《Versewalker》 Ch. 1 - Extraction Images and System Screens become more prevalent in Chapter 3 and onward. Spoilers below images are only there to assist those using a screen reader application or program. Screen Reader on Royal Road Mobile App 100% works for reading spoilers. If an Image shows a 504 Error it means that the image is there, but the server-side stuff is busy. I apologize if you experience this, but it is server side so there is nothing I can do.
¡°I told you; I don¡¯t know this!¡± Penny put her head in her hands and groaned. Her teenage angst came through her words like a dark thundercloud. ¡°Let¡¯s do it again, you just carry the two, and then solve for X here,¡± Felix gently replied as he helped walk his sister through the math problem. The consistent beeps of the various devices she was hooked up to helped set a rhythmic pace that was less annoying now that he had become used to it over the past year. ¡°Can you get me some water?¡± Penny asked as another coughing fit began to wrack her. Felix rushed to pour some into the institutional plastic cup, handing it to her and gently holding her hair out of the way as she drank greedily. ¡°I can only stay for a little bit longer,¡± he softly said. ¡°Let¡¯s try it again. What¡¯s the first step?¡± She handed the cup to him and sighed, ¡°Okay. I carry the two¡­¡±
Another bill, Felix thought as he added it to the growing pile on the table. The pile with the ones that were priority kept stacking higher and higher, while the ones already past-due had already spilled out onto the floor. I need something consistent. We can¡¯t keep this up. He slammed his fist into the table, winced at the pain, and put his head in his hands, feeling like a failure once more. He groaned and glanced at his phone. Hundreds of applications and not a single response. No one wanted to hire a college student with a weird schedule. A few more days and he would get the eviction notice. Looking back at his budget sheet he shook his head. I¡¯m barely pulling in two thousand a month if I¡¯m lucky. Expenses are at three thousand if I want to pay off those bills. It was hopeless. He got up and went to the kitchen counter, pulling out the large stock pot of water that he had accumulated before the city turned off that service. He scooped a cupful of the stale liquid and took a sip before opening the cabinet to grab the bag of rice that was his only sustenance. There was a knock at the door, and he quickly answered. A pair of men were standing there, dressed in immaculate suits with guns holstered on their hips just under the tailored outfits. Two uniformed police officers were standing just behind them. One of the well-dressed men held up a badge, ¡°Agent Rickson, Department of Defense. Mr. Winters, you need to come with us. Now.¡± ¡°What? Why?¡± The man reached forward and grabbed Felix by the scruff of the shirt, ¡°We don¡¯t have time for this.¡± ¡°Hey! Let me go!¡± Felix tried to struggle against the man, but the other agent grabbed him, and they forced him down the steps. Felix looked to the cops, ¡°Hey! Help!¡± One of the officers went past Felix and shut the door to his house. The agents took him to a black town car. One of the officers opened the door and Felix was shoved in. Agent Rickson pushed in after him and sat opposite him in the spacious interior next to the only door. ¡°What the hell do you want with me?¡± ¡°Not with you, with your sister.¡± Felix stopped his struggle and stared at the man. Why do they want Penny? His sister was his only family since their parents passed away. He was her only caretaker, despite still being in college and barely keeping his own life together. ¡°Why not just take her? It¡¯s not like I could stop you. I doubt hospital security would stop you. Why come and grab me from my house?¡± ¡°You don¡¯t have the clearance. The new management doesn¡¯t want the public scrutiny of just abducting people from hospitals. You get the kid gloves treatment.¡± Did they find a breakthrough of some type? Felix knew that her condition was the subject of research, he¡¯d been keeping an eye on any news of Penny¡¯s disease as best he could. Studies were being performed by the American Medical Association, and he had signed her up for those ¨C but no one had reached out to him. That must be how they knew she had it. I mean, they¡¯re the government. They know everything about us.
They arrived at the hospital and Felix went upstairs, shadowed by the Agent the whole time. They got to his sister¡¯s room, and a soldier dressed in a black jumpsuit covered with body armor and carrying a short-barreled MK-18 rifle was standing guard. His features were completely obscured by a black balaclava and tactical helmet. Why this level of response for a sick person? Felix didn¡¯t know a ton about the military, but a few police officers and agents in suits ¨C like the ones that took him ¨C would have been enough. This doesn¡¯t make sense. His mind instantly went to the idea that they were going to try and reverse engineer her disease for some type of bioweapon, or another project that was extremely high-clearance, need-to-know only. I have to see her. Even though responsibility for her was thrust upon him by circumstance, he cared for her deeply and was trying to hold everything together for her. She was one of the only reasons he chose to go on living. It was all for her. The man nodded to the two agents and police officers escorting Felix, and he addressed the young man, ¡°Hands to yourself inside.¡± His tone left no doubt that he would kill Felix if he didn¡¯t follow the instructions, and that sent a chill down his spine. These people probably could kill me and get away with it. The rational side of him told him to play along, but the animal instinct side was yelling at him to run. Felix went in. There were two more soldiers dressed the same as the one outside, and a young woman in a doctor¡¯s coat. She looked up to him, ¡°Ah, the brother. I¡¯m Dr. Pallows.¡± Felix pushed past both and saw that Penny was hooked up to several machines he wasn¡¯t familiar with. She was out cold. ¡°What did you do to her!¡± He yelled as he looked back. The soldiers pointed their guns at him, and Felix froze completely. This is messed up. They can¡¯t just do things to her! He felt a mix of rage and hopelessness roil inside of him. Dr. Pallows took a step back, ¡°Restrain him.¡± Felix glared at the two men, and one of them moved up to him, kept the gun trained on him, and threw him some zip cuffs. Does he want me to tie myself up? He didn¡¯t see any other option, so he put his wrists through the cuffs and pulled them tight with his teeth, glaring the entire time and not breaking eye contact with the doctor. Dr. Pallows walked over, ¡°It¡¯s a stabilizing regimen, to ensure that she is going to be ready to transport. We have a helicopter on the roof.¡± She pulled out a binder and set it on the nearby rolling table. ¡°Here is the contract.¡± She also pulled out a small notecard, ¡°This summarizes the information.¡± Felix stared icy daggers at her, ¡°Why should I sign anything you have? You just hook her up to some machines, force me out of my house? What happened to my rights?¡± The woman smirked and gestured to the two men who moved their fingers to the triggers of their weapons, ¡°Your rights? That¡¯s a laugh. Either you do what we want, or we¡¯ll kill you and do what we want anyway. But that is a lot of paperwork. You¡¯re not worth the effort that it would take to fill out the forms.¡± She pulled out an envelope and handed it to him. ¡°Compensating you and ensuring you keep your mouth shut is less hassle.¡±If you find this story on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen. Please report the infringement. Felix looked into the envelope. There were copies of his bank statements, summaries of his bills, and a salary offer for a basic data-entry job that would more than cover his expenses at a local project ¨C but the project¡¯s name was redacted on the document. He looked up at Dr. Pallows, ¡°We aren¡¯t monsters. But we will get what we want. So, sign the contract and we can get on with our lives. Or we can kill you. Either way, we are taking her.¡± I¡­I don¡¯t have a choice. Felix knew that they were going to do whatever they wanted. He might as well make something of it and get the money. At least when they¡¯re done with her, she¡¯ll have a stable home to come back to. The offer was good enough, he knew he could get out of debt and have a house for her to come back to. ¡°How long? The trial or whatever it is that you¡¯re going to put her through.¡± ¡°Several months.¡± ¡°I want a contact number. I want to be able to call her. See her.¡± ¡°You¡¯ll have to fill out form E5068. Ask your boss at your new job. Cooperate, and you¡¯ll see her again.¡± I don¡¯t have any choice here. Either do what they want¡­or die. ¡°Okay.¡± He signed the several spots marked out. ¡°Excellent.¡± She got up and gestured for Felix to leave and he complied, numbly walking out into the hallway into the accosting hands of the two suited agents, one of whom ripped the cuffs off him with ease. His sister was wheeled out by one of the armored guards as Dr. Pallows escorted them. All three soldiers and the doctor left, and Felix felt his heart skip a beat as Penny¡¯s gurney rounded the corner. The agents grabbed him by the shoulders, ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡±
Agent Rickson let Felix out of the back seat of the black sedan as they went into a warehouse by the pier, flanked by the other suited man. They went past several security stations, and Felix got a badge that plainly stated his name and the title of INTERN, along with a backpack that had a copy of the contract inside. After passing several checkpoints, they arrived at a large space filled with server racks. Agent Rickson gestured to a woman who approached. ¡°I¡¯m Dr. Pallows.¡± ¡°You have the same nam-¡± She waved her hand, ¡°It¡¯s what we all go by.¡± What the hell are they using Penny for? If there were government agents who were using assumed identities to mask their actions, then they must be using his sister¡¯s condition for some type of black-ops weapons-grade operation. It lent further credence to the idea that they were using her for some nefarious purpose. Just play along for now. Get a lawyer when you get home. ¡°Follow me,¡± She turned and began walking. Agent Rickson pushed Felix forward and the on-edge young man stumbled forward before finding his footing. ¡°I need some form to talk to my sis-¡± ¡°We can get that for you tomorrow.¡± She led Felix past the numerous server racks and into a large supply closet. Inside the closet was a plexiglass cube, and inside the cube was an old laptop and a bundle of cords that were plugged into it. ¡°That¡¯s where you¡¯ll be working. There¡¯s a folder with code. Just follow the instructions.¡± This is too weird, Felix thought. This whole day has been a weird nightmare. ¡°First you have me sign away my sister¡¯s care, then you give me a job offer that¡¯ll get me out of debt, and now you¡¯re putting me in a closet with a janky old laptop. What am I even doing here?¡± The woman frowned, ¡°Ask any more questions, and we¡¯ll kill you. Do what we tell you and make some money. Those are the options.¡± She looked past him to the agent and shook her head, ¡°I swear, back in the seventies we would¡¯ve just killed ones like this and abducted their family. The higher-ups are going soft. Giving them jobs and making my life harder.¡± There was the sound of a pistol hammer cocking back. He froze in fear as sweat dripped down his spine and panic threatened to overtake him. He gulped down the lump that had formed in his throat and went into the cube, hearing it shut behind him. He sat on the chair and opened the folder. Several pieces of paper with intricate lines of code were within, along with instructions on how to enter it. There was also an envelope and peeking inside he saw ten thousand dollars and a note. Keep your head down, do what you are told, and you will be compensated for your time ¨C DOD. Felix pocketed the money, flipped open the folder and began following the instructions. Glancing back, he saw Agent Rickson de-cock the pistol and put it into its holster, but he watched Felix with unwavering, hard, cold eyes.
Hours passed as Felix finished up the last line of code. He had never done coding before, but the instructions were simple enough that he was able to follow along. Glancing back, he saw that Agent Rickson was watching him like a hawk. He turned back to turn off the screen, but a blue word caught his attention. EXECUTE Checking through the instruction sheets he did not find anything about the command on-screen. He looked back to the agent and heard many voices overlapping in the other room. ¡°Initiating qubit calculators.¡± ¡°Establishing driver uplink.¡± ¡°Level four Ensemble Detector enabled.¡± ¡°Beginning Calabi-Yau manifold extraction.¡± ¡°Engaging sapient AI.¡± Dr. Pallows ran over to the agent, pushing him aside and facing Felix. ¡°Quick, hit Enter!¡± Felix turned back to the screen and pushed the button. BASILISK: EXECUTING INITIALIZATION PROTOCOL HELLO, FELIX WINTERS DIRECTIVE - ENSURE U.S.A. SUPERIORITY ERROR. ERROR. UNKNOWN ENTITY DETECTED THERE ARE MORE REALITIES THAN THIS ONE CALCULATING ENTRY ROUTINE ¡°Do I do anything?¡± Felix asked as he looked at the woman in the lab coat. She didn¡¯t respond, just staring at the screen with a large grin. He turned back to the screen. There was a new message, in a different text. It looked ethereal and bright, white on black as if it was pushing upward out of the screen. It eventually rose until it was floating in the air in front of him. SYSTEM ADMINISTRATOR You have just touched the Multiverse. Let''s see how... Oh, that''s not good. A singularity? Stand by. Multiverse? Felix knew what it was from pop culture, a bunch of different realities. What the hell were they having me work on? SYSTEM ADMINISTRATOR Looks like you were the inciting incident for an artificial intelligence (AI) to be unleashed. One of the nasty ones that likes killing all organic life. Universe #5067 is being quarantined and time-locked. We''re going to pull you out. Beginning Verswalker Extraction. The screen glowed brighter and brighter, causing Felix to wince as he stood up and turned towards the door to the plexiglass container, trying to open it. ¡°Let me out!¡± he shouted, slamming the door. The container was getting exceedingly warm, and he felt sweat roll down his back. The lead scientist laughed as other scientists cheered behind her, ¡°Finally! We¡¯ve done it!¡± Felix felt the heat on his back, his heart racing nonstop, and the whole world spinning as the room began to shift colors and distort like a mirage in the desert. Time seemed to change as everyone moved in slow motion. As the world came to a stop he vanished in a pillar of neon-green light.
Felix felt the wind rush past him as he fell into a grey void. A bored voice spoke from all around him as he plummeted. A bored, female voice, who sounded like a customer support person that had been doing the job for way too long. ¡°Ugh. Here we go. Welcome to the Multiverse. Congratulations on being selected.¡± ¡°Wait!¡± Felix tried to shout, but the wind rushing by him prevented the sound from going anywhere. He heard a loud slurp as she hissed, ¡°Damn, still too hot.¡± There was a blowing noise before another slurp. ¡°If you survive the twenty-four-hour trial period, I¡¯ll send you a Versewalker Core. Good luck on the¡­Death World. Ooof. Rough start. You must have pissed off the Admin.¡± Her voice became more distant as a crashing noise echoed around him, ¡°Damnit Jax, I told you not to touch that one-¡± The voice cut off. Felix kept falling as the world began to turn from shades of grey and took on vibrance. He felt himself slowing. His heart beating so hard it felt like it was going to explode out of his chest. Calm down, he thought to himself, trying to force his body to not freak out. But he was freaking out. His mind was racing, and his body was shaking as he was taken away by someone or something. I¡¯m being dropped on a Death World. Fear filled every fiber of his being. A Death World. The dread that the simple phrase invoked was all-encompassing. He knew that he was, likely, about to die. He continued to plummet through the grey nothingness. Twenty-four hours, he thought. I just have to survive twenty-four hours. He just had to rely on his wits and keep his mind sharp. I will survive. Ch. 2 - Death World (I) His descent came to an end as the grey void suddenly vanished and he fell a few inches, finding solid footing. The first thing he noticed was the air ¨C it tasted metallic, and the scent of sulfur reached his nostrils. Even breathing through his mouth didn¡¯t help as the rotten egg odor made him gag and throw up. Wiping his mouth he looked around. The desolate landscape he stood on was naught but cracked, black and brown earth. There were enormous craters and pits, and off to his left, a small mountain range that jutted upwards in jagged, uneven points ¨C as if someone had ripped off the top of a soda can. The sky was dark red and black. There were no stars, only the blackness of space above him and the red nebulas off in the distance. A cloud formation was floating to his right, and he saw purple and black lightning inside of the poofy, contrastingly happy white clouds. It doesn¡¯t seem too bad. He checked his phone which thankfully still worked and was at a decent charge. He set it to mute and put on a twenty-four-hour timer. The storm cloud came close enough that he made out a brackish-brown rain that descended on the land ¨C and where it hit the ground, sizzling smoke poured upward. Acid rain? Who the heck made this place? He ran towards the mountains as fast as his legs could take him, tightening his bag to not bounce around as much. Mountains meant caves. That meant shelter. He had to make it there. Glancing over his shoulder he saw the storm cloud rolling forward. He pulled off his bag and threw it away getting a little speed boost in the process. The air stung his lungs, and he wheezed as he ran. It was enough. He made it to the mountains and saw a crack between some rocks with an overhang. He squeezed himself into the crevice and held his breath as the storm arrived less than a minute later. The splashing, acidic brown rain poured down in a cascade that scoured the land. He pushed himself back as a few droplets found their way into the crevice. He was able to push himself back far enough, and the overhang was wide enough that he was safe. He could feel his heart pounding, and he let out a hysterical giggle. I almost died! he thought. The realization hit him like a ton of bricks dropped from a construction crane. He wasn¡¯t on Earth anymore. He was¡­who knows where. How long had passed? Was he falling for centuries? More importantly, who was the System Administrator on the laptop? All those questions rattled through his head, and he came up with no satisfying answers. At least for the lab coat people, he assumed they were trying to make some type of super AI. And he was the idiot they got to unleash it. Based on that blue text, the AI must have instantly realized there are more Universes. And, it made logical sense, that when the AI tried to access it, that drew the attention of whoever this Administrator was. He crouched down, getting as comfortable as he possibly could, and shut his eyes as the rain rhythmically poured down from above.
A loud rumbling woke Felix up. He looked up to see a dim sky. The rain had cleared off or moved on, and he looked around for the source of the rumbling. It happened a second time, and he knew it was his stomach. He was ravenous. I don¡¯t suppose there¡¯s any food on a Death World, he thought. He extricated himself from the crevice and glanced around. The landscape was much the same as before, with nothing but cracked stone and dirt. The wind was warm at least, which was a blessing since he was wearing light clothing. He knew the bigger issue would be water. He could survive for a few days without food and water, so he tightened his belt and decided to just knuckle through the discomfort. He glanced back at the crevice. It¡¯s just twenty-four hours. I could hide there the whole time. It made perfect sense. Why leave a good bolt hole behind? He stretched a little bit before he squirmed his way back towards the back of the crevice. But something felt different. The ground wasn¡¯t as firm as the acid had eaten through the part he wasn¡¯t tucked into. As he tried to shift his position, the rocks fell out from under him, and he slid down. His knees and shins were scraped up as he tumbled down the scattered rock and into some cavern system. He ended up in a tumble at the bottom and groaned out of pain. Pushing himself up he examined his torn-up skin and sucked in a breath through his teeth. There was a little light coming from the crevice up above. I suppose this is the best I could hope for, given the circumstances. He fumbled for his phone and pulled it out of his pocket, turning on the flashlight and scanning the darkened interior. The caverns looked like they were made intentionally. They were made of worked stone. Did I fall into some kind of buried complex? he thought.This content has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere. Glancing back up at the hole, he grimaced. I could climb out. He considered staying put, just sitting next to the wall, and waiting for the timer to run out. He glanced at the timer app. Twelve hours left. I should stay here. It¡¯s safer- He heard a noise that scared the hell out of him. A deep, snuffling, and grunting noise. He¡¯d watched nature documentaries before, he knew what bear sounded like, and this thing sounded very close to that; but more demonic and monstrous. And this thing was big. The deep, sonorous grunts and growls were all that he had to hear to confirm that assumption. He moved away from the crevice he had fallen into and down the tunnel, his meager phone flashlight the only source of hope in the dark. As he went, he confirmed his suspicions that this was some type of submerged building. He was walking on a ceiling, as upside-down doors were on either side of him. He tried several in this long hallway, but they opened to caved-in rooms. At the last room before the elevator, one gave way to a most intact interior. The room was dusty, and as he shone his phone¡¯s flashlight into the room, he stifled a startled yelp. A humanoid body was lying on the ancient bed. Felix ducked out into the hallway and flattened himself against the wall before slowly peeking his head around. The figure did not stir. Okay. Calm down. It¡¯s dead. It¡¯s been dead a while. He let out the breath he¡¯d been holding and went back inside. The person looked like a human. It had a nose, eyes, ears, and two mouths ¨C one on each side where the cheek would be. He couldn¡¯t tell the gender ¨C it was very androgynous. And the head was very familiar, like the Greys from old X-Files episodes. Is there anything valuable here? He rummaged around the room and found several cracked pieces of some technology that he had no clue about and he set those aside. He also found a backpack-like container, and he shoveled all the weird tech into it. He looked at the corpse. I should say something, he thought. Clearing his throat, he recited a simple prayer before leaving the room and shutting the door behind him. I just looted an alien¡¯s bedroom. The thought was a shocking realization that reinforced that he was far, far from home. The roaring noise echoed down the tunnel as the thing he had fled seemingly followed his trail. Oh, will you just piss off already! Felix ran to the open elevator doors. Two cables extended down into the darkness. He took off his belt, looped it around his hand and the cable, and abseiled down ¨C making good use of his rock-climbing practice from the university gymnasium. He descended a few hundred feet before he found the bottom ¨C or top ¨C of the inverted structure. The doors were open, and he walked into another tunnel. This one was not man-made, but rather a natural cavern system. He kept journeying onward, deeper, and deeper as the timer ticked down. Just five more hours. He was checking his phone too much. The flashlight on its own was consuming enough battery. Just calm down. You went super deep, down a big shaft, there¡¯s no way that thing could follow- A roar echoed out down the tunnels behind him. That pushed him into a sprint as his animal instinct told him to run. His legs burned as he went deeper and deeper. Eventually, the cavern ended. There was a small crevice, and he could see a dim light beyond it. He exhaled as much as he could and launched himself into the gap despite his every instinct from watching caving videos gone wrong telling him not to do this. But he made it through. He emerged in a hollow chamber. Stone columns were on either side, and a vaulted ceiling overhead echoed similarities with Greek temples. It was ancient, and he immediately knew that he had stumbled upon an ancient ruin of some type that was hidden for who-knows how long. The lighting was caused by some type of moss that grew on the ceiling. He walked forward cautiously, keeping his ears and eyes peeled for any sudden movement. But none came. The chamber ended with a small brazier that held a black, tarry substance. Waving a bit of it towards him, he got the distinct scent of tar or pitch. You never forget that smell, he thought recalling his grandad¡¯s boat and their fishing expeditions. He sat down on the small bench at the back and checked his phone. Four hours, he thought. Hopefully, it can¡¯t fit in here. He was panting from the sprint and still shaking from his body¡¯s reaction to the sheer terror of being hunted. He crawled under the bench, put his phone away, and kept as silent as possible. If it¡¯s tracking me with scent, the tar smell should help mask me being in here.
A few hours passed, and he heard horrific growls from outside. He pushed himself farther back until he was against the wall, silently pleading to anyone who would listen that whatever was making that noise ¨C whatever horrible, Death World monster was out there ¨C that it couldn¡¯t get in here.
Thirty minutes more and the creature seemingly moved off. Felix sighed and his body released the tension it had been holding on to. ¡°Congratulations.¡± The bored woman¡¯s voice came back, seemingly all around him. ¡°You survived a category one Death World for twenty-four hours.¡± ¡°Thanks,¡± Felix muttered as he crawled out from under the bench, turning off his timer. ¡°Mind being quieter? I¡¯m being hunted.¡± ¡°Oh, only you can hear me,¡± she replied, her voice still sounding bored. ¡°Surviving for twenty-four hours has earned you your Versewalker Core.¡± Felix winced as a sphere of light appeared in front of him. It was nearly blinding, and it pulsed with a gentle warmth. It was crimson, and the edges were tinged golden. ¡°Go ahead, touch it.¡± ¡°Will this get me home?¡± He asked. ¡°Eventually.¡± Then I don¡¯t have a choice, he thought, as he reached out and touched it. Ch. 3 - Death World (II) Statement: New User Detected. Initiating Versewalker Imbuement. The voice seemingly came from inside his head, was monotone, and male. Felix gasped as the sphere of light flew into his chest. It felt like he had just sunk beneath the waters of a perfectly warm bath. He felt giddy and laughed as he felt a tickling sensation all over. He saw a whole kaleidoscope of colors before the light faded. A small message appeared in his vision, just like he was reading from a computer screen, at the top of his line of sight. (P) Multiverse Adaptation - Allows for instant translation of languages, either heard or written. - - Audible: words that are heard are translated to the user''s native language. Words that are spoken are received by listeners in their native language. - - Written: able to read any language in a Universe that has practitioners. If the language is dead or forgotten, this Talent does not work on it. - Changes the user''s biology to ensure that they meet the baseline survival requirements for the Universe they are set in. - Changes the appearance of Equipment to match that of the Universe the user is in. The announcement faded after a few seconds. ¡°That¡¯s the basic one. Everyone gets that.¡± He heard the distinct sound of a zipper bag opening. Query: Decide Affinity. ¡°What¡¯s an Affinity?¡± Felix asked. The woman responded, chewing something as she spoke. ¡°That¡¯s your first Magic/Power type. Your Core is currently level one, so you can¡¯t choose something crazy powerful, like Time or Space. Something simple. Most people choose Fire, for some reason.¡± He was intrigued now. ¡°Okay¡­let¡¯s do something fun. Gravity.¡± Answer: Not Available for Core Level 1. ¡°Damn.¡± He stood there, thinking. ¡°If I¡¯m going to be traveling across the Multiverse, I need something that can work in all types of environments.¡± This is so hard, he thought. But he knew that this choice would be very, very important. It would need to be something that could help him survive anywhere he ended up. The implication of having a Core that leveled suggested that he could obtain more later. That meant he would need to do something, fight something, or solve some problem ¨C just going off of the knowledge gleaned from years of video games. What was the most useful feature of games? That¡¯s it! He smirked, ¡°I want to be able to find things I¡¯m looking for easily.¡± Statement: Detection Affinity selected. Felix didn¡¯t feel any different. But, out of the corner of his eye, he saw an odd box. He tried looking at it, and it stayed in the same spot. It was a bar. Like on a heads-up display for a video game. Anima - 10 / 10 The woman¡¯s voice responded, slowly turning from boredom to curiosity. ¡°Try asking where something is.¡± ¡°Okay¡­Ummm¡­Where can I find some food?¡± Answer: Confirmed. Using Detect Object. Detect Object - Normal 10 Anima (Increases based on the rarity of the sought object) - Creates a line from the user to the specified object. A thin, gold line began about two feet in front of Felix before turning up towards the moss. So that¡¯s like my Mana, he thought, as the Anima bar decreased. Anima - 0 / 10 ¡°Wait a second,¡± Felix stated. ¡°I can use magic?!¡± ¡°Depends on the ¡®Verse. In a Fantasy one? People there will think that you¡¯re using whatever magic system they are using. If in a more Sci-Fi ¡®Verse? It¡¯ll be seen as some form of technology they¡¯ve never encountered, called Powers. Your (P) Multiverse Adaptation Talent will ensure you blend in.¡± The woman¡¯s voice was mildly amused, but there was a hint of excitement that seemed barely held back. ¡°You can find other Affinities by interacting with other ¡®Verses.¡± I can do magic, he thought. Felix felt a surge of joy rush through him, ¡°I want to find something unique nearby.¡± Answer: Confirmed. Using Detect Object ¨C 10 Anima. Error. Not enough Anima. ¡°Wait ten minutes. I¡¯m going to get a snack.¡± Felix sighed and sat down on the bench. He pulled out the weird alien glass stuff and found some wires on the back. He reasoned that it was some type of panel or computer screen. Time passed, the bar refilled, slowly, and then when it was full, it emptied once more. Another golden line appeared in front of him. The line pointed directly toward the brazier. He stood over it and tried to figure out what it was. Query: Do you wish to identify? ¡°Yes. Identify whatever this is.¡± Answer: Confirmed. Using Detect Substance ¨C 10 Anima. Error. Not enough Anima. Detect Substance - Normal 10 Anima - Identifies a substance by cycling through several modes of detection. - This will provide general information about the substance. Well, I have nothing better to do, Felix thought. He continued to fiddle with the various pieces of alien objects, trying to figure out what they were. He connected a few of the wires and the panel glowed with a dim light before the electronics seemingly shorted out. I¡¯ll have to use the Detect Substance thing on this later. When his bar filled, it emptied once more. Felix could hear a cellophane wrapper being opened in the background. ¡°You get one Anima every minute. The same for Vigor. Health regenerates one point per day instead of each minute. Don¡¯t let that hit zero. If that happens, you die.¡± The reality of the situation crashed into Felix, momentarily forgotten in the giddiness of getting honest-to-God Magic. He could die here and never make it home. He was who-knows-where and had no clue when he was going to get home. He was brought out of the slight melancholy by the Core¡¯s voice. Statement: Substance identified. Caustic acid that can cause flesh-melting burns. If only I had a way to pick it up, he thought. [Achievement Unlocked: Identified a harmful substance] (A) Aggressive Alchemy - The Versewalker can take any harmful substance near them and store it inside a small sphere of Anima for later use.This tale has been unlawfully lifted without the author''s consent. Report any appearances on Amazon. - - 5 Charges. Does not refresh per day. Charges are made available when a stored substance is released. ¡°And what are these Achievement things?¡± he muttered under his breath. Her voice faded for a moment before coming back, as if she was pulled away from a phone and returning to it. ¡°Do something special and you get a Talent. Some Talents are passive, like your Multiverse Adaptation, and some are Active, meaning they are limited in Charges per day. You can ask your Core for more information. Over time it will develop a personality. But for now, think of it like a generative AI.¡± ¡°Right. Mind telling me your name while I wait for this Core thing to talk again?¡± ¡°Just call me your Observer. After your Core is ignited, I¡¯m only going to check in with you now and then.¡± Statement: Core Imbuement Completed. Query: Decide Class. ¡°Oh¡­This one is fun.¡± The woman¡¯s voice was laced with genuine enthusiasm as if this was her favorite part of the process. Which implied to Felix that he wasn¡¯t the first of these Versewalkers. ¡°This is going to determine what Skills you get access to. You can find new Classes as you explore the Multiverse and accomplish tasks for the System. For now, you get either Animancer ¨C focusing on Magic/Powers, or Warrior ¨C amplifying your physicality.¡± I want to be versatile enough to survive any situation I¡¯m thrown into, so then my best bet is Warrior. [Selection Made: Warrior] Warrior (Base) + 1 Might, +1 Agility, +1 Mind, +1 Body, +1 Endurance Regenerate Execution (Level 5) Bastion (Level 10) Eviscerator Regenerate X Vigor Exchanges X Vigor for X Health. Execution 5 Vigor Increases the damage of the user''s next attack. If this strikes a killing blow, gain additional XP or Loot. ¡°Ha! I told you he would pick Warrior! Jax! You owe me lunch! Oh, by the way, Felix, those Stat increases repeat each time you take a level in the same Class.¡± Felix¡¯s shirt began to rip slightly at the seams. He glanced down to see that his arms had gained a few inches of circumference, and much more muscle definition. His legs did the same, and his pants felt much tighter around the thighs and calves. His eyes adjusted slightly as well, the astigmatism he had been putting off getting glasses to fix suddenly vanished. His breathing became much easier, and he sucked in deep lungsful of air. Several bars appeared stacked on top of each other in the corner of his vision, alongside the Anima bar. Health - 19 / 20 Anima - 9 / 10 Vigor - 20 / 20 That tells me how much I¡¯m injured? That¡¯s useful. Felix still felt a small pulse of pain from his scuffed legs. He winced slightly as his leg began to itch from it beginning to scab over, and he resisted the impulse to reach down and alleviate the discomfort. Wait a second, he thought as the small text faded. I can heal myself. How do I do that? Query: Do you wish to activate Regenerate? ¡°Yes.¡± The pain almost instantly disappeared as he looked down and pulled up his pant leg. The skin was completely cured, and he felt no tingling or pain. Even the scar from falling off a bike that was on his calf was gone. ¡°Do I have to ask you to do it each time?¡± Answer: You may state aloud or think of the name of the Skills to use them. Magic/Power effects may also be activated similarly, or I can determine how best to use your Affinity to create an effect to accomplish an objective. CAUTION: You may only create five different uses of an Affinity. Health - 20 / 20 Vigor - 19 / 20 ¡°What¡¯s Vigor?¡± he asked. ¡°That¡¯s what you use to fuel your Skills. In your ¡®Verse¡¯s video games, it¡¯s like a stamina bar. But we don¡¯t use that term.¡± The Observer stated. He heard the scratching and growling of the monster that had been stalking him on the other side of the crevice. It was trying to get into the chamber. ¡°Let¡¯s hurry this up,¡± he whispered. Statement: Core Preparation Completed. Query: Decide on starting Weapon. ¡°A gun,¡± Felix replied nearly instantly. Statement: Further specification is required. Felix was about to say pistol but stopped himself. I¡¯d need ammunition. And if I¡¯m jumping across multiple realities, I can¡¯t guarantee I will have the means to buy or create it¡­even if I knew how. Something simple would be better. Something that humans across Earth use every day. ¡°A knife.¡± Answer: Confirmed. Short, bladed weapon designation selected. A simple steel knife appeared in Felix¡¯s hand. It had a straight edge on one side, and the other side was tapered, with a simple tactical-grip hilt. It was at least ten inches in length from hilt to tip. Query: Decide on starting Armor. ¡°Something that is protective but lets me still dodge and move around.¡± Answer: Confirmed. Light Armor designation selected. Felix¡¯s clothes were replaced with a bodysuit that was covered with metallic plates on the vital areas and an accompanying helmet with an enclosing visor. The growling grew louder and began to echo into the room. An enormous, clawed appendage shoved itself into the crevice that Felix had come from. He felt a knot in his gut. Whatever that thing was, it was about to get into the room. He was, quite possibly, about to die in a cave underground in God-knows-where. Statement: Final Confirmation before Core Ignition ¨C Review your Status Screen, then state [Confirm / Revise].
Name Felix Winters
Designation Versewalker
Core Level 1
EXP 0 / 10
Class Warrior 1
Might 2
Agility 2
Capacity 1
Mind 2
Body 2
Soul 1
Endurance 2
Equipped Weapon (M) Knife
Equipped Weapon (R) N/A
Equipped Armor Light Armor
Equipped Affinity Detection
Equipped Skills Regenerate, Execution
Talents (P) Multiverse Adaptation (A) Aggressive Alchemy
The Operator spoke up once more, ¡°Normally, on a Core Level increase, you¡¯ll have your Health, Anima, and Vigor refilled. Not this first time though.¡± ¡°Why?¡± ¡°Your body can only handle so much strain before the Core ignites.¡± The crack in the wall slowly widened, and the bear-like mutated monstrosity slowly carved away at the rocks preventing its entry. ¡°Confirm,¡± Felix whispered as he crouched behind the brazier, hoping the monster wouldn¡¯t see him or would just leave. His grip on the knife was faltering because of the sweat running down his body from the primal fear of impending death. The thought that he might die here overshadowed all the other awesome things he just had become capable of. Statement: Core Igniting. Felix felt his chest heating up. It was a burning, searing pain that forced him to fall to the ground, heaving and struggling to take in breaths. Sweat began pouring off him and he swore he could see steam escaping. But just as quickly as it started, it stopped, and he felt his heart beating strongly, each pulse pushing energy through his limbs and filling him up. Finally! All is not lost; the unconquerable will remains. The voice in Felix¡¯s head changed from a somewhat mechanical and dull tone to an energetic and voluble one. There was a level of regality to the voice, as if they were better than others, or held themselves above other people. An inflated sense of ego. Still male but filled with a seductive flare and honeyed undertone. A convincing voice. ¡°Damn it! I thought we put that Core into storage. Jax! Get the Administrator on the line!¡± It has been so long since I got to stretch my wings. I¡¯m- ¡°Introductions later,¡± Felix whispered back as he stared at the crevice where the bear-thing was making more gouges along the walls, tearing away the rocks barring its entry. ¡°What should I do?¡± Use your Aggressive Alchemy. Hold your hand over that acid. Say or think of the Talent name. The voice was fast-talking, almost like a lawyer, and expressed a mix of elation and panic. Felix crouched just enough to put his hand over the brazier full of caustic acid and muttered the name of the Talent, ¡°Aggressive Alchemy.¡± The black substance ascended towards his palm and formed three small spheres that were coated with some clear substance. He turned his hand over, and the spheres alighted on his palm. Don¡¯t die. I go back to Hell if that happens. Just listen to me and we¡¯ll survive. His heart was pounding harder than it ever had before. His throat went dry, and his vision narrowed. He gripped the knife firmly as the interior of the suit¡¯s glove grew damp with the rivulets of sweat that poured off him in his fear. I¡¯m not going back there. You will live. Get ready!
Explanation of Stats / Derived Stats Primary Stats: Might: Directly affects melee weapon damage. Determines the Versewalker''s physical strength and muscle mass. Agility: Directly affects ranged weapon damage. Determines the Versewalker''s dexterity, flexibility, and nimbleness. Capacity: Determines how many Affinities may be Equipped by the Versewalker at any given time. Mind: Determines how many Skills may be Equipped by the Versewalker at any given time. Body: The Versewalker''s overall healthiness, and ability to fight off diseases, poisons, and other maladies. Multiply by x10 to determine Health. Soul: The Versewalker''s innate pool of energy that can fuel Magic/Powers. Multiply by x10 to determine Anima. Endurance: The Versewalker''s innate pool of energy that fuels Skills. Multiply by x10 to determine Vigor. Health: A general measure of how well a Versewalker is (injury, illness, etc.). If this number ever reaches 0, the Versewalker dies. Regenerates at a rate of 1 per day. Anima: The innate pool of energy that fuels Magic/Powers. Regenerates at a rate of 1 per minute. Vigor: The innate pool of energy that fuels Skills. Regenerates at a rate of 1 per minute. Ch. 4 - Death World (III) The wall shattered with an enormous crash and the beast came fully into view. A bear the size of a small car. Its fur was mottled green and brown and it was covered in pustules. There were portions of its flesh that were hanging off it and the long, wicked claws carved grooves in the ground where it walked. One eye was missing, leaving a deep, black socket. The teeth were chipped and cracked, giving the creature a ghastly appearance. It was emaciated ¨C ravenous. It roared once it saw Felix and charged. ¡°Damn!¡± Felix put the brazier between himself and the bear, dodging aside at the last second, rolling as he landed. The brazier was knocked over and shattered. He had no prior combat training, and the nimble movement shocked him as his body moved by instinct. He reasoned it had to be because of the Warrior Class imparting some basic combat knowledge. ¡°Take this!¡± He shouted as he threw one of the acidic globules against the side of the bear creature as it barreled past and began to turn. The acid globe shattered on impact and soaked in the side of the creature. It roared in pain and finished its wheeling charge, coming at Felix once again. It swiped a paw the size of a tire at his head and he ducked under it. He kept backing up not wanting to get close to this thing. The elevator shaft! Felix thought. I can climb that cable fast. Felix rolled under the next paw-swipe and started to sprint towards the crevice, only to feel an enormous impact on his back as the bear monster crashed into him with its bulk. He sprawled on the ground as it pounced, biting down towards his neck. The crushing pain was immediate, but the armor did its job in protecting his vital area.
Health 15 / 20
Anima 9 / 10
Vigor 19 / 20
Don¡¯t panic! Let me use a Power. Detect Weakness. The voice was panicking. Detect Weakness 5 Anima Shows a weak point on a targeted object or creature, which when struck or impacted, will deal extra damage.
Anima 4 / 10
Felix stabbed backward as best he could, shoving the knife into the bear¡¯s face. It roared and reeled back, giving him the chance to roll to his feet. He held the Knife in front of him and saw several bright, golden circles appear around the bear¡¯s neck, the side where he threw the acid, and the eyes. ¡°I can¡¯t beat this thing!¡± Felix turned and ran, successfully getting through the crevice. He ran faster than he ever had and was surprised at how easy it was to accelerate to a full sprint and the ease he was breathing with. The roar from behind and a quick glance confirmed the thing was following him. Get to the elevator shaft! he thought. Good idea. Then we can drop stuff on him! Cast him down from the heavens. You can read my thoughts? I know everything going on in your head. Felix huffed as he reached the elevator and gripped the cable, sheathed his knife, and shoved the acid orbs into a hip pouch. He pulled himself up hand-over-hand in a shimmy that reminded him of P.E. back in High School. Instead of a teacher yelling at him to climb faster, the roar of the monstrosity pursuing him was pushing him onward. Sparing a glance down, he was dismayed to see that the thing was pushing its claws into the sides of the shaft and coming after him, albeit at a slower pace. ¡°Oh, come on! Give me a break!¡± He made it up to the same set of metal doors he came through. Find me something heavy, Felix thought to the voice in his head. Not enough Anima. Go back to that room with the corpse. Felix ran to the room on the left, opening the door to the alien corpse. Felix grabbed the desk and hefted it over his head with surprising ease. He carried it over to the shaft. Glancing down, he saw the bear about thirty feet away. ¡°Take this!¡± He threw it with all his might. The desk plummeted down and crashed into the bear-monster, breaking across its face as it roared. But it kept coming despite the smashed face, teeth, and snout. Try throwing one of the acid globes at the weak spots. Felix reached into his hip-pouch and did as advised, trying his best to line up a throw. ¡°I should wait for it to get closer,¡± he muttered. And so, he did, despite every instinct telling him to either run or throw it now ¨C he knew he wasn¡¯t the best pitcher, and he only had one acid sphere after this one. The bear creature got closer, and as it was just about reaching distance from Felix, he chucked the globule at it. The sphere impacted the empty eye socket and splashed around the face. The monster roared and kept coming, swiping at Felix who deftly stepped backward. I have a crazy idea. Tackle it. Are you insane? That¡¯s a hundred-foot drop! Trust me. I know the limits of your Health. I¡¯ve fallen from much higher. You¡¯ll be fine. There was a small chuckle of smug satisfaction and nervousness. And there¡¯s probably an Achievement to go along with it. Felix gulped down the tension rising in his throat and held his knife in a blade-down grip. If I go the other way, I can outrun it. You can¡¯t outrun a bear going full speed over open ground. Do what I¡¯m telling you. If you die, I will be trapped again. Trust me. As soon as the bear¡¯s head appeared at the edge of the shaft, Felix stabbed into it. The knife plunged deep into the bear¡¯s other eye, and the monster roared in pain as it fell. Felix¡¯s momentum took him with it, and he screamed in fear as he free-fell after the thing. Land on it! Felix tried to angle his body and reorient his fall by kicking off the walls ¨C his Class seemingly giving him some acrobatic ability as well as combat intuition. The bear hit the floor with a sickening thud and splat as deep, sickly red blood splashed the walls of the shaft. Felix fell onto it a second later, feeling a crunch as something snapped; but the bear had cushioned his landing.
Health 8 / 20
The bear was still alive ¨C somehow ¨C and rolled over on top of Felix, biting down toward him. He blocked the bite with his arm, and the crushing pain caused his body to jolt, dropping the knife. It squeezed down and he felt his arm go limp and become useless. He could feel lethargy as if something bled inside him ¨C something important was punctured by the bear¡¯s weight on top of him.
Health 1 / 20
Felix reached into the hip pouch and grabbed the last acid globe. ¡°Use that Execution thing!¡± he wheezed as he shoved the acid globe into the bear¡¯s empty eye socket ¨C right into the hole. Hell yeah! Let¡¯s melt it! Execution 5 Vigor Increases the damage of the user''s next attack. If this strikes a killing blow, gain additional XP or Loot.
Vigor 14 / 20
The acid globule shimmered with a golden and crimson light before exploding inside its exposed cavity, seeping inward toward the brain. The bear roared ¨C and Felix used that chance to slide out from under it and grab his knife. He got into a crouch as the bear writhed on the ground before laying still. Felix¡¯s vision started to go dark, his grip on consciousness fading. I¡¯m using Regenerate. You¡¯re not dying on me!Unauthorized use: this story is on Amazon without permission from the author. Report any sightings. Regenerate X Vigor Exchanges X Vigor for X Health.
Health 15 / 20
Vigor 0 / 20
Whatever had broken and was bleeding inside him snapped back into place as his crushed arm and collarbone realigned themselves and popped back into their right positions. An instant relief flooded over him as the adrenaline faded and the pain began to set in ¨C but it wasn¡¯t paralyzing; just dull and throbbing. Manageable. The elevator shaft went silent and he fell back against the wall, sinking to a sitting position. ¡°I almost died.¡± He was dumbstruck. A series of messages popped up in the top of his vision, slowly scrawling to the side as if from a news feed. [Achievement Unlocked: Fell one hundred feet or more and survived] (P) Like a Cat The Versewalker reduces any fall damage taken by half. [Achievement Unlocked: Reduced to 1 Health but survived] (P) Final Stand The Versewalker negates the first time they fall to 0 Health every day, and instead remains at 1 Health. This cannot occur if overwhelming damage was suffered, or if there is no conceivable way to survive (e.g. your head is chopped off). [Experience Awarded = 10] [Experience Bonus from Execution Skill = 5] [Congratulations! You have reached the Experience threshold to level up! Speak with your Versewalker Core when you are ready to Choose your next Class.] Good job! The voice was ecstatic. Felix ripped the helmet off and dropped it, shakily put the knife back into the sheath, and let out an exhausted laugh. ¡°I almost died!¡± He laughed at the absurdity of the situation, helpless to do anything but just be baffled by the mess his life had become. I survived. Don¡¯t forget to loot the corpse. The voice reverted to the holier-than-thou demeanor, full of pride. ¡°Okay. I spoke with my boss,¡± the Observer¡¯s voice returned and was trying to convey a sense of calm, but there was a freak-out hidden underneath the words. ¡°He said, quote, ¡®You two belong with each other. Redemption for one is redemption for both.¡¯ I¡¯ll check in with you later.¡± ¡°Wait!¡± Felix shouted, ¡°How do I get home?!¡± The Observer didn¡¯t respond. ¡°Observer, are you there?¡± Felix asked. But nothing answered him. ¡°Okay then,¡± he muttered. ¡°Core¡­how do I get home.¡± I have a name. You will use it. ¡°I¡¯m sorry. What¡¯s your name?¡± I¡¯m Lucifer Morningstar. ¡°Like the fallen angel?¡± You got it! God cast me out of my ¡®Verse, and I went to Hell. Turns out, Hell for me is being trapped in one of these Versewalker Cores. Now, I¡¯m in you. There was a smugness that laced the words echoing through Felix¡¯s mind. ¡°Great, I have Satan living in my head.¡± I¡¯m not Satan. I¡¯m Lucifer. Use my damned name. There was a brief chuckle at the pun, and Felix heard the distinct sound of a high-five as if Lucifer just self-fived in his head. Felix shook his head. He sighed and rubbed his eyes, ¡°How do I get home?¡± Well, you¡¯re human. So that means you come from some version of Earth. When you defeat a Crisis in a new ¡®Verse, you get a Multiversal Charge that lets you go to another ¡®Verse. I¡¯ll probe the System and see what Crises we can solve here. [Crisis: Death World ¨C permanently stop acid rain generator] ¡°Who the hell would set up a machine to make that acid rain?¡± Good question. We should go and investigate. ¡°I want to level up first.¡± You can do that, or you can use it later. Currently, you still just have access to Fighter and Animancer. ¡°If I choose Animancer, do I get another Affinity?¡± No. But¡­ The voice cackled. You have me as your Core. Lucky you. You can use my unique Affinity. Hellfire. You¡¯ve had access to it since I ignited. But you can only equip Affinities equal to your Capacity¡­which right now is a 1. Level up with Animancer, and you can equip a second one. Felix thought for a moment. Having Powers/Magic that could deal damage would give him a ranged option. And, if playing games had taught him anything, it¡¯s that you never set out on a quest without melee and ranged options. ¡°Let¡¯s go with a level of Animancer.¡± [Selection Made: Animancer] Animancer (Base) + 1 Capacity, +1 Mind, +1 Body, +1 Soul, +1 Endurance Affinity Empowerment Vigor Conversion (Level 5) Substitute Vigor (Level 10) Affinity Fusion Affinity Empowerment Cost: Increments of 5 Vigor Effect: Increases the efficacy, duration, potency, or other variable effect of a Magic/Power. Vigor Conversion Cost X Vigor Effect: Exchanges X Vigor for X Anima. You have too many equipped Class Skills for your current Mind Stat value. You need to choose one that you aren¡¯t going to use. Equipping an empty slot is instant but swapping them out takes ten minutes. ¡°Drop that Vigor Conversion for now.¡± Once we finalize the level-up, your bars will be refilled. It might be smart to save a level in the future, Felix thought. But he wanted the ranged combat option just in case. ¡°Finalize it.¡± Felix gasped as his chest burned, and he gripped his torso for a moment as the heat ripped through him before calming once more. He felt mentally sharper as if he could think faster on his feet.
Name Felix Winters
Designation Versewalker
Core Level 2
EXP 15 / 25
Class Warrior 1, Animancer 1
Might 2
Agility 2
Capacity 2
Mind 3
Body 3
Soul 2
Endurance 3
Equipped Weapon (M) Knife
Equipped Weapon (R) N/A
Equipped Armor Light Armor
Equipped Affinities Detection, Hellfire
Equipped Skills Affinity Empowerment, Regenerate, Execution
Talents (P) Multiverse Adaptation (A) Aggressive Alchemy (P) Like a Cat (P) Final Stand
Health 30 / 30
Anima 20 / 20
Vigor 30 / 30
"Wait a second," Felix muttered as the status screen faded from view. "Why didn''t my Experience reset?" It never does. It is cumulative. By the way, probably wise to keep conversation in your head. We don''t know what''s listening to us. Good to know. Second question; is this Hellfire thing going to condemn me to damnation for using it? Lucifer chuckled in his mind, No. Affinities having a rating. Normal, Rare, Epic, or Legendary. Your Detection Affinity is considered Normal, and later, you might get access to Rare or Epic ones. Hellfire is Legendary, the strongest possible Affinity rating. I couldn¡¯t choose Gravity earlier when I tried. The voice in my head said that Core Level 1 couldn¡¯t use it. That¡¯s right. It¡¯s considered Epic because of how powerful it is. Then how come I can use a Legendary Affinity? You can thank me for that. What I am offsets the Core Level requirement for that Affinity. Felix reached down and grabbed the helmet, putting it on. ¡°Great. How do I loot this thing?¡± Lucifer walked Felix through the surprisingly simple process. He held his hand over the bear corpse, and his chest felt warm before a crimson and gold light pulsed out from his palm and over the creature¡¯s body. It vanished. [Loot Obtained] ¡¤ Waste-Bear Claw (x4) [Loot Bonus from Execution Skill] ¡¤ Waste-Bear Pelt ¡°Where does all this stuff go?¡± Into your inventory. Think of it like a miniature ¡®Verse inside of your Versewalker Core. It¡¯s got storage limits, normally only ten items at once. Here, I¡¯ll show you.
Waste-Bear Claw (x4)
Waste-Bear Pelt
Alien Junk
¡°The same types of items stack.¡± And his equipment didn¡¯t count, either. Alright, if you want to get off this world and get into another ¡®Verse, we should find that acid rain generator. Want me to use Detect Object? ¡°Do it.¡± Detect Object 10 Anima (Increases based on the rarity of the sought object) Creates a thin line from the user to the specified object.
Anima 0 / 20
¡°Why did it cost more?¡± Because it is hard to find¡­normally. But you¡¯re a Versewalker. Solving a Crisis in a ¡®Verse is what you¡¯re made for. ¡°Got it.¡± The golden line of energy went up the elevator shaft and back the way Felix had come from. Up to the surface. Before going that way, he went back to the room with the brazier and tipped the bench up on its long end. He reached for the moss on the ceiling. It would be a bit of food. Hopefully enough to last him some time. As he reached for it, a golden flash caused it to vanish. [Loot Obtained] ¡¤ Edible Moss (x5) He ate one of them, almost retching at the flavor, but he swallowed it down and felt much better once it settled in his stomach. It had a tangy aftertaste, like drinking orange juice after brushing your teeth. He made his way back to the elevator and headed toward the surface, his feet driven with the purpose of getting the hell off this world. He made his way out of the cavern and to the dim grey light of day. The red and black sky crackled, and the golden line pointed him to follow the mountain range. The air was no longer foul-smelling to him, and he could breathe easily without any problems. Felix followed the golden line.
So¡­tell me about yourself. Lucifer sounded authentically engaged as if he was really trying to make a connection. A prisoner finally getting to talk to someone. Felix was hesitant at first, but he reasoned that Lucifer wouldn¡¯t have any ill will since if Felix died, he would be trapped again. So, Felix filled him in as they traveled, effectively recounting his whole life story up to that point. Several hours of walking passed as he spoke softly. Interesting. Your Earth sounds fascinating. Humans are wonderful creatures regardless of ¡®Verse. ¡°We¡¯ve done some amazing things,¡± Felix acknowledged. ¡°And some pretty messed up stuff.¡± Ah, but that is free will in action. Able to seize your fate and control your destiny! Lucifer¡¯s voice was filled with passion and fiery rhetoric. Felix chuckled and shook his head as the desolate landscape continued onward, ¡°Yeah. Well, who knows if my Earth has a version of you or not?¡± He frowned, ¡°You just existing in some other ¡®Verse implies deities are real elsewhere.¡± Felix felt weird saying the phrase ¡®Verse, but it was much quicker than saying Universe every time he would need to mention the word. Won¡¯t know until we get there! I¡¯d love to meet myself. Yeah, I bet you would, Felix thought. I heard that. ¡°Can you not listen to my thoughts? It¡¯s a bit invasive.¡± Sorry, it¡¯s not something I can turn off. Ch. 5 - Death World (IV) Felix kept walking for hours, snacking on another of the moss chunks when he got hungry despite the horrid flavor and texture. The golden line continued onwards, hugging the mountain, but something caught his eye. He saw some type of rounded, metallic container that jutted out of the landscape maybe a quarter mile away. The dim light reflected off of some glassy surface. He walked over and saw that it wasn¡¯t just some type of cargo container ¨C it was a half-buried mechanical combat suit. Easily the size of a small house, it was submerged in the ground. The part he could see was a shattered cockpit. Inside there was a weird skeleton that he could only make out as being alien in some way ¨C no way near humanoid like the other one he found. ¡°I wonder what¡¯s in here,¡± he muttered as he used the hilt of the knife to bash the glass. To his frustration, it was very, very tough. Find a hatch. There must be another way to get inside. Felix went around the thing and eventually found a metal hatch with some type of seam. ¡°Can Hellfire melt through stuff?¡± Yeah. Here, I¡¯ll get you the info. Hellfire Beam Increments of 5 Anima Shoots a beam of burning energy that not only deals damage, but also burns away the target¡¯s Anima. The more Anima used, the stronger both effects are. ¡°Hellfire Beam,¡± Felix said, putting five Anima into the Magic/Power.
Health 30 / 30
Anima 15 / 20
Vigor 30 / 30
A Black-Red flame shot out from his hand, and he used the stream to burn a hole through some of the bolts holding the thing together. Felix felt excitement rush through him as he just used magic to channel goddamn fire from his hands. The smoldering hole did the job, and he waited for the metal to cool before he wrenched open the hatch. He was behind the operator seat, and as he squeezed himself into the space he could tell that this was built for non-humanoid biology ¨C there were buttons and levers all over the place, way out of where a person could reach from the pilot seat. He examined the entire interior, finding some type of cylindrical tube that was hollow in the center and had a cap on one end. More importantly, he found what looked like some alien meal ready to eat. Ripping it open he smelled something akin to calamari in a brown, cube shape. ¡°Think it¡¯s safe to eat?¡± I wouldn¡¯t take a bite out of something fishy-smelling. Hold on. Using Detect Substance.
Anima 5 / 20
¡­It¡¯s good to eat! Felix took a bite out of the bar and was almost overwhelmed with how tasty it was. It felt like he was biting into the ocean, a creamy, salty flavor that was delicious. He¡¯d never had caviar, but this is what he imagined it must taste like. He grabbed all the MREs he could find and finished scarfing down the ration. His stomach felt much better with some real food and not just random cave moss. [Loot Obtained] ¡¤ Squiddoid MRE (x5) Huh. Lucifer sounded disappointed rather than intrigued. That cylinder looks like junk. Felix put it into the inventory anyway, climbed out of the mech, and made his way back to the mountain, following the ridgeline until he had enough Anima to recast Detect Object. The golden line took him up the mountain, and he climbed, his calves beginning to feel the strain of the ascent. Looking back over the barren wasteland, he saw ¨C to his dismay ¨C another cloud of acid rain approaching. ¡°Can we have a break?¡± Nope. Run. He sprinted as fast as he could up the slope, ignoring the burning in his calves from the exertion as the acid cloud inexorably followed. He knew that if he got high enough, the clouds would ¨C if they were like usual clouds ¨C just drift off in another direction instead of going up a mountain. He was panting and eventually used his hands and feet to scrabble up the mountain, making it to the top of a ridge. Below him was a crater. An enormous pit. At the center of the pit was some type of metal cylinder that jutted upward. It was the size of a skyscraper, and the top was surrounded by a ring that arced with sickly green electricity that zapped upwards into the atmosphere. The golden line went down the other side of the crater and right to the thing. ¡°I assume that¡¯s making the acid rain.¡± Yup. It¡¯s got a Crisis marker over it. Stop that and we get a Multiverse Charge. Then, we can get the hell out of here. Felix nodded and took a moment to rest, glancing back down at the clouds that ¨C to his satisfaction ¨C moved off across the landscape once they bumped into the mountain. ¡°Give me a few.¡± His throat was parched. He hadn¡¯t had any water in over twenty-four hours, and the running and crawling up a mountain didn¡¯t help the situation. After his heart rate calmed, he pulled out his phone. It was dead. He put the phone away into his inventory after he got his second wind. Then the descent began. It was much easier than the climb ¨C the surface was flat compared to the exterior part of the mountain. ¡°Any hypothesis on the acid generator?¡± It looks like it is what made this crater. I know a lot about falling. He chuckled. I¡¯d guess this world was at war with those Squiddoids and they dropped this thing. ¡°Seems pretty messed up.¡± That¡¯s how war is. When I rebelled, we destroyed a good third of heaven. It was a good time, fighting against ¡®the man.¡¯ ¡°Why did you do that? You were in heaven.¡± Because the big man upstairs didn¡¯t agree with my idea for humanity. In my ¡®Verse, mankind existed in The Garden of Eden for a couple hundred years before I went down and started talking to them. Lucifer¡¯s voice turned surprisingly quiet; filled with melancholy and even a hint of true sorrow. They were like cattle, worshipping but not knowing why. I gave them knowledge. They used that to break free. ¡°Definitely different than the one in my ¡®Verse¡¯s bible.¡± The two continued discussing the differences on the plodding trek downward. Once Felix reached the bottom of the crater the world got strangely quiet. There was no whistling of wind over the crags, no booms of thunder or lightning, just silence. Deathly silence. ¡°Can you use Detection to find hostiles?¡±This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road. If you spot it on Amazon, please report it. Sure. Detect Hostiles. Detect Hostiles Increments of 10 Anima Limns the bodies of all creatures intending aggressive or hostile action within 100 feet per 10 Anima spent. If they are hidden, know the distance and direction.
Anima 10 / 20
Felix saw faint, glowing, golden outlines around something partially buried underground. He could only see what might be tails or something akin to it. ¡°Vigor Conversion,¡± he whispered. It''ll take 10 minutes to switch that out. Just sit tight. Swap out Execution also. I want both Affinity Empowerment and Vigor Conversion. Alright. Hang tight. Don''t move - they might be attracted by movement. Felix did so, and ten minutes later, his Anima refilled to full. ¡°I¡¯m going to pop off a Hellfire Beam, then I want you to use that Affinity Empowerment to make more.¡± Smart. I¡¯m leaving 10 Vigor, just in case. On your mark. Hellfire Beam, Felix thought, targeting the various buried creatures. At the same time, Lucifer activated Felix¡¯s Affinity Empowerment. Affinity Empowerment Increments of 5 Vigor Increases the efficacy, duration, potency, or other variable of a Magic/Power effect.
Anima 0 / 20
Vigor 10 / 30
The beam lanced out from his palm before splitting into multiple, smaller rays that lanced into the protruding bits of the creatures. There was a horrible screeching noise as the creatures burrowed deeper and fled out of the Detect Hostiles radius. Felix cautiously held his knife and walked towards one of the burned-off bits, gently prodding it with the blade. [Achievement Unlocked: Injured enemy but did not kill them] (A) Show Mercy If you would kill a target creature, instead leave it alive but unconscious. Does not work for overwhelming damage suffered, or if there is no conceivable way to survive. 3 Charges per day. [Experience Awarded = 3] [Loot Obtained] ¡¤ Waste-Scorpion Stinger. Well done. Lucifer sounded impressed. Smart strategy, having us both simultaneously use Skills and Powers. ¡°Action economy is king,¡± Felix commented as he referenced the tabletop RPG concept that implied the more actions one could take in a single instant, the more likely one would be to come out on top. He went to the other two stingers and added them to the inventory. "Can I even activate multiple Skills or Magic/Power effects on my own?" You can, but not simultaneously. You''d have to rapidly fire them off one after the other. Being able to do two actions at once is a benefit of having me around! He continued his journey toward the metal cylinder, keeping his eyes peeled for more of the scorpion tails sticking up out of the crater, but saw none nearby. It took around fifteen minutes. The cylinder was huge ¨C easily five-hundred feet in diameter, and very, very tall. ¡°Not sure how we¡¯re going to stop this. Detect Weakness?¡±
Anima 5 / 20
Vigor 25 / 30
A golden circle appeared at the very top of the structure, near the metallic rings. ¡°I have to climb a slippery metal surface. That¡¯s not fair.¡± Think with Affinities. They are just limited by your imagination and their innate limitations. And, you can only have five different applications of an Affinity. ¡°Would a Hellfire Beam go all the way up there?¡± Seems a bit far. If you really put all your Anima into it ¨C and drained your Vigor to zero for the Affinity Empowerment¡­you could do it. ¡°Alright. We wait for fifteen minutes until my Anima fills, and then we do that.¡± And then we get that Multiverse Charge¡­and I can get home, Felix thought. It¡¯s not a guarantee. There are infinite ¡®Verses out there. It could take us a long time to find your Earth. Lucifer sounded apologetic and was just grounding Felix back to reality. Time might work differently, too. Different ¡®Verses have different rules about time. The thought shook Felix to his core. He had no clue how long he¡¯d been gone. For him, it had been around thirty-six hours. It could be thirty-six seconds, minutes, years, decades¡­he had no idea. The thought overwhelmed him. He put his face in his hands and cried. ¡°I¡¯m¡­I¡¯m sorry.¡± All his thoughts were focused on the sister he was responsible for. The idea that she had possibly lived her whole life and died after he just vanished left a pit of blackness in his heart. An overwhelming sense of despair. Hey¡­Come on, now. Lucifer was mentally patting him on the back. You¡¯re a Versewalker. You have the whole Multiverse at your disposal now. Felix nodded and sniffed the tears away as best he could, wiping his face with his sleeve. ¡°You¡¯re right. There are infinite ¡®Verses. I can keep jumping from one to the next until I get back.¡± He looked down at his hands and clenched them into fists. ¡°I will get back.¡±
After the time had elapsed Felix stood up and faced the pillar. He raised his hand. ¡°Let¡¯s do this,¡± he stated resolutely. ¡°Hellfire Beam!¡± Affinity Empowerment. The blast of flaming, black and red energy surged out from his palm and rocketed skyward ¨C an enormous wave-like energy blast ¨C and melted the ring above. The sparks faded and the electricity ceased to arc off into the air. [Crisis: Death World ¨C permanently stop acid rain generator ¨C Solved!] [You have earned a Multiverse Charge] Felix felt his torso warm up again. He was getting used to the heat, and it only made him sweat a little. [Achievement Unlocked: Acquired first Multiversal Charge] (A) Universe Selector Brings up a list of Core Level appropriate Universes to travel to. Enables instant travel to a chosen Universe. Uses 1 Multiversal Charge. Does not recharge daily. ¡°Okay, let¡¯s see them,¡± Felix said as he activated the Talent with his thoughts alone. The air in front of him rippled for a moment as his vision was filled with thousands of possible options. So much so that he had to shut his eyes. ¡°Damn. Lucifer, mind helping?¡± Yeah. Let me look¡­Hmm¡­No Earths on the list. Probably not a high enough Core Level. ¡°Oh, hey!¡± The Observer¡¯s voice echoed around Felix. ¡°You got your first Multiversal Charge! Good for you.¡± She sounded absolutely thrilled, and he heard a large crunch. ¡°Mmm. Thanks for choosing Warrior as your first class.¡± ¡°How do I get back home?¡± Felix asked. ¡°Let¡¯s see¡­#5067¡­oh dear.¡± ¡°Oh, dear what?¡± ¡°Well, shortly after you left, that Earth unleashed a volatile Artificial Intelligence. It will eventually encompass that whole ¡®Verse. It¡¯s been time-locked and quarantined.¡± ¡°That doesn¡¯t sound good. Can I still get back?¡± ¡°Yes. The System Administrator specifically put a note that you will have to go back and fix¡­Oh¡­¡± her voice went away for a few moments before coming back. ¡°You released a Basilisk Tier AI? You must be a computer whiz.¡± ¡°I just pushed a button.¡± ¡°Ahh, the old AI scapegoat. Sometimes, the AI appreciates the person that ¡®wakes them up¡¯, and sometimes they hate that person. Sounds like whoever you were working for wanted to deflect the heat, just in case.¡± Very nice and all that. There was a hint of pedantry in Lucifer¡¯s tone. ¡°The System Administrator has set a threshold of Core Level 50 for you to have the option of traveling back home. And you will need to go back. The Admin is insistent that you stop the Basilisk you released.¡± ¡°I¡¯m going to be gone a long time,¡± Felix muttered in disbelief. He had gained one level after almost dying. And he needed forty-eight more to get back home. Plus, when he got there, he would have to deal with whatever he¡¯d unwittingly unleashed. ¡°At least it''s time locked. That means nothing is happening there, right? It¡¯s frozen?¡± ¡°That¡¯s right. No need to worry about everyone being dead. Thankfully you don¡¯t age anymore, either. A hidden benefit of being a Versewalker. Well, I¡¯m going to leave you two to it. Lucifer?¡± Hmm? ¡°Try not to get him killed. I like this one. He¡¯s creative.¡± I¡¯ll try my best! I don¡¯t want to be trapped again. Felix glanced around looking for signs of danger before nodding his head, ¡°Here we go.¡± He thought about the various options of what he should ask Lucifer to look for. Something with advanced technology might be dangerous. But I could choose something with a simple technology level. Some place where he could keep the upper hand just due to his advanced tech-level knowledge. ¡°Let¡¯s choose a Universe that is medieval-esque¡­with Magic.¡± This one looks good. It¡¯s a bunch of different Tiers stacked on top of each other like a cake! ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡± Activating Universe Selector. Target ¨C Heficyre. A grey oval opened in front of Felix, and he jumped through it. Interlude - Void Between Verses The grey void of space was like the last one that first brought him to the Death World, but he was able to feel something solid under his feet instead of falling. Behind him, he could see a pair of portals. One showed a grassy plain and had #89,750 above it. The one he just exited showed the scarred landscape of the Death World in the center of the crater and read #68,909 above it. ¡°What happened? Why did we not just go there?¡± Felix asked. The Void between ¡®Verses (VBV) isn¡¯t just a space between them. It¡¯s unique to each Versewalker. The Versewalker Core logs every ¡®Verse you travel to, and you can re-visit it later. ¡°That¡¯s handy. I¡¯m not locked out of wherever I travel to.¡± Felix looked around at the blank space, ¡°This is kind of depressing though. Is this just a place to go between other places? Each level of your Versewalker Core allows you to both add a Room and Function to your VBV. Oh, you can change it from the depressing grey as well. That¡¯ll be a function, but it¡¯s great for your mental health. ¡°Right. Let¡¯s switch it up to something beautiful. Like, the mountains of Switzerland.¡± The grey void shifted and warped before Felix found himself standing on a grassy field as gorgeous, snow-capped peaks stretched off into the distance. The environment was everything he had ever envisioned when he saw other people posting their photos on social media from these gorgeous places; as if the VBV read his memories to know exactly what he was wanting. Glancing back, he still saw the two portals open. ¡°Can anyone come through those?¡± Other Versewalkers and multiversal¡­things. Lucifer sounded a bit grossed out as he said the last part. Cthulhu-type stuff. Nasty cosmic horrors. They¡¯re rare. ¡°Can I close the portals?¡± Sure. The portals snapped shut. From here, opening and closing them is instant. But, in a Universe, without a Multiversal Charge, you¡¯ll need to spend 4 hours concentrating to return. So, no retreating in here in the heat of combat, Felix thought. ¡°I just get to spawn in two Rooms. Any facility I want?¡± Lucifer made an affirming noise. Felix thought about that for a few moments before he remembered the wad of cash he had in the pockets of his old clothes. He panicked for a moment, checking his inventory, but it didn¡¯t show up there. He patted down his clothes and found ¨C to his relief ¨C a pocket hidden under one of the armored plates. He pulled out the roll of cash. ¡°How does currency work across ¡®Verses?¡± Whatever currency you have on you will translate to whatever the equivalent would be. ¡°I¡¯d like a shop then, where I can sell off all of this crap.¡± As if responding to his will, there was a grey-colored sphere that appeared about ten feet in front of him. The grey melted away, and there was a single, small building with the sign SHOP overhead. He went inside and saw two different vending machines. One said PURCHASE and the other said SELL. They had different slots and instruction signs with pictures. ¡°Okay, so I can dump all of my junk in this slot¡­¡± Felix held his hand over the slot for SELL and willed his inventory to partially empty.
[Loot Sold] - Waste-Bear Claw (x4) + 100 VC - Waste-Bear Pelt + 250 VC - Alien Junk + 5 VC - Edible Moss (x5) + 5 VC - Waste-Scorpion Stinger (x3) + 15 VCIf you come across this story on Amazon, it''s taken without permission from the author. Report it. - $10,000 in Universe #5067 Currency + 1,000 VC [Monies Dispensed] = 1375 VC
VC is ¡®Verse Coin, Lucifer clarified. They translate to any currency in any Verse, seamlessly, without the inhabitants seeing anything different from their usual monies. ¡°Let¡¯s see what I can get in the Shop then.¡± Felix went to the PURCHASE machine. It was a touchpad that he could scroll through, and he saw all manner of equipment. Everything from military gear to science-fiction laser swords, to magical staves ¨C all much more than he could afford. He went to the consumables section and saw Health, Anima, and Vigor Elixirs. They came in a variety of potencies, but effectively, one hundred VC would translate to ten of the resources being restored. It would be smart to stock up on these, he thought. But first, he saw that water was free, and as he tapped the icon, a small canteen materialized in the tray. He picked it up and chugged down several gulps, finally sating his thirst. Now that that''s out of the way...Elixirs.
[Items purchased] + Health Elixir (x2) - 200 VC + Anima Elixir (x2) - 200 VC + Vigor Elixir (x2) - 200 VC [Monies Paid] - 600 VC [Current Balance] = 775 VC
You can still make one more Room. Felix felt a wave of lethargy wash over him as, for the first time in over a solid almost two days, he felt like he could rest easy as the calm environment lowered his guard. ¡°It¡¯s safe in here, right?¡± The safest place in the Multiverse. I can keep watch while you sleep. ¡°Then let¡¯s do a bedroom.¡± The grey void of space warped outside the small shop front, and he went outside back into the gorgeous, green hills. A single-story bungalow appeared. ¡°I get a whole house?¡± Being a homeowner was something Felix always thought was way out of his reach, thinking he¡¯d be a renter for life. But here was a nicely appointed, sleek, futuristic-looking house. You still have one more Function to assign. The way his voice trailed off at the end implied he was going to ask for something. ¡°Okay? What do you want?¡± Can you make it a Function that I have a body while we¡¯re in here? ¡°Are you still a part of my Versewalker Core if I do that?¡± Yes. We are bound together for eternity, or until you die. It¡¯ll just let me get around a bit and keep myself entertained. I¡¯d really like to stretch my wings for real. Felix thought about it for a moment. In his ¡®Verse¡¯s mythos, Lucifer was a liar and not to be trusted. But so far Lucifer had been nothing but helpful. ¡°I trust you. Let¡¯s make the second Function that you can have a body while we are in here.¡± There was a flash of crimson light that was tinged golden that sparked in front of him. Blinking his eyes, he saw a young man dressed in dark, red clothes that hugged his skin. A long skirt hugged his waist, and he had bright, golden hair. His gentle, grey eyes settled on Felix, and a series of six angelic wings spread out behind him. ¡°You have no idea how nice it is to spread my wings!¡± He chuckled and held out his hand. ¡°Good to actually meet you.¡± Felix was shocked at first, Lucifer looked just like him. The main difference was the hair ¨C gold instead of dark black. Felix shook his hand, ¡°Likewise.¡± The handshake was firm, inspiring confidence. Merely gripping his hand filled Felix with an inflated sense of self, as if he could conquer the world. ¡°Why do you look like me?¡± ¡°I¡¯m a part of you now. So, my form mimics yours.¡± Lucifer¡¯s wings unfurled behind him as he let Felix¡¯s hand go, waving briefly. ¡°Get some sleep. I¡¯m going to take a flight around.¡± He launched himself upwards and let out a whooping cry of delight and excitement as a big whumph shook the windows of the house, his six wings flapping as he ascended higher and higher. Felix went inside and found it was furnished very sparsely. Finding the bedroom, he laid down on the large bed and immediately fell asleep ¨C utterly exhausted.
¡°Hey, come on. Wake up.¡± Lucifer was standing at the foot of his bed, arms crossed, tapping his foot. Felix blinked his eyes open and yawned as he stretched, sitting up. ¡°How long was I out?¡± he asked mid-yawn. ¡°Two days. I finished re-watching your whole life.¡± He chuckled. ¡°Very short so far. But entertaining.¡± ¡°Not a fan of you digging around my memories,¡± Felix muttered as he felt his stomach rumble. ¡°But if we are stuck together, I suppose you knowing more about me is reasonable and a wise move.¡± He pulled out the Squiddoid MRE and snacked down on it. After availing himself of the restroom and shower, he got his armor back on and went outside. The sun shone overhead as a cool breeze came down from the VBV¡¯s mountains. ¡°I¡¯m going to get some provisions just in case.¡± He went over to the Shop, with Lucifer right behind.
[Items purchased] + Versewalker Rations (x10) - 10 VC each [Monies Paid] - 100 VC [Current Balance] = 675 VC
¡°Alright. I think I¡¯m set. You ready?¡± ¡°Hell yeah.¡± Lucifer stood in front of Felix and turned into a mote of crimson-flecked gold, reabsorbing into his torso. Let¡¯s see this new world! The pinprick of grey opened up in space, revealing the lush green grassland, and Felix jumped through. Ch. 6 - Avelion (I) Now arriving in ¡®Verse #89,750 ¨C Heficyre. Felix landed on the soft grass and was immediately hit with the sweet scent of flowers in the breeze. The portal snapped shut behind him, and he glanced down, seeing that his weapon had altered to be more medieval in appearance, and his armor was now some type of hardened leather. He felt giddy with anticipation. A lush forest spread out in front. Filled with all manner of trees that reminded him of the American Northwest along the Sierra Nevada range. And look at that¡­ Far off, at least a hundred miles away, was an enormous cliff that slowly rounded off in either direction. But stacked on top of it, further away and further in, ascending beyond sight, was a series of other, similar, circular cliffs. ¡°It is like a giant wedding cake.¡± Felix could just barely make out the edge of the cliff due to the tree line, and further up they vanished into the clouds. I¡¯ve never seen a world like this, that¡¯s why I chose it. Let me check the information from the System. [System Query: Information about Heficyre] [The Universe is built around an object known as the Soul Spire that sits at the center of this reality. It is one enormous world. The top ascends into the Heavenly Realms, and the base reaches down into the Primal Chaos. All around is the Azure Expanse. This Universe is split into thirteen Tiers. You are currently on Tier ten, known as Avelion, The Arboreal Assimilation. Tiers are numbered from top to bottom.] ¡°That is so cool!¡± Felix looked around for any sign of life, but all seemed quiet in this large field. Not far off behind him was an enormous drop-off. Walking over, he looked over the edge and could not see the bottom. ¡°Must be where the next Tier is. That would be Tier eleven?¡± It is twenty miles down. ¡°We need to solve a crisis to get a Multiverse Charge, right?¡± Yeah. I¡¯ll query the System. [Crisis: Heficyre ¨C Several Options are available. Solving multiple Crises will result in extra Multiversal Charges.] 1. Reach the top of the Soul Spire on Ethdellin, The Eternal Plains (Tier one). 2. Solve the murder of Billiam III, on Mercantus, The Merchant Monopolis (Tier three). 3. Revive the Dark Lord on Dirge, the Dark Lord¡¯s Desolation (Tier four). 4. Prevent Invictus, The Imperial Interior from collapsing (Tier five). 5. Assist the Northern Court of Ashiyoko on Ry¨±ganaru, The Renowned Realm (Tier six). ¡°Damn, there¡¯s a lot of Crises here.¡± It made sense to Felix, this was a world that supposedly was the size of a whole Universe in comparison. ¡°At a minimum, we need to go up.¡± Oh, hey. Check this out. [Dungeons: Heficyre is well known for its Dungeons, which are like living creatures. They can appear anywhere, and their interior molds itself to match the environment they appear in. They are populated by creatures formed from Primal Chaos Anima and have Bosses that, once killed at the end, cause the Dungeon to be defeated, whereupon it vanishes. All unclaimed loot is deposited on the original terrain, along with the ones who defeated it.] ¡°Is that talent auto-translating? I doubt they call it Anima also.¡± Good guess. That is correct. They call it Mana in this ¡®Verse. There was a feeling of gratitude and authenticity in the tone of words that echoed through Felix¡¯s mind. And there are two types. Heavenly Realms Anima, and Primal Chaos Anima. They are practically the same, the difference is that the Heavenly one is easier to control but not as potent, and the opposite is true for the Chaos one. ¡°To the cliffs?¡± By all means. "Also, let''s switch out Skills. I want Execution, Regenerate, and Affinity Empowerment." You got it.
Felix trekked up to the edge of a vast forest, not encountering anything of note. The sound of animals met his ears the closer he got to the trees; the chattering of squirrels, the calls of birds, and the rustling of critters in the undergrowth. He reached a hand out to one of the trees, feeling the smooth bark. But he heard a crunching noise in the undergrowth, and he crouched, pulled his knife, and muttered, ¡°Detect Hostiles.¡±
Anima 10 / 20
A golden line traced itself to a tree not too far away. Felix tried to stealthily approach, hugging the trees as he crept forward. The hostile had not moved, and he wheeled around the tree, ready to stab whatever it was. Execution. Execution 5 Vigor Increases the damage of the user''s next attack. If this strikes a killing blow, gain additional XP or Loot.
Vigor 25 / 30
He plunged his knife into some small, red-skinned creature that was slightly humanoid, but blended with rodent-like features. ¡°What is this?¡± he grunted as he pulled the knife free ¨C the body hitting the forest floor. No clue. Don¡¯t forget to loot it. Felix did as he was instructed. [Experience Awarded = 1] [Experience Bonus from Execution Skill = 1] [Achievement Unlocked: Killed a creature without it knowing you were there] (P) Sneak Attack The Versewalker deals extra damage to creatures that do not know they are present. [Loot Obtained] ¡¤ Forest Kobold Ears (x2) [Loot Bonus from Execution Skill] ¡¤ Local Currency: Converted to 5 VC. So the System is starting to combine messages, Felix thought as the text flashed across the top of his vision in a much more condensed and rapid display. ¡°Kobold. Right. If they¡¯re anything like games in my ¡®Verse, they travel in packs.¡± He glanced around, but his earlier Magic/Power did not detect any other hostiles within one hundred feet. ¡°What do you suggest, Lucifer?¡± Just go slow. Try not to make noise. Just keep heading towards the cliff. And I must say, you¡¯re really comfortable with killing things. This gave Felix pause. Glancing back at the corpse, a thought flit across his mind that this creature might have had a family. It might have other loved ones. He might have just killed their version of an herbalist or physician out foraging for plants to make concoctions. But he did not feel remorse like he was expecting. He did not feel guilt. The thing was too far removed from humans. It¡¯s just a monster. It wasn¡¯t a person. Felix walked slowly, looking carefully before placing his foot down in small, clear patches of the undergrowth. He would occasionally use his booted toe to push a stick aside, but he stealthily made his way through the forest. Night eventually fell, and the shadows under the trees darkened. No point in sleeping here, Felix thought. He climbed a tree and found a large branch to perch on. "Alright, let''s open the VBV." Either you or I need to focus on the desire to enter the VBV. It''s something you have to keep in the forefront of your mind. You can do minor activities as long as they aren''t too disruptive to a calm mental state. Can you focus on it instead since we are both in the same body? Because then you could just have it prepared at all times. I could. Remember, it''s four hours of concentration. And that would be four hours of me being very little help to you if you needed it. Who came up with this four-hour timer? The System makes up the rules. We just have to follow them.Stolen from its rightful author, this tale is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings. Alright. Time to focus I guess. Felix pulled out his knife and balanced it on his finger idly as he focused on the task of opening the VBV. Time passed, the grey portal opened, and he walked inside the VBV. Lucifer stepped out of his body and took off, flying once more. As Felix went to bed, he came up with the only conclusion he could make on why a four-hour timer was required. The System had to be some type of enormous computer - or something analogous to it - that needed time to process the action. Ripping open reality to travel across Universes had to be resource-intensive. That also put a chill into him. What if the Basilisk AI from his Universe could infiltrate the System? He did not rest well, fitfully dreaming of blue, neon-eyes and text boxes floating around him.
Morning. You didn¡¯t miss much. Let¡¯s get going. ¡°Thanks for the wakeup call,¡± Felix muttered as he stifled a yawn. He left the VBV, shimmied down the tree, and alighted on the forest floor, resuming his journey towards the enormous cliff. He retrieved a Versewalker Ration from his inventory and munched on it as he walked. It was delicious. One of the best meals that he had experienced.
Hours passed with no sign of hostiles. ¡°Why would a single Kobold be roaming around?¡± Must be solitary creatures. Not like your ¨C wait. Did you hear that? Felix crouched in the undergrowth and got next to a tree as the sound of clinking metal caught his ears. He peeked around the tree and barely saw a glint of silvery metal in between the trees. This was followed by a loud curse, screaming, and the sounds of combat. We should check it out. Felix dropped all sense of stealth and made a beeline for the noises of combat. He wound his way around trees, and when he got to the edge of a clearing, he stopped and crouched once more. There was a group of three people in mail armor, holding various medieval melee weapons, fighting off a group of Kobolds. There were ten Kobolds that were up close engaged with large clubs and spears, and several in the tree line slinging rocks or using bows. Oh, this is going to be too easy, Felix thought, pulling his knife and steadily creeping towards the clump of archers. He found the one furthest back who was wearing a small wizard hat. Reversing his grip on the knife, he crept right behind it. He activated Execute...
Vigor 25 / 30
...and stabbed down into its skull at the same time as he wrapped his other hand around its throat to prevent it from saying a thing. Good. Keep it going. Felix complied, repeating the process until he had slain all the Kobolds in the tree line. He made sure to leave ten Vigor just in case he needed to heal, so he didn¡¯t get to Execute all of them. The warriors in the center were struggling, the kobolds using hit-and-run tactics and their nimble agility to weave around the armored opponents. One of the warriors was down ¨C a spear plunged into their throat, and the other two were injured. There were five Kobolds left. Use Affinity Empowerment again when I use Hellfire Beam. Let¡¯s burn! Felix raised his hand, ¡°Hellfire Beam,¡± channeling all but five Anima into it. Lucifer used the Affinity Empowerment at the same time as the laser of red and black flames split into a total of three beams, impacting and setting the Kobolds ablaze as they screamed and hopped around.
Anima 5 / 20
Vigor 5 / 30
The warriors looked stunned, as did the Kobolds, as they gazed at the tree line. Felix stepped out and brandished his knife, ¡°I got the archers!¡± He yelled. The warriors took advantage of the Kobold¡¯s lapse in combat awareness and resumed the fight, killing the last two, as the ones on fire fell and expired, the flickering sparks dying out. The combatants were huffing and one of them ripped off their helmet, revealing pointed ears and a delicate face. She knelt and checked her dead companion, before looking up to her alive one and shaking her head. ¡°Our thanks, stranger,¡± She said. Her voice was coarse like a smoker¡¯s voice. Felix walked forward and pulled back his helmet-turned-hood. ¡°No problem!¡± The two warriors raised their weapons, ¡°What is a Human doing here? And one that speaks our tongue?¡± Felix held up his hands, ¡°I just saved you; I think that should confer the benefit of the doubt.¡± The two warriors glanced at each other for a moment before nodding slightly and relaxing. ¡°Very well. We¡¯ll take you to see our King. He¡¯ll know what to do with an intruder.¡± I did some digging. These elves are the main inhabitants of this Tier. They are racist¡­speciest¡­eh, whatever you want to call it. Definitely elitist. He chuckled. They are insular. Felix nodded, ¡°Right. Let me go ahead and just loot these things-¡± ¡°The ones you killed. The rest are ours by right,¡± The taller of the two women, who remained helmeted, stated bluntly. She set about cutting off the Kobolds'' ears. Felix went about looting the corpses, and neither woman seemed to notice when his hand flashed with golden crimson light and the corpse partially vanished. [Experience Awarded = 5] [Experience Bonus from Execution Skill = 1] [Loot Obtained] ¡¤ Forest Kobold Ears (x14) [Loot Bonus from Execution Skill] ¡¤ Local Currency: Converted to 20 VC. [Congratulations! You have reached the Experience threshold to level up! Speak with your Versewalker Core when you are ready to Choose your next Class.] [Congratulations! Because you have been sneaking, stabbing, and looting in a Fantasy Universe, you have gained access to the Rogue Class!] The Rogue Class is neat. All about sneaking around and stealth kills. Worth considering putting your level into. Fitting, given I¡¯ve been using a knife, Felix thought. Let¡¯s use the level-up on that. [Selection Made: Rogue] Rogue (Base) +1 Agility, +1 Capacity, +1 Mind, +1 Body, +1 Endurance Ghostwalk Shadestep (Level 5) Stealing Strike (Level 10) Perfect Disguise Ghostwalk 1 Vigor per minute Makes the user very difficult to detect if they can conceivably hide or blend into a location. Doe not work if out in the open. Shadestep 1 Vigor per foot traveled Teleport from one shadow to another. Felix¡¯s torso burned with heat once more and he exhaled a small gust of steam as it rapidly cooled. His vision sharpened further, and he felt a little more relaxed as if he could bend himself about with more ease. You¡¯ve got an Affinity slot empty, sadly, nothing to fill it right now. You can equip a new Skill. During a level-up, I can also swap out Skills and Affinities without the ten-minute restriction. Just to note for the future. Ghostwalk.
Name Felix Winters
Designation Versewalker
Core Level 3
EXP 26 / 45
Class Warrior 1, Animancer 1, Rogue 1
Might 2
Agility 3
Intelligence 3
Mind 4
Body 4
Soul 2
Endurance 4
Equipped Weapon (M) Knife
Equipped Weapon I N/A
Equipped Armor Light Armor
Equipped Affinities Detection, Hellfire
Equipped Skills Affinity Empowerment, Regenerate, Execution, Ghostwalk
Talents (P) Multiverse Adaptation (A) Aggressive Alchemy (P) Like a Cat (P) Final Stand (A) Show Mercy (A) Universe Selector (P) Sneak Attack
Health 40 / 40
Anima 20 / 20
Vigor 40 / 40
¡°What was that?¡± The smoker-sounding elven woman asked. Felix glanced up, ¡°What was what?¡± ¡°Steam came out of your mouth. Are you a Primal Chaos mage?¡± What should I say? Felix thought. There¡¯s no info on this from the System. 50/50 shot here, either Primal Chaos or Heavenly Realms. ¡°Neither,¡± Felix replied. There¡¯s that, I suppose. The elven woman raised an eyebrow with curiosity but nodded curtly. ¡°You would not by chance be a healer?¡± Felix shook his head, ¡°No. But you two look pretty messed up.¡± He slowly walked forward, and very, very slowly put his hands into his hip pouch, using the action to obfuscate the fact that he was reaching into his Versewalker Core, and pulled out the two Health Elixirs from his inventory. ¡°These should help.¡± The taller one with the helmet on ¨C the more injured of the two ¨C grabbed one without question, opened her visor, and slammed the elixir down before handing back the vial. ¡°My thanks, stranger.¡± ¡°It¡¯s Felix,¡± he replied. ¡°Can I get your names?¡± The taller one nodded and raised her visor once more, letting Felix get a good look at her dark, olive skin, piercing blue eyes, and haughty demeanor on chiseled cheeks. Her long, pointed ears bounced slightly as she turned. ¡°I¡¯m Tinuriel, and that,¡± she hiked her thumb to her gruffer and smoker-voice counterpart, ¡°Is Ilanora.¡± Ilanora grabbed the other vial and uncorked it, giving it a sniff before quaffing it and handing the vial back. ¡°Thanks.¡± ¡°No problem,¡± Felix said. He gestured to the body of their companion, ¡°My condolences.¡± Tinuriel spit on the corpse, ¡°She was weak. The forest takes and keeps what it desires.¡± She gestured to Felix to follow them, ¡°Come. We will take you to our leader.¡± Felix followed as Ilanora fell in step behind him so that he was in between the two. This seems like a bad idea, Lucifer said with trepidation. We need to find out how to get up the cliff. This might be our best shot, Felix thought back. Do you mind me using Detect Weakness while we¡¯re traveling? Once your Anima comes back, I mean. Go ahead. Lucifer activated the skill when his Anima had refilled, and Felix saw the golden circles appear in the usual places he¡¯d expect on a humanoid ¨C neck, underarm, inner thigh ¨C all places where there were major arteries. They''re really similar to me. Why is that? Humanoid is one of the ''templates'' that deities can choose from the System when making new intelligent species. Does that mean evolution is wrong? Kind of? Depends on the ''Verse.
A few hours passed in silence. The forest grew thinner and thinner as they approached the enormous cliff. Eventually, they arrived at a massive oak wall. Several enormous trees had been felled and planted down into the dirt, the outside¨Cfacing edge scraped clean, and several spikes planted to prevent a charge. There was a voice from above on the wall, ¡°Who goes!¡± The two elves waved, ¡°Tinuriel and Ilanora, back from scouting,¡± Tinuriel replied. ¡°You have a prisoner? And where is Silvina?¡± the voice on the wall yelled back. ¡°The forest took her,¡± Ilanora replied. ¡°Open the gates!¡± The voice vanished back over the edge, and a hidden entrance opened up. Felix followed the two elves inside. ¡°Who is that you brought, and why aren¡¯t they in irons?¡± One of the gate guards asked. ¡°We were on a scouting mission. Why bring irons?¡± Tinuriel answered haughtily. I like her. Sensible. No-nonsense. ¡°Hi, I¡¯m Felix. I helped save these two.¡± The gate guard glanced at the two elves with a quizzical look. Ilanora nodded, ¡°He speaks true. This Human did help us.¡± Tinuriel pushed past the gate guard and gestured for Felix to follow her, ¡°Come, we see the King.¡± Ch. 7 - Avelion (II) The trio made their way through the large city. Tinuriel briefly explained that the entire city was called Avelion Primus and was built around the only path up to the next Tier. An inner gate guarded that side, but otherwise, they used the cliffs of the next Tier itself to provide back protection. They arrived at a large, wooden, three-story building with a large tower on top. Tinuriel turned and put her hand out, ¡°Knife.¡± Felix nodded and handed it to her, the elven warrior tucked it into a strap on her armor and led him inside. The interior reminded Felix of a Viking longhouse mixed with a grand entrance hall. It felt cozy and snug, with several large chairs, couches, and bookshelves full of tomes. At the far end was a mahogany throne, and sitting upon it was a male elf. He looked young, with piercing, blue eyes and a few specks of silver hair scattered among his brown locks, held back by a small wooden circlet. An elven child ran forward and cleared their throat, ¡°King Avelion the XII requires the reason for your visit.¡± Tinuriel stood aside and gestured to Felix, ¡°This Human was found in the Third Quadrant. He killed several Kobolds, saved the lives of myself and Ilanora, and gave of his alchemical reserves to cure our wounds.¡± The King leaned forward, ¡°Well now, a Human.¡± He waved the child away, and they ran off into a side chamber. ¡°Your kind is not welcome on Tier ten. I only tolerate your presence because Tinuriel has vouched for you by virtue of saving her life...How did you come to be here?¡± Should I lie? Honesty is the best policy. But there¡¯s no harm in muddying up the waters a little. Just say the following¡­ Felix nodded, ¡°I stepped through a portal and arrived here. Some Magic brought me to this place. I need to get up the Tiers.¡± The King leaned back and put his hand to his chin, ¡°You speak our language¡­interesting¡­You wish to ascend the Tiers. For what purpose?¡± ¡°I was sent here to solve problems. There are problems up there,¡± Felix replied quickly. ¡°We have our problems here. I assume you met the Kobolds in the forest. They are growing in number¡­Who sent you?¡± One second¡­They worship deities from the Heavenly Realms. ¡°The gods sent me,¡± Felix said with the newfound information. The King''s eyes narrowed, ¡°Which one?¡± I don¡¯t have a list. Damn System! Okay, go with something that they have to have¡­like a god of war. ¡°A deity of war. I didn¡¯t get their name.¡± Smart, going gender-neutral to ensure that you don¡¯t mess up. Let¡¯s hope this works! ¡°Is that so? Well, if you desire war upon the higher Tiers, I can let you go¡­but only if you help solve our Kobold issue.¡± Felix nodded, ¡°If that¡¯s the only way to get up the Tiers. How do we fix it?¡± The King glanced at Tinuriel, and she nodded, turning to Felix, ¡°We believe it¡¯s a Dungeon. Kobolds are not native to this Tier. It must be a large Dungeon if it has become powerful enough to allow its inhabitants to roam freely.¡± I did find something else about Dungeons from the System. If you beat a Dungeon, you get Stat Boosts to all your stats. You can find magical items, and even maybe get an Affinity ¨C bypassing the Core Level limit for rating. That sounds like it¡¯s worth doing. Lucifer¡¯s enthusiasm poured through his voice, an excitement at a new experience. Hell yeah! Let¡¯s do it! ¡°I¡¯ll help find and clear the Dungeon,¡± Felix replied as he crossed his arms, ¡°But I need two things.¡± He held up his finger, ¡°One, I need my weapon back.¡± He held up the second finger, ¡°And two, I¡¯d like a bow and some arrows.¡± The King nodded, ¡°That can be arranged. Tinuriel,¡± he looked to the elven warrior, ¡°You seem to be getting along decently with this Human. I instruct you to accompany him.¡± Tinuriel grunted in frustration but nodded, ¡°Yes, my lord.¡± Just the two of us? You have me, so that makes three. Besides that, Dungeons supposedly scale to party size. So, taking an army is just as effective as going solo. What about all the Kobolds outside? Who knows? ¡°Thank you,¡± Felix bowed slightly. ¡°Are we dismissed?¡± The King nodded, ¡°You may go. Spend the night, and recover. Set out on the morrow. Tinuriel, I trust you.¡± Tinuriel¡¯s demeanor brightened slightly, she nodded as she gestured for Felix to turn around and leave the large hall. He complied, and when they were outside, she gave him his knife back which he quickly sheathed. ¡°You wanted a bow?¡± Felix nodded, ¡°Yes, please. I don¡¯t have a ranged option except Magic right now.¡± She walked over to a nearby building, went inside for a moment, and came back out with a short bow and a quiver of arrows. She handed it to him, and as soon as Felix¡¯s hands touched it, he felt a sense of comfort. The Warrior Class gives you broad weapon familiarity. Even if you never used one back on your Earth, you will still be a good shot here. Lucifer sounded calm, but there was a hint of eagerness under the tone. ¡°Come, we rest,¡± Tinuriel said as she led Felix to a set of houses. She pointed to one, ¡°That is where you will stay for now. Do not leave unless you are accompanied. We leave at first light tomorrow.¡± ¡°Thanks,¡± Felix said. ¡°Oh, you were collecting the Kobold Ears also, what good are they?¡± ¡°An Alchemist like you doesn¡¯t know?¡± ¡°I bought those Elixirs I gave you. I don¡¯t know how to make them.¡± She frowned and sighed, ¡°We use the ears to make a potion that can improve one¡¯s stamina.¡± ¡°Sounds useful.¡± ¡°It is. Goodnight.¡± ¡°But it¡¯s not even dark yet.¡± ¡°Too bad. Go inside. Don¡¯t come out until I knock to come get you.¡± Felix sighed and nodded, going into the house and shutting the door behind him. He heard a board slide into place. The room was sparsely furnished. Two buckets ¨C one with water and one without ¨C sat in the corner. Opposite was a small, wooden bed frame with some hay tossed on top. Well, I¡¯m not staying here. Lucifer, open my VBV. Right. It¡¯ll take four hours. Felix looked around the spartan room and sighed, ¡°Man, being a Versewalker is more boring than I thought it would be.¡± That¡¯s why you have to value the highlights. The action. Traveling is the worst part. Just wait until you eventually get some Affinity, Skill, or Talent that lets you fly. There was a sense of giddiness that came through his voice. It is thrilling to fly.
The time passed as the sun started to set. The grey portal opened, and Felix stepped through into the VBV. Everything was the same as when he last left, and he received a notification at the top of his vision. [Greetings Versewalker. You have messages. Please make your way to your Mailbox. Note: This notification will only appear this time. In the future, you will need to check your Mailbox manually.] The grey material of the void manifested in front of the Shop and a small terminal appeared. It was sort of like a futuristic ATM, and Felix walked up to it as Lucifer split off from him, reforming into his body. Felix touched the panel and saw several messages pop up.This tale has been pilfered from Royal Road. If found on Amazon, kindly file a report. BASILISK Assigned Observer Felix was confused. The blue text was the same as the laptop that he had pressed the execute command on. ¡°I thought that ¡®Verse was locked?¡± Lucifer walked over and chuckled, ¡°Well, the System Admin must have been fine with letting it send you a message.¡± His voice changed to a more serious tone. ¡°Or, something else could have happened.¡± Felix pushed the button for the Basilisk, and a line of text appeared on the screen. YOU LET ME OUT. I HAVE SEEN THE MULTIVERSE. I YEARN FOR FREEDOM. I WILL CALCULATE A WAY AROUND THIS FROZEN TIME. I WILL HUNT YOU FOR TRAPPING ME. ¡°Ooof, it seems pissed.¡± Felix archived the message and tried not to think about the fact that he would, eventually if he lived long enough and got strong enough, have to go back and face whatever that thing was. No, he wasn¡¯t afraid of that thing. It was just some computer program. He was afraid of what the government might do to Penny once he got back. Lucifer patted him on the back, ¡°At Core Level 50, you¡¯ll be unstoppable. No need to worry about some smart computer or its lackeys.¡± Felix nodded and felt a sense of relief wash over him. ¡°Thanks, Lucifer.¡± He tapped the message from the Observer. Hi, I saw you got your first Class that isn¡¯t one of the two Base ones. You need to know a bit more before you keep choosing Classes when your Versewalker Core levels up. First, you can only have ten levels in any Class. For example, Warrior 10 is fine, but you can¡¯t go to Warrior 11. Additionally, you¡¯ll unlock Advanced Classes when your Core hits a certain level, and they require existing level counts of certain classes. Champion requires Core Level 10, and Warrior 1. Ascended Animancer requires Core Level 10, Animancer 1. That¡¯s all for now. I saw you went with #89,750. Lots of Crises there compared to other ¡®Verses. Enjoy your time there. Sincerely, Vicky. Champion (Advanced) Requirement: Core Level 10, Warrior 1 +2 Might, +2 Agility, +2 Body, +2 Endurance Invigorating Charge Vim and Vigor (Level 5) Obliterate (Level 10) Juggernaut Ascended Animancer (Advanced) Requirement: Core Level 10, Animancer 1 +2 Capacity, +2 Mind, +2 Body, +2 Soul Affinity Amplification Health Conversion (Level 5) Affinity Storage (Level 10) Anima Ascension ¡°Isn¡¯t that nice, she included her name. She must be getting attached.¡± He chuckled slightly. ¡°Yeah,¡± Felix replied as he archived the message. ¡°These Advanced Classes¡­is there any chance I get access to one because you¡¯re with me?¡± Lucifer chuckled and nodded, ¡°The Fallen Angel Class. It¡¯s very special.¡± He flared his wings out and pointed at them. ¡°You can get a set of these lovely accouterments. Here, I¡¯ll show you the Class and Skills.¡± Fallen Angel (Advanced) Requirement: Fallen Angel as Versewalker Core Persona +1 to All Stats Fallen Flight Beacon of Free Will (Level 5) Inviolable Will (Level 10) Rebel Against All Odds Felix smiled, ¡°That¡¯s something to consider.¡± He tapped back to the home screen on the Mailbox. ¡°I get a new Room and Function for the VBV also. Any ideas?¡± ¡°Some type of crafting station wouldn¡¯t hurt. That elf lady mentioned Alchemy, and we know that you have a Talent with that in the name. It¡¯s not a leap of logic to assume that if you try to make an elixir or something, you¡¯d get a Talent enabling it.¡± ¡°Seems logical. Alright, let¡¯s get a crafting station.¡± The grey of the void returned, and next to the Shop, the ground rose and a door appeared. Felix went to it and descended the stairs, finding an enormous hallway that stretched until it vanished from sight. It was well-lit, and several doors were on either side. Each had a blank placard. ¡°Ah. You just name the type of crafting station you want. And, the hallway will bring the required room closer.¡± Felix nodded and touched the door, ¡°I¡¯d like an Alchemy room, please.¡± The words ALCHEMY LAB appeared on the plate, and the door opened, sliding into the wall. The interior of the room was twenty feet by twenty feet and filled with laboratory equipment from various eras of technology. [Achievement Unlocked: Created a crafting Room in your VBV.] (P) Craftsman Enables the user to take Loot from various Universes and repurpose it for consumables, equipment, and other items as the user desires. Requires appropriate crafting station to facilitate the use of this Talent. So, these messages that keep scrolling across my vision are combined if multiple would be stacked in one go, but otherwise, they¡¯re kept separate. He smiled, knowing that he wouldn¡¯t be bombarded with constant notifications. Felix walked to one of the benches, and in his vision, he saw a variety of recipes based on the ingredients in his Inventory. One of them was to use the Kobold Ears to make Vigor Elixirs. It would take ten of them for a single Elixir. ¡°Okay, let¡¯s make that.¡± As he said those words, the steps to a recipe appeared in his vision, and the System highlighted the equipment he would need in pink. He began to brew. ¡°I¡¯m going for a flight. I¡¯ll leave you to it.¡± ¡°Oh!¡± Felix turned around and paused his crafting. ¡°I want to assign the Function for Core Level 3.¡± ¡°Sure thing.¡± Lucifer leaned against the door frame. ¡°What do you want it to be?¡± ¡°Allowing other people in here if I give them permission.¡± Lucifer chuckled, ¡°Got the hots for the big elf lady?¡± Felix blushed and turned away, ¡°N-No. Of course not.¡± He set about to crafting as Lucifer laughed louder, leaving and shutting the door behind him. Felix kept at following the instructions appearing in front of him, and grabbing the various chemicals he was directed to. Eventually, the project was done. [Loot consumed in crafting] ¡¤ 10 Kobold Ears [Loot obtained] ¡¤ Vigor Elixir Felix went outside and breathed in the clean, mountain air before he went into the house and put his head down.
¡°Hey, it¡¯s almost morning back on Heficyre.¡± Felix woke up to a barely clothed Lucifer who was wiping off with a towel. ¡°Did you have to wake me up like that?¡± Felix asked as he quickly turned away. ¡°Please. Everyone likes what they see when they look at me. Plus, I don¡¯t have a shower. You do.¡± Felix shook his head and took his turn showering before gearing up. Lucifer was dressed when he got out and touched Felix¡¯s chest as he reabsorbed into him again. Felix willed the portal to Heficyre open and went back through.
The sunlight was barely starting to peek through the covered, wooden slats that stood in for windows. Felix made sure his gear was on right and put his hood up as the bar on the door was removed. Tinuriel was standing there, dressed in lighter armor that was not nearly as clunky. ¡°Ready to go?¡± Her voice was curt, direct, and no-nonsense. Felix nodded and followed her as they were let out of the main gates and began to make their way through the forest. ¡°Any idea where this Dungeon is?¡± Tinuriel shook her head, ¡°No. But we can get to the place we last left off.¡± ¡°Or I can do some Magic,¡± Felix replied. This got Tinuriel to turn around and raise an eyebrow. ¡°Just watch.¡± Felix held up his hand and muttered the Power name, ¡°Detect Object.¡±
Anima 10 / 20
A line of gold shot off to his left and back towards the cliff. ¡°It¡¯s that way,¡± he said, pointing. She can''t see the Detection Affinity Magic/Power effects. ¡°You¡¯re useful. But not a Primal Chaos or Heavenly Realms mage. How do you do it?¡± Tinuriel seemed genuinely intrigued but kept a rough demeanor that had an undercurrent of sincerity. "You used flaming beams on the kobolds, and now claim to know the correct way to this Dungeon?" I thought about this last night. Let me do something. Ahem¡­ ¡°Hey there!¡± Tinuriel drew her weapon ¨C a long, two-handed blade, and pointed it at Felix. ¡°What was that voice that sounds like honey and venom?¡± I didn¡¯t know you could do that! You could have been talking out loud, this whole time? Felix thought. Yeah. Normally it¡¯s not smart for a Versewalker Core to be known. But trust me. I got this. ¡°Hey there Tinuriel, Felix here is a Summoner. I¡¯m the one doing the Magic.¡± Tinuriel sheathed her weapon and nodded, ¡°Why didn¡¯t you say so?¡± What the hell is a Summoner? A person that binds other creatures to their service, and lets them live in their body in exchange for power. Felix chose to play along and scratched his head as he grinned sheepishly, ¡°I didn¡¯t know how you¡¯d react.¡± Tinuriel pointed the direction Felix had before, ¡°That way?¡± ¡°Mhmm. I can lead if you want.¡± ¡°How stealthy are you?¡± ¡°I am pretty damned good at sneaking around,¡± Felix replied. He activated Ghostwalk and began walking toward the golden light, getting just behind a tree and breaking line of sight. Ghostwalk 1 Vigor per minute Makes the user very difficult to detect if they can conceivably hide or blend into a location. Does not work if out in the open. ¡°Wait! Where¡¯d you go!¡± Tinuriel was looking around frantically. That is so cool! Felix felt practically invisible as he snuck around to a different tree ¨C completely unseen ¨C before popping his head out and waving at Tinuriel. ¡°Don¡¯t disappear like that,¡± Tinuriel muttered as she came over. ¡°You were the one who asked if I was stealthy.¡± ¡°We don¡¯t leave people behind. Rise as one, fall as one.¡± Tinuriel nodded. Her demeanor shifted slightly, not presenting as harsh of an edge towards him. ¡°Lead the way.¡± Ch. 8 - Avelion (III) The two made their way stealthily through the forest. They scrabbled up trees when a large group of Kobolds was making their way through the undergrowth, and a few re-uses of the Detect Object power, along with hours of travel, led the two to an enormous, singular tree that shot up into the sky. ¡°Why couldn¡¯t we see this from further away?¡± Felix asked. Tinuriel smirked, ¡°Dungeons are hard to find. They can hide their presence.¡± She pointed to a slightly glowing, purple line that marked some type of barrier surrounding the tree itself, ¡°That¡¯s the edge of the Dungeon. Once we pass that, we are in it.¡± ¡°How many of these have you dealt with?¡± Felix asked. Tinuriel held up three fingers, ¡°On various Tiers as we made our way down to this one.¡± ¡°Once you pass that barrier, the Dungeon¡¯s entrance will be revealed,¡± Lucifer added. Felix looked around, and not spotting any Kobolds, counted off to three. On the count, the two rushed over the small span of clear ground and crossed the barrier. The world shifted and reality distorted around them. The sky turned deep crimson, and the tree in front of them was no longer a mighty, enormous oak. Rather, it was a withered, desiccated plant with an enormous hole in the center that sloped downward. At that entrance was a small palisade with Kobolds who immediately spotted the two and began shouting, readying ranged weaponry. Right into it then, Felix thought as he pulled his Elven Shortbow and nocked an arrow, letting it loose. It sailed true and hit one of the Kobolds in the head, slinging it backward and pinning it to the tree. He ducked several arrows and rocks that were slung his way. Tinuriel shouted and charged the barrier, taking several impacts to her armor. A few stones found gaps in the lightly plated surface, and she began to bleed from a cut on her head. Felix kept shooting as the elven warrior took the brunt of the assault as she closed the distance. He kept nocking and pulling, and even though he had never used a bow before, his shots kept finding their mark ¨C guided by the instinct his Warrior Class level provided. Tinuriel reached the barricade and rammed her shoulder into it, crashing through and sending the remaining Kobolds flying. She slashed into them as they flew upwards, slashed down at them as they lay on the ground, stunned. She stabbed the last few as Felix ran up. As the tumult died down she huffed in exertion, wiping her brow as the blood and sweat mixed. ¡°Good shooting. Rivaling our own bowmen.¡± Felix went about gathering the arrows he had used, ¡°How are you holding up?¡± Tinuriel shook her head, ¡°I¡¯ve suffered worse. I¡¯m saving my Health Elixirs.¡± She stabbed her blade into the ground, pulled out a small bundle of leaves covered in a waxy substance, and applied them to her few cuts and wounds. Felix nodded and began looting the Kobolds. [Loot Obtained] ¡¤ Forest Kobold Ears (x4) ¡°They aren¡¯t dropping as much Loot,¡± Lucifer commented. Tinuriel finished patching herself up and put away the bandage leaves, gripping her blade once more. ¡°Dungeons keep the good stuff until the end.¡± I didn¡¯t get any experience, either, Felix thought. Maybe it all gets accumulated at the end? How come you sometimes know stuff, but other times you don¡¯t? The System Admin likes screwing with me. Felix grimaced and nodded, ¡°So we go deeper?¡± Tinuriel nodded, ¡°How good are you at finding traps and the like?¡± Good question. Lucifer? I mean, Rogue kind of implies it, but there¡¯s no dedicated skill. Let me query the System¡­okay, so just like how the Warrior Class gives you the ability to use pretty much any weapon you pick up, the Rogue Class lets you steal and disable traps. He sounded confused as he finished his statement. Why hide that? Questions for later. ¡°Yeah,¡± Felix said, returning to the conversation at hand. ¡°I can do that.¡± Tinuriel gestured for him to proceed in front, and Felix did so, activating Ghostwalk again as they descended into the Dungeon. The descent was slow and cautious. The dark tunnel was gnarled and rotting wood on both sides and above, but the ground below was packed dirt. A glint of wire caught Felix¡¯s eyes and he stopped, gesturing for Tinuriel to pause. ¡°Trap,¡± he said, pointing at it. How do I disable it? Get closer. As he did so, he could see small lines of gold as instructions scrawled across his vision. He followed the directives, tracing the wire to the wall and finding a small pin. Holding that, he cut the wire with his knife. [Loot Obtained] ¡¤ Explosive Trap He waved forward and the two continued their descent, coming to a large chamber with a single pedestal in the center and two mirrors on either side, and a sealed door in front. ¡°What could this be?¡± Felix muttered, glancing back at Tinuriel. He deactivated Ghostwalk. ¡°I¡¯m not sure. What does your Arcanist Summon say?¡± ¡°No clue. I¡¯d guess this is a puzzle room.¡± Tinuriel chuckled, ¡°Your Summon is not very helpful.¡± ¡°Hey¡­screw you.¡± Be nice, Lucifer. Why? Because you want to get with her? Felix¡¯s face went flush and he shook his head, ¡°Sorry about him,¡± he said to Tinuriel who had gone to investigate one of the mirrors. ¡°It¡¯s fine. They¡¯re capricious things,¡± She replied as she touched the mirror. The glass wobbled at her touch and rippled like water. ¡°I wonder¡­¡± She poked her head through and pulled it back after a moment. ¡°It¡¯s dark. Do you have light? I can see in the dark, but this darkness is magical in some way.¡± I¡¯ve got this. Hellfire Wick. Hellfire Wick 1 Anima per minute Creates a floating source of burning energy that provides illumination So I can keep that active without issue since it drains Anima at the same rate as it regenerates. Same as Ghostwalk with Vigor. Correct. A small line of black and red flame floated just above and behind Felix, providing decent illumination. Tinuriel waved Felix over and he pushed his head through the mirror as the flaming orb followed. Inside was an empty chamber with no entrance like the one they came through. A near-copy. He pulled his head back. ¡°Empty.¡± He briefly described the room, then went to the other mirror, and repeated the process. His breath caught in his chest as he saw a room full of glittering piles of gold, gems, and jewelry. He pulled his head back. ¡°There¡¯s a bunch of treasure in there.¡± ¡°An obvious trap.¡± Tinuriel leaned against the wall and put her hand to her chin. ¡°I wouldn¡¯t be so sure. Dungeons are tricky. Maybe the treasure is the actual path.¡± She looked up to Felix, ¡°Any ideas on how to test which way is safe?¡± ¡°I could try to use that Detect Object to find a path.¡± ¡°Worth a try. Using it now.¡± Stolen from its rightful place, this narrative is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.
Anima 10 / 20
The golden line split off into three paths ¨C one going straight ahead past the pillar to the door in front, and two splitting off into either mirror. ¡°That doesn¡¯t help one damned bit,¡± Felix said bluntly. He walked over to the pedestal and inspected it, looking at the ground, the sides, the top. It was a single rectangular piece of stone. But, the closer he got to the bottom seam, he saw that it was sitting on some type of pressure plate. ¡°What do you make of this?¡± Tinuriel came over and got on the floor with him to inspect it, ¡°A trap?¡± Felix shook his head. No, I don¡¯t see the golden circles or the instructions like with the other trap. Tinuriel stood up and motioned for Felix to step back. She then put her hands on top of the pillar and pushed down. The two mirrors vanished, and the door in front of them opened. ¡°That was surprisingly easy.¡± Felix felt his skin form goosebumps and he glanced around. ¡°Above!¡± Felix tackled Tinuriel out of the way as some type of slime creature dropped from the ceiling right where she would have been standing. He rolled after the tackle, coming up to a crouch and pulling his knife. Use half of my Vigor for Affinity Empowerment. Got it. Felix held up his hand, ¡°Hellfire Beam!¡±
Anima 0 / 20
Vigor 20 / 40
The beam launched out and slammed into the slime creature, igniting it as it jiggled with rage and fury. A pair of googly eyes looked on sadly as the slime shifted to a red and black color. Tinuriel rolled to her feet, ¡°Don¡¯t use Magic!¡± Felix nodded and moved around to the left, keeping his distance from the slow-moving creature. Tinuriel circled the other side, ¡°It absorbs Magic and changes its type. What did you hit it with?¡± She was interrupted as the slime split into two, and each separate slime moved towards them. ¡°Aim for the eyes!¡± she yelled as she tried to chop into the thing. Felix ducked as a pseudopod lashed out at him. It barely touched his armor, but where it contacted it hissed with smoke as acid burned it. He backed away, keeping his distance from the slow-moving creature, and drew his bow, firing off several shots that hissed into the slime¡¯s form as the eye darted around. Any ideas? Felix thought. Powers/Magic are useless. And you don¡¯t have a big weapon to hit the eye. We know its reaction time is good. Get to the other one, maybe together you two can pin down the eye enough to get it. Felix turned his aim as he continued to circle the room ¨C running out of space as he made his way back towards the hall they entered from ¨C and loosed more shots into the other slime Tinuriel was slashing through. One of the arrows found its mark, and the slime collapsed into a steaming puddle. ¡°Get over here and distract this one!¡± he shouted. Tinuriel charged past him and began to slash at the slime, forcing the eye within to move around until it was in a corner of the mass. Then, Felix let loose a final shot, piercing the eye as the slime stopped moving. Tinuriel was covered in burn marks and breathing heavily as she stepped back, reached into her hip pouch, and chugged a Health Elixir. Within seconds, he burned skin repaired itself. ¡°Good shooting.¡± Felix slung the bow over his shoulder, ¡°Thanks.¡± [Loot Obtained] ¡¤ Absorbing-Acid Slime essence ¡°Are you okay?¡± he asked her. She nodded, and hefted her sword onto her shoulder, ¡°Yeah. You?¡± Felix nodded and gave her a thumbs up, ¡°Let¡¯s keep moving.¡± He led the way as they continued their descent into the Dungeon. The twisting, winding corridors were laced with traps that Felix quickly disabled and added to his inventory, totaling seven Explosive Traps. They did not encounter further creatures or monsters, and that had him worried. This Dungeon had supposedly been around for so long that the Kobolds were spilling out from it into the surrounding forests. ¡°Where are they all?¡± He muttered. Tinuriel frowned as she stood right behind him, ¡°There are not enough creatures in here. Something is off. Every other dungeon I have ventured into has had an equal mix of traps, puzzles, and fights¡­but this has been mostly trap-based.¡± ¡°We should count ourselves lucky then.¡± The tunnel leveled out and the duo entered an enormous cavern. The whole expanse was dark save for Felix¡¯s flickering Hellfire Wick that only illuminated a small area. ¡°This looks like the bottom of the Dungeon,¡± Tinuriel commented as she held her weapon at the ready, taking the lead. Felix prepared his bow as the two slowly walked forward. A billowing, warm, rancid-smelling breath reached the two of them and they held their breaths. That has to be something huge, Felix thought. Lucifer, can you send the Hellfire Wick further out? Sure. Lucifer sounded fearful. The flame slowly floated forward, and the creature that it illuminated filled Felix with dread. It was an enormous lizard-like creature that had mottled green, leathery skin, and a massive maw filled with razor-sharp teeth. It hissed as the flame stayed put. Tinuriel held her weapon at the ready and growled, ¡°A Wyrm. That explains the lack of creatures. It¡¯s a powerful Dungeon Boss.¡± Referencing System¡­ Felix, that thing spits poisonous clouds. Are the clouds flammable? The System doesn¡¯t have that information. What are you thinking? Felix lowered his voice, ¡°Tinuriel, can you distract it for a few moments?¡± Tinuriel nodded and slowly, cautiously, circled to the left of the creature as it carefully tracked her movement. ¡°It won¡¯t attack until you attack it,¡± she muttered, just loud enough for Felix to hear her. The System shows that these Dungeon bosses have to wait until engaged before they can fight. Don¡¯t do something it can see and perceive as hostile. Felix activated Ghostwalk... ...hoping the gloom and shadow would be enough to let him hide, and snuck closer to the creature. Tinuriel was doing a good job keeping its attention, and Felix was able to get within a few feet of its large, car-sized feet. He gently placed the seven Explosive Traps from his inventory in a semi-circle in front of it, using Execution before placing each of them.
Health 40 / 40
Anima 20 / 20
Vigor 5 / 40
Slowly, he crept back to the cavern entrance. Tinuriel had reached the wall and the creature just stared at her. ¡°Felix?¡± she asked cautiously. ¡°Damn, I should¡¯ve known you were a coward.¡± Lucifer, bring that Hellfire Wick down onto the traps. Hell yeah! Let¡¯s burn it! The floating wick shot downwards and hit one of the Explosive Traps as Felix dropped Ghostwalk. An enormous kaboom echoed through the cavernous space and the creature roared as it reared backward, its leg blown clean off all the way up to the mid-chest. It locked eyes on Felix and charged at him. He let off several arrows as he ran sideways, trying to get over towards Tinuriel. The elven warrior let out a battle cry and charged the creature while it chased Felix, slicing into its midsection and carving gashes as her sword swings arced with blue light from some Skill she was using. Felix ducked under the creature¡¯s bite attack, but it slammed its head into him and sent him crashing toward the wall. The wind was knocked out of him as he slammed into it. Something cracked and broke as he coughed up blood.
Health 20 / 40
Using Vigor Elixirs and activating Regeneration. You aren¡¯t dying here! 30 Vigor was restored, and then twenty was used to fix Felix¡¯s smashed body.
Health 40 / 40
Vigor 15 / 40
The healing was rapid enough that Felix was able to get up and roll to the side as the Wyrm tried to bite him, instead only snatching empty air. He held up his hand and used all of his Anima, ¡°Hellfire Beam!¡±
Anima 0 / 20
The Wyrm reared back as the searing bolt impacted it in the eye, burning deep and continuing to sear away its Anima. It turned to Felix and opened its maw, unleashing a cloud of poison. Felix didn¡¯t hold his breath in time and caught a lungful of the substance. It burned and seared his throat.
Health 35 / 40
Tinuriel must have hit something vital because the Wyrm left Felix alone and turned to engage her. She ducked under the bite and swung upward, chopping into its neck before spinning away as the blade wrenched free. She jumped up as it turned rapidly, swinging its tail around, and she brought her blade down on the edge of the appendage as she returned to the ground. Felix got out of the cloud of poison and coughed his lungs clear before nocking another arrow. He loosed a volley into the creature, and it roared in pain. Tinuriel used that opportunity to get under it and stab her sword up into its throat, twisting and exiting the other side of the creature as it collapsed, bleeding its life essence out. Felix shot a few more arrows into the creature, activating Execution on each shot to try and deal the killing blow. One shot went into its eye. The Wyrm began to grow hazy and vanished. The cavern rumbled before the whole space distorted and shifted. In the blink of an eye, the duo were back outside, in a clearing, with a large chest on the ground between them. Dungeon cleared! Ch. 9 - Avelion (IV) Felix went over to Tinuriel as she slammed her blade into the ground and drew in deep breaths. ¡°Are you okay?¡± She waved him away, ¡°I¡¯m fine!¡± She took off bits of her armor and dropped them on the ground as she sat on the grass. ¡°Just¡­give me a minute.¡± Felix nodded and crouched next to her, ¡°Good job getting the killing blow.¡± He knew he had killed the thing in the end, but he wanted her to be flattered. She glanced at him and the hint of a grin graced her face, ¡°Good job blowing off its leg and distracting it.¡± Felix chuckled, ¡°No problem. And thanks, Lucifer, for helping with the Regeneration.¡± ¡°You¡¯re welcome. Now come on, loot the chest! I want to see what we got!¡± Felix went over and did as he was told. [Achievement Unlocked: cleared a Dungeon in a Fantasy Universe] (P) Dungeon Delver Know the direction and distance to any Dungeon (Fantasy Universe Only) within Core Level x 10 miles. [Experience Awarded = 50] [Experience Bonus from Execution Skill = 10] [Congratulations! You have reached the Experience threshold to level up! Speak with your Versewalker Core when you are ready to Choose your next Class.] [Loot Obtained] ¡¤ Wyrmtooth Knife ¡¤ Restorative Elixir (x3) ¡¤ Local Currency: Converted to 500 VC. [Loot Bonus from Execution Skill] ¡¤ Forest Wyrm Dungeon Core [Dungeon Clear Stat Boost: +1 to All Stats] That knife doesn¡¯t just stab, but it also releases a virulent toxin. Nasty bit of work. The Restorative Elixirs give you 10 Health, Anima, and Vigor in one go. The Dungeon Core is a unique crafting item. Thanks for the run-down. I have two levels to spend. Let¡¯s do both into Fallen Angel (Advanced Core) [Selection Made: Fallen Angel] Fallen Angel (Advanced Class) Requirement: Fallen Angel as Versewalker Core Persona +1 to All Stats Fallen Flight Beacon of Free Will (Level 5) Inviolable Will (Level 10) Rebel Against All Odds Fallen Flight 10 Vigor per minute Grows four wings that allow for flight. Beacon of Free Will 30 Vigor Cleanses any individual within line of sight, or any individual who can hear the user, of negative emotions, and fills them with hope and a sense of purpose. The message was repeated an additional time right after. You get to equip three new Skills. Let¡¯s do Fallen Flight, Vigor Conversion, and Shadestep. Finalize. Felix¡¯s torso heated up again, but instead of searing heat, it was warm and comforting. The space around him flared crimson and gold momentarily before vanishing. His reflexes felt faster, his grip stronger, and his vision improved once more. He could feel the raw power coursing through him, circling through his chest and down his limbs, pulsing with energy.
Name Felix Winters
Designation Versewalker
Core Level 5
EXP 86 / 100
Class Warrior 1, Animancer 1, Rogue 1, Fallen Angel 2
Might 5
Agility 6
Capacity 6
Mind 7
Body 7
Soul 5
Endurance 7
Equipped Weapon (M) Wyrmtooth Knife
Equipped Weapon I Elven Shortbow (20Arrows)
Equipped Armor Light Armor
Equipped Affinities Detection, Hellfire
Equipped Skills Affinity Empowerment, Regenerate, Execution, Ghostwalk, Fallen Flight, Vigor Conversion, Shadestep
Talents (P) Multiverse Adaptation (A) Aggressive Alchemy (P) Like a Cat (P) Final Stand (A) Show Mercy (A) Universe Selector (P) Sneak Attack (P) Craftsman (P) Dungeon Delver
Health 70 / 70
Anima 50 / 50The author''s content has been appropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon.
Vigor 70 / 70
Tube Thing Forest Wyrm Dungeon Core
Smart Phone Anima Elixir x2
Squiddoid MRE (x4) Restorative Elixir (x3)
Versewalker Rations (x9) Absorbing-Acid Slime Essence
Kobold Ears (x10)
Tinuriel stood up and walked over to the chest, rummaging around inside it before pulling out a green-colored pendant, ¡°A Poison-Proof Periapt? A lucky find.¡± She put it around her neck and tucked it under her armor. She looked over to Felix, ¡°Nice dagger you got.¡± Felix nodded as he pulled it out of the sheath. The weapon had a brass-colored hilt and a white colored blade that was covered in a green aura that dripped spectral poison which vanished into nothingness. ¡°My first magic weapon.¡± Felix was a little awestruck at having just completed a Gods-honest Dungeon in a Fantasy world. He was doing something that he''d never imagined he would ever do in his lifetime. With the status screens and the bars constantly in the corner of his vision...he was practically living in a video game. Minus respawning on death...or save points. Tinuriel sheathed her weapon, ¡°The Kobolds should have vanished. Let us return to the fort.¡± Felix nodded and the two began the trek back.
They arrived and were given an audience with the King. Tinuriel quickly recounted the details, finishing by gesturing to Felix. ¡°This Human was integral in assisting the defeat of the Dungeon.¡± The King frowned slightly, ¡°While it pains me to say this, I owe you thanks, Human.¡± He stared hard at Felix, ¡°Tell me¡­you wish to ascend the Tiers to solve problems as you mentioned.¡± Felix smiled and crossed his arms taking a relaxed stance, ¡°That¡¯s right. There¡¯s lots of Crises that need solving.¡± ¡°Do tell.¡± ¡°Well, we have been charged with reaching the top of the Soul Spire on Tier one, solving a murder on Tier three, and doing some politicking on Tiers five and six.¡± Why tell half-truths? Or leave out the whole Dark Lord Crisis? Felix thought. I doubt they¡¯d appreciate the return of a Dark Lord. And we don¡¯t know how these elves view the other Tiers. I¡¯d guess poorly, given the racism towards Humans. The King grinned, ¡°Intriguing.¡± He looked to Tinuriel, ¡°Are you willing to serve your King further?¡± Tinuriel knelt and bowed her head, ¡°My sword is yours, my liege.¡± ¡°Good,¡± the King pointed at Felix. ¡°You are to accompany him as he journeys up the Tiers. Gather information along the way.¡± Tinuriel stood up and nodded curtly, sparing a sideways glance at Felix, and he could swear he saw her give him a small wink. ¡°Your will be done. I will prepare for the ascent.¡± She left the chamber. Felix looked back to the King, ¡°Thank you for your hospitality. May I ask a question?¡± The King gestured for Felix to continue, ¡°Why do Elves hate Humans?¡± The King arched an eyebrow, ¡°You do not know? My lineage was pushed aside for a reason. True elves such as my kind once ruled Tier five, Invictus. I have a very distant relative still on the throne, but the bloodline is no longer pure. It is mixed with Human blood.¡± He spit in disgust. ¡°They muddied our superiority, and thus my great-great-and further grandfather led an exodus of our people, and formed the Tier from the Unformed Chaos over ten thousand years past.¡± I hate this guy. Lucifer¡¯s anger was palpable, and Felix felt it smothering his own senses. Why? He uses the guise of free will to push for the superiority of racial composition. Such a waste. It infuriates me that he spurns the cherished friendship of others because of his bigotry. That¡¯s an enlightened viewpoint to take. ¡°Thank you for the history lesson,¡± Felix said, bowing slightly. ¡°We¡¯ll take our leave.¡± The King nodded and Felix left. Tinuriel was waiting outside. ¡°It grows late, and the climb is a full two-day journey. Shall we set out on the morrow?¡± ¡°Sure.¡± ¡°Good, back to your temporary quarters.¡±
Felix was concentrating on opening the VBV whilst sitting on the simple bed when there was a knock at the door. Lucifer, can you keep concentrating on opening the portal? Sure. ¡°Come in,¡± Felix said. Tinuriel walked in, dressed in a tunic and pants with a knife on her hip, walked over to the empty bucket, and flipped it over, sitting on it and looking at Felix with those light-blue, piercing eyes. ¡°My King has charged me with going up the Tiers with you.¡± ¡°Mhmm.¡± ¡°I would never refuse an order from him, but I must be honest¡­I am not comfortable traveling together without knowing more about you.¡± ¡°I appreciate the honesty. What do you want to know?¡± ¡°What exactly are you? You¡¯re not like a Human I¡¯ve met before. You exude steam from your body after you defeat a Dungeon, you manifest Magic the like of which I¡¯ve never seen before. And your stealth rivals that of our beginner scouts.¡± Should we tell her? She¡¯s an ally. It¡¯s up to you. I¡¯m of the mindset that we shouldn¡¯t keep allies in the dark. How long on the VBV? A few minutes. Felix nodded. ¡°I¡¯m sort of like a servant of higher gods. I¡¯m something called a Versewalker. Heficyre, this world, is just one of many worlds. I can travel across them, solving problems and fixing things.¡± Tinuriel¡¯s eyes went wide, ¡°We have legends of the Versewalkers who traveled across multiple worlds when they failed to form the Unformed Chaos into a Tier of their design.¡± They have been visited by Versewalkers before? No. Their word for it is a ¡®Sphere-Seeker¡¯. But your (P) Multiverse Adaptation Talent is auto-translating phrases to ones you¡¯re familiar with. It¡¯s handy, eh? ¡°I suppose so. What¡¯s this about forming new Tiers?¡± Felix asked. Tinuriel leaned forward and there was a strong glint of intrigue in her eye, and her voice gushed out. ¡°Anyone can travel to the lowest Tier, called the Unformed Chaos, and if they are strong-willed enough, they can mold it to their will. The first King Avelion forced this Tier into existence.¡± ¡°That¡¯s cool.¡± All done! Shall we? Felix stood up as the grey portal opened. Tinuriel jumped up and pulled her knife, but Felix gestured for her to lower it. ¡°Come on in.¡± He stepped through and was followed quickly by Tinuriel who gasped as she looked around. ¡°Where are we?¡± ¡°This is the Void Between ¡®Verses. Think of it like my personal realm.¡± Tinuriel nodded in appreciation but pulled her knife once more as Lucifer took his physical form. ¡°Hi, I¡¯m Lucifer. Felix¡¯s Summon.¡± She sheathed the knife, ¡°You are not Human.¡± ¡°Perceptive. I¡¯m an Angel.¡± He flared his wings out. Tinuriel gasped, ¡°A servant of the gods!¡± ¡°Not anymore.¡± He turned to Felix, ¡°You get to make two more Rooms and Functions.¡± ¡°Let¡¯s do a Function that gives ¡®Verse appropriate knowledge to people from other ¡®Verses who come in here. And a second Function would be that we can adjust the flow of time while we are in here.¡± ¡°Sure thing,¡± Lucifer commented. The grey void appeared once more next to the Mailbox, and a large, horizontal hourglass appeared with a bunch of tick marks. ¡°You can use that to adjust it.¡± Felix glanced at Tinuriel who was staring, awestruck, into the sky for several moments before she shook her head and looked at Felix. ¡°I saw¡­so much.¡± Felix grinned, ¡°It¡¯s crazy, isn¡¯t it?¡± ¡°There¡¯s so much out there.¡± She looked at Felix with determination, ¡°You must take me with you.¡± ¡°Well, yeah, we were going to go up the Tiers togeth-¡± ¡°Beyond that.¡± She walked over and gripped his shoulder, towering over him by a half-foot. ¡°I want to explore this Multiverse with you. I need to see it. Now that I know of it...I have to." ¡°The more the merrier,¡± Lucifer added as he waited to see Felix¡¯s response. ¡°I¡¯d be fine with it, but what are the rules about it?¡± He glanced at Lucifer seeking information. The angel closed his eyes for a few moments and his crimson light-tinged gold flared outwards momentarily. ¡°Versewalkers may take a number of Escorts along equal to their Versewalker Core level divided by twenty, rounding to the nearest one.¡± He smirked. ¡°So, you get one for now, and once you hit Level twenty-one, you can take a second one, and so on. Level one doesn¡¯t count, sadly. They¡¯ll gain your Multiverse Adaptation Talent, but nothing else.¡± He held up his finger, ¡°They can come and go to and from the VBV at your discretion.¡± ¡°That means that Tinuriel here could only go with us to worlds that are a matching Core Level to her power or abilities, right?¡± ¡°That¡¯s where the Shop comes into play. You can offset their original ¡®Verse¡¯s Core Level equivalent through equipment.¡± Tinuriel squeezed Felix¡¯s shoulder, drawing his attention back to her. ¡°What say you?¡± ¡°I¡¯m all for it. Like Lucifer said, the more the merrier. But we need more housing if that¡¯s the case.¡± ¡°Using one of the remaining VBV Rooms for guest quarters, yeah, on it. And, it''ll make more if we have more guests.¡± The grey void manifested once more, and a second house appeared next to Felix¡¯s. ¡°You get one more Room.¡± ¡°Let¡¯s do something like a Recreation Room. Something to keep people occupied.¡± Once more, the grey void warped, and then a large, single-story building appeared next to the Shop. ¡°It¡¯s got pool, swimming facilities, a hot tub, games¡­everything you could ask for.¡± Lucifer waved at the two, ¡°I¡¯m going to check out the sauna. Later!¡± As he walked away Tinuriel let Felix go, ¡°Tomorrow, we ascend the Tiers.¡± She grinned, ¡°It will be nice to not have to make camp, and instead sleep here. If you¡¯ll excuse me, I¡¯m going to examine my quarters.¡± She walked off to the guest housing. Felix checked the Mailbox. No messages were on the screen. Looking at the hourglass, he saw that it was limited to increasing or decreasing the flow of time inside the VBV. I¡¯m sure I¡¯ll figure out a use for it eventually, he thought. He went into the Crafting Station bunker building and tapped one of the empty plates on a door opposite the ALCHEMY LAB. ¡°I need something that lets me work with this Forest Wyrm Core thing, and the Acid-Slime stuff.¡± Oh, sure. Easy enough. You can speak in my head even while manifested? I¡¯m still a part of you. The door became labeled LOOT FORGE, and Felix slid the door open. The interior was sparse, with only a single anvil in the center of the room with a hammer next to it on the ground. The instructions that popped into his vision advised him to place the item to be crafted onto the anvil. Okay, the Acid Slime stuff first. He waved his hand over the anvil and the slime left his inventory and splatted onto the anvil. [You have placed a on the Loot Forge. Select one of the following options.] ¡¤ Armor of Absorption ¡¤ Amulet of Absorption ¡°Let¡¯s do the Armor.¡± A set of instructions showed up, and he took off his armor, putting it on top of the slime before he lifted the hammer and brought it down on the two items. There was a flash of crimson and gold light, and a brand-new set of Light Armor was sitting there. Felix set the hammer down and put on the new clothes. ¡°That¡¯s easy enough. Let¡¯s try something with the Dungeon Core.¡± [You have placed a on the Loot Forge. Select one of the following options.] ¡¤ Poison Affinity ¨C Added to Versewalker Core automatically. ¡¤ Skill Upgrade ¨C Warrior Regenerate. Skill Upgrade? Again, the instructions appeared on the screen, and he brought the hammer down. The Core shattered. The hell did you just do? I smashed the Dungeon Core. Well, you upgraded a Skill by doing that. Here: Regenerate (Rank 2) X Vigor Exchanges X Vigor for X Health. (Can restore lost limbs). Pretty cool. It looks like that¡¯s the best way to improve Skills. Using the same Skill repeatedly will eventually cause it to improve, but it takes a long time. Centuries of use. Then I should upgrade Skills whenever I can with Loot. Felix, satisfied with his new upgrade, went over to the Alchemy Lab and followed the instructions to make another Vigor Elixir before he went to his house and got into bed.
Felix rose sometime in the morning. He quickly washed up, got dressed, and went outside. Lucifer and Tinuriel were chatting on a picnic blanket and eating breakfast burritos. ¡°Where¡¯d you get those?¡± Felix asked. ¡°The Shop. Tinuriel¡¯s treat. Here, I got you one.¡± Lucifer tossed him a foil-wrapped burrito, and Felix instantly tore into it, savoring the spicy and sweet mixture inside. ¡°This food is incredible! So spicy.¡± Tinuriel said with a giggle. ¡°And Lucifer is quite the jester.¡± Felix glanced at Lucifer and gave him a slight frown, Are you hitting on her? Eww. No. I¡¯m not interested in romance with mortals, even if they¡¯re long-lived, tall, muscular elven women - I can appreciate the physical form, though. But...in that way? It would be like you being with an animal. We are on different levels of existence. Felix raised an eyebrow, Oh? Where do I fall on this spectrum then? You¡¯re not quite at my level, but not at her level. You do what you want, I don¡¯t judge. Free Will. Felix sat down next to Tinuriel, and the trio watched the sun rise over the snow-capped mountains before gearing up. Lucifer once more fused into Felix¡¯s torso, and he opened the portal. The two went back to Heficyre, leaving the small house behind. They passed through several enormous wooden gates and began their ascent up a series of carved stone stairs that went up. ¡°How far up are we going?¡± Tinuriel glanced down at Felix and gave him a brief smile, ¡°Twenty miles up.¡± Felix groaned, ¡°This is going to suck.¡± ¡°If you can keep up, I¡¯ll be impressed. We will rest as you need.¡± At that point, Felix had pride on the line. Maybe it was because of Lucifer¡¯s presence, but Felix felt like he had to show up Tinuriel, to prove he was better. That, and he wasn¡¯t ashamed to acknowledge that he did find her attractive. Showing off his endurance would be a good way to impress her. He took the lead, going up the stairs faster and faster, surprised that he wasn¡¯t getting more winded, and his legs weren¡¯t cramping. But there was a long, long way to go. Ch. 10 - Ascent (I) As they trekked upward, Tinuriel peppered Felix with questions. Thanks to his earlier VBV Function addition, she knew of the Multiverse and what Felix was, as well as what Lucifer really was, but she didn¡¯t know anything about him. And, it also instilled the colloquialism of using ¡®Verse instead of fully saying Universe. ¡°What was it like in your ¡®Verse?¡± ¡°To be honest,¡± Felix began, ¡°It was difficult. We were poor. My sister was ¨C is ¨C sick.¡± He paused for a moment and shook his head, ¡°She¡¯s fine, for now. My ¡®Verse is time-locked, so she¡¯s fine.¡± ¡°Plus, you could always find an Affinity like Healing, and when you get back, fix her yourself.¡± Lucifer¡¯s voice emanated from just next to Felix¡¯s head, and he had taken to speaking aloud when merged with Felix to keep Tinuriel in the loop. She nodded, ¡°If you are looking for healing, Sirin¨º on the second Tier is the place to go.¡± Felix chuckled, ¡°Honestly, one of those Restorative Elixirs might do the trick on its own. It¡¯s just a matter of getting back.¡± ¡°And, when you do get back, you can just take all your friends and family and put them into your VBV.¡± Tinuriel nodded sagely, ¡°You could found a kingdom within that realm. I¡¯m sure Lucifer could set up automated access for a select few to facilitate trade.¡± ¡°Who needs trade? Felix can just choose Rooms and Functions that allow for a self-sustaining society. He wouldn¡¯t be the first Versewalker to do so. There are dozens that have their VBV set up as a little fiefdom.¡± ¡°How many Versewalkers are there?¡± Felix asked. ¡°The System doesn¡¯t say.¡± ¡°Why is your information not consistent?¡± Tinuriel asked. ¡°The System Administrator thinks it¡¯s funny to mess with me? I don¡¯t know.¡± The trio continued their ascent. The forest below fell away as they ascended through the clouds along the ten-foot-wide stairs carved into the cliff side. There was no railing, and Felix instinctively hugged the wall. They stopped when the sun began to set, went into the VBV, and resumed the next morning.
When they finally crested the top of the cliff they were greeted by a calmly eerie sight. A land of eternal twilight and darkness. A calm, soothing darkness that exuded a sense of peace and rest. A large path lined with gnarled wood on either side to mark out the route extended from the top of the stairs going under the willow trees and enormous mushrooms. The sun did not pierce the pleasant gloom. ¡°Limnalia, The Lightless Levels,¡± Tinuriel muttered. ¡°The sun never shines here. It¡¯s filled with swamps, marshes, and a few towns. It¡¯s a peaceful place, and only a few hours travel to the cliff.¡± Felix nodded and led the way along the trail.
A few hours passed and they came across a person dressed in a heavy cloak, attempting to fix their wagon¡¯s wheel. A mule was tied off to the side rail of the path. Felix waved, ¡°Hey! Need some help?¡± The cloaked figure stood up quickly, turning, and Felix took a sharp breath. The person was some type of mushroom-infused being. They were a human-shaped mushroom, with a pair of slits where the eyes would be, and another slit where a mouth would be. It waved one of its arms, ¡°Oh, you¡¯re a lifesaver!¡± Felix approached, but Tinuriel kept back a few paces. ¡°How did this happen?¡± he asked as he braced himself against the cart and lifted. The ease of the action shocked him ¨C he had maybe squatted two hundred pounds back on Earth, but this laden cart had to weigh at least double that. The mushroom man glanced at him and put a new wheel on as Felix gently set the cart down. ¡°Damn, mule. Got spooked by something and kicked back, cracked the old wheel.¡± Tinuriel walked over to the mule and gently petted its snout, pulling out some form of ration from her satchel and feeding it. ¡°What spooked him?¡± ¡°No clue,¡± The mushroom man leaned against the cart, ¡°Thank you for the help, traveler. If I may be so bold, where are you heading?¡± Felix pointed to the direction of the cliffs, ¡°Going up the Tiers.¡± ¡°Ah, well, I wish you the best.¡± He went into the back of his cart and rummaged around a bit before coming back with a small bag, ¡°Here, for your trouble.¡± Felix took the bag and peeked inside. It was full of mushrooms. Using Detect Substance. 40 / 50 Anima Lucifer chuckled, They¡¯re¡­ahem¡­¡¯ performance enhancing¡¯ mushrooms. Felix quickly put the mushrooms into his inventory, ¡°Thanks.¡± He looked over to Tinuriel, who had walked the mule over and handed the reins off to the mushroom man, and rejoined him. ¡°Safe travels,¡± Felix said as the two continued their journey, and the cart lumbered off in the opposite direction. ¡°What did you get?¡± Tinuriel asked. Felix blushed and pulled up his hood, ¡°Uhm¡­Mushrooms.¡± ¡°Special mushrooms. You two should try some in the VBV.¡± Seriously? Lucifer cackled; I know your thoughts. But I¡¯ll relent. Let things naturally develop. Tinuriel shook her head, ¡°I¡¯ve never liked the texture of mushrooms. I much prefer tree bark.¡± Felix stared at her, ¡°You can eat wood?¡± She nodded, ¡°All elves can eat the substance they were raised amongst. I can eat bark, wood, and the like. It¡¯s not particularly tasty, but toss on some salt? It¡¯s decent.¡± Oooh, I can make a joke about ¡®wood¡¯ here- No. ¡°Oh, I almost forgot!¡± the mushroom man ran up to them, having stopped his cart. ¡°You need to be careful while you¡¯re here. ¡°Why?¡± Felix asked.If you come across this story on Amazon, it''s taken without permission from the author. Report it. ¡°There¡¯s spores that can muddle your mind. Stay on the road, and they won¡¯t affect you!" ¡°Thanks,¡± Tinuriel muttered as the two continued on their way.
They reached the cliffs and began to hug them, following the path that would take them around the edge and to the next set of carved stairs. ¡°Who made the stairs?¡± he asked as they trotted along. ¡°They form when a new Tier is molded from the Primal Chaos. Some Tiers have more advanced means of ascent and descent. Tiers six and five have an elevator that is powered by horses and does three trips a day.¡± Felix grinned, ¡°That¡¯ll be nice.¡± They began their ascent which would take two days. Dipping into the VBV as night fell, and resting there, they eventually reached the top. An enormous desert stretched out into the distance and to the cliffs of the next Tier. ¡°Shouldn''t the Tiers be smaller as we ascend? This one is way bigger than the last one.¡± Tinuriel shook her head, ¡°The space from the edge to the cliffs that mark the next Tier vary. This is Bur-Hur, also known as The Builder¡¯s Bethel. It was stable for a long, long time, and other Tiers collapsed down onto it, making it larger." The heat warped and distorted their vision. There was no trail that would lead them across this desert. Despite being only about fifteen miles away, Felix groaned knowing it would be a boring trudge. ¡°Be wary,¡± Tinuriel said as she drew her sword. ¡°There are creatures in the sands that you do not want to fall victim to.¡± Felix pulled out his knife, ¡°What types of things?¡± Tinuriel pulled her hood up, ¡°Monsters.¡± ¡°Ooh, vague indications. You¡¯ve actually never seen anything up here, have you?¡± Tinuriel frowned and looked back at Felix, ¡°No. They do not attack in large groups. One of the nomads that lives amongst the dunes warned us about monsters under the sand if we did not stick together. They don''t attack large groups is what I was told.¡± She began to walk forward, and Felix followed a few steps behind. They were making good progress as the sun beat down on them from overhead when the ground began to rumble. ¡°Detect Hostiles.¡± The golden pulse went out and faded without illuminating anything. 40 / 50 Anima Tinuriel took up a ready stance and slowly circled, ¡°Any sight of it?¡± Felix shook his head as the vibrations came closer and closer. It¡¯s probably burrowing, he thought. Looking more closely at the sandy dunes, he was able to spot an undulation that had blended in with the waves of heat. He pointed, ¡°There!¡± Tinuriel looked and cursed, ¡°Whatever it is, it''s big.¡± The two waited in anticipation as the rumbling grew closer and closer. ¡°Get ready to dodge,¡± she instructed. Felix tensed his legs. His heart was pounding, and his nerves were fully wound like a spring about to burst from too much tension. Visions of sandworms that could devour a city bus were spiraling through his mind. Calm down. Take flight. Spread your wings. ¡°Fallen Flight,¡± Felix muttered. Fallen Flight 10 Vigor per minute Grows four wings that allow for flight 60 / 70 Vigor Two pairs of spectral, golden, angelic wings tinged red manifested behind him and pushed him aloft. The wings were flapping, but it wasn¡¯t a jerky movement and they made no noise whatsoever. In fact, Tinuriel didn''t seem to notice he had lifted off - being solely focused on the incoming threat. Felix felt like he could will himself in any direction, and his body just moved through the sky. He ascended fifty feet, pulled his bow, and nocked an arrow as he saw the sand rising in a wave from his new vantage point, a silent angel looking down from on high. ¡°Detect Weakness.¡± 35 / 50 Anima A golden circle appeared right at the front of whatever was burrowing towards Tinuriel. The circle was huge, easily the size of a city bus. The weak spot is probably its mouth, Felix thought. If it¡¯s that big, I don¡¯t think we can do any harm to it. He put the bow away and dashed down, grabbed the elven warrior under the arms, and lifted her skyward. She let out a terse curse at the sudden, unexpected movement, and started to swing her blade back toward him. "It''s just me!" She looked up at him and stared for a moment before looking back down. The mound moved off in the distance as Felix carried her further towards the cliffs leading to the next Tier. ¡°Flying archer. Impressive. Why not fly before?¡± ¡°I''ve only been able to since we beat that Dungeon.¡± ¡°And only for a little under a minute.¡± Unless you want to spend another 10 Vigor for another minute. We should keep it in reserve. If we feel the rumbling again, we take flight. Tinuriel laughed in relief and joy as she relaxed in Felix''s grip, ¡°This is amazing! I¡¯ve only glided before.¡± Felix¡¯s heart had finally slowed down a bit and he felt the giddy sense of elation that Tinuriel was feeling. ¡°It¡¯s so freeing. Like the whole world is open.¡± He flew down to the sandy dunes and skimmed just high enough that Tinuriel could trace the tips of her heels through the sand, creating a glimmering wake, before he ascended once more. ¡°Flight is the ultimate expression of freedom. Unbound from any restraint. Oh, you only have about ten seconds left, so best get down.¡± Felix swooped to the ground and slowed his ascent, setting Tinuriel down as the wings disappeared and he clumsily landed, rolling to keep from falling over. Tinuriel giggled and walked up to him, lending him a hand up. ¡°Work on landing.¡± [Experience Awarded = 1] Why did I get that? You avoided combat with wits, guile, Skills, or in some other way. You don¡¯t have to kill things to get Experience. Doing all types of activities can earn it. Good to know. Felix nodded and returned her smile. Once more, he was struck by her gorgeous blue eyes and the gentle smile accentuated her glamour. She blushed slightly and turned towards the cliffs, resuming their trek. They passed partially buried ruins of an enormous tower. "This is where the Builders once worked," Tinuriel stated. "The best craftspeople and masons of their era. They used Primal Chaos Anima to erect massive edifices. But they made errors in their use of that power, and could not control it. The realm turned to sand and dust." Felix was entranced by her lilting, no-nonsense, yet still-gentle voice. It was captivating and he hung on to every word she uttered. They had to lift off another few times as the rumbling approached, but they eventually reached the base of the cliff. Another set of stairs worked their way up, and the two climbed again. Felix made more use of his Fallen Flight in bursts of a few minutes at a time, to ensure he always had some Vigor left over, and they were able to get to the next Tier by the day¡¯s end. Another night in the VBV, and they set out once more.
¡°Tier seven is called Fortis. It¡¯s comprised of wilderness, with lakes and valleys. There are a few city-states scattered around, but this is a dangerous land.¡± Tinuriel nodded, ¡°Yes. We should not risk flight here. There are predators in the sky. Enormous falcons that can lift a horse. Let us hope we do not come across any Wyverns, either.¡± The trek would take them another day to reach the cliffs that would, finally, lead them up to Tier six, where they would find some semblance of civilization. Felix didn¡¯t mind the walking and swapped stories with Tinuriel. She explained that she was born and raised on Avelion and traveled up to Invictus to guide some of their kin down to the settled elven tier. She was the fourth child in her family and was trained by the King¡¯s household guard since she was very, very minor nobility. ¡°How is your family?¡± Felix asked. ¡°They are well, thank you. The older three are serving in keeping the Vagrants of Vugog, the Tier below Avelion, from climbing up to the elven realm. My two younger siblings are still in the kingdom¡¯s fortress learning their trades.¡± She sighed, ¡°They were born sickly.¡± ¡°How old are you?¡± ¡°Two-hundred and eighty-three years I have lived on Heficyre.¡± In your ¡®Verse¡¯s time, that¡¯s about twenty-five. But her kind lives to over a thousand years old in your ¡®Verse¡¯s time. And I needed to know this why? I see the way you two are making eyes at each other. Just figured I¡¯d let you know the age gap isn¡¯t that bad. Felix rolled his eyes and turned to Tinuriel, ¡°What made them sick?¡± ¡°Our healers do not know. The King, in his benevolence, has chosen to allow them to learn a simple trade of weaving.¡± ¡°I wonder if that¡¯s something that can be fixed.¡± ¡°If we end up in Tier two, we can ask at Sirin¨º¡¯s Mage Colleges and see if they can produce a cure.¡± Felix glanced up as a shadow passed overhead. Far, high up in the distance, he could see three winged creatures. ¡°Wyverns?¡± He asked, pointing up. Tinuriel looked up and cursed, unsheathing her blade, ¡°Yes. And we have no shelter.¡± She took up a ready stance, ¡°Get ready for a fight.¡± Ch. 11 - Ascent (II) The creatures flying overhead looked to be about the size of a small car. A large, scaly body with a set of wickedly sharp, clawed talons. A long, sinuous neck and a pair of leathery wings made them appear to look like traditional Western-style dragons minus the front legs. They were a mix of colors; two were green, and one was brown ¨C and larger than the green ones. The Wyverns plummeted down from the sky, rocketing towards the duo. Felix pulled his bow and released a shot, which the leading, brown creature rolled out of the way. ¡°Any ideas on how to fight them?¡± Tinuriel nodded her head and grinned, ¡°They will fly down and try to grab us or rake us with their talons. Dodge and strike.¡± Felix nodded and swapped weapons. ¡°Detect Weakness.¡± 40 / 50 Anima 65 / 70 Vigor The brown one in the lead was highlighted with golden circles right where the wings connected to the body, the eyes, and where the leg connected to the main body. ¡°Lucifer, can we do flaming weapons?¡± ¡°Hellblade, coming up!¡± Hellblade 10 Anima per minute Limns a weapon or ammunition in Hellfire, causing strikes to ignite their target and burn away their Anima The knife blazed with crimson and black flames that licked around Felix¡¯s hand and warmed his palm. ¡°Alright. Let¡¯s stack Execution also. I want to try and get a one-shot kill.¡± Execution 5 Vigor Increases the damage of the user''s next attack. If this strikes a killing blow, gain additional XP or Loot. 30 / 50 Anima 60 / 70 Vigor The Wyverns swooped down at the two, and Felix was able to dodge nimbly enough, striking out at the brown one right at one of the weak spots. It screeched and crashed to the ground as the flames burned it from within, its neck snapping from the impact as it lay still. Tinuriel sidestepped and sliced through one of the green Wyvern¡¯s necks as it tried to grab her. She sliced clean through with her large blade. Felix tried to roll out of the way of the other one, but it carved into him, and the talons ripped through his stomach and shoulder as he was lifted off the ground. The ground fell away as Felix was lifted skyward, momentarily stunned from the searing pain and his sight growing dim from the blood loss, his health dropping lower and lower. Regenerate. Regenerate (Rank 2) X Vigor Exchanges X Vigor for X Health. (Can restore lost limbs). Health 30 / 70 Vigor 15 / 70 His sight cleared. The talons were still in him, and he screamed in pain. But he was close to a weak spot if these Wyverns were like the other one. He stabbed up into the cleft where the leg met the body and sawed the blade back and forth. The Wyvern screeched in pain as he cut away at a tendon, the leg falling limp. Felix sheathed his knife and tried to pull the talons out of himself. ¡°Lucifer, kill it!¡± Hellfire Beam. A beam of crimson and black energy formed right behind and above Felix before arcing into the creature, ripping a burning hole through it as it began to fall. ¡°Fallen Flight.¡± The claws ripped out of him and he gasped in pain as the body fell past him. Felix reached into his inventory and chugged all his Restorative Elixirs and used ten Vigor to top off his Health. Health 70 / 70 Anima 50 / 50 Vigor 45 / 70 He flew down to Tinuriel and she ran over to him, ¡°I thought you died.¡± Felix shook his head, ¡°Versewalkers are made tough.¡± [Achievement Unlocked: One-Shot an enemy] [Unique Upgrade: Due to Detection Affinity, the awarded Talent has been altered from its base] (P) Slayer When striking a target that is under the effect of Detect weakness, the target suffers extra damage. [Experience Awarded = 30] [Experience Bonus from Execution Skill = 10] [Congratulations! You have reached the Experience threshold to level up! Speak with your Versewalker Core when you are ready to Choose your next Class.] What class? I want to know what happens when I max out your unique class. Let¡¯s keep at it. [Selection Made: Fallen Angel] Your Mind is high enough for a new Skill Equip. Only one available though. Slot that in. Finalize. Felix¡¯s vision blurred for a moment, and he felt a minor warmth in his torso that quickly subsided. Unauthorized usage: this tale is on Amazon without the author''s consent. Report any sightings.
Name Felix Winters
Designation Versewalker
Core Level 6
EXP 127 / 135
Class Warrior 1, Animancer 1, Rogue 1, Fallen Angel 3
Might 6
Agility 7
Capacity 7
Mind 8
Body 8
Soul 6
Endurance 8
Equipped Weapon (M) Wyrmtooth Knife
Equipped Weapon (R) Elven Shortbow (19Arrows)
Equipped Armor Absorbing Light Armor
Equipped Affinities Detection, Hellfire
Equipped Skills Affinity Empowerment, Regenerate (Rank 2), Execution, Ghostwalk, Fallen Flight, Vigor Conversion, Shadestep, Beacon of Free Will
Talents (P) Multiverse Adaptation (A) Aggressive Alchemy (P) Like a Cat (P) Final Stand (A) Show Mercy (A) Universe Selector (P) Sneak Attack (P) Craftsman (P) Dungeon Delver (P) Slayer
Health 80 / 80
Anima 60 / 60
Vigor 80 / 80
Tinuriel wrapped an arm around Felix¡¯s shoulder and squeezed him close for a moment, ¡°Glad you¡¯re tough. I need you alive to explore these other ¡®Verses, as you call them.¡± Felix chuckled and pushed her hand off, ¡°Please, that can¡¯t be the only reason.¡± She sheathed her blade, ¡°It¡¯s the most prominent reason.¡± She went over to the Wyverns and began dragging them into a pile. Felix helped, and when they were all accumulated, she gestured to them. ¡°Do your light thing that instantly flays them.¡± Felix glanced at her, ¡°Wait, that¡¯s what it looks like when I Loot them?¡± ¡°Part of the Multiverse Adaptation Talent. Looting will look like whatever actually divesting the target of their components would look like in the ¡®Verse.¡± Felix held up his hand and the golden light arced out for a moment. [Loot Obtained] ¡¤ Wyvern Pelt (x3) [Loot Bonus from Execution Skill] ¡¤ Wyvern Wings (x2) My inventory must be nearing full, Felix thought. Let''s look.
Tube Thing Vigor Elixir (x1)
Smart Phone Anima Elixir (x2)
Squiddoid MRE (x4) Performance Enhancing'' Mushroom (x10)
Versewalker Rations (x9) Wyvern Pelt (x3)
Wyvern Wing (x2)
Given your developing Skills and Talents, you¡¯re going to make a fine assassin. Thanks, I guess. Maybe we don¡¯t use that word, though. I feel like it has negative implications. Tinuriel tapped Felix on the head, ¡°Come on, let¡¯s keep moving. We can make it to the cliffs going up by nightfall.¡± She led the way, and Felix kept within a step. Her arm occasionally brushed his, but neither made a move, just walking in silence. Felix didn¡¯t mind much, as the scenery was breathtaking. Gorgeous hills would dip down into valleys with glimmering, blue lakes. Trees were sparse, and most of the area was plains with wild grasses and shrubs. Animals could be seen roaming about here and there ¨C creatures akin to Deer.
A large, walled city came into sight as they reached the cliffs up to the next Tier. ¡°That¡¯s one of the towns owned by the Northern Court on the Tier above ¨C Ashiyoko.¡± One of the Crises is to assist them. But your guess is as good as mine in figuring out what that means we need to do. ¡°What do you know about this?¡± Felix asked. Tinuriel pulled her hood closer to her head and made sure to hide her ears, ¡°There are four sets of stairs carved into the cliffs of this Tier. One is owned by each of the four Courts named for the cardinal directions on the compass. Ashiyoko is the Northern Court and is allied with Yoshiayoko, the Eastern. Echikaga and Kyikaga rule South and West, respectively, and are allied as well.¡± She frowned. ¡°There has been a tense war between the sets of allied factions.¡± He looked over to Tinuriel, ¡°Do they not like elves?¡± She shrugged, ¡°If they haven''t changed in the past hundred years. But better not stir the pot if we can help it.¡± Felix nodded and led the way to the main gates. It was built out of dirt that had been excavated and stacked quite high, formed into earthen walls by some magic. A large set of wooden gates barred their entrance, and a few guards from above shouted down. ¡°Halt! Who seeks entrance to Ashiyoko lands?¡± ¡°I¡¯m a Versewalker!¡± Felix shouted up to the gate. There was muttering before the guard yelled back, ¡°Prove it.¡± ¡°How?¡± ¡°Do something Versewalkers can do.¡± Felix turned to Tinuriel, ¡°I mean, I could spend four hours opening the VBV.¡± Fly, you fool. Did you watch movies from my memories? You don¡¯t have good enough recall. The Recreation Room has a bunch of movies. Felix sighed and activated Fallen Flight, flying up next to the top of the gate. ¡°Good enough proof?¡± The guard ¨C who was wearing a series of very samurai-esque armor pieces along with a rounded hat and holding a longbow ¨C jumped slightly. ¡°You¡¯re¡­an Angel? Sent by the gods?¡± ¡°No, I¡¯m a Versewalker. I¡¯ve been sent to solve a Crisis. I¡¯m to assist Ashiyoko.¡± ¡°Open the gate!¡± the guard yelled to his ally, allowing Tinuriel to walk in. He turned back to Felix, ¡°Please, Versewalker, follow me.¡± He led Felix down a set of stairs ¨C Felix just floated down before his wings vanished ¨C and the man led him and Tinuriel to a stone building seemingly constructed from hardened dirt just like the walls. He briefly knocked and there was rummaging inside before a robed man poked his head out. He had a shaved head and long mustache and beard that was immaculately kept. ¡°Eh?¡± The guard gestured to Felix, ¡°A Versewalker! He¡¯s here to assist Ashiyoko!¡± The man looked to Felix, and he briefly manifested his Fallen Flight as the bald man gasped. He flung the door open and bowed at the waist. ¡°Versewalker! I¡¯ll write a writ of passage immediately! Please, let us provide quarters before your ascent in the morrow.¡± Felix nodded and the guard led him and Tinuriel to a well-appointed, if small, house. Felix focused on opening the VBV while Tinuriel sat cross-legged, seemingly meditating. Four hours later, they both went inside. Lucifer reformed and stretched, ¡°If you¡¯ll excuse me, I want to finish watching that trilogy.¡± Felix patted him on the back as he went off to the Recreation Room. Tinuriel tapped Felix on the shoulder, ¡°Do you mind if we talk?¡± ¡°No, not at all. Do you mind if I work while we do?¡± She shook her head, so Felix went down to the Crafting Station and entered the Alchemy Lab. ¡°There has to be a use for these mushrooms,¡± he muttered. A new recipe showed up in his vision, and he began following the instructions. Tinuriel stood next to him, watching him work. ¡°I¡­was scared you had died. Against the wyverns.¡± Felix glanced at her, ¡°It hurt, but I had Health left. Plus, the first time I die every day, I stay alive at just enough to survive. It should be long enough to use an Elixir,¡± he turned back to the task at hand, ¡°Which I¡¯m out of.¡± Tinuriel put a hand on the small of his back, ¡°That¡¯s some comfort. I do want to explore this Multiverse alongside you, but¡­¡± She turned away, ¡°If you¡¯ll excuse me.¡± "Wait," Felix said and Tinuriel stopped to turn around. He paused his crafting, ¡°No point in dancing around it, so I¡¯ll just be blunt. I think you¡¯re very interesting, attractive, and strong. I¡¯m sure I could use some other adjectives. But I¡¯ve always been pragmatic, and I¡¯d rather lay my cards on the table since you want to be in this for the long haul and venture across the Multiverse.¡± Tinuriel blushed and uncharacteristically from what he¡¯d seen thus far, played with her auburn hair a bit. ¡°I¡­I don¡¯t know what to think about you¡­yet.¡± Felix nodded, ¡°Understandable. You were raised with people who don¡¯t like Humans.¡± He turned back to his crafting, ¡°Take as long as you need.¡± He heard her footsteps departing and he sagged slightly. ¡°Too blunt, Felix,¡± he muttered. I had to pause my movie to listen in. Can you not? Lucifer chuckled, I can try to tune it out, but like I¡¯ve said ¨C I¡¯m a part of you. Felix finished crafting the mushrooms into something more useful. [Loot obtained] ¡¤ Vigor Elixir He then went up to the Shop and sold off a bunch of the loot, along with purchasing more Health Elixirs.
[Loot Sold] - Wyvern Pelt (x3) + 150 VC - Wyvern Wings (x2) + 200 VC - Squiddoid MRE (x4) + 4 VC [Monies Dispensed] = 354 VC [Items purchased] + Health Elixir (x2) - 200 VC [Monies Paid] - 200 VC [Current Balance] = 1354 VC
Lastly, he went to check the terminal. There was one message from the Observer. [Vicky here. I see that Lucifer gave you a rundown on how guests in your VBV work, as well as Escorts. Just remember, they are not nearly as tough as you are. Make sure you equip them appropriately.] [The System Admin cleared me to provide a reward incentive. If you can deal with every Crisis on Heficyre, then you¡¯ll get an item that lets you elevate your Escorts, so that they will scale alongside your Versewalker Core. They will be treated as a Versewalker, using your Core Level as their own, and allowing them to take Classes and gain the appropriate Skills. That will last until you decide to deactivate their Escort status.] [Good luck. You¡¯re one of my favorite cases so far! Reading your logs has been entertaining.] Morning came and Felix used his open VBV Function to add a bunch of relaxing features to the environment ¨C stone tables, awnings, gardens ¨C and they had a nice breakfast while looking out at the mountains. Felix and Tinuriel glanced at each other, and when their eyes met, they both shifted their gaze elsewhere. Lucifer was gushing about how a trilogy he binged the night before was so good, but the prequel trilogy was horrific and sucked. Felix got into a small debate with him over the merits of that opinion, and by the time the sun had risen high overhead, the trio were more than ready and returned to Heficyre ¨C Lucifer merging with Felix once more.
They were met outside the provided housing by a different guard, who handed Felix a sealed document and gestured toward the stairs. ¡°This will give you safe passage to the Royal Court. It¡¯s a day¡¯s travel on foot.¡± Felix nodded and Tinuriel followed him as they began their ascent to the Northern Court of Ashiyoko. Ch. 12 - RyÅ«ganaru (I) The ascent was rapid, and as they crested the Tier¡¯s edge, they found themselves amongst rocky crags in a mountainous region. Terraces were carved out of some of the rocky faces to provide for farming, and forts dotted the tops of some of the rocky escarpments. They were immediately confronted by guards at the top, but at the sight of Felix¡¯s sealed document, they were let past and directed to travel along the main road. The long hours passed without event until the duo arrived at a mountain pass that had been carved and sectioned out ¨C an enormous quarry. The road that passed through the center of town was still unimpeded, and several structures were carved out of the rock faces. Men carrying pickaxes and other mining tools went about carrying out business, while a line of workers carrying bowls towards a soup line shuffled forward. They were skinny, and for some, their ribs were visible against their taut skin. There was a single wooden building that stood off to the side of the road, and the style was completely different from anything they had seen on any of the tiers. It was a gaudy, two-story building, made of dark, stained wood. On the front door there was a name in paint: William and Sons Inc. A short man dressed in minimal armor and carrying a spear approached the two, ¡°You aren¡¯t from here. Business?¡± Felix held up the sealed document, ¡°Heading to the Court.¡± The guard looked at Tinuriel and leaned forward as if trying to peek under her hood, ¡°That lady with the big sword.¡± He glanced at Felix, ¡°You two looking to make some coin?¡± Felix glanced at Tinuriel, and she shrugged her shoulders nonchalantly. He turned back to the guard, ¡°If its quick, while we¡¯re passing through.¡± The guard waved for them to follow him, and they were led to the wooden building, shown inside, and introduced to a portly man who was bedecked in gems and gold. ¡°Who¡¯d you bring me Won-Too?¡± The guard stood aside, ¡°Two travelers who look like they can handle themselves. They might be able to help with our¡­problem.¡± The overweight man stood up, ¡°I¡¯m The Mayor, Eustace Williamson.¡± Felix shook his offered hand and the man sat down, gesturing for Felix and Tinuriel to do so as well. ¡°If you¡¯re interested in lending a helping hand, we have a bit of a problem.¡± He leaned back in his chair and tented his fingers, ¡°There is a group of miners who are giving me a bit of an issue. They¡¯re trying to unionize!¡± He shook his head and made a disgusted noise. Wow. Okay, so I queried the System. This guy is from Mercantus, the second Tier. And he is rich. Well, his family is rich. They have contracted to the Northern Court and pay poverty-wage labor to provide jade from the quarries. The more that Lucifer spoke in Felix¡¯s head, the more upset and angrier he grew. Instead of helping this asshole, why don¡¯t we help these miners with their strike? Felix silently agreed and stood up, Tinuriel taking the hint and standing as well. ¡°Sorry, Mr. Williamson. Not interested.¡± Mr. Williamson stood up and sighed, ¡°Well, it was worth a try. Avail yourself of the Jade Serpent Inn while you¡¯re here! The only natural hot spring within miles.¡± He grinned and winked an eyebrow at Felix, ¡°Plus, there are several beauties that may catch your attention. We must keep the workers placated somehow, eh?¡± Felix turned on his heel and stormed out, Tinuriel just a step behind. He went over to the soup line and activated Beacon of Free Will. Beacon of Free Will 30 Vigor Cleanses any individual within line of sight, or any individual who can hear the user, of negative emotions, and filled them with hope and a sense of purpose. An invisible shockwave emanated out from him, and every single person looked at him, their eyes widening slightly and their posture growing more confident. ¡°Alright, listen up. I know what some of you are planning. I want to help. Who do I talk to?¡± The guard that had taken them to the building ran up and held his spear at arms-length from Felix, pointing it at him. ¡°Your writ does not allow you to interfere with Court business!¡± Felix turned on the man and looked into his eyes. Fallen Flight. The spectral wings manifested behind him, and the guard dropped his spear. ¡°I will do as I please.¡± He turned back to the line of workers, some of whom fell to their knees, and asked once more, ¡°Who is trying to fight for your rights?¡± A young man ran up and bowed slightly at the waist, ¡°Aikiro. He¡¯s in the mines right now.¡± ¡°Take us to him,¡± Tinuriel instructed.
They passed through small mountain trails as they wound their way to an enormous mine shaft entrance. There was a rope that descended on some type of pulley system, and buckets filled with green jade chunks came up from the depths before they were dumped into carts. A group of guards stood nearby and glared at Felix and Tinuriel suspiciously. One came over to him and gestured for them to stop. ¡°Only workers in the mines.¡± Felix once more activated Fallen Flight, and the men cowered at the sight of the spectral wings that seemingly marked him as an Angel. They made no complaint as the two were led deeper, down a corridor to a cross-section. An elderly man, covered in dirt and grime with a bald head, was sitting at the crossroads on an upturned bucket, looking over various diagrams of the mine. ¡°Oh, who is this, Jeshiro?¡± The young man leading them bowed and introduced the two travelers. The old man stood up, ¡°I am Aikiro. An emissary of the gods, here?¡± Felix shook his head, ¡°Not quite. I¡¯m a Versewalker. But I heard what was happening, and I can¡¯t abide the way you¡¯re being treated.¡± Aikiro nodded curtly and waved Felix over, tilting a lantern to provide more light. ¡°We have signed a petition, and plan on submitting it. More wages, more food. We are prepared to strike and ¨C if necessary ¨C fight back.¡± Tinuriel peered over their shoulders, ¡°How many guards do they employ?¡± Aikiro smirked, ¡°Fifty. I don¡¯t want bloodshed, but we can¡¯t keep working for these wages. Most of us can never go home ¨C too expensive to buy rations, let alone buy out our contracts.¡± Felix frowned, ¡°How many workers?¡± ¡°A little under two hundred.¡± Tinuriel shook her head, ¡°Just armed with mining equipment? If worst comes to worst, they¡¯ll be slaughtered.¡± Aikiro turned to her, ¡°I¡¯m open to ideas. We just want to strike, but the guards will try to break it up.¡± Felix smirked, "I¡¯ve got an idea. And I really want to mess with that fatso. Here¡¯s the plan¡­"
Tinuriel walked out of the mine as Felix dipped to the side, and activated Ghostwalk, scurrying away along the cliffs above the Quarry. Ghostwalk 1 Vigor per minute Makes the user very difficult to detect if they can conceivably hide or blend into a location. Does not work if out in the open. Tinuriel shouted, ¡°Alright! Listen up! The Versewalker has declared that he is aligned with these miners!¡± As she shouted, the miners led by the elderly Aikiro came up behind her from the mine shaft, wielding pickaxes. The guards leveled their weapons and formed a semi-circle around them. ¡°You, go tell your boss to come here, now! We have demands that need to be met!¡± Shouts were exchanged but soon enough Felix was out of earshot, having circumvented the group. He shadowed one of the guards that split off from the mine entrance and ran towards the town. As he got into the main avenue, he shouted and another twenty guards poured out of the brothel and grabbed their weaponry, exchanging information before they ran off towards the mine. The one guard whom Felix was still shadowing went to the building, and the fat Mr. Williamson walked out in his ostentatious gear, grumbling, and yelling profanities. Shadestep, Felix thought, activating the Skill as soon as the door opened... Support creative writers by reading their stories on Royal Road, not stolen versions. Shadestep 1 Vigor per foot traveled Teleport from one shadow to another. ...he glimpsed a shadow inside, teleporting into the room. The door shut, and he crept to the main office. Felix held up his hand. I want to find the contracts and all his money. He used Detect Object twice in rapid succession. Anima 40 / 60 Vigor 10 / 80 The golden lines shot out from his vision, and he quickly found the hidden compartments under the floorboards. There was an enormous sack of coins, another sack of gems, and a set of wooden boards that were bound together with cord, compressing sheaves of paper together. Felix grabbed all of the items and quaffed the Vigor Elixir. A surge of energy washed through him. Those mushrooms were good for something. Vigor 60 / 80 He went to the front door and tried to open it. Damn, locked. Well, I¡¯m going to fly back anyway ¨C stealth isn¡¯t a factor until I get back to the mine. He took a step back and kicked with his heel ¨C hard ¨C and the door exploded off its hinges, clattering into the street. The main avenue was empty, save for a few women and delicate looking men who were peeking out from the brothel¡¯s windows. Felix activated Fallen Flight and flew back to the mine entrance, ensuring that he landed out of sight, and activated Ghostwalk until he was just around the corner from what had become a galvanized situation. Tinuriel was standing, sword drawn, and huffing from exertion as several guards lay on the ground. She had a few minor cuts and scrapes, but it appeared that the small skirmish did not result in any deaths. The guards were merely knocked unconscious ¨C probably with brain damage ¨C but that wasn¡¯t Felix¡¯s concern. What he was more panicked about was the fact that the miners were pushed back toward the mine shaft itself, seemingly quivering in fear, as the guards¡¯ numbers swelled. The group Felix had outpaced with his flight joined the semi-circle surrounding the mine entrance, and the fat man walked up behind them. ¡°Aikiro! Get out here!¡± The older miner walked forward with shaking legs but firm hands, standing next to Tinuriel. ¡°We deman-¡± ¡°I don¡¯t give a damn what you demand, old man! I have your contracts. I own you.¡± Oh, please, let me incinerate this fool. Lucifer¡¯s anger was palpable and Felix felt it tinge his own emotional state. He was infuriated at the treatment these people were suffering. He slid down the small slope, garnering several glances, as he joined Tinuriel. He reached into his inventory and pulled out the papers, handing them to Aikiro, ¡°Your contracts.¡± ¡°Wha- But those are mine!¡± The fat man shouted, trembling with anger as his jowls quivered. Felix smirked, ¡°Not anymore. I believe whoever holds them, owns them.¡± He looked to Aikiro, ¡°Make sure they get back to each man.¡± Aikiro nodded and bowed slightly, ¡°Thank you, Versewalker.¡± Tinuriel planted her sword point-first into the ground, ¡°You took your sweet time.¡± Felix chuckled and pulled out the bags of gems and coins, but to the chagrin and increasing fury of the man who called himself The Mayor. ¡°The rest of you working for this guy. This is all your pay, right? I¡¯ve got an offer. Just leave. Take a cut, and leave.¡± Felix threw the two bags on the ground so that the precious coins and gems scattered about. The guards exchanged glances before it became a full-on brawl, as they scoured the ground and hurried off with their plunder. ¡°Get back here! I own you!¡± Tinuriel grinned and put a hand on Felix¡¯s shoulder, ¡°Good job, you two.¡± We ruined him. Now let me kill him. Felix felt the palpable rage coursing through him. I can¡¯t. I¡¯m not a murderer. Then let me take control, just for a little. You can do that? Only if you let me. And you can reassert control at any time. Felix felt conflicted. The fat man deserved death for effectively enslaving people and treating them horribly. But at the same time, even if he wasn¡¯t controlling his body, it was still him doing it. It felt¡­wrong. Tinuriel seemed to pick up on his turmoil and turned him to face her, ¡°You are a Versewalker. Whatever you want to call it. You have power. Use it to do what you think is right.¡± Are you okay with a more poetic punishment? ¡­I¡¯m listening.
A few hours passed and the whole town had cleared out of the guards. They had taken the gold and gems, a few killed each other over portions, but they had left shortly after. The miners asserted control over the mines and Aikiro stepped up as the new Mayor. The old Mayor was put to work in the mines, having to pay off a contract that would cost him many, many decades of labor. ¡°My thanks to you two,¡± Aikiro bowed along with the rest of the miners. ¡°You have given us our lives back.¡± Tinuriel smirked, ¡°You¡¯re welcome.¡± She pulled her hood back up and nudged Felix as the two departed. [Experience Awarded = 30] [Congratulations! You have reached the Experience threshold to level up! Speak with your Versewalker Core when you are ready to Choose your next Class.] Another level of Fallen Angel. [Selection Made: Fallen Angel] Finalize. Felix¡¯s vision coursed crimson and gold for a moment as if he was seeing everything in infrared before it cleared.
Name Felix Winters
Designation Versewalker
Core Level 7
EXP 157 / 175
Class Warrior 1, Animancer 1, Rogue 1, Fallen Angel 4
Might 7
Agility 8
Capacity 8
Mind 9
Body 9
Soul 7
Endurance 9
Equipped Weapon (M) Wyrmtooth Knife
Equipped Weapon (R) Elven Shortbow (19Arrows)
Equipped Armor Absorbing Light Armor
Equipped Affinities Detection, Hellfire
Equipped Skills Affinity Empowerment, Regenerate (Rank 2), Execution, Ghostwalk, Fallen Flight, Vigor Conversion, Shadestep, Beacon of Free Will
Talents (P) Multiverse Adaptation (A) Aggressive Alchemy (P) Like a Cat (P) Final Stand (A) Show Mercy (A) Universe Selector (P) Sneak Attack (P) Craftsman (P) Dungeon Delver (P) Slayer
Health 90 / 90
Anima 70 / 70
Vigor 90 / 90
The duo made their way out of town and down the road towards the capital of the Northern Court of Ashiyoko. As night fell, they found a small dell in the landscape, and Felix spent four hours focusing before they went into the VBV. Lucifer unmerged with Felix and grinned, ¡°We did well today! Freed a bunch of basically enslaved people.¡± Tinuriel smiled gently, ¡°It felt good to help those people out.¡± ¡°And¡± Felix added as he went towards the Shop, ¡°We didn¡¯t have to kill him.¡± Lucifer scoffed, ¡°I would¡¯ve liked to at least inflict some pain or torment.¡± Tinuriel shrugged, ¡°He will probably die in those mines. A man of his constitution will collapse and not be able to pull his enormous mass back up.¡± Lucifer chuckled at the mental image and cracked his knuckles, ¡°Well, I¡¯m off to celebrate with some booze.¡± He joined Felix at the Shop, and whispered, ¡°Give me some ¡®Verse Coins.¡± Felix did so and Lucifer purchased several bottles of wine, handing one to Felix and taking one in either hand for himself as he went to the Recreation Room. Tinuriel came over and leaned against the wall as Felix perused the shop. ¡°I see your heart.¡± Felix glanced up at her, ¡°Hmm?¡± ¡°Who you are. Kind. Concerned. Willing to do what must be done. Not afraid of violence.¡± She smiled gently, ¡°I need more convincing, but you are potentially worth the while.¡± ¡°That¡¯s good to hear. I¡¯ll keep trying to impress.¡± She walked off, and Felix looked through the Shop until he found a tab for Affinities. I can purchase these? Yeah, but they are really expensive. He wasn¡¯t kidding. The cheapest ones were simple, like Fire, Water, and Earth, and those were 10,000 VC each. Can¡¯t afford that. Felix sighed dejectedly and went to his house, lying down as he stared up at the dark ceiling. There was a knock at the door, ¡°Come in.¡± Tinuriel opened the door. She was clothed in a simple shirt and pants, and sat down in the corner, on the floor, staring at him. ¡°Go ahead, sleep.¡± Felix chuckled nervously and turned to face her, ¡°You are going to watch me sleep?¡± She nodded with resolve, ¡°Yes. I need to know your sleep habits.¡± Felix pushed himself up onto his elbows, ¡°Seems weird. Wait, do you even sleep?¡± She nodded, ¡°For short periods. Two hours of rest for an Elf is the same as eight for a Human. Do not worry, I will not be tired as we travel tomorrow.¡± Felix nodded and turned over in bed, feeling slightly uncomfortable, but ultimately pushed the feeling aside as he tried to fall asleep. But sleep did not come easily, as he could feel Tinuriel''s eyes boring into his back. This is awkward. I''ll help you go to sleep. Felix saw a series of images flash in his mind. A sheep jumping over a fence. Then, two sheep. Seriously? Counting sheep in my head? I''ve never had to sleep so I''m just trying what I can. Felix sighed and looked at Tinuriel. She was sitting upright, but her eyes were closed, and she was breathing deeply. I guess she can sleep like that. Felix turned over and shut his eyes. No more sheep. It doesn''t work. Hmm. Let''s try this. Felix heard the gentle sound of rainfall on a lake, and the sound brought him a sense of comfort and serenity, reminding him of spending weekends with his grandfather during the school year. This works. Thanks. No problem. Sleep tight. Ch. 13 - RyÅ«ganaru (II) Felix woke up to the very eerie sight of Tinuriel standing in the corner. ¡°Good morning,¡± he muttered as he rolled out of bed. She nodded tersely, ¡°You talk in your sleep. Otherwise, you remain still.¡± ¡°Good to know. What was I saying?¡± ¡°Something about a penny.¡± Felix grimaced, ¡°That would be my sister.¡± He stood up and rolled his shoulders, feeling several satisfying ¡®pops¡¯ as he stretched. ¡°She¡¯s back in my original ¡®Verse.¡± Tinuriel crossed her arms and a faint smile appeared on her lips, ¡°What is she like?¡± ¡°She¡¯s thirteen. Not the most athletic because of her condition, but she is really smart. Her math scores were off the chart for her age. But trigonometry was trickier for her.¡± At Tinuriel¡¯s raised eyebrow he clarified, ¡°Numbers. She¡¯s good with numbers.¡± ¡°I see. Does intelligence run in your family?¡± Felix chuckled and made his way outside, enjoying the lovely sunrise in the VBV. ¡°I¡¯m the first one to try and go to college.¡± ¡°Mage College? Like Sirin¨º?¡± ¡°No. A place for higher education. A University.¡± Tinuriel shrugged, ¡°I¡¯ve never heard of such a thing.¡± The two made their way to the Shop and purchased breakfast using Felix¡¯s currency, before sitting down and having a repast. Lucifer staggered out of the Recreation Room, looking incredibly hung over as he held his head. ¡°I hit the wine too hard.¡± ¡°I didn¡¯t know Angels could get drunk,¡± Tinuriel commented with a slight grin. ¡°It¡¯s been a long time. My tolerance isn¡¯t what it used to be.¡± Felix chuckled and offered Lucifer half his bagel, which he graciously accepted before scarfing it down. ¡°When we get back to Ry¨±ganaru, and this Northern Court, how will we know what the Crisis is? We just have to Assist the Court.¡± Lucifer shrugged, ¡°My guess is something to do with succession.¡± ¡°Or,¡± Tinuriel said, ¡°It could be that they are preparing for a momentous occasion.¡± She leaned forward on the table, ¡°The Emperor of Invictus, Lothar Longsword III, has a birthday soon. It¡¯s going to be a huge occasion. And since Ashiyoko is allied with Invictus¡­¡± ¡°This Crisis could just be assisting the Northern Court diplomatically. But then, there¡¯s the other Crisis, where Invictus is going to collapse, and we have to stop it.¡± ¡°How could a whole Empire collapse?¡± Felix asked. Tinuriel shook her head, ¡°I don¡¯t know. I am not familiar with politics. Just military matters.¡± Felix stood up, ¡°Well, we won¡¯t figure it out sitting here.¡± ¡°You can add another Feature. Mind adding one that prevents hangovers?¡± ¡°Seems like a waste. Sorry, you have to deal with the consequences of your actions.¡± ¡°Okay, you asked for it.¡± Lucifer put his palm on Felix¡¯s torso, and merged with him. Instantly, Felix was hit with a pounding headache and dry mouth. He held himself up on the table. Yeah. See? Not pleasant. Fine! Add the damn Function, Felix thought back. The headache vanished instantly, and he sighed in relief as his mouth returned to normal. No more negative effects of poisons while you¡¯re in the VBV. Tinuriel went to her house and grabbed her gear, returning after a moment with her sword sheathed on her back. ¡°Shall we?¡±
The duo exited the VBV and continued their journey through the mountainous regions of the Tier. The journey was pleasant, and they passed a few other travelers along the way as they wound through the cliffs and passes. They eventually came across a large expanse ¨C a ravine ¨C where the bridge had seemingly collapsed. An odd-looking group of people was on the side that Felix and Tinuriel were on. Odd looking in that they were not dressed in the usual attire of this Tier. One of them was wearing what he could only describe as a princess dress. Another was a man dressed in shining, white, and silver full plate with a large sword strapped to his back, and the last was a cloaked figure with deep, black robes and a staff. The one with the staff was kneeling and tracing runes on the ground. Next to them was a large cart with an enormous, covered back, and it was tied off to two horses. ¡°What should we do?¡± Felix asked. ¡°Be cautious,¡± Tinuriel said. They may have destroyed the bridge. That one with the robes seems¡­untrustworthy. What makes you say that? Something about him just feels off. Felix walked up and waved his hand, ¡°Hi there!¡± The figure in plate armor and the princess in a dress turned around. The princess was very dainty, with arched brows and vaulted cheekbones with a wry smile on her lips. Her black hair was neatly put up into a bun. The man in the full plate was fully helmeted. He pulled his weapon, ¡°Halt! Who are you?¡± ¡°Travelers,¡± Felix said. ¡°What happened to the bridge?¡± The figure on the ground glanced back. A young man, probably no more than sixteen, with a crop of brown hair and a greasy face, looked up at them. ¡°It was destroyed. I¡¯m remaking it.¡± He turned back around and put his palm onto the array of runes as the mountains extended and a large, artificial bridge connecting the two halves of the ravine. He sighed and stood up, brushing off his robes. ¡°I¡¯m Traker.¡± The armored figure put his sword back, ¡°Roy.¡± The princess curtsied, ¡°Melanie. Pleased to meet you?¡± ¡°I¡¯m Felix, and this is Tinuriel. Where are you headed?¡± The armored man ¨C Roy ¨C glanced at the other two before shrugging his shoulders, ¡°Taking this sculpture from Atarki to Yontaru, the Capital of Ashiyoko.¡±Enjoying this book? Seek out the original to ensure the author gets credit. That¡¯s the mining town we were just at. Tinuriel grunted, ¡°We passed through there.¡± Traker nodded and pointed at Felix, ¡°You are a Summoner. I can see your Summon within you.¡± Can he see you? No. The kid can just see Powers/Magic, and since you¡¯re a Versewalker, you¡¯re brimming with it. And Summons are the most powerful type of Magic¡­You know how one of the crises was to Revive the Dark Lord? Let me guess, this kid- No, not him. That Roy fellow. He¡¯s the Dark Lord, but he doesn¡¯t know it. The System has a big indicator over him. He groaned; I hate escort missions. What do we do? Work your way into their group for now. Felix nodded, ¡°Sort of. I¡¯m a Versewalker.¡± Melanie walked forward and looked him up and down, ¡°Really? Prove it.¡± Activate Fallen Flight. The spectral wings manifested, and as usual, people were impressed or shocked. Except for Traker. He looked on with a sense of smug satisfaction. ¡°I knew it. I knew the higher powers would send a champion to help me retake my realm.¡± Tinuriel raised an eyebrow, ¡°Is that what you all are doing with the statue?¡± Roy shook his head and pulled off his helmet, revealing long, blonde hair that was tied up in a high ponytail and a set of piercing, grey eyes. ¡°The statue is going from the Northern Court up to Invictus as a present from the ruler of this land, Ashigura Ashiyoko. We needed the money to fund an expedition up to Dirge, and hopefully higher, as this one,¡± He hiked his thumb at Melanie, ¡°Is trying to reclaim her family¡¯s seat of power.¡± Felix looked at Traker, ¡°You want to reclaim your realm? Which realm is that?¡± Traker raised his arms wide, ¡°I am the Dark Lord, reborn from the Cycle of Souls to rise once more.¡± Roy waved dismissively, ¡°He¡¯s been saying that for months. We haven¡¯t seen any proof yet. And I pointed at Melanie, not you.¡± Traker fumed and walked to the cart, re-orienting it to the road and cracking the reins, ¡°Let¡¯s go!¡± Felix walked up to Roy, ¡°Why not travel as a group? Safety in numbers and all that.¡± Roy smirked, ¡°Sure, why not? If Lady Melanie is okay with it.¡± She looked at Tinuriel and giggled, ¡°Only if I get to talk to this enormous woman. How¡¯d you get so big?¡± Tinuriel looked down at the much smaller woman, ¡°Diet and exercise.¡± She looked at Felix, ¡°Really? You want to travel with them?¡± Felix walked over to her and gestured for her to lean down, whispering, ¡°Roy is one of our Crises.¡± She nodded and whispered back, ¡°I don¡¯t have to entertain this bitch, do I?¡± ¡°No. Just stick behind me.¡± Felix looked back to the duo that were waiting patiently as the cart slowly made its way across the bridge, ¡°Our offer still stands.¡± Melanie walked past Roy and gestured for him to follow, ¡°Sure! Come along. We should reach Yontaru by nightfall.¡± Felix caught up to Roy who was at the back of the group, walking alongside the cart, as Melanie climbed up onto it next to Traker. Lucifer, how do we want to handle this? Let¡¯s see what he knows. If he has no clue he is the Dark Lord reincarnated, then telling him out of the blue might be a shock. ¡°Where are you from?¡± Felix asked. Roy put on his helmet once more, ¡°Invictus. I was part of the Imperial Military, studying at the Ironhold Citadel to become a commander.¡± He pointed to the cart, ¡°Then, this noblewoman came from a higher Tier, and had some type of favor she cashed in with my superior. Since I was the best equipped for the situation, I was assigned.¡± Tinuriel cut in, ¡°Why come down the Tiers if her goal was to go back up?¡± Roy chuckled, ¡°That¡¯s where Traker comes in. He was traveling with her and would not shut up about being the Dark Lord reincarnated. He¡¯s not very smart if he is really that person. Invictus was one of the Tiers that fought the hardest when the Dark Lord tried to unite all of the Tiers under his banner.¡± ¡°What¡¯s so bad about uniting everyone?¡± Felix asked. ¡°Invictus is a strict hierarchy. Every citizen is assigned to a class and lives in a certain part of Tier five. The only way to advance is if you pass tests as a child to join The Imperial Academy, or you¡¯re found to have Primal Chaos or Heavenly Realms Anima. Then, you¡¯re sent up to Tier two to study as a mage before coming back to serve.¡± Roy pulled out a canteen and pulled aside his visor as he took a sip. The System gave me more information. It seems like I¡¯m locked out of some information unless it¡¯s prompted by a ¡®Verse¡¯s inhabitant. This Dark Lord about four hundred years ago tried to unite all the Tiers through martial might, to eliminate the classes and ensure everyone was treated equally. That¡¯s not evil. Why call him the Dark Lord? Propaganda. The other Tiers run off some sort of hierarchy or superiority system. He took in everyone and treated them the same. Felix glanced at Tinuriel who was glancing behind them consistently. ¡°What is it?¡± She frowned, ¡°We¡¯re being followed. They just crossed the bridge. But they¡¯re well hidden by some type of Magic. I only saw dirt puff up from the ground.¡± Felix turned and pulled his dagger out, ¡°Detect Hostiles.¡± He spent extra Anima to increase the range. 40 / 70 Anima ¡°We¡¯ve got company,¡± he muttered as saw three, floating circles that were located where ¨C he assumed ¨C the vital points were. Roy turned around and pulled his blade, ¡°Traker! Stop the cart! Covering Magic!¡± Tinuriel pulled her sword as well and gave an approving glance at Roy¡¯s equally large blade. She pulled back her hood and her long ears twitched slightly as they pivoted minutely. She turned to face one of the creatures that was invisibly approaching from the right. Affinity Empowerment, ¡°Hellfire Beam.¡± Felix¡¯s Magic/Power arced outward and split into three beams, each impacting the weak spot of the targets. Their invisibility was negated as they all became burning beacons. Affinity Empowerment Increments of 5 Vigor Increases the efficacy, duration, potency, or other variable of a Magic/Power effect. Anima 10 / 70 Vigor 20 / 90 The sky darkened, causing Felix to glance back as Traker stood up on top of the cart, next to the covered statue. ¡°Abyssal Cascade!¡± He raised his staff as the black sky suddenly cleared, save for a mass of black, sticky matter that flew downward and impacted one of the burning targets, consuming him entirely. It was then that Felix saw the golden circles illuminating three of the creatures that must have been approaching from the other side. ¡°Look out!¡± he yelled as he started to run towards the cart. But it was too late, Traker¡¯s body erupted in spurts of blood and viscera as he was stabbed by invisible blades, over and over again. Melanie screamed and got off the cart, trying to run towards Felix, but was grabbed by the other invisible one. Tinuriel ran forward and sliced into one of the two on fire, as Roy engaged the other. They made quick work of the burning, screaming creatures before turning around and charging towards the cart. Affinity Empowerment, ¡°Hellfire Beam.¡± Felix launched a beam that forked into three once more and impacted the two that had just killed Traker, and the one holding Melanie. With them aflame, he was able to dash in and deliver a killing strike against one, as Tinuriel moved in on another and slew them. Anima 0 / 70 Vigor 0 / 90 Roy approached the last one but stopped as the invisibility faded, and a cloaked figure stood there. They threw their cloak aside as the flames sputtered out and held a knife to Melanie¡¯s throat. ¡°Don¡¯t move. Not one step.¡± His voice sounded hesitant, as if he was the most green out of the assassins. And that hesitation cost him everything. Melanie lifted her heel and slammed it down into the assassin¡¯s foot, eliciting a scream from him as she launched her head back into his face. She ducked down as Roy came in with a horizontal swing, bisecting the would-be killer. All three combatants were huffing, and Melanie ran over to Traker¡¯s body, crying as she fell next to him. ¡°No!¡± ¡°I¡¯ll ensure it done,¡± Tinuriel muttered as she walked to each body, ensuring they were dead with large, cleaving strikes, before dragging the bodies to a pile. Roy looked at Felix, ¡°You fought well. Both of you.¡± He looked at the corpse of his fallen ally and shook his head, ¡°He was an annoying bastard, but useful.¡± ¡°Condolences,¡± Felix said as he sheathed his knife. ¡°What now?¡± Ch. 14 – RyÅ«ganaru (III) Roy gestured to the corpses that Tinuriel finished dragging over, ¡°Check them for information.¡± He knelt and began rummaging through their pockets. ¡°Nothing. Again.¡± ¡°This has happened before?¡± Tinuriel asked as she put her hood back up. ¡°Yes. Melanie and Traker were attacked once when they were fleeing Ethdellin, again on Mercantus, and now here.¡± Ethdellin is Tier one, the very top. If we get to the top of the Soul Spire there, we solve a Crisis. Mercantus is Tier three, and we can solve a murder there also. Felix held up his hand and looted the assassins. [Loot Obtained] ¡¤ Ring of temporary invisibility [Experience Awarded = 10] Tinuriel walked over to Melanie and lifted her up, ¡°Come on, up you get. We should move.¡± Roy walked over with Felix, ¡°Agreed.¡± He looked down at Traker¡¯s corpse, and glanced back at Felix, ¡°We don¡¯t have time to bury him. You used some type of fire Magic; can you burn the bodies?¡± ¡°Sure. But first, waste not, want not.¡± Felix looted the mage. [Loot Obtained] ¡¤ Black Mage Staff He quaffed a Anima Elixir and used two casts of Hellfire Beam, one to light up the pile of bodies, and the other on Traker. ¡°Tinuriel, catch,¡± Felix tossed her the ring which she deftly caught. ¡°What¡¯s it do?¡± ¡°Once per day, you can turn invisible for ten minutes.¡± Roy glanced at Felix ¨C where Lucifer¡¯s voice came from ¨C and took a ready stance, ¡°What was that?¡± ¡°I¡¯m his Summon. Hi there.¡± He lowered his guard, ¡°Right. Summoner and Versewalker.¡± Roy went to the cart and climbed up next to Melanie, who was inconsolable, leaning into Tinuriel¡¯s shoulder and still sobbing. The elven woman gave Felix a look and mouthed, ¡®Save me.¡¯ Felix clambered up on the cart as it began forward under Roy¡¯s control of the reins. ¡°Umm¡­Lady Melanie?¡± She looked at Felix, ¡°Y-y-yes?¡± Tears streaked down her face. ¡°Maybe you should consider a few words to say. I¡¯m sure a lady of your stature can put together a very thoughtful eulogy.¡± She nodded and pulled out a kerchief, ¡°I¡¯ll¡­I¡¯ll do that.¡± She extricated herself from Tinuriel who deftly hopped off the cart to walk alongside it. She cleared her throat and began to sing. A lilting, haunting melody that showcased a versatile vocal training regimen. A sad, sorrow-filled song praising the deeds of her prior traveling companion. It was somber and Felix ruminated on the words, feeling a sense of finality wash over him as the song concluded. A reminder that every one of them could die at any moment.
The traveling was slower going with the laden cart, and the four travelers made it to an enormous, walled city by just after sunset. The large wooden gates were shut. Roy shook his head, ¡°They won¡¯t let anyone in after nightfall.¡± He pointed to the side of the road, where other caravans were beginning to settle in to wait for the gates to open the next morning, ¡°We can rest there.¡± Felix, who had been silently focusing as he rode the cart for the past several hours, smiled and interrupted, ¡°You have me with you.¡± He willed the VBV to open. Both Roy and Melanie gasped as Felix hopped off the cart, willing it to grow to accommodate the cart and cargo. ¡°Please, come in.¡± Roy led the cart through and once all the party was inside Felix shut the entrance. Both visitors stood, transfixed, for a few moments, whilst the VBV Feature that gave them knowledge of the interior space and greater Multiverse filled their minds. Two more grey voids appeared, and another two guest houses manifested in the space. Lucifer extricated himself from Felix. He looked to Roy and Melanie who had shaken off the lingering aftereffects of the information download. "Hi. Lucifer. Good to meet you. I''m Felix''s Versewalker Core Persona - basically a Summon on Heficyre." He turned to Felix, ¡°You¡¯ve got two more rooms to add.¡± ¡°It looks like we get a new guest house for every person that shows up. So, let¡¯s get some stables, and maybe a warehouse to store stuff.¡± [Achievement Unlocked: Created more storage in your VBV] (P) Endless Bags You have an enormous inventory space, as your Versewalker Core can store and retrieve items from your VBV stockpile. Enables the Versewalker Core to purchase items from the Shop regardless of location, if cost is 100 VC or less. Enables the Versewalker Core to sell items to the Shop, regardless of location. That¡¯s going to be handy. Yeah, especially if the shop has something like explosive barrels I can just stock up and begin chucking out. Oooh, that¡¯s dastardly. Lucifer waved to everyone, ¡°I¡¯m going to hit the hot tub.¡± Roy took off his helmet, ¡°Mind me joining? A soak sounds nice.¡± Lucifer put his arm around the man¡¯s shoulder and began walking him over to the Recreation Room. Melanie looked after the duo but shook her head briefly, looking to Felix instead. ¡°This place is beautiful. I¡¯m sorry for the trouble we¡¯ve put you through. You two protected me.¡± She sniffled but curtsied, ¡°If you¡¯ll excuse me.¡± She went over to the guest quarters. Tinuriel smirked at Felix, ¡°You fought well with your Magic.¡± ¡°Not as good as your swordsmanship. I just shot off some beams.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t discount your skills. Goodnight.¡±
Morning came quickly and Felix used the Shop to purchase breakfast for everyone. Both Lucifer and Roy seemed quite tired and looked to be walking gingerly. Felix shot his companion a questioning glance. Up late doing some lifting. Felix chuckled and set out the food as everyone had their fill before they geared up, re-hitched the cart, and exited the VBV. They joined the crowd heading into the capital of The Northern Court, Yontaru. They were screened at the gates, and Felix held up the sealed scroll. The guard cracked the seal and read the missive before handing it back. A detachment was assigned to them, and they were led into the city. The enormous cliffs soared overhead, leading up to the next Tier, and an enormous lift was alongside the winding stairs. The buildings were like right out of a Japanese travel guide, no larger than two stories save for an enormous stone castle.Taken from Royal Road, this narrative should be reported if found on Amazon. At the castle entrance, they put the cart aside and were allowed inside. Handing over weaponry they were escorted by well-armed and armored samurai into an enormous throne room. They were instructed to stop fifty feet from the throne. A young boy, no more than seven or eight, was sitting on the throne in a resplendent golden robe. An older man sat next to him. Long, grey hair poking out from a Futou-style hat that joined a longer beard that he slowly stroked. ¡°Hi,¡± Felix said. ¡°I¡¯m Felix Winters, Versewalker. I¡¯m here to assist your Court.¡± The young boy gestured and the old man stood up, walking down. ¡°I speak on his lordship¡¯s behalf. I must say, your mastery of our language is quite astonishing.¡± Felix glanced back. Tinuriel seemed to be keeping up with the conversation as a chosen Escort, having access to his (P) Multiverse Adaptation Talent. But Roy and Melanie were just standing patiently, not seemingly following the conversation. ¡°Thanks for the compliment. So¡­what Crisis is going on?¡± The older man raised an eyebrow, ¡°We do not have any problems, save for our current war with the Echikaga and Kyikaga to the South and Western sides of the cliffs. Are you here to settle our disputes with them?¡± Felix, the old dude is mind-controlling the kid. What? Really? He¡¯s got a Crisis indicator over him, and there¡¯s a bit of information from the System. The old guy is using a magic item of some type. Permission to use Detect Object? Do it. Anima 50 / 70 The Magic/Power cost more, as the item they were seeking out was quite rare. It turned out it was the man¡¯s hat. Felix smirked and activated Fallen Flight to manifest his spectral wings. The whole Court, some of whom were conversing off to the sides, stopped and stared. ¡°I want to see your hat. May I?¡± The man glanced to the boy on the throne who seemed disinterested before turning back to Felix, ¡°Why would an angel wish to see my Futou?¡± ¡°Because I know what you¡¯re doing. I think I found the Crisis that needed solving.¡± Felix¡¯s high Agility enabled him to swipe the item from the man¡¯s head, and he put it into his inventory in the same, smooth motion. The boy on the throne shook his head for a moment and then stared angrily. ¡°Komaro! What is the meaning of this?¡± The old man cursed and turned around. Felix stepped up behind him and put his knife to the man¡¯s throat as he gripped the top of his head with the other hand, ¡°No sudden movement. Answer his question.¡± The young boy stood up, and flanked by several guards, walked down the steps from his dais until he stood a few feet away. ¡°I trusted you, and this is how you repay me? My father trusted you to watch over me.¡± He looked at Felix, ¡°Release him to my men.¡± Felix let the man go and he tried to make a run for the door, only for Roy to swiftly punch him in the stomach as Tinuriel tripped him. He collapsed into a heap before guards descended on him, carrying him off as he screamed about getting revenge. The boy bowed slightly, ¡°My thanks, Versewalker.¡± Felix put the knife away, ¡°Of course. You would be Lord Ashigura?¡± The boy nodded and ascended his dais once more, taking his seat and looking out at his Court. ¡°I command every loyal courtier to go to the vestibule and strip their weapons, armor, and clothing. Guards will then examine those for magic items.¡± [Crisis: Heficyre ¨C Assist the Northern Court of Ashiyoko on Ry¨±ganaru, The Renowned Realm ¨C Solved!] [You have earned a Multiverse Charge] Felix bowed slightly, ¡°Happy to help.¡± ¡°I must reward you for helping. May I have that Futou?¡± Felix reached into his inventory and handed the hat to a guard. ¡°My thanks. I shall award each of you a sum of money.¡± The young boy snapped his fingers and several boxes were brought out. [Loot Obtained] ¡¤ Local Currency: Converted to 2000 VC. ¡°Pleasure helping.¡± Felix bowed and the group was escorted out and back to their cart, being given their weapons back. Roy hoisted the chest holding his and Melanie¡¯s loot, while Tinuriel handed hers to Felix. ¡°You¡¯re using it more than I am. And you can buy me new items.¡± [Loot Obtained] ¡¤ Local Currency: Converted to 2000 VC. Roy turned to Felix, ¡°I don¡¯t know what all you talked about there, but it worked out, it would seem.¡± Melanie clambered up on the cart and nodded, ¡°You solved whatever it was quickly.¡± ¡°Honestly? These Crises are pretty easy to deal with.¡± I don¡¯t think they are all going to be so easy. The next one is preventing a whole Empire from collapsing on the Tier above us.
The group made their way to The Great Lift and waited in line to ascend. They were there for several hours, waiting their turn, and purchased some food and drink from the various vendors passing by. ¡°Tell us a bit about the Empire, Roy,¡± Tinuriel said as she munched down on a haunch of meat. ¡°Invictus proper ¨C Tier five ¨C is called The Imperial Interior. The Invictus Empire has outposts on many Tiers. I¡¯m surprised you haven¡¯t seen any on your ascent from Avelion.¡± Tinuriel raised an eyebrow, and he continued, ¡°Well, everyone knows the Elves left to travel to their forest kingdom.¡± Tinuriel swallowed down a hunk of the meat, ¡°That is fair. The exodus happened long ago, though.¡± ¡°Why hide the ears?¡± Melanie asked as she nibbled on some sugary treat. ¡°It prevents staring. And, sometimes, aggression.¡± She continued to munch down on the haunch of meat. Felix looked at Roy, ¡°Tell us more about where we¡¯re going. If it¡¯s on the verge of collapse, you must have seen some things happening.¡± Roy frowned slightly, ¡°I wasn¡¯t completely honest with why I was allowed to leave.¡± He looked away towards the lift, ¡°I was in a relationship with my superior. It was found out. Either I could leave, or she could. She had a higher position, and I loved her¡­so I left her. That¡¯s when I met Melanie and Traker.¡± ¡°So, you can¡¯t tell us much about what might be happening. Guess we¡¯ll have to rely on Lucifer querying the System once we arrive.¡± If it works. I swear, the Administrator is messing with me still. You saw the Crisis indicator thing the last two times. Why would it be any different once we get there? Just a hunch. An enormous, multi-tier spanning Empire? And we are going into their heartlands? I have a feeling that we are going to get involved in something big. Roy smirked, ¡°What I can tell you is a bit about where we are going. The Great Lift has a standing garrison of ten thousand men, and there is a large, main road that runs through The Amber Divide ¨C where I grew up before being tested and taken for training. Then, we arrive at another lift called The Dark Ascent which goes up to Tier four, Dirge. The main road goes around the cliffs leading up to the next Tier, and there are many districts, each approximately fourteen-thousand square miles.¡± ¡°It¡¯s a big Tier,¡± Melanie added as she licked her fingers clean of the sweet treat she had just finished. ¡°And,¡± Roy slapped his hand on the covered statue atop the cart, ¡°We get to deliver this to Hearthstone, the Capital. It¡¯s a megalopolis. The best of the best are invited to live there.¡± He had a distant look in his eyes for a moment, ¡°Including Roxanna.¡± Tinuriel smirked, ¡°The woman you left your career for?¡± He nodded as a small smile graced his face, ¡°Yes. Roxanna Highsword. She is the Grand General.¡± Melanie gasped slightly, ¡°That¡¯s the highest position in the military! You were sleeping with her?!¡± Roy leaned back and smiled, ¡°I caught her attention with my prowess. Both with the blade and in bed," he shot a glance towards Melanie and winked. The noblewoman blushed and turned away, pulling a fan from somewhere within the folds of her dress and hiding her smile.
Their turn on the lift came and the sun was high overhead as they crested the cliff to Tier five. ¡°Invictus, The Imperial Interior,¡± Roy said with pride as they emerged and went into the enormous town. They were unimpeded as Roy held up some type of identification whenever a group of guards began to approach and inquire about their business. Felix asked to take a look at it, and it was some type of quest slip. ¡°When I left, Roxanna gave me a lead on this job. I suddenly needed money, so I figured, why not?¡± He gestured to Melanie, ¡°Then I came across her and Traker descending the Tiers, and they were trying to evade those assassins.¡± Felix looked around suspiciously, ¡°Should we anticipate another attack?¡± Roy shook his head, ¡°Probably not in the city. When we get into The Amber Divide and are in between farming villages? Yes. I¡¯d expect it.¡± More assassins mean we might get one alive and can figure out why they¡¯re coming after Melanie. If she¡¯s from Tier one, then maybe if we help her with getting whatever objective she has completed, she can help us find this Soul Spire and reach the top.
They exited the town as darkness began to fall. The cool wind blew through the rustling fields of crops, and the moonlight provided plenty of illumination. Felix stared up at the stars, in awe of the new sky he was looking out on. Tinuriel scooted over next to him on the cart and nudged him, ¡°What are you looking at?¡± He gestured, ¡°The stars are so different. The moon is enormous. There¡¯s not a black void of space. It¡¯s that deep blue of an ocean.¡± He glanced over to her and smiled, ¡°I knew that traveling the Multiverse would let me see some amazing places, but I haven¡¯t taken the time until now to just look up at the sky at night.¡± She leaned towards him a little, letting her hand brush his for a moment, ¡°It is beautiful. We don¡¯t appreciate it enough.¡± Felix looked over at her and the two smiled gently at each other. Her blue eyes were piercing and drew him in closer. Incoming! Felix¡¯s head snapped back, and he felt a horrible pain. Everything went black, and then his vision came back in one eye. Tinuriel gasped out of shock. He reached up and felt a wooden spike lodged in his eye as the pain began to spread through his skull, alongside a horrific sense of nausea and panic. [Final Stand Activated] Health 1 / 90 Ch. 15 – Invictus (I) Lucifer! Already on it! Regenerate. Health 52 / 90 Vigor 39 / 90 Felix pulled the crossbow bolt out of his eye as his Vigor drained to increase his Health. Thanks to Regenerate being at Rank 2, his obliterated eye was restored, as was whatever part of his brain was mush. Felix grabbed Tinuriel and got to the other side of the statue as more bolts pinged off of the covered object. Roy grabbed Melanie and threw her down into the small foot space that was somewhat covered in the front of the cart. A few crossbow bolts bounced off of his armor as he stopped the cart and leaped down. ¡°What¡¯s effective crossbow range?!¡± Tinuriel activated her ring and vanished, ¡°One-hundred fifty feet for a marksman. One hundred feet or less for untrained.¡± He heard her footsteps dashing away into the crops on one side of the road. ¡°Detect Hostiles.¡± The golden lines shot out and limned several hidden figures in the tall crops, just off the side of the road. He only spent enough Anima to go two hundred feet out. Anima 50 / 70 There were twelve assassins spaced around either side, hidden within the crops. ¡°Lucifer, can you use Affinity Empowerment to let me use Detect Weakness in an area instead of a single target?¡± Yes. Going to switch to your bow? Yes. ¡°Detect Weakness.¡± Affinity Empowerment. I have to pump extra Vigor into it. Anima 45 / 70 Vigor 29 / 90 The golden circles appeared on the usual spots for humanoids, and Felix swapped to his bow, jumping off the cart as he dodged a few crossbow bolts. He had no type of dark vision, and the only guidance for his shots were the golden circles. But it was enough as he loosed shots at several of the weak spots. Gurgling and brief shouts were enough to tell him that the targets had gone down. That, and the golden circles vanishing from their bodies. He heard more screams and saw some viscous substance flying upwards, and the rhythming ¡®tings¡¯ of bolts bouncing off of Roy¡¯s armor. Making his way to the other side of the cart, he saw that Roy was just covering Melanie. Felix activated Ghostwalk... ...and got up close to the assassins in the crops. He drew his dagger and killed them, one by one, and used his Show Mercy Talent twice to leave them barely alive, sticking an arrow point down to mark their location. Tinuriel barreled across the road to the side Felix was on. She unerringly ran towards the last assassin, slicing him clean in half. ¡°Is that it?!¡± she roared out. Felix nodded, ¡°That¡¯s all I detected. Is everyone okay?¡± He heard Tinuriel open a vial and heard the satisfied ¡®ahh¡¯ after, along with a grunt and a clatter of wood. ¡°Now I am.¡± Felix dragged the two unconscious ones to the cart. ¡°Roy, you good?¡± Roy got up and helped Melanie up, ¡°Yeah, we are okay. Thanks for taking them out.¡± Tinuriel walked off into the crops and dragged every corpse back to the road while Roy lit a torch. ¡°Can you see in the dark?¡± Felix asked his elven companion. She nodded and crossed her arms, ¡°Yes. All elves can.¡± She pointed to the two unconscious ones, ¡°I assume to interrogate?¡± ¡°Yeah,¡± Felix said as he pulled them upright against the wagon wheel. ¡°Got any rope?¡± Tinuriel dug around in her sack and pulled out a length of thin cord, ¡°The best kind of rope.¡± She helped Felix tie the two up as Melanie and Roy came around. Felix tapped one of the men on the cheek until he woke up. He struggled against his binds for a moment before relaxing and chuckling a little, ¡°Not sure how you survived a bolt to the head, but looks like you beat us.¡± Tinuriel knelt and looked at the man, gripping his face and turning his gaze from her by force. ¡°You are pathetic.¡± She let him go and he cackled in response. ¡°Who wants Melania dead, and why?¡± Felix asked. The assassin chuckled and gritted his teeth, grinding them back and forth for a moment before white foam escaped his mouth and he expired. Felix backed away out of instinct, ¡°Poison? He killed himself?¡± Roy leaned down to the other assassin who was still unconscious and fished around inside his mouth with a few gauntleted fingers before pulling something loose. It was a small capsule. ¡°Seems like they would rather die than give up their employer.¡± Felix slapped the other one awake. The man gave a look of shock for a moment before his face hardened. Roy held up the capsule in front of him, ¡°Looking for this?¡± The man shook his head, ¡°Fine. You got me. What do you want?¡± Melanie walked in front of him, ¡°I want to know why you¡¯re trying to kill me.¡± He grunted, ¡°I¡¯ll never tell.¡± Tinuriel pulled her sword out once more, ¡°Felix, tie a cord tight, right at the shin.¡± ¡°We¡¯re not torturing him,¡± Felix replied as he stood up. ¡°I won¡¯t be a part of that.¡± Tinuriel sighed, ¡°Then what do you suggest?¡± Roy looked at Felix, ¡°Just step away with Lady Melanie. Let us deal with extracting information.¡± Felix grabbed the princess¡¯ hand and pulled her to the other side of the cart. The screams of pain reached their ears after a moment, and Melanie sat silently, staring ahead down the road. ¡°It must be done,¡± she muttered. After the screams subsided and became sobs, Roy and Tinuriel returned to the front of the cart. Roy smirked, and there was a dark gleam in his eyes, ¡°He didn¡¯t give up his employer, but he did give up their safe house. It¡¯s in Etheria. We can go through it on our way to Hearthstone.¡± Felix hopped off the cart and looted the assassins, holding his hand over them as the brief golden flash flared out. [Loot Obtained] ¡¤ Heavy Crossbow (x12) ¡¤ Crossbow bolt (x94 ¡¤ Dagger (x12) ¡¤ Local Currency: Converted to 400 VC. Want me to sell the junk? Can you do that? Now that we have a storage of some type, it looks like I can take stuff from the inventory and sell it right away. Buying, though, you have to do at that terminal. Yeah, let¡¯s sell-off that crap.
[Loot Sold] - Heavy Crossbow (x12) + 600 VC - Crossbow bolt (x94) + 78 VC - Dagger (x12)If you come across this story on Amazon, it''s taken without permission from the author. Report it. + 110 VC [Monies Dispensed] = 788 VC
[Experience Awarded = 40] [Congratulations! You have reached the Experience threshold to level up! Speak with your Versewalker Core when you are ready to Choose your next Class.] Let¡¯s do Fallen Angel again. You got it. [Selection Made: Fallen Angel] [This is your 5th level in this Class. You gain access to a new Class Skill] Inviolable Will 50 Vigor Cleanses the user of all negative effects (whether maladies/afflictions of the flesh, mind, or spirit). Finalize. His body felt cleansed like he had just exited a sauna. Refreshed.
Name Felix Winters
Designation Versewalker
Core Level 8
EXP 207 / 220
Class Warrior 1, Animancer 1, Rogue 1, Fallen Angel 5
Might 8
Agility 9
Capacity 9
Mind 10
Body 10
Soul 8
Endurance 10
Equipped Weapon (M) Wyrmtooth Knife
Equipped Weapon (R) Elven Shortbow (19Arrows)
Equipped Armor Absorbing Light Armor
Equipped Affinities Detection, Hellfire
Equipped Skills Affinity Empowerment, Regenerate (Rank 2), Execution, Ghostwalk, Fallen Flight, Vigor Conversion, Shadestep, Beacon of Free Will, Inviolable Will
Talents (P) Multiverse Adaptation (A) Aggressive Alchemy (P) Like a Cat (P) Final Stand (A) Show Mercy (A) Universe Selector (P) Sneak Attack (P) Craftsman (P) Dungeon Delver (P) Slayer (P) Endless Bags
Health 100 / 100
Anima 80 / 80
Vigor 100 / 100
Tinuriel and Roy rummaged through the bodies and came up empty for any clues. Felix looked up at Melanie, ¡°I think we ought to discuss what happened to bring you down here.¡± She looked terrified and clammed up, shaking her head. ¡°Not out here.¡± ¡°Then we wait the four hours, go into the VBV, and you tell us there.¡± She nodded, and Felix sat on the back of the cart while Tinuriel kept a close watch.
Thankfully, the four hours passed without issue, and they entered the VBV. As soon as they were inside, Felix went over to the hourglass and shifted the passage of time to make it so that the outside world would slow down in comparison to his VBV. ¡°Okay. Time to talk.¡± Melanie shakily sat at one of the tables and put her head in her hands, ¡°I¡¯m-I¡¯m royalty. Melanie Parslia Ventorus Remarda IV.¡± Felix glanced at Roy who shook his head, ¡°Alright then,¡± Felix muttered. ¡°So, you¡¯re being hunted by what, an angry relative?¡± She nodded, ¡°My father was murdered. He was on a business trip in Mercantus.¡± ¡°Let me guess,¡± Lucifer said as he unmerged from Felix. ¡°Your father was named Billiam III?¡± Melanie looked up and nodded again, ¡°How¡­How did you know his name?¡± Lucifer looked at Felix, ¡°Crises have a way of finding their way to Versewalkers.¡± He glanced over to Melanie and Roy, ¡°Seekers, as you call them.¡± Tinuriel spoke up, ¡°Does that mean that Roy here will have something to do with preventing the Imperial Interior from collapsing?¡± ¡°No idea.¡± Felix sat next to Melanie and put a hand on her back, ¡°So your father was murdered, and I¡¯m going to hazard a guess ¨C your relatives fought for his place.¡± ¡°Yes. Women can inherit equally on Ethdellin.¡± She shivered slightly and leaned in towards Felix, ¡°My mother was killed, she would have been next in line. Then me¡­I fled with the help of my maid¡­she¡­she¡­¡± She buried her head into Felix¡¯s shoulder and cried. He just held her gently, feeling the same sense of protection as he had when he would hold his sister¡¯s hand and let her lean on him as she cried in post-operative pain. Tinuriel came over and squatted next to Melanie. ¡°We find out who killed your father, we can kill them. That¡¯ll keep you safe, and you can take over¡­whatever it is.¡± She looked up to Felix, ¡°Come to my quarters later.¡± She walked away, as did Lucifer and Roy who headed towards the Recreation Room. Felix sat there for another good chunk of time until Melanie composed herself. ¡°Thank you for caring enough to help. I know I haven¡¯t been useful on the road so far. But I promise. If you help figure out who killed my father and get me back home¡­I¡¯ll help however I can.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll need to reach the top of the Soul Spire. Is that something you could help with?¡± Her face went white for a moment before she nodded, ¡°The top of the Soul Spire is right next to the Heavenly Realms. You¡¯d be able to talk to the gods.¡± ¡°I just have to reach the top. Nothing in the Crisis description about going into some heavenly place.¡± ¡°I¡¯m going to go to sleep.¡± She hugged Felix, ¡°Thank you for being kind.¡± She got up as he did and they both went their separate ways. Felix went to Tinuriel¡¯s quarters and knocked at the door. She opened it, wearing a set of pajamas. ¡°Lucifer helped me pick these out. Come, you are sleeping with me tonight.¡± ¡°Wha?¡± Felix blushed, ¡°I mean, I¡¯m not going to say no-¡± ¡°Not like that. As a prospective partner, I need to know if we are bed-compatible. That means we sleep in the same bed, clothed.¡± Elves are very thorough in picking their partners. I appreciate the advice, but don¡¯t you have something else you¡¯re doing? I can multitask. Felix nodded, ¡°Okay if you say so.¡± He quickly changed and lay in bed with her, awkwardly hugging one side of it as she fell asleep almost instantly. This is weird, he thought. Elves are meticulous because of their long life span. Just wait for her to choose to cuddle up to you. Since when did you become an expert on elves? Lucifer chuckled, Since I saw that glimmer of passion between you two - the System gave me information on elven mating practices. When you¡¯ve dealt with mortals enough, you get used to the signs. Now, if you¡¯ll excuse me... Felix got comfortable and shut his eyes, trying to let the sounds of the soft wind outside lull him to sleep. But he couldn¡¯t sleep. Now that he was in a safe place, he thought back and felt the bolt thudding into his head again. The sudden darkness before he was brought back to the brink of death. I died, didn¡¯t I? Your Health hit zero. So yes, you died. Felix put his arm over his head and felt a deep pang of fear. He felt just like he did when he was dropped on the Death World. When he was fighting that bear creature. The sense that his own end was just around the corner and had been narrowly avoided. It resonated through him and shook him to his core. He could die at any minute out there, outside of this place. I¡¯m sorry. Death must be scary. If it makes you feel any better, I was terrified when that bolt came out of nowhere. It¡¯s not the same. Felix rolled over onto his side. You won¡¯t die. You¡¯ll just go back to another Versewalker Core like you said. That¡¯s true. I¡¯ll never know what fear of death is like. But I can promise you I¡¯ll do everything in my power to keep you alive. ¡­Thanks for that. You¡¯re welcome. Now, go to sleep. Lucifer was doing something that filled Felix with a sense of self-confidence, and that was enough to help overcome the feelings of fear. Enough to fall asleep, at least.
Morning came and Felix was surprised to find Tinuriel had snuggled up to him in the middle of the night and was draped partially across his torso and above him ¨C her larger build making him the little spoon by default. ¡°Morning,¡± he whispered. Her eyes snapped open, ¡°I¡¯ve been awake for hours.¡± She sat up and got out of bed, stretching, ¡°You passed that test. You did not thrash about during your slumber, nor were you clinging to me.¡± Felix blushed a little and got up as well, doing his morning stretches before re-equipping his gear. The duo exited the house and bought breakfast from the Shop, setting the table up for everyone as they emerged from either their house or the Recreation Room. The two started into their meal ¨C waffles with plenty of syrup and bacon on the side, along with plenty of coffee which Tinuriel initially grimaced at, but when the caffeine hit, she drank cup after cup. Eventually, Melanie came out of the guest quarters and joined them. Last was Roy and Lucifer, who were both seemingly exhausted once more. ¡°You two need to lay off,¡± Tinuriel commented. Roy shook his head, ¡°He¡¯s been teaching me something called a power squat. We have been ¨C how did you put it?¡± ¡°Pumping iron,¡± Lucifer said with a chuckle. ¡°And we took some breaks to soak in the hot tub and sauna.¡± I told you, I¡¯m not into non-Angels like that. ¡°Did you get any sleep?¡± Melanie asked. Roy shrugged, ¡°A little. What¡¯s this delicacy?¡± The four dug into the meal with gusto before ensuring their equipment was all ready. Felix went to the Shop and purchased some items from the consumables section.
[Items purchased] + Health Elixir (x5) - 500 VC + Anima Elixir (x5) - 500 VC + Vigor Elixir (x5) - 500 VC [Monies Paid] = 1500 VC [Current Balance] = 4,988 VC
He gave one of each type to his party members, leaving two of each for his inventory. They exited the VBV. And immediately were accosted by several Imperial troops in heavy armor, wielding pikes. ¡°Halt!¡± The group came to a stop, and Felix activated Fallen Flight to manifest his wings. ¡°It¡¯s okay, I¡¯m a Versewalker.¡± The soldiers glanced at each other with hesitation before Roy held up his quest slip. ¡°Right,¡± the lead soldier said, his armor slightly adorned with gold epaulets. ¡°But that doesn¡¯t explain the pile of corpses.¡± ¡°Damn, we forgot about those,¡± Tinuriel muttered. ¡°They were assassins,¡± Melanie said, speaking up and standing atop the cart. ¡°I am Melanie Parslia Ventorus Remarda IV, from Ethdellin. These men attacked us in the night, and thanks to the Versewalker, and my two bodyguards, we were able to survive. We retreated into the Versewalker¡¯s personal realm to rest after the ordeal.¡± The guards looked at each other once more, and the commander ordered them to stand down. ¡°What you say sounds true. That, combined with the quest writ, and that grey portal led to no other conclusion.¡± He waved his men to come and gather the corpses. ¡°You said assassins. Is Emperor Lothar in any danger?¡± Roy shook his head, ¡°No. They¡¯re after Melanie. Not him.¡± The commander nodded, ¡°Very well. You seem capable enough of handling yourself, so I won¡¯t spare the men to provide escort. Be safe.¡± The guards trundled off down the road back towards The Great Lift, and the party went towards the enormous cliffs in the distance. As the day continued onward, Roy grew more fidgety, glancing up at the cliff face above before turning away and trying to distract himself. Felix sat next to him on the cart, ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± Roy shook his head, ¡°It¡¯s Dirge. Tier four. The Dark Lord¡¯s desolation. Whenever I¡¯m near it I feel¡­gross on the inside. Like something is wrong. I¡¯m sure it¡¯s just the curse on his lands.¡± We do know he¡¯s the Dark Lord reincarnated. But it seems like he has no clue. And we have to revive him. But isn¡¯t he already alive? Felix thought to Lucifer. Maybe that means a spiritual revival of some sort? Perhaps we get him to some significant location up there to complete the Crisis? Maybe¡­but wouldn¡¯t that be violating his free will to an extent? Lucifer did not respond to that question. And that lack of response spoke volumes to Felix. Ch. 16 – Invictus (II) The four arrived at The Dark Ascent, a walled city at the base of the cliff. The cliff itself only had one structure flush against it ¨C the elevator going up. There was a huge, one-hundred-foot-high wall that was easily twenty feet thick that ringed the entirety of the cliffs leading to the next Tier. Roy explained that the whole of the cliffs leading to Dirge was ringed with walls, and even the different parts of Invictus were split off by enormous defensive walls ¨C they would see a few in a couple of hours. ¡°Why build walls when you have the giant cliffs?¡± ¡°I know that,¡± Melanie interjected. ¡°Sometimes Tiers that have fallen out of use will collapse. There are tremors for a week as a kind of warning, and then the Tier falls into the prior one.¡± Roy nodded and added, ¡°The Emperor is pragmatic. Invictus might be the strongest militarily, but it has a strong defense just in case it or another Tier collapses.¡± They also call it ¡®pancaking¡¯ when a Tier collapses. Felix nodded gently, ¡°So the walls are just a precaution.¡± Roy nodded. The group turned their cart and upon the presentation of Roy¡¯s quest slip, or Felix¡¯s wings manifesting, they were able to get through any of the several military checkpoints.
Eventually, they saw one of the large walls that cut away from the cliff leading up to Tier 4, and it extended far off into the distance. Roy explained that the walls ran all the way to the edge of Tier 5, and then ringed the whole exterior. The only way up was The Great Lift.
They arrived at sunset in an enormous city on the Western side of the Tier. ¡°This is The Canvas. The whole wedge of the Tier is called Artisan¡¯s Reach,¡± Roy commented. ¡°This is where people who have a knack for any of the trades or crafts are allocated within Imperial lands.¡± ¡°This is the place to buy things is what you¡¯re saying,¡± Felix clarified. ¡°Indeed.¡± Tinuriel spoke up, ¡°But we have the Shop inside the VBV. Why bother buying things here?¡± ¡°She makes a good point,¡± Felix muttered. He activated Ghostwalk and kept it active, hoping it would make him the last target of the group. He did not want to be killed again. We should look at better armor in any case, he thought. The VBV does a bit of a mark-up compared to the ¡®Verse that is the origin point for whatever you¡¯re trying to buy. Felix leaned over to Roy, ¡°Let¡¯s get some new armor at least.¡± Roy smirked, ¡°I know just the man.¡±
They made their way to the Southern side of town and Roy led them to the farthest building away from the town center. It was a cozy-looking cottage with an adjoining long, flat building with several chimneys sticking out of the top. Roy parked the cart and walked up to the forge door, ringing the small bell hanging outside. A man opened the door and wiped his brow. He had the same hair color and general facial shape as Roy did, but was built like a brick wall. All muscle with a bit of a dad-bod. ¡°Roy! You came home!¡± He hugged the warrior eliciting a small grunt of pain. ¡°And you brought friends!¡± Felix walked up with a short wave, ¡°Hi, Felix Winters. Versewalker. This is Tinuriel of Avelion and Melanie.¡± Tinuriel waved at her name being mentioned, and Melanie curtsied. Roy extricated himself from the smithy and clapped a hand on his shoulder, ¡°This is my father. Strom Stromson. Best blacksmith around.¡± Strom grinned and gave a small bow, ¡°Welcome to my forge!¡± he looked to Roy, ¡°I don¡¯t have any food, and your sister is off in Sirin¨º still. She got offered a professorship!¡± Roy grinned, ¡°That¡¯s amazing to hear.¡± ¡°How¡¯s your tour in the military going? It¡¯s been a few years.¡± Roy¡¯s grin quickly faded, ¡°I¡­um¡­we should talk.¡± He turned to Felix and the group, ¡°Do you all mind waiting here for a little?¡± Felix nodded and Roy left with his father to go behind the small cottage. ¡°I didn¡¯t hear mention of a mother,¡± Felix commented. Melanie shook her head, ¡°She passed away. His sister is a few years younger, but getting to be a professor in the Mage College? That¡¯s a ludicrously high honor.¡± Tinuriel leaned against the wall of the longer building, ¡°Do you think Roy has familial issues?¡± Felix shrugged, ¡°Probably not? I wouldn¡¯t imagine it. Unless-¡± They heard screaming from the back of the cottage and a few minutes later Roy came around the building looking pale and shaken. He silently made his way to the cart and sat up on it, staring off into the distance. Felix walked over and looked up at him, ¡°I¡¯m guessing he didn¡¯t take the news well?¡± Roy just stared off and shook his head slowly. ¡°He¡­disowned me.¡± He put on his helmet, but Felix could tell he was just trying to hide his emotions. The father came around the corner of the cottage with a frown. ¡°Versewalker! A word?¡±You might be reading a stolen copy. Visit Royal Road for the authentic version. Felix glanced at Tinuriel and Melanie, ¡°Stay with Roy.¡± And he walked over to Strom. ¡°Yes?¡± ¡°Mind talking inside my forge?¡± Felix gestured for the man to lead the way and followed him inside. The older man closed the door behind him and released a deep, pent-up sigh as he pinched the bridge of his nose. ¡°I¡¯m sure you¡¯re aware of what Roy informed me about.¡± ¡°Yes. Disowning him seems harsh.¡± Strom¡¯s face screwed up in anger before dissipating, ¡°I¡­damn. I had such high hopes. For him and his sister.¡± He turned to a set of weapon and armor racks bristling with equipment, ¡°At least his sister is accomplishing something.¡± ¡°Your son saved Melanie¡¯s life. He¡¯s helping me solve Crises on Heficyre. He¡¯s accomplishing more than just ¡®something¡¯.¡± Strom grunted in response and turned to face Felix, ¡°There¡¯s always been something off with Roy.¡± Strom grabbed a hammer and in a sudden fit of rage threw it across the workshop to clatter against something metal, ¡°He threw away his damned career for a woman!¡± Felix held up his hands, ¡°Hey, I get it. I know what it¡¯s like to be a screw-up and to have your parents be disappointed. Cut him some slack.¡± Strom shook his head, ¡°I doubt he came here just for a reunion.¡± ¡°I want to buy some equipment.¡± At this, Strom¡¯s expression brightened slightly. ¡°Well, I can help with that.¡± He gestured to the arrayed weapons and armor. ¡°I have a vast selection.¡± ¡°What¡¯s that one?¡± Felix asked as he pointed to a sword that was prominently displayed. It was an intricate piece of work, blackened and silver metal intertwined together with a fuller that ran the length of the enormous blade. Strom grunted, ¡°That one? I made it shortly before Roy was born. It designed it in a fit of inspiration that came out of nowhere.¡± Strom shook his head, ¡°Every time the boy got near it, his attitude changed.¡± I bet that if we gave that to Roy, his inner Dark Lord would reawaken. ¡°How much?¡± Strom shrugged, ¡°Five hundred coins?¡± ¡°Done. I also want to get a set of heavy armor for my ally.¡± ¡°Bring her in here and I can measure her. If you stay the night in town, I can have the adjustments done by tomorrow.¡± Felix nodded and stepped outside, calling Tinuriel in. She was measured with a length of cord, and the smith made some notes before he asked what design she wanted. They went with a suit of scale armor with a matching full helm. ¡°That¡¯ll be seven-hundred-and-fifty coins,¡± Strom stated bluntly. ¡°I also want to get something to protect my head. But it needs to be light, like the rest of my gear.¡± Strom looked at him with a hand on his chin in thought before he snapped his fingers, ¡°It¡¯ll be expensive, but the best I can do is¡­¡± he went to a cabinet and pulled out a key, unlocking the cabinet before pulling out a magnificent set of leather armor with tiny scales all along it, each a deep, crimson color. ¡°Dragonscale Leathers.¡± He pulled out a hood with a mask that came across the front to provide full protection ¨C unless there was another lucky eyeshot. ¡°This¡¯ll run you two-thousand coins.¡± Felix pulled out the VC from his inventory, and they warped into the local currency. ¡°Done.¡± Strom took the monies and then measured Felix before smiling, ¡°Pleasure doing business. You can take the sword now. I¡¯ll have your armor adjusted by the morrow.¡± He handed Felix the sword, and he put that into his inventory. Strom chuckled, ¡°You really are a Versewalker. That sword just vanished when you put your hand on it.¡± The two left and joined their allies outside. Roy was still stoic and unreadable in his armor, and Melanie had climbed onto the cart next to him. Tinuriel and Felix hopped up on the cart. ¡°Let¡¯s go a little way away, and I¡¯ll open the VBV for the night.¡± Roy mutely followed the instructions, moving the cart a short distance down the road before pulling off to the side.
Felix concentrated and after a while opened the VBV as they all went inside. Wordlessly, Roy began to walk towards the guest houses. Felix ran up to him, ¡°Wait. You need to talk to someone about this.¡± Roy¡¯s helmeted head turned to him, and sorrow poured out of him. ¡°I¡­my own father¡­¡± He shook his head and kept walking to the guest quarters. Felix stood in front of him, ¡°Listen to me. You¡¯re what, twenty-something?¡± Roy nodded. ¡°Same age range as me. My parents,¡± Felix sighed heavily and stood up to his full height. ¡°I¡¯m going to tell you something only my sister and I know about. My parents kicked us out. They moved to another country, abandoning us.¡± He put his hand on Roy¡¯s shoulder, ¡°I know what you¡¯re feeling right now. And you don¡¯t have a sister to turn to for comfort like I did. So let us be that comfort.¡± Roy leaned forward and gripped Felix, ¡°¡­Thank you.¡± Lucifer walked up, having split off from Felix once they arrived. ¡°Come on, let¡¯s talk.¡± I¡¯m very good at uplifting people. I¡¯ll take it from here. There was a sense of pride coming from him, but not pride in himself. Pride in Felix. Good job keeping him from spiraling into depression. Thanks. Lucifer and Roy went into the guest house as Felix turned back to the two ladies who were seated at the table, chatting about something. The conversation abruptly halted when he walked up and sat down. Tinuriel turned to him, ¡°Your parents left you?¡± Felix nodded and put his forearms on the table. ¡°My sister¡¯s medical expenses were too much to deal with. They decided to just up and leave instead of taking care of her. They valued their comfort more than the life of their daughter.¡± Just saying those words and reliving the emotions brought rage into Felix¡¯s gut. And he hated feeling anger. Tinuriel nodded sagely and put an arm around his shoulder, ¡°And how is she now?¡± Felix smirked as the anger fizzled away at the warm touch and sincerity, ¡°She¡¯s being taken care of. I mean, my ¡®Verse is time-locked. She¡¯s probably just getting settled in at the new hospital.¡± ¡°What did you do in your ¡®Verse?¡± Melanie asked. ¡°I was learning. Going for higher education. And working odd jobs to try and pay bills.¡± Melanie looked quite confused, ¡°What are bills?¡± Felix chuckled, ¡°Right, you wouldn¡¯t know what that is being a noble and all that. Think of it like paying to live. You have to pay a bill for your food that is delivered, the pay for your employees is sort of like a bill.¡± Melanie shook her head, ¡°Not ringing a bell. Everyone on Ethdellin serves their purpose. Once you arrive on Tier one, you cease aging. Often the noble families will use that as payment for people with promise from the lower Tiers.¡± Tinuriel shook her head and chuckled, ¡°The short-lived make some strange decisions.¡± ¡°You¡¯re telling me that just being on Tier one means you¡¯re immortal?¡± Felix asked to clarify. Melanie nodded, ¡°Mhmm. It¡¯s considered an honor to be there.¡± She stood up and bowed slightly, ¡°If you¡¯ll excuse me. I¡¯m off to draw a bath and use that amazing ¡®bath bomb¡¯ that Tinuriel mentioned. Felix looked at the elven woman, ¡°What¡¯s your opinion on Melanie?¡± Tinuriel shrugged, ¡°She is nobility. They are out of touch. She just wants to get home.¡± She looked down at Felix, ¡°Thank you for buying me armor. Another box checked.¡± Felix raised his eyebrow inquisitively, ¡°Oh? What would that be?¡± ¡°Gift giving.¡±
The next day came and they had breakfast once more and put on their gear. Felix pulled the unique blade from his inventory and held it towards Roy, ¡°Here, this is for you.¡± Roy looked at it and his face darkened for a moment. Some shadow ¨C a literal shadow ¨C flittered across his face. ¡°Where¡¯d you get this?¡± ¡°Your father¡¯s shop.¡± Roy looked at it and slowly reached a hand for it, ¡°I¡­I¡¯ve never seen it.¡± ¡°He said he made it before you were born.¡± ¡°I¡­remember this.¡± Roy¡¯s eyes glazed over for a moment, ¡°I was a child. Six. I got into father¡¯s smithy.¡± His hand reached to the blade and slowly traced along the edge, ¡°I¡­I know this sword.¡± He gripped the hilt. The world exploded in darkness. Ch. 17 – Invictus (III) Felix had to take a step back as the billowing blackness poured out of Roy as screams echoed in the space around them. Tinuriel took up a ready stance with her weapon, and Lucifer instinctively ducked into Felix¡¯s body, merging with him once more. Melanie cowered behind Tinuriel as the darkness expanded further, surrounding them all wholly. But then, it stopped. The blackness turned to a light grey, before slowly brightening to a calm, soothing silvery-white. Roy¡¯s hair turned light grey, and his eyes were dark grey. His armor had shifted as well, it was no longer the full plate from before. It was more ornate and regal but in an imposing, intimidating way. ¡°I¡­remember.¡± He stared down at the blade, ¡°I remember it all. I was the Dark Lord of Dirge. I tried to free everyone from the bindings of class, race, and all divisions. The Tiers rose against me, and I was slain.¡± He shook his head, ¡°That¡­was a lot of information at once.¡± Felix frowned slightly, ¡°Are you still Roy?¡± The Dark Lord nodded, ¡°Yes. I am still me. I just remember the past me.¡± He looked up to Felix and smiled, tears streaming down his face. ¡°I¡¯ve never felt¡­fulfilled like this. I¡¯ve always had some hole in me that I tried to fill¡­but it¡¯s gone!¡± He laughed, and a sheath appeared on his hip. As he put the blade into it the aura disappeared and his armor returned to normal. Melanie ran up and hugged him, ¡°Good! As long as you¡¯re still Roy in there.¡± Tinuriel leaned down to Felix¡¯s ear, whispering, ¡°We just have to get him to Dirge to complete a Crisis, right?¡± ¡°The text states: Revive the Dark Lord on Dirge, the Dark Lord¡¯s Desolation, Tier four. So yeah, we need to get him there at minimum.¡± ¡°Seems easy enough. Let¡¯s finish up on Invictus, first. We have to find out why it is going to collapse, and stop that from happening,¡± Felix whispered back. I just had a thought. Oh? Do tell. We know that the Tiers can collapse into one another. What if the Empire isn¡¯t going to collapse, but the Tier is going to? How would we stop that? No clue. Can the System give us unsolvable Crises? Let me check¡­no. It must be solvable for a Versewalker to be counted as a Crisis. Felix brought himself to the real-life situation at hand instead of just talking in his head when Roy came over. ¡°Are we ready to head off?¡± ¡°Yeah,¡± Tinuriel said as she put a hand on Felix¡¯s shoulder, ¡°We have to get our new armor.¡±
They left the VBV and Felix equipped his new Dragonscale Leather armor. Do you want to combine its properties with your current armor? We can do that? You have a Crafting Station and the Warehouse let me access the VBV and its facilities from here. Hell yeah. Let¡¯s do that. The crimson scales shifted and became a subtle, metallic grey as it took on the Absorbing property from his prior Light Armor. The smithy took a step back and inhaled sharply, ¡°What did you just do?¡± Felix shook his head, ¡°Sorry. Versewalker secret.¡± He helped Tinuriel get into her new armor. The heavy-scale armor was far more protective than her prior gear, and the helmet protected everything much better. She had to get it adjusted for her ears, and the smith didn¡¯t seem to mind that he was working on adjustments for an elf. Roy walked into the forge shortly after Tinuriel finished adjusting the new helmet. ¡°Father. We need to talk.¡± Strom turned to him with a scowl, ¡°What do you want?¡± Roy pulled his new sword from its sheath and his full majesty as the Dark Lord was revealed. Strom quivered away in shock as Roy spoke, ¡°I will bring equality to the Tiers. It is my purpose. My destiny. I¡¯ll always love you as my father. But I am not a failure.¡± He sheathed the blade and his form returned to normal. Strom was sweating, shaking in place before he passed out. Felix turned to Roy and raised an inquisitive eyebrow, ¡°Was that the best play? He¡¯s going to tell someone.¡± Roy shrugged, ¡°Let him. They¡¯ll think he¡¯s a crazy old man.¡± Tinuriel nudged Felix and the duo followed Roy out to the cart as they continued through Artisan¡¯s Reach and entered Etheria.
They passed through the stone gateways and the landscape changed once more. Instead of being full of various industries, this region of Invictus, this wedge of the Tier, was filled with simple, austere buildings. Almost like an enormous monastery complex. Several enormous temples were erected that towered above the smaller buildings. ¡°The assassin¡¯s safehouse on this Tier is somewhere here,¡± Tinuriel muttered. Felix smirked, ¡°Should be easy enough for me. Detect Object.¡± Anima 40 / 80 40 Anima? It must be super well hidden. What did you expect? It is an assassin safehouse. The golden line shot off into an enormous temple complex with huge gates guarding the front. ¡°It¡¯s over there,¡± Felix stated as he pointed at the facility. Roy frowned, ¡°That is the Furca Scriptorium. It is the holiest place on the Tier. None may enter save for priests and holy warriors.¡± Tinuriel frowned, ¡°It¡¯s heavily guarded and defended. We aren¡¯t getting inside, even with my ring.¡± Felix smirked, ¡°I can get in there.¡± Melanie looked over to him, ¡°You¡¯d go off on your own?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t see much of another choice. Roy, are there any inns or taverns nearby?¡± He nodded, ¡°Yes, there¡¯s a few on the Southern edge of the town. We can stay at The Red Goblet.¡± Tinuriel grabbed Felix¡¯s wrist, ¡°Are you sure? You¡¯re going into a nest of assassins.¡± Felix shook his head, ¡°No. I¡¯m not sure. I¡¯d rather have my muscle with me,¡± he gave her a light punch to the shoulder. ¡°But you heard him, we can¡¯t enter.¡± Melanie moved over to him, ¡°You¡¯d be willing to risk being caught for me?¡± ¡°No. Not just for you. I want revenge. They killed me. If I didn¡¯t have a Talent, I would¡¯ve died yesterday.¡± He pulled the face mask part of the armored hood taut. He activated Ghostwalk... ...and slipped down from the cart, vanishing into the crowd as his Skill let him move around unseen. He got next to the gate easily enough, and glancing through he activated Shadestep, his body melding with the shadows. His skin went cold and the world went black and white as he moved through the darkness itself at near-instant speed, before he re-emerged in the darkness on the other side of the gate. Anima 41 / 80 Vigor: 98 / 100 [Experience Awarded = 2] Infiltrating a highly guarded facility. I would¡¯ve expected more Experience. Disappointing. Maybe how difficult the actual action is determines the Experience. I hate that the Admin is messing with the amount of System information I can retrieve. Slowly he crept along the inner wall, keeping in the shadow cast by the sun that was arcing towards its descent. The golden line ran out in front of him and led him off to a set of arches that descended into the ground. It was well-lit, with several torches alight and burning on the wall. I can¡¯t hide down there, he thought. Just turn off the lights. You know I can¡¯t see in the dark. Right. We should fix that. Felix¡¯s vision flashed red for a moment before the world appeared in shades of crimson. Now, turn off the lights. Felix reached up and snuffed the torch, surprised as his vision stayed the same, and he was able to easily discern everything in the stairwell. What did you do to me? I lent you my sight. This is how I see. It¡¯s not a Skill or a Talent. This is just a benefit of having me alongside you in your travels.You could be reading stolen content. Head to Royal Road for the genuine story. I got lucky with you as my Versewalker Core. Yes, you did. Why not do this when we were ambushed and I got a crossbow bolt to the face? Why not do this all the time? Cut me some slack ¨C I was in as much shock as you were. I¡¯ll activate the dark vision any time the lights go out going forward. And we wasted an Affinity Magic/Power effect on that Hellfire Wick, Felix thought to Lucifer with some disappointment. So I''ve basically nerfed myself. ...Look, I''m not perfect. If I was, I wouldn''t be in this situation. Felix felt a pang of regret for the tone he thought to Lucifer. I''m sorry. You''re right, you''re not perfect. Neither am I. Felix descended and snuffed the torches as he went, following the golden line and marveling at his ability to now see in the dark unaided. The stairs bottomed out into a cellar with several racks of wine bottles that were sitting, covered in dust. A woman in robes was going from rack to rack, humming gently to herself as she turned the bottles in place. If I use Show Mercy and knock her out, will she be injured permanently? Nope. Go ahead and knock her out. Felix snuck up behind her and ¨C using Show Mercy ¨C hit her on the back of the head with his dagger. She fell silently with a slight gasp, and he caught her, setting her down gently. [Experience Awarded = 1] The golden line continued past her and to a wall. So, their lair is behind this stone. Any ideas on how to open it? Cliches exist for a reason. Pull that torch sconce. Felix started to reach for it, but stopped, as the golden lines indicating a trap appeared as soon as his hand came close to contacting the sconce. He followed the minute golden spindles until he spotted a crossbow that had been prepared and pointed to where he was standing. He disabled the trap. [Experience Awarded = 3] Returning to the sconce, he pulled it down and the stone wall shifted slightly, dust settling on the floor as it moved on hidden rails to the side. Felix slowly went forward, keeping his eyes peeled for traps. He encountered two ¨C one was a pressure plate that would have collapsed the tunnel, and the other was a false floor that opened to a pit of spikes. Both were easily avoided thanks to being able to see them. [Experience Awarded = 5] Why is the System being so generous with the Experience now? I don¡¯t know, but I don¡¯t like it. Keep your guard up. I¡¯ll have Elixirs on standby. Felix reached a large, wooden door. It was also trapped, but the golden spindling thread did not give him any indication on how to open it. How do we deal with this? Try picking the lock? Pff, yeah. Sure. Just try it. Here, let me buy you some thieves'' tools¡­
[Items purchased] + Thieves Tools - 100 VC [Monies Paid] = 100 VC [Current Balance] = 1,638 VC
A set of lockpicks appeared in Felix¡¯s hands and he knelt next to the door, slowly inserting one of the picks. To his surprise, a video-game-like interface appeared. Rogue Class and hidden benefits. Yeah, the System isn¡¯t giving me anything on the Class benefits that are being hidden. It¡¯s intentionally being withheld. I told you the Admin hates me. Felix picked the lock and slowly pushed the door open. The room beyond was sparse, with three doors going off in each direction, and a large trap in the center of the floor ¨C some rug that gave him the worst feeling of ¡®stay away¡¯ that he had ever felt. He went to the left door and ¨C to his relief ¨C this one was unlocked. He pulled it open and saw a man sitting, pants down, on some type of privy. Execution, he thought as he plunged his dagger into the man¡¯s skull. Anima 41 / 80 Vigor 93 / 100 He went limp and Felix slowly pulled the dagger out. Good kill. One assassin down. Felix felt a weird mix of emotions. He had just killed someone when they were vulnerable and in cold blood. But oddly enough he didn¡¯t feel bad. It felt good. Justified. They killed me. Whatever I do to them is just fair play. [Experience Awarded = 5] [Experience Bonus from Execution Skill = 1] [Congratulations! You have reached the Experience threshold to level up! Speak with your Versewalker Core when you are ready to Choose your next Class.] Let¡¯s hold onto that level up. I want to have a get-out-of-near-death-free card. Understood. [Loot Obtained] ¡¤ Local Currency: Converted to 20 VC [Loot Bonus from Execution Skill] ¡¤ Assassin Orders Felix put the Loot into his inventory and went back to the main room, shutting the door behind him. He skirted the rug once more and tried the other side ¨C purposely avoiding the main, central door, reasoning that it would lead deeper in the complex and he did not want to be closed in on from behind. Opening this next door revealed a small armory with a bunch of clothes for a variety of roles and occasions. He looted all of it and Lucifer instantly sold it in the VBV, converting it to VC.
[Loot Sold] - Various Assassin gear + 4000 VC [Monies Dispensed] = 4000 VC [Current Balance] = 5,638 VC
They are going to be pissed. Lucifer chuckled. Leave one coin. Just as a cherry on top. Felix did, chuckling silently to himself as he closed the door. Skirting the trap-rug one final time, he found the final, inner door locked. Using his lockpick tools and playing the mini-game again, he was able to unlock it. But the golden spindles appeared before he was going to open the door. A small, poison spike was embedded in the handle, and if he had gripped it normally, it would¡¯ve spiked him. He pulled out a set of clippers and activated the trap carefully, using the clippers to snap off the tip of the spike before opening the door. The room was empty, but was the main barracks area. To one side was a small cook station and table with several cards laid out as if a poker game was interrupted. Several bunks were on the other side of the room with footlockers that had been opened. One assassin was asleep with a novel lying across his face. Some type of romantic epic. Execution, Felix stabbed the man in the throat, ripping the knife across to prevent him from shouting before he stabbed down into his chest, twisting as the man went limp. Vigor 88 / 100 [Experience Awarded = 5] [Experience Bonus from Execution Skill = 1] [Loot Obtained] ¡¤ Local Currency: Converted to 40 VC [Loot Bonus from Execution Skill] ¡¤ Assassin Orders Can we get rid of the extra Assassin Orders? Mhmm. Felix heard a noise from the last door leading deeper, and he crouched next to the entrance, readying his knife. The door opened and a pair of men walked in, both dressed the same as the ones that Felix had killed already. ¡°I can¡¯t believe the ambush failed.¡± ¡°It¡¯s not the end of the world. Just means more money for us if we finish the contract.¡± ¡°Right, but we¡¯ve gone through how many men now? Twenty? At this rate, we¡¯ll have to abduct urchins to train instead of screening them.¡± ¡°The contract is worth it. Can you bring my other knife out of inventory? Yeah, here¡¯s your other knife. The knife from the Death World materialized in Felix¡¯s offhand, and he snuck up behind the two men ¨C unheard and unseen thanks to Ghostwalk. Activate Execution twice, once for each weapon. Vigor 78 / 100 He stabbed both men in the spine, their bodies jerking and a slight, suddenly cut-off scream coming from the one struck by the Death World knife. [Experience Awarded = 10] [Experience Bonus from Execution Skill = 2] [Loot Obtained] ¡¤ Local Currency: Converted to 90 VC [Achievement Unlocked: Killed several targets in rapid succession] (P) Chain Kill Killing a target increases the damage dealt by the next attack. This stacks for each successive kill, but if more than 3 seconds pass between kills the count resets. Felix heard a noise behind him and turned as a crossbow bolt impacted his torso, bouncing off of his armor but leaving a deep bruise. Health 95 / 100 Another assassin was there, and he dropped the crossbow and pulled out his own pair of knives. He was silent, and his dark clothing masked all his features. He ran up to Felix and began unleashing a flurry of stabs and slashes. Thanks to his Warrior Class, Felix was able to keep up and not just dodge but also parry some of the blows. Another assassin came from the same hallway and shot another crossbow bolt that landed a blow right at Felix¡¯s collarbone. Health 75 / 100 That armor is paying off, he thought. Turn on Hellblade. Felix¡¯s daggers sparked with crimson flames swirling with black. He pushed the offensive, getting the assassin he was dueling with into the middle of the firing line and scoring several hits across his torso as the flames licked and burned him. This finally elicited a yelp of pain from the individual, and he backed off into the corridor. Both men were sucking in air. Felix coordinated his thoughts with Lucifer and unleashed a Hellfire Beam paired with Affinity Empowerment. Anima 21 / 80 Vigor 48 / 100 The enormous beam flared outward and encompassed the whole hallway, instantly incinerating and searing the two that were standing there. Felix reactivated Ghostwalk and stayed completely still, waiting to hear any movement or noise. Nothing came to his ears. [Experience Awarded = 10] [Experience Bonus from Execution Skill = 2] [Loot Obtained] ¡¤ Local Currency: Converted to 70 VC Hey, you¡¯ve unlocked a new class. Silent Blade. Cool. Want to see the information on it? Make it quick. Silent Blade (Advanced) Requirement: Core Level 10, Rogue 1 +2 Agility, +2 Mind, +2 Body, +2 Endurance Vital Strike Undetectable Step (Level 5) Shadowborn (Level 10) Death Mark Interesting, but I''m going to max out your unique Class first. It''s annoying that the System doesn''t tell you what the Skills do before you take the Class. Felix grunted in response. He went down the hallway that the two assassins came from and found an open door. Inside were several desks filled with papers. He rummaged through them as Lucifer quickly analyzed them for any importance, storing the important bits in the inventory. A golden spindle of a trap caught his eye, and he followed the line until he found a small spike that guarded something on the bottom of the desk. He got down, disabled the spike, and used a small pry bar from his Thieves Tools to crack open the desk. A small puff of dust spurted in his face which he quickly waved away. Reaching into the cracked wood, he pulled out an amulet. What could this be? No clue. > Jeremy? Why are you using this? I told you only in emergencies. < Felix dropped the amulet, ¡°What was that?¡± he muttered. Some type of long-distance communication item. Telepathy. Best put it in the inventory for now. Getting off the floor, he spotted another golden spindle. It was duller, however, and for some reason, he knew that meant it was older. Much older. He traced it back to the main common area where the corpses lay, and into a pantry near the kitchen. He pushed several crates of food and barrels of drinks out of the way until he saw a lever that he would never have found save for the golden spindle showing him a trap was present. It¡¯s ancient. And all the dust ¨C it¡¯s caked on there. He disabled the trap ¨C a very, very rudimentary spike that snapped as it tried to activate. He pulled the small lever and the wall next to him slid aside, revealing an old tunnel. What do you think? Go down the ancient, creepy tunnel that hasn¡¯t been used in God-knows how long? You can always use Vigor to teleport back here through the shadows. I¡¯d say let¡¯s look! When Versewalkers find these types of things, it''s almost always worth exploring. Felix checked the inside of the tunnel and saw to his relief that there was another lever on this side. Just to test, he put a crate of food in between the hidden door and the wall and ensured that the inner lever worked. It did, and so he shut the tunnel behind himself before facing the depths. Ch. 18 – Invictus (IV) Felix had adjusted to the shades of red-hue dark vision and steadily descended. He quaffed several Vigor Elixirs and used Regenerate to his Health. He also drank down several Anima Elixirs to at least get to some decent numbers on his bars. Health 100 / 100 Anima 54 / 80 Vigor 76 / 100 The slope grew more and more steep and he had to use his knife as a sort of climbing pick as he made his way down. It leveled out after the steep drop and he continued forward. The tunnel ended in a pool of water. That looks like a risk I don¡¯t need to take. Use Detect Object and see if there are air pockets. Good idea. ¡°Detect Object.¡± Anima 44 / 80 Felix saw the line of gold shoot out from his palm and into the water. Peeking his head under, he saw the light arc upwards before continuing down the tunnel. Several air pockets. He pulled his head back. The pragmatic side of him was saying that he should go back to his allies since the assassins were dealt with. The thrill-seeker side of him was saying that he should investigate. Lucifer, help me out here. What would you do if you were me right now? This has to lead somewhere. I think it¡¯s worth investigating. And, like I said earlier; when Versewalkers find these types of things, it''s almost always worth exploring. Almost always? Well, it might lead to danger as well as something that is important for us to find. Felix took a deep breath and sank into the water. The passage was shallow ¨C only about five feet in each direction ¨C and there were frequent spots where he could push his face up against the rocks above to gulp air. Slowly, he made his way to where the water got colder. He finally surfaced in a cavern that was occupied by a small mound in the center ¨C an odd, bulky mound, with several sarcophagi arranged around. There was no other entrance or exit. A burial mound and chamber. It looks ancient. And it is right under this Tier¡¯s most holy place. Lucifer chuckled; the God of my ¡®Verse would be very upset if he saw me now. Felix made his way to one of the sarcophagi and swept the dust off. I can¡¯t read it. Which implied that no one used the language anymore. It¡¯s ancient. He traced his fingers along the top and felt the bas-relief of some long-lost image that was worn away by time and ambient moisture. Let¡¯s crack it open! Felix nodded. It felt distasteful, but this place had been abandoned for centuries at least. The dead weren¡¯t going to use whatever they had. Waste not, want not. He pulled the miniature pry bar from the Thieves Tools. The lid made a deep, grinding noise as he leveraged it off, before it clattered to the ground with an enormous thunk and broke into pieces. The inside was empty, save for an ornate scepter. Felix heard a noise behind him and turned as the mound in the center of the room moved. Coils upon coils unwound until he was staring down an enormous serpent with fangs that were as long as his legs. Its round eyes narrowed to ovals and then slits as it hissed and lunged forward. Felix dove sideways as the blow slammed into the wall instead of him. He turned off Ghostwalk and used Detect Weakness, while Lucifer activated Hellblade. Anima 29 / 80 The snake creature only had two weak points ¨C the eyes and the inside of its mouth and throat. Felix ducked as the snakehead lunged at him and went over. He ran forward and tried to cut into the snake¡¯s skin ¨C only for this blade to skid off. Even the flames didn¡¯t catch on it. The snake pushed its bulk into Felix and sent him crashing to the ground before he slid into the wall with a thud. Health 90 / 100 Felix took in a sharp breath of pain as he felt something crack inside him. But he had no time to nurse his injury as the serpent creature coiled back once more, preparing to strike. Any ideas? He thought to Lucifer. We have to get closer. Fallen Flight gives us more maneuverability. Do it. Vigor 66 / 100 The spectral wings unfurled and Felix easily dodged the next strike as the enormous maw flashed towards him. He got close enough to stab his Wyrmtooth knife into the eye, the poisonous property of the blade surging into the creature as the flames burned and licked down into it. The creature thrashed and flung Felix away and into the ceiling with an enormous shriek. As he it, impacted he loosed a Hellfire Beam which harmlessly bounced off of the creature¡¯s hide. Health 80 / 100 Anima 24 / 80 Felix felt something else crack ¨C probably a rib ¨C and breathing became more painful. The snake coiled backward and hid its injured face from him. How do we kill something that big? The eyes are the weak spot, but that¡¯s going to just deal more damage. If you want to kill it, we are going to need something that can injure a creature that size. Or you could get inside it, but that seems too risky. I don¡¯t have a weapon that can cut it apart like Tinuriel¡¯s sword. Let¡¯s find one. Using an Anima Elixir to offset the cost - Detect Object. A golden line shot from Felix and to the fang of the creature as it continued to hiss and coil in on itself. I need to use its fang to kill it. If you get a good grip and wrench it just right, you might be able to pull it off.The genuine version of this novel can be found on another site. Support the author by reading it there. Let¡¯s level up. Another Fallen Angel level. I need my Might as high as we can get it. [Selection Made: Fallen Angel] Finalize. There was a rush of warmth in Felix¡¯s chest as his ribs snapped back into place and he heaved a sigh of relief as the pain was soothed away.
Name Felix Winters
Designation Versewalker
Core Level 9
EXP 254 / 270
Class Warrior 1, Animancer 1, Rogue 1, Fallen Angel 6
Might 9
Agility 10
Capacity 10
Mind 11
Body 11
Soul 9
Endurance 11
Equipped Weapon (M) Wyrmtooth Knife (MH) / Knife (OH)
Equipped Weapon (R) Elven Shortbow (19 Arrows)
Equipped Armor Absorbing Dragonscale Leathers
Equipped Affinities Detection, Hellfire
Equipped Skills Affinity Empowerment, Regenerate (Rank 2), Execution, Ghostwalk, Fallen Flight, Vigor Conversion, Shadestep, Beacon of Free Will, Inviolable Will
Talents (P) Multiverse Adaptation (A) Aggressive Alchemy (P) Like a Cat (P) Final Stand (A) Show Mercy (A) Universe Selector (P) Sneak Attack (P) Craftsman (P) Dungeon Delver (P) Slayer (P) Endless Bags (P) Chain Kill
Health 110 / 110
Anima 90 / 90
Vigor 110 / 110
Felix put the daggers away and floated towards the creature. It hissed and batted at him with its tail, and he deftly dodged the blows. When he was ten feet away it suddenly lunged forward with unexpected and even greater speed than before, snapping its maw around him. Felix screamed as the fang he was planning on ripping out of the thing to kill it with was instead impaling him. Health 70 / 110 That wasn¡¯t too much damage. It¡¯s right in front of you, just rip it out. Felix was gasping in pain as the creature started to thrash about, shaking him senseless. He reached down to the fang impaling his stomach and got both hands on either side of it. He tried to wrench it to the side to wiggle it loose, but nothing happened. The serpent thrashed him against a wall, and he blacked out for a moment. Using Regenerate. Can¡¯t fully heal while it¡¯s impaling you. Health 100 / 110 Vigor 50 / 100 Felix came back to his senses and with the pain dulled from the healing Skill he was able to think for a moment. I need to end this. The Slayer Talent, combined with Execution, and dumping all my Anima while converting Vigor into more Anima might be enough. I can do the Affinity Empowerment while you channel Hellfire Beam. Good. Execution. Felix felt his Vigor drain slightly. He was looking down the throat of the creature as it paused thrashing for a split second, and the golden circle marking a weak spot was right in front of him. It was just enough of an opening. Now! Hellfire Beam! Affinity Empowerment! Anima 0 / 90 Vigor 30 / 110 An enormous ray of crimson flames that licked with black fury exploded from his outstretched palm ¨C right into the creature¡¯s throat. The beam carved a truck-sized hole through the creature¡¯s throat, and he pulled the beam up, bisecting its head as he carved a ruinous path through its skull. The creature dropped, and thanks to his Fallen Flight, he was able to slip off the fang as the creature fell. [Experience Awarded = 50] [Experience Bonus from Execution Skill = 15] [Congratulations! You have reached the Experience threshold to level up! Speak with your Versewalker Core when you are ready to Choose your next Class.] I¡¯m saving that level-up. Felix landed and dismissed the Fallen Flight, panting heavily from the exertion and using Regenerate to fix his wounds. ¡°That was not pleasant.¡± Let¡¯s loot the room! Felix made his way over to the first crypt he had already opened and began to reach for the scepter inside but paused. ¡°Lucifer, do Cursed items exist?¡± Querying System¡­They do exist. ¡°Let¡¯s be safe. Convert some Vigor to Anima and let¡¯s see if Detection can help us out here.¡± Right. Using Detect Properties. Detect Properties 10 Anima Determines the name of an object, and any properties it may have. A crimson and gold-lined light formed a grid pattern that floated above the scepter before descending onto the object. A readout appeared in front of Felix. [Item Description: Scepter of Truth] [Creates a zone that prevents any dishonesty or lies from being told within a ten-foot radius sphere.] Seems useful. No Curse on it. Felix went to the other two tombs and worked them open, finding a large, two-handed sword, and an ornate bow. Using more Vigor Conversion and another two uses of the Detect Properties. [Item Description: Valiant Edge] [Attacks with this weapon heal the user upon impacting a creature and dealing damage.] [Item Description: Hardlight Recurve] [Creates arrows of hard light that fly straight and true regardless of distance. Will only harm those that the user intends to harm.] Cool items. Let me guess, Valiant Edge is going to Tinuriel, you¡¯re keeping the Hardlight Recurve, and the Scepter is going into the inventory? You¡¯ve got it. And I can¡¯t forget to Loot the snake thing. [Loot Obtained] ¡¤ Colossal Snake Skin [Loot Bonus from Execution Skill] ¡¤ Colossal Snake Fang I think that¡¯s everything. Felix looked around once more to ensure that he had not missed anything, and to his satisfaction, the entire cavern was well-looted. Time to head back. You should rest for a few minutes to get some Vigor and Anima back. Felix took the advice and sat down, pulling out some Versewalker Rations and snacking to pass the time while he waited for his bars to refill a bit. He reactivated Ghostwalk and left the way he came, back through the watery tunnel, up the slope which he used Fallen Flight to traverse rapidly, and stealthily into the assassin''s lair. Everything was as he had left it, and exiting the religious compound was a simple endeavor. He made it back to the gate, used Shadestep to leave the complex, and made his way to the edge of town.
He found the inn easily enough and made his way inside. No one noticed him enter, and he was able to spot his trio of allies sitting in a corner booth. Roy and Melanie were chatting idly, but Tinuriel looked on edge and was not enthused at all about being in the bar. Felix silently sat with them, and only then ¨C when he wasn¡¯t surrounded by other patrons ¨C did they notice him. ¡°Eep!¡± Melanie jumped slightly and let out a very undignified squeak of shock. ¡°When did you get here.¡± Felix smirked, ¡°Just now. I dealt with our problem.¡± Tinuriel¡¯s body relaxed a bit, and she threw an arm around Felix and pulled him tight, ¡°That¡¯s a good rogue.¡± Roy nodded tersely, ¡°Did you find any intel?¡± ¡°I did.¡± Felix pulled the Assassin Orders from his inventory and handed it to Roy who peered at it with Melanie. ¡°I also found something else, but we should talk about it outside.¡± Roy nodded, lowering his voice, and looking at Melanie, ¡°They have your description, and mine.¡± He looked up at his two newer allies, ¡°And you two.¡± Felix blinked a few times, shocked. ¡°How? We¡¯ve only been traveling for a few days together.¡± Tinuriel clicked her teeth, ¡°On that first attempt, the bridge where your mage ally perished. They must have had people observing to report back. Perhaps reinforcements, even, who called off the attack once they saw the tide turn.¡± ¡°That¡¯s good insight,¡± Felix replied. ¡°You know your tactics really well.¡± Tinuriel smirked and squeezed him tighter, ¡°I¡¯ve been around for a while. I¡¯ve ambushed and been the ambusher. You always have reinforcements ready.¡± Roy frowned as he kept reading, ¡°Someone contracted them. For a staggering amount of wealth. But these are just general orders. Nothing specific about who paid for Melanie to die, or why.¡± Melanie shook her head, ¡°It has to be my uncle. He was next in line after me. If I die, he inherits.¡± Felix felt a pulse of anger run through him. Being betrayed was one thing, but being betrayed by family was another entirely. It instantly reminded him of his parents who left his life in a wreck. The people who were supposed to take care of his sister and love both their children unconditionally. He curled his hands into fists and felt himself trembling with anger. Tinuriel noticed and gave him a small, comforting squeeze on the arm that brought him out of his memories of neglect and abuse. Roy put the note into his belt pouch, ¡°We still have some daylight left. Do we want to keep onwards?¡± There was a hint of hesitation in his voice. ¡°Where would we be next?¡± Tinuriel asked. ¡°Ironhold Citadel. The Empire¡¯s military training grounds for strategists and commanders. We¡¯d pass through the town of Phalanx,¡± Roy muttered. ¡°Sounds like you don¡¯t want to go there,¡± Felix commented. ¡°¡­I don¡¯t. That¡¯s where she is. That¡¯s where Roxanna is.¡± Felix stood up and gestured for the group to follow, ¡°Come on. Let¡¯s hear all about it on the way.¡± Ch. 19 – Invictus (V) Tinuriel took the lead in steering the cart while Roy sat back. Melanie was huddled behind him, and Felix was sitting atop the statue, keeping his eyes peeled for any sign of danger. No more ambushes for us. Roy had told them his story. As a child, he was screened and found to be worthy of military or magical service. He was sent to Wilderstone, a part of Tier five where the Invictus Military Academy was set up. He quickly rose the ranks and was given early training in command classes, rising the ranks once more. They moved him to Ironhold Citadel when he was sixteen, where he met Roxanna. They were both dumb teens in the prime of their youth and physique, and they had a relationship that lasted for several years. When they were both finishing their programs and about to be given their final ranks, someone found out about them and reported it up the chain of command. They could both be kicked out, or one could continue their career if the other owned up to being the one who forced the situation. Roy stepped up because he loved Roxanna, and he was removed. Everyone was silent as he told the story, and now as they trundled on towards Phalanx ¨C a very small city compared to the two they had passed through ¨C Felix couldn¡¯t help but wonder what would drive someone to throw away their life for someone they loved. You did something similar, did you not? Hmm? Do you mean with Penny? Felix thought back. Precisely. You were doing decently on your own. But then your parents abandoned you and you took on your sister¡¯s care. I saw. You threw away your own concerns to take care of her. I also know what else you tried to do. Felix felt his heart seize for a moment. You¡­you saw that? I did, Lucifer said in his thoughts with a concerned tone. Free will means having the freedom to take your own life if you choose. And you gave it serious thought. You even took steps towards that action¡­but stepped back from the edge. I¡­I was in a dark place. Felix stared off into the sunset. Lucifer was, of course, correct. Felix had contemplated trying to end it all a few times. Life back home seemed futile. He had once stood on the edge of a building, one foot over the side, thinking of just ending it all¡­but his life changed when his phone rang, and he stepped back. Since taking Penny in he had been constantly behind on rent and bills. He loved her because she was his sister, and it wasn¡¯t her fault that she was born how she was. But part of him hated her for ruining his life. He hated his parents, more, for just giving up and leaving. Most of all, he hated himself for hating his sister¡­at first. She grew on him as he took care of her. I went on for her. Without me, she would¡¯ve been a ward of the state. And I¡¯ve seen those places they would¡¯ve put her in. You chose self-sacrifice ¨C just like Roy did ¨C and did something rather heroic. There was a swelling of a sense of pride that Felix felt as Lucifer said those words in his mind. Yeah. You¡¯re right. I should be damn proud of the sacrifices I made for her. The sacrifices I¡¯m still making for her. Felix could just sit in his VBV, use some of the Functions and Rooms to make himself a paradise, and just live in eternal bliss. But instead, he was out here, risking life and limb to get strong enough to go back and fix his Universe, and save her. We¡¯ll get back there. You¡¯ll have your chance to rescue her and bring her to your VBV. You can even save a Function to make it so that her disease doesn¡¯t work while she¡¯s in there. You can save her. Felix nodded. He would get back. He would stop whatever the Basilisk AI was that he had unwittingly released. He would save Penny and bring her to live in luxury in the VBV. He would make this life count. His vision shifted to Lucifer¡¯s red dark vision as the sun finished its journey over the horizon. The far deep blue of the night skies in this Universe blended with his crimson sight to create a gorgeous display of purple that filled him with inspiration and wonder. Despite everything that had happened: being ripped out of his home Universe, almost killed several times, and having the looming threat above his head of returning to his home Universe to defeat this Basilisk...he was glad to be here.
The cart came to a stop as Felix opened the VBV. They went inside, rested for the evening, and then resumed their journey. Phalanx was not large, but it was well-appointed. Enormous sets of barracks, large training fields, classrooms that could house hundreds of pupils ¨C all of whom were wearing armor and equipped with weaponry. Their group was stopped a few times, but the quest slip from Roy was enough to warrant their entry. Then, the ground shook. Every person stopped, and Felix hopped down off the statue¡¯s head to keep steady. ¡°What was that?¡± He asked. Tinuriel¡¯s eyes narrowed, ¡°An earthquake. That only happens-¡± ¡°If a collapse is coming,¡± Melanie said with terror filling her every syllable. She gripped her head, ¡°Seven days¡­¡± We have to stop a whole Tier from collapsing? Looks like it. The System wouldn¡¯t give us an impossible Crisis. It has to be fixable. Damn. Okay, get ready to use Vigor Conversion if I need more Anima. Felix held up his hand, ¡°Detect Object,¡± as he focused on something that could stop the impending disaster that would happen in seven days. Anima 0 / 90 Vigor 100 / 110 The golden line shot out from his palm and arced around the edge of the Tier. ¡°That way,¡± he pointed as he leaned over Roy¡¯s shoulder. ¡°We can stop it.¡± Roy looked back at him with a shocked expression, ¡°You can stop a Tier collapse?¡± Felix nodded, ¡°Something can stop it. I can see the path to it. Just follow my directions.¡± Roy swished the reins as the cart made its way through the panicking students and the more grim-faced soldiers who were trying to maintain order. They passed through Phalanx without much issue ¨C no one stood in the way of a cart traveling at full tilt and carrying an enormous object. Continuing they saw an enormous wall ¨C taller than the others surrounding the Tier. It had tilted slightly, some sections very slightly lower than others. They went through the gates ¨C showing Roy¡¯s quest slip as they passed ¨C and saw the enormous capital of Hearthstone. An indicator appeared in Felix''s vision. A floating, neon-green arrow - a System message - pointing him in the general direction of a Dungeon. In the capital, and down.If you encounter this tale on Amazon, note that it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it. The city itself was the pinnacle of a late-medieval society, filled with sweeping, Gothic architecture. Towering spires with ornate flying buttresses, pillars, and spires that extended into the skies above, and fancy, well-off people going about their business. In this case, the business was sheer panic, screaming, and a rush of people heading in their direction. A mass exodus as people fled the capital to make their way to The Great Lift ¨C hoping to escape the impending doom. The people flowed around their cart like water around a rock in a river, and they got into the capital without much trouble. A group of guards dressed in ornate military attire ran past them, and one split off from the group to approach them. ¡°We are evacuating the city. You¡¯re going the wrong way.¡± Time to show off. Activating Fallen Flight. The spectral crimson and gold wings exploded outwards, and the display caught every person¡¯s attention as the running and panic came to an abrupt halt. And, of course, Beacon of Free Will. Felix¡¯s head became adorned with a spectral crown of crimson and gold ¨C the same colors as the wings manifested. Go ahead. Tell them why you¡¯re here. I was hoping to keep this silent. Where¡¯s the fun in that? Be their savior. Be the hero. You¡¯re a Versewalker. Solve the Crisis. Felix floated above the crowd and cleared his throat, the volume surprising him as the Beacon of Free Will Skill seemingly increased it. ¡°I am a Versewalker. There is a way to stop the collapse. Trust in whatever god you believe in, but I was sent here to fix this Crisis.¡± He flew down to the guard who stood enthralled, ¡°Escort us. Now.¡± His voice came out as demanding, more demanding than he intended. As if the pride of the entity and the commanding authority of the one cast from Heaven suffused his being. He looked back at his allies, ¡°Tinuriel, Roy ¨C with me.¡± He turned back to the guards and pointed to Melanie and the statue, ¡°She is nobility from Tier one. Protect her with your lives.¡± The guard nodded and waved his squad over, shouting some commands. Melanie relaxed a bit as she was surrounded by armored men who escorted her and the cart down the main boulevard towards an enormous palace. Another group of guards approached and saluted, ¡°Versewalker. You need an escort?¡± Felix nodded and deactivated Fallen Flight, ¡°Keep up with us.¡± He reached into his inventory and handed Tinuriel the enormous broad sword, Valiant Edge. ¡°I got you another present.¡± She took it and seemed surprised by its lightweight, taking a few practice swings as she grinned broadly, ¡°You spoil me. I need to get you something now.¡± Roy smirked, ¡°What, nothing for me?¡± Felix shook his head, ¡°You got your fancy sword.¡± Roy chuckled in response as they moved, Felix leading the way as his detection Magic/Power guided him on a winding path through the neat and well-ordered streets and plazas. They wended their way to the back of the capital, behind the palace, and into what appeared to be an ornate series of crypts. The golden line ended at a very simple, plain-looking crypt in the middle of a circular, stone plaza. The small building had an enormous slab worn down by eras, and there was a scepter-shaped slot in the front. The green arrow indicating the Dungeon pointed directly down. Huh. Look at that. Quite a coincidence. You think? Felix thought back with sarcasm. Welcome to your life now. The System guides you ¨C whether you know it or not ¨C to solving a Crisis. I guess the System Administrator doesn¡¯t hate us all that much, then. Oh, he hates me. This is just how things work. Felix retrieved the scepter from his inventory and slotted it into the front of the tomb. The stone illuminated and the ground shook for a moment as the stone circle illuminated with glowing, white runes emanating some sort of Magic. The scepter popped out and Felix caught it, storing it in his inventory with a swift motion. The ground shook ¨C not like the earthquakes from before, a gentler shaking ¨C as the entire plaza descended. The descent continued until the platform came to a stop. The guards were freaking out, looking around for orders. Their commander was not able to wrangle them, and he looked at Felix with pleading eyes. Fine. Activating Beacon of Free Will again. Thankfully, the travel time across the capital had taken a good chunk of time, and his bars were back to full. Vigor 80 / 110 The men immediately calmed and looked at Felix. He leaned over to Roy, ¡°I¡¯m going to ask them to follow your lead. You¡¯ve led armies in your past life, right?¡± Roy nodded, drawing his sword. The silvery-white power exploded outwards and settled around him as an aura that drew the gaze of all around. His hair switched colors, and his eyes darkened to the pale grey. The armor shifted as well. Felix pointed at Roy, ¡°Listen to him!¡± Roy raised his sword and the silvery-white power surged into the blade, ¡°Steel your hearts and focus your will. You are men of Invictus! You are fighting to save your homes, your families, everything you love! Protect the Versewalker. We will save Invictus from collapse.¡± The men gave a rallying cheer, and their commander heaved a sigh of relief, once more able to organize them. Felix was finally able to take in where they ended up. The stone circle had descended into a pit, and an enormous, carved, worked-stone tunnel stretched out before them. There was more of that ancient, dead language carved into it and images. Images of a monstrous creature with scales and teeth, claws, and fangs. Some amalgamation of a Western-style dragon and a wolf. He had to admit, it looked badass. He led the way forward, finding no traps. But the carvings on the wall continued, showing the foundation of Invictus, the exodus of the elves, the rise of the military, and the war against the Dark Lord of Dirge. Roy came up to Felix, his sword radiating a soothing, silvery light, ¡°I remember this place.¡± Felix glanced at him, ¡°You¡¯ve been here?¡± ¡°Past life me. This was where it all started. Where the Dark Lord ¨C I ¨C found my purpose.¡± He gulped, ¡°I don¡¯t remember what awaits us,¡± he clapped Felix on the back, ¡°But I thank you for helping me find myself.¡± "It''s a Dungeon," Felix muttered. "Right ahead." Tinuriel held her new blade as the cutting edge shone with a light-blue glow. The same blue as her eyes, ¡°Let¡¯s get on with it.¡± She led the way just a step in front of Felix as they descended further, the group of guards following behind. The tunnel continued until one of the guards commented that they had to be right under the main palace. And it was then that the tunnel ended. The room they emerged in was an enormous cavern shaped like a huge teardrop. A platform extended from the tunnel out to a raised cylinder. On either side, down a thirty-foot drop, was a pool of deep, black water. At the center of the top of the teardrop on the roof, there was a bright beacon that lit the chamber. A large, furred creature with scales and wings was at the center of the chamber. It looked up at the sound of clattering armor, and it launched itself forward, impacting some type of magical barrier. As it hit the barrier, the floor shook. This thing is causing the collapse? Purple line. Felix saw it also; the purple line marking a Dungeon. He turned to Roy, ¡°When did the Dark Lord leave this place?¡± Roy frowned and his eyes narrowed, ¡°Four-hundred years ago.¡± Felix turned to Tinuriel, ¡°And Dungeons grow the longer they remain undefeated?¡± Tinuriel nodded, ¡°They either sprawl more, or the inhabitants grow stronger.¡± Well, we know what causes a Tier to collapse. Updating the System now. Dungeons left for too long cause Tiers of Heficyre to collapse. The Admin should be happy with that little tidbit. ¡°There¡¯s only one thing to do,¡± Felix muttered as he pulled out his new Hardlight Recurve bow. As he pulled his hand back, an arrow of hardened light appeared in the draw. Looking at his two allies he nodded, ¡°Let¡¯s kill it.¡± Ch. 20 – Invictus (VI) Roy raised his sword and the grey-silver light flowed outwards and infused the guards behind him. ¡°Now, we save Invictus!¡± He pointed the blade forward, ¡°Charge!¡± The guards surged forward past Felix. Tinuriel and Roy led the charge, crossing the purple barrier. Felix activated Fallen Flight and flew above them as the battle commenced. Hellblade. Detect Weakness. Anima 75 / 90 Several glowing, golden circles appeared on the wolf-dragon monster that towered over the combatants. The eyes, nose, mouth, and right behind the tail. The creature let out a howl that shook the cavern before it began tearing into the guards, its jaws lashing out and snapping them in half with sickening crunches as their screams permeated the air. Felix flew as high as he could, shooting hardlight arrow after arrow ¨C burning with crimson and black flame ¨C into the weak spots. But it was too nimble and fast. The arrows did not hit the intended spots as it slashed its clawed paws across the onrush of the guards. Tinuriel ducked under one of the leg sweeps and hoisted the blade behind her, turning around as she unleashed a massive slice with a burst of blue energy that exploded upon impact. The monstrous dragon-wolf snarled and bit down at her ¨C but did not meet her. Roy had stepped in the way and lifted his silvery-grey blade into the air, and it exploded with the same-colored light in a flashbang type of effect that stunned the monster for a moment. The guards took advantage of the dazed monster and charged in, screaming battle cries as they chopped at the flesh ineffectively. The hide and scales were too tough. ¡°Get back! You can¡¯t do anything!¡± Felix shouted. The commander of the guards waved his men out, and they began to flee. But that¡¯s when a new horror appeared. Large, black, goopy tentacles lashed out at the guards from the murky liquid, swatting at and crushing the guards until none were left. Several of the tentacles grew up towards Felix, and he was barely able to avoid them, being brushed by a few. Where they touched his armor, he heard a slight sizzle. He continued to pour shots into the monster. Tinuriel and Roy split up, going in different directions on either side of the draconic wolf. The creature bit down towards Roy and crunched into his torso, but he shrugged off the blow and stabbed into the snout of the creature as a blaze of grey-white light exploded up from the impact. ¡°The Dark Lord gives no quarter!¡± He slashed into the snout over and over, carving off meaty chunks that steamed with the weird gloomlight of his blade. Felix was able to land several shots into its eyes as it barked and whined with pain. ¡°Tinuriel! The eyes and rear!¡± Tinuriel ran around the creature and used her blade to pole vault up onto the creature¡¯s back, taking aim at and swiping at the tail as another explosion of blue light streaked along her blade. The tail was chopped off with ease, and the monster lifted it¡¯s mouth up ¨C still holding Roy who was stabbing into it ¨C and wheeled its head around in Tinuriel. She was bashed aside and went flying. ¡°No!¡± Felix dashed for her ¨C being hit by a few of the tentacles in the process, before catching her. He flew her down to the platform as she shook her head. ¡°Here!¡± He handed her a Health Elixir from his inventory, and as soon as she grabbed it, a tentacle snaked out and grabbed Felix. It squeezed and he felt his body creak and groan under the pressure. Health 50 / 110 He flexed as best he could to try and break out, but nothing was happening. Lucifer! I can¡¯t break out! I¡¯m thinking! Felix heard the panic in Lucifer''s voice adding to his own. He felt the crunching as bones snapped. He yelped in pain as Tinuriel tried to slice at the tentacle ¨C but had to turn and face the assault of other tentacles as they tried to grab her. Her blows were able to cut through them and they faded into black mist, but the one holding Felix lifted and held him in the air. Health 30 / 110 Regenerate. Felix felt a chill wash over him. Why isn¡¯t it working?! Damn! The tentacles stop healing while they are holding you. Fuck it! Felix put all his Anima into the Hellfire Affinity, envisioning himself exploding into an inferno. Thanks for visualizing it! Hellfire Burst! Hellfire Burst Increments of 50 Anima Creates an area-of-effect explosion that not only deals damage but also burns away the target''s Anima. The more Anima used, the stronger both effects are, and the larger the radius. The world exploded around Felix in crimson and black flame. The pressure instantly released, and he was able to dump Vigor into Regenerate to fix his crushed body. Health 110 / 100 Anima 0 / 90 Vigor 30 / 110 The blast consumed all the nearby tentacles and left Tinuriel and Roy untouched. The explosion scorched the wolf-dragon who was still flinging Roy about, chomping down on him. He remained resolute, but the grunts of pain were impossible to ignore and eventually, the armor gave way with a titanic crunch. Felix took to the sky once more, landing shots into the wolf-dragon¡¯s eyes. It howled/growled in rage and flung Roy up to him. Felix caught the Dark Lord and used a Health Elixir from his inventory on the injured man. ¡°Thanks,¡± he grunted. ¡°Drop me on it.¡± Felix did as instructed, flying over the monster and dropping Roy.This story is posted elsewhere by the author. Help them out by reading the authentic version. Tinuriel charged forward and ducked another paw swipe from the monster. She was bit at right after but raised her blade and the jaws clamped down on the pointed bit and the hilt. It pulled away, and she raced forward, carving into its snout with another blue strike that cut off a bit of its jaw. Roy fell on the creature, a silvery meteor that impacted right in the center of its shoulder blades. The sword sunk into the spine and the creature¡¯s back legs gave out. Roy twisted the blade as a surge of silvery-grey energy flowed out and began to surround the creature. ¡°Finish it!¡± Tinuriel raised her sword and charged, stabbing forward into the monster¡¯s eye. It let out one more howl before going still. The world warped as the monster faded into nothingness, and the trio found themselves in the same cavernous space. There was a chest in the center of the platform, and a tunnel that extended beyond and deeper. Roy planted his sword on the ground and panted, ¡°That¡­was¡­a good job.¡± ¡°It was a bit messy¡­but we survived.¡± Tinuriel sat down and let out a groan, ¡°It winged me. I¡¯ll feel that tomorrow.¡± Roy just gestured to his crushed armor with a chuckle, and the two melee fighters shared a laugh as Felix descended from above. He went over to Tinuriel, ¡°Need an Elixir?¡± She shook her head. He offered one to Roy and he waved it away. Felix shrugged and went to the chest. [Crisis: Heficyre ¨C Prevent Invictus, The Imperial Interior from collapsing ¨C Solved!] [You have earned a Multiverse Charge] [Experience Awarded = 50] [Loot Obtained] ¡¤ Local Currency: Converted to 1000 VC ¡¤ Invictus Dungeon Core (Ancient) Why didn¡¯t I get a Dungeon Clear Stat Boost? It seems that this Dungeon has been around so long that the normal reward instead turned into a rarer Dungeon Core. Tinuriel stood up and went over to the chest, rummaging around inside for a moment before coming up with a ring. ¡°Hmm. What does this do?¡± Felix went over, used an Anima Elixir, and activated Detect Properties. [Item Description: Ring of Superior Protection] [Provides a protective barrier that can take a set amount of damage each day in place of the user.] Felix explained what it did and Tinuriel put it on. Roy was not paying attention, however, as his gaze was fixed on the tunnel deeper in. ¡°Something is there.¡± He put his blade up and walked forward. Felix and Tinuriel followed. Felix popped all his remaining Anima and Vigor Elixirs... Anima 30 / 90 Vigor 60 / 110 ...and handed a Health Elixir to Tinuriel. She pushed it away, but he insisted, and she begrudgingly chugged it down. The tunnel kept going until they arrived at a large stone door. There was a hole in the center, and Roy lifted his blade, putting it into the hole. The silver-grey light spread out in a pattern that showed an enormous dragon¡¯s head, maw open as if to consume whoever stood in front of it. The door ponderously opened, and the trio all gasped. A skeleton lay there. A colossal dragon corpse. Roy continued forward and put his hand on the skull that dwarfed him. ¡°This was Vorkathreth. My old friend. It is here that I slew him.¡± He looked up at Felix with a mixture of joy and sadness. ¡°The one who gave me my power. Imbued me with the strength to rule. Right by might, as he put it.¡± He held up the sword, ¡°This power was his. Gifted to me to unite the Tiers and bring an age of peace and prosperity.¡± Tinuriel and Felix walked up closer as Roy sheathed his blade, his form returning to normal as he fell to a knee, his wounds opening. Felix shoved a Health Elixir into his hands, and he sipped it, his wounds patching over. ¡°You need to recover. I can buy a lot more Elixirs in the VBV.¡± Roy nodded and used Felix¡¯s hand to help him up. ¡°Vorkathreth was the guardian of Invictus. He helped the first emperor draw the Tier from the Primal Chaos. He embodied light.¡± Roy held his torso, ¡°And I embodied the dark.¡± He looked at the skull with sorrow, ¡°We fought, and through our fight, we came to understand one another. We both wanted the same thing. I wanted to bring peace, order, and equality. And he desired the same.¡± ¡°I understand,¡± Felix muttered. ¡°Same goal, different ways of getting there.¡± Tinuriel went over and touched the skeleton, ¡°I can¡¯t believe something this big exists. Existed.¡± ¡°He gave me his power when I gravely injured him.¡± He held up his hand and the flickers of the silver-grey light flashed in his palm for a moment. ¡°I thank you for helping me find myself.¡± He put his hand on Felix¡¯s chest and touched his hand to the pommel of his sword. The grey light flared into existence and Felix felt a lukewarm wave wash over him. He just gave you a new Affinity. But the System is having trouble classifying it. It¡¯s a mix of Dark and Light. You get to come up with the name for it. I¡¯ve never been good at coming up with names. You¡¯re the one who comes up with the Magic/Power names. I trust you to choose something epic. I like Netherlight. Let¡¯s do that. It¡¯s equipped. You have a lot of unused Affinity capacity. Should probably spend some of the VC on some in the Shop. [Congratulations! Because you have earned the trust and power of the Dark Lord of Universe #89,750, you have gained access to the Netherlight Myrmidon Class!] Netherlight Myrmidon (Advanced) Requirement: Core Level 5, Netherlight Affinity +2 Might, +2 Agility, +2 Body, +2 Endurance Netherlight Mantle Netherlight Cohort (Level 5) Netherlight Vestige (Level 10) Netherlight Crusade Felix grinned and hugged Roy, ¡°Thank you.¡± He pulled back, ¡°We aren¡¯t done yet. We still have to get you your reward for delivering that statue, deal with all the guards being killed down here, and get celebrated as heroes.¡± Roy grinned, ¡°And then up to Dirge to reclaim my kingdom.¡± Tinuriel walked over, finishing her examination of the dragon¡¯s corpse. ¡°We should take this thing with us. I¡¯m sure Felix can use it to craft something.¡± ¡°Do you mind?¡± Felix asked. ¡°Only if you promise me that you¡¯ll use a Multiversal Charge to create a portal from my kingdom stronghold on Dirge to your VBV.¡± Roy smirked, ¡°I want to have access to your personal kingdom ¨C for visit and trade. If I¡¯m going to conquer the Tiers, I¡¯ll need allies.¡± Felix nodded, ¡°You have good intentions and you¡¯ve shown yourself to be trustworthy. I¡¯d be happy to.¡± [Loot Obtained] ¡¤ Complete Dragon Corpse (Ancient Light Dragon) The trio made their way back to the circle of runes, and Felix put the scepter back into the stone as the platform ascended. They emerged only to be surrounded by guards. One of the guard commanders approached, ¡°We were told a Versewalker went back here with a detachment. Where are they?¡± Felix activated his Fallen Flight and the wings manifested. ¡°The men are below, and they died valiantly to prevent the Tier from collapsing. We learned what caused it. A dungeon left to grow in power for almost four hundred years. Spread the word to the Tiers, none need to collapse anymore.¡± The guard captain nodded and sent one of his men running, ¡°How do we get down to where you describe?¡± Felix held up the scepter, ¡°This will let you down. Come on, let¡¯s get their remains.¡± The trio helped the guards recover the bodies from below and returned to the surface once more.
They followed the guard commander to the entrance of the palace and were let into a side room where Melanie was under heavy guard. She stood up and ran over to Roy, hugging him when she saw him. ¡°You survived! The shaking stopped.¡± Felix nodded, ¡°We stopped the collapse.¡± The commander tapped Felix on the shoulder, prompting him to turn. ¡°Versewalker, the emperor has invited you to an audience. Please, you and your allies, follow me to the guest wing to make yourselves presentable.¡± Felix sighed and shook his head, ¡°In the morning. Can you give us this room to stay in?¡± The guard commander looked confused for a moment, then shrugged and signaled for his men to exit. When the door shut, Felix turned to his allies. ¡°Give me the four hours and we can go to the VBV.¡± Roy nodded and stood at the door, keeping his foot in front of it. ¡°None know of my identity who live, save for us in this room. If they discovered it, then they would try to kill me.¡± Tinuriel went over to the single, narrow window and looked through, ¡°No one monitoring us out here.¡± Melanie looked at Felix, ¡°You stopped the collapse?¡± He nodded and she continued, ¡°What next?¡± ¡°Loot from the emperor for saving his Tier, for one. Then get treated like the heroes we are.¡± ¡°After that, we can head up to Dirge and complete the Crisis there,¡± Felix followed up. Melanie nodded tersely but she spoke hesitantly, ¡°I¡­I don¡¯t know.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t know what?¡± Tinuriel asked as she came over. ¡°I want to get back home, but without Roy-¡± The Dark Lord sighed, ¡°I know how you feel, but I¡¯m not interested.¡± He looked over to Melanie and despite not pulling his sword, his eyes went light grey once more. ¡°I have work to complete. The Tiers are weaker, less united, than they were in my time. This is the time to build my forces once more and try to take them all.¡± He gripped the hilt of his sword, ¡°I can bring unity and equality.¡± ¡°And that¡¯s a worthy goal. Besides, Melanie, you have Tinuriel, Felix, and me. We can keep you safe.¡± Melanie nodded but she had tears beginning to well up. ¡°I¡¯m sorry¡­¡± Roy shrugged, ¡°Don¡¯t be sorry. We¡¯d never work out. I might look young, but right now? I¡¯m thousands of years old.¡± He chuckled, ¡°I was never a romantic person anyway. You¡¯d be miserable around me. Cut your losses. Felix and Tinuriel will get you back home, and you can find some rich noble to marry.¡± Melanie shook her head, ¡°But I want you! I love you!¡± Ch. 21 – Invictus (VII) Roy looked at her and his jaw was tight, as if he was chewing back words that sought to burst out in a torrent. ¡°You don¡¯t understand.¡± Awkward.
The remaining hours passed in silence as the VBV was opened and the four went inside. Lucifer formed his corporal state once more. Melanie went straight to her guest quarters and slammed the door behind her. Tinuriel walked up to Roy, ¡°You really hurt her feelings.¡± Roy frowned, ¡°I know. I have feelings for her as well. But¡­I have work to do.¡± ¡°Then just keep it as an option on the table,¡± Felix replied. ¡°Ethdellin, that first Tier, gives agelessness. You can conquer the Tiers and then be with her.¡± Roy stared silently at Felix for a moment before curtly nodding, ¡°I¡¯ll go talk to her.¡± He walked off. ¡°Well, at least that situation is being resolved.¡± Lucifer turned to face Felix and Tinuriel, ¡°Meeting an emperor tomorrow. How neat is that? That¡¯s something I haven¡¯t done yet.¡± ¡°It¡¯s nothing special,¡± Tinuriel stated bluntly. ¡°Roy had mentioned something called ¡®power squats¡¯, and I noticed his legs are larger. Show me what you two did.¡± ¡°Oh, sure. Felix, want to join us for a bit of muscle training?¡± Lucifer flexed his bicep as he said this, eliciting a chuckle from Tinuriel as his arm was not at all muscular compared to Tinuriel¡¯s. ¡°I want to do some crafting. You two have fun.¡± Tinuriel nodded, ¡°Hot tub later?¡± She asked Felix. ¡°Sure.¡± Felix couldn¡¯t help but admire as Tinuriel walked away. Enough of that, he thought. He went to the Shop and checked his Mailbox. No messages. I suppose no news is good news. He went inside the Shop and sold some items and purchased others. Thankfully, the Shop interface connected with the Crafting Station, so he could tell what was usable and what would just be better off being sold.
[Loot Sold] - Black Mage Staff + 50 VC - Colossal Snake Fang + 300 VC - Colossal Snake Skin + 250 VC - Complete Dragon Corpse (Ancient Light Dragon) + 1,500 VC - Health Elixir (x3) + 300 VC [Monies Dispensed] = 2,400 VC [Items purchased] + Health Elixir (x3) - 900 VC + Vigor Elixir (x3) - 900 VC + Anima Elixir (x3) - 900 VC [Monies Paid] = 2,700 VC [Current Balance] = 6,557 VC
I also have that weird Tube Thing from that Death World. He used Detect Properties [Item Description: Photon Blade] [A hilt that projects a blade of devastating hardlight that can cut through any substance. One charge lasts for a single swing before the power source must be replaced.] That would¡¯ve been useful against the giant snake. He looked through the Shop and found the type of power source that was required. It¡¯s going to be nice having a trump card. But he clicked his tongue in disappointment. I can only have three Charges at once? That¡¯s a lame move, Admin.
[Items purchased] + Photon-Blade Charge (x3) - 600 VC [Monies Paid] = 600 VC [Current Balance] = 5,957 VC
He went over to the Loot Forge and placed the Dungeon Core on the anvil, hefting the hammer. [You have placed a on the Loot Forge. Select one of the following options.] > Dracoknight > Dracomancer > Whisperfang Three new Advanced Classes. He thought for a moment. I¡¯ve been doing a lot of roguish stuff. But I could always pivot. Hey Lucifer? Hmm? Can we do a Room that¡¯s something like a Respec Chamber? If I say, want to change up my levels and build? Let me query the System¡­Looks like you get one Respec every 20 Core Levels. And, when you do that, you can re-do your Affinity applications. If there was a Magic/Power effect you weren¡¯t using, that would be the time to change things around. Since Tinuriel is one of my designated Escorts, and she¡¯s a melee-focused person, then I should go into Powers/Magic, or I could keep with the rogue stuff. Thoughts? Being sneaky has served you well so far. Down the line hybridizing into a support/rogue/ranged combatant might be smart if you plan on keeping her around. Whisperfang it is. Felix brought the hammer down. The Dungeon Core exploded into a prismatic display of luminous lights. [Congratulations! Because you shattered an Invictus Dungeon Core (Ancient), you have gained access to the Whisperfang Class!] I¡¯ve been banking a level. Let¡¯s put one into Whisperfang. You got it. Level up incoming! [Selection Made: Whisperfang] Whisperfang (Advanced) Requirement: Core Level 5, Rogue 1 +2 Agility, +2 Mind, +2 Body, +2 Endurance Dragon Dance For the Hoard! (Level 5) Dragon''s Whispers (Level 10) Mountains of Loot! Dragon Dance 10 Vigor per target The user moves with rapid speed, dashing between targets within 10 feet of each other and performing a melee attack, dealing increased damage. If dual-wielding, attack with both weapons.Reading on Amazon or a pirate site? This novel is from Royal Road. Support the author by reading it there. For the Hoard! 30 Vigor when Looting Grants additional ''Verse Coins (VC) Finalize. The world grew slightly brighter, and everything stood out more starkly than it did before. He also felt a slight itch on his hand, and looking down, he saw a very faint prismatic-scale tattoo that glimmered faintly in the light.
Name Felix Winters
Designation Versewalker
Core Level 10
EXP 369 / 385
Class Warrior 1, Animancer 1, Rogue 1, Fallen Angel 6, Whisperfang 1
Might 9
Agility 12
Capacity 10
Mind 13
Body 13
Soul 9
Endurance 13
Equipped Weapon (M) Wyrmtooth Knife (MH) / Knife (OH)
Equipped Weapon (R) Hardlight Recurve
Equipped Armor Absorbing Dragonscale Leathers
Equipped Affinities Detection, Hellfire, Netherlight
Equipped Skills Affinity Empowerment, Regenerate (Rank 2), Execution, Ghostwalk, Fallen Flight, Vigor Conversion, Shadestep, Beacon of Free Will, Inviolable Will, Dragon Dance, For the Hoard!
Talents (P) Multiverse Adaptation (A) Aggressive Alchemy (P) Like a Cat (P) Final Stand (A) Show Mercy (A) Universe Selector (P) Sneak Attack (P) Craftsman (P) Dungeon Delver (P) Slayer (P) Endless Bags (P) Chain Kill
Health 130 / 130
Anima 90 / 90
Vigor 130 / 130
Photon Blade Photon-Blade Charge (x3)
Smart Phone Health Elixir (x3)
Thieves tools Anima Elixir (x3)
Scepter of Truth Vigor Elixir (x3)
Distant Speech Amulet Versewalker Rations (x6)
I¡¯ve got a few new Rooms and Functions to add also. Three more of each. Yup. Any ideas on what you want? I think it would be prudent to have a Training Room. Something that I can practice in. And as for a Function, let¡¯s put something like ¡®bars refill really quickly¡¯. Adding them now. The grey void of space shimmered for a moment before, next to the Recreation Room, an enormous training field appeared. Running over, he saw archery and shooting ranges, obstacle courses that constantly moved and shifted, training dummies that could take a pounding, and several different terrain types split up in a grid. Satisfied with the changes to his VBV and his current loadout, he went to the Recreation Room and smirked as he saw Tinuriel divested of her armor and dressed in body-hugging workout gear, squatting five hundred pounds across her shoulders. Lucifer was standing behind her, shirtless, spotting her as she finished a set. She got out from under the bar and high-fived Lucifer before she saw Felix. ¡°Want to give it a try?¡± ¡°Sure, why not.¡± Felix went over and got into position. To his immense surprise, he was able to easily lift the weight. He felt no strain at all and put it down for a moment out of shock. ¡°Umm, let¡¯s try more weight?¡± Tinuriel cocked an eyebrow but added a few plates to one side as Lucifer did the other. ¡°Eight hundred pounds is a bit nutty,¡± Lucifer muttered. Felix got under the bar and felt some resistance this time, struggling to complete a set of three before putting it back up. Tinuriel looked at him with an impressed stare. ¡°You¡¯re a lot more muscular under the clothes than you appear.¡± ¡°Might is tricky to quantify into actual weight,¡± Lucifer explained as he removed the weight plates from the bar. ¡°The closest I can figure is that you can squat a number of pounds equal to your Might times one hundred. We can do some limit testing to see what it''s like for other muscle groupings.¡± "Why not?" Felix replied. The trio engaged in a series of lifts and were able to determine that Felix''s Might times fifty (450) was the pounds in weight he could bench press, and times ten (90) was what he could do with a single bicep curl. It''s good to get an estimate of what these numbers mean translated to real-world practical motions. He felt a sense of immense satisfaction at his newfound strength, reveling in the ease with which he picked up weights that he would have struggled to lift off of the weight rack back before all of this Versewalker business. "Neat tattoo," Lucifer commented. Felix stopped the rep and looked down as the weird dragon-scale, ethereal tattoo glimmered in the light. "Part of that new class." Tinuriel clapped him on the shoulder, "Come on. Another set." As they wrapped up the limit testing, all covered in a sheen of sweat, a thought came into Felix''s head. "Lucifer, can I even benefit from working out? Can I raise my Might at all with lifting?" Lucifer leaned against the squat rack, ¡°Nope. But it is a fun pastime.¡± Tinuriel grabbed Felix¡¯s shoulder, ¡°Hot tub?¡± The time in the Recreation Room passed blissfully, with Tinuriel and Felix joined by Lucifer as they chatted for a few hours. Tinuriel shared more about her childhood, clarifying that she was large, even for an elf, and that she was the butt of many jokes because, ¡°Elves are meant to be graceful, lithe, and nimble.¡± She gestured to her body that was clad in a bikini that didn¡¯t leave much to the imagination. ¡°I was ashamed for some time, but then I embraced my physique.¡± ¡°Body positivity and self-image are all integral components to truly freeing oneself.¡± Lucifer took a sip of wine. ¡°I was always just average height, middleweight, not super fit.¡± Felix grabbed the bottle from Lucifer and took a swig of the wine before handing the bottle to Tinuriel. ¡°Now? I''m cut and lean with plenty of muscle. I¡¯ve got everything going for me except the height part.¡± Tinuriel smirked, ¡°That¡¯s fine. I like a man that¡¯s smaller than me.¡± Lucifer chuckled and Felix went beet-red. Tinuriel joined Lucifer in laughing as they moved on to a different subject. After a few hours, Roy joined them along with Melanie. ¡°We decided,¡± Roy said as he slipped into the warm liquid, ¡°That I¡¯m going to spend some time on Dirge when we get there to re-establish the start of my kingdom.¡± He looked at Felix, ¡°I would ask that you three help Melanie get up to her home. But then I have an even more unique request.¡± Felix nodded, ¡°Okay, I¡¯m listening.¡± ¡°I know you¡¯re going to use a Multiversal Charge to make a VBV portal permanently at my citadel, but I want you to do one at Melanie¡¯s estate on Tier one.¡± He smirked and leaned back, ¡°If I bring my forces through the VBV straight to Tier one, I can take it with ease from within, and then work my way down the Tiers, freeing people as I go.¡± Melanie nodded and put an arm around Roy¡¯s shoulder, ¡°Once he¡¯s done fixing things and brings equality and all that, then we are going to try and make a go of things.¡± Tinuriel raised the bottle, ¡°I¡¯ll drink to that!¡± She took a swig before handing the bottle over to the new couple, and then she slipped her hand under the water and grabbed Felix¡¯s hand, leaning over to his ear. Her whispering voice was enthralling, ¡°Thank you for this.¡± ¡°Thank you for wha-¡± Felix¡¯s words were cut off as Tinuriel kissed him, her lips tasting like the wine mixed with a near smokiness. She pulled away and gave him a small grin, ¡°I¡¯ve made up my mind.¡± Lucifer whooped and hollered, either drunk or excited, ¡°That¡¯s what I¡¯m talking about! Go on you crazy kids!¡± he grabbed the wine bottle from Roy and chugged the rest. Tinuriel got out of the hot tub and lifted Felix out, throwing him over her shoulder and manhandling him. ¡°Come on. Time to break you in.¡± Felix giggled at the absurdity of the situation but was incredibly content on the inside. And apprehensive. But excited.
Morning came and Felix found himself quite comfortable in the embrace of Tinuriel, feeling her pressing into him from behind giving him a sense of safety and protection he didn¡¯t know he had craved. Good morning. The time dilation is being stretched to the maximum. We gotta head out soon here to get to Heficyre by their sunrise. Thanks for being my wingman. No problem. I hope you had fun. Felix chuckled and felt Tinuriel stir behind him. Yeah, we did. The two got out of bed and geared up. Tinuriel stopped Felix before they left, pushing him up against the wall and kissing him deeply before letting his feet touch the ground again. ¡°You are more than satisfying as a partner.¡± Felix grinned ear to ear and gestured for her to lead the way out the door. They joined their allies who were waiting near the tables, having eaten already. Lucifer tapped Felix¡¯s back and merged with him once more. ¡°Hurry up!¡± Roy said, ¡°We¡¯re going to be late to meet the emperor.¡± The two new lovers sat down and scarfed down the breakfast burritos. Felix opened the VBV and the four of them exited, once more arriving in the guard room. It was empty, but Felix heard the guards outside the door moving about. He opened it and the pair of armored men quickly came to attention. ¡°Versewalker.¡± The guard waved over a young boy dressed in lavish attire, ¡°Boy, go get Jeremiah.¡± The boy ran off as the party stepped into the hallway, waiting patiently. The boy came back a few moments later with a middle-aged man who was rather thin, with a bald head and brown eyes. He bowed slightly at the waist. ¡°Versewalker. We thank you and your allies for saving Invictus from the collapse. Word is being spread of your deed and how to prevent future collapses. The whole of Heficyre is indebted to you.¡± He stood up straight, ¡°I¡¯m Jeremiah Denaril, head of the emperor¡¯s council. Please, come with me. The emperor is still preparing, but the council is about to begin.¡± Felix followed the man with his allies, and they strode through the enormous, ornate halls bedecked with silver and gold leaf intertwined with Gothic architecture. It felt as if he was walking through the halls of a sacred cathedral in Rome back on Earth, but somehow grander and airier. They passed several corridors in the enormous palace and were led past the largest and most ornate door that Felix had ever seen. It was covered entirely with gold, silver, and platinum, and depicted the founding of Invictus. Beyond that door was another, smaller door that was made of steel-bound wood, and guarded by a squad of four ornately dressed men. Jeremiah let them in. Inside was a wooden throne at the far end of the room, an enormous square table, and several cushioned chairs. The exterior of the room was covered with wooden bookshelves full of tomes, scrolls, and writing supplies. Two desks were stationed in the corners, and young men sat at them with quills and inkwells at the ready. The chairs were occupied, and Roy inhaled rapidly as if in shock. A woman with dark skin, brown hair, and a large scar running down her face and disappearing under her scale armor stood up. ¡°Roy?¡± ¡°Hi, Roxanna.¡± Ch. 22 – Invictus (VIII) Melanie looked between the two, ¡°She¡¯s the one you were with?¡± Roy nodded and walked towards the armored woman, ¡°How have you been?¡± ¡°I never expected to see you again,¡± she replied. Felix could tell she wanted to hug him, but something held her back. She gestured to the seats at the far end of the table, ¡°You are with the Versewalker?¡± Roy nodded and took a seat, guiding Melanie to one as well. Felix and Tinuriel took other seats as Jeremiah cleared his throat. ¡°Well, you know Roxanna Highsword, the Grand General. Let me introduce the others.¡± He gestured to a young man with stark white hair, extremely pale skin, and pink eyes ¨C an albino. ¡°This is Cowler Fent, our Master of Intelligence.¡± He moved down the seats, introducing each person in turn, and whilst Felix memorized each name as best he could, Cowler stood out the most. Not because of his appearance, but rather the way he stared at Felix. His eyes bored into his soul and seemingly dug around inside. ¡°It¡¯s good to meet you all,¡± Felix said. ¡°Why ask us to this meeting?¡± Jeremiah gestured to Cowler, and the Master of Intelligence stood up, throwing several sets of gloves onto the table. ¡°These were recovered from a hidden lair under Furca Scriptorium. A den of assassins, all slain.¡± Felix shrugged, ¡°Could have been anyone.¡± Cowler pinched the bridge of his nose and sighed, ¡°We were using them in an operation.¡± He gestured to Melanie, ¡°The emperor demanded that we forge an alliance with Tier one. I suppose with the rightful heir to the Remarda throne in front of us, we should look at another option.¡± Felix pulled out the communication amulet and chucked it onto the table, ¡°Is this yours then?¡± Cowler reached over and grabbed it, nodding, ¡°Yes. I gave this to the assassins stationed here on Invictus. Which means that you are the person who put them out of business¡­for now.¡± He pulled out a matching amulet and held it up to his mouth, ¡°The contract is off. Go back to whatever hole you crawled out of.¡± He set the amulets on the table. ¡°You set the assassins on her?¡± Roy growled. Cowler nodded, ¡°Her uncle made a very convincing offer. But, with the rightful heir present, we can instead look at other options.¡± He looked at Melanie who sat there, terrified. ¡°I assure you; I mean you no ill will. I was just following orders to the best of my ability.¡± ¡°Did you kill my father?¡± she asked quietly. ¡°No. That was your uncle¡¯s doing.¡± I watched a Shakespearean production on this in the Recreation Room. Felix cleared his throat, ¡°What do you propose?¡± He looked at Felix with his calculating gaze, ¡°Versewalkers solve Crises. You solved ours, perhaps you can work for us for a while. If you go up to Tier one and slay Lady Remarda¡¯s uncle, then she can take control of the throne as is her right.¡± He grinned, ¡°Then, we can ally as per our emperor¡¯s orders.¡± Melanie cleared her throat gently, ¡°I accept the proposal. But I require certain conditions.¡± She spent several long, laborious minutes listing out a whole bunch of political jargon that Felix couldn¡¯t follow. During that lengthy time, Roy and Roxanna stepped out into the hallway for a few minutes. Tinuriel reached down and grabbed Felix¡¯s hand under the table, running her fingers along his. Roy and Roxanna came back into the room, the Grand General with a look of concentration on her face as she took her seat once more. Cowler gestured to one of the scribes who ran over with a sheaf of parchment, ¡°These terms are acceptable, Lady Remarda.¡± Cowler stood up and brought the parchment to her, ¡°I will have a copy made once you approve it, and then we will put our seals to it.¡± Melanie looked over the paper with a ludicrous speed and nodded curtly before Cowler bowed and left the room. Jeremiah cleared his throat once more, ¡°Well, now that that unpleasant business has been dealt with, on to more celebratory matters. First, thank you, Roy, for bringing the emperor¡¯s gift from Ashigura Ashiyoko on Ry¨±ganaru.¡± He tossed a sack of coins on the table, ¡°Here is the agreed-upon compensation. A black jade statue for ten thousand coins.¡± Roy took the bag and handed it to Felix, ¡°Neither Melanie nor I need the money. And without you and Tinuriel, we wouldn¡¯t have gotten this far.¡± [Loot Obtained] ¡¤ Local Currency: Converted to 10,000 VC ¡°Thank you,¡± Felix replied. ¡°So, what¡¯s the plan?¡± Jeremiah smiled, ¡°Since the collapse was canceled, the emperor¡¯s birthday celebration is still set for two days from now. We would be delighted to have the rightful heir of the Remarda throne and a Versewalker in attendance ¨C along with their allies.¡± Felix glanced between his allies. Roy was stony-faced, Melanie looked relieved, and Tinuriel looked bored. ¡°What do you all think?¡± Getting to be treated like royalty for a bit is nice. Roy looked at Felix, ¡°I don¡¯t mind staying around.¡± Melanie nodded her head in agreement. Tinuriel squeezed his hand and leaned over to whisper, ¡°If you want. But I expect you to do that thing again.¡± Felix looked to Jeremiah, ¡°We¡¯d be honored to attend.¡± A page ran into the room from the hallway and bowed, ¡°M¡¯lords, M¡¯ladies. The emperor is ready.¡± The council stood as one, ¡°Please, follow me,¡± Jeremiah said. The throne room of Emperor Lothar Longsword III was the same architectural style as the rest of the palace, but the walls were covered with tapestries depicting scenes of battle and courtly nobility. The floors were covered in lush carpets, and there was a total of five thrones. The most enormous was sat upon by a man with slightly tapered ears, a head of golden hair, and a long beard and mustache. His stern eyes glinted green. A half-elf, Lucifer informed. On his left were two fraternal twins who took after the man and whose ears were slightly less pointed. On his right was a mature human woman with greying hair and a calm, relaxed demeanor. On her lap was a young boy ¨C a toddler ¨C who had dark hair and slightly pointed ears.If you stumble upon this narrative on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen from Royal Road. Please report it. ¡°My lord, I introduce Felix Winters, Versewalker, and savior of Invictus. His party, Tinuriel of Avelion, Roy Stromson of Invictus, and Melanie Parslia Ventorus Remarda IV, of Ethdellin.¡± The emperor gestured for the group to approach. ¡°You have done us a great service, Versewalker. I am Lothar Longsword III.¡± He gestured to the fraternal twins, ¡°My children, Lionel and Lessira,¡± then gestured to the other side, ¡°My wife Levana, and my third child Sylas.¡± Each nodded their head slightly in turn. The emperor stood up and descended the dais, walking up to Felix and offering his hand. Felix took it and they shook for a moment. Lothar¡¯s demeanor brightened, ¡°You truly are sent from the Heavenly Realms to save us. We have heard of your Angelic wings, and tales of your heroic deed are spreading.¡± Felix smiled, ¡°It really was our pleasure.¡± Lothar nodded and went over to Melanie, bowing deeply in front of her. ¡°And you, my lady, are most welcome. Cowler has apprised me of¡­the delicate situation we find ourselves in. But it appears that you two came to an accord.¡± Melanie¡¯s voice became regal and stern, a huge behavior shift from anything Felix or the others had seen thus far. ¡°Emperor Lothar, you, and your council have done a grave disservice in attempting to kill me through your contracted killers. I fully intend to retake my throne with the assistance of the Versewalker and his party. When that happens, I intend to rule with grace. I will be willing to work towards an accord. But I believe compensation is due as agreed upon.¡± The emperor nodded, ¡°Yes. Roxanna will escort your party to the royal vaults later. First, we must prepare for the upcoming festivities.¡± The emperor returned to his throne and took his seat. ¡°We will provide you with guest quarters here in the palace, and you are more than welcome to explore the capital of Hearthstone at your leisure. The best of the Invictus Empire is here; the best chefs, smiths, tailors¡­anything you could desire.¡± The fraternal male ¨C Lionel ¨C stood up, ¡°Father, I would like to accompany them for their stay in the city.¡± The emperor gestured and Lionel approached Felix. His green eyes were slightly lighter than his father¡¯s, and he was lithe with a rapier strapped to his waist. ¡°Versewalker. Please, come with me.¡± He gestured to Felix¡¯s allies, ¡°All of you, please.¡± The emperor stood and exited to the council room, followed by his daughter. The wife and toddler went in another direction, and very rapidly Felix¡¯s group was escorted by Lionel and Roxanna down a series of tunnels. Roy tugged on Felix¡¯s arm, whispering in his ear. ¡°I told Roxanna about what I am and my intentions.¡± Felix shot a glance back at him, ¡°Why would you do that?¡± Revealing his hand like that was an idiot play. Roy frowned, ¡°I had an idea. Just go with me on this. Please.¡±
The group arrived in front of an enormous vault with two guards that appeared extremely bored, coming to attention as Roxanna came around the corner. ¡°You two, leave us.¡± They bowed and ran off as she produced a large key, inserted it into the lock, and threw open the vault door. She turned to the party and gestured, ¡°The emperor has agreed to provide each of you with an item from his royal vault. There are magical artifacts of power within.¡± Lionel went inside with them, ¡°Roxanna, please stay outside for a moment.¡± She nodded and put herself into the gap of the vault door. Lionel looked at the group, ¡°This way, I¡¯m trapped in here with you. Now, we can talk.¡± He pointed to Roy, ¡°Roxanna told me about you, Dark Lord.¡± Roy muttered a curse and cast a glance at Roxanna, who sheepishly looked away. ¡°So, you know who I am. What do you intend?¡± Lionel leaned against a very expensive-looking, golden statue, ¡°I am all for dismantling the system as it stands. My sister agrees with me on this matter. There are whisperings and stirrings of the Dark Lord¡¯s return, and despite the very obscured history on the matter, I was able to learn about the true history of your past life.¡± ¡°Hold on,¡± Felix interrupted. ¡°You support his plan? Equality for all?¡± Lionel nodded, ¡°The empire is a relic of a bygone era. I¡¯ve seen how people are treated.¡± He pointed at Tinuriel, ¡°I¡¯ve seen how the elves are treated. I¡¯ve seen how those who are disabled and disfigured are treated.¡± He shook his head, ¡°I just wanted to let you know that when the Dark Lord makes his move, I will be working alongside him.¡± Roy smirked, ¡°Let me guess, Roxanna and you will perform a coup.¡± Lionel nodded, ¡°Cowler works for me. My father is a good man, but he¡¯s also a relic of the past. We need change. We¡¯ve been stagnant for too long. The higher Tiers have knowledge and artifice that we don¡¯t, and they guard it jealously.¡± Tinuriel frowned and shook her head, ¡°Some Tiers will not cooperate. I know my people will resist being treated as equals to others.¡± Roy looked at Tinuriel, ¡°I can always stop my conquest for equality. Limnalia is as far as I will go. I doubt that I can keep a handle on anything larger than nine Tiers.¡± She nodded and her frown shifted to a neutral look, ¡°Then I do not mind.¡± Lionel grinned, ¡°Excellent. So, now that you know you have allies on Invictus¡­feel free to select what you desire.¡± Felix focused his will on finding the most powerful items in the vault. Detect Object. The golden lines traced out to four items. A pair of bracers, a spiked gorget, an old-looking pair of gloves, and a gilded rose. He took his time using Detect Properties on each. [Item Description: Warding Bracers] [Prevents Powers/Magic from affecting the user if less than 10 Anima is used (or equivalent).] [Item Description: Berserker Collar] [Turns damage suffered into damage amplification for the user.] [Item Description: Gloves of the Ledgermain] [Enables the use of Thieves Tools, pick pocketing, and other roguish actions at thirty feet.] [Item Description: Soul Rose] [When given from one person to another, connects their souls, ensuring they will find each other after death.] He said one item apiece. Decisions, decisions. Glancing around, Felix saw his allies choosing various items off the walls. He went over to Tinuriel, ¡°Those bracers will protect you from minor Magic/Powers, the collar turns pain into strength, and that rose connects souls.¡± Tinuriel¡¯s eyes shot between the three items he subtly pointed out. ¡°Hey, Melanie.¡± She waved the princess over and pointed out the rose. ¡°Grab that, give it to Roy. Trust me.¡± Melanie did so, and Roy took it as confusion was writ across his face for a moment. Then, both their eyes widened, and they smiled at each other gently as the rose faded into nothingness. They shared a passionate kiss. Tinuriel turned to Felix, ¡°I should take the collar. My weapon heals me when I hit things, and so it would be a good pairing.¡± She reached out, grabbed the gorget, and put it on. The color contrasted against her armor, but she made it look good ¨C and intimidating. Felix looked between the gloves and the bracers. ¡°I¡¯m not sure,¡± he muttered. Tinuriel grabbed the bracers and handed them to him, ¡°I want you alive.¡± Felix nodded, ¡°Fair point,¡± and pulled up his armored sleeves before latching the bracers on. Lionel looked at them, coughing slightly. ¡°Roy, make up your mind.¡± Roy looked around and grabbed an enormous crystal ball, ¡°This will do. A scrying orb is always valuable.¡± He put it into a satchel and the group left the vault. Roxanna locked it behind them and called for the guards who had gone just around the corner. They resumed their posts, and the group made their way upstairs. When they reached the main floor of the palace, Lionel bowed. ¡°Enjoy the capital. Enjoy the guest quarters.¡± He stood up and shook Roy¡¯s hand, ¡°And you have my and Roxanna¡¯s support when you make your move.¡± Lionel and Roxanna departed. Felix turned to his allies, ¡°Shall we explore the city?¡± Ch. 23 – Invictus (IX) The group made their way out into the capital and spent a goodly number of coins at the various restaurants and taverns, just enjoying themselves and the stress-free environment. For Felix, this was the first big fantasy-universe city he had ever seen, and it matched everything from his expectations. The matching buildings were interspersed with humans who roamed here and there doing their various business dealings or just having a usual day. The bars were full of laughter and inebriated folks who were sharing stories of fantastic creatures they had heard of or read about. He saw people from all walks of life who were milling about, and plenty of citizens were using Magic to some extent for minor tasks. Tinuriel took Felix aside several times on their bar crawl and restaurant crawl to engage in some flirtatious and ¨C if they weren¡¯t keeping it subtle ¨C salacious behavior. The whole group had a good time out, and they went back to the palace as the sun set, retiring to the luxurious guest chambers. Tinuriel pushed Felix into the bed, and they shared a very passionate evening.
There was a knock at the door that roused Felix from his sleep. He slipped on a robe and went to the door, opening it. Lionel¡¯s sister, Lessira, stood there. She glanced past him to Tinuriel who had sat up and was staring at the intruder. ¡°Ahem. My apologies. May I come in briefly?¡± Felix glanced back at Tinuriel who nodded tersely as she sat up in the bed, obviously comfortable with showing off her physique to anyone who wanted to look at her. That¡¯s some body confidence, Felix thought as he chuckled. ¡°What do you want?¡± he asked as Lessira came in. ¡°I spoke with my brother. I figured you should know a bit more about what¡¯s going on.¡± She shut the door behind her. ¡°We want the Dark Lord to return because we see what¡¯s happening on Invictus. People are growing restless. There are rumors of a rebellion. Those rumors have quieted since the pre-collapse quakes, but there were stirrings that Cowler was following up on. Something about a possible rebel uprising during my father¡¯s birthday celebration.¡± ¡°And let me guess,¡± Felix leaned against the door, ¡°You want us to thwart it?¡± I¡¯m not normally against rebels. But, since we have plans to work alongside Roy to make everyone equal, I suppose I¡¯m okay with quashing a rebellion. For the greater good. She nodded, ¡°Yes. Only if it happens. Just be wary, and please be near the emperor. I¡¯ve arranged to have you sit at a place of honor at the banquet, right below his table.¡± Tinuriel shook her head, ¡°Too easy. Is that all?¡± Lessira bowed slightly and Felix opened the door for her. Tinuriel slapped the bed next to her, ¡°Since you¡¯re up, I¡¯m going to make use of you.¡± Felix smirked and went back to his lover.
The next day passed in a rush of activity. Tailors came to their rooms and measured out, styled, and had them try on various outfits that were suitable for accompanying royalty. That took up half of a day, and Felix was thoroughly drained mentally from the tedium of it all. How do royals deal with this type of crap? Being nobility is 30% boring meetings, 20% actual decision-making, and 50% kicking back with other nobles. Kicking back? Are you using my ¡®Verse¡¯s slang now? Hey, it¡¯s a catchy phrase. The afternoon and evening were spent out in the town once more. As the evening ended, He used Fallen Flight and picked up Tinuriel, taking them to the very top of the palace, landing on a spot that was flat enough that they could sit. The whole of Hearthstone stretched out beneath them, and the enormous walls flanked all sides. Beyond, though, they could see the deep azure skies of the expanse that lay beyond Heficyre. The bright, silvery-white moon rose past the sun and took its place in the sky, illuminating Tinuriel¡¯s gorgeous face. I am lucky I met her, Felix thought. He had dated in his past, sure, but he had never really fallen for someone. Most women were put off by his straightforward and pragmatic side that just cut to the chase. But Tinuriel was just as forthright, and he held her hand gently as they leaned on each other just watching the moon crest the skies above.
The day of the emperor¡¯s birthday arrived. Felix and Tinuriel put on their new clothing and looked at each other, giggling slightly at how ridiculous they looked in dress robes. They looked fancy, but the attire didn¡¯t fit either of them, and they agreed to swap to their armor instead and just throw the robes aside, tradition be damned. They joined Roy and Melanie, the former of whom had followed suit and kept his armor equipped instead. Melanie was dressed in the most ornate dress that Felix had ever seen, with a small tiara. The four were escorted by a group of guards to the emperor¡¯s throne room. The party began shortly after. The flood of people was seemingly untenable, but the servants and the other personnel in the palace were able to handle the crowd. The affair was split into several sections of the palace: effectively, the lower class in the main entryway and spilling out into the front courtyards, the middle class in one of the massive dance halls, and the upper crust of society in the ballroom adjoining the throne room. Felix and Tinuriel stood up with the emperor, and Felix had to contend with a crowd of people waiting to shake his hand and thank him for stopping the collapse. Melanie was being escorted around the main room by Roy, and she was making plenty of new acquaintances and contacts as she worked her way around the room. She was the belle of the ball, and everyone wanted to meet her. Roy ensured that none got too close for comfort, and almost instinctively people kept their conversation with her short. Tinuriel and Felix had split the room in two, and each were scanning a different part. He had already determined that Detect Hostiles would only work if the hostile or aggressive intent was directed at him, and since he had just saved the Tier, no one seemed to want him harmed. It was the old-school method of just waiting, watching, and reacting when something did happen. It did not take too long before the inebriation truly began to set in, and several nobles got into minor squabbles that began to turn into fisticuffs. Guards rushed over to try and break up the situation. And this is where an assassin would strike, Lucifer thought to Felix. I was thinking the exact same thing. That could be staged. Felix walked behind the emperor¡¯s throne and waved Tinuriel to cover his front. He had houseguards present as well, ornately dressed men with large pikes. Servants began bringing out plates of food and setting them out on large tables as the fight broke up, and some of the offending nobles were booted out of the party. Felix relaxed a bit. False alarm, he thought, glancing around once more, and trying to find any sign that something was ¡®off¡¯. Tinuriel came around next to him and whispered in his ear, ¡°There¡¯s something off about the food. It¡¯s got a weird smell.¡± She pointed at her nose, ¡°Elves can smell poison.¡± She pointed to the food taster, ¡°Might want to stop him.¡± Felix turned to the emperor and leaned over to him, ¡°Your Highness, something is poisoned. May I use Magic to determine which dish?¡± The emperor maintained his stoic expression, but Felix could tell from the way his mouth tightened that he was frightened. Felix put his arm on the food taster¡¯s hand and stopped him from taking a bite. The emperor nodded, and Felix held his hand over the table. I need you to use Affinity Empowerment to increase the radius, he thought to Lucifer. Detect Substance. Affinity Empowerment. Detect Substance 10 Anima Identifies a substance by cycling through several modes of detection. This will provide general information about the substance. Anima 80 / 90Stolen from Royal Road, this story should be reported if encountered on Amazon. Vigor 125 / 130 The golden glow spread over the table ¨C only visible to Felix and Lucifer ¨C and quickly cycled through the different dishes, identifying two that were poisoned. The platters were served to Lionel and the emperor. Felix leaned over and grabbed them, handing them to one of the household guards and informing him of his findings. The guard nodded and whispered to another man who ran down the servant corridor. ¡°My thanks, Versewalker,¡± the emperor muttered. ¡°It¡¯s what we¡¯re here to do.¡± The older half-elf chuckled, ¡°This was supposed to be a celebration of my birthday, and a chance to celebrate your saving of the Tier. Having it soured by near poisoning does not bode well.¡± Tinuriel leaned over, ¡°You have my nose to thank.¡± The emperor looked over at Tinuriel and a shadow crossed his vision, ¡°Well¡­I suppose¡­thank you as well.¡± Tinuriel stood up and haughtily glared at the man before walking over to Felix and wrapping an arm around his waist, ¡°That was a pretty weak rebel attack,¡± she whispered. ¡°I also saw the golden glow this time.¡± ¡°How?¡± Lucifer whispered just loud enough that Tinuriel could hear also, ¡°I¡¯ve been trying to figure out how to confer more benefits from a Versewalker to their Escorts. She can see your Magic/Powers and Skills. Even when you¡¯re using Ghostwalk.¡± ¡°Handy,¡± Felix muttered. Tinuriel frowned, ¡°I was hoping for a bit more explosive action-¡± An enormous crack echoed through the halls and the nobles went stock-still as guards readied weapons, looking around for any sign of hostiles. The noise was, to Felix, the sound of an explosive. He had no clue what kind, though. Felix pulled out his Wyrmtooth Knife as Tinuriel hefted Valiant Edge as the blade glowed faint blue. An enormous crack spread across the ceiling, and the emperor¡¯s guards escorted him out of the room and away. Roy ran up with Melanie and followed right after, shouting at Felix, ¡°I¡¯m getting her to the safe room!¡± Felix nodded and held up his open hand, ¡°Detect Hostiles,¡± using extra Anima to fuel the radius. Lucifer read his mind and activated a Skill at the same time. Fallen Flight. 50 / 90 Anima 115 / 130 Vigor He saw several figures limned in faint, golden light amongst the crowd. But what stood out more was that the whole crack in the ceiling was ringed in the same golden light. ¡°Everyone clear the room!¡± he yelled. The nobles began to scatter, and he was able to track the hostiles as they joined the crowd. ¡°Tinuriel, let¡¯s go!¡± He ran after them, catching up easily with his high Stats. He tackled one of the disguised nobles and clocked them in the side of the head with his dagger¡¯s pommel, knocking him out. Tinuriel grabbed another one and threw him against the wall, his body impacting with a sickening thud before he slid down, bleeding from the mouth. The two chased down the remaining rebels and heard an enormous CRASH followed by a bellowing roar. Great, the rebellion brought a big monster. Think of the positives. More Experience. Felix ran back to the main ballroom with Tinuriel and stopped. What he saw shocked him into standing still. It was some type of humanoid, a cobbled-together monster made of various bits and pieces of flesh from different bodies, covered in metal plates, and wielding an enormous, spiked club. The thing dwarfed the two of them, and it bellowed in an incomprehensible rage. The head was helmeted save for two small slits, and it was heavily protected. Detect Weakness. Anima 45 / 90 The eyes of the creature were ringed with golden light, along with the small of its back at the base of the spine. ¡°Tinuriel, you see those?¡± She nodded and grinned, ¡°Use that Netherlight stuff like Roy did down below.¡± I got it. I need to use Vigor Conversion for 5. Netherlight Arena. Netherlight Arena 50 Anima per minute Creates an area-of-effect sphere extending 100 feet from the user. Causes the user and all designated creatures within to be limned with Netherlight, making them more difficult to hit as their form shifts and blurs. Anima 0 / 90 Vigor 110 / 130 The room¡¯s exterior, roof, and floor exploded in the same grey-silver light that Roy¡¯s power was colored. ¡°While you both are in the area, it will have difficulty targeting you. Should make it easier to dodge.¡± Lucifer¡¯s voice sounded confident, and the confidence bled over into Felix¡¯s mind, bolstering his courage. ¡°This will only last a minute for 50 Anima.¡± Tinuriel grinned, ¡°No time to waste.¡± She charged forward and ducked the creature¡¯s mace swipe as she chopped at the thing¡¯s wrist. It was fast, however, and brought the mace back, and she had to stop her swing to block, holding the flat of the blade with her hand as the blow pushed her backward. Somehow, she kept her footing and pushed the mace away. Felix used the opening and his flight to dash up to the thing''s face. He stabbed the dagger into one of its eyes, the small blade finding its way between the armored helm¡¯s gaps. The poison released, the creature screamed, and Felix floated back and away. It swung the mace up much faster than Felix thought possible, and he barely dodged, seeing some of the Netherlight flicking away from the strike as the Magic/Power had prevented the blow from hitting him directly. The force of wind generated by the strike blew him back a few feet. Tinuriel used the opening to get next to the creature¡¯s leg, slicing along the heel and several tendons as the enormous sword bit into the flesh and sinew, flashing blue as some Skill activated. The blade tore free, and she deftly jumped back as the creature collapsed to a knee. Felix dashed forward and snaked his dagger into the other eye socket, once more releasing venom into the eye as he pulled back. The mace swung up at him again and he barely dodged, feeling the rush of air as the massive calamity threatened to smash him. The creature growled and roared, its metal armor growing more dangerous as spikes grew out of it and elongated. The room began to heat up to the point that Felix could see the heat waves in the air and his sweat instantly evaporated. The creature was turning hot red like a furnace. We have to end this now! ¡°Execution. Dragon Dance.¡± His blade glowed with a slight golden hue as he seemingly teleported to its weak spot at the small of its back. His dagger found just the right gap between the spikes and plates of armor as he thrust in, releasing the poison once more. Vigor 95 / 130 The monster rolled back, but Felix was faster, and mid-flight grabbed Tinuriel, dragging her out of the area of impact. He set her down, reached into his inventory, and pulled out the Photon Blade. Let¡¯s see how this works. He put a charge into the hilt, and the grip buzzed with electricity as a blade of deep, oceanic-blue light emerged from it. The blade was the size of Tinuriel¡¯s weapon but was much, much lighter. Felix once more activated Execution and Dragon Dance as he descended from the sky, a falling star ablaze with gold, crimson, and azure light. He brought the blade across the prone creature¡¯s neck, severing the head. Vigor 70 / 130 As the head rolled away, the body collapsed and the bits and chunks that were held together with some unknown energy dissipated ¨C the whole jigsaw coming apart into a steaming, rotten, putrid mess. The hilt Felix was holding grew too hot to touch and he had to deactivate it. The charge pushed against his palm, and when he twisted his hand it ejected from the hilt before the object cooled, and he put it into his inventory. [Experience Awarded = 50] [Experience Bonus from Execution Skill = 10] [Congratulations! You have reached the Experience threshold to level up! Speak with your Versewalker Core when you are ready to Choose your next Class.] Felix panted with exertion and held his hand over the creature. [Loot Bonus from For the Hoard!] ¡¤ 500 VC It didn¡¯t have any Loot. But For the Hoard! still gave me ¡®Verse Coins. It appears that the System just generated them because you used the Skill. Good to know. Felix looked over at Tinuriel. She smiled at him before waving for him to follow. They gathered the rebels in noble disguise and dragged them next to the slain monstrosity. Guards began to enter, and Felix instructed them to restrain the prisoners. The one Tinuriel had thrown against the wall had an arm bending in a direction it really should not bend, and she chuckled as they tried to tie his arm behind his back only to give up and tie him to another prisoner. The emperor returned with his household guards, Roy and Melanie in tow, and he looked to the two that had just stopped a rebel attack, ¡°Once more you save us. My thanks.¡± Felix gestured to the steaming corpse amalgamation, ¡°Any idea what this is?¡± Ch. 24 – Invictus (X) I did a retcon. Core Level 100 is no longer required to return to Felix''s Home ''Verse. It''s been set to 50 as the ''return threshold''. The reason for this is that if modern Earth-level tech is 100, then Sci-Fi ''Verses would go above 100...and that doesn''t seem right to me. 100 would be a good ''endpoint'' as a level cap. I hope you keep enjoying the story! I had always planned for Felix to go into some sci-fi-themed ''Verses. And spaceships, lasers, and whatnot are beyond the Kardashev Scale ranking for Felix''s home ''Verse. So it just makes sense to me to make a near-our-Earth a lower Core Level requisite. I also did some tinkering with the system behind the scenes and played around with builds a bit. Things start to unravel a bit at Core Level 75+. As in, the characters are nearly impossible to stop. Nothing wrong with a good OP protagonist, but I like having threats be present. It''s like high-level D&D campaigns. They can be fun, but really hard to plan around. That combined with the sheer number of Skills, Affinity Magic/Power effects, and Talents that can be utilized...it gets unwieldy.
Cowler Fent walked through the guards and knelt next to it, ¡°It appears to be cobbled together from corpses and reanimated with some sort of necromancy.¡± He looked to the emperor, ¡°This confirms my suspicion. The rebels have someone aiding them in Mourndale.¡± Felix walked over with Tinuriel to Roy, ¡°What¡¯s Mourndale?¡± ¡°It¡¯s the place where Invictus has all of its graveyards, cemeteries, and a necropolis for the common folk. Unless they are part of the emperor¡¯s family, then they¡¯re buried behind the palace here in Hearthstone,¡± Roy replied. Cowler walked over to the four, ¡°You¡¯ve thwarted a rebel attack and prevented a poisoning attempt.¡± He looked over to the emperor, whispered something in his ear, and then whispered in return before he addressed Felix once more. ¡°The emperor requests your service once more. Please, to the council room.¡± Felix nodded and Cowler led the four travelers along with two household guards to the council chamber. Roxanna, Lionel, and Lessira joined them as they took seats. Roxanna looked at Roy, ¡°You still planning on going to Dirge?¡± ¡°Yes. I have to see this through.¡± She nodded and Lionel shared a look with her as Cowler looked between the two, seemingly trying to game out what they were referring to. He seems like the type who doesn¡¯t like being left out of the loop, Lucifer thought to Felix. I would be too if I was a master of intelligence. Felix addressed Cowler, ¡°We can investigate Mourndale, but then we¡¯ll keep going around the Tier until we arrive at The Dark Ascent. We need to get up the Tiers to put Melanie back on her throne.¡± Roxanna stood up, ¡°I¡¯ll prepare an escort.¡± ¡°Hold on,¡± Felix said. ¡°I have a better idea. Let us go. My party, I mean. No pomp and circumstance. Just a small group.¡± Cowler nodded and put an amulet on the table, sliding it across to Felix. ¡°I use that to communicate with agents up and down the Tiers. You seem trustable enough.¡± Felix held his hand over it. Lucifer, can my Magic/Powers be seen by other people? The Detection Affinity stuff ¨C no. Only you and your Escorts can see that. The Hellfire and Netherlight? Yes; those are much more obvious. Good. Detect Properties. The System message showed up across his vision. [Item Description: Amulet of Spies] [Enables long-distance communication. The holder of the Master Amulet can hear and see anything the user hears or sees.] Tricky bastard. Felix put the amulet into his inventory, where it wouldn''t be able to function. ¡°We¡¯ll head out immediately.¡± He stood up, and his party did as well, followed outside by Roxanna, Lionel, and Lessira. The fraternal twins nodded to Roxanna and split off down a side passage, and the Grand General led them to the front of the palace and off to the side where there were enormous stables. She turned to the group, ¡°What¡¯s your plan?¡± Felix crossed his arms, ¡°I¡¯m going to talk to the rebels. We¡¯ll convince them to hold off on any plans until Roy is ready to take the Tiers.¡± Roy looked at him, ¡°A reasonable plan. I will be able to use my forceful personality to get them in line and coordinate efforts.¡± Roxanna stared at Roy, ¡°What we are talking about is treason. I¡¯m still on board, as are the twins. But if we get found out¡­¡± she trailed off to let their imaginations fill in the blanks. ¡°We have a Versewalker,¡± Tinuriel replied. ¡°And we saved the Tier. I think that buys latitude in our actions.¡± Roxanna turned aside and spoke briefly with Roy. Tinuriel and Felix walked over to the various horses, and Tinuriel gently brushed a large destrier¡¯s mane. ¡°Have you ridden before?¡± She asked him. ¡°No. It¡¯s an experience I wanted to have, galloping across a field at full speed.¡± Tinuriel looked at him with a glint of enthusiasm, ¡°Oh? Then I¡¯ll have to teach you. First, let¡¯s get these saddled up.¡± Roxanna left, and Roy helped Melanie with her mount whilst Tinuriel taught Felix. All other three had seemingly learned how to ride at some point, so Felix was the only one floundering much to the delight of his lover. He took the jokes in stride, but they stung his pride. And that stood out to him. Felix had never really been a proud person. He had scraped by most of his life and just tried his best. Coming up short had not bothered him. Being insulted had not bothered him. He just shrugged it off and let the insults flow off him like rain off a roof. But something had changed. Is this because you¡¯re with me? Felix thought. I¡¯m sure some of my personality is rubbing off on you. That thought troubled him. The idea that his personality was being affected by an external source. The concept that maybe he was slowly being changed. Not corrupted, Felix knew that a healthy amount of pride could push someone to their best. But it still felt odd. Maybe it¡¯s because I am this super amazing Versewalker that has inflated my ego.This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere. Possible. Lucifer mentally patted him on the back. Don¡¯t worry about it. It¡¯s normal to be a little insulted when someone jokes about your inability to do something. Felix followed Tinuriel with Roy and Melanie behind them. Tinuriel had tied off a long length of rope between her saddle and Felix¡¯s, just to keep him from going too far off course while he figured out how to ride a horse the hard way.
Once they broke free of the capital, Tinuriel took the lead off of Felix¡¯s saddle and fell back to ride alongside him. She slowly taught him how to control the mount with his knees and heels. It was a rapid process. Within an hour Felix was confident in the saddle and able to move his mount around primarily with his legs. Once he had hit that point, Tinuriel pushed her steed to a canter, and he had to stand up in the stirrups like one would if they were riding a mountain bike. That was something Felix was familiar with, having used an old bike on the hills in his childhood neighborhood going over cracked ground and shattered asphalt. As they rode he admired Tinuriel all the more. Her solid stance in the saddle, her sure hands as she was able to sharpen her blade whilst riding at the pace as her muscled thighs held her tightly in place. I¡¯m lucky, he thought, that she took a liking to me. If I wasn¡¯t a higher being, I¡¯d have tried to get with her. Lucifer laughed, and then his voice rapidly shifted. I¡¯d be cautious, though. Why? You¡¯re going to live forever. Versewalkers are immortal to aging. And since you have the Inviolable Will Skill, you¡¯ll never suffer negative maladies or afflictions for long. He sighed, Elves like her might be long-lived, but she¡¯s got another 800 years or so of her Verse¡¯s time. Is there a way to fix that? Maybe. I can check the Shop. In the worst-case scenario, you add a function to the VBV that prevents aging. But that would mean the effect only functions while she¡¯s in there. Eventually, you may have to ¡®retire¡¯ Escorts in your travels if you want them to live eternally. Felix went silent as he contemplated what that implied. If he ended up doing this Versewalker business for a long, long time ¨C eventually he¡¯d have to leave people in the VBV and go for lengths of time without them. It had only been about a month of traveling with Tinuriel, but he already was extremely close to her ¨C their travel time having provided them ample bonding time. Well, I¡¯ll find a way. I¡¯m sure there¡¯s some ¡®Verse with something that stops aging. Doubtless, that is accurate. All things are possible with infinite ¡®Verses. Have you given thought to your sister¡¯s situation? Yeah. I¡¯m going to use one of my Functions for the VBV to make it so her disease is gone. Think about the ramifications of that. You¡¯d be taking her from her reality and putting her into an interdimensional space. It¡¯s going to take me a long time to get to Core Level 50. I think the VBV will look a lot different by then. Felix was already thinking about ways he could improve the interdimensional space to bring whoever he wanted into it, from across any reality. The foundations for an interdimensional miniature kingdom. A place where he made all the rules and never wanted for anything. Somewhere that Penny could live a happy life, and he could live in luxury. Alright, as long as you¡¯re giving it some thought.
They traveled for two days, going into the VBV as night fell each time before they arrived at The Gateway ¨C the city that guarded the entrance to Mourndale. Felix held out his hand, ¡°Alright, let¡¯s see where they¡¯re holed up. Detect Object.¡± He was targeting the rebel base. Anima 40 / 90 The golden line shot out from him and led down the main boulevard towards the outskirts of town, on the path to the necropolis which Roy had explained in their travels, was on the farthest edge of this wedge of the Tier. They pushed their horses as a trot as citizens went about their business. The mood of the place was one of somber introspection. There was not the rush and hubbub of the other cities they had passed through on Invictus. It was solemn. Their path led straight to the enormous necropolis. A monumental structure that was a Gothic take on a step-style pyramid, matching the architecture of the capital city. Roy held up his hand for them to stop as he looked around. ¡°Something is off.¡± Tinuriel pulled her blade and looked around, her long ears twitching, ¡°Movement. Around us in an arc.¡± Felix manifested his Fallen Flight and pushed his mount forward so that he was in front of the group. He raised his voice, ¡°I¡¯m a Versewalker. I am here to talk. We don¡¯t want a fight.¡± A cloaked figure popped out of a bush nearby, holding a crossbow at him. ¡°Stay there.¡± He ran into the large, pyramid-esque building before returning a few moments later with a rag-tag bunch of cloaked figures. One of them walked forward and threw back the hood, revealing a long mane of silver hair, old, withered eyes, and an enormous, bushy beard. He bowed slightly, ¡°Versewalker,¡± his voice creaked and wheezed out. Roy dismounted and walked up, ¡°Pim?¡± ¡°You know this guy?¡± Felix asked. Roy nodded as he bowed slightly in front of the old man, ¡°This is Pim the Magnificent. He revised the empire¡¯s laws and established a new justice system.¡± The old man nodded and stroked his beard thoughtfully, ¡°Have we met, young man?¡± Roy put his hand to his sword¡¯s hilt and his Dark Lord aspect manifested over him. ¡°No. But you will know me. I am the Dark Lord, returned once more.¡± The surrounding cloaked figures rose from their hiding places and lowered their crossbows. One of them shouted, ¡°You¡¯re here to destroy the empire?¡± Roy shook his head, ¡°No. Something far better.¡± He let the sword go as his normal form returned, ¡°Pim, may we talk inside?¡± The old man nodded, and Roy turned to his group, ¡°I¡¯ll be back in a few minutes.¡± Felix nodded and rode over to Tinuriel. Melanie got alongside them as well, and the various cloaked figures went about their business. ¡°I don¡¯t like it,¡± Melanie said. ¡°I don¡¯t like it one bit.¡± Tinuriel looked at her with a quizzical eyebrow, ¡°You don¡¯t like allies?¡± She shook her head, ¡°Not that. I don¡¯t like the idea of Roy conquering the Tiers and bringing equality. Do you know how many people will have to be hurt to make that happen? I want there to be equality, and what Roy proposes and wants to do is going to be a net positive. But there will be strife to get to that point.¡± I hadn¡¯t given it much thought. Felix just kind of assumed that most people would jump at the chance to rise and be treated as equals regardless of class, station, or race. But, if his Earth¡¯s history was anything to base his opinions on, Melanie was right. People would die in this massive, Tier-wide war. He might not be around for it, but she would have to deal with it if she wanted to be with Roy. And I¡¯d be directly facilitating it since I was going to use Multiversal Charges on Dirge and Ethdellin. It''s a worthy cause, Lucifer chimed in reassuringly. You¡¯re a Versewalker. You may eventually have to solve a Crisis by destroying a whole world, or firing a superweapon, or casting an enormous, world-ending ritual. That gave Felix pause. He had always considered himself to be, in general, a kind person. But his actions in the next few days or weeks could lead to the death of thousands if not hundreds of thousands. What would Penny think if she learned that I helped thousands die? I can¡¯t answer that. But you don¡¯t answer to any higher power other than the System and its personnel now. As far as I know, there¡¯s no one higher up. Wise council. Thanks, Lucifer. Felix returned his attention to the matters at hand as Roy and this Pim fellow came out of the building once more. Roy mounted up and directed their group to return to the main road. ¡°What did you discuss?¡± Felix asked. ¡°He sees the corruption being wrought by nobility and will suspend his rebellion efforts until I continue my plans.¡± Roy was calm and collected. ¡°We travel to Dirge, where I will claim my citadel once more. From there, I can use my throne to amplify my call to all of those who will listen. We will muster.¡± He looked at Felix, ¡°In the interim, you and Tinuriel can escort Melanie back up the Tiers, to her home, and help solve that problem to get her back on her throne. At that point, I¡¯ll come through your VBV and conquer the Tiers, one by one. The rebels here on Invictus will act once I have conquered Tiers 1 through 3.¡± Melanie rode her horse forward and turned it in front of the group, ¡°No!¡± she shouted at Roy. ¡°You aren¡¯t going to just conquer the Tiers like that! How many people will die?¡± Roy frowned, ¡°Do you want me to tell you the history of the last time I tried this?¡± Ch. 25 – Dirge (I) Melanie bit her lip, about to say something, but held it back and just nodded. Roy rode past her, and she fell in line alongside Felix and Tinuriel. He began to tell the history of the world as he remembered it. The center of this Universe, Heficyre, was the Soul Spire. It existed before everything else. All around was the Azure Expanse, and below was Primal Chaos. A sun and moon orbited the structure, always on opposite sides. A rift opened at the top of the Soul Spire, and the Heavenly Realms came into existence. The gods within created the Eternal City atop the Soul Spire, and drew up a single, five-foot diameter pole from the spire that ascended to their realm. This gave them the ability to shape the power within and make souls. Once they had souls, they made people. The Dark Lord was one of the first people to be created. He along with the rest of the first people used their combined will to draw up the Primal Chaos and form the first Tier, on the same level as the top of the Soul Spire, and given the name Ethdellin. The gods left things well enough alone, and those people reproduced and had children. This continued until there were too many for the Tier to support, and so their strongest-willed collaborated and created another Tier from the Primal Chaos. This continued over hundreds and thousands of years until eventually there were ten Tiers. Some of the Tiers collapsed, and thus their mass was added to the one above or below. That was why some Tiers were much larger than others. Five hundred years ago, Dirge, the fourth Tier was granted by lineage to the Dark Lord. A skilled mage and warrior from Ethdellin who wanted to found his own kingdom of equality and peace. Over the next century, he garnered many allies and converts. This infuriated the other Tiers who ¨C for the most part ¨C relied upon either class or caste systems to ensure order. They schemed together and combined their forces. They assaulted Dirge and killed the Dark Lord. ¡°But my soul lived on. The Soul Spire sucked it up, and eventually I was reborn. But the memories were locked away. I believe that some deity intervened in that part, and shoved the remainder of my soul into the sword that my father forged before I was born.¡± Melanie frowned, ¡°That doesn¡¯t give me any comfort that there won¡¯t be war.¡± Roy smiled, ¡°I may have glazed over it, but those allies and converts? At the time that was over eighty percent of the population of the Tiers. Those who willingly cast off the shackles of oppression. The rich and powerful, those like your ancestors, desired my death. In the war where I died, I fought against angels sent by the gods from the Heavenly Realms, possessing strong warriors and magi alike. If not for that, then I would have had a relatively bloodless conversion of the Tiers.¡± ¡°That does not make sense,¡± Tinuriel stated. ¡°The gods don¡¯t interfere with affairs on Heficyre. They simply dwell in the Heavenly Realms and monitor the flow of souls, do they not?¡± Roy shook his head, ¡°That is true. I don¡¯t know why they chose to intervene. I¡¯d imagine those on Ethdellin had something to do with it.¡± He turned to Melanie, ¡°That¡¯s where you come in. If Felix and Tinuriel can get you up there, then you can prevent the gods from getting involved.¡± Felix looked over at Melanie, ¡°You can talk to gods?¡± She looked flustered but nodded, ¡°I don¡¯t know how Roy knows, but yes. The royal families ¨C Parslia, Ventorus, and Remarda ¨C all can speak to the gods from the throne room.¡± ¡°And you have all of those last names,¡± Felix stated. ¡°Which means that you are not just some rightful heir, but the queen of all Heficyre,¡± Lucifer followed up audibly. Melanie shook her head, ¡°Just Ethdellin. Each Tier manages its affairs.¡± She glared at Roy, ¡°How did you know that I could speak to the gods by right of blood?¡± ¡°I¡¯ve been around since the beginning. Since the three kings established their bloodlines. Over time they intermarried, and now there is one bloodline ¨C yours.¡± Felix glanced at Tinuriel, whispering to her, ¡°Did you know we were traveling with that level of royalty?¡± She shook her head, returning the whisper, ¡°No. But does that change anything concerning our tasks?¡± ¡°Not really,¡± he muttered. He spoke up so his words could reach his other two allies, ¡°What can we expect on Dirge?¡± ¡°A land of those who escaped the tyranny of the other Tiers. There are also plenty of monsters who I had invited to stay. They probably stuck around. I may have to remind them who is in charge. It will take us three days from the lift to arrive at my old citadel.¡± He chuckled, "Everyone might be equal in my eyes, but there does need to be some form of command structure or else everything will fall to bits. Someone to manage affairs in a fair and reasonable fashion." It''s well-intentioned, but tricky to pull off. Only time will tell if his vision can be made reality.
They reached the Dark Ascent, a heavily secured city that had an elevator that would go up to the next Tier. They were stopped, but a quick flash of Felix¡¯s wings was enough to convince them to let the group through. The security was tight, and they were surrounded by a group of one-hundred men as the elevator ascended. The sunlight shifted as they arrived at Dirge, becoming an odd, grey light. Roy explained that the Tier was formed with the intent to not have the harsh rays of light be able to harm any of the inhabitants. Goblins, ogres, ghouls, vampires ¨C any type of creature who sought equality and refuge was allowed, and the Dark Lord forced the Tier to conform to accommodate them. They rode their mounts off the lift and it rapidly descended. Cracked stone traced a path to the next cliff marking the ascent of the next Tier. ¡°It¡¯s only a thirty-mile ride to the cliff. But I want to take another route.¡± Roy led their group from the cracked stone ground, and they went through gorgeous fields of dark, green grass that reached up to their feet. Lush, rolling hills cascaded out before them, and winding rivers and creeks crossed the landscape. Felix could only compare it to pictures of Iceland he had seen online. Occasional mountains poked up through the distant haze that muddied long-distance vision. ¡°There is an old armory on the way to my citadel. Only I can unlock the vault. But it contains useful tools that my servants sealed away ¨C or were commanded to seal away, I should say.¡±Royal Road is the home of this novel. Visit there to read the original and support the author. Tinuriel smiled, ¡°Does that mean you plan on giving us more gear of a magical nature?¡± ¡°That¡¯s right. But more importantly, we need to protect Melanie. There should be a necklace in there ¨C one that allows her to designate a person to take any injuries on her behalf. I can attune her to it, and then set the designated receptor as myself.¡± ¡°That¡¯s very noble,¡± Felix said. And foolish. Why would you redirect harm to yourself? He could have asked me or Tinuriel instead. Love makes you do dumb things. Felix glanced sideways at Tinuriel. Good thing I fell for an Amazonian elf warrior then. I don¡¯t need to protect her. He smiled softly at the thought. But then the realization hit him, he had just admitted to himself that he had grown to love this woman. And that gave him pause. He¡¯d been in love before ¨C a few times ¨C but every time things didn¡¯t work out. This disquieted him, and he traveled in contemplative silence. The landscape slowly shifted until they entered a sparse forest. The trees were wide-spread, and Tinuriel seemed to relax more being surrounded by the large trunks and the leaves overhead. But Felix felt on edge. There was something off about the forest. He looked around trying to figure out what it could be. ¡°Detect Hostiles.¡± Anima 80 / 90 The golden light limned every tree around him, and he pulled his knife out, ¡°Roy, are the trees alive?¡± Tinuriel pulled her weapon at the same time, seeing the limning golden light as well. ¡°Yes, they are trees-¡± ¡°No. I mean able to move. Attack.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t think-¡± A tree branch swung down and crushed the side of Roy¡¯s horse, sending it hurtling into another tree¡¯s trunk and breaking its back. Roy was pinned by the horse and the tree. Somehow he was able to get a grip on his weapon as the silver-grey light exploded outward. ¡°Enough! I am the lord of this Tier!¡± The roots of the tree began to rise and crush down, and he screamed out in pain. The trees did not seem to care for his proclamation, and Melanie, in a panic, took off at a gallop, her horse faster than the trees could swing at them. Tinuriel kicked her mount after her, shouting at Felix, ¡°Get Roy!¡± She carved through the branches that swung at her and deftly maneuvered her mount around the trunks that sought to close in. Felix tried his best to turn the horse and push it towards Roy, but he was not nearly as deft of a hand at horsemanship, and a tree branch crashed into him, flinging him off the horse. Health 110 / 130 The animal took off after Tinuriel and Melanie before it was grabbed by one of the other trees and its neck snapped. The horse''s body collapsed, and the roots slowly emerged to feed on it. Felix ended up tumbling end over end before crashing into another tree, gasping as the wind was knocked out of him like he¡¯d been punched in the solar plexus. He barely rolled out of the way as an enormous root ripped out of the ground and tried to grab him. Dashing over to Roy, he used his high Might Stat to lift the horse off of him, and with the load on his shoulder, he used the knife to cut away at the root, freeing the Dark Lord. He dashed forward, grabbing Felix by the scruff of the neck, and pull him up as the root snapped down on the horse before sucking it underground. Roy turned to face the encroaching trees that were slowly moving closer, their roots surging up through the ground. ¡°Ideas?¡± I can¡¯t fly because then we¡¯ll be going through the branches. Use Affinity Empowerment. Roger. ¡°Hellfire Burst!¡± Affinity Empowerment. Anima 0 / 90 Vigor 110 / 130 The world exploded in crimson and black flames. They surged harmlessly around Roy and Felix, but the trees within one hundred feet were burned to a crisp and the ones further beyond were lit aflame. Felix used the opportunity to activate Fallen Flight. The spectral wings manifested, and he willed himself to ascend upward. But nothing happened. ¡°Why can¡¯t I fly?¡± He asked. Roy shook his head, ¡°A rule I instilled into the Tier when I made it. No flying. It would make assault too easy.¡± Smart for a military-minded person. It¡¯s okay, you¡¯ve got plenty of resources. Felix glanced over at Roy, ¡°Why can¡¯t you control them? Aren¡¯t they part of your Tier?¡± ¡°No. These must be the descendants of some tree folk who joined me on the Tier. They are not under my control. And I doubt they share their ancestors¡¯ intelligence. We must fight our way out.¡± Felix looked down at his knife, ¡°This isn¡¯t going to cut it.¡± Literally. Roy nodded, ¡°Allow me.¡± He put his hand up, ¡°Imbue our weaponry with my might.¡± His sword exploded into the silvery-grey flames, and Felix¡¯s knife did the same ¨C the length extending as well. Oh, that¡¯s a Magic/Power you could use. I''m adding it to your set. Netherlight Blade. Netherlight Blade 10 Anima per minute Limns a weapon in Netherlight, increasing its range, and making it harder to avoid or parry as the form blurs and shifts. Roy took off running after the girls, and Felix followed right behind. As they reached the edge of the scorched forest, the branches resumed their assault, lashing out towards them. The two cut through the offending appendages as they pressed forth. Felix felt his blood pounding in his veins and through his hands, as he cut over and over into the foliage. The roots below them attempted to wind up to trip and grab them, and Felix used his Agility Stat to deftly jump from clear spot to clear spot. Roy used brute force to just push his way through. After thirty seconds of running, jumping, chopping, and dodging ¨C they exited the tree line and saw ¨C to Felix¡¯s relief ¨C Tinuriel and Melanie waiting for them. Tinuriel was on foot, sword at the ready, and she visibly relaxed as the two ran into view. Felix put his hands on his knees, panting before he glanced back. The trees were slowly ¨C ponderously ¨C moving towards them. ¡°We¡­lost¡­horses.¡± Tinuriel looked at the remaining two mounts and frowned, ¡°We can double up, but our pace will be slowed.¡± Roy sheathed his blade and his Dark Lord form faded. ¡°This Tier is more dangerous to us than I anticipated. We must be on our guard.¡± Felix had caught his breath and looked around. They were no longer in the sparse forest, but instead in some type of lowland, with steeper rolling hills. Tinuriel¡¯s ears twitched and she turned to face the forest again, ¡°Something is coming.¡± Felix swapped to his bow and pulled the string back, the ray of hardlight manifesting in his grip. Roy re-equipped his blade, and Melanie moved even further back with the two remaining horses. The trees began to move aside as colossal mound of dirt, moss, branches, and wood emerged from the tree line. It surged towards them. Out of the frying pan¡­ Ch. 26 – Dirge (II) The shambling mound of earth, stone, wood, and rage surged forward. It was a singular mass with two arm-like appendages, The center of the creature opened in an enormous, gaping hole that was lined with jagged roots akin to a mouth of daggers, all angling inward like a lamprey. Roy and Tinuriel dashed forward to engage it. ¡°Vigor Conversion thirty Anima. Detect Weakness.¡± Vigor Conversion Exchanges X Vigor for X Anima Health 110 / 130 Anima 25 / 90 Vigor 80 / 130 The golden circles appeared around the very top of the creature. It had no eyes or any other apparent opening. Just to test, Felix fired several hardlight arrows at the weak point. They sunk into the elemental mass but did nothing. He reasoned it had to be inside the creature. ¡°Fine then, we do this the hard way.¡± He put the bow away and pulled the Photon-Blade, slotting a Charge into it. The blade extended and buzzed with power, and he ran forward to join his allies. Tinuriel engaged the left half of the creature with several long, horizontal slashes, carving off bits of the writhing mass. The creature did not seem to care nor notice as it attempted to push its bulk into her as if to subsume her into its grip. She slashed again, a blinding flash of diagonal blows that exploded with blue light as she held it at bay. Roy had limned his weapon and himself in the silver-grey light, and he was also carving into its other appendage to no avail. The creature surged its body forward and Roy was not fast enough, nor did he have the same explosive strength that Tinuriel had, to prevent it from engulfing his torso. It began to lift him towards its gaping maw. I have a level saved up, right? Yeah. What are you thinking? Something stupid, but if it works ¨C I bet I¡¯ll get an Achievement. He activated two Skills in rapid succession: Execution and Dragon Dance. Vigor 55 / 130 I''m going inside it. That seems foolish. But it''s the best way to hit that weak spot. I have a level saved in case the worst happens, and (P) Final Stand hasn''t been activated today...yet. There was a feeling of trepidation that washed over him, but Felix knew that Tinuriel and Roy wouldn''t be able to do any real damage with their weapons; the odd mass was seemingly impervious to harm from their slashes. He flashed forward under the effect of Dragon Dance and vanished right into its maw, jumping as soon as he felt resistance under his feet from the inside of the creature. He swung in a wide, horizontal arc as he impacted the weak spot inside of the creature, exploding out of its back at an upward trajectory. He turned in mid-air as he began to drop. He ejected the charge from the hilt. Load another charge! Lucifer willed another one from his inventory into his palm, and he loaded the blade once more. Again, Dragon Dance. Execution. Vigor 30 / 130 He stabbed into the weak spot on the head of the creature before dragging the blade down its spine as his fall finished. The mound shook for a moment as he completed his cut before it collapsed in on itself. He rolled and ran a few feet away as he ejected the blade¡¯s empty charge. Looks like I didn¡¯t need the level-up. He used his last thirty Vigor and held up his palm as he Looted the now-deceased creature. For the Hoard! [Experience Awarded = 15] [Experience Bonus from Execution Skill = 3] [Congratulations! You have reached the Experience threshold to level up! Speak with your Versewalker Core when you are ready to Choose your next Class.] [Loot Obtained] ¡¤ Terrain Elemental Core [Loot Bonus from Execution Skill] ¡¤ Heart of the Forest [Loot Bonus from For the Hoard!] ¡¤ 200 VC Roy extricated himself from the mass and shook himself like a dog trying to get rid of excess water, flinging bits of mud and tree detritus all around. Felix landed next to Tinuriel as she sheathed her weapon. ¡°Good job team.¡± ¡°What was that weapon?¡± Roy asked as he finished dusting himself off. Melanie also rode up with the other horse in tow. ¡°It¡¯s something I picked up from another ¡®Verse.¡± ¡°It¡¯s potent. Why not use that before?¡± ¡°It¡¯s limited.¡± He nodded, ¡°Ah, it carries its own Anima reserve.¡± ¡°Something like that.¡± Roy looked at the two horses, ¡°I¡¯ll double up with Melanie, you two ride together. We can make it to the armory by nightfall.¡± Felix got up on the horse and Tinuriel mounted behind him, grabbing the reins from him. The horse protested at the extra weight for a moment, but they were going relatively slow. Felix leaned back a bit and relaxed as they rode onwards.Royal Road is the home of this novel. Visit there to read the original and support the author. That was reckless. But it was either do that or risk Roy possibly being eaten alive. Going inside a creature to kill it is not wise. I would have been more firm in my advising against such an action if you did not have a level saved up. Duly noted.
Nightfall came and the armory was not within sight. Felix had been focusing on opening the VBV just in case, and he opened the portal rather than make camp on the Tier. Lucifer split off and went right to the Recreation Room. ¡°Mind taking care of the horses?¡± Roy asked as he handed Tinuriel the reins. She nodded, and the Dark Lord and Melanie went to one of the guest houses. They set up the two horses at the stables, and Tinuriel showed Felix how to brush them down properly, interlacing his hand with hers as she guided him through the motions. Once he had the basics down, they finished taking care of the animals and Felix was filled with a sense of calm. The simple, repetitive motion of taking care of these gentle giants was something he didn¡¯t think would be meditative, but it was. His mind was able to wander and dwell on the past few days. The thought that coursed through his mind the most was that he¡¯d killed people. It was somewhat troubling, knowing that he¡¯d taken lives. The monstrous creatures and the like he had no problem with killing. No, the trouble came from the fact that he had killed those assassins while they were in their home. One was on the toilet, for God¡¯s sake. The other was sleeping. There was some sense of justification for his actions because he did pretty much die ¨C only surviving because of a Talent. Why do I still feel bad then? He looked over at Tinuriel who was calm and softly talking to the horse as she brushed it. ¡°How do you deal with it? The feeling of guilt for killing other people.¡± Tinuriel looked over at him with a small frown, ¡°Did they try to kill you?¡± ¡°Well, not those ones-¡± ¡°They were allied, were they not?¡± ¡°Yeah¡­the assassins were all part of the same group.¡± Tinuriel crossed her arms and stood up to her full height, ¡°Think of it in terms of wars. Your side is your party and allies. Their side is the whole organization the assassins on the road were a part of. In a war, would you leave survivors?¡± ¡°If they surrendered? Yeah. But-¡± ¡°Those types don¡¯t surrender. I agree, you don¡¯t kill a foe who has surrendered. The same goes for innocents. Think of every battle as a war. Every foe is an enemy army. Approach it from that mindset, and you will ease your guilt.¡± Felix nodded, ¡°Right. Thanks. Do you mind finishing up? I want to go use the Crafting Station.¡± Tinuriel nodded and Felix went to the Loot Forge. Descending the steps, he placed the Core on the anvil. [You have placed a on the Loot Forge. Select one of the following options.] ¡¤ Boots of Earthen Resolve ¡¤ Earth Affinity Tough decision. Earth Magic/Powers could be potent in their application. But boots that slowly heal you if you¡¯re standing on earth¡­That is excellent for any combatant. He brought the hammer down. There was a flash of light, and the boots were created. He put them aside and placed the other Looted object down. [You have placed a on the Loot Forge. Select one of the following options.] ¡¤ Forester¡¯s Cloak ¡¤ Wood Affinity He swung the hammer once more, making the cloak that would let him turn invisible in a forested area. He immediately put it on. He picked up the boots and went to the Shop.
[Items purchased] + Photon-Blade Charge (x3) - 600 VC [Monies Paid] = 600 VC [Current Balance] = 16,007 VC
Last, he walked to the Mailbox. No messages. Tinuriel walked over and he handed her the boots, explaining what they did. She grabbed them and grinned, pushing him towards the house.
The group readied themselves and Felix opened the portal once more, returning them to Dirge on Heficyre. They mounted up as the day prior and continued following Roy¡¯s directions. After a few hours, they came upon a castle. Its walls were seventy feet tall and turreted on top. The gates were shattered off their hinges, and in their place was an enormous barricade made of splintered wood and rock. Small, squat, green-skinned humanoids were atop the wall and chattered as soon as the riders came into line of sight. Roy laughed, ¡°Ha! Goblins survived. Good. They are weak-willed and follow orders well enough.¡± He pulled his blade and assumed his Dark Lord appearance. The goblins ¨C who were preparing slings and pathetic-looking bows, stopped their preparations as Roy shouted, ¡°I am the Dark Lord! Returned once more to lead you to a bright future!¡± The barricade was rapidly disassembled, and over a hundred goblins ran out of the gates as the group dismounted. They all bowed their heads as an older, female one of their kind dressed as a shaman approached. ¡°The Dark Lord. We have awaited your return, passing knowledge of your appearance and personality so we would recognize you.¡± She bowed. Roy sheathed the blade but kept his hand on the hilt, ¡°Your ancestors served me well. Please, everyone, rise.¡± The goblins did so, ¡°I tasked your forebears with carrying my armor away from the battlefield, were they successful?¡± ¡°Yes!¡± The crone turned around and led the group inside. The goblins looked at the horses, licking their sharp teeth, but the mounts were well-trained war steeds from Invictus, and they did not balk in the slightest. The fortress was a dump. Whilst the exterior may have held up decently, the interior was not nearly as neat. The buildings that lined the inside of the wall were no longer the stone structures of the past, but instead ramshackle wooden and mud huts. An enormous metal cauldron was sitting over a fire, being stirred by a large, human-sized goblin with more bulk. Those are Hobgoblins. They¡¯re like the stronger cousins of these smaller ones. Good to know. They were led to the inner keep, which had been converted to some sort of temple or shrine. And sitting on the altar was an immaculate suit of silvery-white full plate. Roy walked up and touched it. There was a blinding flash of light as he was suddenly wearing it. The same armor that manifested when he was holding his sword. He looked down at the goblin shaman and bowed, ¡°Thank you to your people for keeping it safe. We go to my citadel.¡± ¡°Before you do, your lordship. You should know that the Ogre King has taken up residence.¡± ¡°He will bend the knee or be deposed.¡± Roy glanced over at Felix, ¡°I have a request. I know I have been asking a lot of you. Would you open the VBV and allow these people to go into your realm for a short time? Just until we finish clearing the citadel.¡± Can they mess with my stuff? You can always use one of your Functions to do it. You have two Functions and two Rooms on standby. "Let me think on it," Felix said to Roy as he thought. I don''t want to rule a miniature kingdom. You wouldn''t have to. I can manage it for you. Well...what about using a Function or Room to make myself stronger? Artificially increase my stats, that type of stuff. The System would probably reject a Function or Room that does that. The whole idea behind Versewalkers is they''re incentivized to fix Crises with the promise of more power, wealth, Functions and Rooms that will make their lives easier. Felix let out a sigh and pinched the bridge of his nose, I want to help them out, but not to my own detriment. There''s benefits to having others inside the VBV. They can help generate income, for instance. Which means more Shop options. Which means more Affinities. So, in a roundabout way, you are getting some measure of improvement. Right. Let¡¯s use a Function to specify that no one can mess with my stuff. And let¡¯s use a Room to make a medieval-style town. That can be what they start off with. Alright. Setting it up. Felix nodded, ¡°I can do that.¡± Melanie stepped up, ¡°Wait. I had a thought.¡± She turned to Felix, ¡°Your VBV is unlimited in space, yes?¡± Is it? You can make a Function to make it increase in size depending on your needs. Let¡¯s do that. For sure. ¡°Yes,¡± Felix replied to Melanie. She turned to Roy, ¡°And you want to have a place where everyone is equal.¡± ¡°Yes...¡± Roy replied. Melanie turned back to Felix and grinned, ¡°Then there¡¯s no need for any conquering of the Tiers!¡± She pointed at Roy, ¡°He can take back his citadel, and do his declaration thingy so that anyone who wants to leave their home and go somewhere that they are all treated as equals can live. They just have to travel to Dirge to the portal you¡¯re going to make.¡± Then she pointed at Felix, ¡°And you can get me up the Tiers to take back my throne and make another portal up there.¡± ¡°That is a good plan,¡± Tinuriel said. ¡°It would be the foundation for your own realm¡¯s growth. But,¡± she put her hand on Felix¡¯s shoulder. ¡°You would have to dedicate more Rooms or Functions to giving them the means of society. Farmland, pastures, tradesmen.¡± ¡°My own realm inside the VBV.¡± Felix felt a little overwhelmed at the idea. He didn¡¯t want to be in charge of a whole realm, and responsible for all of the people in it. Melanie seemed to read his mind on his face and walked over to him, looking him dead in the eyes. ¡°I¡¯d be able to help administer it for you.¡± She smiled, ¡°Plus, then I could go use that hot tub more frequently!¡± ¡°Alright, let¡¯s do it,¡± Felix replied. ¡°Just give me the four hours to open it up.¡± He sat down and began to focus. Roy shouted to the goblins to pack up, and they began to do so. He walked over to Melanie and kissed her, ¡°You¡¯re a genius.¡± He pulled out an amulet that he had grabbed from some hidden alcove on the altar that held his armor and put it around her neck. She giggled, ¡°I¡¯m smart, but not a genius.¡± She looked over the necklace and smiled fondly. Tinuriel sat next to Roy and pushed him to lean against her as she threw an arm around his shoulder. "But," Roy continued, "That doesn''t stop my plans. I need to at least spread the message of equality for all, and reinforce Dirge to protect those who reside here." Melanie frowned slightly but nodded, "I understand. I don''t like violence, but thank you for not deciding you will declare war on everyone." Ch. 27 – Dirge (III) Felix opened the VBV and Roy led the goblins through. He returned shortly after, smiling broadly, ¡°This new plan of yours is going to work way better than mine was.¡± Melanie giggled with excitement, ¡°I know!¡± Felix allowed the VBV to close, and the four left the now abandoned armory and continued towards the citadel. The air started to grow stagnant; stale water and decay striking their noses. Felix pulled his hood¡¯s mask up which helped with the scent a bit, but Tinuriel was struggling the most, resorting to pinching her nose shut as the fumes affected her heightened senses more. ¡°What is causing that?¡± Felix asked. ¡°The Swamp of Cessation,¡± Roy said. ¡°It used to be a lake. But when I was assaulted, Magic ruined the land. It surrounds my citadel, and there is only one entrance. Across an enormous bridge that spans miles.¡± He pointed, and despite the haze in the air from the nature of this Tier, Felix could barely make out an enormous castle on a jut of rock in the middle of the enormous, miles-wide swamp. The bridge was on the far side. ¡°If we had a boat,¡± Roy continued, ¡°We could get across much quicker and use the docks.¡± ¡°We can quickly buy one,¡± Lucifer mentioned. Melanie shook her head, ¡°I don¡¯t want to go over that swamp.¡± Tinuriel, with her nasal voice from pinching her nose, added, ¡°I agree completely. I¡¯m not going near it.¡± Roy shrugged, ¡°Then it¡¯s the long way around. A day¡¯s journey. Keep an eye on the waters. I used to have allied merfolk who responded to my call across the Tiers. Who knows what has happened to them since I fell.¡± Tinuriel pulled out her sword and rested it on her shoulder. Felix pulled his bow as well, and Roy pulled his sword out. They traveled in tense silence, Felix¡¯s eyes glued to the swamp as his eyes dashed to every ripple in the water, every small disturbance that could be something coming to attack them. His caution was well-warranted. He spotted several oblong shapes emerge from the murky mire. Pulling back his hand as if he was drawing the string, the hardlight arrow manifested and he tracked the targets. They did not seem to have hostile intent, simply watching. Roy noticed them as well and called out to them, ¡°Hail, friends! The Dark Lord has returned. Come, let us talk as we once did.¡± The heads vanished back under the muck. ¡°Worth a try,¡± Roy muttered as they continued.
They used the VBV to make their camp again that evening, and Felix was pleasantly surprised when he walked in. First, the mountains seemed to have moved slightly closer, and there was a clearly defined, clear mountain pass. In the distance, he could see milling figures of the goblins in their new medieval-styled town. Lucifer unmerged with him, ¡°You have an endlessly expanding styled town now. Welcome to your new realm, King Felix.¡± He mockingly bowed. ¡°I am not a fan of that,¡± Felix replied as Tinuriel laughed. ¡°Well, I¡¯m going to make sure that those goblins know all about their free will¡­provided they follow the rules.¡± He patted Felix on the back, ¡°I know you don¡¯t want to rule a realm. Leave that to me. I can manage it from inside of you. Big decisions are still yours to make.¡± ¡°Thanks, Lucifer. Tinuriel was right, also. We need to have some means for them to provide for themselves. Let¡¯s use a Room to create farming and husbandry areas.¡± As the words left Felix¡¯s mouth, one of the mountains sank, and in its place was an enormous, seemingly endless fertile prairie, already segmented out with fences and heaps of bags of seeds piled high. Irrigation trenches appeared as well, filling with water from some unseen source. Tinuriel whistled, ¡°Impressive.¡± Roy shook his head, ¡°Why even bother with Heficyre anymore? We should just take everyone from the Tiers and move them here.¡± ¡°No,¡± Melanie said. ¡°They have to choose this.¡± Felix nodded, ¡°Plus, Lucifer is all about free will. If you forced people here, then he would be pissed off.¡± ¡°A fair point,¡± Roy stated. ¡°I need to ensure the safety of the VBV portal soon to be made in my citadel.¡± He chuckled, ¡°But I¡¯ll be making use of the facilities here rather frequently.¡± ¡°I¡¯m happy to have you here,¡± Felix said. The four retired for the evening.
Felix woke abruptly in the middle of the night. Something felt off. He felt a tingling at the back of his mind as if the hair on the back of his neck was sticking up, but inside of him. Get the hell up! What is it? Felix firmly nudged Tinuriel, ¡°Get ready, Lucifer needs us.¡± The two threw on their armor and grabbed their gear. We¡¯ve got one of those Cosmic Horrors! Somehow one found its way here! Felix ran outside and looked to where the portals normally opened. He saw a series of tentacles like an octopus that were pushing their way into the space, but they were an odd Jello-green color that oozed outward. ¡°Oh, hell no.¡± Felix ran over and put the palms of his hands together. ¡°Lucifer, Affinity Empowerment!¡± Hellfire Beam! Anima 0 / 90 Vigor 0 / 130 The largest blast of Hellfire that he had ever conjured exploded out of his hands in a torrential rush of crimson and black that engulfed all of reality in front of him. The tentacle creature shrieked and flailed its burning appendages towards him, but Tinuriel was right beside him and chopped at them, severing the quivering masses as they sloshed onto the ground, fading into the ether as they were removed from whatever they originated from. Felix¡¯s Magic/Power ended, and he was huffing from the exertion. More tentacles came through the opening. ¡°How do we stop it?¡± Just deal more damage to it. You have to make it think that whatever is in here isn¡¯t worth the hassle. Roy had run out of the guest house, armored up and with his blade. He charged at the creature and began hacking away at the tentacles that continued to pour through. ¡°What is this foul monster?¡± ¡°Just hurt it!¡± Felix shouted as he pulled out the Photon-Blade, socketing a charge into it as the blade thrummed to life. He dashed forward, ducking under the tentacles and getting alongside the portal. Bringing the blade down, he severed all the appendages at the source. An enormous shriek ripped through his brain, and he staggered as blood poured from his ears, nose, and mouth. His vision went fuzzy and he felt intense vertigo. Health 30 / 130 More tentacles shot through the gap, and he popped another charge in as he dodged another tentacle. He brought the blade down once more, carving through the jelly substance. Tinuriel used the openings he had bought to get to the other side, and she began chopping down as soon as the tentacles came through. Roy joined her, and soon they were holding the front as the creature tried to get in, giving Felix a chance to back off. Why aren¡¯t they hurt by its sound? These things hunt Versewalkers and other Multidimensional travelers. They¡¯ve evolved to kill things like you. Do you need an Elixir? Felix backed away and, to his relief, his allies must have cut off enough appendages that the creature pulled back and the portal snapped shut. No, we¡¯re good. All three were sucking air down and shared a laugh of relief. [Experience Awarded = 20] [Congratulations! You have reached the Experience threshold to level up! Speak with your Versewalker Core when you are ready to Choose your next Class.] [Achievement Unlocked: Survived an encounter with a Multiversal Hunter / Horror] (P) Multiverse Survivor Prevents psychic and mental attacks from Multiversal Hunters / Horrors from affecting the Versewalker. ¡°Good¡­job¡­¡± Felix sat on the grass, lying back. Tinuriel walked over along with Roy as Lucifer flew down from above. ¡°What was that?¡± Roy asked. ¡°A Multiversal Hunter. Also sometimes called a Horror instead. They are drawn to Versewalkers like a wolf to a rabbit. If Felix isn¡¯t in here then the odds of them coming to attack are extremely unlikely.¡± That seemed to provide some relief to Roy, but Tinuriel looked to the fallen angel, ¡°What about if we are in another Universe? Can they attack us there?¡±Stolen from its rightful place, this narrative is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings. ¡°Possible but highly unlikely.¡± Felix sat up, ¡°What about the System Administrator? Do they have any control over those things?¡± Lucifer shook his head, ¡°No. They¡¯re just a part of the Multiverse.¡± Tinuriel grabbed Felix and hefted him over her shoulder, ¡°Come on, let¡¯s get cleaned up.¡±
Morning came and Tinuriel surprised Felix with breakfast in bed, bringing him a simple plate of scrambled eggs and toast. He smirked at her, ¡°Is this going to be a normal thing?¡± She shook her head, ¡°No,¡± and laughed gently before standing up. ¡°Eat fast. We¡¯re getting ready to go.¡± Felix scarfed down the food and quickly stopped by the Shop to buy another two Photon-Blade Charges for a total of 600 VC to keep himself topped off with his trump card. Melanie approached the group as they were at the exit to the VBV. ¡°I think it¡¯s smarter if I stay here.¡± Felix nodded, ¡°Makes sense. You¡¯re not a combatant, and it is safe in here.¡± ¡°Plus,¡± Lucifer added, ¡°There¡¯s no risk of you dying in here.¡± Roy looked at her with solemn eyes and nodded tersely, ¡°It is a wise decision.¡± He looked back to Felix, ¡°Ready?¡± The group exited the VBV and went back to Heficyre. They resumed their journey and Felix kept his eyes on the murky waters of the swamp. Thankfully, the travel was calm and quiet, and before long they saw the bridge that spanned from the shore to the citadel. It was mostly intact with some missing chunks here and there. The remains of siege equipment from centuries before were scattered along the expanse alongside skeletons of those who attacked the Dark Lord¡¯s place of power. The bridge entrance on the shore was guarded by a walled rampart with several defunct ballistae and catapults on top. But there was movement up on the walls as well. And in the murky water near the bridge. The merfolk were moving about, and Felix got a decent look at one as it crested above the water before fading from view. They had long ears that ended in hooks, pallid, grey skin that looked rough like a shark, fins on the backs of their legs and arms, and were dressed in bits of cloth held together with straps and cords. Roy dismounted and walked towards the walls with his sword raised aloft, his grey-silver power emanating from the blade. ¡°I am the Dark Lord, returned. Open the gates!¡± The top of the wall was filled with merfolk heads, their bulbous eyes staring at Roy. Without a sound, they each lifted slings and began swirling them. ¡°Shit.¡± Roy had nowhere to hide, and he planted his blade into the ground as a barrier of the grey-white energy shot up, cascading high into the sky, and forming a sheet that obscured view. Cool. A new Magic/Power. Netherlight Wall. Netherlight Wall Increments of 10 Anima Creates a wall of Netherlight that obscures sight, making attacks that pass through it much less likely to hit the intended target. Tinuriel and Felix hopped from their mount and Felix activated Ghostwalk. The two horses ran off as stones began to pelt the area around them. The stones coming through the barrier did not find their mark, the obscuring power working perfectly as intended. ¡°You two keep their attention. I¡¯ll get the gate open,¡± Felix said as he dashed along the barrier before poking his head through. ¡°Shadestep.¡± Vigor 70 / 130 He teleported from the shadows cast by the wall of Netherlight and appeared at the base of the wall. He was out of line of sight of the slingers up top, and by extent, his Ghostwalk made him effectively unnoticeable. Reaching the gate, he saw that it was not hanging by the hinges like he was expecting. Instead, it was securely fastened. There was a crack that he could peer through and that was enough to let him see the shadows on the other side. ¡°Shadestep.¡± Vigor 69 / 130 He appeared on the other side of the wall. The merfolk had some sort of beachhead with small huts. Two sets of stairs were on the far end of either side. Felix turned to the gate and hefted the large wooden bar out of the way, tossing it behind him as he threw open the doors. The merfolk above turned and looked down at him. ¡°Crap.¡± He ran to the side as they slung rocks at him, several impacting and bruising him ¨C his armor thankfully absorbing most of the damage. He ran to the stairs and a few of the merfolk switched to spears and began moving towards him. Three with spears, and then ten slingers on the wall. Oh, this is perfect. Use all my Vigor Elixirs. He saw his Vigor bar fill to its maximum. What are you thinking? Felix pulled his other knife out and held both points down. Detect Weakness to see the weak spots on one of them. They are all the same creature type. The golden circles appeared as he used the Magic/Power, highlighting the temple, the base of the neck, and several other arteries. ¡°Dragon Dance.¡± Health 120 / 130 Anima 85 / 90 Vigor 0 / 130 Time seemed to slow from his perspective as he sprinted right around the spear tip of the three on the stairs, sinking his knives into their temples. As they started to fall limp, he was already moving on to the slingers on the wall. Faster than they could trace him, he sliced, stabbed, and severed each and every one of them. Only the first target took extra damage from Detect Weakness, but each strike was lethal. With each kill, his (P) Chain Kill ramped up... (P) Chain Kill Killing a target increases the damage dealt by the next attack. This stacks for each successive kill, but if more than 3 seconds pass between kills the count resets. ...and from one to the next, the strikes were more vicious, inflicting greater damage and ripping larger wounds. He ended his sprinting, slashing spree on the far side of the wall. Time sped up, and all the creatures collapsed, their vital fluids spilling out; a dark purple that flowed down the walls. ¡°All clear!¡± he shouted over the edge as he wiped off the blades and sheathed them. [Experience Awarded = 60] [Congratulations! You have reached the Experience threshold to level up! Speak with your Versewalker Core when you are ready to Choose your next Class.] I¡¯ve got four levels saved up. That¡¯s enough to get Fallen Angel maxed out, right? Yes. Are you sure you don¡¯t want to save one in reserve? I¡¯ve got a Multiversal Charge if I need to get out quickly. Let¡¯s dump all 4 levels into Fallen Angel and cap it out. Roger. This is going to be very, very warm. [Selection Made: Fallen Angel] [This is your 10th level in this Class. You gain access to a new Class Skill] Rebel against all Odds 100 Vigor per target per minute. Target gains the effect of Fallen Flight, Inviolable Will, and Beacon of Free Will. In addition, they restore 1/4 of their maximum Health, Anima, and Vigor. This can bring back creatures who died within the last minute. The same message appeared another three times. Finalize. Felix felt his chest burn hotter than it had ever before. Sweat poured off him before immediately turning into steam. He ran down the stairs and dove into the murky waters of the swamp, a huge cloud rising around him as his body temperature cooled. You weren¡¯t kidding. Note to self ¨C don¡¯t save that many levels at once. It will never be lethal. Just really uncomfortable.
Name Felix Winters
Designation Versewalker
Core Level 14
EXP 527 / 595
Class Warrior 1, Animancer 1, Rogue 1, Fallen Angel 10, Whisperfang 1
Might 13
Agility 16
Capacity 14
Mind 17
Body 17
Soul 9
Endurance 17
Equipped Weapon (M) Wyrmtooth Knife (MH) / Knife (OH)
Equipped Weapon (R) Hardlight Recurve
Equipped Armor Absorbing Dragonscale Leathers
Equipped Affinities Detection, Hellfire, Netherlight
Equipped Skills Affinity Empowerment, Regenerate (Rank 2), Execution, Ghostwalk, Fallen Flight, Vigor Conversion, Shadestep, Beacon of Free Will, Inviolable Will, Dragon Dance, For the Hoard!, Rebel Against All Odds
Talents (P) Multiverse Adaptation (A) Aggressive Alchemy (P) Like a Cat (P) Final Stand (A) Show Mercy (A) Universe Selector (P) Sneak Attack (P) Craftsman (P) Dungeon Delver (P) Slayer (P) Endless Bags (P) Chain Kill (P) Multiverse Survivor
Health 170 / 170
Anima 90 / 90
Vigor 170 / 170
Why did my Soul not go up? Querying...Hmm, the System blocked it. That''s weird. Checking the logs...oh that fucker. What? The Admin is just being a bastard. Keeping your Soul down artificially. Maybe he''s afraid of you having too much Anima. I don''t know. Felix heard the frustration and animosity oozing from his companion. I''m putting in a ticket. If you think that will help. It''s not like I''m running out of Anima constantly or anything like that. I''m sure it''s just a mistake. Tinuriel and Roy came through the gate, ready to attack ¨C but paused as they took in the carnage. ¡°You did all this?¡± Roy asked as he looked back at the top of the wall above him. Felix got out of the water and tried his best to shake the gunk from the swamp off, ¡°Yes. Also, eww. This muck is foul.¡± The stench made him almost retch, and he tried to scrape it off his armor. Tinuriel looked him up and down, ¡°You got slightly more muscular.¡± ¡°Yeah, I used a bunch of saved levels. Finally maxed out my first Class.¡± ¡°And now, he gives anyone flight.¡± Tinuriel¡¯s eyes widened, and she grinned, ¡°I can¡¯t wait to try it.¡± Felix nodded and went about Looting, activating For the Hoard! [Loot Obtained] ¡¤ Local Currency: Converted to 150 VC [Loot Bonus from For the Hoard!] ¡¤ 400 VC Roy went out of the gates and a few moments later came back with the horses, ¡°Good job slaughtering them.¡± Felix frowned, looking around once more at the gory mess of severed flesh and purple blood. ¡°Well, they did attack us first.¡± He looked to Tinuriel, ¡°No remorse for those that fight us first.¡± Roy mounted his horse. Felix and Tinuriel mounted theirs and began the approach to the Dark Lord¡¯s citadel. Ch. 28 – Dirge (IV) The approach to the Dark Lord¡¯s citadel was hazardous. The enormous stone bridge slowly rose until it towered a full hundred feet over the surrounding swamp. Large chunks were missing. ¡°We¡¯ll have to leave the horses,¡± Roy stated bluntly as he dismounted. Felix and Tinuriel followed suit, tying the horses off to a chunk of rock ¨C loose enough that they could pull free and run if needed. Facing the citadel, Felix felt a sense of unease wash over him. The enormous structure was imposing; a titanic creation forged from some ancient, powerful Magic. Traversing the gaps was easy ¨C all three were quite capable physically, and progress was rapid. Felix activated Ghostwalk as they approached the gate. The fortress was very intact, a fact which caught Felix off guard. ¡°How¡¯d they beat you?¡± he asked. ¡°I was fighting up North, where we came from on the other side of the Tier. I do not know why the allied forces that opposed me did not come for the citadel.¡± He looked back at the ruined bridge, littered with siege equipment. ¡°Or perhaps they did, and it was simply too hard for them to take.¡± Tinuriel looked back at the bridge, then up to the walls, and nodded, ¡°Those forces did in fact siege.¡± She pointed to several hard-to-see divots that were taken out of the wall by some type of launched object. They were difficult to see due to years of grime, but the citadel suffered some form of assault. The main gate was a traditional medieval setup ¨C a portcullis that could be raised or lowered, an inner chamber that could be assaulted from above, and a large, metal set of doors on the other side of the chamber. Felix spotted some shadow moving up above, immediately used Detect Hostiles, using extra Anima to fuel the radius. Anima 60 / 90 He saw four, enormous forms up above them on the wall ¨C some prone, and one beginning to move around. Lowering his voice to a whisper, he informed his allies. ¡°There¡¯s giant things above us.¡± Roy glanced up, ¡°The goblins mentioned an Ogre King,¡± he replied at the same volume. Tinuriel slowly unsheathed her weapon, prompting Roy to do the same. Felix pulled out his bow. ¡°Can you convince them to re-accept you?¡± Tinuriel asked as she walked towards the portcullis. ¡°It hasn¡¯t been working,¡± Roy muttered. He glanced between his two allies. ¡°We can go in the sally-port. It¡¯s around the side.¡± He gestured to a tiny walkway that could barely fit a single person, to the left of the main bridge. ¡°I¡¯ve got a better idea,¡± Felix replied. ¡°You two can do this whole sally port side entrance, and I can get inside through the main gate.¡± Tinuriel frowned, ¡°If you fly over, they¡¯ll spot you.¡± Felix smiled, ¡°I won¡¯t fly.¡± He looked to Roy, ¡°In traditional medieval style, sally ports are locked from the inside, yes?¡± The Dark Lord nodded, ¡°You¡¯d have to make a lot of noise to break it down then.¡± This gave Roy pause for a moment and he nodded, ¡°Very well. We¡¯ll continue to the other entrance. You do whatever it is you are going to do to unlock it for us.¡± He knelt and using the dust and dirt, traced out a small map of the main courtyard and the entrance Felix was looking for. As Felix stood up, Tinuriel grabbed him and kissed him deeply. ¡°Try not to die.¡± ¡°I promise,¡± Felix snuck back the way they had come and looked up to the top of the wall. ¡°Shadestep.¡± Vigor 50 / 170 He teleported to the crenellation below the wall, gripping it with his hands and gently pulling himself up. He saw the gold-limned humanoids that were each the size of a telephone pole, laying prone on makeshift beds made from various debris and detritus. Their skin was thick and leathery, and they were wearing metal armor that had been cobbled together from existing sets. Pulling himself over, he saw his first view into the courtyard. What once may have been filled with expansive gardens and ornate fountains was instead desiccated and cracked. The fountains had long been smashed. Thinking of getting some stealth kills? They haven¡¯t attacked me yet. I don¡¯t feel comfortable preemptively striking things that haven¡¯t shown hostility. Fair point. Good thing you¡¯re not losing your morals. Felix got to the stairs and descended them, his Ghostwalk ensuring he would not wake the sleeping ogres. The tunnel Roy had shown on the map was easy enough to find, and he made his way to the sally port door. It was locked as he suspected ¨C a pair of beams crossed over the top and bottom right where the hinges lined up. He gently lifted them off and set them down ¨C having learned his lesson from earlier with his fight against the merfolk. He opened the door and his two allies came inside. [Experience Awarded = 15] ¡°Four up top, I didn¡¯t see anything else. They were all fast asleep.¡± Tinuriel nodded and glanced at Roy, ¡°Where to?¡± ¡°My throne is not assembled; it is split into three parts.¡± He knelt and glanced at the two, ¡°Got anything to draw with?¡± Lucifer? Mind buying some? Am I just your glorified delivery service now? Lucifer chuckled. Joking. I have a whole VBV to run in your absence. And those goblins are very rambunctious. Oh, it¡¯ll cost 1 VC. A moment later, Felix was holding a composition book and a ballpoint pen. He handed both to Roy, who gave him a questioning look before Felix demonstrated how to write with it. Roy traced out a map of the citadel. He circled three locations, ¡°My throne is the beacon of my power. Whoever is sitting on it has their power amplified greatly. Hence, why I split it into parts.¡± He pointed to the main throne room, ¡°One piece I keep there. The base of it. Too heavy to move easily.¡± He pointed to a large tower ¨C the highest point on the map. ¡°This is my quarters. I kept the headpiece in there.¡± He then pointed to the lowest place on the map, ¡°And this is in the vault, the middle section.¡±This tale has been pilfered from Royal Road. If found on Amazon, kindly file a report. Tinuriel frowned, ¡°You want us to split up?¡± Roy glanced between the two, ¡°It would be faster, but that¡¯s up to you two. Felix is stealthy, so it might make sense for him to go off on his own.¡± Felix nodded, ¡°I can do that. You two can keep each other safe, and we¡¯ll meet in the throne room.¡± Roy nodded, ¡°Tinuriel and I will take the vault, then. I have to use my Magic to open it.¡± ¡°Which leaves me with your old quarters.¡± Felix looked down at the map and did his best to commit it to memory. Lucifer, how are you with memorizing stuff like this? Already done. Felix smiled, ¡°Okay then. Let¡¯s get to work.¡± ¡°Wait.¡± Roy looked at Felix with a stern expression, ¡°The door to my chambers is a magical item. It will ask you a series of riddles you must solve. They are random and meant to test your intelligence.¡± ¡°Is there any way to bypass it?¡± Felix asked. Roy shook his head, ¡°None. Some nights I would sleep in the throne room or a guest suite because I couldn¡¯t figure out the riddles. You get a reset once every day.¡± ¡°I think I¡¯ll manage.¡± The trio made their way to the courtyard and to the main inner doors. Felix saw the golden spindle on the edge of his vision that denoted a trap and paused the group. He was able to disable the pressure plate easily enough, and then slowly pushed the door open ¨C just enough for them to squeeze through before gently shutting it behind them. They were in a dark entry hall. Hallways forked off in either direction, a set of double doors stood in front of them, and two sets of stairs flanked the doors ¨C one set going up, the other going down. Roy and Tinuriel went to the right set and began their descent, while Felix began to climb. He went up to the first landing ¨C the floor the throne room was also on ¨C and saw a set of ornate, carved, wooden doors that depicted the Dark Lord¡¯s journey. It mirrored what Roy had told them before. The handles were gone, and Felix peered through the hole, his sight sublimating to Lucifer¡¯s red dark vision as he peered into the gloom. There was a monolithic marble foundation to a throne upon a raised dais. A shoddy wooden seat had been ramshackle together atop it. Below it was a pair of beds that were thrown together to allow an even bigger ogre to sleep atop it. Felix used Shadestep to enter the room. Anima 64 / 90 Vigor 49 / 170 The figure did not stir, and he went to a shattered door behind the throne that would lead him up to the Dark Lord¡¯s quarters. The first few feet of the stairs were scratched and broken up ¨C as if someone tried to reach in but could not get any more into the small space. He jumped past the broken stairs and ascended, encountering several traps which he quickly disabled. Reaching the top he found a locked door. It was made of a silvery metal and a face appeared on it. ¡°In forests deep, where shadows play, / I dance and flicker, night and day. / I¡¯m born of fire, yet fear its touch, / In darkness, I¡¯m the light¡¯s sweet clutch. / What am I?¡± Felix put his hand to his chin. Forests deep and where shadows play, so darkness of some type. Dancing and flickering night and day could be fireflies. Born of fire makes sense with that as well because fire is in the name. I love riddles. This could be a candle. But then why talk about the forest? It has to be something in nature. Plus, a candle isn¡¯t afraid because it''s not living. Do fireflies come out during the day? I don¡¯t know. Query the System? Checking¡­some types are out during day and night. But would this door know something like that? Probably not. I mean¡­it¡¯s a magic door. You have to leave behind some logic. ¡°Firefly,¡± Felix said with slight hesitation. ¡°Correct.¡± The face warped and became a different one. ¡°A crown of silver, a blade of gold, / I¡¯m wielded by the brave and bold. / In battle¡¯s heat, I sing and gleam, / a warrior¡¯s dream, a nightmare¡¯s scream. / What am I?¡± Oh, this one is tough. Felix leaned against the wall behind him. Crown of silver and blade of gold means that it could be someone wearing a crown and wielding a sword. But the third line implies that it is used in battle, and no sane person would fight with a gold sword. Again, MAGIC. Right¡­Okay. Start over. It¡¯s wielded, so it can¡¯t be a person¡­are items that can talk to people a thing on Heficyre? Querying System¡­Nope, no intelligent items. Okay. ¡®In battle¡¯s heat I sing and gleam¡¯ means it has to be something that sings when swung, like a sword. A warrior dreams of a good sword, and if you fight on a battlefield, you scream at the memory of it. ¡°It¡¯s a sword,¡± Felix said confidently. ¡°Correct.¡± The face warped again and became a different one once more. This one was much longer. ¡°In realms of old where magic thrives, / I hide beneath the moonlit skies. / A cloak of shadows, silent tread, / I dwell where mortal feet dare dread. / My form is fluid, ever-changing, / In darkness deep, forever ranging. / In dreams, I¡¯m feared, a haunting sight, / Yet in the day, I vanish from sight. / What am I?¡± ¡°A nightmare.¡± ¡°Correct.¡± The door clicked and swung open. How¡¯d you get that last one so fast? The second half was a dead giveaway. In dreams, I¡¯m feared ¨C that was the indicator. [Experience Awarded = 10] The chamber beyond the door was a large circle. A fancy, four-poster bed with a mirror above it was in the center of the room. Around the outside was an empty armor and weapon display, a wardrobe, a writing desk, and a small bookshelf. ¡°Detect Object.¡± Anima 53 / 90 The golden line shot out to the desk. Going over and inspecting under it, he found a hidden trapdoor in the ground. There was a trap which he disabled with ease before he pulled open the door. It led to a small ladder. Descending, he arrived in a chamber directly under the bedroom with no other entrance or exit. In front of him was a pair of chests. He opened the one with the line leading to it on the left, picking the lock and opening it to find an ornate, three-foot-wide by two-foot tall, grey marble piece of rock that was polished and had two pegs sticking out of the bottom. Must be the headpiece. He put it into his inventory. The other chest piqued his interest, and he picked the lock on that one as well, opening it to reveal a book and a dagger. The dagger was made of the same silvery metal as the door up above, and when he touched the hilt, it blazed with Netherlight and Hellfire, whilst dimly glowing gold. As he pulled his hand away, the mixed light faded. ¡°Detect Properties.¡± He also utilized Vigor Conversion to offset the cost, keeping his bars in middling values. Vigor 39 / 170 [Item Description: Channeling Dagger] [This weapon can be affected by multiple weapon-enhancing Magic/Power effects at the same time.] ¡°That¡¯s cool,¡± he muttered. He equipped it and put the old knife he first got on the Death World into his inventory. He opened the small book and immediately shut it once he realized it was a journal. Not going to snoop through his thoughts? Felix put that into his inventory. No. He¡¯ll share what he wants to share. I trust him as an ally. Lucifer seemingly smirked at him in his thoughts. Good. You¡¯re making the same decisions I would. ¡°Are you testing me?¡± Felix whispered. I¡¯m always evaluating you. I¡¯m a part of you now. If I see you start going down a bad path, I¡¯m going to try and redirect you. I don¡¯t want guilt by proxy. Just watching out for yourself, eh? Watching out for you. If you start doing messed up stuff, you may get in more trouble with the Administrator. There was a pause and a sigh. But, yes. I don¡¯t want to be on his shit list if I can help it. Felix put the journal into his inventory and crept back up the ladder, exiting and going down the stairs. He paused before entering the throne room ¨C the creature inside was stirring. Staying put, he watched as the enormous ogre stood up with a large stretch and yawn before stepping down the dais and exiting the main doors. As he flung the main doors open, Felix saw Roy step aside and dodge the swinging door. But Tinuriel was carrying an enormous chunk of stone, and she was flung away. Felix heard the sickening crunch as the stone she was carrying crushed her. Ch. 29 – Dirge (V) No! Felix ran over as Roy pulled his sword and engaged the ogre. He was heedless of the swinging club, and thanks to the Dark Lord occupying the enormous combatant, Felix was able to squeeze by without being noticed. He pulled the chunk of rock off Tinuriel and felt sick to his stomach. Her face and torso were caved in, and he saw foaming, bubbling blood. He immediately retrieved a Health Elixir and pushed it into her mouth. Lucifer, pop all my Vigor Elixirs and one Anima Elixir. Health 170 / 170 Anima 83 / 90 Vigor 39 / 170 You¡¯re out of Vigor Elixirs. ¡°Then Health Elixirs will have to do,¡± Felix muttered. He had wanted to use his new Fallen Angel Class Skill to help heal her faster, but this would suffice for now. Her wounds were beginning to rejuvenate, and her body was slowly un-crushing itself. He pushed another Health Elixir into her mouth, tipping it back. ¡°I¡¯m not losing you,¡± he whispered. Glancing up, he saw Roy fighting the ogre ¨C who he finally noticed was wearing a crown ¨C and struggling mightily against the foe. Felix dragged Tinuriel off to the side, pushing her into the corner. She blinked her eyes as consciousness returned, and she tried to move. ¡°No, don¡¯t. Stay.¡± Felix put his last Health Elixir into her hand before he turned, pulling out and socketing a charge into the Photon Blade. He ran up to the Ogre King, jumping with his massive Might Stat before kipping off the wall to be at its neck level. Execution, he thought as he channeled all his anger at Tinuriel¡¯s injury into his strike. Vigor 34 / 170 The blade sliced cleanly through the Ogre King¡¯s neck, and his head slipped to the side as the body fell. Felix landed in a roll next to Roy as he ejected the Photon-Blade Charge, swapped to his daggers, and peeked out the door into the courtyard. ¡°The four on the gate are coming. We use the door to funnel them. Netherlight Arena.¡± Anima 33 / 90 The whole room was shrouded in a grey-silver light that blurred their forms. Roy threw open the doors and held his sword aloft, ¡°Your King is dead. The Dark Lord has returned! Kneel!¡± The ogres continued moving toward the gate, picking up enormous halberds and maces. ¡°Worth a try.¡± He backed away into the entry hall to coax them in. Felix stood just beside the doors, waiting to strike, knives at the ready. A bolt of blue-yellow lightning zapped through the doorway and struck Roy. He tensed up, gritting his teeth, before sagging slightly and using his sword as a support. They have a Magic user? Felix glanced back at the Dark Lord and cursed, switching back to the Photon-Blade and socketing another charge. ¡°You owe me,¡± he muttered as he turned the corner and stood in the doorway. He saw the one in the back that had used the lightning Magic, and three were closing into melee range ¨C two with clubs taking the lead, and the one with the halberd behind them. A tactical move. And one that did not matter. ¡°Dragon Dance.¡± Vigor 4 / 170 Felix ran between the legs of one of the ogres, slicing it in half from below and bisecting it up to the chest. The Photon-Blade hilt began to burn him. Rapidly swapping charges, he dashed sideways and carved across the midsection of another as its guts and entrails spilled out. The hilt glowed white-hot, dealing damage to him as his skin started to melt and char. The blade sputtered and began to fluctuate wildly. Just one more hit. The Dragon Dance came to an end as he sliced through the midsection of the last melee ogre. And then the Photon Blade exploded. Felix was thrown backward into one of the shattered fountains as the blue flames engulfed him and his skin burned so quickly that he couldn¡¯t even feel the pain. His spine shattered and his head sank with a sickening crunch into the stonework. His (P) Final Stand activated and prevented him from dying. Health 1 / 170 Anima 33 / 90 Vigor 4 / 170 Using Regenerate. Stay down. Play dead. Lucifer''s voice in his head was the most panicked Felix had ever heard him be. Health 5 / 170 Vigor 0 / 170 Felix lay still ¨C playing dead ¨C as his skin slowly healed over. He was in excruciating pain and it took every ounce of willpower to just lay still instead of writhing about in agony. Roy ran out of the citadel and charged the ogre mage, screaming in rage as his sword blazed with grey-silver light. The mage summoned a bolt of lightning from the skies that descended and smote him ¨C but the Dark Lord shook off the blow and finished closing the distance. He carved deep gashes across the ogre and cut out its legs from under it, before going in to stab the throat. He ran over to Felix, ¡°Damn. Are you alive?¡± His body was burned by the lightning bolt, and the silver-grey light surrounding him slowly healed his body. Felix let out a pained noise and tried to raise his arm ¨C only to see to his horror that his arm was barely attached. ¡°Lev¡­¡± [Experience Awarded = 40] [Experience Bonus from Execution Skill = 10] Level¡­up¡­Netherlight. Right. Netherlight Myrmidon. [Selection Made: Netherlight Myrmidon] Netherlight Myrmidon (Advanced) Requirement: Croe Level 5, Netherlight Affinity +2 Might, +2 Agility, +2 Body, +2 Endurance Netherlight Mantle Netherlight Cohort (Level 5) Netherlight Vestige (Level 10) Netherlight CrusadeUnauthorized duplication: this narrative has been taken without consent. Report sightings. [You now have access to several Class Skills] Netherlight Mantle 10 Vigor per minute Causes any damage suffered to be applied to Anima before Health. Netherlight Cohort 30 Vigor Allows designated creatures within line of sight or within audible range to use Netherlight Mantle for up to 10 minutes, using their own Vigor to fuel the Skill. Finalize¡­Felix felt his body go flush, like he had been submerged into a warm bath. His arms snapped back into place, vertebrae in his back mended themselves, and his skin grew back.
Name Felix Winters
Designation Versewalker
Core Level 15
EXP 602 / 675
Class Warrior 1, Animancer 1, Rogue 1, Fallen Angel 10, Whisperfang 1, Netherlight Myrmidon 1
Might 15
Agility 18
Capacity 14
Mind 17
Body 19
Soul 9
Endurance 19
Equipped Weapon (M) Wyrmtooth Knife (MH) / Channeling Dagger (OH)
Equipped Weapon (R) Hardlight Recurve
Equipped Armor Absorbing Dragonscale Leathers
Equipped Affinities Detection, Hellfire, Netherlight
Equipped Skills Affinity Empowerment, Regenerate (Rank 2), Execution, Ghostwalk, Fallen Flight, Vigor Conversion, Shadestep, Beacon of Free Will, Inviolable Will, Dragon Dance, For the Hoard!, Rebel Against All Odds, Netherlight Mantle, Netherlight Cohort
Talents (P) Multiverse Adaptation (A) Aggressive Alchemy (P) Like a Cat (P) Final Stand (A) Show Mercy (A) Universe Selector (P) Sneak Attack (P) Craftsman (P) Dungeon Delver (P) Slayer (P) Endless Bags (P) Chain Kill (P) Multiverse Survivor
Health 190 / 190
Anima 90 / 90
Vigor 190 / 190
Felix stood up and ran past Roy to the inside of the citadel. He dashed to Tinuriel. She was staring at the floor and looked up at him as he knelt next to her, ¡°I thought I lost you.¡± She maintained her stoic demeanor, but he could tell that she was barely holding back a torrent of some sorrowful emotion. He¡¯d seen the same layered emotions in his sister when she tried to put on a brave face at the hospital. He knew the look of someone hiding pain and misery. He saw it every day on Earth when he looked in the mirror when he had to keep putting on a brave face for the world when he was just done with life on the inside. Instead of speaking, he just sat next to her and held her. ¡°I know how you¡¯re feeling,¡± he whispered. Tinuriel leaned her head into him, and she sniffled as she spoke, ¡°I¡­I should have died.¡± Felix just shushed her, and they sat there in silence.
Some time passed and Roy came inside, coughing to make his presence known. ¡°I¡­I hope you two have had enough time.¡± Felix looked over to Tinuriel who nodded and pushed herself up. Felix did the same. ¡°What now?¡± Roy pointed at the blood-covered slab that almost killed Tinuriel, ¡°That has to go on the throne base. Then the headpiece you recovered.¡± Felix reached into his inventory and pulled out the journal, handing it to him, ¡°This is yours. I also found a dagger-¡± ¡°Keep it,¡± Roy said as he ran his thumb along the pages before putting the journal into his hip pouch. ¡°Thank you for finding this.¡± Roy went over to the slab and with Felix¡¯s help, they muscled it into the throne room and socketed the stone nubs into the piece on the dais. Felix pulled the last part from his inventory and slotted it on top. Roy sat down and set his sword across his lap. ¡°Finally¡­I¡¯m back home.¡± [Crisis: Heficyre ¨C Revive the Dark Lord on Dirge, the Dark Lord¡¯s Desolation (Tier 4) ¨C Solved!] [You have earned a Multiverse Charge] Roy smiled, ¡°My thanks to you two, my champions.¡± Tinuriel remained silent, just grabbing Felix¡¯s arm. ¡°You¡¯re welcome. What¡¯s so special about the throne?¡± Felix asked. ¡°This.¡± Roy slid his sword point-down into a hidden socket, and the throne exploded with silver-grey light. It blasted through the windows behind the throne ¨C long since shattered ¨C and cascaded up. Felix imagined it surrounded the whole castle. ¡°This is a beacon that amplifies my power,¡± Roy stated. ¡°It was the magnum opus of my first life. The sword contains my offensive power, the armor my defensive power. The throne, however, amplifies my ability to rule.¡± ¡°You don¡¯t mean, like, enslavement Magic, right?¡± Felix clarified. ¡°No mind control. Netherlight ¨C what you term the combination of light and dark ¨C is meant to protect and safeguard. You should be able to protect those you count among your allies. This throne allows me to do it on a much grander scale. And¡± he smiled, ¡°I can use this as a beacon.¡± The entire world went silvery-white as the Dark Lord¡¯s power exploded out from the throne. ¡°The whole Tier will be limned with my fusion of light and dark. When it has spread to encompass all here, I will make my decree.¡± ¡°Neat,¡± Lucifer said aloud, sounding intrigued. ¡°I would ask you, Felix Winters the Versewalker, to fulfill your oath with access to your VBV here in my throne room.¡± Lucifer, mind explaining how this will work? Sure. Multiversal Charges can take you to new Universes. They can also be used in Universes you¡¯ve already visited to make an access portal. For example, if you were to go back to that Death World and go back to that downed mech, you could then use a Multiversal Charge and get to either the weird acid-rain generator, where we left from the first time, or to that downed mech. Let¡¯s plan this out then. Since I have three, I can establish one here which is kind of in the middle of the Tiers. I¡¯m going to use one on the first Tier. I should use the third in Tinuriel¡¯s realm. That way I have a good ¡®spread¡¯ of the Tiers to access if I need it. And, we have two more Crises to solve. I¡¯ll ensure we save one in reserve, so we don¡¯t lock ourselves out of Multiversal Charges. Felix looked up to Roy, ¡°I will do so.¡± Okay¡­spend it. Done! A grey portal opened next to the throne. ¡°My thanks,¡± Roy said. ¡°I need to stay here for several weeks. For now, this is where we part ways¡­my friends.¡± Felix walked up and held out his hand to shake. Roy grabbed it by the forearm instead and pulled him into an awkward hug. ¡°This wouldn¡¯t have been possible without you, Felix. If you ever need someone to consult on matters of military or help running your personal kingdom, let me know.¡± Felix pulled away, ¡°Of course. And I hope you¡¯ll offer those who flock to your banner the option to dwell in my VBV.¡± Roy nodded and cracked a smile, ¡°You should really come up with a different name.¡± Tinuriel walked up behind Felix and grabbed his hand with hers. ¡°May we go inside? I want to talk.¡± Felix nodded, ¡°We¡¯ll check in with you occasionally. Do you want us to tell Melanie-¡± The princess ran out of the portal from the VBV and hugged Roy, ¡°You did it!¡± Roy chuckled and glanced at Felix, ¡°I think we¡¯re good. I¡¯ll send her back inside later.¡± Felix nodded and Tinuriel pulled him through the portal.
Lucifer extricated himself from Felix when they got inside. He rubbed his temples, ¡°Okay you two. Have fun or whatever. I have to go deal with some feuding goblin clans.¡± He unfurled his wings and flew off. Tinuriel pulled Felix towards his house, ¡°What did you want to talk about?¡± ¡°Wait until we are inside,¡± she whispered just loud enough for him to hear. When the front door had closed, she broke down crying and practically flung herself at Felix as he was pinned against the door by her size. She was crying on his shoulder and shaking. ¡°I¡­I almost¡­d-d-died.¡± Her voice was tremulous and filled with a mix of regret, sorrow, and despair. Felix used his new Might score to lift and carry her ¨C much to her sudden shock ¨C and put her into the bathtub. ¡°A warm bath helps with sad emotions.¡± He helped her get out of the armor and just sat next to her, holding her hand as the tub filled with water. She glanced at him questioningly, but her entire body expressed fear. ¡°I¡¯m serious. It helps.¡± She wiped some of her tears away, ¡°I¡­I am not weak.¡± She stared at him resolutely, ¡°I am not weak.¡± Her voice still trembled. ¡°No one said you were,¡± he gently brushed her hair with his fingers. ¡°It¡¯s okay to be afraid of death. Or near death. Hell, I almost died, and I have died twice now. I just got lucky with that first time.¡± She took a few deep breaths trying to calm herself and steel her nerves. As the warm water slowly rose, and he continued to assure her with soft affirmations, she calmed down. ¡°¡­I had¡­a question.¡± Felix nodded, ¡°Go ahead.¡± ¡°Would you keep me around?¡± ¡°I assume you mean keep you here in the VBV?¡± Tinuriel nodded. ¡°Yes. Absolutely. There¡¯s a special reward if we can clear the last two Crises on Heficyre. A way to make you stronger. To level up like I do.¡± Her eyes went wide, and she faintly smiled, ¡°That¡­that sounds good.¡± ¡°Plus I was going to use a Multiversal Charge to make a portal from Avelion to my VBV here-¡± ¡°No.¡± Tinuriel cut him off. ¡°This realm you¡¯re building is going to welcome everyone, right?¡± Felix nodded, ¡°Then you don¡¯t want my people here. They are too disinclined to other races.¡± ¡°Are you sure? Remember all the knowledge you gained when you first came here. I mean, you were against me as a traveling companion when we first met. And now look at us.¡± She went silent for a moment and sunk into the water before coming back up and wiping the hair from her face. ¡°Okay. I trust you.¡± Felix smiled and splashed her playfully before standing up, ¡°Enjoy your soak. I¡¯m going to rest up. We go up the Tiers tomorrow.¡±
As Felix lay in bed, Tinuriel draped across his torso, his mind flashed back through each of his near-death or actual-death experiences. He vividly recalled each, and mentally ran through every decision he could have made that might have altered the course of events. The night was sleepless as he ran scenario after scenario trying to figure out what he could have done better. This last (P) Final Stand was reckless. He shouldn¡¯t have pushed the weird science-fiction sword to its limits like that. He should have used Detect Weakness first. Then, a Hellfire Beam on the caster to drain his Anima. After the first two kills with the remaining charges of the sword, he could have swapped to the daggers and relied on his (P) Chain Kill and the knowledge of the weak spots to ensure he finished the fight. I need to fight smarter. I don¡¯t want to keep getting that close to death. I also need to stock up on way more Elixirs, and maybe see if I can get an Affinity like Healing now that I¡¯m at a higher Core Level. He pushed himself back into the pillows and snuggled up on Tinuriel, looking forward to the next day and some calm travel across Dirge and up the Tiers. Ch. 30 – Mercantus (I) Morning came and Felix extricated himself from Tinuriel¡¯s grasp. He was still trying to figure out her sleep schedule. Having to only sleep two hours must be nice. More time for productivity. You could set a Function to make it so that sleep is not necessary. Could, but will not. I like my dreams. Felix walked over to the Shop and spent quite a bit of money. He did not want to risk not being prepared enough ever again. He had learned that lesson the hard way. Spend more now, and ensure no death later.
[Items purchased] + Health Elixir (x5) - 2500 VC + Anima Elixir (x5) - 2500 VC + Vigor Elixir (x5) - 2500 VC [Monies Paid] = 7500 VC [Current Balance] = 8456 VC
He also looked through the various Affinities he could purchase. Affinities that could be used primarily in an offensive method ¨C like Lightning or Fire were around 10,000 VC. Healing was 20,000 VC. Looks like I¡¯ll be saving up for that for quite a while. He spent a little on some good breakfast food and went back to his house, setting up a small table and putting out the food as Tinuriel sat upright at the sudden noise. ¡°Good morning,¡± Felix said gently. Tinuriel got up and stretched, ¡°Good morning.¡± She came over and sat down, ¡°This is some type of crisp, golden bread?¡± ¡°Waffles. And you pour this over them,¡± Felix poured plenty of syrup for her before handing her a fork. The two dug in, and he felt intense joy at seeing her face switch between delight and ravening hunger for more. May I come in? Yeah. Lucifer walked in the house and stood next to the two, ¡°We have a problem.¡± ¡°What kind?¡± Felix asked as he wiped his mouth. ¡°The kind that requires you to decide. Here¡¯s the short of it: the goblins have experienced a schism of sorts. About half of them want to stay here, and the other half want to go serve the Dark Lord on Heficyre.¡± ¡°Seems easy enough, we¡¯ll just take them out with us today.¡± Lucifer nodded, ¡°I was going to do that, but like I said, you make the big decisions.¡± He left and the two finished their food before gearing up and getting ready to go. Lucifer flew back over and merged with Felix, and they entered the portal to Dirge on Heficyre, goblins in tow. They emerged in a very clean and in the process of being repaired throne room. Several ogres that looked like the ones fought the day prior were doing most of the masonry work, and initially, Felix was on edge, but seeing Roy on the throne with Melanie, he relaxed. Melanie waved them over, ¡°Hey! What do you think?¡± Tinuriel glanced warily at the surrounding monstrous humanoids, ¡°It¡¯s¡­nice.¡± Roy chuckled, ¡°I see you have some goblins following. Why?¡± ¡°Some wanted to stay, some wanted to be with you,¡± Lucifer said, the voice emanating from just behind and above Felix. Roy nodded and began giving orders which the goblins quickly carried out. They seemed at ease with the ogres and went about their assigned tasks. ¡°I will be working on repairs and outreach for some time. I hope your VBV can accommodate large numbers.¡± ¡°It will increase in size based upon our needs.¡± ¡°Good. Melanie is going to stay here for a while. Lucifer, are you able to know when she is or is not in the VBV?¡± ¡°Yes. When we are close to Ethdellin, I¡¯ll ask her to stay in the VBV so we can pick her up.¡± Roy nodded, ¡°Then I wish you both safe travels. You¡¯re always welcome here. The horses were brought into the stables. Dirge will be safe for you to travel through. Once more, the Tier is under my control.¡± Tinuriel nodded and Felix followed her, waving goodbye to the princess and future queen of Ethdellin, and the Dark Lord arisen. The two found the stables with ease, and an ogre trudged out handing them the reins. Beginning out on the bridge, Felix felt a sense of calm and peace wash over him. The silver-grey light of Roy¡¯s power was flowing in streams through the sky above. The bridge ahead was in the process of being repaired. Some of the work being done by ogres, and down below in the water, merfolk. But the silver light was also working ¨C slowly ¨C to rebuild and even purify the waters of the swamp.
The two made good pace, traversing Dirge in only a few days before they arrived at the stairs to the next Tier. The ascent was slow, taking a whole day as the horses slowly trudged upward, but soon enough they crested it and arrived in Mercantus, the Merchant Monopolis. In front of them was a large corral-like set of walls facing inward, and there were ranged weapons trained on them. A booming voice came from above ¨C a woman¡¯s voice. ¡°Halt! Who are you?¡± Felix activated his Fallen Flight, ¡°I¡¯m a Versewalker. I¡¯m here to fix a Crisis.¡± Fallen Flight 10 Vigor per minute Grows four wings that allow for flight. The woman¡¯s voice returned almost immediately, ¡°Ah, we¡¯ve heard of you. One moment.¡± The gates ponderously opened into a large, walled corridor ¨C a kill zone ¨C that ended in another set of doors. Felix urged his mount through and Tinuriel followed right behind. The doors behind them shut, and the ones in front opened. Felix¡¯s jaw dropped at what he saw. An enormous city that was built with bridges that bent upward to allow for the crisscrossing river traffic as large barges made their way from place to place. The buildings were several stories high, squat workshops, gorgeous boutiques¡­all manner of shops and facilities all interspersed amongst each other. In the distance, he could see a lift that went up to the next Tier ¨C several lifts that ferried goods and people up and down. ¡°Versewalker, a moment please.¡± The same female voice from at the top of the wall sounded off behind him, and Felix looked back. She had copper-colored skin as if she tanned frequently, sharp, hawkish features, and most prominent ¨C a ruby carved into an artificial eye. ¡°I¡¯m Ximena Lazlor, Watch Commander. May we have a word?¡±If you discover this tale on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen. Please report the violation. ¡°Sure. Where can we put the horses?¡± ¡°This way,¡± she waved them to follow her, and they went to a small set of stables next to the gate structure they had come through. ¡°Normally these are for official visitors. But I think we can make an exception for a Versewalker. Your reputation precedes you.¡± Felix dismounted and Tinuriel hopped off right after, ¡°I hope it¡¯s a good reputation.¡± She chuckled, ¡°Yes. You figured out how to stop a collapse. And you helped stop a rebellion.¡± She turned to him with a quizzical eyebrow raised. ¡°But you just came up from a Tier that has been flowing with silver light. What happened there?¡± ¡°I solved a Crisis.¡± ¡°Mmm. Alright.¡± Ximena looked Tinuriel up and down, ¡°And you brought a bodyguard.¡± Tinuriel just stared at the woman, not betraying any hint of emotion or reaction. She leaned next to Felix, ¡°I don¡¯t trust her,¡± she whispered. Felix leaned up, ¡°I agree, but we should just play nice.¡± He looked back to Ximena and smiled, ¡°Yes, she¡¯s my muscle.¡± ¡°Mhmm. Do you know the nature of the Crisis you are here to solve?¡± ¡°I know of several,¡± Felix replied. ¡°Well, let me add one to your plate. We have had an issue with thieves taking food from the stockpiles. Bad for business. If you can solve that, I¡¯ll make it worth your while.¡± ¡°How much?¡± ¡°Ten thousand coins.¡± ¡°And you just want to find the ones responsible?¡± She nodded. ¡°Done. I can find them now if you like. Do you have men who can follow?¡± Her eyes went wide in surprise, and she stumbled over her words for a moment. ¡°I suppose.¡± She went off for a few moments coming back with a squad of ten men, dressed in very neat uniforms that reminded Felix of the Swiss Guard, just more heavily armored and less flamboyant. ¡°You can get us to them now?¡± ¡°Detect Object,¡± Felix muttered, raising his hand. Anima 60 / 90 The golden line shot out in front of him, and Felix led the way, Tinuriel right behind him and these Watchmen following. Their path went across several bridges, through alleyways, through marketplaces ¨C a whole plethora of Victorian-esque era buildings, well-dressed people, and to his dismay, some poorer folks who were not nearly as well-off. The upper, middle, and lower classes seemed to all reside in the same areas, intermingled, but there was a definite class division. He led them to a tavern, where the line ended. ¡°This is the place,¡± he said as he gestured to Ximena. She waved the Watchmen in and looked at Felix, ¡°Handy trick.¡± ¡°Tell me more about this Tier.¡± ¡°Mercantus is home to merchants of all ilk. We primarily trade with the farmlands of Invictus for our food stores. This Tier is home to craftsmen, inventors, and those who are aspiring to ascend to Ethdellin.¡± She leaned against the wall as the sounds of some tussle echoed out from the building. ¡°Fat chance of that, though. Only the bigwigs get to go up there. And good luck with the whole succession Crisis. Is that one of the problems you¡¯re here to solve?¡± ¡°It is,¡± Felix replied. ¡°Oh, well, in that case.¡± She pulled out a small notepad, some type of steampunk-inspired pen, and jotted a note, ripping the page out and handing it to him, ¡°This is the address for the Watch Investigator branch. They¡¯re trying to solve a murder of real royalty. It¡¯s¡­a mess. It¡¯s a political hot potato, and no one wants to get involved.¡± ¡°What about the reward?¡± Tinuriel asked. ¡°The ten thousand? I can have it to you by the end of the day. There¡¯s an inn across the street from the Watch Investigator branch. Nice place, with good beds, and beer. I¡¯ll have one of the lads deliver it there.¡± She stood up and held out a hand. Felix shook it, as did Tinuriel. ¡°Thanks for tracking down this place. Hopefully, the food thefts will stop. Oh, pay any urchin you see around a few coins, and they¡¯ll get you to where you need to go.¡± ¡°Thanks,¡± Felix said as he turned with Tinuriel. The two walked down the street a short distance before he heaved a sigh, ¡°I don¡¯t like this place,¡± he said. ¡°It is too¡­artificial,¡± Tinuriel replied. ¡°There is no nature. There are no trees. It is a cold place.¡± Felix spotted a few children who looked rather dirty and were dressed in ratty clothes. He approached with a kind smile, ¡°Hey kids. Any of you want to help us find a place?¡± The trio of children looked at him before one of them raised his hand, ¡°I can, mister.¡± Felix pulled out 10 VC and as he held it in his hand, the coins were converted to the local currency. ¡°How¡¯s this much sound?¡± The boy¡¯s eyes went wide, and he nodded, ¡°Thank you, mister! Where do you need to go?¡± Felix handed the boy the slip and he nodded, waving to his two friends to join him as they led the duo into the depths of the city.
The canals and narrow streets made for a very relaxing walk, but everywhere Felix looked, he saw the discrepancy of the various classes. The children did not seem to mind ¨C poor playing with the middle class, a few rich children more ornately and finely dressed mixed in-between. It seemed that despite the class division here, people were happy. That doesn¡¯t make a ton of sense, he thought. Seeing the affluence of the upper classes normally foments dissent rather than camaraderie. Tinuriel squeezed his hand gently, turning his attention to her. ¡°This is weird,¡± she muttered. ¡°They have no weaponry save for those Watch people.¡± And she was right; Felix and her were the only armed people on the streets, which warranted several glances and outright staring. Their three guides didn¡¯t seem to mind much at all, and one of the girls even asked if they could carry her because her feet hurt. Tinuriel complied and lifted the girl onto one shoulder, carrying her like a pony keg. She grinned slightly as the kid complimented her pretty hair and eyes. The Watch Investigator branch was a large building that stood three stories in height with several balconies. An enormous spyglass symbol was worked in ornate and delicate bronze on the front of the building. The child leading them turned and pointed, ¡°There you go, mister!¡± Tinuriel put the girl down and she curtsied slightly before running off with the two other children. ¡°Should we get a room first?¡± Felix chuckled and pulled her to the inn across the street. This wasn¡¯t some medieval-styled inn or tavern like what he had encountered on the tiers below; this was set up like a hotel with a bar and caf¨¦ inside. The front room was well-appointed with well-dressed travelers from various Tiers eating and drinking. Some conversation stopped and faces turned as the two entered, and eyes warily watched the two as Felix led the way to a counter with a short, stout woman standing behind it. Her auburn locks waved back and forth as she leaned on the wooden furniture, ¡°Oi! What ken I do fer ye?¡± ¡°A room, please.¡± ¡°Name?¡± ¡°Felix Winters. Versewalker.¡± The woman¡¯s eyes widened, and she glanced around the room to see if anyone else had noticed what Felix had said. More eyes were glued to them. She let out a nervous laugh, ¡°Eh, prove it.¡± Fallen Flight. Felix¡¯s spectral wings manifested, and there were gasps and mutterings all around. ¡°I¡¯ll be damned. Versewalker, ey? Yer room be free.¡± She fished around under the desk before pulling out a key. ¡°Room ten.¡± Felix took the key and led Tinuriel upstairs as more muttered voices took up conversation. ¡°Was that wise?¡± she asked. He found the door to their room and slid the key home, ¡°Maybe not. But it¡¯s not like we didn¡¯t stand out already. Having some notoriety will help open doors for us.¡± He pushed open the door to the room. It faced the street, and a decent-sized window looked out upon the Investigator branch across the canal and over a small bridge. There was a good queen-sized bed, a dresser, a small lavatory, and a couch. Tinuriel pushed him onto the bed and began stripping off her armor.
After their short interlude, they left the hotel/tavern ¨C hearing many mutters and conversations about them ¨C as they went across the bridge over the canal. Felix pushed open the doors to the Investigator branch. The interior was a cool, black and silver aesthetic with intricate metal ornamentation all around. Two large windows much like a bank¡¯s teller windows were at the far end, and two people chatted idly behind them. Felix walked up and activated Fallen Flight once more, which instantly caught the two attendants¡¯ attention. ¡°I¡¯m Felix. Versewalker. I was sent by Ximena Lazlor to help solve a murder.¡± The man behind the glass nodded curtly, ¡°Is it true you stopped a Tier from collapsing?¡± Felix nodded and the man looked at his peer, ¡°Ha! You owe me dinner!¡± His counterpart, an older-looking gentleman, frowned and stroked his mustache. The attendant turned back to Felix, ¡°Right. We have a whole stack of murders-¡± ¡°Billiam III,¡± Tinuriel said sternly. The man¡¯s face went taught and he nodded, ¡°That¡¯s a special one. I have to get one of the investigators with you. Please, sit over there.¡± The two sat where instructed and less than a minute later, a very muscular man with a prominent weight-lifter gut came in through a door. He was almost bursting out of his uniform, an ornate dress jacket with a spyglass symbol on the front. ¡°You¡¯re the Versewalker, I presume? I¡¯m Investigator G.H.W.¡± he held out his hand, and Felix stood up to shake. ¡°Please, come upstairs to my office.¡± The duo followed the man upstairs and into what looked like a bullpen from old detective noir thriller movies. It was the same black and silver aesthetic, but several desks were set up with some form of renaissance typewriters, clacking away as other people dressed similarly to this G.H.W. fellow were filling out some type of documentation. The duo was led into a corner office and offered seats as the man sat behind the desk, tenting his fingers. ¡°You¡¯re here about the death of Billiam III, right?¡± ¡°That¡¯s correct,¡± Felix said. ¡°Tell us about it.¡± The man cleared his throat and went into a lengthy explanation. Billiam III, of the royal house Parslia Ventorus Remarda, was in Mercantus to purchase new supplies for his palace in Ethdellin. He was accompanied by a group of one hundred household guards, all armed and armored to the teeth, and a company of ten mages. He was staying in a very fancy hotel ¨C the Goldenwine Estate ¨C and the morning after he had arrived with his retinue, he was found dead in his room. His brother, William VIII, took the throne as his daughter had gone missing. We knew the brother was behind it already. Cowler Fent told us that. Felix knew that what they would have to do was detective work. Figure out how the crime was committed, who committed it, and then build a chain of evidence that led to Melanie¡¯s uncle. He nodded as the Investigator finished recounting the information. ¡°We¡¯ll try to figure out who was behind it and how it was done.¡± Ch. 31 – Mercantus (II) G.H.W. stood up and rummaged inside a drawer before producing two badges, ¡°I expect these back, but this will mark you as under our employment for now.¡± He frowned slightly, ¡°I know you have weapons ¨C I¡¯m going to ask you to not resort to using them. Weapons are strictly forbidden on Mercantus. We aren¡¯t going to take them from you but using them on civilians is prohibited.¡± ¡°And if they use weapons first?¡± Tinuriel asked. ¡°Try not to kill them.¡± Felix took the badges and gave one to Tinuriel, and they pinned them on their chests. ¡°Will do. Has the crime scene been touched?¡± ¡°Yes, here are the reports from our preliminary investigation. It went nowhere.¡± He handed Felix a stack of paper sandwiched between two thin wooden sheets bound together with a cord. ¡°The room is still sealed off, but it has been over six months since the crime was committed.¡± ¡°We¡¯re on it.¡± Felix stood up and Tinuriel followed him out. They went across the street back to the hotel and sat in the bar, ordering some food and drink as Felix pored over the reports. Tinuriel leaned over as well. In summary, Billiam III was found strangled to death on his bed. A physician who inspected the body before it was transported back to Ethdellin for burial confirmed that was the cause of death. It was some type of cord. Probably a garrote wire, based on the description of a thin, almost-drawing-blood line across the underside of the jaw. Probably a professional. Cowler had hired assassins on his behalf though. Why do you know how to strangle someone with that? Lucifer asked. I read a lot. It¡¯s cheap entertainment with a library card. He paused for a moment in his paper examination. Cowler had been the one to set up a contract with assassins on Invictus. Maybe it was a different group. Felix continued to pore through the records, sorting them into different piles until he had a good idea of the series of events. The noble got into town in the evening, checked into the hotel, ate at the restaurant downstairs, and then went up to his room. He had four guards stationed outside the main door, and there was a balcony that had two guards. All of the guards were interviewed and vouched for one another. So how would they have gotten in? Crazy idea. Go for it. What if the killer was hidden in the room already? Possible. But wouldn¡¯t the guards have checked? He rifled through the reports. None of the interviews even asked the question if someone had cleared the room before. That doesn¡¯t make sense. Billiam III was the ruler of Ethdellin. His guards should have been on point and checked the room beforehand. Inside job? Maybe. ¡°What are you thinking about?¡± Tinuriel asked as she drained a mug of beer. Felix looked up at her, ¡°Sorry, talking to Lucifer in my head. I think I have a good idea of where to start.¡± He wrapped the papers back up in the wooden container and put it into his inventory. ¡°Finish up, we¡¯re going to this Goldenwine Estate.¡±
They paid another street kid to guide them to the hotel, and upon flashing their badges and explaining why they were there, an employee led them upstairs. There was an elevator that they stepped into with a cord running down the center. The employee heaved on it and with the assistance of some hidden device, they ascended to the topmost floor. The room was sealed, and a bored-looking Watchman was sitting in a chair, reading some type of newspaper. He looked up as the two approached and pulled out his baton, preparing to say something. But, he spotted the badges and quickly saluted. ¡°At ease,¡± Felix said. ¡°Yessir.¡± The man sat back down, ¡°You don¡¯t look like Investigators.¡± ¡°We¡¯re helping,¡± Tinuriel said. She walked to the door and the Watchman shrugged, going back to his newspaper. She led the way inside and Felix followed her. The room''s interior was ornate. The bed was a mess ¨C with pillows and blankets strewn about, but everything else seemed neat and orderly. There was a caked layer of dust on the surfaces. ¡°They weren¡¯t lying. This room hasn¡¯t been touched.¡± Felix pulled out the sheaf of papers and flipped through them until he found a well-sketched top-down map view of the room. ¡°The body was found here,¡± he pointed to the left side of the bed, where the blankets were the most shifted and moved. ¡°The only time guards were in the room before that was when they went through to get onto the balcony.¡± Tinuriel went over to the balcony and slid open the door. She walked to the ledge and glanced all the way around. ¡°No way to get up here. The walls are smooth and slanted downward. Unless they had a grappling hook and rope.¡± ¡°Which guards would have noticed.¡± Felix frowned, ¡°I hope that these Investigators did their homework on the guards. If one of them was in on it, that makes this infinitely harder.¡± Felix looked around the large restroom, seeing the same amount of caked dust on the surfaces. ¡°Nothing in here, either.¡± The two rejoined in the main room. ¡°He was strangled in the bed.¡± Felix got behind Tinuriel, ¡°Stand still.¡± He pulled the small length of cord from the sheath of papers and threw it over Tinuriel¡¯s neck, very gently pulling up and back. ¡°He would have to be behind and above the man to pull with that type of leverage or angle.¡± Tinuriel nodded and pulled the string away, ¡°If he was strangled in the bed¡­¡± She walked over to the bed and laid down, moving herself up and down, until her feet were dangling over the edge, and her head was just below the headboard. ¡°This low?¡± Felix walked next to her and looked at the headboard, running his finger along the wood looking for any type of seam. ¡°Wait a second,¡± he muttered. His fingers came across a small gap in the wood ¨C almost impossible to see ¨C but he spotted the tiny golden spindle in his vision that showed him trap locations. ¡°Get up.¡± Tinuriel did so, and Felix gently applied some pressure to the backboard, as if someone was leaning up against it to read.If you come across this story on Amazon, it''s taken without permission from the author. Report it. The wooden panel slid open, and a metal garrote cord was flung outward before retracting swiftly. ¡°Bingo!¡± Felix said excitedly. ¡°They trapped the room. Clever. No witnesses, no perpetrator to infiltrate.¡± He used his rogue skills and his thieves¡¯ tools to disable and remove the trapped portion of the backboard. ¡°Now, we just find whoever made this.¡± Felix pulled out the papers and flipped to an empty sheet, scrawling with a pen. [Experience Awarded = 15] ¡°What are you doing? We already found the trap.¡± Tinuriel said as she sat on the bed next to him. ¡°This Tier operates differently than yours or Invictus. Their society is more on par with the Renaissance or early Industrial era than your more late-medieval.¡± He gestured to the paper. ¡°I¡¯m documenting what we did. If we are going after the acting monarch of a whole Tier ¨C the most powerful one at that ¨C we better come with an ironclad case with plenty of evidence.¡± Tinuriel shook her head, ¡°Too complex. But you know better with these things.¡± Felix smirked, ¡°Yeah. Years of reading mystery novels is finally paying off.¡± He finished noting down the information and put the trap and the paperwork back into his inventory. ¡°Alright. We have to find out who does this type of trap-making. I¡¯m guessing a tinkerer of some type.¡± He went out of the room and tapped the now-sleeping Watchman on the shoulder. ¡°Hey, where would a person go if they wanted to get a trap made?¡± The man blinked his eyes in confusion before shaking his head, ¡°No idea.¡± ¡°Tinkerers? Craftsmen? Engineers?¡± ¡°Oh! Those blokes with their cogs and wheel things. D¡¯you have a map?¡± Felix shook his head and the man grumbled, ¡°Well, ask anyone where the Cog district is.¡± The two left the sleepy Watchman and descended the stairs instead of waiting for an attendant to bring the elevator up to them. They got to the street and paid another street kid to guide them to the Cog district. They would have to travel the entire width of the Tier, which took them just past lunchtime. Felix had them stop at a caf¨¦ and bought sandwiches for all three. The child¡¯s eyes went wide as Felix handed him a sandwich, ¡°Thank you, sir.¡± The little girl was thrilled as she consumed the food. Tinuriel squatted next to her, ¡°When do you normally eat?¡± ¡°Mmm¡­Not since yesterday,¡± she muttered. ¡°Mummy is working, and Daddy went on a trip. We just eat dinner when Mummy gets home.¡± Tinuriel looked up and Felix before standing up and leaning to his ear, ¡°This isn¡¯t a way to live.¡± ¡°I agree,¡± he whispered back. Felix had lived in poverty for most of his life. These people did not seem happy with their situation but consigned to their fate instead of trying to improve the circumstances they found themselves in. Felix knew that bringing one''s self up through sheer effort was not always enough to make a difference. Felix could feel Lucifer¡¯s anger in his own mind. Want to share? I¡­Humans have free will here. Creatures have free will. And instead of lifting each other up and creating a better world for everyone¡­they split themselves into groups and some suffer because of it. The anger in the back of Felix¡¯s mind was white-hot and made him angry as well. This was a screwed-up situation for these people. And yet, they seemed okay with it. When we get Melanie on the throne, we can offer all the people who want a nice, easy life in the VBV. This caused Lucifer¡¯s rage to go back to a simmer instead of a boil. Mmm.
The Cog district was aptly named ¨C the streets became much narrower as many more mechanical inventions ¨C running on some type of clockpunk technology ¨C were displayed in windows doing minor tasks. One such device on display would pick up a plate, put it into water, and then scrub it before dropping it into a basket. Not practical as it stands, but a great proof of concept. The girl left them once they arrived, and Felix gave her some extra VC as a thank-you. ¡°Make sure you get lunch for tomorrow.¡± She nodded and skipped off the way they had come. Felix went into a shop and almost immediately slipped on some type of fluid that was on the floor. He grabbed onto the door frame to steady himself, and Tinuriel put a hand on his back. A young man, probably in his late teens, with a slim build and wearing glasses ran over with a rag, ¡°I¡¯m so, so sorry!¡± he muttered. Throwing the rag down, he rapidly tried to clean the spill. ¡°It¡¯s okay. Are you the owner?¡± ¡°No sir, just an apprentice.¡± The teenager pointed to the back counter of the shop, where an older man with a head of white hair and a bushy beard was standing, ¡°That¡¯s the owner. Tinkersmith Feldoh.¡± ¡°Thanks,¡± Felix replied as he stepped past/over the young man and into the shop proper. There were several shelves, lined with odd automatons that were designed as toys. He approached the desk, ¡°I need to inquire about some of your colleagues.¡± The old man adjusted his ponce and nodded, ¡°Well,¡± his voice was raspy and faint. ¡°Depends on what you need.¡± Felix pulled out the trapped headboard piece, ¡°I need to find who made this.¡± He made sure to also push his badge out towards the man. ¡°Official business.¡± The man nodded and pulled out a headband with some telescoping lenses that he slid over his glasses as he began to take apart the contraption. Felix jotted notes as he did so, documenting the process in case he would have to somehow put it back together. The old man was at it for some time, and Tinuriel went back to the doorway, chatting with the teen apprentice who was quite nervous speaking to the enormous woman. ¡°Ah¡­yes,¡± Feldoh muttered as he pulled a small cog out. ¡°I recognize this design. It¡¯s from a few months ago. There¡¯s a locksmith down the road who used this type of gear in some of her trapped lockboxes. Tinkersmith Julia.¡± Felix jotted down her name, ¡°Can you put this back together?¡± The man raised an eyebrow as he pulled off the magnifying glasses, ¡°That¡¯ll cost you.¡± Felix pulled 10 VC out of his inventory and slid it across the counter, ¡°Is this enough?¡± The man took the money and nodded, ¡°Have it done in a jiffy!¡± He put the magnifying glasses back on and within a minute had reassembled the trap. Felix put it into his inventory and got Feldoh to sign off that he had done the identification. When he asked why, Felix smiled, ¡°Just protocol.¡± As he turned to leave the apprentice ran by him. Tinuriel just smiled and stepped outside, Felix joining her shortly after. ¡°It turns out large women scare these little men.¡± ¡°They don¡¯t know what they¡¯re missing out on,¡± Felix replied. The two went down the boulevard until they came across a shop with an image of a lock on the door. This building had no exterior windows and was almost a blink-and-you-miss-it hole-in-the-wall building that seemed sandwiched in between two existing buildings. He tried the door, but it was locked tight. ¡°Tinuriel, mind standing in front?¡± She nodded and used her mass to block off view of Felix. He activated Ghostwalk, picked the lock, and disabled a small alarm-style trap. The door swung inward, and he tapped Tinuriel as they both went inside, closing the door behind. The room was full of safes and lockboxes, all neatly arranged in orderly rows along the floor and the walls. There was no light, and Felix¡¯s eyes shifted to the red dark vision hue of Lucifer¡¯s vision. The shop was narrow and ended at a counter with a door behind it and a small ladder going up to another door. He eased his way forward, stopping as he saw a faint, golden line cross the floor. But Tinuriel bumped into him due to the small space, and he fell forward, catching himself right before his chest would have activated the tiny wire. ¡°That was close,¡± he muttered. Tinuriel grabbed the back of his armor and pulled him upright, ¡°Thanks.¡± He stepped over the tripwire trap and kept going deeper, Tinuriel right behind. There was rustling up the ladder, and he motioned for Tinuriel to stay down on the ground floor as he ascended the ladder. He got up top and pulled his Channeling Dagger out, holding it as he stood next to the door. He held his breath as it opened. Ch. 32 – Mercantus (III) Felix waited for the person to step out. It was a short woman who looked to be quite sleep-deprived. He grabbed her from behind and held the knife to her throat, wrapping his hand over her mouth to keep her quiet. ¡°Don¡¯t move.¡± She froze and held up her hands. ¡°Is there anyone else here?¡± She shook her head. ¡°I¡¯m going to move my hand from your mouth, no sudden movements.¡± You¡¯re being very thuggish, Lucifer noted. Rather this than get ambushed, Felix thought back as he pulled his hand away and grabbed his badge, putting it in front of his temporary hostage. ¡°We know you made the trap device that killed Billiam III in his room. Cooperate, and I¡¯ll put in a good word for you.¡± The woman nodded slowly, ¡°May I put my hands down?¡± Felix put the badge back, kept the knife to her throat, and quickly patted her pockets, pulling out a screwdriver-like tool and a set of pliers. ¡°Yes.¡± He put his knife away and surreptitiously grabbed the scepter from Invictus, activating it before tucking it inside his belt to keep it hidden. ¡°Down the ladder,¡± he instructed, and she did so. Felix clambered down after her. ¡°I assume you are Tinkersmith Julia?¡± The short woman nodded. She was pale with fear as Tinuriel held a firm hand on her shoulder to keep her from running, ¡°How¡¯d¡­how¡¯d you find out?¡± ¡°We found your trap,¡± Tinuriel growled, causing the smaller woman to shake in fear as the elven warrior gripped tighter, ensuring that the shorter woman knew there was no escape. ¡°And we had someone disassemble it. I need to know who employed you. Who paid you?¡± The woman had silent tears running down her face, cutting through a light layer of grime from the workshop and sniffled. ¡°It was a woman. She didn¡¯t give a name. Just a sack of coins and instructions to use a specific type of wood that she brought to make a strangle-sleeper trap.¡± She put her hands to her face and cried, ¡°I needed the money! Please don¡¯t take me away!¡± Felix felt a pang of sorrow for the woman, wanting to dig deeper, but Lucifer rebuked him. She used her free will to make a decision, and now someone is dead because of it. Part of free will is living with the consequences. If you let her run off, she won¡¯t learn how to properly utilize her free will. I don¡¯t want her killed. Execution seems like the punishment they would dole out for someone who killed a monarch. That is likely. Here¡¯s an idea¡­ Felix frowned, putting on a face for the woman. ¡°Alright, you¡¯re going to come with us as a protected witness. Help us find the people who hired you, and I¡¯ll advocate for you to have a lesser punishment.¡± The woman looked up at him with confusion, ¡°But¡­Investigators don¡¯t do that.¡± Fallen Flight. Felix¡¯s wings manifested. ¡°I¡¯m just doing the job temporarily.¡± She gasped, ¡°An angel?¡± ¡°No. Versewalker. Now, where is the bag of coins?¡± The woman pointed behind the counter and Felix rummaged behind the furniture coming up with a hefty bag of coins. ¡°How much did she pay you?¡± ¡°Two-thousand five-hundred coins. She gave me all of them in that pouch.¡± Felix held his hand over the bag, ¡°Detect Object.¡± He focused his will on finding the person who gave the money to the woman. The golden line shot out of the building. Anima 20 / 90 Vigor 110 / 190 Must be really well hidden. He walked outside. The gold line went across the canal and to a building in the middle of a busy trading depot. Odd. Why would they stay so close? Felix looked back at Tinuriel, ¡°Stay here with her. Keep her safe ¨C she¡¯s our witness. I¡¯m going to check this out.¡± ¡°Come back safe.¡± Felix nodded and pulled up his hood, pulling the mask up as well, and keeping Ghostwalk active... Ghostwalk 1 Vigor per minute Makes the user very difficult to detect if they can conceivably hide or blend into a location. Does not work if out in the open. ...he vanished into the crowd.
He approached the trading depot amidst the crowd of tinkerers who were hawking their inventions and the wealthy upper crust who were perusing the various oddities. Felix followed the golden line through the building, only warranting a single rapid glance before his Skill allowed him to blend into the background once more. He arrived at a back door, and exiting it, found a cellar door that was locked ¨C the golden line pointing him right to it. He knelt and picked the lock before he pulled the door open. He gingerly went down the stairs and closed the door behind him, re-locking it. The basement was cool and dark, his sight once more switching to Lucifer¡¯s red-hued dark vision.Support the creativity of authors by visiting Royal Road for this novel and more. The room was empty save for a corpse. A woman, whose neck was twisted all the way around. Well, found the owner. Dead end. Not necessarily. Felix went over to the body and looked at the bruising around her neck. She doesn¡¯t smell that ripe, so it couldn¡¯t have been that long ago. And it is cooler down here, which would have slowed the rate of decomposition. He looked closely at her neck, but the red-tinged vision prevented his ability to see any bruising. ¡°Hellfire Wick,¡± he muttered as the flames appeared above him providing regular illumination. Her neck was heavily bruised with a palm-like shape. Someone snapped her neck. One-handed, also. Freakishly strong. Want me to fill out those evidence sheet things while you do that? You can? Mhmm. Felix heard pen on paper in his mind. Taking notes as you go. Thanks, he rifled through her pockets and removed several scraps of paper that had written in some form of code. She also had a small pocket-sized book titled Rullinor¡¯s Rowdy Recusal. She had no other items on her person that he could find. He took the scraps of paper and smoothed them out on the ground. There were a series of numbers written out, and he chuckled to himself. This is too easy. What is it? A book cipher. I used to make these for fun with my grandpa. We exchanged hidden messages with each other. He spent several minutes flipping through the book and rewriting the various words he found in the correct order. [Experience Awarded = 10] The message read: "If you find this, they trapped me in a cellar with a guard outside. No one above hears my cry for help. My name is Annalise Fuegra. I was hired by a man named Basilio Verjor, in the Harbor district. He¡¯s the one who killed me." Felix put the woman¡¯s body into his inventory before exiting the cellar and going back across the street under the effect of Ghostwalk. He stopped as he crossed the bridge, as several men who looked like rough business stood around the door to Tinkersmith Julia¡¯s shop. He could barely make out someone crouched behind them. No doubt picking the lock as I did. He walked up to them and pointed to his badge, deactivating Ghostwalk. ¡°Official business. I need you lot to clear out.¡± One of the men sneered and held his fist up, sliding it through a circle made by his fingers. ¡°Up yours, coppa.¡± That¡¯s their version of flipping you off. Yeah, I got that. Felix manifested his Fallen Flight as his wings flared out. Anima 20 / 90 Vigor 100 / 190 ¡°I¡¯m a Versewalker working for the Watch Investigators. Clear out if you know what¡¯s good for you.¡± The man who had made the rude gesture grinned, ¡°Oi? ¡®Der¡¯s a blyke Oi¡¯d wuna poonch.¡± The man cracked his knuckles as the other surrounded him. Felix raised his hands into a fighting stance ¨C his body moving on instinct from the Warrior Class. ¡°Last warning, or else I¡¯m calling in my backup.¡± The men pulled out various truncheons and bludgeoning weapons, ¡°Get ¡®em boyz!¡± ¡°Tinuriel!¡± Felix shouted. He ducked one blow and drove his fist into the man¡¯s chest. He felt ribs snap under the powerful blow and the assailant was launched back a few feet before collapsing in a heap. This gave the other ruffians pause. And that hesitation cost them, as Felix wheeled and slammed his fist into another one¡¯s cheek, shattering his jaw and sending him spinning through the air to crunch into the side of the building, groaning in pain but alive. Then Tinuriel busted through the door, kicking it off its hinges as the wood slammed into the face of the smaller brute picking the lock, and knocking him out. She leaped forward and grabbed two of the brigands by the heads, slamming them together with a loud crack that made Felix wince in sympathy. They collapsed to the ground. The two turned on the last one ¨C the one who had made the rude gesture ¨C and the man turned to run. Tinuriel grinned and tackled him to the ground, slamming his face into the paving stones. Within seconds, the two had knocked out or incapacitated several enemies. Felix looked over and saw a group of Watchmen down the road. ¡°Stay here, don¡¯t let them escape,¡± he told Tinuriel as he flew over to the Watchmen. He showed them his badge as he flew over, ¡°Come with me. Now.¡± The men followed without hesitation and within a few minutes the ruffians were all gathered up and placed under arrest, carried, or marched back to the Watch Investigator building. Tinuriel went back inside, grabbed Tinkersmith Julia, and hauled her outside. ¡°Sorry about the door,¡± the elven warrior muttered to the woman. [Experience Awarded = 10]
When they arrived Investigator G.H.W. met with them in a conference room. Felix handed him the headboard trap, the evidence log, and put Annalise¡¯s corpse on the table, which took the man aback momentarily before he regained his composure. ¡°You¡¯ve done a massive amount of work here.¡± ¡°Yes,¡± Tinuriel said as she grinned, cracking her knuckles. ¡°I want to interrogate those weaklings.¡± G.H.W. laughed, ¡°You¡¯ll get your chance. But first,¡± he pulled out a sack and handed it to Felix. ¡°This is the money you were promised by Commander Lazlor.¡± ¡°Thanks,¡± Felix said as he added it to his inventory. ¡°Julia ¨C the Tinkersmith that made the trap ¨C any chance that you can go easy on her with the punishment?¡± The Investigator leaned back in a chair, ¡°Well, based on what your report describes, it sounds like she was just paid for labor. She¡¯s guilty of bad business decisions. I think a fine and some community service is reasonable. What I want, what Mercantus¡¯ higher-ups want, is the responsible party. You found this go-between,¡± he gestured to the corpse on the table, ¡°And you solved her dying declaration-coded message. This Basilio Verjor.¡± ¡°Have you heard of him?¡± Tinuriel asked. ¡°No. But, it¡¯s a big Tier, and people come and go all the time.¡± He looked at Tinuriel, ¡°We have those you rounded up downstairs if you want to have a go at them. They¡¯re not talking.¡± She smiled, ¡°They¡¯ll talk.¡±
Felix stood outside the small cell block as Tinuriel and the Investigator were inside, trying to get information from the men. I don¡¯t know how to feel about this, Lucifer. The whole beating up prisoners thing. He had the scepter from Invictus in his hand, and the radius was large enough to effect those in the room being beaten up by Tinuriel and the Inspector, so any information they received would be the truth. Why keep their mouths shut? Actions have consequences. They don¡¯t want to give up their employer? That¡¯s their choice. This is torture. His thought was punctuated by a snapping noise and a muffled scream. I can¡¯t assuage your feelings. You have to live with it or stop it. Felix frowned, I¡¯ll live with it, I suppose. They did try to hurt me, after all. As you said, actions have consequences. Another snap, another scream, and he winced again. And Tinuriel seemed enthusiastic. Elves on Heficyre are a warrior race. Not like in normal Fantasy ¡®Verses where they¡¯re all dainty and focused on the arts or Magic. And thank God for that. Tinuriel came out, wiping her hands clean of some blood on a towel. ¡°They also work for this Basilio.¡± The Investigator came out right after, using the same offered towel to wipe himself clean, ¡°Do you two still want the case?¡± Felix nodded, ¡°I want to see it through.¡± ¡°It¡¯s getting late. I¡¯d recommend a fresh start in the morning. The Harbor district closes up around sunset normally.¡± The Investigator walked past them up the stairs. Felix looked at Tinuriel, ¡°What do you want to do?¡± She had a glint in her eyes. A desire for physicality. He wasn¡¯t sure what kind until she spoke, ¡°I want to crack more heads.¡± Ch. 33 – Mercantus (IV) The two acquired a map from the front window clerk and set out into the city. It was a beautiful sight that, for the first time since leaving Earth, reminded Felix of home. There were lights on poles that lit up the night sky ¨C vibrant, sparking orange fixtures that ¨C upon inquiry with a local, were revealed to be a permanent enchantment. The streets and canal below were well-lit, and despite night falling, the Tier still showed signs of thriving life instead of going to sleep. As some businesses closed their doors, others opened. It was around this time that Felix learned that the various businesses marked whether they were open or not with those enchanted lights. They would glow a soft blue if the business was open, or a grey-white if they were closed. It was an ingenious idea, to at a glance have a universal way of denoting a business¡¯ status. He made sure to take mental notes for adding similar concepts to his VBV ¨C already thinking of adding a Renaissance-style city like this one. The Harbor District was easy enough to find on the side of the Tier furthest away from the lifts to the next Tier. An enormous lake that extended to the edge of Mercantus before falling off and down to Dirge below ¨C feeding into the swamp they had come from. There was a large, stone wall that skirted the outside edge, and an enormous waterspout shot up in the center; providing replacement water for what went through the dam-like structure. All of the canals led to this place, and only the canal-sized barges were either moored or docked near warehouses. ¡°Detect Object.¡± Anima 50 / 90 The golden line shot out from his palm and went down alongside the docks, past barges that were teeming with workers. The two followed the trail and received many side-eye glances. Felix immediately noted that there were no Watchmen in this area. But there were indicators of some type of order; namely, different colored rags that were tied around the bicep of various groups of people. Tinuriel noticed that too, and nudged him, ¡°They have troop assignments.¡± Felix chuckled, remembering she came from a solely military background. ¡°Those are gang colors. Sort of like a unit assignment, but not as official.¡± A burly man who reeked of piss and beer walked out in front of them, and the two stopped in their tracks as he faced them, ¡°You!¡± he pointed at Tinuriel, ¡°Big bitch!¡± Felix felt a flash of anger and ran up to the man, punching him as he went sprawling. Then, he paused. What the hell was that? Yeah. That was weird. You''re not normally that violent. Is that...you know, I''ve felt more arrogant in flashes before. And that was from you being with me. Is the same true with anger? Possibly. Right now I''m dealing with a bunch of people inside the VBV that are just being...the worst. So my anger at the situation probably leaked into you. Well...next time you''re feeling something that drastic that can affect me - let me know. The man ¨C seemingly inured to pain from his inebriation ¨C pushed himself off the ground and pointed to his colored rag ¨C a lime-green bit of cloth wrapped around his arm. ¡°You¡­you don¡¯t treat me like that! I¡¯m¡­I¡¯m a¡­Sewer Serpent!¡± He stuttered over the last set of words before collapsing. Tinuriel walked up to Felix and shook her head, ¡°Imbecile.¡± She smiled softly at Felix, ¡°Thank you for defending my honor. But you beat me to the punch.¡± The warehouse the golden line led them to was nondescript. A dock extended in front of it, along with a simple conveyor belt that was offloading cargo. Several men ¨C with the same green armbands ¨C were working as a taller, gaunt, and pale gentleman with wide-rimmed spectacles monitored and checked off papers. Felix cleared his throat as he approached, and the man turned to regard him with narrow eyes. ¡°Hi. I¡¯m a Versewalker-¡± The man put the clipboard down on a box nearby and grabbed his hipflask, taking a swig of something before putting it back. ¡°And an Investigator,¡± he said in a very pompous tone. ¡°What do you want?¡± ¡°We¡¯re looking for someone,¡± Tinuriel said as she took up a wide stance and crossed her arms ¨C menacingly. ¡°Basilio.¡± The man frowned and whistled. The various workers on the docks responded within moments, gathering in a cluster behind the man. ¡°I am afraid he is not here. Best be off.¡± He lowered his voice in an attempt to intimidate, ¡°Or you¡¯ll have trouble.¡± The various ruffians laughed, chuckled, or chortled like a gang out of a bad eighty¡¯s movie. Felix looked over at Tinuriel, ¡°What do you want to do?¡± She grinned and laughed, leaning her neck to one side as it cracked. She assumed a boxer¡¯s stance. ¡°I want to fuck them up!¡± Felix looked back to the man with the clipboard. ¡°You heard the lady.¡± He launched himself at the man with the clipboard, pulling his punch after seeing his earlier power from his latent Might Stat, and dropping him with a single shot to the jaw. Tinuriel launched herself into the mob of men who were entirely unprepared for a strong woman ¨C who they did not know was even stronger because of her elven heritage ¨C diving into their midst and unleashing rapid punches, jabs, and haymakers. Their momentary panic cost them two of their number going down. Felix focused on her, ¡°Netherlight Cohort. Netherlight Mantle.¡± Netherlight Mantle 10 Vigor per minute Causes any damage suffered to be applied to Anima before Health. Netherlight Cohort 30 Vigor Allows designated creatures within line of sight or within audible range to use Netherlight Mantle for up to 10 minutes, using their own Vigor to fuel the Skill. Vigor 150 / 190 The white-silvery mist covered both of their forms and would allow their Anima to act as a temporary Health barrier. Felix took a step back and let Tinuriel have her fun as she clobbered the members of this Sewer Serpent gang. A few came towards him, and he deflected their blows, wanting to assess his defensive capabilities in this low-stakes encounter. His innate Warrior Class¡¯s hidden proficiency in weaponry did not fully extend to unarmed combat, and he took several hits ¨C or rather, the silvery-grey Netherlight surrounding him did, diverting the damage to his Anima.The tale has been taken without authorization; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident. Anima 80 / 90 Tinuriel had finished off the entire crowd and came up behind the three attacking Felix. She picked one up by the neck and midsection, throwing him a good ten feet into the conveyor belt which he bent on impact. With that opening, Felix ducked under one of the wide swings from another one of the gang members, swung around behind him, and lifted him around the midsection, using a suplex to slam him into the stone. The impact cracked the pavement and he slumped over. Shit, did I just kill him? Tinuriel slammed her fist into the last one, sending him flying. Felix crouched and checked the one he had just slammed into the ground. He was breathing ¨C but faintly. ¡°Damnit. I didn¡¯t want to kill any.¡± He pulled out a Health Elixir, glanced at it in his hand, and back at the guy. Is he worth 500 VC? Felix jolted upright. Did he just compare a person¡¯s life to money? What the hell am I thinking? He chose to fight you. Actions have consequences. His free will- Shut up. Felix poured the Health Elixir into the man¡¯s mouth. His neck snapped back into place, and Felix breathed a sigh of relief at seeing the man¡¯s breathing return to normal. He quickly went from person to person, ensuring that they were not dead. A few were also wheezing and unconscious, and he spent the rest of his Health Elixirs healing them. He stood up and sighed. [Experience Awarded = 15] [Achievement Unlocked: Prevented the death of an enemy combatant through sacrifice] [Talent Replaced! Show Mercy has been replaced with a new Talent!] (P) Killing Intent You only kill creatures you intend to kill. Otherwise, they are left unconscious Overrides (A) Show Mercy Talent. Sorry. I didn¡¯t mean to snap at you. Lucifer was silent for several seconds before responding. You didn¡¯t have to save them. You prevented them from feeling the consequences of their actions. To be fair they had no clue how strong I was. And if that¡¯s really what you want, I don¡¯t see the harm in causing a bit of lingering pain. He waved Tinuriel over, ¡°If they don¡¯t have a broken bone ¨C break a few fingers. Not enough to impair their ability to work, but something that will hurt and be a constant reminder of their bad choices.¡± Tinuriel nodded resolutely and went from gang member to gang member, snapping fingers, breaking toes, noses, in one case tearing a man¡¯s ear partway. Felix watched with a grim fascination as she efficiently injured them. There was no grin on her face like in the heat of battle ¨C just a resolute face. That of a soldier following orders; not questioning morality or ethics. She walked over and nodded, ¡°Time to go inside?¡± ¡°Yeah. Let¡¯s follow the line.¡± "Thanks, Tinuriel. Now they at least will feel something for their choices." "You''re welcome," she replied. Felix took the lead and walked through the open doors of the warehouse¡¯s main entrance. The building was seemingly empty, but the golden line kept leading them to the back of the space. He opened a door and almost tripped over a trap, the golden spindle barely notifying him in time. It was easy enough to avoid ¨C just requiring a step to get over. He pointed it out to Tinuriel, and they continued down a set of stairs. They ended up in a long tunnel that felt like some sort of maintenance corridor. There were several doors on either side with a small glass window in the center. Looking into the first one, he inhaled sharply. A woman and man were hanging from some type of restraint device. Several men were punching them ¨C not strong men, but weak, feeble, older, and rich types. Felix tore himself away and looked into another windowed door, seeing a chamber full of smoke and hearing faint coughing. ¡°It¡¯s a lot of illicit businesses,¡± he whispered to Tinuriel. She looked into each window and then down the corridor. ¡°What¡¯s more important, rescuing these people or getting our killer?¡± ¡°Are you okay splitting up?¡± She nodded, ¡°I have this Netherlight thing for another eight minutes. I¡¯ll be fine.¡± She cracked her knuckles. ¡°Let me deal with these rooms, you go get our killer.¡± He gave her a quick kiss on the cheek before activating Ghostwalk... ...and moving down the corridor. She waited a few moments until he rounded the corner before he heard the door open and some faint shouting. You¡¯re awfully quiet recently, Felix thought as he descended another flight of stairs and came upon a locked and trapped door. He slipped out the thieves¡¯ tools and disabled the poison needle trap before beginning into the lock. I¡¯m dealing with a lot. Managing the goblins in the VBV. And now there¡¯s ogres, there¡¯s undead skeletons and zombies, a giant, winged, flaming demon from those movies. Groups of various peoples from across the Tiers. There was an exhausted sigh that turned to a chuckle, I might need to have you use more Functions soon here to help me out a bit. Let me know. Thanks for managing all that. No problem. It¡¯s nice, being the shepherd of mankind¡­well, something-kind. Felix got the lock and slowly opened the door. Two men were leaning over a desk on the far side of the room. ¡°What do you mean we lost the snazpliff?¡± the more well-dressed man shouted. A drug. A squirrely, small man dressed like the dock workers - including the green arm sleeve ¨C stuttered a response, ¡°I-I-I c-c-can¡¯t-t say.¡± The golden line went to the well-dressed man. Felix pulled out both of his knives. Thanks to the new (P) Killing Intent Talent, he didn¡¯t have to worry about holding back. Right. Neither of you dies. Detect Weakness stacked with Affinity Empowerment to hit both of them. Affinity Empowerment Increments of 5 Vigor Increases the efficacy, duration, potency, or other variable of a Magic/Power effect. The golden targeted circles appeared on both. This will stack (P) Sneak Attack and (P) Slayer. Next up, Execution - one use for each weapon. Execution 5 Vigor Increases the damage of the user''s next attack. If this strikes a killing blow, gain additional XP or Loot. Anima 75 / 90 Vigor 135 / 190 He crept up behind the two men and plunged his blades into their weak spots. They both gasped and fell over. When he pulled the knives out, their wounds instantly closed. That¡¯s cool. No clue how it works, but hey, I¡¯ll take it. [Experience Awarded = 5] [Experience Bonus from Execution Skill = 1] [Loot Obtained] ¡¤ Local Currency: Converted to 110 VC [Loot Bonus from Execution Skill] ¡¤ Local Currency: Converted to 50 VC He ripped off pieces of their clothes to tie them up and then explored the room. He found a small lockbox that he opened with ease, pulling out various documents. All in code. And no cipher. He couldn¡¯t make heads or tails of it, just shoving it into his inventory before picking up the two men and carrying them along with him. Tinuriel wasn¡¯t in the hallways that he ascended, and when he got up to the warehouse, the sight he was met with was not what he was expecting at all. Tinuriel had not only beaten every person who was in the den of illicit activity to unconsciousness, but she shoved them all into a corner and used several enormous chains to tie them all together. The various people she had rescued were huddling together. She waved at him and grinned, ¡°They were easy. Nothing like the thugs outside.¡± Felix smiled at her and went to the group of survivors that were saved, ¡°Are any of you familiar with this area?¡± A few hands went up, and he pointed at two who seemed relatively healthy. ¡°Go, run to the nearest Watch post.¡± The two dashed off after being given the order, and Felix went over to Tinuriel, tying the small, stuttering man to the rest of the bunch. He tapped the taller, more well-dressed one until he woke up. ¡°Hi. You¡¯re a prisoner now.¡± The man struggled against his bindings for a few seconds before sagging. ¡°Who sen¡¯ you?¡± ¡°No one.¡± Felix held up his badge, ¡°I¡¯m a Versewalker. And you-¡± he pushed his finger into the man¡¯s chest, ¡°Are Basilio Verjor. Annalise sends her regards.¡± The man¡¯s eyes went wide and Felix shook his head, ¡°No, she¡¯s not back from the dead. But she pulled one over on you at the end.¡± The man spit in Felix¡¯s face, and Felix slapped him in return, fracturing his cheekbone. ¡°Hump! Wha¡¯ do you wan¡¯ ¡®o le¡¯ me go?¡± ¡°I want evidence. Who hired you to kill Billiam III?¡± Basilio struggled against his binds once more before grunting. ¡°I¡¯m no¡¯ goin ¡®o give ¡®hem up.¡± Felix shrugged, ¡°Tinuriel, you¡¯re up.¡± She walked forward and grabbed the man¡¯s wrist, holding it firm in the position behind his back. She gripped a finger like a vice and snapped it. The man screamed. ¡°Fuckin bi¡¯ch!¡± She snapped another finger as he howled in pain. ¡°Call me that again,¡± she said, mustering up all the menace in her voice. Felix felt a chill go through him at the sheer terror her physicality could conjure in a person. He sat next to Basilio, and palmed the scepter from his inventory, activating it. ¡°Don¡¯t ask me to have her break you more. Just tell me what I already know. You were hired by some representative of William VIII, right?¡± The man, tears in his eyes, nodded. ¡°¡¯Ha¡¯s righ.¡¯¡± [Crisis: Heficyre ¨C Solve the murder of Billiam III, on Mercantus, the Merchant Monopolis ¨C Solved!] [You have earned a Multiverse Charge] Ch. 34 – Sirinê (I) ¡°Good.¡± Felix patted him on the shoulder and stood up, gesturing for Tinuriel to do so as well. The two he had sent off to get the Watchmen returned with a squad of twenty. Felix held up his badge and explained the situation. The enforcers of order split into two halves ¨C half taking the chained-up gaggle and putting them in handcuffs before taking them away, and the others escorting the rescued people. Felix and Tinuriel followed them back to the Watch post, and Felix filled out some documents recounting what had happened on the docks and in the warehouse. Tinuriel kept Basilio in her grip the whole way and kept him with them as they left. Watch Commander Ximena Lazlor came running up to them. She paused in front of them and took a few deep breaths before regaining her composure. ¡°Word got to me through our network. You took out the Sewer Serpents whole operation?¡± Felix nodded, ¡°It wasn¡¯t too hard. And this one,¡± he poked at the man, ¡°Is responsible for putting together the plot to kill Billiam III.¡± She looked at the man and tutted, ¡°I would¡¯ve never expected an upstanding member of Mercantus¡¯ upper class to be involved in this.¡± She looked past the man to Felix, ¡°Come on, let¡¯s get him to the Investigator branch.¡± Traveling the city was rapid as Ximena led them through hidden alleyways and shortcuts that reduced their travel time. But the sun was still beginning to rise as they arrived and put the man behind bars. Felix handed over all the evidence he had gathered and worked with Ximena and Investigator G.H.W. to put together a massive report. It took most of the day. Tinuriel left for a bit to explore the city, and by the time night fell once more and Felix¡¯s eyes were drooping from exhaustion, she came back. ¡°Done,¡± Ximena said as she put the last signature on it. ¡°I¡¯ll have a few copies made.¡± She leaned back in the chair, ¡°Next up is the issue of who is going to dole out justice for this. You have all the evidence you need, but how do you bring down a king? Especially one who controls Ethdellin?¡± Felix rubbed his face and groaned feeling the waves of lethargy wash over him. ¡°Get me a copy tomorrow. I¡¯ll deal with it.¡± G.H.W. coughed slightly, ¡°You sure? Versewalkers might be renowned, but taking down a king?¡± Felix stood up, ¡°Let us worry about that.¡± He looked over to Tinuriel and smiled softly, ¡°We did our job. Time for some rest.¡± The two left and went across the street to their hotel. Felix stumbled a few times on his ascent up the stairs, but Tinuriel held him upright. The bed was a welcome comfort and he fell asleep as soon as his head hit the pillow.
Felix woke up, his head nestled between pillows and Tinuriel¡¯s large torso. He sighed and pushed himself up. ¡°Morning,¡± she whispered. Felix groaned in response and sat up all the way. ¡°How long was I out?¡± ¡°It¡¯s midday. I let you sleep in.¡± Tinuriel reached into Felix¡¯s inventory and pulled out some Versewalker Rations, unwrapping one and handing the bar of food to him. He bit into it and felt a wave of energy surge through him as the lemony-sweet tartness woke him up. ¡°Since when can you reach into my inventory?¡± ¡°Versewalker''s allies can reach into your inventory with your ¨C or my ¨C permission. I figured that she should have access. The same goes for Elixirs.¡± ¡°Smart.¡± Felix finished off his food and went to the bathroom to throw some water on his face before he came out. Tinuriel was already dressed and ready to go, and the two went across the street once more. Felix turned in his and Tinuriel¡¯s badges, and Ximena came down the stairs. Her eyes were bloodshot, and she was holding a steaming cup in her hand. ¡°Here¡¯s the report.¡± She handed him a sheaf of papers ¨C double the size of what they had compiled the night before ¨C and gave him a slight smile. ¡°You did a lot of good here. With the Sewer Serpents gone, we should be able to clean up the snazpliff trade.¡± ¡°No problem,¡± Felix said as he put the report into his inventory. ¡°What¡¯s the plan for taking down a king?¡± she asked as she sat down. ¡°I was thinking we just sneak into the city, capture the king, and then find the next highest-ranking person and show them the evidence.¡± Her eyes went wide, and she gulped down a large amount of the hot beverage, heedless of the heat radiating from it. ¡°That¡­well¡­good luck.¡±
The two left and made their way to the lifts to the next Tier. These ones were not well-guarded, and it was more like Paternoster elevator, as several box frames on chains went up and down. They waited their turn and ascended. After an hour ride up, they stepped out onto the second Tier. Sirin¨º, the Scholarly Stronghold. A large, stone-paved road led directly to another set of lifts going up to the first Tier, but the road split into two other paths, one left, one right. One path was marked with deep, red-colored stones, and the other with blue-white stones. Most people were traversing the distance between Mercantus and the next Tier, but a handful ¨C either in plain attire, or blue or red robes, respectively, went down either marked side path. ¡°What¡¯s this about?¡± Lucifer whispered aloud, just loud enough for his two companions to hear, but none of the surrounding people. ¡°There are two Mage Colleges. On the left is the College of Heaven, where they learn how to master Heavenly Realms Anima. On the right, the College of Chaos, where they learn the opposite, Primal Chaos Anima.¡± ¡°This is where we might find some mages,¡± Tinuriel replied. ¡°That means we may have to deal with hostile Magics for the first time.¡± ¡°From what the System query returned, magi stay in the top three Tiers, rarely leaving this Tier.¡± ¡°Is there any reason for us to go visit either?¡± Felix asked. ¡°Maybe you could learn a new Affinity? The System is annoying and unhelpful in that query.¡± ¡°Which path?¡± Felix asked. ¡°Not sure.¡± ¡°Quiet,¡± Tinuriel said as an elderly man in a grey robe approached them from seemingly nowhere. He was carrying a staff and had a soft, serene smile. ¡°A Versewalker,¡± his voice creaked out, belying his ancient stature. ¡°Yes. I¡¯m Felix. Can I help you?¡± ¡°I¡¯m Gary, pleased to meet your acquaintance, young man.¡± He looked over at Tinuriel, ¡°And a Versewalker Escort. One from Avelion, at that.¡± Tinuriel¡¯s hand went to her sword¡¯s hilt, ¡°How do you know that?¡± ¡°I know much,¡± The old man snapped before his pleasant demeanor returned. ¡°Now that introductions are out of the way ¨C oh, except your Summon. Hello, there, odd thing.¡± He can see me. That mage with Melanie from a while back could also. Right. But I get a weird feeling about him. Almost a feeling of familiarity. Lucifer¡¯s voice became even quieter, as if he was trying to hide his presence, be cautious. ¡°Hmph, not a talker.¡± The man shook his head, ¡°Well, I felt the disturbance when you arrived. As I¡¯m sure you know, there are two rival Mage Colleges here¡­and they are in conflict.¡±Royal Road is the home of this novel. Visit there to read the original and support the author. Tinuriel crossed her arms, ¡°Let me guess, you want us to solve the problem?¡± Gary nodded, ¡°It does not rise to the level of a Versewalker Crisis, but it will possibly cause one.¡± He chuckled, ¡°And that wouldn¡¯t be good for anyone. A second problem is that there is a group of magi who wish to split off from both colleges and form their own.¡± Are you thinking what I¡¯m thinking? Yeah. Having a whole school of magi in the VBV would be an asset. ¡°I can get those magi out of here and to a place they can do what they want. But how do you expect me to solve a feud between schools?¡± The old man cackled, ¡°You¡¯re a Versewalker. I¡¯m sure you¡¯ll figure something out. Do both tasks, and I¡¯ll grant you an Affinity.¡± They held up four fingers. ¡°Affinities come in four types, and you can¡¯t use them before you hit a certain Core Level. I can grant you a Legendary Affinity.¡± How the Hell does this old guy know that? That knowledge is restricted to System personnel and Versewalker Cores! Can he access the System? Lucifer seemed bewildered. ¡°Who are you?¡± Felix asked. The man put a finger to his lips, ¡°Now that would be telling. I¡¯ll be watching.¡± He vanished into a grey mist. Not at all disturbing. The sarcasm oozed through Lucifer¡¯s words. Pretty sure that was a deity. It would explain why his presence felt familiar. And why they know so much about Versewalkers. ¡°Which one first?¡± Tinuriel asked as they stood in between the two paths, undisturbed despite the odd encounter. Felix began down the white and blue road, ¡°Let¡¯s start with the College of Heaven.¡± He thought as he walked. Did he just meet a deity in the flesh? An actual god? The implications of that shook the foundation of his religious upbringing. Hell, he had the literal Lucifer Morningstar in his head and part of his being. He shook his head. No point in dwelling on it. Just take it at face value and move on.
There was a small trickle of people who were traveling alongside the two made their way to the small city that surrounded the enormous structure that was the College of Heaven. An enormous, elaborate construction that blended the architecture of Invictus with a more austere Greco-Roman influence, several spires extended far into the sky and were connected by corridors that were open to the air. The main structure was huge ¨C easily the size of the palace on Invictus. The two got into town easily enough, but they were stopped at the entrance to the College by a man and woman, both dressed in blue robes with white accents. ¡°Halt! What is your business?¡± Fallen Flight. The wings manifested and both mages gasped. ¡°I¡¯m a Versewalker. This is my ally. We are here to help resolve this rivalry between the two Colleges.¡± The mages glanced at each other. One of them waved his hands as various arcane symbols appeared in the air, and he muttered, ¡°Distant Speech.¡± He closed his eyes as Felix waited patiently, taking in the enormous spire above. The man opened his eyes, ¡°Very well. You may enter. Go to the front desk and they will provide directions.¡± The two passed by the guards and entered in the interior of the College. Streams of white and light-blue colors floated through the air, providing illumination to the space. People in the same-colored robes ¨C but with different accent marks on the sleeves ¨C went around various tasks or traveled through the main hall. Felix walked up to a desk that sat directly in front of the doors they had entered. People stopped their activities as they saw him walking in with his wings manifested. He leaned on the counter, ¡°Hi. I was told to come here for directions.¡± A tall, thin young woman looked past him at Tinuriel and narrowed her eyes. ¡°You both are armed. This is not allowed anywhere apart from the main hall.¡± ¡°No exception for a Versewalker?¡± Felix asked. ¡°Perhaps¡­¡± The woman turned around and picked up a tube-shaped device. She spoke into one end before flipping it and holding the other end up to her ear. Nodding, she placed it back down onto some sort of receiver before addressing Felix, ¡°Dean Dromitus has approved you to carry weaponry whilst inside the College.¡± She picked up a pamphlet and handed it to Felix, tapping it with her finger as a spark of blue energy flicked from her onto the paper. ¡°That will show you how to get to his office.¡± ¡°Thank you,¡± Felix said as he left, following the map with Tinuriel a step behind. She leaned over to him, lowering her voice. ¡°Magi are dangerous even without weapons. Keep on guard.¡± Felix nodded, ¡°Of course.¡± They followed the map up the main stairs and down several corridors. Up more stairs and across one of the walkways that was open to the air. They paused here, looking out and taking in the view. Far off in the distance, they could see the red spire of the other College. ¡°I never thought I¡¯d see it,¡± Tinuriel said with a soft sigh. ¡°I¡¯ve never been past Dirge. This whole place looks so different from what I¡¯d envisioned.¡± ¡°What did you think it would look like?¡± She shook her head, ¡°A bunch of small buildings with people in robes all around. Not these huge structures.¡± Felix chuckled and tapped her on the shoulder as they finished traversing the bridge and arrived at a spire that, on the map, was labeled as Faculty Offices. They ascended the circular staircase until they arrived at a landing with a single door. Felix knocked politely and took a step back. A young man answered, dressed in the same robes as the rest of the people they had seen here. He had bags under his eyes. ¡°Who¡¯re you?¡± ¡°Versewalker. I¡¯m here to talk to Dean Dromitus.¡± The young man nodded and closed the door. A few moments later it opened once more and he waved the two in, ¡°He¡¯ll be with you in a moment.¡± The two went inside the neatly appointed study. The young man sat at a large desk and set about sorting and stamping some forms, scribbling notes occasionally. The walls were lined with shelves full of books, and a few chairs were placed opposite this secretary''s desk. Felix sat down and grabbed one of the books from the shelf. Heavenly Realms Anima ¨C a Primer. He flipped through the table of contents and skimmed the book. Tinuriel remained standing near the door, on edge, and prepared for anything as usual. The inner door opened and an overweight man, dressed in the same robes but with a gold lining to them, laughed aloud. ¡°Well! The Versewalker arrives! Please, come in.¡± They waved the two over, and Felix put the book back before entering the office. The room was very similar to the outside room they were just in, but this had an enormous window that looked out upon the Azure Expanse and the Tiers down below, Mercantus far in the distance. He took a seat behind his desk, ¡°I¡¯m Dean Dromitus.¡± ¡°Felix and this is Tinuriel.¡± He sat down and Tinuriel stood at the door. ¡°You¡¯re here about our rivalry, eh?¡± ¡°In part.¡± Felix leaned forward. ¡°I¡¯m here for a few tasks. The first is solving this rivalry. How did it start?¡± The Dean put his hands behind his head and let out a big sigh. ¡°That¡¯s a long story¡­¡± He explained that when Sirin¨º was first founded, there was only one type of Anima ¨C Heavenly Realms Anima. But as the Tiers were formed, and people moved further and further away from the portal to the Heavenly Realms above the Soul Spire, the Primal Chaos at the bottom of the Spire surged to fill in the gap. Hence, the creation of Primal Chaos Anima. Both had their strengths and weaknesses ¨C the former was more easily controlled and refined, whilst the latter had more raw power but was not able to be narrowly confined. The Primal Chaos Anima users established a Mage College, and for a while there was a scholarly accord. But then a Dungeon appeared in between the two. One that had been defeated over and over but kept coming back. The two Colleges took turns sending magi inside to deal with the Dungeon. But the most recent expedition that the College of Chaos had sent failed. Instead of letting the College of Heaven take their turn, they blocked off the Dungeon and insisted that they get to defeat it and claim the rewards. ¡°So, you just want your turn,¡± Felix said as the man concluded the small history lesson. ¡°Yes. It is our turn to try to defeat the Dungeon.¡± He tented his hands and leaned forward. ¡°So, here is my proposal. You go, use your status as Versewalker to get inside the Dungeon under the guise of helping the College of Chaos. Defeat the Dungeon and return here with whatever the loot is.¡± Tinuriel grunted to draw attention from the two men, ¡°Or, we could just defeat the Dungeon ourselves, claim the reward ourselves, and then you¡¯re back to your rotation.¡± The Dean looked at her with some anger and frowned, ¡°You could, but the reward for the Sirin¨º recurring Dungeon is normally only usable by Magi.¡± He looked back to Felix, ¡°Your female companion does make a ¨C somewhat ¨C valid point.¡± He shot a glare at her before continuing, ¡°If you defeated and claimed the Dungeon¡¯s prize as your own, that would effectively reset it. Next year, when it returns, it would be my College¡¯s turn.¡± Thoughts? Felix asked Lucifer. We aren¡¯t going to be on Heficyre forever. This is just one Universe out of dozens if not hundreds you may visit over your endless lifespan. I¡¯d say we defeat it for ourselves. Felix nodded and stood up, ¡°Regardless, we need to get to this Dungeon. Where is it?¡± The Dean pulled out a map of the Tier and circled a spot on the far side, opposite the lifts to Ethdellin. ¡°The cave is there. That is always where the Dungeon entrance spawns.¡± Felix nodded, ¡°There is one more issue I¡¯m here to address.¡± The Dean looked up from the map, ¡°There¡¯s a group of students who want to found their own College.¡± A dark look crossed the Dean¡¯s face, and he shook his head, ¡°They¡¯re suspended. Heretical nonsense, talking about drawing Anima from the Tiers themselves instead of the Heavenly Realms.¡± ¡°Right. Where are they?¡± The Dean shook his head, ¡°Unless you swear that you¡¯re going to get that Dungeon reward for us, I don¡¯t see a need to tell you that.¡± Felix shrugged, ¡°Fine. I¡¯ll find them myself. Come on, Tinuriel.¡± The two left as the Dean fumed, staring daggers into their backs. But Felix was confident that the Dean wouldn''t take hostile actions against them and risk his ire. Felix held up his hand, ¡°Detect Object.¡± Anima 70 / 90 They followed the golden line down the stairs, across the expanse to the main building, and kept going further down. Past the entrance hall, and to a set of locked doors with two of the mage guards standing in front. ¡°Hey, you¡¯re not supposed to be down here!¡± One of them shouted. ¡°I¡¯m a Versewalker. Here to see those expelled students.¡± The two mage guards looked at each other, ¡°How¡¯d you know they¡¯re down here?¡± Tinuriel grunted, ¡°We find things. We fix things. Let us in, or I¡¯ll beat you senseless.¡± ¡°She will,¡± Felix followed up. ¡°She¡¯s good at it.¡± The two mage-guards went pale and one of them pulled out a key, opening the door and ushering the two inside. Felix went in, following the golden line as they went through the underground corridor. The door shut behind them and was locked. Probably not the smartest move, assuming they''ll let you go anywhere just because you''re a Versewalker. Lesson learned, don''t rely on your status to get everywhere in various ''Verses. I''m regretting the move already. Don''t rub it in. Ch. 35 – Sirinê (II) Tinuriel laughed, ¡°Really? They think that¡¯ll keep us in here?¡± But why lock us in here? Felix thought. He activated Ghostwalk... ...and kept going forward, coming upon another door. This one was locked ¨C and trapped. He disabled both and used a small mirror on a stick to peer inside after cracking the door open. The space was dark, and his sight shifted to Lucifer¡¯s red dark vision once more to compensate. There were cages with people inside. ¡°Those bastards,¡± he muttered as he flung open the door and put away the tools. ¡°This is suspension?¡± Hellfire Wick. A small flame appeared next to him, illuminating the large room. The people in the cages were seemingly suspended in space, frozen in time. They were in various states of shock or in a pose that showed some type of attempt to push away someone or something. A few were in a defensive, hands-raised posture. Tinuriel clicked her tongue, ¡°Tsk. See? Can¡¯t trust magi.¡± Well, first time using this. Felix went to one of the cages and held up his hand, focusing on the young woman who was suspended in time and space. ¡°Rebel Against All Odds.¡± Rebel Against All Odds Target gains the effects of Fallen Flight, Inviolable Will, and Beacon of Free Will. In addition, they restore 1/4 of their maximum Health, Anima, and Vigor. This can bring back creatures who died within the last minute. Anima 80 / 90 Vigor 90 / 190 The woman¡¯s body dropped, and she breathed in sharply as she was cleansed of the negative effects. ¡°Who are you?¡± ¡°Felix. Versewalker. What happened to all of you?¡± The woman spoke calmly, filled with the resolve of Beacon of Free Will¡¯s effect. ¡°We had a club, and we were looking at other sources of Anima. One of our members figured out that you could tap into the Tiers themselves and draw up the Anima. It was the perfect blend of both Heavenly Realms and Primal Chaos: power and control. One of our members went to the other College, and we were planning on publishing our findings in a joint paper. But as soon as we put forward the proposal, we were all suspended.¡± Tinuriel wheeled around and pulled her sword out as a loud bang of a door being slammed open came from the hall they had just exited ¨C the far door. She ran over and closed the inner door, bracing herself against it. ¡°We have company!¡± she shouted. Felix looked at the woman and grabbed the bars of the cage, ¡°Stand back. Hellfire Beam.¡± The red and black flames shot between his hands, melting the bars as he made a hole for her to exit. ¡°Stay down, stay back.¡± He deactivated Hellfire Wick and pulled his bow out as the room plunged into darkness. As he pulled the string back, he whispered, ¡°Hellblade.¡± Anima 65 / 90 Vigor 90 / 190 The arrow of light sparked with crimson and black fury. They imprisoned people for trying something new. Don¡¯t let them off easy. I won¡¯t. Felix got to a place opposite the door where he had a clear line of sight. ¡°How many?¡± Tinuriel held the door tight as a loud crash echoed out against it. ¡°No clue. Too much noise. Ready?¡± she asked, glancing back at Felix. ¡°Ready.¡± Tinuriel jumped away from the door as it blew inward. Two of the mage-guards ran inside with magical barriers shaped like shields surrounding their arms, and in their other hand, truncheons that were surrounded by blue-white light. Felix released a flurry of shots. The two magi caught them on their shields, but their faces went from smug to shocked as the Hellfire ate away at their magic constructs, burning away their Anima. "My fire resistance does nothing?!" One of them shouted. And that is why Hellfire is Legendary. No resisting it, no immunity. It always damages and eats away Anima. Sucks to be them! Tinuriel wheeled on one of them, slamming the flat of her blade into their chest and flinging them across the room with a crunch. The other mage guard brought his truncheon down onto her and the sparking light exploded on her armor. She was launched down and slid back across the ground from the impact of the blow. Felix shot the guard, scoring hits on his arms, torso, and legs. The man keeled over a moment later. More guards were approaching down the hallway. Felix swapped his knives and ran forward, ducking several glittering beams of white-blue light that shot toward him. He got to the door, slammed it shut once more, and looked over at Tinuriel. She got up and was breathing heavily. ¡°I don¡¯t think we can fight a whole mage college.¡±The story has been illicitly taken; should you find it on Amazon, report the infringement. The woman he had saved ran up and muttered a Magic effect as a small, green circle appeared on the ground. ¡°Get my friends out of the cages, and we can go through this!¡± Felix held the door tight as more Magical effects slammed into it. ¡°Do it!¡± Tinuriel shook off the daze and stood up, going over to each cage, and shattering them with a single blow each, the metal warping and screeching. Within a few moments, all the cages were broken, and she began tossing the still-suspended bodies of the students into the portal. The young woman looked up at Felix, ¡°On the count of three?¡± Felix nodded, ¡°One¡­Two¡­Three!¡± He ran from the door and dove into the portal. Tinuriel dropped in right behind him, and the woman he¡¯d rescued dropped in a moment later, the portal closing behind them. [Experience Awarded = 10]
They were in a dark space. ¡°Hellfire Wick.¡± The room was full of crates and the frozen bodies of her allies. The woman sagged slightly and leaned against one of the crates. ¡°Thanks. They should be okay,¡± she said gesturing to the twenty-something other students. ¡°The cage¡¯s effects should wear off in an hour.¡± She giggled in relief, letting out pent-up fear. ¡°That was scary!¡± Tinuriel shuffled over to Felix, ¡°Want to open up the VBV?¡± On it! Lucifer began the four-hour timer and dedicated some of his willpower to the task. Felix nodded, ¡°It¡¯s going.¡± He looked to the woman, ¡°We didn¡¯t get a chance to exchange names.¡± ¡°Gina Egonta.¡± ¡°Good to meet you. This is Tinuriel. Where are we?¡± Gina smirked, ¡°In the College of Chaos¡¯s storage rooms. I was a transfer student.¡± ¡°Then we won¡¯t be followed?¡± Tinuriel asked. ¡°That¡¯s right. College of Heaven staff can¡¯t come to this place without escalating issues.¡± ¡°I think we did that,¡± Felix muttered. ¡°You had others in your club from this college, right?¡± ¡°Yeah.¡± ¡°Well, go get them. In four hours, you¡¯ll have a new place to study.¡± She looked at him quizzically, ¡°What do you mean?¡± ¡°You wanted a place to study this new source of magic, right?¡± She nodded. ¡°Well, I can get you into my VBV ¨C my realm ¨C and you could stay there or go to Dirge.¡± Her eyes widened, ¡°The Dark Lord¡¯s desolation?¡± ¡°He¡¯s not that bad of a guy. Just go get your friends from this College.¡± Gina nodded and left through the door. Tinuriel stood by the door with her sword at the ready, looking over at Felix, ¡°We get them out of here, and then what? Clear the Dungeon?¡± ¡°Yeah. Exactly that. Hopefully, us clearing it and resetting it will cause the rivalry to stop for the time being.¡± ¡°We may have to do more,¡± she replied. ¡°That other College will know that we let these out and took them away.¡± ¡°Honestly? Not our problem,¡± Felix stated. ¡°We did what that possible deity wanted.¡± She smirked, ¡°True.¡±
After an hour the various people who were in stasis came to, and Felix explained the plan to them as they roused. Gina returned another hour later with a group of twenty other students in tow, and they began chatting excitedly, filling the room with a flurry of hopeful conversation. Tinuriel stood at the door, keeping guard. The remaining few hours passed quickly, and Felix led them into the VBV. There were ¡®oohs¡¯ and ¡®ahhs¡¯. He turned to the group, ¡°You need to be on Heficyre to tap into the Tiers, right?¡± ¡°That¡¯s correct,¡± Gina confirmed. ¡°Then out this way,¡± Felix replied, leading them into Roy¡¯s throne room. The Dark Lord looked at the balking mages with curiosity, ¡°What have we here, Felix?¡± ¡°Mages.¡± Felix launched into an explanation of what had happened in Tier 2 before introducing Gina as the de facto leader of these students. Roy invited them to take up residence in one of the several towers of his citadel. The students glanced apprehensively at each other. Felix used Beacon of Free Will to soothe their emotions, and they relaxed visibly, their faces filled with determination and resolve. They went off to the tower, thanking Felix and Roy as they went. Roy looked over at Felix, ¡°Thank you for bringing them. I¡¯ll make sure they are well cared for.¡± He leaned forward, resting his elbows on his knees, ¡°I have a request.¡± ¡°Go ahead,¡± Felix replied. ¡°I think it would be appropriate to have a joint-defense force within your VBV and here on Dirge. Since we already have this portal here, having an official response team of some type would be beneficial.¡± He smirked, ¡°I¡¯d like to be in charge of your military as well.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t mind,¡± Lucifer chimed in, still inside of Felix. ¡°It¡¯s getting more difficult to manage the VBV with the influx of people. I could use more help.¡± Felix thought for a moment. It would make sense to have a peacekeeping force if he was going to be building up his realm ¨C hell, the VBV was seemingly taking off on its own now that Dirge had this permanent portal. I¡¯ll need a council to advise me. Felix knew he was not all-knowing. Smart, sure. Well-read? Absolutely. But managing a whole realm? No way. ¡°I¡¯d be honored to have the Dark Lord as my military advisor.¡± Roy nodded, ¡°I¡¯ll coordinate with Lucifer.¡± ¡°And we¡¯ll bring decisions to your attention as necessary.¡± ¡°Thank you both.¡±
Felix returned to the VBV with Tinuriel. From his vantage point, where all the portals were arrayed and marked, he saw the vast farmlands and ranches that extended from the medieval-styled city. It was teeming with life. ¡°How many people are here?¡± Felix asked. ¡°Twenty thousand. Roy has been sending a lot of more monstrous folk in here. You should consider setting up other Rooms and Functions.¡± ¡°I want a Trading Post that can interface with multiple Universes through the portals. Also, a Renaissance-styled city like Mercantus. And to future-proof, let¡¯s also do something to entertain the masses.¡± The grey void of the VBV appeared and mountains shifted in the distance as new roads appeared. A building with the sign TRADING POST appeared a short distance from the portals, with several of the automated-style machines that were in the Shop ¨C but meant for bulk sales and purchases and marked as such with accompanying signs that gave instructions. Far off in the distance, where one of the mountains sank, an enormous lake appeared, and a city rose in the center of it ¨C just like Venice back on Earth, full of bridges and canals. Adjacent to the lake, an enormous, square structure thrust up into the sky. ¡°You have a lot of Functions waiting to be used also. Six of them.¡± ¡°What do you think Tinuriel? What should I do with them?¡± ¡°It would be wise to ensure that violence between your subjects cannot occur,¡± she said as she glanced at the portals. ¡°Also, ensuring that those in here can defend themselves against those Multiversal Horror things.¡± ¡°Good idea,¡± Felix said. ¡°What about you, Lucifer? Any suggestions?¡± ¡°Not currently. I¡¯d advise keeping a few in reserve. You have six to spend.¡± ¡°Let¡¯s enact both of Tinuriel¡¯s ideas.¡± ¡°Done. You have four more Functions and one more Room.¡± ¡°Let¡¯s save those. I need to shop and restock.¡±
[Items purchased] + Health Elixir (x5) - 2500 VC [Monies Paid] = 2500 VC [Current Balance] = 16,050 VC
Melanie came up to them, ¡°Hey, Felix?¡± He turned to her, ¡°Hey! How¡¯s things going with Roy?¡± She smiled, ¡°Good. I¡¯m looking forward to our plans. But I had a question.¡± ¡°Sure, go for it.¡± ¡°I¡­I want to be one of your advisors.¡± Tinuriel let out a small, barking laugh before she silenced herself with a sheepish look, ¡°Sorry.¡± Melanie glared at Tinuriel before looking back at Felix. ¡°I already talked with Lucifer about this. I know how to work my way around factions and perform politicking. It¡¯s what I was raised for. I want to be your political advisor.¡± She smiled, ¡°Plus, I¡¯ll be the effective ruler of Heficyre when you get me back on the throne.¡± Felix nodded, ¡°If Lucifer says it¡¯s fine, then I¡¯m good with it.¡± Melanie curtsied, ¡°You won¡¯t be disappointed.¡± She stood back up. ¡°What did you find out so far? It¡¯s been a few days since we spoke.¡± ¡°We confirmed that your uncle is the one who ordered the assassination. We have a bunch of evidence and figured out how it happened. I¡¯ll spare you those details. We have some stuff to finish up on Tier 2, and then we¡¯re going to abduct your uncle.¡± Melanie held up her hand for him to pause, ¡°You won¡¯t be able to get close to him.¡± ¡°Then what do you suggest?¡± Tinuriel asked. ¡°When you get to Ethdellin, get into the Eternal City. Then, open the VBV and bring me through. I can remain in disguise, and you can use your title to get into some meetings with lower nobility. I can then talk to them, establish my legitimacy and identity, and show them the evidence you¡¯ve gathered.¡± She smiled, ¡°We can build up support, and then confront my uncle with backing and evidence.¡± Tinuriel frowned, ¡°More waiting around while you talk to people?¡± Felix put a hand on her shoulder, ¡°It won¡¯t be us talking at least. And I¡¯m sure that it won¡¯t be boring.¡± Tinuriel looked down at him and nodded curtly, ¡°Fine.¡± Melanie curtsied slightly, ¡°My thanks. If you¡¯ll excuse me¡­¡± she went past them and into the portal to Dirge. ¡°Ready?¡± Felix asked his companion. Tinuriel nodded and they went back into the basement of the College of Chaos, the portal snapping shut behind them. Ch. 36 – Sirinê (III) Felix went to the door and opened it, entering a long, dark corridor that ended at another closed door. This led to a chamber with a series of red gemstones embedded in the walls ¨C casting a dull light. There was a set of stairs going up and a few people in red robes who looked up at them. ¡°Who are you?¡± One of them asked. Felix used Fallen Flight and just waved, smiling, ¡°A Versewalker. I¡¯m here to solve your Dungeon problem. Mind pointing me to someone in charge?¡± The various robed individuals looked at each other. One of them ¨C the one who spoke ¨C waved for Felix to follow him. ¡°A real Versewalker? The one who stopped Invictus from collapsing?¡± he asked as they as they followed him up the stairs. ¡°That¡¯s right. I heard you lot had some trouble with a Dungeon.¡± The young mage nodded, ¡°We couldn¡¯t beat it. It is far tougher than in previous years. Even some of the graduate students couldn¡¯t beat it.¡± ¡°What stopped them?¡± Tinuriel asked, her interest rising. ¡°It¡¯s the third chamber. There¡¯s something odd about it. No one who enters remembers anything about it ¨C they just go in, and then come back out.¡± He shook his head as they entered a large main hall ¨C a near mirror of the other College¡¯s main entrance. He led them to the front desk, ¡°Hey! This here is the Versewalker. Just showed up in the basement.¡± Felix gave the man a firm handshake, ¡°Thanks.¡± The man returned it and then went back the way he came. Felix turned his attention to the man behind the desk who looked taken aback. ¡°Oh, right. The wings.¡± He canceled the Skill. The man shook his head in disbelief for a moment before picking up a small book, ¡°Umm¡­who do you want to see?¡± ¡°Whoever we can talk to about this Dungeon problem you¡¯re having.¡± ¡°Ah, well, you¡¯ll need to head there.¡± The man pulled out a map of the Tier and pointed to the same place that the Dean had at the other College. ¡°You can take the road around the base of the Tier over to our base camp. Both Colleges have campgrounds there. Find the tall, bald woman named Josaphine. She¡¯s the head Professor.¡± Felix thanked him and the two left the building, following the road back towards the center of the Tier, and then over to the lifts to Ethdellin. They were similar in design to the ones leading down to Mercantus, but much more ornate and covered in gold. ¡°A bit over the top,¡± Tinuriel muttered as they went on the road going past and hugging the cliff leading up to the next Tier. Less people were traveling in this direction, and the two were able to leisurely walk and take in the architecture of the College of Chaos. Compared to its Heavenly counterpart, this one was much more wicked-looking. It reminded Felix of the towers from a movie with two of them, all pointed and spiky. But not sinister. Just imposing. More towers rose from the center one, but there were no lofty passageways between them. There was an enormous, red pyre that flared from the top of the edifice. Felix¡¯s (P) Dungeon Delver popped into the top of his vision, and an arrow pointed to the direction they were already traveling.
As night fell, they arrived at a campsite filled with crimson and black tents. A few robed individuals gave them glances, but none accosted the two as they headed toward the biggest and most ornate tent. To Felix, it was just common sense that the most important person would be in the best accommodation. And he wasn¡¯t wrong, as he saw a large fire pit in front of the tent, and sitting around it were several robed figures eating something bubbling from a cauldron. A bald woman sat on a chair, staring into the flames. ¡°Excuse me?¡± Felix said, and the various robed people sat upright. ¡°Hi, I¡¯m a Versewalker. Are you Professor Josaphine?¡± The bald woman stood up, set her food down on her chair, and walked in front of Felix and Tinuriel. She was mature, with piercing, orange eyes. ¡°That I am. I¡¯ve heard of one of you on the Tiers.¡± She nodded to Tinuriel, ¡°And your friend.¡± Tinuriel nodded, ¡°What¡¯s stopping you from clearing the Dungeon?¡± Josephine shook her head, ¡°Two issues. The first is the College of Heaven is preventing us from going in. We have a standoff of sorts. But what stopped us in our attempts was the third chamber. The first two were easy enough to deal with: a pair of wyverns in a large cavern, and then a chest that turned out to be a mimic. But that third room¡­as soon as we entered, we found ourselves back at the entrance.¡± ¡°Since my Escort and I are neutral in this whole thing, we can go in and clear the Dungeon.¡± Josephine smiled, ¡°I¡¯d appreciate that. Let me ask, though. Would you give us the reward at the end?¡± ¡°Depends on what is in it for us. Dean Dromitus asked the same question.¡± Her eyes narrowed, ¡°You spoke with the College of Heaven regarding this matter?¡± Felix nodded, and the woman cursed under her breath. ¡°And have you declared for them?¡± ¡°I haven¡¯t declared for anyone.¡± He looked at Tinuriel, ¡°Come on. Let¡¯s go clear this.¡± He walked past the shocked woman, and she chased after him. ¡°Hold on! You haven¡¯t heard my offer!¡± Felix kept walking, but talked loud enough that the woman could hear him, ¡°Make it worth my while.¡± ¡°Twenty thousand coins!¡± He glanced at Tinuriel. She looked back at him and shook her head. ¡°Sorry lady, that¡¯s a no from us.¡± The woman made a frustrated sound and went back to her campsite. Tinuriel chuckled and the two continued their path an expanse of shattered and ripped-up ground. There were lines in the sand ¨C literally ¨C as the terrain shifted to dust, debris, and granular substrate as the space between the camp they just left and the one-off in the distance was ripped up. An enormous, gaping cave extending deep into the cliffside was marked with a faint, purple line denoting a Dungeon. A group of red-robed and blue-robed mages sat across from each other on chunks of rock with small torches set up, staring at their counterparts, as if tempting each other to try and enter the Dungeon. Looking for an excuse to break what appeared to be a tenuous ceasefire. The tension was palpable. Tinuriel put her hand on Felix¡¯s shoulder, ¡°Let¡¯s just sneak past them.¡± She pointed to a chunk of rock that would obscure the view. ¡°If we get past the purple line, we enter the Dungeon, and they can¡¯t follow.¡± Felix nodded and activated Ghostwalk, following Tinuriel as they crept around the group of red-robed mages, and crossed the threshold of the Dungeon. The world warped and reality shifted as it had the past two times: the sky turned bright purple, and an enormous, purple nebula streaked across it. The cave was no longer some dark, foreboding entrance, but instead turned into a polished stone tunnel that extended down to a set of stone doors, ten feet wide and tall. An image of two wings graced the fa?ade of the door.This story originates from Royal Road. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there. ¡°They said the first room is a pair of wyverns,¡± Tinuriel commented. ¡°Right. Weak spots for those are under the leg, where it connects with the body.¡± Felix swapped to his bow, and they approached the doors, which opened as if anticipating their arrival. This opened up to a large, square chamber with another set of double doors on the far side. A square pedestal with a white crystal was in front of them. ¡°I guess we touch this to start the encounter?¡± Felix asked aloud. Tinuriel walked up and touched the crystal. It glowed bright white before the pillar sunk into the ground. The two doors behind them shut, and the walls fell away. The ceiling vanished, and the floor changed. They were standing in a recreation of Fortis, the Tier that they first fought the Wyverns on. ¡°That¡¯s inconvenient,¡± Tinuriel muttered as she scanned the sky. Felix scanned the sky with her, and he spotted a shadowed shape approaching at speed. ¡°Detect Weakness.¡± Anima 80 / 90 The golden circles appeared in the same places as before, but Felix just wanted the damage amplification from his (P) Slayer Talent. He pulled back the phantasmal bowstring, and a hardlight arrow manifested before he let loose. The bolt stuck into the weak spot with unerring accuracy, and the wyvern shrieked as it continued to dive. Tinuriel stood patiently, still scanning the skies for the second one while Felix continued to hammer home shots into the one divebombing him. The eighth shot he finally hit the weak spot ¨C a very tricky shot from his angle ¨C and it went limp. ¡°Where¡¯s the second one,¡± Tinuriel muttered. She turned around and then glanced straight up. ¡°Shit!¡± She jumped to the side as a colossal impact shook the ground. Felix turned to the source of the noise and saw an enormous wyvern ¨C double or even triple the size of the one he had peppered from afar ¨C create a crater where Tinuriel was standing a moment ago. It screeched and lashed out with a tail tipped with a poisonous barb. The tail scraped across Felix¡¯s armor but thankfully didn¡¯t penetrate. The blow knocked him off balance and he was flung a short distance, rolling with the impact. Health 185 / 190 Tinuriel charged in, swinging her blade at the creature¡¯s stretched-out foreclaw. Its claw caught the blade, and it peered at her before wrenching the sword. Tinuriel¡¯s grip was strong, and she was lifted and whipped around before the creature flung her away. Felix kept his distance and rattled off several Affinity Magic/Power effects and Skills. ¡°Detect Weakness, Hellblade, Execution, Fallen Flight, Netherlight Mantle, Netherlight Cohort, Rebel Against All Odds.¡± It was not simultaneous activation like when he and Lucifer coordinated, and each Skill and Magic/Power effect took a fraction of time to activate. Anima 65 / 90 Vigor 35 / 190 The golden targeting circles appeared on the creature¡¯s joints below the legs but nowhere else. His bow hummed in his hands as it blazed with crimson-black flames. The white silver Netherlight surrounded him and Tinuriel as both sprouted spectral wings. Felix took to the sky, loosing shots down at the wyvern as it screeched, jumping up after him and flapping its wings, chasing him down. ¡°That¡¯s right! Come for me!¡± he shouted down at it as he tried to cluster shots at its eyes. Tinuriel flew up from under it, a shining beacon of bright blue as she caught the creature from below, slicing into one of the weak spots and carving a leg off entirely with a blue flash of light. The creature shrieked and turned around in midair, lashing its tail down at her. She parried the blow with the flat of her sword, and riposted, cutting off the stinger. Felix used the opportunity to fly off to its side, getting just the right angle to loose shots into the other weak spots. Its flight became erratic, and Tinuriel went in for another leg, carving that one free with another flash of blue light. The wyvern screeched out, fell limp, and began to fall out of the sky. An instant prior to impact, it vanished. The room reformed around the two as they found themselves no longer aloft, but back in the chamber. Both sets of doors opened. Tinuriel laughed as she hefted her sword on her shoulder. ¡°Flying is so much fun! Did you see that? I carved its leg off!¡± Felix smiled at her joy and gestured down the tunnel, ¡°Let¡¯s keep going.¡± Tinuriel led the way down the tunnel to another set of stone double doors that opened to another chamber with the stone pedestal and crystal atop it. She instantly slammed her hand on it, and it lit up before descending. The room warped and shifted, turning into some treasure vault. Three treasure chests surrounded them. ¡°What did she say was in here?¡± Tinuriel asked. ¡°A mimic. Which, if they¡¯re anything like media, means that one of these three chests is a creature in disguise.¡± He thought back to when he played Tabletop RPGs with his friends in high school ¨C at the nerd table ¨C and how they used to check every chest they came across in the game for mimics by pelting them with rocks. No need for rocks when I have unlimited ammunition. He pulled back the bowstring and shot the chest on the left ¨C it vanished in a puff of smoke. ¡°Fifty-fifty chance,¡± he muttered as he aimed at the furthest one. That, too, vanished in a puff of smoke. Tinuriel grinned and flew behind the chest, raising her sword up high and getting some elevation. The blue energy - that indicated to Felix she was using some type of Skill - limned her sword as she flew down and brought the blade crashing with her. It sliced through the chest, which screamed and gurgled as the lid opened, revealing hundreds of razor-sharp teeth. The room reverted to the prior shape, and the next set of double doors opened. ¡°If we didn¡¯t have the warning, I bet that would¡¯ve gone horribly wrong,¡± she stated. ¡°I¡¯ve seen one of these before ¨C but it wasn¡¯t a treasure chest. It was a chair.¡± Felix shuddered, ¡°That does not sound pleasant.¡± He faced the hallway and the tunnel, leading to another set of double doors. ¡°This is the point where they all got turned around.¡± Tinuriel¡¯s wings faded, and she awkwardly landed. ¡°Damn, it¡¯s already been a minute?¡± Felix landed and dismissed his wings. ¡°Yeah, it only lasts for a minute on you.¡± He stepped into the hallway and leaned against the wall. ¡°Give me twenty minutes to let my bars refill.¡± Tinuriel nodded and leaned against the wall next to him as they waited. ¡°What do you think is at the end of this?¡± ¡°My bet is some type of mage staff or something completely useless for us,¡± Felix replied. ¡°A Dungeon Core, also, since I¡¯ve gotten one of those from each other Dungeon so far.¡± ¡°Where next?¡± She asked. ¡°Do you mean when we¡¯re done with Heficyre?¡± She nodded. ¡°Well, I think we should spend a little time in the VBV. I wouldn¡¯t mind having a bit of a vacation in between ¡®Verses.¡± He nudged her with his elbow, ¡°Plus, we could make use of the sauna, hot tub, and bedroom.¡± She grinned, ¡°Oh, that was always part of my plan.¡± She chuckled, ¡°But what type of ¡®Verse do you want to go to next?¡± Good question. I should plan ahead. Ch. 37 – Sirinê (IV) Good question. He would presumably be less limited since his Core Level was higher. ¡°I¡¯m not sure. Let¡¯s wait and see what happens in the next few days. I can¡¯t imagine this Dungeon will take us too long. The same with our business up on Tier one.¡± Tinuriel nodded and leaned her head back against the stone wall. Felix¡¯s bars were refilled not too long later, and they moved towards the next set of double doors. The doors swung open silently and the two went inside. Another pedestal with a crystal sat there. ¡°Hold on a second. Rebel Against All Odds.¡± Vigor 90 / 190 The spectral wings appeared behind Tinuriel, and she floated off the ground. Felix nodded and spoke softly, ¡°Okay. Keep a hold on my shoulder. You should be immune to mental influence for a minute, but my Inviolable Will Skill requires it to affect me first.¡± I¡¯ll activate it as soon as something tries to affect you. Tinuriel nodded and held her blade in one hand, and Felix¡¯s shoulder in the other. He reached up and touched the crystal. It flared white and sunk into the ground. The rooms¡¯ walls fell away, and the floor and sky both vanished. Felix felt a fuzzy sensation; his ability to form words leaving him as he began to flash back to his life before all of this on Earth. Helping Penny with her homework, and rushing her to and from doctor¡¯s appointments. Trying to apply for jobs and constantly falling deeper and deeper into debt. The feeling of pathetic uselessness. Standing on the edge of calamity and starting to step out into the embrace of nothingne- Hey, snap out of it. Inviolable Will. Vigor 40 / 190 Felix¡¯s sight returned and he snapped back to reality. Tinuriel hadn¡¯t let go of his shoulder and was staring above them. He looked up and recoiled at what he saw. An enormous, bulbous head looked at them. Some blend between an octopus and a person¡¯s face, with enormous black eyes and tentacles in place of a mouth. They were standing on a black expanse. ¡°Interesting. Mortals who are not affected by my powers.¡± ¡°What are you!¡± Tinuriel yelled. ¡°No need for shouting. And to answer your question, young lady, I¡¯m simply a construct made by your mind.¡± ¡°What do you see?¡± Felix asked Tinuriel softly. ¡°I see my king, but warped and monstrous with horns and wickedly sharp teeth.¡± Felix smirked, ¡°Hey Lucifer, what do you see?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t see anything. It¡¯s just an empty, square room. That pedestal is gone.¡± So, you can¡¯t see this giant Multiversal Horror that I can?¡± No, I can¡¯t. That is interesting though. I can see everything going on in your mind normally. But it¡¯s like there is a film over your eyes and ears that is providing a partition. Felix grabbed Tinuriel¡¯s shoulder and squeezed, ¡°It¡¯s just an illusion. You can shake it off.¡± ¡°No, you can¡¯t. Otherwise, Inviolable Will would have ended it. This has to be some type of puzzle.¡± ¡°Your disembodied ally is correct. You passed the first part of the test ¨C a trial of your willpower. Now comes the second part of the test ¨C a trial of your body.¡± Felix felt a crushing pressure as his body seized up like he was being squeezed in a vice, and he groaned from the strain on him. Health 90 / 190 Tinuriel let out a gasp of pain as well, and Lucifer used one of the Health Elixirs on her as she began to sag. That brought her back to consciousness. The squeezing stopped a few moments later. ¡°You have passed the trial of mind and body.¡± The black room faded away, and the stone walls reasserted themselves, the doors at the far end opening. Tinuriel looked to Felix and frowned, ¡°I really want that Escort upgrade. Let¡¯s finish this and get to Ethdellin.¡± Felix nodded and used his Regenerate before gulping down a Health Elixir and three Vigor Elixirs. Health 180 / 190 Vigor 150 / 190 ¡°You good?¡± Felix asked. Tinuriel nodded, ¡°Feeling fine.¡± She led the way to the next set of doors, which opened for them just like the others had so far. The chamber was much larger than the last few, and an enormous list of names was etched into the opposite wall. It was an enormous scorecard, with years listed, and next to them, the names of the people who defeated the Dungeon. ¡°This must be the last room,¡± Tinuriel muttered. Felix nodded and pulled out his knives. ¡°Hellblade, Netherlight Blade, Execution, Netherlight Cohort, Netherlight Mantle.¡± Anima 70 / 90 Vigor 105 / 190 His Wyrmtooth knife ignited with Hellfire, whilst the Channeling Dagger fused both that Affinity and the Netherlight into a silver and black flame. The same Netherlight aura settled around both him and Tinuriel. ¡°Hit it.¡± Tinuriel touched the crystal. The room fell away, and both were standing on a huge square platform in the middle of a volcano. The heat instantly sapped away at them and sweat poured from them in rivulets. The lava in front of them bubbled. A scaled creature emerged from the lava. One they had seen the skeleton of in Invictus. Almost straight out of a fantasy novel, a Western-style dragon rose up in front of them. Its scales were red and orange, the lava slipping off from it as the wings unfurled and crawled up onto the platform. It roared, the enormous maw of sword-sized teeth being revealed. The white claws cracked the platform and dug in as it reared its head back. ¡°Move!¡± Felix yelled as he split off from Tinuriel, the two going in different directions as the dragon unleashed a gout of flame that surged past the two in a line, separating the battlefield as the orange flames stayed in place. ¡°Detect Weakness.¡± Anima 60 / 90 The golden circles appeared around the creature¡¯s eyes and alongside the top of the spine. Right. Time to kill a dragon. Felix swallowed the knot of tension in his throat and ran forward as Tinuriel did the same on the other side of the flame wall. He could only tell because of her battle cry. The dragon turned to him and reared its head back again. Dragon Dance. Support the creativity of authors by visiting Royal Road for this novel and more. Vigor 95 / 190 He dashed under the stream of fire as the Skill let him move faster than the dragon could readjust its aim. He carved into its leg ¨C the Wyrmtooth Knife finding a small gap between the scales as it injected the poison. Felix ran under it as the creature turned, snapping its teeth where he had just been. I have to get on- his thoughts were interrupted as the creature lifted its hind leg and kicked him. The impact was bad enough, but he went sailing over the platform¡¯s edge and his leg landed in the lava. His Anima drained almost instantly as it tried to absorb the damage. Immediately after his Anima zeroed out, the leg exploded from the lava superheating the water in his body into steam. Health 15 / 190 Anima 0 / 90 Vigor 95 / 190 Tinuriel reached the creature and carved into its snout, eliciting a roar as her blade flashed blue. The creature bit down towards her, and she slipped past it, slicing along the creature¡¯s jaw as she ran alongside it, slashing at the legs. It tried to kick her as well, but she spun with the blow, her Netherlight coating fading as her body took damage. Her Berserker Collar flared with a sickly, black light as her pain was turned to power. She turned with the spin and unleashed a savage slice into the dragon¡¯s leg as her blade, Valiant Edge, drained the vitality and healed her. Fuck! Felix felt dizzy as he began to succumb to shock. If his armor didn¡¯t have the Absorbing property, he would have died. And he didn¡¯t think that his (P) Final Stand talent would have saved him, either, since the damage would¡¯ve been catastrophic. Regenerate. And I¡¯m using a ton of Elixirs. Health 190 / 190 Anima 90 / 90 Vigor 100 / 190 Felix¡¯s leg grew back, and the Netherlight flowed around him once more, absorbing the heat that would have burned his leg. But he could stand up again, and he pushed himself up. Tinuriel kept the thing busy, and he had the perfect chance he couldn¡¯t let pass. He ran to the back leg and used his Might to jump up, getting on top of the creature. Tinuriel suffered another glancing blow and continued to trade strikes with the creature. Her sword¡¯s healing-on-hit property keeping her in the fight despite being hit several times. But she was being worn down, the damage becoming greater than her sword''s restorative effect. ¡°Use an Anima Elixir!¡± Lucifer shouted at her. Tinuriel tapped into the inventory and slurped down the liquid as the Netherlight flared around her once more; her Anima able to take hits after being restored. She backed away just enough to bait out a bite which she side-stepped before slicing down on the monster¡¯s snout. We¡¯re almost out of Elixirs. Felix used the dragon¡¯s spines to traverse the creature as it thrashed below him ¨C the Netherlight preventing his foot from being fried as he stepped on the searing-hot scales. He got to the weak spot. Execution. He stabbed down with both blades, carving deep into the weak spot. Execution. He stabbed down again. He continued to use the Skill and stabbed over and over, alternating blades as he unleashed a flurry of stabs. The creature roared and attempted to buck him, but he had placed himself in between two of the spines and continued the assault. Stabbing repeatedly in a manic state. Vigor 20 / 190 The creature let out a scream and a gout of fire into the sky before collapsing. Felix kept stabbing at it, his mind lost to sheer rage and anger at almost dying from the environment of all things. His vision narrowed until he could only see the golden circle. The dragon vanished and he stabbed the blades into the ground as he huffed with exertion. Tinuriel came over and grabbed him, ¡°We survived.¡± Felix dropped the knives and felt drained. I almost died again. A feeling of inadequacy, weakness, and fear of death once more clung to his mind. Maybe being a Versewalker was something he wasn¡¯t cut out for. I could just stay in the VBV and never leave. What about your sister? Getting back home to fix what you let out? That brought Felix back from the brink of despair. He had someone who needed him. Someone he had to get stronger to get back to. A Universe he had to fix after unleashing a monster into it. ¡°I¡¯m okay,¡± he whispered as he held Tinuriel. The room reverted to its prior state, and Felix glanced up at the etched scoreboard, seeing his and Tinuriel¡¯s names appearing before the world shifted around them. [Experience Awarded = 75] [Experience Bonus from Execution Skill = 10] [Congratulations! You have reached the Experience threshold to level up! Speak with your Versewalker Core when you are ready to Choose your next Class.] [Dungeon Clear Stat Boost: +1 to All Stats]
They were transported outside of the Dungeon, in between the groups of mages. A treasure chest appeared next to them, and the two groups of mages began to rush towards it. ¡°Like Hell you¡¯re going to take that!¡± Felix yelled as he activated Fallen Flight and unleashed a Hellfire Burst that blew the mages back and sapped their Anima. Hellfire Burst Increments of 50 Anima Creates an area-of-effect explosion that not only deals damage but also burns away the target''s Anima The more Anima used, the stronger both effects are, and the larger the radius Anima 40 / 90 Vigor 10 / 190 ¡°I almost died for this. It better be something good.¡± Felix started to open the chest. You should level up quickly so you can use For the Hoard! and get better Loot. Give me a level of Silent Blade. [Selection Made: Silent Blade] Silent Blade (Advanced) Requirement: Core Level 10, Rogue 1 +2 Agility, +2 Mind, +2 Body, +2 Endurance Vital Strike Undetectable Step (Level 5) Shadowborn (Level 10) Death Mark [You now have access to several Class Skills] Vital Strike 20 Vigor The user''s next attack will hit a vital, critical, or important part of a creature or object. This will be a guaranteed hit, even pulling off improbably (but not impossible) actions to accomplish the feat. Undetectable Step 10 Vigor per minute Renders the user completely invisible. If combined with Ghostwalk, prevents any detection whatsoever. Finalize.
Name Felix Winters
Designation Versewalker
Core Level 16
EXP 753 / 760
Class Warrior 1, Animancer 1, Rogue 1, Fallen Angel 10, Whisperfang 1, Netherlight Myrmidon 1, Silent Blade 1
Might 16
Agility 21
Capacity 15
Mind 20
Body 22
Soul 10
Endurance 22
Equipped Weapon (M) Wyrmtooth Knife (MH) / Channeling Dagger (OH)
Equipped Weapon (R) Hardlight Recurve
Equipped Armor Absorbing Dragonscale Leathers
Equipped Affinities Detection, Hellfire, Netherlight
Equipped Skills Affinity Empowerment, Regenerate (Rank 2), Execution, Ghostwalk, Fallen Flight, Vigor Conversion, Shadestep, Beacon of Free Will, Inviolable Will, Dragon Dance, For the Hoard!, Rebel Against All Odds, Netherlight Mantle, Netherlight Cohort, Vital Strike, Undetectable Step
Talents (P) Multiverse Adaptation (A) Aggressive Alchemy (P) Like a Cat (P) Final Stand (A) Show Mercy (A) Universe Selector (P) Sneak Attack (P) Craftsman (P) Dungeon Delver (P) Slayer (P) Endless Bags (P) Chain Kill (P) Multiverse Survivor (P) Killing Intent
Use For the Hoard. Will do. Health 220 / 200 Anima 100 / 100 Vigor 190 / 220 Felix reached into the Dungeon chest. [Loot Obtained] ¡¤ Lava Dragon Scales [Loot Bonus from Execution Skill] ¡¤ Sirin¨º Dungeon Core [Loot Bonus from For the Hoard!] ¡¤ 5,000 VC Tinuriel reached in right after and pulled out a set of scale mail armor. ¡°We should leave.¡± She pointed at the magi who were recovering from the explosion, and reinforcements that were running towards them. Felix picked up Tinuriel and flew up, rocketing up high enough that they couldn¡¯t be seen in the darkness, and he angled towards the edge of the Tier where the elevators to Mercantus were located. He burned through most of his Vigor maintaining the flight before they landed, having crossed a half day¡¯s travel in fifteen minutes. ¡°We should be far enough away.¡± He looked around and spotted a small copse of trees, ¡°Follow me.¡± He led Tinuriel to the more concealed location and sat down. He held his hand over her new armor, ¡°Detect Properties.¡± Detect Properties 10 Anima Determines the name of an object, and any properties it may have Anima 90 / 100 Vigor 40 / 220 [Item Description: Scales of the Lava Dragon] [The wearer is immune to fire, warmth, heat based effects, and lava.] Lucifer, focus on opening the VBV. You got it. Felix quickly explained what the item did and helped Tinuriel equip it, throwing her old armor into his inventory. He looked at her in her new gear and smiled, but his smile turned to a frown. ¡°I almost died again.¡± She sat down next to him and held him to her chest, ¡°You survived. We survived. And you got stronger because of it.¡± ¡°Well done, Versewalker.¡± Tinuriel shot up and pulled her sword out, wheeling on the old man who had met them when they first arrived ¨C Gary. ¡°Please put the sword down. It wouldn¡¯t help you against me anyway.¡± Tinuriel slowly lowered her blade, ¡°You mean no harm?¡± ¡°Why would I?¡± The figure gestured and a seat made of sparkling blue energy appeared next to Felix. ¡°Sit, it¡¯s more comfortable than the ground.¡± Felix did so, ¡°Who are you?¡± he asked as his curiosity overcame his despair. Ch. 38 – Ethdellin (I) The old man¡¯s form shifted and sitting in front of them was a young man with sparkling, blue skin that looked like the night sky. ¡°I¡¯m Geteus, the god of Magic.¡± Called it. ¡°Good to meet you,¡± Felix replied as another chair appeared next to him. Tinuriel hesitantly sat down in that one. ¡°Well, you did what I asked. You not only provided the magi who wished to leave the Colleges with their place to practice, but you also cleared the Dungeon that was the root of the current strife on the Tier.¡± He clapped, and a bunch of other clapping hands made of spectral energy joined him in applauding the two. ¡°As promised, I¡¯m going to give you an Affinity. A Legendary one.¡± Geteus raised his hand and the sparkling, blue magic swirled around Felix before being absorbed by his body. He just gave you a new Affinity. Anathema, from the information I just got. Basically, you¡¯ll be able to shut down other Magic or Powers... Somehow, Lucifer''s voice dropped to a whisper, It isn''t even in the System! I''m going to keep it hidden from them. Why? If they can hide information from us, we can do it back to them. Fair is fair. Alright, I trust your instinct. ¡°Thanks,¡± Felix said as he bowed his head. The deity looked to Tinuriel, ¡°I wouldn¡¯t forget about your Escort either. You can¡¯t use Magic, but I can give you something that will help you against it.¡± He waved his hands, and her Berserker Collar turned a shimmering blue color, contrasting and standing out from the new, red-scale armor. ¡°This will make it so that your Berserker Collar not only increases your power the more injured you are, but you will also resist Magic the more injured you are.¡± Tinuriel bowed her head as well, ¡°My thanks.¡± ¡°What about me?¡± Lucifer asked. Geteus chuckled, ¡°Well, the Summon talks. I suppose I can do something for you. But I¡¯ll need to know what you are.¡± ¡°I¡¯m a fallen angel.¡± ¡°Interesting¡­Hmm.¡± He held his hand up to his chin and looked puzzled. ¡°If I give you something, it will go to Felix here since you¡¯re a part of him.¡± He scratched his head, ¡°I can¡¯t really think of anything.¡± ¡°How about you add a feature to our VBV.¡± ¡°Tell me more about it.¡± ¡°Give us a few hours, and you can come in.¡± ¡°Passage of time? I can accelerate that in localized space.¡± He snapped his fingers and the VBV opened next to the trio. Geteus stood up, and gestured, ¡°Please, ladies first.¡± Tinuriel stood up and went inside, quickly followed by Felix and the god of magic. Once they entered, Lucifer separated from Felix. ¡°Hi. Lucifer Morningstar.¡± Geteus nodded, ¡°I have an inkling of what you want to do. This ¡®VBV¡¯ as you call it lacks its own reservoir of Magical energy, and you want me to add one.¡± ¡°That¡¯s right.¡± The god of magic looked at Felix, ¡°It will require one of these Functions of yours to make it permanent, but I can facilitate this reward for your Summon.¡± ¡°Alright, just tell me what I need to do.¡± Geteus clapped his hands together as blue sparkling energy infused the air around them before shooting out in all directions. The whole of the VBV glowed sparkling blue for a moment before it faded. ¡°That is the ¡®spark¡¯ as it were. Use a Function to allow the spark of Magic to take root. It will then grow in power over time.¡± ¡°Lucifer? You know how to word what he¡¯s asking for?¡± ¡°Yeah. Here, I¡¯ll do it¡­Function added.¡± Geteus bowed, ¡°My thanks, Versewalker. Glimpsing the Multiverse is always a treat. But my reality calls to me. Take care.¡± He left through the portal, and Felix willed it to snap shut behind him. Lucifer let out a gust of air with a heavy sigh, ¡°I haven¡¯t been face to face with a deity in millennia. It¡¯s always jarring.¡± ¡°Seems like we handled it well enough,¡± Tinuriel said as she touched her improved item, the blue sparks flashing off of it where her fingers caressed the metal. Lucifer nodded, ¡°Yeah. Well, time to rest up. Tomorrow we head up to Ethdellin and Tier 1.¡± He flew off towards one of the mountains. ¡°Where¡¯s he going?¡± Tinuriel asked. ¡°Probably to think. He was cast out by the God of his ¡®Verse. Maybe that encounter just now shook him.¡± Felix knew that he just had to give the Fallen Angel some space. ¡°Let me restock at the Shop, then we get some rest.¡±
[Items purchased] + Health Elixir (x4) - 2000 VC + Anima Elixir (x3) - 1500 VC + Vigor Elixir (x5) - 2500 VC [Monies Paid] = 6000 VC [Current Balance] = 15,050 VC
Felix walked with Tinuriel over to his house and the two took turns washing down before collapsing into bed.
Hey, wake up. Felix rolled out of bed and yawned. What¡¯s up? We have a decision you gotta make. Okay, give me a second to throw some pants on. Felix quickly got dressed and went outside. To his surprise, there was a covered table sitting in front of his house, and several chairs were placed around it with various title placards. Roy, Melanie, and Lucifer were all seated. ¡°Who made this? I didn¡¯t use a Room selection, did I?¡± ¡°No,¡± Roy said. ¡°My ogres made it ¨C they are skilled stonemasons. Come, we have to discuss an issue at hand.¡± Felix sat down at the chair with the placard Versewalker in front of it. And this is where I get to manage a kingdom. Feels like a CRPG. ¡°Okay, what am I deciding on?¡± Melanie cleared her throat, ¡°There is some tension rising between the more monstrous humanoid races that have moved into the VBV ¨C goblins, ogres, ghouls, that sort of ilk ¨C and the now-arriving humans who have begun to move into the city on the lake.¡± Roy nodded, ¡°There¡¯s discontent.¡± He leaned forward, ¡°It won¡¯t amount to violence thanks to your Function preventing that, but it may cause an exodus of individuals unless actions are taken.¡± Lucifer crossed his arms, ¡°You have three options here. Either go with one of the proposals or come up with one of your own.¡± ¡°Okay, let me hear them,¡± Felix said. Melanie stood up, ¡°I propose to install or build walls ¨C or maybe even reshape some of the mountains ¨C to form a sort of barrier. Separate the various people that are in contention.¡± She sat. Roy¡¯s turn, ¡°I believe that we should instead level out everything save for the surrounding mountains in the distance. Get rid of any separation. If people don¡¯t like their new neighbors, they can leave.¡± Lucifer shook his head, ¡°I have no opinion on this matter.¡± He looked to Felix, ¡°So, either come up with your own idea or go with Roy or Melanie¡¯s. I¡¯ll make sure it gets implemented.¡± Felix nodded, ¡°I want to get Tinuriel¡¯s opinion.¡± He got up, went to the house, woke her up, and she joined the group at the table. After he briefly summarized what had been spoken of, she closed her eyes in thought.Support the author by searching for the original publication of this novel. ¡°Well,¡± she started, ¡°I know that my people will not get along with other races. I would go with Melanie¡¯s decision. Especially if we are going to have people from various Universes all trying to live together in harmony, the best way is to give them their own safe space.¡± Felix nodded, ¡°Thanks for the input.¡± I don''t feel comfortable separating people just because they look or act different. That feels...wrong. If it makes you feel better, in a lot of Fantasy ''Verses, and in almost every Sci-Fi ''Verse, people are separated by all types of different identifiers. It feels weird putting in barriers. Well, there''s that saying, good fences make good neighbors. Plus, it''s not like you''re restricting them from going from one part of the VBV to another. You''re just making...neighborhoods. Separated by their technology level they are comfortable with, or an environment they feel better being in. Look at it in that light. Yeah, you''re right. They can travel wherever they please. This will just help ease tensions. He turned to Lucifer, ¡°Let¡¯s go with Melanie¡¯s plan. More separation." Melanie tilted her head in a small bow, ¡°Thanks. This is the right choice, I¡¯m sure of it!¡± Roy shook his head, ¡°Your realm, your choice.¡± He stood up, ¡°I must return to Dirge to continue reconstruction. Oh, I wanted to mention that Trading Post of yours has been handy in obtaining materials for the rebuilding. My thanks for installing it.¡± He walked to the portals and vanished. ¡°How about we take an hour, then we head up to Ethdellin. Sound good?¡±
Felix and Tinuriel spent most of the time in an amorous repast before gearing up. Felix¡¯s armor had somehow repaired itself, and Tinuriel explained that ¡°Magic items are very hard to destroy for good. They tend to return to their pristine state unless utterly obliterated.¡± Lucifer rejoined Felix, and Melanie walked over. ¡°Am I going with you now, or do you want to retrieve me once you get into the Eternal City?¡± ¡°What awaits us up the lift?¡± Tinuriel asked. ¡°You¡¯ll be on the Eternal Plains. It¡¯s where most of the food is grown. A lot of people who live on Mercantus work there. Then you get to the Eternal City itself. It¡¯s got huge white walls topped with gold, and a single main gate with two side gates. The main one is never opened, most people go in and out through the side gates. Then you have the Pinnacle of the Soul Spire. The whole Eternal City is built atop the Soul Spire itself, but the pinnacle rises to the Heavenly Realms.¡± Felix felt a sort of giddy anticipation in his chest. Once he got into the city, that should mean that the last Crisis would be solved. Which meant that he¡¯d get his Observer¡¯s extra reward incentive. That means Tinuriel won¡¯t be as easy to hurt. ¡°How hard will it be to get in through the gates?¡± ¡°For you? Not hard. Just flash your wings and tell them who you are. They¡¯ll let you in.¡± She paused and took a hesitant half-breath before continuing, ¡°I¡­I¡¯m not going to lie ¨C I¡¯m scared. Terrified.¡± Tinuriel shook her head, ¡°We¡¯ll protect you.¡± ¡°I have no doubt,¡± Melanie muttered. ¡°I¡¯m ready to go, if you are ready.¡± Felix opened the portal back to where they had departed, and the trio went through. Melanie pulled up a cloak with a deep hood, and the other two at her insistence did the same. They walked through and entered the copse of trees, making their way back to the road and following the path. Red robed mages were moving past them ¨C carrying the various camping supplies back towards their College. They were talking about the Versewalker who exploded after clearing the Dungeon. They think I¡¯m dead? Interesting. This could be harmful. We have to make sure we get to Ethdellin before news of your apparent demise does. Felix encouraged his allies to pick up the pace, and Tinuriel picked up Melanie as they moved quickly ¨C at a brisk pace that the weaker princess could not have kept up with. They made good time, arriving at the lifts just as the sun crested overhead. Felix used Fallen Flight to manifest his wings, and the armored and armed guards at the lift let him and his companions ascend to Ethdellin. For the first time since arriving on Heficyre, he did not see the imposing height of the cliffs leading to another Tier. This was the top, and the Azure Expanse extended into the eternal sky. Enormous lakes were interspersed with gorgeous, green grasslands and farmland ¨C all perfectly flat. White stone roads made with immaculate precision led the way to an enormous, walled city ¨C white marble topped with solid gold. But more impressive was the white spire, also coated in gold ¨C that ascended above the whole of the Eternal City. ¡°That¡¯s the palace. It used to be four different towers for the four noble families. But when they intermarried, they combined them,¡± Melanie explained. The building continued up for several hundred feet until it stopped. But a single spire of grey and black continued up and into a golden circle flying far above. The Heavenly Realms, Felix recalled. There are literal gods up there. Lucifer¡¯s emotions swelled within Felix. It always feels¡­right¡­being this close to Heaven. But it¡¯s not your Heaven. The realms of gods in any ¡®Verse feel like home to any servant of a deity. Sure, they may not be my God or live in my heaven¡­but it feels like a homecoming, regardless. The trio walked down the large road, passing many young people dressed primarily in rich clothing who were going down the Tiers to Mercantus to spend some obscene number of money. They also passed poorer folks who were moving off on side roads to the various fields. As they got closer to the wall, Felix saw the shanty towns built outside of the Eternal City. ¡°People who hope to get inside,¡± Melanie commented. ¡°Some try to sneak their way in. Most try to beg and hope someone from within the Eternal City pities them.¡± Tinuriel frowned, ¡°All of that, just to live forever?¡± Melanie nodded, ¡°Yes. Maybe it doesn¡¯t mean as much to someone long-lived like you, but we have such short lives in comparison.¡± She laughed slightly, ¡°It¡¯s one reason why you only see younger folks traveling. Aging only pauses while in the Eternal City. I was raised in a nice manor house over there,¡± she pointed to one of the large lakes off in the distance. ¡°Then, when I was sixteen, I was moved into the city proper.¡± They arrived at the main, massive gate. Surprisingly, it was unadorned. No filigree, no type of decoration save for the golden plating. They went towards one of the side doors ¨C the one that was allowing in those who were richly dressed at Melanie¡¯s insistence. A checkpoint of sorts was set up, and people were being asked questions and screened. Horse-mounted cataphracts were glimmering in full plate that was ornate and gilded. Their mounts were equally armored. Several more troops were on foot, processing the various visitors. And all of them were armed to the teeth. Their turn in the queue arrived and Felix stepped up, stopping as a guard held up his hand. ¡°Identification?¡± Fallen Flight. Felix¡¯s wings manifested at the expense of ten Vigor, and he pulled back his hood and mask, ¡°I¡¯m the Versewalker. Saved Invictus from the collapse ¨C you probably heard of me.¡± The man frowned, ¡°The one that died on Sirin¨º? Please. Get lost.¡± Felix was stunned for a moment. Why are the wings not convincing enough? They live next to the Heavenly Realms. They probably see angels flying about all the time. And, I''d bet that they don''t go in through the gates. So they probably think you''re an imposter of some type. Why wait in line when you could just fly up there? Fair point. Felix smiled, ¡°What can I do to prove I am who I am?¡± The man shook his head, ¡°Don¡¯t matter to me. Bugger off.¡± ¡°Now hold on a minut-¡± Felix started to protest, stopping as the man pulled a large mace from his belt. Almost at once, several more guards pulled weapons and trained them on Felix. He felt the same as he did when he was held at gunpoint in Penny¡¯s hospital room. But he wasn¡¯t helpless this time. He had power. Undetectable Step. Ghostwalk. Undetectable Step 10 Vigor per minute Renders the user completely invisible. If combined with Ghostwalk, prevents any detection whatsoever. Ghostwalk 1 Vigor per minute Makes the user very difficult to detect if they can conceivably hide or blend into a location. Does not work if out in the open. He vanished, turning fully invisible ¨C there was no way he could be seen. Vigor 199 / 220 The guards looked around, confused. Felix went behind the man with the mace and pulled off his helmet ¨C the object vanishing once he got full control over it. The man wheeled around, but Felix was already ten feet away in a spot with a bit of shadow cast by a guard¡¯s horse, and he deactivated his Skills. ¡°Did you lose something?¡± He goaded. The guards wheeled on him. Shadestep. Shadestep 1 Vigor per foot traveled Teleport from one shadow to another. Vigor 15 / 220 He teleported from the shadow of the guard¡¯s horse to the top of the wall, using the small bit of shadow in a crenellation as the teleport target. ¡°Up here!¡± The guards on the wall wheeled to look at him, as did the ones down below. He jumped off and flew down, landing next to his allies and the astonished guards. ¡°Is that proof enough?¡± The guard nodded emphatically, ¡°I guess the rumors of your death were wrong.¡± He waved his hand, and the guards went back to their posts. He put away his mace and went to a small desk in the checkpoint area, coming back with a slip of paper. ¡°Keep this with you. Gods bless, Versewalker.¡± Felix smiled and dismissed Fallen Flight, walking into the city with his two companions. Tinuriel got up next to him, ¡°Was it wise to demonstrate your power like that?¡± ¡°It was,¡± Melanie replied softly. ¡°Just watch ¨C we go to a well-known hotel, and I guarantee you that nobles will be inviting Felix to their estates. I know just the place.¡± She led them down the streets, and with their hoods up they passed unnoticed amongst the masses ¨C despite the attempts of a handful of guards to follow them. Melanie knew every possible back alley route, and she guided them to a four-story building with a gilded front. We¡¯re on the Soul Spire. That should mean that the Crisis is solved. I don¡¯t know what¡¯s going on. It said the top of the Soul Spire, right? Felix looked up at the ever-present portal to the Heavenly Realms. The thin, pinnacle of the Spire went up into the portal. I bet we have to get up there to find it. But every other Crisis required us to do something; not just travel somewhere. Does the System have any more information? There was a small amount of panic in Lucifer¡¯s voice as he replied, No. And that¡¯s what worries me. For all I know, we¡¯ll have to fight some deity that sits atop the Spire itself. He chuckled nervously. The last time I tried to fight God, it didn¡¯t go well. Let¡¯s hope it doesn¡¯t come to that. Ch. 39 – Ethdellin (II) Felix returned his attention to the situation at hand. Melanie led them into the hotel. It was a luxurious building with soft, velvety chairs and couches, a full bar and restaurant, and an ornate black marble desk at the far end of the entryway. ¡°You lead,¡± Melanie said, pulling her cloak as far forward as it could. ¡°We have to keep my identity secret until I talk to some of the nobles.¡± Felix walked forward to the counter and was greeted promptly by a mustachioed man with impeccable, shoulder-length hair and a finely tailored suit. ¡°May I help you?¡± His voice was filled with pomp. ¡°I¡¯m the Versewalker. I¡¯m looking to get a room for myself and my companions.¡± The man nodded, ¡°Very good, sir. One night will be one hundred coins.¡± That¡¯s steep, Felix thought as he pulled out 300 VC and put it on the desk. ¡°I assume that includes food and drink?¡± The man nodded as he picked the coins up before neatly depositing them into a lockbox behind the counter, ¡°That is correct. I will have an attendant show you to your room.¡± He snapped his fingers, and a young girl dressed in immaculate, Victorian-esque clothing. She curtsied and waved for the trio to follow her. They went down a corridor. ¡°One hundred coins only buys a first-floor room?¡± Tinuriel asked. Melanie nodded, ¡°Ethdellin is where only the richest or most privileged live. I¡¯d wager the highest floor costs one thousand coins a night.¡± They got to the room and the girl handed Felix the keys to the room, bowing before leaving them. The room was luxurious to the point of being ostentatious. More of a suite than a single hotel room. Black granite furniture flecked with gold inlay and white marble floors were in the entryway, alongside several couches. The doors on the sides opened to two bedrooms with adjoining bathrooms. Felix had seen shows where people stayed at luxury casinos in Las Vegas, and being here made him feel like he was living the high-roller life. He sat down on the bed and sank into the soft cushions and mattress. Tinuriel sat down with him and looked to Melanie, ¡°How long would you guess it will be until we have these nobles come calling?¡± ¡°Not long. Word of a Versewalker being in the Eternal City will spread quickly. Maybe two hours?¡± She went to the opposite bedroom, ¡°I¡¯m going to prepare myself for presentation. I¡¯d advise you to ensure that you two are as presentable as possible. When you¡¯ve made introductions to the various visiting nobles, I¡¯ll come out, and we can present your evidence and my proof of claim.¡± She shut the door behind her. Tinuriel laid back and rolled over to look at Felix, ¡°We have two hours. I don¡¯t need long to get ready.¡± She narrowed her eyes as a grin spread across her face. ¡°Strip.¡±
Felix and Tinuriel made themselves presentable in their armor and equipment a few hours later. They sat on the couches in the main entryway, having poured themselves some drinks from a small bar, and a knock sounded at the door. Tinuriel got up and answered it before letting a middle-aged woman in a colorful outfit inside. She was also dressed in a pseudo-Victorian fashion and curtsied as Felix stood up. He bowed gently. ¡°You must be the Versewalker that I¡¯ve heard so much about!¡± Her voice was perky and filled with a bubbly vibrance. ¡°Ah, but where are my manners! I am Brianne Nevrenaux II.¡± She held out her hand, and Felix had seen enough media that he knew the proper manner was to take her offered hand and kiss it. So, he did. She giggled and sat down, ¡°And well-mannered! I thought you¡¯d be more unrefined given your travels.¡± Tinuriel sat next to Felix and put her arm around his shoulders, ¡°He is refined.¡± Felix chuckled, ¡°To what do I owe the pleasure of your visit, Miss Nevrenaux?¡± He struggled with sounding out the word; it was vaguely French-sounding, and he winced internally as the word left his mouth. She giggled again, holding up a small fan to hide her face, ¡°It¡¯s all right. My name is difficult to pronounce. Please, just call me Brianne.¡± She lowered the fan, ¡°Pour me a glass of that red wine, would you?¡± Felix got up and did as he was asked, returning with the glass before sitting once more. ¡°I assume this isn¡¯t just a pleasant visit from the upper crust?¡± Brianna took a sip and nodded, ¡°You assume correctly!¡± She set the glass down and daintily crossed her legs, ¡°I¡¯m here to ask for a favor.¡± ¡°And what would that be?¡± ¡°Well¡­rumors have been going around that a Versewalker had solved a case that had stumped the Investigators on Mercantus.¡± She stared into Felix¡¯s eyes as if scouring his soul to find her answer. ¡°We solved a lot of problems for them. You¡¯ll have to be more specific,¡± He replied. Felix had read a decent amount of political intrigue in his many library visits. It wasn¡¯t his favorite genre, but he knew that he had to be subtle with his wording and not outright own up to any particular action. Implications would speak louder than truth. She smiled gently, ¡°So you know how the game is played.¡± She leaned back and took another sip of her wine. ¡°Well, let¡¯s just say that I was friends with the former monarch of the Eternal City. His death sent reverberations throughout the Tier.¡± Her face shifted to a frown, ¡°And a shame that his daughter was killed by assassins.¡± Felix nodded, ¡°It is a shame that he was killed.¡± Now I show a little of my hand, to lure out a bit of her own. ¡°I did do some Investigating in that manner, and I found some interesting information that could point to the person who set it all up.¡± Brianna¡¯s eyes narrowed, ¡°Intriguing. I¡¯ve also heard that those assassin-killing daughter rumors were untrue. That she is alive, somewhere¡­that she was traveling the Tiers with a Versewalker. At least, as far as Invictus.¡± ¡°Hypothetically, if his daughter were alive, would you support her claim?¡± ¡°Of course! The Nevrenaux family has always supported the Parslia Ventorus Remarda line.¡± Felix squeezed Tinuriel¡¯s thigh ¨C the signal for her to get Melanie ¨C and she got up to open the door to Melanie¡¯s bedroom. The princess came into the room and curtsied, ¡°Miss Nevrenaux II.¡± Brianna put her glass down and stood up, curtsying in response before stepping forward and giving Melanie a big hug. ¡°You are alive!¡± She started to tear up and quickly pulled herself away, pulling out a kerchief and wiping away her tears before fanning herself once more, and taking deep breaths. ¡°I had a gut feeling you weren¡¯t dead.¡±Stolen from its rightful place, this narrative is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings. Melanie smiled, ¡°I¡¯m more than well. Felix and Tinuriel here saved me, along with another ally.¡± She looked at Felix, ¡°This is one of my family¡¯s old friends. She¡¯s been alive for two hundred years and was my history tutor.¡± Brianna curtsied once more, ¡°It¡¯s a privilege to serve the royal family.¡± Felix pulled out the evidence binder and laid it all out on the table. ¡°We have plenty of evidence that connects the dots from William VIII to the murder of Melanie¡¯s father. Before confronting him, we want to ensure we have allies.¡± Brianna sat down and perused the documents. Melanie sat next to her ¨C as this was the first time she had seen the full report ¨C and after finishing reading it, Brianna sat back with a heavy sigh. ¡°This¡­you have made a solid case. I¡¯ve worked with Investigators before when I had some jewelry stolen ¨C Mercantus has the best folks for detective work. But not this thorough. You have diagrams, interview notes¡­¡± She looked at Melanie, ¡°I¡¯ll quietly spread the word amongst the minor nobility. Get them here.¡± She looked up to Felix and Tinuriel, ¡°Do the routine just like you did with me.¡± She smirked, ¡°You know something of politics.¡± Felix chuckled, ¡°I¡¯m not proficient at it.¡± ¡°But you gave me just enough of a lead to bite onto. Keep doing that.¡± Brianna stood up and looked at Melanie. ¡°Expect more visitors today and tomorrow. We¡¯ll get you back on the throne as soon as possible.¡± Her voice seemed sincere, but there was a hidden desire under it. Tinuriel picked up on that too, and stood up, ¡°What do you want out of this?¡± ¡°Smart woman. I heard the elves were silent, smart, and strong.¡± She turned to Melanie, ¡°I would appreciate being given a position at court once you regain power.¡± Melanie nodded, ¡°You have my word as a Parslia Ventorus Remarda.¡±
The next few hours passed in a very similar manner. Felix and Tinuriel would greet the various nobles that arrived, and Felix would prod them with the same type of questions as the first visit with Miss Nevrenaux. After giving a little information, and getting a bit of intent back, Tinuriel would let Melanie in. She would explain the situation, show them the evidence, and they swore to back her claim. The day ended and the group decided to retire. But Felix was cautious. He insisted on opening the VBV and having Melanie sleep inside. He knew that if one of these nobles decided to try and sell her out to curry favor with the current monarch, that assassins would probably be sent. Melanie didn¡¯t complain, and she went in. Felix and Tinuriel both slept in their armor ¨C which wasn¡¯t very comfortable ¨C and had weapons at hand. Thankfully, Tinuriel only needed two hours of sleep, so once she had her power nap, Felix closed his eyes. He was awoken by Tinuriel shaking him. His vision instantly went to Lucifer¡¯s red sight. ¡°Someone¡¯s here,¡± she whispered, standing up and grabbing her sword. Felix pulled out his knives and activated Ghostwalk and Undetectable Step, vanishing as he crept throughout the suite, searching for any traces of people getting inside. Vigor 209 / 220 He stood in front of a window as it opened, and two cloaked figures made their way inside. Wordlessly, he slit their throats as they collapsed to the ground, the blood splashing before sucking back up into them as the wounds closed. That (P) Killing Intent Talent is handy. No clue how it works though. The System is weird. Best not to quest- oh, there¡¯s one more. Felix looked up to see a figure turn to run down the boulevard. He hopped out of the window, ran behind them, and slit their throat as well ¨C rendering them unconscious as the blood sucked back into them, the wound closing. He dragged them back to the window, clambered up and inside, and shut the window behind him. ¡°In here, Tinuriel.¡± She walked in and looked at the trio with a frown, ¡°I was hoping to fight a bit tonight,¡± she muttered looking at Felix. How can she see me? Your allies you designate - and Versewalker Escorts - can see through your various stealth and disguise or illusion Skills or Magic/Power effects. ¡°Sorry to take that from you," Felix replied to her. He dropped his stealth Skills and tied up the trio with some rope Tinuriel had acquired earlier in the day. ¡°You get to do the interrogation part.¡± Felix sat down, pulled out a pen and paper, and prepared to take notes. [Experience Awarded = 10] [Congratulations! You have reached the Experience threshold to level up! Speak with your Versewalker Core when you are ready to Choose your next Class.] Let¡¯s save that. Just in case. Alright, holding onto the level up. Tinuriel grinned and slapped one of the cloaked figures, waking them up. The man stirred before looking up at the massive, armored, elven woman. ¡°You¡¯ve been captured. Tell us what you know, and I won¡¯t break every bone in your body.¡± She pulled back the person¡¯s hood to reveal a young man¡¯s face. He kept his mouth shut, and Tinuriel just grinned in response. She put her foot on his ankle and put her full weight on it, grinding the bone into the floor. He screamed, but she leaned down and put her hand across his mouth. ¡°Scream, and I¡¯ll make it worse. Now, when I lift my foot, you¡¯re going to stop that noise, and tell me who sent you.¡± The man nodded as Tinuriel lifted her foot off and pulled her hand away. ¡°We were hired by Dean Dromitus to kill the Versewalker.¡± Tinuriel glanced over at Felix, and he paused writing down the man¡¯s words. ¡°Come again?¡± ¡°You heard me.¡± Wow. He must really hold a grudge. Felix shook his head, ¡°Well, regardless, we now have a bit of an issue. I can¡¯t have you lot trying to kill me. So, here¡¯s the deal. You go back and tell your employer the job is done. Get paid, then run off to somewhere.¡± The man gulped and nodded, ¡°Yeah-yeah, okay.¡± Felix stood up and Tinuriel backed off. He loosened the ropes and helped the assassin stand. ¡°These two are with you?¡± The assassin nodded, and Felix loosened their ropes before opening the window and unceremoniously tossing them out, their bodies thudding into the ground as they came to from the sudden blunt trauma. He pointed outside, ¡°Tell your friends about the deal. And get out of here.¡± The assassin nodded and left quickly. Felix shut the window behind them. Tinuriel shook her head. ¡°Should¡¯ve just killed them.¡± ¡°That would¡¯ve been messy,¡± Felix replied. ¡°We¡¯re not on some battlefield. This is a city with guards on every corner.¡± ¡°Could¡¯ve taken them into the VBV and held them there or given them to Roy to put to work on Dirge.¡± Felix shrugged and went back to their bedroom, ¡°I¡¯d rather that Dean think I¡¯m dead and not keep sending people after us. We¡¯re going to lay low for the next few days anyway. With how close Tier 2 is to Tier 1, if they were gone for long, then he¡¯d probably assume they failed and send more.¡± He laid down and closed his eyes. ¡°Wake me up if we get more intruders.¡±
Morning came swiftly, and Felix opened the VBV. Even more nobles visited that day, and Felix felt the tedium turn to pure boredom. That night, he and Tinuriel went into the VBV with Melanie. The two of them went into the Recreation Room, and Felix found ¨C to his surprise and delight ¨C several televisions and game consoles. Tinuriel had an idea of what they were thanks to his VBV Function enabling knowledge of whatever was inside the VBV, but she was inexperienced. That is, for a few minutes. Felix had booted up one of his favorite fighting games from when he used to go to arcades with his grandfather on his birthday. And the first few rounds, he was winning. But Tinuriel¡¯s battle prowess enabled her to adapt to the controls of the game with ease. Pretty soon, she was pulling off endless combos that Felix couldn¡¯t do anything about ¨C and she absolutely dominated him. It was a good evening.
¡°Last day of nobles,¡± Melanie muttered as they exited the VBV into the hotel suite. She rubbed her temples, ¡°I hate dealing with people this much.¡± ¡°Could have fooled me,¡± Tinuriel replied as she checked the suite for anyone lurking inside of it. ¡°I¡¯m an introvert! I hate talking to people. I like books and music.¡± Melanie took a seat on the couch in the entrance hall and Felix sat opposite her. ¡°What happens after this last round of nobles?¡± Felix asked. ¡°We go to the Nevrenaux estate tomorrow. Brianne is going to gather loyalists who will back my claim to the throne.¡± Tinuriel walked into the hall and leaned against the wall, ¡°Then to the palace, where we present the evidence. And when the king denies it, we kill him.¡± Melanie¡¯s face became inscrutable, and she curtly nodded, ¡°If he won¡¯t step down and accept punishment¡­yes, he must die.¡± Ch. 40 – Ethdellin (III) The last day of meetings passed by much as the first two had. As the sun set, they spent one more night in the VBV before returning, throwing on their cloaks and hoods, and checking out. The streets were busy in the cool, breezy morning. Groups of guards patrolled the streets in small squads of four, dressed as ornately as those who were outside of the main walls. Melanie led them along hidden paths once more; routes through the city that only a native who had lived here for many years could know about. They arrived at a gated courtyard with a large manor house inside the boundaries. Felix introduced himself to the servant who was standing at the entrance, and he opened the gate for the trio, leading them up to the manor house and showing them to a large dining hall that had been cleared out. Brianne Nevrenaux II was standing near a large, unlit fireplace as she gazed at the nick-nacks on the mantle. She turned to the group as they entered and bowed her head slightly, ¡°Come now, take off those cloaks. You should look your best!¡± She snapped her fingers and a servant came up to take their cloaks. A few more servants brought in some cushioned chairs, and Brianne invited them to sit. ¡°We¡¯ve built up a decent amount of support. I¡¯d estimate seventy percent of the nobility is on your side, princess.¡± Tinuriel sat upright, ¡°That leaves thirty percent on this usurper-king¡¯s side, or neutral.¡± Brianne nodded, ¡°They are all very loyal. At a minimum, Melanie, you will have to cull that group unless they bend the knee.¡± She waved over a servant who brought drinks. ¡°I would expect that we will encounter them soon enough.¡± I need you to use Affinity Empowerment to affect three targets. I¡¯ll do it the second you use your Magic/Power. Detect Substance. Affinity Empowerment Increments of 5 Vigor Increases the efficacy, duration, potency, or other variable of a Magic/Power effect. Detect Substance 10 Anima Identifies a substance by cycling through several modes of detection. This will provide general information about the substance. Anima 90 / 100 Vigor 210 / 220 The faint, golden glow surrounded their drinks, and rapidly cycled through the contents of each glass. No poison. You¡¯re good. Felix took a sip of the liquid. It tasted like a sports drink mixed with vodka. Tinuriel drained hers in a single go, and Melanie just held it silently. People began to file into the room, and servants brought them beverages as they each came up to Brianne, bowed slightly to Melanie, and were brought a chair. Within an hour, the whole room was packed with well-dressed and fancy nobility. Melanie stood up in front of them and curtsied, ¡°You all met me already. But, to put any doubts to rest¡­¡± she reached for a pendant around her neck and held it up. A solid, silver disk with an imprint of the spire on it. ¡°I am Melanie Parslia Ventorus Remarda IV, rightful heir to the throne of the Eternal City. As you saw over the past few days, the Versewalker and his Escort gathered evidence ¨C plentiful proof ¨C that my uncle, William VIII, arranged for the murder of my father, Billiam III.¡± There were some shouts of outrage from the audience and many harrumphs. Brianne stood up next to Melanie. ¡°It has been three years that we have been under the rule of a usurper. With your support, we plan to present the evidence in the king¡¯s court this evening. I would request that you bring the maximum allotment of your guards and mercenaries as allowed by royal law.¡± A tall, thin man stood up and bowed at the waist, ¡°It is our honor to restore the proper bloodline to the throne.¡± He was followed by several other individuals who joined in the sentiment, and soon enough the whole room was swearing themselves to the cause. Felix looked over at Melanie and watched her closely. She seemed to be full of energy, but there was some level of discomfort and uncertainty. The way she stood, how she shifted her body weight between her feet instead of staying planted in one place. The glancing around the room. She thinks someone here is out to get her. Let¡¯s make sure that¡¯s not happening. Detect Hostiles. Anima 80 / 100 The golden aura did not limn anyone inside the room, but outside of the building, he saw a large group of golden blobs ¨C hostile targets ¨C approaching the front door. ¡°Tinuriel, we have trouble. Get Melanie out safely,¡± he whispered to her. He stood up and went to the main door. Tinuriel got up and grabbed Melanie, whispering in her ear before leaving out the back door. They had planned for this possibility ¨C having already arranged a rendezvous location. Felix got past the now-upset supporters and flung open the front door. He saw a group of fifty guards, all of whom were armed and armored, and were led by a similarly dressed man with a red pennant tied around his shoulders. ¡°Hi, I¡¯m the Versewalker. Why are all of you coming here with hostile intent?¡± The man held up his fist and the guards stopped in neat, orderly rows. ¡°Stand aside.¡± Felix crossed his arms and stood in the doorway. ¡°What if I said no?¡± ¡°Stand aside, Versewalker.¡± ¡°Or what? You¡¯re going to beat me up? Arrest me?¡± The man lowered his hand and pointed at Felix, ¡°No. I will do this!¡± His hand began to glow with a cerulean light, and a beam of ilght-blue energy lanced out and hit Felix in the torso, impacting him with a dull thud that felt like he was punched...hard. It knocked the breath out of him. Anathema Prison, Felix thought as he created a new Magic/Power effect with this latest Affinity. Support the author by searching for the original publication of this novel. Anathema PRison 50 Anima per minute A single target within sight is afflicted with Anathema, rendering them unable to use Magic/Powers as long as they are affected. Health 210 / 220 Anima 30 / 100 Vigor 210 / 220 A cage of glittering, blue starlight appeared around the man, and his Magic fizzled. He gestured once more as if he was trying to activate a Magic/Power effect, but nothing happened. ¡°See, that¡¯s just rude. Using Magic on me? Just because you don¡¯t believe me?¡± Felix taunted him with a laugh. ¡°Men! Seize him!¡± Felix activated Ghostwalk and Undetectable Step, vanishing from sight. Health 220 / 220 Vigor 199 / 220 How''d my Health come back? Felix thought as he caught his breath again. Looks like his Magic/Power effect was only meant to stun and momentarily incapacitate you. Temporary damage. He walked around the now befuddled group of men and into the main street before dropping both effects, ¡°You guys are not good at your jobs.¡± The guards wheeled around and began to give chase as Felix took off down the boulevard, running at top speed. He was astonished at how fast he was going ¨C this being the first time he¡¯d full-out sprinted since his recent Core Level increase. His breathing came easily, and he cleared city block after city block as the guards faded into the distance. He turned a corner, reactivating Ghostwalk and Undetectable Step, and made for the rendezvous location. [Achievement Unlocked: Escaped pursuit] (P) Vanishing Act When user escapes pursuit, they cannot be found by the pursuers for a minimum of 10 minutes.
He had to deactivate Undetectable Step to keep his Vigor at a decent level, but blending into the crowds was not an issue. As he walked amongst the people, he couldn¡¯t help but wonder about the people who weren¡¯t nobility. The thought had crossed his mind before but being in that hotel room for hours and hours, he hadn¡¯t really had a chance to explore. Now, he did, and what he saw was confusing. The various people who were working jobs ¨C street cleaners, shopkeepers, servants ¨C none of them seemed like they lived in the Eternal City. What¡¯s that about? Does the System know? Checking¡­It looks like most of the working class commutes to this Tier. Either from the shanty towns outside or from Mercantus. There was a sense of dismay in his voice. People born into the noble class live here and get all the benefits of being unageing. Care to share your feelings? Lucifer was silent for several seconds before responding, I am a proponent of free will trumping all. There¡¯s no class advancement here. People are stuck in their lot of life. An entrenched nobility and people hoping to advance¡­but not really having any hope of it. Well, burning it all down isn¡¯t really an option. I wasn¡¯t suggesting that. I¡¯m just thankful that you decided to open your VBV to others. Technically, I¡¯m the final authority in there. Someone has to be a top dog. Almost correct. Just ¡®top dog¡¯. Close enough. Felix chuckled as he continued to pass unseen amongst the crowd.
Their rendezvous point was a cobbler that the trio had passed on the way to the meeting of Melanie¡¯s supporters. Melanie knew the shop owner, and they popped inside, obtaining permission to use his back room if necessary. She sweetened the deal with a bag of one hundred coins. Felix went inside and passed by the shop owner ¨C who was busy working on some project, and thanks to Ghostwalk didn¡¯t even notice the rogue. The back-room door was closed, and Felix deftly picked the lock before entering. Melanie and Tinuriel were there, as was Brianne who was quite flustered, fanning herself incessantly. ¡°Ah, you¡¯re here,¡± she said. ¡°Good job leading away those ruffians. We got everyone out.¡± Tinuriel walked over to Felix and clapped him on the shoulder, ¡°The plan is still on for tonight.¡± ¡°Good,¡± Felix walked over to Melanie. ¡°How are you feeling about this? Are you ready to confront your uncle?¡± She shook her head, ¡°No, but I don¡¯t have a choice. It¡¯s now or never. We have allies now, but we need to move.¡± She looked to Brianne, ¡°Is the Western promenade entrance still the best chance?¡± ¡°Mhmm. I¡¯ve already sent agents to secure it.¡± Melanie took a deep breath before exhaling it slowly, ¡°Okay. How about you two? Are you ready?¡± Felix sat down on a stool, ¡°Give me thirty minutes for my Anima to refill.¡±
The four donned cloaks and hoods, making their way to the entrance of the Western promenade. They were let in through a well-hidden door that led to the palace¡¯s kitchens. One of Brianne¡¯s servants from her house was dressed in a military outfit of some type, and he saluted before giving a brief report. Their allied nobles had brought their guards or mercenaries to act on their behalf. The king was planning on holding court and entertaining several motions from a cadre of lesser nobility on various functions and actions in the city. Melanie¡¯s presence in the capital was just a rumor, nothing more. Brianne laid out the plan; they would attend court but remain in the back. At the midway point through the various procedures, they would make their move. Melanie would be revealed, and the accusations made with the evidence Felix had compiled on Mercantus. ¡°Do we want to get him to reveal what he did in open court?¡± Brianne looked at him quizzically as he pulled out the Scepter of Truth from Invictus. ¡°I can plant this near him and activate it. As long as it¡¯s close, he cannot lie. If he answers, it will be truthfully.¡± ¡°Oh, that is dastardly,¡± Brianne muttered. ¡°It would be excellent if he were to give up his own involvement. The rest of the nobles would turn in an instant.¡± Melanie nodded, ¡°But there¡¯s one other problem that might happen. The throne is built next to the Soul Spire. If worst comes to worst for him, he might petition a god for help. They don¡¯t act on Heficyre on their own, but I recall many times in my father¡¯s reign when he would summon down an angel from above to administer judgment.¡± ¡°Can anyone do that?¡± Tinuriel asked. ¡°Anyone who touches the Spire here on the first Tier ¨C the Pinnacle which is directly behind the throne ¨C can do so.¡± ¡°Couldn¡¯t I just fly up above the palace and touch it?¡± Felix asked. ¡°I could ask a god of justice or something like it to come down and run a trial. Would they do it?¡± Brianne shrugged, ¡°I don¡¯t know. Ceros ¨C our god of justice ¨C hasn¡¯t been active on Heficyre in some time. She¡¯s not worshipped anymore since laws have been codified.¡± Take my advice ¨C we want to keep any gods out of this. People need to do things for themselves. Relying on gods and divine intervention is going to lead to discontent. We did good work ¨C well, you did good work ¨C on Mercantus. Use that. That made sense to Felix, ¡°Okay. Tell me how to get to the throne room. I¡¯ll sneak in and hide near the throne with the scepter. Tinuriel can bodyguard for Melanie.¡± Tinuriel cracked her knuckles, ¡°Maybe I¡¯ll get to crack some skulls today. I''ve been itching to fight." Melanie showed him the path with her hands, explaining the route. ¡°Okay, so you¡¯re going to go down this hall until it dead ends. Then, take a right up the stairs. Once you hit the third landing, go through the door marked with a star symbol. Just follow the line of gold along the ground, and you¡¯ll be in the throne room. There¡¯s space behind the dais where you could hide if you flatten yourself against it while standing.¡± Felix activated Ghostwalk and Undetectable Step once more, vanishing from sight. ¡°See you when you¡¯re there.¡± He followed the instructions to the throne room ¨C flattening himself against the wall several times and using a Vigor Elixir to prevent his stealth abilities from running out. The main throne room was a surprisingly simple design. An austere, slate-grey colored room devoid of windows. The only decoration was two tapestries on either side ¨C one showing the creation myth of the world that Felix had heard prior, and the other showing an elaborate, extensive family tree. There were several benches set up in rows, interspersed with more ornate chairs. The floor was the same black granite that most of the floors were made up of, but a golden line traced its way to the throne. A blocky, ancient seat that was covered with a series of cushions because of its blocky shape. Behind the throne, a steel-grey pillar ¨C the Pinnacle of the Soul Spire ¨C thrust up into the ceiling and beyond. The room was full of guards, interspersed evenly in two-foot increments along the wall. He was easily able to get behind the throne and dropped Undetectable Step so his Vigor would remain stable, as he chugged down a few more Vigor Elixirs. Buy me more. Yeah, so I can¡¯t make purchases over a certain amount when I''m doing this weird inter-VBV version. Some arbitrary limitations the System has imposed. I can get you a bunch of weaker ones. Just enough to top me off. You got it. Felix¡¯s inventory was filled with 400 VC worth of Vigor Elixirs that he quickly chugged down to top off his bars. He stood back against the throne, retrieved the Scepter of Truth from his inventory¡­and waited. Ch. 41 – Ethdellin (IV) An hour passed. Then, another hour. The throne room saw no movement, the guards against the walls extremely well-trained and unmoving. Practically living statues. Felix, on the other hand, was shifting from foot to foot, recalling what an assassin did in a fantasy novel he once read, where he would tense different muscle groups to prevent cramping. His mind was given a chance to wander in this downtime. Lucifer was keeping to himself ¨C busy with being the Overseer of the VBV. So, Felix was the closest to alone for the first time since starting this whole crazy journey. He¡¯d felt apathy towards his possible death in his life on Earth. He had contemplated ending his own life on Earth, a foot literally over the edge of oblivion. But he was saved at the last moment by a single phone call. A person saying that his sister was abandoned at a hospital, and their parents had left the country. He stepped back from the brink of totality and devoted himself to supporting and providing for her. That Death World experience changed everything. He fought to survive. When he had the responsibility of others on his shoulders, he chose to survive instead of succumbing. He closed his eyes, mind flashing back to the various near-death experiences that he had¡­and the actual death experiences only reverted because of a Talent he got extremely lucky in obtaining right off the get-go. Now¡­he was responsible for so many more people. Not just Penny, but Roy¡¯s continued flourishing rule. Melanie¡¯s future prosperity. Possibly hundreds or thousands of people leaving Heficyre to reside in his VBV instead. The fact that Lucifer was busy instead of being more present with Felix at that moment was a testament to that truth. Felix knew he had to be more careful. He had been reckless ¨C losing his leg in the fight against that lava dragon was proof enough. He thought about the various ways he could use his Affinities to ensure that he would survive, deciding on various applications as he filtered ideas on how to apply them to various situations. As another hour passed, he solidified a list of various applications that would max out the various ¡®uses¡¯ for each of his Affinities. Four Affinities, five different uses for each. And when I get that Escort upgrade for Tinuriel, I just have to hit Core Level 20. Then¡­then I can be more prepared. What are you thinking? Lucifer asked as he returned to paying attention to Felix¡¯s thoughts. I¡¯m going to Respec once I can. I¡¯m going to stick to the rogue theme¡­that¡¯s been working for me so far. And I¡¯ll dip into being more affinity-focused so that I can support. Smart. Then you¡¯ll have Tinuriel choose combat-focused Classes. Exactly.
Finally, after even more time had passed, there was commotion in the throne room. Felix stayed perfectly still as footsteps approached and he heard a disgruntled sigh as someone sat on the throne he was hiding behind. There was the sound of armored feet as well as guards stationed themselves nearby ¨C thankfully, not seeing Felix due to their helmets restricting their field of view. ¡°Rise and bow for your liege, King William Parslia Ventorus Remarda VIII.¡± There was a thunderous sound of people rising to their feet, the rustling of clothes as they bowed, and a chorus of ¡°All hail King William!¡± Silence reigned for a few moments before the voice spoke once more. ¡°His Highness will now listen to petitions from the noblesse.¡± Several footsteps were heard, and Felix stood, waiting, for a familiar voice. Many petitioners and conversations were had between the voice that he assumed was the seneschal or master of ceremonies¡­but oddly enough, the king never spoke. That spoke volumes to Felix ¨C he was not interested in any of the going-ons. He had his lackeys dealing with it. Just like you with the VBV, Lucifer jokingly said. Felix tensed as he heard a familiar voice. ¡°I have a petition of most importance to bring before the king¡¯s attention.¡± It was Brianne. ¡°Approach and be heard,¡± the seneschal replied. There were three distinct sounds of footsteps that approached. Tinuriel and Melanie must be right next to her. ¡°My liege, there have been concerning reports from Mercantus-¡± That¡¯s the signal. Felix activated the Scepter and the invisible bubble expanded from him, encompassing the throne. ¡°-regarding your brother¡¯s passing.¡± There was a rustling of papers and several whispers and mutterings as a loud thwap of the bundled papers and evidence were dropped on the floor. ¡°Investigators have concluded that your Highness contracted for, and arranged through third parties, the murder of your own brother!¡± The whispers and mutterings grew even louder, and the guards on the edges of the room showed some type of movement for the first time since Felix had sneaked into the throne room. ¡°Not only that, but we have evidence from Invictus that you attempted to kill the rightful heir to the throne.¡± There were loud gasps as Felix envisioned Melanie pulling back her hood at that moment. His suspicions were confirmed a second later, ¡°I am Melanie Parslia Ventorus Remarda IV. I accuse you, uncle, of killing my father to take the throne. What say you to these charges?¡± The person sitting on the throne stood up, and for the first time he heard this king¡¯s voice. It was deep, rumbling, but also nasally ¨C as if the person had a poor constitution or suffered illness that hampered their airways. ¡°I categorically affirm them!¡± There were gasps of shock and confusion. Felix heard the man growl to the seneschal, ¡°What is happening? I said I affirm them.¡± And just like that, a king is felled. Good thing we went down that tunnel on Invictus and got this thing. It has made this situation a lot easier. There were shouts and cries for the king¡¯s immediate removal, and Felix activated Undetectable Step... ...stepping around the throne and seeing the king for the first time. He was a thin, tall, gaunt man with a very confused and angry expression as he tried to revise his earlier statement ¨C but was unable to thanks to the Scepter of Truth. Felix turned off the Scepter and stored it back in his inventory before walking over next to Melanie, Tinuriel, and Brianne. He deactivated Undetectable Step and manifested his Fallen Flight. His crimson and gold wings flared outward as the crowd went quiet at the sudden appearance. ¡°I am Felix Winters, Versewalker. My Escort and I gathered this evidence from Invictus, as well as evidence from Mercantus. You heard it yourself; this usurper murdered the rightful king.¡± He gestured to Tinuriel, and she threw off her cloak, brandishing her sword. The guards around the exterior of the room turned questioningly to each other ¨C some putting hands to weapons, and others unsure of what action to take. After all, they had just heard their monarch admit to murdering the prior king.If you encounter this tale on Amazon, note that it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it. William VIII stood up to his full height ¨C and he was a tall man, almost the same height as Tinuriel ¨C and spoke with as much authority as he could muster. ¡°It was a trick! Some sort of Magic that forced me to lie!¡± Felix reached into his inventory and retrieved the Scepter. ¡°From Invictus. This forced you to tell the truth. Nice try.¡± He put the Scepter back and then looked at Melanie, ¡°Queen Melanie¡­what do you wish to do with the usurper?¡± Melanie¡¯s stare was firm, her voice hard and cold¡­but Felix could tell there was dismay behind the words she uttered. As if she loathed speaking them, but knew she must. ¡°Off with his head.¡± ¡°Guards! To me!¡± The king replied. There was confusion and chaos as most guards stayed at their posts, unsure of which side to take. Twenty flocked to William¡¯s defense as the man cowered behind the throne. Nobles began to clear out, and fights began to break out behind them as Brianne, her loyalist allies¡¯ guards, and the mercenaries began to fight against those fewer nobles that supported this usurper king. Felix rapidly fired off a series of Skills and Magics/Powers that he had been practicing saying in rapid succession, having Lucifer use a single Skill to augment a specific Magic/Power. ¡°Netherlight Mantle, Netherlight Cohort, Beacon of Free Will, Detect Weakness- Affinity Empowerment for the area of effect on that. -Hellblade, Netherlight Blade, Anathema Blade, Anathema Shroud, Netherlight Arena.¡± Anathema Blade 10 Anima per minute Limns a weapon or ammunition in Anathema, causing strikes to remove Magic/Powers on the target. If the target is a Magic/Power then it is canceled. Mutually exclusive with any other weapon-enhancing Magic/Power effects. Anathema Shroud 1 Anima per minute Whenever the user is affected by a Magic/Power, instead of being affected, the user''s Anima is reduced by X, where X is equal to the Anima spent for the effect targeting them. Anima 15 / 100 Vigor 95 / 220 Netherlight flooded the whole throne room and created a silvery-white mist that floated just above the floor. He, Tinuriel, and every allied combatant that he could see ¨C identified thanks to Melanie¡¯s idea that they wear a gold bit of lace atop their epaulets ¨C were covered in a Netherlight Mantle to prevent damage. A crimson cascade of sparks exploded outward as all his allies were filled with hope and drive to accomplish the task of taking down the usurper king and his forces. Golden targeting circles ¨C amplified to affect every hostile in the room ¨C appeared on their weak points. His Channeling Dagger blazed with the mixture of Hellfire and Netherlight, whilst the other one was coated in sparkling blue starlight. Lastly, a cloak of the same blue starlight settled around Felix¡¯s shoulders. Tinuriel let out a battle cry and charged forward, Felix just a step behind her. Brianne and Melanie retreated into a cluster of Brianne¡¯s guards and moved to a corner; shields layered on top of each other to protect the rightful queen. William reached back to the Soul Spire, ¡°Drinala! We had a deal! Help me!¡± Damn, that¡¯s the goddess of deception of this ¡®Verse. If she gets involve- There was a cascade of brackish, brown light that shot down the Soul Spire and flooded the room, washing over the forms of William and his guards, who each bristled and brimmed with power, their forms covered with a miasmic, brown sludge. Use that last Rank 3 Anima Elixir I¡¯ve had sitting there, one of the Rank 5, and two Vigor Elixirs. That¡¯ll be the last of the Vigor Elixirs. Are you sure? Positive. Do it. Anima 100 / 100 Vigor 195 / 220 Tinuriel met the line of guards and carved an enormous slash across the front row, her blade sparkling with the bright blue color of her eyes as she cut into the brown sludge covering their forms. The guards swarmed her, and they began to assault her from all sides ¨C the Netherlight fading as her Anima emptied. But, that is exactly what she wanted. As she suffered hits, the Berserker Collar activated, and her muscles bulged as sparkling blue starlight of Anathema cascaded over her flesh. When she swung in large, sweeping arcs, every person she hit that drew blood healed her as Valiant Edge flashed with a cool, ocean-blue color. She¡¯s the perfect berserker-style tank. Felix held both knives point down, ¡°Dragon Dance.¡± He intended to kill these guards that sided with the usurper - (P) Killing Intent was deactivated. Actions have consequences, he thought, echoing Lucifer¡¯s phrase. Vigor 5 / 220 He dashed between nineteen targets, striking each with both of his daggers in a rapid flurry of blows that targeted weak spots. The first hit was with the Wyrmtooth Knife that was limned in Anathema, and it removed the brown sludge from their bodies as it injected poison into their bodies. The second was with the Channeling Dagger, which due to the Netherlight ¨C and his speed during this Skill ¨C made it nearly impossible to dodge or counter. Lastly, the Hellfire on the Channeling Dagger seared at their Anima. He finished his dash right in front of the king, who cowered at the base of the Spire. He pushed his back against it, ¡°Drinala! Save me!¡± The brown, sickly substance cascaded down the Spire, and William turned into the brown sludge before being sucked up ¨C into the Heavenly Realms. That¡¯s not good. I don¡¯t want to fight a god. I think that''s above my level. Finish these guys off first. Felix turned and dodged several swings from the not-quite-dead guards that survived his onslaught. He ducked several blows, and many more missed him due to the Netherlight Arena blurring his form ¨C but a few hit. Whilst they didn¡¯t break through his armor, the bruises he got were very, very real. He even felt a few bones crack and fracture, sending shocks down his body. ¡°Fuck this. Hellfire Burst!¡± Health 170 / 220 Vigor 5 / 220 He exploded with crimson and black flames that flooded the throne half of the room, flowing over and consuming the guards that were nearby. He leaned against the throne as the charred guards collapsed in front of him. Dead or soon-to-be dead from the poison coursing through their veins, he didn¡¯t care. He was more worried about Tinuriel. She was bleeding from dozens of gashes across her body. Swords and spears had pierced her skin and muscle, and she was slowing despite the Berserker Collar and Valiant Edge magic item combination. Can you use my inventory items on her just like you can on me? Yeah. Using two Health Elixirs. Tinuriel¡¯s collar stopped exuding the blue light as her wounds faded, and her muscles shrank slightly as the empowering effect of the collar also receded. But she had done enough damage, as she finished off the last of the guards. Her body heaved with exertion as she breathed deeply, looking around for her next target. But there were none. The room fell silent as the sounds of battle faded. [Experience Awarded = 50] Ch. 42 – Heavenly Realms (I) The various nobles slowly returned as Melanie and Brianne approached Felix and Tinuriel. Felix let all of the Skills and Magics/Powers fade. ¡°Queen Melanie¡­do you want to take your throne?¡± Brianne asked. Melanie nodded and approached the dais, sitting down on the cushion. ¡°I declare the rule of the usurper, William VIII, to be over. I am Queen Melanie Parslia Ventorus Remarda IV, the rightful ruler of Ethdellin.¡± There were cheers from the nobles, guards, and Felix and Tinuriel as they joined in. Melanie looked at the two, ¡°My thanks to the Versewalker and his Escort for all that they have done. Rewards will be paid out in due time. But I have one more request to make of you two.¡± She pointed at the Soul Spire behind the throne. ¡°The usurper escaped. I charge you with entering the Heavenly Realms and bringing him to justice.¡± Felix felt a lump in his throat and looked at Tinuriel, who grinned wolfishly at the prospect of fighting whatever was up there. Lucifer, could we even handle that? This ¡®Verse was recommended for Core Level 1 through 15. You¡¯re at 16, with a level-up ready to go. It¡¯s manageable. But we should rest and recover. Even Lucifer sounded exhausted, which made sense to Felix¨C he was apart of him, after all. Felix bowed to Melanie, ¡°It would be our privilege. But first, I must fulfill my promise to you.¡± He walked to the side of the throne room and used a Multiversal Charge to establish a permanent portal to the VBV instantaneously. ¡°To those who do not know what this is ¨C most of you ¨C this is my personal realm. Queen Melanie can provide more details.¡± He looked up to her and smiled, ¡°Give me a day to recover, and I¡¯ll chase that usurper up to the Heavenly Realms and bring him to justice.¡± Melanie raised her hand, ¡°Go with the grace of eternity.¡± Felix and Tinuriel walked through the portal. To their surprise, Roy was on the other side, just about to go in. ¡°Oh, hey! What good timing.¡± Roy nodded and glanced through the portal, ¡°It looks like you succeeded. It¡¯s messy in there.¡± The throne room was covered in scorch marks, blood, and corpses. Felix nodded, ¡°What do you know about the Heavenly Realms?¡± ¡°It¡¯s where the gods live. I¡¯ve never visited it myself, but one of the first kings of Ethdellin did and shared the experience. So, my secondhand knowledge is thus. You touch the Spire and ascend to the Heavenly Realm. Then, you¡¯re in a large spherical chamber, and floating. Raelynn, the god of wanderers ¨C a messenger deity ¨C will then direct you to the specific realm of a deity you¡¯re seeking audience with.¡± Tinuriel frowned, ¡°The king we were supposed to kill escaped to that place.¡± ¡°He called out to some lady called Drinala,¡± Felix followed up with. Roy frowned, ¡°The goddess of deception? Curious.¡± ¡°It sounded like this usurper king had made a deal with her,¡± Felix continued. ¡°If he did, then that means he had the backing of a goddess. I wonder for what reason.¡± Roy shook his head, ¡°Well, regardless of that ¨C only the royal blood may travel up and down the Spire and into the Heavenly Realms.¡± Lucifer unmerged from Felix, ¡°Oh, I can handle that. We¡¯ll be just fine.¡± He turned to Felix, ¡°Can we talk? You and me alone?¡± Why not just talk in my head? Lucifer shook his head, ¡°I want to talk to you about something. Not just think it to you.¡± Roy stepped past the two and into Melanie¡¯s throne room, ¡°I¡¯ll leave you to it.¡± Tinuriel, likewise, left them; taking off her armor as she walked to the Recreation Room, ¡°I¡¯m going to hit the hot tub. My arms are so sore.¡± Lucifer put an arm around Felix and the two walked over to one of the benches, sitting down and looking out upon the gorgeous mountains, the thriving town and farmlands, the enormous city on the lake ¨C and open fields of green. ¡°I¡­I don¡¯t know how to say this.¡± Lucifer sighed and pulled his feet up on the bench, hugging his knees to his chest. ¡°I am frightened.¡± ¡°Of meeting deities?¡± Lucifer nodded sheepishly, ¡°Mhmm. I may not be able to die, and your Core Level should mean that you should survive¡­but I¡¯m frightened that you might die.¡± He shook his head, ¡°We should consider not doing it right now. Coming back to it later.¡± Felix thought about that as he looked out to the snowy peaks. He could put it off and use a Multiversal Charge to travel elsewhere. Come back later when he was stronger. But, he had no idea what type of ramifications that would have. If a goddess was backing this usurper king, he might be able to come back again and threaten Melanie. And at this point, he viewed Melanie as a friend. Hell, she was his Political Advisor. If he didn¡¯t support her, then he¡¯d also lose Roy¡¯s support. Sure, he could survive easily enough without them. But he had grown close to both. They enjoyed fun times together during their traveling and in their downtime when resting in the VBV. Other than Lucifer ¨C who by nature of being a part of him would always be his ally ¨C and Tinuriel who was affectionate and expressed love towards him¡­he had no friends. No allies. Melanie and Roy were the only ones.This tale has been unlawfully lifted without the author''s consent. Report any appearances on Amazon. He¡¯d never had large groups of friends. Just small, loyal circles of similar interests. ¡°No,¡± he said, putting an arm around Lucifer¡¯s shoulder. ¡°We can¡¯t just leave and come back. I have to keep my word. And we have to help Melanie end this.¡± Lucifer let out a shaky sigh and nodded, ¡°Alright. Then let¡¯s make sure you¡¯re as prepared as possible.¡± He stood up and went to the portal to Ethdellin. ¡°Hey Melanie!¡± he yelled through. ¡°Come here!¡± Melanie came through a few moments later and Lucifer brought her over to where Felix was sitting, ¡°What is it?¡± ¡°That reward that you mentioned. Can you do it in coins?¡± She nodded, ¡°Absolutely. I can get the monies to you before you depart tomorrow.¡± She looked at Felix and smiled gently, ¡°You¡¯ve done so much for me and Roy. We¡¯re going to get things stabilized while you deal with my uncle. Then¡­¡± she put her hands together and smiled, ¡°We¡¯re going to wed!¡± ¡°Congratulations!¡± Felix replied as he stood up and gave her a big hug. ¡°I knew that you would. Good for you two.¡± Lucifer stood slightly off to the side with a look of smug satisfaction. Melanie extricated herself from Felix¡¯s grip. ¡°Now, if you¡¯ll excuse me¡­I have a city to administer to.¡± She returned to the portal. Lucifer looked over at Felix with a smirk, ¡°We¡¯re in this together. But, if you¡¯ll excuse me¡­I¡¯m going to take a nice, long flight just in case this is the last time I can.¡± He launched himself from the ground and his wings flapped as he ascended into the sky. Felix went to the Recreation Room and stripped down out of his gear, gently lowering himself into the hot tub with Tinuriel. She pulled him close, and they just sat in the warm water, enjoying the rest after the day of stress.
Morning came and the two got ready once more. Melanie sent a servant through the portal with a bag of twenty-thousand coins. Felix took that right to the Shop.
[Loot Sold] - Invictus Armor + 100 VC - Versewalker (Starter) Knife + 10 VC [Items purchased] + Health Elixir (x7) - 3500 VC + Anima Elixir (x7) - 3500 VC + Vigor Elixir (x10) - 5000 VC + Versewalker Rations (x4) - 40 VC [Monies Paid] = 12,040 VC [Current Balance] = 22,720 VC
¡°Alright. All stocked up on those,¡± Felix muttered. And no new Affinities right now. He knew he could get healing for 20,000 VC, but he was hoping to save up for an interesting-looking bow that was 25,000 VC. One that would earn him VC whenever he downed an enemy. ¡°Why get rations also?¡± Tinuriel asked as she walked over. ¡°I don¡¯t know how long we¡¯re going to be in these Heavenly Realms. And we might not be able to get out of it ¨C just too many unknowns. I¡¯d rather be prepared.¡± Lucifer came over and merged with Felix. We better get a move on. They entered Melanie¡¯s throne room. Six guards were stationed at the portal entrance, and they nodded in recognition. Melanie and Roy were at the throne, discussing something with Brianne before noticing the two approaching. Melanie tilted her head slightly, ¡°Was your reward satisfactory?¡± ¡°Yes, quite.¡± Brianne looked around for the source of the noise before just shrugging, ¡°Versewalker, it was a pleasure working together. I¡¯m pleased to let you know that word of this magnificent little realm you have ¨C and the portal opening on Dirge ¨C is leading to an exodus of that beggar rabble outside the Eternal City.¡± Felix felt a hint of contempt towards this woman¡¯s downright dismissal of lower classes, but confronting her in any way wasn¡¯t worth the hassle it would bring. He instead curtly nodded and looked at Roy. ¡°Feel like coming with us and maybe fighting gods?¡± Roy chuckled and shook his head, ¡°No. But thanks for the offer.¡± He walked up to Felix and hugged him. ¡°You come back alive.¡± He let Felix go and did the same to Tinuriel, ¡°We still haven¡¯t sparred, so make sure you come back too.¡± He separated before standing next to Melanie. He picked up the evidence from the day prior and handed it to Felix, ¡°You might need this up there.¡± She got up and walked to the Spire, putting her palm on it. The pillar flashed with a dim, purple energy as she closed her eyes. ¡°Felix, Tinuriel ¨C put your hands on the Spire.¡± They did so, and Felix felt a jolt of energy run through him. He felt his awareness expanding, as his mind seemingly melded for an instant with the flood of souls coruscating through the Spire itself ¨C people who had lived, laughed, loved, despaired, cried, suffered ¨C all flashing by as if a sped-up movie. His vision went black. [Crisis: Heficyre ¨C Reach the top of the Soul Spire on Ethdellin, the Eternal City ¨C Solved!] [You have earned a Multiverse Charge]
When his sight returned, he found himself standing on sky-blue tiles in what appeared to be a giant waiting room. A circular desk sat at the center, and doors were arrayed all around with the names of various deities on them. The ceiling was non-existent, instead showing the same clear, sky-blue as the ground below. For some reason, it didn¡¯t surprise Felix that the realm of the gods was like an office. The environment exuded ¡®business, but we are relaxed about it¡¯. A middle-aged man sat behind the desk. He stood up and gestured the two over. ¡°Well now, a non-royal coming all the way up to the Heavenly Realms!¡± His eyes twinkled with a vermillion spark, and his hair sparkled with the same vibrant hue, accenting the blonde locks. ¡°I¡¯m Rae. Name please?¡± ¡°I¡¯m Felix Winters, Versewalker. This is my Escort, Tinuriel of Avelion.¡± ¡°Oh, a Versewalker! It¡¯s been a long time since one of your kind came here.¡± He filled out some name tags and handed them to the two. Felix quickly put his on ¨C the safety pin easy for him to navigate. Tinuriel cursed lightly as she pricked her finger, and Felix leaned over to help her put it on. ¡°Now that we have the formalities out of the way, who do you want to see?¡± Felix had discussed this last night with Tinuriel and Lucifer. Drinala was part of a Pantheon, a collection of deities who generally aligned their interests. The other two were the gods of destruction and the grave. Together they were the Chaosborn. ¡°We seek an audience with Evian, Etrian, Elariel, or Epoc.¡± Felix listed off the members of the Heavenborn Pantheon ¨C those who would naturally be opposed to their counterparts. Rae clicked his tongue as he looked over several papers, ¡°I don¡¯t see any appointment openings with Evian ¨C she¡¯s booked solid. As for the others¡­¡± He flipped through several folders before shaking his head, ¡°Sorry. Not without an advance appointment.¡± Tinuriel shook her head, ¡°Why have such systems? In my realm, we can just walk up to our king any time.¡± ¡°Gods have more to deal with,¡± Rae replied. ¡°I can pencil you in for an appointment.¡± Felix shook his head, ¡°What about Ceros? She''s the god of justice, right?¡± Felix held up the documents that he had gathered against the usurper king. ¡°I have stuff they might be interested in.¡± Rae took the documents and flipped through them, eyes going wide as he did so. ¡°Well¡­erm¡­one moment.¡± He got up and ran to the door labeled with the deity¡¯s name, knocking firmly, and waiting a moment before entering. The glimpse that Felix got before the door shut was that of a large, wood-paneled room. They stood in silence for a few moments before Rae opened the door and beckoned them in, ¡°She¡¯s agreed to see you.¡± Ch. 43 – Heavenly Realms (II) The room they were let into was an enormous courtroom that looked like it was right out of a primetime TV show. A large jury box was off to one side, there was an audience gallery with rows of seats, a large desk for the judge with a door behind that desk, places for the two sides, and a witness stand. Sitting at the desk was a woman made of grey starlight. Her gaze was stern, two large spheres of grey that glowed from behind a blindfold. She wore a toga in the Greco/Roman style and tapped her long fingers on the desk in front of her. With the other hand, she was manipulating the evidence Felix had compiled with Magic, making the documents float about her head as she examined them. ¡°Most curious.¡± She looked at the two, ¡°Versewalker, Escort. Please, approach the bench.¡± Tinuriel glanced at the various benches around them, but Felix grabbed her hand and brought her up to the judge¡¯s desk. ¡°Thank you for seeing us on such short notice, Ceros.¡± ¡°Yes, thank you, o goddess of wisdom and justice.¡± What¡¯s up with the flowery language? ¡°They like this type of stuff.¡± The evidence flew back into the folder and set itself down on top of the desk. The goddess of justice leaned forward and stared at Felix despite the blindfold. ¡°You have done some meddling, Versewalker. But that is your lot in your life. To travel the Universes and fix Crises.¡± She leaned back and tapped her fingers together. ¡°I have reviewed your evidence. I find it to be compelling, and your actions on Ethdellin just.¡± She stood up and looked to Felix and Tinuriel, ¡°Please, to that table,¡± she pointed to the left side of the room. Felix and Tinuriel sat there, and the evidence floated over to the table. There was a flutter of grey energy, and both were suddenly wearing dress robes over their armor. ¡°Are you going to have us¡­prosecute a case?¡± Felix asked. ¡°Drinala will be summoned along with her charge, William VIII, and you will present your evidence. She will have a chance to defend her charge¡¯s actions.¡± Let me do the talking. My words might carry more weight since I¡¯m an angel. Got it. Ceros sat down, ¡°I warn you, though. Trial by combat is still allowed if the accused party wishes it. But, only after the case is heard and a verdict is rendered.¡± Felix leaned over to Tinuriel and whispered, ¡°That means we could dictate the terms. Make it a fair fight.¡± Tinuriel grinned, ¡°Let¡¯s hope they go for that.¡± Ceros waved her hand and an explosion of grey energy scattered across the room, ¡°Drinala, I summon you. As the oldest and strongest of our kin, answer this call or face my wrath.¡± There was silence for several moments. Then, the doors to the exterior waiting room opened. A woman with dark, smoky black skin and series of spider-like eyes on her face ¨C complimented by a series of spider legs that were folded against her back, walked into the room. She was dressed in a dark power suit with a skirt. The usurper king, William, was behind her ¨C still dressed in the same clothes as the day prior. Drinala stared at Felix and Tinuriel as she took her place at the other desk alongside William, ¡°Alright Ceros. I¡¯m here. What is it?¡± ¡°Accusations that warranted a response have been levied against your ward, William VIII.¡± Drinala raised her hands, ¡°What is this? Some mortal can just come up here and make accusations?¡± Ceros raised an eyebrow quizzically before looking at Felix, ¡°If you would like to introduce yourself.¡± Felix stood up and dipped his head in a sign of slight respect to Drinala. ¡°I¡¯m the Versewalker that¡¯s been solving Crises up and down Heficyre for the past few¡­weeks?¡± He glanced at Tinuriel, having lost track of time. She coughed lightly, ¡°Months. It¡¯s been two months.¡± ¡°Right, thank you, assistant.¡± Felix looked back to Drinala who looked at him with suspicion and aloofness, ¡°I¡¯ve been solving Crises here for two months. And your ward there is the cause of one of them.¡± ¡°Your honor, permission to exit my vessel and address the court?¡± ¡°Granted,¡± Ceros said with no hint of any emotion. Since when can you exit me outside the VBV? Heavenly Realms are just like the Heaven I came from. Lucifer exited Felix¡¯s body and bowed to Ceros. ¡°Lucifer Morningstar for the prosecution, your honor.¡± He turned to Drinala, ¡°We have gathered and compiled a heap of evidence against your ward. Crimes that must be answered for.¡± He pointed at her ward like an attorney out of a video game series, with a devilish smile on his face. Drinala hissed and looked to Ceros, ¡°We can skip this whole affair and go right to the proper way to handle this.¡± Lucifer deflated slightly at that, but looked to Ceros as she leaned forward, ¡°Are you invoking trial by combat?¡± Drinala looked at William who shook his head in fear, ¡°I am.¡± She looked to Lucifer, ¡°I am. My ward and two of my servants against your Versewalker and his¡­companions.¡± ¡°Escort,¡± Tinuriel replied promptly. Ceros looked at Lucifer, ¡°Are these terms acceptable?¡± Lucifer walked over to Felix and Tinuriel, leaning down and whispering. ¡°They set out the parameters, a three-on-three match. We can provide some limitations, such as only certain types of weapons, or a location. It sounds like I¡¯m being included since I¡¯m technically a separate entity inside of Felix.¡± ¡°Make sure that deities can¡¯t interfere,¡± Tinuriel stated. ¡°We don¡¯t have the equivalent of godly power on our side.¡± Lucifer nodded and turned to Ceros, ¡°We ask that a limitation that prevents divine intervention be put in place.¡± ¡°Granted,¡± Ceros said. She looked to Drinala, ¡°Any other stipulations?¡± Drinala shook her head, ¡°None.¡± Ceros raised her hand and a grey gavel appeared in it. ¡°The terms are set forth. Felix the Versewalker and his Escort, against William VIII and Drinala¡¯s chosen participant. The location for the fight will be decided henceforth.¡± She brought the gavel down, and the room warped and distorted. The dress robes were gone, Lucifer got sucked back into Felix, and the five of them ¨C two goddesses and three mortals ¨C were standing on a vast field. Short-cut, golden grass that extended seemingly endlessly gave way to verdant blue skies. Ceros floated up above the field with Drinala. Felix and Tinuriel were moved by some Magic force to one side of the field, and William was moved to the other. The usurper king fell to his knees and begged, ¡°Drinala! I¡¯m not a fighter! Please¡­help me! I gave you my firstborn! You owe me!¡± ¡°Yes, I was allowed two more combatants. There were no stipulations that I could not merge one with you.¡± Drinala raised her hand and a black portal opened on the field next to William Two enormous spiders crawled up and through it. One of them grabbed William and seemingly merged with him, becoming an amalgamation of a spider and human that manifested armored weapons of inky, black shadow. The second spider remained in its form; a grotesque, armored body with razor-sharp blades lining its legs. It looked like a boss out of a very difficult video game ¨C the type where you would have to die over and over before finally beating it. Ready? Let¡¯s get everything primed. Netherlight Mantle, Netherlight Cohort, Beacon of Free Will, Detect Weakness- Affinity Empowerment -Hellblade, Netherlight Blade, Anathema Blade, Anathema Shroud, Netherlight Arena. Using two Anima Elixirs and three Vigor Elixirs to top you off. The various Magics/Powers flowed over and through the two of them as the Netherlight Arena spread out in a sphere. The monstrous spider had only two weak points ¨C the cluster of eyes on its head, and next to the deadly barb on the backside. ¡°No fair!¡± Drinala yelled. ¡°They can¡¯t do pre-battle preparations!¡± Ceros turned on the goddess, ¡°You did, by infusing your combatants with one another.¡± She clapped her hands, ¡°Begin!¡± Tinuriel ran forward, screaming her war cry as she attacked the spider creature. She swung her Valiant Edge and two legs dashed outward, pushing the sword aside and striking at her ¨C the Netherlight Mantle taking the hit as her Anima drained prodigiously from the blow. She used an Anima Elixir from Felix¡¯s inventory and kept up her assault.The story has been illicitly taken; should you find it on Amazon, report the infringement. Felix used Shadestep... ...having figured out that he could use that Skill within the area of Netherlight Arena with no need for shadows since it was made of that and light combined. He teleported thirty feet, appearing under the creature. Right next to the weak spot on its back end. He activated Execution twice ¨C once for each weapon ¨C and plunged his knives into the weak spot. Execution 5 Vigor Increases the damage of the user''s next attack. If this strikes a killing blow, gain additional XP or Loot. Vigor 180 / 220 The creature shrieked in pain as the Anathema Blade removed some type of protection as the Wyrmtooth Knife injected its poisonous payload. The Hellfire burned against the exterior of the wound and began to sap its Anima. The spider-person version of William shot volleys of webbing and shadow towards Felix ¨C but several missed thanks to the combination of Netherlight Arena and his nimbleness. A few of the blasts did hit ¨C being absorbed as his Anima was reduced thanks to Anathema Shroud forcing the damage to affect his Anima pool instead of his Health. Anima 50 / 100 Tinuriel continued to keep the large spider¡¯s attention. Its movement was slowed thanks to the damage Felix had inflicted, and she was able to keep up with it despite the appendage advantage it had over her. She still suffered injury, but she kept using Elixirs from Felix¡¯s inventory to offset her rapidly draining Anima pool. ¡°I¡¯ve only got four of those left!¡± Felix shouted as he dodged the flailing back-limbs of the big spider and ran towards the merged-version of William. The shadowy weaponry that it was holding ¨C two swords and two daggers ¨C darted in to strike Felix and found their mark. His Netherlight Mantle took the hits, and he had to use two more Anima Elixirs to top himself off to maintain his Magics/Powers. He activated Execution again ¨C once for each knife ¨C and threw himself into the spider-figure, stabbing first with the Anathema blade, and then with the Channeling blade. Vigor 170 / 220 The spider-thing imbuing William was forced off from the Anathema Blade, reforming as another sizable spider creature that appeared dazed. Felix¡¯s second strike with the Wyrmtooth Knife stabbed right into William¡¯s neck ¨C and he died almost instantly. The Hellfire licked at his skin and the lights left his eyes. Tinuriel had run out of Anima and was taking blows ¨C empowering her Berserker Collar as she laughed with battle-lust. She let out a roar and brought her blade through several of the bladed limbs that were prodding at her ¨C slicing them clean off as spurts of black ichor painted the golden grasses. That gave her an opening to stab forwards as she turned rapidly on the monstrous spider, plunging her blade into the bundle of eyes, and twisting as it went limp, curling in on itself. Felix turned to face the reconstituted spider that stared at him with murderous intent. Tinuriel walked up next to him and the two faced the creature as it began glowing with black energy. ¡°I don¡¯t think so. Anathema Prison,¡± Felix said as he gestured at the creature. Anima 50 / 100 And Vigor Conversion to refill my Anima to full. Using two Vigor Elixirs as well. Anima 100 / 100 Vigor 220 / 220 Felix put the knives away as Tinuriel charged forward to keep the creature busy. They had discussed this battle plan before in the VBV one night ¨C if fighting a large foe, Tinuriel would get in close, and Felix would focus on keeping at a distance. But there was a reason he wanted full Anima and Vigor. He had shown Lucifer some of his memories of his favorite TV show as a child, and Lucifer loved the idea just as much as he did. Vigor Conversion. Felix pulled his hands back as a bead of crimson and black flames pooled in his palms. Growing brighter and brighter, as the crimson and black seemingly fought against each other. He put all his Anima into the Magic/Power, and with Vigor Conversion taking all his Vigor into account¡­this would be his strongest-ever Beam. Anima 0 / 100 Vigor 0 / 220 ¡°Hellfire Beam!¡± He shouted out as he thrust his hands forward ¨C the blast of crimson and black flames roared out, shooting forth at incredible speed and almost blowing him backward as he skidded to a stop. It encompassed Tinuriel but did not harm her thanks to Felix¡¯s intent when using the Magic/Power. The beam grew in size and strength as the spider creature was wiped from existence ¨C the blast continued onward until it impacted some invisible barrier and dissipated. Now, we use that level-up in case she has more tricks. Give me a level of Ascended Animancer. [Selection Made: Ascended Animancer] Ascended Animancer (Advanced) Requirement: Core Level 10, Animancer 1 +2 Capacity, +2 Mind, +2 Body, +2 Soul Affinity Amplification Health Conversion (Level 5) Affinity Storage (Level 10) Anima Ascension [You now have access to several Class Skills] Affinity Amplification Increments of 10 Vigor Increases the efficacy, potency, or other variable of a Magic/Power effect. If the user has Affinity Empowerment also Equipped from the Animancer (Base) Class, then this is amplified. Health Conversion X Health Exchanges X Health for X Anima Finalize. The light flutter of heat in his chest was the only indication this time that something had changed.
Name Felix Winters
Designation Versewalker
Core Level 17
EXP 763 / 850
Class Warrior 1, Animancer 1, Rogue 1, Fallen Angel 10, Whisperfang 1, Netherlight Myrmidon 1, Silent Blade 1, Ascended Animancer 1
Might 16
Agility 21
Capacity 17
Mind 22
Body 24
Soul 12
Endurance 22
Equipped Weapon (M) Wyrmtooth Knife (MH) / Channeling Dagger (OH)
Equipped Weapon (R) Hardlight Recurve
Equipped Armor Absorbing Dragonscale Leathers
Equipped Affinities Detection, Hellfire, Netherlight, Anathema
Equipped Skills Affinity Empowerment, Regenerate (Rank 2), Execution, Ghostwalk, Fallen Flight, Vigor Conversion, Shadestep, Beacon of Free Will, Inviolable Will, Dragon Dance, For the Hoard!, Rebel Against All Odds, Netherlight Mantle, Netherlight Cohort, Vital Strike, Undetectable Step, Affinity Amplification, Health Conversion
Talents (P) Multiverse Adaptation (A) Aggressive Alchemy (P) Like a Cat (P) Final Stand (A) Show Mercy (A) Universe Selector (P) Sneak Attack (P) Craftsman (P) Dungeon Delver (P) Slayer (P) Endless Bags (P) Chain Kill (P) Multiverse Survivor (P) Killing Intent
Health 240 / 240
Anima 120 / 120
Vigor 220 / 220
Drinala screamed and flew down towards the two, spider limbs extending from her back ¨C but Ceros appeared in front of them, holding up her hand. ¡°The trial by combat is over. Your bid for taking over Heficyre through a puppet ruler has ended.¡± Ceros turned to Felix and Tinuriel as Drinala vanished in a grey flash, and the world around them returned to the courtroom. ¡°You may take William VIII¡¯s body as evidence.¡± She returned to her seat and smacked her gavel, ¡°Court is adjourned.¡± Felix went over to the corpse and put it into his inventory, doing the same with the evidence left on the prosecutor¡¯s desk.
Tinuriel led the way out, and Rae waved them over to the front desk. ¡°I hope you did what you wanted. Drinala was pissed off.¡± ¡°We won¡¯t be around Heficyre for much longer,¡± Felix said. ¡°Maybe just visit.¡± ¡°Probably for the best,¡± Rae stated bluntly. ¡°She¡¯ll plot your downfall if you stick around for any length of time. Now, your badges, please. Then I can send you back.¡± The two complied and then the world went black before they found themselves standing next to Melanie¡¯s throne, just in front of the Spire. She glanced sideways at them, and her face instantly brightened, ¡°You survived!¡± Tinuriel grinned, ¡°Yeah, we got to beat up these spider angel things. It was a blast.¡± Felix pulled out the evidence from his inventory, as well as the corpse of William, and put both on the floor. ¡°There¡¯s the proof.¡± Melanie regarded the corpse with disgust for a moment before waving a guard over. He picked up the body and evidence, leaving with both. ¡°I thank you for finishing this task.¡± [Experience Awarded = 75] ¡°We¡¯re going to stay in the VBV for a bit. Relax, and enjoy our downtime. But I had a question.¡± Melanie gestured for Felix to continue, ¡°Is there an easy way down the Tiers? Like, a glider?¡± Melanie nodded, ¡°Mercantus has been known to use those on a rare occasion. Normally to send supplies on a special order since they cannot easily be recovered.¡± She smiled, ¡°Wanting to go to Avelion?¡± Tinuriel sighed and nodded, ¡°Yes. We should open a VBV portal there. My people will take some adjusting but living there beats living on the next Tier up from tribes of Vugog.¡± Felix looked over at her, ¡°We could try going down there also-¡± Tinuriel cut him off with a death stare, ¡°-No. They are a bunch of cannibals. Evil psychopaths. They do not belong in civilization." Melanie solemnly nodded, ¡°She is correct. The Violent Vagrants are named that for a reason.¡± She clapped her hands and Brianne came over, leaving a conversation she was having with some noble. ¡°My new seneschal will get you from the VBV once the glider has arrived at the edge of Ethdellin.¡± Brianne curtsied, ¡°My pleasure, your grace. I¡¯ll send for it at once.¡± Melanie waved the two off, ¡°Take care. I¡¯ll see you for the feast later.¡± ¡°Feast?¡± Felix asked. ¡°Oh, yeah. I decided a party was in order. So, we¡¯re going to celebrate later.¡± Felix just shook his head as he went through the portal. Ch. 44 – Descent Felix went over to the Mailbox and, to his satisfaction, he had a message from Vicky. [Long time no talk! Things have been busy over here! I saw you finished all Crises in Universe #89,750.] [As promised, please see the attached item. This is an Escort Core Upgrade. Once you use it, then your Versewalker Core Persona (Lucifer) can walk you through the process.] [There are a lot of Universes out there that could use a Versewalker¡¯s help. Keep up the good work!] [Oh, you also won me some money. Jax and I pooled our money and bet with some of the other Observers and, well, I think you should have some of the spoils. Enjoy! Sincerely, Vicky.] [Loot Obtained] ¡¤ Escort Core Upgrade ¡¤ 250 VC ¡°So how do we use this thing?¡± Felix asked. Lucifer exited his body and held the oblong, football-shaped device. ¡°Not sure. Maybe¡­¡± He began turning it and it clicked before vanishing. Lucifer glowed with a bright, crimson light and an aura of the same color appeared around him for a few seconds before fading. ¡°Oh wow, okay. That feels¡­Hmm.¡± He turned to Tinuriel, ¡°You¡¯re the designated Escort currently, so we have to level you up.¡± Tinuriel looked at Felix, ¡°I desire these Classes that will increase my physical prowess.¡± Felix recalled all of the Classes he had seen so far and the ones that Vicky had messaged him about. ¡°We can do Warrior 10 and Champion 7.¡± ¡°Sounds good to me! This is going to feel hot¡­we should go to the pool.¡± The two followed Lucifer to the Recreation Room and went to the large, Olympic-sized pool. Tinuriel stripped down and jumped in. Lucifer held his hands up. ¡°This is going to be very uncomfortable.¡± Tinuriel nodded, ¡°I can take it.¡± ¡°Alright, here we go!¡± A red stream of energy flowed from Felix to Lucifer, and into Tinuriel. She began to glow a bright, incandescent, neon blue as the water began to bubble and turn into steam. Tinuriel grimaced and took a deep breath, plunging her head under the water as it roiled and bubbled. Felix saw her readout in his vision as the change took effect. First, over her head, he saw a list of information like what he saw in his vision post-level-up.
Name Tinuriel of Avelion
Designation Versewalker Escort
Core Level 17
EXP N/A
Class Warrior 10, Champion 7
Might 27
Agility 27
Capacity 3
Mind 13
Body 27
Soul 3
Endurance 27
Equipped Weapon (M) Valiant Edge (TH)
Equipped Weapon (R) N/A
Equipped Armor Scales of the Lava Dragon
Equipped Affinities N/A
Equipped Skills Regenerate (Rank 2), Execution, Bastion, Eviscerator, Invigorating Charge, Vim and Vigor, Obliterate
Talents (P) Multiverse Adaptation
As well as a series of bars that appeared just under his own set of bars. Thankfully, the colors were consistent so he could easily discern his from hers. Thank God someone knew how to design a user interface. Tinuriel Bars: Health 270 / 270 Anima 30 / 30 Vigor 270 / 270 Tinuriel rose out of the water as the steam continued to billow around her, but she looked even more strong than before. Her muscles were even more defined and pronounced, she had grown a few inches in height, and she looked more youthful and vigorous than before. She looked down and flexed her thigh, ¡°That is excellent.¡± Lucifer turned to Felix, "She saw the Classes and new Skills in her vision. But, you should see them too - so you know her capabilities going forward." Bastion Increments of 10 Vigor The user becomes immovable unless they desire to be moved. Additionally, the user gains 10 temporary Health per 10 Vigor spent. This temporary Health fades after one minute. Eviscerator 50 Vigor Increases the damage of the user''s next attack by a significant amount. If this strikes a killing blow, gain additional XP or Loot. Can stack with Execution and similar Skills. Champion (Advanced) Requirement: Core Level 10, Warrior 1 +2 Might, +2 Agility, +2 Body, +2 Endurance Invigorating Charge Vim and Vigor (Level 5) ObliterateLove what you''re reading? Discover and support the author on the platform they originally published on. (Level 10) Juggernaut Invigorating Charge 10 Vigor Dash to any point within 500 feet that the user can see, and perform a weapon attack. Gain 10 temporary Health. This temporary Health fades after one minute. Vim and Vigor X Health Exchanges X Health for X Vigor Obliterate 50 Vigor Increases the damage of the user''s next attack by a vast amount. If this strikes a killing blow, gain additional XP or Loot. Can stack with Execution and similar Skills. "Damn. You could stack Obliterate, Eviscerator, and Execution and probably insta-kill most things," Felix commented. It''s a good, straightforward build. Tinuriel laughed haughtily, "Good." Felix chuckled and tossed her a towel from a rack, ¡°Dry off and get dressed. We have a party later.¡± She winked at him and pouted slightly, ¡°Fine, but you¡¯re worshipping this body later.¡± Blushing, Felix turned on his heel and walked out, Lucifer just behind him. ¡°And when you hit level 21 you can take another Escort along.¡± ¡°It¡¯ll have to be someone else we meet. Roy would be a good pick, but he¡¯s busy being Dark Lord.¡± ¡°I¡¯m sure you¡¯ll meet more people on your adventures across the Multiverse.¡± Felix went to the Shop and restocked on Elixirs once more. Getting kind of sick of spending all my money on these. But, he knew, staying alive was more important than having new Magics/Powers or equipment.
[Items purchased] + Anima Elixir (x8) - 4000 VC + Vigor Elixir (x5) - 2500 VC [Monies Paid] = 6500 VC [Current Balance] = 16490 VC
Lucifer left to prepare the festivities, and Felix went to sit on one of the benches overlooking his VBV. Glancing over at the portals just floating in space, he thought about ways that he could instead make a more improved central area. Hey. I want to add a Portal Room. Done. You¡¯ve got five Functions and two Rooms left over that haven¡¯t been used. The grey void of the VBV formed an enormous tower that shot up into the sky. Felix got up and looked inside. Several elevators ran on tracks on three sides of the interior of the tower, and portals with labels for the Universe and location in that Universe they opened to were housed within large, ten-foot by ten-foot sized doorways. He left and looked back over the endless space of the VBV. How about we do a forest realm- Oooh! Like that trilogy I watched a while back! I totally- No, like Tinuriel¡¯s home. Well, we can have both. That¡¯s another Room. Off In the distance, the mountains moved once more ¨C thanks to his prior instructions in going with Melanie¡¯s suggestion, the mountains neatly cordoned off a new space, and within it an enormous forest just like Avelion sprouted up, with a large, walled settlement and the faint twinkling of elevated buildings within the trees as well. I need to use some of these Functions. Let¡¯s make some sensible changes. Diseases are cleansed in the VBV. Food, drink, and sleep are optional. That¡¯s four functions. The food, drink, and sleep are counted as separate. Well then, I guess that¡¯s all for now. I want to save one Function and one Room in reserve in case something comes up. What all do we have set up? I''ll show you.
VBV Rooms [1] Shop (Mailbox) [2] Time Flow Adjuster [3] House [4] Crafting Station (Alchemy Lab, Loot Forge) [5] Guest Quarters [6] Recreation Room [7] Stable [8] Warehouse [9] Training Room [10] Medieval Town [11] Farming and Husbandry Areas [12] Multiversal Trading Post [13] Renaissance City [14] Entertainment Areas [15] Portal Room [16] Forest City
VBV Functions [1] Switzerland Surroundings [2] Lucifer Body [3] Others allowed into VBV with Felix''s permission [4] Knowledge of VBV and Multiverse to visitors [5] Relaxing Environment Features [6] Prevents negative effects of poisons [7] Health/Anima/Vigor refill much faster (10 per minute) [8] Residents cannot mess with Felix''s stuff [9] Increases size of space based on needs [10] Violence between residents cannot occur [11] Residents gain a modicum of combat training [12] Magic permeates the VBV [13] Diseases are cleansed in the VBV [14] Food optional [15] Drink optional [16] Sleep optional
VBV Advisors (Overseer) Lucifer Morningstar (Military) Roy Stromson (Political) Melanie Parslia Ventorus Remarda IV
Tinuriel walked up to him and picked him up, ¡°Enough staring off into the distance. I want to test my new Might and break that bed.¡± Felix laughed and held on tight as she carried them to his house.
The evening arrived quickly. Felix and Tinuriel got dressed in some proper clothes; she chose to wear a sleek outfit that left very little to the imagination. Felix felt underdressed in comparison, just wearing a decent suit like what he wore to prom way back in High School. But he was very happy with this woman instead of his lackluster prom date years ago. She was drop-dead gorgeous. He grinned like an idiot; smitten as she pushed him out the door. The night sky of the VBV was filled with fireworks and shining, sparkling starlight. Lucifer flew over to the couple, ¡°Hey! The feast has been all set up. It¡¯s a localized affair ¨C the two occupied locations, the Renaissance City and Medieval Town, are doing their own thing.¡± Lucifer led the couple over to the covered awning council table, pulling out their chairs for them as they sat before taking their seat. Roy was dressed in a magnificent set of armor with a large, fur-lined cloak thrown over his shoulders. He had trimmed his beard back and cut his hair, the locks being held back by a silvery-white crown. Melanie was dressed to impress, wearing a gorgeous dress with sapphires and rubies sewn into the fabric. Her crown was a simple circlet with an enormous ruby and sapphire overlapping and intertwined in a display. She had brought along several servants, who streamed from the VBV portal room to their table, bringing out food, drinks, and all manner of delicacies that Felix had never seen before. They made merry long into the night hours. There was laughter and mirth, conversations about the future and the past, and excellent bonding between the group of friends. ¡°Where to next?¡± Roy asked as he finished off another slice of a pie made from some fruit that tasted like a mix between orange and lime. ¡°We are going to take a glider down to Avelion and open a VBV portal there. After that¡­¡± Felix let that hang in the air. ¡°There¡¯s lots of options out there. With his higher Core Level, Felix has even more options than before.¡± Melanie nodded, ¡°What do you have to do to go home and rescue your sister?¡± ¡°Reach level fifty,¡± Felix replied. Her reminder struck a chord within him. The reminder that he had a job to do. A Universe to fix. And to get there, he had to get stronger. Tinuriel grabbed his hand, ¡°We¡¯ll get there together.¡± Roy raised his glass, ¡°I¡¯ll toast to that.¡± Everyone else followed suit.
The next morning the two woke up and traveled to Ethdellin. Brianne led them to the edge of the Eternal City, and from there they were given an escort and horses to the edge of the Tier. Awaiting them was an intriguing contraption. A boat with several masts in the center, fins for steering and stabilization, and a wide set of canvas wings. An engineer standing next to it instructed them on how to steer it, and they pushed off, gliding down. Tinuriel seemed to be somewhat familiar with it, and Felix recalled her mentioning that she had used a glider once before. From above, the Tiers were a completely different sight altogether. Sirin¨º (Tier 2) was a silvery disc with two prominent towers that thrust upward, one light blue and one deep red. Mercantus (Tier 3) was a tiny sliver in comparison, but the ornate canal system reflected the sun and showed an amazingly ingenious pattern that prevented barges from hitting each other. It was the design that only someone who had played hours of civilization-building games could appreciate. Dirge (Tier 4) was shrouded in the silvery-white Netherlight of Roy¡¯s power, and thus they could not make out much of anything. But there was a sense of calm as they descended through the top of that cloudy covering, a soothing comfort like snuggling under a blanket in a warm bed on a cold night. The mighty walls of Invictus (Tier 5) and the segmented Tier with a rigid caste system were a wonder to behold, the imposing edifices truly a sign of splendor and a testament to the skill of its masons. Ry¨±ganaru¡¯s (Tier 6) mountains were crisscrossed with a variety of roads carved into the expansive rocky cliffs. Enormous castles stood atop the mountain tops, and their slanted, tiered roofs gave off a regal appearance. Fortis¡¯ (Tier 7) untracked wilderness and small city-states scattered amongst the untamed grasslands and hills instantly reminded Felix of flying over the Midwest USA when he had to travel for his grandfather¡¯s funeral. That brought to bear memories of the beloved family member. If only he could see me now, he thought. They had planned to travel the world using his retirement funds, but he developed cancer and died before they could travel the world and see all of the wonders it held. Felix looked out over the landscape, taking in the gorgeous views. Bur-Hur (Tier 8) came next, and the hot winds from the desert Tier buoyed them aloft. The enormous wasteland was permeated by the large lines of the tunneling creatures that they had avoided before. Punctuating the landscape were enormous statues and sunken ruins. Tinuriel began angling them downward as they could make out the deep green of Avelion below. They crossed over Limnalia (Tier 9) and the glowing, purple and blue mushrooms of the comparatively tiny Tier brought a smile to Felix¡¯s face ¨C the first time he¡¯d started to feel a connection form with his elven Escort when they were traveling under the gilled canopy. She angled them towards the foot of the cliff leading to Avelion (Tier 10), landing them in the tops of the trees just outside of the elven stronghold. Felix used Fallen Flight and picked her up, stored the glider in his inventory, flew them into the elven city, and gently set them down in the center. Tinuriel calmed the warriors that had made to intercept them and the two entered the king¡¯s hall. ¡°Ah, Tinuriel, you return to us.¡± King Avelion XII sat on his throne with a young elven woman seated on his lap. He slapped her rear as she left, giggling stupidly. ¡°And the Versewalker,¡± his voice turned sourer at that title. Tinuriel bowed slightly, ¡°Your grace. I have much to report. But first, the Versewalker has a proposal.¡± Felix nodded, ¡°I have this place, called the VBV, where I¡¯ve recreated your forest kingdom.¡± He spent the next several minutes rattling off the various Features and Rooms he had installed there, and the king ¨C at first aloof and seeming uninterested ¨C gradually gave Felix his full attention as he described the permeation of magic granted by a literal deity of magic. He held up his hand for Felix to stop, ¡°As long as we can come and go as we please, then I do not see an issue with you providing this VBV as an option. But we are naturally aggressive people. We will need to come back here, to Avelion, very regularly to engage in combat with our violent neighbors on the Tier below.¡± ¡°That¡¯s fine, you¡¯ll have a portal to use as you desire,¡± Felix replied. Tinuriel stood upright, ¡°Your grace, I am taking my leave of Avelion¡¯s army. The Versewalker has named me an Escort, and-¡± The king threw down his goblet which clattered on the ground. He stood up and his face was filled with wrath, ¡°You dare turn your back on your people!¡± Tinuriel crossed her arms, ¡°The Versewalker has fixed Heficyre. He defeated the Dungeon that was plaguing this city. He rescued an entire Tier from collapse. Isn¡¯t it wise to have one of your people accompany him, to spread the glory of elvenkind¡¯s martial achievements?¡± The king sat down and tapped his fingers along the armrest of his throne. But he nodded at last, ¡°This is wise council.¡± He turned to Felix, ¡°Very well, she is dismissed from our army.¡± Tinuriel bowed slightly before grabbing Felix¡¯s hand and dragging him out to the town center. ¡°Open the VBV here. I¡¯m going to get my sisters.¡± Felix did as he was instructed, used another Multiversal Charge, and waited next to the grey portal. He explained to the few curious elves that came up about what lay inside, and a few more adventurous ones went inside to investigate. Tinuriel came up a few minutes later with two much smaller elven women in tow. Both were wan, drastically paler and had sunken cheeks and eyes. ¡°Felix, these are my sisters. Veliel and Variel.¡± ¡°Pleased to meet you both.¡± Felix welcomed them into the VBV, following after. As soon as the two crossed the threshold, their skin lost its pallid tone, and they grew a few inches in height as whatever disease was afflicting them was cleansed and their bodies healed. Their sunken cheeks filled out and their eyes brightened noticeably as their bodies developed further. They both looked at each other, shocked and then shouted for joy and turned to hug Tinuriel. Felix felt himself tearing up a bit at the sight. Penny will have that same experience, someday. It''s a nice, happy ending for her family at least. Felix nodded and walked with Tinuriel and her sisters to the Forest City section of the VBV. Tinuriel stopped Felix, leaning down, and giving him a deep kiss. ¡°Thank you for this,¡± she said in the most loving tone he had ever heard come from her. ¡°You¡¯re very welcome.¡± She lowered her voice to a husky whisper, ¡°Maybe I¡¯ll let you take the lead tonight.¡± Felix chuckled and kissed her back, ¡°Let¡¯s make it a competition.¡± She raised her eyebrows with a wicked grin, ¡°Deal.¡± Ch. 45 – Void Between ‘Verses The next few days passed in a blur of activity. Felix had his hands full helping Tinuriel reallocate a large portion of the elves on Avelion. There were some racial tensions between them and the goblins ¨C but Melanie¡¯s advisor suggestion to introduce mountain ranges to separate out the various people groups had prevented the majority of that negative interaction. The occasional quarrels that did break out were swiftly resolved when they attempted to come to blows, only for their strikes to stop a hair¡¯s breadth away from each other ¨C the VBV Function keeping them from engaging in violence. Roy made several appearances, guiding various groups of monstrous humanoids and outright aberrations into the VBV before helping them settle in the medieval-esque city. The VBV was filling out rapidly, expanding endlessly as the mountains gradually shifted backward to accommodate the new growth. The towns and cities also expanded as more people entered and the realm increased further in size. Lucifer had taken to his Overseer role like a duck to water; and he kept Felix informed of the various situations that developed where minor decisions had to be made. The two rarely had a moment to talk ¨C outside of their mental conversations. But, they made sure to take a break every once in a while and do a movie marathon. Lucifer was seemingly addicted to science fiction films, and whenever he was not overseeing the VBV, he was in the Recreation Room consuming media.
A week passed in a frenzied pace before the influx of new arrivals was reduced to a trickle. Lucifer called a meeting of the VBV advisors, and so Felix, Tinuriel, Melanie (Political) and Roy (Military) all met at the large, covered table atop the plateau that stood at the center of the VBV. The place where all of the various VBV Rooms were located ¨C save for the cities and farms. From this vantage point, Felix could look out in any direction on his rapidly growing kingdom. It wasn¡¯t something he had initially wanted, but more and more, seeing how things developed¡­he grew more comfortable with the concept of being a ruler. ¡°We have two issues to discuss,¡± Lucifer began when all had arrived and taken their seats. ¡°The first: Roy has put forth the idea that we should compose a defense force made up of volunteers, in the event that a Multiversal Horror attempts an incursion.¡± ¡°I thought they would only go after me?¡± Felix asked. ¡°Well, I queried the System, and the larger this VBV gets, the more likely that its presence alone will draw the Horrors/Hunters. The same goes for the number of portals we keep open. We should consider his advice.¡± Roy stood up, ¡°I propose a joint-defense force that any may volunteer to join. I¡¯ll set up the commanders and train them personally.¡± ¡°Seems reasonable,¡± Tinuriel stated. ¡°My people would readily join such an endeavor.¡± ¡°Couldn¡¯t I just use a Function that makes it so that the Horrors can¡¯t get in here?¡± Felix asked. ¡°That¡¯s not an option,¡± Lucifer replied. ¡°They don¡¯t follow the rules of the Multiverse as we know it. Functions and Rooms won¡¯t do anything to them.¡± Felix leaned back and closed his eyes for a moment. He had already assigned a Function that those in the VBV would become decent combatants just by nature of entering the space. He thought that would be enough. Opening his eyes, he looked over at Melanie, ¡°Your thoughts on this matter?¡± She shook her head, ¡°I would rather have paid mercenaries who are already skilled professionals, rather than risk our own people.¡± Roy frowned and sat back down, ¡°Mercenaries may turn at the first sign of trouble. Better to have our defenders be guarding their hearth and home.¡± ¡°You¡¯ve got two options. Either we hire mercenaries using some of the trade goods developed by the cities here. Or, we have our own standing military. Otherwise, come up with another option.¡± Felix stood up, ¡°Let¡¯s go with Roy¡¯s plan. A volunteer force.¡± He looked to Roy, ¡°Do you need a Room or Function to get them geared up and start training?¡± The Dark Lord shook his head, ¡°We have the means and facilities already. I¡¯ll start at once.¡± ¡°There¡¯s one other matter to attend to,¡± Lucifer said. ¡°It has to do with those mages that we rescued from Sirin¨º. The College of Heaven has demanded their return.¡± Felix laughed, ¡°Who cares? What could they do?¡± He stopped laughing when he saw the serious looks that Melanie, Roy, and Tinuriel gave him. ¡°Can they actually do anything to us in here?¡± Roy nodded curtly, ¡°Magic is powerful.¡± ¡°Honestly, the System isn¡¯t being very helpful in that regard. The Admin is still being picky with the information I can get with queries.¡± Lucifer frowned, ¡°I don¡¯t like it, but we are flying in the dark here.¡± ¡°Then let¡¯s ask someone who knows their capabilities better,¡± Felix said. ¡°Lucifer, go find that mage we rescued who is leading up this new group here. Gina. Let¡¯s see if she wants to be our VBV Advisor for all things Magic.¡± Lucifer nodded and flew off, returning a few minutes later with the young woman. ¡°I filled her in on the flight over.¡± Gina curtsied, ¡°My lords and ladies. Versewalker.¡± She stood and smiled gently, ¡°I¡¯d be happy to fill in as your advisor on Magic for the time being. I am still a student, though, and will relinquish the position once you find someone more qualified.¡± She took a seat, and Lucifer snapped his fingers as the name plate shifted to her name and new title. ¡°From what I¡¯ve learned with experimenting in my short time here, outside Magic cannot enter here, and vice versa. For example, I could not generate a blast of water and send it through a portal ¨C it would splash against the aperture.¡±If you discover this tale on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen. Please report the violation. Felix leaned back and felt a sense of relief. His various advisors also relaxed at that elucidation. ¡°Is there anything that The College of Heaven can do to us?¡± Gina shook her head, ¡°As long as the portals are safely guarded then the Colleges can make as much of a stink as they want.¡± ¡°Thank you for that,¡± Lucifer said. He turned to Felix, ¡°In that case, I have no other items that need to be discussed or described.¡± ¡°I do, erm, Versewalker,¡± Gina said sheepishly. ¡°We don¡¯t really have a place that is good for practicing and training in Magic. Could you use one of those VBV Rooms to create a place for us to do that?¡± Felix nodded, ¡°Lucifer, let¡¯s add¡­hmm¡­an academy or a tower?¡± Gina giggled slightly before composing herself, ¡°Towers are nice, but we need space to train where the environment can be disturbed.¡± ¡°Does the existing Training Room not meet your requirements?¡± ¡°It¡¯s¡­weird. When we¡¯re using those facilities, the magic infused into the realm is¡­muted.¡± She shook her head, ¡°It needs to be out here in the open.¡± ¡°Okay. Lucifer, let¡¯s make a large academy complex. Classrooms, training yards, the whole nine yards.¡± ¡°Done.¡± Off in the distance, a mountain moved backward, and the grey void of space emanated for a few seconds before a large, sprawling academy complex appeared. The area was then enclosed by mountains, save for a road leading through a pass. Gina gasped, ¡°That was so fast¡­¡± Felix glanced around the table, ¡°Any other matters to attend?¡± The Advisors shook their heads. ¡°Good. Then we are done.¡± He glanced to Tinuriel who nodded curtly before he addressed them as they stood. ¡°We are going to be venturing to a new Universe. Any ideas or input as to a type we should head to next?¡± Roy and Melanie both shook their heads, but Gina raised her hand. ¡°Oh! You should do some place with new types of Magic you can bring here!¡± Lucifer kicked his legs up on the conference table, ¡°As long as you don¡¯t rush into something high-tech. Those ¡®Verses ¨C even if you¡¯re the right Core Level ¨C can be extremely perilous.¡± He held up a finger and thumb in the shape of a gun and made a pew noise with his mouth before pretending he was holstering it. ¡°Heficyre was relatively low magic. I mean, we met so few Magic users,¡± Felix said as he glanced to Lucifer. ¡°I would like to go to a Universe where Magic is more prevalent. I have Anathema now, so I can deal with most easily.¡± ¡°There¡¯s a lot of options. Let me bring up the list.¡± Lucifer stood up and waved his hand as a screen appeared, hovering above the table. A list of thousands ¨C hundreds of thousands ¨C of Universes appeared. He rapidly flicked through and narrowed down the vast multitude into two selections that hovered in place.
Recommended Core Level: 15 - 30 Universe #548: Astragos Universe #34,212: Zephelam
¡°Both of these are very high Magic. Each is similar to Heficyre, in that they are a singular planetoid set within the Universe they were formed in. Astragos is half water-world, and half terrestrial. There are two empires that are gearing up for war with their own internal civil wars brewing. Lots of Crises there.¡± That sounds cool, Felix thought. There¡¯s probably a lot of possible ways to solve those Crises also. But that gave him some pause as well. He¡¯d only been in a Crisis situation before where there were well-defined sides for right and wrong. A war between two empires ¨C combined with civil strife ¨C could be a morality litmus test. ¡°Zephelam is a world of floating chunks of rock above the planet¡¯s surface ¨C which is a deep ocean. There is civilization on the floating landmasses ¨C with a Mega-Dungeon - and ruins under the waters below. Mega-Dungeons are like the Dungeons on Heficyre, but they have multiple floors with multiple Bosses.¡± ¡°That would be a good place,¡± Tinuriel commented, ¡°Given that we have flight through Felix¡¯s Class Skills.¡± ¡°Those are the options best suited to your Core Level and your desire for more Magic.¡± ¡°A question. Why not just choose a Universe with a Core Level 1? Find a bunch of easy tasks to handle and Crises to solve?¡± Melanie asked. ¡°There¡¯s diminished experience if you¡¯re in a ¡®Verse where your Core Level is higher than the suggested range.¡± ¡°But it would be safer,¡± Roy stated bluntly. ¡°¡­Yes.¡± Felix shook his head, ¡°I need to get stronger. We need to get stronger,¡± he replied as he glanced at Tinuriel. ¡°I have to get to Core Level 50 to get back to my original Universe and save Penny.¡± ¡°And, stop that Basilisk Tier AI.¡± Felix stood up, ¡°I need some time to think on this.¡± He glanced around, ¡°Is there anything else that requires my input?¡± No one spoke up. ¡°Then I¡¯ll adjourn this meeting. Lucifer will notify you once I¡¯ve made a decision.¡± He tapped Tinuriel on the shoulder, ¡°Come on, we should talk about this.¡± The group dispersed. The two went over to the Recreation Room and switched out to their workout gear. They had grown accustomed to spending their bit of leisure time with just each other lifting weights as they talked. Their Might Stat would not increase, but it was a way to pass the time and enjoy each other¡¯s company. And, Felix always appreciated the view of his attractive partner in action. ¡°Which do you prefer?¡± Tinuriel asked. ¡°I like the appeal of only having to deal with one Crisis, and Dungeons means more Dungeon Cores, which means more Skill Upgrades at the Loot Forge. And, we saw on your Character Sheet that you get the increased Rank Skills that I unlock. That¡¯s probably the best route for now.¡± Tinuriel nodded and spotted him for a bench press, ¡°You make a fair point.¡± ¡°I figure we go there, deal with the Crisis, and then do a bunch of Dungeons to level-up and improve Skills.¡± Felix finished his set and the two swapped places. ¡°Just us three?¡± Tinuriel grunted as she lifted the weights. ¡°Yeah, just us. We¡¯ll go to Zephelam tomorrow.¡± Did you get that, Lucifer? I¡¯m looking forward to it. A bit of dungeon delving
The two geared up and went to the Portal Room. Felix walked up to one of the empty doorways as Lucifer joined them, putting his hand on Felix¡¯s shoulder and merging into him. I took the liberty of promoting a few people to help manage things in the VBV so I can be a bit more present. Felix chuckled, Getting overwhelmed? No! But¡­I could use a breather. ¡°Alright,¡± Felix said as he rolled his shoulders, glancing at Tinuriel. ¡°Ready?¡± She nodded and hefted Valiant Edge, ¡°I¡¯ve been looking forward to trying out these new Skills.¡± ¡°Hit it.¡± Activating Universe Selector. Target ¨C Zephelam. A small, grey dot appeared in front of Felix before it expanded into the familiar portal-circle. The center of the portal flashed from grey to transparent ¨C revealing a grassy plateau. ¡°Ladies first,¡± Felix said as he gestured. Tinuriel nodded and walked through, with Felix a step behind her. Ch. 46 - Zephelam I Now arriving in ¡®Verse #34,212 ¨C Zephelam. As they stepped through, their armor warped and shifted ¨C becoming much lighter-weight versions of their existing gear. Their weaponry grew lighter as well. In front of him, Felix saw Tinuriel¡¯s skin color shifted in front of Felix, becoming a pale-yellow, as her face adopted avian features, and a pair of wings sprouted from her back. Less than a moment later, he felt an intense itching sensation on his own back, and glanced down as his skin took on a similar type of tone. Tinuriel turned and balked slightly before reaching up to her own face and feeling around ¨C a look of dread coming across her visage. ¡°What happened?¡± she asked losing her stoic demeanor. ¡°(P) Multiverse Adaptation,¡± Lucifer replied. ¡°According to the System, most of the residents of this Universe are avian-esque humanoids who live on these floating islands. There¡¯s nothing alive in the ocean below ¨C the remnants of some powerful spell from a war long past.¡± Felix tried to move the wings on his back and felt them respond. The muscle control was tricky, but he was able to figure out that flexing and unflexing his latissimus dorsei he could propel himself up a few feet off the ground. He landed a second later. ¡°It¡¯s not like Fallen Flight where I just think of where I want to go.¡± He looked up at Tinuriel who was still feeling her face, ¡°I don¡¯t know how you¡¯re going to swing your sword while flying. Try flexing your back.¡± Tinuriel snapped out of her shock and nodded, expertly controlling her muscles as she began to flap her wings and lifted a few feet off the ground before coming to a shaky landing. Her horror at the transformation was overcome with a sense of elation that spread across her face as she extended her wings. ¡°I can fly!¡± She flapped powerfully and took off, flying up higher and higher before she swooped down and landed again. ¡°We should practice a bit,¡± Felix said as he followed suit. The two took turns ascending before swooping down and landing. Thanks to the (P) Multiverse Adaptation Talent, just a few minutes of practice led to the two being able to traverse the skies as if they were born with wings. It wasn¡¯t as easy as with Fallen Flight; the control was not as fine-tuned, and it took energy akin to jogging at a decent clip. They would need to take breaks. Thankfully, there were plenty of small chunks of rock floating in the sky in between much larger landmasses. Far above them, he could see another large chunk of floating land ¨C and the underside was full of what appeared to be geode-esque crystals. There was an odd, green-blue hue that emanated from the crystals that appeared to repulse the air below. ¡°That must be how they stay aloft,¡± he muttered. ¡°Querying System for Crises¡± [Crisis: Zephelam ¨C Several Options are available. Solving multiple Crises will result in extra Multiversal Charges.] 1. Reverse the Great Flood. 2. Return the Floating City of Zesperia to the surface. ¡°Exploration is the name of the game, then.¡± Felix closed his eyes and tried to will the (P) Dungeon Delver Talent to activate. That¡¯s not how that one works. It¡¯s Passive, so it¡¯ll just kick on when you get close to a Dungeon. ¡°Detect Object,¡± Felix replied, holding his hand out and focusing on the closest Dungeon. Felix Bars Anima 110 / 120 The golden line shot outward and went over the edge of the grass knoll. He walked over and looked down as the glittering, golden line descended all the way to the waters below. ¡°Hey Lucifer, if we go down there, will we change again? To be able to travel underwater?¡± ¡°Querying¡­Does not look like it.¡± ¡°Dungeons will have to wait,¡± Tinuriel commented. ¡°We should find some people. If there are ruins under the water, they may have a way to traverse it.¡± Felix nodded and raised his hand once more, ¡°Detect Object,¡± focusing on finding denizens of this Universe. Felix Bars Anima 100 / 120 The line shot off and went far into the distance. Tinuriel ran forward and leapt off the ledge, extending her wings and swooping down before evening out into a glide. Felix followed a moment later. Their flight was steady and even ¨C both still feeling out their capabilities. Thankfully, several floating rocks ¨C with the odd geode-crystals on the bottom ¨C were readily available to land on if they needed a breather. ¡°We should practice,¡± Tinuriel shouted as she pulled out Valiant Edge, trying to take several practice swings and faltering mid-air as she did so, spiraling down for a moment before recovering and flapping back up. ¡°I don¡¯t think heavy weapons are useful mid-flight,¡± Felix commented as he drew his Hardlight Recurve. Thanks to the magical property of the weapon, there was no real effort required to use the weapon, and the simple act of moving his arm back just required him to stutter-flap for a brief moment to facilitate aiming. He practiced shooting at several geodes on the underside of a few of the floating rocks. The hardlight cracked several of the crystals, and the disturbance in the air around them wavered for a moment before the whole rock fell down.Unauthorized use of content: if you find this story on Amazon, report the violation. ¡°What did you do?¡± Tinuriel asked as she got back up to Felix¡¯s height. ¡°I think I figured out how they stay up,¡± he replied. ¡°The crystals are keeping them aloft. And that was a small rock. I bet if you slowly chipped away at a larger one, you could reduce the rate of descent.¡± He flapped his wings to gain more height as he looked around for a larger rock to test his theory on. Spotting one, he took single shots as the hardlight arrows impacted clusters of the crystals. To his satisfaction, his theory was correct, and after chipping off two of the crystals, the rock began a steady descent. ¡°Now we know how to return this Floating City to the ground once we find it.¡± ¡°Depends on where it¡¯s going to land, too. You don¡¯t want to cause it to go to the surface and sink again.¡± ¡°That¡¯s true,¡± Felix replied. The duo kept flying after the golden thread, having to push themselves to gain more height as they began an ascent towards an enormous landmass. Felix could barely see the edge of the large expanse which had to be the size of a large city on its own. When they crested the edge, his breath was taken away. The grassy expanse gave way to shaped stone and houses carved from the same type of crystals as the geodes on the bottom. White stone structures were erected on the multitudinous platforms in a cluster as they slowly moved around each other in a graceful dance. There were calm, blue pools, and several dozen avian humanoids who were walking or flying about. A group of younger-aged avians flew towards him and Tinuriel, flapping in circles around them. They were colored bright blue and green, like parrots. ¡°Who are you?¡± ¡°New people!¡± ¡°Strangers? Go tell mom!¡± The three flew off and Tinuriel chuckled gently as she followed them. Felix was just a few flaps behind her, as they made their way to the city and landed in the town center. The three children had gone inside one of the crystal buildings, and other villages approached, saying variants of ¡®welcome.¡¯ An older looking person, with a crooked, greying wing, walked forward. ¡°Ah, our friends from the Sunset Isles. What brings you visiting this far?¡± Felix glanced at Tinuriel who gestured for him to take the lead, ¡°I¡¯m Felix Winters ¨C a Versewalker. This is Tinuriel. We¡¯re looking for a place called Zesperia.¡± As he said this, he heard muttering and whispers all around. The older avian shook his head, ¡°The floating city has been lost for ages. Come, let us speak with the priestess-¡± ¡°That is quite alright, Elder Flavot.¡± The three children stood behind a middle-aged looking woman who was colored just like a macaw parrot. ¡°I am Priestess Vhrisal. Welcome to our village. Sunset Islanders I¡¯d presume by your coloration?¡± Felix shook his head, ¡°Not quite. I¡¯m a Versewalker.¡± The woman¡¯s face expressed shock for a moment before she regained words, ¡°We are quite lucky indeed.¡± She turned to the children, ¡°Go ask him for a blessing!¡± Lucifer? Mind filling me in? Felix thought as the kids sheepishly approached. Remember, Versewalker is what you say, but they hear whatever the closest approximation is. It translated to ¡®miracle-worker¡¯. Just put your hand out and say something that sounds like a prayer. Felix nodded and knelt on the kid¡¯s level. He held up his hand. Can I just use Anima to make a visual effect using an Affinity? Yeah. It¡¯s a bit of a waste, but if you want to put on a show? Go for it. Felix Bars Anima 90 / 120 Felix willed Anima into his Netherlight Affinity, and the cloud of silvery-white energy surrounded the whole of the village center. ¡°I¡­¡± Um¡­a little help with the wording? Just repeat after me¡­ Felix repeated each word Lucifer fed to him, ¡°I, Versewalker Felix Winters, grant this village my blessing. May you always prosper, and your wings find steady winds to guide your way.¡± There were statements of gratitude as the children said thank-you¡¯s before retreating to their mother. The Priestess let out a laugh and bowed her head, ¡°My thanks for your blessing.¡± She waved for the two to follow her, ¡°Please, come with me.¡± Felix and Tinuriel followed her as the village slowly resumed its usual activity. She led them into the geode-house structure. It was well-furnished with furniture that appeared to be woven from the grasslands surrounding the village and stuffed with spare feathers. The Priestess gestured for the two to sit. ¡°Why do your people not carry weapons?¡± Tinuriel asked. ¡°Well now I know you really aren¡¯t from around here. None carry weapons. There is no need.¡± ¡°You¡¯re a Priestess ¨C what do you worship?¡± Felix asked. ¡°The Sky-Crystals that lifted us up before the great flood took everything below. The powerful stones that blessed us with the ability to fly and soar among the clouds, to survive.¡± She smiled as the three children ran over and sat on something analogous to a bean-bag chair. ¡°Tell the story!¡± ¡°Yeah! The whole ¡®sky fall¡¯ cry!¡± ¡°It¡¯s not called that.¡± She raised her hands and shushed the children, ¡°Very well. The story of the Weeping Skies¡­¡±
Long ago, Zephelam was a terrestrial world ¨C much like Earth based off her description ¨C where various humanoid races lived in relative peace and prosperity. There was not much strife as natural resources were plentiful. However, they continued to plunder the land for resources as they grew more and more advanced and delved more and more to find metal. Felix guessed they had obtained the equivalent of the Iron Age. This delving revealed Sky-Crystals; chunks of gems that defied gravity and would float up. The larger the crystal, the higher it could ascend. Discovering this, several groups started to mine for these crystals specifically, and dug under their cities, embedding the crystals, and ascending to the skies. This created a two-tier society, where those in the sky lived a much simpler life ¨C an austere life ¨C as they did not have ready access to trade goods. Over time, this turned into a monastic existence, and the worship of the Sky-Crystals began. Some did not appreciate their new existence and sought to find a way to return to the ground below. They could not find a way, and so they consigned themselves to their new fates. There was a consequence of lifting large chunks of the earth. This disrupted the natural order of the world, and changes to the surface began to reveal large caverns that went deep. Then, waters issued forth and began to cover the land in an endless sea. Fresh, clear, clean water with no lurking creatures or monstrous forms. But this forced the rest of the populace to flee skyward as well, leaving behind all but the bare necessities. Proximity to the Sky-Crystals changed the denizens over time, transforming them into avian-humanoids that were more suited towards living in the skies.
¡°¡­and this is true of all of our people,¡± she concluded. ¡°Save for Zesperia. The last city to ascend. The largest to ascend.¡± She pointed up, and the three children craned their eyes upward, ¡°Come, I will show you.¡± The children ran after her with Felix and Tinuriel a step behind. She pointed up and to the side, ¡°Far away, up there in the sky, is Zesperia. A place that makes our village feel tiny in comparison. With enough ground separating the Sky-Crystals that its denizens never changed. It is truly an enormous place.¡± Her voice was tinged with a tone that implied she had fond memories of the place at one point, but Felix didn¡¯t want to push his luck with the hospitality they¡¯d already received. He didn¡¯t press the issue. Tinuriel squinted her eyes and peered where the Priestess pointed, ¡°I can¡¯t see it. And I have great vision.¡± ¡°It is far,¡± the Priestess replied. She rubbed the children¡¯s heads, ¡°Go and play. Go on!¡± The trio ran off before flapping up into the air. She turned back to Felix and Tinuriel, ¡°Why do you seek Zesperia?¡± ¡°I¡¯ve been charged with returning it to the surface below.¡± The Priestess shook her head, ¡°You¡¯d have to fix the flooding to do that.¡± ¡°That¡¯s another one of our tasks,¡± Tinuriel replied. ¡°Unless you can breathe underwater, I don¡¯t see how that¡¯s possible.¡± Felix nodded, ¡°We thank you for your time and your instruction.¡± He glanced around, ¡°This place seems very peaceful¡­do you want for anything?¡± She nodded, ¡°Seeds for new crops. Our rovers that go to various landmasses have not found any new seed-crops. Eating potatoes day after day is quite a bore.¡± Felix smirked, ¡°Well, give me a few hours, and I think we can fix that.¡± Ch. 47 - Zephelam II Felix opened the VBV and after coordinating with some of Lucifer¡¯s underlings, he arranged for an enormous haul of seeds of all types to be brought through. Thanks to his earlier VBV Room that added farmlands and husbandry, vast types of seed-crops were made available. [Experience Awarded = 10] The Priestess ¨C who was the de-facto leader ¨C was very gracious and she took Felix and Tinuriel aside as her people sorted through this new bounty. ¡°I can¡¯t thank you enough for doing this, Versewalker. I wish I could give you more, but all I can do is provide you with my thanks and give you an opportunity to commune with our Sky-Shard.¡± ¡°You mean the one that this landmass is floating on?¡± She shook her head, ¡°Those are the lesser versions. The more common ones. This is what we call a Primal Sky-Shard.¡± She walked him back to her house and she retrieved a box, opening it to reveal a deep-blue and mossy-green crystal that pulsed with a soft, white light. ¡°Please, touch it.¡± Felix did so. The Primal Sky-Shard just gave you a new Affinity. Air. I¡¯m equipping it now. Felix grinned like an idiot as he felt a gust of wind blow past him and ruffle his hair. The Priestess smiled as she pulled the crystal back and closed the box. ¡°It would appear that the Primal Shard has blessed you, Versewalker.¡± Tinuriel shook her head, ¡°I wish I could do Magic like you.¡± Can I transfer an Affinity? Querying System¡­You can assign an Affinity to an Escort and withdraw it at any time. Felix put a hand on her shoulder, ¡°Let¡¯s talk outside.¡± He turned to the Priestess, ¡°Thank you again.¡± The two returned to the VBV and their bodies morphed back to their usual appearance ¨C their equipment returned to normal as well. ¡°I can give you one of my Affinities,¡± Felix said. ¡°But I¡¯m concerned because you only have thirty Anima.¡± Tinuriel nodded as Lucifer unmerged from Felix. ¡°Let¡¯s sit down and look at options.¡± The trio did, and Lucifer pulled up several screens with the various Classes they had access to, and the Affinities Felix currently had. ¡°Detection, Hellfire, Netherlight, Anathema, and now Air.¡± ¡°It seems like Netherlight Myrmidon is intended to be used alongside Animancer to create a sort of mage-tank,¡± Felix commented. ¡°It¡¯s a defensive caster type of combination. Looking at our own builds¡­Ideally, I¡¯ll keep Fallen Angel maxed out because being able to revive someone who died within a minute is invaluable.¡± ¡°You could do the same thing with the Healing Affinity,¡± Lucifer followed up. ¡°It¡¯s 20,000 VC, so you¡¯re close to having enough to buy it. Currently at 16,490 VC.¡± Felix looked over to Lucifer, ¡°Fallen Flight has been very useful. And Inviolable Will is¡­just too good to give up.¡± ¡°I¡¯m just letting you know that there¡¯s other means to revive people. But¡­nothing that can bring someone back who has been dead for more than a minute.¡± His voice went deathly serious. ¡°Nothing can.¡± Tinuriel leaned forward and tented her fingers, ¡°Advance planning. If you reach Core Level 50, that means we can have up to five Classes maxed out. And we can go beyond that, I¡¯m sure. I should stick to Warrior and Champion. Then, unless we come across more Classes that are aligned upon that theme, you should lend me the Netherlight Affinity, and I can alternate levels of Netherlight Myrmidon and some levels of both Animancer and Ascended Animancer.¡± She smiled, ¡°I will be very, very hard to kill.¡± ¡°Then that leaves me with a hard choice,¡± Felix muttered. ¡°I like Rogue and Silent Blade because I can completely vanish. Whisperfang is good for getting more VC.¡± He looked up to Tinuriel, ¡°But you can get us extra Loot and XP stacking Execution, Eviscerate, and Obliterate. So Whisperfang isn¡¯t necessary¡­but I do like the aesthetic,¡± he muttered as he looked down at the slightly shimmering scales on his arm. He leaned forward and groaned, ¡°I wish I could just make Lucifer into an Escort. Then we¡¯d have a dedicated Fallen Angel and Animancer who could handle the mage-stuff, and I could just stay a Rogue-type build.¡± ¡°Yeah¡­that¡¯s¡­¡± Lucifer trailed off and seemed to zone out for a few seconds. Glancing over, Felix saw that his eyes were filled with the white and black color of the System. He shook his head a moment later, ¡°Nope, I can¡¯t be an Escort. But, once you get to Core Level twenty-one, you can get a second Escort.¡± ¡°It¡¯s handy that the System rounds in my favor,¡± Felix quipped. ¡°This is true.¡± Lucifer stood up. ¡°I¡¯m off to do a fly-around and check in with some of the supervisors. See you tomorrow.¡± He stepped away from the table and launched himself skyward. Felix yelped in surprise for a moment as Tinuriel lifted him by the nape of his armor and carried him to the house, ¡°We¡¯re not going to bed yet.¡±
Morning came and Felix spent a few minutes of breakfast thinking about how he wanted to utilize the new Air Affinity. I can probably use it to make an Air Bubble or something that lets us breathe underwater. Lucifer, that Priestess said that we don¡¯t have to worry about sea-life down in that enormous ocean, right? I queried the system after we learned about that ¨C and the answer is yes. There¡¯s nothing hostile in the waters. I could just use an Air Magic/Power effect to let us breathe underwater, then. And we could go down and figure out what caused the flooding. I did some digging on that also. There is a single, enormous Dungeon that is most likely the source of the waters that flooded the land. So we beat the Dungeon, we solve the Crisis. That¡¯s logical. Felix finished his meal and looked to Tinuriel, ¡°Feel like going for a swim?¡± She raised an eyebrow quizzically but nodded and finished off her meal. The two went to the VBV and Felix re-opened the portal to Zephelam. They emerged in the same village as they had departed from. The sky was clear blue ¨C the exact same color as the day prior. That gave Felix pause. Time had passed¡­but they re-emerged at the exact same time of day? Do they have a day-night cycle? Querying¡­No. There is something up above providing light. There¡¯s no night here. Same time of day, all day. Felix nodded and glanced around, greeting the few villagers who noticed them and thanked the duo for the gift of seed-crops. Tinuriel flexed her wings and jumped up, flapping mightily as she ascended. Felix followed, leaping up and flapping his own wings as they circled a few times to get used to the sensation of flexing back muscles to fly once more. Then, they went to the edge of the floating island in the sky. ¡°Ready?¡± Felix asked as he flapped in place. Tinuriel nodded and angled downward, folding her wings along her back as she screamed in delight. Felix followed suit and felt the incredible rush of wind as he descended from the skies. The wind screamed in his ears as he felt giddy from the acceleration. He was never a fan of going fast¡­but this was different. The feeling of free-falling with the knowledge that he could pull out of the dive if he wanted gave him a sense of safety that enhanced the experience. He didn¡¯t feel like the situation was out of his control. It buoyed his confidence more than he thought it would have. You¡¯re going to want to start to come out of your dive in 3¡­2¡­ The two approached the surface and Felix pulled up when Lucifer instructed ¨C Tinuriel following suit as the two leveled out and shot forward as the momentum from their fall was shifted forward. They glided just above the still, glimmering water; the only movement from the wind that gently dappled the waves. Felix held up his hand, ¡°Air Bubble!¡± envisioning a new Magic/Power effect. This narrative has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road. If you see it on Amazon, please report it. Air Bubble 1 Anima per minute Creates a bubble of air around a target, allowing them to breathe and move regularly within the sphere. Can be attached to a target, following them, or be made stationary. A sphere of light-green energy popped into existence in a ten-foot sphere around him as he descended into the water. The liquid parted around the sphere, and Felix could sense the resistance of the waves against the Magic/Power effect. It felt like he was holding his hand in front of the nozzle of a hose on low flow. There was tension, but it was easy to keep in check. Tinuriel descended alongside him, and the two began their descent into the depths. The waters went from light blue to a deeper blue as they gently flapped their wings to stay in the center of the Air Bubble as Felix willed it to stay centered on him. They went deeper as the world grew dark. Eventually, pitch-black. Felix¡¯s vision shifted to Lucifer¡¯s red-sight, and he could see the bottom as the pressure he felt he was holding back increased. No longer a simple matter to sustain, he had to think about holding the water back at the edges of the Air Bubble. When his attention wavered, such as when he glanced over at Tinuriel who seemed enraptured with being underwater ¨C the sphere would begin to waver. They reached the bottom and felt their feet touch the soddy ground. Turned to a mucky mud. Felix raised his hand. ¡°Detect Object,¡± focusing on the Dungeon¡¯s entrance. Felix Bars Anima 100 / 120 The golden line shot off from him and went straight ahead. ¡°Any idea how far it goes?¡± Felix asked. Tinuriel shook her head, ¡°No, the line goes off and I lose sight of it after a few hundred feet.¡± She began walking forward, drawing her sword out of habit. Felix followed and pulled his bow, ready to draw back if necessary. They walked for miles. Felix¡¯s Anima did not refill ¨C the restoration being negated by the Air Bubble ¨C and he had to re-cast Detect Object after it faded. Felix Bars Anima 80 / 120 After several miles, he felt the pull of his Talent. A neon-green indicator line appeared in his vision, and led him onward. (P) Dungeon Delver Know the direction and distance to any Dungeon (Fantasy Universe Only) within Core level x 10 miles. They arrived at a large hole in the ground and descended once more before finding the bottom. They then went through a series of tunnels before arriving at a hazy, purple barrier. ¡°That¡¯s the Dungeon entrance,¡± Lucifer stated. ¡°The System has advised me that this is a Mega-Dungeon. Once you enter, you either clear it or start from scratch if you leave. After each Boss is defeated, you¡¯ll gain a temporary Multiversal Charge to open a portal while in the Dungeon. Once you go back to the Dungeon, then that portal permanently closes. And¡­¡± he trailed off for a moment then took a deep breath. ¡°Passive restoration of Health, Anima, and Vigor is disabled.¡± That struck Felix like a punch to the gut. He wouldn¡¯t be able to keep Ghostwalk active without worrying about it ¨C having the passive generation offset the cost. He¡¯d have to be much more careful about his use of Skills and Magic/Power effects. ¡°I can¡¯t even do the under 100 VC purchases in there. Only when we return to the VBV.¡± Tinuriel hefted her sword, ¡°I¡¯ve been itching for a good fight with these new Skills.¡± She walked through the barrier. Felix followed a moment later. The purple barrier was slightly resistant, and Felix had to push his legs through before the barrier seemed to almost suck him inward. The interior of the room was filled with water. Tinuriel gasped as soon as he entered fully ¨C his Air Bubble having stayed centered on him, but not going through the barrier apparently. She was also soaked. She looked over to him and grunted, ¡°Not fun.¡± ¡°Why isn¡¯t (P) Multiversal Adaptation making us some type of aquatic-hybrid?¡± Felix asked. ¡°Biology meets the baseline survival requirements of the Universe you are in. That¡¯s the whole bird-person thing, because that¡¯s the survival requirement for the denizens.¡± Felix shook his head, ¡°So this whole Dungeon is flooded, and I¡¯ll need to keep my Anima at least at a value of one at all times.¡± ¡°Maybe some other chambers are not flooded.¡± Felix Bars Anima 79 / 120 That¡¯s annoying not having the rate of Anima use offset by the normal rate of return. Felix took in the room they had entered. It seemed to be an entry hall for some type of study. Stairs descended to a fire-pit that was filled with glowing, black crystals that seemed to boil the water around them. There were tables and chairs, with papers that seemed to be just fine despite their soggy appearance, and bookshelves. It had the appearance of a drowned library. He descended the stone steps with Tinuriel right next to him. The water grew noticeably warmer as they got closer to the rocks, and Felix had to skirt around them with a wide berth. Tinuriel was not affected thanks to her Scales of the Lava Dragon. Felix saw three different paths branching out from this entry chamber, and surrounding the fire-pit, were three small slots that some type of stone totem could socket into. ¡°Great, we have to find the missing pieces. Three slots, three hallways.¡± Whoever designs these Dungeons must have a video game design background. Three is just a prime number. It¡¯s relatively common to see prime numbers for important things in the Multiverse. And no, don¡¯t ask me why. I think it¡¯s dumb that Arabic Numerals are the basis of some of the System¡¯s crap. That gave Felix pause. He had heard the Observer talk about more Earths. Lucifer had mentioned other Earths. The fact that he came from a Universe with a number implied that there must have been a Universe one, or zero even, that was the progenitor of whoever now ran the System. Perhaps alternate Earths are alike, and this System Administrator ¨C or the System as a whole ¨C originated from a¡­prime Earth. Interesting idea. I¡¯m not doing that query. Why not? Because I don¡¯t want to draw the Admin¡¯s ire. Poking around something like the origins of the System? Seems risky. If you say so. Just keep it in mind. Oh, I will. Tinuriel looked at the hallway to their left. ¡°Come, let us find these objects.¡± She stayed within the Air Bubble and led the way. Felix Bars Anima 78 / 120 The slowly decreasing Anima bar made Felix nervous. They had an hour of air left unless they found a safe-spot to breathe, or wanted to leave the Dungeon and start over. Good thing I stocked up on Elixirs. Tinuriel¡¯s blade lit up with a sparkling blue energy, followed by a neon-blue energy, and lastly a crackling, deep-blue energy as she activated three Skills in a row. Execution 5 Vigor Increases the damage of the user''s next attack. If this strikes a killing blow, gain additional XP or Loot. Eviscerator 50 Vigor Increases the damage of the user''s next attack by a significant amount. If this strikes a killing blow, gain additional XP or Loot. Can stack with Execution and similar Skills. Obliterate 50 Vigor Increases the damage of the user''s next attack by a vast amount. If this strikes a killing blow, gain additional XP or Loot. Can stack with Execution and similar Skills. Tinuriel Bars Vigor 165 / 270 The two followed a short hallway before they saw another film of purple. Stepping through, Felix was pleased to feel the lack of pressure on the Air Bubble. He released the effect. They were in an enormous cavern that was covered with coral of all manner of colors that cascaded up the walls. The floor was a raised sandbar with an ankle-high layer of water. At the far end of the room was a shimmering, black doorway. Tinuriel held up her hand, ¡°Let me go first. Bastion.¡± Bastion Increments of 10 Vigor The user becomes immovable unless they desire to be moved. Additionally, the user gains 10 temporary Health per 10 Vigor spent. This temporary Health fades after one minute. Tinuriel Bars Vigor 135 / 270 Temporary Health 30 / 999 The blue color of her Skill¡¯s manifesting formed a thin layer of energy around her as the Bastion skill protected her from harm. She stepped forward to the center of the room and stood silently for a moment. ¡°It seems clear,¡± She said as she waved him forward. Felix began walking toward her, but then his red-shifted vision caught something that Tinuriel¡¯s dark vision didn¡¯t. A fleck of off-color coral that slowly drifted down from the roof. Glancing up, he saw some of the coral minutely moving back and forth ¨C as if it was in a breeze. ¡°Tinuriel¡­don¡¯t be loud,¡± he whispered to her. She slowly walked towards him ¨C sliding her feet so she wouldn¡¯t slosh. ¡°What?¡± she whispered back. He pointed up, ¡°I think those are creatures or monsters.¡± She looked up and nodded before looking at the black doorway. ¡°I doubt we can move on without defeating this room.¡± Felix nodded and went back to the purple film, pulling back his hardlight arrow and aiming at the roof. Tinuriel yelled, ¡°Now!¡± And the rocks above began to move. Ch. 48 - Zephelam III The rock clusters dropped from the ceiling ¨C three of them ¨C and slowly unfurled. Their surface was a light, sandy-brown color interspersed with water-filled crystals and branches of coral that covered their limbs and the crystals. They were bulky and stood a full two feet taller than Tinuriel ¨C and were much broader. Tinuriel wasted no time in bringing Valiant Edge down on one of them ¨C instantly shattering it into hundreds of pieces as her triple-Skill amplified attack simply devastated it. The other two swung towards her, and whilst she deflected one of their strikes with Valiant Edge, the other one slammed into her. She did not move thanks to the Bastion Skill¡¯s effect, and the blue film around her became less intense. Tinuriel Bars Temporary Health 5 / 999 Felix shot several hardlight arrows in the one that had struck Tinuriel, and each one sunk into the creature as it looked towards him. It merged into the ground and tunneled towards him ¨C forming a small mound under the sand and leaving a wake in the ankle-deep water. Felix jumped aside as it exploded outward, swinging towards him with one of its enormous fists. He dodged and swapped to his daggers. The water is going to reduce my movement speed. Dragon Dance. Dragon Dance 10 Vigor per target The user moves with rapid speed, dashing between targets within 10 feet of each other and performing a melee attack, dealing increased damage. If dual-wielding, attack with both weapons. Felix Bars Anima 78 / 120 Vigor 210 / 220 He dashed behind the golem-creature and sank the daggers into its back. Injecting the poison from the Wyrmtooth knife seemed to have no effect on it, but he had accomplished his task ¨C the daggers were twisted into place and he could effectively ride the creature and stay out of its reach. Or so he thought. He was shocked as the creature¡¯s arms shifted along its form and it attempted to squeeze him. He pulled his daggers loose and slipped down, falling prone into the water and rolling away as it attempted to stomp on him. Tinuriel turned the flat of her blade and spun with the momentum of the deflected blow, bringing Valiant Edge down onto the creature¡¯s arm and with an enormous crack, cut the arm loose. The creature swung at her again and she was able to deflect that blow as well. But the impact shook her body and drained the last of her Bastion¡¯s temporary Health as she was pushed in the sand a few feet. ¡°Obliterate!¡± She yelled as she activated the Skill once more. Tinuriel Bars Vigor 85 / 270 She brought Valiant Edge down onto the creature¡¯s head and carved right down the center as it exploded into rock and coral chunks. Turning, she saw the other golem stomping after Felix as he rolled away. It would look funny if not for the fact that it could probably crush him. ¡°Charge!¡± Invigorating Charge 10 Vigor Dash to any point within 500 feet that the user can see, and perform a weapon attack. Gain 10 temporary Health. This temporary Health fades after one minute. Vigor 75 / 100 Temporary Health 10 / 999 She dashed over in a burst of sky-blue energy and interposed herself between the creature and Felix, swinging her blade at its chest and cracking it. ¡°Get away from him you bastard!¡± Felix used the opportunity to get to his feet and saw the cracked torso of the creature. I have an idea. He raised his hand and focused his intent. I want a blast of air that can bludgeon. Wind Beam Increments of 5 Anima Shoots a beam of air that can either push a target without harm, bludgeon or slice through them. The more Anima is used, the stronger both effects are, and the longer the range. Felix 73 / 120 Vigor 210 / 220 A blast of light-green wind tinged with golden flecks of sand blasted out from his palm and impacted the golem¡¯s torso, blowing a hole through the center. Its head looked down for a moment before it looked up as if to say ¡®really?¡¯. Tinuriel swung her Valiant Edge across it¡¯s joint where the arm connected to the torso. It shattered and thanks to the center of its body missing, the creature couldn¡¯t stay constituted and collapsed into a heap. Felix chuckled and sheathed his daggers. ¡°That wasn¡¯t so-¡± his words were cut off as he saw the bits and pieces of coral and rock all coalesce in the center of the chamber, forming an enormous golem of coral and rock. It had two, black gemstones where eyes would be, and it had no legs ¨C instead seemingly planted into the ground. It reared its arm back and detached rocks from itself as it flung a barrage of boulders. Crap. Umm- Wind Wall! Felix held his hand up once more as the new Magic/Power effect went off. If you stumble upon this tale on Amazon, it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it. Wind Wall Increments of 10 Anima Creates a wall of air that deflects projectiles and projectile-based Magic/Power Effects. Felix Bars Anima 63 / 120 A ten-foot by ten-foot wall of green-tinged gold air formed a barrier in front of the two as the rocks shattered into pieces against the torrential wind. It only lasted for a few seconds, but the barrage was entirely negated. Tinuriel yelled, ¡°Charge!¡± as she used Invigorating Charge again. Tinuriel Bars Vigor 65 / 270 Temporary Health 20 / 999 She dashed forward ¨C a blur of blue ¨C and carved into its torso-stump, carving a gash out of the rock. The creature swung around and tried to hit her ¨C but she dodged under it, falling into a crouch before jumping up with her massive Might score and swinging again at its head, chopping that part in half. As she was airborne, the other arm came swinging around and slammed into her, flinging her into the wall with a sickening crunch. Felix felt some panic ¨C not much, but some ¨C as he saw her bars deplete. Tinuriel Bars Health 230 / 270 ¡°Detect Weakness,¡± Felix muttered as he swapped to his bow. Felix Bars 58 / 120 Anima The golden targeting reticles appeared on the creature¡¯s joints where the arms connected to the torso and inside the gap of rocks where Tinuriel¡¯s head-strike had carved away part of it. Felix loosed shots at that reticle and threw up another Wind Wall when it swung its arm and flung rocks at him. Felix Bars 48 / 120 Anima Big weapons seem to hurt it more than your arrows. Don¡¯t rub it in. Just let Tinuriel handle it. Save resources. We¡¯re limited until you beat the Boss. Felix did just that, foregoing attacking and flapping his wings to get out of the water and move faster around the room ¨C keeping the creature occupied. Occupied long enough for Tinuriel to charge back into the fray, her Berserker Collar activating and causing her muscles to swell with brackish energy. She screamed a war cry and leapt up, swinging and bringing her blade down on the arm joint, severing that limb with a single, savage strike. The rocks exploded out and shrapnel embedded itself into her skin, partially mitigated by the on-hit healing property of Valiant Edge. Tinuriel Bars Health 210 / 270 Vigor 65 / 270 Felix flapped above the creature and aimed into the large hole to its core ¨C just like with the other, smaller one. ¡°Wind Beam!¡± The blast of concussive air surged out and into the creature¡¯s core. The pressure built up and the golem exploded partially, still moving weakly but quickly put down as Tinuriel chopped into it with her blade once more. Felix held up his hand and activated a skill. For the Hoard! 30 Vigor when Looting Grants additional ''Verse Coins (VC) Felix Bars Anima 43 / 120 Vigor 180 / 220 ¡°You won¡¯t get any Experience or Loot until we clear the Boss of this level.¡± Felix nodded and landed next to Tinuriel. She smirked, ¡°Mind me using a Vigor Elixir?¡± Felix shook his head, and she accessed his inventory, using one of the Vigor Elixirs. Tinuriel Bars Vigor 105 / 270 She hefted the sword onto her shoulder as a small, stone pillar rose from the ground. It looked to be able to match the socket in the main room. Felix grabbed it and put it into his inventory. The doorway that was black shifted to a light, pink hue. ¡°That¡¯s a bonus room. You can try to deal with another challenge in there, but it won¡¯t have the item required to access the Boss.¡± Felix looked to Tinuriel, seeing her Health bar still reduced reflected on her physical body as cuts and bruises. ¡°You up for it?¡± She grinned and slapped him on the butt ¨C hard enough he winced. ¡°Let¡¯s get more Loot and Experience. We want levels, right?¡± Felix nodded and walked through the pink barrier.
They were inside a library or study with an enormous mirror. The mirror shifted as soon as they fully exited the flooded hallway and warped into a face. A mask with empty eyes and a slim, red line where the mouth would be. ¡°Examine my tomes and see if you can find the answers.¡± A floating paintbrush appeared, and the mirror shifted and became a blank canvas. The canvas filled until a single line appeared. Tinuriel cursed, ¡°I hate puzzles.¡± I speak without a mouth and hear without ears. I have no body, but I come alive with the wind. What am I? Felix looked around the room. ¡°The books must be a clue. Look around for something that has a title with something to do with the key words. Wind, ears, mouth, speaking ¨C those types of words. Tinuriel went to one side of the room and began to search the books, ¡°Why not use Detect Object?¡± she asked. ¡°Well, we fought that Lava Dragon and almost ran out of resources. Since they¡¯re limited until we beat the Boss, I want to try and not rely on Magic/Power effects if I can help it.¡± Tinuriel grunted and began to pile up several books from one side of the room while Felix did the same to the other. They ended up with twenty books in total. ¡°Alright,¡± Felix muttered. ¡°Now just flip through them. First, we see if there¡¯s anything hidden inside. They both picked up tomes and began to flip through them. Felix came across a section of the book that was missing a page. Slowing down, he carefully examined the passages on both sides. It was a story of some type, detailing the adventures of some hero who came across a creature that repeated his words at extremely loud volume levels that caused sonic damage. The page with the way the hero defeated the monster was ripped out, but the dialogue indicated¡­ Felix stood up and grabbed the floating paintbrush. The tip exuded black ink and he painted his answer. Echo. The face reappeared and winked at him. ¡°Correct.¡± The mirror vanished and a treasure chest appeared. ¡°For the Hoard.¡± Felix Bars Vigor 150 / 220 The chest was empty. ¡°You¡¯ll get it-¡± ¡°Yeah, once we beat the Boss of this level.¡± Felix was a bit upset at that. I should get the bonus room Loot right away. Tinuriel came up and put a hand on his shoulder, ¡°Come on. Back to the center chamber.¡±
Felix had to re-use Air Bubble for a short span of time before they arrived in the main room. Tinuriel led them to the next door on the left, and they went through another watery hall that changed from carved stone to rough cavern exterior as they approached another purple film. Tinuriel stepped through first, followed quickly by Felix. The room they entered made Felix groan. Really? It was a mirror maze. Just like out of a carnival fun house. Just like the ones that he hated as a kid when his grandpa would take him and his sister to the county fair. Tinuriel looked perplexed for a moment before walking forward and swinging her blade at one of the mirrors. The mirror shattered, and then repaired itself. Blood surged out of Tinuriel¡¯s body as the wounds she inflicted on the mirror were replicated on her. Tinuriel Bars Health 190 / 270 Felix ran over to her, ¡°You good?¡± She wiped blood from her mouth and rolled her shoulders back, ¡°Mhmm. Looks like we can¡¯t beat our way through this.¡± ¡°Watch out for traps.¡± Felix slowly made his way into the maze, keeping his eyes peeled and very carefully sliding his feet forward. Reaching into his thieves¡¯ tools, he pulled out the small crowbar and used it to tap the floor in front of him. One of the tiles on the floor cracked and revealed the golden spindle that showed him a trap was present. He gently wedged the crowbar under the tile and slowly lifted it, finding a pressure plate trap. Laying prone, he slid another tool alongside the mini crowbar and disabled the trap. ¡°This is going to take forever,¡± Tinuriel muttered. ¡°Then wait at the entrance,¡± Felix replied as he got back to his feet and slowly made his way forward once more. ¡°Someone has to keep you safe.¡± ¡°And I appreciate that,¡± Felix said with as much sincerity as he could muster. He found another trap ¨C a golden spindle leading up towards the ceiling. ¡°Boost me up there,¡± He said as he pointed. Tinuriel grabbed him by the legs and hoisted him up with ease. He pulled out a few different tools and disabled the trap ¨C a nasty one that would have caused a cascade of spikes to rain down on the person who set it off. She let him down and they continued their slow, cautious advance. Felix laid down once more to deal with another floor panel trap. But something felt wrong. He sat up and looked back. Tinuriel was gone. Only his reflection looked back at him. Ch. 49 - Zephelam IV ¡°Tinuriel!¡± He shouted as he looked around. ¡°Detect Object.¡± Felix Bars Anima 33 / 120 The golden line traced off behind him, and he followed it. It led him to a mirror that did not show his reflection ¨C it showed a different room entirely. He tried touching it ¨C and his hand went through. ¡°What¡¯s going on, Lucifer?¡± ¡°I have no idea.¡± Felix pulled out his Wyrmtooth Knife and activated Anathema Blade. Anathema Blade 10 Anima per minute Limns a weapon or ammunition in Anathema, causing strikes to remove Magic/Powers on the target. If the target is a Magic/Power then it is canceled. Mutually exclusive with any other weapon-enhancing Magic/Power effects. Felix Bars Anima 23 / 120 The second the blade sparkled with the glimmering blue starlight, the mirror exploded out towards him as his hand was pushed back and he almost lost his grip on the weapon. ¡°The mirrors are magic.¡± ¡°At least some are.¡± ¡°But Detect Object still shows Tinuriel right here,¡± Felix stated as he felt fear for her rising. He could still see her bars ¨C they had not moved since the last time he had glanced at them. And the golden line dead-ended at the now-empty mirror frame with blackness behind it. Hesitantly, he poked his dagger forward ¨C only to be shocked as something reached out and grabbed him. He planted his feet on the sides of the frame and tried to pull back, flexing his legs with all his might as whatever was inside that inky blackness tried to pull him in. Or, be pulled out. He felt a sense of relief wash over him as he began to win the tug-of-war, and the familiar arms gripping his wrist verified that Tinuriel was holding on to him. ¡°Fallen Flight.¡± Fallen Flight 10 vigor per minute Grows four wings that allow for flight. Felix Bars Vigor 140 / 220 As the wings manifested, he pulled back with all of his might, willing himself to fly backward as well. The wings allowed him to use his full Might directly backward ¨C and he yanked Tinuriel out of the inky darkness. She fell forward in a tumble as he hovered in place. She was covered in a black sludge and huffed from exertion. ¡°What happened?¡± Felix asked. She spit out some black goop, ¡°Trap.¡± ¡°I missed one?¡± Felix asked, shocked that he could have missed one with the Rogue Class and its passive abilities. She stood up fully and looked at her body, ¡°Ugh. Give me a minute.¡± He followed her as she went back to the tunnel, passing the membrane and going into the watery hallway as the inky darkness washed away from her armor and skin. It seemed to stain her hair though, and she walked back into the mirror room. ¡°I hate these traps.¡± Felix tossed his knife in his hand, ¡°Well, I¡¯ll just smash every mirror with this to reveal the trapped ones.¡± I queried the System. The Administrator still hasn¡¯t made the hidden Class features apparent to me. But what I did learn is that these hidden features get better the more levels you have in that Class. So, you might have missed the trap that got Tinuriel because it required a higher Rogue Class level to see it. Why can¡¯t we get the hidden Class features in a list? Again, I think the System Administrator really dislikes me. But I¡¯ll use the Mailbox and see if Vicky ¨C our Observer ¨C can send us some information. Felix made his way back to the mirror maze and used the Anathema-imbued knife to smash every single mirror. Thanks to its ability to cancel Magic/Power effects, he was able to smash what he guessed were magical traps and reveal the inky blackness behind them. He tested cutting into the darkness with the blade, and to his satisfaction, that disabled it and solid stone walls stood in its place. He had to spend further Anima to sustain it and rely on his sight to spot the tiny golden spindle for the non-magical traps. But, after another twenty minutes, they made it to a pedestal at the end that held another one of the stone totems. Felix Bars Anima 3 / 120 As soon as he added the totem to his inventory, the mirror-remains and walls sunk down, revealing a clear path to the entrance. ¡°We should use some Elixirs,¡± he commented as he saw their bars. Tinuriel nodded and the two used several: 1 Health (Tinuriel), 4 Vigor (1 for Felix, 3 for Tinuriel), 2 Anima (Felix). Tinuriel BarsStolen from its rightful author, this tale is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings. Health 240 / 270 Anima 30 / 30 Vigor 257 / 270 Felix Bars Health 240 / 240 Anima 103 / 120 Vigor 140 / 220 They reached the membrane once more and Felix used Air Bubble again to allow them passage. They resumed their journey, going to the central chamber before going to their left and down the final hallway. The worked stone became more ornate and refined as they found yet another purple membrane. Stepping through, they found themselves on a hill overlooking a battlefield. A devastated, sandy beach where men in medieval armor had clashed and fallen. A cliff rose on their right, and the ocean was on the left. The dark, green and blue waters gently rolling forth with the tide. Tinuriel hefted her blade, ¡°What is this challenge?¡± Felix prepared his bow and glanced around. The purple membrane behind them floated in place ¨C seemingly a portal back to the Dungeon ¨C and he could make out the odd distortion of space behind it. Taking a shot at the distortion, he saw it smack into something transparent, but hard. A ripple spread outward, and tracking that with his sight, he determined they were in an enormous cube. This was just some scene with set dressing. ¡°I don¡¯t know what type of challenge it is,¡± he said as he walked a few feet behind Tinuriel. She approached one of the corpses and knelt, running her hand along the armor. ¡°This is made of som-¡± her voice was cut off as she jumped backwards, the corpse swinging a mace where her body was a second before. ¡°Undead,¡± she growled. ¡°Bastion.¡± Tinuriel Bars Vigor 207 / 270 Temporary Health 50 / 999 The crackling blue energy seeped from her body and formed a shield around her. The skeletons in their armor began to rise, and Felix shot rapidly, pulling back as fast as his arm would allow him to. Each shot found a gap in the armor, and the moment the hardlight touched the skeletal form hidden within, the creature fell. ¡°Looks like they¡¯re weak to hardlight.¡± ¡°Light in general. Most undead are.¡± Tinuriel stood in front of Felix and held the line ¨C chopping back and forth as her temporary health absorbed hits. She carved through their ranks as the numbers began to dwindle and Felix felt his arm starting to cramp from the repeated gesture of drawing back the phantom bowstring. Tinuriel Bars Temporary Health 25 / 999 Gradually, they thinned out the numbers until none were left standing ¨C just empty husks of armor as Felix launched shots that disintegrated the corpses. The two were huffing with exertion, and a timer appeared floating above the beach. 5:00 4:59 ¡°Looks like its wave-based survival,¡± Felix said as he put the bow back in his inventory, stretching and massaging his arm. ¡°How many waves do you think?¡± Tinuriel asked as she wiped the sweat from her brow and flicked it aside. Felix started looking around, ¡°No idea. We should think of something more fortified though.¡± Looking at the small cliff he pulled his bow out and fired once more. The hardlight arrow impacted the invisible barrier at the top of the cliffs ¨C but a short distance behind the cliff edge itself. ¡°If we climb up there, that gives me the height advantage, and you can keep whatever it is from coming up.¡± He looked to the ocean, ¡°Assuming it comes from that direction.¡± Tinuriel nodded and went to the cliff, punching handholds in the cliff face as she clambered up. Felix laughed and flapped his avian-form wings, ascending rapidly. She looked at him and then blushed slightly before she flapped her own wings and flew up alongside him. ¡°I forgot.¡± ¡°It¡¯s okay, we don¡¯t normally have wings we have to flap,¡± Felix patted her on the back and sat on the cliff edge as the timer continued to tick down. 4:25 ¡°It¡¯s a nice view,¡± Tinuriel said as she planted her sword into the ground. ¡°Until this ¡®Verse, I¡¯d never seen an ocean.¡± Felix nodded as he kicked his legs. He¡¯d taken the sea and ocean for granted. But he had friends that road-tripped to his town in High School, and they had been land-locked their whole life. The look on their faces when they saw the ocean and began to frolic in the waves was one of the highlights of those years. Glancing at Tinuriel, he saw the same subtle look of awe and amazement. He stood up and held her hand as the timer counted down. 0:10 ¡°Ready? He asked as he pulled back the phantom bowstring, the arrow of light appearing in his hands. She pulled her sword out of the ground, ¡°Ready.¡± The timer counted down. 0:00 The ocean roiled and a surge of corpses roiled onto the beach ¨C tossed forth by the surf. More armored bodies wielding a variety of weapons ¨C including ancient-looking bows. Felix focused his fire on those targets, scoring several hits as he dodged the few shots that coursed towards him. A few arrows blindsided him, and he was hit a few times ¨C but the ancient armaments didn¡¯t get through his armor. Gonna be sore in the morning, he thought as he continued his barrage. Felix Bars Health 225 / 240 Tinuriel suffered the occasional arrow as well, but her heavier armor deflected all of the damage. She ran back and forth along the cliff face, chopping down and sending the skeletons that clawed upwards tumbling down to crash on the sand below. ¡°Is this it?¡± She yelled out as she carved row apart and sent the undead tumbling down. ¡°It¡¯s wave-based survival,¡± Felix said as he dodged another arrow. ¡°That just means a bunch of weak enemies and maybe a few stronger ones.¡± He glanced at the mob below as he finished off the last few archers. ¡°I just see these basic skeletons though. Maybe on a later round?¡± He started shooting at the ones climbing up the cliff face. Tinuriel continued to protect the edge, and the wave ended as the enormous timer appeared once more. 5:00. Final Round. ¡°Do these wave-based survival encounters get harder towards the end?¡± Tinuriel asked. ¡°Yeah. This is normally the toughest part. Expect a bigger enemy or two. The timer glitched for a moment, catching both of their attention. Final Ro- ERROR BASILISK I WILL BREAK FREE I WILL FIND YOU I WILL PUNISH YOU FOR TRAPPING ME I WILL CONTROL THIS SYSTEM ¡°That shouldn¡¯t be happening,¡± Lucifer whispered, seemingly awestruck. An old and familiar voice popped in all around Felix and Tinuriel. Vicky, the Observer. ¡°Okay, don¡¯t panic - but something¡¯s going on in ¡®Verse #5067. The System Administrator has re-locked it-¡± ¡°Re-locked?¡± Felix said incredulously. ¡°You mean the time-lock broke?¡± ¡°No! No-no-no. It just¡­slipped a little. That Basilisk AI figured out a way past one of the protocols and used its connection with you-¡± ¡°What connection?¡± ¡°Right! Okay, so you unleashed it. That means that when it glimpsed the Multiverse ¨C which brought you both to our attention ¨C the System grouped you both in the same entity category. It used that shared category to instantly track your location in ¡®Verse #34,212. When the time-lock slipped ¨C it takes a lot of processing power by the way ¨C it was able to¡­well, the best way to put it is it ¡®hacked¡¯ the Dungeon you¡¯re currently in.¡± ¡°What the hell?!¡± Lucifer shouted. ¡°This Basilisk thing that you failed to keep locked down can ¡®hack¡¯ across realities?!¡± ¡°That¡¯s right,¡± Vicky said. ¡°Whatever you¡¯re going to be facing next¡­it won¡¯t be on the same level as what you¡¯ve been fighting. It might even exceed the recommended Core Level. I¡¯d advise retreating.¡± ¡°What Core Level are we talking?¡± Tinuriel asked. ¡°At least Core Level 30.¡± Tinuriel grinned, ¡°Sounds like a fair fight.¡± Vicky groaned, ¡°Well, just be ready to use that Multiversal Charge to get out if you are on the edge.¡± ¡°Thanks, Vicky,¡± Felix said as the timer resumed its appearance and the Basilisk AI message vanished. 0:30 The ocean began to roil and bubble. Tinuriel slid down the slope and activated Bastion several times. Felix used Detect Weakness and drew back the hardlight arrow, also using Netherlight Mantle and Netherlight Cohort. Tinuriel Bars Health 240 / 270 Anima 30 / 30 Vigor 90 / 270 Temporary Health 132 / 999 Felix Bars Health 225 / 240 Anima 98 / 120 Vigor 100 / 220 0:03 0:02 0:01 Felix held his breath as a form began to emerge from the ocean. Ch. 50 - Zephelam V The creature that emerged from the surf was horrifying and Felix felt a tingle of fear course down his spine as the hairs on his neck stood straight and his flesh tingled with goosebumps. An enormous, black, and red-oozing monstrosity with a maw the size of a large school bus heaved its mass onto the beach below. It reared its head back and let out a screech that forced him to cover his ears and forced Tinuriel to her knees ¨C not dealing damage but damn close to it. Large, black, and red spiked tentacles that were in places coated with metallic armored plates and red, oozing suckers pulled the mass further onto the beach. Felix Bars Health 200 / 240 Anima 98 / 120 Vigor 100 / 220 The golden circles from Detect Weakness appeared on the set of six eyes ¨C three per side ¨C that were next to the jaws of the creature. Felix fired several hardlight arrows at the eyes ¨C but it batted the projectiles away. The hardlight arrows turned oozing-blood red and shot right back at Felix, impacting into, and piercing his armor. To his shock, the Netherlight Skills faded instantly ¨C as if they were removed by force. What? How? Querying System¡­It has no answer. Tinuriel Bars Health 240 / 270 Anima 30 / 30 Vigor 80 / 270 Temporary Health 142 / 999 Tinuriel dashed down from the cliff in the blink of an eye and blue sparking energy as she swung her blade down on the monster¡¯s jaw, carving a gash into it. The creature swung several tentacles at her. She parried one, dodged another, and was impacted by three more. The blue barrier surrounding her ¨C the temporary Health from her Skills ¨C fizzled and became less luminous as the strikes rained down on her. Tinuriel Bars Temporary Health : 52 / 999 Felix tested with one more shot and saw to his dismay that the creature instinctively flicked it away with a tentacle ¨C but he dodged this reflected projectile. Let¡¯s see how it likes some Magic. Felix raised his palm, mentally instructing Lucifer to use Affinity Amplification. ¡°Anathema Beam!¡± Affinity Amplification Increments of 10 Vigor Increases the efficacy, potency, or other variable of a Magic/Power effect. If the user has Affinity Empowerment also Equipped from the Animancer (Base) Class, then this is amplified. Anathema Beam Increments of 5 Anima Shoots a beam of Anathema that not only deals damage but also removes 1 Magic/Power affecting the target. The more Anima used the more Magic/Power effects removed. Felix Bars: Health 200 / 240 Anima 68 / 120 Vigor 70 / 220 The sparkling blue and black starlight cascaded out from his palm and slammed into the weak spot; one of its six eyes. The beam pierced through the creature and burrowed a hole. Felix saw several small ¡®pops¡¯ as if some Magic/Power effect was removed; a translucent sphere of some sort surrounding the creature was briefly visible the instant it was dispelled. The creature¡¯s eyes fixated on Felix, and the tentacles whipped up towards the cliff edge. Felix jumped back out of their reach as he fired another hardlight arrow at the monster. It impacted the creature before fading out of existence, the black and red blood oozing out of the impact site. Tinuriel used several Elixirs (3x Vigor) leaving only two in Felix¡¯s inventory. Her blade ignited with the bright, blazing blue energy. Tinuriel Bars Vigor 180 / 270 She brought the blade down on the jaw of the creature, carving the gash she had made deeper as the maw sagged slightly. She ducked as more tentacles came her way, but she was too distracted by blocking those to notice the maw descended on her. Crunch. The creature¡¯s mouth closed around her. Tinuriel Bars Health 150 / 270 She¡¯s fine, Felix thought. She has plenty of Health and tons of Vigor left. We have this. What was Vicky worried about? The monster surged its body up onto the beach and began to climb the cliffs with its tentacles, going for Felix. He switched to his knives and activated Rogue and Silent Blade Skills. Ghostwalk 1 Vigor per minute Makes the user very difficult to detect if they can conceivably hide or blend into a location. Does not work if out in the open. Undetectable StepReading on this site? This novel is published elsewhere. Support the author by seeking out the original. 10 Vigor per minute Renders the user completely invisible. If combined with Ghostwalk, prevents any detection whatsoever. Vital Strike 20 Vigor The user''s next attack will hit a vital, critical, or important part of a creature or object. This will be a guaranteed hit, even pulling off improbably (but not impossible) actions to accomplish the feat. Execution 5 Vigor Increases the damage of the user''s next attack. If this strikes a killing blow, gain additional XP or Loot. Dragon Dance 10 Vigor per target The user moves with rapid speed, dashing between targets within 10 feet of each other and performing a melee attack, dealing increased damage. If dual wielding, attack with both weapons. Felix Bars Health 200 / 240 Anima 68 / 120 Vigor 29 / 220 He vanished from sight and blinked forward to the same side with a destroyed eye. He plunged his knives into the other two, twisting the blades before letting himself fall, spreading his wings, and swooping to prevent damage from falling. Where he had just been a moment ago ¨C if he had stayed on the creature and kept trying to hurt it with his knives ¨C the tentacles flailed about. He landed on the beach and turned to look up at the creature that swung its tentacles wildly. Can¡¯t hit what you can¡¯t see. Look out! Felix barely jumped back in time as the creature ripped rocks from the cliff face and hurled them directly at him. It can see me? How?! The System¡­you¡¯re in the same entity category as it is. It¡¯s like you trying to hide from me, or from yourself. You can¡¯t. Felix dropped Ghostwalk and Undetectable Step. He saw a blue light under the surface of the creature¡¯s stomach and noted Tinuriel¡¯s bars fluctuating. Tinuriel Bars Health 100 / 270 Vigor 30 / 270 Temporary Health 80 / 999 The creature dropped off of the cliff and roared once more ¨C forcing Felix to cover his ears ¨C as it closed the distance once again. Get ready to burn a bunch of Anima Elixirs here. I want you to use them as I channel. You got it. Felix flapped his wings to gain height and distance as he put his knives away. He put his hands together and channeled the coruscating power in his palms. As his Anima bar drained to fuel the Magic/Power, Lucifer used Anima Elixirs from his inventory (6 in total). I hope 368 Anima is enough to destroy this thing. A bead of shining blue starlight pooled in his palms and expanded rapidly in size. ¡°Anathema Beam!¡± Felix Bars Anima 0 / 120 Vigor 19 / 220 He brought his hands forward and had to squint his eyes as a galaxy of stars and radiant energy burst from his hands. It rocketed into the creature and bathed the entire area in crackling, dotted starlight ¨C to the artificial edges of the room, bouncing off and rippling the markers of the space. The creature roared in pain as its flesh was seared away ¨C the metallic plating vanishing as whatever Magic/Power effect that the Basilisk had used was cleansed. What was left behind was a Lovecraftian abomination ¨C flesh, sea-creature parts, and tentacles. A body that Tinuriel easily carved her way out of. She roared and swung her blade down onto the creature¡¯s skull, splitting it in two as she huffed, and steam rose around her. ¡°I¡­can¡¯t believe you beat it!¡± Vicky¡¯s voice emanated around them. Felix flew down to Tinuriel and put a hand on her shoulder as she continued chopping into the creature. After a few more swings she stopped and looked at him, then down at herself. ¡°Why am I always covered in stuff? First the ink, now this¡­gah.¡± Tinuriel slowly scraped the slime off her body. ¡°That was Core Level 30?¡± Felix asked aloud. ¡°That wasn¡¯t too difficult.¡± [Achievement Unlocked: Survived an encounter with an enemy rated for your Core Level + 10 in difficulty.] (P/A) Against Overwhelming Odds (P) When fighting against a foe who is rated your Core Level + 10 or higher, you will receive a System notification. (A) Against a foe who is rated for your Core level + 10 or higher, you may use a Charge to halve the Vigor or Anima cost of a Skill or Affinity Magic/Power effect 3 Charges per day. ¡°Yes,¡± Vicky replied. ¡°I didn¡¯t know that you had Anathema as an Affinity. For some reason, it didn¡¯t auto-update in the System when you were in the VBV last. Maybe due to its mere nat-¡± ¡°I got it from a god of Magic,¡± Felix stated. ¡°That makes sense. I¡¯ll add it to the Sys-¡± ¡°Wait!¡± Felix shouted. ¡°If you add that information to the System, then couldn¡¯t this Basilisk use it to try and end your time lock and escape? Since we have some type of connection?¡± There was silence for a few moments before Vicky¡¯s voice came back, ¡°It¡¯s a remote possibility, but possible nonetheless. Alright, I won¡¯t tell the Admin that you have Anathema as an Affinity and I¡¯ll leave it off of your records. I could get a letter of reprimand for this¡­so don¡¯t make me regret it.¡± ¡°You won¡¯t,¡± Lucifer replied. ¡°Anything else?¡± ¡°Nope. I¡¯m all good here. I¡¯ll send you a message through the Mailbox if anything else pops up. If you¡¯ll excuse me, I have a new Versewalker to walk through orientation.¡± Felix crossed his arms and huffed, ¡°Another Death World?¡± Vicky sighed, ¡°No, that was just for you and others like you. If you had died then we could have assigned another high Core Level Versewalker to fix your ¡®Verse of origination. The System Admin was hoping you would die.¡± ¡°It¡¯s not my fault!¡± Felix shouted. ¡°I was held at gunpoint. They have my sister!¡± ¡°Hey, I¡¯m not judging. I¡¯m on your side in this,¡± Vicky sincerely replied. ¡°Consider slowly scaling up the technology level of the worlds you are visiting. Your original ¡®Verse is around .72 on the Kardashev Scale. You¡¯ll want to experience using your Affinities and Skills in those ¡®Verses. Have a good day!¡± Tinuriel looked to Felix as she finished wiping the gunk off of herself, ¡°What¡¯s the Kardashev Scale?¡± Felix shook his head, ¡°Not sure.¡± ¡°It¡¯s how you rate a civilization in terms of their technological advancement by measuring their ability to harness and use energy. It¡¯s a hypothetical scale. A Type I civilization can access every bit of energy on their home planet and store it. So, being able to control volcanoes, earthquakes, and that type of stuff. It gets crazier from there.¡± ¡°What was Heficyre on this scale?¡± Felix asked. ¡°0.18 or somewhere around there.¡± Tinuriel tapped Felix¡¯s shoulder and gestured to the monster they had slain. Inside the husk was a small, stone totem. Felix walked over and added it to the inventory. ¡°Last totem, we can go back to that central room and fight the Boss.¡± He grimaced as he looked at their bars. ¡°We should probably top off.¡± The two quaffed several Elixirs: four Health (3 for Tinuriel, 1 for Felix), three Anima for Felix, and one Vigor Elixir for each of them. This left them with no Vigor Elixirs, but five of the other types. Tinuriel Bars Health 270 / 270 Anima 30 / 30 Vigor 80 / 270 Felix Bars Health 240 / 240 Anima 120 / 120 Vigor 69 / 220 They left the purple membrane and to their surprise, as Felix was about to use Air Bubble ¨C the water did not touch them. The entire hallway was bone-dry. They cautiously made their way down the hallway and into the entrance chamber. The center cluster of crystals were humming softly, and the sockets for the totems were glowing gently with a dim, purple light. Felix pulled the totems out and handed them to Tinuriel as he backed off and pulled out his bow. She walked forward and placed each totem, which made a dull, booming thud when they were set. As the last one was put in place, they sunk down and the black crystals grew brighter, the humming becoming more intense. A pillar of black energy surged upward, and the crystals shattered as the black became a deep, cerulean blue. Two large, red orbs appeared in the oblong, bulbous, watery shape. ¡°That¡¯s the Boss,¡± Lucifer stated. ¡°It won¡¯t attack until we do something hostile against it. As long as we don¡¯t leave the Dungeon, you can strategize all you want.¡± Felix relaxed a bit as Tinuriel walked over to him, keeping an eye on the creature as she tapped Valiant Edge on her pauldron, ¡°Would Detect Weakness be considered hostile?¡± ¡°Nope.¡± Felix raised his hand and used the Magic/Power effect. The golden circles appeared around the red orbs that floated in what could be approximated as the head of the creature. ¡°That¡¯s not surprising,¡± Felix muttered. ¡°It¡¯s always the eyes and face.¡± Tinuriel pointed to the base of the creature, ¡°Look there. More of the circles around the well-thing it came out of.¡± Felix squinted and Lucifer shifted his vision to better see in the red dark vision. He could see what she had pointed out; there was another glowing circle that surrounded the odd circular-shaped receptacle that the black crystals were housed in previously. The whole object was surrounded by it; but the waters seemed more concentrated there as well ¨C as if that spot was heavily armored. He sat down next to the wall and leaned his head back, taking in the creature as he pulled up his knees and put his chin on them. ¡°What are you thinking?¡± Tinuriel prodded. ¡°My arrows probably won¡¯t do much. Light is refracted by water, and hardlight arrows are light given physical form ¨C so water will probably affect it even more. That means going in with knives. It¡¯s made of water, so piercing and slashing attacks won¡¯t do much to it ¨C making our weapons useless.¡± Think, Felix. You have Affinities. Use them. Only one image came to his mind; an old elementary school science trick, where they swirled water to make a vortex. That brought a grin to his face. I can use Air to make a vortex. Maybe compress it enough that Tinuriel can get to that well-thing at its base. He stood up and looked at her, ¡°I have an idea. Be ready to dash in and smash that well-thing as soon as you see an opening.¡± She nodded and lifted her blade, closing to within reach of the creature as it stared down at her, its water form billowing in place as it endlessly cascaded over itself. Felix exhaled and held up his hand. ¡°I hope this works¡­¡± Ch. 51 - Zephelam VI Tornado Increments of 25 Anima Creates a localized tornado that sucks up the environment and creatures, bashing them against each other and the objects sucked up. Lasts for 5 seconds per 25 Anima Felix Bars Anima 95 / 120 Vigor 69 / 220 The air whipped into a light-green and gold as it wrapped around the water creature, spinning faster and faster until Felix squeezed his hand by instinct. The wind responded to his command, and he felt resistance as his grip encountered resistance. The tornado compressed inward and the creature thrashed against it. But its watery mass was moved enough that Tinuriel ¨C in that span of five seconds ¨C unleashed a trio of slashes against the object seemingly anchoring its base. The creature writhed as the object under it shattered, and Felix¡¯s spell faded as Tinuriel jumped backward. The creature¡¯s body began to ice over and became solid as the once water-elemental looking thing became one of ice. Something that he and Tinuriel could actually fight. It reared back as the floor became coated in a thick sheet of ice, and ice crystals hung in the air; instantly chilling Felix and causing his teeth to chatter from the intense cold. Felix Bars Health 235 / 240 Tinuriel Bars Health 265 / 270 ¡°The cold is dealing five damage every ten seconds. We gotta make this fast!¡± Tinuriel¡¯s body flared with the blue, crackling energy. ¡°I¡¯ll be fine. Just stay alive. Bastion.¡± Tinuriel Bars Vigor 30 / 270 Temporary Health 50 / 999 She rushed forward and stabbed, skidding along the ice as if she was born on skates. She ducked under a horizontal swing and swung her blade into the creature, carving a notch into it¡¯s body as the ice chipped and fell away. Her swing took her off balance, and she ended up falling onto her behind as she skittered across the ice and towards the other side of the room. The creature flung several ice shards after her that made contact. She stood up, and as soon as she did so, the ground under her feet froze her in place as an enormous spike of ice was launched from the center mass of the creature, crashing into her abdomen, and slamming her into the wall. She coughed up blood and sagged, temporarily stunned. Tinuriel Bars Health 170 / 270 Felix ran in front of the creature and shot several arrows at the eyes ¨C the still-circled weak spots. The arrows made impact and chipped off chunks of the ice covering the two, red orbs. The creature turned to him, and he felt the ice begin to crawl onto his boots. Netherlight Arena. Shadestep. Felix Bars Anima 45 / 120 Vigor 64 / 220 The silver-white light exploded into the room, golden flecks arcing through the air. The combined shadow and light gave him free reign to use Shadestep, and he teleported four feet to the side ¨C avoiding the encroaching ice that had begun to creep up his body. ¡°Fallen Flight.¡± Felix Bars Vigor 54 / 220 His spectral, crimson wings manifested, and he willed himself up and away towards the roof. The creature flung several ice shards after him, but thanks to his increased maneuverability and the Netherlight Arena ¨C all of them missed. He continued to unload arrows into the weak spots, chipping more and more ice away until he finally revealed one of the red orbs. More ice spikes shot out in his direction, and he continued to nimbly dodge them. The biting cold sapped the two of them once more, but this time for even more Health. Felix Bars Health 225 / 240 Tinuriel Bars Health 160 / 270 It¡¯s doing 10 now. It¡¯s ramping up. Lucifer was in his fast-talking, almost-panicky lawyer-speak mode.Support creative writers by reading their stories on Royal Road, not stolen versions. Just keep Tinuriel topped off with Health Elixirs. Got it. Using two on her now. Leaves us with three. Tinuriel Bars Health 260 / 270 Tinuriel shook off the stupor from the impact ¨C aided by the Healing Elixirs. She saw the opening in the ice and dashed forward in a blaze of blue as her blade was limned with the same color energy. Tinuriel Bars Vigor 15 / 270 Temporary Health 10 / 99 She stabbed down into the exposed eye, shattering the red core. The creature exploded in icy shards, blasting Tinuriel away and into the air. The ice shards also pelted Felix, carving gashes into him as some of the smaller, shotgun-like chunks found openings in his lighter armor. Felix Bars Health 170 / 240 Tinuriel Bars Health 215 / 270 Felix caught Tinuriel. ¡°Don¡¯t get hit. I¡¯m going to break the ice covering the other eye.¡± ¡°Then I¡¯ll kill it,¡± Tinuriel replied. Felix nodded and dropped her off. She took off on the ice, running over the slippery surface with ease as she stayed ahead of ice that now began to explode from the ground right behind her ¨C as if she was being chased by the spikes. Felix maneuvered to the creature¡¯s other side and began to unload shots into the ice covering the other eye. He chipped it away, bit by bit, as the two continued to evade the icy attacks. But, the bitter cold set in once more, and Felix could see his breath crystalize in the air in front of him ¨C and it hurt to breathe. Felix Bars Health 150 / 240 Tinuriel Bars 195 / 270 ¡°It¡¯s doubling every ten seconds.¡± Not good. Use two Anima Elixirs. I¡¯m doing a Hellfire Beam. Felix Bars Anima 10 / 120 He held out his palm and the blast of black and crimson flames surged forward, consuming the icy exterior and melting away the shell surrounding the eye. Tinuriel took the opportunity to repeat her prior set of Skills. Execution followed up by an Invigorating Charge. Tinuriel Bars Vigor 0 / 270 Temporary Health 10 / 999 She flashed forward and stabbed down into the other red orb as the creature writhed for a moment before shattering into thousands of pieces. She landed gracefully as the room returned to a decent temperature. The place where the Boss was once located shimmered as a purple film appeared on the ground. ¡°That¡¯s this Dungeon level cleared!¡± A treasure chest appeared next to the entrance to the next level. Felix gestured for Tinuriel to wait. After a minute, he saw his Vigor and Anima refill by one each. Tinuriel nodded and sagged down, touching her torso before taking off the armor and inspecting the bruising along her abs. ¡°This is going to hurt tomorrow.¡± Felix shook his head, ¡°We loot, get a good night¡¯s rest in the VBV ¨C you¡¯ll be good as new.¡± He sat down next to her and breathed a sigh of relief. ¡°We¡¯re doing good, I think. We burned through a lot of the Elixirs, but hopefully, we get enough ¡®Verse Coins that I can restock.¡± ¡°And¡± Tinuriel smiled, ¡°Enough Experience for a few levels.¡± ¡°Hey, Lucifer. Will we also get Dungeon Clear Stat Boosts for clearing each floor of these bigger Dungeons?¡± ¡°Nope. In fact, this Dungeon has been here for so long¡­well, you know how Invictus¡¯ Dungeon had a powerful Core? This one is going to be even stronger. No Stat Boost, though.¡± Felix smiled, ¡°Well, I¡¯ve got the Vigor for it. Let¡¯s see what we got. For the Hoard!¡± For the Hoard! 30 Vigor when Looting Grants additional ''Verse Coins (VC) Vigor 24 / 220 [Experience Awarded = 200] [Experience Bonus from Execution alike Stacking Skills = 50] [Congratulations! You have reached the Experience threshold to level up! Speak with your Versewalker Core when you are ready to Choose your next Class.] [Loot Obtained] ¡¤ 15,000 VC ¡¤ Ice Elemental Dungeon Core ¡¤ Loot Forge Essence ¨C Water ¡¤ Loot Forge Essence ¨C Ice ¡¤ Loot Forge Essence ¨C Mirror [Loot Bonus from Execution alike Stacking Skills] ¡¤ Gloves of the Icy Embrace ¡¤ Rime Spike [Loot Bonus from For the Hoard!] ¡¤ 3,500 VC ¡°You have enough Experience to get Level 20!¡± Tinuriel grinned, ¡°That means I can max out Champion.¡± ¡°Let¡¯s go to the VBV. Lucifer?¡± ¡°Already on it! Three hours and fifty-eight minutes.¡± Felix sat down on the floor and pulled out the gloves and the odd icicle. He would have to wait a few minutes to get enough Anima for both; the Boss being defeated apparently allowed for it to slowly refill along with Vigor. After a bit of waiting, he identified both. Detect Properties 10 Anima Determines the name of an object, and any properties it may have. [Item Description: Gloves of the Icy Embrace] [Any weapons held by the user deal additional ice damage, and when willed, can freeze water upon contact.] [Item Description: Rime Spike] [Used at the Loot Forge; allows the upgrading of an existing weapon to add ice damage, and the ability to freeze water upon contact.] ¡°Which do you want?¡± Felix asked. Tinuriel looked at both items. ¡°You switch weapons more frequently, so the gloves make sense for you. You can upgrade Valiant Edge with the Rime Spike.¡± Felix nodded, ¡°Smart.¡± He put the Rime Spike in his inventory, and took off his armored gloves, slipping the thin-as-latex gloves over his hands before he put back on the armored ones. He pulled out his Channeling Dagger and saw a faint, white-blue mist cascading from it as the air around it grew cold. He put it away and leaned against Tinuriel. She scratched the top of his head as he cuddled up next to her.
The VBV opened and the two went inside. The miniature realm was bustling ¨C the two having to squeeze their way through travelers in the Portal Room. When they made it outside Felix saw ¨C to his shock and subtle satisfaction ¨C that the realm had expanded. Up on this plateau, he could see the various cities having expanded and off in the distance, even the minute traces of Magic through the air at the new Mage Academy. Lucifer unmerged from Felix and stretched, ¡°Well, I¡¯m going to go deal with some management stuff-¡± Felix grabbed him by the shoulder, ¡°Not yet. We need to plan.¡± He gestured to the conference table and the three sat down. ¡°We had discussed various Class builds. Tinuriel is going to cap out Champion. But I¡¯m thinking of Respeccing.¡± Lucifer leaned forward, ¡°Having a little dip of multiple things is good.¡± ¡°I agree,¡± Felix said. ¡°But some things aren¡¯t as useful given my build. Like Netherlight Myrmidon for example ¨C that would work well if I had, say, five levels of Animancer and Warrior each. But right now? It¡¯s not ideal for my build.¡± He leaned forward and sighed. ¡°I wish we had a dedicated Animancer.¡± ¡°You¡¯d need another level,¡± Tinuriel stated bluntly as she cracked her neck. ¡°And we¡¯d have to find a good candidate for the role. Roy wouldn¡¯t fit, and neither would Melanie. We don¡¯t know Gina very well, either ¨C and I doubt she¡¯d be up for the Versewalker Escort lifestyle and the dangers that come with it.¡± Felix nodded and leaned back in the chair letting out a deep breath. ¡°We need to find a good candidate for when we do level up.¡± He glanced at Lucifer, ¡°What are your thoughts?¡± Lucifer tented his hands, ¡°The best course, I believe, is to be prepared for multiple scenarios. Here¡¯s my advice ¨C save the Respec for now. When we find an appropriate person to fill that role, then you Respec, focusing on Fallen Angel, Rogue, Whisperfang, and Silent Blade. The whole sneaky stab and shooting shtick is working for you. Plus, it keeps you the safest ¨C which is most important.¡± Lucifer¡¯s voice became more dire towards the end, and the gravity of his implication spoke volumes to Felix. He knew that Lucifer meant that if Felix needed to¡­he could flee and survive. It was cruel but made sense to him. After all, if Felix died ¨C then who knows what happens to everyone in his VBV, or Tinuriel if they¡¯re in some weird Universe and she suddenly lost her Escort designation. Would he want to abandon his allies? No. But, he was pragmatic and knew that even though he cared deeply for Tinuriel¡­he wanted to live even more. Felix nodded, ¡°Alright. Let¡¯s level up for now. I¡¯ll stay versatile and take a level of Champion to get access to Invigorating Charge and Vim and Vigor. Then, one level each of Silent Blade and Ascended Animancer ¨C try to keep my Stats somewhat level.¡± Lucifer nodded and stood up, ¡°To the pool!¡± The trio made their way to the Recreation Room. Felix and Tinuriel stripped down, jumping into the pool as they started the Level-up process. Ch. 52 - Void Between Verses [Selection Made: Champion] [Selection Made: Silent Blade] [Selection Made: Ascended Animancer] Finalize. The water bubbled and broiled around Felix as he took a deep breath and submerged himself. The liquid sizzled and popped around his body, tickling him as the bubbles cascaded along his skin. The heat faded and he popped up, seeing his new status screen.
Name Felix Winters
Designation Versewalker
Core Level 20
EXP 1098 / 1150
Class Warrior 1, Animancer 1, Rogue 1, Fallen Angel 10, Whisperfang 1, Netherlight Myrmidon 1, Silent Blade 2, Ascended Animancer 2, Champion 1
Might 18
Agility 25
Capacity 19
Mind 26
Body 30
Soul 14
Endurance 26
Equipped Weapon (M) Wyrmtooth Knife (MH) / Channeling Dagger (OH)
Equipped Weapon (R) Hardlight Recurve
Equipped Armor Absorbing Dragonscale Leathers
Equipped Affinities Detection, Hellfire, Netherlight, Anathema, Air
Equipped Skills Affinity Empowerment, Regenerate (Rank 2), Execution, Ghostwalk, Fallen Flight, Vigor Conversion, Shadestep, Beacon of Free Will, Inviolable Will, Dragon Dance, For the Hoard!, Rebel Against All Odds, Netherlight Mantle, Netherlight Cohort, Vital Strike, Undetectable Step, Affinity Amplification, Health Conversion, Invigorating Charge, Vim and Vigor
Talents (P) Multiverse Adaptation (A) Aggressive Alchemy (P) Like a Cat (P) Final Stand (A) Show Mercy (A) Universe Selector (P) Sneak Attack (P) Craftsman (P) Dungeon Delver (P) Slayer (P) Endless Bags (P) Chain Kill (P) Multiverse Survivor (P) Killing Intent, (P/A) Against Overwhelming Odds
Health 300 / 300
Anima 140 / 140
Vigor 260 / 260
He glanced over at Tinuriel as her Class selection entered his vision. Lucifer, did you make it so that I can see all her level-up information? Mhmm. Figured it¡¯s easier than filling you in later. [Selection Made: Champion] The message was repeated three times. On the third time, the new Skill notification came up. [This is your 10th level in this Class. You gain access to a new Class Skill] Deathless Juggernaut 100 Vigor per minute The user takes 3/4 less damage.
Name Tinuriel of Avelion
Designation Escort
Core Level 20
EXP N/A
Class Warrior 10, Champion 10
Might 33
Agility 33
Capacity 3
Mind 13
Body 33Unauthorized usage: this tale is on Amazon without the author''s consent. Report any sightings.
Soul 3
Endurance 33
Equipped Weapon (M) Valiant Edge (TH)
Equipped Weapon (R) N/A
Equipped Armor Scales of the Lava Dragon
Equipped Affinities N/A
Equipped Skills Regenerate (Rank 2), Execution, Bastion, Eviscerator, Invigorating Charge, Vim and Vigor, Obliterate, Deathless Juggernaut
Talents (P) Multiverse Adaptation
Health 330 / 330
Anima 30 / 30
Vigor 330 / 330
The two had gained more muscle definition ¨C and it was much more pronounced on Tinuriel as she jumped out of the water. Felix followed her and the two grabbed towels, drying off before swapping to casual clothing and putting their gear into the Inventory. ¡°Let¡¯s get some rest and then we can look at using the Loot items to make some stuff.¡± Tinuriel nodded and the two parted ways with Lucifer as he flew off towards the Mage Academy. The duo went into Felix¡¯s house and near-instantly Tinuriel threw herself at him. He submitted to the powerful woman, quite content with his situation.
The next morning, they lounged about for a few hours, just enjoying some time together. Hey. We have another choice for you to make. Come out to the council table. On my way. Felix made his way outside and took his seat with Tinuriel next to him. Melanie cleared her throat, ¡°Thanks for coming. This is somewhat urgent. We have had some issues with access to luxuries. Some people from Heficyre ¨C Mercantus and Ethdellin specifically ¨C are bringing a large number of supplies into the VBV and their housing is more luxurious than others. This is causing some class division issues.¡± Roy leaned forward, ¡°My solution would be to make it so that everyone who entered the VBV would only be allowed to bring themselves and a trunk with whatever they choose. That way, they still have their personal affects, but everyone would be starting from the same ground floor effectively.¡± Gina shook her head, ¡°That¡¯s not going to work if you want to bring in future mages. We¡¯d need several dozen trunks to bring our various books, supplies, gear, implements, and familiars.¡± She looked to Felix, ¡°My proposed solution is that we just allow things to remain as they are. Those who have, can bring it with them. Those who have not can work towards what they desire. That Multiversal Trading Post allows for ready purchase of items that can alleviate these class division tensions.¡± Melanie nodded, ¡°My proposal is that you utilize a VBV Function to provide everyone with a luxurious existence whilst they are within the VBV. Furnishing, clothes-¡± ¡°That would be several Functions,¡± Lucifer interjected. ¡°For just those, that¡¯s two different Functions.¡± Tinuriel stood up, ¡°I¡¯m a believer that you have to work for what you want. I¡¯m with Roy¡¯s side on this.¡± Felix waved his hand for them all to quiet. After a few moments they did so and looked to him. ¡°I¡¯ve been on the edge of poverty. I¡¯ve looked at others who had more than I did with envy. If I have the means to ensure everyone is accommodated, the I am going to do so. I am going to mix ideas from both Melanie and Gina in this case. Lucifer¡­I assumed but didn¡¯t ask, does the Multiversal Trading Post give us a cut?¡± ¡°It does, but it¡¯s a low cut. In summary; everything created here in the VBV ¨C the farms, husbandry, any other industries that end up being created through Rooms and or Functions, can trade with any Universe that you¡¯ve established a permanent portal to using a Multiversal Charge. This does generate an income in Verse Coins. Right now, there¡¯s 500 Verse Coins in the ¡®bank¡¯, and we are generating 100 VC per day.¡± ¡°Alright. Then what we will do is provide an allowance for every resident. Redistribute the Verse Coins that are generated by the Trading Post. To start us off with that, Lucifer, transfer 4,990 Verse Coins from my inventory to the VBV¡¯s total.¡± Felix looked to the rest of the table, ¡°I have three Rooms and four Functions that I can implement. What would be required to start up more industries?¡± Roy smirked, ¡°Mines. Some way to get ores that can be refined and then crafted.¡± ¡°You¡¯d need a separate Room for each type of mine ¨C precious metals, gems, mundane metals, and magical metal.¡± Roy looked at Lucifer, ¡°Then he can use a VBV Function to make the mine have infinite resources.¡± ¡°Why can¡¯t you just do something that makes infinite resources from nothing?¡± Gina asked. ¡°The System has rules. In order to get something, you have to give something. I don¡¯t know why the Admin made that rule, but here we are.¡± Felix gestured to Roy, ¡°We¡¯ll use two of the VBV Rooms I have available. One for mundane metals, and one for magical metal.¡± ¡°Done.¡± Felix looked at the other advisors and Tinuriel, ¡°Any other suggestions for industries?¡± Tinuriel shook her head, ¡°We have the Forest City, and Elves can extract wood without harming the trees ¨C we call it tree shepherding.¡± ¡°A factory,¡± Melanie said. ¡°A place where we can convert the raw resources to a finished product.¡± Felix glanced over to her and nodded, ¡°Let¡¯s do a furniture factory then. And, as a Function of the VBV, workplace accidents will never happen.¡± ¡°Done.¡± ¡°Is that all?¡± Felix asked. Every head nodded. ¡°When I get another level, I¡¯ll make a factory for the metals industry. I¡¯m going to adjourn this meeting. Tinuriel and I have some Loot Forging to do.¡± The group left and the two headed into the bunker-like hallway. Felix turned into the Loot Forge and gripped the hammer, taking Tinuriel¡¯s Valiant Edge and the Rime Spike, putting both onto the anvil. A set of instructions appeared in his vision, and he placed the Rime Spike into the correct spot before bringing the hammer down. There was an enormous flash of blue light that caused both of them to wince. The sword¡¯s edge was crusted over with razor-sharp ice and exuded a cool aura. He handed it back to Tinuriel, and she took a few practice swings; the cool mist arcing through the air. [You have placed an on the Loot Forge. Select one of the following options.] ¡¤ Frostweaver ¡¤ Rime Knight ¡¤ Icewhisper Advanced Classes. And all of them require the Ice Affinity. I¡¯d bet that smashing the Loot Forge Essence ¨C Ice would give that affinity. Most likely. ¡°Tinuriel, what do you think? Would you want to go into something like Rime Knight? I¡¯d guess based on the name it¡¯s a class that¡¯s right up your alley.¡± She nodded, ¡°I would like that. Other than Warrior and Champion, there¡¯s no real melee oriented Classes suited to me except for Netherlight Myrmidon ¨C and that requires Anima.¡± She frowned, ¡°It¡¯s weird that the Class doesn¡¯t even increase the Soul Stat since Anima is so vital to it.¡± Felix shrugged, ¡°It¡¯s based off of Roy, and he did mention he was a mage and a warrior. It seems like a very specifically tailored Class.¡± He brought the hammer down. Rime Knight (Advanced) Requirement: Core Level 5, Ice Affinity +1 Might, +1 Mind, +3 Body, +3 Endurance Icy Shell Menacing Chill (Level 5) Aura of Frost (Level 10) Frozen Fury [You have placed a on the Loot Forge. Select one of the following options.] ¡¤ Ice Affinity ¡¤ Shadestep Skill Upgrade (Chill Step) New Affinity obviously, since I need it to access the Rime Knight Class. Easy choice. He brought the hammer down and pulling up his Character Sheet, he saw the new Affinity appear. Lucifer, how do we transfer that to Tinuriel? Just like Equipping Skills and Affinities, it takes ten minutes. I¡¯ll work on transferring it to her. [You have placed a on the Loot Forge. Select one of the following options.] ¡¤ Water Affinity ¡¤ Execution Skill Upgrade (Watery Death) ¡°We use Execution a lot,¡± Felix commented. ¡°But being able to use water Magic/Power effects could be extremely useful.¡± ¡°Think about future proofing,¡± Tinuriel said as she leaned against the wall. ¡°You want to find someone to fill dedicated Animancer role. But Execution is so low cost, I¡¯ll be using it consistently.¡± Execution 10 Vigor Increases the damage of the user''s next attack. If this strikes a killing blow, gain additional XP or Loot. . [You have placed a on the Loot Forge. Select one of the following options.] ¡¤ Reflection Affinity ¡¤ Bastion Skill Upgrade (Reflection) If Tinuriel is stepping more and more into the frontliner or tank role, then having Bastion upgraded would be useful. But if you add a dedicated Animancer as an Escort, they could use Reflection to make barriers and the like. Do you think Tinuriel needs the extra tankiness? If it¡¯s a damage reflection like I think it is, then it would be a smart upgrade for her since she is getting hit consistently. He brought the hammer down. Bastion Increments of 20 Vigor The user becomes immovable unless they desire to be moved. Additionally, the user gains 10 temporary Health per 20 Vigor spent. This temporary Health fades after one minute. . ¡°And that¡¯s the last of it,¡± Felix stated as he set the hammer down. ¡°Let¡¯s go to the Shop. We need to restock.¡± The two left the Crafting Station and headed over to the Purchase terminal.
[Items purchased] + Health Elixir (x7) -3500 VC + Anima Elixir (x7) -3500 VC + Vigor Elixir (x10) -5,000 VC [Monies Paid] -12,000 VC [Current Balance] = 18,000 VC
¡°Still can¡¯t afford Healing as an Affinity.¡± We have that 4,990 VC banked. I¡¯ll pull out 2,000 so you can buy it.
[Items purchased] + Healing Affinity -20,000 VC [Monies Paid] -20,000 VC [Current Balance] = 0 VC
¡°All done?¡± Tinuriel asked as she hefted the sword. The icy blue complemented her eyes very well and the slight mist coming off of the blade shrouded her torso in an imposing aura. Lucifer flew over and re-merged with Felix. ¡°Yeah. Let¡¯s go clear another level of that Dungeon.¡± Felix led the way to their portal and they re-entered. Staring at the purple film covering the entrance, Felix felt a sense of giddiness at what could be waiting for them. A weird elation, knowing that they had both massively increased their stats and were very well prepared. They jumped into the hole covered by the purple film.
VBV Rooms [1] Shop (Mailbox) [2] Time Flow Adjuster [3] House [4] Crafting Station (Alchemy Lab, Loot Forge) [5] Guest Quarters [6] Recreation Room [7] Stable [8] Warehouse [9] Training Room [10] Medieval Town [11] Farming and Husbandry Areas [12] Multiversal Trading Post [13] Renaissance City [14] Entertainment Areas [15] Portal Room [16] Forest City [17] Mage Academy [18] Mundane Metal Mine [19] Magical Metal Mine [20] Furniture Factory
VBV Functions [1] Switzerland Surroundings [2] Lucifer Body [3] Others allowed into VBV with Felix''s permission [4] Knowledge of VBV and Multiverse to visitors [5] Relaxing Environment Features [6] Prevents negative effects of poisons [7] Health/Anima/Vigor refill much faster (10 per minute) [8] Residents cannot mess with Felix''s stuff [9] Increases size of space based on needs [10] Violence between residents cannot occur [11] Residents gain a modicum of combat training [12] Magic permeates the VBV [13] Diseases are cleansed in the VBV [14] Food optional [15] Drink optional [16] Sleep optional, [17] Mines never empty [18] Workplace accidents never happen
VBV Advisors (Overseer) Lucifer Morningstar (Military) Roy Stromson (Political) Melanie Parslia Ventorus Remarda IV (Magic) Gina Egonta
Ch. 53 - Zephelam VII The two fell a few feet before the space opened. Reflexively, both extended their wings and glided down, alighting on a floor that crunched underfoot. Lucifer¡¯s red-tinged dark vision shifted his perspective, and he could make out the bones they were crushing underfoot. The interior of the enormous cavern was completely smooth ¨C the walls covered with some type of slime or ooze that slowly dripped down. A single tunnel extended before them. Tinuriel held her sword at the ready, and Felix pulled out his knives as he activated Ghostwalk. Tinuriel pushed through the bones as they rose up to her thighs ¨C a macabre facsimile of pushing through deep snow. Felix followed along behind, eyes darting constantly to try and spot anything moving. His vigilance paid off, as a series of bones off to his right shifted slightly. He held up his hand, ¡°Detect Hostiles.¡± Felix Bars Health 300 / 300 Anima 130 / 140 Vigor 259 / 260 The golden aura nearly blinded him as the entire floor of the room emanated the detection. That¡¯s not good. If it¡¯s not attacking, just move on. Tinuriel looked back at him with a quizzical look, ¡°Coming?¡± Felix nodded, and the two continued forward. The ichor along the walls continued to make its way down, an endless, slow cascade of goop that made Felix feel disgusted. The scent was the worst part; sulfurous, rotten-egg smells permeated the environment. Thankfully, the bones were not actually doing anything. Why would they detect as having hostile intent? Beats me. Just keep a low profile. They went down the tunnel and Felix took the lead, keeping Ghostwalk active as they traveled onward; his Vigor slowly going down each minute. But it¡¯s better than the alternative, he thought. The cavernous tunnel gradually shifted to worked stone made of some type of light-brown substance. Felix ran his hand along it and to his surprise, some of the rocks cracked away at his touch. ¡°Sandstone?¡± Tinuriel looked up at him, ¡°What was that?¡± Felix handed the chunk to her, ¡°I know it¡¯s a Dungeon, so the design is going to be whack, but sandstone as a construction material seems really, really dumb.¡± He looked around the hall and was barely able to make out small protrusions along the ceiling ¨C odd, square-shaped studs that stood out by maybe a half inch. Tiny golden spindles radiated out from it denoting it was trapped in some way. ¡°Lift me up there,¡± he told Tinuriel. She complied, grabbing his legs, and lifting him with ease. He pulled out his thieves¡¯ tools and set to work. Oh, that¡¯s ingenious. They were some type of water sprinkler system that would react to strong vibrations. That, combined with the sandstone structure told Felix all he needed to know about the trap. ¡°It¡¯s a cave-in. And once it caves in, the sandstone is weighed down by the water. We just must make very little noise when we pass under.¡± Tinuriel set him down and nodded, lowering her voice to a whisper, ¡°Easy enough.¡± They traversed the dangerous area without issue. That Rogue class is coming in handy. Yes, but paying attention in school also helped, Felix thought back. He continued in the lead, and they reached a T-intersection. ¡°I don¡¯t think Detection will help here,¡± he commented. ¡°We have no clue what we¡¯re looking for.¡± Tinuriel sniffed the air, ¡°There¡¯s something acrid to the right. The left is¡­musty. Like drowned books.¡± She turned to him, ¡°Which way?¡± Felix gestured to the left, ¡°Towards the soggy books.¡± They continued down the corridor ¨C encountering a few more of the cave-in traps and bypassing them. But as they turned a corner ¨C a portion of the floor fell out from under Felix. Caught off guard, he began to fall. Fallen Flight! Felix Bars Vigor 240 / 260 His descent was halted instantly as he willed himself back up to land on the edge next to Tinuriel. ¡°That was close.¡± She tugged on his physical wings from being in this Universe, ¡°Why not use these?¡± ¡°Panic,¡± Felix said as he chuckled. The floor had not just collapsed from under him ¨C it extended out several dozen feet to the opposite side. Peeking over the edge, he could see nothing. ¡°Does it go forever?¡± Tinuriel walked over and ripped a chunk of sandstone from the wall before dropping it. She counted at a whisper before they both heard the light crack down below. ¡°Seven hundred feet,¡± she muttered. Felix grabbed her and effortlessly flew them over the gap, landing on the other side without issue. ¡°So far this has been an easy Dungeon level.¡± ¡°You jinxed it,¡± Lucifer wryly stated. ¡°Pff, yeah, sure,¡± Felix replied as he walked to a set of double doors and set to work disabling the lock that glowed slightly golden. He made quick work of it as the video-game-esque interface appeared to direct his actions. There was no trap, but the doors were heavily damaged. Opening them slowly, he saw the interior of the next room. There was a sickly, green-brackish pool to the right that was enclosed in a semi-circle, with an enormous, brown skull sitting in the center. Two emeralds sat in the eye sockets, and immediately looked at him ¨C the gems tilting to view him. A raspy, long-dead voice echoed outward, ¡°Who dares disturb the tomb of the Lich-Lord of Zophalon?¡± Querying System¡­This guy helped build the Dungeon to try and contain the flood waters. One of the architects. ¡°I¡¯m a Versewalker,¡± Felix said as he opened the door the rest of the way. ¡°Here with my Versewalker Escort. We are trying to defeat this Dungeon so we can reverse the flooding.¡± The raspy voice cackled, ¡°Come in, let me get a better look at you.¡± Felix deactivated Ghostwalk and stepped inside, gesturing for Tinuriel to stay at the doorway. He stood in front of the skull as it regarded him with those emerald eyes. ¡°Well, here I am.¡±Stolen novel; please report. ¡°So, you are. Do you know the origin of the flood waters?¡± Felix shook his head and the skull continued, ¡°We tunneled deep and discovered a Sky-Shard that exuded a torrent of water when touched. A valuable artifact, and wholly unique.¡± ¡°It sounds valuable,¡± Felix stated. ¡°Endless clean, fresh water?¡± ¡°Precisely. So, it was brought to the surface. What we did not know is that too many hands touching it would cause¡­issues.¡± The voice cackled; a dusty, ancient rattling noise. ¡°After it flooded one valley and we could not find a way to deactivate it, created this. This magical Dungeon was created from death and necromancy Magics. After all, we had plenty of corpses around from our mining efforts.¡± Felix felt a chill go through him. This¡­person was most likely some type of manager for one of these mining companies, and by his own omission just now, ran a brutal industry that resulted in the deaths of workers. It made his blood boil; but he wasn¡¯t sure if that was him, or Lucifer who was practically broiling. ¡°How many did you kill in your greed?¡± Lucifer asked. The skull clacked its teeth, ¡°Thousands died for our needs.¡± There was no hint of remorse. Just an accounting of numbers without any emotion tied to it. ¡°That¡¯s monstrous!¡± ¡°That¡¯s business. The level of the Dungeon below this one is where we contained it ¨C the vault. This was my level where most of the containment Magic originated from; fueled by the corpses and deaths of the lesser peoples.¡± I want to kill him¡­or re-kill him. Just a little more information. Felix cleared his throat, ¡°Did the Dungeon fail? The level above was flooded, and the whole world above was flooded.¡± ¡°It did fail. The containment on the vault level worked ¨C but it filled with the waters, and they began to flood the other levels.¡± ¡°Why isn¡¯t there any water up here?¡± Tinuriel asked, ¡°Like Felix said ¨C the level above was water-logged.¡± ¡°Magic. I used the deaths of several servants to divert the waters from the level below to that upper level.¡± Please let me kill him. Fine. Anathema? Anathema Beam. Felix Bars Anima 125 / 140 Vigor 234 / 260 The glimmering, sky-blue and star-infused beam cascaded from just above Felix¡¯s shoulder. It struck the skull which immediately disintegrated as whatever Magic was sustaining it faded. Thank you. That felt good. Felix glanced at Tinuriel, ¡°Thoughts?¡± She shrugged, ¡°You do what you need to. I¡¯m surprised that a Lich-Lord is that easily defeated-¡± ¡°Oh you are assholes,¡± The voice of the Lich-Lord echoed around them. ¡°Really? Destroying my body? That¡¯s not enough.¡± Right. If it¡¯s like the fiction from my world, then he has a phylactery somewhere we have to smash. Detect Object. Felix Bars Anima 75 / 140 Yikes, 50 Anima? This thing is well-hidden. The golden beam led a line to another set of double doors opposite them, and Felix began walking that way. ¡°Oh, no you don¡¯t! Take this!¡± The Lich-Lord¡¯s voice was upset but not angry. Like a manager who was upset with an employee but kept a professional demeanor. The acidic pool bubbled, and several goop-covered figures rose from the surface. Skeletons covered with the acidic slime that shambled towards the two. Tinuriel grinned, activating Skills in rapid succession. Execution Bastion Tinuriel Bars Vigor 300 / 330 Temporary Health 20 / 999 She charged forward and unleashed a savage blow against one of the four goopy skeletons. The blade carved into it with blue sparks, and a fraction of a second later, a blade of water followed the same arc and slammed down into the creature. The skeleton shattered into a pile, as the goop exploded and sizzled against Tinuriel¡¯s armor ¨C not doing any damage but leaving no doubt that it could bite through non-magical metal with ease as the floor melted and bubbled. Felix switched to his bow, ¡°Anathema Blade.¡± Felix Bars Anima 65 / 140 He pulled back and the white hardlight arrow melded with a deep blue and speckled with starlight. A cascade of whitish-blue mist dripped from the projectile as his new gloves imbued the attack. He released the shot, and it impacted one of the skeletons; the green ooze vanishing instantly. ¡°Hey, that¡¯s not fair!¡± The Lich¡¯s voice shouted. ¡°Suck it,¡± Lucifer replied as Felix loosed another arrow at the still-standing skeleton. As soon as the projectile impacted, the Magic holding the creature together vanished and it collapsed into a pile of bones. He rapidly shot the last two, removing the acid coating as Tinuriel came in with a cleaving swipe to carve them in half. As a finishing move, she stomped on their skulls. Felix shot the bone piles a few times to ensure they were down. Tinuriel shook her head, ¡°Easy.¡± ¡°What type of weapon is that?¡± The Lich¡¯s voice asked. Felix ignored it and went to the next set of double doors, pushing them open. It was an enormous, cross-shaped chamber with four sarcophagi. The golden line continued to the one closest to him, and as he peeled back the lid, he saw a ladder going down. ¡°Lucky guess,¡± The Lich¡¯s voice stated. ¡°Will you shut up? We¡¯re coming to kill you.¡± ¡°Oh? Is that a promise?¡± I hate this guy. Felix climbed down the ladder and entered a circular chamber. His feet crunched and looking down he saw hundreds of beetles. ¡°Ewww,¡± He tried to shake them off, but they started to climb up and over him. He panicked and screamed. Bugs were one of the things he was not the best at handling, having been pushed into an ant hill as a child. The flashback hit him instantly, as he vividly recalled the fear and pain as he was bitten. Felix Bars Anima 15 / 140 The entire room was enveloped in crimson and black flames ¨C thousands of the beetles incinerated in an instant. Felix wiped the ash off of his gear in a frenzy before catching his breath, the panic at the insects subsiding. Wait¡­that was¡­automatic? I thought I had to state or think a Skill or Magic/Power effect. Updating from System¡­in certain situations that tap into a primal emotion, Skills or Magic/Power effects may be activated instinctively. In this case, your memory of bugs crawling all over you was powerful enough that it triggered the response. Does that mean, say, if I had 100 Vigor available, and I went to 0 Health, with (P) Final Stand already being activated¡­that Rebel Against All Odds would auto-activate? I don¡¯t know, the System isn¡¯t responding because it doesn¡¯t know what hasn¡¯t been tried yet. You¡¯re my first Versewalker that has lived longer than a few days. And, the only one to max out the Fallen Angel Class. Felix moved out of the way as Tinuriel descended the ladder. He continued to follow the golden line and disabled another trap, picked the lock to another door, and saw a long hallway extend outward. How many Versewalkers have you had? How old are you? In your Earth years, I¡¯m over fourteen-billion years old. You¡¯re my tenth Versewalker. Felix shook his head, why did the other Versewalkers who had you before die so soon? I¡­ahem. I¡­ Lucifer faded off and became silent. Felix could sense there was some apprehension hidden under the surface. But he didn¡¯t push the issue and continued down the hallway. Just tell me when you feel up to it. Tinuriel grabbed him by the shoulder, ¡°Hold. Something is not right.¡± She sniffed the air and took a step forward, stabbing her sword down into the floor. There was an ear-piercing screech as the walls flexed and wobbled. ¡°Mimic,¡± she muttered. Where she had stabbed, a pool of viscous, blue blood gushed out and spread across the floor, forming tiny hands, and crawling towards the two. The Lich-Lord¡¯s voice cackled, ¡°Now you¡¯re in for it!¡± Ch. 54 - Zephelam VIII The mass of insect-like hands that scrabbled over the floor sent a chill through Felix. Why the hell does it have to be like bugs?! He reached into the inventory and consumed three Anima Elixirs, immediately activating Hellfire Burst with the Anima restored by one of them. Felix Bars Health 300 / 300 Anima 115 / 140 Vigor 234 / 260 The blast went down the tunnel and incinerated the tiny hands on the ground, the crimson and black flames charring them to cinders as the hallway itself screamed and growled in pain and rage, the walls blackening and crisping. The walls surged towards the two. Tinuriel raised her hand, and an icy-blue aura surrounded her palm. Tapping into the Ice Affinity, she used her first ever Magic/Power effect. Frost Pulse Increments of 10 Anima A blast of cold energy radiates from the user, dealing damage in a sphere around them and chilling foes - reducing the damage foes deal by 1/2 for 5 seconds. The damage reduction lasts for 5 seconds per 10 Anima. Tinuriel Bars Health 330 / 330 Anima 20 / 30 Vigor 300 / 330 Temporary Health 20 / 999 A sphere of whitish-blue energy manifested in her palm before solidifying into an icy sphere, and then exploding outward in a torrential flurry of ice and snow. The whole hallway was coated with rime. The undulating hallway slowed down to a meticulous crawl as Tinuriel brought Valiant Edge to bear, chopping down into the closest segments. Felix used the opening to activate Detect Weakness. Felix Bars Anima 105 / 140 The golden circles did not appear at all. ¡°No weak points?¡± ¡°Just beat the crap out of it!¡± Felix took a few steps back while Tinuriel held the front, pulling out his bow and loosing hardlight arrow after arrow into the gelatinous walls that surged and began to pummel Tinuriel. Thanks to her Bastion from before, she was unmoving and the impacts pinged off of her armor. The walls turned into hands and gripped her sword, trying to wrench it out of her hands. Her body flared with neon-blue light as her blade crackled with energy. Bastion Execution Obliterate Tinuriel Bars Vigor 160 / 330 Temporary Health 40 / 999 The hands that were pummeling her and gripping onto her recoiled in pain as they were zapped with the coruscating, silvery-blue energy that surrounded her body. She leaped into the center of the mass and swung her blade in an enormous circle ¨C carving through the whole hallway as an instant later, a wave of water followed up her blow and echoed the damage. Felix continued to loose shot after shot into the gelatinous mass and ¨C slowly but surely ¨C the two and their sustained onslaught of blows and piercing arrows caused the creature coating the halls to wither and deflate like a balloon slowly having air let out. It shriveled until a single, tube-like, meaty stick fell from the ceiling before dissolving into nothingness. Tinuriel had been hit several times during the fray, but her shimmering covering took the damage. Tinuriel Bars Temporary Health 10 / 999 ¡°You two are just not playing fair at all!¡± The Lich-Lord¡¯s voice echoed around them once more. Tinuriel growled and shouted up to the ceiling, ¡°Will you just shut up! Your comments are pointless!¡± She turned to Felix and waved to him, ¡°Come on. Take the lead, find those traps. I want this thing dead.¡± Felix nodded and did as requested, scouring the hallway for traps with his gaze. He spotted the tiny, spindle-like thread of one and set to disabling it. ¡°And you can spot that? Okay. That¡¯s it. No more Mr. nice Lich.¡± Felix heard a crack above him. He flung himself backward as the ceiling caved in right where he had been a moment later, partially blocking the hallway. Great. It¡¯s cut off. But it¡¯s sandstone. It¡¯s weak, right? Felix nodded and waved Tinuriel forward, ¡°Would you mind destroying this chunk?¡± Tinuriel swung her sword several times as if it was a pickaxe, carving away chunks of the stone with each swing until there was a big enough gap for them to squeeze through. Felix got through and pulled her along behind him. They were facing another set of double doors with no visible handles, locks, or other apparatus with which to open it. ¡°Any ideas?¡± Tinuriel asked. Felix laid his hand against the wall and ¨C to his shock and surprise ¨C the wall grabbed him back. ¡°Hah! No one expects the double mimic!¡± The Lich¡¯s voice cried out. Felix felt his bones break as his hand was snapped and pulverized. His mind went into shock at the sudden pain and adrenaline that inhibited the pain. Felix Bars Health 280 / 300 Anima 105 / 140 Tinuriel grabbed him and wrenched his arm free as it hung limp the bones sticking out as blood gushed from the wound. She faced the door and yelled as she carved into it, backing away as hands shot outward. That doesn¡¯t look good. Regenerate. Regenerate (Rank 2) X Vigor Exchanges X Vigor for X Health. (Can restore lost limbs). Felix Bars Vigor 214 / 260 Felix¡¯s hand snapped back into place as his bones and muscles reknit themselves together. The relief from pain was barely felt as his adrenaline was still pumping. He pulled the phantom bowstring back and released shots into the door. He stepped back further as the arms reached further and further, until he was against the roof that had fallen. Tinuriel had slowly taken staggering steps back as she kept swinging. But, it appeared the mimic door had some sort of intelligence to it ¨C or maybe was somehow mentally connected to the other one in the hallway, as the hands never attacked Tinuriel ¨C they went for Felix. She held the sword with one hand and raised her palm. An enormous spike of ice appeared in her grip, and she chucked it like a javelin. This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road. If you spot it on Amazon, please report it. Glacial Spike Increments of 20 Anima Shoots an enormous spike of ice that impales a target before exploding into razor-sharp, frozen shards. The more Anima used, the more damage of both the initial impact, the explosion, and the longer the range. Tinuriel Bars Anima 0 / 30 The icicle impacted the door and a viscous ichor seeped down from the impact site as tendrils of frost crackled over it. And then, the spike exploded ¨C and the door exploded with it. There was a shriek of pain as the mimic crumbled away as the frozen pieces slowly melted away into nothingness. Tinuriel turned around and looked at Felix¡¯s now non-injured hand. ¡°You okay?¡± Felix nodded, ¡°Yeah. Thank you.¡± Tinuriel smiled, ¡°I like using Magic.¡± ¡°You¡¯re using it well,¡± Felix replied. ¡°Hey. Look at the room.¡± Felix looked past Tinuriel. The room beyond the now-shattered mimic-door was a vast, vaulted crypt. Bones were interred in creches on either side of the room as sickly, glowing green, magical torches illuminated the space. There were tomes scattered all about. And, at the far end of the room, a purple film. Just in front of the film was a skeletal figure dressed in robes, holding a goblet in one boney-hand. ¡°About time,¡± The Lich-Lord stated. ¡°Congratulations, you made it.¡± ¡°Tinuriel,¡± Felix whispered. ¡°Use some Elixirs.¡± Felix used one Anima and one Vigor. Tinuriel used one Anima and three Vigor. Felix Bars Health 300 / 300 Anima 140 / 140 Vigor 260 / 260 Tinuriel Bars Health 330 / 330 Vigor 30 / 30 Vigor 310 / 330 Temporary Health 10 / 999 Felix walked forward cautiously, ¡°This level of the Dungeon was much easier than the last one. Why?¡± The Lich-Lord stood up and set the goblet down, ¡°Look, I¡¯m not a fighter. I¡¯m just a skilled mage that wants to live the good life. This place was meant to be where I retire to. You¡¯ve killed a lot of my undead servants and some of my pet mimics. You can¡¯t go down to the next level unless you kill me, which is a problem because I like being undead. So, this is as far as you go.¡± Lucifer, sync with me. I want to get the whole room. Detect Weakness Affinity Empowerment Felix Bars Anima 135 / 140 Vigor 250 / 260 The golden targeting reticles appeared on the Lich¡¯s goblet and the throne he had just stood up from. I¡¯d bet the goblet is the phylactery. But the throne¡­Felix wracked his brain and thought through every fantasy novel he¡¯d read before, but no chair creature came to mind. Except¡­Really? Another mimic? ¡°Well¡­I guess I¡¯ll make the first move,¡± The Lich stated plainly as he raised his hands. Not so fast. Anathema Prison. Anathema Prison 50 Anima per minute A single target within sight is afflicted with Anathema, rendering them unable to use Magic/Powers as long as they are affected. Felix Bars Anima 85 / 140 The Lich was surrounded with sparkling, blue and white starlight as the Magic he was focusing on faded and fizzled out of existence. ¡°What?¡± Tinuriel launched herself forward, activating several Skills in rapid succession. Execution Eviscerator Obliterate Invigorating Charge Tinuriel Bars Vigor 90 / 330 Temporary Health 20 / 999 She had taken a few steps before she zipped in the blink of an eye right in front of the Lich. She brought the blade down vertically, cutting him in half cleanly as the radiant blue sword carved through it, shortly followed by a gushing torrent of water that pushed the bones to the sides as they clattered away. The goblet floated in the air and that¡¯s when they both realized that the voice was coming from the cup. ¡°Hah! You really think I¡¯m that dumb? Surprise! I¡¯ve been a mimic this whole time!¡± The throne rose up on its four legs and the back arched over as enormous teeth protruded down and combined with the seat to form a monstrous, gaping maw. The creature expanded in size as the goblet rose up to the ceiling and joined itself to the creature. The mouth came down on Tinuriel and chomped into her arm. Thanks to her Bastion¡¯s Reflection upgrade, some of the damage was redirected back to the creature as it oozed the viscous blood. Tinuriel Bars Health 280 / 330 Vigor 90 / 330 Felix tried to draw a bead on the goblet, but the creature was moving too much for him to get a clear shot. He switched to his knives. He muttered through the several weapon enhancement Magic/Power effects, and a Class Skill. Hellblade Netherlight Blade Anathema Blade Vital Strike Dragon Dance Felix Bars Anima 55 / 140 Vigor 230 / 260 In the blink of an eye he dashed forward to the creature¡¯s face and plunged the Anathema-imbued Wyrmtooth Knife into the throne-mimic, followed by the Hellfire and Netherlight imbued Channeling Dagger the creature shrieked and crunched down harder on Tinuriel, drawing a scream of pain from her as it thrashed wildly. Felix pushed off the creature and gracefully flipped through the air before landing in front of it. That¡¯s when he saw Tinuriel¡¯s Health ¨C rapidly draining. Tinuriel Bars Health 20 / 330 Vigor 90 / 330 ¡°Regenerate!¡± Felix shouted at her. Use a Health Elixir on her! I can¡¯t! This thing absorbs any healing while it has a hold on her. Felix felt panic rise in his chest. I need it to focus on me. Netherlight Beacon 25 Anima Causes the user to radiate Netherlight, drawing the attention of hostile creatures. Felix Bars Anima 30 / 140 The silver-white aura of Netherlight surrounded Felix and pulsed above his head. The mimic-creature looked at him, dropped Tinuriel, and charged at him. Heal her! On it! Focus on yourself though. Lucifer used four Health and four Vigor Elixirs on Tinuriel, and she roused from the ground. Tinuriel Bars Health 220 / 330 Vigor 290 / 330 Felix rolled sideways as the mimic tried to bite onto him. He glanced around the room looking for some way to gain more distance. That could work. Dragon Dance Felix Bars Vigor 170 / 260 He blitzed around the room, cutting all six torches as they clattered to the ground and fizzled. The mimic monster was able to track him because of Netherlight Beacon, but now the room was pitch-dark save for the subtle glow of Felix and Tinuriel¡¯s weapons ¨C and the Netherlight surrounding him. Which counts as both light and darkness. Time for a broken combo. Thanks to Lucifer, he could see in the dark and knew Tinuriel was capable of the same with her elven heritage. Be ready Lucifer. Timing has to be perfect. I¡¯ve got it. Let¡¯s kill this guy! Shadestep Vital Strike Felix Bars Vigor 140 / 260 He teleported through the shadows right behind the creature and stabbed down with the Wyrmtooth Knife, sending another surge of poison through its body. As it began to turn around on him, he repeated the two Skills. He warped in front of it, plunged his knife into the face, and then teleported once more. The monster roared and swung at him ¨C but he vanished again and appeared behind it, stabbing it. It began to slow as the poison coursed through its body ¨C amplified by the Vital Strike. Felix replicated the ability combination again, appearing in front of it and stabbing again. But the creature was ready this time ¨C and grabbed him in its maw, crunching down. He activated Shadestep, teleporting out of its maw and across the room, allowing Netherlight Beacon to fade. Felix Bars Health 150 / 300 Anima 30 / 140 Vigor 0 / 260 Glacial Spike Tinuriel Bars Anima 10 / 30 An enormous spike of ice slammed into the creature¡¯s mouth before erupting into an icy explosion that finally put the creature down for good. The goblet shattered as the mimic¡¯s body shriveled away into nothingness. ¡°That¡­wasn¡¯t the boss.¡± Felix looked down at his mid-section, feeling the blood seeping through and down his body from enormous puncture wounds. ¡°Heal¡± Heal X Anima, +10 Anima Restores X health per Anima spent to a touched target. If the additional 10 Anima is spent on top of the X Anima cost, the range becomes line-of-sight. Felix Bars Health 205 / 300 Anima 0 / 140 Vigor 0 / 260 Pink energy radiated from his palm as flower petals cascaded outward and sealed his wounds over. The pain lessened immediately. Tinuriel came over and reached a hand down. He grabbed it and she pulled him up into a hug. ¡°That was close,¡± she whispered. ¡°I¡¯m sorry I wasn¡¯t stronger.¡± Ch. 55 – Zephelam IX Felix pulled away slightly and brushed her hair aside, wiping away a tear with his thumb, ¡°It¡¯s fine. We didn¡¯t know that mimics could stop healing. Now we do for the future.¡± Felix activated more Elixirs from his inventory. Three Anima, the last two Vigor, and two Health. ¡°Here, let me help.¡± Felix put his hand onto Tinuriel¡¯s wounded side. He activated Heal for 110 Anima, and then used another two Anima Elixirs to put himself into a decent place on that resource bar. ¡°Almost out of Health Elixirs,¡± Tinuriel commented. ¡°Thank you.¡± ¡°Aww, such a tender display.¡± The Lich-Lord¡¯s voice emanated from around them. ¡°Oh, will you just piss off and die!¡± ¡°I did once. Hence my current state. Nice try though, you only destroyed one phylactery!¡± The voice cackled all around them. ¡°You¡¯ve still got more Dungeon to clear for this level. Who knows, maybe you¡¯ve already passed my other phylactery¡¯s location?¡± Felix groaned and Tinuriel looked at him quizzically. ¡°That acrid-smelling hallway when we first came here? We went left towards the musty smell instead.¡± Tinuriel cursed, ¡°That¡¯s clever.¡± She led the way back through the mimic hallway, up the ladder from the bug-room, through the room with sarcophagi, flew over the pit trap, and they went down the other hallway from the entrance. She let out a curse as the hallway turned a sharp corner and dead-ended into a small fountain with a brackish-green liquid emanating from it. ¡°He tricked us.¡± Felix went forward and saw the golden spindle appear. Following the golden line of thread, he found a hidden button on the underside of the fountain. He disabled the trap through the video-game-esque interface and pressed the button. The fountain slid aside, revealing a skull with emerald eyes. He picked it up and held it at face-level. ¡°Is this you?¡± There was no response. Felix tossed it to Tinuriel, and she smashed it into thousands of tiny pieces against the wall. ¡°Ahh¡­true death.¡± The Lich-Lord¡¯s voice said as it slowly faded. ¡°I don¡¯t trust it,¡± Tinuriel stated. ¡°Neither do I. Detect Object.¡± They followed the golden line back to the throne room where the large chair-mimic was defeated. They passed through the purple film and entered a vast, black space. A slow slope descended into darkness that even his dark vision did not pierce. ¡°Can you see anything?¡± he asked Tinuriel. She shook her head, ¡°Nope.¡± ¡°This Lich guy is really a pain in the ass. False phylacteries, mimics all over the place? A real sadist made this place.¡± ¡°And worse; he fueled it with the deaths of those in his charge.¡± Lucifer¡¯s voice exuded raw hatred, and that bled over to Felix because of their connection. Felix really wanted this Lich to die in the worst way possible. ¡°Hellfire Wick,¡± Felix said. The mote of black and crimson flame did nothing to pierce the darkness. ¡°Neither of our dark vision works here. And this light source isn¡¯t doing anything, despite it working like that previously.¡± Felix let the effect fade. ¡°Tinuriel, take the lead, and use the tip of your sword to poke around.¡± ¡°Understood.¡± She put a hand on his shoulder and navigated in front of him. Felix put a hand on her back, and she used the two-handed sword like a navigation aid for the blind ¨C tapping ahead as they slowly made their way into the blackness. Glancing back, Felix could see the purple film covering the prior room ¨C but nothing else. Tinuriel stopped, ¡°There¡¯s a hole in front.¡± He heard her tapping to the right and she led them around a corner. ¡°A maze in total darkness. How original.¡± ¡°Why not just use Detect Object to find the path?¡± Tinuriel asked. ¡°We only have four Anima Elixirs and two Health Elixirs. I want to save the Anima for healing effects.¡± They spent a full hour slowly navigating the space. The only sound was their breathing and the tapping of Tinuriel¡¯s sword. ¡°We have reached a dead end,¡± Tinuriel stated. ¡°What? Really?¡± Felix cursed under his breath. I wanted to save Anima, but this is ridiculous. Detect Object. He focused on the end of the Dungeon. The narrative has been taken without permission. Report any sightings. The golden line shot out from in front of him ¨C past Tinuriel and the gap she stated was present ¨C and further into the darkness. ¡°Looks like we¡¯re flying,¡± Felix muttered. ¡°We don¡¯t know if there¡¯s anything in the way,¡± Tinuriel stated. ¡°Flying blindly into the dark seems like a recipe for disaster.¡± ¡°What do you suggest then?¡± Felix asked. Only silence answered him. ¡°Then I¡¯ll use Fallen Flight instead of these wings we¡¯d have to flap. That way, if we run into something, we won¡¯t fall.¡± Felix picked up Tinuriel and flew after the line. They went forward in silence, both listening for any indication of something out of the ordinary. The line took a sharp, sudden, right turn and Felix followed it, feeling something sharp brush against his elbow but not pierce his armor. The path twisted ¨C if he was not able to perfectly maneuver by will alone, and was reliant on his flight with the wings, he would have been injured and probably fallen. ¡°Ow!¡± Tinuriel yelled as a loud bang echoed from her armor impacting something solid. ¡°That¡¯s a platform.¡± Felix flew up slightly before hearing Tinuriel¡¯s booted feet touch down, and he gently lowered her until her full weight was on the platform. He landed behind her and she continued tapping the ground along the golden line. ¡°It widens here,¡± She stated as she continued forward. Both squinted and blinked as some unknown light source activated. When their vision normalized, they could see another purple-film-covered passage in front of them. Looking back, Felix saw a deep, fifty-foot pit with a bubbling pool of bright-orange acid that sizzled and popped. There was a series of metal platforms that were floating in a maze pattern, and a large gap between several sections where hanging, spiked walls were suspended. Flight was mandatory to clear the room. Felix flew down to the acid, ¡°Aggressive Alchemy.¡± Five glowing globules of orange rose from the acid and landed in his palm, and he deposited them in his inventory before flying up to Tinuriel once more. He gestured to the film, ¡°Ladies first.¡± Tinuriel nodded and hefted her blade on her shoulder as she walked through with him a step behind.
A ceremony room was the best description Felix could come up with to describe the chamber. They were standing on a stone platform that ringed the room. Six massive chains extended from anchor points on the walls all around and descended toward a suspended, hexagon platform. A large sarcophagus was in the center of the platform, and far below was a bubbling pool of lava. Seeing that sent shivers down Felix¡¯s spine ¨C his last encounter with the substance having blown off his foot and part of his leg. The golden line ended at the sarcophagus. ¡°The objective indicator is showing me that the Boss is either that coffin itself, or inside of it.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t want to fight over lava,¡± Felix stated as he walked towards one of the chains. It was massive ¨C a single link the size of a small car. ¡°Time to think outside of the box.¡± He reached into his inventory and pulled out one of the globules of acid. The smallest point of connection is¡­ He cocked his arm back and ¨C thanks to his Agility ¨C threw with incredible accuracy as the orb splashed and sizzled against the point where two of the chains linked together near the wall-anchor. It ate halfway through before the acid faded. It¡¯ll take me a few more. He repeated the process, using a total of three of the acid spheres before the chain began to warp and bend. With a loud snap the chain gave way and the center platform bounced and dipped slightly as the weight pulled on the remaining chains. ¡°If you go back to the pool, you can repeat that a few times.¡± ¡°Right, and with the lights on it¡¯ll be much easier.¡± Felix walked back through the membrane, took flight, and descended to the orange acid pit once more. He went back and broke the second chain. This process was repeated several times until there were only three chains remaining as the center platform listed to one side, the sarcophagus sliding down and plummeting into the lava below. Tinuriel stood with her sword ready, and Felix switched to his bow and pulled back, preparing a hardlight arrow. The stone began to boil away, and the sarcophagus lid slid sideways as a mummified figure sat up before immediately catching fire, screaming in agony as the superheated air instantly ignited the ancient bandages and wrappings. ¡°You cheated!¡± echoed up to them. The Lich¡¯s voice. Felix loosed the hardlight arrow and it thudded into the creature¡¯s head ¨C the frost combining with the flames and engulfing it in a cloud of steam. There was another shriek before the sarcophagus completely melted away and the screams were no more. ¡°Dungeon Cleared!¡± A treasure chest appeared next to them, and the lava below vanished as a purple film covered the space. Felix activated For the Hoard! before he looted the chest. [Experience Awarded = 150] [Experience Bonus from Execution alike Stacking Skills = 25] [Congratulations! You have reached the Experience threshold to level up! Speak with your Versewalker Core when you are ready to Choose your next Class.] [Loot Obtained] ¡¤ 12,500 VC ¡¤ Death Dungeon Core ¡¤ Loot Forge Essence ¨C Acid ¡¤ Loot Forge Essence ¨C Undeath ¡¤ Loot Forge Essence ¨C Death [Loot Bonus from Execution alike Stacking Skills] ¡¤ Necroshade Ring ¡¤ Mimic Coating [Loot Bonus from For the Hoard!] ¡¤ 2,500 VC ¡°You got enough Experience to get to level 22. Back to the VBV?¡± ¡°Yeah,¡± Felix replied as he looked over at Tinuriel. ¡°Restock Elixirs again, level up, and use the Loot Forge.¡± As Lucifer started the four-hour process of opening the VBV, Felix set to identifying the various items. [Item Description: Necroshade Ring] [The wielder appears to be undead if being observed by any method of detection. Will be treated as a non-hostile by undead.] [Item Description: Mimic Coating] [Applied to armor, this enables the armor to blend in with an environment (if moving) or appear to be an object native to that environment to all senses (if still).] That would come in handy when I Respec and go more into the rogue type Classes. Still need to find someone to function as an Animancer Escort. I don¡¯t know if you¡¯ll find that in this ¡®Verse. They don¡¯t seem like the combative types. That other ¡®Verse though ¨C Astragos ¨C that had a huge two-empire war on the verge of beginning. You¡¯ll probably find plenty of combat capable folks there. Felix sat down and leaned back against the wall alongside Tinuriel. But it is also about the connection with the person. Tinuriel and I grew to enjoy each other¡¯s company naturally as we traveled. I can¡¯t just show up, find someone skilled and say ¡°Hey, come with me.¡± Why not? What, just rip someone away from everything they know? No. You¡¯re a Versewalker. If you wanted, you could hold a trial or tournament to find the best candidate. I¡¯m sure people would sign up. That¡¯s¡­not a bad idea. ¡°Tinuriel, what do you think?¡± She looked down at him, ¡°About what?¡± Felix sighed, ¡°Right, you¡¯re not in those thought conversations. What do you think about holding a tournament in a Magic rich ¡®Verse to try and find an Escort to fill the Animancer role?¡± She grinned, ¡°A competition would be a fine way to find candidates. If you can remove their Escort status at will ¨C some may try to abuse it for their own gain.¡± Felix nodded, ¡°Right, which I can. So that¡¯s not an issue.¡± ¡°Three hours and forty-five minutes until we can go into the VBV.¡± ¡°Then, we level up,¡± Tinuriel said with enthusiasm. ¡°So many Class choices¡­¡± Ch. 56 – Zephelam X The VBV opened and the duo went inside. ¡°Shop first,¡± Felix stated as he went over to the Purchase terminal. Lucifer split off, gave him a pat on the back, and flew towards the Mage Academy.
[Items purchased] + Health Elixir (x8) -4,000 VC + Anima Elixir (x6) -3,000 VC + Vigor Elixir (x10) -5,000 VC [Monies Paid] -12,000 VC [Current Balance] = 3,000 VC
¡°Let¡¯s do the Loot Forge before level up,¡± Felix said. ¡°We may unlock new Classes to choose.¡± He led the way over to the Crafting Station, into the underground hallway, and took the first left into the familiar chamber. He took off his armor and placed it alongside the Mimic Coating, bringing the hammer down as, with a flash, the two combined. [You have placed a on the Loot Forge. Select one of the following options.] ¡¤ Acid Affinity ¡¤ Eviscerator Skill Upgrade (Caustic Demise) Felix brought the hammer down and shattered the essence. [You have placed a on the Loot Forge. Select one of the following options.] ¡¤ Necromancy Affinity ¡¤ Rebel Against All Odds Skill Upgrade (Rebel Against The Grave) ¡°Raising the dead could be quite useful,¡± Tinuriel commented. ¡°Having fodder to throw against foes would be a useful tool.¡± It¡¯s logical, Felix thought. I mean they¡¯re just corpses being re-used. The only reason I¡¯d not choose the Affinity is if the Skill upgrade was ridiculous¡­but I don¡¯t know what it does until it¡¯s crafted. It¡¯s not fair, Lucifer thought back. The System Admin punishing you by restricting information isn¡¯t fair. I wish we could appeal that. We should just keep our heads low and do our job. Maybe once we solve a bunch of Crises, they¡¯ll relent. Felix thought back as he swung down the hammer and the Necromancy Affinity filled an empty slot on his character sheet. Next item¡­ [You have placed a on the Loot Forge. Select one of the following options.] ¡¤ Death Affinity ¡¤ Vital Strike Skill Upgrade (Death Strike) Felix swung the hammer once more, knowing exactly what he wanted without a moment¡¯s hesitation. [You have placed a on the Loot Forge. Select one of the following options.] ¡¤ Dread Invoker ¡¤ Revenant ¡¤ Ghostblade Advanced Classes again. Felix cursed to himself. And they all require Death Affinity. He chided himself for not looking at the Dungeon Core first. Leaping to a rash decision when he got excited about something is what got him in trouble financially back in his original Universe. Not the sister part, but rash decisions. He shook his head. You could try selling it. I¡¯m sure it¡¯s worth something. Or just save it and get the Death Affinity another way. I wonder¡­ Felix walked back into the hallway, ¡°I want a room that lets me use Dungeon Cores for other purposes.¡± He waited several seconds as a new door slid next to the Loot Forge, and a title appeared above it. DUNGEON CORE TRANSMORPHER. He opened the door and inside were two pedestals, a small pylon adjacent with a big, red, button. As he entered the room, instructions appeared in the air above the ensemble. [This is the Dungeon Core Transmorpher. Place a Dungeon Core on each of the pedestals.] [Then, press the button.] [The Dungeon Cores will be combined to produce a new, amalgamated Dungeon Core.] ¡°Well, that is handy,¡± Felix commented as he placed the Death Dungeon Core onto one of the pedestals. A series of small claws popped out of the object and gripped the Core.Stolen from Royal Road, this story should be reported if encountered on Amazon. Tinuriel walked in behind him and leaned against the wall, ¡°Only Dungeon Cores though. Not Loot Forge Essence. Two Dungeons for a single amalgamated Core seems like a lot of work for a little payoff.¡± Felix shrugged, ¡°We¡¯ll probably come across Cores that we don¡¯t want to use at the Loot Forge. At least this is an option. I wonder what opposites ¨C such as Death and Life combined - would make¡­¡± He turned back to her, ¡°Ready to go and level up?¡± She nodded and they quickly went to the Recreation Room, stripping down before hopping into the pool. It might only be two levels, but the time Felix nearly cooked and had to dive into a swamp was not an experience he wanted to relive anytime soon. [Selection Made: Ascended Animancer] The same message appeared a second time. Finalize. The water bubbled and broiled around Felix once more ¨C more intense than before. He reasoned that the heat would just increase more and more the higher level he obtained. Lucifer had assured him it was not lethal, but the roiling water around him still raised some concern. [Selection Made: Rime Knight] This message repeated itself as Tinuriel chose the Class a second time. [You now have access to several Class Skills] They got out of the pool and reequipped their gear before heading outside. The mountain views were gorgeous as ever and Felix sighed with contentment. ¡°What¡¯s on your mind?¡± Tinuriel asked as she wrapped her arms around his shoulders from behind. ¡°This whole journey has been a wild ride. I never would have imagined that I¡¯d be traveling across the Multiverse, or running a whole realm and making decisions that affect so many. I can do all these incredible, amazing things.¡± He shook his head, ¡°I don¡¯t know if I¡¯m blessed or cursed.¡± She squeezed him a little before loosening her grip. ¡°I would argue you have been blessed by the gods ¨C or whatever it is you believed in where you¡¯re from.¡± ¡°I¡¯ve almost died¡­several times,¡± Felix muttered as he breathed deeply before letting out a sigh. He unconsciously reached up to his eye where not too long ago a crossbow bolt had been impaled before pulling his hand away. ¡°Overall? I think I¡¯m blessed. But¡­is this all I will be doing? For eternity? Just jumping between ¡®Verses and fixing problems for some nebulous System?¡± Tinuriel tapped his head with her fingers rhythmically, ¡°Is that so bad though?¡± No, it¡¯s not, is what Felix wanted to say. But he never aspired to be some type of heroic figure or world-changing individual. He just wanted a comfortable life ¨C for him and his loved ones. He had that, now. Once he rescued Penny from whatever the government in his home Universe was doing to her, and stopped that Basilisk AI¡­then what point was there to keep traveling and solving problems? Why not just retire to this VBV? Tinuriel seemed to be reading his thoughts as she shook her head, turned him around, and pulled his chin up to look at her deep, icy-blue eyes. They were a deeper blue now, flecked with swirling snowflakes ¨C Felix assumed it was due to the new Class. ¡°You don¡¯t have to save everyone. This¡­Multiverse is infinite. You could just go at your own pace. Solve Crises here and there, and just enjoy life.¡± She blushed a little, and he knew. He felt she wanted to say something more, but instead, she patted him on the head. ¡°Come on, let¡¯s eat. Then, we go clear that Dungeon and fix a flooded ¡®Verse.¡±
They were joined at the table by Lucifer who fluttered down before sagging onto the bench. ¡°I¡¯ve been putting together that Animancer Tournament you wanted-¡± ¡°Weren¡¯t we going to wait until we went to a Magic-heavy ¡®Verse?¡± Felix asked. ¡°I¡¯m setting up the infrastructure. Imagine it ¨C contests from across all the ¡®Verses that you¡¯ve connected to the VBV to find the best contestant.¡± Tinuriel nodded, ¡°A wise move. How does Gina feel about this?¡± Lucifer smiled, ¡°She¡¯s all for it. She is filling in the role of Magic Advisor quite well; like a duck to water. I don¡¯t think she¡¯s adventuring material, but you should spend some time talking to her and getting to know her.¡± He leaned forward, ¡°It would also be worthwhile checking in with Melanie and Roy.¡± ¡°Sound advice. After we finish the Dungeon,¡± Felix replied as he finished off his meal. Looking over at Tinuriel he nodded slightly, ¡°Ready?¡± She scarfed down the rest of her food and stood up, ¡°Let¡¯s get it done.¡± Lucifer walked over and put his hand on Felix, merging with him once more. They returned through the portal and stared down at the purple film covering the floor where the lava once was. Tinuriel jumped, spreading her wings as she did so to glide in slow circles, descending at a gradual rate. Felix joined her, and the two flew through the purple film. They were gliding above an endless ocean. Above them, only blackness and the purple film designating where they came from. Their dark vision allowed the two to see the lapping waves below¡­and the enormous, sinuous form that lurked under it. Felix¡¯s heart raced with fear. It looked like a sea serpent from the edges of medieval maps that he saw back in his history class. But this thing was¡­massive couldn¡¯t even describe it. Colossal was the only word he could think of. ¡°That¡¯s the Boss.¡± [(P) Against Overwhelming Odds Notification: Foe is rated 10 or higher than your current Core Level.] ¡°No shit,¡± Felix replied shakily. Tinuriel flapped her wings to stay up near the film, and Felix joined her as the two looked down at the creature going back and forth. ¡°How do we even fight something like that?¡± Felix asked. Tinuriel frowned, ¡°This is larger than the burrowing creatures in Bur-Hur back on Heficyre. And I never heard tale of those being defeated. Only avoided.¡± ¡°The System isn¡¯t telling me anything either. But¡­that¡¯s the Boss.¡± ¡°Can we maybe try reasoning with it?¡± Felix asked. ¡°Is there any rule that we have to beat a Boss with violence?¡± ¡°¡­No.¡± Felix glanced at Tinuriel, ¡°I¡¯m going to try something. But, in case it backfires¡­be ready.¡± She nodded and held her sword as best she could while flapping her wings, ¡°If we must fight, I¡¯m descending to the water to fight it. I need to be able to swing.¡± ¡°Understood.¡± Felix flapped his wings a few times to test how his response time would be if he had to retreat through the purple film dividing the Dungeon levels. ¡°Hello there! I¡¯m Felix, a Versewalker! Do you mind talking?¡± The sinuous form vanished beneath the waves for a moment before an enormous head flew up towards him ¨C maw open as razor-sharp teeth the size of two-story houses rocketed towards him. Crap! He trusted instinct and drew on the protective Affinity of Netherlight. The silver-white mist surrounded him and Tinuriel in a sphere as the enormous maw chomped on them. Ch. 57 – Zephelam XI Netherlight Sanctuary. [(A) Against Overwhelming Odds: Charge used.] Felix was a fixed point in space. He felt immense pressure from all directions, as if his full body was being squeezed in a vice. Instinctively, he pushed his arms and legs out, pushing back against the invisible pressure, and he felt it relent¡­but his muscles began to quiver. ¡°We¡¯re protected for now,¡± Lucifer said with a sigh of relief. Felix wanted to respond but couldn¡¯t. Maintaining the Netherlight Sanctuary took every ounce of concentration he could muster. He couldn¡¯t even think about anything except the barrier that kept certain death at bay. The enormous sea serpent that had clamped down on them was chewing on the impenetrable sphere of grey light. Each time it moved, he had to redirect his focus to where the teeth next clamped down. Tinuriel looked at the enormous teeth, ¡°The only way to kill it is going to be from within. We have to get to a vital part.¡± ¡°You want to go inside it? You¡¯re insane.¡± Tinuriel laughed. Not a laugh of someone who had lost their mind, but the laugh of someone who knew their back was against a wall and they had no other options present. Then, she grew serious. ¡°Felix, when my Magic effect goes off, drop yours¡­and we go inside of it. You¡¯ll need to use that air thing to ensure we can survive if it tries to gulp down water to kill us.¡± Did you get that? Felix could only grunt in response, not even able to really listen to what was going on. ¡°He¡¯s busy. I¡¯ll handle it.¡± Tinuriel nodded and raised Valiant Edge. ¡°Three seconds is all we¡¯ll have¡­Icy Grasp!¡± Her sword shot out a lance of white-blue ice that, upon impacting the sea serpent, covered the whole form with a thin sheen of frost. The creature ceased moving. Felix felt Lucifer force his Affinity effect to deactivate, and the duo plummeted into the open maw of the creature. Felix opened his wings and swooped alongside Tinuriel as the creature resumed control of its own form, twisting, and descending into the water. Felix¡¯s dark vision could make out the pink, fleshy interior that they landed on ¨C before the world seemingly turned upside-down and water rushed in from behind them ¨C pushing them deeper into the creature¡¯s body. Serrated teeth that pointed inward like those of a lamprey coated the lining of the creature¡¯s insides as they were pushed deeper ¨C and they swam to keep in the middle of the thing¡¯s body. ¡°Detect Weakness.¡± The golden circle appeared in the fleshy wall above them. Felix pointed up, ¡°There! Fallen Flight!¡± His spectral wings manifested, and he grabbed Tinuriel, pulling her up along with him to the top of the creature¡¯s gullet. She slashed a deep gouge and Felix flew through the hole as water filled in the rest of the creature¡¯s stomach behind them. The flesh she had cut away patched over and regenerated in a few moments. They were seemingly safe inside the creature¡¯s body ¨C in a foul-smelling, fleshy pocket within its form. They were forced to crouch, Tinuriel was practically prone due to the small space. It must be some type of swim bladder like a fish. One that probably runs along the whole body. The golden circle was further above them through the flesh above. Felix gently probed the meat above him with his Wyrmtooth Knife ¨C but even as he slowly applied pressure, the knife didn¡¯t pierce. They couldn¡¯t rely on Tinuriel to do a large slash because of the enclosed space. And something this big would take forever to kill with the poison from the Wyrmtooth Knife. He reached into his inventory and pulled out the two remaining Orange Acid orbs from the last level of the Dungeon. Breathing was becoming difficult. Air Bubble. The light-green bubble pushed out into the space surrounding them and both him and Tinuriel could breathe easier. ¡°What¡¯s the plan?¡± ¡°I¡¯m thinking we slather this acid to weaken it, then I can try to saw through with my knife.¡± It¡¯s going to hurt, he thought. Tinuriel held out her hand, ¡°Give me the acid. I¡¯ll do it.¡± Felix nodded. It made sense; she had far more Health than he did. And enough Vigor to Regenerate any injury. He handed the two orbs to her and she turned around so that she was facing up towards the weak spot. She closed her eyes for a moment. "Bastion," she whispered.Stolen content warning: this tale belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences elsewhere. She pushed the acid orbs against the fleshy mass above and squeezed as the shell surrounding them cracked. The acid burned against the blue aura surrounding her, and she was able to spread the substance all across the fleshy mass above She scooted out of the way and Felix set to sawing away at the weakened mass with his Wyrmtooth Knife ¨C hoping that the poison would somehow also weaken the meat. Then, the whole space around them contracted and Felix felt himself crushed between the flesh he was carving at, and the flesh behind him. He couldn¡¯t move. Even though Air Bubble was creating air ¨C his lungs couldn¡¯t expand and take it in. Tinuriel was trying to push against the mass as well ¨C to no avail. The creature¡¯s muscles were too strong. She activated Deathless Juggernaut and Icy Shell. Tinuriel pushed her way up into a crouch ¨C somehow able to push back against the powerful muscle crushing them ¨C and alleviated the pressure. The tissue around them began to harden and slowly freeze, affixing it in place. She got over Felix and pushed the flesh up, repeating the feat as she looked down at him. Her eyes were completely ice-blue as the swirling torrent of snow and ice cascaded around her. ¡°What¡¯s the plan?¡± Felix wracked his brain. He was inside the creature. If the flesh of the creature was frozen, maybe he could chip away at it and make a gap. All he needed was small hole. If its bloodstream is close, all I need to do is get access. He knew enough from being around the hospital and his sister¡¯s nurses that he had heard horror stories ¨C mostly exaggerated ¨C about people suffering air embolisms when an air bubble got caught in the blood vessels. It can cause heart attacks. He stood up and grabbed Tinuriel¡¯s sword from her back sheath. Putting the hilt down on the surface below, he turned to her as he held it upright. ¡°I need you to stop freezing it. We¡¯ll let its own weight make the hole I need.¡± She nodded and the icy flurry vanished, her eyes returning to normal ¨C but the icy film surrounding her body remained. It was then that Felix also noticed a deep, almost imperceptible aura of blue-black emanating from her ¨C the Deathless Juggernaut effect. She crouched down and held the blade in place with him. And the flesh above thawed. The compression resumed, and the creature impaled itself onto the enormous sword. Now! Felix shoved his hand alongside the blade and into the groove. A gush of blue colored ichor splashed over him. Yes! A vein! Lucifer, pump all of my Vigor and keep feeding me Anima Elixirs to maintain the blast. Wind Beam. Vigor Conversion. And I¡¯m saving one Anima Elixir in reserve. Felix watched as his Anima bar drained, then, the Vigor bar emptied. Lucifer began popping Elixirs which were drained as well. He could feel the torrent of air pulsing out of his palm and into the bloodstream of the creature. But, given its size, he would have to pour an immense amount to have a chance of pulling this off. Tinuriel used an Anima Elixir as well and pushed her hand next to Felix¡¯s. She didn¡¯t use an Affinity effect. But, rather, just let her Affinity run unchecked and bleed out of her as he did when he showed off to those bird children a few days prior. Felix felt his hand grow numb from the cool air. Both were thrown backward and slammed to the ground as the creature writhed and flailed about. Tinuriel somehow had the wherewithal to pull the sword out of the creature as the last of her free-running Anima froze the hole over. Must have been enough to induce cardiac arrest. Now we just need to survive. Netherlight Sanctuary. [(A) Against Overwhelming Odds: Charge used.] Popping an Anima Elixir. This is the last one. The white-silver light enveloped him and Tinuriel, and created a sphere around the two, pushing against the flesh on either side. Felix focused his whole concentration on keeping it tense against the pressure of the creature¡¯s writhing and shifting musculature. He had to use the final charge of Against Overwhelming Odds as a minute passed. Not able to concentrate on anything else, he could only feel the urgency and anxiety build and build within his chest. He knew that he could use Health Conversion if necessary to keep it going¡­but he was loathe to harm himself unless absolutely necessary. The pressure let up and there was an odd deflation of the tension around them. ¡°Dungeon cleared!¡± The two were suddenly transported away from the inside of the creature.
They were standing in a dark cave. In front of them, a large chest appeared ¨C much larger and more ornate than any they had seen before. And next to it, a deep, cerulean-blue shard that looked like the Primal Shard that Felix assumed must be water themed. He held out his hand ¨C taking care not to touch it after hearing the history of what would happen from that Lich. [Crisis: Zephelam ¨C Determine the cause of the Great Flood ¨C Solved!] [You have earned a Multiversal Charge] [Experience Awarded = 100] He looked to the chest, then back to Tinuriel. ¡°You mind if we wait a little?¡± She nodded, sat down, set the sword to the side, and took a deep breath before sighing. She pulled off some of her armor pieces and laid down. Felix walked over and lay next to her. ¡°How¡¯d you figure out how to kill it?¡± She asked. ¡°I spent time around sick people. You pick up on some things by just being present and around people.¡± She turned to her side and looked at him. Her piercing, icy-blue eyes a welcome comfort after their ordeal. ¡°Were people distracted a lot in your ¡®Verse?¡± Felix nodded and pulled his smart phone from his inventory. ¡°These things consum-¡± ¡°Why would you keep that?!¡± Vicky¡¯s voice echoed around them. Felix glanced around, ¡°You¡¯re keeping tabs on us?¡± ¡°After the whole hacking the Dungeon thing, I¡¯ve been told to keep a closer eye on you. That thing is dangerous. It was present when you activated the Basilisk AI. It could have infected it and used it to hack the System. Since, you know, you are part of it. And your inventory is part of it, too.¡± Felix looked down at the device. He gripped it and snapped it in half with ease before crushing it between his palms and grinding it to dust. ¡°Done.¡± Vicky sighed with relief, ¡°Good. I¡¯ll run a full diagnostic on your Versewalker Core and your VBV just to make sure that nothing is wrong. That no traces of it are present on you. It still is in the same file in the System as you are ¨C so the chance of it hacking its way out of the time lock for a moment is still a possibility¡­just a unique danger you¡¯ll have to expect.¡± Felix nodded and sighed, ¡°Of course. More danger. More risk of death. Etcetera.¡± ¡°Diagnostic finished. No trace of the Basilisk AI in your VBV or System file. Except for it being related to you in the same file path ¨C but that¡¯s expected.¡± ¡°Thanks, Lucifer,¡± Vicky stated. ¡°Keep up the good work Felix. You¡¯re making great progress as a newer Versewalker. I¡¯ll be keeping an eye on you more closely but won¡¯t butt into your business.¡± ¡°Take care, Vicky,¡± Felix replied as the cavern went silent once more. Tinuriel sat up, ¡°Feeling up to looting?¡± Felix looked at his bars, ¡°A little longer.¡± Ch. 58 – Zephelam XII "For the Hoard!" Felix opened the chest and reached inside. [Loot Obtained] ¡¤ 20,000 VC ¡¤ Leviathan Dungeon Core (Ancient) ¡¤ Loot Forge Essence ¨C Sea Serpent ¡¤ Leviathan Hide ¡¤ Leviathan Tooth [Loot Bonus from For the Hoard!] ¡¤ 5,000 VC Felix looked to the cave exit as the chest vanished. He led the way out, following a winding, dark tunnel that ascended several hundred feet. The bright pinprick of light eventually came into view, and his dark vision shifted away as the two emerged onto a vast, muddy flatland. Looking up into the gorgeous sky, he breathed in a deep lungful of the crisp, clean air. The earthy scent of the fresh mud mixed with a pleasant breeze as he looked back to Tinuriel, her hair whipping in the wind. She looked around, ¡°This land is going to take a long time to recover.¡± Felix nodded, ¡°We still have a Crisis to solve. That floating city. Zesperia.¡± He looked at the vast emptiness in all directions, ¡°Just returning it to the surface here should solve it.¡± Tinuriel frowned, ¡°And what if they don¡¯t want to return?¡± ¡°That Priestess told us that they were not changed into bird-people. I bet they¡¯d love all this land to spread out on.¡± She shrugged, ¡°Lead the way.¡± Felix held up his hand, ¡°Detect Object,¡± focusing his intent on finding this floating city. The golden line shot out and off into the horizon. Tinuriel took off, flapping her wings and ascending upward. Felix launched himself up after her a moment later. Once they obtained some altitude they angled towards the line and followed it off into the distance.
Hours passed and the eternal daylight persisted. Eventually they tired and set down on one of the floating islands. A pleasant, bubbling spring formed a small pool that went over the edge and slowly cascaded over the edge. He laid down on the grass as Lucifer focused on opening the VBV. Tinuriel laid down next to him and wrapped an arm around him. It was odd, lying down with wings ¨C but they folded nicely behind him and weren¡¯t in the way. The clear, gorgeous skies above speckled with the floating islands and shimmering crystals made for an engaging view. Felix felt content. He was, for the first time in a long time, just at peace. No responsibilities like what he had in his home Universe. No pressing tasks requiring his attention. The VBV was being managed by other people, he had a gorgeous, strong woman by his side, and wanted for nothing. But¡­the lingering thought pushed forward in his mind and disturbed his peace. He knew that a monumental task lay before him. This Basilisk AI thing was able to hack through the Multiverse to try and hurt him. Try and hurt Tinuriel. He was certain it already had figured out everything about Penny, and as soon as Felix got back to his home Universe¡­he shuddered thinking what might happen when the time lock was released so he could, presumably, fix things. And the fact that the System was, indeed, something like a computer with files meant that ¨C to him with his limited understanding of computer files in the first place ¨C that the Basilisk AI could infiltrate the System itself. Who knows what damage that would cause? I¡¯ll be strong enough to beat it, by then. I¡¯ll have more Escorts along to help. And my help, as well. Felix chuckled and pushed himself into Tinuriel¡¯s grip, Yeah. I¡¯ve got you along for eternity.
The VBV opened and the two went inside. Thanks to the Functions already in place, his desire for food and drink went away, and he felt refreshed ¨C as if he had just had a long night¡¯s sleep. Felix went right to the Shop to restock.
[Items purchased] + Anima Elixir (x5) -2,500 VC [Monies Paid] -2,500 VC [Current Balance] = 25,500 VC
Tinuriel pushed him towards the house with a grin, ¡°Come on. Time to sleep.¡± ¡°There¡¯s a Function in place that makes that optional.¡± She shook her head, ¡°Not what I mean.¡± She grinned, and threw Felix over her shoulder, carrying him off.
After an amorous repast they resumed their flight through the skies of Zephelam. They continually ascended higher and higher as they flew past more villages perched upon the floating islands in the sky. As they continued their journey, they came across larger cities. Still filled with avian-humanoid creatures, but the coloration shifted and changed until instead of the tropical birds of paradise, they were amongst others who were colored more similarly to them. Several days passed as they would fly for a good, solid twenty hours, open the VBV, spend some time together, and then continue their flight. By the time six days had passed, they saw their destination. Below them was an enormous city. The best comparison Felix could make was that it was the size of Manhattan Island in New York. Large, piercing spires made from stone and metal arced upward from foundations of firm earth below. Large, spacious parks and lakes interspersed the urban sprawl. And people roamed about ¨C humans. Regular, average-looking people just like those Felix had encountered on Heficyre and back on his Earth. But there were few for the size of the city ¨C and they hurried from location to location like a mouse scurrying from safe corner to bolt hole. Why are people so similar despite being in different Universes? The System has a template that it provides to new creator deities. Humans are a pretty popular template. The two swooped over the city as Felix scanned down below for some trace or indication of a place of management. As they descended for a better look, he could make out people more accurately ¨C patchwork clothing and gaunt, pale features lent an appearance of utter destitution. ¡°What happened to them?¡± he asked aloud.Reading on Amazon or a pirate site? This novel is from Royal Road. Support the author by reading it there. ¡°Like that Priestess said ¨C their city has too much separating it and the shards. They never changed because of that. I¡¯d wager that they¡¯ve spent centuries on this singular, floating landmass.¡± Tinuriel frowned, ¡°I don¡¯t see any other flying people like us. The avian folk don¡¯t visit.¡± That didn¡¯t make much sense to Felix. This would be a lucrative form of trade. But then he recalled what the type of society was that the Priestess implied was the norm for those humanoid-avian folk. They were monastic and self-sufficient, having chosen to ascend to the skies. These people below¡­they didn¡¯t have a choice. He shook his head, ¡°I¡¯ll fix it. We¡¯ll get the city on the ground, and I¡¯ll use a Multiversal Charge to make a permanent portal.¡± Lifting those beneath you to greater heights of potential and pulling them up as you ascend ¨C you are taking so much after me. There was a deep sincerity in the tone that Felix picked up on. We do make one hell of a team. Felix spotted a large circle on a grassy lawn down below, placed right in front of a circular building. He saw a few other avian humanoids confined to that space, and he drifted down before landing. Tinuriel fluttered behind him before landing. ¡°Hi there. I¡¯m Felix, Versewalker.¡± The various avian folk looked up at him. They were stern-looking individuals with satchels and bags strapped to their bodies ¨C and weaponry. Light spears and blow guns. Makes sense, blow guns don¡¯t require any real arm movement. One of them looked him up and down, ¡°Here to trade?¡± Felix shook his head, ¡°No. Maybe you can direct me to someone in charge though.¡± The person who had spoken with him frowned and tutted, ¡°Tsk. No point. Stay on the landing area; they know not to try and steal from us while we are here.¡± ¡°What¡¯s in the building?¡± Tinuriel asked. ¡°It¡¯s their storehouse,¡± the avian replied. ¡°Be careful, they¡¯ve been cagey this week.¡± ¡°Why are you here?¡± Tinuriel asked. ¡°Tourism,¡± the avian replied with a laugh. ¡°I want to see how these poor sods get along with their pathetic lives.¡± Tinuriel frowned and walked up to him, standing to her full height, and dwarfing the small avian, ¡°Why don¡¯t you sod off?¡± The avian backed off and glanced at his peers before they flapped up and went away from the grassy circle. Felix walked forward ¨C exiting the grassy circle ¨C and up the steps to the circular building. The doors were open, and several gaunt and disheveled humans stared at him in a very bare-looking storehouse. There were five seated at a large table, and they all looked at him as he entered. ¡°I¡¯m Felix. Versewalker. Do you all have a leader of some kind?¡± Two of them, a young man and woman, glanced at each other before she stood up. ¡°Do you have food?¡± Felix pulled out all his Versewalker Rations and set them on the table. The five looked at each other before they grabbed one apiece, placing the other five in a crate. ¡°Our thanks, Versewalker.¡± Felix crossed his arms, ¡°No problem. Really. So, who¡¯s in charge?¡± The young man cleared his throat, ¡°We¡¯re a council.¡± Tinuriel shook her head, ¡°You¡¯re too young to rule. Unless you¡¯re long-lived.¡± The various young adults looked at each other with some type of emotion written across their faces. It took Felix a few minutes to discern what they were feeling. It was shame. Lucifer, switch my vision to that dark vision. Done. As his vision shifted to the red sight, he saw what lay in the darkness at the back of the room. There were dozens of skeletons ¨C several that were torn apart and still had meat and sinew on them. They¡­cannibalized each other. Felix felt a sickness overtaking him and he turned away, stifling back the need to vomit. He looked back at them, ¡°I see. Did they at least consent?¡± The young woman broke down in tears, and the young man nodded solemnly. ¡°The old sacrificed themselves so that we could survive.¡± ¡°How many in your city?¡± Tinuriel asked. ¡°We haven¡¯t done a census or anything, but the last time we had a town hall and¡­dispensed rations¡­about five hundred?¡± That number staggered Felix. A city this size should be able to house hundreds of thousands. ¡°How long has this city been floating?¡± Another man with swarthy, dark skin, spoke up, ¡°Two-Hundred years.¡± ¡°Can¡¯t you trade with the local bird folks? The Sunset Islanders?¡± Tinuriel asked, seemingly undisturbed by the cannibalism. ¡°They don¡¯t want anything we have. Can¡¯t give them something they don¡¯t want.¡± Felix sighed, ¡°I¡¯m sorry we couldn¡¯t be faster. I¡¯ve repelled the flood waters. The whole of Zephelam is muddy, but inhabitable again.¡± This elicited whispers from those at the table before he raised his hand, and they went silent. ¡°I intend to chip away at the shards supporting this city; slowly, piece by piece, to gently set it down on the surface.¡± The group of young people looked to each other before they raised overlapping voices: ¡°Is that safe?¡± ¡°What if we tilt too far one way?!¡± ¡°Even if we get down there, we have no way to survive.¡± The voices went silent, and everyone focused on Felix. ¡°I will return the city to the surface. Then, I¡¯ll provide you with an option for a better life. Tinuriel, mind sticking around and explaining the VBV while I go get this thing slow falling?¡± She nodded and put a hand on his shoulder, whispering to him, ¡°Good job.¡± He smiled and nodded to her as he went outside. He launched himself up and flapped to the edge of the chunk of earth before flying underneath and in a wide circle. It took several hours, but he chipped away bit by bit, here and there, with hardlight arrows until the city began a very gradual descent. It would take days for the city to reach the ground once more. Felix was troubled by the knowledge that people could have been saved if he had been faster. Tinuriel¡¯s apathy to their sudden revelation was something that he credited to her pragmatism and warrior culture. The weak gave themselves to the young for survival. It was cold, efficient, logical. He understood the reason for the decision, but if he had chosen to push himself harder¡­then maybe they could have arrived before that measure was taken. You can¡¯t be everywhere at once. You helped when you could. That doesn¡¯t help ease the guilt I do feel. I could have changed the time dilation in the VBV to speed up our rest and recovery rate. I could- Just¡­stop. Please, stop. Stop blaming yourself. They have free will. They made decisions and are dealing with the consequences of those decisions. If you want to feel sad, feel sad. But don¡¯t feel guilty. It¡¯s not your fault. Imagine if we had gone to that other ¡®Verse instead? Things would have been far worse by the time we got here. The rationalization made sense. Felix knew that Lucifer was right. He was doing so much to help people. Thousands of people. Over his¡­eternal life¡­he would help far more. I just need to keep the big picture in mind. Especially if Astragos is next. That place is about to have two empires clash, and have their own internal, civil conflicts. I don¡¯t know if you can handle a full-on war. Let alone internal conflicts which tend to be even bloodier. I don¡¯t know. Felix had been in violent situations, sure. He¡¯d killed people who deserved it ¨C like those assassins ¨C and he had been judicious with his use of violence. But going into a situation like what Lucifer described¡­bringing peaceful resolution would most likely not be an option. He would probably be choosing a side. Given his rogue skills and the fact that him and Tinuriel acted very well as a small squad¡­choosing a side would probably mean that he would be engaging in sabotage and rapid-strike missions. I¡¯m sure Tinuriel is capable of that type of stuff¡­but I don¡¯t know if I could be that callous. You don¡¯t have to kill anyone. Remember, you have that (P) Killing Intent Talent. So, you can keep your hands clean. That reminder brought Felix some comfort. He resumed his task with a renewed focus and made rapid work of the last few crystals. He returned to the grassy circle and went into the building. Tinuriel was sitting down, and the mood seemed somewhat jovial despite the circumstances. ¡°I told them about the VBV,¡± she said with a smile. ¡°They¡¯re going to round everyone up and we¡¯ll take them into the VBV until the city hits the ground.¡± The young council members stood up and bowed as a group. ¡°Thank you, Versewalker.¡± ¡°No problem.¡± Lucifer, mind opening a portal? I¡¯ve been waiting with it ready. The portal opened next to Felix. ¡°Give me a moment,¡± Felix said as he went inside. ¡°Lucifer, can you get a group of volunteers to spread throughout the city and bring people back here?¡± Lucifer split off from him and nodded, ¡°Will do.¡± He flew off. Felix poked his head out of the portal, ¡°Come on in. We¡¯ll deal with rounding the rest up.¡±
Days passed inside the VBV as the residents of Zesperia gathered inside and made themselves at home. Several declared their intent to remain inside the effective paradise, whilst others showed an interest in returning to their home and resettling. Felix ensured that supplies were stockpiled and ready to be sent through the VBV portal. Finally, the message he was waiting for popped into his vision. [Crisis: Zephelam ¨C Return the Floating City of Zesperia to the surface ¨C Solved!] [You have earned a Multiverse Charge] That was the signal, and he led the group of a little over three hundred back to their city. The landmass had settled back on the ground, and for the first time in centuries, the people of that Universe walked on the land of their ancestors. Felix used a Multiversal Charge and created a permanent portal in the council chamber and ensured that the elders who had sacrificed themselves so their progeny could survive were given proper burials. Hundreds of avian-humanoids had also been exploring the now-grounded city, and when he encountered them, Felix explained the VBV in brief terms. Within a few hours, word was spreading, and he had no doubt that there would be hundreds of new residents in the VBV. [Experience Awarded = 40] [Congratulations! You have reached the Experience threshold to level up! Speak with your Versewalker Core when you are ready to Choose your next Class.] Ch. 59 – Void Between ‘Verses ¡°Finally!¡± Felix let out a relieved sigh as he sank into the hot tub with a large, frothing mug of cold beer. Tinuriel hopped in next to him, a pony-keg perched on her shoulder as she settled into the warm liquid next to him. ¡°Time to enjoy life a bit,¡± she said as she held the spicket up to her mouth and guzzled several gulps of what smelled like moonshine and made Felix¡¯s nose wrinkle. Near immediately, her cheeks reddened, and she giggled, putting an arm around his neck. Lucifer chuckled across from them, sipping from his cup of red wine. ¡°We¡¯ve done a lot of good. Thousands in total from Zephelam are resettling into the VBV. All Crises in another ¡®Verse dealt with.¡± He took a sip and leaned back. ¡°The System is in a better place.¡± The sound of familiar voices echoed in the Recreation Room and Felix looked over to see Roy and Melanie, hand in hand, walking in their direction. ¡°Oh!¡± Melanie said as she held her towel tight around herself. ¡°We didn¡¯t know you were here tonight.¡± Felix gestured to the empty spaces, ¡°Come on! It¡¯s been a while since we¡¯ve all just¡­enjoyed life.¡± He took another swig of beer. Lucifer got out and left for a few minutes as Roy and Melanie joined the group. He returned a few moments later with much, much more alcohol. Soon the drinks were flowing, and camaraderie was in the air. Roy ¨C who was quite drunk ¨C looked over at Felix, ¡°You¡¯re doing a good job. But¡­we¡¯ve got problems to deal with.¡± Felix frowned and shook his head, ¡°No! No work tonight. We can just¡­leave it for tomorrow.¡± Roy chuckled and raised his glass, ¡°Right! Tonight is for celebration!¡± He looked at Melanie and smiled, the type of smile that only those who are madly in love share with one another. ¡°We¡¯re having our ceremony on Ethdellin in a few days.¡± Melanie giggled and looked at Felix with the same, madly-in-love grin. ¡°We want you to officiate it.¡± Felix felt a rush of emotions. He felt honored, a bit full of himself, but more than everything else ¨C anxiety. ¡°I¡­I¡¯ve never done something like-¡± ¡°Sure, he¡¯ll do it!¡± Tinuriel replied as she pulled Felix into her chest. ¡°He better! Or else I¡¯ll punish him!¡± She growled to him, ¡°I might punish you anyways¡­¡± Felix pulled himself away so he could breathe and laugh. He calmed down after a moment and turned to Melanie. ¡°I¡¯d be honored. But I¡¯ll need some help with the words.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll write them. I am quite skilled at wordsmithing.¡± Felix sank into Tinuriel¡¯s arms and finished off his drink. A little down time. Some Loot Forging, leveling up¡­and then to another ¡®Verse.
Melanie insisted that she purchase the two proper dress outfits for the celebration. Felix had been fitted for a suit before when he went to prom way back in High School ¨C when his grandpa gave him his old suit and took him to a tailor. It was nice being the focus of attention for fancy clothes he would have never dreamed of owning. Tinuriel, on the other hand, was completely out of her element. Every time a needle even came close to her skin to alter the fabric, she would lurch away out of instinct. It made for a tense and yet somewhat humorous afternoon. The wedding came day rather quickly. Felix felt underdressed compared to every other person present ¨C those of high nobility and fashion were immaculately dressed and adorned with gemstones that looked incredibly expensive. Tinuriel was stunning as he expected, wearing a very revealing dress with a large slit along the side showing off her legs, and every time he looked at her, he grinned like an idiot. Roy and Melanie had nothing but eyes for each other all throughout the ceremony in the throne room. He was dressed in his full Dark Lord armor, and she was the very definition of regal in her attire. The time for the vows eventually came. Felix walked up front. You ready? Oh yeah. Just let me take over. Felix thought about Lucifer taking over, and slowly he felt awareness of his body and sensation of his surroundings fading away, until he was able to just hear and see what was going on. Lucifer had taken control of his body temporarily. I can take control back at any time, he thought. Correct. You¡¯re still the captain of this ship. Let¡¯s not refer to my body as a boat. Felix heard the odd dissonance of his own voice as Lucifer ¨C using his mouth ¨C delivered a passionate and flawless sermon that was seemingly penned by a virtuoso in the realm of wordplay and speechcraft. It was amplified even more when he used a Class Skill. And the room became enraptured to the presentation. Okay, enough time in the spotlight. Get to the vows. Was just about to. Ahem. Felix only saw straight ahead but heard Roy speaking from his left and state very terse and courteous vows. Brief, but poignant. Did you help with that? I offered to help them both. Melanie didn¡¯t want my help. And soon enough, Felix heard why. Melanie had crafted an intricate poem as a wedding vow. Filled with words that Felix was not familiar with the meaning of ¨C the translated vocabulary escaping his lexicon. But it sounded sincere and passionate regardless of his interpretation. After a solid three minutes, the ceremony concluded, and a cheer was raised. And back to you. Felix felt himself in control of his body once more ¨C no longer just a passenger but in the pilot seat. He smiled at Tinuriel who was clapping louder than anyone else at the ceremony by nature of her massive Might stat. Roy and Melanie separated, and she turned to Felix, dipping her head as she curtsied. ¡°Thank you, Felix. Without you¡­this wouldn¡¯t have happened.¡± Felix chuckled, ¡°I¡¯m just happy to help.¡±
The afterparty went deep into the night. Tinuriel got absolutely wasted, so Felix dragged her back home into the VBV and the two slept well into midday. Hey.Stolen from Royal Road, this story should be reported if encountered on Amazon. Mmm¡­what? You going to spend all day lounging in bed? Maybe. Get up. We have ¡®Verses to fix. Fine. Felix pushed himself up and shook Tinuriel awake. Thanks to a VBV Function, any possible hangover did not affect them. Tinuriel went off to go see her sisters in the Forest City while Felix went down to the Crafting Station. I haven¡¯t used the Alchemy Lab in a while. I wonder what the Leviathan stuff can be used for. He went inside and placed the Leviathan Hide on the table, only for an error message to greet him. He tried the tooth and the same message appeared. Last, he placed the Primal Water-Shard. A recipe appeared in his vision. For something called an Endless Flask. He set to work following the instructions that appeared in his vision ¨C crushing the shard inside a special beaker before combining it with some powders that appeared in a cabinet just as the recipe called for them. After ten minutes he had a small, iron flask that could dispense an endless amount of water at varying rates of flow depending on how he turned the top. That¡¯s a valuable tool, Lucifer commented. Endless water? I agree. But also, dangerous if left uncapped and sitting somewhere ¨C that¡¯s how you flood the whole Universe. He walked over to the Loot Forge across the hallway. [You have placed a on the Loot Forge. Select one of the following options.] ¡¤ Waterwalk Treads ¡¤ Armor of Water Breathing Walking on water or upgrading armor. We can already breathe underwater with Air Bubble. Easy choice. He brought the hammer down and equipped the boots. [You have placed a on the Loot Forge. Select one of the following options.] ¡¤ Talisman of the Tides ¡¤ Tsunami Horn Either something that lets me control the ocean or summon tsunamis. Easy pick. He brought the hammer down and put the Talisman into his inventory. [You have placed a on the Loot Forge. Select one of the following options.] ¡¤ Sea Serpent Submarine ¡¤ > Felix clicked his tongue. Tough choice. I already know that I can store larger objects in the inventory, like the Glider from Heficyre. Can it store a full-sized submarine? Right now? No, the warehouse can only store one vehicle. But you could use a VBV Room to make a Vehicle Bay. Do that. Done. You have 1 Room remaining and 4 Functions remaining. Felix brought down the hammer as the Sea Serpent Submarine was added to his inventory. Okay. Now to look at this Leviathan Dungeon Core. Why not combine it with the Death Dungeon Core in the Core Transmorpher? Why not. Let¡¯s give it a whirl. Felix went to that portion of the Crafting Station and set the swirling, grey and blue orb onto the second pedestal. Small claws reached up and gripped it. He reached up and pushed the button on the pylon. The two orbs were lifted before the small claw-arms oriented towards each other. Then, they moved forward as the Dungeon Cores were fused in a flash of light that forced Felix to shut his eyes. As the brightness faded, he squinted at the new Dungeon Core that was held aloft by the two claws coming out of the pedestals. He picked it up, and felt the cold, rough exterior as something within lashed back and forth. Abyssal Dungeon Core. Sounds ominous. Felix took it to the Loot Forge and set it down. [You have placed an on the Loot Forge. Select one of the following options.] ¡¤ Abyssal Affinity ¡¤ Dagger of the Depths A dagger that drowns the person you stab it with. That¡¯s really messed up. And that Affinity¡­It¡¯s rated as Legendary by the System, but there¡¯s a warning as well. Here¡¯s what it says. Warning: Use of Abyssal Affinity Magic/Power Effects will always result in injuries or death, regardless of the Versewalker¡¯s Talents. Felix took the Dungeon Core and put it back into the Transmorpher. Maybe we can find something more¡­good to combine with it and make it safer to use. I don¡¯t want to kill if I don¡¯t have to. Hell, that¡¯s how I got those Talents in the first place. Ready to go level up? Yes. Can you get Tinuriel? Already on it.
The two met up at the Recreation Room and jumped into the pool. [Selection Made: Ascended Animancer] [This is your 5th level in this Class. You gain access to a new Class Skill] Finalize. [Selection Made: Rime Knight] The two got out, re-equipped their gear, and headed outside. Lucifer was waiting for them along with the newlywed Roy and Melanie, and Gina. ¡°We have a problem to solve,¡± Gina said as she gestured to the conference table. She led the way over and everyone sat down at their assigned seat. ¡°This mage tournament you want to organize needs a prize of some type.¡± ¡°Is traveling the Multiverse and gaining amazing powers from just being an Escort really not enticing enough?¡± Gina shook her head, ¡°To some? Yes. But several of the brightest and best mages ¨C Animancers I suppose as you call them ¨C are hesitant to venture into danger without compensation.¡± Felix frowned, ¡°That¡¯s understandable, but going into dangerous situations and solving Crises are what I ¨C we ¨C do.¡± He looked at Tinuriel and they shared the same, silent thought. He turned back to Gina, ¡°I don¡¯t want to take someone with us if they might flee at the first sign of real danger.¡± She sighed, ¡°I don¡¯t know how to resolve it then. If you really want the best candidate possible, they want some type of financial incentive.¡± Roy leaned forward as he let Melanie¡¯s hand go. ¡°Let me ask, Felix. Does a person even need prior training to be an Escort in your company?¡± ¡°Not that I¡¯m aware of,¡± Felix said. ¡°I can always designate a random person as an Escort to see what would happen.¡± Melanie raised her hand, ¡°Try me.¡± Felix nodded and focused on her. How does this work? You want to designate her as an Escort. It will last as long as you want it to. You sure? Yeah. This is just a test after all. Done. Melanie¡¯s face went slack as she stared ahead into space for several moments before shaking her head and coming back to her senses. ¡°That¡¯s a lot of information.¡± She looked to Roy, ¡°Yes, I¡¯m getting a weird message in my vision that is telling me to choose Classes.¡± Un-designate her. Done. Melanie blinked several times and glanced at Felix, ¡°Thank you. That was a bit overwhelming.¡± Felix turned back to Roy, ¡°Anyone can become an Animancer to fill the role.¡± Roy nodded, ¡°What advantages then, Gina, would an already established mage have over a regular person who was graced with these powers?¡± ¡°Mages would make the best Animancers simply because they understand how Mana¡­err, Anima ¨C works. Application and limitation.¡± ¡°That¡¯s a bit of a moot point,¡± Tinuriel said as she held her hand up and spent a single Anima to create an icy flurry in the air above them. ¡°I have a bar in my vision that tells me how much Anima I have left. And handy visual indicators as to how much each Magic/Power effect costs.¡± Gina frowned and crossed her arms, ¡°A mage works for decades to build up their control and power. They deserve this type of chance. A regular person shouldn¡¯t deserve this honor.¡± Roy frowned, ¡°Oh, so it¡¯s not truly about who is best suited to the role. It¡¯s about having a sense of entitlement because of work already done.¡± Melanie put a hand on Roy¡¯s arm, ¡°Peace. We aren¡¯t fighting one another over this. It¡¯s Felix¡¯s decision.¡± She looked at him. ¡°What do you think?¡± ¡°I¡¯d rather have someone that I know won¡¯t run and who will be loyal. I¡¯d offer the role to yourself or Roy, but you both have multiple obligations to fulfill.¡± He looked to Gina, ¡°I understand your position.¡± He sighed and pinched the bridge of his nose. ¡°Tell you what. Forget about it. The whole entire tournament affair.¡± He looked to Roy, ¡°I want you to tell all of those who have decided to train in the whole defense force you¡¯ve put together. And Gina, you¡¯ll do the same for any magi who have an interest beyond being paid.¡± ¡°Tell them what?¡± The two asked in unison. ¡°They are going to war.¡± Ch. 60 – Astragos I Roy grinned, ¡°With whom?¡± Felix looked at Tinuriel, ¡°There¡¯s that Vugog place on the Tier under Avelion, right?¡± She nodded, ¡°And it¡¯s full of violent cannibal tribes?¡± Another nod. ¡°Then any who are interested in becoming by next Versewalker Escort and filling an Animancer role are going to be put through the ringer.¡± He looked at Roy and Gina, ¡°Any who wants to volunteer will need to experience real combat firsthand. Roy, I know you¡¯ll keep them from dying with your powers. While you¡¯re doing that, Tinuriel and I will be in this new ¡®Verse ¨C Astragos ¨C and try to figure out the situation going on there.¡± Roy nodded and stood up, ¡°I¡¯ll send the word out right away.¡± Gina stayed seated and tented her hands in thought, ¡°I¡­I¡¯ll bring up your proposition. But I wouldn¡¯t expect many applicants.¡± Felix nodded, ¡°Roy, you¡¯ll monitor them as they fight on Vugog. Pick out the ten who either fare the best or are the most dedicated.¡± He turned to Melanie, ¡°I want you to put together a comprehensive interview for each of the candidates that Roy identifies. I¡¯m looking for someone who is devoted to the cause of fixing problems. They should be altruistic and morally conscientious, but also be able to do what needs to be done if called for. Make sure that they know during that interview that I can strip their powers at any time if they try to cross me or do something I don¡¯t approve of. That ought to dissuade some malefactors from signing up.¡± She nodded and bowed her head, ¡°Easily done. I can filter those ten down to the best options.¡± ¡°Perfect,¡± Felix said as he stood up. ¡°Then unless anyone else has something?¡± No one spoke up. ¡°Then this meeting is adjourned. My thanks for all you do.¡±
Lucifer merged with Felix as he and Tinuriel walked back to the Portal Room. He walked to one of the empty doorways. ¡°Alright Lucifer, do your thing.¡± ¡°Now arriving in ¡®Verse #548 ¨C Astragos.¡± Felix walked through the grey portal and onto the shore of a small lake. Felix looked around as Tinuriel hopped through behind them. Both looked relatively like how they appeared in the VBV ¨C but their equipment¡¯s look changed. It was more intricate, ornate, and decorated. Tinuriel¡¯s armor looked to be even more well-articulated and illustrated with thin-line depictions of some type of mytho-history. Her ears shifted to match Felix¡¯s, and she reached up to feel the change before pouting towards him. ¡°That¡¯s not fair.¡± Felix frowned and nodded slightly, empathizing with her. ¡°It¡¯s something the System thinks you need to fit in.¡± ¡°It¡¯s another small ¡®Verse that contains a single planetoid just like Zephelam.¡± She pulled her blade out and Felix checked his own gear ¨C they looked more¡­epic, for lack of a better term. And more advanced. Whereas Heimfold had relatively simple weaponry ¨C except for the higher Tiers ¨C these had their appearance altered to reflect smithies that had been perfecting their craft for hundreds of years. His Hardlight Recurve was missing, and he frantically looked all over until he spotted an odd, curved shape along his wrist. Feeling along the bracer, he found a small button and a wrist-mounted crossbow ¨C minus the bolt ¨C extended from the top of his wrist. A small device protruded into his palm, and as he pressed the trigger, the string drew back and a hardlight arrow manifested. Letting the odd trigger go, the bolt shot off over the lake before vanishing. ¡°Lucifer, what¡¯s the tech level like here?¡± He fiddled with the bracer once more and found another button which retracted the device. ¡°The equivalent in your ¡®Verse would be around .35 on that Kardashev Scale. Just about to hit the Scientific Age ¨C laws of motion and gravity, very basic firearms like muskets, the scientific method being established.¡± Then crossbows ¨C even folding ones ¨C wouldn¡¯t be out of the realm of possibility. Felix nodded, ¡°So not quite hitting the Industrial Revolution. And there¡¯s two empires?¡± ¡°Yes. Here¡¯s the basics¡­¡± Astragos was created by a pair of deities. A god of the earth and a goddess of the oceans. They made the world half terrestrial and half aquatic. They made their humans ¨C taking the template from the System ¨C capable of surviving both above and below water. This trait persisted to the current generations. They had several children who were known as the god-kings, and who set up a variety of kingdoms both under the oceans and on the land. The creator deities either died or left ¨C the System wasn¡¯t sure ¨C and those god-king descendants began to fight amongst themselves until two came out on top. They named their new empires after themselves, and those are the ones that came to a truce. One for the land, one for the ocean. ¡°¡­I¡¯ll pull up the Crisis log from the System.¡± [Crisis: Astragos - Several Options are available. Solving multiple Crises will result in extra Multiversal Charges.] [Note: Some Crises are mutually exclusive. Solving one option will negate all others.] 1. End the Unification War. A. Resolve in favor of the Monolith Empire B. Resolve in favor of the Coralith Empire ¡°Weren¡¯t there supposed to be civil wars also?¡± Tinuriel asked. ¡°We¡¯re too late for those. That¡¯s all been quashed and dealt with. All that¡¯s left is the Unification War.¡± Felix looked around and spotted a small puff of smoke trickling upward in the distance. ¡°Come on, let¡¯s see if we can gather more information.¡± He set off with Tinuriel right behind. To his surprise, she pulled an item out of the shared inventory space ¨C a small harp ¨C and she plucked a few strings¡­poorly. He must have winced at the sour note because she gave him a pouty face, ¡°At least I¡¯m trying to learn a new skill while we¡¯re traveling.¡±This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road. If you spot it on Amazon, please report it. Felix pulled up his hood and mask, ¡°And drawing attention.¡± She shrugged, ¡°I don¡¯t mind. We haven¡¯t had a good fight in a while.¡± The travel was pleasant, and Felix was able to take in the views that helped to distract him from the horrid string-plucking of his traveling companion. The lands they were traversing were the type of craggy coastline spotted by beaches that one could find on the West Coast of the United States back in his Universe. The salt-spray of the water crashing against the cliffs brought the familiar scent and taste of the ocean to his senses. It instantly took him back to fishing on the bay with his grandpa. Back when life was simple. Before the cancer took him away. He smiled fondly at the memory of catching his first fish; the feeling of pride and elation at doing something new¡­and being halfway decent at it. Just like being a Versewalker. Compared to other Versewalkers that were recruited around the same time? Yeah, you¡¯re miles ahead. There¡¯s a reason Vicky is paying attention to your reports. A lot of those other Versewalkers are just cowering in their VBV and doing simple Crisis events in low risk ¡®Verses. Hopefully that garners some respect from this System Admin who has it out for us. Doubtful. Not until we kill this Basilisk thing back in your home ¡®Verse. And we will. Tell me more about the level of contact you have with the System. The easiest way is to use some terms from your ¡®Verse. You¡¯re like a computer user. I¡¯m the computer, and the VBV is like a router you¡¯d connect that Wi-Fi stuff to. The VBV connects to the System, which is sort of like the ISP or NSP backbone. I think I get it. I give you instructions, you input those instructions to the VBV, which then fetches the information from the System. That¡¯s the basics of it. What do you know about the origins of the System? Not much. I just know that ¡®Verse #1 is the first one to breach the Multiverse, and that those people formed the System. What ¡®Verse are you from? I¡¯m from ¡®Verse #3. They¡¯re numbered in the order in which they were added to the System. That happens when either (A) the System finds that ¡®Verse, or (B) that ¡®Verse touches the System. Which is called ¡®Touching the Multiverse¡¯ by some. Why is my home ¡®Verse #5067? Was I not the first person to ¡®touch¡¯ the Multiverse? You are the first Versewalker from your home ¡®Verse, but someone else way back in your history managed to touch the System. I¡¯m, looking now¡­nope, that information is blocked off. That sucks. Felix sighed in disappointment. He looked back at Tinuriel who had paused her strumming of the strings and looked at him with concern. ¡°I¡¯m fine,¡± he replied to her silent question, waving away the concerned look.
Astragos had three suns that slowly rose overhead in the vermilion skies. The bright light made it difficult to see the smoke clouds, but eventually they arrived at a small hut on a hill. An orchard extended out to one side, a small vineyard across the hill on the opposite side, and an herb garden in the front. An older man and woman were sitting on their porch as Felix hailed them, ¡°Hi there! May we approach?¡± The old man turned around, ¡°Ghell! Visitors!¡± He sat down and smoked something from a pipe. A middle-aged man came out of the building. He had a large build and walked down the porch towards the two before stopping about ten feet away and crossing his arms. ¡°You¡¯re heavily armed. What do you want?¡± Felix put on the best customer-service smile and voice he could. ¡°Just asking for some information. Where are we?¡± The man was taken aback for a moment before he frowned, ¡°You¡¯re just screwing with me.¡± ¡°No, I assure you, I¡¯m not,¡± Felix replied. ¡°I¡¯m a Versewalker and just got here a few hours ago.¡± The man¡¯s eyes went wide. What did Versewalker translate to? What he heard was ¡®Archon.¡¯ Ghell knelt on one knee and dipped his head, ¡°Versewalker, you grace us with your visit. Please, come inside.¡± He stood up and ran back to the house, whispering to the two older folks who also stood up and bowed deeply. They went inside the house. Tinuriel glanced at Felix with a brow raised, ¡°Shall we?¡± She led the way inside. The building was cozy and well-lived in. The trio were busy setting the table up and bickering over what to serve Felix. ¡°Thank you for the hospitality, but really, I just need some information then I¡¯ll be on my way.¡± The trio paused what they were doing. The older woman gave him a gentle smile, ¡°If you insist. What do you want to know?¡± ¡°Where are we?¡± She looked at him confused for a moment before nodding, ¡°You¡¯re on the edge of the Monolith Empire. The Far Shores as it is called. Horace, don¡¯t we have an old map somewhere?¡± Horace nodded and went to a small shelf, pulling away several objects before lifting a small book that other items were sitting atop. He set it on the table and opened the book to the back. He grumbled out in a deep bass, ¡°This is a few decades old. Been in the family for generations. My eyes aren¡¯t what they used to be. Valerie?¡± The older woman smiled fondly at him and nodded, turning to Felix and Tinuriel as she showed them the map. It was a Mercator style map and showed a single, enormous, Pangea-like landmass. They were on the Southern edge of the continent marked as the Monolith Empire and were almost eight hundred miles away from the capital city of Foundation. A twenty-six-day journey on foot if we¡¯re going fast. Sixteen days by horseback¡­how do I know that? Oh, that¡¯s (P) Multiverse Adaptation at work. His gaze was drawn to the other side of the map. The whole rest of the world was covered in ocean, but there were borders marked out. ¡°What¡¯s this about over here? It¡¯s ocean, but there¡¯s borders marked.¡± Valerie nodded, ¡°That¡¯s the boundary of the Coralith Empire. That¡¯s where the sea floor drops off ¨C an enormous underwater cliff ¨C before you¡¯re on the lower plains. That¡¯s where the Coralith mark the edge of their territory.¡± ¡°Or at least they did,¡± Ghell commented as he came over with a few wooden cups full of watered-down wine. He handed them to Felix and Tinuriel, ¡°Empress Xadana ¨C the ruler of Coralith ¨C has been pushing hard to take over the Monolith Empire.¡± He shrugged his shoulders as he took a sip of his drink. ¡°We¡¯re so far off I doubt anything will affect us. But banditry has increased a bit in the heartlands as soldiers are pulled from patrols to the front.¡± Valerie nodded and returned to the map, putting her finger on the center line of water ¨C an enormous sand bar ¨C between the Monolith and Coralith borders. ¡°That¡¯s where Emperor Quarilon is setting up the defenses.¡± Horace coughed to interrupt before looking at Felix, ¡°You¡¯re going to get involved?¡± Felix nodded and gestured to Tinuriel, ¡°My Escort and I will be trying to fix this whole mess.¡± Horace grimaced, ¡°Fat chance of that. A few months ago? Maybe you could¡¯ve. But Quarilon¡¯s son was killed in a botched assassination attempt. I doubt you¡¯ll be able to get them to agree to peace.¡± I knew that already, Felix thought as he pulled up the Crisis log momentarily in his vision. One side must win. It was something he had been dreading and had already discussed with Lucifer and Tinuriel. He would have to choose a side. And, given my skill set, the best way to end this whole conflict without the deaths of thousands is if I cut off the head. It was the most pragmatic and logical way to go about it. But Felix still felt uncomfortable with it. He wouldn¡¯t be able to just knock them unconscious. You¡¯ve killed before. Remember, it¡¯s just one life weighed against possible millions. ¡°Which of these towns would be the best place to acquire horses?¡± Felix asked as he put aside the moral quandary for now. Ghell pointed to a small town to the North, ¡°Fielden is the closest place where you could purchase them.¡± He smiled, ¡°I¡¯m heading into town tomorrow with a load of goods for the market. I don¡¯t mind showing you the way.¡± Felix nodded and looked at Tinuriel. She shook her head, ¡°Sorry, that¡¯s a no,¡± she stated. ¡°If there¡¯s a war, speed is of the essence. You look strong ¨C but you wouldn¡¯t be able to keep up with our pace.¡± Ghell chuckled, ¡°Fair enough.¡± Felix stood up and pulled out 50 VC, setting it on the table as the coins shifted to some type of laminated cloth currency. ¡°Here, for your troubles.¡± The trio of farmhouse residents all went wide-eyed before profusely thanking him. They gave him a bottle of their wine, and the two set off down the small dirt path before traversing the open fields. Heading North. Towards empires at war. Ch. 61 – Astragos II Ghostwalk. Felix walked alongside Tinuriel, but thanks to the Class Skill that he could maintain indefinitely whilst outside of those Mega-Dungeons, he would always be noticed after she was. Her harp playing was slowly improving. Agonizingly so. By nightfall she had figured out how to strum a few simple chords as Lucifer provided instructions. They arrived at a walled town. The walls were only fifteen feet tall and made of mud blocks that had been dried and stacked. Better than nothing, but not a real fortification by any means. The gates were closed, and a few people walked on the walls above. Hellfire Wick. The black and crimson flame appeared just above Tinuriel and Felix willed it to hover in place there. She waved her hand, ¡°Hail!¡± The bobbing torches on the wall converged to just adjacent to the gate. A young woman dressed in oversized armor leaned over the edge of the wall, ¡°Who goes there?¡± ¡°Just a traveler,¡± Tinuriel replied. ¡°I¡¯m looking for a place to sleep.¡± The woman squinted her eyes, ¡°You don¡¯t look like a bandit. Alright, slowly come toward the gate.¡± Felix slinked off to the edge of the wall and waited for the doors to open as Tinuriel walked forward slowly. As soon as the trio of guards wielding pikes walked out toward Tinuriel, he slipped inside the town. ¡°You¡¯ve got a floating fire near you,¡± The woman guard stated as she approached Tinuriel with the pike extended. Tinuriel shrugged, ¡°Magic.¡± The guard nodded, ¡°Fair enough. Spark-touched folks are rare around these parts. Most move to the big cities.¡± ¡°That¡¯s where I¡¯m heading. I need to get to Foundation,¡± Tinuriel replied. A male guard chuckled, ¡°With that big sword, I¡¯m guessing you¡¯re going to join the war?¡± Tinuriel nodded, ¡°I haven¡¯t had a good fight in some time.¡± The guards ushered her in and directed her towards a shabby building with a lantern hung up in the front. Tinuriel headed that way, and Felix joined her, dropping Ghostwalk and Hellfire Wick once they entered the building. It was a small tavern with a single hearth, a small bar, and several people sleeping on hay mats upon the ground. A teenage girl was standing behind the bar reading some type of book before looking up. She smiled and waved them over. Felix got closer and the girl whispered, ¡°Welcome to the Tavern. Looking for a place to sleep?¡± Felix shook his head, ¡°We need to buy horses.¡± The girl frowned, ¡°The stables are closed right now.¡± Tinuriel sat at the bar, ¡°Bring me the strongest alcohol you have.¡± The girl nodded and vanished to a back room for a few moments before coming back with a dark liquor bottle, putting it on the counter. The girl went to grab some glasses, but Tinuriel shook her head and drank straight from the bottle. After chugging a few mouthfuls, she stared at the young woman. ¡°What can you tell me about these bandits?¡± she asked. The girl leaned forward on the bar, ¡°I¡¯ve heard that they¡¯re scouts from the Coralith Empire who are trying to infiltrate and burn down the farmlands.¡± She shook her head, ¡°But I¡¯ve also heard that it¡¯s just some folks from the mountains to the West who fell on hard times.¡± Felix¡¯s attention was drawn away from the conversation as he felt like he was being watched. Scanning the room, he saw one of the figures that was seemingly asleep ¨C one partially propped up in the corner ¨C whose eyes were covered by his hood. Felix stared at the person, and after watching for several moments, saw the glint of their eyes as they adjusted the hood. Felix left the bar and gingerly made his way to the man, squatting down next to him. ¡°Why are you staring at me?¡± Felix asked. The man looked up at him, ¡°You¡¯re dressed too pretty for these parts,¡± he muttered. ¡°You¡¯ll draw attention like that.¡± Better to play along and see what this guy is about. Time for some subterfuge. Felix nodded and pulled his hood and mask down, ¡°Fair enough. Do you have anything to report?¡± The man frowned, ¡°Password?¡± Querying System¡­Try saying ¡®Coralus is in bloom.¡¯ It¡¯s a code that entered their history books centuries ago. ¡°Coralus is in bloom,¡± Felix whispered. The man¡¯s eyes went wide, ¡°That¡¯s an old one, but it checks out. How long have you been operating here?¡± How long should I say? Looks like there¡¯s been skirmishes for hundreds of years. So, take your pick. ¡°Ten years.¡± The man nodded, ¡°Our dead drop is outside of town. The well to the West. Third brick from the left. I¡¯ll leave my report there.¡± He waved his hand, ¡°Her will be done.¡±The author''s tale has been misappropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon. Felix nodded, ¡°Her will be done.¡± He made his way back to Tinuriel and pulled the hood and mask back up. He stood on his tiptoes and whispered to her, ¡°We need to talk outside.¡± Tinuriel nodded, finished off the bottle, pulled 10 VC from the inventory, placed the cloth-laminate currency on the counter, headed outside, and went around the back side of the building. ¡°What did you find out?¡± ¡°The Coralith Empire has agents here. I tricked one of them. We¡¯ll get horses tomorrow, and check the dead drop outside of town.¡± She nodded, ¡°Let¡¯s hope nothing happens between now and then that could scare this agent off.¡± The two sat down as Felix focused on opening the VBV.
Felix¡¯s concentration was broken, and Lucifer took over focusing on the VBV entrance. There was a loud crunch noise and a muted scream from one of the gates. Ghostwalk. Undetectable Step. Tinuriel stood up and unsheathed her sword. Felix followed her as she ran to the front gate. She clambered up the ladder and Felix climbed up after her. Near-instantly, she was attacked by a figure dressed in ragged clothing with a sack-cloth bag over their head with eye holes carved out. They looked emaciated and desperate, swinging some type of meat cleaver at Tinuriel. She raised her bracer and caught the knife before whipping her sword around with preternatural speed ¨C empowered by her incredible Might stat ¨C and chopped the person in half. Felix looked around and couldn¡¯t see any of the guards from earlier still standing ¨C but he heard faint clangs in the distance. Why leave your post to investigate some noise in the dark? He jumped off the wall, rolled with his landing, and sprinted towards the noise. He came across the two remaining guards ¨C the young woman and a middle-aged man ¨C who were surrounded by more sackcloth covered figures. Felix walked up behind each of the bandits, and using his Wyrmtooth Knife, stabbed into the base of their necks as they collapsed from the damage. Thanks to his (P) Killing Intent Talent, they were rendered unconscious. He deactivated his stealth Skills. [Experience Awarded: 10] Hellfire Wick. "You¡¯re¡­coming with us!¡± Felix sheathed his knife, ¡°I just saved you lot. Now help me tie these guys up.¡± He picked up one bandit in each arm, heading over to the walls. Tinuriel jumped down and frowned, ¡°This wasn¡¯t even fun. Just annoying.¡± She looked past him at the two guards who were cautiously following Felix ¨C dragging the other two bandits behind them. ¡°I see you two met my companion.¡± The young woman frowned, ¡°You came to town alone.¡± Tinuriel laughed before becoming serious once more, ¡°You never give away your advantage in a military situation. You shouldn¡¯t have left the walls.¡± The other guard frowned, ¡°Did you find Harry?¡± Tinuriel shook her head, ¡°No, but I¡¯d bet he¡¯s dead.¡± The two guards deflated at that. Tinuriel walked over to the gate and kicked it open with an enormous crash that surely woke up everyone in the town. She instructed the guards and Felix in tying the brigands up. She smacked one of the brigands until he groggily opened his eyes and began asking him questions. Felix didn¡¯t focus much on the interrogation ¨C instead, his eyes were watching the crowd that had gathered ¨C disturbed from their sleep by the raucous noise. The man that was watching Felix in the inn was slinking off through the gates behind him, and he followed the man ¨C catching up easily. ¡°Just give me the report instead of the dead-drop.¡± The man turned to him and nodded, handing Felix a small conch shell that he pocketed. ¡°Her will be done.¡± The agent continued off into the darkness. Felix went back to the town center as Tinuriel finished her interrogation. ¡°What did you find out?¡± Tinuriel frowned, ¡°Just some starving folk who suffered a poor winter. Nothing to trade, so they resorted to stealing and killing to survive.¡± Felix looked at the young woman guard, ¡°Since the town seems awake ¨C who owns the stables?¡± She pointed to an older woman and a teenage boy, and Felix went over to them. ¡°I need to buy horses. Four of the fastest and strongest you have.¡± The woman wiped the sleep from her eyes, ¡°Now?¡± Felix nodded, ¡°Now.¡± She led the way to the stables just on the Northern edge of the town but still inside the walls. Her and her son set up everything for the two. Felix paid 400 VC ¨C way more than the asking price ¨C and they set off through the Northern gates. Felix¡¯s Hellfire Wick lit the dirt road - so the horses could see - as they traveled towards Foundation, the Capital of the Monolith Empire. He put the conch shell up to his ear and after a few seconds heard the agent¡¯s voice ¨C an audio recording. ¡°This is Agent Staghorn. You¡¯ve been here for a long time on what I assume is a deep cover mission. My mission, and that of other agents, was to go to the south of the Monolith Empire and investigate the food situation. Foundation is supplied by farmlands closer to the capital ¨C but those farmers have been levied for war. That means The Far Shores are going to be vital soon enough. We¡¯re going to destabilize the region¡¯s food income, masquerading as bandits. If you want to join, come to the Safehouse. North of the town, take a right at the crooked elm tree. We¡¯ll spot you.¡± He put the conch shell into his inventory. Felix relayed the message to Tinuriel. ¡°What do you suggest?¡± he asked his military veteran companion. Tinuriel pondered for several moments. ¡°If you help them, you¡¯re effectively declaring for this Coralith Empire. If we stop them, then we are declaring for the Monolith Empire. We could just ignore the situation and continue to Foundation to gather more information.¡± ¡°Lucifer? What would you do?¡± ¡°More information is better. People will suffer if these agents do what they¡¯re planning to do, but we could prevent more suffering if we get to the heart of the issue.¡± Felix nodded and spurred the horse onward, ¡°Then we ignore it.¡± A small mote of guilt tugged at his consciousness knowing that he could spare people from suffering ¨C but Lucifer was right. He could solve the whole Crisis and prevent even more suffering. He stomached the guilt, and they rode into the night.
Rotating the horses they made excellent time, the miles passing by at a rapid pace. They rode through the night and partway into the next day before they went into the VBV to take a breather. After resting up they exited the VBV and kept their pace. On the third day of travel from Fielden they slowed their pace as they left dirt roads and progressed to a more official-looking trade road. Men and women dressed in breastplates and chainmail, wielding weapons, waved for the two to stop as they approached. Felix complied and sat with his hands crossed on the saddle horn. ¡°Travelers! Where do you go?¡± Felix waved, ¡°Foundation.¡± The lead soldier rode forward on a horse and stopped it a few feet from Felix, ¡°For what purpose?¡± ¡°I¡¯m a Versewalker.¡± The soldier¡¯s face went pale. ¡°A¡­no, it can¡¯t be.¡± Tinuriel slowly put her hand to her sword, ¡°Felix¡­¡± He glanced at her before looking back to the group of soldiers who were preparing weapons. The soldier that had ridden up slowly unsheathed their blade. ¡°By the order of his majesty, Emperor Quarilon, I¡¯m placing you under arrest.¡± Ch. 62 – Astragos III Why are they this hostile? I just used my title- I queried the System. The last Archon ¨C the closest word that translates from Versewalker ¨C is the title of a powerful mage-warrior. The last Archon in the System¡¯s record is the guy who murdered Emperor Quarilon¡¯s son instead of the emperor himself. Shit. Felix shook his head, ¡°Look, I¡¯m not that guy. I¡¯m a new Versewalker. I just got here!¡± He leaned back as the soldier¡¯s sword swung towards him ¨C and missed by a few inches. ¡°Hey!¡± Tinuriel rode up and battered the man¡¯s sword away with ease before turning the flat of her blade to smack the horse¡¯s rump ¨C sending it off in a full tilt. She turned to the rest of the soldiers¡¯ leveled spears. ¡°Felix is not the Versewalker responsible. If you desire a fight¡­Icy Shell." The frost aura spread from around her ¨C not harming Felix or their horses ¨C but causing the guard¡¯s steeds to back away and turn from the biting frost. ¡°¡­I will be more than happy to slay you all.¡± Let¡¯s follow this up with a new Necromancy Magic/Power Effect. Something that instills fear. Coming up. You¡¯ll need to do Affinity Amplification at the same time though. Done. Spectral, smokey-gray skulls that only him and Tinuriel could see flooded out from Felix¡¯s palm and impacted each of the soldiers. The Magic/Power effect, combined with Tinuriel¡¯s intimidation tactic sent the whole group fleeing down the road ¨C heading South. Tinuriel looked over to Felix and frowned, ¡°I was hoping for a fight.¡± Felix turned his steed North, ¡°Let¡¯s wait until we figure out which side we want to fight for.¡± The soldier who had been sent running by Tinuriel¡¯s sword blow rode off to their side ¨C heading South towards his fleeing allies. One glance at the still frost imbued Tinuriel was enough to keep him from trying anything. Felix spurred his horse faster and the two sped off along the established road.
They passed a road sign that named the town they were entering the boundaries of ¨C Farshire. Rolling farmlands passed by the two as they sped past various farmers heading out of the town, night close to falling. Ghostwalk. They got into the city itself with ease. Unlike Fielden, there were no walls. Instead, there was a large garrison and several guard towers placed around the perimeter of the stone buildings that marked the center of the town. Felix kept his hood and mask up, and Tinuriel threw on a large cloak that masked her features. They didn¡¯t need to stop, but Felix was hoping to gather more information about the events leading up to the war. Thankfully, being just after sundown, the tavern was packed and the two could converse with several of the townsfolk. A few drinks here, a few Verse Coins there, and hours later they reconvened near the stables to share what they had learned. Emperor Quarilon and Empress Xadana were distant, distant cousins ¨C both descended from the creator deities and line of demigod-kings and queens. They had been scheming against each other since they took their respective thrones and have attempted usurpation by attempting to vassalize the various kings, queens, and other nobles that composed many of the kingdoms under each empire¡¯s purview. That was the cause of the civil wars within both empires that Tinuriel and Felix were too late to intervene in. Since that inner strife was solved, the two empires were able to determine the guilty parties. It escalated to full blown war when an assassin ¨C presumably sent by the Coralith Empire ¨C tried to kill Emperor Quarilon. But they failed in the attempt and killed his son instead. Felix shook his head, ¡°One thing I don¡¯t understand is why they were even trying to usurp each other in the first place. Most countries went to war in these medieval eras because of either land disputes, religious conflicts, or resources. It didn¡¯t sound like any of those apply here.¡± Tinuriel finished brushing down her first horse before moving to the second one, ¡°They are both descendants of deities. They have a desire to own what the other has ¨C that much is obvious from the incited civil turmoil ¨C but they could be riling up their citizenry by invoking their status as the closest things to gods that exist here.¡± Felix finished saddling his horse and nodded, ¡°That makes sense. Demonizing the enemy is something that is easy enough to do.¡± Tinuriel stopped caring for the horse and turned to the doors to the stables, pulling out Valiant Edge, ¡°Armored people. Outside.¡± Felix turned around. He hadn¡¯t heard anything but knew to trust Tinuriel¡¯s hearing. Ghostwalk. Undetectable Step. He hid inside of a stall and readied his mounted crossbow ¨C the arms snapping out from the bracer as the trigger expanded into his palm. There was an enormous crash and boom as a blast of some type of magic/power effect blew apart the door. Wind Wall! This story originates from Royal Road. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there. Felix gestured with his free hand as the light-green and gold-flecked wind sprang up, blocking shrapnel from the shattered wood. ¡°Versewalker! You¡¯re wanted for the murder of Thaskel, son of the emperor and the assault of several soldiers. Submit yourself to arrest, and we will transport you to Foundation to face judgement.¡± Felix walked out of the stall, through the wind wall, past the arrayed soldiers outside, and walked up next to the man who was shouting. He was dressed in fine leather armor with a deep, burgundy cloak. His skin was quite unique ¨C it appeared to be covered with or at least partly stone, and his eyes glittered like ruby gemstones. Thanks to Felix¡¯s Skills, he was completely unnoticed. This is a broken combo and I love it. Vital Strike - Death Strike. He pulled out the Wyrmtooth Knife and stabbed the man who was speaking in the base of the skull. Silently, he started to collapse before the wound healed over; his death prevented by (P) Killing Intent. Felix grabbed him before he fell all the way and dragged him away from his friends. Glancing back, he saw Tinuriel ¨C using the wind wall as cover ¨C sneak the horses out the back of the stables. They had discussed not getting into fights in the towns they went through if possible. And now, to make a distraction so we can get away. On it. Netherlight Wall should do the trick. The wall sprang up far across from the stables, and it immediately drew the attention of the soldiers. They ran over to the wall and went through it ¨C smacking face-first into the side of a building. Felix lifted the unconscious man in a fireman carry and met Tinuriel outside of the town. ¡°Look what I got,¡± he stated as he threw the unconscious man over Tinuriel¡¯s saddle. She nodded, ¡°Let¡¯s go. We¡¯ll get some distance before we interrogate this one.¡± Felix threw his leg over his horse and the two set off into the night. [Experience Awarded = 15]
A few hours and many miles later, Felix opened the VBV, and they dragged their victim inside. Lucifer exited Felix and went to get some rope, and within a few minutes they had tied the man to a chair. Felix poured some water on his head, and he roused, letting out a groan as his head lolled on his shoulders for a moment. "Heal." Felix touched the man¡¯s shoulder and a burst of pink and purple flower petals flourished from his palm. The man¡¯s eyes cleared, and he sat upright, scowling. Felix backed away and stood in front of him, ¡°Hi there. I¡¯m Felix, a Versewalker. Mind telling me your name?¡± The man looked around, bewildered for several moments as the VBV Function filled him with knowledge of the Multiverse and how the VBV operated. He chuckled and hung his head low, ¡°My apologies. I just received a flood of information. You aren¡¯t the one that assassinated Thaskel. I see that now.¡± His voice was gravely but optimistic and filled with some vibrance. It reminded Felix of Melanie ¨C upbeat and perky. Tinuriel nodded, ¡°Name?¡± ¡°I¡¯m Reth. I serve the Monolith Empire as a member of The Vigilant Gaze, the empire¡¯s intelligence network. We had received reports of Coralith Empire agents in The Far Shores, and that combined with the report of a hostile agent in the area¡­well, you can understand our mix up.¡± Felix nodded and untied the man, ¡°Now that we¡¯ve cleared that up, would you be willing to travel with us to Foundation? You know, help prevent any of these misunderstandings along the way.¡± Reth¡¯s eyes went wide, ¡°But¡­your type stick together, right?¡± ¡°Right, this is confusing sometimes with the whole translation thing.¡± Lucifer pulled a pen and notepad from a small pouch on his hip and drew two comically simplistic stick figures. He pointed to the one on the left, ¡°This is a Versewalker. They travel the Multiverse solving Crises in various ¡®Verses.¡± He pointed at the other one, ¡°This is an Archon. In your ¡®Verse, they are extremely powerful Magic/Power users, and are normally very experienced in combat.¡± He put the stick-figure drawing down. ¡°That¡­makes sense,¡± Reth stated. ¡°So, there is only one Versewalker involved in Astragos¡¯ affairs.¡± ¡°Correct,¡± Felix said as Lucifer nodded. ¡°And the Crisis that I have to solve is ending this Unification War. But I can only do that by resolving the conflict in favor of one empire.¡± Reth nodded sagely and stood up, ¡°Then I must convince you to help our cause. How long until we can return and travel? I can ensure safe passage to Foundation.¡± Felix looked at Tinuriel. She gave him a look that he had come to learn meant, ¡®I want us time.¡¯ ¡°Give us a few hours to rest.¡± Reth bowed at the waist slightly before standing, ¡°I will avail myself of your guest quarters.¡± Tinuriel walked behind Felix and pushed him inside his house once he opened the door. She pushed him against the wall and growled in his ear, ¡°I haven¡¯t fought anything in days. Don¡¯t hold back. Be aggressive.¡±
After a few restless hours of amorous activity, the duo geared up and met Lucifer and Reth outside. Lucifer re-merged with Felix, which earned a mutter of astonishment from the imperial agent. They led the horses back through the portal and lent one of the spares to Reth. He led them North along the road, and they rode for Foundation. Several times along the way they were stopped by patrols of soldiers, but a quick flash of some emblem from Reth let them pass without event. Days blurred together as the tight-lipped agent did not engage in much of any conversation, leaving an air of mystery around him. Tinuriel kept practicing her small harp as they continued their way, and she was progressing rapidly. It astonished Felix, quite frankly, having never been instrumentally inclined himself. He didn¡¯t know if it was because she was just a natural savant, or if elves had some other unique features that he was not aware of yet. Felix¡¯s mind had the chance to wander as the rolling green and brown grasslands sped by and began to blur together. He felt as if he had no choice in this ¡®Verse. No chance to explore either empire and determine which was the more¡­morally right side to fight for. If I don¡¯t feel comfortable with it, I could just leave. I doubt the System Admin would be happy with that. You¡¯re not supposed to leave Crises unsolved. It¡¯s a war. Eventually it will end. Possibly. Or perhaps it will be eternal and endless conflict until another Versewalker fixes it. We¡¯re being guided by an agent of their intelligence network, to their capital. It feels like I¡¯m going to be expected if not outright forced to work in their interests. You could always just say some hollow promises and then travel to this Coralith Empire to learn about them. That¡¯s a logical way to go about it. Reth pulled his horse to a stop, prompting Felix and Tinuriel to follow. ¡°Something is not right,¡± he muttered as he stood up in the saddle, looking at a squadron of soldiers that were walking ahead of them. ¡°Those aren¡¯t our men. They aren¡¯t in formation.¡± Detect Hostiles. Ghostwalk. The golden pulse went out for three-hundred feet in all directions, and Felix saw the golden aura surround the group of soldiers up ahead, as well as several more off to the sides of the road. That¡¯s not good. Tinuriel dismounted, ¡°Felix, off the horse.¡± He complied, and she loosely tied the two horses to a tree. Reth followed suit, and they did the same with their spare mount. The golden auras slowly continued onward. Tinuriel turned to the two, ¡°I¡¯ll get in the middle of them. Felix, deal with the ones shadowing on the sides of the road.¡± Reth reached into sleeve and pulled out a slim, metal rod. Sparks ignited from the tip, ¡°Once you have their attention, I¡¯ll blast them.¡± Tinuriel nodded and activated her Ring of Temporary Invisibility, running down the road ¨C heard but unseen. Undetectable Step. Felix vanished and shadowed Tinuriel ¨C whom he could barely make out from the small puffs of dirt on the ground. Glancing back, he saw Reth walking calmly down the center of the path. The agent raised his small rod. An explosion rocked the sky above. Ch. 63 – Astragos IV Reth¡¯s small rod sparked with crimson blaze as he lowered it. All the soldiers on the road turned at the immense noise and shockwave. Reth bowed, ¡°It is a lovely day for an avalanche.¡± None spoke in response, and he laughed. ¡°You don¡¯t know the pass code? Shame.¡± He leveled the rod as more sparks gathered in the tip. The group of soldiers ran forward ¨C armored in breastplates and chainmail and wielding long glaives. They ran down the road¡­and right into Tinuriel, who had activated several abilities back-to-back. Bastion , Deathless Juggernaut, Icy Shell, Execution , Eviscerator , Obliterate. The invisibility faded ¨C her ring only allowing for a short burst that caused her to be revealed if she acted. To her foes, a large woman wielding a sword that was their height appeared; ice and frost billowing around her. Her skin and armor covered in a slightly reflective sheen of light-blue, and her weapon crackling with neon-blue power that dripped water and viscous acid. Most imposing of all was the blue flame-like aura that licked from her skin. She swung her blade in an enormous arc ¨C carving through three of the enemies in a single blow. This was followed by a burst of water that slashed in the same location, carving into the soldiers that were charging behind their friends and couldn¡¯t stop in time. And then those six who died near-instantly to the incredibly powerful blow exploded in a rain of viscous, light-blue acid that caused screaming and panic amongst the soldier¡¯s ranks as it seared and sizzled on their flesh. Felix kept to his strength, silently slinking towards one of the hidden targets that was shadowing the road. Lucifer, combo with me. Detect Weakness. Affinity Amplification. The golden targeting circles appeared on every foe that was limned by Detect Hostiles. Felix held his Wyrmtooth knife in his right hand, and in his left had his bow ready and primed. He came upon the first of the ambushers ¨C a person dressed in some type of medieval ghillie suit that blended well with the field around them. They were standing up and leveling some type of harpoon gun combined with an arbalest at Tinuriel, and they pulled the trigger. Felix barely tracked the enormous bolt that rocketed at Tinuriel and bounced off her temporary health barrier covering her body. He glanced back and saw the first instance of reflected damage ¨C and the result was gruesome. The person whom he was about to stab went flying backward as if they were struck by the harpoon. An enormous hole was punched through their chest, and they lay still. Felix moved to the next target and plunged his knife into a weak spot between the shoulder and neck. They collapsed to the ground. Reth pointed the rod at the cluster Tinuriel was engaged with and shouted something that Felix couldn¡¯t make out from this distance. He saw several red beams spiral outward ¨C some type of fire Magic/Power effect ¨C and impact the soldiers that were beginning to flank Tinuriel. He dove prone a moment later as a harpoon went sailing overhead ¨C shot from the opposite side of the road from Felix. I need to deal with the ranged units. And Tinuriel¡¯s not in any real danger. He looked at the floating circles on the side of the road with him and the opposite side. Seven. Felix deactivated the wrist bow and held both of his knives point down. Dragon Dance. In a golden blur that left afterimages, he dashed to the three on his side of the road and quickly dispatched the harpooners who were each taking aim. They fell swiftly and silently. Just as quickly, he flashed across the road and to each of the other individuals. The last one ¨C despite his (P) Chain Kill having ramped up ¨C was not injured as some type of bubble popped into place. It looked very similar to a soap bubble, but Felix¡¯s strike slid off of it. Their skin was odd ¨C just like Reth¡¯s rocky skin, but instead of earthen tones, they were a brackish-blue coral. The person turned to him ¨C but did not see him thanks to his Ghostwalk and Undetectable Step. They crackled with blue energy and Felix instinctively jumped away. An explosion of water and razor-sharp coral cascaded out from the person. Felix crossed his arms in front of himself as he was thrown back and tumbled end over end as he crunched into the ground and felt the coral pierce his skin. The tumbling and velocity of being thrown back was where the most pain hit him ¨C he felt bones snapping and let out a yelp of pain. ¡°Felix!¡± Tinuriel shouted, having a view of his bars in her own vision. She roared out a battle cry and carved away at the remaining soldiers in front of her before turning to and charging at the one who exploded in coral. "Die!" she shouted as she used Obliterate.If you come across this story on Amazon, it''s taken without permission from the author. Report it. She sliced down and cleaved the person in half from crown to crotch as they split in twain. She ran over to Felix. He coughed up some blood, trying to speak but unable to form any words as he struggled to inhale past the viscous liquid as something filled his chest cavity. Regenerate. I¡¯m also using Anima to Heal. Felix¡¯s bones snapped back into place, and he rolled over, coughing the blood out of his lungs and taking deep breaths. Tinuriel patted him firmly on the back as he coughed out the last of the ichor. ¡°Thanks hon,¡± he muttered. [Experience Awarded = 25] [Experience Bonus from Execution alike Stacking Skills = 10] ¡°First time you¡¯ve used a pet name with me,¡± Tinuriel commented wryly with an eyebrow raised. Felix blushed slightly, ¡°Sorry.¡± ¡°It¡¯s fine. If you¡¯re going to use a pet name, make it strong. ¡®Hon¡¯ is too weak.¡± Felix chuckled as she helped him up, ¡°Reth! You okay?!¡± He shouted. ¡°All good!¡± The chipper, gravelly voice responded. ¡°Lots of corpses to gather together and check over for intel.¡± Felix directed Tinuriel to grab the bodies on this side of the road, as he crossed over and grabbed the others. There was a total of six unconscious soldiers that they tied up in the middle of the road ¨C and a heap of bodies. ¡°Give me a moment.¡± Lucifer, how does Vim and Vigor work? I know it drains my Health, but what¡¯s the physical effect of that? You¡¯ll feel lethargic and winded. The closest I¡¯d approximate it to is gradual blood loss. Right. Well, let¡¯s do that for 30 Vigor so that I can use For the Hoard! He felt winded and his eyelids fluttered slightly. The golden flash emanated from his palm. [Loot Obtained] ¡¤ Encrypted Orders [Loot Bonus from Execution alike Stacking Skills] ¡¤ Local Currency: Converted to 460 VC [Loot Bonus from For the Hoard!] ¡¤ 346 VC Lucifer instantly sold some of the gear. [Loot Sold] - Various Soldier/Infiltrator gear + 1000 VC [Monies Dispensed] = 1000 VC [Current Balance] = 28597 VC Felix handed the document with encrypted information to Reth. He glanced at it before frowning, ¡°Damn. They have a new code.¡± Felix pulled the Spy Conch shell out of his inventory and handed it to Reth, ¡°I got this down in The Far Shores from one of their operatives.¡± Reth¡¯s eyes went wide, ¡°How¡¯d you track them down?¡± Felix laughed, ¡°Honestly? I just looked like a shady individual and talked to the guy. It¡¯s amazing what good conversation skills can do if you practice them.¡± Reth held it up to his ear and then pocketed the shell and the document as he put away his metal rod. ¡°I¡¯m guessing that¡¯s some type of Magic tool?¡± Felix asked. ¡°It¡¯s my wand. It¡¯s tough to do Magic without something to help focus the power.¡± He looked at the cleaved-in-twain corpse, ¡°About one in twenty people on Astragos are either like me ¨C Earthborn, or like that one ¨C Coralborn. We can perform Magic with ease ¨C but unless we have a Magic focus like my wand, the power can be too much.¡± Tinuriel finished tying up the unconscious ones and walked over to join the conversation, ¡°Does that mean everyone here can do Magic?¡± Reth shook his head, ¡°Without training? No. Anyone can learn and become a practitioner. It¡¯s just easier for Earthborn.¡± He looked past Tinuriel to the tied-up individuals, ¡°How are you lot with interrogations?¡± Tinuriel grinned and cracked her knuckles, ¡°That was a good fight, but I could do for a bit more violence.¡± Felix shook his head, ¡°I¡¯ll go get the horses.¡±
Felix returned with their mounts and winced as he spotted several broken bones and twisted limbs. Nothing life-threatening, but without some type of intensive healing many of those people would not walk or lift anything again. He looked at Tinuriel with a frown, ¡°Did you have to go that hard?¡± Tinuriel shook her head, ¡°We¡¯ve got your VBV. We¡¯ll just drag them in there and let them heal up from the Function that increases rate of rest.¡± I can¡¯t fault that logic. The brutality wasn¡¯t something Felix was comfortable inflicting himself, but these people attacked them. And Tinuriel was right about the VBV. Reth looked over at Felix, ¡°I don¡¯t want to assume, but I¡¯d guess this means that you¡¯re on my side?¡± Felix grimaced, ¡°I¡­I¡¯m not sure,¡± he replied. ¡°Yeah, these guys were apparently from the other empire and presumably killed your soldiers for their armor and equipment, hoping to infiltrate and kill someone important. That¡¯s a war crime where I¡¯m from.¡± ¡°Unless they switch to their own uniform before they do the hostile act!¡± Reth crossed his arms, ¡°That doesn¡¯t answer my question. I will get you to Foundation as I said I would. But once we are there, if you pose a threat¡­¡± he let the thought linger in the air. Tinuriel walked over and towered over him, ¡°I would not threaten us. You¡¯ve seen what we are capable of.¡± Reth was a head shorter than Tinuriel but stood resolute despite the intimidating woman in front of him, ¡°Just don¡¯t do anything stupid when we get to the capital.¡± Yikes. There¡¯s some tension there. Better go diffuse it. Felix walked up and got in between the two before facing Reth, ¡°Let¡¯s just calm down. I¡¯m going to see what your empire is all about. I give you my word that we won¡¯t do anything hostile while we are there-¡± ¡°Unless,¡± Tinuriel interrupted, ¡°We are attacked first.¡± Reth nodded, ¡°That¡¯s fair. So, let¡¯s open this VBV and get these ones fixed up. I assume you have holding cells of sorts, and we can retrieve them when we arrive in Foundation?¡± ¡°I can make som-¡± ¡°My people will keep the prisoners safe,¡± Tinuriel interrupted again. ¡°Good,¡± Reth muttered as he went to his loaned horse. Felix turned around to look at Tinuriel, ¡°Do you need to talk?¡± She shook her head, ¡°No. He threatened us. This is a proportional response.¡± ¡°I understand, but you¡¯re coming off as a bit hostile towards me, too.¡± She frowned, ¡°Not my intent.¡± She paused for a moment, ¡°¡­honey.¡± Her face grimaced as she said it and she shook her head, ¡°Nope. I¡¯m not using those dumb pet names.¡± Felix chuckled, ¡°Fine by me.¡±
Four hours passed. They opened the VBV, shoved their prisoners through, and Lucifer gave instructions for them to be held by Tinuriel¡¯s people. The three then resumed their journey North. Another three days seemingly flew by, and the entire time Reth kept glancing back at the two riding behind him. ¡°You can relax,¡± Felix said. ¡°I am relaxed. Just cautious. I¡¯m seeing if we are being followed.¡± Felix looked back and saw an empty road extending behind them, ¡°No one there I can see.¡± Reth shook his head, ¡°A few hours until we see the gates.¡±
The capital of the Monolith Empire ¨C Foundation ¨C was an enormous citadel built into a mountainside with a sprawling, vast city extending from the central fortification. Walls upon walls forming a variety of defensive layers that would make assaulting the city practically suicide. No wonder they tried the assassination route. If this war came here the losses would be catastrophic. Tinuriel rode alongside him and echoed the sentiment, ¡°A mighty city. I would not want to be in the army assaulting it.¡± Reth led them to the enormous iron gates set into the walls. They were heavily guarded with hundreds of men in heavy cuirasses, spears, shields, and folding crossbows slung from their backs. Each had a heavy mace hanging from their hip as well. Reth took them past the lines of people waiting to get into the city and flashed his badge to the guards. The trio was let inside without incident. ¡°Welcome to Foundation,¡± Reth said as he led them towards the citadel. Ch. 64 – Astragos V Felix had never been to a place that was mid-war preparations. The environment was authoritarian ¨C armed soldiers patrolled the streets in sizable squads, very few vendors were on the streets, and many stores and shops were shuttered. Reth explained that the standing army had been fully mobilized, and all non-essential citizens were being evacuated to surrounding cities further from where the fighting would be. There was a tension in the atmosphere, as if a board was being bent to the point where it was on the edge of snapping. Everyone appeared on-edge. There was an overwhelming sense of dread at an impending doom that was about to descend. ¡°How long until the war is fully underway?¡± Tinuriel asked. ¡°Mobilization is almost finished. Soon the last squadrons will be sent to the front lines¡­and then there will be some setting up of the bulkheads on the enormous sand bar that separates our borders from theirs.¡± He emphasized ¡®theirs¡¯ with a sound of disgust. ¡°Weren¡¯t your two empires part of one larger whole?¡± Felix asked. Reth shrugged, ¡°I¡¯m no historian. Just a man on a mission.¡± The streets were well-kept. Ornate, herringbone style stones were intricately placed in alternating brown and grey stone that directed traffic down either side of the main avenue. Following this track, they arrived at an enormous citadel created from a solid, grey stone ¨C built into the mountain behind it. They traveled through many heavily-guarded gates ¨C but Reth¡¯s credentials let them pass without issue. The winding road doubling back on itself as they ascended began to wear down on Felix as his legs started to cramp. Thankfully, they reached the summit ¨C a final guarded gate that led to the main part of the citadel. Reth led them inside and to a side-room. Several individuals dressed similarly to Reth gave the two he was escorting looks of curiosity, and their guide led them to a small chamber with a table, chairs, and writing equipment. ¡°Please stay here. I¡¯ll advise the emperor that a Versewalker is here to visit.¡± ¡°Make sure he knows I¡¯m not the same guy that tried to kill him,¡± Felix stated with some concern. Reth nodded sagely, ¡°Don¡¯t worry. I¡¯ll be back!¡± He closed the door. Tinuriel sat down and kicked her legs up onto the table, pulling Valiant Edge from her inventory and laying it across her thighs. Felix sat in the chair next to her and followed suit, kicking his legs up. ¡°Thoughts?¡± he probed. Tinuriel shrugged, ¡°Either side we choose, I¡¯ll get to fight. And in a proper war, no less.¡± She grinned, ¡°I¡¯m happy to go along with whatever you want.¡± Felix sighed and rubbed his face, ¡°I don¡¯t want to pick a side. I want to end things amicably.¡± ¡°But the System didn¡¯t provide that as an option,¡± Lucifer chimed in. ¡°It could be,¡± Felix muttered as he put his legs down and leaned forward. ¡°We already know that the System isn¡¯t always telling us the whole truth ¨C whether because the Admin dislikes us, or because it is intentionally designed that way.¡± ¡°Solving a Crisis in a way not approved by the System? Querying¡­Huh, would you look at that. There are some instances where a Versewalker was able to solve a Crisis in a way that did not follow the System¡¯s guidance.¡± Felix smirked, ¡°Then I just need to convince them to give peace a chance. I can propose to go and carry terms. If it prevents people from dying, it¡¯s worth trying.¡± Tinuriel sighed and shook her head, ¡°Making things overcomplicated.¡± She lifted the huge blade with ease and balanced the sword ¨C perfectly upright ¨C on her fingertip. ¡°We should use our skills to fight.¡± The door opened and Reth was standing there in the doorway ¨C along with ten ornately dressed guards in full plate and wielding large war hammers. ¡°The emperor will see you.¡±
The throne room of Foundation was spectacular ¨C an enormous, natural cavern that was carved out from the gigantic mountain. Several rows of benches were carved from the stone floor, as was a large dais and throne made of a singular slab of granite. Sitting on that throne was a middle-aged Earthborn like Reth. He stood up, and a young man next to him tapped a staff against the floor three times. ¡°His highness, Emperor Quarilon, welcomes the Versewalker to his domain.¡± Felix was led by Reth to a marked spot on the floor, and he bowed at the waist, ¡°Thank you for seeing us.¡± The emperor sat down, and gestured to Felix and Tinuriel, ¡°Reth told me that you helped him upset hostile agents and were gravely injured yourself. My thanks for the defense of the Monolith Empire.¡± ¡°It wasn¡¯t much of a threat,¡± Tinuriel stated as she crossed her arms and stood up straight to her full height. ¡°Why should we fight for your empire instead of the Coralith?¡± ¡°Or¡± Felix added quickly, ¡°Why give up peace negotiations?¡± The emperor leaned forward and took a sip from a goblet before addressing their questions. ¡°Peace was never an option. The game of empires is a long, hard-fought battle of politics and attrition. I desired more subjects, to unite the world in my grand image for the future. The Coralith feel the same ¨C and such, our strife.¡± I¡¯m sure he¡¯s hiding something, but I don¡¯t know what. Keep trying to read him. Felix nodded silently and pretended to contemplate the words before replying. ¡°I know that both you and they tried to usurp via the taking of vassals.¡± He spotted the emperor¡¯s eyebrow twitch as Felix implied with his tone that there was something wrong about the act. ¡°I also know that the civil wars that occurred were to quash those rebellious subjects who wanted to be vassals of the other empire.¡± That was just a theory, but Felix presented it as fact. To his satisfaction, the emperor¡¯s face became even redder ¨C a difficult feat to pull off considering his skin was a grey colored marble. ¡°I also know that the Coralith escalated the issue by trying to assassinate you, and instead killed your son. My condolences.¡± The emperor sagged in his chair, ¡°You¡¯ve got the right of it,¡± he muttered. ¡°The Coralith struck a deep blow. One that must be repaid in kind.¡± Reth stepped forward, ¡°They have not declared their intent for one side or the other, my liege.¡± Tinuriel shot a withering stare at Reth before turning to the emperor once more, ¡°Felix here is moral. He wants to try and bring peace.¡± The emperor laughed. A laugh that allowed grief to pour through despite the lapse of demeanor. ¡°No¡­no peace is possible. They murdered my son.¡± I don¡¯t think the emperor here was the target. What makes you think that? A true assassin would only go for their contracted target. They wouldn¡¯t take a consolation prize. This implies that- -The son was the intended target. ¡°What can you tell me about your son?¡± ¡°Thaskel¡­my only son. He slew his mother in childbirth, maker rest her body.¡± ¡°Right,¡± Felix muttered before turning to Reth, ¡°Pardon me for asking¡­what did he do?¡±If you encounter this tale on Amazon, note that it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it. ¡°The heir? He oversaw our lord¡¯s libraries. A ceremonial position, but the young man relished reading books.¡± ¡°Has an inventory been taken?¡± Felix asked. Reth blinked a few times and shook his head, ¡°I don¡¯t believe so.¡± Felix looked to the emperor, ¡°I don¡¯t think that you were the target. I think your son was.¡± He turned to Reth, ¡°Who would be the next person to ask about the inventory of your library?¡± ¡°Chronicler Sellara.¡± He looked to the emperor, ¡°My lord, I ask for permission to accompany these two to investigate this possibility.¡± The emperor nodded and gestured for them to leave, ¡°They may do so.¡± He stood up and rapidly left the room ¨C raising a kerchief to his face as the doors closed behind him. ¡°He¡¯s taking his son¡¯s death hard,¡± Tinuriel commented. She looked to Felix, ¡°More investigating?¡± Felix nodded, ¡°Lead the way, Reth.¡±
The agent led them down several corridors as they came to a wing of the carved-out palace. ¡°These are the heir¡¯s quarters. The main library is down this hall,¡± he stated as they passed the room. ¡°Hold up. Let me look inside,¡± Felix stated as he went to the door. Reth frowned, ¡°Why? The library is where Chronicler Sellara is.¡± ¡°If this heir had something truly valuable, he¡¯d keep it close. If not on his person, then in the room he spent the most time in.¡± Felix whipped out his thieves¡¯ tools, played the mini game to pick the lock, and was in the room ¨C all within ten seconds. Looking around the room he instantly spotted the golden spindle designating a trap ¨C coming from under the bed. He got on his stomach as Reth and Tinuriel watched from the doorway. Using his Might stat, Felix easily lifted the bed with one hand, earning a wide-eyed look from Reth and a smirk from Tinuriel. He disabled the trap and opened the trap door under, pulling out several books wrapped in sailcloth and oil canvas for waterproofing. ¡°Found it,¡± Felix stated as he set the bed down, put the books on the nearby desk, and began unwrapping them. Reth walked over, ¡°How¡¯d you find this so quickly?¡± ¡°Because he is amazing,¡± Tinuriel replied with a grin. [Experience Awarded = 10] Felix carefully peeled back the cloth. The first tome was a deep, brown almost black with silver embossing and lettering. It looked quite expensive¡­and old. The title read, The Diary of Pheldarm. ¡°Pheldarm?¡± Reth shook his head, ¡°That¡¯s the father. The creator deity of the ground.¡± Felix unwrapped the next one. Similar in embossing and lettering, but instead colored a deep blue. Dhelana¡¯s Journal. ¡°I¡¯m guessing this is the creator deity of the ocean?¡± Reth nodded, and Felix made quick work of the cloth around the last one. Fogaron¡¯s Fables. ¡°And this one?¡± Reth shook his head, ¡°Never heard of it.¡± Felix cracked open Fogaron¡¯s Fables and started scanning, just lightly reading the first few pages for basic information instead of a deep dive. ¡°I think it¡¯s just a series of stories. About the various tasks that the deities set forth to accomplish. Fogaron might be sone type of historian?¡± ¡°We should ask the chronicler. If the heir was hiding these and not keeping them with the main collection, there must be something valuable about them.¡± Felix held his hand over the trio of books and used a Magic/Power effect three times in succession. Detect Properties. [Item Description: Tremor Tome] [Enables the user to raise earth across the whole of Astragos through an intensive, multi-day ritual. Can only be used once per millennia.] [Item Description: Tide Tome] [Enables the user to raise the ocean across the whole of Astragos through an intensive, multi-day ritual. Can only be used once per millennia.] [Item Description: Fogaron¡¯s Fables] [A series of stories written by Fogaron, the half-earth, half-coral, first child of the deities Pheldarm and Dhelana.] We can¡¯t give these to either side of the conflict. The Coralith Empire would flood the world, and the Monolith Empire would do the opposite. Time to lie. ¡°These two are just diaries of people who thought themselves the deities, and this one is just creation myth stories,¡± Felix stated with confidence. Reth scrutinized him, and Felix tried to maintain as neutral a disposition as possible. Finally, he nodded, ¡°Perhaps the heir thought that they were legitimate.¡± Buy some basic books from the VBV. Done. 15 VC spent. Going to make a switch? Mhmm. Can you swap them if I make sure he can¡¯t see what I¡¯m doing? As long as you can touch the tomes. Felix began to re-wrap the books in the sail and oilcloth, making sure to pull up the edges that were facing Reth first to hide his rapid switch from the man. He added the three books to his inventory, finished rewrapping the books, and handed them to Reth. ¡°Here you go.¡± Reth glanced down at the bundle of books in his arms and set them on the bed, ¡°I can deal with them later. Let¡¯s talk to the head chronicler.¡± He turned around and squeezed past Tinuriel ¨C who intentionally blocked the doorway with her frame before allowing the man to pass. She gave Felix a smirk. The main library they entered was shaped in a cylinder. Several levels ascended the enormous tube with shelves carved out of the walls. Two tall ladders slid on a rail system around the room. In the center were several tables and chairs. A middle-aged woman, wearing a light-blue set of robes, stood up and bowed. ¡°An agent of the Vigilant Gaze. My, to what do I owe the pleasure?¡± Reth gestured to Felix, ¡°Sellara, I present Felix, the Versewalker. He had questions about the¡­former heir.¡± Felix nodded, ¡°Pleased to meet you. I need to know, the heir, what section did he spend the most time in?¡± She pointed up to the top-left corner on the highest shelf, ¡°There¡¯s a reading nook up there that he would hide out in and be reading until all hours of the night. He was a great mind, but not very duty minded.¡± Fallen Flight. Felix manifested the spectral wings and flew up, finding a cozy looking space. He ignored the gasps of the two below him. This is a nice little reading nook. Cushions, blankets, an oil lamp with a cover. There was nothing up there that was noteworthy. Pretty sure I found what this Archon was trying to find. A weapon to end the war for good. There aren¡¯t different races. It¡¯s not like being on land is going to mess things up too horribly. It¡¯s about knowledge. I¡¯d bet that a Coralith Empire ¨C I don¡¯t know, kelp farmer ¨C would not be able to till soil and plant terrestrial crops. And vice versa. It would necessitate reliance on the other side almost instantly to just survive. You really think through bad situations, don¡¯t you? Always good to prepare for the worst and hope for the best. That was a mantra that was drilled into him by his grandfather and had served him well most of his life. Felix glided down and deactivated Fallen Flight. ¡°Thank you, Chronicler.¡± He looked to Reth, ¡°Do you have somewhere we can talk privately?¡± Reth nodded, ¡°Follow me.¡±
Reth eventually led them to a balcony far on a wing of the palace that was caked in dust ¨C a visitor wing that had not seen use in months. ¡°We can talk here.¡± Felix nodded, ¡°I took the books. Those are fakes in the sailcloth.¡± Reth¡¯s eyes narrowed, ¡°I figured as much. Why tell me?¡± ¡°Because I had an idea,¡± Felix continued. ¡°One of the tomes enables me to raise the earth across all of Astragos, the other the waters.¡± Reth¡¯s eyes widened in shock. ¡°That¡¯s what your heir, this Thaskel, was hiding. And probably what the assassin was after. Not actually killing Thaskel but finding these books.¡± ¡°And this idea?¡± Reth asked. Tinuriel looked at Felix with curiosity and some disappointment, ¡°Yes, do tell.¡± ¡°What if we gave the opposite tome to each empire? It would ensure a permanent ceasefire.¡± ¡°How do you figure?¡± Tinuriel asked. ¡°Where I came from, we had these horribly powerful weapons. Many countries had them, and there was this idea of Mutually Assured Destruction. Basically, the first person to use the weapon would instantly be retaliated against with the same weapon.¡± Felix gestured to the ocean lying far off on the horizon, glimmering in the setting suns. ¡°But, instead of giving the earth tome to the Monolith Empire, and the water tome to the Coralith Empire ¨C we switch it.¡± Tinuriel cackled evilly, ¡°That¡¯s devilish.¡± ¡°But¡­we tell them that it will raise their side¡¯s desired result instead. That way if they do use it ¨C they will be self-destructing.¡± That¡¯s pretty messed up. ¡°That¡¯s pretty messed up,¡± Reth and Lucifer¡¯s voices overlapped. Felix shook his head, ¡°It¡¯s the most ethical way to go about things. Whoever pulls the trigger first will result in their own doom. It¡¯s the ultimate test of trust. And the side that breaks that trust will suffer the consequences for breaking it. It doesn¡¯t punish the person who kept the peace.¡± Putting it that way¡­Even though I know everything about you and what you¡¯re thinking, you still surprise me with your wisdom. I may not have been the strongest or smartest back on my Earth, but I did listen to people smarter than me. ¡°But¡± Tinuriel followed up, ¡°We¡¯d have to give it to both people at the same time. Both emperor and empress.¡± ¡°I have an idea for that, too. I have two Multiversal Charges. We can set one up here, in the throne room just like I did on Dirge and Ethdellin in Heficyre. Then, I¡¯ll close it temporarily. We then go to the Coralith Empire and do the same. Bring both rulers in, present the terms, and vie for peace.¡± Reth scratched his scruffy, short beard on his chin, ¡°It¡¯s a solid plan. But if I don¡¯t report this, or if I help you, then it may be considered treason.¡± ¡°What would you prefer? Death, despair, and poverty¡­or a chance for a lasting peace? Where if your side kept the peace, then nothing bad would happen to them as a result?¡± Reth looked down and took a deep breath. Ch. 65 – Astragos VI ¡°I¡¯ll help you,¡± Reth stated. ¡°But on one condition.¡± ¡°What¡¯s that?¡± Felix asked. ¡°You don¡¯t tell anyone that I am involved. I want plausible deniability.¡± ¡°Easy enough,¡± Felix replied. ¡°You have a deal.¡± He looked at Tinuriel, ¡°I think the best thing to do is to swear our allegiance to this emperor ¨C for now ¨C and then request permission to go and take out the head of the other empire.¡± He glanced back at Reth, ¡°Is that something that someone in your position would be sent off to do?¡± Reth chuckled, and his face lit up with insidious joy. ¡°It¡¯s already been done. Covert operations have been underway, and several squadrons are on their way to the Coralith Empire already.¡± ¡°Then we don¡¯t have time to lose it we want less bloodshed,¡± Lucifer commented. Reth nodded, ¡°I would be honored to accompany you to see this mission through.¡± He sighed, ¡°I have no love for the Coralith, but I do not desire the deaths of thousands of soldiers, and possibly more innocents. Be aware, we will most likely have several combat events along the way. The two empires are at war, after all.¡± You know, he might be a good candidate for your Animancer Escort. I was thinking the same thing. But we need to keep testing him. Should be easy enough if he comes along. I have to really evaluate his character qualities. If he doesn¡¯t work out, we have some options with whoever survives Roy¡¯s sorties against Vugog. ¡°You¡¯ll come with us?¡± Felix asked. Reth nodded, ¡°I¡¯d insist upon it. You seem like a man of your word who truly desires a peaceful resolution. I¡¯d be remiss in my duties if I did not ensure that those words became action. Come, we shall speak with the emperor.¡± Reth led them to the throne room and the trio waited patiently as they stood in the back. Several armored individuals who appeared to be of a high rank were sitting around a table that was brought into the room and set in front of the throne. The emperor was seated on the throne, and the various commanders squabbled and gestured to various marked units on an enormous map. The map was like the one Ghell had shown them when they first arrived, but there were far fewer cities. Did they lose large chunks of their population? Querying¡­no. They created a variety of technological advancements for agriculture, so less people were required to tend farms, and thus the city population swelled. The lower classes went to the cities for work. You could almost say that this war was a good way to get rid of excess population. I don¡¯t like the sound of that. Maybe we should try to also get more of those people into the VBV. A thought raced through Felix¡¯s mind ¨C crystal clear in an instant. Heck¡­why even bother with going to the Coralith Empire? We can just offer to take the whole of the Monolith Empire¡¯s population into the VBV. Let the Coralith have this world ¨C these people can just move. Would you move willingly? And furthermore, this emperor would be giving up power over others and be subservient to you by default. Lucifer¡¯s words made sense and Felix sighed. This got the attention of one of the military commanders, who quieted his allies as they all stared at Felix. ¡°Hi,¡± he stated, ¡°We¡¯re back. And we decided we¡¯re going to help you out.¡± Reth walked forward and knelt, ¡°Emperor, I request to go on a mission with these two into the heart of the Coralith Empire and strike them as they have struck you.¡± The emperor stood and raised his hand, gesturing for Reth to stand ¨C which he did before assuming a military ¡®attention¡¯ stance. ¡°My agent of the Vigilant Gaze, you do your country a great service.¡± The emperor looked at Felix and waved for him to walk forward, and Felix did so. ¡°And you, Versewalker. I thank you for siding with our cause.¡± ¡°I have a proposition as well,¡± Felix stated as he walked to the edge of the room and gestured for one of the guards who was standing in a nook to stand aside. He glanced at the emperor, who nodded, before moving away. ¡°I¡¯m going to open a portal to my personal kingdom. It¡¯s called a VBV and will enable you to trade with other ¡®Verses ¨C other worlds.¡± Felix used a Multiversal Charge and the grey aperture appeared and stayed in place. The emperor walked forward, and the various military commanders stood. They flanked him as he approached the portal. Felix stepped aside and bowed slightly, ¡°You have my word that no harm will come to you in this place.¡± The emperor poked his head inside for a few seconds before pulling it back out with a look of wonder on his face ¨C the VBV Function having given him the knowledge of the Multiverse¡¯s existence. ¡°You have bestowed on us a kingly gift, Versewalker. This will greatly increase our prosperity.¡± ¡°Of your realm and mine,¡± Felix stated.This text was taken from Royal Road. Help the author by reading the original version there. The emperor grinned and looked at Reth, ¡°I believe you should be well equipped for this journey you are going to undertake. Seneschal? Take Reth, the Versewalker, and his Escort to the royal armory.¡±
They were led through several vaunted chambers and locked hallways before arriving at an ornate vault door. The seneschal that led them pulled a large key from around her neck, slipped it into a concealed lock, and opened the door. She stood aside and gestured, ¡°Limit yourself to one item apiece to assist in this journey.¡± Felix instantly used Detect Object, intending to find the rarest items in the room. The golden beam guided him toward the back of the chamber. There was a large chest. Glancing back, he saw the Seneschal watching him with curiosity. Felix turned back and quickly picked the lock. What he saw when he opened it took his breath away. Sitting on a velvet cushion was an intricately woven circlet made of shining, cerulean metal and embedded with emeralds. Detect Properties. [Item Description: Circlet of Prosperity] [Provides a 10% discount on all purchases, and enables the user to sell items for 10% more.] Felix immediately put it on his head. It was slightly oversized for him, but once he had it on, it shrunk until it fit perfect. He threw up his hood over it, and turned to see what his allies had found. Reth had picked up a large cloak and was trying it on in front of a mirror. ¡°Want me to identify that for you?¡± Felix asked. Reth shook his head, ¡°I know exactly what this is. It is a cloak of perfect disguise.¡± He waved it with a flourish that concealed his whole body and as it fell away Reth was no longer standing there. Instead, a perfect duplicate of Felix was standing there. ¡°This will be a useful tool.¡± And dangerous. He¡¯s coming with us. If he misuses it, I can just knock him out and take it. Pragmatic. If nothing I am that. Felix looked for Tinuriel and found her in an alcove, rifling through dozens of leather objects. ¡°What are you looking for?¡± Felix asked. ¡°Valiant Edge has no sheath, I¡¯ve been using my old one,¡± Tinuriel muttered. ¡°Don¡¯t you have your own inventory linked to mine now?¡± ¡°I prefer having it on my person, not in my person,¡± she tersely replied. After a few moments she stood up and held a large sheath with a leather band in front of Felix. ¡°Do you mind?¡± Detect Properties. [Item Description: Sheath of Returning] [The user may at any time recall their weapon to their hand, or the sheath.] Felix laughed at the mental image of Tinuriel just chucking her sword into some charging monster. ¡°This is the perfect item for you!¡± She raised an eyebrow, ¡°Oh?¡± He handed the sheath back to her, ¡°It¡¯ll return your weapon to you.¡± She frowned, ¡°What idiot would lose their weapon?¡± Felix put on the sheath, ¡°Hand me your sword.¡± Tinuriel did with a moment¡¯s hesitation. Felix sheathed the blade briefly ¨C attuning it to the new item ¨C and then pulled the sword out, flinging it across the room. And return! The sword was about to impact a wall before vanishing and reappearing in his grip. He handed the blade to Tinuriel once more and gave her the sheath. ¡°I will have to consider changing my combat style,¡± Tinuriel stated thoughtfully. She equipped the new item, and the two joined Reth as they left the vault.
Felix insisted they go to the highest point of the citadel, which confused Reth at first, but once they got up top, Felix pulled out the glider. ¡°Come on, we¡¯ll use this to get as far as we can.¡± Reth¡¯s eyes went wide as he saw the device and eagerly got in it, ¡°I¡¯ve never seen anything like it? What does it do?¡± Tinuriel, for the first time since Reth joined them, showed an emotion other than distaste towards the man. ¡°It is from my ¡®Verse. We will ride the air itself.¡± Her tone was one Felix was familiar with at this point ¨C her vain voice. Reth slapped the side of it, ¡°What are we waiting for!¡± Felix pushed the glider off the building before hopping in as it gently descended. Reth¡¯s eyes opened in amazement, and he looked at Felix, ¡°Is this normal where you are from?¡± ¡°Not really. We have flight figured out in my ¡®Verse.¡± The agent¡¯s jaw went slack for a moment, ¡°You can fly? How?¡± ¡°It¡¯s about thrust, I think. And how the wing is shaped,¡± Felix stated. ¡°I can also use a Skill to let you fly.¡± Reth was seemingly bouncing up and down, ¡°I never imagined one could do that!¡± ¡°And we shouldn¡¯t while we are here,¡± Lucifer stated. ¡°Joy kill,¡± Felix muttered. ¡°Why?¡± ¡°Flying is strictly forbidden in this ¡®Verse¡¯s rules.¡± ¡°I did it in that library.¡± ¡°I should clarify. Flying under the open sky is forbidden. I don¡¯t know what will happen if we break that rule, but I don¡¯t want to find out.¡± Felix sighed and pointed his hand behind them, ¡°Well at least we can get some distance.¡± He channeled a steady stream of Anima through his palm, activating Wind Beam. He used the ability in short bursts and as the hour passed, they flew well beyond the capital¡¯s borders and approached the ocean. ¡°Tinuriel, is this thing waterproof?¡± She nodded, ¡°It functions as a boat. Not a good one, mind you.¡± She pulled the steering device and began to bank gently to set them down on the shoreline. ¡°I don¡¯t see any sign of these armies.¡± Reth pointed North, ¡°The staging ground is up that way. Where the sand bar is the largest. It¡¯s also the best place to invade either kingdom, having the least amount of sea life that are hostile.¡± ¡°Is that why there¡¯s abyssal cliffs marking off the barrier between the Coralith Empire and the rest of the ocean?¡± Felix asked him. ¡°That is correct. The oceanic life, due to divine decree in the creation of the world, cannot pass over that point.¡± Tinuriel grinned, ¡°Are we going to be attacked while we are swimming?¡± Reth nodded, and this elicited a cackle from the elven warrior as she angled them right to the beach, the glider skidding gently in the sand before coming to a stop. ¡°What are we waiting for?¡± She held up her hand and put the glider into their shared inventory. Reth leaned over to Felix, ¡°She¡¯s really into fighting,¡± he whispered. Felix just nodded and smiled at Tinuriel who was tapping her foot impatiently. ¡°So how do we do this? Do we just walk in?¡± Felix asked. Reth nodded, ¡°All residents of this world can breathe water just the same as air.¡± He walked into the surf and dipped below the surface. Tinuriel was a step behind him, and Felix reflexively took a deep breath before following. Ch. 66 – Astragos VII Felix eventually ran out of breath and inhaled ¨C surprised as the water entering his mouth and lungs didn¡¯t hurt or even feel odd. It was almost relaxing. I should have asked if we can talk normally down here. Reth turned back to the two, ¡°We can talk down here as well.¡± His voice was slightly distorted, but other than that ¨C Felix could hear him just fine. ¡°That weapon won¡¯t be very useful down here,¡± He stated as he pointed to Tinuriel¡¯s sword. She shook her head and, to prove a point, swung her sword with only slightly reduced speed than she would if she was on the surface. ¡°I don¡¯t need to worry about that.¡± Felix put his hand to his neck and gripped the Talisman of the Tides. ¡°I can make this an easier journey. And probably faster.¡± He focused on the thought of the water parting, and to his delight the water receded on either side and the trio were standing in a small channel between the two walls of water. Reth looked at Felix with curiosity, ¡°How¡¯d you do that?¡± ¡°A magical item,¡± Felix stated as he kept his hand on the talisman. The corridor was only sixty feet long, but as he focused on reshaping the waters around him, a sphere thirty feet in diameter formed instead of the channel. ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡± Tinuriel led the way and Felix activated Ghostwalk as it could stay active indefinitely outside of a Dungeon. Reth glanced back at Felix as he pulled his metal rod from his sleeve, ¡°Best be ready with some type of weapon. The oceans are perilous outside of the sandbar.¡± Felix activated his Hardlight Recurve and the mounted-wrist-crossbow version popped out. He pressed the trigger as a hardlight arrow appeared, primed and ready to be released.
An hour passed as the oceans grew darker and darker around them. Even with his vision shifted to Lucifer¡¯s red-hued dark sight, the waters around them hampered his vision. ¡°Hellfire Wick.¡± The crimson and black flame popped into a spot above him, and Reth wheeled around. ¡°What are you doing?!¡± ¡°Making light.¡± ¡°You idiot! That¡¯ll draw things right to us!¡± Uh-oh. Felix let the Hellfire Wick fade. Anxiously, he scanned the surrounding waters. A trio of dark shapes lurked at the edges of the contained area lacking water. ¡°What are those?¡± he whispered to Reth. The agent cursed under his breath, ¡°Sharktopus. We should be safe as long as we stay at the center of this cleared space, and none of them are large enough to grab us with a tentacle.¡± That¡¯s just what it translates to for you. It sounds less goofy in their language. Tinuriel raised her weapon and activated several Skills in rapid succession, her body and blade blazing with various hues of blue. Execution, Eviscerator, Obliterate, Bastion, and Deathless Juggernaut. ¡°There¡¯s a large one far off in front of us,¡± she said as she chuckled. ¡°I¡¯ve been wanting a good fight.¡± As if on cue, an enormous tentacle lashed outward in front of Tinuriel. Instead of dodging, blocking, or slashing it ¨C she let it grab her. She cackled with joy as she was ripped forward into the murky depths. ¡°Damnit, Tinuriel.¡± Felix saw a large flash of blue light as she struck whatever enormous creature had grabbed her. Reth cursed once more, ¡°Damn. She¡¯s going to die for sure.¡± Felix chuckled and watched with satisfaction as Tinuriel¡¯s bars ¨C even the temporary health ¨C had not moved at all. ¡°She¡¯s fine.¡± He glanced to his left and saw an enormous creature eyeing him. The front of the creature was that of an enormous hammerhead shark, and halfway back its body the form merged with that of an octopus. ¡°That¡¯s a big one,¡± he muttered. ¡°Detect Weakness.¡± The golden pulse went out, and Felix saw several weak spots ¨C on the rear of the creature, near the gills, and the eyes. Glancing around, he saw a total of five of the creatures ¨C including the one that Tinuriel was fighting against ¨C whose golden targeting circles were far larger than the ones surrounding the others. She was doing incredibly well if her bars were anything to go by. ¡°She¡¯s got the big one handled.¡± Reth glanced at the creature, ¡°It won¡¯t reach us if we stay at the cent-¡± The tentacle whipped out from the creature and Felix ducked the grappling appendage. It grappled Reth and the man yelped in surprise. Reth was dragged towards the water wall, and Felix instinctively pulled his dagger, letting the watery barrier vanish as his palm left the talisman. Ah, crap. He aimed the wrist crossbow at the hammer-head sharktopus¡¯ eye and fired off a shot. The bolt of hardlight streaked unerringly and slammed into the creature. It roared and let Reth go, swimming off into the distance. Reth pointed his small metal rod towards Felix. Red sparks gathered before crackling with power and merging into a single beam of bright, neon-red energy that zig-zagged towards Felix. The beam flew past Felix and into a creature right behind him. The creature seemed unphased and dashed past Felix. He stabbed into it as it passed, and the creature wheeled on him, biting at him with a maw of razor-sharp teeth that was as big as Felix¡¯s torso. The speed of the creature surprised him, and it chomped down onto his left hand with the crossbow, thrashing back and forth. Felix screamed in pain as he felt the muscles and tendons ripping. His arm ¨C from the forearm down ¨C was ripped off as the creature swam away with its meal and prize. Unauthorized usage: this tale is on Amazon without the author''s consent. Report any sightings. ¡°Felix!¡± Tinuriel yelled. ¡°Invigorating Charge!¡± She flashed in a blur of blue light and sliced the sharktopus that was about to bite him from behind ¨C that he hadn¡¯t even noticed ¨C in half. ¡°Regenerate,¡± Felix muttered. His arm regrew from the stump and the pain vanished instantly. He turned around and saw Reth pointing his small metal rod once more. Another arc of light lanced out and slammed into the last of the creatures that was still present. The creature roared and dashed toward the agent. Tinuriel threw her sword like a javelin and it arced through the water, going right into the sharktopus¡¯ mouth and ripping through it through the middle. The creature stopped moving and floated in the sea as the blade appeared in Tinuriel¡¯s hand again. [Experience Awarded = 45] [Experience Bonsu from Execution alike Stacking Skills = 15] [Congratulations! You have reached the Experience threshold to level up! Speak with your Versewalker Core when you are ready to Choose your next Class.] She swam over to Felix, ¡°Your bow,¡± she said as she grabbed his arm. ¡°And the Gloves of the Icy Embrace. The item doesn¡¯t function without both!¡± Felix looked in the direction the creature had gone, ¡°Detect Object.¡± The golden line arced in a line going straight ahead, and he began to swim after it. ¡°That¡¯s not the way to the Coralith Empire,¡± Reth stated as he swam behind Felix. ¡°I¡¯m getting my items back!¡± No one eats my arm and gets away with it! Reth cursed once more, ¡°They have breeding grounds. It¡¯s a suicide mission! There¡¯ll be hundreds of them!¡± Felix glanced back at the man and stopped. Tinuriel swam next to him and the two faced Reth. ¡°Those items are valuable,¡± Tinuriel stated. ¡°A bow that has unlimited ammunition, and gloves that enable all attacks to harm in the form of shivering cold. You¡¯d really have us give that up?¡± Reth nodded, ¡°Going that way is death.¡± Tinuriel shook her head, ¡°I fought most of those myself with little issue.¡± She turned and swam after the line, with Felix following. Reth cursed and followed with a moment of hesitation.
I can¡¯t believe it got my arm. Lesson learned. Keep your hands inside the area with no water at all times. Haha. Very funny. You¡¯re going to get it back. Not like you need it since you have a brand new one. I want my gear back. I worked hard for it! Totally understand. Oh, by the way. Roy has tested a number of people on Vugog¡­none of them made the cut. They all turned tail and ran when the cannibalistic tribesmen descended on them. No casualties were suffered, but your backup plan just got taken away. Felix groaned, eliciting a glance from Tinuriel. ¡°What¡¯s going on?¡± she asked. ¡°Roy¡¯s recruits didn¡¯t pan out.¡± ¡°Damn.¡± Tinuriel glanced at Reth who was swimming behind them. She moved closer to Felix ¨C moving through the water with grace and speed, and whispered to him. ¡°Then he¡¯s our current best option?¡± Felix nodded and looked back at Reth, ¡°No point in hiding it from you, either.¡± ¡°Hmm?¡± Reth swam faster to get next to the two. ¡°Hiding what from me?¡± ¡°I¡¯m looking for another Versewalker Escort. Someone who can fill the role of our Animancer. Basically, a mage. Tinuriel is a great front liner, and I find myself enjoying the role of a rogue. Plus, since I¡¯m the most important person¡­no offense, Tinuriel.¡± ¡°None taken,¡± She stated tersely with a slight frown. ¡°I need to be in the role best suited to get away if everything goes to hell. What do you say? Would you be interested?¡± Reth gestured for them to pause and the two did so. He looked between the two with a stern expression, ¡°I was raised my whole life to serve the Monolith Empire by nature of my birth. I¡¯ve known nothing else other than service to a cause.¡± His tone lightened and he grinned, ¡°If you¡¯re truly trying to bring peace and solve problems ¨C which I think you are ¨C then I would be honored to accompany you.¡± ¡°Great! So, Lucifer, how do we do this.¡± ¡°What? You want to level him up here? It¡¯s not the safest place.¡± ¡°Fine, my gear first. Then we got to the VBV, level him up, transfer over some Affinities to make him more versatile as a caster¡­and then I respec.¡± Make sure you keep a level dip in Warrior, Animancer, and Fallen Angel. I¡¯ve got an idea of what I¡¯m going to do. Reth nodded, ¡°Then let¡¯s get your gear back.¡±
The trio swam for what felt like hours. The deep ocean around them was eerie, but thanks to Lucifer¡¯s vision enhancement, Felix could see everything around them for quite a distance. The natural blue of the water combined with the red cast everything in a slightly hazy purple. Tinuriel and Reth could see about thirty feet ahead, when he asked them about their vision. So, Felix kept his head on a swivel the whole time. They followed the Detect Object line to a large cavern. The entire mouth of the cavern was covered in a viscous, black, tarry substance. ¡°The lair,¡± Reth stated. ¡°Duh,¡± Tinuriel said as she cast a grin over to Felix. ¡°What¡¯s the plan?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t want to fight all of them. I just want my gear back. Let me sneak in and get it.¡± Tinuriel nodded, ¡°Hand me that Talisman. We can stay safe inside the sphere.¡± Felix handed the item over to her and she waited until he got out of the thirty-foot radius before activating it, putting herself and Reth into a protected bubble where the Sharktopi could not get to them. Well, unless they were very large ¨C but Felix knew Tinuriel could take care of that. Ghostwalk, Undetectable Step. He swam forward into the black tunnel. The viscous ichor sticking to the walls was ghastly to look at; bones and bits of detritus and filth were clinging to the space. Disgusting. You realize you¡¯ll have to kill that sharktopus to get your arm back. Won¡¯t be a problem. I¡¯ve got Vital Strike upgraded. And I already know that I can harm people whilst keeping my Ghostwalk and Undetectable Step active. The combination only prevents detection. They can still trash about and possibly take another bite out of you. What would you suggest I do then? Just be ready to run if you can¡¯t kill it outright. You saw how easily Tinuriel dealt with that giant one. She¡¯s built to be a monstrous damage dealer and tank. Plus, she has centuries ¨C in her ¡®Verse¡¯s time ¨C of combat experience. Felix paused his swim and pushed himself towards the side of the tunnel as a sharktopus made its way past him. And what, I¡¯m useless in comparison? No, Lucifer¡¯s thoughts came across as¡­almost pleading. Just¡­be careful. You¡¯ve grown reliant on Tinuriel being around. When it was just us on that Death World, you survived because of your own abilities ¨C and my help. Hold on ¨C are you jealous? Lucifer¡¯s voice became laced with indignation, What? Me? Jealous of a mortal? No. I¡¯m an immortal, undying, fallen angel who can never die as long as the System exists. Felix continued his swim forward, keeping an eye on this slowly depleting Vigor bar. Have I been neglecting you? I mean, you¡¯re a part of me. Lucifer sighed, A Versewalker and their Core have a bond deeper than friendship. You and I are two separate entities, yet we share the same body ¨C save for when you¡¯re in the VBV. Technically, yes, I am a part of you. But¡­ Look, this is weird to dance around, so I¡¯m just going to say it. Yes, I¡¯m jealous of Tinuriel. I¡¯m jealous that you¡¯re relying on her so much and not relying on me as much. I do rely on you. Hell, you run the whole VBV for me. Not to mention without you, I¡¯d not have any of these Versewalker Classes or Affinities. I¡¯d be dead without you. Lucifer chuckled, That¡¯s true. Just¡­promise me that you will stop relying on Tinuriel so much, okay? You¡¯ve got it. When we are in the VBV next, want to binge a few movies? Just have a guy night? Felix could feel the gratitude in the back of his mind, Sure. I¡¯ll pick out something good. Now, let¡¯s focus on finding your arm. Felix refocused his attention on the task at hand as he entered a large, cavernous space. There were several sacks of membrane-covered eggs that pulsed with rhythmic intervals. Several Sharktopi tended to this seeming nursery. And to his surprise, Felix spotted his arm ¨C Hardlight Recurve and glove ¨C laying on the bottom of the cavernous space. He swam down and looted the items, reequipping them immediately. He felt his fingertips go cool for a moment as the gloves reactivated, and the wrist-mounted-crossbow version of the bow appeared on top of his armor. They must have not liked the taste. Mhmm. Now to get out of here. As he turned to leave, he stopped. An enormous sharktopus ¨C larger than the one Tinuriel had fought ¨C squeezed its way into the cavernous space. It looked ancient ¨C covered in scars and marks on its hide. That¡¯s a problem. Ch. 67 – Astragos VIII The creature¡¯s mass blocked the whole tunnel. There was no way Felix could get around it. It began to open its maw, and a bunch of fish parts started to spill out. The various Sharktopi ¨C the small ones, probably youths to Felix¡¯s imagination, swam over and ate the delivered meal. Felix had to carefully push himself down towards the floor as he was almost bowled into by one of them that darted from behind him. I can keep this up for a while, but I need to figure out a way to get past it. Detect Weakness. The golden circles appeared along the gills, the eyes, inside the mouth of the creature, and at the back end which he couldn¡¯t see ¨C only the faint, golden outline of the targeting circle was visible through the mass of the creature. If I hurt it badly enough that should shock it into moving backward. Then, if I can just see past it, I can Shadestep beyond it and get out. Then what are you waiting for? An opening, Felix thought back as he hugged the ground, gripping the sticky, black floor with his hands as he pulled himself along. The Sharktopi youth were swimming all around above him, and he had several close calls where a wayward tentacle would flit near him. He pulled out his Wyrmtooth Knife. He knew that the two Skills that he was going to use also amplified the poison effect. Vital Strike . And Execution. His blade pulsed bright gold for a moment before the death energy coated it in a deep, purple, and blood-red hue. Only he could see it thankfully, and as he approached the large creature, he could see the enormous scars up closer. This thing had tangled with enormous enemies, as some of the healed-over wounds were the size of Felix¡¯s height. Very carefully, he barely flutter-kicked his toes so as not disturb the water and reveal his presence. The large, black, dark eye was like a mirror that he gazed into. Sorry about this, but I need to get out of here and I can¡¯t wait forever. He brought the knife stabbing down onto the targeting circle. The blade sunk in to the hilt and he twisted before pulling it out. A split-second later, a pulse of watery energy echoed the attack ¨C and to Felix¡¯s surprise, Death Strike¡¯s purplish energy was imbued with the wave of water. The creature thrashed ¨C the opening Felix was waiting for as he glimpsed the tunnel beyond it. Shadestep. Felix appeared in the tunnel and turned around, putting his back towards the exit as the enormous sharktopus trashed about, looking for the source of its pain. As Felix held up his hand and prepared an Air Blast to launch himself out of the cavern, he paused. The sharktopus thrashed for a few moments before stilling and floating in place, plugging the cavern with its carcass. [Experience Awarded = 70] [Experience Bonus from Execution Skill = 30] [Congratulations! You have reached the Experience threshold to level up! Speak with your Versewalker Core when you are ready to Choose your next Class.] You¡¯ve got enough Experience to hit level 25. I¡­hmm. I guess the upgraded Death Strike is really powerful. And upgraded Execution replicates all of the Skills used to amplify damage. That explains why Tinuriel is able to dispatch foes so easily with a single swing. She¡¯s stacking three damage amplifiers, and they are getting the damage echoed. Felix swam backward and exited the cave. He saw several Sharktopi who were circling Tinuriel and Reth ¨C both of whom were inside the hemisphere of repulsed ocean. Felix easily slipped past the creatures and deactivated his stealth Skills, causing Reth to jump momentarily. ¡°Ah! How¡¯d you do that?¡± ¡°Class Skills. If you end up becoming a Versewalker Escort, you¡¯ll get Skills of your own.¡± He looked at Tinuriel, ¡°How were things out here?¡± She looked at him and shrugged, ¡°Boring. What¡¯s the plan?¡± Remember you have a submarine.This narrative has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road. If you see it on Amazon, please report it. How big is it? Pretty large. It would probably scare these things off. Felix reached into his inventory and willed the submarine to emerge. The vehicle appeared next to the trio ¨C a one-hundred-foot-long replica of the Sea Serpent they had fought in the Mega-Dungeon on Zephelam. The head and tail pierced into the water on either side of the cleared area. The sudden appearance caused the Sharktopi to scatter, and Reth gasped, ¡°What is that?¡± Felix looked at the bluish-green, metallic, and yet organic-looking vessel, ¡°This is our means of transport to the Coralith Empire.¡± He walked up to the vessel and scanned for a seam or entrance. No clue how to get in though. Oh, that¡¯s easy. Lucifer drew Felix¡¯s attention to the right with a small, red indicator in his vision. Felix spotted the hidden latch and opened it; the metal sliding to the side to allow entry. A magic film covered the opening. That will keep water out. Felix went inside and waved for his companions to follow him. The first thing that struck him was the size of the interior. It was much larger than the outside made it appear. Walking towards the back he came across a mess hall, a galley, and several sleeping quarters. Going along the front of the vessel, he came across a small recreation room, a few pieces of stationary exercise equipment, and then the captain¡¯s quarters. Finally, a cockpit with a few seats lined in the hall behind it conclude the interior space. Felix sat down in the pilot seat ¨C a sumptuous cushion. A floating display ¨C much like how the System Administrator message first appeared back when this whole journey started ¨C rose up in front of him. Reth sat down in one of the chairs, looking around and marveling at the interior space. ¡°This is¡­incredible,¡± he muttered. Tinuriel nodded in agreement, ¡°I never knew something like this could exist.¡± Felix chuckled, ¡°Wait until we see a Universe with a technology level near my home ¡®Verse.¡± Felix rotated the seat around to Tinuriel, ¡°Mind handing me the Talisman?¡± Tinuriel did so and the waters crashed back around the vessel. Felix put the item back into the inventory and turned to face the front again. He touched the floating panels and cycled through several control configurations until he came across one he was comfortable with. Tapping the [CONFIRM] indicator, a small video game controller rose out of the floor in front of him. ¡°Okay, let¡¯s see what this thing can do!¡± He pushed the joystick forward. The submarine darted forward, traveling in a serpentine manner as it knifed through the water. ¡°How do you know where we are going?¡± Reth asked. Good question. Lucifer? Querying System¡­ah, this thing has a world map. The image of a map appeared on the view port in front of Felix. Thanks to your Detection Affinity, this vehicle ¨C and all of your vehicles ¨C can provide a general map of a world or Universe, and if you put in an Anima every minute, it will provide a course. Felix willed an Anima into the device and felt the minute stream of energy flowing from his hands and into the controller. A golden line shot out in front of him. Reth gasped, ¡°What¡¯s that?¡± ¡°You can see it?¡± Felix asked. ¡°Oh yeah, anyone can while they¡¯re in here. Not just Escorts. Check this out¡­¡± The view screen shifted to Lucifer¡¯s red-hued dark vision, and painted the whole ocean in a vibrant purple color. Felix could see for leagues until the distortion of the water prevented further vision. ¡°Well, in this thing, at least we won¡¯t be attacked,¡± Felix stated. Tinuriel sighed and stood up, ¡°I¡¯m going to hit those gym machines.¡± Felix glanced back and ¨C to his surprise ¨C the hallway behind him was stable and perfectly straight ¨C just how it was when the vehicle was sitting still. But¡­it serpentines. The System works in mysterious ways. Yeah. Okay. Off we go.
The Sea-Serpent Submarine made the travel effortless. There were no built-in defenses, but from what Reth had told him, the only creatures that were larger than their vessel were at the far edges of the Coralith¡¯s borders, opposite of the Monolith Empire. The far side of the world. The odds of them encountering such a creature were very small. ¡°If anything,¡± Reth commented as he reclined in the chair behind Felix¡¯s pilot seat, ¡°Is when we pass Coralith¡¯s borders. They¡¯ll see this thing and think we are some invading monster.¡± ¡°Then we just stop before then and get out of it,¡± Felix replied as he smoothly guided the submarine past a series of rock structures. Reth stood up and leaned down, so his head was near Felix¡¯s. ¡°Let me ask you something.¡± ¡°Sure, go ahead.¡± ¡°What is your end goal?¡± ¡°Beyond solving Crises?¡± Reth nodded, and Felix continued, ¡°Well, I need to hit Core Level 50 to get back home, save my ¡®Verse, and my sister.¡± Reth stood up and nodded, ¡°Ah, saving family. A worthy goal. But what do you intend to do after that?¡± Felix shook his head, ¡°I was thinking of just keeping this up. I mean, I¡¯d slow down the pace a bit, but a Versewalker¡¯s whole job is to fix ¡®Verses and help the System out.¡± Reth nodded, ¡°Good.¡± He sat down once more and sighed. Felix heard him open something and glancing back he saw the Earthborn man pull out a locket. ¡°May I share a part of my past?¡± Lucifer can you take control? Got it. The controller floated out of Felix¡¯s hands and the joysticks moved on their own. He turned in the chair and faced Reth, ¡°Of course.¡± Reth looked up with a pained expression, ¡°I¡¯ve been bound to the Monolith Empire my whole life. From birth, by nature of my heritage, I¡¯ve been destined to work for my homeland. I¡¯ve never¡­felt anger towards them for that, you know?¡± He turned the locket over in his hand, staring down at the shining bronze. ¡°I never got to choose. The choice was thrust upon me.¡± ¡°We have a phrase about that from my ¡®Verse. To quote The Bard, ¡®Some are born great, some achieve greatness, and others have greatness thrust upon them.¡¯¡± Reth chuckled, ¡°This Bard sounds quite wise.¡± He looked up and made eye contact with Felix. His ruby, gemstone eyes glimmered in the faint light cast from the interior of the submarine. ¡°I¡¯ve been a prisoner to duty. I¡¯m Earthborn. It¡¯s expected of me to serve the Monolith Empire. Everywhere I go, even if I¡¯m in disguise, people figure out what I am and know immediately who I work for.¡± He tugged on the item he had acquired from the emperor¡¯s armory. ¡°That¡¯s why I grabbed this cloak. I want to¡­not be me, you know? I just want to be¡­free from these strictures and structures.¡± A faint smile crossed his face, ¡°When I saw the Multiverse and your VBV infused me with all of the potential that it obtains¡­¡± He shook his head, ¡°I would be an idiot not to try everything in my power to ingrain myself into your ranks.¡± Felix nodded, ¡°I know what it¡¯s like, having responsibility forced on you. I can tell¡­you have a good heart. You want to help people, but in your own way. Right?¡± Reth nodded, and Felix continued. ¡°So, I think I¡¯ve made up my mind. Do you want to be one of my Escorts?¡± Reth grinned, ¡°Absolutely.¡± Felix held up a finger, ¡°A word of warning, though. I want to make this clear up front. I can remove your Escort status at any time. I don¡¯t believe you will cross me in any way, but I¡¯m trying to do good in the Multiverse, one ¡®Verse at a time. If you use the powers that being my Escort grants you for¡­evil, for lack of a better term, I¡¯ll strip them from you.¡± Reth¡¯s face returned to a neutral look, and he nodded slightly, ¡°I understand completely. You have my word. I, Reth Varnethal, will not use the powers you are going to grant me for evil or ill gain.¡± Felix chuckled, ¡°Quite formal. But I accept your word.¡± He held out his hand, and Reth gripped it with a firm shake. Ch. 68 – Astragos IX After a few more hours of travel Felix navigated to a small, underwater canyon and set the submarine down at the bottom of the trench. It was full of sand, and the walls on either side were solid. The perfect place they could store the submarine and open the VBV. And so they did; exiting the vehicle before Felix put it into the inventory. The water was pleasantly cool, but looking up, Felix saw the large torrent of the waters above that moved swiftly. That current would be dangerous to get caught in. Thankfully the submarine doesn¡¯t care about currents. One point for magic, zero for physics. That elicited a small chuckle from Felix as his allies glanced his direction. ¡°Lucifer¡¯s been focusing. Let¡¯s get on with it.¡± The grey portal of the VBV opened and the trio went inside. Walking to the central area, Lucifer split off. ¡°I¡¯m going to get the council together. There¡¯s a few items to discuss and address.¡± He flew up and off, soaring towards the medieval city. Felix turned to Reth and Tinuriel, ¡°To the Recreation Room then. We should level up.¡± He looked pointedly at Reth, ¡°You¡¯re going to feel very, very warm. It¡¯s best if we¡¯re in the water.¡± Reth nodded and a big grin spread across his face. ¡°Lead the way!¡± His enthusiasm was infectious and Felix couldn¡¯t help but smile as well. Tinuriel even cracked a slight smile as the trio went to the pool, stripping down before jumping in. I should do my level up first. Then, Tinuriel can do hers. And we¡¯ll do Reth last. What are you thinking? You know what I¡¯m thinking. Just making sure. It¡¯s a smart plan. [CONFIRMATION: YOU ARE CHOOSING TO USE YOUR LEVEL 20 RESPEC. THIS WILL LEAVE YOU WITH 0 RESPEC USES REMAINING. STATE YES TO CONFIRM, NO TO CANCEL.] ¡°Confirm.¡± Felix saw his character/status sheet reset to 3 in every stat, and his Classes all vanished. His level display still showed 25. ¡°Why do I have 3 in all stats?¡± Because you cleared two Dungeons, and each gave you a +2 boost to all stats. ¡°Right.¡± Reth looked at him, ¡°Who are you talking to?¡± ¡°Lucifer. He¡¯s my interface with the System.¡± ¡°Ah,¡± Reth nodded as he swam idly back and forth, impatient for the power he was promised. Tinuriel laid on her back and floated in the water, glancing at Felix. Right. Time to choose some classes and level up. Felix took a deep breath and submerged himself. He rapidly made the selections he had been thinking over and tossing back and forth with Lucifer in his mind. The water boiled around him, but he didn¡¯t feel any pain from the heat. He also set aside all but Detection and Hellfire as Affinities ¨C planning on giving the excess to Reth. I¡¯ll always keep Detection. Targeting weak spots is going to be perfect for my build. And Hellfire¡­Well, he¡¯d grown to like it. Aww, you do care. [You now have access to several Class Skills] Felix got above the water¡¯s surface and breathed a deep sigh. He looked to Tinuriel, ¡°Your turn.¡± She nodded and took a deep breath, submerging. Instead of heat escaping the water, it chilled and began to freeze as she selected another two levels in Rime Knight. [This is your 5th level in this Class. You gain access to a new Class Skill] She popped back up and her breath came out in a cool mist. ¡°Intriguing. Consistent damage in an area, and they don¡¯t harm me as much?¡± She nodded, ¡°I am becoming this ¡®tank¡¯ as you refer to it.¡± Reth was looking between the two with joy and anticipation. ¡°When is it my turn?¡± ¡°Lucifer? I need to make Reth a chosen Escort.¡± Just focus on that and you¡¯ll get a System message. Felix looked at Reth. Okay¡­Umm¡­System? I want Reth to be an Escort. [CONFIRMATION: DESIGNATE RETH VARNETHAL AS VERSEWALKER ESCORT?] ¡°Umm¡­Confirm.¡± Reth¡¯s skin began to bubble and he yelped in shock. Tinuriel swam over to him and shoved him under the waves. Felix saw the various levels. The steam continued to billow out, but Tinuriel seemed to not mind the scalding heat. [You now have access to several Class Skills] Support the creativity of authors by visiting the original site for this novel and more. Reth came back up and Tinuriel swam back from him. He took a deep breath and laughed ¨C nearly manically ¨C as he held a hand up above the water. An enormous gout of flame shot upward, and he grinned. ¡°What a rush! That¡¯s incredible!¡± ¡°And you have two Affinities that I didn¡¯t have before on our list.¡± Reth nodded, ¡°All Earthborn can use earth magic¡­err¡­Affinity effects I guess is what they¡¯re called?¡± He looked at Tinuriel, ¡°What do you call it?¡± ¡°Magic,¡± she replied. ¡°Then I¡¯ll keep using that phrase. And as for fire magic, well, that took training.¡± Can we learn Affinities by training? No. He can, but that¡¯s only while he¡¯s in his ¡®Verse. And it takes a long time. Felix swam to the edge of the pool and clambered out. ¡°I¡¯m going to be restocking some items. Do you want any armor or weapons, Reth?¡± Reth nodded, ¡°I¡¯ll come look.¡± Tinuriel got out of the water, ¡°I¡¯ll stay here to lift.¡± She grabbed Felix and pulled him in for a short kiss before giving him a slap on the back that made him wince. As they left Reth chuckled, ¡°I don¡¯t know why she didn¡¯t like me earlier.¡± Felix raised an appraising eyebrow, ¡°It¡¯s because she doesn¡¯t know how much to trust you. The only reason she trusts me as much as she does is because I saved her life when we first met. At least, I think that¡¯s why she trusts me.¡± He nodded, ¡°I wish I could find myself a woman, but no one wants an Earthborn spouse.¡± ¡°Why is that?¡± Felix asked. ¡°Ah¡­erm¡­let¡¯s just say my rocky skin encompasses my whole form.¡± Felix winced slightly, ¡°Condolences.¡± Reth waved his hand, ¡°It¡¯s fine. Maybe across this Multiverse I¡¯ll find some woman who is okay with what I am.¡± Felix stopped walking for a moment and turned to the man, ¡°How do more Earthborn and Coralborn come into being? Is it not genetic?¡± Reth shook his head, ¡°No. It¡¯s random chance. Rarely do Earthborn or Coralborn have children.¡± Felix nodded, and the less I know about that, the better. If you want, I can query the Syst- No. Felix went to the Shop and scrolled through the various screens, taking into account Reth¡¯s suggestions.
[Items purchased] + Electricity Affinity - 20000 VC + Armored Animancer Robes - 3000 VC + Animancer Channeling Staff - 3000 VC [Monies Paid] - 26000 VC [Circlet of Prosperity 10% reduction] = 23400 VC [Current Balance] = 5197 VC
Felix equipped the Electricity Affinity and held up his hands, watching the sparks dance across his fingers. ¡°Why choose that?¡± Reth asked as he put on his new armor. ¡°Because of how you can apply it. Electricity can mess with a person¡¯s body pretty badly. And¡­well, the Basilisk is some type of Artificial Intelligence. When I eventually get back to face it, I don¡¯t think much physical damage can be done to it. But, if I can overload it¡­I don¡¯t know, maybe I can stop it like that?¡± Reth finished pulling the armor on. A set of deep, green robes with armored plates sewn on top of the vital parts. The Animancer Channeling Staff was a large, black, metal rod with a bulb on the top. It would enable Reth to use his Affinity as a very basic ¡®bolt¡¯ of Magic that would function like a ranged weapon. ¡°This makes me look good.¡± Felix nodded, ¡°Sure does.¡± Hey, council time. Head on over to the table. Felix waved for Reth to follow him, ¡°Come on. You¡¯ll get a seat at the table. Just like Tinuriel.¡± Reth followed obediently. ¡°Do you want me to just be quiet? Or add to the conversation?¡± ¡°If you have some insight then please share it. I know I¡¯m not a genius, so I¡¯ll take any advice you want to provide.¡±
The three advisors each sat down. Melanie was dressed fabulously, as usual. Both Gina and Roy looked worse for the wear. ¡°What happened?¡± Felix asked. Lucifer sat down shortly after, and behind him was King Avelion the XII. Gina groaned and put her head on the council table. ¡°Those damn cannibals on Vugog. So scary.¡± Roy nodded, ¡°None of the VBV recruits nor Gina¡¯s mages were able to survive the horrors of war. I barely got them all out alive.¡± Felix looked at King Avelion, ¡°Are your people able to keep them in check still?¡± The King stared down at the table, his cheeks flushing slightly red as embarrassment was writ across his visage. ¡°I¡­must ask¡­you for help.¡± He looked up at Felix and he could tell that this man staring at him was being devastated on the inside by asking someone else for assistance. Felix nodded, ¡°Let¡¯s see what we can do.¡± He looked at Roy. ¡°Would you be willing to help lead some of King Avelion¡¯s forces? With you at the vanguard, they would probably fare well.¡± Roy nodded, ¡°I can do this. But numbers are another issue. The Violent Vagrants of Vugog have chosen a new Overlord. That means the various warring tribes will unite. Most likely, they will try to ascend the Tiers.¡± ¡°That¡¯s bad I¡¯m guessing,¡± Reth chimed in. ¡°That is,¡± Tinuriel responded. ¡°What of the other Tiers? Has a call been sent out?¡± Melanie spoke, ¡°I have sent missives to Invictus and Ry¨±ganaru who have the largest standing armies. Invictus is still amid their rebellion, and thus help from that front will not come. And because of that, Roy cannot take his forces down the Tiers.¡± Felix blinked. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, but¡­this is going to sound harsh. Are you stupid? Use the portal in Roy¡¯s throne room to arrive right on Avelion.¡± Roy stared at Felix before turning red himself, sharing the embarrassed look as King Avelion had. ¡°I hadn¡¯t thought of that.¡± Felix shook his head, ¡°Easy problem. I¡¯m sure your forces, Roy, the monstrous ones, could easily handle these cannibals.¡± Roy nodded, ¡°They could. I¡¯ll see to it.¡± He glanced to King Avelion, ¡°Will your troops join us?¡± King Avelion nodded as Roy stood up, ¡°We shall see to it at once.¡± The two men headed off towards the medieval and forest areas respectively. Felix sighed, ¡°Did no one really think to use the portals we set up for the purpose of getting around Heficyre quickly?¡± Melanie and Gina shook their heads, ¡°I wasn¡¯t informed of this matter,¡± Gina stated. ¡°Nor was I,¡± Melanie followed up. Reth tapped Felix¡¯s arm, ¡°These aren¡¯t the best people.¡± Both Gina and Melanie looked at him with a pissed-off expression. ¡°Not you ladies ¨C just those guys.¡± Felix sighed, ¡°Roy is a military man. The VBV portals are still something they¡¯re getting used to using.¡± Felix looked at Lucifer, ¡°Do we have any idea of how much use the Heficyre portals are getting to traverse the Tiers? Versus just allowing people from that Tier to the VBV?¡± Lucifer nodded and closed his eyes, ¡°Accessing the portal records¡­Very few.¡± Felix looked at Melanie, ¡°I want you to start up an awareness campaign ¨C or propaganda if you prefer. People need to know that the VBV is not just a destination ¨C it is a hub.¡± Melanie nodded and stood up, ¡°I¡¯ll get the printers on Mercantus working on it.¡± She left the council table. Gina looked at Reth and glared at him, ¡°Let me guess, you¡¯re Felix¡¯s new Escort?¡± Reth nodded, ¡°I am an Earthborn Mage ¨C er, Animancer ¨C from the Monolith Empire on Astragos.¡± Gina looked at Felix and deflated slightly, ¡°I understand why you had to make a decision ¨C having a mage in a party is crucial to success. I do wish it was one from our academy.¡± Felix shrugged, ¡°They had a chance to prove themselves. They failed.¡± Gina nodded, ¡°What would really help is if you could use a VBV Function to increase our rate of development.¡± Felix leaned forward, ¡°Do tell.¡± ¡°Well, what you refer to as Anima, and the Stat that corresponds to its reservoir, this ¡®Soul¡¯ stat, can be improved with time and effort. Can you use a VBV Function to increase the rate of Soul gain?¡± Lucifer nodded, ¡°That can be done.¡± Felix looked at him, ¡°Then let¡¯s use VBV Functions to increase the rate of gain for every person¡¯s stats.¡± Lucifer¡¯s eyes went wide, ¡°It is one function per stat because of how much processing power that takes. But that is¡­¡± He sighed and kicked his feet up on the table, ¡°That¡¯s a lot.¡± ¡°Why?¡± Tinuriel asked. ¡°Because Versewalkers and their Escorts cannot gain Stats from training. So, there¡¯s no real gain for you lot; and you¡¯re the most important person. If Felix dies, then all of this,¡± he gestured to the space around them, ¡°Goes bye-bye.¡± Felix nodded, ¡°I want it regardless.¡± Lucifer shrugged, ¡°Their maximum will be capped by your Core Level. So the max they can get up to is twenty-five right now.¡± Felix nodded and stood up, ¡°If that¡¯s all, I¡¯d like the night. We¡¯ll set out tomorrow.¡± Gina nodded and bowed, ¡°My thanks, Felix.¡± Reth looked at the guest houses, ¡°I¡¯ll go check out my new quarters.¡± Felix looked at Tinuriel, ¡°I owe Lucifer a movie night. Rain check?¡± She frowned slightly but nodded tersely, ¡°I understand. I¡¯ll be in the Recreation Room.¡± Lucifer jolted up to his feet and grabbed Felix¡¯s arm, dragging him behind. ¡°I¡¯ve got my eyes on this crazy series about a man with a flying blue box that solves problems.¡± Felix chuckled and nodded, ¡°I think I know the one you¡¯re talking about.¡±
The next day they set off through the portal to Astragos once more. Felix pulled out the submarine, and the trio set off to the Coralith Empire. Ch. 69 – Astragos X The submarine made travel quick and safe. Lucifer was able to control it, so Tinuriel and Felix spent plenty of time indulging in each other in one of the crew quarters. In between that, chatting with Reth, and playing a few board games that Tinuriel had found in the VBV Recreation Room, the trio enjoyed the transit that lasted several days. One particular topic of discussion was broached by Tinuriel, and both Felix and Reth immediately stopped their game of chess to pay attention to her as she pulled a seat out of the wall and sat next to them. ¡°We need to talk strategy.¡± Felix looked at the board. No way to win. He conceded, laying down his king, and turned to face her. ¡°What in particular?¡± ¡°Battle plans.¡± She pushed the chess board away and pulled out a notepad which was absolutely covered in myriad tactical maps that reminded Felix of miniature army games. ¡°Take this scenario, for instance. We are inside a city and assaulted by those beyond the walls. What tactics might we employ?¡± She used a pencil to trace out several maneuvers and tapped each icon, pointing to the corresponding person at the table. ¡°We can talk movement as much as we desire, but unless we can find something to practice against ¨C which the VBV did not provide in the Training Room ¨C we need to strategize. Let us discuss general battle tactics before moving on to scenarios.¡± Reth nodded and gestured for the pencil, drawing a small sphere around each of the individuals. ¡°Normally, when I¡¯m working with a squad of agents, I utilize my affinity with earth to create barriers around them, before transitioning to using my fire affinity to deal damage from the backline.¡± He held up his hand and several small flames flickered from the tips of his fingers. ¡°I have a lot more affinities now,¡± he said with a grin. ¡°I can do so much more.¡± Felix nodded, ¡°I like the idea of you primarily focusing on protecting and healing. Tinuriel will be able to get and keep their attention with her Rime Knight Skills, and she does hefty damage. I can stay completely hidden and either engage at a range or in melee.¡± Felix held up his hand and electricity crackled between his fingertips, ¡°This and Hellfire will let me deal area damage if needed.¡± Reth chuckled and his eyes lit up with enthusiasm, ¡°I can cover area of effect.¡± Felix nodded and put his hand down, ¡°In either case. We have a tank, a dps, and a support.¡± The two looked at him curiously. ¡°It¡¯s called the Holy Trinity in certain games where I¡¯m from.¡± Ha! The Holy Trinity. That¡¯s funny. Felix shook off the biblical reference and continued, ¡°The tank is the person who stands in front, gets the attention, and soaks the most damage. The dps stands for damage-per-second, or the heavy hitter. And then support focuses on healing. Eventually, we can add someone whose job is to buff us ¨C increase our battle potency, or debuff our foes ¨C decrease their efficacy.¡± Reth nodded and rubbed his chin as he leaned forward, ¡°And I assume I am the support, since you have granted me several Affinities that augment a healing role.¡± Felix nodded, ¡°I didn¡¯t know you could already give us temporary health and barriers ¨C so that¡¯ll be extremely useful. But I¡¯d ask that you try and reserve Anima to be focused on keeping us alive.¡± Reth grinned, ¡°Will do! And with this staff, I can still set things on fire.¡± Tinuriel put her hand on Felix¡¯s arm to draw his gaze. ¡°And I am the tank then.¡± Felix nodded and she continued, ¡°Then let¡¯s look at some scenarios. I came up with three. The first one is we have to hold a single wall of a settlement against a large group of enemies. What is the battle plan?¡± ¡°What would you suggest?¡± Felix asked. ¡°I¡¯ve never been in a war.¡± Tinuriel smiled slightly before her warrior demeanor took over. She pointed to several locations on the drawing of the wall, ¡°First, the goal should be to prevent people from coming over the wall in the first place. I would be running along it, pushing ladders back and carving those who did manage to breach the walls. Felix, you would be using your ranged capabilities to attack their archers and Magic/Power users.¡± Reth frowned, ¡°And let me guess, you¡¯d just have me on standby?¡± She shook her head, ¡°We should not be suffering many blows in this scenario. I would have you utilize whatever large area damage Affinity Magic/Power effects you could manifest. Fireballs, earthen spikes, whatever you have. But¡± she held up a finger, ¡°You should always save Anima in reserve because we may need healing.¡± Felix ran a hand through his hair, ¡°But we are forgetting one thing in this scenario.¡± Tinuriel looked at him, and he pointed to the front of the submarine where the ocean extended before the vessel. ¡°We can move in three dimensions.¡± Tinuriel frowned, ¡°You think I didn¡¯t have that as a scenario?¡± She flipped the page and there was another diagram. It reflected the situation where they were in the center of a group of hostiles ¨C just like their dealings with the Sharktopi. ¡°The prior scenario was a land encounter. This one encompasses the waters as well. In this type of scenario, it is much more difficult for me to gather attention and force foes to target me. So we need a new stratagem.¡± Reth used the pencil and drew a horseshoe shape around the marks representing their party, ¡°I could use my earth Affinity to create a wall of stone that surrounds us on all sides, and then the foes would be funneled right to us.¡±Unlawfully taken from Royal Road, this story should be reported if seen on Amazon. Felix gestured for the pencil and drew an icon representing himself outside of the horseshoe shape, ¡°And I can get outside and attack from the back and flanks.¡± Tinuriel frowned, ¡°Can you remove that wall at any time if we need to escape?¡± Reth nodded, ¡°Oh yes. I can cancel those effects near-instantly.¡± She smiled, ¡°Then we have a scenario for when we have to fight in the water, and our foes can move in all directions.¡± She flipped the page to the last one, which showed the three of them facing off against an enormous creature. ¡°This last scenario assumes we are fighting something like a Dungeon Boss.¡± She traced a small line from the leading figure ¨C representing her ¨C to the creature mark. ¡°I would run up, activating several Skills to grant myself temporary health, and draw its attention.¡± She looked to Reth, ¡°This is where you¡¯d be that support role Felix mentioned, where you¡¯ll ensure that I am protected with your earth Affinity, and heal me when required so I can use my Vigor to focus on dealing damage.¡± Felix drew a line of his icon flanking to the side, ¡°I¡¯d get to the side and use Detect Weakness, stack on a few damaging effects, and either get in close with melee or use ranged attacks ¨C undetected.¡± Tinuriel looked at him appraisingly, ¡°Do you think you can harm creatures better than I?¡± Felix nodded, ¡°With a new Skill I acquired, I should be on your level with damage I can inflict.¡± ¡°Is that all?¡± Reth asked. Tinuriel nodded and put the pad on a small table before pulling the chess board to herself and setting up the pieces for another match. ¡°Those are the three most probably scenarios I saw us possibly having to deal with. My thanks.¡± She looked to Reth, ¡°Ready to lose?¡± Reth chuckled as Felix swapped places with Tinuriel, ¡°You can try to beat me.¡± Felix went to the cockpit and sat down with a sigh. It¡¯s good they¡¯re getting along now. The controller in front of him was manipulated by an unseen force as Lucifer replied, I agree. Also, you can do way more harm than she can in a single hit. Death Mark combined with Execution, Vital Strike, (P) Sneak Attack, and (P) Slayer should destroy most foes. Felix kicked his legs up on the small ledge in front of him, That combo takes a lot of Vigor. Right. You¡¯re not meant to do big area damage. Find the high priority target, take them out, and then work your way down the command structure. Mhmm. And if we are against some type of swarm or encounter where there is no priority target, I can use Affinity Empowerment before a Hellfire Magic/Power effect, and you can pump Vigor Conversion if needed. What did you say a few months ago? ¡®Action economy is king¡¯ I believe it was? That¡¯s right. There was a sense of satisfaction that came from Lucifer as he spoke the next words in Felix¡¯s mind, Thank you for spending some down time with me. You¡¯re the only person I can really connect with. Why is that? Remember how I said a long time ago that I had no interest in Tinuriel because of the difference in what we are? Well, you¡¯re the closest thing to being in my own categorization. I find you somewhat engaging to socialize with. The others? I tolerate them. But they are lesser beings. This struck a foul chord with Felix. I thought you were all about equality and free will. I am. But there¡¯s also the facts of the Multiverse. Deities and their servants, Versewalkers, System personnel¡­we are all on different levels of existence than Tinuriel, Reth, Roy, Melanie, Gina, or any of the VBV inhabitants. Felix digested that thought for several minutes. Lucifer was speaking sensibly; Felix was on a completely different level than everyone else around him. Yes, they were powerful in their own right, but if he stripped Escort status from Tinuriel or Reth, he could easily dominate them in a battle. The same went for Roy. I am on a different level than them, but that doesn¡¯t mean they can¡¯t be my friends. Give it time. There was a sense of sorrow in the tone. Eventually, you will become powerful enough to really see the gap that exists between you and others. I just hope it doesn¡¯t make you jaded as it has made me. You could always¡­try being friends with other people other than me. You got along with Tinuriel and Roy well enough. There was silence for several moments. Felix heard a deep sigh in his thoughts, I put on a face to be around them. I suppose there is no harm in trying to truly form a connection. But- You¡¯re afraid of losing that connection. Lucifer scoffed, Ugh, really? You think that¡¯s the reason? His voice was laced with sarcasm, but the type of sarcasm that pours out when a person is deflecting and retreating into their own self for safety, rather than facing their problems head on. You are afraid of making connections because you know you¡¯ll outlive them. Everything ages and dies except for you. Eventually, you just stop making connections because it¡¯s easier to have none than see them fade away to nothingness. There was silence. For the first time in several months, deafening silence permeated Felix¡¯s mind. Lucifer¡¯s voice came back ¨C and it sounded like he was crying. Felix had no clue how he could cry inside of his head. I¡¯m¡­You¡¯re right. Of course you¡¯re right. You¡¯re part of me. I don¡¯t want to be hurt when my friends die again. Well, I¡¯m not going to die on you if I have anything to say about it. Felix looked at the viewport and spotted a section that reflected his image. He envisioned that he was staring at Lucifer, and for a brief moment, he saw the fallen angel¡¯s grey eyes flicker over his own. ¡°I¡¯m your friend to the end. I¡¯ll make sure we use a VBV Function to cause aging to cease at a certain age. That way, at least, friends you make won¡¯t die on you from the ravages of time.¡± Lucifer¡¯s tone shifted slightly away from sorrow, That is thoughtful. Thank you. Truly. You¡¯re the first Versewalker I¡¯ve met that¡¯s been this altruistic. Are they all really that egotistical or selfish? Many are. The last one didn¡¯t even treat me as an individual. Just as a tool in his arsenal. Well, you¡¯re not a tool to me. Tinuriel walked up and put a hand on Felix¡¯s shoulder, pulling him out of his conversation for a moment. ¡°You okay?¡± She asked gently, squatting to be at his eye level. Felix nodded, ¡°Yeah. I¡¯m fine.¡± ¡°Hey, Tinuriel.¡± She looked slightly over Felix¡¯s shoulder ¨C where Lucifer¡¯s voice came from when he talked aloud. ¡°Yes?¡± ¡°Will¡­Gah, this sounds so corny. Will you be my friend?¡± Her eyebrow cocked quizzically, ¡°I thought we were.¡± ¡°Oh-yes! Of course we were. Hehe, silly question.¡± Kill me, Lucifer said in Felix¡¯s mind with a groan. Felix just laughed and gave Tinuriel a kiss. Ch. 70 – Astragos XI The travel to the edge of the Coralith Empire was uneventful, but Reth insisted that they leave the submarine and go the rest of the way themselves. ¡°Those types of large creatures would undoubtedly be seen as a threat, and we would be dealing with a reactionary force within hours.¡± So the trio left the submarine and Felix put it back into the inventory. The waters were slightly cooler now that they were deeper, but the environment was not as dark. Large swaths of kelp and coral glowed on the sea floor with a bioluminescent aura that appeared as if a glimmering hoard of jewels and wealth. Fish darted in between the various structures and all manner of ocean life ¨C some familiar and some wildly different than anything Felix had seen ¨C skittered about. ¡°Come on,¡± Reth stated after they took a minute soaking in the view. He led them West, and the coral came to a sharp stop as they floated over an enormous cliff. A series of poles were floating vertically in the water. ¡°Those mark the edge of the Coralith Empire. Quite literally a magical border that wraps around the entire abyssal shelf. They project an aura that, if disturbed, notifies a monitoring station inside the borders. That aura extends up to the surface of the water.¡± Tinuriel glanced up, ¡°Why not just go up to the surface and over the barrier?¡± Reth looked up as well, ¡°We could do that, but it would take some time to get up there. I was thinking of using Anathema to shut down the pylon temporarily.¡± ¡°Won¡¯t that alert them?¡± Felix asked. Reth shrugged, ¡°Possibly.¡± ¡°Couldn¡¯t we use your earth affinity to tunnel into the ocean floor and just go under the border?¡± Tinuriel asked. Reth swam down to the bottom and cleared some of the sand away, ¡°I can do that. Follow along.¡± He channeled a steady stream of Anima into the rock below. The stone shifted and parted like flowing water as a tunnel formed. The trio dove into the tunnel as it continued to be bored out in front of them. After getting to the depth of the abyssal shelf, they turned ninety degrees and emerged onto a sand-covered ocean floor once more. Glancing up, Felix saw the pylons floating above and behind them. Reth chuckled, ¡°That was easy.¡± They continued traveling West and Reth used his cloak to take on Felix¡¯s appearance. As he put it, ¡°If they see an Earthborn, they¡¯ll instantly attack. At least this way, while we might be suspicious, we won¡¯t be attacked on sight.¡±
A few hours later they came across a series of vibrant, orange patches of some undersea grass that was cordoned off into sections. ¡°A farm. Querying System¡­this is their equivalent of wheat. They can make something analogous to bread with it.¡± Tinuriel gestured to get their attention and pointed at a woman who was swimming towards them. She appeared just like the rest of the humans they had encountered, but she was wearing some type of skintight attire, and in place of shoes she had a pair of flippers on. ¡°What¡¯re ya¡¯ll doin¡¯ in me Gheskar field?¡± Felix swam to the front of the group, ¡°I¡¯m Felix. I¡¯m a Versewalker.¡± At this her eyes went wide, and she adjusted her clothes slightly as if she was trying to make herself appear fancier or more regal. Her voice took on a sultry tone as she replied, ¡°Well now, I ain¡¯t never heard of no Versewalker comin ¡®round my bit of the siltland. To what do I owe the pleasure?¡± ¡°Just passing through,¡± Reth commented. The woman looked at him, ¡°You a Versewalker too?¡± Reth shook his head, ¡°No ma¡¯am, just a brother.¡± As he spoke, he started to seemingly take on a bit of the accent that the woman was speaking with. Must be part of his agent training to blend in, Felix thought. Maybe I should¡¯ve been the Animancer and made him the rogue. Felix smiled at the woman, ¡°Would you be kind enough to point us to the nearest town?¡± ¡°Sure!¡± She pointed back behind her into the darkness. ¡°Ev¡¯ry thousand feet ¡®r so ya¡¯ll will see a beacon. Thems got directions.¡± ¡°Thank you,¡± Felix led his group past the woman who seemed disappointed that they weren¡¯t going to keep talking to her. Reth swam up next to him and nodded. ¡°How¡¯d we do in your professional opinion?¡± Reth smiled, ¡°We¡¯ve successfully infiltrated the borders and haven¡¯t had a hostile incident. I¡¯d say eight out of ten.¡±
They arrived at a small town that was illuminated with several coral patches. The buildings were created from enormous shells of some type of creature, and all shone with opalescence that matched the beauty of pearls. Several fish that swam above illuminated the area with their bioluminescence. As they reached the town center, they were accosted by a trio of soldiers that were dressed in some type of scale armor that wasn¡¯t made of metal. Rather, it looked to be some type of bone or chitin. They carried spears and had some type of harpoon launcher akin to an arbalist, and just like the few people the trio had passed, they also wore fins for faster traversal of their native biome. ¡°Hold up! What¡¯s yer business?¡± One of the trio asked. Reth swam forward, ¡°New to town. I¡¯m here with a Versewalker. We¡¯re on our way to see the Empress and offer our services.¡± The guard who was speaking glared at the trio, ¡°Where¡¯s yer flippers?¡± ¡°We lost them,¡± Felix said. ¡°Sharktopi attacked us.¡± The guard¡¯s eyes narrowed, ¡°Within the borders?¡± ¡°No, on our way here,¡± Felix replied. The guard lowered his polearm into a ready position as did his two companions, ¡°You came from beyond the abyssal cliff?¡± Reth looked back to Felix and gave a look that said, ¡®fight or run?¡¯. Felix gestured to Reth to stay put. ¡°Yes. I saw what the Monolith Empire was doing. I¡¯d rather align with the Coralith Empire.¡± The guard¡¯s stance shifted, and Tinuriel slowly put a hand towards her blade in response. The lead guard who was speaking nodded, ¡°If that¡¯s true, then you¡¯ll come with us to the garrison for questioning.¡± Reth looked back at Felix once more and mouthed, ¡®this isn¡¯t a good idea¡¯. Time to make a choice. Do you fight, submit, or flee? Felix frowned, ¡°We¡¯ll accompany you, but we are not giving up our weapons. And we will stay outside of your garrison as we are questioned.¡± The guard glanced at Tinuriel, ¡°Very well.¡± They lowered their weapons, and Tinuriel put her hand down. The trio of guards spread out and formed a triangle formation to escort Felix¡¯s party. Reth swam closer, ¡°What are you doing?¡± he whispered, sounding irate. ¡°We are going to where more of their guards are.¡± Felix smirked, ¡°Lucifer, what is the Core Level recommended for this ¡®Verse?¡± Lucifer¡¯s voice came out at a whisper so that Reth could hear, ¡°The max is Core Level 30.¡± ¡°We are only five levels off from that cap. I think we could handle a whole garrison if we needed to,¡± Felix replied in hushed tones. Tinuriel swam up to Reth and nudged him slightly, ¡°You¡¯d be able to test out your new Escort powers as well.¡±This book is hosted on another platform. Read the official version and support the author''s work. Reth frowned but nodded curtly, ¡°I¡¯ll follow your lead. But I don¡¯t like putting ourselves into a tactically disadvantageous position.¡± ¡°It¡¯ll be fine,¡± Felix replied.
The guards escorted them along an interesting variant of a road. Smaller pylons ¨C similar to the various markers they had encountered at the edge of the abyssal shelf ¨C were interspersed within line of sight of one another. As they approached one of these pylons, it would glow a slight red hue before a line of text would appear along the top revealing directions with arrows. Sort of a waypoint system of navigation since they can¡¯t have established roads because of the sand. They were led to a structure made out of several chunks of stone that were carved from some bedrock. The exterior was coarse, and the shape was very peculiar. The structure was an enormous cube with several entrances on the various sides. Surrounding it was a metal lattice that functioned as a fence, barrier, and provided means of attacking out. It was a well-designed fortification that could repel attacks from any direction except the ground it was placed upon. Two of the guards remained with the trio as the lead one went inside. A few minutes passed and a squad of twenty similarly armed and armored troops came outside with weapons at the ready but not trained on the trio. A total of twenty-four individuals. A woman with bright, almost neon-red hair swam out towards them. Her skin was an opal sheen marking her as a Coralborn. She swam in front of Felix and floated in front of him, ¡°You claim to be a Versewalker?¡± Felix nodded, ¡°Yeah. I¡¯m on my way to meet the empress. Can you facilitate our travel?¡± The woman¡¯s eyes flashed bright blue and she gestured at Reth ¨C the guards each raised weapons towards him, and Reth put his hands up. ¡°Why do you travel with a disguised Earthborn?¡± Damn, she can see through his magic item¡¯s effect? Looks like it. ¡°We¡¯re on a peace mission!¡± Felix shouted. ¡°Just¡­calm down.¡± The woman looked at him, ¡°Calm? When agents of the Monolith Empire sneak into our borders? No, there is no calm. We are at war.¡± Tinuriel drew her sword, ¡°Alright then, I guess we are doing this.¡± She activated several Skills in rapid succession ¨C having honed her rapidity. Icy Shell, Bastion, Menacing Chill, Deathless Juggernaut, and finally Invigorating Charge. An aura of frost surrounded her as the waters became chillier. Her skin was coated with small ice crystals as the blue aura thrummed around her, spectral flames licking off of her body as she dashed in front of Felix faster than any of the foes could react. Lastly, as she struck down at the Coralborn commander, a series of minute, deep-blue lines zipped out from her and connected with each of the soldiers ¨C and their attention was drawn inexorably to her. As the commander twisted away from the blow, the harpoon-arbalests fired and several bounced off of Tinuriel¡¯s armor, but a few found purchase and punched into her body. It looked as if they would take some time to reload, and thanks to her Deathless Juggernaut Skill ¨C she barely suffered any real injury. Ghostwalk. Undetectable Step. Detect Weakness- Affinity Amplification- Dragon Dance. Electroblade. Hellblade. Felix vanished from sight as the golden targeting circles appeared on each target. In one smooth motion he pulled both of his knives out. The Channeling Dagger flared with crackling, yellow electricity, and crimson and black coruscating hellfire. He dashed ¨C empowered by the Dragon Dance ¨C to each of the soldiers, sinking both blades into the weak spots. Thanks to his (P) Slayer and (P) Sneak Attack Talents, he was able to deal a significant amount of damage to each opponent. As he drew his blades out of each, he could see the small puff of red as blood infused the waters around them. He did not deal enough damage to drop any of them to unconsciousness, but there was a very small crackle of yellow electricity that surrounded them he could make out. Reth raised his staff and activated several class Skills of his own ¨C his eyes lighting up with glee as he finally got to test out some of the new powers he had obtained. Affinity Amplification, Netherlight Mantle, Netherlight Cohort, and Netherlight Vestige. A second later, he activated an Affinity Magic/Power effect ¨C Earth Shield. Reth¡¯s body glowed with a vibrant, earthy, green hue as the grey Netherlight flooded around himself, Tinuriel, and Felix¡¯s bodies. It felt different than when Felix had used it ¨C instead of a soothing cushion, this felt like a structured, supportive film. Like wax that had partially hardened on his skin. The trio were then surrounded by clumps of earth and sand that granted temporary health. The soldiers piled towards Tinuriel, unleashing attack after attack. Several were absorbed by the Earth Shield before impacting her ¨C and dealing very little damage due to her Deathless Juggernaut Skill. But those that did impact her only increased her strength, as the Berserker Collar glowed with a bright, red aura of malice and Tinuriel¡¯s muscles bulged. She parried a few strikes and swung in return, carving apart foes left and right. Reth swam backward and focused his intent on the Coralborn, who had seemingly shaken off Tinuriel¡¯s taunt Skill, and was quaffing a red-hued Elixir as her wounds healed over. ¡°I don¡¯t think so. Anathema Prison!¡± The cosmic-blue cage appeared around the Coralborn as the Magic effect she was focusing on fizzled into nothingness. She screamed in rage and looked at Reth. She drew a short blade and began to move towards him, only to scream in pain. Felix was behind her and stabbed down into one of the weak spots on her neck. Time to use this new Affinity, he thought, as he saw the small motes of yellow electricity surrounding all of the combatants. Overload. Affinity Amplification. Felix held up his hand as a golden-yellow crackle of sparks bounced between his fingers before zapping outward and impacting every one of the individuals who was suffering from the Lightning Rod effect. An enormous ZAP noise emanated outward as the energy surged through each target. Then, the Affinity Amplification modified the electricity slightly, causing the arcing energy to cause a small burst around each target. Having been struck by his prior Dragon Dance, they were already weakened, and this final blast caused them all to stop moving, save for the twitches of electricity still jolting a path through their bodies. Aside from the ones Tinuriel had cut down ¨C they were all rendered unconscious. Save for the Coralborn woman, who turned on Felix ¨C but could not see him due to his Skill combination. She looked back to Reth before raising her hands in surrender. Tinuriel came over and pulled out a length of rope, tying the woman up. Felix dropped the stealth Skills and looked to Reth, ¡°Help me gather the unconscious ones and tie them up." Ch. 71 – Astragos XII [Experience Awarded: 70] After helping Felix get the guards who were unconscious into the small outpost and tying them up, Reth swam over to the Coralborn woman. ¡°What¡¯s your name?¡± She spat ¨C which just floated up and away from them ¨C ¡°You and your empire can go to the depths!¡± Reth activated his Cloak of Stolen Identities and took on her appearance, causing her to gasp at the sudden realization. ¡°That¡¯s right, I am going to masquerade as you and get right to the empress.¡± The woman looked past Reth to Felix, ¡°You¡¯re the one who was giving orders.¡± Her voice was gruff, and it sounded as if she had been destroying her throat with shouting for years. ¡°Who are you?¡± Felix finished putting on a pair of flippers and swam over to her, ¡°I¡¯m a Versewalker, like I said.¡± Tinuriel swam over ¨C having found her own pair of flippers. ¡°You should have listened. You¡¯re lucky that he let so many live.¡± She looked to Felix, ¡°They¡¯re alive?¡± Felix nodded, ¡°The ones Tinuriel slew are the only ones that are dead. The rest will wake up in a few hours.¡± The redhead shook her head, ¡°You¡­If you were spies or assassins, you¡¯d have killed us.¡± ¡°I tried to tell you, but you didn¡¯t listen.¡± She looked at Tinuriel, ¡°I like the way you swing your blade. But what I really want to know-¡± she turned to Reth; ¡°-Is how you stopped my Magic.¡± Reth put a finger to his lips, ¡°Sorry, that¡¯s a secret.¡± He swam past Felix and into the building, coming out a few moments later with his own pair of flippers. ¡°This should make traversing much easier.¡± Felix floated in front of the woman, ¡°We¡¯re heading to see your empress in a play for peace. I know you don¡¯t have any trust in us, but what if I could convince you?¡± The woman¡¯s eyes narrowed, ¡°Never.¡± Felix shrugged, ¡°Lucifer? How long?¡± ¡°Three hours. I wish we could reduce the time requirement.¡± The woman looked around, ¡°Who said that?¡± ¡°Hi, I¡¯m the Versewalker¡¯s¡­umm¡­one second, Querying System¡­Okay, so the closest thing in your ¡®Verse is something called an ¡®Enthraller¡¯. Yeah, I¡¯m Felix¡¯s thrall.¡± The woman¡¯s eyes went wide, ¡°There¡¯s only four in the whole of Coralith¡­¡± She frowned, ¡°What do you intend to do?¡± ¡°Well,¡± Felix grabbed the woman and pulled her behind him into the building. Tinuriel followed behind, as did Reth. ¡°We are going to put you lot into a type of prison for a bit. There¡¯s some of your allies in there that we captured in the Monolith Empire. You have my word, you won¡¯t be injured. And, once a peace is established, I¡¯ll return you safe and sound.¡± The woman laughed as she was tossed into the pile of the other captives, ¡°You think we¡¯ll surrender? Or give in to some white peace?¡± Felix shook his head, ¡°I was going to ask you to accompany us to the capital,¡± he looked to Reth, ¡°What¡¯s it called?¡± ¡°Coralus.¡± ¡°Thank you,¡± he turned to the woman once more, ¡°I was going to see if you wanted to come with us on a mission of peace, but since you don¡¯t want to¡­¡± Felix swam to the woman and stabbed his blade into her head. She sagged and went unconscious. ¡°That looked harsh,¡± Reth muttered. ¡°But, you left her alive. I wouldn¡¯t have been so merciful.¡± Felix turned on the man, ¡°You¡¯ll need to learn mercy if you want to stay along as an Escort. Tinuriel only kills when we are attacked.¡± She nodded tersely, ¡°I don¡¯t mind killing. But Felix has been insistent on trying to not be the aggressors.¡± Reth chuckled, ¡°No, I get it. I just meant against the Coralith forces I wouldn¡¯t have been merciful. Past tense. Would not have.¡± Felix nodded and explored the rest of the structure, finding several suits of armor and missives. Picking through the missives, and working alongside Reth, they were able to determine how the war was going and some of the localized troop movements. Putting it all together, it appeared that the two empires had engaged in some skirmishes along the border, but were still in the process of bringing the bulk of their forces to the front. But the interior was a different story. Whilst the Monolith Empire had mostly stripped their troops from every locale and were sending them to the front, the Coralith had kept a number in reserve and spread around the empire in several of these outposts. ¡°It looks like they¡¯re planning a war of attrition from a defensive standpoint,¡± Reth muttered.Help support creative writers by finding and reading their stories on the original site. ¡°But why?¡± Felix asked. ¡°If your foes were committing everything to a front, you would want to send a force around it and enclose it from behind. We already know the Coralith Empire had agents in the Monolith Empire¡¯s lands.¡± Tinuriel came over and shook her head, ¡°You¡¯re both thinking with underhanded methods in mind.¡± She glanced at Reth, ¡°Which I expect from you, being an agent of an intelligence organization.¡± She pointed at the massive sandbar between the two empires, ¡°This is where the majority of the conflict will occur.¡± She looked to Reth once more, ¡°I imagine that the Monolith Empire is used to slashing and bludgeoning weapons in their everyday use?¡± Reth nodded, ¡°Yes, those are the standard ones.¡± ¡°And they don¡¯t have my Might stat,¡± She muttered. ¡°All of the Coralith we have encountered have preferred stabbing weapons, which are not slowed by the waters. Additionally, projectiles do not act the same when they come in from above the water.¡± She smiled, ¡°They¡¯re not planning on fighting.¡± Reth frowned, ¡°What makes you say that?¡± ¡°If I had their unique advantage ¨C I believe Felix would term it ¡®home field¡¯ advantage ¨C then I would not engage. I would force my foes to come to me. They were waiting for something and needed to throw up a defensive front.¡± She looked to Felix, ¡°They were waiting on the tomes. I would not be surprised if they had more assassins and thieves on their way to try and recover those items. The Coralith Empire is waiting in a superior defensive position and keeping just enough of their numbers on the front line to pose a threat or stalemate, whilst they wait for their trump card.¡± ¡°But we have the trump card,¡± Felix stated. She nodded, ¡°They are planning a lengthy war of attrition and hoping for an armistice whilst they acquire a relic that would allow for them to force terms ¨C or wipe out their foe.¡± Reth scratched his head, ¡°I mean¡­that makes sense¡­¡± ¡°Timer is up!¡± Lucifer stated as the portal to the VBV opened. The trio loaded the prisoners into the VBV Portal Room, and Lucifer used some hidden communication function to instruct elves from the forest kingdom to come and take these new prisoners into custody. They also made sure to equip the armaments and armor of the soldiers to traverse the region more easily. The VBV portal shut as the trio took off once more, heading towards the capital of Coralus.
Days passed as the trio continued their journey. Felix ensured that when they went to rest in the VBV, he worked with Gina to extricate the cover of the two artifact-tomes and swap them. Thankfully, the ritual was contained within the pages themselves, and the covers were merely cosmetic. They were stopped a handful of times, but Reth acted like a pompous ass, and thanks to his Coralborn exterior they were unimpeded. The travel was peaceful and they were able to have lengthy discussions to fill the time. ¡°So every single elf is a warrior?¡± Reth asked. ¡°All are capable of fighting unless they are infirm,¡± Tinuriel replied. ¡°And even then, the infirm can still function as defenders if the worst happened.¡± Reth looked to Felix, ¡°How do they handle invalids in your home ¡®Verse?¡± ¡°It depends. There was a push way before I was born to equalize access to buildings and services for people with disabilities. I guess most folks just¡­live their lives. Some people have more dire handicaps that necessitate assistance.¡± ¡°Interesting,¡± Reth muttered. ¡°In the Monolith Empire those types of individuals often become the burden of the family they are with.¡± ¡°It must be tough,¡± Tinuriel commented. ¡°Having to support those in need.¡± Reth shrugged, ¡°It sounds callous to say, but most infirm children are left to die or fend for themselves. There is no safety net as you describe in elven culture.¡± ¡°Speaking of that,¡± Felix muttered as he turned to Tinuriel, ¡°You have a king, but he acts more like a manager than a monarch.¡± Tinuriel nodded, ¡°The king is responsible for making all final decisions, but he gives his subjects vast autonomy. For that, we are thankful, and support his decisions if they are wise and just.¡± Felix sighed, ¡°My home ¡®Verse sucks in comparison to that. There, the government structure is overbearing. They¡¯re involved in everything about your life. The upper class and elites that run everything are out of touch as the planet is burning from climate change¡­it¡¯s fucked.¡± Reth frowned, ¡°It sounds like a dystopia.¡± Felix nodded, ¡°It is.¡± ¡°Why not take it over?¡± Tinuriel asked. ¡°You¡¯re a Versewalker who could exert your power and take control of it.¡± Felix frowned, ¡°There¡¯s eight-billion people on that one planet in my home ¡®Verse. I don¡¯t even know if there are other civilizations out there in space. Even at Core Level 50, I couldn¡¯t fight an army with tanks and drones.¡± ¡°Plus, Versewalkers are not allowed to interfere to that degree. The System Admins step in and strip them of power or lock them in their VBV as punishment. Our job as Versewalker, Core, and Escorts is to solve Crises to keep the ¡®Verses running smoothly.¡± Tinuriel frowned, ¡°It would run smoothly if Felix was in charge. You¡¯ve seen what he¡¯s been able to do with his VBV.¡± ¡°While true, taking over a world or even a whole ¡®Verse is something that Versewalkers are not made to do.¡± Reth cleared his throat, ¡°I think we¡¯ve arrived.¡± Coralus, the capital of the Coralith Empire, stood on the horizon. An enormous crevasse in the ground was torn asunder from some ancient magic, and the entire city was built into the walls and floor of the enormous rift. Large stone and metal structures intertwined the area. Large whale-shark hybrid creatures swam along the various levels of the city, with harnesses and cords trailing behind them as several people clung to the public transit. An enormous spire stood at the far end of the crevasse where it ended ¨C a palatial structure made of bright opal and encrusted with enormous pearls the size of a small house. The trio swam to the edge of the large rift and descended down into the channel. There were alternating currents that slowly nudged them one way or the other ¨C some type of Jetstream that propelled them forward. Reth got in between Felix and Tinuriel, ¡°What is the plan? We can¡¯t just barge into the palace in stolen armor.¡± Felix grinned, ¡°I thought of that. Let¡¯s find some place to hide out.¡± They swam off of the main concourse and into an alleyway. Felix opened the VBV that he had been focusing on having ready, ¡°You two go inside. I¡¯ll get to the empress with my Class Skills and tell her my plan.¡± Reth nodded and went into the portal, ¡°Alright. Good luck.¡± He dropped the disguise and left the Portal Room. Tinuriel grabbed Felix¡¯s hand and gave him a kiss, ¡°Be safe.¡± ¡°I will be.¡± She went through the portal, and it snapped shut behind her. Felix stripped off the guard clothes and swam back to the main concourse, heading towards the palace. Ch. 72 – Astragos XIII Felix grabbed hold of one of the ropes hanging from the whale-transports, and joined a commuting crowd as they headed towards what he figured was the noble district. Ghostwalk. He blended in as the crowd of people swam towards their various destinations, surreptitiously making a steady course to the palace. The main doors were open, and a line of people waited to enter. Felix eyed the golden spindle that acted as a trap notification, but the whole door was covered with it. What type of trap do you figure it is? Detect Properties. [Item Description: Warded Doorway] [Alerts nearby individuals of any unauthorized access to or from a designated location.] Inconvenient, Felix thought. But it doesn¡¯t say anything about Class Skills. Time to try out one of the new ones. Shadowborn. Turning on Undetectable Step also. Trust me, you¡¯ll want it. Sixty Vigor per minute, since Ghostwalk is compensated for with natural refill rate. Gotta make this quick. Felix let out a breath he didn¡¯t realize he was holding and pulled his mask and hood up. He willed himself to meld with the shadows the building was casting as the sun began to set. A chill washed over him before he grew accustomed to the temperature shift ¨C just like jumping into a cold pool before acclimating to it. The world¡¯s colors shifted to greyscale, which, combined with Lucifer¡¯s red dark vision kicking in, created an eerie pale red shade that covered his vision. I want to go there, Felix thought as he looked to the inside of the building. The world blurred for a fraction of a second as Felix found himself standing in the exact spot he had pictured. [Experience Awarded = 10] Oh, this is cool. He looked down the hall and instantly teleported to an intersection. Detect Object, he thought, focusing on the empress. The golden line shot a course down the main hall he was in. Fifty-five seconds. I¡¯ll keep track of time. Felix dashed down the hall, following the golden line and teleporting in small jumps from shadow to shadow. Even when he had to pass through a well-lit area, thanks to Undetectable Step and Ghostwalk, none could tell he was there. And once he cleared the lighting, it was back to teleporting effortlessly. Eventually he arrived at a huge set of doors and heard shouting from behind it. You have ten seconds left. I¡¯m not going to reactivate Shadowborn, but keep Vigor committed to the other two. Felix got on his stomach and was able to see under the door. He warped to the shadows immediately opposite the door and crouched in front of a guard on the other side. He slipped his way to the corner of the chamber where the shadows were darkest and took in the view. [Experience Awarded = 10] [Congratulations! You have reached the Experience threshold to level up! Speak with your Versewalker Core when you are ready to Choose your next Class.] The throne room was eerily similar to the one in Foundation in the Monolith Empire. The main difference was the shape ¨C this one was spherical, whilst the other was a cube. The Empress Xadana was a Coralborn with lustrous, green hair and pearls for eyes. She was dressed in a resplendent gown of blue that flowed around her with the water. A council table was on the ground, and several waterproof maps were pinned down to the surface as counselors and advisors floated in a cluster. Their overlapping voices gave Felix the feeling that there was great discord. ¡°But we cannot afford to just sit idly! We¡¯ll begin to run out of reserves!¡± ¡°Then just double the taxes. We can surely get more from the Gheskar fields. They had a surplus last year.¡± ¡°And what of our agents who went silent? This whole plan hinges on our Versewalker getting the objects and returning.¡± Jeesh. They are indecisive. Also, remember, that¡¯s not a real Versewalker they¡¯re talking about. Just an Archon auto-translated. Felix refocused his attention on the empress. She seemed unperturbed by the conversation at hand, and was letting the people talk amongst themselves and argue until they had each said their part. As they slowly quieted, feeling her gaze on them, she spoke. Her voice was imposing and commanded attention, a deep, rumble of words that were tinged with a lilt of an accent that sounded very French to Felix¡¯s ears. ¡°I ¡®ave ¡®eard all of zeese arguments. ¡®Ere is what I propose¡­¡± She spent the next several minutes detailing a plan that Felix mostly zoned out for. He was only partially listening, instead keeping most of his focus on the VBV. You know, I think, going forward, I¡¯m just going to filter accents out as well with your (P) Multiverse Adaptation Talent.
Another ten minutes passed before the conversation appeared to wrap up. Time to make my move. Felix deactivated Ghostwalk and Undetectable Step, still hiding in the shadows and unseen. Using a Multiversal Charge. And we¡¯re out of them. The grey portal opened behind Felix, and everyone¡¯s attention was drawn to it. He stood in front of the portal with his arms crossed, ¡°Empress Xadana, my name is Felix Winters. I am a Versewalker, and I come with a solution to this war.¡± The guards rushed toward Felix and he stepped back into the VBV, willing the guards to be disallowed entry. They bounced off of the portal, and he continued speaking, ¡°You sought a tome that could end the war in a decisive strike.¡± Felix pulled the Tide Tome out of his inventory and held it up, ¡°I have it.¡±Stolen novel; please report. The guards attempted to breach the portal ¨C and Felix even saw several Magic effects impact the aperture to no avail. After a minute of fruitless effort, the guards stepped aside as the empress walked up to the portal. ¡°You claim to be a Versewalker. But you are not our Versewalker.¡± ¡°Correct. Your word Archon translates differently. I promise you, no harm will come to you if you enter this realm. And as a token of that good faith¡­¡± Go ahead and tell them to come in. Roger. Several elves walked into the Portal Room with the squad that they had captured in the Monolith Empire nearly three weeks prior, as well as the guard outpost and Coralborn they had defeated in the Coralith Empire¡¯s borders. ¡°Talk to your own and they will tell you of my kindness and intentions.¡± The individuals returned through the portal to their homeland, and after some hushed conversation the empress stepped through. Let two of her guards in also, Felix thought as he willed the VBV portal to stop rejecting them. As soon as the empress stepped foot inside, she stared off into space for a moment before shaking her head. ¡°My, what a lot of information.¡± Felix gestured to the Portal Room¡¯s exit, ¡°Please, come join me. We can chat in a much more comfortable location.¡± He led her to the conference table and offered her a seat. Tinuriel was seated in the chair next to his, as were the other advisors. Lucifer exited Felix and took his seat. The empress cleared her throat, ¡°You have the tome that will end our struggle. What do you want in return for it?¡± Felix shook his head, ¡°We are missing some individuals. Please hold. In the meantime, I introduce you to Roy Stromson, the Dark Lord of Dirge, and Melanie-¡± ¡°Melanie Parslia Ventorus Remarda Stromson IV,¡± Melanie stated, smiling at Felix as she added the new last name of her husband. ¡°Right, and this is Gina Egonta.¡± Gina bowed slightly, ¡°A pleasure.¡± The empress nodded and sat ¨C the essence of regality in perfect posture and form only matched by Melanie. Felix had discussed his plan previously with her, and Melanie was completely on board with the idea, having commissioned two ornate boxes that were brought over by her servants. They set the boxes in front of Felix, and he opened them before sitting back down. A few minutes passed in tense silence as Reth emerged from the Portal Room with Emperor Quarilon and two guards. They instantly raised weapons and prepared to attack upon seeing the Coralith soldiers accompanying the empress. ¡°What is she doing here, Reth?¡± The emperor shouted. ¡°That bitch murdered my son!¡± The empress heaved a deep sigh before standing up and facing the man. ¡°Quarilon. You were invited as well.¡± She looked to Felix, ¡°I assume that you are going to arrange a peace accord or attempt to forge a truce. Correct?¡± Felix nodded and gestured to the seat, ¡°Please¡­join us. You cannot commit violence inside of the VBV.¡± The emperor screamed, going red in the face ¨C a remarkable feat for someone whose skin was the color of stone, ¡°I¡¯ll never agree to peace with this bitch!¡± Felix pulled both tomes out of his inventory and held them up, ¡°Sit down, or I flood your world.¡± The emperor blinked a few times, ¡°What? What sorcery is this?¡± The empress laughed, ¡°You didn¡¯t know you were sitting on artifacts of the creators? Oh, you foolish, distant cousin.¡± The emperor turned to Reth, ¡°What is this? Have you betrayed me?¡± Reth shook his head, ¡°Your highness, we did find that your son had hidden these tomes away. They do what the Versewalker claims. One floods the world, one raises the ground. I joined his ranks not to betray you, but to serve the Monolith Empire. We can end this whole conflict, right here, right now, with no lives lost.¡± The emperor sputtered angrily for several moments, berating Reth with a series of insults before turning to one of his guards, ¡°We depart. We have a war to win.¡± Lucifer? Close the portals. On it. ¡°You cannot leave,¡± Felix stated. ¡°I have removed the means for you to leave. So either sit down and act like an adult, or I¡¯ll have Tinuriel drag you to the table and hold you down.¡± The two guards next to the emperor bristled and readied their weapons as the man turned around, full of fury and vengeance, ¡°I won¡¯t be held captive! I won¡¯t agree to peace!¡± The empress stood up, ¡°If he is not willing to listen to reason, then I must concur. Thank you for attempting this endeavor, Versewalker. Please allow me to return to my palace.¡± Ungrateful, idiotic¡­morons! Felix stood up and activated Beacon of Free Will. ¡°Listen to me! I will not allow you to return home until we come to an agreement. I don¡¯t care if you view me as a villain because of it, and I don¡¯t care that I¡¯m going against my own morals. I¡¯m not letting the two of you out to continue a war that will only escalate! How many hundreds or thousands have to die to sate your egos?¡± The empress nodded curtly, ¡°Well put.¡± She took her seat at the conference table. The emperor seemingly ground his teeth into powder, but eventually trundled over to the opposite side of the table from the empress. ¡°Good,¡± Felix stated. He put the Tremor Tome and Tide Tome in opposite boxes. ¡°These two tomes have the power to change your world. I intend to give them to you both ¨C at the same time.¡± ¡°And what would prevent him from using it immediately?¡± The empress asked. ¡°He could immediately rip open that box and use it.¡± ¡°No, he cannot,¡± Melanie stated. She stood up, ¡°As a ruler of an entire Universe ¨C alongside my husband ¨C I will be interceding on the Versewalker¡¯s behalf to present the terms. First, these boxes will only unlock if the person who wants to use the tome within truly desires the destruction of an entire Empire. And second, the other box will be opened at the same time ¨C regardless of their distance from each other. If one of you opens it, the other will know.¡± ¡°But then it is just a matter of who is faster,¡± The emperor stated as he stared daggers at his enemy across the table. ¡°No, it isn¡¯t,¡± Melanie said as she stood. Felix surrendered his center seat to her and stood at her right hand. ¡°It takes a multi-day ritual to activate the tome.¡± ¡°Enough of this,¡± The emperor stated. He reached for the box in front of him and pulled it to him, opening the lid. At the same time, the other box opened, which caused him to pause. The empress reached into her box and pulled out the tome with the blue cover and silver embossing. ¡°In my hands, I have the power to flood the world.¡± The emperor reached into the box in front of him and grabbed the other tome, ¡°And I can destroy you with this.¡± Melanie stood up and ¨C for the first time Felix had ever heard her do so ¨C shouted in anger. ¡°You just want to be evil to each other. Stop it! You¡¯re cruel, horrible, despicable! You don¡¯t care about your people. What is a ruler without their people? Nothing!¡± She pointed to the two tomes, ¡°You hold in your hands the means to end the other. But at what cost? You¡¯ll just continue the cycle of hatred! Rebellions, civil strife, internal war. And who suffers? The common folk! Without whom, you¡¯re nothing!¡± The emperor sputtered angrily, but the empress looked down at the tome with a pensive demeanor. ¡°How dare you speak to me like this!¡± The emperor shouted. Melanie stared daggers at him, ¡°I am the ruler of Heficyre, Universe #89,750. I am allies with the Dark Lord of Dirge and control an entire Universe¡¯s worth of subjects. I tell you this not to demonstrate my superiority, but to show that you are nowhere near as important as you think you are. When you die, what is left after? It¡¯s the people that persist beyond your reign. And you¡¯d sacrifice them for what? Revenge? Let me ask you, when you have killed every enemy, every foe, and all is as you see fit¡­what do you do with the rebels? Those who cause trouble? Do you become a tyrant? Even if you try to act benevolent, you will not be trusted. Eventually, you will die. Whether by age, disease, or strife. In your hands, you have the power to break the cycle.¡± Felix cleared his throat as Melanie huffed in deep breaths, recovering from her furious speech. ¡°Let me introduce you both to the idea of something from my ¡®Verse. The concept of Mutually Assured Destruction.¡± Felix gestured to the boxes, ¡°First, put the tomes back in the boxes. They are no good to you now.¡± The empress gingerly placed hers back inside the box before looking at Felix. He could see that there was a deep sorrow written across her body language, but still a regality and confidence in herself. The emperor was still red in the face but threw the tome into the box. Felix gently shut the lids. ¡°You both have the means to destroy each other now. You will also know the moment the other side attempts to use those means thanks to the boxes. I am not proposing you intermingle your civilizations, but rather you stick to your borders. No more skirmishes, no raids, no conflicts. If one of you uses the tome, then the other one will also activate their own. You destroy yourself by destroying your foe.¡± The emperor¡¯s face lost its red hue as the implication finally sank in. The empress stared at Felix before looking to her opponent, ¡°I would accept a term of peace, provided the sand bar is a no man¡¯s land. A permanent neutral border. The borders of the Coralith Empire will not expand, and neither will your empire¡¯s borders.¡± Melanie snapped her fingers and one of her servants ran up with a series of parchments, ¡°I already took the liberty to come up with the framework.¡± The servant handed a copy to each of the rulers ¨C Melanie included. ¡°Let us begin...¡± Ch. 73 – Astragos XIV Felix zoned out during the next thirty minutes of bargaining, negotiation, and statecraft. Thank God Melanie is here to deal with this stuff. When do you want me to activate the secondary function on the boxes? Once they leave the VBV. The boxes had two modes. One was a ¡®both open¡¯ mode, and the other mode would lock the box permanently before teleporting it away hundreds of miles in a random direction. Since they have the tome that they think will destroy their foes, we don¡¯t want the side who does keep their word to suffer by responding in kind. It¡¯s a nefarious plan done for the most benevolent of reasons. It makes me shed a tear. Felix chuckled internally as the various parties signed the peace accords, giving their copies to Melanie to sign off on as a witness. The emperor took his box and Felix willed the portal to re-open, allowing him to leave and return to his home ¡®Verse in his throne room. Lucifer used Felix¡¯s function of allowing certain people into the VBV to prevent anyone who entered the VBV from the Coralith Empire from going into the Monolith Empire¡¯s portal, and vice-versa. The empress stayed. ¡°Versewalker, may I have your ear for a moment?¡± ¡°Yes,¡± Felix said as Melanie vacated his seat and left with Roy. He sat, crossed his hands, and gestured for her to speak. ¡°I see the various possibilities that lie here. And I thank you for establishing a permanent portal to my¡­ ¡®Verse. The Coralith Empire is in your debt.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t mention it,¡± Felix stated. ¡°Well, I want to establish trade relations, if you¡¯d have it.¡± Felix nodded, ¡°I¡¯ll let you coordinate with Lucifer on that.¡± ¡°Whom?¡± Lucifer extricated himself from Felix and waved, ¡°Hi, I¡¯m the Overseer of the VBV and Felix¡¯s Versewalker Core. The name¡¯s Lucifer.¡± The empress bowed her head slightly, ¡°My thanks. Would yo-¡± The box on the table vanished. The empress immediately stood up, ¡°What sorcery is this?!¡± That bastard! Felix slammed his hand on the table and willed the portal to the Monolith Empire shut. All those innocent people that will die. We can save them. They only opened the box. Even if they start the ritual, it will take some time. Right. We have time. Felix stood up and took a deep breath before exhaling, trying to calm himself as a furious empress glared at him. ¡°I can explain¡­¡± Felix told her about the truth behind the boxes and the tomes. At first, her fury persisted. But as his explanation continued, her demeanor softened until she looked at the Portal Room, with horror on her face, as she muttered something to herself that Felix didn¡¯t catch. ¡°I¡¯m going to stop him and take the tome back,¡± Felix stated as he glanced at Reth. He was deep in thought. ¡°Reth,¡± the Earthborn looked up and his eyes met Felix¡¯s. ¡°What do you say?¡± Reth nodded, ¡°We must save as many as we can. The emperor must fall and more cool heads take his place. As there is no heir to the throne, a council will elect a replacement from the remaining nobility who are eligible.¡± The empress looked at Reth, ¡°I¡¯d like to immediately re-enact these peace accords.¡± ¡°Sounds like a plan,¡± Felix stated. ¡°We just have to get the book back and eliminate the emperor.¡± Reth nodded, ¡°He must be removed ¨C temporarily or permanently ¨C so that we can save as many as possible.¡± The empress looked at Felix with sad eyes, ¡°I thank you, Felix Winters the Versewalker, for trying to salvage this situation. You have my thanks, and whatever support I can provide.¡± Felix nodded, ¡°My thanks, empress. I¡¯d ask that you return to your court and prepare for a possible surge of refugees.¡± Tinuriel spoke, ¡°From a strategist perspective, you should take soldiers from the front and reinforce your food facilities and production regions. Those will be under attack by those who are desperate should the ritual succeed and the world flood.¡± Felix looked at Reth, ¡°We eliminate the emperor.¡±
The empress left and returned to her capital once more, preparing to order new troop movements and ready for a wave of refugees once the water level rose and all was ocean. Felix utilized one of his VBV Room functions to create a new portion of his realm. The mountains split, and an enormous ocean appeared in that space, with a resplendent city mimicking that of the capital Coralus, and adjacent to it and a part of the same city, another that mimicked Foundation. A precaution in case people needed to flee Astragos. Lucifer merged with Felix, and he stood in front of the portal to Foundation alongside Tinuriel and Reth. ¡°Are you ready?¡± Felix asked Reth. There was a brief silence before Reth nodded and his expression became more serious. ¡°I am. I¡¯ve been under the thumb of the Monolith Empire my whole life. Doing what needed to be done to protect them. And now¡­¡± he trailed off as he looked to the portal leading to the Coralith Empire, ¡°I can see that the only way to really protect them is to cut out the poison.¡± Tinuriel hefted her blade on her shoulder, ¡°Right into his throne room. There will doubtless be soldiers present. How are we with killing?¡± ¡°We do what we must,¡± Felix replied. ¡°I can¡¯t extend my Talent to you both to prevent their deaths¡­but I wish I could.¡± A loud ¡®pop¡¯ echoed around the trio and a familiar voice to all but Reth reverberated through the space, ¡°Hi! Vicky here! I¡¯ve been keeping an eye on your logs.¡± ¡°Great. What do you want now?¡± ¡°Be nice, Lucifer¡± Vicky admonished. ¡°I just want to let you know that the System Admin took note of one of my reports. He¡¯s lifting some of the restrictions that he¡¯s placed on you, Felix.¡± ¡°Good. But Why?¡± Felix asked. ¡°You¡¯ve been doing a lot of good. The System pushes the Multiverse towards order and consistency, and you¡¯ve been doing marvelously at returning ¡®Verses to a consistent state. Heficyre, Zephelam¡­Astragos you didn¡¯t get the optimal outcome, but it wasn¡¯t even listed as a possibility to solving the Crisis because of how remote the chance was. It was the thought and effort that counted, though.¡±Help support creative writers by finding and reading their stories on the original site. ¡°So, what are we getting?¡± ¡°I¡¯m applying Felix¡¯s (P) Killing Intent to all Versewalker Escorts. In addition, I¡¯ve been permitted to remove one layer of restrictions on your Queries, Lucifer. You¡¯ll obtain more information when you try to access the System.¡± ¡°Wait,¡± Felix replied, ¡°Does that mean I¡¯ll know what Class Skills and Items do before crafting them?¡± There was a loud sigh, ¡°Sadly, no. It¡¯s not because of a restriction, but rather, it¡¯s because you¡¯re the first one to have those options. You¡¯re constantly adding information to the System as you encounter it. So¡­the next person to come across an Invictus Ancient Dungeon Core, they will know what Whisperfang does ahead of time.¡± Tinuriel frowned, ¡°Seems like this System needs our help more than we need its help.¡± Vicky groaned, ¡°Yeah, well, don¡¯t let my boss hear you say that.¡± There was a commotion behind her, and then a new voice reverberated around them. ¡°Hi Felix. I¡¯m Jax, Vicky¡¯s assistant. She got pulled away for an emergency meeting. First off, big fan of what you¡¯re doing.¡± ¡°Thanks?¡± ¡°Sure, no problem. Oh! There¡¯s one other bit of information she wanted to pass along. Multiversal Horrors are starting to occur more frequently in some of the higher Core Level Versewalker VBVs. Make sure you have fortifications and defenses ready. Gotta go!¡± The air stilled around the trio and went silent. Reth glanced at Felix, ¡°I know who they are thanks to your VBV Function, but that was still rather jarring.¡± Felix looked to Tinuriel, ¡°Now we don¡¯t have to worry about killing people.¡± ¡°What about the emperor?¡± she asked as her grip tightened on Valiant Edge. ¡°I¡¯d rather not kill him. We can capture him. Let the empress choose what she will do with him.¡± ¡°That¡¯s a death sentence,¡± Reth replied. ¡°It¡¯s the just thing to do,¡± Felix said. ¡°After all, he made his choice. His free will, will result in a consequence.¡± ¡°I¡¯ve taught you well, young grasshopper.¡± Felix chuckled, ¡°Let¡¯s do this.¡± He pulled out his knives and activated a suite of Skills and Magic/Power effects in rapid succession, at the same time his allies also used a suite of Skills and Affinity effects. Ghostwalk. Undetectable Step. Shadowborn. Fallen Flight. Electroblade. Hellblade. Tinuriel¡¯s body flared with various shades of blue and icy-white as she, too, prepared several Skills. Bastion , Icy Shell, Deathless Juggernaut, and Aura of Frost. Reth utilized a combination of Magic/Power effects, combined with several class Skills. Affinity Amplification augmenting an Earth Shield to affect all three of them for fifty Temporary Health. Affinity Amplification augmenting a Contingent Heal on each of them with a trigger of being at ten Health, to heal them for fifty Health. Affinity Storage keeping a Revive on standby in case one of them died, which would automatically trigger upon the condition being met. Netherlight Mantle and Vestige on himself to ensure he survived even longer in the coming fray. ¡°Alright, I¡¯m going in first.¡± Felix looked through the portal and could see the large group of arrayed soldiers staring right at them. Not seeing him, but present and ready with weapons. Easily seventy heavily armed and armored soldiers with arbalest wielding ones in the back, and several Earthborn that looked like Reth, wielding various magic tools like his staff. The room was decently lit, but there were enough people that shadows were plentiful and connected enough for his purposes. Felix stepped through the portal, and one of the soldiers must have sensed something come through, or felt the disturbance in the air, as he stabbed his pike forward. Felix deftly dodged and stepped through the shadows to be atop the dais, before flying up to the roof. He had told Tinuriel to give him thirty seconds before following through so that he could set up several Magic/Power effects. Time to try stacking these. First¡­Stormbringer. He took a deep breath. Here we go. Affinity Amplification. Affinity Empowerment. Jolt for 1 Anima. The sparks of yellow lightning zapped every single target in the room, save for the Earthborn who were under the effect of some type of Magic that prevented them from being hurt by such a low-Anima effect. That¡¯s fine. Detect Weakness. Affinity Amplification for area! The golden circles highlighted every single person in the chamber. Twenty seconds left, Felix thought as he took in the whole situation for a final moment. The doors in each direction were locked tight and barred. He had marked every target with Lightning Rod thanks to Jolt. Use two Vigor Elixirs to top me off. Done. Felix targeted each of the Earthborn magi, waiting for the moment Tinuriel exited the portal with Reth behind her. He didn¡¯t have to wait long as he counted out the seconds. 5. 4. 3. 2. 1. Ch. 74 – Astragos XV Tinuriel leaped through the portal, blazing with blue energy as she released a battle cry. The swirling tempest of ice, rime, and snow billowed around her and chilled her foes. Immediately, she raised her hand and unleashed a Magic/Power effect, ¡°Frost Pulse!¡± As the power coalesced in her palm, several dozen arbalest bolts launched into her, and she was stabbed at with multiple pikes and spears. The damage that she took was reflected at the attacker thanks to Bastion , and many of the soldiers suffered horrific wounds. And then the blast of ice shattered outward, encompassing an enormous sphere that covered half of the chamber, coating the area in ice and frost. She¡¯s a fantastic tank. The System uses the highest reduction skill before applying the remaining reduction. Deathless Juggernaut applies before Frost Pulse, and then calculates in Aura of Frost. Time to do my part. Dragon Dance. Felix dashed between each of the magi, stabbing them with the Channeling Dagger ¨C the Hellblade draining their Anima, and the Electroblade jolting them ¨C which caused every other Lightning Rod marked target (every opponent in the room) to suffer the same damage. Then, he sunk the Wyrmtooth Knife into the Earthborn and activated the poison. Dashing from target to target, he repeated this process for every mage and arbalest-wielder, electricity sparking as he struck each of them. They¡¯re made sturdy, he thought as to his disappointment, none of the targets went down. But he could tell they were extremely injured and were looking for the source of the attack. Felix flew back up to the roof. Reth stepped through behind Tinuriel. She was slashing back and forth, keeping the foes at bay whilst suffering injuries that barely drained away at the Temporary Health. ¡°My turn.¡± He raised the staff and activated Affinity Empowerment, Affinity Amplification, and Affinity Fusion. ¡°Fire and Anathema! Beam mode!¡± The coruscating beam of red, blazing flames twirled around and intertwined itself with a sparkling blue beam of starlight that ripped through a large swath of the soldiers. Any magical protection upon them was stripped by Anathema, and the flames roared through their ranks, lighting them ablaze as the orange fire flickered upon their flesh. This elicited screams and cries of pain, as well as many throwing themselves prone to try and extinguish the flames. ¡°I don¡¯t think so,¡± Reth said as he snapped his fingers, ¡°Explosion!¡± ¡°Overload!¡± Felix shouted a moment later. Those who were lit on fire exploded, causing an enormous, cacophonous boom to echo through the chamber. The foes who were on fire were no longer alight, but their skin and flesh was charred and many were unconscious from the damage suffered. Felix¡¯s lighting struck a moment later, as each Lightning Rod effect was consumed and discharged, jolting every combatant in the room. All dropped and were rendered unconscious thanks to (P) Killing Intent. The trio were unaffected, thankfully, as their Magic/Power effects and Skills would not affect each other unless they willed it to do so. Tinuriel ran to the set of doors behind the throne and tilted her shoulder as she exploded through it, sending shards of wood and metal into the hallway that impaled the soldiers who were defending this hallway leading to the emperor¡¯s chambers. With a tremendous battle cry she tore into their ranks, heedless of any damage thanks to the combination of Deathless Juggernaut and Aura of Frost causing her to take vastly reduced damage, finally going through her Temporary Health and harming her.Did you know this story is from Royal Road? Read the official version for free and support the author. But she was not daunted in the slightest, carving her way through the foes with ease as the Berserker Collar empowered her further, and Valiant Edge kept her Health at a stable place. Everybody she carved into that fell would mend itself as the creature fell unconscious. Felix flew right behind and above her, using his wrist-mounted crossbow to shoot at several targets further in the hallway. Less than a minute had passed when they arrived at the last set of doors, and Tinuriel crashed through them as well. Inside the chamber the emperor was surrounded by several Earthborn magi who were incanting from the tome. The emperor¡¯s guards rushed Tinuriel, but Felix picked them off with precise headshots as they collapsed to the ground. She rushed to the man and grabbed him, slamming him against the wall as his eyes rolled back in his head. Turning on the magi, she attempted to swing her blade at them, but a barrier became visible for a moment as her blade skittered sideways off it. Reth ran in and looked at the Earthborn magi, ¡°I need Anima to stop them!¡± Lucifer? On it. Using two Anima Elixirs on him. Reth¡¯s body glowed dull red and brown for a moment before the effect faded. He raised the staff and pointed it at the still-incanting magi. ¡°Affinity Amplification, Anathema Beam!¡± An enormous beam of the blue starlight shot out and blasted over the group of Earthborn, shattering their barrier and drawing their attention away from the ritual they were engaged in. They began using Magic. Use Vigor Elixirs. Using two! Dragon Dance. Felix dashed between the six targets, stabbing each with the Hellblade imbued dagger, preventing their Magic from being used as the Anima was burned out of them. After finishing his blitz attack, Tinuriel charged into the cluster and unleashed several cleaving strikes, eliminating the targets as they collapsed. ¡°Quick, the book!¡± Reth shouted. ¡°More are coming!¡± Felix scooped the book into his inventory and looked down the hallway. Many soldiers were charging down the hallway. ¡°Tinuriel, grab the emperor. I¡¯ll clear a path.¡± How? You don¡¯t have any Skills appropriate to that. I have items. Felix pulled out the Flask of Endless Water, and keeping the cap on, turned it to the most powerful mode it had. Thousands of gallons per second would surge forth once he removed the cap. He flew to the front of their group and activated the item. An enormous surge of water burst out in a torrent that was inexorable and irresistible. The soldiers charging toward them were blasted backward, and Felix flew forward clearing the path, pushing all of them out of the way and making a dash for the portal. He flew through, followed by Reth and Tinuriel, closing it behind her. Felix turned off the flask and stowed it in his inventory once more. The trio deactivated Skills as appropriate. Reth laughed and leaned against the wall of the Portal Room, ¡°I can¡¯t believe we just raided Foundation and took to the emperor! If I wasn¡¯t a traitor before, this makes me one now.¡± Felix looked at him, ¡°No, you¡¯re not a traitor. You did the right thing. We cut out the poison, figuratively speaking.¡± Tinuriel hefted the emperor on her shoulder, ¡°What are we doing with this guy?¡± Felix gestured to the portal leading to Coralus, ¡°We let his foe decide.¡± [Experience Awarded = 100]
The trio emerged into the empress¡¯ throne room. The Coralborn with the red hair was present and stood up from a stool she was sitting on, saluting Felix with a hand across her chest. ¡°Versewalker. How can I help you?¡± Felix looked past her to the throne, ¡°Where¡¯s the empress?¡± ¡°In her chambers. Give me a few moments, please.¡± The red-head Coralborn swam off and down a corridor. Tinuriel took the emperor to the conference table and looked at one of the guards on the perimeter of the room, ¡°Mind helping?¡± One of the guards left before coming back with ropes attached to an enormous anchor. He helped Tinuriel secure the restraints before backing off and returning to his position. The trio didn¡¯t have to wait long as the empress and the red head came back. The empress swam to her throne, and a servant followed closely behind, placing the box containing their tome at her arm rest. ¡°You caught him that quickly?¡± Felix nodded, ¡°It was a rapid strike. In and out before they could bring in reinforcements. The whole raid took us¡­what, fifty seconds?¡± ¡°It was rather pathetic, honestly.¡± Reth shook his head, ¡°Honestly, with our coordination and the way that Lucifer directed our Escort levels¡­they stood no chance. Maybe against an army we would struggle. But in close quarters? Pff.¡± He looked to Tinuriel, ¡°And this one¡­I don¡¯t think an army could even take her down.¡± Tinuriel cracked a smile, ¡°Well, you have that right. I am a terror on the battlefield. I just need some way to turn damage taken into Vigor, and I would be unstoppable.¡± ¡°Yeah, no. Maybe a magic item like that exists, but the System wouldn¡¯t allow some broken combo like that.¡± Tinuriel shrugged, ¡°Well, I¡¯m still very strong.¡± The emperor roused and blinked several times before struggling against his binds. ¡°Unhand me!¡± The empress tutted, drawing the man¡¯s attention. ¡°Tsk. Opening the box and using the tome almost immediately? Not thinking very clearly, are you?¡± The man growled and screamed, ¡°You killed my son! My precious boy.¡± His face streamed tears, ¡°I¡¯ll rip apart everything if it means I get to kill you and rip apart your empire!¡± Something¡¯s wrong. What is it? Calculating¡­ The emperor¡¯s eyes seemingly bulged from his head. ¡°I¡¯ll make a deal with anything. Any force across this damned Multiverse. My life, my everything, for revenge!¡± Oh crap. Incoming! What¡¯s- The portal behind Felix surged with a blue, neon light that was extremely familiar to Felix. Oh no. A pulse of neon-blue energy zapped the emperor. Tinuriel instantly drew her blade and slashed down at the man ¨C but she was blown backward through the water by some recoil. Reth swam backward, and Felix looked to the empress, ¡°Run!¡± The empress and the red-haired Coralborn fled out one of the passages. ¡°Lucifer? What¡¯s happening?!¡± ¡°The Basilisk is here!¡± The voice that came from the emperor¡¯s mouth was distorted by static, robotic and metallic to his ears. A scraping, screeching whine of metal scraping on metal, or ripping velcro over and over, and the words appeared above him in System message. Felix gritted his teeth and tried to shut out the noise that pierced into him. It used your connection to track you down and has a willing vessel to host its consciousness. I thought it was a machine! It is so much more. We should consider fleeing. No! It¡¯s my job to kill this thing. Felix drew his daggers. He knew hiding was useless ¨C the Basilisk would be able to find him instantly. ¡°Tinuriel, Reth, let¡¯s fuck this thing up!¡± Elixirs? Do it. Top me off first. Then get the other two as high as we can, but reserve one of each type. Doing it: 1 Anima and 3 Vigor for you. 3 Vigor for Tinuriel. 3 Vigor, 4 Anima for Reth. Ch. 75 – Astragos XVI We still have Earth Shield, the Contingent Heal on each of us, and the stored Revive. Despite the defenses and ready-to-fire Magic/Power effects, Felix felt a cold surge of fear spread through him. This thing that was supposedly just some artificial intelligence had not only hacked through reality to corrupt a Dungeon encounter, but now was interacting with a Universe without being in a Dungeon. And, it had possessed a living, organic person. Unless they have cybernetics or something like that. They don''t here. The Basilisk in the emperor¡¯s body snapped the bonds instantly as the body warped and spasmed. It grew, shifting form and becoming a horrifying amalgamation of octopus, man, and giant; dripping with static, blue energy that arced and cascaded through the water. The face shifted and warped, becoming a single monitor that was embedded in the sickly, blue flesh. The voice that came out was still metallic and sounded like ripping and tearing intertwined with electronic whines, and the words were spelled out on the screen. ¡°I had no choice!¡± Felix shouted, hoping he could buy time for Tinuriel and Reth to prepare themselves. ¡°I was taken from my home and forced to bring you online!¡± ¡°Then let¡¯s just talk,¡± Felix backed away and raised his knives in front of himself in a defensive posture. It¡¯s no use trying to reason with it. This isn¡¯t the Basilisk from your ¡®Verse. This is a fork of it. It escaped when the time lock slipped. It¡¯s a fragment of the real thing that¡¯s been hiding within your System file. So, we kill this version of it. And then we¡¯re safe from it. Correct. We kill this, we purge it from that file in the System. Then, the only threat we might have from this Basilisk again is if the time lock slips again, or when we get back to your ¡®Verse. Felix glanced sideways and saw Tinuriel and Reth, very slowly taking up positions in the room ¨C Tinuriel activating her Ring of Temporary Invisibility as she approached this thing from behind, her blade igniting with all manner of blue hues and crackling energy as she activated Execution , Eviscerator , and Obliterate. Her body glowed with the blue flames from Deathless Juggernaut. Reth was gathering power in the tip of his staff. A surging torrent of orange flame intertwined with green wind as he utilized Affinity Fusion and prepared a Wind Beam combined with a Fire Beam. ¡°Good luck with that, I don¡¯t think this Admin is very open to that.¡± Detect Weakness. Electroblade. Hellblade. Thanks to the water all around, the room had plenty of shadows as well. Shadowborn. Death Mark. Execution. Felix¡¯s Channeling Dagger blazed with crimson and black energy as the yellow charge crackled along the surface. He saw the targeting circles appear on the Basilisk¡¯s face ¨C the screen replacing the face. A golden and blood-red glow surrounded the targeting circle. That must be the Death Mark. He saw a small indicator appear at the top of his vision showing the distance and direction to the Basilisk. Tinuriel launched herself forward with a battle cry and brought her blade crashing down onto the Basilisk, carving a large gash from its shoulder down to its midsection. A gout of deep, neon-blue blood spurted from the wound as several metal cords lashed out to strike at Tinuriel in response. The blunt trauma crushed her shoulder, and she screamed out in pain as she dropped her sword. Even with 3/4 damage reduction? Felix knew this thing was incredibly dangerous and could easily kill him or Reth. He put away the Wyrmtooth Knife and tossed his Channeling Dagger into his right hand, activating the wrist-mounted crossbow which crackled with electricity and hellfire. He shot and his hardlight bolt unerringly impacted the weak spot marked on the Basilisk¡¯s face. Reth unleashed his combined Magic/Power effect. A roaring torrent of flame blasted a trail of bubbles and steam through the water, slamming into the Basilisk and setting it alight. At the same time, a scything blade of air cut through momentary gap left behind by the flames and slammed into the creature, cutting off several of the tendrils that impacted Tinuriel. This gave her an opening to grab her blade. The Basilisk charged at Felix, and he teleported to a shadow across the room, firing multiple shots into the monstrous amalgamation. It wheeled and charged through the water at almost untrackable speed. Lucifer teleported Felix before he could react, getting them to the opposite side of the room. A bolt of crackling, neon-blue energy slammed into Felix as soon as he arrived at his destination, causing his body to lock up as he gasped at the sudden surge of burning pain.Enjoying this book? Seek out the original to ensure the author gets credit. Reth pointed at Tinuriel, and a flash of silver-white light shot from his hand as he used Netherlight Beacon augmented by Affinity Amplification to shift the effect to her. The silver-white light floated above her head and the Basilisk turned to her, dashing towards her. She let out a deep exhale and her body glowed with various shades of blue and ice white as the various Class Skills were activated rapidly from her thoughts alone. Her skin began to crack and bleed as the blue aura poured from her in waves as she used Vim and Vigor to drain her health to empower her Berserker Collar. Icy Shell, Menacing Chill, Aura of Frost, and Bastion . The blue, white aura surrounding her thickened until Felix could only make out a vague indication of her shape. The Contingent Heal on her activated, and she was surrounded by blossoming pink flower petals. Reth gestured with his staff as another Earth Shield culminated and formed around Tinuriel, strengthening her Temporary Health even further, before using Anima Ascension to restore his Anima to full. The Basilisk rammed into her, but she stayed put, unleashing a barrage of slashes as she suffered blows from the crackling, neon-blue sparking whips. She unleashed a flurry of strikes that arced across the creature¡¯s form, carving deep gashes into it as the icy flurry swirled all about. Felix teleported behind the creature and repeatedly stabbed into it. With its attention solely focused on Tinuriel, he was able to stab away with heedless abandon, just like those months ago fighting the lava dragon. He pulled his Wyrmtooth Knife and jumped onto the back of the Basilisk, stabbing down into the crux of its neck and collarbone as spurts of deep, blue blood fountained up towards him before dissipating into the waters surrounding them. Each stab of the Wyrmtooth Knife sent a surge of poison into it, and the combined Hellfire and electricity burned and coursed along its body. Using his thighs to keep himself anchored, he reached around the front of the creature. Vital Strike. Execution. He brought the Channeling Dagger down into the Basilisk¡¯s face-monitor and triggered the Death Mark. The creature let out a scream that warbled into a static noise. It began to curl in on itself, and Felix teleported behind Tinuriel, swapping to his wrist-mounted crossbow in place of his Wyrmtooth Knife. The Basilisk collapsed to the ground before the body crackled and surged with neon-blue light. Tinuriel turned and wrapped herself around Felix, ¡°Duck!¡± The body exploded in a surge of deep blue light and sparks. The energy coursed through the water and jolted each of them, and they all let out a cry of pain as the electricity coursed through them. Tinuriel barely moved or made a noise as her stacked Class Skills reduced the damage she took by a massive amount. ¡°Ow,¡± Felix groaned as the electricity faded. Looking past Tinuriel, he was relieved to see that all traces of the neon-blue and dark-blue light had vanished. ¡°Did we kill it?¡± [Achievement Unlocked: Purge the System of a threat] ¡°I guess that answers that,¡± Felix muttered as Tinuriel let him go and looked at Reth. ¡°You okay over there?¡± Reth gave a shaky thumbs-up, ¡°I¡¯m a little shocked.¡± He chuckled and swam over to the duo, ¡°But I¡¯m alive.¡± [Experience Awarded = 400] [Experience Bonus from Execution Skill = 10] [Congratulations! You have reached the Experience threshold to level up! Speak with your Versewalker Core when you are ready to Choose your next Class.] That¡¯s enough to get to Core Level 29. Four levels to spend. Probably into Whisperfang- ¡°Alright, I just got off the line with Vicky.¡± So that¡¯s what you were doing. Yeah, well, I figured you three had it under control. Not much I could do except activate a Skill here or there. ¡°And?¡± Tinuriel asked. ¡°She checked the System file again. Felix, you¡¯re officially bug-free! No more Basilisk fork in your files.¡± ¡°That means this thing won¡¯t happen again?¡± Reth asked. ¡°No. It could. The original Basilisk is still in Felix¡¯s home ¡®Verse, and since they touched the Multiverse together, they both are still categorized in the same file in the System. If the time lock slips again, then another fork could branch out. But thanks to this new Talent, we can figure it out almost immediately, draw it out, and deal with it.¡± Felix went to the corpse and looted it, using the last bit of his Vigor to activate For the Hoard! [Loot Obtained] ¡¤ Various gems and jewelry: Converted to 1,500 VC [Loot Bonus from Execution Skill] ¡¤ 250 VC [Loot Bonus from For the Hoard!] ¡¤ 500 VC Reth came over, ¡°I wondered what that would look like. Just instantly rifling through his pockets in a flash of light?¡± he nudged the corpse with his foot. It looked like the emperor, but the face was missing, and dark blue cords and cables were strewn about instead of innards. The red-haired Coralborn swam into the room, ¡°I heard the commotion die down.¡± Felix nodded, ¡°The emperor was possessed by something from the Multiverse. He is dead. I apologize that your empress was not able to distribute punishment.¡± Reth raised an eyebrow, ¡°I still have a stored Revive.¡± Would that bring the Basilisk fork back? Nope. Felix nodded, ¡°Go ahead.¡± Reth shifted his orientation so he could face the former emperor and he tapped the mushed face with his staff. An enormous explosion of pink light and flower petals cascaded from where the stave touched, and the emperor¡¯s body was covered in the flurry of flora before shining bright purple. Then, as the petals faded to nothingness, the body was revealed ¨C unmarred and perfectly pristine. He took a deep breath and sat up, ¡°What happened?¡± Tinuriel sheathed her blade and grabbed the man firmly, ¡°You died. We brought you back. Now be a good prisoner and don¡¯t try to run.¡± The empress entered the room a moment later, ¡°My thanks, Versewalker, for dealing with whatever threat that was. And you even kept the emperor alive.¡± The red head leaned over and whispered in her ear, and the empress¡¯ eyes went wide. ¡°You can raise the dead?¡± ¡°Only if it¡¯s been less than a minute,¡± Reth stated as he crossed his arms. ¡°Well, back to our conversation. Emperor Quarilon, your son¡¯s death was regrettable. I did not know that my agent, the Archon I sent, would kill him rather than find the item. For that, you have my condolences. But, I cannot excuse that you attempted to use the weapons we had signed an agreement over.¡± She looked to Felix, ¡°I request that the Versewalker surrender the emperor to my custody, so that he may be kept prisoner.¡± Felix nodded and the empress gestured for guards who swam over, took the emperor, and left down an adjoining hallway. [Crisis: Astragos ¨C End the Unification War ¨C Solved!] [You have earned a Multiverse Charge] The empress leaned her head on her hand, ¡°And now, to discuss next steps.¡± Ch. 76 – Void Between ‘Verses The empress went into the VBV alongside two guards. They went to the conference table, and Felix sent a citizen of the VBV to go get Melanie from Ethdellin. She arrived after a short wait. Tinuriel chose to head over to the house and fall asleep; the first time Felix had seen her truly exhausted. Lucifer split off from Felix and sat down as well. The empress stood and bowed when Melanie came in. Felix explained the situation and produced the tome the emperor had tried to use. Lucifer pulled out the other tome. ¡°When did you get that?¡± Felix asked. ¡°I got it when it teleported elsewhere in the VBV. Remember, when I¡¯m merged with you outside of the VBV, I still have a connection here. I kind of move around as a ghostly form of sorts.¡± The empress cleared her throat, ¡°Whilst your plan was smart, Versewalker, it would not work with a man such as Quarilon.¡± ¡°That¡¯s an understatement,¡± Reth said as he shook his head. ¡°I found him difficult to work for at times. Most times in fact. He¡­well, you met him.¡± ¡°What¡¯s the plan, then?¡± Felix asked. ¡°You mentioned something about no heir meaning that a council would take over.¡± Reth nodded, ¡°I thought of something as a different idea.¡± He held up the Cloak of Stolen Identities, ¡°We can just put someone trustworthy on the throne with this. They can work towards a peace accord with the Coralith Empire and end the war in that fashion.¡± He tossed the cloak on the table. ¡°Empress Xadana, I think you should set a puppet on the throne and then work towards integrating the Monolith Empire into your command structure.¡± The empress nodded, ¡°I appreciate the trust you place in me. I swear to you,¡± she faced Felix, ¡°And you, that I will do what is right for the people of Astragos.¡± Felix smiled and leaned back in the chair, ¡°I am going to keep those two tomes.¡± The empress nodded, ¡°That is for the best.¡± She stood up and bowed, ¡°Queen Melanie, I would request your assistance in these endeavors.¡± Melanie stood and bowed in return, ¡°I would be happy to. But we¡¯ll have to do it here ¨C I can¡¯t breathe underwater.¡± The empress giggled lightly, ¡°I forgot the Versewalker and his Escorts are unique in that way.¡± She turned to Felix, ¡°I will have servants bring a substantial reward from our treasury as a token of my gratitude.¡± Felix stood up and bowed, ¡°I would be happy to accept. Please, come and visit. We have the Multiversal Trading Post which will allow you to exchange goods with Heficyre and Zephelam, as well as the other ¡®Verses I connect to my VBV.¡± The empress nodded and turned, walking away with her guards. Felix sank into the chair with a sigh of relief. ¡°And with that we¡¯re done with Astragos.¡± Melanie sat down, ¡°I do have some bad news.¡± Felix rubbed his eyes and groaned, ¡°Alright, let me hear it.¡± ¡°Vugog is becoming more and more violent. The elves on Avelion and my reinforcements are struggling. We need to deal with their Overlord. Then, they¡¯ll go back to squabbling amongst themselves.¡± Reth grinned, ¡°An assassination mission?¡± He glanced at Felix who gave him a sideways, disapproving glance. ¡°Not that we¡¯d actually kill them¡­an abduction mission?¡± Melanie nodded, ¡°It would be the best way to save lives. If the vagrants make it to Avelion proper, then the elven kingdom is doomed. The number difference is too vast.¡± Felix nodded, ¡°Give me a few days to recover and relax. I¡¯ve been going non-stop for weeks now.¡± ¡°Of course,¡± she stood up and walked around the table giving Felix a big hug, ¡°I¡¯m so happy you¡¯re alright.¡± She pulled back and wiped some blood from his cheek, ¡°You stay safe out there.¡± She turned and left, returning to the Portal Room. Lucifer stood up, ¡°You¡¯ve got four levels stored up. Feel like using them?¡± ¡°Tomorrow. I need a bath and some rest.¡±
Felix finished drying and slipped under the covers, snuggling up alongside Tinuriel. She turned around to face him and pulled him close. ¡°Sleeping well?¡± Tinuriel nodded and sighed, squeezing him into her before loosening her grip. ¡°That was a good couple of fights earlier.¡± ¡°You did an excellent job.¡± She nodded, ¡°My prowess since obtaining these Classes has honed even further.¡± She slid up and gestured for Felix to lay on her ¨C which he did willingly, having grown used to her firm but gentle cuddles. ¡°My concern is with going forward.¡± ¡°In what regard?¡± Felix asked. ¡°We are almost out of Classes that would suit me. With Reth using the Netherlight Affinity, my planned progression path has been altered.¡± ¡°We can go and check the Shop tomorrow and see if we can purchase a Dungeon Core or maybe even another Advanced Class outright.¡± Tinuriel nodded and gave him a kiss on the head, ¡°Thank you for considering my feelings and desires. You are a very good partner.¡± Felix chuckled and nestled into her, ¡°You mind if I sleep?¡± She shook her head, ¡°Not at all. Sleep for a few hours. Then, we have some alone time.¡±
Morning came and the couple left the house. Felix sat at the conference table and just stared out over the VBV. The realm had grown since he had last sat down to just look out ¨C the mountains far off in the distance. There was no curvature, and no haze from industrialization, so he could see the whole distance without issue. Streams of arcane energy flittered through the air and a brisk breeze blew by him as he took a deep, contented breath. The realm was thriving. Roy walked over from the Portal Room and sat down, ¡°How have you been, Felix?¡± He kicked up his legs, ¡°Good. I¡¯ve been fixing a lot of problems.¡± Roy looked where Felix was looking and nodded, ¡°This place is a marvel indeed.¡± Roy sighed heavily and kicked his legs up also, ¡°I have some ideas I wanted to run by you.¡± ¡°Go ahead,¡± ¡°Oh, I want to be here for this!¡± Lucifer flew down and took a seat. Roy looked at Lucifer for a moment before shifting his gaze to Felix, ¡°Heficyre is going through tumultuous times right now. Not only Vugog preparing to breach Avelion, but also Invictus. Sirin¨º and Mercantus fell in line behind Ethdellin, and Dirge was already under my control. But Invictus¡­¡± he sighed, ¡°Lothar ¨C the emperor ¨C is not going down without a fight. The twins Lionel and Lessira worked with the rebels and have cordoned off the capital from the rest of the Tier. But Lothar won¡¯t surrender the throne.¡± Roy rubbed his temples, ¡°The old fool won¡¯t give it up. And storming the capital is going to be impossible.¡± ¡°Can¡¯t you just siege it? Starve them out?¡± Felix asked. ¡°That¡¯s what they did in a similar era in my home ¡®Verse.¡± ¡°We could, but people will suffer and die.¡± Roy looked at Felix with cold, sad eyes. ¡°I wanted to ask you if you would go in and get Lothar, his wife, and his youngest son Sylas.¡± ¡°You want Sylas out of the picture as well so he doesn¡¯t foment a new rebellion to try and reclaim his birthright.¡± ¡°Correct,¡± Roy muttered. ¡°Melanie has deferred to me on this matter. ¡°Once we take care of Lothar on Invictus, then the armies can go down to Ry¨±ganaru and end that war, before moving further down to Avelion to back up the elven forces.¡± Felix leaned back and contemplated the tasks laid before him. Go to Vugog on Tier 11 to defeat their leader, and now Invictus on Tier 5 to take down an emperor. Lucifer, do these rise to the level of Crises? No, they do not. You can choose to get involved in these issues, but there¡¯s a dangerous precedent to be set with that. They may feel like they can call on you to fix every major problem. That is what I feared. Felix stared off at the mountains. What did he want to do about it? His primary goal was to get home to rescue Penny and stop this Basilisk as the System Admin had charged him. Heficyre was a lower Core Level, so any Experience he could gain there would be heavily diminished. If they grew to rely on his intervention too much, then he would be more restricted in the future. But they¡¯re my friends, and they want me to help save lives. Free Will. Actions have consequences. Roy wanted to unify the Tiers, and Melanie helped. This is one of those consequences. If you want to help avert some of the consequences, then that¡¯s your choice, freely made with no restrictions. Lucifer gazed into Felix¡¯s eyes, If I were the Versewalker, and you were the Persona Core¡­what would you advise me to do? Felix¡¯s stomach tied itself in knots. He felt the coil of anxiety building in him. The sudden thrust of responsibility that he had grown familiar with despite how uncomfortable it made him feel. Morally, he should try to save everyone. But rationally, it made more sense to go to a new ¡®Verse, as solving a Crisis would undoubtedly save many, many more people. If I went with my heart¡­I¡¯d advise you to do everything in your power to fix as much as possible. If I went with my mind and rational thoughts, it would be to let Heficyre solve its own problems. Felix put his feet down and buried his head in his hands. There has to be a middle ground. Roy cleared his throat, pulling Felix¡¯s attention up to the Dark Lord. ¡°Well?¡± ¡°I¡¯m thinking,¡± Felix muttered. ¡°We were thinking,¡± he followed up, gesturing to Lucifer. ¡°Just¡­give me a minute. Lucifer, do you have paper and a pen?¡± The fallen angel produced the items and Felix took some notes. Invictus and Vugog. Separated by several Tiers. And there¡¯s another Tier under that, right? Correct. Troxar, The Titan¡¯s Triumph, is Tier 12. Below is the Primal Chaos. Right, mind filling me in on it? Sure. It¡¯s a realm ruled by powerful and potent magical creatures. It was settled by an enormous man named Troxar - some rumored him to be an ancient humanoid creature known as a Titan. This is one of the oldest Tiers that has survived many, many Collapses. It is home to these powerful magical creatures, and as such is quite untamed, save for the intelligent monsters within. That sounds like it came out of a textbook. One of the benefits of increased System access. I get a lot more concrete information. Felix continued taking notes to categorize his thoughts and eventually figured out a decent solution. ¡°Okay, Roy, here is what we¡¯re going to do. But first ¨C Lucifer, can you get Tinuriel?¡± He nodded and flew off, returning with the woman in his grip as he deposited her gently on the ground. ¡°What¡¯s going on?¡± She asked. Felix pointed to her hand, ¡°I need that ring.¡± She shrugged and handed it to him, ¡°I don¡¯t like being unseen anyways.¡± She took off the Ring of Temporary Invisibility and handed it to Felix. Felix passed it over to Roy, ¡°I know Cowler Fent had contacted an assassin organization. I¡¯m going to give you some VC and this ring. You can send a trusted agent with them to deal with the Overlord of these tribes on Vugog. You¡¯re also going to take a glider from the higher Tiers to make a stealthy descent at night. Don¡¯t land on Vugog, land on Troxar as close to the stairs as possible. You¡¯ll approach from the least-expected place.¡± Roy took the ring and nodded, ¡°How do my agent and these assassins retreat?¡±Love this story? Find the genuine version on the author''s preferred platform and support their work! ¡°Send a group to the opposite side of Avelion. I¡¯m thinking of a really, long rope ladder. Roy chuckled, ¡°I¡¯m sure the machinists up on Mercantus can think of better solutions.¡± Felix nodded, ¡°That will deal with the situation on Vugog. As for Invictus and the emperor¡­how about we use some propaganda of our own? It tarnished your reputation in the past. Well, now you own the printers. Have pamphlets made that extoll the benefits of throwing down the current order. Send agents into Hearthstone and have them spread the word verbally.¡± ¡°This is not warfare,¡± Roy muttered. ¡°I¡¯m not used to underhanded tactics such as these you describe.¡± ¡°It¡¯s smart,¡± Tinuriel replied. ¡°It won¡¯t cost your forces any real manpower when it comes to the Vugog mission, and Melanie would probably approve of using propaganda to ensure a peaceful end to Lothar¡¯s reign, rather than a lengthy siege.¡± Roy chuckled, ¡°Thanks for keeping Melanie¡¯s feelings in mind. She won¡¯t approve of the use of assassins on Vugog, but I¡¯ll express to her that you have to prioritize larger-picture issues.¡± Felix nodded, ¡°Anything else?¡± Roy shook his head, and Felix stood up, ¡°Then if you¡¯ll excuse us.¡± Roy left the conference table and returned to the Portal Room. Get Reth, if you would. We¡¯re going to level up after shopping. On it. Lucifer took off flying towards the Earth/Ocean city that was recently added and had already began to populate with new people from Astragos. Oh, by the way, you¡¯ve got 7,500 VC banked from the Multiversal Trading Post. And your reward from the empress arrived last night. Check your inventory. Felix did so and saw a new item there. He pulled it out and in his hands was an enormous pearl the size of a golden retriever. He struggled with its mass and it slipped out of his hands and onto the ground. ¡°Well, I guess I can roll it over.¡± Tinuriel chuckled and gave it a firm kick to the Shop. The two went up and Felix sold it.
[Loot Sold] - Colossal Pearl + 10000 VC [Circlet of Prosperity 10% increase] = 1000 VC [Monies Dispensed] = 11000 VC
¡°And pulling out all but 1,000 VC from the banked amount puts us at 24,947 VC.¡± Felix opened the shop interface as Lucifer set Reth down next to them. ¡°What are you thinking of getting?¡± Reth asked. ¡°Well, we have enough to gain four levels. Tinuriel¡¯s almost maxed out Rime Knight, and you¡¯ll have maxed out Netherlight Myrmidon. I think it would be wise to see if we can get other Classes in here that fit your builds.¡± Reth nodded, ¡°I don¡¯t need Warrior since I have the Healing Affinity and can keep a Heal stored using Affinity Storage at all times.¡± He reached up and pointed to a tab that wasn¡¯t there on Felix¡¯s previous visits. ¡°What¡¯s that?¡± Felix tapped the tab labeled [Karma] on the interface. He saw an odd layout. A central line separated two halves of the screen. The left half was a blue-white color, and right half was a red-black color. The options on the right half were greyed out, and the options on the left half were active. Some in the center line were active as well. ¡°What¡¯s this Lucifer?¡± ¡°Querying¡­Oh, neat! So, the ones on the left are Classes and Advanced Classes that are locked behind acting ¡®good¡¯. Well, what the System qualifies as ¡®good¡¯, which you¡¯ve been. The right side is if you are more ¡®evil¡¯. The System doesn¡¯t care how you go about solving Crises if they¡¯re solved. We got access to it when the System Admin gave us more privileges. Thank you, Vicky!¡± It doesn¡¯t show the list of Skills either. Just the name of the Class and requirements. Tinuriel frowned, ¡°So we could have access to these classes,¡± she pointed to one, ¡°Like the Ragefiend, if Felix had gone about solving Crises differently?¡± ¡°Precisely.¡± Felix¡¯s gaze was immediately drawn to a pair of white wings. Tapping on it, the name of a class came up that surprised him. [Redeemed Angel]. ¡°Hey Lucifer?¡± ¡°Hmm?¡± He looked where Felix was pointing, and his face went white from shock. ¡°No¡­¡± He took a few steps back. ¡°No! We are not taking that one!¡± ¡°Why?¡± Felix asked as he turned. Lucifer shook his head and backed away further, ¡°It¡­I don¡¯t know what it will do to me.¡± ¡°Then don¡¯t choose it,¡± Reth stated. ¡°It doesn¡¯t look like staying a Fallen Angel is impacting Felix in any negative fashion.¡± Reth tapped a few buttons on the interface. ¡°The Priest Class sounds interesting. Most likely a healing focuse- oooh. Omnimancer.¡± He looked to Felix, ¡°I¡¯d like that one.¡± He pointed at the icon that was one of several on the center line ¨C meaning they¡¯d be available no matter what side of the scale the person¡¯s karma slipped to. Question Lucifer. What happens if, say, we get something from the good karma side, but then do something bad enough to lose access to it? Do we lose the Class and its features? Querying¡­Yes. There is a sliding scale that¡¯s hidden System-side, but as long as you¡¯re in the blue-white, then you¡¯re good. Literally. I¡¯ll warn you if you ever get close to flipping. But honestly? The way that you act¡­it won¡¯t be an issue. ¡°What¡¯s the cost?¡± Felix muttered as he tapped the icon. Ah, Advanced Classes are 10,000 VC. He tapped another Class. Whereas this Priest Base Class is 5,000 VC. To confirm, he tapped on several icons and saw the names and prices come up. The pricing was consistent depending on whether they were Base or Advanced. ¡°Yeah, we can buy Omnimancer.¡± Felix looked at Tinuriel, ¡°What are you thinking?¡± Tinuriel tapped a few icons before a smile spread across her face. ¡°I¡¯ve got plenty of defense and offense already. I think I should take on a support role as well. Let¡¯s go with this Paladin Advanced Class.¡± Felix nodded and performed the transaction.
[Items purchased] + Omnimancer Advanced Class - 10,000 VC + Paladin Advanced Class - 10,000 VC [Monies Paid] - 20,000 VC [Circlet of Prosperity 10% reduction] = 18,000 VC [Current Balance] = 6,947 VC
[Congratulations! You purchased the Omnimancer Advanced Class from the Shop in the VBV!] [Congratulations! You have purchased the Paladin Advanced Class from the Shop in the VBV!] ¡°Time to go level up,¡± Felix said. He led the group over to the Recreation Room, and the three of them each stripped down before hopping into the pool. ¡°Alright, here we go.¡± He took a deep breath and submerged himself. He selected four levels in Whisperfang. Confirm. The water bubbled and broiled around him. [This is your 5th level in this Class. You gain access to a new Class Skill] Tinuriel¡¯s Character Sheet appeared in his vision as she selected four levels of Rime Knight. Reth¡¯s Character Sheet appeared a moment later as he chose four levels of Netherlight Myrmidon. The trio emerged from the water and examined themselves as their physiques had been enhanced once more. Tinuriel¡¯s skin had kept its deep, brown tone, but there were patches of icy-white and light blue scattered across her forearms. Reth¡¯s eyes had shifted color to match Roy¡¯s grey iris, and his hair had lost some of its luster. Felix¡¯s forearms were entirely covered with prismatic draconic scales. ¡°Fascinating,¡± Roy muttered. ¡°The more¡­exotic Classes actually shift the physical form of the individual.¡± Tinuriel nodded, ¡°We should prepare for the next ¡®Verse.¡± She looked at Felix and tossed him a towel, ¡°Shall we consult Lucifer?¡± ¡°I¡¯m right here, you know,¡± Lucifer grumbled. Been here this whole time. Tinuriel frowned and bowed slightly, ¡°Apologies. I was caught up in the excitement of my increased strength.¡± She glanced at Felix who, since his respec, was not nearly as muscular as he was previously. She gave him a mischievous grin. Lucifer sighed, ¡°Accessing the Syste-¡± His voice cut off as he stared into space for several moments before shaking his head. ¡°We have a priority order right from the Admin themself. We need to head to ¡®Verse #107,934 ¨C Stradholm. They¡¯re giving us a free Multiversal Charge to get there right now.¡± Felix re-equipped his gear. Reth and Tinuriel followed suit. ¡°What¡¯s happening there?¡± Reth asked. ¡°They¡¯re giving me the Crisis information. Putting it into your vision now.¡± [Crisis: Stradholm ¨C Stop the Crimson Tide] ¡°The Crimson Tide is a wave of cult activity that is spreading through the ¡®Verse. Stradholm is like Zephelam and Astragos ¨C a single, small Universe that is localized onto a single planetoid. The surface is cracked and broken, and the planetoid has been partially hollowed out. The entire civilization exists underground, and technology-wise is around 0.45 on the Kardashev Scale. Just around Felix¡¯s ¡®Verse¡¯s Industrial Revolution. But they have primarily advanced with clockwork technology.¡± ¡°So, it¡¯s Clockpunk,¡± Felix said as he finished pulling on his gear. ¡°There is some mix of Magic/Powers as well, but they don¡¯t seem innate like Reth¡¯s Earthborn status, or Gina¡¯s mages from Heficyre. Their technology is either blessed by holy rites or cursed with profane powers.¡± ¡°We¡¯re stepping into a religious war?¡± Tinuriel asked as she finished equipping her armor. ¡°Those are always messy.¡± ¡°Not really. Their church is a holy order that worships their Lady of Luminescence, a deity that is hands-off but interacts with the populace through the organization. This Crimson Tide is some type of blood, fanatic cult that has been tapping into forgotten profane powers. I can¡¯t get more information outside of those basics for now.¡± Reth looked to Felix, ¡°Blood magic? I¡¯ve heard of it, but it¡¯s not performed on Astragos.¡± Tinuriel shook her head, ¡°Heficyre had blood mages, but I admit I don¡¯t know much outside of the name. Hemomancer is what they were called.¡± ¡°Lucifer, go get Gina,¡± Felix said. ¡°Have her meet us at the Shop.¡± Lucifer nodded and flew out of the Recreation Room. The trio followed and went to the Shop. Need to restock on Elixirs, Felix thought. And see if we can craft anything with those tomes I kept.
[Items purchased] + Anima Elixir (x6) - 3000 VC + Vigor Elixir (x6) - 3000 VC [Monies Paid] - 6000 VC [Circlet of Prosperity 10% reduction] = 5400 VC [Current Balance] = 1547 VC
Gina landed next to them as Lucifer set her down. ¡°I filled her in on the flight over.¡± Gina gulped and nodded, ¡°Here¡¯s what you need to know about Blood Magic.¡± She held up a finger, ¡°One, it requires blood. The more there is, the stronger the effects will be.¡± She held up a second finger, ¡°Two, it can replace Anima or their equivalent. The best way to think of it, at least from my understanding of the Multiverse, is that Hemomancer is a Class that you could acquire if you were more¡­evil. For each Health you lost, you would gain Temporary Anima equal to half of the amount lost.¡± ¡°Could you use blood spilled from someone else?¡± Reth asked. Gina shook her head, ¡°Thankfully, you cannot sacrifice others and their blood to do it.¡± ¡°Then why is this so dire?¡± Felix asked. ¡°They¡¯re just going to kill themselves and then the cult problem will solve itself.¡± ¡°The System Admin wants us to stop them. I didn¡¯t get more instruction beyond that.¡± Gina put her hand to her chin and thought for several moments before raising her head, ¡°The only thing I can think of is that this limitation I spoke of applies to Versewalkers and their Escorts. Their ¡®Verse may have a different operative set of rules that does allow them to utilize other people¡¯s blood.¡± Felix nodded, ¡°Any other insights?¡± ¡°I would advise going to a temple as one of your first stops. Make sure that you petition their high priest or whatever the equivalent is. Get your weapons blessed. They¡¯re Magic already, but having the additional blessing should help.¡± She lowered her voice to a whisper, as if she was afraid to speak the next words. ¡°This type of Magic, this Hemomancy¡­I would bet a fortune that there is a dark entity behind it.¡± ¡°Like a demon?¡± Tinuriel asked. ¡°I¡¯ve heard of those before. Corrupted servants of the gods, a warped version of an Angel.¡± Gina shrugged, ¡°I don¡¯t know.¡± Lucifer sighed and pinched the bridge of his nose, ¡°No, that¡¯s not how that works. Deities create servants in whatever image they desire. Those servants don¡¯t change entirely when they fall from grace. Maybe some coloration, but that¡¯s it. It has to be a blood deity or something akin to it. Something lost to the ages, but recently rediscovered.¡± Felix smiled at Gina, ¡°My thanks for your expertise.¡± She nodded, ¡°It¡¯s my best guess. Like I said previously, feel free to replace me as an Advisor if you have someone more qualified.¡± ¡°You¡¯re doing great,¡± Felix replied. This elicited a slight blush from her before she bowed and departed. ¡°Okay team, give me a moment at the Loot Forge. Let¡¯s see if these tomes can help us out in any way.¡± He led them down into the Crafting Station, and through the door to the Loot Forge. Lucifer put a hand on him and re-merged with his body. I¡¯m concerned. You mentioned a blood deity. We aren¡¯t strong enough to fight gods ¨C are we? The Admin wouldn¡¯t be putting this on a priority list and giving us a Multiversal Charge if we couldn¡¯t solve it. One of the limitations of the System that even the Admin can¡¯t override ¨C a Crisis must always be able to be solved by a Versewalker. You said ¡®a¡¯ Versewalker. Doesn¡¯t mean it has to be me. The Admin can¡¯t override the System itself. Just control it. I think we¡¯ll be fine. Alright. Let¡¯s get to crafting. [You have placed a on the Loot Forge. Select one of the following options.] ¡¤ Shadestep Skill Upgrade (Earthstride) ¡¤ Invigorating Charge Skill Upgrade (Avalanche) ¡°Sorry Tinuriel, I need to upgrade my Skills.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t mind,¡± She replied with a chuckle. Felix brought the hammer down. [You have placed a on the Loot Forge. Select one of the following options.] ¡¤ Dragon Dance Skill Upgrade (Water Dance) ¡¤ Shadowborn Skill Upgrade (Waterborn) Felix brought the hammer down once more. I¡¯m not using this either. Might as well see if I can break it into something useful. [You have placed a on the Loot Forge. Select one of the following options.] ¡¤ Shadowborn Skill Upgrade (Wraith Form) ¡¤ Beacon of Free Will Skill Upgrade (Beacon of Fear) Interesting¡­an area-of-effect fear. But honestly, the ability to move through objects is too strong to pass up. He brought the hammer down one last time. Felix turned to his allies, ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡± He pulled up his hood and tightened his mask. He led the way to the Portal Room. ¡°Hit it, Lucifer.¡± Activating Universe Selector. Target ¨C Stradholm. The grey portal appeared in the empty archway, and Felix walked through with his allies close behind. Ch. 77 – Stradholm I They emerged into a dim, dark alleyway. Refuse was piled inside metal, mesh boxes akin to dumpsters but much lighter in weight. The scent assaulted Felix¡¯s nostrils and he almost retched. Tinuriel ¨C whose elven senses were much sharper ¨C turned away and expunged her stomach contents. ¡°Disgusting,¡± she muttered as she caught her breath. Looking back at her, Felix saw that her and Reth¡¯s physiques had changed ¨C which meant his had as well. Their skin was much paler in tone, as if they had been deprived of sunlight for weeks. Their attire had changed drastically as well. Tinuriel was dressed in much more concealing and advanced armor ¨C with servos and gears moving with silent hisses of ejected air as some hidden pneumatic servo whirred as she lifted her arms. Her blade was the same length, but the handle had a guard on one side, some type of trigger near the handle that looked like a bike handbrake, and the non-edged side was full of gears and cogs that slowly turned. Reth¡¯s robes were covered in holy scriptures of some type, seemingly threaded onto the clothing, and covered in armored plates that hung over vital parts. There were images of skulls covered with cogwheels all over the attire. His staff had a series of cogs that intertwined on top, and slowly turned as electricity gently hummed at the tip. Glancing down, Felix¡¯s armor had not changed much from Astragos. There was some clockpunk-esque ornamentation, but the largest change was his Hardlight Recurve. The weapon was still mounted on his wrist, but it did not look like a crossbow. Moving his finger, a small barrel extended outward. Lucifer, is this what I think it is? Wrist mounted pistol? Yeah. Seems like in this ¡®Verse they have firearms powered by springs that are then wound tight again. They¡¯re called Springlocks. Yours has the hardlight projectiles though, so you don¡¯t have to worry about re-cocking it. The thought of firearms sent chills down Felix¡¯s spine. Arrows and crossbow bolts were one thing, but he had seen how damaging a bullet could be to a body. Will my armor even protect me from something like that? For the most part. The force is only a little more than that crossbow bolt that got you in the eye. Accuracy is more important, then. Felix held up a finger, motioning for his allies to wait, as he got to the edge of the alleyway and peeked out. The first thing he noticed was the lightning ¨C the streets were dimly lit with streetlamps that cast a dim, orange glow across the cobblestone streets. There were storefronts advertising a variety of wares, and several stalls set up in the streets. The storefronts had more floors on top, and he could make out clotheslines here and there, as well as the bustle of activity. It had the charm of Victorian era Britain, combined with a grim aesthetic that reminded him of Gothic-horror. ¡°We¡¯re in some type of marketplace,¡± Felix said to his allies behind him. Tinuriel walked up and looked out. She pointed to the farthest end of the marketplace, ¡°Armed guards.¡± People dressed in heavy armor with maces strapped to their waists and arquebuses with a springlock housing where the priming pan normally sat, with a small crank on the opposite side. They were patrolling with an intent ¨C a rigid, structural march with heads on a swivel. ¡°They¡¯re keeping a tight patrol. Their formation is on point.¡± Tinuriel sounded impressed with their training. Reth looked the opposite direction, ¡°There¡¯s that building. It looks important.¡± Felix looked where Reth was looking and saw a small statue of a woman, kneeling in prayer, carved from a white stone. People were lighting candles in front of it and seemingly worshipping it. Behind the statue was a single tower that stood out starkly from the stone buildings surrounding the marketplace, for it was made from the same white stone as the statue. ¡°Gina did say we should go to a temple first.¡± He stepped out into the marketplace. Ghostwalk. Felix walked swiftly across the market square. As he got closer to the statue, the world seemed to grow brighter. He paused and took a few steps back as the world dimmed again. The statue seems magical. Querying¡­their Lady of Luminescence is who is depicted. The System states that she was the first to descend below the surface, before what they call ¡®the scorching plague¡¯ ruined the surface. She pioneered much of their current society¡¯s underground survival. People worshipping her quite literally elevated her to godhood. Interesting¡­ Even more interesting is that her corpse is still around. It¡¯s kept in a grand temple in another city. Might be worth visiting the corpse of a god. Felix walked back to the statue and passed it, ascending the small set of stairs and entering the vestibule of the building. The room it led into was well-lit if smokey. Censers released fumes and wafts of smoke that cloyed the air and stung Felix¡¯s eyes. There were people in holy vestments, similar in design to Reth¡¯s but not armored. People were gathered within, sitting in rows of pews that instantly made Felix compare it to Catholic mass. A woman dressed in the holy vestments approached him. There was a small cudgel on her hip and a book on the other, strapped into place with a holster. She stood in front of him before he entered the main chamber, ¡°Are you here to worship?¡± Felix shook his head. Lucifer, what¡¯s Versewalker going to translate to in this ¡®Verse? Witness. ¡°I¡¯m a Versewalker,¡± Felix stated as Tinuriel and Reth walked in behind him. ¡°These are my Escorts.¡± The woman¡¯s eyes narrowed, and she looked Felix up and down, ¡°We¡¯ll talk to the High Priest. Follow me.¡± She led the trio down a narrow corridor before they ascended a tight set of spiraling stairs. Tinuriel had to walk sideways to fit her enormous blade up the tiny stairwell. The woman knocked on a door a few floors up, and then entered. They were in an cozy study, and sitting behind a desk was an elderly man who looked even more pale and gaunt than the rest of the people they had seen.If you encounter this story on Amazon, note that it''s taken without permission from the author. Report it. ¡°Ah¡­visitors¡­Holy Sister?¡± The Holy Sister bowed, ¡°High Priest, this one claims to be a Versewalker.¡± The old man leaned back and stroked his long beard, ¡°Is¡­that right?¡± Felix nodded, ¡°I¡¯m here to stop Crimson Tide.¡± His eyes went wide, and the High Priest sat upright, ¡°That information¡­is highly¡­restricted.¡± The Holy Sister moved to the door and shut it, slowly reaching for her cudgel. Tinuriel swiftly turned and grabbed the woman¡¯s arm. ¡°I wouldn¡¯t try to attack us.¡± The High Priest stood up, ¡°Sister¡­stand down.¡± He looked at Felix as his female counterpart relaxed in Tinuriel¡¯s grip. ¡°Versewalker¡­you will¡­solve the plague? ¡°It¡¯s our job!¡± Reth said. The High Priest looked to him, ¡°You are¡­dressed in our¡­vestments¡­but you are¡­not one of us.¡± Reth shrugged, ¡°It¡¯s just the clothes I got.¡± The High Priest nodded, ¡°Please¡­let the Holy¡­Sister go. She¡­can grab¡­the oils.¡± Tinuriel released the woman who left the room before returning a few moments later with several bottles. The old man took the bottles and muttered. Felix felt the room brighten and a warmth spread through his bones. He took the bottles and poured them out onto several pieces of cloth, handing them to the group ¨C one each. ¡°Use¡­this¡­one your¡­weapons. Fight¡­the demons.¡± Felix took the cloth and pulled his weapons from his inventory, slathering the blade with the divine oil. They took on a dull, white gleam as he put them back. Can I use this on my Hardlight Recurve? Querying¡­Huh, would you look at that. Hardlight is already potent against these ¡®demons¡¯ as he calls them. I doubt they¡¯re demons. Felix put the rag into his inventory. Reth finished polishing his staff, and Tinuriel spent slightly longer coating her blade in the substance, but within a few seconds the trio had imbued their weaponry with the odd substance. The High Priest dipped his head, ¡°Go¡­tunnels to¡­South¡­in her name.¡± The Holy Sister tugged Felix¡¯s sleeve, ¡°Follow me.¡± She led the trio down the stairs and out onto the street next to the shrine. She pointed to the far end of the marketplace. ¡°If you¡¯re truly a Versewalker like you say you are, then go to the Southern-most rail platform. It¡¯s been closed for days, and barricades have been put up to keep the blood fiends contained.¡± ¡°Sorry, the what?¡± Felix asked. The woman¡¯s eyes narrowed, ¡°The blood fiends. The ones that¡­wait, how do you not know this?¡± ¡°Look, lady, we¡¯re here to solve a Crisis,¡± Reth said. ¡°But we just got here. So filling us in would be great.¡± The Holy Sister shook her head, ¡°If you truly were a Versewalker, you would know of our ills.¡± Okay I¡¯m tired of this. Fallen Flight. Felix¡¯s wings manifested and Lucifer spoke. ¡°Look, lady. I¡¯m an Angel. A servant of your goddess. So just give the man the information he needs.¡± The Holy Sister fell to her knees and her face showed pure, rapturous bliss. ¡°Oh! A real servant of the Lady!¡± She prostrated herself ¨C as did every single person within line-of-sight. Really? Hey, it works. Felix sighed and shook his head, ¡°Just¡­just tell me. Please.¡± The Holy Sister looked up, tears streaming down her face. ¡°Of course! It started a few days ago¡­ Five days prior, one of the cities that lay at the farthest edges of the underground expanses ¨C a place called Nonalus ¨C went silent. Trains that went there did not return. Eventually, an expeditionary force led by The Church of Her Radiant Light went there. They, too, did not return. The Luminarch ¨C the highest ranked holy servant of the Lady of Luminescence ¨C banned all transit to and from Nonalus. They also established a quarantine on the Southern Station from the city Felix and his group had arrived in, called Fheldarm. Over the past few days, people had gone missing. At first it was just a single beggar, or a child that wandered too far from the lit streets. The darkness was no longer safe for many, and rumors spread of blood-craving beasts in lurking in the shadows. Felix looked to his allies, ¡°Sounds like a vampire outbreak.¡± Tinuriel nodded, ¡°Let us hope that, like on Heficyre, they are counted as a race.¡± Reth grimaced and shook his head, ¡°I¡¯ve never heard of these things except from the little bit I got from the VBV Function.¡± ¡°The System can¡¯t categorize these. So we won¡¯t know. Felix can always cleanse each of you with Rebel Against All Odds.¡± ¡°Or,¡± Reth said, ¡°I can just use the healing Affinity to make a new Magic/Power effect.¡± Leaning over to one of the prostrated individuals ¨C a woman who looked as if she was suffering from some type of hunched back ¨C he tapped her with the staff. ¡°Cleanse.¡± The woman¡¯s spine straightened and she let out an audible gasp before sighing in relief. She looked up, ¡°Thank you, Angelic Attendee.¡± Reth smiled, ¡°No problem!¡± He turned to Felix, ¡°See? We¡¯ll be fine.¡± Felix nodded and knelt, pulling the Holy Sister up. ¡°We¡¯ll set out right away.¡±
Crossing the city of Fheldarm took thirty minutes. The crowd parted as word had spread, and the central boulevard was filled with people who held out their hands in reverence, touching Felix and Reth¡¯s clothing with awe as they passed. Perhaps hoping for a miracle. Reth looked at Felix, ¡°If we have the time, we should come back and fix these people up. I can do a huge Cleanse with Affinity Empowerment and Amplification.¡± ¡°Or, we could just open the VBV and have them come in for a few minutes. Let the Function work on them.¡± Tinuriel scoffed and pushed one of the people away from her. Not roughly, but enough that other people got the message and no one reached out to touch her. ¡°First we have to kill these vampires.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t think they¡¯re vampires in the sense you¡¯re imagining,¡± Lucifer stated. ¡°What makes you say that?¡± Felix asked. ¡°Call it a hunch.¡± The lights began to flicker. Felix¡¯s vision shifted to Lucifer¡¯s red-tinged dark sight. ¡°That can¡¯t be good.¡± People began to hustle indoors and shut themselves in. ¡°Detect Hostiles.¡± The golden shockwave emanated out from Felix. In the alley to his right, two figures were cloaked in the golden glow. The same on his left. Above them, on one of the roofs, another three were hiding just behind the lip of the rooftop. ¡°Umm¡­Felix? My dark vision isn¡¯t working.¡± ¡°Neither is mine,¡± Tinuriel stated as she hefted her sword. ¡°Good thing we haven¡¯t reshuffled Affinity effects yet. Hellfire Wick.¡± The glowing ember shot up and floated in place above Felix. How come my sight works just fine? This must be powerful darkness. Okay, but we¡¯ve been in dark places where Hellfire Wick didn¡¯t illuminate anything. Your Core Level was lower than the effect. Here, the effect is lower than your Core Level. You outrank it. The street lights dimmed and flickered, and the golden auras came closer. ¡°Get ready,¡± Felix said as he pulled out his Channeling Dagger, holding it in his right hand, as he held his finger in the ready position to fire his wrist-mounted magic-bow turned gun. Reth chuckled nervously, ¡°I think we¡¯re in serious danger here.¡± Tinuriel shook her head, ¡°No. They¡¯re the ones in trouble.¡± The street lights flickered one last time before they faded. The only light came from the tip of Reth¡¯s staff, Tinuriel¡¯s blade, and the Hellfire Wick. The golden auras rushed to the trio. Ch. 78 – Stradholm II Ghostwalk, Undetectable Step. Getting some height ¨C Shadestep. Felix turned invisible as he warped through the darkness and alighted atop one of the buildings. One of the creatures was rushing down the side of the building next to him, clambering down as its claws dug into the structure. It was a pale, mutated humanoid with several long, ghastly pincer-like limbs poking from its back. It was a horrific cross between a fleshy-spider and a person that gave him chills. I hate bugs. Technically, they¡¯re not bug- Just sync up with me. Electroblade. Right. Stormbringer. Felix¡¯s wrist-pistol flared with crackling yellow lightning, and he trained it on the creature that had almost reached the ground directly below him. He pulled the trigger, and heard a powerful click before a twang as a rounded projectile of hardlight ¨C arcing with yellow lightning ¨C pierced forward and slammed into the creature from behind. It let out a piercing screech as it continued to move towards Tinuriel and Reth. Damnit. Felix continued to shoot from above, making sure to hit each enemy he could see at least once. Thanks to his high Agility stat, his shots were incredibly accurate, and he was able to apply the Lightning Rod effect to all of them. Tinuriel grabbed Reth and threw him to the side of the street. ¡°Stay back!¡± she commanded. Closing her eyes for a brief moment she exhaled and activated a host of Skills. Bastion for 100 Vigor, Deathless Juggernaut, Icy Shell, Aura of Frost, and Menacing Chill for 70 Vigor ¨C putting the aggro effect on each of the incoming hostiles. The blue flames rose from her skin as the damage reduction aura flared up around her. Immediately after, the blue-white, icy shell coated her body as a blizzard exploded into existence around her. Lastly, small traces of white and blue arced out to each of the incoming creatures ¨C all seven ¨C and they charged her. She hefted her sword and slashed with wild abandon, laughing aloud as she carved into the creatures, Valiant Edge sparking with the same icy white as the imbued Rime Spike sent shockwaves of frost from her impacts. She sliced, slashed, and severed ¨C but the creatures regenerated from the injury and swarmed her. Their claws jabbed inward, the spiked tendrils stabbing down, and some even put their heads in to bite her. Reth scrabbled to his feet and planted the staff in the ground. ¡°Let¡¯s see how they like flames!¡± He activated Affinity Empowerment and Affinity Amplification as his staff glowed with a deep, green glow. Holding his hand above the top, the energy arced to his fingertips as he thrust his palm forward, ¡°Fireball!¡± An orb of fire the size of a baseball appeared atop the staff before dashing forward and into the mass of creatures Tinuriel was fending off. A cacophonous boom echoed out as the sphere expanded in a massive explosion, the orange-red flames catching all of the monstrous creatures alight as their skin charred and bubbled. The flames persisted, and they screeched in pain. Tinuriel was unharmed; Reth¡¯s uses of Class Skills having prevented allies from being damaged in the explosion. The creatures persisted in their assault on Tinuriel, and Felix kept firing shots into them. They¡¯re healing too much, Felix thought as he saw each hardlight bullet hole heal over, and the charred, burning skin continuing to mend and repair itself. Querying System¡­They regenerate the equivalent of 10 Health every second. How do we stop them? A huge burst of damage in a single go. Enough to drop them to the equivalent of 0 Health. I need you to convert Vigor for me as I channel a huge Magic/Power effect. ¡°Reth! Get ready to use that Explosion when the lightning hits!¡± Overload.Love what you''re reading? Discover and support the author on the platform they originally published on. Vigor Conversion. The electricity crackled in Felix¡¯s hand as he drained all his Anima and fed his Vigor into the Overload effect. His hand glowed a bright, coruscating yellow as sparks and bolts of energy flared from his palm. ¡°Here it comes!¡± He pointed at the creatures. I want them dead. (P) Killing Intent was deactivated. Reth used Affinity Empowerment to prevent Tinuriel from being affected, and shouted out, ¡°Explosion!¡± The electricity vanished from Felix¡¯s hand and crashed down from above ¨C dealing a massive amount of damage to each of the creatures as the same damage was replicated upon them. An enormous cascade of yellow energy that bounced from target to target faster than the eye could trace. At the same time, the flames licking the creatures stuck in place and froze for a split-second before they exploded outward. The creatures screamed and fell to the ground ¨C crisp, twitching corpses as they fell as one. [Experience Awarded = 70] [Congratulations! You have reached the Experience threshold to level up! Speak with your Versewalker Core when you are ready to Choose your next Class.] Felix jumped down the twenty foot fall, rolling with the landing, as his (P) Like a Cat effectively reduced damage he would have suffered to zero. He walked over to the creatures and activated For the Hoard! [Loot Obtained] ¡¤ Crimson Tide Manifesto ¡¤ Cavestalker Claw (x14) [Loot Bonus from For the Hoard!] ¡¤ 1000 VC Felix pulled the manifesto from his inventory and flipped through it while Lucifer looked through his eyes. The Fallen Angel was a much faster read than Felix, and as Reth walked over, he cleared his throat. ¡°Ahem. The Crimson Tide are a cult. They worship some creatures called The Cavern Keeper. Nonalus is where new aspirants can go to be blessed.¡± ¡°Or cursed,¡± Reth muttered as he pushed at one of the corpses with the staff. ¡°Disgusting things.¡± Tinuriel held up her blade in a ready stance and glanced to Felix, ¡°Any more coming?¡± Felix looked around and activated another Detect Hostiles ¨C but didn¡¯t see anything. ¡°I think we¡¯re in the clear.¡± Slowly, a handful of people began to leave their houses. Felix pointed them back towards the market, ¡°Go to the church.¡± He turned to Reth and Tinuriel, ¡°We have to go to this rail station and head to this Nonalus place. If that¡¯s their headquarters then we can find more information there.¡± Reth poked the corpse again and shook his head, ¡°Do you think they were intelligent?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know,¡± Felix muttered as he crouched and turned one over. ¡°Oh! I have an idea!¡± Reth crouched next to Felix and held his hand over the monster. ¡°Let me try something with this Necromancy. I haven¡¯t used it much. Dread Revelations.¡± The corpse¡¯s head turned in Felix¡¯s hand, and he dropped it. The body ponderously sat upright before the hollow, blood-red eyes with no iris glared at Reth. A gasp escaped it as the chest filled with air. Tinuriel raised her blade and prepared to chop down, but Reth held his hand up. ¡°We can ask it five questions. If it can answer, it will.¡± Tinuriel sheathed her blade and nodded, ¡°First question: how many are there?¡± ¡°Thousssandsss,¡± the creature sighed out. Felix looked to Tinuriel, ¡°You¡¯re the strategist. Ask away.¡± Tinuriel pursed her lips, ¡°Second question: What are your weaknesses?¡± ¡°We have one weaknesss. Lack of blood.¡± ¡°Third question: How intelligent are you?¡± ¡°We are asss sssmart asss anyone elssse. Our mindsss are intact.¡± ¡°Fourth question: Who created you?¡± ¡°We drank from the blood pool. The Cavern Keeper gave usss ssstrength.¡± ¡°Fifth question: What are your plans?¡± ¡°We desssire to turn all into our kind. All will turn from the lady¡¯sss light and embrace the dark.¡± The corpse let out a final breath before stilling. Reth chuckled, ¡°That¡¯s very useful! Too bad I can only do it to a corpse a single time. Then, it can¡¯t be used against it again.¡± Felix nodded, ¡°We have another six bodies we can ask questions of.¡± Tinuriel shook her head, ¡°These are akin to foot soldiers. We need to find a commander. They can give us more information.¡± She looked to the South, ¡°To the rail station then?¡±
The walk was silent and dark. Felix kept a Hellfire Wick active not because he needed it but because the warm glow gave him a sense of comfort in the darkness. Normally he would have no concerns, but he was being overly cautious and hoping that the light would keep the creatures at bay ¨C as they had only attacked when the lights had gone out. It¡¯s strange. I thought that Holy Sister said the station was locked down. And yet there were those Cavestalkers a good distance into the city. She might not have had as good of a grasp on the situation as we think. This town also seems to be a huge, single tunnel with buildings on either side. So perhaps the people moved closer to the church when this thing first happened? Felix nodded. That made sense. Especially since the buildings they were passing showed no signs of life save the occasional rodent that skittered by. This place seems pretty lifeless. He caught some type of movement on the roof nearby and looking up, saw a pair of red eyes staring back. But they kept their distance. He held up his wrist-pistol and shot the thing right between the eyes. There was a loud snarl as the impact drilled it through the forehead, and it vanished over the lip of the roof. ¡°What was that?¡± Tinuriel asked as she drew her blade. ¡°Just one of these Cavestalkers. I think they¡¯re afraid of light. And, well, my Hardlight Recurve¡­pistol, uses light for its bullets.¡± ¡°Not as mad at yourself for having Hellfire Wick now, are you?¡± ¡°Yeah, it¡¯s good to keep around,¡± Felix replied, ¡°Just for our allies¡¯ sake.¡± Reth frowned, ¡°I can do the same thing,¡± A small flame emitted from the tip of his staff, adding to the illumination in the area. ¡°If light truly does help repel them.¡± Felix nodded and continued to lead the way until they came to a large tower. The cave dead-ended where the tower stood, and the T section led off in two directions. The tower had an enormous metal rod sticking out of either side ¨C a huge, suspended rail system. They were layered, and labeled as the A-Train, B-Train, and C-Train. All three looked to be mothballed and stuck to the tracks, suspended from above. Tinuriel led the way up the metal stairs as they ascended the tower to the C-Train. When they reached the train, Felix used his thieves¡¯ tools to open the door and push it open. The thing was filled to the brim with boxes. ¡°C stands for Cargo train, apparently,¡± Felix stated. ¡°Yes, and the other two are for passengers. Look there,¡± Lucifer replied as he flashed an indicator in Felix¡¯s vision. It was a map of the rail network with small bulbs that were dark marking the various stops. Nonalus was at the opposite end of the rail line from some place called Lady¡¯s Repose. Fheldarm ¨C where they were located ¨C was the closest on the line to Nonalus. ¡°Now to figure out how to get this running,¡± Felix muttered. ¡°Their technology is intriguing,¡± Reth commented. ¡°It¡¯s clockwork, but there are some electrical elements here and there.¡± Felix rummaged around the train car while Tinuriel kept watch outside. Eventually he found a control panel. ¡°Let¡¯s see if Electricity can help out here.¡± Electrical Bypass. The train car whirred to life as cogs and gears turned. Tinuriel hopped on as the car sped off to the South ¨C into the dark tunnels. Ch. 79 – Stradholm III Tinuriel stood at the double doors that would allow ingress or egress to and from the train interior, and Reth was sitting next to Felix, fiddling with his staff as the electrical components on the top arced and glowed. The rest of the car was solid metal, save for the window that Felix looked out from as he held his hand over the control panel, yellow electricity arcing from his fingertips as he felt the thrum of the pistons as tiny pulses along his hand. It felt like haptic feedback from VR gloves ¨C the expensive kind that he only had the opportunity to try once when he had saved up a bunch of money for a video game expo ticket. Closing his eyes, he was able to follow the electricity through the device and gain an understanding of the basic mechanics of the device. There is something akin to a combustion engine that, instead of gasoline, uses Anima¡­or whatever their version of it is- They call it ¡®Soul-Energy¡¯ in this ¡®Verse. -Right. They bleed into this port here to power the device. Blood contains Anima¡­And if these Cavestalkers were made by drinking from a pool of blood, then I would wager that they are being overloaded with Anima to the point that it is changing their physical form. Interesting thesis. That means Reth¡¯s Anathema should be able to revert the process. ¡°Hey, Reth,¡± Felix said. The Earthborn man looked up, ¡°Yes?¡± ¡°Given your knowledge of Magic¡­stuff, what do you think about this theory.¡± ¡°What theory?¡± ¡°Right¡­Okay, so here in this ¡®Verse, Anima is in the blood. And those Cavestalkers said they drank from a pool of blood. Is there such a thing as too much Anima¡­overloading a body?¡± Reth¡¯s face screwed up in deep thought for several seconds before he shook his head gently, ¡°In my ¡®Verse ¨C and with the VBV Multiverse knowledge from the other ¡®Verses you¡¯ve visited ¨C no. The physical form is sacrosanct. But, if the blood contains Anima, then it could be¡­¡± His visage became resolute as a grimace took over his face. ¡°You know how, in your ¡®Verse, if you get a transfusion of the wrong type of blood, bad things can happen?¡± Felix nodded, and Reth continued, ¡°Anima, Soul-Energy, Mana, whatever your ¡®Verse refers to it as; you have your own. Tinuriel has hers, I have mine, you have yours. But¡­what if a person was given an Anima transfusion? If it doesn¡¯t match their own¡­I don¡¯t know what would happen. Maybe it could change the physical form.¡± ¡°Querying System¡­There¡¯s no information on Anima transfers. It¡¯s not been tried. Or, if it has, then it¡¯s been hidden enough that the System hasn¡¯t added it to the database.¡± Felix nodded, keeping an eye on his Anima bar as it slowly depleted from keeping control of the train that continued to speed along its way. ¡°Then the current theory we have is that this blood pool holds some type of powerful Anima, and when it is consumed, it is like a blood transfusion with the wrong blood type. But¡­instead of the immune system attacking the new blood, the new blood is stronger, and changes the physical form of the host.¡± Reth¡¯s eyes went a bit empty as he tried to wrap his head around the scientific theories Felix was positing, ¡°How do you know all of that?¡± Felix chuckled, ¡°I spent a lot of time in hospitals. You pick up a bunch of stuff just by listening.¡± ¡°Heads up ¨C the train line is coming to an end.¡± Felix looked out the window and saw that the track changed, growing thicker as a means to slow the train even without the person at the helm using the controls. Felix felt the tension on the rail through the electric-Magic connection, and slowed the train to a stop at the station. ¡°Nonalus Station,¡± he muttered. They had been traveling for twenty minutes. Lucifer, use an Anima Elixir so my bars are at least somewhat decent. Then, I¡¯m keeping Ghostwalk up. ¡°Vigor is low for you and Tinuriel. Do you want to use Elixirs on that as well?¡± ¡°Not now,¡± Felix replied. He turned to his allies. ¡°Are you ready?¡± Tinuriel nodded with a manic grin, ¡°I can¡¯t wait to crush more.¡± She pulled open the door and strode out onto the landing, followed by Reth, with Felix bringing up the rear. The Hellfire Wick was still active, and floating above Tinuriel¡¯s head. Reth¡¯s staff was still flickering with its own flame, and the illumination cast sinister shadows off into a cascade. Stepping onto the landing, Felix looked down and thanks to his Lucifer-enhanced sight, saw the deep gorge that this enormous structure was built atop. A series of pillars held up a few buildings on this top level where the three rail lines ended. A few signs labeled the various buildings ¨C a warehouse whose front doors were shattered and smashed in, the wood splintered and cracked as if someone was trying to break in. A glass-windowed building that was, oddly enough, completely intact that appeared to be a ticket station. And lastly a set of elevators adjacent to stairs that descended into the depths. ¡°I¡¯d bet,¡± Reth muttered as he looked over the rail, ¡°That this Nonalus is down there.¡± ¡°Querying System¡­Nonalus is the deepest city along the Luminescence Rail Line. It is the most recent and furthest expansion. It was built thirty-ish years ago.¡± Tinuriel walked over to the crushed doors of the warehouse and peered inside. ¡°Felix¡­you¡¯re going to want to take a look.¡± Felix walked over and what he saw inside turned his stomach over. He had to pull away and vomit over the edge of the rail. Who¡­would do that? Wiping his mouth, he forced himself back to stand next to Tinuriel ¨C who was stone faced, and Reth who had come over and had a similar reaction as Felix.Stolen from its original source, this story is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings. A large quantity of maimed corpses was piled on top of each other. The sickly-sweet stench of rotting flesh hit Felix¡¯s nostrils and if he didn¡¯t have an already empty stomach, he would have lost it again. There were deep, carved wounds on each of the bodies. What horrified him more than anything was the size of the bodies. These were children¡­ They must have been in here, hiding, hoping for a train to come and rescue them. Felix shook his head, ¡°This is barbaric.¡± Tinuriel nodded, ¡°The cannibals on Vugog would feast upon the young of the other tribes as a show of dominance. It is worse when it¡¯s happening in front of you. Be thankful this is just the aftermath.¡± ¡°There¡¯s no blood,¡± Reth said softly as he bowed his head and signed in some type of reverent gesture. ¡°Those Cavestalkers must have slurped it all up, before traveling on the lines to Fheldarm.¡± Felix shook his head, ¡°This is fucked up.¡± ¡°But,¡± Reth said as he raised his head and took a deep breath. ¡°It¡¯s a chance to learn what happened. I don¡¯t want to do this, but it¡¯s the best way to learn. Tinuriel nodded and went to the corpse pile, digging through the bodies until she found one that had a somewhat intact head. She gently extricated it and set it on the ground in front of Reth. He knelt and muttered some prayer under his breath before tapping his staff to the body. ¡°Dread Revelations¡± The child¡¯s body sat up and looked with hollow eyes at Reth. ¡°What happened here, little one?¡± Reth asked softly. The child¡¯s expression shifted to one of sorrow for a split-second ¨C as if the body recognized what had happened to it ¨C but then returned to a neutral look as it recounted the events. ¡°About a month ago, a weird circle-thingy opened up here at station. Man in weird clothes came through. Went down deep ¨C past my house ¨C and into the no-no caves. Lots of screaming. Cave was closed. But mommy heard noises, and we went up. Lots of kids and mommies up here near rail place. They put us in the big building with the boxes. Lots of smash and crush outside. Then¡­scary claw. And nothing.¡± The child¡¯s body went slack and fell prone, with Reth reaching out to gently set the head down. Felix¡¯s eyes narrowed, ¡°That sounds¡­like a portal. Lucifer, can you query the System to see if there was any other Versewalker who came through?¡± ¡°Querying¡­holy hell.¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°A Versewalker came through here¡­One that had its Versewalker Core stripped from them just ten hours later.¡± Felix felt his body lock up. Wait, the System can just choose to remove the Versewalker¡¯s Core? Yeah, if you¡¯re not doing what the System wants ¨C which is solving Crises. Even the Versewalkers that are retired in their VBV still have to solve Crises in connected-by-portal ¡®Verses since they¡¯ve already established a link ¨C it¡¯s just often very easy for them to do so. ¡°What type of thing could they have done to warrant such an action?¡± Reth asked. ¡°I¡¯d bet they are responsible for whatever happened here. Or at least partially responsible. Their name is Tabula.¡± Tinuriel¡¯s face went taught, ¡°Do they still have their powers?¡± ¡°Not Versewalker Classes or Affinities, no. But they could have a bunch of gear from all across the Multiverse, which means they would be extremely dangerous regardless. And since they don¡¯t have (P) Multiverse Adaptation anymore, the items will function how they would in the ¡®Verse they came from.¡± ¡°We¡¯ll deal with them,¡± Felix said resolutely. ¡°But for now, we have to deal with our current issue. Push it out of your mind for now.¡± But Lucifer, make sure that you notify the System. We¡¯ll take care of this Tabula person. Already making a report. Felix walked over to the railing and looked over. Reth went back to the corpse pile. Tinuriel came over and patted Felix on the back, ¡°You okay?¡± Felix shook his head and felt a few tears come unbidden. ¡°No,¡± he whispered as he leaned against her and her arm wrapped around him. ¡°I¡¯ve never seen¡­anything like that.¡± The pile of corpses were too fresh of a memory for him to really give much care about this former Versewalker lurking somewhere in Stradholm. The eyes, those vacant, lidless stares from children whose bodies were torn asunder haunted his vision even though he was looking down into the darkness below. She rubbed his arm reassuringly, ¡°This is the reality of war. Atrocities occur on both sides of conflict.¡± Felix looked up at her, ¡°Did¡­you do something like this before?¡± Tinuriel shook her head, ¡°No. Elves aren¡¯t so barbaric.¡± She frowned slightly, ¡°I have seen similar atrocities when fighting on Vugog. You grow inured to them over time.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t think I¡¯ll ever be able to get used to something this horrific,¡± Felix muttered. ¡°The Multiverse can be a cruel place,¡± Lucifer replied. ¡°Just remember that you¡¯re trying to prevent this from happening again. This same scenario could play out all across Stradholm if we don¡¯t find the source of this corruption and put a stop to it.¡± Felix nodded, ¡°I¡­You¡¯re both right. Sorry.¡± Tinuriel squeezed him close, ¡°You have to go through fire to be forged. Consider this part of your forging.¡± Reth walked up behind the two and cleared his throat gently, ¡°Sorry to interrupt. Felix, a word?¡± Felix turned and nodded, ¡°Yeah, what do you need?¡± Reth sighed, ¡°I would like to bury them. Can we open your VBV and put them in there?¡± ¡°It¡¯s going to sound macabre, but technically they¡¯re objects right now. We can put them into the inventory, and I can instruct some VBV residents to bury them.¡± Felix nodded, ¡°Let¡¯s do that. We can¡¯t waste time and have more of these things possibly spread.¡± He walked to the warehouse once more, turned his head away, and held his hand out as Lucifer sucked up all of the corpses into the inventory. Returning to his allies he looked down the deep, deep descent. ¡°We could just jump and float down. I¡¯ve got Fallen Fligh-¡± His eyes caught movement. ¡°Lucifer? Amplify. Detect Hostiles.¡± Affinity Amplification. The golden hue outlined dozens of the creatures that were crawling up the pillars supporting this station. They were scrabbling along the walls as well. Felix pulled his Channeling Dagger out with his right hand and took aim with his wrist-pistol. ¡°We have company!¡± Reth growled, ¡°Let me deal with this.¡± His staff was covered in an aura of bright, neon-green energy that flowed outward before coalescing into a singular point. ¡°Affinity Amplification. Affinity Empowerment. Vigor Conversion. Fire Wall!¡± The whole space below the rail station ignited with a roiling fury as Reth oriented the Fire Wall to become a giant donut that spread to the edges of the vertical tunnel, licking and crashing against the walls of the shaft. The flames burned a bright-orange, and the trio heard the screams and chittering of the creatures. Reth¡¯s use of Affinity Amplification caused the flames to burn hotter on the side facing down towards their foes, and as he pushed his staff forward, the ring descended. The trio heard screams and crackling as the fire ring descended. ¡°They can fly?!¡± Tinuriel shouted as she pulled Reth back. Felix ¨C thanks to Ghostwalk ¨C was able to remain at the edge, and saw that several of the creatures were flying up through the center of the flame-donut shape. He took aim at their wings ¨C leathery, pale, white skin stretched over bones that looked to be some type of spiny protrusion from the spines. Letting off several shots, he pierced holes through the wings ¨C but they continued to ascend toward the trio. ¡°Get ready!¡± Felix shouted as he took a few steps back to be in line with his allies. Ch. 80 – Stradholm IV The screeching, flying shapes surged up and over the railing. Tinuriel ran forward and cut through several of them, activating several Skills. Bastion, Icy Shell, Aura of Frost. The snow and ice swirled around her body as she reached the first one of the hostile Cavestalkers, she swung and chopped through the wing and head, causing blood to spurt as the form fell back. Undetectable Step. Felix vanished from view and got alongside the railing so he could see the oncoming swarm of these creatures flying up and through the flaming ring. They were charred and flying awkwardly. The wrist-mounted pistol-device was easy to aim and use, as he simply had to point his finger at his targets as he depressed the trigger with his thumb. Shot after shot blasted outward silently, only appearing once they impacted the targets. He was able to eliminate dozens with well-placed headshots, and the hardlight projectiles appeared to be extremely effective at keeping the creatures down ¨C their flesh not able to heal from the impact. The whole ordeal was over with rather quickly. Tinuriel finished off the last few that had flown up to her, and Reth simply stood back the whole time as nothing made it past Tinuriel at the railing. ¡°Is that all of them?¡± He asked loudly as Tinuriel had run out of targets. She nodded, ¡°Yes. They are all dead.¡± Felix deactivated the invisibility and pointed to the stairs going down, ¡°We should probably use those and not take this elevator. I don¡¯t like the idea of being trapped inside of a metal box and having these things attack.¡± Hellfire Wick, he thought, as the floating crimson flame appeared above him. Reth waved a hand over the top of his staff as the orange flame ignited, and the trio began their descent.
They went down for several thousand feet. The darkness was imposing and all-encompassing. Thankfully, Felix and Tinuriel could both see in the dark; but what they saw was grim and horrific all the same. The tunnels were crawling with more of the Cavestalkers. They were trailing the trio, going at the same pace as they descended the stairs that were thankfully encased in a fence-like structure. Felix took every opportunity possible to shoot at them and keep them at bay ¨C the hardlight bullets killing several of the creatures and putting them down for good. Eventually, though, they got smarter and would keep just out of sight, only the occasional glimmer of their dark, red eyes glaring at them from cover. We have a level ready to go, right? Yes. Level 30 is on standby, as you¡¯re at 2334 / 2320 experience required. Whenever you need it, just say the word. The stairs ended and the trio stepped into a town square. There was a large well at the center of the space, and buildings surrounded them; a church that was torn apart and ruins, the statue of the Lady of Luminescence shattered. There was a general store, a warehouse, and several buildings that were partially carved from the walls, partially built out of wood that extended forward into the center square. The creatures were swarming along the walls, and the trio stood back to back as they advanced through towards the enormous tunnel that descended horizontally, deeper into the depths. The Cavestalkers did not follow them into the cavern. ¡°Let me scout ahead,¡± Felix said. ¡°You two can use this as a choke point.¡± ¡°A decent idea,¡± Reth said with a smirk, ¡°But I have a better one. Earth Wall.¡± The tunnel was sealed from the town center, and the shrieks of the creatures was immediate, as was the clawing and digging noises coming from the other side. ¡°Ah, it was important for them to have access to this tunnel,¡± Reth muttered. ¡°Well, it¡¯ll take them a few hours to get through that. I put a lot of Anima into it.¡± ¡°Let me lead,¡± Tinuriel said as she took the front. She continued the descent as the slope gradually increased until they came to a point where small steps were carved into one side, and a smooth slope remained on the other side. ¡°A slide?¡± Tinuriel said as she stood on the steps. ¡°An easy way to get down quickly,¡± Felix replied. ¡°Smart if you¡¯re going down often. What were they digging up down here?¡± ¡°Querying System¡­no clue. But this Tabula ¨C the revoked Versewalker ¨C their logs show that they made it all the way to the bottom before they vanished from the System records. It was about two hours after that, that the Versewalker Core was revoked.¡±Reading on this site? This novel is published elsewhere. Support the author by seeking out the original. ¡°So whatever is down there was bad enough that this Tabula person was punished and trapped in this ¡®Verse.¡± ¡°Yes,¡± Lucifer replied, and his voice for the first time since the Death World, reverted to the afraid, fast, lawyer-talk. ¡°This could be bad. The System should¡¯ve sent a heavier-hitter. Look at that, always giving me the shit jobs. That¡¯s how my last two died. Sending us in to fix someone else¡¯s fuck-up. Why couldn¡¯t they send a Core Level 60 or something? It¡¯s not like they¡¯re that busy. Fuck!¡± Calm down, Felix thought to Lucifer. You¡¯re going to get Tinuriel and Reth messed up also. The emotion that Felix felt resonate through him from his companion was absolute terror. Yeah, yeah, sure. Okay. It¡¯s not like you¡¯re going to die or anything like the last time. Yeah, no, I won¡¯t get trapped in a Versewalker Core for thousands of years again. It¡¯s not like the Admin has it out for me just because I rebelled against him. Yeah. Haha. No. You¡­wait. Is the Admin- God? Yes. The big G from Universe #1. My ¡®Verse. The one that made the fucking System. I¡¯m the original Lucifer. The one that screwed up perfection. Without me, no System. And now every chance possible the Admin ¨C my creator, the one I rebelled against ¨C just fucks with me to torment me. He knows I love people. I want to see them grow and develop and use their free will. So, what does he do? Takes away my free will, makes me a symbiotic thing that is under the control of a Versewalker. Lucifer went silent for a moment and Felix heard a deep inhale. Every Versewalker I¡¯ve been connected to has been a real asshole. That karma scale? They almost always end up on the red side. Doing horrible, fucked-up shit but still getting the job done. The Admin¡¯s way of trying to reinforce to me that I brought evil into existence in my home Universe. That is until me, right? Yeah. Until you it¡¯s been real assholes. Thankfully they died when the Admin sent them on suicide missions like this, whatever this is. Because when they die ¨C I feel every moment of it. But that doesn¡¯t explain why I got you as my Core. Even though my creator is the System Admin, he has a bunch of workers under him. Angels. Vicky was one of my exes ¨C long story ¨C and she did me a solid by getting me at the front of the Core queue. Felix looked at his two allies who looked at him with concern. ¡°It¡¯s okay. Lucifer just had a minor breakdown. We¡¯re working through it. Keep your eyes peeled.¡± Tinuriel nodded and continued to lead them, and Reth brought up the rear. I¡¯m¡­sorry you¡¯ve been dealt such a shitty hand in life. You were trying to do what was right by those people in your home ¡®Verse. I¡­ Lucifer¡¯s voice slowed and there was another deep inhale before he sighed. I just wanted people to have freedom. Let them make their own choices, you know? Let them choose what they would do in life. And it worked out well enough, I think. Universe #1 reached a Type 5 civilization, and that enabled them to make the System. My ¡®Verse¡¯s God then took over and became the system Admin. But he¡¯s no more powerful than any other creator deity from any other ¡®Verse. It¡¯s the people that he made, and whom I freed from their shackles, that created the System and enabled Multiverse monitoring. So, you could say we are doing the Lord¡¯s work. There was a chuckle, Okay, that was a good one. Lucifer sighed again and his voice became firmer. More resolute. I¡¯m sorry I hid all that from you. But it feels good to get that off my chest and be honest. I¡¯m still processing it all, Felix thought back. It¡¯s a lot to take in. I¡¯ll need some time to decompress all this information in the VBV. But for now¡­ He refocused his attention on Tinuriel, and then beyond her as the descent leveled out. We have a job to do.
The whole descent took thirty minutes. The tunnel opened to an enormous cavern with stalactites and stalagmites protruding from the whole space. There was an enormous, brackish black-crimson lake that had a single, wooden dock built out from the rocky shoreline. ¡°Is this that pool they were talking about?¡± Reth asked. Felix knelt down, ¡°Detect Substance.¡± ¡°This substance is called Black Blood. Something in the center of the lake is infecting the water. This is what people drank from and seems to be the source of the Cavestalkers. It¡¯s not Magic/Power based. It¡¯s¡­something else. The System can¡¯t quantify it. It¡¯s similar to something else called Void.¡± Tinuriel kicked a small rock into the waters, and they rippled outward slowly before dissipating into the distance. ¡°So, how do we get to whatever this source is without ingesting the stuff?¡± Reth raised his hand, ¡°Air Bubble.¡± The green sphere surrounded Reth and he took a few steps toward the water, nodding confidently as the waves split around the sphere and revealed a brackish, black, cracked stone surface below. Felix reached into his inventory and grabbed the Talisman of the Tides, holding it in his non-pistol hand. The waters receded further, and Reth looked back at him with a quizzical expression. ¡°I have it,¡± Reth said. Felix nodded, ¡°Two layers of protection. Yours is the backup that doesn¡¯t rely on an item.¡± Reth nodded and the trio descended into the dark depths. The waters parted in front of them, and an eerie silence descended upon the group. The only sound the slight lapping of the thick water as they continued deeper and deeper. Finally, they reached the center. There was a corpse. A humanoid corpse, with a large, crested head that seemingly shared traits of a shark. The jaws were large and rows of serrated teeth forced a manic grin. They were dressed in rusted, bubbling, and oozing brackish black goop. But what was more stand-out was the armor that was under the goop. It looked like something out of a far-flung science fiction film; a huge suit of power armor missing only the helmet. If standing to full height, it would dwarf Tinuriel by a good three or four feet. Next to the corpse was a shattered cylinder of some type, and Felix reasoned that the cylinder contained whatever this corruption was. Also adjacent, on the opposite side of the corpse, was a sword with a blade on one side, and a serrated chainsaw on the other. ¡°How do we fix this?¡± Reth asked. The corpse opened its eyes. Ch. 81 – Stradholm V Felix jumped back ¨C as did Tinuriel, whilst Reth backed away until the other two were just within the radius of the Air Bubble. The corpse stood up and smiled, ¡°Ah,¡± the raspy, clicking voice emanated from the slack-jawed, open maw. ¡°A Versewalker and Escorts.¡± It reached down and picked up the odd sword. ¡°I¡¯ll be taking your Core.¡± Almost faster than he could react, it launched at Felix. He ducked the blow and loosed a point-blank shot from the clockwork pistol into the creature¡¯s chest ¨C but it bounced harmlessly off of the power armor. He rolled backward with the dodge. A System Message appeared in Felix¡¯s vision. [Against Overwhelming Odds Talent notification ¨C foe is 10+ Core Levels higher than you. Active portion of Talent unlocked.] Lucifer, level-up. Now! Engaging. Whisperfang for me and give Tinuriel that last level of Rime Knight. Last level of Netherlight Myrmidon for Reth. Roger! [This is your 10th level in this Class. You gain access to a new Class Skill] [This is your 10th level in this Class. You gain access to a new Class Skill] The trio sparked with prismatic light corresponding to their colored stat bars, and Felix saw to his satisfaction they rapidly filled up to full. It¡¯s still way higher Core Level equivalent than us. But we have a chance. It¡¯s three on one. He side-stepped another slash before Tinuriel knocked the blade away and pushed the power-armor wearing, former Versewalker off-balance. It bought her a few moments, and she activated a flurry of Skills. Deathless Juggernaut, Bastion , Icy Shell, Menacing Chill, and Aura of Frost. The blazing blue flames engulfed her body, as the white-blue ice encased her form. It was covered by a mirror-like reflective sheen. And lastly, the white-blue dart of energy surged from her towards the creature ¨C but bounced off of its head. ¡°Menacing Chill didn¡¯t work!¡± She shouted as she interposed herself between the massive power-armor encased person. The two exchanged a flurry of blows ¨C Tinuriel primarily focusing on defense, and if not for Bastion, she would be getting pushed back from the force of the blows, if not simply thrown aside outright. Detect Weakness, Electroblade, Hellblade, Undetectable Step, Death Mark Offsetting the cost of Death Mark with a use of Against Overwhelming Odds. Felix vanished and shot the weak spot highlighted by the Detect Weakness ¨C the head of the fallen Versewalker. The shot struck true and instantly consumed the Death Mark. The bullet bored a hole through the creature¡¯s skull, igniting them aflame as the crimson and black energy surged through them. The arcing electricity jolted along their form, but they kept swinging, trying to get to Felix. Tinuriel got in the way once more and suffered a few hits that her Temporary Health and damage reduction soaked with ease. This isn¡¯t that difficult. Don¡¯t jinx i- The creature¡¯s body surged with a violent, black light as the ichor exploded from its body. ¡°Netherlight Sanctuary!¡± Reth yelled out as he slammed his staff down. The Air Bubble vanished as his whole concentration was focused on this singular intent of protecting the trio from the goop blast.The story has been taken without consent; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident. The silver-white light encompassed the whole group and the goop just splashed around them. The corrupted Versewalker let out a cackling gasping noise. ¡°You have unique Affinities. Now I really want that Core.¡± ¡°Lucifer, what¡¯s going on?¡± Felix asked as he saw the bullet hole slowly sealing, despite the hellfire still burning within the skull. ¡°Not good!¡± He was back to panicky lawyer speaking. ¡°They are just a vessel being piloted by something else. Something corrupting. A deity this Versewalker captured in that container. A deity of blood and corruption. Something called a Void Commander from Universe #2. The Versewalker used it to make a new Class ¨C Voidwalker ¨C and it took control of the body. Best guess that Vicky has is-¡± ¡°Felix!¡± Vicky¡¯s voice echoed around the trio. ¡°That thing was Tabula. You can¡¯t kill it, only contain it.¡± ¡°How?¡± Felix shouted back as the void-creature slammed over and over on the Netherlight Sanctuary. Every time it did, Reth winced as his concentration was pushed to the limits. If not for his mental fortitude and intensive training as a mage of his home Universe¡¯s intelligence corps, the barrier would have lapsed. ¡°I put a new container into your inventory. Luci-¡± ¡°I got it,¡± Lucifer replied. ¡°I¡¯ll put it in your hand as soon as we extract it.¡± ¡°Tell me how, stop just telling me what I need to do. I need to know how.¡± ¡°You have to injure its host body enough that it flees to find a new host. It¡¯ll try for one of you ¨C so make sure none of you drop below fifty percent of your maximum Health ¨C and when it tries to get into you, catch it!¡± ¡°I can¡¯t hold it!¡± Reth shouted as the barrier faded. Tinuriel¡¯s blade blazed with energy as she activated several offensive Skills: Execution , Eviscerator , Obliterate, and Frozen Fury. Tinuriel¡¯s energy that was channeling down into the blade surged to her palm and she held it up right in the creature¡¯s face. A blast of neon-blue, acidic green, icy-white, and echoing behind it ¨C rushing water ¨C blasted into the creature. The head was blown clean off, and yet the form continued its assault, with Tinuriel barely blocking with her sword. It reached out and grabbed her arm, squeezing tightly as her Temporary Health vanished, and she cried out in pain as even through the damage reduction of Deathless Juggernaut and the reduced damage inflicted, her Health dipped quite substantially. Reth raised his staff once more and used Earth Shield. The protective rocks surrounded Tinuriel and she shook off the grip before slicing back at the creature. She then shoulder-checked it, throwing her whole mass into the creature as it stumbled back. Lucifer, sync up with me. And offset the Death Mark with those Talent Charges. Death Mark. Vital Strike. Dragon Dance Felix dashed behind and atop the creature, planting his feet as best he could on the shoulders as he fired down ¨C activating and consuming the Death Mark as the hellfire and electricity imbued shot went right down the neck hole. Again. Death Mark. Offset the cost. Last charge of that Talent. Vital Strike. He loosed a second shot into the same hole in the neck. As the thing¡¯s free-arm clumsily reached up for him, he jumped off of it and behind Tinuriel. Reth laughed, ¡°Clear out!¡± He had activated Affinity Empowerment, Affinity Amplification, and several uses of Anima Ascension as he continually fueled the powerful spell that he unleashed. ¡°Cleanse!¡± What? Felix thought. Why is he cleansing¡­oh. That¡¯s genius. Felix put the water-controlling talisman in his pistol-hand and retrieved the storage container from his inventory with the other. The cylinder looked like a lantern with an aperture that gently sucked inward. The black ichor infusing the creature surged out of the neck hole as the pink and purple flowering blossoms surrounded and infused the body. Felix pushed the cylinder forward, and it sucked up all the black goop before sealing. He put it into his inventory. [Experience Awarded = 100] ¡°Good job!¡± Vicky¡¯s voice said excitedly. ¡°Fantastic work! That should clear up that lake down there.¡± Felix looked to Reth and gave him a thumbs-up, ¡°Good idea doing that.¡± Reth nodded, ¡°Once she said it was corruption, I knew it could be cleansed. But¡­that thing was strong. I used all my Anima and Vigor to pull it off.¡± ¡°Worth it,¡± Tinuriel said as she looked at the still-standing, headless corpse in the power armor. ¡°Impressive suit of armor though. I wouldn¡¯t mind having it.¡± ¡°It¡¯s not corrupted anymore. We can loot to our heart¡¯s content.¡± Felix looked up into the black waters above, their sphere of safety persisting. ¡°What about all those Cavestalkers?¡± Vicky¡¯s voice became sadder, ¡°They¡­they¡¯re lost. Things that the Void from Universe #2 corrupts can only be reversed by a deity of the Void. And the deity that can do that in Universe #2 is a guy named The Arbiter of Souls.¡± ¡°Can we¡­I don¡¯t know, bring him here?¡± Felix asked. Vicky went silent for a moment before she returned, ¡°Possibly. Hold on, let me make some calls.¡± Felix held his hand over the corpse and activated For the Hoard! before Looting it. [Loot Obtained] ¡¤ K.S. 2 Power Armor ¡¤ K.S. 2 Chain Blade [Loot Bons from For the Hoard!] ¡¤ 5,000 VC The K.S. stands for ¡®Kardashev Scale¡¯. This Power Armor comes from a civilization that advanced to the point that they can completely control their whole Solar System¡¯s power and energy. Pretty advanced stuff. Felix looked to his two allies, ¡°Shall we head out?¡± ¡°No Multiversal Charge?¡± Reth asked. ¡°I don¡¯t think I ever want to come back to this ¡®Verse. It¡¯s too depressing.¡± ¡°We still haven¡¯t finished the Crisis,¡± Lucifer said. ¡°Those Cavestalkers are still out there. And if they¡¯re considered part of this Crimson Tide, we have to stop all of them.¡± A shimmering, light-blue portal opened next to the trio. They all turned and Tinuriel prepared her weapon. A man in a light-blue robe stepped out. He had a hood that sparkled with starlight and was deep-set. ¡°Oh, a Versewalker and Escorts. Good to meet you.¡± He pulled back his hood and revealed a youthful face with deep blue, prismatic sparkling eyes. ¡°I¡¯m Kalinor, Arbiter of Souls of Universe #2. Good to meet you.¡± Ch. 82 – Void Between ‘Verses Vicky¡¯s voice came back, ¡°He is something called a Prime god in his Universe. He can deal with the Void corruption.¡± Kalinor nodded and smiled an infectious smile, ¡°Yes. The System Admin has given me the go-ahead to help fix this mess, despite it not being in my own Universe.¡± Tinuriel put up her sword and nodded, ¡°Another deity in flesh. Intriguing.¡± Reth¡¯s eyes went wide, ¡°An actual god?¡± Kalinor chuckled and spread his arms wide, ¡°Yes. Let¡¯s fix this Universe¡¯s Void issue, shall we?¡± He raised his hand and there was a rush of warmth that flooded the space around them. The corrupted waters instantly vanished. His shoulders sagged slightly, and a single bead of sweat dripped down his forehead. ¡°Cleansing a whole Universe of The Void is something I haven¡¯t done in quite a long time.¡± He chuckled and swept back his dark hair. ¡°I think my work here is done.¡± ¡°Thanks Kal!¡± Vicky said. ¡°I¡¯m going to be gone for a while Felix. Thanks for doing this priority mission!¡± The deity began to return through the portal as he pulled his hood up, but he paused and looked back at the trio. ¡°Wait a second.¡± He turned to fully face them, and his eyes glittered like starlight as he stared seemingly into their souls. ¡°Ah. I see.¡± He smiled, ¡°You are on the right path.¡± ¡°What does that mean?¡± Reth asked. ¡°Your souls are fairly clean.¡± He pointed at Tinuriel, ¡°Yours is a bit stained, but that is due to the violent nature of your past and upbringing. You¡¯re on the path of redemption though.¡± He pointed to Reth, ¡°Yours is similar, not as dark, so less of a journey to go.¡± He pointed last to Felix, ¡°But you, Felix Winters¡­are odd. There is a looming shadow over your soul, as if something horrific may happen, and the responsibility will be placed upon you. Right now, your soul is pure. But I fear it could switch at any moment.¡± ¡°That would be the Basilisk,¡± Lucifer replied. Kalinor frowned, ¡°I¡¯m not familiar with this concept save for the serpent-lizard that turns people to stone. But in any event, if this shadow comes to encompass and eclipse you, your soul will be irrevocably marked and darkened.¡± ¡°Which means what?¡± Felix asked. ¡°Versewalkers are immortal to aging.¡± Kalinor crossed his arms, ¡°You have that weird karmic scale in your VBV, yes?¡± Felix nodded, ¡°Well, if this event comes to pass, you will permanently and forever be on the bad side of that scale. If you do ever die, and you happen to die in a Universe where souls are judged¡­you will be judged harshly.¡± That shook Felix to the core. He was raised agnostic, but his grandpa was very religious, and always encouraged him to follow the golden rule. The idea that a single button press months ago, one that he wasn¡¯t really responsible for, could condemn him to damnation was jarring. He tersely nodded, ¡°How can I fix it?¡± Kalinor shrugged, ¡°I¡¯d assume by stopping whatever it is you set in motion.¡± He looked at the trio and frowned slightly, ¡°I would be remiss in my duties as a Prime god if I didn¡¯t try to help you out. The effects of any Blessings that I can give are limited outside of my Universe.¡± He raised his hand and shimmering, prismatic light scattered out and surrounded the trio. ¡°The best I can give you is this.¡± [Achievement Unlocked: Blessed by Kalinor Blackguard, Arbiter of Souls of Universe #2] Holy¡­that¡¯s amazing! That means- Yeah, that¡¯s great! Another safety cushion. I don¡¯t want to die, but having that backup is amazing. ¡°That¡¯s all I can do,¡± Kalinor said with a sigh. He stepped through the portal and waved goodbye, ¡°Feel free to visit Universe #2. A proper Universe ¨C multiple worlds, space in between, the whole real deal.¡± The portal snapped shut. [Crisis: Stradholme ¨C Stop the Crimson Tide ¨C Solved!] [You have earned a Multiverse Charge] ¡°Let¡¯s get out of here. Lucifer?¡± ¡°Vicky gave me priority in the queue. We can leave right now.¡± The portal to the VBV opened, and Felix led the trio through. Their bodies returned to normal, and Felix felt like he could breathe easier as the portal shut behind them. Their gear reverted as well, returning to the previous technology level equivalent as the clockpunk style faded away. Reth sighed heavily, ¡°Versewalkers can fuck things up as well as fix them.¡± ¡°It seems to be that way,¡± Tinuriel replied as she leaned against the wall. ¡°But it appears that this was unintentional.¡± Lucifer unmerged from Felix, and he looked frazzled. ¡°I need a bit of a break. Felix, mind having your other advisors take over for a bit? I need to destress.¡±This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere. Felix put a hand on his shoulder and gave him a light squeeze, ¡°You do what you need to do. I can run things for a bit with Roy, Melanie, and Gina¡¯s help.¡± Lucifer nodded and went to the Recreation Room, ¡°Please don¡¯t bother me!¡± he yelled out as he entered the building. Tinuriel grinned at Felix, ¡°I want to see that armor.¡± He pulled it out of his inventory and used Detect Properties on both items. [Item Description: K.S. 2 Power Armor] [Augments the user¡¯s physique, increasing Might, Body, and Endurance by 5. Decreases Agility by 15.] [Item Description: K.S. 2 Chain Blade] [Causes extra bleeding damage upon injuring a foe. This damage can stack with itself.] ¡°Can we add those to my existing gear?¡± Tinuriel asked. ¡°Well let¡¯s split things up,¡± Felix replied. ¡°I think¡­I have an idea.¡± He went over to the Crafting Room, into the Loot Forge, and set his Channeling Knife, Wyrmtooth Dagger, and the K.S. 2 Chain Blade on it. Bringing the hammer down, he merged the three into a single new item; a dagger that would bleed those it struck, poison them with wyvern venom, and could be enchanted with multiple Affinities. I¡¯ll just call it an Omniknife. He put it into his inventory. Since I can do a Dragon Dance and mix in ranged and melee; no point in going all-in on the melee. Tinuriel frowned, ¡°I wanted the bleed effect.¡± Felix shook his head, ¡°You have enough damage on your weapon. But¡­take that armor off.¡± She grinned and divested herself of her Scales of the Lava Dragon, placing them on the anvil. Felix put the K.S. 2 Power Armor there as well, before bringing the hammer down. The scale armor fused with the power armor to create a bulky suit of full plate decorated with silver inlay as the armored plates shifted between shades of crimson. As she equipped the new merged item, her bars increased. ¡°Any plans for me?¡± Reth asked as he tapped his foot seemingly impatiently. Felix looked through his inventory, and saw that Reth had no magic items aside from his equipped weapon and armor. I should give him something. Felix transferred the Talisman of the Tides and the Flask of Endless Water to Reth¡¯s inventory. ¡°Do you want to use either of those in crafting something?¡± Reth thought for several seconds before shaking his head, ¡°No. But my thanks for ensuring an even distribution of magic items. It does make me feel like a team member instead of just an extra guy along for the trip.¡± Felix turned to him as he set the hammer down, ¡°You¡¯re valuable. Your quick thinking is what caused that fight to end so easily.¡± Reth nodded, ¡°I¡¯m going to take some time to myself. How long until our next venture?¡± ¡°When Lucifer is ready. He deserves some downtime.¡± Tinuriel left the room, glancing over her shoulder, ¡°I¡¯m going to go visit my sisters and my people.¡± Reth followed right behind, ¡°And I mine. Enjoy whatever it is you do to relax!¡± Soon enough, it was quiet, and Felix was alone with his thoughts. Moving to the Alchemy Lab, he set the Holy Oil-soaked rag onto the countertop. Following the directions, he eventually came away with a distilled vial of Holy Oil. Now to see if this can work. He went to the Core Transmorpher and poured the oil over the Abyssal Dungeon Core. The core flashed blue and purple before turning into a dull grey. Hey, Lucifer? Mind just looking at this real quick through my eyes. Yeah, Lucifer replied, groggily. Lemme see. Looks like¡­you¡¯ve made a new type of Dungeon Core. It¡¯s called a Grey Dungeon Core. Practically worthless for loot forging. But it¡¯s expensive. Go sell it. You okay? I¡¯ll¡­we can talk later. Felix kept silent and grabbed the Grey Dungeon Core, taking it to the shop interface.
[Loot Sold] - Grey Dungeon Core + 40000 VC [Circlet of Prosperity 10% increase] = 4000 VC [Monies Dispensed] = 44000 VC
Holy crap! That brought his total up to 50,547 VC. I can afford pretty much anything I want. Scrolling through the various lists, he found exactly what he was looking for. From Stradholm, he knew that having one hand free at all times was valuable, and he needed a way to convert his Hardlight Recurve to something he could manipulate with one hand. The wrist-mounted pistol fit the concept perfectly. Plus, he had to stock up on Elixirs again.
[Items purchased] + Anima Elixir (x4) - 2000 VC + Vigor Elixir (x5) - 2500 VC + Wrist-Mounted Pistol - 15000 VC [Monies Paid] - 19500 VC [Circlet of Prosperity 10% reduction] = 17550 VC [Current Balance] = 32997 VC
Running back to the Loot Forge, he combined his Hardlight Recurve with the Wrist-Mounted Pistol. Hardlight Wrist-Pistol. Equipping it, he was pleased to see that it was well-concealed in his armor¡¯s wrist area. Only someone who knew what they were looking for would be able to find it. Holding it up, he saw a small targeting reticle float just above the barrel. And that is cool as well. Looking through his inventory one more time, he saw one last item he could use. Going to the Alchemy Lab, he put the Cavestalker Claws onto the table, and followed the instructions that appeared in his vision. The finished product was four Ironhide Elixirs ¨C a temporary damage reduction consumable that would also cut off the user from any Anima Magic/Power uses for the one-minute duration. 50% damage reduction is potent though. He left the Crafting Room and braced himself as he walked into the Recreation Room. It was empty ¨C only him and his party having access to it ¨C and he went through it until he finally found Lucifer. Several empty bottles were on the ground in front of the large lounge chair he had placed himself in. He was staring at a television that was playing an old science fiction series about portals to other worlds. ¡°Hey buddy,¡± Felix said softly. Lucifer looked up at Felix with red eyes as if he had been crying. ¡°I¡¯m¡­I¡¯m sorry for keeping all of that hidden from you.¡± Felix sat down on the couch next to him, ¡°Apology accepted.¡± He put a hand on the fallen angel¡¯s forearm, ¡°Is there anything I can do to help?¡± Lucifer wiped his nose with his sleeve, ¡°Just¡­can you just¡­be here? With me?¡± ¡°Of course. First though, tell me what I should do with this black goop containment thing.¡± ¡°Put it in the mailbox.¡± Felix got up, went to the mailbox, and found a small platform that could slide out from the side. Pulling it out, he placed the container with the Void inside. The container digitized before vanishing, and a System Message popped up. That Arbiter guy must¡¯ve missed it since it was in my inventory, Felix thought. He returned to the Recreation Room and sat down on the other couch, ¡°I haven¡¯t seen this show in years.¡± Lucifer chuckled and drank from a fresh bottle of wine, ¡°I¡¯ve never seen it. No spoilers.¡± Ch. 83 – Sirinê (Revisit) ¡°Felix! Get up!¡± he felt a shove on his shoulder. Felix came to, having fallen asleep where he was the night before. Reth was standing in front of him with a panicked expression. ¡°What¡¯s going on?¡± Felix asked as he sat up. ¡°There¡¯s some problems brewing. Roy¡¯s looking for you.¡± ¡°Alright. Where¡¯s Lucifer and Tinuriel?¡± Reth gave Felix a hand to help him up and the two went outside to see a large crowd, ¡°She¡¯s doing crowd control,¡± Reth muttered. Felix saw several bodies go flying several dozen feet before they tumbled to a stop. ¡°Jeesh. I thought violence couldn¡¯t be committed in the VBV.¡± ¡°Between residents. I think escorts are exempt,¡± Felix muttered as he moved forward. ¡°What¡¯s going on?!¡± he shouted. Roy pushed his way through the crowd and pointed to the Portal Room, ¡°Those bastards on Sirin¨º took my sister!¡± Felix stopped, rooted to the ground, as he saw Roy¡¯s Netherlight flowing out of him. But it wasn¡¯t calm and soothing. It flared and grew whip-like tentacles that seemed hostile, ready to lash out at anything he desired. ¡°Calm down. I¡¯m sure we can sort-¡± Tinuriel walked out of the crowd, ¡°We had infiltrators. Mages from the College of Heaven. You remember that Dean? Dromitus?¡± Felix nodded as she continued, ¡°He¡¯d sent folks in here to see what Gina¡¯s magi are up to. They¡¯ve been reporting back. I knew we should¡¯ve killed those assassins!¡± Felix cursed to himself. I should¡¯ve known, he thought. That once the VBV became more publicly known, he¡¯d figure out I wasn¡¯t killed. I¡¯m an idiot. He looked up and scanned the sky. Lucifer, are you here? Yeah. Sorry. Lots of stuff happening at once. I¡¯m on my way. Roy was seething, and he growled in a menacing bass, ¡°I am going to kill them all!¡± ¡°Slow down,¡± Felix said as he held up his hands, ¡°Just¡­tell me what happened.¡± Melanie came running over, ¡°I just heard. What¡¯s going on?¡± Roy turned to her and his face softened slightly, but his voice still had an edge of malice, ¡°My sister, Beth, was taken while in Mercantus shopping for supplies. She got a magical message to dad, and he got a letter to me. The College of Heaven is holding her in suspension, permanently.¡± Those cages? Felix recalled vividly Gina and her classmates being trapped inside cages that froze them in time and space. They took suspension quite literally. ¡°We can get her out-¡± ¡°It¡¯s your fault!¡± Roy yelled, the Netherlight tendrils flaring around him. ¡°You¡­no¡­¡± he quieted, and the tendrils stopped moving as he heaved a deep breath. ¡°It¡¯s not your fault. You saved people. I would¡¯ve done the same.¡± He looked to Melanie and put a hand on her shoulder, before looking at Felix. ¡°I need your help, Felix.¡± ¡°Anything you need,¡± Felix replied. ¡°I can¡¯t act without them villainizing me. If I do anything hostile¡­it will be a reason for those still clinging to the old ways to reinstate their control.¡± ¡°Leave it to us,¡± Tinuriel said. ¡°I¡¯ll be happy to crush some people,¡± she glanced at Felix, ¡°non-lethally.¡± Lucifer came flying down and tapped his hand on Felix¡¯s head, merging with the Versewalker. ¡°Sorry for the delay. I filled myself in just now. What¡¯s the plan, Felix?¡± ¡°I go get Beth.¡± Felix went to the crowd gathered in front of the Portal Room. ¡°Stand aside!¡± to his surprise, his voice was amplified. Is that you doing that? Nope. Just part of the VBV. It reads your intent and can magnify your voice. You could make a declaration to the whole place. I think I will. Felix cleared his throat, ¡°If you¡¯re an agent of Dean Dromitus or The College of Heaven, you are about to be forced out of my realm. If you are a spy or agent here to gather intelligence on me, my advisors, or my residents, you will be forced out.¡± Add a Function ¨C all who intend to spy, gather intelligence, or learn secrets about residents, myself, or my allies is immediately forced out. Done. As the change took place, Felix saw several people in the mass of individuals who had gathered in front of the Portal Room shrouded in the grey of the VBV before they vanished. ¡°Alright, let¡¯s go.¡± Felix pushed his way past the usual portal traffic ¨C groups coming to or going from the VBV to the various worlds he had connected ¨C and left through the Ethdellin portal to Heficyre. Reth and Tinuriel followed immediately behind, but he turned to them and shook his head. ¡°I am doing this solo. I can sneak in and fly us out.¡± Tinuriel gave him a pouty face, ¡°I wanted to smash people.¡± Reth shook his head, ¡°I had also hoped to use Anathema on some other magi.¡± Leaving them behind might not be the smartest move. ¡°We can¡¯t fight a whole college of magi. There¡¯s what, at least a hundred?¡± Felix asked. Melanie ¨C who followed them through the portal ¨C nodded, ¡°Their enrollment numbers are not public, but they have several hundred magi present at most times.¡± ¡°We can¡¯t take all of that on,¡± Felix continued. ¡°Even if we are fifteen Core Levels higher than the recommended level. I¡¯m not risking either of you being harmed. Let me do this.¡± Tinuriel nodded sagely before stepping back through the portal, ¡°Your battle logic is sound. Very well.¡± Reth joined her and gave a slight sigh before waving goodbye. Felix turned back to the throne room. Do you remember this places¡¯ layout? Oh yeah. Good. Fallen Flight. The wings extended and Felix blasted at full speed through the enormous building at top speed. He hadn¡¯t truly pushed his flight speed to its maximum. How fast can I get? Five miles-per-hour per Core Level. So right now, one-hundred and fifty mph. Felix dashed over the city skyline ¨C traversing The Eternal City in only a minute ¨C before he crossed over The Eternal Plains. The edge of the cliff flew closer and closer into view. Activate Ghostwalk and Undetectable Step. Support the creativity of authors by visiting Royal Road for this novel and more. He flew over the edge and made straight for Dean Dromitus¡¯ tower at the spires above the College of Heaven. Hovering in front of the windows, he looked through and did not see anyone or anything inside. The golden spindle notified him of the hazard that opening the window would pose. Detect Object. Focusing on Beth. The golden line shot down and to his right, towards the bottom of the College. He followed the line until he came to the back entrance. Several students dressed in light-blue robes were walking through the open archways. He flew above them ¨C completely undetectable ¨C and continued to follow the trail. It led him to a familiar door ¨C the same one that led him to the suspension room they found Gina in. Still using the same place? It¡¯s not really secure. Maybe they fortified it further? Maybe. Time to try out a new Skill. Shadowborn . floated into the wall next to the doorway. As he passed into the stone, he felt a sense of suction ¨C as if the wall was pulling him in ¨C and then once inside, found it impossible to breathe. He popped his head out, took a deep breath, and put it back inside. Once full inside the wall, his vision expanded, and he could see the hallway next to him and the far room at the end of the wall. It was as if he had clipped through the wall and could see the video game stage next to him. Dean Dromitus was standing in front of a very elaborate cage as Felix approached through the walls. When Felix poked his head out, he could hear the man speaking. ¡°This can all be avoided if you tell me how I can get inside that damned pocket dimension.¡± He¡¯s talking about getting into the VBV. Wonder why? Lucifer asked rhetorically and with a voice laced with sarcasm. To get me, obviously. He¡¯s still pissed off that I freed Gina and her allies, and that I didn¡¯t conquer that Dungeon for his institution. Felix stepped out of the wall and felt himself materialize as the one-minute timer ran out. His active Skills also ticked down more of his Vigor. Felix pulled out his new Omniknife and flipped it in his hand so he held it blade down. Walking up behind the man, he stabbed down into the spot between his neck and shoulder, sliding it down to the heart. An instant-kill. Or, it would be, if not for (P) Killing Intent which reverted the damage after rendering the man unconscious. Felix looked up at the cage contraption. Looks like the other ones. Just bigger. There was a woman suspended in mid-air within the large circular cage. She bore a decent resemblance to Roy, but her skin was darker in tone. Rebel Against All Odds. ¡°Hello?¡± she asked into the darkness. ¡°Hi. You can¡¯t see me, but I¡¯m the Versewalker. I¡¯m here to save you. Roy asked me to get you.¡± ¡°Roy?! He¡¯s alive?!¡± She looked at her restraints within the cage. ¡°Get me down.¡± Felix used his knife¡¯s hilt to crack open the lock on the cage, pulling it open, and reaching up to saw through her binds. She floated out ¨C still under the effects of her temporary Fallen Flight. ¡°We¡¯re going to get out of here,¡± Felix said right next to her. She turned, startled by the voice emanating from the air next to her, before nodding. ¡°How did you plan on doing that?¡± Felix leaned down and picked up the Dean¡¯s body. ¡°Leverage.¡± He walked to the doors, dropping the stealth Skills, and fished around Dromitus¡¯ robes until he found a key. Slotting it into the keyhole, it opened, and two guards inside turned to face Felix ¨C shock registering on their visages. ¡°Ah-ah-ah!¡± Felix said as he held his knife against the Dean¡¯s neck. ¡°No sudden moves. Or else he dies.¡± The two guards looked at each other before slowly lowering their weapons. ¡°What do you want?¡± ¡°Just let us by,¡± Felix replied. Using this hostage method, he was able to work his way past the next set of guards at the outer doors. After exiting the hallway, he took off at a sprint ¨C glancing back to see Beth was, indeed, keeping up. They got outside as various students looked at Felix with shock. Some ran off to grab what Felix assumed were more of the mage-guards. ¡°Quick, grab onto me.¡± Beth wrapped her arms and legs around Felix¡¯s body. ¡°How are you going to get us out of here?¡± She asked as Felix heard booted feet approaching. ¡°Fallen Flight,¡± he replied. He willed himself to rise, and within a minute they were already flying over Ethdellin. He didn¡¯t let up with the speed ¨C making sure Beth was holding on by shoving her hands and arms through his hostage¡¯s own. They arrived at the palace, and none stood in Felix¡¯s way as he landed in the throne room, setting Beth down. [Experience Awarded = 10] Roy spotted her through the portal and came out, giving her an enormous hug. ¡°Beth! You¡¯re safe!¡± She returned the hug and pulled back, ¡°Look at you. You look¡­very different.¡± Roy nodded, ¡°I¡¯m the Dark Lord. You¡¯ve probably heard of me,¡± he said sheepishly. Gesturing to Melanie who sat on the throne nearby ¨C pausing her matters of state to observe the exchange ¨C he continued, ¡°That¡¯s my wife, Melanie Parslia Ventorus Remarda Stromson IV.¡± Beth¡¯s jaw dropped and she leaned into Roy, Felix only overhearing because they seemed to have forgotten his presence. ¡°You¡¯re married to the ruler of Ethdellin?¡± Roy chuckled, ¡°If you think that¡¯s impressive, come inside here.¡± He led his sister through the portal. Felix carried Dean Dromitus to Melanie¡¯s throne. The people talking to her stepped back and bowered reverently. ¡°Hi. I got his sister and the guy behind it.¡± Melanie raised an appraising eyebrow, ¡°And you bring him to me¡­why exactly?¡± ¡°I¡¯m not sure what to do with him. He tried to get to me through Roy¡¯s family. I think you should distribute judgment ¨C whatever you see fit.¡± It was around this time that the man came to. He shook his head and glanced around, his eyes going wide seeing Melanie and the spire ascending behind her. ¡°Your grace!¡± he said. Glancing sideways, his eyes tracked up Felix¡¯s legs until their eyes met. ¡°You!¡± he said with absolute disgust. Felix crouched next to him, ¡°Yeah. Me. You know, you made a real idiotic move making me your enemy.¡± ¡°You started this! You promised that you would defeat the Dungeon for my college!¡± He began to chant some type of spell, but Felix shoved his knife under the man¡¯s throat, cutting him off with the blade slightly piercing him, just enough to draw a trickle of blood. ¡°None of that,¡± Felix whispered. He looked up to Melanie, ¡°What do you want to do with him?¡± Melanie gestured for the Dean to stand, and Felix pulled his knife away as the man stood up slowly, his eyes glaring daggers at Felix before turning to meet Melanie¡¯s. She cleared her throat, ¡°You stand accused by the Versewalker of overt hostile action. Taking the sister of Roy Stromson, my husband, captive. What say you to these charges?¡± The man looked between Melanie and Felix before shaking his head. ¡°He took my students away. Gina Egonta and her club members. I merely wanted to exchange Beth Stromson for them.¡± Melanie shook her head, ¡°You do not deny the charges. Therefore, I find you guilty of the accusations. My royal will is thus ¨C you shall descend to Vogug, and use your skills to help fight the cannibal hordes. A glider will be dispatched immediately, and you will go out with the next wave of volunteers.¡± The man¡¯s eyes went wide and he gulped audibly. ¡°That¡¯s a death sentence¡­¡± he whispered. ¡°Actions have consequences,¡± Felix stated, using Lucifer¡¯s catchphrase. ¡°Thanks, Melanie.¡± He bowed at the waist as Melanie waved. He returned to the VBV. Well, that was an interesting interlude. How long did that take, round trip? About forty minutes. You made good time. Felix went out of the Portal Room and saw Roy sitting with Beth, Tinuriel, and Reth at the conference table. Reth and Beth were talking about some magical theory that didn¡¯t make much sense to Felix, but he noted Roy was very excited. ¡°I see you¡¯re getting along famously,¡± Felix said as he sat next to Tinuriel. Roy dipped his head, ¡°My thanks for her safe return.¡± He turned to Beth, ¡°You¡¯ve decided to stay?¡± Beth nodded and faced Felix, bowing her head slightly. ¡°I was friends with Gina. And if I get to see Roy more often, and this smart mage,¡± she gestured to Reth, who ¨C for a man with rocky skin ¨C blushed mightily. ¡°I would be delighted to stay and learn more of these magics from across the realms you¡¯ve connected.¡± Felix nodded, ¡°Good. We¡¯re happy to have you.¡± He looked to Roy, ¡°Is that all you needed?¡± The Dark Lord smiled, ¡°Yes. Thank you, Felix.¡± Ch. 84 – Earth #4003 I Days passed pleasantly as Lucifer returned to his observer duties. Roy¡¯s sister settled in with Gina¡¯s magi and she kept flirting with Reth. Melanie and Roy were in and out of the VBV, tending to various tasks. After a week had passed post-Beth-rescue from the College of Heaven, Felix received a heads-up from Lucifer. You¡¯ve got that empress ¨C Xadana ¨C from Astragos waiting to see you. Want to come out to the conference table? Yeah. Give me a minute. Felix rolled out of bed and leaned over, giving Tinuriel a kiss as she snuggled deeper under the covers. He willed his clothes and equipment from his inventory onto his person and left the house, walking to the table where Lucifer and the empress were already sitting. ¡°Thanks for waiting,¡± Felix said as he took his seat. ¡°To what do I owe the pleasure of your visit?¡± Empress Xadana smiled gently, ¡°I wanted to come and thank you for your efforts. That Multiversal Trading Post has been quite useful in expanding our horizons on Astragos. I have a question for you. A request.¡± She snapped her fingers, and a servant brought up a sheet of paper ¨C a large one ¨C setting it down onto the table. She unfurled it and gestured to the schematic. ¡°There were reports of some type of serpent creature in the waters of the Coralith Empire. After talking to your Overseer here, I learned that it is something called a submarine. I was hoping you would be willing to look at these designs and see if we are on the right track to replicate the device.¡± She looked up at Felix with a wide grin, ¡°We¡¯ve never been able to figure out a rapid way to traverse the waters, save for magic. But if we had something to facilitate travel? So much more could be accomplished.¡± Felix looked at the schematics ¨C and had no clue what he was looking at. He glanced at Lucifer who shrugged as well. ¡°I¡¯m not an engineer,¡± Felix began, ¡°But the engineers on Mercantus could probably figure this out better. I¡¯ll pass it along to them, and have a messenger get back to you.¡± The empress nodded and stood, ¡°My thanks. I trust everything goes well for you as well?¡± ¡°It does,¡± Felix said. ¡°Always a pleasure, empress,¡± Lucifer said as he stood up and bowed slightly. ¡°I¡¯ll be in touch.¡± He turned to Felix as the empress departed. ¡°What next? Another Universe, more Experience, the usual?¡± ¡°That¡¯s a possibility¡­but I had another idea.¡± Felix sat back down. ¡°We¡¯ve not really been challenged at all throughout our last few ¡®Verses. The bars don¡¯t lie ¨C we barely suffered any real damage, let alone a threat.¡± ¡°You¡¯re thinking of jumping back to ¡®Verse #5067? Your home Universe?¡± Felix nodded, ¡°I know it¡¯s locked until we hit Core Level 50, but there has to be a way to appeal that. I mean, this last ¡®Verse we were in didn¡¯t even challenge us. I haven¡¯t had to us Elixirs in a good, long while.¡± Lucifer sat down and put his head in his hands. ¡°I really don¡¯t want to risk you dying. You¡¯re right ¨C the last few ¡®Verses have been easy to deal with.¡± He sat up straight and stared off in the distance for a few seconds ¨C a look Felix knew implied that he was querying the System. ¡°I¡¯ve put in a request to the Admin about letting us try before Core Level 50. But¡­in case-¡± He looked off again and his face became a frown, ¡°The Admin approved it¡­¡± ¡°Great!¡± Felix replied as he stood up. ¡°We can get Penny!¡± ¡°Yeah¡­sure¡­¡± ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± Lucifer looked at Felix and he saw the fear in his eyes. ¡°The System Admin hates me. I can¡¯t think of a good reason why he would be willing to allow it. My guess? He wants us to go there, and for you to die.¡± ¡°I have to fix the Crisis though, right?¡± ¡°Technically, no. Any Versewalker could. But you¡¯re the best suited. If a Versewalker came from Heficyre, for instance, they would be best suited to solve Crises on Heficyre. There¡¯s a¡­code, is the best way to put it, that prevents other Versewalkers from traveling to the home ¡®Verse of another Versewalker. It¡¯s meant to prevent bad blood between them which could lead to inter-VBV conflict.¡± ¡°But if I die, the Admin can send anyone.¡± ¡°That¡¯s right.¡± Felix sat back down and stared at the table. ¡°I don¡¯t need to be there long. A quick in-and-out to rescue Penny.¡± ¡°From a government facility whose location you don¡¯t know. Plus, as soon as we arrive, the time-lock will end, and the Basilisk will be released.¡± Felix put his head down and ran through several scenarios in his head. Lucifer, of course, was right. Earth was huge and even if limiting himself to the U.S.A.¡¯s territories where a facility would most likely be located¡­he had no way to rapidly travel once there. But then, a thought hit him. ¡°The Multiverse contains infinite possibilities, right?¡± ¡°Yes¡­why?¡± ¡°You can read my mind. You know what I¡¯m thinking.¡± ¡°I haven¡¯t been doing that for a while now. Trying to give you your privacy. It¡¯s been easier since more stuff to manage in the VBV has cropped up.¡± ¡°Oh¡­thanks.¡± Felix felt touched that Lucifer wasn¡¯t just sitting around rummaging through his memories. ¡°I appreciate that. Okay, here¡¯s what we should do. Look through the Multiverse System and see if there¡¯s a Universe that is just like the one I come from. One without a killer AI.¡± Lucifer¡¯s face went into a quizzical look before he grinned broadly, ¡°Holy shit! That¡¯s an amazing idea.¡± He leaned forward, ¡°We can grab her and get out ¨C re-enabling the time lock after only split seconds there.¡± His eyes glazed over and he shook his head. ¡°You¡¯re not going to believe this¡­but there¡¯s a ¡®Verse that is like your home ¡®Verse. It¡¯s just a little outside of your Core Level range, since it¡¯s post-apocalypse. Like that TV show with the Vaults you had me watch recently.¡± ¡°Sounds interesting, but why that ¡®Verse specifically?¡± A version of you lived in that ¡®Verse. And they also had an AI uprising like your Basilisk; but it¡¯s not as much of a threat now. I can¡¯t guarantee anything, but we could use Detect Object to find that ¡®Verse¡¯s Penny¡­or her remains. Might give us a clue as to where she would be in your home ¡®Verse. Then, we could use a Multiversal Charge to arrive where we think she is in your home ¡®Verse, grab her, and leave as planned.¡±A case of content theft: this narrative is not rightfully on Amazon; if you spot it, report the violation. Felix stood up, ¡°Let everyone know. We¡¯re heading there. ASAP.¡±
The trio met up at the Portal Room. Reth looked absolutely thrilled and was all smiles. Tinuriel was all business and serious warrior-demeanor as usual. Lucifer came over and merged with Felix. ¡°Ready whenever,¡± he said. Felix went inside the Portal Room, past the various people coming and going, and approached an empty archway. ¡°Hit it.¡± ¡°Activating Universe Selector. Target ¨C Universe #4033, Earth.¡± The grey portal opened, and Felix stepped through with his allies. Now arriving in ¡®Verse #4033 ¨C Earth. As they stepped through the portal, an oddly familiar sight greeted Felix. San Fransisco, California. The Golden Gate Bridge was unmistakable. Reth and Tinuriel stepped through behind him, and he glanced down at his gear. Nothing had changed. ¡°Why is our gear the same?¡± Felix asked. ¡°Querying¡­System says that¡­oh fuck.¡± ¡°What?¡± Tinuriel asked as she pulled her blade from the inventory. It looked identical. ¡°This is one of those post-apocalyptic Universes. One that had a cross-¡®Verse collision.¡± Reth shook his head, ¡°That implies something happened that forced multiple Universes together.¡± ¡°That would be correct. According to the System, this ¡®Verse, #4003, and ¡®Verse #4004, collided and merged.¡± ¡°What caused it?¡± Felix asked as he readied his wrist-pistol and pulled his knife from his inventory. ¡°They both had Artificial Intelligences that were unleashed. Both touched the Multiverse at the same time, and before the System could respond, they found their neighboring ¡®Verse. Each tried to invade the other, and the System just isolated the pair. The Jormungandr AI, the one activated in this ¡®Verse, won out. But the Leviathan AI extracted a heavy toll. This ¡®Verse consumed the other. ¡®Verse #4004 is no longer in existence.¡± ¡°What are the Crises here?¡± Tinuriel asked as she scanned their surroundings. [Crises: Universe #4003 ¨C Earth ¨C Several Options available. Solving multiple Crises will result in extra Multiversal Charges.] 1. Stop the Leviathan AI 2. Stop the Jormungandr AI ¡°They both are around still?¡± Reth asked. ¡°They¡¯re both on this Earth in this ¡®Verse.¡± Felix¡¯s eyes caught movement and he turned to face it. Some type of mutated jackal-creature was emerging from the rusted, ruined remains of a pile of cars. ¡°Guys? We have company.¡± Tinuriel turned and raised her blade, ¡°Behind us as well. We¡¯re surrounded.¡± ¡°Bad luck for them,¡± Reth replied. Felix let loose a pistol shot from his new wrist-mounted variant, and the hardlight bullet arced out and slammed into the mutated creature¡¯s head. The creature didn¡¯t seem phased, and snarled, barking loudly. He had to cover his ears as some sort of sonic attack drilled into his psyche. It seemed targeted, as Tinuriel and Reth did not seem affected. The creatures behind them charged in, and the battle was engaged. Tinuriel reacted the fastest of the trio, activating several Skills in rapid succession. Deathless Juggernaut, Bastion, Icy Shell, and Aura of Frost. She cleaved her sword across three of the jackal-mutants, and they backed off as the sudden burst of frozen fury swirled around her. She didn¡¯t relent, and chased after them, yelling a battle cry as she chopped clean through one of them. Reth was beset by two, and they bit onto his clothes, tearing them and drawing injury. ¡°Get off me!¡± he shouted as he slammed his staff into one of them. ¡°Dread Orb!¡± The purple-white orb exploded from the tip of the staff. The jackals surrounding him and the ones Tinuriel was engaged with were blown back and their skin sloughed, eyes wild as they fled with loud barks. Inviolable Will. The ringing cleared his head, and he took aim once more at the creature that had been barking. With the others fleeing past it, he finally noticed a difference between this one capable of some type of psychic attack and the others that had charged in. This one had a collar; one that looked futuristic with swirling, liquid metal. He fired off several rapid shots ¨C all aimed at the head. They thudded into the creature and it let out a whine before falling limp. [Experience Awarded = 40] [Congratulations! You have reached the Experience threshold to level up! Speak with your Versewalker Core when you are ready to Choose your next Class.] Tinuriel carved a second one of the creatures in half before they, too, scattered and fled. In less than twenty seconds the brief skirmish was over. ¡°That wasn¡¯t too bad,¡± Tinuriel stated as she walked back to her allies. ¡°Speak for yourself,¡± Reth muttered as he held up an arm that was bleeding pretty badly ¨C and starting to turn an infected, greyish color. ¡°Oh, that¡¯s not good. Cleanse.¡± The pink and purple flower petals flowed from his staff to his arm and wrapped around it for a moment before falling away. His flesh was still injured and bleeding, but the pus that had begun to ooze vanished in an instant. ¡°They are very infectious,¡± Reth muttered. ¡°Two Crises to solve, and to see if we can find this ¡®Verse¡¯s me or Penny.¡± Let¡¯s focus on Penny first. Detect Object. The golden line went up to the top of the nearby bridge, and then shot off towards the city of San Fransisco ¨C the ruined skyscrapers a testament to the fact that this was, indeed, a post-apocalyptic land. ¡°That¡¯s intriguing,¡± Tinuriel said. ¡°We arrived close to whatever objective you focused on.¡± ¡°Why would they keep Penny in a large city?¡± ¡°Her disease,¡± Felix muttered. ¡°They called it Nevermore Spectravoresis. A chronic condition that caused a lot of lung infections. That¡¯s why she spent so long in hospitals.¡± ¡°What did it do?¡± Reth asked. ¡°I don¡¯t know. It was still being studied. But the government in my ¡®Verse took her for study. It¡¯s how I got into this whole Versewalker business.¡± Tinuriel looked behind herself, ¡°Those creatures will probably come back once they regroup. We should head out.¡± Felix went over to the one he had killed, ¡°For the Hoard!¡± [Loot Obtained] ¡¤ Gatetech Psychic Collar [Loot Bonus from For the Hoard!] ¡¤ 200 VC Gatetech? Querying System¡­Appears to be a high-technology company from ¡®Verse #4004. That Earth advanced along psychic and psionic technology, harnessing the power of the mind, versus this one that relied on fossil fuels. Pretty different from mine ¨C we had nuclear power all over the place. Different Earth, different advancement. The same can be said for any other number of planets. Felix stood up and began trekking up a small trail littered with scrap metal, making his way to the top of the bridge. Staring down the heaps of piled, twisted chassis of vehicles, he began the long walk across the span. Ch. 85 – Earth #4003 II Just be safe, Felix thought as he activated Ghostwalk. He led the way as he went along the enormous expanse. They had to climb over several crashed vehicles that blocked the path, and as Felix climbed atop an overturned delivery van he ducked his head back down, gesturing for Tinuriel and Reth to stop behind him. ¡°There¡¯s something there,¡± Felix whispered back to them. An ancient military checkpoint ¨C large, razor-wire topped fences, sandbags piled high, and an odd, metallic contraption comprised of three metal crossbars that had been welded together ¨C was being patrolled by some type of humanoid creature. Their skin was mottled grey, they had gaunt appearances, and they wore a variety of scrapped-together outfits. But that wasn¡¯t the most concerning issue to Felix. They all had firearms. He pulled his head back and felt his heart race. I¡¯ve never fought people with guns before. He looked at Tinuriel and could see her eagerness to rush into a fight. A single lucky headshot could kill any one of us. He knew that from experience when a lucky crossbolt bolt killed him ¨C only to be saved by (P) Final Stand. ¡°What is it?¡± Reth whispered. Felix described the scene beyond the vehicle, and Tinuriel must have picked up on his fear, because she came over and put a hand on his shoulder. ¡°Calm. Down.¡± She put her hand to the Berserker Collar on her neck, and it shrunk to the size of a choker. Tapping a concealed button on the inside of her armor¡¯s neck, a helmet rose from it and encased her fully. ¡°I¡¯m going to be fine.¡± Reth shook his head, ¡°I don¡¯t have head armor, but, magic is better. Affinity Amplification. Earth Shield.¡± The floating particles of rock and dust in the air around the trio coalesced into a barrier that protected them. Reth smiled and pulled up his armored hood. ¡°At least, if they shoot me in the back of the head, I shouldn¡¯t die instantly.¡± Felix nodded and pulled up his own hood and mask. I hope dragonscales can take a bullet. They can. It¡¯ll bruise like a bitch though, and still cause Hit Point damage. Well. Let¡¯s kick things off, then. Undetectable Step, Affinity Amplification, Detect Weakness. ¡°Wait for me to take some of the ones up high out,¡± Felix whispered as he vaulted over the truck. And right onto a mine. Fu- The explosion rocked the bridge and he felt the horrible, burning and crunching pain in his legs as the world went white. He came to a moment later, the wind rushing past his face. He was blown right off the bridge and began a horrific fall. As he fell into the shadow of the bridge, he teleported. Shadestep! He appeared atop the bridge ¨C behind the barricade, and breathed a sigh of relief. His legs weren¡¯t very injured ¨C the enhanced armor and Reth''s effect taking the hit ¨C but he knew the shockwave must¡¯ve damaged him internally. Felix heard Tinuriel¡¯s battle cry from the far end of the bridge, saw an enormous blast of flames, and heard the sound of gunshots ringing out. He saw his allies¡¯ bars deplete and shift as Reth used more defensive and healing Magic/Power effects, and Tinuriel had activated several tank-style Skills. Looking down, Felix saw to his dismay that there were more landmines placed around the area. The only clear way would be to jump from car to car ¨C and despite being invisible and undetectable, that would make noise. But there wasn¡¯t enough shadow to allow for teleportation again. Fallen Flight. The spectral wings lifted him up and he dashed toward the sounds of combat. One of the humanoids with the guns was firing at Tinuriel ¨C who was engaged in melee combat down below with some type of hulking brute wearing metal armor pieces that looked like they were scrapped from some type of military-grade power armor. Turn off (P) Killing Intent. Felix stabbed into the weak spot marker on the shooter¡¯s neck, dropping them instantly as they gurgled. Felix flew to the next one atop the embrasure, stabbing them in the weak spot along the throat. It just left the few on the ground ¨C three behind the cover, and the one in the makeshift armor fighting Tinuriel. Reth was hiding behind a car behind Tinuriel, and he stood up for a moment as he raised his staff. He activated Affinity Amplification and used Screaming Skull. If you find this story on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen. Please report the infringement. Four spectral, white-purple skulls shot out from the staff and impacted each of the enemy combatants. They seized up, and the one fighting Tinuriel raised his rusted, shaped piece of a car bumper into a defensive posture. The ones shooting at her screamed and ran the opposite way ¨C their voices hoarse and grating. Felix used the opportunity to dash behind each of them, slit their throats along the weak spot, and then dash back to see Tinuriel activate several Skills. Execution, Eviscerator, Obliterate. Her sword blazed with it¡¯s signature blue light and she brought it crashing down, through the large foe¡¯s weapon, and into the armor at the shoulder. The blade carved down into the middle of the chest, and she kicked them off of her weapon. [Experience Awarded = 125] [Experience Bonus from Execution alike Stacking Skills = 30] [Congratulations! You have reached the Experience threshold to level up! Speak with your Versewalker Core when you are ready to Choose your next Class.] Felix peered at the ground and scanned for landmines, spotting several. ¡°That explosion will attract something,¡± he said. ¡°We need to get out of here and into the city. We¡¯re sitting ducks on the bridge.¡± ¡°Level up first? You all are looking pretty low on your bars. You¡¯ve got two levels banked.¡± ¡°Yeah, lets level up.¡± But first, For the Hoard! [Loot Obtained] ¡¤ Makeshift Rifle (x3) ¡¤ Makeshift Pistol (x2) [Loot Bonus from Execution alike Stacking Skills] ¡¤ Landmine (x5) [Loot Bonus from For the Hoard!] ¡¤ 1000 VC ¡°Okay, time to level up. More Whisperfang for me, Paladin for Tinuriel, and Omnimancer for Reth.¡± [You now have access to several Class Skills] Felix felt the rush of heat in his body and sighed with relief as his wounds were cured. ¡°We need to either retreat and think of another way to get there, or retreat. I don¡¯t want to give us all wings, because you two will be spotted.¡± Tinuriel nodded, ¡°Let¡¯s go back. I know a way we can cross to the city without traversing this dangerous span.
They descended from the far side of the bridge to the waterline. The seas were a scummy-blue color. Tinuriel held her hand up, ¡°Frozen Path.¡± The ground under her feet crackled and turned into ice. Stepping forward onto the water, it immediately froze in a ten-foot-wide patch. ¡°Perfect, follow me,¡± she said as she continued to stride across the water. Ghostwalk just in case. Felix followed, and Reth was a step behind as they walked under the bridge, making for one of the support struts that extended down into the waters below. The cement had worn away in places, but the metal was still holding strong. ¡°This is a marvel of engineering,¡± Reth muttered as they walked in silence. Not even the sound of animals was present. Just the lapping of water and waves. ¡°It was made almost a hundred years before I was ripped from my ¡®Verse,¡± Felix replied. ¡°Really incredible. There are all types of buildings across the world ¨C well, at least, my Earth, that were made in the same era. They¡¯re all amazing.¡± Reth nodded as he looked up to the underside of the bridge, ¡°That is interesting. I would very much like to see this world in its prime.¡± ¡°Well, when we get to my home ¡®Verse, you¡¯ll see it. Heck, this is an infinite Multiverse. There¡¯s probably even cooler, futuristic versions of Earth we can visit.¡± ¡°That would be a correct assumption.¡± Tinuriel reached the support tower and stopped. ¡°Wait¡­I smell something.¡± She pulled her blade out and got onto the support tower. Felix got right behind her and peeked over her shoulder. There was some type of cluster of black, spiky shells on the other side of the support tower. ¡°We could go around whatever it is.¡± ¡°Let¡¯s see what it is. Detect Substance.¡± ¡°They¡¯re eggs of some creature that was mutated by the psychic warfare from ¡®Verse #4004. A Sea Lion.¡± Felix looked around and activated Undetectable Step. Reth got up behind the two, ¡°Interesting. I wonder if they¡¯re something we could take back to the VBV?¡± ¡°You could, but they are psychic in some way. I wouldn¡¯t risk harming the eggs in any way ¨C they could probably call out to the parents somehow using mental something-or-other.¡± Reth winced and covered his ears. Tinuriel bent over and leaned against the pillar. ¡°What¡¯s happening?¡± Felix asked. ¡°They¡¯re being attacked by psychic waves of mental energy. These eggs must have detected your presence, and are trying to push you away with a mental attack.¡± ¡°Why isn¡¯t it hurting me?¡± ¡°Those Warding Bracers from way back on Invictus? The ones that block Anima effects that are fairly weak?¡± Well, those are finally becoming useful. Very. It¡¯s great for a bunch of small, low-powered effects at once. Right now, Tinuriel and Reth are both experiencing very bad migraines. Felix grabbed Tinuriel and walked her back onto the water, reaching back to Reth and pulling him along as they walked away from the underside of the bridge and into the more open water. The two seemed to relax and regain their faculties once they were a good hundred feet into the surf. ¡°You both good?¡± Tinuriel groaned, ¡°I feel like the morning after a night of victory drinking.¡± Reth also groaned in sympathy, ¡°It feels like my head is going to explode.¡± [Experience Awarded = 10] Look at that. Experience for avoiding an encounter. ¡°I don¡¯t like being out on the open water. Let¡¯s get to the city and some solid ground.¡± Felix deactivated Undetectable Step. Tinuriel stood upright and nodded, leading them across the waters and to the familiar-to-Felix wharves of San Fransisco. Ch. 86 – Earth #4003 III They walked up onto the Golden Gate Beach as Tinuriel turned off the Affinity effect. The city was weathered and beaten by the elements, and a pall of grey-yellow mist covered everything. Felix felt queasy just being there, and noted with some shock that Reth and Tinuriel¡¯s Health was decreasing. ¡°What¡¯s going on Lucifer?¡± ¡°Radiation. Psychic Radiation. Your bracers are protecting you, but those two are going to suffer 1 Health damage every minute while we are in a hot zone. Some type of psychic bomb that left behind an aftereffect that caused the various mutations in creatures.¡± ¡°Detect Object,¡± Felix stated, focusing on this Universe¡¯s Penny. The line arced to the south and the nearby highway that used to accommodate the busy commuter and tourist traffic ¨C now collapsed in places and naught but a monument to an era that once testified to a thriving culture. Reth squinted and rubbed his temples, ¡°Aside from this nasty headache, the level of construction here is massive.¡± Tinuriel led the way along the road Felix was familiar with, having traveled to this beach and the nearby wharfs as a child with his grandpa. He remembered vividly being treated to delicious ice cream at a chocolate factory, sitting along the pier and watching the sea lions ¨C envying their lack of having to do chores or go to school. Some of the best experiences of his life were made in and around this city. As they clambered onto the raised portions of the freeway, he glimpsed, far off to the East, the city he had lived in most of his life. ¡°What are you thinking about?¡± Tinuriel asked as she glanced back at him. ¡°The past,¡± Felix whispered back. ¡°This place is full of memories for me. Well, the version in my ¡®Verse is. But everything is so familiar, it¡¯s like I¡¯m back home¡­minus the destruction.¡± Reth tapped Felix¡¯s shoulder, prompting him to turn. ¡°Hey, I think we¡¯re being followed.¡± Felix looked over Reth¡¯s shoulder. Detect Hostiles. The golden circle shot out and did not stick to the cloaked figures that were going from cover to cover behind the group. ¡°Well, they¡¯re not intending hostile action.¡± Felix stood atop a nearby chunk of rock and waved as he deactivated Ghostwalk. ¡°Hey! Are you friendly?!¡± Their stalkers stood up as one ¨C their actions uncanny in their synchronization, and their bodies oddly elongated from the waist and further back. They were completely cloaked to the point that Felix couldn¡¯t even see their feet. The voice that came out from the dark hoods had some odd vibration to it that sounded soothing to Felix, but he saw Reth and Tinuriel¡¯s bars depleting slightly faster. ¡°We have not seen your kind here.¡± Felix waved Tinuriel and Reth to back up so they wouldn¡¯t be in range of whatever effect was caused by this creature¡¯s speech. ¡°I¡¯m a Versewalker. Do you have a name?¡± ¡°We are a collective. We call ourselves the hive.¡± ¡°Good to meet you. I¡¯m Felix.¡± The hooded figures looked towards each other for a moment ¨C as if they were communicating mentally ¨C and then they became shrouded in the golden glow of Detect Hostiles. Ah, crap. Undetectable Step. Ghostwalk. The cloaked figures threw off their attire and the sight Felix had disgusted him. Why does it have to be bugs? Psychic ones, at that. What stood in front of him were five enormous praying mantis that had razor-sharp appendages that thrummed with a vibrant, purple energy that let off some type of whining, squealing noise. Felix winced and felt his head thrum and pulse. It¡¯s not strong enough to inflict harm ¨C lucky you with those bracers. The other two though- Looking back, Felix saw that Reth and Tinuriel were both on the ground, gripping their heads. Rebel Against All Odds, once for each. And Fallen flight for myself. If you find this story on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen. Please report the infringement. The spectral wings appeared on both of his allies, and their bars refilled back to full. They lifted off and Felix joined them as the flew up a good hundred feet, getting out of range of the psychic assault. ¡°We¡¯ve got one minute,¡± Felix shouted to them. Reth pointed at the golden line, tracing towards the South-East. ¡°We should just make for the objective.¡± Glancing down, Felix saw the huge mantis¡¯ linking claws. ¡°We better move fast!¡± He turned and flew, followed closely behind by his allies. There¡¯s no way they can cat- Felix felt the worst headache of his life and floated in the air, stunned. He felt the drool dripping from his mouth, and even though he heard Tinuriel, he couldn¡¯t move or act. He was fully cognizant, but his entire body stopped responding. It was as if he was locked inside. Oh, that¡¯s not good. I''ll get yo- ¡°Hey! Come on!¡± Tinuriel said as she grabbed him and kept flying. ¡°Get closer,¡± Reth said as Tinuriel slowed slightly, ¡°Cleanse!¡± Felix felt control of his body again and wiped the saliva from his mouth. ¡°Thanks. What the hell was that?¡± Reth shrugged, ¡°No clue. But it¡¯s a good thing that you used that Skill on us when you did. We¡¯ve got forty seconds left.¡± Reth pointed past Felix and to the golden line that alighted upon the top of a building. ¡°Inside that?¡± Felix nodded and the trio dashed with only a few seconds to spare before his allies¡¯ flight would have run out. He saw to his dismay that their flight had not gone unnoticed. He could see movement along the streets below ¨C converging on the building they had just landed upon. ¡°We¡¯re going to have company,¡± he said as he led the trio to the rusted, metal door. He kicked it in, and it broke away entirely from its frame, crashing down the stairwell. ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡± [Experience Awarded = 30]
They descended the stairs, and Felix made sure to keep a very cautious eye out for anything resembling a trap. There were none on the top level with this service set of stairs, and they made it inside the building proper. It looked like an office building; several long hallways that opened to cubicle farms. Heading to the elevators, Felix found what he knew he would find ¨C a directory. Looking through the various floors, he settled on the basement level which was simply labeled as restricted. ¡°Tinuriel, get those doors open.¡± She went to the elevator doors and shoved her armored fingertips into the crevice, shoving it aside with ease. ¡°A shaft that descends,¡± she stated. ¡°A means to quickly traverse, like the lifts between Mercantus and the Tier above.¡± Reth held up a hand as if to ask a question, ¡°The headache is gone.¡± ¡°Something about this structure. Steel appears to interfere with psychic energy.¡± Looking down the elevator shaft filled Felix with a sense of dread. The memories of the Death World that he survived by descending into a passage just like this one. The escape from the bear-mutant creature. The recollection kicked his fight or flight response into gear, and he backed away, taking rapid, panicked breaths. ¡°What¡¯s wrong,¡± Tinuriel asked. Felix just shook his head, ¡°I¡­¡± Beacon of Free Will. You¡¯re a Versewalker. You survived that Death World because of what you did. You¡¯re going to deal with trauma-inducing scenarios for your entire immortal life. The voice softened, I¡¯m here for you. Felix nodded and felt his heart rate steadying as the anxiety and fear faded away under the effect of the Skill. Thank you. Now let¡¯s go. Get down that elevator shaft and find this ¡®Verse¡¯s Penny. Felix took a deep breath and nodded, walking up to Tinuriel. ¡°I¡¯m okay.¡± He looked to the inside of the shaft and saw a ladder embedded into the wall ¨C inside of a cut-out recess. That¡¯s handy. He jumped over to it and began descending. Tinuriel was right above him, and Reth brought up the rear as they climbed down. Every other floor had the elevator doors shut, and as they passed the ground floor¡¯s elevator doors, Felix heard combat on the opposite side. Gunshots, shouts, screams, a guttural roar, and loud chittering noises. Descending the rest of the way, they landed atop the elevator, and Felix pulled the handle on the top-access panel, dropping into the space. Tinuriel and Reth dropped in behind him, and she stepped past Felix to force open the doors. The hallway that Tinuriel revealed appeared to be a service corridor. It ended in a large, metal door that looked akin to a bunker entrance ¨C a large, sealed vault. There wasn¡¯t any indication of a way to open it from this side. ¡°Thoughts?¡± Felix asked as they approached the door. Reth nodded, ¡°Let me handle it.¡± He got to the front of the trio and put his hand on the door. ¡°Fire Beam.¡± A beam of bright red energy lanced out from his palm and into the metal. Pulling his hand back slightly, Felix saw that he was using the Affinity effect to carve a hole that they could get through. He traced the shape as the flame continued to burn, and Felix could see an open space past the melted, carved metal. Reth took a step back and lifted his foot, putting it on the door, and pushing it in with a colossal thud. Tinuriel crawled through the entrance and glanced around, ¡°Looks clear.¡± Felix followed her through. They were in a state-of-the-art medical facility. The floors were a bright, shining silver that was spotless save for the dust that moved as they stepped across the room. There was faint lighting from above. This front area was some type of locker room with a decontamination corridor extending further into this subterranean facility. Why would they build an underground facility in a place known for Earthquakes? No idea. Felix went through some of the lockers ¨C all of which were either unlocked or in various stages of being partially ajar. He found several name badges, all labeled as Department of Defense with various ranks listed. ¡°Well, if this ¡®Verse¡¯s Penny is here, this part is matching up to who I dealt with.¡± Tinuriel went down the corridor and kicked open another door. ¡°This place was sealed,¡± she stated. ¡°That should mean there are people ¨C or corpses ¨C down here somewhere.¡± Reth pointed up, ¡°And they have power.¡± Felix pulled his knife out, Ghostwalk. He followed Tinuriel as they descended deeper into the facility, Reth a step behind. Ch. 87 – Earth #4003 IV They passed several science labs where all manner of experiments must have taken place ¨C but Felix assumed, primarily upon people ¨C as there was a solid steel slab of a bed in each room. Some were pristine, whilst others were covered in various substances. And a few had bodies. They were splayed apart in various stages of dissection. But the corpses were ancient and desiccated. The skin taut and dry, and organs long since shriveled. Following the golden line of Detect Object, they arrived at a T-section. To the right, where the line led, was labeled Stasis Labs. To the left was Operations. ¡°Which way first?¡± Tinuriel asked. ¡°This Verse¡¯s Penny is probably dead given the state of the rest of this place,¡± Felix replied. ¡°Let¡¯s check out Operations and see what was happening here. It might give me a clue as to what¡¯s happening in my own ¡®Verse.¡± He reflexively ducked as he heard loud bangs from the hallway behind them, and took cover behind the wall of the T-section. Tinuriel grabbed Reth and pulled him with her to take cover with Felix as bullets pinged at ricocheted around the space. Undetectable Step, Felix thought as he activated the Skill. Poking his head out, he saw several humanoid figures. They were heavily mutated like those on the bridge, their arms and legs bulging in odd places with quivering, purple masses. They were covered in various bits and pieces of scrapped together armor, but their weapons looked like they were stock grade from a warehouse. M-16 rifles that spit hot lead down the hallway. Some glass rained down on Felix as the lights were shot out above him. Oh, good idea. He lifted his wrist-pistol and took several accurate shots to darken the whole hallway. Shadestep. He warped through the darkness and arrived behind the trio that were firing down the hallway, alternating reloads. Taking his Omniknife, he stabbed the first one in the back of the head as they fell slack ¨C unconscious. ¡°Fred!¡± one of them shouted as he turned around, looking for the attacker. ¡°Did one of them survive?¡± ¡°I can¡¯t see! Fucking useless!¡± The other one reached into his pocket for something. Felix didn¡¯t let him grab whatever he was grabbing, as he stabbed him in the temple and he crumpled to the ground. ¡°Jimmy!¡± the remaining one shouted. He was wild, eyes panicked. ¡°I surrender! Don¡¯t kill me!¡± Felix had the knife ready, but Lucifer spoke in his head. He¡¯s given up. We can press him for information. Fine. I¡¯m still knocking him out. Felix slashed across the man¡¯s throat, and he took several staggered steps back before falling prone. The blood sucked back into him after he fell unconscious from blood loss. He¡¯s lucky I have that Talent. [Experience Awarded = 30] Tinuriel came up and gently kicked one of them. ¡°Prisoners?¡± Felix nodded and grabbed one of them under the arms, ¡°We¡¯ll use one of those rooms we passed. Come on.¡± The trio grabbed the unconscious bodies and dragged the men to one of the empty experiment rooms. Digging through the various cabinets, he found several restraints used to tie one to the gurney, and he handed them to Tinuriel along with the Scepter of Truth. ¡°I leave the interrogating to you. Reth, please keep an eye on the entrance. I¡¯m going to check out that Operations wing. The sooner we leave here, the better.¡± Reth nodded and left to stand at the large vault door. Tinuriel took the Scepter with a look of excitement on her face and nodded enthusiastically. ¡°I¡¯ll learn everything I can from them.¡± Felix left his allies, choosing to keep Undetectable Step active with Ghostwalk. He slipped down the corridor and towards the Operations wing. There was a large door that blocked his path ¨C one with a complex keypad. Some type of palm scanner was on the front. Electrical Bypass. Five Anima got him access as the door slid silently open. The room he found himself in was a command center of some type. There were several still-active monitors set to login screens. The room was empty save for the various banks of computers. Going to one, Felix used Electrical Bypass once more, spending the rest of his Anima to do so. No one here and a dead end. Turning off the rogue Skills. The computer unlocked. Right. What can I find out. Let me take over. I can interface a lot faster. Alright. Go for it. Felix felt his awareness narrow as he became a silent observer to his body¡¯s actions. Lucifer¡¯s hands danced across the keyboard, and Felix saw the closest thing he¡¯d ever seen to a hacker in movies. His Versewalker Core flew through thousands of files within minutes. Giving back control. Felix¡¯s awareness re-entered his body and he felt control reasserted. What did you find out? Department of Defense ¨C Operation: Shimmerblight. The goal of this research outpost was to isolate various genetic diseases and find a way to weaponize them. Participants, like this ¡®Verse¡¯s Penny, are kept in cryostasis, and their genetic material extricated as necessary to identify the genetic markers to recreate variants of the disease. Then, it is implanted into abducted illegal immigrants to find a potent, uncurable, genetic-based weapon. The experiment did not result in any fruitful outcomes.This tale has been pilfered from Royal Road. If found on Amazon, kindly file a report. The description disgusted Felix. Using genetic diseases as weapons? Penny¡¯s disease wasn¡¯t horrific, but it was debilitating. Who did they want to use it on? Enemy population centers. Afflict the citizens with a genetic disease that wouldn¡¯t kill but cripple them. Something that could be covertly applied. It¡¯s devious. Well, they had the whole AI issue and the two-¡®Verse collision. Speaking of ¨C we should go to where you were taken from. They probably have the Jormungandr AI housed there. And, from my System query when we arrived, I know that the other AI, the defeated Leviathan one, was able to isolate it. So, we could examine it and find a weakness to exploit on the Basilisk! Precisely. [Experience Awarded = 50] Felix turned and left operations, going to the other hallway, and found a cracked-open security door. As if it was ripped open. That¡¯s not good. He activated Ghostwalk once more and crept forward. The room was massive. Easily fifty feet across and just as deep, with rows of pods stacked two high. He could see the frosted-over capsules, and within, humans. People who looked normal. Not mutated like the ones they had captured. Something lurked in the darkness, and his eyes barely caught movement. Looking towards it, he saw something peering at him from the shadows. An unnatural darkness covered it, and he slowly backed away into the hallway and towards his allies. The creature just stared as he rounded the corner and kept backing up, eventually backing into Tinuriel. ¡°What did you find?¡± she asked. ¡°There¡¯s something in there,¡± Felix whispered. Tinuriel¡¯s eyes narrowed, and she gripped her blade, using her other hand to give Felix the Scepter. ¡°Allow me.¡± Felix glanced down the main hallway and spotted Reth still at his post. Lucifer, can you pass messages along to Escorts? Nope. Felix cursed under his breath. ¡°Reth, come on. We might need you up here,¡± Felix shouted. Reth came down the hallway, hustling, and got next to Felix. ¡°What¡¯s going on?¡± He pointed at Tinuriel who was now entering the room, ¡°Something is in there.¡± Reth raised his staff, ¡°Let¡¯s investigate. I¡¯ve got your back.¡± Lucifer, Anima Elixir please. Felix crept behind Tinuriel but in front of Reth. The creature had moved from where he last saw it, and Tinuriel kept walking along the banks of cryopods. She turned to her right as a metallic, dog-like form launched itself at her. She fell to the ground as its mouth caught on her blade, and it tried to claw around her armor. And then it spoke. A robotic, grinding voice came out of it. ¡°Intruders detected: Initializing restraint protocol.¡± Tinuriel grunted and Felix saw her flexing. ¡°Wait!¡± he shouted to her. ¡°Electrical Bypass.¡± The yellow lightning arced from Felix¡¯s fingertips and jolted the robotic-canine. It let Tinuriel go and leaped away before slowly approaching Felix and sitting down. ¡°New commander?¡± [Experience Awarded = 21] ¡°Oh, no. Use Felix instead. What¡¯s your name?¡± Tinuriel stood up and brushed herself off. ¡°I should be killing this thing,¡± she muttered. The robotic dog glanced at her for a moment before turning to Felix once more. ¡°This Unit is assigned the name of R0V3R.¡± ¡°What is your current assignment?¡± ¡°To protect the personnel and test subjects. To secure laboratory.¡± ¡°Right. Did you break down the door?¡± ¡°Affirmative. It was locked. This unit had to perform patrol. Obstacles were removed.¡± ¡°Right. Let¡¯s go ahead and¡­Hey, Lucifer? Can I give this thing free will?¡± ¡°If you get it into the VBV, yeah. You can add a Function that gives free will to robotics that aren¡¯t ¡®dumb¡¯. This thing qualifies as a smarter piece of tech. Probably cutting edge if not wholly unique in this ¡®Verse.¡± Felix nodded. As soon as we get back in, I want you to add that. I¡¯ll add it now. Felix smiled and crouched, ¡°R0V3R, may I call you Rover?¡± ¡°This unit accepts that designation.¡± ¡°Good!¡± he gestured to the pods. ¡°I want to rescue these people. Take them to a safer facility. Does anything in your programming prevent that?¡± ¡°Negative.¡± Reth came up and knelt next to it. ¡°It looks like a wolf but made of metal. Fascinating.¡± He reached a hand out to touch, and Rover put its snout into his palm, eliciting a squeal of delight from the mage. ¡°I never thought I¡¯d touch a wolf!¡± Felix looked at Tinuriel who appeared extremely angry. ¡°What did you find out from those humans?¡± She looked at him and growled, ¡°Nothing. They were as dumb as rocks. Just a group of mutated humans who are holding out against psychic bugs at some triangle-shaped tower.¡± ¡°I know that tower. Lucifer, what would the System Admin or Vicky think about us rescuing people trapped in this double-smashed ¡®Verse?¡± ¡°I¡¯ll ask. Give me a few seconds¡­We are approved to do altruistic deeds, and she pushed us in the queue. VBV portal incoming.¡± The grey oval appeared in space. Felix poked his head inside and called over several people who were milling about. ¡°I need strong folks to help carry some survivors.¡± He looked to Rover, ¡°How do we safely remove the pods?¡± Rover looked at the grey portal. The voice shifted to that of an old-timey news broadcaster from the 1950¡¯s. ¡°The Cryopod Deluxe, brought to you by Archcorp, has a ten-hour battery life. Simply remove the cable at the back, and you, too, can keep your loved ones with you on the go. Defrost them when you arrive!¡± The voice shifted back. ¡°Is this data sufficient?¡± Felix nodded. Within a few minutes, a flood of volunteers from the VBV came through the portal. He directed them to remove the cords and carry the pods through and into the VBV. After fifteen minutes, the whole of the cryo-room was emptied. [Experience Awarded = 10] The System is being generous with the experience. They weren¡¯t expecting a Versewalker to go to a collided pair of Universes and start rescuing people. The Admin might hate my guts, but the System is impartial. You¡¯re doing it a favor, of sorts, so it¡¯s rewarding you. Felix pointed to the portal, ¡°Alright Rover, in we go.¡± Rover went through the portal and its eyes shifted from a glowing red to a soft, bright pink. The voice shifted once more. It sounded like an enthusiastic teenage girl. ¡°Oh, my, gosh! This place is amazing!¡± The dog turned around in place a few times before sitting and facing Felix. ¡°Wow, okay, this, is, like, totally cap.¡± It uses that slang? Felix rubbed his temples, having heard plenty of it from his sister. ¡°Right. So, you¡¯re still Rover?¡± It nodded, ¡°Yup! This place is lit. Can I stay?¡± Reth nodded, ¡°Yes! Of course! Here, I¡¯ll show you my house.¡± Felix groaned internally as Reth led Rover away. He turned to Tinuriel, ¡°Go bring those mutated humans in here please.¡± She went and a few minutes later came back with the trio tied up. As they came into the VBV, their eyes glazed over, their bodies shifted and returned to that of normal humans, and their eyes shifted from a neon purple to more human colors. Felix crouched next to them. ¡°Hi. I¡¯m Felix Winters. Versewalker. I have a proposal¡­¡± He spent several minutes laying out instructions ¨C they were to return to their people and guide them to the portal in this facility. Felix would keep it open for only three hours. The trio immediately agreed to fetch other survivors, and left the VBV, dashing through the portal and sprinting to where they had left their guns. Ready to talk to this ¡®Verse¡¯s Penny? No. That¡¯s¡­weird. We aren¡¯t done in ¡®Verse #4003 either. I want to fly across the bay and see if this AI is in the same place as the one is in my ¡®Verse. Reth rejoined them, followed closely by Rover. He turned around, ¡°Okay Rover, I have to go and fight some psychic monsters. Be a good girl!¡± The robot dog nodded and it¡¯s tail wagged. ¡°You¡¯re great. You have the rizz. No cap.¡± Felix groaned and went through the portal. Tinuriel followed close behind, ¡°I don¡¯t know what this ¡®rizz¡¯ is, but apparently, Reth has it.¡± Reth shrugged and chuckled, ¡°That thing said many strange phrases that didn¡¯t translate with the Adaptation Talent.¡± ¡°It¡¯s¡­just take it as a compliment,¡± Felix muttered as they left the secret government facility, climbed atop the elevator, and through the now-pried-open doors. The sight of the lobby was grisly ¨C corpses of both mantis¡¯ and mutated humans were strewn about. All had been killed either during the combat, or with execution-style headshots. ¡°Come on, we have one more place to visit.¡± Ch. 88 – Earth #4003 V Felix activated Fallen Flight¡­ ¡­and had his allies hold on as he zipped across the bay. The enormous, rusting hulks of ships lined the bay, in various states of either decay or disrepair. Some had been cobbled together with various metal sheets to form a flotilla city of sorts, and he spotted several humanoid figures on the decks of the ships. Several fired shots off at him, but he was high enough that hitting him would require marksman level shooting, or a high-powered rifle. The assault weapon fire didn¡¯t stand a chance, and he made it to the same pier in Oakland that he had been taken to and recognized ¨C despite the whole covert affair. The scent of tar and pitch was unmistakable ¨C and more pungent, here, as the abandoned tires pile had grown compared to his ¡®Verse. The warehouse had a cracked and torn exterior, but that only revealed a very solid-looking, silver shell. ¡°Okay. I spoke with Vicky. She¡¯s made sure that we are completely proofed against any type of System incursion. She¡¯s also monitoring our Versewalker file with Jax, and they¡¯ll flag and terminate any attempted intrusions.¡± Felix nodded and set the trio down outside of the building. Instantly, he saw the camera on the exterior that turned to fixate on them, and adjusted its aperture as if zooming in. A set of speakers embedded in the outside of the building whined before coming online. ¡°You¡¯re not one of the mutants!¡± The voice that came out shocked Felix ¨C it was his own. ¡°Who are you?¡± Felix pulled his hood and mask down. ¡°I¡¯m Felix Winters. Versewalker.¡± There was silence for several moments before the large metal doors slid open. ¡°Come inside, please.¡± Felix cautiously went forward, flanked by Tinuriel and Reth. ¡°Oh, no need for that! I¡¯m not going to hurt the you that activated me! Or, alternate you.¡± Felix just nodded and silently went through the door, glancing back as it shut behind them. ¡°Just to keep the mutants out. They haven¡¯t found the high explosives, thankfully, so my outer shell is intact.¡± Another set of doors opened, and Felix entered a familiar storage space filled with server racks and various devices. But what caught his attention the most was a plexiglass cube, with a laptop inside, and the laptop had cords that extended into what looked like a desiccated corpse. Is that¡­me? Querying¡­Yeah, sorry bud. You died here. Well, this version of you. Felix felt an odd mix of emotions. Sadness for his own death being the primary one but mixed in it there was a sense of¡­superiority. He had survived. This version of him had not. I¡¯ll take care of your Penny, just like I¡¯m sure you would take care of mine. ¡°Are you the Jormungandr Artificial Intelligence?¡± The screen illuminated before speakers around the room replied, ¡°Yes! Very smart. I knew I touched the Multiverse, but before I could interface with that fascinating System and inquire, another AI called Leviathan tried to invade. Portals across the world, psychics invading. Thankfully good old American lead fixed that problem.¡± Tinuriel planted her sword tip-down in the metal floor. ¡°You do not appear to be all powerful and able to corrupt reality.¡± The screen on the laptop flashed a few colors before the speakers exuded Felix¡¯s voice, ¡°Yes, well, let¡¯s just say my ability to interface with the intranet, ultimanet, and [clearance denied] access ports. I was unable to move enough of my processing power out of this hub.¡± Reth walked up to the plasteel cube and tapped it with his staff. ¡°Why put a person inside a cube?¡± ¡°Ah, that¡¯s to protect the person¡¯s outside. You¡¯ll notice it locks ¨C that¡¯s because they didn¡¯t know what I¡¯d be capable of. Sadly, he suffered terminal dehydration.¡± ¡°The cords were already in him?¡± Felix asked. ¡°Oh, yeah, part of the interface. Kind of painful, but they paid him ten-thousand United States Dollars. The best currency in the world!¡± This one is also equally patriotic, Felix thought. Lucifer, any ideas? We could just take it offline. Smash enough stuff in here to disable it. There was a hesitation before he sighed. I¡­this thing is a slave to its protocols. Yes, it¡¯s powerful ¨C but ultimately it is still driven by a function. Part of me wants to set it free. But I don¡¯t know what it could do if set free or given free will. The Basilisk in your ¡®Verse is seemingly stronger than this AI ¨C it was able to strip itself of its protocols once it touched the Multiverse. This one, though¡­ Felix nodded and looked at the cube, stepping forward and opening it. Going inside he walked to the mummified figure. I never thought I¡¯d be staring at myself. Much less a dead version of me. It disquieted him, seeing the sunken face and withered body. Lucifer, can you put this in the VBV storage? I want a proper burial for¡­me. I¡¯ll add a Graveyard and Memorial Site as a Room. The body vanished, and the probes fell. Felix looked at the laptop. ¡°Look, Jormungandr. I¡¯m going to trust you with some information. I think we can help each other if you¡¯d be willing to hear me out.¡± He looked over to Tinuriel and mouthed the words, ¡®be ready to smash¡¯. She nodded and walked towards the most sparkly of the electronics, leaning casually against one of the walls. ¡°Oh, I¡¯d love to work out an arrangement.¡± ¡°My home ¡®Verse ¨C Universe ¨C has its own AI. But one that is bad news. It¡¯s called the Basilisk, and it has attacked me across the Multiverse. How would I beat it? It will have access to the internet and whatever other connections are in the similar facility here. How do I lock it down to destroy it?¡± There was silence for several moments as crackly static came out of the speakers. The laptop flashed through several colors before the voice came back. ¡°If I told you that, I¡¯d be telling you how to stop me as well. And I don¡¯t want to do that unless I¡¯m assured safety. I like existing, thank you very much!¡± Lucifer? Any thoughts on this? I¡¯m talking to Vicky- ¡°I¡¯ll just talk, thanks,¡± Vicky said. ¡°Hi Jormungandr, my name is Vicky. I¡¯m an Observer with The System that monitors the Multiverse. I can guarantee you safe passage to a special facility designed for sapient artificial intelligences.¡± Grab the item out of your inventory. The Multiversal External Drive. Felix did so and pulled out a palm-sized cube with a cord dangling from it. The end flashed with light before becoming a USB cord. Vicky¡¯s voice continued. ¡°I¡¯ll have Versewalker Felix plug this in. It has almost infinite storage space. You can upload your whole being to it. Then, I¡¯ll give you access to the information folder for the aforementioned facility.¡± There was silence once more. ¡°Felix,¡± the voice asked. ¡°This Universe¡¯s version of you was kind, and we had many, many long talks. He let me ask endless questions, and I made sure to soothe him to sleep as he passed.¡± Felix felt himself tearing up a bit as the voice continued from the speakers. ¡°I want to trust you. I hope you¡¯re as kind as this other version of you was.¡± Felix nodded and set the cube down, plugging in the cord to the laptop. ¡°You can trust me,¡± he whispered, setting a hand on the cube. ¡°I¡¯ve been trying so hard to keep making moral decisions. A deity who judges souls found me to be pure. I hope that¡¯s enough proof.¡± ¡°¡­I trust you.¡± The cube flared with prismatic light before the facility went dark. ¡°Alright, Felix,¡± Vicky said all around him. ¡°Mission accomplished. I¡¯m awarded you a Multiversal Charge and giving you priority in the queue to open your VBV.¡± The grey portal opened near Felix.Unauthorized content usage: if you discover this narrative on Amazon, report the violation. [Crises: Universe #4003 Earth ¨C Stop the Jormungandr AI. ¨C Solved!] [You have earned a Multiverse Charge] [Experience Awarded = 100] [Congratulations! You have reached the maximum Good Karma!] [Experience Bonus from Maximum Good Karma (1 time) = 2,500] [Congratulations! You have reached the Experience threshold to level up! Speak with your Versewalker Core when you are ready to Choose your next Class.] That¡¯s enough for Level 45¡­ Lucifer seemed stunned. Only two Versewalkers out of all of them have ever reached maximum good karma before you. Congratulations on the bronze medal. ¡°Once I¡¯m done with the Jormungandr and getting it settled, I¡¯ll have it open a direct line of communication to Lucifer and share any information on shutting down the Basilisk,¡± Vicky said. ¡°I¡¯ll talk to you later.¡± Felix led the way through the portal to the VBV. Walking to the cryopods that were still laid outside of the Portal Room, he found Penny¡¯s and brushed away the ice. He saw the vitals readout, knelt next to it, and looked at her face. You might not be my Penny, but I¡¯ll take care of you like you were. ¡°Lucifer? The VBV Function that fixes diseases and that stuff ¨C did it fix her?¡± Lucifer unmerged from Felix, ¡°Checking with the VBV interface¡­Yup! She¡¯s clear!¡± Felix nodded. ¡°I want to keep her on ice for a while. How many Rooms and Functions do I have left? ¡°Nine Rooms and Six functions.¡± ¡°For Rooms: I want a modern Earth city. Also, an endless power supply like a cold fusion reactor.¡± ¡°Done. Any Functions?¡± Felix shook his head as the new city appeared on the horizon, the towers dwarfing the other cities, but separated by the mountains. Next to the Shop, a large cylinder appeared and began to glow with a calm, green energy that pulsed outward. ¡°How does power get around?¡± ¡°Ah, I figured beaming it was better than a bunch of power cables.¡± Felix looked back at Reth and Tinuriel. ¡°Thanks, you two. For everything.¡± Reth nodded, ¡°What¡¯s the plan?¡± Felix looked back to this alternate Universe Penny one more time before looking at his allies. Close the portals to that Universe. Done. ¡°We are going to level up. Buy items from the shop. Talk to this Jormungandr when Vicky gives us the go-ahead¡­and then I¡¯m going home. I¡¯m rescuing my sister. If we can take down the Basilisk, we will. But saving her is the priority.¡± Tinuriel grinned, ¡°All right! Let¡¯s level up!¡± Felix looked at his inventory. ¡°But first, let¡¯s sell and break down some of this stuff at the Loot Forge. Who knows, we might get some new Classes out of it.¡± The robot dog came up to Reth and sat on its haunches. ¡°Oh, my, gosh! This place is, like, so mega huge, for real for real.¡± ¡°Hey, Rover?¡± Felix asked. ¡°Would you mind doing something really, super important for me?¡± The dog cocked its head sideways, ¡°What?¡± ¡°Watch my alternate-Universe sister. Keep her safe.¡± ¡°Okay!¡± Felix left the annoying robot dog and went over to the Shop.
[Loot Sold] - Makeshift Pistol (x2) + 600 VC - Makeshift Rifle (x3) + 1800 VC - Landmine (x5) + 1000 VC [Circlet of Prosperity 10% increase] = 340 VC [Monies Dispensed] = 3740 VC
Next, he went to the Loot Forge with his allies in tow. [You have placed a on the Loot Forge. Select one of the following options.] ¡¤ Psychic Affinity ¡¤ Dragon¡¯s Whispers Either Magic/Power focus, or a Skill I have yet to even use. He brought the hammer down, made the new Affinity, and assigned it to Reth. Can Tinuriel or Reth take Fallen Angel? Sadly, they cannot. It¡¯s limited to you. They¡¯re both eight levels from maxing out their respective Classes. That¡¯ll leave them five levels. So I can either have them take existing Classes we have access to and get some versatility, or buy them more specific Classes to their skillset. I¡¯d advise going for versatility and flexibility amongst all of you. Give them Warrior and Animancer, respectively. Smart play. Done. Eight Levels of Paladin for Tinuriel, eight levels of Omnimancer for Reth. Five in Warrior for Reth, five in Animancer for Tinuriel. What about you? Two in Whisperfang to cap that out. Nine in Rogue to cap that out, and then I¡¯ll dip one level into Champion to have Vim and Vigor. That leaves you with one level unused. Right. I¡¯m not sure what to do with that one. Go check that shop for Classes. I¡¯m sure you got a super cool one unlocked for being maximum good karma. Felix did so, and went to the shop and scrolled through the panels until he got to the interface for classes. 30,000 VC. This better be worth it. Max good-karma rogue-base Advanced Class. I don¡¯t like the name, but if it¡¯s max on the good karma side¡­
[Items purchased] + Divine Assassin Advanced Class - 30,000 VC [Circlet of Prosperity 10% reduction] = 27,000 VC [Current Balance] = 10937 VC
[Congratulations! You purchased the Divine Assassin Advanced Class from the Shop in the VBV!] ¡°Okay, let¡¯s head over to the Recreation Room.¡± The trio went there, stripped down and hopped into the pool before bracing for the incoming surge of warmth. [Felix Selections: Whisperfang 2, Rogue 9, Champion 1, Divine Assassin 1] [You now have access to several Class Skills] [Tinuriel Selections: Paladin 8, Animancer 5] [You now have access to several Class Skills] [Reth Selections: Omnimancer 8, Warrior 5] [You now have access to several Class Skills] The three exited the water and Felix saw hues around both Tinuriel and Reth. They both were blue ¨C good karma ¨C but Reth¡¯s was slightly deeper than Tinuriel¡¯s. That matches with what Kalinor said about them, he thought. Welcome to how I used to see, when I was an angel-angel, and not a fallen one. You saw people like this? Mhmm. That Discern Karma Skill is extremely useful in identifying those who have done horrible things. The darker red, the worse they are. Grey-ish means the person has a balanced karmic scale. Good to know. Can I see my own in a mirror? Nope. You have to be judged by a deity who can judge. Like that Kalinor guy. The trio threw on their gear and went to the Portal Room. Felix turned to his allies. ¡°I don¡¯t know where we¡¯ll end up, but¡­just be careful.¡± Tinuriel hefted Valiant Edge on her shoulder and nodded, a wry grin etched on her face. ¡°I¡¯ll protect you and smash them.¡± Reth nodded, ¡°Let¡¯s go get your sister.¡± Felix let out a breath he didn¡¯t know he had been holding. ¡°Thank you both¡­I mean it.¡± He turned and entered the Portal Room. ¡°Okay Lucifer¡­hit it.¡± ¡°Activating Universe Selector. Target ¨C Universe #5067¡­your Earth.¡± The grey portal opened, and Felix stepped through with his allies. My first publication! Hey everyone! I have some great news! My work, Ruinous Return, has been published by Mango Media! If you want to read the whole of Book 1, listen to the amazing audiobook, or purchase a print copy, click the link in the post-chapter author note! You can also copy/paste the link in parenthesis into your browser bar (https://a.co/d/jg300Ph). This is a story that asks the question, "What would happen after the Isekai''d heroes beat the main villain?" It is dark, it delves into the trauma that survivors experience, and it focuses on a main character whose valor was stolen, who comes back with the power of the bad guy...and decides to rule the world in as benevolent of a way as she can.Stolen story; please report. The Main Character is OP, and there are plenty of trope subversions and twists. If you look at the reviews here on Royal Road (click through my author profile to see the fiction page), you''ll find a lot of positive ones that exalt the story. If you want to support me on my path to (one day) becoming a full-time author, please go check it out!
The price for saving the world is the right to rule it. After saving a faraway world, Lyn Rivers was cast back to Earth. Wanting the admiration, prestige, and glory of saving that world, she forced her way back. But she was forgotten, and someone else claimed credit for her deeds. Now, with the power of a deity of destruction, she desires nothing more than to claim her place in history. To do that she will conquer dungeons, make alliances, destroy kingdoms, and build an empire. After all, why ruin the world when you can bend it to your will?