and the Double Agent shrugged. ¡°Yes, that is my favorite fact about Sara and no, you two are not as quiet as you think you are.¡±


    ¡°Ignore her,¡± I said, stifling a laugh as the Angel turned back towards me. ¡°The easiest way to get it out is to just do it.¡±


    Sara hesitated for just a few seconds. ¡°I love you, Anthony,¡± she whispered, smiling shyly. ¡°And I think I have for a long time. Relatively speaking.¡±


    I grinned. ¡°I love you, too, Sara.¡±


    The Patron Car flickered as if there was a power outage. When the lights came back on, Sara was gone. Our time for the day was up.


    <<<>>>


    [[Patron Message]]


    I¡¯m sorry that took me so much effort to say, but I¡¯m glad I did.


    Now, I need to recover from this hectic social experience. Go on and fight your friends, they¡¯re ready for you.


    Sincerely yours,


    Sara


    <<<>>>


    ¡°You don¡¯t have to apologize for anything,¡± I said to the ceiling. My eyes flicked back to the message. ¡°But, what do you mean go fight my friends?¡±


    Kayla stood up and closed the notebook. ¡°Jeff and Jamie decided a long time ago that they wanted a rematch,¡± she explained. ¡°Then Mercury wanted in, and then I got dragged into it.¡±


    ¡°Really?¡± I watched as she walked over and offered me her hand, and she helped me to my feet.


    ¡°We¡¯ve been planning it for a while, Ant,¡± she said, smiling. ¡°I, as the acting Guildmaster of Sol Ligatus, challenge you to a four on one fight.¡±

 Chapter 197

    The Angel Express, Chicago, Illinois - 9:40 AM


    I stood in the middle of the long, open platform that was the training car. The walls and ceiling had shifted to become part of the floor, giving us a large arena to fight on. At the four corners surrounding me were the fighters of Sol Ligatus.


    Jamie stood ahead of me with Mercury across from her. Their gear had changed the least since I saw them last, but that was to be expected. Her plastic armor and his ninja outfit were both big ticket growth items. With as many bosses as they would have taken out together, I knew they were much stronger than they had been the last time I saw them.


    As a Weapon Master, Jamie¡¯s arsenal was basically a revolving door of whatever powerful items she could get her hands on. Her golden shield had been fixed with dragon scales and sat on her back along with a spear. In addition, her scimitars, Firefly and Silhouette, hung from her hips and a Desert Eagle was holstered to one thigh with daggers on the other.


    Mercury had his hand on the black and pink wakizashi hanging from his left side. The Princess, the intelligent spirit that inhabited the blade, was likely here as well. While she couldn¡¯t do much on her own yet, she was instrumental in teaching her wielder how to fight. Not only did she help him make split second decisions, but her passives shored up both his offensive and defensive talent.


    Without turning around, I focused on Jeff. His outfit had been modified, if only slightly. He still wore his Stinging Yellow Jacket, Goggles of the Trojan Prince, Cincture of the Complete Body, Sure-Step Sandals, Crusader¡¯s Wrath, and the safety vest from Atlanta. He no longer wore the goofy looking Duelist¡¯s Trousers, having been replaced by a pair of dark pants too generic to guess what enchantments came on them.


    While Jamie¡¯s weapons were the most powerful, Jeff¡¯s was the one I was most wary of. Not only did Killer Queen come with debilitating effects on its own, but the Knight had a few choice debuffs in his own kit. His arsenal of poison, honey clots, and curses were all meant to slow me down for the kill, which added something spicy to the fight.


    My attention shifted to my last opponent. Kayla¡¯s outfit had changed the most, though I attributed that to her role. She was the only fighter in Sol Ligatus that was less focused on combat, instead leaning towards charisma and guile with her specialty stats, Credibility and Moxie. While costly, I expected her to have an outfit for infiltration and an outfit for monster slaying. The only things I recognized from Pittsburgh were her glasses and thick Egyptian-style necklace.


    Today she wore navy blue leather that encased everything except her head, with combat boots, gloves, and a silver tiara. I noticed the distinct lack of Heelies, but didn¡¯t ask.


    The armor came from Doneralego the Lich and, as gear made for a spellcaster, would have helped boost at least one of her specialty stats. It also had a corruptive aspect, but the twin effects of Moxie and Mercurial Mind working together to protect her psyche meant that it would be safe for her to wear for long lengths of time.


    In her hand, she held her weapon of choice. The polished Drakefang Dagger was one of the items she had picked out from the Pharaoh¡¯s treasure hoard. It didn¡¯t have any passive effects or skills, but instead increased her three physical stats by a large number. It had been a good choice for her.


    Once I was done with my assessment, I cracked my knuckles. ¡°So, let me get this straight,¡± I started slowly. ¡°Not only did Jeff and Jamie want a rematch, but Ares has placed a bet with Sara?¡±


    ¡°Yes,¡± Jamie answered with a nod. ¡°I¡¯ve got a quest and everything. He¡¯s familiar with your fights from the Chaos Cup and, as much as I¡¯d rather not say it, quite enjoyed your performance as the Warmonger.¡±


    ¡°Makes sense for the God of War,¡± Kayla said.


    I grinned. ¡°So Ares likes the Warmonger. Alright, cool. How are you feeling about this, Mercury?¡±


    The ninja scratched the back of his head. ¡°I think it¡¯s a good thing I went to the bathroom before this,¡± he admitted before flinching like someone who had just gotten hit. A second later he dodged as if someone tried to swipe him again. ¡°Cut that out! I¡¯m not going to stand here and act like I¡¯m ready for this, Princess. This is the Warmonger!¡±


    ¡°Come on, Merc, we¡¯ve practiced this,¡± Jeff said. ¡°Just stick to the plan.¡±


    ¡°There¡¯s a plan?¡± I laughed, setting my hands on my hips. ¡°Man, y¡¯all are serious about this rematch, huh?¡±


    ¡°I did my best to make sure they were ready,¡± Kayla said, raising her dagger. ¡°If I was going to get dragged into this, then I wanted to make sure we maximized our odds. Plus, it made for good training as a teamwork exercise. Both my husband and Jamie agreed that fighting you was more nerve wracking than that last scenario boss, and now Mercury gets to feel some of that despair.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t tell him I said that,¡± the Weapon Master scoffed.


    ¡°That¡¯s some high praise,¡± I whistled. ¡°Not you, though?¡±


    The Double Agent shrugged. ¡°If we win, we win. If we lose, we lose. Everyone promised to be good sports about it,¡± she said before looking at Jamie. ¡°Everyone.¡±


    The Weapon Master rolled her eyes, but nodded.


    ¡°Not only that, but Sara even pitched in,¡± Jeff added. ¡°She really wanted you to be challenged. Thought it would be a nice coming home present.¡±


    ¡°Oh, really?¡± I asked, arching an eyebrow as I looked towards the depot¡¯s ceiling.


    <<<>>>


    [[Patron Quest: Defeat your Teammates!]]


    Yes, really.


    Don¡¯t look at me like that; you¡¯re the one who¡¯s bored.


    Anyway, I think this will be a fun, challenging fight for you. At the very least, you won¡¯t get out of it unscathed. Try your best. I believe in you!


    Objective: Take out all of your team members.


    Reward: 8,000 points.


    <<<>>>


    ¡°Well, looks like I have a quest now, too,¡± I chuckled. ¡°But, since the Warmonger seems to be so popular, the Warmonger¡¯s what you¡¯ll get. Send the duel request.¡±


    When Kayla started typing away at the air in front of her, I pulled the Kingtin¡¯s Foil off of my finger. It had been in the shape of a ring since we left Atlanta, but there was a more iconic and intimidating shape that it could take.


    <<<>>>


    [[Item]]


    The Kingtin¡¯s Foil


    (Malleable Item [Accessory Slot]; +5 Willpower)


    <<<>>>


    It was one of my oldest items, and it served me well during my time as the Warmonger. I pressed it into a flat shape before I began to mold it, making it larger until it became wide and tall enough to be a mask. While the original had holes for my eyes, I left them out this time. I no longer needed them. The only feature on the metallic mask were three rectangular holes under my right eye, each one slightly shorter than the one above it.


    I locked my gaze on Jamie as I raised it to my face, no doubt stirring up some memories. She wrinkled her nose and grabbed her spear from her back. Nobody said anything, but the atmosphere changed the moment I put the mask on.


    ¡°Just as a general warning¡­ this will hurt, and I will not feel sorry for you afterwards,¡± I said, sad that the Voice Change Party Trick had worn off. ¡°If you think me using the Writhing Belt Whip on Jeff was bad, then I won¡¯t hold it against anyone wanting to back out now.¡±


    They said nothing, though the excitement in their auras waned slightly as they readied themselves.


    <<<>>>


    [[Duel Request]]


    Players [Kayla Mills, Leonard Langston, Jeffry Mills, and Jamie Summers] are issuing you a challenge.


    Win condition: First team to cause the other to drop below 0 hit points or surrender will achieve victory.


    Additional rules: All hit points and resources will be restored, and cooldowns are reset for the duration of the match. Pain will be dulled to 50%.


    Would you like to partake in this challenge?


    Yes


    NoEnjoying the story? Show your support by reading it on the official site.


    <<<>>>


    Everyone else tapped Yes, and I followed suit before swiping away the countdown. Jeff and Mercury drew their weapons and waited.


    No one said anything as I put my hands behind my back, standing still and waiting for the match to start. I watched their auras carefully. Jeff and Jamie¡¯s were the most calm and Mercury¡¯s was the most turbulent. He likely wanted to make a good impression on me since I had been gone so long. Kayla¡¯s was surprisingly even, which I appreciated, though her hesitation to get dragged into this was clear.


    Anticipation welled up inside me as I was forced to wait, mentally counting down in my head. I was excited to see their plans in action.


    The moment I counted to zero, everyone moved. Time seemed to slow down as they operated in sync, no cog out of place, and I flicked my wrist. I had thought about letting them get the first attack, but changed my mind.


    Turning around, I retrieved the Scalpel of Healing from In The Palm¡¯s extradimensional space. It wasn¡¯t a very good weapon without the Demon Slayer skill, but I only needed the bladed edge to activate my attack and this was the fastest option.


    <<<>>>


    [[Skill]]


    Distant Slice


    Attack with a slashing weapon when you activate this skill. A beam of light following the arc of your attack will be fired in a straight line for a distance up to a number of feet equal to half your Dexterity stat. If Distant Slice lands, deal damage as if you had hit them physically. You can use this skill once every minute, or once every five seconds if your hit points are full.


    <<<>>>


    A beam of light shot out of the scalpel and headed right for Kayla. Jeff¡¯s weapon might have been the ones I was most wary of, but Kayla was probably their designated buffer. Getting rid of the support was the best thing to do right out of the gate. Flicking my wrist again, I sent the blade back to its extradimensional space.


    I was proud to see that they had already anticipated that.


    Mercury could use his abilities to switch places with something roughly his size. In this case, Kayla. She was much shorter than he, but not so much as to cause a problem. He appeared where she had been, his eyes widening as he saw Distant Slice flying towards him. The Princess jerked upwards, and the skill was canceled when it touched her blade. Relief flooded him as he took his stance.


    Behind me, Jamie wasn¡¯t idle. She bounded in front of Kayla, grabbing her golden shield off of her back to defend the Double Agent. I attempted to Lift the gun out of her holster, but the moment she either felt or heard it move she pushed it back down with the hand holding her spear.


    The Weapon Master made for a good defensive wall, but that wasn¡¯t their whole plan. Five bolts of fire erupted from Jeff¡¯s hand. Crusader¡¯s Wrath, the purified gauntlet I had given him, could only hold that many shots at once and he had blown them all. The spread was tight, but I was already on the move. I had to block two with Force Field but managed to duck the rest.


    Now that the shots had been expended, he flicked his wrist in Kayla¡¯s direction and the gauntlet flew off of his hand to protect her.


    Crusader¡¯s Wrath had been an unique item that I had never seen before Sara became my Patron, but I remembered its passive clearly. Not only that, but I knew exactly what it absorbed thanks to how it moved: the Shield of the Qer¡¯iu. I had given it to Jamie as an apology for breaking her golden shield, and it had a pretty relevant skill for the situation.


    <<<>>>


    [[Passive]]


    Shield Hand


    Crusader¡¯s Wrath may absorb a shield, gaining the skills and passive of the item. You can then use the palm of the gauntlet to block attacks.


    [[Skill]]


    Guardian Shield


    While this skill is active, the Shield of the Qer¡¯iu will automatically float around the person you want to protect. The effect lasts for a number of seconds equal to your Constitution/2 or until it blocks damage equal to the bearer¡¯s hit points, and can be activated twice per day. The shield will automatically attempt to intercept attacks made against the target of this skill.


    <<<>>>


    This way, Jeff could protect Kayla without needing to be next to her. With his high Constitution, something he had been building for in Pittsburgh, it would likely stay in the fight for a while whether I attacked it or simply left it be.


    In the same movement he tossed his gauntlet, Jeff shot towards me with his rapier extended. His speed increased substantially mid-step as his aura grew brighter. Kayla¡¯s diminished slightly, and I knew it was the work of Noble Sacrifice, a skill that let her expend hit points to boost the stats of others.


    And Jeff¡¯s aura barely faltered at the thought of his wife losing hit points. I was happy for his growth; that had been something he struggled with before.


    Mercury¡¯s aura was dim, likely from stealth. I knew that he would have been invisible if I were using my eyes. It wasn¡¯t enough to hide from me and wouldn¡¯t be for a long time yet, but I was entertained by his effort. He approached with Jeff, coming at me from Kayla¡¯s corner in a pincer attack. Even with the buff, the Queen¡¯s Knight barely matched the ninja¡¯s speed.


    Getting back into a fighting stance, I spun to lash my foot out at Mercury and raised my hand towards Jeff. The ninja jumped into the air to avoid it, the Princess raised above his head, and he slashed downwards. My Vambrace of Wires sparked from metal on metal as I blocked the attack, aware of the thick gouge his blade left.


    I let him be as he sailed behind me. My focus was on Killer Queen, and I summoned My Golden Bowling Ball from my inventory. I held it so that the finger holes were facing away from me, towards the Knight.


    A slight adjustment later and Jeff¡¯s rapier slotted into one of them. The impact was jarring, and if it weren¡¯t for the Strength boosting properties the bowling ball imparted on me I would have been pushed back thanks to my awkward stance. That seemed like it was what they were expecting. Mercury summoned a board mid-air and bounced off of it, heading back towards me. I leaned forward, and his attack cut some of my hair before he switched directions again.


    Using Drop on my shoe, I returned to solid ground more quickly than they anticipated. I briefly wondered if the reason Jeff had picked me up when he hugged me was to see how hard it would be to move me. Sneaky, but I wouldn¡¯t put it past my team; it was smart.


    The Queen¡¯s Knight attempted to pull the rapier back and I followed him, keeping his weapon inside the small sheathe. He danced backwards, and I matched his footwork exactly. I followed every twist and flick of his sword until he tried to lift it so that he could get close to me. That was when I let the bowling ball go.


    It fell to the ground, taking the tip of the rapier with it. The 30 pound ball wasn¡¯t really heavy to anyone here anymore, but the fact that only I was authorized to wield it made it impossible for Jeff to pick up. When he tried to pull it free, I Lifted the ball to keep it peace bonded, affecting his weapon with Lift, Drop, and Orbit as necessary to keep him occupied.


    An ounce of my attention remained on keeping Killer Queen shackled as I turned and ducked. Jamie¡¯s spear grazed the top of my head, drawing blood before striking the invisible wall preventing anything from leaving the training car. It hit the ground, but I knew it would disappear back into her inventory in a few seconds. Her hand smoothly transitioned from throwing to drawing the Desert Eagle holstered on her leg as Mercury landed on the ground.


    Nobody except the Patrons could see it, but my eyes locked with Kayla¡¯s. I was about to activate my Boneshake spell when I felt my attention get pulled back to Jeff, who was now behind me. The yellow stripes on his safety vest were glowing, forcefully directing my aggression towards him. I activated Shield on instinct as my Wisdom, my mental defense stat, did its job and fought back.


    I was about to break free when Mercury slashed my stomach from his landing crouch. The Princess slid across my Shield. Nine more strikes followed up from various angles as the ninja seemed to teleport in place using an ability I knew was called Tenfold Slash. None of them were as strong as regular attacks, but the sheer number of hits made it very dangerous.


    Partially through the ninja¡¯s attack, I broke through the forced aggro. I Constructed a dagger with a protective hilt in my hand. The translucent weapon formed nearly immediately thanks to my years of practice. I took a breath and dropped my focus on everything else.


    His eyes widened as I began to parry the Princess. His body and wakizashi flashed from teleportation point to teleportation point, and I anticipated them all. At this point in his development, Mercury was still easy to predict. There was nothing wrong with it; he was simply learning.


    Despite that, some of his attacks still landed. I may have been fast and knowledgeable, but he was still teleporting. My Shield shimmered, about to break as I released the Construct, letting it fade away..


    ¡°How the hell did you do that?¡± Mercury asked incredulously as he retreated backwards.


    I only had time to grin at him as I returned my attention to the rest of the room. My brief lapse could have been fatal.


    Jeff put his foot on My Golden Bowling Ball. He pulled Killer Queen like he was pulling a sword from a stone, freeing it after a struggle. Kicking the ball, he sent it rolling into the corner furthest away from Kayla. Using Lift and Orbit, I made it swing around my body at him to keep him occupied while I dealt with something more pressing.


    Jamie fired her pistol three times at my chest with expert precision. The first shot broke Shield, hitting my chest and knocking the wind out of me. The other two were deflected by a hastily erected Force Field. They probably would have broken through if I hadn¡¯t angled it, letting the bullets slide away rather than stop them outright. I assessed the gun.


    The first thing I noticed was that Jamie didn¡¯t have a safety on the Desert Eagle. That had been my go to move during the Big Time Hoops event, and she had kept a finger on it during our second fight. Since I couldn¡¯t flip that on, I used Drop on the gun¡¯s hammer. The next time she pulled the trigger, nothing happened. Frustrated, she tossed it backwards for Kayla to catch.


    While she did that, I created a Force Field right behind Mercury. He attempted to back away from me to reset to a neutral position, and ran into it. Lunging forward, I grabbed him by the scruff of his collar. He panicked and thrust the Princess at my chest. Retrieving the Staff of Raphael from my inventory with a thought, I pushed the blade away from me.


    The ninja¡¯s wrist twisted unnaturally, and the blade scraped across my shoulder. That was the Princess¡¯s work. It left a shallow cut, but wasn¡¯t something to worry about just yet.


    Kayla began to shudder as I finally activated Boneshake and, in a moment of tension, she shot the ground with the pistol. She convulsed as her skeleton fought against her, but it was over a moment later. Much faster than I expected. If I had to guess, she had some kind of protection from spells or debuffs that I wasn¡¯t aware of.


    I felt my strength sap as the letter J appeared on my Ringmaster¡¯s Hoodie. That had been a skill from Jeff¡¯s old Duelist¡¯s Trousers called Marked Target. The more I attacked his companions, the lower my stats would get. He had to have gained that with a Synthesis Page or Blank Skill Book since he ditched the flood pants.


    Turning around, I lifted Mercury above my head. It was harder than it had been back when I first met him thanks to all the gear, points, and training he received from Sol Ligatus, but I was able to do so with help from Lift.


    Once I was in motion with my back to her, I saw Kayla quietly activate a spell. Based on how her lips moved, I assumed it was something in Latin, and a circle of magic appeared around her feet. Everyone¡¯s aura grew brighter.


    I recognized it as a rare spell called Buffer¡¯s Circle. It was something I usually passed on because it required the caster to be planted in one place and everyone in Sol Ligatus, in previous runs at least, were mobile fighters. Not only did it boost the efficacy of her Noble Sacrifice, but it also provided minor boosts to all stats to up to twelve other people. She hadn¡¯t been attacking because of its long start-up time followed by a short chant.


    I could have interrupted it with Crash Test, or perhaps one of the boards Mercury had left behind. I could have shoved her by the clothes with Push, or any multitude of options. She waited until I was moving away from her to activate it, which was stellar.


    Before I could commit, she activated another skill so fluently that I had to assume she did it while casting. Roots appeared from her combat boots and dug into the floor, preventing her from being moved. Her aura became like steel.


    That explains the lack of Heelies, I thought to myself.


    In one smooth motion, I finished throwing Mercury towards Jeff. I followed after, using his body as cover.


    Behind my mask, I grinned. Sara had been right; this was turning out to be a fun challenge.

 Chapter 198

    The Angel Express, Chicago, Illinois - 9:47 AM


    Mercury screamed as he sailed head-first towards Jeff. The Knight sidestepped the ninja-turned-projectile and looked down at me in surprise. He had been distracted by the Golden Bowling Ball and had not expected me to come at him from the blind spot, which I felt was a little naive.


    Ready to take advantage of the hole in his defenses, I swung the Staff of Raphael just as Jeff reached out with his free hand. He was still wearing the Handwraps of Powerful Throws. It gave him access to a few judo moves that could immediately toss me like a rag doll. I leaned back to make it harder for him to grab me.


    But I wasn¡¯t his target. Mercury was.


    He grabbed the ninja by his arm and, in the next fraction of a second, Mercury was swinging my way. I Pushed my hoodie backwards towards the ground, sliding slightly on my back. There was no room for me to alter my staff¡¯s trajectory, so I kept it on its course with Orbit and let it go. It struck Jeff in his side, causing the man to stumble, and another item appeared in my now free hands.


    Mercury landed on the end of Vermon¡¯s Smash Stick. The club was an oversized Vespae mandible, and he had to swallow a scream as he was thrown onto the largest of its protruding spikes. Kayla removed something from her inventory, and the ninja was quickly replaced by a pillar of marble. I was barely able to Lift it before it fell on me, simultaneously sending the club back into my inventory.


    I made the bowling ball Orbit me when Jamie approached. It rolled along the ground in front of her, threatening to trip her up. She was wielding Firefly and Silhouette, her gold and silver scimitars, and swung at my prone form once close enough. The blow bounced off the ball, which appeared where I needed it to just in the nick of time.


    Reassessing the situation, I saw that Mercury was now using the golden shield to protect Kayla. She looked determined despite having been hit by Boneshake, which was good. Even at 50% pain, it was a terrible spell. I was about to shoot the pillar of marble towards Jeff to take out his legs when he stepped on top of it.


    It became much heavier with his weight and Constitution riding it, and I had to raise my knees and hand to physically help hold it up. Mentally, I commanded the Vambrace of Wires to release the Cable Conglomerate, snaking it around the pillar. It nearly snagged his leg before he dodged, and he actively tried to fence with the rope.


    The bowling ball continued to shift back and forth as Jamie moved around me, swinging her twin scimitars in a deadly dance. Like Jeff, she had started speeding up after Kayla sacrificed more of her hit points. I was still waiting for Shield to recharge from breaking and didn¡¯t want to give up Force Field by letting them shatter that, too.


    I attempted to parry with the Vambrace of Wires and catch her swords, but she cautiously layered feints one after the other to make attacks that I simply wasn¡¯t in a position to defend against. Even though I was effectively pinned, I could tell by her aura that the Weapon Master was getting frustrated that she wasn¡¯t doing more.


    Jamie jumped over the pillar to get to my undefended side, and I sent the bowling ball after her. She would have landed on it and fell if it weren¡¯t for Jeff. He snatched her out of the air by the arm and set her down gently, all the while fencing with the rope.


    The moment Jamie¡¯s feet were on the ground, she was back on the offensive. My tricks weren¡¯t helping nearly as much and my arm was still occupied keeping the pillar raised. Her attacks were hitting, but the cuts were shallow thanks to my efforts with the ball.


    I really needed to stop the Double Agent¡¯s buffs.


    With my focus already split on the pillar and bowling ball, I could still grab one more item. I Lifted a KA-BAR from Jamie¡¯s thigh holster, Spinning it so I could plunge it between the joints in her armor. The knife stuck deep into her hip before I Pulled it back for another attack. She grunted in pain and knocked it away, continuing her attack.


    Leaning into its new trajectory, I sent the knife spiraling towards Kayla. Mercury attempted to intercept it with the golden shield, but I easily avoided his efforts. What stopped it was Crusader¡¯s Wrath. I hadn¡¯t expected it to remain active for this long, and I briefly wondered if Jeff had picked up a passive that extended how long his skills worked for.


    The Angelic gauntlet moved into position to stop the knife without error. It couldn¡¯t grab the weapon even though it was shaped like a hand, just block it, and I used Spin as Kayla watched it from her circle. Sparks flew as the weapon was basically turned into a drill, constantly damaging Crusader¡¯s Wrath.


    When the damage over time exceeded its hit points, the skill allowing it to block on its own would end. Once again, I felt my stats lower again as the J on my chest got brighter.


    I really needed to stop the Queen¡¯s Knights debuffs.


    Jamie was at my side and the Cable Conglomerate continued trying to wrap around Jeff¡¯s rapier. His feet had so far proven elusive, his Sure-Step Sandals allowing him to remain balanced on the pillar and rope, but I could keep him busy. The longer he spent playing with that, the less time he was spending attacking me.


    I rolled away from Jamie, putting the pillar between us, and the moment I did she put her scimitar under her armpit and reached into her inventory. She retrieved Conquest¡¯s Crown, and an oppressive feeling fell over the battlefield. Everyone¡¯s aura, except for hers, flickered like a candle in the wind.


    Seeing an opportunity, I released my Tyrant¡¯s Will. Jamie steeled herself, Kayla and Mercury shuddered from the feeling, and Jeff jumped onto me, rapier pointed downwards. I had learned early on that his instinct upon feeling the unnatural dread was to protect his wife. It was a slight relief to see that hadn¡¯t changed.


    I activated Force Field, not to block but to redirect. The blade hit it and slid to the side between me and the airborne pillar that my rope was now securely tied around.


    My open wounds began to fester thanks to the crown¡¯s influence as the power of Conquest, who was also known as Pestilence, invaded the battlefield. I couldn¡¯t hold back a grimace at the pain. My Constitution slowed it down, but it wasn¡¯t something I was going to be able to ignore for long. Not with my lowered stats.


    Grabbing onto the Cable Conglomerate with my hand, I used Orbit on the pillar of marble to give it some speed and allowed it to pull me to my feet. Jeff jumped back, but not before slicing my arm just above my elbow. It began going numb as the blade piled on the debuffs. Honey spilled out with my blood to lower my Dexterity, and my flesh began to crack from the Skin of Papyrus curse. Conquest¡¯s Pestilence only exacerbated that issue.


    I began swinging the pillar of marble over my head, and the effort of doing so strained me. With almost no finesse whatsoever, I used it as an impromptu, oversized ball and chain. I lashed out at Jamie and Jeff, and they backed away from me as I broke the floorboards every time it so much as grazed the ground.


    With my free hand, I retrieved the Staff of Raphael and had my bowling ball hover between Kayla and myself. She was aiming Jamie¡¯s Desert Eagle at me, but hadn¡¯t fired yet. Her stance was excellent and her finger caressed the trigger; it was easy to tell that she was waiting for her shot.


    No matter where she aimed, however, I moved the bowling ball to block. Absolute Awareness was amazing when it came to figuring out angles. My mind worked towards figuring out the best way out of this predicament; I was starting to feel the pressure. It was exhilarating.


    While Jeff and Jamie were watching the pillar, spreading out to flank me, I shot the bowling ball at Kayla in a way that Mercury could easily intercept. He did so, jumping in its path with the golden shield in front of him to deflect it. Both his and the Double Agent¡¯s line of sight was disrupted.


    I activated Crash Test in their direction just as the KA-BAR broke through the gauntlet¡¯s hit points. Jeff seemed to anticipate this, and his body flew sideways with Killer Queen outstretched in his arm. Triple Thrust, a movement skill not unlike the one I had just activated, put him next to me and then in front of me.


    His rapier went through my chest as we crashed into each other. Pain erupted as the blade skewered me to the hilt. A split second later, the same attack came, piercing me a few inches towards my heart. Jeff had a skill that let him replicate an attack, and he had picked a good one.


    But it wasn¡¯t fatal, and my movement didn¡¯t stop. If it weren¡¯t for his Cincture of the Complete Body, his hand, wrist, and arm likely would have broken against me. Instead, Jeff was pushed back into Mercury. He was fine, thanks to the shield, but the Queen¡¯s Knight¡¯s back burned when he slammed into it.


    Jamie¡¯s shield had been modified with the scales of the Pharaoh and could build up damage to reflect back at those who attacked it in melee in the form of fire. This could travel along weapons held by the attacker, making it very versatile. Thanks to Crash Test, Jeff was the one who was between me and the shield, taking that damage.


    The pillar continued on its path and I pulled back once I stopped. Kayla was still safe, but thanks to my motion it had a new target. It smashed against Mercury¡¯s back, causing him to groan in pain as he was slammed into Jeff. I Pulled the pillar towards me, pinning him there. The ninja panicked, trying to turn so he could find something to change places with.


    He was unable to. The KA-BAR I manipulated would have gone right through his head if it weren¡¯t for the rules of the arena.


    Mercury Moonslayer turned gray and collapsed to the ground. Kayla uprooted herself and dove for Crusader¡¯s Wrath. She activated Guardian Shield just as the knife turned on her. The Double Agent¡¯s Constitution wasn¡¯t going to be higher than her husband¡¯s, but it was effective in a pinch.


    On my chest, the J burned as brightly as I had seen it now that I killed one of Jeff¡¯s companions. My movements were sluggish as I attempted to back away from the Queen¡¯s Knight. He stepped forward with me, pinning both of my arms to my torso in a bear hug. Though I struggled, I didn¡¯t have the Strength to break free.


    His rapier was still in my chest, and he made it impossible to pull it free. I couldn¡¯t rely on Entwined With The System because it was an item owned by another player, though that didn¡¯t stop me from trying. It was good to find out that it wouldn¡¯t work now instead of in an actual life or death situation.


    Jamie ran towards us, swords ready to deal a killing blow. I summoned my Vague Stick into my hand and willed it into the shape of a spear, but she wasn¡¯t intimidated by it in the slightest. Knowing it wouldn¡¯t make it in time, I used Orbit on My Golden Bowling Ball, sending it around the room.


    ¡°By the power of-¡±


    I attempted to activate Ostwriter¡¯s Plot Armor when Jeff slammed his forehead into my mask, breaking my nose. Reactivating Shield did nothing to prevent the rapier from hurting me, but I still threw it up.


    ¡°- Enigma Hemingway!¡± I finished as he struck me again. With the chant completed, I began charging up something else.If you encounter this narrative on Amazon, note that it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it.


    The next two seconds were agonizingly slow.


    Thousands of pages of paper appeared from my inventory to cover me in armor just in time for Jamie to slice at my back. Both scimitars glowed brightly as they attacked in tandem, boosting the damage beyond what they could do on their own. I felt Shield shatter immediately. Her swords cut through the paper and into my skin. It wasn¡¯t deep thanks to my armor and defensive passives but, with Conquest¡¯s Crown, depth didn¡¯t matter. Pain exploded up and down my spine.


    My Golden Bowling Ball struck her in the back, causing her to stumble. Her armor slid against the rapier sticking through me, cutting me further, and I made myself concentrate.


    The Double Agent disappeared only to reappear beside me, finally approaching with Fae Step after all this time playing keep away. If she had more magic at her disposal, she could have been a much bigger problem. I activated Force Field, but two shots from the Desert Eagle shattered it. Her Drakefang Dagger disappeared into my side, and I was only barely able to shift it with Orbit to keep it from hitting something vital.


    I grunted in pain; even with the 50% reduction, that Credibility damage boost hurt. While I couldn¡¯t take the time to check, I knew my hit points were critical. My Constitution was in the gutter thanks to the plethora of debuffs they had put me in, and it was only thanks to my skill at skirting around lethal blows that Heavenly Hero hadn¡¯t activated yet.


    It was finally time, though. As Jeff lifted me off of the ground, Jamie regained her footing, and Kayla tried to shoot me again with the Desert Eagle while twisting her knife, I disappeared from between all of them.


    Thanks to Skill Mimicry, I also had access to Kayla¡¯s Fae Step. I decided that this was the best moment to use it.


    Killer Queen clattered to the ground without my body there to sheathe it. I appeared a few feet behind Jeff just as the Crusader¡¯s Wrath fell to the ground. The spinning drill that was the KA-BAR struck Kayla in the temple. She and Jeff both glowed brightly as he activated his most powerful defensive ability, giving the Double Agent yet another protective shield while he was buffed again.


    Opening my mouth, my Dragon¡¯s Breath blasted through the Kingtin¡¯s Foil and Ostwriter¡¯s Plot Armor, forming holes in both. The golden beam of holy energy struck the Queen¡¯s Knight in the back of the head. The KA-BAR spun against Kayla¡¯s shield as she tried to flee behind Jamie.


    Jeff turned to face me, hand up to block my breath weapon, but even with his new buffs he wasn¡¯t durable enough. It only took a second longer for his body to gray out. My stats rose across the board when I was no longer being affected by the Queen¡¯s Knight¡¯s Marked Target.


    My Dragon¡¯s Breath immediately became wider and more powerful. As a skill whose damage was dictated by my stat total, getting close to normal was a huge boon.


    Kayla was no longer protected by Jeff¡¯s ability, and the knife pierced her temple, removing her from the fight immediately.


    Jamie sagged when the Double Agent¡¯s buffs disappeared without any warning. Ever the opportunist, she dropped Firefly and grabbed the falling man by his jacket. She hid behind him, using his large frame as a shield. As morbid as it was, the choice wasn¡¯t a bad one. It wasn¡¯t like he was taking damage or feeling pain anymore.


    She took a step towards me, swinging Silhouette. I parried with the Vague Spear, backing away as I continued to shoot my Dragon¡¯s Breath. We exchanged a series of attacks, me trying to get around her human shield and her trying to stay out of the line of damage streaming from my mouth. I had no doubt that Kayla had told her and Mercury how expensive it was for me to keep it up, and she seemed to be taking her time.


    It was strange but thrilling at the same time. Jamie''s preferred style was aggressive and swift. That was what she was good at. It took me a good while to mold her into a more patient fighter, but she had come into it on her own. Between protecting Kayla at the beginning and waiting out the clock now, she had clearly learned that lesson earlier than usual.


    Unfortunately for her, it wasn''t going to be enough.


    Once her Desert Eagle was a few feet behind her, I Lifted the weapon off of the ground. Aiming for the Weapon Master¡¯s leg, I fired its last bullet. It pierced her plastic armor, striking her in the back of the knee. With gritted teeth meant to prevent a pained scream from escaping her throat, she dropped Jeff as she fell.


    Casually, I glanced down. Before she hit the ground, Jamie slapped her arm and the golden shield flew to her. I lifted my leg to prevent it from crashing into me, and continued to fire my Dragon¡¯s Breath. She curled up, hiding behind the sturdy barrier. It started glowing as it accumulated damage to reflect, and I took a step back.


    I attempted to Lift the shield, but the Weapon Master was holding onto it tight. Thanks to Absolute Awareness, I could still see her clearly, and I flinched back as she pulled a new, very large projectile weapon out of her inventory. It was already aimed at my ankle. There was no time between when it appeared and when it fired.


    The sound of a revved up chainsaw muddled my senses, and I nearly fell as a projectile went through me. My ankle had been cut clean through, but the damage spread through to both sides. Spiral cuts worked their way up my lower leg, stopping right below my knee. My foot, which was flying away, was torn to pieces from the same pattern. The pain, exacerbated by Conquest¡¯s Crown, was nearly damning.


    My hit points began rising at an alarming rate, and I knew that Heavenly Hero had been activated.


    <<<>>>


    [[Passive]]


    Heavenly Hero


    Heroes are known for surviving no matter how difficult the task, and those heralded by the Heavens are even tougher than most. Your body knows the form it needs to take, and is resistant to wounds and effects that try to change it.


    Your recovery speed increases to 50% of your Constitution stat per minute, and missing body parts will regrow slowly. Once per day, if you would die, survive with 1 hit point instead. You become invulnerable to everything except damage from Demonic sources for 5 seconds, and you regain 4% of your hit points per second during this time. Angelic skills cost 10% less to activate or sustain.


    <<<>>>


    I had been a tad too reckless, overconfident due to the training room rules. If I didn¡¯t have multiple contingencies against death, this would have been their win.


    The thought of it made my heart swell. They had done better than I expected, being so early in the run, but it wasn¡¯t over yet; I earned those contingencies, and the system didn¡¯t call the duel.


    A circular saw blade was embedded halfway into the training car¡¯s door ten feet behind me. It was still spinning despite not going any deeper. The wall all around it continued to accumulate damage that spiraled out from the point of impact, just like my foot and leg. It would continue to do so for several seconds.


    I Lifted myself by my hoodie so I wouldn¡¯t hit the ground, blood dripping from my lacerated stump leg before it healed over. I ended Dragon¡¯s Breath before I could use it to land the final blow. I had a morbid option now, too, and I needed the Mental Points for it.


    Taking note of the pieces of my foot scattered throughout the arena, I picked out the largest piece of bone I could find, the heel, and Pushed it under her shield. She stared at it for a split second before trying to stand up. I used Drop on her Shield, keeping her down just long enough for me to verbally activate my last attack.


    ¡°Boneshatter,¡± I dramatically chanted as I stepped onto the pillar of marble, excited to witness the explosion from material strengthened by a vague, synthesized passive. It hadn¡¯t been enough to prevent me getting maimed this time, but this was the upside.


    <<<>>>


    [[Passive]]


    Bones of Steel


    Your bones have been altered to be several times stronger than average.


    <<<>>>


    Because I was using material from my own body, the difference between my Willpower and Constitution didn¡¯t matter; it exploded with the full force of the attack. My bone made for fantastic shrapnel that bounced between the arena¡¯s floor and Jamie¡¯s shield, shredding her to pieces like a grenade.


    The next second, I was in one piece again. My errant body parts had reattached and my hit points were full like the fight had never happened.


    <<<>>>


    [[Duel!]]


    Congratulations! You have won the duel.


    [[Patron Quest Complete!]]


    That was really touch and go there at the end, but I knew you would be able to pull through!


    Please don¡¯t make a habit of using your own bones for grenades. I know they¡¯re strong, but there¡¯s something about exploding your own body that I¡¯m not comfortable with. Last resorts only.


    Also, I had an extra bet with Ares that you could win without resorting to Break Free like he watched you do against the Uuska. The next big quest you get, I¡¯m going to offer something special because you did such a good job.


    Reward: 8,000 points.


    <<<>>>


    The others slowly stood up now that they were no longer considered dead, and I watched them from atop my marble pillar of victory.


    ¡°Damn!¡± I exclaimed jovially, hands on my hips. ¡°Y¡¯all almost had me. How are we feeling, folks?¡±


    ¡°I think that was par for the course,¡± Kayla was the first to say. ¡°Everyone else was right. You¡¯re a scary bastard, psychic boy.¡±


    ¡°And yet you still call me psychic boy,¡± I teased.


    ¡°Always,¡± she said firmly.


    ¡°Kinda disappointed I¡­ we couldn¡¯t push you into your Angel form,¡± Jeff admitted.


    ¡°I had spent too much on Dragon¡¯s Breath there at the end,¡± I told him. ¡°Break Free costs me points after I run out of MP, and that wouldn¡¯t do. The training car doesn¡¯t reimburse those like it does feet.¡±


    ¡°Eh, still.¡±


    I smiled. ¡°How about you, Mercury?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m just happy it¡¯s over,¡± Mercury said, though he was looking at me with admiration. ¡°I¡¯m really glad you¡¯re not the bad guy, Warmonger.¡±


    I looked at Jamie, who was still sitting on the ground. Jumping down, I offered her my hand. ¡°And you?¡±


    She eyed it for a moment before taking it, and I helped her up. ¡°Like I promised, I¡¯m being a good sport,¡± the Weapon Master said. ¡°But don¡¯t push it.¡±


    ¡°Heard, loud and clear,¡± I said, still smiling. ¡°Man, I''m really proud of all of you. That was the best fight I''ve had in a long, long time. The coordination between you guys made it way harder than when I was a raid boss.¡±


    ¡°Wait, really?¡± Mercury asked. ¡°Didn''t you fight 40 people or something?¡±


    ¡°42,¡± I answered. ¡°And they were barely working together. Nothing like this.¡±


    ¡°Lots of dead weight,¡± Jamie complained.


    ¡°But not you guys,¡± I said happily. ¡°You''re all climbing the wall. Getting better at a much faster rate than I anticipated. Maybe it''s because of Kayla¡¯s leadership giving things a more personal touch than I could provide, or Jeff sharing his strategies. Might be Jamie being an excellent specimen of skill and wrath.¡±


    ¡°You said it, not me,¡± she stated. Though she sounded grumpy, her aura showed that she was pleased by my words.


    I laughed. ¡°Or Mercury''s raw talent and enthusiasm scaring the adults in the room into thinking they''re going to be obsolete soon.¡±


    ¡°You really think so?¡± the ninja asked, hopeful.


    ¡°Could be. It very well could be,¡± I admitted. ¡°Whatever the reason, you four are good for each other. I was almost humbled here today, and that''s something I didn''t see coming. I meant it; I''m really proud of all of you, and you all should be proud of yourselves.¡±


    I watched as they looked at each other. Some were easier to read than others, but even Jamie''s usually frosty aura had thawed some. Morale was high despite the loss, and I loved to see it.


    Stretching, I started heading towards the door that would get me to my room. ¡°I¡¯m going to go get washed up. Thanks for the good fight, everyone!¡±


    I was met with four different levels of enthusiasm, and waved backwards as I left them behind to ride this magnificent high and take care of my laundry.


    ¡°Alright,¡± Kayla said with a clap of her hands. ¡°So, next time, I''m thinking¡­¡±


    The door closed behind me, leaving them privacy to plan.

 Chapter 199

    The Angel Express, Chicago, Illinois - 9:35 AM


    I left my room in clean, mundane clothes, still feeling the thrill of the fight. Sol Ligatus¡¯ teamwork was phenomenal, and I kept running myself through the combat, picking things out that I hadn¡¯t had time to parse in the moment.


    The dining car had been rearranged so that the tables were all together. It was a configuration that could be purchased and changed by the owner, and I assumed Kayla did it at some point when I wasn¡¯t around. Everyone in Sol Ligatus was there, sitting and waiting for me.


    Kayla and Jeff were on either side of me when I sat down. Mercury and Bethany were next. She had on a pair of noise canceling headphones that I knew would be playing soft music at a very low volume. It was the next step to getting her used to other sounds. At the very end of the table were Jamie and Ashley, who were already eating.


    The Monstersmith looked like she was giving the three empty mugs of coffee next to her a run for their money, and she greeted me with a jab of her fork.


    ¡°Give me your femurs,¡± she demanded.


    I snorted a quick laugh as I sat down. Corwin snuggled up against my legs, and I pet him before glancing at Jamie. ¡°Were the bones from my foot that helpful?¡±


    Mercury faltered as he stopped signing for Bethany, who sat across from him. ¡°You mean from when you exploded a piece that Jamie cut off?¡±


    Jamie rolled her eyes. ¡°No. Ashley used the bones from his foot to make bullets back in Pittsburgh,¡± she explained. ¡°They were infused with the holy property, and were the reason why my shots made it through Doneralego¡¯s magical barrier to do so much damage. It almost makes up for the time he decided to play around and my feet were almost dissolved in acid.¡±


    The ninja cringed. ¡°That¡¯s why your gun was so effective against the Lich?¡±


    ¡°If that¡¯s too much, how about a humerus?¡± Ashley continued.


    ¡°You lost your foot? How?¡± Kayla asked, ignoring the Monstersmith.


    ¡°Against the Accumulator, with Mercury,¡± I said. Corwin rested his head on my foot once he realized I was done petting him and I snapped open the menu to look for something to eat. ¡°It was an accident. I snapped the cables of the jumbotron and one of them took off my foot. It wasn¡¯t some sacrificial play or anything so you don¡¯t need to flick my nose, it just happened.¡±


    ¡°And your first thought was to give it to Ashley to turn into bullets?¡± Jeff asked incredulously.


    I shrugged. ¡°Hey, body parts are a very big thing in several religions. Like how the remains of saints are top tier relics in Catholicism. It wasn¡¯t a leap to think that I, as a Half-Angel, may impart some level of power to the parts of my body left behind.¡±


    ¡°Calling yourself a saint now?¡± Jamie asked, wrinkling her nose. ¡°Being a Half-Angel is one thing, but you don¡¯t strike me as the kind of guy who¡¯s into prayer.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ve been ready to kneel at one altar in particular for a while now,¡± I offered mischievously.


    Jeff nearly choked on his tea.


    Jamie arched an eyebrow, but shook her head and raised her glass. ¡°Well, your sacrifice was not made in vain.¡±


    ¡°It clearly wasn¡¯t a sacrifice, his foot grew back!¡± Mercury said loudly.


    ¡°I¡¯ll settle for a rib, honestly,¡± Ashley muttered. ¡°I don¡¯t think I¡¯m asking too much since it¡¯ll just grow back.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re asking the boss to mutilate himself for spare parts,¡± Jeff scoffed.


    The Monstersmith hesitated. ¡°They¡¯re damn good parts, Jeff,¡± she defended.


    ¡°Ash, if I naturally lose any more body parts on my journey, rest assured that I¡¯m willing to donate them to you,¡± I laughed. ¡°But I need a rush job right now. I¡¯m going to need my Heelies back so we can infuse them with Angelic power. I have feathers from-¡°


    ¡°Already done,¡± Ashley interrupted, waving her hand. ¡°Kayla¡¯s got them.¡±


    ¡°They¡¯re already done?¡± I asked, turning to the Double Agent for clarification.


    ¡°The Patron gift I received from Sara was one of her feathers,¡± she said as a large serving of pancakes appeared in front of her. ¡°The same kind that you used in Atlanta to counter the Demonic power in Manny¡¯s axe. Except, I had Ashley mix it with the Heelies of Hermes. Now you¡¯ve got something new.¡±


    I nodded as she explained. The feather would have paired really well with the Heelies, I just wouldn¡¯t have used it until the shoes were maxed out. Now that they were, it was exactly what I would have done. I knew it would be in a less powerful state with fewer skills and passives, but so long as it was a growth item then I wasn¡¯t worried.


    With a few swipes of her hand, a pair of red shoes with pure white feathers fell into them. She handed them to me.


    <<<>>>


    [[Item]]


    Heelies of the Twice Blessed


    (Growth Item, kill 7 bosses to upgrade; +15 Dexterity, +15 Constitution, Winged Messenger skill acquired, Celestial Wormhole skill acquired)


    [[Skill]]


    Winged Messenger


    When flying or traveling on the Heelies of the Twice Blessed''s wheels, gain a boost up to 3 times your speed in accordance with how full your inventory is. You may also use the wheels indefinitely as long as you are on level ground or a downwards slope.


    [[Skill]]


    Celestial Wormhole


    Mark a door by touching it and activating this skill; this mark does not go away until it is used or you mark another door. You always know what direction the mark is in and how far away it is. At another doorway within range, you may activate the skill and open the door to find that it leads to the door you marked prior. The range of this ability is equal to 1 mile per point in Dexterity added by the Heelies of the Twice Blessed. You may allow others to travel with you in this manner at the cost of 1 feather per creature. Each shoe has 5 feathers, for a total of 10. The portal will remain active for up to 1 minute or until the wearer enters, whichever comes first.


    In addition, you may touch a door and leave a permanent mark. When using Celestial Wormhole in this way, double the range and increase the number of people who may travel to 2 per feather. This permanent mark may only be changed once every time the Heelies of the Twice Blessed is upgraded.


    Current permanent marks: 1


    <<<>>>


    ¡°Managed to keep the two skills you liked the most according to Sara,¡± Ashley proudly announced. ¡°No jumping around through the air or picking locks, but you might get those later. No promises.¡±Support creative writers by reading their stories on Royal Road, not stolen versions.


    ¡°That¡¯s fine,¡± I said, grinning as I pulled the Heelies into my inventory. ¡°I can bounce around on my Force Field if I really need it. Air Step was just a more convenient version of that.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ve already defeated three bosses, which is why there¡¯s only seven left before it upgrades,¡± Kayla said. ¡°Doneralego, the serpent scenario boss on the way here for Jamie, and the Wartorn Shadow in the Congress Plaza Hotel. Thanks again for leaving Chainsawface, by the way.¡±


    ¡°Worst name ever,¡± Mercury muttered as he signed to his sister. Bethany nodded.


    ¡°You¡¯re welcome,¡± I said with a smile as I finally ordered my own simple breakfast of bacon, eggs, and toast. ¡°I¡¯ll recharge it before I leave, but you can keep it after that.¡±


    The room went still as everyone except for Bethany looked at me. I started eating.


    ¡°You¡¯re leaving again?¡± Jeff asked, setting his silverware on his plate. ¡°You only just got back, Anthony.¡±


    ¡°Really, Franklin?¡± Jamie scoffed before gesturing to the people at the table. ¡°You put this whole team together. The least you could do is have the decency to lead it. No offense to Kayla, of course.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m with you, Jamie,¡± the Double Agent admitted. ¡°But things have changed.¡±


    I cleared my throat before taking a drink of tea. ¡°First off, let me tell you all that I¡¯m proud of the job you¡¯ve done,¡± I said honestly, looking at everyone in turn. ¡°The fact that you all are here and had nothing to complain about except my absence really shows how powerful you¡¯ve become. Some of you might have mixed feelings due to our fight, but that¡¯s the closest to being defeated by people than I think I¡¯ve seen in a long, long time. Of course, I knew you would all do exceptionally well, which is why you¡¯re here.¡±


    Mercury leaned towards Jeff. ¡°Why does it feel like he¡¯s about to say it¡¯s not us, it¡¯s him?¡±


    The Queen¡¯s Knight snorted in amusement. ¡°Because he¡¯s buttering us up as part of a breakup speech,¡± he said, shaking his head. ¡°We¡¯ll handle things here while you¡¯re away. Right, everyone?¡±


    ¡°Of course we will,¡± Jamie replied, wrinkling her nose. ¡°I was just saying that he should be here for it, is all.¡±


    ¡°Doesn¡¯t matter to me, not like I¡¯m going home,¡± Ashley sighed. ¡°Staying here¡¯s as good as anywhere.¡±


    I gave her a sad smile. ¡°Kayla talked to you about that?¡±


    With a wave of her hand, the Monstersmith looked away from me. ¡°Robots rule Boston, few survivors, no one I know made it out. Yeah. You guys are all I have left. Would have preferred to know about it sooner.¡±


    ¡°Sorry, Ash,¡± I said honestly. ¡°I was waiting for you to bring it up.¡±


    She gave me the side eye before looking at Jamie sitting across from her, who gave her a nod. ¡°Well, whatever. Nothing you could have done about it, nothing I could have done about it. I¡¯m here. Let¡¯s leave it at that.¡±


    Jeff cleared his throat. ¡°You must have had a pretty substantial vision or revelation if you¡¯re changing the plan you¡¯ve worked so hard for.¡±


    I nodded. ¡°Yeah, it was a pretty spectacular revelation. If everything goes well, then I¡¯m estimating that we can finish with the system about six months earlier than I previously anticipated, give or take a few months. Under normal circumstances, it would take almost a year.¡±


    ¡°Goddamn,¡± Ashley muttered.


    ¡°Really? You¡¯re serious?¡± Mercury asked, his hands stumbling mid-sign. ¡°Half a year? I mean, I didn¡¯t know this was going to last a whole year, but that¡¯s a big jump, isn¡¯t it?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s substantial,¡± I agreed. ¡°It¡¯s going to save so many lives that I¡¯m not even really sure where to start calculating it. Which has been my whole goal.¡±


    ¡°Why don¡¯t you tell us how long you¡¯re going to be gone for?¡± Jeff requested.


    ¡°With some luck, I¡¯ll be in Jamestown when you all arrive there,¡± I answered. ¡°I need to travel around the United States collecting a few things for a mission the Dealer wants to pull off.¡±


    ¡°If it¡¯s from him, then it could be fun,¡± Jamie said, leaning her elbows on the table to get a better look at me. ¡°Something you¡¯re taking volunteers for?¡±


    ¡°No, unfortunately not,¡± I responded with a shake of my head. ¡°But you and Mercury will have something else to do when the time comes. I¡¯ll discuss that when I return, though. Kayla¡¯s got an account of it in the books I left her, but we¡¯ll be prepared.¡±


    ¡°What do you need to collect?¡± Ashley asked, sounding hopeful.


    ¡°Materials for the most powerful weapon you¡¯re ever going to make,¡± I said. She grinned, her fatigue forgotten with a simple statement. ¡°In fact, it might be too powerful, so I need you to be mentally prepared for the outcome.¡±


    Ashley barked a laugh. ¡°Alright, I¡¯ll believe that when I see it.¡±


    I gave her a thin smile before nodding. ¡°Kayla¡¯s already been given an extra mission here in Chicago that needs to be done to collect some things. I¡¯ve already got a path in my head that takes me over to the west coast before I swing around south and shoot right back over to the east coast to regroup with you all.¡±


    ¡°When are we supposed to be in Jamestown?¡± Jamie asked. ¡°Kayla doesn¡¯t let us see that book of hers.¡±


    ¡°A little over a week. Could be more, could be less depending on a lot of factors,¡± I said with a shrug. ¡°This is a new path for me. I¡¯ve been to all of these places in visions separately, but never quite in this order. It¡¯s pretty exciting.¡±


    Bethany began moving her hands, holding them close to her chest. I smiled as she shyly signed to her brother.


    Mercury smiled as well. ¡°Bethany wants to know if you can tell us where you¡¯re going.¡±


    ¡°Thank you for the question, Bethany,¡± I said and signed, and she nodded. ¡°As for the whole thing, not yet. The Dealer has sworn me to secrecy on some of it, and that definitely involves the biggest parts of the fetch quest. My first stop is going to be the Mall of America, though. I have to beat up a few monsters and get some things that will be helpful in Arizona. Sedona, in particular. I also have plans to take out a shapeshifting Doppelganger.¡±


    The Tea Witch nodded before resuming her food, saying nothing more. Still, that was really big for her.


    ¡°So you¡¯re planning on an Ant vs Ant fight?¡± Jeff asked, considering it. ¡°I¡¯d pay a lot of points to see that, actually.¡±


    I offered him a thin smile. ¡°You¡¯d think it¡¯d be great, but don¡¯t get your hopes up. It¡¯s actually a real bummer. I don¡¯t usually plan on going, but the rewards are great when things start getting chaotic, and I¡¯m expecting a lot of chaos.¡±


    ¡°Embrace that chaos, Warmonger,¡± Jamie joked, and I laughed.


    ¡°Are you taking the train?¡± Mercury asked.


    ¡°The public one, yeah. Y¡¯all get to borrow the Angel Express a little longer,¡± I answered. ¡°There¡¯s more danger involved, but nothing I can¡¯t handle. The guildhall works best when there¡¯s a lot of people to share the boons, anyway.¡±


    ¡°The Donny one is great, but I¡¯m really happy with the Gunner Serpent cannon we got on the way to Chicago,¡± Jamie said with a smile. ¡°Tough bastard, but the buffs it gives my guns are substantial.¡±


    I smiled back at her, understanding her enthusiasm. The Gunner Serpent had been the scenario boss of La Porte, Indiana. It was basically a 25-foot long tank built in the shape of a snake with treads all around its segmented body. Its mouth opened up to reveal machine guns for teeth, a cannon for a tongue, and a saw blade launcher for a tail.


    Jamie was supposed to get the MVP for that one, and Ashley could upgrade her firepower and armor using materials from the boss. It was a tough fight, but I knew that the team could handle it without casualties whether I was there or not.


    It was also kind of a fun fight, which made me sad that I missed it.


    Looking at the sour expression on Ashley¡¯s face, I smiled. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, Ash, you can tinker with the cannon a little later. That guildhall buff will become obsolete eventually, just like most things in that case.¡±


    ¡°Yeah, whatever,¡± she responded. ¡°I don¡¯t want to wait so long to build whatever you think is too powerful. When are you leaving?¡±


    I laughed. ¡°Really? Turning it around that fast?¡± I asked.


    ¡°Sooner you leave, sooner you get back. You¡¯re the one who¡¯s always in such a damn hurry,¡± she scoffed.


    ¡°No worries, I¡¯m going to head out once my gear is done in the laundry,¡± I said with a chuckle. ¡°Against my will, I¡¯m also taking Sara with me.¡±


    ¡°Against your will?¡± Jeff asked, arching an eyebrow. ¡°I assumed she¡¯d go with you anywhere.¡±


    <<<>>>


    [[Patron Message]]


    Anthony, that just sounds like I¡¯m holding you hostage. I¡¯m not, I just refuse to let you leave without me and you already agreed to it.


    I was already concerned when you were stuck in the Trial and I couldn¡¯t see you thanks to some foul plot, I won¡¯t be wracked with that worry again.


    Besides, you¡¯re the one who picked up a passive called Under Her Watchful Eyes. There¡¯s no way I can leave you alone after that. We need each other.


    Sincerely,


    Sara


    <<<>>>


    I smiled at the message. ¡°Sorry, Sara,¡± I apologized, glancing up at the ceiling. ¡°I wanted you to help them out. However, I understand. Even as interesting as they are, I¡¯m still much better.¡±


    I was met with good-natured boos from the rest of Sol Ligatus, and Ashley even chucked a steak bone at my head. Using Orbit, I altered its course so that it landed gently back on her plate.


    ¡°Anthony¡¯s ego aside, the Dealer is going to help with that,¡± Kayla said, looking around the table. ¡°He¡¯s going to get the attention of Skuld, one of the Norns, and point her in my direction.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s the Norse version of the Fates, right?¡± Mercury asked.


    Kayla nodded. ¡°Yes. If all goes according to plan, we¡¯ll receive a Patron who can help out while giving me limited, often jumbled visions of the future.¡±


    ¡°Like him?¡± Jamie asked, pointing her fork at me.


    ¡°Close enough, but not as complete,¡± I answered. ¡°It¡¯s a good trade off, though. After you guys leave Chicago, there¡¯ll be a chance for Mercury to find his Patron, too.¡±


    The ninja perked up. ¡°Who¡¯s it going to be?¡±


    ¡°No spoilers,¡± Kayla quickly said before looking my way. ¡°That¡¯s specifically what you said in the book. No spoilers.¡±


    ¡°Man, first you don¡¯t tell me how to find the Princess,¡± Mercury complained. ¡°Then you give Kayla information on my Patron but don¡¯t tell me that, either.¡±


    ¡°Sorry, man. But, just like the Princess, you¡¯ll figure it out,¡± I assured with a smile. ¡°Is she around?¡±


    He shook his head. ¡°Nah, the Princess is sulking after the fight. She declared that it¡¯s her duty to stare at the wretched thing sitting in the sleeper car, so she¡¯s watching the phylactery you had us teleport here.¡± Suddenly, he snapped his finger and pointed my way. ¡°Oh! She did say good fight, though I don¡¯t think she meant it all that much.¡±


    ¡°Thanks, Merc. Tell her the same from me. I really can¡¯t overstate how fun it was for me. Due to the challenge, not because I won,¡± I quickly added. ¡°Alright, let¡¯s get this breakfast finished. I know Ash wants to go to bed-¡°


    ¡°You got that right,¡± she said.


    ¡°I know it. Bethany wants to get back to work, and you all need to get back out there. So, come on, let¡¯s eat,¡± I said.


    After a few more complaints about me leaving so soon, we all dug in. I enjoyed my first family-style breakfast with the whole team.

 Chapter 200

    The Angel Express, Chicago, Illinois - 12:02 PM


    Most of Sol Ligatus had gone its separate ways after breakfast, though Kayla and Jeff said they would wait for me to get changed. Their work was closest to the train and wouldn¡¯t take more than a few hours, so I didn¡¯t rush them out the door like Jamie and Mercury.


    I emerged from my room on my Heelies, happy to have them back. Since I had them, I no longer needed Kedjen¡¯s Khopesh for its chariot mode. It was better to leave that here with them, which was good because that was how Jamie was getting around town. Her missions took her farthest from home, and the reduced travel time made things a lot easier.


    Entering the dining car, I was met by Corwin getting up from his bed in the corner to greet me. The yellow labradoodle¡¯s tail wagged as he pushed his body against mine, looking back at Kayla and Jeff as if to show off that I was petting him. Which I was. Pretty quickly, too.


    ¡°Bethany left you some going away presents,¡± Kayla said as she stood up from the table. Her mug disappeared when she walked away, reclaimed by the dining car.


    I glanced at the bar. There were ten small vials waiting for me with no note or labels. Some of them held a purple and gold potion that swirled without being touched, while the others were green and looked much more mundane. I reached out and tapped them to get their descriptions.


    <<<>>>


    [[Item]]


    Arcane Breakfast Tea


    When imbibed, restore 20% of your Mental Points.


    <<<>>>


    ¡°Awesome,¡± I said to myself as I counted them out. These were the ones with the purple and gold liquid inside. They were the rare ones that Bethany couldn¡¯t make a lot of. We only had one of the tea plants that were necessary for this kind of potion, so it was slow going.


    The others were much more common, though that didn¡¯t make them less useful. I had six of them.


    <<<>>>


    [[Item]]


    Healing Green Tea


    When imbibed, restore 25% of your HP.


    <<<>>>


    That was a lot better than the tea I had in my inventory already, which randomly healed between 5% to 20% of my hit points. Sweeping my hand across the counter, I brought them all into my inventory.


    ¡°You don¡¯t have to swipe open your menu to put stuff inside anymore?¡± Jeff asked as he followed his wife.


    ¡°Nope,¡± I answered. ¡°Came out of the Trial with the ability to summon and put away things from my inventory at will.


    He crossed his arms. ¡°Huh. Was that how you kept pulling out new things during our fight without going through the motions?¡±


    ¡°Yup,¡± I said with a grin. ¡°It¡¯s pretty fun. Wish I could steal people¡¯s stuff with it, but I can¡¯t. It¡¯s an unfortunate restriction.¡±


    ¡°It would probably be too strong,¡± Kayla mused. ¡°Imagine reaching out and pulling someone¡¯s armor off of them. Or taking Killer Queen when it was lodged through your lung. You could continue to deprive anyone you¡¯re fighting of their gear, removing skills, passives, and stats until they had nothing to protect themselves with.¡±


    ¡°Yeah, why do you think I called it an unfortunate restriction?¡± I asked, waggling my eyebrows.


    Kayla snorted and rolled her eyes before attempting to push me towards the door. ¡°Come on, psychic boy. Let¡¯s get you out of here.¡±


    I let her push me, stepping across the gap and onto the platform. Corwin was right behind me. ¡°If the skill was something more widely available, I¡¯d be happy with the restriction,¡± I said. ¡°But this is the first time I¡¯ve seen this. It¡¯s basically a poorer version of some of the transportation classes. Like Delivery Driver, or Inventoryman.¡±


    ¡°Really, Inventoryman?¡± Kayla asked incredulously. ¡°That¡¯s not actually the name of a class, is it?¡±


    ¡°It is,¡± I chuckled. ¡°One of the stronger ones, actually. They can do what you described, with pulling equipment off of others, but they only get boosts to things like carrying capacity, sharing their inventories with others, and other stuff. They do get a bunker ability where they open their inventory like some kind of storage unit, which is neat. Only thing is, they¡¯re not meant to be fighters.¡±


    ¡°But that can easily be fixed with skills and passives,¡± Jeff pointed out.


    ¡°True, but nobody becomes an Inventoryman if they want to fight,¡± I replied, opening the door outside and letting them go out first. The air was comfortably cool. ¡°Some try, of course. There¡¯s monsters running around and it¡¯s the apocalypse, so, there¡¯s always some types who want to be heroic, but very few succeed. There won¡¯t be any in the end game push against Hell, that¡¯s for certain.¡±


    ¡°Speaking of Hell,¡± Kayla said quietly, as if that would help. ¡°Do you think that we need to worry about a certain someone coming after us because we¡¯re doing what you¡¯re supposed to be doing?¡±


    I understood what she meant, and I looked up in thought. It hadn¡¯t even occurred to me. There was certainly a risk that Aaron would send whoever his champion was after the group, but something about it seemed unlikely.


    ¡°I don¡¯t think so,¡± I started slowly. ¡°From what I gathered, they want a competition. Them versus Sara, his champion versus me. I don¡¯t think you all are even on his radar at all, honestly. Like, I¡¯m sure he knows you exist, but I don¡¯t think he¡¯ll care. On top of that, we have no idea who this champion is going to be, but they¡¯re going to have to be playing catch up really hard. I doubt they¡¯ll be ready to take on Sol Ligatus before I¡¯m back. Any insight, Sara?¡±


    <<<>>>


    [[Patron Message]]


    I think you¡¯re right. There¡¯s always a chance that our expectations are subverted, but I think it¡¯s low. Especially before you get back.


    The amount of work they¡¯re going to have to do to somehow catch up to you will be so time-consuming that they¡¯ll likely have to stay away from major population centers and instead go from region to region looking for opportunities to snatch MVP status from the locals. And, unlike you, they¡¯re probably not going to be considerate about it.


    Speaking of, when are you planning on spending some of those? Your MVP Token has a few entries on it now. You could increase your stats and at least one of your abilities.


    Sincerely yours,


    Sara


    <<<>>>


    ¡°I¡¯m planning on saving that for later. Also, Sara agrees,¡± I said before looking back down at the Mills. ¡°They¡¯re going to be way too busy to risk losing to you all. Even if they tried, you guys are a crack team of some of the most powerful people in North America. There are some weak spots, sure, but they¡¯re very quickly being corrected. You two might not realize this because you¡¯re using Jamie as a benchmark, but the vast majority of people are far, far below you.¡±


    ¡°Well, she makes a much better benchmark than you do,¡± Jeff replied before looking down at his wife. ¡°And who might be coming after us? Another Jeremiah situation?¡±


    Kayla patted him on the arm. ¡°Don¡¯t worry about it. If it becomes a problem, and it seems like it¡¯ll be a big if, we¡¯ll cross that bridge when we get there.¡±


    It took him a moment, but he nodded, trusting her words. Kayla leaned against her knight as they walked side by side next to the railroad tracks, and I smiled.


    ¡°I wasn¡¯t sure if I wanted to bring this up, but I noticed that your rings had been switched out,¡± I said, raising my hand and wiggling my fingers. ¡°Something happen?¡±


    ¡°Something I¡¯m still apologizing for to this day,¡± Jeff replied sourly. He put his arm around Kayla. ¡°Sorry again, Kay.¡±


    The Double Agent¡¯s aura became a little frostier, but she nodded. I imagined she was probably tired of hearing him say that by now.


    ¡°Jeff came clean on the special ability of Gareth¡¯s Twinned Ring,¡± she answered before giving me the side eye. ¡°Which I¡¯m assuming you knew about, Anthony.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re right, I did,¡± I said, and she turned her head to give me a stern look. ¡°But I also wasn¡¯t about to get between a man and his wife. Especially when that man is Jeffry ¡®Golden Retriever Knight¡¯ Mills.¡±


    ¡°Not you, too, boss,¡± Jeff whined.If you find this story on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen. Please report the infringement.


    ¡°Hey, if a nickname fits then it fits, man,¡± I laughed. ¡°Mercury got you spot on with that one.¡±


    Kayla¡¯s stern look cracked at my words, and she shook her head. ¡°The rings were powerful, yes, but I wasn¡¯t about to continue wearing the damn thing if it meant that one slip up from me could cause Jeff¡¯s death,¡± she said. ¡°I got rid of those death traps as soon as I possibly could. The boost is nice, sure, but I¡¯m never going to be willing to take the risks associated with it. Jeff should have known that.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s fair,¡± I said, eying her sheepish Knight. Given what Kayla knew of the past runs and how much she knew she needed Jeff, I wasn¡¯t surprised that she had tossed it at the first opportunity. It was the kind of decision I had come to expect from her. ¡°Though you didn¡¯t, like, toss it in the trash or something, right?¡±


    She shook her head. ¡°With Sara¡¯s advice on what to haggle for, we traded the Dealer for a pair of rings that wouldn¡¯t kill my husband and some points to make up the difference.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s where you got the Buffer¡¯s Circle spell, wasn¡¯t it?¡± I asked.


    ¡°Correct. It also has a separate spell for creating magic circles for trapping summoned creatures,¡± she added. ¡°Given that we¡¯re going to be dealing with something similar when we visit Memphis after this.¡±


    ¡°Good call,¡± I said, nodding approvingly. ¡°That¡¯s probably going to be your toughest fight by far, just so you know. There¡¯s a lot to watch out for; the blue shoes, devils in disguises, an extended Christmas catalog, the works. Some might just be covers, but they¡¯ll pack a wallop. Careful with Corwin, too. You know, because he¡¯s an Evolution Hound¡­ dog.¡±


    ¡°Already planned for,¡± Jeff said, giving me a thumbs up as Kayla groaned. ¡°Mine allows me to extend the time of a single skill by a pretty long time, by the way.¡±


    ¡°Perfect for Guardian Shield, huh?¡± I asked.


    He nodded. ¡°You got it.¡±


    ¡°I was wondering why it stayed out so long the first time. Mystery solved.¡±


    The sound of a horn echoed in the tunnel we were in, and the Mills turned around to see a blue and silver passenger train coming our way on the track farthest from us. Corwin was on alert before he started growling at it, and I could see people inside pointing at us. It was decelerating so it could safely pull into Chicago Union Station.


    ¡°Corwin, come here,¡± Kayla ordered with a snap of her fingers. The Evolution Hound immediately followed her orders, pushing in between her and Jeff.


    ¡°Seems like my train¡¯s here,¡± I said. ¡°Any last minute questions, concerns, or rude comments?¡±


    ¡°Several, but they¡¯re nothing we can¡¯t handle,¡± Kayla responded with a smile.


    I stopped, and they did so as well. Offering them both of my hands, the Mills looked confused but both took one with their own. Corwin moved so that he was sitting in the middle of all three of us, tail wagging.


    ¡°I¡¯m going to get sappy for a moment,¡± I said, giving them a gentle squeeze. ¡°Thank you both from the bottom of my heart. I know this hasn¡¯t been easy for either of you. My path is one full of danger, suspense, and anxiety, but you two have truly stepped up in my absence. What I¡¯m doing right now, running off to try and shorten everything¡­ I don¡¯t think I could do it without you here. Really, I¡¯d be worried if it was the wrong choice almost the whole time.¡±


    ¡°You don¡¯t have to thank us.¡± Jeff removed his arm from around Kayla and bumped his fist against my shoulder. ¡°We¡¯re here for you, boss, just like we said we were.¡±


    ¡°We¡¯re in it for the long run,¡± the Double Agent agreed. ¡°It may help that we both have stats that keep us calmer, but if it works, it works.¡±


    ¡°It certainly does, but I still want to tell you both thanks,¡± I said before smiling down at Kayla. ¡°I really should have said it back in the Pitt before I sent you off. This is all because you¡¯re stepping up while I¡¯m gone.¡±


    Kayla laughed. ¡°Jeff was right, you really are buttering us up.¡±


    ¡°Am I not coming off as sincere?¡± I looked back towards the Subspace Depot. ¡°Look, before this attempt, I went on a vacation. Spent a year and a half ignoring the world, enacting just enough of my plan to make sure I won at the end. Don''t get me wrong, I love my team. Jamie, Ash, Mercury, Bethany, and those who come and go as needed.¡±


    I sighed and looked back at the Mills. ¡°It''s gotten a bit stale. Tiring, even, doing the same thing and having the same interactions every time,¡± I admitted. ¡°But, thanks to you two, not only can I do what I need to, but it''s like the team has been revitalized in a way I haven''t seen in a long, long time. I''m glad you¡¯re here.¡±


    ¡°Well, you''re sincere enough, I guess,¡± she said, smiling at my praise even if she seemed slightly embarrassed by it. ¡°But you really should be getting out of here, right? Go on, and we¡¯ll meet up with you later. If we haven¡¯t royally screwed everything up by then, you can thank us again.¡±


    Jeff let go of my hand and Kayla followed suit. He jerked his thumb towards the station where the train had already stopped. ¡°Yeah, you need to get out of here. Go on.¡±


    Nodding, I bent over to give Corwin some love. ¡°Alright. You all be safe, then.¡±


    It wasn¡¯t as emotional a parting as I thought it was going to be, and I was soon buying my ticket to St. Paul in Minnesota. The process of loading and unloading happened quickly, and I just barely managed to make it into my private bedroom before the announcement that we would be leaving soon. It was larger than the roomette I had gotten from Pittsburgh to Chicago, but it was also more expensive at 150 points for the trip.


    So long as there wasn¡¯t another incident with an Angel coming after me making me have to spend the points again, the six hour ride would be fine.


    <<<>>>


    [[Patron Message]]


    I¡¯m still enamored with this Under Her Watchful Eyes passive you received from the Golden Dream. It feels good being able to send you messages without worrying about the cost.


    I also love the fact that I can give you more quests everyday.


    However, before I give you one for resting like I did before, why don¡¯t you tell me what happens when you reach St. Paul? It¡¯s not in your usual rotation.


    Sincerely yours,


    Sara


    <<<>>>


    ¡°I don¡¯t mind giving you the details, yeah,¡± I said aloud as I lounged on the sofa by the window. I hadn¡¯t minded her curiosity back in the Hall of the End, and I certainly didn¡¯t mind it now. She only had a surface level understanding of what was going on from my plans with the Dealer, so it wasn¡¯t any trouble to fill her in on the details.


    The train began to move, and I watched the city pass by. ¡°We¡¯re going to St. Paul, but our actual destination is the Mall of America in Bloomington. It¡¯s huge. Not only does it have stores and restaurants like you¡¯d find in any mall, but it¡¯s big enough to have its own aquarium, movie theater, and even a theme park.¡±


    <<<>>>


    [[Patron Message]]


    I¡¯m assuming that none of those are still operational, considering you¡¯re heading there.


    Sincerely yours,


    Sara


    <<<>>>


    ¡°Got it in one,¡± I replied. ¡°Though if you¡¯re going to be sending more messages, could I ask you to leave out your name? I didn¡¯t mind it before, but it seems out of place when we¡¯re having an actual conversation like this. It¡¯s not like you do it for Patron quests, either.¡±


    <<<>>>


    [[Patron Message]]


    Oh, fine. We¡¯ll do it your way.


    Tell me more about this Mall of America.


    <<<>>>


    ¡°Thanks, love,¡± I said with a smile. ¡°The Mall of America is the epicenter of the area¡¯s second scenario, which is called the Plastic War. At this point, the people should be¡­¡±


    Pausing, I looked down in thought. I hadn¡¯t been to Bloomington very often during this time. The second scenario boss would persist for a while even when they had beaten back its minions. Once they got inside the mall, the difficulty ramped up significantly. The casualties it caused were comparable to that of the Pharaoh.


    ¡°If I remember right, and I believe I do, the war should have been pushed back to the mall,¡± I said slowly. ¡°Which means all that¡¯s left are the bosses. They won¡¯t work up the firepower to destroy them all for a few more weeks, but they¡¯ll have made it that far. There¡¯s still a lot of people who have survived this long, but only three factions are really pushing to finish the job before the others can.¡±


    <<<>>>


    [[Patron Message]]


    Will you be joining one of them?


    <<<>>>


    I shook my head. ¡°No. They¡¯ve come to an agreement. If one of them is ready, they have to announce it so the others can back them up. They¡¯re rivals, but they don¡¯t want to see the other sides dead,¡± I explained. ¡°Which is how things should be, you know? Some friendly rivalry to keep things moving forward. That¡¯s one of the things I liked about Pittsburgh¡¯s Guild system, it was all competitive with no actual PvP. Well, when it worked.


    ¡°But I¡¯m straying from the point, sorry,¡± I said with a smile, looking back out of the window. ¡°I¡¯m not joining any of them. They tapped a third party Drone Aficionado named Lucas. He gets paid points to have his drones, which he powers with his class, patrol the mall¡¯s perimeter like security guards. If any of the teams get close, he¡¯s supposed to stop them and remind them of the rules. Since he¡¯s remote, they can¡¯t really threaten him.¡±


    <<<>>>


    [[Patron Message]]


    And, because you¡¯re not a part of any team, he¡¯s going to let you in?


    <<<>>>


    ¡°He¡¯ll be reluctant, but stopping someone unaffiliated from going in on their own wasn¡¯t really on his list of duties,¡± I answered with a shrug. ¡°Some smooth talking and he¡¯ll let me in. The area around the mall should be completely cleared out so there¡¯s no problem there. Lucas gets some goods, I get what I¡¯m looking for, and everyone wins.¡±


    <<<>>>


    [[Patron Message]]


    Except for the three teams.


    <<<>>>


    I waved my hand. ¡°They still get to loot the mall. I¡¯m going to leave the vast majority of stuff there - and that majority is incredibly vast, by the way - except for the stuff I need. They¡¯ll be missing out on some points, MVP status, and that¡¯s it.¡±


    <<<>>>


    [[Patron Message]]


    Why the Mall of America in particular?


    <<<>>>


    A grin crept onto my face. ¡°Aside from a fight against something big enough to give the Writhing Zeppelin a run for its money? It¡¯s got a couple of things that will help nearly guarantee a Warmongering Mystic drop after we leave Washington, which is our next stop. Honestly, I¡¯m pretty excited for this new path. I¡¯ve never strung these scenarios together before.¡±


    As the train pulled out of Chicago, I found myself animated as I spoke to Sara. The restriction on her messages had really dampened our conversations in the past, but that was all gone now. My plan to get a nap in on the long trip was completely and thoroughly trashed.


    I didn¡¯t mind it one bit.

 Chapter 201

    Union Depot, St. Paul, Minnesota - 6:47 PM


    It was still light out when I left the train station. The chilling cold bit at me, but it wasn¡¯t a bother at all. I hadn¡¯t thought about it before, but traveling gave me a lot of time to think about things and I came to the conclusion that the soulfire from my Angelic heritage had to be keeping me warm. Considering how expensive Cold Resistance was up here in places where it was actually useful, I called it an absolute win.


    Stopping in the streets, I looked around. Every building except the one I had come from and a tall one nearby called the Custom House was covered from top to bottom in ice. Their last scenario, which was now over, had them chasing a magical beast known as the Frozen Gust Monarch through the city. It had caused blizzards with every flap of its wings.


    I couldn¡¯t remember which group had been the one to defeat it, but it had managed to bring about a miniature ice age before it was killed. Half of St. Paul was frozen over, which wasn¡¯t going to change until things started getting warmer.


    <<<>>>


    [[Patron Message]]


    It looks like they¡¯ve had a tough time. There¡¯s a lot of dungeons in buildings spread throughout the city, but they¡¯re almost all frozen over. I wonder what the administrator is getting out of this, because it certainly seems counterintuitive when the people can¡¯t enter them.


    <<<>>>


    Shrugging, I looked up to the sky. ¡°Might just be lazy or waiting. If they discover the dungeons later, they can show off a lot of different scenes at once. Either way, it doesn¡¯t matter much. We¡¯re not here for that.¡±


    Stepping away from the train station, I started following the paths left in the knee-high snow. Most of the trails started at the Custom House and spread out from there. That was one of the biggest safe zones in the city and, despite its size, there were so many people staying there that it had become cramped.


    Those that I could see through the windows seemed fine, however. Because St. Paul was currently between scenarios, they were enjoying the peace while it lasted. There was some trepidation about what came next, but that wasn¡¯t anything out of the ordinary. Everywhere was dangerous now if you weren¡¯t strong enough.


    I wasn¡¯t tempted by the warm space the administrators left for the people and passed on by. My destination was farther away from the train station than I would have liked, but I could still make it just as it became dark out.


    The paths weren¡¯t there for very long. I crossed the Mississippi River on the Wabasha Street Bridge and jumped down to walk along its bank. Pieces of ice floated past me. At one point the water had been completely frozen over thanks to the Monarch, but that hadn¡¯t lasted.


    Walking through the snow next to the river, I did my best to leave a ten foot buffer between us when the landscape permitted. The Cable Conglomerate slowly removed itself from the Vambrace of Wires straight out over the water. Since I had total control of the rope, I had the individual metal threads separate at the end, forming several hooks. Once I was satisfied, I plunged it into the water.


    Thanks to my high Strength Score as opposed to a normal person, I wasn¡¯t impeded much by the thick white blanket I was forced to walk through. There were plenty of things to trip over underneath the snow, but it wasn¡¯t a good insulator from Absolute Awareness.


    Water in its liquid form, on the other hand, was, but not at this depth. In St. Paul, the Mississippi River wasn¡¯t deep at all, and most places wouldn¡¯t even reach my stomach. I could see the monsters following after my makeshift hook. They didn¡¯t need bait like the Chainsawfish to bite; they were more interested in movement.


    I waited as dozens of the long, eel-like creatures trailed the cable. Some were as thick as my arm, others as thick as my thigh. Their mouths opened to reveal several rows of abnormally large teeth. They had small fins that were powerful enough to burrow through the snow if they knew I was on the bank.


    That was the reason I kept my distance even when docks got in my way. There was no reason to deal with them directly when there was an easy way to do it.


    They were remarkably skittish creatures, preferring to travel and attack in groups only when they were sure of their superiority. It took nearly a half a mile of walking for them to make their move. All at once, they swarmed, biting the metal cables. Their teeth were powerful, but there wasn¡¯t much they could do to my wire rope.


    The ends exploded outwards as I fed more of the Cable Conglomerate into the water. Each hook straightened and shot through the monster trying to eat them. They continued to untangle and branch out, piercing through as many as possible while the swarm of eels started panicking. Those already on the line struggled to get free, their tough hides making it hard to pull away.


    ¡°Thank you again for this, Ash,¡± I said absently as I mentally controlled the wire rope. The tool was truly a valuable one, and it was a lot of fun.


    The ones I couldn¡¯t snag swam away, brave in groups but easily scared off. While I lifted my fishing line out of the water, I retrieved my Vague Stick from my inventory and shaped it into a sword in preparation for what came next.


    At least forty eels had to have been skewered by the Cable Conglomerate. They all hung there, shaking the line as they tried to free themselves. The longest was nearly eight feet in length, but most of them were between two and three. They were dark, like the water, with pulsing veins of light blue covering their bodies. As one, the lines became brighter and the water underneath them started to freeze over.


    I was standing far away, and thus was unaffected. The cable shifted, positioning each of the monsters at roughly the same height. Raising the Vague Sword, I swung it with the help of Orbit to give me some extra power while I activated Distant Slice. A wide beam of power sprung from the tip of the blade towards the eels.


    The first twenty were decapitated a few inches beneath their teeth and, despite their struggles, the rest were dispatched as soon as the cooldown on Distant Slice was over.


    <<<>>>


    [[Victory!]]This story has been taken without authorization. Report any sightings.


    You have defeated x1 Alpha Freshwater Freezer Eel; +15 points.


    You have defeated x42 Freshwater Freezer Eels; +210 points.


    <<<>>>


    The long, slimy bodies floated away on the bed of ice they had created, and I could see the ones that got away climbing out of the water to eat them. I Pulled a few of the longer corpses towards me, especially the Alpha, putting them on the ground beside me.


    <<<>>>


    [[Patron Message]]


    You really do make things look effortless. While I surely do enjoy your fights, showing off your knowledge, strategies, and items like this is interesting in its own right.


    <<<>>>


    ¡°I¡¯m happy to be your entertainment, Sara,¡± I replied with a slight bow and flourish.


    Finally pulling the heads in from over the river, I dumped them unceremoniously into my inventory along with the bodies. Ash could use the teeth to create several different types of cold themed weapons, perhaps even something for Corwin, while the leather and veins would be fun for her to play with on armor and other items.


    In a previous run, she had used materials from the Freshwater Freezer Eels to make an impressive war club that froze opponents after enough hits. The bigger they were, the longer it took, but the Dexterity penalties were still substantial. The only issue was that the frozen targets became so cold that it was hard to be near them without taking damage, which was where the leather came in.


    I found myself smiling while I reminisced. It wasn¡¯t often we came across these eels under normal circumstances. They made for powerful materials, but were generally more trouble than they were worth. Since it usually required wading into the freezing cold Mississippi River where they would try to freeze you to death, I didn¡¯t like to go out of my way to get them.


    Then again, the Cable Conglomerate made it really easy. Looking from my Vambrace of Wires to the river, I decided it wouldn¡¯t hurt to do some more zero-risk fishing. It was free points and something to do on my long trip from the train station to the mall. After the first time, I managed to streamline the process.


    By the time I made it to Interstate 494 and used it to cross the river, I had caught three more swarms. It had been a pretty lucrative hour, and it was finally starting to get dark out. I wheeled myself between lines of cars that had been punished by monsters since the system dropped, getting off at the exit that would lead me to the Mall of America.


    The area was quiet. A large-scale battle had taken place here, though there was nothing but wreckage to show for it. Automobiles were burned, shoved, and crushed, power lines and traffic lights no longer hung in the air, and the buildings lining the road showed signs of damage both inside and out.


    Once I was off the interstate, I pushed towards the mall. The battlefield was surprisingly clean, though that was winter doing its work. Snow had covered any bodies left behind, and not even the monsters came here searching for food; it was too close to the scenario boss.


    The only sign of life wasn¡¯t even really alive. Lucas, the Drone Aficionado, had set up several sensors with his technology-based class. The moment I stepped onto the main road, he was aware of my presence. He would watch first, I knew, as I made my way closer. Few people walked through what they called No Man¡¯s Land, and that would make him curious.


    My course didn¡¯t deviate even knowing this, I headed straight for my destination. He would come to me soon. It was only a matter of time.


    I cut across the large parking lot towards the north entrance. There wasn''t any particular reason for it; the mall could be accessed from nearly any direction including through the glass roof. It was the closest one to me from the interstate.


    It wasn¡¯t until I hit the road between the parking lot and the mall when I saw them coming. Blocky, rectangular robots that looked like waist-high refrigerators on tank treads started approaching me. Seven of them in total, and they blended in with the night fairly well. Not that it mattered, because I would have seen them anyway.


    I stopped with my hands in my pockets as soon as one of them came within thirty feet of me, and we waited patiently for the rest to catch up. They had a plethora of weapons inside of them from flamethrowers, to shock cables, to a chainsaw, and finally assault rifles, though their ammo was limited to a single large-capacity magazine.


    They surrounded me, stopping at twenty feet, and seven high powered lights attempted to blind me. It was outrageously bright even when I closed my eyes, but I didn¡¯t react otherwise. I stood there, waiting for them to make the first move.


    The drone in front of me spoke, its voice robotic and lifeless. ¡°Go no further, citizen.¡±


    ¡°I refuse,¡± I said nonchalantly. ¡°I¡¯m here to win the scenario.¡±


    ¡°The scenario boss has already been dibs¡¯d,¡± it argued. ¡°You are about to trespass on property of the Three Factions.¡±


    ¡°Actually, it¡¯s for anyone to come and defeat,¡± I continued, shrugging. ¡°For example, by me, and right now.¡±


    ¡°Identify yourself, citizen.¡±


    ¡°No.¡±


    It paused. ¡°Identify yourself or leave.¡±


    ¡°No again. Not until I have his attention.¡±


    ¡°If you do not comply, you will be exterminated.¡±


    I scoffed. ¡°Please. I¡¯m about to go take out the scenario boss, I¡¯m not about to get scared of a few F-103 Dangerbox drones.¡±


    Each of the robots opened a small sliding door on the front of their chassis, revealing a small, round tube with a small flame flickering in front of it. ¡°This is your final warn-¡±


    ¡°Perfect timing!¡± I interrupted, pointing at the robot. After a moment, I adjusted my arm so that it was straight up. ¡°I am no longer willing to talk to this rolling refrigerator with its basic bitch AI core, but I will talk to the Dronemeister himself, should he be willing to fly down.¡±


    High above me, twenty feet from the edge of my sight, was a matte black sphere the size of my head. There were no rotors, propellers, or wings; it simply hung there as if ignoring gravity. This was the top of the line product that the Drone Aficionado had managed to put together with help from others. It had been built for the sole purpose of making it easier for him to watch the mall.


    The only sound as seconds stretched onto minutes was the wind. The ground-based drone didn¡¯t speak again, and the sphere continued to levitate in the sky. I was patient, not wanting to scare him into attacking. Compared to the eels, this was a short wait.


    But not one everyone was happy to take.


    <<<>>>


    [[Patron Quest: Negotiate with the Drone!]]


    Alright, this guy seems to be really cautious. You said that you can handle it, so let¡¯s see what you¡¯ve got.


    ¡­ Once he actually comes down from there. Is he playing some kind of game making you wait or something? You could already be fighting that giant mass of boss inside the mall already.


    I guess I should just be patient. It is a virtue, after all. I just don¡¯t understand why he¡¯s taking so long.


    Objective: Negotiate your way into the mall without fighting or getting the other groups called on you.


    Reward: 1,500 points.


    <<<>>>


    I smiled. This was definitely better than a quest to rest on the train.

 Chapter 202

    Mall of America Parking Lot, Bloomington, Minnesota - 7:58 PM


    The frigid wind blew snow across the parking lot, but it wasn¡¯t enough to blow out the lights on the Dangerbox¡¯s flamethrowers. They flickered, sure, but didn¡¯t go out. I knew it was a threat, but it wasn¡¯t one I took seriously; the guy in charge didn¡¯t really want blood on his hands. That said, I wasn¡¯t going to push him.


    Hence, patience.


    Eventually, the flying drone did start to lower. It dropped thirty feet before catching itself like it was trying to gauge my reaction. My eyes were still closed, so he wouldn¡¯t be sure how I knew he was there. After a few more seconds, he started descending in a lazy spiral. It took the drone another minute before it moved to hover over the one that had spoken to me.


    Not willing to take my hands out of my pocket, I gave it the nod.


    ¡°I don¡¯t think I know who you are,¡± came an unnaturally deep voice from the drone, Minnesotian accent and all. It was obviously being changed by a filter.


    ¡°That statement is correct,¡± I said.


    ¡°Are you a part of the MOA Reclaimers?¡± he asked.


    I shook my head. ¡°I am not.¡±


    ¡°Ace of Clubs?¡±


    I shook my head. ¡°Nope.


    ¡°Then you must be with Milky Way,¡± he stated, sounding sure of himself.


    ¡°That is also incorrect,¡± I told him. ¡°And now that you¡¯ve listed off the big three groups, we can move on to the next part of the conversation.¡±


    The voice hesitated. ¡°Which is?¡±


    ¡°The part where you try to guess where I¡¯m from,¡± I replied, stifling a yawn.


    ¡°I guess it sounds like you¡¯re from the south,¡± he said after a moment¡¯s hesitation.


    ¡°That is also a correct statement,¡± I confirmed. ¡°Florida, if you must know.¡±


    The voice hesitated again. ¡°How did you know about me? These little guys on the ground I understand because they approached you, sure, but how did you find my flying drone?¡±


    ¡°Midnight Steel, right?¡± I asked, making conversation. ¡°That is what you named this S-343 model, if I remember correctly. Which I am.¡±


    ¡°Ya?¡± he asked more than said, unsure of how I knew so much.


    ¡°Excellent. Anyway, Lucas-¡°


    ¡°Oh, for Pete¡¯s sake!¡± Midnight Steel jerked backwards as if I had slapped it. ¡°How do you know my name? And about Midnight Steel? Who sent you? Who in Florida knows or cares who I am?¡±


    I smiled. ¡°Sorry, I¡¯m getting there, just cool your gravity propulsion jets for a moment.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m about five seconds away from calling everyone in, man, so don¡¯t test me,¡± the voice from the drone threatened.


    ¡°There¡¯s no need for that,¡± I replied, slowly shaking my head. ¡°Why don¡¯t we start where we were supposed to. My name is Anthony Franklin. I¡¯m a psychic from Florida who has destroyed scenarios in my hometown, Atlanta, and Pittsburgh while my team works in Chicago, which has a few different big questlines going on. You know, all spread out.¡±


    I watched as Midnight Steel rotated. It moved as if looking around for anyone that might be hiding, and I could see the camera hiding behind a dark tinted visor. Lucas was thinking. Carefully, I pulled my hand out of my pocket along with a pencil I retrieved from my inventory. His attention snapped back to me, but I wasn¡¯t moving quickly. To sell the psychic bit, I Lifted the tool into the air.


    ¡°I¡¯m here because of that,¡± I continued, pointing the pencil towards the mall, having it twitch like a needle on a compass. ¡°Without me, it will take three more weeks before it¡¯s destroyed. By that time, the third scenario will have already started, and then y¡¯all will have to deal with other threats.¡±


    ¡°So you can see the future?¡± he asked, still unsure.


    ¡°Seen it so clearly that it¡¯s like I¡¯ve lived in it,¡± I answered boldly. ¡°That¡¯s how I know your name is Lucas Steel. Age: 15. Trying to hide the fact that you¡¯re the Dronemeister from your parents who absolutely would not approve of what you¡¯re doing.¡±


    ¡°Geez, hold on a moment.¡±


    ¡°Can¡¯t, you¡¯ve opened Pandora¡¯s Box of knowledge,¡± I said, waving my hand. ¡°You¡¯re currently camping out at Normandale Community College in a building outside of the safe zone. Impressive range on these things, by the way, I know you put a lot of points into it. Dangerbox Alpha, the one that spoke, was your first, but Midnight Steel is your real baby. That¡¯s why you named it after yourself, other than the fact that you really wanted a superhero name growing up. Plus, it¡¯s pitch black and midnight really makes sense in that context.¡±


    ¡°Okay, okay! You know things, holy buckets,¡± he said, exasperated. Midnight Steel shifted as if it were nervous. ¡°Why are you bringing all this up?¡±


    ¡°Isn¡¯t it obvious?¡± I asked, arching an eyebrow. ¡°It¡¯s because you¡¯re impressive enough for my visions to find you relevant.¡±


    Midnight Steel hovered there in another patented Dronemeister pause. A part of me felt bad about manipulating the kid like this, but it wasn¡¯t as though he was going to be in the line of fire. He was much safer than nearly anyone else who picked a combat-oriented class.


    There wasn¡¯t any feedback through his drones when they took damage, and it would be good for the city to bring him up to the standards of the faction leaders. Even though trusting someone of his young age could backfire, the few times I had been here showed me that would end up doing more good than harm.


    He eventually spoke. ¡°Oh, well. Go on, then.¡±


    ¡°Thank you,¡± I said with a slight flourish and bow. ¡°Now, I know this is your turf. You¡¯re watching over it and you¡¯re supposed to tell the other groups the moment someone trespasses. You want to do a good job. I get it.¡±


    My smile turned grim as I let my pencil drop back into my hand so I could point it at Midnight Steel. ¡°But that way leads to a lot of death. This scenario is unfair in a lot of ways, just like so many of them are. The three factions are trying, of course. They¡¯re trying their best to get stronger, but that plastic tyrant in there is going to break them. You can help me stop that.¡±


    No response, and the silence was palpable.


    ¡°Lucas, aren¡¯t you tired of just being a guard?¡± I continued. ¡°Wouldn¡¯t you rather be a hero? We can take care of this. Not to brag, but I am really, really good at what I do. And us taking care of the Mall of America means that there won¡¯t be any casualties. It¡¯s a win-win-win, even though they won¡¯t think so.¡±Unauthorized use: this story is on Amazon without permission from the author. Report any sightings.


    The mood seemed to shift as the drones retreated a few feet. In tandem, the flamethrowers that had been threatening me were pulled back into their respective Dangerboxes. The lights on the blocky drones in front of me flickered off, and I opened my eyes. Midnight Steel flew so that it was floating a few feet in front of me.


    ¡°I¡¯m not saying yes, but tell me your plan,¡± his distorted voice said. ¡°I¡¯m interested.¡±


    I clapped my hands together, returning the pencil to my inventory. Once it was gone, I walked around Midnight Steel towards the first Dangerbox. Each of the drones followed my movements, and I stopped at the broken, multicolored star in front of the mall¡¯s north entrance.


    ¡°I¡¯m going to go in there and ruin the Mannequin Master,¡± I announced.


    ¡°Can you actually do that?¡± Lucas asked. ¡°Or are you just trying to sneak in to loot the place?¡±


    ¡°Nah, I can do it,¡± I answered easily.


    ¡°Are you sure?¡±


    ¡°Of course. I¡¯m a man of my word.¡±


    Lucas huffed. ¡°So was my father when he said he¡¯d get me a better graphics card for Christmas, and that never appeared,¡± he muttered.


    I held my hands up. ¡°I¡¯m not getting into the middle of that one. You were asking in 2021, dude, that wasn¡¯t on him.¡±


    ¡°Yeah, that¡¯s fair,¡± he grumbled, giving me the point.


    ¡°Look, I¡¯m on a time crunch here, so I can¡¯t give you a demonstration. Best I can do is have you follow me inside and you¡¯ll see for yourself,¡± I said. After a moment of thought, Midnight Steel bobbed. ¡°Alright, so. Everything in there is trashed. It¡¯ll go back to normal after, renewing itself into a safe zone once it¡¯s done.¡±


    ¡°Really?¡±


    ¡°Yup. Here¡¯s some insider information for you: you know how everyone thinks the big guy¡¯s the one in charge? He¡¯s not. There¡¯s a little dude running around who¡¯s controlling every one of their plastic monstrosities. Kind of like you and your drones, except he¡¯s the bad guy. And there¡¯s loot in there that will help you be on par with the other factions around here.¡±


    ¡°Something the big bad drops?¡± Lucas asked.


    ¡°Something each of the four bosses inside can drop,¡± I corrected, holding up four fingers. ¡°No guarantees, though. If you help me, there¡¯s a good chance they¡¯ll drop a Drone Aficionado item you can slot into Midnight Steel. Something for defense, offense, etcetera. Now, it¡¯s not a 100% chance. I know the future, but there¡¯s variables. Still, it¡¯s a good chance.¡±


    ¡°How good are we talking?¡± Lucas asked. Midnight Steel moved to hover beside me. It shifted so it appeared to be looking back and forth between me and the mall. The propulsion system it was equipped with astounded me; I couldn¡¯t hear it at all.


    ¡°Two in three,¡± I responded. ¡°Well above average. Even if they don''t drop, however, there are other things.¡±


    ¡°Tell me more about that,¡± he requested, unable to hide the greed in his voice despite its distortion.


    ¡°Well, I said the mall goes back to normal, right?¡± I asked. Midnight Steel paused before bobbing once in an approximation of a nod. ¡°There¡¯s going to be a lot of loot reappearing. I only need three, or four, or five things. The rest is all free game to whoever makes it there first. Since I don¡¯t want most of it¡­¡±


    ¡°Okay, I¡¯m picking up what you¡¯re laying down,¡± Lucas said excitedly. ¡°I can go and hit all the tech stores to find what I need to upgrade the boys!¡±


    ¡°You sure can, just make sure you grab the system enhanced stuff and not their mundane counterparts,¡± I warned. ¡°The moment any of the factions get here, there¡¯s going to be a lot of scrambling for the best items. It¡¯s going to be like Black Friday, but everyone has super powers.¡±


    ¡°Have you ever been shoved into a display case by an angry lady in a Best Buy on Black Friday?¡± Lucas asked seriously, turning the drone to look at the mall again. ¡°Those people already had super powers: the ability to not give a damn. Pardon my French.¡±


    I chuckled. ¡°Yeah, suppose you¡¯re right,¡± I admitted. ¡°So? The possibility of a boss specific drops and free rein of the mall for however long it takes for everyone else to get here. Are you in?¡±


    Lucas turned his drone to face me again. ¡°I just have one more question.¡±


    ¡°Shoot.¡±


    ¡°What am I supposed to say when they ask what happened here?¡±


    It was clear to me that he was invested now, but there was the feeling that he was going to be in trouble holding him back. That was the kind of thing that had made me feel better about giving him this kind of power in the first place.


    ¡°I always find that honesty is the best policy, but that doesn¡¯t mean you have to tell the whole truth,¡± I said. ¡°That¡¯s just being pragmatic. You don¡¯t tell people everything about everything, and you don¡¯t have to do that now. In this case, though, go ahead and tell them that I¡¯m here.¡±


    ¡°Wait, really?¡± he asked, surprised. ¡°You want me to give you up?¡±


    ¡°Yeah, go for it. You just have to phrase it right,¡± I told him. ¡°Think of it this way. They¡¯re more worried about other groups coming in and stealing their glory, right? But I¡¯m just one man. So here¡¯s what you do: you send a message saying someone¡¯s skulking about the Mall of America. He¡¯s only one dude. You¡¯ve already spoken to him, and he claims to be some psychic from Florida.¡±


    ¡°You are some psychic from Florida,¡± Lucas replied.


    ¡°Honesty, right?¡± I asked with a grin. ¡°They won¡¯t be worried about me. I¡¯m just some guy and they don¡¯t think I¡¯ll be able to beat the scenario. It won¡¯t even be something they¡¯ll think about, because they¡¯re going to be too busy grilling each other on whether or not I¡¯m some kind of faction spy. They¡¯ll put you on recon, and that absolves you of your part in all this.¡±


    ¡°They could send a few people to check things out,¡± he offered. ¡°They¡¯ll see me working with you.¡±


    I waved my hand. ¡°If they send people, then they send people,¡± I said dismissively. ¡°Also, you¡¯re not working with me, you¡¯re keeping an eye on some lone maniac. They won¡¯t find me after I collect my spoils, and they¡¯ll be too busy fighting over the safe zone to care much about your part in it. If they suddenly do care, then you just reveal yourself to be some kid. That¡¯ll take the heat off you, like, immediately.¡±


    ¡°What?¡± Lucas asked in a panic, and Midnight Steel shook back and forth. ¡°I can¡¯t do that! I¡¯m hiding my identity from my parents. Which is something you know, because you brought it up!¡±


    ¡°Look, man, I understand that you don¡¯t think they¡¯ll like what you¡¯re doing,¡± I said, letting my sentence hang there.


    ¡°But?¡± he urged. ¡°It sounds like there¡¯s a but¡±


    I shook my head. ¡°No but. They definitely won¡¯t like what you¡¯re doing,¡± I said. ¡°If I had to put a but in there, I¡¯d say that you might as well tell them now because the longer you wait, the worse it¡¯s going to be. The Dronemeister is already a fairly well known figure around here. It¡¯s only a matter of time before they find you in your control room. Or forbid you from going out when you need to go there.¡±


    ¡°Okay, you can see the future. How long until I get caught?¡± he asked.


    Turning to face Midnight Steel, I gave him a thin smile. ¡°Longer than you think, but still less time than you hope. It¡¯s variable, like most things, but I¡¯d be surprised if you made it to the end of May without being discovered.¡±


    I heard Lucas sigh through the drone. ¡°Yeah, that¡¯s probably for the best¡­¡±


    ¡°Excellent. Because while your parents worry for you, they¡¯re going to be pretty reasonable about it,¡± I continued. ¡°It definitely helps that, one, you¡¯ve been using your powers thoughtfully instead of recklessly and, two, you¡¯re not in the way of harm. Number two is a really big factor.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s some weight off of my mind, then,¡± he admitted. The drone shook like it was trying to pump itself up. ¡°Alright. I can set Midnight Steel to follow you while I send out this message. Crazy guy, says he¡¯s psychic, comes from Florida and thinks he can solo the Mall of America. Sounds right?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s a very accurate message,¡± I said with a laugh. ¡°For the record, you¡¯re in, right?¡±


    ¡°You know what? Ya. I¡¯m in.¡±


    <<<>>>


    [[Patron Quest Complete!]]


    I¡¯m not sure how I feel about you talking a 15 year old child into something like this, but I suppose this will be a fairly bloodless endeavor, given that all the enemies are plastic.


    Still, well done. You really know your way around these conversations. I wasn¡¯t sure how you were going to sway him, but it was fun to watch.


    Once you get the scenario quest, I¡¯ll send my last quest of the day with it. Now, be careful, and make sure nothing happens to that Midnight Steel drone. And, yes, that will be an optional objective.


    Reward: 1,500 points.


    <<<>>>


    ¡°Perfect. Then let¡¯s get to it.¡± True to his word, when I started heading towards the entrance, the drone followed over my shoulder. We entered through the broken glass doors of the mall, ready to work.

 Chapter 203

    Mall of America, Bloomington, Minnesota - 8:15 PM


    I walked through the entrance to the building, shattered glass crunching beneath my feet. Midnight Steel hovered soundlessly in the air next to me. Lucas had originally wanted to bring his Dangerboxes in as well, but I had told him it was unnecessary. They would only get destroyed.


    <<<>>>


    [[Scenario Quest: Plastic War]]


    The Mall of America is one of the largest temples to consumerism in the United States, and that kind of hubris cannot stand.


    Your first step was to push the plastic menace back from whence it came, and you did so admirably. Now the leader, the Mannequin Master, is fortifying his castle. While his materials may be depleted, his will is ironclad, and he now creates a new monstrosity to release upon the world.


    Hidden away on the fourth floor, he toils to create a beast worthy of wiping out the flesh and bone scum that built this debauched church of capitalism. His defense is ironclad, and can only be opened by collecting three keys. Find them, and end the Mannequin Master¡¯s threat before he unleashes his new creations into the world.


    Objective: Find the three hidden keys and defeat the scenario boss.


    Reward: 1,800 points, Key to the Mall of America Safe Zone (MVP).


    [[Patron Quest: Defeat the Mannequin Master!]]


    Wow, this administrator is a bit heavy handed, aren¡¯t they?


    Whether they¡¯re a drama queen or not doesn¡¯t matter. The threat the plastic forces represent is real, and they do need to be taken care of. Find the three keys and defeat the scenario boss, just as you¡¯re supposed to.


    However, you dragged Lucas into this. He could have easily stayed outside, so you have to protect Midnight Steel. I¡¯m sure it won¡¯t be a problem for you.


    Objective: Win the scenario.


    Optional Objective: Midnight Steel survives this quest.


    Reward: 2,500 points, a gift.


    Optional Reward: 1,000 points.


    <<<>>>


    ¡°Holy buckets, that¡¯s a good chunk of points,¡± Lucas excitedly whispered, his voice filter still active.


    I put on a thin smile, hoping it wasn¡¯t too strained. The end quests for the scenarios were notoriously stingy on points, but to most people that much would be a gold mine. Since it was meant to be one thing after another to give rewards out incrementally, I could see it, but for someone hunting for MVP accolades it was a little disheartening. Especially when I would just keep skipping to the end results.


    ¡°Okay, it looks like you¡¯re right,¡± the drone whispered. ¡°Justin, Mabel, and Stuart ¡ª the ones in charge ¡ª don¡¯t really care that you¡¯re in here. They expressed some concern that you¡¯re going to die and they¡¯re going to send a couple of people over later, but that¡¯s it. Sorry I doubted you.¡±


    ¡°What did I tell you?¡± I asked, not bothering to lower my voice as I paused not far from the entrance. The elevator had been torn from its glass enclosure and haphazardly tossed nearly fifteen feet away, heavily dented. We continued forward. ¡°You did your due diligence, so now it¡¯s their fault they didn¡¯t listen. Congrats! You¡¯re off the hook.¡±


    The destruction continued. At the north entrance, there was an open atrium that showed the second and third floors. Chunks of the balcony had fallen onto the broken tile. Couches and trash cans laid haphazardly amongst the wreckage, shoved out of the way by the beast that did this. I came to a stop in the middle of the large room.


    ¡°Shouldn¡¯t you keep your voice down?¡± Lucas asked, the drone moving closer to hover over my shoulder. ¡°What if it doesn¡¯t know we¡¯re here yet?¡±


    ¡°Oh, it knows that we¡¯re here,¡± I answered firmly.


    Without looking, I pointed to three separate spaces. Midnight Steel swiveled to look at each of them. Hiding behind different pieces of debris were small plastic creatures. They consisted of the head of a mannequin with two hands attached to its neck. Each one had a voice box melted to its face.


    The closest one stumbled out, its plastic fingers clacking loudly against the floor. Its oversized head threatened to make it fall over, and it had to move back and forth slowly in order to keep its balance. While it certainly wasn¡¯t cute, the sight of it doing its best really removed a lot of the creepiness of its lack of facial features.


    ¡°Will you be my friend?¡± it asked in a young girl¡¯s voice, looking up at me and Midnight Steel.


    ¡°It¡¯s a Plastic Watcher,¡± I explained as it fell over, the act of tilting back enough to see our faces knocking it off balance. The fingers grabbed at the floor, but couldn¡¯t find purchase and it ended up slowly crawling towards us. ¡°It¡¯s the Mannequin Master¡¯s security system. From the moment you lit me up with those high powered flashlights outside, they were aware of us.¡±


    ¡°I love you!¡± the voice box continued.


    ¡°Wait, so I blew your cover?¡± Lucas hesitantly asked.


    ¡°There¡¯s hundreds of these things all around the building. So, no, even if you hadn¡¯t stopped me I still would have been seen,¡± I answered. Above us, on the third floor, something large entered my vision. ¡°Don¡¯t feel bad or whatever. It¡¯s all a part of my plan.¡±


    ¡°Right. The plan. What exactly is the plan? You didn¡¯t really go over the plan.¡±


    ¡°Relinquish yourself to the sweet release of the void!¡± the Watcher exclaimed.


    Midnight Steel looked down at the mannequin head. ¡°Okay, that one was-¡±


    I grabbed the drone and started running, stepping on the Plastic Watcher as I did. Its head was crushed, but there was no time to celebrate the measly point it got me. I took one more step before sailing forward on my Heelies.


    ¡°Whoa! Put Midnight Steel down!¡± Lucas objected. Behind us, right where we had just been standing, an absurdly large plastic conglomerate fell onto the first floor. ¡°What was that!? Turn me around!¡±


    While I was against letting Midnight Steel go, I did turn it so that Lucas could see what was behind us.


    ¡°Don¡¯t put me down!¡± he yelled, panic in his voice. ¡°Midnight Steel was expensive! Run, Mr. Anthony, run!¡±


    An overwhelming roar came from thousands of voice boxes at once, and the hallway began to shake. Behind us, a mass of plastic torsos had been fused together, creating a horrible conglomeration that seemed like it could have come straight from a nightmare.


    The Merger Mannequin was small enough to fit through the mall¡¯s halls, but just barely. Hundreds of arms and legs propelled it towards us, using the floor, walls, and the walkways above to keep its momentum. It needed it, as its body had to be over fifty feet long. The sound of its plastic limbs tearing and crushing the already destroyed storefronts nearly drowned out the roar.If you spot this tale on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation.


    Despite its size, it was catching up.


    ¡°Can you fly at the speed we¡¯re traveling?¡± I asked. I knew that the drone could keep up with me when I had Divine Messenger, but now that it had been improved to Winged Messenger I wasn¡¯t so sure.


    ¡°No, you¡¯re way faster than Midnight Steel,¡± Lucas answered after a moment. ¡°I¡¯ve been neglecting the Speed stat because it¡¯s not really a combat drone. Sorry.


    ¡°No worries. Looks like you¡¯re stuck being carried.¡±


    ¡°Can you point me at it?¡±


    In my arms, Midnight Steel lifted the tinted cover over its eye, which had started glowing. Even though I knew it wouldn¡¯t do nearly as much damage as he had hoped, I didn¡¯t stop him. Instead, I steadied the drone and slowed down a little bit.


    A large, orange laser erupted from the round drone. It had enough of a kick to it that I was propelled forward on my wheels, going slightly faster than I had before. The Merger Mannequin reacted with concerning speed and began climbing. The attack hit its underside. This still left several arms and legs clattering to the ground, melted, but I knew it wasn¡¯t going to do as much as Lucas hoped.


    The laser only lasted a few seconds, and by then the Merger Mannequin had ascended to the third floor. It pushed itself one last time, leaping through the air and holding its limbs against its massive body. With unerring precision, the plastic creature sailed expertly between two walkways as it headed right for us.


    Lucas screamed, but I wasn¡¯t about to let us get caught. Getting grabbed and ripped apart limb by limb wasn¡¯t a part of my plan. Keeping my head down, I helped us turn at high speeds, heading left at the first big junction.


    Behind us, the Merger Mannequin collided with the floor. Its multitude of arms and legs scrambled to slow itself down, but there wasn¡¯t much it could do right away to stop itself right away. There was simply too much mass.


    ¡°Where are we going?¡± Lucas asked as the tinted cover closed again. ¡°Will it follow us?¡±


    ¡°Nordstrom for the first piece of the puzzle,¡± I replied. ¡°And we¡¯re not getting away that easily, kid.¡±


    I spread out my perception. While the Plastic Watchers weren¡¯t fast enough to keep up with us, there were so many of them that they didn¡¯t have to. They absolutely littered the mall, hiding on walkways, in stores, and among debris. Although they were nearly no threat in combat and weren¡¯t worth many points, I started picking them off one by one.


    As I crushed them with trash cans, impaled them with broken fixtures, and sliced them with large glass shards, I appreciated the challenge. Absolute Awareness let me see everything around me, but it was aura based. Neither the Plastic Watchers or the Merger Mannequin had exceptionally powerful auras. Their gray almost perfectly blended in with their surroundings, and it was hard to notice them when they didn¡¯t move.


    I jumped into the air and spun so that I was facing backwards. In my free hand, I retrieved my Vague Sword from my inventory, raising it into the air.


    The Merger Mannequin, deciding not to go around, burst through one of the storefronts. Its limbs were tangled in jewelry, lingerie and Christmas ornaments. Part of the structure broke, falling onto the boss, though it shrugged it off in its pursuit. I slashed at it, activating Distant Slice. It dodged upwards just as it had before, climbing to the second floor before falling back down with a ground shaking crash.


    Just like Midnight Steel¡¯s laser, it didn¡¯t seem to do much. Some of its limbs were cut off only to be picked up by the trailing back half. It wasn¡¯t for nothing, though. Dozens of broken ornaments, snow globes, and pieces of debris had been slung towards us.


    Thanks to my attack and the Merger Mannequin¡¯s evasive maneuver, only a few were precise enough to be a threat. Letting up on my relentless attacks on the Plastic Watchers, I shoved the ones that would hit us out of the way with Orbit. They were thrown with such strength that I wouldn¡¯t have been able to stop them all if I had tried, but nudging them off course was certainly doable. The thrown projectiles shattered against the ground, leaving small craters where some of the heavier objects landed.


    The hallway opened up into a large, open space. Like everywhere else, this place was covered in debris from the nearby shops, with banners torn on the ground along with a few trees worth of plant material. Underneath the stairs, which was missing its middle, was a wishing fountain. Coins were scattered throughout, though the water had long since leaked out.


    Ahead of us was Nordstrom. The large store took up an entire corner of the mall, three stories high. I jumped and activated Force Field in quick succession. Each one gave me a stepping stone to get higher. Seeing our ascent, the Merger Mannequin headed for the broken stairs, needing something that could hold its weight to get on our level.


    I evened out on the second floor. Once I was close enough to see all three of the levels, I used Spin on the keys in the wall inside the store. Even though there was no electricity, the security doors started to close. The Merger Mannequin roared again as it lunged for us, and I used Drop on myself to get out of the way.


    The boss collided with the second floor walkway just as I hit the ground, rolling under the security door just as it closed. I stood up and waited.


    There was no collision.


    ¡°Will you be mine?¡± the Merger Mannequin¡¯s multiple voices asked loudly enough to be heard clearly. Most of the boxes had to be damaged, because while some sounded sweet and innocent others sounded distorted and strained.


    I could still see it, though the thick barrier did hamper my vision substantially. The boss was sitting against it, fingers and toes of various limbs stroking the security door longingly. Its voice was replaced by irregular heartbeats, which continued as I let Midnight Steel go.


    The drone was watching the door dubiously. ¡°That¡¯s it? Stopped by a gate?¡±


    ¡°Yup.¡±


    ¡°Why?¡± Midnight Steel turned to look at me. ¡°I mean, I¡¯m thankful it¡¯s not chasing us, but why did it stop?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s not allowed in here because there¡¯s something else to worry about,¡± I answered ominously.


    Just like everywhere else, the whole place was a wreck. I could see all the way to the other end of the store. Clothes were strewn everywhere, glass cases were upturned and shattered, and barely anything was left standing above waist height. Putting a hand on Midnight Steel, I directed the drone towards the escalators.


    <<<>>>


    [[Scenario Subquest]]


    You have managed to make it into one of the Mall of America strongholds. A plastic beast far stronger than most you¡¯ve come across thus far awaits you. This creature is the one that holds the token required to enter the lair of the scenario boss.


    Objective: Defeat the Mirror Mannequin.


    Rewards: 750 points, Scenario Key.


    <<<>>>


    ¡°Oh, there¡¯s a quest in this quest,¡± he said after he read it. ¡°What¡¯s a Mirror Mannequin?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s a tank-based boss that has high hit points and likes to reflect damage back at the people attacking it no matter the distance,¡± I replied. ¡°I want you to hang back on this one until I tell you to take the final blow. My Patron put an extra condition on the quest she gave me, which was to make sure Midnight Steel comes out of this in one piece.¡±


    ¡°Thank you, ma¡¯am, for considering Midnight Steel,¡± Lucas said. ¡°Also, you have a Patron?¡±


    ¡°Yup. Been with me since Florida.¡±


    ¡°The only ones with Patrons around here are Mabel and Stuart, and they¡¯ve been pretty tight-lipped about who they are,¡± he remarked. ¡°What¡¯s having one like?¡±


    I considered that. ¡°It¡¯s like having a really helpful stalker that wants to see you succeed while, oftentimes, relishing in your pain,¡± I answered after a few seconds. ¡°Mine doesn¡¯t like that last part, though. It also helps that we get along famously.¡±


    <<<>>>


    [[Patron Message]]


    I¡¯m not sure how I feel being likened to a stalker, but¡­ I suppose it is a fair comparison. Watching specific players is a big part of being a Patron.


    No wonder you liked to pick the one who barely interacted with you. Having someone watching you 24/7, whether you consent to it or not, sounds terrible.


    Sorry, by the way.


    <<<>>>


    ¡°No need to apologize; we get along famously, remember?¡±


    Smiling, I swiped away the message. I carefully navigated through the wreckage of the department store, still heading to the second floor. Midnight Steel followed just behind me, and I was glad I didn¡¯t have to worry about someone wading through this all with me.


    ¡°Well, that sounds nice,¡± Lucas said. ¡°Are we going to take out the big guy that was chasing us before we go after the next subquest?¡±


    ¡°Nope. We shouldn¡¯t even if I wanted to,¡± I answered.


    ¡°No?¡±


    I shook my head. ¡°It would take a lot of time, effort, and resources to whittle the Merger Mannequin down to zero hit points. And I mean a lot. I may be able to do it, but then I wouldn¡¯t have anything left in the tank to fight anything else here before it comes back,¡± I informed him. ¡°Though, it¡¯s a moot point. Once the Master is taken down, it¡¯ll die. We just have to dodge it until then.¡±


    ¡°Ya, sure. That sounds like a lot of fun,¡± Lucas said, his enthusiasm dampened slightly as he followed me up to the second floor.


    We stopped a good distance away from the escalator and watched as a hulking figure came down from the third floor. Its body was twice as large as mine, making its descent awkward, and covered in broken mirrors. The glass cracked with every move it made, breaking in some places. One of its arms held a mannequin¡¯s leg by the ankle, while the other ended in a torso like a shield.


    It was hard to tell due to its reflective surface, but it seemed to be staring straight at us.

 Chapter 204

    Nordstrom, Mall of America, Bloomington, Minnesota - 8:15 PM


    ¡°Sorry but, just to make sure, you want me to hang back?¡± Lucas asked. Midnight Steel fidgeted beside me, its eye focused on the unmoving Mirror Mannequin.


    An instrumental, distorted version of Happy Birthday started playing from the boss. The song was slow and sharp, punctuating each note with a nonrhythmic harshness. It stared as the tune continued.


    ¡°Yup. You can use your laser to destroy its head once I take it off of the body,¡± I said, ignoring the creepy mannequin as I returned my Vague Sword to my inventory. In its place, I retrieved Vermon¡¯s Smash Stick and My Golden Bowling Ball. ¡°But, and this is important, don¡¯t strike any of the mirrors. You¡¯ll have to go in from the neck. I¡¯m going to make this fast because a drawn out battle will only be good for the boss, not for me, so be ready.¡±


    ¡°You betcha. I¡¯ll keep my eye open for the opportunity.¡±


    I nodded and watched as the Mirror Mannequin stepped onto the floor. It moved slowly, pushing the debris coating the floor out of its way with shallow steps. That, I knew, was a ruse. It was perfectly capable of moving quickly when it wanted to. The magic of the master controlling it was powerful.


    Tightening my grip on Vermon¡¯s Smash Stick, I started walking to meet it.


    My feet navigated the area with a lot more finesse than the boss¡¯ did. Where it simply pushed through, I took careful steps to land on flat ground. I cracked my neck, rotated my shoulders, and stopped about twenty feet away. It continued towards me.


    ¡°Alright, let¡¯s get this done fast,¡± I told myself as I closed my eyes. A flash lit up my eyelids as the boss attempted to blind me.


    That was the only warning I got before the enemy lunged, clearing the fifteen feet between us in a single leap. While its shield was covered with mirrors, the leg it carried as a weapon was not. It was the only part of the boss that wouldn¡¯t reflect damage. With its club raised high, the Mirror Mannequin aimed a debilitating blow right at my head.


    I activated Cheetah Sprint and sidestepped.


    <<<>>>


    [[Skill]]


    Cheetah Sprint


    For up to 60 seconds, double the speed of any forms of movement that you have. This skill has a cooldown of 12 hours.


    <<<>>>


    The club hit the ground, causing dust and shattered tile to erupt from the impact. I spun, lifting the Smash Stick. Jumping, I brought it down on the Mirror Mannequin¡¯s neck with Drop. Glass exploded outwards from my attack. The protruding spike in the middle of the mandible slid through the protective cover into the plastic underneath, getting stuck a few inches in. I let it go, leaving it stuck inside the boss.


    Pain lanced through my neck even though there was no visible wound on me. I knew that, whether I used my Warmind abilities or not, there wasn¡¯t enough room in the building to avoid its reflected damage.


    <<<>>>


    [[Notice]]


    You have been inflicted with Seven Years Bad Luck. You will receive 10% of all damage you inflict. This number will increase by 10% every time you break a mirror. Max: 150%.


    <<<>>>


    I breathed out as I landed on the ground. The Mirror Mannequin could only return so much at a time, which meant it was better to do big blows early on.. That said, the Seven Years Bad Luck curse was dangerous for those who sought to strike several times in quick succession. Mercury wouldn¡¯t have done well here at all.


    The boss shifted, sweeping at me with its club from the ground. I stepped onto the boss¡¯ weapon with my superior speed, reaching down to grab it and steady myself. Its Strength was enough to lift me off the ground and I slammed My Golden Bowling Ball into the Smash Stick before allowing the momentum to toss me aside.


    Once again, it felt like a spike was going through my neck. I had hammered the club further into its neck, damaging its structural integrity. There was no way I was going to be able to cut through it in one blow even with my psychic powers. I had to weaken it first.


    ¡°I¡¯m gonna get you!¡± the Mirror Mannequin called in a playful, childish voice as it raised its club and shield.


    It ran towards me, using the plastic leg to push the Smash Stick out of its neck. I Pulled the weapon back into my hand and raised My Golden Bowling Ball. It struck downwards again, using the same move as the last time, but it didn¡¯t play out the same way.


    The club came down on my side, stopping me from stepping out of the way. Its attack put me right in the way of its shield, which it thrust at me. I watched my face get closer from several broken mirror shards before I juked out of the way with speeds that I couldn¡¯t possibly have reached without Cheetah Sprint.


    It shifted away, but there was no escaping me. I stepped back into its personal space, and the Mirror Mannequin attempted to kick me. I stepped onto its arm, my back foot on its shield as I swung both of my weapons at once. The Smash Stick landed the first blow, piercing the neck of the boss again. I ignored the pain as the bowling ball connected next.


    The mandible¡¯s spike was knocked fully into the Mirror Mannequin, coming out the other end. I activated Force Field to block its club before it could hit the back of my head.


    I let My Golden Bowling Ball go as I leaned back, planting both feet on the boss¡¯ chest. The glass cracked under my Heelies, causing pain to myself, but that much was fine. It wasn¡¯t going to hurt as much as this next part.


    Yanking with all my might and giving it some extra oomph with Pull, I heard the Mirror Mannequin¡¯s neck creak in protest. It attempted to strike me again, breaking through my Force Field only to be stopped by Shield. My throat started feeling like it was getting ripped out before I finally succeeded and tumbled backwards.


    Now, the pain was so bad that I stumbled backwards, physically shaking it off. The boss¡¯ neck had been halfway sundered by my efforts, its head hanging on by a couple inches of plastic and glass. I quickly rolled onto my feet, watching as the Mirror Mannequin¡¯s club headed for its own face.


    Sadly, its head did not get knocked free. The boss leaned backwards almost completely out of the way. Its reflective surface was scratched, but not destroyed. It tilted off balance and I Pushed My Golden Bowling Ball right under its foot when the boss stomped down.


    The Mirror Mannequin fell backwards as my ball slipped towards me, and I scooped it up. The boss flailed and rolled, its head askew from its tumble. By the time my enemy hit the ground, I was next to it, and when it scrambled back onto its feet I was behind it. Lowering Vermon¡¯s Smash Stick, I took one more swing. I shuddered as I felt my own spinal cord sever.


    Unbidden, the memory of the Uuska shoving its hand through my chest came back to me, and I was silently grateful that the Mirror Mannequin¡¯s reflective damage didn¡¯t manifest as physical wounds like some could.


    As I backed away, leaving the Smash Stick embedded once again, I took stock of the situation. The boss¡¯ head was just about ready to come off, giving Midnight Steel the chance at the killing blow. It wasn¡¯t a necessary step, but the kid was helping me out and I wasn¡¯t going to go on without returning the favor. He didn¡¯t have to do any of this, after all.Ensure your favorite authors get the support they deserve. Read this novel on Royal Road.


    I took a moment to figure out his location. The drone had been circling the battlefield, waiting for its moment. Lucas was good at following instructions, at least, which was a huge deciding factor in how I decided to treat him.


    My thoughts returned to the present as the Mirror Mannequin spun around, its shield coming right for me. I stepped back, missing getting hit by inches, and ducked under its follow up attack. The club struck the ground beside me.


    <<<>>>


    [[Patron Message]]


    Few seconds left on Cheetah Sprint. Your hit points are getting low from all these critical strikes. Do what you need to do, fast.


    <<<>>>


    ¡°Thanks for the heads up,¡± I said as I stepped onto the boss¡¯ club again.


    I was lifted off of the ground and I kicked the Smash Stick free, breaking even more of its neck. It felt like my own should be bruised and battered at this point. Anyone who didn¡¯t have my mental discipline likely wouldn¡¯t have made it this far; this fight clearly wasn''t made to be one on one.


    The club swung for me, but I wrapped my arms around the head as I dove out of the way. I twisted over the Mirror Mannequin¡¯s shoulder, and the uneven glass shards cut me through my Ringmaster¡¯s Hoodie. I used Drop on myself, giving me extra weight for my improvised diving neckbreaker. Unable to carry me this time, the boss fell with me.


    I used Orbit to clear my landing zone of debris, but it wasn¡¯t so lucky. We both bounced off of the ground, and I Pushed my Heelies away. The Mirror Mannequin¡¯s head popped away with me, having been decapitated by the fall. Its body lashed out, trying to catch me with its club, but I was already too far away.


    ¡°Lucas!¡± I called, holding the boss¡¯ head into the air. Cheetah Sprint wore off, and I returned to my regular movement speed.


    ¡°On my way!¡± he responded.


    Midnight Steel flew towards me, and I got to my feet. The head of the Mirror Mannequin was vibrating in my hands and the floor shook from its body¡¯s flailing. It stood, turning around to face me as the drone¡¯s tinted visor raised up.


    The body raised its shield and charged. I backpedaled towards the escalators, barely outpacing the boss¡¯ frantic scramble to reach me. It couldn''t see now that its head was gone, but it could sense the other part of its body and chased after it like a dog after a ball.


    I jumped as I reached the escalator and held myself aloft with Lift. The Mirror Mannequin followed, swiping high and breaking my Shield on impact, but its next step was its last. Its foot landed on the escalator, and it tumbled downwards. Lowering myself to the ground, I held the head to the side, neck facing Midnight Steel.


    I smiled at the sight of the flailing boss stuck halfway down the stairs. ¡°All you, Lucas!¡±


    Midnight Steel¡¯s laser finished charging. The orange light blasted into the Mirror Mannequin¡¯s unprotected neck, drilling into the core with such intensity that I was forced to use two hands to hold it steady. It didn¡¯t take long for the system to declare our victory.


    <<<>>>


    [[Scenario Subquest Complete]]


    The Mirror Mannequin has been vanquished, its master one step closer to defeat.


    Collect the token and move on to the next.


    Reward: 750 points.


    [[Patron Message]]


    Excellent work, Anthony!


    How¡¯s your neck feeling? I can¡¯t imagine it must feel all that great. Why don¡¯t you take some down time, pull out the Staff of Raphael, and maybe accelerate your healing with one of Bethany¡¯s teas. The Merger Mannequin won¡¯t take long before it tries to break through the security doors, but you should have a few minutes.


    Oh! Tell Lucas that he did a good job for me, please!


    <<<>>>


    ¡°My Patron wants me to tell you that you did a good job, Lucas,¡± I said as I pulled the empty head of the Mirror Mannequin into my inventory.


    ¡°Oh, well, thank you, ma¡¯am,¡± he stuttered, which sounded out of place with his voice filter. ¡°You did a really good job, too, Mr. Anthony. That was awesome!¡±


    ¡°All in a day¡¯s work,¡± I said with a smile.


    Pulling one of Bethany¡¯s Healing Green Teas from my inventory, I consumed it before throwing the empty bottle back. My hit points rose, but my neck was still sore. I would have to be careful for a little bit. Luckily, the next boss wasn¡¯t nearly as bad on damage.


    Leaning down, I picked up the two items at my feet. One was a skill book, but the other was a strange, reflective computer chip.


    The book, I knew, had a passive that would increase the strength and efficacy of plastic equipment. No one in Sol Ligatus was currently wielding a weapon made of it, but it would be useful for Jamie with her armor.


    Once that was in my inventory, I held up the chip to examine it.


    <<<>>>


    [[Augment]]


    Mirrored Chip


    When placed in a proper slot, alter a drone so that it reflects 20% of all damage it takes back at its attackers so long as they are within a number of feet equal to half of the operator¡¯s Dexterity stat.


    You do not have a class that is compatible with this item.


    <<<>>>


    Holding the Mirrored Chip out, I offered it to Midnight Steel. ¡°You want me to install this for you?¡±


    Lucas didn¡¯t respond right away, instead taking a moment to read the description. ¡°Eh, might as well,¡± he said. ¡°Midnight Steel isn¡¯t really made to take blows, but I can transfer it to Dangerbox Alpha once we¡¯re done here. Do you know how to install it?¡±


    ¡°Yeah, just turn around,¡± I told him.


    The drone did so, and a compartment opened up. Two of the four slots were already taken up by other chips, and I slotted this one in the next available opening. It blinked green twice before the door closed on its own.


    Once that was done, I pulled the Staff of Raphael out of my inventory to accelerate my healing. ¡°It¡¯ll take you a few minutes, right?¡±


    ¡°Ya, just to reboot,¡± he answered. ¡°Is that okay? I don¡¯t want you to run off to the next place without me. I mean, I know you have to carry me anyway, but I want to be there for it.¡±


    ¡°No worries. I¡¯m going to take some time to heal up,¡± I replied with a dismissive wave. ¡°It¡¯ll take a few minutes before the Merger Mannequin tries to break in, but the peace won¡¯t last forever. Do it now, yeah?¡±


    ¡°Okay,¡± Lucas said as Midnight Steel lowered itself to the floor. ¡°Rebooting now.¡±


    The drone tilted over as it lost power, and its chassis started to shimmer. In the past, it had become more reflective with a metallic sheen, and I had no reason to think that would change this time.


    Picking up the drone, I moved so that I was next to the escalators and could head up or down at a moment¡¯s notice. If the Merger Mannequin went high, I¡¯d go low. If it came in low, I¡¯d go high. Whichever exit would get me farther away from it was the way to go.


    ¡°Lucas is a good kid,¡± I said aloud. ¡°His powerset would have been really useful over the years.¡±


    <<<>>>


    [[Patron Message]]


    I believe it. There¡¯s not as many technology based classes out there, so it¡¯s kind of a treat seeing this one.


    But, you¡¯ve told me yourself many years ago. He¡¯s just a kid. Mercury might be toeing the line since he¡¯s 18, but I don¡¯t think you¡¯d invite someone younger than that.


    Bethany doesn¡¯t count, obviously; she stays on the train and out of combat. And that¡¯s what you¡¯re really worried about, right?


    <<<>>>


    ¡°Yeah. Decapitating mannequins is one thing, but I wouldn¡¯t want to take him somewhere more bloody. Which¡­ is almost everywhere else,¡± I admitted. ¡°Plus, I¡¯d want to bring his parents, Minnesota loses a great asset, the list goes on. For now, I¡¯ll just enjoy working with something so novel.¡±


    <<<>>>


    [[Patron Message]]


    Hey, at least it¡¯s not boring.


    <<<>>>


    I laughed. ¡°You¡¯re right, you¡¯re right,¡± I agreed, closing my eyes to rest them for the moment. ¡°At least it¡¯s not boring.¡±

 Chapter 205

    Nordstrom, Mall of America, Bloomington, Minnesota - 8:31 PM


    By the time Midnight Steel was done updating, I was mostly done dismantling the parts of the Mirror Mannequin I wanted to take with me. That included its shield and several of the shards that made up its namesake. I had pried off most of the ones on its chest by the time the drone rose into the air nearby.


    ¡°Did I miss anything?¡± Lucas asked, making his machine look around.


    Midnight Steel¡¯s previous matte black surface had made it look like he had taken a flying bowling ball and spray painted it. Now, the drone had a proper metallic sheen to it that made it seem like it wasn¡¯t just cobbled together with spare parts.


    ¡°Nope,¡± I responded, replacing my scalpel back to its extradimensional space as I sent the last mirror shard to my inventory. ¡°All good? How¡¯s Midnight Steel?¡±


    ¡°Ya. All systems are operational, captain,¡± he said as the drone nodded. ¡°Did we get the key?¡±


    ¡°Yup. I grabbed it while you were out,¡± I answered, raising my hand. A piece of paper appeared in my hand, and I held it up for him to read.


    Lucas took a moment to scan the document. ¡°Mall of America Human Resources Complaint Form?¡± he read aloud, asking more than saying. ¡°For failing to provide clear instructions, the Mirror Mannequin¡­ Sorry, what?¡±


    I laughed. ¡°Just a surprising amount of humor from an overdramatic administrator. The big boss of the place is up in the mall¡¯s Human Resource all the way on the fourth floor. So, how do we get in there? By finding enough complaints that it has to let us in.¡±


    This time, Lucas hesitated, but it was for a completely different reason. ¡°I mean, I guess that makes sense,¡± he reluctantly conceded.


    ¡°Excellent, then we¡¯ll be on our way,¡± I said. With a clap of my hands, the document disappeared back into my inventory. ¡°Let¡¯s go get chased again.¡±


    ¡°Do we have to? Can¡¯t we just leave and go around to wherever we need to enter from?¡±


    ¡°Good idea, but no,¡± I replied with a shake of my head as I stood up. ¡°The moment you try to leave the mall with one of the keys, you¡¯ll get a warning that the department store will reset and you¡¯ll lose it. Basically, once we¡¯ve got one, we¡¯re in it for the long haul. That¡¯s one of the things that makes this so dangerous. Especially because the Merger Mannequin revives and gets stronger after every key.¡±


    ¡°That sucks.¡± Midnight Steel drooped, and Lucas sighed. ¡°Alright. Let¡¯s go get chased, then.¡±


    The Mirror Mannequin had fallen on the escalator between the first and second floor, and I could see the key that would open the security door from here. My Absolute Awareness couldn¡¯t see through the partition, but thanks to Sara I had known the Merger Mannequin had been getting more and more agitated as time passed.


    I Spun the key from a distance, opening it up just a few feet before Spinning it back into the closed position. Then, I hightailed it upwards.


    A large crash shook the building as the Merger Mannequin fell from the third floor to stop the door from closing. The heartbeat from its many voice boxes intensified, becoming even louder. My own heart started pumping faster as if reacting to it, and a slight pain spread through my chest before my Constitution and Wisdom, in tandem, calmed me down.


    Even though the space wasn¡¯t big enough to let the boss through, that didn¡¯t deter it in the slightest. The walls around the security door cracked before it broke through and into the Nordstrom. Because it had no Plastic Watchers to tell it where we were, the Merger Mannequin started looking around the first floor for us.


    By then, I was already on the third. I knew that moment I opened the door here, the boss would start chasing us again, and I grabbed Midnight Steel. ¡°Let¡¯s go!¡± I announced as I turned the key from a distance.


    Beneath us, the Merger Mannequin paused while the door opened. I could see Plastic Watchers outside, and it was getting updated information. Throwing myself to the ground, I slid underneath the still opening security door. Rolling to my feet, I got back on my Heelies and started towards my next destination, closing the door behind me.


    It wasn¡¯t long before the boss broke through the gate we just left. This time, it had the full momentum of its body and made short work of barreling through the door, which had been struck with enough force that it actually passed me before losing momentum and falling to the ground floor as the Merger Mannequin resumed the chase. The constant sound of beating hearts continued to echo through the mall.


    ¡°That thing is terrifying!¡± Lucas exclaimed through the drone.


    ¡°You¡¯re saying that, but I¡¯m the one who¡¯s actually in danger here,¡± I retorted, rapping my knuckles against Midnight Steel¡¯s chassis.


    Just like before, I started idly destroying Plastic Watchers along the way. There was no way I was going to get all of them before it was time to face the master, but it was giving me something to focus on other than the boss literally tearing up the mall in its efforts to catch up.


    The Merger Mannequin was faster now. I knew from experience that it would be able to catch up to us if we were on the ground even with the Winged Messenger buff, but it was a different story when we were this high.


    Up here, the third floor walkways were narrow compared to its huge body, and the railing was constantly getting knocked aside for simply being in its path. Entire chunks of metal, concrete, and tile were getting ripped up by its hands while its feet left craters and dust behind. Parts of the walkway even fell to the second floor, but the boss was long enough that it could ignore the newly created holes.


    Our destination was, thankfully, straight ahead. With Nordstrom to the northwest, there was a clear path to Macy¡¯s in the southwest corner of the mall. The issue came when the Merger Mannequin decided to put some of its unused arms to good use.


    The boss started pulling out chunks of storefronts ranging from stone to metal to glass. Instead of releasing the debris and continuing its chase, it started passing the potential projectiles off to the arms that it wasn¡¯t using to propel itself forward. The moment it started throwing, I juked to the left.


    This was roughly the halfway mark, and I rolled onto a balcony as the path behind me was pelted with junk. Jumping the safety rail, I sailed over an adjacent glass walkway. I put up Shield as a few pieces of debris headed my way. Even though I deflected what I could, some still hit me in the back, causing my protective ability to nearly shatter before I landed on the second floor.


    There was no time to waste, and I kept on moving. Above me, the Merger Mannequin attempted to cross the glass walkway I had jumped over, but it shattered under its weight. It stumbled, flailing, before bringing the whole bridge with it towards the ground. The boss hit the second floor, breaking through before tumbling down to the first.


    Despite the success of getting away from what would have been a near constant bombardment, the victory didn¡¯t last long. The Merger Mannequin didn¡¯t seem injured in the slightest despite falling on its limbs from such a great height, and it was back to chasing us only seconds later. This time it was faster thanks to it being on solid ground. More projectiles started coming our way, but these were naturally blocked by the building.


    Holding Midnight Steel in front of me, I Pushed it, eking out just a little extra speed. The three doors to Macy¡¯s were up ahead, and I could see a veritable company of unmoving mannequin soldiers inside. As soon as I saw the keys to close the security doors, I turned them. The boss attempted to climb up before they closed, but it was bound by the same rules as the last and it couldn¡¯t break this one down until the subquest was finished.


    I let go of Midnight Steel so Lucas could take in the room. Unlike the rest of the mall, the Macy¡¯s wasn¡¯t destroyed. In fact, it looked like it hadn¡¯t been touched. Everything was left in pristine condition, and the only sign that something was wrong was the plethora of mannequins and the lights that blinked off every few seconds.


    ¡°They¡¯re just¡­ staring,¡± the drone said as it moved to hover behind me. ¡°And it¡¯s so quiet. This might be worse than the big guy. What is this?¡±


    Stepping forward, I gestured for him to follow me. Once we were far enough inside, the screen that would answer his question popped up.


    <<<>>>


    [[Scenario Subquest]]


    The second of three Mall of America strongholds, the Fiberglass Sorceress readies herself for glorious battle. In order to find her, you must make it through her minions, the Pliant Soldiers. They do not appear to be dire threats, but taking your eyes off of them for a second could prove fatal.


    Objective: Defeat the Fiberglass Sorceress.


    Rewards: 750 points, Scenario Key.


    <<<>>>


    ¡°Huh, alright. So we have to take out these mannequins to find the boss?¡± Lucas asked, moving so that Midnight Steel hovered over my shoulder.


    ¡°We don¡¯t have to,¡± I answered, shaking my head. ¡°If we were anyone else, then we¡¯d have to. But, because I¡¯m me, we don¡¯t have to.¡±


    The drone turned to look at me. ¡°I feel like you didn¡¯t really say anything meaningful.¡±


    I smiled. ¡°Turning away from them like that is one of the things that would get you killed here.¡± Midnight Steel jerked around so fast that, if Lucas was actually here, he could have snapped his own neck. ¡°Relax, I¡¯ve got us covered. The reason why there¡¯s so much cover here and the lights are on and flickering is because the Pliant Soldiers move when they¡¯re not being observed.¡±


    ¡°Like, a blink and you miss it kind of thing?¡±


    ¡°Literally that,¡± I answered as I started heading deeper into the department store, taking my time as I walked around the unmoving mannequins. Lucas turned his drone so he could watch the ones behind me. ¡°What the administrator wasn¡¯t expecting was someone with perfect 360 degree vision in every direction that even works through walls, floors, ceilings, depending on the material.¡±If you come across this story on Amazon, it''s taken without permission from the author. Report it.


    ¡°So you¡¯re telling me that you can see all of these mannequins? How?¡± he asked, sounding incredulous.


    ¡°By being psychic, obviously,¡± I snorted, tapping my head with my finger. ¡°It¡¯s not vision based on sight, but aura, and that¡¯s enough. The Sorceress will still be able to move, but all of her soldiers are going to be completely still for the fight until she interacts with them.¡±


    ¡°Okay, that¡¯s pretty cool,¡± Lucas said as we started heading up to the second floor. I sidled past a mannequin that was coming downstairs, and Midnight Steel paused to examine it. ¡°But why don¡¯t we just kill them? For the points, I mean.¡±


    ¡°Because if you reduce their hit points to zero, they¡¯ll explode.¡±


    The drone jerked back. ¡°Really?¡±


    ¡°Plastic explosives,¡± I responded, knocking on a nearby mannequin with my knuckles once I was off of the escalator. Midnight Steel jerked back, but nothing came from it. ¡°Pretty sure they added that in just for the name. Small blast, but if you get them grouped up then there can easily be a chain reaction that levels the whole floor. Very dangerous.¡±


    Lucas seemed to think about this for a few seconds before joining me on the second floor. ¡°Then what about the Sorceress? What does she do?¡±


    Instead of answering verbally, I pointed. Hovering not twenty feet in front of us was a mannequin in Victorian garb. Unlike the other stock white ones, she was painted blue and wore a frilly black and red ball gown with a matching wide brimmed hat. There was a moment of peace and quiet, likely as the boss tried to figure out what was happening to her soldiers.


    The moment didn¡¯t last.


    The Fiberglass Sorceress flung her hands to the side and ten small, plastic missiles flew out of her fingertips. They curved in the air, coming straight for the two of us.


    ¡°Hide!¡± I commanded. He didn¡¯t hesitate; the drone was gone in a flash.


    ¡°How can I help!?¡± Lucas yelled from behind a section of wall.


    ¡°Stay put and don¡¯t let her explode you or the soldiers around you,¡± I answered quickly.


    Midnight Steel did as I said as I retrieved random things from my inventory. Pens, paper clips, various odds and ends emerged into my hands, and I sent them off one by one. Once the plastic missiles were on course, predicting where they would be was easy enough. With unerring precision, each one burst as they collided with something early, leaving small puffs of smoke in their wake.


    The soldiers nearby crackled with energy for a moment before they, too, exploded. Theirs were bigger, louder, and created a cloud of smoke thick enough to obscure the other side.


    Since that didn¡¯t apply to me, I retrieved my Vague Stick from my inventory and activated Crash Test.


    With the smoky cover, the Fiberglass Sorceress couldn¡¯t see my charge. I Pushed one of the Pliant Soldiers out of my way as I willed the quarterstaff into a spear and raised it. My upper body collided with her legs, as she was still levitating, but my weapon pierced through her stomach. She had no reaction other than to wave her hands at me.


    My scalp burned as a melting piece of plastic appeared on my head. It oozed downwards, covering my eyes and ears. Those senses were cut off, plunging me into a world of painful, quiet darkness. This was a short range spell that hindered the Sorceress¡¯ opponents in a way that would likely lead to their death. A really dirty way to take someone out of the fight.


    One that, of course, didn¡¯t work on me.


    I altered the tip of the Vague Spear. As she tried to back off of my weapon, she found that she couldn¡¯t. The spearhead had turned into a diamond as wide as I could make it and it couldn¡¯t fit through the hole anymore. Raising it up, I slammed her onto the ground.


    The wide-brimmed hat flew off of her head as she hit the tiles, cracking them with the force of my swing. Her hands once again gestured towards me, her fingers frantically moving as she cast another spell. The Pliant Soldiers around us slid towards us, their limbs remaining still but moving towards us nonetheless.


    I released the Vague Stick, but didn¡¯t let her go. Instead, I raised my foot and put it on the weapon¡¯s shaft, pinning it to the ground. Taking a breath, I focused on the enemies coming in to explode. The Fiberglass Sorceress was resistant to such attacks, so it would hurt me a lot more than it would her.


    When the first Pliant Soldier arrived, my hand was already reaching out towards it. I gently put my palm against its chest and twisted my wrist. Its path altered as I flowed around it, and the mannequin was pushed to the side towards another one that was approaching. The two collided, exploding close enough that I could feel the heat but not close enough that I received more than a few points of damage.


    Shifting my body, I juked around another one, placing my hand on its shoulder. So long as I didn¡¯t deal damage, they wouldn¡¯t self-destruct, and I gently redirected this one off of the ground before tossing it towards a group of two. This explosion was a little too close for comfort, and I put up Shield just in time.


    ¡°Any time, Lucas!¡± I yelled. The force almost knocked me off of the Vague Stick, but I managed to keep myself steady with Drop.


    The Fiberglass Sorceress wasn¡¯t just allowing me to pin her with my weapon. She struggled against it, trying to break the wooden staff, but her Strength was well below the average for a boss at this level. Players weren¡¯t supposed to get this close so easily.


    I continued my gentle redirection of the incoming Pliant Soldiers, but I could see Midnight Steel heading my way. There was no way I could hear him if he was talking, so I pointed towards the Fiberglass Sorceress.


    ¡°Blast her!¡±


    Midnight Steel flew so that it was above us, and I saw its visor open up. Sensing danger, the boss raised her hands, and another piece of malleable plastic appeared above her. This one was in the shape of a large square. Once the drone¡¯s laser started blasting, it covered her.


    The Pliant Soldiers, on the other hand, stopped coming. Some fell over as the momentum suddenly left them, but I stopped the only one close enough to hurt us from hitting the ground with Force Field. It teetered before returning to its standing position. I Pushed it away along with the others that were too close for my liking.


    I had to hand it to the boss; her shield was very effective. Midnight Steel continued to blast it with its laser, keeping it going for a while, and the plastic was melting. Based on the way the drone was shaking, I didn¡¯t think it could keep it up for long.


    Taking a step back, I pulled the Fiberglass Sorceress with me. The plastic square moved with her, staying not too far from where her hands were positioned, and I lifted her off of the ground. With all of her weight on one side, she should have slid around, but stayed where she was thanks to her hovering abilities.


    Sticking one end of the Vague Stick under my armpit for support, I reached out and grabbed the Sorceress¡¯ leg. She lashed out, trying to skewer me with a long, ruby red heel, but it was no good. I spun her on the stick so that her hands were facing downwards.


    The plastic shield followed her arms as she maintained the pose. Midnight Steel¡¯s laser struck her in the head with sustained fire, causing her to struggle harder as she took damage. She threw her hands at me over and over again, sending more missiles my way.


    There was nothing I could do at this distance except activate Shield and Force Field. I couldn¡¯t redirect these like I normally did, the only option was to stop them head-on.


    Force Field was the first to break, but not before taking the brunt of my damage. Several exploded before they got to me thanks to my expert placement, but a few still got through. Even though Shield was back to full hit points, it also shattered with unfortunate quickness.


    I grit my teeth through the pain of missiles exploding on my legs, all the while attempting to disrupt her casting by slamming the Fiberglass Sorceress into the ground arms-first. If she couldn¡¯t make the gestures, then she couldn¡¯t cast the spell. It was something I hadn¡¯t wanted to resort to because it would make it harder for Lucas to concentrate his fire.


    The Sorceress¡¯ head was halfway melted, but she showed no signs of slowing down until Midnight Steel¡¯s laser finally stopped. The spellcasting mannequin attempted to push herself off of the ground, but couldn¡¯t compete with me.


    ¡°I¡¯ve got it,¡± I said.


    Stepping on her back, I used my other foot to crush her scorched head under my heel. It gave way with only a little bit of force, and I gave Midnight Steel a thumbs up as the plastic helmet around my head disappeared.


    All around us, the Pliant Soldiers exploded in unison. Without their mistress, they were nothing, and they ceased to be. It had been a good thing I knew enough to send all the ones near us away so that only the outer reaches of the store was damaged.


    <<<>>>


    [[Scenario Subquest Complete]]


    The Fiberglass Sorceress has fallen, the key revealed. One more to go before the Mannequin Master can be accessed.


    Collect the token and find the next.


    Reward: 750 points.


    [[Patron Message]]


    Another job well done, Anthony!


    I wasn¡¯t sure how much firepower Midnight Steel had, but he pulled through. Not that I didn¡¯t think you couldn¡¯t handle it. She seemed rather weak for a boss.


    <<<>>>


    ¡°A little weak,¡± I agreed, talking to the sky. ¡°But with all these minions around, they probably wanted to bala-¡±


    ¡°Mr. Anthony, are you okay?¡± Lucas asked, interrupting as Midnight Steel hovered close to my face. ¡°Your hair¡¯s all burnt!¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m fine,¡± I said, pushing the drone away. It let me do so. ¡°And don¡¯t you worry about me. That¡¯ll grow back in a few minutes.¡±


    ¡°It will?¡± he questioned.


    ¡°Yeah, my body has a very particular state it has to be in, and that state includes hair,¡± I said as I watched my body heal. I glanced down at the spoils. The Fiberglass Sorceress¡¯s red and black hat was there as well as the skill book, but there wasn¡¯t any chip. ¡°Looks like you don¡¯t get to upgrade Midnight Steel this time. I think I¡¯ll take the hat, but you should grab the skill book. Either for yourself or to barter with.¡±


    ¡°Sure,¡± Lucas said, ducking down to pull it into his drone¡¯s inventory.


    I Lifted the hat into my hand and checked its description.


    <<<>>>


    [[Item]]


    Magnanimous Hat of the Charitable


    (+4 Constitution, +6 Willpower, +4 Wisdom, Forceful Gift Spell acquired, Noble Demeanor passive acquired.)


    [[Spell]]


    Forceful Gift


    Offer an object to a creature within arm¡¯s reach. They must take it from you and use it even if it¡¯s harmful to them. The efficacy of this spell is based on the difference between your Willpower stat and their defensive mental stat and is affected by a hidden modifier based on how dangerous the object is. If they do not have a defensive mental stat, their resistance depends on their highest stat divided by 2. Cost: 90 Mental Points.


    [[Passive]]


    Noble Demeanor


    You become well versed in the etiquette of nobility. Creatures that hold titles are more willing to listen to you without asking for anything in return and your words, if chosen carefully, can greatly influence them.


    <<<>>>


    ¡°That is definitely a Kayla item,¡± I said aloud.


    ¡°Kayla?¡± Lucas asked.


    ¡°One of my friends,¡± I answered with a smile before letting the hat disappear into my inventory. I had no doubts that the Willpower and Wisdom boost for me would be a Credibility and Moxie boost for her. ¡°Alright, take five to recharge your batteries, and then we¡¯re off to meet the master.¡±


    ¡°Time to take out another boss!¡± he happily exclaimed.


    ¡°Not quite, but I like the enthusiasm,¡± I replied. ¡°The last place is Sears, which is empty. So, we¡¯ll be dealing with the Merger Mannequin again.¡±


    Midnight Steel turned to face me. ¡°I thought you said we wouldn¡¯t be able to kill it?¡±


    My smile became thin. ¡°Yeah, and that makes this next part suck.¡±

 Chapter 206

    Macy¡¯s, Mall of America, Bloomington, Minnesota - 8:52 PM


    It didn¡¯t take us long to find the next complaint form. This one briefly spoke on the Fiberglass Sorceress¡¯ tendency to micromanage her employees, which I found funny considering she had a spell that let her move her own minions.


    Lucas, sadly, didn¡¯t find it all that amusing. Since this was a life or death situation, I decided not to push it.


    Just like before I did in the Nordstrom, I lifted the gate on the first floor. The Merger Mannequin hesitated. It shifted with what I could only assume was uncertainty, waiting for us to reappear.


    ¡°Is this going to take much longer?¡± Lucas asked quietly. ¡°Not to complain, but it is getting pretty late.¡±


    ¡°Is it?¡± I asked, arching my eyebrow as I turned to look at the drone.


    ¡°Ya, I¡¯ve¡­¡± the teenager paused and Midnight Steel dipped a little. His next words were spoken quietly. ¡°I¡¯ve got a curfew.¡±


    Awkwardly, I patted the drone. That was something I hadn¡¯t known; every time I had come here, it had been during the day. ¡°That¡¯s rough, man,¡± I said before perking up. ¡°But, good news, it¡¯s taking the bait.¡±


    ¡°It is?¡±


    ¡°Yeah, but we¡¯re still going to have to go fast. It¡¯s not going to fall for the same trick again. Even now, it¡¯s entering very slowly.¡± I held up my finger as I watched the Merger Mannequin slowly push through the first floor security door. ¡°Got a plan, though.¡±


    Focusing on the key on the second floor, I Spun it, activating the security door. The Merger Mannequin¡¯s voice boxes roared in unison. Its back end reared up, twisting so that it was occupying the first and second floor doors at the same time, and pushed through the partition as it rose. I turned all three keys in unison.


    Our door went up, but the others went down, pushing down on the boss. Its roar cut off as it struggled. I slid under our security door, grabbing Midnight Steel once I stood up and got back on my wheels. The Merger Mannequin quickly pulled itself free, but its awkward position gave us a great head start.


    The next complaint form was in an empty department store that had been Sears years ago. It was across the mall from our position, and one of the stores closest to the human resources office. The Merger Mannequin was as fast as ever now that its master wasn¡¯t sharing power with the other bosses, making this the most dangerous part of the dungeon.


    I had accounted for that, which was why I saved this leg of the journey for last.


    Holding Midnight Steel under my arm as we skated forward, the chase was already on. To say the Merger Mannequin was climbing up to where we were on the third floor wasn¡¯t entirely accurate. It burst through the walkway, breaking through who knew how much concrete and metal to do so. I had to cover my head to prevent the debris from striking me.


    I quickly changed directions at the food court, heading towards the center of the mall and out of sight of the boss. Plastic Watchers were everywhere so it would still know exactly where I was, but that didn¡¯t matter to me. I changed directions again, heading back to the center.


    The Merger Mannequin burst through one of the restaurants, choosing once again to take the shortest possible path. This time, I had to activate Shield to prevent chunks of stone and metal from hitting me. A particularly large piece of what appeared to be an oven struck me in the back, pushing me forward as it nearly shattered my ability.


    ¡°It¡¯s gaining on us!¡± Lucas yelled, watching behind us.


    ¡°Yup!¡± I agreed, keeping the course.


    Pushing through the building had been the shortest route to us, and it barely slowed down. I lowered myself for a moment before I leapt into the air. My foot hit the guard rail and I jumped again towards the center of the mall, spinning in midair.


    In my hand, I conjured the Vague Stick, willing it into the shape of a sword even as it materialized. Dozens of arms on the front of the Merger Mannequin reached for me, plastic fingers clicking together as it grasped at my clothing. I Pushed myself backwards, denying one of them from grabbing the strings of my Ringmaster¡¯s Hoodie, and swung.


    I was able to put some force behind my swing thanks to Orbit, and I continued moving backwards even as I slashed through the plastic arms. By the time I started losing altitude I had made several attacks and had sheared off most of the limbs growing out of its face. I didn¡¯t put the Vague Sword away when I turned away from the Merger Mannequin, opting to hold it tight as the limbs fell onto the ruins of the amusement park that made up the Mall of America¡¯s centerpiece.


    Aside from a few load bearing pillars, not much remained of the Nickelodeon Universe theme park. The roller coasters had been dismantled, the ferris wheel tipped over, and the other rides weren¡¯t in any working order, either. It looked like the mannequins had stripped everything down to be used as weapons in the war against Bloomington.


    Which they had. That was what the people of the city had fought against before beating them back to their fortress.


    Once I was facing my destination, I stretched out my legs and started activating my Force Field. Most of the time I used the ability, I made it fairly even in height and length, which was nearly three feet by three feet. At my high Willpower, I could stretch it out so that it was just over eight feet long and a foot wide.


    Landing on it with one Heelie, I wheeled ahead, jumping when I reached the end. I skated across the sky just below the mall¡¯s rafters.


    Despite the sudden lack of floor, the Merger Mannequin did not give up in its single-minded determination to chase us down. Where it no longer had ground to travel on, it reached upwards. Its hands started grabbing at what it could. The rafters were first, and it arched upwards to break the glass ceiling to use what it could there, too.


    The roof creaked, but held.


    Letting the Vague Sword go, I used Orbit to get it behind me. The boss was losing speed which meant I didn¡¯t have to attack it, but I wanted to deal damage where I could. Spinning the blade, I Pushed it backwards.


    I continued skating on air as the weapon struck, taking off several arms along the bottom before I pulled it back. Legs kicked and hands grasped, but I made sure only to keep the blade within reach and not the hilt. Plastic body parts started raining from the sky. I actively avoided cutting away the ones that were holding it up.


    ¡°Uh, Mr. Anthony? I don¡¯t think the roof is going to hold!¡± Lucas nervously stated.


    ¡°Go long!¡± I yelled with a grin, knowing that it was time. Raising Midnight Steel, I threw it forward with all my might with a little Push for good measure.


    The Merger Mannequin continued to destroy the roof as it chased us. If it had been made of just a few dozen plastic bodies it wouldn¡¯t have been a problem, but it wasn¡¯t. It was made of hundreds.


    The rafters started to bend and the metal bars that held the glass panes snapped, breaking as the Merger Mannequin got further along. Its back end was still on the walkway, hands and feet slapping the ground as it propelled itself after me. The moment it no longer had that crutch, the roof began to collapse from the weight.


    Pulling the Vague Sword back to me, I spun again to look at the Merger Mannequin. Its limbs flailed as it fell to the ground. A large crack filled the air as it impacted with enough force to make a small crater, creating a dust cloud all around it. Despite that, it still got up to chase us. Being plastic, there was no pain to slow it down, just missing limbs.


    The ceiling was also in terrible shape, cracking and breaking all around me. While the Merger Mannequin had taken out a big chunk of it, the destruction didn¡¯t end there. It threatened to collapse on me as well. Raising a hand, I held my palm out and activated Fae Step.


    In a blink of an eye I was in front of Midnight Steel, safely out of the danger zone for falling buildings. I gently caught the drone in my outstretched hand before Spinning and resuming my merry way.


    ¡°What was that!?¡± Lucas excitedly asked. ¡°Did you just teleport?¡±


    ¡°Short range, long cooldown, but yes,¡± I answered as we landed on the other side. Now that I didn¡¯t have to worry about keeping Force Field up, it was smooth sailing. ¡°Sears doesn¡¯t have any particular boss in it, but entering it will reinvigorate the big guy.¡±


    Lucas paused. ¡°What do you mean?¡±


    ¡°I mean, the moment we step foot in there, it¡¯s going to start regrowing limbs and get boosted back to full health,¡± I continued. ¡°Just another reason why we haven¡¯t killed it. And, with all the wide open space in that section of the building, I¡¯m sure you know how it¡¯ll go.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯ll catch us,¡± he guessed.


    ¡°Not if we¡¯re fast,¡± I replied, taking time to kick a Plastic Watcher that had the misfortune to get in my way. ¡°The key is in the center of the first floor. Once you get it, fly to the third floor and take the three HR complaint forms up to the office. That¡¯s up the shattered elevator we passed when we came in here. Go to the fourth floor, open the door, take a shot at the mannequin inside to destroy its leg, and then wait for me. Copy?¡±


    Midnight Steel nodded in my hand. ¡°Ya, I can do that. What are you going to do?¡±A case of literary theft: this tale is not rightfully on Amazon; if you see it, report the violation.


    ¡°I¡¯m going to be right behind you,¡± I told him. ¡°You can travel upwards a lot faster than I can, which is why you¡¯re going first. Ready?¡±


    ¡°Ready!¡±


    ¡°Then here we go,¡± I said as I jumped off of the third story walkway.


    I hit the ground directly in the path of the Merger Mannequin, though it was a good thirty or so feet behind us. The front of its body was pushing against the ground, slowing it down substantially. As we approached Sears, I turned the keys for the second floor security gate, ignoring the one on my level. It closed slowly, but that wouldn¡¯t be a problem.


    We crossed the threshold of the store and the boss¡¯ heartbeats came hard and fast. Unlike a single entity, they came at different tempos now, sounding more like an engine revving. In the center of the room was a single unbroken counter with a sheet of paper on it.


    ¡°Go!¡± I yelled, throwing Midnight Steel again.


    I Pushed the drone even as I Pulled the key towards it. The paper smacked into Midnight Steel and disappeared into its inventory space before it headed towards the escalators. The little machine was a little slower than me, but not by that much. It would be fine.


    Pausing, I took stock of the situation. The Merger Mannequin was fully focused on me, ignoring Midnight Steel as it flew away. Its body was regenerating, regrowing its plastic limbs and healing from all the damage it had taken so far.


    This was what we needed the head start for. Slashing backwards with the Vague Sword, I sent off a Distant Slice close to the ground and veered towards the closest escalator. The boss tried to go over it, hitting its front end against the wall and being forced back down. The bulk of its body took the blow, cutting a few feet into its mass, but it could barely be considered injured.


    That was fine. I really just needed to hold its attention. When I got to the stairs, my speed suffered as I leapt several steps at a time, using Lift on my Heelies of the Twice-Blessed to give myself a little extra air. By the time I had made it to the top and rolled out of the way, the boss was ripping and tearing through the floor. The escalator to the third floor was destroyed by its emergence, and I brought back an old classic.


    Shifting the Vague Sword into a broomstick again, I wrapped my Cable Conglomerate around it. I mounted it and used Lift, flying over the Merger Mannequin towards the hole in the ceiling. As the boss shifted towards me, I activated Force Field right next to its face. Its back end continued to climb, but the transparent wall stopped it from facing me, and I was able to get up safely before the ability shattered from being leaned on too hard.


    I landed on the third floor and immediately returned to my wheels. The boss broke through the floor again, pulling itself up as best it could as I headed for the exit. It ripped chunks of the floor away in an attempt to get purchase. The easiest thing for it would be to leave via the second floor, but it would take a few moments of struggle for it to come to that conclusion.


    That door was already shut thanks to my foresight.


    I wheeled out of the empty Sears as the Merger Mannequin roared again, shaking the ground beneath me. Between Lucas¡¯ message, the noise, and the obvious destruction of the roof, I briefly wondered if anyone had come to check on the strange Floridian psychic yet.


    My latest lead in the race against the boss didn¡¯t last as long as I had hoped for. I had only gotten a few stores away from Sears before the second floor security gate was destroyed. It practically shot itself out of there like a missile.


    All around, the Plastic Watchers stiffened for a few seconds. I was still destroying them as I passed by, but I knew what that meant. The Mannequin Master¡¯s last line of defense had been breached. Lucas had made it to the boss¡¯ lair.


    Lowering my body, I turned the corner and started heading back to the north entrance. The Merger Mannequin was tearing up the hallway one floor below me, trying to scramble up to my position. Despite being a faceless mass of flailing plastic, there was some panic in the way it moved now. It didn¡¯t even seem like it was chasing after me. I would have bet that, if I stopped, it would have gone straight for human resources.


    But that wasn¡¯t a bet I was willing to take. Once I was close enough to see the master, I started charging my Dragon¡¯s Breath.


    The glass elevator shaft was ahead of me, and I Bent it. Shards fell as it shattered from the force of my telekinesis, and I jumped inside. The Merger Mannequin entered the shaft below me, frantically trying to get higher up. I bounced from wall to wall, Lifting myself again just as I had previously. Leaping through the door, which Midnight Steel had cut through, my eyes locked on the master itself.


    Standing on the other side of the closest door was the one this scenario blamed for everything. The Mannequin Master was the size of a child and wore a red and blue military uniform. One of its legs had been shot off at the knee, and it was crawling away. Midnight Steel hovered above it, waiting for me.


    Opening my mouth, I fired. The beam of holy energy was concentrated into a line no bigger than my fist. The Mannequin Master recoiled as it struck it in the head before piercing through almost immediately after.


    It, like the Merger Mannequin that just grabbed both of my legs, fell to the ground.


    The Plastic War was over.


    <<<>>>


    [[Victory!]]


    You have defeated x347 Plastic Watchers; +347 points.


    You have contributed to the defeat of the Scenario Boss [Mirror Mannequin]; +700 (800) points.


    You have defeated x105 Pliant Soldiers; +525 points.


    You have contributed to the defeat of the Scenario Boss [Fiberglass Sorceress]; +350 (800) points.


    You have contributed to the defeat of the Scenario Boss [Merger Mannequin]; +850 (900) points.


    You have contributed to the defeat of the Scenario Boss [Mannequin Master]; +1,000 (1,200) points.


    [[Plastic War Scenario Complete]]


    Forced to flee into his fortress, the Mannequin Master fought to the bitter end. Its life, small and fragile, has come to a close.


    This, of course, opens the city to a whole new danger.


    It will not, however, be without some measure of safety. The Mall of America will become a safe haven worthy of being called home to many who seek out its comforts. Those who chose certain classes pertaining to economic matters will find their abilities boosted within.


    For now, rest, and remember that the next scenario is right around the corner.


    Scenario MVP: Anthony Franklin


    Rewards: 1,800 points, Scroll of Copy Equipment, Key to the Mall of America (Anthony Franklin)


    [[Patron Quest Complete!]]


    Okay, that was a little thrilling. Was that how it felt fighting the Writhing Juggernaut all these years? Chased by a creature with an absurd amount of hit points that was so much larger than you?


    I can only imagine.


    Either way, you did very well, Ant. There are people coming, however. Only a few for now, but a city-wide message has been sent out celebrating the Mannequin Master¡¯s demise so you don¡¯t have a very long time.


    Reward: +2,500 points, +500 points (Optional Objective).


    [[Safe Zone Menu]]


    You have received the Key to the Mall of America. This safe zone will be renovated shortly.


    <<<>>>


    ¡°We did it!¡± Lucas exclaimed as Midnight Steel danced in the air.


    I pulled myself up and walked towards the Mannequin Master. There was a skill book and chip on the ground, and I nodded to myself. That was exactly what I had hoped would happen for Lucas.


    ¡°Excellent work, my friend. The spoils there are yours.¡±


    The dancing stopped. ¡°You sure?¡±


    ¡°They¡¯re both going to be more suited for you, since the chip is a chip and the book has to do with minions,¡± I explained. ¡°I have friends, not minions.¡±


    ¡°Oh, okay. I suppose that¡¯s fair,¡± he said as Midnight Steel ducked down and pulled the two into his inventory. The drone turned to face me. ¡°So now what?¡±


    All around us, the power flickered on and the damage caused by the fighting began to fix itself. I could even see the shards from the glass elevator shaft fly back into place along with the elevator, becoming whole again.


    Snapping open my menu, I locked the doors to the safe zone and made it so that the hotel¡¯s top few floors were off limits to everyone except me. That would keep people out for the time being.


    ¡°Now, we say our goodbyes,¡± I told him.


    The drone backed up as if I had just slapped it. ¡°What? Already?¡± he asked, his voice going up an octave despite the deep filter. ¡°But we just won! Shouldn¡¯t we celebrate or something?¡±


    ¡°Should, but I have a lot of places to go and you still have your curfew,¡± I said as I left the room. Midnight Steel followed me, and I pulled a list out of my inventory. ¡°This is all the stuff you¡¯ll likely be able to get away with. It¡¯s a list of stores and what you should grab from inside of them. I¡¯m going to be doing the same before resting for the night in a hotel suite, and I¡¯ll be leaving in the morning.¡±


    ¡°Just like that?¡± he asked again. Regardless of what he was feeling, he still looked at the list as he followed me.


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry, Lucas, you¡¯re going to be just fine. Tell your parents that you¡¯re the Dronemeister, don¡¯t tell anyone else, and keep doing what you¡¯re doing,¡± I said. ¡°You¡¯re already a great asset for your community, and that¡¯s a solid fact.¡±


    Midnight Steel nodded. ¡°Ya, I guess. Can I not hang out with you until you go to the hotel room?¡±


    ¡°You¡¯ve got to get your stuff and get back before your curfew,¡± I reminded him. ¡°The moment I¡¯m up in the hotel, I¡¯m going to open the doors to let everyone in. You have time, but it¡¯s best to be quick.¡±


    ¡°Alright.¡±


    ¡°Also, I¡¯m going to leave the key to the safe zone up there,¡± I said, patting the drone like I would someone on the shoulder. ¡°I¡¯ll change the permissions later so you¡¯re the only one who can enter. That way, it¡¯s yours. Bring your family and make this your new base. Keep it, give it up; doesn¡¯t matter to me so long as you¡¯re fair to everyone.¡±


    ¡°I wouldn¡¯t abuse my power like that,¡± he scoffed.


    ¡°That¡¯s why I¡¯m leaving you in charge,¡± I said with a smile as we took the escalators down. ¡°You should go get a head start.¡±


    ¡°Fine,¡± he said sullenly. Midnight Steel turned to watch me, and I gave it a wave. ¡°Goodbye, then, I guess. Be safe, and come back to visit if you can.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s not likely,¡± I replied. ¡°But, I¡¯ll try. Goodbye, Lucas. Take care of yourself.¡±


    The drone lingered for a moment, slowly backing away before turning and flying off. Once it was gone, I started walking down the moving escalator.


    <<<>>>


    [[Patron Message]]


    I liked Lucas. He wasn¡¯t a part of your plan, but I¡¯m glad I got to meet him. His parents should be proud.


    <<<>>>


    ¡°Yeah, they should,¡± I agreed, getting off the escalator and onto my Heelies. I had my own places to loot before getting away from the public spaces where people would start exploring.

 Chapter 207

    Public train en route to Pasco, Washington - 4:23 AM, 2 days later


    ¡°Is it time yet?¡± I quietly asked as I stared out of the window.


    While I had my own room for this train ride, I now stood in one of the common areas. There were only a handful of other passengers. Most were asleep and the only one awake at this hour watched me with idle curiosity. Seeing as it was still dark outside, I wasn¡¯t going to hold it against her.


    <<<>>>


    [[Patron Message]]


    You¡¯re surprisingly impatient this morning. I told you that you should have taken a nap.


    Also, no. You¡¯re not in Mesa yet. Give it a few more minutes. Take care of your gear. I know you¡¯ve been putting it off, but I want you to be ready. You haven¡¯t been here for nearly as many runs as I¡¯d have liked for you to be this confident solo.


    <<<>>>


    ¡°Twice before seems right,¡± I said quietly, though I knew she was right. Sighing, I decided it was best not to worry her and snapped open my menu. Since I was going to be jumping off the train soon, now was as good a time as ever.


    One of the great things about the Mall of America was that it was full of great equipment and four bosses. With the Merger Mannequin, Mirror Mannequin, Fiberglass Sorceress, and Mannequin Master, it was a quick way to level up my growth items.


    I involuntarily frowned when I pulled up my first one, the Gloves of the Warmongering Mystic. After reading through, I clicked the button to upgrade it.


    <<<>>>


    [[Equipped]]


    Gloves of the Warmongering Mystic +3


    (Set Item 2/6; Growth Item, this item cannot be upgraded without another Warmongering Mystic item; +140 Mental Points, +20 Wisdom, +20 Willpower, Weight Increase ability augment, Distance Increase ability augment)


    [[Ability Augment]]


    Weight Increase


    When using Push, Pull, Lift, or Drop, increase the weight of objects you can affect by 25%.


    [[Ability Augment]]


    Distance Increase


    When using Push, Pull, Lift, or Drop, increase the distance at which you can affect objects by 25%.


    <<<>>>


    ¡°This item cannot be upgraded without another set item,¡± I read aloud sourly.


    That had always been the problem with the Warmongering Mystic line. Every class equipment set, actually. They could only upgrade to a number equal to the number of items you own plus one. Since I owned the Gloves and the Breeches, they would max out at +3. Worse than that, the number of boss kills weren¡¯t recorded until the next item was obtained.


    If I had gotten the Cowl from the Head Box Jamie had left for me, then everything would have been fine and dandy. The Glasses of the Messenger of Peace were nice, but it wasn¡¯t as good as a set item.


    <<<>>>


    [[Patron¡¯s Message]]


    As adorable as you are, you don¡¯t have to pout. It won¡¯t be too long before you get the next item you need. That was the whole reason you stopped by the Mall of America.


    <<<>>>


    ¡°Yeah, you¡¯re right,¡± I said with a small smile. ¡°I¡¯m just thinking of what could have been. No use pouting about it.¡±


    Scrolling down, I selected my magical pants and went through the motions of upgrading that as well.


    <<<>>>


    [[Equipped]]


    Breeches of the Warmongering Mystic +2


    (Set Item 2/6; Growth Item, kill 12 bosses to upgrade; +140 Mental Points, +20 Wisdom, +20 Willpower, Protection Increase ability augment acquired, Recharge Increase ability augment acquired)


    [[Ability Augment]]


    Protection Increase


    When using Shield or Force Field, increase the amount of damage they can take by 20%.


    [[Ability Augment]]


    Recharge Increase


    When using Shield or Force Field, increase the recharge rate by 20%.


    <<<>>>


    The boost from both of them was pretty substantial, and I felt my senses expand. With the increase to Wisdom I could see more of the train than I had previously, including the interiors to some of the private rooms. I pulled my sight back to where I had it before; I didn¡¯t need to be rude.


    Checking the Staff of Raphael, I confirmed that I still needed 5 more bosses to upgrade it. It started off needing ten kills, which was more than any of the others I had received so far aside from the newly created Heelies of the Twice Blessed, but it was a very powerful item in its own right.


    Since I was fidgeting with my gear to pass the time, I pulled up my newest worn additions from the Mall of America. My look had changed slightly as I grabbed some new items and left some behind as well.


    Replacing my Ringmaster¡¯s Hoodie was a thick, black overcoat. It was long enough to cover my knees, and had a black feather motif. Sara hadn¡¯t been too pleased with that at first, but she got over it quickly when I pointed out that it ultimately didn¡¯t matter. At least, she said she was.


    I left it unbuttoned, showing off my pride as a Seven-Tenner since I was still wearing the bowling shirt. That was a little underpowered now, all things considered, but it still had a ways to go. I pulled up the stats for both that and the new coat.


    <<<>>>


    [[Equipped]]


    Seven-Tenner Bowling Shirt


    (This item has 1 Patch; +2 Strength, +2 Dexterity, +2 Constitution, Heavy Strike passive acquired, Anchored passive acquired)


    [[Passive]]


    Heavy Strike


    Any projectile thrown underhanded will deal 25% additional damage at the moment of impact.


    [[Passive]]


    Anchored


    Treat your Constitution as 1.5 times higher when resisting forced movement.


    [[Equipped]]


    Blackbird¡¯s Overcoat


    (+8 Dexterity, +8 Constitution, +8 Wisdom, Omen Of Death skill acquired, Read The Wind passive acquired)


    [[Skill]]


    Omen Of Death


    When touching a living creature, you can make them feel the limits of their own mortality. The effect of this skill depends on the recipient¡¯s temperament, experiences, and personality. You may use Omen of Death once per day.


    [[Passive]]


    Read The Wind


    When you are in danger from an unseen foe, you may be compelled by the wind to move in such a way that an attack will miss you. This passive has a low chance of activation.


    <<<>>>


    The Blackbird¡¯s Overcoat was worth getting rid of the Ringmaster¡¯s Hoodie for. Not only had Whip Mastery lost most of its utility against the undead and plastic enemies, but it wouldn¡¯t help in the next few fights, either. It was a very psychological weapon, and I didn¡¯t need that.


    Plus, I had only used Hyperbolic Declaration once back in the Chaos Cup. It had been nice, but not something I relied on often.


    I turned my attention to my backpack. The thin accessory had been under my hoodie back when I wore it, but it now sat between my overcoat and new cloak. I had upgraded it into something better.


    It was a good thing, too, because I was starting to run out of inventory space.


    <<<>>>


    [[Item]]If you discover this tale on Amazon, be aware that it has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road. Please report it.


    Bigger Second Inventory


    (This backpack provides you with a secondary inventory that can hold just as much weight as your primary inventory.)


    <<<>>>


    This had been the first item I had the Dealer pick up for me specifically, along with a couple of pieces of gear for Kayla at the time. It had meshed incredibly well with Divine Messenger at the time, which sped me up the closer to full my inventory was, and it continued to do the same with Winged Messenger.


    Finally, I reached behind me and took hold of the light blue silk cloak I now wore. For the longest time, I had the Red Scarf tucked away underneath my shirt and hoodie.. While it didn¡¯t increase any of my stats, it had provided a 10% boost to my health that was going to be sorely missed.


    It would, however, be well used in Minnesota, so there was that.


    I brought up the stats of my last equipped acquisition.


    <<<>>>


    [[Equipped]]


    Cloak of the Snow Witch


    (+8 Constitution, +10 Willpower, Snow Trap spell acquired, Cold Step passive acquired)


    [[Spell]]


    Snow Trap


    Target one creature up to as many feet away as your Wisdom stat and wrap them in snow, making them unable to move for Willpower/4 seconds. If they are not immune to cold damage, they will be afflicted with the Hypothermia debuff for twice as long as they were trapped for, gaining one stage every time they are subjected to Snow Trap. The efficacy of this spell is based on the difference between your Willpower stat and their Strength stat. This spell costs half as much if cast in an area with abundant snow. Cost: 80 Mental Points.


    [[Debuff]]


    Hypothermia


    Hypothermia is a stackable debuff afflicted in stages.


    Minor: Dexterity is reduced by 10%.


    Mild: Dexterity and Constitution are reduced by 10%.


    Moderate: All physical stats are reduced by 25%.


    Severe: All stats are reduced by 50%.


    Extreme: All stats are reduced by 99%.


    [[Cold Step]]


    Snow and ice are considered solid ground for you, and you can traverse them without difficulty.


    <<<>>>


    I had always been in the camp that capes and cloaks were good for keeping you warm, but terrible for combat. They gave your opponent something easy to grab, they often could catch on things, and could trip you up depending on their length.


    In the words of a very famous fashion designer, no capes!


    But, I decided it had its uses as well as its handicaps. The spell made for an interesting method of battlefield control and the passive would make traversing Washington a lot more bearable, especially considering I was going off road for most of it.


    <<<>>>


    [[Patron Message]]


    Okay, Anthony. You can jump in ten seconds. There¡¯s snow everywhere, so be prepared.


    <<<>>>


    ¡°Thanks, Sara,¡± I said gently as I placed my hand on the train¡¯s door handle.


    ¡°Hey, um, you¡¯re not planning on leaving, are you?¡± the woman watching me asked.


    I turned to her and flashed her a smile. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, I know what I¡¯m doing.¡±


    She arched an eyebrow. ¡°Do you?¡±


    ¡°Yup, bye!¡±


    The alarm started to go off as I opened the door. While a normal train door would be locked, the system didn¡¯t care about safety features on these things. The rules said you had to get on at a Transportation Hub, but they never said when you had to get off at one.


    Cold air and snow swirled through the car, causing people to quickly wake up with confused shouts. I gave the woman a lazy salute before jumping out into the winter wonderland of Mesa, Washington.


    At the very least, I was polite enough to close the train¡¯s door with Pull before it got out of range. Snow was cleared from the tracks, but there were tall embankments on either side of it. I used my Heelies to slide down, eventually slowing to a stop no worse than when I had simply been standing. The only obstacles in my way were green plants with monstrously large white berries and those were easy enough to avoid.


    Once I stopped, I glanced around to get my bearings. I had jumped off near a large agricultural complex completely covered in snow and plants. The moment I laid eyes on it, I received a quest.


    <<<>>>


    [[Main Scenario Quest One: Snowberry Fields]]


    Everyone has either died or left in order to go to warmer climates, so if you see this, congrats! You¡¯re all alone.


    That building you¡¯re looking at? The one that triggered this quest? There¡¯s a giant plant monster in there with no one to fight it.


    The snowberries are a part of it. Good luck, or something.


    Objective: Kill the monster, I guess. I¡¯m not paying attention to a place where there¡¯s nothing to pay attention to.


    Rewards: 800 points, a sense of accomplishment knowing that you¡¯ve forced me to advance to the next scenario sometime down the line.


    [[Patron Quest: Defeat the Snowberry Queen]]


    Wow, this administrator is¡­


    Well, anyway. Since you¡¯re here, you might as well take care of things, right? I don¡¯t think anything¡¯s going to happen if no one¡¯s around, but someone¡¯s bound to come back eventually.


    Objective: Defeat the Snowberry Queen.


    Reward: 1,500 points.


    <<<>>>


    ¡°I wouldn¡¯t worry about it. They have a big area to watch over and there are places more interesting than this one,¡± I said with a lopsided smile. ¡°Part of the reason I chose to come here. It''s a quick addition to the token.¡±


    As I walked, my feet didn¡¯t sink into the snow. It didn¡¯t even crunch under my weight. Just like the passive said, I was walking as if I were on solid ground. Considering the distance I had to go, that alone was worth wearing a cloak.


    There were two ways to go about this fight, and both would keep me relatively safe. The first was with an old item that had been tossed into my inventory and forgotten: Krinkee¡¯s Bandolier. It still had a single fire bomb in its top loop and it was morning, so it would replicate it five times. I could approach the complex to send them into different points, burning the plants inside.


    That was the long way. While it would work eventually because the boss was stuck inside, it would fight the fire the whole time and take upwards of a few hours if I didn¡¯t want to get my hands dirty.


    ¡°Since when did I want to keep my hands clean?¡± I mumbled to myself as I started walking towards the buildings, jumping the fence with ease.


    The snowberry plants here were much larger than the ones I saw out there. Each one grew a single berry that was both taller and wider than I was. With my enhanced eyesight, I could see the place where they would open up and eat me like some kind of strange Venus Fly Trap.


    Ignoring the danger, I walked up to it. The moment it opened its mouth and lunged at me, I lifted my arm so that it could latch on to me. Knowing Sara wouldn¡¯t like that I was letting myself get injured, I made sure I activated Shield to at least mitigate some of the damage.


    Each of these berries were connected to the queen inside the building through her roots. They were her limbs, and that would be her downfall.


    Letting the berry chew on my arm, I Constructed a needle. It wasn¡¯t anything large or special, just a simple one made for sewing. When I pricked the berry, it barely reacted. This was my plan.


    Inside, the Snowberry Queen screamed in pain because she took the damage I intended her to.


    <<<>>>


    Construct (Wisdom, Willpower) lvl 5: Visualize a mental construct and create it through sheer willpower. Its stats depend on what type of item you create, and you can conjure up to 2 items at the same time. Construction costs a small amount of Mental Points to create, and continues to cost Mental Points so long as the items remain.


    Weapon (Willpower): Forge a weapon no larger than 30% of your mass. In addition to physical damage, this construct deals psychic damage equal to 95% of your Willpower.


    <<<>>>


    The berry in front of me took maybe a hit point or two of damage, but the queen took the full brunt of the psychic damage. Every bush in the area started screaming as I poked it again and again, transferring damage to the whole. One of them close by lunged for me, but came about a foot short. I ignored it.


    When the monster chewing on me tried to back off, just before my Shield broke, I reached in deep and grabbed it by its insides. The berry struggled, but I kept stabbing while it tried to free itself. There was no way that a minion of a dormant scenario boss from the first scenario was going to manhandle me.


    After roughly forty or so stabs with the needle, I received the message I was waiting for.


    <<<>>>


    [[Victory!]]


    You have defeated the Dormant Scenario Boss [Snowberry Queen]; +500 points.


    [[Main Scenario Quest One: Complete]]


    Congratulations, you did it. Yay.


    You might as well get out of here, I¡¯m not coming back to set up the next scenario any time soon. Take the victory and do something better with your life.


    Scenario MVP: Anthony Franklin


    Reward: 800 points, perhaps not as much of a sense of accomplishment as you had hoped.


    [[Patron Quest Complete!]]


    ¡­ All right, I¡¯m not even sure what to put here after seeing what this administrator is all about.


    It may not have been much, but I feel accomplished for you. Plenty of other people would have had to get in there and do this the hard way. So, good work remembering this boss was here, I guess?


    Sorry, I¡¯m trying. It¡¯s a first scenario boss and you¡¯re Anthony Franklin, there¡¯s only so much I can say.


    Reward: 1,500 points.


    <<<>>>


    ¡°Thanks, Sara,¡± I said with a chuckle. ¡°They can¡¯t all be winners.¡±


    Without entering the building, I Pulled the spoils out to me. The first item was a skill book that I accepted immediately, even though it wasn¡¯t one I thought was strictly necessary given my heritage as a Half-Angel.


    <<<>>>


    [[Passive]]


    Cold Resistance


    Take 25% less damage from cold-based attacks. Exist comfortably in cold environments as low as 0 degrees Fahrenheit.


    <<<>>>


    ¡°And just like that, it¡¯s a good thing Kayla got some good use out of that windbreaker,¡± I said as I pulled up the next item.


    This one was a branch with 5 snowberries about the size of my fist dangling from it. Each one made the air around them substantially colder, and I pulled up the description as I put them away.


    <<<>>>


    [[Item]]


    Snowberry Winter Blast


    Throw one of these Snowberries to create a powerful localized blizzard in a 20 foot radius for five minutes. The storm it conjures will reduce line of sight to a few feet while inflicting continuous cold damage to anyone stuck inside.


    <<<>>>


    ¡°It¡¯s a nice little bonus,¡± I said happily as I turned to the west. ¡°And now, our real destination.¡±


    <<<>>>


    [[Patron Message]]


    I want you to be really careful on this one, Anthony.


    I checked ahead, and the area is swarming with enemies. Just like you said, the administrator has mixed a first, second, and third scenario together, as if they¡¯ve been adding on since nobody¡¯s been around to challenge it.


    <<<>>>


    ¡°That¡¯s exactly what they¡¯ve been doing,¡± I confirmed as I started walking. There was a lot of farmland and desert between here and there as well as a river. Even with Snow Step, it would take me at least an hour to get to my destination. ¡°But it¡¯s okay. I¡¯ve been here twice before, I know what to do. It¡¯s only the Hanford Site, what¡¯s the worst that could happen?¡±

 Chapter 208

    Hanford Site, Washington - 5:37 AM


    The trek across the snowy terrain did take me a while, but I was feeling good by the time I arrived. Many years ago, the site had been a nuclear production site. It had been decommissioned for many years now. None of the reactors were functional, and the only one in the area was several miles away and used to provide electricity to countless homes throughout the region.


    This was no longer the case.


    A long, tall wall had been built on the perimeter of the Hanford Site, and most everything inside had changed. Even though I couldn¡¯t see very far within, it was unmistakable what was going on. The whirring of machines at work, bolting and cutting sheets of metal, crashes and clanks as heavy objects were moved about; it was the sound of an assembly line.


    The administrators had changed this place into a gigantic factory.


    Getting close to the wall, I could hear the thrum of electricity going through it. Touching it wouldn¡¯t have been fatal, but it would have dealt an excruciating amount of hit point damage to someone like me. I knew from experience that there was no entrance or exit. Everything that came in did so from the air, which meant I would have to do the same.


    Raising my Vambrace of Wires above my head, I Lifted it upwards. My body went with it, slowly ascending to reach the top of the wall.


    <<<>>>


    [[Patron Message]]


    Remind me again for my own edification, how many times have you completed this? Have you done it solo?


    <<<>>>


    ¡°Twice, and no, I¡¯ve never done it solo,¡± I admitted, unable to help the excitement in my voice. ¡°It¡¯s going to be dangerous, sure, but that¡¯s okay. I can handle everything that¡¯s in there. So long as it comes in waves. And I use cover to my advantage. And a few other things fall in my favor.¡±


    I pointed up at the sky. ¡°Which you might think means I¡¯m not up for this, but I assure you that I am. There''s nothing to worry about.¡±


    Finally reaching the top, I got my first look inside. The area was so well lit that it seemed like daytime. All around the perimeter, I could see hundreds of patrolling robots.


    The most common were the P-11 Obstructors, each painted olive green. Aside from their arms and legs, which were mostly normal, everything else was made up of bulbous, ovular sections. A single green eye swiveled around their heads, watching for intruders. One of their arms was a simple two-finger gripper, while the other tapered down to a point they could use to fire lasers out of.


    Others, the ones that were less numerous, were sleeker. They were the Q-07 Hunters. Their dark bodies weren¡¯t nearly as rotund, and their four-fingered hands were much more dexterous. These held on to what could obviously be called ray guns based on their aesthetic. I knew that this model was created for the second scenario. They were tougher and more accurate than their predecessors and could operate the vehicles seen around the site.


    Several drones flew in and out carrying supplies, mostly cars and other vehicles. There wasn¡¯t a lot left in the area, but they were grabbing what they could from nearby buildings and the decommissioned reactors. A few even traveled so far as to go to the Columbia Generating Station, the nuclear reactor miles away.


    There was also a healthy abundance of bulbous tanks, three-wheeled armored personal carriers, and a few motorcycles. Most of these were manned by the Hunters, but not many of them were currently in use. That would change soon.


    In the center of it all was a truly gigantic robot. Nearly sixty feet tall, its sleek black and red design was something straight out of anime. It had booster jets on its back, grinders on one hand with a cannon on the other, enough guns mounted on it to outshoot a battalion, and enough power to simply walk through a building in its way. The chest plate pulsed with radioactive green energy, but it was slow to start and wouldn¡¯t become active until I¡¯d wreaked enough havoc.


    This was the boss of the Hanford Site¡¯s third scenario, the G-3 Omega Colossus. It wasn¡¯t finished yet, but it was complete enough to put up a good tussle.


    ¡°Yeah, I¡¯m going to fight the shit out of that,¡± I said, still only peeking over the wall.


    There was no response from Sara so I assumed I had her blessing, just like I always did. Taking a breath, I pushed myself over the fence and allowed myself to fall on the other side.


    Shrill alarms started going off from all corners of the base, and I pulled my Cloak of the Snow Witch into my inventory as I dropped into the snow as quickly as I was able. I had chosen this side of the facility specifically due to the snow piling up from the wind. My feet collided with the embankment and I was suddenly ten feet under.


    <<<>>>


    [[Joint Scenario Quest: The Nuclear Army]]


    The Hanford Site has been left to its own devices, allowing the robots to proliferate. They have only one goal: domination.


    And what better way to do that than to evolve?


    What you see before you is the efforts of three scenarios¡¯ worth of work. First came the P-11 Obstructors. They built the first weapons of war before the spark of creativity hit them and they made the Q-07 Hunters.


    The Hunters, more advanced than their predecessors, improved upon the weapons. They created vehicles knowing that their path to domination was a long one. This lasted for a time, but only until they, too, were hit with the spark of creativity. They created the masterpiece in the middle of the base.


    The G-3 Omega Colossus will lead the Nuclear Army to victory. Not only does it represent an overwhelming amount of firepower, but the robots have gained a sense of morale in its presence and will fight harder because of it.


    In order to win this scenario once and for all, the leaders of each type will need to be defeated. Kill the P-12 Foreman, Q-08 Headhunter, and G-3 Omega Colossus to stop this threat from spreading.


    Objective: Destroy the Nuclear Army leadership.


    Rewards: 4,500 points, access to the Nuclear Army¡¯s vault.


    Notice: This is a Joint Scenario Quest. Multiple MVP accolades can be received here.


    [[Patron Quest: Defeat G-3!]]


    Alright, Ant. They¡¯re coming your way, so now is your time to put on a better show than the one back in Mesa.


    Defeating the G-3 before it has a chance to activate would be the best thing to do, but I have to admit I¡¯m rather excited to see you fight a robot ten times your size. Worried, but still excited.


    I¡¯m sure you already know what to do, so I will leave you to it, then.


    Objective: Defeat the G-3 Omega Colossus.


    Reward: 6,000 points.


    [[Notice]]


    You were one of the first players to find the Hidden World Boss [Esaraphelscion, Angel of the End]. +5,000 points.Help support creative writers by finding and reading their stories on the original site.


    You were one of the first players to permanently kill a Demon Lord. +5,000 points.


    These rewards have been reduced due to scenario limits. Points will be given to you at the beginning of each scenario until you have received them all.


    <<<>>>


    ¡°Thanks, Sara,¡± I said, waving up to the sky through the hole I made as I snapped away the quests and notice.


    Retrieving the Cloak of the Snow Witch from my inventory, I put it back on and started digging forward towards the motor pool. With my Strength, I could easily carve a path through the snow even if it was considered ¡°solid ground¡± thanks to the properties of the item.


    I was pretty sure the Snow Step passive wasn¡¯t meant to be used this way, but I was going to exploit it while I could anyway. Once I had dug out enough space, I pulled the Mirror Mannequin¡¯s torso shield out of my inventory and placed it under the opening.


    Several of the Obstructors were coming my way. They had auras despite being robots, a stark contrast to the mannequins back in the Mall of America. The difference was at their center. Each of the enemies here had a radioactive green core in their chests, and this energy flowed through them. It lit up their bodies and made it easy to pick them out.


    From my inventory, I grabbed the Staff of Raphael to push my Wisdom as high as I could. That allowed me to see the Hunters that were now at the very edge of my vision. They were approaching more cautiously, waiting for any sign of me to spring up.


    I continued to dig one handed as I got farther away from the wall. The embankment was tall, but the slope of the snow was steep. I very quickly had to get to my hands and knees to stay under and out of sight. Thanks to Snow Step making everything solid around me, there was a reduced chance of making the enemies aware of me through shifts in the surface.


    Eventually, I was crawling through the snow on my stomach halfway to the motor pool. I had to keep my head down and the Staff of Raphael to my side. Even though I was some fifty feet from the wall, I was still only halfway to my destination when I had to stop.


    The Obstructors were now all around me. None of them had crossed my specific path, but I was surrounded by the bulbous robots. Their eyes whirled about, trying to find any signs of disturbances. These models weren¡¯t equipped with infrared sensors like the Omega Colossus was, which made stealth easier.


    At least, it was easier until I came across a section of snow that had been padded down by constant patrols. It was nearly eight feet wide as the robots on duty moved in threes, and there were a few Obstructors waiting on the path. I could clearly see my targets up ahead, but this was the end of the line.


    Taking a deep breath, I mentally reached back and Lifted the Mirror Mannequin¡¯s shield. It immediately became the center of attention. While I couldn¡¯t see it with my own eyes, I knew it was reflecting all the powerful spotlights that were suddenly looking its way.


    The Obstructors started opening fire. Surprisingly cartoonish sound effects could be heard from all around me, reminding me of old science fiction shows from long before I was born. Despite how silly they may have been, their effects were powerful.


    A good number of the lasers hit the mannequin torso, displaying varying degrees of accuracy. The energy blasted the mirrors, melting both them and the plastic underneath from the constant fire. I made the torso Spin, duck, and weave to make sure the attention was fully on it.


    Since they were busy, it was time for me to get to work. I ejected half of the Cable Conglomerate from my Vambrace of Wires and let it snake its way towards the nearest Obstructor. It left a minuscule trail in its wake, but with all eyes and sensors on the mirrored distraction there was no trouble. As I coiled the rope underneath the robot, I repositioned the mirrored shield by Lifting it as high as I could.


    As the enemies looked up, I shot the Cable Conglomerate upwards, whipping it around the Obstructor¡¯s laser hand. Its eye swung to see the metal snake grabbing it from below. With a mental command, I made one piece of the wire rope unravel from the rest.


    This piece threaded between the plates in the Obstructor¡¯s arm, aiming for the trigger. It was hard to see inside of the robots even with my advanced senses, but it wasn¡¯t impossible. Because of this one¡¯s proximity, I was able to get the wire into position rather quickly.


    When the Cable Conglomerate jerked downwards, the lone thread pulled the trigger. The laser beam shot even as the Obstructor tried to pull its arm back into position. Once again, the first scenario monster proved that it couldn¡¯t keep up with my stats.


    It also proved that it could take down another of its kind with ease. The shot I had forced it to fire off melted the back of another Obstructor¡¯s head into slag. It beeped for a few seconds, its own gun misfiring, before falling to its knees and face planting in the snow.


    There was a lull in the battle where the only laser being fired was the one I commandeered. Even though the weapon was only capable of firing off a single beam every second and a half, I was making each one count.


    The Obstructor flailed, trying to take control of its arm back with its gripper. Its shaking was only a minor inconvenience as I shot down eleven more robots before the others finally turned on this one.


    They turned, nearly twenty strong, and began firing at their traitorous comrade. I yanked the Cable Conglomerate, causing the Obstructor to fall to the ground and avoid most of the shots. Its head was destroyed, but its core was still operational, and that was enough.


    I dragged the arm, firing two more shots through the snow before I started reeling in the rope. The other Obstructors continued firing the moment they realized it was still shooting, and the robot was a smoking mess before they all paused again as if getting new orders.


    In unison, they turned back to the mirrored torso and resumed firing. I Dropped it to the ground, falling into the snow, and decided that there had been enough hiding. Pushing off of the ground, I put the Staff of Raphael back into my inventory as I emerged from the snow.


    I lunged forward to grab one of the Obstructors by its gripping arm, which I pinned to its back. I wrapped the Cable Conglomerate around the other, commandeering its gun just like the last one. I didn¡¯t aim for any of the robots behind me, but the ones ahead.


    While the Obstructors had numbers on their side, they were far less accurate than their successors. A line of Hunters had been watching patiently, their ray guns out and pointed in the right direction but not firing. As soon as I started running over the snow towards them, that changed.


    I jumped to the side onto my Heelies, enjoying the smooth snow I could travel on as I manhandled the robot. Its green lasers fired with precision, knocking the shoulders off of the Hunters while they fired back at me. Their guns made slightly newer sound effects, but I still considered it all rather flippant, given the tone of the mission.


    The line of Hunters started dwindling as I returned fire. Some of them managed to hit my Obstructor, melting it down, and those were the ones I focused on. As I shot their shoulders off, their ray guns fell to the ground, and I Lifted them back up. I had to Split my focus into two ways to aim and fire, and since I could manipulate three items total, that meant I could alternate on their slower cooldowns.


    My strategy of taking out the more accurate robots was proving to be quite the winner. My Obstructor flailed, trying to kick me with its legs, but due to its bulbous body was having a hard time making anything stick. When its brethren behind me started firing was when I had more trouble. Their attention caused me to throw up Shield after the first laser struck me between the shoulder blades, burning through my clothes like it was nothing.


    I burst through the line of Hunters, all but two of them down. The ray guns under my control made quick work of them and flew in to flank me on either side. They both blasted the Obstructor in my arms before I tossed it and grabbed them both.


    Not one to leave good equipment behind, I Pulled two more ray guns out of the snow, giving me a total of four.


    The motor pool was ahead of me, but it was swarming with Hunters. While most of them were armed, the vast majority were getting into the vehicles. Their armored personnel carriers and tanks would provide stellar cover while giving them the advantage in mobility, while the motorcycles gave them some sorely needed speed.


    Not too far away from me, the first tank moved. It was an ugly, oval contraption with treads half as tall as I was. Three machine guns were mounted on it, one on the front and on each side, and the turret on top turned to face me down. While the smaller weapons were lasers like the rest, the big one used shells that exploded on contact.


    ¡°Guess I¡¯m not stealing that one,¡± I said as I created a Force Field right in front of the barrel.


    It took a moment, but the tank fired. The shell exploded prematurely, rocking the entire vehicle backwards and ruining the barrel so it couldn¡¯t be used again. My levitating ray guns destroyed the small arms before they could finish warming up, and I jumped over the tank.


    The one behind it was still open, and I Pushed my two floating guns through the hatch. I threw myself to the ground as more lasers came in, but the space between the two tanks was small and only a few enemies had line of sight. Extending my arms, I started firing while paying attention to the inside of the tank I had just sent my guns into.


    There were spots for five different Hunters inside. The driver who controlled the tank and the forward machine laser, two gunners for the weapons on the sides, the turret gunner who aimed and fired the main gun, and the loader for the shells. Each one looked at the ray gun moments before I shot them in the head, destroying them.


    Now that they weren¡¯t considered animated objects anymore, I started Lifting them out of the tank.


    My Shield shattered from the concentrated fire. I had to crouch to make myself a smaller target. Behind me, the Hunters were starting to exit their tank, forcing me to pay attention to them. I slowed down, emptying the one in front of me to kill them with their own ray guns.


    I grit my teeth as I took damage from both sides. Even with the enhanced firing rate of the ray guns, I wasn¡¯t taking out the enemies faster than they could come at me. The vehicles started pulling away as they filled up, and that would be problematic later on.


    When three of the five Hunters were out of the tank, I decided that was good enough. I tossed the ray guns outward and continued firing, knowing that I could get more from inside the vehicle, and jumped up. The robots had a second to fire on me when I was out of cover, and I had to grab a Hunter from the top of the tank to hide behind as I slid down.


    Letting the ray guns clatter onto the snow covered ground, I forced the last two robots out before closing the hatch behind them. Unlike most Human tanks, these could only be opened from the inside with a button press. Even if I was confident they were killed, I wasn¡¯t going to leave it up to fate that one of them survived enough to sabotage me.


    Sliding into the driver¡¯s seat, I found it was a little uncomfortable. I clearly wasn¡¯t its target demographic. But, that was okay.


    With Pull, I fired the tank¡¯s main gun just as an armored personnel carrier drove in front of me. The shell rocked the tank backwards from the force, and I grinned as I watched the other vehicle explode and fly away, running over a horde of Obstructors as it tumbled.


    I Split my focus again as I reloaded the main gun and took over the two guns on the side of the tank. Retrieving the Staff of Raphael so I could heal while I drove, I cackled like a madman. Laser after laser hit my vehicle¡¯s hull, and I was about to return it in kind, turning on their tanks in the process.


    ¡°This is why everything was going to be fine, Sara! Woooo!¡±

 Chapter 209

    Hanford Site, Washington - 6:00 AM


    Rolling out of the motor pool, I turned to run over a squad of Obstructors. Groups of them had lined up to fire at me when I was in between the tanks and that made them easy pickings once I was in one. My hijacked vehicle went over them smoothly, the weight and treads making short work of anything that got in my way.


    Which was everything. Because I was driving a tank.


    My disturbed cackling settled into a manic grin as I fired the main gun again, destroying two of the close-parked tanks and rendering them useless. Their inhabitants survived, but they weren¡¯t going anywhere in those. There was only one more that was operational out of the five total, and I moved so that I had cover from them.


    All the while, the laser gun in front of me and the two on the side were being fired almost constantly. There was a slight chance of overheating, but I was alternating between aiming and firing thanks to the constraints of Split only allowing me to affect three things at once. I might not have been completely accurate, but I was hitting enough of the Nuclear Army that I was feeling good about myself.


    The other tank started moving as the Hunters inside finally got their bearings. By then, I had put the destroyed vehicles in our way as I loaded up the next round and waited for my cooldowns to end. My ammunition wasn¡¯t infinite, but it was plentiful.


    Lasers were leaving marks in the hull of my vehicle, but nothing was truly damaging it. As thrilling as it was, nothing was going to really threaten it until¡ª


    <<<>>>


    [[Patron Message]]


    The robots from the factory have started to come out. It looks like a few of them are armed with the kind of stuff you used back when you were a Field Artilleryman.


    <<<>>>


    ¡°The big guns,¡± I muttered as I drove the tank into the other¡¯s line of sight.


    My main gun was already adjusted, but theirs was still turning. I fired as soon as I had clearance, the shell getting perilously close to hitting cover but striking true thanks to my excellent vision.


    The tank rocked, nearly throwing me out of the driver¡¯s seat. My back end had been hit by a rocket propelled grenade, and I started the slow turn to change my heading as I reloaded the main gun again.


    The armored personnel carriers and motorcycles were out in full force. There were more of these than there were tanks by a large margin, but none of them were equipped with any substantial weaponry. The Hunters riding them were firing their ray guns, which were dealing damage from sheer volume. Not enough to make me feel unsafe just yet, but it was something to keep track of.


    One of the APCs came a little too close, and I turned, slamming on the accelerator. The driver must not have expected the sudden burst of speed because I hit its nose. The treads caught on to the side of the vehicle and began climbing, crushing it like a tin can. I swerved so that I would completely demolish it before getting back on solid ground.


    Another attack rocked my tank, but I could tell the explosion was a glancing blow. It had impacted the crushed vehicle just as I drove off, shoving it into me but not doing much else. I turned again, driving towards the factory.


    Firing the main gun at the largest concentration of robots, I took immense satisfaction in watching them and the dirt under their feet go flying. My three machine guns were firing into the crowd. While it may have seemed random to the robots, it wasn¡¯t; I was aiming for the ones that could take out my tank. Those with RPGs had to go first, but there were also some setting up mortars that would be just as dangerous soon.


    I ducked my head. A few lasers made their way through the slit I was supposed to use to drive, damaging components in the back, but most of their attacks were hitting the hull. Some places were starting to melt. I still wasn¡¯t worried, but I was going to start soon.


    As I drove towards the factory, two APCs flanked me. Their sides opened up, revealing a squad of Hunters in each. They started firing, concentrating specifically on my sprocket wheels. I wasn¡¯t sure if I would be able to kill their engines before they destroyed my treads, so I switched my focus to their vehicles.


    I slowed down as I Spun both of their steering wheels simultaneously. The APCs veered towards me, their drivers reacting sluggishly to my efforts, and I sped the tank back up again. They collided and I forced them to drive side by side just long enough that I could run into their rear ends.


    A jolt nearly threw me from my seat again, but that was nothing compared to what they were going through. I slowed down as I fought against their efforts to take control back from me. They sped up, and just when they were about to leave my area of influence I fired my main gun, taking them both out before veering around. No Hunters survived.


    While the Hunters were fast enough to throw themselves out of my way, the Obstructors weren¡¯t. I ran over another grouping of them as I entered the factory. The lights were flashing with the ever-present alarm, and I punched through conveyor belts, machining stations, and welders.


    The robots that had come out to defend against my intrusion had just been activated for the first time, and the workers inside weren¡¯t prepared for war. It left me free rein of the place. I slowed down enough that I could weave through the parts I felt comfortable driving through as I fired indiscriminately at the parts I couldn¡¯t.


    Explosions rocked the building as I got deeper inside. Fueling stations and canisters exploded, assembly lines fell from above as the pieces keeping them up were demolished, and the entire factory seemed to creak and groan as I carved my way through it.


    I stopped in the middle. Lasers were occasionally hitting my back end, but there was enough cover behind me that any accuracy could only be attributed to luck. I swiveled the tank¡¯s turret upwards towards the back corner of the factory. A small enclosure had been constructed up there. I couldn¡¯t see inside from this distance, but I knew what was in there.


    It exploded as I fired, taking a chunk of the building with it.


    <<<>>>


    [[Notice]]


    You have destroyed the P-12 Foreman.


    The G-3 Omega Colossus is beginning its activation phase.


    <<<>>>


    With that task completed, I started driving towards the closest wall. Slowly, at first, so I could reload the tank¡¯s main gun in preparation for what came next. I wanted to limit my damage for the next part.


    Especially because I was on a timer. If the Omega Colossus finished powering up before I took out the Q-08 Headhunter, I was going to be in some trouble.


    I blasted my way out of the factory and back into the war zone, but the change was immediately apparent. Every single one of the Obstructors was now on the ground, unmoving. From what I knew from the two times I had been here, every member of the Nuclear Army was connected to the one boss that came from their batch. It was a balancing thing for having three active scenarios in the same place.


    Driving over the literal mounds of Obstructors littering the ground, I started looking for my next target. As if reading my mind, a motorcycle riding robot without an aura came close to me once I got to clear ground. It threw a grenade onto my tank, which I immediately returned to the sender. Revving its engine, the Headhunter drove out of the way before the explosion went off, joining the other vehicles.


    I slammed my foot on the accelerator, chasing after the aura-less robot. Its outer shell cloaked it from my senses, but that wouldn¡¯t be enough to hide from me.


    Some of the APCs came to flank me just like they had before, but I started suppression fire much sooner now that I didn¡¯t have the artillery robots to deal with. I aimed for their tires and engines when they got into position, making my turret swivel as I looked around for the Headhunter. The vehicles on either side of me began smoking and swerved off course.


    I was forced to defend my tank again as the pack of riders descended, swarming around me. Turning, I started heading to where a large group of fallen Obstructors were hiding in the snow, hoping they lived up to their name to take some of the Hunters out.


    More grenades were thrown on and around my tank, and I had to Push them all away. Some of them took out a rider or two, but most of them were thrown wildly off course. None of them, thankfully, blew up close enough to harm my vehicle.Support the author by searching for the original publication of this novel.


    Then, I saw it. The Headhunter was coming at me from the rear at a blistering speed. My main gun was pointed nowhere near there and my machine guns couldn¡¯t swivel that far back. It had a great shot.


    But I was Anthony Franklin. I pulled out a tool in my arsenal they hadn¡¯t seen yet: Construct.


    A razor thin wire held up by two applications of Orbit traveling in the opposite directions appeared in front of the Headhunter. The robot didn¡¯t have time to react. My Construct shuddered as it sliced through its thick metal chest, cutting the core in two. The boss exploded, its shrapnel taking out a few more of its kind.


    <<<>>>


    [[Notice]]


    You have destroyed the Q-08 Headhunter.


    The G-3 Omega Colossus is accelerating its activation. Some programs may not be available on start-up.


    <<<>>>


    Some of the vehicles stopped around me while others kept going until they collided with each other or the compound¡¯s walls. Sparks flew from those collisions, causing the lights to dim as the electricity was drained. One thing was for certain, though: none of the Hunters moved.


    A high pitched whine came from the Omega Colossus as its chest plate started glowing radioactive green. The red portions of it were starting to change to the same color as it booted up its systems. Even with a nuclear reactor at its core, it was an absolute monster to power.


    I fired as I drove my tank around it. The lasers were no use, bouncing off of its reflective armor without leaving so much as a smudge, which meant I only had the main gun. A shell exploded on its hip, causing it to shift, but it didn¡¯t fall. I quickly reloaded the next shot.


    The moment I could see behind the Omega Colossus, I was far enough away to get a good angle at the booster jets on its back. Unlike the rest of the robot, they were unwieldy, jutting out from its sleek body. They made excellent targets, not just for damage but also as something necessary for removal.


    No matter what else happened, I had to keep this big ass robot on the ground. That was non-negotiable.


    The explosion from my first shot knocked off one of its booster jets, making it take a step forward. I reloaded as quickly as I could as I began circling it. Being too close was dangerous once it fully activated, but being too far away made my job harder in the next phase. I stayed just as far in as I could to keep this angle.


    I only barely managed to get one more shot off, blowing off the second booster jet, before the Omega Colossus turned to face me.


    There was no warning. No notice. Not even a message from Sara for what came next. I only knew about its next attack because I had seen it take out a group of thirty fighters with my own eyes.


    The Omega Colossus turned to face me, its green eyes easy to see in the darkness, and its entire chest lit up for a millisecond before a powerful white and blue laser erupted from it. The attack was easily big enough to consume my tank, melting it from the top down as quickly as if it were butter in a microwave. A huge hole was being blasted in the ground where the laser touched.


    By then, I was already gone. I used Fae Step to get out of there. The heat of the laser over my head was overwhelming even for me, and I started sweating as the snow around me melted. I ran towards the Colossus using its own attack as cover.


    Running up to its legs, I jumped and started climbing. My Strength was high enough that I could leap upwards a fairly good distance. The robot might have looked sleek, but there were enough handholds that I made good time.


    And if I happened to Construct a screwdriver and Spin a few hidden screws loose along the way, then that was good, too.


    The Omega Colossus stopped firing its laser, but its chest was white hot in the aftermath. As I made it to its knee, it started looking around for me. Its sensors were a mess after that attack, so the only way it could find me was visually.


    Underneath me, the plate I managed to completely unscrew fell to the ground, allowing my aura sight to see inside. The Omega Colossus balanced itself, lifted its leg, and locked eyes with me.


    The guns on its shoulders opened fire. Every laser it shot was as big around as my head, and I threw up Shield to block the two of them that hit me as I scrambled to the back of its leg. I clung to the joint, paying attention to its innards.


    The main thing that made me confident in this fight was my ability to get out of danger quickly and attack places that most other people couldn¡¯t see in the first place. Against an army, the Omega Colossus would have shined. Its abilities were geared for that kind of fight. The administrator, the actual architect of the Nuclear Army, never dreamed it was going to be in a situation where it only had one opponent, the Dread Pirate Anthony.


    Inside the knee I was hiding behind were joints, servos, hydraulic pumps, and a lot of stuff that I couldn¡¯t say I fully understood. The Omega Colossus was a masterpiece of engineering. But, just like any other machine, it could get scrapped.


    So I used Construct to make more screwdrivers to Spin screws that looked important. The robot planted its foot on the ground and brought its hand down to pick me up. Jumping off of the knee, I took a step on a well-placed Force Field and pulled my Vague Stick from my inventory. I sharpened it as much as I could and swung, attacking with Distant Slice.


    I hit two of its fingers dead on, cutting through the armor plating but not much farther. Thanks to the laser shots I had taken earlier, Distant Slice was on cooldown for a while. That was fine. I lunged forward, swinging again with the help of Orbit. The Omega Colossus¡¯ hand tried to clamp down around me, but my sword was faster. I matched the earlier slice exactly, cutting through three tension wires before I was stopped.


    They hung uselessly while I grabbed the last working finger and pulled myself up to sit on it. When it tried to crush my legs between my seat and my palm, I simply turned and looked up.


    ¡°Fighting a single strong guy is pretty hard for something your size, isn¡¯t it?¡± I asked, grinning upwards at its face.


    The Omega Colossus paused before quickly raising its arm. I held on tight with my legs and sent my Vague Sword back to my inventory. Once I was high enough, the guns on its shoulders started firing at me. I twisted over the top of its hand to the other side, but not before taking a shot that shattered my Shield and burnt my hip.


    I stopped high in the sky at the apex of the robot¡¯s reach, and I was about to slide down the arm when the finger I had been sitting on snapped backwards. It cracked like it was breaking, and I was pinned to the back of its hand. The pressure on my chest was incredible, and I wheezed. I hadn¡¯t known its fingers could go both ways, but it was something I now knew to be cautious of once I got free.


    All at once, the Omega Colossus shifted. Its hand came down like it was going to throw me, and it stomped its leg forward to transfer its weight.


    That was a bad idea.


    The increased strain on the robot¡¯s leg, now without some crucial screws, proved to be too much for its knee. Its purposeful motion turned violent as the Omega Colossus lurched and fell over. When the hand I was in opened as it attempted to catch itself, I Pushed myself out of the way by my Heelies.


    Lasers continued shooting at me as I flew over the Omega Colossus¡¯ still hot chest piece. I began charging my Dragon¡¯s Breath as I altered course, aiming for the shoulder mounted machine guns.


    Before I had a chance to make my attack, I heard the unmistakable sound of an energy sword activating. I dove, flying closer to the smoldering chest piece just as the Omega Colossus¡¯ good hand swiped where I had been. A twenty-foot beam of green energy emerged from the robot¡¯s palm, and the tail end of my cloak was cleanly cut. The wind from the two sources of heat nearly sent me careening off, but I managed to keep myself safe.


    I retrieved one of my newer items from my inventory as the robot sat up: a Snowberry Winter Blast. The fist-sized berry was exactly what I needed here. Raising my hand, I tossed it at the Omega Colossus¡¯ chest as hard as I could.


    It broke apart on impact, as one would expect. A raging chill erupted from its remains, and ice crystals started to appear in the air despite the robot¡¯s heat. I was very quickly overtaken by a localized blizzard, and I paid close attention to the energy sword and lasers, which were firing blindly.


    Now that it couldn¡¯t see me, the Omega Colossus flailed its arm after it sat up. Its energy sword passed through the blizzard, leaving behind a haze of heat that the storm quickly disrupted. The robot continued this motion, trying to smack me inside, but its movements were wide and easy to read.


    Underneath me, the chest plate cracked loudly and, taking that as my cue, I opened my mouth. My Dragon¡¯s Breath went straight downwards. It impacted the damaged plate and started heating it up again. The beam I had chosen was a wide one so that I could hit a big area. What I made hot, the blizzard cooled down, and what the blizzard cooled down, I made hot again.


    The crack became a fissure as I dodged the sword for the last time. Closing my mouth, I ended my skill and dove into the Omega Colossus¡¯ chest cavity, ending up in a surprisingly spacious hollow. The heat ventilation systems were offline from my attack on the boosters, and I could feel my hit points dropping fast.


    That wouldn¡¯t matter. My prize and the key to killing this thing quickly was dead center: the nuclear core.


    It was inside a red hot casing covered in wires that went out in all directions. The whole thing was small, only the size of my head, but it powered the entire Omega Colossus.


    I Constructed two blades around it since I didn¡¯t want to get any closer, and started cutting. The wires were inside heat-resistant electrical tubing, but they weren¡¯t durable enough to handle me. I Pushed, Pulled, Dropped, and Lifted all around the nuclear core, destroying the wires.


    Outside, the Omega Colossus broke down, falling onto its back as it no longer had the power to support itself. The core remained red hot.


    <<<>>>


    [[Victory!]]


    You have defeated x128 P-11 Obstructors; +640 points.


    You have defeated x64 Q-07 Hunters; +768 points.


    You have defeated the Scenario Boss [P-12 Foreman]; +450 points.


    You have defeated the Scenario Boss [Q-08 Headhunter]; +800 points.


    You have defeated the Scenario Boss [G-3 Omega Colossus]; +2,000 points.


    [[Joint Scenario Quest Complete: The Nuclear Army]]


    The Nuclear Army has been laid to waste. With the destruction of the factory that produced soldiers and constructors, its once inevitable conquest of the Pacific Northwest has been put on hold indefinitely.


    But there is more. Hanford is not the only site where radiation runs rampant. Other armies may spring up around the world, reviving this place and more.


    But that is a worry for another day. Your real prize awaits below, in the vaults.


    Reward: 4,500 points, access to the Nuclear Army¡¯s vault.


    [[Patron Message]]


    That was a very dynamic fight! I wish you could take a tank around like that to other places, but it¡¯s too slow compared to the methods you have now.


    You know, I think I really like tanks. I discovered that I love trains, but I think I like tanks now, too.


    Anyway, excellent work. Don¡¯t forget to grab the core and whatever spoils you need from the vault. I know you¡¯re going to end up leaving most of it for the people who will discover this place later, but I¡¯m excited to see what you do need.


    Reward: 6,000 points.


    <<<>>>


    ¡°As always, thank you, Sara,¡± I said with a flourish as I Lifted the nuclear core.


    I climbed out of the Omega Colossus¡¯ chest and levitated my prize in front of me. Taking off my glove, I looked at the red hot sphere in front of me and let out a breath. The wait for my hand to heal was going to be a much easier one than the wait for it to cool. It was best to get this over with.


    As a hidden hole in the ground opened nearby to show me the way to the vault, I slapped the nuclear core with my hand as fast as I could, sending it into my inventory while my flesh burned.


    ¡°Could be worse,¡± I said with a grimace, shaking my hand as I headed towards the scenario¡¯s grand prize.

 Chapter 210

    Nuclear Army Vault, Hanford Site, Washington - 6:27 AM


    The spiral stairs to the vault descended sixty feet before I reached the bottom. There, I found a door not unlike the ones I had led the Mills to back in Etson. This one was made of metal instead of wood, but the feeling that there was going to be something amazing on the other side was the same.


    I approached, and a beam of light scanned me from above. It was harmless, I knew, and I stood still for it.


    ¡°Access granted,¡± a metallic voice said before the door suddenly hissed.


    Mist appeared as the vault began to open, and I felt a chill when it crept around my feet. Once the door was lifted high enough that I wouldn¡¯t bump my head against it, I walked in.


    The Nuclear Army¡¯s vault was a long hallway with pedestals lining the side every five feet. Each one held something different. Rocket boots on this one, a sword hilt on another, a stack of skill books ten feet tall further in.


    Everything here would be worth a fortune if I were to take it and sell it, but I needed to keep my continuity alive just in case the Washington D.C. plan didn¡¯t work out. I needed to be picky, so I headed to the long pedestal in the back.


    These items, at least, would be better off in my hands.


    I stopped a few feet away and looked across the pedestal. There were three items here, including the skill book and armor piece that the Omega Colossus dropped.


    The armor was a cuirass made out of polished black steel. It was so shiny that I could see my reflection as I stepped up to it. Reaching out, I turned it around to look at the bulky piece sticking out of its back. Two silver rockets jutted out, pointing downwards, and the bottom of the armor had a curve to it to prevent the fire from affecting the wearer¡¯s legs.


    ¡°Cuirass of Mankind¡¯s Flight,¡± I said aloud as I pulled it into my inventory. I had ways to fly without it and it only allowed for thirty seconds of air time before it needed recharging. That, at least, it did fairly quickly on its own. It would make a good gift for just about anyone on the team.


    I moved over to the skill book, opened it, and immediately accepted it.


    <<<>>>


    [[Skill]]


    Overclocked Body


    Remove the limitations of your body. When you activate this skill, double your Strength and Dexterity stats and lower your Constitution by half. This skill can be activated once per day for the same number of seconds as your altered Constitution stat. You gain the Extreme Dehydration debuff, taking 50% more fire damage, for the duration and for a number of minutes equal to the number of seconds Overclocked Body was in use afterwards.


    <<<>>>


    Checking my status screen, I saw that this would bring my Constitution down from 97 to 48. That was shorter than a minute, but I could do some great things with an enhanced Strength stat of 94 and Dexterity of 164. The downsides were substantial, but I knew how to work around them.


    The last item was a silver spike with a flashing green light on the side that wasn¡¯t pointy. Gingerly, I picked it up, holding onto the most powerful weapon I had gotten my hands on so far in this run.


    <<<>>>


    [[Item]]


    NA-2 ¡°Let There Be Light¡± Beacon


    A beacon for the NA-1 ¡°God¡¯s First Day¡± Orbital Laser. Hold down the flashing green light to create an optical illusion showing the blast radius. This illusion will automatically change size until you release it. When the beam is at an adequate radius, plant the NA-2 beacon in the ground. The NA-1 Orbital Laser will fire after thirty seconds and will continue to fire for ten seconds after the beacon is destroyed.


    <<<>>>


    ¡°I¡¯m sure you¡¯ll find this a little tasteless,¡± I chuckled as I pulled it and the others into my inventory.


    <<<>>>


    [[Patron Message]]


    On the first day, God said, ¡°Let there be light.¡±


    You¡¯re right, it is a bit tasteless. However, it¡¯s also very powerful. I¡¯m getting information on it now. Will the people who find this place not need it?


    <<<>>>


    I shook my head. ¡°I traveled with them for a while to see what they¡¯d do with it. They ended up wasting it because they were too scared to enter a dungeon. It was something they could clearly handle, but they built it up in their head that there was no way they could do it and no amount of reassurance could change their mind. Trust me, it¡¯ll be put to better use if I take it.¡±


    Running my hand through my hair, I sighed. ¡°The Cuirass of Mankind¡¯s Flight ends with a drunkard getting eaten by a Nightmare Gull, which is roughly the size of a B-52 bomber, and it¡¯s digested before the rest of the team grounds and kills it. The Overclocked Body skill goes to someone who ends up squandering it. Dies while showing off, though they¡¯re not drunk at the time; they just take a big hit at half health and it was entirely avoidable.¡±


    <<<>>>


    [[Patron Message]]


    The people who come here sound completely inept. How do they manage to make it through the Nuclear Army?


    <<<>>>


    ¡°These are the survivors,¡± I answered honestly. ¡°Most of the competent people die on the front lines without me, leaving the entire company worse for wear. One of my letters actually gets sent to Taylor Duval telling her to wait for a bit until they find EMP grenades a little farther north, not far from here. That would be the smart thing to do.¡±


    <<<>>>


    [[Patron Message]]


    Not that you needed them. Wanted the thrill, did you?


    <<<>>>


    I shrugged and gave the ceiling a brilliant smile. ¡°You know me so well,¡± I said cheekily as I started walking back to the entrance.


    <<<>>>


    [[Patron Message]]


    Anthony, be careful. You¡¯re not alone.


    <<<>>>


    When I read the warning, I paused mid-step. ¡°Enemies?¡± I asked, lowering my voice. I couldn¡¯t see anything outside due to how far away I was from the door, so I only had her intelligence on what was there. ¡°What¡¯s out there?¡±


    I didn¡¯t receive an answer.


    Navigating through my menu, I went to my equipped items to upgrade the Heelies of the Twice Blessed. Before the Nuclear Army I had only needed three bosses, and I had planned to save it for later. While I thought I knew what to expect, it was better safe than sorry.


    <<<>>>


    [[Equipped]]


    Heelies of the Twice Blessed +1


    (Growth Item, kill 15 bosses to upgrade; +24 Dexterity, +20 Constitution, Winged Messenger+ skill acquired, Celestial Wormhole skill acquired)


    <<<>>>


    ¡°Winged Messenger goes from three times my speed to four,¡± I muttered, nodding to myself as I checked the description. ¡°I am speed.¡±


    Taking a breath, I resumed heading to the stairwell. I had gotten a much more solid idea of what Sara could talk about and what she couldn¡¯t. Her restrictions were basically just high level enemies such as Pustibule being a Demon Lord and Angels.


    And while I was expecting Demons to come after me for what I had done, I was sure she could have told me that. By that logic, it meant that the Angel, Glaraphel, had found me.


    I could admit that I had been a little out of sorts when I encountered him the first time. The Golden Dream was still weighing on me and I likely could have done more to turn the situation around. I still didn¡¯t find it likely as he had been an Inquisitor of all things, but I probably could have done more.


    When I began ascending the stairs I saw that it wasn¡¯t just Glaraphel; he had also brought some friends along for the ride. I noted that he was without his halo, though. Apparently, I had actually taken that from him.


    The one in front, taller than the rest, was a Dominion in flowing robes. The glowing orb she held in her hand and lack of armor was a dead giveaway. Her soulfire hair was long and intense, almost covering up the rest of her aura with its strength alone. It made sense that she was here. Dominions were at the top of the middle order and that meant they were in charge of both Virtues and Powers.


    Standing a few feet back from Glaraphel on either side of him was a pair of shorter Angels. One of their halos crackled with electricity, lightning arcing inside the golden circles, while the other had water crashing from one side to the other like waves. These were Virtues, and they commanded an element of their choosing at their creation.This narrative has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road. If you see it on Amazon, please report it.


    Aside from the Dominion, everyone wore armor and had their swords out. They weren¡¯t on fire, but being held in both hands with the tip on the ground. It certainly didn¡¯t look like there was going to be a fight right out of the gate, and that gave me some hope.


    <<<>>>


    [[Patron Quest: Seek Peace!]]


    I¡¯m sorry this took me so long. I was trying to word it in a way that would give you more information and didn¡¯t go against my rules. Unfortunately, this is all I can give you.


    As a not-Nephilim, find a peaceful solution to this social conundrum.


    Objective: Avoid a fight.


    Reward: 15,000 points.


    <<<>>>


    I stopped for a moment about ten feet below the surface to read the text box. If they were Crusaders, then I¡¯d have a slim chance for a peaceful resolution. If they were all Inquisitors, I¡¯d have almost no chance. I was hoping for the former.


    Giving the sky a thumbs up, I emerged from the hole in the ground.


    ¡°I seem to owe you an apology,¡± the Dominion said as she laid eyes on me. ¡°Brother Glaraphel, you certainly did find yourself at odds with a Nephilim.¡±


    ¡°Technically, my race says Half-Angel,¡± I offered, raising my hand in greeting. ¡°I asked if¡ª¡±


    Glaraphel took a step forward, raising his sword. ¡°You do not get to speak in the presence of the¡ª¡±


    The Dominion stopped the Power with a raise of her hand, and I met her eyes. There was an angular quality to her face that was as far from Sara as you could get, but the orange pupils reminded me of hers. The Angel gestured for me to keep speaking.


    This was already a better start than the last time, and I did as I was told. ¡°I asked why it didn¡¯t say Nephilim but never received a response. From the way I¡¯ve been attacked and subsequently tracked down, I¡¯d say I think I know why.¡±


    ¡°Because it is heresy,¡± the Dominion replied, her voice firm as if she was reading the truth straight from a textbook. ¡°Not only that, but I am led to believe that you fight as though you have had extensive experience killing Angels. Is this true?¡±


    That question made me frown, and I did everything I could to maintain a neutral pose. ¡°While accurate, I wouldn¡¯t call that entirely fair.¡±


    She arched an eyebrow as she rolled the golden ball of light between her fingers. ¡°Tell me why.¡±


    ¡°Because I have extensive experience fighting everything, to narrow it down to just Angels takes away from the wide breadth of knowledge that I have.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re trying to convince me that you¡¯ve fought so many enemies that you just so happen to be an expert in fighting Angels?¡± she asked, tilting her head.


    I pursed my lips in a thin smile. ¡°While also accurate, I wouldn¡¯t call that entirely fair either,¡± I responded. ¡°On account of now you¡¯re lumping enemies and Angels together. Can¡¯t say I see any of you as enemies, except for one.¡±


    ¡°Tell me who,¡± she demanded, not raising her voice.


    ¡°Arontalscion.¡±


    The atmosphere suddenly became warmer as the Dominion¡¯s soulfire hair became brighter. Snow began to melt around her. ¡°You had better choose your next words carefully, Nephilim,¡± she warned. ¡°Invoking the Fallen¡¯s name should not be done lightly.¡±


    ¡°Trust me, I¡¯m not taking this situation lightly,¡± I replied, slowly holding up my hands in a placating manner. ¡°I would like to thank you for speaking with me for so long. When I first met Glaraphel, I tried to explain myself to him and got pulled through a train window for my trouble. First, he wanted to take me away. When I didn¡¯t comply, which I think was understandable, he told me that abominations get death, not answers. Didn¡¯t even take the draw like I offered.¡±


    The Dominion turned to look at Glaraphel, and he stood straighter. ¡°Inquisitors don¡¯t back down,¡± he said proudly.


    ¡°No, they do not,¡± she agreed.


    ¡°Which is why we should handle him now,¡± Glaraphel continued. ¡°He is clearly dangerous, and you have seen how these players are. They get more powerful by the hour. This Nephilim is no different.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m very different,¡± I scoffed indignantly. ¡°Though, if I can get some answers this time, what exactly are you here for? I don¡¯t want to fight, but I¡¯m confused as to why I haven¡¯t been attacked yet.¡±


    Turning to face me, the Dominion looked down on me again. ¡°I am not an Inquisitor. I am here to seek facts and make a judgment based on those facts.¡±


    ¡°Ah, a Judge of the Crusaders, then,¡± I said, smiling. That was very good news for me. Judges only cared about facts, and I felt as though those were in my favor.


    ¡°You know of our army?¡± she asked curiously.


    ¡°Stationed up in Canada, yeah,¡± I confirmed. ¡°Haven¡¯t been there, but I know enough. The Seraphim Malphazarin is leading the efforts, getting ready for when the Demon Lord of Potential and his cohorts finally break out of their barrier.¡±


    ¡°You know of Seraphims and Demon Lords,¡± the Dominion replied, narrowing her eyes. Her hair, however, finally dimmed. ¡°Who are you?¡±


    ¡°Anthony Franklin, and yourself?¡±


    It appeared as though Glaraphel was about to speak again, but she already knew that. Another gesture, and he took two steps back, ending up behind the Virtues. At the very least, he could take an order.


    ¡°I am the Dominion, Tarleann,¡± she answered. That wasn¡¯t a name I had heard of before, but I wasn¡¯t surprised; there were a lot of Angels out there. ¡°How do you know such things?¡±


    ¡°If I say another name you don¡¯t like, are you going to attack me?¡± I asked, crossing my arms. ¡°Because I tried to drop another name before and it didn¡¯t go over well. I¡¯ll admit that I should have pushed harder for peace with Glaraphel but, in my defense, he chose violence every time.¡±


    Tarleann shook her head. ¡°I assure you, player Anthony Franklin, we will only attack after judgment is rendered, and only if it is necessary.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll take you at your word, then,¡± I said cheerfully. Glancing up at the sky for a second, I looked back down at the Dominion and raised my left hand, pointing at my ring with my right. ¡°I am the Avatar of the Angel of the End, Esaraphelscion.¡±


    ¡°Blasphemy,¡± one of the Virtues said.


    ¡°The Nephilim should not have the name of the Highest Sister on his tongue,¡± the other added.


    I hadn¡¯t heard the term Highest Sister before, either. This was becoming a very fruitful conversation even if it did end in violence. It was starting to look like I would complete my quest, however.


    Tarleann didn¡¯t stop their words, but looked down in thought. She had stopped moving the ball of golden light in her hand, and I knew she was taking it seriously. I did know to trust her word that she wouldn¡¯t attack without warning, though, so I waited.


    ¡°You have been in Hell,¡± she finally said. Her eyes had lifted and were now looking into mine with a rarely seen intensity.


    ¡°I have.¡±


    ¡°You went on a rampage,¡± she continued matter-of-factly.


    ¡°I did.¡±


    ¡°You stole the Armor of the End.¡±


    ¡°Absolutely not,¡± I immediately denied.


    ¡°The Highest Sister¡¯s holy radiance was detected in Hell,¡± the first Virtue said.


    ¡°If you went on a rampage in Hell, then you must have stolen her armor,¡± the other added.


    ¡°It was freely given,¡± I corrected. ¡°Though I assume you can¡¯t just pop up there and ask.¡±


    ¡°There is nowhere to pop to,¡± Tarleann said, using my terms. ¡°There is only your word.¡±


    I nodded. ¡°My word and my gear. I am her Avatar and she is my Patron. She granted me her power to do her work while she is trapped in the Halls of the End. She did that with this ring, Esaraphelscion¡¯s Love, which turned me into a Half-Angel. Specifically a Half-Angel. It also gave me the ability to feed my soulfire with permanent Demon deaths and allowed me to wear the Armor of the End. In addition, she also purified the Demon Lord of Invention¡¯s scalpel for me after I killed his vessel a while ago. Feel it for yourself.¡±


    With a flourish, I retrieved the Scalpel of Angelic Healing from In The Palm. Lifting it out of my hand, I gently Pushed it towards Tarleann. She gingerly plucked it out of the air with her free hand and brought it up to her eyes.


    I could sense Glaraphel¡¯s shame rising in his aura. Before, there had been righteous anger that could only come from an Inquisitor, but now he was learning there was more to the situation. That had to be hard for him.


    ¡°I agree, our Highest Sister did purify this,¡± Tarleann admitted. She held up the scalpel in her hand and I Pulled it back to me. ¡°Interesting trick.¡±


    ¡°Thanks, I¡¯ve been working at it for a while,¡± I said. Once the weapon was back in its extradimensional space, I looked up at the Dominion. ¡°So, what now?¡±


    ¡°The laws of Heaven state that no Nephilim is allowed to walk on Earth,¡± she answered. ¡°We cannot allow a hybrid of a Fallen Angel and human to go free. Whether they call themselves a Half-Angel or not has never factored into that decision before.¡±


    ¡°I think I may have one more thing that may factor into your judgment,¡± I replied. ¡°But, you have to promise me that none of you will attack out of instinct or anything of the sort.¡±


    ¡°An odd request, considering I already told you that we would not attack before rendering judgment,¡± she remarked.


    ¡°It¡¯s an odd factor,¡± I retorted.


    Tarleann took another moment to think. ¡°Very well, whatever you do next, we will not immediately count it as a hostile action.¡±


    ¡°Thank you,¡± I said graciously. ¡°Nephilim, Half-Angel, it sounds like it doesn¡¯t mean much to you. However, it also sounds like there¡¯s room where a distinction can be made between the two. If I were the first, then I need to be taken away or killed, correct?¡±


    ¡°That is the way things should be,¡± Tarleann confirmed.


    ¡°According to you, yes. If I¡¯m labeled as a Half-Angel, then I get to go on my merry way, killing Demons, helping people, putting good out in the world. Do Esaraphelscion¡¯s work. If I¡¯m a Nephilim, then I can no longer do things like this.¡±


    ¡°Like what?¡± she asked as I raised my hand.


    The corpse of the Demon Lord of Invention, Pustibule, fell to the ground. Demonic energy immediately spread out from it, overtaking the Angels. They took a step back, readying their weapons. Thunder shook the earth as the clouds suddenly became more active.


    Even in death, the might of a Demon Lord was powerful.


    The wind became more turbulent as Tarleann took a step forward. She held her glowing ball of light over the corpse, and a beam shot down to envelop it. Her eyes flashed gold as she received information, and she brought her free hand up to gasp. That was the most expression I had seen from her, and I tried to hide my smug smile.


    ¡°We had received information that a Demon Lord had been slain in Hell, but it had been covered up. We had no hard evidence,¡± she said, bringing her hand from her mouth to her chest as if trying to calm her heart. ¡°Esaraphelscion did this?¡±


    ¡°I did this with her help,¡± I gently corrected. ¡°And I don¡¯t plan on stopping with just Pustibule. Zalzarog has a hit out on me specifically. Well. I assume that¡¯s been picked back up now that the Demon Lord doesn¡¯t have dibs. It doesn¡¯t stop at Zalzarog. All the Demon Lords will fear my name, and the Emperor will fall at my feet.¡±


    Tarleann began studying me as if I was something interesting that she had seen for the first time rather than something to be judged and handled. Not willing to let the Demonic energy start to permanently change the area, I pulled the corpse back into my inventory. Everything started going back to normal aside from the rotten stench in the air.


    ¡°So you have two options,¡± I continued. ¡°You can label me a Nephilim. Try to take me back or kill me here, if you can. The four of you together might have a shot at that. Or, you can call me a Half-Angel. First of my kind, and I continue doing the work of the Highest Sister.¡±


    ¡°May I see your ring?¡± Tarleann asked suddenly.


    I glanced up at the sky to make sure it was okay.


    <<<>>>


    [[Patron Message]]


    Yes.


    <<<>>>


    Without further hesitation, I took it off and walked up to her. The other three Angels hadn¡¯t relaxed yet, but none tried to stop me. I held the ring up to Tarleann, and she took it.


    Holding it gingerly in her hand, she looked through it. ¡°So much holy energy,¡± she whispered. ¡°This should be a relic in its own right.¡±


    ¡°And it¡¯s only going to get more powerful,¡± I said. From my inventory, I retrieved Glaraphel¡¯s halo and tossed it back to him. He snatched it from the air, staring, and I could see his dumbfounded face through his helmet thanks to my aura. ¡°I could have fed that to it, you know. Gained the power of a¡­ Power¡¯s halo, but that wasn¡¯t the right way to do things.¡±


    ¡°It wouldn¡¯t have been,¡± Tarleann agreed. She raised her ball of light to her own halo and ran it along the rim. She did it at the same speed that Sara had when she first gave me the ring, and I watched with interest. ¡°I have come to a decision. I hereby decree that player Anthony Franklin, herald and Avatar of the Highest Sister, first of the Half-Angels, is no enemy of ours. All who bear the wings of Heaven shall know this to be true, and none below me shall argue. This, I have decreed.¡±


    ¡°It has been decreed,¡± the two Virtues repeated in unison.


    ¡°It has been decreed,¡± Glaraphel echoed in a voice that made me think he was about to hang his head, but he continued to stand proud.


    <<<>>>


    [[Patron Quest Complete!]]


    Oh, sweet bountiful Eden, I was really worried there.


    Thank you for this, Anthony. I know I wasn¡¯t much help, but I just couldn¡¯t bear to watch this fight if it played out that way. I¡¯m glad everyone is okay.


    Reward: 15,000 points.


    <<<>>>


    I snapped away the message. Seeing how much she offered me, I could absolutely believe that she couldn¡¯t watch me fight Angels even if she wanted to.


    While I was distracted, a second halo came out of the Tarleann¡¯s. She gently placed it against Esaraphelscion¡¯s Love. The ring sucked it in, glowing white for a moment before returning to its golden sheen.


    ¡°I am not sure what this does, but it felt right that I do it,¡± she said before handing it back.


    I took it and placed it back on my ring finger. Being without it had felt strangely lonely, as if I wasn¡¯t complete without it, and I wondered how sentimental about the ring I really was.


    Regardless, it was a powerful tool that I shouldn¡¯t be taking lightly. Of course I was attached to it.


    ¡°Thank you, Tarleann,¡± I said with a bow. ¡°If it¡¯s not too much, I¡¯ll be off now. I have many places to go and not a lot of time.¡±


    The Dominion smiled gently on me. ¡°Just one more thing, Avatar Anthony Franklin,¡± she said, turning to Glaraphel. ¡°I have one more gift to give you. Glaraphel, as the one who found the first Half-Angel, you must accompany him and keep him safe. This, I have decreed.¡±


    My attention shifted from her to the Power as he came forward, each step resigned as he continued to hold his halo in his hands. ¡°As you have decreed, Sister Tarleann.¡±


    ¡°Absolutely not,¡± I said, shaking my head. ¡°I don¡¯t need a babysitter.¡±


    ¡°Not a babysitter, a bodyguard,¡± the Dominion replied before bringing her hand to her chin. ¡°But if you feel strongly about it, let us negotiate.¡±


    I sighed. ¡°Fantastic.¡±

 Chapter 211

    Public train en route to Flagstaff, Arizona - 10:13 AM, two days later


    The path from Hanford to Sedona was a long one. I had to trek to Pasco to get on the first train to Portland. From there, I had over a day¡¯s trip to Los Angeles. Not willing to risk running into any more celestial creatures in the City of Angels, I didn¡¯t leave the station. This final train would put me at Flagstaff, leaving me with a thirty-mile hike to Sedona.


    It wasn¡¯t terrible. I had a lot of letters to write and more of the manual to complete. My expectation was to stay with the group after reuniting with them in Jamestown, but things were changing and I wanted to be prepared. I received quests from Sara to get as many of them done as possible. They weren¡¯t big point items, but every little bit helped.


    Best of all, I didn¡¯t have to bring Glaraphel with me.


    Tarleann had wanted to send him to protect me as penance for blindly attacking me back in Cleveland. I had to get very firm with her very quickly because, as a Judge of the Crusades, she wasn¡¯t used to taking no for an answer. Once she understood how strongly I felt about it, I was given a different gift: Glaraphel¡¯s halo.


    The item¡¯s description had changed from Enochian to English and was different from what I had assumed it was before. It allowed me to summon him if I needed help doing anything. This was far more preferable to letting an Inquisitor of all things tag along with me. Having a Power at my beck and call wasn¡¯t a bad deal in the slightest. He was also repentant about his actions now that Tarleann had passed judgment.


    Not that his repentance meant anything to me; he had just been doing his job.


    Taking a breath, I leaned back and looked at the stacks of letters on my table. With not much else to do but chat with Sara, I had been burning through them. Over two hundred sat there, neatly folded, because I enjoyed seeing the fruits of my labor. I closed my eyes for a moment, tilting my head upwards to rest.


    When I opened them, there was a text box in front of me.


    <<<>>>


    [[Patron Message]]


    You look like you¡¯re getting bored. How about a change of pace?


    <<<>>>


    I smiled. ¡°What do you have in mind, love?¡±


    <<<>>>


    [[Patron Quest: Tell Me The Plan!]]


    It¡¯s already noon. You haven¡¯t had a chance to gain points today, and I¡¯m feeling nostalgic. I love it when you talk to me about the future and hash out your plan. Back in the Patron Car, you mostly talked about what you would need for the device, but you threw in random places that I think I¡¯ve only heard you mention once or twice.


    Why don¡¯t you tell me about your route from right here all the way to when you¡¯re whisked off to Dublin?


    Objective: Lay out the plan.


    Reward: 2,000 points.


    <<<>>>


    ¡°Two grand for just telling you my secrets, that¡¯s not bad,¡± I said with a low whistle. ¡°I¡¯m going to assume that it¡¯s because you want to prepare rewards for my quests? I haven¡¯t received any of Pustibule¡¯s purified gear, you know. Other than the scalpel.¡±


    <<<>>>


    [[Patron Message]]


    Of course I want to reward you for doing well, but most of the things I purified from Pustibule have already been doled out. I¡¯m sorry if that disappoints you, but they were mostly useful for people with crafting classes. Bethany received two of the flasks for brewing and Ashley received the hammer. The rest are still being purified. It takes time.


    I do think you¡¯ll enjoy the water cutter and rotary saw once I¡¯m done with them, though. Most of the others are situational weapons like the scalpel, but these can be used as weapons whenever you like.


    Here¡¯s a hint: the cutter is going to shoot holy water once I¡¯m done with it.


    <<<>>>


    I considered that for a moment before nodding. It certainly made sense that items belonging to the Demon Lord of Invention would be useful for the workshop. If they helped Ash and Bethany make better items faster, then I had absolutely no complaints about not getting to swing that hammer around whatsoever.


    The rotary saw called to me more, anyway, especially since I had passed off Chainsawface.


    Smiling just thinking about it, I focused on her quest. ¡°Alright, so you want to know what comes next. I can do that.¡±


    Glancing outside, I watched as the desert passed by the window. I was only a couple of hours out of Los Angeles in a place where the greenery was sparse and the sand and rocks were abundant. While some might have thought it bleak, I didn¡¯t mind it. This was nature, after all, and it was a nice change of pace from the snow.


    ¡°Sedona is an easygoing, spiritual place,¡± I said after a few moments of contemplation. ¡°One of healing and rest thanks to what the people called vortexes. They¡¯ve been heavily speculated on for years. I think the consensus from scientists was something about electromagnetic fields, but the people living there forgot about all that when they became absolutely, one hundred percent real. Whether they were real before the system or some kind of mumbo jumbo doesn¡¯t matter anymore. Right now, they¡¯re something everyone witnesses.


    ¡°The entirety of Sedona is a safe zone that absolutely thrums with psychic power,¡± I continued, Lifting the top letter off of the stack as if it would help me make my point. ¡°There¡¯s something in the air that people feel that causes transformations of the mind and soul. For the better, of course. Person to person, there are more psychic and spiritual classes in Sedona than anywhere else in the United States. Most of them are healers and it¡¯s easy to find a specialist for whatever you need.¡±


    <<<>>>


    [[Patron Message]]


    It sounds like a magical place. If it¡¯s so powerful, how come it¡¯s not on your regular route even though it¡¯s got so much in common with you?


    <<<>>>


    ¡°It¡¯s not for me,¡± I said with a smile. ¡°Like I said, it¡¯s an easygoing place. The vibes there literally calm the people down. There¡¯s still problems, sure, but there¡¯s nothing that can¡¯t be worked through. I¡¯m a fighter. I go to places to kill things that other people are going to struggle with, grab the MVP, and move on to the next one. Sedona never moves past its first scenario.¡±


    <<<>>>


    [[Patron Message]]


    How come? I find it hard to believe the administrator would just let so many people live there without issue.


    <<<>>>


    ¡°And, under normal circumstances, you¡¯d be right,¡± I replied. ¡°But this isn¡¯t someplace normal, it¡¯s Sedona. An administrator called Dipper runs it. She reaches out to Patrons whose Avatar had been wounded in some way, offering them a place to rest, heal, and relax from the burdens of the system. They¡¯ll come out of it with a new lease on life and a load of buffs in the tank, ready to take on whatever challenge they have next.¡±


    <<<>>>


    [[Patron Message]]


    So it¡¯s¡­ basically a resort? And this Dipper is pandering to the Patrons who care enough about their Avatars to spend an extravagant amount of money to heal them.A case of content theft: this narrative is not rightfully on Amazon; if you spot it, report the violation.


    As one of those Patrons who would do such a thing, that doesn¡¯t sound too bad. What¡¯s the catch?


    <<<>>>


    ¡°That¡¯s my woman, asking the hard questions,¡± I said with a grin and a wink. ¡°The other side of the coin is that Sedona can also be really dangerous. Psychic enemies are harder to deal with than most others, like ghosts. On top of that, there¡¯s a lot of cracks to other dimensions where things from the beyond just¡­ wander in. If the first scenario is breached, the safe zone becomes much, much smaller. Almost everyone dies. Since I don¡¯t usually need healing and I don¡¯t want the MVP so badly that I would send an entire city¡¯s worth of people to their death, I avoid it.¡±


    <<<>>>


    [[Patron Message]]


    But it¡¯s got something you want now.


    <<<>>>


    ¡°It¡¯s on the way,¡± I replied with a shrug. ¡°I wanted to hit the Mall of America for the Copy Equipment scroll, which a person can use to gain copies of whatever another person is wearing. There¡¯s another Warmind there who is absolutely terrible at the job. Like, can¡¯t Lift a watch to save his life. He just can¡¯t envision it in his head, right? But I have something that can get rid of his class so he can choose another one.¡±


    <<<>>>


    [[Patron Message]]


    You still have an unused Medallion of Uuska, right?


    Let me guess. The Copy Equipment scroll isn¡¯t for you, but for him. You want him to have the same stuff as you so that you can go to one of these dimensional breaches outside of the safe zone and hunt for the Cowl. Is that right?


    <<<>>>


    I gave my girlfriend a thumbs up and a big smile. ¡°Got it in one, love,¡± I said enthusiastically. ¡°Psychic place, two Warminds, and a mental boss monster. It¡¯s a great way to force another piece of the Warmongering Mystic set to drop. Plus, I¡¯m going to pick something up that will help me defeat the Doppelganger before we get to Virginia. But we¡¯ll get there in a moment.¡±


    Releasing a breath, I stood up and stretched. My muscles didn¡¯t really get stiff from sitting still too long thanks to the system enhancing stats, but it felt good to move around.


    ¡°Find the Warmind, negotiate for his help with a dimensional breach, get a hat and a skill and an item for later,¡± I said. ¡°Hop back on the train, because we¡¯re going to Los Alamos.¡±


    <<<>>>


    [[Patron Message]]


    Which is the place where the nationwide Manhattan Project scenario starts off. We¡¯re not going to see that if your new plan works out, if I¡¯m remembering correctly.


    <<<>>>


    ¡°You are remembering correctly,¡± I confirmed. ¡°That idiotic scenario shows up around ten months after the system appears. Los Alamos should be on its third scenario and everyone would have evacuated right now on account of the lizard.¡±


    Once I felt I had stretched enough, I laid on the bed and kicked my feet up, staring at the ceiling. ¡°Big as a school, radiation spilling out of it everywhere, and really, really mean. Which is standard at this point,¡± I said with a slight shake of my head. ¡°The radiation part is what gets the people, though. They know the boss is hidden somewhere, but before they find it hiding underground they¡¯re forced out. Just staying within city limits is enough to keep taking damage constantly.¡±


    <<<>>>


    [[Patron Message]]


    That sounds terrible! Those poor people. Will the radiation damage be enough to make it through Heavenly Hero¡¯s healing?


    <<<>>>


    ¡°Alone? Yes. With the Staff of Raphael? No,¡± I responded, raising my hand up and summoning the staff. ¡°Once I get it to emerge, I do my thing and start harvesting. Just like the Omega Colossus, I need its heart, but getting it is going to be a lot grosser considering it¡¯s a living creature. And, as if that wasn¡¯t enough, I have to be quick about it. It loses a lot of its potency very quickly, and I need it to remain radioactive for the Dealer¡¯s device. There are other places in the world similar, but they¡¯re all a long, long way out of our path.¡±


    Sending the staff back to my inventory, I cracked my knuckles and ran my fingers through my hair. ¡°It¡¯ll be good, though, giving the people something to come back to. Its skill book is also really handy. It¡¯s an aura that, unlike Tyrant¡¯s Will and Peacekeeper¡¯s Will, actually deals damage. A good chunk of it, too, based on Constitution. It¡¯s dangerous in groups because there¡¯s no picking and choosing. Everything around you takes the damage.¡±


    <<<>>>


    [[Patron Message]]


    It sounds powerful at least. You seem to be fighting more and more titans lately. From the Merger Mannequin to the Omega Colossus, and now this oversized radioactive lizard. Before that was the Accumulator of Bones.


    Not that that¡¯s a bad thing or anything. It¡¯s just something I noticed. I almost wished they were worth more when it came to your items.


    <<<>>>


    ¡°You and me both, Sara,¡± I chuckled. ¡°Having something so large be worth multiple bosses would be amazing. It would also be fair, though, which is where the problem comes in. The administrators want people thinking they¡¯re fair, but they¡¯re anything but. Anyway, Los Alamos, lizard, take its heart before radiation decay makes it useless to me. Not easy, but I¡¯ll make do with what I have. If one of those things happens to be a rotary saw or water cutter, then so be it.¡±


    I glanced upwards at the sky and waggled my eyebrows, being incredibly subtle with my hint.


    <<<>>>


    [[Patron Message]]


    You¡¯ll get them when you get them, Anthony Franklin, and not a moment sooner. So don¡¯t think about rushing me; it won¡¯t do you any good.


    <<<>>>


    ¡°I¡¯d settle for another picture in the meantime,¡± I offered.


    <<<>>>


    [[Patron Message]]


    ¡­ Well, maybe I can speed up just a little.


    We¡¯ll see.


    <<<>>>


    ¡°Wow,¡± I laughed. ¡°Alright, I see how it is. You do you, Sara. I¡¯m happy with points, pictures, items, whatever. Nothing you do will disappoint me.¡±


    There was no response to that, but I was being honest. I know I had told her many times how great it was having her around. Not even very deep down, I was glad that she insisted she come with me on this trip. Her presence was soothing.


    ¡°I¡¯ll stop teasing you now, but only because we have one more stop before Jamestown,¡± I said.


    <<<>>>


    [[Patron Message]]


    You don¡¯t have to stop teasing me, but okay. What¡¯s the final stop?


    <<<>>>


    I gave the ceiling a thin smile. ¡°The Doppelganger,¡± I said. ¡°It¡¯ll take my form, gain my stats, abilities, skills, passives, memories, tactics; everything it needs to be the best version of me it can be. I¡¯ve never beaten it in a fair fight, so I have a plan, but¡­¡±


    Looking away, I stared off into the distance. ¡°Like I told the guild, don¡¯t get too excited about it. It¡¯s not what you think it¡¯s going to be. I might even ask you not to watch. Haven¡¯t decided yet.¡±


    Sara¡¯s response was delayed, but it did come.


    <<<>>>


    [[Patron Message]]


    Okay, I can see that there¡¯s something going on with the Doppelganger that isn¡¯t going to be pleasant for you. I promise that I won¡¯t watch if you don¡¯t want me to. Based on what you said, I imagine it¡¯s not something you get into often.


    Whatever happens, just know this: I¡¯m here for you, Ant, and I love you.


    <<<>>>


    Nodding, I forced a smile. ¡°Thanks, Sara, I love you, too,¡± I said, feeling better just seeing her say those words.


    I¡¯m too old to be this sentimental, I thought to myself. Then I took that thought and squashed it. I was allowed to be what I was.


    ¡°Jamestown is the last bit before Dublin. That¡¯s where I¡¯ll meet up with the others, and I¡¯ll be joining a war. The United States of America versus Atlantis. Not the one in Ostwriter¡¯s story,¡± I said firmly, holding a finger up towards the sky. ¡°And I hate that I have to think about it whenever I go to this part.


    ¡°Atlantis, not Atlanta, is invading the east coast soon from Massachusetts to South Carolina. They approach Jamestown first, pushing the coastline back miles to do so. I think it¡¯s because it¡¯s the first permanent settlement we had in the US and the administrators are big on that kind of thing.¡±


    <<<>>>


    [[Patron Message]]


    They do like taking from anything they can get their hands on, don¡¯t they? History, mythology, folklore, tales of all sorts.


    Taking from religion is the biggest reason why I¡¯m stuck here in the Hall of the End, being what I am.


    <<<>>>


    I blinked at that. Thinking back, I realized that I had never heard Sara say anything negative about what she was other than it trapped her in the Hall.


    ¡°Is that something you want to talk about?¡± I asked, genuinely interested and a little concerned.


    <<<>>>


    [[Patron Message]]


    Not at the moment, but I appreciate you, Ant. I saw the surprise on your face the moment you read my message. It doesn¡¯t mean much at all, really.


    I¡¯m happy with what I am, even if the circumstances of my creation aren¡¯t ideal. Believe me, it¡¯s something I¡¯ve had time to come to terms with, thanks to you.


    Please, continue.


    <<<>>>


    ¡°Well, always happy to help,¡± I said. ¡°There¡¯s not much more to say, though. We help defend Jamestown and beat back the invaders. They don¡¯t disappear, there¡¯s still a whole country under the sea full of conquerors, but they think twice about coming after America. If the Dealer¡¯s plan doesn¡¯t work, then we¡¯ll make it to the point where we beat them back enough to make them sign a tenuous peace treaty. Then, we can go to Atlantis and find whole new quests and scenarios.


    ¡°And that¡¯s it. Was that enough to slake your thirst for nostalgia?¡± I asked.


    <<<>>>


    [[Patron Quest Complete!]]


    I¡¯ll admit, I miss being with you while it happens, but yes. My nostalgia has been satisfied.


    Plus, now I know more about your future. Hopefully it helped work out some things for you, too?


    Reward: 2,000 points.


    <<<>>>


    ¡°Yeah, it did. These talks have always helped,¡± I told the ceiling. ¡°Just because I have it in my head doesn¡¯t mean that I¡¯ve got the plan all solidified in there with it. They¡¯re mostly bullet points as I fly by the seat of my pants. This helps.¡±


    <<<>>>


    [[Patron Message]]


    Then I¡¯m happy to be of service, honey.


    Now, that¡¯s probably enough of a break. You still have hours to go but the grind never stops. Those letters won¡¯t write themselves.


    <<<>>>


    ¡°Truer words have rarely ever been spoken,¡± I agreed, nodding as I stood up. Heading back to the table, I got to work. Things were going to be very busy once I made it to Sedona.

 Chapter 212

    Sedona, Arizona - 5:37 PM


    The highway from Flagstaff to Sedona was full of monsters just like other long-distance travel quests that involved getting from one place to another as fast as possible. None of the beasts were as fast as I was, though; from lizards to sentient dust devils to cacti that shot spikes at travelers on the road, nothing could keep up with me on my Heelies. There were roaming bosses that took the form of roadrunners in this region of the United States, but none graced me with their presence today.


    By the time the landscape started to turn to the rusty red that Sedona was known for, I could feel the city¡¯s draw in the back of my mind. There was something else here, spinning slowly through the air. Not physically, but mentally. I could feel the hair on the back of my neck raise from the sensation.


    It made me scowl.


    ¡°Sedona feels different,¡± I announced. ¡°Not nearly as strong as it should have been. Something bad has happened here.¡±


    <<<>>>


    [[Patron Quest: Sedona Blues!]]


    I was wondering when you¡¯d feel it, Anthony.


    There are a couple of Patrons here, and none of them feel like talking to me. One thing is for certain, though, this is not the paradisaical resort you made it out to be.


    The first scenario is complete. The four major psychic vortexes have been rendered inoperable with the defeat of the bosses guarding them, leaving Sedona to the whims of the administrator. The second scenario hasn¡¯t started yet, but there¡¯s no guarantee it won¡¯t be soon.


    Find out what happened here. Hopefully, it¡¯s not as bad as we both think it is.


    Objective: Uncover the secret of what happened in Sedona.


    Reward: 7,500 points.


    <<<>>>


    Her last line resonated with me. Sedona was so far from where I had been changing history that I doubted it could have been affected by anything I did specifically. It was statistically improbable. There was only one thing in my mind that could have altered the course of the city, though, and I didn¡¯t want to say it out loud.


    Taking a breath, I got my expression back under control and continued down the highway. It would only be a few minutes before I got there, so there was no use being upset. A lot of reasons to be, but no use.


    ¡°Maybe I just need to stop telling you about the future,¡± I joked, trying to lift the mood in the face of something new. ¡°Seems like a lot of things I tell you about go wrong.¡±


    <<<>>>


    [[Patron Message]]


    I hardly think that¡¯s my fault. You¡¯ve already changed so much in this run; it would be absurd to think that things wouldn¡¯t have far reaching consequences.


    Though, I doubt this is what you were thinking. What did the scenario bosses drop here?


    <<<>>>


    Despite fixing my expression, my face soured again when I saw her question. ¡°As a Warmind, they¡¯d have the possibility to drop Warmongering Mystic pieces, of course, and stuff like Mental Juggernaut. You know, things useful to psychics in general.¡±


    I worked my jaw as I entered the city. The first thing I came across was a roundabout with a destroyed sculpture in the middle that was usually in one piece. As if I needed the reminder that something was wrong.


    <<<>>>


    [[Race Complete!]]


    You have set a new record! +100 points.


    1st place: Anthony Franklin 47.57


    2nd place: Antonio Luna 1.23.12


    3rd place: Lucy Castillo 2.12.33


    Welcome to Sedona!


    <<<>>>


    Swiping away the text box, I checked the buildings around me. The four biggest vortexes were Cathedral Rock, Bell Rock, Boynton Canyon, and Airport Mesa. Two of them were south of the city, one was to the north, and the last was situated, as the name suggested, near the airport. I paid particular attention as I wheeled down the street.


    The further into Sedona I got, the more I understood what had happened here. The north side of the city had more fighting than the south, telling me that whoever did this took out Boynton Canyon¡¯s boss first, shaving off a good portion of the city-wide safe zone. Coming from the train, it would have taken some hiking but that really wasn¡¯t a problem for anyone with access to the system anymore.


    On a whim, I started heading south when the road split instead of heading straight for the current safe zone, which was at the airport. There were few monsters around, mostly mutated coyotes and other scavengers. None of them were worth many points since they were the system¡¯s cleanup crew for this area, and I left them alone.


    By the time I passed Mammoth Rock, I was starting to see where battles had taken place. It wasn¡¯t as bad as it was up north, but still notable. That clinched it for me; whoever did this knew what they were doing. They started from the north and swept around the city to the Bell and Cathedral Rock bosses.


    I slowed down and crossed my arms. Doing it that way would have lowered the number of people who died in the process and given them some warning. If they had started from the south and headed north, people would have been more surprised by the sudden disappearance of the safe zone, thus leading to more deaths.


    <<<>>>


    [[Patron Message]]


    I¡¯m giving you a lot of time to answer, but I can¡¯t help but notice that you stopped halfway. It stands to reason that whoever did this probably didn¡¯t have a psychic class. What would they get instead?


    <<<>>>


    I scratched my head as I picked up my pace. ¡°Psychic resistance,¡± I answered solemnly. ¡°25% resistance to all psychic damage and an increased chance to shrug off mental attacks. So, yeah, it¡¯s basically confirmed that the Fallen sent his pet here to prepare for a showdown with me.¡±This story has been stolen from Royal Road. If you read it on Amazon, please report it


    <<<>>>


    [[Patron Message]]


    I absolutely despise that. But, I suppose it¡¯s a weight off of my mind that they¡¯re over here and not where the guild is. I have been worrying about that.


    <<<>>>


    ¡°They¡¯d be fine regardless. They¡¯re scrappers. I still stand by my reasoning that they¡¯d be able to take on anyone who¡¯s not me,¡± I assured her before altering my course to head back to the airport. ¡°Aaron obviously has some knowledge of what I¡¯m going to do or have done. He used the ¡®I¡¯m not a prude¡¯ line on me, which means he could at least hear us in the Hall of the End. Don¡¯t like that one bit, but I think following the Dealer¡¯s plan is going to throw things off course.¡±


    My mind wandered as I connected some dots, and I slowed down to a stop. ¡°We¡¯re going to meet in Dublin,¡± I realized, looking up at the sky. ¡°Depending on whatever state this person comes from, there¡¯s a very real chance that they¡¯re going to have enough MVPs to join in. Unlike the Irish, we Americans aren¡¯t in any real danger during the event. If we die, we pop out because almost all of us will have Patrons and pissing them off is bad for the administrators. That¡¯s going to be where our first fight takes place. Like a test to see how far they need to go.¡±


    <<<>>>


    [[Patron Message]]


    That makes sense to me. It might be worth it to challenge you early.


    I¡¯ve been looking around and there¡¯s a few teams here and there, but it looks like everyone¡¯s back at the airport safe zone. Seems as though there¡¯s going to be a town hall of sorts going on. It sounds like they¡¯re trying to decide what to do now that the vortex bosses are gone.


    <<<>>>


    ¡°I agree. From his perspective, it¡¯d be worth it to see if whoever they choose will measure up to me eventually, and if it doesn¡¯t seem like it¡¯s going to work out then there¡¯s still plenty of time to get a replacement,¡± I said before getting back on my wheels. The thought of a town hall meeting in the aftermath of the scenario intrigued me.


    Heading back up to Mammoth Rock, I went off road to cut across the rocky terrain to get to the safe zone. It really wasn¡¯t all that large, though it did take up the entirety of the small airport and runway. Just like the one back in Etson Square, there wasn¡¯t enough space for everyone to live comfortably.


    People with construction- and logistic-based classes were working on shelters for people both in and around the safe zone. Others who were armed to the teeth patrolled the area for monsters all the way out to the city. I knew that people were still hunkering down in their homes, but that wasn¡¯t very helpful against abstract psychic constructs. They needed a place to live that was closer to safety.


    Sliding down the hill, I started walking towards the brick airport terminal. The space in front of it seemed to be designated as some kind of city square, and it was one of the few places that hadn¡¯t been developed on. There were several shanties of varying sizes surrounding it with only a few feet in between to walk through.


    As Sara said, several people were gathering and entering the terminal. Based on the very threatening looking duo out front stopping some people from going inside, it looked like it was invite-only.


    I walked through the crowd and looked around. While I was interested in what was going on, I still needed to find the other Warmind in town. Fred Orenstein wasn¡¯t important enough to be invited to anything, much to his chagrin. He wanted to be, I knew, but was restricted by his class.


    Fred was the kind of guy who had always wanted to be a hero, but had little aptitude for it. In all honesty, he was a bumbling mess, and that was coming from someone who genuinely liked the guy. His choice to become a Warmind had started and ended with the thought that it sounded like it could make him something special, that it meant he could win fights against monsters.


    Once he found an item granting the class, he accepted it and bragged to anyone that would listen. As a Warmind, war was obviously what he was going to be good at. He trained for hours a day to get good at Push, Pull, and Lift, the first three abilities that required mental input from him.


    He could barely Lift a pocket watch.


    It wasn¡¯t an issue of Willpower. At first undeterred, he used Shield as protection and slayed enough monsters to increase his stats little by little. The issue was that he had no aptitude for telekinesis.


    Over the last few centuries, I had learned that no one became a Warmind naturally. The system simply never offered it. It could only be found via an item or defeated boss. There were a few like that, such as the Needle Lancer, so I hadn¡¯t really thought about what would happen if someone that wasn¡¯t compatible got a hold of it.


    That became a question and was answered immediately by Fred Orenstein, a man so incompatible with his class that he could barely operate it. I was here to ensure that I received another piece of the Warmongering Mystic set, but I was also here to remove his class for him. It was mutually beneficial, as it meant I had a Medallion of Uuska infused with the Warmind class.


    Heading away from the square, I wandered in the direction I normally found him. His shanty was just outside the safe zone.


    The overcrowding was bad enough that I left the area and went around. People were starting to give me dirty looks, but I ignored them. Given the psychic lean the classes here in Sedona took, more than a few had to feel my Absolute Awareness lingering around me. Unfortunately for them, I wasn¡¯t about to rein it in.


    Especially when I came across the shanty I was looking for and found it destroyed. I started ran to it, pushing through the crowd. The wood looked like it had been cut through with an axe with no regard for who might have been in it at the time. I tapped a man who was passing by on the shoulder.


    ¡°Do you know what happened here?¡± I asked loudly, pointing towards the destruction. The man glanced between me and the demolished shack as if he didn¡¯t understand the question, and his aura showed him as a little frightened.


    <<<>>>


    [[Patron Message]]


    Anthony, I think you need to modulate your tone a little bit. You have to remember that a good number of these people are psychic and empathetic. Try asking again, but nicely.


    <<<>>>


    I took a deep breath. That made sense, and I had been so surprised I didn¡¯t think about it. I looked the man in the eyes and activated my Peacekeeper¡¯s Will just in case. He visibly relaxed after that. ¡°What happened to Fred?¡±


    ¡°He¡¯s not with us anymore,¡± the man answered with a thick accent.


    I frowned. ¡°You have to know that can mean a lot of different things,¡± I complained. ¡°What happened?¡±


    He didn¡¯t answer, but his eyes shifted to focus behind me. There was nothing there according to Absolute Awareness except the gathered crowd, which began to part. The man knelt and, to my surprise, the other people in the crowd followed suit.


    ¡°He was murdered.¡±


    The strong voice came from behind where a woman was now standing. I turned, face to face with a person clad head to toe in oversized rust red robes. The eyes were the only thing I could see of her, and they were milky white. This wasn¡¯t something that happened before the system appeared, but after.


    ¡°The Red Oracle,¡± I said, crossing my arms. I wasn¡¯t used to being snuck up on. ¡°I wasn¡¯t expecting to cross your path today.¡±


    ¡°No, Anthony Franklin,¡± she said, holding her hand up to her mouth. ¡°You were expecting to find Fred, offer him a deal, and leave town, not unlike a whirlwind we recently had. I can see that about you. You don¡¯t like to sit still.¡±


    I let out an exasperated chuckle. Oracles and their vague, mysterious powers were generally something I tried to avoid. They saw, heard, and felt things that I would generally have wanted to remain hidden, and it was always random things with no rhyme or reason. An Oracle in Venice once offered me eggplant parmigiana because he thought I slighted him and had a vision of one of my least favorite foods.


    The Red Oracle was an important part of Sedona, but one that I didn¡¯t usually meet face to face. We never really had reason to cross paths, and she never tried to seek me out. The one time we spoke, she told me that I was dangerous and keeping me here longer only invited disaster.


    ¡°You do bring about disaster,¡± she said.


    ¡°Don¡¯t do that,¡± I warned with a shake of my head. ¡°The fact that you¡¯re here means you need something, and I don¡¯t need you doing all that.¡±


    She nodded quickly. ¡°Very well. I¡¯ll let you speak, and then I¡¯ll speak. I won¡¯t try to accelerate the conversation.¡±


    Frowning, I sighed. That was likely the best I was going to get. ¡°You said Fred was murdered?¡±


    ¡°Yes, by the same man who destroyed the vortex bosses,¡± she answered. Before I could get out my next question, she continued. ¡°I don''t know who he was because I never met him and I have to be near someone to see them, but this was his only interaction with anyone inside of the city. From eyewitness reports, he looked for Fred, found him, and then killed him before riding off west on a motorcycle. You missed him by only a couple of days.¡±


    ¡°Fuck,¡± I said before I could help it.


    ¡°Fuck, indeed,¡± she repeated. ¡°Do you know why he was murdered?¡±


    ¡°Probably for practice, the poor guy,¡± I sighed. Fighting a Warmind to train might have been a good idea if the one he stumbled upon wasn¡¯t Fred. Without looking away from her, I turned my attention back to the demolished shelter. Everything inside was looted, leaving only the wood. ¡°Do you have a description of who did this?¡±


    ¡°No. Something about him fogged the minds of the people he interacted with,¡± she said. ¡°We know that he wore black and rode a motorcycle, but only one of those things is really a defining factor.¡±


    I nodded and sighed. ¡°I don¡¯t plan on staying long. There¡¯s a chance that I might be able to do what I need to do, but it¡¯s a long shot. Do you know where his items are?¡±


    The Red Oracle nodded before I even finished my question. ¡°Yes, and I¡¯ll help you out if you help me out. Will you walk with me? I¡¯m late because I had to come and greet you.¡±


    ¡°You didn¡¯t have to,¡± I replied.


    ¡°I did,¡± she returned firmly. ¡°Will you?¡±


    Making my decision quickly, I nodded and walked up to her. ¡°Sure, if you can help me. Where are we going?¡±


    ¡°To speak with the other factions of Sedona,¡± the Red Oracle answered as she turned and started walking through the shanty town. People moved out of her way as she did, and I followed in her wake. ¡°I need your help convincing the others to leave the city. It¡¯s the only way we¡¯re going to survive the calamity the angered administrator will throw at us next.¡±

 Chapter 213

    Sedona Airport Terminal, Sedona, Arizona - 6:21 PM


    With the Red Oracle as an escort, I was allowed into the building where the town hall would be held. The guards out front looked ready to argue, but turned their heads instead. It was easy to tell that they weren¡¯t a part of the faction that knelt to her out there. She passed a note to one of them before we entered.


    As it turned out, she was just as unpopular with other strong individuals as she was with me.


    The room was set up with a black metal podium between a white board and rows of folding chairs. There were at least forty people in the room, and they all seemed wary of the Red Oracle and her newest friend. Not enough to do something about her, of course. She might have a way of ruffling feathers, but she was a net good for the people of Sedona all around despite her strange powers.


    ¡°Damnit, Louise, you can¡¯t keep showing up late to these things,¡± an armored man with a thick Mexican accent said the moment we stepped into the meeting room. He locked eyes with me from behind the podium and threw up his hands. ¡°And you can¡¯t keep bringing in strays to feed! If they don¡¯t have anything to say about what we¡¯re talking about, you leave them outside, you hear?¡±


    ¡°This man is my guest, Antonio, and will be treated with respect,¡± the Red Oracle¡ªLouise, apparently¡ªsaid firmly before pointing me in the direction of the food table. ¡°Feel free to have as much as you like, Mr. Franklin. It¡¯s for everyone.¡±


    I glanced towards the table, but my attention was everywhere else. The man who had taken umbrage with us was Antonio Luna, the most powerful man in Sedona. His faction was often at odds with the Red Oracle¡¯s, thinking themselves strong enough to handle the scenarios properly and not just be a resort city in the apocalypse.


    Antonio had earned his pride, at least, though I still knew him to be too arrogant. He would settle down eventually with time, but now that the scenario had been finished without his help I could tell that he didn¡¯t want to sit still. His aura was all fired up, just like those closest to him.


    The others in the room that weren¡¯t a part of his group seemed more conflicted. If the choice was between staying and defending their home and leaving for somewhere safer, then it was understandable. Most of these people grew up here and the shock of losing their safe space was a big one.


    ¡°Stop that,¡± Antonio said with a scowl. ¡°I don¡¯t care if you¡¯re Louise¡¯s guest or not, Mr. Franklin. You will pull in your invasive aura or it will be done for you.¡±


    ¡°Sure,¡± I replied, holding back a chuckle. After I retracted my awareness, I Lifted a sandwich and put it on a plate before Pulling that and a bottle of water towards me. That grabbed the attention of the people, but I ignored them. Letting the plate hover, I turned towards Louise after checking the food. ¡°What kind of meat is this?¡±


    ¡°Some kind of dinosaur today, I believe,¡± she answered before pausing. ¡°Yes, something I¡¯m not even going to try to pronounce, but it¡¯s apparently very good.¡±


    ¡°Fancy meat for an event like this,¡± I said before taking a bite. I began nodding; the meat was a little thin and chewy, but there was a subtle flavor that meshed well with tomato and onions and lingered on the tongue. ¡°Alright, that is good. I¡¯ll admit I was a little skeptical given the fact that the meat used to be extinct.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s all thanks to Henrietta,¡± Louise said, ignoring the stares we were getting. ¡°The dear girl has the Platinum Chef class. She caters all of these events. I can introduce you before you leave, if you like.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯d let me stay here for that long? Didn¡¯t you want me gone because I was too dangerous?¡± I asked before taking another bite.


    ¡°Of course you would say that here,¡± she said, gently striking me on the arm. ¡°If you¡¯re helping, then I don¡¯t mind. However, everyone else is getting fed up with us. Why don¡¯t we take our seats and, when it¡¯s our turn, we¡¯ll make our case.¡±


    ¡°Lead the way,¡± I said, gesturing her forward. She nodded and I followed her to the front row.


    ¡°Thank you,¡± Antonio said dryly. People started shuffling to sit, and it became obvious that they had been waiting for Louise.


    I leaned forward. Not only was this something that I hadn¡¯t seen before, so it was new and shiny, but it was clear Louise wanted me to flex for her benefit. That wasn¡¯t something I would normally do, but she was right that the people needed to be evacuated.


    Once everyone was seated, the Red Oracle sitting directly in front of the podium, Antonio started.


    ¡°As you all know, I¡¯ve been traveling between here and Flagstaff to see what the situation has been like for everywhere else. The news that I¡¯ve brought back has been dire, dreadful, and, quite frankly, terrifying. Now, I¡¯ve been saying for a while that we need to stop being stuck in place, that the administrators or whoever don¡¯t have our best interest at heart, and we need to get stronger, all of us.¡±


    Antonio¡¯s gaze panned across the room, though he avoided Louise and me. We weren¡¯t the ones he needed to convince.


    ¡°My team and I have been working tirelessly towards gaining points while we waited in this so-called paradise. We learned the ins and outs of the area, where the weakest monsters spawned, where the strongest ones nested, and everything in between. I understand that many of us chose classes based on construction, cooking, logistics, and other necessities. Those people provide vital services, and that¡¯s not who I¡¯m here to talk about.¡±


    He tapped his finger on the desk twice. ¡°We need to arm ourselves as a community. Some of us have guns, yes, but that isn¡¯t the part of the second amendment that is our ticket out of this mess. The well-regulated militia part is.¡±


    ¡°Amen to that!¡± I cheered, agreeing.


    Antonio faltered as he wasn¡¯t expecting to be interrupted, but picked it back up smoothly with only a confused glare at me. ¡°Our ticket out of all of this is only good if we bring in more people from the community to fight. Is it easy? No. Is it gross? Oftentimes, yes. But is it necessary? Well, fuck yeah it is.¡±


    He banged his fist on the podium and there were some words of approval. ¡°Sedona is home. Like most of you, I grew up here. Jimmy, Leslie and I graduated high school together,¡± he said, pointing at two people as if that proved his point. ¡°We don¡¯t have to leave just because the safe zone is smaller. It just means that we have to protect it better. The community was given the chance to do that. ¡®Don¡¯t worry,¡¯ we were told. ¡®As long as nothing happens to the scenario, then you will be safe.¡¯ Well, look at us now.¡±


    ¡°We don¡¯t have enough people to protect everyone who has to live outside of the safe zone and go out to get stronger,¡± a man at the end of the front row said, standing up. ¡°This is something Antonio has been saying since the tutorial, and most people have ignored it because they felt safe enough in this strange new world. The Sedona Militia can handle this, but only if we get more volunteers.¡±


    ¡°We¡¯re not forcing people to join the militia,¡± someone else from the back said.


    ¡°And I don¡¯t want to,¡± Antonio replied. ¡°But the people need to see the kind of situation we¡¯re in. Once they have, there will be a surge of volunteers. I know it. The last I checked, we had 9,000 survivors living in Sedona, but in the two days that the scenario hasn¡¯t been shielding us, Harold says we¡¯re already down to 8,000. Everybody knows someone who¡¯s been taken over by one of these invasive brain worms and led off to God knows where. But that¡¯s preventable with power, and that power can be earned.¡±This tale has been unlawfully obtained from Royal Road. If you discover it on Amazon, kindly report it.


    He pointed at Louise, who had produced a can of Pepsi and had lifted her hood to sip it. ¡°I respect the Red Oracle. I do. But I cannot agree with her on this. She wants us to leave because it¡¯s dangerous, but she hasn¡¯t thought about what would happen if we suddenly show up at Flagstaff with eight thousand people. They don¡¯t have the resources for us there. Staying here and rallying our forces is the only way for us to survive.¡±


    ¡°This is our home, and no monster apocalypse is going to change that!¡± the standing man yelled.


    Without Absolute Awareness, I couldn¡¯t tell how the people were feeling about the speech. The murmurs seemed to be in favor of staying and fighting. It was admirable, if a little misplaced.


    A man who had remained standing in the corner spoke up. ¡°Is that all you wanted to say?¡±


    Antonio nodded. ¡°I said my piece. There¡¯s nothing more to it but to hear out Louise and get to voting.¡±


    ¡°Then you¡¯re up, Louise,¡± he said as Antonio and the other man sat down at the edge of the row.


    Without missing a beat, she leaned towards me. ¡°You¡¯re up, Mr. Franklin.¡±


    I rolled my eyes and took a bite of my sandwich. The speech had grabbed my attention, so I hadn¡¯t been eating. ¡°Can¡¯t you handle it while I finish this?¡±


    ¡°No, I think it¡¯s best they hear from you,¡± she said, patting my arm.


    ¡°And how do you want me to tell them?¡± I asked, standing up and setting my plate and water bottle on the podium.


    ¡°I brought you here with little regard for your feelings and the promise that, if you help me, you¡¯ll be rewarded,¡± she stated. ¡°So I¡¯ll let you decide. Do what you¡¯d like.¡±


    Nodding, I moved to stand behind the podium. I could see everyone clearly from here. Most were curious as to who I was and didn¡¯t try to hide it. The people belonging to Antonio¡¯s group tried not to look intrigued, but they were watching me closer than anyone else. Even the man himself, standing off to the side with his arms crossed, had his eyes locked on me.


    ¡°I am not one to fearmonger,¡± I told the crowd. ¡°I¡¯ve been all over the United States. From Florida, to Atlanta, to Pittsburgh. Chicago. More and more, you get the point. I¡¯ve seen more in my time than anyone here, which Louise can attest to, as much as I hate that she can.¡±


    There was a lot of mumbled agreement to that statement.


    ¡°With that out there, I have just one thing to say to you. You¡¯re all going to die,¡± I said before taking another bite of my sandwich.


    A ripple went through the crowd as they all heard my simple proclamation. I hadn¡¯t backed it with my Tyrant¡¯s Will, but my confidence and attitude along with their rapt attention provided a similar effect.


    ¡°That¡¯s bullshit,¡± Antonio replied. ¡°There¡¯s¡ª¡±


    ¡°Mr. Franklin has the floor,¡± the mediator from before said. Antonio scowled, but leaned back against the wall.


    I swallowed the bite I had taken. ¡°To be honest, I agree with Antonio,¡± I said, pointing towards him with the bottle of water before Spinning off the cap and gently Dropping it onto the podium. That didn¡¯t go unnoticed by the audience. ¡°Y¡¯all really should have prepared better for this eventuality. Strength and power is the currency in today¡¯s world, and you have allowed your people to grow lax.¡±


    Protests started, but I held my water bottle up as if to placate them. ¡°It¡¯s not your fault, I know. Moving the people towards a common goal is hard, and not everyone has what it takes to fight. I¡¯m not going to fault them for that. I never will, because that¡¯s just the way some people are. But I¡¯m going to tell you something. It¡¯s going to be the truth, and you¡¯re not going to like it.¡±


    Glancing around the room, I took my time taking a drink of water. I wiped my mouth with my sleeve before I put the bottle down. ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter if you had started your militia a month ago or did it today. Your scenario wasn¡¯t meant to be won. The person who came here, whoever they are, wasn¡¯t supposed to be here.¡±


    ¡°Do you know who they are?¡± someone asked.


    I shook my head. ¡°No, I don¡¯t,¡± I told them honestly. ¡°But I do know that Sedona was supposed to remain a peaceful place. A resort of sorts where you all would heal Avatars of Patrons in the administrator¡¯s name, giving little Dipper everything she wanted. Fame, prestige, the feeling that she¡¯s not an epic screw up. Something all of them want, I¡¯ve gathered.¡±


    ¡°And how do you know that?¡± a woman from the back row asked.


    Louise spoke first. ¡°Because Mr. Franklin knows about the future, Amanda, now let the man speak.¡±


    I gave the Red Oracle a very meaningful look, and she hesitantly nodded. It didn¡¯t escape my notice that she used the same language I did.


    ¡°Louise is right. I¡¯m here because I need something, and I came here to find the future disrupted by some motorcyclist. What I see now is a place that becomes desolate and devoid of everything except your corpses. And it¡¯s all the administrator¡¯s fault.¡±


    Taking a breath, I glanced at the ceiling. ¡°See, she was banking on Sedona being the perfect retreat. You weren¡¯t really supposed to win the scenario, but there has to be one in a place this size. Those are the rules. You were given food, water. Kept your houses. Given a chance to get stronger with countless quests you can stumble upon if you leave the safe zone to scratch that itch for power. You were given what might have been the closest thing to perfection the system had to offer.¡±


    I shook my head. ¡°But now? Her whole plan has blown up, and she doesn¡¯t have another one. An administrator without a clue as to what happens next. So what will she do? Overcompensate. The second scenario should only be moderately harder than the first to account for growth rates, learning curves, and the like. Instead, if you stay, you are all going to die.¡±


    ¡°And what can be done, Mr. Franklin?¡± Louise asked.


    Glancing down at her, I took the moment to finish my sandwich. ¡°The second scenario will start soon. Three days after the first ended, if I remember right. That doesn¡¯t give you a lot of time to evacuate. Since I came here to complete a quest, I don¡¯t mind breaking the scenario for you instead. And, because I know y¡¯all don¡¯t know what that means, it¡¯s where we skip some stages and end it before it begins.¡±


    ¡°And that works?¡± the mediator asked.


    ¡°Yup. Done it a few times,¡± I answered.


    ¡°Okay, but you do that and we¡¯ll have time to train the people,¡± Antonio argued. ¡°We still don¡¯t have to leave.¡±


    ¡°A valid argument, but you¡¯re thinking short term. Because after the second scenario is the third, and after that is the fourth, and so on,¡± I said, waving my hand. ¡°If the administrator can¡¯t think of anything less than apocalyptic for the town for the baby step forward, what makes you think she¡¯s going to slow down once they start taking the training wheels off?¡±


    A murmur of panic passed through the crowd at my words.


    ¡°The best thing to do is to convince the people that leaving isn¡¯t just the best option, it¡¯s the only option,¡± I said firmly. ¡°You¡¯ll have a little over a week to evacuate. It¡¯s a long way, I know, and not everyone is going to be up for the trip. Train who is willing to go so they¡¯re prepared and leave the rest. This safe zone isn¡¯t large enough for 8,000 people, but it¡¯ll host a fraction of that. If you think my advice is hard, then you must not have looked outside lately because that¡¯s the world we live in now.¡±


    ¡°If you¡¯re going to break this scenario, then I¡¯m going with you,¡± Antonio volunteered. ¡°This is a Sedona problem, and I want to see what we¡¯re going to be up against with my own eyes. To see if an evacuation is really necessary, you see.¡±


    ¡°Heard and vetoed,¡± I responded immediately. ¡°I¡¯m here for a specific psychic item, and the odds of it dropping go down drastically if people of other classes come with me.¡±


    ¡°Well, we aren¡¯t going to just take you at your word,¡± he scoffed.


    ¡°You won¡¯t, provided Louise¡¯s note was to bring what I wanted?¡± I asked, looking down at the old woman.


    ¡°It¡¯s in the building,¡± she confirmed. ¡°And, you were right. Fred used the watch to practice so much that it left behind a psychic imprint. How did you think of that, by the way?¡±


    I shrugged. ¡°It¡¯s Sedona. There¡¯s a lot of weird psychic shit going on here. It was really more of a hope than a fact I knew about in advance, but sometimes miracles do happen.¡±


    ¡°Wait, Fred? Like, the Warmind?¡± the woman in the back asked. ¡°What do you need a Warmind for? That class is really weak.¡±


    I locked eyes with the woman that Louise had called Amanda. ¡°I¡¯m a Warmind.¡±


    ¡°And you expect us to believe that you can handle it?¡± Antonio asked, throwing his arms in the air. ¡°I can¡¯t believe this.¡±


    ¡°This guy¡¯s been talking out his ass!¡±


    ¡°Totally useless.¡±


    ¡°Louise?¡± I asked.


    She sighed and waved her hand. ¡°Go ahead.¡±


    Grabbing my plate and water bottle, I Lifted the black metal podium off of the ground. I started using Bend at various points on the three sides in quick succession to make good use of my least used ability. It began folding like an accordion, pressed smaller and smaller. The sound of metal popping and bending out of place permeated the room until I had made it much, much smaller.


    ¡°Warmind,¡± I said before gently Pushing it towards Antonio. He grabbed the scrap metal out of the air, unsure of what to do about it. ¡°You¡¯ll get proof because I¡¯m going to need someone to accompany me. For the best results I¡¯ll need someone who hasn¡¯t picked a class, is willing to fight for the city, and has been offered a psychic class before. This will be good for all of you, too.¡±


    ¡°Tell them why, Mr. Franklin,¡± Louise requested, obviously very amused by Antonio as he passed off the podium.


    ¡°Because I¡¯m going to give them almost everything they need to excel. Points for their stats, points for their ability, and, while I¡¯m here, instructions on how to be the best they can be.¡± My eyes scanned the room. ¡°People of Sedona, I¡¯m going to help someone become your very own proper Warmind protector.¡±

 Chapter 214

    Thunder Mountain Trailhead, Sedona, Arizona - 7:14 PM


    I sat patiently in a camp chair, waiting for the group from the terminal to come. There hadn¡¯t been much left to say and I wasn¡¯t too interested in how they were going to vote. Louise had assured me it wouldn¡¯t take long, and before I had even arrived Sara had told me they voted in favor of waiting another night to come to a decision.


    However, they agreed to send someone with me. What that person saw was going to determine whether they went ahead with the evacuation or not.


    It would cost them time, but I had done my part. All I could do was provide one more warning once they arrived. My goal may have been to save as many people as I could, but I wasn¡¯t about to force an entire community to do what they didn¡¯t want to do. That would take entirely too much time given the situation I was about to walk in to.


    <<<>>>


    [[Patron Message]]


    I¡¯ve finished calculating, Anthony. It looks like the dimensional breaches have gotten worse, but your estimate still isn¡¯t far off. Instead of four days, making it to the Bradshaw Ranch will take seven, which is only three days longer than you thought it would be going after the brain worm boss.


    Lucky for you, I suppose. You just get a normal hike. I¡¯m going to be watching you move in slow motion for a few days thanks to all these ugly tears in time and space.


    Also, they¡¯re almost here. They¡¯ve brought quite a big group, so you¡¯ll have plenty of options.


    <<<>>>


    ¡°Damn. Sorry, Sara,¡± I said as I gave the sky an apologetic smile.


    I had hoped this journey would only shave four days off of my time as I walked through an area where reality was weaker, but seven was still within my margin of error. It was only for the way there, at least, since killing the scenario boss would close the rifts for now and I had set up a doorway back with Celestial Wormhole. Despite that, there certainly wouldn¡¯t be enough time to begin the evacuation after we got back.


    The sound of a group of people coming down the road reached my ears, but I didn¡¯t get up. This chair was comfy and they were coming my way, anyway.


    Even though I could feel how disgruntled some of them were, I didn¡¯t retract my awareness. We were no longer in a cramped room holding a polite meeting about the future of their city, so they could deal with it.


    Antonio and Louise were the first to come greet me. I had to visually observe her to know she was there. Whatever ability she was using to become psychically invisible was annoying, but considering her role it was one of the ones I was least worried about.


    ¡°Mr. Franklin, it seems like you collect bad news by the minute,¡± she announced, exasperated, the moment I laid eyes on her.


    Shaking my head, I stood up and put the camp chair back into my inventory. ¡°Louise, how exactly do you see these things? You know how annoying that is, right?¡±


    ¡°I do,¡± she said as she stopped in front of me to pat my cheek. That was all she said, and I knew she didn¡¯t have any intention of answering.


    ¡°We all do,¡± Antonio scoffed, crossing his arms as he stopped behind her. ¡°She¡¯s been a pain in the ass since the first week.¡±


    ¡°Hush, you,¡± Louise gently chastised. ¡°If you don¡¯t like what I have to say, then you¡¯ll just have to hear it from Mr. Franklin himself.¡±


    ¡°Yeah? You sure you don¡¯t want to steal the thunder for this one?¡± I asked.


    ¡°And be the bearer of that bad news? No,¡± she said firmly. ¡°You can throw that lightning bolt.¡±


    ¡°What bad news?¡± Antonio asked as I scanned the crowd.


    There were about ten people in very basic, piecemeal armor, which was what I expected. On top of my demands, they would have to be picked from people who didn¡¯t have a class yet but still wanted to fight. These were also probably people from Antonio¡¯s or the Red Oracle¡¯s faction, hoping to solidify their power later. Even if they still thought the Warmind was a weak class, getting someone with a fully topped out class was going to be huge for them.


    It was a rather diverse bunch of men and women. That was good. Some places out there would just send their men, not realizing or accepting the fact that everyone was now more or less equal so long as stats lined up. I walked around the two leaders.


    ¡°I¡¯m going to be gone for seven days,¡± I answered. ¡°Well, won¡¯t be that long for me. But for you guys, it¡¯ll be a whole week.¡±


    ¡°Where are you going?¡± Antonio asked, obviously confused.


    ¡°Bradshaw Ranch,¡± I answered.


    ¡°That¡¯s not a seven-day trip. It¡¯s hours at best, and that¡¯s at a normal person¡¯s speed.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯ve got that right, Antonio,¡± I agreed, turning away from the crowd. They were starting to get nervous as I inspected them. I pointed in the direction I needed to go. ¡°All through Coconino, there are rifts in time and space opening up. Breaches between dimensions that allow terrible things to come through. Your brain worm problem was caused by one of these, though that¡¯s just one of the many monsters out there.¡±


    ¡°The further you go out, the more time will get dilated,¡± Louise picked up. ¡°You were only planning on spending a few days here, but it¡¯s a week now.¡±


    ¡°What happened to not stealing my thunder?¡± I asked, arching an eyebrow at the blind woman.


    ¡°I don¡¯t know what you¡¯re talking about,¡± she said innocently, folding her hands in front of her.


    ¡°Uh huh,¡± I replied, shaking my head. ¡°The path we¡¯re taking is going to be through to the center of the whole thing. We¡¯ll be shutting it down, which will make the walk back much less time consuming than the way there.¡±


    ¡°I have a few questions,¡± Antonio said. I gestured for him to ask them. ¡°If you¡¯re heading all the way to the forest, why did you tell us to meet you here?¡±


    ¡°Because Thunder Mountain sounds awesome,¡± I replied immediately. ¡°Next question.¡±


    He looked ready to argue with me, but just shook his head after a moment. ¡°You know where the brain worm nest is?¡±


    ¡°Oh, yeah. That was my original destination before Louise picked me out of a crowd and sent me to tell you all how you¡¯re going to die if you stay here,¡± I answered.


    ¡°Which is now more dire than ever, because we¡¯ll need to start the evacuation long before Mr. Franklin and his new Warmind return,¡± Louise said.Enjoying this book? Seek out the original to ensure the author gets credit.


    I nodded. ¡°Right. I was going to bring that up, but now you can go and explain to everyone that they have to at least be prepared to get out of Sedona, because otherwise you may be too late.¡±


    Antonio made a face like he was going to argue, but he glanced between the two of us and seemed to decide not to. That was nice of him. ¡°Can you give us directions to the brain worm nest?¡± he finally asked. ¡°I¡¯d rather not let people continue to get abducted by them while we¡¯re¡­ waiting for you.¡±


    ¡°Yeah, that¡¯s no problem. You know Stoneman Lake?¡±


    He gave me a confused look. ¡°Of course, but that¡¯s southeast of here. The people have been disappearing to the west.¡±


    I nodded. ¡°They do, and then they swing around south. Oak Creek¡¯s empty now because of them, may their souls rest in peace, and that¡¯s why they¡¯ve been taking people from Sedona,¡± I explained. ¡°The worms are stronger and smarter than they were at the beginning. Take a lot of area of effect spells with you, preferably fire, as well as defensive mental buffs. They can still take you over if they¡¯re given enough time in your brain no matter how strong you are, but it¡¯ll take a lot of them and most will die from exhaustion before they succeed. Remember: it only takes one success. Your goal is going to be the brood mother hidden under the lake¡¯s surface. Take her out, they all die.¡±


    Antonio¡¯s confused look was replaced by an intense look as I rattled off the best practices of brain worm pest control. I could tell that it wasn¡¯t something that he was angered by, but that he was actually listening intensely.


    ¡°Okay,¡± he said as I finished. ¡°That¡¯s all good to know.¡±


    ¡°For what it¡¯s worth, I¡¯m rooting for you,¡± I told him. ¡°This whole mess is exactly that, a mess. I want as many people as possible to survive. Though, I do want to ask you one favor since you¡¯re going that way.¡±


    ¡°What¡¯s that?¡±


    I held up my hands a few inches apart. ¡°The brood mother will drop an orb about this big. That¡¯s one of two of my big prizes here in Sedona. I¡¯ll pay you for it if you want, but I absolutely need it.¡±


    Antonio arched an eyebrow. ¡°What is it?¡±


    ¡°Just a little trinket that will really help me out later,¡± I answered. ¡°If I get into it now, then I¡¯m going to be explaining a lot more about why, what, how, and who, and none of us want that.¡±


    ¡°Nope,¡± Louise agreed before gesturing towards the classless. ¡°Shall we move on to what we¡¯re really here for?¡±


    ¡°After he agrees,¡± I said, glancing back at Antonio.


    His jaw was set, but he nodded. ¡°I think we can arrange the price when the time comes.¡±


    ¡°Excellent, then let¡¯s decide who the next Warmind is,¡± I said with a clap of my hands.


    Thanks to the properties of Sedona, grabbing Fred¡¯s class with the Medallion of Uuska was as easy as activating the skill. Had the man not been obsessive about practicing with his watch, then I would have gone loot hunting the hard way. I was sure I¡¯d get the Cowl of the Warmongering Mystic eventually, but the less time I spent here the better.


    I turned towards the classless, and they all stood up straighter. ¡°Louise, you know what I¡¯m looking for. Any suggestions?¡±


    ¡°Either Della or Merrick,¡± she answered quickly, as if she had been waiting for my question.


    ¡°Step forward, you two,¡± I said.


    A slim Hispanic woman around my age with features similar to Antonio¡¯s approached me, and I could feel his aura pale. The other was a tall, lanky tanned guy who appeared to have put some points into Strength, but still couldn¡¯t fill out. Unfortunate, but it happened. She stopped to the left of me and he stopped to the right.


    ¡°The rest of you can go home,¡± I said.


    ¡°Really?¡± one of the men asked. ¡°We came all this way just for the Red Oracle to give you two names and send the rest of us home?¡±


    ¡°I warned you that this was a possibility,¡± Louise responded before shifting slightly towards Antonio. ¡°Didn¡¯t I, Antonio?¡±


    ¡°You did,¡± he said quietly, keeping his eyes on Della.


    I had to assume that this was his daughter or some other relative based on his aura, and he wanted to keep her chances of being picked low. It was understandable, but it didn¡¯t matter to me. My pick was going to be the best option, not the one that would make someone else feel good.


    ¡°Right then, off you go,¡± I repeated.


    The man who spoke up before looked ready to argue some more, but Antonio stepped up. ¡°It¡¯s time to go, Ed.¡±


    They lingered for a moment before someone turned to walk away, and the rest followed. The two who remained gave each other a quick glance before looking straight ahead as if they couldn¡¯t stand the sight of me.


    ¡°Merrick, what psychic class were you offered?¡± I asked, putting my hands in my pockets.


    ¡°I was offered the Mind Blade class, Mr. Franklin,¡± he answered, standing up even straighter. I didn¡¯t even have to see his aura to see that he was nervous.


    ¡°The Mind Blade is a good class. It can conjure anything with a sharp edge, deals psychic damage in addition to its normal damage, and could be considered one of the better melee classes out there in the right hands,¡± I said as I Constructed a butterfly knife in my hand. That caught his attention, and I started flipping it around to show off some tricks. ¡°I¡¯m sure Sedona has a few of them running about. The question, then, is why didn¡¯t you take it?¡±


    Merrick watched the knife instead of answering, and I released my mental hold on the Construct. It disappeared and I repeated my question.


    ¡°I didn¡¯t want to be on the front lines,¡± he admitted sheepishly. ¡°My preference in games and stuff has always been ranged combat, so, that¡¯s what I was hoping for. Did you really crush a podium with your mind? That¡¯s the kind of stuff I¡¯d want to do.¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡± Sizing him up again, I nodded before turning to face Della. ¡°How about you? What was the psychic class you declined?¡±


    ¡°Cognitive Aegis,¡± she responded immediately. Her aura was one of confidence. ¡°Tank support blend, and I asked the three we had in town what their abilities were like. Seems like it would have been good against the brain worms, but it seemed really niche. Like its utility wasn¡¯t going to be good for a while. Considering we were living in a safe zone, I wanted more. That¡¯s why I passed it up.¡±


    ¡°I see,¡± I said. ¡°Merrick, how good are you at visualizing things?¡±


    ¡°Decent to good, I think,¡± he answered, but his aura showed me that he clearly wasn¡¯t sure of himself.


    ¡°Della?¡±


    ¡°Excellent.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m going to touch your forehead and open up a mental link between the two of us,¡± I said, moving to stand in front of her. She was a head shorter, but she looked at me as though we were no different. ¡°Is that okay?¡±


    ¡°Do it,¡± she replied.


    I did so, activating my Mental Link ability. With my practiced expertise, I held back everything coming from my side while getting everything from her. Despite her words and aura, I could sense the nervousness there, but it was almost entirely eaten up by the need to become stronger. She seemed to have an obvious desire to prove herself.


    ¡°I¡¯m sure you can feel nothing from me, but I can feel everything from you. I want you to visualize what I tell you to, okay?¡± I asked as I put my hand back in my pocket. She nodded. ¡°Good. Think of me as an invading army. I¡¯m nigh unstoppable and you¡¯re the only defender. The odds are against you, but you know what you have to do. Nigh unstoppable doesn¡¯t mean completely unstoppable. Build a wall.¡±


    Della nodded again before closing her eyes.


    ¡°Eyes open,¡± I ordered. ¡°You have to see to be a Warmind.¡±


    A tinge of unease could be felt in her aura as she opened her eyes to look into mine. I continued to stare at her, trying to make her as uncomfortable as possible for this part. It started working until she doubled down, glaring at me with the same kind of intense look Antonio put on.


    Slowly, her feelings started becoming less concrete and more like mist. They were still there, but much less substantial. Her eyes had changed to become less focused, as if she was staring through me instead of at me, and I released the Mental Link.


    ¡°Adequate,¡± I said with a smile.


    ¡°Was it?¡± she asked. ¡°I couldn¡¯t tell.¡±


    ¡°You will, eventually. Sorry, Merrick, but I¡¯m going to take Della along.¡±


    ¡°Now hold on,¡± Antonio chimed in. ¡°If you¡¯re going to take her, then I¡¯m going to come along, too.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t,¡± Della protested, stepping away from me to confront him. ¡°You know I¡¯ve been wanting to get out there for a long time, and you¡¯ve been stopping me. Well, you can¡¯t stop me now.¡±


    I leaned in towards Merrick, who was looking both relieved and disappointed. ¡°Related?¡±


    ¡°He¡¯s her uncle,¡± he whispered back.


    ¡°Great. This may take a while, then,¡± I sighed. Retrieving the Medallion of Uuska with the Warmind class in it, I waited to see if this was something I could cut short.


    ¡°It¡¯s not,¡± Louise said before clapping her hands. ¡°Luna family, attention over here, please.¡±


    ¡°Not now, you red hag,¡± Antonio spat, not looking away from Della. She, however took a step back.


    ¡°Exactly now. Antonio, if you go and destroy the brain worm brood mother like this, you¡¯re going to end up getting yourself killed,¡± Louise stated. He turned to glare at her, and she lifted her hands. ¡°That¡¯s not something I was told as an Oracle, but something I know about you and how much you worry about your family. It¡¯s not easy, but I believe Mr. Franklin has someone he can invite that will guarantee her safety.¡±


    When they all looked at me, I made a face. ¡°Noooo,¡± I responded, drawing the word out.


    ¡°It will put everyone at ease,¡± she said.


    ¡°Yeah, but, noooooo,¡± I repeated.


    ¡°Mr. Franklin, I believe this might be one of those times to not be stubborn, all things considered,¡± she replied gently.


    I stared at her milky eyes through the hood before sighing. ¡°Fine, fine, if it makes everyone feel better,¡± I said, throwing a hand in the air. With a flourish, a halo appeared in it. ¡°Really didn¡¯t want to invite him to the party so soon, but fine.¡±


    While I was lamenting, I could feel the smugness of the Red Oracle behind her hood. Without a word, I activated Glaraphel¡¯s halo. The clouds parted, and a beam of light hit the ground in front of me.


    ¡°What a pain,¡± I muttered.

 Chapter 215

    Thunder Mountain Trailhead, Sedona, Arizona - 7:48 PM


    Everyone else, even Louise, looked shocked as the figure of Glaraphel rocketed down the beam of light to the surface. His wings extended at the last moment, catching him and allowing him to land gently in the parking lot with one knee on the ground. He kept his head bowed and his flaming sword in front of him.


    ¡°I, Glaraphel, 16th in the Order of Powers, Inquisitor of Heaven, respond to your summons, holy herald and Avatar of the Highest Sister,¡± he stated, his voice modulated somewhat by his helmet.


    I tossed his halo back onto his head. It spun around him before resting where it was meant to. ¡°Stand up, Glare, you don¡¯t have to do that.¡±


    The confusion in his aura was easy to see. ¡°Glare?¡±


    ¡°Short for Glaraphel,¡± I told him. ¡°Don¡¯t like it?¡±


    ¡°Not particularly.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s fair. Still, man, stand up. I know you¡¯re supposed to take orders from me but I¡¯m not really big on the whole displays of hierarchy thing when it comes to Angels unless it gets me what I want. That¡¯s not what I want right now, so get up.¡±


    ¡°As you wish, Avatar,¡± he said as he stood.


    ¡°Call me Anthony.¡±


    ¡°I wouldn¡¯t¡ª¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll be more comfortable if you do,¡± I told him. ¡°Plus, it¡¯s an order.¡±


    He hesitated before nodding. ¡°If that is your order, then so be it.¡±


    ¡°Good. Sorry, everybody, this is the first time I¡¯ve summoned him and we had a bit of a rocky start,¡± I explained.


    ¡°That¡¯s an Angel,¡± Antonio muttered in disbelief.


    ¡°I am. More specifically, I am a Power,¡± Glaraphel responded. ¡°My purpose is that of a soldier, though my duties as an Inquisitor often supersede that. I am on a never-ending mission to find and destroy minions of evil, Hell, and blasphemies against the Heavens.¡±


    ¡°He¡¯s kind of intense,¡± I translated before pointing at Della. ¡°Glaraphel, your mission is to protect this woman at all costs, even at the expense of my life.¡±


    ¡°I could nev¡ª¡±


    ¡°Come on, we both know I¡¯m not going to be taken out so easily,¡± I told him, crossing my arms. ¡°She¡¯s going to be my trainee for the time being, learning how to be a Warmind just like me. In order to quell a family squabble about whether or not she¡¯s going to be safe with me, I brought you in. I break the scenario, she gets to practice, you get to protect her. That¡¯s the job.¡±


    ¡°Very well,¡± he relented. The Power retrieved his shield and walked over to stand near Della. His posture was that of vigilance as he waited for any threat to appear.


    ¡°Yeah, I think that¡¯s going to be as good as it gets,¡± I said as I looked at the two together. ¡°An Angelic Big Daddy for a psychic Little Sister. Couldn¡¯t ask for a better protector. Or team, really.¡±


    ¡°A what now?¡± Antonio asked as Della frowned.


    ¡°It¡¯s from a video game,¡± Merrick answered. ¡°He¡¯ll, uh, protect her. Really, really protect her.¡±


    ¡°Thank you, Merrick,¡± I said, tilting my head to look his way. ¡°Glad you came along, sorry it didn¡¯t work out, but I wish you all the best in the future.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m just glad I had a shot, Mr. Franklin,¡± he replied. To my surprise, he offered me his hand and I shook it firmly. While he might not have had the confidence I was looking for, he probably had the right temperament.


    ¡°Antonio, would you be a dear and escort Merrick back to the safe zone?¡± Louise asked. ¡°I have one more thing I¡¯d like to discuss with Mr. Franklin before they go off on their way.¡±


    At first, the man looked conflicted. His eyes darted from Louise to me to Glaraphel before finally looking at Della. He placed both of his hands on her shoulder. ¡°You be safe,¡± he whispered.


    ¡°Always,¡± she quietly replied before hugging him. ¡°Don¡¯t you worry about me.¡±


    ¡°No promises.¡± He looked up at Glaraphel and his aura became defensive. I almost thought he was going to threaten the Angel before he sighed. ¡°Thank you for looking after my sobrina.¡±


    Glaraphel simply nodded like it was nothing.


    ¡°Be safe raiding the brain worms,¡± I offered. After a few more goodbyes, Antonio and Merrick finally left.


    ¡°Glad you had this charmer in your back pocket,¡± Louise said as she approached me. ¡°Otherwise we would have been here for hours longer.¡±


    ¡°My tio is a little long winded,¡± Della offered. ¡°But, stubborn as he is, his heart¡¯s in the right place.¡±


    ¡°Stubborn¡¯s not bad, just something to be tempered,¡± I replied before looking at the Red Oracle. ¡°You said that you had one more thing to discuss. What¡¯s up?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s less of a discussion and more of a gift from my Patron,¡± Louise said as she approached me.


    I arched an eyebrow. There really wasn¡¯t any surprise that she had one, only that it had something for me. Most Oracles managed to find a Patron one way or another, or even get their class from one. There was no real consistency, either. Some were good, others were evil, but many of them wanted a mouth piece like an Oracle to give them a voice on Earth.


    Because of that inconsistency, I was a little hesitant. ¡°Who is your Patron and what do they want to give me?¡±


    ¡°Now, now, young man, you don¡¯t have to be so defensive,¡± she laughed. ¡°My Patron is Coyote.¡±


    ¡°The Trickster?¡± I asked, arching an eyebrow.


    Depending on Coyote¡¯s mood, any gift could be dangerous. He appeared in several Native American myths as a being of great importance, but he was also known as a troublemaker. Coyote could be funny and mischievous or greedy and malicious, but above all else he was always cunning and willing to push the boundaries of what was possible. Not always evil, but certainly never completely good.


    ¡°Yes, and I understand your concern,¡± she replied. ¡°However, his tricks at this moment are more mischievous than malicious. On that, you have my word.¡±


    <<<>>>


    [[Notice]]


    The Patron [Coyote] cackles in your general direction.


    <<<>>>


    ¡°Well, that¡¯s helpful,¡± I said in a tone that clearly indicated it was not.


    ¡°We¡¯re both worried about the natural order, especially now that you¡¯re here to give us some clarity,¡± she continued. ¡°Coyote may be a trickster and a capricious rapscallion¡­¡±This narrative has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road. If you see it on Amazon, please report it.


    The Red Oracle paused, her head tilted slightly to the side.


    ¡°You most certainly are a rapscallion,¡± she argued, placing her hands on her hips. ¡°If you don¡¯t like that word, there are others. Rascal, scallywag, knave, scoundrel. The list goes on and on.¡±


    I shook my head. Behind me, both Glaraphel and Della watched with varying degrees of interest. Needless to say, this was not how I wanted to be spending my time. It was annoying.


    So Louise being the Avatar of Coyote made complete sense in that regard.


    <<<>>>


    [[Patron Message]]


    Coyote was the only Patron here to get back to me when I first started asking questions. Eventually. He wasn¡¯t very helpful, but he wanted to know about what was going on in the outside world. In an effort to make peace, I gave him a few things.


    He still didn¡¯t answer any of my questions, but he might just want to repay me by helping you because it helps Louise out at the same time.


    I¡¯m not saying trust the item, but it¡¯s worth a shot. It would probably be best not to offend someone who has taken on the mantle of Coyote, even if it looks like she¡¯s having a grand time scolding him.


    <<<>>>


    I snapped away the message and nodded. ¡°Very well, I¡¯ll see what the gift is,¡± I said, interrupting the woman¡¯s discussion with her Patron.


    Her gaze went from the sky to me before she swiped open her inventory. ¡°This was gifted to me the very first day that I became Coyote¡¯s Avatar,¡± Louise explained as she rummaged around the invisible screen. ¡°He told me that he wanted me to lend it out in certain instances where the city might be in danger. As you could have guessed, that hasn¡¯t happened until now. I¡¯m a little excited to finally bring it out.¡±


    Before I could ask what she was referring to, the Red Oracle pulled out a sword heavy enough to make her stumble. It appeared to have been made from a jawbone.


    The hilt looked like the maw of a beast with teeth above and below the grip. It was thicker near the guard, which was only in the back, and curved near the end. There was only one cutting edge, and the side without one had spikes and ridges made for piercing. She wordlessly offered it to me, and I took it.


    I was sure my Strength was much higher than hers, but it was incredibly heavy even to me. Curious about this strange blade, I pulled up the description.


    <<<>>>


    [[Equipped]]


    Loaner Sword of Coyote (Do Not Steal!)


    (Unique Item, Patron Item, Handsome Item; -5 Strength, -5 Dexterity, -5 Constitution, +21 Willpower, +17 Wisdom, +175 ???, Bringer of Fire skill acquired, From Clay to Life skill acquired, Hide The Water skill acquired, Sing with the Earth Maker skill acquired, Defeater of the Evil Moons passive acquired, Go For The Giant¡¯s Legs passive acquired, Laughing At All Mistakes passive acquired, Like All Things, This Is Mine passive acquired, Sired a Horse passive acquired, Tongue of the First Liar passive acquired)


    [[Skill]]


    Bringer of Fire


    Once per day, you may use my miraculous power to bring the sun down to you. What happens next is anyone¡¯s guess.


    [[Skill]]


    From Clay to Life


    Make some animal art! If they are coyotes, then something extra nice might happen.


    [[Skill]]


    Hide The Water


    Almost all of it. Where¡¯d it go? Only Coyote knows.


    [[Skill]]


    Sing with the Earth Maker


    Sing songs! If you do well enough, you may be rewarded by Coyote!


    [[Passive]]


    Defeater of the Evil Moons


    You have to watch out for moons, as you know, but evil moons especially. You know what I¡¯m talking about.


    [[Passive]]


    Go For The Giant¡¯s Legs


    If it¡¯s a real Giant, then it¡¯s all you can reach. You could hit higher than that, but why bother?


    [[Passive]]


    Laughing At All Mistakes


    A good sense of humor is paramount to a healthy existence. Laugh, be healthy.


    [[Passive]]


    Like All Things, This Is Mine


    This sword belongs to me. Remember, DO NOT STEAL!


    [[Passive]]


    Sired a Horse


    Technically, this one is my grandson. I did not sire him directly! Misleading? Me? Never.


    [[Passive]]


    Tongue of the First Liar


    Okay, I¡¯m pretty proud of this one. Of course, am I really the First Liar? Or am I just lying about it?


    <<<>>>


    ¡°This is complete and utter malarkey,¡± I said with a laugh as I finished reading it all. It certainly seems to have been forged in a furnace of chaos.


    ¡°It is,¡± Louise agreed. ¡°However, it is still a very powerful sword.¡±


    ¡°I can tell,¡± I said, looking at the top of the description. ¡°And what stat is that in question marks? The one that gives plus 175 to a stat?¡±


    ¡°A what?¡± Della asked incredulously.


    ¡°If I had to place a wager, I¡¯d bet on it being a stat that nobody has access to,¡± Louise answered. ¡°Regardless, I believe that this will serve you well out there.¡±


    ¡°Uh huh,¡± I said as I looked it over. ¡°And what does my Patron think about this?¡±


    <<<>>>


    [[Patron Message]]


    It¡¯s more powerful than it lets on. I wouldn¡¯t summon the sun around Della and Glaraphel if I were you, or make animals, or sing, but other than that it¡¯s a solid weapon.


    Just¡­ don¡¯t ask me what any of it means. There¡¯s a lock on that kind of information that I¡¯m assuming is Coyote¡¯s doing. I can¡¯t help you there.


    Sorry, Ant. I¡¯m sure you¡¯ll do fine without it, but it might be worth taking along. You know, so you don¡¯t get bored.


    <<<>>>


    I didn¡¯t take long to make a decision when I finished reading what Sara sent me, and I carefully rested the Loaner Sword¡¯s blade on my shoulder. ¡°Patron approved, I suppose,¡± I said. ¡°Thank you, Coyote, and thank you, Louise, for the weapon. Is there anything else? Or shall we finally head out.¡±


    The Red Oracle shook her head. ¡°Be careful, have fun, and teach young Della well, Mr. Franklin. I¡¯ll be eagerly awaiting your return in a week¡¯s time.¡±


    ¡°Bye, Louise,¡± Della said with a wave.


    I gave her a nod and she turned to go back to the safe zone. Despite the fact that she didn¡¯t have any combat abilities as an Oracle, I knew she would be safe.


    ¡°Alright,¡± I said loudly with a clap of my hands. ¡°Let¡¯s get going, shall we?¡±


    ¡°I am ready,¡± Glaraphel stated.


    ¡°Yeah, I know you are, big guy,¡± I replied, knocking his armor with my fist as I walked by. ¡°You, Della?¡±


    ¡°I am,¡± she said with a determined nod. ¡°But how am I going to be a Warmind?¡±


    I Lifted the Medallion of Uuska out of my pocket and Pushed it over to her as we walked along the trail. Glaraphel was marching behind us, the most out of place of the group, and kept a watchful eye on our surroundings.


    ¡°Once you take that, it¡¯ll give you the choice to be a Warmind,¡± I answered as she grabbed it from the air. ¡°After that, I¡¯ll give you a check from my checkbook that will allow me to transfer points outside of a safe zone. That will let you max out your stats and abilities, and we¡¯ll go through them one by one.¡±


    ¡°You found a checkbook that lets you transfer points?¡± she asked incredulously.


    I shrugged. ¡°Came from a mall. It¡¯s a niche item, but I¡¯ll write one for 5,000 points¡ª¡±


    Her eyes nearly bulged out of her head. ¡°Hold on, 5,000?¡±


    ¡°Are you going to keep interrupting me every time I say something a little bit outrageous?¡± I asked with a chuckle. She shook her head, but I could see her enthusiasm rise in her aura. ¡°That¡¯s going to be enough to max you out to the third scenario standard with some left over. Now, you only have access to second scenario stats, but that¡¯ll change once we¡¯re done. Why don¡¯t you go ahead and accept the class.¡±


    ¡°Okay,¡± Della said as she clutched the Medallion of Uuska in both hands. Reaching out, she tapped the sky. The next moment, she blinked and looked down at her hands as if she expected something to have changed. ¡°I guess that¡¯s really it, huh?¡±


    ¡°Expecting some fanfare?¡± I asked as I pulled out a pen and a thick checkbook from my inventory. As I watched her aura change, I started writing.


    <<<>>>


    [[Notice]]


    You currently have 88,852 points.


    You are trying to write a check for 5,000 points for player Della Luna.


    Are you sure?


    Yes


    No


    <<<>>>


    ¡°Kind of,¡± she admitted as I hit Yes.


    I handed her the check. ¡°Use this, level up your stats but leave your abilities alone, and we¡¯ll start the lessons. We have a lot to go over, and there¡¯s not enough time in the world.¡±


    Della quickly took the offered item and accepted the points. Her aura exuded eagerness, and I could tell I had made the right choice.

 Chapter 216

    Coconino National Forest, Sedona, Arizona - 8:28 PM


    Our trail was dark, but it was easily lit up by Glaraphel¡¯s flaming sword and bright halo. While it wasn¡¯t something necessary for me, Della had no such perception powers to help her out. The Angel¡¯s light did cast sinister shadows from the trees and brush surrounding us, but if it bothered her she didn¡¯t show it.


    Ahead of us, she was Pushing small rocks along our path. It was stop and go, and we passed them by. When we did, she simply found another and repeated it. While her Mental Point pool wasn¡¯t nearly as robust as mine, she still had a good amount since she had maxed her stats. As long as she continued moving small objects, the strain wouldn¡¯t be too much.


    ¡°Remember, a Warmind¡¯s telekinetic abilities are all about visualization,¡± I told her as she let out a small, disgruntled noise when we passed another of her rocks. She had been so excited when she had Pushed the first one, but it hadn¡¯t gotten much easier than that.


    I felt her compose herself before she responded. ¡°Yes, I do remember,¡± she said more calmly than her aura felt. ¡°It¡¯s just a big leap between visualizing something and putting it to practice. Not that I¡¯m complaining, I¡¯m just saying.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m well aware. This is why I told you that a Warmind must always see. If you don¡¯t see, then you can¡¯t affect the world,¡± I continued. ¡°What are you visualizing?¡±


    Della frowned. ¡°I¡¯m just picturing the rocks moving ahead of us. Like, they¡¯re here, and I picture them to be there instead.¡±


    ¡°Believe it or not, that¡¯s rather advanced. Visualizing the actual movement of objects is how I do it now because I fully believe that the world bends to my will,¡± I said with a chuckle. She looked at me like she wasn¡¯t sure about my ego, and I shrugged. ¡°I have to, you know? This is my class. Remember the little flavor text when you first received it?¡±


    She must not have, because she swiped the air in front of her and navigated her menus. ¡°The Warmind is a powerful psychic warrior with the ability to alter their surroundings on a whim,¡± she read aloud. ¡°If allowed to grow, Warminds can create and destroy with but a thought, and even alter some laws of reality.¡±


    ¡°Exactly right,¡± I said as if she hadn¡¯t just read it. ¡°We have to think big, because the world must obey us. Don¡¯t think of it as the system reacting to your will, but reality submitting to it. You come from a pretty intense family, so I think you understand what I mean.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t be so nice with reality when you¡¯re telling it what you need it to do,¡± she translated. ¡°I guess I could be a little more aggressive.¡±


    I nodded. ¡°Right, but let me give you the next lesson now that you¡¯ve had time to play around. Right now, while you¡¯re still learning, it¡¯s best to keep your mind open. Mindset is a really, really weird thing and it can trap you sometimes. There¡¯s always a risk that, if you get really good at moving rocks, then you¡¯ll struggle with branches or something. What did you do before the system arrived?¡±


    ¡°I was a web designer,¡± she answered. ¡°Freelance, but I built websites for people around town. Business was just starting to pick up with a bunch of referrals from Phoenix before everything went to shit.¡±


    ¡°Good,¡± I said. ¡°Alright, that¡¯s good. So there¡¯s a Warmind in, well, it doesn¡¯t matter where. He¡¯s a graphic designer, spends a lot of time on his computer for work. What he did was visualize a mouse pointer.¡±


    Della blinked. ¡°Like, he just imagines clicking on the rock and moving it around like a picture on a screen?¡±


    ¡°Exactly!¡± I said with a snap of my fingers. ¡°He¡¯d say he would drag it across reality. If there was something he was having problems with or just couldn¡¯t concentrate on, then he¡¯d crop it first. In his mind, I mean. That was the easiest thing to visualize.¡±


    ¡°Okay, that makes sense,¡± she replied while nodding.


    ¡°There is one issue with that, though,¡± I warned. ¡°He really only got good at moving one thing, and he struggled with two once he was able to split his focus. Now, I can¡¯t fault him for that; being a Warmind is hard, it¡¯s something that needs to be practiced constantly. If you don¡¯t have a migraine at the end of the day because your Mental Points pool isn¡¯t empty, then you aren¡¯t training hard enough.¡±


    ¡°All forms of combat need training in order to be mastered,¡± Glaraphel said. It was the first time ¡®d spoken since we had left the trailhead. ¡°Even if you are a natural prodigy, which are very rare, you must maintain discipline and continue striving towards perfection.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s a good point, Glaraphel,¡± I told the Power, and he nodded. ¡°Don¡¯t ever assume that you¡¯re the best even if you get mildly good at it. Even if you¡¯re at the top of your community when it comes to power. Especially then. There¡¯s always room to improve.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m certainly not going to stop. Once I get it down, I¡¯m sure I¡¯ll be more than happy to use it for the most mundane of tasks,¡± Della said before looking up at me. ¡°You said you just visualize the world changing and it does, but what did you do when you first became a Warmind?¡±


    ¡°Hands,¡± I answered, lifting mine up to waggle my fingers. ¡°I visualized hands picking things up, throwing them around, spinning them. Would actually do the movements, too, which helps. Wonderful things, hands, until you realize that you only have two of them.¡±


    She tilted her head. ¡°Like¡­ how you only have one pointer on a computer?¡±


    ¡°Got it in one. You¡¯re quick, Della Luna,¡± I said with a grin. ¡°It¡¯s something the mind does. You only use one pointer, so it thinks there should only be one. You only have two hands, so it thinks there should only be two. It¡¯s a literal mental block on your power, right? The good news is that you can break through it with time and practice.¡±


    ¡°How did you break through?¡± she asked.


    I didn¡¯t answer right away as I looked up. The moon was starting to move across the sky at a noticeable speed. In the distance, I could see thin black lines hanging in the air. They weren¡¯t big enough for anything to come through, but it was becoming clear that we were starting to get into the thick of things.


    ¡°By changing how I did things. You know sometimes games have telekinesis in them? They always have effects that tell you when it¡¯s working. Little wispy trails, big light beams, auras only you can see. I switched from hands to big light beams going from my head to the things I wanted to move. There¡¯s no restriction on how many beams I can have because it wasn¡¯t something my mind limited. By then, I was pretty decent at it. Not as good as I am now, of course, but I had everything down for the various abilities so it was easy to manipulate them.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t play many games,¡± she said apologetically. ¡°If I had known they¡¯d come in handy, I might¡¯ve.¡±Unauthorized reproduction: this story has been taken without approval. Report sightings.


    ¡°No worries,¡± I replied with a smile before jerking my head towards a bigger rock than the ones she had been focusing on. ¡°Why don¡¯t you try the mouse pointer technique on that one. Feel free to use your hands, too, if you want. It does help, even if sometimes you don¡¯t want people to know what you¡¯re up to. And, once you get good at it, you can use it to trick people.¡±


    ¡°While I do not condone being deceitful, there are few truths on the battlefield,¡± Glaraphel said. ¡°Being straightforward in combat, acting without feints or techniques, will often see you dead. In war, you do what is necessary. So long as evil is vanquished, that is the only truth that matters.¡±


    Della raised her hand when the Power started talking, but then turned to look at him with a strange look on her face.


    ¡°He¡¯s an Inquisitor, so he¡¯s pretty much always like this,¡± I said before Orbiting the rock, which we had gotten ahead of, so that it was in front of us. Glaraphel grunted as if to confirm my words. ¡°Go ahead and give it a try.¡±


    She looked away from our winged companion and nodded. Della took a breath and pointed at the rock. It wiggled forward back and forth like the ones before it, moving ahead at a slow pace.


    ¡°Alright, now just yeet it out of here. Hit it with as hard a Push as you can,¡± I ordered.


    With another small disgruntled noise, Della flicked her index finger. The rock rolled away, though it didn¡¯t make it very far due to digging into the trail. That was simply a result of using her hand.


    ¡°And that¡¯s the next lesson,¡± I told her when she frowned. ¡°Using your hand is a big help, there¡¯s no denying it, but it is ultimately a crutch. Learn from it, and realize when to discard it.¡±


    ¡°I understand, but why is this a lesson?¡± she asked, confused.


    ¡°You pointed at it and Pushed, and what happened?¡±


    ¡°It went through the sand?¡±


    ¡°It did,¡± I agreed. ¡°Before, you were Pushing with the intent to make it go forward. A Warmind¡¯s Push, Pull, and later Orbit can originate anywhere around any part of their body. Because you were only focusing on making it go straight, you were instinctively pushing it from a level somewhere down at your feet.¡±


    ¡°Ohhhh, but because I was focused on where the rock was based on my finger, the point of origin or whatever was coming from much higher up,¡± she excitedly deduced. ¡°So it was Pushed into the ground instead of just further ahead of us.¡±


    I smiled. ¡°You¡¯re getting it. Point of origin is a really good term for it. Generally, you¡¯re not going to Push things along the ground in order to attack enemies. You¡¯re going to Lift it first, then shoot it off,¡± I said, Orbiting the rock back in front of us. ¡°So go ahead and practice that. Use your hand, Lift it to about head level, and then Push it off as hard as you can.¡±


    Della nodded and pointed at the rock again. I knew that the exercises were harder because we were still walking, but I thought she could handle it. She had the aptitude for psychic-based classes, which was why I wasn¡¯t worried that she had a knack for this. It was only a little bit like learning to run before you could walk.


    The rock slowly rose into the air, her hand directing it upwards. Once it was a little higher than her head, she pulled her finger back and flicked it forward. It lost a few inches of height as she switched from Lift to Push, but it shot forward until it disappeared into the darkness beyond Glaraphel¡¯s light.


    ¡°I did it!¡± she gleefully exclaimed with a clenched fist. ¡°I¡¯d been trying to Lift before but it was so much harder than Push.¡±


    ¡°Good work, player Della Luna¡± the Angel praised.


    ¡°Just Della is fine,¡± she insisted.


    Glaraphel crossed his arms. ¡°I may have to listen to Av¡­ Anthony, but my job is only to protect you. Player Della Luna will be fine.¡±


    ¡°Intense,¡± I repeated, shrugging when she looked at me. ¡°It¡¯s the hand thing. Whatever makes it easier to visualize makes it easier to perform. Just remember what?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s a crutch,¡± she answered immediately as her eyes darted across the trail for her next target. ¡°Use it when I have to, practice without it when I can.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s it.¡± Before I could say more, a text box appeared in front of me.


    <<<>>>


    [[Patron Quest: Break the Scenario!]]


    Hello, slow motion Ant and friends.


    It¡¯s been some time, and I¡¯m here to tell you that you¡¯re going to be in shouting distance of Talafraxis any moment now. Once the sun comes up for you, I¡¯m guessing. If you want to get his attention so he doesn¡¯t go after the town while you¡¯re meandering your way there, it¡¯s about that time.


    In addition, I want Della and Glaraphel to be safe, so I¡¯m putting down some really heavy optional objectives. You may think them harsh, but I¡¯m giving you a challenge in exchange for some good things here.


    Objective: Defeat Talafraxis, Lord of Otherside.


    Optional Objectives: (1) Della reaches the end of the scenario above 90% hit points, (2) Glaraphel reaches the end of the scenario above 75% hit points.


    Reward: +10,000 points, Holy Aquacutter.


    Optional Reward: +5,000 points for each Optional Objective met, a picture if both the quest are 100% completed.


    <<<>>>


    ¡°What are you grinning about?¡± Della asked.


    ¡°Got a quest from my Patron,¡± I answered.


    ¡°You received a mission from the Highest Sister?¡± Glaraphel asked, his voice finally taking on some emotion.


    Della looked confused. ¡°Highest Sister?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s a long story, don¡¯t ask,¡± I said before the Power could say something. ¡°She has given me a quest to defeat the Lord of Otherside, Talafraxis.¡±


    ¡°Talawho?¡± Della interrupted.


    ¡°Talafraxis, the scenario boss,¡± I explained. ¡°But she also wants me to make sure you two are safe. High HP, essentially, by the time this is done. Even you, Glaraphel.¡±


    ¡°A holy mission,¡± he said enthusiastically. ¡°I will do my very best to accomplish it.¡±


    The area around us became brighter as the sun rose behind us. I stopped and observed our shadows, causing the other two to do the same. The black lines I saw before were now placed sporadically around us. Aside from the light, nothing had changed. There were no enemies or shifts in the environment. I was about to fix that.


    ¡°Dipper, the administrator, always has Talafraxis send his minions into Sedona three days after the first scenario ends,¡± I told them, turning around as I retrieved the Loaner Sword from my inventory. ¡°Now, we¡¯re going to be here for a while. Seven days, like you heard. I¡¯m actually a little surprised that Antonio didn¡¯t pick up on that, but that¡¯s fine. Either way, we need to distract the boss and his minions. We still have a while to go so they¡¯ll come in waves, but be vigilant and prepare for combat.¡±


    ¡°I am ready,¡± Glaraphel announced.


    ¡°I¡¯m not, but I suppose it¡¯s a good thing I have a Guardian Angel,¡± Della said nervously.


    ¡°I will protect you with my life, as I have been directed.¡±


    Della nodded. ¡°Reassuring.¡±


    ¡°It should be, he can¡¯t lie,¡± I said with a smile. Turning around, I lifted the Loaner Sword of Coyote and shouted. ¡°Talafraxis, Lord of the Otherside, hear me now and tremble!¡±


    The black lines around us all spread open, causing Della to jump in surprise. Glaraphel immediately moved closer to her to defend. Strange, clearly inhuman eyes looked around the Arizonan landscape before focusing on us. They all bore a different colors with multiple rings around the iris, and I could almost feel the weight of their gaze.


    ¡°These are my words!¡± I announced, pointing the sword at the nearest eye. ¡°You¡¯re a fuckin¡¯ bitch!¡±


    ¡°Wait, what?¡± Della asked, her nervousness failing her.


    ¡°That¡¯s right, you heard me!¡± I said as I waved the sword in the air. ¡°Fuckin¡¯! Bitch! My name is Anthony Franklin, and as God-Emperor of Earth and all upon it, I challenge you for the fate of our two worlds! You win, you get Earth! I win, I get Otherside! Take it if you¡¯re not a weak little coward!¡±


    ¡°Is that really okay?¡± she asked. ¡°Betting the world, I mean.¡±


    ¡°Taunting an opponent into making a mistake is also a time-honored tradition in war,¡± Glaraphel stated quietly. It sounded like he had more to say, something about my lie perhaps, but he kept that to himself.


    ¡°Absolutely right,¡± I said as I looked around.


    The eyes in the rifts were all narrowed now, and I could see a very human rage in them. Around us, creatures began to emerge from the shadows. They took on the shape of man but had no features, like clean slates of black skin, except for the head. A circle of white replaced their faces, and were constantly shifting. Male, female, two eyes, three eyes, four mouths, five mouths; the only consistency was that they were inconsistent.


    ¡°Tulpas,¡± Glaraphel muttered.


    ¡°What are Tulpas?¡± Della asked as they started approaching us.


    ¡°Imaginary friends, basically,¡± I told her. ¡°Well? Get shooting some rocks. I¡¯ll help soon.¡±


    The look the new Warmind gave me was priceless, and I smiled back at her.

 Chapter 217

    Otherside Border, Coconino National Forest, Sedona, Arizona - 9:02 PM


    Della¡¯s confused and panicked look was something to behold, but the Tulpas were approaching. I gestured towards a cluster of them. ¡°Why don¡¯t you focus on these ones here,¡± I said. ¡°And don¡¯t worry about the rest. Trust me when I say that they¡¯re pushovers this far away from their creator. A single rock, branch, tumbleweed, whatever through any part of their body will break them down.¡±


    ¡°They do seem rather¡­ lethargic,¡± Glaraphel noted as the enemies slowly shuffled towards us. ¡°Player Della Luna should do well enough.¡±


    She took a breath and I saw her aura settle. It was still full of nervous energy, but she knew what she had to do and was willing to do it.


    Della turned away from me to check the enemies I had given her. A quick glance told her everything she needed to know, and she looked around for ammunition. Raising a hand, she seemed to beckon various things her way. Rocks, branches, and even some small cactus were Pulled into a pile at her feet.


    ¡°I said earlier that a Tulpa was essentially an imaginary friend, but that¡¯s fairly basic. They are a materialized being, though,¡± I explained as I turned my attention to the enemies that weren¡¯t in the area I assigned her. ¡°Essentially, what Talafraxis is doing is thinking these creatures into existence. Literally. This far away from him, they¡¯re barely a threat. That will change as we get closer.¡±


    Glaraphel¡¯s observation had been correct. Given how slow they were, all of these Tulpas would go down in a single hit. They were slow, weak, and bumbling. This far from Talafraxis¡¯ seat of power, that was all they could be.


    It was the perfect fight for Della to gain some confidence and get used to hitting something with a mostly human face. That wasn¡¯t going to change for the duration of this scenario.


    I truly enjoyed having Absolute Awareness. With one hand holding the Loaner Sword and the other on my hip, I sent two rocks flying through the air, zigzagging through the chests of the enemies behind me while I watched Della¡¯s progress.


    At first, she took too long. Starting with rocks, she would Lift them and get ready to Push, but constantly moved back and forth to get the perfect shot. It took her precious seconds to fire one projectile.


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry so much about hitting weak points,¡± I told her. ¡°Just focus on hitting them anywhere. Even if you hit a leg or an arm, at your Willpower you¡¯ve got more than enough oomph to break the limb off of these creatures when they¡¯re more powerful later on. Make more attacks now and accuracy will start to come naturally with practice.¡±


    ¡°I hear you,¡± Della replied through gritted teeth as she fired off the hovering rock. It barely passed by the nearest Tulpa, and she groaned in frustration. The next one clipped through the same enemy¡¯s shoulder, causing it to waver and slowly disappear. ¡°Got one!¡±


    ¡°Are you, perhaps, using the yeet method?¡± Glaraphel asked, seemingly interested since there was no immediate danger. ¡°Anthony mentioned it before.¡±


    ¡°Yeah, probably,¡± she absently replied as she Pushed another rock. This one struck an enemy in the hip, causing it to waver and fall like the one before.


    ¡°I have not spent much time on Earth and even less time speaking with the players here,¡± the Angel started slowly, as if he wasn¡¯t sure if he should say something. ¡°But I have heard great things from children about the power and distance provided by the yeet method. If you are looking for accuracy, I believe you should switch to the method named after the man called Kobe instead.¡±


    Della dropped the branch she had Lifted so that she could look at the Angel, and I found myself laughing. ¡°Man, the weird shit you pick up roaming around Earth, huh?¡± I said between laughs. ¡°Della, eyes forward.¡±


    ¡°Yeah. Okay, just¡­ yeah,¡± she said as she shook her head. The tension was leaving her after what she perceived to be a joke, which was good.


    ¡°Did I say something funny?¡± Glaraphel asked, confused.


    ¡°Just something unexpected,¡± I told him honestly. ¡°It¡¯s good advice, for sure. But if you have any other nuggets of Earth wisdom like that, feel free to share them outside of battle.¡±


    ¡°I am pleased that my words have been of use, then,¡± he said.


    Despite Glaraphel¡¯s advice, my rocks were still swerving unerringly between Tulpas behind us and to the sides. The Angel had noticed this when he checked our flanks for enemies, but Della was too focused on her enemies to notice.


    I had to give her credit. By the time her pile of ammunition had dwindled to nothing, she was managing to hit most of the enemies. Not perfectly, but enough to hurt them. I reminded myself to thank the Red Oracle when we got back; she had certainly picked someone capable out of the crowd.


    Merrick might have been exceptional in the role eventually, but I wanted someone who would do well now.


    Once she started looking around for more ammunition, my two rocks came swinging in from the sides. There weren¡¯t many Tulpas left, and they were quickly dispatched by my attack.


    I began clapping. ¡°Not bad for a first attempt,¡± I praised as I jerked my head towards the path forward. Without waiting, I started heading that way.


    ¡°What happened to the rest of them?¡± Della asked, looking around.


    ¡°Anthony took care of them,¡± Glaraphel answered.


    She shot a confused glance his way. ¡°How? He was watching me the whole time.¡±


    ¡°It seems as though he is not bound by the same rules you are when it comes to sight,¡± he offered with a shrug.


    ¡°He¡¯s right. I¡¯ve got a passive that lets me see all around me for as many feet away as my Wisdom,¡± I said, putting my free hand in my pocket. ¡°It¡¯s very handy, though pretty hard to come by. I had to use several different skill books and Synthesis Pages to get there.¡±


    ¡°And it just lets you see things around you? What is your Wisdom?¡± Della asked.


    I glanced at the Loaner Sword I still carried. With the strange weapon, I had to open my menu to check.


    <<<>>>


    [[Status]]


    Avatar Anthony Franklin


    Class: Warmind


    Race: Half-Angel (Dormant)


    Patron: (Hidden)


    Guild: Sol LigatusThe narrative has been taken without authorization; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident.


    Player Kills: 8


    Points: 83,852


    Stats:


    Hit Points: 1,104/1,104


    Mental Points: 1,617/1,963 (300/300)


    Strength: 42; Dexterity: 83; Constitution: 92; Wisdom: 133; Willpower: 125


    <<<>>>


    ¡°Looks like 133, but I could bump that up to 143 if I dual wield another of my weapons,¡± I said. Her jaw dropped as she slowed down, but Glaraphel gently pushed her forward with his shield and she caught up. ¡°What, don¡¯t believe me?¡±


    ¡°No, no, I do. That¡¯s just¡­ really high, isn¡¯t it?¡±


    ¡°I suppose so, but my three physical stats that everyone gets aren¡¯t over a hundred. Strength isn¡¯t even over 50, if you can believe it. I¡¯m a bit of a min-maxer because Shield and Force Field can take a lot of damage, so Dexterity and Constitution aren¡¯t as big a deal. Not that you should ever neglect your Constitution, though. Keep that maxed.¡±


    ¡°I would never,¡± Della said as if the mere thought of it was stupid, and she opened her menu. ¡°I haven¡¯t had to use Shield yet.¡±


    ¡°That one¡¯s really easy. Flip a mental switch to turn it on, and then it¡¯ll be active until you turn it off,¡± I replied. ¡°I usually keep it toggled off because I want to use it strategically. Sometimes it¡¯s better to tank attacks, sometimes it¡¯s better to turn it on in quick bursts so that it can take specific attacks. If you want to keep it on, feel free to do so. I will warn you, though, that even though it doesn¡¯t use Mental Points it will give you a migraine if you leave it on for a couple of hours.¡±


    ¡°Seems like this class really does a number on your brain,¡± she joked.


    ¡°It does, yeah,¡± I agreed with a chuckle. Looking towards the sky, I saw the sun was already in position for noon even though we had only walked a short distance. ¡°I think Talafraxis is inviting us to his position faster than we would normally go. Must not have taken my challenge very gracefully.¡±


    ¡°A boon for us, then,¡± Glaraphel stated. He watched the eyes that watched us, staying as vigilant as ever.


    I grunted in agreement before looking back at Della. ¡°How¡¯d your first combat as a Warmind feel?¡±


    She thought about it for a moment before answering. ¡°I guess it kind of felt like playing a carnival game.¡±


    ¡°Yeah?¡±


    ¡°Yeah. As in, I know what I¡¯m supposed to be doing. The steps are all in front of me, but the game¡¯s rigged,¡± she explained. ¡°It¡¯s harder than it looks and I know in my mind that it¡¯s meant to be difficult, but it doesn¡¯t feel like it¡¯s something that I¡¯ll be bad at forever so long as I keep practicing. It¡¯s just going to take a lot of time before I start winning the prizes I want.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s a good way of looking at it,¡± I said, nodding. ¡°Practice will make perfect, but I don¡¯t ever want you to think where you top out is bad.¡±


    ¡°What do you mean?¡± she asked, furrowing her brow.


    I Lifted three rocks off of the road and juggled them in front of me without touching them. ¡°I mean, if you stop at being able to Split your focus three ways, then don¡¯t be frustrated by that. If it¡¯s four, or five, then that¡¯s phenomenal. If it¡¯s one or two, that¡¯s still okay. Remember: Fred couldn¡¯t even Lift his watch for more than a few seconds.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re saying I¡¯m going to hit a hard limit,¡± she said.


    ¡°Statistically speaking, yes,¡± I informed her with a thin smile. ¡°I have semi-reliable knowledge of the future, as you may have heard, and the only person other than me that breaks six items is a woman in Nanjing, China. She tops out at nine. Now, I don¡¯t know about you. I was here for Fred and he¡¯s not what I found. You could top out at two, could top out at nine. Either way, the class is going to do well for you.¡±


    Della frowned as she thought this over. While she did, the sun set in front of us and the moon came back out. ¡°Okay, that¡¯s really annoying.¡±


    ¡°What¡¯s really annoying is that we¡¯re basically time traveling right now,¡± I said. ¡°We¡¯re missing out on seven days of getting shit done. Great if you don¡¯t want to wait for something, terrible if you want to get more training in.¡±


    ¡°Is it even worth it?¡± Della asked. ¡°I mean, the scenario was going to have this guy attack the city anyway, right?¡±


    ¡°You¡¯d think, but all you¡¯d do is end up getting Tulpas and a few other things,¡± I answered. ¡°Talafraxis would have set up here like he has now, but while you¡¯re spending so much time getting to him he¡¯ll have continued to send his minions into the city. You¡¯d have no idea if you¡¯d return to a safe place or a smoking crater.¡±


    She shook her head. ¡°But your bet and provocative words have made him stand down for now?¡±


    ¡°Less stand down and more unable to disengage from his ego. We¡¯ve got the audacity to claim we¡¯re better than the Lord of Otherside. And it¡¯s true!¡± I yelled at the eyes around us. They glowed in the dark now that the sun was gone. ¡°So now he¡¯s all disgruntled because we hurt his wittle interdimensional feelings.¡±


    The ground and sky shook as the eyes grew bigger. It was easy to tell that they were enraged, mimicking the expression of their boss. They were becoming more numerous, too, as more black lines appeared midair and opened up as we got close.


    ¡°Yeah, yeah. I hear you, you great big thing, you,¡± I said, exasperated.


    ¡°What are we going to do when we get there?¡± Della asked, a little shaky.


    <<<>>>


    [[Patron Quest: Destroy the Enemies!]]


    I have discovered that the Patron Quest time limit is based on my time, not yours. I¡¯m going to be peppering you with these as you travel incredibly slowly through Otherside, but it¡¯s better than leaving points on the table.


    Another wave of enemies is heading your way, so take care of them.


    Objective: Destroy the Tulpas.


    Reward: 1,000 points.


    <<<>>>


    ¡°I¡¯ll get to that in a moment. If you could both duck for a moment, I would appreciate it,¡± I said as I activated my Dragon¡¯s Breath. They both stopped and, after a moment, did so.


    Tulpas surrounded us, crawling out of the darkness. While Della certainly needed practice, I wasn¡¯t going to make her do it with so little light just yet. There were still a few cycles of daylight remaining that would give her the opportunity to practice.


    For now, I did my thing. Divine energy sparked from my mouth before spilling out as a concentrated beam. Spinning in place, I lit up the entire forest and sliced through it indiscriminately. Trees, rocks, and shrubs were cut in half along with the enemies stalking towards us.


    Once I was facing forward again, I closed my mouth.


    <<<>>>


    [[Patron Quest Complete!]]


    Good work, Ant. Seeing as that¡¯s the only kind of enemies around here, I¡¯ll let you know when more waves are coming with quests. You already have the one to break the scenario, so the three per day I have are going to be more of these.


    Sorry, there¡¯s not a lot to do here.


    Reward: 1,000 points.


    <<<>>>


    ¡°Alright, so, here¡¯s the plan,¡± I said, snapping away the screen as if I hadn¡¯t just barfed up a laser. My companions slowly stood, looking at each other before catching up. I conjured a scroll from my inventory and offered it to Della. She gingerly took it.


    <<<>>>


    [[Item]]


    Scroll of Copy Equipment


    Use this scroll to cast the spell on it. Choose a target within sight, and your clothes morph into an exact replica of what that target is wearing. You are able to use any unique items not provided by a Patron, but other than that restriction you gain the same stats, skills, and passives the gear provides. This spell lasts for twenty-four hours.


    <<<>>>


    ¡°Della, you¡¯re going to use that once we lay eyes on Talafraxis, and then you¡¯re going to deal with the Tulpas with the help of your Guardian Angel. There¡¯s going to be a lot of them, Glaraphel, but I have faith in you.¡±


    ¡°Your faith is not misplaced,¡± he answered immediately.


    ¡°I know, but make sure she gets to take out as many as she can for the points. Protect her only when necessary,¡± I continued. ¡°It¡¯s going to be one hell of a battleground, but I believe the two of you will do well enough that I won¡¯t have to leave my one on one to save y¡¯all.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re going to¡­¡± Della paused and sighed. ¡°Of course you¡¯re going to fight the scenario boss by yourself. So we¡¯re just fighting the monsters to give you space?¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re fighting the monsters for practice and to tell everyone that it¡¯s not going to be safe here once the third scenario rolls around, which will happen quickly,¡± I said, not telling her that I¡¯ll likely be swarmed as well. ¡°Focus on your survival against overwhelming odds. That will put you in an excellent position once we leave this place. You¡¯ll probably even end up stronger than your uncle, if you practice enough.¡±


    Any doubt in Della¡¯s mind disappeared when I said that, and she stood up even straighter. ¡°No probably about it, I will.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s the spirit,¡± I praised. ¡°Go ahead and level up your abilities as high as you can go. After the first scenario, you should be able to Split your focus twice and work in some Force Fields, which take more effort than just Shield because you have to mentally place them. We¡¯ve got a few more cycles left, so we¡¯re going to be practicing the whole way.¡±


    The Warmind gave me a firm nod, and I smiled. This wasn¡¯t turning out half bad.

 Chapter 218

    Coconino National Forest Border, Otherside - 1:23 AM


    As we delved deeper into the desert forest, things became stranger and stranger. More eyes appeared everywhere, no longer constrained to the air. The trees had them, the rocks had them, even the ground underneath our feet was watching us. Della had been creeped out for hours now, but it was even starting to wear on Glaraphel¡¯s nerves and I would have bet his true Angelic form was at least 50% eyes.


    Seven more waves of enemies came at us and Sara gave me repeat quests for all of them. Della continued to improve, but I could tell that her Mental Points were starting to get low by the end. Even with maxed out stats, her pool only held so much. I was thankful to Bethany for preparing some tea potions that would help out before I left.


    ¡°Here,¡± I said, stopping as I noticed that the eyes were beginning to dwindle. I summoned two bottles of green tea in one hand, and then the same and two bottles of purple tea in the other. ¡°Green is healing, purple is for resource recovery. Take these and use them as needed.¡±


    <<<>>>


    [[Item]]


    Healing Green Tea


    When imbibed, restore 25% of your HP.


    [[Item]]


    Arcane Breakfast Tea


    When imbibed, restore 20% of your Mental Points.


    <<<>>>


    Della took the four I offered with no hesitation, but Glaraphel shook his head. ¡°I cannot. I will protect player Della Luna as instructed, but my health is not of concern.¡±


    ¡°It is a concern when the Highest Sister has given me a quest to make sure you survive this as healthy as possible,¡± I told him with an arched eyebrow. ¡°Besides, I still have two more of each. Take the tea.¡±


    Glaraphel looked down at me before nodding. His shield disappeared from his hand as he took the two bottles. ¡°Very well. I will take these in the name of the Highest Sister.¡±


    Satisfied, I turned to Della. ¡°You can use the scroll now.¡±


    ¡°Finally!¡± she cheered, swiping open her menu.


    ¡°You know how you were disappointed about how the transformation into a Warmind was kind of anticlimactic before?¡± I asked. She retrieved the Scroll of Copy Equipment and nodded. ¡°Well, you¡¯re going to like this. It¡¯s going to basically be a full magical girl transformation sequence. Lasts a whole thirty seconds and everything.¡±


    ¡°Sounds exciting, which is more than I can say for the rest of this place,¡± Della replied before looking around. It didn¡¯t appear as though she had noticed the difference in our environment. ¡°Why now? Are we almost there?¡±


    ¡°Almost,¡± I confirmed, pulling out the Staff of Raphael. The copied version would give her some extra healing as well as boost her Willpower and Wisdom stats. ¡°I wasn¡¯t sure if the scroll would count for time outside of this temporal anomaly or our own personal time, which was why I had you wait. I¡¯m going to go scout ahead. You two catch up after the transformation.¡±


    ¡°Will do,¡± Della said.


    ¡°Do not go too far. There¡¯s a strange energy in the air,¡± Glaraphel warned.


    ¡°Yeah, that¡¯s what I¡¯m hoping for,¡± I chuckled.


    Turning, I started running down the trail. The ground wasn¡¯t solid enough for me to use my Heelies, so this would have to do. A light show took place behind me as Della activated the Copy Equipment spell. I saw that all of the eyes tracking me had looked away, distracted. Walking over the top of a tall hill, I looked down on a wasteland.


    This was the true border to Otherside, the small dimension that Lord Talafraxis reigned over. The eyes disappeared as I crossed the boundary, but that wasn¡¯t all. The trees, bush, and resilient grasses were nowhere to be seen, replaced by crystals dotting the red landscape of dirt and rock. Every so often something would pass through them, though they were too quick to see.


    I continued to follow the trail. The location was somewhere close to where the real Bradshaw Ranch was, but there was no trace of it. Instead, I headed towards the only other identifiable mass: a giant crystal surrounded by a sea of black.


    This was Talafraxis, floating over his Tulpa minions. With the Loaner Sword slung over my shoulder, I stopped my approach to watch.


    The Lord of Otherside was roughly twenty feet tall and made of several pieces of purple-blue crystals with eyes strewn seemingly at random inside. Nearly every one of his appendages floated separately from each other in the vague shape of a humanoid with a wide, cross-shaped head. Both of his massive hands were raised as he manipulated purple balls of energy. Streams of it came down, creating Tulpas as if he were filling out a mold. Creation took a few minutes, so I wasn¡¯t in a rush.


    Besides, he already knew I was here. If he wanted to start the fight, he would have already. I didn¡¯t mind a few more enemies.


    Even though the Tulpas were milling, these would be the strongest ones yet. As completely psychic beings, they lost strength the further and longer they were away from the one who made them. Sedona¡¯s second scenario would have had the people in the city taking out the entities much like we had. Every wave would draw Talafraxis closer, making each skirmish more and more dangerous.


    <<<>>>


    [[Patron Message]]


    You already have a quest for this one. Would you like a refresher?


    If so, I can send it again. If not, be careful anyway. Talafraxis is dangerous.


    <<<>>>


    ¡°No need for a refresher, I remember. Defeat the big bad while making sure Della is over 90% on her hit points and Glaraphel is 75% on his,¡± I said to the sky. ¡°And don¡¯t you worry. All will fall before the Champion of Earth. This is the way things have always been.¡±


    ¡°You got some kind of pep talk going on?¡± Della asked as she approached, but she quickly became distracted by the sight of our enemy. She leaned on the copied Staff of Raphael in her arms.


    ¡°Just talking to my Patron,¡± I answered, returning my own staff into my inventory. I nodded upwards at her, gesturing towards her clothes ¡°How¡¯s the fit?¡±You might be reading a pirated copy. Look for the official release to support the author.


    Just as the spell described, Della was wearing an almost-exact replica of what I had on though it was sized for her. It was strange seeing someone else in my gear. The crown of bones and glasses on her head, the long black coat, the rosewood red gloves and pants, and the Heelies. The only things that hadn¡¯t been copied were my Unique Items, so she didn¡¯t have Esaraphelscion¡¯s Love, the Vambrace of Wires, or the Loaner Sword of Coyote.


    ¡°It¡¯s not the best look, honestly, but I¡¯m glad you¡¯re wearing comfortable underwear,¡± she admitted.


    I laughed and nodded. ¡°Yeah, that¡¯s a whole thing about copying gear across gender lines. Sorry I don¡¯t have a magical bra to lend out. I was expecting old Fred to be my companion for a different adventure.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ve already fixed that problem,¡± Della said before arching an eyebrow at me. ¡°There are magical bras out there?¡±


    ¡°Oh, yeah. There¡¯s magical everything out there. I meant to get my feet in some comfortable doomed socks a while back, but some other things came up.¡±


    ¡°Doomed socks,¡± she repeated before shaking her head. ¡°I¡¯m starting to believe that we¡¯ve been really, really sheltered in Sedona.¡±


    ¡°Yeah, it¡¯s a real shame,¡± I said sadly. Silence hung between us for a moment as she stared at me, completely ignoring the army ahead of us. ¡°Anyway, it looks like they¡¯ve decided to grace us with their attention, so we should get moving.¡±


    I Pulled the Writhing Belt Whip from my inventory. It wriggled in my hand, and I offered it to her. She gingerly took it from me, taking note of the leather¡¯s similarities to diseased skin.


    <<<>>>


    [[Item]]


    Writhing Belt Whip


    (Whip form; +5 Strength, +10 Constitution, +5 Willpower, Eldritch Chomp passive acquired)


    [[Passive]]


    Eldritch Chomp


    Whenever a blow is struck with the Writhing Belt Whip, there is a 50% chance to deal damage equal to your Constitution stat and inflict the bleeding debuff as the whip grows teeth and takes a bite out of your target.


    <<<>>>


    ¡°Thanks?¡± she asked more than said, clearly unhappy with the macabre material the whip was made out of.


    ¡°Feel free to keep it after the fight,¡± I told her as I started walking towards the battlefield. Della seemed distracted reading the whip¡¯s description, but she followed shortly after. ¡°I¡¯ve kind of outgrown it, honestly. Ready, Glaraphel?¡±


    ¡°I have been ready for hours now,¡± the Angel said as he resummoned his wicker shield and brought up the rear. ¡°What is the plan?¡±


    <<<>>>


    [[Notice]]


    The Patron [Coyote] wishes to see you use Bringer of Fire and so he can marvel in his power in slow motion.


    <<<>>>


    Arching an eyebrow at the sky, I lifted the heavy Loaner Sword. ¡°Patron of mine, Coyote wants me to bring the sun down. What say you?¡±


    <<<>>>


    [[Patron Message]]


    You should be a safe distance away to use it. I¡¯m not sure how effective it¡¯ll be given Coyote¡¯s nature, but there¡¯s probably no harm in using it. Better than you losing his sword because you didn¡¯t entertain him.


    Speaking of entertainment, I just had to sit through several minutes of you asking that question, just so you know. I feel like I¡¯ve been very patient but I may have to dissuade you from going into anomalies like this where you¡¯re much slower than I am in the future.


    <<<>>>


    The Tulpas had turned to face our general direction, but they hadn¡¯t moved yet. Beneath us, the ground rumbled as Talafraxis spoke. His voice was loud, deep, and unintelligible. It almost reminded me of a whale.


    ¡°Yeah, yeah, and I¡¯m the Head Honcho of Earth. I¡¯m the one who¡¯s going to kick your ass,¡± I called back even though I couldn¡¯t understand him. Glancing back at Della and Glaraphel, I spoke normally. ¡°Going to use a skill from the sword. After that, we charge. You two take out any remaining Tulpas, and I¡¯ll go after Talafraxis.¡±


    ¡°Understood,¡± Glaraphel said. Della gave me a nod.


    Talafraxis was saying something unintelligible, and I ignored him. Instead, I raised the Loaner Sword of Coyote high into the sky and mentally activated Bringer of Fire.


    The air all around us whipped up into a whirlwind as we heard the sound of something entering the atmosphere at a high speed. Everyone, including the Tulpas and their master, looked up to see that something heading straight for us. Glaraphel immediately picked Della up, careful not to let his flaming sword burn her, and started fleeing.


    I stood my ground, holding the heavy sword in the air as I stared down the ball of light that was heading my way. The sun was still high in the sky so I knew it wasn¡¯t that, as cool as it would have been.


    When it came closer, I saw what it really was: a flaming meteor in the shape of a coyote¡¯s head. I let out a low laugh as it continued on its collision course towards me. Trusting in Sara that it wasn¡¯t going to crush me, I stood my ground and watched.


    The meteor went from a fast dive to a full stop in an instant, hovering over the tip of the Loaner Sword. It looked around with unblinking eyes before it turned its attention to me, and it opened its mouth.


    ¡°You thought it was the sun, but Coyote is more powerful than that!¡± the stone head announced with a cackle. ¡°Throw me! Throw me at our enemies!¡±


    ¡°Sure thing, man,¡± I said with a disbelieving chuckle and shake of my head.


    I pulled the sword back, and the flaming meteor turned so that it was looking at the army. They began running towards us, apparently taking the appearance of Coyote¡¯s head as a declaration of war. I decided that was fair.


    I swung the Loaner Sword forward, and the meteor took off like a boulder from a catapult. It cackled and laughed before it collided with the center of the army, exploding on contact.


    Fire burst forth from it, becoming so blinding that I had to look away, trusting only my aura sight to see what was going on. The ground became scorched as Tulpas burned away into nothing, but only in a particular pattern. When I finally opened my eyes, I saw that only a quarter of the Tulpas remained, and those were the ones lucky enough to be on the outskirts.


    In the middle of the survivors, the flaming meteor had scorched the face of a photorealistic coyote into the ground. Its eyes moved, winking at me before going dormant. An ethereal laughter echoed before disappearing completely.


    ¡°Bringer of Fire. Alright, I guess that solves that,¡± I said, nodding. Turning around, I saw Glaraphel put Della down what he considered a safe distance away. I needed to yell. ¡°You didn¡¯t have to run!¡±


    Before they could respond, the remaining Tulpas were between me and them, and Talafraxis was behind me. He was already mid-swing, and I didn¡¯t have time to get Shield when he struck me. I went flying into the air from the force of the blow.


    It occurred to me that I should have remembered that the Lord of Otherside had a mass teleport skill. Given the low number of times I had fought him, I decided to let him have that one.


    The Tulpas had been positioned to divide and conquer. While it certainly wasn¡¯t what Glaraphel had in mind, I decided that this was the best possible outcome. I had wanted a one on one against the boss and that was exactly what I was getting.


    Rolling after flying nearly twenty feet from where I was struck, I landed in a small group of enemies. I slid, swinging the Loaner Sword with the power of Orbit. The Tulpas surrounding me were cut down, slashed in half and disintegrating into the wind.


    Surveying the situation, I saw that most of them were going after Della and Glaraphel, which suited me just fine. While dangerous to most people, the Tulpas were really just a distraction to me. I could spare the mental energy to keep them from surrounding me with their boss, but that was it.


    My back hurt from the blow, and I summoned the Staff of Raphael in my free hand. Dual wielding it and the Loaner Sword of Coyote would give me a great boost to healing as well as the multiple different weird skills and passives I wanted to try in this fight. I turned to look at Talafraxis.


    ¡°Really? Hit me with the teleport behind the back?¡± I asked with mock disapproval. ¡°Not very lordly behavior, you know. Certainly not how you should start a fight with Earth¡¯s Big Cheese, which isn¡¯t a meaningless title I just made up.¡±


    Talafraxis responded, not that I could understand him.


    That didn¡¯t stop me from acting like I could.


    ¡°Come on, you know it wasn¡¯t fair!¡± I complained, keeping an eye on the fight going on behind me. ¡°There¡¯s absolutely no way that that¡¯s acceptable behavior in a duel.¡±


    The Lord of Otherside had an answer to my complaints, and that was to throw his fist out. Several crystal shards escaped from his hand, coming straight for me. Without moving, I activated Force Field, deflecting the projectiles so that they would land at my feet instead of stopping them outright.


    ¡°Man, I came all this way, at least speak English,¡± I continued. Talafraxis¡¯ eyes all narrowed as he looked at me, and I twirled the Staff of Raphael. ¡°I don¡¯t speak whale.¡±


    The boss¡¯ cross shaped head tilted one way, and then the other, before it settled. ¡°I am going to raze your planet to the ground,¡± Talafraxis said in a voice like gravel.


    ¡°Rude,¡± I told him.


    Della and Glaraphel had started off on the back foot, but thanks to the Angel¡¯s combat experience it was turning back in their favor. Now that I didn¡¯t have to worry about them as much, it was time to go on the offensive. Turning my attention back to Talafraxis, I smiled.


    ¡°Turnabout is fair play, right?¡± I asked, raising the Loaner Sword high into the air. Before he could respond, I activated Fae Step, teleporting directly behind him.

 Chapter 219

    Coconino National Forest Border, Otherside - 1:39 AM


    I used Drop on the Loaner Sword as I reappeared behind Talafraxis. The blade scraped against the boss¡¯ hard crystal body, scratching it but only barely. I adjusted my path to continue the attack onto one of his legs, which weren¡¯t attached to his torso, but he took a step forward.


    <<<>>>


    [[Notice]]


    The stats of the Loaner Sword of Coyote are changing. These are the updated values.


    Strength: +10


    Wisdom: +2


    <<<>>>


    The message only took up a fraction of my attention as I swung the weapon. My Strength did seem higher, which I was only able to gauge due to the sword being slightly lighter. I used Orbit, spinning once to build momentum before clashing with the Lord of Otherside¡¯s shin as he turned to face me. The damage was more noticeable as the blade sank in before stopping. When I pulled it free, there wasn¡¯t a dent on it.


    An eye floating in Talafraxis¡¯ foot glowed just before a beam of light erupted from it. My aura sight didn¡¯t pick it up until the attack already started and I was struck in the hip. I could smell my skin burning by the time I put up Shield and dodged out of the way.


    The eye beam followed me as the boss shifted. His arm, disconnected at both the shoulder and the elbow, shot towards me. I Lifted the Loaner Sword to block with support from the Staff of Raphael. It had been a long time since I had done this fight, and I needed to relearn how strong he actually was.


    My knees buckled as he struck me. I couldn¡¯t help but think again how the administrator skipped several levels in difficulty to make this guy.


    The difference between us in Strength was massive and overwhelming, but I managed to knock the attack off course. A plume of dirt cascaded into the air, blocking the eye beam from striking me as it made a string of glass.


    I didn¡¯t have time to congratulate myself for surviving. While Talafraxis¡¯ arm had impacted the ground beside me, his floating shoulder was coming down next like a hammer. Instead of taking this one or trying to stop it with a Force Field, I held the Loaner Sword to the side and activated Crash Test.


    My feet pushed the sand out of the way as I headed between the boss¡¯ legs. The Loaner Sword caught the giant crystal and, to my surprise, carried it along with us.


    Behind me, Talafraxis didn¡¯t shift or fall despite losing a leg that was a little bit taller than me. His arm returned to its position and he turned normally as if he wasn¡¯t missing a part of his body.


    ¡°Why do you have knees but no elbows?¡± I asked, pulling the Loaner Sword free from the leg. I thought it was a sensible question.


    There was no response. No roar of rage or frustration that I had his leg. A beam of light hit me in the side, and I backed off to see that an eye had floated into the boss¡¯ missing limb. Jumping away, I swept the Loaner Sword against the ground, bringing up a cloud of sand to block the beam. The cloud lingered, hanging in the air for longer than I expected it to.


    <<<>>>


    [[Notice]]


    The Patron [Coyote] says not like that, you have to draw a coyote!


    <<<>>>


    My eyes scanned the notice and I thought back to the strange sword I was using. One of the passives was Go For The Giant¡¯s Legs, which was probably what allowed me to essentially kidnap a part of Talafraxis¡¯ body. The skill From Clay To Life mentioned making animals, but it might not mean just clay.


    It wasn¡¯t like I could trust Coyote to be honest.


    But I did trust him to want to have fun and be entertained.


    Several of the eyes inside Talafraxis¡¯ main body lit up. I dove behind a nearby crystal. It began turning to slag the moment the beams struck it, and the boss didn¡¯t let up as he began running towards me, picking up his missing leg along the way. I wasn¡¯t sure if he was out of teleports or simply didn¡¯t want to use up a limited resource, but I appreciated the extra time.


    The Loaner Sword was unwieldy for drawing, so I used the ferrule on the bottom of my Staff of Raphael. I drew quickly, sacrificing quality for speed. Looking around while I did, I Lifted two bushes out of the ground. The roots snapped as they rose, and I sent them careening towards Talafraxis.


    His eye beams focused on the plants, but that only lit them on fire. Based on this and my hip, which was healing nicely, the ocular attacks seemed more suited for delivering damage over time than all at once. The last time I had fought the Lord of Otherside, I had done my best to avoid them since I never thought I¡¯d be a part of this fight again.


    The two flaming bushes continued to fly towards Talafraxis, and he put up his arms to defend himself. They impacted almost harmlessly, which was fine by me; they served their purpose.


    I finished the poor drawing of a coyote in the sand. It started glowing. The ground began to shake, almost ruining my art, before an animal jumped out from between the lines I had made.


    ¡°Coyote is here!¡± the poorly drawn canine announced with a cackling laugh. It appeared to be made of clay despite having been drawn in sand, and it looked up at me with a cockeyed grin as it bounced. ¡°I am here to help, amusing player! Point me in the direction of the bad guy!¡±


    This wasn¡¯t really the Patron Coyote but something more akin to a minion. That said, I was going to improve my chances as much as I could.


    ¡°Right behind me,¡± I replied, jerking my head in Talafraxis¡¯ general direction. ¡°He is big and shiny, but we all know who the most magnificent creature here is.¡±


    The little Coyote bounced on his four paws. ¡°Of course we do!¡± he agreed. Jumping onto my shoulder, his tail swished against the Loaner Sword before he jumped over the crystal.


    <<<>>>


    [[Notice]]


    The stats of the Loaner Sword of Coyote are changing. These are the updated values.


    Strength: +30


    Willpower: +1


    <<<>>>


    I quickly double checked the Loaner Sword¡¯s description to see that these weren¡¯t additions to the stats, but the new absolute values. Taking a hit to Willpower hurt, but the Strength buff was nice. I was starting to get worried, though; I wondered if Coyote was going to take that or Wisdom into the negatives.


    Deciding that I was worrying about it too much, I jumped over the crystal.


    Little Coyote was running circles around Talafraxis. Every eye beam chased after him, coming out of whatever point of the boss¡¯ body was closest to the clay animal. ¡°I am too fast!¡± he howled. ¡°Look at me, fast as the wind!¡±


    Despite the yipping and howling distraction that was Little Coyote, I was noticed immediately. An eye in Talafraxis¡¯ shoulder turned to look at me, beam and all. I held up the Loaner Sword, blocking the damage. It might have been more effective over time, but I wasn¡¯t going to take the chance that the boss had something that might be able to increase its power.


    One of his arms came down on me from several feet away. With a higher Strength stat, I ducked out of the way of the eye beam and threw my body into swinging the Loaner Sword. It collided, pushing it far enough off course that it hit the ground behind me, but the effort had strained my entire body.


    When I regained my balance, the beam focused on me again. It hit my Shield, causing it to rapidly shimmer after only a few seconds. That was a lot of consistent damage. Talafraxis¡¯ shoulder came at me next, and I prepared to knock it out of the way again.


    This move turned out to be the wrong one. Several cracks appeared in the crystalline body part, and it shattered mere inches away from me. I didn¡¯t have time to do anything more than throw up a Force Field in front of my face.


    Several shards slammed into me. My feet continued forward as my body was pushed back, and I was on the ground in a moment. Shield couldn¡¯t stand the onslaught, breaking early, and Force Field lasted until the end though it broke, too.


    Many of them pierced my chest and stomach, and I felt several of my ribs break or get pushed out of position. Injured but still in my right mind, I attempted to bring them into my inventory. I knew that I couldn¡¯t take items in if they belonged to another player, but right now they were projectiles that were thrown at me by a boss. If the system was favoring me today, they would be considered unattended and unclaimed items.


    To my relief, they went right in. Blood flowed, but the Staff of Raphael and my Heavenly Hero passive were already starting to patch me up. The shards that hadn¡¯t hit me and Talafraxis¡¯ arm returned to him, but his shoulder was still splintered. They hovered there, incomplete.


    ¡°Somebody¡¯s skipping shoulder day!¡± Little Coyote gleefully hollered as he ran around. He sounded far away, and I realized I couldn¡¯t see him.


    There hadn¡¯t been a response from the boss before, but now he roared in outrage. I quickly returned to my feet and dashed forward, Loaner Sword raised. While Talafraxis was distracted, now was the perfect time to strike. I activated Cheetah Sprint.


    Piles of sand were kicked backwards as I doubled my speed. Once again augmenting my strike with Orbit, I went for the leg. Just like before, it came with me thanks to this truly absurd weapon.


    The thought of what it could do to a flesh and blood giant¡¯s leg went through my head, but I couldn¡¯t spare the time it deserved.


    Talafraxis lashed out at me with his other leg, and I quickly spun around the one I had stolen. The two collided, both crystals cracking from the force, and I got sent flying again. Before I hit the ground, I reached out and tried to pull the whole leg into my inventory. This time, it didn¡¯t work, and I had to assume it was considered the boss¡¯ leg when it wasn¡¯t in pieces.


    I twisted in the air and focused on the fight. The Vambrace of Wires ejected its rope towards the stolen leg as it returned to its rightful position, wrapping around it.


    Eye beams focused on both the metal rope and on me, and neither of my defensive options had come back online. I grit my teeth, taking the blows as best I could. The wire wrapped around the boss¡¯ knee, taking the fire damage better than I was, and I mentally retracted it.


    Bracing the blade with the Staff of Raphael, I shot forward, augmenting my trajectory with Push on both of my weapons. I prepared for impact. The blade sliced clean through, causing Talafraxis to stumble for the first time as I landed on the ground behind him, the rope still attached.


    The Lord of Otherside lifted his foot off of the ground just as it began to shake again. I could see a foot or so down, but dirt and soil were a real hindrance to my sight. Kicking off, I rolled out of the way in time to see a bed of crystal spikes rise up from where I had been. Worse, they chased after me.


    Talafraxis appeared above me as I evaded the chasing bed of spikes, foot high in the air. He started bringing it down, and I grimaced. Underneath me, I activated Construct, creating a thin psychic barrier between myself and the rising projectiles. In my hand, I swapped out the Staff of Raphael for my bowling ball.If you come across this story on Amazon, it''s taken without permission from the author. Report it.


    <<<>>>


    [[Item]]


    Boss Anthony Franklin¡¯s Golden Bowling Ball


    When used as a shield, this bowling ball allows the bearer to block blows as if their Strength were three times higher than it actually is. (Seven-Tenners Blessing)


    <<<>>>


    My Strength was much higher than usual thanks to the Loaner Sword¡¯s buff, and my arm didn¡¯t even get pushed aside. Unfortunately, my body was still pressed down. The Construct broke in some places, but mostly held. Talafraxis bellowed a laugh and continued to push down on me. I was about to try and squeeze out when a war cry was issued nearby.


    ¡°Coyotes! Attack!¡±


    Both of our attention was grabbed by Little Coyote.


    But not just Little Coyote. An entire company of Little Coyotes.


    The misshapen one I had created led the charge, but the rest were all drawn perfectly. It occurred to me that Little Coyote had been out of my line of sight ever since I reengaged with Talafraxis, and apparently he had been using that time to make clay clones of himself.


    Every one of them bayed, yipped, and howled with obvious glee as they leapt through the air. Talafraxis, as big and strong as he was, let the pressure off as he stumbled from the assault. His eye beams swept through the large crowd. There was no escaping it this time, and several of the clay animals were melted to slag.


    There were still more of them. I floated off of the spikes only to have the original clay animal land on me. He scrambled onto my shoulder. ¡°Captain Little Coyote, reporting for duty,¡± he said with a puffed out chest.


    ¡°You can use the sword¡¯s skills to make more of yourself?¡± I asked incredulously as I retreated, getting some distance from Talafraxis. The horde was still taking up the boss¡¯ attention, but I wasn¡¯t about to let them do the work without help. I Lifted two of the larger crystals out of the ground and sent them into the fray like siege weapons.


    ¡°I am Coyote! I can do anything!¡± he announced with a confident laugh. ¡°In fact, we should sing next! That will teach this Talamaholiger guy.¡±


    ¡°Not much of a singer,¡± I said absentmindedly as I focused on my crystals. The boss shattered the first one, but the second slammed into his shoulder, taking a sharp chunk off.


    ¡°If you want, I can sing, then! My voice is wonderful and marvelous, after all,¡± Little Coyote claimed.


    ¡°Sure, go for it.¡± If he wanted to activate the Sing with the Earth Maker skill for me, I wasn¡¯t going to stop him.


    Talafraxis grabbed the missing chunk of his shoulder when I tried to Lift it away, and he threw it at me and Little Coyote. I used Drop, causing it to fall onto the ground before it could make it to us.


    <<<>>>


    [[Patron Message]]


    You may want to pay more attention to the other fight. They¡¯re not surrounded anymore but they need to get some breathing room or you won¡¯t be able to complete your optional objectives.


    You know, in about twenty minutes or so when they¡¯re in mortal danger. My time, I mean.


    <<<>>>


    Turning around, I used the massive piece of shoulder as cover from Talafraxis. The other battlefield was farther than my senses reached, but I could see them just fine. Glaraphel flew around Della, flaming sword constantly in motion as the Tulpas advanced. The Warmind had gotten faster at flinging things around, but there were too many enemies and I could see she was having trouble focusing on which targets should be priorities.


    ¡°Allow me to serenade your Patron, this Highest Sister that the little bird over there is so fond of,¡± Little Coyote said before clearing his throat. Despite not having lungs, he sucked in a big breath. ¡°Arrrre you gonna take me home tonight!¡±


    I reached up and closed his snout with my hand before he could sing more of the song. ¡°No.¡±


    Little Coyote looked at me. ¡°Nomph?¡±


    ¡°No,¡± I repeated.


    Letting him go, I began gathering energy in my mouth. Behind us, I had another crystal join the first. The horde of Little Coyotes had been a great distraction. They had managed to crack Talafraxis¡¯ feet, but that was it.


    ¡°Okay, okay. No Fat Bottomed Girls. Okay. I¡¯ve got another that is beloved by new guitar players and cats alike, and one of those is vastly more important than the other,¡± Little Coyote said. ¡°Anyway, here¡¯s Wonderwall.¡±


    Could be worse, I thought to myself as I released my Dragon¡¯s Breath.


    The beam of golden energy shot across the sands of Otherside. It pierced through the back half of the Tulpa horde, causing every enemy it hit to disintegrate into thin air. Those remaining continued to charge forward, slicing themselves in half as they followed the last orders given to them. With Talafraxis distracted, the psychic constructs were little more than beasts that were relying on their numbers.


    I ended the skill once I had cut down what I thought was an appropriate number. Glaraphel gave me a look and a nod, which I returned. A bright light shone down on me. I glanced upwards as I raised my bowling ball, preparing for an attack.


    ¡°What am I doing here?¡± a dark-skinned man asked as he fell beside me. He wore a pair of pajama pants with no shirt, and had a wild look in his eyes.


    ¡°I, Coyote, have brought you the Avatar of the Earth Maker!¡± Coyote announced with glee. ¡°Avatar, buff this funny man with the strength of stone and iron!¡±


    ¡°Wait, you summoned another Patron¡¯s Avatar?¡± I asked as the man yawned and rubbed the sleep out of his eyes. ¡°Like, you actually did that? Really?¡±


    ¡°Eh, he is the dream version,¡± the animal admitted. ¡°He is asleep. This is him dreaming.¡±


    The Earth Maker¡¯s Avatar stretched and looked down at me. ¡°What¡¯s going on?¡±


    ¡°Sorry, man, this is new to me, too,¡± I admitted.


    Little Coyote jumped off of my shoulder and began to circle the newcomer. ¡°Buff the amusing one! Buff him before the Earth Maker finds out I have stolen you! Then you can go back to sleep!¡±


    ¡°Might as well?¡± I asked, shrugging when he looked at me with tired eyes.


    ¡°Yeah, sure, alright,¡± he mumbled with a half-hearted shrug. ¡°Never cast in my sleep before.¡±


    Raising his hand over my head, he brought it down and I felt a surge of energy through my body. In the next moment, he disappeared.


    <<<>>>


    [[Notice]]


    You are empowered for a short time.


    <<<>>>


    ¡°That¡¯s it?¡± I asked, looking down at Little Coyote. ¡°All that trouble and all I get is that I¡¯m empowered. You know that could mean any number of things, right?¡±


    ¡°Was it real? Or was it just another trick?¡± the animal cackled. ¡°Only one way to find out! Go, fight!¡±


    I rolled my eyes, but it was time to jump back into the fray. The remaining Little Coyotes could be counted on two hands and Talafraxis was no longer paying them any heed. They had done a number on his feet and he was still somewhat wobbly from where I sliced his leg in half at the knee.


    Leaving cover, I sped towards the boss. Despite Cheetah Sprint¡¯s time being up, I was still just as fast.


    Talafraxis punched down on me as I approached, and I jumped onto his arm. He was moving in slow motion, it seemed. I might have been going faster than I had when Cheetah Sprint was working. I jumped from his lower arm to his upper and onto his shoulder. His eyes widened in surprise before they glowed.


    I pivoted and shot towards the boss¡¯ cross shaped head. Before the eye beams could fire, he disappeared, reappearing some ten feet behind me. Without looking, I threw the Loaner Sword and My Golden Bowling Ball backwards, Pushing them both.


    When I activated Shield, the beams were noticeably slower wearing it down. Coyote¡¯s sword embedded itself in Talafraxis¡¯ chest, descending a foot or so into the crystal. The bowling ball was right behind it, hitting the weapon in its pommel and digging it deeper.


    The boss¡¯ chest cracked, but didn¡¯t break. I put a Force Field in front of me, landing on it and shooting off towards the enemy. Just like I had done back in the Mall of America, I skated through the air.


    I Lifted and Dropped the Loaner Sword repeatedly, trying to make the cracks in the enemy¡¯s body worse. His arm came up from underneath me to intercept, but he ran into the Force Field I was using to move. I dove for his head.


    It teleported away again, but I was in a prime position this time. ¡°Blinkback,¡± I almost sang.


    <<<>>>


    [[Spell]]


    Blinkback


    Recall a creature or player who you observed use a Teleport ability, skill, or spell. You must use this within one minute of the effect in order for the Blinkback to succeed Cost: 120 Mental Points.


    <<<>>>


    Talafraxis reappeared in front of me, his eye beams already going in another direction as if to target me, and I tackled his head. Behind me, I Pushed the Loaner Sword free and Lifted My Golden Bowling Ball up and over the body of the boss.


    I fell with the head in both hands, crashing onto the ground. Sadly, the soft sand broke our fall. Two eyes, wide and panicked, struck me in the head with their beams. Shield was more powerful now thanks to Little Coyote¡¯s tricks, and it was holding up. I raised one hand while I kept the head pinned with the other.


    ¡°Drink your potions now!¡± I yelled, hoping my voice would reach Della and Glaraphel.


    ¡°Drink potions! Noooooooow!¡± the remaining clay animals howled.


    <<<>>>


    [[Notice]]


    You are no longer empowered.


    <<<>>>


    The Loaner Sword of Coyote came to my hand, and I slashed downwards. It cut into Talafraxis¡¯ crystalline head, but not through. It appeared as though I hadn¡¯t had enough Strength to do that without the buff, but I had made sure to bring a backup.


    Both arms of the boss came in from behind me, and I blocked them with the crystals I had been using before my empowered attack. They were shunted aside, and he sent his shoulders after me next, even the one that was only shards.


    By then, it was too late.


    <<<>>>


    [[Notice]]


    The stats of the Loaner Sword of Coyote are changing. These are the updated values.


    Strength: -20


    Willpower: +201


    ???: +25


    <<<>>>


    My eyes went wide as I realized what the notice said, but there was no stopping what was to come.


    My Golden Bowling Ball fell from high above us, its speed aided by Drop. It slammed down on one of the Loaner Sword¡¯s back spikes, driving it through the Lord of Otherside¡¯s weird, disembodied head and into the ground.


    Sand hit me like shrapnel as a huge plume erupted high into the sky. I was sent flying just like Talafraxis¡¯ arms and shards that had been coming my way. I somehow managed to keep the Loaner Sword in my hand. With some finesse, I was able to right myself and skid to my feet, bleeding heavily from the face though my clothes had absorbed most of the damage to my body.


    I looked at the crater the Dropped bowling ball aided by over 300 Willpower had left, relishing the destruction as I Pulled it towards me. The rest of Talafraxis¡¯ body fell to the ground, unmoving, and I let out a breath of relief as I wiped my face.


    <<<>>>


    [[Victory!]]


    You have defeated x347 Tulpas; +2,776 points.


    You have contributed in defeating x57 Tulpas; +197 (456) points.


    You have defeated the Awakened Scenario Boss [Talafraxis, Lord of Otherside]; +2,500 points.


    [[Second Scenario Finished]]


    Talafraxis was perfection incarnate, snatched from his home in another dimension and turned into a war machine like none other.


    And now he is dead. With the dimensional threat completed before it could come to fruition, a new enemy lurks on the horizon. A hunter like none other.


    Sedona is safe. For now. The next one will not be so easy.


    Scenario MVP: Anthony Franklin


    Reward: 1,800 points, 2,000 points (Scenario Break bonus), Friend Bangle (MVP).


    [[Patron Quest Complete!]]


    Good show, Anthony! Time is already starting to speed up to normal as Otherside fades. You did a wonderful job, and I¡¯m glad you managed to placate Coyote as well. I would have hated to see what would have happened if he thought this all was boring.


    Congratulations are in order. Thanks to my message and your timely assistance, you managed to win both optional rewards. Della is sitting at 92% health after drinking both potions, and Glaraphel at 76% after drinking one, barely making it. Well done.


    And, as before, show no one that picture. Wait until you¡¯re a hundred miles away from anyone if you have to. Especially Coyote. This one is¡­ more than the last.


    Anyway, you¡¯ll be back to reality soon. You should prepare for that.


    Reward: +10,000 points, Holy Aquacutter, +5,000 points (Optional Objective (1)), +5,000 points (Optional Objective (2)), a photo (Optional Objective (1 & 2)).


    <<<>>>


    Seeing Talafraxis¡¯ head with my aura sight, I retrieved it. I shoved the two pieces into my inventory for later and swapped My Golden Bowling Ball for the Staff of Raphael as I stood up, but I couldn¡¯t store the Loaner Sword of Coyote.


    ¡°It¡¯s been fun, amusing one,¡± Little Coyote said with his friends behind him. ¡°But now, we must go. Until we meet again!¡±


    Before I could say anything, the sword and the clay animals turned to sand, falling to the earth. A part of me was going to miss having such an absurd weapon.


    <<<>>>


    [[Notice]]


    The Patron [Coyote] agrees and wants to congratulate you on an execution well done.


    <<<>>>


    ¡°Thanks,¡± I said, snapping away the message. ¡°This really has been fun.¡±


    ¡°We did it!¡± Della shouted as she and Glaraphel came running towards me, her arms raised in victory. They both looked very worse for wear, but their spirits were high. She gasped as she saw how injured I was. ¡°Anthony, your face! Are you okay?¡±


    I waved her away when she tried to fuss with my injuries. ¡°Just flesh wounds. It¡¯s already healing, so don¡¯t worry about it.¡±


    ¡°Okay, if you insist,¡± she said, biting her lip with uncertainty as she looked me over. To her credit, she did drop it. ¡°Did the boss drop what you wanted?¡±


    I glanced towards the inert crystals and saw that there was a skill book and a rosewood red cloth sitting atop Talafraxis¡¯ body. ¡°Looks like it,¡± I confirmed with a grin, Pulling them both to me and into my inventory.


    ¡°You¡¯re not going to put it on now?¡± she asked when they stopped in front of me.


    ¡°Nah, Otherside is rapidly deteriorating. Once we¡¯re back in our own reality, we¡¯ll need to get out of here quick, fast, and in a hurry,¡± I told her. ¡°Otherwise, we¡¯re going to be accosted by a Dryad. There¡¯s at least one in every national forest. Coconino is no different.¡±


    Della arched an eyebrow. ¡°The nature spirits? Are they known to accost people?¡±


    ¡°Vile vixens,¡± Glaraphel spat before gesturing towards me. ¡°They will likely not leave this one¡­¡±


    He stopped talking when I shook my head. From both his and Sara¡¯s reaction to the mere mention of Dryads, I figured Angels did not think kindly of them. Best to cut off any complaints early. I pulled out a door and checked my inventory. After this, I would need to stock back up.


    The transition from one reality to another was quick and painless, and I opened the door to show off my Celestial Wormhole back to Sedona.


    ¡°Lady, gentleman, let us return to the city and back to our regularly scheduled programming,¡± I said, following through after them and leaving the forest behind.

 Chapter 220

    Sedona, Arizona - 2:00 AM


    I stepped out of the glowing door of a random house to see Della looking around. ¡°We¡¯re back home,¡± she marveled.


    ¡°I did say that we were going back to the city,¡± I replied as something caught my attention nearby. ¡°Glaraphel, I¡¯d appreciate it if you could escort Della back to the safe zone. After that, you¡¯re free to return to your duties.¡±


    ¡°It shall be done,¡± he replied before reaching above him and removing his halo.


    I gave him a thin smile. ¡°That¡¯s not really necessary, you know? You don¡¯t have to remain in my service.¡±


    ¡°But I would like to, not only for my penance but also because I believe I can learn a lot from you,¡± Glaraphel said. ¡°Not just about Earth, but about combat. It became very clear to me when we fought that your skill far outstrips my own. If it¡¯s not too much trouble, I would prefer to continue fighting at your side.¡±


    He offered me his halo, and I sighed. ¡°Yeah, alright,¡± I conceded, taking the glowing hoop and putting it in my inventory. ¡°But don¡¯t expect it to be a regular occurrence, okay? This was a special event.¡±


    Glaraphel smiled. ¡°Of course. I understand.¡±


    When I turned to Della, she took a step forward and wrapped her arms around me. It didn¡¯t seem she was grossed out by the dried blood on my clothes. ¡°Thank you so much for everything,¡± she said. ¡°For protecting me and teaching me. You could stay¡­ you know, if you wanted. Teach me more tricks while we get everyone out of Sedona.¡±


    ¡°Tempting, but there¡¯s other places that need me,¡± I told her, returning the hug for a moment. When I pulled away, she did the same. ¡°Here, go ahead and use this when you need to.¡±


    Before she could ask what I meant, I pulled the Friend Bangle from my inventory. It appeared to be the same kind of material that Talafraxis was made out of, and I offered it to her. She hesitantly tapped it, pulling up the description.


    ¡°Didn¡¯t you get this for being the MVP?¡± she asked, her eyes scanning a text box in front of her. ¡°Why would you give it to me?¡±


    ¡°As you can read, it allows you to summon a Tulpa for your own personal use,¡± I explained. ¡°As a Warmind, you¡¯re going to want someone or something to hide behind until you get used to your abilities. This will give you your own personal tank. Just, don¡¯t get too attached to your imaginary friends.¡±


    Della hesitated to take it. ¡°You¡¯re just giving it to me?¡± she asked, tucking a strand of dark, messy hair behind her ear as she looked up at me. ¡°Are you sure I can¡¯t convince you to stay, Anthony? There¡¯s nothing I can do to keep you here?¡±


    I shook my head. ¡°Nah. I really do have to get back to my team and you¡¯ve got to stay here and help protect your people,¡± I said firmly before gesturing for her to take it.


    With a nod, she took it. ¡°Will you at least come back some time?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s highly unlikely, sorry.¡±


    ¡°Alright, then I guess this is goodbye,¡± Della said, patting me on the chest with her free hand. Her eyes lingered on my face, which was still dirty and bloody from the surprise sand spray at the end of the fight, before she gave me a strained smile. ¡°Be safe, Anthony.¡±


    ¡°And you do the same. Use those Tulpas as best you can,¡± I replied.


    ¡°I will. I¡¯m going to have a very strong imaginary friend. I know just who to think of,¡± she claimed as she backed away from me. It took her a few steps before turning around and heading back towards the Sedona Airport, slipping her hand into the Friend Bangle.


    Glaraphel nodded to me before following Della. Once she was safe, he would return to Heaven or wherever it was I had summoned him from. I hoped he wasn¡¯t just going to be sitting around waiting for me to call him, because that seemed like a waste.


    <<<>>>


    [[Patron Message]]


    I¡¯m glad they¡¯re both safe and sound. You weren¡¯t looking to train somebody today, but I think Della¡¯s going to be just fine.


    And it seems as though you¡¯ve impressed Glaraphel. That can only mean good things with Heaven in the future. If all goes well, you may even be invited there.


    <<<>>>


    ¡°I think she¡¯ll do just fine, too, but she¡¯s in for a huge crash the moment all that adrenaline wears off,¡± I said with a chuckle. ¡°As for Heaven, well, I¡¯ve never been. The only ones that do get invited are those with Angelic Patrons. It would be nice if they¡¯ll count you, but you¡¯re also hidden. Either way, it could be a nice place to visit if there¡¯s time.¡±


    Removing a damp cloth from my inventory, I wiped down my face. It was completely healed while other parts of my body suffered, but that was fine. I stretched, feeling where I was still injured. A few more minutes and I¡¯d be topped off. There was just one more thing to deal with before then. Someone wasn¡¯t hiding from my senses.


    ¡°You going to keep skulking about, Louise?¡± I called, turning around. ¡°I don¡¯t need much time to heal, you know.¡±


    The Red Oracle stepped out from behind one of the houses down the road and approached me. ¡°I don¡¯t think I¡¯ve seen Coyote this pleased since he became my Patron,¡± she said. ¡°You¡¯ve done well, Mr. Franklin. I give you our thanks.¡±


    I shrugged. ¡°All in a week¡¯s work. Though it was only a few hours for us.¡±


    ¡°But now it¡¯s time to go off, back into the world, right?¡± Louise asked.


    ¡°Almost. I still need to get that orb from Antonio before I return to Flagstaff to the train.¡±


    The Red Oracle swiped the air in front of her and pulled a glowing ball the size of her fist from her inventory. ¡°About that,¡± she chuckled. ¡°Antonio knew I¡¯d come and see you, so I talked him into letting me deliver it.¡±


    I eyed the orb for a moment, watching the red and black swirls spin around on the surface. It reminded me of Jupiter. The planet, not the Patron. Even though I thought it necessary, I still wasn¡¯t happy to see it.


    ¡°They succeeded, then.¡±


    ¡°Thanks to your advice, yes,¡± she confirmed.


    ¡°I was going to pay him for that.¡±


    ¡°He knows,¡± Louise replied. ¡°But he would settle for his niece becoming strong enough to take care of herself. You gave up a lot to make sure that she would be in the best position to grow. Perhaps not a lot to you, but a lot to almost everyone else.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s just a Tuesday,¡± I said with a shrug.


    <<<>>>


    [[Patron Message]]


    I think you were making a nonchalant joke, but in case you weren¡¯t I¡¯d like to remind you that it¡¯s actually Monday today.This book is hosted on another platform. Read the official version and support the author''s work.


    <<<>>>


    ¡°Thanks, Sara,¡± I replied with a smile. ¡°It¡¯s actually Monday, if you¡¯d believe it. So, it¡¯s just a Monday.¡±


    Reaching out, I Pulled the orb from Louise¡¯s hand. She didn¡¯t try to keep it away from me, and let go the moment she felt a tug. I unceremoniously tossed it into my inventory after a quick check to make sure it was what I was looking for.


    To cheer myself up, I pulled out a scroll from my inventory and removed my crown from my head. The bones rattled lightly as I did, and I held the two of them in my hand.


    ¡°Scroll of Item Metamorphosis,¡± I explained to the Red Oracle, who was watching with interest. ¡°I was able to nab some from one of my recent conquests. The crown takes the same slot as the cowl I got, but I really like its stats and spells. So, I just need to change it from one accessory slot to another.¡±


    ¡°Fascinating,¡± she said.


    Nodding, I activated the spell. The Crown of Broken Bones became slightly transparent before it began to shift. It became smaller, the materials changing to suit its new form. The process didn¡¯t last long, leaving me with a leather strap running through dangling, broken bones. I tucked it under the sleeve of my Blackbird¡¯s Overcoat, but not before checking its description.


    <<<>>>


    [[Equipped]]


    Wristlet of Broken Bones


    (+12 Wisdom, +12 Willpower, Boneshake spell acquired, Boneshatter spell acquired)


    [[Spell]]


    Boneshake


    Target one creature with a skeleton when you activate this spell. All of the bones in its body vibrate violently, causing damage equal to your Willpower stat and debuffing Strength and Dexterity for Wisdom*0.5 seconds. The duration of this effect will be lowered by enemies with a sufficiently high Constitution stat. Cost: 150 Mental Points.


    [[Spell]]


    Boneshatter


    Target one piece of bone, cartilage, or similar material within sight and shatter it. The efficacy of this spell is based on the difference between your Willpower stat and their Constitution stat. Some bones will be harder to break than others. Cost: 80 Mental Points.


    <<<>>>


    In its place I retrieved the rosewood red cloth I had picked up from Talafraxis¡¯ body. The cowl came with a hood and was meant to cover my shoulders and part of my chest. It was trimmed with gold and had a backwards 3 with sharp corners stitched in. That was the Nordic rune of Sowilo, symbolizing the sun and representing a state of completeness, and when the hood was up it would rest over my forehead.


    Excited, I put it on.


    <<<>>>


    [[Equipped]]


    Cowl of the Warmongering Mystic


    (Set Item 3/6; Growth Item, kill 5 bosses to upgrade; +40 Mental Points, +10 Wisdom, +10 Willpower, Extra Focus ability augment acquired, Strengthened Mental Link ability augment acquired)


    [[Ability Augment]]


    Extra Focus


    Treat Split as one level higher.


    [[Ability Augment]]


    Strengthened Mental Link


    When using Mental Link, you may connect with one additional ally. In addition, treat your Willpower as 20% higher when determining the distance this ability can be sustained.


    <<<>>>


    Split was such a hassle to level up. It wasn¡¯t something I could put points into and it could only increase when Push, Pull, Lift, and Drop became more powerful. It wouldn¡¯t increase every time the item was enhanced but the fact that I could naturally move four things with my Warmind abilities instead of three was very nice.


    ¡°Oh yeah, that¡¯s the ticket,¡± I muttered as I tucked the cowl under my coat. There was a time and place for putting the hood up, but until then it was a liability. I checked the other text box that popped up.


    <<<>>>


    [[Notice]]


    The Gloves of the Warmongering Mystic have detected a new set item. They can be upgraded to +4 after fifteen boss kills.


    [[Notice]]


    You are wearing multiple Items from the Warmongering Mystic set. You will receive the following set bonuses.


    Two Items: Increase your Mental Point pool by 50.


    Three Items: You can comprehend the speech of any creature with some level of intelligence even if you don¡¯t speak the language, and they are able to understand you in return. This ability does not work through a medium.


    <<<>>>


    Even though the ability wouldn¡¯t allow me to read Enochian and I still wouldn¡¯t know the full extent of Esaraphelscion¡¯s Love¡¯s description, this was an absolute game changer. Language wasn¡¯t the barrier it used to be. Creatures that would never even attempt to understand me would be forced to listen to my words. Tyrant¡¯s and Peacekeeper¡¯s Will got the point across in most cases, but they weren¡¯t so good beyond that.


    And it was something that was going to be almost immediately useful. The Atlanteans had their own language. There were some who had learned the ones we spoke on land, but they were few and far between. This would give us a second avenue to communicate since Kayla¡¯s Part of the Crowd ability would allow her access to new languages at level 5 in addition to changing her appearance.


    The only thing left was the skill book, but I was saving that for Mercury. It gave the skill Dimensional Breach, which allowed someone to very briefly move their body out of our reality. They could still be seen, but they could walk through walls or attacks without harm for a few seconds before bouncing back.


    As Sol Ligatus¡¯ resident stealth expert, he would be able to put it to good use.


    I turned my attention back to the Red Oracle and offered her a smile. ¡°Is there anything else?¡±


    Louise nodded and came to me. She pulled her gloves off of her hands, revealing dark, wrinkled skin, and held them up. ¡°We¡¯re going to need skin contact for this.¡±


    Blinking, I hesitated at the offer. ¡°Are you sure you want to do this?¡± I asked, feeling the hair on the back of my neck raise. ¡°You know that it¡¯s going to be hard for you if you use your Oracle abilities on me, right?¡±


    ¡°If I don¡¯t use them, then what good are they?¡± she asked. ¡°And if I don¡¯t use them for someone who is trying so hard to save the world, then what good am I?¡±


    I wanted to argue, but took a breath instead. Oracles could see into people¡¯s thoughts and past without much issue. Louise could see mine back to when the system started, but no more than that. If it weren¡¯t for the fact that the System Black-out was still keeping information from the administrators, I would have been very worried about her.


    This, however, was about the future.


    Enough had changed that I was really curious as to what we¡¯d see, even if I was hesitant to show her. Between Aaron and his Avatar, what would happen with Hell and Washington D.C., and the inclusion of Kayla and Jeff, there were certainly enough variables that it would be good to have some kind of warning of the future no matter how brief or enigmatic.


    Making the decision, I recalled the Gloves of the Warmongering Mystic into my inventory and took her hands. The moment we touched, I felt energy draining out of me and into her. If I hadn¡¯t expected it, I might have thought she was attacking me, but I knew it was standard procedure.


    ¡°It looks as though I was right to call you Mr. Franklin,¡± Louise said. She had her eyes closed as she swayed on her feet, but we remained in contact. ¡°You¡¯re much older than you let on, playing with and against beings you think you know the strength of but cannot possibly comprehend. How can you, when you are not the equivalent of a god. One of them wants nothing more than to hold you, while the other desperately wants to humble you.¡±


    I said nothing, pursing my lips.


    ¡°Your challenges have shifted, but not all the ones you think,¡± she stated. ¡°The Town of James will face more tribulation than you are used to. You are not prepared for the unexpected that lurks in the depths. Something both old and new, and your enemies have harnessed it. They seek to release it.¡±


    ¡°Release what?¡± I asked.


    Before she could answer, Louise began to convulse. I immediately let go of her hands and grabbed her arm so she wouldn¡¯t fall. ¡°I¡¯ve got you, Louise, I got you,¡± I said, glancing up at the sky.


    ¡°Oh, those gorgeous black wings,¡± she said, her body still seizing. The Red Oracle clutched at my coat as she wailed. ¡°That dashing man with his beautiful, cold halo. How could you¡­ how could you possibly win? She gives so much, but all he does is take. The balance will¡­ the¡­¡±


    Louise fell unconscious. I didn¡¯t look down at her, but instead kept my focus on the sky. ¡°Sara? What¡¯s this about balance and give and take?¡±


    <<<>>>


    [[Patron Message]]


    There¡¯s not much I can say here, Ant. You warned her.


    She should be okay, though. You¡¯ll have to take her back to the airport, which I know you were avoiding, but with enough time to rest she¡¯ll recover. Being an Oracle isn¡¯t easy on the body or mind.


    <<<>>>


    ¡°No, it seems like it is not,¡± I grumbled. Picking up the unconscious Oracle in my arms, I started walking towards the airport. ¡°Well, at least we have some really fucking ominous warnings. Guess we¡¯ll have to see what new surprises the Atlanteans throw at us this time.¡±


    More worried than I allowed myself to show; I didn¡¯t let Sara see that. Instead, I mulled Louise¡¯s warning over and over again in my mind.


    Against my better judgment, a part of me was excited.

 Chapter 221

    Los Alamos, New Mexico - 7:45 PM


    Sara had warned me that I wasn¡¯t going to like what I saw. I had believed her, but that still didn¡¯t help the scowl on my face.


    Standing on the south side of Los Alamos, I took in the destruction of the city. Countless buildings had been trampled over, destroyed from the mere act of something gigantic moving without care. I had seen aftermaths of tornadoes that didn¡¯t look as destructive as this.


    Someone had already come by to defeat the radioactive lizard. Considering it wasn¡¯t time for it to be destroyed, I had to assume it was the same person who had messed things up in Sedona. I just needed some clues.


    I headed into the city proper to find that I wasn¡¯t taking any hit point damage from radiation. That meant the lizard had to have been dead for at least a few days to become so weak. My scowl deepened; without the material from the boss, I was going to have to cross the ocean to get to the other place with a powerful radioactive history.


    Deciding to leave that topic for later, I continued to survey the destruction. It appeared as though it was all caused by the monster. There weren¡¯t any signs of weapons that missed the mark or spells that rocked the area. There was nothing substantial other than there had, in fact, been a rampage.


    I was coming up on the body, though. The Uranium Rex was a huge monster, much larger than even the Omega Colossus. I could see its corpse when I was still roughly half the city away, and I took to my Heelies. Thanks to my enhanced sight, I could see about a dozen small creatures crawling all over it.


    <<<>>>


    [[Patron Quest: Investigate The Body!]]


    I told you that you weren¡¯t going to like it.


    Someone has slain the Uranium Rex, and it had to have happened a while ago. Now there are people donning cloaks made from animal hides looking to make more with this one. They¡¯ve noticed you and are wary. Figure out what has happened here and take care of things as you see fit.


    Objective: Find out what happened to the Uranium Rex.


    Reward: 2,500 points.


    <<<>>>


    As I got closer, I noticed that the creatures were actually dirty, viscera-encrusted humans. They each wore fur cloaks belonging to different types of animals, and they were cutting strips from the Uranium Rex using their fingernails.


    No, not fingernails, but claws.


    Most of them started to flee to the other side of the Uranium Rex at the sight of me. There was only one exception to this, a thin man wearing the cloak of what looked to be scales made from the beast in question. I stopped near the tail as he approached.


    ¡°This body is ours,¡± he said, his powerful voice not matching his emaciated frame. ¡°You will leave this place now.¡±


    ¡°Player?¡± I asked.


    He spit on the ground, stopping a good distance away. ¡°We are not one of you.¡±


    I put my hands on my hips as I looked him over. There were few creatures that were so much like humans. Given the attitude, his cloak and demeanor, and his yellow, reptilian eyes¡­


    Staring into those eyes, I heard a voice in the back of my mind. It told me to leave this place in peace, that there was nothing for me here. A compulsion to turn around and leave attempted to wrest control of my body.


    It failed miserably.


    ¡°A Warlock of the Shifting Cloak, if I had to make a guess,¡± I stated. ¡°A half man with magical shape shifting powers based on the cloak they wear. That¡¯s what you are.¡±


    A Warlock of the Shifting Cloak was a humanoid created by the system. While they disliked humans, their first instinct was to make their perceived enemies wander off rather than attack, which I appreciated. There was also a chance that they would learn to get along with the players later on. I wasn¡¯t sure if this interaction would change that event, but I thought it would be fine.


    They had various magic powers, including the one that he had just attempted to use to get me to leave, but their biggest strength was their ability to shapeshift. With the cloaks of Uranium Rex, their combat power was about to go through the roof.


    That was bad for everyone, themselves included.


    The man staggered, gripping his head with both hands. I felt the connection end when our eye contact was disrupted. ¡°What are you?¡± he asked.


    ¡°A very powerful psychic,¡± I answered. When he looked back up at me, I gave him a wave. ¡°The name¡¯s Anthony Franklin. What¡¯s yours?¡±


    ¡°You do not receive the honor of my name, Anthony Franklin,¡± he replied angrily.


    Once again, I felt a tingle in my mind. The hair on my neck and arms raised as a wave rippled through my body, affecting me from my head to my toes. Another mental attack. It worked as well as the first.


    ¡°Very well, Warlock,¡± I said with a casual shrug. The feeling came to an end. ¡°I came here to slay this monster only to find it dead. Were you and yours the ones who did it?¡±


    I watched his expression very carefully. There was no way that they had done it, but I wanted to know how cooperative he was going to be. The Warlock had already attacked me twice and both attempts had failed. He¡¯d know that. There was a faint hint of fear in his eyes when neither of his spells worked.


    The Warlock stared down at me and I waited patiently. I came here expecting to kill a great beast only to find questions. I had time.


    After what had to be almost a full minute of staring, the Warlock shook his head. ¡°We did not do this,¡± he finally admitted. ¡°My clan and I came across it and decided to do what we do best. It will make an excellent combat form, once we are done.¡±


    ¡°That form is going to destroy your people,¡± I said, gesturing towards the ones peeking over the beast to watch us. ¡°Those who do not change with you, the children and the elderly, are going to suffer if you take on the visage of the beast anywhere near them.¡±


    The Warlock spat onto the ground again. ¡°You know nothing, player.¡±


    I pulled my hands off of my hips and crossed my arms. ¡°That creature is called a Uranium Rex. It is a radioactive creature born from the mind of an administrator who is obsessed with humanity¡¯s nuclear history. Upon death, it drops a skill book for Radiation Aura and a pair of wrist claws that inflict radiation poisoning on anything it touches in varying doses depending on the Constitution stat of the enemy.¡±The author''s content has been appropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon.


    With a faint shake of my head, I continued. ¡°Obviously, that aura is your problem. You¡¯re going to replicate that if you shapeshift into the Uranium Rex, and that¡¯s going to hurt everyone except people who have already taken on the form. Just the skill alone has a huge radius much larger than other auras, so think about how big yours will be when you become one?¡±


    ¡°You know nothing,¡± the Warlock of the Shifting Cloak repeated, though he didn¡¯t sound as convinced of himself.


    ¡°If you believe that, then activate your cloak right now and shift. Your people are behind the Uranium Rex, so they should be okay, right?¡± I asked. He hesitated, and I dropped my arms. ¡°You¡¯ve been waiting for this thing to be safe to approach, haven¡¯t you? Saw it from the hills and wanted a piece of it, but it hurt you just to get near. That was after it was dead, Warlock, you need to think about what it was like when it was alive.¡±


    ¡°You¡­ make a compelling argument,¡± he conceded, though it was clear he had trouble getting the words out. ¡°However, we can¡¯t step back now. You seem willing to talk, but there are plenty of your kind who aren¡¯t. They¡¯ll see my people and either shun us or kill us. This has been proven time and again.¡±


    ¡°Is your only concern that you need power for self-defense?¡± I asked, paying close attention to his aura for any signs of lies. ¡°Because if you¡¯re okay with this lizard, then perhaps you¡¯re okay with other powerful monsters.¡±


    The Warlock tilted his head. ¡°It is a matter of self-defense and protection for my people, yes,¡± he said. ¡°Which powerful monster do you mean?¡±


    ¡°West of here, past the mountains and past 550, there¡¯s a boss roaming in the desert called the Elder Vinegarroon,¡± I explained. ¡°They¡¯re also called whip scorpions, if that helps.¡±


    ¡°A bug,¡± the Warlock said, allowing his disgust to show.


    ¡°Technically, I think it¡¯s a spider?¡± I helpfully corrected. That didn¡¯t make his scowl go away. ¡°Either way, that¡¯s going to be the best thing to help protect your people until the Thunderbirds start to emerge in half a month or so. Then, obviously, that would be the best thing for a long while. A long, long while.¡±


    ¡°How do you know such things?¡± he asked, narrowing his eyes.


    I tapped my temple. ¡°I already told you I was a powerful psychic. My knowledge is wide and vast, my friend. How else could I have known that the Uranium Rex was here? Or that you and your people are Warlocks of the Shifting Cloaks. That your first spell was Compulsion of Intrusion which works only with eye contact, or your second was one to make me think that I had things crawling all over my skin which doesn¡¯t have a name but is still uncomfortable. Or even the side effects of¡­¡± I trailed off when he raised his hand and shook it.


    ¡°Fine, fine, I understand,¡± he said with a scowl. ¡°You are a very knowledgeable player; I will give you that. But you really expect us to stop working and head west to some unknown spider to become powerful?¡±


    ¡°I really hope so,¡± I told him honestly.


    ¡°And why is that?¡±


    ¡°Because the alternative is me taking that cloak by force,¡± I answered. He immediately became defensive, and I rolled my eyes. ¡°Which I don¡¯t want to do, obviously. That¡¯s why we¡¯re talking. You¡¯re just trying to do best for your community, but you¡¯re going to do more harm than good. Imagine turning into a Uranium Rex and inflicting radiation poisoning on innocent people. You think they¡¯re going to let you and your people go after that? Would you?¡±


    The Warlock seemed to be grinding his teeth. ¡°No,¡± he reluctantly admitted. ¡°If any of the players killed one of us, I would not forgive or forget.¡±


    ¡°In that way, we¡¯re the same,¡± I said. ¡°Now, I¡¯m going to start moving again because I need to figure out what killed this boss before I get back to the train and leave. I trust you aren¡¯t going to stop me.¡±


    I began walking, and the Warlock watched me but didn¡¯t protest. ¡°When we arrived, this body was so covered in wounds that I was the only one who was able to find a big enough strip to make a cloak in one go,¡± he offered. ¡°Whoever killed this beast, this Uranium Rex, they did it slowly with several strikes. They used something sharp, like a sword or an axe, if the gashes on it are any indication.¡±


    His words gave me pause, and I stopped to think about it. That showed an absurd level of Strength that not many people would be able to reach. Not only that, but fighting the Uranium Rex all through town would have taken crazy high Dexterity and a lot of Constitution not just for stamina but also to hold out against the radiation aura.


    In other words, it had to be someone strong.


    I already knew that. This revelation wasn¡¯t helpful.


    The Warlock spoke, causing me to look at him as I stepped up onto the tail. ¡°I don¡¯t want to fight you,¡± he said. ¡°But I can tell how serious you are about not letting us go.¡±


    ¡°I didn¡¯t say I wasn¡¯t letting you go,¡± I replied. ¡°I said I wasn¡¯t going to let you go with anything that will let you turn into Totally Not Godzilla.¡±


    ¡°Into what?¡± he asked, giving me a confused look.


    ¡°The Uranium Rex,¡± I said, gesturing towards the monster we were standing on. ¡°Its material stays here, and that includes the cloak you¡¯ve already made.¡±


    The Warlock¡¯s hand gripped it. ¡°It will help against this Elder Vinegarroon you mentioned.¡±


    ¡°While poisoning your people,¡± I retorted. ¡°Then their blood would be on both of our hands. Yours because you didn¡¯t listen, and mine because I didn¡¯t stop you.¡±


    Thinking about this for a moment, the Warlock sighed. It was resigned and understanding, and he unclasped the cloak. ¡°Then, as a token of sincerity, I give it to you,¡± he said, holding it out for me. ¡°It won¡¯t work for you the same as it will for us, but it should still come in handy.¡±


    I took it from him. Just like the Uranium Rex, it was made from dark green scales though the inside had a soft black felt lining. Small spikes went from the top to the bottom, covering the spine. It was also incredibly dirty. Folding it so I could hold it easier, I opened the description.


    <<<>>>


    Cloak of the Irradiated King


    (+20 Constitution, Energy Resistance passive acquired, Friend of the Shapechanger passive acquired)


    [[Passive]]


    Energy Resistance


    Take 25% less damage from all energy-based attacks.


    [[Passive]]


    Friend of the Shapechangers


    While wearing the Cloak of the Irradiated King, shapeshifters that are not immediately hostile to you will treat you favorably.


    <<<>>>


    ¡°Thank you, my friend. I¡¯ll wear it with pride,¡± I said as I put it in my inventory for now. It needed to be cleaned up before I¡¯d put it on and I was already wearing the Cloak of the Snow Witch.


    ¡°Call me Coch,¡± he replied, holding out his hand. I shook it, and he started walking back towards the head of the Uranium Rex. He projected his voice. ¡°We will not take the flesh of this beast, but head west to find something just as ferocious. Leave everything you have stripped here and prepare to travel!¡±


    ¡°I really appreciate it, Coch.¡±


    He shook his head. ¡°You seem sincere, and you speak our language. I would rather trust you and be wrong than think you¡¯re spewing lies and hurt my own people with my own hubris. Assuming that I could get away from you, of course.¡±


    Being able to speak other languages was already coming in handy. I hadn¡¯t expected it to work out so well here, but I was pleasantly surprised by the boon of the cloak. It was a massive defensive boost.


    I nodded and watched as Coch walked off, taking the Uranium Rex¡¯s arm to head west. The others all gave me curious glances before following after their leader. A few of the younger ones waved at me, and I returned the gesture.


    <<<>>>


    [[Patron Quest Complete!]]


    Well handled, Anthony. I wasn¡¯t sure what you were going to do with them, which is why I didn¡¯t make them the objective of the quest.


    I think it¡¯s pretty clear that a player did this, and it¡¯s likely the one you¡¯re already thinking of. The Red Oracle mentioned they went west, so they were probably here before Sedona. That opens up¡­ most of the United States if we try to figure out where they came from.


    That¡¯s not very helpful. Sorry.


    Reward: 2,500 points.


    <<<>>>


    ¡°It¡¯s helpful enough,¡± I told Sara, offering the sky a small smile. ¡°I think there¡¯s little chance that they came from the west coast, though. Not enough time to roam and they¡¯d have more than enough opportunities there that they wouldn¡¯t have to travel around. That rules out a good chunk of the population.¡±


    Even though I was joking about it, the fact that there was someone else out there who could take out the Uranium Rex was a big deal. Cracking my knuckles, I got to work.


    I retrieved the Holy Aquacutter from my inventory. Those claws, teeth, and scales weren¡¯t going to remove themselves. Not only did the Warlocks leave a lot of materials for Ashley to use, but there were wounds to check. A lot could be gleaned from a corpse, and time had made me a very experienced mortician.

 Chapter 222

    Springfield Union Station, Springfield, Illinois - 5:57 PM, two days later


    Getting from Los Alamos to Springfield was time consuming. I had to go to the town of Lamy and defeat a Coalem Colossus to activate the Transportation Hub. It was easy enough with another Magical Fantastical Prototypical Cleansing Egg, giving me more fuel for the Angel Express when I returned. After waiting for a train heading east, I had to get off at both Kansas City and St. Louis before arriving at my actual destination.


    There had been plenty of time to discuss the death of the Uranium Rex. The shapeshifters mutilating the body for its hide aside, Sara and I  came to the conclusion that the wounds on the boss¡¯ body had to have been made by a sword.


    The skill required to do what they had done was far beyond what humanity was capable of this early, and that worried me. While there were countless sword wielders in the United States at this time, I couldn¡¯t think of anyone skilled enough other than myself that could have done this before they were killed by the Uranium Rex¡¯s radiation aura.


    Whoever Aaron had chosen as his champion, they had been using their time well. Even though there may have been a deficiency in combat skill, there were more than a few ways to make up for that. Items could bridge the gap as well as certain quest rewards in the form of skills and passives.


    Classes also had to be considered. A Ghost Jailer with a powerful enough spirit under its command could have done this. Any number of Mediums who could channel the will of a swordmaster could as well.


    In the end, Sara and I agreed that there still wasn¡¯t enough information. At this point, it was starting to get frustrating.


    <<<>>>


    [[Patron Message]]


    You¡¯re getting that look on your face again, Ant. We¡¯re close to the Doppelganger, so should you really be thinking so hard on this?


    <<<>>>


    I sighed. ¡°Yeah. I¡¯m just not used to being in the dark like this,¡± I said with a shake of my head. ¡°It was fun at first, but now it¡¯s annoying.¡±


    Stepping into the snow-filled streets of Springfield, I was distracted by a ground-shaking explosion to the west followed by hollers and cheers. I knew that it wasn¡¯t far off but it wasn¡¯t anything to concern myself with. A text box about the scenario quest popped up when I arrived; now I received a different one.


    <<<>>>


    [[Second Scenario Finished!]]


    With a coalition of over 140 different players, the Cucadana Clan has finally been disbanded. The family of Gremlins have terrorized your homes and community ever since they appeared a month ago, but its elder and patriarch has finally been killed.


    The city of Springfield can rest easy knowing that there will now be peaceful nights again. There will be a week break from the scenarios before the third starts.


    And, as always, a big round of applause for our MVP, Chris Williams, for once again rising to the occasion!


    MVP: Chris Williams


    Reward: 400 points, Fae Eradication Scepter (MVP).


    <<<>>>


    ¡°Well, that settles that,¡± I joked. ¡°Now we know Aaron didn¡¯t pick Chris Williams.¡±


    Since I was in the area when it ended, I received points for it. Not as many as I¡¯d get if I were the MVP or did anything useful to help with the scenario, but a small portion nonetheless. The timing just so happened to be good.


    Turning to the east, I started walking. Gremlins, in particular, were fairly nasty so it was good to see people solving their own scenarios involving things like tricky, evil Fae. Not everywhere was helpless against the administrator¡¯s plans, there were just far too many sadistic ones out there who didn¡¯t care about what happened to the players in their jurisdiction.


    I would argue that all of them were sadistic in one way or another¡ªthey had to be to subject an entire planet to something like this¡ªbut some were obviously much worse than others.


    <<<>>>


    [[Patron Message]]


    Yes, I¡¯m so glad we now know it¡¯s not Chris Williams of all people. That should really be something to celebrate.


    That aside, are you sure you still want to do this? I know you¡¯ve made up your mind, but it¡¯s clearly something unpleasant for you. After all, you¡¯ll willingly throw yourself into the Trial of the Silver Nightmare time and time again but you¡¯ve shied away from this Doppelganger fight despite the substantial boons it offers.


    <<<>>>


    ¡°First, that reads like sarcasm. If it is, congrats on learning how to be sarcastic,¡± I teased before snapping away the message.


    I considered her question. Listening to the snow crunch beneath my feet since I had swapped from the Cloak of the Snow Witch to a clean Cloak of the Irradiated King, I thought about how to respond.


    ¡°I have to, I think,¡± I answered as I turned south through an alleyway. ¡°To do anything else would be irresponsible considering what we¡¯re up against. After the Doppelganger, I mean. Aaron, his champion, Hell on Earth, robbing the administration. It¡¯s all brand new, so I need to take precautions. That¡¯s why I need this backup plan.¡±


    This particular Doppelganger was easily one of the deadliest enemies I¡¯d face no matter when I darkened its doorstep, but the risks were outweighed by the rewards. Especially since I had grabbed one of the few items that would make it a physically easy battle, just not an easy one overall.


    <<<>>>


    [[Patron Message]]


    I¡¯m glad you¡¯re taking this seriously.


    Just one more question. You mentioned before that you might not want me to watch. Have you made up your mind?


    <<<>>>


    I gave the sky a thin smile. ¡°Nah, I¡¯m not going to hide anything from you. Just be prepared to see a side of me that I try to keep back.¡±


    <<<>>>


    [[Patron Message]]


    Alright. I know who you are, though, so don¡¯t think I¡¯m going to freak out or anything. I guarantee you I¡¯ve seen the worst of humanity, and I know you¡¯re the best of them all.


    <<<>>>


    ¡°Thanks, love,¡± I said honestly before taking to my wheels.


    I had been walking because I had to steel myself for this next part, but now I was just uncomfortable. Traveling a few more blocks south took me to my location: a brown two-story house with green shutters. It was two centuries old but kept in great condition. No monsters had touched it, and there was an aura around the building that made even someone like me want to turn around and walk away.This story is posted elsewhere by the author. Help them out by reading the authentic version.


    ¡°The home of Abraham Lincoln,¡± I announced as I came to a stop in front of it. ¡°Most people wouldn¡¯t think that this was a place where you¡¯d find a Doppelganger, but this is one of the strongest, thanks to accounts from the man himself.¡±


    Shifting from foot to foot, I didn¡¯t walk in just yet. ¡°On the evening of the election that would see him president, Lincoln laid on a sofa in front of one of his mirrors. When he saw himself in his reflection, he saw two faces. One was obviously unwell, but undoubtedly his. This happened twice, with his wife coming to the conclusion that it was a sign that said he wouldn¡¯t live through his second term.¡±


    I looked up to the sky. ¡°Which came true, thanks to John Wilkes Booth. But that¡¯s neither here nor there,¡± I said, shifting my attention back to the building. ¡°This wasn¡¯t so much an urban legend as an actual account from Abraham Lincoln himself that he told other people, not just his wife. The administrator here could have put his ghost here, as there have been several stories of that, but they went with what the people call Lincoln¡¯s Doppelganger. An omen of death. And, soon, it¡¯s going to be mine.¡±


    Putting my hands in my pockets, I started climbing up the front steps.


    <<<>>>


    [[Patron Message]]


    Before you go, you should upgrade the Staff of Raphael. You could also upgrade your stats and abilities since you defeated the third scenario back in Hanford, but I understand why you¡¯d be hesitant to do that when you don¡¯t need to.


    Just in case, you know.


    <<<>>>


    Pausing on the steps, I nodded. I snapped open my menu and retrieved the Staff of Raphael at the same time. With the defeat of the Coalem Colossus back in Lamy, the weapon had just enough boss kills to level up.


    ¡°I¡¯ll upgrade the staff, but I¡¯m not quite ready to do the same for everything else,¡± I said. ¡°My stats won¡¯t matter for this fight and increasing my abilities at this time will just make things worse.¡±


    Settling on my equipment menu, I brought up the description for the Staff of Raphael to upgrade it.


    <<<>>>


    [[Equipped]]


    Staff of Raphael


    (Angelic item; Growth Item, kill 10 bosses to upgrade; +10 Constitution, +10 Wisdom, +10 Willpower, Divine Regeneration passive acquired)


    [[Passive]]


    Divine Regeneration


    Increase your natural hit point recovery speed by 400%.


    Would you like to upgrade the Staff of Raphael?


    Yes


    No


    <<<>>>


    For Sara, I hit Yes.


    <<<>>>


    [[Equipped]]


    Staff of Raphael +1


    (Angelic item; Growth Item, kill 15 bosses to upgrade; +17 Constitution, +17 Wisdom, +17 Willpower, Touch of Heaven skill acquired, Divine Regeneration passive acquired)


    [[Skill]]


    Touch of Heaven


    Touch the Staff of Raphael to any non-Demonic entity, including yourself, to heal them for 50% of your total hit points. In addition, if your Constitution stat is high enough to remove any physical debuffs, do so at the same time. This skill can be used three times per day.


    [[Passive]]


    Divine Regeneration


    Increase your natural hit point recovery speed by 500%.


    <<<>>>


    I checked my stats afterwards to see exactly what these numbers meant. My hit point total was 1,440, so I could heal for 720 hit points three times a day. That wasn¡¯t anything to scoff at. For the vast majority of people out there, it meant being topped off even when they were hanging on by a thread.


    As for Divine Regeneration, it worked very well with my Heavenly Hero passive. Thanks to the latter, my hit points were equal to 50% of my Constitution per minute. That came out to 60, which meant I could be completely healed in twenty-four minutes as long as I wasn¡¯t dead.


    With the upgraded Staff of Raphael, it was bumped up from 240 to 300 hit points healed per minute. I would be back to full in under five so long as I still had my weapon. This was one of the best boons I could have received for long, drawn-out fights.


    ¡°Better?¡± I asked as I slung the staff over my shoulder.


    <<<>>>


    [[Patron Quest: Defeat the Doppelganger!]]


    Yes, thank you for indulging me. Now, please be careful.


    The monster lurking in this home is powerful indeed, and I can see why you would be at a disadvantage if you fought it normally. It¡¯s everything you are in your best condition, which now includes your buffs from Angelic Ascent. In a word, this thing is scary.


    But I trust your judgment. Win this fight so we can go back to Sol Ligatus and get things back on track.


    Objective: Kill the Doppelganger.


    Reward: 12,500 points.


    <<<>>>


    ¡°Yes, ma¡¯am,¡± I said with a salute.


    Reaching the top of the steps, I summoned an item from my inventory. Despite my bleak attitude and forced jokes, I wanted something that would actually help pick up my mood. Luckily, Sara had sent me a Polaroid just the other day.


    I smiled as I looked at the newest photo of her. Sara wore a stunning white ball gown with a sweetheart neckline and a large skirt that looked like she had a crinoline under it. Her wings were held back so that she could show off the dress, and I took it all in. There were words written on the bottom in golden ink, asking me what I thought of her attire for the Patron¡¯s Ball.


    ¡°Beautiful, gorgeous, literally the best sight I¡¯ve ever seen,¡± I said without looking away from the photo. ¡°I¡¯m glad you sent this to me, because now I know that I¡¯m going to need to really step up my suit game for the event. If you¡¯re going to be so radiant, then I can¡¯t be bringing you down, you know?¡±


    <<<>>>


    [[Patron Message]]


    I don¡¯t, but I¡¯ll trust your words.


    I think I¡¯ll probably cover up more. I¡¯d like to be more modest, to be honest, but this is what I wanted to show you. Planning for the Patron¡¯s Ball was my obsession while you were stuck in the Golden Dream, and Kayla gave me a lot of advice on the event. What to do before, during, and when we retire from the festivities...


    Not that you get to be privy to that information, so you know. That¡¯s confidential between us girls.


    <<<>>>


    ¡°I won¡¯t pry, then,¡± I replied. I let my gaze linger for a few more seconds before forcing the picture back into my inventory. ¡°Alright, there¡¯s work to be done.¡±


    Unlocking and opening the front door with my Warmind powers, I walked into the historic site. Nothing had been touched in the weeks since the system dropped. Everything was exactly where it was supposed to be. What I was looking for could be felt, though, and I walked upstairs.


    The ominous feeling had reached me on the street, but it was far worse inside. Every step upwards was like walking through a pool. My body felt heavy, and I couldn¡¯t move the way I wanted to. This was more of a mental effect than a physical one, but even my high Wisdom didn¡¯t completely defend against the monster that was slowly turning into me.


    Ignoring most of the rooms at the top of the stairs, I headed to one in particular. It was a quaint room with a mirror attached to a dresser across from a sofa. My reflection was already there, waiting and watching as I walked onto the old rug. I gazed upon my Doppelganger.


    His hair was long and flaming, and his skin was bronze. I briefly wondered if mine changed color when I used Break Free or if it was an Angelic Ascent thing bringing me closer to my new heritage. Either way, I was usually wearing so much gear that I didn¡¯t get to see myself very often.


    The Doppelganger had the Staff of Raphael as well, and he leaned on it as he watched me with orange eyes. A halo hovered over his head and six physical wings emerged from the back of his white and gold armor. This was definitely a version of me that treated the world like Hell when it came to Esaraphelscion¡¯s Love.


    I envied that ability.


    He reached out and touched the mirror. The surface stretched as he slowly emerged from it, inches at a time. In my pocket, I summoned the orb of swirling energy.


    <<<>>>


    [[Quest: Defeat the Boss!]]


    You have wandered into the territory of a Prime Doppelganger. As the name suggests, this creature takes on your form at the height of your power. They have your class, skills, passives, equipment, and your memories. They are ambush predators of the highest order, and you have just stirred up the nest.


    Good luck.


    Objective: Defeat the Prime Doppelganger.


    Reward: will be calculated depending on success.


    <<<>>>


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry,¡± I told the enemy as his head came out of the mirror. ¡°I am so, so sorry.¡±


    Pulling out the orb, I held it up. The brown and red swirls started to move faster as if it knew it was about to be used.


    <<<>>>


    [[Item]]


    The Orb of Amarii


    Target any creature in line of sight to activate this orb. Both of you will be sent to a mental world of shared memories. As the activator of the Orb of Amarii, you can choose which memories to dive into. These memories must be ones that you and the target have both experienced. You will see things as a third party observer from their point of view, and them will see things from yours. Pain can be felt, but your hit points will not lower.


    The length of time the Orb of Amarii can be active depends on the will of the user.


    <<<>>>


    ¡°No!¡± my Doppelganger yelled.


    It was too late. The mirror it was crawling out of disappeared along with the room. Everything faded, replaced by a dark night near the ocean. Lightning crackled across the sky and thunder boomed with deafening fervor.


    Between us, kneeling in the sand, was a version of me long since gone. I held the lifeless body of an ally in my arms. Nearby, a short blade with a pink cherry blossom on the handle laid half-buried, forgotten with the death of its owner. There was no other point of view; we shared the same memories. The same traumas.


    ¡°We¡¯ll start in our 32nd run,¡± I said dispassionately as I watched the Doppelganger clutch his head and close his eyes tight. ¡°The first time we accidentally killed one of our closest friends, Leonard Oswald. More commonly known as Mercury Moonslayer. Let¡¯s talk about how everything terrible in the world is all our fault, shall we?¡±


    I was about to teach him why having centuries of experience shoved into your mind all at once was a bad thing.

 Chapter 223

    Lincoln Home National Historic Site, Springfield, Illinois - 6:13 PM


    The Angelic version of myself continued to clutch his head. His hair flared in what could have been anger or anguish, and his halo was dim. He refused to look up at me, and I suspected that he couldn¡¯t.


    Despite this, I didn¡¯t dare put the Orb of Amarii down. Right now, it was the only thing that guaranteed my protection from the Prime Doppelganger.


    ¡°Hey, buddy,¡± I said, trying not to sound condescending as I walked around the scene I had laid out before us to stand next to the Doppelganger. ¡°You doing okay?¡±


    Sitting down on the floor next to my copy, I watched him. His eyes were shut tight and he was groaning with every panting breath. Whatever process he was undergoing to gain my memories wasn¡¯t doing him any favors.


    ¡°The last time I had done this was in my 45th run,¡± I said, keeping a close eye on the Doppelganger. ¡°Before that was the 37th, 36th, and 24th. There were a few times where I fled and never came back, but those are the times I won here. Never seen this happen, though.¡±


    <<<>>>


    [[Patron Message]]


    You¡¯ve probably doubled your lifespan at this point. I can¡¯t imagine what the Doppelganger is going through is pleasant. It certainly doesn¡¯t look like it is, at the very least.


    There¡¯s a lot of things I leave out when using a Memory Orb. It¡¯s a necessity, really. Even when it¡¯s your own memories, getting entire timelines shoved into your mind is a lot to take in. He¡¯s getting everything and it doesn¡¯t even belong to him.


    If he¡¯s not responsive, then how are you going to beat him? The plan won¡¯t work, right? And what happens if you run out of time on the Orb of Amarii?


    <<<>>>


    ¡°You¡¯ve got a lot of questions,¡± I said cheekily, but I nodded at her logic. ¡°I suppose the plan¡¯s either going to work or it isn¡¯t. There¡¯s time, so we might as well wait. As for the orb, I can keep this thing going all night.¡±


    <<<>>>


    [[Patron Message]]


    Maybe a less morbid scene, though?


    Don¡¯t get me wrong, I understand why you¡¯d use this one. Mercury is a good kid. It¡¯s just unpleasant.


    <<<>>>


    ¡°That¡¯s kind of the point, but you¡¯re right,¡± I replied. ¡°I¡¯ll change it for you, just be ready for me to change it back at a moment¡¯s notice.¡±


    There was no response, so I figured she¡¯d agree with that. I let my thoughts flow into the orb and the scene changed. The stormy beach was replaced with another that had clear skies and gently lapping waves. The Doppelganger and I appeared on either side of the memory of me lying on a dock, staring up at the stars.


    ¡°I didn¡¯t get a lot of chances to be still and enjoy myself,¡± I said wistfully. ¡°This is from my vacation last run, from a beach in Anguilla. I had just finished fishing up a meal for myself after taking out a flock of murderous pelicans. The kind that would swoop down and eat someone my size whole. It was peaceful after they were gone.¡±


    Breathing out, I took a glance at the Doppelganger. Despite being at least some percentage fire, sweat was beading from his forehead. His eyes were open now, though they were wild and unfocused as they stared at the dock underneath us.


    I snapped my fingers a few times to get his attention. ¡°Once again, you good, buddy?¡±


    ¡°N-no,¡± he said through gritted teeth.


    ¡°No, I don¡¯t imagine you would be,¡± I returned.


    ¡°No, I¡­¡± The Doppelganger winced and his wings moved so that he cocooned himself in them. ¡°600 years of¡­ history just¡­ shoved into my head.¡±


    ¡°Ah, I guess that¡¯s how old I am. Roughly, at least,¡± I said unhelpfully. Rolling the Orb of Amarii between my fingers, I returned the memory to the one of Mercury¡¯s death. Then, I nodded at it. ¡°Do you remember this?¡±


    The Doppelganger¡¯s head jerked towards me. ¡°Of course I remember this,¡± he snapped. ¡°I remember¡­ everything that¡¯s ever happened to us thanks to those stupid tattoos of ours.¡±


    ¡°Yeah, they make things hard to forget, huh?¡± I asked sympathetically. ¡°So here¡¯s the thing, this is kind of weird, right? I was expecting you to¡ª¡±


    ¡°I know what you were expecting me to do,¡± he interrupted sourly. The Doppelganger¡¯s wings started to move, no longer being held quite so close to his body. ¡°That was my plan before all of this hit me like a¡­¡±


    He trailed off as he looked at the scene, his eyes tearing up. I arched an eyebrow at the unexpected water works, shifting my focus from the Doppelganger to the memory of Mercury.


    ¡°Change the scene,¡± he quietly demanded.


    ¡°Why?¡± I asked, letting it linger.


    ¡°I don¡¯t need to see this.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s my plan.¡±


    ¡°I know it¡¯s your plan, but that doesn¡¯t matter anymore.¡±


    I shook my head. ¡°What are you going on about? You know I¡¯m not going to listen to you, right? You¡¯re going to try and kill me once this is all over.¡±


    The Doppelganger tore his orange eyes away from Mercury to glance at me before turning to the sky. ¡°Esaraphelscion, Angel of the End, what am I?¡±


    ¡°Okay, addressing my girlfriend¡¯s going a bit too far, don¡¯t you think?¡± I asked, crossing my arms. He didn¡¯t respond, simply watching the sky.


    <<<>>>


    [[Patron Message]]


    I can¡¯t answer that question.


    <<<>>>


    I paused, pondering her words. ¡°What do you mean you can¡¯t answer his question?¡±


    <<<>>>


    [[Patron Message]]


    You know my rules, Anthony.


    I think something unexpected has happened. Whether it¡¯s good or bad still remains to be seen.


    <<<>>>


    Snapping away the message, I sat down next to the Doppelganger. Mentally commanding the Orb of Amarii, I changed the scene. Mercury Moonslayer¡¯s death disappeared, replaced by something much more soothing.


    The Seven-Ten Bowling Alley appeared around us. Boss Steener and I were playing a friendly game as the rest of the Filbins partied and destroyed the venue. This was one of the timelines where I had sat down and actually got to know the monsters instead of just using them as fodder. This bowling team wasn¡¯t half bad so long as no one disturbed them, which was more than I could say for others of their kind.


    ¡°What¡¯s going on?¡± I asked, watching the memory.The story has been taken without consent; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident.


    It took my Doppelganger some time to find the words, but the sound of pins falling seemed to sooth him. I understood; that was why I brought him here. Watching his aura, I saw him begin to calm down. It was still incredibly turbulent, however.


    ¡°I think you turned me into one of those abominations Glaraphel mentioned,¡± he admitted, eyes glued to the screen that kept score.


    ¡°So you¡¯re a Prime Doppelganger and, now, also an Angel?¡± I asked.


    He shrugged. ¡°I guess.¡±


    ¡°Well, your guess is all we have, man. Sara says she can¡¯t talk about you, which means you¡¯re at least Half-Angel like me. If you don¡¯t know your own mechanics, then I don¡¯t know where to take this conversation.¡±


    The Doppelganger shot me a look before shaking his head. That turned out to be a bad choice, apparently, because his hand came to rest on his temple. ¡°I¡¯m still reeling from all these memories,¡± he said angrily. ¡°Do you know how jarring it is to have centuries of this and that shoved into your head at once? No, because you did it the long way.¡±


    I nodded. ¡°Aaron did say I needed therapy after all I¡¯ve seen.¡±


    ¡°Understatement of the year,¡± he scoffed.


    ¡°You¡¯re handling them pretty well for someone who suddenly needs mental help,¡± I noted.


    He glared at me. ¡°I¡¯m supposed to be able to handle memories,¡± he unhappily retorted. ¡°Twenty years, forty. Hell, even if someone a hundred years old comes into my domain, I can handle them. You? You¡¯re just an asshole shoving six hundred years of life into someplace it doesn¡¯t belong.¡±


    ¡°Hey! As true as it might be, that¡¯s completely uncalled for,¡± I protested.


    ¡°Yeah, whatever,¡± he scoffed, looking back towards the screen. Then, he pointed towards his head. ¡°Alright, here¡¯s a little lesson in Prime Doppelgangery.¡±


    ¡°Okay, sure.¡±


    ¡°You already know that I¡¯m the best version of you that I can be, right?¡±


    ¡°I mean, if you really want to toot your own horn, sure.¡±


    ¡°Best believe I do,¡± he said, rolling his eyes. ¡°Well, normally, I¡¯m half Doppelganger, half human or whatever. I literally change species within the system.¡±


    My eyes widened slightly. ¡°You can talk about the system?¡± I asked, surprised. ¡°I kind of figured that was world boss territory, or some of the stranger monsters. Well, I guess you are pretty strange.¡±


    The Doppelganger rolled his eyes again, though the act of doing so made him wince. ¡°I got the same meta skill as you, dumbass. I can see more than you can.¡±


    ¡°Alright, sure,¡± I snorted. ¡°Then what can I do to upgrade it?¡±


    ¡°Just send messages to your girl,¡± he said, gesturing towards the sky. ¡°You can do that thanks to the other Golden Dream passive. You gotta type it out and shit, but you¡¯ll get one where the system will just convert your thoughts without having to type. It¡¯s not the most useful thing, but it¡¯s the easiest way to get a new ability.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re swearing a lot for someone who¡¯s supposed to be me,¡± I noted as I looked for the menu that would allow me to send Sara messages.


    Once I activated it, the system laid out a holographic keyboard in front of me. My fingers flew as I sent short, flirty messages to my girlfriend. The ability to send what basically amounted to free emails had been one of the perks of the Under Her Watchful Eyes passive, but I hadn¡¯t used it. Talking out loud had gotten the point across faster than typing it out.


    He gestured to his head. ¡°I¡¯m not going to apologize for being irate since you¡¯re the one who came here to fucking kill me and gave me this massive migraine. I think that¡¯s fair.¡±


    I thought about it for a moment before nodding. ¡°Yeah, that¡¯s fair. Sorry it didn¡¯t give you my pain tolerance.¡±


    ¡°Eh, I¡¯m not surviving much longer, anyway.¡±


    ¡°Oh yeah? Why¡¯s that?¡± I asked as I continued to message her.


    ¡°Because now that I know who you are, I can¡¯t kill you, can I?¡± he responded. I gave him a confused look, and he shook his head before pointing at his halo with a wing. ¡°I know who you are and what you¡¯re doing. Killing you would be an inherently evil act.¡±


    ¡°And you¡¯re part Angel now,¡± I said as the epiphany struck me. ¡°Glaraphel had orders to kill Nephilims, but you know what I¡¯m trying to accomplish and how likely I am to succeed, so killing me is against your nature.¡±


    The Doppelganger threw his arms and wings upwards. He winced and fell backwards, placing his hand on his head. ¡°Now he gets it! Come in here with your stupid plan trying to get me to off myself, and it didn¡¯t even matter. We were going to be stuck in this stalemate of me being too powerful to kill and you being the population¡¯s best chance at survival regardless of your plans.¡±


    Instead of answering right away, I continued typing at the holographic keyboard. Sara hadn¡¯t responded to any of them yet, but she was probably just waiting for me to be done. I sent message after message, and after doing my best to fill her inbox with what was essentially spam mail, I received an update.


    <<<>>>


    [[Notice]]


    You have sent 50 messages. The skill [Entwined With The System] is evolving.


    [[Skill]]


    Entwined With The System


    Your connection with the system is so hardwired into your very being that you can even make it work in situations where you no longer have access. You have become a part of the system, just as the system is a part of you. You gain the following benefits.


    Instant Inventory: You can now place unattended and unclaimed items into your inventory without physically opening it first with a mental command. You may retrieve items the same way.


    Thought To Text: Whenever you have the option to use the system¡¯s keyboard, you can use thought to write your message instead.


    Further benefits may become unlocked depending on player activity.


    <<<>>>


    ¡°Oh, okay, so I can use this when I¡¯m sending messages to the guild and stuff, too,¡± I said before greedily looking back at my Doppelganger. ¡°You have anything else for me?¡±


    ¡°No,¡± he replied with a scowl.


    ¡°Really?¡± I prodded. ¡°Because it seems to me like you¡¯ve got some good insight that I could really use. And since we¡¯re in a stalemate anyway¡­¡±


    He shook his head. ¡°No, because I can¡¯t,¡± the Doppelganger grumbled. ¡°If I give you any more hints, the system is going to forcibly delete me.¡±


    I frowned. ¡°What? That¡¯s stupid! Why?¡±


    ¡°Probably for the same reason it ejected that Treasure Hunter you grilled about the system and where it came from,¡± he answered with a shrug. Then, he scowled. ¡°Oh, please, that¡¯s a memory of his and I¡¯m just speculating. Don¡¯t be so dramatic.¡±


    ¡°The system?¡± I asked.


    The Doppelganger rolled his eyes yet again. ¡°Yeah, it¡¯s a bit of a backseat conversationalist.¡±


    ¡°Given how much information Sara wants to give me and can¡¯t, I can believe it,¡± I sighed. Returning my attention to the memory, I changed it back to that perfect night sky. ¡°So where do we go from here?¡±


    That caused him to scowl. ¡°Well, we can do it in one of two ways depending on how spiteful I¡¯m feeling.¡±


    ¡°Not at all?¡±


    He gave me a deadpan look. ¡°You came here to kill me.¡±


    ¡°In my defense, I expected you to try and kill me back,¡± I returned.


    ¡°And I¡¯d like to, honestly,¡± he said. ¡°If I give you another hint about the system skill, I¡¯ll disappear and you¡¯ll get nothing. No quest complete screen, no points, no loot, nothing.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s the spiteful option. Also, a bit of a dick move,¡± I remarked.


    The Doppelganger nodded. ¡°The other way is that I kill myself so that you can get what you want.¡±


    ¡°Need, really,¡± I corrected. ¡°I need what you have to offer, just in case.¡±


    ¡°So many ways to cheat death and you think you need another one,¡± he said with a scowl.


    ¡°You can never be too careful. You¡¯re basically me, so you should know that.¡±


    ¡°Making it really hard to choose the suicide route right now.¡±


    I gave him a soft smile. ¡°Yeah, that¡¯s my bad. Sorry about that.¡±


    He stared at me for a few moments, and I stared back. ¡°You really think you can do it? Save the world?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s a tough question,¡± I laughed, running my hands through my hair. ¡°But, yeah. If I didn¡¯t, I wouldn¡¯t have made it this far. I would have quit ages ago, to be honest.¡±


    ¡°Okay, because you were doing it out of spite first,¡± he told me. ¡°That¡¯s not exactly a winning start.¡±


    ¡°Man, I know,¡± I sassed, glancing towards the sky. ¡°Sara and I were completely different people all those years ago. Obviously, we got over that antagonistic part of our relationship. We¡¯re both in a better place.¡±


    ¡°Obviously.¡± The Doppelganger looked away from me to gaze at the stars. I gave him some time to decide. He already knew everything I did, and probably already determined what I would say.


    He was more decisive than I expected.


    Four drills were Constructed around his heart, two in the front and two in the back.


    ¡°Don¡¯t you forget me, Anthony Franklin,¡± he ordered.


    ¡°I won¡¯t,¡± I told him honestly. ¡°Thank you.¡±


    The Doppelganger looked disgusted as he shook his head. ¡°Don¡¯t thank me for the end of my life. You made me like this.¡±


    Each of the drills began spinning and pierced through his armor. The amount of mental concentration he had to have as he tore himself apart was intense, and he very quickly began to heal again. I didn¡¯t look away.


    ¡°Heavenly Hero,¡± he grunted as the drills continued spinning.


    ¡°Sorry,¡± I said.


    The next five seconds seemed to go on forever, but I kept watching. It was the least I could do. There was no room for his version of My Golden Bowling Ball to appear and block a fatal blow, and the very instant that the timer was up he disappeared. The memory shattered, returning me to the real world where I still faced the Prime Doppelganger¡¯s mirror.


    On the sofa behind me was a naked body identical to my own, complete with Ouroboros tattoos. I reached out to clothe it in some of my less magical gear. While I did, I pulled up its description. I did it just in time to see the other text box pop up with it.


    <<<>>>


    [[Item]]


    Anthony Franklin¡¯s Spare Body


    This body is time-locked no matter where it is. If the player who this body is modeled after dies, they may instead choose for their soul to inhabit this one. This only works if it is not inside of an inventory at the time of death. The new form has the same stats as the player does at the time of creation, but any gear the original wore or had in their inventory will need to be retrieved.


    [[Quest Successful!]]


    The Prime Doppelganger has been slain, but I don¡¯t know who did it.


    It has been a long time since a Glitch has achieved such heights. Even longer still that the system hasn¡¯t been able to calculate a reward instantly.


    Perhaps it¡¯s time to join a conversation that I didn¡¯t think would involve me. This should be¡­ interesting.


    Reward: will be handed out after calculations are complete.


    [[Patron Quest Complete!]]


    That wasn¡¯t nearly as bad as you thought it was going to be, was it?


    I¡¯d love to congratulate you more, but you should get out of here. Don¡¯t wait for the train, just get out of Springfield and the administrator¡¯s influence.


    Trust me. I can¡¯t tell you more than that. Run.


    Reward: 12,500 points.


    <<<>>>


    I arched an eyebrow at the lack of a victory screen and the quest complete from the administrator. It wasn¡¯t often that I¡¯d see the system need time to calculate something, and ¡°defeating¡± a copy of me at my best falling under that category didn¡¯t surprise me. But, as confused as I might have been, I didn¡¯t miss Sara¡¯s warning. Touching my literal body double, I pulled it into my inventory and started leaving the house.


    It was time to return to Sol Ligatus.

 Chapter 224

    Williamsburg, Virginia - 10:12 AM


    I stepped off of the train and onto the station platform, enjoying the sea breeze as it crossed my face. Taking a deep breath, I relished it for a few moments before moving with the traffic towards the exit and looking towards the sky.


    Once I stepped onto the street, a quest popped up.


    <<<>>>


    [[Jamestown/Williamsburg Scenario 3-1]]


    Little by little, the coast of Virginia has been lost to the sea. Newport News has disappeared along with everything north to the Maryland state line going with it. A conflict is almost upon you.


    The Atlanteans, fierce warriors belonging to a country somewhere deep under the Atlantic Ocean, have come. Long have they desired a civilization above the waves, and what better place to start than where the surface dwellers sailed and conquered and built.


    Now they seek to do the same.


    Not all is without hope. The Atlanteans may have the edge in technology, but they are people, too. Depending on how they are greeted, war may be averted.


    The First Delegation of the 12th Atlantean Navy will be arriving shortly. A party of ten has been invited to parlay with the admirable Admiral Chekanhat. You know their intentions, but what happens next is up to you.


    Objective: Determine humanity¡¯s diplomatic delegation and wait for Admiral Chekanhat near the sea.


    Time remaining: 1 hour, 47 minutes.


    Reward: 1,000 points to those who greet him.


    <<<>>>


    I rolled my eyes as I snapped away the quest screen. Just like the quest said, everything north and east of Williamsburg was gone, eroded into the sea. The administrators had warned the people that it was going to happen back when the first scenario dropped, at least. There were still a few who refused to abandon their homes, but the vast majority of the population had moved further inland to avoid it.


    For the people of Newport News, that meant fleeing to either Williamsburg or Norfolk, while most everyone else headed toward the north fleeing to Maryland or Richmond, depending on what they were thinking at the time. The Chesapeake Bay had gotten much, much larger, now pushing far enough west to engulf Burwell Bay.


    ¡°Alright, Sara, could you please tell me where my friends are?¡± I asked. She had started looking once we got close enough that Williamsburg was in range, and her response came quickly.


    <<<>>>


    [[Patron Message]]


    Of course. It looks like Kayla has taken the lead on rallying the people. As you would expect, Jeff is with her. They¡¯re in the Movie Tavern, which has been made part of a player-run safe zone. That¡¯s where the diplomacy meeting is happening now.


    Ashley is asleep in the train and Bethany is being watched by Corwin while she works. The Angel Express is parked on the tracks just a few blocks away from the safe zone.


    Jamie and Mercury are currently taking out a swarm of Mudjumpers down on the James River. They seem to be in competition over who will kill the most. Surprisingly, I think he¡¯s got an edge here, if only because the Princess seems to be feeding him information.


    It¡¯s good to be back home, Anthony. I missed everyone.


    <<<>>>


    I smiled. ¡°It is good to be back home, isn¡¯t it?¡± I asked, echoing the sentiment. Home was wherever the guild was, now.


    Stretching, I set on my Heelies and began heading towards Kayla and Jeff. It only took me a few minutes to arrive given my speed.


    The Shops at High Street and the apartments nearby had all been turned into a safe zone thanks to the work of the people here led by Austin Tallow. While he wasn¡¯t a combatant, he had the Community Architect class that allowed him to basically perform most of the logistics himself. His contributions towards making Williamsburg more stable had saved it several times.


    When I entered the safe zone, I saw a lot of people crowded around the different restaurants and shops. A merchant caravan from Norfolk had crossed the James River when they heard that the scenario was going to be ramping up soon. Their true destination was Richmond, but they could stand to stop and show their wares for someplace that needed it.


    I ignored them, though. While they might have one or two trinkets that would catch the eyes of the other guild members, there wasn¡¯t anything with them for me. So I headed straight for the Movie Tavern. It was a nice place built of brick where you could order full meals while you watched whatever was playing. With a bit of construction, it became the perfect place to host events.


    Unfortunately, I was stopped at the door.


    ¡°Sorry, but no one¡¯s allowed in at the moment,¡± a man wearing furs said, holding up his hand as I approached. ¡°There¡¯s a private meeting going on right now. It shouldn¡¯t be too much longer, though, so feel free to check out Donovan¡¯s Caravan for a bit.¡±


    ¡°Oh, no, I¡¯m supposed to be in there,¡± I said with a smile, ignoring the oversized woodcutter¡¯s axe leaning against the wall behind him. I offered him my hand. ¡°Anthony Franklin. I¡¯m a member of Sol Ligatus. Kayla and Jeff are expecting me.¡±


    The man frowned and gingerly accepted the handshake. ¡°I thought I knew everyone in Sol Ligatus, aside from the crafters that never leave the train,¡± he said suspiciously. ¡°You one of them?¡±


    ¡°Ashley or Bethany? No, can¡¯t say that I am. I¡¯ve just arrived from out of town. Had a bit of a whirlwind adventure all across the US, you know how it is. They don¡¯t know I¡¯m here yet, unless they do, but I¡¯d really like to see how Kayla¡¯s doing against Warren. She¡¯s making a lot of riveting points, but the crowd¡¯s still a bit wary.¡±This tale has been unlawfully obtained from Royal Road. If you discover it on Amazon, kindly report it.


    ¡°Uh huh,¡± he said. ¡°How do you know what¡¯s going on in there if you just arrived?¡±


    ¡°Right, sorry. I¡¯m a psychic,¡± I replied, and a hint of recognition sparked in his eyes. ¡°Kayla¡¯s advocating for fighting against the Atlanteans, which is a big thing that nobody wants but needs to happen. We should know since the same thing happened in Etson, where we come from. Warren, however, really wants to try a more diplomatic approach without realizing how much of a bad idea that is.¡±


    I scratched the back of my head as I looked past him and into the building. ¡°See, the Atlanteans are all about the glory of battle, war, and so forth. I liken them to technologically advanced sea Mongols, personally. Not above a slaughter, want to continue turning the land to sea, really doesn¡¯t like us land lubbers. Sure the admiral will put on a diplomatic showing, but he really doesn¡¯t mind if he has to go to war. Hoping for it, really.¡±


    ¡°Okay, now I remember,¡± the guard said with a smile. ¡°Keep on the lookout for a psychic that likes to talk. I had forgotten your name, sorry.¡±


    ¡°No worries, man. Am I good to go in?¡± I asked, pointing towards the door.


    ¡°Yeah, go on through. You know where they are?¡±


    ¡°Sure do, and thanks,¡± I said as he opened the way for me, and I stepped inside.


    There were a few groups lounging in the small restaurant area on the other side of the door. They had been talking quietly to themselves, but stopped when I walked in. I gave them a friendly nod before heading towards where I could feel the meeting take place.


    ¡°Hey, you can¡¯t¡ª¡± someone started to call.


    ¡°Take it up with the guard, I¡¯m invited,¡± I said, giving them no more of my time as I headed towards theater 7.


    The front half of the room was completely filled with people watching and listening to the two speakers. These were the strongest that Williamsburg had to offer while their less fortunate members were forced to sit outside. Despite their strength, it was easy to tell just how tense the situation was.


    Nearly everyone was uncomfortable to be here and it showed clearly in their aura. It was hard to tell if they were leaning towards Kayla or Warren by that alone, but it didn¡¯t matter. I had faith in her. Jumping over the divider, I took a seat near the back where the lights were turned off. No one seemed to notice my intrusion.


    Kayla didn¡¯t look like she was having any trouble being in front of so many strangers. The short woman appeared to be in her element as she listened to her debate partner¡¯s speech. It was easy to tell that she was in full Credibility mode today, as she should be. There was a serious look on her face, which was only offset by the white sequin-covered jacket that wouldn¡¯t be out of place on an Elvis impersonator.


    I had to stifle a laugh. It looked so out of place, but Graceland seemed to have been kind to them.


    Warren was an older man with streaks of gray in his hair. He had decided to attend in a dapper black suit, and it fit him well. It was always a thrill to see two people with what I¡¯d consider charisma-based classes debate each other. The crowd gave him a fair bit of their attention, and I could see people nodding along.


    ¡°There is no reason to turn this into a bloodbath,¡± Warren said, his voice nasal but assertive. ¡°Kayla has made some fine points about how they have encroached on our state, and they are irrefutable, but this is our chance at first contact. They have reached out to us to negotiate, and I do not believe that spitting in their face by bringing violence to the table right from the get-go is doing either of us the service she thinks it is.¡±


    He sighed, panning his gaze across the crowd. I still went unnoticed, sitting in the dark as I was. ¡°The system was clearly made to sway towards fights, but look at everything else. We have merchant classes, construction classes, craftsmen, and healers. Our new world may promote violence, but that is not all we need to be. If that were the case, then why are diplomats like myself and Kayla necessary?¡±


    A murmur of agreement rippled through the crowd.


    ¡°It is for moments like this,¡± Warren continued, slapping his hand on the podium at each word. ¡°This isn¡¯t even something we should be considering! The scenario quest clearly states that we¡¯re to send a diplomatic delegation to meet with Admiral Chekanhat. War may be upon us, but other paths lie between us. There is no reason to say that there aren¡¯t avenues to peace and prosperity between our people, our nations, when there is so much that we can offer to each other. If it turns to violence, so be it, but it shouldn¡¯t be on us to begin with it.¡±


    ¡°Thank you, Warren, your time is up,¡± a woman in the front row said before turning to Kayla. ¡°You have the floor.¡±


    Kayla nodded and adjusted her glasses. ¡°The first thing I want to say is that I am not opposed to Warren¡¯s dreams of peace,¡± she said. Jeff, seated in the crowd in front of her, started nodding. ¡°I think brokering a wonderful relationship with another country, even one that used to be as fictional as Atlantis, is a great thing to strive for. However, in this case, it is an egregious folly.¡±


    She let the crowd ruminate on her words. ¡°Some of you know the story of Sol Ligatus, while some haven¡¯t gotten to know me and the others yet. We haven¡¯t spoken about our experiences at length, so let me give you a little insight now.¡± The crowd was all ears. Most of the ones here would have gotten snippets and rumors on occasion, but that was different from hearing it straight from the source.


    ¡°We have been all over the eastern United States. From Etson, Florida, where we started, to Atlanta, to Pittsburgh and Chicago, and to Memphis and Trenton. Do you know how many times we could negotiate with monsters that the administrators considered people like us?¡± Kayla paused to let the audience mull it over before holding up a single finger. ¡°Once with a Dryad and a group of Kobolds, and only because they were being oppressed by an empire of wasp monsters that were threatening us.¡±


    Sighing, she took off her glasses. ¡°The administrators aren¡¯t here to give us scenarios that make us feel good, they¡¯re here to give us scenarios that impress Patrons. They want to see us struggle and, while our victories certainly make for good television or drama or whatever this all amounts to, they don¡¯t need us to win. Warren pointed out that the scenario quest did say to make a diplomatic delegation. That is true, and I¡¯ll give that to him. However, everything else points to war.¡±


    Kayla raised her hand and started counting off as she clearly read from something in front of her. ¡°A conflict is almost upon you, the Atlanteans are fierce warriors, seeking to do the same as the conquerors of this land before. The red flags are massive and easy to spot, and I can¡¯t believe that Warren is just ignoring them.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not ignoring them,¡± the man muttered.


    She didn¡¯t dignify that with a response. ¡°What this tells me is that this won¡¯t be a diplomatic delegation meant to broker peace between us, but to surrender wholly to their reign,¡± Kayla insisted. ¡°Because that¡¯s how warmongers think. They want this fight. They want the glory that it brings and the death that it causes and the rewards of the land that they can take.


    ¡°Now, I know I¡¯m an outsider. I¡¯m not from Virginia, nor was I here to struggle beside you. That doesn¡¯t mean I can¡¯t empathize with you. We at Sol Ligatus have traveled all over, meeting people just like you and fighting by their side. Not just defending them, but working together as brothers and sisters of battle. I can wholeheartedly say that there will be bloodshed no matter what we say to the admiral.¡±


    Kayla¡¯s eyes flicked up to me. She looked into mine despite the glare from the lights shining on her, and pointed. ¡°But there¡¯s someone else you need to hear from. Someone who has abilities that allows him to see the future, and knows that Warren¡¯s plan will never work. Anthony, I know you have a few things to say, come on down here.¡±


    ¡°Oh shit, the boss is here?¡± Jeff said, standing up and turning around. He got a big, goofy grin on his face as he waved, and I smiled back.


    ¡°Hey, Jeff,¡± I laughed as I got out of my seat.


    ¡°Who¡¯s this?¡± Warren asked in protest. ¡°This was supposed to be between us, Mrs. Mills, not some random person. Who even let him in here?¡±


    ¡°Like I said, he can see the future,¡± she stated, taking no offense. ¡°He¡¯s my guest, and the real guild leader of Sol Ligatus.¡±


    Just as the man was about to complain further, I started walking on the back of the chairs, avoiding the crowd before I ended up between Kayla and Warren. I turned around to face the people. Some were starting to get upset while others were intrigued by my sudden appearance.


    Putting my hands on my hips, I exuded the calming aura of my Peacekeeper¡¯s Will. The mood chilled in a heartbeat as it washed over the room. I tried to look stern.


    <<<>>>


    [[Guild Chat]]


    Jeff: The boss man is back!


    <<<>>>


    My stern facade broke as the chat began filling up with welcoming messages. Glancing down at Jeff, I couldn¡¯t help my smile.


    ¡°Thank you, Kayla,¡± I said, nodding to my friend. ¡°I¡¯m Anthony Franklin. Psychic, seer, soothsayer, fighter, and the big stick of Sol Ligatus. Let me tell you everything about how terrifying the Atlanteans can be, and exactly how we can defeat them¡­¡±

 Chapter 225

    The Angel Express, Williamsburg, Virginia - 11:24 AM


    I entered the train with Kayla and Jeff and took in a deep breath. ¡°Damn, it¡¯s good to be home,¡± I said, smiling at the familiar dining car. ¡°Thanks again for taking care of everything while I was gone.¡±


    ¡°It was troublesome, but I suppose most things worth doing are,¡± Kayla said, nudging me with her elbow when she passed me on the way to the bar. ¡°You¡¯re welcome, psychic boy.¡±


    ¡°Really troublesome,¡± Jeff agreed. ¡°But we got everything done that needed doing and a little more with all the libraries we visited.¡±


    ¡°Got some good extras there?¡± I asked as I headed towards my room.


    I grinned as I opened my door and looked upon my personal space. Nothing had changed, not that I expected it to, but I was looking forward to sleeping in my own bed tonight. The ones in public transportation weren¡¯t terrible, but they paled in comparison to the luxury I allowed for myself.


    The first thing I did was go into the train¡¯s menu and change the privacy settings of my sleeper car to maximum. Sara signed off on it, paying the price for me as the only one who could see inside. Thanks to her, not even the administrators could break into my room without facing my Patron¡¯s wrath.


    The second thing I did was reach under my bed and deposit my spare body there. No one was going to stumble upon it, and it would give me a convenient place to wake up should something bad happen to me.


    ¡°Mostly blanks and pages,¡± Kayla answered, following me with a drink in her hand. She leaned against the door frame as she watched me move towards my wardrobe. ¡°A few more niche acquisitions, as well. Mostly stuff that would be more useful for us than you, so I¡¯ve already divvied them up. Figured you wouldn¡¯t mind.¡±


    ¡°Not in the slightest, but I hope you saved some of those Blank Skill Books and Synthesis Pages for me. You can never get too many of those,¡± I said.


    ¡°Definitely can¡¯t have enough,¡± she agreed before nodding towards the wardrobe. ¡°You¡¯ll find them in there.¡±


    I opened my wardrobe, but I didn¡¯t find any clothes inside. Instead, there was a black void and a screen that popped up.


    <<<>>>


    [[Angel Express Vault Management]]


    The Vault is now connected to your inventory.


    <<<>>>


    Snapping open my inventory, I started tossing everything I had collected into the vault. I noticed that the system had been overhauled slightly. There were now many folders under Ashley¡¯s tab to sort the monster parts we had collected. They ranged from aquatic to undead, but the very first one was labeled 0-New. From the eels of Minnesota to pieces of the Uranium Rex, I deposited everything I had collected for her.


    The body of Pustibule, however, was something I kept. She wasn¡¯t ready to have the parts from such a powerful Demonic adversary. Not yet, anyway.


    In return, I pulled out five Blank Skill Books and three Synthesis Pages. ¡°Good haul. You did well, Kayla,¡± I praised. Normally, my share would have been three blanks and one page, so this was an absolute win.


    ¡°Thanks, we tried,¡± she replied. I ruffled her hair on the way by, just as she had done to me back when we were in Pittsburgh, and she wrinkled her nose. ¡°Don¡¯t do that.¡±


    ¡°No promises,¡± I teased as I walked back to the dining car. She stewed on that for a moment before following me.


    Jeff wasn¡¯t there, but that was fine. He was probably getting Corwin from Bethany and letting her know they were back. I didn¡¯t know how much sign language he had picked up to communicate with the deaf girl, but writing was always an option.


    I walked to the trophy case and the guildhall notice board. The latter hadn¡¯t been updated much since Pittsburgh except for the various wants and needs of the members of Sol Ligatus, but there were two new additions to the former.


    The first was a pompadour wig. Just like Kayla¡¯s unfortunate sequin jacket, this came from the Graceland Impostor. It would give anyone a 15% boost to their mental stats, if they had them. It made the choice between that and the Pharaoh¡¯s 5% boost to all stats hard, but it depended on what I needed done that day. For now, I accepted the wig¡¯s bonus.


    The second was what looked like an elongated ram¡¯s head with black and red horns and brown fur. Someone had put sunglasses on it, which I felt was fair. Its eyes had a habit of making it seem like you couldn¡¯t escape its gaze. The Jersey Devil had that effect on people. This gave a substantial boost in damage towards cryptids, like itself, and its parts were going to be a big boon to Ashley¡¯s crafts.


    Turning my attention from the two guild items, I checked out Rexxel¡¯s ATM. It had a blinking light, telling me that Hao¡¯s had something going up for auction shortly that I was interested in. Even though we were so far from Pittsburgh, it still worked despite the distance. The little Kobold was a banker worth knowing for a reason.


    Before checking out the auction tab, I tossed 100,000 points into my Platinum Patron¡¯s Package savings account. It was getting very hefty now, and I still had tens of thousands left to do with as I pleased.


    <<<>>>


    [[Rexxel¡¯s Automated Teller Machine]]


    Thank you, Avatar [Anthony Franklin]. You have withdrawn 11,917 points from the Auction House.


    One item that you have requested is up for auction later this week. It can be purchased directly from the seller.


    1) Skill Book (Hard Body) - 1,999 points


    Would you like to purchase this item?


    Yes


    No


    <<<>>>


    I hit Yes, and the skill book appeared on the bar next to me. There was no reason to wait, so I opened it up and learned what was inside.


    <<<>>>


    [[Passive]]


    Hard Body


    Your skin and muscles are tougher than the average Human¡¯s. Physical attacks deal 5% less damage to you.


    <<<>>>


    If you spot this narrative on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation.


    ¡°Excellent,¡± I muttered to myself when the book disappeared. It wasn¡¯t a large buff, but it stacked with my Sturdy Shell passive and was worth getting.


    I was still anticipating Comfort Plus, though. Waiting for that was starting to wear thin.


    Before I could dwell on it, I heard the sound of paws on carpet as the doors automatically opened for Corwin. He skittered to a stop when he came into the dining car, looking between me and Kayla. His tail was wagging so hard that his entire back end was shaking with it.


    ¡°Hey, little buddy,¡± I called out, lowering myself to one knee. ¡°I missed you, Corwin.¡±


    His head tilted as he listened to me speak. First in one direction, and then the other. He let out a little boof, barking without opening his mouth. I understood his confusion, and the meaning behind his noise.


    ¡°Yeah, I can understand you like you can understand me,¡± I told him. ¡°Now come here, Corwin.¡±


    The dog ran at me full tilt, and I adjusted myself to catch him better. He pushed me against the bar as he tried to lick my face. I wrestled with him, getting him in a headlock to prevent him from getting what he wanted.


    ¡°You can understand Corwin?¡± Kayla asked, arching an eyebrow.


    Jeff walked in just in time to hear her say that, and his eyes widened. ¡°Wait, what? Really? You can do that, Ant?¡±


    Corwin flopped down in front of me and I sat with him, flopping his ears up and down as I pet him with both hands. ¡°The third set item bonus for my Warmind stuff is the ability to communicate clearly with creatures that have at least some level of intelligence,¡± I informed them as Kayla moved so she wasn¡¯t behind me. ¡°Long story short, they can understand my speech and I can understand theirs, even if it¡¯s limited.¡±


    ¡°Damn, that¡¯s impressive,¡± Kayla remarked. ¡°I have to turn into a creature to make them understand me if they don¡¯t speak English, and you just get it.¡±


    I shrugged. ¡°It¡¯s a psychic thing. It¡¯s also why I didn¡¯t do anything to learn Atlantean this time around; normally I don¡¯t get the cowl until after.¡±


    ¡°Oh, man, having someone who knows what our dog is saying is a literal game changer,¡± Jeff said with a big grin. He squatted to pet Corwin¡¯s belly. ¡°That¡¯s going to be a lot of fun.¡±


    ¡°Just so you know, I¡¯m not going to be your translator all the time,¡± I warned. ¡°He doesn¡¯t even bark a lot, anyway, and the bonus only makes it so I can understand verbal communication.¡±


    ¡°He¡¯s a good boy for not barking. I was very particular about teaching him not to,¡± Kayla praised.


    ¡°Yeah, I guess,¡± Jeff sighed. ¡°Well, at least his growls will have some manner of substance to them?¡±


    ¡°That is true,¡± I said with a smile. ¡°If he growls, I can understand it.¡±


    The Knight looked like he was about to say something when someone cleared their throat at the entrance to the dining car. We stood up to see Jamie there. For someone who Sara had said was fighting with Mudjumpers, she was remarkably clean. She also looked very unhappy.


    Looking past that, though, I saw that her face had changed slightly from the last time I had seen her. Now, Jamie had small flecks of gold adorning her cheeks like freckles. They didn¡¯t stand out very well against her skin, but they were noticeable to me and my enhanced eyesight.


    It was something that would happen when she increased her base stats. Like my Half-Angelic heritage, her changes in appearance were coming in gradually. The only difference was that hers came in fast, while mine apparently liked to take its time.


    All this time and the only difference was that my hair changed from brown to red. My Status screen still said it was dormant, too.


    ¡°Announcing,¡± the Weapon Master started through grit teeth before raising a hand towards the door. ¡°The Young Master of the Sol Ligatus Sect.¡±


    My senses were reined in tight because I didn¡¯t want to be rude, and I couldn¡¯t help the amused smirk I had on my face as Mercury Moonslayer himself appeared next to her from invisibility.


    ¡°Thank you, Senior Sister,¡± he said, putting his hands together in a sign of respect and bowing towards her before bowing to me. ¡°We came back as soon as we could, Master Anthony.¡±


    ¡°Young master? What happened to gentleman thief?¡± I snorted before glancing at Jamie. ¡°Lost your bet, did you?¡±


    The Weapon Master wrinkled her nose. ¡°Still don¡¯t like that spirit flying around here,¡± she said, making it seem like that was the only reason why she lost.


    Well, she wasn¡¯t wrong.


    ¡°She¡¯s cool and useful,¡± Mercury said with a shrug. Jamie at least grunted acknowledgment of that fact. ¡°Perfect for a gentleman thief or a young master.¡±


    ¡°So you made a bet with her and all she had to do when you won was announce you as the Young Master of Sol Ligatus?¡± I asked with a chuckle.


    ¡°Yeah, I¡¯m fun, not stupid,¡± he said with a snort. ¡°I¡¯m not going to do anything more than mildly annoy her because she could¡­ no, she has destroyed me before.¡±


    ¡°At least it¡¯s just in the training room,¡± Jamie said with a satisfied smile before her tone turned colder. ¡°Speaking of, we¡¯ll have more lessons soon. I think we¡¯ll revisit dodging.¡±


    Mercury shivered. I didn¡¯t blame him.


    ¡°Trading pointers aside,¡± I started, offering the ninja a thin, empathetic smile. ¡°Is everybody at base 50 for stats?¡±


    ¡°Every one of us,¡± Kayla confirmed. She moved to sit at the table and the others followed. I joined them, accepting a cup of tea that Mercury had ordered. ¡°Memphis was¡­ it was something else.¡±


    ¡°I can still remember the screams,¡± Jeff said, his voice slightly haunted.


    ¡°Don¡¯t bring those up, I¡¯m going to have nightmares again,¡± Mercury replied, shaking his head.


    ¡°That bad for y¡¯all, huh?¡± I asked, sipping the tea and nodding appreciatively. Bethany was already leaps and bounds better than she had been when I left Chicago.


    ¡°We¡¯re not going to discuss it,¡± Jamie said firmly, crossing her arms. ¡°You should already know what you sent us into.¡±


    ¡°Yeah, my bad,¡± I said with another empathetic smile. Setting the tea cup down, I looked at the group one by one. ¡°Alright. First off, what¡¯s everyone¡¯s Patron status?¡±


    ¡°The Dealer has introduced me to Skuld,¡± Kayla answered first. ¡°She¡¯s been watching over us for a while, but she really wanted to meet you since you claim to know the future. While helpful, she hasn¡¯t actually become my Patron yet. That will depend on you and your actions.¡±


    ¡°Thanks for taking care of my friends,¡± I said, looking up. ¡°You¡¯re about to be privy to some real future knowledge here soon.¡±


    I looked at Jeff, and he shook his head. ¡°Nothing here yet.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry about it, they¡¯re pretty picky,¡± I told him. ¡°Speaking of, Summers?¡±


    She gave me a flat look. ¡°Are you calling me picky or my Patron?¡±


    ¡°Is he your Patron?¡± I asked, arching an eyebrow.


    ¡°No, Ares is no longer with us,¡± she replied with a click of her tongue. ¡°But you should already know that.¡±


    ¡°Sometimes it¡¯s good to be sure,¡± I responded, but left it at that.


    Ares would be great in any large-scale combat, but his usual brutality wasn¡¯t something we wanted. His first instinct upon hearing about the war with the Atlanteans was to have Jamie instigate it and destroy as many ships as possible with an army he wanted her to raise before it had even begun.


    Before Sol Ligatus, she probably would have.


    With our good influence, she held back. It lost her a Patron, but opened the door for a better one later.


    Mercury took my silence as permission to speak next, and I gave him my full attention. ¡°I was able to get one myself,¡± he said proudly. ¡°Did you know there¡¯s a lot of ninja related stuff in Chicago and Memphis? I was wondering why Kayla kept sending me there, but it was apparently to start garnering attention. If I had known, I would have been really chatty about it, too, so it¡¯s a good thing you didn¡¯t¡­¡±


    He trailed off as his eyes started skimming a text box that appeared in front of him. ¡°Ah, yeah, my bad,¡± he said, looking up. ¡°My Patron is Marishiten, goddess of illusion and invisibility. It¡¯s just one of many names she has, but that¡¯s what she gave me.¡±


    Reaching over the table, I offered him a fist bump and he wasted no time giving it to me. ¡°Are we all set for aquatic adventures?¡±


    Kayla nodded, but Jamie crossed her arms. ¡°We collected the stuff, but why only three breathers when there are five of us?¡± she asked.


    ¡°Excellent question, Summers. Not all of us will be fighting in the same way. As for the upcoming war and what you should expect,¡± I trailed off, taking another sip of tea. The others leaned forward slightly. ¡°It¡¯ll be mostly canceled.¡±


    A beat of silence. ¡°Excuse me?¡± Mercury asked. ¡°Mostly canceled?¡±


    ¡°Oh, yes. Now, don¡¯t get me wrong. There¡¯s going to be a battle. Huge, even,¡± I said, and they started leaning back in their chairs. ¡°It¡¯s going to be big enough that Norfolk is going to get involved, which means we¡¯ll have a lot to do in a limited amount of time.¡±


    ¡°Okay, no war is good, I guess, but I would have been pissed if we were here without a reason,¡± Jamie scoffed.


    I offered her a smile. ¡°We don¡¯t have a lot of time to discuss how everything will play out, but here¡¯s how the meeting at noon is going to go. Jamie, Kayla, and I are going to be part of the diplomatic delegation to greet the Atlantean admiral. He¡¯s going to offer snide comments about our people, his translator is going to be polite with the script they had already been given.¡±


    ¡°Wait, what about me and Jeff?¡± Mercury asked.


    ¡°I was told this on the way here,¡± the Queen¡¯s Knight answered. ¡°But the people here only let us secure three slots in the delegation. Kayla¡¯s the talker, Ant and Jamie are there to make sure shit hits the fan.¡±


    Mercury tilted his head at the way Jeff had phrased that, but Kayla was the one who spoke. ¡°And based on what Anthony said, shit will hit the fan.¡±


    Jamie sat up, interested. ¡°Alright, now that sounds right up our alley. What¡¯s up?¡±


    ¡°The long and short of it is, we¡¯re going to partake in two duels,¡± I answered. ¡°It will be honorable combat based on Atlantis¡¯ own laws. The winner stays, the loser leaves. One will be on land and that will be yours, Summers.¡±


    She nodded. ¡°Good. Had to fight underwater already, and I can¡¯t say I enjoy it. I¡¯m assuming you¡¯re going to do it, shoving yourself through the water by your shoes or something?¡±


    I smiled. ¡°Something like that. Telekinesis makes moving through the water really easy. But, yes, I¡¯ll be fighting a champion of theirs in the ocean. We¡¯re both going to win, and they¡¯re going to slink off in defeat.¡±


    ¡°Wait, I¡¯m confused,¡± Mercury said, leaning forward to put his elbows on the table. ¡°Are the duels the part where the shit hits the fan? Or does that come after?¡±


    ¡°Little bit before, a lot after,¡± I said. ¡°See, the admiral is an honorable warrior despite looking down on us. Old school kind of commander. The others under him, not so much. As long as we play our cards right today, tomorrow will bring a mutiny. And a mutiny will bring outrage and battle back to us. That¡¯s when we make sure Atlantis realizes it needs to think twice before coming after us surface dwellers.¡±


    I stood up, looking at everyone in turn. ¡°By the end of the day, the bulk of their navy is going to be nothing but scrap.¡±

 Chapter 226

    Williamsburg Coastline, Virginia - 11:52 AM


    To the others¡¯ surprise, the place where the two diplomatic delegations were supposed to meet was literally marked by a rectangle of white light where State Road 199 unceremoniously dunked itself into the water. Unlike a regular beach, there would be a few feet of sand if we were to wade out before the drop became severe. Almost like we were standing over a cliff.


    ¡°I hope you people know what you¡¯re doing,¡± Warren muttered.


    ¡°We do,¡± Kayla said confidently. She was wearing the Magnanimous Hat of the Charitable, the black and red hat looking out of place with her jacket. Still, the Noble Demeanor passive should help at least a little.


    The other six didn¡¯t look convinced. These people, four men and two women, had a variety of combat classes between them and really only came for the points and the show. They were the leaders of different factions of Williamsburg, but they might as well have stayed home. Each of them trusted Kayla or Warren to speak more than themselves. I could appreciate the self-awareness, at least.


    Warren put his hands in his suit jacket¡¯s pockets as we entered the glowing rectangle. ¡°Good, because if this doesn¡¯t go according to plan¡­¡± he let his voice trail off with an unspoken warning.


    Normally, I was understanding of other''s fears and nervousness. This time, I chuckled as I shook my head.


    ¡°Do you think my concern is funny, young man?¡± he asked, putting on a stern face. ¡°This is not your home, so you probably don¡¯t understand the connection we have with it, but we hardly believe this is a laughing matter.¡± The others nodded in agreement.


    ¡°I just think it¡¯s silly that you¡¯re going along with our plan but still don¡¯t think it¡¯ll work,¡± I replied before snorting. ¡°And thinking I can¡¯t understand that this is your home is just needling me because of your own nerves. My hometown was going to be attacked by thousands of humanoid wasps. We took the fight to them, and it worked out as well as it did because of that initiative. Now, if you plan on saying something substantial instead of flapping your gums because your anxiety is spiking, I¡¯ll listen, but if you can¡¯t even do that then keep calm and let Kayla do her thing.¡±


    I felt anger in his aura, but also shame. He didn¡¯t rebuke me after that.


    ¡°Play nice, Anthony,¡± Kayla chastised.


    ¡°Yes, ma¡¯am,¡± I responded immediately.


    Everyone fell silent as the white light we were standing in turned green. Jamie and I stood at attention on either side of Kayla, slightly behind her, while the others in our group jumped at the sudden shift. Before they could get even more spooked, we each received new text boxes.


    <<<>>>


    [[Jamestown/Williamsburg Scenario 3-1 Complete]]


    Congratulations, you nine have been chosen to be the diplomatic delegation for your city. Thanks to this prestigious position, you will be the first to speak to the Atlanteans in over 400 years of their history.


    The next quest will depend on how you act and what you say, so be careful with your words. No one knows what may set them off.


    Reward: 1,000 points.


    <<<>>>


    ¡°Nine of us?¡± Warren asked, turning to make sure we hadn¡¯t lost anyone.


    ¡°I¡¯m invisible to the administrators,¡± I replied, getting a glance from Kayla, to which I shrugged. ¡°What? It¡¯s not going to matter in a few moments.¡±


    ¡°I just thought you said that was supposed to have worn off already,¡± she said.


    ¡°Supposed to, yeah, but sometimes the future is surprising no matter how much you can see.¡±


    Before our conversation could go any further, a warning siren started to sound out from the water. An eerie green light flashed repeatedly as it emerged from the depths, and the glowing rectangle underneath us expanded. It became much larger, both taking up more space as well as becoming taller.


    ¡°Nobody panic, but they¡¯re now trapped in here with us,¡± I said.


    ¡°Doesn¡¯t that mean we¡¯re also trapped in here with them?¡± one of the guys nervously asked.


    ¡°No, that¡¯s definitely not the same thing,¡± I replied. Kayla gave me another glance, and I shrugged again. ¡°The plan¡¯s going to plan. Nothing to worry about.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re entirely too nonchalant,¡± Jamie said.


    ¡°Yeah, probably,¡± I agreed. The others looked at me in confusion, but their attention was soon diverted.


    The light rose out of the sea to reveal a massive submarine made of green metal. It was shaped like a disc and towered over us with at least half of its height still submerged. There was no visible propulsion system on it at all that I could see, even underwater. Due to the way Atlantean technology worked, they didn¡¯t need any to move through the water.


    There were several stylized carvings all throughout the hull. They reminded me of Aztec artwork, and one of the largest circles facing us bisected itself, revealing a few figures standing within. Everyone got tense when a gangplank was set down for the Atlanteans to walk across, including Kayla and Jamie.


    They were humanoid in shape, but on average stood a foot taller than we did. Each one of them wore metal armor with bulbous pauldrons, heavy protection around the neck, and no straps to hold them on. They were encased up to their heads, which they didn¡¯t hide.


    Their skin was a light blue, their ears were like fins, and their eyes had extra lids, but other than that they looked fairly similar to us with black hair and brown eyes. Like it was just another evolutionary path for humans to become amphibious.


    The first down the gangplank was a somewhat portly Atlantean with streaks of gold through his long, beaded hair. That was their version of going gray. He carried a trident made of coral and walked towards us with dignity and grace, his cloak dancing in the sea breeze. This was Admiral Chekanhat, and he looked at us with barely disguised disdain.


    Next came two men who could have been brothers. They were large even for Atlanteans, and they could have completely eclipsed even Jeff if he were here. One carried a hammer that was flat on one side and had four spikes on the other. His twin carried a harpoon. They both stopped behind the admiral, hands on their weapons as they looked ahead.This tale has been unlawfully obtained from Royal Road. If you discover it on Amazon, kindly report it.


    The last was a woman with some kind of binder. She was the smallest of them all, though still inches taller than me. Her light blue skin had black tattoos that, in her culture, indicated that she was not a warrior. In this case, she was the translator that Admiral Chekanhat was going to be speaking through. She stood next to her superior officer and opened the binder.


    No one on our side spoke. Though it was through the system, we were the ones that had been invited to this meeting. That meant they had the first word. To take it for ourselves would be offensive. The silence as the admiral looked us each over in turn was uncomfortable, but I knew no one was going to break. Not even Warren, now that he had been sufficiently chastised.


    The Atlantean tongue was a harsh one that enunciated its Ts and vowels to the extreme. It didn¡¯t seem to have a basis in any modern Earth language, and the only way I had heard anyone learn it was through quests. That being said, almost all Atlanteans knew the languages of those they were going to conquer.


    Admiral Chekanhat was capable of speaking perfect English; he just refused to.


    Lucky for me, I no longer had to worry about that. When he spoke, I sent a message through the guild chat to let Kayla and Jamie know exactly what he was actually saying. It was really handy not having to type it all out now.


    ¡°I am Admiral Chekanhat, traveling with my honor guard and trusted adviser,¡± he announced, his voice deep and booming. ¡°Who do I have the displeasure of speaking to today?¡±


    His translator cleared her throat. ¡°Admiral Chekanhat introduces his honor guard, Matenkarl and Dantenkarl, as well as myself, Adviser Cyrellose,¡± she introduced, her voice had a pleasant lilt to it that was different from her loud boss. ¡°The great admiral asks who he will be negotiating with at this time.¡±


    Kayla took a step forward just as she was supposed to. ¡°I am Kayla Mills, Queen of Sol Ligatus,¡± she announced, her voice only catching slightly at the need to call herself royalty. ¡°My honor guard, Jamie Summers and Anthony Franklin, stand beside me, while the others bear witness to this glorious moment.¡±


    ¡°Royalty, eh?¡± the admiral said, looking Kayla up and down as he stroked his goatee. ¡°Do you hear that? The Humans think they have someone worth following. Isn''t that just precious of them?¡±


    The Double Agent twitched after I sent that translation.


    ¡°The admiral is pleased to meet you,¡± Cyrellose lied.


    ¡°Likewise,¡± Kayla returned dryly.


    ¡°Alright, enough with the pleasantries, adviser,¡± Chekanhat said with a wave of his trident. ¡°She claims to be a queen, but I¡¯ve seen more graceful manatees than her. The sooner we get this over with, the sooner we can get off of this terrible patch of dirt and make it sand, like it should be. Give her the ultimatum, vacate the area so it can be ours or die defending it.¡±


    Cyrellose nodded and opened her mouth to speak. Unfortunately for her, I had just sent the translation to the guild. Jamie stifled a snorted laugh, but Kayla¡¯s eyes darkened.


    ¡°Ultimatum? So you were never going to take us seriously, then?¡± she asked, her tone low. The Atlanteans each looked at her in surprise, seemingly dumbstruck by the fact that the admiral was being called out. Kayla adjusted her glasses as she looked the enemy over. ¡°And you¡¯ve seen more graceful manatees than me, have you? Like you¡¯re any better with that rotundness of yours. What, did you see a walrus and decide that¡¯s what you wanted to model your own body after?¡±


    ¡°Excuse me?¡± Admiral Chekanhat asked, his eyes seemingly ready to pop out of their sockets.


    ¡°No, you are not excused.¡± Kayla crossed her arms, and our bystanders started shifting. ¡°I came out here hearing about the Glorious 12th Atlantean Navy, and the first thing its ¡®honorable¡¯ admiral does is look down on us? Look at you; you¡¯re less fierce warrior and more assistant manager at a dead end job.¡±


    The admiral¡¯s eyes narrowed. ¡°If you speak Atlantean, why do you insist on not speaking it?¡±


    I pursed my lips, trying not to smile at the next practiced line.


    ¡°Like I¡¯m going to sully my tongue with your shark shit language,¡± she replied combatively. ¡°I¡¯d rather drown myself here and now.¡±


    ¡°How dare you!¡± he sputtered. ¡°How can you possibly think it¡¯s wise to speak to the admiral of the Glorious 12th Atlantean Navy that way? We will end your paltry town and its protectors without fail!¡±


    ¡°Oh, is that a fact?¡± she challenged.


    ¡°Indubitably so!¡±


    ¡°Indubitably nothing,¡± Kayla spat. ¡°If you¡¯re so sure of yourself, then let¡¯s settle this right now. As the aggrieved party, this queen with less grace than a manatee challenges you to ritual combat. Winner stays, loser leaves. My honor guards against yours in the ancient and sacred rite of Atsamptatero.¡±


    Once again, the Atlanteans were shocked. Now we didn¡¯t just know their language and position in the navy, but also their culture and old rituals. Cyrellose quickly turned to her commanding officer.


    ¡°Admiral Chekanhat,¡± she said quickly, bringing her voice down to a whisper. ¡°There¡¯s no¡ª¡±


    He brought up a hand, cutting the poor adviser off as his lips curled into a sneer. ¡°You think calling upon the rites of combat will save you?¡±


    ¡°Only if you¡¯re as honorable as you think you are,¡± she answered. ¡°What will it be? Are we going to war because you¡¯ll spit in the face of your own culture? Or will we decide this right now?¡±


    ¡°Right now,¡± he answered immediately. Without looking away from Kayla, his sneer turned into a grin when he addressed his honor guard. ¡°Matenkarl.¡±


    The Atlantean with the hammer stepped forward. He spoke, though it wasn¡¯t in his native tongue. ¡°I will challenge on land, so that glory is many,¡± he said in clipped English, like someone still learning how the language works.


    ¡°I accept your challenge,¡± Jamie said, taking a step forward so that she was in front of Kayla. ¡°You¡¯re going to regret it.¡±


    ¡°Dantenkarl,¡± the admiral called.


    As he took a step forward, I did as well. ¡°I will fight as Atsamptatero demands, in the water,¡± I said first. ¡°There is no glory in defeating an Atlantean that flounders on land with no concept of what he¡¯s getting himself into.¡±


    There was no verbal response from Dantenkarl, but he nodded.


    <<<>>>


    [[Hidden Scenario Quest: Atsamptatero]]


    As the aggrieved party, the players have called for blood. The diplomatic delegation has chosen to enact an ancient rite of combat against the Atlanteans.


    Atsamptatero has been used to settle large disputes for centuries for land, resources, or insults. Fought with proxies to the death, the outcome can vary depending on the victories.


    In this case, it is honor guard versus honor guard for the sake of the land and pride. Should both players lose, the Atlanteans get full control of the land. However, if both players win, they remain in control. If one loses and one wins, then Atsamptatero can be called off or renegotiated with the survivors fighting again.


    As a player, you should be warned that an admiral¡¯s honor guard is the cream of the crop. They are trained at a young age to be ruthless killers ready to step forward at a moment¡¯s notice. With the Atlantean¡¯s naturally long life span, it would not be out of line to assume they have decades more experience than you.


    Good luck.


    Objective: Win against Admiral Chekanhat¡¯s honor guard.


    Reward: Honored Warrior passive, 1,500 points.


    [[Patron Quest: Defeat Dantenkarl!]]


    Everything¡¯s going according to plan, and that¡¯s great. Kayla is knocking it out of the park!


    I also just got confirmation that Skuld is going to ask Kayla to be her Avatar! Huge news. She reached out to me about you, but I was mysterious and cryptic. There¡¯s a lot of intrigue, and she wants to know more. So, even more plans are coming to fruition.


    You just worry about your fight, and I¡¯ll translate for Kayla when needed. It¡¯s going to cost a lot of points since she¡¯s not my Avatar anymore, but with all these points I¡¯ve saved up not paying to send you messages I think I can handle it.


    Good luck!


    Objective: Defeat Dantenkarl for Kayla¡¯s honor.


    Reward: 4,500 points.


    <<<>>>


    Jamie and Matenkarl started walking down the road, the other humans giving the large enemy a wide berth, and I walked to the edge of the water. Dantenkarl stopped beside me, saying nothing though his grip on his spear was tight.


    I summoned a scuba diving mask from my inventory and put it on. It adhered to my face without the need for straps, and a small timer appeared in my upper-righthand vision.


    <<<>>>


    [[Equipped]]


    Tankless Breather


    This mask will stick to your face until you pull it off. While wearing it, you have 30 minutes of breathable air. The Tankless Breather will refill at a rate of 5 minutes per hour when not in use.


    <<<>>>


    Looking over at my adversary, I gestured towards the water. ¡°After you.¡±


    He looked down at me with narrowed eyes before jumping into the water, and I sent a quick word of warning to the guild chat as I dove in after him.

 Chapter 227

    Atlantic Ocean, Williamsburg Coastline, Virginia - 12:11 PM


    The moment my feet touched the water, a whirlpool appeared around me. I was sucked down, deeper than I should have been able to go this close to land, and I saw the sheer cliff holding up the coastline. Millions of tons of dirt and sand had been excavated and moved in what frankly would have been an impressive feat if it hadn¡¯t been the will of the administrators.


    Luckily for the people on the coast, the system would keep it from eroding further once the Atlanteans were taken care of. It wouldn¡¯t be long now.


    The whirlpool stopped dragging me downwards after a couple hundred feet. I could no longer see the surface with my awareness aura, but I could tell which way the surface was. More importantly, I could still see Dantenkarl.


    He floated about twenty feet away, watching with disinterest. His aura was one of blue steel and boredom, as if he wasn¡¯t expecting much out of a surface dweller. He let go of his harpoon, and it stayed at his side without moving while he put his fists together and bowed. At the same time, he kicked his armored boots off, revealing thick, webbed feet.


    His harpoon had started glowing. The green metal tip was now a soft blue, and the shaft had several ancient figures carved into the sturdy wood. When the whirlpool stopped, so did the glowing. Atlantean water control was something else, and I was looking forward to the chance to play with a worse version of it later.


    Because of course the administrators had to neuter skills and passives after they gave them to the players.


    I put my fists together and returned the bow before retrieving my Vague Stick from my inventory. Dantenkarl grabbed his weapon, and I molded mine into a harpoon similar to his own. He tilted his head as he looked at it before deciding it didn¡¯t matter. Raising his hand, he offered me the first move. I graciously accepted.


    Behind him, at the base of his skull, I Constructed a serrated dagger. It was near instantaneous, and yet Dantenkarl still reacted to it. He moved away from the weapon as it flew towards him, looking back to see the translucent, purple item attempting to pierce his skull. His aura showed wariness now, as the first move in our game had caught him off guard.


    Putting a Force Field under my feet, I launched myself and swam towards him. His attention returned to me when I raised my harpoon. It was a little thing for the honor guard to feel the minute changes in the waters around them, which gave me an opponent with just as much awareness as I had. A rarity, to be sure, but a welcome challenge.


    Dantenkarl seemed surprised at my speed despite my lack of fins. I hadn¡¯t used my Warmind powers on myself yet, but I had great stats and a small boost I had to synthesize. It added up.


    <<<>>>


    [[Passive]]


    Aquathlon Athlete


    Increase your ground and swim speed by 15%


    <<<>>>


    Assailed from the front and back, Dantenkarl spun a single time. The water around him swirled, creating another whirlpool. The rapidly shifting liquids shoved my weapons aside. My harpoon missed by a wide margin while the dagger was sent off out of reach. I let it dissipate, not spending any more mental points on its existence.


    Dantenkarl ignored the whirlpool like it wasn¡¯t there and closed the gap between us. I used Spin on my overcoat to get back into position and raise my harpoon. He came down hard, slashing at me from above. My weapon vibrated from the blow but held, and I was pushed deeper into the water.


    My foe gave chase. I bent my knees and prepared to put a Force Field behind me when the water quickly solidified. Shifting at the last moment, I managed to land on it safely in time to dodge a thrust from Dantenkarl¡¯s harpoon.


    In one smooth movement he stopped like the water had sucked him backwards, and he picked the spot where he would have the range advantage. A heavy exchange of thrusts came from just out of reach, and I used my Vague Harpoon to parry them.


    I needed Orbit in order to get my weapon where I needed it. Dantenkarl was far more skilled than the usual bosses I fought and the water made it harder to defend myself with back and forth movements. Normally, my high Strength would have been enough, but the weight of the sea was oppressive and only getting worse. As I continued to parry and bewilderment spread throughout the Atlantean¡¯s aura, I knew he was wondering if I was even being affected.


    The pressure he was forcing the ocean to put on me was, in fact, having a negative impact. If it weren¡¯t for my high Constitution, my chest probably would have caved in by now. Dantenkarl¡¯s mastery of the sea was higher than his brother¡¯s, and fighting him here was absolutely the right call.


    It was exhilarating.


    My enemy¡¯s solid block of water disappeared beneath me, and I started Pulling on my shoes. Instead of dropping further into the sea, I started rising towards him. Dantenkarl¡¯s eyes widened in surprise as I reached out and grabbed his harpoon just beyond where the barbs were. In my other hand, I thrust my own towards his face.


    Water bubbled and erupted between us, shoving us apart. The pressure around me alleviated, but quickly came back once Dantenkarl got his bearings. I recovered first.


    My Vague Harpoon flew through the water, aided by Push. The Atlantean suddenly shifted, but not enough to completely dodge my attack. It slammed into his right pauldron. His armor shuddered, cracked, and I recalled my weapon. It had a blunted point, and I quickly fixed that with a mental command.


    He stared at me with an intensity I wanted to laugh at. Raising a hand, I put up one finger before pointing to myself. Then, I changed it to a zero and pointed at him before flipping him off.


    For the first time, anger appeared in Dantenkarl¡¯s aura.


    The water all around us started moving in waves and the pressure on me doubled. Ahead, the Atlantean started swimming with the flow, gaining speed with each passing second.


    Even though I had seen it before, I had to be impressed by the guy¡¯s control. Every ounce of water I could perceive was churning to form a malevolent cauldron meant to kill me outright. I was battered this way and that as the streams shifted between the top and lower halves of my body. My hit points were depleting, but this much was easy to ignore.


    Ink deployed in the water behind Dantenkarl as a compartment in his armor opened up, and my vision was swiftly blotted out. He continued to swim around me at strange angles, going with the flow to completely hinder my sight, and it wasn¡¯t long until my eyes were completely useless.


    I Constructed another dagger only a few inches in front of him, but he dodged again, becoming faster all the while. I let the dagger drop away into the sea, intending to make use of it later. It was faint, but I could sense the sea bed beneath us now.


    Behind me, Dantenkarl approached. I swung my Vague Harpoon left and Constructed another dagger to my right. He juked aside, spearing me just under my armpit, but it was a glancing blow. Having avoided my weapon, he was on the side with my Construct.


    I Dropped it when he tried to swim under, and it scratched a line down his otherwise mostly pristine armor. Realizing what was going to happen, he attempted to switch course, but I did the same, and the dagger scratched down his armored leg.


    Directly into his bare webbed foot.


    Bubbles burst from Dantenkarl¡¯s mouth from the pain. It had pierced through the middle of his blue foot and his momentum kept him going, slicing through his toes. They dangled by the barest of skin, the webbing keeping it attached.


    Letting this dagger fade, I Constructed a pair of flippers on my feet and followed after him. The speed increase was immediately noticeable, and I stayed in his slipstream. Dantenkarl wasn¡¯t nearly as mobile as he had been before the blow, but he was persistent. He tried changing up his pathways, changing the direction of the water between us, and more to throw me off his trail.


    It didn¡¯t work. I Pushed myself forward by the Vague Harpoon. The chase wasn¡¯t getting any closer, but it was making him more apprehensive now that he didn¡¯t feel as though he was the hunter. He would be making a fatal mistake soon enough, and I was catching up. Wrapping my Cable Conglomerate around my weapon, I pulled my arm back to throw it.If you discover this tale on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen. Please report the violation.


    That was when he turned around in an impossible flash of movement and tried to strike me down. The tip of his weapon headed straight for my chest. I dodged to the side, but that wasn¡¯t enough to remain undamaged.


    My shirt and skin tore as a concentrated whirlpool of slicing water preceded the Atlantean¡¯s harpoon. My blood further muddied the water as I attempted to stab him, and he rushed to meet me. Our weapons clashed, and he was slightly faster. It warped the water around him, pushing and shoving it into the right positions while I had to do the same with my Warmind abilities.


    I grinned at the continued exchange of cuts, thrusts, and parries, and Dantenkarl¡¯s eyes widened at the look on my face. His years of experience and the terrain were serving him well against me, but it wasn¡¯t easy for him. The fight wasn¡¯t going as he assumed it would. His aura started to show panic as cuts started showing up on my body and they weren¡¯t as deep as he had hoped.


    Then, he made his mistake: he let me get underneath him.


    Dantenkarl¡¯s attacks seemed to become more ferocious as he shoved me closer to the bottom of the ocean. I started utilizing more of my kit as I was bashed lower and lower. Shield only worked for a few moments due to the constant pressure he was putting on me, while Force Field was something I could at least conjure away from my body. In my off hand, I retrieved My Golden Bowling Ball from my inventory, using it as a shield.


    The Atlantean¡¯s teeth grit as he continued thrusting. Having learned that he wasn¡¯t going to stop this with a well-placed blow to any of my vitals, he was trying to kill me slowly with as many shallow cuts as he could. To his credit, he was aiming for muscles that would prevent me from fighting back nearly as well, but such small injuries were quickly healed by my natural regeneration rate.


    Finally, my back was pushed against the sandy ground. In a flash, the Cable Conglomerate flew from my vambrace, pushing the Vague Harpoon around Dantenkarl. He attempted to flee upwards, but was caught by the metal rope. The weapon plunged into the ground and pulled him into me, chest to chest, his own harpoon pinned to his side.


    Pulling his head back, he slammed it forward onto my Tankless Breather. It cracked, but held, and when he tried to do it again he paused as something caught his eye.


    Just above my head, slowly rising from the sand, was the Constructed dagger I had let fall. There was no real reason to let it remain except for the dramatic reveal, but damn was it satisfying. Dantenkarl struggled to escape, attempting to headbutt me again in the process, but I used the Cable Conglomerate to hold him back.


    I gave him a nod, and the pressure on the both of us ramped up to the point where I felt my ribs crack. The pauldron I had hit collapsed in on itself for his last, desperate move.


    And then I Pushed the Constructed dagger forward, bypassing the thick armor around his neck and plunging it directly into his spinal cord. He struggled, his hit points too high to make it an instant death, but the pressure still let up as I received the victory screen I expected.


    <<<>>>


    [[Victory!]]


    You have defeated the Scenario Boss [Honor Guard Dantenkarl]; +1,000 points.


    [[Hidden Scenario Quest Complete]]


    The players have done well, one seen while the other hides. Interesting.


    Admiral Chekanhat¡¯s honor guard has been defeated. The Atsamptatero has been finished with a clear victory for mankind. As is dictated by the right of the winner, the Atlanteans will retreat.


    Reward: Honored Warrior passive, 1,500 points.


    [[Passive]]


    Honored Warrior


    Tales of your name have traveled far and wide, and warriors have come to know it. From respect to fear to excitement, your introductions to different societies may spark interest where there would be none before.


    Societies where you know your name is known: Atlantean, Dryad, Kobold, Shapeshifters, Vespae.


    [[Patron Quest Complete!]]


    Great work, Anthony!


    Jamie finished up her fight just a few seconds before you did yours. Skuld is now translating for Kayla as her Patron, so major success there! The Atlanteans are about to leave. Grab what you¡¯re going to and head back up to the surface. They should be gone by the time you arrive.


    Reward: 4,500 points.


    <<<>>>


    Now that there wasn¡¯t anyone claiming it, I was able to bring Dantenkarl¡¯s armor into my inventory along with My Golden Bowling Ball and the Vague Stick. His body, however, I left. The ocean sand would claim him, giving him an Atlantean warrior¡¯s burial. Grabbing his harpoon, I looked at the description as I started to swim upwards.


    <<<>>>


    [[Equipped]]


    Harpoon of Atlantean Might


    (+10 Strength, +5 Dexterity, +5 Constitution, Flow Control skill acquired, Underwater Acclimation passive acquired)


    [[Skill]]


    Flow Control


    You may create currents in the water to move about as you please. The efficacy of this skill is determined by the number of Mental Points you put into controlling it.


    [[Passive]]


    Underwater Acclimation


    You are adept at surviving the hostile environments of the deep. While wielding the Spear of Atlantean Might, you can breathe underwater as if you were breathing air, and water pressure will not injure you or your equipment.


    <<<>>>


    ¡°Perfect,¡± I said to myself as I looked towards the surface.


    The water around me swelled and pushed me upwards as I activated Flow Control. Just like my Warmind abilities, the system didn¡¯t give me a concrete answer on how much the skill costs, but that was just because of how free form it was. I was used to it, and that was that.


    I breached the surface in no time flat, seeming to leap out of the water thanks to the force I had pushed myself at. Landing on the road, I watched as the Atlanteans backed away and submerged and turned my attention to Jamie, lying on the ground with Kayla kneeling beside her. She was breathing heavily and her armor was heavily dented, but she was alive and victorious.


    With a grin, I headed her way, raising my new harpoon in victory. Grabbing the hammer, she did the same.


    Kayla turned to look at me, worry in her eyes. ¡°Ant, I don¡¯t think this is over.¡±


    ¡°Not really, they¡¯re going to come back,¡± I replied. ¡°That¡¯s the plan, remember?¡±


    She gave me a flat expression as the sky above started to darken, and I looked upwards. ¡°Skuld is my Patron now, and she said the admiral had muttered something before he left,¡± she told me.


    I stared at the clouds rolling in. They were near black, and I could see lights flashing in the thunderheads. ¡°What did he say?¡± I asked.


    ¡°¡¯Release it,¡¯¡± she answered.


    <<<>>>


    [[Patron Message]]


    Bad news, Anthony!


    I just received a message from the administrator. The scenario is ramping up due to unforeseen events. They¡¯re issuing a warning to all Patrons that their Avatars might not survive what¡¯s coming next.


    It¡¯s big, Ant. Really, really big, and it¡¯s heading your way. They¡¯re blocking out information on what it could be, but I know that those kinds of messages are mandated by the system. If the system is making the administrator send them, then it might be worth calling the city a lost cause.


    I hate it, but you still have to consider it.


    <<<>>>


    ¡°Um, Ant?¡± Kayla said as her eyes scanned the space in front of her.


    ¡°Yeah, I got it, too,¡± I replied as I watched the curtain of rain and lightning approach us from the ocean.


    ¡°Sara also gave you a Patron quest to flee?¡± she asked, concerned.


    Jamie wrinkled her nose before retrieving and drinking a potion. Her injuries started to heal. ¡°What are we running from now?¡±


    ¡°We¡¯re not fleeing,¡± I answered, frowning. ¡°But we¡¯re clearly going to have to call an audible.¡±


    The rain hit us, though it didn¡¯t hinder my sight at all. Far out, nearly a mile, something began to breach the surface of the water. Sara¡¯s warning seemed inadequate as lightning arched behind the creature.


    It was easily the size of Merder Stadium, with Atlantean technology fused to its sides and flailing tentacles hundreds of feet long.


    ¡°Oh, no¡­¡± I muttered, staring at the monstrosity as it seemingly split in two.


    No, not split in two; it simply opened its mouth. Even from this distance, I could see tens of thousands or even hundreds of thousands of crooked, misshapen teeth. The creature roared, its voice carrying over the distance despite the storm.


    ¡°Pain!¡± it roared, my skill translating for me. Its proclamation was followed by a much more intense one. ¡°Hunger!¡±


    <<<>>>


    [[Guild Chat]]


    Mercury: Uh, guys? Marishiten is telling me that a bunch of bad juju is about to go down. Is something happening?


    [[Patron Message]]


    Anthony, have you seen this creature before? The system still isn¡¯t giving me any information and I don¡¯t think I¡¯ve come across this particular monster. It looks familiar, but everything I know tells me that they don¡¯t get that big.


    <<<>>>


    I grimaced at Sara and Mercury¡¯s twin messages. ¡°Yeah, I know what this is,¡± I said, my voice grave.


    ¡°What is it?¡± Jamie asked, standing up to squint into the distance with me. She pulled out a pair of binoculars to help her.


    ¡°Gloria said something back in Etson, and I think the administrators were listening,¡± I continued, remembering what she had said when I went looking for her brother, Thomas.


    I was pretty sure it had been a joke, but there was sufficient worry in her voice when she asked, ¡°We don¡¯t have to worry about a Writhing Submarine or something coming from that, do we?¡±


    My response was, ¡°No, as far as I¡¯m aware there¡¯s no such thing as a Writhing Submarine.¡±


    ¡°Answer the damn question, psychic boy,¡± Jamie growled.


    ¡°That¡¯s the next step up from a Writhing Zeppelin,¡± I finally said. The Weapon Master froze and I could tell that she had been told that story. Kayla¡¯s aura of caution was quickly replaced by fear. ¡°Yeah, this is really, really bad.¡±

 Chapter 228

    Williamsburg Coastline, Virginia - 12:23 PM


    ¡°We¡¯re not ready for this,¡± Kayla said as she stood near me. Her eyes were wide as she stared off into the distance, the beast only visible to her when lightning illuminated it. The heavy rain had soaked us in moments and it wasn¡¯t going to let up any time soon.


    ¡°You said we¡¯d have until nightfall!¡± Warren shouted, the accusation hard in his voice. The other leaders joined his protest. ¡°Now we¡¯ve got this¡­ this¡­ huge fucking monster heading here!?¡±


    ¡°Shut up, Warren,¡± I returned, barely thinking about it as I tried to put the best plan together for the moment.


    Despite his spineless nature, he nearly snarled. ¡°Don¡¯t you tell me to¡ª¡±


    ¡°Hey, shithead!¡± Jamie yelled, turning around and taking a step towards him. ¡°If it weren¡¯t for Franklin here, you¡¯d have already given up your city¡¯s right to exist! Give him some time to think so we don¡¯t all get killed or I¡¯ll put you to sleep until it¡¯s all over. That goes for all of you, get me?¡±


    Sufficiently chastised, Warren seemed to sink back into his group. I couldn¡¯t blame them, not really; this scenario was different from what I promised. A part of me wondered what the administrators were playing at, especially Seraphim. This had his stench all over it.


    ¡°Thanks, Summers,¡± I said absentmindedly, giving her credit where credit was due.


    ¡°Anything that gets the job done¡­ sir,¡± Jamie responded, chewing on that last word. I blinked, turning to look at her. She wrinkled her nose. ¡°What? You¡¯re the commanding officer. Don¡¯t look at me like I¡¯m the weird one.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯d prefer boss over sir, but whatever floats your boat, marine,¡± I said, trying to keep a hint of a smile off of my face. She rolled her eyes.


    This was quite possibly the earliest she had called me her commanding officer. If I had known my absence would have changed things this much, I might have found a Kayla to help ages ago.


    Looking back at the creature, thankful that it seemed slow, I continued putting the plan together as my amusement faded. The people were the biggest issue. Most knew that a battle was coming, but they weren¡¯t going to be ready for a while. Large scale combats like this required time, resources, and a lot of logistics. Some boats could be loaded up quickly, but I had an inkling that only the corvettes would withstand these choppy waters.


    And even then, there was no guarantee that they would survive.


    Which means I had to do it myself. Or, at least, with a small team. I looked back at Jamie and Kayla and grimaced.


    ¡°Did you talk to Mercury about his role in the battle yet?¡± I asked my second in command.


    ¡°Bits and pieces,¡± she answered. ¡°I¡¯ve read it all, but between everything else happening there wasn¡¯t enough time. We were supposed to get to it after this.¡±


    ¡°Yeah, that¡¯s how things should have gone,¡± I said, cursing the timeline.


    Not only did we have to take out the monster, but there was a crucial piece of technology in the admiral¡¯s command ship that we needed. Mercury was good at getting in, grabbing it, and getting out while everyone was distracted. If he didn¡¯t know what he was looking for¡­


    Unfortunately, getting it was a non-negotiable part of the run, especially when I needed more material from across the ocean.


    It started coming together. The how, the where, the when, all of it.


    I looked to the sky. ¡°Skuld, could you guide Kayla to the admiral¡¯s ship?¡±


    A moment passed. ¡°She can, but she doesn¡¯t want to lose an Avatar so quickly,¡± Kayla relayed.


    ¡°She won¡¯t,¡± I said firmly. ¡°The command ship won¡¯t be anywhere near that beast if the admiral is smart. It¡¯s going to come after us regardless, not her. Plus, they just need to make it into the ship we saw earlier, which will be docked on a bigger vessel. There should be a skeleton crew manning it, and they should be easy to get around.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s a lot of shoulds,¡± the Double Agent remarked.


    ¡°The future¡¯s hazy, what can I say?¡± I asked, trying not to snap.


    Kayla nodded. ¡°Skuld said she¡¯s willing to try. At the very least, it would make a good story about a man who tried to see the future and¡­ got his friends killed.¡±


    ¡°Thanks for the vote of confidence,¡± I scoffed. ¡°Summers, you with me?¡±


    She scoffed. ¡°Like you have to ask?¡±


    ¡°Even into the belly of the beast?¡±


    The Weapon Master made a face. ¡°I hope you don¡¯t mean literally,¡± she said. I gave her a thin smile, and she grunted. ¡°That¡¯s just great. The things I do for points.¡±


    ¡°Thanks, and that one¡¯s not sarcastic,¡± I replied as I pulled a door out of my inventory. I activated Celestial Wormhole and opened it, revealing a golden swirl. ¡°Warren, this will lead you back to the safe zone. Take everyone and start evacuating the city. You¡¯re going to need to head far inland, maybe as far as Richmond to be really safe, so don¡¯t stop.¡±


    The others of his posse gingerly stepped through the door at his command, but he paused. ¡°Now you¡¯re telling me that not even the safe zone will be safe?¡±


    Before I could answer, the administrator decided to do it for me.


    <<<>>>


    [[Jamestown/Williamsburg Scenario 3-Final]]


    The admiral, defeated, returns to the sea, but not before leaving behind a present.


    Over a month ago, a boon was given to the Atlanteans in the form of a magnificent monster with nigh unstoppable regenerative capabilities. It appeared in their midst, and they took to conquering the creature in any way they could. After many lives lost, they managed to succeed in at least pointing it in the direction of their enemies.


    That¡¯s what they¡¯re doing now.


    The Writhing Nautilus is a vast creature that has been equipped with Atlantean weapons of war. No longer suited for the skies, it floats through the ocean as one of its newest apex predators, never seen before. Pain and hunger drive it, and none in its path are free from its wrath, not even those of you who bunker down in your safe zones.


    Flee or fight are your only options, but make the choice carefully. This won¡¯t end with just Jamestown and Williamsburg.


    Objective: Defeat the Writhing Nautilus or flee its warpath.


    Reward: 3,000 points to all who fight the creature, 300 points to those who survive, Atlantean Technology (MVP).


    <<<>>>


    ¡°That answer your question?¡± I asked with an arched eyebrow. Warren nodded dumbly, and I shoved him through the door before closing it and returning it to my inventory. ¡°Alright, I got a plan. It¡¯ll be in guild chat in a few seconds.¡±


    Kayla and Jamie nodded and swiped open their menus. I was able to send my message shortly after.


    <<<>>>


    [[Guild Chat]]


    Anthony: Alright, everyone. The finale is coming half a day sooner than expected and it¡¯s been changed by the administrators again. Jeff, go and help everyone get ready to evacuate. Warren and the other leaders should already be talking with everyone. Make sure things run smoothly.


    Anthony: Mercury, come to our location at the end of SR 199. You and Kayla will be infiltrating one of the Atlantean¡¯s ships for an item that is absolutely vital to us. I mean, 100% I can¡¯t stress enough how important this is. Kayla has information on where it¡¯ll be. Bethany, please wake Ashley up and point her to this message. Ash, prepare to move the train to Richmond if needed. The monster heading our way can absolutely destroy the Subspace Depot and everything inside.This story has been stolen from Royal Road. If you read it on Amazon, please report it


    Anthony: Jamie and I are going to stop it. We¡¯re going inside the Writhing Nautilus with a similar plan I used to destroy the Writhing Zeppelin, which I assume you¡¯ve all heard the tale of. It¡¯s going to be messy and I¡¯m not sure it¡¯s going to work but¡­ it¡¯s the best option right now.


    Anthony: I believe in all of you, but if you need to, flee. Don¡¯t hesitate to do so. If you have to go, go. Your lives are more important than anything else here, and I won¡¯t hear an argument against it. Good luck, everyone.


    Jeff: I¡¯m on it, boss. Mercury, take care of my wife. I¡¯m trusting you.


    Mercury: I won¡¯t let a single hair on our queen¡¯s head be damaged, Sir Jeff!


    Jeff: I know, buddy. You got this.


    <<<>>>


    ¡°Good character development, Jeff,¡± I said, praising the overprotective knight for not insisting on going with his wife.


    ¡°He¡¯s chilled out a lot,¡± Kayla stated. ¡°You¡¯ll see it, unless you¡¯re planning on leaving us again.¡±


    I shook my head. ¡°Not for a bit, and not by choice. That¡¯s a conversation for after this. Sara?¡±


    <<<>>>


    [[Patron Quest: Defeat the Writhing Nautilus!]]


    Of course, now that it¡¯s been announced the lock on information has been removed. Let me tell you more about the monster.


    The Writhing Nautilus is the newest evolution of the Writhing Recluse. And I mean that literally; this is an Earth-exclusive monster that has evolved through fighting the crushing pressure of the Atlantic Ocean. It should, by all rights, have died. It even might have before the administrators started talking to each other. This has Seraphim written all over it, and it seems they know a glitch is here, hence the quick change in tactics.


    Either way, that doesn¡¯t matter. You did what you had to. This has been equipped with Atlantean technology that is remote controlled by the admiral¡¯s command ship. It doesn¡¯t look like it¡¯s bothered by it, but you can expect any approach to be carefully monitored and quickly assaulted. I¡¯ll do my best to help you if they open fire, but it¡¯s clear the weaponry is more concerned about boats.


    As for going inside of it, well¡­ I¡¯m pretty sure I know what you¡¯re going to do. I¡¯ll lead you to its core as best I can, but there¡¯s a twisted maze full of monsters in there. Regardless, I think it¡¯s our best chance.


    I¡¯m not going to put any stipulations on this quest, but I still believe in you, Ant. Good luck.


    Objective: Kill the Writhing Nautilus.


    Optional Objective: Jamie Summers returns to shore alive.


    Reward: 20,000 points.


    Optional Reward: 10,000 points.


    <<<>>>


    ¡°Alright, that¡¯s a lot heftier than I thought it was going to be,¡± I said, running my fingers through my wet hair as I looked at the rewards Sara was offering me. The higher they were, the more dangerous a fight was.


    ¡°Summers, I want to use my Mental Link on you. It¡¯ll share emotions and tell us where the other is in case we get lost, as well as some other benefits. It¡¯s not as intrusive as it sounds, but I want your consent,¡± I said, looking back at her.


    Jamie arched an eyebrow, but shrugged. ¡°Sure, I guess. Weirder things have been happening.¡±


    I smiled as I reached for her forehead and activated the ability. Our minds connected in a rush, and I kept everything back except for my trust in her. She stumbled slightly, rubbing where I had touched her with a frown. Her emotions were simple. Apprehension, curiosity, but mostly trust. I had to make sure not to break that, as tenuous as it could be.


    I offered Kayla my Tankless Breather since I had the Harpoon of Atlantean Might, and she took it. Mercury had one and so did Jamie, so I didn¡¯t have to worry about them. Summoning the Staff of Raphael to help heal me as we went, I turned away from the Weapon Master and squatted.


    ¡°Alright, hop on,¡± I told her.


    ¡°What?¡± she asked, staring at me in disbelief.


    ¡°I¡¯m carrying you,¡± I answered, tapping my back with the staff. ¡°If you allow it, then I don¡¯t need to worry about your Constitution score.¡±


    ¡°You must be out of your damn mind if you think I¡¯m going to get a piggyback ride from you,¡± Jamie scoffed.


    Hanging my head, I stood up straight before gesturing towards the ocean. ¡°Do you have a way to get over there?¡± I challenged.


    Lightning arched through the sky, illuminating the Writhing Nautilus. It was getting closer, slowly but surely, and Jamie clicked her tongue. ¡°Whatever. This better not get out to anyone, got it? You, too, Kayla.¡±


    ¡°My lips are sealed,¡± she said. ¡°Chances are I¡¯m going to have to do the same with Mercury, anyway, given I also have no way to walk on water like he does.¡±


    I nodded, agreeing with her words, before squatting again. ¡°Come on, Summers, we don¡¯t have a lot of time.¡± Scowling, the Weapon Master did as instructed. She wrapped her arms around my neck, and her legs wrapped around my sides.


    ¡°This is an embarrassment,¡± she muttered.


    ¡°If it makes you feel better, I¡¯m pretty sure you¡¯re making someone really jealous right now,¡± I said with a chuckle. Neither she nor Sara made a comment about that, and I suddenly felt as though I could be in danger. I cleared my throat. ¡°We¡¯re going to be going over choppy water and likely taking fire. Torpedoes from below, who knows what from above. It¡¯s going to be a very, very bumpy ride. Ready?¡±


    ¡°Just get us where we need to go,¡± Jamie said, retrieving her Tankless Breather from her inventory and putting it on. It stuck to her face, and she nodded.


    ¡°Good luck, Kayla,¡± I said, looking back at her. She gave us a thin smile and a thumbs up, and we took off.


    Since Jamie was not struggling, she was light on my back. We slammed into the water before I activated Flow Control from the harpoon and shot us back to the surface. After a little jump, I put down a Force Field and started skating forward on my Heelies.


    Thrill shot through my passenger¡¯s emotions, cutting through the embarrassment of being carried this way to the battlefield. It was endearing, actually, as we headed into danger together as a team.


    We cut through the waves. The storm had just started, but they were already coming in high and powerful. I had to gauge each one individually. Some were small enough that I forced my way through and only lost a little bit of speed, while others required my direct attention.


    This was the kind of battlefield the Atlanteans liked the most. Their vessels were built for much more intense environments than this, so they could handle being tossed about by the ocean.


    <<<>>>


    [[Patron Message]]


    They seem to have spotted you, Ant. The cannons on the Writhing Nautilus are DIVE LEFT


    <<<>>>


    I complied immediately with Sara¡¯s sudden demand and dove into the water. Moments later, an explosion erupted where we had just been, sending us deeper into the water. Jamie swore, but it was hard to tell exactly what she said.


    Flow Control came in handy as I swam, but it was still slower than skating across my Force Fields. Especially with a passenger. Cannon fire continued to displace the water on the surface as they tracked us with bullshit aquatic technology. The majority of the shots were close, too, showing just how accurate they really were.


    Another warning from Sara, and a second later I saw them heading right for us: torpedoes.


    They were traveling quickly, and my sight was horribly diminished underwater. I Pushed against the head of the first one, causing it to detonate prematurely as if it had hit something, and I used Flow Control to push us towards the surface. The explosion helped, but we weren¡¯t out of the thick of it yet.


    I did my best to take them out one at a time. The number they had sent was absurd for two people. Hell, the response was absurd for only two people. Almost like the Atlantean navy had it in for us.


    Or, perhaps, just its admiral.


    Gritting my teeth, a torpedo I hadn¡¯t been able to get to yet exploded underneath us. I activated Shield and altered the flow of water. We shot upwards, my protection shimmering and heavily damaged but not broken, and we traveled through a column created by another cannon shot. Immediately Spinning myself in the air, I laid down my Force Field and started skating again.


    This time, though, I started going higher. Winged Messenger, sadly, wouldn¡¯t allow me to use my Heelies on an upwards slope, but I could still jump from skate to skate. I got my bearings after making sure we wouldn¡¯t fall, and I made the mistake of looking forward.


    The Writhing Nautilus was even bigger than I guessed; it was at least the size of four Merder Stadiums, not just one. Lightning crashed through the sky, but the cacophony of wind, rain, and Atlantean weaponry barely let the thunder through as a dull roar.


    There was no time to sit and stare. I continued climbing, ignoring Jamie¡¯s death grip on my neck. The thrill I felt through the Mental Link was gone, replaced now with fear, but there was still an underlying trust despite what we were going through.


    I took a long leap to the side as some of the smaller guns on this side of the Writhing Nautilus started going off. Unlike the cannons before, these were made for more mobile threats and didn¡¯t have nearly the same range. They also fired a lot faster.


    ¡°Hold on!¡± I yelled, unsure if Jamie would be able to hear me.


    Activating Cheetah Sprint, we lurched forward. The guns tried to keep up, to fire where we were going to be, but were found lacking. The speed we were traveling now was beyond their capabilities, as was my fondness for zigzagging. No matter if I jumped left or right, got higher or lower, the bullets whipped past us.


    The Writhing Nautilus stilled, slowing down as it came towards us. Its tentacles¡¯ flailing nearly stopped, and I could feel its attention on me deep in my bones. It was, admittedly, disturbing.


    It opened its mouth wide, a process that took several seconds from the sheer size of the beast, and roared so loudly that my ear drums nearly burst.


    But not before I understood what it said.


    ¡°Antagonist!¡± the Writhing Nautilus named me, remembering our last encounter. I didn¡¯t dwell on it. Couldn¡¯t, really.


    I started our downward descent into its mouth. There was no reason to believe that we could cut through its flesh, and it was so inviting. Gritting my teeth, I lowered myself down so that I could get into a better position.


    Every few feet I remade the Force Field, dropping less than an inch each time. The precision here under such circumstances might have been something I would be proud of later, if we survived this, but right now all I could think about was the closing maw of the Writhing Nautilus.


    I had been right about the teeth, though my initial estimate was on the low side: there certainly were hundreds of thousands of teeth. Most of them were my size, but there were outliers on both ends of the spectrum. Right now, I was mostly looking at them to distract myself from the fact that they were coming right for us.


    My grip on my weapons became white-knuckle tight, but I replaced the Staff of Raphael with the Vague Stick for the +5 Dexterity. I had to pump it as much as I could and, while it wasn¡¯t a lot, it was still something. I adjusted the staff and the harpoon so that they were behind me, resting across Jamie¡¯s back, and I tied us together with the Cable Conglomerate.


    Something resembling the emotional equivalent of sass came through our Mental Link, even at a time like this. I wasn¡¯t about to take my chances here.


    The maw¡¯s opening started getting smaller and smaller as we approached, so close that I could see the back of its mouth with my aura sight. A part of me wanted to pull the trigger now, but I took that information and filed it away. This needed finesse.


    The gap closed, and we finally got past its lips. My eyes darted, and I took in as much information as I could with teeth closing in from above and below, and I breathed out.


    Letting my body relax, I activated Crash Test, and we flew forward through the Writhing Nautilus¡¯ terrifying forest of teeth.

 Chapter 229

    Inside the Writhing Nautilus - 12:35 PM


    We landed on a battered Atlantean vessel, skidding to a stop just before the edge. Both of us groaned from the impact. It had not been graceful nor kind, but we were alive and relatively safe, all things considered. I began retracting the Cable Conglomerate so Jamie could get off of me while I took in our new environment.


    Standing up once we were no longer entangled, I took a breath and nearly gagged at the revolting stench. The inside of the Writhing Nautilus¡¯ mouth smelled exactly as I expected it to. There weren¡¯t a lot of things that I would consider gross anymore. My experiences with the grotesque were far and wide. This, however, was near torturous.


    ¡°Don¡¯t take your mask off,¡± I managed to cough out to Jamie.


    She hesitated because that was exactly what she was about to do. After considering my state, she nodded. ¡°Yeah, I think that¡¯s for the best. I can feel the stink on my skin,¡± she said, an involuntary shiver going down her spine. ¡°You alright?¡±


    ¡°Yeah, gimme a minute,¡± I requested, looking around to try to distract myself from the smell as I got accustomed to it.


    The Writhing Nautilus didn¡¯t have a single large tongue, but several tentacles with mouths growing out of them similar to its evolutionary predecessors had. There were enough of them that the vessel we were standing on moved as if it were on gentle waves. Trying to flip the ship over to get to us, no doubt, but I didn¡¯t think it was going to work.


    Jamie squinted as she looked around, but she didn¡¯t have night vision like I did. Swiping open her menu, she pulled out a yellow hard hat with a light bulb symbol on the front and began to put it on.


    ¡°Let¡¯s get our heading before you turn that on,¡± I said. It was already clear to me that the beast knew we were here on some level, but getting our bearings was first on the list. ¡°Sara, what can you tell us?¡±


    <<<>>>


    [[Patron Message]]


    What side of the core do you want?


    <<<>>>


    ¡°We need to go below it,¡± I replied. ¡°I don¡¯t trust the NA-2 Beacon to disintegrate before the job gets done if we put it on top, and the longer it¡¯s intact the longer it¡¯ll fire. If any sizable chunk of it remains, I¡¯m going to assume it¡¯ll regenerate. Does that sound about right?¡±


    ¡°What¡¯s the NA-2 Beacon?¡± Jamie asked. I retrieved the silver spike with the green light from my inventory and put it in her hand. She did the motions to pull up the description, then whistled. ¡°Blast it from space. That¡¯s a good plan. What if it¡¯s not in orbit around us?¡±


    ¡°It is, the NA stands for North America,¡± I replied, frowning at how long it was taking Sara to respond. The guts of the Writhing Nautilus must have been more extensive than I thought. ¡°Other continents have their own, and there¡¯s a separate array for kinetic bombardment. Those do have to get into positions above their targets, though.¡±


    Jamie handed the beacon back to me, and I stored it. ¡°And what would we have done if you didn¡¯t have this?¡±


    I hesitated. ¡°We¡¯re doing this because there¡¯s a chance to kill it outright, and this thing is such a gross overcompensation that it¡¯s what humanity needs,¡± I explained. ¡°The other option was to take over Admiral Chekanhat¡¯s ship. We might have been able to divert the Writhing Nautilus then, but that¡¯s a big might. The administrator said the Atlanteans could point it in the direction they wanted it to go, and I only barely trust that.¡±


    There was more that I could say, but I was interrupted by Sara¡¯s response..


    <<<>>>


    [[Patron Message]]


    Okay, sorry for the wait. As you can imagine, mapping out the intestines of such a large creature isn¡¯t fun or easy. I don¡¯t envy either of you for the work you¡¯ll have to do.


    Also, I would be remiss if I didn¡¯t tell you that the air you¡¯re breathing is poisonous. At your Constitution¡­ I want to say half an hour would be pushing it. Either way, good call telling Jamie to keep her mask on.


    Getting to the bottom side of the core is going to be more dangerous than the top side, and I don¡¯t see an easy way from the top to the bottom due to how large it is. You would have to cut through the walls, and I think they¡¯ll just heal around you if you¡¯re not fast enough.


    That said, I have the path. It¡¯ll take you through some areas where ocean water has mixed with acid, so you theoretically should be able to make it through, but be careful.


    So, first you start¡­


    <<<>>>


    I grimaced as I looked through Sara¡¯s instructions. They detailed the directions, the kinds of hazards we would find, and the monsters that were lurking inside the Writhing Nautilus for no reason other than the administrators liked fucking with us.


    Frankly, it made the Pitt look like a walk in the park.


    ¡°Alright, you can turn on your light,¡± I told Jamie. ¡°We¡¯re going to be doing shit like diving through stomach acid pools, so, be prepared..¡±


    ¡°We should have gone for the admiral¡¯s ship,¡± the Weapon Master grimly lamented, but I could tell through our Mental Link that she was ready to go.


    Reaching up, she tapped the light symbol on the yellow hardhat and illuminated the area. It was a handy item, but the sudden brightness startled the eyeballs scattered throughout the mouth, and she got her first look at the horrible tentacle tunnel we were in.


    ¡°Holy¡ª¡±


    ¡°No time. Follow me and don¡¯t slip on the blood!¡± I said, grabbing her arm and pulling her in the direction we needed to go.


    All at once, the tentacles started screaming. The cacophony wasn¡¯t as damaging as the Writhing Nautilus¡¯ roar, but it was still pretty bad. I pulled out my Vague Stick and mentally commanded it into the shape of a glaive.


    We jumped off of the Atlantean vessel and into a sea of tentacles. I Constructed two blades, each near where we were going to land, and sent them shooting forward. They cut without issue, culling the flailing limbs to create our path forward. Out of curiosity and the sake of figuring out exactly what to expect, I let the Vague Glaive pierce the Writhing Nautilus when I hit the bloody pool. It sunk in, and then I was running.


    I couldn¡¯t see it with my eyes, but I still watched. The weapon had sunk into the boss, but not as far as I hoped. By the time we were two steps away, it had fully healed from the wound.


    The tentacles, thankfully, were much slower to regenerate. We slogged over the uneven ground as we headed towards one of hundreds of tunnels in the back of the Writhing Nautilus¡¯ mouth. I pointed upwards to one about thirty feet up so Jamie could see it, and she nodded. Sara¡¯s instructions had mentioned green slime, and it was one of the only ones in this vicinity. My girlfriend didn¡¯t say it was wrong, anyway.Ensure your favorite authors get the support they deserve. Read this novel on the original website.


    Releasing some of the Cable Conglomerate, I offered it to Jamie. Once it snaked its way around her arm and she had a good hold of it, I leapt into the air, giving it more slack as I bounced from Force Field to Force Field to get enough height. I made it to the ledge and started pulling my companion up with one hand while slicing tentacles with the other.


    I Constructed another set of blades and sent them through the downwards sloping tunnel. The moment Jamie was on her feet and the Cable Conglomerate was back where it belonged, I jumped like I was going down a water slide.


    The Weapon Master hesitated, her protests clear through the Mental Link, but she was only a second or two behind me. At least she was wearing hard armor; my overcoat was thick, but the rest of my clothes were made of cloth.


    Slick with blood, it was an easy slide. The hard part was making my Constructed blades cut through the right tentacles. The tunnel had many curves and I tried to keep the path our momentum would take as clear as possible. Some of the longer appendages I missed slapped us, but we were going too quick for them to grab hold.


    Ahead, the tunnel was ending after about a hundred feet. I mustered as much of the Cable Conglomerate as I could and reached behind me, Pulling Jamie closer. She kicked, surprised by the change in momentum, but slid next to me where I put my arm around her. I allowed her to feel some of my emotions through the Mental Link, warning her that there was a fight up ahead.


    Just after Jamie grabbed her spear, the tunnel suddenly stopped, opening up into a large, cavernous area. Glowing green liquid filled the bottom like a lake, and I shot the Cable Conglomerate into the ceiling the moment we started falling in. It wrapped around a tentacle that was all too glad to have something to chew on, though its teeth weren¡¯t enough to bite through.


    Creatures that looked like bats but were made of leathery skin, mouths, and nightmares noticed us immediately as we swung through the air. Jamie started swinging her spear, skewering and slashing the monsters when they got close. I wanted to help, but I kept my Mental Points in reserve for later.


    At the end of our swing, I clamped down with the Cable Conglomerate, cutting through the tentacle that had been holding us up. Our momentum sent us towards a cliff on the other side of the lake. I shaved off the hazards with another Constructed blade just before we slammed into the wall. The Vague Glaive pierced it, holding us up, and I expressed urgency through the Mental Link.


    Jamie grabbed on to the Vague Glaive and hoisted herself up, looking back at me. I shook my head and she pulled herself onto solid ground after clearing off the tentacles there. I swung myself once and stood on the weapon, which was slowly getting pushed out of the Writhing Nautilus¡¯ flesh, and jumped up to join her. I retrieved the step a moment later with Pull.


    Without wasting another moment, I Constructed more blades and started running. The bat creatures caught up and were harassing us, but the moment we passed through the third tunnel from the right, they stopped.


    ¡°Those weren¡¯t so bad!¡± Jamie yelled.


    ¡°We¡¯re just getting started!¡± I replied.


    Once again I released the Cable Conglomerate, coiling it around my arm so it wouldn¡¯t be in the way, and we were met with a sheer cliff. My blades flashed, cutting through the tentacles on the five walls leading upwards, and we stepped back. The resulting pile still writhed and bit, and I took a step forward onto my Force Field above them and sent the wire rope up above.


    I gestured for Jamie to climb, and she didn¡¯t hesitate to do so. The Weapon Master set her spear on her back and climbed hand over hand without touching the slick, bloody walls. It was a little hard to keep the wire rope completely vertical as she climbed up it, but it didn¡¯t take her long. At the top, she retrieved her spear and slashed more tentacles before turning around to pull me up.


    Once I joined her, we slid down another tunnel, but there was no escaping the acid this time. Bracing ourselves, we dove feet first into the green liquid. Activating Shield, I knew it was only a matter of time before I would get soaked. Jamie, at least, had some level of acid resistance and her armor was sturdy, but I had no such thing.


    We pushed through the lake with me dragging her along, and we emerged in another cavern. A large tentacle started reaching up from underneath us, and I quickly shoved her onto a piece of floating Atlantean metal that Sara had told me to look out for. Jamie clambered on and I was right behind her.


    The ceiling wasn¡¯t high, and we had to lie on our backs to prevent the tentacles from reaching us. She cut the ones that could, and I focused on moving our impromptu raft where we needed to go while I checked her Tankless Breather. It was a hardy piece of equipment. The thing was holding up, but it likely wouldn¡¯t with repeated abuse.


    This part of the journey was relatively safe and allowed my Shield time to repair itself. I guided us further away from the giant tentacle until it couldn¡¯t reach us, and turned onto my stomach. The sound of rushing water was coming from up ahead.


    ¡°Waterfall,¡± I warned. Jamie¡¯s eyes widened and a spike of concern came through our Mental Link. ¡°We¡¯re going to sail right over, don¡¯t worry.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry, he says,¡± the Weapon Master repeated with no small amount of snark. The concern did lessen, however, as she flipped onto her stomach. I allowed her to feel some of the appreciation I had for her through the link, and she rolled her eyes.


    Holding on to the flotsam we were riding, I made it move faster. We snaked through the lake as it became a river, and the acidic waters became rougher. Using Force Fields, I did my best to keep us from getting excessively splashed, but there wasn¡¯t much I could do about that when we were assailed from all sides.


    The mouth of the river opened up and I could see the mist ahead of us. Wrapping the Cable Conglomerate around the flotsam, I used that to accelerate us even more. Jamie grabbed on, and I Pushed on two fronts with everything I had.


    <<<>>>


    [[Patron Message]]


    Potential new path!


    Laser above that long tentacle ahead of you and get ready to jump. Keep going until you reach the next tunnel!


    <<<>>>


    Reading the message, I started charging Dragon¡¯s Breath before I even saw where she was talking about.


    ¡°Change of plans,¡± I yelled as the golden glow of the skill spilled out of my mouth.


    ¡°What now!?¡± she asked as I wrapped my arm around her and knelt on one knee, pulling her up to do the same.


    I kept my mouth shut past the activation time for Dragon¡¯s Breath, letting it simmer as we made it to the waterfall and beyond. I retrieved the Cable Conglomerate and kept an eye out as we soared. There was one tentacle that was larger than the rest, and I zeroed in on it. Since the skill used my stat total instead of just Willpower for damage, I retrieved the Staff of Raphael for a big boost.


    Opening my mouth, I fired my breath weapon. It tore through the flesh of the Writhing Nautilus, burning its way upwards, and I adjusted the angle as best as I could. The thick walls didn¡¯t allow me to see very far through them with my aura sight, and I was going on faith here that Sara wouldn¡¯t mislead us.


    It bore fruit after a second or two of high quality holy energy. My vision opened up on the other side of my tunnel, and I tapped Jamie on her side to get ready. At the apex of our flight, I closed my mouth to cancel the skill and we jumped.


    The tentacles on either side of the hole chomped at us, but we managed to grab on and pull ourselves up despite getting bit. There was no time to rest as the tunnel started getting smaller with us in it. I pushed her forward and let her feel my urgency through the Mental Link. Sufficiently fearful, Jamie crawled as fast as she could.


    I followed behind her as the tunnel continued to constrict, the damage healing quickly. It became obvious what Sara meant when she said she didn¡¯t want me to try going from the top of the core to the bottom through the walls. If this short jaunt showed me anything, it was that the Writhing Nautilus¡¯ regeneration was absolute bullshit.


    Jamie made it out with inches to spare and started swinging on creatures that had come to investigate the golden light, but I wasn¡¯t so lucky. I was halfway out when the walls closed around my legs with a disgusting schlurp, and I was stuck. Plunging the Vague Glaive into the ground, I pulled myself forward inches at a time, doing my best to not lose my Heelies to the boss.


    My companion didn¡¯t complain as she fought for me, swinging her spear with brutal accuracy and cutting down the four-legged tentacle monsters that came our way. They looked like dog versions of the bats we saw earlier.


    I was taken back to the time when Gloria and I fought the Writhing Zeppelin, and how she kept me safe while I ate half of an entire ham.


    Then I shook it off; now wasn¡¯t the time to get sentimental and Jamie wasn¡¯t going to share Gloria¡¯s fate. Not if I had anything to say about it.


    Finally, I pulled myself out. Bits and pieces of the Writhing Nautilus stuck to my pants and shoes, and I brushed them off.


    <<<>>>


    [[Patron Message]]


    I¡¯m so relieved that worked, Ant. It was a gamble, but you just shaved off most of your time by doing that.


    Head left and follow the instructions from here¡­


    <<<>>>


    I nodded as I read through the new path, already running with Jamie behind me. She had taken some hard hits from the dogs because she wasn¡¯t going to leave me behind, and I tapped her with the Staff of Raphael to activate its Touch of Heaven skill. The Weapon Master perked up as she healed for half of my hit points and the acid that was clinging to her dispersed. It must have been considered a physical debuff, which I hadn¡¯t been expecting.


    ¡°Adequate healing, Franklin,¡± she praised.


    ¡°Don¡¯t thank me yet,¡± I returned, shooting back a smirk that I certainly didn¡¯t feel. ¡°We¡¯re closer, but I wouldn¡¯t call it close. Sara hasn¡¯t warned me of anything, but be ready for a big fight once we get to the core. Wouldn¡¯t put it past those bastards to add something extra spicy just for us.¡±


    Jamie¡¯s face became serious, and she nodded. We were both ready to go.

 Chapter 230

    Inside the Writhing Nautilus - 12:54 PM


    By the time we made it to the core¡¯s antechamber, we were sopping wet, injured, and had gone through several more tunnels. We took a moment to drink some potions. I pulled the last of my Arcane Breakfast Tea and drank it down to restore my Mental Points, but let the Staff of Raphael¡¯s passive healing take care of my hit points.


    ¡°That tunnel you made was supposed to cut our time down?¡± Jamie asked, going through vials of tea in quick succession.


    ¡°By about half,¡± I said, checking my status screen again. ¡°But, hey, we made it!¡±


    ¡°Yay,¡± she replied unenthusiastically, wrinkling her nose.


    Just like Sara warned, my hit points were starting to drop from the poison I was breathing. So far it hadn¡¯t been enough to override my natural healing, but it still put a time limit on our excursion. Jamie had a few more minutes on her Tankless Breather and I was hoping to be done before she had to be subjected to the horrible stench of the Writhing Nautilus¡¯ innards.


    I started thinking about the smell and the bile rose in my throat. Shaking my head, I tried to take my mind off of it again.


    Peering into the room, I couldn¡¯t see any monsters. It was the largest room we had seen inside the boss by far. Most of it was the same ugly brown and green as the rest of the body, but the core was an angry red color and took up the entire ceiling. While the Writhing Zeppelin¡¯s central nervous system had been sent away with a single Relocation Grenade, that tactic obviously wouldn¡¯t work here; it was simply too large. The entire core pulsed with the staccato rhythm of an overworked heart about to burst.


    I looked Jamie over after she went through her third potion. ¡°Ready?¡±


    She glanced into the room, vigilant for any threats. ¡°Yeah, think there¡¯s something waiting in there for us?¡±


    ¡°Of course,¡± I answered. ¡°But it¡¯s not going to show until we do.¡±


    Jamie considered that for a moment before nodding. ¡°Then we might as well get this over with. Williamsburg is still in danger, right?¡±


    <<<>>>


    [[Patron Message]]


    Yes, it¡¯s very close to shore now. It will be reaching the town in roughly five minutes.


    The evacuation is going well, so take care of yourselves first.


    <<<>>>


    Snapping away the message, I nodded. ¡°Yeah, they¡¯re still evacuating according to Sara. We have a few minutes. If your Tankless Breather stops working, then we¡¯re probably too late.¡±


    Her eyes flicked to the counter in the corner of the mask. I couldn¡¯t see it, but I could see the grimace on her face. Placing her spear on her back, she pulled out the saw blade crossbow she had used on me back in Chicago. ¡°Then we better go in fast and hard,¡± she said.


    Nodding, I retrieved the Harpoon of Atlantean Might from my inventory, though I wasn¡¯t willing to return the Staff of Raphael. We walked in together, keeping an eye out for anything strange. I could feel her anxiety spiking with every uneventful step. It was coming in quick bursts, and I realized she must have put on one of her new toys.


    Hypervigilance was one of the synthesized skills that she would have made, and it drastically decreased her reaction time and increased thinking speed. Based on how she felt, I assumed it wasn¡¯t doing any wonders for her mental health. I sent calmness through our Mental Link. It seemed to help, even if just a little.


    We traversed the spongy floor to the middle of the room with nothing happening. I frowned at her, and she returned it with a shrug. The core sagged here, hanging low enough that we could reach up and touch it. I prodded it with the harpoon, but it didn¡¯t even scratch the surface. It was much tougher than the rest of the body.


    But that didn¡¯t matter; I didn¡¯t have to plunge the beacon directly into the core, just under it. I looked down and mentally marked the spot where I was going to plant it. In that moment, two tentacles shot out from the core, one heading towards each of us.


    I managed to put Shield up just in the nick of time, but the blow to my head still sent me flying. Jamie blocked with her forearm. She had moved faster than I had thanks to Hypervigilance, and she stumbled backwards.


    Spinning midair so I could land safely on the spongy floor, I prepared to attack as a mass of tentacles fell out of the core. It was the same red color as the ceiling, and it quickly stood up even as it wrapped around itself several times. The end result was some kind of headless, four-armed humanoid.


    Jamie pulled the trigger on her saw blade crossbow, and it hit the thing dead center. It was pushed backwards as the fleshy ground around it was torn in a spiral pattern. Blood flew everywhere, and the circular blade continued to spin against the mass. The Weapon Master had pumped her fist in the air triumphantly, but I could see what was actually happening.


    The monster was taking damage, but it was healing almost as quickly.


    It had been sliced open, but only barely. It was made out of the same material as the core, which didn¡¯t bode well for our chances without the beacon.


    ¡°Seraphim fucking sucks,¡± I muttered to myself as the sawblade finally stopped spinning. Jamie¡¯s triumph disappeared as she saw it.


    The monster stood in a pool of blood, but it had already healed the damage it had taken to its midsection. It tossed the sawblade aside and vibrated in a way that mimicked a creature¡¯s screech. There was no intent behind it, so I couldn¡¯t understand if it was trying to say something. Beneath us, the Writhing Nautilus lurched forward, causing Jamie and me to stumble.


    ¡°What was that?¡± she asked, throwing her crossbow into her inventory and grabbing her twin scimitars.


    ¡°It¡¯s accelerating,¡± I replied, grimacing. ¡°Our timeline¡¯s getting shorter, attack!¡±


    Jamie didn¡¯t hesitate, and we ran towards the mass of tentacles. It stood there, shifting back and forth as if it were watching us. With Mental Link telling me exactly where my partner was, it made tandem strikes a breeze.


    She went high, swinging with both of her blades, and I went low. My hit points were high enough that I didn¡¯t need the Staff of Raphael, so I returned it to my inventory and put both hands on my harpoon. I aimed to pierce the monster in the middle where she had shot it before.


    Firefly and Silhouette slashed against the top of the mass, glowing brightly as they delivered extra damage due to the tandem attack. The blades scraped against our enemy, causing it to lean back at an unnatural angle and causing Jamie to misstep. She had been expecting more resistance when her strikes hit. I Pushed her back onto her feet before she could fall on top of me.Did you know this story is from Royal Road? Read the official version for free and support the author.


    My own strike wasn¡¯t as effective. I managed to lift the mass off of the ground, but only a pinprick of blood appeared at the site where it pierced. The monster was pushed into the air slightly, but that was all.


    Its tentacle arms flailed towards us, and we both backed away. They missed by a country mile, and we lunged forward. Jamie spun, bringing her scimitars high to low, while I replaced my harpoon with the Vague Stick, commanding it into a long sword.


    The monster tried to back up, but its movements were clumsy. Our attacks hit between the arms, and having an actual blade made it easier for me to deal damage to it. Piercing wasn¡¯t as effective as slashing. That was handy information.


    Until it healed again, and then it was just annoying.


    It backed up further and tried to strike at us. We sidestepped, and it followed after me. I leaned back to avoid the blow and counterattacked with my sword. The cutting edge sliced across its tentacles as though I were cutting the skin off of a potato, and I left a lot of hanging flesh when I pulled my sword back.


    Behind it, Jamie jumped in, slashing a cross shape against the monster. It cut deeper this time, and the tentacles lashed out. She transitioned from strike to parry skillfully, but was pushed away by the creature¡¯s strength.


    The monster took another step towards me, pushing me back, and its tentacle arms moved to the front and back of its chest. They struck at me in a cross shape eerily similar to the technique Jamie just used. I blocked one with my Vague Sword, which splintered, and the other with my Vambrace of Wires. My arm went numb, and I had the feeling that the bone would have broken if I didn¡¯t have my passive.


    It backed away from me as Jamie continued her attack. Two of its tentacles moved in tandem, parrying the blows with a circular motion. It almost looked like it was trying to disarm her even as the blades cut into its flesh. If it weren¡¯t for her skill, it might have succeeded. The Weapon Master raised her swords, grip tight, and lashed out with her foot.


    The kick connected, and I Pushed her gun out of her holster and aimed it at the monster before pulling the trigger three times. The bullets pierced through its leg, causing the enemy to stagger backwards, and we capitalized on it. Three swords, all aided by Orbit, cut into its chest. We managed to get halfway through before the creature struck at us.


    I put up Shield, but it wasn¡¯t fully charged from the blow earlier, and it shattered as I went skidding back on the bloody flesh floor. Jamie wasn¡¯t so lucky; she was thrown away, Silhouette still stuck in the body. I Pulled it away before the monster could do something about it.


    Then I jumped backwards, landing next to her. ¡°Not only is it wasting our time, but it¡¯s also learning,¡± I said, Pulling her gun so that it landed at her feet.


    ¡°No shit, Sherlock,¡± Jamie groaned as she picked up her weapons and stood up.


    I frowned, then pulled the beacon out of my inventory to look at its description. In order to get the size right, you had to plant it at exactly the right time. I thumbed the flashing green light at the top, and a transparent cylinder of red surrounded me before becoming wider.


    ¡°Jamie, I need you to keep it busy. Thirty seconds at most. Once I have this planted, we¡¯ll switch and you guard it. I¡¯ll open the Celestial Wormhole seconds before it fires,¡± I ordered.


    ¡°Sounds good to me,¡± she replied, spinning her swords before running towards the patient monster.


    ¡°Sara, will the maximum range of the beacon encompass the entire core?¡± I asked, looking upwards as the red illusion returned and bounced away again. I kept a mental countdown for when it would be at its largest.


    <<<>>>


    [[Patron Message]]


    With a few feet to spare, yes. The core is bigger than you think it is.


    <<<>>


    ¡°Yeah, wish I could say that was surprising,¡± I muttered, running towards the center of the room.


    The red illusion returned and bounced again, and I confirmed that it only took three seconds to go out and three seconds to come back. Six total. That was fairly fast.


    Jamie was as aggressive as usual, but found herself in a stalemate after only a few exchanges. The speed at which the monster was learning was astounding, and I found that I was very concerned about this thing escaping. It wouldn¡¯t be the first time a creature¡¯s final evolutionary form was small and humanoid, and I hoped this was just some kind of site-bound guardian rather than something that could survive without the Writhing Nautilus.


    Putting those thoughts aside, I slid onto the bloody ground, spike raised, and waited. The red illusion came back to me and bounced away.


    ¡°3, 2, 1,¡± I counted out loud, careful to keep a full second between them, and plunged it into the ground at zero.


    The flashing green light turned red, flashing every second. I Dropped it, pushing the spike down into the flesh even as the Writhing Nautilus tried to heal around it.


    ¡°Switch!¡± I yelled.


    Jamie attempted to disengage, but the monster was no longer willing to give her any space. It followed along, four tentacles slashing with precision strikes that she was having a hard time blocking with her scimitars. She managed to toss one into her inventory and retrieve her shield, but not without taking a few lashes to her arm.


    I replaced the Vague Sword with the Staff of Raphael and stepped between them. ¡°Make sure the beacon doesn¡¯t come free,¡± I ordered. Jamie nodded and backed off.


    The monster vibrated like it had before, screeching again, and this time I understood.


    ¡°Antagonist,¡± it greeted, and I felt a measure of satisfaction in its word.


    ¡°Fuck that,¡± I replied as I activated one of my newer skills, Overclocked Body.


    Power surged through my veins similar to when I used Break Free. I felt less sturdy as it halved my Constitution and made me feel like I was burning up, but my Strength and Dexterity doubled. I swung the Staff of Raphael like a baseball bat, using the least amount of skill I could. The monster raised its tentacles on that side to block, and they nearly ruptured as the impact spread through its body.


    It fell to the ground but it slithered upright a second later, shifting its tentacles so that its arms before were its legs and vice versa. I raised the staff again and continued to beat down on the creature. One blow, then two, before my weapon was parried and slid to the ground.


    Spinning, I kept the momentum up as I came around the side, placing one hand in the middle of the staff. It caught me against the shoulder with two tentacles, heavily bruising me, but I lifted it off of the ground with my next strike. It seemed to float in the air for a moment as I Constructed a blade in front of my eyes. The weapon shot forward, attempting to slice through the monster¡¯s legs.


    The blade missed as it shifted, bringing its tentacles up to join its arms. In one fluid motion it spun, landing on all six of its limbs before spinning onto one. The other five raised up to slam into me, and I blocked with my staff, though I was pushed away.


    I grunted from the effort, but stayed on my feet. ¡°Sara, will this thing persist without the core?¡± I asked quickly and quietly.


    The monster flipped from tentacle to tentacle in my direction, and I put up a Force Field. It slammed into it, not doing much damage, but backed off, seemingly confused. The act bought me a few seconds.


    <<<>>>


    [[Patron Message]]


    The system is calling it the Writhing Guardian, and yes, it could survive without the Nautilus. It would have to survive the laser, though.


    Anthony, what are you thinking?


    <<<>>>


    ¡°Nothing you¡¯ll like,¡± I replied.


    The Guardian launched itself at me, its tentacles a whirlwind that I was starting to have a hard time blocking even with my enhanced speed. Each strike probed my defenses as I spun the staff in my hand, and I found that it was getting hard to parry and deal damage back. Not that dealing damage mattered; its regeneration was still bullshit.


    All the while, I was counting down. It was nearly time for the light show. Constructing two sets of shackles, I trapped four of the Writhing Guardian¡¯s tentacles before turning to Jamie. I summoned a door frame and activated Celestial Wormhole for the safe zone. She should be able to help there.


    It didn¡¯t work; the door that it was connected to must have been destroyed.


    Mentally swearing, I switched to my permanent target back on the Angel Express. This time, it activated, though I had the feeling that the Angel Express was already on its way out of Williamsburg. ¡°Jamie, go!¡±


    The Weapon Master dove through the portal as soon as I opened the door, not giving it a second thought.


    Instead of stepping through, I closed the door and pulled it back into my inventory. The Writhing Guardian broke through the shackles I had placed on it, and I felt pain in my mind as the Constructs disappeared. I turned to face it again.


    This monster absolutely couldn¡¯t be allowed to run free. Even if there was a small chance that it would survive, I needed to make it zero.


    The Writhing Nautilus screamed as it stopped in its tracks. All around us, the air started heating up at a noticeable speed, and the Guardian in front of me froze.


    It vibrated again. ¡°What have you done?¡± it asked.


    ¡°What I had to do,¡± I answered. ¡°B?r?e?a?k? ?Fr?e?e? F?r?o?m? ?T?h?e? ?S?h?a?c?k?l?e?s? ?O?f? ?M?a?n?.¡±

 Chapter 231

    Inside the Writhing Nautilus - 1:00 PM


    Overwhelming power surged through me as I activated Break Free while Overclocked Body was still in effect. I flexed my wings and retrieved my Vague Stick, still in its sword form, from my inventory. Once I was ready, I lunged forward.


    The Writhing Guardian recoiled at my newfound speed as I slashed through two of its tentacles. For the first time, I had managed to cut through the creature decisively. I kept an eye on them to make sure that they wouldn¡¯t grow into new enemies, but they remained inert.


    Before I had time to turn around, the monster was whole again. Its tentacles grew back longer than before in a darker shade of red. I spun around, using Orbit on my Vague Sword, and Constructed three other blades. I slashed through its midsection with mine while using Drop on the others, cutting through more tentacles.


    It was frustrating; the missing limbs grew back before they even had a chance to hit the ground. The ones from before hadn¡¯t grown into extra monstrosities, so when I dismissed my Constructs I Pulled each of the monster parts to me and sent them to my inventory. During that time, the Writhing Guardian threw itself at me.


    Its strikes came harder than they did before, and I had to block with the Staff of Raphael because they would crack the Vague Sword. Whether by design or desperation, the monster was becoming faster as well. The room continued to heat up as I was put on the back foot, blocking as I looked for more openings to strike at.


    That wasn¡¯t to say that I wasn¡¯t attacking; I Constructed blades that flew in from all sides. The Writhing Guardian wasn¡¯t falling for my tricks, and the new parts of its body were sturdier than the previous ones. My attacks still cut, but they no longer went all the way through.


    Blood splashed as I took a step into the initial puddle, which was too close to the beacon for comfort. It would continue to call the laser down after it was destroyed, but only for a short period of time. The Writhing Guardian lunged for it, and I recalled my Vague Sword into my inventory.


    Reaching out with my free arm, I tackled the beast and started pushing backwards. Four of its tentacles shifted to plant in the ground, but the other two began to beat at me. I activated my Shield now that it was back, but it only took two strikes to break despite the extra boost my Angelic form gave me.


    Still, it was worth it, and I was gaining ground. I Constructed two swords on either side of the Writhing Guardian¡¯s leg tentacles and swung them inwards. It freaked out, attempting to disengage, but I held it tight. The limbs were lopped off above where I had cut before, and I pulled them into my inventory as I got the beast off of the ground.


    I was able to force the monster nearly ten feet before it slithered out of my grip, body complete once more, and it stood up. The Writhing Guardian hesitated, and I couldn¡¯t blame it. I couldn¡¯t see through the core with my aura sense, but I could see beyond the room''s flesh walls. The laser was working fast.


    It turned and fled towards one of the tunnels. I wasn¡¯t sure where it was going to try to go other than down, to get as far away from its impending doom as possible, but I wasn¡¯t about to let that happen. I put both of my hands on the Staff of Raphael, drew it back, and took a step.


    When I put my foot on the ground, I was swinging right in front of the Writhing Guardian. It looked like it was going to be a clean blow, but the monster shifted backwards like it was about to do an impossible limbo. With my heightened senses, I could see the Staff of Raphael bump off of its coarse skin as it whipped backwards.


    Both concerned and impressed, I layered four Constructed blades in front of it at leg level. My swing was a miss, but the Writhing Guardian ran into my trap legs first. It stopped, but not before some more pieces were lopped off from its momentum. I Pulled them to me as I pierced the monster¡¯s body with the spike of my staff. Lifting it up, it became heavier when it regrew its limbs. Its regeneration wasn¡¯t getting any slower.


    ¡°How much more regeneration do you fucking have!?¡± I asked, pissed off.


    ¡°Enough to outlast you,¡± it vibrated before its torso split in two.


    Falling off of my staff, four of its tentacles spun together into a drill. Realizing what it was about to do, I Constructed four flat sheets where it was going to burrow. This wasn¡¯t armor or weapons, so it wasn¡¯t as tough, but it gave me time. The Writhing Guardian¡¯s limbs sparked against the top layer as I released the Cable Conglomerate.


    It attempted to move away, but I chased after it. I whipped it with the wire rope and started snaking it between the monster¡¯s tentacles. It writhed and tried to slither out, but I kept it wrapped as tight as I could. Not only that, but I used my Warmind abilities to make sure it stayed captured.


    My body slumped and exhaustion overtook me as Overclocked Body finally wore out. Even with the increased Constitution from my Angelic Form, it didn¡¯t last longer than the Writhing Nautilus¡¯ core.


    <<<>>>


    [[Notice]]


    You are continuing to suffer from Extreme Dehydration. You will now take 50% more fire damage until the debuff wears off.


    <<<>>>


    I tapped myself with the Staff of Raphael to use the last Touch of Heaven skill. I healed back to full health and got rid of the physical debuff, exactly as intended. As a side effect, breathing was made easier as the poison I had built up from being inside the Writhing Nautilus dispersed.


    But I couldn¡¯t celebrate just yet. The Writhing Guardian, sensing weakness, jerked backwards. I put my feet on the Construct pile and yanked, and we were in a tug of war before it lunged at me again.


    Two of the four bound tentacles managed to squeeze themselves out of my binding, and the monster attempted to strike both sides of my head. I ducked, and they clapped together loudly above me. Anticipating the follow up, I stepped to the side. The Writhing Guardian¡¯s hammerblow glanced off of my shoulder, causing pain to course through my body.


    Taking another step, I dragged it back onto my Constructs so it couldn¡¯t try to burrow. That no longer seemed to be its objective. Emboldened by my sudden decrease in strength, the Writhing Guardian was on the offensive.If you encounter this tale on Amazon, note that it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it.


    I managed to tangle one of its errant tentacles while the other struck me across the chest, just barely missing my neck. The force knocked me backwards and I felt my ribs crack, but we were connected by a tether and I couldn¡¯t go far. Pushing through the pain, I Constructed four batons and started blocking.


    Between the Staff of Raphael, my newly created defensive sticks, and the Cable Conglomerate, there was a lot to keep track of. The evolutionary speed of the Writhing Guardian had ceased impressing me, instead instilling me with a rare sense of panic. Every time I blocked a blow, it became a little faster and stronger. After a few exchanges, it wrapped one of its leg tentacles around the wire rope and pulled.


    I lifted my foot and kicked downwards, literally piercing the flesh floor to gain purchase. Instead of trying to pull me off balance, the monster slithered closer. The Writhing Guardian¡¯s tentacle attempted to grab hold of my fist, but I blocked it with a Force Field instead. It was immediately crushed.


    By the time I wrapped my Cable Conglomerate around that tentacle, the other two had gotten into a deadly groove. The Writhing Guardian¡¯s strikes were hard to predict. The way its limbs roamed around its body meant that many of its attacks didn¡¯t come from traditional angles.


    The Writhing Guardian sped up with every strike, almost bouncing off of whatever I used to block, and it got to the point where I couldn¡¯t just move the Constructs. With my centuries of experience, it was faster to drop them and then recreate them where they needed to be. Hopeful that the monster couldn¡¯t escape the tangled mess I had trapped it in, I devoted myself to defense.


    It had long since stopped reacting to my attacks, so I did what I could to time out the clock. The core shook and I could finally see the laser bearing down on us. If it weren¡¯t for my Angelic form, I probably would have been adversely affected by the heat, but the sweat on my brow came solely from exertion. Slowly, I backed away from the center of the room.


    My enemy didn¡¯t pull back as I moved us. It knew that the core was going to drop once the walls disappeared just as much as I did. The Writhing Guardian seemed sure of its victory now, and there was always escaping after.


    Not on my watch.


    I released the rest of the Cable Conglomerate and jumped backwards. It lurched forward, but I kept the wire rope as straight as I could as I swung around so that I was closer to the inside. It vibrated, but I couldn¡¯t hear what it said over the sound of the laser.


    The edges of the core that I could see disintegrated, and the blue light started getting closer. Without the walls to hold it up, the dark red brain or heart or whatever the organ was began to fall, and I reached up with my Staff and Lifted.


    My headache, which I had been ignoring, got so much worse as I used every application of Split I had to keep the core from crushing me. Since I could use my Warmind abilities on it, I knew that it was well and truly dead. That was a small comfort.


    The Writhing Guardian flailed in panic and attempted to burst the Cable Conglomerate. Some parts burst, but it was so wrapped up that it didn¡¯t matter. The laser began inching closer and closer towards it.


    Its tentacles bulged and twisted. For the first time, mouths appeared on the Writhing Guardian¡¯s body. They opened in a soundless scream before biting down hard on every piece of metal they could. That was enough to snap them, and it lunged towards me. I mimicked the movement, lunging towards it. The monster recoiled in that way it did when it didn¡¯t understand something.


    I placed my hand on the Writhing Guardian¡¯s body, careful not to get bit, and Bent the core above with everything I had. It broke, snapping in a way that brought the laser down on both of us.


    Only the monster felt the laser¡¯s wrath.


    My halo expanded, covering me from the orbital projectile, and a copy of it appeared by my torso. I pulled my arm back as the light burst forth. The Writhing Guardian was now assailed by two instances of the laser, breaking it down.


    I couldn¡¯t see it any longer, and I had to close my eyes to block out the blinding light. Thankfully, I could still see it through my aura senses. My mind raced as I did my calculations.


    The halo couldn¡¯t keep this up indefinitely, and it was already showing signs of overheating. Considering the rate at which the Writhing Guardian was being blown away, I knew it wasn¡¯t going to last long enough. It was already regenerating through the damage; it was just having a problem keeping up. I began charging Dragon¡¯s Breath, but not for the monster.


    Constructing a blade in my hand, I used Orbit on it, my glove, sleeve, and vambrace to get as much power out of it as I could. I activated Distant Slice, sending out a light of my own, which cut deep into the Writhing Guardian. Not through, unfortunately, but after another second of constant bombardment the creature snapped in two.


    Above me, my halo cracked and I raised my head to look at it. It flew back to me while its copy disappeared. Opening my mouth, I released my own laser back at the sky as wide as I could make it.


    The two streams collided a few feet away, and I could feel it pushing back at me. The orbital laser was much stronger than I could ever compete with, but I knew the Writhing Nautilus¡¯ core was depleted and the beacon had been destroyed with it. I just had to hold on for a little longer.


    With the Staff of Raphael in one hand, I retrieved the harpoon. The +20 to my stats helped, but it only seemed to have added another second to my defense. I roared as best I could, ignoring the pain from my migraine, from the cracked ribs, from the bruises and welts the Writhing Guardian left on my body as I fought my losing battle against the sky.


    The blue laser cut through my golden one quickly, and at the last second I pulled everything I owned into my inventory so that it all could survive. It felt like someone had dumped a truck on me as my body suddenly burned, melting my flesh and scorching my bones.


    I felt slightly better as my body partially regenerated. Beside me, the Writhing Guardian was only a few strips of meat, but I could see myself reconstruct like it had. It wasn¡¯t for long; Heavenly Hero made me invulnerable for five seconds, and I would regain 20% of my hit points during that time. The laser wasn¡¯t going to end by then, but there was one more trick up my sleeve.


    Mentally, I counted to five. Once again at the last moment, I commanded my inventory to put My Golden Bowling Ball on my chest. It appeared and started floating. There was one ability that I hadn¡¯t needed to use yet, and I couldn¡¯t let it go off on its own.


    <<<>>>


    [[Item]]


    Boss Anthony Franklin¡¯s Golden Bowling Ball


    Once per day, the spirit of Boss Steener will inhabit the bowling ball in order to block a fatal blow against the wielder. Every time this ability is used, there is a small, stacking chance that Boss Anthony Franklin¡¯s Golden Bowling Ball may shatter completely. This ability may be activated when the item is in your inventory, but this will cause the bowling ball to shatter immediately after use.


    <<<>>>


    ¡°You look like you¡¯re in some trouble, little brother,¡± a deep voice spoke.


    I grit my teeth, trying to grin through the excruciating pain. A large, furry hand rested on top of my head. The blinding light meant I couldn¡¯t open my eyes, but I could see the wispy form of Boss Steener standing over me through my aura sense, holding the bowling ball high. The orbital laser slid off of it, creating a small cage around us.


    The Writhing Guardian was nowhere to be seen. It had been completely destroyed, exactly as I had hoped. That was when I dropped Break Free, letting the Angelic Power drain from my body.


    I retrieved the Staff of Raphael from my inventory into the crook of my shoulder once the laser finally stopped. It happened all at once, like turning off a faucet, and Boss Steener gently placed My Golden Bowling Ball back on my chest. The remnants of the Writhing Nautilus had been eaten up, and I had fallen down quite a ways. Probably when Heavenly Hero was putting me back together, if I had to take a guess.


    Taking a breath, I opened my eyes to see a gigantic hole in the storm clouds above. I was protected by the wall of the Writhing Nautilus, its insides gutted like a pumpkin, and none of it seemed to be regenerating. The sun shined down on me as if to congratulate me on my victory, as ill-advised as the method was.


    ¡°Take care, little brother,¡± Boss Steener said, nodding down at me. ¡°Continue to make us Seven-Tenners proud.¡±


    I tried to raise my hand to give the Filbin a sloppy, and painful, salute, only to find that both of my arms were still regenerating. Instead, I nodded and closed my eyes to rest. I had earned it.

 Chapter 232

    The Dealer¡¯s Home - 2:50 PM


    I woke up from my nap, a dull headache throbbing in my skull. The couch I laid on was different from the corpse meat I was expecting and a blanket had been thrown over me. It felt like I was covered by small weights all over my body. Despite my last ditch effort to make sure my clothes weren¡¯t destroyed by the orbital laser, I was dressed in comfortable pajamas.


    The smell of banana bread flooded the room, and with it came a sense of safety. I imagined the quaint yellow room with its random red cabinets and wall covered in plants, remembering all the times I had invaded the Dealer¡¯s home to become one of his clients.


    Slowly, I pushed out my awareness aura. My head didn¡¯t like it, but it was tolerable compared to what I had already gone through. I smiled when I saw that the weights covering me were puppies. Next to me, her head on my arm as she stared at my face, was a German Shepherd. Pulling my hand from under the blanket, I reached out to pet her.


    ¡°Good morning, Bella,¡± I greeted, and the Dealer¡¯s Evolution Hound wagged her tail. ¡°It¡¯s nice to finally meet you.¡±


    She nuzzled her head against my hand before moving to sniff and lick her puppies. I lifted myself up to get into a better position, ignoring my headache, and started moving the babies into a pile so that I could sit up. From there, it was easy to equip my items directly from my inventory.


    ¡°You finally awake in there?¡± the Dealer asked from the kitchen, and I saw him checking on his oven.


    ¡°Just about,¡± I answered, finally opening my eyes. The light burned a bit bright, exacerbating my headache, but I continued to deal with it.


    ¡°Check your notifications if you gotta. Once this bread is out of the oven, we have to talk.¡±


    I frowned. ¡°Have to talk? Or we can talk?¡±


    ¡°Have to,¡± he answered.


    ¡°Well, that sounds fun,¡± I grumbled. Still, I did as instructed if only because it made sense. Snapping my fingers, I summoned all of the notifications I had been ignoring as I absently pet the pile of puppies.


    <<<>>>


    [[Victory!]]


    You have contributed in defeating the Scenario Raid Boss [Writhing Nautilus]; +15,000 (18,000) points.


    You have contributed in defeating the Awakened Scenario Raid Boss [Writhing Guardian]; +10,000 (15,000) points.


    [[Jamestown/Williamsburg Scenario 3-Final Complete]]


    The Writhing Nautilus and its Guardian have been defeated, and the Atlanteans have learned the true might of Virginia this day.


    Or, at the very least, the true might of a couple of players who may or may not be cheating.


    This is a bittersweet victory, though. Both Jamestown and Williamsburg are now simply places that used to exist on the map. The Writhing Nautilus had completed its goal of trampling it to the ground, killing every player who couldn¡¯t evacuate in time.


    But the scenario is over, so enjoy the win.


    Scenario MVP: Anthony Franklin


    Reward: +3,300 points, Atlantean Launcher Maul (MVP)


    <<<>>>


    I lowered my head when I read that Jamestown and Williamsburg had been destroyed. A good chunk of people had to have survived, but I knew the death toll was probably well into the hundreds if not more. I gave a moment of silence for those who would have still been alive if it weren¡¯t for the administrators mucking things up, before continuing on.


    It was a small defeat, by the numbers, and it wasn¡¯t as hard as it should have been to accept that.


    <<<>>>


    [[Patron Quest Complete!]]


    As upset as I¡¯d like to be that you had to use two of your get out of death free cards¡­ I can¡¯t be. You made the right call. The Writhing Guardian was too dangerous to risk letting it escape the blast. It wouldn¡¯t have caused the same kind of wide-scale destruction as its predecessor, but it would have undoubtedly become a lot of trouble later on.


    Jamie was a bit pissed off when the portal closed behind her, but she calmed down rather quickly when she realized what you had done. The Dealer has already told them that he picked you up through that journal Kayla has, so they¡¯re waiting for your return when you¡¯re fully recovered.


    That said, please don¡¯t worry about Williamsburg. The majority of people scattered when they saw what was coming. Those who died fought to slow it down to protect who they could. It helped that Jeff and the others were making sure people were aware of just what a threat the Nautilus was, but that just spurred people on. It would have been a lot more if you weren¡¯t around.


    It¡¯s still your victory, Anthony. You won, and the administrators have lost. In the end, that¡¯s really what matters here.


    Reward: +20,000 points.


    Optional Reward: +10,000 points.


    <<<>>>


    I gave the sky a thin smile as Bella jumped on the couch and rested her head on my lap. ¡°Nothing to do but keep on moving,¡± I whispered.


    <<<>>>


    [[Patron Message]]


    And you will. Whatever they throw at you and the world doesn¡¯t matter. The administrators aren¡¯t prepared for how fast you¡¯re going to make it to the Hall of the End this time. That¡¯s the goal. Once you¡¯re here, everything¡¯s going to change.


    Here¡¯s some good news: Kayla and Mercury succeeded in their mission. Skuld is still a little rude when it comes to speaking with me, but Marishiten has been keeping me updated. I don¡¯t have all the details but they¡¯re back on the Angel Express.


    <<<>>>


    ¡°Thanks, Sara,¡± I replied, my smile becoming a little more genuine.


    The smell of banana bread intensified as the Dealer walked in with a freshly sliced loaf on a tray along with two mugs. ¡°Heard you like hot chocolate,¡± he said.


    ¡°I do.¡±


    The alligator set up a table in front of me with a big mug of hot chocolate and a couple of slices of bread before petting Bella and sitting down in his chair, which had been built with his tail in mind.


    Taking my first bite, I nodded appreciatively at the perfection I had just shoved into my mouth. ¡°Always delicious, Dealer,¡± I said. Even though I didn¡¯t need the regenerative properties of the food since I was at full health, this banana bread was really what I needed at the moment. ¡°What happened to my bowling ball? And the loot?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ve got them for you,¡± he answered.


    I arched an eyebrow. ¡°How¡¯d you move the bowling ball?¡±


    ¡°Carefully,¡± he said with a snort. ¡°Tagged it and teleported it into a dimensional pocket along with the loot. Couldn¡¯t move you with the thing on your chest, screaming at me that I wasn¡¯t allowed to wield it, and I wasn¡¯t about to waste time in case the administrator decided to come and see you. Did what I had to do to get you here.¡±This tale has been pilfered from Royal Road. If found on Amazon, kindly file a report.


    ¡°I always appreciate your work, Dealer,¡± I told him honestly.


    ¡°Yeah, well, it¡¯s a shit storm working with you so you better appreciate me,¡± he sighed, leaning back in his chair and sipping at his own mug. ¡°You know how far away I was when I heard that there was a calamity coming for Jamestown?¡±


    ¡°Pretty far, I¡¯m guessing,¡± I said.


    ¡°I had tracked Jeremiah all the way down to the Panama Canal,¡± he stated before pointing a clawed finger at me. ¡°For you. Because you asked me too.¡±


    A smile tugged at my lips, but the look on the Dealer¡¯s face was dead serious, so I schooled my expression. ¡°He was trying to flee to South America but found that the continental barrier¡¯s still up?¡±


    ¡°Tried to get as far away from you and start things over, yeah,¡± the alligator confirmed. ¡°I was in the middle of negotiating when I got word that something exceeding the power limits of the scenario had appeared. I had to excuse myself in a very rude manner to get back here just in case something happened.¡±


    ¡°Damn. Sorry, man.¡±


    The alligator shook his head. ¡°Yeah, keep your apologies. Knew working with a regressor was going to be a pain in the ass the moment I figured that was what you were. Doesn¡¯t matter. I need to get back down there, but getting you up to speed is my top priority right now so you know what you¡¯re getting into.¡±


    ¡°Think he¡¯s going to agree to the plan?¡± I asked, genuinely curious.


    ¡°Still up in the air, but leave that to me. That¡¯s not what we¡¯re talking about,¡± he said with a wave of his clawed hand. ¡°You¡¯re what we¡¯re talking about. Did you know they created not just one, but two brand new creatures to try and kill you?¡±


    ¡°The Writhing Nautilus and the Writhing Guardian, yeah,¡± I answered, chuckling. ¡°Though, the first one was probably inspired by Gloria Brown when I was talking with her back in Etson. She asked if we were going to have to deal with a Writhing Submarine, and I told her no. Much worse name than Nautilus, in my opinion.¡±


    The Dealer stared at me. ¡°You going to take this seriously?¡±


    ¡°Sorry, it¡¯s a coping mechanism,¡± I said as I took a breath. ¡°Yes, I am aware that these were brand new creatures specifically designed to kill me. Both of them called me the Antagonist. I figured it was because I basically tortured and almost killed their predecessors. Should have succeeded, by all rights, if it weren¡¯t for the administrators keeping their toys alive.¡±


    ¡°They called you the Antagonist because that¡¯s what the administrators are calling you,¡± he told me, his voice flat.


    I took a moment to process that.


    It wasn¡¯t exactly unexpected. I had been going around the United States and finishing scenarios only to leave the administrators wondering what was going on. For the most part, the complete screens seemed normal if only because they didn¡¯t want to admit they were clueless as to what happened.


    But then there are some who reacted like the one in Springfield. The administrator there called me out as a glitch, and Sara had warned me to get out of there. She hadn¡¯t been able to give me more information than that, but I did as I was told and nothing bad had come of it. Not yet, at least.


    There was only so much covering up before someone looked into it deeper. I imagined my trail at this point was fairly easy to track despite the fact that I couldn¡¯t be seen by those running the system.


    ¡°You don¡¯t seem surprised,¡± he stated, watching me with critical eyes.


    ¡°It was bound to happen eventually,¡± I told the Dealer before taking another sip of hot chocolate. ¡°Aaron kept renewing my Administrator Black-out, which wasn¡¯t supposed to linger this long. I know we need it for your plans in Dublin, but I¡¯d have gotten rid of it if I could. Being a talented player with a really powerful Patron would be enough of a cover for most admins out there to not look twice.¡±


    The Dealer¡¯s stare softened for a moment before he placed an entire slice of banana bread into his mouth and chewed. I nibbled at mine, waiting for him.


    ¡°Dublin¡¯s been pushed back,¡± he said after he swallowed.


    I arched an eyebrow. ¡°How far?¡±


    ¡°Couple of weeks at least. Nothing concrete yet since they can¡¯t put it off for too long,¡± the Dealer answered. ¡°The administrators that care about it are calling foul. Seraphim was forced to acknowledge that a glitch came from his area, and they say he¡¯ll have an unfair advantage when you¡¯re called to participate. I¡¯m not sure if you¡¯re aware, but you¡¯ll be doing him nothing but favors winning that competition.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t win it, Jamie does. And they don¡¯t know for sure that I¡¯m going to be called. I might not have that many MVPs on my record,¡± I replied. He gave me the stink eye, and I shook my head. ¡°Yeah, it¡¯s kind of obvious. Still, I¡¯m surprised he admitted that.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re not going to like the next part, either,¡± the Dealer said.


    ¡°Am I going to like any of this?¡± I asked.


    ¡°Some, probably, in your own sick and twisted prideful way,¡± he replied, and I nodded. It was a good answer. ¡°Seraphim is using your existence as a way to wipe his slate clean from the Zeppelin incident. He hasn¡¯t come out and said it outright, because he knows for a fact that you are a regressor, but he¡¯s casting that shadow over you. If people start thinking that, then he can say that his punishment was unjust.¡±


    ¡°And then he can use that to get more clout, and he¡¯s back on track for taking over higher administrative duties,¡± I deduced, frowning.


    ¡°From what I understand, he¡¯s good at twisting situations in his favor. I can see why you hate the guy so much, aside from¡­¡± the Dealer huffed and waved his hand. ¡°Your girlfriend being a literal Angel while he¡¯s just acting, I guess. Still wrapping my head around that one.¡±


    ¡°You and me both, buddy,¡± I chuckled. ¡°Okay, so, what¡¯s the damage? If you¡¯re just here to tell me that Dublin¡¯s being pushed back and the administrators are on to me, then that¡¯s not really much, right?¡±


    ¡°Does that not seem like a lot?¡± he challenged.


    ¡°I mean, it¡¯s just another thing I have to deal with, right?¡± I asked back with a shrug.


    That made the alligator shake his head. ¡°The Star Spangled Shadow Invasion has been pushed back while they decide what to do with you. There¡¯s been a lot of discourse on the subject, and my eyes and ears have picked up on a lot of different chatter, from letting you do your own thing so they don¡¯t piss off your mysterious Patron to dropping a space rock on whatever state you happen to be in at a time, Patron be damned.¡±


    ¡°Yeah, that sounds like two extremes,¡± I said, shaking my head. Their wariness of Sara made complete sense to me, though. She was powerful enough that they had no idea who she was, and that kind of strength was something they tried not to tread on. Not until they had to. If they knew she was the Angel of the End it would have been a different story, but the system itself was protecting her thanks to our contract. ¡°I¡¯m assuming Seraphim is suddenly alright with me walking around since it¡¯ll be good for him if I¡¯m his representative?¡±


    ¡°For now, yeah. Him and Benedict Merder have been your biggest advocates,¡± the Dealer confirmed.


    ¡°Yeah? Chaos Cup Ben?¡±


    He nodded. ¡°You¡¯re going to represent him, too, remember? Provided you survive long enough, team Warmonger is going to participate in the Aldaberda Cup once it rolls around.¡±


    ¡°Yeah, that¡¯s fair,¡± I said, thinking it over.


    Several cities across the world with large stadiums had something similar to Atlanta¡¯s Chaos Cup. It had been a great way to grab points and prizes, but the biggest thing to come out of these competitions was the ability to move on to the next one. For my team and the Dunbar Runners, who got second place, that meant the Aldaberda Cup for the southeastern United States.


    Aldaberda being the name of the administrator in charge, of course. Just like Benedict Merder renaming his stadium after himself, the tournament hosts made up for their lack of imagination with pure ego.


    ¡°That¡¯s fair?¡± the Dealer asked, scoffing. ¡°At least out in the world they don¡¯t know where you are. You show up in Dublin or take part in a tournament and you¡¯re right where they want you.¡±


    I smiled. ¡°First, they already know where I¡¯ll be. At this point, I¡¯d be surprised if they don¡¯t know about the Angel Express because they definitely know Sol Ligatus. Second, I would be plopped right in front of one of the two administrators who, right now, want me to succeed more than any other,¡± I said, giving him something to think about. ¡°And, even better, as long as we continue to win then Benedict Merder is going to stay in our corner. Like, sure, as soon as Dublin¡¯s event is over Seraphim is going to go right back to trying to kill me. That¡¯s expected, but if good ole Chaos Ben needs me to go the distance, he¡¯s going to do everything he can in his power to keep me alive.¡±


    The Dealer stroked his chin as he thought it over. ¡°Are you absolutely certain about that?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯d put good points down on it, yeah,¡± I said. ¡°He already knows I¡¯m a glitch, and even when Frastina got in trouble he sent me on my way knowing that I was going to keep competing. Sure, he didn¡¯t outright say that, but I¡¯m just as much his golden goose as I am yours. You know, provided I win. Which I will.¡±


    ¡°So that¡¯s it, then?¡± he huffed, crossing his arms. ¡°I hit you with the fact that the administrators pretty much know you¡¯re a regressor, they¡¯ve given you a nickname because they can¡¯t find out your actual information from the system, and they¡¯ve moved a huge event to accommodate the discourse going on about you, and you¡¯re¡­ just nonchalant about it?¡±


    I paused for a moment before I shrugged. ¡°I¡¯m going to keep moving forward, Dealer,¡± I answered. ¡°Is it ideal? No, it absolutely isn¡¯t. Can it change everything? Yeah. But stressing at this point when we¡¯re so close to the end? No thank you. I¡¯m going into each unplanned disaster swinging.¡±


    ¡°Just unfazed, are you?¡±


    ¡°Nah. I¡¯m very fazed, but so long as we get our weapon online by the time the Patron¡¯s Ball rolls around and someone opens that Hell portal, it doesn¡¯t matter,¡± I said, looking down at Bella and her puppies. ¡°We¡¯re winning this early, Dealer, and we¡¯re going to win it clean. Speaking of that, I have something else for you to look into in addition to a bunch of mail to send.¡±


    The Dealer grunted. ¡°Of course, there¡¯s always more.¡±


    ¡°Always, it¡¯s not going to stop until the system does,¡± I laughed as I started pulling out stacks of mail and Pushing them gently to his table. His eyes went wide as his jaw dropped, and then he looked angry again. I wasn¡¯t sympathetic; he knew what he was getting into. ¡°I need you to find out who killed the Uranium Rex in Los Alamos. Someone got to it before me, so I¡¯m going to need to cross the ocean for something suitably radioactive.¡±


    ¡°Sure, you need any leads on a monster or you got it?¡± he asked, shoving the growing pile of letters away from his food.


    ¡°I¡¯ve got it,¡± I said.


    He nodded. ¡°Alright. I¡¯ve got nothing else, then. Just wanted to warn you about your imminent doom. Anything you want to do about it is your business,¡± he said with a sigh. ¡°Once you¡¯re done with your drink and food, I¡¯ll take you back topside. The Angel Express isn¡¯t far away.¡±


    ¡°I appreciate you, sir,¡± I told him honestly.


    ¡°Yeah, you¡¯d better,¡± he chuckled. ¡°Though now that you don¡¯t have to worry about Dublin, where do you think you¡¯re heading next?¡±


    I took the question seriously. This section of the run was almost always Dublin. I had purposefully kept my MVP count down to get around it and check some places out before, but only for about twenty-five times.


    ¡°I¡¯m going to hit multiple objectives at once,¡± I said slowly, thinking it over. ¡°Jamie and Mercury are set on equipment, but the others still need their class items. Especially Kayla and Jeff. Not only that, but getting more Patrons to shield me from the administrators would be ideal. I think it¡¯s time to make a spectacle of ourselves.¡±


    ¡°Sounds like you¡¯ve got something in mind,¡± he said, stroking his chin.


    ¡°I do. If they¡¯re worried about pissing off one Patron, then how bad will it be for them if I sway the court of public opinion to my side?¡± I asked, grinning deviously. ¡°Sara, I know it¡¯s going to be expensive, but do you think you have enough points to bribe our way into the Emperor¡¯s Climb?¡±


    <<<>>>


    [[Patron Message]]


    That¡¯s one big order, Ant, but I think I have enough in Rexxel¡¯s bank now that it shouldn¡¯t be a problem.


    I do have a problem sharing you with others, but I can get over that if it means you¡¯ll be safer.


    <<<>>>


    ¡°That settles it, then. The Empire State Building scenario should be nearly ready in New York City,¡± I said, finishing my drink. ¡°We got a couple of weeks? Then we¡¯ll use it to take the tower by storm, woo some Patrons into loving us, and gain some measure of safety at the same time. The administration won¡¯t know what hit them.¡±

 Chapter 233 (Book 6 start!)

    The Angel Express - 5:07 PM


    One of the things no one tells you about surviving a deadly space laser is how much it makes your friends worry.


    The moment I returned to the train, I was met with a plethora of questions about how I managed to live through an orbital laser strike when both the largest monster and the most powerful monster we had come across so far could not. Kayla and Jeff were upset with me, Jamie was satisfied with a job well done, and Mercury thought the whole thing was awesome.


    It took some time for everyone to settle, but once I answered some questions I retook control of the Angel Express and Sol Ligatus from Kayla. She had done an excellent job in my absence, but now I was planning on sticking around for a good while.


    <<<>>>


    [[Notice]]


    Ownership of The Angel Express has been transferred to you by Guildmaster [Kayla Mills]. The Safe Zone menu is now available.


    [[Guild Notice]]


    Deputy Guildmaster [Kayla Mills] has elevated you to the position of Guildmaster. The Guildmaster menu is now available.


    <<<>>>


    That was when we started on our journey to New York. I hadn¡¯t explained why just yet, instead simply enjoying my time with the guild. It wasn¡¯t the longest train ride I had been on, but it would be one of my most relaxing for a while.


    ¡°I am not going to miss that sense of responsibility,¡± Kayla sighed as she leaned into her husband. Jeff placed his arm around her shoulder without a second thought. The ex-librarian turned Double Agent was my second in command and had been doing a wonderful job leading Sol Ligatus in my absence. ¡°Seriously, you¡¯re terrible for forcing that on me.¡±


    ¡°Yeah, but you got the job done,¡± I cheerfully replied, holding up my tea cup for a toast. ¡°To the queen and all she¡¯s done for us!¡±


    The others all repeated the toast before Jeff yelled, ¡°Yeah! That¡¯s my wife!¡± All smiles, he leaned in to kiss her on the cheek. In contrast to his just over five foot tall wife, the blonde Queen¡¯s Knight was the most physically imposing of us all. That was especially funny given his overly friendly attitude earning him the nickname Golden Retriever Knight from Mercury.


    ¡°Thanks, everyone,¡± Kayla said, not bothering to call me out for calling her a queen. She leaned forward and took a sip of coffee before turning her attention back to me. ¡°Though, you still haven¡¯t told us where you had gone to. We were worried because you said you were going to beat us here, and then we managed to get everything done up to the actual war part.¡±


    ¡°Not that the war went to plan,¡± Jeff added.


    I nodded. ¡°That¡¯s my bad. Something happened that kept me a few days longer than I had planned for,¡± I said apologetically. ¡°There were a couple of things that I wasn¡¯t expecting, giant eldritch monstrosities included. Fairly annoying, but it¡¯s safe to say that Aaron¡¯s Avatar is moving. Which is, honestly, just one of the problems we have at hand.¡±


    ¡°There¡¯s a Patron out there called Aaron?¡± Mercury asked.


    The dark ninja wasn¡¯t in his iconic outfit, but in casual pajamas with the logo of the Steelers on his pants. He had been eager to get into something comfortable after spending so much time in the ocean. Despite that, his black and pink wakizashi was at his hip. The sentient blade was known as the Princess, and I guessed she was probably guarding Doneralaego¡¯s inert phylactery in the sleeping car, as usual.


    ¡°Franklin has a Patron called Sara,¡± Jamie pointed out, looking towards me with her green, reptilian slit eyes. She was a Half-Dragon of the golden variety thanks to the dead Demon Lord Pustibule¡¯s sniper, Jeremiah. Her blond hair had taken on more of a metallic sheen, and she had freckle-like flecks of gold adorning her cheeks. So far, the Weapon Master was still overwhelmingly human. ¡°There could easily be an Aaron.¡±


    ¡°Why stop there?¡± Jeff asked. ¡°Where¡¯s the Jeff Patron at? That¡¯s what I really want to know.¡±


    ¡°Aaron is just what I call him,¡± I said, laughing. ¡°But he¡¯s basically evil Sara. I met him in the Golden Dream, back when I was asleep, and he¡¯s become very problematic since then.¡±


    <<<>>>


    [[Patron Message]]


    I know you think the comparison is apt, but I would really appreciate it if you stopped calling that thing Evil Me. It¡¯s actually starting to wear on me a little bit.


    Also, the Dealer has gotten me in touch with Baltastasia, and I have an update from the New York City administrator.I¡¯m currently in negotiations with her about getting Sol Ligatus into the Emperor¡¯s Ascent. It¡¯s too early to tell, but I should have hopefully good news soon.


    <<<>>>


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Sara,¡± I said, looking up to the ceiling. ¡°I won¡¯t call him that anymore. And thank you.¡±


    ¡°So he¡¯s not Evil Sara,¡± Mercury stated. ¡°Actually, do we get to meet her? You showed up in Chicago, did whatever quick thing you had to, and then got out of there so fast that I was worried you had taken my class.¡±


    ¡°Meeting Sara would be fine after all this time, but it¡¯s not the biggest concern,¡± Jamie said, looking from Mercury to myself. ¡°I think we should probably hear about these problems? It¡¯s not like traveling with you is completely safe. Especially since Virginia escalated way more than you had foreseen.¡±


    ¡°Yeah, that did get away from me,¡± I slowly replied. ¡°We¡¯ll be meeting Sara pretty soon. I assume the Patron¡¯s Car hasn¡¯t been used yet today?¡±


    Glancing around the table, I was met with shakes of their heads to tell me that no one had used it. The Patron¡¯s Car allowed an Avatar to enter their sponsor¡¯s domain for an hour each day. They could visit face to face, and do so without the watchful eyes of the administrators. They might not have been able to watch me directly, but the rest of Sol Ligatus didn¡¯t have that advantage. That was a Patron¡¯s privilege, and the biggest reason why I had purchased one.


    It definitely wasn¡¯t because I missed seeing my girlfriend. The choice had been a tactical one, it just hit multiple checkboxes along the way.


    ¡°Then once she has some good news about our destination, we¡¯ll all be visiting her. Including Ash and Bethany,¡± I said, glancing at Jamie and Mercury.


    The ninja nodded. ¡°Bethany has been curious about meeting an Angel, so she¡¯ll be excited about it. It¡¯ll be a lot better than when she met Ares, that¡¯s for sure.¡±


    ¡°Ares was a dick,¡± Jamie scoffed before looking at me. ¡°And why did you look at me when you said Ash? I¡¯m not her keeper or anything.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re right, my bad,¡± I said, nodding. I extended my awareness aura for a moment, just to test the waters. Jeff and Mercury were confused, Kayla was amused, and our Half-Dragon Weapon Master was defensive. I retracted my aura after just a moment. It wasn¡¯t any of my concern, anyway. ¡°But yeah, Kayla¡¯s heard about what happened when I was asleep, she didn¡¯t share it?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s not my place to tell,¡± she snorted when I turned to look at her. ¡°They want to know, they hear it from you.¡±


    ¡°Fair. Alright,¡± I said, turning so I could better look at my audience. ¡°When I had gone missing in Pittsburgh, I was aiming for the Trial of the Silver Nightmare. It¡¯s as charming as it sounds and takes place in the Dream Realm. What actually happened was that Aaron, who is of a similar vein to Sara but not just an evil version of, switched the destination to the Golden Dream.¡±


    ¡°Sounds¡­ bad?¡± Jeff asked, as if hazarding a guess.


    ¡°It creates a perfect utopia specific to the person who gets trapped in it and only lets you out if you kill the person you love the most,¡± I answered, voice deadpan.


    He immediately hugged Kayla tight. ¡°Okay, that¡¯s definitely bad.¡±


    ¡°We all know you¡¯d never escape something like that, Jeff,¡± Mercury teased. ¡°The Golden Retriever Knight couldn¡¯t do such a thing.¡±


    ¡°In his defense, neither could I,¡± Kayla said, patting her husband on the arm.


    ¡°Most people couldn¡¯t, that¡¯s why I was stuck there for a  month,¡± I added, shaking my head. ¡°The details aren¡¯t important other than I was in a really good place, we were all in communication though only Kayla and Jeff lived nearby. Aaron had to show up, do a big villain scene about how he wants to compete with Sara but he needs me out of the way for a bit so his own avatar can train up, and then I got out.¡±


    ¡°Who¡¯d you have to kill?¡± Mercury asked, leaning forward.This book is hosted on another platform. Read the official version and support the author''s work.


    ¡°Bro, you don¡¯t just ask that,¡± Jeff chastised. ¡°Don¡¯t ask the boss about having to kill the one he loves the most. That¡¯s pretty inconsiderate.¡±


    The ninja paled. ¡°Oh, yeah, no. Don¡¯t¡­ You don¡¯t have to answer that.¡±


    ¡°Good, because I wasn¡¯t planning to,¡± I replied, shooting Jeff a thankful glance. He nodded in return.


    Killing Sara had been hard even after I decided to believe the fact that I was in the Golden Dream. Aaron had to beat her to within an inch of her life because there was no way I would have been able to even if I figured it out. Not only was she a world boss, but the trial had made her the sole administrator of the system. There was nothing I could do.


    Only the Mills knew that Sara was my girlfriend as well as my Patron. It was a secret to just about everyone else except the Dealer. For now, anyway. I think it was almost time for me to have to come clean about what I was, if only to make sure people realize how dangerous things could get for us. As if the Writhing Nautilus hadn¡¯t been enough.


    ¡°I did kill Greg, though,¡± I continued, leaning back in my chair after taking another sip of tea. ¡°Went full biblical as an Angel, and I trapped him in his own personal Cocytus.¡±


    ¡°Trapped him in a frozen pool and let him drown,¡± Kayla explained when Jamie wrinkled her nose in confusion. ¡°Cocytus is the last layer of Hell in Dante¡¯s Inferno.¡±


    ¡°Brutal,¡± the Weapon Master said approvingly. ¡°I like it. The idiot deserved it.¡±


    ¡°I agree, which is why I did it,¡± I confirmed.


    ¡°You came straight to Chicago after that, right?¡± Jeff asked. He reached for the beer behind him, some high Constitution ale with the label calling it Off Switch, and took a sip.


    ¡°With a small detour at Cleveland when an actual Angel ripped me out of my train and tried to beat me down for being a Nephilim, yeah,¡± I answered, shrugging. ¡°I was going to stick around longer so Ash could make the Heelies of the Twice Blessed with the feathers I had taken, but Kayla was already on it.¡±


    ¡°I think Sara¡¯s feather was a better call than some random Angel¡¯s, yeah,¡± the Double Agent said.


    ¡°Oh, definitely,¡± I agreed. ¡°That¡¯s not even a debate.¡±


    ¡°But then you left us,¡± Mercury said, looking out of the window as he thought it over. Even though the Angel Express was in its own special subdimension to get where it was going, we could still see the world around us, and I looked out at the Virginian countryside with him. ¡°You said the Mall of America and Sedona, right? And some other places you couldn¡¯t talk about?¡±


    ¡°And still can¡¯t talk about it until everything¡¯s done,¡± I answered. ¡°But the Mall of America was my first destination. It had a bunch of monster mannequins running around. The people of Bloomington managed to beat them back to the fortress, the mall, but they weren¡¯t strong enough to handle the final phase of the scenario. I teamed up with a Drone Aficionado who called himself the Dronemeister and ended up liberating the whole thing, turning it into a safe zone.¡±


    ¡°That sounds like a cool class,¡± the ninja said, whistling appreciatively.


    ¡°Oh yeah. If he wasn¡¯t 15 and had a curfew, I might have tried recruiting him,¡± I responded. ¡°But he was, and he did, and you four are already enough to help me save the world anyway.¡±


    ¡°Drones still would have been useful when you weren¡¯t here,¡± Jamie sighed. ¡°Do you know how much easier that Impersonator would have been if we had some long distance intelligence gathering capabilities? Mercury here practically started the whole thing by accident.¡±


    ¡°What?¡± he asked, shocked. ¡°How can you pin this on me?¡±


    Kayla clapped her hands. ¡°We¡¯ve agreed not to talk about Memphis,¡± she said sternly, giving them both a look. ¡°We¡¯re not breaking that agreement now.¡±


    ¡°Yes, ma¡¯am,¡± Jamie muttered.


    ¡°Yeah, sorry, Kayla,¡± Mercury followed.


    ¡°Wow, that fake Elvis was that bad for you?¡± I asked, arching an eyebrow. I already knew it was going to be, but I also knew that they could handle it.


    The thousand yard stare they each got was very telling, however.


    ¡°Why don¡¯t you tell us what happened next, psychic boy,¡± Kayla suggested, though her usual cadence was missing when she called me by that nickname.


    ¡°Well, the next place is classified by the Dealer¡­¡± I said, trailing off.


    The Hanford Site in Washington had been under the control of the Nuclear Army. Their administrators thought it was a good idea to make it a multi-scenario mess at the end as there were very few people around. That meant the earliest robots started making more advance ones, and then those ones started making a commander.


    Who was a 60 foot humanoid monstrosity straight out of anime. Every one of them were powered by a small nuclear reactor, which was where they got their name, and thanks to my special set of skills allowing me to dismantle the big boss, I was able to get the overheated heart of the Omega Colossus.


    The fact that it was hotter than it was supposed to wasn¡¯t necessary for our plans to dismantle the Demonic horde that had taken over Washington D.C., but the piece was necessary no matter what state it was in.


    ¡°But I did run into more Angels, including the inquisitor that I had grabbed feathers from,¡± I said, perking up with a grin. ¡°Happy to say, I am no longer labeled a heretic and blasphemer. To the Heavenly army, I am 100% a Half-Angel and not a Nephilim according to a Crusader Judge. Now I won¡¯t be attacked on sight, which is excellent no matter how you look at it.¡±


    ¡°Sounds like a worthwhile distinction,¡± Jamie said, giving me a sarcastic thumbs up.


    ¡°Surprisingly, it is,¡± I confirmed with a nod. ¡°Because now I don¡¯t have to keep killing Angels. They do pop back to Heaven when their hit points drop to zero, because of course they do, but I would start getting a bad reputation after that. There¡¯d be no coming back from that. I¡¯d be assailed every day.¡±


    ¡°So, business as usual,¡± Kayla said.


    ¡°Eh, it would be business-adjacent, wouldn¡¯t it?¡± I asked. ¡°Maybe more of an escalation since they¡¯d be seeking me out instead of the other way around.¡±


    ¡°Business as usual,¡± Jeff repeated.


    ¡°Whatever, you two,¡± I said, rolling my eyes. ¡°Anyway, that was when I went to Sedona, the other place you knew about.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s the red rock place, right?¡± Mercury asked. ¡°I did a project about deserts in my junior year of high school, so it kind of sounds familiar to me.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re remembering it right. Good job,¡± I said, and he grinned before nodding at the praise. ¡°That was my first run in with the leftovers of Aaron¡¯s Avatar, though.¡±


    ¡°Leftovers?¡± Kayla asked.


    ¡°They destroyed the safe zone and killed the Warmind that I was going to see there,¡± I answered with a shake of my head. ¡°Which, they didn¡¯t have to. I was going to see him with the proposition of removing his class with a Medallion of Uuska because he¡¯s¡­ well, he¡¯s just not compatible with it. But I showed up, he was dead, and I had to scramble a bit to replace him so I could guarantee my chance to get my cowl.¡±


    To show it off, I pulled the rosewood red cowl over my head and gestured to it. Some of my friends pretended to be impressed by it, while Jamie arched an eyebrow as if she wasn¡¯t sure it was worth all the effort.


    ¡°Completely worth it,¡± I said. ¡°I mean, I had to train up a Warmind, pass along points and gear to make sure she was good, and then we took out another overpowered scenario boss. This one was a giant rock monster from another dimension. Pretty fun. Worked with the Patron Coyote, and that was a really memorable moment. But, the aforementioned issues with Aaron¡¯s Avatar did make things take longer, and I was delayed by three extra days.¡±


    ¡°So you came right back to us, right?¡± Kayla asked. I offered her an apologetic smile, and she sighed. ¡°Of course you didn¡¯t.¡±


    ¡°I had to go fight a Godzilla rip-off, which I wasn¡¯t able to do because the other guy got there first, and my Prime Doppelganger,¡± I defended. ¡°I had a lot to do.¡±


    The Double Agent clearly had more to say, but Jeff was the first to speak. ¡°Didn¡¯t you say that was going to be disappointing?¡± he asked. ¡°The Doppelganger thing, I mean. Not fighting Godzilla could also be disappointing, though.¡±


    ¡°Yeah, but things were a little different than what I was expecting,¡± I said, crossing my arms. ¡°The Doppelganger came out as a Half-Angel, like me, and basically said he couldn¡¯t kill me because it wouldn¡¯t be something that was good for the world at large.¡±


    ¡°Oh, he was playing his alignment,¡± Mercury stated. ¡°Not lawful stupid, but close to it?¡±


    I shrugged. ¡°Good is good, and killing me is evil. He ended up taking his own life,¡± I said sadly before remembering something. ¡°Though, now that I¡¯m thinking about it, I received the quest complete screen but I didn¡¯t get a victory screen or points. It said it was still calculating. Sara? Any insight?¡±


    <<<>>>


    [[Patron Message]]


    It is out of the ordinary, but I don¡¯t have any secrets I can spill. The system is the one who does the calculations and I can¡¯t imagine it taking this long for, well¡­ anything. We¡¯ll see it eventually, I¡¯m sure.


    <<<>>>


    ¡°Nada. Well, thanks anyways,¡± I said. ¡°After that, though, I came straight here.¡±


    ¡°Straight here?¡± Kayla asked, raising a challenging eyebrow.


    ¡°Right away,¡± I confirmed. ¡°Stepped off of the train and then went right to the movie theater where you were wiping the floor with Warren.¡±


    ¡°What a bureaucrat,¡± Jamie scoffed. ¡°I can¡¯t believe they listened to him. Your way of doing things may have gotten the city destroyed, but it was better than laying down and taking whatever slop deal that chunky admiral was giving out.¡±


    ¡°Thousands of people lost their homes, but¡­¡± Kayla sighed. ¡°Yeah, I don¡¯t think things would have been any better with the Atlanteans taking over.¡±


    ¡°To be fair, the Writhing Nautilus and Guardian weren¡¯t supposed to be there,¡± I said. ¡°They were both retaliations towards me, specifically. Which is also something we¡¯re going to need to discuss soon.¡±


    ¡°I can¡¯t believe you¡¯re so hated by the administrators that they were willing to send a monster that big after you. That¡¯s just wild,¡± Mercury said. ¡°I mean, I guess you¡¯ve made it? Congrats? They want you gone, then you must be doing something right.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s one way of putting it,¡± I chuckled. He didn¡¯t even know how right he was.


    ¡°And then you pulled a goddamn space laser out of your ass,¡± Jamie said. ¡°You got any more of those?¡±


    I shook my head. ¡°That beacon was the only one I had, and there was no retrieving it once it was set so I didn¡¯t even bother trying. Honestly, I¡¯m glad it worked. That was the strongest weapon in my arsenal, so I¡¯m glad I didn¡¯t have to ask Kayla and Mercury to take over the Atlantean admiral¡¯s ship. How¡¯d that go, by the way?¡±


    ¡°The mission was successful,¡± Kayla reported. ¡°We have the Atlantean Ship Wheel, so we can plug that into the Angel Express any time you have the points for it.¡±


    ¡°What does a train need a ship wheel for?¡± Jeff asked, confused.


    ¡°So we can take it across the water, of course,¡± I answered. ¡°That¡¯s how we¡¯re going to get into Europe after an event in Dublin that¡­ I also still need to explain to people. Man, there¡¯s so much coming up.¡±


    ¡°We¡¯ll get to it when we get to it, but there¡¯s something else important first,¡± Jamie said, sounding seriously. I turned to look at her. ¡°You¡¯re going to split that loot, right? We took those things on together.¡±


    I laughed. ¡°Yes, but every time you ask about it I¡¯m going to put it off. Maybe I¡¯ll wait until after we¡¯ve met Sara.¡± The Weapon Master wrinkled her nose, but didn¡¯t say anything. I faked a dramatic sigh and pulled out the bag the Dealer gave me from my inventory. ¡°Alright. Just for you, Summers, we¡¯ll divvy up the eldritch loot.¡±


    ¡°And that¡¯s all I really want,¡± she replied, moving to sit closer to me, clearly excited about what comes next.