¡°Honoured am I to have lived in such times, to have seen such wonders, and to have felt the sheltering glory of selfless Elysea. Though all may yet be sundered, and an age of fanatics come upon this land, I shall not despair¡ For I have looked upon, in my dreams, a Falling Star; and seen justice writ large in the flames of its descent.¡±¡ªVarian Corinnius Merar The Rise and Fall of Elysea Alissia ran for all she was worth, thundering down the colossal, trembling corridors of the massive Imperial Palace. Her armoured body, bedecked in onyx platemail, left no impression on the reinforced white stone beneath. Mana-tempered marble bore her weight without issue, even with the density of her twice-Tempered body beneath the aetherian steel. She gave no thought to the ravaged state of her armour as she moved, her immense agility carrying her through the labyrinthine corridors at impossible speeds. As an Adept-level Cultivator Alissia was no slouch when it came to physical capability. Perhaps she was still weak when compared to the strength of the more elite Legionarii, but when measured against the Untempered she may as well have been a demi-god. ¡°And yet it meant nothing,¡± she muttered helplessly under her breath as tears threatened to fall anew from her red-rimmed blue eyes. The frantic hurrying of dark-robed Magisterii offered no impediment to her fluid, unconsciously graceful movement; guarded as they were from accidental intercepts by crimson-armoured warriors of the Aetheris Militant. The spellblades were grim as they ushered the panicked and at-times-weeping spellcasters and scholars through the halls. Every species of their Empire was represented in those groupings, from tall elves to stocky dwarves, hulking orcs, diminutive gnomes and goblins, the ever-varied builds of humanity, and a dozen other races too varied, different and colourful to name. On she ran past singing Veneratii as they hoarsely invoked the choral frequencies of the citadel¡¯s runic matrices and sought to reinforce the palace further than it already had been. Their faces were haggard and yet they persisted, weaving their Soulforce and threads of Spirit with dedication that would have inspired her to hope in any situation but the one they now faced. These were not the acts of survivors, she knew; these were the final contributions of those already dead, and unwilling to depart absent a final attempt to offer what they alone could. Two, three, four, and finally five turns later she took through the chaos, down immense hallways, and under towering works of artistry. Too many times in her racing journey did she stagger when thunderous impacts shook the palace, slamming her against and off of the reinforced walls with barely enough time to grunt in discomfort. Compared to the violence being rained upon the complex from the enemy outside, her impact was like a teardrop in a lake insofar as the gargantuan building was concerned. With no time to spare in rumination, she continued onward until her progress carried her to an open pair of heavily inscribed silver doors, each one towering above her nearly fifteen metres high. Her haggard footsteps carried her past the pair of towering golden-armoured Aegii stationed in unmoving stoicism outside the doors, and she spared only a single glance for the unruffled members of the Imperator¡¯s personal guard, where before she may have taken a short breath to simply admire them. The world as we know it is ending, she marvelled bitterly, and yet they stand as if it were merely another day. Their impassivity rankled, intimidated, and awed her in equal measure and yet she had no time to dwell on such things. Entering the massive chamber beyond the doors, Alissia was met by a scene of controlled chaos. Attendants, scribes, Patricians, and military officers of every conceivable rank moved between different tables as reports were given and their contents evinced looks of suppressed anguish or bitter disappointment. Calm efficiency dominated the space for the most part, but through it all was woven an undercurrent of building-but-controlled-panic. The War Room was the beating heart of their war effort, the sacred centre of their operations; and it was she who had been given the proverbial blade that would finally fell it. ¡°The Dawn Gate has fallen!¡± she cried out when she spotted her quarry, her voice cutting through the room with twice-tempered lungs as hot, angry tears finally escaped her efforts at suppression. Her voice rang within the chamber, boosted by superbly designed acoustics that brought all movement to a sudden and jarring halt. Dozens of eyes turned to her in shock, disbelief, fear, and even quiet resignation. Silence descended across the entire room. ¡°The Godsworn are through, my Imperator! The¡ª¡± she choked back a sob and forced herself to continue ¡°¡ªthe Legio Invicta have failed. The line¡ the line has broken¡¡± her voice cracked with grief at last. ¡°The Godsworn are through.¡± The eyes formerly focused on her shifted as one, turning in a wave to look at last to the figure Alissia addressed. His olive skin was ageless, his silver armour pristine¡ªnot for lack of combat, she knew¡ªand his black hair framed his faintly luminescent crimson eyes even as his expression shifted from inscrutable to something approaching a calm acceptance that bewildered and terrified her in equal measure. ¡°How?¡± he asked in a warm, powerful baritone while beckoning her to approach. ¡°The Forsworn,¡± she said as she drew closer, her tear-blurred eyes locked only on her Imperator while ripples of shock and despair spread throughout the chamber at the thrice-accursed name. ¡°They came at the last, when the enemy¡¯s attack seemed to be rebuffed once more. Our Veneratii could do nothing. By the time the runic choirs tried to acclimate, the Discordance was too great. The wards were sundered, and the Legio¡ The Legion was b¡ªbroken.¡± Instead of responding immediately, the Imperator turned to one of the nearby Aegii and gave the smallest of nods. A gilded fist thudded against golden adamantine, and the guardian¡ªa Tribunum, based on the horse-hair plume marking his visored great helm¡ªleft without a word through the same doors she¡¯d entered. Only after he departed did the Imperator turn back to her, his carmine gaze unblinking. ¡°The Legio Invicta¡¯s rear elements will hold as long as they can, and at the last, my Aegii will buy us the time we need. You have done your duty well, Legatum Devram.¡± Alissia drew in a breath at the title, and it was all she could do not to collapse to the ground. The gesture was kind, but she struggled to find peace in it. A three-rank promotion. The accomplishment of a dream that had seemed impossible to achieve before her Master Tier Tempering. And all it had taken was for the world to be consumed in madness. The Imperator was not done however, and his gaze turned to the rest of the chamber. ¡°This conflict, at last, is at its end,¡± he said softly. ¡°Tonight, the centuries of violence, of suffering, and of misery come to a close. These long and terrible years of brutal, senseless war¡ It ends. It is over,¡± he took the time to look each person in the eyes while he spoke. ¡°Tonight, the Empire will fall. Such is our fate.¡± Alissia felt his words like a punch to the gut, and another wracking sob threatened to topple her. Nobody noticed. Nobody paid her any heed. She was not alone in her grief, and nowhere near the strongest person to break in that moment. A ripple had passed over the crowd at the Imperator¡¯s words, and gazes of despair had met others as their dark reality settled in. She could see more than one high ranking officer held up only by their duty to the Imperator, they allowed held back tears to finally flow. ¡°However¡¡± the Imperator said, and his voice was like a bell demanding their attention. It amazed Alissia how, even in her state of absolute certainty of destruction, she heard his voice and part of her still hoped. ¡°We are not Lost. The Mantle may fall, but I have taken steps to ensure it will not be Riven.¡± He looked across them all as another explosion shook the palace, and even Alissia¡¯s Adept-level ears heard the sudden, distant crack of the fortress¡¯ doors being breached far to the north. The end was approaching, and yet she could not take her eyes from the Imperator. None of them could. His presence was like the true sun, a shining beacon within a dark storm of despair. It was all she had left, that vain and silly hope. She clung to it like a drowning man held close to a lifeline within a roaring tempest. ¡°I ask you now to join me in a final defiance, my beloved Elyseans. A final Crucible.¡± his gaze moved to the doors to the chamber, and then turned to look upon those in attendance once more. ¡°My wife even now musters her power with the greatest of the Magisterii and Veneratii. She undertakes a ritual of ancient and potent strength. A ritual that will help to ensure the Mantle is upheld, even if it is not to be in your lifetime, or mine own.¡± What ritual could possibly ensure such a thing? As mutterings of confusion gave voice to her own thoughts, he continued undeterred. ¡°I tell you this so that you may face this coming storm knowing it was not for naught,¡± their Imperator lifted his chin in an air of defiance, and she felt her Will respond. Her back straightened slowly, and she watched him with rapt attention. They all did, each and every one. Waiting. Hoping. Praying that this man that they loved, that they trusted with everything they were, could give them one final miracle. He had sundered armies with his blade, brought Avatars to kneel with his power, and slain titanic beasts of nightmarish proportions without a sweat drop to show for it. He was more than a man. He was Elysea made manifest. ¡°With my blessing, the Imperatrix performs a Calling.¡± The silence that followed his words was profound, and for a moment even the storm of magic and articulated siege engines assailing the palace¡¯s enchanted walls seemed to lessen in intensity. A hush descended, and all eyes widened in disbelief, shock, and then at last a growing sense of fear. A Calling. The Imperator had ordained that which his own forebears had forbidden. Alissia¡¯s mouth opened in stunned disbelief as images of sundered mountains, roiling seas, and devastated cities flashed through her mind. A mix of giddy shock and exhausted grief mingled within her mind and she shook her head in muted wonder. A Calling. By the Eternals, this truly is the end. ¡°My Imperator!¡± a voice cried out. ¡°What of the consequences? What if they¡ª?¡± ¡°I understand your concerns,¡± the Imperator responded in a voice which silenced all dissent, and banished all tumult from the mind. He was once again the light in the centre of the storm, and his presence filled her awareness. ¡°It is one I shared.¡± he continued with a level tone. ¡°I cannot divulge any details and can say only that there are¡ alterations that have been made to the Calling. There will be no repeat of the Epochal Tide, nor another Night of Ten Thousand Stars, nor a second Burning of Viridian. Were I not certain of this, I would end this Calling myself!¡± For all that her mind and soul rebelled against the very idea of what he suggested, and for all that her entire life, every single one of her eighty years, screamed that this was to be a new Sundering¡ She could find only comfort in his words, spoken with the unassailable might of his immense charisma. ¡°Nephilim¡¡± Alissia murmured softly to herself. ¡°By all that is good, a Nephilim.¡± Abruptly all conversation ceased as the entire room rocked, and the distant sound of a titanic explosion tore through the palace. Screams rang out as the Imperator¡¯s spell was momentarily broken, and the fear rushed back in. The panic resumed. The horror of their situation redoubled. Then the Imperator spoke once again, and all fell silent as before. Ensure your favorite authors get the support they deserve. Read this novel on the original website. ¡°Now at the last, there is but one duty left to us,¡± the Imperator said gravely and bent forward to collect his winged helmet from the table, its surface shimmering with runic choirs. ¡°We must give the Imperatrix time to secure the future of the Mantle¡ and show these Godsworn fanatics what it means to face down Elysea in the seat of its power.¡± His voice was the warmth of a fire in the cold, and the shimmer of light in the dark. Alissia felt her resolve rallying at his words, and she straightened herself quietly. ¡°Now is the hour predicted by those with Sight: when all wards have failed, and the unworthy crash upon our doors slavering for the blood of those that would have died to defend them!¡± he said with growing intensity. ¡°They come for us with hate in their hearts, unknowing that in the act they seal their own doom! Here and now, under the gaze of our ancestors, we make our final stand!¡± The Imperator¡¯s Soulforce extended from him while he spoke, and Alissia felt it like a warm blanket. It was a sun erupting to life in the centre of the room, and all of them were the celestial bodies caught suddenly within its gravity. She couldn¡¯t articulate the feeling of power that sang in her core Core as the might of an Ascended-level Tempered Soul washed over her own. Backs straightened throughout the room and, even as tears stained the cheeks of the soon-to-be-dead, determination filled the gazes of the assembled. Swords were drawn in a ring of steel, staves and bows collected, and papers thrown and discarded as helmets slammed into place. ¡°For Elysea!¡± the Imperator thundered with a beatific smile. ¡°For the Mantle!¡± ¡°FOR ELYSEA!¡± the room echoed. ¡°FOR THE MANTLE!¡± Alissia felt a smile dominate her features. ¡°FOR THE IMPERATOR!¡± they cried at the last. She was proud that her voice was among the loudest. * * * * * ¡°The Choir is settled, Imperatrix.¡± Valerian looked from the Veneratii to the towering woman to whom he spoke, her blonde hair crowned by a golden laurel wreath. She wore elegant, flowing white robes which fell just over her ankles, and around the gilded slippers adorning her feet. The Imperatrix stood at the primus ignition¡ªthe centremost point¡ªof an immensely intricate rune matrix, its body dominating a massive area within the aetheric chamber. The matrix itself was in the shape of a ten-pointed star, contained within a perfect circle. It had been painstakingly etched within the metal by orchicalcum styluses, and reinforced with mana so pure the entire formation seemed to hum even without being engaged. Valerian was one of the ten Magisterii selected for the ritual, representing his favoured element of Fire. There stood one other for each of the Core mana types: Water, Earth, Air, Light, Death, Life, Force, Nature, and Shadow. The Imperatrix herself represented Convergence; the coming together of the Ten Forces in the pursuit of Harmonic Balance. Valerian tried to calm himself as the music of the Veneratii flowed over him, the diviners¡¯ song filling the room with ritual choruses designed to enhance and stabilise the magic they wove. Their Soulforce mingled while they sang, and their Master-level Tempered bodies worked in unison to weave a Shroud of Spirit across the entire matrix. The sound of battle and the distant, ever-closer screams of the dying were subsumed by the music, and the Magisterii turned to their Empress as they finally settled into position. ¡°It is time.¡± the Imperatrix commanded. Valerian, in unison with his peers, lifted his arms and ignited his Core. Mana flowed through his meridians in a tide, buoyed by his unlocked Chakras, and erupted out of his palms in a torrent of red-tinted that surged towards the matrix. He winced when he felt it impact the ignis rune etched into the matrix below him, filling it with an orange light which spread outward along pre-marked pathways to flare his section of the matrix. The mana spilled from his Core like water from an opened sluice gate, and surged in unison with the other nine streams towards the complex array under the Imperatrix¡¯s feet. Prismatic lines of power intersected the circle in a flood of energy as Valerian watched with rapt attention. His jaw locked against the pain, and he urged his Core onward, feeling the volcano he visualised as his centre roaring with eruption as mana was ejected in an ocean of power. The Imperatrix narrowed her gaze below her as the ten flows of energy impacted the circle around her primus ignition array, pulling and Valerian watched distractedly while she pulled the ten separate flows into the interconnected knot of runic inscription within the single. The moment the colours shifted and merged to create a prismatic confluence, she breathed in. The room itself shook with the sudden Convergence as the Imperatrix forced a fusion of the mana. A braided coil of energy rose from the centremost point of the matrix at the Imperatrix¡¯s urging, and her elegant fingers guided the knotting of the ten energies together into a single rope of power that blazed with strength. The choir¡¯s song grew more potent while she worked, the saturation of Spirit twisting and shifting to the Imperatrix¡¯s will. When the density of the Veneratii¡¯s energy reached its crescendo, Spirit descended in a blanket of entwined Soulforce, joined and guided by the immensity of the Imperatrix¡¯s own power. Valerian felt himself sweating as he continued to spill energy into the matrix without restraint. He could feel his teeth grinding against the agony assailing his mana channels and meridians, and still he persisted. There was no option for failure, not in this final act of defiance. I will die before I yield. He swore to himself, while focusing on the ritual to the exclusion of all else. Pain became a distant thing. His skills flared to life, the System responded to his Will, and he felt the agony that had been mounting subside rapidly. It became an echo in the back of his mind, and cool relief washed away his awareness of his body¡¯s suffering. The spiritual blanket spun and wove at the Imperatrix¡¯s demand, fitting into a twining sheath that wrapped tightly around the coiling braid of energy. Like flesh over tendons, the sheath settled over the braid¡ and morphed. Essence lightning arced from the amalgam construct of power as its tip transformed into an elongated spearhead. Eddies of power sparked and roared across the matrix, throwing electrical discharge across its surface as the Soulforce blanket was localised, and the harmonic dampening shed unwanted energy across the outside of the blanketed Summoning Lance. Valerian cried out in agony when the hissing bite of aetheric lightning struck his flesh, and even through System-aided resolve felt his flesh flash-boiled from the sheer density of the power assailing him. He barely managed to keep his feet, eyes watering as he looked around at his brothers and sisters. The other Magisterii were in similar states of duress, their flesh burnt and robes smoking while ever more violent and more destructive aetheric discharge attacked their bodies with a vengeance. Valerian¡¯s eyes moved to the white-robed Veneratii, and he felt pity for their own tortured expressions. Their vital essence was being drained; pulled from them inexorably by the weight of the ritual¡¯s needs. A Calling had never been fatal in the past, but the weight of Intent required to ensure a worthy successor to the Mantle added a far greater weight cost to the matrix. None of them would survive its completion. ¡°Do not relent!¡± He found himself shouting with an abruptness that shocked him, while his eyes darted rapidly between the Veneratii and Magisterii as tears of blood pooled from his corneas. ¡°We die here, or we die to the Godsworn! DO NOT RELENT! The hopes of the entire world rest on this ritual!¡± The Imperatrix glanced at him when he finished, and he saw blood staining her own cheeks, her nose, her ears¡ and even her seventh-Temper teeth when she smiled in approval. Valerian¡¯s heart soared, and even as blood tore from his failing throat he cried out, ¡°For the Mantle!¡± ¡°For the Mantle!¡± his peers answered, one after the other, even as some spat blood or lost their sight and hearing to rupturing blood vessels. The Imperatrix narrowed her crimson eyes on the Summoning Spear as it rose, now easily five metres high and growing, and pulled a silver athame from her hip. ¡°Blood calls to blood. The Mantle awaits. The Calling is proclaimed.¡± A moment later she lifted the athame, slicing open each of her palms and then discarding the knife. Aetheric discharge tore it apart while she placed her bleeding hands upon the Summoning Spear. ¡°My Essence freely given, that the Mantle may yet be upheld. I invoke my Authority. I bind it to my blood and to my will. Let the Reclaimer be Called. Let the System enforce their Reclamation.¡± A moment passed, and for a heartbeat Valerian feared they had failed. And then he heard it. The Gong. The ethereal beat of a celestial chime. A voice that was not a voice thundered within him, in his mind, in his soul. AUTHORITY WILL BE STRIPPED FROM CURRENT HOLDERS PROCEED? ¡°Yes,¡± The Imperatrix rasped. Another gong followed. CONFIRMATION ACKNOWLEDGED PROCESSING REQUEST . . . Valerian held his breath as they waited, their bodies failing them. Please. He pleaded. Please give us this much. REQUEST APPROVED INITIATING SEQUENCE . . . It was all Valerian could do not to sag with relief, his agonised muscles shifting into a rictus of joy that was echoed on his Empress¡¯ own withering face. We may have lost our Empire. He thought with a bittersweet acceptance. But we will not lose this War, not even if it takes an age to enact our requiem. His satisfaction was short-lived. The clash of steel, roar of magic, and screams of the dying abruptly assaulted Valerian¡¯s ears and he turned as he dropped to his knees. The mana was still draining from him; now drawing its potency from his own withering fifth-Temper life force. The doors to the chamber cracked, and then sundered with an explosion of force; ushering in warriors adorned by white plate, their sunburst-emblazoned tabards and gold-trimmed alabaster armour dyed red with blood. ¡°Dear Gods¡¡± one of them muttered. ¡°What profane heresy is this?!¡± As the words were spoken, Valerian felt the air distort and heard a muted boom of displaced force as another figure seemed to suddenly appear. It was, he realised belatedly, simply speed. The new arrival had moved faster than even Valerian¡¯s Master-level sight could follow. He was adorned in white robes framed around his own adamantine plate, gilded at the edges of the white steel. Not a drop of blood marred his perfect visage¡ªthough it coated the elegant longsword in his grip¡ªand he took in the scene of their ritual with cold blue eyes, his platinum hair tousled by the echoing force of their magic and his arrival. As one, the white-armoured knights slammed their fists to their breastplates in salute. ¡°It is over, Selucia,¡± the man said coldly, his eyes weighing and analysing as he spoke. The pressure, the power in every word seemed to set the air to trembling. ¡°Even now Lucius is being corralled by the Anointed. Your depraved Empire is at its end.¡± ¡°Justinian.¡± the Imperatrix hissed, one of her eyes utterly red and without sight due to ruptured blood vessels. ¡°You¡ Coward¡¡± she wheezed as her lungs failed her. ¡°You¡ won¡¯t even¡ face him¡ yourself?¡± Valerian¡¯s eyes widened. Justinian Tollarius. The Grand Ascendant. The Imperator¡¯s brother, the Arch-Traitor, had come to end them himself. ¡°Your goading won¡¯t work on me, Wytch.¡± the leader of the Godsworn responded coolly. ¡°I warned you both about what would happen if you denied the Revelation. You had the chance to return to the embrace of the Divine.¡± Justinian¡¯s eyes narrowed while he considered them all and stepped forward. An arc of aetheric discharge snapped at him instantly, and the Grand Ascendant flicked an armoured hand, reflexively smashing the bolt of energy away and into a wall. The same energy that had ravaged Valerian and his companions was swatted away like it were no more than a bothersome fly. ¡°What mad, desperate ritual did you perform?¡± the Grand Ascendant asked with a hint of wariness that gave Valerian a flicker of amusement and pleasure both. ¡°You¡ were always¡ jealous¡ of him¡¡± ¡°Answer me, Selucia.¡± Justinian commanded coldly. ¡°It is¡ our final¡ gift¡ to you¡¡± Valerian collapsed at her words when his body failed him, though his eyes still remained glued to the face of the Grand Ascendant. Justinian walked closer, his armoured feet pausing and paused at the edge of the circle as if it were a contagion. ¡°Be careful, Your Holiness!¡± one of the Godsworn exclaimed. ¡°We have no idea what this foul wytchery is.¡± Justinian ignored the warning and instead assessed their work, eyes darting between sections with cold efficiency. ¡°Cardinal ignition¡ Essence matrices¡ Harmonic shielding and choral enforcement¡ A mana braid? What are¡¡± the Grand Ascendant¡¯s eyes widened. ¡°No. This can¡¯t¡ No! Selucia, are you mad?!¡± Valerian¡¯s tortured features twitched with satisfaction at the first sign of true unease on the Grand Ascendant¡¯s features. It was a strange balm to his dying mind. His eyes drifted, looking towards the haggard form of his empress. There, he witnessed something that drew an appreciative, bloody gurgle from his ruined body. She was smiling. ¡°Go¡ To¡ Oblivion¡ Traitor¡¡± she rasped. ¡°Kill them!¡± Justinian roared. ¡°Kill them all!¡± Valerian felt the penetration of cold steel distantly, felt as his awareness started fading. Please¡ He begged. Please¡ As if in answer, a final gong thundered across the souls of the assembled. THE CALLING HAS BEGUN The Summoning Spear in the Imperatrix¡¯s grasp blazed with sudden vibrance, and the echoed power surged into Valerian, allowing him a moment of focused awareness as it hummed with power; a keening, orchestral concerto that radiated across his soul with terrible and glorious power. Justinian screamed in rage, and the Godsworn staggered back in terror. With a roar of thunderous power, the Spear lanced upward and punched through the ceiling, obliterating the mana-enhanced and chorally warded matrices that protected the palace like a hot blade through butter. Stone and debris were blasted up and away, revealing a cloudless and star-saturated night sky; obfuscated only by the smoke tied wafting from the flames killing the world¡¯s greatest city. Valerian felt his awareness fading. Felt the creeping approach of death. Selucia died, her lifeblood and power spent. The Veneratii and Magisterii were slain. The Grand Ascendant continued to rage in denial. Valerian managed to smile at the last words the System etched upon his soul. THE NEPHILIM COMES B1 | Chapter 01: Alex Crosswood Oxford, Oxfordshire United Kingdom, Earth 15th December 2026 07:55 Hours Alex Crosswood had never been an exemplar of human life. He¡¯d been raised by upper middle-class parents, achieved above average grades, and gone to an above average university for a comfortable if boring life in finance. Everything he¡¯d done had been in pursuit of what he believed he needed to be. He had never griped, never complained, and certainly never rebelled against the curated life his birth had given him. Even while frustrated, lying on his couch, and eating yesterday¡¯s cold pizza, he wouldn¡¯t necessarily say he was dissatisfied. It was more than he simply had¡ regrets. ¡°Yeah mum, I heard you,¡± Alex said into the phone perched between his ear and shoulder, his grease-covered right hand idly holding his second to last piece of pizza. ¡°I¡¯ll be there, just like I promised.¡± He listened to the reply while stuffing the last piece into his mouth, unremarkable brown eyes watching the weather report blaring on his television. Another stormy winter day. ¡°Yup, I know. I¡¯ll make sure I bring the¡ Yeah, I know, I¡¡± He sighed as he was interrupted again. ¡°Mum. Seriously. I got it. Relax.¡± Another wave of response, and then Alex reached up with his left hand to grip the phone. ¡°Yeah okay. Love you, too. Bye.¡± The phone was pulled away and clicked off, and he tossed it onto the couch with a grunt. Parents were, in many ways, the inevitable reflection of one¡¯s own future¡ªwhether someone liked it or not¡ªand could often leave a significant feeling of dread at the idea of what the future might hold. For Alex, it was more akin to resigned acceptance. His eyes drifted back to the TV and then hesitated. A flicker across the screen caught his attention, and static replaced the weather report. A loud whine came from the flatscreen, and he stared at it in confusion before jumping at the sound of a strange crackle-pop and blinking when the programming seemed to change abruptly. A pair of scarlet eyes stared at him. ¡°Re¡ clai¡ mer¡¡± Alex raised his eyebrows and, with a heart racing faster than he wanted to admit, clicked off the TV. The weird image seemed to almost burn itself into the dying pixels for a moment, before the screen went black. ¡°Must be the weather,¡± he assured himself while putting it firmly out of his mind. He quickly cleaned up any crumbs or wayward toppings from his disposable plate and stood with a grunt, wincing at his own movement. I really need to work out. He chided himself, glancing down at the slight protrusion of his belly and shaking his head. He¡¯d been relatively fit, years ago. Now he was less so. Not obese, but certainly not ¡®in shape¡¯ either. ¡°Right then,¡± he muttered to the empty, one bedroom apartment. ¡°Time to get ready.¡± Twenty minutes, a quick shower and a fast shave later, Alex looked at himself in the mirror. Dirty blond hair, brown eyes, and a face that might have been handsome if not for the encroaching fat stared back at him. He looked every single one of his twenty-five years. ¡°Time to be a good son,¡± he muttered to himself, before going through the process of putting on his clothes. A simple white tee, dark blue blazer, and a pair of nice jeans on top of some white canvas shoes. A blend of formal and casual, perfect for a family event. Another five minutes and he checked his phone, noting the time and going over to the small kitchen nearby his living area to grab the wrapped gift his mother had asked him to buy. A smoothie maker of all things. Perfect for his baby sister and her dopamine-fuelled addiction to Instagram modelling and fitness. Alex left his apartment a moment later, locking the door behind him and turning to take the steps two at a time down towards the building¡¯s gated garage. He traversed them quickly, still mulling over the thoughts of the party surprise for his sister. Cassandra was turning twenty-one. It was a big day for her. ¡°Can¡¯t forget the flowers¡¡± he muttered to himself absently while he opened the door to the garage and stepped out into the brisk morning air. His eyes scanned the lot for his car, and he beelined to it the moment he spotted it. Of the few things Alex owned that he truly treasured, his car was among them: A sleek 2020 Chevrolet Camaro ZL1, painted black with a double-parted red racing stripe down the centre. It had cost him an immense amount of money but importing it had been one of the greatest moments of his life. Others might not have seen the value or worth in the car, but he¡¯d loved American Muscle for years. Ever since the first Transformers movie. Finance might not be glamorous, but damned if it didn¡¯t pay well. Alex reached into his pocket and thumbed the remote start, bringing the engine roaring to life and opening the passenger door with another click. Inside he deposited the gift, and then jogged around to enter the driver¡¯s side door quickly. ¡°Flowers, flowers¡¡± he muttered as he opened his phone, typing a quick search and locating the nearest and best rated flower shop. A quick attachment of the car¡¯s USB-C cable later and he buckled on his seatbelt, shifting into drive and pulling out of his chosen parking space. Five minutes and a short wait later, he was cruising down Woodstock Road towards Oxford proper, and the blinking dot of Clarendon Centre almost forty minutes away. Green grass and open views flew past at his sides, but he had no time for any of it. Knowing his sister, there would be ample amounts of atrociously healthy food at her party, and he was definitely not in the mood for another vegan burger. ¡°Wendy¡¯s, maybe?¡± he asked, eyes glancing up at the sky. Storm clouds covered the sky as far as he could see, and his wipers were already in full gear to account for the downpour of rain and sleet. Thankfully his car had a ¡®Snow¡¯ setting for better control, but the entire atmosphere was depressing. His hand went to the radio to turn it on, and the moment he did, he was hit by the sound of static and distorted voices. He frowned at the interface screen and prodded it a few more times, without success. ¡°Re¡ clai¡ mer¡¡± the same weird repeating noises. ¡°Ne¡ phi¡ lim¡¡± Alex stared at the radio and then promptly shut it off with a whine of static. He swallowed to ease his racing heart. Definitely a weird amount of storm static, but nothing horribly out of the ordinary. Probably just a weird radio drama or something. He didn¡¯t dwell on how hollow that sounded to his own mind. Instead, Alexander¡¯s eyes flicked to his central dash screen at the advent of a blinking ¡®incoming call¡¯ notification and he sighed in relief when he recognised his sister¡¯s number. Bracing himself, Alex hit the green icon and put on as cheerful a voice as he could muster. ¡°Good morning, birthday girl.¡± ¡°Lex you jerk!¡± His sister shot back over the line, drawing a wince while he drove. ¡°You were meant to be here an hour ago!¡± He suppressed a sigh at the aggrieved nature of her tone. ¡°Yeah... sorry. I overslept and¡ª¡± ¡°Really Lex? On my birthday?¡± ¡°I know, Cass, I know. Sorry.¡± A long-suffering sigh came through the other end, and his sister¡¯s voice turned rueful. ¡°It¡¯s alright. I honestly expected you to show up at like midday anyway.¡± He paused for a minute, and then snorted while his fermenting guilt melted away. ¡°I¡¯m guessing you enjoyed that.¡± ¡°Enjoyed what?¡± she asked innocuously, as if she hadn¡¯t taken the chance to needle him. ¡°Alright, Cece,¡± he said shrewdly while using her childhood name. ¡°What do you want?¡± ¡°Your company!¡± He snorted. ¡°Sure, and what else? Answer quickly or I will assume you don¡¯t want anything else.¡± A pause followed, and then she laughed. ¡°Okay fine. I really need some new blush. If I send you the picture and stuff, can you get it for me?¡± He groaned. ¡°Why didn¡¯t you do this yesterday?¡± ¡°I was busy!¡± she insisted. ¡°Besides you¡¯re my big brother, and it¡¯s my birthday. Sooo¡¡± ¡°Alright, alright,¡± he grumbled. ¡°Just send me the bloody photo and I¡¯ll grab it when I¡¯m at Clarendon.¡± ¡°Awesome! Thanks so mu¡ªWhy are you going to Clarendon?¡± The shift from glee to suspicion was so fast he absently wondered if he could get whiplash from emotional changes. ¡°Wendy¡¯s,¡± he admitted idly. ¡°Gross!¡± she shot back. ¡°Lex, you know that stuff is, like, absolutely awful for you!¡± ¡°Uh huh,¡± he said with a suppressed grin. ¡°It is!¡± She insisted. ¡°It¡¯s greasy and fatty and absolutely gross.¡± He raised an eyebrow and glanced at the screen, despite the lack of video. She was very transparent. ¡°So, what do you want?¡± This text was taken from Royal Road. Help the author by reading the original version there. A few seconds of silence followed his request, during which Alex could quite vividly picture her face scrunched up in annoyance, before she spoke again. This time her tone was quieter, like she was acknowledging and mourning her sudden defeat. ¡°Burger. Large meal. Extra sauce.¡± He snorted. ¡°What happened to ¡®mushroom meat is the future¡¯?¡± ¡°Listen, that¡¯s true! Just, you know, for girls without my metabolism. God Lex, I am, like, craving something gross.¡± He laughed. ¡°You got it, little sister. Anything else?¡± ¡°Choccy shake.¡± ¡°Cassandra!¡± ¡°Shut up! Don¡¯t judge me! It¡¯s my birthday! Choccy shake, burger, and lots of chips!¡± He laughed again at her demanding tone. ¡°Is that all?¡± ¡°You¡¯re a jerk!¡± she said with a stereotypical younger sibling''s whine. ¡°I¡¯ll see you soon,¡± he snorted. ¡°Okay,¡± she said happily. ¡°Love you, Lex.¡± ¡°Love you, too, Cece.¡± The call disconnected and Alex chuckled to himself, accelerating slightly to keep up with the local speed limit. He¡¯d need to make it to the party sooner rather than later, or his sister would be too mortified to eat in front of her friends. It wasn¡¯t as if he and Cassandra had a bad relationship, after all; they were just very different people. She was a social butterfly, beautiful and confident like their mother. Alex, however, was an ambivert¡ªwith clear bias towards the ¡®introvert¡¯ side of the spectrum. He was most comfortable by himself with a book, grinding an MMO, or watching a movie. ¡°Bloody hell, it¡¯s coming down a bit hard¡¡± he muttered as the storm intensified, squinting at the road ahead. ¡°Maybe I should slow¡ªAh!¡± A flash of lightning lit the world white, and thunder shook him and the car. England was known for its storms, but that had almost seemed targeted. Alex barely managed to keep himself driving straight, his heart pounding in his chest like the sonorous beat of a war drum. ¡°Holy shit!¡± he exclaimed. ¡°The bloody hell was that about?!¡± Talking to himself, he¡¯d found out, was not as strange as he¡¯d first believed. It was supposedly common for most people to have an inner monologue. It was less common for it to be external as well, in the vocal sense, but not all that rare. It was a nice balm against feeling like a crazy person from a badly written book. ¡°I really should finish Mother of Learn¡ªshit!¡± Another lightning bolt lit up the sky, and Alex found himself veering badly, struggling to control the car. Between the sleet on the roads, the high speeds, and the sudden violence of the weather it proved more of a challenge than he was remotely comfortable with. To make matters worse, he could have sworn he heard someone banging a massive gong in the middle of the thunder. It was¡ insane, really. ¡°Come on, damn it, come on!¡± He snarled as he managed to make the traction control properly find its ground, a shaky sigh of relief building in his lungs. That¡¯s when a third bolt of lightning, this one burning its strangely blade-like shape into his retinas, impacted the asphalt ahead like the fist of an enraged god. Alex¡¯s car hit the sudden pothole at almost 60 miles an hour, and the entire front of his car dipped. A sudden cessation in the vehicle¡¯s forward motion combined with a drastic forward dip into an immovable divot, and inertia did the rest. Alex barely had time to scream before his car launched itself upward, flipping boot over bumper to smash into a high-speed roll along the open roadway and into the grass beside it. Silence reigned for several moments when the car finally came to a stop on its roof, and Alex stopped screaming long enough to realise he wasn¡¯t dead. He was, however, hanging upside down on his seatbelt. That was¡ problematic. A coppery tang filled his mouth, his head felt stuffed with cotton, and there was a ringing in his ears he couldn¡¯t fully hear past¡ but he was alive. Brown eyes searching through the bleary lack of focus afflicting them, Alex reached out for his upside-down door and cried out when a lance of agony surged through his arm. ¡°Fuck,¡± he cursed angrily, realising he had very likely broken or at least badly fractured the limb. ¡°I can¡¯t¡ I can¡¯t stay here. Insulation won¡¯t matter if that lightning hits the fucking engine,¡± he growled partially just to motivate himself, while looking at the door and¡ªwith a burst of effort and snarl of desperation-fuelled pain¡ªforcing his ragged arm to pull the handle and open it. Another curse left his lips at the pain of the action, and he curled his arm tightly against his chest. ¡°Motherfucking fucking shitfuck,¡± he swore with a mix of pain and fear, and while resisting the urge to curl his hand into a fist. He instead used his left arm to fumble for his seatbelt. ¡°This is going to su¡ª!¡± the belt unlatched, and he slammed down against the wheel and roof with a scream of pain, vision exploding with white spots as he snarled out a spittle-filled chain of agony-driven invectives. ¡°Just breathe, Alex, just breathe¡¡± he muttered to himself, attempting to swallow the rising bile and panic that threatened to overwhelm his better sense. ¡°Just fucking breathe.¡± That was when the radio turned on again, seemingly of its own volition. ¡°You¡ are¡ Called¡ Re¡ clai¡ mer¡¡± Alex stared at the dash for a long moment and swallowed. No, he wasn¡¯t going to think about that. He had bigger issues. He needed to move. Taking his own adrenaline-and-fear-fuelled advice, he tried to steady his breathing while he examined his circumstances, noting the fact his door appeared to be on the raised side of the overturned car. That meant pushing it, which was¡ unfortunate. ¡°Alright, can¡¯t leverage that easily, so I need to¡¡± Another snarl of pain ripped from his lips, mixed with a plaintive cry as he forcibly shifted himself like a turtle on the roof, neck bent at an extremely awkward angle; and placed both feet against the car door. With a growl of effort he pushed, kicking open the door¡ only for it to come crashing back at him from the reflex of the hinge. Another curse left his lips moments before he caught the door on his feet, howling in pain again at the shock of impact, the pain in his ankles, and the general agony of his disturbed right arm. ¡°Fuckity fucking fuck fucking shit FUCK!¡± he bellowed, throwing more f-bombs out than his old private school nuns would have ever approved of. Then again, he doubted the sisters would have done much better in his place. ¡°O¡ªokay. Door is open. Now I just need to get out and¡ shit, my phone! I need my¡ where the hell did it¡?¡± Alex shifted around to look for his voice, until realising he had a better option. ¡°Assistant! Make noise!¡± After only a moment¡¯s hesitation, a blaring of digitised cymbals erupted somewhere behind him loud enough to pierce the ringing in his ears, and Alex forcefully ignored the static-laden sound of a voice within the noise. Instead, he craned his neck to spy the phone on the roof of the passenger side of the car. ¡°Thank god,¡± he muttered while he reached out and grabbed it awkwardly with his good arm. A cursory inspection showed a slightly broken screen and some aesthetic damage to the exterior, but an otherwise in-tact phone. Alex sighed in relief before tucking it into his jeans pocket with a bit of awkward shuffling. A moment later he reached up to the bottom of the door¡ªnow the top, given its upside-down orientation¡ªwith his good arm and, hooking his left leg around the bottom of the frame while keeping the door open with his right foot, heaved himself up and toward the exit. Almost as expected, he ended up falling out of the car more than climbing, dropping onto the rain and sleet-saturated grass with a thud and cry of pain. ¡°God damn it!¡± He cursed, bracing his left hand against the icy surface and shoving himself up. He was immediately soaked, not to mention muddied, and appeared to have blood on several parts of his body. But most importantly, he was alive. When he took a few shaky steps forward and turned to look at his car, he realised exactly how unlikely an event that truly was. His Camaro, his beast, was wrecked. The windscreen and rear windows were both all but shattered, the frame was bent at impossible angles that seemed to have only avoided crushing him though a mix of providence and good design; and the wheels were warped beyond recognition. It didn¡¯t even scratch the surface on the engine, which was leaking some mixture of fluids that, if not for the rain, might have proven extremely hazardous to Alex¡¯s prospects for survival. Thunder crackled overhead, and he looked upward with an expression of hatred. ¡°Will you FUCK OFF!¡± he shouted with a rage-venting snarl towards the sky. If it hadn¡¯t been for the storm, the lightning¡ It was ludicrous. How in the hell did lightning strike three times in close proximity? The entire situation was insane. The voices weren¡¯t helping, and neither was that accursed gong. Who beat a gong in the middle of a fucking storm anyway? He shook his head when another wave of dizziness and nausea swept over him, and realised belatedly he was likely concussed. Badly concussed. That might have explained the weird sounds, at least. At least that¡¯s what he told himself. ¡°Need to call for help,¡± he mumbled while also realising, groggily, that he couldn¡¯t very well just walk through the freezing rain and sleet. Whether he set off towards the city proper or back to his apartment, the most likely outcome was a quiet and futile death via hypothermia and exposure. He had nothing in the way of warm clothing, and English winters were not kind to the unprepared. Especially not in an open area like outer Oxford. Alex¡¯s left hand dove into his pocket while he held his right to his chest, and he gripped his jacket with his teeth, shielding his phone from the rain with the polyester fabric of his blazer and the flesh of his tortured body. It took nearly three inputs of his code, thanks to the rain and ruined screen, and one bloody cut on the ruined glass of the display before Alex managed to access his home screen. ¡°Right, 999 first¡¡± he muttered to himself as he dialled, realising only afterward that he likely could have just swiped across to the emergency access screen in the first place, and cursing himself for his lack of awareness. Though in his defence, he begrudged his own internal monologue. Another rumble of thunder drew his eye in annoyance as Alex put the phone to his ear, and he stepped closer to the car cautiously, aiming to use it for a bit of shelter from the rain without risking it falling atop him should it overbalance. ¡°999 Emergency. Which service?¡± the operator asked in a calm and feminine voice. ¡°A-Ambulance,¡± Alex said between chattering teeth. ¡°Connecting you now,¡± the operator responded smoothly, before transferring him. ¡°Come on¡¡± Alex muttered, feeling his bones growing colder. ¡°Answer the fucking¡ª!¡± ¡°Ambulance, please state the location and nature of your emergency.¡± ¡°O-Oxfordshire. Car accident. I need help.¡± ¡°Of¡ªRe¡ªcourse¡ªclai¡ªsir. May¡ªmer¡ªI ask your name?¡± ¡°My¡¡± he bit back a snarl of frustration and fear at the sound of the voice again. ¡°S-sure. Alex Crosswood.¡± ¡°Thank you, Alex. Can you tell me what sort of cond¡ª?¡± The only warning Alex had was a sudden roaring, followed by blinding light, and then there was heat. So much heat. It was like fire and ice in his nerve endings. His vision went white, he felt something inside of him crack like a wishbone, and then suddenly he was on the grass, on his back, with his arms on the ground and his legs twisted¡ wrongly. ¡°What¡?¡± He heard nothing save a low buzzing and saw only the storming sky above. The buzzing resolved itself slowly into a loud and rumbling note in his ear. A gong, perhaps? Again? Once more he was confused. Why a gong? His eyes widened and his thoughts stilled at a sudden, almost slow-motion movement above him. Storm clouds rippled and roared, and lightning converged together into what almost appeared to be a prismatic multi-hued rainbow bolt of energy, dazzling him with more colours than he could conceive. It surged towards him, angled like the penetrating spear of a wrathful god, and before Alex could even muster the muscle movement to scream, he was struck. The bolt smashed into his body just above his navel, piercing him with force and power and raging, obliterating energy. He felt his eyes turn to jelly, his blood boil, his hair burn away, and his nails bubble and melt. His existence, his life, his entire reality was sloughed into death by the vicious strike of the most colourful lightning bolt he¡¯d ever seen. His last thought was of Cassandra. Of her smile. That he wouldn¡¯t get to see her on her birthday after all. That she would be hurt, thinking he¡¯d forgotten her. That she¡¯d have to remember her birthday as the day her brother died. That he couldn¡¯t give her the massive chocolate milkshake he knew she would love. A sudden sound like a banging gong echoed across his soul. NEPHILIM LOCATED What¡? he thought, fuelled by the last dregs of awareness. A voice¡? BEGINNING ASSIMILATION A death rattle escaped his friction desiccated and cracked lips. WELCOME TO THE SYSTEM, NEPHILIM Alex Crosswood felt himself slipping into death. THE RECLAMATION HAS BEGUN Darkness claimed him. B1 | Chapter 02: Predetermination He awoke in darkness. Or perhaps an absence of¡ anything. It was difficult to define. Everything felt¡ wrong. Loose. His body, his self, his very identity seemed¡ hazy. Nothing was clear. Nothing was¡ The car! His awareness spiked with alarm, and he remembered. An accident. Thunder. Lightning. Pain. So much pain. Then there was¡ a voice? A gong? A moment of blurry obfuscation marred his awareness again when he tried to recall what had happened, to organise the recollections that wouldn¡¯t quite form into being. He had been¡ travelling. Driving. To a¡ function? Celebration¡ a party! A birthday party for his¡ sister. His sister, Cassandra. Cassandra! ¡°Cassandra!¡± he shouted, before staggering at the sudden return of sensation. He stood upon an expansive, white platform of infinity. Everywhere he looked was nothing. There was only more white, onwards and forever unto eternity. His head started to spin; his breaths became short. Panic gripped his chest¡ª He blinked and looked around. He stood within a small grove. A forest clearing of a sort he had never seen. Flowers of blues and pinks and purples and reds and every other possible hue and shade saturated the area, filling it with a riot of colours that assailed his senses with scent and beauty. He let the strangeness of it all wash over him and stepped towards the single large tree at the centre of the glade. His fingers found purchase upon the bark, ancient and granular to his touch, and coloured a shade of white that stood starkly against the norm for what he understood as regular vegetation. His fingers traced the platinum whorls in the bark, almost akin to a seamless and infinitely looping, complex alphabet that was linked together by convoluted connections he couldn¡¯t begin to understand. They almost looked metallic, and yet felt like hardened sap. His mind couldn¡¯t even attempt to properly comprehend it all, too lost in the strange sense of comfort he derived from the mysterious tree. He felt like he should have been panicking. He should have been far more¡ emotional, and yet¡ yet¡ the¡ He abruptly staggered backwards with a cry of pain and reached up to claw at his head. ¡°This isn¡¯t real!¡± he shouted in desperation, and instantly the grove shattered. A distant chime sounded, and when he next opened his eyes, he stood once more within the infinite white. This time, however, a small blue screen hovered in front of him. He stared.
Welcome, Nephilim!
System Assimilation has initialised.
Soulforce ignition has been successful.
Your signature classification is: [Transcendent]!
Would you like to proceed to the actualisation stage?
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| Actualisation stage initiated. Please wait. Preparing basic information¡ Please enter your name. ________________ ________________ |
| Actualisation stage initiated. Please wait. Preparing basic information¡ Please enter your name. ________ ________ ________ ________ |
Actualisation stage initiated. Please wait.
Preparing basic information¡
Please enter your name.
Aurelian Arcturus Augustus
Confirm selection?
|
Actualisation stage initiated. Please wait.
Preparing basic information¡
Please enter your name.
Aurelian Lucis Imperius
Confirm selection?
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| Congratulations, Aurelian Lucis Imperius! You have successfully chosen your name. |
| Congratulations, Aurelian Lucis Imperius! Hidden Conditions met! You have chosen a unique name! Achievement Earned: Cast Your Own Shadow! For successfully having a name unique across the Realms, you have been awarded the following: 1 x Attribute Point 1 x Bronze Chest 1 x Unique Trait You will begin your journey at Level 2! |
| Congratulations, Aurelian Lucis Imperius! You have taken your first steps into the Realms. Please select your [Race]. Options will be p????o????????p??????u???????????#???????????$??????!????????!?????????¡ª????????? ??????????p??????o????????@???????????&????%???????p????¡ª????? ERROR PREDETERMINATION DETECTED SYSTEM OVERRIDE IN PROGRESS STANDBY |
OVERRIDE COMPLETE
RE-ENGAGING ASSIMILATION PROCESS
STANDBY
. . .
Congratulations, Aurelian Lucis Imperius!
Through immense effort, your benefactor has granted you access to a legendary race!
You have been assigned the [Elysean] race!
Would you like to view the details of your race?
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| ELYSEAN Legendary Race Elyseans are an ancient race, whose origins are linked to the first Calamity. Elyseans were known for their incredible physical and arcane might, and their capacity for great innovation. Pureblooded Elysean are extinct, faded from time to be remembered only in ancient stories among their distant descendents, and by the ruins they left behind. Racial Bonuses Elyseans gain the following bonuses: + 3 Willpower per Level +1 Charisma per Level R???????!?????g???????4??????h??????&?????? ???????o???????f?????? ????????D??????o???????m????%????????!???????!????????? ERROR PREDETERMINATION DETECTED SYSTEM OVERRIDE IN PROGRESS STANDBY |
| OVERRIDE COMPLETE RE-ENGAGING ASSIMILATION PROCESS STANDBY . . . Congratulations, Aurelian Lucis Imperius! Hidden Conditions met! You have been granted the unique title: Elysean Reclaimer! The bearer of this title is the chosen heir of the Elysean Empire. Summoned through time and space by its last rulers, they have been granted the right to take back what was stolen. Beware! There are forces both great and small that will see this as a threat to their dominion. Be wary of whom you chose to trust, for power is a great motivation for betrayal, deception, and worse. As a result of this, you gain the following: +3 Attribute Points per Level +1 Skill Point per Level +10% XP Gain |
| You have almost completed your assimilation! Your name is Aurelian Lucis Imperius, you are an Elysean with the title Elysean Reclaimer! Please select your Origin f???r????o???????m??????? ????????b??????e????????l?????o?????????w???????¡????? ERROR NEPHILIM ORIGIN SUPERSEDES ALL STANDBY |
| OVERRIDE COMPLETE RE-ENGAGING ASSIMILATION PROCESS STANDBY . . . Congratulations, Aurelian Lucis Imperius! Through immense effort, your benefactor has granted you access to a Legendary origin! [Nephilim] Nephilim are beings of mythical power and might, whose tales of origin date back to the ancient days of the Realms. Little to nothing is known of them, save that their potential is said to be limitless. They are known as agents of both miracle and calamity. As a result of this, you gain the following: +2 Attribute Points per Level Nullification of Skill Limit Penalty +10% XP per Level |
| You have almost completed your assimilation! Your name is Aurelian Lucis Imperius, you are an Elysean with the title Elysean Reclaimer! Please select your Zodiac f???r????o???????m??????? ????????b??????e????????l?????o?????????w???????¡????? ERROR PREDETERMINATION DETECTED SYSTEM OVERRIDE IN PROGRESS STANDBY |
| OVERRIDE COMPLETE RE-ENGAGING ASSIMILATION PROCESS STANDBY . . . Congratulations, Aurelian Lucis Imperius! Through immense effort, your benefactor has granted you access to a Legendary Zodiac! [Dragon] The Dragon is the symbol of ancient power. Icons of honour, valour, and prestige; Dragons represent the greatest of heroes, and the greatest of calamities. Long thought extinct, their Zodiac was said to have died with them. Dragon has, until now, been lost to time and memory. As a result of this, you gain the following: +2 Strength per Level +1 Vitality per Level +10% XP per Level Language: [Draconic] |
Congratulations, Aurelian Lucis Imperius!
You have successfully selected your name, race, and zodiac. All that remains is to finalise your initial spread of Attributes.
Would you like to proceed to your character sheet?
Warning: Once you proceed, you cannot change your selections.
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CHARACTER SHEET
Identity Information
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Status Calculations
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Do you wish to activate Interface Compression?
This can be undone at any time.
|
| QUEST ISSUED: The Fallen Star You have witnessed an event unprecedented for this Age: the descent of a body from Heaven. In the heart of such an event you have seen a message from your Ancestors, crying out for your intervention. Venture into the Desolation and discover the location of the Fallen Star, and what mysteries it might hold. Success Parameters: Find the Fallen Star Survive the Desolation Failure Parameters: Die Rewards: 1 x Gold Chest 1 x Unique Title (Varies) Huge Experience Gain |
¡°Damn it, there¡¯s too many!¡± a voice shouted at his side, drawing his gaze up to the proud, frustrated features of a handsome elf while screams of the dying and clashing steel resounded from up ahead. ¡°They¡¯re going to break through!¡± ¡°That can¡¯t happen!¡± he heard himself respond, his voice feminine and high-pitched. ¡°The Imperatrix¡¯s plan depends on us keeping them out!¡± ¡°We have no other choice then!¡± a third voice called from his right, its speaker a middle-aged man with a friar¡¯s cut. ¡°We¡¯ll have to collapse the entrance.¡± ¡°Are you insane?!¡± a fourth voice shot back from up ahead, belonging to a large female orc of all things. ¡°That would ruin the Imperatrix¡¯s plan just as we¡ªUrk!¡± Her body jerked when something slammed into it, and a voice from nearby screamed ¡®Crossbows!¡¯ in alarm. Too late in the warning, he watched the orcess stagger backward as two more bolts punched into her body and she dropped to her knees. ¡°Egthala!¡± he heard himself cry out in despair. ¡°No! NO! This can¡¯t be¡ªAlthair!¡± At his side the elf had been knocked off his feet with two large, cruel looking steel quarrels punched through his chest. He was barely breathing. ¡°We have to do it, Tarixi! We can¡¯t let them gain access to the¡ªArghh!¡± the human slammed back against the wall when a crossbow bolt smashed into his shoulder, and then ejected a ball of flame from his left hand. Screams sounded in reply. ¡°You know¡ You know what you have to do, Tarixi. Do it. For all of the oth¡ª!¡± his words cut off when a bolt punched into his throat, and he slid slowly to the ground. Aurelian felt himself staring at the dying human in horror, and then a great heat welling up within him. In front of him two more quarrels impacted the kneeling form of the orcess, and she at last released her final breath. Rage, pain, and desperation welled up inside Aurelian, and he felt it as an incandescent fury. A building inferno of less and loathing. ¡°Why?¡± he heard himself demand amid quiet sobs. ¡°Why did it have to come to this? All of you¡ You Godsworn bastards¡ ALL OF YOU CAN BURN! IGNIS ULTIMA!¡± He threw his arms wide in the same moment as a quarrel finally found its way into his chest, and all but blasted him off of his feet from the impact force. It was too late. His grief had been unleashed in a cascade of immolation that flash-boiled sweat and blood, and cooked everyone around in their armour. Friend and foe alike were consumed, though the flames all but ignored armour, clothes, and weapons. It was an elegant spell, a targeted spell. Something he knew even, as he died, would be forgotten; like all the rest of the knowledge the thrice-accursed zealots had already destroyed. He felt his life fading while his flames tore apart the battlefield, infecting and annihilating the flesh of his enemies and allies alike. ¡°Forgive¡ me¡¡± he said while his breath started to fade. ¡°This is¡ all¡ I can¡ do¡¡± A final surge of energy coalesced through his body, and he felt the power of his Soulforce rumble a final time, taking his blood and spinning it into a Memory Gem within the grip of his hand. He rolled over with what strength he had left, tucking it under his dying body. ¡°Find¡ us¡¡± he begged against the marble floor of his once-home. ¡°Avenge¡ us¡ Rec¡ lai¡ mer¡¡± He felt his life end.Aurelian snapped back to reality with a heave of breath, his hands immediately dragging themselves along his chest in search of the crossbow quarrel that had killed him¡ª He froze. Iron Will roared to life within his mind, slamming down steely blocks of mental fortitude and helping him master himself. He was not dead. He was alive. He was not Tarixi, he was Aurelian. He was not a goblin, he was an Elysean. He was not injured. It had been¡ a memory? A vividly horrifying, lived-through memory. He could still smell the blood, the fear, the scent of burning flesh¡ his eyes roved over the silent corpse of the little goblin, and he felt a mix of awe, pity, and fear wash through his mind. She had possessed incredible power. Even the memory of it, loose as it was, tickled something within his mind. He felt¡ aware of himself in a way he hadn¡¯t been before. Aware of his Core, of his body, and of the conduits of power that threaded through him like small rivers of light hidden from view. Congratulations, Aurelian Lucis Imperius! You have met the requirements to unlock the skill Ma%???!???!????? ???C???h???a???/???/????3?????#????!????1????6???? ???(????U???C???)????!????? Mana Channelling is the foundational requirement for all spellcasters in learning their craft. It allows a denizen of the Realms to properly cycle and build the man????n????n????n????a??? ???w?????i????t????h???i????n??? ????t????h?????e?????i???r??? ????c????0?????/????/?????/?????/????$????#????#?????s????,??? ????$???%????%?????&????/????/????/?????-???-????-??? ERROR BLOODLINE DETECTED: ELYSEAN BLOODLINE SUPERSEDES ALL OTHER BLOODLINES SYSTEM OVERRIDE IN PROGRESS STANDBY . . . Congratulations, Aurelian Lucis Imperius! You have met the requirements to unlock the skill Mana Control (R)! Mana Control is the next stage of Mana Channelling, and allows you to not merely cycle the magic in your body, but control and guide its progress. Through the use of Mana Control, many wise and powerful spellcasters have strengthened and empowered their bodies to better make use of their Cores. By gaining this skill, you have taken a prodigious step on the path towards mastering spellcraft! The mysteries of magic await, Reclaimer! Aurelian exhaled in shocked surprise when he felt his awareness of the mana in his body settle on him, and was stunned at how potent he suddenly felt. He could track and mark each and every vein within him, or at least he knew he had the ability to. What he was feeling in the moment was more akin to a sense of minor-level enlightenment, allowing him to become aware of a resource he had never exploited or even fully understood the existence of. It was¡ incredible. ¡°Thank you, Tarixi,¡± he said while giving the gem a smile. ¡°You are welcome, Reclaimer,¡± a high-pitched feminine voice replied. Aurelian turned to his side, and the projected ghost of the dead Goblin smiled. ¡°Oh,¡± he said in a nonplussed voice. ¡°Fuck.¡± B1 | Chapter 14: Tarixi ¡°Not precisely the reaction I was hoping for, but I suppose it¡¯s warranted,¡± Tarixi¡¯s ghost said with a touch of wry amusement. ¡°I take it you weren¡¯t expecting an Echo?¡± ¡°An Ech¡ªJust hold on!¡± Aurelian said with a shake of his head while he turned to face the goddamn ghost standing before him. ¡°You¡¯re dead! I saw you die! Literally lived it, thanks to this¡ªthis thing!¡± he shook the cardinal at her for emphasis. ¡°Yes. I am quite dead,¡± the goblin confirmed cheerfully. ¡°Then what¡ª?¡± ¡°I am an Echo. A vestige of Soulforce imprinted upon the Memory Gem within your hand. While holding it, or so long as it is attached to your person, I can communicate with you.¡± Aurelian listened in silence and looked down at the gem, and then back to the faintly transparent goblin. At least she had robes on. ¡°So, you¡¯re sort of like my spirit guide?¡± ¡°Spirit gui¡ª? No,¡± Tarixi said with a shake of her head that sent ghostly ears flopping. ¡°I am not. My duty here is to help you understand what you must do, and to grant you access to what you were meant to have.¡± ¡°You mean like a weapon or something?¡± he asked with a flare of excitement. ¡°I already have a Runesword, but¡ª¡± ¡°No,¡± Tarixi interjected firmly. ¡°Not a weapon. Though¡¡± she hesitated for a long moment before continuing. Aurelian, meanwhile, tried to continue to be not-weirded-out while he listened. ¡°Well, I suppose one might say it can be weaponised, but that is a terrible mitigation of its true importance.¡± ¡°You are being very vague,¡± he observed. ¡°I know,¡± she said with another smile. ¡°Oh, and you may want to take care of that.¡± ¡°Take care of wh¡ªOh god damn it!¡± Aurelian turned while he was speaking, and his sudden gripe was owed to the fact that several of the skeletal Anointed¡ªGodsworn, as Tarixi called them in the memory¡ªwere beginning to stir. Their eyes, the same hateful acid-green, were angled towards him while they attempted to disentangle themselves from the various weapons, and other bodies, they had in some cases fused with over the untold years they had languished in the same position. Aurelian glanced down at the gem, and then made a snap decision and slotted it down into his belt, folding the top of his pants inward slightly so that the gem was resting against the skin of his waist. ¡°That is¡ unique.¡± Tarixi observed mildly. ¡°Yeah, well, it isn¡¯t like I have much to work with,¡± he replied while his eyes took stock of the rising undead. ¡°We can discuss a more permanent solution when I finish taking care of these wankers, alright?¡± ¡°Wankers, hm?¡± she repeated thoughtfully while she appraised them, before abruptly lighting up with a brilliant smile. ¡°An apt descriptor, despite their lack of sex organs. Yes, Reclaimer. Put down these skeletal wankers!¡± Aurelian needed no further encouragement and reached up to draw his Runesword as he burst into a charge towards the rising line of undead. He was quite proud of the fact he only hesitated slightly when he saw some of them were wielding weapons when they rose. Wasting as little time as possible, he started on the creatures closest to him and on the far right of the battle line. His Runesword whined as it scythed through the air and clashed against the upturned, rust-speckled blade of a skeletal knight. Aurelian leaned into the engagement and used his superior speed, trusting his instincts when he stepped away from the deadlock, dodged around a responsive cut at his shoulder, and rammed his blade home into the undead¡¯s skull. ¡°Your form needs work.¡± Tarixi observed from where she sort of just drifted alongside him. ¡°But your enthusiasm is splendid.¡± ¡°Who¡ª?¡± he began before ducking a swinging greatsword with a curse, and rolling away from a follow-up kick. He pushed himself up and surged forward a second later, slicing his blade in an arc and bisecting the knight at the waist, after which he ended it with a quick downwards thrust of his Runesword. ¡°Who what?¡± Tarixi asked curiously. ¡°Who asked?!¡± Aurelian shot back as he stepped forward into battle with yet another foe, blade meeting blade in a resounding clang of steel. He could tell that he was going to rapidly become outnumbered, and so he used the tactical knowledge he¡¯d gleaned earlier to navigate through and around the line of battle. His Runesword clashed twice more with his undead foe¡¯s weapon before Aurelian leveraged his better speed and baited in a strike, evading it with barely an inch to spare and quickly cutting off the risen warrior¡¯s head. He kicked the crumbling knight away and faced the remainder, counting off close to a solid dozen with a groan. ¡°Hey Tarixi?¡± ¡°Yes, Reclaimer?¡± she responded mildly. ¡°If you have any ancient battle mage insights, I am all ears.¡± ¡°Well given your complete lack of any form of training, magical knowledge, or¡ª¡± ¡°Let me specify!¡± Aurelian cut her off as he moved to engage another of the undead while keeping his flanks as covered as he could. ¡°Helpful insights! Helpful!¡± He grunted as another strike against his Runesword rattled his arms, and then leaned into the deadlock, waiting only long enough for the undead to press against him before snapping back his sword and forcing the creature off-balance. A quick spinning slash took off its upper body at the sternum, and he left whatever animation remained to writhe impotently on the ground several feet away while he turned to regard the next challenger. A skeleton wielding both blade and shield advanced towards him, and Aurelian grimaced in concern. The good news, at least, was that he had definitely improved with his Runesword. He could feel his body knowing where and how to move, and could process those instincts into active output with seamless ease. The rate at which he¡¯d increased in skill was, frankly, absurd. But even if they were undead, with all the odd puppet-like awkwardness to their movements; they were still warriors. There was a dire cunning behind how they fought, and even if they failed to properly react to his movements the way a living opponent might have, Aurelian had a feeling that his success until that point had been more based in positioning and tempo than any real advantage. ¡°Tarixi?!¡± He called out with an edge of desperation when he met the sword-and-board wielding undead head on a moment later, and parried away a probing strike. ¡°You are wielding a Runesword, correct?¡± she asked calmly. ¡°I am!¡± he affirmed with a curse when he staggered backward from a head-rattling shield bash, and only barely managed to nimbly dodge away from a follow-up slash. ¡°Then their armour will not save them.¡± ¡°And your point is?!¡± Aurelian asked while he pushed a flurry of wild, aggressive strikes onto the knight to keep it momentarily occupied. ¡°If their armour won¡¯t stop you, then neither will¡ª¡± ¡°¡ªtheir shield!¡± Aurelian finished with a mental ¡®duh¡¯ as he swiftly rolled towards the skeleton¡¯s other side and charged directly for its shielded left. The creature attempted to raise the shield in defence, and Aurelian simply speared his blade through it at an angle, and pierced the tip through the creature¡¯s jaw. It de-animated instantly, and collapsed into a pile of bones while he kicked the shield off of his blade. One dead, another crippled and clacking around on the ground, and ten to go! Aurelian searched around when the remaining undead started shamble-running towards him, armour rattling and weapons held still, and his eyes eventually landed on the blackened shaft of what appeared to be some sort of diamond-tipped wand. He ran towards it quickly and scooped it up in his left hand while he stared at it. ¡°Tarixi, how do I activate magic with this thing?!¡± ¡°That is an inaccurate assertion as to the nature of spellc¡ª¡± ¡°Tarixi!¡± ¡°You channel mana into it,¡± she said with a sigh, ¡°and point it at the enemy.¡± ¡°Well here goes nothing¡¡± Aurelian muttered to himself while he pointed the wand at the advancing undead, gathered his mana as best as his Mana Control skill would allow, and imagined shoved all of it into the instrument through flowing rivers of light. ¡°Just ensure you regulate the proper amount,¡± Tarixi continued while she drifted over. ¡°Or else you will suffer backbl¡ª¡± Her words were cut off by a cacophonous WHUMP when an explosion of air pressure erupted from the tip of the wand, and subsequently detonated the tip of the wand. Aurelian was sent hurtling backwards arse-over-skull along the marble floors, shouting in pain and confusion at the detonation, until he came to a bruised and bloodied halt some twelve metres from where he¡¯d been standing. Tarixi pursued him at a stately pace with a quiet ¡®tsk¡¯ of disapproval, but Aurelian barely noticed. Condition: Concussion (Minor) Mana Control is now Level 2! Mana Control is now Level 3! What he did notice was that the ten undead chasing him had suddenly been reduced to four¡ and a massive hole had been blasted through the piles of skeletons in alignment with the direction of his impromptu air cannon. The ruined wand lay splintered and useless on the ground, its diamond nowhere in sight¡ªlikely shattered, he supposed¡ªand several parts of its shaft were simply gone from the force of the detonation. The faint ringing in his ears would have confirmed he had, in fact, released some sort of percussive wave of concentrated air even if the obliterated undead and destroyed skeletal corpses hadn¡¯t done it already. Tarixi was saying something to him, but Aurelian couldn¡¯t hear her. A glance at his status screen showed why. Condition: Deafened (Minor), 3 Second Duration Aurelian winced while his ear drums rapidly healed, and his hearing returned with a pop. ¡°...ckless use of an irreplaceable wand. Were you an initiate in the Magisterii, Reclaimer, we¡¯d have you lashed for such a reprehensible use of priceless¡ª¡± Aurelian ignored the annoyed spirit¡¯s stern reprimand and scrambled to his feet, taking only the time to search for his quarry before hurtling towards where he saw a nearby wand. This one was topped with a red gemstone. He had plenty of giddy suspicions about what that meant. Aurelian scooped it up as he passed and spun around, the weak grip on the soles of his shoes forcing him into a sliding locomotion across the marble flooring while he faced down the approaching skeletons. It probably looked like he was floor-surfing toward them. ¡°Don¡¯t you dare, Reclaimer!¡± Tarixi cried out. Too late! He thought smugly. The skeletons, for just a moment, hesitated. Aurelian grinned. BOOM! Condition: Concussion (Moderate) Condition: Burned (Minor) Condition: Bleeding (Minor) Condition: Deafened (Minor), 3 Second Duration Mana Control is now Level 4! Mana Control is now Level 5! Aurelian stirred with a low, uncomfortable moan. His head felt like it was stuffed with cotton, and had been compressed by a magnetic press. His body was sore, and he had the strangest sense of tingly numbness in his fingers. Aurelian allowed a few moments to pass so he could catch his breath, and then cracked open his eyes and winced. Blinding brightness assailed his head as his wounded brain tried to parse the information from his senses. Everything hurt everywhere, and he swore he tasted metal in his mouth. He grimaced at the flash and chime of new alerts. Pain Tolerance is now Level 23! Durable is now Level 13! Durable is now Level 14! Tactician is now Level 8! Longsword Mastery is now Level 20! Longsword Mastery is now Level 21! This narrative has been purloined without the author''s approval. Report any appearances on Amazon. Dodge is now Level 14! . . . Dodge is now Level 17! Congratulations, Aurelius Lucis Imperius! You have met the requirements to unlock the skill Fire Resistance (UC)! Resistances are what allow denizens of the Realms to weather the powerful differences in climates and terrain one might find across territories, and of these the elemental resistances are often the most potent. You have managed to inure your body, in some meaningful way, to the scorching touch of the flame. Time to turn up the heat, Reclaimer! Fire Resistance is now Level 2! Fire Resistance is now Level 3! You have reached Level 17! You have reached Level 18! Aurelian wheezed while a rush of System energy flooded his nervous system, easing his pains and spiking only a slight amount of discomfort at the mass of it. Compared to his last multi-level experience, this one was a downright feather tickle. He felt his ear drums return to normalcy with the same pop as before, and even his concussion downgraded from ¡®moderate¡¯ to ¡®minor¡¯ at the influx of restorative energy. Aurelian winced moments later when he felt the thickening of his muscles and the subsequent density increase of his body, biting back a curse at the poignant ache in his bones as the System provided an increase in their mass. His strength, vitality, willpower, and charisma all increased in their own ways, and he leaned back against the wall and sighed long and low in relief when the moment of discomfort and pain passed him by. ¡°Are you quite satisfied with yourself?¡± a chilly, high-pitched voice asked from nearby. ¡°Wha¡ªFuck¡ªOh. Tarixi.¡± Aurelian had, in his disoriented state, completely forgotten about the little goblin until that moment. He did however consider it a small win that her spectral status no longer phased him. ¡°If you¡¯re asking about whether or not I regret that absolutely awesome use of magic? No, not really.¡± ¡°You destroyed two priceless battle wands!¡± the little ghost exclaimed. ¡°They¡¯ve been sitting here untouched for how many hundreds of years?¡± he asked tiredly. ¡°I don¡¯t think anyone is left to miss them,¡± he caught what he was saying almost immediately after it was out of his mouth, and his eyes widened. The fog lifted abruptly as well. ¡°Oh god. Tarixi. I didn¡¯t mean¡ªI¡¯m sorry for¡ª¡± ¡°It is fine, Reclaimer,¡± she responded a little stiffly. ¡°I understand your words were not meant to be cruel.¡± ¡°Oh,¡± Aurelian responded lamely. ¡°Okay then.¡± Several moments of awkward silence passed between them, and finally the little goblin sighed. ¡°You are not what I expected, Reclaimer.¡± Aurelian looked at her carefully when she broke the silence, and this time chose his words with greater caution. ¡°In what manner?¡± Tarixi turned her eyes to the obliterated field of battle around them. ¡°You are reckless, untested, uneducated, and most definitely not a creature of exacting elegance. In the brief minutes I have known you, you have waded in against undead heedless of your own safety, almost blown yourself up¡ªtwice!¡ªwithout care for the consequences, and have shown no true measure of regret for any of it.¡± Aurelian opened his mouth and then closed it. Was he really that bad? ¡°But¡¡± she said after a long moment and drew his attention back to her from where it had wandered to view the area. ¡°You are confident, and courageous, and I could feel you suppressing your fear of the undead and the pain they inflicted while you fought. I can also tell you are not a cruel person, based on how you reacted after your careless words. I do not know if you are a truly kind or sensible person, Reclaimer, but I can believe you are a strong and brave one.¡± ¡°Wow¡¡± Aurelian said after she was done and a mix of embarrassment, shame, indignation, chagrin, and pride warred inside of his heart and mind. ¡°I can¡¯t decide if that¡¯s a good thing or I should feel insulted. Heh.¡± ¡°I suppose neither, or perhaps both,¡± Tarixi said with a spectral shrug. ¡°That is for you to decide.¡± Aurelian nodded in understanding and almost thought to push himself up, before freezing abruptly. ¡°Hey, Tarixi?¡± ¡°Yes, Reclaimer?¡± ¡°Can you tell me about skill points?¡± His eyes turned to the little goblin, and she appraised him with an unreadable look. He waited. She watched. Time passed. Finally, she nodded her consent. ¡°Yes. I shall, but only if you promise to consider my advice carefully.¡± Aurelian nodded quickly. ¡°Of course. I will do my utmost to consider your wisdom.¡± And he meant it. There was no point gaining access to a powerful, ancient spellcaster if he didn¡¯t listen to anything that she said. At that point he would have just been asinine. ¡°Skill points come in three forms,¡± Tarixi began without preamble, ¡°which are defined by their function. The first and most common is the generic and literal Skill Point value, which may be used to increase a selected skill. This is not a straightforward matter, however, as the investment required to increase a skill depends wholly on the tier of the skill, the quality of the skill, and your skill limit penalty.¡± Aurelian lifted a hand immediately and then lowered it quickly, feeling like a fool. He¡¯d acted as if he were a student in a classroom. Tarixi, however, seemed to almost approve of the action and lifted an eyebrow at him in question. Deciding not to look a gift horse in the mouth, Aurelian spoke. ¡°My Nephilim origin nullifies the Skill Limit Penalty,¡± he said with a hint of the uncertainty he felt. ¡°So does that mean it doesn¡¯t apply anymore at all?¡± Tarixi¡¯s eyes widened, and she let out a long, slow sigh. ¡°Of course. Nephilim. How could I forget? Your kind has such immense power and potential.¡± Tarixi laughed at her own words. ¡°Then yes, we can forget about the penalty. The rest still applies, however.¡± ¡°Oh! Also!¡± he realised he likely sounded mildly chaotic, though in his mind it was unavoidable. He just had so many questions! ¡°Why do I only gain experience and new skill levels after combat? Shouldn¡¯t it happen at each moment?¡± ¡°Tempo,¡± she explained with a look of forced patience. ¡°The System evaluates your gains based on a number of factors, so we came to believe, including the number of foes, speed of dispatch, and the intensity of the conflict. It will grant you levels and experience inside of combat at times, but not often. We do not know what the key to that deviation is. It is not an exact understanding.¡± she finished with a small shrug. ¡°Okay. I apologise for interrupting. You were talking about the different skill points?¡± Tarixi smiled at him approvingly before continuing. ¡°Thank you, Reclaimer. As I was saying, that is the first type of skill point. The second are Skill Upgrade Points, which can be used to directly change a skill from its current quality into the directly superior version.¡± ¡°Like how my Mana Channelling became Mana Control?¡± he asked curiously. ¡°Precisely like that, yes,¡± Tarixi said with an affirmative nod. ¡°Though there are limitations, and you require more points with every level of quality. Common to Uncommon requires one, Uncommon to Rare requires two, Rare to Epic requires three, and so on. This cost is also escalated by the tier of the skill. A Novice tier skill increases the cost by an additional one point, Adept tier by an additional two points, and so on.¡± ¡°I see¡¡± Aurelian said quietly while he listened, leaning back against the wall and folding his arms over his ruined shirt. ¡°So, if I wanted to upgrade my Longsword Mastery, which is Common but is Adept tier, it would cost me two Skill Upgrade Points?¡± ¡°Correct,¡± Tarixi said with an approving smile. ¡°And if I wanted to upgrade my Revelate, which is Epic but Beginner tier, it would cost¡ Four?¡± ¡°Also correct,¡± Tarixi said with a nod. ¡°Though most people don¡¯t bother upgrading skills above Epic.¡± she said with a hint of finality. ¡°...Why?¡± Aurelian asked with legitimate confusion. He would love Legendary skills! ¡°Cost efficiency and greater efficacy over time,¡± Tarixi answered simply. ¡°It is better to have a broad investment, with capacity for more widespread returns, than a narrower one that is only occasionally profitable.¡± Aurelian couldn¡¯t help but laugh when she gave her description, and lifted a hand to forestall her when he saw confused ire cloud her ghostly features. ¡°N¡ªNo, Tarixi. It¡ªIt isn¡¯t the knowledge¡¡± he drew a breath while he reigned himself in, and then turned and smiled at her wryly. ¡°It¡¯s just that you used very familiar language, reminding me of what I used to do before¡¡± his mirth trailed off slowly as more context flowed back to him. ¡°Well, before I was here. It was just an amusing coincidence.¡± It no longer seemed funny to him, however, when he remembered the events that precipitated his rebirth. ¡°My apologies. Please continue.¡± Tarixi watched him with something he identified as coming dangerously close to pity but didn¡¯t press the issue¡ªfor which he was grateful¡ªand instead resumed her education on skill points. ¡°The final and rarest type of skill point is a Skill Evolution Point. These are highly sought after and rarely attained, and allow Cultivators to not only upgrade their skill, but evolve it as well; creating a new, and potentially unique ability all their own.¡± Aurelian went very still at her words, and slowly raised his hand. ¡°Yes?¡± she prompted him patiently. ¡°I, uh, have three.¡± ¡°Three questions?¡± Tarixi attempted to clarify. ¡°No, uh, three Skill Evolution points.¡± Tarixi¡¯s ghostly form went very, very still and she leaned towards him to stare at him for a long, drawn-out moment. Aurelian felt himself wanting to shift away from her gaze but didn¡¯t move, and instead allowed her larger and rounded eyes to stare at him like he was some sort of bewildering scientific anomaly. ¡°Show me.¡± she said finally. ¡°How do I¡ª?¡± ¡°Will your Animus Registry to appear. I can look through our connection.¡± ¡°My¡ª? Oh!¡± he smacked his forehead. ¡°My character sheet. Sure.¡± Tarixi barely had time to look confused before he brought up his sheet. Name: Aurelian Lucis Imperius Temper: Untempered Novice Core: Calamity Core (Ignition Stage) Level: 18 | Race: Elysean (L) | Origin: Nephilim (L) | Gender: Male | Zodiac: Dragon (L) Health: 560 | Mana: 186 | Stamina: 119 STR: 56 | AGI: 30 | DEX: 40 | VIT: 56 | END: 21 | INT: 40 | PER: 21 | WIL: 66 | CHA: 24 Mind Skills: Revelate (E) 9 | Linguistics (UC) 1 | Philology (R) 3 | Exploration (UC) 4 | Investigation (UC) 7 | Iron Will (R) 16 | Tactician (R) 7 Body Skills: Pain Tolerance (UC) 22 | Longsword Mastery (C) 21 | Running (C) 12 | Dodge (C) 17 | Durable (UC) 14 | Fire Resistance (UC) 3 Spirit Skills: Mana Control (R) 5 Traits: Fast Learner (E) Titles: Elysean Reclaimer (U) | Survivor (R) Languages: Common | Elysean | Draconic 39% to Level 19 You have 12 Attribute Points Available! You have 20 Skill Points Available! You have 3 Skill Evolution Points Available! Tarixi¡¯s expression grew increasingly more incredulous over the time he watched her read over his sheet, to the point where he saw the Echo actually reach up and tug on her large, ghostly ears in frustration. When she at last finished her apparent dissection of his sheet, she turned to him with a mix of that same frustration and disbelief. ¡°You are a monster!¡± she said with an accusing finger. ¡°Well that¡¯s ru¡ª¡± ¡°Five attribute points per level? One skill point? Three different attribute increases?!¡± The goblin threw her elongated hands up as if to signal her surrender. ¡°Nephilim! Utterly, absolutely idiotic! No wonder the Calling was forbidden for so long. You already have a Calamity Core in your Novice stage!¡± ¡°So is that bad, or¡?¡± Aurelian asked nervously. ¡°It means that our Imperatrix and Imperator truly were absolutely out of their minds to summon you,¡± she said with a shake of her head, ¡°and it only makes me happier that they were. By the Mantle, Aurelian¡ you have the potential to be the most powerful creature in the Realms!¡± ¡°Hey, you used my name!¡± ¡°It is on your animu¡ªsheet, yes.¡± ¡°Nice to feel like a person again, is all,¡± he said with a smile. ¡°How long have you been here?¡± she asked after he spoke. ¡°Yeah¡ about that¡¡± he said while he reached up to rub the back of his neck. ¡°What is it?¡± she asked with narrowed eyes. ¡°It¡¯s¡ kind of my first day.¡± Tarixi closed her eyes and appeared to be taking slow, measured breaths in order to calm down what Aurelian assumed was some sort of emotional reaction to what he¡¯d said. In fairness, it wasn¡¯t as if he could blame her. He¡¯d have likely reacted the same way if he¡¯d been in her position, and someone had come along that upset everything he knew to be true and right about the laws that governed the world. Even to him, his progress seemed, well, a little over the top. ¡°So, to clarify this,¡± she said after several moments¡¯ silence, ¡°in less than one day you have acquired seventeen levels, awakened a Calamity Core, obtained three skill evolution points, and even managed to attain a Crest?¡± ¡°Uh¡ Yes.¡± he said with a shrug he hoped came across as humble. ¡°And here I thought my task would be difficult.¡± she said with a snort. ¡°Very well then, I suppose we should just proceed.¡± ¡°Hold on,¡± Aurelian said. ¡°What about my points?¡± ¡°Which ones?¡± she asked crisply. ¡°I mean¡ All of them, I guess? You¡¯re an ancient battle mage from a bygone era, surely you have some knowledge or advice or¡ª?¡± ¡°Does what you are currently doing feel comfortable for you?¡± she interjected. ¡°Comfortable?¡± Aurelian asked with a measure of uncertainty. ¡°Yes. Do you feel comfortable and confident with your current, ah, build?¡± Aurelian took a moment to think about it, and then nodded. ¡°Very well then, stick with that.¡± she said decisively. ¡°When designing yourself, your comfort and ability to reliably interface with your own abilities fully outstrips any level of ¡®ideal¡¯ or ¡®perfect¡¯ advancement that someone may try to peddle to you.¡± her expression scrunched when she said it, and it looked as if she¡¯d tasted something foul or unpalatable before she continued. ¡°Only you can know what your body needs and is truly capable of. Others may guide you towards using your existing capabilities, but they can never make a better decision than what feels right for you.¡± ¡°But what about advice? Insights?¡± Aurelian pressed. ¡°Advice and insights from experienced parties hold great value,¡± she agreed, ¡°but that is primarily for those with limited avenues of advancement who wish to pursue a very, very specific path or purpose. You, Aurelian, are a Nephilim. You are unfettered by such paltry worries. If your current path is to your deepest satisfaction, then pursue it until that changes. Nobody else except perhaps another Nephilim, of which there are none, could tell you, in truth, what might work best for you. Only you can decide that.¡± Aurelian stared at her for a long moment, and then looked back at his character sheet. Moments of consideration and assessment rolled through him, and he stared at the numbers in thought. What makes me comfortable, huh? He chewed his lip idly while he analysed, theorycrafting and imagining different possibilities all the while. Finally, he sighed and reached up to muss his hair in annoyance at his own indecision and doubt. He had already decided on his path after his first crucible with the initial group of skeletons. The only thing he was being affected by was self-doubt radiating from the ability to finally ask someone questions, and she had reaffirmed that his own gut-guided choice was usually the right one. Yet¡ it was hard. It was hard to accept that he truly did know best. Even with his generous boost to intelligence, there was so much he didn¡¯t fully grasp¡ªmore that he perhaps never would. ¡°All I can do is what is comfortable,¡± he murmured to himself. ¡°Right?¡± he asked in a more normal voice when he turned towards Tarixi. ¡°Right.¡± she agreed with a serious nod. Aurelian nodded back and immediately dumped 10 Attribute Points into Agility, bringing it up to parity with his Dexterity¡ªand then placed the remaining 2 points into Perception. The moment both investments landed, he grimaced against the changes in his body. It was hard to define what Agility did to his physical structure, other than he felt like he could move more efficiently and at faster speed than before. It wasn¡¯t even something he could fully quantify. Perception, meanwhile, was just a small and uncomfortable itch behind his eyes that slowly faded. It was not a large enough change to stir a fuss. Aurelian turned back to Tarixi when his eyes had completed their change and then willed his sheet to her again. ¡°What about my Skill Evolution Points?¡± Tarixi hesitated and then shook her head. ¡°Those can wait, as can your Skill Points. I have something to show you first.¡± ¡°What is it?¡± he asked curiously while he picked himself up and checked to make sure he had everything with him. His sword he could summon back¡ªwhich he set to doing right then and there¡ªand his satchel was in good repair. That just left his bedroll¡ which was also whole and in place. He was ready to go. Tarixi, Aurelian noticed, once again hesitated at his question; her features drawn in thought while she looked away from him and towards the remains of her friends¡ªand herself. That had to be weird. ¡°I have to trust that you will do the right thing, Aurelian. You are the Reclaimer. There are no other options left to this Echo of who I once was,¡± she turned back to him while she spoke, and her transparent features were grim. ¡°I truly hope you are everything my liege hoped you would be.¡± ¡°What did they hope I would be?¡± he asked warily. Her answer was just as cryptic. ¡°Strong enough to succeed where we failed.¡± ¡°How did you fail?¡± he continued as his blade appeared and he sheathed it. ¡°We lost,¡± she said with chill finality, and then started to lead the way. B1 | Chapter 15: Adventure and Intrigue Suraiya stabbed her blade into the ground as the last of the Torqali were slain, shading her eyes with her hand and looking out at the Desolation around her. They had been travelling almost non-stop since crossing the leagues between the city proper, outer villages, and the Lunar Gate itself. She had thought that the Desolation¡¯s dangers would be waiting for them far beyond the reassuring bulwark of the Wall, and long out of the sight of the Lunari that stood sentinel upon its length. She had been sorely mistaken. Within thirty minutes of riding out into the accursed wasteland, they had been attacked. Raiders and half-tamed beasts, more than happy to rip and tear anything they could wrap their foetid jaws around, had assaulted them in a sea of vile intent. It had been all she could do to maintain control of Valour, never mind fight, while the wave of Blightmen and their ungodly pets had descended upon the convoy. Her Knights and the Adventurers had shown their mettle, however, and formed ranks quickly; the armoured warriors dismounting rather than risk their mounts and charging into battle with the speed and brutality of Second Tempered elites. The way they had moved in their armour was¡ artful. Faster than Suraiya could track they had surged around the battlefield, one moment fighting one foe and then the next fighting another, all while travelling half a dozen metres in a blink. The Adventurers, meanwhile, had held their own with equal, if slightly less uniform discipline. Melee combatants they referred to as ¡®Slayers¡¯ had surged into the Blightmen ranks alongside the Knights, though they¡¯d maintained some level of unspoken distance between the two groups; while their ranged combatants¡ªtheir ¡®Sentinels¡¯ and ¡®Strikers¡¯¡ªhad used precision ranged weapons and powerful spells respectively to hem in and corral the charging Blightbeasts. Within minutes the fight had turned into a slaughter, with not a single raider left alive. She had felt useless and ridiculous in her polished plate atop her gallant Courser, but the four Knights that had been left as her protection¡ªher minders in other words¡ªhad been firm about her not ¡®breaking rank¡¯. They were the rear-guard, they had said. It fell to them to cover the retreat. Suraiya grimaced at the memory. By the time the Knights and Adventurers had ¡®retreated¡¯, the battlefield had been nothing more than a charnel house. None of the Knights had been so much as dented, and of the Adventurers the only ones who bore any injury were those of the Untempered or Initiate-level who had joined the battle in order to work on their skills. Laughter and merriment had greeted their return, and the ¡®Soothers¡¯ had worked their healing magic to ensure every one of them was patched up and ready to go for the next engagement. When the convoy had resumed its travel as if nothing had happened, she had ridden in humiliated silence while Ser Gilbert studiously avoided looking at her. She had suspected at the time that he was too embarrassed to look at her, the Princess that had forced him to babysit her during her reckless jaunt into the Desolation. It had come as a surprise, then, that he¡¯d later offered to let her be among those that made first contact with the next wave of enemies, if he deemed her capable of handling them. She had agreed with gusto, and though two more waves of attacks had come without him signalling her, she had finally been permitted to engage when another ragged score of bedraggled, vicious-looking Blightmen had come at them. Suraiya had dismounted Valour without hesitation the moment Gilbert signalled her, and her helmet had been donned without her needing to be told. Protected behind the T-shaped visor of her great helm, she had charged into the battle to meet the oncoming horde of ill-kept wretches with pity and disgust warring for equal dominance in her heart. The moment her greatsword had sheared through the body of the first of her enemies, and the shock and jarring experience of shearing through bone and cartilage had travelled up her arms, she had almost vomited on the spot. Only the sudden aggression of a second foe had kept her in the fight, and once they too had been felled she had been once again dragged into the fray by a third, and kept unable to think due to the chaos of it all that followed. She had been kicked, punched, clawed, had her armour scrapped and ineffectually stabbed; and even been nearly trampled by a runaway horse before the conflict had ended. They had come on in far greater numbers than the first of such attacks, but with far fewer capable fighters. The result was a stench of death and quickly-rotting corpses¡ª thanks to the blight around them¡ªthat had seen her throw away her helmet, stagger to the side, and start vomiting noisily under the silent guard of her quartet of protectors. Eyes had observed her as she¡¯d emptied her stomach, but when she¡¯d looked up she¡¯d seen no judgement. No ire. No venom. Only empathy, understanding, and several respectful nods¡ªfrom both Knights and Adventurers as well. After a moments¡¯ discussion with Gilbert in fact, a Soother that had taken the initiative to approach had even been allowed to see her and ensure her health, and Suraiya had quietly spoken with the elven woman as she quite literally soothed away her aches and pains. ¡°Perfectly normal to react that way, your highness,¡± she had said in the melodic lilt of elven folk. ¡°In fact it¡¯s expected at times like this, especially out beyond the Lunar Gate.¡± ¡°Have you travelled out here often?¡± Suraiya had asked while attempting not to rasp due to a raw, and dry throat. ¡°Oh yes¡ª¡± she¡¯d replied while insisting the princess slake her thirst, which she did obediently ¡°¡ªmy husband is one of the main Slayers with the guild in Stormharrow in fact. If it weren¡¯t for me, well, he¡¯d likely have never risen past Initiate!¡± She had shared a quiet laugh with Suraiya as she¡¯d said it. ¡°So it really is¡ normal?¡± the Princess had asked near the end of the examination. ¡°Oh yes Princess, truly it is. Why it¡¯s almost unheard of for it not to happen,¡± she¡¯d insisted before leaning in conspiratorially. ¡°They say that those that don¡¯t have that reaction are a bit, well¡ not quite right, if you catch my meaning. A few arrows short of a full quiver, so to speak.¡± Suraiya had nodded her understanding and, with a final dose of healing magic received, said her farewells to the woman and let her return to her husband and friends in the adventurers¡¯ section of the convoy. If she had been a little envious of the easy camaraderie they shared, well¡ that was just the cost of being Royalty, she had accepted. Leaders did not often have the luxury of such easy relationships, no matter whether they¡¯d wish it otherwise. From there the day had become a series of skirmishes and angry wildlife, with any number of nightmarish creatures emerging from the sun-baked, blackened, and hilly terrain of the Desolation to assail their convoy in the hopes of an easy meal. By the time they had reached the location marked out for their first encampment¡ªan elevated hilltop with ample sentry locations and enough room to fit them all within magically erected earthen walls¡ªnear the end of the day, Suraiya had been exhausted. Which is why she then stood with a smattering of others, including her guards, atop that self-same hilltop¡ªTraveller¡¯s Sanctuary, it apparently was called¡ªwith her greatsword planted in the sun-scorched earth and her helmet quickly set to resting atop its pommel. Her blonde hair had been tied back into a messy braid halfway through the trip, its length and curls too much of a risk for gore and splatter during the hardships of the journey. ¡°Are you well, Princess?¡± Ser Gilbert¡¯s voice interjected amid her recollections. Suraiya turned to face him with a weary smile when he joined her atop the hill, and the rest of the convoy trailed after him while a few stragglers remained behind¡ªwith lookouts¡ªto salvage monster Cores and other trade goods from the Torqali corpses prior to their accelerated rotting. ¡°I am well, Ser Gilbert. Full of vim and vigour!¡± she said with a forced smile. ¡°You look like you¡¯re ready to drop into a bedroll and sleep for three days.¡± ¡°Yes, well¡¡± she cleared her throat. ¡°No need to call a bird a bird, as it were.¡± ¡°I only jest, my lady.¡± the Knight said as he removed his helmet, and let his short brown hair go free. ¡°You accounted for yourself well this day. Some of those cretins were more than mere living detritus, and the monsters too. Did you satisfy your thirst for progression?¡± At this she truly did smile, and pulled up her status display. Name: Suraiya Vasilia Augusta Tollarius Karelian Temper: Untempered Novice Core: Unaspected Core (Ignition Stage) Level: 21 | Race: Human (C) | Origin: Highborn (E) | Gender: Female | Zodiac: Lion (R) Health: 200 | Mana: 132 | Stamina: 107 STR: 31 | AGI: 26 | DEX: 25 | VIT: 20 | END: 29 | INT: 34 | PER: 18 | WIL: 30 | CHA: 55 Mind Skills: Analyse (C) 17 | Linguistics (UC) 18 | Political Intrigue (R) 22 | Persuasion (UC) 18 | Investigation (UC) 15 | Strong Mind (UC) 22 | Tactician (R) 3 | Leadership (R) 11 Body Skills: Pain Tolerance (UC) 12 | Breath Control (UC) 20 | Greatsword Mastery (C) 17 | Running (C) 22 | Equestrian (UC) 24 | Mounted Combat (R) 16 | Dodge (C) 27 | Durable (UC) 8 | Fire Resistance (UC) 8 | Ice Resistance (UC) 8 | Lightning Resistance (UC) 8 Spirit Skills: Mana Channelling (UC) 18 | Inspiring Presence (R) 13 | Empathic Link (E) 21 | Radiant Strike (R) 17 | Sacred Flame (R) 18 Traits: Royal Scion (E) | Fast Learner (E) Titles: Princess (E) | Knight (R) Languages: Common 22% to Level 22 You have 1 Attribute Point Available! You have 2 Skill Points Available! You have 1 Skill Upgrade Point Available! ¡°I have gained four levels in Greatsword Mastery, several levels in strength, agility, dexterity, and endurance¡ªand I even levelled up Leadership!¡± She reported proudly as she sent her display to Gilbert for review. Stolen from its rightful place, this narrative is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings. His nod of approval a moment later made her grin widely. ¡°You have done very well Princess,¡± he remarked with a considering look. ¡°And though it burns me to say it, perhaps you were right about insisting to come out into the Desolation. One day and you¡¯re already breaking through your assumed limits.¡± ¡°It is tradition!¡± she insisted as she regarded her sheet again with a feeling of buoyant joy. ¡°Karelians have been venturing out here since before the founding of the Grand Ascendancy! It is only right and proper that I take my place in that long and storied history.¡± ¡°Your Father never bothered.¡± the Knight pointed out with a raised eyebrow. ¡°Perhaps not,¡± Suraiya allowed distractedly, ¡°but my mother was legendary for her exploits out here!¡± ¡°May she find glory in the Halls of the Highest.¡± Gilbert intoned solemnly. It was echoed by the Knights around them as well, and Suraiya¡¯s joy tapered for a moment at the scene. Her mother, Vasilia Augusta Tollarius, had been an adventurer of rare power and rarer breeding. A noblewoman, a warrior, and a spellcaster of incredible talent. The fact she had caught the eye of, and later the heart of the then-Crown-Prince Nicholai Varius Nathaniel Karelian had been a mark of improbability nobody had seen coming. Were it not for the fact her mother had been on the cusp of Expert-tier by the time their romance became widely spread, it was very likely the Church might have actually tried to object to the union. As it stood then, however, the Mithril-ranked Adventurer would tolerate no impugnment on her love for the future King, and he would hear no objection to his affection for the golden-haired war-maiden. Suraiya had been born just barely nine months after their wedding, a fact that had raised several eyebrows¡ªbut which no one had ever dared to openly comment on. Not for fear of the King, either. Her mother had packed quite the literal punch. Suraiya¡¯s eyes drifted down to her Greatsword, her mother¡¯s own choice of weapon, and she smiled quietly. Would she have been proud of her, she wondered? ¡°She looked just like you when she was your age, you know.¡± Gilbert said quietly at her side. It took every essence of her Strong Mind ability not to jump in surprise. ¡°You have said this before, Ser Gilbert,¡± she reminded him without heat. ¡°I know, my lady, but it should be said. When I first saw her, wide-eyed and buck-toothed as I was¡ª¡± Suraiya giggled at the image of such a thing ¡°¡ªshe stood as you stand now. Fearless, proud, and unbowed. She had already been engaged to your father by that point, and had been announced as the future Princess-Royal of Stormharrow.¡± ¡°She was still adventuring even then, was she not?¡± ¡°Indeed she was.¡± Ser Gilbert affirmed. ¡°Leading expeditions from the Lunar Gate against the Blightmen and their myriad of contemptuous, profane clans throughout the Desolation. She is largely credited with stopping them before they could unite into a real threat.¡± ¡°I know all this, Ser Gilbert,¡± she said, though again it was without condemnation. ¡°You tell me often. She was my mother.¡± ¡°Yes, and she was my mentor,¡± he reminded her with a gentle pat on the shoulder. ¡°And I promised her I would ensure you were protected, as you might surely remember.¡± ¡°How could I forget, when you remind me ever-so-often?¡± she asked with a roll of her eyes. ¡°It is good for the soul to remember such things, when one thinks of rebellious action,¡± he said lightly before stepping away prior to her retort, and drawing a small laugh of amusement from her. At times, Ser Gilbert was exactly what she¡¯d always envisioned in an older brother. Her eyes drifted along her sword, and then up towards the cloudless blue sky. Mother, are you there? She wondered in silence. Are you proud? Only the wind through her hair served as any form of answer. * * * * * Lower down the hill and near a cluster of carts, Eluviale Morningsong tu Davrell settled against the wooden frame of one of the burden vehicles as two men and another woman approached her. One of the men was known to her; a hulking half-orc brute with a wicked scar across his face and a grimace that could curdle milk at a glance. She smiled when she saw him, and her beloved husband Antony Davrell smiled back. Alongside him came Marcus Quintus, a dark-haired, bearded, and handsome dual-shortsword wielding human Slayer with more skill in subterfuge, assassination, and underhanded combat than she had time to count¡ªand elves were long-lived even without Tempering. The last to approach was a spritely gnome with a pep in her step and a braid of brown hair caught between her lips in thought, wielding her ruby-topped quarterstaff like a walking stick; this despite its ability to deliver infernos hot enough to melt armour and cook flesh in moments. If nothing else, Delsie Demsin was a paragon of her kind; both as a gnome and as a spellcaster¡ at least insofar as she was an eccentric that was constantly and easily lost in her own mind, at least. Love and fondness flowed from Eluviale while the three of them converged upon her, and Delsie idly cast a ward against eavesdropping. ¡°May the day come that our Hiding is at an end¡ª¡± she began by tradition, ¡°¡ªthough keep Watch we shall until the Reclaimer is sent¡ª¡± the other three said, ¡°¡ªfor the dream of Elysea, and the Mantle we defend!¡± all four concluded together. ¡°You all seem to be in good spirits,¡± she said when the greeting was done. ¡°Enjoying a bit of casual murder, are we?¡± ¡°Bah,¡± her husband snorted, ¡°these beasts are little more than appetisers. I¡¯m still hoping for a Wyvern or Manticore. I need the blood and Core of something strong for last Infusion.¡± ¡°How far off are you?¡± Marcus asked curiously. ¡°Three levels left on the skill!¡± Antony growled in annoyance, ¡°and the gnats we¡¯re facing ain¡¯t gonna cut it.¡± ¡°You could always just run until you hit a Blightdemon den.¡± Delsi said absently. ¡°If you survive, you¡¯ll probably out-level us all.¡± ¡°Yes, well¡ª¡± Eluviale interrupted ¡°¡ªlet¡¯s not encourage my beloved husband into suicidal acts of bravery, hm? Bjorn does enough of that.¡± ¡°Eluviale has a point. We need Antony in fighting shape for what¡¯s coming, and besides which, I¡¯m more interested in hearing about the Princess than our dear Aegii¡¯s performance issues.¡± Antony rounded on the far more slender man with a glare, and Marcus grinned up at him slyly with a waggle of his brows. ¡°Given the constant screaming I hear from Lulu¡¯s quarters¡ª¡± Delsie once again interjected without a hint of social grace ¡°¡ªand the way she seems to always be flushed and exhausted each morning, I don¡¯t think Antony¡¯s sexual prowess is a problem.¡± The reactions were eminently predictable, of course. Eluviale herself felt nothing but smug satisfaction, Marcus looked mildly perturbed, and Antony¡ªbless his heart¡ªlooked like a young boy with his hand in the cookie jar, and said nothing. ¡°My husband¡¯s immense sexual prowess aside, the Princess is certainly an interesting study. When we were tasked to shadow her by the Elders, I didn¡¯t think much of it, but after talking to her¡ª¡± ¡°How much of Vasilia does she have in her, exactly?¡± Marcus interjected eagerly. ¡°¡ªat length,¡± she continued with a scowl for Marcus, ¡°I can safely say that she is very much her mother¡¯s daughter, at least on the surface of it all. She could be trying to fool me, but my Soulforce was at full burn and my Empyreal Elucidation was trained on her directly. Nothing she told me was anything less than what she sincerely felt, and all of it was endearing.¡± ¡°You talked to her several times, Lulu.¡± Delsie chimed in with sudden interest. ¡°Be specific.¡± ¡°Well after I healed her the first time, we spoke again on several occasions, including when she¡¯d been badly trampled by that Bastilurk,¡± she shuddered. ¡°Awful creatures¡¡± she mumbled before getting back to the point. ¡°She expressed legitimate and sincere admiration for the Adventurers, and seemed quite earnest in her desire to be seen as a princess of the people, and stay true to her roots as a Karelian.¡± ¡°A backstabbing, two-timing, traitorous piece of hound excrement?¡± Marcus asked. ¡°No, Seraii¡ª¡± Eluviale said with a disapproving frown ¡°¡ªnot the true roots, the ones the Ascendancy invented to reinvent them all as heroes of the masses following their forswearing.¡± ¡°Ah. The Veil.¡± Delsie said with a quiet sigh. ¡°How exhausting.¡± Having been silent throughout the exchanges¡ªlikely due to his shy nature following the talk of their sex life, Eluviale mused¡ªand holding his piece, Antony finally interjected himself into the discussion. ¡°Whether or not she has noble intentions is wholly irrelevant,¡± he said with his usual growling tone. She suppressed a shiver of delight at the ferocity of it, and maintained a clear and focused outward veneer. ¡°What matters is if she can be trusted near the Reclaimer. We know nothing of the Nephilim, save that they will be pure-blooded Elysean and bear the mark of the Dragon.¡± ¡°That still confuses me,¡± Marcus muttered, ¡°since Dragons are bloody extinct.¡± ¡°The Ascendancy was very thorough.¡± Delsie agreed sadly. ¡°It could mean many things, though. A tattoo. A birthmark. A Zodiac, even! We know not the limits of the Nephilim or their power, and have only the stories to go off of.¡± ¡°The ravings of lunatics, you mean.¡± Marcus said with a sigh. ¡°And some scholars, actually. There are fascinating accounts in the libraries of Alcaria that¡ª¡± ¡°The point is¡ª¡± Antony said with a more pronounced growl that made Eluviale resolve to have their tent to themselves and a dampener ward in place as soon as possible ¡°¡ªthat we do not know how the Princess will react. Her mother, Eternals keep her, passed before she could properly induct her daughter into the Inheritors. She is going into this blind and ignorant, and that could spell disaster if she reacts poorly.¡± ¡°Then we shall have to ensure she doesn¡¯t.¡± Eluviale said simply, and while carefully avoiding her husband¡¯s eyes. The man had no business being that damnably attractive. ¡°What about her minders?¡± Marcus asked warily. ¡°Too many to kill, and too strong.¡± ¡°I think the Veneratii and Magisterii can handle that. Don¡¯t you, Delsie?¡± The gnome looked up at Eluviale with a pair of blinks, and then when her eyes focused, she smiled. ¡°Yes. I think so.¡± ¡°Then that just leaves the last problem.¡± Marcus said as he turned, and they all followed his gaze to the top of the hill, where a tall Knight stood sentinel at the Princess¡¯ side. ¡°Ser Gilbert van fucking Ostland,¡± he pronounced with grudging respect. ¡°The Storm¡¯s Blade is no simple opponent.¡± Antony agreed quietly. ¡°He could likely take down half the convoy before he met real resistance, and even then, it would take almost all of us to properly challenge him.¡± ¡°Do you think it¡¯s true that he¡¯s almost at Expert Tier?¡± ¡°Doesn¡¯t matter, Delsie.¡± Marcus said quietly. ¡°He¡¯s a fucking monster either way.¡± ¡°Ser Gilbert will only be an issue if he thinks we mean to harm the Princess.¡± Eluviale said confidently. ¡°I read his emotions as clear as a mountain spring, he is devoted to her in a way she is woefully ignorant of.¡± ¡°Oh?¡± Delsie asked before her eyes widened. ¡°Oh.¡± ¡°That¡¯s¡ isn¡¯t he nine years her senior?¡± Eluviale shrugged. ¡°Perhaps important to you humans, Marcus, but not so to other species. Were elves so worried about age, we¡¯d never look at other races, let alone marry them.¡± Antony grunted in agreement, and she spared him a quick, lustful smile. He blushed. It drove her mad. ¡°Well, elves are also famous for having enough excess libido to go with the centuries of extra life.¡± Marcus grumbled. ¡°I doubt a little thing like age will stop the lot of you humping your way through the Real¡ªOof!¡± He rubbed his head where Antony had smacked it, and Eluviale grinned at the byplay. ¡°Nonetheless, Ser Gilbert can be handled. First though, we need the Princess on side.¡± ¡°Okay, but¡ªand hear me out here, seriously¡ªwhat if neither of them are feeling too cooperative?¡± Antony asked warily. ¡°There is a solution for that,¡± Marcus said with a rare seriousness to his tone, and produced a small vial of acid-green liquid, interspersed with flecks of black. The moment he did, Eluviale leaned further back against the cart, Antony swore, and Delsie¡ Well, bless her heart; Delsie leaned forward with hungry interest. ¡°Is that¡ª?¡± ¡°¡ªKing Dracolisk Venom.¡± Eluviale said with an involuntary tremor to her voice. ¡°One drop of that, Marcus, one drop¡ª!¡± ¡°I am aware, Veneratii.¡± the human responded seriously after he tucked the vial away into his leathers. ¡°The bottle has been spelled thrice over to keep it sealed and secured, and only my blood can open it, and only when given willingly. Rest assured, though¡ It¡¯ll end our Gilbert problem easily enough if we need it to.¡± ¡°Why didn¡¯t you tell us this when we were all shitting ourselves about him not two minutes ago?!¡± Antony demanded. ¡°Honestly?¡± Marcus said¡ªand Eluviale triggered her Empyrean Elucidation to clarify his answer¡ªbefore grimacing, ¡°I don¡¯t want to think about using it. I just see Vas when I look at the Princess, and I remember Gilbert from when he was Vasilia¡¯s shadow, and we were both boys. Ain¡¯t much difference between him and I in age, yanno.¡± Eluviale almost sagged in relief. Truth. Marcus was telling the truth. ¡°Well¡¡± she said as she recovered herself, and drew their attention. ¡°We have plans, and hopefully three full weeks to implement them,¡± she nodded to the other three. ¡°I say we start working on it.¡± A chorus of agreement followed, and all three turned to leave. ¡°Oh, Antony?¡± Eluviale said very carefully, as if it were an absent thought. ¡°Mmm?¡± he rumbled. ¡°Hold a minute, won¡¯t you? There¡¯s something we¡ need to discuss.¡± She heard Delsie¡¯s snort and Marcus¡¯ exaggerated gag as the two left, but ignored them. She only had a mind for the half-orc in front of her, the tent they had just set up, and the warding stones hidden in her satchel. She felt a predatory grin spread across her face, and Antony¡¯s cheeks immediately reddened. It was going to be a very good night. B1 | Chapter 16: Descent Into Darkness Tarixi led Aurelian along the corridor towards where her own remains lay, floating through the air without the stereotypical ¡®bobbing¡¯ one might expect to see in popular ghost portrayals. Instead, she moved through the air as if it were solid ground. Her even gait and purposeful stride guided them both evenly and without deviation towards her target¡ªwhatever it might be¡ªand only when she reached the skeletal remains of herself, and her comrades, did she pause. ¡°I never thought I would die like this,¡± she admitted while she surveyed all that remained of herself and those she stood with. ¡°None of us did, I suppose. It was a distinct possibility, especially later in the war, but¡¡± ¡°How long were you at war?¡± Aurelian asked as respectfully as he could, while his eyes moved between the introspective Echo and the remains she regarded with her large, round eyes. Compassion cost him nothing, and Echo or not, he could see she was feeling something. ¡°Centuries. It¡¯s¡ difficult to parse the time in a way that is easily understood. We regarded time as malleable, not linear. Chronomancy had made us less absolute in our reckoning of reality.¡± ¡°Chronomancy? Like time travel?¡± he asked with a surge of eager interest. ¡°No, no, not quite,¡± Tarixi said with an amused look, ¡°we could only affect grains at most, and only within the scope of our own selves. It was more that we didn¡¯t feel time as acutely as others. I cannot fully explain it in a way that makes sense.¡± Aurelian settled as she clarified and nodded, both disappointed and slightly relieved. As fun as time travel would be, he also understood how incredibly bad it could go. ¡°But yes, centuries. Every turn of every hour felt¡ tense. All the time.¡± ¡°Turn?¡± he asked curiously. It was a strange phrase to his ears. ¡°Yes. A turn. A minute glass?¡± She clarified questioningly while miming turning something over. ¡°We used a minute glass to tell time at its base, then an hourglass for sixty minutes, and a sunglass, moon glass, twilight glass, dusk glass, dawn glass¡¡± ¡°Wait wait wait. Just hold on,¡± Aurelian said with a sense of bewilderment. ¡°You have different measurements for each section of a twenty-four-hour period?¡± ¡°Of course we do, for when such things are needed, but to do so for every moment? That would be foolish. We only had them for the use of exactitude. A cycle glass contains exactly twenty-four thousand grains of sand, and turns exactly on the second the last grain drops in order to signal the new day, with markings for dawn, day, midday, dusk, and night.¡± ¡°Right¡¡± he muttered. ¡°You track the twilight hours as independent here, too.¡± ¡°Of course. Twilight is a time of great power for communing with the Eternals.¡± ¡°The Etern¡ª? No, never mind. Okay. Thank you for entertaining my questions.¡± ¡°You are welcome, Aurelian,¡± Tarixi said with a look of continued curiosity, though she didn¡¯t ask the question that appeared to be lurking in her mind, and instead refocused on what they had initially been discussing. ¡°But yes, the war raged for centuries. Too many to count, it feels like. I was born into the war, and eventually it claimed me as it claimed my forebears. The only points of consistency were our rulers.¡± ¡°The Imperator and Imperatrix.¡± ¡°Correct, and the Royarchs and Vanarchs and Pentarchs beneath them each.¡± ¡°The wh¡ª? No, again, never mind,¡± Aurelian said as his Iron Will flared and he controlled his rampaging tangential curiosity. ¡°That can all come later. Didn¡¯t you have something to show me? A weapon or¡ªor something?¡± ¡°Not a weapon.¡± Tarixi corrected with something like a sigh, though she nodded. ¡°Yes, and it is good you reminded me. I was¡¡ª¡± she glanced down at the skeletons quietly and then shook her head ¡°¡ª...it hardly matters. Come.¡± Without another word she drifted past the collection that was once herself and her friends and moved until she hovered before a seemingly innocuous section of wall some five metres behind them. Aurelian joined her after skirting around her and her friends respectfully, his eyes appraising the wall curiously. ¡°It¡¯s a wall?¡± ¡°No, Reclaimer, it is not just a wall. This entire palace is riddled with secrets, and this is one of the most important. There are many locations identical to the one I am about to show you, and they all lead somewhere most important.¡± ¡°Okay, so secret passages connecting the interior framework?¡± he asked as casually as he could. ¡°You¡ How did you know that?¡± ¡°Not as original as you might think, for someone from¡ Well, from where I am originally.¡± Tarixi¡¯s eyebrows rose with a look of impressed interest, ¡°your people must be great engineers.¡± ¡°Something like that,¡± he said with a shrug and dismissive wave. ¡°But we can talk about it later. How do we open this? Secret panel? Pressure plate? Passcode?¡± He turned to the wall, ¡°open sesame!¡± Nothing, of course, happened. Tarixi did however look at him as if she was concerned for his sanity. ¡°It¡¯s a¡¡± he sighed and shook his head. ¡°Sorry, please continue.¡± ¡°Yes¡ well¡¡± she glanced at him again in mild confusion before continuing ¡°...the wall here is controlled by an access rune, linked into the runic choir that maintains the palace¡¯s integrity. You have no doubt seen some element of it, given your Philology skill. Admittedly I am somewhat rankled that we are considered ancient mysteries, but I will ignore that given the circumstance. If you look here¡¡± The spectre gestured to where a curvature in the wall¡¯s patterns seemed to rise like a cresting wave. Aurelian leaned forward and pushed his enhanced vision to its maximum while he attempted to discern exactly what set it apart. ¡°...you will find subtle deviations in the stroke and significance of the patterning. It correlates to something akin to punctuation, after a word or phrase of significance. In this case the term ¡®Passage¡¯, in the loosest common translation.¡± ¡°Is that what we¡¯re speaking? Common?¡± ¡°It is,¡± she confirmed. ¡°Who came up with that?¡± he asked distractedly while he examined the rune. ¡°Hey, I think I sort of see it?¡± he reached out to trace the rune as he spoke, ¡°like¡ subtle bold strikes akin to sea foam from a crashing wave, right? And a little bit of sea spray, too.¡± Philology is now Level 4! Philology is now Level 5! Aurelian didn¡¯t need the chime or alerts to tell him he¡¯d been right, and Tiraxi nodded at him. ¡°That is correct, yes. Now to activate it, you must introduce it to blood keyed to its harmonics.¡± ¡°How does that¡? You know what, never mind. I¡¯m sure that makes perfect sense in this world.¡± ¡°How does blood correlate to harmonics?¡± she persisted despite his dismissal. ¡°It¡¯s quite simple really; a Soul is a song, Aurelian. A song within a chorus larger than any of us can know. There are many scholars that seek to understand it, this concerto of the universe, but in truth its immensity is beyond our proper comprehension. All we can do is interpret but a fraction of its melodies, harmonies, beats, and rhythms and apply them to our comprehension of the Prime Material.¡± Unauthorized use of content: if you find this story on Amazon, report the violation. ¡°Yeah, it all just sounds like hippie wind chimes to me,¡± he muttered, ¡°but I get it.¡± ¡°What is a hipp¡ª?¡± ¡°Forget it,¡± he waved her off. ¡°So, I have to cut my hand and touch it?¡± ¡°Not strictly speaking, but that is the usual method certainly.¡± Aurelius nodded and pulled one of the multiple weapons he¡¯d stashed in his belt, taking up an older dagger¡ªits edges still perfectly sharp, surprisingly¡ªand cutting his palm shallowly. His health flashed in his vision, but he ignored it, and instead pressed his hand against the cresting wave. His regeneration would close the cut soon enough, anyway. ¡°Okay,¡± he said after nothing happened. ¡°Now wh¡ª?¡± Before he could speak further the door abruptly lit up with veins of red-gold light, rushing outward from the point of contact and threading through an entire network of runic symbols that had been perfectly hidden upon the surface of the stone. The pattern emerged like the missing piece in a puzzle, or the last and most important frame of a film; filling in an emptiness that Aurelian had only noticed subconsciously, and was now thrown into stark relief. ¡°Woah,¡± he said with quiet appreciation of the spectacle before him as it unfolded. ¡°Such wonder for things we considered so simple.¡± Tarixi murmured with a quiet smile on her features. ¡°And this is but the appetiser. Tell me if you receive any alerts, please.¡± Aurelian gave her a thumbs up but was too focused on the wall sliding back and away to notice her puzzled expression, and subtle attempt to replicate it for herself. The now-opened wall section led into what appeared to be a small landing perhaps 3 metres square, with a set of stairs on his immediate left that spiralled down into utter darkness. ¡°Not big fans of light, are you?¡± he muttered. ¡°Step inside.¡± was all she said. Aurelian glanced at her apprehensively but did as she asked, and stepped cautiously over the imagined boundary line and into the small landing. The moment he did, a message populated his vision. Access to Restricted Section Detected Scanning for Authority . . . Authority Not Found Preparing Coun?????t????e???????r??????m?????????e????a??????s???????u?????r??????e????????s???? SECURITY OVERRIDE INITIATED TITLE DETECTED: [RECLAIMER] TITLE SUPERSEDES ALL PRIOR AUTHORITY REGISTERING ENTITY ¡®AURELIAN LUCIS IMPERIUS¡¯ AS ALPHA-ONE ACCESS ACCESS REGISTERED WELCOME, RECLAIMER ¡°Well, I received the messages you spoke about,¡± Aurelian said with a glance at Tarixi, which was promptly followed by a blink of surprise when lights abruptly flared to life below his feet. A quick glance down and he clarified that it was actually a system of runes, each one scripted in the same manner and shape: a cross between an Omega, a wing, and a stylised Z. Each one burned upon a step and cast a warm golden glow upward from where it sat. ¡°Okay. That would be the lights, then,¡± he said in a chagrined voice. ¡°Indeed. Now let us descend.¡± ¡°The door?¡± Aurelian asked with a glance at the open passage. ¡°It will shut when our proximity is no longer detected. Come.¡± Aurelian spared another glance for the opening but decided to trust her and followed as she floated downward. The steps were carved of some sort of black stone, and appeared to be built into the bedrock upon which the palace, as she¡¯d clarified the complex to be, was built. The curvature of the spiral was gradual but present, and each stair would have fit four people across with only slight discomfort. While he descended, he kept one hand on the balustrade to his left, taking note of how the columns and rail were carved from the self-same rock in a demonstration of exceptional artistry. The Elyseans had, it seemed, done nothing half-arsed. The sound of the door above sliding closed and slamming shut with a dull thud helped him relax to a point, though the descent into what was still relatively impenetrable darkness save for the stairwell gave him¡ well, a primal sense of unease. He didn¡¯t even feel comfortable speaking, for fear of disturbing something. Anything. Iron Will is now Level 17! If not for his Iron Will working overtime, and Tarixi¡¯s presence, he would likely have been more-than-a-little terrified. There was something daunting about the area into which he was descending. It bore a sense of scale and immensity that even through the darkness he could discern with absolute certainty. He was not merely entering an access path or some sort of small chamber, but a cavernous and excavated area that could have probably fit several city blocks. If not a modern city in its entirety. So long was the descent that eventually Aurelian¡¯s trepidation turned to boredom, and he once again started speaking to Tarixi. ¡°How was all this built?¡± ¡°Magic,¡± she answered simply. ¡°The best Magisterii working in tandem.¡± ¡°That word again. Magisterii. Is that like Magisters? Mages?¡± ¡°More or less.¡± Tarixi confirmed. ¡°They served many roles within the Empire. Some were profoundly powerful battle magi, and others were dedicated to the scholarly arts.¡± ¡°How many types of magic are there?¡± ¡°Ten,¡± she answered in a tone that took on a decidedly more comfortable tenor. She seemed to enjoy educating, he noticed. She likely would have made an excellent teacher. It made him even more piteous that she had died in a war she had never chosen. ¡°There are the elemental powers of fire, air, earth, and water and their various sub-designations and branches, each of which often involves a combination of one or the other.¡± ¡°Like fire and water for steam, or air and water for ice, or fire and air for lightning, earth and water for mud, fire and earth for glassmaking, et cetera?¡± Tarixi glanced back at him with a mix between surprise and a look of impressed pleasure. ¡°Yes indeed. How did you know?¡± Aurelian shrugged. ¡°I took chemistry.¡± ¡°You mean alchemy?¡± ¡°I¡ No, don¡¯t worry about it,¡± he said with a wry smile. ¡°Please continue.¡± ¡°Hmm¡¡± Tarixi said with a curious eye, before turning around and resuming her lecture. He had a feeling it was not the end of it, though. ¡°After the elements we have the spiritual powers; life, death, and nature.¡± ¡°So, like, healing, necromancy, and druidcraft?¡± ¡°In a way.¡± Tarixi agreed with another hint of surprise to her voice. ¡°Though those are very generic interpretations. Life magic can be anything from restoration to inspiration of others and spiritual cleansing, and even comprehension of the living world and the forces which abound within it. It can also be used to interface with and disrupt anatomy, and even hold some control over the will and mind of others. They are all extremely flexible in their applications in that way.¡± ¡°What about things like Psychic powers?¡± ¡°Psychic powers?¡± she asked curiously. ¡°Moving things with your mind. Telekinesis, that sort of thing.¡± ¡°Hmm¡¡± Tarixi responded thoughtfully. ¡°That sounds more along the lines of Force magic, which deals with intent and force of will to affect the space around oneself. It is not a school so much as a capacity. It was a power known to some, but hardly prevalent in the world by any means. A rare gift, and one to be treasured,¡± she waved a hand airily as they continued to descend. ¡°Let it suffice to say that it exists, if you wish to pursue it¡ though it may be quite difficult without a proper teacher.¡± Aurelian nodded with understanding, but wasn¡¯t remotely dissuaded. He had really wanted to Professor X some fools if he ever had the chance, and he wasn¡¯t about to turn it down because it might be hard. ¡°You said ten. What are the other two?¡± ¡°Light and Shadow,¡± she answered easily. ¡°Despite the dogmatic beliefs of the Godsworn, they are merely elements of reality as opposed to any kind of Divine source of providence or malice,¡± her tone was dismissive and scornful as she said it, mellowing only somewhat when she continued. ¡°Light deals with the manipulation of spectrum energies to create constructs or consolidate its constituent elements into a manipulable form, while Shadow does the same. Despite popular beliefs that likely still abound, neither is inherently stronger or more valuable than the other.¡± She shrugged her little shoulders as if to say, ¡®people will believe what they will¡¯ and continued. ¡°Shadows melt before strong light, and light is smothered by overwhelming shadows. They are just powers.¡± ¡°It sounds as if you¡¯re vehemently against religion.¡± Aurelian observed. ¡°The Empire revered and respected the Eternals, but we certainly didn¡¯t consider them gods in the same way as the Godsworn worship their own. Eternals are primordial forces of reality, not deities to be supplicated to. We communed for wisdom, guidance, and insight through their immense comprehension of their varied demesnes. To hear the Godsworn tell it, their messianic idol is the one true glory in all of the cosmos.¡± ¡°What do they worship, exactly?¡± ¡°Solarius,¡± she scoffed. ¡°Who?¡± ¡°The Deity of Light.¡± Somehow, the name left Aurelian feeling uneasy in a primal and soul-deep manner he could not define. B1 | Chapter 17: Leviathan Aurelian frowned at Tarixi while they continued their descent, and the name of the God of Light continued to bother him. Something about the grandiosity of it rubbed him the wrong way. It sounded megalomaniacal, almost. ¡°I thought you said there aren¡¯t any¡ª?¡± ¡°I use god in a loose definition. Consider, if you will, an ant. If you have the power to crush that ant under your heel, are you not akin to a god from its perspective?¡± ¡°Cool that you have ants here,¡± he said first, ¡°but yeah, I understand. It¡¯s the whole magic is just science we¡ªactually never mind, that doesn¡¯t really apply here,¡± he waved a hand. ¡°I get it is what I mean. They¡¯re¡ super high levelled arseholes?¡± She laughed. ¡°In a manner of speaking, certainly. That is likely why you were called.¡± ¡°What do you mean?¡± he asked with a sudden twist of anxiety. ¡°I¡¯m not going to be expected to fight a god, right?¡± Iron Will is now Level 18! ¡°No, but the purpose of your Core should elucidate your nature.¡± ¡°You¡¯re being too vague, Tarixi. Spit it out please. I hate vagaries.¡± She laughed again, as if she were enjoying teasing him. ¡°Very well. My apologies,¡± she turned around while she drifted and faced him, a sly smile on her features. ¡°Your Calamity Core. Have you ever considered why it is named such?¡± ¡°I dunno, isekai melodrama?¡± he commented with nerves-induced sarcasm. ¡°Is that the name of a deity?¡± she enquired. Aurelian snorted. ¡°It¡ªNo. Continue. Sorry. Just¡ context. Nevermind. Go ahead.¡± She regarded him levelly for a moment and then, blessedly, decided to accept his explanation. ¡°There were once many gods, Aurelian. Probably over a hundred in truth. Nobody who lived in my time knew what triggered the Godswar that ended them, but all we know is that the Realm was engulfed in it.¡± Her tone became sombre while she spoke, and Aurelian felt the weight of her memory littering her inflection. She may not have lived the Godswar, but based on all evidence; she had lived during a time when Godsworn imitated it well enough. ¡°Cities burned,¡± she continued amidst his thoughts, ¡°mountains rose and fell, seas were formed where land had prevailed¡ deities waged war on one another directly and through their mortal supplicants, and by the end of it all only one faction remained: Solarius and the Nine,¡± her voice turned notably spiteful when she uttered the final part, and then she sighed as if to rid herself of the ire before continuing. ¡°What you must understand is that the System has rules. Not the way that you or I might see the concept, but the System is not a thing of dictation. It is a thing of choice and consequence,¡± she peered at him while they descended, expression rueful. ¡°There is a point, I promise.¡± she said as if to placate suspected boredom. ¡°I¡¯m actually really interested to hear this,¡± he said with a smile. ¡°Continue, please.¡± Tarixi nodded with a look of pleasant surprise and did as he requested. ¡°There were many scholarly works relating to how it functioned, but the most agreed upon theory is that the System runs on mana. Or perhaps it is mana. That truth is one that has escaped us, but we do know that the most potent form of magical energy is, in fact, Soulforce.¡± ¡°Oh. Oooh,¡± Aurelian said as pieces started to click. ¡°And we cultivate it, and mana.¡± ¡°That¡¯s right,¡± Tarixi said approvingly. ¡°All creatures bound to the System intake mana, but so too do we create it in our bodies, and with our Soulforce. Thus, it is in the System¡¯s interest and is its most logical prerogative to ensure the Realms¡¯ continued existence.¡± ¡°I¡¯m guessing this is why the gods aren¡¯t roaming around punting mortals anymore.¡± ¡°Right again,¡± she said with a ghostly grin. ¡°When the Godswar ended, the System placed limitations on the divine as a result of their reckless, and wanton obliteration of massive swathes of both the Realms, and their myriad denizens. They were restricted to the ¡®Highest¡¯, and there they were forced to remain. They could, however, create symbiotic connections of a kind between denizens of other Realms and themselves. A watered-down imitation of the connection between the System and living creatures¡ªwithin which definition they are still included¡ªin fact.¡± ¡°They give power, and gain worship in return. I¡¯m guessing that Faith is some sort of energy for them?¡± ¡°Yes,¡± Tarixi said with another nod. ¡°The gods rely on Faith for strength. It¡¯s cultivated into Influence, which is what they expend to affect or change things in whatever capacity they can. It also directly affects how powerful they are individually.¡± ¡°Megalomaniacal immortals,¡± he muttered. ¡°That sounds like a horror story.¡± ¡°Indeed,¡± Tarixi agreed firmly, ¡°and despite the Godswar there were many people that still maintained Faith in the Ten. For a time, they held quite a bit of power over the Prime Material, right up until the first Calamity.¡± When she looked back to check if he was listening, he simply gestured for her to continue. ¡°Mmm. History tells us it was a woman of preternatural power, force, and the ability to surpass all limits. She was not born here, though. She was Called.¡± Aurelian blinked, and then let out a slow sigh. ¡°She was Nephilim?¡± ¡°That is the understood lore, yes.¡± Tarixi confirmed. ¡°Who called her?¡± ¡°That is where it becomes interesting. You remember I said that Shadow is reviled by the Godsworn?¡± ¡°Yes¡?¡± ¡°Shadow was the Dominion of Selenia, Solarius¡¯ twin sister.¡± ¡°So why is it¡ª?¡± ¡°You asked who called the Calamity.¡± ¡°Wait, a goddess did?!¡± Aurelian exclaimed. ¡°Yes. Purportedly Selenia grew weary of her brother and their kin, and regretted the damage they had done to the Realms. She passed on the ritual of the Calling to her followers, and bade them to act in her stead. They very evidently complied.¡± ¡°So Solarius, what¡ killed her?¡± ¡°Worse.¡± Tarixi responded grimly. ¡°He drained her of power and used the Influence of the other Eight to imprison her in the Prime Material where she could languish, watching over those she betrayed her own kind to protect.¡± ¡°Where is¡ª?¡± ¡°She is the Moon,¡± Tarixi said gravely. ¡°Holy shit,¡± Aurelian said with a low whistle. ¡°And the Calamity?¡± ¡°Exposed the gods for the selfish, conceited, self-aggrandising parasites they were.¡± ¡°And they just let her?¡± he asked suspiciously. ¡°Not at all. Her Calamity Core allowed her to not only free worshippers from their thrall, but remove divine influence from a Soulforce. She could sunder their connection to even their most powerful servants, after she defeated them and weakened them enough.¡± Tarixi¡¯s smirk was in her tone as she spoke. ¡°Deities cannot intervene in the Prime Material directly, as I said. They can only direct their servants or, in very rare cases, Avatars empowered with a shard of their essence through momentous expenditures of Influence. It was not so much that they allowed her to do it, as much as they simply had no means of halting her directly.¡± You might be reading a pirated copy. Look for the official release to support the author. ¡°So, I could¡ª?¡± ¡°Quite so.¡± ¡°And I was summoned because you needed that?¡± Tarixi nodded again. ¡°A Calamity Core is the only way we can stop the madness the Godsworn unleashed in their destruction of the Empire, and its teachings of the true histories. Once Justinian joined the Solari and their forces¡¡± she sighed quietly. ¡°Well, that marked the beginning of the end for our struggle.¡± ¡°Justinian?¡± Aurelian queried. ¡°Justinian of House Tollarius,¡± she clarified sadly. ¡°Our last Imperator¡¯s brother.¡± ¡°That¡¯s downright Shakespearian¡¡± he murmured. ¡°Pardon?¡± Tarixi asked curiously. ¡°Never mind, it¡¯s a cultural reference from my home. So, Justinian joined the Godsworn, screwed over the Elysean Empire, and brought back religion to the apostate masses?¡± ¡°Through force where necessary, but yes. The divine had been reviled and rightfully shunned for thousands of years thanks to the efforts of the Elysean Empire, and the teachings passed down by the Calamity. By converting Justinian, the Solari turned all of his considerable influence to their purpose, and gained an incredibly powerful commander¡ªand those that did not buy into the dogma¡¡± she shook her head. ¡°Well, there were easy solutions for naysayers.¡± ¡°That is seriously fucked up,¡± Aurelian said quietly. ¡°Indeed.¡± Tarixi replied. ¡°Though initially Faith starved, the gods only gained more power and more momentum as they gained followers. Once their tide of so-called ¡®Revelation¡¯ reached critical mass, there was little we could do.¡± she explained sadly. ¡°And so, that brings us to the current state of the Realms: Elysea fallen, the gods in ascendancy once more¡ªled by Solarius, most likely, and his grand cult¡ªand no voice of reason nor power left in the Prime Material to oppose them.¡± ¡°Except me,¡± he said while his Iron Will fought valiantly to repel his anxiety. ¡°That¡¯s right,¡± Tarixi agreed cheerfully. ¡°And I¡¯m going to make sure you¡¯re ready to kick their cult¡¯s thrice-accursed godsloving teeth in.¡± ¡°Well,¡± he said with genuine amusement at her words, ¡°that¡¯s reassuring.¡± ¡°I¡¯m glad,¡± she said heartily. ¡°After all, it is only appropriate that we come full circle.¡± ¡°Because of the Calamity?¡± ¡°Of course,¡± Tarixi said with a glance back at him. ¡°She wasn¡¯t just the liberator, Aurelian, she was the founder of the Empire. That¡¯s why Elyseans are¡ªwere¡ªsuch a powerful race. Every single one of us had Nephilim blood.¡± ¡°All from one woman?¡± he asked incredulously. ¡°Am I going to have to¡ª?¡± ¡°No, of course not.¡± Tarixi laughed. ¡°Oh. Good. Yeah. Um. Good.¡± he said while trying to hide the slight disappointment. Tarixi didn¡¯t seem to notice, or at least, chose not to comment. ¡°Over the centuries,¡± she continued as if he hadn¡¯t said anything, ¡°her bloodline mingled throughout all of the Empire, and other Nephilim were also Called to address times of crisis or lesser re-emergences of the god cults. Each one took a different guise on arrival; everything from Elves to Humans to Orcs to Dwarves to Gnomes¡ it goes on,¡± she waved a hand airily. ¡°Elyseans, as a result, would appear as almost any of the races really. They were usually more inclined towards appearing of Elven and Human descent, based on the popularity of those races among the Nephilim¡ but that is¡ªwas, rather¡ªthe most common affectation.¡± ¡°Which one am I? The System didn¡¯t really give me a choice. It was just ¡®Elysean¡¯.¡± ¡°Truly? That is¡ strange. I suppose it makes sense, given what the Calling supposedly had been altered to do, but¡ Mmm. Yes. Strange,¡± she hummed thoughtfully for a moment, before abruptly shrugging. ¡°It hardly matters. You are the Reclaimer, Aurelian. Elysean is what you decide it is, now,¡± she turned back to grin at him conspiratorially. ¡°But if you must know, you look not unlike a more powerfully built half-elf.¡± ¡°Half-Elf? Half Elf and half what, exactly?¡± ¡°Impossible to place, truthfully. Your skin tone is fair like high or storm elves, and you have their ears, but with muscles like a half-orc, the strong jaw and proportional features of a human, and the symmetrical perfection of a System-forged Nephilim body. It was never too talented with asymmetry as a concept, though. I couldn¡¯t place you if I tried, without knowing what I know.¡± Aurelian fell silent as he mulled over that, and the deluge of history and insight he¡¯d received. The way she spoke of the System, the gods, the correlation between the Realms¡ It was almost enough to make his head spin. He certainly felt overwhelmed. Inundated with information, too. He was thankful in that moment for his Codex, which he noted with a quick check had been faithfully recording everything. Tarixi¡¯s insights had given him a sense of relief in that he knew, at least, that Elyseans weren¡¯t evil. It would have been a bit disappointing to be summoned by the ¡®baddies¡¯, as it were. But that also didn¡¯t implicitly make the Godsworn evil. They might have had varied beliefs and incredibly horrible ways of accomplishing their goals, but until he saw what sort of world they¡¯d ended up building with it, it was difficult for him to lay the crimes of thousands of years prior at the feet of the current generation. There was enough of that on Earth, he didn¡¯t need to bring it to the Realms. If they were tyrannical megalomaniacs, though¡ he glanced down at his hands. Would he have the resolve to fight? To kill? It was a question he couldn¡¯t answer. ¡°Ah,¡± Tarixi said abruptly, cutting off his reverie and snapping him back to the present as the end of the stairwell finally arrived and they emerged onto a relatively uniformly flat plane of granite. ¡°We are here.¡± Exploration is now Level 5! Exploration is now Level 6! ¡°Where is ¡®here¡¯?¡± Aurelian asked warily. ¡°The greatest secret of the Elysean Empire¡¯s final days, Reclaimer. Your charge.¡± As if on cue¡ªthough more likely from his forward movement¡ªthe entire cavern abruptly surged with light; illuminated in every corner of a vast, dwarfing expanse that could have indeed fit a small Earth-sized city well within its limits. As light was shed, his eyes travelled over the vast and open area. It had to have been almost a kilometre high or more, and wide enough to fit a dozen American football fields comfortably in a square grid, and that was with immense amounts of room to spare. The sheer scale of it defied reason, and he didn¡¯t think he¡¯d ever seen a greater demonstration of the wonders of magic. ¡°This is unreal,¡± he said in an awed voice. ¡°But why is it so empty?¡± ¡°Ah, the final security layer must still be in place. Please reach out with your will and try to interact with the system.¡± ¡°Uh, alright,¡± Aurelian said with a glance at Tarixi before doing as she bid, and extending his awareness. Alpha-One User identified in Facility 01-DSU-Alpha. Local Security Measures designation [Leviathan Mirage] in effect. Would you like to disable [Leviathan Mirage], Reclaimer? Y / N ¡°Uh it¡¯s asking me if I want to disable the le¡ª?¡± ¡°Leviathan Mirage?¡± Tarixi interrupted impatiently. ¡°Yes, do so.¡± Aurelian blinked. ¡°That doesn¡¯t really sound safe¡¡± ¡°Aurelian,¡± she said in exasperation as she turned, ¡°I have waited thousands of years for you to arrive. I am not going to encourage you to do anything that harms you needlessly.¡± ¡°I¡¡± He hesitated still, but a voice in his mind played to his reason: Trust had to be extended before it could be earned. Though the ¡®needlessly¡¯ clarification seemed a little ominous. ¡°Well, alright,¡± he said with a deep breath, and prayer he was doing the right thing. A flick of a thought later and he pressed the ¡®Y¡¯ option with his mind. Input accepted. Alpha-One User override registered. [Leviathan Mirage] shutting down. Welcome to the Dragon¡¯s Den, Reclaimer. ¡°The Dragon¡¯s D¡ª?¡± Aurelian¡¯s mouth snapped shut mid-speech. His entire body froze and refused to move. Even Iron Will seemed to have momentarily shut down. Where before there had been nothing but empty space, now there was a mountainous mass of onyx and platinum scales, with a head the size of a school and eyes the size of a cars. Two forward-swept and angled horns large enough to impale buses on comfortably jutted out from atop its head, and a pair of immense leathery wings were folded over a body with four limbs, each of which ended in five claws large enough to crush ten people in a single blow. It had a serrated tail coiled around its body, its thickest portion as wide as a 747 airliner, and likely heavier too. The entire mass of the creature seemed large enough to have made Godzilla look like an angry adolescent by comparison, and that was going off of the newer movies. The thing could have given Godzilla Earth a run for its money. He could scarcely believe his eyes. He couldn¡¯t move. He couldn¡¯t speak. A creature of myth out of his wildest dreams had appeared before him. A gigantic fucking Dragon. And one blazing golden eye was staring directly at him. B1 | Chapter 18: Imminent Threat ¡°Tarixi, it¡¯s staring at me!¡± Aurelian said in a voice somewhat higher than his norm. Iron Will is now Level 19! ¡°Calm yourself, Reclaimer.¡± the Echo chided him. ¡°Can you not tell he is not breathing? That his eyes do not blink? See how his great body does not move? The leviathan is in a stasis field,¡± her tone seemed amused more than anything. ¡°Though even if he were not, I sincerely doubt he would eat you. He would be far more interested in picking your brain on your origins. He was always insatiably curious about Nephilim.¡± ¡°You¡ you know¡ªIt¡¯s a him?¡± Aurelian asked as he swallowed down another wave of panic, and silently thanked the System for his Iron Will skill. Even knowing and realising that the Dragon was unable to actually see him, and feeling for the first time the lack of radial warmth one would expect from any creature its size; he could not help but be terrified on a primitive level at the sheer immensity of the creature before him. If not for his Iron Will, he very well might have needed new pants due to more than just the fact they were torn to shreds. The dragon really could have bodied Godzilla, and not the cheap Matthew Broderick one; the massive incarnation that casually walked through skyscrapers. The dragon¡¯s black-and-platinum body looked like someone had laid down the mother of all skyscrapers and turned it into a monster. ¡°Of course I know him,¡± Tarixi said tersely, ¡°or at least, the real me did. Bael¡¯tharax is¡ªwas one of Elysea¡¯s most ardent defenders. He and his kin were our greatest and most powerful allies. The Dragons hate the gods with a ferocious passion. They see them as usurpers.¡± ¡°How so?¡± Aurelian asked while he flared his Iron Will and moved forward with a cautious and measured pace until he could look at the patterns and striations within one of the gargantuan creature¡¯s open golden eyes. ¡°Dragons are deeply connected to the Eternals. They each exemplify one of the primordial powers of the Realms. All of them except Bael¡¯tharax, of course,¡± she smiled towards the frozen creature with a level of warmth and comfort that boggled Aurelian¡¯s barely-controlled and nearly fear-addled mind. ¡°The gods sought to snatch the dominion of the powers from the Eternals entirely, and in some ways succeeded, until the first Calamity. I fear that people will have once again forgotten that the incarnations of the Ten Magicks are the Eternals, and not the gods that mortals now worship.¡± ¡°Is he special?¡± Aurelian said with a glance at Tarixi and a nod to Bael¡¯tharax. ¡°You said he didn¡¯t have¡ªwell, that he wasn¡¯t tied to a specific Eternal,¡± he had almost said ¡®didn¡¯t have power¡¯, but the sheer insanity at the idea of even uttering the words when referring to a creature that could eat a T-Rex as a snack stopped him dead. A snort was his reply as Tarixi drifted closer to join his examination. ¡°Special, Aurelian? Bael¡¯tharax is the King of all Dragons. He is able to wield all magic by will, and with far greater potency than any other of his kind. When Bael¡¯tharax¡¯s shadow fell over the battlefield, armies would lay down arms rather than risk the chance of his ire.¡± ¡°Then why is he here?¡± ¡°Justinian,¡± Tarixi said harshly. ¡°He tricked and mortally wounded Bael¡¯tharax with some sort of godsforged artefact. We placed him here, in stasis, to keep him from being slain. He is not only the King of all Dragons, but by the war¡¯s end was one of the last. The Godsworn were prodigious in their slaying of the Dragons. There were never truly that many. A few thousand, perhaps. Too many died when their riders did.¡± Aurelian¡¯s attention zeroed in on her words. ¡°Did you say riders?¡± ¡°Yes,¡± she confirmed with a sly smile, ¡°I did. Dragons are one of few creatures capable of forging Soulbonds. They are able to choose a mortal and unite their souls. The result is that neither may die a natural death while the other lives, the growth of one is split between both, and each of the pair gains the benefits of the other¡¯s magic. It also greatly enhances the combat prowess of both individuals.¡± ¡°I am sensing a very large ¡®but¡¯,¡± he said warily. ¡°Astute,¡± she said with a nod. ¡°If one of the pair is slain, both will die. There is no exception to this. That is how the Godsworn first struck at us: they targeted and slew the Drakaii of the Ordo Draconis. Each dead rider was a dead Dragon. It was, I am loath to admit, a genius tactic. The Empire had grown too comfortable with the power of the Ordo Draconis to enforce the peace, and spread the teachings of Elysea. When the Godsworn attacked, the Empire was caught off-guard; crippled and unawares.¡± ¡°Yet you all fought for centuries.¡± Aurelian commented quietly. ¡°Yes. We had a good reason to fight. It was the war we¡¯d been waiting for, we just¡¡± she trailed off and sighed as she looked up at Bael¡¯tharax, and Aurelian thought he could see a mix of regret, sadness, and soul-deep weariness in the goblin ghost¡¯s translucent eyes. It struck him then that, in his own idiotic selfishness, he had not considered just how defeated Tarixi must have felt. Despite her jokes, and prods, and optimistic statements; she was an Echo¡ªan imprint of a Soul long, long dead. How must it have felt to be shackled to the world, awaiting a saviour that might have never come? The very idea of it made him shiver. Aurelian did not disturb her when she lapsed into a silent, thoughtful stare at the brain-meltingly massive dragon. Instead he wandered away from her deeper into the cavern and attempted to see if he could find anything else worth his attention in their immediate surroundings. The vast majority of the space was occupied by Bael¡¯tharax, but there was surely something else present. A control panel, or some sort of¡ªof course! He nearly slapped his forehead as his realisation crystallised. With a flex of his will, Aurelian summoned the System. Alpha-One User Identity confirmed. Welcome, Reclaimer Aurelian! Awaiting input. Hmm. Aurelian thought quietly so as not to disturb Tarixi, his right hand coming up to idly rub at his chin. What were his¡ª? Another proverbial light bulb lit off, and he almost laughed out loud at how silly he was. The System wasn¡¯t a computer on Earth, waiting for some predetermined set of command phrases. It might have seemed that way, but that very well could have been because it was how he translated it in his mind space due to his earthly origins. With hope he was right, he sent a questioning pulse to the System text hanging in his HUD. Please clarify my options. Input acknowledged. Populating [Command List] . . . [Command List] Populated! AVAILABLE COMMANDS: [Disable All Security Measures] [Disable Specified Security Measures] [Disable Stasis Field] [Assess All Security Measures] [Assess Specified Security Measures] [Unlock Armoury Access] [Activate Simulacrum Generator] [Activate Animus Engine] [Overload Animus Engine] ¡°What the hell is an Animus Engine¡?¡± he muttered as he read the lines, all while forgetting he was very much not alone. A quiet ¡®ahem¡¯ at his shoulder nearly made him leap out of his skin. ¡°Jesus Christ!¡± he exclaimed as he snapped his head towards Tarixi. ¡°Not cool!¡± ¡°Whom, or what, is this ¡®Jesus Chri¡ª¡¯?¡± ¡°Not getting into it,¡± Aurelian said firmly. ¡°How can I help you, Tarixi?¡± She narrowed her ghostly eyes at him, but didn¡¯t push the Jesus issue. Instead, she did something even worse: she made an accurate deduction. ¡°You accessed the control system, didn¡¯t you?¡± Tarixi probed shrewdly. ¡°I¡ªer¡ªmaybe?¡± he answered with his best attempt at an innocent smile. She did not appear to be buying it. ¡°Show me your options,¡± she instructed firmly. Aurelian complied with only a small amount of chagrin. The Goblin stared at the air in a way he had come to associate with System interfacing, and then turned to him with a mighty frown. ¡°I want you to use the Assess All Security Measures command, and let me see what it reports.¡± A case of content theft: this narrative is not rightfully on Amazon; if you spot it, report the violation. Aurelian raised his eyebrows but shrugged his acceptance. Couldn¡¯t hurt, after all. ¡°System, Assess All Security Measures.¡± Command Input confirmed. Assessing All Security Measures . . . Results populated. Facility 01-DSU-Alpha containment protocols are in full effect. WARNING: [Undead] presence detected in all surface sectors! WARNING: Attempted incursion in zones 3, 4, and 7! WARNING: Surrounding territory¡¯s [Life] and [Nature] mana at critical levels! WARNING: [Animus Engine] has been offline for 1,829,380 days! WARNING: Corrupted Nodes detected! Re-Assessing Containment Security . . . WARNING: [Containment Breach] by [Undead Infestation] predicted in 5 days! WARNING: System unable to purify corrupted nodes! WARNING: [Mana Reserves] are critical! [Stasis Field] will fail in 7 days! ¡°Well that all sounds absolutely terrible,¡± Aurelian said while reading the System prompts. ¡°Five days until the undead ¡®infestation¡¯ breaches containment. I take it that means they breach this cavern?¡± ¡°Yes, and that is hardly the worst of it, Aurelian,¡± Tarixi said grimly while she turned to face him. ¡°If the undead do breach this sector and discover Bael¡¯tharax, there is a great possibility that whatever power is controlling them will be able to infest the Dragon King for reanimation prior to his long-overdue demise. That would be¡ incredibly bad. For everything. Everywhere.¡± ¡°Rewind,¡± Aurelian said with narrowed eyes, ¡°and get back to the part where something is controlling the undead? I thought they were just reacting to my presence.¡± ¡°Yes, partially.¡± Tarixi agreed with a flicker of something Aurelian couldn¡¯t quite identify. ¡°But not solely. You were like a trigger of awareness for whatever fell power has taken residence within the Palace complex, but are no more than a catalyst. The undead were already enthralled long before you arrived, I wager. It is only your Elysean nature and the tormented spirits¡¯ residual, millennia-long and cradled hatred for your species that saw them activated by your proximity. Specifically, by the spiritual signature of your Soulforce.¡± ¡°And now they¡¯re trying to get in here?¡± ¡°Oh, I think they have been trying for quite some time. Very likely we only emerged near the end of their efforts. Based on what the System has said, the last time the Animus Engine was active was five thousand and twelve years ago, give or take a few days. That means in simple terms that it has been persisting off stored mana the entire time.¡± ¡°What is the Animus Engine?¡± he asked with an apologetic smile. ¡°Er, the short version.¡± ¡°It¡ªHmph. Very well,¡± Tarixi said with a look of mild displeasure. ¡°It is a construct designed to harness ambient mana and then convert it into Life and Nature mana to nourish the surrounding land, while also stockpiling unaspected mana for the palace complex¡¯s use. The System interface you just interacted with is called a local nexus. It is an isolated part of the System unique to this place, put here by the Authority of the Imperator.¡± ¡°I definitely heard emphasis on an uppercase ¡®A¡¯ there, Tarixi. What is Authority in this context?¡± ¡°In the shortest possible way,¡± she said with another look of displeasure, ¡°it is the power by which a ruler controls their territory and within the rules established by the System.¡± ¡°Okay. So that means that several of the local nexus nodes have been corrupted¡ and probably by the undead¡ and they want to get in here to kill and or corrupt Bael¡¯tharax¡ which would be like unleashing Undead Godzilla with wings¡¡± he reached up and rubbed his face, and then spoke through the muffling of his hands. ¡°And I am guessing you are going to ask me to clean this all up, given I am literally the only one capable of it.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Tarixi answered without preamble. ¡°But! Not immediately.¡± ¡°...why not?¡± Aurelian asked with genuine confusion. ¡°Because I think that, if you¡¯re going to do this, you could use a few tricks up your sleeve. Primarily, you would definitely find value in some magic.¡± Aurelian¡¯s eyes widened. ¡°Woah, you think you can actually teach me?¡± ¡°You are past the age of ten, yes?¡± she asked with an amused tone. ¡°Then yes. You have full access to the System, and I can teach you.¡± ¡°Awesome,¡± Aurelian said with a grin and rubbed his hands together. ¡°I have ideas.¡± ¡°I am sure,¡± Tarixi said with a glint of amusement in her eyes. ¡°Regale me.¡± ¡°Fire,¡± Aurelian said immediately. ¡°It will be really useful against the undead, if my world¡¯s lore is any good. That and lightning. There is a lot I can do with fire and lightning.¡± ¡°Oh, is that all?¡± Tarixi asked sarcastically. ¡°Fire and lightning, just like that?¡± ¡°Well¡ Yeah? I mean¡ You can teach those, right? I remember seeing¡ª¡± ¡°Yes, Aurelian, I am capable of teaching those disciplines.¡± the Echo said with an exasperated huff. ¡°But that does not mean you will be able to master them enough to be properly combat worthy. It takes years of discipline and focus to become a proper battle mag¡ª¡± Aurelian was shaking his head already when he heard Tarixi cut off and saw her shoot him a spectral glare. He did his best to ignore it as he spoke, while feeling quite bold and maybe a little rude. He¡¯d apologise after, he promised himself. ¡°I don¡¯t need to know enough to become a battle mage,¡± he said in clarification while he watched her glare fade into thoughtful attentiveness. ¡°I just need to know enough to keep my flanks clear and my enemies distracted while I cut my way through them. My Runesword is more reliable than any spell I could learn in three days might be, and I am specifically only looking to capitalise on and improve that strength.¡± By time he was finished, the floating Goblin had lost all traces of annoyance, and Tarixi instead watched him with considering and weighing eyes. ¡°A spellblade approach would certainly suit your particular personality, I think,¡± she said with a hint of excited curiosity. ¡°And as long as the magic is there in an augmentative capacity, I do believe the spells I am thinking of would work well and be easy to learn, given your Nephilim advantages.¡± Aurelian just barely resisted fist pumping at her words, but the Goblin wasn¡¯t done. ¡°Additionally, though, you will need to learn to better handle yourself in a fight. At present you are all male bravado, instinct, and passion. There is a natural cunning to your combat, but it is rooted in a limited understanding of the threats you face, and a natural predisposition towards reckless self-endangerment. Thus, we will do as such¡¡± she drew herself up and Aurelian saw her slip the ¡®I am the teacher and you are the student¡¯ face on. He¡¯d have recognised it anywhere. ¡°You will train here in magic with me for three days, starting from now. You will sleep only on the third night, and¡ª¡± she lifted a finger for silence when he opened his mouth to object ¡°¡ªyou will additionally work on increasing your skill with your blade, and your spatial awareness, at the same time.¡± ¡°Okay¡¡± Aurelian said while he tried to force himself to remember the time limit and not think about three days¡¯ worth of no sleep, bullshit System stamina or not. ¡°But how will I train? There¡¯s nothing here for me to hit except rock, and a Dragon I do not want to piss off.¡± ¡°There was an option in your interface called ¡®Activate Simulacrum Generator¡¯, was there not?¡± ¡°There was¡¡± Aurelian confirmed warily. ¡°Good. That will allow you to train against enemies with steadily increasing levels of strength, and will be good practice for your Mana Control, since you will be contributing half the mana needed for each combatant created, to avoid wasting the mana reserves being used to protect us and Bael¡¯tharax.¡± ¡°Hmm¡¡± Aurelian took a moment to think about it and then immediately realised it only needed a moment to think about. There was in reality no choice. He could either work with Tarixi and become stronger as fast as immediately possible, and in doing so equip himself with the tools to confront whatever came next¡ Or he could refuse, doom the Realms to an undead Bael¡¯tharax, and probably die horribly to whatever horrific entity was controlling and raising the Undead. A thought occurred to him, however. Well, two thoughts. ¡°How are you going to keep track of the time?¡± he asked curiously. ¡°The System interface showed you how long the Animus Engine had been offline, yes? Well to do that, it has to be able to track time. So¡ ask it to track time. That is the obvious solution.¡± ¡°Oh. Right,¡± Aurelian said with a mental facepalm. All those points in intelligence and his powers of deduction were failing him spectacularly. He looked towards Bael¡¯tharax as he thought about it, and let loose a low ¡®humph¡¯. It was clearly the leviathan¡¯s fault for distracting his poor, almost-scared-shitless mind, the way he figured it. Sort of. Maybe. He distracted himself by speaking up again. ¡°And what will we do on the fourth day?¡± ¡°On the fourth day we will drop the Stasis field and awaken Bael¡¯tharax,¡± Tarixi said solemnly. ¡°If the worst should happen and you fail in your task, it would be better if the reason for our coming here were not lost as a result. You would still have kept alive some hope for the future.¡± ¡°And that is¡?¡± She smiled at him wryly. ¡°Something to find out about on the fourth day. If you prove yourself worthy through your training efforts. I may be an Echo and you may be the Reclaimer, but I have no intention of going soft on you, Aurelian. This will not be an easy three days.¡± ¡°Six days, really,¡± he said abruptly. ¡°Usually when you say days, people don¡¯t count the intervals between each sunrise. So really, it¡¯s¡ you know¡ six days.¡± Tarixi clearly seemed surprised by that observation, and went silent as her features shifted into a look of thoughtful introspection. At last, and after several moments of long and thoughtful silence, she nodded her approval. ¡°Three days and three nights, then, and hopefully we will produce a spellblade even the Aetheris Militant could be proud of.¡± ¡°The what?¡± She smiled at him slyly. ¡°Earn the information.¡± Aurelian tried to suppress a return smile and failed. For some reason the idea of training, while daunting, also instilled a sense of¡ excitement inside of him. A feeling of challenge. He had wanted to see how far he could push himself, how strong he might become, and what he might accomplish. He had dreamed, some days, of the very situation he found himself in: a world with real magic, with a System that controlled everything, and the chance to truly experience what it was to fight and gain power through adversity. For all that three days and nights seemed exhausting even to think about, he could not in good conscience say he truly disliked it, nor the new ¡®earn it¡¯ attitude Tarixi was adopting. Even in his time on Earth he had thrived best when given a truly enticing incentive to succeed. To exceed even. This was simply a natural extension of that personality trait, writ large and painted in the guise of magic¡ªa thing which was itself extremely enticing. ¡°Are you ready to begin, Aurelian?¡± Tarixi asked, interrupting his introspective reverie. ¡°Uh. What about food and water?¡± he asked abruptly. ¡°You won¡¯t need it immediately.¡± Tarixi said confidently. ¡°What?¡± Aurelian asked with genuine confusion. ¡°Earn the information.¡± the Goblin repeated with a smirk. ¡°Now, are you ready?¡± Aurelian sighed and shook his head. He should have seen that coming. Still, not having to worry about food and water was a huge bonus. He felt reassured. ¡°Yes,¡± he said with a smile that came from the depths of his spirit. ¡°I am. Let¡¯s do this.¡± Tarixi smiled back with an approving nod. ¡°As you wish, Reclaimer.¡± B1 | Chapter 19: Introspection Suraiya held her training blade in both hands, the bundle of wooden lengths tightly wound and braced with metal bands, each of which compressed it together into a solid imitation of a proper wooden practice weapon. It was crafted well to mimic a proper sword¡¯s weight and power, with none of the cutting edges to threaten truly lethal injury. Her eyes were focused on the movements of her opponent where he circled opposite her, his lean muscles shifting him smoothly around the edge of the haphazard training ring they¡¯d set up atop the Traveller¡¯s Sanctuary. It had been Eluviale¡¯s husband, Antony, that had recommended the black-haired warrior as a sparring partner. He was a promising Iron-ranked Adventurer around her age named Carter, and wielded his own blade with the confidence of a combatant benefitting from their First Temper. When he came at her again, she stepped into a parry as she¡¯d been taught, and muffled a curse when he reversed direction at the last moment and slid past her guard to tap her lightly on the bicep. ¡°Point.¡± the Knight watching the match, Dame Taryn Dusklily, declared. Her brown hair was tied back into a loose bun and her dark eyes watched them both unblinkingly. She wore only her leather gambeson and had her sword belted to her hip, allowing her to stand at ease in a practised state of casual readiness. ¡°Reset.¡± Suraiya rolled her arm subconsciously as Carter smiled at her and bowed his head before retreating, and nodding to the approving gazes of the small crowd watching them. Her frustration boiled within her as he retreated, but she reminded herself that it was hardly his fault he was better than her with a sword. He had likely been venturing out into the Desolation since his fifteenth year. ¡°Combatants Ready?¡± Dame Taryn asked them both. ¡°Ready.¡± Carter replied in his smooth, warm voice. ¡°Ready.¡± Suraiya replied crisply. ¡°Begin!¡± This time Suraiya took the initiative and launched herself across the ring towards Carter¡¯s position with as much of her agility and strength as she could manage. Either in a sign of respect or with a lack of concern¡ªshe couldn¡¯t be certain¡ªfor the outcome, Carter met her charge with a position-perfect block. It was not unlike slamming blade-first into a brick wall for all that he couldn¡¯t have been more than five levels above her, and Suraiya¡¯s arms felt jarred from her wrists to her shoulders. She didn''t waste time being surprised however and stepped back into a pivot, bringing her blade around at his opposite side and forcing him to make another perfect block with the same bone-jarring immovability. Is the chasm between Tempered and Untempered truly so immense? She mentally questioned as she danced backward and repositioned herself to attempt another strike. It feels as if he is barely noticing my hits. Suraiya¡¯s attention moved to Carter¡¯s feet as he shifted them subtly, and then snapped back to his sea-green eyes, and she tightened her grip on her training blade when she registered his intent to strike. Ser Gilbert¡¯s lessons came back to her, and she remembered to watch Carter¡¯s gaze. Track it to his likely target. It was not the time to think about how the wind played around his hair, or how nice his chest was, or how full his lips were. She clenched her jaw, banished the foolish thoughts, and waited. His eyes flicked to her left shoulder. She snapped her blade up in a defensive parry and danced to the right a moment before Carter surged towards her with the speed of an Initiate-level body. He was not a barely-there blur of motion like the Adept-level Knights that formed her protection, but his movements were almost too fast for her to track. He seemed to explode into violence to her senses, and it was all she could do to throw off his attack and dance away. The next few seconds were a frenetic, dizzying combination of parries, blocks, strikes, ripostes, and clacking wood as Carter attacked her with a furious set of blows. He was using a style of combat she¡¯d never learned, one that seemed more to flow than follow a rigid diagram like those she¡¯d been taught. He was fluid in a way that was beautiful, and more-than-a-little intimidating¡ªthough she refused to show that particular sentiment openly. Sweat beaded her forehead as her hair whipped around her, and she danced between attacks. She knew he wasn¡¯t using his full speed or force. Perhaps three fourths of it if she had to wager a guess, and that by design. She was quite skilled for an Untempered, but she was still Untempered. To attack her with full force would have been poor form at the very least, and openly seditious at the worst. She was still the Princess-Royal, after all, despite her insistence that he ignore her title. Suraiya repelled another wave of rapid strikes, and then let out a quiet snarl of frustration when he nearly sent her blade spinning away. Her eyes narrowed in focus amid the clacking rhythm of their blades meeting. In a motion she hoped was as sudden for him as it was for her, she feinted a strike and then stepped forward into his guard, and attempted to slam her elbow into his stomach. It was, in a word, a mistake. Pain exploded from her arm the moment it impacted the solid muscle of his First Tempered body and Suraiya¡¯s hand spasmed around her blade. Carter had clearly not expected such a failure, and his latest strike was right on target for her head. She barely had time to widen her eyes before¡ª Crunch. A low boom of thunder echoed throughout the area as Ser Gilbert¡¯s armoured fist appeared from nowhere in order to catch the swinging blade, his body suddenly beside hers and arcing with discharging bolts of static electricity, the contained tempest precipitated by the speed of his lightning-attuned Stormsurge Manaforce movement skill. The tall Knight looked down at her in an analysing manner immediately to satisfy his curiosity as to her condition, and then turned to Carter. ¡°I think, Adventurer, that we are done here.¡± he declared coldly. The Adventurer paled and stumbled back quickly from Ser Gilbert¡¯s presence, dropping himself into a deep bow when reality caught up to him. ¡°You have my deepest apologies, Princess! I didn¡¯t¡ªthat is to say, I had no idea that the blade¡ª!¡± ¡°It is¡¡± she cleared her throat. ¡°It is quite alright.¡± Suraiya cut in before he could flounder any more. He suddenly looked every bit the young man he still was. To think she had thought he was so strong and handsome only moments earlier¡ ¡°You conducted yourself admirably, Adventurer Carter.¡± her arm really hurt. ¡°The fault is mine and mine alone.¡± she inclined her head as she acknowledged it, and subtly tucked her arm against her gambeson. ¡°I thank you for your time, and a most educating sparring session.¡± Carter¡¯s relief was palpable when he lifted his head, and he bowed again¡ªalbeit with less desperation than before. ¡°Th¡ªthank you, your highness. The pleasure was mine. Until next time.¡± ¡°Until then,¡± she responded courteously, despite the certainty that there would be no next time. The moment Ser Gilbert had intervened, Carter¡¯s temporary lease of permission to train with her had expired. Despite her gratitude for his intervention, a large part of her wished he had simply let her take the blow. Carrying the injury would have been worth it. It might have alleviated the sense of unspoken distance between her and the rest of the convoy. She still, despite their wider acceptance of her combat feats, felt remarkably lonely. ¡°Are you alright?¡± Ser Gilbert asked after Carter had retreated to the waiting crowd of Adventurers, all of whom had let him pass wordlessly as they still seemed to be attempting to figure out exactly what had happened. To the naked eye, after all; Ser Gilbert had appeared like a lightning strike. One moment he had been watching from a short distance away, conversing with his officers and some of the leaders from the Adventurers¡¯ group¡ªand then the next instant he was at her side, looking every bit the powerful and indomitable force of nature that he was. ¡°I am fine,¡± she said perhaps a little more curtly than was appropriate. ¡°Your arm appears hurt,¡± he pointed out undeterred. ¡°A healer should look at it.¡± ¡°I¡¡± She sighed when she realised that fighting it would be futile. ¡°Very well.¡± Ser Gilbert turned to the small gathering of watching Adventurers and gestured sharply. From among the on-lookers came a familiar elven face, and Eluviale¡¯s tall form crossed the area with sure and confident strides that did nothing to hide the musculature evident on her limbs beneath her tight-fitting leathers. Suraiya watched her with focused interest while she moved, and observed the fluidity and grace of her measured and almost regal gait. A pang of envy flared within her as she observed the carefree way in which Eluviale embraced her Temper-assisted body, and the Princess couldn¡¯t help but to glance down at her own leather top and ill-fitting leggings with a sense of insecurity. How she wished she could be so free. ¡°Hello again, your highness.¡± the Soother said warmly when she finally reached polite speaking distance, before rounding on Ser Gilbert. ¡°And hello to you as well, Ser Gilbert. You are looking particularly off-putting and terrifying today.¡± ¡°My charge was wound¡ª¡± he began stiffly. ¡°Yes. I understand, but let me be clear,¡± she leered up at the tall Knight and placed her fists on her hips, only to lift her right hand a moment later and shake her forefinger under his nose. ¡°You may be the strongest Knight in Stormharrow and its surrounds, Gilbert van Ostland, but I am a Silver-ranked Soother and a registered Healer in the royal employ,¡± she continued undeterred even when he opened his mouth to reply, rolling over him like the storm he himself was famous for emulating. Unauthorized content usage: if you discover this narrative on Amazon, report the violation. ¡°I was there when you followed Vasilia around like a puppy, if you recall¡ª¡± Suraiya¡¯s eyes widened at that statement, and she listened with greater interest ¡°¡ªand I for one do remember your buck-toothed awkward phase, when you could barely lift a sword. So!¡± she joined her gesticulating hand to its opposite on her hips and grinned at him savagely. ¡°If you think to beckon me like a dog again, just because you¡¯ve got a fancy moniker and a Knightly title now, I¡¯ll see to it you spend the rest of this journey fielding so many uncomfortable questions about your childhood that your head will spin. Are we clear?¡± Suraiya¡¯s shock had started to mount when Eluviale had begun her speech, but as the elf¡¯s tirade continued to grow in both tempo and volume, the Princess could only goggle in disbelief. What truly set her mind spinning was when Ser Gilbert, the Storm¡¯s Blade, Knight-Captain of Stormharrow, and Champion of the King actually recoiled and took a step back at the tongue lashing. ¡°You¡¯ve made your point, Eluviale,¡± he rumbled quietly. ¡°More than well enough.¡± The elven woman nodded with a satisfied smirk. ¡°Good, because your fancy sparks might scare this lot¡ª¡± she jerked her thumb at the Knights and Adventurers both ¡°¡ªbut I still remember the night of warm streams, Ser Gilbert, and don¡¯t you bloody forget it.¡± Ser Gilbert¡¯s mouth opened, closed, opened again¡ and then he muttered something that almost sounded like a prayer and turned to Suraiya. ¡°I leave you in Healer Eluviale¡¯s capable hands, your highness. Please be ready to move shortly. We pack up camp in an hour¡¯s time.¡± Suraiya barely remembered to nod to him when he turned to depart with a flare of his cloak, and started away while barking orders at the collection of on-lookers. Unlike Eluviale, they did find him worth listening to, it seemed, and leaped to begin preparations to leave while he stalked through the entire lot like a thundercloud. ¡°I have never seen anyone talk to him that way.¡± Suraiya said in an awed voice as she turned back to Eluviale. ¡°Not that I wish him to be disrespected, you understand, but that was¡¡± The tall elf smiled at her slyly and moved closer in order to lower herself to a knee, reaching out to gently touch her arm and examine it with her fingers. ¡°Gilbert is a good boy, but he forgets his origins at times,¡± Eluviale said simply. ¡°He forgets that he was not always the ready blade at the side of the King, and that there are those of us that knew his mentor better than even he did.¡± Suraiya winced in pain but otherwise allowed her the inspection, all while focusing on the older woman¡¯s intense blue-green eyes as she worked and listening to her words. ¡°I did catch what you said to him earlier,¡± she said cautiously. ¡°You knew my mother?¡± Eluviale nodded and glanced up at her with a smile before looking back to the arm. Warm green light began to dance around her fingers, and the elf gently soothed away the lingering pain in preparation for her healing work. ¡°Vasilia and I were in a party together before she became Princess-Royal. She was more of a now-and-then member admittedly, due in no small part to how in-demand she was for the more perilous duties. I was stuck as an Initiate-level Soother back then, and your mother was the rising star of the guild.¡± ¡°How did you two meet, then, if I may ask?¡± Suraiya enquired carefully. ¡°Ha! It¡¯s alright, your highness. You are not breaking any social boundaries. I have nothing to hide,¡± she shifted her hands down to Suraiya¡¯s elbow and allowed the healing energy to seep into her skin while adopting a ponderous expression. ¡°Mmm¡ I was sitting outside on a box, I believe, and lamenting the fact I would never amount to anything worthwhile. That is when your mother found me.¡± Suraiya blinked in surprise. ¡°Truly? That hardly seems like you¡¡± ¡°Oh yes.¡± Eluviale affirmed cheerfully. ¡°I was quite down in the dumps, but Vasilia came in like a force of nature, all bright-eyed and golden-haired power, and demanded¡ªif you can believe¡ªthat I accompany her on a jaunt into a nearby Dungeon. It had just opened up, and she¡¯d managed to snag the contract for it, but there were no Soothers immediately available. None except for me, of course.¡± ¡°And you two cleared the dungeon alone?¡± Suraiya asked in surprise. ¡°Oh my, you are a lover of fantastical tales, aren¡¯t you?¡± Eluviale said with a laugh like musical chimes, which bloomed an embarrassed flush in Suraiya¡¯s cheeks. ¡°No my dear, she already had another person waiting for us. The big oaf I now call my husband, in fact. It was the first time we truly spent time together, actually. I fell for him in the Dungeon itself, in point of fact. Your mother led us on a merry rampage throughout its interior, and it was all I could do to keep up with her. Antony was a pillar of strength for me throughout, and ensured I was safe while Vasilia¡ well,¡± she waved a hand in amusement, ¡°did her thing.¡± ¡°I¡ I see.¡± Suraiya said with a frown as some of her excitement deflated. Had her mother been a selfish gloryhound? It was not something she¡¯d ever considered. As if reading her mind, Eluviale let loose a tsk of gentle reprimand. ¡°You are thinking it through wrong, Princess. I can see it on those pretty features of yours. Your mother entrusted me to Antony, and she was right to do so. She was already Gold rank by then, and well on her way to Platinum. Antony and I were both Iron.¡± Eluviale laughed warmly with memory. ¡°She obliterated the various creatures that could actually threaten our lives, and left the ones that we could properly handle so that we could reap our own share of experience,¡± she grinned at Suraiya as she spoke. ¡°We gained seven full levels in that Dungeon.¡± ¡°Seven?!¡± Suraiya asked in shock. ¡°How in the Realms did you manage that?¡± ¡°We found out later that the System had classified it as a rank two, five-man dungeon. Your mother cleared it essentially by herself. Antony and I were both only qualified for rank one dungeons at that point.¡± Eluviale tilted her head thoughtfully after that, as if thinking back to a specific moment. ¡°I asked her about it later, and she said that it seemed ¡®silly¡¯ and ¡®wasteful¡¯ for a talented Slayer and talented Soother to be relegated to irrelevance because of a twist of fate. She had seen a chance to let us prove our mettle, and given it to us.¡± The elven woman grinned conspiratorially and lowered her voice to a whisper, while Suraiya leaned in eagerly to listen. ¡°Plus, she needed two more people to meet the minimum entry requirements the guild had laid out. Ha!¡± Suraiya laughed as the tension and doubt melted from her, and she looked wistfully away from Eluviale towards the stretching expanse of the Desolation. ¡°I hope to be like her one day,¡± she said with hope, doubt, and nervousness blossoming in her chest. ¡°She was already near her Second Temper at my age, and here I am barely closing in on my first of three Infusions.¡± ¡°You can¡¯t compare yourself to her.¡± Eluviale said gently. ¡°Because I am so much weaker?¡± Suraiya asked with a sudden bitterness that shocked even herself. ¡°So much more delicate?¡± ¡°No.¡± Eluviale said while meeting her eyes firmly and reaching up to lightly cup her face. Suraiya froze for a moment, and then relaxed into the contact slowly. It felt¡ nice. Eluviale¡¯s fingers were warm, and softly comforting. ¡°Dear child, you are attempting to compare yourself to the Sun while only yet in the earliest stages of your radiance. You are a Princess, Suraiya. Your duty to your people is something Vasilia never had to bear. She grew up a noblewoman, certainly, and one of independent spirit much like yourself¡ but she never had your chains. She never had your burdens. She was free, and you are not.¡± The elf moved her hand and brushed away some strands of blonde that had fallen over Suraiya¡¯s eyes, and the princess couldn''t help but feel a small strain of moisture in her eyes. She had no idea where the upswell of emotion came from, or why it struck her with such sudden and intense furore. Abruptly it was all she could do to keep from crying. ¡°What if I¡¯m not strong enough?¡± the Princess asked in a voice that sounded fragile to her own ears. ¡°What if I¡ what if I disappoint her?¡± ¡°Suraiya,¡± Eluviale said warmly, ¡°You could never disappoint her. You were her greatest pride from the moment you were born, and I would wager you were the last thing she thought about when she returned to the earth¡¯s embrace, as well. You may be a Karelian, dear one, but you are a Tollarius as well¡ªand that fire, your mother¡¯s fire, burns within you as brilliantly as it did within her. You have yet to find your rhythm or your place, it¡¯s true, but you will.¡± The Elf¡¯s smile was like balm on the wound when it came. ¡°Of that, I assure you, there is no doubt at all.¡± Ten minutes later Suraiya watched Eluviale¡¯s depart quietly, having thanked and then quickly dismissed Dame Taryn when she¡¯d enquired after her well-being following the elf¡¯s ministrations. The tall Healer had deeply touched her with their few short moments together, and yet the Princess couldn¡¯t help but feel strangely wary of the tall and powerful Soother. There had been no malice in her actions, and nothing overtly suspicious in how she had soothed or comforted Suraiya. She had even apologised for breaking protocol after the fact, though Suraiya had waved it off without a second thought. The Princess couldn¡¯t quite place what it was that stirred herself to be cautious of Eluviale, but there was one thing that she would be grateful for no matter what happened. The elf had reminded her of what it was like to feel safe, and understood, and heeded in a way that none of her current minders¡ªand certainly not her father¡ªhad ever managed. It was a small thing, perhaps, in the grand tapestry of life¡ but one that had left Suraiya feeling a plethora of emotions too complex to name. ¡°Perhaps the problem lies with me¡¡± she murmured to herself as Eluviale descended the hill towards her waiting husband and friends. ¡°It just felt so¡ familiar¡¡± she continued as she reached up to lightly brush away some final, errant tears. It truly had felt familiar, and warm, and safe. It had reminded her of something she never thought she¡¯d experience again, and certainly not in the Desolation. It had felt like having her mother back. * * * * * Eluviale re-joined her husband with a small smile after she departed the Princess¡¯ side, her Empyrean Elucidation still honed in on Suraiya¡¯s stoked emotions. She could feel the girl¡¯s bubbling mind-state as it vacillated from sorrowful to confused, and then from confused to guarded and wary, with more confusion and faint yearning threaded in. The elf kept her face straight as she walked, linking her arm with Antony¡¯s and waiting until they were halfway back to where their carts were positioned before breaking the silence. ¡°She is very much her mother¡¯s daughter,¡± Eluviale said wearily as she released her skill and felt the drain on her Soulforce finally stop. ¡°Her will is already incredible for an Untempered.¡± ¡°Did it work, though?¡± Antony asked quietly. ¡°Yes.¡± Eluviale confirmed with a tired smile as she turned to settle back against the cart that held their packed belongings. ¡°I found the threads with my Intent and plucked at the chords of her suppressed emotion. She was surprisingly vulnerable once I was in, and the recollections I shared of Vasilia as well as a few careful emotional prompts during physical contact broke her walls astutely¡¡± she frowned somewhat in thought before continuing. ¡°Though prior to that¡ She was subconsciously defending herself in a way that is rare to find, my love.¡± ¡°You did what you had to do,¡± Antony said consolingly as he reached out to squeeze her shoulder reassuringly. ¡°Vasilia would have understood, and it isn¡¯t as if y¡¯lied to her. You just¡ encouraged her feelings, is all,¡± he waved a hand airily. ¡°It¡¯s important that we make this connection with Suraiya. It¡¯s the only way to ensure she will do what is right when the time comes.¡± ¡°Is robbing her agency truly the best way forward, though?¡± Eluviale asked as she closed her eyes and rested her head against the cart. ¡°It feels like deception, no matter how benevolent the intent. I¡¯m twisting the girl¡¯s memory of her mother¡ªour friend, our sister¡ªin order to gain her trust and faith. It¡ feels like a perversion.¡± ¡°That¡¯s because you¡¯re a good person, wife of mine.¡± Antony responded in his deep and wonderfully rumbling baritone. ¡°But what you are doing will ensure her survival when we meet the Reclaimer, and allow her to break free from the chains of the Ascendancy.¡± ¡°Are you so certain it will be enough?¡± Eluviale asked softly. ¡°What if it isn¡¯t? What if Marcus¡¡± she took a steadying breath before continuing, and suppressed the pang of terror in her heart at the memory of the King Dracolisk venom. ¡°What if she doesn¡¯t choose the right path?¡± Antony went silent while he pondered her words, and she opened her eyes to regard him after it dragged on. Her eyes first went to his, and then followed them to where he looked; to Ser Gilbert, standing atop the hill and barking orders. ¡°Ah,¡± she said quietly. ¡°That is what it comes back to, always.¡± ¡°Gilbert cannot be allowed to threaten the Reclaimer. Not until they are strong enough to resist him, or if necessary, destroy him. Him, and anyone else that tries to stop the Reclamation.¡± ¡°We have no idea if the Reclaimer will even need time, love.¡± Antony shook his head. ¡°Not true. Bjorn wouldn¡¯t have sent me with six near-Adept level Aegii if he thought that. His orders¡¯re very clear: Find the Reclaimer and bring them back. Period.¡± Eluviale sighed. ¡°Even if they choose not to come?¡± Antony¡¯s jaw locked and he didn¡¯t reply, which in fairness was reply enough. ¡°It¡¯s only been one night, and I already feel like we¡¯re plunging into dark waters.¡± ¡°Nothing about this was ever gonna be easy, love.¡± Antony replied gruffly. ¡°All we can do is remember what we¡¯re fightin¡¯ for, and do our best to honour it and our ancestors.¡± ¡°Until we must no longer hide¡¡± she murmured softly. ¡°We owe it to the world to win,¡± Antony said with a quiet and determined rumble. ¡°No matter the cost to our conscience?¡± she asked amid a swirl of guilt. ¡°No matter the cost to anyone, love,¡± her husband replied grimly. ¡°No matter the cost to anyone.¡± B1 | Chapter 20: Cultivation ¡°Before we address anything relating to training, magic, or other such concepts: you must instead receive instruction in the most fundamental aspect of the Realms.¡± Aurelian raised his eyebrows at Tarixi, but didn¡¯t interrupt the spectral Goblin. ¡°When you first emerged into the Realms, did you receive any kind of primer or manual relating to Cultivation in the Prime Material?¡± ¡°No.¡± Aurelian said with a spike of anticipation. ¡°I¡¯ve been wondering about it since I saw that I had a Temper level, and since all the System text¡ªand conversations with you¡ªkept mentioning Cultivation and Cultivators. In my original world, they existed in fiction and stories, but I don¡¯t know how accurate those were to the real thing.¡± Tarixi nodded as if that made sense. ¡°Concept bleed is a known phenomenon. Worldshards often reflect the nature of the Realms in some manner, though I would never have expected it to be in the form of fiction. That is most intriguing, and we should discuss that more in depth at a later date.¡± ¡°Sure.¡± Aurelian answered with genuine enthusiasm. ¡°But first, we need to ensure that you, here and now, are ready to make progress.¡± ¡°So where do we start?¡± he asked with the same enthusiasm. ¡°We¡¯ll begin with the basics. First, do you know why I said you won¡¯t need food or water?¡± ¡°No, but I¡¯d like to.¡± Aurelian said earnestly. Tarixi laughed when she answered. ¡°It¡¯s because you can meditate with Soulforce, and intake mana to address your immediate need for sustenance. It will not work long-term, but it will let you fight and live as normal for up to two weeks, at which point the diminishing returns erode the process. You can use a similar method to defer sleep for up to a week, as well.¡± ¡°Is it hard?¡± Aurelian asked with a sense of relief at the revelation. It gave him time. ¡°It simply requires practice. I will teach you the method after we cover your essential knowledge.¡± ¡°Okay!¡± he agreed with a nod. ¡°So, what¡¯s the first step?¡± ¡°That depends.¡± Tarixi began simply. ¡°On whether or not you know anything about how denizens grow in power, here in the Realms.¡± ¡°Infusions, Tempering, and I assume Core stages.¡± Aurelian answered after several moments¡¯ thoughtful consideration. ¡°Correct on all three, though perhaps without full context.¡± Tarixi said with a smile. ¡°Which I will now provide. Your Codex should record the information, but I recommend you listen regardless.¡± ¡°Happy to.¡± Aurelian agreed with sincerity. He had wanted this information since he¡¯d first transmigrated! ¡°Cultivation in the Realms is a constituent amalgamation of three primary parts: Infusion, Tempering, and Core Development.¡± Tarixi floated over to cross her legs in the air before him. ¡°Since we are not discussing ancillary methods for the purpose of simplicity, I will address mana and its myriad nature later.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± Aurelian said simply while laying out his bedroll, and sinking down to sit on it. ¡°We¡¯ll start with Infusion. This process is both the most simple, and the most immediate method of growing your power. Infusions are done by levelling a Skill to a threshold, which is rated by the System on multiples of five.¡± ¡°So level twenty¡ª?¡± ¡°No. Twenty-Five.¡± ¡°But you reach the Novice stage at level ten.¡± Aurelian objected in confusion. ¡°That is because the System normally advances born denizens from one to ten during their growth from infancy. By ten years old, they are granted access to the System as a ¡®Novice¡¯. Before that, they are qualified as a ¡®Beginner¡¯ and are worth zero experience to anyone.¡± ¡°Ah. That¡¯s merciful.¡± Aurelian said with a grinding gamer¡¯s immediate understanding. ¡°Nobody will bother killing Beginners if there¡¯s absolutely nothing in it for them.¡± ¡°Precisely.¡± Tarixi said with a nod. ¡°It¡¯s one of the few immutable truths of the Realms: children are, by and large, considered worthless even by the most ruthless of Cultivators. Killing them is an act of evil and spite, nothing more. They aren¡¯t even strong enough to qualify as nourishment for beasts, let alone sapients.¡± ¡°I doubt that stops evil-intentioned people, though.¡± ¡°It does not.¡± Tarixi agreed sadly. ¡°As the Godsworn taught us during the Revelation War.¡± ¡°Anyway¡¡± Aurelian said while hoping to get off the topic of murdering children. ¡°Yes, so, Infusion,¡± Tarixi said while picking up the hint immediately. ¡°There are two required elements to Infusion: an Essence Draught, and an Essence itself.¡± ¡°I got an Essence Draught for a Body Skill from a System reward, but it says it¡¯s uninfused.¡± ¡°That is quite common,¡± Tarixi said without surprise, ¡°and is one of the most regular ways in which people attain Essence Draughts. The imbuement is the difficult part of the process, usually, and often requires life-threatening effort if a Cultivator truly desires a powerful Infusion.¡± Aurelian simply nodded and listened. Tarixi seemed to appreciate his patience, and continued comfortably. ¡°The more powerful the infusion is for an Essence Draught, the more dangerous it is to both acquire, and to use. I cannot think of an adequate example or comparison for you, other than to say that it comes down to the Cultivator¡¯s physical and mental fortitude, and the quality of the provided Essence. If the Cultivator is too weak to withstand the force of the provided Essence during Infusion, then there is a significant risk of death during the process.¡± ¡°What about a weak Infusion?¡± Aurelian asked. ¡°That, in some ways, is even worse. Infusion informs on the nature of your Tempering when advancing from Novice, to Initiate, to Adept, to Specialist, to Expert, and so forth. If you Temper yourself with weak Infusions for Mind, Body, and Spirit; you run the very real risk of having a weak or otherwise flawed foundation.¡± Tarixi shook her head as if in memory of such an event, and then continued. ¡°A poor foundation can drastically affect your overall capability, and even stunt your potential to push into Specialist Tier and beyond. Each subsequent Temper is considerably harder to reach than the last, and achieving Specialist was the highest that the vast majority of Cultivators would ever rise.¡± ¡°Do you think that¡¯s still true now?¡± Aurelian asked with interest. ¡°With the Godsworn having taken dominion?¡± Tarixi enquired. ¡°Yes.¡± Aurelian confirmed. ¡°I assumed you were speaking about the Empire, is all.¡± ¡°It¡¯s a fair assumption, and you are right.¡± Tarixi admitted with a nod. ¡°Honestly, I do wonder if the expected plateau is possibly as low as Adept now. The Empire provided multitudinous options to aid the growth of Cultivators freely, out of a belief that self-determination inspired greatness and better moral character both. I would be very surprised if the Godsworn do the same. Equity was never part of their ethos, and much of their dogma revolved around the nature of predetermination and divine edicts of worthiness¡ªor the lack thereof.¡± ¡°Dogmatic cultists that only want their favoured few to reach the highest echelons of power?¡± Aurelian asked in a dry and somewhat sardonic tone. ¡°I¡¯m sure that isn¡¯t the case.¡± He punctuated the statement with a snort of derision, and was rewarded with a laugh from Tarixi. ¡°Well put, Aurelian, and astutely observed. Yes, I can imagine that the average Cultivator¡¯s power in this new and awful reality is likely far lower than what it was during the Empire¡¯s time in power, but sadly we can only imagine. We cannot move forward with that assumption in place, lest you be caught unawares by a canny foe.¡± ¡°Fair point.¡± Aurelian conceded. ¡°And sorry for the tangent. You were saying?¡± ¡°Mm. Yes. Infusion. So! Infusion forms the bedrock of your eventual Tempering, and the number of Infusions increases relative to your standing. You only need one per tier, but they accumulate over the course of the tiers. A Cultivator at Specialist-level will have no less than three Infusions for Mind, Body, and Spirit apiece, totalling nine¡ªand a Master-level Cultivator will have five for each, totalling fifteen.¡± ¡°And if Infusions dictate the quality of your Tempering, then¡ªwoah. Woah.¡± Tarixi smiled approvingly. ¡°Quite right. I can see you¡¯ve figured it out. Power will increase immensely between Tiers. The gulf between each subsequent level of strength is the difference between a mound, a hill, a wall, a cliff, and a mountain. There is no ¡®consistent¡¯ gain in strength. Cultivators improve in power in a categorical manner.¡± ¡°So can you Infuse a Skill more than once?¡± ¡°Yes, you can, though it¡¯s not advised. While Infusing the same Skill over the course of multiple tiers can make that singular skill incredibly powerful, it has diminishing returns. Instead of improving yourself with addition, you are improving yourself with alteration. The Tempering process will focus on the latest Infusion when moving to the next tier, and if that Infusion is built on top of a previous one of the same skill¡ª¡± Stolen from its rightful author, this tale is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings. ¡°Then it replaces the modification, instead of adding it to the other ones.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Tarixi said with a laugh for his enthusiasm. ¡°We do not know why the System does it that way, but it almost seems to reward those that diversify and take risks, and punish those without imagination or innovation. It is always better for you to spread your Infusions, because you will receive a higher net gain for doing so, and develop a Mind, Body, and Spirit Temper that improves multiplicatively across each Tier.¡± ¡°So in simpler terms, Tempering, like, rebuilds your Mind, Body, and Spirit?¡± ¡°In a manner of speaking, yes.¡± Tarixi confirmed with a nod. ¡°Each time you Temper, the System will enhance your Mind, your Body, and the Spirit in different ways. You will even gain passive capabilities that correlate to how the System incorporates your Infusions across each tier.¡± Here Tarixi seemed to truly become enthused, and her expression became wistful. ¡°For example, I Infused Fire Dragon Essence into my Absolute Flame Control skill for my Adept-tier Tempering, and the resulting Infusion combined with my Mana Channelling¡¯s Initiate-tier Phoenix Essence Infusion to create a passive Spirit trait which allowed me to cast fire-type spells with half the normal required mana, and at triple power.¡± Aurelian let loose a low whistle. ¡°So each time I Temper, I get a passive bonus to my Mind, Body, and Spirit?¡± ¡°Not always.¡± Tarixi said with a shake of her head. ¡°Which is why strong Infusions are so incredibly important. The higher the quality of your Essence with each Infusion, the better off you¡¯ll be during Tempering. The Skills you choose to Infuse will also play a massive role in which areas of your Mind, Body, or Spirit are changed by the System.¡± Aurelian leaned back onto the palms of his hands and shook his head. ¡°This is a lot, and that¡¯s just Infusion and Tempering. Is there more to those?¡± ¡°Yes, but it¡¯s mostly just the variations you¡¯ll find from what we¡¯ve already discussed. The essentials have been covered, though how they tie into Core development is a whole other nest of vipers.¡± ¡°Which we¡¯re about to cover, I assume?¡± ¡°Yes,¡± Tarixi laughed, ¡°we are indeed. Core development, after all, is as critical to your overall growth as Infusion and Tempering¡ªthough for different reasons. Your Core, Aurelian, controls not simply your ability to use and manipulate mana, but also your generation of Soulforce itself.¡± Aurelian¡¯s eyebrows furrowed. He felt like he knew where she was going. ¡°Think of your Core like a furnace, where the fuel is your Soul. Through this combination, you create¡ª¡± ¡°Soulforce!¡± Aurelian cut in abruptly. ¡°That¡¯s how Soulforce is¡ªoh. Uh. Sorry.¡± Tarixi, instead of being angry at his outburst, instead sighed and shook her head in an amused manner. ¡°I suppose I cannot fault your enthusiasm, if nothing else. Yes, Aurelian, your Core is how you produce the Soulforce that allows you to Cultivate in the first place. Without Soulforce, you would not be able to absorb or refine System energy into mana, and would thereby be bereft of even the most basic access to magic.¡± ¡°Would that affect my physical abilities too?¡± ¡°Absolutely. Soulforce is not merely your pathway to mana usage, it¡¯s also the energy that allows you to access the System in general. Our Soulforce bridges us to the System¡¯s power, and acts as the conduit through which we gain mana. The System, ah, harnesses our Soulforce in some manner not fully understood¡ªand in return, it refines and outputs mana throughout the realms. The relationship is extremely symbiotic.¡± Aurelian nodded thoughtfully at her words, and hummed in consideration. ¡°What happens if your Core is destroyed?¡± he asked, before hesitating. ¡°Can it be destroyed?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Tarixi said firmly. ¡°A Core is not a physical organ for most Cultivators, but it very much can be destroyed. To do so requires great power, and a combat that transcends mere physical exchange and moves into the realm of metaphysical power and pseudo-divinity¡ but have no doubt on the matter, there are those out there capable of such feats. You can never assume your Core is entirely safe.¡± ¡°You said it¡¯s not physical for most Cultivators,¡± Aurelian noted. ¡°Why the specificity?¡± ¡°You picked up on that, did you? Good. The Core is more of an energy source, one rooted in spiritual essence and Intent than true physicality¡ªbut it is anchored to your physical body, in the middle of what we call the solar plexus.¡± Tarixi hovered down and poked him exactly in the middle of his. ¡°Here there is a small, currently almost-unnoticeable organ that, with proper Cultivation, will eventually form into the physical housing for your Core.¡± ¡°I¡¯m guessing that¡¯s pretty far removed from my current level.¡± Aurelian speculated. ¡°Very much so,¡± Tarixi agreed. ¡°That would only eventuate after your Core reaches the Refinement stage, which will require the Skeletal Reinforcement of your Specialist-level Tempering. With each Temper stage, you see, your body undergoes changes.¡± ¡°Can you tell me about them?¡± ¡°Of course.¡± she answered with a smile. ¡°First Temper is also known as Soulforce Expansion. It immensely increases the width and number of your mana channels, and allows for your body to act as a better housing for your spirit, thereby enabling a superior level of Soulforce control and saturation¡ªand unlocking further stages of Core development. From there, Second Temper acts as a means of total purification of your blood.¡± Aurelian raised an eyebrow at how familiar the process sounded, but didn¡¯t speak. ¡°At Second Temper, your body will fully rid itself of any miasmic, toxic, or tarnishing dregs of Essence from prior Infusions¡ªand all future Infusions will benefit from this cleansing process. This is how the body ensures that your current and later Temperings will not be weakened by unwanted detritus.¡± ¡°That makes sense. It¡¯s a form of permanent detoxification.¡± ¡°Yes. It also greatly increases a Cultivator¡¯s passive resistance to toxins.¡± Aurelian blinked, and then sighed. ¡°That means alcohol, too, right?¡± ¡°Yes,¡± Tarixi said with a snort, ¡°though there are Cultivator-specific mixtures to remedy that.¡± ¡°Oh! Cool.¡± Aurelian said with an unabashed sense of relief. ¡°Continue.¡± ¡°Mm, the next Tempering¡ªknown as Specialist-level¡ªis Skeletal Reinforcement, and the period where the organ in your solar plexus develops into a proper physical container for your Core. Specialist Tier also coincides with a drastic increase in your body density, and resistance to physical harm. Third Temper is the most important stage for the Body specifically, as Cultivators will largely finalise their physical state upon achieving it. The name, as you can imagine, is very fitting; as most Cultivators find their ¡®physical niche¡¯ at this level.¡± ¡°What about the later Tempers, then?¡± ¡°Those almost wholly deal with Mind and Spirit, and while they build upon the Body still, there is never a greater change than the one that occurs during Third Temper. That is when your future as a Cultivator, and whether or not you will make it to Expert-level or beyond is decided.¡± Aurelian nodded and filed that information away carefully. He knew, down to his core¡ªboth literal and metaphorical¡ªthat he would need to be extremely cautious about both which Skills he used for Infusion, and the manner of Infusion itself. Using lesser Essences would probably just end up putting him in line to get murdered by any number of mooks looking to cash in on the Nephilim bounty he imagined the Nine put up. He¡¯d need every possible advantage to survive their ire in the weeks to come. It was a daunting consideration, but one he was glad to be aware of early. ¡°So what about the Tempers beyond Third? What are they called?¡± ¡°Expert, Master, Grandmaster, and Ascended. In order: Fourth Temper finalises your mental state, mental fortitude, and brain¡¯s ability to process and properly manage all the future changes that Tempering will bring. It is an incredibly important milestone for your Willpower, and if done incorrectly, will permanently cripple your advancement.¡± Tarixi said seriously. Aurelian nodded in silence, and she continued. ¡°Fifth Temper allows a Cultivator to diffuse their Core¡¯s energy and essence across their meridians, and greatly reinforce the potency of both mana and Soulforce. Sixth Temper allows the Cultivator to unfetter the Core completely, and replace their physical body with one forged entirely from mana, Soulforce, and Intent¡ªif they survive the process.¡± Aurelian¡¯s eyes widened, and he thought about the concept. At first consideration it seemed like a weakness, until he realised that the body created could be almost anything the Cultivator imagined; including new limbs like wings, tails, or special additions like gills, claws, any of it. The ability to transcend physicality and become a being forged from Intent was¡ insane. ¡°What about Seventh Temper? Ascended-level, you said?¡± ¡°Ascended is¡ hm. In the entire history of the Empire, there were less than a dozen Ascended. The fact that Lucius Tollarius, his wife Selucia Tollarius, and his younger brother Justinian Tollarius all managed to attain Seventh Temper was¡¡± she shook her head. ¡°They were called the Golden Generation.¡± Tarixi continued with a look of remembered wonder, and sad reminiscence. ¡°Even Bael¡¯tharax, for all that he was ancient, had never seen or heard of such an achievement. Three Ascended Tier Cultivators, all born within years of one another, and all raised in proximity? The odds of it happening were so outside the realm of plausibility that many thought it was a hoax until they actually proved they¡¯d done it.¡± ¡°And then Justinian betrayed them all.¡± ¡°Yes,¡± Tarixi said quietly, ¡°and you can imagine what that did to the Empire, and to Lucius and Selucia. He joined the Solari as their Grand Ascendent some five hundred years into Lucius¡¯ reign as Imperator. Some hypothesised that he was brainwashed, or that the Solari somehow managed to control his mind and bend him to Solarius¡¯ will.¡± ¡°You sound as if you don¡¯t believe that.¡± Aurelian noted with rapt attention. ¡°I don¡¯t.¡± Tarixi admitted. ¡°I think, personally, that Justinian betrayed us for a much simpler reason.¡± Tarixi fell silent for a moment thereafter, and almost looked hesitant to go on. Aurelian gestured at her to continue with urgency. He hated cliffhangers! Tarixi sighed, but relented. ¡°I think Justinian was jealous of his brother. For all the glories that both had achieved, Lucius always outshone him. Justinian was often jokingly called the ¡®Golden Extra¡¯. I don¡¯t think anyone could have fathomed how that must have felt, to have an entire nation mock an achievement that none of them could even dream of, simply because the two people you loved most in the world were more beloved.¡± ¡°You think he turned against the Empire out of, what, spite from being bullied?¡± Aurelian asked with a look of bewilderment. ¡°No. I think he wanted something for himself, something that was purely his. The Empire could never be that. Even if he took over from Lucius as the next Imperator, he¡¯d always be the ¡®Golden Extra¡¯.¡± Tarixi shook her head. ¡°No, I think that Justinian wanted his own legacy¡ªsomething that would, in the end, surpass everything Lucius had ever achieved.¡± ¡°So he decided to destroy everything his brother had, and erase the legacy of his two closest friends, because he had an inferiority complex?¡± ¡°The opposite.¡± Tarixi said grimly. ¡°I think he did it because he wanted to prove that he was superior. Justinian, for all that he was mocked, was legendary as a warrior. He was, inarguably, the best of the three at pure killing ability. The Gilded Aegis, the Imperator¡¯s personal guard, considered Justinian to be their example of perfection.¡± ¡°Wow.¡± Aurelian said quietly. ¡°That¡¯s¡ that¡¯s intense.¡± ¡°It is, and tragic as well.¡± Tarixi said with a look of remembered sorrow. ¡°Are you alright, Tarixi?¡± Aurelian asked carefully. ¡°I was just thinking about something bitterly amusing,¡± she answered quietly. ¡°What¡¯s that?¡± Aurelian probed. Tarixi hesitated, and then seemed to come to a decision, and spoke in the same reserved tone. ¡°Perhaps the greatest irony of all is that in his campaign to ¡®liberate¡¯ the world from the Empire¡¯s ¡®apostasy¡¯, Justinian did prove his supremacy. He finally proved to everyone, divine and mortal, that he was more than the ¡®Golden Extra¡¯, that he was the greatest of the three.¡± Tarixi shook her head sadly. ¡°And all it cost him, in the end, was everyone and everything he had ever loved.¡± B1 | Chapter 21: Chakras Aurelian slammed back onto the ground with a pained wheeze, and his sword clattered down beside him. He heaved for breath as his sweat-beaded torso¡ªhis shirt long-since discarded¡ªrose and fell with exertion, and the desperate need for oxygen. Tarixi hovered nearby, suspended in the air with her arms folded, with a pitiless gaze. ¡°That was better, Aurelian, but not nearly good enough. You barely managed to defeat your enemy, and you¡¯re useless for at least the next minute. How are you planning on facing the source of the Undead if this is your best?¡± ¡°I just defeated three Initiate-tier undead!¡± he wheezed. ¡°And you did so only because they were being remarkably stupid in their approach. Had they even once worked with proper coordination to attack, you¡¯d have been dead.¡± ¡°None of the undead so far have¡ª¡± ¡°So far.¡± she stressed. ¡°That is correct. That does not mean none of them ever will! We have spoken about this.¡± Aurelian grunted at her more than fair rebuttal and sighed as he reached up to rub his face, and took a moment to review his sheet after the latest round of training. Name: Aurelian Lucis Imperius Temper: Untempered Novice Core: Calamity Core (Ignition Stage) Level: 18 | Race: Elysean (L) | Origin: Nephilim (L) | Gender: Male | Zodiac: Dragon (L) Health: 560 | Mana: 186 | Stamina: 137 STR: 58 | AGI: 43 | DEX: 42 | VIT: 56 | END: 27 | INT: 40 | PER: 23 | WIL: 66 | CHA: 24 Mind Skills: Revelate (E) 9 | Linguistics (UC) 1 | Philology (R) 5 | Exploration (UC) 6 | Investigation (UC) 7 | Iron Will (R) 19 | Tactician (R) 7 | Deception (UC) 3 Body Skills: Pain Tolerance (UC) 23 | Longsword Mastery (C) 23 | Running (C) 19 | Dodge (C) 20 | Durable (UC) 18 | Brawling (C) 13 | Fire Resistance (UC) 11 | Lightning Resistance 8 (UC) | Ice Resistance 4 (UC) | Breath Control (UC) 12 | Acrobatics (UC) 9 Spirit Skills: Mana Control (R) 15 | Firebolt (UC) 13 | Shockbolt (UC) 8 Traits: Fast Learner (E) Titles: Elysean Reclaimer (U) | Survivor (R) Languages: Common | Elysean | Draconic 62% to Level 19 You have 18 Skill Points Available! You have 3 Skill Evolution Points Available! Strength, Agility, Dexterity, and Endurance had all improved by at least two levels¡ªor six in case of endurance¡ªand pushed him towards a higher capacity of power in combat. He had also gained several new skills thanks to the various nightmares he had been subjected to, and the amount of times he had been forced to lie about not being angry at those same nightmares in a convincing manner. He still wanted to grumble when he thought about receiving the Deception skill notification. It made him feel almost dirty, and yet he suspected Tarixi had wanted him to develop it. There were plenty of possible reasons, but he hadn¡¯t bothered to ask. She¡¯d tell him when she was ready, as she had made abundantly clear. As for his Attribute improvements, well, there were by no means any massive leaps outside of Endurance, and even that was more due to Tarixi pushing him until he collapsed repeatedly with neither remorse nor restraint. Aurelian sighed, and with a flick of eyes stole a quick glance at the new clock installed at the top of his HUD, which happily told him it had been almost sixteen hours since they had started his three-day training montage. Even with all his improvements, and indeed there were many; Aurelian was somewhat biassed as to his perspective on which qualified as a true breakthrough. In his opinion? It was undoubtedly the fact he had finally been able to start learning proper magic. Aurelian couldn¡¯t help but grin at the memory of its apotheosis. ¡°You must focus!¡± Tarixi had all but growled at him as he¡¯d lost control of his mana for the literal umpteenth time, and the spell he¡¯d attempted to form had fizzled into nothingness. ¡°I am focusing¡ª!¡± ¡°No, you are not. You are thinking about the result instead of looking at the journey. Magic is not a ¡®snap of the fingers¡¯ discipline. It is a process, one that was refined to an artform in the time of the Empire. Start again from the top, and speak the process aloud while you move through it.¡± Aurelian had given Tarixi a frustration-fuelled glare when she¡¯d ordered him to start again, but had not argued. His eagerness to learn magic, and lingering guilt from the realisation of his various faux pas statements to the Echo, had gone a long way to smother his instinctive desire to snap back at her due to his own frustrations. He had closed his eyes instead, and attempted to centre himself like she¡¯d instructed, while immersing himself in a darkness of his own mental creation. Unauthorized content usage: if you discover this narrative on Amazon, report the violation. Then he¡¯d started to weave. It was a process that was hard to describe in any other way. He had reached inside of himself and, with great care, identified and taken hold of the ¡®threads¡¯ of mana flowing within his channels. These he had started to ¡®guide¡¯ towards the many spider webbing routes throughout his interior self that led to various different ¡®paths¡¯ of his physical anatomy. Tarixi had, at the beginning of their training, enlightened him to the concept of ¡®mana gates¡¯ inside of his body, and only after several attempts at reworking the explanation in a myriad of forms had Aurelian realised that it had been Chakras of which she spoke. Fucking Chakras. It had felt as if he had been preparing for that realisation his entire adult life, given his obsession with LitRPG and Cultivation¡ªand he had dove into his body to find his ¡®Root¡¯ chakra at the base of his spine with gusto. Thus, as he gripped and guided the ¡®threads¡¯ of mana, he moved them in a controlled circulation throughout his body and towards the still-clogged ¡®knot¡¯ that was his root chakra. It was not that the knot prevented chakra flowing through, as Tarixi had explained, but instead that its state meant he could not take advantage of its ¡®compression¡¯ and ¡®purification¡¯ features. Mana in its bodily state was ¡®unfiltered¡¯, as Tarixi had told him, and required ¡®filtering¡¯ through the gates of the body to achieve a higher potency. For every knotted gate he unravelled, his mana would not only flow faster to its designated points¡ªthus increasing the speed of his spellcasting¡ªbut would also flow more efficiently, which in turn would result in a net increase in the amount of mana compressed into a spell and thus a higher level of power with each casting. Additionally, each unlocked gate would boost his Mana Capacity by 25%. That, if nothing else, had made him immensely enthusiastic. With all this in mind, Aurelian had carefully funnelled the mana through his root chakra and upwards into the Sacral Chakra below his navel. Each time the mana he actively controlled had passed through a Chakra, the effort to hold onto it had become noticeably harder. Tarixi had explained it was due to the knotted and closed gates in his body, which instead of balancing and affirming the flow of his mana, actively warped it; not unlike a large boulder in a riverbed. The water¡ªor mana in his case¡ªwould eventually flow around the impediment, but the result would be a destabilising alteration in the density and consistency of the flow. With each gate he had guided the mana through, his resulting control had become less firm and more tenuous until by time he had shifted, cajoled, and shoved the mana towards the crown chakra at the centre and top of his skull; his physical body had been covered in sweat from the sheer effort of controlling the mana. It had been small comfort when Tarixi had happily informed him that opening even one chakra would have made the effort monumentally easier, as each one essentially added ten percent more control. In the case of knotted gates, they conversely detracted almost seventy percent of his control by time the mana had flowed through from the first to the seventh chakra. He had just barely and by the sheer force of his Iron Will skill been able to hold control of his mana, and in that moment had done as Tarixi instructed and ¡®plunged¡¯ it into his spine. The energy had then raced through his wide, rushing spinal pathway like a sudden torrent of power. He had sat up straighter at the feeling, and it had felt like soothing warmth and relaxing cool surging through his spine and nervous system. At the moment the onrushing tide had met the targeted branch points, Aurelian had forced it apart and towards one of the other ¡®main¡¯ pathways from his spine to his shoulders and down his arms. His eyes had snapped open and, as Tarixi had painstakingly instructed, he had given the ready mana form and fixture by incanting his desire with a flare of Soulforce and an application of Intent. ¡°Firebolt!¡± The small streak of flame that had erupted from his outstretched hands had blazed forward nearly eight metres before guttering out, and had left his mana drained down by a sixth. It had also resulted in an onset of vertigo and accompanying lethargy that had forced him down onto his back, unable to do anything more than listen as Tarixi lectured him on the correlation between chakra-locked spellcasting, mana shock, and stamina erosion. It had been a long lecture. ¡°Aurelian!¡± Tarixi chided with a tone he¡¯d come to identify as ¡®long-suffering teacher¡¯. ¡°Are you daydreaming again? Your stamina is almost fully recharged, by my calculations! It¡¯s time for another round.¡± Aurelian sighed and closed his eyes for one more drawn-out, precious moment in order to reconcile his thoughts¡ and then pressed his now-calloused palms against the granite floor and pushed himself up and to a sitting position. His stamina, at a quick glance, was in fact restoring at a rapid rate¡ªbut it was not full, and he had no intention of granting Tarixi the satisfaction of simply launching to his feet on command. Small rebellions. Small victories. It was all he had, really. He studiously ignored the spectral Goblin¡¯s glare and turned to pick up his sword, which he promptly used as leverage to push himself off the floor and onto his feet in full. As innocent a smile as he could manage was directed towards Tarixi, and then he settled into a set of rote and useful stretches she had taught him that helped with relaxing the muscles. They were admittedly very good at doing exactly that. Aurelian turned his eyes next towards the actual source of his pain instead of the floating Echo, and narrowed in his focus on a new addition to the otherwise plain chamber within which Bael¡¯tharax¡¯s monumentous bulk¡ªno longer quite as terrifying¡ªlay suspended: a stone plinth topped by a humming blue crystal, with Tarixi¡¯s Memory Gem inserted at the base of the crystal¡¯s mount. The Simulacrum Generator was, in essence, a mana-weaving construct that crafted enemies of specified difficulty and number as high as Adept-level and in as many as a full squad of ten. He doubted he would ever need to test the device¡¯s maximum limits in the near or less-than-near future, but knowing its capabilities was certainly helpful. He had also found something else that had lifted his spirits when he¡¯d used Revelate on the plinth. Name: Simulacrum Generator Type: Mana-Weaving Construct Quality: Epic Description: This Simulacrum Generator was one of the premier tools of training and advancement for the younger and less capable members of Elysean society. It possesses the ability to create and grant limited autonomy to up to ten Mana Constructs simulated at anywhere from Level 1 Beginner to Level 74 High Adept Tier. Special Effects: All Attributes and Skills Advance 10% faster when training against this Simulacrum¡¯s Mana Constructs. The additional ten percent experience had been, in a phrase, game changing for his ability to advance his skills without breaking himself on ludicrously high levelled constructs. As it was, Tarixi¡ªhaving taken direct control of the Simulacrum¡ªhad ensured that while the constructs wouldn¡¯t kill or permanently cripple him, they would do everything just shy of both. It had resulted in him being beaten, kicked, stabbed, clawed, punched, burned, shocked, paralysed, and repeatedly knocked down to near the point of death. Due to the fact that he wasn¡¯t in actual lethal danger, however, none of it had triggered any kind of reward or achievement from the System. That in and of itself was a point of simmering and continuous frustration, as Aurelian had grown quite used to the odd and wonderful ways the System rewarded his less than stellar record for self-preservation. Oh god. He suddenly realised with alarm. I really am going full Murderhobo. ¡°So, what¡¯s next?¡± he asked Tarixi out loud to distract himself, while practising swinging his Runesword through the air. ¡°Another test of your mana endurance,¡± she declared with only a little smug satisfaction. ¡°The same rules as the last few times: you may only use Firebolt or Shockbolt, and may only use one of each on a target. They will have the same vulnerabilities as you might expect actual Undead to possess, and will attempt to close distance with you. If you engage with your Runesword, you will lose.¡± Aurelian nodded when she finished clarifying the rules once again, and took a steadying breath in while shaking out his arms, while also shifting from foot to foot in a standard warm-up exercise. Blood pumping as it was, it might have seemed pointless to a common observer; but Tarixi had told him the importance of such things, and he was not one to needlessly question a multi-thousand-year-old battle mage war veteran. At least not about the truly, blatantly beneficial things. ¡°This will be the last projection before you must refill the mana well again,¡± she warned. ¡°Are you ready, Aurelian?¡± His awareness shifted to his health, mana, and stamina and confirmed they all showed full. Then he nodded. ¡°Begin,¡± Tarixi said without pageantry, and catalysed the creation of ten rapidly materialising silhouettes of blue light. B1 | Chapter 22: Arcane Rumble Revelate! Name: Armoured Skeleton Simulacrum Race: Mana Construct Level: 22 Tier: Novice Health: 300/300 Mana: 0/0 Description: A simulated opponent for use in training. That description was repeated across the hovering text around several of the other Simulacrums, and so Aurelian turned his gaze to the ones that had not yet been ¡®tagged¡¯ by his Revelate as identical, and checked in on them as well. Revelate! Name: Spellcaster Skeleton Simulacrum Race: Mana Construct Level: 26 Tier: Initiate Health: 450/450 Mana: 200/200 Description: A simulated opponent for use in training. Aurelian barely had time to call out in surprise at the lethality of the remaining four skeletons before he had to throw himself aside to avoid not one, but two firebolts aimed at his location. He buried his complaints about Tarixi¡¯s sadism beneath his focus and keyed his Iron Will to full strength so that he could focus. His Tactician skill passively ramped itself up and clarified his situation in his mind, and Aurelian acted by rapid assessment as much as by rote muscle memory. Mana cycled through his body in a way that was almost instinctual by that point, and he shot his right hand out at one of the approaching skeletons to meet its charge with his magic. ¡°Firebolt!¡± The gout of concentrated flame smashed into the skeleton¡¯s skull and blew it from its neck, killing the simulacrum and dispersing it into an array of effervescent blue lights, each of which were drawn immediately back into the generator. It was a recycling mechanism, Tarixi had explained, which allowed the generator to subsume whatever mana remained after a construct was destroyed. The sooner it broke, the more mana was recovered¡ªthough it always recovered less than it had initially used to form them. A shard of ice smashed into the floor near his feet and Aurelian backpedalled away from the impact point, narrowly avoiding a raking claw from one of the other armoured skeletons, and darting in-between another two to avoid both their attacks as well. His movement took him into and then out of a sudden melee, and he started to turn mid-step while jumping for the air in the same motion. The Acrobatics skill helped immensely with what he¡¯d come to call a ¡®bunny hop¡¯. Mana roared through his body, and he extended a hand towards both a Spellcaster and Armoured Skeleton and discharged two attacks back to back with a sudden and perilous drop of his mana reserves. ¡°Firebolt!¡± followed by ¡°Firebolt!¡± again rang throughout the area. The Armoured Skeleton staggered back, hurt but not downed, and the Spellcaster did the same¡ªthough in its case, its greater fragility meant he at least snapped off an arm for his trouble, though he didn¡¯t wait to see the limb turn to motes. By time the arm had dissipated Aurelian was back on the ground, and running as fast as he could in a wide circle. He had learned quickly that the undead were both intelligent enough to try and attack as a group, and stupid enough to chase him in a relatively consistent pattern¡ª especially if he widened the arc of his pathway just enough to make it seem as if he were actually running away. He had learned to use just such a method to corral the creatures many times during training, and he anticipated the newest instance to be no different. He was, unfortunately, proven quickly wrong. Aurelian cursed when the undead split up and moved to cut him off, half of them positioning along the narrower path to intercept him, while others maintained gait at his rear. A glance at his mana showed him down to two thirds. It was an improvement from his original expenditure, thanks in part to his levelling of his spells, but was not ideal for what he was facing. His mind worked furiously while he assessed the now-adapting undead, and quickly he found a logical hole he could exploit. Tarixi had forbidden use of his Runesword to engage the undead, but she had said nothing about his body. An amused huff erupted from him at the thought of what he was about to do, and Aurelian threw himself, in an abrupt about-face, towards the pursuing skeletons. In the process, he also forced the ones swinging around to pincer him out of position. More spells were flung at him from the more cautiously moving spellcasters, but Aurelian dodged them or weaved through them carefully. His focus remained locked on the lead armoured skeleton and, moments from the second of impact; he leaped into the air and summoned mana into his right hand. He did not unleash it however, and trusted his Pain Tolerance to help him ignore the immediate pressure-pain that built from the sudden ¡®blockage¡¯ of flow. The distance between himself and the skeleton closed rapidly, and upon reaching his target Aurelian extended his right hand and¡ªwith a snarl of effort¡ªslammed his palm into the Simulacrum¡¯s skull. The resultant force of his Strength Attribute and far more muscular body forced the skeleton backward off of its legs, and Aurelian slammed it into the ground. As he did, he growled out the ignition phrase with every iota of his Intent behind it. ¡°Firebolt!¡± The creature¡¯s head detonated against the cavern floor, thanks to the concentrated mana he¡¯d painfully coalesced into his palm; and Aurelian was thrown backward from the blast with a hiss of pain. He flew through the air for almost three seconds before smashing into the rocky ground, and only had time to check his health¡ªit sat ten percent lower¡ªbefore rolling away a little too slowly from a discharged shockbolt. ¡°Fuck!¡± he shouted in pain-fuelled anger as his leg spasmed and collapsed under him. ¡°That fucking hurt!¡± he complained, even as he rolled away to dodge another volley of magical attacks, and attempted to orient himself on the closest enemies: two Skeletons charging him from his rear, two from his front, and the spellcasters encroaching from his right. Picking his targets quickly, Aurelian threw himself to his right and rolled up to his feet with his hands already held at his sides. His legs pumped as he sprinted, and his stamina burned dangerously low while he forced mana to cycle inside of his body. Love this story? Find the genuine version on the author''s preferred platform and support their work! His regeneration was keeping up, somewhat, but he was still below half and had to make it count. He¡¯d need to buy time, make space, and give himself enough breathing room to recover¡ and that meant two of the spellcasters had to go. ¡°Ash fucking Williams¡¡± he mumbled to himself in reminder while closing distance. Aurelian¡¯s approach had not gone unnoticed, however, and the spellcasters reacted accordingly. Two of them flung ice spikes in his direction, a third cast a crackling shockbolt, and the armless one on the far right threw a firebolt at him as some sort of karmic retribution. Or perhaps it was pissed, if mana constructs were even capable of such. He was uncertain. What he did know was that he had to eat at least two of the spells in order to complete his own attack run with any success. This will suck. He thought to himself, at which point he suddenly threw his body into the path of the ice spikes. Lightning and fire cascaded past him and burst somewhere behind, and Aurelian gritted his teeth a moment before the slightly slower air and water mana¡ªformed into shards of ice a foot long and half as thick¡ªslammed into him with the force of rubber bullets. Aurelian staggered mid-stride, and barely managed to keep balance, while his lungs struggled to restore the air that had been punched out of them. He managed to retain focus only through a combination of his Iron Will, Pain Tolerance, and stubborn refusal to surrender. Ice Resistance is now Level 5! Aurelian put on a final burst of speed, and bled his stamina dry as he closed the distance, all while mana cycled rapidly into his hands. Instead of attempting to take the skeletons down as before with his weight, he shifted position mid-run and threw himself to his knees. He ignored the pain lancing across his flesh when his pants were shredded further, and the skin beneath grazed and bloodied by his incredible momentum. His eyes were locked solely on the two undead. With his hands slightly angled outward to avoid having to dual-cast an ability he still hadn¡¯t mastered¡ªand his activation timing gracing him with a solid one second of error, Aurelian bellowed the ignition phrases as he passed by the staring undead. ¡°Firebolt!¡± he shouted, and a gout of flame exploded from his left palm into the skull of the first skeleton and dissipated its body instantly into azure energy, followed by another ¡°Firebolt!¡± that triggered the second blast to erupt from his right hand and consume the head of the second spellcaster in an inferno, one which detonated the more fragile skull into a spray of bone and subsequent eruption of mana motes. Aurelian barely had time to do more than huff in victory before he was scrambling to his feet again, and wheezed while his stamina flashed angrily at him in his HUD. He had burned it down to three percent with his last mad stunt, and even with the regeneration he knew he¡¯d need to find a way to buy time until it resolved itself into a position he could put it to proper use again. Or in simpler terms; he needed to take it easy until he caught his breath. The implacable quartet of armoured skeletons were already closing distance, the spellcasters were reorienting, and he was almost bottomed out on mana. It was a dangerous situation, and one that Tarixi had warned him could happen in a real engagement. That was the point of training, after all: to prepare for the worst and learn to take advantage of it. A quick bit of haphazard mathematics told him the melee skellies¡ªhe suppressed a tired chortle at the thought¡ªwould intersect with him in roughly eight seconds, and the spellcasters that remained would volley again in three. Aurelian had focused inward while his mind calculated those numbers, and leaned into his new ¡®Breath Control¡¯ skill. It had been part of his learning when figuring out how to control and weave his mana, and had been another Cultivation-themed skill he¡¯d found in common with many of the fictions he¡¯d read. Breathing, after all, was a core component to any meditation. His eyes closed despite the situation, and he felt himself calming and his stamina regeneration ticking along solidly while he relaxed away his subtle, jittery tension and found a kind of ready calm. Aurelian¡¯s eyes snapped open three seconds later, and he looked up as a firebolt and shockbolt were conjured in the hands of the spellcasters. His gaze narrowed in focus, and he could almost hear his own breathing. Inhale. The spells materialised. Exhale. The spellcasters raised their arms. Inhale. The fire and lightning started to discharge. Exhale. The magic arced through the air with bleeding contrails of light and mana. Inhale. The spells crossed the intervening distance to his position like quarrels from a crossbow. Exhale. His stamina finally hit twenty percent. Inhale. Aurelian exploded forward with a surge of Strength and Agility, faintly cracking the granite under his ruined shoes, and more launching himself at the two undead Simulacrums than sprinting at them. The ground behind him exploded when the spells hit, but he was already gone. He extended his palms outward as he accelerated and reached out to grip the construct on the left¡ªthe shockbolt spellcaster¡ªby the shoulders with a grunt of agony in his wrists at the impact. Trusting in his Pain Tolerance and Durable skills to see him through, Aurelian smashed his knees into the creature¡¯s torso. The spellcaster went down with Aurelian riding shotgun, and before it even hit the ground Aurelian was tensed. Brawling is now Level 14! The moment the creature was crushed by his velocity, weight, and the unforgiving power of inertia into the stone; Aurelian threw himself at the one-armed Simulacrum that remained. He reached out to grip the creature¡¯s already-conjuring left limb, twisted it around towards its own face, and shoved its igniting palm against its skull as it detonated a firebolt. The creature¡¯s skull vaporised under the power of its own spell, and Aurelian snarled in satisfaction while turning to his left¡ ¡directly towards the imminently approaching quartet of charging skeletons. His stamina was alarmingly low, his mana was barely at twenty-five percent, and his hands were already starting to shake. He did not have enough mana for more than two firebolts, but perhaps he¡¯d only need two. Aurelian¡¯s mind whirled as Tactician fed him information in a passive process and he broke into a run to meet the charging skeletons. The first to come he ignored entirely and threw himself into a powerslide between its legs, bypassing it completely and rolling out of the slide to dodge the reaching claws of the one behind it. Aurelian¡¯s mana had already been cycling as he¡¯d moved, and he pointed his hand up at the skeleton while it bent towards him. ¡°Firebolt!¡± Its body started dissipating the moment the flames blasted through its skull, and Aurelian turned to face the first and now-encroaching skeleton, while also being fully aware of the two coming at him from his rear. He wasted no time while glancing at his Stamina, and used a burst of Strength and Agility to duck under the skeleton¡¯s grasping arms and grab it by the hips. The construct¡¯s claws tore at his exposed back, and Aurelian¡ªcompletely lost in the moment¡ªbellowed ¡°John Cena!¡± with a howl of rage, pain, and focused aggression while lifting the creature bodily from the granite and suplexing it into the waiting bodies of the two undead already upon him. Condition: Bleeding (Minor) The tactic barely worked as the three skeletons collided in a mess of mass, and while it didn¡¯t take down the new pair nor kill the suplexed skeleton, it did give Aurelian time to roll away and scramble to his feet with a heavy, exhausted breath. He could feel the burn on his spine where the creature¡¯s claws had raked him, but he refused to let it distract him, and instead rapidly assessed the three skeletons already recovering to come at him again. Aurelian winced at the feeling of his body¡¯s screaming protests and, ignoring them, threw himself at the skeletons again. They each were of a height with him or slightly shorter, but that only helped his efforts. Using his superior agility, Aurelian ducked under the two rapid swipes thrown at him from the closest creature and kicked out to his right to leverage his power and push away the second. The suplexed skeleton started to approach and Aurelian chose to give it no time to act as he charged after the kicked Simulacrum and threw himself into the air and wrapped his arm around its head. A snarl of pain was pulled from his lips as the creature bit down on his right bicep, but Aurelian was not to be denied. His Iron Will, Durable, and Pain Tolerance skills flared in unison while he used his weight to force his arm down and around the creature¡¯s neck, turned so his feet hit the floor, and then heaved to bend it over backward. Strength has risen to 59! Brawling is now Level 15! Brawling is now Level 16! Condition: Bleeding (Moderate) A terrifyingly audible crack resounded throughout the cavern, and Aurelian tore the skeleton¡¯s head from its spine in a spray of razor shards that gouged his own abused flesh, and tore open his cheek before the entire creature faded into motes of mana. He needed to catch his breath but had no time, and instead scrambled to his right with a stagger and a cry of pain as another clawed swipe tore open his left shoulder. Blood arced through the air and Aurelian used the adrenaline, fear, and rage to focus on his task. The skeletons were already pivoting to face him when he moved in and, with the last dregs of his stamina, weaved an elaborate Z shape around their slashing claws to emerge behind them both. He received another vicious cut to his lower back as recompense, but the flank succeeded in buying him two precious seconds in which the puppet-like creatures were forced to shift awkwardly to face him, now at their backs. Aurelian used the investiture of his Strength Attribute to the fullest and, when they turned, stepped forward to grip the right arm of the right one and left arm of the left one. With them held As they attempted to gauge him, Aurelian forced both arms and bodies together as they attempted to gauge him, and used them as leverage to swing himself up and straddle the right one around the hip. His core muscles screamed while he pulled his wounded body up to allow him to face them both from a side-on mount, his head coming up level with the grappled skeleton¡¯s own. Both heads turned to face him at once. Aurelian pointed his right hand at the head of the one he had mounted. ¡°Dodge this,¡± he snarled as his mana blazed. ¡°FIREBOLT!¡± Both skeletons¡¯ heads were obliterated by the blast of close range magic, and Aurelian smashed into the unforgiving rock below while his body went into mana overdraw deprivation and his stamina bottomed out. Firebolt is now Level 14! ¡°Get Trinity¡¯d,¡± he croaked with a deliriously bloody smile, laughed, and then succumbed to unconsciousness. B1 | Chapter 23: Hunger and Sacrifice Aurelian huffed out a breath when he completed his three hundredth burpee, and promptly threw his hands behind his head to catch his breath. His lungs heaved for oxygen while he tapped into his Breath Control, and absently read over his gains. The second sixteen hour period following his lapse in consciousness had been no less brutal, and Tarixi had pushed him to train his endurance even while his health had been regenerating. It turned out that a stasis-locked Dragon made for an excellent target to sprint laps around, and Aurelian had done them until he could barely walk. And then, in keeping with Tarixi¡¯s standard practise, had done them again. His character sheet populated as he ruminated on his sadistic trainer¡¯s smug expression, and he read over his improvements. Name: Aurelian Lucis Imperius Temper: Untempered (Purified Novitiate) Core: Calamity Core (Ignition Stage) Level: 18 | Race: Elysean (L) | Origin: Nephilim (L) | Gender: Male | Zodiac: Dragon (L) Health: 570 | Mana: 186 | Stamina: 150 STR: 59 | AGI: 48 | DEX: 45 | VIT: 57 | END: 31 | INT: 40 | PER: 23 | WIL: 70 | CHA: 24 Mind Skills: Revelate (E) 9 | Linguistics (UC) 1 | Philology (R) 5 | Exploration (UC) 8 | Investigation (UC) 6 | Iron Will (R) 21 | Tactician (R) 9 | Deception (UC) 4 Body Skills: Pain Tolerance (UC) 24 | Longsword Mastery (C) 23 | Running (C) 22 | Dodge (C) 22 | Durable (UC) 21 | Brawling (C) 21 | Fire Resistance (UC) 17 | Lightning Resistance 11 (UC) | Ice Resistance 9 (UC) | Breath Control (UC) 18 | Acrobatics (UC) 17 Spirit Skills: Mana Control (R) 20 | Firebolt (UC) 19 | Shockbolt (UC) 14 Traits: Fast Learner (E) Titles: Elysean Reclaimer (U) | Survivor (R) Languages: Common | Elysean | Draconic 62% to Level 19 You have 18 Skill Points Available! You have 3 Skill Evolution Points Available! He had shown improvement across the board, especially where his Skills were concerned, and had even managed to extort another point in Vitality from his consistent, and brutal form of engagement against the different creatures Tarixi had simulated. His Brawling skill, one he learned from the training itself, had also increased exponentially and the Goblin had been forced to start bringing out near-Adept tier enemies just to help him force through skill improvements and incrementally increase his attributes. He still found the lack of actual experience from killing Simulacrums mildly infuriating, but the reality of what the device offered in terms of raising his skills had been enough of a boon that he¡¯d found no serious reason to complain outside of the occasional gripe. The increase to his endurance remained the most prodigious gain, likely thanks to how viciously he¡¯d been pushing himself to grow and how creative Tarixi¡¯s tactics had forced him to become. The ever-varied and more convoluted forms of enemies had even pushed his Tactician skill to the cusp of Novice tier, which Tarixi had stated was quite impressive given the rarity category of the ability. It seemed that, unlike abilities like Mana Control where combat was less essential and more additive; Tactician truly needed almost life-threatening or perhaps truly life-threatening engagements to increase with any reliability. She had been uncertain, by her own admission, due in large part to never having needed to level the skill herself. Plus, the negatives that came with the Skill Limit Penalty had applied to her. He had asked her about the effects of the penalty, and she had summed it up for him concisely.
¡°Each person is permitted fifteen common skills, ten uncommon skills, five rare skills, three epic skills, and one legendary skill at or above their current Tempering tier per their Mind, Body, and Spirit categories. Any skills levelled to or beyond their active Tempering tier after this limit is reached will incur a rapidly increasing experience penalty, up to the point where their progress on any skill becomes essentially deadlocked. The limit on each category doubles at Specialist tier, and again at Grandmaster¡ but few if any people reach the latter regardless.¡± ¡°That¡¯s¡ rough,¡± he¡¯d responded in surprise. ¡°So, what do people do if they go over the limit without wanting to?¡± Her reply had been given with a look of grim severity, and he¡¯d immediately had the feeling she was speaking from personal experience when she answered. ¡°They select a skill, existing or new, and disable it. It is¡ not a pleasant experience, and can have complications if done improperly¡ but it is largely irrelevant to the person after the fact, as long as they avoid trying to use the specific Skill again.¡± ¡°What happens if they try to use it afterward?¡± He¡¯d asked with wary interest. ¡°Pain.¡± Tarixi had replied flatly. ¡°A large amount of pain. The System does not like that sort of violation of its voluntarily imposed locks.¡± ¡°Can a disabled skill be re-enabled?¡± He¡¯d ask more out of concern for if the same occurred with him. ¡°It can,¡± she¡¯d stated in a reserved tone, ¡°but not without cost.¡± He had taken that seriously.Aurelian glanced up at the timer he¡¯d added beneath his clock in his HUD, that showed a permanent countdown¡ªadjusted and maintained by the System¡ªfor when the undead were expected to breach the defences of the hidden chamber. It was sitting at eighty-one hours and thirty-three minutes, but Aurelian wasn¡¯t inclined to trust it implicitly. It could drop at any moment, and knowing his luck and the consistent theme of his time up to that point in the Realms, it very likely would. ¡°Are you done daydreaming?¡± Tarixi¡¯s voice cleanly shattered his moment of quiet introspection, and Aurelian turned to give her a chagrined smile in response after checking his stamina was, in fact, full. ¡°Yeah. Sorry. I was just thinking about how lucky I am to not have to worry about the Skill Limit Penalty.¡± Tarixi snorted in derision and floated towards him in that same, air-walking manner she preferred. ¡°That is an understatement, but at least you acknowledge the ridiculousness of your existence. Many would kill to have your advantages¡ªmany already have, in fact. In this age or previous ones, greed has ever been a constant.¡± ¡°Where I¡¯m from too,¡± he confirmed with a nod. ¡°People have nearly destroyed my¡ªmy former home over personal greed,¡± he said with a quick recovery. He¡¯d almost said ¡®my home¡¯ instead of former home. Despite resolving himself to his new life in the Realms, and the solidification of his ¡®Aurelian¡¯ identity, as well as loving the way he could improve himself, he¡¯d have been lying if he said he¡¯d moved on just like that. Thoughts of his family still plagued him, and more than that he¡ªgrrrghl. ¡°What in the gods¡¯ name was that?¡± Tarixi demanded. Aurelian looked around in confusion himself, until he realised belatedly that the noise had come from him. Specifically from his stomach, and that despite the meditation techniques Tarixi had taught him. This novel''s true home is a different platform. Support the author by finding it there. He glanced at his HUD and turned his attention to his status conditions to search for an answer. When he found the answer, and quickly at that, he almost laughed if not for the fact he had no solution as to how to solve it. Condition: Starvation (Mild) -15% Health Regeneration for Duration -15% Stamina Regeneration for Duration ¡°It looks like being a person finally caught up to me,¡± Aurelian said wryly. ¡°My HUD says I¡¯m starving.¡± Tarixi¡¯s sigh was both audible and heavy when it came, and the Echo rubbed her spectral face with her hands. ¡°Of course this would happen now of all times. I take it you have used at least one health potion since arriving here?¡± ¡°Yeah. So?¡± Aurelian replied with a questioning look. ¡°It is why the meditation didn¡¯t stave it off, most likely. Your recent intensive training probably accelerated the issue, too. Health potions have some moderate ability to ward off hunger and supply the body with the natural nutrients and proteins it needs to function, but they also massively stimulate the metabolism after consumption. It¡¯s part of their own unique brand of effective restoration, mixed with bodily interaction. You¡¯re going to need proper food¡ªespecially when you have the fight of your life coming up¡¡± ¡°So, what do we do?¡± Aurelian asked as the goblin trailed off, and watched as she furrowed her brows in thought, and stared at the gargantuan dragon beside them in silence. ¡°Something unpleasant,¡± she muttered. ¡°But necessary.¡± ¡°Why do I feel like I will hate this?¡± he asked warily. ¡°Because I will hate this.¡± Tarixi responded grimly. ¡°But it must be done. It¡¯s time, Aurelian. You need to release Bael¡¯tharax from stasis.¡± Aurelian stared at her long and hard for a solid twenty seconds before he could muster up the ability to speak. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, you want me to fucking what now?¡± ¡°Awaken the Dragon King,¡± she repeated with a hint of impatience. ¡°And do what? Ask him for a fillet? Sneak a piece off the tail? Yeah, I¡¯m sure that would go over well,¡± he began heatedly. ¡°Excuse me mister ancient powerful fucking leviathan sir, would you mind terribly if I cooked myself a bit of dragon steak? Your ribcage just looks fucking delightful!¡± Tarixi watched him impassively as he went through his sarcastic diatribe, and waited until he was finished and still glaring at her before speaking. ¡°Are you done?¡± ¡°Am I d¡ª? I am not eating the fucking Dragon King!¡± ¡°Fool boy,¡± Tarixi said with a dismissive sniff. ¡°Nobody is asking you to. If you are quite finished being hysterical, however, I would be glad to explain.¡± Aurelian glared at her for another long moment as he processed her words, and almost shot out another venomous bit of sarcasm¡ªit was very tempting¡ªbefore biting his tongue and nodding his head. It was not guilt that stopped him that time, of course. It was the realisation that his overreaction had been largely based in fear, even with Iron Will active. Bael¡¯tharax still terrified some small, primal part of him that only saw a very, very, very large reptile with teeth longer than he was tall. ¡°Thank you,¡± she said primly before launching into her explanation. ¡°Bael¡¯tharax is extremely powerful, more than most creatures that will ever exist; and part of his ability is that he can transmute energy. In simpler terms this is called alchemy, though the term also correlates to the interaction between specific items, precipitants, catalysts, emulsifiers and¡ª¡± She cleared her throat and paused for a moment. After a visible mental reset, the Echo continued. ¡°Suffice it to say that Bael¡¯tharax could in theory provide you with a means to feed yourself while also helping you grow stronger, if he does what I suspect he might when he learns of our situation. The problem¡¡± She sighed. ¡°The problem is that the Dragon King is a very¡ Shall we say, ah, proud creature and the pernicious effect of learning that a Novice¡ªeven a Nephilim!¡ªis his only hope for not becoming one of the undead¡¡± Tarixi sighed and looked at the frozen form of the colossal creature. ¡°He will be embarrassed, and wish to show his power. Since the artefact used by Justinian makes that largely implausible, he will instead attempt to accelerate your growth himself. You should be ready for that. Bael¡¯tharax is stubborn, insistent, and disinclined towards being ignored. He is¡ª¡± ¡°A grandpa.¡± Aurelian realised in stunned disbelief. ¡°The dragon king is a grumpy old man.¡± ¡°I would not say¡ª¡± ¡°Ha! That¡¯s hilarious. Here I am terrified of Godzilla¡¯s meaner brother over there, and he¡¯s basically just a pissed off grandpa that wishes he could put the beatdown on the hooligans trashing his lawn. Holy shit, that¡¯s amazing.¡± Even as he spoke Aurelian felt the fear of Bael¡¯tharax eroding. It was by no means a sudden and miraculous balm on his soul-deep terror for the creature¡¯s sheer magnitude or power, but something about imagining a gigantic, sulky dragon wanting to kick those ¡®darn no-goodun undead hooligans¡¯ out of his ¡®yard¡¯ released a knot of tension within Aurelian. ¡°And you¡¯re sure this is the only way? It seems a bit wasteful to accelerate his demise for some food.¡± ¡°Unless you wish to brave the Palace looking for food stores that are very likely corroded or inaccessible, while suffering what I assume is a debuff to your most important resources?¡± Aurelian had no answer for that, and cleared his throat. ¡°Alright. Cool. Let¡¯s do this. I just select ¡®end stasis¡¯?¡± Tarixi stared at him for a long moment in open bewilderment, her expression shifting between perplexed and bemused before settling on what seemed to be a mix between baffled and accepting. ¡°Yes,¡± she said once she¡¯d recovered enough to speak, ¡°you simply open the System interface, find where it asks if you¡¯d like to remove the Stasis Field, and confirm that you wish to.¡± ¡°Alright,¡± Aurelian said and projected his will out to the System. Alpha-One User Identity confirmed. Welcome, Reclaimer Aurelian! Awaiting input. Instead of using his mind, Aurelian spoke out aloud for Tarixi¡¯s benefit. He suspected this was something of a momentous occasion for the ghost he had come to view as a friend and mentor, and he didn¡¯t want to rob it from her. ¡°Show me the Command List.¡± Input acknowledged. Populating [Command List] . . . [Command List] Populated! AVAILABLE COMMANDS: [Disable All Security Measures] [Disable Specified Security Measures] [Disable Stasis Field] [Assess All Security Measures] [Assess Specified Security Measures] [Unlock Armoury Access] [Deactivate Simulacrum Generator] [Activate Animus Engine] [Overload Animus Engine] Aurelian read over the options once with fleeting curiosity for any changes, spotted the ¡®Deactivate Simulacrum Generator¡¯ change, and then focused on what he wanted. It was a single change and one he expected, but still somewhat interesting to see done. The entire concept of the System still impressed and awed him when he really stopped to think about it. It would have made the ¡®we live in a simulation¡¯ theorists on Earth go absolutely mental. ¡°Disable Stasis Field,¡± he said clearly. Input acknowledged. WARNING: Disabling [Stasis Field] will result in rapid deterioration of subject ¡®Leviathan¡¯, with a 100% certainty of eventual cessation of life. WARNING: [Mana Reserves] not sufficient for reactivation and recommencement of [Stasis Field]. Disabling [Stasis Field] cannot be undone. Do you wish to proceed? Y / N Aurelian relayed what the System was telling him to Tarixi. The goblin listened in silence and closed her eyes, before bowing her head and taking a deep and steadying breath as she processed what he had told her. He belatedly realised that, despite the humour she had used when describing Bael¡¯tharax, the dragon had likely been a massive part of her life and the lives of everyone in her time period. It must have been like seeing an inviolable and eternal pillar of her reality consigned to destruction, and by her recommendation. Aurelian felt a pang of sympathy, and guilt, roll through him at how callous he¡¯d been about the whole situation; and resolved to once again try and do better. It was mildly frustrating to be constantly having to remind himself, though. After all, he¡¯d been raised to be thoughtful and empathetic, but something about coming to the Realms and things he¡¯d gone through in the short fifty odd hours he¡¯d been within the Prime Material¡ It had changed him in ways he wasn¡¯t entirely sure he liked. ¡°Alright, Aurelian,¡± Tarixi said while raising her head, and squaring her shoulders in determination. ¡°Let us proceed,¡± her voice was firm and unwavering, and her ghostly gaze held resolve within it. He offered her no quip in response and instead turned his attention to the question blinking within his gaze. A new weight seemed to surround the choice while he regarded it, but buoyed by the determination he saw in Tarixi¡¯s Echo¡ªin spite of the grief that must have been eating away at her¡ªand with no other readily available option¡ he selected in the affirmative. Input acknowledged. Confirming request lies within requesting user¡¯s authority¡ Alpha-One Access confirmed. Let the Leviathan be unleashed by your will, Reclaimer! [Stasis Field] Shutting Down. B1 | Chapter 24: Baeltharax Aurelian dismissed his System prompt with a frown at its particular wording, and then nodded to Tarixi to confirm it was done. He needn¡¯t have bothered. Even as he was signalling the goblin¡¯s spirit, energy thrummed throughout the cavern and a soundless rumble¡ªas paradoxical as it seemed¡ªvibrated down to his bones. Aurelian raised his eyes towards the top of Bael¡¯tharax¡¯s body when a flare of blue light ignited at the zenith of the dragon king¡¯s central mass, and a colossal blue dome flashed into existence around the creature¡¯s body. Aurelian only barely noticed that the dome actually consisted of millions of tightly packed runic combinations, densely formed into what appeared at a glance to be a solid layer. Then the entire construct started to dissipate. It began from the top where the light had first flared. Runes flashed red and erupted into motes of mana that fizzled into nothingness, creating a systematic pattern that looked like red light eating into the beautiful harmony of the blue runes, while the shield was decimated from the top down. Aurelian stood transfixed at the sight, and only barely noticed Tarixi moving forward to hover at his side as the stasis field was steadily obliterated by the System¡¯s hand. When at last the final layer of runes had been cleared, Aurelian waited with baited breath for what would come next. When nothing further happened, he turned to Tarixi to ask if there was something else¡ and then the cavern shook. For a wild moment Aurelian looked down at his feet and wondered if they were being struck by a sudden earthquake. Then a deep and pervading rumble filled the chamber loud enough to rival the ignition volume of an interplanetary rocket, and Aurelian¡¯s eyes slowly lifted to face Bael¡¯tharax. The dragon king¡¯s golden eye stared back from much closer than before. Iron Will is now Level 22! You have resisted Condition: Terrified (Extreme)! Aurelian stopped moving, stopped blinking, and stopped breathing. He only had eyes for the golden light illuminating the cavern floor, sourced by the perilous and ancient golden eye locked on him, its radiating power as ferocious as if someone had pulled down and imprisoned the sun. The cavern shook again, and Aurelian realised belatedly it was the dragon¡¯s breath being pulled in and released. His breath, and nothing more. The rumble came again, and Aurelian found himself swallowing reflexively. ¡°WHOM IS IT THAT HAS AWOKEN ME TO DIE?¡± Aurelian wanted very badly to say ¡®nobody, this is a mistake, and I am leaving right now¡¯ but the words would not form. Either because he knew they were the wrong words, or because he simply didn¡¯t have it in him to be quippy in the face of a creature that still looked like he could literally curbstomp Godzilla. Aurelian swallowed again and looked with wide eyes at Tarixi¡¯s ghost. She gave him a thumbs up and smiled. Aurelian felt himself go pale. ¡°THE GHOST IS NOT THE OBJECT OF MY INTEREST, WHELP.¡± Aurelian squeezed his eyes shut and turned his face back towards Bael¡¯tharax, his mind telling him that if he couldn¡¯t see the personification of the apocalypse, he certainly couldn¡¯t fear it. Even with Iron Will essentially overclocking itself to keep him from collapsing into a defecating, urinating, gibbering mess of terror; it was difficult to believe his own thought processes. Yet still and in spite of everything, a part of him railed against the idea of being cowed. He had come into the world fighting, and beaten the odds to survive when they had been thrown against him. He¡¯d become stronger, overcome challenges, and survived Tarixi¡¯s sadistic training regime, and was on the path to kill an honest-to-god necromancer or lich or whatever was controlling the mindless hordes of walking corpses. Damned if he was going to let a giant Goanna scare him. He would not break. He would not break. I WILL NOT BREAK. Iron Will is now Level 23! Aurelian snapped open his eyes and squared his shoulders at the blazing eye of the dragon king. Then, with an inhalation of breath, and utter disregard of his better sense; he spoke. ¡°Listen here you overgrown, ancient, Godzilla-looking scaly twat! I am Aurelian Lucis Imperius, Nephilim and Reclaimer of the Elysean Empire, and I am not fucking afraid of you!¡± He emphasised the point by jabbing his forefinger towards the eye more than big enough for him to stand in. Another rumble shook the cavern, this one powerful enough to actually cause several stalactites to crack from where they¡¯d formed in the ceiling over the millennia and crash down into the ground in an echoing shatter of stone. Aurelian forced himself to remain completely calm and still despite the sudden eruption of noise. Perhaps he was about to die. Perhaps this was how it ended, but damned if he hadn¡¯t gone out while spitting in the proverbial eye of¡ªwait, was the dragon actually¡? The realisation hit Aurelian like a bucket of cold water, and he stared at the slitted golden eye in blatant disbelief. Rage replaced fear, and his paled cheeks coloured with fury as he worked his jaw in silent consternation at his sudden realisation. The giant scaly bastard was laughing. ¡°Are you laughing at me?¡± Aurelian demanded. ¡°IT HAS BEEN CENTURIES SINCE I HAVE BEEN INSULTED SO THOROUGHLY.¡± The ancient dragon responded with a bone-shaking rumble as he shifted his weight and lifted his head high. His two colossal front legs moved to rest at the forefront of his body, claws shearing through granite in a mind-boggling imitation of a stretching cat, and Bael¡¯tharax turned to regard Aurelian with a tilt of his bus-sized head. ¡°IT IS MOST AMUSING THAT THE RECLAIMER SHOULD BE THE ONE TO DO IT NOW, AT THE TWILIGHT PRECEDING THE END OF MY LIFE.¡± ¡°I¡¡± Aurelian found himself speechless for a moment, and then turned to Tarixi in realisation. ¡°Wait, you can see her?¡± ¡°YOU SPEAK OF THE ECHO OF TARIXI FIRESOUL?¡± The massive beast¡¯s eye moved to regard the spirit slowly, and then rotated back to Aurelian. The single organ was so incredibly huge that Aurelian could actually hear it moving in its socket, like the faint slosh of a wet rag. Aurelian just nodded. ¡°OF COURSE I SENSE HER, RECLAIMER. EVEN WERE SHE NOT MOUNTED IN THE SIMULACRUM I WOULD SEE HER AS CLEARLY AS A MORTAL SEES THE SUN DURING SOLUM. SHE BURNS BRIGHT WITH THE POWER OF HER REMNANT SOULFORCE.¡± If you spot this story on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation. Tarixi took that moment to speak up at last, and Aurelian had the distinct impression she¡¯d been partially overwhelmed, but also partially curious as to how he handled himself. It certainly explained the thumbs up, which he hadn¡¯t even been aware she¡¯d figured out was a gesture of support. ¡°Hello again, Bael¡¯tharax.¡± Tarixi said warmly. ¡°Though I am an Echo as you said, the remnant of Tarixi that I am remembers fondly our times conversing. It is a great regret that we could not speak further before ruin descended upon us all, but I am heartened to know I died so that this meeting between you and the Reclaimer might occur,¡± she smiled brilliantly, and with a touch of bittersweet memory. ¡°It was a worthy death for all that it was senseless, and one I am proud to have had.¡± ¡°YOUR SACRIFICE WAS NOT WITHOUT PURPOSE, ECHO. THOUGH YOUR TRUE SELF HAS PASSED BEYOND, KNOW THAT MY GRATITUDE FOR YOUR ACTIONS APPLIES ALSO TO THIS REMNANT YOU NOW ANIMATE.¡± Aurelian couldn¡¯t tell if Bael¡¯tharax was being kind or insulting, but judging by the look of joy and gratitude on Tarixi¡¯s face he had to assume there was a nuance or context to the interaction he simply failed to grasp. He looked from the towering head of the dragon¡ªmuch easier to deal with, now that the colossal thing wasn¡¯t barely two metres away showing off its person-sized teeth¡ªto the diminutive figure of the goblin¡¯s ghost and then cleared his throat. ¡°I don¡¯t intend to be rude, but we are on something of a timeline here.¡± ¡°WHAT IS IT YOU SPEAK OF, RECLAIMER?¡± ¡°There are reanimated dead in the palace.¡± Tarixi answered before Aurelian could think of how to articulate the concern, and he passed her a glance of appreciation. ¡°The nature of their animator is yet unknown, but it only appears¡ªthus far at least¡ªto be the Godsworn that are called back. My suspicion and inclined belief is that the infestation is the work of an Absolum-aligned Ravenor. Potentially a true Vasiri, but I cannot be certain.¡± Who the hell is Absolum? Aurelian wondered without interjecting. Sounds like some sort of demon name. She¡¯s been holding out on me. ¡°I SENSE SURPRISE IN THE RECLAIMER, AND SUSPICION,¡± Bael¡¯tharax rumbled with what sounded like ponderous interest. The dragon¡¯s large eye shifted back to Tarixi when he said it, and he addressed her directly with his next statement. ¡°YOU HAVE WITHHELD KNOWLEDGE FROM HIM.¡± An accusation, though it was one that was phrased and delivered as incontrovertible fact. Aurelian hesitated at the realisation, and was unsure whether to thank the Dragon King or be suspicious of his insight. For a moment he was worried Bael¡¯tharax could read minds, and worked to scrub the ¡®angry grandpa dragon with a cane beating away undead hooligans¡¯ from the image gallery of his mind. Then he realised that if the dragon could read minds, he¡¯d have already seen the imagined imagery. On top of that, a cursory re-examination revealed that perhaps he had been hasty in his summation regardless. The dragon had specifically stated that he ¡®sensed¡¯ surprise, not that he heard it or saw it or tasted it. He sensed it. That sounded more like very powerful empathy than it did telepathy. ¡°I admit to obfuscating,¡± Tarixi said with a clear voice, though to her credit¡ªand as a mild balm for Aurelian¡¯s sudden feeling of betrayal¡ªshe sounded decently conflicted and guilty about it. He listened while she continued. ¡°The Intent impressed upon this Echo is to protect and guide the Reclaimer, even if it means protecting him from his own better nature, and his weaknesses,¡± she turned and looked at Aurelian quietly, and he met her gaze levelly with his own while she spoke. ¡°If he had known what I suspected: that the manner of the raising was consistent with the actions of a Ravenor, or more dangerously, a Vasiri¡ I feared he would have either raced off to do combat with it¡ or even worse, been too terrified to try.¡± The dragon let loose a cavern-shaking sound Aurelian eventually recognised as a hum of consideration and thought, and he took the chance to ask the first question that had come to mind: ¡°What the hell is a Vasiri?¡± ¡°A FORMERLY NOBLE SPIRIT, OFTEN A HEALER OR EVEN A WARRIOR POSSESSING SUCH MAGIC, TAKEN AND TORTURED TO MADNESS AND RUIN BY THE INSANE ADHERENTS OF THE SO-CALLED GOD OF DEATH, ABSOLUM.¡± The Dragon snarled ¡®quietly¡¯ when he spoke the name of the god¡ªwhich of course meant another localised earthquake¡ªand his tail lashed the air with a violent crack of force. His wings flexed out like two monolithic canvases capable of blocking out the entire sky from where Aurelian stood, and the sight was a wonder he doubted he would ever forget. In that moment he caught a glimpse of what Bael¡¯tharax must have seemed like to those that had stood against the Empire when the Dragon King had been hale and capable of war. He felt like he understood, with sudden clarity, why armies would have surrendered the minute the dragon king¡¯s shadow had fallen across the battlefield. It was a suitably sobering reminder of the creature¡¯s immense power. It was Tarixi that continued the explanation, perhaps after noticing that Bael¡¯tharax had become preoccupied with what she had described as a racial hatred for the so-called gods. ¡°Their natural impulse to renew is twisted into a desire to consume, and they are plagued by a thirst for vitality that cannot be sated.¡± Tarixi shook her head in what appeared to be sadness and disgust with equal measure. ¡°They are ¡®blessed¡¯ with an eternity of undeath, the greatest and most alluring beauty and charm, and may transform ten percent of the attributes of those they consume into additives to their own power.¡± ¡°I HAD THOUGHT THE KNIGHTS OF THE ORDO DRACONIS HAD FULLY PUT THE LAST OF THE CREATURES TO REST. EVEN THE SOLARI, FOR ALL THEIR ZEALOTRY AND MADNESS, DESPISED AND HATED THE CREATURES.¡± Bael¡¯tharax turned his massive head and shifted his gaze between Aurelian and Tarixi in thought and assessment as he spoke, his thunderous voice filling the cavern and setting the massive walls to trembling consistently. ¡°IT IS A SURPRISE THAT THE SELF-TITLED GOD OF LIGHT WOULD ALLOW HIS MAD SUBORDINATE TO CRAFT SUCH MONSTROSITIES ONCE MORE.¡± Aurelian had already lost focus by the time Bael¡¯tharax had started speaking of Solarius and his apparent disdain for¡ well, probably everything, in truth. What he was stuck on was the description of the Vasiri. Undead? Check. Supernaturally attractive? Check. Killing machines? Check. Ridiculously powerful? Check. He looked up suddenly and spoke, completely uncaring for if he were interrupting. ¡°Hey, uh, Bael¡¯tharax?¡± ¡°YES, RECLAIMER?¡± The dragon thundered in his normal hurricane-like volume. ¡°These Vasiri. How do they consume vitality? As in¡ what¡¯s the ideal method?¡± ¡°HMM¡ A PRUDENT QUESTION. THE ANSWER IS REPULSIVE, HOWEVER. THE VASIRI GAIN THEIR FILL THROUGH THE BLOOD OR, IN THE CASE OF THE TRULY DEPRAVED, THE FLESH OF THEIR VICTIMS. THEY CONSUME UNTIL ONE OR BOTH IS GONE ENTIRELY.¡± Aurelian sighed in resignation at the answer, and turned his gaze towards Tarixi. ¡°Listen, I am pissed you held out on me, and I intend on having a serious talking to you about mutual trust, but I just realised that what you and grandpa over here¡ª¡± he gestured to Bael¡¯tharax, and chose to believe the rumble he heard in response was a laugh ¡°¡ªkeep referring to as Vasiri? Well, where I come from, we call them Vampires.¡± Aurelian narrowed his eyes as he continued. ¡°They¡¯re quite prevalent in our folklore and mythology, and I can tell you that most people from my original world¡ªRealm¡ªwhatever would be very on-board with killing them, or re-killing them, or whatever,¡± he waved a hand. ¡°But more importantly, there are different variants, and some are more powerful, some less. What you have here sounds like the Romanian Strigoi, though I know that means nothing to either of you. However!¡± He took a moment to draw in a breath and calm his thundering heart¡ªfuelled both by fear and excitement¡ªbefore continuing. ¡°There is one specific type of these creatures that is universally reviled above all others.¡± He looked towards Bael¡¯tharax, noticed the dragon watching him with curious intensity, and then turned back to Tarixi. ¡°So, I have one very critical and important question for you, Tarixi.¡± The goblin ghost eyed him warily, but gestured for him to proceed. Aurelian clenched his fists, locked his jaw, and focused his eyes directly on her. ¡°Do these motherfuckers sparkle?¡± Tarixi stared at him in bewilderment, and even Bael¡¯tharax rumbled in confusion. ¡°Sparkle, Aurelian?¡± the Echo asked with a nonplussed expression. ¡°Is that some sort of jest?¡± ¡°No.¡± Aurelian said firmly. ¡°Where I come from, there is a story about Vampires¡ªVasiri, whatever¡ªthat have diamond-like skin that refracts sunlight. We just call it a sparkle to be derogatory.¡± ¡°That sounds absurd.¡± the Echo responded with a frown. ¡°AND HIGHLY IMPRACTICAL FOR SUPPOSED PREDATORS.¡± Bael¡¯tharax agreed. ¡°You won¡¯t hear any argument from me,¡± Aurelian said with growing relief, ¡°but you told me that worldshards, or Realms, or whatever the hell my original home is¡ªwas¡ªwhatever¡ªcan often reflect the Prime Material in many ways.¡± ¡°Ah,¡± Tarixi said with dawning understanding, ¡°and you worried that these ¡®sparkle vampires¡¯ may have been one such instance.¡± ¡°Worried, hoped, it¡¯s much of a muchness really.¡± Aurelian said with suppressed guilt and mild evasiveness. Perhaps he had just wanted to kick the shit out of some terribly conceived pop culture Vampires. Who could really blame him? Everybody he knew would have wanted a similar opportunity. ¡°THERE IS NO EVIDENCE TO SUGGEST THAT EVERY EVENTUALITY UPON A WORLDSHARD REFLECTS THE PRIME MATERIAL IN TRUTH, RECLAIMER.¡± Bael¡¯tharax rumbled with earthshaking certainty. ¡°MORE LIKELY, IT IS AN ORIGINAL CREATION BY A DENIZEN OF YOUR REALM THAT POSSESSES AN OVERACTIVE AND STRANGE IMAGINATION.¡± ¡°Fair enough.¡± Aurelian conceded with a mix of relief and disappointment. ¡°So I guess Vasiri are just run of the mill undead monsters, then. That¡¯s cool. I¡¯ll just go full Van Helsing on them.¡± ¡°Is this another reference to your source realm¡¯s culture?¡± Tarixi asked warily. ¡°Oh. Oh. It very much is, and this time you are going to like the story behind it.¡± When Aurelian launched into his recount of the various iterations of Van Helsing, one thing became quickly apparent: Tarixi and Bael¡¯tharax did not, in fact, like the story of the Vampire Hunter¡¯s deeds. They loved it. B1 | Chapter 25: Holy Duty ¡°What you are suggesting is treason!¡± Jacques du Valais suppressed an annoyed sigh at the outburst from the portly, red-faced figure of Duke Marius Holbrecht, and made a deliberately unruffled show of lifting his wine goblet to sip from the spiced vintage within. His eyes never left the squinted brown gaze of the Duke where he sat opposite him within the finely adorned study, and Jacques did not even deign to reply after he lowered his goblet. He had learned long ago that silence was power when dealing with those that were used to others babbling sycophantic nonsense, and an air of supreme indifference was the key to truly sending such individuals firmly onto the back foot. In his head, the Hierarch of the Grand Ascendancy in Stormharrow started counting down from ten while maintaining his look of subtly piteous indifference for the rotund nobleman, and focused on listening to the crackle and pop of flames in the gilded fireplace to the left. Seconds dragged between them, and just when Jacques thought that perhaps the other man would actually surprise him and go the proverbial distance; the Duke looked away and seemed to shrink down somewhat in his chair. How disgustingly predictable these inferior, dirty-blooded southron specimens were. ¡°Duke Holbrecht,¡± Jacques began while setting down his goblet smoothly, ¡°you were not called here out of any other reason than my own desire to see to it you are presented with an opportunity worthy of your storied legacy.¡± If inbreeding and irrelevancy were a storied legacy, at any rate. ¡°Your House has long been a stoic pillar of Stormharrow¡¯s political sphere, and known for advocating for the good of the country above all.¡± The Duke looked back at him with a mildly mollified, but still indignant expression. It required a surprising amount of self-control for Jacques not to sneer at the clumsiness of the facade, but he succeeded. Barely. ¡°My family have been supporters of House Karelian for genera¡ª!¡± ¡°Indeed, they have,¡± Jacques cut in smoothly and with a carefully controlled tone of authority, ¡°and I would never look to question your honour, my lord. However, and as previously stated, there are concerns with the Princess¡¯ fitness to ascend the throne¡ªespecially when one might consider the fact she has refused several perfectly amenable suitors for her hand, including your own most gallant son.¡± That appeared to be the correct pressure point, and Jacques took note of the way the Duke both bristled at the reminder of the rejection and nodded firmly and exaggeratedly at the description of his son, an idiot as uninteresting and worthless as his pudgy father. If nothing else the nobleman certainly adhered to Solarius¡¯ tenets of filial love, though how Marius could feel anything but disappointment for such a pig-faced and immutably unintelligent offspring was a mystery to Jacques. ¡°Indeed¡¡± the Duke agreed with some measure of recovered grace while he nodded along to Jacques¡¯ words like the utter moron that he was. ¡°My Tomas is a wonderful scion of House Holbrecht. It was most uncouth for the Princess to refuse his earnest advances with such a firm repudiation. Most uncouth.¡± Jacques wisely chose to hold his tongue on the matter, especially since he knew that the ¡®wonderful scion¡¯ in question had all but attempted to violate the Princess in some demented perception of ¡®asserting his claim¡¯, no doubt instilled in his less-than-capable brain by the same mouldering whoreson currently sweating his rotund arse off in Jacques¡¯ good chair. The upholstery deserved better. ¡°The Princess¡¯ judgement has been clouded by her mother¡¯s influence in such matters, I fear. The late Queen was indeed quite the warrior by any margin of examination¡ª¡± which had of course been the only reason the heretic-blooded whore hadn¡¯t been murdered earlier ¡°¡ªand a paragon of independent spirit, even after her marriage to our beloved King.¡± Jacques allowed a quiet sigh to escape his lips, in a performance of such minor intensity that on anyone with an above average level of perception, the falsehood would have been blatant. On the Duke Hog¡ªHolbrecht, however, it clearly had the desired effect. The Hierarch worked hard to keep his loathing and contempt from surfacing. ¡°My only desire is to ensure the security of the Kingdom for the future, you understand. With the Princess gallivanting off into the Desolation for reasons known only to her own mind¡ª¡± and the Royal Council, though Jacques had no intention of revealing her benighted Quest to anyone if he could help it ¡°¡ªand some few close advisors, we must look to the future and the preservation of the legacy and integrity of Stormharrow. Surely you can understand, as a man of such a prominent and long-lasting legacy, when it is necessary to take measures to ensure the greater good above the individual well-being?¡± The Duke, much to Jacques¡¯ blithe and callous amusement, had actually started nodding along to the line of peddled horse manure with such serious consideration that the Hierarch silently offered a prayer of thanks to Ethyria. The Goddess of Fortune had clearly been shining on him to deliver him such an easily puppetted buffoon of a man, let alone a Duke! ¡°I suppose I¡ I suppose I can see the reason you would be so willing to discuss this openly with me, your Your Holiness, but I must still object to the nature in which you¡ª!¡± The Hierarch sighed. It appeared the Duke would require more convincing. ¡°Brightborough Gardens,¡± he interrupted coldly. The Duke stopped dead as if he¡¯d been struck, with his mouth hanging open and silent. Had it not been such a serious moment, the Hierarch would have snorted. ¡°H¡ªHow do you know th¡ª! How do you¡ª?¡± ¡°Be at ease, my lord. I have no immediate intention of advertising your little foray into the forbidden, though I daresay the knowledge of your menagerie of imported slaves¡ª¡± he smiled thinly while he interrupted himself ¡°¡ªforgive me, your menagerie of exotic guests would be less than popular with the King¡¯s Justice. He does have rather stringent views on such practices, as we both know.¡± The Duke had slumped back into his comfortable chair with the look of a frightened, angry, and impotent man-child and Jacques almost let himself enjoy the moment. Almost. If it had been an opponent that was cunning instead of simply being too stupid to know when to sit and play the good puppet, he might have allowed himself to relish in the victory. As it was, however, manipulating and twisting Duke Holbrecht was like punching a fat child in the face and stealing their noonday sweets. Enjoying this book? Seek out the original to ensure the author gets credit. Amusing, certainly, but far from satisfying. ¡°What do you want?¡± the Duke asked hoarsely. ¡°My lord Duke,¡± Jacques said with a sympathetic look while applying his priestly mask, ¡°it is not for me to want, but to serve the will and interests of the God of Light and His Faithful flock. You are part of His flock, are you not?¡± ¡°Of¡ªOf course.¡± The Duke responded like a frightened and chastised boy. ¡°Most excellent.¡± Jacques said with a patronising smile. ¡°Then that means that I will keep your little operation, and the identities of those that sample your imported wares between just the two of us, and in return you will¡?¡± ¡°Support the¡¡± ¡°I cannot hear you, my lord.¡± Jacques said with a carefully curated hint of reprimand. ¡°Support the candidate you put forward as the new heir-apparent Pro tem, should the¡ª¡± the Duke swallowed ¡°¡ªthe worst happen to the Princess during her foray into the Desolation.¡± ¡°Very good.¡± Jacques said with a smile he didn¡¯t feel. ¡°Now I fear I¡¯ve kept you far too long from your most important affairs in the city proper.¡± ¡°Y¡ªYes.¡± The Duke said while he attempted to rouse himself. ¡°Important¡ Important affairs, and all that. Yes. Indeed.¡± Marius all but leaped up from his seat, which was an impressive feat for a man that looked as if he dined on blood-tainted whores, instead of simply putting more fat and ugly little bastards in them. ¡°I shall take my leave, I think, Hierarch.¡± ¡°Indeed, my lord,¡± Jacques replied with a gracious and fractional nod of his head. ¡°Your visit was most flattering for myself and the Ascendancy of Stormharrow.¡± ¡°Of course,¡± the Duke said in a voice that barely hid the fear Jacques could feel seething beneath the surface of his psyche. It was the first truly enjoyable part of the entire interaction, in truth. ¡°May Solarius bless and protect you, Your Holiness.¡± ¡°And may His Light guide you in the Path, your grace,¡± Jacques replied in rote. The Duke turned then and made his way across the Vrelken-Hide carpet, stopping only to glance fearfully at Commander Elenoir before opening the door and, blessedly, departing Jacques¡¯ presence entirely. The moment the door closed behind the waddling figure of Marius Holbrecht, the Hierarch let his expression of mildness drop and his features twisted in repulsed disgust. ¡°The stench of that fool of a man will infect this room for days now. Even with his little bathhouse, he reeks of sweat and cheap perfume.¡± Elenoir said nothing from her position near the door, and kept her golden eyes trained on him in silent and indifferent patience. Waiting for orders, no doubt. His gaze locked with hers, and though temptation flared in both his mind and beneath his robes; Jacques dismissed the impulse towards indulgence with a small exercise of will. It was hard, but necessary for the plan. She would always be there later, after all. ¡°Whom is next?¡± he asked instead while refilling his goblet. ¡°The Duchess Bridgerton,¡± Elenoir informed him with mechanical coldness. ¡°Ah, the dowager whore,¡± Jacques remarked idly while looking down at his now-refilled goblet. ¡°How many Adventurers has she rutted with at our last count?¡± ¡°The Eyes of Light reported she has apparently taken both a goblin and a selkie to her bed,¡± the Commander reported flatly. ¡°We also have reports of her nephew, the Baron of Colswin, though that is unconfirmed.¡± ¡°Oh? Now that is useful.¡± Jacques said thoughtfully. ¡°I suppose I can just use Empathic Edict to twist the truth from her, though the bitch is known to be wily. Mm,¡± he looked up at Elenoir. ¡°Pressure points?¡± ¡°Her daughter, Larelle, is currently studying with the Ascendancy¡¯s Healers in the Cathedral. It would not be difficult to ¡®lose¡¯ her to the Roughs in the southern slums of the city proper. It is unlikely a woman of her breeding would ever recover, nor be seen as worthy by upper society, after a night of being at the mercy of the criminal elements there.¡± ¡°How devious of you, Commander,¡± Jacques remarked with sardonic mirth. Then again, given Elenoir¡¯s origins as a noblewoman of Bord¨¨aux herself, near the heart of the Ascendancy; it made sense she would know exactly how to threaten to ruin the Duchess¡¯ legacy. After all, the dowager was well-documented to put far too much stock on the prospects of her progeny. Her daughter was perhaps one of the few things the shrewd bitch actually, truly loved. The husband she¡¯d murdered certainly hadn¡¯t been among the number. Perhaps he could even arrange to sample the little heiress himself. His eyes trailed along Elenoir¡¯s armoured figure, and he smiled in self-satisfaction. He did rather enjoy the taste of proper breeding, especially when it took some time to¡ soften the resistance of the meat, so to speak. His hand shifted subconsciously to the leather crop next to his leg against his desk, and he touched the handle idly. ¡°What of the agents with the Karelian brat¡¯s little expedition?¡± ¡°They are making contact as required,¡± the Commander answered flatly. ¡°Is there anything of worth to report?¡± Jacques pressed. ¡°No. She has engaged herself in battle, and reportedly acquitted herself admirably enough, but there is no progress beyond a deeper drive into the Desolation. It is unlikely we shall hear anything substantial for at least a week, yet.¡± The Hierarch leaned back in his seat and stared at the fireplace in thought. The Princess was a problem, but he could handle her easily enough¡ one way or another. ¡°Are your Anointed ready to sally out once I give the word?¡± ¡°Yes. I have also requested reinforcements from the lesser orders, in case of issues with the local garrison during your move to replace the Princess. Should it be needed, I will have close to fifteen thousand of the Solari Militant at hand to suppress resistance.¡± ¡°You think my plans will fail?¡± Jacques asked with a flicker of cold anger. ¡°No, Your Holiness. It is my duty to account for your safety, and I do not see a reason to be lax in that regard.¡± It was a clean response. Too clean. Too easily delivered. She was mocking him. The raven-haired whore was mocking him. His eyes turned to the crop again, and he resolved to add steel studding to, sooner rather than later. He would see how haughty the bitch acted then, Third Temper or not. ¡°The things I must do for righteousness¡¡± he lamented to himself quietly while lifting his goblet to sip his wine. ¡°Very well Elenoir,¡± he said when he lowered the goblet, and after carefully obfuscating his seething thoughts. ¡°Send in the Dowager,¡± he hesitated for a moment and then smiled, ¡°and investigate who accompanied her. If it¡¯s either a goblin or selkie, task your most capable subordinates into making them comfortable. I have no doubt that they have many things to divulge to willing ears, and some of the Paladins under your banner fit the same look as the Dowager, with firmer bodies besides.¡± He suppressed a smile at the momentary sharpness of Elenoir¡¯s gaze, the firming of her lips, the lock of her jaw, and the vein that stood out on her neck while every aspect of her being sought to revolt against his orders. He watched her struggle with her desire to unleash upon him and, as always, saw the moment her oath and bonds took effect, and the fight went out of the black-haired beauty like air from a punctured lung. ¡°It will be as you say, Your Holiness.¡± The woman responded flatly, saluted, and left. Jacques glanced down at his crop when she did, and frowned in thought. Perhaps he¡¯d graduate to steel-studded that very night, instead. He indeed had a duty he could not take lightly. Elenoir was still far too rebellious, and far too willful. He¡¯d need to beat that out of her until she properly embraced the blessing of her station. He had a duty to deliver her from her own sin, after all, as a Priest of Solarius. B1 | Chapter 26: Fracturing Will Aurelian sat with relative calm on the granite floor of the cavernous expanse beneath what he had learned had once been the Imperial Palace of Elysea¡¯s capital city, Avalon. That fact, and others, had been revealed to him by the gargantuan dragon king that even then loomed above him. Bael¡¯tharax¡¯s head alone was large enough that Aurelian could have stepped up and placed his body against one of the dragon¡¯s eyes, and had room to stretch upward. Each fang was over three metres long, and his massive horns were large enough that he could have easily impaled several buses along them, lengthwise, with ease. ¡°NOW RECLAIMER, LET US DISCUSS YOUR IMMEDIATE CONCERNS.¡± Aurelian directed his attention to his HUD at Bael¡¯tharax¡¯s bone-shaking words, and ignored the mild vibration of the cavern that resulted from the ancient leviathan¡¯s rumbling intonations. Instead, he looked to his status conditions area, and noted the still-present icon of a flashing chicken drumstick, and the associated signifier. Condition: Starvation (Mild) -15% Health Regeneration for Duration -15% Stamina Regeneration for Duration ¡°I¡¯ll admit that I¡¯m still not really certain why Tarixi wanted me to release you from stasis when we could have just gone looking for food¡ª?¡± ¡°We are in a complex that has been abandoned or infested for who knows how many millennia, Aurelian, and with not an iota of knowledge as to the existence or status of any stored foodstuffs. You cannot check such things from the local System interface here, and even if you could; reaching it could prove more perilous than simply starving to death slowly.¡± The Echo shook her ghostly head firmly. ¡°While waking Bael¡¯tharax early may have been reckless, it was also necessary. Not simply for what he can do to resolve your hunger issues, and thus save you from a painful and needlessly complex search for sustenance; but also because of what he may yet do to increase your chances against an extremely powerful foe.¡± ¡°Ah yes,¡± Aurelian said with a feeling of annoyance and anger building in him. ¡°The Vasiri you never deigned to tell me about.¡± ¡°Hypothesised Vasiri.¡± Tarixi corrected without backing down. ¡°And I will not apologise for attempting to ensure your safety. You may have seemed sensible and possessed of a somewhat applaudable survival instinct, but I have seen smarter people die to lesser foes for sillier reasons than bone-headed courage. I had a duty to protect you, and I saw it as being fulfilled.¡± ¡°You mean a duty to protect the Reclamation,¡± Aurelian corrected more coldly than he perhaps intended, though a large and stubborn part of his mind insisted it was warranted. Tarixi flinched at his accusation, but Aurelian refused to feel guilty and instead turned back to Bael¡¯tharax. The Dragon King had been watching the byplay with one massive golden eye, head tilted to observe the two of them from far above as he remained silent save for the deep, gale force pattern of his breathing. When Aurelian turned to him, the dragon¡¯s pupil slitted further in focus and he spoke once again. ¡°THE VALIDITY OF YOUR CONCERNS AS TO MY AWAKENING ARE NOTED AND APPRECIATED, RECLAIMER, BUT YOU NEED NOT WORRY. I MAY BE DYING, AND EVEN NOW CAN FEEL THE DEGENERATIVE POWER FLAYING AT MY VITALITY; BUT I AM HARDLY WEAK OR USELESS.¡± The ancient dragon shook his head as if to dislodge an itch or unwanted something that had attached to his skull, and the secondary tremble of his body from the action caused the entire excavated cavern to shake ominously from the force of his movement. Had Aurelian not already experienced such sensations in the past, he might have run then and there for cover. ¡°CORRECTING YOUR HUNGER IS MERELY A MATTER OF TRANSMUTING PURE MANA INTO A CONSUMABLE ITEM. WHILE THIS MAY SOUND OR SEEM AT FIRST A MOMENTOUS UNDERTAKING, IT IS IN TRUTH A PALTRY TASK FOR ONE SUCH AS I.¡± All else aside, the terminal diagnosis of his situation had done nothing to hinder the dragon¡¯s pride, and Aurelian even detected a poignant and blatant bit of smug satisfaction in Bael¡¯tharax¡¯s tone. Truthfully, he couldn¡¯t help but smile at it. He had loved Dragons and the idea of them his entire life on earth, and to meet one of such a presence, power, and magnitude as Bael¡¯tharax was¡ more than he ever might have dreamed. As if to put words into action immediately, Aurelian watched as the massive dragon¡¯s gazing eye flickered and then flared with an eruption of prismatic energy that burned a myriad of colours each instant. A second passed and the energy faded, and Aurelian found himself suddenly sitting before several loaves of what appeared to be flour-dusted bread, with each loaf made in the shape of a small dragon¡¯s scale. ¡°IDENTIFY ALL BEFORE YOU.¡± The dragon commanded with satisfaction. Aurelian was quick to comply. Revelate! Name: Manaforged Essenceloaf Type: Food Quality: Legendary Description: Created from pure mana by the power of a leviathan-sized Dragon King, these loafs contain enough nourishment and energy to sustain and purify even a Grandmaster Tier individual. Unlike distilled Essence Droughts, no infusion is required for effect with this food. Special Effect: Consuming this food will grant the eater the favour of the Dragon King, allowing them to recover Health, Mana, and Stamina at twice their normal rate for 24 hours per quarter of each loaf consumed. Duration stacks, effect does not. ¡°Wow,¡± Aurelian said while he read over the newly generated food with legitimate surprise, and a wide smile. ¡°These look amazing. How did you know I like sourdough?¡± ¡°WHAT IS¡ªYES, INDEED. I AM THE DRAGON KING. IT IS WHAT I DO. I KNOW THINGS.¡± Aurelian stared up at the dragon in open disbelief for a few moments at how uncannily close he had come to quoting an immensely popular meme from earth, and then remembered where and when he was and shook himself free of the surprise. While hearing the words come from the dragon¡ªone which Aurelian was more and more confidently comparing to an angry baby boomer, ready to rant at all the pesky undead hooligans on his proverbial lawn¡ªhad been a surprise, it wasn¡¯t as if he really had time to be gaping at everything that caught him off-guard. The timer in his head was still ticking down, after all. ¡°So how much should I eat?¡± he asked with a glance at Tarixi. He might have been annoyed with the Echo, but he was not idiotic enough to dismiss her advice. ¡°It says one quarter of one will last me, but¡¡± ¡°These loaves are not mere food.¡± the goblin¡¯s spirit responded with no indication of their earlier interaction plaguing her. ¡°Each one is, in its own way, a potent purifier. They will rid you of any unwanted pollutants or corrosive elements within your blood, even in the minimum consumption. It will not be as intense as when you imbibed your Soulforce draught, but it will still be a shock to your system.¡± Aurelian eyed the loaves more warily at her words, and then once again eyed the negatives from his status condition. There really wasn¡¯t a choice, no matter how much trepidation Tarixi had suddenly drilled into his thoughts. At least she was being honest, though. Even if it was a brutal sort of honesty. ¡°Additionally,¡± Tarixi said as if the words were drawn-out of her, ¡°it would be an opportune time to attempt to open your Root Chakra. It is the easiest of the seven, and the surge of pure energy from the loaf slice would work well in assisting you in unravelling its knot. I know you have been probing at it since I taught you to spellcast, and this might very well be the push you need.¡± The narrative has been taken without authorization; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident. Aurelian reached out to collect the nearest of the loaves as he listened to her, and his eyes roamed over its soft and powdery surface while he considered it. It was true about his Root Chakra, after all. He had been prodding at the block every chance he¡¯d been able to, and trying to unravel the knot each time. He was confident that his efforts had helped progress the process, though the compression of tied channels that formed his twisted Root Chakra remained stubbornly in place despite his best attempts to unravel it. If it truly was like something blocking a proverbial river, then a sudden eruption of force might indeed be just what was needed to finally dislodge it. He felt like he had developed a good enough grasp of its formation to at least try. ¡°I¡¯ll do it,¡± Aurelian said after a few more seconds¡¯ rumination, and a look up at both Tarixi and Bael¡¯tharax. ¡°Though I am guessing it¡¯s going to hurt. A lot.¡± ¡°It likely will.¡± Tarixi confirmed. ¡°Though the Root Chakra is the least painful, and easiest of all the seven to unlock, it normally it takes years for a denizen to be ready to unlock their first Chakra, and they are trained to do so from the age when the System first manifests. In this case, the loaf''s power will supplement your own lack of preparation,¡± she smiled mirthlessly. "Were you not Nephilim,¡± she continued, ¡°and circumstances not so dire, we would never consider this... but needs must outweigh wants,¡± she sighed while she continued. "The further you ascend along the path, the more effort and pain there is involved¡ªthough it will be markedly easier to start the process for the remaining six, as compared to your Root Chakra. Contradictory, I know. Just... prepare for pain, Aurelian.¡± ¡°Pain is becoming normal for me,¡± Aurelian said dryly¡ªand fully aware of the fact he was quoting many other fictional protagonists he had read about being in similar situations¡ªwhile carefully breaking off roughly a quarter of the loaf in his hand. ¡°I figured out after the third, or fourth time my back was torn open, that I either had to learn to live with it, or hide in a dark corner of this cave and wait for the undead to find me. If this helps me deal with them, well¡ hell, isn¡¯t this why I have Pain Tolerance?¡± The goblin spirit simply smiled. Aurelian didn¡¯t feel reassured. With careful practice, Aurelian let focus and discipline fill his mind, leaned into his Breath Control skill to stabilise himself, and then promptly popped the quarter-loaf into his mouth and chewed. The moment he did so, his eyes went wide, and he almost lost control of his breathing immediately. It tasted like pizza, and meat pie, and beef wellington, and fresh fish and chips, and any other number of phenomenal things he hadn¡¯t realised he¡¯d missed so thoroughly. Each chew was like an explosion of flavour in his mouth, and Aurelian felt tears spring to his eyes unbidden at the sheer pleasure, and bittersweet joy the food introduced him to. When he swallowed the mouthful, he was tempted to grab more, and likely would have if not for the sudden flush of heat that rocked him to the core. In fact it seemed like quite a literal statement at that, because he could feel the tempest of power roaring within his inner mind¡¯s eye as his Ignition Stage Calamity Core devoured and absorbed the sudden wellspring of pure mana blazing through his veins. Aurelian¡¯s breath hitched, and he struggled not to bend over as something equivalent to the worst cramp of his life gripped and stiffened his abdominal muscles, and his Iron Will and Pain Tolerance worked in concert to allow him to retain his focus and self-awareness amid a sudden wave of agony. More heat filled his body from the centre point of his Core, somewhere below his solar plexus, and he heard himself moan in pain while he desperately focused inward and attempted to come to grips with what was happening. Aurelian felt his limbs shake and his entire frame begin to rattle as the heat continued to grow at an alarming, and inexorable rate; rising with force and intensity that seemed to defy any concept of reality, and made him wonder if he was about to quite literally detonate outward. It felt as if someone had let loose a bomb in his Core, and Aurelian could picture the crimson storm of shapeless energy as it ejected entire rivers of molten mana back into his channels. The air around Aurelian began to haze and distort, and at first he thought it to be an effect of the mana on his mind. Then he realised, belatedly, it was his actual body. Steam was rising from his pores¡ªno, not steam, but smoke. First transparent white and then gradually darker, and more shadowed oily putrescence that reminded him of the vile pus-like tar he¡¯d expelled when taking his Soulforce draught. It was only when he started to wonder why he¡¯d chosen to subject himself to such mindless torture that he remembered his Chakra and almost blanched in worry. Aurelian¡¯s focus dove inward, and with a surge of his Mana Control skill he searched for, and identified, the prismatic radiance of the unaspected mana raging through his veins. Without any time to lose he reached out to grip the current of mana¡ and felt his control snap instantly. Panic shot through his mind, and he struggled to retain control of his breathing as he tried to seize the mana with his skill once more, and again failed. The torrential power of the pure energy seemed beyond his ability to corral through sheer force, and Aurelian had to think quickly. What had Tarixi always said to him? Mana wanted to flow, and it wanted to surge. It made sense then that he was attempting the equivalent of grasping the tide by the fist, which would never work. So instead, he let it flow. Aurelian focused not on forcing the direction of mana, but on guiding it. He reached to the fore of his channels and ¡®scooped¡¯ large amounts of his own mana¡ªdumping it ahead of the raging river of prismatic energy¡ªand formed it into a kind of ¡®pipe¡¯ through which the eruption of power could surge. This pipe he altered and shifted at its exit point, and kept constantly in line with, and slightly ahead of, the rushing river of power. He dodged irrelevant mana channels, and deviations in his interior self that might have dispersed the potency of the swelling tide, all while keeping his attention solely focused on its path through his body. Faster and faster it moved, and its concentration of potency grew with the ever-increasing funnelling of its force within his channels. Aurelian shifted it again, and again, and again towards its destination as the putrefied, unwanted smog of what he had identified passively as infectious and corrupting mana was wafted away into nothingness by the blazing light, which each second was burning out the tar-like stains within his body. The Dragon King¡¯s boon was like a relentless onslaught of purification, and it incinerated the congealed and sickly lumps of acid-green ooze¡ªwhich he slowly began to identify as remnant pieces of undead animation magic¡ªclean out of his system. Each remnant puffed into black smoke to join the rest with every moment of purgation, and when at last Aurelian turned the now crescendoing wave of power at last towards his Root Chakra; he released the funnel of mana. He let the dragon¡¯s energy flow free while he delved his consciousness into the radiant knot of stubborn resistance that was his Root Chakra, and began carefully and quickly widening the proverbial ¡®strings¡¯ knotting it together. It wasn¡¯t enough to unlock it, but that was not his goal: his goal was to loosen it, and to weaken the strength of the binding between each layer of twisted and convulsed mana. In so doing, he could allow for the rush of oncoming energy to do what he had been unable to do alone, and force it apart like the pressure of a river obliterating a weakened Dam. The Chakra resisted him stubbornly, and with every nanometre of progress he made in unravelling the clotted mana, his body was wracked with spasms of pain, and wrenching nausea within his gut. Pain Tolerance and Iron Will burned with brilliance in his mind¡¯s eyes from where they threaded through, and were interlinked inside of his Core, and Aurelian gnashed his teeth in the physical world¡ªall while throwing every ounce of his considerable Willpower at the stubbornly unmoving knot. He used his own mana like steel columns to prop up and separate the colossal vines that were the Chakra¡¯s knotted layers, and scrambled to go faster than ever as the roar of the oncoming tide met his mental awareness. Some few twists and twines remained, and Aurelian worked at a feverishly redoubled pace with his mana pool dwindling as fast as his new buff regenerated it. Just as he was putting the finishing touches on the entire collection of chaotic whorls of twisted mana, he felt the imminent crash of power. He wasn¡¯t done, but there was no time to be wasted. Aurelian sucked in a breath on the outside in preparation, and then visualised himself using his own body to lift up and push apart the last major thread of the knot. Bael¡¯tharax¡¯s manasurge hit his Chakra like a tsunami against a sandcastle. Aurelian¡¯s mind turned into noise, pain, and chaos. His throat opened in a scream that tore his vocal cords, and his eyes, ears, and nose began to haemorrhage. His spirit recoiled, his body broke, and his mind gibbered under the obliterating tidal force of the dragon¡¯s power. He threw every iota of himself at holding on, and yet he could feel himself slipping. He was not strong enough, nor possessed of a strong enough will to resist the shattering that was occurring. Pain Tarixi had warned him of, but what raged through him transcended such banal names. It was not pain, it was an ending. It was a deconstruction. His Iron Will was not equipped to handle it. It couldn¡¯t even level, so strained and drawn to its limit was the ability. He had no breath with which to speak, and no thought with which to convey his needs regardless. He was out of options. There was no way to prevent what he knew would occur: Iron Will would break. It would collapse under the strain of what he demanded of it, and the Rare skill would shatter before the power of a Legendary creature¡¯s purifying wave. It was simply not high enough in tier nor quality to resist such might. Not high enough in quality¡? The thought penetrated the insanity of his collapsing awareness for one single, crystal-clear moment. It isn¡¯t high enough! The differential between the Legendary-ranked item he¡¯d consumed and the Rare-ranked skill that sought to hold it in check was too low. The only way to correct that would be if he could¡ª Aurelian¡¯s mind snapped to his HUD, pulled up his sheet and without wasting even a moment of the borrowed time his fracturing identity already existed on, he slammed one of his Skill Evolution points home into Iron Will. For one thousandth of an instant which seemed to extend into eternity, nothing happened. It was as if the point sunk into the skill and nothing else occurred from its interaction. Then, suddenly, a note rang out. Through his mind, his soul, and his Core. It chimed. It trumpeted. It boomed. B1 | Chapter 27: An Offer Skill Evolution Point consumed! Iron Will (R) Evolution request identified! Processing . . . Legendary rank Mana corrosion detected proliferating skill architecture. WARNING: Skill stability at critical levels! Mana corrosion will be harvested for skill reparations. Zodiac Detected: Dragon! Zodiac and Mana have found Synergy! Recalibrating Skill Evolution . . . Recalibration complete! Iron Will (R) is now Evolving! Aurelian had no breath or voice left to cry out with, and he felt his back crash into the granite as he shook under the sudden buoyancy of revitalising System energy. Warmth and healing suffused him in a rush of power, and he felt tears of relief erupt from rapidly restoring eyes while the unaspected surge of mana did its work to alleviate his suffering. Within the messy and undefined framework of his ignited Core, the threads of interwoven lightning he recognised as Iron Will began to shift and change. They took on a more solid and definitive tint, like hardening threads of gold. Connections were broken and new ones forged as a latticework of power rewrote the very nature of his Iron Will, and he slowly felt himself coming into his own self again. His breaking mind soothed. His screaming soul dropped to a pained wail. His spasming body reduced to a suffering shudder. Agony gripped him, but compared to the deconstruction he had experienced only moments earlier, it was a striking relief. His awareness slowly shifted back as he was able to focus, and he sent his consciousness down to his Root Chakra, where the prismatic tide of mana was forcing apart the knots that comprised the blockage. Come on¡ He willed it fiercely. Just let go! The knot started to restrict once more, and Aurelian acted. Throwing all caution to the wind, he mentally ¡®reached¡¯ out and thrust his hands and feet against the large Chakra root that sought to re-entangle the entire mess, and stopped it dead with his force of will. A growl of Intent built in his inner self, his Soulforce flickered and then blazed to activity, and he found it in himself to roar his demand for compliance at the rebellious Chakra. And then, at last, the break. Prismatic mana erupted through the final strings of the knot and the entire thing unwound with a suddenness that left Aurelian reeling. In the same moment the pain, nausea, and constriction within his abdomen vanished¡ªand a pain, a stiffness, and illness he¡¯d never realised he¡¯d been carrying seemed to just¡ evaporate. Mana roared through the suddenly cleared channel, and he felt it buoying his body with revitalising energy like the unleashed dam of a starving river. Every inch of him tingled, and when he took his awareness to his Core; he saw that some of the interior elements of the storm had hardened in a way that was difficult to properly articulate. It felt like it had become less of a boiling mass of energy and more solid in a subtle and comprehension-defying manner. He resolved to ask Tarixi and Bael¡¯tharax about it and turned back to his mana channels. What he ¡®saw¡¯ there took his proverbial breath away. His Root Chakra had taken on the form of a massive, beautiful white gateway. It spanned the imagined entirety of his beginning and central mana channel along the highway through the Chakras, and was marked by pristine white stone that seemed to flicker and dance with prismatic colour variance without detracting at all from the white hue of its construction. Mana flowed through it at an accelerated rate, and he saw as much as felt a sluice that filtered through and dragged the mana for pollutants, before obliterating them with flashes of energy. It felt so good. So natural. So powerful. So deceptively and confusingly normal. A sudden pressure on his body caused Aurelian to start and he snapped back to his waking self, staring up at the ceiling and¡ªthere was no ceiling. Instead, all that lurked above him was the massive, blazing golden eye of Bael¡¯tharax watching him with rapt attention. Aurelian found that instead of being afraid, however, he felt¡ comfortable. Reassured. Protected. It was an incredibly alien feeling to have for a reptile that could obliterate you with a sneeze, and yet¡ feel it he did. Bael¡¯tharax¡¯s presence washed over him, and Aurelian felt safe. ¡°What happened?¡± Tarixi demanded from where she hovered beside him, the Echo¡¯s own appearance a mix of bewilderment, anger, trepidation, and open curiosity. ¡°I¡¯m not sure¡¡± Aurelian admitted while lifting his shaking hands to stare at them, and turn them over slowly. ¡°It felt like the mana was way, way more potent than you explained it would be. It felt like it was tearing me to shreds. I had to use a Skill Evolution Point on my Iron Will just to¡ªwait!¡± Before either of them could ask their questions, Aurelian looked at his notifications. He had missed the chime entirely, but the notification bloomed into his mind like it had been waiting. Skill Evolution complete! Skill integrity repairs complete! Congratulations, Aurelian Lucis Imperius! Your Iron Will (R) skill has evolved to Dragon¡¯s Resolve (E)! Dragons are the greatest and most powerful of magical creatures within the Prime Material. Theirs has been the role of the apex predator with only few challenges for as long as there have been the Realms. Yours is a soul touched by the Dragon King, and so your resolve shall be as unyielding as his obsidian scales. Let none doubt the mettle of your will, for they shall themselves be found wanting. Dragon¡¯s Resolve (E) has been reset to Level 1! Dragon¡¯s Resolve is now Level 2! Dragon¡¯s Resolve is now Level 3! Willpower has risen to 71! . . . Willpower has risen to 74! Mana Control is now Level 21! . . . Mana Control is now Level 24! Congratulations, Aurelian Lucis Imperius! Hidden conditions met! You have managed to unlock your first Chakra after less than a week in the Realms! Achievement: A Prodigious Zen For successfully achieving greater harmony in record time, you have received the following: Title: Mana Savant 1 x Epic Spirit Essence Draught 1 x Armour Tier Upgrade Gem Aurelian read over the deluge of alerts in stunned silence and with no small amount of twitching and wincing as his stiff muscles slowly relaxed, and his doubled health regeneration did work to repair the damage done to his body by the unexpected series of events that had just swept over him. Stolen novel; please report. His eyes refocused on the world around him and he slowly pushed himself up into a sitting position with a small wince. His right hand rose and rubbed at the back of his neck while he tilted his head from right to left to work out the tension, and only stopped when Tarixi spoke. ¡°Well?¡± she asked with a hint of frustration. ¡°What was the big shock?¡± Aurelian looked at her for a moment, and then grinned abruptly. Without answering her, he instead removed his hand from his neck, extended his palms, and accepted the rewards offered by the achievement. They appeared in his hands with a flare of system energy, and Aurelian lifted them up for both Tarixi and Bael¡¯tharax to see. ¡°I scored a new skill, a new title, and unlocked my Root Chakra. How do you like them apples?¡± ¡°I SEE NONE OF THE APPLES OF WHICH YOU SPEAK, RECLAIMER.¡± Aurelian opened his mouth to respond, and then went silent. Either the old dragon was being sincere, or he was poking fun again, and either way there was no way that Aurelian was going to take the risk he was being played by the wily old lizard. Bael¡¯tharax was entirely too smug each time he successfully pulled off another hoodwink. Instead, he pulled up his new title and information on his unlocked Chakra, and read both over while the pair of ancients examined his loot. Name: Mana Savant Type: Title Rarity: Epic Description: Awarded to those that complete a feat of true significance in the pursuit of mastering their control over mana and magic. Effects: +25% Mana Pool and +10% Spirit Skill Levelling Speed. Name: Muladhara Type: Root Chakra Description: The first of seven Chakras, the Muladhara represents the first steps toward true mastery over mana. Effects: +25% Mana Pool and +5% Mana Regeneration Aurelian whistled low in appreciation and projected the title to Tarixi and Bael¡¯tharax after he did in a preempting of their curiosity, while simultaneously pulling up his character sheet to review the changes. To his immense credit, he only smiled a little when Tarixi cursed under her breath and muttered sourly about Nephilim. For all that she needed him to grow stronger, the advantages his origins offered seemed to vex her to no end. Name: Aurelian Lucis Imperius Temper: Untempered Novice Core: Calamity Core (Ignition Stage) Chakras: 1/7 Level: 18 | Race: Elysean (L) | Origin: Nephilim (L) | Gender: Male | Zodiac: Dragon (L) Health: 570 | Mana: 291 | Stamina: 150 STR: 59 | AGI: 48 | DEX: 45 | VIT: 57 | END: 31 | INT: 40 | PER: 23 | WIL: 74 | CHA: 24 Mind Skills: Revelate (E) 9 | Linguistics (UC) 1 | Philology (R) 5 | Exploration (UC) 6 | Investigation (UC) 7 | Dragon¡¯s Resolve (E) 3 | Tactician (R) 9 | Deception (UC) 3 Body Skills: Pain Tolerance (UC) 23 | Longsword Mastery (C) 23 | Running (C) 19 | Dodge (C) 20 | Durable (UC) 21 | Brawling (C) 21 | Fire Resistance (UC) 11 | Lightning Resistance 8 (UC) | Ice Resistance 5 (UC) | Breath Control (UC) 12 | Acrobatics (UC) 9 Spirit Skills: Mana Control (R) 24 | Firebolt (UC) 14 | Shockbolt (UC) 8 Traits: Fast Learner (E) Titles: Elysean Reclaimer (U) | Survivor (R) | Mana Savant (E) Languages: Common | Elysean | Draconic 62% to Level 19 You have 18 Skill Points Available! You have 2 Skill Evolution Points Available! ¡°An epic draught and an upgrade gem¡¡± Tarixi said with clear disbelief while eyeing the items in his hands. ¡°That is¡¡± she reached up to pull at her floppy ears with a grimace. ¡°Nephilim. I will never grow used to this. You upend everything I know¡ªknew¡ªto be true! It is maddening!¡± she sighed. ¡°Yet I fear even that may not be enough for what is coming. May I see your¡ª? Ah, thank you.¡± Aurelian had projected his sheet to her the moment she¡¯d started to ask, and was instead watching Bael¡¯tharax for his reaction, having projected his sheet to the big dragon as well. Unlike Tarixi however there was no exclamation of surprise from the Dragon King, only a vibrating huff of what sounded like amusement mixed with approval, and then his eye refocused on Aurelian directly. ¡°DRAGON¡¯S RESOLVE. AN INTERESTING ATTAINMENT.¡± ¡°The System seems to believe that it was the saturation of your mana in my body that caused that particular evolution.¡± Aurelian explained with a happy smile. ¡°Something about synergistic capability with my zodiac. It¡¯s an awesome ability name, though it sucks that it went back to a low level.¡± ¡°SUCH INTERACTIONS ARE NOT UNHEARD OF, OR AT LEAST, WERE NOT UNHEARD OF WHEN ELYSEA¡¯S POWER WAS AT ITS PEAK. THE DRAGON ZODIAC WAS, QUITE APPROPRIATELY, A REVERED AND HEAVILY-DESIRED SIGN TO BE BORN WITH, AND MANY WERE THOSE THAT CREATED A LEGEND OFF THE BACK OF ITS GLORY.¡± The Dragon lowered his head fractionally to peer more closely at Aurelian and chuffed a sound of amusement amid another rumbling chuckle. ¡°AS FOR THE LEVEL RESET, THAT IS QUITE NORMAL WITH A SKILL EVOLUTION. IT WILL START AGAIN BECAUSE IT IS IN ESSENCE NEW, NOT MERELY UPGRADED. THE NEW SKILL, HOWEVER, WILL BE MORE EFFECTIVE AT LEVEL ONE THAN THE PREVIOUS SKILL WAS AT ITS HEIGHT. THAT IS PART OF THE SYSTEM¡¯S BALANCE.¡± Aurelian smiled at the old dragon¡¯s words, relieved that his tried and true willpower shield hadn¡¯t become worthless by his own hand. He also decided not to point out the implicit bias in Bael¡¯tharax¡¯s retelling of the Zodiac¡¯s history, nor call into question the objectivity of his memory of history. It was one thing to poke fun at the ancient creature, and another entirely to antagonise him over his clear pride in his species. For all that Bael¡¯tharax radiated warm security like a sun¡¯s restorative rays, Aurelian had no doubt that if he pushed too far, the Dragon might very well sour to him¡ªand that would not only be sad, but it would be life-threatening. ¡°This is not the Empire at its height though,¡± Tarixi said on the tail end of Bael¡¯tharax¡¯s initial words, ¡°and it is no mere skill. It is your skill, Bael¡¯tharax. The boy has managed to develop your Willpower Skill, albeit in its lesser incarnation.¡± ¡°Lesser incarnation?¡± Aurelian asked when Tarixi finished speaking. ¡°Yes. Bael¡¯tharax¡¯s skill is called Dragon King¡¯s Conviction. It''s a Unique skill, as are most of his skills at his level. As I said, he is much more than he appears during his childish acts of mischief.¡± Aurelian blinked at Tarixi with ignited interest, and then looked up to Bael¡¯tharax. ¡°Would I be able to see your¡ª?¡± ¡°NO.¡± ¡°No.¡± Both Bael¡¯tharax and Tarixi spoke at the same time, but it was the goblin that elaborated. ¡°Bael¡¯tharax¡¯s ¡®sheet¡¯ as you call it has items upon it that are forbidden for others to see by the System. Attempting to show you could work, as you are Nephilim¡ it could also obliterate your psyche. It is simply not worth the risk.¡± ¡°The System has redacted his sheet?¡± Aurelian asked with genuine shock. ¡°The Dragon King is a singular existence, Aurelian. It is not just a title, it is a Title, a Trait, and a Race all in one. It is¡ extensively convoluted and complicated, and not even Bael¡¯tharax could elucidate on it any more than I already have, and I have given you the absolute limit of my own knowledge as well.¡± Aurelian frowned at Tarixi¡¯s words and then turned to Bael¡¯tharax silently for confirmation. In response, the Dragon King merely dipped his colossal head fractionally in a nod. Even that minute movement was enough to shake the cavern again. ¡°That¡¯s wild,¡± Aurelian said with a shake of the head. ¡°Absolutely wild. Cool though.¡± his curiosity hated it however, and he knew it would bother him. ¡°Maybe one day, huh?¡± ¡°PERHAPS IF YOU SHOULD SUCCEED IN BECOMING A TRUE CALAMITY, RECLAIMER, THE KNOWLEDGE WILL BE YOURS TO DIVINE.¡± ¡°A True Calamity, huh?¡± Aurelian asked with a wry smile. ¡°That doesn¡¯t seem too good for everyone else, or myself, out of context. I think I get your meaning, though. I need to Cultivate this big storm of energy inside me. I¡¯m guessing this will help with my Core development a lot?¡± ¡°Indeed!¡± Tarixi said as if happy to be asked a question she could answer. ¡°The deluge of energy you received from Bael¡¯tharax will be critical in developing your Calamity Core toward its Attunement and Purification stages, though you should divest yourself of the idea of actually attaining Attunement prior to your Initiate Tempering. Without your Soulforce expansion, the results of attempting to bridge from Ignition to Attunement would be incredibly dangerous, not just for you, but for anyone near you.¡± ¡°Why?¡± Aurelian asked immediately. ¡°A Core is not unlike an extremely dense, and compacted ball of energy. For all that it is not quite a literal part of you yet, the simple fact is that if you overload or over-stress it, especially given your Soulforce signature and the fact it is a Calamity Core; you run the risk of¡ dire consequences.¡± At Aurelian¡¯s raised eyebrows, Tarixi sighed. ¡°Boom.¡± she elucidated simply. ¡°Oh.¡± Aurelian said worriedly. ¡°Shit.¡± ¡°There is more, but you are not ready to hear it¡ªand telling you would only invite reckless tragedy, I fear.¡± Aurelian narrowed his eyes at her, but Tarixi maintained a look of stubborn resolve. He frowned at her moodily. She raised her chin defiantly. Aurelian watched her still for a count of three, and then eventually nodded in acceptance. He wanted to know more, and there was still an issue of trust present, but he could tell¡ªsomehow¡ªthat the Echo was being one hundred percent truthful, or at least, her intentions were not to deceive him. That would have to suffice for the immediate. Instead, he looked at the prizes in his hand, and then to the pair nearby. ¡°So, what¡¯s next? Because this gem seems to think it can make armour better, and I definitely saw an Armoury option in my system menu.¡± Tarixi glanced at Bael¡¯tharax and then back at Aurelian, and her lips firmed into a look of resolve. ¡°That would be a worthwhile avenue of investigation, Aurelian, but first we three must speak on something important.¡± ¡°Alright¡¡± he said while looking between Tarixi and Bael¡¯tharax. The entire mood had shifted with extreme suddenness, and Aurelian felt the hairs on the back of his neck stand up. There was a¡ tension to both his companions, and something in his gut twisted for a moment in worry¡ªat least until Dragon¡¯s Resolve kicked in, and he felt himself relax into the calm embrace of reasoned analysis. The anxiety was still there, but it was muted and removed. It didn¡¯t have any further impact on his decision-making. ¡°What¡¯s the problem?¡± ¡°It is not so much a problem, Aurelian, as it is a question you must answer,¡± Tarixi said with no hint of obfuscation on her face, only quiet and focused intensity. ¡°And one that will have consequences, though we know not whether it will be for good or ill.¡± ¡°Okay¡¡± he said warily. ¡°So, what¡¯s the question?¡± Tarixi peered at him for a moment, and then turned to Bael¡¯tharax. Aurelian followed her gaze, and found the ancient dragon¡¯s head lowering to look directly at him. ¡°AURELIAN LUCIS IMPERIUS. NEPHILIM AND RECLAIMER,¡± Bael¡¯tharax rumbled with a solemn and serious tone Aurelian had never heard from him before, ¡°WOULD YOU ACCEPT THE BURDEN, AND AGREE TO BECOME A DRAGON¡¯S RIDER?¡± B1 | Chapter 28: Unlucky Alistaire Caldwell stumbled his way, carefully, through the upper levels of the Inheritors¡¯ Sanctuary with as much stealth as his inebriated mind could muster. It had been another long, and ultimately uneventful day of carousing and drinking to stave off the feeling of overhanging doom which blanketed their entire collective. For all that the Nephilim had been found, and that damned quest had appeared; there was no real immediate resolution in sight for the centuries¡ªno, millennia that their order had been hidden like rats beneath Stormharrow. Bjorn and the Legatii that had come before him had done their duty well, and with honour, and ensured the survival of the Inheritors through countless tragic events. From the accidental exposure of the Warrens¡ªa name Alistaire still hated¡ªto the Adventurers¡¯ Guild, and the subsequent bloodbath that occurred to stop them reporting the discovery; to the careful placement of Knights within the Order of the Storm and other, less prestigious ¡®Chivalric¡¯ Orders as living insurance policies; and finally the assassination of Lords Captain of the Solari Militant that came just a little too close to discovering their existence. Those were just three such crises that Bjorn Victus Adamantus had saved them from. There were more, so many more, that Alistaire¡ªfor all his fifty-five years of service¡ªcouldn¡¯t even begin to name. He, of course, was only Initiate-level himself. ¡°I have to be the unluckiest bastard in the world,¡± he muttered while shuffling onward. Despite all his best efforts, and repeated attempts at gathering strength through Realmgate Dungeons and the Desolation itself, he had failed to properly build his foundation during his Initiate-level Infusions, and had subsequently stalled on the path to Adept. Which was why he found himself, a Seraii in name if not in power, drunken-stealthing his way past the myriad residences of the uppermost level of the Warrens¡ªor Inheritors¡¯ Sanctuary, as he preferred¡ªwith a singular focus: going to sleep, and hoping that the next day somehow delivered him from the vicissitudes that had ruined his potential. It was a vain hope, but it was all he had. Alistaire¡¯s footsteps carried him past several rooms, and his carefully honed hearing picked up more than a few whispered discourses or the idle sound of flesh meeting flesh. He snorted quietly under his breath at the hedonistic abandon many of his compatriots showed, and chuckled softly while he stumbled along. There was no reason to judge, of course, but he couldn¡¯t help but find the whole thing woefully futile. Who wanted to risk bringing a child into a world run by immortal despots? His wobbly pace took him past two more doors, these more firmly locked, and he spied the end of the extended row where his own domicile was located. Relief and the anticipation of a good rest flooded his drunken bones, and he smiled lazily in anticipation of another night of ale-assisted dreams. It was going to be¡ª ¡°...ready for whenever the Princess dies.¡± Alistaire blinked and slowed in his walk at the sound of a familiar voice he couldn¡¯t quite place in his drunken stupor, and glanced to his right. A small access alley was cut between residences for dumping refuse into the sewer system far below, among other uses, and Alistaire noticed that a window¡ªrecently opened, he guessed¡ªhad not been properly closed. Voices carried just enough for his Scout¡¯s Senses skill to passively hear. Had he not had the skill and Infused it, like a fool, with Hawk Owl Essence, he¡¯d have heard nothing. ¡°The Faith Militant are definitely prepared? There can¡¯t be any mistakes, or else we¡¯ll lose everything.¡± That¡¯s Edward¡¯s voice! Alistaire realised suddenly. Edward and¡ Talennia? Two of the Council speaking about the Faith Militant like allies? It made no sense. Alistaire glanced around, and then carefully propped up against the wall to listen. ¡°I told you, Eddie, I¡¯ve got it handled,¡± Talennia assured him soothingly. ¡°I¡¯m as desperate to get out of this squalor as you are, and I have assurances from the highest levels. Once the Princess is dead, and the Nephilim is secured, all we have to do is ensure that the Inheritors cause enough of a scene that the Hierarch can declared martial law.¡± ¡°I take it he¡¯s summoned more of the Solari Militant to help?¡± ¡°Elenoir did, yes. Paranoid bitch. She looks at me like I¡¯m a dog, sometimes.¡± Edward grunted at that, and Alistaire heard what sounded like an unbuckling belt. ¡°Something is wrong with that one,¡± Edward responded with his distinctive rasp. ¡°She looks haunted one second, and cold as marble the next. Jumps at shadows when she thinks no one can see her, too.¡± ¡°I hope I get the chance to put her in her place, once the Hierarch ordains me.¡± Talennia said with a tone of whiny entitlement that set Alsitaire on edge. ¡°I already let that old creep touch me in ways that make my skin crawl, and he definitely groped me when I was baptised.¡± ¡°You¡¯ve told me this before.¡± Edward rasped impatiently. ¡°I already promised I¡¯d kill him when we could do so without being noticed.¡± ¡°Hierarch Talennia Madrigold.¡± she demured with a soft laugh. ¡°That has a nice ring to it.¡± ¡°You¡¯re too ambitious by half, Len.¡± Edward chastised while the sound of what Alistaire assumed to be leathers hitting the floor carried to him. ¡°That¡¯s only because I¡¡± Talennia¡¯s voice trailed off into soft giggles, and Alistaire¡¯s racing heart was like thunder in his chest. He grit his teeth and, carefully, tried to shuffle closer to the window¡ªhis footing barely stable on the narrow edge expanding into the sharp drop of the alleyway. Unauthorized content usage: if you discover this narrative on Amazon, report the violation. The wooden balustrades keeping people out were more meant for children, generally, and were easily circumnavigated by adults. Besides, most Inheritors were at least at first Temper before they stopped Cultivating entirely, and the fall even from the highest levels was almost never fatal for them. Sadly, more than a few had learned that the hard way. ¡°...only thing I value more than you, sweet one.¡± Edward¡¯s rasp said with an abrupt return to regular octave, which almost sent Alistaire plummeting anyway. He bit back a curse and leaned toward the window, as carefully as he could, to listen more carefully. ¡°Your cock is the only thing I have on my mind, Eddie. I¡¯m wet, naked, and ready and you¡¯re talking about money.¡± Alistaire¡¯s eyes widened at hearing Talennia speak that way, and he momentarily lost focus while he envisioned the busty Councilor naked on a bed, legs spread and inviting. ¡°Gold can wait. Power will come with time. I need you to fuck me. I need you to make me feel every thrust of¡ª¡± Alistaire felt something like steel wrap around his neck, and before he could do more than wheeze he found himself wrenched through the suddenly-open window and thrown onto the floor of the residence. Alistaire¡¯s eyes took a moment to adjust to the lumens enchanted within their sconces, and he froze when he saw exactly what he¡¯d imagined: Talennia, on her bed, naked as the day she¡¯d been born. She stared at him with her intense, gold-flecked grey eyes like someone would look at a stray dog, and her lip curled in mirthless amusement while he stared. One of her hands rose to cup a breast, and then Alistaire¡¯s attention was very suddenly drawn to a length of steel pressed to his throat. ¡°Hello, Alistaire.¡± ¡°E-Edward.¡± Alistaire answered, while remaining wary of accidentally slitting his own throat with too much movement. ¡°Fancy seeing you here.¡± Talennia snorted derisively from the bed, and Edward¡ªwho Alistaire belatedly realised was also naked¡ªbent down to stare him in the eye. The bearded man, who didn¡¯t look a day older than a very healthy forty despite the sixty years he had on Alistaire, didn¡¯t even blink. ¡°You were spying on us.¡± ¡°I¡ªI heard the sound of something hitting the floor, and I figured I¡¯d¡ª¡± ¡°Peek on me?¡± Talennia asked with disgust. ¡°You pervert.¡± ¡°G-Guilty, aha.¡± Alistaire said with a very careful swallow, and hope for getting away. He had to warn Bjorn and the others, and hopefully stop whatever the two of them were planning before everyone in the Warrens ended up dead¡ªor worse. ¡°It¡¯s been ages since I got some gash, Edward, and you know how the lads think of Len¡¯s bod¡ª¡± ¡°Ugh. Gross.¡± Talennia interrupted. ¡°Talennia is very talented with warding spells, Alistaire.¡± Edward said as if the woman hadn¡¯t spoken. ¡°The moment you put your back to the house, we knew you were there.¡± Alistaire¡¯s heart went still, and he couldn¡¯t help but feel mild disbelief despite the situation. All hope of fleeing to warn the Legatus fled, and Alistaire felt the moment that hope abandoned him, and despair set in. Both Talennia and Edward were Third Temper. The entire Council, except for Agatha, were Third Temper. He could no more escape Edward, who had trained every one of the Seraii including Alistaire, than he could escape the wind. ¡°Then why did you keep talking?¡± he asked finally, and with genuine bewilderment. ¡°To lure you in, idiot.¡± Talennia said in a tone of bored contempt. ¡°I communicated that we¡¯d been compromised, and then we continued as normal. Eddie was ready to snatch you the moment you tried to scamper, but then you went and got curious when I went quiet.¡± Talennia¡¯s voice took on a mocking tone, and she spoke exactly as she had previously. ¡°That¡¯s only because I¡¡± she trailed off into an immediate soft giggle, just like she had done prior. ¡°You really are the unluckiest fool in the Realms, Alistaire.¡± Edward said with what Alistaire might have charitably called pity, but was likely closer to derision. ¡°So what now?¡± Alistaire asked numbly. ¡°You¡¯re going to die, Alistaire.¡± Edward said simply. ¡°But I¡¯ll give you mercy before you do. I¡¯ll let you fuck Talennia. It¡¯s the least I can do, after you managed to discover us before someone competent did instead.¡± ¡°I thought I¡¯d locked the window.¡± Talennia said sulkily. ¡°Now I have to fuck the moron as punishment?¡± ¡°Cause and effect, Len.¡± Edward said simply, and removed the blade from Alistaire¡¯s neck. Blatant disbelief warred with existential fear, and Alistaire didn¡¯t even realise he was rising until he caught up to the fact that Edward was helping him to his feet. ¡°Just don¡¯t do something stupid like yell for help, Alistaire, and this¡¯ll be the best night of your much shorter life.¡± Alistaire turned to the blue-eyed man, turned back to Talennia¡¯s nude form on the bed, and then let out an agonisingly sober chuckle. ¡°Well, shit, Edward.¡± Alistaire said while reaching down to untie his leggings with a resigned acceptance. ¡°You sure know how to make a guy¡¯s last moments¡ª¡± WARNING: You have sustained Critical Damage! Alistaire cut off with a gurgle, and his eyes darkened at the corners in the same moment as he felt a strange warmth seeping across his throat and torso. The bed, he noticed, had the strangest addition of red on it¡ªand he stumbled forward by instinct, reaching out toward one of Talennia¡¯s peach-coloured thighs. The woman watched him with a bored smile, and Alistaire felt himself hit the bed. ¡°You¡¯re a bastard, Eddie.¡± Talennia said with a quiet laugh. ¡°Poor sod really thought he¡¯d get a chance with you,¡± Edward said piteously. ¡°He can still watch you fuck me,¡± Talennia said while spreading her legs and smiling lasciviously at the taller man. ¡°Besides, you know murder makes me hot.¡± ¡°You¡¯re broken in the head, Len.¡± Edward said while walking into Alistaire¡¯s fading vision, while his Initiate-level body tried to counteract the lethal inevitability of a slit throat, and failed. ¡°We both are, Eddie.¡± Talennia said with a smile that didn¡¯t fully reach her eyes. ¡°This whole fucking place is broken. That¡¯s why we agreed to find a way out, remember?¡± Edward¡¯s body bent over hers, and Talennia wrapped blood-splattered arms around his neck. ¡°I remember.¡± Edward assured her, while his left hand moved down to her thighs. Alistaire¡¯s last sight, when his body finally gave out a minute later, was of Talennia crying out in pleasure¡ªthighs working in earnest and hands cupping her breasts¡ªwhile she stared down into his dying eyes, and smiled crookedly at his fading consciousness. The fact he had ever thought the blonde woman beautiful baffled him. His last thought, surprising even to him, was almost amusing. I really am the unluckiest bastard in the world. B1 | Chapter 29: Soul Sense ¡°A Dragon¡¯s Rider?¡± Aurelian asked with wide eyes as he looked up at Bael¡¯tharax¡¯s towering head. Surprise, shock, disbelief, and head-spinning levels of giddy joy burned through him with equal intensity, and he attempted to properly understand what was being asked. A Dragon Rider?! It was every nerd¡¯s dream! ¡°You want me to ride a¡ªme?¡± he asked while pointing to himself, and still struggling with stunned disbelief. ¡°You are the Reclaimer, Aurelian,¡± Tarixi said while air-walking closer to stand in his eyeline. ¡°This is your privilege, and should you accept, shall become your greatest burden.¡± ¡°I thought Bael¡¯tharax was the last Dragon?¡± Aurelian responded while still trying to process his shock. The idea was, of course, not something he was going to say no to. Just the idea of soaring through the skies on the back of Bael¡¯tharax gave him a rush so giddy he wanted to giggle like a lunatic, but something within his mind told him it wouldn¡¯t be that simple. He was missing something. He could feel it. ¡°I AM THE LAST DRAGON THAT YET DRAWS BREATH, BUT AS TO WHETHER THAT REMAINS THE CASE DEPENDS ON YOUR ACTIONS, HERE AND NOW.¡± Aurelian¡¯s eyes widened with immediate realisation. ¡°Eggs,¡± he breathed. ¡°Dragon eggs!¡± ¡°You deduce things well, yes,¡± Tarixi said with a wry smile. ¡°Though I will not ask how you knew. More wisdom from your mysterious place of origin, I would wager; though I suppose in some ways it wasn¡¯t exactly unclear what Bael¡¯tharax meant. Do you have any notion of what would be expected of you?¡± ¡°A bond of some sort, right?¡± he asked with a half-distracted mind, and visions of a little dragon dancing along his shoulder. The dreams of riding Bael¡¯tharax across the sky might have been dashed, but there were other avenues of approach. Plus, the phrasing implied he would eventually get a dragon to ride. ¡°CORRECT. A UNION OF HARMONY BETWEEN YOUR CORE AND THEIRS, YOUR SOULFORCE AND THEIRS, YOUR MIND AND THEIRS. TWO SOULS, TWO CORES, TWO MINDS, BUT ONE PURPOSE. UNTIL ONE, OR THE OTHER, PERISHES.¡± ¡°It would be a bond that enhances you both, and also offers great risk. When we gathered the eggs, it was assumed Bael¡¯tharax would be able to ensure their survival in whatever world came after. He was still active in the war then, and when Justinian¡¡± The Echo¡¯s features fell for a moment, and she inhaled to steady herself despite not needing air. ¡°With Bael¡¯tharax¡¯s time ticking down every second, we cannot rely on him to protect the new generation. He will not last long enough for such a task. You, however, are the Reclaimer. You are the Second Calamity. You could be their shepherd.¡± ¡°You want me to rebuild Elysea with a bunch of Dragons yipping around me?¡± he asked in a moment of incredulity. Tarixi laughed at his reaction, and even Bael¡¯tharax rumbled in amusement. ¡°No, Aurelian. That is not the case.¡± the Echo assured him. ¡°The plan we conceived prior to my death was for the Reclaimer to select those they¡ªor he, in this case¡ªdeemed worthy from among friends and allies. Those individuals would in turn bond to a Dragon, and act as their partners and guardians until such time as the Dragons could properly repopulate.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t have friends and allies other than you two.¡± ¡°INDEED, THOUGH I DO NOT DOUBT SUCH WILL BE CORRECTED IN TIME. WE HAVE STRAYED FROM THE MATTER AT HAND, HOWEVER. RECLAIMER¡ DO YOU ACCEPT THE TASK BEFORE YOU? WILL YOU AID ME IN THIS LAST REQUEST, AND SEE THE PRIME MATERIAL¡¯S GREAT PROTECTORS RETURNED TO ITS SKIES, LANDS, AND SEAS?¡± Aurelian laughed despite the seriousness and graveness of the request. ¡°Really, old lizard? Using your death as a means to convince me?¡± he said while grinning at the dragon¡¯s burning eye. Bael¡¯tharax rumbled another laugh in response. ¡°Well, you needn¡¯t have bothered!¡± Aurelian continued. ¡°Of course, I¡¯ll do it! I¡¯ve wanted to ride a Dragon since I knew what dragons were, back where I came from! Well, they aren¡¯t real there, but we have plenty of stories!¡± Tarixi¡¯s ghostly figure visibly slumped in relief at his words, and Aurelian turned to her when she gave him a tired smile. ¡°I had feared that my earlier misstep might have soured you on this, Aurelian, and I confess to doubting you even had the desire for such an undertaking. One cannot be forced or pushed into this task, and Bael¡¯tharax shouldn¡¯t have woven in that piece of manipulation, though I cannot fault his earnest desire.¡± Aurelian shook his head. ¡°There¡¯s no ¡®forcing¡¯ about it. I¡¯m being sincere. Nobody I know from my old world would say no to riding a Dragon, though some of them definitely wouldn¡¯t do it for the right reasons.¡± ¡°Which is why the bond is not one-sided,¡± Tarixi said with an agreeable nod. ¡°We have offered you the chance, Aurelian, and you have Bael¡¯tharax¡¯s blessing; but a dragon chooses their rider. It has always been the final decision of the dragon, and it has allowed us to avoid almost any situation of malfeasance or corruption among the Ordo Draconis.¡± ¡°The Order of the Dragon?¡± he asked at a quick thought. Philology is now Level 6! ¡°Correct,¡± Tarixi said approvingly. ¡°There were always outliers, of course. Dragons are still susceptible to corruption, greed, and malice as any species is. It is primarily the Dragon Kings that ensured their species¡¯ continued adherence to their ancient charge, with aid from the Primes of each flight.¡± ¡°But now the King is dying and there are no Primes,¡± Aurelian said while his increased intellect worked on the problem. ¡°Which also leads to other concerns, such as what happens if one of the new Dragons is corrupted. Realistically, if all other dragons are truly dead, then this new wave would be the Primes,¡± he reached up to idly run a hand through his shoulder-length, silver hair. ¡°So if I¡¯m not really careful about who I pick¡ª¡± ¡°¡ªyou could inadvertently unleash catastrophe.¡± Tarixi finished for him gravely. ¡°It is why you must be absolutely certain of those you select.¡± If you encounter this story on Amazon, note that it''s taken without permission from the author. Report it. ¡°Alright,¡± Aurelian said with a nod. ¡°I understand. I really do. But¡ what if¡ªand hear me out here¡ªnone of the eggs hatch for me?¡± ¡°THEN YOU SHALL BE THEIR CUSTODIAN, UNTIL SUCH TIME AS A WORTHY PARTY APPEARS TO TRY THEIR LUCK WITH EACH EGG.¡± ¡°Yeah, that makes sense,¡± Aurelian said wryly. ¡°Okay. So. Protect the eggs, select people who don¡¯t have an inclination towards being wankers, and don¡¯t die. Seems¡ easy enough.¡± It did not in fact seem easy at all, but Aurelian wasn¡¯t about to say no to saving what had to be the coolest species in any universe. Dragons were awesome. It was really that simple. ¡°What do I need to do?¡± he asked after the decision was firmly made, and looked between Bael¡¯tharax and Tarixi. Instead of responding immediately, the Echo turned up to Bael¡¯tharax, and then the world moved. Or rather, the Dragon King moved, and everything shook like the end of days as a result. His legs came under him, and thousands of tons of muscle, scales, and flesh lifted from the ground with what Aurelian felt was the aid of magic. Even with the chamber hollowed out and excavated to the point it could have fit a town or small city, Bael¡¯tharax¡¯s wings brushed the stalactites above when he lifted himself to stand and moved his bottom half away from them both. Aurelian watched in rapt fascination and awe as the ancient leviathan moved, and felt his heart rise up into his throat. The thought that such a creature, such a presence, whose very proximity was like a furnace of life, and power, and warmth could be snuffed out in the near future was¡ disturbing. Disheartening and wrong, he realised, barely did the idea justice. He felt tears burn behind his eyes, and blinked them away, as a sudden and staggering realisation of loss cut through him. How vast and empty the world must have felt, without such titans to roam it. Instead of dwelling on the miserable thought however, Aurelian turned to the purpose of the Dragon King¡¯s movement as Bael¡¯tharax settled himself down again. Only once the tremors and rattling from the dragon¡¯s repositioning had died down, and he was certain that the old grump wouldn¡¯t move again, did Aurelian turn to where once had dwelled nothing but draconic bulk. Instead, there dwelled twenty-one eggs, arranged in haphazard order. Their colour was a uniform grey, with what looked like rock-like scales and upward-facing hook-like spikes grown from their exterior. The eggs were far larger than he¡¯d imagined as well, with each one close to four feet high, and at least half as wide. He moved over towards them wordlessly, and lifted his gaze towards Bael¡¯tharax as he did. ¡°What do I do, gramps?¡± Bael¡¯tharax snorted with enough force to ripple through the cavern, and then tilted his colossal head towards Tarixi. ¡°Walk among the eggs, and reach out with your Soulforce. Feel their presence around you. Attune to them until one calls out to you. When one does, you focus on bridging that harmonic connection, and hone in on that egg.¡± Aurelian turned to the goblin when she spoke, and then nodded when she was done. It made sense if the Dragon was the one to initiate the bond. He would likely create some sort of resonance, or feedback loop, with the method she suggested. With that understood, he turned his eyes to the eggs, squared his shoulders, and then strode forward towards and between them. Aurelian slowed his gait when he was two egg rows deep and reached inside of himself, taking a hold of his esoteric Soulforce and listening to it while pushing it outward. Unlike with his mana, the act was incredibly simple. It was as if his Soulforce wanted to expand away from him, and the moment he attempted it, he found an immediate feeling of rightness with his connection to the world. It was as if a lost sense had been reconnected, and he was able to perceive reality around him a way that should have already been part of his perception. Congratulations, Aurelian Lucis Imperius! You have met the requirements to unlock the skill Soul Sense (UC)! Soulforce is the most intrinsic and fundamental aspect of any being in the Realms, no matter how virtuous or evil they may be. All creatures that exist within the grand design possess this energy, save for those from the Pits or Void Beyond. It is this energy that allows living creatures to connect, both with each other and the world, in a manner that transcends words. By extending your spiritual awareness and sensing the souls around you, you have taken your first step on the path to mastering this enigmatic and powerful energy of your own self. Trust your feelings, Reclaimer! ¡°Huh,¡± Aurelian murmured while reading the prompt, ¡°that¡¯ll be useful when I meet actual people.¡± He put the alert out of his mind and instead focused on what he was doing. He pushed himself to feel, to taste, to know his Soulforce and the odd concerto that it sung back to him. Each note was an impression of nascent emotion, and each crescendo an echoing spark of awareness, sourced from the unique song of a reacting soul. Each dip and rise in the melody was the lucent glow of a slumbering mind, shining to his Soul Sense like a beacon in the darkness. With his eyes open and his soul bared, Aurelian moved among the eggs with slow and methodical steps. One foot moved behind the other, keeping pace with the different sounds of spiritual melody that answered his new Skill. His gait was largely random while he searched for what he had no idea of, waiting for something to pull at him, or respond to him in some notable way. So far it was a discordant ensemble of warring beats, each one a separate spirit and unique in their song. Perhaps it was because it was Dragons he was sensing, but each one seemed somehow alien, and yet familiar. They were undefinable in that they superseded all comprehension he had of the idea of normalcy, and yet startlingly comforting in that they elicited feelings of courage, or ferocity, or wrath, or determination, or desire, or fear, or any other number of things that resonated with the deepest core of who¡ªand what¡ªhe was. They were no helpless infants, not in the manner of other animals. Soul Sense is now Level 2! These creatures were born with an adolescent mind, he realised with quiet shock, and already considerably developed within the safety of the eggs they inhabited. There was another sound that filtered through them all as well, a lullaby of sorts, which Aurelian identified after enough time listening to the music of their spirits. It was an enchantment or weaving, something forged entirely of Soulforce; and which kept the creatures in a state of enforced, and protected stasis within their eggs. They could last there for thousands of years, he suddenly knew, even without the stasis that had preserved them and their leviathan protector. These dragons had been spelled not to hatch until they found their soul partners. It was a necessary act, Aurelian realised, but one that nonetheless left him perturbed. It was an enforced denial of independent action, and though he understood and perhaps even saw the justification behind it; part of him rebelled at the very notion. He had allowed himself to be corralled, controlled, and directed like that once before. On Earth. He had already vowed it would not happen again, not in the Realms, not where he had the power to decide his fate. I am the sovereign of my own destiny, System or no System. He resolved firmly. An echo of connection rippled across his mind when the thought actualised, and a harmonious chord¡ªnot unlike the strumming of a bass guitar¡ªmomentarily forced all other spiritual music into the background. Aurelian turned on his heel as if compelled, and moved toward the echoing note. He moved, with mounting realisation, toward his destiny. B1 | Chapter 30: Bond Soul Sense is now Level 3! Aurelian moved steadily in the direction he¡¯d felt the hum of resonance, and the clarifying bass of a soul that matched his own. While he moved, one foot steadily before the other, he considered his new life up until that moment. He had been called the Reclaimer, and been asked to become the Second Calamity. He had been requested to reclaim the Elysean Empire, and had been cajoled to stand up to the Godsworn, or whatever force had succeeded them in the modern era of the Prime Material. He had, also, been tasked with slaying the undead and whatever power animated them. These things he knew and accepted, and when looking them over; none of them he had a reason to find issue with. He had always wanted to matter in the wide-open world. He had always wanted to be a hero, and to be special. Soul Sense is now Level 4! Sure, there were some that had that wish granted and hated it, but Aurelian refused to succumb to what he saw as a bad Isekai trope. He detested those protagonists that whined and complained about their incredible powers, and potential for immeasurable power. There was an honour, his father had taught him, in the bequeathing of responsibility. Was it daunting? Absolutely. Was it a challenge? One hundred percent. Was it worth it? That he didn¡¯t, wouldn¡¯t, and in fact couldn¡¯t know until far later along the path. Yet in that moment, if asked if he regretted the various twists and turns which had led him to that point¡ªof walking among dragon eggs and seeking a companion; he would have honestly answered that he didn¡¯t. He regretted nothing. He was done with regrets. Aurelian had made choices along the way to where he was at that moment. Perhaps they had been necessitated by circumstance, but they were still his choices. They were his personal decisions, made in full consciousness and with as much or as little thought as he chose to give them. He had not let anyone else choose for him, nor send him on a mission based on their predictions or expectations for him. He had been given options by Tarixi and Bael¡¯tharax both, and he had chosen for himself. The lack of reasonable alternatives did not preclude agency, it merely dissolved the burden of uncertainty. Did he wish he¡¯d had more options? Perhaps. But then again, he was going to be riding a fucking Dragon, and living for millennia. He didn¡¯t know a single person from his old life that wouldn¡¯t make the same choice. Soul Sense is now Level 5! The echo, or resonance as he rationalised it, sang out once more to his senses, and Aurelian pivoted to his right to approach a small clutch of eggs near the rear of the collective. His eyes searched over the uniform grey exterior of the eggs, and settled finally on one that sat ever-so-slightly apart from the others. Another, and more earnest, clash of imagined cymbals pinged within the core of his Soulforce, and he moved towards the egg like a magnet to metal. When he stood before it, the music in his Core built, and he could feel as much as ¡®see¡¯ the boiling storm of metaphysical power in his solar plexus begin to thunder and shake. Every part of him, from his mind, to his Core, to his very soul sensed something important in what was to happen. A feeling of trepidation mixed with excitement shot through him like lightning, and he lifted his right hand. ¡°Watch me Cass,¡± he whispered to the air. Memories of their father reading Paolini to them as children came back to him, and he smiled at the recollection of watching Dragonheart and other, animated dragon riding movies with his sister. ¡°I¡¯m going to make our childhood dream come true.¡± Soul Sense is now Level 6! Aurelian placed his bare hand against the egg firmly. The music in his soul rose, and hit a deafening crescendo. Light exploded out from under his hand, first a pure and radiant white, which was then followed by a shaft of voidal darkness, one wich seemed to shake reality for but a moment. Then, before he could speak, there was more: red, blue, green, yellow¡ too many shades and hues and colours to count erupted from the point of contact until the entire egg vibrated with energy, and was ensconced in a wave of prismatic mana. Aurelian felt something tug at his consciousness, and his very essence. It was a slight and insistent pull on his soul and Core, and with an instinct he could not identify; he opened himself to the tether. The cave and its blazing egg vanished instantly, and instead Aurelian hovered in a place-that-was-not. He was formless and yet had a perfect recall of himself, and before him hung something. It was vast beyond comprehension, so massive in fact that it dwarfed Bael¡¯tharax by several orders of magnitude. Yet despite this, there was no fear. Stolen novel; please report. No reservation. No hesitation. Aurelian felt a peace and rightness wash over him that he could not articulate to anyone who asked. It was the addition of a missing piece, and an end to loneliness he had never realised he had wallowed in. It was a melding, a symmetry, a perfect fusion of two halves into a greater and more powerful whole than could be comprehended by any mind. Unbidden and without prompting, he heard his physical and spiritual self speak in tandem. ¡°My body, my spirit, my mind I cleave to thee, Partner I never knew, whose life is as my own, I take you as mine, and give myself as yours, One heart, one soul, one will, one purpose, Until all the Realms are dust and ash.¡± The words echoed infinitely within the kaleidoscopic space he inhabited, resonating and repeating a thousand times every heartbeat, while a second voice, sonorous and powerful, joined his own in assurance and affirmation. Streamers of energy twirled about him, and in their depths he saw a winged shape traversing the clouds, sundering the heavens, and casting low the vainglorious gods. He saw the rise and fall of an Empire, and knew that it could be his own. He heard the earth-shaking roar of a deific beast, and understood it to his own Soul. A yearning came to him like an arrow of clarity, and Aurelian knew the answer it required, and had known it from the moment Bael¡¯tharax had offered to him this soul-confirming opportunity. He laughed when he gave his reply, and wept as he felt its approval. It was the greatest moment of his existence, there in that non-existent space. There were no words that could capture it, no intonations that could conceive of a means to elucidate the utter rapture of the experience. He was whole in a way he had never contemplated before. He had found the true mirror of his Soul. Congratulations, Aurelian Lucis Imperius! You have met the requirements to unlock the skill Spirit Bond: Dragon (M)! There are things within the Realms that transcend all knowledge and understanding, and the act of Spirit Bonding remains among their number. In the days long gone, when such things were almost common among lesser creatures, still they were rare among the greater ones, and among the Dragons the rarest known. By bonding to one of these beasts of old, thought extinct by the denizens of the Realms; you have transcended into a figure out of myth and legend. Forget not the glory of this gift, Reclaimer! Congratulations, Aurelian Lucis Imperius! Hidden Conditions Met! You have managed to bond with a dragon, an act not witnessed for thousands of years! Achievement: Upon Wings of Might and Magic For successfully achieving a rider¡¯s bond with a dragon, you have received the following: Title: Dragon Rider Trait: Dragon Force 3 x Skill Upgrade Point Aurelian¡¯s awareness snapped back into his body, and the egg beneath him shivered and cracked with lines of pure white mana. Shell fragments fell away, followed by the audible wet ripping of gelatinous membrane, and two wings tore free of their bindings. His eyes traced them as they did, and he noted the fullness of their design. There was strength there already, he knew, and a power that no other newborn creature could contest. His eyes snapped back to the egg, and in a sudden eruption of power a sinuous, muscled body tore apart the remnants of its shielded gestation. Eyes the colour of molten gold opened slowly, set beneath a pair of front-facing horns lined in moonsilver platinum. Runes the same silver-white hue adorned scaled flesh along the sides of a four foot long body, and a spined and brutally sharpened spear-tipped tail whipped through the air to dislodge the last dregs of the shattered egg. The spines along the hatchling¡¯s back, the claws on its four feet; even the fangs in its maw¡ all were the same brilliant platinum. The newborn dragon shook its body and flexed its wings, and when it rose to all fours to look at him in the eyes, Aurelian clocked its height just shy of his sternum. Warmth radiated into his soul from an invisible bond, one tethered to the hatchling. ¡°Bahamut.¡± Aurelian greeted the Dragon with a smile. Aurelian. The dragon sent back, his voice a bass hum within Aurelian¡¯s mind. Aurelian turned towards Tarixi and Bael¡¯tharax, and paused at what he saw: the goblin¡¯s Echo was openly grinning, with the biggest self-satisfied look on her face he¡¯d ever seen. Bael¡¯tharax however was unmoving, and his great golden eye was locked with such an intensity on Bahamut that Aurelian almost felt the need to take a step back. ¡°JUST WHEN I THINK YOU CANNOT SURPRISE ME AGAIN, RECLAIMER, YOU PROVE ME WRONG.¡± The massive Dragon King moved his head closer as he spoke, and his immense eye fixed directly on Aurelian¡¯s two. Then, slowly and deliberately, his mammoth jaws parted in what Aurelian could only call a smile. ¡°THANK YOU, AURELIAN, FOR THIS MOST PRICELESS GIFT.¡± ¡°Aurelian, do you know what you have wrought?!¡± Tarixi interjected with a cackle like a bond villain. ¡°Do you even comprehend what has occurred?¡± ¡°I bonded a Dragon,¡± he responded with mounting confusion. A wave of amusement came from Bahamut, and Aurelian glanced at him. ¡°Bonded a Dragon¡¡± Tarixi said with a snorting laugh. ¡°Yes, Aurelian, but not just any Dragon,¡± she pointed out Bahamut¡¯s platinum runes, and then gestured in kind to Bael¡¯tharax. ¡°In your dazed state, you perhaps did not notice. You did not merely bond a Dragon, Aurelian. You have bonded with Bael¡¯tharax¡¯s successor.¡± Aurelian turned to stare at Bahamut at that revelation, and his eyes widened; the runes! How had he so easily failed to account for those? Had his mind truly been that overwhelmed? He felt like an idiot! Had he read such an oversight in a novel, he¡¯d have called the protagonist a brainless dolt! His thoughts abruptly cut off when something pinged off his senses, and the newborn Dragon unleashed yet another wave of calm amusement. You see, Aurelian? I am quite special. You may feel free to bow at your leisure. Bael¡¯tharax¡¯s thunderous laugh filled the cavern. It did not stop for some time. B1 | Chapter 31: Remnant A week in the Desolation had greatly changed Suraiya¡¯s understanding of the nature, and burdens, of her place as the Karelian heiress; and her thoughts were troubled while she rode Valour through the heat-hazed wasteland. The day she¡¯d left Stormharrow, she had still held onto the fanciful and optimistic perspective of a noble princess sallying forth to defend her land from the foul, blight-corroded beasts and mutants which occupied, and made their homes, within the vast expanse of the Desolation. She had held a deeply rooted belief in the honour, the privilege, and the glory in being among her Kingdom¡¯s Knights; to bring steel and force to bear against the enemies beyond the Lunar Gate. She huffed a disparaging breath at her own delusion. The only thing she had found beyond the wall were questions, blood, and a growing numbness to killing which deeply disturbed her. Even with only a week behind them, Suraiya had found acceptance within the other combatants in the convoy, the very thing that she had yearned for upon first leaving Stormharrow. No longer did they regard her as the porcelain princess to be kept back, and all but bound to Valour¡¯s saddle. Instead, she waded with them into the thick of the fighting, her flanks watched by Ser Gilbert or¡ªon several occasions¡ªEluviale and her Party. The elven healer had remained a semi-constant form of normal interaction for Suraiya, and though she¡¯d held her suspicions close to her chest; she had allowed herself to at least enjoy the feeling of being a person instead of a title. Eluviale¡¯s Party had also made appearances, and though she still held them to be more polite acquaintances than regular companions; the few times they had all spoken or enjoyed each other¡¯s company had been a pleasant distraction from their surroundings. Yet even with that acceptance, there came a measure of filth that she could not properly cleanse from her soul. At times she would wake up screaming, ensconced in the enchanted silence of her warded tent, and breathe rapidly until she found her way back to a calm centre. Other times she would go to drink water, or clean her saddle, or examine her equipment; and flinch when her hands were momentarily coated in phantom visions of dripping blood. She had told Eluviale about those events in a moment of sudden vulnerability, and though she regretted it and puzzled over her lapse later; the elf¡¯s advice had been sound: accept what she had done, and try to resolve it logically. The Soother had warned her it would be an exercise in futility, in many ways, given her lack of exposure to such things prior, but had assured her that there was support and willing ears all around her. It had helped, if only a little. The advent of her moonblood had added further complications to an already overwhelming boiling pot of killing guilt, battle fatigue, what Eluviale called post-traumatic stress, lingering anger, and disillusionment. She had packed enchanted and padded materials for precisely such an occurrence, but the sudden onset of cramps that felt as if her insides were attempting to claw their way out of her body had left her patience decidedly thin. It had rendered her sore, sensitive, and made riding Valour and donning her platemail that much harder, which only increased the strain on her already fragile composure. That had been the morning prior. The Princess swept her eyes once again over the death-covered, hilly landscape of the Desolation around the convoy as they marched ever onward. Death had finally come for them as well, with at least three adventurers and several of the less powerful support personnel falling victim to both Skarnids¡ªhorse-sized arachnids with eight legs, two immense pincers, venomous fangs, and a chitinous shell with a ridged and potent stinging tail¡ªand Blightstalkers, which were themselves six-legged reptiles with fins and webbed claws adapted to swimming through the vile pools of toxic liquid dotting the Desolation. Their bite, as a lovely bonus, also happened to be necrotic. The Skarnids and Blightstalkers both had ascended from below the convoy in eruptions of corrosive dirt and poisoned soil, and set upon their targets with predatory savagery. Only the quick action of the highest ranked adventurers and Ser Gilbert himself, moving with the speed and violence of a lightning strike, had managed to curtail any greater damage; and force the surviving creatures back under the earth. It had only been after the encounter, and a quick headcount, that they had all realised the creatures had taken several of their number below the earth with them, and a pall of grim silence had fallen over the convoy¡ªbroken only by the occasional murmur or quiet sob from the companions of the lost. Between her exhaustion, cramps that made her want to curl into a ball despite Eluviale¡¯s herbal tea remedies, sleep-depriving stress-induced nightmares, and a growing sense of despair in the pit of her stomach; Suraiya was even beginning to contemplate ordering the entire expedition to turn around and head back to Stormharrow. The only thing that stayed her hand, in truth, was pride¡ªand a personal code which demanded she see through to the end anything which she started. A sudden cry from up ahead snapped Suraiya sharply out of her reverie, and her nerves propelled her into action while her head turned up towards the front of the column. Her fingers were already curling around the hilt of her greatsword with a creak of leather, and clink of chainmail, when she realised it was just one of the scouts. A frown of self-recrimination found its way to her lips, and she worked to calm her breathing while releasing her sword, and focusing her gaze on the approaching rider. The man returned to the column with speed, and kicked up an egregious amount of toxic dust in the process. His target of course was Ser Gilbert, which meant that¡ªgiven his near-constant proximity following the increase in monster attacks¡ªSuraiya needed only to remain where she was and wait. The report would be given within her earshot imminently. When the scout eventually reached them, his face was haggard and sun-darkened from long shifts scouting near the front and flanks of the convoy. His eyes however were sharp, and when he spoke it was with the confidence of a man who knew what he was about. ¡°My lord, there is a person waiting for us over the next rise!¡± ¡°A person?¡± Ser Gilbert enquired carefully. ¡°What manner of person?¡± ¡°Sun as my witness, my lord, I cannot rightly say. They wear strange adornments and appear almost¡ well, at home in this accursed wasteland. Not bedraggled and degenerate like the Blightfolk, but honest-to-gods comfortable. You can tell a lot from a person by how they carry themselves, my lord, and this person is calm. Dangerously calm.¡± Suraiya listened in silence and then shifted her gaze to Ser Gilbert once the scout had given his report. She was as interested as anyone else to hear his verdict, and when he glanced at her she knew he was considering how safe she was, which in turn meant he was considering riding forward to investigate for himself. It made her decision for her. Call it frustration, impatience, or the simple desire for something other than freakish monsters and deranged blightfolk; but Suraiya wanted to be at that meeting, and decided then and there that she would brook no refusal. Perhaps it was petulant, and perhaps it was selfish and irregular. She did not care. ¡°I¡¯m going with you,¡± she stated flatly while already heeling Valour forward, and in turn forcing Ser Gilbert to catch up with her along with the scout. The Knight-Captain opened his mouth to speak, but Suraiya threw him a hard and pointed glance instead of allowing it. Something in her gaze must have shown him how serious she was, for he subsided immediately. It was a relatively short canter from their position at the forward third of the convoy to the head of it, and even with Suraiya¡¯s customary quartet of knights, the scout, and Ser Gilbert in tow they made quick progress. ¡°Halt the convoy,¡± she commanded to one of the Knights as she rode past, and again something in her tone must have conveyed the gravity of her intentions; for the man saluted with a crash of gauntlet to breastplate, and heeled his mount to ride along the length of the column while calling for a halt at the top of his Second Tempered lungs. She loosely noted the sound of spreading calls for a halt but ignored them as the line of people, carts, and animals ground to a halt. Her eyes were fixed on the rising hill of desiccated dirt and dead soil before her and its rapidly approaching apex. A flicker of hesitation rolled through her for only a moment before, and then she crushed it down and urged Valour forward to crest the terrain. Beyond its rise Suraiya surveyed yet more endless blight, and a lone figure standing near the middle of the landscape between the hill her small entourage currently occupied and the one some three hundred metres ahead of them. A glance around the area revealed nothing in the way of other people, and the Princess turned to Ser Gilbert to confirm he had seen the same. His eyes met hers, he nodded shallowly. ¡°They¡¯re alone.¡± Suraiya didn¡¯t nod back so as to avoid alerting their mysterious guest, and instead clicked her tongue to signal Valour forward. The horse carried her down the much less elevated side of the rise with a snort of acquiescence, and she trained her gaze on the individual that awaited them with an ease that was harshly juxtaposed to the lethal environment surrounding them. Only when Valour¡¯s hooves hit something solid did Suraiya realise the reason for the person¡¯s comfort: a shelf of granite under the dirt, and one which likely offered safety from the possibility of Skarnid ambushes or the attacks of any other subterranean-dwelling nightmares. The Princess nodded in consideration of the unknown individual¡¯s wise choice of locale, and moved forward at the same half-canter until she was some ten metres distant from the unknown figure. Stolen content alert: this content belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences. There she pulled Valour to a halt and, after a moment¡¯s thought, dismounted. Suraiya hit the ground with a jingle of chainmail, and thud of plated body weight, though her gaze never left the stranger. A soothing stroke was given to Valour when she stepped forward, and the sound of armoured footsteps behind her signalled the accompanying movement of her entourage. She refused to glance back and show uncertainty, and instead focused her attention on the person before her. They were adorned in a brown cloak that covered them from ankle to shoulders, with a heavy hood of the same colour¡ªcurrently thrown back and unused¡ªand white wrappings across every inch of their skin from the neck down. Their face was hidden behind a wrapped white scarf which covered all but their eyes and nose, and they had an unstrung greatbow braced on the ground with their left hand, along with three short spears beneath what appeared to be a chitinous buckler on the ground to their right. Based on the nature of their placement, the weapons had been willingly removed from the stranger¡¯s person and laid in plain sight as a sign of peace. It was an assumption, admittedly, but one that Suraiya felt confident was correct given her studies on negotiation and diplomacy. Standard practice in the Grand Ascendancy, at any rate. Her eyes moved across the scarf, and down toward the figure¡¯s chest, but the cloak was too thick and obstructed any evident sign of gender. When Suraiya stood within four metres of the person she stopped, and her azure eyes met a pair of fierce green ones. ¡°Greetings,¡± Suraiya said with a polite smile. ¡°You have aroused our attention, as was doubtless your desire. May I ask whom it is we are speaking to?¡± Silence was her only answer for several long moments. Long enough, in fact, for the Knights behind her to shift in muted agitation, and the horses to whinny and snort in discomfort. She was almost tempted to speak again, but instead held her peace. When someone else attempted to step forward¡ªshe suspected Ser Gilbert¡ªSuraiya held out an arm to stop them, but never took her gaze from the stranger. Only with the action of halting the Knight-Captain did the stranger finally speak. ¡°Greetings Princess-Royal Suraiya Karelian of Stormharrow, Knight-Captain Ser Gilbert van Ostland, and to the Knights of the Order of the Storm.¡± Surprise, unease, alarm, and intensified wariness swept over Suraiya¡¯s companions at the sound of a perfect, if accented use of their language. There was no ragged rasp or blight-cursed hiss in the stranger¡¯s words. If anything, their voice sounded richer and more refined than most nobles, in its own way. It was also decidedly feminine, Suraiya noted. ¡°It is my pleasure to welcome you to Elysea, Godsworn, and deliver unto you a simple warning: turn back, return to your white city, and forsake your quest for the Fallen Star.¡± Ser Gilbert stepped forward before she could stop him this time, and his raised chin shouted his clear defiance of the stranger¡¯s words. ¡°Your warning means nothing to us, Blightspawn. If you know who we are, then you know well that you have no means of waylaying our convoy. For the sake of Princess¡¯ honour, I will grant you the chance now to step aside, else you shall be moved.¡± ¡°The High Justicar and Regent thought you might say that.¡± the stranger admitted in what might have been a tone of regret. ¡°Though not so quickly, I admit. You are more hot-headed than was described, Ser Gilbert. Is it true you are making headway toward your Expert Tier?¡± ¡°I am,¡± he confirmed simply. ¡°Though if you know of me, that too should be common knowledge. It is hardly a secret. By design, at that.¡± ¡°A fair point,¡± the stranger said in a tone that made Suraiya suddenly uneasy, ¡°but I had to be certain, in order to have a good comparison.¡± ¡°A comparison of wh¡ªOof!¡± Several things happened in the same instant as Ser Gilbert started to speak. Firstly, and most pressing of all, was the sudden impact of a figure that moved so fast they quite literally appeared to teleport in Suraiya¡¯s gaze. She had but a moment of time to witness Ser Gilbert¡¯s look of shock, confusion, and pain before an eruption of dust and earth filled the area. Several sounds of steel hitting rock, alongside helmet-muffled cries of pain and shock filled Suraiya¡¯s surroundings. When she turned to find Ser Gilbert, all she saw was a vague silhouette with its foot upon a silent, sprawled body covered in steel. Her blood froze in her veins, and she stumbled backwards and turned to look askance into the dust. The only thing she noticed, when she did, was the scout walking toward the hooded figure that had first greeted them. The man appeared to be watching all the unfolding events with an attitude of boredom, and in that moment Suraiya realised the truth: they¡¯d been infiltrated. The scout was a spy. The whole situation had been set up, and coordinated. They had followed the route the scouts provided, and¡ oh gods. Screams and shouts of surprise and fear echoed from the other side of the rise, and though there was no sound of combat, she couldn¡¯t help but to feel the urge to run and check on the convoy. They were only in the Desolation because of her. If anything happened to them¡ª! Suraiya half spun, and then froze in place when she found a long, curved blade inches from her throat. The wielder stood close to her, perhaps half a metre to her left, and regarded her with a casual arrogance which rankled. He stood at a glance over six feet high, though not by much, and while his body was similarly wrapped below the neck, he wore no cloak. Instead he adorned himself in a sleeveless tunic and a pair of brown breeches with good, sturdy boots to tuck them into. His face, unveiled and held with pride, bore a sun-bronzed tan with a half-elven sharpness to his cheekbones and the tops of his ears. He had a strong and squared jaw, full lips, and an easy confidence that came with being both handsome and capable. His hair fell in an attractively messy obsidian wave, and his eyes were a leonine gold. The look he gave her seemed equal parts disappointment and revulsion. ¡°None of that now, Princess,¡± he said with a drawl that Suraiya could have sworn inferred a personal mockery, one that seemed odd given their lack of prior interaction. ¡°The Regent wants you and your companions alive, but any funny ideas and I¡¯ll have to risk the reprimand that would come from harming you too grievously.¡± Suraiya watched him in wary silence as he spoke, and attempted to bury her dislike under a blanket of calm. That only served to seemingly anger the man more, and his wrapped fingers tightened on the hilt with a creak of leather. The blade moved closer to her throat, and¡ ¡was pushed back by a linen-wrapped finger, this one belonging to the self-same woman that had met them earlier. ¡°Enough of this, Titus. Keep your petty grudges in your head where they belong. The Regent¡ª¡± she emphasised the title ¡°¡ªis expecting us. All of us.¡± this last statement she made while glancing toward Suraiya, who was observing the exchange with mounting confusion and no small amount of growing panic. Grudges? She thought with a racing mind. I¡¯ve never even met him before! ¡°Tch. You were the one that insisted on all the dramatics, Lycinia.¡± the man¡ªTitus, she remembered¡ªsaid with a hint of irritation while lowering, but not sheathing his curved blade. A scimitar, she remembered distractedly. He couldn¡¯t have been much more than eighteen by her estimation, yet he carried himself like a man three times the age, and with a coiled readiness she had seen only in her father¡¯s most veteran knights. ¡°Her protector has been handled. It is time to return to the Sanctuary.¡± the woman¡ªLycinia¡ªsaid with a firmness that brooked no argument. ¡°The Regent wanted to see her and her chaperone first thing, and then the Adventurers that came with them.¡± ¡°Did you see the looks on their faces when Nicoli took down their champion?¡± Titus asked while sparing a mocking glance at Suraiya. ¡°Like frightened chicklets.¡± ¡°You mean like you were the first time you sparred with him?¡± Lycinia asked mildly. ¡°That¡ªshut up!¡± Titus growled, before throwing a hateful look at Suraiya as if it were her fault, and storming off toward the hill. ¡°Ignore him,¡± Lycinia said lightly. ¡°He just doesn¡¯t know how to feel about you, or any of this.¡± ¡°I¡¡± Suraiya licked her lips and attempted to find her words while looking once again to where Ser Gilbert had been. ¡°I don¡¯t understand what is happening,¡± she admitted, and noticed for the first time an above-average height man with a handsome face, and little to no other distinguishing features lifting her protector from the granite they¡¯d obliterated. Nicoli, as Suraiya assumed he was named, tossed Gilbert calmly over his shoulder, turned, and started jogging silently toward the east¡ªwhere more people in wraps and cloaks were just as suddenly appearing. ¡°Your confusion is reasonable.¡± Lycinia said while turning and ushering Suraiya gently toward Valour. ¡°But it is also incompatible with what we need to achieve. No harm will befall you or your thrice-accursed Godsworn allies, Suraiya, unless you fail to cooperate. So¡¡± she paused only when they were close to Valour and lightly patted the horse, who seemed for all the world to be okay with the strange woman¡¯s proximity. He even nickered in approval at her touch. ¡°Hop onto your mount, and let¡¯s get going.¡± Anger, fear, concern, confusion, and above all shock consumed Suraiya as she automatically reached for the saddle to haul herself up, her mind racing at a million metres a second. ¡°Where are we going?¡± ¡°To the Sanctuary, as stated.¡± Lycinia said with a smile audible beneath her scarf. ¡°That doesn¡¯t explain¡ª¡± ¡°It would be a problem if it did, Princess.¡± the veiled woman responded with a hint of impatience. ¡°We have worked very hard over the millennia to keep you, and your Godsworn people, ignorant to its existence.¡± ¡°What is it?¡± Suraiya dared to ask despite the audible tonal shift. Lycinia sighed and looked up at her, green eyes to blue, while shaking her head. ¡°That stubborn streak will get you killed one day, your highness.¡± ¡°Please answer the question.¡± Suraiya persisted. ¡°Sanctuary is home,¡± Lycinia said after a few moments¡¯ silence, ¡°the last home we have, after what your ancestors did. The last home for the hope of the Realms,¡± she reached up to take Valour¡¯s bridle and, with no opposition from the traitorous horse, began to lead them to the east. Suraiya¡¯s eyes widened in shock, several pieces clicked suddenly, and she swallowed at a sudden revelation. ¡°You¡ you¡¯re Elyseans.¡± ¡°We are.¡± Lycinia confirmed with a simple nod. ¡°Or at least, we¡¯re all that¡¯s left of those that once bore that name. A shadow of a memory, and yet it is all we have.¡± By all the gods in the Highest. Suraiya thought numbly as she was led off with the rest of her people. What manner of nightmare have I led us into? B1 | Chapter 32: Ready or Not Another sixteen hours passed with relative speed following Bahamut¡¯s hatching. Bael¡¯tharax and Tarixi both took it upon themselves to test the limits of their new bond, both in terms of speed of communication, and capability of coordination in combat. Aurelian had at first baulked at the idea of his freshly-hatched companion getting right into fighting, and it was only when Bael¡¯tharax explained that Dragons were born with an equivalent, or even superior, level of intellect and physical capability to a human adult that he relented. He and Bahamut had been put through the ringer after that, with the little Dragon undergoing every endurance, focus, and communication stress Bael¡¯tharax¡ªhis father, as weird as that was¡ªcould throw at him. After nearly ten hours of it Bahamut had seemingly proven his capability in a manner which satisfied the elder Dragon, and so Aurelian had been tasked to train alone, while father and hatchling discussed things that were for Bahamut¡¯s knowledge alone. Given the whole ¡®Dragon King¡¯ detail, Aurelian wasn¡¯t too bothered by the exclusion. Not that Tarixi allowed him the time or energy to be bothered. ¡°Okay. I¡¯m done.¡± Aurelian announced at the top of the sixteenth hour, and with their remaining time left until undead apocalypse at single digit hours. ¡°Enough training. I¡¯m as strong as I¡¯m going to get, and we have other things to worry about. I have questions too. So. Let¡¯s get down to business.¡± He resisted completing the natural extension of the words in verse, and instead turned his gaze to where Bahamut was at that moment scaling Bael¡¯tharax like a cat on the world¡¯s largest and most lethal climbing tree. Despite being the size of a very large dog, the freshly-hatched dragon looked comically miniscule against the weathered hide of his father, and scurried across the larger dragon¡¯s body with relentless enthusiasm. He took a quick moment to review his sheet, as well as his new title and trait. Name: Aurelian Lucis Imperius Temper: Untempered Novice Core: Calamity Core (Ignition Stage) Chakras: 1/7 Level: 18 | Race: Elysean (L) | Origin: Nephilim (L) | Gender: Male | Zodiac: Dragon (L) Health: 570 | Mana: 303 | Stamina: 150 STR: 59 (64) | AGI: 48 | DEX: 45 | VIT: 57 (62) | END: 33 | INT: 40 | PER: 23 | WIL: 74 (81) | CHA: 24 Mind Skills: Revelate (E) 9 | Linguistics (UC) 1 | Philology (R) 6 | Exploration (UC) 6 | Investigation (UC) 7 | Dragon¡¯s Resolve (E) 3 | Tactician (R) 9 | Deception (UC) 3 Body Skills: Pain Tolerance (UC) 23 | Longsword Mastery (C) 23 | Running (C) 22 | Dodge (C) 22 | Durable (UC) 21 | Brawling (C) 21 | Fire Resistance (UC) 17 | Lightning Resistance (UC) 11 | Ice Resistance 9 (UC) | Breath Control (UC) 18 | Acrobatics (UC) 21 Spirit Skills: Mana Control (R) 24 | Firebolt (UC) 19 | Shockbolt (UC) 15 | Soul Sense (UC) 6 | Spirit Bond: Dragon King (M) 5 Traits: Fast Learner (E) | Dragon Force (E) Titles: Elysean Reclaimer (U) | Survivor (R) | Mana Savant (E) | Dragon Rider (E) Languages: Common | Elysean | Draconic 62% to Level 19 You have 18 Skill Points Available! You have 3 Skill Upgrade Points Available! You have 2 Skill Evolution Points Available! Name: Dragon Rider Type: Title Rarity: Epic Description: You have achieved an epic feat and become the rider of a Dragon! Your bond to this creature comes with a host of benefits, including longevity to match your Dragon¡¯s. As a result of this bond, however, all experience gains will be split between you and your partner. Effects: 50% of all Experience is split between you and your Bond. Special Effects: You are no longer beholden to the effects of natural decay, and will cease ageing upon reaching your physical prime. Name: Dragon Force Type: Trait Rarity: Epic Description: You have bound your soul to that of a dragon, gained immense potential for power both martial and magical as a result. Your Soulforce has been forever changed, and will now permanently carry a partially draconic signature within it. You will be recognised as a friend and kin to all Dragons, and as an enemy to all those that worship the gods. Effects: +10% Strength, +10% Vitality, +10% Willpower. Aurelian grinned to himself again at the changes. The experience loss sucked, but the Dragon Force trait made up for it in spades. A ten percent increase to three primary attributes was absolutely nutty as far as he was concerned. With both the elder and youngling dragons still distracted, it was Tarixi that answered him after he finished his sheet review. ¡°An excellent idea, Aurelian,¡± she said when she came over. ¡°Let us begin with your questions.¡± ¡°Okay, so¡ I have a few. Firstly, and most pressingly,¡± he breathed to steady his workout-excited heart rate, ¡°I have the option to claim a unique trait and I haven¡¯t fulfilled it. I¡¯ve been saving it, actually, though I¡¯m not entirely sure when I would even want to use it. Do you have any advice on that?¡± Tarixi stared at him for a long moment, and then seemed to deflate, insomuch as a ghost could do so. ¡°Of course you have that as a reward. Why do I bother being surprised?¡± she half-answered, half-griped to herself. ¡°Unique traits are incredibly, incredibly rare. I suppose you surmised that from the name, though. There are no set-in-stone approaches to how to handle such things, but my advice would be to wait until a moment presents itself where you might turn a bane into a boon.¡± Unauthorized tale usage: if you spot this story on Amazon, report the violation. ¡°A bane into a boon? Like a curse or something?¡± ¡°Yes, actually,¡± Tarixi said with an approving nod. ¡°That is exactly the right circumstance.¡± That¡¯ll be useful against the Necromancer if they throw some voodoo at me. He noted mentally while nodding to Tarixi. Good to have up my sleeve, at least. A moment after having the thought, Aurelian paused with a worried frown. Man, that better not be self-fulfilling¡ ¡°Was there something else you wanted to know, Aurelian? You said questions plural.¡± Aurelian blinked out of his self-reflection and nodded at Tarixi. ¡°Yes. Sorry,¡± he took a moment to gather his wits and then continued. ¡°We spoke about Infusion, Tempering, and Core Stages; but we never exactly talked about Levels and they correlate to each.¡± ¡°Ah. Yes. That was an oversight, and that is important knowledge,¡± she said with an approving nod. ¡°Very well, the breakdown is as follows: level one to ten is considered to be the Beginner period, where denizens of the Realms are finding their feet. Most natural-born people here on the Prime Material and in other Realms tend to move past this phase during their tenth year, when the System opens itself to them.¡± ¡°Okay, I remember that,¡± Aurelian said as he listened. ¡°Good. From level ten onward is what is called the Novice Tier, wherein you are finding your feet more firmly. This continues until level twenty-five, which is called Initiate Tier. This is also when most people achieve their First Temper, or Initiate Temper. The Tiers and Tempers are named interchangeably, as you know.¡± ¡°Okay, so when I reach level twenty-five¡ª¡± ¡°Ah,¡± Tarixi said ruefully. ¡°My apologies, it is easy to forget to be specific. No, your overall level is irrelevant, in many ways. It marks your growth and provides bonuses from the System, but it is your Infusions that decide when you Temper. It is, however, advisable to match your Temper to those gateway levels, in order to ensure a lack of laggardly development. It¡¯s also when the option to Temper each Tier first becomes available.¡± ¡°So¡ twenty-five, fifty, seventy-five, one hundred, et cetera?¡± ¡°Correct,¡± Tarixi said in approval. ¡°Those are the gateways for each respective Tier.¡± ¡°Okay so that¡¯s the different gateway levels, and I apologise for asking you to exposition dump on me¡ª¡± ¡°What is¡ª?¡± ¡°¡ªbut I really need to know where I should go looking for Essences to Infuse.¡± ¡°Hm¡¡± Tarixi said with a little squint at his interruption, but otherwise no major reaction to his haste. ¡°A good question. A very good question. It is simply too dangerous for you to go roaming outside of the Palace at this stage, not until we know more about the world outside¡ªor needs override preparation. Without any Infusions, you¡¯d be walking into the world blind and without protection, too¡¡± Aurelian smiled faintly when she once more returned to teacher-voice. ¡°Some creatures of immense enough power, like Titan Elementals, Goliath Wyrms, Abyssal Krakens, or even Leviathan-stage dragons, can be applied more or less universally as Infusions. In fact¡¡± Tarixi eyed him for a moment, and then glanced at Bael¡¯tharax. ¡°It would not be a terrible idea, actually, to ask Bael¡¯tharax if he would be willing to infuse your current Essence Draughts. Any skills you Infused would make for potent Foundations moving into your Initiate Temper, and give you an hitherto unheard-of head start in developing yourself.¡± Aurelian followed her gaze to the giant dragon, and watched Bahamut gleefully winging his way around the older dragon¡¯s face with happy, juvenile roars of delight. ¡°Isn¡¯t that sort of rude?¡± Aurelian asked with a flicker of uncertainty. ¡°Oh, normally it would be quite inappropriate,¡± Tarixi agreed seriously, ¡°but these are hardly normal times, and you are hardly a normal individual. There is as much riding on you for Bael¡¯tharax as there is for anyone. It cannot hurt to ask.¡± ¡°What does the process entail?¡± ¡°He would segregate a mana-infused piece of himself. Blood, flesh, part of a scale¡ whatever is needed to carry a sufficient amount of his Essence. In the case of a creature like Bael¡¯tharax, however; a drop of his blood would be quite excessive by itself, given it would be your first Infusion. He could infuse more mana in one drop than most creatures could offer with their entire Core, even comparably ancient ones.¡± ¡°That seems a little overpowered¡¡± he muttered. ¡°Aurelian, it is very much unheard of for someone your level.¡± Tarixi said seriously. ¡°It is wholly unprecedented. It is something that would never be permitted were the Empire still standing, as the power imbalance it could cause¡ªespecially when building to a First Temper¡ªwould be devastating!¡± she explained with a grim shake of her head. ¡°You, however, will need all the help you can find¡ªand you will very likely be the future Imperator of Elysea. If you wish to survive to be the Calamity, and become powerful enough to protect your Reclamation; then turning down advantages out of some bone-headed idea of ¡®convenience¡¯ or ¡®fair play¡¯ will only serve to secure your destruction. ¡°Hey! I¡¯m not the one who said it was¡ª!¡± Aurelian started, only to be rolled over by the stern Echo. ¡°You may have had a reasonably good turn of luck in finding both myself and Bael¡¯tharax, but what if you had not?¡± ¡°I¡¯d probably be walking headfirst into death against that Vasiri, or whatever it is¡¡± ¡°Indeed!¡± Tarixi said in agreement. ¡°The Realms are no place for the weak, nor the vainglorious or empty-headed. Take every advantage, use every resource, and save your ideals for what matters. You are the hope for the Mantle. You cannot forget that.¡± ¡°The what?¡± Aurelian asked quizzically. Tarixi hesitated. ¡°It is¡ something that can wait. Should wait, until you better understand the¡¡± she sighed. ¡°It can wait.¡± Aurelian blinked at her in suspicion, but had no reason to push despite her previous deception. If she was hiding something from him, even after knowing that he resented her for the last obfuscation, then it likely was for the better¡ªor so he chose to believe. Trust wasn¡¯t a commodity he was willing to just throw around, but reason and logic dictated that Tarixi usually had good reasons for her choices, even if he disagreed with them. Usually. ¡°I suppose next up, before the armoury, is my sword. You said ¡®Crest¡¯ as if that meant something. Why?¡± ¡°Ah! Yes! That is an excellent question,¡± Tarixi said with a thoughtful nod. ¡°Your blade is not just a weapon; it is also a symbol of your station in the Empire. Given our commitment to protecting the people of the Prime Material, all Elyseans of sufficient rank were expected to be masters of both statecraft and warcraft.¡± ¡°Zug Zug!¡± Aurelian said with a grin. ¡°Pardon me?¡± Tarixi asked with a confused look. Aurelian shook his head and waved for her to continue, while suppressing a laugh. ¡°Very well¡¡± Tarixi said while giving him a suspicious look. ¡°A Crest is the Initiate level incarnation of a Runeweapon. Runeweapons can come in several forms, though swords were the most popular. Even then there were many derivations among¡¡± she shook her head. ¡°Not pertinent I suppose. As I was saying, a Crest is the Initiate Tier manifestation. As you grow in power and trigger evolutions in your weapon¡ª¡± she lifted a finger to stop him before he could speak, and shook her head firmly in a gesture he took to mean he could not ask how to trigger the evolutions ¡°¡ªtoward its subsequent tiers, its classification will change as well. From Crest to Insignia, Insignia to Emblem, Emblem to Regalia, and Regalia to Artefact.¡± ¡°So that¡¯s Initiate, Adept, Specialist, Expert, and Master?¡± Aurelian clarified. ¡°Correct.¡± Tarixi confirmed. ¡°And while it isn¡¯t guaranteed, there is a chance each evolution will also bring with it a new ability or effect that the blade can grant you. It is a very personal, very individual thing unique to each Elysean. It is rare for any two to be the same, though likeness is not unheard of among close relatives or lovers.¡± ¡°Interesting¡¡± Aurelian said while considering her words. It did sound cool. ¡°Now then, shall we see about the Armoury? I am myself quite curious as to what is within.¡± ¡°AS AM I,¡± Bael¡¯tharax boomed with a suddenness that made Aurelian leap two feet into the air and curse out loud. You should be more aware of your surroundings, brother. Bahamut chided mentally. ¡°Bloody Dragons¡¡± Aurelian grumbled good-naturedly while eyeing the small, black creature as he glided languidly toward him. The smugness still emanating from the link was only tolerable thanks to the underlying, permanent warmth and love that formed the link¡¯s permanent foundation. Their souls had been connected in a way that was inexplicable. He did love Bahamut, as he might love any sibling or family member. He would die to protect the little dragon, and he knew Bahamut would do the same. It was a staggeringly powerful connection, and one he still couldn¡¯t quite believe he¡¯d had the privilege of receiving. ¡°We are indeed losing time, Aurelian.¡± Tarixi noted. ¡°Perhaps it would be prudent to see what stores we have available?¡± ¡°Right, right¡¡± he muttered while projecting his will to the System. Alpha-One User Identity confirmed. Welcome, Reclaimer Aurelian! Awaiting input. ¡°Unlock Armoury Access,¡± he said out loud for the others¡¯ benefit. Input acknowledged. WARNING: [Armoury] exterior compromised by Undead infestation. Safety of accessing Alpha-One User cannot be guaranteed. ALERT: [Remote Access] has been damaged by Undead infestation. Projected window of operation: 5 Minutes. Do you wish to proceed? Y / N B1 | Chapter 33: Armoury Aurelian relayed the messages to the others and looked to them for an answer. ¡°THE FELL CREATURES MAKE OUR TASK ALL THE MORE DIFFICULT.¡± Bael¡¯tharax boomed with displeasure. ¡°THE PALACE ARMOURY IS VAST AND CONTAINS MANY WONDERS. IT WILL NOT BE EASY TO DECIDE ON A PROPER ACQUISITION IN SUCH A SHORT TIME FRAME.¡± ¡°Perhaps not,¡± Tarixi said after a few moments¡¯ thought, ¡°but what Aurelian needs, and what he might want, are not inherently the same. There are many relics of power there, that is true, but those are not necessarily useful to him given he isn¡¯t strong enough to use many of them. Most of those items assume a Specialist¡¯s power at the bare minimum. Hmm¡¡± Is there no way to peruse what treasures are on offer? ¡°Not a bad idea, dude,¡± Aurelian said while rewarding Bahamut with an instinctive scratch behind his horns. To his delight, the Dragon let loose a low growl of appreciation. Aurelian turned to Tarixi after smirking at the little dragon. ¡°Bahamut suggested taking inventory before we access the Armoury.¡± ¡°It is not a bad suggestion¡¡± Tarixi admitted. ¡°See what the System says, though.¡± Aurelian nodded and selected ¡®N¡¯ on the prompt, then projected his will to the System again with emphasis on ¡®Inventory¡¯. Input acknowledged. WARNING: [Armoury] inventory collation has been eroded due to mana shortage. Do you wish to proceed? Y / N Aurelian groaned and repeated the latest hiccup. So much for a simple process. ¡°THAT IS THE RESULT OF MAINTAINING MY STASIS, I IMAGINE. AN UNFORTUNATE COMPLICATION, THOUGH AT LEAST THERE IS SOME FUNCTIONALITY.¡± ¡°Agreed,¡± Tarixi said after Bael¡¯tharax¡¯s rumbling died down. ¡°And it isn¡¯t something I regret given the circumstances,¡± she smiled up at the dragon, and then turned back to Aurelian. ¡°Okay, Aurelian, you need to seek after items of Initiate Tier or lower. Anything else will be worthless to you right now.¡± Aurelian glanced between them, nodded, and then selected ¡®Y¡¯ mentally. Input acknowledged. Please define search parameters. ¡°Initiate Tier or lower,¡± he said out loud, once again for the others¡¯ benefit. Input acknowledged. Parameters accepted. Populating available [Inventory] . . . 1.[Legio Initiate¡¯s Platemail] 2.[Legio Initiate¡¯s Supply Pack] 3.[Legio Initiate¡¯s Survival Kit] 4.[Legio Initiate¡¯s Standard Attire x 3] 5.[Epic Mind Essence Draught] 6.[Mana Potion x 2] 7.[10,365,209 Imperial Thrones] 8.[A????????d????????v????a????????a?????????a????/????????/???????#??????????$??????!??????????!????????] WARNING: Data Corrupted. Remainder of [Inventory] irrecoverable. Would you like to change your search parameters? Y / N Aurelian rattled off the list of available items, and then shrugged at his three companions while still scratching Bahamut. ¡°No idea why there¡¯s like ten million chairs, but¡ª¡± ¡°Aurelian¡¡± Tarixi said with a look of pained bemusement. ¡°Thrones are not literal. They are currency. A tin coin is a bit, a copper coin is a piece, a bronze coin is a shield, a silver coin is a sword, a gold coin is a crown, and a platinum coin is a throne. That is enough money to buy a Kingdom, Aurelian.¡± Why buy what you can simply conquer? Bahamut asked with a pleased rumble. Aurelian eyed the little dragon in amusement, and then turned back to Tarixi. ¡°So I¡¯m rich?¡± ¡°You have likely inherited the considerable fortunes of our last Imperator, yes. He did have the dominant Empire on Terra, after all.¡± ¡°Wait. Wait,¡± Aurelian said with a sharpness that made Tarixi¡¯s eyebrows shoot up and Bael¡¯tharax¡¯s watching pupil slit. ¡°Terra? Is that what you just said?¡± ¡°Well yes,¡± Tarixi said with evident confusion. ¡°That is the name of the central landmass that occupies the Prime Material.¡± ¡°Central landmass? So there are others?¡± Aurelian continued less forcefully while trying to calm his thundering heart. ¡°There are some,¡± Tarixi said with a nod while studying him carefully, ¡°but they are specks in comparison to Terra. Like human babies next to Bael¡¯tharax.¡± ¡°So it¡¯s a supercontinent¡¡± Aurelian murmured while his heart slowed. ¡°Okay. Okay. Sorry, just¡ Terra is a name that¡ª¡± he sighed and waved a hand ¡°¡ªdoesn¡¯t matter, actually. Forget it. I¡¯m sorry for getting a little crazy there. Please continue what you were saying.¡± ¡°Are you certain?¡± Tarixi asked carefully. ¡°Very,¡± Aurelian said with a nod. ¡°Please continue. Please.¡± ¡°Very well.¡± The goblin acquiesced with a gaze that told him she was even more curious. ¡°As I was saying, you are very likely extremely wealthy¡ªbut that is a matter for much later in your path. At present we must work with what we have, and it appears that we might at least be able to give you several critically needed items. Clothes, a pack to carry them and the rest of your supplies in, an Epic Mind Essence Draught¡ª¡± ¡°AUSPICIOUS ENOUGH TO ALMOST BE SUSPICIOUS,¡± Bael¡¯tharax growled. ¡°You¡¯re not wrong¡¡± Aurelian agreed while Tarixi continued, and Bahamut growled happily at the scratches while ignoring them all. ¡°¡ªa much-needed survival kit, and even a set of armour you could feasibly use that upgrade gem on.¡± the Echo concluded with only mild annoyance at being interrupted. ¡°Does the armour not have a skill or attribute requirement?¡± Aurelian asked curiously. ¡°It does,¡± Tarixi confirmed, ¡°but I daresay you will exceed it by several orders of magnitude, and besides which the gem you received is something of a sneaky bypass. Any item you use it on, as long as you successfully equip them first, will still be usable after they are upgraded. It binds the armour to you in the process of upgrading it. It¡¯s a nice way of sidestepping the System¡¯s rules, though it could be argued that the System made the exception, so¡¡± Aurelian nodded along with what she said while idly tracing his fingers along Bahamut¡¯s ridged and spiked skull. The Dragon¡¯s head reminded him of a mix between a Crocodile, Tyrannosaurus, and traditional Western Dragon in a mix that was both physically powerful and proportional. It was quite satisfying to feel underhand. ¡°I think I get it, Tarixi,¡± Aurelian said when she started diving into the postulation of correlations between System sapience and intentional loopholes. ¡°The System is smarter than anyone realises, in a nutshell. Can we move on to getting what we need, now?¡± ¡°Ah¡ yes¡ indeed¡¡± The Echo said with a look of mild embarrassment. ¡°SUMMON YOUR ITEMS, AURELIAN, AND LET US BE ABOUT THE BUSINESS OF ENDING THIS INFESTATION.¡± Yes. I am eager to fight these creatures my Sire has mentioned, these ¡®Undead¡¯. Bael¡¯tharax told you about undead? Aurelian sent back with surprise. Indeed, he did, and they sound utterly repulsive. Aurelian snorted in amusement, and ignored Tarixi¡¯s questioning stare to instead focus his will on the System. Without waiting for any prompts, he simply pushed forward the desire to transfer all previously listed items to him immediately. Input acknowledged. WARNING: Instantaneous translocation will cut perusal time down drastically due to energy conservation requirements. Do you wish to proceed? Y / N Aurelian was done waiting. He could always clear the undead and search the vault manually. Without any further hesitation, he mentally slammed the ¡®Y¡¯ option. The prompt vanished from his vision, and he glanced around with a questing gaze for a moment, only to startle when a sudden hum of energy filled the air. Bahamut hissed beside him, and turned to look around with a flex of his already-impressive wings, and Tarixi chuckled. ¡°That is just the translocator,¡± she explained. True to her words, a sudden fzzt of energy rippled through the air, and a small pile of items appeared atop a simple red blanket on the granite floor nearby to Aurelian. He raised his eyebrows at the neat presentation, then sent his thanks to System¡ªwhich of course it ignored¡ªand stepped forward to crouch over the presented bounty. He simply cast Revelate over the entire lot. Name: Mind Essence Draught (Uninfused) Type: Essence Draught Quality: Epic This text was taken from Royal Road. Help the author by reading the original version there. Description: Essence Draughts are used in conjunction with skills that breach a new threshold, and allow the user to Infuse a skill when used. This draught has been designed for a Mind Skill and is currently lacking the infusion of materials required to catalyse it. Name: Legio Initiate¡¯s Standard Attire Type: Clothing Quality: Uncommon Description: This set of comfortable black clothing is designed as the standard uniform for initiates of the Legio Invicta, and boasts a resilience and self-cleaning capability that is rare among clothing of its Tier. Absent absolute destruction, this clothing will clean and repair itself completely over the course of a 24 hour period. ¡°Well damn,¡± he said with an impressed glance at Bahamut. ¡°That¡¯ll be useful.¡± You should simply grow scales, Aurelian. The young Dragon said imperiously. You would not need such trifles then, with your soft flesh properly defended. ¡°I¡¯ll take that under advisement,¡± he said with a laugh while turning back to the rest of the pile. Name: Legio Initiate¡¯s Supply Pack Type: Container Quality: Uncommon Description: Created to securely store and protect the supplies of a Legio Initiate on the campaign trail, this supply pack is immune to any natural weather damage, and very hardy against damage. While it will not stand up to Specialist or higher force, it is ideal for the storing and transportation of important items. Name: Legio Initiate¡¯s Survival Kit Type: Utility Quality: Uncommon Description: This survival kit contains a compass, bandages, self-refilling canteen, guidestone, and map of the Elysean homeland inclusive of the following; terrain, palace, and immediately bordering protectorates. Name: Minor Mana Potion Quality: Common Type: Potion Description: This Mana Potion restores between 80 and 120 Mana in a single go, andgo and increases Mana regeneration x10 for 10 seconds afterward. Name: Legio Initiate¡¯s Platemail Type: Armour Quality: Rare Tier: Initiate Requirement: Initiate Tier Strength (25) Description: This set of black platemail is the uniform standard for all Legionarii of the Legio Invicta. It has been enchanted to fit the body of whomever wears it, so long as they have appropriate permissions to do so, and to repair itself from anything less than total destruction. Maximum repair time: 72 hours. Special Effects: This armour will mimic the thematic appearance of its wearer¡¯s Runeweapon. ¡°Well, that is very cool,¡± Aurelian said while examining the armour. Its general appearance was a mix between what he would have called primarily Augustan Roman and Ancient Greek designs, with elements of mediaeval Europe thrown in as well. It was difficult to tell the exact appearance of the armour, namely because it seemed to be somehow retracted or in a dormant state. A magical effect of the armour, no doubt. You should wear the clothing first. Bahamut sent with affected disinterest. ¡°Good idea.¡± Aurelian agreed out loud, turning to the clothing and then abruptly hesitating. ¡°I just realised I have not bathed since I got¡ª¡± ¡°The clothes are self-cleaning,¡± Tarixi interrupted, ¡°and will clean you as well. It was a means to ensure hygiene, and avoid disease or sickness among the Legionarii.¡± ¡°Ah,¡± Aurelian said with a relieved smile. ¡°That¡¯s useful. Nice.¡± With his concerns quashed, he reached out happily for the new clothes and doffed his old ones and sword sheath. Aurelian found himself feeling little to no shame in stripping naked¡ªthanks in part to how much bullshit had happened¡ªand even relished in the feeling of the silk-like softness of the new undergarments, and clothes when he pulled them on. The pants shifted and adjusted to frame proudly around his legs, not tight enough to mimic skinny jeans; but enough to show off the new muscle definition in his calves and elsewhere. The black combat boots, when he slipped them on, were sturdy and possessed soft soles that felt good against his feet; especially when compared to the ruined shoes he¡¯d been bumming around him since his arrival. The moment he pulled them up, they tightened and affixed themselves comfortably to his feet and lower shins. His leggings even tucked themselves into the tops with military precision to create a stylishly tactical look. Aurelian marvelled at the new attire for a moment before pulling on the shirt and stuffing the bottom into his new waistband. A cinch built into the bands was clicked together, and the entire waistband contracted and smoothed against his body, creating the illusion of a belted set of trousers where no belt existed. The shirt itself was a wrist-length turtleneck, and shifted like liquid to fit his now-muscled chest and all-but-vanished gut with admirable comfort. The area over his heart even manifested a calligraphic representation of his name, in what he could only compare to an extremely elaborate form of copperplate gothic text¡ªthough it was written in runes he only understood because of his connection to the clothing. Philology is now Level 6! ¡°Okay, I look awesome.¡± he declared appreciatively while he stared down at himself, and turned his arms over to examine the new muscles present under the skin-tight, wrist-length material. ¡°Feels like I¡¯m barely wearing anything at all.¡± Bahamut lifted his horned head to sniff at the clothing, and then snorted in derision. ¡°That is the point,¡± Tarixi confirmed. ¡°The Empire wanted its soldiers to focus on battle, not itching or other discomforts. Its Legionarii especially needed to be always attentive to the field, given the difficulty of even their most mundane assignments.¡± ¡°You Elyseans were pretty advanced, huh?¡± he asked half-rhetorically. As expected of any race allied to a superior species like Dragons. Bahamut commented mentally. ¡°We were.¡± Tarixi agreed sadly and without hearing the curled hatchling. ¡°I am certain there are similar productions among the world¡¯s current populace, but I would wager they pale in elegance to what was a standard among our people. The Godsworn burned enough books, and erased enough knowledge to fill entire cities¡ªall in their condemnation of what they called ¡®Heresy¡¯. It is likely many of our most common practises died in those flames.¡± ¡°Good thing you¡¯re with me to bring them back, then,¡± Aurelian said with what he hoped was a reassuring grin. ¡°Indeed¡¡± Tarixi answered quietly. ¡°But the armour?¡± ¡°Right!¡± Aurelian exclaimed before reaching out to pick up the black armour. ¡°Uh, how do I¡?¡± ¡°Pull it against your chest,¡± Tarixi suggested helpfully. Aurelian complied, and then nearly jumped when the armour hummed against his torso. Something akin to resonance sparked against his Soulforce, and then with a speed he might have almost called excitement, the platemail rapidly expanded. Metal moved to consume his limbs in rapidly growing plates of segmented material, in a pattern of out folding metal that Aurelian could now see the origins of as it spread. Surprisingly warm steel ensconced him, from neck to toes, in a mix of segmented plates, and lighter scale mail, as he was enveloped by the armour. A pair of smoothed and rounded pauldrons connected to a pair of flowing chevron plates with scale mail over his biceps and down to his large, blackened steel vambraces. His breastplate was largely one piece, with stylised chevrons in the form of inverted Vs pushing down toward his lower abdomen. A set of layered leather strips unfolded across his waist, reminiscent of a roman pteruges. It was a form of stylisation and protection, he knew, and was a surprisingly pleasant addition to his appearance. His legs were marked by two large plates which flowed over steel that covered his thighs, connected to guards over his kneecaps, and from there to powerful sabatons that enclosed his shins and feet entirely. His gauntlets were plated on the top with flexible leather beneath, and he had no helmet to speak of. The lack of one was momentarily jarring and he turned to Tarixi, who smirked at him as if knowing what he was going to ask. ¡°Helmets are separate pieces of attire. It¡¯s so they can be removed when inside or among relevant figures of authority.¡± ¡°...well that¡¯s just inconvenient.¡± Aurelian griped. ¡°It was made for a different time,¡± Tarixi said with a simple shrug. ¡°No helmet never ends well¡¡± Aurelian muttered. It is fine, Aurelian. I will protect you. Bahamut projected confidently. Thanks. Aurelian sent back with a smile for the hatchling. ¡°Perhaps you can use the blanket to wrap your Essenceloaves,¡± Tarixi suggested, ¡°and to pad your new pack. Transfer your potions to your satchel and store the rest inside the larger bag.¡± ¡°That was the plan, yep.¡± Aurelian replied to Tarixi with a glance of amusement, all while already moving around to begin sorting his things. ¡°But what about these Essence Dr¡ª?¡± ¡°I WAS NOT UNAWARE OF YOUR CONVERSATION, RECLAIMER. I WILL INFUSE ALL THREE VIALS, SO THAT YOU MAY AT LEAST HAVE A GOOD FOUNDATION FOR YOUR FIRST TEMPER.¡± ¡°That¡¯s¡ that¡¯s incredibly generous, gramps.¡± Aurelian responded, and smiled warmly while turning toward Bael¡¯tharax. ¡°So, how do we¡?¡± Instead of answering immediately, Bael¡¯tharax instead opened his jaws and then quite determinedly bit down on his own lower lip. Not even a shiver of discomfort ran through the Dragon when he did so. ¡°BRING FORTH THE DRAUGHTS, UNCAPPED, AND HOLD THEM TO MY DRIPPING FANG.¡± Aurelian hurried to do as instructed, and gathered all three draughts before racing over and uncapping the first¡ªthe Mind¡ªand holding it under the blood-soaked fang. With shocking precision, a single drop of blood divested itself from Bael¡¯tharax¡¯s man-sized tooth and splashed into the bottle. The moment it did, the Essence Draught flared with prismatic light and then settled into a semi-transparent shade of lavender, with unsourced waves dancing throughout it. Aurelian capped the draught and moved onto the next; his Body. This time when the blood met the distilled mana, the draught shifted to a deep and regal crimson, and seemed to contain within itself the condensed crackles of lightning. He stared at the draught for a moment in surprise, and then remembered himself and capped it as well before setting it down beside the Mind and picking up the final bottle. When the Dragon King¡¯s blood met the distilled mana of the Spirit draught, the interior turned a brilliant gold and flared with flickering tongues of white fire across its interior. Aurelian stared at it in wonder after capping it, and set it down with the other two. He raised his eyes to Bael¡¯tharax, but the dragon pre-empted him. ¡°KNOW ONLY THAT MY CURSE HOLDS NO DOMINANCE WITHIN THOSE DRAUGHTS, AND I HAVE INFUSED THEM AS I BELIEVE WILL BE NEEDED FOR YOUR SUCCESS. CHOOSE WELL THE SKILL YOU INFUSE, RECLAIMER. YOUR FIRST TEMPER DEFINES YOUR FUTURE GREATLY.¡± ¡°How long do I have before a skill cannot be Infused?¡± Aurelian asked while moving the draughts and storing them carefully in the supply pack. He started checking over the rest of his things when he was done, and ensuring he was ready to go. He could feel the time of departure approaching rapidly in his gut. ¡°Minutes at best.¡± Tarixi answered from behind him as he worked. ¡°It is advised to ignore the notification until you¡¯re ready. You will be able to feel it coming, and suppressing it will be unpleasant¡ªbut it is possible. You merely need to focus your mind on holding it at bay. With Dragon¡¯s Resolve, that should prove easier than it normally would be for others.¡± ¡°Well, that¡¯s good, though it sucks that Dragon¡¯s Resolve reset.¡± Aurelian lamented at her mention of it. ¡°It would have been nice to Infuse that one.¡± ¡°If nothing of greater value presents itself, you may yet do so. It is simply a matter of patience.¡± Tarixi advised. While she was speaking, Bahamut prowled his way forward and plopped down on his haunches, tail flicking the air idly like some strange reptilian impersonation of a bored cat. His golden eyes focused in on Aurelian and the creature growled in a way that Aurelian intrinsically knew meant he was annoyed. Are you finished with your preparations, Aurelian? I grow impatient. ¡°Bahamut wants to go fight, and I¡¯m inclined to agree,¡± Aurelian said with a nod, and scratch for the dragonling. ¡°I¡¯m not eager to put myself in danger, but I would like to get this over with. The waiting is the worst part about it. What else do I need to do before I go, Tarixi?¡± ¡°The¡ªthe armour gem,¡± she said as if catching herself mid-statement and redirecting. ¡°That is all that remains.¡± ¡°Right. How does that work?¡± he asked while fetching the gem in question out of where he¡¯d placed it in his satchel alongside his potions. ¡°Do I just rub it against the armour or something?¡± ¡°Actually¡ yes,¡± Tarixi said with a tone of surprise. ¡°How did you know?¡± Aurelian snorted. ¡°I was being sarcastic. That¡¯s pretty funny.¡± ¡°Use the gem, Reclaimer,¡± Tarixi said in a long-suffering voice. ¡°INDEED. I AM INTERESTED TO SEE THE RESULTS.¡± Hurry up, Aurelian! ¡°Christ, alright! You three are so impatient,¡± he grumbled while lifting the gem, eyeing his shiny new breastplate, and then slapping the gem against it and giving it a light rub. The moment he did so, a System prompt appeared in his vision. Would you like to upgrade [Legio Initiate¡¯s Platemail] to [Adept] Tier? WARNING: This action is irreversible, and will bind this Armour to you. Only one set of Armour may be bound at a time. Would you like to proceed? Y / N ¡°That implies there¡¯s a way to unbind¡¡± he murmured while reading the prompt. ¡°Neat,¡± he said with a nod, while willing his intent toward the ¡®Y¡¯ option. The moment he did so, the gem in his grip shattered and its shards morphed into prismatic light. Each flowing filament slammed itself into his armour, and Aurelian felt a connection surge between himself and the plate, at which point it began to change. The metal over his biceps shifted from scale to articulated plate, and created a more seamless joint between his vambraces¡ªwhich also thickened and elongated¡ªand his pauldrons, which spread out in segmented layers of plate four deep across his shoulders. The pteruges across his waist streamlined as well, and he detected metal layering in among the now-thinner, and more evenly spread strips with silvered metal hanging off their ends. The overall density of the armour also increased, and he felt the design of the breastplate solidify into something reminiscent of a grecian design, with abdominal and pectoral designs¡ªabsent the nipple bumps thankfully¡ªpressed onto the surface of the metal. Not deep enough to warp its durability, but clear enough to be discerned. The armour felt sturdier in a way he couldn¡¯t quite pinpoint. It did feel good, though. Really good, in fact. More than that, he felt like he was ready at last. ¡°Alright,¡± he said with a smirk, ¡°time to go find a Necromancer.¡± B1 | Chapter 34: Acceptance Tarixi watched while Aurelian and Bahamut ascended upward, along one of the distant stairwells forged for access to Bael¡¯tharax¡¯s sanctuary, and only when the last glimmers of their Soulforce had gone beyond her awareness did the Echo turn to face the incalculable mass of the Dragon King nearby. Even after millennia, and even as a mere spiritual remnant of the person she had once been, Tarixi could not help but feel awe each and every time she witnessed the monolithic size of the black Dragon, and felt the thunderous force of his soul raging like a star within the area. She knew Aurelian would not have sensed the Dragon King as she did: Bael¡¯tharax would be shielding himself from the Nephilim, in order to protect him. The sheer magnitude of Bael¡¯tharax¡¯s power would have rendered Aurelian catatonic. ¡°You lied to him just as I did,¡± she said at last while a smile formed on her features. ¡°You sneaky old lizard.¡± Bael¡¯tharax rumbled in response, but she could hear the bass chuckle for what it was. ¡°I MERELY TOLD HIM WHAT HE NEEDED TO HEAR.¡± ¡°You knew he never would have accepted your gift otherwise.¡± ¡°IT WAS NEVER A CHOICE. I KNEW MY DUTY WHEN HE PROVED HIMSELF.¡± ¡°Ever the noble protector,¡± Tarixi said fondly while moving herself toward the Dragon King with a flicker of Intent. Her incorporeal form was useful in some ways, especially in how her remnant Soulforce could be manipulated, and guided in a way that had never been possible when inhabiting a corporeal form. She manipulated herself to rise, having plenty of tether from the Simulacrum Generator which housed her phylactery, such as it was, and elevated her ghostly form until she was level with the proud Dragon¡¯s left eye. ¡°You old trickster. How much of your Core did you cannibalise to give him those draughts, while holding back the affliction?¡± ¡°IT HARDLY MATTERS NOW.¡± ¡°To fully Infuse three Essence Draughts? While filtering out the spell killing you? I disagree! You likely shaved entire months off of whatever small amount of time you had remaining.¡± ¡°I WOULD HAVE RECOVERED,¡± Bael¡¯tharax responded stubbornly. ¡°Before you were wounded, perhaps! How much, Bael¡¯tharax? Tell me!¡± The dragon was silent for several long moments, and then his head tilted in acquiescence. ¡°ALMOST TOO MUCH. I HAVE DAYS AT BEST.¡± Tarixi exhaled a breath she did not have, and once again forced herself to ignore the inherent logical fallacies of her existence. ¡°Then I suppose we are of a kind, you old lizard.¡± ¡°YOUR HOUSING IS DEGENERATING?¡± Tarixi nodded, and was proud she could do so without showing the fear she felt. ¡°This much prolonged activity¡ I barely had enough time to fully charge the memory gem when I made it. It¡ªthat is, I¡ªwas never intended to be a long-term solution to the Nephilim¡¯s learning. When he returns, we must impart as much knowledge as we can. He must be ready.¡± ¡°HE WILL BE FINE, ECHO. HE WAS CHOSEN BY MY HEIR.¡± ¡°Yes yes, I know how you Dragons put stock in the Bond, but it is not always infallible.¡± ¡°JUSTINIAN WAS¡ª¡± Bael¡¯tharax took a cavern-shaking breath before continuing in a quieter tone, though the fact that was possible was mildly shocking ¡°¡ªJUSTINIAN WAS NO MORE TO BLAME FOR WHAT HAPPENED TO HIM THAN ANY OTHER GODSWORN.¡± ¡°It isn¡¯t mind control, Bael¡¯tharax. It¡¯s always a choice.¡± ¡°CHOICES CAN BE MADE WHEN ALL OTHER OPTIONS ARE STRIPPED, ECHO. YOU KNOW THIS WELL.¡± ¡°A Dragon never turns on its rider, I suppose,¡± Tarixi said with quiet resignation while watching the large creature¡¯s golden eye. ¡°THE BOND IS SACRED.¡± ¡°Yet he still¡ª¡± ¡°ENOUGH,¡± Bael¡¯tharax growled firmly. The Echo subsided with a nod, and drifted slowly forward to idly examine one of the Dragon¡¯s massive teeth. ¡°Are you truly ready to die, Bael¡¯tharax?¡± ¡°I HAVE LIVED ON BORROWED TIME, THESE MANY MILLENNIA. MY LEGACY IS SAFE. MY SPECIES WILL RETURN.¡± ¡°They are both so vulnerable¡¡± ¡°ONLY FOR THE IMMEDIATE, AND THE NEAR FUTURE. THEIR GROWTH WILL BE PRODIGIOUS.¡± Tarixi raised her spectral eyebrows at the confidence in the Dragon King¡¯s rumbling voice. ¡°The confrontation with their current foe will test them greatly. Have you tasted the Necromancer¡¯s Soulforce?¡± Love what you''re reading? Discover and support the author on the platform they originally published on. ¡°IT IS A DISTANT THING EVEN FOR ME. MUTED. OBFUSCATED.¡± ¡°That isn¡¯t a denial, Bael¡¯tharax.¡± Tarixi prodded gently. ¡°YES, I HAVE TASTED ITS SOULFORCE.¡± the Dragon King conceded with a cavern-shaking ¡®harrumph¡¯. ¡°IT IS AS FOUL AND CORRUPTED AS WHEN I FIRST SENSED IT MILLENNIA AGO. I DID NOT WISH TO BURDEN THEM WITH THE KNOWLEDGE OF WHAT THEY ARE AGAINST. HOWEVER, THE NECROMANCER IS WEAK. DECREPIT. THERE IS A CHANCE.¡± ¡°If they die¡¡± she murmured with quiet trepidation. ¡°ALL ACTIONS HAVE CONSEQUENCES, ECHO. THEIR CHOICE IS NO EXCEPTION.¡± ¡°Could you protect them if it were needed?¡± ¡°IF THEY ARE TO FALL, THEN IT IS AS IT MUST BE.¡± ¡°That isn¡¯t an answer, old lizard.¡± Bael¡¯tharax rumbled a disapproving ¡®harrumph¡¯ again, and flexed his massive wings with a gargantuan stretch. The metres-thick leather of each one rippled through the air, and created a quiet boom when he made the equivalent of a slow downward flap. The air pressure alone was enough to shake the cavern once again, when combined with the subtle movements of his huge body. ¡°IF IT WERE NEEDED, I BELIEVE I COULD FORCE MY WAY OUT. EACH USE OF MAGIC HASTENS MY DEMISE BY A FRACTION, BUT I COULD.¡± ¡°Only in the most dire circumstances, then. Understood. Let us hope they will not need your intercession.¡± ¡°THE TIME OF MY DOMINION HAS LONG-SINCE PASSED, ECHO. WE ARE BUT CORPSES THAT DID NOT HAVE THE GOOD SENSE TO DIE, YOU AND I.¡± Tarixi snorted. ¡°How poetic you are near your death, Bael¡¯tharax.¡± ¡°I AM A CREATURE OF IMMENSE INTELLECT AND CAPABILITY. IT SHOULD BE NO SURPRISE THAT I WAX POETIC, NOW AND AGAIN.¡± The pride of Dragons would survive longer than any other part of them, she wagered. Even dying and drained of much of his power, the Dragon King was as proud as the day he¡¯d hatched. ¡°Did you expect Bahamut to choose him?¡± ¡°I HOPED. I DID NOT KNOW, NOR DID I WISH TO INTERFERE¡ BUT I HOPED.¡± ¡°I¡¯m sure the latent resonance of your essence within the Reclaimer had nothing to do with it.¡± Tarixi replied slyly. ¡°I SUPPOSE WE WILL NEVER KNOW.¡± The dragon king responded with shameless regality. ¡°THOUGH EVEN IF MY ESSENCE DID CREATE AN INITIAL RESONANCE,¡± he said as if entertaining a decidedly silly notion, ¡°ALL IT WOULD HAVE DONE WAS ALLOW THE CONSCIOUSNESS WITHIN THE EGG TO BE MADE AWARE OF THE POSSIBILITY. BAHAMUT STILL WOULD HAVE HAD TO CONFIRM AURELIAN¡¯S WORTHINESS HIMSELF.¡± ¡°And the name?¡± Tarixi asked curiously. ¡°Do you approve of it? It is not very Draconic.¡± ¡°PERHAPS IT IS NOT, BUT THAT DOES NOT NECESSARILY MAKE IT ANY LESS APPROPRIATE. THERE WAS GREAT PRIDE, PASSION, AND REVERENCE IN THE RECLAIMER¡¯S MIND WHEN HE SPOKE THE NAME. WHILE IT MAY MEAN NOTHING TO US, I BELIEVE IT MEANS A GREAT DEAL TO AURELIAN.¡± ¡°Which makes it worthy.¡± Tarixi finished with a small nod. ¡°That makes plenty of sense. I was not aware you were tracking his emotions so closely, even after you sensed his surprise at my obfuscation.¡± ¡°YOU WERE NOT THE ONLY ONE LEFT WITH A TASK, ECHO.¡± Tarixi raised both eyebrows. ¡°Oh?¡± ¡°LUCIUS TOLLARIUS ASKED A FINAL SERVICE OF ME. HE WANTED TO ENSURE THAT, EVEN WITH HIS WIFE¡¯S ASSURANCES, THERE WOULD BE NO RISK OF ANOTHER CATACLYSM.¡± Tarixi grimaced when the Dragon King finished. ¡°The fact that so many of the Nephilim we summoned in later centuries were such monsters is¡¡± she shook her head. ¡°Many of us were sceptical at best, and terrified at worst, when Imperatrix Selucia proposed her summoning. Unleashing another Calamity Core absent the Empire, the Golden Trio, or the Dragon King to stop it should the Nephilim go mad? It was horrifying to even contemplate.¡± Tarixi¡¯s incorporeal form shivered in remembered fear. ¡°I always wondered why the Imperator was so willing to accept her assurances, wife or not. Selucia may have been the greatest Magistrix in two Ages, but Nephilim were still¡¡¯ she trailed off and grimaced. ¡°WONDER NO MORE.¡± Bael¡¯tharax answered when she finished. ¡°I HAVE BEEN DELVING AURELIAN¡¯S SOULFORCE AND PSYCHE SINCE THE MOMENT I AWOKE. EVEN MY FIRST WORDS TO HIM WERE A TEST. EVERY ACTION, AND EVERY MOMENT HAVE I WATCHED, AND WAITED. I WAS READY TO END HIM WITH A SINGLE BITE, EVEN IF IT SHOULD COST MY SPECIES THEIR RETURN, RATHER THAN SEE ANOTHER MAD CALAMITY UNLEASHED UPON THE PRIME MATERIAL.¡± ¡°But you were in stasis,¡± Tarixi objected. ¡°What if he had never released you?¡± ¡°THERE WERE FAILSAFES,¡± Bael¡¯tharax responded cryptically. ¡°I see¡ that is consistent with the Imperator¡¯s nature,¡± she responded thoughtfully. ¡°Which means you and he were both thinking ahead to different possibilities,¡± her eyes widened a fraction. ¡°So then the offer to bond was¡ª?¡± ¡°HIS FINAL TEST. NO DRAGON WOULD EVER REFUSE A NEPHILIM¡¯S POWER. NOT UNLESS THEY WERE TRULY, DEEPLY, AND IRREPARABLY ROTTEN.¡± Tarixi sighed, and peered at the ancient leviathan with a smile that she felt to her spectral core. It was a reassurance, a measure of peace, and a liberation of any final worries all at once. Bael¡¯tharax had given her what she needed to finally, and fully come to terms with her fate. She could walk toward it, so to speak, with no more doubt. The Reclaimer was not a nascent cataclysm. A weight lifted from her weathered soul. ¡°Then I suppose we can both look forward to our rest,¡± she said softly. ¡°INDEED.¡± the Dragon said while inclining his massive head. ¡°IT HAS BEEN AN HONOUR TO KNOW A SPIRIT AS RESILIENT AS YOURS, TARIXI FIRESOUL.¡± Tarixi blinked and looked up at him in shock. ¡°You used my¡ªher name.¡± ¡°I KNOW,¡± Bael¡¯tharax replied with simple, but meaningful resolve. Tarixi felt herself smiling, and ghostly tears rolled down her cheeks. ¡°Thank you, King of Kings.¡± The Dragon said nothing more and together the two of them waited in silence. Two ancient souls, lost to time, and resolved to the final twilight of their long lives. Acceptance. At last. B1 | Chapter 35: The Arboretum Aurelian stepped out of a hidden door identical to the one he¡¯d discovered near Tarixi, though this one was in an entirely different sector of the palace, and bereft of undead¡ªfor the moment, at least. He had integrated the palace map, and compass, into his HUD as per Tarixi¡¯s advice and guidance. As a result, he now had a permanent bar at the top of his vision which showed him bearing; both in cardinal direction, and a 360-degree numerical value, with north coinciding to ¡®0¡¯. It was extremely useful. Bahamut came out of the door at his back with a click of his platinum claws on the marble, the dragon¡¯s wings flexing luxuriously before folding once more against his body. He looked positively miniscule in the colossal scale of the palace¡¯s corridors, but given he was barely up to Aurelian¡¯s sternum on all fours that was to be expected. We have to try to be cautious. he sent to the dragon over their link. We want to locate the Necromancer with as little warning as possible. That will be difficult given the fact you are a beacon to the tormented souls of the Godsworn, his bond responded with amusement. Well, I did say try. Aurelian concluded dryly while setting out along the hallway, Bahamut in tow. The hallway they found themselves in was one of the main thoroughfares of the palace, and led deeper toward where the greatest concentration of necromantic energy radiated. According to the limited intelligence he could glean from the System, combined with Bael¡¯tharax¡¯s weakened, but still powerful senses; the most likely source for the undead was the imperial arboretum. I suppose if they¡¯re right, it¡¯s more likely to be a Vasiri than anything. Aurelian commented while they walked. The green glow to the eyes is apparently consistent with Vasirian death magic. Given the background on them being corrupted Life magic users, I can see the arboretum being a natural draw. We will find out soon enough, and I am interested to see this creature. Bahamut replied with a hint of youthful excitement. Without further ado Aurelian took off at a measured run, and Bahamut took to the air to follow. Their swift journey took them through the gargantuan palace hallways unimpeded while Aurelian followed the map in his HUD, and tracked their direction with his compass readout. They had first met Tarixi at the far end of the Southern Wing of the palace, and had re-emerged at the western side closer to its heart, based on what Tarixi and Bael¡¯tharax had reported. While murals, windows, and empty corridors passed them by, Aurelian also noticed the tell-tale signs of battle, and of the ancient siege. Long-ago bloodstains, fire-scorched marble, and even the occasional skeleton¡ªthe ones in recognisable Godsworn attire were beheaded quickly, and with perhaps slight prejudice¡ªmarking the sights of ancient conflict. The closer they drew to the arboretum, the more pronounced the signs of combat grew, as if the fighting had escalated in both regularity and density. After fifteen minutes of steady progress, their swift pace was finally arrested, and Aurelian signalled Bahamut to stop when the first signs of greater undead activity came into view. A cluster of some two dozen skeletons stood like hoisted marionettes in front of the only access point beyond their current corridor and into the next. Each of them appeared to just be standing in place, frozen, and staring at nothing or directly at walls. Why do they not attack? Bahamut asked with a perfunctory wing-stretch. We aren¡¯t in aggro¡ªer¡ªengagement distance. Aurelian corrected halfway through his statement. They probably have a designated range within which they are triggered to respo¡ª So of course, and before Aurelian could finish the thought, Bahamut leaped forward and unleashed a resounding roar with every bit of air he could pull into his juvenile lungs. Aurelian drew his blade with a heavy sigh from its sheath, where it rested under the enchanted bulk of his supply pack, and advanced to join Bahamut. Just shy of twenty-four sets of acid-green eyes transfixed themselves on the pair of them, and Aurelian felt experience settle his expression into grim resolve. He could feel Bahamut¡¯s eagerness humming through the bond like a ramping bass guitar, and while the dragon¡¯s impetuousness rankled him somewhat; he couldn¡¯t fault the hatchling for the accrued style points. ¡°Get ¡®em,¡± he said with a glance at his companion. It seemed like the time for stealth was officially over. Bahamut snarled in approval and launched himself into the air at the same moment as the skeletons burst into a charge toward them both. Aurelian glanced up at the dragon and stood his ground, waiting for what he could instinctively feel building within his bond. A moment later, when the skeletons crossed the halfway mark, the build-up hit its crescendo. Bahamut parted his jaws and unleashed a withering blaze of flames at the undead from above. The fire was a narrow stream instead of a wide cone, and that was to be expected given the dragon¡¯s age and size¡ªbut the few undead the flames did hit promptly exploded after only a momentary contact. Bones splintered, bodies de-animated, and the remains were reduced to ash and cinders by the brilliant expulsion of fire. You have gained Experience! Bael¡¯tharax had told him that the first element a Dragon King learned was fire. It was intrinsic to their identity, so he¡¯d said. Bahamut had proven his father correct immediately. Fully six skeletons had been destroyed by the creature¡¯s breath attack, and though Aurelian could feel savage pride emanating from the dragon; he could also sense how tired the hatchling suddenly was. It was easy to forget, with Bahamut¡¯s size, that he¡¯d only technically been born hours prior. ¡°Nice work!¡± Aurelian said while stepping forward at a quick stride. ¡°Now get some rest while you charge up for the next one. I¡¯ve got this.¡± If you spot this tale on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation. Yes. Very well. I¡ I shall allow you the glory, Bahamut replied tiredly. Aurelian suppressed a smile at the implied permission in the statement, and allowed his partner the insinuation of benevolence. The little dragon had likely exhausted himself more than he¡¯d thought he would, and Aurelian wasn¡¯t about to pull him up on a little bit of pride. He had done well. ¡°My turn, trash mobs.¡± Aurelian growled in the same moment that he accelerated into a sudden, and explosive charge. He met the remaining fifteen skeletons¡ªit had been a little less than two dozen after all¡ªin a flurry of combat. His new armour deflected bone claws, and blunted weapons, while he moved through them like a scythe hewing wheat. Bodies were bisected, heads cut away, skulls cleaved, and limbs sliced off in a storm of blade strokes. Where Aurelian had once struggled for his life against and even feared these creatures, he had changed drastically in his short three-day-and-three-night stint with Bael¡¯tharax and Tarixi. His sword was like an extension of himself, and de-animated skeletons with lethal purpose wherever Aurelian swung. The occasional ¡°Firebolt!¡± spilled forth from his lips as well, used as much to give himself room to swing as it was to obliterate a skull or blast back an unsuspecting foe. The chaos of the melee persisted for what seemed like a single extended, and exhilarating moment, before suddenly the last of the undead had its head cut loose, and its instantly rudderless body fell to the fire-blackened marble beneath. You have gained Experience! Aurelian looked around at the carnage he¡¯d wrought with a feeling of surprise. He had not realised how much he¡¯d improved training under Tarixi, and later Bael¡¯tharax¡¯s strict instruction. Equipped in armour and with Bahamut helping, he was¡ strong. Really strong. He felt like a character who¡¯d gone and completed a bunch of crazy side quests before coming back to the main storyline, and subsequently found it far easier than it should have been. The analogy was insane, of course, but it was what made the most sense to him. Aurelian moved his attention from the remnants of the undead to peer up to the massive half-open double doors ahead of him, and then turned back toward Bahamut. ¡°Feeling better?¡± he asked the small dragon. I will be ready for the next engagement, the dragon sent stubbornly. Worry not for me, Aurelian. We must forge ahead. Aurelian suppressed a smile at the dragon¡¯s pride and nodded. ¡°Alright then. Let¡¯s go.¡± He led the way forward without another word and passed through the gap in the huge doors warily, and with his senses on high alert. What lay beyond was something out of Poison Ivy¡¯s worst nightmare. Desiccated and dying trees, each one once a great and towering symbol of nature, stood like caricatures upon the promenade beyond; ancient husks drained, brittle, and with life stolen from their bark and branches. They were situated at different junction points, and along massive avenues, in what Aurelian could only assume were the pathways of the palace¡¯s ancient arboretum. Limp and twisted vines hung like predatory serpents from branches that reached for the high, slanted glass ceiling above and seemed to almost shelter away from the sunlight, hiding in the shadow of their parent trees. Corruption was a palpable stench within the area, and the odour of decay was so pervasive that he felt his Dragon¡¯s Resolve flare brightly across his mind, in the same moment as Bahamut retched and growled at his side. I have never seen a forest, and yet even I know this is wrong. Aurelian silently agreed with the dragon, and together they moved cautiously forward. All along the walkways, and upon overhangs that had likely once been symbols of beauty; shrubberies which had once thrived with the wild vigour of curated life instead rotted, and dripped with acidic affliction of a kind Aurelian was certain he had no interest in investigating. Their excretions covered small swathes of the floor¡¯s marble surface in caustic pools of viscous, bubbling, and sludge-like green liquid that wafted with rancid fumes. ¡°This entire area is saturated in corruption¡¡± Aurelian muttered to his companion while warily moving forward along the green, black, and brown-stained once-white marble pathway. ¡°It¡¯s not just by coincidence or proximity, this was done with malice¡ªand rage.¡± Bahamut growled a wordless agreement while Aurelian¡¯s eyes travelled over the trunks of the nearest trees, and his eyes looked up toward where their tortured limbs hung like sentinels of death in the air above. The tallest of the once-glorious ancients had to be close to thirty metres high, and dwarfed anything he¡¯d ever conceived of in a greenhouse-like space. The term arboretum didn¡¯t even really do the area justice. The sheer scale of what he was seeing beggared belief, and it was not insane to think that an entire village or more of people could have lived and worked among the greenery with space to spare. The entire undertaking had likely been one of decades, if not centuries, given the magnitude and age of the trees in question. It only made the rampant level of corruption and decay that much more horrible. He didn¡¯t have to be a plant person to feel horror and grief at the sights around them. Aurelian moved ceaselessly throughout the space, with no desire to linger more than he needed to, and pushed his perception attribute to its maximum while scanning the area. His grip on his Runesword was tight beneath his armoured fingers, and he felt a growing sense of unease, or wrongness, the deeper he stepped into the arboretum. It was almost like a faint awareness of something else, tugging at him insistently in a way he couldn¡¯t quite identify. His Calamity Core was riled in a manner he could feel, and he had started cycling mana almost reflexively, pushing it through his Root Chakra and across his body in preparation for use, while keeping a wary eye on his surroundings. With a start, and a muted curse, he realised he hadn¡¯t been using one of his best tools; and immediately set to correcting the oversight. Revelate! Name: Corrupted Ancient Manawood Tree Type: Flora Rarity: Epic Description: Manawood Trees are the lifeblood of great forests, and yield both treasured material for crafting, and powerful fruit which can be used to accelerate mana cycling, the opening of chakras, and regeneration of mana. This Manawood Tree has been corrupted and twisted beyond imagining, and though part of its true nature lingers within, it is almost entirely lost beneath the layers of malaise clinging to its every fibre. Name: Corrupted Nature Mana Type: Essence Rarity: Rare Description: Distilled Nature Mana can be found with some level of success in forests where Manawood Trees are dense and populous, forming from their passive fruit disgorgement and subsequent saturation upon forest floors. This Nature Mana has been corrupted, and twisted, by tainted Life magic, and is as acidic as it is diseased and virulent. It is antithetical to the well-being of living creatures nearby, and highly combustible. B1 | Chapter 36: Excessive Violence Revelate is now Level 10! Revelate is now Level 11! Congratulations, Revelate has reached Novice Tier! You have gained Experience! Sadness, pity, and no small amount of anger kindled in Aurelian¡¯s gut at the information his Revelate skill revealed. The earlier thoughts of malicious and deliberate intent behind the corruption only surged higher with what he saw, and Aurelian felt his features twist into a grim scowl. ¡°This shit has to end, Bahamut. This sort of thing shouldn¡¯t be allowed to exist.¡± I feel an itch between my wings. Something is aware of us, Aurelian. Aurelian glanced at his companion in momentary surprise, and then snapped his head up at the sudden sound of a wheezing laugh. ¡°What have we heeeeeere¡?¡± a voice called from somewhere unseen. It sounded like sandpaper rubbing together, or like a dissonant attempt at a melody that had been too badly corroded to create pleasant music. ¡°A little snack and¡ a dragon? How fascinating!¡± Dragon¡¯s Resolve flared to life, and what momentary trepidation he had felt was immediately replaced by something more potent: revulsion, and rage. The voice belonged to a twisted thing, Aurelian knew instinctively. Something about it made him want to grind his teeth, and snarl with equal vehemence. The Calamity Core within him revved like an engine, and he felt a fundamental revulsion and opposition fill his soul. The creature that spoke was unnatural, in a way that spurred his deepest senses to demand it be excised from the world. ¡°Why don¡¯t you come and find out, fuckhead!¡± Aurelian shouted back viciously while cycling his mana, and scanning the boughs of the corrupted Manawoods rapidly. ¡°Oh, but where is the fun in so simplistic an approach?¡± the sickening voice crooned in question. ¡°Where is the pleasure in so easy and swift a meal? The flavour must be¡ enjoyed.¡± ¡°I¡¯ve got your fucking enjoyment right here!¡± he snarled while lifting his Crest with an emotive shake of the blade. ¡°Come and get it, you piece of shit!¡± ¡°Such bold vitriol, and from such a young creature. We shall have our fun, little morsel, but first you must prove your mettle against my puppets.¡± Aurelian¡¯s jaw locked at the words, and he glanced at Bahamut at the same moment as a plethora of shrieking, supernaturally projected wails of hatred erupted throughout the area, and skeletons began to appear among the corrupted Manawoods. ¡°Go high and stay out of reach,¡± he instructed the dragon quickly, ¡°and no heroics. I know you¡¯re strong, but you know what Bael¡¯tharax said; your scales aren¡¯t strong enough to resist them en masse yet.¡± I am not a coward, Aurelian! ¡°It¡¯s not about being a coward, Bahamut, it¡¯s about being smarter than your enemy!¡± he shot back while taking up a defensive stance. ¡°Go!¡± The dragon growled, but did as instructed after throwing him a narrow-eyed glance of disgruntlement. The hatchling¡¯s legs bent, and with a flap of his already-impressive wings Bahamut launched himself upward and into the air, beating downward twice before finding claw-assisted purchase upon the branches of a nearby Manawood. Aurelian¡¯s attention shifted from Bahamut after he confirmed the dragon¡¯s position in the tree nearby, and instead he turned to face the imminent threat of the massing skeletons. The first thing he noticed, and with a spike of wariness, was that they were not the same as the previous iterations. These were more properly armoured, fully armed, and were coated in the corrupted mana essence littering the arboretum¡¯s floor. It almost seemed to pulse on them like a twisted imitation of life-giving energy, and he could tell immediately that these new enemies were a level above anything he¡¯d faced. The glowy shit was a pretty good indicator of that, usually. Revelate! Name: Essence-Drenched Skeletal Soldier Race: Undead Level: 33 Tier: Initiate Health: 960/960 Description: This undead soldier has been saturated in the viscous ichor of a corrupted Manawood, and has emerged more potent and deadly as a result. Though still as brittle as others of its ilk, the corrupted essence saturating its skeletal superstructure allows this creature to do battle with a ferocity and potency that far outclasses other comparable undead. The exact nature of any additional capabilities granted by this essence-drenching are unknown. Aurelian¡¯s eyes tracked rapidly between the approaching enemies, and he counted quickly. Five, ten, fifteen, twenty, twenty-five¡ his eyes narrowed when he reached a count near forty, and he realised quite quickly that there was no conceivable way for him to emerge victorious when swarmed by so many at once. He had to do something to change the landscape, and allow him to make use of his stamina efficiently, while also filtering how many he would need to fight at once. This content has been misappropriated from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere. There was only one option. With a smirk, Aurelian turned and ran. The sound of hateful wailing followed behind him, and Aurelian communicated quickly to Bahamut while rapidly encroaching upon the husk of a medium-sized Manawood. There was a slim, almost insane idea brewing in his head, and it depended on so many variables that it was almost pointless to consider¡ªand yet he had few to no better options. He could simply play a lethal game of hide and seek among the trees, but he had no idea how long that would work, and what manner of abilities the new skeletons might possess that could hinder him. Revelate had been close to useless, there. So instead, he decided to go with something more¡ direct. Insane, perhaps, but direct. The sound of Bahamut¡¯s roar met his ears, and Aurelian glanced up at the same moment as he arrived at the blackened trunk of the Manawood. The runes upon his bond¡¯s scaled body shimmered and flared with power when the young dragon took in a deep breath, and then unleashed a torrent of flames along the front line of the encroaching horde. As Aurelian had hoped, and in confirmation of his greater plan; the substance clinging to the shambling creatures detonated upon contact with the flames. Skeletons were torn apart and savaged in a chain reaction of combusting mana, while those behind attempted to halt their awkward momentum. Before they could arrest their momentum, another line of skeletons fell victim to the spreading flames in explosions of volatile essence, and Aurelian couldn¡¯t help but grin viciously. You have gained Experience! Great work bud! I approve of this plan! Bahamut sent back with a sense of savage glee, though weariness laid itself over it like a light blanket. The dragon had been more conservative with his fire in his strike, but he was still young, and the magic took its toll. Get to a high point. I¡¯ve got this. Aurelian sent to him while turning and looking up at the manawood. He only had moments before the skeletons circumvented the flames, and he needed to act. Without a moment¡¯s more thought as to the sanity of what he planned, Aurelian hefted his Runesword, with the flat of the blade facing upward; and rammed it with every ounce of his strength into the dying bark of the Manawood. A glance behind him told him that the undead were beginning to find their way toward him again, and he redoubled his efforts. His hands pulled his Runesword, and he worked against the density of the corrupted tree to scythe the blade sideways with as much force as he could muster. ¡°You deserve better. I¡¯m sorry.¡± He said to the suffering tree while he worked. His mother had always said that trees had souls, and in that moment, Aurelian believed her. The faint echo of suffering was palpable to his nascent Soul Sense. When he could hear the approach of the first of the undead, Aurelian finally tore his sword free of the Manawood and spun around. His left hand released the Crest¡¯s hilt, and he held the palm instead over the wound in the Manawood. The nearest undead was barely four metres away when he surged all of his cycled mana toward that same hand. ¡°Firebolt.¡± Aurelian turned and sprint-dove for cover behind a nearby pillar holding up one of the walkways above at the same moment as a keening noise cut through the air, and with a sigh like a cancer patient¡¯s final breath; the Manawood tree exploded. Shards of burning wood and blazing gouts of napalm-like ignited sap erupted in a cacophonous BOOM that slammed the skeletons into the ground, and ignited the empowering globules of corrupted essence drenching their bones. Fire Resistance is now Level 18! . . . Fire Resistance is now Level 21! Undead burned in a tidal wave of fire and concussive force, charring their bones and scorching their armour while Aurelian rolled around to rid himself of the flames that clung to his armour. He had protected his head and backpack, but the rest of him had not been so lucky. Cursing at the sheer heat of the flames, he scrambled to his feet and put distance between himself and what was rapidly becoming a building inferno within an entire section of the arboretum. More Manawoods had caught as a result of the detonation, and more explosions were racing across the interior¡ªthankfully far enough away that the worst of it was a cacophony of concussive blasts, as opposed to a larger conflagration. The fact the arboretum was built entirely from marble helped immeasurably. You have gained Experience! Unnatural shrieks assailed his ears abruptly, and Aurelian spun to look where he¡¯d unleashed the firestorm¡ªonly to feel Dragon¡¯s Resolve immediately surge to the fore at the sight which greeted him. Massive creatures that looked like the nightmare hybrid between a black widow spider and desert scorpion, with eight legs, as many eyes, two immense pincers and armoured stinger-tails tumbled from the formerly hidden depths and boughs of now-inflamed manawoods. The creatures, whose mottled carapaces glowed with corruption, screeched in horrible agony, and pain, at the flames tearing apart their chitinous bodies and detonating the globules of corruption upon their carapaces. What fresh horrors are these? Bahamut asked with clear disgust. Let¡¯s find out. Aurelian sent back simply. With a mixture of revulsion and horrified fascination, he used Revelate. Name: Corrupted Skarnid Race: Blight Arachnid Level: 33 Tier: Initiate Health: 389/1766 Description: Skarnids are twisted predators that thrive in the Desolation, and stalk its corrupted lands for prey with which to sate their consuming hunger. This Skarnid¡¯s already vile form has been further corrupted by foul uses of twisted Life and Nature mana, creating a foetid abomination. Even with Dragon¡¯s Resolve blazing in his mind and his grip on his Runesword secure, Aurelian felt himself physically force his hands to steadiness while staring down the burning, but still-alive forms of the hulking creatures. With a deep breath he brought his blade up before him, extended it, and pointed it out at the Skarnids in what he hoped was a heroic and challenging pose. Judging from the enraged shrieks, he succeeded. Aurelian smiled grimly, and he felt savage glee when they charged forward. There was at least one thing from Earth that had remained with him, after all. He had always fucking hated spiders. Corrupted Skarnid Concept Art B1 | Chapter 37: Arachnophobia Aurelian set his stance when the Skarnids began their charge, and sought out Bahamut with his thoughts. Are you safe? Yes. The dragon confirmed. I am located far above this chaos, and out of reach. Good. Aurelian sent back. Because I¡¯m going to need your help with these things. The Skarnids¡¯ weight upon the marble, and their clicking limbs, caused the stone to tremble like the world¡¯s most horrifying cavalry charge was bearing down on Aurelian. Eight in total came for him, their mandibles clicking in rage, and fire still burning on parts of their wounded bodies. Had they surprised him, as had likely been planned, they might have been a hopeless obstacle for him. As they were now, after the damage inflicted by his explosive tactics? Well, he had a feeling things would be far less difficult than they might have been. Shall I attack from above? Bahamut queried. Try to drop branches on them. Aurelian instructed. Preferably ones you¡¯ve put holes into first. While they ¡®spoke¡¯, Aurelian started jogging forward to meet the Skarnid charge. Why would¡ ah. You wish to use the branches as explosives. Got it in one. Aurelian confirmed. Can you do it? Aurelian¡¯s pace exploded into a full sprint. Leave it to me. Bahamut sent decisively, before going quiet with a sense of focus. Aurelian grinned to himself and used the dragon¡¯s residual confidence¡ªand Dragon¡¯s Resolve itself¡ªto drown out the dregs of horror, and all-too-Earthling reaction of revolted terror at the sight of immense scorpion-spider monstrosities. Dragon¡¯s Resolve is now Level 4! Dragon¡¯s Resolve is now Level 5! The mix of disgust, horror, and fear threatened to pull at his mind with every inch he closed between himself and the Skarnids; and he had no intention of allowing any of it to distract him in the heat of battle. He had seconds at most to plan his attack, and as a variety of ideas raced through his mind, he came to a single realisation: simplicity would be best. Moments before he would have met the first of the chitinous arachnid nightmares head on, Aurelian instead threw his weight down, and slid under the creature¡¯s massive body in a screech of steel-on-stone. The Skarnid shrieked when its mandibles and pincers swiped through empty air, and Aurelian grinned with adrenaline and savage triumph. His Runesword, humming with anticipation, was promptly thrust upward to slice through the soft carapace of the creature¡¯s belly, while he simultaneously focused his mind on cycling his mana furiously.. ¡°Firebolt!¡± he snarled out almost immediately, and then followed up with another ¡°Firebolt!¡± while he continued forward. The Initiate Tier runic steel of his blade parted the delicate flesh of the creatures readily enough, and with small enough resistance that it did not arrest his sliding momentum. Even better was that as it was torn open, and the black blood and viscous, combustible corrupting essence of its interior spewed forth: Aurelian ignited it. The moment he was out from under the creature, he was pushing his Dexterity, Acrobatics Skill, and Agility to the maximum in order to get his feet under him and half-sprint, half-dive away. A shriek of alarm filled the air behind him, and then heat radiated across his spine. The Skarnid detonated in a concussive wave of liquid flame and body parts. Aurelian was blasted off his feet like a ragdoll, and careened through the air with a string of invectives, before crashing down into a violent rolling slide along the marble flooring. The other Skarnids, in the same instant, recoiled back and outright wailed in agony at the sudden eruption of liquid fire coating their armoured bodies anew, as well as at the sudden wave of force that punched them backward like the fist of an angry god. Condition: Concussion (Minor) Condition: Burning (Minor) Condition: Bleeding (Minor) That was also when Bahamut chose to drop his payload on their carapaced bodies. Small logs of essence-leaking Manawood erupted within moments of making contact with the still-burning flames on the creatures¡¯ bodies, and more Skarnids were thrown into shrieking disarray when more than one lost limbs or even eyes and¡ªin one case¡ªthe stinger atop their tail to the improvised ordnance employed by the young dragon. Bahamut, Aurelian realised while wincing against the ringing fading from his ears, had even had the brilliant¡ªor perhaps vicious¡ªinsight to unleash a carefully targeted beam of flame against the most badly injured of the arachnids; melting through its carapace with dragonfire, and causing it to detonate just like the first creature Aurelian had felled. Thrown as far away as he was, Aurelian had enough distance to only be treated to another few metres of disgruntled concussive push-back when the second creature exploded, and was able to push himself up to his knees, finally, while his enhanced health regeneration¡ªthanks to the ongoing effects of the essenceloaf¡ªworked to heal his burnt skin and battered bones. A quick feel of his supply pack told him it had endured the damage with outstanding stoicism, and Aurelian breathed a sigh of relief. Fire Resistance is now Level 22! Tactician is now Level 10! . . . Tactician is now Level 12! Congratulations, Tactician has reached Novice Tier! You have gained Experience! You have reached Level 19! Aurelian tensed with remembered pain when the System energy hit him, but once again relaxed when he again recalled that single levels were actually rather pleasant. Soothing, warm, and somehow cooling energy radiated through his body, and he felt himself change to account for the increase in his attributes. The percentage modifiers combined with his natural levelling bonuses meant that, while the Skarnids were notably distracted by the little dragon and the various pieces of biological ordinance he¡¯d dropped on them, Aurelian was able to enjoy the level up and subsequent body alterations in a few moments of precious peace. A shaky breath left his lips when the concussion, burning, and bleeding conditions abated and he felt himself grow more physically and mentally capable, all within moments he could actually identify with his mind. Aurelian once again contemplated how much Earth could benefit from System healing. He also realised, after snapping out of his rumination, that he had several more attribute points, and with only a moment¡¯s consideration slammed all five into Agility. He would need the ability to weave between the attacks of the Skarnids, and make use of his smaller size. This tale has been unlawfully lifted without the author''s consent. Report any appearances on Amazon. Aurelian pulled himself to his feet, and then hesitated. Agility was good, but there was another option as well. He quickly reviewed what he had available and bit his lip. He had 19 Skill points available, and Dodge was sitting still at level 22. It would cost him six points to push it to level 25, which¡ ¡°Fuck it,¡± he grunted mid-thought, and promptly willed the change to happen. Aurelian groaned the moment he felt the alteration take hold, and an alert chimed within his mind like a victorious chorus. You have raised Dodge to Level 23! . . . You have raised Dodge to Level 25! Congratulations, Dodge has reached Initiate Tier! You have gained Experience! Would you like to Infuse the Dodge Skill? Y / N Aurelian immediately selected ¡®N¡¯, and felt a sudden pressure evaporate from his physical self. It had been akin to a soft, but persistent squeezing against every molecule of his body, and only relented when he¡¯d chosen not to Infuse the Skill. He had been tempted if only to see what the effects of a Dodge-based Infusion would be, but he truthfully didn¡¯t see Dodge as a nearly worthwhile enough investment. Not for his First Temper foundation. Perhaps for his Second Temper Infusions, if he survived long enough. He chanced a quick look at his character sheet while he readied himself to move. Name: Aurelian Lucis Imperius Temper: Untempered Novice Core: Calamity Core (Ignition Stage) Chakras: 1/7 Level: 19 | Race: Elysean (L) | Origin: Nephilim (L) | Gender: Male | Zodiac: Dragon (L) Health: 640 | Mana: 306 | Stamina: 163 STR: 61 (67) | AGI: 53 | DEX: 45 | VIT: 59 (64) | END: 33 | INT: 40 | PER: 23 | WIL: 77 (84) | CHA: 25 Mind Skills: Revelate (E) 11 | Linguistics (UC) 1 | Philology (R) 7 | Exploration (UC) 6 | Investigation (UC) 7 | Dragon¡¯s Resolve (E) 5 | Tactician (R) 12 | Deception (UC) 3 Body Skills: Pain Tolerance (UC) 23 | Longsword Mastery (C) 23 | Running (C) 22 | Dodge (C) 25 | Durable (UC) 21 | Brawling (C) 21 | Fire Resistance (UC) 22 | Lightning Resistance (UC) 11 | Ice Resistance 9 (UC) | Breath Control (UC) 18 | Acrobatics (UC) 21 Spirit Skills: Mana Control (R) 24 | Firebolt (UC) 19 | Shockbolt (UC) 15 | Soul Sense (UC) 6 | Spirit Bond: Dragon King (M) 5 Traits: Fast Learner (E) | Dragon Force (E) Titles: Elysean Reclaimer (U) | Survivor (R) | Mana Savant (E) | Dragon Rider (E) Languages: Common | Elysean | Draconic 12% to Level 20 You have 11 Skill Points Available! You have 3 Skill Upgrade Points Available! You have 2 Skill Evolution Points Available! The hateful shriek of the Skarnids snapped his mind back to the present and Aurelian almost cursed himself for his distraction, no matter that it had been barely a few seconds. His body felt¡ better. It was stronger, lighter, and subtly faster and more nimble. It was exactly what he¡¯d hoped for, and what he¡¯d need for what came next. Six of the eight Skarnids remained, and of those six, only three were relatively unimpeded by injury. He could work with that. He would work with that. Distract them a little longer! He mentally sent to Bahamut, while sprinting forward quickly toward the thrashing and snarling arachnids. They were lobbing what looked like globules of acid mixed with corrupted essence at the flying dragon, though the platinum-runed and nimble body of his bond was too fast, and too naturally capable to be hit by them. He would swerve or bank at exactly the right moment to dodge, though Aurelian noticed the close calls were becoming even closer the longer the stalemate went on. Hurry. His companion sent back with focused intensity. The fact Bahamut¡¯s pride did not impede him from urging haste was proof enough of the hatchling¡¯s exhaustion, and Aurelian put as much speed into his charge as was possible for his new body. The moment he reached the line of Skarnids, he selected his first target¡ªone of the least damaged of the six¡ªand threw caution to the wind. Aurelian¡¯s Runesword almost sang when he slashed it outward to his left, and before the creature could properly react, he sliced clean through three of its legs on its right side. The Skarnid¡¯s reaction was much as he¡¯d predicted: it released a shrill screech of alarm, and staggered at the sudden loss of equilibrium. Aurelian, however, wasn¡¯t done. He rolled backward to avoid the monster¡¯s weight crushing him while it staggered, and sliced aggressively and haphazardly upward with his sword; cutting through its underbody and, most importantly, opening up its putrid guts. He felt the surge of Health flow into him from his Leech, and grinned viciously. Aurelian had already dodged backward and away when the creature collapsed under the sudden blood loss, and pain of its wound, and his eyes started searching for the next target. The other Skarnids had noticed him by then, and with the exception of two still attempting to harass Bahamut from the sky; the entire group of remaining creatures turned on him. That included the last two relatively in-tact ones, and one of the wounded arachnids as well. By process of elimination, and with a quick glance of confirmation; that put the last two wounded monsters as the ones harrying Bahamut. That was good in its own way. Are you alright? He sent while maintaining careful distance from the converging Skarnids. Yes. I will be able to retreat and recover my stamina. A pause followed. Thank you. It¡¯s alright to acknowledge your limits, brother. Aurelian sent reassuringly. Let me know when you¡¯re ready for another round. Aurelian finished the conversation and was about to start a rapid-fire plan of action when the sound of familiar wails slammed into his awareness. Only instinct and force of will allowed him to avoid turning reflexively to see what he knew had to be undead reinforcements, and a curse tore from his lips. Things were going from bad to worse. With his options dwindling and no time to lose, Aurelian did the only thing he could: he charged toward the Skarnids. His new Dodge skill flared to raging life the moment he made contact with the hulking monstrosities, and all thought of easy aggression went out of his mind within moments. The Skarnids were not merely seeking to kill him now out of duty or anger at his intrusion, but instead out of hatred¡ªand perhaps even fear. He could feel it prickling his Soul Sense like an oozing, and corrosive toxin that sought to poison his spirit. Each rapid strike from razor tipped Skarnid limbs forced Aurelian to duck and weave, and to move with a surety of footwork that he would not have been able to muster prior to the slight but powerful increases to both Agility and Dodge. The investment showed its worth in every near-miss, and every narrowly successful evasion of the vicious attacks of his shrieking assailants. Whenever he could retaliate, he did so; and with the intention of guiding the fight so the Skarnids were between him and the undead, instead of the other way around. A glancing blow or shallow cut was enough for him to ward off the worst of the assaults before they hit a true rhythm, and on occasion he even managed to cut clean through a limb or land a strike on hardened carapace, which parted like silk before his Crest. When an opening on one of the Skarnids presented itself, Aurelian did not hesitate in taking advantage of it, and lunged in for a powerful strike aimed at the creature''s head. He had not had the wherewithal to suspect duplicity or cunning. He had dismissed them as malevolent, but fundamentally simplistic creatures; driven by instinct, rudimentary emotion, and bestial fury. That had been a mistake. The moment Aurelian moved to take advantage of what had seemed to be a critical opening, a flash of pain ignited along his ribs and he abruptly found himself smashed off his feet, and punted almost twenty metres away toward the burning trees. The good news was that it was away from the undead and Skarnids both. The bad news was what his status section showed him. Condition: Bleeding (Moderate) Condition: Concussion (Minor) Condition: Broken Ribs (Moderate) B1 | Chapter 38: Fury Aurelian gasped for air and held back the urge to vomit, all while the copper tang of blood filled his mouth. His gaze had unfocused as a result of whatever the hell had happened, and he blinked desperately to clear the dazed lack of sharpness to his vision while scrambling to his feet. He had dropped his sword somewhere, and as much by instinct as by memory; he started the process of summoning it immediately. Every breath was like a sharp knife in his side, and he managed to turn to look at where the Skarnids were rapidly closing in. His awareness shifted to his own health, and he saw he¡¯d lost almost 300 points in a single hit. Panic rose, and was almost immediately subsumed and crushed when Dragon¡¯s Resolve roared to life in his mind. Have to¡ have to focus! Aurelian fumbled for the supply pack on his back, and dropped it to the floor once he managed to take ahold of it. He opened the secured top of the back quickly, and reached in to grab at the potions he¡¯d stored inside the pack. Lights danced in front of his eyes from his concussion, but he managed to fumble one of the minor health bottles out. A sudden roar filled the air and the Skarnids¡¯ charge faltered when several savaged, essence-leaking logs of Manawood landed in front of them and promptly ignited from a stream of dragonfire. The monstrous arachnids hissed in rage and fear, and skittered away from the burning barrier, though Aurelian knew it wouldn¡¯t hold long. I will buy you time! Bahamut declared boldly. Aurelian barely had enough wherewithal to register the statement before Bahamut swooped down atop the nearest Skarnid and, after grabbing hold firmly with his platinum claws, breathed a full-force jet of flame directly against its carapace. The creature screamed in pain and went mad, its scorpion tail attempting to smash its stinger into Bahamut, and missing the dragon when he nimbly leaped aside to avoid it. The potion bottle was unstoppered quickly, and Aurelian downed it immediately. Restorative energy surged throughout his body, and his already great regeneration burned with an overcharging force. His vision cleared immediately, as did the small fog over his mind, and Aurelian narrowed in on the scene before him. Bahamut was playing a dangerous and lethal game with the Skarnids, and continued to launch himself from creature to creature while dodging slashing limbs, snapping pincers, and stabbing tails. Snarls and growls of challenge echoed from the small dragon, and Aurelian abruptly crushed the bottle in his hand when worry seized hold of him. He jerked at the sound of shattering glass, and in that same moment his hand refilled with the summoned return of his Runesword. ¡°Finally!¡± With his health still ticking upward toward 500, his bleeding greatly reduced, and his concussion and broken ribs reduced to nothing and a slight fracture respectively; Aurelian let Pain Tolerance do its work and launched himself forward with a speed and rage sourced in desperation. FLY UP! Bahamut heard him without acknowledging him, and the hatchling launched himself off of his latest Skarnid victim with every iota of strength he possessed. The downward push staggered the Arachnid slightly and the dragon surged upward. In seconds he would be free¡ª A swiping tail smashed Bahamut bodily from the sky, and with a sickening crunch the dragon slammed into the marble in front of Aurelian. He didn¡¯t move. ¡°Bahamut?¡± Aurelian asked numbly. A low, mewling whine of pain came from the hatchling¡¯s mouth. The Skarnids shrieked in glee. Bahamut wheezed out a final breath, and went still. Aurelian¡¯s ears started to ring the moment that the last wheeze escaped the dragon. The sound hit him like a lightning strike, or like a gong against his soul. It was impossible to explain the sense of panic that gripped him with the sudden intensity of a gargantuan claw. It was like Bael¡¯tharax had taken hold of his heart, and started to squeeze. Pain, shock, fear, and more collapsed in upon him like a fountaining wave of emotion. And yet all he could do was stand there, and stare. ¡°Bahamut¡?¡± Aurelian asked in a voice that to his own ears sounded brittle. The dragon looked small in his unmoving state. He appeared vulnerable, soft, and precious in a way that no gem, jewel, nor thing of material wealth could ever possibly compare to. Bahamut was more than rare, he was unique. He was singular. There would never be another one of him, just as there could have never been another Bael¡¯tharax. The hatchling was more important to Aurelian than anything else had ever been, or ever would be. There were no words to describe the profound depth of their connection. There were no words to describe the profound depth of his rage. Mad laughter echoed from an unknown location, and a deranged, dissonant sing-song voice called out to him. ¡°Little dragon died, died, DIED!¡± Aurelian jerked as if struck, and his body rocked on its heels at a sudden surge of reality. The ringing in his ears reached a crescendo, and then abruptly abated. All that remained was his own heartbeat, pounding in his ears. Bahamut wasn¡¯t dead, he knew that, and yet the hatchling was unmoving¡ªand something primal, vicious, and wholly dragon-like within Aurelian¡¯s soul awoke at the sight of his soul bond¡¯s condition. Aurelian started walking toward the dragon robotically. While he did, his eyes turned to face the chittering Skarnids. The arachnids seemed frozen by his gaze, and Aurelian felt as if something else were looming behind his gaze. Something immense, and ancient, and powerful enough that the Skarnids as a collective seemed frozen in place. They were corralled, momentarily, by the simple animal instinct to remain still in the face of an insurmountable predator. Aurelian let a low snarl leave his lips, and the Arboretum thundered under its force. The Skarnids chittered pathetically, and Aurelian was able to reach Bahamut unimpeded¡ªand to kneel down long enough to uncork another healing potion, and tip it down the little dragon¡¯s throat. He was breathing, if barely, and Aurelian felt the warmth of his little body. ¡°Rest.¡± he said softly. ¡°I¡¯ll cover until you¡¯re ready.¡± No answer was forthcoming, and Aurelian¡¯s eyes moved back to the Skarnids when he rose, and the grip on his runesword tightened until the leather and metal of its hilt creaked ominously in his grip. Red aether-lightning, discharging from his mana channels, arced across the blade. ¡°You did this,¡± he accused the arachnids. Grief surged within him and twisted, shifted, and morphed. It mutated. It evolved. It hardened into something sharp, cold, and hot. His friend, his bond, his partner, the other half of his soul. It was their fault. ¡°YOU DID THIS!¡± Aurelian barely noticed the overlaid thunder of Bael¡¯tharax¡¯s voice. Heat. Fire. Rage. Aurelian¡¯s Core turned incandescent as he stared at the Skarnids before him. Magma boiled out of and across his Calamity Core, and its crimson storm burned with an inner flame that refused to be sated; roaring like an awakening forge of power within his mind¡¯s eye. It erupted inside of him like a rising volcano, and Aurelian took hold of it, grabbing at it like a titan taking hold of a mountain¡ªand with Dragon¡¯s Resolve reinforcing his own personal Intent, he compressed it. His feet carried him forward as he worked, while mana cycled furiously within him, and with every step forward his Soulforce thundered. The Skarnids remained frozen. The laughter, once so superior, had cut off with a strangled hiss of disbelief. The undead had halted in their tracks, as if even they were petrified by terror. The tale has been taken without authorization; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident. Aurelian cared for none of it. Outwardly he marched forward to a beat only he could hear, and internally he wove furiously, and with the silent urging of a presence that was not quite with him¡ªbut projected along him, like the illusion and manifestation of a will ancient beyond time. Bael¡¯tharax was with him, he knew, but only as an echo of himself. Aurelian could not rely on the Dragon King for true intervention in his situation. Intimidation was the limit of Bael¡¯tharax¡¯s projected capabilities. True justice would have to come by Aurelian¡¯s own hand. Waves of mana and brilliant threads of platinum Soulforce came together in his Core like rivers of light and sound, creating an internal concerto of rising melodies and symbiotic harmonies. A song of force, and power, and life twisted together with the violent intensity of a primal¡¯s awakening, and Aurelian directed it all toward a goal he understood nothing about, but felt to be right with every fibre of his enraged being. His Soulforce began to throb within him, to seethe and tempest, and Aurelian seized hold of power which he could suddenly see around him. His Spirit burned with transcendent fury, and with a newfound clarity that could make gods fear, he pierced the veil between the physical and the aetheric. His eyes burned. Tears of blood lined his cheeks. The System screamed at him. It was ignored and mentally muted. His left hand rose, and Aurelian cycled mana like a great river toward his fist at the same moment as he pushed his Core more, and more tightly together. The magma, and the storm, and the light, and the shadow, and other elements of its existence too myriad and infinite to count spun, warped, and twisted until it all compressed into an imagined sphere of prismatic light within his solar plexus. Platinum bands exploded into life, urged on by the familiar pressure of Bael¡¯tharax upon his soul, and wrapped themselves around his shining Core while the light within it turned ferocious and chaotic. Aurelian compressed it tighter, and tighter, and tighter still until that raging ocean of power was bound by the bands of energy, each of them so perfectly aligned with the colours of his soul brother¡¯s own runes. The power screaming for release in his left hand stretched out, searching, and connected with motes of purplish power within the air that seemed to be both the most saturated, and the most diffused all at once. Without understanding what he was even doing, Aurelian pulled. A System alert clamoured to life within his mind. Then another. Then another. They were ignored, suppressed, and shoved away as before. He was too focused. The Skarnid closest to him abruptly let out a warbling shriek¡ ¡and then its head, suddenly, exploded in a spray of chitin, ichor, and grey matter. Mana drained from Aurelian like an out-rushing tide, and yet he refused to let go. Once again he cycled his power from his Root Chakra through his body, past his sealed and knotted gates, and into his left palm. The sword in his right hand seemed to vibrate with resonance at his actions, but he paid it no heed. Aurelian pulled again, tugging on the fabric of reality in a way he could only barely understand, and once again a Skarnid unleashed what he dimly recognised as a terrified cry before its head similarly detonated. In a moment of distant clarity, he suddenly realised something. The Skarnids¡¯ heads hadn¡¯t detonated. They had been crushed. Their brain matter, ichor, blood and eye juices had been squeezed out of their chitinous skulls when they had been compacted down to the size of a golf ball within seconds. The undead, while this happened, were frozen as if in an uncomprehending reverie. The Skarnids which remained, still held at bay by the magnitude of presence clinging to Aurelian like an immense cloak of both alien and familiar Soulforce, chittered fearfully. Aurelia barely had enough mana to cycle, and so he didn¡¯t. Instead he let out a sigh of acknowledgement, and lowered his left hand. Aurelian bared his teeth into a rictus grin of hateful glee, and with his Core blazing inside of him; he burned stamina and charged with a small whomp of displaced air toward the Arachnids. Aurelian impacted the marble directly in front of the skittering form of a shrieking Skarnid, and brought his Runesword up in a vicious slice at one of its desperately striking pincers; dodging around the snapping bone-claw and cleaving through it, and then several more limbs, with a sudden reversal of his weapon and stance that took him to his left side. The resulting imbalance sent the monstrosity smashing down against the marble face-first in a spray of dark blood, and viscous fluid, and a keening screech of agony. Aurelian barely paused to take note of the chitinous creature¡¯s flailing state, and instead thrust his left palm forward in front of its massive, hideously ugly head. ¡°Firebolt!¡± he snarled. It depleted his mana down to almost zero. Aurelian couldn¡¯t find it within himself to care. If it had shrieked before, then after his spell the Skarnid wailed. Corrosive blood and corrupting ooze spilled from its severed limbs while it scrabbled helplessly against the stone. Under the torrent of focused flames, the arachnid¡¯s face bubbled and melted, its eyes burst and exploded, and its skull deformed as Aurelian poured his remaining mana into a more sustained stream of fire. By the end, the Skarnid¡¯s head resembled a melted wax caricature, and so Aurelian gave it some measure of relief. He thrust his blade through its repulsive skull with a wet crunch of chitinous flesh. He tore his blade side to side for good measure, and then ripped it from the dead Skarnid¡¯s skull to face the remainder. Three of the creatures remained, and one of them was maimed so badly it was already almost dead. Aurelian didn¡¯t care. His Soulforce, buoyed by another''s, continued to spread outward like a dominating cloak of power and the Skarnids finally seemed to reach their limit. Something within their dark minds broke, and the two able-bodied creatures turned to flee. How dare they. Aurelian was on them like a wolf on sheep, his stamina draining precipitously while he stormed between the skittering creatures¡¯ bulk and mass. His Runesword rose and fell, singing while it did, and Aurelian tore the monsters apart. The first of the creatures to come at him threw a vicious and almost desperate stab of its tail toward his chest, which Aurelian dodged away from with predatory grace. His armoured hand reached out and tapped another mote of mana while the tail passed, and then his palm lightly slapped against the colossal bulb of the arachnid¡¯s stinger. It exploded in blood and putrescence when it was crushed under pure force. Aurelian gave the creature no time to breathe when it reeled back, and stepped into its clumsy warding blows. He sliced apart its left pincer, pivoted away from a desperate slash of its right side and remaining pincer, and used its staggering gait to come up toward the creature¡¯s flank. The Skarnid chittered desperately for aid, but its comrades hesitated. Something in their mutant brains told them there was danger in granting help. It overrode even their pack predator mentality. Bereft of its comrades¡¯ help, Aurelian sheared apart the side of the creature¡¯s body and then rolled away under a spasming sweep of legs. The blows were not intended to kill. No, not that. They were intended to hurt. He wanted to make them suffer. He wanted them to understand what Bahamut had suffered. Aurelian felt as much as sensed a Skarnid leg scything for his side, and instead of dodging it, he planted his feet and absorbed the impact. His armour dented, the air vanished from his lungs, his ribs shook under the impact¡ and Aurelian smiled viciously up at the Arachnid. Its deformed eyes stared back at him with fear. ¡°My turn,¡± he snarled through blood-stained teeth. His Runesword hummed through the air and the Skarnid¡¯s brain matter fountained upward when the weapon bisected its chitinous skull. The Leeching power of his blade helped him ignore the consequences of his stunt. Aurelian turned to the final two Skarnids, one near-dead with its guts and viscera trailing along the ruined marble, and the other not far behind. He paused only long enough to check his mana, turned, and started walking away toward the undead. The blue bar of energy was ticking up slowly. He barely noticed the seconds passing. The pressure of the alerts building into his awareness was a distant thing, a mountain he held at bay with barely a thought. What was such a burden, when compared to the pain of his soul brother? Fury sang a thunderous dirge in his prismatic soul. His Soulforce touched something ancient, outside and away from him, and it recoiled in shock. Aurelian felt disbelief, denial, and terror emanate from something nearby and separate¡ªsomething twisted, corrupted, and wrong. His heartbeat thundered in his ears. The vibration and rotation of his compressing Core trumpeted a jubilant song of power, one that filled him with vigour. His wounds, for all that the System screamed at him, meant nothing to his singularly focused mind. Aurelian pointed his left palm behind him toward the dead Skarnids. He exhaled, and let the mana cycle to his palm as Tarixi had taught him. ¡°Firebolt,¡± he said from between clenched teeth. The Skarnids exploded in ignited piles of saturated essence. Aurelian¡¯s eyes settled on the growing ranks of undead, all of them poised as if caught on the edge of some invisible barrier. For a moment, he thought he could almost see the poisonous green and black strands that tethered them to¡ something. It was a moment of existential awareness that surprised him, and yet felt strangely right. He could almost taste the wrongness of those ropes of power, and where they were connected. To their master. To their source. He registered the connection, and then dismissed it. That was for later, after he finished what had to be done. As he approached the unliving ranks, their acid-green eyes looked back at him, but where before he had seen only ancient hate and primal drive to kill; he instead saw something new. In their legion of eyes, unblinking and ancient with remembered hatred; something stirred that might have shocked, surprised, or even intrigued him were he not so incandescent with fury. His lips spread into a predatory smile when the oddity registered at last. The undead, Aurelian realised, were afraid. He laughed, and it echoed as a dual-timbre thunder of sound. The puppeteered skeletons flinched back as one. Aurelian charged. B1 | Chapter 39: Nausea Aurelian crashed through the undead lines like the Grim Reaper¡¯s tax collector. His Runesword hewed like a scythe, and he cut down three skeletons before the horde of the dead could properly react. He felt dregs of health flowing into him from his Leeching blade, but they were drops in the ocean of his driven awareness while he fought. The impact on the horde seemed to have stirred it to proper life, and yet still it moved sluggishly, as if the will behind it were hesitant. The earlier brutality that had driven the undead was gone, and Aurelian could see the quivering threads of green-black power that controlled them almost vibrating in his sight. It was like they were being strummed, or tugged, but in such a way as if the puppet master were reluctant to properly engage. Every moment of wasted time, however, was another dead skeleton; and Aurelian was not about to dwell on why his enemy was hesitating at a critical moment. He was beyond things so simple, to his detriment or not. All he wanted was to enact his own dark justice. The prismatic orb of contained power that was his Calamity Core spun with the rapidity of a freshly launched beyblade while roaring within the bands of constraining platinum force, and Aurelian felt energy suffusing and flowing through his limbs in what seemed like a flood compared to what came before. Even his stamina and mana seemed to be regenerating faster, and not simply because of the essenceloaf. There was something more at play that he was missing, and yet every time he tried to muster up the energy to care, it was smothered by the snarl of the dragon within his soul; the one that demanded payment in death for what had been done to its soul brother. The one that screamed for ruin, and desolation unseen in millennia. Aurelian was all too happy to entertain its wishes. He swept his Runesword in a destructive arc to kill four of the closest undead and cycled his mana decisively, his eyes rising to the threads tied to the skulls of the legions of animated dead. Aurelian wasn¡¯t sure what he was doing or how, but acting on instinct as much as emotion; he reached out with his left hand, swept his mana up and into a braided sheath he made with his Soulforce, and then shaped the double-layered energy into a replica of a bastard sword. Then, with Intent as much as raw instinct, he cut through the threads. A divine chorus of triumph manifested within his mind and soul, and Aurelian momentarily saw double. In the same moment, his awareness seemed to split in two and for one nauseating second that seemed to span far longer; he was witnessing both what his own eyes beheld, and what another pair of eyes saw. He could see himself, watching his rampage and staring with rapt attention as his hand moved, as if in slow motion. He could see his armour, his blood-matted silver hair, and the incandescent burn of the runes upon his blade. More than that, he could feel what the other perspective felt. What the Necromancer felt, he realised. And it was fear. Aurelian¡¯s vision snapped back to normal in the exact moment as the blade of energy fully severed the green-black thread of control, and one of the undead close by collapsed in a heap like a puppet with its strings cut. At the same time, a horrible and blood-curdling wail of agony, rage, disbelief, and terror scythed across the battlefield like a sonic wave. It froze the blood in his veins, and seemed to freeze the undead in place as well. The battlefield, for a moment, became utterly still and silent. Then something both impossibly fast, and incredibly powerful slammed into Aurelian like a battering ram. He was thrown off his feet from the impact and rolled across the marble tiles with a grunt, his blade forgotten and sense knocked clear from his skull. He groaned at the feeling of what had to be bruises along his body, even through the Adept tier armour he wore, and his eyes lifted to seek whomever¡ªor whatever¡ªhad struck him. A kick to the jaw was his reward for curiosity, and while his senses were scrambled once again by the blow, Aurelian felt himself leave the ground and sail bodily through the air like a ragdoll. It wasn¡¯t until he crashed back into the marble, with a wheeze of pain strong enough to clear some of the rage fogging his mind, that he realised he had been physically lifted from the ground and thrown. Aurelian rolled onto his back and looked up in time to see someone appear before him with incredible speed, and then leer down at his prone form with a face that he doubted he would ever be able to scrub from his memory. Gaunt skin, the texture of parchment and almost bleached white of colour, was stretched over sharp bones that seemed to bulge grotesquely against the flesh pulled taut over them, with an appearance like elastic drawn too tight over a mask. Insane eyes the colour of old, reddish-brown rust stared out from sunken eye sockets. Each was only partially hidden beneath matted, foul-smelling green-black strands of hair foetid enough that Aurelian had to swallow back bile at its mere proximity. The features of the new arrival were decidedly male in nature, though there was a delicacy to them that might have almost been effete if not for the sheer hideousness of their state. The creature¡¯s clothes were torn, faded, moth-eaten, and bereft of any semblance of finery they must have once held. His body¡ªfor it was indeed some manner of male¡ªwas hunched awkwardly, as if he lacked the strength to keep it straight; and several sections of his exposed arms seemed to writhe with gangrenous rot that looked as if it had been there for a very long time. The creature smelled like a corpse that had baked in the sun for years beyond count, and the utter foulness of the odour almost sent Aurelian into unconsciousness. ¡°Who are you?¡± a voice akin to screeching nails demanded in an expulsion of breath layered with decay. ¡°What are you? You are impossible. You should not BE!¡± ¡°G¡ª¡± Aurelian choked off in a cough. ¡°Hm? HM?¡± ¡°Go f¡ªfuck yourself,¡± he managed to spit out. ¡°Dangerous. Nasty. Bad.¡± The creature iterated quickly in the same blood-curdling voice. ¡°Very naughty little freak. Terrible. TERRIBLE! But! But¡¡± the creature leaned in to take a deep, and almost animalistic inhale of his scent. ¡°Powerful. Young! Such potential¡ Such incandescent Soulforce. I hate it. I HATE IT. Hm! Hm¡¡± Great. Aurelian thought amid the eye-watering stench and nausea. He¡¯s fucking mental. The dull throb of Aurelian¡¯s rage had tapered to a low burn while the creature investigated him, and not for lack of passion; but instead because of intrinsic and instinctive caution. Aurelian understood, in some deep and primal way, that blind anger would serve him no purpose against¡ whatever the creature that stood before him was. On a whim, he tried using Revelate. Name: ??? Race: ??? Level: ??? Tier: ??? Health: ???/??? Description: ??? The moment he used the ability and the useless information registered to his mind, the creature¡¯s eyes narrowed and Aurelian¡¯s world abruptly turned black, white, and then refocused. He tasted blood. His condition alerts were blinking at him furiously. His ears rang and his head felt stuffy. ¡°Bad. Naughty. Very naughty!¡± a wretched, black-nailed finger wagged before his face. ¡°Analysing someone without their permission? Rude. TOO RUDE!¡± The last two words were bellowed, and then the creature heaved with effort to control itself. At some point its right hand had suddenly risen as if to strike again, and then its left hand grabbed its own right wrist, and pulled the hand down jerkily. The genuine version of this novel can be found on another site. Support the author by reading it there. ¡°No, no, cannot kill. No¡ the Master would be angry if I¡ hmm¡ hm¡¡± Aurelian felt his jaw clench. ¡°Yeees¡ yes¡ that would be ideal, would it not, handsome friend? Yes! Yeeeeees¡¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know what the fuck you¡¯re ta¡ªMmfgh!¡± Aurelian¡¯s acerbic reply was cut short by a hand suddenly holding his jaws open like a vice, and his eyes widened in horror when the creature¡ªthe Vasiri, he suspected¡ªlifted its right arm and with a sound like shucking a shellfish, it bit into its own desiccated wrist. Dragon¡¯s Resolve flared to life, but even working overtime, it was to no avail. Aurelian started to thrash with panicked strength, and leveraged every iota of Strength he had invested; all while the Vasiri giggled madly at his struggles. ¡°Writhe little morsel, writhe, writhe, SCREAM FOR ME!¡± It shivered abruptly, and its voice dropped instantly to a normal octave. ¡°Now now, hush little precious one, this will be done soon!¡± Its voice took on the same dissonant, off-kilter sing-song he had heard earlier, and Aurelian¡¯s insides clenched in sudden alarm. ¡°It¡¯s time to taste the glory of Absolum¡¯s gift.¡± It said gleefully. Aurelian distractedly noticed the creature seemed to be weeping at the same time. Then tar-like blood was sloughing down its wrist, and Aurelian let loose a strangled roar of denial and hatred, and even fear, as the globules fell¡ and landed upon his tongue. Aurelian¡¯s eyes shot as wide as they¡¯d ever been the moment its essence tainted his palate. More and more of it filled his mouth, and then the creature snapped his jaws shut, picked him up, and shook him violently. Aurelian wanted to spit out the repugnant fluid, which tasted more foul than anything he could have ever conceived of. It was like years-old dumpster juice, rotted food, sun-curdled milk, and sewer water all at the same time. The shaking, however, took him by surprise and with his jaws still firmly closed by the Vaisiri¡¯s hand; he felt his traitorous body swallow. Aurelian¡¯s eyes bulged, and he was dropped to the floor. Without a word his jaws parted, and he vomited violently onto the floor. Only bile came forth. Again and again he threw up, and despite the occasional piece of black sludge, only his own bile surfaced with consistency. Something was wrong. He could feel it. Like the onset of a fever or terrible cold, or the symptoms of the illnesses he¡¯d dealt with as a younger man. Aurelian¡¯s hands tightened against the marble, and he heaved for air while his muscles and nerves spasmed in his body, and he felt his vision distorting and twisting with hallucinogenic effects. In the same moment as the strangeness overcame him, his most pressing System alerts were partially unleashed and roared into him like a deluge. Congratulations, Aurelian Lucis Imperius! You have met the requirements to unlock the skill Mana Sight (R)! This skill allows you to see the threads of maa??????a???????a????/?????/?????/???#????$????$???????!????!????? ERROR SOULFORCE RESONANCE DETECTED: DRAGON KING SOULFORCE BOND DETECTED: DRAGON KING BLOODLINE DETECTED: ELYSEAN HYBRIDISATION EXCEPTION DETECTED SYSTEM OVERRIDE IN PROGRESS STANDBY . . . Congratulations, Aurelian Lucis Imperius! You have met the requirements to unlock the skill Dragon¡¯s Gaze (E)! Dragons are the ancient wardens of balance within the Prime Material, and through both cooperation and conflict enforced a relative Harmony between the ten core forces of existence within the Realms. Among their number, the greatest of them possessed a myriad of higher powers; not the least of which was the capacity to see and interact with the very aetheric essence of mana itself. As the bonded rider of a dragon king, you have managed to inherit this ability present only in leviathans and Primes! Pierce the veil with your monarch¡¯s gaze, Reclaimer! Dragon¡¯s Gaze is now Level 2! . . . Dragon¡¯s Gaze is now Level 12 Congratulations, Dragon¡¯s Gaze has reached Novice Tier! You have gained Experience! Congratulations, Aurelian Lucis Imperius! Hidden Conditions Met! You have managed to pierce the aetheric veil before your First Temper! Achievement: A Gaze To Pierce Heaven For successfully achieving a transcendent vision of mana, you have received the following: Title Upgrade: Aether Sage Trait: Aetheric Osmosis Large Experience Gain Congratulations, Aurelian Lucis Imperius! You have met the requirements to unlock the skill Gravitic Crush (R)! Gravity is one of the absolute forces across all the Realms, and is one of the most powerful weapons used by practitioners of the Force school of magic. Gravitic manipulation allows a spellcaster to manipulate the fabric of the world to assail their target. By sundering the veil and accessing motes of Force, you have unlocked this first ability and started down the path of Force mastery ! Let space itself heave beneath your ire, Reclaimer! Gravitic Crush is now Level 2! . . . Gravitic Crush is now Level 17! Congratulations, Gravitic Crush has reached Novice Tier! You have gained Experience! Aurelian felt the System energy roaring toward his soul, and yet still it was not done. He opened his mouth and screamed, bellowing with enough raw and horrified pain, disgust, and terror to drown out all other noise in his surroundings. He could feel cramping in his muscles, acid in his throat, and blood pumping in his veins. That same blood was thickening, corroding, and rotting. He could feel himself decaying every second, and being violated in the most horrific and terrible mana conceivable by the Essence¡ªand truly, it was Essence¡ªeven then churning within his body. Aurelian felt Dragon¡¯s Resolve roaring to keep him sane. It was barely succeeding. He could distantly, like a distant roar, hear the Vasiri laugh-weeping madly; and yet he had no attention to spare for the creature. All he knew was the burning in his veins, the poison in his belly, and the certainty that something terrible wrong was occurring within the deepest recesses of his physical self. And still, still the alerts came unabated. Congratulations, Aurelian Lucis Imperius! You have met the requirements to unlock the skill Calamity¡¯s Blade (T)! In ages past, the first Calamity sundered the tethers between Gods and Mortals, and dispatched the dominion held by the denizens of the Highest over their mortal subjects. With the passing of the first Calamity, such feats were thought of only as legends, for none who came after ever truly rose to be her equal. Until now. Take with both hands this sword of Damocles, and unleash your judgement! Let justice be done, though the Heavens may fall, Reclaimer! Calamity¡¯s Blade is now Level 2! . . . Calamity¡¯s Blade is now Level 6! Congratulations, Aurelian Lucis Imperius! Hidden Conditions Met! You have managed to fulfil part of the hopes of your summoning patrons! Achievement: A New Calamity Rises For successfully achieving the reclamation of a Transcendent skill, you have received the following: Title: Defiant Trait: Godsbane Large Experience Gain B1 | Chapter 40: Calamity Aurelian felt himself unravelling. It was a feeling of evisceration magnitudes worse, even, than when he¡¯d been hit by an endless wave of System alerts during the fight against the skeletons. It was something beyond that. Something outside of even the same category of mere pain. His soul was on fire, and he was being torn apart by acid in the same moment as a torrential deluge of System energy raged through his veins, almost in counterbalance to the poison searing and corrupting his blood vessels. He was being destroyed on a fundamental level, and the fabric of his very existence was being scoured away; sloughed toward oblivion to make room for some grotesque caricature of himself. The corrosive mana from the Vasiri¡¯s blood was warping him. The energy was a venom, excreted and infused within him without his consent. It festered and spread, leaching out to the rest of him like a sickness he could neither halt nor abate. He screamed still, and even the blood flecking his lips from the tearing of his abused oesophagus was no more than an idle prick against the awareness of his tortured psyche. Aurelian felt himself spasming and shuddering, and he squeezed his eyes shut. It was a feeling comparable to acid in his blood, and like spines of hateful malice stabbing and slashing at every nerve. He was being torn apart by rusty nails, dragged along an asphalt littered with broken glass, and forced through a sliding tunnel lined with razor blades. The corrosion was akin to dying, over and over, with the chemical burns of dissolving hatred searing away all that he knew, and all that he was. It was an inevitable course of utter destruction, and he knew, to the depths of his soul, that he would emerge wrong. He would emerge as a nightmare imitation of what he had been. He would be driven mad in a way that no magic, no healing, no act of compassion could ever rectify. He was being enslaved to something beyond himself, beyond mortal comprehension; and he could almost feel the unseen power¡¯s insane glee. Its triumph was dark and gluttonous, and putrescent with malice. There had to be something he could do. There had to be a recourse. The taint reached for his bond with Bahamut. NO! Dragon¡¯s Resolve exploded within his mind in a searing corona of light, and the vile intrusion was stopped dead. You will not take him from me! He mentally screamed. You will not have Bahamut! Aurelian exerted his will like an imagined steel bulwark within his mind, and behind that immutable wall he sheltered the energy thread connecting his Core to Bahamut, protecting the steel cable of prismatic force that wound itself into his very Soulforce. With the last dregs of his will, he locked it away behind Dragon¡¯s Resolve. There has to be¡ Something¡ A memory, abruptly, burned through his mind unbidden.
¡°Unique traits are incredibly, incredibly rare. I suppose you surmised that from the name, though. There are no set-in-stone approaches to how to handle such things, but my advice would be to wait until a moment presents itself where you might turn a bane into a boon.¡±Aurelian¡¯s mind reeled with recollection as he unravelled. The gears turned, and he thought he felt Bael¡¯tharax¡¯s presence urging him on.
¡°A bane into a boon? Like a curse or something?¡± ¡°Yes, actually,¡± Tarixi had said with an approving nod. ¡°That is exactly the right circumstance.¡±Aurelian threw his will at the System, and with every ounce of his Willpower, he demanded what he was owed. The System complied, and Aurelian almost thought he heard triumph in its song. The venom in his veins abruptly surged. In his delerium, a woman¡¯s voice, one he swore he had never heard, spoke to him. Be at peace, O Nephilim. Her voice was like starlight, and cool spring water. Let go. Despite all protestation to the insanity, and for all that his natural suspicion screamed at him, Aurelian felt a sudden surge of vigour fill him when the voice spoke¡ªand with a faith and surety that he would never be able to identify the origins of, he did as he was instructed¡ and he let go. Aurelian sighed in acceptance, and the venom was unleashed to rampage like a tide. It flooded his veins and body with rivers of muck and hatred, and flushed through his anatomy like coolant in an engine. Its path was viscous and unyielding, and just when it reached his Core space at last, something changed. The sense of wrongness warbled, and Aurelian almost thought he heard something distant scream in enraged denial¡ªand sudden fear. The corrupted and twisted power turned from a sickening, tar-like black to a vital scarlet which burned as bright as a star, and it smashed into his Core. Aurelian howled and slammed his fists against the marble without conscious thought, and the Vasiri cackled; oblivious to what was happening within. The lines of toxic virulence had transformed into something beyond his wildest imaginings, and Aurelian saw something in that moment that the new power surged into his Core: a tether. A bond of green-black malice. A filament of will and connection attempting to slither its way toward his prismatic Core and into its totality. To succeed where it would otherwise fail. To erode him. To twist him. To own him. Calamity¡¯s Blade manifested in his Core like a newborn sun. The vine of Absolum¡¯s Intent froze. The Vasiri went still. Aurelian snarled, and with a sound like an evangelical crescendo, the blade cut. Radiance exploded throughout his mind, his soul, and his Core like a supernova; and Aurelian felt his back hit the floor. His eyes focused on the Vasiri when he landed on his armoured spine, and he felt cold and bony hands around his throat. The creature started squeezing while desperate, gibbering sounds of hatred fell from its lips. He felt hot, racid breath wash against his face, and saw the creature weeping, laughing, and raging at all at once. He couldn¡¯t have fought back if he¡¯d wanted to. Whatever was happening to his body, to his mind, and to his soul was all he could focus on. It was too much, too fast, and with too great of a potency. There was no room for fighting back, or even attempting to move himself in a meaningful way. He could only lie upon the marble and gurgle as he was strangled to death, too inwardly focused on keeping his Core in-tact to defend himself. He was too caught up in the changes wracking his body. The Vasiri raised one of its hands from his throat, its expression a mix of confusion, fascination, rage, hatred, and fear. It was heaving for breath, and Aurelian could see¡ something¡ extending out from its Core. A flicker. A twisting shape. Something recognisable. A kind of thick, rotting cable of corrupt mana stretching up, up, and beyond his vision; into the skies beyond the glass ceiling. The fingers on the Vasiri¡¯s raised hand straightened, and its black fingernails lengthened into razor talons. It stared at him, and Aurelian almost thought he saw hope, or some semblance of bitter self-loathing in its rusty, mad gaze. ¡°Just¡ªjust a boy!¡± it spat. Aurelian¡¯s vision started to blacken at the edges. AURELIAN! The platinum tether connecting his Soulforce to Bahamut¡¯s ignited. The Vasiri had barely started to bring down its hand when a roar shook the room, echoing the same primal force of Bael¡¯tharax¡¯s power that Aurelian had himself unleashed earlier. The creature spun around in shock and terror, and screamed when a mass of black scales and platinum crashed into it¡ªand sent it careening off of Aurelian. A scything tail whipped through the air, shimmering with platinum spines, and its spearhead-like tip sliced through the Vasiri¡¯s eyes in a spray of grotesque blood and essence. The desiccated monster screamed in pain and rage, and before it could do anything more, Bahamut roared again. Dragonfire exploded across the Vasiri¡¯s body, and sent it staggering backward as Bahamut seared it alive. The dragon¡¯s jaws were parted, his golden eyes affixed upon the Vasiri, and a look of unbridled hatred etched within the radiant luminosity of his gaze. Aurelian barely had time to savour the giddy relief that flowed through him before the last of the blazing crimson light was absorbed by his Core, and his body abruptly jerked upward. Pain flensed all feeling from his body at once. Pain he¡¯d thought could never be felt. Pain that moved into the realm of transcendent, soul-deep agony. He couldn¡¯t even scream. He couldn¡¯t breathe. He couldn¡¯t think. It was all he could do to ward off the level-ups. A cascade of System alerts consumed his vision before he could stop them. Congratulations, Aurelian Lucis Imperius! Hidden Conditions Met! You have managed to achieve an ancient form of existence unseen by the Realms in aeons! If you encounter this tale on Amazon, note that it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it. Achievement: Deus ex Anima For successfully achieving another feat of singular creation, you have received the following: Title: Primogenitor Trait: Sanguinated Resource: Anima Congratulations, Aurelian Lucis Imperius! You have met the requirements to unlock the resource Anima! Anima is the power of animation, distilled and converted into manipulable essence. It is the truest incarnation of vital power, and has been lost to the Realms since the fall of the Elden. You have, by your actions, assumed the inheritance of their Crimson Mantle, and gained access to this most ancient and forgotten resource. Anima was once as closely tied to the power of Elden Cultivators as Health, Mana, and Stamina¡ªand by your actions, may yet be so again! Another reclamation has begun, Reclaimer! Congratulations, Aurelian Lucis Imperius! You have met the requirements to unlock the skill Anima Syphon (E)! The Vasiri are known for their ability to sustain themselves on the Life Essence of their foes. You have gained this ability, though yours is its form uncorrupted by the machinations of Absolum, and is instead the lost legacy of the Elden Blood Lords. You may choose to reap the remnant power of any creatures around you which are recently dead, or too weak to resist; increasing your Anima reserves in the process, should the creatures possess enough for you to harvest. Your mortal cunning outwits the Gods, Reclaimer! Congratulations, Aurelian Lucis Imperius! You have met the requirements to unlock the skill Anima Conversion (E)! The Vasiri¡¯s ability to harvest Life Essence allowed them to restore wounds, regenerate mana, and supplement their stamina with impunity. Though their method was flawed and drove them mad, yours is not. As the successor of the Blood Lords of Eld, you may harness the very essence of your foes against them, and use their claimed vitality power to your own. The power that animates your foes is but fuel for your undying fire, should you so desire it. Now death itself may grant you life, Reclaimer! Congratulations, Aurelian Lucis Imperius! You have met the requirements to unlock the skill Anima Infusion (E)! The Vasiri are prolific Necromancers, due wholly to the tainted Life and Nature mana Absolum corrupts within their Cores during the process of conversion. Unlike the crude affectations of lesser infusion used by these puppeteering monstrosities, however, yours is the Infusion once mastered by the Blood Lords of Eld. You may expend Anima to grant the dead a new life, bound to your service and yet possessed of a mind, and will, all their own. Beware that this is not a form of true resurrection. These servants will function as they did in life, but with the undying bodies and relentless ferocity of the Arisen¡ªbound to your power and bloodline with a loyalty that cannot be broken. Every monarch needs a loyal Army, Reclaimer! Congratulations, Aurelian Lucis Imperius! You have met the requirements to unlock the skill Anima Diffusion (E)! Creation and destruction have ever been two parts of the same coin, and the abilities of Necromancers are no exception. Already you may raise and forge Arisen to stand with you unwaveringly, but now also may you return them to the embrace of Death should you wish it. Merely will it and speak the word of command, and the Anima sustaining them will be diffused and lost. You hold the power of life and death, Reclaimer! Aurelian felt toxins erupt out of his pores the instant the alerts ceased cascading, and a wave of slush and muck as black as the void twisted and seethed upon the tiles from between the gaps of his plate. He barely had moments to gag on the stench of it, stinking like burning hair, and sulphur, and rotted eggs; and then it started evaporating into putrescent fumes of shadowy filth. Where remnants of the deluge of corrosive expulsion failed to find gaps in his platemail, it simply wafted out in the same black smog; leaving behind a stench, but no mark nor stain to speak of. His awareness was shaky at best, and his sense of self was¡ jumbled. So much had changed. So much in such a short amount of time. He could still barely make sense of what the System had told him, and the effort of attempting to bring his mind back into focus felt almost herculean. He felt enervated by the harrowing pain that had torn apart his sense of reality, and the very thought of moving was¡ exhausting. Bahamut roared again, and Aurelian forced his head to fall to the other side. His eyes searched, and found the dragon engaged with the Vasiri. ¡°Bahamut¡¡± he rasped in confusion, disbelief, relief, and hope. ¡°Safe¡?¡± Joy ran parallel to bone-deep exhaustion. It was hard to orient his mind, and harder to think clearly. He could barely remember what had happened leading up to that moment, and he found moving akin to trying to lift a boulder with his bare hands. At least, by the reckoning of his strength on earth. His eyes sought the dragon again, and he noted the shimmer of Bahamut¡¯s runes, the dark beauty of his scales, and the glimmer of his platinum claws, teeth, horns, and spines. Aurelian shifted his attention back to the Vasiri, and knew he had to act. He had to do something before the creature managed to truly strike back. Bahamut¡¯s attack had surprised and terrified it, susceptible as it was to the newborn Dragon King¡¯s fiery magic; but Aurelian knew the shock would not last. The Vasiri would recover, and the hatchling would be in danger the moment it did. Aurelian gritted his teeth. He might have been physically incapable, but magically¡ He reached into himself and activated Dragon¡¯s Sight with an instinctive pressure upon the skill. Immediately the world changed, and it was as if a new spectrum of vision had been awakened to his eyes, and allowed him to see the fundamental elements that comprised the reality of the Realms He spied motes of ten different colours, and he instinctively knew each one correlated to a different form of magic. How he knew that was something he¡¯d worry about later. His eyes moved rapidly while he searched for what he wanted, and he felt his mana cycling and ramping rapidly within his useless body. In rare cases he spied motes that correlated to no specific magical school: prismatic balls of energy that he knew to be unaspected mana. He noted those for later consideration, however. Aurelian had a task to complete. He extended his awareness back toward the Vasiri and searched carefully, looking for what he¡¯d seen earlier. He noticed motes of fire mana from Bahamut¡¯s attack, of light mana, of death mana and twisted life mana, and corrupted nature mana. He saw motes of shadow mana and motes of pure mana, but he could not find the ¡®cord¡¯. He narrowed his eyes and focused harder, fully aware of the time limit that was the Vasiri¡¯s ruined eyes, and fully aware that Bahamut needed him to act soon. He pushed past what he could see and into what he could sense. He layered his instinctive comprehension of aether over his mind. Aurelian pushed his mana cycle to its maximum output, and then beyond. His Core screamed, and his eyes bled at the corners from exertion. His body shook while he gritted his teeth and ramped up the blinding speed of his bolted together spherical Core to its maximum rotation within the bands of platinum force that had forged its framework. A single, ethereal chime of esoteric power rang out within his mind. And then, at last, it was there. A thick cable of rotting green and black mana, forged from pain, fear, and malice. It ascended up from the solar plexus over Vasiri¡¯s Core, through the ceiling and into the heavens far above. It was a tether of unimaginable proportions, a malleable pylon, a link to something far beyond the capacity for his mind to properly grasp, even while he factored its existence into his plans. He had felt an echo of that very influence attempt to pierce his own Core when he¡¯d changed the Vasiri¡¯s power, and for him now to truly witness it first-hand¡ he knew then that, had he not excised the filaments remaining with his own body, and if he had let that malicious splinter enter his Core; he might very well have been subsumed, much as the Vasiri had been subsumed. ¡°But not today,¡± he wheezed whilst lifting his left hand shakily. Soulforce ignited in a roar within his exhausted body, and Aurelian felt his Core spinning unceasingly. He could feel changes occurring even then, feel the scarlet power of Eld, the essence of his Sanguinated trait, and the force of his own internal Anima surging across the Core¡¯s surface, and coating it in a thin layer of film. The bands of platinum served as the framework, and the vital energy worked to diffuse the aetheric friction between the bands and the interior nucleus, while the shimmering scarlet power formed the spectre of what would eventually become, he suspected, his Attunement stage Calamity Core. That, however, was not what concerned him at that moment. Aurelian¡¯s attention was fixated on the massive, braided cable of rotting divine power. Its thickness was comparable to the largest of bridge-cables on Earth, and it radiated a sense of abject wrongness and abominable domination that set his teeth on edge. Aurelian glared at the sight of it, and instinctively once more he wove together mana and Soulforce. He twined, and twisted, and threaded, and knotted it carefully and with precision; his eyes tracking the Vasiri as it tried and failed multiple times to get to Bahamut. Above the pair of them, a Soulforce-wrapped mana construct began to take form. The dragon, meanwhile, used a combination of flight and fire to keep the Vasiri at bay, and even its undead forces failed to render aid. That was smart of the Necromancer, Aurelian recognised grudgingly. Likely, the Vasiri worried what the dragon¡¯s fire would do when exposed to an entire legion of essence-corrupted skeletons. Conflagration is a neat word. He thought to himself deliriously, and spat out blood. Aurelian¡¯s smile was strained when it came, and he felt sweat pouring across his features with every second he continued to gather mana and Soulforce. It was an exercise in focus, magical capability, and sheer force of Intent that was buoyed by his Dragon¡¯s Resolve. He could feel it like a heavens-shaking roar within his mind and Core, curling protectively around his sense of self, and lashing away any intrusive negative emotions. The nascent, bladed construct above the Vasiri¡¯s shifting body began to grow in stability, but he knew he needed more. He all but emptied his reserves, and those that had been given to him, while staring at the corded bond between the Vasiri and its god. He poured everything he had into the formation of the shimmering shape of light, and heat, and power. His Soulforce roared like a stoked furnace, his Core spun with a dizzying velocity that hummed with a bass note of music he knew, intrinsically, to be his own. The last of his mana sank into the weapon, and then Aurelian found more. The motes of power within the air shifted, drifted, and slammed into the construct. More and more energy moved throughout the space, drawn like water to a whirlpool, or like matter to a black hole; all while the spell grew ever-more incandescent with power. The strain on Aurelian¡¯s mind set him to clenching his teeth. His nose leaked blood from a mild hemorrhagic reaction. His body shook with the first beginnings of shock, which he knew would lead to eventual organ failure. His vision doubled and distorted with pressure, and he felt blood vessels rupture¡ªwhich he ignored thanks to Pain Tolerance and Dragon¡¯s Resolve. His eardrums shook from the frequency of the construct, though only he could hear it. His eyes ran with consistent tears of blood, and Aurelian pushed his body until surely, surely he would break. Yet still, beyond all hope for restoration of his physical self, he pushed¡ªpushed until every iota of himself was thrown into the forming Skill. A blonde woman, attired in elegant white robes, grinned in victorious approval. Return to the Realms what we could not protect, noble Reclaimer. A raven-haired man, his body bedecked in runic plate, smiled at him warmly. You are our final gift to the lost children of Elysea, honoured Nephilim. Their hands linked together, and they bowed their heads in fealty. Calamity¡¯s Children to Calamity¡¯s Heir, we acknowledge your Coronation. Magical energy filled him in a radiant tidal wave of power. LET JUSTICE BE DONE, THOUGH THE HEAVENS MAY FALL! Then at last, with a triumphant musical note of pure power, it was complete. Aurelian grinned in blood-soaked triumph. Scarlet threads of aether-lightning crackled and coruscated around the shape of the Skill, which itself manifested as an immense sword made of light and fire¡ªone which burned with Intent. ¡°Eat shit, Absolum,¡± he croaked to the god he hoped was watching. Aurelian¡¯s left hand made a weak cutting motion with the last of his physical strength. Calamity¡¯s Blade, blazing like a sun, severed the Divine Tether like a guillotine. The Vasiri screamed when the cord was sheared away, the arboretum exploded with light, and everything went black. B1 | Chapter 41: Detainment and Discourse Suraiya watched Lycinia walk with a mix of consternation, fear, and overriding confusion. It had been over three hours since their convoy had been taken captive, and even after they had been reunited with the rest of their people; the Elyseans¡¯ pace had not wavered. Suraiya had expected some measure of caution or wariness from the Desolation natives, but instead they appeared to prefer speed above all else, and answered her concerns about the blightspawn with polite indifference at best, and hostile dismissal at worst. The latter was the most common, she¡¯d found. The Princess had learned quickly that Lycinia was the best person to stay near, after she¡¯d attempted to wander off and interrogate a different one of their captors, all in the vain hopes of extracting some measure of knowledge out of them. She could recall it vividly, like a bad memory of personal clumsiness she wished she could erase. Valour had cantered some small distance away from Lycinia, toward the more interior parts of their new convoy arrangement, which had the Stormharrow natives sequestered between a surrounding perimeter of Elyseans twice their number. The few attempts at resistance, or tries for freedom, had resulted in a thrashing that had ensured the souls attempting it would not make the same mistake twice. It had been all Suraiya could do to convince the Elyseans¡ªspecifically Lycinia, who seemed to lead them¡ªto spare their lives. She had exchanged firm nods and reassuring smiles with those who had met her eyes when she ventured Valour into the convoy¡¯s ranks, and though few returned more than a grim stare or look of worry; she did see straighter backs and firmer footsteps among those that received her attention. Her perceived lack of concern was, in some measure, enough to embolden their spirits. For the moment. When Valour finally crossed the distance to her target location, Suraiya had guided the courser up beside an Elysean striding across the desiccated earth with an almost jovial, loping stride. He was attired in the same manner as the rest of them, with white linen reminiscent of bandages obscuring every inch of his visible skin, a scarf wound tightly over his face and head to leave only his hair and eyes visible, and an obfuscating black-brown cloak that covered his body with only his arms, legs, and head visible. He¡¯d carried three short spears and a chitinous buckler as armament, with a curved shortbow and quiver for good measure. She had wondered momentarily if he also possessed a sheathed scimitar on his hip, as she had seen so many of the others carrying in the infrequent moments their cloaks had been brushed back, or tousled by the stop-and-start dry breeze. ¡°Hello,¡± she had greeted him in her most charming voice, after properly entering his proximity atop Valour. ¡°Might I ask for a moment of your time, Ser?¡± Suraiya had injected every ounce of charisma and ¡®princess charm¡¯ she possessed. His response had been less than optimal. ¡°I have little enough time for you Godsworn bastards without being nattered at by a propped up doll, girl.¡± the warrior had replied in a voice so venomous it had made her reel back as if he¡¯d actually slapped her. ¡°Take your untempered backside away from me, before I decide to discover whether your pale peach of an arse turns red or blue when beaten.¡± Suraiya had opened her mouth, closed it, opened it again¡ and then to her shame, she¡¯d chosen discretion over boldness and had promptly heeled Valour away and back towards Lycinia. If she had returned to the woman¡¯s proximity a little faster than she¡¯d left, and closer than she had originally been, that was simply something the princess had chosen to poignantly not notice. Lycinia had of course laughed at her return, and addressed her with the same mirth colouring her regal voice. ¡°I take it Voranis had no interest in enlightening you as to what our purpose is?¡± ¡°How did¡ª?¡± Suraiya had sighed and given up before even finishing the question. ¡°No he did not. He was quite¡ direct about the consequence of continuing to disturb him.¡± ¡°I¡¯d tell you not to take it personally, your highness, but unfortunately I would be lying.¡± Lycinia had shrugged at her in a disconcertingly casual manner. ¡°For all that you may not understand or even comprehend, the reality is that you are as much the enemy as the rest of your gods-licking sycophants.¡± ¡°I cannot correct some perceived wrong if I do not even know the charge!¡± She had retorted with a flare of frustration and perhaps some residual anger from the embarrassing conversation with Voranis. ¡°Perhaps not,¡± Lycinia had conceded, ¡°but are thieves not condemned regardless of whether or not they knew that theft was illegal? Are traitors not hanged regardless of their motivations for the treason? You may plead ignorance, Suraiya Karelian, but ignorance does not exonerate a criminal in your homeland¡ªand it does not exonerate one here, either.¡± Suraiya had not been able to formulate a response to that, and the conversation had ended there. So they continued on, and what few attacks by belligerent blightbeasts that emerged were crushed by the hardened warriors that had taken their convoy captive. Suraiya had taken to watching Lycinia as time went on, largely because the blighted and black-brown landscape around them¡ªeven with the occasional hill or noxious pond thrown in to ¡®spice¡¯ things up¡ªwas uninspiring at best and existentially terrifying at worst, reminding her of how far and out of reach they were from any chance of rescue. Watching Lycinia was, by comparison, downright cathartic. A perplexing desire to try to bridge the cavernous divide between her and the strange, charismatic woman had gripped Suraiya ceaselessly despite her best attempts at shaking it. Since the moment they¡¯d first been corralled and led off she¡¯d developed a growing fascination for how easily Lycinia controlled the Elyseans around her, and how respectfully deferential they were to her every word. The woman had only to offer a glance or alter her tone, and it was the same effect as a general bellowing at the top of his lungs, or a king lavishing riches and praise upon a victorious knight after a tourney. Lycinia was the fulcrum around which the entire group revolved. Even Titus¡ªwho Suraiya had noticed refused to do more than glare at her and the rest of her people like they had kicked his pet hound¡ªdeferred to Lycinia, though it was almost akin to a grudging sort of acceptance. Not unlike the interactions between family members. It was an observation she¡¯d filed away for later review. No matter how much Suraiya observed Lycinia and her interactions however, there was an air of enigmatic mystery to the woman that no amount of passive observation¡ªeven after being trained in it for the Royal Court¡ªcould properly pierce. It hung over Lycinia thicker than the cloak that obfuscated her body, and with greater saturation than the damnable heat of the accursed blightlands that they travelled through. As much to distract herself as to see if their recent misadventures had netted her further improvements, Suraiya pulled up her personal information on a whim. Name: Suraiya Vasilia Augusta Tollarius Karelian Temper: Untempered Novice Core: Radiance Core (Ignition Stage) Level: 24 | Race: Human (C) | Origin: Highborn (E) | Gender: Female | Zodiac: Lion (E) Health: 250 | Mana: 136 | Stamina: 130 STR: 43 (47) | AGI: 31 | DEX: 31 | VIT: 25 | END: 35 | INT: 34 | PER: 22 (24) | WIL: 34 | CHA: 55 Love this novel? Read it on Royal Road to ensure the author gets credit. Mind Skills: Analyse (C) 23 | Linguistics (UC) 18 | Political Intrigue (R) 22 | Persuasion (UC) 22 | Investigation (UC) 19 | Strong Mind (UC) 24 | Tactician (R) 15 | Leadership (R) 22 Body Skills: Pain Tolerance (UC) 23 | Breath Control (UC) 28 | Greatsword Mastery (C) 29 | Running (C) 28 | Equestrian (UC) 32 | Mounted Combat (R) 22 | Dodge (C) 33 | Durable (UC) 21 | Fire Resistance (UC) 12 | Ice Resistance (UC) 9 | Lightning Resistance (UC) 8 | Poison Resistance (R) 17 Spirit Skills: Mana Channelling (UC) 23 | Inspiring Presence (R) 21 | Empathic Link (E) 21 | Radiant Strike (R) 20 | Sacred Flame (R) 23 Traits: Royal Scion (E) | Fast Learner (E) | Blightbane (R) Titles: Princess (E) | Knight (R) | Blight Hunter (R) Languages: Common 34% to Level 25 You have 2 Skill Points Available! You have 1 Skill Upgrade Point Available! Her time in the Desolation had been, if nothing else, incredible for her advancement. Between the bonus Strength from her new Blightbane Trait and Blight Hunter Title, and the new levels across her Skills as well as the three Attribute Points she invested in Vitality, Suraiya was far stronger than she¡¯d been when she¡¯d departed Stormharrow. The silly girl in silks and a crown had been left behind to die under the claws of Skarnids days ago. Only the warrior-princess of Stormharrow remained. Well, for as much as that was worth at any rate. She dismissed the data at the same time as her eyes swept the forces surrounding her and her people, and her momentarily buoyed spirit dampened once more; as readily as if she had been thrown under one of those massive, oppressive-looking cloaks covering each of the Elyseans. She was fairly certain she¡¯d have cooked if she¡¯d been forced to wear one. An idea for discourse occurred to her in that instant, and she pounced on it. ¡°Lycinia, may I ask you a question?¡± Suraiya said while heeling Valour forward. ¡°I don¡¯t see why not.¡± the Elysean woman replied accommodatingly. ¡°The cloaks you all wear seem rather heavily stitched for the land you travel. I already know you all to be far more capable than my own retinue, but I must confess to some level of bewilderment. Are you not near to melting beneath those layers?¡± Lycinia had turned to look at her when she¡¯d started speaking, and by time Suraiya finished, the Elysean woman had fixed an impressed look on her. ¡°Well well, princess. You are sharp. What a fantastic way of disarming me.¡± ¡°I was not¡ª!¡± ¡°Very well.¡± Lycinia cut in as if Suraiya had not spoken. ¡°I will play your game. To answer your question: no, the cloaks are neither oppressive nor restrictive. They are stitched with runic choirs that repel the heat, maintain a stable interior temperature, and allow for greater blending in with the landscape. It is why even the scouts that weren¡¯t working for us never found those we sent to observe you.¡± Political Intrigue is now Level 23! ¡°I see¡¡± Suraiya said with genuine surprise at the wealth of offered knowledge. ¡°And the, ah, bandages?¡± she ventured hopefully. ¡°Tch. You¡¯re too greedy, Suraiya. Too greedy by half¡¡± despite her words Lycinia¡¯s tone was amused, and perhaps even just a little approving. ¡°The wraps are called sarvellum. They protect us from the contagion and purify our bodies of its clinging taint.¡± ¡°The what?!¡± Suraiya asked with sudden, and genuine alarm. ¡°You have not noticed your poison resistance gradually increasing?¡± Lycinia asked with an amused tone. ¡°It is because of these lands. Absolum and Eidania took advantage of things to corrode Elysea, following the Fall.¡± Lycinia spread her arms and Suraiya could hear the sarcasm in her voice when she continued, though it was spoken without overt malice. ¡°Witness the glory of your gods, princess. Their great work stretches all around you, in blatant defiance of all of Solarius¡¯ supposed teachings of righteousness and beatific protection.¡± Suraiya stared around them with a hollow feeling in her gut. ¡°That¡ that can¡¯t be true, surely. I know you have queer ideas about the gods, Lycinia, but this¡ everyone knows the Desolation was caused by the¡ª¡± ¡°Elyseans?¡± Lycinia asked with mirthless laughter. ¡°Saying ¡®everyone knows¡¯ is no different to saying ¡®the lies we are fed¡¯, princess. You have lived under the thumb and thrall of the Grand Ascendancy all of your life, and yet somehow you have managed to completely miss the rot that extends out from its foundations, and infects everything.¡± Suraiya licked her lips at the disdain in Lycinia¡¯s voice. ¡°There are always a few rotten¡ª¡± ¡°Solarius is a lying piece of shit, Suraiya.¡± Lycinia cut in flatly. ¡°Your vaunted ¡®King of Kings¡¯ stole that title from the true one, much like he stole the narrative of the Prime Material. I do not blame you, per se, for your utter lack of understanding. After all, you are a victim of their dogmatic influence perhaps more than many others, given your¡ª¡± she sighed abruptly and shook her head. ¡°Given my what?¡± Suraiya prodded immediately with an interrogative tone. ¡°It does not matter right now,¡± Lycinia said with a dismissive wave. ¡°All will be revealed to you in time, and there are some things that are not my place to unveil. Fear not. You¡¯ll have your chance to rail against the injustice of it all in short order. We are getting close.¡± ¡°I¡¡± Suraiya sighed and gave up the argument before she began. Lycinia was not a woman easily budged, she knew, and if she was under orders to obfuscate then it was very likely she¡¯d be as likely to violate the command as Ser Gilbert. A pang of deep concern, and fear, struck her at the thought of her bodyguard, and shame flushed her cheeks a dark red. She had been so caught up in observing Lycinia that she had barely spared a thought for her valiant protector, spirited away like so much refuse by the mysterious ¡®Nicoli¡¯ Lycinia had refused to elaborate on. The man had to be Fourth Temper, but the implications of that were¡ Suraiya shook her head. Ser Gilbert would be okay. The man was built from adamantite. Instead, she focused again on her surroundings and the announcement that they were ¡®close¡¯. ¡°I see nothing but more accursed blight for miles.¡± Suraiya said finally. ¡°The land here is flat enough that I can see to the horizon. Unless your mysterious Sanctuary is underground somehow, I don¡¯t see how we could be any closer now than we were three hours past.¡± ¡°Underground? You have some odd notions, Suraiya.¡± Lycinia replied with amusement, and a seeming return to casual cordiality. ¡°My notions are sound, thank you.¡± Suraiya replied with a habitual sniff of regal disapproval. ¡°I may be out of my element in this forsaken hellscape, but I¡¯ll have you know that I am quite capable of seeing a settlement on a flat plane, and there is nothing here!¡± ¡°Patience, princess.¡± Lycinia said with the same amused tone. ¡°You¡¯ll see soon.¡± Suraiya held her tongue at the other woman¡¯s words, but her mind raced. The only logical alternative to a settlement on the Desolation¡¯s craggy expanse would be some sort of underground safe haven, or far less likely one of the legendary soaring cities rumoured to exist through the Realmgates. Suraiya had never had reason or permission to venture to the other Realms, especially without a single Tempering to her name; but she had heard stories. Supposedly there were entire cities in Aevum or Hellistrom that soared through the clouds on pieces of earth torn up by the power of ancient mages, but she found it unlikely¡ªno matter what she¡¯d been told by supposed first-hand sources. The other Realms were already miniscule compared to the Prime Material, and their only real purpose was to delve into the myriad dungeons and Worldshards that appeared in their domains. Even then it was often safer, and far less expensive, to simply partake in one of the many Dungeons that formed in the Prime Material. Travelling the Realms was made out to be glamorous, but in truth it was little more than an exercise in thrill-seeking. The only known exceptions to such were the Faewyld, the Void, and of course; the Highest. Mortals were not meant to enter such places, and even the Faewyld¡ªthe most accessible of the three Higher Realms¡ªwas at best only mostly guaranteed to kill you. If its denizens and creatures didn¡¯t drive you mad, or enslave you first. Even thinking about visiting any of the Realms in too large of a group was reckless bordering on suicidal, however, and so she ruled out the idea of a Realmgate housing the Sanctuary that Lycinia had spoken of. It was well-documented that taking too many souls through a Realmgate attracted¡ unwanted attention. Nightmare attention. The kind that kept little princesses up at all hours of the night shivering in remembered terror. She bit her lip at the thought, and divested herself of the images that arose. Her eyes swept across the Desolation once more, and Suraiya tightened her armoured hands on the reins of her horse. Some things were best left unknown. B1 | Chapter 42: The Nine Aurelian floated in darkness. It surrounded him with an absolute, eerie lack of anything that was beyond mere silence. It was a void, an absence that was difficult to quantify for his own mind. It was terrifying in an existential and all-consuming way, one which made his once-monkey-brain want to thrash and tremble in panic, and yet in the same moment; he was calm. Illogically and absolutely calm, in a manner that defied all reason for what was happening. His eyes lowered to his body, and he realised he could see himself. In truth he was the only visible thing anywhere. Perhaps everywhere. The glow from his body was almost an inverted colour filter when it left the immediate proximity of itself, warping into a number of mutant shades, and deviating hues, which transcended all common sense. He was fascinated, at the same moment as being horrified at what was happening. Was he dead? Was this some sort of oblivion? ¡°What is going on¡?¡± No sooner had the words left his mouth than Aurelian felt a sudden tug on his awareness, and abruptly he was moving. It was almost impossible to parse how he knew he was moving, but motion was certainly in occurrence and while he saw nothing to immediately indicate the speed or direction of his locomotion, he could feel himself closing distance with something. First at a steady rate, and then at an ever-increasing velocity, to where he was almost positive he would eventually hit relativistic speeds. It was an insane thought, and yet he could not even begin to explain¡ªeven to himself¡ªthe certainty that pervaded the mental assessment. On and on he moved, through blackness that warped light and colour, and toward an infinite nothing which seemed in no hurry to become something. It felt like seconds at the same time as it felt like hours, and Aurelian almost began to grow bored at the feeling of movement. Instead, he focused inward and searched for some semblance of normalcy. Within himself he found the elucidated image of his Core once again, its prismatic heart rapidly spinning within a skein of scarlet mana that continued a steady shift from transparent to opaque, like a settling liquid. It was almost thickening, and deepening in tone and substance¡ªall while it covered, and secured, his vulnerable interior Core from external threat. Above the layer of liquid mana that represented his Sanguinated trait and Anima control, the bands of platinum force¡ªwhich he instinctively knew were empowered and strengthened both by Bael¡¯tharax¡¯s mana and Bahamut¡¯s bond¡ªformed a criss-crossing formation of braces, or bands, around his Core ten strong. Visualising his Calamity Core head on and without the advantage of a spherical perspective, it appeared like a glowing circle; veiled in scarlet, and lined with a ten-pointed formation upon its surface. It was only when he examined it from other angles, and its spherical truth, that he saw those bands hovered a fraction of a millimetre higher than the cardinal flush of energy forming the surface layer of his Core. The entire concept was so esoteric to his Earth-born brain, even knowing it did not inherently mean accepting it, and he found himself wondering on more than one instance during his seemingly endless transit whether everything in the Realms had been a fever dream, and he was about to awaken from a coma on Earth. In fact, it was during just that very lovely thought that his awareness of the nothing suddenly became the awareness of something, and Aurelian snapped his consciousness out of its meditative focus to look for what had alerted him. In the far distance, what appeared to be ten lights¡ªeach one the colour of a different type of mana¡ªhung suspended in the darkness, as massive and incomprehensible in scale as chromatic supergiants. Each one, he instinctively knew, could snuff him in the beat of a hummingbird¡¯s wings. Each one was a foe that would do its utmost to obliterate his existence, and cast him beyond all thought of creation or reality. Or perhaps, he realised, only nine were foes. The last of them, a cool silver star, was wrapped in shackles forged of the colours of all the others. It hung with them, and yet Aurelian knew it was apart. Rejected, ignored, and left in disgraced isolation. The closer he drew, the more things changed, and with a suddenness that had him gasping for air; he was smashed through some sort of invisible wall and stood within a¡ chamber. It was marbled and pillared in the manner of Ancient Greece or Great Babylon, and looked to be some sort of Acropolis, with an open sky and no walls or ceiling. Was he on top of a mountain? It was hard to tell. The author''s content has been appropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon. Inside the open chamber sat ten thrones, each one occupied by a different individual, and one broken and scorched, with rage clearly demonstrated by the appearance of its defilement. ¡°You are certain?¡± a voice of resonant authority demanded in a tone that brooked neither foolishness, nor obfuscation. ¡°I felt it.¡± the answering voice rasped urgently. ¡°I felt it, brother. Like before. Like her.¡± The interrogator sat upon the largest of the thrones, positioned beside the broken one in the same place the golden star had hung beside the silver, and his features were, in a word, divine. Sunkissed olive skin, thick blond hair with the texture of silk, and eyes like erupting supernovas, each orb laden with liquid gold that shimmered and danced within their depths. An aura of sheer power emanated from him, and his white toga¡ªa chiton, Aurelian mentally corrected himself¡ªwas clasped over his left shoulder by a miniature, blazing sun. Aurelian didn¡¯t dare to move. He had a pretty good guess who the man was. Solarius, the God of Light and the Sun. ¡°If what Absolum says is true,¡± a childish female voice interjected with the subtle singsong of spring, and grim weight of winter; ¡°then everything is at risk, Solarius. Everything. We must end the threat before it has time to permutate into something dangerous.¡± ¡°It is already dangerous, Eidania.¡± another woman interjected flatly. ¡°The question is whether the danger is manageable. We have enough supplicants that we should be able to handle one baby Nephilim. Surely.¡± ¡°Unfortunately, the System saw fit to culminate the creature¡¯s transmigration in Elysea.¡± a booming male with ebon skin, a shaved head, and a bass tone like grinding rock declared impassively. ¡°It is the one land where any use of Influence would be exorbitant beyond justification, even for our golden brother.¡± ¡°Which means that any forces we send there en masse would be subject to the lasting Intent of the Golden Duo. It is an undesirable¡ª¡± ¡°I am aware of the danger, Broseidon.¡± Solarius cut in with a silencing look at the next speaker; a man with pale skin, sea-green eyes, and black hair the colour of onyx. Aurelian noticed that the interrupted god¡¯s throne was worked with coral motifs. Did he just call him fucking BROSEIDON? That was a lot to unpack. Aurelian turned his attention back to Solarius when the God of Light continued. ¡°Similarly, I am aware of the danger the creature poses. We cannot allow a new Calamity to rise unopposed. The cost in Influence to break such a being, were it to gain traction, would be unacceptable.¡± ¡°We have accrued plenty, brother.¡± a woman with feather-light tones, and a dress of scandalously sheer material, uttered airily. Aurelian noticed crackles of lightning around her eyes. ¡°The Dragons are extinct, the Elyseans are dead, the Eternals are shackled, and the Prime Material is ours in every way that matters. Even the System cannot¡ª¡± ¡°You do not understand!¡± Absolum interrupted, and this time Aurelian turned to face him entirely. The God of Death was skinny in a sickly way, with sunken-in eyes the colour of coal, wispy grey hair that barely clung to his emaciated scalp, and thin lips that seemed pale with malnourishment. Yet his voice, despite its rasp, was strong. ¡°You have all sat happily upon your thrones ignorant of what happens, but I see. I know. I have experimented more¡ª!¡± ¡°Nobody wants to hear about your experiments.¡± another woman with a terse expression, full beckoning lips, and an alluring hourglass answered from beneath waves of green hair. ¡°You have been twisting my supplicants for cent¡ª!¡± ¡°All in the name of higher understand¡ª!¡± ¡°Filthy abominations, you mean!¡± ¡°You know noth¡ª!¡± ¡°Enough.¡± the word left Solarius¡¯ mouth with the force of a solar flare, and both deities subsided. The woman, Aurelian reasoned, was likely the Life Goddess Eidania. ¡°Your petty disputes are meaningless.¡± Solarius continued coldly. ¡°Absolum, how strong would you assume this Nephilim is?¡± ¡°Perhaps Second Temper.¡± the Death God replied with a dangerous sneer for the Life Goddess. ¡°It is unthinkable for him to have bested my Vasiri elsewise.¡± ¡°And the plan for that little remnant of Elysea in the Desolation?¡± Solarius asked. ¡°Unimpeded.¡± Absolum confirmed with a lick of his pale lips. ¡°The dead creature was simply a researcher, not a commander; and so the Severance did not end the Horde when he was struck by Calam¡ªby the spell.¡± Despite correcting himself, Aurelian noticed a palpable sense of discomfort, and perhaps even dread suffuse the assembled deities at the slight slip. Even Solarius, for all his absolute authority, appeared ever-so-slightly less composed. Their evident disdain, or perhaps even fear of Calamity¡¯s Blade was definitely something to be remembered. ¡°Then soon the problem will take care of itself.¡± Solarius continued into the abrupt silence with a calm certainty, one which Aurelian could only describe as a mix between dangerous and perhaps even a little self-assuring. ¡°A second Calamity cannot rise without a base of power from which to draw, and we have all worked hard to ensure any such possible locales are well-and-truly compromised, ever since the Calling was reported.¡± ¡°Wait!¡± one of the nine snarled suddenly. ¡°Someone is here! Someone watches!¡± A deity in purple robes stood to his feet, and his eyes turned toward where Aurelian stood. Immediately the God¡¯s purple irises lit up with power, and Aurelian felt pressure suddenly snaking its way toward him. He couldn¡¯t even turn to flee. He was trapped. Trapped with the very gods that wanted him dead. There was no escape. He was going to¡ª! ¡°Time to go, I think.¡± a familiar female voice said placidly. Aurelian turned to see a pair of liquid silver eyes looking right at him. ¡°Who are¡ª?¡± The strange woman touched his arm, and everything shattered into pieces. B1 | Chapter 43: Sanctuary ¡°It¡¯s time, Princess.¡± Lycinia¡¯s voice drew Suraiya from thoughts of the Elyseans¡¯ power and ruminations on their hidden home, and she looked down to where the veiled woman peered up at her with discerning green eyes. All around them calls for a halt, and shouts for the captured convoy to stop, were passed by cloaked Elyseans; and for a single hysterical moment Suraiya thought she was about to witness a mass execution¡ªuntil she abruptly shook her head to clear the thought. There was no reason for their captors to have taken them miles out of their way, at a punishing pace, just to kill them in a flatter stretch of blight. It was nonsensical. ¡°What is to happen now?¡± Suraiya asked carefully, while watching her people being efficiently and, at times, not-so-gently corralled into rows of what looked like four people abreast in a column behind her. The length of the column arced out to the right, as if to give everyone along its length a clear view of Suraiya¡ªor perhaps, of Lycinia. ¡°Now we begin showing you how woefully deceived you truly were.¡± Suraiya looked back to Lycinia when she spoke, but the woman was already turning away to gain some distance. The princess clicked her tongue for Valour to follow, only for a spear to slice the air right in front of her face. She followed it down to a veiled figure, who in turn stared up at her with hard grey eyes. Their hand rested on Valour¡¯s reins, and the warhorse stilled immediately. It was a clear warning not to move, and Suraiya pursed her lips. Instead of acknowledging the ease by which the stranger controlled her trained warhorse, she turned her gaze back to the column to assess the mood. Disquiet and unease rippled through the captive members of her expedition, but even her Knights had long-since learned to hold their tongues and avoid anything that could be perceived as resistance, lest they suffer for the lack of discipline. She had seen more than one of them, and several adventurers too, suffering the very fate Voranis had threatened her with¡ªmen and women alike. At one point she had even seen Dame Taryn, Ser Martyn, Dame Coren, Ser Ilhan, and Dame Lavernia walking with grim features, and pronounced limps that told her even Adept Tier Knights were not exempt from the threat. It was galling, she had to admit, to think of how readily they¡¯d been bested, captured, and led like lambs to whatever it was that Lycinia was about to show them. ¡°People of Stormharrow!¡± Lycinia¡¯s voice thundered with an oratory tone of command that captured Suraiya¡¯s attention¡ªand that of all those present¡ªimmediately. ¡°You have lived lives of ignorance, shackled by the lies of false gods, and made meek by the deceptions of those that would see you pinned and helpless under their alabaster boots. You have been downtrodden, brow-beaten, and taught to accept a defeat you never knew you suffered!¡± Suraiya listened intently while the other woman spoke, and her armoured hands tightened on Valour¡¯s reins. Lycinia didn¡¯t just have a way with words, but instead spoke with the gravitas and presence one would have expected of any High Noble from the Ascendancy¡¯s subordinate Kingdoms. Suraiya couldn¡¯t help but admire that about her. ¡°Your entire existence has been a plaything for fickle lifeforms that name themselves deities, and suck your lives dry of joy for their own demented amusement. Even now, you think my words are madness; for surely no mere blighter could know the true glory of the gods!¡± Lycinia¡¯s derision was blatant in her tone, and even when she continued some remnant of it coloured her words. ¡°Yet I stand here before you, unbowed and untainted, and I say to you truly: I am a daughter of Heroes! I am a child of a Royal line more ancient, and more venerated than any of the puppet bloodlines you name Monarchs!¡± The woman pulled away her scarf, and let her crimson hair billow in a breeze that Suraiya suspected had been created for effect, and yet was no less impressive for it. Lycinia¡¯s chin was raised, and she stood like a conquering queen, straight out of the stories of Yselda the Red. When she spoke again, Suraiya found herself listening with rapt attention¡ªand no small amount of curiosity. She was, despite knowing what was happening, as enthralled by the performance as anyone else. ¡°I am Lycinia Selucia Lirnea Fortuna Tollarius, a Patrician of the Elysean Empire; and I welcome you, lost children of the Mantle, to Sanctuary!¡± Suraiya¡¯s eyes widened, and then narrowed at the surname Lycinia offered. The same name, in fact, which Suraiya bore by right of her mother¡¯s blood. There was no time to contemplate further on the matter, for the moment she¡¯d finished speaking Lycinia had turned and extended her hand; and now Suraiya saw that she held something within it. The unknown object shone with blue light, and before there was time to do more than attempt an Analysis; a flash of magic surged outward through the air from Lycinia¡¯s upheld artefact. Suraiya shielded her eyes instinctively when light blossomed across her vision and, when the sudden brightness dissipated a moment later, she lowered her armoured limb to a scene that set her eyes wide, and dropped her jaw. Where before there had been endless blight and dead landscape, now instead there were looming mountains. Immense peaks that daggered hundreds of metres up toward the heavens stood sentinel before her, each one positioned in such a way as to create a circular formation that defied her understandings of natural scale. Their convoy and captures were located before one such giant, and at its base was life. Grass, trees, and flowers dominated the area around the Mountain with impossible vibrancy. Suraiya stared with mounting shock, and disbelief, at what appeared to be a whole new world opening up in front of her¡ªone where, before, there had been only death and abandoned Desolation. Shouts of alarm, cries of shock, and expressions of wonder rippled over the convoy while they beheld the miracle that had come to life before their eyes. Some cried out that they were bewitched, and were quickly silenced by the more aware, the more canny, and the more powerfully Tempered. Those veterans knew enchantment from reality, and they knew better than the Untempered mortals that had accompanied the expedition. There was no trick, only a miracle that defied rational explanation. The princess lowered her gaze to Lycinia in shock when the proud redhead returned, and saw that the headscarf had been converted into a loose cover for her flowing locks. Her lips, Suraiya noted distractedly, were as red as her hair¡ªand full in a way that made Suraiya envious. Love this novel? Read it on Royal Road to ensure the author gets credit. ¡°Come cousin,¡± Lycinia said with a twinkle of amusement in her emerald gaze, ¡°let¡¯s take you inside.¡± ¡°I¡ª¡± Suraiya swallowed back her stunned disbelief, and looked past Lycinia¡ªher cousin?!¡ªtoward where the vanguard force of the Elyseans were entering a large cavern-like entrance that had appeared at the foot of the mountain. The portal was easily large enough to fit them ten abreast, and with ample space for even a high wagon to trundle through easily. She wondered at why their formation was compressed so heavily, before realising that the Elyseans stepping inside were not travelling all the way through; but instead taking up position along the edges of the passage and facing inward. They were not taking any chances with her people. Suraiya had only a moment to decide her course of action, and in the end she threw all caution to the wind and heeled Valour forward, with Lycinia joining her moments later to lightly take the horse¡¯s bridle and help guide him forward. As he had the last time; Valour seemed perfectly content to be handled by Lycinia, and Suraiya was forced to wonder, once more, what manner of strange Skill the Elyseans must have possessed to so easily calm her trained warhorse. ¡°The tunnel is but the appetiser,¡± the redhead said conversationally, and unprompted as they entered the shadowed entrance of the yawning cavern, ¡°and little more than an access point. All the lies you have been told, all the falsehoods you have been fed¡ all of it will be dispelled, just as we dispelled them from the many who now stand among our ranks.¡± Suraiya turned at that and looked at the Elyseans that guarded the passage, and for the first time she wondered just who they truly were beneath their veils. Before she could think to ask, however, Lycinia continued. ¡°Centuries turned to millennia, and yet the Grand Ascendancy never let go of its fear of this land. We had thought they might launch an attack, but none was ever forthcoming. So, we explored. We dared to venture out of our final haven, and what did we meet, do you think?¡± ¡°Skarnids and mutants?¡± Suraiya asked distractedly. ¡°Tch. Some.¡± Lycinia conceded with a chuckle. ¡°But more than that, Suraiya, we found people. Abandoned, cast away, decrepit¡ªbut people nonetheless. Here a Knight that had said the wrong thing to a sour Priest, there a weaver whose only crime had been refusing to bed an Anointed soldier, and even children whose singular sin was being born within the wrong place during a staged ¡®purification of heresy¡¯.¡± Suraiya¡¯s attention turned completely to Lycinia at last, and she listened warily. The woman¡¯s words were poised and elegant, but Suraiya had grown up around such behaviour. Charismatic subterfuge had been ingrained in her since infancy, and she was very familiar with the so-called ¡®charm offensive¡¯ that Lycinia seemed to be employing. Still, information was power¡ªand Suraiya saw no reason to curtail the other woman¡¯s desire to share her perspective. There might be something within it that could help Suraiya protect her people. ¡°We gave them succour,¡± Lycinia continued with a gesture at the guardians lining the tunnel. ¡°We healed them, cured them of the Desolation¡¯s infections, and guided them here. All of them chose to stay, and in so doing dedicated themselves to our ideals, our beliefs, and our pursuit of what was stolen from us. They found a home with us, and in so doing, became part of our sacred charge to uphold the Mantle.¡± Suraiya opened her mouth to ask a question about the ¡®Mantle¡¯ she¡¯d heard of twice by that point, but a sudden end to the passage killed the words in her throat. Her eyes widened when they passed suddenly out from under a shaded overhang, and onto a large granite shelf overlooking a massive valley basin shielded behind the immense bulk of the colossal mountains ringing its borders. It was beautiful. Crystal clear blue-green water ran along streams and rivers, fed from an immense waterfall to the far eastern end of the valley, its flow a roaring deluge whose source Suraiya could not discern. There were no inland rivers or seas in the Desolation, and yet the waterfall poured out pure and clear water unabated, and without relent, with all the force of a wild jungle cascade. Trees filled an expansive forest beneath the waterfall and across its immediate surrounds, and Suraiya trailed her eyes across their canopies to the centre of the valley, where the true Sanctuary was revealed to her. It was a sprawling city of white marble and artfully sculpted stone, built in an outward-flowing pattern that aligned each thoroughfare with one of the many rivers sneaking through its design. Thousands, if not tens of thousands of people or more walked its streets, and even at a distance Suraiya could make out that fact that the city was vibrantly alive. At the northernmost point of the city, and built into the bedrock of the largest mountain, stood a Citadel that looked out over the valley like a guardian construct. Its massive walls and myriad towers were defended behind sturdy battlements, and flat-top-tower-mounted siege weapons whose design she could scarcely comprehend. Given their apparent size even from a distance, Suraiya reasoned they must have been massive enough to threaten even the Lunar Gate. The most impressive part of the Fortress, however, was neither its three-row-deep walls, nor the beautiful architecture of steps and marble pathways leading up along its single wide access road toward the hidden wonders of the castle interior. In fact it had nothing to do with the beatific and mind-bending beauty of the constructed palace, nor the massive city that flowed out from its protective walls. Instead, what captured Suraiya¡¯s notice were the radiant spires of what looked to be pure metal, rising in a pattern she couldn¡¯t quite discern across various places throughout the city. From a distance they looked miniscule, yet to be visible at all they must have been at least ten metres high or more. Each one appeared to be topped by platinum or some other precious metal, and upon careful examination she noticed they were in fact built everywhere within the valley. She even spotted several of their dome-like rounded tops peeking out of the forest. Her eyes drifted southward through the valley across the bountiful farmland while scouting the spires, and then to the cleared fields to the east where she saw what looked like regimented ranks of people¡ªsoldiers, perhaps¡ªgathered in large enough numbers to rival an entire Formation of Stormharrow¡¯s own army. They were not numerous enough to challenge the entire force of Stormharrow, which by her memory¡ªand even when discounting the various Chivalric Orders and Faith Militant Garrisons¡ªnumbered close to one hundred thousand standing soldiers, and half again that of ready reserves. A careful estimate, however, put the Sanctuary force¡¯s numbers at somewhere between fifteen and twenty-thousand people¡ªan incredibly impressive number for such a contained civilisation, even by Ascendancy standards. Suraiya¡¯s eyes then moved southward once more to peer directly down in front of her, toward the distant pathway some sixty metres below their present position. It nearly gave her vertigo to look at it. The sheer scale of the valley was beyond her ability to describe. The main population centre alone must have been at least five kilometres from the citadel¡¯s gates to the city¡¯s own outer layer of protective walls, which themselves looked large enough to brush close to twenty metres high. The population sprawled far beyond those, however, and the valley basin was large enough that Suraiya spotted several small towns dotting the landscape. At a guess, she estimated that they might have been able to fit the whole population of Stormharrow itself into the city with plenty of room to spare, and there were easily hundreds of thousands of people in the capital city of her homeland. The valley as a whole must have been close to thirty kilometres in diameter, and judging from how perfectly formed its circular shape was, definitely not naturally occuring. That thought gave her even more cause for wonder. Creating something on the scale of the hidden valley was¡ incomprehensible. Only Gods could work such wonders, so she¡¯d been made to believe. ¡°How is this possible?¡± she asked with a tone of wonder. ¡°Everything will be revealed soon,¡± Lycinia promised while smiling at her in a self-satisfied manner. ¡°For now, though, come. The Regent awaits, and I have learned not to stall them from what they want.¡± ¡°Who is this Regent you keep speaking of?¡± Suraiya asked while Lycinia began leading Valour¡ªand her by extension¡ªdown the long and winding path toward the valley floor. ¡°The Regent has many names,¡± Lycinia said with a mischievous tone that hinted at her knowing exactly how annoying the line was, ¡°but there is one that we reserve for them alone.¡± The redhead looked back at her, and this time her smile was, in a word, sly. Suraiya felt her heartbeat accelerate at the knowing twinkle in Lycinia¡¯s jade eyes, and when the other woman delivered the next word, the princess felt some ingrained sense of distant dread grip her soul. ¡°Calamity.¡± B1 | C???h???a???p???t???e???r??? ???4???4: ???T???h???e??? ???A???r???b???i???t???e???r??? Seconds later, Aurelian staggered backward when he appeared, instead, in a field of grass, and felt his back hit something solid. He turned, and his eyes widened upon seeing the very same tree he remembered from the first time he had arrived in the Realms. A white oak-like trunk with platinum-golden whorls of runic inscription, and the soothing energy of something heard just beyond the audible spectrum. ¡°It is beautiful, is it not?¡± the same calm voice asked, while Aurelian spun to face it. A woman with silvery hair the colour of spun starlight stood before him, attired in a simple white blouse and black pencil skirt, with no shoes to speak of and her hair¡¯s great length tied up into a high ponytail. Her features were beautiful in a way that seemed ageless, and when she spoke her voice was whisper-quiet and yet perfectly detectable. ¡°The world shard you hail from, I believe it has myths of this. Yggdrasil, yes?¡± ¡°The world tree¡?¡± Aurelian asked in bemused confusion while glancing back at the tree. ¡°I mean it¡¯s prevalent in Norse mythology, but what¡ª?¡± ¡°Yes. The World Tree. An apt bleed from here to there. Upon its boughs and its surrounds are the Nine Worlds, and at its roots nibbles the great dragon N¨ªeh?ggr. Each of its three great roots goes to the heavens¡¯ well of Urearbrunnr, the spring of Hvergelmir, and the well of M¨ªmisbrunnr.¡± ¡°Yeah¡¡± Aurelian agreed warily. ¡°I really didn¡¯t pay that much attention to mythology.¡± ¡°I find it fascinating, you see, that you Nephilim come from so many and such vastly different locales, and yet in all of them are kernels of reflection; some immense, and some miniscule. Your worldshards are very interesting to me.¡± ¡°Thanks, I gu¡ª?¡± Aurelian¡¯s eyes narrowed, and he felt Dragon¡¯s Resolve flair for the first time in what felt like an age. She wasn¡¯t going to lull him into a conversation about mythology. ¡°Hold on a minute, lady.¡± he said with raised hands. ¡°Just who the fuck are you, and what is going on here?¡± Aurelian delivered the question more aggressively than was perhaps wise, but he certainly felt entitled to the suspicion. It was not often that one was abducted by strange, too-beautiful women that seemed to have a connection to a multi-dimensional System. ¡°I am known as the Arbiter,¡± the woman replied with a little smile, ¡°but you may call me Selenia.¡± ¡°Selenia¡?¡± His mind latched onto a memory when he repeated the name.
¡°That is where it becomes interesting. You remember I said that Shadow is reviled by the Godsworn?¡± ¡°Yes¡?¡± ¡°Shadow was the Dominion of Selenia. Solarius¡¯ twin sister.¡± ¡°So why is it¡ª?¡± ¡°You asked who called the Calamity.¡± ¡°Wait, a goddess did?!¡± ¡°Yes. Purportedly Selenia grew¡ weary of her brother and their kin, and regretted the damage they had done to the Realms. She passed on the ritual of the Calling to her followers, and bade them to act in her stead. They very evidently complied.¡± ¡°So Solarius, what¡ killed her?¡± ¡°Worse. He drained her of power and used the Influence of the other Eight to imprison her in the Prime Material where she could languish, watching over those she betrayed her own kind to protect.¡± ¡°Where is¡ª?¡± ¡°She is the Moon,¡± Tarixi said gravely.¡°I see you recall the Echo¡¯s lessons.¡± Selenia said with a small smile. ¡°Yeah she was pretty thorough with¡ªhey, don¡¯t change the subject, lady! You¡¯re a goddess! You¡¯re the fucking moon!¡± ¡°In all the ways that matter, yes, I suppose I am. I am not precisely the physical aspect of the moon per se, but my power and manifestation are certainly shackled by its mass.¡± ¡°But¡ but I saw you chained in¡ª!¡± ¡°The Void. Yes. You saw a reflection of my Cognitive Manifestation in the Void. That representation is the great majority of my power. In this form you see before you, I am both far more and far, far less.¡± Aurelian held up his hands again, and paced when he did; brushing his right hand through his shoulder-length platinum hair while his mind raced. ¡°Okay first of all, why am I so¡ so comfortable? So calm?¡± ¡°That would be the song.¡± ¡°The what?¡± he asked with confusion. Selenia stepped toward the tree and lightly tapped its bark with the back of her forefinger, and smiled at him wryly. ¡°The song. It is heard across every Realm, every dimension, and every universe. It is the collective chorus of every Soul, in every reality. Even the ones where the System is not actively in play, like your own.¡± ¡°Hippie wind chimes.¡± ¡°The System is not a Naaru, Aurelian.¡± ¡°How the fuck do you¡ªnevermind.¡± Aurelian waved his hands. ¡°Look, I¡¯m sorry for being rude, but this is crazy. You realise this is crazy, right? I mean you¡¯re¡ you¡¯re the moon, the System is, what, a tree? A Norse ashwood or something? And I¡¯m¡ dead? Alive? Having an astral out of body experience?¡± ¡°The System is part of everything, Aurelian,¡± Selenia said while lifting her hands to touch a green leaf hanging off of one of the tree¡¯s lowest branches. ¡°It is the cumulative will of Soulforce,¡± she smiled at him. ¡°Yes, including yours. It is the union of life across every multiversal and dimensional level. Simply because there is no contact, does not mean there is no exposure.¡± ¡°So it¡¯s God?¡± ¡°Not in the way you might define it, no,¡± she said with a demure shake of her head. ¡°The System is cause and effect. It is choice and consequence, equal and opposite reactions. It is the mathematical and metaphysical pseudo-omnipresent underscoring architecture of all existence, and the provisioner of all laws that guide the shaping of what is.¡± The narrative has been taken without permission. Report any sightings. ¡°So it¡¯s not Sapient?¡± ¡°The System¡¯s will, or Intent, is a matter of existence. It wishes to exist, so it nurtures that which aids its goals. You, me, and all other life forms are accounted for within that grand multiversal calculus. The System cannot create Soulforce, but it can refine it. Much like trees emit oxygen in return for carbon dioxide, the System emits its own power in exchange for Soulforce.¡± ¡°But the System gives us Soulforce,¡± Aurelian said with a confused glance at his HUD. ¡°No Aurelian, your Soulforce is unique to you, and it produces a soundless vibration¡ªa song, if you will¡ªwhich the System interprets as nourishment, draws into itself, and refines. Mana is the pure distillation of that empyrean power. Soulforce is fed into the System by the chorus of all realities, and in return it purifies, refines, and feeds that back to you as System Mana.¡± ¡°That¡¯s¡ okay. So what the hell are the Realms then? Why the levelling system? Why is everything computational jargon?¡± ¡°Everyone interprets the System differently. All I can tell you is that the System¡¯s point of origination was here, in the Prime Material. Where you come from is something called a Worldshard. It is no less real than the Realms¡ªand is technically part of the Realms at large, despite not being categorised as such.¡± Aurelian blinked at her with mild consternation, but didn¡¯t interrupt. Selenia continued with a smile, as if she knew he was having trouble understanding. ¡°Your particular Worldshard something like a creation of desiccated osmosis. Your Universe is bereft of mana, because it is woefully lacking in Soulforce. There is too much where you are. Too much matter, and too few souls. The Realms within the Prime Material are¡ contained. To your mind it may seem empty, but that is a simplistic view.¡± ¡°So instead of space and galaxies you have¡ what¡ the Void?¡± he guessed. ¡°Yes. It is the space between Realms. I can no more explain to you why the Prime Material formed this way than I can explain to you the reason all creatures have Soulforce. Perhaps there was another architect. Perhaps the System changed it. I do not know. Nobody does.¡± Aurelian turned to the tree and, after a hesitant moment, placed his hand on it. ¡°I bet the System knows.¡± ¡°That is quite possible.¡± Selenia agreed. ¡°The Tree represents its reality. The Multiverse hangs from its branches like fruit, and within each is the contained force of an entire reality of existence. The Realms are¡ different. Above and below. The main source that feeds its roots.¡± ¡°I feel like I should be having an existential meltdown¡¡± ¡°I felt the same, at first, when I became the Arbiter, and learned the System¡¯s song. It is a lot. But you will abide. You will learn to understand.¡± ¡°You keep talking about music,¡± Aurelian said slowly, ¡°is that¡ª?¡± ¡°No. There are no frequencies to be hacked into and abused. All plant life sings, Aurelian. It is merely a subsonic or below-capacity vibration that normal creatures cannot hear. The System is no different, save that you occasionally parse the signal it emits as tangible audio input based upon your limited comprehension of its data bursts. In truth, the sounds you hear are no more real than your presence here.¡± ¡°That¡¯s¡ right then,¡± he cleared his throat. ¡°How long¡ how long have I been¡ª?¡± ¡°Exactly one microsecond has passed since your consciousness was pulled into the Aether.¡± Selenia replied with the same quiet smile and placid tone. ¡°Your distress and confusion are understandable, but I would caution you to try to control yourself. We are rather short on time.¡± ¡°One mic¡ªJesus Christ.¡± ¡°Time is meaningless here.¡± ¡°That¡¯s helpful,¡± he mumbled. ¡°But we are short on it regardless.¡± Time was meaningless, but they were short on time? Aurelian¡¯s head throbbed immediately. ¡°Okay, ignoring the contradiction in those words, what does that mean?¡± Aurelian asked wearily. ¡°That we must be about our purpose. Or at least, I must. I brought you here to offer you some advice, a warning, and a gift in that order Aurelian.¡± He nodded for her to continue. ¡°First and foremost, I was bade to tell you to remember that while many may pretend to accolades or power, there is no true might in anything but true might itself. You are the Reclaimer. You are the Calamity. All else is misdirection.¡± ¡°That¡¯s¡ helpful I guess,¡± he said slowly. ¡°Next, the warning: you have skirted the rules, admittedly through ignorance, and your actions have had grave consequences. Several saplings¡ªthat is to say, Local Nodes¡ªof the System have been overwhelmed by the paradoxes you have brought within your short week in the Realms. You are warned, strongly, to not make that a habit.¡± Aurelian frowned thoughtfully. ¡°You mean my weird glitches are¡ª?¡± ¡°Malfunctioning Nodes, yes. You have accidentally killed several of them, and while the System does not view them as other creatures few genuine offspring, it is still less than thrilled at the loss of them.¡± ¡°Okay. Sure.¡± Aurelian said with a glance at the large tree, and then a look back at the Goddess. ¡°That¡¯s fair, I guess.¡± ¡°You were very nearly torn apart on the foundational level several times.¡± Selenia continued gravely. ¡°It was only my intercession that spared you, and I must say that the System does not enjoy it when there are exceptions to its rules. I trust you understand?¡± ¡°Loud and clear,¡± he responded with another wary look at the tree. ¡°And the gift?¡± ¡°A simple message: Elysea was not the first. Find the source, and you find the truth.¡± ¡°That¡¯s it?¡± Aurelian asked incredulously. ¡°I don''t¡ª¡± ¡°We are nearly out of time, Aurelian. Do you accept these three offerings?¡± ¡°I¡ yeah, sure, but I have so many questions about¡ª¡± ¡°Nothing is literal. Everything is metaphor. One day, Nephilim, we will meet in the Prime Material or another of the Realms, and you will at last grant me the freedom I desire, upon the edge of Calamity¡¯s Blade. My siblings and I have done terrible things, and I wish you well in your fight against them. It will be neither easy, nor absent grief.¡± ¡°I¡ thanks?¡± ¡°You are welcome.¡± Selenia said with a genuine smile. ¡°However, there is a rub with all of this,¡± she continued with a hint of apology. ¡°Of course there is.¡± Aurelian muttered. ¡°You will remember nothing of this, and have no indication it ever occurred.¡± Aurelian stared at her for a minute, and then snorted. ¡°So what was the fucking point?¡± She didn¡¯t seem bothered by his outburst in the slightest when she replied. ¡°Action and consequence. I chose to intercede, and the consequence is that you will lose your memory of that intercession¡ or at least, your conscious memory. You have proven aptly driven to trust your gut, Aurelian. I suggest you maintain that pattern.¡± ¡°If I can¡¯t remember this, how can I tell myself to remember¡ª?¡± Selenia stepped forward and, before Aurelian could react, pressed her soft lips to his. He froze, and before he could even think about maybe kissing back the ludicrously beautiful goddess, she released him. ¡°Trust the Shadows, Aurelian. For all my siblings¡¯ conniving, they have ever served me¡ and in time, they will serve you. If you find me, I will restore your memories.¡± ¡°On the¡ the Moon?¡± he asked in a daze while his fingers touched his lips. She tasted like honey. ¡°No. Yes. Sort of. You will understand, I hope, when it comes time.¡± Aurelian¡¯s confusion only deepened at the stereotypically melodramatic statement, and he blinked when he felt her fingers touching his chest. ¡°Trust your gut,¡± she said again while her silver eyes met his, ¡°and remember who you are.¡± Aurelian opened his mouth to speak, but with a smile that he might have even called sad, or perhaps longing; Selenia pressed against his chest. He was ejected into darkness with the force of a railgun. Everything faded away. Selenia concept art. B1 | Chapter 45: Infusion I Endurance has risen to 34! . . . Endurance has risen to 40! Perception has risen to 24! Perception has risen to 25! You have reached Level 20! . . . You have reached Level 23! Aurelian awoke with a gasp, and with the revitalised feeling of multiple level-ups. It seemed like the System had taken mercy on him, and let the energy heal and suffuse him while he¡¯d been unconscious. He remembered nothing of the experience, but he wasn¡¯t about to question an anaesthetised mass level-up. He stiffened immediately upon feeling a pressure on his chest, and his eyes snapped downward in alarm¡ªonly for the worry to abate, almost instantly, when he saw it was his supply pack. Aurelian¡¯s gaze moved immediately, after a bare second of Soul Sense, to where he could feel Bahamut sitting with patient alertness on the marble nearby. The dragon¡¯s golden eyes met his, and Aurelian smiled. ¡°Sorry for keeping you waiting.¡± It was not a great inconvenience, though I have been hoping you would awaken. The dragon¡¯s sending seemed somewhat strained for some reason. ¡°I have the weirdest craving for honey¡¡± he blinked, and then frowned when he properly parsed the strain in Bahamut¡¯s mental voice. ¡°Is something wr¡ª?¡± Aurelian¡¯s memories crashed into his mind and he looked around once again in alarm. ¡°Where is the Vasiri?!¡± Unconscious. Bahamut replied in the same calm, but strained manner. I have been watching the creature, but that is not the issue. ¡°The Undead?¡± Deanimated. Your actions against the Necromancer ended them all. Aurelian looked around in wonder at the dragon¡¯s words, and did in fact notice that the waves of marshalling undead were little more than piles and piles of bones. His eyebrows rose at the sight. ¡°Wow. That is a lot of skeletons.¡± That is not all. Bahamut said in a tighter mental voice. I have been holding off several Skill levels since you passed out, Aurelian, by way of our bond. Aurelian snapped his head back to Bahamut in surprise. ¡°How are you¡ª?¡± I am reaching the end of my strength, Aurelian. the dragon interrupted hurriedly. Despite the levels we have gained, I am not strong enough to hold the System at bay indefinitely. I need you to either accept the influx, or alleviate the burden. Aurelian nodded immediately, shelved his questions, and hastily reached into the supply pack to root around until he found the three Essence Draughts. When he pulled them out, he arrayed them before him and then quickly settled himself into a comfortable prone position, with his head resting on his pack. ¡°Okay,¡± he said with only mild tachycardia. ¡°Let them go, Bahamut.¡± The dragon obliged, and Aurelian felt his Core explode with energy while prompts blazed across his vision. Dragon¡¯s Resolve is now Level 6! . . . Dragon¡¯s Resolve is now Level 15! Congratulations, Dragon¡¯s Resolve has reached Novice Tier! You have gained Experience! Tactician is now Level 13! . . . Tactician is now Level 17! Pain Tolerance is now Level 24! . . . Pain Tolerance is now Level 28! Congratulations, Pain Tolerance has reached Initiate Tier! You have gained Experience! Would you like to Infuse the Pain Tolerance Skill? Y / N Aurelian barely had time to select ¡®N¡¯ before more alerts washed over him, and he was forced to lock his jaw against the building pressure. Longsword Mastery is now Level 24! . . . Longsword Mastery is now Level 27! Congratulations, Longsword Mastery has reached Initiate Tier! You have gained Experience! Would you like to Infuse the Longsword Mastery Skill? Y / N Another flick of his mind toward the negative, and Aurelian shuddered when the System energy from the skills gaining power washed through him. He could feel himself already reaching the cusp of a new level, despite knowing¡ªthanks to Bahamut and his own instinctive awareness¡ªthat he¡¯d likely already achieved plenty from the fight with the Vasiri and the slaying of the undead. The alerts continued. Running is now Level 23! . . . Running is now Level 28! Congratulations, Running has reached Initiate Tier! You have gained Experience! Would you like to Infuse the Running Skill? Y / N Another ¡®N¡¯, another wave of System energy. Another deluge of alerts. Dodge is now Level 26! . . . Dodge is now Level 31! Durable is now Level¡ª Aurelian¡¯s eyes snapped open and he grit his teeth at the immensity of the pressure required to stop the skill alert in its tracks. He could feel it pushing, pressing, grinding against his Willpower and against the blazing beacon of Dragon¡¯s Resolve that coiled around his mind. Without more than simple will and instinct, he immediately slammed two Skill Upgrade Points into Durable. Skill Upgrade Point consumed! Skill Upgrade Point consumed! Skill Upgrade request identified! Processing . . . Durable (UC) is now Upgrading! Congratulations, Durable (UC) has been Upgraded to Iron Skin (R)! Many are the warriors for whom¡ª Help support creative writers by finding and reading their stories on the original site. Once again Aurelian cut off the skill before it could finish, and this time he felt blood drip from his nose at the same time as his health flashed angrily at him. He knew he was pushing too hard, but he had to avoid wasting Bael¡¯tharax¡¯s gift. He knew that it technically didn¡¯t matter, but he¡¯d be damned if he wasn¡¯t going to make the most of the Dragon King¡¯s blessing! With a vicious exertion of his will, Aurelian shoved his second to last Skill Evolution Point into the newly acquired Iron Skin. Pain burned within his mind, but he held on. Skill Evolution Point consumed! Skill Evolution request identified! Processing . . . WARNING: Tier transition in progress! Skill stability at critical levels! Zodiac Detected: Dragon! Soul Bond Detected: Dragon King! Title Detected: Dragon Rider! Trait Detected: Sanguinated! Zodiac, Soulbond, Title, and Trait have found Synergy! Recalibrating Skill Evolution . . . Recalibration complete! Iron Skin (R) is now Evolving! Aurelian ground his teeth, and arched his back, while his hands curled into fists and pounded the floor. His Dragon¡¯s Resolve and Breath Control Skills worked overtime while the evolving skill tore at him physically. Iron Skin¡¯s alterations felt comparable to the breaking and reformation of his bones, everywhere and all at once, while his nerves were simultaneously being flayed, and his tendons filleted. It was an agony that he would have already gone mad or passed out from, if not for Pain Tolerance¡¯s ramping power, and the assistance of his other two active Skills. System energy coruscated through him in an ocean of blazing power, and flooded through his body with a tempestuous violence that seemed, almost, intentionally punishing in its severity. Aurelian had a momentary consideration that the cosmic arbiter of life was somehow delivering a reprimand for his reckless use of points, but he dismissed the thought as ludicrous only moments after having it. He doubted that it would be anything so mundane, nor so abstract. The System was more than willing to chastise him with its acerbic messages. Aurelian cried out while the effervescent renovation of the fabric of his form continued, and only when a sudden platinum light blazed in his Core, and through his Soulforce, did any of the pain relent. His eyes opened, and he turned to look through traitorous tears at Bahamut. The dragon¡¯s regal features were twisted in shared pain; forming a fixed snarl that revealed his platinum fangs, and creating a tension which had his claws scraping along the marble beneath his feet. No need for apology, nor any form of reprimand came; and instead only solid support emanated through from their bond. I am with you. the dragon sent simply. Aurelian managed to smile through the agony and, as if in response to their joint efforts, a dolorous gong sounded across his mind. He grabbed for the alert desperately. Skill Evolution complete! Congratulations, Aurelian Lucis Imperius! Your Iron Skin (R) skill has evolved to Dragon¡¯s Sanguination (E)! Dragons and Vasiri are two of the most potently durable predators in the Realms, and the latter are one some of the few creatures known to be a true threat to the might of the former. By conquering the Vasiri Essence and reconstituting the Sanguinated Trait of the Elden, as well as saturating your mana channels with a Dragon King¡¯s Essence; you have adopted a physical durability worthy of your achievements. Your blood sings with the power of the Sanguinated, and your flesh shall forever bear the favour of Dragons. Pray your mad pursuit of power does not get you killed, Reclaimer! Dragon¡¯s Sanguination has been reset to Lev????e?????l?????? ????1?????? Drago?????n?????''???????s????? ?????S??????a???n???????g?????u???????i??????n???????a???????t???????i????o????n????? ?????h?????/???????/???? ???b???$????%?????6??????n????? ????r????3????5?????!?????!??????t????? ??????t?????o????? ????L????e??????v?????e????l????? ????1????? ERROR ANOMALOUS SKILL EXPERIENCE BACKLOG DETECTED PROCESSING . . . ARBITRATION REQUIRED ARBITRATION COMMENCING . . . ARBITRATION COMPLETE SINGULAR EXCEPTION MADE SKILL WILL PROCEED TO PREVIOUSLY PROJECTED LEVEL FUTURE ARBITRATION WILL NOT BE SO KIND, RECLAIMER SYSTEM OVERRIDE IN PROGRESS STANDBY . . . Dragon¡¯s Sanguination has retained its Level! Dragon¡¯s Sanguination is now Level 23! . . . Dragon¡¯s Sanguination is now Level 27! Congratulations, Dragon¡¯s Sanguination has reached Initiate Tier! You have gained Experience! Would you like to Infuse the Dragon¡¯s Sanguination Skill? Y / N Aurelian held the prompt in his mind and reached out quickly to the Body Essence Draught in front of him on the ground, uncapping it quickly and¡ªwith a victorious grin for Bahamut¡ªtipping the flask back immediately. The moment it hit his throat, his body burned. Not painfully, but instead with a magical force that very nearly threw his conceptual understanding of strength out of the window. Where before every introduction of a foreign substance had resulted in some form of agonising consequence, one which he usually barely managed to sustain himself through; the Essence was a sharp and welcome change of pace. Where Dragon¡¯s Sanguination had all but obliterated his body, the Essence Draught seemed to be a balm against his pain. He could almost feel Bael¡¯tharax¡¯s presence within him, imitating the safe and protective power of the Dragon King, and alleviating his worries and fears through the solidity of its might. Aurelian¡¯s muscles relaxed while he processed the influx of passive energy swirling within him, and allowed his body to acclimate to it. When he was done, he allowed himself time to truly feel it. It was important to understand the moment, and comprehend what it was he was about to do. If he¡¯d been asked why, he¡¯d have been unable to answer. It just felt right to be mentally marking and savouring the moment. Aurelian felt the moment in which the Essence Draught pseudo-transposed itself from his stomach, and settled into the esoteric ¡®other space¡¯ within which his Core resided. It wasn¡¯t a physical organ in the same way as his others as of yet, which he knew from Tarixi¡¯s explanations; but he could feel it within him all the same. It was difficult to even properly articulate, or arrange in his thoughts, the way in which his Core interfaced with his body. The simplest explanation was that it was displaced into the spiritual reflection of himself, and surrounded by, and yet also adjacent to, his Soulforce. The whole thing sounded idiotic, but he had no better way of perceiving it. With the Essence Draught settled, Aurelian took another steadying breath and then extended his awareness to the prompt awaiting his attention. It was like a metaphysical flashing dot in his mental awareness. With a flick of Intent he opened it, and after reading the confirmation once more, he mentally clicked ¡®Y¡¯ and reflexively clenched his fists. Infusion request confirmed. Searching for valid Essences . . . Essences found. Populating . . . [Essence of the Leviathan] (L) No other Essences found. Would you like to use this Essence? Y / N Aurelian selected ¡®Y¡¯ immediately and worked to keep control of his breathing, and calm his racing heart. His Dragon¡¯s Resolve and Breath Control Skills were working well to balance the tremors of anxiety, and uncertainty, which occasionally slithered through to his consciousness. He could actually visualise, with astounding clarity, the moments in which the imagined dragon that represented his Dragon¡¯s Resolve bit into and destroyed the threads of uncertainty attempting to pierce his focused psyche. With nothing else to do, Aurelian waited for what was to come. [Essence of the Leviathan] has been selected for Infusion. Infusion parameters have been confirmed. [Essence of the Leviathan] will grant the [Monarch¡¯s Bloodstorm] Infusion. Body Skill [Dragon¡¯s Sanguination] will now be Infused with [Monarch¡¯s Bloodstorm]. Beginning Initiate Tier Body Infusion . . . Aurelian raised his eyebrow in surprise. He¡¯d barely felt anything! There was little more happening other than a strange tingling in his skin, and that was less bothersome than the most basic form of pins and needles. He looked down at himself cautiously, and reviewed any notable changes. It only took him perhaps half a second to realise he couldn¡¯t see through platemail, and a scowl formed across his features. Of course it wasn¡¯t that easy. He was idiotic for thinking otherwise. He¡¯d have to doff his armour after everything, and¡ª A spasm tore through his body with the intensity and speed of a lightning strike, and Aurelian let out a sound somewhere between a hiccup, burp, and cough all at once. He barely had a moment to think about what had happened before another spasm ripped through him, and he felt his muscles¡ªevery single one¡ªseize up all at once. He stiffened for a long moment, his jaw locked into a rictus of pain, fists clenched, and back arched from a full-body cramp across every inch of himself¡ ¡and then he began to seize violently. Lightning and fire roared through his veins in a frenetic blaze of power, and he felt as if it were about to detonate him from within. His nerve endings, tendons, ligaments, tissue, and everything in-between and around them all vibrated with surges of cascading mana. Each pulse of aetheric force restructured the atomic composition of his physical self in a way that somehow added an element of greater density, durability, and speed to him all at once. Aurelian¡¯s vision went double, blacked out, was flooded by white spots, and then normalised once again. The pain, seizures, and muscle cramps lasted for the longest minute of Aurelian¡¯s life until that point, the entirety of which was spent with him grinding his teeth. He could almost picture himself spasming on the ground, flopping around like some weird fish impersonator, while his anatomy was altered by the System and the force of Bael¡¯tharax¡¯s essence both. His mind, perhaps searching for some form of distraction, hearkened back to another memory: a conversation with Tarixi, which in that moment of agony suddenly seemed almost prophetic.
¡°The more powerful the infusion is for an Essence Draught, the more dangerous it is to both acquire, and to use. I cannot think of an adequate example or comparison for you, other than to say that it comes down to the Cultivator¡¯s physical and mental fortitude, and the quality of the provided Essence. If the Cultivator is too weak to withstand the force of the provided Essence during Infusion, then there is a significant risk of death during the process.¡±Aurelian would have laughed, had he not been so overwrought by agony and mind-shatteringly immense energy both. The feeling from what was happening to him was what he imagined being struck by lightning must feel like: a surge of heat, and power, and incandescent force beyond the scope or ability for anyone to properly describe. He felt like a flimsy piece of copper wire, laid across two high-powered power lines, and forced to act as a bridge between them for the thousands of volts that surged through their lengths. It was as if the Infusion were seeking to break him, sunder him, and obliterate him from all time and memory. It was not predestined strength, nor heroic fortitude, nor some magical form of death-defying will that kept Aurelian sane and held together. It wasn¡¯t even Dragon¡¯s Resolve, all but screaming within his mind. No, what kept his stable were two facts of his reality that he could not afford to let go of. One, Bahamut needed him, and there was nothing in the Realms that would keep him from finally becoming a bonafide goddamn Dragon Rider. Two, he needed to find a way to see his family, especially his sister, once again. Letting the System, or even his own Infusion kill him was not conducive to either one. So Aurelian lay there, and suffered, and waited until the last effervescent blaze of power subsided, and he felt his body settle into its newly Infused state. When at last it was done, he lay sprawled out and panting with his head upon his pack, and his eyes staring up at the glass ceiling into the shafts of golden sunlight shining down upon him. With nothing else happening in that exact moment, he did something he¡¯d rarely had time to since his journey had begun in earnest. There were no more immediate threats, no more undead infestations¡ªto the best of his knowledge¡ªand no imminent threat from the still-unconscious Vasiri. So, with all the satisfaction of a man abusing a luxury, he did something selfish. Aurelian finally took a moment to just breathe. Author Note: Consistency Corrections I''ve discovered some glaring inconsistencies with Character Sheets, and while minor and already corrected in the upcoming Chapter, they remain problematic going back toward the earlier chapters. As a result, I will be noting them down, and will correct them once the Rewrite has completed. I am treating this Rewrite as my ''Second Draft'' for Nephilim, so it allows me some space to catch and correct these errors, thankfully. I want to apologise for this oversight, and request your patience in rectifying it. I''ve realised now that I have to go back and categorically record every single Skill and Attribute change from Chapter 00 onward, in order to properly maintain full consistency. I want to note, this does not impact the overall story. It''s more just a very big frustration I personally have with LitRPG when it happens, and I wanted to apologise to anyone who feels the same. It''s something I should have done when starting the Rewrite, but it slipped my mind amidst how much fun I have been having with the Redux. Your patience and support are greatly appreciated, and the new Chapter will be up at 0500 EST. Once again, you all have my apologies for any frustration these errors have caused, and please feel free to make note of any inconsistencies in the comments below. It helps me a lot with tracking them. This book is hosted on another platform. Read the official version and support the author''s work. Additionally, feel free to join my Discord, linked below, if you want to message me about any such errors. Let me finish by saying that your support, engagement, and incredible generosity with both Reviews and Comments has been a huge positive for me while doing this Rewrite. I wasn''t sure it was a good idea at first, but the cascade of positive support I''ve seen from all of you means so much. You guys are the ones I write this stuff to entertain, and while you all (mostly) know my stance on entitlement, it is immensely humbling to see the level of engagement coming from readers both new and old. Thank you. Truly. With love and respect, Hannibal As a final thank you, here''s some Suraiya for you, since I''ve been asked what she looks like. B1 | Chapter 46: Infusion II Are you well, Aurelian? ¡°I¡¯ll live,¡± he grunted in reply to the inquisitive sending of his dragon while slowly pushing himself up. While he did, a chime sounded in his mind and Aurelian warily glanced at the alert populating his HUD. Initiate Tier Body Infusion Complete! Congratulations, Aurelian Lucis Imperius! You have successfully Infused [Monarch¡¯s Bloodstorm] into the Dragon¡¯s Sanguination skill! Please review your Infused Skill for further details! ¡°I should fucking hope it succeeded, after that nightmare of pain.¡± Aurelian muttered. Another chime lit up his mind, and Aurelian braced himself when he sensed another cavalcade of alerts blazing their way toward him. It was as if the System had given him a momentary reprieve, and reneged on it the moment he was ready to accept the second wave. He barely had time to curse before the deluge crashed into him. Breath Control is now Level 13! . . . Breath Control is now Level 19! Congratulations, Aurelian Lucis Imperius! You have met the requirements to unlock the skill Poison Resistance (R)! Poisons, toxins, and animal venoms are a common part of the Prime Material and other Realms, though surviving exposure to them unprepared is far rarer. As you are exposed to more and more such potent mixtures, so too shall you gain a higher level of ability to ward them off! Deny those toxic people, Reclaimer! Poison Resistance is now Level 2! . . . Poison Resistance is now Level 13! Congratulations, Poison Resistance has reached Novice Tier! You have gained Experience! Firebolt is now Level 20! . . . Firebolt is now Level 23! Soul Sense is now Level 7! . . . Soul Sense is now Level 12! Congratulations, Soul Sense has reached Novice Tier! You have gained Experience! Mana Control is now Level 25! . . . Mana Control is now Level 30! Congratulations, Mana Control has reached Initiate Tier! You have gained Experience! Would you like to Infuse the Mana Control Skill? Y / N The influx of experience, split between him and Bahamut, was not enough to level him¡ªand that was all the better in Aurelian¡¯s mind. The thing that stuck out to him, however, was the final message; and he wasted no time in preparing to accept it. First he snatched up the nearby flask of shimmering golden essence, and tore off the cap in his haste to throw the entire mixture back. Much like when he¡¯d first ingested the draught for his Body Essence, the Spirit Essence flowed down without issue. It reminded him, in fact, of perfectly textured honey. Not too sweet, not too bland, and not too viscous or runny; it was just right. When it settled into his stomach, he could feel it shifting out and toward his Core and Soulforce, and he felt nothing but adulation at the feeling. There was something inherently and palpably soothing about the way that the Spirit Essence flowed through his body, and Aurelian couldn¡¯t help but revel in the joy of it. While saturating in the happy feeling, he opened his alert and chose ¡®Y¡¯. Infusion request confirmed. Searching for valid Essences . . . Essences found. Populating . . . [Essence of the Leviathan] (L) No other Essences found. Would you like to use this Essence? Y / N When Aurelian selected ¡®Y¡¯ once more, paranoia and previous experience meant that he quickly laid down and took up as comfortable of a position as he could. The platemail he wore, despite not being the most comfortable choice of attire, had the unexpected-but-welcome bonus of shielding his skin from the marble when he writhed on it. And he had, much to his annoyance, found himself writhing a lot recently. It was not only annoying, it was also embarrassingly stereotypical. ¡°Fucking Isekai¡¡± he muttered while waiting. Who is Isekai? Bahamut asked curiously. ¡°A mistake.¡± Aurelian stated dourly, and without elaboration. [Essence of the Leviathan] has been selected for Infusion. Infusion parameters have been confirmed. [Essence of the Leviathan] will grant the [Monarch¡¯s Everflame] Infusion. Spirit Skill [Mana Control] will now be Infused with [Monarch¡¯s Everflame]. Beginning Initiate Tier Spirit Infusion . . . To Aurelian¡¯s great surprise, and especially after he¡¯d so diligently prepared himself for the worst; there was no pain from the Spirit Infusion. In fact, while he lay on the ground waiting with his eyes firmly locked on the ceiling and his right foot twitching nervously in anticipation; the only thing that actually happened was the genesis of a faint warmth spreading throughout his mana channels in a rolling wave. When he warily closed his eyes a moment later, he could visualise a tide of cleansing and restorative energy taking root within his Core, and expanding out into the channels that ran across his body. The Essence appeared as golden-white tongues of ephemeral flame to his inner eye, coruscating and shimmering while they danced along the rushing tides of his mana, and entwined themselves with its potency. His Root Chakra buoyed its flow, and even when the spreading tide of flame encountered the tight and knotted gates of his remaining Chakras; it flowed through with only moderate dispersion. While Aurelian settled in to enjoy the strangely comforting feeling, the power sank deeper and deeper within him¡ªand its presence drew forth old memories. It was reminiscent of warm hugs as a child, soft blankets on a rainy day, and a merrily crackling crackling hearthfire in winter. Beneath it all, he felt a kind of regal confidence suffuse his entire soul. The calm control of a Monarch settled over his Spirit, and he smiled in pleasure. Initiate Tier Spirit Infusion Complete! Congratulations, Aurelian Lucis Imperius! You have successfully Infused [Monarch¡¯s Everflame] into the Mana Control Skill! Please review your Infused Skill for further details! Aurelian opened his eyes slowly and sighed at the feeling of absolute peace that followed the System¡¯s alert, and the faint solidity that had come to his Spirit and Core. He felt more complete, and more whole in a way he couldn¡¯t properly define. More than that, he felt more fully himself in a way he couldn¡¯t quite articulate, even within the space of his own mind. It certainly reminded him of all the descriptions he¡¯d read of progressing along the path of daoist Cultivation within the myriad tales he¡¯d perused on Earth, but there was reading about something and experiencing it; and how the authors of those stories had ever managed to even begin to capture the utter bliss of what he felt¡ Aurelian shook his head and chuckled. He¡¯d never possessed that sort of talent with words. Another chime sounded, and he focused on his HUD. Spirit Bond: Dragon is now Level 6! . . . Spirit Bond: Dragon is now Level 12! Congratulations, Spirit Bond: Dragon has reached Novice Tier! You have gained Experience! Calamity¡¯s Blade is now Level 7! . . . Calamity¡¯s Blade is now Level 15! Congratulations, Calamity¡¯s Blade has reached Novice Tier! You have gained Experience! You have reached Level 24! Aurelian winced through a final crashing wave of System energy and alerts, and grimaced in pain at the feeling of alteration happening across his body. With the first four levels numbed by unconsciousness, he hadn¡¯t been forced to experience the disproportionate growth he expected. That being said, the jump from 23 to 24 alone was enough to cause his muscles to ache, and send radial spasms of pain through his mind and body at large. He didn¡¯t want to think what that would have been like multiplied by four. Aurelian let out a long breath when the changes finalised, and reached up to rub his forehead in thought. So much had happened, and so much had changed in such a relatively short period of time. When he¡¯d set out to fight the Necromancer, he¡¯d never expected, well, any of what had happened. A kind of ¡®boss¡¯ fight? Sure. What had really happened? Not in a million years. He still remembered the man and woman he¡¯d seen during those final moments, when he¡¯d manifested Calamity¡¯s Blade. Those two were a massive question mark, and he wanted answers. Aurelian¡¯s attention shifted toward where Bahamut maintained a weather eye on the still-unconscious Necromancer that had been the target of his Skill, and then Aurelian did what actually somewhat excited him after the grumbling irritation of sadomasochism that was his alert wave: he reviewed the changes he¡¯d acquired to his abilities, his new titles, and his new traits. If you come across this story on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen from Royal Road. Please report it. Name: Dragon¡¯s Sanguination Type: Body Skill Rarity: Epic Level: 27 Tier: Initiate Description: This Skill reduces all damage taken to the body by an amount equal to its level, and before accounting for the strength or force of skills levied against you by enemies. Initiate Infusion: This Skill has been Infused with [Monarch¡¯s Bloodstorm] at Initiate Tier. This Infusion allows you to mitigate kinetic energy from all Skills within 10 Levels above Dragon¡¯s Sanguination, and at every level equal or below. The excess energy will be discharged from your body as area-of-effect damage, and strike everything within a 2 metre sphere of influence. Name: Mana Control Type: Spirit Skill Rarity: Rare Level: 30 Tier: Initiate Description: This Skill allows you to control and guide the flow of mana within your body, and aids in the cycling and manipulation of said mana in the casting of spells. Additionally, it allows you to better access and eventually unlock your Chakras, while also making the mana flow through both closed and open Chakras more efficient. Initiate Infusion: This Skill has been Infused with [Monarch¡¯s Everflame] at Initiate Tier. This Infusion allows you to enhance your control over mana, burn away impurities at a higher and more efficient rate during cycling, and upgrade the potency of your Fire Mana by a rate equal to the skill¡¯s level. Name: Aether Sage Type: Title Rarity: Epic Description: You have shattered the veil and emerged beyond it without losing your mind. As a result, you have transcended Mana Savant and are now counted as a fledgling Aether Sage, capable of seeing the fundamental elements of magic that occupy and give life to all the Realms. Effects: +1 Intelligence per Level, +20% Spirit Skill Experience Gain, +50% Mana Pool. Name: Defiant Type: Title Rarity: Legendary Description: You are a Defiant. Through your actions, your actualisation, and the path you have chosen; you have placed yourself in direct contest with the gods¡¯ rule over the Prime Material. Effects: You gain +15% Charisma, +15% Willpower, +15% Skill XP, and Information Blackout. Special Effects: As a Defiant, your secrets are your own and not even the gods may invade your privacy. You may block all information on yourself that you choose from any individual that attempts to use an Analyse or related skill upon you, and you cannot be tracked or scryed by denizens of any Realm. Name: Primogenitor Type: Title Rarity: Unique Description: You are a Primogenitor of Eld, and have been blessed with the ability to Sire your own Bloodline. With the true power of a Primogenitor, your right to rule is as inviolate as any other Blood Lord. As the first Primogenitor in untold millennia, you are the apex power, and the true inheritor of Eld. Yours is the glory of an unremembered Empire. Effects: You gain +1 Strength per level and +2 Charisma per level. Special Effects: You have gained access to the Sanguine Kiss Skill as a result of this title, allowing you to Sire your own Bloodline. Name: Aetheric Osmosis Type: Trait Rarity: Epic Description: Your newfound ability to pierce the veil separating the raw motes of mana from the visible spectrum allows you to learn magic through mere observation, instead of by rote repetition. Effects: You may now visually learn the sequence of any Skill no more than 10 levels above of your Dragon¡¯s Gaze Skill, and no more than 1 Tier above Dragon¡¯s Gaze. Name: Godsbane Type: Trait Rarity: Transcendent Description: You are the bane of the Divine. You are the creature that even the Gods of the Highest have learned to fear, and the coming of the Calamity anew. Your existence is the consequence of theirs, and your path treads between the Mortal and the Divine. You are the predator that bears its fangs against the Heavens themselves. Effects: You gain +1 to all Attributes per level and +1 Skill Point per level. Special Effects: The Divine cannot compel you, bind you, nor control you. You are Immune to all forms of Divine Tether. This does not grant Immunity to damage. Name: Sanguinated Type: Trait Rarity: Unique Description: You are Sanguinated. You are the first of your kind in untold millennia, and the only Nephilim to have ever existed with such power. Yours is the gift of the Blood Lords of Eld, and you carry within you the Legacy of the Elden. You have taken for yourself a power that even a god could only create failures in mimicry of. Effects: You gain +3 Vitality, +2 Charisma per level, and +15% Mind Skill XP. Special Effects: You have gained access to the Anima resource as a result of this trait, allowing you to manipulate and wield it to whatever extent your Skills allow. Aurelian finished reading his final new addition with a slow shake of his head. Eld? Blood Lords? An unremembered Empire? It was like his teenage emo phase¡¯s ultimate dream come true, and while the description itself sounded awesome, he couldn¡¯t help but feel mildly embarrassed. He could imagine what his friends, or hell, what his sister would say if she learned he¡¯d become the thing lonely cougars salivated over. At least he didn¡¯t sparkle. He hoped. Assisted suicide would be pretty tempting if he did. Aurelian grimaced at the thought, distracted himself by reflecting on the immediate changes he¡¯d undergone from his levels. His new bonuses had massively boosted several of his attributes, especially with the five points per level global increase. Name: Aurelian Lucis Imperius Temper: Untempered Novice Infusions: Mind 0/1 | Body 1/1 | Spirit 1/1 Core: Calamity Core (Attunement Stage) Chakras: 1/7 Level: 24 | Race: Elysean (L) | Origin: Nephilim (L) | Gender: Male | Zodiac: Dragon (L) Health: 970 | Mana: 474 | Stamina: 232 | Anima: 0 STR: (81) 89 | AGI: 58 | DEX: 50 | VIT: (89) 97 | END: 45 | INT: 50 | PER: 25 | WIL: (97) 121 | CHA: (55) 63 Mind Skills: Revelate (E) 11 | Linguistics (UC) 1 | Philology (R) 7 | Exploration (UC) 9 | Investigation (UC) 7 | Dragon''s Resolve (E) 15 | Tactician (R) 17 | Deception (UC) 6 | Dragon''s Gaze (E) 12 Body Skills: Pain Tolerance (UC) 28 | Longsword Mastery (C) 27 | Running (C) 28 | Dodge (C) 36 | Dragon''s Sanguination (E) 27 | Brawling (C) 21 | Fire Resistance (UC) 22 | Lightning Resistance (UC) 11 | Ice Resistance (UC) 9 | Breath Control (UC) 19 | Acrobatics (UC) 21 | Poison Resistance (R) 13 Spirit Skills: Mana Control (R) 30 | Firebolt (UC) 23 | Shockbolt (UC) 15 | Soul Sense (UC) 12 | Spirit Bond: Dragon (M) 12 | Gravitic Crush (R) 17 | Calamity''s Blade (T) 15 | Anima Syphon (E) 1 | Anima Conversion (E) 1 | Anima Infusion (E) 1 | Anima Diffusion (E) 1 | Sanguine Kiss (E) 1 Traits: Fast Learner (E) | Dragon Force (E) | Aetheric Osmosis (E) | Godsbane (T) | Sanguinated (U) Titles: Elysean Reclaimer (U) | Survivor (R) | Aether Sage (E) | Dragon Rider (E) | Defiant (L) | Primogenitor (U) 17% to Level 25 You have 28 Attribute Points Available! You have 19 Skill Points Available! You have 1 Skill Upgrade Point Available! You have 1 Skill Evolution Point Available! ¡°Look at that Bahamut,¡± he said while projecting the sheet to the dragon. ¡°Strength, Vitality, and Willpower all went up explosively. No wonder I feel so much more dense. Vitality¡¯s so weird.¡± Yes. I, too, improved. The changes were most welcome. ¡°I have a lot of points to spend, though.¡± Aurelian noted while peering through his sheet. ¡°That¡¯s a lot of potential power I could eke out, but I think I¡¯m probably overdue for some improvements to Endurance and Perception. As tempting as being able to punch through rock is, I think staying power and situational awareness are probably better.¡± Are you asking me, Aurelian, or telling me? Bahamut questioned with confusion. ¡°It¡¯s called thinking out loud, Bahamut. It¡¯s a thing people do to help them come to a decision.¡± Why would you not use thoughts, when thinking? ¡°It¡¯s not¡ªnevermind.¡± Aurelian said with a sigh. ¡°Just give me your opinion.¡± I concur with your assessment. Endurance and Perception will greatly enhance your ability to survive in the Realms, and improve your defensive capabilities. Staying power and situational awareness are as critical to a Predator as power or speed. ¡°We¡¯re predators, now?¡± Aurelian asked with a glance at the hatchling. Would you rather be prey? ¡°Fair enough.¡± He replied without argument. There wasn¡¯t much he could really say to that. Instead Aurelian moved his eyes to his Endurance and Perception Attributes and, with only a minor flex of Intent, dumped 10 points into Endurance to bring it up to a healthy 55. He paused while the changes took effect, and felt his breathing subtly grow stronger, his lungs more powerful, and his overarching sense of fitness more profound. He felt more stable in many ways, and was subtly aware he could run faster and for greater distances. It was a strange feeling of awareness, but he marvelled at it. The System had its cool moments, he had to grudgingly admit. ¡°Alright, now for the one I am not looking forward to,¡± he mumbled with trepidation. Aurelian focused on his Breath Control, clenched his fists, and then dumped 15 points into Perception. The moment the changes took hold, he squeezed his eyes shut and swore at the feeling of his corneas being shaved by a scalpel, beamed by a laser, seared by flame, and then put rapidly back into one piece. It wasn¡¯t just his eyes, either. His equilibrium changed, his eardrums popped and popped again, and he felt his general sense of awareness invert, spin, and realign itself all within several nauseating moments. Even his senses of taste, smell, and touch were impacted; and the nerves that connected those individual elements burned, froze, clogged, sharpened, and built with horrible pressure all at once. The entire process only seemed to last for as many seconds as the points he invested, but even those fifteen seconds were horrifying. Levelling up his core senses sucked, and felt like he was performing flash surgery on himself with neither anaesthetic nor any form of painkiller. Pain Tolerance helped, of course, but the System-wrought changes seemed partially immune to its nullification effect¡ªand Aurelian was forced to squirm and swear under his breath while the changes to his eyes, ears, and overarching senses took effect. When it was done, Aurelian took a steadying breath, and finally opened his eyes. ¡°Woah.¡± He could think of no other way to describe the change in his vision. It was like upgrading from 720p to 1080p. The world opened in front of him in a riot of subtle shades, articulated colours, and subtle details he¡¯d missed entirely prior to his upgrade. New smells, new awareness of sensation, and even a greater understanding of his own weight and presence filtered into his mind without reprieve. Every shadow was almost a fifth less obfuscated, and he could make out fine details on construction from over fifteen metres further than he¡¯d been able to prior. ¡°Okay. That was¡ woah.¡± You made the right choice, it seems. ¡°Yeah. No joke.¡± Aurelian replied with a smile. ¡°Though that still leaves me with three points.¡± Put two in Agility, and one in Vitality. It will round off the values. ¡°Genius,¡± he responded in the same moment as he did both. ¡°Nice catch, Bahamut.¡± The dragon sent back a wave of amusement in response, but said nothing. Satisfied with his choices and confident in his ability to actually harness and handle the considerable increases in physical and magical power he¡¯d received, Aurelian flicked his eyes to his sheet again to double check it a final time. Name: Aurelian Lucis Imperius Temper: Untempered Novice Infusions: Mind 0/1 | Body 1/1 | Spirit 1/1 Core: Calamity Core (Attunement Stage) Chakras: 1/7 Level: 24 | Race: Elysean (L) | Origin: Nephilim (L) | Gender: Male | Zodiac: Dragon (L) Health: 990 | Mana: 474 | Stamina: 264 | Anima: 0 STR: (81) 89 | AGI: 60 | DEX: 50 | VIT: (90) 99 | END: 55 | INT: 50 | PER: 40 | WIL: (97) 121 | CHA: (55) 63 Mind Skills: Revelate (E) 11 | Linguistics (UC) 1 | Philology (R) 7 | Exploration (UC) 9 | Investigation (UC) 7 | Dragon''s Resolve (E) 15 | Tactician (R) 17 | Deception (UC) 6 | Dragon''s Gaze (E) 12 Body Skills: Pain Tolerance (UC) 28 | Longsword Mastery (C) 27 | Running (C) 28 | Dodge (C) 36 | Dragon''s Sanguination (E) 27 | Brawling (C) 21 | Fire Resistance (UC) 22 | Lightning Resistance (UC) 11 | Ice Resistance (UC) 9 | Breath Control (UC) 19 | Acrobatics (UC) 21 | Poison Resistance (R) 13 Spirit Skills: Mana Control (R) 30 | Firebolt (UC) 23 | Shockbolt (UC) 15 | Soul Sense (UC) 12 | Spirit Bond: Dragon (M) 12 | Gravitic Crush (R) 17 | Calamity''s Blade (T) 15 | Anima Syphon (E) 1 | Anima Conversion (E) 1 | Anima Infusion (E) 1 | Anima Diffusion (E) 1 | Sanguine Kiss (E) 1 Traits: Fast Learner (E) | Dragon Force (E) | Aetheric Osmosis (E) | Godsbane (T) | Sanguinated (U) Titles: Elysean Reclaimer (U) | Survivor (R) | Aether Sage (E) | Dragon Rider (E) | Defiant (L) | Primogenitor (U) 17% to Level 25 You have 19 Skill Points Available! You have 1 Skill Upgrade Point Available! You have 1 Skill Evolution Point Available! ¡°I have nineteen Skill Points, but I¡¯m going to save them.¡± For what purpose? Bahamut asked. ¡°Just in case,¡± Aurelian responded with a smile. ¡°You never know when I might need them.¡± Hm¡ the hatchling pondered silently, before finally flexing his wings. Yes. I approve. Aurelian laughed and, with his sheet accounted for and solidified, smoothly rose from his prone position to his feet¡ªpausing only to slide his Mind Essence Draught back into his supply pack, and collect his sword. After that he turned and, with the awareness of an unpleasant task ahead, strode over to join Bahamut. Aurelian had wasted enough time with the System and its intrusive, ever-gleeful enjoyment of torturing him beyond reason and sense. He had injected his attribute points, collated his gains, and could feel the tangible change in his physical self. He felt dangerous, lethal, and definitively more powerful. His eyes moved to focus on the humanoid figure inches away from Bahamut¡¯s platinum claws, and his Dragon¡¯s Resolve roared to life in his mind with grim purpose. He had a conversation that he had already delayed for too long, and answers that he needed to glean. One way or another, he would be leaving the Arboretum soon. There were only two questions that remained about their departure: when they would return to Baeltharax¡¯s cavern¡ ¡and whether or not they would be the only ones left alive when they did. B1 | Chapter 47: Marius of Telastra Aurelian arrived at Bahamut¡¯s side with grim resolve and a firm hold on the hilt of his Crest. Any sense of hesitation, remorse, or trepidation he might have felt for what was about to happen he suppressed and buried; shoving it down under Dragon¡¯s Resolve, and promising himself not to allow it to intercede with what had to be done. He was not, despite some of his more questionable choices, a fool. He¡¯d taken Modern and Ancient History both as electives in University, and Oxford didn¡¯t skimp on the ¡®education¡¯ part of its reputation. He knew very well that he was about engage in torture. There were no Geneva Conventions in the Prime Material. He was painfully aware of the fact that he had absolutely zero experience actually interrogating anyone, let alone torturing or killing. The fact that the Vasiri had tried to turn him into some sort of vampiric ghoul definitely made the prospect of both easier to stomach, but Aurelian was not some sociopathic action hero. No matter how much he quietly joked about being a Murderhobo. The Vasiri was a person, in as much of a way as a creepy pseudo-vampire could be. Taking a life was a grim inevitability within the Realms, and on a logical level; his time with Bael¡¯tharax and Tarixi had prepared him for that. Hell he¡¯d cut down the Skarnids and Skeletons easily enough. It isn¡¯t the same though. The little voice of doubt wiggling in his mind, the part of himself that Dragon¡¯s Resolve couldn¡¯t¡ªor perhaps wouldn¡¯t¡ªsuppress, insisted on making the distinction known and felt. It was a frustrating permanent companion, and also one that gave him some measure of both relief and reassurance. With the way the System affected his mental state¡ªand he knew it definitely had throughout his time in the Realms¡ªwhen it came to violence, he had worried he was going to just randomly find himself numbed to the idea of murder. Thankfully, and perhaps just a little regretfully, that wasn¡¯t the case. Truthfully, part of him wished it was that easy. It was a dark thought, but it was true. Whatever part of him still clung to those fundamental, peace-forged ethics and morals from the comparatively pacifist society he¡¯d grown up in on Earth quailed at the idea of what was about to happen. The Military and other such groups existed for a reason, back on Earth. It wasn¡¯t usually everyday people like him that were thrust into such an immense level of responsibility. Hell, he still didn¡¯t know why he¡¯d been summoned, and not some super ripped SAS bloke. That would have been the far more logical choice for an imperial successor, if he was being honest with himself. He was an Accounting nerd that spent his time watching Anime, shamefully wanking to hentai, and drooling over busty celebrities he¡¯d never have a chance in hell with. Not exactly anyone¡¯s first choice for Isekai Protagonist, all things considered. The fact he¡¯d made it as far as he had, frankly, was bloody insane. When Aurelian moved closer to Bahamut and placed a hand on the black dragon¡¯s platinum-spined neck, he paused for a moment and his rabbit hole of self-doubt eroded for the moment. Was Bahamut¡ bigger? A cursory glance along the dragon¡¯s full length had Aurelian blinking rapidly. ¡°Woah buddy. You got big.¡± Where before Bahamut had been the size of a large dog, now he was the size of a small pony. The dragon¡¯s lounging state had made it far less evident, but it was very clear up close, and with physical proximity, that Bahamut had changed noticeably. I attained several increases in level when the battle ended. Bahamut explained languidly. Dragons grow based on our levels, as we are born ageless. Experience both literally and in the type offered by the System are what define the differences between each dragon. I am young because I lack worldly exposure, as my Sire explained it; but we dragons do not ¡®grow¡¯ in the way you might align with a lesser creature. ¡°Like me, you mean?¡± Aurelian asked with amusement. If that is how you define ¡®lesser creature¡¯... Aurelian lightly bonked the dragon on the head, and Bahamut hissed quietly. ¡°Be polite,¡± he chided while looking down, at last, to the quarry he¡¯d been avoiding. The Vasiri lay upon the marble in what might have almost been a peaceful position, its arms crossed over its chest and its body rising and falling slowly with the steady breathing of slumber¡ªor comatose unawareness, which was a possibility given whatever Aurelian had done. He still didn¡¯t fully understand Calamity¡¯s Blade, for all that he had used it. His eyes narrowed in thought while he examined the creature, and traced the high cheekbones, pointed tips of its ears, and the look of near-emaciated partial desiccation that seemed to be its prevalent physical feature. If he had to hazard a guess at what was going on, it would be that he was looking at a starving vampire in the terminology of Earth mythology: a creature that had gone for too long without proper sustenance, and was withering as a result. ¡°You probably look pretty good when you¡¯re not starved, huh?¡± he muttered while frowning down at the creature with a glimmer of pity. The tale of how it had been made, irrelevant of its nature, was still a sad one. To be tortured, broken, and then twisted into a monster by the whims of an insane god intent on the pursuit of forbidden power¡ªhe still didn¡¯t know who the ¡®Blood Lords¡¯ that the System mentioned were¡ªwas a fate nobody deserved. Absolum reminded him far too much of the Nazi Eugenicists he¡¯d read about. The comparison might have been spiteful, but it fed his growing dislike for the deity. ¡°I¡¯m going to wake it up, Bahamut,¡± he said without taking his eyes off the Vasiri. ¡°I¡¯ll keep my sword at its neck, but I want you to pin its feet with your claws. If it so much as twitches wrong, fucking roast it.¡± A fine plan. I approve. the dragon sent with an outward rumble of appreciation, while hefting himself up and moving around to settle onto his haunches before the Vasiri, and locked his golden eyes on its prone body with predatory intensity. Despite his focus on the Vasiri, Aurelian couldn¡¯t help but once again internally gloat at how fucking cool it was to have a dragon as a companion. Best transmigration ever. ¡°Alright arsehole¡¡± he said a moment later while placing the bladed tip of his ultrawide bastard sword just above the Vasiri¡¯s neck. ¡°Time to answer some questions.¡± The way to wake up the creature seemed pretty obvious, given everything¡ ¡so Aurelian kicked him in the face. The Vasiri hissed in its sleep, and he saw its eyes moving rapidly behind its thin eyelids, though it didn¡¯t wake immediately. For all that he pitied its condition, he hadn¡¯t forgotten the way it had gloated when it had thought Bahamut had died. Aurelian tilted his head in thought, and then with a small shrug just repeated his first instinct. If you discover this tale on Amazon, be aware that it has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road. Please report it. He kicked the Vasiri in the face again. This time the creature¡¯s eyes snapped open, and it faced him with rusty eyes which, Aurelian finally realised, might once have been the colour of blood. A hiss came from its lips, and it moved as if to rise, until a low and ominous growl emanated from Bahamut¡¯s jaws. The Vasiri¡¯s eyes snapped to the dragon, and then it seemed to register the crackle of dragonfire¡ªthe heat of which Aurelian could feel even without it leaving his companion¡¯s jaws. Wisely, the Vasiri went very still, and its eyes danced from the dragon to Aurelian¡¯s sword, and back again. ¡°I suggest that you think very carefully before doing something to piss us off.¡± Aurelian warned with as much mustered ¡®ice¡¯ for his voice as he could manage. The memory of the vile blood the creature had forced down his throat helped immensely, too. ¡°We¡¯re a little on edge.¡± The Vasiri nodded once, shallowly, in understanding. Congratulations, Aurelian Lucis Imperius! You have met the requirements to unlock the skill Intimidation (R)! Despite the nature of brutish encounters within the Realms, the general availability of power often makes effective intimidation a rather difficult concept. It is the rare individual that manages to combine the raw power and savage cunning required to truly make a potential enemy afraid. Through the use of your rare skillset, Spirit Bond, and the evident nature of your survived hardships, you have managed to meet the criteria of being just such an individual! Try not to steal any candy from babies, Reclaimer! Intimidation is now Level 2! Aurelian dismissed the System alert after a momentary perusal, and filed it away mentally under ¡®things I wish I did not have the talent for¡¯, while keeping his gaze as fixed on the Vasiri as possible. He had questions, and he was determined that the revolting creature would give him answers. It owed him that much, and more besides. ¡°Tell me your name,¡± Aurelian commanded. The Vasiri stared at him with what Aurelian could only define as surprise. ¡°I¡ªvery well. I am¡ªwas¡ªMarius of Telastra.¡± Aurelian¡¯s eyes narrowed at the lucidity of its tone. His tone, he supposed. It was easier to think of the Vasiri as a vaguely masculine beast, and only loosely a person; but he¡¯d already accepted he would be interrogating a person¡ªfor all that it made him uncomfortable¡ªand he needed to keep that in mind. It might have been easier to utterly dehumanise the creature, so to speak, but it also didn¡¯t serve his immediate purposes. One of the core tenets of what little he¡¯d read of interrogation demanded the building of some sort of relationship, after all. ¡°Marius,¡± Aurelian repeated back, ¡°of Telastra. Right. I am Aurelian Lucis Imperius.¡± ¡°You are Nephilim.¡± Dragon¡¯s Resolve saved Aurelian from showing his surprise at that deduction, though a moment¡¯s thought told him it wasn¡¯t a wild one. It was easy to infer from everything that had happened, if one were even remotely well-versed in the Realms¡¯ lore on the subject, and the Vasiri¡ªMarius, he reminded himself¡ªvery likely was. ¡°I am.¡± Aurelian confirmed. ¡°I am the Reclaimer of Elysea, summoned for the justice of a murdered Empire. I am a Dragon Rider, entrusted with the resurrection of the Realms¡¯ ancient guardians. I am the New Calamity, Godsbane, and Primogenitor,¡± he said the titles with as much conviction and emphasis as his charisma stat would allow, ¡°and I want answers, Marius of Telastra.¡± Aurelian shifted the tip of his blade, and forced the Vasiri¡¯s chin upward. ¡°You will provide them.¡± Aurelian¡¯s Soul Sense spiked, and he felt a mix of shock, fear, and¡ªsurprisingly¡ªreverence coming from the creature, though the last was notably smaller than the prior two emotions/ Outwardly, Marius licked his chapped lips nervously, glanced at Bahamut¡¯s unblinking eyes, crackling jaw, and the claws resting on his legs; and then looked back to Aurelian from his prone position. ¡°Fine,¡± the Vasiri spat without masking the bitter tone of his voice. ¡°It is not as if I have much choice. You are not exactly giving me any other options.¡± ¡°You¡¯re lucky I didn¡¯t have Bahamut melt your skull,¡± Aurelian said coldly. Marius glanced at the dragon again, and Aurelian¡¯s Soul Sense skill registered a more powerful surge of fear. Intimidation is now Level 3! ¡°First things first.¡± Aurelian stated. ¡°What is the current year, month, and date?¡± Marius¡¯ expression furrowed in momentary confusion, and then melted into realisation. A glimmer of cruel amusement flashed through Aurelian¡¯s Soul Sense, and he took it to mean that the Vasiri must have realised a Nephilim would know nothing of that. Marius opened his mouth to speak, and the cruel amusement rose in volume. ¡°Bear in mind, Marius¡ª¡± Aurelian said before the Vasiri could speak ¡°¡ªthat my dragon can sense deception. Though his senses are, in a manner of speaking, a little untested at present. What that means, though, is that Bahamut likes to be a bit reactive. If you even attempt to deceive me, I can¡¯t promise he won¡¯t grow¡ agitated.¡± The dragon snarled for emphasis. Nice work, bud! Indeed. The dragon agreed smugly. Deception is now Level 7! Intimidation is now Level 4! Marius glanced at Bahamut again, and then gave another very shallow nod before turning back to Aurelian. ¡°By my reckoning, it is currently the seventh of Maerth, in the months of Solum, in the twelfth year of the fifth age of Deliverance.¡± ¡°How many months are there in a year?¡± ¡°Twelve.¡± ¡°How many days in a month?¡± ¡°Thirty.¡± ¡°What are the seasons?¡± ¡°You really don¡¯t kno¡ª?¡± Marius began scornfully before cutting off with a hiss when Bahamut dug in his platinum claws shallowly. ¡°Answer the question,¡± Aurelian said coldly. ¡°Agh! Solum and Wentus!¡± Not that different from Earth, give or take some maths and two seasons. Aurelian reasoned while nodding to Bahamut, who retracted his claws. The gesture was seen by Marius, but that was the point. It demonstrated that Aurelian was in charge. He also knew Bahamut wouldn¡¯t care. The dragon was too proud to be wrapped up in that sort of ¡®lesser creature minutiae¡¯, as the hatchling would probably put it. ¡°How many years are in an Age?¡± he asked for certainty¡¯s sake. ¡°One thousand.¡± Marius replied with a bitter glance at the dragon. ¡°Huh. That¡¯s interesting. Thank you.¡± ¡°Does that mean you are¡ª?¡± Bahamut snarled, and Marius fell silent. ¡°Now that you¡¯ve shown commendable survival instincts, let¡¯s move on to the important things.¡± Aurelian said as if nothing had happened, and pressed the tip of his blade to the hollow of the Vasiri¡¯s throat. In response, the Vasiri¡¯s eyes crossed to look down at it, and he seemingly stopped breathing. ¡°Like why an ancient Vasiri is prowling the halls of the Elysean Empire¡¯s old imperial palace.¡± ¡°That isn¡¯t for you to kn¡ª!¡± Marius stopped abruptly when Aurelian applied pressure to the flesh of his throat, and just barely let the tip of his blade rest on the edge of drawing blood. ¡°Think very carefully about your next words.¡± Aurelian warned softly. Bahamut growled. Marius visibly rethought his approach. ¡°What I mean to say, Nephilim, is that I cannot give you that information because of my oaths to Absolum! I am strictly forbidden from¡ª!¡± ¡°Your connection to the death god is severed, Marius.¡± Aurelian interjected with an affected air of boredom. ¡°I cut it myself. Have you already forgotten?¡± ¡°How could I?¡± the Vasiri responded bitterly. ¡°Then any oaths binding you should also be nullified¡ unless you are attempting to deceive me?¡± Marius¡¯ eyes widened and he lifted his hands in placation. ¡°NO! N¡ªno. Ah. No, I simply¡ simply haven¡¯t gotten used to¡ ah, you are right of course. How foolish of me, Reclaimer. Allow me to¡ªto answer your question.¡± Aurelian said nothing, but he was cringing internally. Nothing about the Vasiri¡¯s swing from arrogance to grovelling felt good. It only made him pity the creature more, and feel disgusted at his own actions¡ªjustified or not. It was the burden of being born in a relatively enlightened culture, he lamented quietly. People just didn¡¯t do what he was doing. At least, not normal everyday people like him and his family. He wondered, momentarily, how all the protagonists he¡¯d read about went around murderhoboing with no issue or moral qualms. The thought of killing Marius, for all that he was now a blood-sucking monster, still made him sick. It was all he could do to hide that fact from the Vasiri himself. B1 | Chapter 48: Mercy It did not take long for Marius to begin spilling what he knew, once he realised Aurelian was not serious about his threats. Bahamut¡¯s presence, though, was likely the greatest motivation. ¡°I was placed here to enact a greater plan by my master,¡± the Vasiri began. ¡°Absolum wished to experiment with a new means of manipulating the dead.¡± Marius glanced between Bahamut and Aurelian, licked his lips, and continued. ¡°The plan was to use the Manawoods in the arboretum to curate the tainted essence you saw enhancing the Skarnids and Skeletons, and wield it to create a new, more powerful kind of servant; one utterly bound to the intent of the Master¡¯s Chosen, and with the enhancements necessary to ensure catastrophic power.¡± ¡°I¡¯m not even at my Initiate Temper, Marius, and I killed your creatures,¡± Aurelian said sceptically. ¡°That doesn¡¯t seem like a great success to me.¡± ¡°You have an Elysean Runesword!¡± Marius spat with a clear sense of wounded ego. ¡°Those are all but lost to modern times! Besides, you are Nephilim. These creatures were never meant for a foe of your particular calibre, though I was likely tasked to stay here because of your possible arrival.¡± ¡°The vulnerability to fire isn¡¯t very helpful, either.¡± Aurelian pointed out. ¡°There were plans for circumventing that, though they were outside my purview.¡± Marius admitted with something akin to sincere bitterness. ¡°I was not included in those discussions.¡± Aurelian believed him, if only barely, simply due to how annoyed he sounded over it. ¡°Why did you not come for me when I first landed?¡± he continued. ¡°I was¡ uncertain of your capabilities. I suspected that you might be Nephilim, but Absolum told me nothing, and I thought to worry about it after my servants had breached the hidden chambers, but¡ª¡± ¡°Then I came to you.¡± Aurelian finished with a thoughtful nod. ¡°Very well. Continue your tale. What was the purpose behind creating this new type of monster?¡± ¡°There is an enclave of apostates in the Desolation.¡± Marius said with another look at Bahamut. ¡°A¡ a sanctuary of sorts. My master wished to test his new creatures on them, before sending them to conquer the other lands of the Prime Material.¡± ¡°Sounds charming,¡± Aurelian said while filing away that information. Wherever the supposed sanctuary was, he¡¯d have to try to find them and warn them. How he¡¯d go about that¡ Well, that was a different problem entirely. ¡°But I don¡¯t buy that you just juiced up some Skarnids and skelly boys and called it a day. What else did you fuck with?¡± ¡°Skelly bo¡ª?¡± Aurelian pressed his relaxed blade against the Vasiri¡¯s flesh again, and Bahamut snarled. ¡°Fine!¡± Marius spat. ¡°There were other Vasiri helping me. It was¡ªis¡ªa grand undertaking. They cajoled, intimidated, or outright herded entire swathes of the blighted fools that roam the Desolation toward the city outside the palace and we¡ changed them.¡± ¡°How?¡± Aurelian asked while a sick feeling started to build in his gut. ¡°We enhanced them with the corrupt essence, and forced them to Infuse it. We pushed them to consume and consume, until it properly infested them. First dozens, then hundreds, and eventually thousands. We¡¯ve been doing it for years. Many years.¡± ¡°How many of them are there?¡± Aurelian asked flatly. ¡°Ten thousand or so.¡± The Vasiri answered with a glimmer of dark pride. ¡°Closer to forty, when you factor in the dead we raised over the years, and the various beasts we captured, corrupted, and bred from within the Desolation itself. It is an unstoppable force. It will wash over the remnants of Elysea like a tide of¡ª¡± ¡°The remnants of Elysea?¡± Aurelian asked the moment he caught it. ¡°Explain. Now.¡± ¡°I¡ I misspo¡ª!¡± Bahamut snarled and Aurelian, swallowing back his disgust at the necessity of his actions, turned and stabbed his blade down into the Vasiri¡¯s shoulder. The creature¡¯s flesh began to smoke where the runic steel impaled it. ¡°I warned you not to lie.¡± Aurelian growled in his best Jason Statham impression. Intimidation is now Level 6! ¡°Mercy!¡± Marius cried piteously. ¡°Mercy! Mercy! It burns!¡± Aurelian twisted the runesword instead of answering, and kept his gaze fixed on the not-vampire. While doing so, he crushed down the pity he felt for the shell of a man, the broken soul, which had been so terribly corrupted by Absolum¡¯s madness. There was no point in letting that feeling grow. ¡°You were a good man once, I wager.¡± Aurelian said instead. ¡°A noble man, before this thing you are now. A Healer, right? You helped people, and probably took a lot of joy from it. So I¡¯m going to give you a chance, one last chance, to be more than the fucking monster Absolum made you into.¡± Aurelian didn¡¯t move his blade an inch, and he captured Marius¡¯ gaze with his own. ¡°You¡¯re going to die here, Marius. I can¡¯t let you go. You¡¯re the scorpion, but I¡¯m not as stupid as the frog. I can¡¯t let you live, but I can make your death either slow and painful¡ªor quick and easy. Tell me what I want to know, and you can at least die knowing you did something worth a damn with the last moments of your tortured existence.¡± Marius fixed his rusty eyes on Aurelian¡¯s own, and a flicker of something like hope¡ª which was bewildering¡ªbrushed against his Soul Sense. The Vasiri nodded once, his features twisted into a pained expression. Aurelian withdrew his sword from Marius¡¯ shoulder. Congratulations, Aurelian Lucis Imperius! You have met the requirements to unlock the skill Persuasion (UC)! In the Realms, the ability to talk one¡¯s way out of a situation is a surprisingly uncommon but necessary skill, and those that master its finer points are well-known and respected among even the most powerful of the Realms¡¯ denizens. By convincing a twisted creature to remember some facet of its long-buried former self through the strength of your presence, you have successfully joined this uncommon breed of personages. Make good use of that silver tongue, Reclaimer! Persuasion is now Level 2! ¡°...the sanctuary is the last bastion of Elysea¡¯s descendants.¡± Marius admitted in a resigned tone. ¡°It¡¯s not a secret. Solarius ensured that all remnants of the Empire were firmly infiltrated, and did so long before they were able to become anything resembling a threat. Not even the other Eight know who his agents are, but they are placed in positions to stymie and choke the potential growth of any resistance to the Nine¡¯s hold on the Realms.¡± If you encounter this story on Amazon, note that it''s taken without permission from the author. Report it. Aurelian didn¡¯t lower his guard even an inch, and he moved his blade to angle the tip at the Vasiri¡¯s throat, but listened in silence. ¡°It lies north of here, perhaps four weeks¡¯ travel by foot, by the reckoning of an untempered, upon a vast and flat section of blighted ground. It is guarded by a runic choir that instigates a dimensional displacement of the valley and its mountains, but we have agents within Sanctuary ready to disable the defences when Absolum¡¯s army approaches.¡± Marius narrowed his eyes. ¡°I would say it¡¯s impossible for you to find it, but dragons are rumoured to possess Truesight. If that¡¯s true, then your pet¡ª¡± ¡°Companion.¡± Aurelian corrected with a narrowing of the eyes. ¡°¡ªcompanion can see it regardless of how it is hidden, or at least see the displacement barrier of the dimensional gating.¡± ¡°Who leads this zombie apocalypse army?¡± ¡°That is an¡ apt name, I suppose.¡± Marius muttered. ¡°They are led by twelve Vasiri, who are led in turn by the Necrolord Lunnierre.¡± Aurelian filed away the information and looked down at Marius searchingly. ¡°Why did you become this cooperative? My speech about your old self can¡¯t have been that impactful.¡± ¡°It wasn¡¯t.¡± The Vasiri confirmed with a derisive look. ¡°But my hatred for Absolum¡ that is real, Nephilim. Knowing you will foil his great work, that you will slay those unworthy bastards that claimed my genius as their own innovation¡¡± Marius smiled crookedly. It was a mad smile. A piteous thing. ¡°Call me mad, Reclaimer, but that is something that gives me a measure of satisfaction.¡± Aurelian considered the Vasiri without ever once dropping his guard, and frowned at the creature¡¯s words. ¡°I only have one more question.¡± ¡°Ask.¡± Marius said impatiently. ¡°The Blood Lords of Eld. Does that mean anything to you?¡± Marius stared at him for a long, long moment; and Aurelian felt surprise echo out through his Soul Sense. ¡°How do you know¡ª¡± Marius¡¯ eyes widened. ¡°Of course,¡± he breathed with something approaching human wonder, ¡°that explains why you didn¡¯t succumb. You did something to my Essence. You changed it, in a way not even Absolsum has been able to change it. That explains everything!¡± ¡°That isn¡¯t an answer, Marius.¡± Aurelian said flatly. ¡°But it is, boy. IT IS! Yes, YES! I know what the name means; it refers to an ancient order, a sect of Cultivators from a time long forgotten, whose power was once the envy of all the Realms. They predate even the Elyseans, and were the masters of Life and Death. The Elden, they were called. The Blood Lords were their ruling Elite, so it¡¯s said; an elite hegemonic aristocracy which commanded entire Legions of True Arisen.¡± Investigation is now Level 8! ¡°True Arisen?¡± ¡°Undead.¡± Marius said fervently. ¡°But of such power, grandeur, and purity that even the name is unworthy of them. The Arisen were masterworks, sustained by the power of Anima, and as brilliant in death as they were in life. What we do now is a pale imitation of that power.¡± Marius¡¯ expression turned vindictive, and spiteful while he continued. ¡°It is a secret Absolum has tried to wrest from the Graveheart for aeons without success. This is quite the development, oh yes. When he learns of this, he will pursue you to the ends of Terra and beyond.¡± ¡°The Graveheart?¡± ¡°The Death Eternal.¡± Marius said impatiently. ¡°The Primordial Incarnation of Death Mana.¡± ¡°Right¡¡± Aurelian said slowly. ¡°And me having Anima is a big deal?¡± ¡°¡®A big deal¡¯, you say.¡± Marius scoffed derisively. ¡°You hold a power even the God of Death cannot replicate, Nepihlim, and ask if it is a ¡®big deal¡¯. Were it not for how much pleasure Absolum¡¯s future realisation at his inferiority, and subsequent incandescent rage brings me, I¡¯d¡ª¡± ¡°You¡¯d what, exactly?¡± Aurelian asked while Bahamut dug in his claws. Marius hissed at them both, but wisely stayed silent. ¡°Do you have any other information on the Elden?¡± ¡°Only that they were wiped out by a cataclysm nobody can name, and all record of them was stricken. The little that remains speaks of one thing, though, that may have had something to do with it.¡± ¡°Oh?¡± Aurelian asked. ¡°Solarius fears nothing, Nephilim. Calamity¡¯s Blade unsettles the Sun God, but he fears nothing¡ªnothing, that is, except the Elden. That is why Absolum so desperately seeks their power. Something, something about that ancient hegemony scared even the Lord of the Nine.¡± Investigation is now Level 9! ¡°What was it?¡± Marius sneered at his question. ¡°You think I know? I only know what I do because I was one of Absolum¡¯s researchers. I am not even a favoured servant, let alone an Avatar. What I gleaned, I did so through suffering and cunning both. I do not know that secret, Nephilim, only that it does exist. Absolum wants it more than anything else, so that he can finally dethrone his tyrant brother.¡± Marius giggled madly. ¡°Oh yes, my old Master hates Solarius, perhaps even more than he hates himself.¡± ¡°It¡¯s Hades and Zeus all over again.¡± Aurelian muttered while keeping his blade level. ¡°What?¡± Marius demanded. ¡°Who?¡± Before Aurelian could answer, a System alert populated his vision abruptly. QUEST ISSUED: Secrets of the Elden Marius of Telastra has revealed a matter of grave secrecy to you: a potential weapon, or tool, of which even the Lord of the Nine is afraid! It falls to you to tread the path of discovery, and search for answers relating to the ancient and mysterious land of Eld. There is no telling what manner of secrets await along this path, and it will surely be a challenge like no other. The Prime Material is filled with mysteries, and you have stumbled upon one that makes even Gods fear to tread! Success Parameters: Discover the Secrets of the Elden Survive Failure Parameters: Absolum discovers the Secrets of the Elden The Secrets of the Elden are Destroyed Rewards: ??? Aurelian¡¯s eyes widened, but he didn¡¯t say anything¡ªand instead minimised the alert for later, while refocusing on Marius, who was watching him unblinkingly. ¡°Nothing. Forget it.¡± Aurelian said with forceful dismissal. ¡°I have no more questions. You¡¯ve given me everything I want.¡± Marius sneered, and doubt flashed through Soul Sense, but the Vasiri said no more. Aurelian sighed, put the Quest out of mind momentarily, and shook his head. ¡°For what it¡¯s worth, Marius¡ I¡¯m sorry this¡ªall of this¡ªhappened to you. I am.¡± Marius was silent for several long moments, and searched Aurelian¡¯s gaze before scoffing. ¡°You truly mean it, don¡¯t you? How naive. Spare me your pity, Nephilim. What happened to me is but a microcosm of what the gods will do if they get you in their grip.¡± The Vasiri stared at him with mad eyes. ¡°You, Nephilim, have become something beyond comprehension; something even Absolum could not conceive of. They will hate you for it, and they will fear you for it.¡± the Vasiri giggled. ¡°They will hunt you for it. Forever.¡± ¡°Good,¡± Aurelian said much more calmly than he felt. ¡°That¡¯ll make it easier to kill the fuckers.¡± ¡°And you called me mad¡¡± the Vasiri mumbled. ¡°Do you have¡¡± Aurelian faltered, and then took a breath. He reaffirmed his grip on his blade¡¯s hilt and raised it above the prone Vasiri¡¯s head, with the razor tip pointed between his eyes. ¡°Do you have any last words, Marius of Telastra?¡± ¡°...I hate you too much to wish you well, Reclaimer,¡± the creature said with bitter resignation, ¡°but I certainly wish you victory in achieving the vengeance I could not. I hope you make it hurt. Learn to harness the power I gifted you, incidentally or not, and in doing so I hope you make the Gods scream.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll give them the same mercy I¡¯m giving you.¡± Aurelian assured him quietly. ¡°Good enough.¡± Marius muttered while closing his eyes. ¡°May you find peace in the next life, Marius of Telastra.¡± Aurelian said quietly. ¡°I¡¯ll see you in the Pits, Nephilim.¡± Aurelian plunged his runesword down. The Vasiri died in silence. B1 | Chapter 49: The Dead and the Dying You have gained Experience! Aurelian strode through the Arboretum, under the towering canopies of the corrupted Manawood trees, in silence with Bahamut at his side. His eyes traced the scorched remnants of the dead trees he and the dragon had destroyed in their battle, as well as the myriad of other corrupted samples quietly suffering within the arboretum. His heart faintly ached for them, and he silently promised to return and cleanse them if he could. The suffering of the trees was something he felt some measure of kinship with, after what Marius had done. The burning of the Vasiri¡¯s corpse had gone some way to give justice to the ancient giants, but it was far too little a balm for his liking. He had debated both testing his Anima Syphon ability, and testing out his Anima Infusion at the same time¡ªbut in the end, neither thought had been palatable. Marius was not just a random foe, he was a tortured and twisted soul; one that had been forcibly enslaved for millennia prior to Aurelian ending his life. Adding even another minute of forceful slavery to the already-broken man¡¯s existence had seemed cruel beyond justification, no matter what Marius had attempted to do. He was no more to blame for the evil that had stricken his soul than any other victim, and for all the evil he had caused, Aurelian had remembered to lay the blame where it truly belonged: with Absolum and the Nine. Despite that though, the way in which Marius had described what he¡¯d done to the Manawoods, as vague as it might have been, had stayed with Aurelian. The trees were inherently things of peace and true, undefiled nature. To have them twisted and mutated in such a manner was beyond horrific, and spoke to a level of malice that only someone¡ªor something, he corrected¡ªtruly evil could conceive of. It angered a deep part of Aurelian¡¯s soul, one which he rarely connected with, but which loved the beauty and harmony of clean mountain air, open fields of grass, and towering trees. It likely hearkened back to the hikes his family had taken every year in different countries across Europe. He found himself cherishing those memories, and fighting against the upwelling of homesickness that followed them. He had largely come to terms with the general grief of being transmigrated to a new reality, and had¡ªif not fully accepted¡ªrationalised the fact he¡¯d probably never see Earth again. A glance at Bahamut followed the thought, and he smiled slightly. There were some perks to the whole Nephilim thing, he supposed. What is it that occupies your thoughts, Aurelian? The dragon asked curiously. ¡°Just thinking about my old home,¡± he said conversationally while they walked, ¡°and how my family might have reacted to you. Dragons don¡¯t exist in my original world.¡± They do not? Were they eliminated? ¡°Nah, they just never manifested in the same way. I don¡¯t really get why, but I feel like it probably has something to do with the System. It could find me on Earth, but somehow has no impact on¡ huh¡¡± he trailed off while speaking when a thought came to him. What is it? ¡°I was just thinking¡ maybe the System isn¡¯t as lacking in influence as I thought. I mean¡ we have all these legends, right? Stories about orcs, goblins, wizards, dragons and other stuff that we have here on Terra. Maybe it¡¯s that concept bleed effect working overtime.¡± A reflective element of the System, as Tarixi described? ¡°Yeah! It reminds me of how, sometimes, you see a distorted reflection in water, you know?¡± I do not. ¡°Oh. Right.¡± Aurelian said awkwardly. ¡°Uhh¡¡± he searched for a better analogy for a moment. ¡°It¡¯s sort of like looking at something but not quite seeing what it actually is, and instead seeing a sort of blurry or hazy representation of it. Maybe the System did that to the, like, brains? Minds? Whatever. To the people where I come from. They had all these ideas because of Concept Bleed.¡± Which you believe is proof that the System is more present than you believed. ¡°Precisely!¡± Aurelian confirmed with a nod and snap of his armoured fingers. ¡°Yeah. It¡¯s wild to think about, but it could very well be true, innit? The whole idea of the System sorta showing itself through subconscious osmosis? Sounds just like something that might happen.¡± Then why not simply integrate your world? ¡°I don¡¯t know. Maybe it isn¡¯t that simple. I don¡¯t have those answers, bud.¡± Perhaps my Sire will know. ¡°That¡¯s a good point,¡± Aurelian said while they walked toward the entrance to the Arboretum. ¡°I should ask Bael¡¯tharax about it. Maybe he¡¯ll have some insights.¡± He may not share them, if the knowledge is forbidden. ¡°Like his and your character sheets?¡± Character sheets? ¡°Animus Registries,¡± he clarified with a quick burst of recollection. Ah. I cannot offer you access to my entire one, no. However, I could grant you access to a curated version. I did speak to my Sire of this, but it was never quite relevant. ¡°Wait, really?! Fuck yeah, Bahamut. Let¡¯s see it!¡± A wave of amusement came from the dragon, and Aurelian¡¯s vision lit up with a prompt. Bahamut has invited you to view his Character Sheet (Redacted). Do you accept? Y / N Aurelian mentally hit the ¡®Y¡¯ option, and then his eyes widened at the information that flooded into his vision. Name: Bahamut Bonded Temper: Untempered Novice Core: Platinum Dragon Core (Young) Level: 8 | Race: Platinum Dragon (T) | Origin: Draconic (E) | Gender: Male Health: 680 | Mana: 239 | Stamina: 221 STR: 48 | AGI: 37 | DEX: 32 | VIT: 68 | END: 51 | INT: 65 | PER: 80 | WIL: 44 | CHA: 38 Mind Skills: Draconic Analysis (E) 17 | Dragon¡¯s Resolve (E) 20 | Dragon¡¯s Gaze (E) 15 | Body Skills: Dragon¡¯s Fortitude (E) 22 | Dragon¡¯s Roar (E) 12 | Dragon¡¯s Claws (E) 21 | Dragon¡¯s Flight (E) 15 | Dragon¡¯s Alacrity (E) 14 Spirit Skills: Platinum Manaforce (L) 24 | Spirit Bond: Nephilim (T) 12 | Dragon¡¯s Breath (E) 18 | Fire Mastery (E) 22 | Air Mastery (E) 17 | Force Mastery (E) 8 Traits: Monarch¡¯s Grace (L) | Platinum Dragon (T) | Calamity¡¯s Tether (T) | Eternal Guardian (T) | Truesight (L) Titles: Dragon Prince (L) | Calamity¡¯s Bond (T) | Shadow of Intent (E) | Perdition¡¯s Claws (L) Languages: Common | Elysean | Draconic 36% to Level 9 Aurelian stared at the details of Bahamut¡¯s sheet with ever-growing incredulity. Everything was at a minimum of Epic rarity, and those were the baselines. His health, mana, and stamina all nearly matched Aurelian¡¯s own at only level eight, and when Aurelian attempted to pry as to why that was happening, he was shut out by a negative notification. That was likely by design, given that large portions of Bahamut¡¯s sheet were supposed to be secret. Still, the sheer scale of power inherent to the Dragon¡¯s implied growth was¡ staggering. His bond was very likely to become terrifying in the months to follow. ¡°How fast do you gain levels?¡± he asked while pouring over the sheet. Slower than you by several orders of magnitude, and slower still based on the enemies we fight. Bahamut explained with a measure of frustration. The System rewards challenge, Aurelian. It will not grant us much in the way of growth if we are not adhering to that precept. ¡°I already deduced that much. I definitely gained more experience during lethal encounters.¡± Indeed, and with each Tier of Power, that growth becomes harder to attain. We will have a very bloody path ahead of us, if we are to gain enough power to castigate the gods for their transgressions. ¡°We¡¯re not going to castigate them, Bahamut.¡± We are not? ¡°No. We¡¯re going to kill them. Every last one.¡± I see. Bahamut sent with a pleased rumble. Very well. There was something incredibly warming about the utter lack of doubt, concern, or question in the dragon¡¯s thoughts while they spoke. Aurelian declared an intent¡ªone which still left him somewhat uncertain he could achieve, in truth¡ªthat any rational person would at least question his capability to execute, and his bond merely took it in stride, like Aurelian was declaring he¡¯d climb a tree. He couldn¡¯t tell if it was the Spirit Bond between them that influenced the trust, but there was an absolute belief in Aurelian¡¯s capability which radiated through Bahamut. Stolen content alert: this content belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences. Had Aurelian not experienced the bond himself, he¡¯d have questioned how they could possibly be so intrinsically linked, but to explain the truth of how deep that connection ran was almost impossible. Bahamut¡¯s very Soulforce had been tethered and anchored with his own, and the connection between them was as if they were one spirit in two bodies. He could feel Bahamut like he could feel his own hand, or fingers. The dragon was the heart beating in his chest, and the breath filling his lungs. It was a love, a camaraderie, and a unity of mind, spirit, and Soulforce that transcended all definitions. He¡¯d read books about it of course, but how could any author pen a passage that properly conveyed the esoteric depth of certainty he felt when looking at his dragon? He would shatter mountains, sunder the heavens, and divert the oceans to protect Bahamut. It was a sentiment he knew the dragon shared. The somewhat scarier part was that, one day, Bahamut truly would be capable of such feats. It was a lot to think about. It was a heavy burden to bear. ¡°We¡¯ll return to Bael¡¯tharax and Tarixi, and tell them what we¡¯ve found out from Marius. Then we¡¯re going to raid the armoury and make our way to that Elysean holdout in the¡ Desolation? Yeah.¡± he paused, and then grimaced. ¡°Whatever the hell that is.¡± Through context I would infer it is where we currently are. ¡°I thought we were in Albion?¡± I believe the implication is that Elysea is the Desolation. ¡°Oh. Oh. Shit¡ that¡¯s dark.¡± Bahamut growled in placid agreement, and Aurelian ruminated on the fact while they stepped out from under the final canopies of corrupted Manawoods littering the arboretum. Being in the middle of some sort of wasteland was not exactly opportune, and from what the Vasiri had described; he could expect some horror blend between Mad Max, Fallout, and the creepy Blight from every epic fantasy novel ever written. ¡°Probably no radroaches, though, I hope.¡± he muttered. Radroaches? ¡°Don¡¯t jinx it.¡± Aurelian grunted. Aurelian. ¡°No, Bahamut. I do not want to deal with goddamn Radro¡ª¡± Aurelian. Aurelian stopped mid-gripe upon realising he was alone, and turned to face the dragon, who had halted in his tracks a few metres behind. ¡°What is it?¡± he asked while tracking Bahamut¡¯s gaze toward where the dragon¡¯s golden eyes stared into the shadows, between several clustered Manawood trees. Aurelian could barely make anything out, given the density of the shadows in that particular spot¡ but Bahamut had vastly better perception than he did. Use your Dragon¡¯s Gaze. Aurelian raised an eyebrow, but did so without argument. The skill triggered a veil immediately, like a new filter coming across the world and revealing motes of ambient mana in a plethora of colours. He could almost taste them in a way. ¡°What am I looking for?¡± he asked while looking vaguely in the direction of Bahamut¡¯s stare. The mana motes all around them were very distracting. There is a large concentration of shadow mana between those trees, and it is veiling something. Aurelian glanced at the dragon again, and then drew his Crest from its sheath on his back, under his recovered supply pack. He gripped the blade in both hands and moved forward, expression wary as he advanced toward the point between the Manawoods. His Dragon¡¯s Gaze sharpened while he drew closer and his perception¡¯s assistance made itself known. Aurelian started to get a better grasp of what the dragon was talking about when he got close. Dragon¡¯s Gaze is now Level 13! A dense compaction of shadow mana sat like substantive cocoons around what appeared to be some sort of collection of large ovular objects, hiding them from view with predatory cunning. Had the dragon not spotted them¡ªlikely due to his own increased perception from recent levels¡ªand the pair of them not ventured back this particular route toward the exit of the arboretum, it was very likely they¡¯d have never discovered the oddities. It was pure luck. ¡°Could be egg sacs, or some sort of larval form Skarnid,¡± he announced to the dragon that prowled carefully at his side. ¡°What do you think?¡± I cannot penetrate the Shadow Mana surrounding the objects, only discern their shape. ¡°Yeah, that¡¯s my issue too,¡± he agreed while moving ever-closer. ¡°I¡¯m inclined to just incinerate ¡®em all, but I¡¯d rather not destroy the trees by accident. I still want to see if there¡¯s a way to save them. By all accounts, they¡¯d be a tremendous asset for later.¡± I agree. I will save my flames for a clear threat. Aurelian heartily concurred with that. Bahamut¡¯s fire, for reasons that likely made perfect sense, was far hotter than anything Aurelian could produce with any success. Something about the dragon¡¯s nature, or perhaps Bahamut¡¯s specific Platinum origins, made the fire intensely more potent and destructive. The image of the flames practically disintegrating the Corrupted Skarnid chitin was still firmly imprinted in his memory. ¡°Appreciate the restraint, buddy,¡± Aurelian said while edging warily in under the Manawoods. The trees¡¯ pain was visceral to his Soul Sense while standing so close, and he could almost hear their tormented spirits crying out while he moved between them. It was enough to be discomforting, enraging, and nauseating all at once. He promised himself there and then that he¡¯d do his best to follow through with cleansing them. They deserved that much, after what had been done to them. One good factor of the trees¡¯ age was the space between their massive trunks, given their roots had grown down and the large Manawoods had grown slightly apart to account for such. The fact they¡¯d very likely been planted apart, for that same reason, was also helpful. Aurelian was able to slip nicely between the thick, corrupted trunks and closer to the recess¡ªor small grove¡ªbetween the trees within which was housed the shadowy something, whose greyish saturation of mana was all but blazing to his enhanced vision. Get ready for bullshit. he sent to the dragon telepathically. I¡¯m going to try to cut through it. Is that not reckless? Bahamut queried. Do you honestly care? Aurelian retorted with amusement. Mm. No. I shall await the results. Swallowing back the chuckle that threatened to emerge at the dragon¡¯s candour, Aurelian dismissed his Dragon¡¯s Sight and allowed his normal vision to align to the deeper-than-dark shadows clinging to the massive, vaguely ovular shapes before him. There were six of them in total, and Aurelian felt a chill ripple down his spine at the sight of them. ¡°Alright. Here goes nothing¡¡± he muttered while lifting his sword. Using caution just in case he were about to encounter the isekai version of a delicate loot box, Aurelian cut shallowly into the shadow-wrapped cocoon closest to him. The moment he did, some sort of interaction flared between the runesteel and shadow mana, and the cocoon of darkness shattered almost instantly. Aurelian cursed out loud when multiple white ovals of woven spider silk were thrust into his vision, and fully three of them had been broken open. No, he realised. Not broken. Cracked. Aurelian stared with growing revulsion at what appeared to be bloodied, charnel carrying cages filled with the rotting remnants of previous meals. Bloodstains, discarded pieces of viscera, and even a small saturation of different coloured hair that clung to the interior webbing nearly made him want to throw up on the spot. Only his Dragon¡¯s Resolve held the instinctive bile at bay, and allowed him to remember to use Revelate. Name: Skarnid Silk Sac Type: Container Description: Used by the Arachnids of the blight to store their excess prey for later consumption, these sacs use a mixture of pseudo-amniotic fluid and embalming essences to maintain the prey in a semi-conscious state of partial delirium, and maintain their body heat for satisfying later consumption. It is an excellent material for use in the storage and preservation of foodstuffs. Aurelian read the description of the sacs with dawning horror, and felt his blood run cold at what it implied. Food. Prey. People. Had the Vasiri known? Why hadn¡¯t he fed? The questions he had mounted quickly. It made no sense. Why would Marius not eat the Skarnids¡¯ food? Unless¡ ¡°Unless he didn¡¯t have as good of a hold on them as he seemed to imply.¡± Aurelian muttered. ¡°Which means that maybe the rest of the beasts they¡¯ve converted are less than entirely controlled. That is¡ worrying, to say the least.¡± With that lovely realisation, he stepped around and toward the other two split open sacs, and grimaced at the stench and results within. The third one actually still had the partially eaten corpse of someone unrecognisable within, and Aurelian had to place his gauntleted fist to his mouth to swallow back the vomit that threatened to rise. No words could ever describe how utterly vile the sight and smell that greeted him was. I sense that you are in distress, Aurelian. ¡°Yeah,¡± Aurelian called back around nausea, now that he was confident they were alone. ¡°You seeing this shit?¡± I am able to analyse the sacs, yes. Bahamut confirmed with an air of disaffected disinterest. It is quite disgusting, though it does make sense. ¡°I¡¯m glad one of us is coping with it all.¡± Dragons are not so easily bothered by such trifles, Aurelian. Aurelian rolled his eyes at the layer of smugness in his bond¡¯s thoughts, and moved on to the remaining three sacs. There was a pit forming in his stomach by that point, sourced in the dread he felt at what might be waiting for him within the remaining three. He took a moment to steady himself and, once that was done, lifted his blade and very carefully started to cut through the outer layer of the silk. What he could only call a membrane of completely transparent secretion split open from around the outside of the sac when he started to cut, and Aurelian had a moment of bewilderment before he realised that it was likely some sort of naturally created substance to ¡®seal in¡¯ the preserving qualities of the sacs. He suppressed a shudder and went back to his work. The sac itself was opened moments later and, much like a blister with its pressure relieved, a burst of contained air erupted out of the deflating sac the moment he cut into its depths. Aurelian staggered backward from the sudden concentration of rot, body fluids, and faecal stench with an abrupt about-face, and prompt emptying of his stomach. Not even his Dragon¡¯s Resolve¡¯s skill could account for the sheer mass of grotesque sensory overload opening the sac impacted him with. When he¡¯d finished coughing up what little bile he had to spare, and made a note to eat another quarter of one of the essence loaves as soon as he could; Aurelian turned back to the opened sac warily while wiping his mouth. The sight that greeted him made him glad he¡¯d already thrown up. A corpse frozen in a rictus of terror looked back at him with glassy eyes, and with the stench of days old excrement and urine wafting from within the sac. Blood congealed and coated several of the creature¡¯s nails where, by Aurelian¡¯s reckoning, they had actually clawed open their own wrists to end their presumed suffering. The sight was terrible. Vomit stained what looked like once-pristine white bandages covering the corpse from from neck to toes under a form-fitting set of leather armour, and despite his better judgement, Aurelian used Revelate. Name: Tarnus Moyer Race: Half-Elf Level: 29 Tier: Initiate Health: 0/670 Description: Half-Elves are a surprisingly prolific species within the Realms, and are most often the result of Human and Elven copulation, though there are many examples of Elves crossbreeding with every major race in the Prime Material, as is their wont. Half-Elves inherit different traits based on the gender of each parent species, the strength of their genes, and other such minutiae. ¡°Woah. There are horny elves in this world?¡± he muttered while reading the information. A smile flickered on his features for a moment, and he made careful note of that fact before dismissing the prompt. He wasn¡¯t about to lie to himself. Horny Elves was a big win for his future. ¡°Well, Tarnus Moyer, I¡¯m sorry this happened to you mate,¡± Aurelian said with a piteous look for the dead elf. ¡°If I had some Anima, I might have even brought you back. Though¡ I really should check if that¡¯s not some terrible sin,¡± he made another mental note to ask Bael¡¯tharax about it, and then turned away from the already-rotting corpse. He¡¯d make sure to burn the remains after he was done, but there were two more sacs to investigate. You¡¯re going to have to burn a few more corpses, bud. I¡¯m sorry. Such is the nature of the Realms, Aurelian. Bahamut replied calmly. You need not apologise. Sometimes Aurelian couldn¡¯t decide if his dragon¡¯s naturally pragmatic dismissal of all the horror in their shared reality was a good thing, or something utterly terrifying, but in that moment he was grateful for it. It helped reassure him, at least, that the people he was about to excavate had died long before he¡¯d ever have been able to save them. A breath came in through his mouth and Aurelian, while grimacing at the stench from Tarnus, brought his blade up and then down to smoothly slit the fronts of the remaining two sacs. Best to just get it over with, was his logic. After all he¡¯d had his fair filling of corpses and he just wanted the entire experience to be over and done with. Things were already far too macabre for his liking, and¡ª The figure in the first sac twitched. Aurelian stared. A pale elven woman, clad in the same strange white bandages, leather vestments, and with a fluid-drenched mane of jet-black hair opened her blue eyes to stare at him with momentary confusion. ¡°Hi,¡± Aurelian said in a nonplussed voice. The woman regarded him in silence for several seconds, taking him in, and then focusing in on his eyes. After a moment of assessment, her eyes widened, then narrowed sharply, and she bared her teeth in a snarl. Aurelian sighed. The elf¡¯s muscles coiled in visible preparation. ¡°I fucking hate this world,¡± he complained while bracing himself. The elf lunged. B1 | Chapter 50: Shattered Perspectives Suraiya rode atop Valour with a subtle sense of unease pulling at her spirit. Her eyes roamed outward from where she sat atop her Courser, observing the faces and gazes of thousands of people while Lycinia led her and her companions through one of the main thoroughfares of Sanctuary. They moved six abreast, and it was all Suraiya could do not to be distracted by the riot of eclectic colours, and artistic expressions rampant within the city. She was used to attention as the daughter of a King, and Princess-Royal of Stormharrow; but that was in her own home. Stormharrow was a place of comfort, security, and inherent strength. Sanctuary was definitely not Stormharrow, and not a place she felt in control. Everywhere she looked, her eyes met discerning, weighing, and intelligent gazes. Every story she¡¯d heard, every tale she¡¯d been told, and every single legend and myth had painted Elyseans as monsters that had nearly shattered the world. They had been condemned as tyrants that had driven the people of the Prime Material into an age of hedonistic overindulgence, apostasy, and dark magic. Yet these people, no matter how often she searched or attempted to find traces of such horror, were utterly different from every tale she¡¯d been told. They were calm, confident, well-nourished and¡ªperhaps most shockingly of all¡ªhealthier-looking than all but the wealthiest of Stormharrow¡¯s citizenry. The hardiness and grime of the working class had always been something she¡¯d simply taken for granted, and seen as a cruel reality of their lot in life. The lower classes toiled, and led lives of hard labour in return for grace, and favour from the gods for their services. The aristocracy, anointed by the Nine, rewarded them with coin and patronage in return for skilled work. It was a system of give and take, of effort and reward. It was, she¡¯d been taught, a foundational aspect of the Religion that governed the largest nation on Terra. In that moment, the once-evident merits of that very faith were shattering before her eyes. The fundamental belief which anchored the class system in the Grand Ascendancy was a simple one: each person had a place, as ordained by the Divine, and attempting to upend or upset that hierarchy was implicitly an act of chaos. It created division, strife, and ruined the peaceful efficiency of a stratified system. That belief, in all of its ironclad lack of flexibility, had been instilled in her from as far back as she could remember She had been taught to not only abide by it, but to enforce and defend it so as to prevent chaos and societal collapse. She had believed, with every iota of her being, that such was the only way to ensure peace, prosperity, and civil order. In the presence of the people that walked the streets of Sanctuary, all of those points were undermined, weakened, and shown to be built on pillars of sand. ¡°You look troubled, Suraiya.¡± Lycinia said from below while holding Valour¡¯s bridle. ¡°I am seeing the fabric of my belief system turned on its head.¡± the princess admitted. ¡°The people here are so healthy, and clearly not lacking for funds or amenities. Certainly, there is a clear wealth disparity in the presentation of some compared to others, but there is not a single hungry or sickly person, nor any individual that looks perpetually dirtied or attired in threadbare clothing. It is wonderful, and yet terrifying at the same time.¡± ¡°Mm.¡± Lycinia hummed thoughtfully. ¡°You¡¯re talking about the comparison to the stratification edicts in the Ascendancy, I take it?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Lycinia nodded in a way that showed understanding before she spoke again. ¡°Elyseans do not hold to the ideas of aristocracy in the way that the Nine have demented it. We believe that a Patrician¡ªthat is a noble, in your nomenclature¡ªholds a responsibility of noblesse oblige to those below them. It is the privilege of the superior to defend and protect the safety and well-being of those subordinate to them. The System is not forgiving, and adversity is its natural course, but that does not mean we should allow nor indulge in cruelty or deprivation.¡± ¡°It is not seen as cruelty to encourage hard work and the earning of rewards,¡± Suraiya said when Lycinia finished, ¡°and it is not that I do not think there is merit to the idea of placing adversity upon the common people in order to encourage their growth, but it strikes me now that we have conflated adversity¡ªin the context of the System¡ªwith deprivation, and by our own hands.¡± Suraiya sighed quietly, and felt a mix of anxious guilt and self-reproaching nausea rising within her. ¡°I can suddenly find no good argument as to why the lowest among my citizens must live in squalor. Two days prior, I would have said that while harsh, it encouraged their spirits to overcome, and helped bring a coldly necessary order to society. Now though¡¡± Lycinia merely nodded, her red hair gently tousled by the breeze in the valley. ¡°It is the mark of a wise woman to be able to so quickly, and insightfully, pick up on the fallacies of the logic involved.¡± She paused to gesture airily around them, and then continued. ¡°Poverty does not create drive, it merely perpetuates resentment and ferments more poverty, and more crime. We have always understood, in Elysea, that adversity can be delivered absent the need for institutionalised marginalism. Challenge does not require deprivation of personal well-being, and in fact, such circumstances can directly impede someone¡¯s ability to properly rise to the occasion.¡± Suraiya laughed mirthlessly. ¡°You must think me an air-headed fool for never seeing this before,¡± the princess said with quiet shame burning in her breast. ¡°I feel so blind, Lycinia, and so stupid. It is so reasonable, when confronted by it, to realise that a basic subsistence encourages the pursuit of greater accumulation of luxury. A small bit of aid on a harsh path often encourages someone to take another step by their own merit, after all.¡± Suraiya shook her head in a mix of disbelief and bitter self-recrimination. ¡°Why is that so obvious now, and not before?¡± ¡°Because those with privilege rarely comprehend the lack thereof,¡± Lycinia answered simply, ¡°and those without it cannot imagine the reality of having it.¡± The Elysean woman glanced back to meet Suraiya¡¯s gaze, and her jade eyes were intent and focused. ¡°The gods have tied all of you into a neat little cycle of targeted repudiation, with each stratum of society believing the other to be so far removed as to be, in essence, separate existences.¡± Lycinia smiled sadly and looked back at the passing faces. ¡°You have no more evident relation to the beggar in the street, Suraiya, than a cutpurse has to your royal father. And yet¡¡± ¡°...we are all fundamentally the same when given identical, or even similar circumstances.¡± Suraiya finished with quiet shame. ¡°What truly sets me apart from a weaver¡¯s daughter, or a pretty tavern maid? Nothing.¡± the princess admitted while fighting against slumping in self-recrimination in her saddle. Only her training and instinctive understanding of a need to project confidence, grace, and some measure of control kept her back straight, and her expression somewhere between thoughtful and placid. ¡°In what I wager would be many cases; I am more plain, less learned, and far more naive to the truths of the world.¡± ¡°Oh, I don¡¯t know about that,¡± Lycinia disagreed, with a mischievous smile evident in her tone. ¡°You are plenty gorgeous, princess. Even I am not so callous as to rob you of that truth. No matter where you go, you would be considered a rare beauty.¡± Suraiya felt a blush warm her cheeks. ¡°You are teasing me.¡± This tale has been unlawfully obtained from Royal Road. If you discover it on Amazon, kindly report it. ¡°A little.¡± Lycinia admitted with a musical laugh. ¡°But it¡¯s also the truth.¡± ¡°Thank you for your kind words, Lycinia.¡± Suraiya said with another genuine rush of appreciation, and further warming of her cheeks. ¡°I will endeavour not to let it go to my head.¡± ¡°It¡¯s not your head I¡¯m worried about.¡± the redhead replied cryptically. Suraiya could hear that laugh in the words, but they made no sense to her. She simply attributed it to some unknown element of Elysean humour, and instead turned her gaze from the mildly discomforting and world-shattering appearance of the crowd, and toward the approaching gates of the valley¡¯s citadel. Lycinia had told her it was called Last Hope by the denizens of Sanctuary. A fitting name given the remnant¡¯s dire situation. They might have been thriving in their isolated pocket within the Desolation, but it was only by the measurement of a civilisation that should have been dead. When compared to the Grand Ascendancy and its myriad of subordinate Kingdoms and Principalities, with whom Lycinia had made it clear Sanctuary considered themselves at war; there was no comparison. The denizens of Sanctuary were puppies in conflict with a Wyvern, by comparison. When they ascended the slow incline from the main thoroughfare, and toward the first of the three main gates leading past the triplicate walls and into the citadel¡¯s massive bailey, Suraiya found herself tracing her eyes over the walls themselves. They appeared to be seamless and solid, with no markings for joinings, nor signs of worked stone. In fact, and much to her hidden surprise, the citadel¡¯s fortifications weren¡¯t stone at all; they were metal. Reinforced, heavily layered, and massively high sheets of pure alloy that ever-so-slightly shimmered with runic choirs spread like dancing sparks across their surfaces. The sheer scale of it made her feel faint, and she struggled not to gape like a country girl seeing a city for the first time. Such a feat of construction would have had every noble house in the Ascendancy in an uproar. It defied everything they knew of plausible building methods. The only thing like it, the only thing close to it, was the Lunar Gate, and the walls of Holy Solarium itself; the Capital City and Seat of the Grand Ascendant. Only there could she imagine such mastery of craft being matched, or even exceeded. This citadel, Last Hope, was something out of legend. It was something out of a time long lost, and believed myth by her peers and tutors. Her lessons had taught her that the Lunar Gate, and Holy Solarium itself, were a work of the divine. Yet this citadel was Elysean, and there was no way the Nine had built it for them. Lies. She realised with mounting uncertainty. My whole life has been based on lies. She could feel the same unease spreading among those behind her like a wave, and crashing through their understandings of what was and wasn¡¯t true. It was one thing to refute words and ideas as heresy or madness, and Suraiya knew some of her Knights would have stubbornly done just that; but it was wholly another to be confronted by evidence. Certainly, she could have deluded herself into an argument that turned the entire scenario into some ostentatious tale of theft and skullduggery by the Elyseans, but Suraiya had never been one to wallow in denials. She instead had to face a sudden and inviolable truth: the world was not as she had believed. Which begged another question: how much of what she had been taught was a lie, and how much of what Lycinia had said was complete truth? The thought of how terribly the Nine might have fooled every soul in the Grand Ascendancy, and for how many countless centuries, left a hollow feeling in the pit of her stomach. She had prayed to Solarius every week of her life since she could remember, worshipping the God of Light with duty and devotion. She had offered her faith to Him and granted Him her benediction and reverence. She had dreamed of becoming a Paladin one day, and riding at the head of a host of the Anointed. Now the very idea of it left a cold fear at the base of her spine. What if Lycinia was right? What if the gods were immortal despots? And if so, how many of her people were already irrevocably enslaved? Suraiya let the chilling thought flow through her, and then pushed it aside a moment later¡ªdetermined not to let the weight of that consideration distract her. Lycinia had told her that they were to see the ¡®Regent¡¯, who was the apparent leader of the Sanctuary, and the one that would decide the fate of Suraiya¡¯s entire convoy. It would be a disservice to those that had joined her on the expedition if she were too distracted, or too shaken, to properly represent them in a negotiation with the mysterious ¡®Regent¡¯. Every attempt at prying any information out of Lycinia about the Regent¡¯s personality, capabilities, or even their name had proven unsuccessful. The grinning redhead had simply referred to them, again, as ¡®Calamity¡¯ and left it as such. When asked what the name even meant, Lycinia had just winked in a knowing way. Sometimes, for all that she was beautiful and clearly intelligent, the redhead had the recalcitrance and mischievous humour of a child. Suraiya put that frustration, too, aside and focused on the path ahead. Onward their journey took them, through the first of the three gates and past guards attired in brilliant golden platemail, the ornamentation and decoration of which was a shocking blend of practicality, and salutary extravagance. Suraiya had never seen such a seamless blend between ceremonial armour and practical wargear, and had almost stopped Valour mid-trot just to gawk at the elegance of the plate. When questioning Lycinia about the warriors, she had been told that they were part of the ¡®Aegii¡¯, and no more. The word had no context to Suraiya¡¯s mind, and when she had covertly attempted an Analyse, she had been met by a saturation of question marks and a shifting of the full-faced plumed helmet of the unidentified warrior she¡¯d attempted to assess. The Princess had ducked her head in contrition under the guard¡¯s veiled gaze, and as if satisfied at the gesture, the golden warrior had returned to their eyes-forward vigil without incident. The blush of embarrassment when Lycinia had chided her afterward was almost worth the information even a veiled set of details offered. Gorgeous and practical armour, information that cannot be Analysed, and a clear position of reverence among the Elyseans. Suraiya listed off mentally. There is a symbolic importance to these warriors. I¡¯ll have to find out more. She filed the task away under ¡®future efforts¡¯ while being led further in, through the layered gates, and up the rising incline. When at last they reached the citadel¡¯s bailey, Lycinia looked up at her and nodded to the ground. ¡°Here¡¯s where you walk, princess. Having you on your horse so far was good for people to get a look at you, and that¡¯s why I let you stay¡ªbut there¡¯s no sense in traipsing a bunch of excrement emitters into the castle proper. The stablehands will take care of your mount, and those of your companions.¡± Suraiya glanced back at her Knights, the adventurers, and the civilian support staff before nodding once to Lycinia. ¡°Alright. Where should we¡ª?¡± ¡°They¡¯re already coming to collect the horses. They will handle them as well as I do, worry not.¡± ¡°I¡¯ve been meaning to ask you about that actually,¡± Suraiya said while swinging her leg over Valour¡¯s saddle and dropping to the ground, ¡°since Valour was trained as a warhorse, nobody but myself and his trusted handlers have been able to approach him.¡± ¡°It¡¯s a thing of Soulforce.¡± Lycinia replied without obfuscation. ¡°An easy enough trick to learn, and one which deals with Animal Empathy. I¡¯ll teach it to you later, assuming¡¡± she trailed off and smiled enigmatically. ¡°Well, let¡¯s just say I¡¯ll teach it to you later.¡± Suraiya felt herself grow wary at the implied end of Lycinia¡¯s words¡ªthe several possible implied endings¡ªbut was committed to her path by that point. It was hardly as if the remnant were just going to let them all walk out, after all, after discovering the illicit Elysean hideout in the middle of the Desolation. Suraiya had realised upon entering Sanctuary, and with some trepidation, that she might be lost to her old life entirely. She still hadn¡¯t even begun to truly process that, but it might have been because having an existential crisis, or panicked meltdown in the middle of what was essentially a diplomatic envoy¡ªin her eyes, at least¡ªwas outside of her scope of ¡®good life choices¡¯. The convoy was counting on her. Tempered strength had taken them as far as it could. She might have been a novice in the battlefield, but this scenario was wholly different to the Desolation and its myriad nightmares. Now was the time for diplomacy, oratory, and leadership. And Suraiya had been trained in all three since birth. B1 | Chapter 51: First Contact Aurelian had spent a moment considering his next move while the elven woman coiled herself, and when she eventually lunged for him, he did not strike her or look to counter. Instead, he sidestepped her telegraphed assault, and watched her tumble bodily to the dirt-covered marble floor beneath them. His eyebrows ascended when she impacted with an audible grunt, and he watched her groggily push herself up to all fours following the drop. ¡°I¡¯m going to hope you can understand me when I say this, but attacking your rescuer is pretty messed up.¡± Bahamut, back off for a bit. I need to see if these people are hostile, and you being identified quickly loses us the element of surprise if they¡¯re strong. They were made into prey. Bahamut replied derisively. Why be concerned? Discretion is the better part of valour, sometimes. Just back off, okay? The dragon¡¯s responding acquiesce was annoyed, but acquiesce he did. Just after Aurelian finished the hurried mental communication, the elf swivelled toward him. At the same time, a second person dragged their weight out of the other sac he¡¯d opened, and dropped onto the ground with far less animation than the elf. Aurelian took the opportunity to actually focus on the elf, and he very nearly whistled at what he saw. She was slightly tanned in the way someone that was born fair, but spent a lot of time under the sun was tanned. Her hair was long, black, and looked brilliantly healthy; and her eyes were the piercing kind of blue that sent men walking into poles. Her features, if he had to register them to something familiar, were like a perfect blend between Mask of Zorro Catherine Zeta Jones and Underworld Kate Beckinsale. In short, she was really hot. While both were on the ground, the elf staring at him with clear hostility and her companion¡ªa human by his appearance¡ªinsensate beside her, Aurelian used Revelate. Name: Zylara Lyse Stormbow Race: Elf Level: 36 Tier: Initiate Health: 502/590 Description: Elves are one of the most frequently seen uncommon species in the Realms. Known for their long lifespans, natural dexterity and intellect, talent for magic, and prodigious rate of reproduction in spite of naturally low fertility; they are regarded throughout the Realms as one of the most mercurial, and passion-driven species in existence. No two elves are exactly alike, and the vast and often confusing subspecies that claim belonging to their number are as varied as they are enchanting. Name: Karsys Longmire Race: Human Level: 40 Tier: Initiate Health: 102 / 1120 Description: Humans are the most common and prolific species in the Realms. They are also considered among the most adaptive, the most fertile, and the most involved in terms of the staggering magnitude of their impact upon the Realms and its history. Humans are short-lived by the reckoning of most other species, possess high amounts of variance between each individual, and are often involved in every aspect of the Realms¡¯ events by sheer merit of their prodigious population. Revelate is now Level 12! . . . Revelate is now Level 15! Four levels for two people? That was useful. Aurelian glanced from the still-steadying-herself elf to the human, and he noted with a pang of concern that the latter was losing health slowly. There was no visible wound on him, but something was killing the man with steady effect. He looked to the elf¡ªZylara¡ªand decided to try diplomacy. ¡°Hey, uh, Zylara? About your friend? He¡¯s going to die if he doesn¡¯t get help soon. He¡¯s losing Health.¡± The elf hesitated for a moment at his words, or perhaps the use of her name, and her head cautiously turned to look at the prone body of the similarly-attired human¡ªKarsys¡ªwith concern that brushed against Aurelian¡¯s Soul Sense. Seconds more passed with her crouching in a ready position until, finally, she turned back to him and spoke with a tense voice. ¡°What is your game, Vasiri?¡± Aurelian stared at her. ¡°I¡¯m not a Vasiri,¡± he retorted after a moment of his brain attempting to figure out if he¡¯d correctly heard her words. ¡°Just because I have pale hair doesn¡¯t make me a¡ª¡± ¡°You have their too-perfect features, their eyes, their pallour, their fangs. What manner of fool do you take me for? I cannot even Analyse you!¡± Aurelian felt his brain come to a screeching halt for a moment, and let Dragon¡¯s Resolve bolster his sense of reality while attempting to properly comprehend just what he was being accused of. She was naming him a Vasiri, and alluding to physical characteristics that were commonplace for such creatures. First of all she had called his features ¡®too-perfect¡¯ and that was awesome. Then she had listed his eyes, skintone, and¡ª The story has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the violation. He reached up with his tongue and thumbed his canines. ¡°Holy shit, I have fangs?!¡± he missed her look of taken aback surprise the moment he said it, too wrapped up in the new revelation. The fact he had failed to notice that he had grown actual fangs shook him more than anything else. That wasn¡¯t the sort of change you just didn¡¯t notice, no matter what manner of insanity was occurring around you. How had his brain filtered that out? Was it one of his skills that had done it? Aurelian almost took a deep dive into his character sheet then and there, until his awareness of the situation at hand snapped him back into focus. It was probably more-than-a-little bit of Dragon¡¯s Resolve, as well. ¡°Okay,¡± he said while placing the tip of his sword against the marble and resting his hands on it in what he thought was a knightly stance. At least, he hoped it was, given he was going off of books and movies and not actual experience. ¡°I get that there¡¯s a lot of bad stuff going on, and you¡¯re understandably freaked out, especially after being wrapped up like an elf burrito for a pack of hungry spider-scorpion nightmare fuel.¡± ¡°Burri¡ª?¡± ¡°However,¡± he continued despite her muttered question, ¡°that is no reason to jump to conclusions. If I had wanted you dead, logically, I could have just stabbed you with this extremely sharp sword I have here,¡± he patted his armoured hand against his cruciform hilt. ¡°Additionally, when was the last time you saw a Vasiri expressing concern over your dying friend?¡± ¡°A trick,¡± she responded accusingly. ¡°Misdirection to make me lower my gu¡ª..,¡± she trailed off and bit her lip, as if realising something. Persuasion is now Level 3! ¡°I¡¯m gonna guess you realised how stupid that sounded midway through saying it.¡± Aurelian ventured. This was not how his first contact with living people outside of ghosts, dragons, and creepy pseudo-vampires had been expected to go. He¡¯d wanted to go on adventures! Dungeon crawls! Meet hot elf wo¡ªwell that part was actually happening right then, but so not in the way he¡¯d hoped. He¡¯d wanted to meet some gorgeous damsel trapped in a dungeon, and heroically ride in atop Bahamut, arms akimbo and bristling with magical force. Not extract her from a pee-and-poop-riddled food sac. Yuck. Though on closer examination, she seemed clean enough despite everything. That was an interesting fact he filed away for later review. ¡°I realised that perhaps it was an¡ illogical view of things given our circumstances, certainly,¡± she replied stiffly. ¡°I am still not convinced so easily of your words, stranger, but I find myself at a disadvantage.¡± ¡°Understandable given the situation.¡± Aurelian said in what he hoped was a magnanimous voice. ¡°I¡¯m willing to offer you a healing potion for your friend in exchange for some answers.¡± Persuasion is now Level 4! Zylara¡¯s blue eyes searched over him, and then looked back to her companion. ¡°...very well,¡± she sounded wary, but Aurelian couldn¡¯t blame her for that. Not entirely, anyway. ¡°I do not believe I am in any position to refuse.¡± Aurelian nodded and, while keeping an eye on her, swung his supply pack off his back and rummaged inside to withdraw one of his remaining healing potions. A momentary feeling of loss rolled through him while looking at the hard-won flask, and then he stepped forward to cautiously offer it to her. Zylara took it with a tense murmur of thanks, and promptly scooted over to her insensate companion. A few murmured words followed that he couldn¡¯t quite discern, and then she uncorked the flask, sniffed it, and promptly lifted Karsys¡¯ head up to pour the potion down his throat. She spoke again while doing so, glancing over her shoulder to meet his gaze with one discerning blue eye. ¡°You analysed us, didn¡¯t you?¡± ¡°I did,¡± he confirmed with a shrug. ¡°I suppose that, if you indeed are not Vasiri, I can be persuaded to forgive such a breach of privacy in light of our initial¡ misunderstanding,¡± her head tilted. ¡°You may consider yourself absolved, stranger.¡± Aurelian snorted at her tone and superior manner. That was more like what he¡¯d expected from an elf, and he couldn¡¯t help but find it amusing. ¡°That¡¯s a funny way of saying sorry for attacking me.¡± A flicker of confusion and alarm brushed against his Soul Sense, and Zylara turned back to Karsys when the man started to cough and spasm. Aurelian frowned at the odd feeling, but filed it away for later examination while taking a few careful, wide-around steps to find a better vantage on what was happening. ¡°He has been infected,¡± she said before he could ask anything. ¡°I can feel your confusion, stranger, and that alone tells me you are perhaps more honest than I cared to believe. Karsys is dying. He has been infected by the Vasiri¡¯s foul taint. It is only a matter of time now,¡± she lowered the spasming man to the marble floor and looked down at him grimly. ¡°So what do we do?¡± Aurelian asked with a rising heartbeat. That could have been him, not too long ago. ¡°We cut off his head and burn him. It¡¯s the only way to truly ensure he won¡¯t rise.¡± ¡°Rise as¡?¡± ¡°A Ghoul,¡± she said with a bitter tone. ¡°A Vasiri¡¯s servant. Is there something else you can think would result from such corruption?¡± Aurelian smiled wanly. ¡°I don¡¯t know what a Ghoul is in this context. My first encounter with a Vasiri was Marius, and that¡ª¡± ¡°Marius of Telastra?!¡± The Elf asked with a sudden spin on her heel, and a look of true fear on her features. ¡°Where is he? Is he here? We must flee!¡± ¡°What? No. He¡¯s dead. I burned his corpse just before I met you.¡± ¡°He is¡ dead?¡± she repeated in disbelief. ¡°What? How?¡± ¡°I killed him, obviously. Stabbed him right between the peepers,¡± he pointed to his own eyes with his right forefinger and middle finger, and then shrugged. ¡°You¡ killed Marius?¡± she asked with suddenly narrowed eyes. ¡°Yeah?¡± ¡°You. Killed Marius. You.¡± Aurelian deadpanned at her tone. ¡°You should really work on the whole ¡®gratitude¡¯ thing, Zylara. It would serve you really well.¡± ¡°I am sorry, stranger, but that¡¯s impossible. Marius is an Ancient. He has stalked the Desolation for centuries. Longer. He is one of the most deadly creatures in the¡ª¡± ¡°Was.¡± Aurelian interjected with a flare of annoyance. ¡°Was one of the most deadly creatures. Because he died after I stabbed him.¡± ¡°And you did this? Alone?¡± Before he could respond, Bahamut¡¯s thoughts entered his mind. We should kill her. Bahamut sent irritably. No, Bahamut, we¡¯re not killing her. She is annoying. The hatchling insisted. I know. Aurelian agreed. I tire of this. Just lick your claws and let me handle it. Aurelian sent back impatiently. That sounds revolting. Bahamut objected. Just let me handle it! ¡fine. The dragon sent in what Aurelian might have called a sulky tone. The scepticism in Zylara¡¯s voice, meanwhile, was blatant, and Aurelian almost found himself regretting freeing her from the sac. Her dismissive tone was reminiscent of every snooty socialite he¡¯d ever met rolled into a single curvaceous elven package. No amount of beauty could make up for the haughty manner of her speech. Well¡ maybe it could make up for it a little, he admitted to himself. He wasn¡¯t about to tell her that, though. B1 | Chapter 52: Prophecy and Putrescence ¡°You may look like a Vasiri, but you hold yourself like a Novice.¡± Zylara continued with a more assessing eye. ¡°I sincerely doubt you could have achieved such a feat without a powerful Party. Where are they?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t have a Party,¡± Aurelian said flatly while filing away the term, and taking careful note of the capital ¡®P¡¯ in her speech. It was good to know parties existed, and would make his life way easier moving forward, he wagered. ¡°It¡¯s just me and my partner.¡± ¡°Oh?¡± she asked with a withering stare. ¡°Now there¡¯s a partner, is there? Are they mighty?¡± ¡°He¡¯s basically unique.¡± Aurelian admitted. ¡°A bold claim.¡± Zylara said flatly. ¡°Where is he, then, this powerhouse ally of yours?¡± ¡°Keeping his distance.¡± ¡°To what end? To ambush us if we prove useless?¡± she accused. ¡°I don¡¯t trust you. I¡¯m also beginning to dislike you,¡± Aurelian said sourly. ¡°The feeling is mutual,¡± Zylara said coldly, ¡°I assure you.¡± ¡°Well then, enjoy your time with your friend. I¡¯m sure you will have a great experience together,¡± Aurelian said sharply while moving back to grab his supply pack and lift it onto his back. ¡°Wait!¡± Zylara called with a tone of alarm. ¡°What do you mean? You¡¯re leaving?¡± Holy shit, is this chick for real? Aurelian turned and looked at her incredulously. ¡°Of course I am. You¡¯re acting like a bitch. Why the hell would I stay here? I had hoped my first interaction with people would be something positive, not this shitshow. I might have been easy with this stuff in my old life, but that¡¯s before I nearly got my insides torn up by vampire juice.¡± Aurelian stated with unabridged annoyance. ¡°I¡¯m washing my hands of this shit.¡± ¡°You cannot do that!¡± she protested. ¡°I have no means of stopping his transformation, let alone fighting him! There is nothing here for me to effectively end him with!¡± Aurelian reached up to pinch the bridge of his nose with his left hand, while his right pressed his Crest¡¯s blade-tip into the marble. ¡°I¡¯m going to get fucking whiplash from your moodswings, woman¡¡± he muttered before focusing his eyes on her. ¡°So what you¡¯re saying is that, even after attacking me, treating me as if I should be grateful for it, insulting me, mocking me, and essentially calling me a liar; you want me to help you kill your friend because he might turn into a Ghoul?¡± ¡°There is no question of¡ª! Ah, that is to say¡ um¡¡± Zylara cleared her throat and reached up to tug on a lock of straight, silky black hair for a moment. ¡°Perhaps I was, ah, a little hasty in my¡ my assessment of your merits. It has been a very¡ stressful few days and I did not¡ª¡± ¡°Oh Jesus, just stop.¡± Aurelian said with a flush of heat in his cheeks. ¡°Watching you try to apologise is worse than being insulted by you. Christ.¡± Aurelian looked at the convulsing and twitching figure of Karsys, and then back to Zylara crouched next to him. ¡°Look, I¡¯m not going to murder your friend for no reason other than your own suspicions, but I might have a way to help him.¡± ¡°How?¡± she asked with another flicker of suspicion. ¡°Call it luck that you happened to run into me, but I think I have something that can help. Maybe. Either way it¡¯s better than cutting off the poor sod¡¯s head.¡± Aurelian lowered his supply pack to the floor again and sheathed his blade on his back. While keeping an eye on Zylara, he reached inside and withdrew the carefully stowed essence loaf he¡¯d already eaten a quarter of. Delicately, he broke off another quarter of the sourdough, and turned to make his way toward the infected human. ¡°What is that?¡± Zylara questioned. ¡°Bread? Why can¡¯t I Analyse it?¡± Aurelian didn¡¯t answer, and instead kneeled down next to Karsys, at which point Zylara¡¯s turn toned more aggressive. ¡°Answer me, stranger! I swear if you¡ª!¡± Aurelian lifted his eyes to stare at her flatly, and she cut off mid-sentence with, of all things, a blush of what he thought might have been embarrassment. Aurelian simply nodded in a self-satisfied way and looked back to Karsys, regarding the writhing human for a long moment. He was large, Aurelian realised; probably taller than most people he¡¯d known back on earth and twice as muscular. A short, neat beard adorned his jaw and his hair was cropped in a military style. He also had features that he¡¯d have called ¡®mixed¡¯ if he were back on Earth, but he had no context for what they would indicate in the Realms. Karsys looked like a mix between John Cena and Kobe Bryant, and it was surreal. In fact, the variation in ethnicity brought some sense of reassurance to Aurelian. It was good to know that humans varied in the realms, too. It felt normal in a way he couldn¡¯t really articulate. One of his best friends, Lachlan, had been a Nigerian-Scottish mix¡ªand Karsys looked enough like him that there was an immediate sense of calming familiarity. Aurelian reached down to pry open the human¡¯s mouth, and promptly pushed the piece of essence loaf inside. ¡°If what I think will happen does happen, you¡¯re going to want to step back,¡± he said with a glance up at Zylara, before looking back down to Karsys. ¡°I¡¯m going to get him to chew and swallow, and if I¡¯m right, it¡¯s going to get way worse before it gets better¡ but he¡¯ll probably make a full recovery as a result.¡± Zylara eyed him for a moment and then, as if warring with her own decisions, pushed herself up with a slight wobble and half-stepped, half-staggered backwards. Very likely she was still not recovered from whatever sort of delirium had been induced in her during the sac¡¯s containment, and Aurelian was rather impressed that she was cognizant as she appeared. His attention returned fully to Karsys, however, and he began to gently work the man¡¯s mouth against the piece of essence loaf until he started to chew instinctively. Aurelian waited only long enough to make sure that Karsys wouldn¡¯t choke before standing himself and moving around to join Zylara. Stolen content alert: this content belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences. He kept his distance though, as much for his own peace of mind as it was for hers. ¡°Is something supposed to happen?¡± she asked him warily. ¡°Just give a minute,¡± Aurelian said grimly while keeping his eyes locked on the clammy human. ¡°What exactly was that bread you fed him stra¡ªKarsys!¡± Aurelian reached out to grab Zylara in the same instant that she reached out toward her companion, who had just started to shake violently. She whipped her head around to look down at where Aurelian¡¯s armoured fingers were locked around her bicep, and her eyes rose to his own furiously. She opened her mouth, but Aurelian beat her to it. ¡°I told you, worse before better.¡± he reminded her. ¡°You were ready to kill him, remember? You have nothing to lose by letting me try my method.¡± ¡°He is in pain!¡± she protested angrily. ¡°Better in pain than dead.¡± Aurelian replied with a grim flash of memory. Something in his expression or tone must have shown something, because the moment he spoke Zylara seemed to swallow back her retort, assessed him with weighing eyes, and then turned back to observe Karsys. Together they watched in silence while the human writhed on the floor and gurgled, his eyes rolling back while his limbs demented and distorted with agony at whatever was happening within. Aurelian activated Dragon¡¯s Gaze on a whim, and focused in on the mana around Karsys¡¯ body¡ªall while berating himself mentally for not trying the tactic earlier. It was incredibly elucidating. Dragon¡¯s Gaze is now Level 13! Dark waves of black and green mana, eerily reminiscent of Marius¡¯ own, raged within the channels inside Karsys¡¯ body. It undulated and bubbled, seeking an escape as it raced through his veins. It was only when Aurelian realised, belatedly, that it was retreating from something that he truly paid attention to the rest of the tall man¡¯s body, and saw the shining energy blazing in the man¡¯s stomach. The essence loaf was dissolving into pure mana, which then raced through the waiting channels like a sanitising flush of power. Its platinum radiance was pushing to devour, or perhaps eject, the virulent infection of Vasiri taint. Wherever the energy¡ªBael¡¯tharax¡¯s energy, and thus the energy of a fully realised Dragon King¡ªsurged through Karsys¡¯ body, the ¡®infection¡¯ of corrosive mana was obliterated, or pushed back like Bael¡¯tharax¡¯s energy was registered on an opposite polarity. Eventually, the mana seemed to react with such elemental incompatibility with the energy filling Karsys that Aurelian watched it actually force itself out of the man¡¯s pores; and tasted the acrid nature of it in the moment it did. The stench of it was like rotten fruit, spoiled meat, and corpse blood all mixed together into a nauseating odour that immediately filled the air. He felt Zylara go slack in his grip and turned to her, only to see her vomiting noisily on the floor from the sheer overwhelming foulness of it all. Aurelian empathised, and idly held her hair. He knew how bad it was first-hand. On and on Bael¡¯tharax¡¯s mana raged, forcing out the infection like the world¡¯s most liquid, and invasive case of mass blackheads. Everywhere the tar-like mana was ejected, it turned to smog-like vapour and evaporated upward into nothingness. To Aurelian¡¯s enhanced sight, the particles rose, and then were dispersed by the natural forces of the world; the corrupted and focused mana too weak, and lacking in foundation, to survive the natural purity of the uncorrupted reality around them. In many ways, even the corroded Manawoods were less putrid in how their essence appeared when compared to the Vasiri¡¯s; which was much like a radioactive poison, formed from a sludge-like consistency paired with thick black oil. The virulent green and viscous black were clear correlations for such substances, at least. It took time for the process to finish, but when it did and Karsys was at last pure to Aurelian¡¯s enhanced eyes, he watched Zylara¡ªhaving released her the moment it was clear she wouldn¡¯t try to get close and perhaps poison herself by exposure¡ªmove forward unsteadily and settle on her knees to speak to the slowly stirring human. Dragon¡¯s Gaze is now Level 14! A deep sigh of relief and satisfaction left him, and he observed the pair with the same veil of mana-active sight he had been using since the start of the process. This time however he was tracing both of their channels, and noticing some trace elements of the same corruption within Zylara. Faint, and perhaps inconsequential, but certainly present. He would need to offer her the same purification, as loath as he was to waste even small quarters Bael¡¯tharax¡¯s essence loaves. It was at least a gesture of goodwill though, and while her attitude had certainly irritated him, he wasn¡¯t quite ready to let the first real people he¡¯d met since arriving walk away with that inside of them. And also, not before they answered some burning questions. It was a mercantile and cold way of thinking about it, but if they owed him, then at least they would have to offer some insights as thanks. It did assume a level of honour or fair play on the part of both Zylara and Karsys, but if they were anything resembling good people, it wouldn¡¯t be a huge ask. Besides which, it wasn¡¯t as though he couldn¡¯t take them if they turned out to be less than benevolent. With Bahamut helping, he was pretty sure he¡¯d win a fight regardless of their Tempers. It wouldn¡¯t be easy, and he¡¯d probably skirt death doing it¡ªthey weren¡¯t mindless simulacrums, after all¡ªbut they were unarmed, and weak. Aurelian, too, was no normal Novice. Deciding it was time to approach, Aurelian moved toward them and folded his arms while looking down at Zylara and Karsys. ¡°So,¡± he said as pleasantly as he could manage. ¡°Feeling better, I take it?¡± Both of them looked up at him, and then as one they froze. All the colour¡ªwhat little there was in the elf¡¯s case¡ªdrained from their faces. ¡°What?¡± Aurelian asked warily. ¡°Is there something else on my face?¡± ¡°I¡ªI didn¡¯t know¡¡± Zylara said in a horrified whisper. ¡°Forgive me, I didn¡¯t know!¡± Aurelian opened his mouth, intending on asking what in the world she was on about, and then stopped when Karsys spoke. The man¡¯s voice was like rain in spring. It immediately put Aurelian at ease, and he felt an immediate sense of kinship¡ªeven more than earlier¡ªwith the golden-eyed giant of a man. He was shockingly soft, calm, and peaceful despite his massive frame. ¡°Forgive my companion her brashness, Your Majesty. If you had only told her¡ª¡± Aurelian¡¯s eyebrows were in his fringe by that point. ¡°Told her what?¡± he asked in bewildered annoyance. ¡°Your eyes.¡± Zylara said in a trembling voice. ¡°You have a Dragon¡¯s Eyes.¡± ¡°As was foretold.¡± Karsys said softly. ¡°A Fallen Star, Marked by the Dragon, and buoyed by the Blood of Eld,¡± he pulled himself up, with a wince, to his knees and Aurelian felt himself grow distinctly uncomfortable when he realised that Karsys was genuflecting. ¡°Hail to you, Nephilim. Hail to you, Reclaimer. Hail to you, Imperator of Elysea.¡± Aurelian was struck mute in shock and surprise, and his eyebrows went skyward. ¡°Hail to you,¡± Zylara said with tears in her eyes, ¡°O mighty Calamity.¡± B1 | Chapter 53: Adamantine Maiden Once the stablehands arrived to take their horses, Suraiya took a moment to speak quietly to Valour and stroke his nose, irrelevant of what Lycinia had said, while pressing her forehead against the horse¡¯s own and murmuring her love and farewell with soft intensity. The horse nickered at her as if to reassure her, nibbled at her golden hair, and then turned to follow the stablehand that took his bridle¡ªand tempted him with a strange purple fruit, dusted in white, that the horse seemed to eagerly devour. ¡°Sugar-dusted Kelpas fruit.¡± Lycinia said by way of explanation. ¡°It¡¯s unique to the valley. It once grew all over Elysea, until the Desolation was created. It has a naturally mana-active composition which enhances the strength of any creature, or any person, that eats it. The effect has a natural diminishment though, so you can only benefit from it a few times before your body grows beyond it,¡± she smiled warmly. ¡°It is wonderful for mana recovery though.¡± Suraiya raised her eyebrows when, as if summoned by her explanation, a member of what she could only assume was the citadel¡¯s staff approached with a tray of the self-same fruits, sprinkled with white powder. She immediately noticed the manner of dress for the woman in question; a shin-length black skirt, a neck-high white top of some unknown silky-white material which flowed down to her wrists, and a surprisingly stylish black jacket that hugged her figure generously. ¡°Thank you.¡± Suraiya said graciously while accepting one of the fruit, and following Lycinia when the redhead took her own and set off across the massive bailey toward the distant stairs. One more climb, it seemed, and they would enter the colossal doors to the holdfast. Lycinia didn¡¯t speak while they walked and so Suraiya instead took the time to look at their surroundings, all while nursing the firm-but-pliable Kelpas fruit in her right hand. The inner courtyard of Last Hope, perhaps unsurprisingly, was filled with constant activity. What she assumed were servants in the same white and black attire bustled about with purpose, and saw to various cleaning or maintenance tasks, carried parcels or supplies, or even¡ªmuch to her shock¡ªopenly seemed to be taking their leisure to drink tea from porcelain cups and enjoy the sunlight. ¡°Morning Tea.¡± Lycinia explained when questioned on the matter. ¡°One of the Regent¡¯s edicts. Everyone is entitled to a thirty-minute abeyance during the hours between seven and eleven, a one-hour break between noon and three, and another half an hour break for Afternoon Tea between three and seven.¡± ¡°That is¡¡± ¡°Normal.¡± Lycinia finished for her with a hint of firmness. ¡°This is not the Grand Ascendancy, Suraiya. We don¡¯t have slaves, but call them servants. These people are paid a good wage, granted the protections and benefits of their overlord, and given immense freedom in the allocation of duties. So long as their supervisors and department heads ensure that all the required work is completed and equitably distributed, how they choose to take their granted leisure is up to them.¡± ¡°It¡¯s hard to wrap my head around this.¡± Suraiya admitted honestly after Lycinia finished. ¡°It seems so simple, and yet the idea of such privileges never even occurred to me.¡± Lycinia turned to her with an amused smile. ¡°We don¡¯t see them as privileges here, princess. We see them as entitlements.¡± Suraiya was left to ruminate on that while they walked and, as much to give herself something to do as it was to try to distract from the increasing feeling of sick disillusionment growing in her gut, she brought up her right hand and bit down into the Kelpas fruit. The moment the flesh of the fruit met her palate, and its juices spilled from the ripe seal, Suraiya let out a low moan of pleasure that she cut off the instant she realised she¡¯d unleashed it. Her cheeks burned with heat at the realisation of what she¡¯d done, and she very determinedly looked nowhere but at the fruit while chewing, and refused to acknowledge what had happened. The feeling had been indescribable. It was a pleasure she¡¯d never thought to experience. Her whole body had radiated with shocks of electric warmth, and powerful invigoration, and she¡¯d felt like her nerves¡ªevery nerve, apparently¡ªhad momentarily come alive and been carressed by the sudden flow of pure mana. Even without her embarrassment, she felt warm. The Kelpas fruit filled her with a vigour and vitality that was impossible to properly describe. She felt the System mana threading through her body, though on a smaller scale than the first bite, and in a more detoxifying manner. She could even subtly feel her mana channels growing subtly wider and purifying obstructions, and could actually track the way that the prismatic flow of unaspected power cleansed the small increments of Desolation-borne taint that had wormed their way into her body. Condition: Kelpas Invigoration +10% Mana Regeneration (6 Hour Duration) Mild Purification of Mana Channels (3 Hour Duration) Suraiya read the alert ,noted the purple flashing icon showing the Kelpas silhouette to the right of her vision, and looked down at the fruit again in wonder. The fruit was a treasure beyond imagining. The thought that it had grown wild, at some point in the past, was staggering. The sheer amount of help even one such fruit would be to those taking their first steps through the System, especially after first coming of age to interact with it¡ That thought led her to another when she finally looked up and around, and distantly noted that nobody was paying attention to her following her embarrassing slip. The Kelpas fruit, more than even a great opportunity, represented a potential upending of everything that was thought to be understood about the power balance in the Grand Ascendancy. It was often said that the right to purify and Cultivate one¡¯s power was directly tied to the divine hierarchy¡ªthe social strata enforced by the Nine. With fruit such as Kelpas, and potentially others, offering ways to purify one¡¯s channels for essentially nothing¡ The cold pit in her stomach twisted further. The more she learned about the Elyseans, the more tenuous her grip on the solidity of her worldview became. It was more and more difficult to justify the beliefs she had held since childhood. It was exhausting, in a way, to think about how incredibly wrong everything she¡¯d been taught might have been. It was more than just a culture shock. It was a realisation that undid the very foundation of her reality. Were the gods¡ the enemy? The thought was so terrifying she felt her Strong Will activate to bury it. Suraiya instead focused on where she was going, and noticed belatedly that she¡¯d already been ascending the stairs behind Lycinia and with her convoy in tow while she¡¯d been lost in thought. She turned to look behind her, and she caught the thoughtful and, in several cases, equally haunted expressions of her Knights, the Adventurers and even some of the civilians that had accompanied her. Just like her, they must have been rationalising what they were seeing, and making their own assumptions. Lycinia¡¯s insights must also have trickled down among them, given the woman rarely spoke quietly. It occurred to Suraiya that, perhaps, that was intentional. The spreading of unwelcome truths was rarely a subtle thing, and Lycinia was likely not interested in needless obfuscation. The worried looks on the faces of her people, Knights included, gave their own advocacy. Her eyes returned to the front when she crested the final step on the staircase, and Suraiya let her eyes settle on the yawning doors to the citadel interior. Light lit the inside of the entrance hall brightly, and even here she saw the same golden-armoured warriors standing in silent vigil. The Aegii were like unmoving statues, bedecked in radiant gold and shining with the glory of their position. It was both inspiring and intimidating. How they could be so utterly statuesque was bewildering. Everyone had subtle fidgets, tics, or movements that were simply part of their natural state of living. There was an unnatural discipline to how the golden warriors held themselves, and it baffled Suraiya in a way that unsettled her, and impressed her in equal measure. Upon their entrance to the citadel, Lycinia didn¡¯t even glance back while languidly leading them forward toward a pair of open doors at the far end of the hall, set upon a landing, and reached by a pair of curved staircases forming two semi-circular approaches from the ground level to the elevated doorway. Suraiya glanced back, and offered her people a warm and confident smile while continuing on. The silence had dragged, but she saw no need to break it. Not yet, at least. Her eyes instead took in the decorations around them, and she found her lips parting in silent appreciation. Large banners depicting different crests and symbols hung from high stone arches and carefully crafted mountings, each banner almost ten metres long, and stitched with ornate and complex sigils that likely had some great and prominent meaning to the Elyseans. She only recognised one, and her eyes faintly widened when she saw it. A golden eagle in flight, rampant on a field of red, which marked House Tollarius. ¡°Glory in Service¡¡± she murmured while reading the filigreed text beneath the house¡¯s sigil. ¡°At least that much stayed the same,¡± Lycinia said from in front of her. ¡°We may be cousins in name only, Suraiya, given the vast generations separating us from our common ancestors¡ but I am proud to say that given your current comportment, and with some proper education; you would fit in well with the prime bloodline, here in Sanctuary.¡± The tale has been taken without authorization; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident. ¡°Prime bloodline?¡± Suraiya asked in something of a daze, while reaching out to take hold of the marble bannister, and ascend the left stairwell behind Lycinia. ¡°That is what we call the true-blooded Elysean houses.¡± Lycinia explained. ¡°Those that were not assimilated, and then twisted by the godsworn, in the years after the Fall.¡± ¡°Then my House Tollarius is¡ª?¡± ¡°More pure than most, in the way we¡¯re talking about.¡± Lycinia said almost as if reassuring her. ¡°But tainted nonetheless, yes. Still, you can trace your lineage back directly to the last Imperator and Imperatrix, if you try. We checked the genealogical records already. So, there¡¯s something to be said for that. You¡¯ve got Elysean in you, Suraiya. You just never knew it.¡± The revelation wasn¡¯t exactly shocking, given what Lycinia had said when first showing them all the entrance to Sanctuary, but it was strange to feel both excitement and revulsion at what she said¡ªand yet for drastically different reasons than she¡¯d have once thought. Excitement that she had Elysean blood¡ and revulsion at what the Ascendancy had done to her lineage. What is happening to me? she thought with a faint flare of despair, a moment before Strong Will smothered it. It was no time to have a crisis of identity, after all. That could come later. In private. Lycinia led their group of thirty-three survivors up the stairs and toward the smaller, but still large pair of inner doors leading deeper into the citadel. Here, at last, they were challenged. Massive greatspears crossed in their path, and the two Aegii flanking the doors turned to Lycinia with their full-face helmets, visors obfuscating any semblance of the features within. ¡°What is your business here, Scion Tollarius?¡± demanded the shorter of the two warriors on the right. ¡°I come with ordained guests to speak with the Regent, and seek the judgement of the High Justicar.¡± ¡°They stink of godstaint.¡± the left-standing Aegii, who Suraiya realised with mild surprise was a woman, said coldly. Her surprise was not that a woman was a member of the collective, for gender was immutable before the power of Tempering. What shocked her was that the female within the armour must have been massive to stand taller than her male counterpart. The armour was gender neutral, but the notable height difference was still a shock. ¡°As did many before they were Enlightened, Guardian.¡± Lycinia said calmly. ¡°Hmph.¡± the woman said derisively. ¡°You push your luck this time, Scion.¡± ¡°Be that as it may, I have the Right.¡± ¡°For now.¡± the woman replied ominously, before withdrawing her massive spear. Lycinia inclined her head in thanks and, without another word, stepped past the pair and into the chamber beyond. Suraiya followed after her quickly, offering a faltering smile for the pair that were seemingly studiously ignoring their entire group while it filed after Lycinia like a convoy of chastised children. ¡°What did she¡ª?¡± ¡°It is not important right now.¡± Lycinia said quietly. ¡°I will explain, if all goes well, later. For now, we must hope that the High Justicar is in a good mood.¡± ¡°Is he often not?¡± ¡°She can be¡ mercurial.¡± Lycinia said with a hint of amusement that Suraiya didn¡¯t quite understand. When her attention diverted from Lycinia however, she stifled a gasp. They stood within a massive chamber that transformed, after a relatively short fifty-or-so metre jaunt down a straight path, into an immense domed throne room, its upper levels tiered like an amphitheatre. When Suraiya and her party arrived, she was shocked to find the gallery packed with life. People of the main sanctified humanoid species; Humans, Elves, and Dwarves, populated the upper levels. There were even some Orcs, Goblins, Gnomes, Halflings, and even Beastfolk¡ªthough those races were few and far between, and clearly somewhat avoided, as was normal. It seemed even Elyseans understood the difference between the sanctified and muddied races. Perhaps that was a commonality they¡¯d shared, before the sundering that had torn them apart. The collection of sapience bustled in the hundreds above them, seated and observing what, to Suraiya, suddenly felt like a pre-orchestrated show. Then what of the Aegii? Was it all rehearsed? Her mind spun while she tried to take in what she saw. Marble statues commemorating grand and heroic figures lined the edges of the circular chamber, and Lycinia led them down a tiered set of seven steps into the depressed centre of the chamber, to face toward what appeared to be a large blackstone throne. It was worked with platinum veins of metal, and appeared to be carved with the likeness of two massive dragon¡¯s wings¡ªor at least what dragons had supposedly looked like prior to being expunged for their evil¡ªarcing up from its back to fan out in embrace of whomever would sit upon it. The top of the throne was shadowed by the immense head of a black dragon, and its eyes were inlaid with two immense topaz jewelled that shimmered faintly. The head of the dragon, particularly its two horns, was worked with more platinum in the shape of runes she could not fully discern, nor hope to understand. The eyes of the head, jewels they may have been, seemed to bore into her, and she found it difficult to look at the throne without feeling an existential sense of discomfort¡ªand judgement, as if it were weighing her worthiness at standing before it. When the last of her people joined them in milling around the large circular area before the throne, which itself sat on a dais three steps up from the main floor, and thus ten steps up from them; a sudden ring of trumpets sounded within the chamber, and Suraiya turned to find the source at the same time as many others did. ¡°Focus on the throne,¡± Lycinia murmured. Suraiya heeded her advice despite her nerves, and worked to stoke her Strong Will and Breath Control into helping her manage her stress, while keeping her attention on the throne. ¡°Announcing His Excellency, the Regent Pro tem of Elysea, and Lord-Protector of Sanctuary; Charlemagne!¡± Suraiya did a double take when, as suddenly as an eyeblink, a man stood before them in the most bizarre appearance she¡¯d ever seen. It looked like some strange, outlandish mix of materials that made no sense to her mind. A worked robe of red cloth rife with golden stitching, what looked like some sort of massive silver cross over his chest, and a phenomenal beard waxed and oiled to perfection that covered his face, and fell in brown curls down to the middle of his chest. His hair was long enough to settle along his shoulders in meticulous curls, and there was a look of consideration, and amusement, on his wise and ageless features. The man looked like he couldn¡¯t have been beyond forty years of age, yet his gaze possessed the wisdom of millennia. He even wore some sort of rounded hat on his head, and his hands¡ªfolded before him idly¡ªwere covered in ostentatious, and gaudy golden and silver rings of a design she couldn¡¯t name. ¡°So!¡± he thundered in a voice that boomed throughout the chamber. ¡°More poor fools caught under the thrall of the benighted ¡®gods¡¯, and brought before Charlemagne for judgement, eh? Reminds me of dealing with Carloman every time this happens. Now that man was a trumped up jack-knave! Hmph!¡± Suraiya could only stare in stunned disbelief as the man, who couldn¡¯t have been much taller than five and a half feet, stared out at them all with an air of total authority. ¡°I was entrusted to hold this post by Lucius Tollarius himself, you know! It was a great honour. I was an Emperor, before I was summoned to this mad world. The greatest Emperor! Everyone claimed it was Alexander, or Augustus, or Trajan, over even that overhyped fool Aurelian! But no! It was me! Charlemagne!¡± Suraiya stared in nonplussed silence as the man moved between ranting, and harrumphing, without pause or breath. He seemed for all the world to be proselytising his own glory as much as he was introducing himself to them, and yet for all of that, there was an edge of cunning to his eyes and a sense of shrewd understanding to his words. The Regent of Elysea, she realised slowly, was more than just some trumpeting fool. He was a very intelligent, very dangerous man¡ªand one with enough experience to make her comparatively infantile schooling in courtly politics look like a joke. Suraiya swallowed back her nerves. This, she realised, was going to be far harder than previously expected. ¡°Is that little Lycinia I see? Are you the one responsible for bringing these poor souls here, girl? Bah! Your heart is too soft.¡± Charlemagne declared. ¡°Soft, I say!¡± ¡°Perhaps so, Your Excellency,¡± Lycinia responded unphased, ¡°but it is in keeping with the traditions you have commanded us to maintain.¡± ¡°Hm¡¡± Charlemagne responded thoughtfully. ¡°Hm! True! Very true! Smart girl. Too smart for your own good sometimes, but smart nonetheless. Why if you had been Frankish, I¡¯d have married you to one of my sons! Ha!¡± he laughed jovially, and then cut off with an abruptness that was alarming. ¡°Now! Enough games. Let¡¯s get down to business.¡± Suraiya watched while the Regent, who she was not entirely sure was fully sane despite his clear intelligence, snapped the fingers on his ring-laden right hand. ¡°Summon the High Justicar!¡± ¡°I am already here, you blowhard.¡± a scathing and elegant female voice said from nearby, and drew every eye in the process. Following her words, the sound of armoured footsteps on marble filled the chamber¡¯s impressive acoustics, and an immense Soulforce blanketed the room. It was a power, and prodigious might, that eclipsed anything Suraiya had ever felt before. ¡°Announcing the Defender of the Innocent¡¡± a herald began. Suraiya turned to the new arrival, and felt herself freeze. ¡°...Protector of the Peace, Champion of Sanctuary, Herald of the Calamity¡¡± The High Justicar entered with the gait of a woman on a mission, her blonde hair spilling in ringlets across her shoulders and down her back, and her white armour polished to a shine in spite of the numerous scars and marks upon it. On her back was sheathed an immense greatsword, its blade naked within an enchanted leather sheath, and worked with shining platinum-golden runes that bled power. ¡°...Patrician Paramount of House Tollarius, Bearer of the Scales of Justice¡¡± Her eyes were blue when she turned to them, as commanding and imperious as a Queen¡¯s, and Suraiya felt as though she had lost all sense of reality. ¡°...her ever-victorious Ladyship, the High Justicar of Elysea.¡± ¡°Who have you brought here for my judgement, Scion Tollarius?¡± the towering beauty, her lovely features marred only by a triplicate of scars over her left eye¡ªwhich at the same time seemed to only enhance her terrifying presence¡ªasked imperiously. ¡°Who comes before the eyes of Justice?¡± Suraiya heard none of what followed, for it was drowned out by her own heartbeat. Her mouth had gone dry, her breathing had become faint, and her vision had blurred with tears. She was looking at a ghost. A dream. A childhood fantasy given life. Before her stood Vasilia Artoria Minerva Bellona Tollarius, Rightful Queen of Stormharrow, and Dame-Commander of its Chivalric Orders; the Adamantine Maiden, Slayer of the Beast-Lord of Gargoroth, Duchess of the Storm, Sword-Paramount of the Lightning Throne, Wyvern Tamer, Gryphon Rider, Dracolisk Hunter, and Adventuring Guild Legend. Suraiya¡¯s dead Mother. Alive. Concept art of Vasilia. Ignore the weird forehead thing. B1 | Chapter 54: Party Aurelian rubbed the bridge of his nose tiredly while trying to decide what to do. Following their proclamations of his supposed greatness, Karsys and Zylara had both been desperately eager to make up for what they thought was a grievous lapse in proper protocol when dealing with him, and it had taken every bit of cajoling, convincing, and even a bit of yelling to make them see reason and at least stop referring him as ¡®Your Majesty¡¯. They¡¯d been leery about ¡®Aurelian¡¯, but ¡®Reclaimer¡¯ or ¡®Lord Nephilim¡¯ had been compromises they¡¯d been willing to make. He still had hope for the use of his name, and had reinforced that where he came from it was relatively normal to refer to people by their name as a general rule, but the pair had adamantly insisted that doing so was a breach of the highest levels of protocol. He had relented with an aggrieved sigh. They had managed to reach a nice equilibrium after that, and he had even extracted from them that they¡¯d been dispatched by the Regent to find the Fallen Star in accordance with the ancient dictates of Lucius Tollarius, the Imperator that had reigned over Elysea during what they called the Fall, when the Godsworn had rampaged across everything. He had also learned that the modern Godsworn were called the ¡®Grand Ascendancy¡¯¡ªwhich was an immediate red flag to anyone from Earth¡ªand had conquered the vast majority of Terra. Small nations in a final alliance still stood defiant against them, but they were too far to be of any help in the so-called Elysean Remnant¡¯s struggle against the adherents and their dogmatic legions of so-titled Anointed. All of that had culminated in an impatient, and more-than-a-little-grumpy Bahamut making his presence known the same moment the three of them had evacuated the Skarnid Sac chamber. Which was why he stood, in the current moment, with his fingers massaging away the promise of an oncoming headache; while Zylara and Karsys all but worshipped at Bahamut¡¯s feet. Unsurprisingly, the dragon was highly approving of their awe. You see, Aurelian? This is how dragons are meant to be treated. Yeah, well, don¡¯t expect me to start genuflecting any time soon. I would be a benevolent overlord. Bahamut stated primly. I¡¯m sure you would, bud. Aurelian responded dryly. I¡¯m sure you would. ¡°Okay enough of that,¡± he said out loud to Karsys and Zylara, who were still on the floor with their foreheads pressed to the marble. ¡°Seriously. He¡¯s not even the Dragon King yet, just a hatchling with an ego the size of Jupiter.¡± I will defeat this ¡®Jupiter¡¯ in due time. Bahamut vowed. ¡°Jupit¡ª?¡± Zylara began, before Aurelian cut her off. ¡°Nevermind.¡± Aurelian grunted. ¡°Just¡ get up. Please.¡± Both elf and human rose slowly to their feet with continued looks of awe for the dragon, who was quite literally preening at the attention. For a dragon, that took the form of him flexing his wings, and tossing his head in an impressive manner so that his scales caught the afternoon sunlight from the Arboretum above. One of the benefits of meeting the two scouts had been the ability to finally add an accurate clock to his HUD, which helped immensely. ¡°Let¡¯s keep moving,¡± Aurelian said firmly. ¡°I don¡¯t want to waste more time than we have to, not if we¡¯re going to beat the Necrolord¡¯s army to Sanctuary.¡± ¡°I still find that hard to believe¡¡± Zylara murmured while she and Karsys fell in behind Aurelian, with Bahamut bringing up their rear at a leisurely four-legged gait. ¡°It beggars belief.¡± Karsys agreed quietly. ¡°Forty thousand, and so many of them are Corrupted Blightmen¡¡± ¡°You aren¡¯t freaking out as badly as I assumed you would, given the forces threatening your home.¡± ¡°Sanctuary is not defenceless.¡± Zylara said with matter-of-factly. ¡°And even if they breach the valley, Last Hope is not so easily besieged. The entire population can shelter inside the mountain Hold behind the citadel¡¯s gates for months, if need be. Though¡¡± her voice turned bitter while she continued. ¡°Your revelation about traitors is concerning, though not entirely surprising.¡± Aurelian didn¡¯t poke at that, but he did note it for later discussion. ¡°Especially if they have revealed our contingencies,¡± Karsys agreed grimly. ¡°Though I, too, am confident that Last Hope can weather a siege; it will mean nothing if there is not enough warning to evacuate the city. If the godsworn have truly penetrated as deeply as Marius reported, then it is very possible that there will be little to no advanced warning.¡± ¡°There would be enough time to sound the alarm once they breached the valley itself,¡± Zylara said confidently, ¡°especially with the Seraii on watch, but¡ª¡± ¡°Seraii?¡± Aurelian interjected. ¡°Loosely translated, my lord, it means Shadows.¡± Karsys explained in his ever-patient, and rumbling voice. ¡°It is part of the Elysean olde tongue, inherited from the first Calamity. She was the one that ordained all the orders, sects, and imperial structure.¡± ¡°Huh. Okay.¡± Aurelian said with a nod and glanced back at them. ¡°That sounds convoluted, but I can¡¯t say I¡¯m surprised. It¡¯s always convoluted.¡± ¡°I do not understand. What is?¡± Zylara asked. ¡°Isekai,¡± Aurelian said while knowing they wouldn¡¯t understand. When they exchanged bewildered glances, he simply chuckled. ¡°Don¡¯t worry about it. It¡¯s just me complaining,¡± he reassured them while he stepped through the entrance to the arboretum when they approached it, and felt as much as heard his boots crunch on lifeless bones when they exited into the corridor beyond. Both Karsys and Zylara, to their credit, did little more than cast surprised looks at the skeletal remnants before following, though with decidedly less crunching than him. ¡°You said they have five Master Tier defenders in Sanctuary, right?¡± ¡°That¡¯s correct.¡± Karsys confirmed. ¡°Vasilia, Nicoli, Alyria, Maar, and Asher, right?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Zylara answered approvingly. ¡°All five are incredibly powerful, but¡¡± ¡°It¡¯s still forty thousand undead, a Necrolord¡ªwhatever that is¡ªand twelve Vasiri who are probably Expert or higher, right?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Zylara answered with a more openly worried tone. ¡°Even with five Master tier warriors, it only takes one bout of contagion and¡ª¡± ¡°They¡¯re compromised and rapidly deteriorate. Damn. Vasiri are kind of overpowered, huh?¡± ¡°An odd but apt turn of phrase, my lord.¡± Karsys said with a nod. ¡°Might have to break out the big guns¡¡± Aurelian muttered. ¡°The what, my lord?¡± ¡°The¡ªoh,¡± he glanced at Karsys in realisation and then smiled apologetically. ¡°It¡¯s an, uh, turn of phrase from my original world, to borrow your words. It essentially just means I may need to use a powerful weapon I hadn¡¯t thought would be necessary, but the question is whether or not the weapon is even viable. He may not have the strength.¡± ¡°Weapon? He?¡± Zylara pressed insistently. ¡°Is this something unique to Nephilim?¡± ¡°You might say that in this case, yeah.¡± Aurelian answered while leading them down the corridor. ¡°But we should probably make haste the rest of the way, yeah? I assume you can both keep up, since you¡¯re Initiate Tier. Follow me.¡± Without another word Aurelian threw himself into a sprint through the corridors of the palace proper, and heard as much as sensed Zylara and Karsys ramp up immediately to match him. Bahamut, of course, launched himself into the air¡ªand with the spaciousness of the palace corridors, was able to keep pace with them from above without incident. So, they ran, with Aurelian using his HUD¡¯s map to keep track of their progress, and even deviate down shorter access paths that he had avoided previously, for worry of alerting Marius¡ªthen the ¡®unknown enemy¡¯¡ªto their presence during his and Bahamut¡¯s approach. His decision was vindicated quickly by the sight of collapsed clusters of bone, armour, and weaponry at various different key junctions and intersections; and allowed him to quietly bask in the latent achievement. This content has been misappropriated from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere. Tactician is now Level 18! Exploration is now Level 10! Congratulations, Exploration has reached Novice Tier! You have gained Experience! Aurelian dismissed the notices as soon as they appeared, and continued to wind his way through the corridors. At their current pace, he estimated he might have been able to keep up with a car during moderate traffic in Oxford, and that struck him as bizarre. The sheer scale with which the System enhanced a person¡¯s physical capabilities bewildered him in many ways. It was moments like the current one that truly highlighted how insane it was, though. While he ran his eyes tracked toward his Longsword Mastery, and again he contemplated the skill. He only had one Upgrade Point left, and the temptation to use it was¡ considerable. He had no idea whether or not he¡¯d ever be able to upgrade the skill otherwise, given the fact that his runesword hadn¡¯t triggered any kind of change, and the potential that his draconic traits and growing Nephilic bonuses would interface well with a Skill Evolution was very tempting. Especially given his acquisition of Dragon¡¯s Sanguination, Resolve, and Gaze. Then of course there was Pain Tolerance and Mana Control, both of which had proven incredibly potent, and both of which were probably the more logical choices for improvement. He chewed his lower lip in thought while he ran, and ignored the quiet conversation between Zylara and Karsys at his rear while he considered his options. It made no sense to sit on any potential benefit any longer. It had been okay when he was walking into the relative unknown and needed to have something up his sleeve, but now that he knew the stakes and was facing down the potential of engaging twelve Vasiri, and whatever a Necrolord was¡ªlikely a Master tier, knowing his luck¡ªperhaps within close proximity to one another¡ Pain Tolerance seemed to be the more useful of his options, though admittedly not by a significant margin. Unlocking a second Chakra with an improved form of Mana Control could help too. Aurelian bit back a curse while leading his companions toward one of the hidden doors, and Bahamut seemed to pick up on his mood. Exploration is now Level 11! Something is bothering you, Aurelian. Yeah, it¡¯s just my skills. He replied with frustration. I can¡¯t decide how to move forward. You are feeling the pressure of the upcoming confrontation, and worrying over your readiness for the challenge. Got it in one, yeah. Aurelian agreed with an internalised sigh. Pain Tolerance and Mana Control are what I¡¯m looking at right now, and I could in theory get either one to Epic¡ªwith a unique evolution¡ªor Mana Control to Epic and Pain Tolerance to Rare, but¡ Bahamut was quick on the uptake. But evolving and upgrading a skill may only occur once for each, and you are concerned that you may be rushing into something that could occur naturally given your unique bonuses. Yes. Aurelian confirmed. It¡¯s an annoyingly consequential decision even if I do nothing with my upgrade or evolution points. Perhaps you should ask your new subjects. They¡¯re not my¡ª Spare me your emphatic denials and self-doubting prattle, Aurelian. Bahamut cut him off with clear impatience, but absent any ire. I have little time for the pretence of humility you insist on wearing, like a poorly fitting cloak. You are Nephilim, Calamity, Reclaimer, and the bonded rider of a Dragon King. A Monarch must know his due, not languish in the false insistence of delusional equality with the masses. Aurelian was silent while they slowed to a jog, and then eventually a walk, and finally a full standstill in front of one of the several hidden access points. He turned to look at Bahamut when the dragon came down to land, and frowned at him. Zylara and Karsys looked between them, and promptly took a step back when Bahamut approached to stand unbothered before Aurelian. For a long moment there was only silence between, them while Bahamut¡¯s golden eyes met Aurelian¡¯s red, and their emotions swapped back and forth in a dizzying wave of wordless communication. Then at last, Aurelian sighed and reached up to scratch the dragon¡¯s skull between the eyes, where his scales were smallest. ¡°I get it,¡± he said simply. Bahamut growled in agreeable appreciation and flexed his wings, while Karsys and Zylara exchanged confused looks. ¡°Bahamut was educating me on the finer points of authority,¡± Aurelian said when he caught their looks of bewilderment. ¡°Namely, my need for some measure of normalcy as it relates to my old life. I guess I need to accept that may never be the case again, though I can¡¯t say I¡¯m thrilled with the idea. I was just a person where I came from. Another random citizen in the streets, and an unremarkable one at that.¡± He looked back at the pair of them, both of whom were watching him with open fascination. ¡°It¡¯s strange for me to have to deal with people giving me, uh, deference, I suppose. At least, deference to the degree you two do. Logically I understand it, but it feels strange. I suppose I¡¯ll adjust to it eventually, but that comes with its own problems,¡± he turned back to the wall and searched quickly for the rune he knew would be there. ¡°What manner of problems?¡± Zylara asked when he went silent, and in a tone that seemed¡ªfor perhaps the first time¡ªgenuinely empathetic. ¡°Absolute power corrupts absolutely,¡± Aurelian said with a shrug while willing his right gauntlet to fold away from his hand, ¡°and I am not so arrogant as to assume I¡¯m immune to that adage. What concerns me is that I¡¯ll forget the whole reason I¡¯m doing all of this.¡± ¡°Forgive me, but is the Calling and Reclamation not your purpose?¡± Karsys asked in his gentle rumble. ¡°Because I do not see how you might forget that, simply by accepting your proper title.¡± Aurelian shook his head while digging his still-manicured nails into his palm, and drawing blood without reaction. Pain Tolerance had long ago grown beyond such paltry injuries. He considered his words while placing his naked, bleeding flesh to the wall, and only spoke when the runic matrices activated. ¡°I¡¯m not here to be anyone¡¯s messiah or chosen one, Karsys. I¡¯m just a guy who has the ability to help people, and that¡¯s what I¡¯m going to do. I can accept that this Nephilim stuff seems tied to some sort of position of grand authority, and I¡¯ve read enough stories to know fighting it only leads to more bullshit, but¡¡± Aurelian shrugged while he watched the wall move backward and begin its smooth slide to the right. ¡°Honestly? I¡¯d rather just walk away and explore the world.¡± he admitted candidly. ¡°I¡¯m not going to, but that¡¯s because my mother and father taught me to hold to your responsibilities, and to help those in need where you have the power to¡ªbut I won¡¯t pretend that it¡¯s the more appealing choice. It¡¯s just, well, the right thing to do.¡± he looked back at them while idly squeezing his healing palm. ¡°That is magnanimous of you,¡± Zylara said with what Aurelian thought might have been her first genuine compliment, outside of what she saw as obligated reverence for the ¡®chosen one¡¯. ¡°Hearing you put it that way, I think I better understand your burdens¡ªand the impossible nature of the task you¡¯ve been given. To be torn away from everyone and everything you love is¡ª¡± ¡°A burden beyond imagining,¡± Karsys finished with a nod for Zylara, who nodded as well. ¡°We didn¡¯t realise. Though, is it truly just because of what your parents taught you? Or are you doing this for your own reasons, too? Beyond those stated, I mean.¡± ¡°The gods are assholes.¡± Aurelian answered simply. ¡°They deserve to die, and I¡¯m the only one capable of doing it.¡± His gauntlet covered his hand again with a flex of will, and he smiled mirthlessly at the pair of Terran natives. ¡°It doesn¡¯t mean I¡¯m not going to wish I could just fly off into the sunset with my dragon, and leave all this uncomfortable bowing and scraping, ¡®prophesied Emperor¡¯ shit behind me.¡± The human and elf were silent when they followed Aurelian into the passage, and then toward the stairs he immediately started descending. In fact, they barely reacted when Bahamut chose to simply launch himself into the air, and vanish into the darkness while they descended. Aurelian also noticed there was a lack of light to reveal Bael¡¯tharax, and couldn¡¯t help but assume it was intentional. The old dragon was playing tricks again. Not even his colossal runes were visible. ¡°Far be it from me to be presumptive,¡± Zylara said suddenly, ¡°but I suddenly recall your statement about finding some comfort in informality.¡± she appeared to be weighing the words and when Aurelian looked back at her, her beautiful features were regarding him with an unreadable expression, somewhere between consideration and apprehension. ¡°I would not be entirely opposed, I suppose, to using your name as I would a party member¡ but I would not be able to do it outside of our small group.¡± She frowned after she spoke, but her intense blue eyes never left his face. ¡°You may not fully agree with our approach, Aurelian, and I understand that; but for us, it is almost a matter of religion to give due respect to the Calamity. Our nation, what little remains of it, has awaited your arrival since the time of ancestors I can only name thanks to quite literal ancient records.¡± ¡°Zylara is right,¡± Karsys said after the elven woman was done, ¡°and you have made your own valid points, my lo¡ªAurelian. We cannot break protocol in front of others, but I too am willing to offer you what I can in the privacy of our impromptu party, if only to ease the burden you bear on our behalf¡ªand with such selflessness at that.¡± Karsys smiled wryly, and shook his head as if in realisation. ¡°What we are asking of you is no small thing. It¡¯s unprecedented, really, save for the first Calamity herself, and It would be selfish and ignorant to not respect your own desires; especially for such relatively minor matters as a simple form of address.¡± Aurelian raised his eyebrows at their words, and felt a warm surge of relief roll through him. ¡°Would it help if I officially made us a Party until this is all over?¡± The pair exchanged glances, and then turned to him with shared smiles. Zylara¡¯s was more of a hesitant thing, while Karsys seemed genuinely touched. ¡°Yes.¡± The elf maiden said with a slightly more approachable gleam to her eyes. ¡°I think that would be nice.¡± ¡°Then consider it done,¡± Aurelian said decisively. ¡°And on that note, I have a question for you both.¡± ¡°Of course, Aurelian.¡± Karsys responded in a voice that was already more comfortable. ¡°Ask it,¡± Zylara agreed. ¡°First, let me show you my sheet¡¡± Their reactions, when he did so, were exactly as expected. It made for a very entertaining descent into the Dragon¡¯s Lair. B1 | Chapter 55: Old People Antics ¡°Your dilemma is not easily solved.¡± Zylara said in an exasperated tone while the three continued their descent. ¡°I cannot say I am not envious of your breadth and width of skills and options, but I must admit that it also strikes me as somewhat overwhelming. There are just so many, and your options are even more varied.¡± ¡°Your thoughts on Pain Tolerance have merit,¡± Karsys added when she finished, ¡°but so does your logic with Mana Control. I, honestly, am not much of a spellcaster personally, and prefer the use of my own weapon skills to overt magical evocation, but¡¡± he frowned in thought while they walked. ¡°I must admit that Pain Tolerance does seem to be the better immediate choice, while Mana Control seems to have greater long-term benefits. The problem though¡ª¡± ¡°¡ªis whether or not I¡¯ll survive long enough to make the long-term benefits worthwhile.¡± Aurelian finished. Karsys nodded in agreement with his deduction, and seemed to fall back into quiet consideration thereafter. ¡°Your lack of ranged attack options is a little worrying, though.¡± Zylara pointed out. ¡°If you can¡¯t close distance with an opponent, you have few to no answers for what to do. If someone were to hold you at bay with magic, or ranged attacks, you¡¯d be largely helpless.¡± ¡°That¡¯s true.¡± Karsys agreed. ¡°And even with your Monarch¡¯s Bloodstorm Infusion, it won¡¯t matter if the damage doesn¡¯t rely on kinetic force. Arrows, blades, and spells can still hurt you without kinetic force.¡± The fact that the people of the Realms understood phrases and terms like ¡®kinetic force¡¯ but boggled at the mention of ¡®electricity¡¯, ¡®gunpowder¡¯ or ¡®computers¡¯, as he¡¯d learned after mentioning both to his new companions in passing, remained a point of some amusement for Aurelian. The ignorance of science enforced by the ease of access to magic had always been an amusing part of fantasy worlds to him, and the Realms were no different. ¡°I picked up plenty of random weapons, and items, which I could use as throwing weapons during my time in the palace, and have used some exactly that way¡ªbut I¡¯ve yet to develop any sort of ranged attack Skill.¡± ¡°Were you throwing with, or without focus?¡± Zylara asked immediately. ¡°Uh, without I suppose?¡± Aurelian answered with a raised eyebrow. ¡°Then that explains it quite well.¡± she responded matter-of-factly. ¡°All Skills are based on an Intent, not simply the action itself. For example, you do not gain a Running or Acrobatics Skill until you focus, even without realising it at times, on Running or Acrobatics. Then, suddenly, the Skill blossoms, and you are aware of it in a way you weren¡¯t before.¡± ¡°That¡ actually makes sense,¡± Aurelian said with a nod. ¡°Well of course it does. I said it.¡± Zylara said primly. Karsys chuckled to himself, and Aurelian chose to take her slight return to arrogance as a sign of her growing comfort with his presence, as opposed to just an annoying personality quirk. He¡¯d take ¡®arrogant comfort¡¯ over ¡®simpering worship¡¯ any day. ¡°So going back to ranged skills, I do have magic, but I¡¯m guessing that all magic comes with an Uncommon rarity, and that Shockbolt and Firebolt aren¡¯t anything special?¡± ¡°The fact you can use two elements with any great level of ease is special.¡± Zylara corrected. ¡°I myself can only use two, but that is considered excellent among most denizens. The greatest spellcasters can manipulate as many as four, but they are born once or twice a generation.¡± ¡°How do you tell which elements you have access to, other than skills?¡± ¡°Your Core.¡± Karsys answered in his calm voice. ¡°It will always be reflected, in some manner, by your Core. The colour defines the primary magical force you are blessed with, and any others you have access to.¡± Aurelian hesitated for only a moment, and then frowned. ¡°My Core is prismatic.¡± ¡°Prismatic?¡± Zylara asked curiously. ¡°It has every colour in it.¡± ¡°...¡± Both Zylara and Karsys went quiet after that, and he heard both give a heavy sigh a few moments later. ¡°Nephilim. By all the Eternals, you really are a monster, Aurelian.¡± Karsys said without malice. There was a level of awe in his tone, in fact. ¡°Every colour? That infers complete access to every magical force. It¡¯s¡ªit¡¯s absurd.¡± ¡°It¡¯s exactly what you¡¯ll need if you want to do what you proposed, and actually kill the gods.¡± Zylara said with a more practical tone. ¡°Part of me always wondered, despite everything I¡¯d been taught, if the prophesied Nephilim truly would be so special. Charlemagne is one thing, but¡ª¡± ¡°Hold up,¡± Aurelian said while stopping abruptly, and turning to face them both. ¡°Did you say Charlemagne?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Zylara said with a look of confusion. ¡°What of him?¡± ¡°Who is Charlemagne?¡± Aurelian asked again while looking between them. ¡°The Regent of Sanctuary.¡± Karsys answered steadily. ¡°Did we not mention his name before?¡± ¡°You certainly did not.¡± Aurelian said with a racing heart. ¡°Oh. Well! Charlemagne was placed there to watch over our people, and the citadel of Last Hope, by Lucius Tollarius himself.¡± ¡°And you implied he was a Nephilim?¡± ¡°I did.¡± Zylara confirmed. ¡°Why is that¡ª?¡± ¡°Charlemagne is the name of one of the greatest Emperors and Generals the world¡ªmy original world, I mean¡ªhad ever seen. The man is considered to be among the most prodigious, if not the most prodigious wartime and peacetime King in history. You¡¯re telling me that Charlemagne is the leader of Sanctuary?¡± ¡°I¡ we had no idea that he was¡¡± Karsys trailed off in surprise. ¡°Charlemagne is¡ eccentric.¡± Zylara said with a glance at Karsys. ¡°A little unstable. He likes to rant about being an Emperor, but we all thought he was just a little mad, or perhaps full of himself. It was never a problem for how he ran the Sanctuary, but¡¡± ¡°Why the hell do you need me if you have fucking Charlemagne?!¡± Aurelian asked with a look, and tone, of sheer incredulity. It was nothing compared to the shock burning through his system. ¡°The man is a legend! The legend! The only thing better would be the Emperor I named myself after, or maybe Alexander the Great, or Trajan, or Caesar Augustus, or¡ª¡± You could be reading stolen content. Head to the original site for the genuine story. ¡°He¡¯s an Echo!¡± Zylara cut in a little loudly. Aurelian stared at her in surprise for a moment, and she swallowed, but continued without stopping. ¡°He¡ªI¡ he¡¯s an Echo, my lo¡ªAurelian. The real Charlemagne died thousands of years ago. His Echo was preserved and maintained by the Empire because he was one of the few Nephilim who didn¡¯t go entirely mad before the end. He¡¡± she faltered and turned to Karsys. ¡°He is all we have left of the old ways.¡± Karsys picked up, while giving Zylara a reassuring smile. ¡°The only thing left of our true heritage. Everything we know of Elysea, of the Empire¡ it¡¯s all been passed down directly from Charlemagne, and he keeps it from being muddied, or misunderstood, century after century. Something in the Sanctuary keeps him going. He draws strength from the sustaining force of the settlement, and his duty.¡± ¡°He is extremely dedicated.¡± Zylara continued in a calmer voice, though she still seemed a little withdrawn after her outburst. ¡°A man of pure will. It is perhaps not a surprise, now, to hear of who he was, from one who knew of him. We knew he was a highly capable statesman and administrator, and his work has kept our military forces incredibly potent throughout the millennia, but we never expected¡¡± ¡°An Echo,¡± Aurelian said when Zylara trailed off, and then leaned his weight against the bannister. ¡°Of course. An Echo. That makes so much more sense. The fact it¡¯s Charlemagne is still insane, but as an Echo¡ yeah, I could see that, especially if the old Empire learned his actual value. Christ¡¡± ¡°DID I HEAR YOU CORRECTLY?¡± An earth-shaking voice boomed suddenly. ¡°CHARLEMAGNE LIVES?¡± Karsys and Zylara dropped into combat stances¡ªamusing without any real weapons¡ªand looked around with open shock at the sheer force of the reverberating voice, and the sudden shaking within the cavern. Aurelian suppressed a smile and looked out into the blackness, only to be met by the sudden blaze of a single, massive golden eye. ¡°Hello, Bael¡¯tharax.¡± he said calmly. ¡°You¡¯re using your flair for the dramatic again, I see.¡± The massive leviathan snorted powerfully enough to almost shake Aurelian free of his precarious position, and he frowned in annoyance at the massive dragon. Karsys and Zylara, however, were not handling things well. Karsys was on the steps hyperventilating, and staring at the eye like he was midway between a stroke and shout, and Zylara appeared to have been struck dumb by the sight of it. She just clung to the bannister,and stared with wide eyes and a clenched jaw. ¡°Great¡¡± Aurelian muttered, looking over the pair of them, and then turning back to Bael¡¯tharax. ¡°Hey, gramps? Can you go wait down there¡ª¡± he pointed downward ¡°¡ªwhile I collect my new companions, and try to work them through the trauma of your, like, gigantitude?¡± ¡°DO NOT TARRY. I WISH TO HEAR MORE OF THIS TURN OF EVENTS.¡± The Dragon King growled before vanishing down once more into the depths, which steadily began to light up now that his intended trick was done. How an ancient, and worldly being thousands of years in age could be so amused by pranks was a mystery Aurelian had yet to solve. Then again, his own grandfather¡ªPop as he¡¯d called him¡ªhad loved to play practical jokes. Maybe it was an old person thing. ¡°Yeah¡¡± he said while turning back to his new companions. ¡°Sorry. I should have warned you both about, uh, that.¡± He took a breath, and then continued. ¡°So! That¡¯s Bael¡¯tharax, the last Dragon King, et cetera. He¡¯s Bahamut¡¯s father, in simple terms.¡± Karsys and Zylara both turned their shocked features to him, and he smiled in amusement. ¡°Hey look. Karsys is finally almost as pale as you are, Zylara.¡± That seemed to get through to them, and suddenly the pair were collecting themselves and throwing a blistering salvo of questions at him¡ªone which Aurelian could barely make heads and tails of. ¡°Where did he spend¡ª?¡± ¡°¡ªalive all this time¡ª¡± ¡°¡ªpossibly expect us to¡ª¡± ¡°¡ªcompletely insane that he¡ª¡± ¡°¡ªhelp with Sanctuary¡¯s defe¡ª¡± ¡°¡ªus to fight the enemy army¡ª¡± Aurelian threw his hands up and shoved them open-fingered into each of their faces, stopping their joint fusillade of questions dead. ¡°Enough,¡± he said with a hint of annoyance. ¡°Neither of you were entitled to any information, I¡¯ll remind you, and while I am sorry for not warning you about him, I will point out that you also never thought to ask why we were descending into the gigantic black cave.¡± ¡°I thought it was Bahamut¡¯s lair¡¡± Karsys admitted sheepishly. Zylara remained tight-lipped, but her glance at Karsys told Aurelian she likely shared the assumption. ¡°It¡¯s a little big for Bahamut, but it¡¯s not an unfair guess,¡± Aurelian said while lowering his hands. ¡°Look, you can ask Bael¡¯tharax as many questions as he¡¯s willing to answer¡ªbut first we need to get down there, and both of you need to get a grip on your panic. The place is lit up now, so just look over the edge while we descend, and you should be able to see the big lizard lying there. Use the time to wrap your heads around his scale.¡± Aurelian sighed from memory. ¡°It helps.¡± ¡°How were you so unaffected by his presence?¡± Zylara asked softly. ¡°I felt as if I were about to be crushed when his eye appeared, like the heart in my chest would explode at his mere whim. It was¡ it was overwhelming. He is overwhelming.¡± ¡°I didn¡¯t develop Dragon¡¯s Resolve without incident,¡± Aurelian responded simply. That seemed to satisfy them both, and Karsys and Zylara jointly seemed to relax, somewhat, upon realising that they weren¡¯t massive cowards for falling apart at Bael¡¯tharax¡¯s presence. ¡°As to why he can¡¯t just blow out of here and kill all the undead¡ well, that¡¯s because he¡¯s dying.¡± Aurelian said with blunt honesty, and turned to continue descending. ¡°Follow me and I¡¯ll tell you the whole story from when I arrived, to meeting Bael¡¯tharax, and even how I met you two. I guess it¡¯s about time I did, really, and Bahamut has probably filled in Bael¡¯tharax and Tarixi already.¡± ¡°Tari¡ª?¡± ¡°Another Echo.¡± Aurelian explained. ¡°Sort of my teacher, along with Bael¡¯tharax. I¡¯ll explain while we descend.¡± True to his word, Aurelian launched into his explanation, starting from his memories of his last day on Earth and all the confusion and wonder that it inspired in his new companions. He took pleasure in explaining the many differences between Earth and the Realms, and especially the way in which humans in his original world had innovated to make up for the lack of magic. On and on they spoke, and down and down they descended, all while Aurelian told his tale and his new companions listened with a mix of disbelief and interest. They pointed out various points of flawed logic as well, such as his lack of experimentation with weapons like spears or the quarterstaff, which would have suited his situation perfectly; or the fact that he was sheathing his sword on his back. That, he learned, was apparently very illogical and inefficient. They were quite emphatic about that. He even received a mild chastisement for the reckless way in which he upgraded his Skills, and was told more than once how important it was that he not melt his own brain through the use¡ªor rather misuse¡ªof upgrade and evolution points. Zylara even announced, quite boldly, that she would ensure he learned how to wield a bow, if for no other reason than the fact his access to all magic¡ªespecially Lightning and Force magic¡ªwould make him a terrifying Archer if he became even halfway decent. By time they reached the lowest levels of the Dragon¡¯s Lair, the pair had also largely adjusted to Bael¡¯tharax thanks to their constant, and progressively less wide-eyed looks at the gargantuan dragon. Seeing a creature bigger than some settlements was likely more than the pair could fully wrap their heads around with immediacy, but exposure over time had dulled their shock into a more placid sense of passive awe. That, though, he couldn¡¯t blame them for. When viewed from on high, Bael¡¯tharax¡¯s scale was staggering. When they started making their way across the relatively flat surface of the cave after reaching the bottom, Aurelian glanced back surreptitiously to ensure both the elf and human were keeping it together while approaching the massive head of Bael¡¯tharax, and hovering projection of Tarixi. To their credit they moved with determined, straight-backed postures; and met the sight of the skyscraper-devouring dragon with steel in their spines. If their skin was a little pale, or there were a few glimmers of sweat on their brows, Aurelian wasn¡¯t about to judge. B1 | Chapter 56: Twisted Ideals I see they are no longer cowering like frightened hatchlings. Bahamut sent with amusement. Yeah, they¡¯ve gotten better. I never really thought about how terrifying Bael¡¯tharax would be to other people. Aurelian admitted. The whole thought of ¡®other people¡¯ had become sort of a tertiary concern, honestly. At least they are showing courage. It speaks well of their character. Aurelian agreed silently with his companion while the three of them crossed the distance to Bahamut¡¯s waiting father, and came to a halt near Tarixi¡¯s ghost. When they finally noticed her, both Elyseans stopped and exchanged confused looks. When Aurelian noticed, it was Karsys that spoke. ¡°Aurelian, you never told us that Tarixi was a Goblin. There must be some mistake.¡± the tall human said with a hesitant look at the hovering Echo. ¡°She cannot be Elysean.¡± Aurelian blinked and turned to face the human, both eyebrows rising while he did. ¡°Excuse me?¡± he asked with confusion. ¡°Goblins and other tainted species cannot be Elyseans.¡± Zylara explained with the same evident confusion. ¡°They¡¯re subject species. Only Humans, Elves, Dwarves, and some Orcs are descended from the Empire.¡± Aurelian stared at the pair of them in silent disbelief for a long moment. Had he never mentioned, during his retelling, that Tarixi was a goblin? He searched his memory rapidly and realised that no, he had not in fact mentioned her species. It hadn¡¯t even occurred to him to do so. His brows drew together, and he turned toward Tarixi and Bael¡¯tharax¡ªonly to be preempted by the dragon¡¯s voice. ¡°WHAT RANK IDIOCY IS IT YOU ARE SPOUTING, CHILD?¡± Bael¡¯tharax thundered, loud enough to make Zylara and Karsys take a step back in shock. ¡°TARIXI FIRESOUL WAS AN ACCOMPLISHED MAGISTERII OF THE FLAME. SHE WAS MORE ELYSEAN THAN ANY TEN OF YOUR MEWLING ANCESTORS PUT TOGETHER. SHE WAS A HERO, AND GAVE HER LIFE SO THAT THE LAST HOPE OF THE EMPIRE MIGHT SURVIVE. HOW DARE YOU BESMIRCH HER MEMORY WITH SUCH VILE, UNFOUNDED, AND REPULSIVE RHETORIC.¡± The dragon¡¯s colossal head had moved closer by that point, and his golden eye was burning with disapproval, and a searing indication of wrath at what he had very clearly overheard. By that point of course, both Karsys and Zylara were frozen in either disbelief or fear, and the pair barely appeared to be breathing. ¡°Hold a moment, Bael¡¯tharax,¡± Tarixi said into the tense silence that followed. ¡°I am curious about these assertions. Something tells me that these two are not to blame for that rhetoric, as disgusting as it may be.¡± She drifted closer with a brief smile of welcome to Aurelian, and then fixed her little fists on her hips and stared down at the two new arrivals. ¡°Elaborate quickly, before I let the Dragon King eat you.¡± Bael¡¯tharax growled to emphasise her point, and both of Aurelian¡¯s new companions seemed momentarily frozen still by the force of the leviathan¡¯s Soulforce. ¡°Jesus¡¡± Aurelian muttered. ¡°A little heavy, don¡¯t you think?¡± Tarixi didn¡¯t appear to hear him, though he did see her spectral cheeks colour¡ªif only slightly. ¡°We¡ªUh¡!¡± Aurelian sighed. ¡°Karsys. Zylara. Focus. Bael¡¯tharax isn¡¯t going to eat you,¡± he glanced at the old dragon warily for a moment. ¡°I think.¡± he frowned, and turned back to them. ¡°Just tell us what the hell is up with the whole racism thing.¡± ¡°R¡ªracism?¡± ¡°Prejudice. Discrimination. Negative bias towards a species or ethnicity,¡± Aurelian said impatiently. ¡°Just explain your view on Gobbos, guys.¡± ¡°Gobbos?¡± Tarixi asked in a bewildered and mortified tone. Aurelian waved her off, and stayed focused on the two flummoxed ¡®Elyseans¡¯. ¡°Th¡ªthe Senate of Sanctuary, under the auspices of the elected Consul, decreed that Goblins, Gnomes, Selkies, Kobolds, Fairies, and all other lesser or beastly bloodlines be reclassified under law as subject races, in keeping with the discovered annals of ancient Elysea.¡± ¡°It happened millennia ago!¡± Zylara cut in with some semblance of defiance. ¡°We weren¡¯t even born when it was decreed. Charlemagne did nothing to stop it, so everyone simply assumed it had to be true. It¡ all the depictions of Elyseans look like Half-Elves with the occasional rare Orcish mix. We¡ªwe never thought anything of¡ª¡± ¡°Of course Charlemagne let it happen,¡± Tarixi said with a grumble, and a long sigh of realisation. ¡°Of course his Echo is still kicking around, and of course he¡¯s in charge of a secret remnant of the Empire none of us knew about. The Imperator always said his value was far greater than his eccentric biases, but Lucius should have known something like this would happen in that sort of situation.¡± Tarixi sighed again, and turned to Aurelian. ¡°Charlemagne disapproved of the blatantly non-human races because of that damnable origin world of his, and its mad mythology. He believed we were all monsters or some such idiocy. ¡®Demons¡¯, to hear him say it, waiting for a chance to steal everyone¡¯s souls.¡± Karsys and Zylara glanced at each other dubiously, but didn¡¯t interrupt. Aurelian grimaced. ¡°I can believe that. Charlemagne ruled over an Empire mired in religious superstition and intense faith-based theocratic autocracy. He likely believed that there was some semblance of the old faith''s truths in the Realms, and used your species as a focal point for his¡ I dunno¡ means to ground himself. I can see a devout Catholic attempting to rationalise his new existence that way.¡± ¡°But Charlemagne has guided Sanctuary for millennia!¡± Zylara interjected with a measure of her old confidence returning to her voice, though she very pointedly looked mostly at Aurelian¡ªlikely out of a need to try and ignore the immense dragon still glaring at her. ¡°He¡¯s been nothing but a boon to our people. Without him, we¡¯d have never figured out how to tame the Desolation to the degree we have!¡± When she finished, Bael¡¯tharax¡¯s eye slitted further with honed consideration. ¡°CHARLEMAGNE WAS A NIGH PEERLESS WARRIOR, GENERAL, AND ADMINISTRATOR. NOBODY IS REFUTING THAT FACT, CHILD. HIS VIEWS ON NON-HUMAN RACES WERE PROBLEMATIC AT TIMES, CERTAINLY, THOUGH EVEN I AGREE HE NEVER SEEMED THAT VIRULENTLY AGAINST THEM.¡± ¡°Very likely he just saw an opportunity and¡ let it happen,¡± Tarixi said bitterly while Zylara let out a shaky breath of relief. ¡°I doubt the old grouch orchestrated it, he respected the Imperator too much to openly alter his designs that way, but if the elected Consul peddled the narrative¡¡± The narrative has been taken without permission. Report any sightings. ¡°...then Charlemagne would have no obligation to gainsay it,¡± Aurelian said while rubbing his forehead. ¡°Fuck. Never meet your heroes, huh?¡± he looked at Tarixi afterward and grimaced. ¡°I¡¯m surprised you didn¡¯t know about Sanctuary, and that you¡¯re barely even affected by the news. I thought you¡¯d freak out, honestly.¡± ¡°There is little to be truly excited over. These people may call themselves Elysean, but their races are Human and Elf¡ªalbeit a Storm Elf.¡± She made the distinction with grudging approval. ¡°They are no more Elysean, no matter what they believe, than I am alive.¡± ¡°Excuse me?¡± Zylara said immediately. ¡°Who are you to¡ª?¡± Bael¡¯tharax growled again, and Karsys placed a hand on Zylara¡¯s shoulder when she cringed at the dragon¡¯s ire. ¡°The last true Elysean likely died millennia ago. You children¡¡± Tarixi sighed heavily. ¡°You have no idea what the name even means. You¡¯re holding onto an identity, which is perfectly acceptable, but conflating it with genealogy as well. That is flawed.¡± ¡°What do you mean?¡± Karsys asked with a measure of genuine confusion. ¡°Elyseans were powerful because of Nephilim blood.¡± Aurelian explained before Tarixi could launch into a lecture, and earned himself a sour look from the goblin in the process. ¡°You need the blood of the Nephilim to be considered Elysean. It¡¯s why the Empire kept summoning people like me until it became, I dunno, problematic: to maintain the Nephilic blood, or something.¡± ¡°While crudely put, what Aurelian says is the truth.¡± Tarixi admitted grudgingly. ¡°The Empire thrived because we were, all of us, blessed by power through Nephilic lineage. We summoned many Nephilim to sustain that strength, and while many integrated just fine, the few that didn¡¯t¡¡± ¡°CALAMITY IS NOT MERELY A NAME OF FANCY. NEPHILIM ARE EXISTENCES THAT EVEN WE DRAGONS LEARNED TO RESPECT, AND GRANT AN EQUAL STATUS OF POWER. THE MOST TERRIBLE OF THEM WERE CALAMITIES IN TRUTH, AND WERE CAPABLE OF BREAKING MOUNTAINS, BOILING OCEANS, AND SUNDERING THE SKIES.¡± Bael¡¯tharax said with a measure of grim memory, and rumbling regret. It seemed that the Dragon King was recalling as much as he was telling a story, and not for the first time did Aurelian wonder what manner of tragedies he had been witness to, across the breadth of his immense lifespan. ¡°I thought Nephilim were a good thing for the Empire?¡± Aurelian asked. ¡°I know it¡¯s been mentioned they went crazy, but you never told me the details like this before.¡± ¡°You weren¡¯t ready for the details,¡± Tarixi said with enough shame to sound apologetic, ¡°but there¡¯s no point holding back now. There is a dark secret to Nephilim that we have, truthfully, tried to hide¡ªand I¡¯m sorry you had to learn about it like this.¡± ¡°NEPHILIM WERE GIFTED WITH POWERS BEYOND COMPREHENSION, AND VERY NEARLY TORE APART THE WORLD WHEN EVEN ONE OF THEM WENT MAD¡ªAND EVENTUALLY, THEY ALL DID.¡± Bael¡¯tharax continued when Tarixi was done, his immense voice rumbling the cavern while Bahamut idly pranced along the elder dragon¡¯s spine without a care in the world. ¡°WE ARE MERELY LUCKY THAT SO MANY CHOSE DEATH OVER THE DESTRUCTION THEY WOULD DOUBTLESS BRING TO THEIR FAMILIES AND LOVED ONES, HAD THEY INSTEAD SOUGHT TO CLING TO LIFE.¡± ¡°So I¡¯m doomed to go crazy?¡± Aurelian asked with a sense of growing horror. ¡°We aren¡¯t certain.¡± Tarixi admitted. ¡°Selucia Tollarius apparently had some measure of confidence that your specific calling would be different, but I cannot tell you how or why. I would assume, though, that she accounted for the Nephilic Curse.¡± ¡°Oh. Great. What a fucking name that is.¡± ¡°We¡ we can discuss this more in detail later.¡± Tarixi promised him. ¡°After we deal with the matter before us. I promise.¡± Aurelian gave her a leery look, but waved a hand in frustrated acceptance. Time and place, I guess. He thought sourly. ¡°As for these false Elyseans¡ª¡± ¡°We¡¯re the true inheritors of the Mantle!¡± Zylara burst out before Tarixi could finish. ¡°You can¡¯t take that away from us because of something as¡ªas irrelevant of who did or didn¡¯t get fucked by a Nephilim!¡± Aurelian¡¯s eyebrows shot into his fringe, and he couldn¡¯t help but approve of her vigour. Even Tarixi, for all that she hated being interrupted, looked mildly impressed. ¡°Zylara is¡ impassioned, but she isn¡¯t incorrect, honoured elder.¡± Karsys said quickly to Tarixi, and with a carefully diplomatic tone. ¡°We do keep the Mantle. It is ours by right of birth.¡± ¡°Really now?¡± Tarixi asked in a tone that Aurelian could tell was forcefully patient. He could hear the warning signs of the goblin¡¯s temper, having roused it more than once himself. ¡°You do, do you?¡± she continued. ¡°Right of birth, is it? Then recite it for me. The oath of the Mantle, I mean. Right here and now. Go on!¡± Karsys and Zylara glanced at each other, and then to Aurelian, who just shrugged at them and nodded. The pair seemed to take heart in that, and launched into a perfectly synchronised recitation of something Aurelian could tell, immediately, was ceremonially important: ¡°By blood and blade, By might and magic, Under threat of pain, Under threat of doom, Never shall I waver. For I am the Shield of the Deserving, I am the Sword of Judgement, I am the hunter that seeks, I am the listener that heeds, I am the guide who lights the way. By the Sun¡¯s paternal light, By the Moon¡¯s penitent glow, I shall defend the righteous, the faithful, the pure. Mine is the task of defending all worthy peoples, And sheltering all lesser subjects of the Empire. This is the Mantle of Elysea. This is the Oath of the Chosen, And its burden do I carry with pride.¡± The pair finished the recitation and Aurelian resisted the urge to clap. When he turned to Tarixi to see her reaction to their recitation, though, he was immediately alarmed. Instead of approval, or even an expression of being mildly impressed, what he saw was something else entirely¡ªand something he¡¯d never, in all the days he¡¯d spent with her, seen on Tarixi¡¯s face before. Rage. Rage like he had never witnessed. And beneath it pure, unfiltered, undisguised pain. ¡°Tarixi?¡± he asked carefully. ¡°How long?¡± she demanded of the two faltering and increasingly uncertain new arrivals. ¡°How long has it been since it happened?¡± ¡°What¡ I am afraid I don¡¯t understand, honoured eld¡ª?¡± ¡°How long have you been reciting that thrice-accursed, wholly damned, garbage imitation of our most sacred oath?!¡± ¡°Tarixi, what¡¯s going on? You asked them to¡ª¡± ¡°That is not the Mantle, Aurelian!¡± Tarixi said while spinning to face him so fast her projection blurred slightly. ¡°That¡ that is not the oath we swore, and those are not the words we live by. That is a binding! It¡¯s a ritual spell! Those words are the declaration of fealty to our greatest enemy!¡± ¡°Wait, you mean¡ª?¡± Aurelian turned to face his two companions, and activated his Dragon¡¯s Gaze. With clumsy and forceful Intent, he pushed past the surface and pierced the veil between the physical and aetheric. His gaze narrowed, and he poured more focus and stoked Dragon¡¯s Resolve to help him in seeking past the motes of mana, and through the nascent glow of Soulforce for what he wanted. When he found his quarry, his spine went cold and a sick feeling filled his stomach. Two radiant golden chains, far thinner than Marius¡¯ own but very much present, shone like liquid sunlight from where they trailed their way up to, and through the cavern roof¡ªeach one anchored to Karsys and Zylara¡¯s Cores. ¡°Fuck¡¡± Aurelian whispered. ¡°INDEED,¡± Bael¡¯tharax said with a low snarl. ¡°THEIR ¡®MANTLE¡¯ IS A PRAYER OF FEALTY TO SOLARIUS.¡± B1 | Chapter 57: First Calamity ¡°If what you¡¯re saying is true,¡± Aurelian said quietly, ¡°then all of Sanctuary, the last bastion of Elysea, is¡ what? Godsworn?¡± ¡°No!¡± Zylara shouted, and Aurelian was shocked by how raw the pain in her voice was. He hadn¡¯t expected such a visceral reaction, though he supposed it did make sense. ¡°No! We can¡¯t be¡ªI can¡¯t be¡ it¡¯s not possible¡ I¡¡± ¡°There must be some mistake.¡± Karsys agreed in a voice that sounded equally as shaken, but determined to stay calm. ¡°That is the Mantle we have sworn for thousands of years. It¡¯s been part of the core of our culture, it¡ why wouldn¡¯t Charlemagne have¡?¡± ¡°It is very likely that he simply doesn¡¯t realise the change,¡± Tarixi said with a hint of pity tempering her joint rage and disgust. ¡°Echoes, no matter how well-preserved, do not fully encapsulate the totality of a Soulforce. It is not unreasonable to think that the Mantle changed over time, and Charlemagne¡¯s perception of it changed with it. The man was many things, but a traitor? Never that. He loathed the gods. Called them ¡®pagan pretenders.¡¯.¡± Aurelian snorted. ¡°That checks out. Charlemagne was famous for his fervent catholicism.¡± ¡°But what of Sanctuary? Are we¡ Does this mean the gods have known everything¡? All our efforts to prepare, to make ready for the coming of the Nephilim¡ªwhy let us live?¡± Zylara¡¯s voice was stronger already, despite the shock, fear, and blatant denial within it. Realising your entire life was a lie wasn¡¯t exactly something people rationalised within minutes, or even days. It took time. ¡°IT IS VERY LIKELY THAT SOLARIUS SAW NO NEED TO CONCERN HIMSELF WITH THE TASK OF WIPING YOU ALL OUT, NOT WHEN YOU SERVED A PURPOSE. VERY LIKELY HE THOUGHT THAT AURELIAN¡ªTHE NEPHILIM¡ªMIGHT ARRIVE IN THE LAST BASTION OF ELYSEA.¡± Bael¡¯tharax explained with grim, and cavern-shaking anger. The news had clearly upset the old leviathan quite a bit, in turn. ¡°YOU WERE A CONVENIENT TRAP, ONE HE NOW NO LONGER REQUIRES.¡± ¡°The army,¡± Aurelian said grimly. ¡°I take it Bahamut filled you in then?¡± I did. My Sire and Tarixi were most aghast at the idea of it all. Bahamut sent to him privately. The Echo was excited about Sanctuary, Aurelian. She downplayed that. I think the revelations of its truths might have dampened her spirit more than she will let on. ¡°Tarixi,¡± Aurelian said after Bahamut was finished, ¡°what did you mean by them not being true Elysean? Are you referring to¡ª?¡± ¡°Yes,¡± she said simply. ¡°As you said, the lack of Nephilic influence in their genealogy is the difference. It is the blood of Nephilim, proliferated throughout the Empire, that made Elyseans so potent, and so singularly powerful. Without that saturation, even at the time of our Fall, we were losing potency. That was a scant thousand years since the last Calling. I can only begin to imagine how comparatively diminished our so-called descendants are.¡± ¡°Hence the System classifying them as humans and elves, and not Elyseans.¡± Karsys and Zylara, listening to the conversation, looked both shocked and crestfallen. It seemed that the words of the Goblin were finally starting to drill into them, and Aurelian couldn¡¯t help but feel sympathy. Their entire worldview was being obliterated with every sentence, and every moment spent within the company of the two ancients. It was one thing to dismiss Tarixi, for all that it was still a difficult task, but to gainsay the Dragon King that had lived alongside their most revered Imperator, Lucius of the Golden Trio? No, neither human nor elf could justify such wilful ignorance. That only left the inevitable conclusion that, just as Tarixi said and Bael¡¯tharax reinforced, they were not true Elyseans¡ªbut instead peoples clinging to an identity they technically had no right to any longer. Especially not with the perverted version of the Mantle they had been reciting for generations. It was like being punched repeatedly, and then kicked for good measure. Once again, he felt a surge of sympathy. They were handling it well, all things considered. ¡°Before anything else, I think we should sever your tethers to Solarius,¡± Aurelian said abruptly. ¡°I¡¯ve been sitting on the thought because I wanted to hear opinions, but honestly the memory of them is making me feel angry and sick all at once. It¡¯s like seeing golden manacles wrapped around your Cores. The sooner they¡¯re gone, the better.¡± ¡°Will it hurt?¡± Zylara asked in a fiercely determined voice. ¡°I honestly can¡¯t say,¡± Aurelian said with an apologetic shrug. ¡°I only did it once before, but Marius¡¯ tie to Absolum made yours look like micro splinters in comparison.¡± She bit her lip at his response, but said nothing and instead stared at the ground. ¡°Perhaps it is what is necessary then, for us to truly process what you are implying.¡± Karsys said with a swallow and glance at Zylara. ¡°For all that I respect the words of the Dragon King, the Reclaimer, and an Elysean Archmagus¡¡± he shook his head, fists clenched at his sides. ¡°It all feels like a bad dream, like I will wake up at any moment and realise it was a sudden bout of delirium.¡± ¡°YOUR RESISTANCE TO THE IDEA IS NOT ILLOGICAL, HUMAN. I WOULD EXPECT THE SAME HORROR AND DENIAL FROM ANY ENEMY OF THE GODS THAT FOUND THEMSELVES SO FULLY DUPED.¡± The Dragon King tilted his head and widened his eye intently. Aurelian knew first-hand how intimidating the massive dragon¡¯s full attention could be, but Karsys weathered it admirably. ¡°BUT SEE THAT YOUR SHOCK DOES NOT TRANSFORM INTO RECKLESSNESS. AURELIAN WILL NEED RELIABLE ALLIES. AT PRESENT, AND ASIDE FROM MY HEIR, THE PAIR OF YOU ARE ALL HE HAS.¡± ¡°We understand.¡± Karsys said with a visible swallow. ¡°We may be¡ well, whatever we may be, we are truly dedicated to the war against the Nine. To think that we were puppets of Solarius¡ that the God of Light might be seeing through our eyes even now¡¡± Tarixi snorted at his words. ¡°No, child.¡± she said with what Aurelian thought was almost a tone of reassurance. ¡°That is not how fealty works. You are neither Avatars, nor Exalted. The gods cannot simply inhabit you or glean your knowledge from you at will. Your connection gives them power and strength by way of Faith, certainly, but it does not give them access to your minds. Free will must be willingly, consciously, and knowingly surrendered. It is an absolute law of the System. You are to Solarius what a grain of wheat in a full granary is to a gluttonous man: irrelevant.¡± ¡°Then we have not compromised the Neph¡ªAurelian?¡± Zylara asked hopefully. They would be already dead if they had. Bahamut said coldly through the bond. It was oddly reassuring. ¡°No.¡± Tarixi said with a slight smile. ¡°You would know if the God of Light chose to look through your eyes, I assure you. Solarius may have run his hooks in you, and thus created a means by which to expend Influence with you as Anchors for the Intent, but you are very much still your own people; and soon the Reclaimer shall see to it that you are fully released from your bonds.¡± ¡°That also explains the army they¡¯re sending against Sanctuary¡¡± Aurelian said with grim realisation. ¡°If the tethers alone guarantee nothing in the way of control, then Solarius can¡¯t just order them all to not hate him, or commit mass suicide or something else equally horrible. He has to wipe them out. All he¡¯s done is corrupt their ideals, but that isn¡¯t enough to actually break the seed of what it is they represent.¡± ¡°Precisely,¡± Tarixi agreed with a nod. ¡°The God of Light is a devious opponent. He has suborned our greatest oaths and manipulated matters, likely over millennia, to mitigate the threat as best as he can¡ªbut he knows it is not enough to merely have hooks in these people, he must truly break them now that the Calamity has shown itself. Very likely, he thought he¡¯d be able to claim you, Aurelian, prior to you realising your potential.¡± ¡°Well that backfired horribly.¡± Aurelian snorted. ¡°It did indeed,¡± Tarixi agreed with an approving nod, ¡°and thus he has enacted this plan. I would hypothesise that he put the development of this force into action as one of many precautionary measures to ensure a new Calamity could not find easy support in their fight against the Nine. Solarius knows you can liberate the people of Sanctuary. He will not suffer that to pass, and has levied his contingency to make sure of it.¡± ¡°Can¡¯t say he isn¡¯t smart.¡± Aurelian admitted grudgingly. ¡°ONLY A TRUE FOOL WOULD UNDERESTIMATE SOLARIUS¡¯ CUNNING,¡± Bael¡¯tharax said with a growl of anger, grudging respect, and warning all at once. ¡°THE ATROCITIES HE ORCHESTRATED THROUGH HIS FOLLOWERS ARE INNUMERABLE. THERE IS A REASON HE AND HIS COMPATRIOTS ARE THE ONES THAT EMERGED VICTORIOUS IN THE GODSWAR. HUNDREDS FOUGHT TO CLAIM THE SUPREME AUTHORITY, BUT HIS WAS THE FACTION THAT TRIUMPHED.¡± ¡°He needs to die,¡± Aurelian said with reinforced resolve. ¡°It all comes back to that. The First Calamity didn¡¯t go far enough. The gods have to be killed, or else there¡¯ll never be true peace in the Realms. Even if Bahamut extends my lifespan by thousands of years¡ªwhich is nuts to consider, by the way!¡ªit won¡¯t matter if Solarius can just wait until I¡¯m distracted, or I let my guard down. If he managed to find a way to kill me when I¡¯m not expecting it¡¡± ¡°Then the Dragon King would die as well.¡± Tarixi agreed grimly. ¡°It is only by providence that the same didn¡¯t happen to us. It was¡ª¡± If you encounter this narrative on Amazon, note that it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it. Bael¡¯tharax growled in warning, and Tarixi fell silent. Aurelian didn¡¯t press the question that immediately arose at that reaction, and instead turned to Zylara and Karsys. ¡°How do you both feel, after hearing everything?¡± ¡°Overwhelmed.¡± Zylara said immediately. ¡°Confused, and angry too¡ but what¡¯s worse is you tell me of these bonds, and yet I cannot even feel them¡¡± she said while idly gripping her tunic. ¡°These supposed chains you speak of? I feel no pressure, no¡ presence. I feel tainted, and yet I could no more validate that taint than I could turn into a dragon, Aurelian.¡± Bahamut snorted, and Aurelian ignored him. He stayed focused on Zylara. ¡°They¡¯re there,¡± he assured her with a frown while remembering the image he¡¯d seen. ¡°And they¡¯re gaudy. Really gaudy, like something you¡¯d see in a¡ª¡± he hesitated ¡°¡ªreally ostentatious noble¡¯s mansion,¡± he finished a little lamely. He had been going to mention a specific person who loved golden plated toilets from Earth, but he realised the reference would have been moot. ¡°Then let us be about it.¡± Karsys cut in with grim resolution. ¡°I want this godstain off of me, and as soon as possible.¡± ¡°I as well.¡± Zylara said in agreement, and straightened herself up proudly with a flash of her blue eyes. ¡°I may not be Elysean in the ways of old, but I am proud to call myself a daughter of that heritage, and I will not suffer godstaint if it can yet be purged. Do as you must, Aurelian. I am prepared.¡± Aurelian looked between them and nodded. There was no more to be said. He accepted and approved of their sentiment, and all that was needed was for him to do his part. With a deep inhale to steady himself, he reactivated Dragon¡¯s Gaze and locked his eyes on both his new companions, filtering past the motes of mana flitting through the space around them and pushing deeper past the veil to what lay beyond its immediate skein. There you are. His awareness latched onto the golden-white chains of power woven like barbed manacles around the burn of their Cores, and he drew upon his Soulforce with gusto. Calamity¡¯s Blade activated with a thrum of power, and Aurelian started feeding mana into it. It would not need to be as strong as when he¡¯d cut through Marius¡¯ cable, but given that Solarius was the god to whom they were tethered, Aurelian didn''t want to take any chances. He poured two fifths of his available mana into the blade, and then reached out to imbue it with motes of ambient magic from within the area. Even though the process of controlling the mana in such a way still drained him, he¡¯d found quickly that it was far more efficient to use the ambient mana than it was to use what was within his channels. Something about the interaction to guide the motes was less stressful than using his own power for the same task. It hadn¡¯t seemed that way at first, but he¡¯d discovered it while fighting Marius. Dragon¡¯s Gaze is now Level 15! Aurelian fed the construct of Soulforce-shaped-mana until the massive claymore of Calamity¡¯s Blade burned in his vision, crackling with the prismatic power of the magic ensconced within it, and flickering red on the edges where the Sanguinated essence of his Soulforce maintained its shape. Crackles of scarlet aetheric lightning leaped from the construct, and he heard Bael¡¯tharax draw in a deep breath behind him. ¡°CALAMITY¡¯S BLADE.¡± The ancient Dragon King said with what Aurelian almost thought was reverence. ¡°BY THE ETERNALS, YOU TRULY HAVE REDISCOVERED IT. IN ONLY FIVE DAYS, NO LESS. YOU HAVE EXCEEDED ALL CALCULATED EXPECTATIONS, AURELIAN.¡± ¡°I had help,¡± he admitted with a smile while Tarixi simply hovered in stunned silence, and watched while Aurelian focused on Karsys and Zylara. ¡°Just take a deep breath and get ready for, well, whatever is going to happen,¡± he said to them bracingly. He tried to soften the words with a smile, and the pair attempted to return it, though in Karsys¡¯ case it looked forced and in Zylara¡¯s it was just an awkward grimace. Both nodded back to him to signal their readiness. ¡°Sever,¡± Aurelian said simply, and slashed his right hand. It both felt and sounded right. Calamity¡¯s Blade sheared through the metaphysical chains like a hot knife through butter, and each one exploded into motes of light mana. This time he could watch the entire process, and he stared while the chains quite literally detonated along their entire length at a speed that was almost impossible to track. Very likely that detonation would continue all the way to their origin point far above, and that was¡ exciting, interesting, exhilarating, and concerning all at the same time. The reaction from Karsys and Zylara was more visceral, as both human and elf cried out in agony and dropped to all fours. They lasted all of two seconds before opening their mouths and vomiting noisily onto the cavern floor, limbs trembling like they¡¯d run their bodies to the limit. ¡°It¡ it feels like¡ like the world is spinning.¡± Zylara gasped out in a breathless voice. ¡°I feel as though my very soul has been¡ cleaved. Like a poison I never knew was there has been excised. It is¡ it is like having an infected wound cauterised.¡± ¡°By the Mantle,¡± Karsys said while gripping the stone beneath his fists. ¡°By all the Eternals. I can¡¯t¡ I can barely focus, it¡ Imperator help me, it feels like you inverted my Core and tore out a chunk of it I never knew was there. It aches down to the centre of my being.¡± ¡°That is the nature of the godstaint,¡± Tarixi said while moving closer to examine them, ¡°and why it is so insidious. It latches onto the fundamental core of who you are, and worms its way within until it is so much a part of you that you could not turn away if you tried. That is why Calamity¡¯s Blade is so unique, and so important. It is the only weapon we have that can truly sever¡ª¡± she glanced at Aurelian with a smile ¡°¡ªa god¡¯s connection, even when that connection has gone beyond all hope of natural amelioration.¡± Aurelian paid only half a mind to the conversation, and was instead focusing on their Cores and Soulforce. Dragon¡¯s Gaze was going at full burn, and he was looking for any remnant of the golden chains. It was difficult to discern given the sheer amount of radiant Light mana floating in the air following the chains¡¯ destruction, and separating what was aftershock from what might be tether remnants was exceedingly difficult. In the end it took him five minutes, and at least three careful circles around the retching pair, to be satisfied he truly had destroyed the tether utterly. Calamity¡¯s Blade was a one-hit, one-kill ability against such things, so it seemed. Though¡ he had to wonder how it would fare against the truly devout. Marius had been a slave, not a truly devout follower, and had been tied to Absolum by force, not true desire. Zylara and Karsys were definitely not willing pawns. Their reactions proved that. So how would a person who had chosen to serve the gods, and one who was potentially in full awareness of their tether, deal with the ability? Would their tether be severed as simply and easily as Karsys and Zylara¡¯s, or would their desperate faith make the process less of a liberation, and more of a brutalistic repetition of savage hacking to break the chain. Furthermore, how could he keep it broken? What was to stop them simply re-establishing the connection? Aurelian turned to Bael¡¯tharax to ask the question, and found the dragon staring right at him in consideration. ¡°YOUR FEELINGS REMAIN LOUD AND OBVIOUS AS ALWAYS, AURELIAN. YOU WISH TO KNOW WHAT STOPS A SEVERED CORD FROM BEING RETHREADED, I PRESUME?¡± ¡°Cheater,¡± he said without heat. ¡°Yes, please. I need to know why this isn¡¯t just going to be negated by the first godsworn with a Solarian boner.¡± ¡°IGNORING YOUR PHRASING, IT IS SIMPLY A MATTER OF SCARRING. THE AREA WITHIN WHICH A TETHER CONNECTS IS ALWAYS, TO MY UNDERSTANDING, THE SAME. MUCH LIKE MAGICAL WOUNDS THAT ARE UNABLE TO FULLY HEAL, A SEVERED CORD CANNOT RECONNECT WITHOUT GREAT, AND PERILOUS EFFORT.¡± ¡°But it could?¡± Aurelian pressed insistently. ¡°Reconnect, I mean?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Tarixi interjected. ¡°But not nearly as powerfully as before, and not a third time if the second tether was severed as well. Rejoining with one¡¯s god after Calamity¡¯s Blade has severed the connection is improbable at best. It would take a truly devoted individual many months to attain a new tether, and even then it would never be as strong as it once was.¡± ¡°So for the majority of people it won¡¯t matter, because they¡¯ll never have the faith, or need, to be so intensely devoted.¡± Aurelian reasoned while he rubbed his chin, and ignored the rough texture of his glove while he did. ¡°Okay, that makes sense. I wondered about that. It was a point of serious concern for me.¡± ¡°I admit I only know this based on what I¡¯ve read and been told,¡± Tarixi said slowly. ¡°But Bael¡¯tharax has genetic memories from the other Dragon Kings, just as Bahamut eventually will. I would wager he has memories of observing and seeing the first Calamity personally, too.¡± ¡°INDEED.¡± The Dragon King answered in a thunderous rumble of agreement. ¡°SHE WAS A FORCE OF NATURE IN HER OWN WAY, AND FIERCELY INDEPENDENT. EVEN AFTER THE LUNARI SUMMONED HER, SHE REFUSED TO ADHERE TO THEIR STRICTURES.¡± Bael¡¯tharax snorted in what Aurelian thought was approving amusement at an unshared memory, and then continued. ¡°SHE WAS A WOMAN OF GREAT CONVICTION, AND HELD A PERSONAL HATRED FOR AUTOCRATS. SHE WAS THE PERFECT ENEMY TO CALL INTO BATTLE AGAINST SOLARIUS AND HIS ILK.¡± ¡°Alright, that''s good to know, at least.¡± Aurelian said dryly. ¡°Now all I have to do is beat an army of forty thousand, or more, to a secret city I know nothing about, and convince a bunch of people that I¡¯m the Reclaimer¡ªall while rooting out the godsworn poisoning everything. No biggie,¡± he said with a mix of resignation and morbid amusement, while turning to Tarixi. ¡°Oh, and I¡¯m going to need an explanation of the Mantle. A real one, with no more obfuscation.¡± ¡°I¡¡± ¡°And a proper retelling of the oath, too! I can¡¯t fix it if I don¡¯t know it,¡± he grumbled. ¡°HE IS CORRECT, TARIXI. IT IS HIS NOW TO INHERIT, AND TO RECLAIM.¡± ¡°Very well¡¡± the goblin acceded. ¡°Is that all, Aurelian?¡± ¡°Well, no, actually. There¡¯s one thing that you¡¯ve never answered,¡± he said to both dragon and goblin, while Zylara and Karsys slowly managed to pull themselves into something resembling a more relaxed posture. They appeared to be listening as well, albeit doing so between careful catching of their breath and cleaning of their mouths. They both still appeared pale and shaken, and had odd twitches on occasion. Aurelian didn¡¯t envy them. ¡°You always refer to her, to my predecessor, as the ¡®First Calamity¡¯, or ¡®The Calamity¡¯. Didn¡¯t she have a name? A real name?¡± Tarixi blinked at him for a moment, and then abruptly grinned. ¡°Well of course she did.¡± ¡°Okay,¡± Aurelian said with a hint of annoyance. ¡°So, what was it?¡± ¡°Isn¡¯t it obvious, Aurelian?¡± the goblin asked with a laugh. ¡°I thought it truly was.¡± ¡°No,¡± he said with another flare of annoyance. ¡°So, tell me, please.¡± ¡°Elysea, Aurelian.¡± Tarixi answered with another quiet laugh. ¡°The First Calamity¡¯s name was Elysea.¡± B1 | Chapter 58: March of the Faithful Elenoir Isabella Deveraux was not a person unused to disappointment, pain, or cruelty. In fact, it had been a staple of her life since the day the Grand Ascendancy had identified her talent for three different schools of magic, and especially when it had discerned one of them as Force¡ªthe rarest, and most broadly potent of all schools of power. Her eyes traced the assembling ranks of meticulously dressed soldiers in silence while she reflected on the burden¡ªor blessing, as it had been phrased¡ªwhich placed her in her current circumstances. The Hierarch had been quite insistent the night before on the need for haste in assembling the available Ascendancy forces in Stormharrow for a grand expedition, and for all that she had¡ªcarefully of course¡ªquestioned and needled for information, she had discovered little. Jacques du Valais was as devious as he was cruel. She had the healed cuts across both sides of her body to prove it. Elenoir¡¯s mind immediately shied away from that recollection, however, and she pushed the memories of her traitorous weakness from her mind while focusing on the task at hand. She was in her element where she stood, stationed upon an elevated platform used for speeches and declarations, while watching thousands of soldiers garbed in Ascendancy white trail in, and form disciplined ranks. Her armour was her shield, her comfort, and her place of total control. In her platemail she was a warrior, a knight, and a champion. Not even the whispered memories of Jacques'' cruelty could take that away from her. Her Anointed, her greatest and most elite knights, stood at the forefront of that gathering; their platemail resplendent, the golden sunbursts on their armour shining, and their various tools of war¡ªfrom greatswords, to spears, axes, halberds, staves, and even longbows¡ªready and close at hand, as always. When her golden eyes scanned them, she found a wave of resolve and discipline looking back at her. In some of those eyes, namely the women, she also saw accusation. Hurt. Betrayal. Elenoir ignored that particular element, and the self-loathing guilt that came with it. The Hierarch¡¯s orders for cajoling the various nobles and political factions within the city had been absolute, and for all that she often fantasised about showing Jacques du Valais exactly what her Force mastery was capable of, she also inherently understood that there was no means at her disposal for such a display. The oath that bound her to the Ascendancy simultaneously bound her in service, and will, to Jacques; and he had taken great pains to remind her of that. Repeatedly. Nightly. Vigorously. Again her mind shied away from the thought, and she felt her Paragon¡¯s Pertinacity flare to life at the same time as her fingers spasmed subtly in helpless rage. The Epic Skill soothed away the growing knot of fear, disgust, and panic in her gut, and allowed her to resume her mantle of cold intensity. It was perhaps no wonder that she¡¯d developed such a Skill, one which aligned not only with helping her maintain her force of will, but also inferred a stubborn obstinacy¡ªa trait for which she had become famous. It was useful. It was powerful. It had helped her survive Jacques. Elenoir turned at the sound of approaching footsteps, and her Expert Tier senses identified the arrival of a messenger immediately. The man came to a quick halt atop the platform, once he had closed enough distance while holding a large box in hand, and she witnessed the same look of awe, reverence, and fear that filled every soldier¡¯s gaze when looking upon a Commander of the Anointed. It made her sick to her Core. ¡°All units report readiness, Commander. We are still stocking our supply train, but the understanding is that you will be departing before that is complete?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Elenoir replied with the same chill tone she knew discomforted many. To her it was a shield, one which she would never willingly surrender. It kept her separate. It kept her in control. ¡°The Hierarch was emphatic about our need to march with all haste.¡± she continued coldly. ¡°One cannot refuse such orders.¡± She knew that better than anyone. Another wave of helpless fury followed, and Paragon¡¯s Pertinacity roared back to life. The messenger, thankfully, noticed nothing. ¡°That is what I understood as well, my lady.¡± The oblivious sycophant said with vapid awe. ¡°I will inform the Lords Captain of their imminent march, per the Hierarch¡¯s will. I also come bearing the Mace of Command,¡± he continued while lifting the box held in his hands and unlatching it reverently, ¡°for your emplacement as Lord Captain Commander of this Crusade.¡± ¡°Very well.¡± Elenoir said while carefully suppressing her irritation for all the formality. It was one of the burdens, and annoyances, associated with summoning so many different orders of the Faith Militant to prosecute anything; they needed to validate her authority over them, as if they had any real choice in the matter. ¡°I accept the Mace of Command, and do hereby assume the mantle of Lord Captain Commander.¡± She reached into the box and withdrew the silver mace while she spoke. The weapon was ceremonial more than anything else, and made of silver and platinum both. Golden sigils of authority were inscribed upon its haft and flanged head, which Elenoir ignored while gripping it formally in her left hand. ¡°Send the order to mobilise. We march at the top of the hour.¡± ¡°By your will, my Lord Captain Commander!¡± the man said with a salute of metal on mail. Elenoir watched him leave in silence, and looked down to the mace in her hand for a moment. It was neither the first time, nor likely the last time she would hold such a symbol of power, and while she did hold it, the oaths that bound each of the Lords Captain to their various positions would, in turn, bind them to her. It was a thing of power, of compulsion, of duty. It was exactly what Jacques had over her, and she hated it. ¡°Am I truly any better?¡± she muttered while looking down at the weapon. She had doomed the dowager¡¯s daughter to a fate arguably worse than her own if the stubborn old woman refused to play into Jacques¡¯ hands. She knew the Hierarch was applying pressure, and seemed content in the moment to let things play out¡ªbut she also understood Jacques as few others did, and all of his particular predilections as well. It would be no surprise to Elenoir at all if the man decided he was tired of waiting, without so much as a letter to the dowager, and instead set the secondary plan in motion. The idea of it coiled her stomach into knots, and she fought hard against the self-loathing, and hatred for her own cowardice, which bubbled upward like a bad case of heartfire. I cannot control what he does. The lie was little comfort to her conscience, and Elenoir felt her Paragon¡¯s Pertinacity flare once more as it soothed away the sudden wave of guilt and pain that washed through her like a cloying wave; buoyed on tides of regret, and shame. Even with the skill¡¯s ability, the eddies of remorse were not entirely banished, and Elenoir could not fully dismiss the image of the girl, ravaged and broken, in the dark, dirty streets of Stormharrow¡¯s poorest slums. The Dowager¡¯s daughter wouldn¡¯t last an hour if she were left there truly unguarded. Elenoir¡¯s first instinct was to attempt some sort of shielding against the girl¡¯s fate, but even considering the action caused a tightness in her chest, and a shortness of breath that forced her features to pinch in consternation. The physical oppression of her oath of fealty weighed upon her like a physical thing, driving the breath from her lungs and forcing her to subtly lock her jaw in order to fight against the weight of it. You might be reading a pirated copy. Look for the official release to support the author. Every time her mind moved toward an alternate solution, or one which allowed her to protect the girl; the weight of her bindings compressed more tightly upon her until she felt them like a fist, squeezing and pressuring her Core and Soulforce with divine indefatigability. She could not oppose the power that sought to coerce her obedience, and just like every other time¡ she stopped trying. Elenoir swallowed back the cry of frustrated and impotent outrage that threatened to leave her lips, and surrendered herself to inevitability. The girl¡¯s fate was in the Dowager¡¯s hands, and there was nothing she could do to alter it now. The Hierarch would give the order if he wished to, and though it would be his hand that sealed the innocent¡¯s fate, Elenoir would always know it was her suggestion, her idea in a moment of petty envy of the girl¡¯s own freedom and innocence, which had doomed her to suffer. To suffer as Elenoir had suffered. At the time, it had only seemed fair. Now she felt every bit as filthy and stained as when Jacques forced her beneath him. The pressure vanished when she accepted the weight of her fealty, and Elenoir very nearly sagged under the sudden release. She was too disciplined for that of course, but she desperately wanted not to be. She cursed the day her father had all but sold her to the Ascendancy for favour, and cursed her younger self for believing every lie they¡¯d told her. Her innocence had lasted a month, until a brute of a proctor had seen her in linens. At least it had given her time to grow used to the nightmare. Elenoir¡¯s eyes refocused on the massing Anointed, and she buried deep the trauma and self-loathing that threatened to bubble upward. There was neither time nor energy to spend on the rabbit hole of her recollections. She had a job to do, and a mission to fulfil. She had people counting on her. People she might have failed, in many ways, but people who¡ªinasmuch a manner as was possible¡ªmeant something to her. Good soldiers. Loyal comrades. ¡°Prepare to depart,¡± she said with a sudden and carrying use of her Fourth Temper lungs, her [Gryphon¡¯s Roar] Expert Infusion making itself known in the force of her voice. ¡°We will march forth into the Desolation, in keeping with the orders of our most holy Hierarch, he who is Solarius¡¯ voice in Stormharrow; and in doing so attempt to rescue the captured Princess-Royal Suraiya Karelian from the clutches of no less than the blasphemous hands of Elyseans. You all know them well! Those vile, heretical remnants which once attempted to destroy the very Realms within which we make our homes.¡± A roar met her words, and she lifted the mace high. It was sudden and impromptu. It was a distraction from her inner monologue. She didn¡¯t care. ¡°Ours is the task of a most righteous and holy duty. Ours is the burden of the venerated, the respected, the most pure! We shall ride forth! We shall take back the Princess-Royal of Stormharrow! And if indeed she has been sacrificed in some profane apostate ritual, we shall give no quarter! We shall show no mercy! If we cannot save and restore to Stormharrow its Anointed Princess-Royal, then we shall certainly avenge her! For the Ascendancy! For Solarius! For every righteous soul in the Realms!¡± The roar of approval was more raucous this time, and Elenoir swallowed a bitter scowl for how easily they lapped up the lies, and the deceptions. I deceive and mislead so easily, now. Perhaps I am tainted¡ªas tainted as he says. Once she would have quailed at doing such terrible things, yet now¡ now it was as easy as breathing. Her thoughts shifted while she surveyed the sudden spectacle of mass movement, and watched the soldiers readying to depart. She thought back to her last conversation with the Hierarch.
¡°The eyes of Light have reported back, your holiness,¡± she had said with oath-enforced diligence. ¡°The Princess Royal has been spirited away by a band of hitherto unknown savages within the Desolation, dressed in grey cloaks and wielding chitinous bucklers, and short spears. Our reports indicate all of them at Initiate Tier or higher.¡± ¡°Do we have any notion as to their identity?¡± Jacques had asked with a rare demonstration of genuine interest. ¡°Elyseans, my lord,¡± she had answered with genuine disbelief and scepticism. ¡°So they say.¡± ¡°Elyseans?¡± the Hierarch had asked in mild disbelief, before looking down at his desk. She had attempted to catch a glimpse, then, of whatever he was staring at¡ªor looking at without seeing, as the case might be¡ªbut had been unsuccessful. His arm obfuscated it too well. ¡°Shall I maintain the original plan of deployment?¡± she¡¯d asked when it appeared he had become lost in his considerations. She had not wanted to interrupt, but her oath bade her do so. She was bound to obey, protect, and assist Jacques du Valais in whatever manner he demanded, and whenever he demanded. That also, regrettably, meant occasionally taking initiative and being proactive. ¡°No.¡± the Hierarch had said after a few more moments¡¯ consideration. ¡°No, that would be folly. If the Princess is indeed taken in by these Elyseans, then we must move quickly. You will assemble the Faithful Orders you have marshalled, take your Anointed at their head, and you shall drive deep and hard into the Desolation. Find the trails left by our spies, locate the Elyseans¡¯ hidden blight-accursed settlement, and put them all to the sword.¡± ¡°All of them, my lord?¡± she asked in perfunctory confirmation. Jacques hesitated for a moment, and she nearly raised an eyebrow in surprise. ¡°Well, perhaps not all of them,¡± he¡¯d replied with the cold, thoughtful look she had learned to associate with something blood-chilling. ¡°Bring me as many of the women and children as you can. Even some few of the men. It will be good to test them, too, and their fortitude. I have heard many things about Elysean constitution, and it will be good to investigate for myself.¡± Elenoir had wanted to curse herself for giving him the chance to reconsider, but her oath forced her silence. Instead, she asked a necessary question. ¡°What of the Fallen Star?¡± ¡°Mm. That will remain your primary objective. See if these Elyseans have recovered it, and if not, do so yourself. It is still your highest priority.¡± the Hierarch had reaffirmed. ¡°The God of Light has seen fit to deliver us the chance to have a Nephilim as a means of experimentation, and I would not see the opportunity wasted. The Elixirs I could craft with such a specimen¡¡± Elenoir¡¯s stomach had twisted. She had grown up on legends of Nephilim. She¡¯d been taught about their power, their might, and their singular propensity for immense strength. She had been tutored on the devastation they could unleash, when improperly handled or raised to ire. Calamities, they had called them; walking, talking natural disasters. ¡°Are you certain we are equipped to handle such a creature?¡± she¡¯d asked Jacques boldly, and with the knowledge it would likely cost her. The answer was important, however, and so the risk and consequence would have to be suffered. ¡°Mm.¡± Jacques had levelled his eyes on her in the way that she had learned to fear, and she¡¯d felt her skin crawl with both disgust and fear in how he observed her. She hated it, that weakness. She loathed herself for having it, and loathed him for continuing to inspire it. ¡°I will worry about the Nephilim, Commander,¡± he had responded silkily. ¡°But if you are truly fearful of your capability, then I shall address that, too.¡± The Hierarch had taken up his crop then, studded as it was with metal, and smiled at her without an iota of warmth. ¡°Doff your attire, Commander. We shall begin with benediction through flagellation.¡± She had felt Paragon¡¯s Pertinacity roaring while her compelled hands moved to obey.Elenoir snapped out of the memory with another surge of her Mind Skill, and resisted the urge to bite her lip in anger at the slip into recollection. She knew better. She needed to be controlled. Confronting a Nephilim would take all of her focus, power, and expertise. She could not afford to be distracted by¡ other details. Irrelevant details. She told herself firmly. She even believed it, to some small degree. ¡°We are ready to depart, my Lord Captain Commander.¡± a hesitant messenger said to her left, and very nearly caused her to curse in surprise. She had been so occupied in her own mind she¡¯d missed his approach, even with the passive awareness of her [Phoenix Firesoul] Spirit Infusion. Her Soul Sense very rarely failed her. She must have been truly distracted. ¡°Very well,¡± she said more coldly than she intended, and with a bitter grating to her voice. ¡°Inform the Lords Captain I will meet them at the head of the column forthwith.¡± The messenger paled at the bite in her tone, and promptly saluted before hurrying away. Elenoir paid him no mind. Her eyes instead moved to where she could see the Lunar Gate and barrier wall, far distant but not beyond a reasonable approach to the south. Her lips twitched upward in thought while she regarded it. Soon she would be beyond its boundaries. Soon she would be ensconced within the blighted nightmare of the long-dead land of the Desolation. Soon she would be surrounded by beasts, monsters, and blightmen to quail even the mightiest spirit. Her eyes turned away and toward the palace, to the highest tower wherein the Hierarch made his roost. Her lips twisted down. Her Tempered body still faintly ached with the phantom remnants of whip-crack strikes from maliciously sharpened metal studs. The Desolation seemed not nearly as terrible as first imagined, in fact, while she stared up at the Hierarch¡¯s tower in thought. Soon she would be well away from his reach, and outside the grasping range of his too-smooth hands. Going into the Desolation was a welcome change, in that way. There were worse monsters than those found in the blight, after all. Jacques du Valais had taught her that lesson well. Elenoir Isabella Deveraux concept art. B1 | Chapter 59: Factions Suraiya swallowed back her emotions when the cold blue eyes of her mother swept over the assembled, and over her. The lack of recognition or reaction hurt her, in that moment, more than she¡¯d have ever expected, and her forward momentum¡ªher feet moving without her even realising, by then¡ªwas abruptly halted by one of Lycinia¡¯s hands upon her abdomen. ¡°I have brought those that seek the justice of Sanctuary, the succour of Elysea, and to know the Mantle as we have been blessed to know it.¡± Lycinia answered in a ritual manner. ¡°I bring wayward children, once lost, and now returned from the clutches of Godsworn lies.¡± ¡°And who will stand for them?¡± Vasilia demanded in a voice that Suraiya thought was almost a little disinterested. ¡°I will.¡± Lycinia said with confidence. ¡°For they knew not the sins they committed.¡± Suraiya watched with continued surreal fascination as the pair continued their exchange. Putting aside for a moment the system-shocking revelation of her mother, it was all¡ vaguely familiar. She¡¯d heard similar, if differently spoken rituals all her life. ¡°Then let their speaker step forth,¡± Vasilia continued, ¡°and let them proclaim their merits for judgement.¡± Lycinia turned at the armoured blonde¡¯s words and faced Suraiya. A look of encouragement mixed with warning flitted across her face, and then she gestured to Suraiya indicatively. ¡°I present Suraiya Karelian, Princess-Royal of Stormharrow and leader of this band. She will speak to their worthiness for the succour of Elysea.¡± That set the watching crowd abuzz, and their interest seemed to sharpen perceptibly. Suraiya felt her heart thundering in her chest when she stepped forward under dozens¡ªif not hundreds¡ªof eyes, and her attention never left Vasilia¡¯s as she did. Her mother¡¯s gaze settled on her with focus, and yet still there was nothing there. No warmth, no greeting, not even a flicker of maternal recognition. She was cold, powerful, and¡ªjudging by her small frown¡ªutterly unimpressed. ¡°I offer my greetings to the esteemed people of Sanctuary and Elysea, my respect to its exalted High Justicar,¡± Suraiya began with every ounce of her Strong Will ability flaring within her mind, ¡°and my salutations to His Excellency Charlemagne, Regent of Sanctuary.¡± The odd-looking fellow positively beamed at that, with a ¡°proper respect! Finally!¡± that was largely ignored by those present, though some few in the watching chambers above did laugh. ¡°I come before you today a woman of unsure opinion,¡± Suraiya continued without breaking eye contact with her mother. ¡°My people and I were given no choice in our coming to your Sanctuary, nor were we offered adequate explanation prior to our forced abduction and subsequent escort to your borders,¡± she felt her Persuasion and Inspiring Presence skills flaring and leaned into them while she continued. ¡°I say this not to cast aspersions upon Scion Tollarius, for she has been both gracious and generous in her observation of my peoples¡¯ safety and general well-being, albeit with a firmer hand than some would perhaps have liked,¡± her mind went back to the knights that had been quite literally spanked and disciplined, and she suppressed a grimace. She also wanted to mention Ser Gilbert, her worryingly-absent guardian, but swallowed it back. There was likely a very good reason her mother, his mentor, had yet to mention him. ¡°Since coming to this place, and during my albeit expedited travel through your city, I have seen many things, and a multitude of them stir within me the need to question all that I have ever known. My life, as you may understand¡ª¡± she looked for a reaction from her mother, but to her disappointment, saw still only cold evaluation ¡°¡ªhas been all but curated for me. I was raised to love the gods, pay homage to the church, and be ready to bear healthy and faithful children for my storied bloodline.¡± A chorus of murmurs, some scandalised, echoed from above when she spoke. Lycinia seemed faintly impressed, and let out a low ¡°heh¡± of amusement. Suraiya continued as if she hadn¡¯t noticed. ¡°I have been informed, in no uncertain terms, that everything I have been taught, everything I have known, and everything I swore to defend with the truth of justice, devotion, and faith in my heart are naught but lies. I have been told, in no uncertain terms, that I am little more than a pretty bauble to be used and cast aside upon the whims of fickle, and allegedly evil deities.¡± Her heart thundered in her chest and she maintained steady breathing with Breath Control while she continued. The murmur of voices had grown louder, but she leaned more heavily into her skills and did her best to focus only on the unblinking gaze of her mother. ¡°These things and more I have been told, and though I cannot say I fully understand or even agree with every such assertion¡ª¡± a few scoffs and jeers of disapproval came from above ¡°¡ªcast against my life¡¯s beliefs, I can say that it is not for a lack of willingness to learn more.¡± That silenced the dissenters for a moment, and Suraiya used the momentum she could feel building to press ahead, all while being vaguely aware of the small approving smile on Lycinia¡¯s features. ¡°The simple truth High Justicar, your Excellency, and good people of Elysea is that I am an outsider. We are outsiders. Imagine if you would, for a moment, the experiences we have endured; an ambush by unknown forces, a violent and sudden abduction to a hitherto unknown city, and rhetoric absent clear or conclusive evidence that seeks to gainsay and deny everything we know¡ªor perhaps think we know¡ªto be true. Imagine, if you would, the proverbial slipper on the other foot; and how you might feel were our positions reversed.¡± Suraiya¡¯s voice remained steady and calm, and this time there were no jeers. Only rapt and attentive silence followed her words. ¡°Our lives have not been blessed by the multitudinous bounty which even your humblest of citizens seem to enjoy, and so we look around, and we already question. I myself was forced to wonder, to think; ¡®what if the gods truly are the enemy?¡¯ and bear within me the weight of such a staggering consideration. Consider, if you will, that you were informed your way of life, your beliefs, and your Mantle were but lies and deception created to enslave and control you. Would you, too, not be shocked? Would you, too, not need time to consider?¡± More silence greeted her words initially, though it was quickly broken by murmurs. Thoughtful murmurs, considering murmurs, and even agreeing murmurs. ¡°I do not stand here to declare my allegiance or unfettered loyalty to Sanctuary, nor to Elysea,¡± she lifted her chin and continued before she could be interrupted by those above. ¡°Not because I reject your words, but because I have not been given sufficient time to choose! I have been told that Elyseans, contrary to all that we are taught in the Grand Ascendancy, are people of reason and good faith. People of morality, of ethics, of a kind and sheltering nature¡¡± Her mother narrowed her eyes a fraction, and Suraiya noticed the frown was gone. An unreadable expression had replaced it. ¡°I have seen nothing, so far, to find fault with this admittedly self-given assessment, which was issued from the lips of Scion Tollarius.¡± Suraiya nodded to Lycinia, who nodded back to her with a twinkle of approval in her jade eyes. ¡°I ask you then, High Justicar, my lord Regent,¡± Suraiya continued, ¡°and people of Sanctuary; how can we truly be given fair trial or chance to prove our reticence, or a proper means by which to embrace your truths, if we are not given time to test them? We need time to learn your culture, and see their vaunted nobility and merits for ourselves, as all of you were given the chance, be it as refugees or born-and-raised residents!¡± Suraiya finally broke her gaze from her mother and looked up at the watching crowd. She met their consideration, their stares, and their condescension. She met their pity, their empathy, and their judgement; and she gave back nothing but the regal princess she had been raised to become. In duality, so too did she embrace the battle-hardened maiden she had turned into by right of blood, sweat, and steel within the Desolation itself. ¡°I am a Princess in name, but I am a Knight at heart. A Knight does not serve an individual, though we might swear oaths to that effect. First and foremost, a Knight serves honour, integrity,¡± she turned back to Vasilia, ¡°truth, and justice.¡± her arms spread, and she bowed without breaking eye contact. ¡°So I submit myself High Justicar, Regent, and all you good people of Elysea, to your justice. I put myself, and the lives of my people, at the mercy of this most indomitable city of unwavering souls.¡± She heard the rustle and shift of bodies, and turned in surprise. Her eyes widened slightly upon seeing her entire convoy bowing with her, albeit awkwardly, or even warily in some cases, and she felt warmth for them all surging within her breast. Suraiya suppressed a smile and turned back to her mother. ¡°All I ask is that we be extended the chance to see for ourselves the merits and values of your beliefs, and in so doing, be won over their nobility. After all, if yours truly is the just and enlightened path, how could we do any less than give ourselves wholly to Elysea¡¯s purpose?¡± Suraiya returned to a straight-backed position, assumed her best parade rest, and waited. The silence was deafening following her words, right up until it was abruptly broken. ¡°Well! I¡¯m certainly impressed. She looks like a Princess from my own court!¡± Charlemagne said cheerfully. ¡°What say you, Vasilia? Eh?¡± All eyes moved from the now-staring Regent to the armoured blonde at his side, and silence dominated while the collective waited for her verdict. It stretched. Suraiya refused to look away or back down, and her blue eyes met their source in her mother¡¯s gaze without hesitation. Vasilia watched her with quiet consideration, her features utterly impassive, and still Suraiya refused to do so much as blink. It took a considerable amount of her Strong Will to maintain the stare, but maintain it she did. Finally, the woman spoke. The genuine version of this novel can be found on another site. Support the author by reading it there. ¡°You have grown bold, it seems.¡± Vasilia said in a voice that carried powerfully through the chamber¡¯s acoustics. ¡°Courageous, even. Though some might call that foolish, as well.¡± ¡°I am often told it is an inheritance from my mother,¡± Suraiya replied as levelly as she could. ¡°She must have been a troublesome woman,¡± Vasilia said with a bare hint of amusement. ¡°I am told she was as brave as she was hot-headed and impulsive.¡± Suraiya responded with a flicker of a smile, her heart thundering within her breast. ¡°Traits you seem to have inherited.¡± Vasilia observed. ¡°Proudly.¡± Suraiya confirmed. The tension in the crowd was ratcheting up by degrees with every second of the exchange, and Suraiya could feel the understanding dawning rapidly through them with her Empathic Link, and tried to ignore the suddenly building tidal wave of emotional force. It was distracting. ¡°It seems we have much to discuss, Suraiya.¡± Vasilia said with finality. ¡°I think so too,¡± Suraiya said in a carrying voice, ¡°mother.¡± The emotional tidal wave hit a crescendo, and shouts exploded from above in a maelstrom of chaos and thundering opinions. Shock, amusement, relish, glee, hatred, disbelief, and outright disdain mixed together in a tumult of noise and fury seemed ready to boil over¡ until suddenly it was smothered. No, not smothered: Choked, strangled, and ruthlessly crushed under heel. Vasilia stood unchanged, and yet somehow she dominated the entire room. Her Soulforce was like a blade to the throat, radiating with a power and purity that set Suraiya¡¯s heart to racing. There was familiarity in that presence, too, she realised; the memory of warmth, of safety, and of a loving voice lost to her earliest memories. A blade it was, and yet also a blanket¡ªa warm, comforting security she had never realised she¡¯d missed. The effect on the crowd, even the most agitated of them, was immediate. Vasilia Tollarius projected her power, and all present were struck dumb before it. ¡°I will now deliver my judgement,¡± her mother said as if nothing had happened. ¡°The company of Princess-Royal Karelian will remain here in Sanctuary for exactly thirty days. At the end of that time, they will be granted the right to stay or depart,¡± her eyes lifted to the watchers with a scowl. ¡°That is my judgement. Does anyone present wish to gainsay it?¡± ¡°I would like to be heard, High Justicar,¡± a new voice announced from the other side of the chamber, amid a sudden approach of power that actually seemed to batter against her mother¡¯s own. Suraiya, and many others she noticed distractedly, turned to watch as a procession of four Aegii escorted a man bedecked in gold-trimmed white robes into the chamber from an entrance opposite to where Vasilia had emerged. He had sandy-blonde hair cut neatly and closed to his head, and his brown eyes were as discerning as they were intent. On his head he wore what looked like a golden laurel wreath, and his Soulforce was powerful enough that it actually managed to beat back Vasilia¡¯s own¡ªalbeit only partially. When he looked at Suraiya, she felt her Strong Will flare to life. Something in his gaze discomforted her immediately. ¡°Consul Mournival.¡± Vasilia said with an edge of warning to her voice. ¡°You have no purview here.¡± ¡°Not as Consul, no.¡± he agreed with a respectful nod that Suraiya narrowed her eyes at. ¡°But as a son of Elysea, I believe I have the right to be heard.¡± ¡°Is that why you peacocked in here with your polished golden door ornaments?¡± Vasilia replied scathingly. Murmurs of disapproval, mingled with ripples of laughter, radiated through the watching crowd, and Suraiya saw the Aegii subtly stiffen when they came to a halt near the Consul. The tension between her mother and Mournival was so thick, she almost felt she could have cut it with her sword. The Consul and High Justicar, it seemed, did not like each other. ¡°Your disrespect for the Aegii¡ª¡± ¡°Is my prerogative, as Sanctuary¡¯s ultimate judicial authority, Consul.¡± Vasilia cut him off coldly. ¡°I had hoped that the soldiers you forced me to take under my auspices would prove to be more than slime-spined sycophants, but I can see these four have failed to stand up to my expectations with astounding ineptitude.¡± The four Aegii seemed to wither under Vasilia¡¯s words, and Suraiya almost felt the moment that their impressive formation shifted from glorified, to the audience, and into an ostentatious and ultimately embarrassing display of self-fellating pride. The way her mother disarmed their presence was, in a word, masterful. The Consul¡¯s jaw locked for a moment, and then he smiled as if it were all a good joke. It was a valiant effort, but a wasted one, Suraiya thought. Nobody would buy the idea of it all being some playful misunderstanding, though she knew why he needed to play it off. ¡°Ah, Patrician Tollarius. Your acerbic wit never ceases to amaze.¡± ¡°Speak your piece, Consul.¡± Vasilia commanded flatly. ¡°I have no time for theatrics.¡± ¡°Because you wish to reunite with your daughter, you mean?¡± the Consul asked with intentional emphasis. Suraiya almost grimaced at the merciless riposte. It was an easy strike, but one that she knew would immediately win him points. Given he was evidently a figure of authority in Sanctuary, Vasilia¡¯s monopoly on that particular front had vanished the moment he appeared. Even if her mother was more powerful, she¡¯d need to be cautious. Instead of attempting to deflect, however, Vasilia did the precise opposite. ¡°Of course I do.¡± Vasilia said with a snort. ¡°What manner of worthless parent wouldn¡¯t want to see their child safe, Consul? My daughter has finally returned to me, after being held prisoner¡ªwith or without her knowledge¡ªby the Ascendancy¡¯s madness. I¡¯d ask why you would expect anything less, but as I recall, you have no children to speak of.¡± ¡°An odd fact, given your insistence on our need to procreate.¡± Lycinia chimed in on Vasilia¡¯s heels. ¡°Don¡¯t you think, my lord Consul?¡± ¡°Well, that is easily enough rectified,¡± Mournival said with an immediate snap of his gaze to Lycinia, ¡°if you but agree to¡ª¡± ¡°I¡¯m terribly sorry, Consul, but my answer remains unchanged.¡± Lycinia cut him off. ¡°I am not yet ready to give up my duties as a Forerunner to become a wife.¡± ¡°I am growing tired of this.¡± Vasilia growled before Mournival could respond. ¡°Speak your objection, Consul, and then begone. You are boring me.¡± Suraiya¡¯s mother injected force into the word, and when she said it, the air seemed to ripple dangerously. ¡°Very well,¡± the Consul said with equanimity. ¡°I merely wished to point out, as a concerned son of our nation, that perhaps the evaluation of these new arrivals should be conducted in a broader form of arbitration. Surely it cannot be solely your judgement alone which decides their merit, when considering these people come from your former home and are led by your daughter.¡± Murmurs rippled through the crowd, and Suraiya¡¯s Empathic Link detected rapidly growing sentiments of agreement when Mournival spoke. The words, no matter what she thought of them, did indeed make perfect sense. We may have our differences, High Justicar,¡± he continued magnanimously, ¡°but even you must see the concerns in such an eventuality.¡± Vasilia¡¯s expression turned stonier the more the Consul spoke, and Suraiya saw her mother¡¯s right hand twitch angrily at the end of his speech. Yet, strangely, she did nothing about it. For all that Vasilia had treated the Consul like a bumbling miscreant, she did not act despite the clear provocation. That was not in keeping with the reputation, nor general vibe surrounding Vasilia. Something else, Suraiya realised, was happening before her eyes. ¡°You make a fair point, Consul.¡± Vasilia said in a tone that could have frozen a roaring hearth. ¡°Of course, it only makes sense to do things that way, given the nature of Elysea¡¯s views on nepotistic biases. Very well, I agree. Let them be evaluated by all areas of Sanctuary.¡± ¡°I am glad you are able to see reason, High Justicar.¡± Mournival replied with a smile that didn¡¯t touch his eyes. ¡°In that case, perhaps your daughter¡ª¡± The air cracked, and Vasilia stood before the Consul faster than Suraiya could blink. The Aegii staggered backward, no longer quite so indomitable, and her mother stood before the Consul¡ªa man taller than her by half a head¡ªand seemed to loom above him. ¡°Do not overreach.¡± she warned him simply. For his part, and perhaps most concerningly of all, Mournival simply smiled. ¡°Of course, High Justicar. My apologies. I suppose a mother cannot be expected to so easily let go of her child, no matter what duty or honour would expect.¡± A ripple of murmurs spread through the crowd, and then silenced when Vasilia snorted with open contempt. ¡°For a man that preaches the importance of bloodline loyalty, Consul Mournival, you should be thrilled by my maternal instincts.¡± ¡°Are you saying your loyalty to your family comes before your loyalty to our laws?¡± ¡°I¡¯m saying you¡¯re a childless, wifeless, sour grape, Mournival, and should be happy that I am bringing my daughter into the fold. My loyalty, always, is to the people of Sanctuary and Elysea¡ªand as per the strictures, all people are people of Elysea, and all people are worthy of both redemption and Elysea¡¯s embrace. Is that not right, Charlemagne?¡± ¡°Quite right, my girl! Quite right indeed!¡± the Regent agreed pompously. Another murmur rippled through the crowd, and though Vasilia hadn¡¯t quite struck gold, she had put enough doubt in their minds that the Consul¡¯s offensive had fallen flat. Charlemagne had gutted his attack, and Mournival seemed to recognise it too. The Consul bowed his head instead of replying, and¡ªwith a final calculating glance for both Lycinia and Suraiya¡ªstepped back with a curt nod to Charlemagne. Only after that, and when Vasilia returned far more languidly to her position, did the Regent speak again. ¡°Wonderful!¡± Charlemagne said jubilantly. ¡°Just delightful. Heavens, but I do love a bit of family drama, eh? Your daughter, Vasilia? Why didn¡¯t you tell me!¡± ¡°It was nobody¡¯s business.¡± Suraiya¡¯s mother said sourly. ¡°I¡¯m certain your husband and son are eager to meet her.¡± Suraiya¡¯s eyes snapped to Mournival, and she felt her world tremble around her. Selucia¡¯s sudden grip on her wrist oriented her, and she turned her blue eyes to meet the redhead¡¯s green, andgreen and found reassurance lurking within them. ¡°My family will deal with the matter ourselves,¡± Suraiya responded coldly. ¡°You worry about governing, you blowhard.¡± ¡°That is hardly the way to talk to the lawful Consul, young lady!¡± Vasilia snorted and, without another word, walked down to face Suraiya while Lycinia steadied her. ¡°That was not the way I wanted you to find out,¡± she admitted while Mournival turned to make his exit behind her. ¡°Though it does give me an avenue to an awkward topic. I¡¡± she sighed. ¡°I have a lot to tell you, Suraiya.¡± Her mother¡¯s eyes searched hers, and Suraiya found her mouth dry in the woman¡¯s presence. She smelled just like she remembered, with the faintest hint of jasmine and lilac, mixed with sword oil. ¡°I thought you were dead.¡± Suraiya managed to choke out. Vasilia¡¯s features softened, and she reached out to touch Suraiya¡¯s cheek. Suraiya brushed away the tears that threatened the corners of her eyes. ¡°We¡¯ll talk about everything soon.¡± Vasilia said in a voice more gentle than anything Suraiya had thought the armoured woman capable of up until that moment. ¡°I promise.¡± Suraiya nodded. ¡°Come on,¡± Lycinia said brightly and with a glance at Mournival¡¯s departing figure, ¡°I¡¯ll take you to the Tollarius wing of the palace.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± Suraiya said without taking her eyes off of Vasilia. ¡°What about my peop¡ª?¡± ¡°Leave them to me,¡± Vasilia said more firmly. ¡°I already spotted some familiar faces.¡± At Suraiya¡¯s consenting nod, Selucia looped her arm around her shoulders and turned her away. ¡°Don¡¯t worry too much about the Consul. What you saw just now was an on-going problem, one we¡¯ll talk about. More importantly than that though, what you did back there was incredibly brave,¡± Lycinia murmured while they walked toward the entrance at the rear. ¡°And incredibly reckless.¡± Suraiya laughed and wiped her eyes again. ¡°I¡¯m beginning to think we have those traits in common.¡± Lycinia smiled back at her warmly. ¡°I¡¯m beginning to think so too.¡± B1 | Chapter 60: Arcastor and Caerwen ¡°Why is it that when you feel frustrated, brother, you always come to me?¡± Her voice was that same mix of serene amusement and sardonic mockery that he had known for his entire existence. Millennia with her as his companion, foil, friend, foe, nemesis, and partner had inured him to her personality for the most part¡ªyet still, for all that he believed himself above it, his twin sister never failed to elicit a response from him. Even here, among the cosmic forces that formed the seat of his power. ¡°I am not frustrated. Everything is going precisely as I planned it.¡± ¡°Oh yes,¡± she responded with a laugh like silverbells. ¡°The nasty apostates are on the ropes, our mad brother¡¯s abominations are marching to clean up your pet project, and your ignoble rapist has sent more lambs to the slaughter to fuel the tide of death you plan to unleash.¡± ¡°I take no responsibility for the depravity of my faithful. We can no more dictate to them their path than we can dictate our own. Free will is¡ª¡± ¡°You¡¯re hiding behind that when it suits you, I see, but only when it does. If you truly believed what you¡¯re about to spout, my dearest brother, you¡¯d never have fought so hard to claim the Highest.¡± ¡°Better us than the others.¡± he responded with resolute belief. ¡°You¡¯re still evading what I said.¡± ¡°The mortal¡ª¡± ¡°The rapist priest.¡± she cut in again. ¡°The mortal¡ª¡± he emphasised with a flash of anger ¡°¡ªwill get what he is owed in time. If I wasted my time chastising every disgusting roach that upholds my faith, I¡¯d never get anything of worth done.¡± ¡°Ah, the greater good, is it? You¡¯ve been using that one for Ages, now, too. I think the first time I ever heard the words ¡®greater good¡¯ was when we killed the Night Sister Triumvirate. I recall you saying something about it then, too, when you killed their entire following with sunfire.¡± ¡°They were sacrificing and eating people en masse.¡± he said stiffly. ¡°They deserved to be wiped out.¡± ¡°But the rapist doesn¡¯t?¡± ¡°Fate will mete out his justice well enough.¡± ¡°And again, you¡¯re evading.¡± she said with another laugh. ¡°Coming here was a mistake.¡± he growled. ¡°Yet come here you did, my darling brother, because you know the others are useless. Eidania and Heiara will say and do whatever they can to please you, even if it means lying to your face. Broseidon and Thetor will disagree with you only until your pride forces you to silence them, which is ultimately useless. Absolum, Jaraxus, and Polaris will spend more time trying to veil their loathing for you than they will helping you, and as for Cernuos¡ª¡± ¡°He won¡¯t care about anything unless it affects his trees and flowers.¡± he finished with a disparaging grunt. ¡°And so, you come to me, even after sealing me away in that silly rock.¡± ¡°It is penitence.¡± ¡°It¡¯s petulance, Arcastor. Petulance and pride. You¡¯d have already released me if you weren¡¯t so happy about not having to worry about me running around behind your back.¡± ¡°Then you admit by your own words to have not learned your lesson,¡± he said with a flush of validation, ¡°even after all these millennia, Caerwen.¡± ¡°Lessons, is it?¡± she asked with another laugh. ¡°How about this for a lesson, then.¡± He raised his eyebrow, and then grimaced when he was suddenly elsewhere, and standing within an expansive green valley, resplendent with a marble city and metal-worked citadel at its northern end. ¡°Sanctuary, sister? Really?¡± he asked with irritation. ¡°Look at them all, Arcastor.¡± his sister said from his left, and drew his eyes. She looked the same, even after millennia of isolation: eyes the colour of liquid mercury, hair like spun starlight, and attired in a simple himation cinched over her right shoulder. She¡¯d chosen that appearance when they¡¯d first been Called, for all that he¡¯d tried to take on a more grounded appearance himself. Part of him vaguely regretted, in his quietest moments, not sharing her wild abandon for what they considered normalcy. Judging from what she¡¯d attired him in, though, he presumed she conversely missed that normalcy to some degree. A glance down at himself showed him wearing a white chiton, sandals up to his shins, and wielding a xiphos on his right hip¡ªthe same things he¡¯d worn before their transmigration to the Prime Material. His hand reached up, and he felt at the soft golden curls that covered his head, and fell to his shoulders. It was a visceral, and almost-forgotten sensation for him. He was back in his original body, before¡ ¡°What am I looking at?¡± he asked instead of letting memory consume him. ¡°Motes of dust that don¡¯t know they¡¯re already dead?¡± ¡°Ah, I see you attempting disaffected antipathy, brother, but it¡¯s as false as your name. Honestly, I still don¡¯t know how you talked me into that. Solarius? Selenia? How repulsive that alliteration is.¡± ¡°Would you have preferred Apollo and Artemis?¡± he asked blithely while she set off through the bustling thoroughfare, and he followed begrudgingly. ¡°You and your sentimentality,¡± she said with a laugh. ¡°I still can¡¯t believe you convinced Marten to call himself Broseidon.¡± ¡°It was an act of whimsy.¡± he said with remembered amusement, and nights spent laughing around a campfire with his twin sister over the amusing nature of the suggestion. Broseidon. The fact Marten had never clued in on the mockery of the name still, he had to admit, amused him to some small degree. Support the creativity of authors by visiting Royal Road for this novel and more. ¡°It was an act of trickery, brother.¡± Caerwen said with a twinkle of mirth in her silver eyes. ¡°You lost that, too, over time. I missed that part of you the most, I think; the laughter. The joking. You were so warm, before all the transcendent divine power got in the way.¡± ¡°You are speaking of a time so far behind us that I barely recall it, Caerwen. Why do you insist on bringing up history older than the Highest itself?¡± ¡°Liar,¡± she accused with a laugh, and smoothly dodged around a pair of running children. He tracked her movements and looked down at the mortals, barely older than ten, and they met his gaze and froze. A click of his tongue followed, and he walked beyond them without comment. ¡°You actually projected us here physically?¡± ¡°In a manner, yes.¡± she admitted. ¡°You¡¯re abusing your position, Arbiter.¡± ¡°Mm. Does it still rankle that I pulled that one over you, Arcastor?¡± ¡°The System does as it is wont to do, Caerwen. If anything, your stroke of genius there impressed me. I didn¡¯t realise that was even an option for us, else I may have taken the role myself.¡± At that, she did laugh, and fully enough to draw glances from passersby¡ªthough they were largely ignored. One good side effect of their Divine Cores, he conceded, was their ability to passively defy actual attention when they did not desire it. Mortals would know they were there, only until their attention slipped away. After that, it would be like they were remembering a waking dream. It had proven quite useful over the aeons. ¡°Oh Arcastor, as if you could ever give up your prestige and power to do such a selfless duty. The role of Arbiter is a shackle of its own, not a position of power in the way you would enjoy.¡± she grinned and stepped up in front of him, hands clasped at her spine, back bent forward, and silver eyes sparkling with mirth. ¡°I know you far too well to believe you¡¯d ever want my mantle, brother dearest.¡± ¡°You have a point,¡± he allowed with a quiet ¡®tsk¡¯ and glance away from her, ¡°for once.¡± ¡°Ha! So grouchy.¡± she said shrewdly. ¡°Is it because you¡¯re standing amid a crowd of innocents you plan on seeing slaughtered and raised as undead abominations, or did you turn a blind eye to too many rapists, murderers, and abusive monsters today for even your stomach to handle?¡± ¡°This again.¡± he said with an exasperated growl, and stepped past her. His sister and her moral absolutism were going to drive him mad. At least the mistake of visiting her always ended up reminding him of why he¡¯d incarcerated her in the first place. Caerwen¡¯s mercurial pursuits of ¡®justice¡¯ were a terrible impediment to his designs. She¡¯d never understood necessary ignorance. ¡°This again,¡± she confirmed while returning to his side, and looping her right arm with his left as they¡¯d done when they were mortal. ¡°Why do you have to insist on this path, Arcastor?¡± she asked more seriously. ¡°There was a time you just wanted to feel the seabreeze in your hair, enjoy the path of Cultivation, and make the Realms better for everyone within them. Wasn¡¯t that why we pursued Dominions, and engaged in the Godswar? To protect people just like this?¡± ¡°I am protecting them.¡± he shot back with a hint of frustration. ¡°Order is the only way to keep them safe. Cultivation itself is the cause of their problems. By markedly reducing the proliferation of potent Cultivation, I have in turn precipitously reduced the frequency of catastrophic battle across the Realms. These mortals cannot be trusted with that kind of power. They must be controlled, or else¡ª¡± ¡°Fear cannot be the motivation that drives governance, brother.¡± she interjected softly, and with a gentle squeeze of his arm. ¡°We learned that lesson the hardest way possible, did we not?¡± ¡°I¡¡± he trailed off, and grimaced at the pang of memory she managed to bring to the fore. ¡°You cannot sway me with ancient sentiment, Caerwen.¡± ¡°It¡¯s not just ancient sentiment anymore, brother, it¡¯s foresight. It¡¯s learned understanding. Did you know that he¡¯s the same as she was?¡± He felt himself stiffen at his sister¡¯s words, and his eyes snapped to her sharply. ¡°What?¡± ¡°It¡¯s true.¡± his sister said in the same calm, earnest voice he knew from their earliest years. Caerwen had always been honest to a fault. ¡°Just like you and I, and Elysea as well. He¡¯s from Earth, Arcastor. He¡¯s from our home.¡± ¡°It¡¯s been nearly ten Ages since we were summoned here, Caerwen. How¡ª?¡± ¡°Time moves differently here, in some ways, and identical in others. The Realms accelerate and decelerate randomly, compared to Worldshards. Besides, Callings don¡¯t specify silly things like dates. The next one could summon someone a thousand years before Aurelian was even born.¡± ¡°Aurelian, is it?¡± he murmured while memorising the name. ¡°That name, it¡¯s¡ª¡± ¡°He called it pseudo-latin,¡± she said with a laugh, ¡°without even knowing the significance. Just like Elysea before him.¡± ¡°He¡¯s just one Nephilim,¡± he responded with a shake of his head, ¡°he cannot stop me.¡± ¡°You were just ¡®one Nephilim¡¯, Arcastor.¡± his sister said with a meaningful glance. ¡°And you conquered everything.¡± ¡°We.¡± he said softly, and only due to the privacy of their current situation. ¡°We, Caerwen. I did it with you.¡± ¡°You did,¡± she said obligingly. ¡°You did do it with me, Arcastor. Me, and the Elden.¡± The word brought him up short, and he looked at her sharply. ¡°You know how I feel about¡ª¡± ¡°He¡¯s discovered them again, Arcastor.¡± she said softly. He froze mid-stride at her words. ¡°What?¡± he asked in a whisper. ¡°Oh, technically he hasn¡¯t.¡± she clarified, and released the sudden vise around his Core. ¡°But he has become a Primogenitor, thanks to Selucia Tollarius giving him her Unique Trait through the modified Calling. A true one, Arcastor, not whatever macabre imitation Absolum desperately tried to create.¡± ¡°...so that¡¯s how he¡ª¡± ¡°Unlocked the Seal on Calamity¡¯s Blade? Yes.¡± she answered with a small laugh. ¡°That was a stroke of genius on Elysea¡¯s part, wasn¡¯t it? Tying that power to the Blood of the Elden? I know even you were impressed by that.¡± ¡°She was impressive.¡± he murmured softly. ¡°Of course she was,¡± his sister agreed. ¡°Isn¡¯t that why you fell in love with her?¡± To that, of course, he had nothing to say. Caerwen, for her part, didn¡¯t seem to expect a response. Instead they continued in silence, through the bustling streets and crowded thoroughfare, among a sea of life that would by his own command be ended in blood, fire, and undead apocalypse. A sea of life that clung to a remnant of a memory, of a woman named Elysea. A woman with red eyes, and hair of darkest midnight. A woman of singular will, respected and feared in equal measure. A woman that had made Gods kneel with the might of the Elden. A woman he had loved, with every atom of his immortal being. Concept art of Solarius, God of Light. B1 | Chapter 61: Preparations The discussion on what to do next between Aurelian, Karsys, Zylara, Tarixi, Bahamut, and Bael¡¯tharax had continued for some time after Aurelian had severed his new companions¡¯ binding coils to Solarius. It had been a lengthy, and impassioned debate between the fact that Aurelian was himself woefully underprepared to face the true might of the foes arrayed against him, versus the reality that if he didn¡¯t act to do his best to save Sanctuary, he would likely lose the best potential allies he could hope for in what was sure to be a protracted and brutal war to free Terra from the Nine. In the end the discussion had been finalised by Bael¡¯tharax, declaring quite decisively, that the four of them¡ªAurelian, Zylara, Karsys, and Bahamut¡ªwould leave the following morning after a night of solid training and sparring, supervised by the massive Dragon King and Tarixi. True to his word, Bael¡¯tharax had waited only long enough for Zylara to partake of a quarter of essence loaf¡ªand the subsequent expulsion of impurities and twitching limbs to fade¡ªbefore throwing the would-be party in a vast array of scenarios, partially against each other and partially against the Simulacrum generated enemies. The quartet had been put through the ringer against foes of every imaginable shape, size¡ªwithin certain limits¡ªand capability. The vast majority had started at level 55, and worked their way rapidly to level 74 when Aurelian and Bahamut¡¯s paired capabilities had made the already formidable duo of Karsys and Zylara even more destructive. The elf, it turned out, was perfectly capable of wielding both her body and lightning element to devastating effect, and her practised and expert use of Lightning Bolt had destroyed more than one Simulacrum with precision blows to the head and chest, or with dismembering blasts to the arms and legs. Karsys, meanwhile, had demonstrated a remarkable talent for using his earth magic in conjunction with fire magic to create magmatic flows, and igniting fireballs that decimated enemies or made the terrain itself their enemy. It had been awe-inspiring to Aurelian, who had only realised through observation of the pair exactly how powerful magic could truly be¡ªand that the destruction he was witnessing was being created by Initiate Tier Cultivators. The theoretical destruction higher level Cultivators could unleash left him momentarily speechless in imagination. He truly had gotten off easy with Marius, Aurelian realised. If the Vasiri had truly sought to destroy him, he¡¯d have died without so much as a whimper. A particular positive point, while they trained, was that Zylara and Karsys both reported that their ability to wield mana, and channel magic, had improved by leaps and bounds following their consumption of essence loaf quarters, and that they had felt themselves edge far closer to unlocking their third Chakra¡ªlocated in their solar plexus¡ªthan before they had partaken of the magical food. Given Aurelian¡¯s own experiences, he was not surprised. It also served as an important lesson in how truly important Chakra unlocking was, given the sheer power and fluidity with which Zylara and Karsys harnessed their magic when compared to his own comparatively slow cycling of mana. Even with his skills and benefits, which all gathered agreed were only matched by Bahamut¡¯s own; Aurelian could not easily make up for experience and practised precision, nor the benefit of an extra Chakra. It was a humbling experience in many ways, and put his relative irrelevancy in the grand scale into perspective. Calamity¡¯s Blade was powerful, but it was a precise and nuanced skill. It would stun or even incapacitate an enemy, but that was wholly worthless if he couldn¡¯t survive long enough to forge and use it. Moreso, there was so much about the Transcendent ability that he still didn¡¯t understand. The training with his new party had shown him with brutal severity exactly how vulnerable he could be, especially when Zylara and Karsys had¡ªwith some trouble, at least¡ªmanaged to pin him into a position to kill him, albeit only after taking some notable damage themselves. And they were merely Initiates. Had they been high Adept or Specialist Tier; he likely would have stood no chance. It served to hammer home how badly he needed to gain strength, and how grim the task before them truly was. If the four of them couldn¡¯t find a way to rally Sanctuary¡¯s defences in time, while also convincing them of Aurelian¡¯s legitimacy, the potential corruption of the senate, and Solarius¡¯ hooks within their souls; It would be very bad not simply for Aurelian, but for the Prime Material at large. Solarius had done an infuriatingly good job of making his task seem impossible. Bael¡¯tharax had hammered that point home, too, during the remainder of their tuition. The training session had finally ended an hour after dawn the following morning, and that was where Aurelian found himself sitting on his haunches and breathing heavily, his self-cleaning attire working overtime to keep his clothes and¡ªby convenient extension¡ªbody clean while he pulled up his sheet, and reviewed the changes he¡¯d acquired during the high-intensity session. Name: Aurelian Lucis Imperius Temper: Untempered Novice Infusions: Mind 0/1 | Body 1/1 | Spirit 1/1 Core: Calamity Core (Attunement Stage) Chakras: 1/7 Level: 24 | Race: Elysean (L) | Origin: Nephilim (L) | Gender: Male | Zodiac: Dragon (L) Health: 990 | Mana: 474 | Stamina: 279 | Anima: 0 STR: (85) 93 | AGI: 62 | DEX: 52 | VIT: (90) 99 | END: 60 | INT: 50 | PER: 40 | WIL: 97 (121) | CHA: 55 (63) Mind Skills: Revelate (E) 15 | Linguistics (UC) 1 | Philology (R) 7 | Exploration (UC) 11 | Investigation (UC) 7 | Dragon''s Resolve (E) 17 | Tactician (R) 19 | Deception (UC) 6 | Dragon''s Gaze (E) 15 | Intimidation (R) 6 | Persuasion (UC) 4 Body Skills: Pain Tolerance (UC) 28 | Longsword Mastery (C) 32 | Running (C) 35 | Dodge (C) 40 | Dragon''s Sanguination (E) 29 | Brawling (C) 27 | Fire Resistance (UC) 27 | Lightning Resistance (UC) 23 | Ice Resistance (UC) 17 | Breath Control (UC) 22 | Acrobatics (UC) 23 | Poison Resistance (R) 15 Spirit Skills: Mana Control (R) 34 | Firebolt (UC) 24 | Lightning Bolt (R) 11 | Soul Sense (UC) 14 | Spirit Bond: Dragon (M) 15 | Gravitic Crush (R) 21 | Calamity''s Blade (T) 15 | Anima Syphon (E) 1 | Anima Conversion (E) 1 | Anima Infusion (E) 1 | Anima Diffusion (E) 1 | Sanguine Kiss (E) 1 Traits: Fast Learner (E) | Dragon Force (E) | Aetheric Osmosis (E) | Godsbane (T) | Sanguinated (U) Titles: Elysean Reclaimer (U) | Survivor (R) | Aether Sage (E) | Dragon Rider (E) | Defiant (L) | Primogenitor (U) 42% to Level 25 You have 19 Skill Points Available! You have 1 Skill Upgrade Point Available! You have 1 Skill Evolution Point Available! Other than the several skills that had reached Initiate tier, the multitudinous increase in his combat capabilities, and the small bump in stats across the board, he had also managed to replace Shockbolt with the rarer upgraded version of Lightning Bolt, which Zylara had been happy to teach him. Karsys had attempted to show him Fireball, but despite his best efforts, Aurelian had been unable to learn the skill¡ªeven while burning Dragon¡¯s Gaze for the passive osmosis effect. With both it and Dragon¡¯s Resolve encroaching toward Initiate tier, he was painfully aware of how close his decision for Infusion was becoming, and the idea of choosing between one or the other for his [Essence of the Leviathan] was¡ troubling. He was not going to ask Bael¡¯tharax to create another Essence of course, but while Dragon¡¯s Resolve seemed like the immediately ideal choice, there were incredible potential benefits to Dragon¡¯s Gaze that he was only slowly beginning to see. The ability to see and comprehend mana on an essential level, and interpret and use that knowledge as a result through Mana Control was incredibly powerful. His Willpower had served him well thus far, true enough, but the potential applications of Dragon¡¯s Gaze were staggering to contemplate in a more long-term sense. It didn¡¯t take away from the power of Dragon¡¯s Resolve, but it certainly had him questioning. He¡¯d confessed his dilemma to Bahamut in private at one point during their nigh-sadistic training session, and when his bond had suggested the idea of providing Essences himself and the pair had asked Bael¡¯tharax, the elder Dragon King had berated them so thoroughly and so viciously at the mere suggestion, that they had both been forced to make a binding vow swearing they would never attempt anything so dangerous. Enjoying the story? Show your support by reading it on the official site. It had rankled, and he technically knew he could break the cord that had appeared with Calamity¡¯s Blade¡ but there was an edge of fear to the old dragon¡¯s booming reprimand that made Aurelian hesitate. If Bael¡¯tharax truly was so worried about the very idea of it, then Aurelian wasn¡¯t inclined to underestimate the implied risk. He¡¯d seen too many people in his fictional shoes do the same, only for it to end terribly. At Bael¡¯tharax¡¯s suggestion, he had even taken to spam-casting Revelate on the massive leviathan, over and over, until the ability had been forced to level repeatedly, and yet still he couldn¡¯t clean any information. The Dragon King¡¯s sheet was an array of taunting question marks that frustrated Aurelian to no end, and seemed to amuse the ancient wyrm in equal measure. All Bael¡¯tharax said was that Aurelian would understand when Bahamut came into his own, and that had only served to inflame his curiosity further. Karsys and Zylara had both expressed wonder at their growth as well, and had both even managed to develop the title ¡®Dragonfriend¡¯, which apparently Bael¡¯tharax could grant, and which carried respectable boosts to their Vitality and Charisma, and unlocked the ability to speak Draconic. When Aurelian had asked why he didn¡¯t have it, Bael¡¯tharax had explained that his Dragon Rider title superseded Dragonfriend by several orders of magnitude. He had accepted the logic behind it, though his hunger for improvement hadn¡¯t been too happy about the fact. In truth he¡¯d even wanted to test Karsys and Zylara¡¯s capability for bonding two of the dragon eggs, but had decided against it. Not simply because he felt it would be more prudent to give the pair time for him to truly get to know them, but because taking dragon hatchlings into a possible zombie apocalypse was probably a very stupid idea. Bahamut and Bael¡¯tharax had both agreed. With his sheet update checked and his body recuperating through Breath Control from its latest exertions, he turned to his companions and mentors curiously. ¡°So I guess we should probably discuss our plan of action, right?¡± ¡°We never did settle on how we were to return to Sanctuary before the army of corrupted and undead.¡± Zylara agreed. ¡°I would personally prefer not to arrive after it has ravaged my home.¡± ¡°Seconded.¡± Karsys said with a nod. ¡°The matter is delicate,¡± Tarixi said thoughtfully from where she hovered above them, legs crossed beneath her in an uncanny imitation of a levitating xianxian cultivator. ¡°There are a small number of ways by which Bael¡¯tharax could in theory speed you on your journey, including but not limited to flying you there himself¡¡± she smirked wryly at their collective looks of eager interest. ¡°But we have both agreed that such would be a poor choice. It would not only drain the Dragon King¡¯s remaining time prodigiously, but would likely expose him to the fate Aurelian just avoided by ending Marius of Telastra.¡± ¡°You don¡¯t sound as if that is your only objection,¡± Aurelian observed with help from his heightened Perception and Soul Sense. ¡°It is not,¡± she agreed with a nod, ¡°and that is because I believe you, Aurelian, need more time to gain power. Time we may not have, strictly speaking, but time we need to find regardless. While the four of you trained with me, Bael¡¯tharax was able to expend some of his power to momentarily scry and locate the undead force. Even in his weakened state, after all, his magic is of a level of power unmatched by any living creature in the Prime Material.¡± Bahamut preened at Tarixi¡¯s words, as if the compliment to his father was also one given to him. In a way, Aurelian supposed, it probably was. ¡°What did he¡ªwhat did you see, Great One?¡± Zylara caught herself mid-ask, with an apologetic glance at Bael¡¯tharax. ¡°THE FOE MOVES AT A SEDATE PACE. THEY ARE TAKING THEIR TIME TO FIND MORE FUEL FOR THEIR HOST, AND KILL ANY BLIGHTMEN OR BLIGHTED WILDLIFE THEY ENCOUNTER. THESE UNFORTUNATES ARE THEN RAISED TO BOLSTER THEIR FORCES.¡± Karsys grimaced, and Zylara cursed. Aurelian however immediately saw the benefit. ¡°They¡¯re slowing themselves down.¡± ¡°INDEED. I HAVE DEDUCED THAT IF YOU MOVE WITH SUFFICIENT SPEED, EVEN WHILE ALLOWING AURELIAN TO BRAVE THE FIENDS OF THE BLIGHT TO GAIN POWER, YOU WILL ARRIVE WITH AT LEAST TWO DAYS¡¯ ADVANTAGE ON THE UNDEAD ARMY.¡± ¡°That assumes,¡± Tarixi cut in before any of them could grow too excited, ¡°that you also have a means of quick transport during the night, while Aurelian hunts during the day.¡± ¡°I assume you have a suggestion, honoured Elder?¡± Zylara asked Tarixi. The elf¡¯s attitude toward the goblin had shifted drastically when Tarixi had demonstrated a small amount of her magical knowledge, and the spellbow very nearly seemed to revere the Echo when compared to her prior¡ªadmittedly misled¡ªracism. ¡°I do. As does Bael¡¯tharax,¡± she turned to Bahamut. ¡°There is a ritual that must be conducted between the King of Kings and his progeny, and which is for them alone¡ª¡± she looked to Aurelian ¡°¡ªand Bahamut¡¯s Rider to witness. Once it is done, we are sure that the subsequent benefits will allow Bahamut to bear all three of you to Sanctuary through the more forgiving, albeit chilly nights. The days, however, he would need to use for rest.¡± Both Zylara and Karsys glanced at each other and then at Aurelian, who shrugged at them. ¡°More secrets,¡± he said simply. And not for the eyes nor ears of mere mortals. Bahamut sent with a mental sniff. You like them. Aurelian said without concern. I can feel that you like them. That is irrelevant. The dragon responded with what Aurelian detected was a hint of embarrassment. I am not fool enough to question the need for privacy, and I would hope they are not so foolish either. See? You do like them. Aurelian teased. You tire me with your games, Aurelian. Bahamut grumbled. Yeah, but you love me. Bahamut sent back annoyance mixed with fondness, but said nothing more. Aurelian suppressed a grin. Another victory. In the same moment that they had shared their mental exchange, both Zylara and Karsys had grimaced in disappointment, but nodded in understanding. If Aurelian wasn¡¯t about to argue, then neither of them had a prayer of changing Tarixi¡¯s mind¡ªnor Bael¡¯tharax¡¯s for that matter¡ªno matter how hard they protested, cajoled, or pleaded. ¡°What about Karsys and myself?¡± Zylara asked. She was ever the more talkative of the pair, and Aurelian noticed that of his two new companions, Karsys seemed to only speak when it truly mattered, or when Zylara¡¯s naturally impassioned personality¡ªone Aurelian found himself rapidly warming to, truthfully¡ªgot the better of her diplomatic sense. ¡°You two will be tasked with journeying to the Armoury Vault in the palace, and retrieving as many items of worth as you can get your hands on. Potions are the priority, replacement weapons for yourselves¡ªespecially proper runeweapons¡ªwould be the secondary goal, as well as appropriate armour¡ª¡± The pair of explorers leaned forward quite intently at Tarixi¡¯s words. ¡°¡ªand finally any Essence Draughts you can find. You undoubtedly have your own, but Aurelian will need several for his later Infusions, and we cannot demand any more from Bael¡¯tharax, nor even entertain the idea of gaining them from Bahamut. Aurelian¡¯s body is also too weak to survive Infusing any blighted creatures, if your tales of their mutated nature hold even a kernel of accuracy. Thus, we must hope the vault has what we need.¡± ¡°Is that all?¡± Karsys asked carefully with a look as if he were making a mental list. ¡°YOU MUST ALSO SEARCH FOR AN ITEM CALLED A WAYGATE,¡± Bael¡¯tharax interrupted before Tarixi could speak, his massive voice rumbling throughout the cavern. ¡°IT WILL BE IMMENSELY IMPORTANT, SHOULD THINGS TAKE A TURN FOR THE WORST AT SANCTUARY. IT WILL BE A CIRCULAR DEVICE OF SILVER METAL, INLAID WITH PRISMATIC GEM SHARDS. THERE WILL BE ANOTHER ONE THAT MATCHES THE FIRST WITH PERFECT ACCURACY. YOU MUST ACQUIRE BOTH.¡± Karsys blinked at Bael¡¯tharax in surprise, but bowed his head in acknowledgement. Zylara looked excited at the mere mention of the item, though it was a childish glee that spoke more of imagination than any form of secret knowledge she might have. Tarixi meanwhile was looking at Bael¡¯tharax thoughtfully, but after a small time of rumination nodded as if in agreement with the dragon¡¯s instructions. ¡°A waygate will be invaluable, yes. I will elucidate on its purpose when you return, though I again must stress that potions, weapons, armour, and essence draughts are all higher in priority. We must be ready for whatever may come, and the Reclaimer failing to achieve Initiate Temper, and then Adept after it, is not a circumstance we can afford.¡± ¡°I have been worrying about it,¡± Aurelian admitted to them all. ¡°I¡¯ve got several skills ready for Infusion, and I haven¡¯t got anything except one Essence Draught¡ªand even that one I¡¯m torn on the choice of use. I doubt the vault will have anything nearly as good as Bael¡¯tharax¡¯s provided draught, but I¡¯ll take anything over nothing.¡± ¡°WERE I NOT SO WEAK, THE DRAUGHTS WOULD HAVE BEEN OF LEGENDARY QUALITY, NOT MEAGRE EPICS.¡± The ancient dragon said with a thunderous harrumph of displeasure. ¡°ALAS I COULD NOT GRANT YOU WHAT YOU DESERVED, AURELIAN; ONLY A FRACTION OF WHAT YOU NEEDED.¡± ¡°I¡¯m pretty sure three Epic Draughts is more than most Denizens ever see for their first Infusion, Bael¡¯tharax,¡± Aurelian said wryly. ¡°Besides, the Infusion itself was Legendary, even if the Draughts weren¡¯t classified as such.¡± he smiled up at the ancient leviathan while he continued. ¡°I appreciate the generosity gramps, but I really do love the Infusions I gained. They¡¯re both incalculably great, and I can only imagine how good the Mind one will be.¡± ¡°Indeed.¡± Tarixi agreed while Bael¡¯tharax tilted his head in a proud and self-satisfied manner, in the midst of taking in a cavern-rumbling breath of haughty approval. ¡°Though the Draughts in the vault should be of great value regardless. We will need to ensure that we move quickly, however. There is no time to dally.¡± ¡°Right. Of course.¡± Zylara said immediately, before turning to lightly kick Karsys. ¡°Come on slowpoke, let¡¯s go raid an armoury.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t you need directions¡?¡± Aurelian asked. ¡°And access?¡± ¡°Oh.¡± Zylara said after a beat. ¡°Right. Yes. We will. Both.¡± her cheeks flushed red with embarrassment. Damn, Elves were pretty. ¡°Aurelian can remotely ensure your access to the armoury, and I will detail instructions on how to reach it.¡± Tarixi assured them. ¡°Now come, let me brief you while we leave the Nephilim and the dragons to their business.¡± ¡°Good luck!¡± Aurelian said with a grin. ¡°Don¡¯t wake up any horrible blightmares in the palace.¡± He had grown fond of the term ever since the pair had detailed how awful the creatures in the Desolation were. They liked it too. ¡°Aurelian, before I go¡¡± Tarixi said while turning to him. ¡°I had nearly forgotten. You have an option for the Animus Engine, yes?¡± ¡°I do,¡± he confirmed with a curious look. ¡°Good,¡± Tarixi said with a grim smile. ¡°I want you to activate it.¡± ¡°Won¡¯t that be kinda noticeable?¡± Aurelian asked. ¡°From what you told me, the machine or whatever it is literally projects purified life and nature mana across the entire breadth of Albion. That sort of change is probably more noticeable than even gramps, unless he decided to go for a flap.¡± Bael¡¯tharax rumbled at ¡®go for a flap¡¯, but said nothing. He was largely ignored. Not by Zylara and Karsys, who looked at him with wary eyes, but by Tarixi and Aurelian. They were used to his prideful grumbles. ¡°Yes.¡± Tarixi confirmed while maintaining her grim smile. ¡°It will be felt across the breadth and width of the closest several hundred leagues of Elysea.¡± Aurelian raised his eyebrows. ¡°Won¡¯t that alert the entire undead army that there¡¯s something wrong with Marius, or the palace as a whole?¡± he gestured around them. ¡°Not to mention it¡¯ll probably draw all sorts of awful creatures toward the palace, like a bigarse flame in the darkness.¡± Tarixi¡¯s grin when next she spoke morphed into something downright predatory. ¡°Yes. In fact, I¡¯m counting on it.¡± B1 | Chapter 62: The Last Leviathan I While Tarixi guided out Karsys and Zylara, Aurelian turned his attention back to Bael¡¯tharax and Bahamut. The younger watched the elder from beside Aurelian, tail flicking idly in curiosity, not unlike a cat, while his golden eyes regarded the leviathan with interest. Aurelian could feel the burning desire to know what was coming echoing across the bond he shared with Bahamut, and would have been lying if he said he didn¡¯t share the younger dragon¡¯s desire for knowledge. Aurelian understood the fact he was a tolerated guest, more than an entitled participant however, and so remained steadfastly quiet while Bael¡¯tharax shifted to look at both of them in silence. The leviathan¡¯s massive golden eye moved across each of them assessingly, and then he lowered his head closer to properly face them while rumbled with a growl of consideration. ¡°LONG HAS IT BEEN MY TASK TO WATCH OVER THE SECRETS OF THE REALMS. SECRETS WHICH NEITHER OF YOU ARE PREPARED, YET, TO KNOW.¡± His large head seemed to shift to fully encapsulate each of them while he spoke, before returning to a position whereupon he could watch them both together. It was probably a subtle movement for Bael¡¯tharax, but for Aurelian it was a motion that shook the world inside the immense cavern. ¡°WHAT I MUST DO HERE AND NOW IS A RITUAL OF DRAGON KINGS, AND A NECESSITY FOR THE WAR TO COME. THOUGH NEITHER OF YOU WILL KNOW THIS, IT WAS MY OWN SIRE THAT HELPED THE FIRST CALAMITY LIBERATE THE REALMS FROM THE GODS¡¯ DOMINION, AND IT WAS HE THAT FORGED OUR LASTING ALLIANCE WITH THE CHILDREN OF ELYSEA.¡± Aurelian listened with rapt attention while the massive dragon spoke, his eyes locked on Bael¡¯tharax¡¯s single one, and hands resting on his knees where he sat in quiet attentiveness. ¡°THE ELYSEANS SPEAK OF THE MANTLE, BUT IN TRUTH IT IS NOT A THING OF THEM. EVEN TARIXI DOES NOT KNOW THIS. IT WAS A SECRET GIVEN ONLY TO THE IMPERATORS, AND ONLY ONCE APPROVED BY MY SIRE AND, LATER, BY MYSELF.¡± ¡°I knew it.¡± Aurelian breathed out with a grin. It wasn¡¯t strictly that he knew it was a thing of dragons, of course, but he had suspected the Mantle to be far more than just an oath or act of fealty, as it was portrayed. An ideological and societal guidestone, certainly, but only that? No. Something else, something greater had to have been at the core of its existence. Bael¡¯tharax only confirmed what he already suspected. ¡°AS THE RECLAIMER, AURELIAN, YOU ARE ENTITLED TO THE TRUTH OF THE MATTER. SIMILARLY, BAHAMUT, YOU MUST UNDERSTAND THIS WEIGHT IN ORDER TO PASS FUTURE JUDGEMENT AS THE NEW DRAGON KING.¡± Aurelian looked at Bahamut, and saw his bond sitting on his haunches, while his tail idly moved through the air as he listened to Bael¡¯tharax speak. Bahamut held as much of a look of focused attention as a dragon could have, and both of his golden eyes, which were mirrors of his father¡¯s, shone with intelligence and determination while he listened. When the dragon did notice Aurelian¡¯s attention, his stare never deviated from the elder leviathan¡ªbut a surge of love and excitement did traverse the bond. It was returned in full while both waited for Bael¡¯tharax to continue. ¡°THE MANTLE IS A BINDING OATH, ONE THAT WRAPS ACROSS THE SOULFORCE OF THE BEARER. IT IS NOT SIMPLY A VOW, BUT A POWER ALL ITS OWN.¡± Bael¡¯tharax proclaimed in as grave a tone as Aurelian had ever heard from the leviathan. ¡°AS DRAGON KING, IT FALLS TO ME TO ENTRUST ITS POWER TO A WORTHY INHERITOR. IT IS, IN MANY WAYS, THE OPPOSITE POWER TO CALAMITY¡¯S BLADE.¡± Aurelian felt his own shock and surprise mirrored in Bahamut at the ancient¡¯s statement, and his heart rate doubled in his chest while he listened. ¡°WHERE THE POWER OF ELYSEA SEVERS ALL BONDS, THE MANTLE¡¯S TRUE PURPOSE IS TO FORGE NEW ONES. IT IS THE CLOSEST THING TO A DIVINE TETHER YOU WILL ENCOUNTER, OUTSIDE THE GODS THEMSELVES.¡± It must be different to their own, though. Bahamut sent to both Bael¡¯tharax and Aurelian equally. We repudiate and reject the gods for their enslavement of the Realms¡¯ denizens, my Sire. How could we grant a similar means of indenturement to those we see as worthy? Aurelian nodded at Bahamut¡¯s words, but didn¡¯t speak, and instead waited attentively. ¡°YOU ARE CORRECT, LITTLE PRINCE.¡± Bael¡¯tharax rumbled approvingly. ¡°THE MANTLE IS BOTH SIMILAR AND DIFFERENT. IT IS NOT AN ENSLAVEMENT, BUT INSTEAD A CONDITIONAL EMBOLDENMENT. IT IS THE VERY POWER OF UNIFICATION THROUGH COMMON CAUSE. THE BEARER OF THE MANTLE BRINGS THOSE THAT WISH TO UPHOLD ITS WORTH UNDER THEIR PROTECTION, AND IN RETURN THOSE CHOSEN ARE GRANTED THE POWER OF THE COLLECTIVE MANY.¡± Aurelian¡¯s eyes widened. ¡°Wait, so the power of the binding grows with every person that is part of it, just like Faith to a god, but instead of going solely to an individual, it¡¯s evenly disseminated among the populace? In what manner?¡± ¡°HARMONY.¡± I do not understand. Bahamut said with a hint of frustration. Is Harmony not a state of being? Aurelian nodded. ¡°IT IS UNDERSTANDABLE THAT YOU DO NOT UNDERSTAND. IN SIMPLE TERMS, THE MANTLE INCREASES THE BONDS BETWEEN ALL THOSE THAT ARE UNDER ITS AUSPICES. IT IS A COLLECTIVE ELEVATION OF UNITED PURPOSE. ITS INTENT IS TO UNITE, AND SO IT DOES. THOSE EMBOLDENED BY THE MANTLE WILL BE BROUGHT INTO GREATER HARMONY WITH ONE ANOTHER, AND THE WORLD AROUND THEM.¡± At Aurelian¡¯s puzzled look and Bahamut¡¯s growl of frustration, Bael¡¯tharax let loose a low, rumbling laugh. ¡°I REACTED MUCH THE SAME. PERHAPS THIS WILL HELP YOU UNDERSTAND: YOUR SOUL BOND. IT ALLOWS YOU BOTH OF YOU TO FIGHT WITH GREATER CLARITY OF ACTION AND PURPOSE, DOES IT NOT? YOU ARE ABLE TO ACT IN CONCERT, UNCONSCIOUSLY FIGHTING TOGETHER IN A MANNER THAT NO MERE COMPATRIOTS COULD EVER MANAGE.¡± ¡°Yeah,¡± Aurelian confirmed with a nod of agreement. ¡°I can feel Bahamut¡¯s intentions and desires before he acts on them, and I guess vice versa. It¡¯s like being keyed into the subconscious instincts and processes of¡ªholy shit!¡± he abruptly cut off when he fully realised what Bael¡¯tharax was saying, and from the surge of alarm and excitement across the bond, he knew that Bahamut had realised it as well. What the elder dragon was saying, in full, was staggering when thought of on a larger scale. ¡°HARMONY,¡± Bael¡¯tharax reiterated before continuing. ¡°YOU NOW BEGIN TO SEE ITS POWER. ITS TRUE POWER. WHERE THE GODS BENEFIT FROM SINGULAR STRENGTH, THE MANTLE IS DERIVED FROM COOPERATIVE STRENGTH. THE MORE WHO STAND UNDER ITS BANNER, THE STRONGER IT GROWS. THE STRONGER IT GROWS, THE GREATER ITS UNITY. THE GREATER ITS UNITY, THE STRONGER THOSE BENEATH IT BECOME. COHESION. SYNERGY. UNCONSCIOUS COOPERATION AND COORDINATION.¡± ¡°It would make a regular army into a force of power far beyond its individual parts.¡± Aurelian said with a feeling of stunned wonder. ¡°The gods might grant gifts to singular champions or faithful, but this supersedes all of that. It takes even the most inadequate soldier, and makes them part of something greater than themselves.¡± Aurelian rocked backward and stared up at Bael¡¯tharax with a low whistle, and rested his hands behind him on the rocky earth. It was a massive concept to consider. ¡°I get how Elysea was able to defeat the gods, now,¡± Aurelian continued after a few moments in an awed voice. ¡°This sort of power¡ it must have been immensely decisive. A full means by which to not only answer the individual power of the gods¡¯ champions and Avatars, but to enable even the meekest of her followers to fight with the strength and capability of some of her most fierce. It¡¯s a system of collective uplifting. Every part of the whole is inherently made greater by participation in the larger harmony.¡± A system of collective empowerment and uplifting, instead of singular enslavement and enforced sycophantic worship. Bahamut said with an approving mental voice. Yes. This is a thing of dragons. This is what we are meant to be. ¡°THE OATH OF THE MANTLE ITSELF IS WHOLLY IRRELEVANT.¡± Bael¡¯tharax proclaimed dismissively. ¡°IT WAS, AND STILL IS, MORE OF A FORMALITY OR FUNCTION OF THE POWER ITSELF. IT WAS A TOOL THROUGH WHICH NON-DRACONIC SPECIES COULD COMPREHEND THE POWER. ALL THAT MATTERED WAS A GENUINE INTENT TO STAND FOR WHAT THE MANTLE HOLDER BELIEVED WAS RIGHT. THAT IS THE RUB, OF COURSE. THAT IS WHY THE CHARACTER OF THE HOLDER IS SUCH A DETERMINING FACTOR.¡± ¡°Because a corrupt holder would pervert or twist the intent behind the Mantle, and make it about serving them instead of standing together for the betterment of the Realms,¡± Aurelian said with an understanding nod. He felt himself growing thoughtful even while he did, though his eyes remained focused on Bael¡¯tharax. ¡°It¡¯s interesting that it¡¯s a unifying concept held by an individual, though.¡± ¡°THAT IS THE NATURE OF POWER IN THE SYSTEM. IT IS ABOUT CHOICE, AFTER ALL. THE CHOICE OF THE HOLDER TO REMAIN TRUE TO THE SPIRIT OF THE MANTLE, THE CHOICE OF THE DRAGON KING TO GRANT ITS POWER, AND THE CHOICE OF THOSE WHO FOLLOW TO UPHOLD AND LIVE BY THE MANTLE¡¯S CODE.¡± ¡°Wait,¡± Aurelian said abruptly. ¡°Shouldn¡¯t Tarixi be back by n¡ª?¡± ¡°SHE WAITS WITHIN HER GEM TO BE TOLD IT IS CLEAR TO RETURN, BY MY REQUEST. THIS IS NOT FOR HER EARS, ECHO OR NOT.¡± If you find this story on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen. Please report the infringement. Aurelian opened his mouth with a quiet ¡®aha¡¯ and nodded, albeit a little guiltily. It felt wrong to keep what he¡¯d been told a secret from the Goblin who¡¯d been his mentor for his brief time in the palace, but he also understood that for Bael¡¯tharax it was a matter of utmost sacred secrecy. He could feel the intensity of the elder dragon¡¯s attention, and could tell from Bahamut¡¯s own more transparent feelings via the bond that what was being shared was sacred beyond his own proper understanding. ¡°I¡¯m guessing you¡¯re telling me this because you¡¯ve decided I¡¯m worthy of holding the Mantle?¡± Aurelian asked wryly. He¡¯d have been lying if he¡¯d said there wasn¡¯t a part of him that feared Bael¡¯tharax would deny his worthiness, however. ¡°YES. YOU WILL BE GIVEN THE BURDEN OF THE MANTLE, AURELIAN, AS THE CHOSEN SUCCESSOR OF ITS LAST HOLDER; LUCIUS VALORIS TOLLARIUS.¡± ¡°What do I have to¡ª?¡± ¡°HOLD STILL,¡± Bael¡¯tharax commanded regally. While Aurelian complied to the old dragon¡¯s wishes, he watched one of Bael¡¯tharax¡¯s massive claws lift from the earth¡ªleaving metres-deep gouges in the hard granite¡ªand drift ever-so-carefully over. With a precision and gentleness belied by their monstrous size, two of Bael¡¯tharax¡¯s razor claws pressed against him; one to the top of his head, and the other to his chest. ¡°AURELIAN LUCIS IMPERIUS, DO YOU ACCEPT THE BURDEN OF THE MANTLE OF UNIFICATION? DO YOU ACCEPT YOUR PLACE AS THE SHIELD OF ALL FREE PEOPLES UPON THE REALMS? DO YOU ACCEPT YOUR ROLE AS THEIR LEADER UNTO ABDICATION OR DEATH? DO YOU ACCEPT THE WEIGHT AND SEVERITY OF THIS BURDEN, IN FULL KNOWLEDGE OF YOUR INEVITABLE FATE AS AN ENEMY OF THE GODS AND ALL WHO WOULD SEE THE PEOPLES OF THE REALMS ENSLAVED?¡± Aurelian looked up at Bael¡¯tharax in silence for a few moments while processing exactly what the dragon was asking. It wasn¡¯t a mere promise to be well-behaved, or an ask of simple chivalry or valour. The dragon king was offering him the means by which he could truly and properly unify all of those that stood in opposition to the gods, just as the First Calamity¡ªElysea, he reminded himself¡ªhad done before. It was downright Arthurian. His mouth opened, he hesitated, and then he closed it. It seemed like such a simple decision, and yet his mind raced. Not simply because of the implications of taking on the Mantle, but the cost of failing. Not just of failing to uphold the promise he made to Bael¡¯tharax, but the implied promise to every single denizen of the Realms. Every man, woman, and child seeking no less than deliverance from a tyrannical oppression they didn¡¯t even fully realise was upon them. What if in his quest to grant them that freedom, like the heroes he so worshipped and revered, he became just as bad as the gods? What if he succumbed to greed? Who would deliver them from Aurelian, when only he could wield Calamity¡¯s Blade? It was a heavy and grim decision, one that he found himself suddenly unsure of. He wanted to say yes. He wanted to accept the Mantle. He wanted to be the champion of a people that had languished under the tyranny of divine tyrants for thousands of years. And yet¡ You need not doubt. Bahamut said to him through their link, and drew Aurelian¡¯s gaze. I did not choose you in error, Aurelian. You are able to bear this burden. I will bear it with you, and ensure you do not succumb to mortal failings. You seem pretty confident about that, Aurelian responded wryly. I am. I am a dragon. We are much wiser than your kind. Aurelian felt a smile blossom on his face at Bahamut¡¯s words, and he turned back to Bael¡¯tharax. ¡°I want to say yes, Bael¡¯tharax, but I¡¯m¡ hesitant. What you¡¯re proposing is no simple offer of power and authority, it¡¯s the responsibility of lives¡ªthousands of them. Millions, probably. That surprisingly is actually okay in a way, but what worries me is¡ corruption.¡± Aurelian frowned while he spoke, and the colossal dragon seemed content to let him say his piece. He even removed his claws from him, for the moment, to let him think. ¡°In my original world¡ª¡± ¡°DIRT?¡± ¡°¡ªEarth,¡± he said while pretending to ignore the old reptile¡¯s faux innocent humour, ¡°there were more tales than I can count of rulers that were corrupted, or led astray by their power. I have faith in Bahamut to keep a careful eye on me for signs of that, but realistically that is an impossible situation to put him in. This bond we have is¡ transcendent. It defies all rhyme, reason, or comprehension I have of anything even remotely similar.¡± We are one soul in two bodies. Bahamut agreed, though he seemed curious to hear more. ¡°How can I expect him to stop me, to truly stop me, when I know in my heart that if he went mad, I could never bring myself to actually harm him? It would be like¡ Well, actually, I can¡¯t even think of an analogy. Nothing seems severe enough for the extent of agony harming Bahamut would cause me. Of course the natural assumption is that I simply watch my own self for corruption, and that¡¯s fine, but I¡ª¡± ¡°AURELIAN.¡± Aurelian cut off at Bael¡¯tharax¡¯s interruption and frowned while watching the dragon. ¡°YOU ARE NO MORE IMMUNE TO CORRUPTION THAN ANY OTHER. IN SOME WAYS, THE FEAR OF THAT CORRUPTION MAKES YOU MORE PRONE TO IT, INASMUCH AS IT CREATES A BUFFER BETWEEN YOU AND SUCH A TWISTED TURN. YET WORRY FOR BAHAMUT IS NOT WHAT WEIGHS UPON YOU, RECLAIMER. SPEAK YOUR TRUE FEAR.¡± Aurelian stared up at the old dragon and wanted to disagree, wanted to say he was wrong¡ except he wasn¡¯t. Not technically. Aurelian was afraid of the idea of hurting Bahamut, but that wasn¡¯t what truly worried him. It was an excuse he¡¯d reached for in the moment, out of a mix of panic and indecision spurred by the surreality and pressure of the situation. No, it wasn¡¯t what he truly feared. What he truly feared was himself. ¡°I don¡¯t want to fail,¡± he said after a few moments of quiet and intent self-reflection. ¡°I don¡¯t want to wrong these people. They deserve better. I may not be well-versed in things like this. Hell, I was a glorified money counter where I come from¡ but I understand the stakes that exist for these people, the responsibility leading them would entail, and I¡¯m scared. I¡¯m scared I won¡¯t be good enough. I¡¯m scared I won¡¯t be strong enough,¡± he took a shuddering breath. ¡°I¡¯m scared I won¡¯t be enough.¡± ¡°AS WAS I WHEN I BECAME DRAGON KING. AS WAS LUCIUS TOLLARIUS WHEN HE INHERITED THE MANTLE, AND EVERY IMPERATOR BEFORE HIM, AND ELYSEA BEFORE ALL OF THEM,¡± Bael¡¯tharax said in a voice that was equal parts empathetic and paternally stern and stoic. ¡°FEAR OF INADEQUACY IS NOT LIMITED TO THE SIMPLE. WE ALL FEEL IT, AURELIAN. EVERY HOLDER BEFORE YOU HAS FELT THE SAME WORRIES, THE SAME CONCERNS, AND HAD THE SAME CRISIS OF FAITH. I WILL ASK YOU WHAT I ASKED THEM. WHAT WAS ASKED OF ME.¡± Aurelian watched while Bael¡¯tharax tilted his head to focus on him intently. ¡°WOULD YOU PREFER TO GIVE THE BURDEN TO ANOTHER?¡± ¡°Is that a real option?¡± Aurelian asked hesitantly. ¡°DOES IT MATTER?¡± Bael¡¯tharax challenged. That was when Aurelian realised: it didn¡¯t. The moment Bael¡¯tharax had asked the question, the answer that had crystallised in his mind had been a resounding ¡®no¡¯. Not because he was selfish or wanted glory, or at least he didn¡¯t think so. It wasn¡¯t because he had any particular desire for the Mantle either, other than his normal rampant curiosity about the System and the various idiosyncrasies involved in it and something like the Mantle. No, what decided his answer in that instant was the fact that he could not stomach, and could not accept the idea of forcing the onus of responsibility onto the shoulders of another. He had chosen his name, Aurelian Lucis Imperius, to mean something. More than that, he had come into the training and preparation with Bael¡¯tharax and Tarixi of his own accord. He could have chosen to walk away, or sit in inaction, or run after killing Marius. He could have refused bonding a dragon, and denied any sort of obligation to both the Echo and the Dragon King. He could have walked out of the Palace instead of confronting Marius, and never looked back. He could have done any number of things, including suicide, before accepting what had come before. He could have chosen to surrender at any time during the torrential floods of pain and agony he had suffered throughout the course of his time in the Prime Material. Ever since the first time he¡¯d fought those damned Skeletons. Aurelian faced Bael¡¯tharax, and shook his head. ¡°No,¡± he said simply. ¡°It does not.¡± The massive dragon inclined his head a fraction, and Aurelian felt pride radiating from Bahamut, as well as empathy and understanding. He had partially feared the younger dragon¡¯s judgement, but Bahamut had merely listened and considered. It made their bond all the more special to Aurelian, with how well Bahamut could simply read his thoughts and intent and understand him in a way nobody ever had or likely ever would. Bael¡¯tharax lifted his claws once more and pressed them forward, one to Aurelian¡¯s chest and the other against the crown of his skull. ¡°THEN I ASK AGAIN, AURELIAN LUCIS IMPERIUS. RECLAIMER. DO YOU ACCEPT THE BURDEN OF THE MANTLE OF UNIFICATION? DO YOU ACCEPT YOUR PLACE AS THE SHIELD OF ALL FREE PEOPLES UPON THE REALMS? DO YOU ACCEPT YOUR ROLE AS THEIR LEADER UNTO ABDICATION OR DEATH? DO YOU ACCEPT THE WEIGHT AND SEVERITY OF THIS BURDEN, IN FULL KNOWLEDGE OF YOUR INEVITABLE FATE AS AN ENEMY OF THE GODS AND ALL WHO WOULD SEE THE PEOPLES OF THE REALMS ENSLAVED?¡± Aurelian drew strength from his bond with Bahamut and his use of Breath Control while he answered. ¡°I do. I accept the Mantle.¡± ¡°AND SO IT IS BEQUEATHED, MANTLEBEARER. LONG MAY YOU REIGN.¡± The moment Bael¡¯tharax said the words, Aurelian felt something immense crash into him. It was a weight, an anchor, a fullness that spread throughout his body with the force of an oncoming tide. He felt as if he were about to slam into the ground, and yet couldn¡¯t move. He felt something fusing with him, blending into him, becoming part of him. His eyes widened and his lips parted, but no sound came out. Instead he felt as if all breath had been knocked out of his lungs while alerts populated his vision. Congratulations, Aurelian Lucis Imperius! Hidden Conditions Met! You have managed to Reclaim the Mantle of Elysea! Achievement: In The Footsteps of Legends For successfully achieving a massive part of your Reclamation, you have received the following: Title: Mantle Bearer Trait: Uniter Skill: Oathforger Congratulations, Aurelian Lucis Imperius! You have met the requirements to unlock the skill Oathforger (L)! You are the creator of ties that bind, the maker of oaths that seal, and the architect of tethers that constrain. To you all living beings are potential subjects, and you their inevitable Monarch. Yours is the burden of the protector, the guide, the shepherd, and perhaps even the tyrant. Unlike simple words, your oaths wrap around the very core Core and Soulforce of those that willingly swear to your authority. Let the Mantle of Elysea once again ignite the fires of liberation, Reclaimer! B1 | Chapter 63: The Last Leviathan II Aurelian rocked under the weight of the power that suffused him down to his Core, and blinked rapidly against a swirl of prismatic colours, which eventually settled into a small collection of haphazard dots after several moments¡¯ kaleidoscopic blindness. His breath returned to his lungs in the same instant, and he felt himself shudder in sudden revelation at the feeling of weight clinging to his bones, and his Soulforce. ¡°I feel¡ heavier.¡± Aurelian muttered while looking up at Bael¡¯tharax, whose claws had retreated. He felt the coiling edge of something warm, and looked to see Bahamut threading his spiked tail supportively around his ribcage. Aurelian smiled at the gesture. ¡°THE WEIGHT OF THE MANTLE IS AS REAL AS IT IS SYMBOLIC, AURELIAN. YOU HOLD WITHIN YOU THE POWER OF UNIFICATION, AND ALL THE RESPONSIBILITY IT ENTAILS. HEAVY IS THE HEAD THAT WEARS THE CROWN, RECLAIMER. REMEMBER THAT.¡± Aurelian blinked at the Earth-native saying, and then nodded slowly. He supposed it wasn¡¯t all that weird that the words transcended realities, or even Universes. After all it was an apt and grave statement, and one that he would keep with him moving forward. He certainly wasn¡¯t about to forget the tacit weight of the Mantle, draped upon him like a self-same cloak or literal mantle around his shoulders. ¡°You said it functions as a means to improve the individual,¡± Aurelian said while he continued to adjust to the new sensation. ¡°Did you mean that they gain physical power, or¡?¡± I too am curious. Bahamut admitted with a tilt of his large head. This magic sounds immensely powerful. It does not make sense as to how easily Elysea seemingly fell, my Sire. ¡°THE HARMONY OF THE MANTLE ENDOWS A NATURAL SYNERGY UPON ALL WHO SHELTER UNDER ITS MIGHT. IT DOES NOT DISSEMINATE PHYSICAL OR ARCANE MIGHT, BUT INSTEAD ALLOWS EACH INDIVIDUAL TO FIGHT WITH THE INSTINCTIVE AWARENESS OF THOSE AROUND THEM. IT IS A UNIFICATION OF INTENT, SPATIAL AWARENESS, AND SENSES.¡± ¡°Like a gigantic synaptic link. A neuromuscular junction taken to its metaphysical extremes. Wow.¡± Aurelian shook his head at the realisation, and also at the weight of his intelligence drawing information from his subconscious that he never realised he had. He turned toward Bahamut in thought. ¡°So every person with the Mantle¡¯s protection¡ª¡± ¡ªgains the same benefits as we do from our Soul Spirit Bond. The dragon finished with an equally impressed tone. ¡°Albeit they wouldn¡¯t gain the same level of power sharing we will from the truer version of our Soul Bond, I imagine. Still¡¡± It is remarkable. Bahamut agreed. It turns a disparate mass of panicked mortals into a fighting force as capable and cohesive as its strongest minority, in regards to their coordination, cohesion, and senses. That is¡ª ¡°¡ªspectacular enough to be shocking.¡± Aurelian agreed while turning back to Bael¡¯tharax. ¡°Are Dragons included in the Mantle?¡± ¡°NOT IN THE MANNER YOU WISH THEM TO BE, AURELIAN. YOU CANNOT SHARE THE SENSES OF DRAGONS AMONG YOUR FUTURE SUBJECTS. WE ARE REMOVED. BEYOND. ABOVE. THE MANTLE IS A THING OF DRAGONS, BUT IT IS NOT A THING FOR DRAGONS. IT IS OUR GIFT TO THE MORTAL RACES, AND WE STAND AS ITS DEFENDERS.¡± ¡°Balance, huh?¡± Aurelian said rhetorically. ¡°The System enforcing balance. A way for it to be strong without being overwhelming.¡± Cause and effect. Bahamut agreed. ¡°THE SIMPLEST EXPLANATION FOR HOW ELYSEA FELL, MY HEIR¡ª¡± Bael¡¯tharax said while turning his large golden eye on Bahamut fully, in answer at last to the dragon¡¯s earlier enquiry ¡°¡ªIS THAT NOTHING IS INFALLIBLE. THE GODSWORN ARE AS INSIDIOUS AS THE GODS ARE CUNNING. THEY UNDERMINED ELYSEA¡¯S UNITY. THEY SOWED DOUBT, AND DISHARMONY, AND PUT THE MORTAL HEARTS OF THE EMPIRE¡¯S CITIZENS UNDER ENOUGH STRAIN TO BEGIN TO QUESTION THE TRUTH OF THEIR LEADERS¡¯ WORDS.¡± ¡°But they knew the gods were the enemy. They knew that Solarius and the Eight would try to break apart Elysea.¡± Aurelian frowned while looking up at Bael¡¯tharax¡¯s immense eye. The dragon¡¯s words didn¡¯t seem right to him, or at least, they didn¡¯t seem fully logical. There was something missing. ¡°How could they be so easily fooled? After literally thousands of years of peace and security and prosperity? It makes no sense. Why would anyone buy into that?¡± Time. Bahamut responded instead and with a reasoned tilt of his head again. I would wager it was merely time. Time to forget. Time to grow ignorant. Time to wonder at the stories. No generation existed that understood the gravity of the gods¡¯ malice, nor the weight of their insidious cunning. Only the Dragons remembered. Only the Mantle Bearer truly understood. ¡°YOUR ASSESSMENT IS ASTUTE, MY HEIR. YES. IT WAS A NAIVE ACCEPTANCE OF ALTERNATE THEORY BRED OF PROTESTATIONS THAT THE ELYSEANS HAD NOT BEEN TOLD THE TRUTH.¡± The leviathan¡¯s thunderous voice grew grave, and his black pupil slitted in remembered anger and spite for the tragedy that he had very likely witnessed first-hand. ¡°THE EMPIRE HAD GROWN SOFT, AND SOLARIUS WAS EVER-GIFTED AT APPEARING THE BENEVOLENT GIFT-GIVER. HE SWAYED MANY WITH THE HELP OF THE OTHER EIGHT¡ªEVEN MAD ABSOLUM¡ªWITH SUCH FALSEHOODS. ENOUGH TO MATTER. ENOUGH TO SET THE EMPIRE AFLAME FROM WITHIN.¡± ¡°And then they got Justinian, and it reached critical mass.¡± Aurelian guessed. Bael¡¯tharax merely dipped his massive head in confirmation. ¡°Peace begets complacency.¡± Aurelian muttered. ¡°Just another reason the gods need to be taken out permanently, before this just turns into another cyclical event. I don¡¯t want to liberate a whole goddamn world only for it to fall back into this shit the moment enough time passes. It has to end.¡± Bahamut growled in agreement. ¡°A FINE RESOLVE TO HAVE, AURELIAN, BUT ONE THAT WILL BE CHALLENGED AT EVERY TURN. YOU HAVE YET TO TAKE A LIFE, AND WHILE WE DRAGONS HAVE AN INSTINCTIVE GRASP OF THE ¡®NEEDS MUST¡¯ NATURE OF PREDATOR AND PREY, OF HOW TO END A FOE, YOU ARE A KIND SOUL WITH ONLY ONE KILL UNDER YOUR BELT¡ªAND THAT SOLE KILL WAS A MONSTER, ONE WHOSE DEATH WAS A MERCY.¡± Aurelian looked up when Bael¡¯tharax¡¯s massive eye narrowed on him speculatively. The ancient leviathan¡¯s gaze was piercing and knowledgeable, and Aurelian knew that in that moment Bael¡¯tharax was seeing far more than just his physical self. The Dragon King was looking beyond, to the very fabric of his Core and Soulforce. ¡°CAN YOU TRULY WEATHER THE COST OF YOUR SPOKEN RESOLVE, AND BEAR ITS WEIGHT WITHOUT BREAKING BENEATH IT?¡± Before answering Bael¡¯tharax¡¯s question, Aurelian looked at Bahamut thoughtfully, though no exchange passed between them. He simply took a moment to see, to track the twin horns jutting from the young dragon¡¯s forehead, twined and coiled with platinum veins. He took his time to admire the blazing platinum runes, five on each side, that he had already supposed represented each major element of magic. He trailed his attention over the razor spines that lined the dragon¡¯s back from neck to tail-tip, and the platinum glint of his teeth, claws, and the tips of those same spines. At last Aurelian peered at Bahamut¡¯s golden eyes, and in them he found his own resolve looking back. ¡°I may not be much by myself, when it comes to things like this,¡± Aurelian said while turning back to Bael¡¯tharax. ¡°And I admit that killing¡ well, it just seems wrong to me still. That¡¯s an effect of where I come from, and I don¡¯t think I¡¯ll ever lose that sense of wrongness. If I did, I think it¡¯d be worse than any moment of hesitation. But¡¡± He peered at the immense golden eye of the ancient dragon, and then smiled. ¡°I¡¯m not alone, am I? I won¡¯t crutch on Bahamut, or rather, I won¡¯t foist my burdens or pains onto him. I¡¯d never do that,¡± he reached up to tap his armoured breastplate. ¡°But I feel his resolve as my own. I feel his courage as my own. I feel his pride as my own. Can I strike when the moment presents itself? If I were alone, I honestly can¡¯t say I¡¯d know for certain.¡± Bahamut shifted to lightly tap Aurelian¡¯s breastplate with his tail, and Aurelian grinned down at the spear-like end of the limb before refocusing on Bael¡¯tharax. ¡°But I¡¯m not alone, gramps. You made sure of that. I have a Dragon¡¯s Resolve, a Dragon¡¯s Sight, and the Soul Bond of a Dragon King. When the time comes, I will trust in those things to let my blade strike true, and do so not because it¡¯s what I want, which honestly it very well might be at that point¡ but because it¡¯s what this world needs.¡± Together. Bahamut agreed with a growl of approval. ¡°HAIL TO YOU, O RECLAIMER,¡± Bael¡¯tharax said simply. It was enough, and Aurelian bowed his head in acceptance. ¡°We¡¯ve talked about me enough, I think,¡± he said after a few moments¡¯ silence had passed. ¡°If I recall, you had Dragon King business with Bahamut.¡± Indeed. His bond said eagerly. I find myself very interested in this, my sire. ¡°INDEED, AND IT IS GOOD TO ADDRESS IT NOW. THIS IS SOMETHING THAT HAS OCCURRED BETWEEN DRAGON KINGS SINCE THE FIRST OF US WAS ELEVATED TO STAND GUARD AGAINST IMBALANCE. THERE ARE SOME THINGS THAT YOU CANNOT KNOW, MY HEIR, UNTIL YOU GROW STRONG ENOUGH TO INHERIT THE MEMORIES.¡± Aurelian looked at the ancient dragon with interest, and turned to observe Bahamut while his bond listened intently. The dragon¡¯s eyes were fixed on Bael¡¯tharax¡¯s single massive one, and he appeared completely enthralled by the older dragon¡¯s words. Aurelian couldn¡¯t blame him. Even the simplest phrases, when delivered with Bael¡¯tharax¡¯s weight of power and charisma, were enchanting. ¡°HOWEVER IN ORDER TO INHERIT THOSE MEMORIES, BEYOND MERELY BEING AS YOU ARE, YOU MUST INHERIT A CONDUIT FOR THEM. FROM ME. AS I DID FROM MY SIRE, AND HE FROM HIS, UNTO THE FIRST OF THE DRAGON KINGS.¡± The last leviathan opened his jaws and faced his gargantuan head toward them. The tale has been illicitly lifted; should you spot it on Amazon, report the violation. Aurelian swallowed back a moment of existential terror while Dragon¡¯s Resolve flared to life, and he stared down a gullet large enough to consume a small suburban neighbourhood whole. His eyes widened when light emitted from within Bael¡¯tharax¡¯s gigantic maw, and for a wild moment he thought the Dragon King was about to breathe fire. Then a chime, not unlike bells in the wind, filled the air and an orb of what Aurelian could only describe as condensed mana floated from Bael¡¯tharax¡¯s maw trailing contrails of prismatic soulforce and raw power. It shifted as it moved, shimmering with platinum radiance and prismatic undercurrents while coming slowly forth to ignite the cavern in brilliant light. The sphere of power lowered when it exited Bael¡¯tharax¡¯s jaws, and the ancient dragon seemed to slump while the ball of power settled down before Bahamut. Aurelian stared at it in awe, and he could feel his flesh tingling at its mere proximity. Without hesitating, he cast Revelate upon it. Name: Platinum Apex Leviathan Core Shard Type: Mana Core Shard Quality: Transcendent Tier: Apex Leviathan Requirement: Dragon King Description: This is a small shard of the Platinum Core of an Apex Leviathan, the largest and most powerful natural life form to exist in the Realms. There are no descriptions that do it justice. It is power incarnate, and possesses a purity of essence to dwarf even the gods. Special Effects: The Seed of Memory. ¡°Woah,¡± Aurelian said in an awed whisper. ¡°I BEQUEATH TO YOU THE SEED OF MEMORY, MY HEIR. IT IS YOURS BY RIGHT AND BY TRADITION. IN NORMAL TIMES, I WOULD OFFER YOU THE WHOLE OF MY CORE¡ BUT IT HAS BEEN CORRUPTED. INFECTED. TWISTED,¡± Bael¡¯tharax¡¯s voice sounded weaker to Aurelian. Diminished. His eyes lifted to the ancient dragon in alarm, and he saw that even the massive creature¡¯s golden eyes had lost much of their lambent intensity. They were¡ duller. Notably so. ¡°TO GRANT YOU MY FULL CORE WOULD BE TO TRANSFER MY OWN FATAL AFFLICTION TO YOU, AND SO I MUST BEGGAR YOU IN THE PRESENT TO ENSURE YOUR POWER IN THE FUTURE. IT IS YOURS NOW TO CONSUME, AS LIFE MUST RISE FROM DEATH. WHAT LITTLE POWER I CAN GRANT, I GIVE YOU. WHAT LOVE I HAVE LEFT, I PASS TO YOU. YOU ARE MY SPAWN, MY HEIR, MY SON. I ENTRUST TO YOU THE FUTURE, AND ALL THE GREAT SECRETS OF HISTORY THAT HAS PASSED US BY.¡± Aurelian turned to Bahamut, and for the first time over the bond he felt a more complex and breathtaking emotion: grief. It was like a sudden rising tide, as if the young dragon had not known its potency and succumbed to it with a sudden and youthful unpreparedness. The black dragon stepped forward, and looked down upon the shimmering orb of magic, large enough that it was almost half the size of Bahamut himself, and then back up to the watching titan that was Bael¡¯tharax. What must I do, my sire? ¡°CONSUME IT. IT IS YOURS. MY TIME IS ENDED. IT IS NOW FOR YOU TO PROTECT THIS WORLD, AND THE DRAGONS YET UNBORN WITHIN IT,¡± Bael¡¯tharax turned his gaze toward Aurelian, and in that moment the ancient leviathan gave what could almost be justifiably called a draconic smirk with his massive, gargantuan lips and teeth. ¡°YOU HAVE A RIDER THAT IS NOT WHOLLY WORTHLESS, MY HEIR. TOGETHER YOU WILL BOTH ECLIPSE MY OWN ACHIEVEMENTS, AND THOSE OF EVERY DRAGON KING BEFORE. NEVER HAS A PLATINUM DRAGON BEEN BORN TO THE BOND. IT IS A NEW AGE UPON THE REALMS.¡± Aurelian swallowed and turned to Bahamut, who was looking between Bael¡¯tharax and the orb as if hesitant. There was a kind of trepidation across the bond, as if the young dragon were fully feeling the inexperience of his youth. It was easy to forget, given Bahamut¡¯s comparative development, that he had literally been born less than three days ago. Dragon¡¯s gestated to a state of maturity, but gestation was not living. Intellect was not wisdom. I will do what I must. Bahamut said to both Bael¡¯tharax and Aurelian. With my rider. We will do what we must. We will break the gods on their thrones. We will safeguard the Realms. ¡°We will Reclaim what has been lost,¡± Aurelian said with a swell of pride. ¡°We will take back what was stolen, and the Mantle shall once again embrace the people of Terra,¡± he turned to Bael¡¯tharax and smiled. He felt tears in his eyes when the ancient dragon let out a more laboured, relieved sigh that shook the cavern. ¡°I swear it, Bael¡¯tharax. I¡¯ll stand by him for as long as I¡¯m able. I won¡¯t let you down.¡± We will not fail you¡ father. Bahamut waited only until Bael¡¯tharax¡¯s eyes blinked in acceptance, and then with a roar he bent and snapped his jaws shut upon the orb. The instant he did, prismatic light exploded from it and wrapped itself around the dragon¡¯s body; ribbons of power surging outward to slam into his runes with tendrils of singular light that represented each one of the Core magics. Red, blue, brown, white, gold, grey, black, green, and teal light that filled the runes with hues of brilliant energy. Bahamut trembled and Aurelian trembled with him, feeling through their link the sudden heat and energy building within the pony-sized dragon¡¯s body. Aurelian fell forward onto his hands and felt Dragon¡¯s Sanguination and Dragon¡¯s Resolve burn to life, and at the same moment he used Dragon¡¯s Gaze to look upon his bond. Power raged within Bahamut¡¯s body, and to the double-layered vision of his enhanced eyes he watched as each of the dragon¡¯s spines thrummed with energy, releasing a low whomp¡ whomp¡ whomp¡ of echoing and accelerating whines of power that started with a glow at his bottom-most tail spike and rose along the spines on his back with increasing velocity. Platinum light, burning with a near-silver white-gold radiance, ignited the jutting spikes upon Bahamut¡¯s body until the young dragon lifted his head and roared. The roar was a thing of magic, of aetheric force, of raw power that seemed to castigate the shadows for daring to attempt to constrain the radiance of the new dragon king¡¯s inheritance. Aurelian watched his bond¡¯s silhouette grow while the power raged. Aurelian watched it surge within the dragon¡¯s body like a tidal force, blazing through every one of the dragon¡¯s incalculably diverse and alien mana channels. He watched his wings lengthen, his body widen, his limbs and head thicken. He watched the spikes increase in volume and size, and he stared while they split into matched rows racing down his body. The light grew to a blinding intensity, and Aurelian was forced to look away with a shout of absorbed pain while he helped weather for Bahamut the agony that suffused him, much as Bahamut had once done for him. When finally it seemed as if the light would consume them all, it abruptly started to fade and Aurelian chanced another look at his dragon. What he saw stole the breath from his lungs and sent his jaw plummeting in shock. Bahamut had grown. No, not merely grown. He had tripled in size. The dragon that had once been just above Aurelian¡¯s shoulder now towered above him at the height of a medium-scaled elephant. His massive wings flared and his claws dug into the earth, and there was a gravitas to Bahamut¡¯s appearance that he had subtly lacked since his birth. There was a new weight and force to his presence and bearing that Aurelian had only seen once before; in Bael¡¯tharax. He felt for the bond and noticed that it was subtly different too. There was a greater intensity to it now, with an ageless sense of inevitable power that had not been present earlier. The changes were subtle, despite the physical, but they were noticeable in that they were sufficiently different enough to elicit both a conscious, and subconscious realisation of alteration. Aurelian picked himself up and stared up at the raised head of his companion, his own eyes wide with awe at the sheer power that seemed to infuse every inch of Bahamut¡¯s accelerated mass. He walked forward and placed his hand upon the dragon¡¯s neck without hesitation, feeling the thick and corded muscle beneath the beautiful black scales, and the permanent heat that seemed to suffuse every inch of the dragon. When Bahamut lowered his neck to look at him, Aurelian realised with a start that his bond could now use a single eye to face both of his, and that the dragon¡¯s head itself was the size of a rottweiler all on its own. ¡°Wow,¡± Aurelian said with a smile. ¡°You got huge, bud.¡± I feel¡ whole in a way I cannot explain, Aurelian. Bahamut sent back with a mix of consideration and perhaps even mild confusion. What my sire gave me was something essential, something that I never would have realised was missing, but which I now cannot imagine living without. It feels as if I have been granted the final stage of my true birth into the Realms. Aurelian smiled at the dragon¡¯s words, and turned to look at Bael¡¯tharax. He froze when he did. The ancient leviathan continued to watch them, but he no longer lifted his head as high. His breathing was nowhere near as strong. Indeed there was a lethargy to the massive dragon that had never been present before. An ageing, as if Bael¡¯tharax had suddenly felt the weight of every one of his thousands of years of life. ¡°Bael¡¯tharax¡?¡± Aurelian asked hesitantly. Father¡? Bahamut echoed at the same moment. ¡°IT GLADDENS ME TO SEE THE FUTURE GROW BEFORE MY EYES, LITTLE ONES. I HAVE SOARED THESE SKIES, SWUM THESE DEPTHS, AND TRAVELLED THESE LANDS AND THOSE OF EVERY REALM FOR AGES BEYOND COUNT. I HAVE SEEN THE GREATEST OF MORTAL COURAGE, AND THE WORST OF MORTAL GREED.¡± The dragon¡¯s words were laboured but steady, and Aurelian felt a pit forming in his stomach and a tightness in his chest. There was a lump in his throat that made it hard to swallow, and he felt a faint whisper of stinging wetness at the corners of his eyes. ¡°I AM TIRED, YOU SEE. SO VERY TIRED. YET I KNOW I CANNOT REST. NOT YET. NOT UNTIL THE EGGS ARE TRULY SAFE.¡± His gaze, the golden vibrance now replaced by a steadily increasing fade to a somewhat filmy grey turned to Aurelian fully. ¡°IF YOU ARE SUCCESSFUL IN GAINING A WAYGATE, PLACE ONE END OF IT HERE. THE OTHER YOU MUST ONLY ACTIVATE IF YOU SUCCEED IN SECURING THIS SO-CALLED SANCTUARY AND MAKING IT YOUR NEW SEAT OF POWER. IF YOU DO, YOU MUST COME IMMEDIATELY AND TAKE THE EGGS. PLACE THEM SOMEWHERE SAFE. FIND RIDERS TO BOND WITH THEM AS SOON AS IS SENSIBLE.¡± ¡°We will.¡± Aurelian promised. We will scour their souls for even the smallest echo of unworthiness. Bahamut added. ¡°GOOD. THAT IS¡ GOOD. ONCE YOUR COMPANIONS RETURN, YOU WILL NEED TO MAKE HASTE. BAHAMUT¡¯S NEW STRENGTH WILL CARRY YOU TO YOUR DESTINATION, BUT ENSURE YOU¡ DO NOT FAIL TO USE EVERY ADVANTAGE.¡± The old dragon drew in another deep breath before continuing, his eyes unblinking while he took them in. ¡°A RIDER IS AS MUCH DRAGON AS THEY ARE MORTAL, AND DRAGONS ARE NEVER PREY.¡± Aurelian smiled despite himself and stepped forward at the same time as Bahamut, moving closer until he could place a hand on the colossal jaw of the resting dragon¡¯s head, and eventually move closer to spread his arms along it and press his head against the furious heat of Bael¡¯tharax¡¯s scales. On the leviathan¡¯s other side Bahamut pressed against his body, and let loose a low growl of affection. The massive dragon responded with what Aurelian could roughly parse as a low, weak laugh. It shook the entire area. ¡°I HAVE DEFEATED ARMIES, SEEN EMPERORS RISE, SEEN A NATION FALL, AND FELT THE GREAT STING OF BETRAYAL. I HAVE LOVED MORTALS FOR THEIR COURAGE, AND I HAVE LOATHED THEM FOR THEIR WEAKNESS.¡± The ancient dragon¡¯s voice faltered, and he breathed out a low and powerful exhalation. ¡°I HAVE SEen and remembered so much¡ Felt such wonder¡ Dreamt such dreams as I could never describe¡¡± Aurelian felt tears running down his cheek while he listened. ¡°I am proud to know you as the Reclaimer¡ Alexander Crossford.¡± Aurelian¡¯s lip quivered and he buried his face into Bael¡¯tharax¡¯s scales. ¡°And here, at the end, I can truly say I have done my duty and produced a worthy heir.¡± Aurelian felt Bahamut¡¯s grief like a blade against his own heart, and heard the dragon¡¯s own keening cry. ¡°I don¡¯t want to lose you, gramps.¡± Aurelian whispered against the dragon¡¯s scales. ¡°It is¡ alright¡ little ones¡¡± Bael¡¯tharax murmured in a bass rumble. ¡°Though I only wish¡ I could have seen¡ the sky¡ one¡ last¡ time¡¡± Bael¡¯tharax¡¯s breath left his massive body, and the Last Leviathan breathed no more. B1 | Chapter 64: End of an Era Aurelian stood in silence with Bahamut while Tarixi looked out at the lifeless majesty of Bael¡¯tharax¡¯s body. Already parts of it had disintegrated, and started breaking down into particulate chunks of unaspected mana that diffused into the air like glittering shards of sparkling diamond. Tears still slid now-and-then from the corners of his eyes, but the steadying presence of the newly enlarged Bahamut allowed him to weather much of the grief in stoic silence. The now-larger dragon was laying upon the floor with his head lifted, watching the disintegration of Bael¡¯tharax¡¯s body in something approaching acceptance and curiosity both. The lingering presence of the old leviathan had long-since faded, but some echo of his warmth and power resided within Bahamut in a way that Aurelian couldn¡¯t quite quantify. It gave him comfort, though, to feel it humming quietly within their shared link. I did not expect an Echo to be so emotional. Bahamut admitted to Aurelian. You didn¡¯t know what an Echo was until you hatched a few days ago. We dragons process and understand such concepts far more swiftly, you see. Bahamut responded with a hint of ruffled pride. My point stands however. Her grief is surprising. I don¡¯t think it should be. Echo or not, she knew Bael¡¯tharax better than either of us. Aurelian pointed out. She went dormant with him alive, if wounded, and emerged to find him lifeless. I assume they already said their goodbyes, but it still must have shocked her. I cannot blame her for her reaction. I suppose not. Bahamut conceded. Though it is still a little odd to see a spectre weep. No argument here. Aurelian sent back with a patting of the dragon¡¯s obsidian scales. Tarixi¡¯s hovering form turned to them at last when they concluded their conversation, and she drifted toward them while wiping her large eyes with spectral fingers, and drawing in a simulated shuddering breath. ¡°The old lizard warned me he¡¯d go before I did. I didn¡¯t think he meant this quickly,¡± she said with a sad smile. ¡°He was never one to waste time, though.¡± ¡°I enjoyed telling him about my former life,¡± Aurelian said with a returned smile. ¡°It was gratifying to see his excitement at all the things I took for granted.¡± ¡°I believe he especially enjoyed your tale of gigantic flying boxes.¡± Tarixi agreed. ¡°Aeroplanes? Yeah. I think he did, too.¡± Bewildering use of technology, when you could simply grow wings. Bahamut snorted. Tarixi glanced at the dragon in question at his snort, and then back to Aurelian. Aurelian just shook his head. ¡°Bahamut is just being a dragon,¡± he said by way of explanation. ¡°We can ignore that for now. I¡¯m actually curious about something else: the Animus Engine.¡± ¡°I am glad you activated it without argument,¡± Tarixi said with a nod. ¡°It will serve your purposes well.¡± ¡°You didn¡¯t explain your plan in full, though. I understand I can probably farm experience killing the mobs it pulls, but¡ª¡± ¡°Farm exp¡ª?¡± ¡°Use them as leverage for faster levelling,¡± he said instead. ¡°Ah,¡± she said with a look of realisation. ¡°I see. Yes. You were not speaking literally of creating a system of husbandry through which to gain experience.¡± ¡°No I wasn¡¯t, although¡¡± Aurelian trailed off while thoughts of Skarnid farms entered his mind. ¡°Absolutely not,¡± Tarixi said flatly. ¡°And before you even begin another mad argument in favour, you told me you received a title, trait, and skill? Show them to me.¡± Aurelian smiled wryly at her pre-emptive interjection of his argument and acquiesced to her demand with a flex of will. Name: Mantle Bearer Type: Title Rarity: Unique Description: You are the bearer of the Mantle, as chosen by the Dragon King and last Mantle Bearer. Yours is the task of unity and the burden of the Uniter. You are the leader of all those that seek collective safety, and the right to self-determination through their own combined will. Yours is the duty of the shepherd, the guide, the monarch, or the tyrant. Only you may decide your path. Effects: +2 to all Attributes per level, +35% Charisma. Special Effects: As the Mantle Bearer, you gain access to the Skill Oathforger and are granted the trait of Uniter. Name: Oathforger Type: Spirit Skill Rarity: Legendary Level: 1 Tier: Beginner Description: This skill allows you to forge Oaths of binding fealty between yourself and those who willingly offer you their service, those that recite any oaths set as an automatic trigger, and even between two people outside of yourself. These oaths are bound to the Soulforce of the Oathsworn, and are terminable by you, or them, within the framework of allowable termination as defined by the forged Oath. Name: Uniter Type: Trait Rarity: Unique Description: You are the Uniter. You are the gatherer of the disparate. In you lies the potential for a truly unified and defended Prime Material, safe from the predations of any higher creatures that would see the mortal races subjugated or enslaved. You are the beacon of regal valour, the incarnation of intimidation, and benevolent tyrant of all the mortal Realms¡ should you so choose. Effects: You gain +35% Charisma, +20% Mind Skill XP, +50% Charisma Skill Effectiveness. Special Effects: You are a natural-born leader. You are the chosen leader under the auspices of the Dragon King. You may never kneel to another, give fealty to another, or surrender your autonomy to another. Dragons bow to none but their King, and you are marked as his contemporary. Aurelian watched Tarixi scan over his new title, skill, and trait in silence. The more she read, the more her brow furrowed until the goblin finally slashed a hand through the air and threw up her small arms. ¡°Insanity! It has all the hallmarks of a Dragon¡¯s skill. The sheer arrogance and pride woven into the description¡¡± She turned to shoot a glare at Bael¡¯tharax¡¯s corpse. ¡°I would wager the old lizard thought it hilarious when he first granted it out. Damn dragons.¡± There was no true heat to her voice when she said it, and for all that she was technically ranting, Aurelian sensed only amusement and agreement from Bahamut. His bond had taken it as a compliment. ¡°So are you going to tell me why I activated the Animus Engine, Tarixi?¡± Aurelian asked with a raised eyebrow. ¡°I¡¯d prefer not to be left in needless suspense.¡± ¡°Very well.¡± the goblin agreed while turning to face him. ¡°The purpose of the engine was to woo???o?????r???r????r????r????\????\???\????+????+???+?????#?????$?????$?????&??????????????????¡± Aurelian winced and staggered back at the sudden dissonant screech of horrible sound from Tarixi, and Bahamut snarled at his side while fixing his golden eyes on the Echo. After a moment the goblin flickered out, and then reappeared with a look of focus, and the oddest sense of fraying. She seemed¡ less whole, somehow. Ever-so-slightly diminished. Had Aurelian not increased his perception so prodigiously he may never have caught it. ¡°Tarixi? Is something wrong?¡± ¡°Nothing I was not expecting.¡± the goblin said with a shake of her head. ¡°I fear it may mean we are running out of time, however, so please listen well.¡± Aurelian opened his mouth to object and Tarixi immediately fixed him with a hard glare while planting her tiny fists on her hips, and hovering forward to loom over him. Despite the urge to laugh at the mirth he felt seeing her in such a position, Aurelian nonetheless took the hint and closed his mouth to let her speak. Bahamut made his amusement at the exchange known with a grunt from Aurelian¡¯s right. Unauthorized content usage: if you discover this narrative on Amazon, report the violation. ¡°As I was saying,¡± Tarixi said with another stern look for both of them, ¡°the purpose of the engine is to work the unaspected ambient mana within the air into Nature and Life mana, which is then used to saturate and embolden the growth of all land, flora, fauna, and peoples within its scope. Given the size of the Animus Engine in the palace, this includes all of Albion and several hundred leagues outside of it as well.¡± ¡°That¡¯s a large chunk of the Desolation, I¡¯m guessing.¡± ¡°It covered about a third of Elysea, so I¡¯d assume so.¡± Tarixi agreed. ¡°However, that is not why I told you to activate it. The moment you did, not only did you begin the process of helping repair the damage done by Absolum and Eidania did to Elysea itself; but you also drew all manner of creatures, of every conceivable level of power, toward the palace.¡± ¡°And you don¡¯t want me to kill them for experience¡?¡± ¡°I never said that,¡± Tarixi said with a sigh. ¡°I simply objected to any ideas of monster rearing as a pastime. What you need to do, Aurelian, is leverage your new Anima abilities through those creatures. Kill them, drain them, and then raise them.¡± Now that is interesting. Bahamut said from beside him approvingly. ¡°I never considered that¡¡± Aurelian admitted. ¡°I still haven¡¯t really got a handle on this Anima stuff.¡± ¡°Because you have not had the chance to practise,¡± Tarixi said agreeably. ¡°Which is what you shall have plenty of once you depart this complex. The moment Karsys and Zylara return, you must use Oathforger to bind them to your new mantle, and then depart for the world outside.¡± ¡°Bahamut won¡¯t fit through the¡ª¡± ¡°He will fit. Do not fret. He has been holding out on you, after all,¡± she turned her gaze to the dragon. ¡°Dragons, you see, are natural shapeshifters.¡± Aurelian blinked at her words, and then turned a questioning eye on Bahamut. The dragon growled and turned his head away in what Aurelian could only call a pout. It is demeaning to think about. ¡°Bahamut,¡± Aurelian said sternly. Do you have any idea how embarrassing it would be if anyone discovered that I, the great Dragon King, were to transform into a lesser creature? ¡°Bahamut.¡± The dragon growled again and flared his wings in the equivalent gesture of throwing his arms up in surrender. Very well! Fine! I shall lock my mass within a dimensional pocket and construct a mana simulacrum to control with my Soulforce. ¡°Oh,¡± Aurelian said flatly. ¡°Is that all?¡± Yes. The dragon said sourly. ¡°And controlling this simulacrum, does that put you at any kind of risk?¡± ¡°It removes the defences of his draconic body.¡± Tarixi supplied before Bahamut could answer, her large eyes peering with an echo of fondness at the now-large¡ªcompared to her and Aurelian at least¡ªdragon. ¡°They place their Soulforce into an animus container, like a simulacrum of sorts indeed, and control it much like a puppet master. The mass of their body remains locked within a pocket dimension tied to their will, and accessible only by them. When they choose to return to their normal selves, their mass is returned and their draconic body is reacquired in moments.¡± ¡°But the risk?¡± Aurelian pressed. ¡°His Soulforce will be at far greater risk than if he were still within his draconic body, yes,¡± she admitted. ¡°And he would not benefit from the various powers and protections his specific Dragon King form grants him. It would be a terrible idea outside of these particular circumstances. Certainly, he cannot sustain any such form in a place of such corruptive malignance as the Desolation. It would stain his Soulforce.¡± As if I would even consider such a thing! Bahamut sent with a growl. ¡°I don¡¯t think that¡¯ll be a problem. He seems to hate the whole idea of this,¡± Aurelian said with a look of exasperated amusement for his bond. ¡°Dragons do not like the idea of hiding their nature,¡± Tarixi said with equal amusement, ¡°and especially not their Kings.¡± The majesty of my form is perfection! It should be celebrated in all things! ¡°You have an ego bigger than your father was,¡± Aurelian said with a shake of his head, and a sad glance at Bael¡¯tharax¡¯s still-diffusing corpse. He had contemplated, for but a moment, the idea of absorbing the fleeing mana¡ but as Tarixi had rightly pointed out, the risk of tainting himself with Justinian¡¯s counterstroke was too prominent. He couldn¡¯t afford to be rendered insensate, nor dramatically weakened, with his plan for farming monsters. ¡°Aurelian, you shoo???????o?????u????u???????u?????u?????\??????\???????\?????\?????$????&???^?????%??????)??????(?????+??????+???+????¡± Aurelian snapped his eyes to Tarixi when her projection garbled and twisted again, and for a moment she once more winked out of existence. ¡°What the hell?¡± he muttered. I believe that is a sign that something is very wrong. Bahamut suggested. ¡°Yeah, but what? Unless she¡ª...¡± Aurelian trailed off and forced himself to take a breath. Dragon¡¯s Resolve roared to life within his mind, and he swallowed against a sudden lump in his throat. A surge of sympathy came from Bahamut, but Aurelian knew intrinsically that the dragon would not share his grief this time. There was a detachment from the goblin for Bahamut that Aurelian could have never emulated. His bond saw her more as a curiosity than a person, and while the reality of that didn¡¯t fully seem right to him, he understood that it was a fundamental difference of who they were. Bahamut saw her as amalgamated magic. Aurelian saw her as a person. Tarixi reappeared a moment later, and Aurelian could immediately tell something was very wrong. The usually transparent spectral Goblin had failed to properly solidify several parts of herself with the ¡®hardlight¡¯ appearance she normally held, and some edges of her projection were outright blurry or missing. ¡°How long do you have?¡± he asked quietly. ¡°Not long.¡± Tarixi admitted with a small smile. ¡°I had wanted to tell you, but¡¡± ¡°I get it,¡± Aurelian said thickly, and while swallowing back a shuddering breath. ¡°It isn¡¯t fair though, you know. First the old man and now you. Can¡¯t¡ª¡± he took a moment to breathe before continuing ¡°¡ªcan¡¯t keep hitting a guy like this where he doesn¡¯t expect it. It¡¯s just rude.¡± ¡°You have my apologies, Aurelian,¡± Tarixi said in her usual tone of wry amusement, though it was faintly discordant at the edges. ¡°I didn¡¯t intend to cause you undue distress.¡± ¡°Ah, come on,¡± he said with a watery smile, ¡°you know me. I¡¯m a trooper.¡± ¡°You should not be so distressed,¡± Tarixi said gently. ¡°I was never really alive, Aurelian.¡± Aurelian peered at her for a long moment, and then shrugged helplessly. ¡°You were to me. You were the first person I met in this world. The first person to help me feel a little less lost, and a little more¡ worthy of my new life. You showed me kindness, compassion¡¡± He reached up to wipe the tears from his eyes. ¡°God, Tarixi, you were like a cool Aunt the entire time we spent together. It meant a lot. Means a lot. You mean a lot. To me.¡± He hated the stop-and-start nature of his speech, but it was difficult to parse his thoughts. Grief was clouding his judgement slightly, even with Dragon¡¯s Resolve burning in the background. He wanted to feel what he did. It seemed right. A way to honour the Goblin¡¯s spirit. ¡°I knew this was going to happen sooner or later,¡± Tarixi said with a smile. ¡°I am simply glad it happened after I had the chance to find your mettle, and guide you along the right path,¡± she hesitated and glanced behind her at Bael¡¯tharax¡¯s still-disintegrating body. ¡°With help, I suppose.¡± ¡°With help.¡± Aurelian agreed with a shaky smile. ¡°I¡¯m¡ I¡¯m gonna miss you. Both of you. Like, a lot. I¡¯d resurrect you if I could but¡ª¡± ¡°I would not ask you to, regardless,¡± Tarixi said with a shake of her head. ¡°I made my peace with all this, Aurelian. You let me do that. I¡¯m ready to let go,¡± she smiled a little wistfully. ¡°I¡¯m ready to move on and see my friends again.¡± ¡°I¡ I won¡¯t let you down, y¡¯know?¡± he said while surrendering to the tears fighting at his eyes, and letting them roll free. ¡°I won¡¯t. I¡¯ll make you proud, Tarixi. I¡¯ll honour your memory. I won¡¯t let those wankers at Sanctuary treat your people like shit because of some stupid and idiotic misconception.¡± ¡°I appreciate your vigour, Aurelian,¡± Tarixi said with a smile that flickered like a failing hologram. ¡°I did no?????o????o?????o????t???? ????3????x???\????\????3???c???t????!????!??????? the integrity of my Gem to fail so rapidly. I suppose it has been running non-stop, however.¡± Aurelian winced at the discordant interruption of her speech, and the fraying of her projection. ¡°Is there anything else I can¡ª?¡± ¡°You did enough, Aurelian,¡± Tarixi said gently. ¡°You gave me hope. You validated my sacrifice. You showed me that my faith was not misplaced, and that Elysea will rise again. Whether it takes a decade or a century, I have faith you will see it done¡ and even if you do not, then we had a chance. A good chance. Tha????a????a???a???@????7????!????!????5????? ???\????\???+????+????&?????*?????(?????=?????=??? ???m???o???st can say.¡± Aurelian reached up and wiped his eyes at her words, and nodded his head. ¡°I understand. Ugh. I have got to stop crying over things,¡± he said with an embarrassed laugh. Bahamut lifted his head and nudged him, but said nothing. The hum of support through the bond delivered his sentiment perfectly. Tarixi, for her part, actually shook her head. ¡°No, Aurelian. Not all tears are evil. Grief is n?o?t??? ???a??? ???w???e?a?k?ness. Pray tha???t??? ???y???\?????\????0????+????+?????%???&????? ?????9????/???/????=?????%?????$?????#??? ???o???n???to that, that you can cry when you must. A hard heart is one unaccustomed to empathy, and for a being of your eventual power, that wo?u?l????d???? ????b????e ?a? ?m?ost terrible development.¡± Aurelian nodded again and took a deep, calming breath while attempting to compose himself. ¡°You should rest, Tarixi. I don¡¯t want you to go in pain, and I can see you grimacing.¡± ¡°I¡ thank you, Aurelian,¡± she said with a quiet smile. ¡°I do have one last piece of advice, though.¡± ¡°Please. I¡¯m listening.¡± ¡°Trus?t? ?y?o?u?r? ?i?n?stincts. Trust yo?u?r? ?g?ut. Mos?t? ?i?m?p?o?rtantly, do not? ?t?r?y? ?t?o? ?d?o things as? ?t?h?e?y? ?w?e?r?e? ?d?o?ne before. Remem?b?e?r?,? ?w?e? ?f?a?i?led. We lost. T?a?k?e? ?a?d?v?i?c?e?,? ?t?a?ke inspiratio?n?,? ?b?u?t? ?d?o not forget that you? ?a?r?e? ?t?h?e Rec???l???a???i???mer. You b?e?a?r? ?t?h?e? ?Mantle,¡± she smiled at him. ¡°You a?r?e? ?t?h?e? ?S?e?c?ond Ca?????l????a???m?????i????t????y.¡± ¡°I will, Tarixi. I promise.¡± ¡°Go?od?,¡± she said quietly. ¡°Go?o?d?.? I¡ªI ?t?h?i?i???n???k??? ???I???¡¯???m???¡??? ???g???o???ing??? ???t???o???¡??? ???r???es???t¡???n?ow?.?.?.?¡± Aurelian watched her projection flicker, and felt the lump in his throat double in size. ¡°I will never forget you, Tarixi Firesoul,¡± he said while her image blurred. ¡°Not for all the days that I remain. The world will know what you did, and of the pride and honour of the entire Goblin race. I¡¯ll make sure nobody ever mistakes your people for anything less than the heroes they are, ever again. I swear it to you, on my honour as the Reclaimer.¡± ¡°T???h???.???.???.??? ???a???n???k???.???.???.??? ???y???o???u???.???.???.??? ???A???u???r???.???.???.??? ???e???l???i???.???.???.??? ???a???n???.???.???.???¡± Tarixi replied discordantly, before finally fading from sight. His eyes turned toward the Simulacrum pillar, and he watched in silence with Bahamut at his side while Tarixi¡¯s gem flickered, blinked, and finally faded once more to a dull ruby. Then, at last, they were alone. A man and his dragon witnessing the silent end of an ancient era. B1 | Chapter 65: Respects and Upgrades Aurelian stepped back and examined his work once he was done, brushing off armoured hands and nodding in satisfaction. In front of him lay a large slab of granite that Bahamut had helped him extract, and on its surface in what he intrinsically understood to be common was etched a simple message.
Here lies Bael¡¯tharax, King of Dragons. Here lies Tarixi Firesoul, Magistrix of Elysea. In life they were heroes, and friends to the meek. In death they are examples of selfless honour. May we never forget their most noble sacrifice.¡°What do you think?¡± he asked Bahamut without looking at the dragon, who was himself perched beside Aurelian and resting on his belly. Ever since the increase in his size, Bahamut had been less inclined to stand or move as much, and when queried, the large dragon had answered that he simply felt more comfortable sitting still. Aurelian, however, had his own theory; the size increase had brought with it a kind of clumsiness which Bahamut disparaged. The dragon was not, he suspected, fully used to his new and sudden near-tripling in size. At the scale now of a moderate sized elephant, the dragon was a truly formidable and awe-inspiring sight when compared to the large dog frame he¡¯d had as a hatchling. He was still smaller than even one of Bael¡¯tharax¡¯s massive claws, but large compared to Aurelian. It is appropriate. Bahamut said after several long moments of silent contemplation. Somewhat primitive, but not in a manner that infers disrespect. I approve, Aurelian. ¡°Cool,¡± Aurelian said with a pat on the dragon¡¯s head, and a scratch between his forward-facing horns that drew a delighted growl of pleasure from the massive reptile. ¡°Now we just need to wait for Zylara and Karsys to arrive, and then we can get out of here.¡± Why not simply go intercept them? ¡°The Waygate,¡± Aurelian said with a glance at Bahamut. ¡°The eggs are just sitting here, bud. We need to make sure we have a fast way to get back to them, and I don¡¯t plan on leaving them unguarded either.¡± What is your intention? Aurelian nodded to the Simulacrum Generator when he answered. ¡°I¡¯m going to use both of our mana pools to charge that up, and hope that the Animus Engine keeps it going afterward. Tarixi implied it would, and I¡¯m hoping that a small legion of armoured knights and mages will be enough security until we get back.¡± A thoughtful use of the technology. Bahamut sent approvingly. What is your plan if the generator fails to maintain the Simulacrums? ¡°Hopefully we can check in on the eggs at least once a day. Bael¡¯tharax didn¡¯t say anything about how often we could use the Waygate, so once we figure that out, we can plan from there.¡± You have given this a lot of thought. Aurelian turned to Bahamut and grinned. ¡°Well yeah. Those eggs are all future dragons, bud. You think I don¡¯t want them on our side? My plan is to go to Sanctuary, see what I can do about making it safe for the eggs, and then find riders to bond with them ASAP.¡± ASAP? ¡°As Soon As Possible,¡± he explained. Hm. I like this ¡®ASAP.¡¯ ¡°It¡¯s useful,¡± Aurelian agreed while turning to walk toward the Simulacrum Generator. ¡°Now come on, let¡¯s supercharge this thing with mana while we wait. I authorised Karsys and Zylara to access the armoury a while ago, but they could still be ages away. We should infuse as much magic into this thing as possible.¡± Why are the necessary measures always so dull? ¡°Because while Isekai doesn¡¯t like to tell you about how much time you have to sit around waiting, it is nonetheless a large part of actual reality.¡± Aurelian answered wryly. Are you ever going to elucidate on this ¡®Isekai¡¯ you keep referencing? Bahamut questioned while lifting himself up and, true to Aurelian¡¯s private theory, very carefully manoeuvring himself over toward the Simulacrum Generator. The awkward lack of surety in the dragon¡¯s gait was a perfect demonstration of the body discomfort Aurelian had postulated. They¡¯d need to work him through that quickly, he reasoned, before it became less funny and more of a liability. ¡°We¡¯ve got time, I suppose. I¡¯ll start with the core concepts and then we can talk about some of my favourite stories.¡± That sounds agreeable. ¡°Yeah? Just wait until you hear about some of my favourites.¡± Which are? ¡°Masterpieces,¡± Aurelian said, and then launched into an explanation of Isekai. As Aurelian had expected, it lasted hours. * * * * * Aurelian looked over the small cadre of ten Simulacrums he¡¯d created at the highest level¡ª74 and the peak of Adept Tier¡ªthe generator had allowed: five armoured knights, three more lightly armoured spellcasters, and two spellblades designed around the idea of quick-moving melee spellcasters. It had been a tricky thing to decide how to create them, as well as figuring out the exact limitations in both dimension and density. He¡¯d settled for a height of around eight feet, for the knights, seven for the spellblades, and six for the spellcasters. He wanted the casters to be the most nimble to stay at range, the knights to be able to confront any monsters or unexpectedly powerful visitors, and the spellblades to be able to find a good balance between both. ¡°I guess that¡¯ll have to do,¡± he said with a glance at Bahamut, who was staring at the constructs with bright golden eyes. It will suffice. They barely do more than vaguely obscure the eggs, but I suppose it will be enough. ¡°I definitely wanted more, but the ten-Simulacrum limit is a little frustrating in that regard.¡± We will make do with what we have. Bahamut agreed. The cave itself is largely protection enough. ¡°I don¡¯t want to trust that fully, but it¡¯ll do for now,¡± Aurelian said with a nod. ¡°Now we just need to wait for¡ª¡± They¡¯re approaching, Aurelian. Aurelian turned to the dragon and noticed his head was directed behind them, toward where Karsys and Zylara had vanished hours ago. A quick shift of his own body followed, and Aurelian grinned abruptly at the sight of their new companions emerging with a massive satchel on each of their backs, and what appeared to be new weapons and familiar-looking silver platemail as well. ¡°Aurelian! Where is Bael¡¯tharax? And, by the Mantle, Bahamut is huge!¡± Karsys exclaimed. The tale has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the violation. ¡°Welcome back,¡± Aurelian said warmly and without initially answering his question. ¡°I was a bit worried you¡¯d see the armoury and be unable to resist looting the whole thing.¡± Karsys laughed at his words and shook his head. ¡°You jest, Aurelian. The whole thing? The vault is enormous. It would take us days just to catalogue everything.¡± ¡°And longer to load even a tenth of it in any major capacity.¡± Zylara agreed when the two came to a halt nearby. ¡°But you never answered our question, where did Bael¡¯tharax¡ª?¡± ¡°The last leviathan has passed on,¡± Aurelian said with a slight catch in his throat, though Dragon¡¯s Resolve helped it remain only a slight catch. ¡°As has Tarixi. We¡ we are alone now.¡± ¡°Clearly not entirely alone.¡± Zylara said with a canny eye for the looming Simulacrums nearby. ¡°What is that behind th¡ª?¡± ¡°Do not ask anything more.¡± Aurelian cut in firmly. ¡°Not a word. I can¡¯t take the risk that you two might be MK-Ultra¡¯d somehow when we get back to Sanctuary, and I¡¯d rather you both have plausible deniability.¡± ¡°Aurelian, what¡ª?¡± ¡°Please, Karsys. Just trust me. It¡¯s best if you don''t know yet.¡± Both human and elf peered at him, then at each other, and finally back to him. They nodded, albeit with clear dissatisfaction. ¡°I know it¡¯s frustrating, and it isn¡¯t a matter of trust in either of you, but like I said¡ I can¡¯t take the risk you two aren¡¯t going to be exposed to some sort of tell-all truth serum.¡± ¡°Ah, is that what ¡®MK-Ultra¡¯ is?¡± Karsys enquired. ¡°It¡¯s¡ yeah, sure,¡± Aurelian said with a shake of his head and a dismissive wave of his hand. He didn¡¯t have the time or energy to really explain the nuances. ¡°Let¡¯s go with that. Meanwhile¡ let¡¯s see what you picked up, huh?¡± Both glanced at each other again but seemed to accept it as what he assumed would be ¡®Nephilim weirdness¡¯ in their minds. Instead of pressing the matter they both swung down their satchels, and then proudly demonstrated their weapons and armour. ¡°Go ahead.¡± Zylara said proudly. ¡°Use Ana¡ªRevelate. We¡¯re eager for you to see.¡± Amused despite the tension a moment prior, Aurelian complied and checked their new gear starting with Zylara. Revelate! Name: Elysean Auxiliary¡¯s Crest Type: Elysean Recurve Runebow Quality: Epic Tier: Initiate Requirement: Reclaimer¡¯s Blessing (Pending) Description: This runebow has been forged from manawood. In lieu of a string, this runebow generates arrows of the elemental affinity of its wielder, and fires them with speed based on the potency of the wielder¡¯s mana and strength, with accuracy dependent on the wielder¡¯s dexterity. Imbued with the Elysean mastery of runic choirs, and gifted with preternatural durability and flexibility; this weapon will regenerate even from being shattered so long as its wielder lives. Effects: This bow can never be lost or stolen, and may be summoned back to the wielder¡¯s hand at the cost of 50 mana over the course of ten heartbeats. Special Effects: The arrows fired by this bow pierce through any target of Initiate Tier or lower. Name: Legio Initiate¡¯s Platemail Type: Armour Quality: Rare Tier: Initiate Requirement: Initiate Tier Strength (25), Reclaimer¡¯s Blessing (Pending) Description: This set of platemail is standardised for all Legiones of the Elysean Empire. It has been enchanted to fit the body of whomever wears it, so long as they have appropriate permissions to do so, and to repair itself from anything less than total destruction. Maximum repair time: 72 hours. Special Effects: This armour will mimic the thematic appearance of its wearer¡¯s Runeweapon. ¡°Not a bad upgrade, Zylara,¡± Aurelian said with a smile for the elven archer. ¡°I see you decided to mimic my drip.¡± ¡°Your what?¡± she asked with a confused look. ¡°...my armour,¡± Aurelian said while his cheeks flushed with embarrassment. ¡°Drip is a nuanced term referring to fashionable or really stylish attire, it¡ªnevermind. Forget I said¡ª¡± ¡°Drip.¡± Zylara said as if testing the word. ¡°Hmm. I think I like it. It is not unlike the saying ¡®dripping with charisma¡¯, I think.¡± ¡°I agree.¡± Karsys said with a grin. ¡°Drip! I like it,¡± he gave Aurelian a thumbs up, a gesture he¡¯d taught them both. ¡°I approve of your drip, Aurelian.¡± My scales are the best drip in the Realms. Bahamut declared proudly in his mind. Aurelian wanted to cut out his own tongue. ¡°Anyway¡¡± he said while trying desperately to veer away from the topic, ¡°let¡¯s have a look at what you scored, Karsys.¡± Revelate! Name: Elysean Auxiliary¡¯s Crest Type: Elysean Flanged Runemace Quality: Epic Tier: Initiate Requirement: Reclaimer¡¯s Blessing (Pending) Description: This runemace has been forged from aetherian steel and built to synergise with a runeshield in synergy. Upon proper synergy, both weapons will count as a single crest. Imbued with the Elysean mastery of runic choirs, and gifted with preternatural durability; this weapon will regenerate even from being shattered so long as its wielder lives. Effects: This runemace can never be lost or stolen, and may be summoned back to the wielder¡¯s hand at the cost of 50 mana over the course of ten heartbeats. Special Effects: Blows from this runemace will passively draw the ire of anyone struck by it whose Willpower Attribute is lower than the Charisma Attribute of its wielder. Name: Elysean Auxiliary¡¯s Crest Type: Elysean Runeshield Quality: Epic Tier: Initiate Requirement: Reclaimer¡¯s Blessing (Pending) Description: This runeshield has been forged from aetherian steel and built to synergise with a main-handed weapon in synergy. Upon proper synergy, both weapons will count as a single crest. Imbued with the Elysean mastery of runic choirs, and gifted with preternatural durability; this weapon will regenerate even from being shattered so long as its wielder lives. Effects: This runeshield can never be lost or stolen, and may be summoned back to the wielder¡¯s hand at the cost of 50 mana over the course of ten heartbeats. Special Effects: Any blows against this shield by people or objects at Initiate Tier or lower will have their kinetic force redirected back at them. Name: Legio Decurion¡¯s Platemail Type: Armour Quality: Rare Tier: Adept Requirement: Adept Tier Strength (50), Reclaimer¡¯s Blessing (Pending) Description: This set of platemail is standardised for all Legiones of the Elysean Empire. It has been enchanted to fit the body of whomever wears it, so long as they have appropriate permissions to do so, and to repair itself from anything less than total destruction. Maximum repair time: 72 hours. Special Effects: This armour will mimic the thematic appearance of its wearer¡¯s Runeweapon. Bahamut Rough Concept Art (Runes and Horns are wrong) B1 | Chapter 66: Force of Nature Eluviale had always prided herself on being a calm, cool, and collected woman when things mattered most. Be it dungeon dives, expeditions into the Desolation, or being part of the Inheritors and all the burdens and responsibilities that came with that role. She had been, in one shape or another, the iron rock upon which her companions, friends, and party members had been able to lean. Whether it was as a friend, an advisor, a healer, or a lover; Eluviale had happily been ready to assist. She had spent her life being the eye of the storm, and always ensuring that the task at hand was handled¡ªor that the pressing objective, whatever it may have been, was given the due focus it deserved. She was honed, precise, unruffled, and veritably unshakeable outside of her private admittances to her beloved Antony. All of these things defined her, made her who she was, and kept her grounded and secure in a world that was, ostensibly, designed to endlessly trial its people. Which was why, in that moment, the sudden loss of her composure shook her to the core. ¡°Hello, Eluviale.¡± Those words, spoken from the mouth of a woman years dead, had destroyed all sense of composure or calm that Eluviale had laid claim to. Those words, delivered from the lips of a friend, a mentor, a leader, a hero had been enough that she had very nearly let her legs go to jelly. Vasilia was alive. Vasilia was alive. ¡°I¡ I don¡¯t know what to say¡¡± It was true in ways she could barely begin to express. Eluviale stared at the Adamantine Maiden, standing in front of her in the flesh, and her heart thundered in her breast. Vasilia was alive, and Eluviale had used her Empyrean Elucidation to manipulate her daughter. Worse, she had done so while weaponising Vasilia¡¯s own memory as a means to get through to the princess, and encourage her growing trust and affection. It was something that, with anyone else, Eluviale would have been confident she could explain away or distract them from with chiding. With anyone else, she could have even used the skill on them to ensure that there were limited, or even no consequences for her actions. It was one of the benefits of being able to twist and turn emotions the way she wanted, with her insights. Vasilia was not anyone else. Vasilia was force of will made manifest. ¡°I see you¡¯re still travelling with Antony,¡± the High Justicar¡ªthe title still made Eluviale¡¯s head spin, though she was hardly surprised¡ªsaid while looking at the half-orc, who was staring at Vasilia with a similar level of awe and dread. The woman¡¯s soulforce was not only as potent as it had been before, it was moreso. Eluviale felt it like a noose around her neck, just waiting for the command to snap it in half. Vasilia¡¯s power might have even eclipsed Bjorn. ¡°Of¡ªof course,¡± Eluviale said with completely sincere shock, ¡°I could never leave the¡¡± she felt her words die in her throat, and struggled to keep herself from gaping like a fish. The absurdity of it all was just too much. Any chance for composure had fled the moment she¡¯d been noticed. She still remembered, when Vasilia had appeared, what her reaction had been¡ªand the conversation that had ensued.
Eluviale had been standing with Antony, Marcus, and Delsie in subtle conversation while the exchange between Lycinia and Charlemagne proceeded, and was careful to keep her voice as low as possible to avoid being detected. Theirs had hardly been the only group having a quiet discourse, but theirs was one that could land them in jeopardy if it were discovered by the wrong people. ¡°...no way it can just have existed here for all this time without us knowing,¡± Marcus was saying in a flummoxed and furious whisper, ¡°an entire civilisation of Elyseans? A whole Successor Empire in the middle of the Desolation? It¡¯s insane!¡± ¡°It does make some sort of sense, however,¡± Delsie had said with a thoughtful nod. ¡°The Last Imperator was recorded to be outstandingly foresighted, and that gaudy fellow in front of the throne proclaimed the Imperator was the one that put this whole plan together. I can believe this to be the result of Lucius Tollarius¡¯ planning.¡± ¡°Which still doesn¡¯t explain how we didn¡¯t know!¡± Marcus had hissed back as quietly as his disbelief would allow. Eluviale had also been able to tell, passively, that the Seraii was not just angry¡ªbut also shaken, and even a little terrified. Compared to the Sanctuary, the Inheritors were little more than a costumed brigade of angry rabble rousers, truthfully. Certainly they had presence and position within the Ascendancy, but it was a microcosm of strength comparatively. ¡°One of them flattened the Storm¡¯s Blade, too.¡± Antony had pointed out grimly. ¡°Yeah, and how the fuck does that make sense?¡± Marcus had demanded. ¡°Clearly, he must have been Expert or even Master Tier,¡± Delsie postulated idly. ¡°Which would infer that the Sanctuary, as they call it¡ª¡± ¡°¡ªis vastly superior to us in Cultivation, and in resources as well.¡± Antony finished grimly. ¡°Even out here in the Desolation. Did you feel what that kelpas fruit did?¡± ¡°It was wonderful!¡± Delsie had agreed with her usual lack of situational awareness. ¡°It was horrifying,¡± Marcus had countermanded. ¡°They¡¯re raised on that stuff! Raised on it! The sheer insanity of that is¡ª¡± ¡°Enough, Marcus.¡± Eluviale had cut in finally, and before the Seraii could forget to remember to be quiet. ¡°I can feel your anger and hysteria building with every word.¡± Her companions had looked to her when she¡¯d spoken, and Marcus¡¯ expression had turned sour. ¡°I hate it when you use that Empyrean wytchery on me,¡± he¡¯d grumbled. ¡°You sound like the Anointed,¡± Antony had snorted softly. ¡°It¡¯s not fair to know exactly what to say and when to say it,¡± the spy-scout-assassin had groused. ¡°Arguing with your wife is like fighting someone with your hands tied and eyes covered.¡± ¡°So be glad she¡¯s your ally, Marcus, and not your enemy.¡± Antony had noted, and then turned to face Eluviale with complete trust in his gaze. ¡°What¡¯s our plan, beloved?¡± The author''s narrative has been misappropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon. ¡°We wait,¡± she had stated without hesitation. ¡°We wait and we watch. We need more information, and besides which, there¡¯s another wrinkle: if this truly is the lawful Elysean Successor State¡ª¡± Marcus had growled in annoyance. ¡°¡ªas ordained by the Last Imperator, then we have to consider what that means for us. We¡¯re as Elysean as they are, no matter what they say, which means we have an oath to uphold as well. What I will be curious about is how our beliefs and culture differs from theirs.¡± ¡°Oh. Because of our different locales?¡± Delsie had asked with uncanny insight. ¡°Yes,¡± Eluviale had said with a fond smile for the Gnome. ¡°We were reared under the heel of the Ascendancy, but these people have existed outside their scope for thousands of years. For all that they are powerful, they also may be completely ignorant of what life is like under the heels of the Ascendancy itself. We can use that.¡± ¡°To ingratiate ourselves, you mean?¡± Antony had asked with interest. ¡°Yes. We can offer intelligence, insight, and understanding¡ªwithin limits, of course, until we know more¡ªin exchange for favourable treatment. If these are really our people, which I am beginning to believe they are, then they will need that much.¡± ¡°It also means we can find a way to send intelligence back to the Elders,¡± Marcus had muttered with begrudging agreement. ¡°Okay, Eluviale, I get it. So what¡¯s the plan?¡± ¡°We should see who this High Justicar is,¡± she¡¯d said when Charlemagne had made the proclamation to summon her. A sense of forgotten familiarity had flitted across Eluviale¡¯s consciousness when the voice had responded, but she hadn¡¯t been able to place it. Then the Soulforce hit them, like a tidal wave, and she felt her eyes bulge. ¡°Eluviale¡ª!¡± Antony had whispered in a stunned voice. ¡°That¡ªthat¡¯s not¡¡± Marcus¡¯ voice had turned from wary disgruntlement to outright terror. ¡°...that¡¯s not p¡ªpossible!¡± ¡°Announcing the Defender of the Innocent¡¡± a herald began. Eluviale¡¯s eyes had tracked the arrival of the High Justicar with an elf¡¯s keen sight, and the world had fallen out from under her feet when she¡¯d seen the approaching figure. ¡°...Protector of the Peace, Champion of Sanctuary, Herald of the Calamity¡¡± ¡°Oh my,¡± Delsie had said with the first measure of genuine surprise Eluviale had heard from the gnome. ¡°Oh dear, we are quite thoroughly fucked, aren¡¯t we?¡± None of them had been able to form a response. The High Justicar entered with the gait of a woman on a mission, her blonde hair spilling in ringlets across her shoulders and down her back, and her white armour polished to a shine in spite of the numerous scars and marks upon it. On her back was sheathed an immense greatsword, its blade naked within an enchanted leather sheath, and worked with shining platinum-golden runes that bled power. ¡°She¡¯s dead!¡± Marcus had hissed with a hysteria that Eluviale felt ratcheting up into calamitous levels. ¡°She¡¯s dead fifteen years or more! This isn¡¯t possible! It isn¡¯t¡ª!¡± he¡¯d fallen silent when Antony had grabbed him and covered his mouth, but her husband¡¯s eyes had been as transfixed on the ghost on the stage as any of them. ¡°...Patrician Paramount of House Tollarius, Bearer of the Scales of Justice¡¡± House Tollarius still existed, then, even within the Sanctuary. Eluviale had seen the banners, but she hadn¡¯t though they would find true blood descendents within the city, not to rival those within Stormharrow. The fact that the ghost on the stage, the spectre of judgement they had thought long dead, was ¡®Patrician Paramount¡¯ effectively meant that not only did Tollarius exist, but it was thriving by Elysean standards. Then the High Justicar turned to look at them, and Eluviale felt her breath catch. Her eyes were blue when she swept them over the assembled, as commanding and imperious as a Queen¡¯s, and Eluviale had felt as though she were back to being a Novice again in that instant. Around her she could hear Knights gasping, muttering oaths of prayer, or in some cases¡ªin many cases¡ªopenly weeping. In relief, she¡¯d realised. They were weeping in relief. It was a stark contrast to her own muted horror, and had almost snapped her out of her fugue. To her, it was the return of an enigmatic factor that had once been both their greatest threat and their greatest potential ally. For the Knights, it was the return of their Queen. ¡°...her ever-victorious Ladyship, the High Justicar of Elysea.¡± The name was fitting, for the woman that Eluviale had known. It was justified. Even her death, Eluviale had been forced to admit at that moment, had always held a kernel of doubt in her mind. How could such a Titan have truly fallen? How could something as petty as the Desolation, even enacted by the hands of the Gods, have felled her? It had never made sense. In that moment, standing there among a sea of hundreds of gawking men and women, Eluviale had realised she should have trusted her instincts. ¡°Who have you brought here for my judgement, Scion Tollarius?¡± the towering beauty, her lovely features marred only by a triplicate of scars over her left eye¡ªwhich at the same time seemed to only enhance her terrifying presence¡ªasked imperiously. ¡°Who comes before the eyes of Justice?¡± Vasilia Artoria Minerva Bellona Tollarius, Rightful Queen of Stormharrow, and Dame-Commander of its Chivalric Orders; the Adamantine Maiden, Slayer of the Beast-Lord of Gargoroth, Duchess of the Storm, Sword-Paramount of the Lightning Throne, Wyvern Tamer, Gryphon Rider, Dracolisk Hunter, and Adventuring Guild Legend. ¡°We¡¯re fucked,¡± Marcus had mumbled numbly. ¡°When she finds out what we planned for Suraiya, we¡¯re fucked.¡± Eluviale had only been able to silently agree.¡°I understand seeing me alive after so many years must be a shock,¡± the Queen of Stormharrow continued in the present with reassurance, of all things. ¡°But rest assured, I¡¯ll see to it you¡¯re properly cared for. You were dear friends to me, in my old life as an Adventurer. I haven¡¯t forgotten how you helped me. I¡¯ll be sure to see to it you aren¡¯t treated too harshly.¡± ¡°Th-thank you.¡± Eluviale had found the wherewithal to stammer in thanks. ¡°Of course. It¡¯s the least I could do,¡± Vasilia laughed. She was so warm, so vital, so alive. One moment she was an imperious Queen once more, staring down at them with the fury and power that had made her the greatest upcoming Adventurer in hundreds of years, and then she was the calm, warm, reassuring maiden once again¡ªchatting to friends as if they were just seeing each other again after separate and extended Dungeon Delves. It was surreal. ¡°Vasilia, I¡¡± Antony said with still-present shock. ¡°How are you alive?¡± Vasilia turned to the half-orc with a raised eyebrow, and then smiled wryly. ¡°That¡¯s a longer tale than we presently have time for,¡± she said with all the grace of the Queen she was, ¡°but I promise, we¡¯ll find time to catch up and I¡¯ll tell you everything. It¡¯s the least I can do. I know you¡¯ve all probably been wondering what happened, as arrogant as it is to say.¡± And just like that, Eluviale felt herself being swept up again. Swept up by the woman¡¯s effortless charisma, her force of presence, and her indefatigable sense of self. Vasilia was not just a person, she was pure resolve distilled into mortal form. She was the final shadow that preceded death for anyone, or anything foolish enough to cross her. Eluviale wanted to laugh hysterically, cry, or both at once. Dead? How could they ever have thought the Adamantine Maiden dead? She was a fucking force of nature. ¡°I see some Knights I need to speak to,¡± Vasilia said apologetically, ¡°but we¡¯ll catch up soon. I¡¯ll see to it.¡± ¡°Of¡ªof course,¡± Eluviale repeated again, and watched the armoured woman slip away among the crowd. Silence descended on their group after she left, and they all turned back to look between eachother as if by instinct. When they did, once again it was Delsie that finally broke the silence. ¡°Oh yes,¡± the gnome said with strained cheer, ¡°we are all most certainly fucked.¡± And again, all Eluviale could do was agree. B1 | Chapter 67: The Mantle ¡°Well damn,¡± Aurelian said with a low whistle after reviewing his new companion¡¯s equipment. ¡°You two upgraded pretty solidly, didn¡¯t you?¡± ¡°We did.¡± Zylara confirmed with a beatific smile. ¡°Though the problem of the blessing remains. We¡¯ve discovered we cannot actually use the weapons, and they won¡¯t accept a bond with us either. They appear to be magically sealed to the Authority of the rightful ruler of Elysea: The Reclaimer.¡± ¡°To you.¡± Karsys said with a wry smile. ¡°Without your permission, we can¡¯t use anything Elysean, apparently. Even the armour feels¡¡± he shrugged a little as if in demonstration ¡°...off, somehow, as if it¡¯s resisting us.¡± Aurelian roamed his eyes over the plate and noted, with a more detailed inspection, that it did indeed seem slightly askew on their bodies. Disproportionated, and seemingly dull in a way his own never had been. It looked, for lack of a better word, dormant. It was if something critical or essential was missing from it, or the core of the equipment was somehow inert. ¡°I¡¯m not entirely sure how to give you my blessing,¡± Aurelian said with a frown. ¡°I could try just giving you permission verbally, but I don¡¯t know if¡ª¡± ¡°We had a different idea.¡± Zylara said while looking at Karsys, who nodded back in encouragement. She turned to face Aurelian afterward, and stepped toward him. Her blue eyes, normally so cold, were alight with intensity¡ªand an echo of something else he couldn¡¯t quite identify. ¡°You freed us from chains we didn¡¯t know we had, and we know beyond a shadow of a doubt that you are both the Reclaimer and the Second Calamity, Aurelian. Would it be right to assume you have also now been properly informed what the true Mantle oath is?¡± ¡°Actually, no,¡± Aurelian said with a shake of his head. ¡°The oath itself is apparently pretty arbitrary. The Mantle itself is an actual ability.¡± Both Karsys and Zylara blinked in shock at his words. ¡°An ability?¡± Karsys asked in disbelief. ¡°Can you explain further?¡± Zylara pressed. Aurelian nodded and reached out to idly stroke Bahamut¡¯s head while he let himself think. He didn¡¯t want to give too much away. It had seemingly been kept a secret even during the height of the Empire, and there had to be a reason. ¡°It¡¯s sort of like a wide-reaching unification ability. The oath is just a sort of ancillary part of the actual ability, like a way for people to engage it. The Mantle itself is a means through which those enveloped by it can fight as one. It combines their awareness, instincts, and battle cognition into a sort of synergistic whole from how I understand it.¡± ¡°That makes sense.¡± Karsys said with a slow, and thoughtful ¡®hmm¡¯ after Aurelian finished. ¡°We were always taught that the Mantle was a unifying force for Elysea, but we never realised it was a literal one. It was always assumed to be more of a symbolic thing.¡± Ignorance enforced by the gods, most likely. Bahamut commented idly. Aurelian didn¡¯t echo his words, and the dragon seemed content to keep them private. ¡°If that is indeed the case,¡± Zylara said with a look from Karsys back to Aurelian, ¡°then I want to be part of it. The Mantle was¡ªis the heart of Elysea. It¡¯s what our forebears lived by, fought for, and died for. It¡¯s what I want to stand for, too.¡± ¡°And I,¡± Karsys agreed solemnly. Aurelian looked between them and frowned, while Dragon¡¯s Resolve keyed up to smooth the mild build of anxiety in his gut at the gravity of their words. ¡°I haven¡¯t even come up with an oath or anything yet, it isn¡¯t¡ª¡± ¡°Aurelian,¡± Zylara interrupted with a look of stunningly sincere faith, ¡°you are the Reclaimer. More than that, we¡¯ve both learned you are a very earnest and sincere man,¡± she drew a breath, as if to steady herself, and then continued on. ¡°I¡ apologise for being rude,¡± she said with a look as if saying the words was a little difficult, ¡°but frankly I think we¡¯re beyond fretting about things like this.¡± She stepped forward and placed a hand, hesitantly, on his chest while looking up into his eyes. Her own, he noticed with a suddenly dry mouth, were stunningly blue. ¡°You can always tidy up or prettify the oath later, but I think you should just focus on what feels right and proper. You¡¯re the rider of a Dragon King¡ª¡± she nodded to Bahamut when she said it ¡°¡ªand the chosen heir of Lucius Tollarius himself. Where you lead, we¡¯ll follow. I have faith that you already know where you want to go, and what sort of Nation you want to build.¡± The elf is correct. Bahamut proclaimed matter-of-factly. I can feel your doubts, Aurelian, but you must push past them. You know what the oath must be. You have put thought into this already, and at length. A Dragon must trust their instincts. I¡¯m not a Dragon, Bahamut. Aurelian objected despite his resistance crumbling. You know what Bael¡¯tharax said. Bahamut responded with firm finality. You are as much a Dragon as you are a man, with our bond. ¡°I may not be as eloquent as Zylara,¡± Karsys said, and drew Aurelian¡¯s eyes to him, ¡°nor as prone to her, ah, charmingly mercurial mood changes,¡± he continued with a wry smile despite Zylara¡¯s sharp look at his words. ¡°But I have rarely seen her as excited as after we learned who you were, Aurelian. She was almost buzzing with energy.¡± Zylara scoffed at his words, though Aurelian noticed her pale cheeks had coloured an attractive shade of crimson. Karsys smiled at him encouragingly and continued, ¡°I consider myself a relatively capable judge of character, and I find myself in agreement with Zylara. You are the right person for this role, and know better than anyone what the Mantle should be, and should stand for. It doesn¡¯t need to be overly elaborate, Aurelian. We¡¯ve¡¡± he sighed. ¡°We¡¯ve had enough of that. It should just be honest, and say what you want it to say.¡± Aurelian looked between his three companions, and grimaced while a heavy sense of duty settled within his soul. He could feel the weight of the Mantle even then, bearing down upon him like a leaden cloak around his shoulders. It was not an uncomfortable weight, but it was one he would never again be free of. He knew that. It was part of why he was so determined not to screw it up. I can¡¯t just sit here procrastinating on it either, though. While it was true that it had only been hours since he¡¯d been given the title, and perhaps it would have been better to wait and consider and give proper weight to the decision¡ªtime was against them. A host of corrupted blightmen, undead soldiers, and twisted blightbeast horrors was encroaching even then toward Sanctuary. They were already past due to leave, and every moment they hesitated was one they could ill afford. He also couldn¡¯t wade into the Desolation¡ªwhich sounded like magical Chernobyl from what he¡¯d been told¡ªwithout his only two allies, other than Bahamut, crippled by a lack of properly functioning equipment. Maybe he could figure out how to give the blessing without the Mantle, but it would be an empty gesture. Even with the three of them, the Mantle would be an invaluable advantage. Aurelian could be stubborn and stupid both, but not beyond reason. Besides, he had to admit he did know what he wanted; even if the words weren¡¯t as eloquent as some might expect. ¡°Alright,¡± he said finally after parsing through his thoughts in the intervening seconds. ¡°I¡¯ll have to figure out how to tie the oath to the Mantle, but you¡¯re right. I do know what I want it to be, though it might not be as eloquent as what you¡¯ve already had. I¡¯m no orator. Not yet, at least.¡± ¡°I¡¯d prefer any oath over the twisted one we¡¯ve been swearing.¡± Zylara said with a lift of her chin, and a look of anger in her blue eyes. ¡°Anything is better than that slavery.¡± ¡°Seconded.¡± Karsys agreed. ¡°Give me a minute to test my skill out, then,¡± Aurelian said while already stepping a little away, gently pushing down Zylara¡¯s lingering hand, and spinning up Oathforger with a mental stroke of will. The skill burned to life in his mind, and he blinked when a System prompt entered his vision. Synergy detected between Skill and Title. Intent registered and parsed. A case of content theft: this narrative is not rightfully on Amazon; if you spot it, report the violation. Would you like to forge an oath for the Mantle? Y / N Aurelian grinned despite himself. Sometimes the System was incredibly no-nonsense and helpful. It wasn¡¯t always the case, but when it was it made his life infinitely easier. He selected ¡®Y¡¯ without hesitation and a simple prompt replaced the first. Specify Oath wording when ready. He took a moment to think and focused on what he¡¯d already decided: the oath would need to be one that exemplified protection of free will, guaranteed choice, and was pragmatic in its approach to threats. He¡¯d considered the idea of birthing it through a form of democracy, and then firmly dismissed it. He could worry about creating the framework for a proper form of representative governance after he dethroned the gods. There was no merit in blurring the lines of efficiency with the corrupt, and selfish desires of individuals when he had a job to do. It sounded disturbingly like Dictator or Tyrant logic, even to his own mind, but it also made sense; and that was the most important factor in his choice. He¡¯d seen too many situations where people¡ªreal and fictional¡ªhad attempted some sort of noble and idealistic democratic formation, only to be stymied, and bled out of their ability to make progress by the greedy ambitions of one or two power hungry idiots, or traitors protected by ¡®due process¡¯. Aurelian was fighting a war against beings that could subsume free will. For the moment, the only decision-making that could be trusted, was his own. He was aware of the precariousness of that situation, but there was nothing else for it. He could hardly guarantee freedom from Divine influence, even with Calamity¡¯s Blade. Severing a tether did not mean ending Faith, and he¡¯d already had the sick and troubling realisation that before long he¡¯d be forced to execute people working against the betterment of the Realms. Bloodless liberation was a fucking fairy tale. Dragon¡¯s Resolve made itself known in that moment, however, and with gratitude for the skill he refocused on his task: the Oath. Not letting himself overthink it, he projected his will to the waiting prompt. A moment later, the prompt melted to show his requested Oath.
I am a citizen of Elysea, and this is the Mantle I bear: I will defend all peoples from enslavement, be it of mortal or divine origin. I will resist the gods in all things, and deny even the mildest of their overtures. I will protect the right to lawful self-determination for all who abide by the Mantle. I will stand against discrimination on the basis of species, sect, or sex. I will respect and protect the race of Dragons, as they in turn respect and protect me. I will uphold the values of justice, honour, courage, valour, fidelity, and charity. I will faithfully execute the tasks given to me in support of the true Elysean Empire. I will adhere to the will of the Reclaimer in all matters related to the war against the gods. I will live by this oath in every aspect of my life, within the best capability of my circumstances. I freely and with full control of my choice give my solemn vow to abide by the binding of this oath.Would you like to bind this oath now? You may change this oath once per 30 days. WARNING: Changing the Oath will require all those who swore it previously to agree to its terms anew. Anyone who does not do so will no longer be bound by the Oath! Do you wish to continue? Y / N Aurelian considered his stipulated words carefully. They were¡ simpler than the poeticism of Solarius¡¯ cleverly worded trap, but also covered every base he could reasonably think of. The part about adhering to his will had been one he¡¯d worried over, but in the end believed it necessary. It was sufficiently narrow in that it would force obedience when it came to matters of the war, and yet would still allow room for defiance in other avenues¡ªsuch as civil matters. It was a fine line, really, given one could argue that everything had to do with the war¡ but he wasn¡¯t going to be too generous, either. If he wasn¡¯t strong enough to take charge, he ran the very real risk of losing right out of the gate. That was something he wouldn¡¯t, and couldn¡¯t, allow to happen. Bael¡¯tharax and Tarixi had entrusted him with their hopes, and Aurelian wasn¡¯t going to let them down, nor the Elyseans that had given their all to summon him to the Realms. He owed them that much. It was a strange realisation to come to, given he¡¯d ostensibly been murdered and kidnapped to the Prime Material by Selucia Tollarius¡¯ summoning spell: but he felt it. Somewhere within him, that loyalty to the ideals of Elysea had been born, and nurtured under Tarixi and Bael¡¯tharax¡ªand now, he genuinely felt that he owed it to the martyred summoners to see that their sacrifice amounted to something. More than that, he owed it to Tarix, to Bael¡¯tharax, and to himself. His mind went over the Oath, and he grinned slightly. Lawful self-determination meant he could still enforce laws against murder and other heinous crimes, which he¡¯d been careful to include. He didn¡¯t want to give loopholes for psychopaths to exploit, after all, nor to cover up their crimes. As for the part about Dragons, well, that was just insurance. Before he confirmed anything, he sent the oath¡¯s contents to Bahamut, and let the dragon peruse it. His companion only took a few moments to process it before returning his opinion. Well forged. I approve. The Dragon declared mentally. It is strong as a Monarch¡¯s oath should be, but promises the freedom and prosperity the Mantle is intended to bring. This is a Dragon¡¯s oath, Aurelian. I am proud of you. He accepted the praise happily, and sent back gratitude across the bond. Aurelian took a breath after that and, with one more moment of carefully considering the wording again, threw his doubts to the wind and mentally hit ¡®Y¡¯ on the prompt. The moment he did, he felt something tighten around his mind, body, spirit, Core, and Soulforce and felt the weight of the Mantle both increase and become more bearable in equal measure. An odd and paradoxical eventuality, but one he could describe in no other way. It felt more real, and somehow more comfortable all at once. Oathforger is now Level 2! Aurelian turned toward Karsys and Zylara, and took a deep breath. ¡°Are you both ready?¡± he asked. ¡°It¡¯s a lot.¡± ¡°We are.¡± Zylara confirmed with a nod. ¡°Entirely so.¡± Karsys agreed. Aurelian hesitated only to consider how to approach the oath. Should he just give it to them? That seemed¡ wrong, somehow. Yes, he wanted them to treat him as a party member, but this wasn¡¯t a party matter. It was more than any of them. He was the Reclaimer, and they were the people he¡¯d been sent to liberate, to protect, and to lead. A moment of thought led him back to Bahamut, and he posed the question to his bond. How should I do this? he asked with as much gravity to the question as he could mentally muster. The dragon¡¯s reply was, in truth, exactly what he should have expected. Like a King. Bahamut sent back decisively. Aurelian couldn¡¯t find a good reason to argue, and turned his gaze to Zylara and Karsys. He swallowed back his doubts, swallowed back his personal reservations and self-esteem issues, and focused solely on what he needed to be¡ªand what he needed to become: a guardian, shepherd, and leader. A Ruler, in other words, such as had rarely been seen within the Realms. Not since the days of Lucius Tollarius, and the once-great Elysean Empire. ¡°Come forth,¡± Aurelian said while he tried to ignore the sound of his heart thundering in his chest, ¡°and kneel before me, if you would become citizens of the newly reborn Elysean Empire.¡± Both his companions exchanged a glance, and then¡ªmuch to his relief and surprise both¡ªturned back to him with wide and approving smiles. Well, Zylara¡¯s was more of a smirk than a smile, and there was a smoulder to her eyes that Aurelian wasn¡¯t quite sure whether or not he imagined, but the meaning seemed to be the same; relief, approval, and excitement. Aurelian couldn¡¯t help it at that point. He smiled back, widely, at both of them. Then they came forward to kneel, and repeated the words he gave to them with firm and unwavering voices. There in the dark hollow where once a King of Dragons had resided and beneath the final grave of ancient Elysea, two children of its murdered people swore again the forgotten Oaths. After five thousand years, the Mantle was born anew. And an Empire¡¯s Reclamation had finally begun. B1 | Chapter 68: Let It Go Suraiya surveyed the apartments Selucia had guided her to with wonder. The rooms she¡¯d been granted were part of the Tollarius Wing of Last Hope, situated to the right and due east of the ¡®palace central¡¯ which hosted the throne room and various assorted public chambers. It was not far from those facilities, from what she had gleaned in their journey, but that was only by merit of scale. Last Hope could have fit the Royal Palace of Stormharrow within it five times. The rooms Selucia showed her to consisted of a main bedroom large enough to house twenty people comfortably with space to spare, a connected bathroom that her cousin called an ¡®ensuite¡¯, a walk-in wardrobe with rotating racks and smooth drawers both powered by runic choirs she¡¯d never heard of, a living area complete with a fully furnished kitchen, balcony, and impressive sitting area; and finally a parlor between the outer entrance and inner entrance to the apartments. ¡°This is all for me?¡± Suraiya asked with a look of shock toward the redhead. ¡°You¡¯re the daughter of the High Justicar, Suraiya.¡± Selucia said with a laugh. ¡°Why are you surprised?¡± ¡°I didn¡¯t think¡¡± she trailed off and shook her head instead of finishing. Selucia, however, was not to be deterred. ¡°You thought your relationship would mean nothing due to your being godsworn, I take it?¡± Suraiya grimaced at the tone of amused exasperation in Selucia¡¯s voice, but nodded nonetheless. Her companion¡¯s words had been on the mark, and even when she felt the faint flush of embarrassment heating her cheeks, she didn¡¯t call on Iron Will to suppress it. She deserved the shame that came with the presumption. ¡°We are not a trusting or foolish people, Suraiya. We know the threat your people pose, and I assure you, we are hardly ignorant of the fact that even if you are questioning¡ªlikely thanks to your mother¡¯s presence as much as the common sense you seem to possess¡ªand reconsidering your entire life, there are many others that will not share your open-mindedness.¡± Selucia moved forward and discarded her heavy cloak and robes, under which she wore a scandalously loose-fitting crimson top that barely covered her sarvellum-wrapped breasts, and a pair of identically coloured and similarly bold short-cut leggings that all but clung to her wrapped thighs. When she finished doffing her attire, she promptly flounced into one of the four luxurious white sofas square-framing a beautiful crystal table at their centre. The formation was located near the far side of the living area, near to the closed pair of impressive glass balcony doors, and set into a subtle depression clearly intended for guests to relax and take their ease. ¡°Ah, your clothes¡ª?¡± ¡°We have modesty aplenty, Suraiya.¡± Selucia said with a laugh and mischievous twinkle in her jade green eyes. ¡°While wrapped in sarvellum, I am no more naked than you are in all that gaudy plate. My shape may be clearer, but I assure you, the wrappings hide more than they show.¡± A rich laugh escaped her when Suraiya¡¯s cheeks heated again, and the princess very nearly let herself succumb to the desire to pout. ¡°You are teasing me.¡± she accused while making her way toward the sitting area. ¡°Of course I am.¡± Selucia agreed shamelessly. ¡°We are family, of a kind, and it is my pleasure and privilege as the elder to enjoy how easily flustered you are. I have no doubt that your doe-eyed wonder will not last, given whom it is you were born from. I intend to enjoy it while I can.¡± At the mention of Vasilia, Suraiya¡¯s mirth dimmed and she paused mid-stride to look back toward the inner doors to her apartments, peering at them without fully seeing the golden runes dancing along the white-painted doors. Her mother had not accompanied them when Selucia had led her away, and while Suraiya knew it was important for Vasilia to speak to the Stormharrow Knights that had accompanied the expedition, the absence of her mother still hurt. Their reunion had been far too short for her liking. ¡°You will have plenty of time to speak to her soon, Suraiya.¡± Selucia said in a more reassuring tone, and drew the princess¡¯ gaze back to her. ¡°Your mother is the High Justicar. Given her origins, that title was not won easily nor absent on-going suspicion. Every move she makes is criticised, and for all that Elysea is not enthralled by the despotic tyranny of the Nine, we have our own problems with internal power struggles.¡± Suraiya¡¯s eyebrows rose at the honesty on display, and she only hesitated for a moment before settling her doubts and promptly beginning to doff her armour¡ªstarting with her gauntlets, pauldrons, and sabatons. ¡°What manner of power struggle?¡± she asked without obfuscation. ¡°Perhaps I can be of aid to her.¡± ¡°Ha! You may be her daughter, but you are no Princess here, Suraiya. Your intervention in such matters would only bring harm to her cause. It will take years before the people here see you as one of them, barring a miracle or Imperator¡¯s Decree.¡± ¡°Sanctuary has a monarch?¡± Suraiya asked in surprise while laying her cloak on the floor¡ªdirty and dusted as it was¡ªand setting her sabatons, pauldrons, and gauntlets upon with the careful arrangement she¡¯d been unconsciously following since she¡¯d been taught proper armament care in the Desolation. ¡°It does not,¡± Selucia said with a shake of her head. ¡°It has the Regent, Charlemagne.¡± ¡°The Calamity.¡± Suraiya half-stated, half-questioned. ¡°Yes. The Calamity. Or at least, the remnant of the last one we know of. He is what we call an Echo; the remnant of a Soul whose essence is preserved as a mana simulacrum of the original.¡± ¡°I still don¡¯t know what that is.¡± Suraiya said, and allowed Selucia to hear the frustration she felt at her own ignorance. ¡°A Simulacrum?¡± Selucia asked with a grin. ¡°No, I meant¡ªoh.¡± Suraiya gave the other woman a baleful look at her continued teasing, and worked on undoing the straps and buckles of her stained and dulled once-shining alabaster breastplate. When it came off, she sighed in relief after her breasts were freed from the compression. She couldn¡¯t wait to unwrap them and take a hot bath, which she could only assume the Elyseans had some miraculous means of procuring. The tale has been illicitly lifted; should you spot it on Amazon, report the violation. She was filthy with sweat, dirt, and general weariness that clung to her like the stench of a refuse-laden aqueduct. ¡°I¡¯m sorry.¡± Selucia said with a quiet laugh. ¡°You are very easy to tease. You want to know about the Calamity title, I take it?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Suraiya said as primly as she could muster, and while banishing the wave of exhaustion that gripped her when she was finally free of her armour and the underlying chainmail. Next she worked on removing the leather padding she wore on her thighs, shins, arms, and chest¡ªwithout pulling off the loose-fitting cotton shirt and leggings she wore beneath, set over wrapped skin or not. She had no desire to all-but-expose herself to Selucia, friendly or not. ¡°It¡¯s simple enough, really.¡± Selucia began while stretching out on the sofa like a cat. ¡°The Calamity is a title reserved for the greatest heroes, adventurers, and villains the Prime Material has ever known: the Nephilim.¡± Suraiya cursed when her dust-and-sweat matted hair got caught in the leather jerkin, and she very nearly tore out a small handful of the golden strands in frustration while working to untangle them. Thankfully she managed to avoid assaulting her own hair, and threw down the leather jerkin with a huff. Damnable thing. ¡°Nephilim are a children¡¯s tale.¡± she said to Selucia automatically. ¡°Lies and propaganda created by¡ the¡ oh.¡± Suraiya trailed off when she realised what she¡¯d been about to stay, and felt herself ripple with another wave of existential anxiety. Unable to resist any longer, she stepped forward and sank into the welcoming embrace of one of the sofas. ¡°You¡¯re starting to see the pattern, it seems.¡± Selucia said calmly. ¡°Every time I feel ready to dismiss something as a tale, or hearsay, or lies¡ªit always comes back to the same thing; I was taught those truths by the Grand Ascendancy. If everything they said was false, then what was real? You say the Calamity refers to Nephilim, the Ascendancy say Nephilim are a bedtime story made to scare disobedient children. It is incredibly disorienting to have to consider everything I¡¯ve ever known to be a lie.¡± ¡°You¡¯ll get used to the truth with time.¡± Selucia assured her. ¡°That¡¯s just it, though.¡± Suraiya said with frustration. ¡°I know you believe what you¡¯re saying to be true, and much of what you¡¯ve shown me truly does support your words, but does that mean I can just take everything you say at factual value? You are not omniscient, Selucia, and neither are your people. How do you know that what you believe is true isn¡¯t just another falsehood?¡± ¡°You¡¯re going to spiral if you think like that.¡± the redhead said firmly. ¡°I¡¯m already spiralling.¡± Suraiya admitted with more audible exhaustion than she wanted to show. ¡°Sanctuary was just the pinnacle of the proverbial tower. My dead mother is not only alive, but is essentially one of the highest authorities in a nation I didn¡¯t even know existed. My entire life has apparently been deception stacked on top of maliciously enforced adherence to a social order that intentionally perpetuates needless suffering, and stratifies people for some perceived notion of social stability that I am still struggling to find sense in after what I¡¯ve seen here.¡± Suraiya felt her ears glisten, and she realised she was too exhausted to care. ¡°Everything seems so backward, Selucia. You seem so friendly, yet you¡¯re as much my companion as you are my captor. My mother, my own flesh and blood, has a new family, with a step-father and half-brother I never knew existed. You talk to me about the history of the world, and tell me it¡¯s a lie¡ªthat my bloodline is noble and treacherous both, and that I am the daughter of traitors and killers while simultaneously praising me as a child of heroes and Emperors.¡± ¡°All of that is true.¡± Selucia said simply. ¡°Do you not hear how mad that sounds?¡± she asked hoarsely. ¡°I do. The truth is neither kind nor convenient, sometimes. It simply is. Much like the Blightspawn, it neither hides its nature nor apologizes for what it is. You must simply confront it and, if you have the strength, conquer it or be crushed beneath its weight.¡± ¡°How are you so certain about everything? How can you be?¡± ¡°Faith.¡± Selucia replied simply. ¡°Faith, and the Mantle.¡± ¡°I thought the gods were evil.¡± ¡°My Faith is not in gods, cousin.¡± ¡°Then what?¡± Suraiya asked with an edge of desperation. ¡°The Prophecy.¡± Selucia said simply. ¡°The Nephilim.¡± ¡°Gods, you don¡¯t even realise how ironic that is.¡± Suraiya said bitterly. ¡°Prophecies. Nephilim. Do you even realise how similar you sound to the Hierarch and Clerics? Prophecies are of the gods, Nephilim are mythical warriors descended from Heaven to bring devastation upon the righteous, as a test from the Divine.¡± ¡°Prophecies have nothing to do with gods,¡± Selucia disagreed firmly, ¡°and Nephilim are Calamities, but so too are they miracles. It was said by Varian Corinnius Merar that a falling star will bring justice with the flames of its descent, and in the hour of greatest need, the Nephilim will come to liberate Elysea from the Nine.¡± Suraiya looked up at Selucia¡¯s words, and felt a glimmer of recognition. ¡°A falling star¡?¡± she asked distantly. ¡°The same one that fell weeks hence, yes. The same one I knew you pursued. The same one the System sent you to find. That is not a celestial body, Suraiya. That is the Nephilim¡ªthat is the Calamity, and it comes to sunder the world on the edge of its Blade.¡± ¡°And that doesn¡¯t sound like evil to you?¡± Suraiya asked incredulously. ¡°Compared to over five millennia of enslaved obedience to divine Tyrants?¡± Selucia asked with a snort. ¡°No, Suraiya. That sounds like justice to me.¡± ¡°...madness.¡± Suraiya said in a wave of exhaustion. ¡°It¡¯s all madness, Selucia.¡± Tears stained her cheeks, and Suraiya could hear that she was speaking hoarsely¡ªshe just didn¡¯t care. It was all so exhausting. ¡°Everything feels so wrong, and twisted, and turned on its head. You speak of doomsday prophecies, deny divinity, and then use the same methods of the Ascendancy¡¯s preachers in the same breath¡ªalbeit to different purpose. Gods¡ even this place! I feel so at peace here, and that terrifies me, because what if this is a lie too? What if I¡¯m under a spell, or everything I¡¯m seeing is some fanciful illusion? What if I¡¯m being eaten by some mad Blightspawn and don¡¯t even know it? I¡ªI¡ª¡± Suraiya¡¯s shoulders shook and she buried her face in her hands. As the floodgates burst open, a deluge of pent-up emotions cascaded through Suraiya. It was as though a dam, long strained and cracking, had finally given way under the relentless pressure of her stress, pain, bitterness and horror. Her once unyielding endurance finally shattered and fragmented, like a mirror reflecting her fractured soul. The weight of her experiences in the Desolation, a wasteland she had dared to tread against a chorus of warnings, pressed down upon her. With each step she had taken in that forsaken hellscape, she had gathered more than just dust on her boots; she had collected scars, unseen yet profoundly felt¡ªeach one a testament to her defiant will, a will that now seemed as ephemeral as a wisp of smoke. In that moment of sundering pain, as Suraiya felt herself crumbling under the relentless assault of her own memories; the worst realization was the gnawing guilt that ate at her heart. She knew, with a clarity that was almost cruel, that she had been the architect of her own Desolation. Her choices¡ªnaive, selfish, and misguided¡ªhad etched every trauma, every scar, and every haunting image into the canvas of her once-innocent mind. She, and she alone, had killed the carefree girl she had been. She, and she alone, had created the haunted killer that she had become. Suraiya leaned into them like a lost child, and there was no thought of shame, propriety, or any romanticized notion of storybook honour. She wept with the raw intensity of a soul laid bare, her tears carrying the agony of her choices, the gripping fear and existential dread that had shadowed her steps, the burning rage at the unfairness of fate, the nausea at the brutality she¡¯d witnessed upon the Desolation¡¯s expanse, the gnawing worry for Ser Gilbert, and the aching, almost childlike yearning for the reassurance of her father¡¯s wisdom, and the desperate need to feel the embrace of her mother. She let it all out in a hoarse, wailing, shameless display of utter weakness. In the warm grip of a stranger, an enemy, and newfound family; she set her pain free at last. B1 | Chapter 69: Waygates and Wings ¡°So, this is a waygate, huh?¡± Aurelian asked while holding a circular disc the size of a pizza pan inlaid with glittering shards of gemstone. ¡°It wasn¡¯t easy to find the matched pair,¡± Karsys answered with an affirming tone from where he stood beside him, ¡°since our Analyse Skills weren¡¯t able to properly parse it, but that seems to have been fixed after we swore to the Mantle.¡± It wasn¡¯t the only thing. Aurelian noted mentally while giving Karsys¡¯ new armour another appreciative look. It had changed, in fact, after the new Mantle had settled upon the human. Where Aurelian¡¯s armour was as black as Bahamut¡¯s scales and edged in red and platinum, Karsys¡¯ own platemail was a shade of russet brown, outlined in red, and was far thicker and evidently designed to weather more direct punishment than Aurelian¡¯s own. He looked like a wall of bloodied steel. ¡°We weren¡¯t about to fail in the charge given to us by the dragon king.¡± Zylara added with a musical lilt. ¡°Neither of us had any desire to report a failure to you, let alone¡¡± the elfmaiden trailed off while looking at the cavernous space where Bael¡¯tharax had once laid. A moment of silence followed, and then she cleared her throat. ¡°Suffice it to say,¡± she continued a touch more quickly, ¡°it took us a little longer to find it than we¡¯d hoped, but we managed to locate its match.¡± ¡°Is it packed in with your things?¡± Aurelian asked while glancing at Zylara, and choosing to ignore her poignant pause. The memory of the late Dragon King was still a sensitive matter for him. The pale elf nodded in response and patted her large pack. Karsys¡¯ armour was not the only one that had changed. Where Karsys¡¯ was the stolid and simple colouring of his nature and elemental talents, Zylara¡¯s was not. Her platemail was a beautiful silver, outlined in green and faintly shaded along the main plates with a small injection of azure powdering. It was also thinner and far more nimble than both Aurelian¡¯s and Karsys¡¯ own plate. Given her speed, and talents for Air and Life magic, it made sense. ¡°Okay, let¡¯s see what we can do with this one then,¡± Aurelian said while turning back to the presented item and focusing on the device. Revelate! Name: Waygate Terminal Type: Transportation Quality: Epic Requirement: Adept tier Intelligence (50), Reclaimer¡¯s Blessing Description: Waygates are the favoured means of rapid transport between two distant locations. Once both terminals have been activated, they may be used by any individual granted permission by the Authority holder to jump between locations. This transit is instantaneous. Effects: Once activated by an Authority holder, any authorised user may expend 150 mana to move between the activated terminals. For every 10% of weight carried in excess of the user¡¯s body mass, the mana cost increases by 10. Special Effects: These terminals have been locked to the Reclaimer¡¯s access per the will of the last Authority holder, and may only be used by them and those they grant permission to. ¡°Well that¡¯s incredibly useful.¡± Aurelian murmured approvingly while willing the System to share the details with Karsys and Zylara. ¡°More than just good,¡± Karsys agreed readily. ¡°It appears that Imperator Tollarius was extremely thorough in his preparations. This will have significant ramifications for the future of our efforts against the Nine.¡± ¡°It fits with what we found in the vault as well. The late Imperator stocked it with everything we would need to fight a war from a position of disadvantage.¡± Zylara said with her a tone of quiet agreement. ¡°The ancients knew what we would be facing, it seems. Their foresight is staggering.¡± ¡°The advantages of their era, most likely.¡± Karsys surmised. ¡°I cannot imagine the amount of faith it must have required to believe in the chances of our survival.¡± ¡°And even then, we were still tainted.¡± Zylara noted with a sharper edge to her voice. ¡°A mistake I, for one, am eager to see fully rectified.¡± Aurelian glanced between the pair, and then looked down toward the Waygate again. ¡°I have a feeling that won¡¯t be a smooth or bloodless transition of power when I arrive at Sanctuary.¡± he noted after a moment of contemplation. ¡°Charlemagne wouldn¡¯t¡ª¡± Karsys began placatingly, before Aurelian cut him off. ¡°It¡¯s not Charlemagne I¡¯m worried about, Karsys.¡± he stated with a shake of his head. ¡°It¡¯s whoever was complicit in creating chains that bound all of you to the High Wanker,¡± Aurelian said and pointed upward indicatively. ¡°They won¡¯t just let a Nephilim with Calamity¡¯s Blade waltz into Sanctuary unopposed and undo everything. We¡¯ll need to come up with a different plan.¡± ¡°Infiltration?¡± Zylara suggested. ¡°It may not be easy to maintain the ruse, but we know Bahamut can transform, and in theory we could probably get away with saying you¡¯re an explorer that is sympathetic to our cause.¡± ¡°It¡¯ll be based on what we need in the moment I¡¯d wager,¡± Aurelian said with a shrug while starting off walking toward the dragon eggs and Simulacrums. ¡°If we have the time for infiltration, and we can get to Charlemagne without interruption, that could work.¡± A moment later he sighed and shook his head. ¡°But with the entire population tethered to Solarius, it¡¯ll be a lot more difficult to separate the willing servants from the ignorant ones, especially since I suspect tethers grow with faith¡ and all of you believe fully in the false Mantle.¡± ¡°Believed.¡± Zylara corrected him sharply. ¡°We, at least, are not so blind any longer.¡± ¡°Fair enough,¡± Aurelian conceded, ¡°though I wasn¡¯t including either of you in the list despite the wording.¡± ¡°I¡ªyes, I know.¡± Zylara assured him with a quiet and frustrated sigh. ¡°It¡¯s just a sore point, and probably will be for some time. My apologies.¡± Karsys reached out to pat the elf¡¯s shoulder, and she flashed him a wry smile in response. ¡°I get it.¡± Aurelian said truthfully. ¡°I would be pissed too. Don¡¯t worry about it.¡± The pair nodded to him in thanks, and Aurelian stepped past the Simulacrums afterwards to walk toward the formation of eggs. ¡°I¡¯ll be back in a minute.¡± he said to his companions before turning back to the eggs and eyeing around for where to place the terminal. Once he found a suitable space of relatively flat granite, he set down the terminal and eyed the object speculatively. ¡°So how do you work?¡± he muttered to himself, before¡ªin following the tried and true system¡ªhe just reached out with his mind. Alpha-One User Identity confirmed. Welcome, Reclaimer Aurelian! Populating Command List . . . Command List Populated! AVAILABLE COMMANDS Activate Terminal Self-Destruct Terminal Lock Down Terminal Aurelian took a moment to be amused by the available options, and then mentally selected the first option. Input Acknowledged. WARNING: Waygate will require 300 Mana to activate. Do you wish to proceed? Y / N Aurelian glanced at his HUD¡¯s displayed mana reserves and winced. That was almost his entire mana pool and, regeneration or not, it was going to be a temporary crippling of his abilities. He needed to increase his mana pool and unlock his second Chakra as soon as possible, and he had been working diligently on the latter, but there simply wasn¡¯t time. It sounded ludicrous to him in the context of how much training he¡¯d been doing, but that had been focused on combat and capability for close quarters and ranged survival. Putting aside time to meditate on his Chakra would need to wait until he was in a position for uninterrupted focus. Whenever that opportunity came, he reasoned, he¡¯d ensure he focused on unlocking his next Chakra and increasing the efficiency of his mana control. He¡¯d definitely need it. ¡°Now focus,¡± he muttered chidingly before mentally hitting the ¡®YES¡¯ option on the input menu. Input Acknowledged. Support creative writers by reading their stories on Royal Road, not stolen versions. Activating Waygate Terminal . . . Aurelian grunted at the sudden surge of mana emptying from him and focused on his breathing to hold him steady. His vision doubled momentarily and the world trembled at a sudden surge of vertigo following the loss of energy. Aurelian found himself clutching at his Dragon¡¯s Resolve throughout the process to keep himself from throwing up reflexively. The entire experience was, in a word, unpleasant. Only once the spinning and dizziness had stopped did his eyes shift to focus on the terminal with interest. The disc had rapidly expanded following its activation, and now was almost the size of a large service elevator¡¯s floor. The gems upon its surface shimmered with energy, and when he fully focused on it Aurelian realised it was humming slightly. A faint and passive surge of magical force was buoying the terminal in a way he hadn¡¯t initially recognised. ¡°Neat,¡± he said while his mana flashed angrily in his HUD as it refilled. ¡°That wraps things up here, for the most part.¡± The words sounded anticlimactic and lame to his own ears, but they held significance despite that fact. It was time to go. For the first time since arriving in the Realms, he¡¯d be leaving the¡ªin the loosest definition¡ªrelative safety of the Palace and venturing out into the true expanse of the Prime Material. Terra, as Tarixi had called it. He chose to believe the butterflies that stirred in his stomach at the thought were born of excitement. Dragon¡¯s Resolve made that belief easier to hold. Aurelian turned back to his companions then, collecting his supply pack from where it lay upon the ground beside Bahamut and slinging it over his shoulders before approaching. It was a relief to hoist the backpack, especially knowing Karsys and Zylara had provided him with three more essence draughts for his later infusions: each one an infused Epic they had found in the armory. None of them would match draughts infused by Bael¡¯tharax, but they were still excellent. They had taken nine more Epics thereafter for their own use¡ªand though it was something of a risk, given they did not know what awaited them at Sanctuary, it was better to be prepared. His own growth had been explosive thus far. It would not be good to be caught lacking if he managed the impossible yet again. Nephilim things, as they had come to view them. ¡°Ready to go?¡± Karsys asked with a smile and a curious glance at the terminal now obscured by the sentinel Simulacrums. ¡°Yep.¡± Aurelian replied with what he hoped was a confident voice. ¡°Let¡¯s get out of here.¡± The three of them had barely started walking when a growl from Bahamut pulled them up short. Aurelian had barely turned when the dragon spoke across their bond. Do you intend on walking the entire way up the stairs, Aurelian? Well yeah, how else¡ª? We are short on time, and the plan was for me to bear all three of you at length regardless. The Platinum Dragon pointed out haughtily. It would be an opportune moment, here and now, to test the practicality of that strategy. ¡°Oh shit,¡± Aurelian said out loud. ¡°You¡¯re right.¡± ¡°Aurelian?¡± Karsys asked with a curious and wary glance the pair of them. ¡°Oh! Uh¡ªsorry. It¡¯s nothing bad,¡± Aurelian said while turning to address his companions. ¡°Bahamut just pointed out that we¡¯re planning on walking when he¡¯s going to be ferrying us anyway. We might as well just let him fly us up to the exit, and test his endurance in the process.¡± Both Karsys and Zylara¡¯s eyes widened, and they looked from him to the regal figure of his bond. Bahamut merely yawned in an unconcerned manner. The dragon¡¯s new body was more than large enough to fit the three of them, given he now stood¡ªat the shoulder¡ªclose to four metres tall, with a powerful body and a wingspan more than double his height per wing. He estimated that the dragon had likely gone from somewhere like four hundred kilograms following their fight with Marius to ten times or more than that amount after Bael¡¯tharax¡¯s gift to the young dragon king. Bahamut might have been a gecko compared to a giganotosaurus when measured against Bael¡¯tharax, but within the scope of a humanoid mindset his new frame was massive. ¡°We¡¯re going to ride atop him?¡± Zylara asked quietly. ¡°Now?¡± ¡°That¡¯s his thinking, yeah.¡± Aurelian confirmed. Both Karsys and Zylara exchanged excited looks, and then turned back to the dragon with giddy expressions. ¡°We knew we¡¯d be permitted to at some point, and we had intended to be as calm and reserved as we could when the time came, but not so soon.¡± Zylara confessed in a voice that vacillated between girlish excitement and awed trepidation. ¡°It¡¯s¡ it¡¯s the honour of our lives to be granted such a privilege.¡± Well, at least they are showing proper appreciation for my magnificence. Aurelian suppressed a groan at the preening he could feel through the bond, and instead of responding to Bahamut¡¯s self-satisfaction, nodded to the elf and human. ¡°I understand the excitement. I felt the exact same way when Bael¡¯tharax offered me the chance to bond. I never expected to even succeed, let alone be chosen by Bahamut,¡± he grinned and brushed his hand along the dragon¡¯s platinum-veined obsidian scales. ¡°It¡¯s a dream come true for me, as well.¡± You could stand to show more awe and wonder yourself, sometimes, Aurelian. Bahamut noted vainly. I¡¯m your Rider. Aurelian sent back immediately. It¡¯s my implicit duty to check your ego. You already know what you mean to me, anyway. That is¡ sensible, I suppose. A well-made point. Bahamut responded in a surprisingly agreeable tone. Aurelian could sense satisfaction from the dragon too, oddly enough. ¡°People will go mad when they realise you¡¯re a dragon rider.¡± Zylara said while she and Karsys approached Bahamut reverently. ¡°The tales we have of the Ordo Draconis, especially the ones told by Charlemage, are incredible.¡± she said with wonder. ¡°Fantastical, even. To see a living dragon and a rider again will take the city by storm.¡± ¡°Eventually, yes.¡± Karsys agreed. ¡°But only once have we ensured Aurelian¡¯s safety. Whoever was behind our systematic enslavement to Solarius¡ª¡± ¡°¡ªwill try to kill him and Bahamut both if we aren¡¯t careful,¡± Zylara agreed, ¡°I know, Karsys. Still¡¡± ¡°I understand.¡± the big man said with a smile. ¡°I feel the same way.¡± ¡°Well no time like the present.¡± Aurelian said while looking up at Bahamut. ¡°Mind if we use your leg to hop up, bud?¡± Very well. Bahamut sent back while shifting to make himself as low as possible. ¡°I¡¯ll need to get some sort of saddle eventually.¡± Aurelian said out loud for Karsys and Zylara¡¯s benefit. They were watching him with rapt attention, and he realised they were waiting to see how he chose to climb up the dragon, likely in order to mimic him. ¡°It¡¯ll be way too impractical to fly on him without one if we go into combat. I¡¯d slide right off his back without something to keep me in place.¡± A saddle would be useful, if mildly denigrating¡ Bahamut ruminated while Aurelian set to climbing up the dragon¡¯s person-and-a-bit sized leg and moved to find a place near the base of the dragon¡¯s neck, atop the main part of his massive body. He positioned himself between Bahamut¡¯s spines carefully, and when he slotted himself down to sit, he noticed that the dragon¡¯s scales moulded and shifted to almost sheathe his legs in some capacity. He felt surprisingly secure. ¡°I didn¡¯t realise you could do that.¡± he admitted with genuine surprise. Neither did I. Bahamut confessed. It simply felt right. We don¡¯t have to use a saddle, by the way. No. It is sensible. My sire told me it might be something we needed. I am not against it. Bahamut¡¯s head shifted and one of his golden eyes met Aurelian¡¯s own. Though I would prefer only you use it, and perhaps others only in emergencies. I am not a beast of burden. Aurelian nodded in agreement immediately. No arguments here. Outwardly he turned to Karsys and Zylara, who were now staring at him with paired grins. ¡°Hey! Enough gawking!¡± he said with a grin of his own. ¡°We¡¯ve got a world to save!¡± The pair started at his words and, with mutual laughter they moved forward quickly. Unsurprisingly, Zylara climbed her way up Bahamut¡¯s body far more nimbly than Karsys, and settled herself behind Aurelian between another pair of spines, while Karsys did the same further back and just ahead of the dragon¡¯s massive wing-joints. It was a tight fit, but Aurelian was relieved to see they managed. ¡°In all my years,¡± Zylara breathed almost too low for Aurelian to hear, ¡°I had never dreamed of this.¡± Karsys was silent, but Aurelian could hear him sniffling. It was incredibly endearing. Yeah. Aurelian resolved in his mind and to Bahamut. We¡¯re definitely letting them try out for the eggs afterward. Assuming we¡¯re alive. Bahamut responded pragmatically. Is that doubt I sense? Aurelian asked half-teasingly. What will be, will be. Bahamut said with a predator¡¯s zen. We may yet be destined to die. We shall see. The Realms play no favourites, Aurelian. Bahamut shifted his head and lifted himself up while he spoke, and Aurelian could sense him testing their weight on his body. We may not be the overpowered protagonists of this tale that others suspect we are. Bahamut continued. Might is might, and in the scope of the Realms we are still very, very small fish even with ours combined. No amount of righteous belief can change the cold calculus of simple strength. I suppose. Aurelian admitted. I need to reach my Initiate tier as soon as possible, and unlock my Chakras too. We may not survive, but if we don¡¯t, we¡¯re not going out without a good fucking fight, bud. he said emphatically. Dragons are never prey, right? Indeed. Bahamut agreed with an approving surge of affection. Aurelian felt the dragon shift under him and reached forward to grip the spines in front of him, side by side as they were. ¡°Hold on!¡± he called back to Karsys and Zylara. ¡°He¡¯s about to take off!¡± Aurelian felt the scales around his legs tighten perceptibly, and then felt something thrum through Bahamut in a surge of power. The runes along the dragon¡¯s flanks lit up in brilliant platinum, particularly the Force and Air runes, and Bahamut abruptly launched himself upward in a surge of physical force and, Aurelian realised immediately, mana. Bahamut, does your flying skill use mana? Of course it does. The dragon responded with a mental snort while tension corded into his massive legs. And multiple aspects of magic, for that matter. As if in response, a very small hum of energy filled the air for a precipitous moment. Bahamut was using magic to get airborne, not just his own impetus. Aurelian barely had time to process the incredible implications of that, which he felt exceedingly stupid for not putting together earlier; before his stomach dropped out from under him and Bahamut exploded upwards with a discharge of magical force, a push of his legs, and two massive beats of his colossal wings. Zylara screamed behind him in excitement, and he heard Karsys shout in panic when the inertial force nearly slammed the three of them down against the dragon¡¯s body while they surged into the air. Aurelian let out a giddy laugh the moment he could breathe again. A glance beside him showed the ground of the cavern receding rapidly as Bahamut gained altitude, and Aurelian felt his heart thundering in his chest. I did it, Cass! he shouted jubilantly into the deepest recesses of his soul. I¡¯m flying on a dragon! Above them the exit of the cavern loomed large. And beyond it, the true beginning of their story awaited. B2 | Chapter 00: The First Karelian ¡°It originated from the palace, my lord.¡± Lunnierre Karelian, Necrolord of the Immortal Host of Absolum, turned his cold grey eyes toward the Vasiri reporting to him while the undead legions under his command marched past them. The woman¡¯s skin was pallid, devoid of the vital essence a truly living creature would possess. When combined with her rust-red eyes, it created a visage that was at a glance elegant and beautiful thanks to her cheekbones, but twisted into wrongness when subjected to anything beyond a cursory examination. ¡°The Nephilim, then.¡± Lunnierre said with a glance back toward the south where he knew the ancient city of Albion stood. After all, he¡¯d been there when it fell. ¡°You truly believe it was a¡ª?¡± ¡°Calamity¡¯s Blade has been harnessed.¡± Lunnierre cut in without paying her any heed. ¡°The last gasp of Elysea has made himself known to our Master, and Marius¡ªthe worthless wretch¡ªis dead.¡± Her blanch of fear at his words were satisfying enough that he continued thereafter. ¡°It doesn''t matter.¡± he declared while he turned back toward the north and the expansive blight of the Desolation. ¡°We will press on to Sanctuary, and when he follows after us to find the ruin of Elysea¡¯s last bastion, we will cast him among the multitudinous corpses and corrupted supplicants of our Master¡¯s army.¡± ¡°Some of the supplicants are flagging, my lord.¡± the Vasiri said carefully. ¡°If we want them to last long enough to fight for us at Sanctuary¡ª¡± ¡°They will overcome or they will be added to the undead.¡± he stated dismissively while looking at the aforementioned supplicants and their roughshod formations. ¡°The desert beasts are more worthwhile than the mortals, and the hardiest among the supplicants will have no issue making the journey. Those that die can join the horde, or be used to feed the appetites of the beasts.¡± he said and turned his gaze back to the Vasiri. ¡°Why are you wasting my time with these trifles?¡± ¡°I am merely trying to¡ª¡± ¡°Heed me, you sycophantic maggot.¡± Lunnierre said with a tone that caused her to stiffen with fear, much to his delight. ¡°Your only purpose is to maintain your Leash on your section of the horde. You Vasiri are only here to ease the burden of commanding the dead, while I focus on the enemies of our Divine Master. Do not conflate your usefulness with value. You are disposable. You are all disposable.¡± He lifted a chitin-armoured gauntlet and waved her off. ¡°Now go, before I decide you look¡ amusing.¡± That at last seemed to make some measure of a true impact, and the woman dipped into a hasty curtsy and vanished with every ounce of her Specialist tier speed. How predictable. Lunnierre turned his eyes back toward the army under his authority, and watched while the neatly organised rows of skeletal warriors stomped past, followed by ten thousand¡ªperhaps less, now that time and exhaustion had claimed the weakest among them¡ªdominated and corruption-infused mortals in piecemeal attire. Their purpose wasn¡¯t grandeur, after all, it was horror. He would not simply defeat the Elysean remnant, he would break them. ¡°Children playing at the glories of their forebears.¡± he murmured darkly while turning toward the distant horizon line where he knew the shielding mountains would be. The dimensional displacement that hid it meant nothing to a chosen Dread Knight of Absolum, and he would find and pierce their safe harbour with or without the snivelling Solari positioned among the populace of the so-called Sanctuary. One week. In one week he would have his vengeance, his justice, and the restitution denied to him by five Ages of slumber. He turned back to the horde while he considered that fact. He had already failed Absolum once, and been cast into darkness and solitude for five thousand years as a result. The very idea of that punishment made even his immortal soul shiver with fear. The blackness. The compression. The silence. Lunnierre let none of his trepidation-fuelled determination bleed through to the emotionless mask of his face, which would eventually return to its obfuscation beneath the horned insectoid greathelm he carried at his side. The forces under his command marched past him unhurriedly while he watched them, and Lunnierre almost considered accelerating their pace. In the land that Elysea had become, though, that would prove¡ problematic. He needed them to be coordinated and whole when they reached Sanctuary. The defects affecting individual units would show their impediments too well if he pushed past a steady march, and it would serve him no purpose to arrive with a strung out and disorganised force to confront his enemies. Even if they saw him coming, it would matter little. He would sweep over the would-be inheritors like locusts over wheat. His eyes shifted to look out at the Desolation once more, and let some small kernel of memory rise to the fore: Time spent in a village now lost to memory and blight, where he¡¯d been raised to believe in the inane promises of the Mantle, and the flawed leadership of Lucius Valoris Tollarius. Years spent fighting within the Legio Fulminata, only to be castigated and exiled for delivering unto the wicked the punishment they deserved. He did not actually disagree that what he¡¯d done had been savage or brutally horrific, objectively speaking. Flaying an entire village alive had been barbaric, yes. It had also been effective, and Lunnierre of Korinthus had always been effective. The fact his Decurion, Penturion, Centurion, Legatum, and Archon had none of them seen nor understood the necessity justifying his actions was hardly his fault. It had been war. The village had been godsworn. He had disabused them of their notions of rebellion or insurgency for generations to come. The tales of Lunnierre the Manflayer had echoed up and down the River Varus. From the Veneratii-filled white towers of Antares to the viridian conclaves of the forest-realm of Norathilien, and beyond to the northron protectorates that bordered Elysea proper. If you find this story on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen. Please report the infringement. His name had become synonymous with the fate that awaited cultists. If Archon Iralion had only heeded his warnings and understood his actions instead of blindly following the ideologue rhetoric of Albion and House Tollarius, then the entire godsworn rebellion might have been avoided. Instead they had banished him, lifting the veil of their hypocrisy and lies from his eyes and opening his mind to the truth: Elysea was as twisted and corrupt as any flawed mortal. Only the divine had the right to pass such judgement. Only a god could be worthy of castigating him in such a manner. So he had sought out the Necromancers of Saturnine, been granted membership to their esteemed order, and finally gifted the knowledge of the Death God¡¯s cult. When the Solari had risen in defiance of House Tollarius and the lie of the Mantle, Lunnierre and the Necromancers of Saturnine had risen with them, and he had been there, fives Ages past, when Justinian Tollarius had been Anointed the Grand Ascendant of the gods¡¯ chosen nation. His eyes looked out at blighted Elysea with memories playing behind them, and he scowled. The last time he had been in these lands, they had been verdant and lush. Now they were little more than ruined, poisoned, and desiccated husks of their former glory. Gone were the many and great rivers, gone were the towering manawoods reaching up as if to brush the sky. Dead were the multitudinous plethora of fauna and flora that had once marked Elysea as the most beautiful land in the Prime Material. All of it had been destroyed, corrupted, subsumed. His Master had thrown his lasting wrath against the land, and it had withered beneath Absolum¡¯s hate. To Lunnierre it was a form of poetic justice, a rightness that he entirely held as just desserts. If they had listened to him, then all rebellion and chance of godsworn resurgence would have been abated. He could have been the change, the fulcrum Elysea had needed to properly move past its decaying and slovenly state. They had relied far too much on the threat of the Ordo Draconis and Bael¡¯tharax to suppress godsworn insurgencies. He sneered out at the landscape. Killing the Drakaii had been one of his great pleasures during the outset of the true war. It had been a gratifying act of vengeance, no matter that each was slain with overwhelming ambush tactics and when they were at their lowest guard. What matter was it that it had taken a one thousand to one ratio to kill them? They had died, and the Empire had lost its greatest strength over the course of nine brutal days. Perhaps, he allowed himself to concede, if Bael¡¯tharax had remained hale and whole; things would have gone differently. Even Lunnierre understood, respected, and feared the unbridled might of the Dragon King. Yet even that creature, the greatest of all that lived, had been laid low by the superior minds of the Nine. Justinian¡¯s own hand had seen Bael¡¯tharax forced into a route, and opened the way for the Anointed to storm Elysea herself. Forsworn they had been called; Lunnierre and all those with him that had once served in Elysea¡¯s Legios, as if he and his peers had chosen to be cast out. Some had defected, certainly, but only after seeing the truth of the rotting carcass the Empire had become. Old. Decrepit. Unworthy. Lunnierre breathed deep of the blighted air and felt its poisonous mana taint filling his channels, and reacting to the blessed virulence of his Stygian Core. He had worked hard to cultivate the power over death and to twist his Life magic into the violation of the same element it had become. Like all Necromancers, he worked the power of Death; but unlike many he had naturally been gifted with Life magic as well. Unlike the Vasiri, who each had to be broken like stubborn beasts to see the glory of Absolum¡¯s enlightened ideas, Lunnierre had embraced them willingly. He had even been raised to the vaunted position of Necrolord during the war¡¯s most violent campaigns, and had been present the same day the Lunar Gate had fallen to the machinations of House Karelian. His House. His blood. Anointed and revered by the Sworn. It had not been easy, of course, to convince many of his family to join his enlightened path¡ but after delivering the majority to Absolum¡¯s clutches, and making good on his Manflayer title, he had shown the others the futility of resistance. The godsworn had been the future, and he had inflicted pain to ensure his kinsmen survived what was to come. If only he hadn¡¯t been forced to serve penance, he would have even had Stormharrow for his own. Instead it had gone to his mortal and half-witted brother, Vitarius. The fool. ¡°Perhaps I can have a reunion once we are done with Sanctuary,¡± he mused to himself. ¡°The Lunar Gate is not so far from the shield mountains.¡± That would be a fine use of his time, after all. And a sweet appeasement for his tenure in exile. He idly wondered how his descendents¡ªnot direct, of course¡ªwould react to their ancient progenitor showing up after five thousand years of ignoble imprisonment. Perhaps he¡¯d need to reinforce the necessity of adhering to his wisdom. It had been a while since he¡¯d practised his flaying techniques. He¡¯d need to brush up on them, lest he make a poor showing to his relatives. That would be a true crime. His eyes drifted again toward his horde, and the conspicuous forms of the twelve Vasiri standing haughtily nearby and overseeing the march. He picked out the female from earlier, considered her, and then discarded her. He¡¯d always found the opposite gender repulsive. Too empathetic. Too weak. Instead Lunnierre let his eyes fall upon a fair-featured elven man among the press of Vasiri, and he smiled. He had always enjoyed the taste of elf. There was a mana-rich succulence to their flesh that few creatures could emulate, and once he¡¯d moved past his initial gorge at the thought of eating what he had incorrectly qualified as people, he¡¯d come to enjoy elf as his favoured meal. After all, they weren¡¯t really people. They were just more intelligent animals. No one was as worthy of the mantle of person as the original Anointed. All these others were just pretenders, attempting to hold for themselves a kernel of ancient and inviolable glory. Lunnierre loathed them for that, and the Vasiri especially. They were warped and demented fools that had to be forced into accepting their shared Master¡¯s most holy gifts. Lunnierre sneered. The male would do nicely. He couldn¡¯t kill him, of course, but that shouldn¡¯t matter. He was quite confident in the Vasiri¡¯s healing to keep it alive. There were just under ten thousand appropriately corrupted supplicants to feed to the man, after all. That would be more than sufficient to maintain its healing. ¡°Though marching throughout will make the indulgence far less enjoyable¡¡± he muttered to himself while his mind raced. ¡°The maggot did mention the supplicants were wavering. It would be benevolent of me to let them camp for a single night, if that is the case.¡± He nodded to himself. ¡°Yes. A night of recovery sounds well-needed.¡± Lunnierre glanced at his army while he made the decision and felt it out before him once more, tied to the Vasiri by necrotic green and deathly black tethers of power. From the twelve Vasiri, he could sense the dense weaves of connection trailing back to the Highest and Absolum himself, though all of them paled when compared to Lunnierre¡¯s own. His core Core and Soulforce were interwoven with his bond to the god, and his tether¡ªhe was quite proud to know¡ªwas one of the most potent that still existed. He was one of the last true Anointed, after all. The last Necromancer of Saturnine, as far as he knew. In that way it was something of a blessing, horrible as it had been, to have been locked away. Now he alone could be responsible for the rebuilding of his order. Perhaps he¡¯d do it in Stormharrow, as a gift to his relatives. He smiled coldly at the thought. His eyes trailed once more over the Vasiri, and then focused back onto the elf. A thrill of anticipation buzzed through him and down his spine, and Lunnierre felt a small stirring in his loins. He had not cared about carnal desires outside of ensuring his line even before his imprisonment, and even then his stupid, worthless bitch of a cousin had failed to provide him even a single son, no matter how often he¡¯d cajoled her to do her duty. It had been his divine right to ensure his line! The fact she¡¯d resisted a champion of the Nine had been absurd. Her tune had changed when he¡¯d flayed her brother, but even that had only lasted so long. He couldn¡¯t understand why people were so lacking in common sense. Barbarism was an excellent means of educating others on the folly of their ways. It was hardly his problem that there were some few that refused to learn from the poignant examples of consequence. Her death was one he did regret, if only because he hadn¡¯t been able to carve out her worthless guts himself. She¡¯d been killed in the last days of the war, supposedly. Or committed suicide. He couldn¡¯t fully remember. It had been around the time he¡¯d been most heavily engaged against his homeland¡¯s futile resistance to Revelation. Not that it mattered. Not anymore. The ungrateful bitch was five thousand years dead. He had better things to dwell on, now. His smile split his features again. At his side, Lunnierre felt his Regalia vibrate with expectation. He patted the runesword placatingly. It was going to be a truly wonderful night. B2 | Chapter 01: The Desolation Aurelian emerged into a world torn asunder by hatred. The mid-morning sky glared down upon him with oppressive heat, and he felt his pores immediately open with sweat at the intensity of the scorched and desiccated air. The landscape before him stretched outward like a gigantic scab, its dry and cracked surface beaten in ugliness only by the twisted and corrupted growths dotting its barren, blackened soil. He could feel his Poison Resistance igniting within his body from the exposure to the air, and the passive magical corrosion that attempted even then to twist itself into his flesh. Behind him Karsys, Zylara, and finally Bahamut all emerged from the colossal gates to the palace that the human and elf had led them to. The gates, each half large enough to make Aurelian feel like a toddler, had been sundered by the same siege weapon that lay forgotten and discarded nearby, its broken form big enough to rival a whale. ¡°So this is the Desolation¡¡± he said in a voice that was equal parts interest and disturbed realisation. He had asked Karsys and Zylara at length what to expect, but neither he nor¡ªbased on what he could feel through the bond¡ªBahamut had fully understood the true gravity of the infection the gods of Death and Nature had sewn across the breadth and width of the land once known as Elysea. The city of Albion, which had once stood proudly around the immense imperial citadel, was now little more than a sweeping vista of ruins and broken masonry; creating an immense swell of streets and roadways cut through by massive swathes of ancient catastrophe which pockmarked entire sections of the city with immense craters. The scale of the construction was enough to boggle the mind, and Aurelian would not have been surprised if both London and New York City had been able to fit comfortably into Albion¡¯s boundaries on a comparative scale. The Elysean capitol had likely once been the greatest city in the Realms, and now was little more than a testament to the final rage of the Nine. It was just another justification for the removal of Solarius and his ilk. Aurelian¡¯s eyes rose from the city¡¯s destroyed skyline to the palace behind him, and he regarded it quietly. The citadel towered in a way he¡¯d never have conceived of, built with enough size to be a metropolitan district all on its own. He had known, logically, that the building was massive thanks to the maps he¡¯d used to update his HUD¡ but knowing it and seeing it were two very, very different things. ¡°The air feels¡ different.¡± Zylara said from his right side while squinting at nothing. ¡°Less toxic.¡± ¡°This is less toxic?¡± Aurelian asked with mild alarm while instinctively activating Dragon¡¯s Gaze. The air erupted with mana the moment he did, and he cursed loudly at the sudden pain in his eyes while they adjusted to the sheer deluge of new arcane information¡ªnot unlike someone igniting a high lumen flashlight right into the cornea. ¡°Are you alright, Aurelian?¡± Karsys asked with concern. ¡°I¡¯m fine, Karsys.¡± Aurelian answered with a grunt. ¡°I just activated my Dragon¡¯s Gaze skill, and the mana is a little overwhelming.¡± he blinked while he spoke, and squinted against the strain on his adapting eyes. ¡°I¡¯ll get used to it.¡± Dragon¡¯s Gaze is now Level 19! It is a truly disgusting sight. Bahamut said while moving forward to sniff at the air. It smells rancid, too. Like the Skarnids or Vasiri writ monumentally larger. Decay is omnipresent. ¡°I had hoped the Animus Engine would have made things more bearable¡¡± Aurelian admitted while examining the air through his Dragon¡¯s Gaze. Motes of every type of mana filled the space around them, but of those motes the most prevalent were strangely linked particles of death and nature mana. Twisted combinations like bulbous sores that floated through the air in passive blobs of corruption which, despite not having a direct impact on the material world, were easily felt. It was a simple matter to associate the virulent groupings with the Blight¡¯s affliction. ¡°Bahamut¡¯s right. It¡¯s gross.¡± Aurelian confirmed. ¡°I can see the Blight mana, and it¡¯s¡ wrong. It looks twisted, and rotted. They look like sores, almost, floating through the air. The sight of them makes me nauseous.¡± ¡°I cannot help but be relieved I don¡¯t have to see it as well as feel it,¡± Karsys admitted. ¡°¡®Tis bad enough having it suffusing me like a foetid blanket.¡± ¡°I agree with Karsys. I have no desire to see the horror the gods have inflicted on Elysea.¡± Aurelian let the conversation drift away from his attention while examining the world around them with Dragon¡¯s Gaze. Even ignoring the mutant mana motes drifting around like cancerous sores, the world outside of the palace just seemed¡ wilder somehow. There was an order or at least a subtle calm to the mana within the citadel that was not present in the world outside. Part of him suspected that was to do with Bael¡¯tharax, stasis or not, and the ancient leviathan¡¯s passive effect on mana within his expansive proximity. The nature of dragons and especially the Kings was still largely a mystery to Aurelian, for all that he was bonded to one. He had his suspicions however, and one of them was that dragons passively changed the world around them to possess a more stable and saturated field of mana. He was primarily going off of what he¡¯d heard about the Empire and a time when dragons had been everywhere¡ªat least when compared to the present¡ªand the memories of two biased sources, but it was a theory he¡¯d developed and couldn¡¯t shake. The difference in mana ¡®stability¡¯ between the outside and inside, especially near and around Bael¡¯tharax, only worked to more fully cement his opinion ¡ª though it was difficult to call it empirical without further evidence. Dragon¡¯s Gaze is now Level 20! He¡¯d need to wait until Bahamut was in one place, such as Sanctuary, for long enough for an effect to be had before he could properly observe the phenomenon and see if the much smaller dragon would passively recreate it. ¡°Aurelian?¡± Zylara¡¯s voice snapped him out of his thoughts, and he turned to find the blue-eyed elf peering at him carefully. ¡°Are you alright? You weren¡¯t responding to us for a moment there.¡± ¡°Oh.¡± he said sheepishly. ¡°Yes. Sorry. I was just focusing a little too intently on the mana and my theories around it. It¡¯s all quite fascinating. I gained two levels in Dragon¡¯s Gaze just from theorising and staring.¡± ¡°Perhaps you should leave it running, then.¡± Zylara suggested. ¡°I know you¡¯ve said it can be a bit disorienting or overwhelming, but if you¡¯re accruing levels quickly out here¡¡± ¡°Then it¡¯ll help me Infuse it faster.¡± Aurelian finished with an agreeable nod. ¡°Good plan, Zyl.¡± The elf stared at him for a moment, and then nodded jerkily and turned away with a flush to her cheeks and sudden grimace that made him wonder if he¡¯d accidentally offended her. ¡°We should move.¡± Karsys suggested with a slight laugh from his left. ¡°We have a lot of ground to cover, and very little time to cover it. We still need to find foes for you to test your powers on, as well.¡± ¡°True enough.¡± Aurelian agreed while turning to the satchel he¡¯d left securely draped around one of the Dragon¡¯s spines. ¡°On the note of Infusions, let me just grab that Mind Essence Draught from my pack, Bahamut.¡± Do you truly need it now? the Dragon King asked quizzically. Zylara raised a good point. My growth can be explosive, and we never know if you¡¯ll be within easy reach when I need to consume the Draught. Why not take some potions, then? I can fit the Draught in the storage rune of my armour, but it isn¡¯t high enough tier for more than one item. Ah. Bahamut responded simply. Then it is a wise choice. The four of them set out immediately thereafter when Aurelian was done, while descending along the slanted thoroughfare¡ªsized to fit one hundred people across quite easily¡ªand down toward the destroyed city proper. Bahamut did not join them on foot, and instead launched himself into the sky with a roar of glee and upward spiral of magic-assisted flight to survey from above. Enjoying yourself? Aurelian sent with a glance up at the soaring dragon. Immensely. Bahamut returned gleefully. And I have a perfect vantage point, as well. I already see a good first choice for your Anima test. Oh? Aurelian sent back enthusiastically. Indeed. I will draw it to you. Remind the others of the plan. Wilco. Aurelian replied cheerfully. Wilco? Will comply. It¡¯s a shorthand way of giving agreement among the militaries of my world. Reading on Amazon or a pirate site? This novel is from Royal Road. Support the author by reading it there. Hmm¡ Bahamut considered. I like these ¡®shorthand¡¯ sayings of yours, Aurelian. ASAP and Wilco¡ I wish to know more. In good time. Aurelian promised while turning to Zylara and Karsys. ¡°Bahamut¡¯s already found our first customer. He¡¯s going to draw it to us. I need you two to be careful not to do too much damage to the thing. I just need enough time to syphon its life essence. I¡¯m guessing it¡¯s contact based, so I¡¯ll have to cut my way past its chitin and to its internals if it¡¯s a Skarnid.¡± ¡°Seems like a likely assumption.¡± Zylara said with a cautious look out at the ruins. ¡°Are you going to try to level your skills at the same time?¡± ¡°Not for the first few.¡± Aurelian said with a shake of his head. ¡°Anima skills are more important, I think. I¡¯ll focus on those first.¡± ¡°In that case I will draw its attention.¡± Karsys said with a grim smile. ¡°It is my specialty, and I am uniquely equipped for it now.¡± ¡°Ooh. Okay.¡± Aurelian said with a nod. ¡°So you¡¯re the Tank and we¡¯re the DPS?¡± Both of his companions stared at him blankly, and Aurelian took a moment to weigh explaining it to them. It would be easier for his ability to explain other concepts later down the line, and it would ameliorate some measure of disconnect in their shared but contextually separate views on the Realms at large. He decided it was worth it after only a brief consideration. ¡°Bahamut¡¯s already working, so I¡¯ll explain it in detail later, but for now Karsys you¡¯re a Tank¡ªwhich is sort of like a construct that can handle a shitload of punishment¡ªfor our party, and Zylara you¡¯re Ranged DPS, which stands for Damage-per-Second because of how rapidly you attack our enemies. Karsys, drawing its attention is called drawing aggro. It¡¯s a shortened term for aggression, basically.¡± ¡°Why are you¡ª?¡± Zylara began in bewilderment, though Aurelian cut her off. ¡°It¡¯s so that if I shout something along those lines in the middle of a fight, due to my ingrained way of thinking, you¡¯ll both understand me.¡± he explained while looking between them with a smile. ¡°If you start drawing aggro, Zylara, just back off. Let Karsys keep it focused on him, and work on crippling it rather than outright killing or damaging it. The less it can move, the better.¡± ¡°Hm¡¡± Zylara said thoughtfully. ¡°I suppose that works.¡± ¡°Very well.¡± Karsys said with a nod after Zylara. ¡°I am the ¡®Tank¡¯, Aurelian. Leave the ¡®aggro¡¯ to me.¡± ¡°Great!¡± Aurelian said with a grin. ¡°Let¡¯s get it done.¡± In the skies above, Bahamut roared his challenge and dove with a folding of his wings, while the runes along his body burned with platinum light. A withering column of fire tore from his jaws moments later, and washed over an obscured area of the city in a blaze of power and haze of furnace-like heat. With Dragon¡¯s Gaze active, Aurelian saw it like a beam of prismatic light. Something that sounded large shriek-bellowed an enraged response. Aurelian was already running just behind Karsys when the sound washed over them, and Zylara had taken positioning far to the right from where she could properly flank; though she was still keeping pace with Aurelian while also allowing Karsys to take the lead. Bahamut roared again and unleashed another volley of blazing dragonfire, which resulted in a building some two hundred metres ahead of them exploding outward towards their running group. A massive and lumbering Skarnid appeared out of the rubble with another shriek of outrage, its chitinous carapace scorched and blackened by dragonfire, and several of its multitudinous spider-like eyes bubbled and melted by the force of the flames. Its massive stinger swayed while it stared up at Bahamut, and acid fired from its mouth in enraged globules of corrosive assault. Each attack missed the swooping dragon by mere inches thanks to his evasions, and Bahamut circled for another strike. Make haste, Aurelian, before it retreats to a burrow! Aurelian didn¡¯t pause to ask how Bahamut knew that it would do that, and instead turned to nod to Karsys with a shouted ¡°Go get it, Tank!¡± and thumbs up. The burly human glanced back with an enthusiastic nod and hefted his runeshield and flanged warmace while closing the distance between him and the Skarnid. When he was within fifty metres, Karsys¡¯ body lit up red and brown to Aurelian¡¯s Dragon Gaze-enhanced eyes, and a surge of mana erupted out from his body. In a sudden burst of velocity and kinetic force, the towering human smashed into the chitinous legs of the spider-scorpion hybrid with a resounding crunch of cracking chitin and inhuman wail of arachnoid pain. ¡°FACE ME, YOU BILIOUS CURR!¡± the magma warrior snarled in contempt. Somehow, the Taunt Skill¡ªAurelian could only call it that, given the reactive indicative of Soulforce that snapped taut between Karsys and the Skarnid¡ªmade perfect purchase and the monster turned away from Bahamut to focus the full force of its ire on Karsys. Corruption and blight clung to the creature¡¯s venomous green-black chitin body like a gangrenous infection to a festering wound. It was saturated, to Aurelian¡¯s gaze, by the malignant blight motes and corrupted manawood essence that filled its body. Aurelian swallowed back bile at the sight of the foul energy bloating its limbs, and engorging its head and carapace massively. Random and lethally barbed spikes not unlike the disorganised carnage of a great white shark¡¯s teeth lined the top of its body, and Aurelian immediately ruled out trying to jump on top of it. That would be suicide-by-shish-kebab. Dragon¡¯s Gaze is now Level 21! Aurelian changed his direction into a wider arc while the creature engaged with Karsys, and used Revelate while he ran. Name: Corrupted Skarnid Behemoth Race: Blight Arachnid Level: 68 Tier: Adept Health: 3,820 / 5,200 Description: Among the Skarnid monsters that haunt the Desolation, the greatest of them are the Behemoths. These are the Skarnids that hold dominion over the others, and the strongest of them have been known to rise as far as Master tier. This Behemoth¡¯s already vile form has been further corrupted by insidious uses of twisted Life and Nature mana, creating a foetid abomination. Aurelian¡¯s eyes widened upon seeing the information, and even the ding of his Revelate ability leveling up wasn¡¯t able to shake the sudden surge of worry that nestled within his core. Not only was the creature rated at Adept, but it was close to Expert! Bahamut hadn¡¯t simply chosen an enemy, he¡¯d chosen probably the single strongest one he could find in the entire nearby city district. Revelate is now Level 20! Bahamut! What the fuck? This thing is way too powerful! You are mistaken. The dragon sent back fiercely. It is absolutely perfect as a foe. You¡¯re going to need to explain that logic! Aurelian sent back furiously while drawing his sword from its new place on his left hip, and gripping it firmly in his right hand. His sprinting arc, which was pushed hard enough to drain his stamina almost faster than his regeneration could restore it, would take him in a moderately large loop around to the creature¡¯s flank. There, he hoped to find his way beneath it in order to use his Anima Syphon ability after creating an opening. At least that had been his plan before Revelate, and he was now seriously reconsidering it, even as Karsys fended off probing strikes from the enraged arachnid. We cannot waste time building ourselves toward steadily stronger foes as if we are in a controlled training environment like the cave. Bahamut continued across the bond with ironclad resolve. We must throw ourselves at beasts like this and risk everything in order to grow in leaps and bounds. Steady progress will avail us not. We must be pushing into your second Temper by the time we make it to Sanctuary! That won¡¯t mean a bloody thing if we¡¯re dead, Bahamut! Prey or Predator, Aurelian! The dragon sent back with a telepathic snarl. You cannot afford to dither between the concepts! There is no safe middle ground! Kill! Be killed! That is the way of the Realms, brother of my soul. Know it now, and accept it, lest we both perish under the weight of your hesitation! Aurelian bit off his response with a distinctly not-human growl and gnashed his teeth together in frustration. The worst part was that the dragon wasn¡¯t even wrong, he was just reckless. Aurelian understood what Bahamut was saying. What he¡¯d been saying. He didn¡¯t disagree or want to countermand the dragon¡¯s point, but the issue was that he still didn¡¯t even have a proper grasp of using his Anima skills! For dragons, as Bael¡¯tharax had elucidated; magic was as easy as breathing. Very likely Bahamut used multiple different spellforces without even thinking about it, especially as a Dragon King. Aurelian was not so gifted, no matter their bond, and on top of that had access to a spell talent that apparently even the god of Death hadn¡¯t been able to master! Another curse of frustration spilled from his lips, and then his attention was momentarily stolen. An echoing crack of localised thunder sounded from behind, and Aurelian glanced quickly over his shoulder in time to see a flash of silver-blue light erupt from Zylara¡¯s suddenly shining bow. Aurelian¡¯s Dragon¡¯s Gaze gave him enough information to passively catalogue it as ¡®air mana with a lightning manifestation¡¯ a split second before the arrow of pure energy shot past him with a lingering smell of burnt ozone, and smashed into the Skarnid Behemoth¡¯s tail. The creature shrieked in pain as chitin and black, corrupted blood shot out from the impact point and its tail and rear legs spasmed in agony at the sudden volts of power surging out from the impact point. Zylara shouted something encouraging from behind him, and he watched while Bahamut came down with another thunderous roar and another gout of flame. This time the dragon seared the top of the creature¡¯s tail, and distracted it enough for Zylara to put another thunderclap-producing arrow into the base of the creature¡¯s tail. The dragonfire, Aurelian noted, did not cause the Behemoth to explode. Why was it different from the Skarnids in the Palace? He¡¯d need to investigate. Aurelian grimaced when he realized their situation. Between the elf and dragon, the ferocity with which the Skarnid was smashing its forelegs and mandibles against Karsys¡¯ desperately moving tower shield increased frantically as it started to believe it might have need to escape, and Aurelian realised with growing acceptance that there truly was no more room for excess caution. There never had been. The bloody dragon was right. Not that Aurelian would satisfy his partner¡¯s ego by admitting it. ¡°Fuck it.¡± he growled under his breath while his runesword started to vibrate with anticipation in his grip. Adrenaline and a new deeply seated bloodlust rose with prominence within his mind. His concerns seemed to fade somewhat, subsumed by a sudden roaring in his ears, in his mind, and by the blazing spin of his incandescent Calamity Core. With nothing left but to throw himself forward, he bellowed the first thing that entered his mind, and did so with a gusto and abandon to make its originator proud. ¡°LEEEEEROOOOOY!¡± Aurelian charged despite his lingering worries, and with Dragon¡¯s Resolve roaring inside his mind. B2 | Chapter 02: Arachnophobia Boogaloo Aurelian closed the distance between himself and the Behemoth with a surge of System-assisted speed, leaning into his agility and dexterity attributes as much as he could in a way that he couldn¡¯t quite explain. It wasn¡¯t that he changed how the attributes worked, per se, as much as he just consciously pushed them to their limits in conjunction with his Running skill. The overlaid mana-active mode of Dragon¡¯s Gaze combined with his normal sight was slightly disorienting at speed while he closed with the gigantic Skarnid, but Aurelian did his best to ignore it and trust his intelligence-enhanced mind to process the information properly. It was an invaluable asset, insofar as understanding how the creature¡¯s internal and magical processes worked. He could actually see the mana coalescing and forming within it every time it took the chance to spit corrosive goop up at Bahamut between engagements with Karsys¡¯ tower shield. The moment he closed with the Behemoth, Aurelian threw himself forward and under its skittering legs while it was distracted with Karsys, lifting his crest and taking only a few moments to track the myriad flows of corrupted mana within the creature¡¯s body before aligning his blade for a strike. Trusting his instinct as much as the information given to him by Dragon¡¯s Gaze, Aurelian thrust his weapon upward and pierced clean past the soft underarmour of the Skarnid¡¯s underbelly. He ignored the desire to vomit that came the moment he was splashed by viscous, black-green blood; and instead sawed at the creature¡¯s body while listening to it wail and screech upon realising what was happening. Its attention at that point was firmly distracted from Karsys and Bahamut both, and as hoped both the human and the dragon capitalised on its sudden lapse in focus. Karsys stepped forward and, with little hesitation, started aggressively assaulting the Skarnid¡¯s limbs with chitin-cracking blows from his flanged runemace, while Bahamut rained down flames in a torrent of blistering power from above. Aurelian tore his blade sideways, then forward, slashing and mutilating with every fibre of his enhanced strength while lacerated organs and guts dropped from within the foetid creature¡¯s gaping wound like so much refuse. He had to move carefully to continue his assault, eyes peeled for the stabbing legs and erratic, panicked movements of the behemoth while it tried to find a way to attack the unknown presence murdering it from below. With the behemoth¡¯s flowing mana channels disrupted by the magical assaults native to his Crest¡¯s nature and his companions duly assaulting it with bow, mace, and flame; Aurelian chose that moment to attempt to use his Anima Syphon ability on the wounded creature. He tore his crest-blade free and without pausing to think too much about it, focused on trying to grasp the life force of the beast above him. No System response answered his attempts, but a natural kind of intuition pinged through his mind immediately. First and foremost he instantly understood that Anima Syphon had failed, and thereafter, he also immediately comprehended that it had failed because the Behemoth was still both too healthy and too powerful for him to effectively syphon it. All these things happened within the speed of thought. Enlightened to the limitations of his power, Aurelian decided to opt for discretion over borderline suicidal recklessness and immediately turned to run and dive out between the panicked creature¡¯s legs, and harness the moment to roll to his feet a short distance away. The Skarnid squealed in agony and rage when Aurelian appeared and, seemingly realising him to be the source of its pain, lashed out with its massive stinger. Booms of the creature¡¯s monstrous tail smashing into the earth echoed into the air, and Aurelian danced and dodged away in order to rapidly gain some distance while Karsys bellowed another Taunt and¡ªjust barely¡ªmanaged to re-orient the creature¡¯s hatred toward him. ¡°It¡¯s too strong for me to use my new abilities on it!¡± Aurelian shouted while lifting his right hand, holding his sword ready in his left, and firing off an ozone-burning Lightning Bolt at the Skarnid Behemoth with a crackle-pop and boom of associated thunder. The creature screeched in furious pain at the impact, and both Chitin and soft flesh exploded from the impact. ¡°What¡¯s the plan, then?!¡± Karsys yelled back while dancing around the Skarnid¡¯s furious assault. A quick Revelate told Aurelian the creature was down to less than half of its health, close to the one-third mark, and he grunted. That meant they¡¯d need to kill it. ¡°Kill the thing, and I¡¯ll try them on the corpse!¡± An arrow sailed overhead a moment later as if to give action to his words, and a sudden cssk-BOOM of discharging lightning detonated one of the Skarnid¡¯s many eyes. Aurelian dodged backward instinctively from the reeling creature when it scuttled backwards almost drunkenly with Karsys in pursuit, and turned to find Zylara readying a second arrow with cold focus. ¡°Elves and arrows¡¡± Aurelian murmured to himself with a surge of amusement while turning back to face the massive Skarnid Behemoth. The moment he did, his Dragon¡¯s Gaze snapped passively to the fore of his awareness. He didn¡¯t even have time to call out a warning. Corrupted mana welled within the monster, and infused its vocal chords. A skull-rattling shriek erupted from the Skarnid¡¯s maw a heartbeat later with enough force that Aurelian¡¯s vision momentarily doubled and he felt his equilibrium fail him. The clang of his armored knee impacting the ruined city streets sent a jolt through his body and mind, and Aurelian winced against the secondary psychic backlash of the behemoth¡¯s cry, and the surprising damage to his enhanced eardrums. When he returned his attention to the creature, he found it aglow with power. Some sort of last-ditch berserker capacity, most likely. The sound of distant shrieking hit his ears, and as if to make bad news worse; Bahamut¡¯s voice echoed into his mind at the same moment. The foul creature has summoned reinforcements! Hasten its demise! ¡°It called for help!¡± Arthur shouted despite the partial deafness from the Skarnid¡¯s roar. ¡°We have to end this fast!¡± ¡°Ready whenever¡ª¡± Karsys fell silent momentarily while he tanked a stinger-stab to his shield with a resounding boom ¡°¡ªyou are!¡± Aurelian laughed despite himself and threw himself forward toward the hulking foe with a single-minded focus. He knew more Skarnids were coming. He could almost sense and see them simultaneously with Dragon¡¯s Gaze, but he couldn¡¯t afford to be distracted. He had to deal with the threat before him, and concern himself with the remainder afterward. A near dodge around a flailing, stabbing limb carried Aurelian into close quarters with the rampaging beast, and he set to work with a butcher¡¯s efficiency. His runesword rose and fell with cold purpose, and the Skarnid bellowed in hatred as another limb was sent careening away by the magical blade¡¯s assault. Once again in proximity to the creature, Aurelian felt its corruption like an oil-slick on his skin¡ªfoetid and repulsive to equal degree, and rife with the corrosive damage that had been wrought upon the once-paradisiacal lands of the Elysean Empire. Karsys¡¯ shield hummed with power for a moment as they fought, and the tall warrior smashed it forward into the Skarnid¡¯s wounded face with another raging battlecry. When he did, the Behemoth staggered backward in stunned surprise. Aurelian took the presented opportunity without hesitation. His sword arced up and cut across with lethal precision, and he felt himself harmonize with the blade at the exact moment it cleaved clean through the Skarnid¡¯s remaining legs on its left side. The beast collapsed in a writhing, spasming heap while lashing out with its tail in every conceivable direction. Aurelian barely had time to raise his crest before one such wild swing smashed into him like a sledgehammer, and sent him careening across the ground away from Karsys and the monster both. This story is posted elsewhere by the author. Help them out by reading the authentic version. Directly, so it happened, into the path of the beast¡¯s approaching reinforcements. He barely managed to recover some sense of situational awareness before the vanguard of the incoming beasts crashed atop him. Aurelian¡¯s aching and clearly damaged body managed to eke out a moment of adrenaline-and-desperation fuelled response, and he half-rolled, half-scrambled away from a descending stinger to stumble to his feet and re-orient to face the approaching Skarnids. Revelate activated almost instinctively. Name: Corrupted Skarnid Race: Blight Arachnid Level: 33 Tier: Novice Health: 1766 / 1766 Description: Skarnids are twisted predators that thrive in the Desolation, and stalk its corrupted lands for prey with which to sate their consuming hunger. This Skarnid¡¯s already vile form has been further corrupted by foul uses of twisted Life and Nature mana, creating a foetid abomination. ¡°Oh. Fucking wonderful.¡± Aurelian cursed upon absorbing the information on the new arrivals. More regular Skarnids. Not even some sort of easier, less powerful Swarmer variant or something else one might expect for a ¡®boss¡¯ fight. Just a bunch of very angry, very lethal horse-sized scorpion-spiders with a very bad attitude. Bahamut¡¯s thunderous roar overhead rolled across the area, and for a blessed moment the horde of Skarnids hesitated. ¡°Aurelian?!¡± Karsys shouted. ¡°Handle the big one!¡± Aurelian yelled back. ¡°I¡¯ve got this!¡± Karsys¡¯ only reply was another roaring Taunt at the crippled Behemoth. From the rear, Zylara punched another lightning arrow into the wounded monster. ¡°We¡¯ll help as soon as we can!¡± she called out in promise. ¡°Right.¡± Aurelian muttered while the Skarnids chittered angrily, and seemingly decided that the Dragon¡¯s presence was not enough to dissuade them from the ¡®metal-wrapped snack¡¯ that was Aurelian. ¡°Time to test out the new tricks.¡± Dragon¡¯s Sanguination came to life with a flicker of will. The Skarnids chose that moment to charge. Dragon¡¯s Resolve washed away his momentary panic. Aurelian met their charge with an explosion of violence. His crest rose and fell and took the first Skarnid¡¯s monstrous skull with it, eviscerating the chitin and flesh and sending the headless corpse spasming to the ground. Before its legs had even finished reactively curling in on themselves to signify its death, Aurelian was onto the next creature. While he did, he instinctively activated Anima Harvest. Motes of red energy exploded from the Skarnid¡¯s corpse, and slammed into him. The second they did, his awareness flashed with an update. You have gained 3 Anima! His runesword sung as it cleaved through the air, and in the same moment as three stingers smashed into his plate¡ªAurelian claimed another Skarnid life. Anima Syphon triggered once more even while vitality and health surged through his body, restoring his physical self almost as quickly as the Skarnids¡ªwhich failed to penetrate his armour¡ªdelivered blunt-force trauma to various parts of his enhanced physiology. Each time he was hit, Dragon¡¯s Sanguination built¡ªand aetheric bolts of cardinal lightning lanced out around him as a result of its Tempering attribute. Kinetic energy built, and Aurelian threw himself more wholly into the fight. You have gained 3 Anima! The tempering he¡¯d undergone proved itself up to the challenge while he fought, and Aurelian felt his sanguine core roaring with mana and vitality as he slashed and hacked his way into the dense mass of Skarnid bodies. Chaos surrounded him in a tide, and Aurelian lost all sense of anything that wasn¡¯t the Skarnids highlighted by Dragon¡¯s Gaze, and the insanity of his fight to stay alive. Anima was syphoned wherever possible, and still, still Dragon¡¯s Sanguination built its kinetic cache. Aurelian spun abruptly after harvesting yet another Skarnid, and deflected the vine-like whip of a lashing tail in the midst of the conflict; smashing aside the stinger with the flat of his blade and extending his hand. Mana surged around his fingers while rage built in his core, steadily buoyed by revulsion, and then aetheric force ignited around his palm with crackles of Force magic. ¡°Fuck you.¡± he spat with contempt. The creature¡¯s head imploded in an outward eruption of corrupted grey matter. You have gained 3 Anima! Arthur checked his mental list, and noted that two things had changed. First, he had accrued close to thirty Anima. Second, an awareness of Dragon¡¯s Sanguination sung at him. The [Monarch¡¯s Bloodstorm] infusion cried out to be unfettered. With a single flex of his will, Aurelian let it go. The result was an unleashing of the condensed and accumulated kinetic pressure. The air around Aurelian warped and twisted, and sound momentarily vanished in the same instant as a pressure bubble manifested and then popped in the same heartbeat. A roar of concussive power discharged from his body, and bolts of destruction as red as blood exploded outward in a rippling dome of red lightning two meters wide. The Skarnids in range were not burnt, they simply exploded. Pure kinetic force impacted the creatures¡¯ chitinous shells and they detonated with the force of fragmentation grenades, pushing away and wounding the other creatures around them¡ªand drenching everything in black and green blood, shattered chitin, and globules of decimated flesh that he¡¯d long-since stopped noticing. Aurelian took a moment after using the built-up kinetic force to brace his runesword against the blood-and-guts lathered ground, and took in a steadying breath. ¡°Well shit.¡± he muttered with a look around. ¡°Thanks Gramps.¡± Skarnids had been thrown all over the area by the detonation of their peers, and while Aurelian himself had received numerous cuts, lacerations, and impact-force wounds from the same eruptions¡ªhe hardly even noticed. His healing was already catching up, and he idly noticed that when it did, his Anima reserves drained steadily. A form of accelerated vampiric healing, then, in exchange for his accrued Anima. Not a bad trade, overall. His eyes went to some nearby Skarnid corpses, and a new idea popped into his mind. Aurelian moved quickly before the disarrayed Skarnids could recover and extended his left hand to the nearest in-tact corpse, some four meters away. The moment he did, an awareness of its anatomy¡ªand the depth of its corruption¡ªfilled his mind like a blueprint. Without overthinking it, Aurelian willed his Anima reserves to fill the body, and occupy its nervous system. At the same moment, he felt a tether erupt into being between himself and the deceased Skarnid, built from a force of magic he could only describe as inexplicable. It felt cold and hot at the same time, and seemed like it was anchored to his will. There was a weight of responsibility to it, though it lacked any kind of true physical expression of burden¡ªand with it came a sudden jolt of understanding. ¡°Arise.¡± Aurelian commanded firmly, and with a flash of nerdy glee. In the same instant, he sent his desires along the tether like a broadcast signal. The Skarnid corpse rose like a weathered marionette to its feet. Each movement was jerky and robotic, like it were being manipulated by a drunken operator and was possessed of rusted joints and faulty gears. The raised corpse staggered for a moment, took two steps, and then promptly collapsed. The tether disintegrated almost in the same instant, and Aurelian staggered when he felt a feeling of sudden backlash. His health, he noticed, also dropped by a small amount and he felt blood in his mouth¡ªthough he shuffled the knowledge of backlash away for later consideration. ¡°Note to self,¡± he muttered while spitting out blood, ¡°avoid the big things until you know what the rules are.¡± With that note made, he turned his mind instead to the result, and he focused Dragon¡¯s Gaze on the creature¡¯s once more inanimate corpse in the same moment as a moment of epiphany took hold of his consciousness: the Skarnid lacked a head. He had all but obliterated its brain during combat with his runesword. Which meant that, like any body, Anima Infused Corpses required some manner of locomotive command to function properly. In other words, they needed an in-tact head and brain¡ though how in-tact was unknown. ¡°When in doubt, follow the rule of zombie.¡± he decided with a self-satisfied nod. His eyes swept the recovering Skarnids, and he searched for corpses with heads. An annoyed frown spread across his lips while he considered the bodies and realized he¡¯d been a little too effective at dismembering and decapitating them. Of the ones he¡¯d slain, which numbered well over a dozen; none of them were in-tact enough for him to be confident in using Anima Infusion again. Instead, he¡¯d need more corpses¡ªand to change up his fighting style to ensure they were in the right condition. A screech of rage caught his attention, and Aurelian looked toward where the Skarnids had finally recovered¡ªreally, barely thirty seconds had passed¡ªand were reconstituting their horde. Instead of taking a defensive posture, Aurelian smiled darkly and levelled his runesword toward the thinned out swarm of corrupted arachnids. They represented a whole sea of Anima and minions ripe for the reaping. ¡°Frostmourne hungers, you ugly sons of bitches.¡± The Skarnids screeched shrilly in response and surged toward him. Aurelian threw himself forward to meet their charge with a cackle. B2 | Chapter 03: The Arisen Anima Syphon is now Level 2! ¡ Anima Syphon is now Level 5! Aurelian hit the wave of arachnids in a flurry of violence and quick dodges. His crest rose and fell with focused aggression and precision, and Aurelian drowned out the sounds of battle echoing from where Bahamut, Karsys, and Zylara were still seeing to the crippled Behemoth¡ªwhich was, by all accounts, still giving a respectable showing in spite of its grievous injuries. The chaos of his personal combat consumed him, and Aurelian committed to his task with grim focus. Where before he had gone for clean bisecting strikes or decapitating blows, now instead he sought to instead land crippling or killing blows against the Skarnids¡¯ spinal columns and core anatomy. His Dragon¡¯s Gaze burned mana still while he fought, and the time was rapidly approaching when he would need to conserve energy in lieu of using the skill with reckless abandon. He could feel himself building toward crescendo with several of his abilities, and was wary of having to delay a potential Tempering due to the madness of the combat he¡¯d thrown himself into. Aurelian¡¯s brief experimentation with Anima Infusion had paid dividends, however, and he had developed an interestingly exacting understanding of how the Skarnid physiology was built¡ªand where the most critically vulnerable parts of their anatomy were located. When one of the creatures attempted a flanking strike, Aurelian used a focused blast of lightning to ward off three others. With them momentarily disgaged, he pivoted on his heel and¡ªtrusting to Dragon¡¯s Sanguination¡ªallowed the Skarnid¡¯s tail to screech off of his armour. Aurelian rolled beneath the beast, flourished his crest in his hand and stabbed it upward with precision toward where he knew the Skarnid¡¯s heart was located, at the forward half of its body just below its central spine. The moment his blade pierced through the chitin, obliterated its heart, and narrowly avoid the spine: the creature spasmed. Its body jerked drunkenly, Aurelian threw himself free of it, and then its legs failed and the monster dropped to the ground with a final death rattle and thud of impact. Aurelian immediately harnessed his Anima Syphon ability to draw his tithe from the corpse, and momentarily considered how little each of the contradictingly large beasts was worth. He assumed it had to do with the vast levels of corruption seething within their bodies, or else Anima in general demanded a far higher life force tithe than he¡¯d realized in order to raise its reserves. Aurelian¡¯s thoughts were interrupted by another Skarnid, and he dashed away from a rapidly stabbing stinger as the beast sought to end him in his momentary distraction. Aurelian raised his crest in response, and slashed a deep gash into one of the horse-sized spider-scorpion¡¯s immense pincers to ward it off while circulating mana in his body. The moment the Skarnid shrieked at him, Aurelian launched himself off his feet with the full value of his Strength stat, and spun to face it while hurtling backward through the air on momentum alone. ¡°Firebolt!¡± he roared while pointing his left hand at the creature¡¯s maw. The globule of corrosive and corrupted spit that it had summoned to shoot at him¡ªwhich Dragon¡¯s Gaze had alerted him to¡ªwas hit by the Firebolt while inside the Skarnid¡¯s maw. The result was a small detonation that, upon meeting the viscous ooze that filled the Skarnid¡¯s internals, escalated to a full-blown concussive explosion. Aurelian was thrown away from the erupting beast with a snarl of pain and some definite bruising along his body even in spite of the protection from his runic warplate. The good news was that the disruption appeared to have pulled the other Skarnids up short out of momentary fear or wariness of what he might do to them in turn. The bad news was that there was not a sliver of Anima to be had from the exploded Skarnid. That did make some manner of sense, Aurelian supposed while he grimly picked himself up off the ground, and looked at what remained of the Skarnid: four legs, three one the right and one on the left, and half of an underbody still burning with flames from the sudden combustion. The rest of the creature was scattered across over a dozen meters of ground. Fire Resistance is now Level 28! You have gained Experience! The lack of Anima to be syphoned also raised the question of sustainability. That also begged the question of future practicality, and minion-building efficiency. How much would a regular monster or humanoid absent the vile corruption that all but consumed the Skarnids allow him to harvest, and how much would they in turn require for raising? The question spawned a rabbit hole of thought he knew he couldn¡¯t entertain in that moment, however, and so he rolled his sore shoulders and mentally re-oriented himself to deal with the rest of the reduced horde. More are coming, Aurelian! You must dispense with your foes quickly! That, of course, was when Aurelian realised that the ¡®horde¡¯ wasn¡¯t one at all. It was simply the vanguard of a far larger concentration of the monsters. Aurelian¡¯s eyes widened in realization when he saw and heard the screeching cries of more Skarnids skittering and clacking toward his location in the near distance, and toward the locations of his embattled companions, from all over the ruined city. ¡°Fuck.¡± he said poignantly when realization struck him. How many years, centuries, perhaps even millennia had the creatures had to propagate? How many endless numbers of them must there have been not just in the ruined capital, but across the Desolation at large? Skarnids were very unlikely to be the apex predators, from what he¡¯d read, which meant they were likely a very aggressive prey species for the true threats of the Desolation. And prey species, Aurelian knew, populated rapidly. I¡¯m going to try something to even the odds. he sent back to Bahamut quickly. But it may not turn the tide immediately. Can you keep the bigger masses away from Zylara and Karsys while I work? What of your own well-being? Bahamut questioned with a mental rumble. I¡¯ll be fine. You remember those Anima abilities? Understanding bloomed across the bond, and Aurelian even detected approval. I see. the Dragon sent back with a tone of savage glee. Very well. I shall aid our lesser companions, and you do as you must, Aurelian. Remind this swarm of insects why their forebears knew to fear the fury of a Dragonbound. With pleasure. Aurelian sent back. The entire conversation occurred at the speed of thought, and by time they finished Bahamut was winging his way toward the Skarnids encroaching upon Zylara and Karsys¡¯ positions, the runes on his obsidian body lighting up riotously and flames erupting from his maw to scorch the front line of the first wave of advancing creatures closest to Karsys. The chained explosions of Skarnids detonated by dragonfire were glorious. Aurelian paid no more heed to the situation after that though¡ªhe had to focus, or else they would die¡ªand instead assessed the Skarnids which had given him some wary distance after his last kill. His trick with Dragon¡¯s Sanguination would not work easily a second time. The Skarnids had observed his fighting style, and he could see the creatures¡¯ evil intellect at work while they hissed and chittered at one another in rapid communication. Likely they were realizing he had changed his approach. After slaying another half-dozen of them in the new way, the remaining two dozen or so of the initial vanguard appeared far less willing to needlessly close distance with him. Anima Syphon is now Level 6! For all that they looked like large bugs, they were dangerously intelligent. This tale has been pilfered from Royal Road. If found on Amazon, kindly file a report. If they were going to give him time, however; Aurelian wasn¡¯t going to waste it. His eyes remained warily attentive to the hesitating and chittering monsters, but he moved quickly back to the corpse of the Skarnid he¡¯d most recently slain and pressed his hand to it. With a flex of his will, Anima Infusion activated. The flood of Anima that left his body immediately thereafter was more expected when it came, and Aurelian weathered it with far less shock than the first time it had happened. Based on his calculations, he¡¯d accrued close to 30 Anima from the Skarnids he¡¯d slain. Of that, 25 points had been invested into the corpse before him. Given each Skarnid was only worth 3, that was a very grim conversion rate. The tether he¡¯d felt in his first experimental necromancy snapped into place between him and the dead arachnid as Aurelian established his power over the corpse. When the bond between himself and the dead monster flared to life, it was once again a cord of vivid cardinal red he could both see with Dragon¡¯s Gaze and feel through his Soulforce. Nothing happened immediately however, and Aurelian felt a subtle System-born encouragement nudging him toward a repetition of a previous action. With a mix of retroactive embarrassment and shameless amusement, Aurelian spoke as the instinct in him bade. ¡°Arise.¡± The result was far different than the first time he¡¯d attempted the feat. Firstly and most impressively, the entire corpse changed colour as the Anima roared from inert to active within it, and the mottled grey-brown carapace became instead a deep ebony that glimmered with a reflective sheen in the harsh sunlight of the Desolation. Veins of bright scarlet ran the length of its body, culminating in a crest upon its back that represented¡ªto Aurelian¡¯s bewilderment¡ªwhat he could only describe as a roaring dragon, its wings out flared. Where the previous Skarnid corpse, headless and thereby flawed, had raised itself up like a malfunctioning animatronic; this time the movement was both smoother and infinitely more menacing. A sigh like an inverse death-rattle left the monstrous arachnid¡¯s undead maw, and it rose from the ground with a single fluid motion that was definitely unnatural. Anima Infusion is now Level 2! Congratulations, Aurelian Lucis Imperius! Hidden Conditions Met! You are the first being outside of the Blood Lords of Eld to raise an Anima Arisen successfully! Such a feat has been attempted by beings of every level of power, including the incumbent God of Death himself! You have succeeded where even a god failed, and have achieved something thought impossible in every corner of the Realms! Achievement: No Rest For The Wicked! For successfully achieving an hitherto unmatched feat of magic, you have received the following: 1 x Codex Sanguinaris 1 x [Essence of the Sanguine] 1 x [Blood Lord¡¯s Chalice] Would you like to claim these rewards now? Y / N ¡°Okay. That is fucking cool.¡± Aurelian said with quiet appreciation for both the Skarnid he¡¯d ¡®raised¡¯ and the Achievement he¡¯d been awarded, though he declined claiming the rewards immediately. He could worry about those when he wasn¡¯t fighting for his life, brief pause or not. His eyes roamed over the creature¡¯s body, and he took note of how it held itself¡ªcalm, cold, and predatorily silent. The still-living Skarnids, by comparison, were chittering in alarm. For some reason he couldn¡¯t understand, they seemed afraid to close distance. The ¡®reforged¡¯ Skarnid turned to Aurelian, and its glowing crimson eyes met his. A kind of savage, dark intelligence connected suddenly to Aurelian through the newly forged link¡ªand he just barely felt the moment the newly risen creature tried to instinctively break his control, or assert its own as a form of backlash. Thanks to Dragon¡¯s Resolve, that attempt failed so quickly and so decisively that Aurelian almost didn¡¯t notice it. The second its attempts were rebuffed, however, the creature¡¯s mental state became instantly compliant¡ªand it simply stood, its wound sealed by the restorative effects of the Anima that raised it, and its chitinous exoskeleton had not even a blemish to be seen. The wafting sense of corruption normally present in the creatures also seemed to be gone, and it almost seemed smoother to his eyes, with a greater symmetry and elegance to its ¡®design¡¯. Aurelian used Revelate the moment he remembered to. Name: Arisen Skarnid Race: Undead (Anima Arisen) Level: 24 Tier: Novice Health: 1450 / 1450 Description: Skarnids are twisted predators that thrive in the Desolation, and stalk its corrupted lands for prey with which to sate their consuming hunger. This Skarnid has been raised from the dead by the power of Anima, imitating the power of the Blood Lords of Eld. As a result it has undergone purification of its corruption, been remade in its purest and truest incarnation, and marked by the essence of its Infuser. Special Condition(s): Anima Arisen do not require sustenance, do not require rest, and can syphon the Anima of slain foes to repair any damage done to their undead bodies. They are loyal only to their Infuser, and will obey any command without reservation. The Arisen¡¯s level had dropped to match his own, which was consistent with everything Aurelian had suspected about minions, be it the Realms or in the video games he suspected subtly reflected them. Minions were never able to out-pace their masters, usually. The fact its health was almost half again greater than his was more of a surprise, but a welcome one. The creature¡¯s physiology and natural armour likely contributed to that fact. Most importantly, the Arisen Skarnid was just cool. ¡°Woah. Woah.¡± Aurelian¡¯s eyes darted from the Arisen Skarnid to the chittering mass of its corrupted once-brethren, and then back to the Arisen. A sense of impatient demand emanated from the creature in both thought and gaze, and Aurelian blinked in surprise. The Arisen¡¯s intent was conveyed by impressions rather than words or thoughts as he defined them, and yet Aurelian understood it perfectly. The creature wanted orders. It yearned to serve. It yearned to fulfil its purpose. Aurelian smiled slowly, and knew exactly what to say. ¡°Kill.¡± The instant he finished saying the word, down to the moment the last consonant was fully formed in the air, the Arisen roared and surged toward the hesitating and shocked swarm of living Skarnids. Chitters and screeches of alarm very different from the Arisen¡¯s roar met its aggressive charge, and Aurelian watched with quiet fascination as his new minion engaged its former kin in brutal conflict. The first thing he noticed was that the Arisen spared no thought for self-preservation, and fought with a single-minded brutality that made the creature it had been in life look tame by comparison. Its pincers tore at the legs of the living Skarnids with a hateful intensity that Aurelian found surprising, and its tail stabbed out at them with lightning-fast precision. Each strike of his Arisen¡¯s stinger punched through chitin, and Aurelian watched with enraptured fascination as the scarlet lines upon the creature¡¯s body glowed each time its stinger found purchase. With a shock, Aurelian realised that it was syphoning Anima with its stinger as opposed to injecting any kind of venom, and that each time it did the scarlet lines lit up with light to signify its successful absorption. When the first Skarnid died, the Arisen seemed to immediately dismiss the corpse from notice¡ªeven going so far as to turn away before it had even hit the ground. Through his tether to the creature, Aurelian could feel a shockingly alive sense of satisfaction and even targeted hatred from the Arisen, as if the living Skarnids somehow offended it by existing. ¡°Yeah.¡± Aurelian said quietly. ¡°I am definitely getting an army of these things.¡± Given the threat facing Sanctuary, he would likely need it too. Another chorus of screeches stole his attention, and Aurelian turned to where more Skarnids were rapidly approaching his position¡ªand that of his Arisen. His small vacuum moment of peace shattered in that instant, and Aurelian cursed himself for getting distracted. He¡¯d been so wrapped up in his new minion, and the way that the Skarnids reacted to it, that he¡¯d failed to remember the actual threat. Despite the fact it had been less than a minute between gaining the Arisen and it engaging in battle, Aurelian¡¯s peanut gallery indulgence had cost him critical moments to prepare¡ªand he launched himself forward with a curse. If he wanted more minions with which to aid Sanctuary, then he needed to ensure the ones he did raise survived. Right now, that meant his singular Arisen. The battle would give him plenty more opportunities to raise his army. Why are you standing still like a fool, Aurelian?! We will soon be overwhelmed by these vermin! Snap out of your fugure, and admire your new pet when we have the luxury for slack-jawed distraction! A simultaneous roar from Bahamut rippled across the earth along with his message, Aurelian knew he truly had wasted too much time. His soulbond¡¯s recrimination was an impression and emotion rather than words, but Aurelian accepted it without reservation. He had become distracted, and though Bahamut had been too busy initially to notice, the Dragon had rightly acted the moment that Aurelian¡¯s distraction had come to his attention. With Karsys and Zylara having finally dispatched the Behemoth and even then working to evade the Corrupted Skarnids attempting to swarm them, while Bahamut aided them with fire from above; Aurelian realized belatedly how little time he had left. He needed to swing the odds of the fight quickly, else his new and only real friends in the insane new world he found himself in would be lost, and he¡¯d likely die right alongside them. ¡°First things first: harvest more Anima.¡± he said while charging toward the massing Skarnids. ¡°We can worry about more Arisen after that!¡± Aurelian circulated his mana and crashed into the battle with a snarl. Their fight against the Skarnids, he knew, was only just beginning. B2 | Chapter 04: Undead Logistics Aurelian stood with his hands braced on his knees, and his eyes transfixed on the carnage around him. Four more Arisen Skarnids had joined his first, and the five of them were even then engaged in violent contention with another wave of their living kin that threatened to wash over his position. His Anima Syphon and Anima Infusion skills had also improved, and reached level 12 and level 5 respectively. The fight until that point had been a crimson haze of blood and violence, and he had finally been forced to turn off Dragon¡¯s Gaze due to the sheer weight of mana drain it was imposing¡ªand the weariness of his eyes. For all that he was far stronger, on paper, any peer mortal in the Realms at a similar stage of advancement; he was still only an Untempered, and the power of Dragons was not so easily mastered. Aurelian spat onto the sun-scorched ground and straightened himself with a grimace of discomfort, sourced from the slowly mending hole in his armour. A Skarnid had managed to pierce through with its pincers, and though his Arisen had torn it apart in a frenzy before it had managed to do any more harm, the wound had been horrific enough to take Aurelian out of the fight. A liberal application of Anima Conversion, which had both leveled the skill up from 1 to 4 and turned the wound into a nasty bruise instead, managed to stave off any life-threatening or lasting damage from the strike. The problem, though, was that he¡¯d subsequently lost essentially all of the Anima he¡¯d been stockpiling for another Arisen. A quick glance at his HUD told the story. Health: 721/950 | Mana: 110/378 | Stamina: 275/275 | Anima: 6 Aurelian sighed when he read over the merciless accounting of his status, and turned his attention back to the three Arisen. They in their own way had highlighted another problem, one which he did not have an immediate solution for. A new window had popped up the moment he¡¯d raised his third Arisen, and it was that event which had surprised him so much he¡¯d taken the blow that had very nearly killed him. As if being attacked by nightmare spider-scorpions the size of horses wasn¡¯t bad enough, he now had to deal with logistics. Aurelian grumbled at the memory of the window, and let his mind ¡®access¡¯ the System with the off-handed ease he¡¯d grown accustomed to since his arrival in the Realms. The damnable new window was going to cause him endless headaches, he knew. It remained at the edge of his awareness, and he pulled it to the fore easily. Irritation, frustration, and even some begrudging relief warred within him while he once again looked over the new window and shook his head. The implication of the whole thing was simple enough: he was the ¡®Blood Lord¡¯ of the Legion, which seemed to correlate to both the person that raised it and the person that commanded it. He had checked to see if anything had changed when he¡¯d managed to raise two more Skarnids after the initial window appearance, but there had been nothing. The ¡®Blood Knights¡¯, however, represented a more interesting prospect. In several real time strategy games he¡¯d played, there were units a leader could recruit that allowed them to expand the size of their forces based on the unit¡¯s command point value. In that sense, ¡®Legion Point Bonus¡¯ seemed to directly correlate to an expansion of the amount of Arisen he could summon¡ªthough the implication was that it required those same ¡®Blood Knights¡¯ to act as sub-commanders in order to maintain the greater numbers. It was a relatively straightforward manner by which to increase one¡¯s Legion size, though Aurelian had noticed something distinctly annoying: he could not appoint just anybody to the role. He had tried to will Karsys and Zylara into the Blood Knight position immediately, and the System had instantly and almost cheerfully informed him that they needed to be ¡®Sanguinated¡¯ prior to being eligible as Blood Knights. In short, Aurelian needed to turn his new companions into pseudo-Vampires. As much as the whole Vampire or Blood Lord concept was cool to him thanks to a lifetime of trashy television, dark fantasy novels, and power fantasy daydreams¡ªhe wondered momentarily if that one deadbeat Author had ever finished The Vitaean Chronicles¡ªwhich had informed his viewpoints; that did not mean denizens of the Realms would share his enthusiasm. The only version of ¡®Vampires¡¯ that they knew were likely the Vasiri. If that was the example Aurelian had known for his entire life, he¡¯d hate the idea. Aurelian suspected that the only reason Karsys and Zylara seemed so incredibly unbothered by all of his strange and decidedly dark powers was because he was the Reclaimer. If he wanted to run around as some sort of upgraded Vasiri with a more positive attitude, he doubted they¡¯d offer much to gainsay him, so long as he wielded that power to protect Sanctuary and save them from both the undead horde sent by Absolum. Becoming his cultist-adjacent Vasiri-adjacent followers? Probably not in the cards. Aurelian looked toward the Skarnid Behemoth while he let his mana regeneration and health regeneration do its work, and kept half his attention peeled for any Skarnids that broke through his Arisen blockade. The Behemoth was not dead, but it had been reduced to what amounted to a lame duck. Karsys had managed to cripple the creature to the point that after Aurelian¡¯s own contributions¡ªother than the occasional pathetic snarl or screech¡ªit seemed resigned to simply lie there and wait to see the outcome of the other Skarnids¡¯ swarm tactics. With the five extremely durable Arisen acting as his shield, Aurelian was able to survey the area with only moderate concern for his safety. The Skarnids by and large appeared terrified of his minions, and that alone was a kind of bulwark against threat. His eyes moved to seek out Zylara again, and he spotted her leaping across a small formation of low rooftops amid the ruined framework of destroyed siege weapons¡ªall while dancing away from screeching Skarnids and rewarding them with crackling arrows. Karsys was holding his own quite comfortably in a natural chokepoint, and appeared to be taunting as many of the creatures as he could with regular and healthy use of his skills¡ªat which point Bahamut would swoop down and deliver a cavalcade of dragonfire to detonate half a dozen of the creatures at a time. Another wave of brave Corrupted Skarnids crashed into the polished onyx wall of his Arisen, and the mutated arachnids were torn apart by his minions¡ªeach of which consumed every iota of Anima from the enemies they fought. ¡°That might become an issue,¡± Aurelian realised with a squint. Gathering the Anima he needed without crippling the self-repair capabilities of his fledgling Legion would be a challenge all its own, especially with how mad the battlefield was. Doing so on his lonesome was possible, but it was also markedly more dangerous than his current use of the five ¡®monstrous cavalry¡¯ as the System designated them. ¡°I should go get more Arisen before Bahamut obliterates them all¡¡± he muttered while looking over toward Zylara¡¯s path of movement and taking note steady trail of corpses she¡¯d left behind her. Bahamut had subsequently detonated the vast majority of them¡ªeither out of ¡®double tap¡¯ insurance or sheer loathing for their existence¡ªwith enthusiastic applications of dragonfire, even while knowing Aurelian¡¯s plans. For all that the dragon had wisdom, he was still very young in many ways. Aurelian knew that they weren¡¯t out of danger, of course. His companions had likely survived far worse than Skarnids to reach the palace at the heart of Albion, and both seemed far hardier than he¡¯d initially believed them to be¡ªthanks no doubt to the chasm-like difference between their bodies and his. That didn¡¯t mean they couldn¡¯t die from a wrong move, unlucky strike, or mistimed dodge just as easily as anyone else. Marius had captured them, after all. Still, he couldn¡¯t deny the evidence of their natural advantages. Even with only their first Temper behind them, the pair fought with a grace and confidence that Aurelian could only emulate thanks to his insane bonuses and System-aided advantages. Had he not possessed what were frankly unhinged levels of what he thought of as cheat codes, he¡¯d probably be dead ten times over. It was easy to forget that he was traveling with two people that, in every way that mattered, made his own experiences relatively trivial. Well, with perhaps a couple of exceptions. Yet even with all of that power and experience, they were not invincible. ¡°Keep them held here!¡± he called to the five Arisen, who were even then tearing apart the last remnants of the latest wave. ¡°Join me once there¡¯s no more Skarnids in this battle zone, but don¡¯t chase after any that run away. We can just kill them later.¡± A wave of acceptance came from the five tethers he could picture now only in his mind¡¯s eye connecting him to the five Arisen, and they skittered forward with disturbing celerity upon their eight spider-like chitinous legs to engage the remaining masses of Corrupted Skarnids in the immediate area. A case of content theft: this narrative is not rightfully on Amazon; if you spot it, report the violation. Aurelian let them skitter off and turned to look between Karsys and Zylara. Bahamut, who needs my help more? The elf maiden. Bahamut returned instantly. The human is doing well with his new armament, and his skills seem to be well-built for dramatically increasing his capacity for survival based on the increasing number of foes coming his way. Between the two of us, we can manage even twice this many so long as he cannot be flanked. Then what¡¯s wrong with Zylara? he asked while setting off toward the elven archer despite the question. She is a precision combatant, and is ideal for singular or small group engagements. This is an open theatre, and her advantages are being nullified slowly by sheer numbers. Eventually she will flag or falter, fail to evade an acid attack, and the subsequent disorientation or wound will leave her as easy prey for the swarm. Aurelian grimaced at the merciless analysis while he walked. That¡¯s morbid. It is merely the truth of the situation. Bahamut stated pragmatically. Alright. I¡¯ll go help Zylara. Aurelian agreed mentally while already setting off. You keep with Karsys, and please stop blowing up so many of the corpses. I need to use them to harvest Anima. It is repulsive to think you are using energy from these abominations. Yeah, well, I don¡¯t have a bevy of options. Just cool it with the A-10 impression. What is this ¡®A-10¡¯? the dragon enquired. In response, Aurelian sent his memories, impressions, and imagery along the bond to help the Dragon King understand. Bahamut¡¯s subsequent surge of approval made him chuckle. The rumbling draconic ¡®BRRRT¡¯ impression that filled the air during the next firebreath set Aurelian to cackling, and with a sense of urgency coursing through his veins, he broke into a steady run. The echo of his boots pounding the pavement were rhythmic to his ears, and he found himself falling into a steady focus shortly after he started his sprint. Aurelian cycled mana through his body while using his own movement as a beat to match, and idly flexed his fingers as its energizing flow intertwined with his every sinew and nerve while he moved. It felt good in a way he would never have understood before coming to the Realms. Unlocking his Chakras had proven to be a boon beyond question for his mana reserves and regeneration, and without the added depth and versatility of the energy source he doubted he¡¯d have been even half as effective as he was. It was interesting how adjacent the entire practice was to eastern theories of Cultivation and Immortal energies on Earth¡ªthough he waylaid that train of thought before it went too far. He had to reach Zylara first. He could wax philosophical when she was safe. The path he¡¯d chosen took him through a section of particularly dense ruined buildings, and although it was less than ideal, the alternative was adding three times the length to his journey by attempting to skirt around to the nearest demolished and open section. If what Bahamut had said was true, he didn¡¯t have that kind of time. Instead he ran into the ruins of Elysea¡¯s capital, and prepared himself for what he was sure was going to be an inevitable chain of ambushes. Aurelian¡¯s eyes, dramatically improved by his points in Perception, scanned the ruins around him while he proceeded¡ªand allowed him to gaze upon a landscape littered with the carcasses of once-majestic buildings, ruined and claimed by entropy and the uncaring invasion of multitudinous Blighted creatures. He doubted the Skarnids were anywhere near the worst of them. While he maneuvered through the ruins of Albion, his path took him past several structures that had succumbed to decay and destruction. The first was a skeletal frame of what might have once been a grand hall, its walls now reduced to mere fragments and its once-mighty dome half-collapsed into itself. The second, a series of shattered dwellings, lay strewn across his path in a chaotic example of wanton destruction. ¡°Talk about merciless¡¡± he muttered while examining the legacy of Justinian¡¯s insurrection and subsequent devastation of the Empire. ¡°Then again, it may have just been another Behemoth.¡± he admitted while turning toward a massive ruin impeding his progress. Sundered stone and jagged metal bones were in evidence upon its surface, and he suppressed a sigh. Going over was impossible. Through was the only way forward. ¡°Once more unto the breach.¡± he muttered and continued onward. Finding a way into the massive and ruined building was not too difficult, though liberal application of his runesword against stray elements of steel and stone certainly helped. The runeblade made short work of the inert material, which proved very useful in allowing his navigation through the veritable maze. Aurelian was still threading his way between the tangled rebar and stone, cursing softly under his breath, when the first ambush came: a Skarnid pulsing with corrosive blight that launched its attack from above. It descended rapidly like a grotesque marionette, its maw agape with a glistening spray of acid which Aurelian realized¡ªbelatedly and angrily¡ªhis Dragon¡¯s Gaze could have warned him about. With now-practiced reflexes honed through his battles, Aurelian threw himself into a backward roll to dodge the globule of bile it spat at him. He felt the heat of the acid as it splashed where he had stood moments before, and glanced toward the sickly green venomous wisps hissing into the air from its impact. Dragon¡¯s Gaze flashed to life the moment he completed his dodge, and he suppressed the anger and embarrassment of failing to re-engage the critical skill. ¡°Fucking idiot.¡± he growled at himself while letting his mana build and cycle. Aurelian kept his crest held aside despite his anger, and instead extended his left palm toward the Skarnid when it skittered down from its perch toward him. His eyes focused intently on the spider-scorpion with every ounce of anger he felt toward himself¡ªand toward it, and he let his mana surge. Force magic roared in answer within him, answering his call in a flood of power and might that sent a ripple of giddy anticipation through body despite the circumstances. It crackled to life in his palm a second later, manifesting as a storm of potential destruction just waiting to be unleashed. With a wordless snarl, a sound more of primal instinct than any conscious thought, he tightened his fingers into a fist. The air, as if reacting, trembled in line with the potency of the spell, and space seemed to subtly warp in proximity of his fist. Aetheric lightning snapped at the air like the eddies of a brewing maelstrom. The Skarnid, caught in the invisible grasp of his magic, had no time to react. Its head imploded in a grotesque symphony of green-black goo and brain matter. The body, now headless, plummeted to the ground with a sickening thud. For a moment, Aurelian was shocked into silence by the sheer power of his own magic. Gravitic Crush is now Level 22! You have gained Experience! Aurelian stood over the fallen creature and regarded it in wonder for a moment, and then glanced down at his fist. ¡°Woah.¡± he said simply, while staring at the motes of Force still orbiting his hand even after he released the power. A distant roar from Bahamut abruptly broke his momentary distraction, and he grimaced at himself for allowing it to happen. He knew better. His senses remained alert thereafter, and he used Dragon¡¯s Gaze to quickly scan for any more threats lurking in the shadows of the ruins. When none were found, and after he was momentarily assured of his immediate safety, he then focused on the fallen Skarnid. Aurelian extended his hand to touch its mottled, spiked, and corrupted chitinous exoskeleton, and syphoned the Anima from the creature''s corpse. The essence flowed into him with disappointing sparsity, and he sighed at how little power the Skarnids offered despite the immensely disproportionate cost of raising them. You have gained 3 Anima! With the Anima absorbed and no other threats to deal with, Aurelian didn¡¯t linger. He cast a final glance at the scene of the skirmish, and then another down at his left hand¡ªwhich even then continued to faintly shimmer with the remembered currents of his Force magic. The power he¡¯d felt had been beyond any incarnation of the magic prior, and it demanded investigation. Another mystery to solve when he had time. He was really starting to get tired of having to wait. ¡°Zylara first,¡± he reminded himself, ¡°and then funky magical reactions later.¡± Anima Syphon is now Level 13! During his passage through the scattered ruins of various Elysean buildings and infrastructure, Skarnid ambushes became a frequent, yet manageable, nuisance. Dragon¡¯s Gaze gave him an incredible advantage. Each time, whether facing a lone creature or the rare pair or more daring enough to attack in unison, he killed them with a brutality that he hoped dissuaded any other attempts. His use of Force magic also continued to display strange levels of enhanced power. Gravitic Crush is now Level 23! You have gained Experience! With each victory, Aurelian harvested the Anima they offered before continuing his journey. Early on during his skirmishes, he had briefly entertained the idea of using the Skarnids to his advantage and creating more Arisen to help clear the way¡ªand aid Zylara when he got to her. However, after careful consideration, he decided against it. Aurelian¡¯s reluctance stemmed from a different plan taking shape in his mind, which theoretically required a substantial reserve of Anima. The idea, if successful, promised not only to aid him in his immediate quest but also to pave the way for future advantages. Even better: successfully executing his hare-brained scheme could potentially endear him to the people of Sanctuary upon his arrival, and smooth their own concerns. Well, assuming Bahamut didn¡¯t do that by existing. More importantly, he noted, it might help with persuading Karsys and Zylara to embrace a transformation similar to his own. The strategy, which also involved turning his newfound abilities into a cajoling carrot of sorts, was risky¡ªbut if it worked, the rewards for his success would be massive. Even without counting the increased numbers for his Arisen Legion. The key, though, was understanding the transformation part of it all. Aurelian knew he¡¯d gained access to a ¡®Sanguine Kiss¡¯, which allowed him to give some measure of his new power to those he chose¡ªthough the details, process, and results remained ambiguous. He suspected that his reward for raising the first of his Arisen, namely the Chalice and Codex Sanguinaris, would shed some light on the whole thing¡ though first he needed to carve out the time to accept and use the rewards. ¡°First I¡¯ll save her, then I¡¯ll try out the new idea.¡± he muttered while approaching the exit back toward the more open section of the city Zylara had been fighting through. ¡°And let¡¯s hope that she¡ª¡± Aurelian¡¯s words died in his throat when he heard Zylara scream in agony. Hurry, Aurelian! Bahamut urged alongside an air-shaking roar. Alarm lanced through him, and Aurelian put on a burst of superhuman speed. He emerged moments later into the open once more, and his heart entered his throat. B2 | Chapter 05: Dominion Aurelian burst into a desperate sprint the moment he laid his eyes on Zylara. Slay that abomination before it kills her! Bahamut thundered in his mind. Aurelian barely mustered the focus to do more than send an affirmation, and cycled his mana to the limit of his abilities as he charged. Zylara was ensnared in a dance with death, and her partner was a grotesquely mutated Corrupted Skarnid; a creature ugly enough and repulsive enough that Aurelian very nearly went slack jawed in disgust. The Skarnid''s body was a macabre spectacle of corruption. Blighted pustules pulsing with perfidious permutations of poisonous pestilence adorned its mutated carapace like neon globes from a german rave. Its existence was an offense to the eyes, and more than that, a clear and lethal threat to Zylara¡ªFirst Temper be damned. The air around it was thick with the stench of decay, notable even from a hundred metres away, and each of its movements was accompanied by the sickening squelch of its blistered exoskeleton. Revelate! Name: Mutant Corrupted Skarnid Race: Mutant Blight Arachnid Level: 45 Tier: Adept Health: 1,560 / 2,300 Description: Skarnids are twisted predators that thrive in the Desolation, and stalk its corrupted lands for prey with which to sate their consuming hunger. This Skarnid has been further corrupted and twisted by the experimentations of Lycinius of Telastra, and managed to escape his lab prior to his demise. Special Condition(s): Each of the blight pustules on the Mutant Corrupted Skarnid¡¯s exoskeleton which erupt unleash a noxious acid that will corrode steel and burn away flesh. At will, this creature can detonate any such pustules¡ªwhich will grow back for so long as it has mana. Atop its skull, a second head¡ªhalf-formed and twitching¡ªleered with silent malice, and Aurelian felt Dragon¡¯s Resolve burn with fury to keep his gorge from rising . From its chitinous stinger a second tail, equally warped and infested, flailed wildly through the air as if the creature were uncertain of how to control it. Acid sprayed wildly from the stubbier tail¡¯s bulbous sac, and where it splashed the ruins around them; stone hissed and melted. But it was the creature''s new legs which truly forced Dragon¡¯s Resolve into overdrive: eight in number, and each a ghastly parody of human limbs¡ªcomplete with feet or hand-like growths on their ends. Their zombie-like white flesh, mottled with decay, writhed and grasped at the air when moving to place each step. Dragon¡¯s Resolve is now Level 18! Aurelian barely even noticed the level-up notification, which he dismissed instinctively while crossing the gulf of distance remaining between the mutant Skarnid and where it had cornered Zylara¡ªwho was even then desperately attempting to half-crawl, and half-limp away on what Aurelian saw was only one working leg. Her once-graceful form was now marred by the savaged remnants of her other limb, where the flesh had been melted away by the Skarnid¡¯s acid to reveal the bone. The remnants of her skin, in what little capacity it remained, hung like a moth-eaten tapestry and her tears, mingled with blood and dirt; left dirty streaks of kohl and dust along her pale cheeks. She should already be dead. he realised with grim and worried certainty, before looking properly upon the Skarnid once more. That was when he realised what had kept her alive for so long. The Skarnid was regarding the elfmaiden with an unsettling, almost contemplative gaze. Its numerous eyes, which had thus far failed to notice Aurelian¡¯s approach, glinted with a malevolent curiosity that inferred a disturbingly higher level of intellect than its less mutated kin. It was as if the creature savored her terror, and was relishing in the slow build of its prey''s suffering. Aurelian could feel the malign interest of the beast through his Soulforce, like a tumult of aberrant and definitively vile emotions which sent goosebumps of disgust rippling across his flesh¡ªand inspired a soul-deep hatred for its existence. Dragon¡¯s Resolve is now Level 19! Dragon¡¯s Gaze allowed Aurelian to identify the mana-channels connected to the acidic pustules, but he realised that he had no way to destroy them¡ªor of killing the Skarnid¡ªwithout mortally endangering Zylara. She was too close, and if not for the creature¡¯s warped interest, would have likely already been dead a dozen times over. Aurelian was less than fifty metres from the creature, and in that brief window of approach, he made the choice to follow his instincts. Dragon¡¯s Gaze is now Level 22! ¡°Sorry, Zed.¡± he muttered pre-emptively under his breath. Aurelian reached deep into his Calamity Core, and Mana sang in answer. Force magic roared to life in a tempest of power in his left fist a moment later, at the same moment as the Skarnid finally noticed his approach; and Aurelian poured his mana into the coalescing energy. He had only ever used one form of the magic; Gravitic Crush. It had been his easiest means by which to cause immediate and efficient death since he¡¯d received it. Few things even in the Realms compared to the raw might of crushing an enemy¡¯s skull instantly, after all. While that was an option, he had no idea what death would cause in the abomination¡ªand if the pustules on its body erupted when it died, Zylara would join the arachnid in the afterlife long before Aurelian could do anything to save her. That meant he needed to improvise. Aurelian¡¯s focus narrowed in to a needlepoint, and in the same moment as he poured every ounce of his Willpower into his Intent¡ªmuch as he had all those days ago when first unlocking a door¡ªto shape his desire, so too did he do something he knew was absolutely mental: he redeemed his Skill Evolution and Skill Upgrade points. Skill Evolution Point consumed! Skill Evolution request identified! Processing . . . Zodiac Detected: Dragon! Soulbond Detected: Dragon King! Skill Detected: Calamity¡¯s Blade! Title Detected: Aether Sage! Title Detected: Dragon Rider! Title Detected: Primogenitor! Title Detected: Mantle Bearer! Trait Detected: Sanguinated! Trait Detected: Godsbane! Zodiac, Soulbond, Titles, and Traits have found Synergy! Recalibrating Skill Evolution . . . Recalibration Complete! Gravitic Crush (R) is now Evolving! Aurelian felt something inside of his spirit break. Dragon¡¯s Resolve roared to life as if it were a true and living thing, and he felt as if he were two of himself within one body: the half focused on what he desired, and the half suffering through a fundamental shearing of his very essence and a reconstitution of the foundation of his spiritual self. Bahamut¡¯s power roared across their link, and Aurelian felt as much as saw the Dragon King funneling an incandescent tether of raw mana into him in a tsunami of power. His Calamity Core ¡®spun¡¯ so fast within him that he could almost physically hear its whine of motion, despite the impossibility, and he felt something bend within his existence. Meanwhile his left hand tightened into a fist, Zylara screamed as something audibly snapped; and with herculean effort that he loosely thought shattered something in his arm, he tore the elf away from the mutated Skarnid horror with a snare of spatial control and a physical wrenching motion. The action pulled his female companion back toward and past him like she were drawn by a bungee cord, and with a scream of terror and agony both she was sent bouncing like a ragdoll along the earth; each impact eliciting bone-chilling and audible cracks from the impossible force of Aurelian¡¯s action. All of his mana had been focused into the act, and he wondered how much of what he had done had been necessary¡ªand how much had been overkill. In the end, it didn¡¯t matter. She would be wounded, but more importantly, she would be alive. Aurelian¡¯s vision turned double abruptly, and he felt both of his eyes¡¯ blood vessels pop. Support the creativity of authors by visiting Royal Road for this novel and more. Power seared him a heartbeat later, and his lips parted in a howl. Energy coruscated across his body with such ferocity that he froze mid-sprint, and was turned into a morbid tableau of agony and erupting magical force. A rictus of pain was his only expression, and the familiar feeling of System-enforced unmaking was his only sensation. Through it all, Dragon¡¯s Resolve only worked harder to make up for the loss of autonomy¡ªand in the act, allowed him to retain full awareness of everything. Dragon¡¯s Resolve is now Level 20! . . . Dragon¡¯s Resolve is now Level 23! Pain Tolerance is now Level 33! . . . Pain Tolerance is now Level 38! Aurelian felt something within his spirit unlock suddenly, like a dam of potential unleashing from a stoppered bottle, and he felt the world tilt in a way he would never be able to explain. His navel seemed to rise into his skull, and his eyes demented until the very essence of reality appeared as broken and fractured as the most bewildering of picaso¡¯s works. Time stood still around him, and even the aetheric lightning¡ªlashing at the air like the vines of an awoken god¡ªrippled past his gaze as if someone had reduced reality to single freeze frames, able to be witnessed in individual moments. A pair of sun-bright white eyes regarded him from beyond the veil of the world, and Aurelian saw within their depths a mix of curiosity, hatred, and beneath both; the echo of trepidation. He thought he heard the disapproving sigh of a serene woman¡¯s voice, and the brush of lips on his, and then reality abruptly and brutally reasserted itself. In the same instant, a chime that almost seemed angry erupted within his mind¡ªand a gong reverberated throughout his soul. Its sound seemed to halt everything once more, call all to heel, and make even Bahamut freeze in time mid-beat of his mighty wings. Congratulations, Aurelian Lucis Imperius! Hidden Conditions Met! You have managed to sunder the very fabric of space itself, and achieve a Dominion through the combination of hitherto impossible amounts of unique skills and titles! Through your madcap acts of innovation, daring, and utter disregard for all the rules, laws, and parameters of the System you have somehow managed to attain a power that beggars common belief. Well done, Reclaimer. You have managed to draw the active attention of the System itself. Beware that your actions do not in turn incite its ire. Achievement: In the Myth, a God is Force! For successfully defying all the understood laws of Cultivation, you have received the following: 1 x Title: Lord of Force (U) 1 x Trait: Force Nullification (U) 1 x Skill Evolution Point Skill Evolution complete! Congratulations, Aurelian Lucis Imperius! Your Gravitic Crush (R) skill has evolved to Force Dominion (T)! A Dominion is exclusively the realm of the Divine, and achieved upon the attainment of Ascended-level Tempering and the transition of the Core to Divinity. This has been the Law of the Realms since the birth of the System, and yet by your actions¡ªand by the nature of Calamity¡¯s Blade¡ªyou have shattered these eonic foundations. In the act, you have attained what no one in the history of all the infinite Realms has attained: a Dominion while mortal. You now tread on the path of godhood, Reclaimer! Force Dominion has been reset to Level 1! TOLERANCE FOR YOUR ANOMALIES HAS ENDED, RECLAIMER CHOOSE YOUR FUTURE ACTIONS WISELY EACH SUBSEQUENT ARBITRATION OF YOUR VIOLATIONS WILL ESCALATE IN SEVERITY YOU HAVE BEEN WARNED Force Dominion is now Level 2! Reality reasserted itself, and Aurelian¡¯s body ached with remnant agony and he felt himself swaying on his feet. The torrent of mana being fed to him by Bahamut screamed for release, and Aurelian thought he might detonate were he to fail to guide it from his channels and meridians. His eyes, one bloodied and out of focus, honed in on the mutant Corrupted Skarnid¡ªand as much by instinct as by idle interest, he activated his newest skill. Force Magic pooled in a convalescence that warped the fabric of reality around the mutated abomination, and the river of mana Bahamut had gifted him evaporated from his channels with terrifying abruptness¡ªfollowed by all of his mana as well. A pain like the simultaneous cramp of every muscle and tendon in his body seized him, originating from his Core; and Aurelian smashed into the ground with a pathetic wheeze of agony. Pain Tolerance is now level 39! With consciousness afforded only by Pain Tolerance and Dragon¡¯s Resolve, Aurelian had time to watch as his magical invocation actualised around the mutant Corrupted Skarnid¡ and it simply ceased. One moment it stood there, proud and upright upon its eight legs and focused on him to the exclusion of all else¡ªand the next the area was a sudden, saturating storm of guts, sand, dust, metallic flakes, and chitinous exoskeleton. Everything twenty metres from the mutant in every direction except the ones that led to him, Zylara, Bahamut, or Karsys had simply been torn apart. It was not an active thing, as much as it was an instantaneous and immediate shift of the scope of reality¡¯s matrix. One moment the world had been as it was, and the next there was a storm of diffusion as if gravity itself had gone mad within an area exactly twenty metres in scope. A crater twenty metres deep at its lowest point had formed as well, and Aurelian found himself swallowing when he looked at the impacted site. It appeared as if an orb of pure force had simply dismantled everything around it with the Skarnid at its centre. Somehow Aurelian understood exactly what had happened, but couldn¡¯t quite put it into words. He had sheared the world with his new power. Tidal forces of gravity had acted into near-infinite variation to create a kind of singularity of pure Force, and everything within its scope and at its edges¡ªwhich were exact down to the picometre¡ªhad been diffused into the smallest possible form of itself. Had he been stronger, he instinctively knew he might have created a true singularity¡ªand simply atomised everything within its scope. Still wracked by violent convulsions, Aurelian checked his HUD. Health: 210/950 | Mana: 0/378 | Stamina: 275/275 | Anima: 35 ¡°Well fuck me¡¡± he wheezed hoarsely amid continuing spasms. Aurelian had not simply channeled all of Bahamut¡¯s mana, he had used all of his own to the point of going into his health pool to make up for the lack of power to fuel his impulsive casting. Foolish. Impetuous. Stupid. The System itself, in fact, had seen fit to warn him about his repeated follies. ¡°I am never going to hear the end of¡ª¡± Zylara cried out abruptly, and his self-recrimination vanished. Aurelian, his body still assailed by spasms of unyielding pain, forced every fiber of his being to move and to turn towards Zylara¡ªconvulsing all the while. He saw her perhaps ten metres beyond him, sprawled on the ground, and her body broken but, thanks to the insight of Dragon¡¯s Gaze, clearly clinging to life. The sight struck a chord deep within him, a mixture of relief paired with gut-wrenching guilt. He had saved her, yes, but at what cost? Gritting his teeth against the waves of pain that threatened to submerge him, Aurelian began the arduous journey towards her. Each movement was agony, his body protesting over every inch he partially crawled, and partially dragged himself forward. His will to reach her, however, was ironclad¡ªand both Pain Tolerance and Dragon¡¯s Resolve itself ensured it remained so. His pain was ephemeral in the face of his responsibility to his newfound ally. He had been the cause of her suffering, and so, she was all that mattered. With grim realisation, he acknowledged another dark truth: there was likely only one way to save her, and though it had not been his intent, circumstances meant he no longer had a choice. The reality of their dire situation was grim. In their party, only he and Bahamut possessed the power to heal, and Bahamut''s abilities were woefully inadequate for what Zylara needed¡ªat least, for now. Aurelian knew that, in lieu of the Dragon King¡¯s latent power; the burden of saving her rested solely on his shoulders, and yet he had not syphoned nearly enough Anima for what he had originally planned to do for her. He had no choice. He would need to use the Sanguine Kiss. The weight of that understanding filled him with a sense of determination, and in the same instant it was underscored by a nauseating whirlpool of dread. What would Zylara think of his actions? Would she see them as a manipulative ploy to force her hand? The thought of her looking at him with resentment, with accusations in her eyes, was more anxiety-inducing than he might have suspected it would be. He had come to rely on her and Karsys, but in a way that only a truly lonely man could. He had Bahamut of course, but the Dragon King was as much a brother and soulbonded partner as he was an enigmatic and wholly alien existence. He was a Dragon King. Aurelian was a man. Nephilim and Calamity perhaps, but a man nonetheless. Bahamut could not fully comprehend his mind, not the way that Karsys and Zylara were naturally able to. The Dragon King did not understand the concept of mortal fragility. It was not his fault¡ªand Bahamut¡¯s strength had never been anything but a boon to Aurelian. But still, he needed something simpler than the intensity and immensity of the bond he shared with the dragon he¡¯d bidden to hatch. In Zylara and Karsys, he had found that. They were his only mortal companions. They were his only friends, inasmuch as he could even call anyone a friend outside of his dragon. The thought of her rejection, in the lens of that understanding, wounded him and scared him more than he imagined it would. Would she rather embrace death than owe her life to a choice that had been stripped from her? As he inched closer, his breath stirring the dust and nostrils crinkling at the lingering stench of the slain Skarnid, Aurelian warred with his thoughts. In the grand scheme of things, truthfully, her opinion of him seemed trivial compared to the urgency of her survival. She could hate him, even revile him if she chose to¡ªbut he couldn''t allow her to die when he held the key to not just her survival, but her evolution into something beyond what she was; something not nearly so easily broken as a mere elf. ¡°I just want her to live," he whispered to himself. ¡°I want her to be strong.¡± The words were a bulwark against the storm of emotions raging within him, steadying his focus and calming his raging worries. Dragon¡¯s Resolve helped, but it could not soothe the natural thoughts he possessed¡ªor perhaps he did not allow it to, for he did not believe it should. The worry, concern, and guilt was deserved after all. When Aurelian finally reached her side, he paused and looked down at her battered form where it was splayed out upon the ground. Her obsidian hair, matted with blood and ichor, was spread like a dark halo above her head. A complex tapestry of emotions played across his face¡ªguilt, relief, determination, and an unspoken promise to fix her. He steeled himself for what was to come, and mentally prepared himself to face whatever reaction she might have. The fallout of his actions, the potential fracturing of their bond, and even her overt recrimination; he would accept all of it. So long as she lived. ¡°Zylara.¡± he said in a rasping voice while forcing himself up to sit beside her. She opened her azure eyes at the sound of his voice, blinking in pained confusion, and they drifted over to lock with his. ¡°Aurelian¡?¡± ¡°Yeah.¡± he said heavily, while still fighting with convulsions. ¡°It¡¯s me.¡± ¡°You look as terrible as I feel.¡± she whispered weakly before turning to scan the area around them, only to whimper in pain when attempting to move her head too far. Instead, she settled her eyes back on him and spoke again¡ªwhile a rivulet of blood trailed down her cheek from the corner of her mouth. ¡°What happened?¡± Aurelian drew in a breath at her question. His eyes momentarily took her in again, from the ruined and destroyed remnants of her left leg¡ªsevered below the knee, in fact¡ªto the bleeding ruin of her remaining leg, and the rib bones sticking out of her mostly destroyed runic armor. He owed her the truth. All of it. Including what he wanted to do for her. His eyes drifted back to hers, and she smiled at him¡ªquietly, warmly, as if to reassure him. As if he were the broken one, and she the person offering him comfort. In fact, she attempted what he may have even called a smirk. ¡°Breathe, Aurelian.¡± she bade in a weakened voice. ¡°Breathe, clear your mind, and speak.¡± Dragon¡¯s Resolve is now Level 24! Aurelian barely managed to smile back, and take a steadying breath as instructed. Then, with lead in his stomach, he told her. He told her everything. B2 | Chapter 06: Somewhere to Belong ¡°I really am sorry, Zylara. I mean it. I didn¡¯t want any of this.¡± Aurelian''s eyes were a fierce scarlet, and blazed with an intensity that seemed to ignite the very air between them as Zylara gazed into their depths. In that inferno, she discerned something unexpected, too: fear. It was not the usual trepidation she had expected, that of a warrior facing the battlefield''s uncertainties, nor was it rooted in the consequences of war in any capacity she could identify. Instead and more surprisingly, it was a more personal terror¡ªone wrought from the turmoil within his soul, and the insanity that had prefaced their current and bewildering circumstances in such a violent and visceral way. As if to punctuate that, Bahamut¡¯s thunderous roar filled the area yet again. It had been continuous since the fighting had begun, and the fact that she was taking the field alongside a true Dragon still hadn¡¯t fully sunk in. Sometimes when she saw the creature, she still felt like she was dreaming. Hearing Aurelian¡¯s tale of how they had met, it seemed even more fantastical. The Reclaimer had laid bare his thoughts like he was stripping away layers of armour: his previous life, his first days in the Realms, meeting Tarixi and Bael¡¯tharax, and his bond with Bahamut had all been revealed. So too had his theories regarding the newfound abilities he referred to as his ''gifts''; his explorations into the mysteries of Anima, the complexities surrounding his Arisen Legion, and the constraints on that same force which were imposed by the System. His revelations about what he intended for her and Karsys had been offered more nervously at first, but at her lack of negative reaction, had poured forth like waters bursting forth from a dam. ¡°Enough,¡± Zylara said abruptly, her voice low and weary, as he parted his lips to offer yet another apology¡ªprobably the fifth or sixth, by her count. ¡°I understand, Aurelian. Truly, I do.¡± And she did grasp his meaning, though perhaps not for the reasons he might have presumed, or even that he might have hoped for. Zylara Stormbow, after all, had not always been the fearless and bold adventurer she presented herself to be. Despite Aurelian¡¯s assumption of a close bond between her and Karsys, in fact, even the stoic human knew little of her true origins. Zylara was more than an elf endowed with the prowess of lightning mana, more than a prolific hand with a bow, and more than just another loyal¡ªand deceived, as she recalled with a flash of bitterness¡ªdaughter of murdered Elysea. She was the bastard daughter of a Lord Captain Commander of the Anointed. Her life had been a relentless pursuit of purpose, a journey to find meaning beyond the mere ambition to prove her worth. She had long struggled with her own sense of self, and waged a constant battle against feelings of inadequacy and the gnawing doubt of not truly belonging. In a culture like Sanctuary¡¯s, where lineage and legacy dictated one''s place; she¡ªa bastard child sired by the enemy, albeit in secret¡ªhad always felt like an outsider looking in. ¡°You are not alone in harboring secrets, Aurelian Lucis Imperius,¡± she said gently, and with a smile warped by bitterness. ¡°Nor are you the only one tormented by the fear of what might happen should others uncover the truth. Your fears, in their own way, may seem more grounded¡ªbut I assure you, I found no hint of malice in what you proposed.¡± With a stifled groan, borne more from mental exertion than physical pain, Zylara''s gaze drifted downwards to her ravaged legs. Her left leg, severed below the knee, and the twisted ruins of her right were stark reminders of the brutality they had endured. Even with her Mending skill and a surplus of potions, regrowing the former was beyond her means, and the latter remained a challenge for even the greatest of Healers, possibly an insurmountable one due to the System''s enigmatic nature. Anything could be healed, but it was bound by temporal constraints, and there were punishments for exceeding those allotted, unspoken windows of opportunity. Cause and effect, after all, was everything in the Prime Material. Zylara turned her gaze from the remains of her shattered limbs, and instead directed it at the battlefield that sprawled before them. It was a grim canvas, painted with the aftermath of Aurelian''s latest reality-defying skill, and almost seemed like a harbinger of their near and distant futures. The land lay transformed, warped, and calamitously devastated in a stark and terrifying testament to his formidable power. There was a part of her that found such strength horrifying, and another part of her¡ªthe part she derisively called her ¡®elvish incorrigibility¡¯¡ªwhich found such a manifestation of strength, one which seemed to defy the very laws of nature, incredibly attractive. The natural drives of her species, truthfully, had been torturing her since she¡¯d met him. It struck her as profoundly ironic that Aurelian, the Reclaimer, the lawful Imperator of Elysea; a man who had seemingly transcended the limitations of mortality¡ªa feat she still grappled with comprehending¡ªwas plagued by the fear of her disapproval. The notion that such a formidable being, one who could bend the very laws that governed existence and space to his whim, would concern himself with the opinion of someone like her? It was as baffling as it was revealing. Her eyes turned to drink him in again, and she noticed the way he remained silent and patient, while his gaze kept darting across her¡ªnot lecherously, but fearfully. He worried she would die, she knew, before they could reach an accord. A quick glance at her numbers told her otherwise. Health: 32/590 | Mana: 301/301 | Stamina: 275/275 She was by no means out of immediate danger, thanks to the ¡®Condition: Bleeding (Moderate)¡¯, ¡®Condition: Concussion (Mild), ¡®Condition: Spinal Injury (Mild)¡¯, and ¡®Condition: Dismemberment (Severe)¡¯ statuses populating her vision¡ªbut she was not in immediate risk of death. Her natural healing was fighting the blood loss, and her leg had stopped costing her blood when she¡¯d forcefully cauterized it with lightning. That had been¡ unpleasant. Necessary, though. It had also gained her almost enough levels in Pain Tolerance to ascend the skill to Adept tier. That, of course, helped immensely in allowing her to ignore her body¡¯s current state. ¡°Perhaps it is destiny that I find myself at your side, Aurelian,¡± Zylara mused aloud, her voice laced with a hint of bitterness. ¡°Who else would be able to weather your self-recriminations while half-dead on the ground? Fighting with you gives me real purpose.¡± she sighed, and chuckled mirthlessly. ¡°In truth, I have never truly belonged anywhere. Even Sanctuary felt more like a place that tolerated me than a true and genuine home.¡± Her heart had decided on receptive understanding for his own outpouring of truth, and now with her own brutally honest admission, it held a reflective and melancholic mix of emotions. ¡°My life has been a continuous struggle for validation. It¡¯s been a quest to carve out a niche in a world that, honestly, seemed to have no place for me in its vast expanse.¡± her eyes scanned his, and she smiled with warmth she felt to her core. ¡°But here, with you? Even in the midst of this turmoil, I feel a sense of worth and value. I feel needed, no matter how fleeting that need may be." She kept her eyes on Aurelian¡¯s, blue on scarlet, and her expression hardened with resolve at the same time as her heart filled with determination. ¡°I did not¡ªdo not stand beside you solely because of your title, nor simply for glory. I am here because in your quest, and in your fears and uncertainties, I find a mirror to my own. Serving a cause greater than myself, being part of something that challenges the very fabric of our reality, I¡ª¡± she paused and reached out to take his right hand in hers and squeeze it reassuringly. ¡°It gives me a reason to exist, Aurelian. It gives me a reason to move forward." Zylara''s voice grew stronger and more assertive when she continued. ¡°Do not mistake my willingness to aid you as a sign of weakness or dependency, though. I am Zylara Lyse Stormbow, and my strength is my own¡ªhard won and earned on my own merit.¡± She turned away from him again and gestured with her left hand out at the eviscerated battlefield. ¡°But in this journey with you, in the heart of this maelstrom you''ve created?¡± Zylara shook her head and smiled despite the seriousness of her words. ¡°In this insanity, Aurelian, I find not just a role to play¡ªbut a validation of my existence. For once, Aurelian, I am not just a lost elf searching for her place and pretending at selfless valour. I am a warrior with a cause, a purpose beyond that which has been spoon fed to me my entire life. I am standing beside a man who, despite his immense power, understands what it is to be afraid¡ªnot just of esoteric and distant divinities, but of your own reflection.¡± This story has been unlawfully obtained without the author''s consent. Report any appearances on Amazon. Her gaze swept across the battlefield, and she assessed the vast expanse of destruction with a critical eye. ¡°In your quest and in this strange, tumultuous world you''re shaping, I am starting to believe I have found not just a place to be needed, but a meaning to my existence.¡± Zylara turned back to him, and she smiled warmly. ¡°And for that, I am willing to face whatever comes our way.¡± her voice faltered and she smiled with an echo of the self¡ªdenigrating fear she still felt. ¡°If you¡¯ll have an outsider that nobody else wants, at any rate.¡± Aurelian watched her in a way that made Zylara want to run her hands through his windswept, blood-matted platinum hair¡ªand when he spoke, she felt her heart racing. ¡°No, Zylara, I¡¯m the outsider. I¡¯m the oddity in this world." The Reclaimer¡¯s voice was a mixture of acceptance, resignation, and was buoyed on an underlying current of on-going internal conflict. "Since arriving here, I''ve tried to adapt and make this realm my home. Yet, a part of me constantly feels out of place, like a puzzle piece forced into the wrong jigsaw." He paused after he said the words, and his scarlet eyes reflected a turmoil that seemed disconnected from the chaos around them. ¡°My death on Earth,¡± he continued, the name ''Earth'' hanging in the air like an alien invocation, ¡°was both the greatest tragedy and the most incredible blessing of my short life. It''s a paradox I struggle with every day.¡± Zylara listened while still grappling with the revelation of his origins: a world entirely unknown to her, where metal boxes raced faster than any horse, and larger boxes conveyed people across vast swathes of land high in the clouds. A realm where no Soulforce existed, yet small pieces of glass created moving light-captures, and smaller pieces of glass and metal allowed you to speak to someone across the oceans as if they were beside you. The concept that he had lived an entirely different life before this one, complete with family, friends, education, and such wildly different technology was as shocking as it was intriguing. She wanted to know more. She wanted to hear everything. It had seemed fantastical and mad when he¡¯d told her about it, and she¡¯d felt a soul-deep sense of empathetic sadness when he¡¯d spoken of his mother, and father, and a sister that it clearly broke his heart to not have around. That love, so pure and uncomplicated, stirred something in her¡ªlikely in response to the fact that she, herself, was the daughter of a man that did not know she existed, and a mother that was considered a woman of loose morals even when measured by elven standards. Her mother had done what she¡¯d needed to in order to provide for both of them, but even still Zylara felt a sense of anger toward the woman who¡¯d raised her. If she had never fallen in love with the elf she¡¯d been sent to spy on, Zylara¡¯s life of whispered scorn and subtle prejudice never would have eventuated. Then again, she¡¯d never have developed the rare gifts, and genetic skills that had qualified her to go on the mission to meet Aurelian, either. Her mind refocused on the Nephilim while he spoke, and she could see the internal battle raging within him. ¡°I am the Nephilim," Aurelian continued, his voice tinged with a weariness that seemed too heavy for any one person to bear. ¡°And it¡¯s a title and prophecy I never asked for, and frankly, I¡¯m still a bit pissed off that it was thrust on me without my consent,¡± he continued with an edge of frustration. ¡°In the short time since I transmigrated to the Realms, I¡¯ve lost two people I came to see as mentors, and more than that, as friends. Every day I walk this world, I confront this new identity, wondering if I am truly capable of fulfilling the destiny that has been kicked at me like an unwanted football." His eyes lowered to look at her legs, and he grimaced in what she recognized as guilt. ¡°This happened because I was chasing my own desires. I left you alone, thinking you would be fine because you¡¯re past your First Temper. Regardless of your capabilities, that was selfish¡ªmore than that, it was cruel. No one should have to walk through his hellscape of a land alone, and letting a ranged fighter¡ªeven one as talented as you¡ªstand alone was asking for disaster. I¡¯m sorry for that.¡± ¡°You don¡¯t have to¡ª¡± she started, only for him to cut her off. ¡°I know, but I will anyway. You¡¯re my friend, Zylara.¡± he said fiercely enough to make her blink, and send heat to her cheeks. ¡°You¡¯re my companion. I should have had your back, not gone gallivanting off to play Arthas Menethil and the Nerubians.¡± ¡°Who is¡ª?¡± ¡°Forget about it.¡± Aurelian muttered with a quiet shake of the head. ¡°It¡¯s not important. Karsys and Bahamut are still holding the majority of the swarm, and Bahamut has informed Karsys that you¡¯re okay. They¡¯ll need our help soon, though, so¡¡± he sighed. ¡°I have to go back to what I first asked, and I¡¯m sorry for pushing the issue. Have you had time to consider my proposal?¡± Zylara¡¯s mind drifted to what he¡¯d already proposed: the Sanguine Kiss. A means by which he would imbue her with the Sanguinated trait. It was a power that would turn her into a creature supposedly like a Vasiri, but far greater and more potent¡ªand absent the vigorously evil predisposition. Truthfully, she was both fascinated by the idea and terrified by it. The power she would gain would be immense, and given what Aurelian could do with Anima; she had no doubt that if she gained similar powers, she¡¯d be able to mend her body wholly¡ªor the System might even do it for her, as part of the transformation. In the rare instances she¡¯d witnessed, or more specifically, heard of such things transpiring; a full transformation of the body almost universally meant a full restoration¡ though it took the shape of whatever final form suited that transformation. Therein lay the rub. What would the Sanguine Kiss mean for her? In a way, Zylara had no choice in the matter regardless. She was broken. Aurelian may have contributed to that, but she was a soldier¡ªa warrior that had far more experience than the handsome Nephilim, no matter what reality-warping powers he had managed to acquire. For her, the wounds she¡¯d sustained were less of a horror and more of an expected inevitability. She¡¯d always known she¡¯d die fighting, or at least be crippled due to it. In many ways, it had been a twisted kind of relief to finally know how it happened. And now, Aurelian was offering her not just a way to overcome that realised fate, but to potentially prevent it¡ªand death itself¡ªfrom ever holding sway over her again. To say she was tempted would have been to say the Sun was a little bright. ¡°What is the process?¡± she asked finally. ¡°You launched into your guilt-ridden explanation of everything before you even covered that.¡± Zylara¡¯s words were intentionally softened by a smile when she delivered them, but remained true. He had failed to specify the exact nature of what she was walking into¡ªshe glanced down at her legs with a mental snort¡ªin a manner of speaking. Aurelian smiled weakly when she posed her question. ¡°It''s not some Twilight thing, I promise.¡± The reference, which she understood to be a recollection from his past life, hung between them; an inside joke to which she had no context and one which left her feeling more mystified than amused. The Nephilim cleared his throat at the same moment as he flushed endearingly in embarrassment, and then launched into an explanation. ¡°The Sanguine Kiss," he began with an expression of focus and recollection she recognised as that of someone reading System information while speaking, ¡°isn''t exactly as straightforward as I initially believed. The System demands that I, uh, share a part of my essence, apparently, with you directly.¡± Before he could delve further into the intricacies of the ritual, Zylara saw an opportunity for mischief and interjected despite the seriousness of the situation. She couldn¡¯t resist stirring him up a little bit. ¡°Do you mean... are we talking about sex?¡± To ensure it had maximum impact, she even placed her right hand on his chest suggestively¡ªjust the way she¡¯d seen women do in Sanctuary when flirting with the Aegii or Legionarii. Aurelian''s reaction was as swift as it was profound. It was also rather flattering, given her state of mutilation. A crimson tide of shock and embarrassment washed over his face when she finished speaking, and the composure he so often wielded like a shield crumbled under the unexpectedness of her bold assumption. He even seemed completely flummoxed by the hand on his chest, and seemed to just sort of freeze. "No, no, it''s not that!" he stammered, while tripping over his words in his haste to correct her. The sight of him, so visibly flustered and caught off guard, was a rare and endearing departure from his usual invariably confident demeanour. The fact he didn¡¯t pick up on how incredibly inexperienced she was with the whole concept and nature of that manner of flirtation was also somewhat mollifying. Part of her didn¡¯t know if it was a good thing, of course, but she chose to believe that his lack of awareness of her total inexperience with true physical intimacy was a point in favour of her outward confidence. Collecting himself with a visible effort, he endeavoured to clarify¡ªhis tone striving for a clinical detachment that his reddening cheeks betrayed. "It''s a ritual of blood exchange. Blood¡ª¡± he emphasized while continuing ¡°¡ªand only blood. We need to combine mine with yours, allowing me to infuse some of my Soulforce into your being, which will in turn carry a mirror of the Sanguinated trait to you." Pausing as if to gather his scattered thoughts, his eyes betrayed a remnant of shy embarrassment. "The ritual requires the joining of two open wounds. It¡¯s my unique position as a Primogenitor which grants me the ability to infuse a portion of my Soulforce¡ªand the Sanguinated trait¡ªinto your essence. From there, the System will orchestrate the complexities of whatever happens next." A shadow of concern crossed Aurelian''s face, and he spoke again quickly. ¡°It''s expected to be quite painful, though, if it¡¯s anything like what I went through. I''d probably suggest we use our palms for the exchange. The natural grip will ensure a secure connection, and help in preventing an unexpected disconnect which could jeopardize the process." Zylara, seizing the moment with her characteristic audacity, couldn''t resist teasing him just a little more, situation be damned. "So, there''s no sex involved? What a disappointment," she quipped, her eyes dancing with mischief. Her playful remark only seemed to floor Aurelian all over again. He regarded her with a look of such forced imperiousness that she had to control herself to prevent from laughing at him. ¡°Zylara, you''re being utterly ridiculous,¡± he chided, though the curve of his lips betrayed a suppressed amusement, and a hint of warmth flickered in his eyes. Warmth, and perhaps more interest than he intended her to see That was interesting. The gravity of their situation notwithstanding, the fleeting exchange of light-hearted banter wove a thread of intimacy into the fabric of their bond. Aurelian''s rare display of shyness and vulnerability, so at odds with the formidable Nephilim fa?ade, only served to endear him further to her; and revealed a more relatable, mortal aspect beneath the layers of his enigmatic existence. It had been fear of the monstrous nature of the Vasiri that had largely stayed her hand from accepting his offer initially. In many ways, his flustered and somewhat innocent reactions to what she would consider reserved teasing only worked to reassure her that he had not been turned into just such a creature beneath it all, especially when paired with the raw, and genuine emotion he¡¯d demonstrated throughout the few scant minutes they¡¯d spent talking upon the ruined bones of Albion. Aurelian had earned her trust. More than that, he¡¯d earned her loyalty. Becoming the first of what she knew would be several direct subordinates, especially when considering the fact she¡¯d be gaining a fraction of a Nephilim¡¯s power, didn¡¯t strike her as a bad notion at all. With Aurelian being the Reclaimer, it also meant she¡¯d finally and irrevocably belong. ¡°Okay,¡± Zylara said with as much confidence as she could muster, and with a slow and calming breath. ¡°I accept, Aurelian.¡± she graced him with her warmest smile, and offered him her right hand expectantly. ¡°It would be my honour.¡± B2 | Chapter 07: The Chalice Aurelian firmly clasped Zylara''s hand, and felt the weight of anticipation and anxiety mingling in his chest like an anvil of guilt. He needed the ritual to succeed. He needed to make sure he¡¯d thought of everything, including how he was going to cut himself open. He consciously pushed aside the barrage of status notifications cluttering his HUD while he pondered, and dismissed the silently condemning information about his damaged physical state. The relentless alerts, a constant reminder of his condition and abilities, seemed trivial in that moment. Aurelian was acutely aware that his passive healing abilities were at work, silently mending the ravages of battle on his body, and he could sense the urging of his Anima Conversion skill¡ªa quiet buzz he steadfastly chose to ignore. Even the concern emanating from Bahamut, rippling powerfully through their bond, was momentarily placated with a brief pulse of reassurance and request to let him focus. I need to help Zylara. We¡¯ll head over the moment we can. Do not tarry too long, Bahamut warned. Karsys is doing well, but his mana reserves are getting low, and while his arsenal of abilities are not intensive, they are indeed a drain over time. Noted. Aurelian responded seriously. We just need a few more minutes. Very well, Aurelian. Bahamut agreed. You shall have them. Despite the exchange, Aurelian¡¯s entire world was momentarily narrowed down to the person before him: Zylara. Her presence eclipsed everything else, and anchored him firmly in the now. While he contemplated the details of the ritual they were about to undertake, and the implications if it failed; a sudden realization struck him like a bolt of lightning. Seconds later, he cursed under his breath in an involuntary reaction to his oversight. "Aurelian?" Zylara''s voice, laced with confusion, broke through his internal reprimand. Her striking blue eyes, filled with curiosity and trust both, scanned his face while clearly trying to decipher the reason behind his sudden irritation. "Sorry, Z. It¡¯s not you," Aurelian hastily clarified, his voice tinged with a mix of annoyance at himself and the situation. "I¡¯m just a total idiot." "What do you mean?" she prodded, her brow raised and head slightly tilted in question. "There¡¯s a System reward I completely forgot to claim amidst all this chaos," he explained, each word radiating with his frustration. "And it directly relates to what we¡¯re about to do." Zylara''s response was a momentary silence, where she seemed to process his words. Then, with a movement as swift as it was gentle, she delivered a soft smack against his chest with her left hand. "Idiot," she chided, though her tone was light, and warm with laughter rather than reprimand when she spoke. "Yeah. No kidding," Aurelian conceded while a rueful smile played on his lips. He mentally summoned the pending notification in the same instant, and silently urged the System to relinquish his rewards. The moment he did, the air around them seemed to shimmer and warp, before giving way to a trio of items that materialized out of thin air and landed neatly in his lap. A book, its cover crafted from the black leather; a vial exuding an aura of hidden power; and a chalice, an exquisite piece of craftsmanship adorned with rubies and forged from genuine obsidian. The nerd in him immediately fixated on the volcanic glass with awe. Zylara''s gaze shifted to the items while he drooled over the chalice, and her eyes widened in a mix of awe and intrigue. "Aurelian," she whispered, her voice barely above a breath, "you need to Analyse those. Quickly." Liberated from his momentary distraction and trusting in the urgency of her tone, Aurelian focused his attention on the items intently. Revelate! Name: Codex Sanguinaris Type: Tome of Knowledge Quality: Legendary Tier: Adaptive Requirement: Sanguine Bloodline Description: The Codex Sanguinaris is the knowledge base of the Blood Lords of Eld, and contains within its pages their many and myriad mysteries. This is a treasure thought lost to time and entropy, and has been sought after by all manner of creatures both mortal and divine. By possessing it, a Cultivator may unlock the deepest secrets of the Blood Lords. Special Effects: The Codex Sanguinaris¡¯ knowledge unlocks the further along the path of Cultivation its owner has tread. To access it, only one person of a Sanguine Bloodline may attune to it, at which point only voluntary rescindment or true death will break the bond. Aurelian read over the description for the Codex Sanguinaris a second time, and let out a low whistle when he lifted the tome. ¡°God damn, that is a treat.¡± ¡°It¡¯s not the only thing.¡± Zylara said with a hint of impatience. ¡°Look at the rest!¡± Aurelian blinked at her insistence, but did as he was bade. Name: Blood Lord¡¯s Chalice Type: Relic Quality: Legendary Tier: Novice Requirement: Primogenitor¡¯s Blood Description: The Blood Lord¡¯s Chalice is the key to the perpetuation of the Blood Lords of Eld, and has been lost for untold millennia since the fall of Eld. When filled with the vitae of a Primogenitor and the Essence of the Sanguine, consumption of its contents will herald the birth of a new Blood Scion, tied to the sponsoring Primogenitor¡¯s line. Special Effects: The Blood Lord¡¯s Chalice may only be used to create new Blood Scions once per year, though exceptions exist within the Codex Sanguinaris. Each new Blood Scion passively increases the Primogenitor¡¯s Arisen Legion size, in addition to any appointed Blood Knights. Aurelian read over the provided text, and let out a slow and annoyed exhale. ¡°The System never mentioned anything about this Chalice,¡± he growled while looking down toward Zylara. ¡°Who knows what might have happened if I¡¯d tried to give you my Trait the way we¡¯d discussed?¡± Zylara¡¯s expression was dubious when he explained, and she peered up at him with a critically raised eyebrow, but seemed to believe him¡ªa small mercy given the idiocy of his earlier blunder. It spoke not only to her trust in him, which was humbling, but to her nature: she was not a woman prone to grudges or petty outrage, from what he¡¯d observed, and more than that she had an integrity of spirit and personality that he found incredibly reassuring. She was nothing if not benevolent, and even though their first meeting and subsequent discourse had been clipped and even a little tense, the elven woman had warmed to him¡ªand he to her, truthfully¡ªat an hitherto unheard-of rate for his life. Both lives, in fact. A woman as beautiful as Zylara acting as a constant companion was something he¡¯d have thought would only be possible in a fantasy novel, prior to his reincarnation in the Realms. Tarixi had been like a fun Aunt, in many ways. Zylara was¡ something else. When she spoke, and broke his ruminations in the process, it was with a patience and calm focus which he envied¡ªespecially given their dire circumstances, and hers in particular. ¡°What did the System actually tell you about the Sanguine Kiss?¡± the elf asked pointedly. ¡°Show me. I may be able to spot something you didn¡¯t.¡± ¡°Here,¡± Aurelian answered without hesitation, ¡°Take a look.¡± Name: Sanguine Kiss Type: Title Skill Rarity: Legendary Support the creativity of authors by visiting Royal Road for this novel and more. Level: Adaptive Tier: Novice Description: The Sanguine Kiss allows a Primogenitor to replicate the Sanguinated trait within a chosen target, and create a new member of their bloodline. This act requires the infusion of the Primogenitor¡¯s Essence into the target. Hidden Condition: To successfully complete the Sanguine Kiss, the Blood Lord¡¯s Chalice must be used to mix both Sanguine Essence and the Primogenitor¡¯s Blood. ¡°That wasn¡¯t there before!¡± Aurelian objected when Zylara turned to him with a glare, her blue eyes literally sparking upon seeing the newly materialised text at the bottom of the Title Skill. She wasn¡¯t exuding a sense of imminent violence, per se, but there was definitely disgruntlement in the way she was glaring at him. ¡°Are you sure?¡± his elven companion asked sternly. ¡°Absolutely sure?¡± ¡°I¡¯m positive!¡± Aurelian said quickly, and with his best and most convincingly emphatic nod. ¡°That wasn¡¯t there before, I swear! I¡¯d have remembered that. It said nothing about needing the Chalice!¡± ¡°Hm¡¡± Zylara hummed in response, while seemingly accepting his explanation¡ªwith another squinted stare for good measure¡ªand subsiding back into a more passive posture. ¡°A hidden condition? I¡¯ve heard stories of these, but I always thought they were just fables.¡± ¡°They¡¯ve got similar stories on Earth, but neither Tarixi nor Bael¡¯tharax mentioned anything to me during my time under their tuition.¡± ¡°Probably because of how unlikely it is you¡¯d ever find one. Hidden Conditions are more myth, in some ways, than actual knowledge.¡± Zylara said while furrowing her brows and puckering her lips in thought. ¡°This is the first time I¡¯ve ever heard of one, let alone seen one, in my lifetime. I¡¯d be surprised if anyone in Sanctuary had ever seen one, either.¡± ¡°Do you know how they¡¯re supposed to work?¡± Aurelian asked, his curiosity momentarily overcoming his urgency. ¡°Mm,¡± Zylara said with a distracted look at the Chalice, ¡°they usually involve knowledge that¡¯s been redacted by someone with Authority over that aspect of the System.¡± Aurelian blinked down at Zylara, and then furrowed his brows in thought. ¡°Authority¡ like the Blood Lords themselves, perhaps?¡± ¡°Huh¡ Yes, actually. Quite possibly.¡± she confirmed with a thoughtful nod. ¡°Especially if they wanted to ensure that only a proper successor could unlock the secrets of their power.¡± ¡°How am I supposed to tell if something has a hidden condition in future, though?¡± Aurelian groused. ¡°There was literally no indication.¡± ¡°The description here for the Sanguine Kiss is rather vague, Aurelian.¡± Zylara pointed out with the tell-tale sign of someone reviewing System messages. ¡°It probably was the hint. The fact that you were uncertain of the actual method by which Essence was supposed to be infused seems pretty telling.¡± ¡°As if. Fucking System¡¡± Aurelian muttered. ¡°By leaving you guessing,¡± Zylara pointed out, ¡°the System was offering guidance in its own way. It is almost never so intentionally deceptive in how it explains skills, even ones subordinate to Titles.¡± Aurelian squinted at the Title Skill in his vision at her words, and then dismissed it. ¡°Whatever.¡± he groused. ¡°We¡¯re wasting time. We have no idea when the Skarnids are going to decide we¡¯re appetising again. My show of Force¡ª¡± he smirked at the pun ¡°¡ªwon¡¯t keep them away forever, and I summoned my Arisen, but they won¡¯t arrive for at least a few minutes yet.¡± ¡°Then let¡¯s stop wasting time.¡± Zylara agreed. ¡°Analyse the Essence vial, and then let¡¯s get this cart on the path.¡± Aurelian nodded, blinked, and then paused. ¡°Huh¡¡± he murmured thoughtfully. ¡°Cart on the Path. Show on the Road. Weird.¡± ¡°What?¡± Zylara asked with clear confusion. ¡°Nothing.¡± Aurelian said with a shake of his head. ¡°Don¡¯t worry about it. Nephilim things. Just, uh, give me a second.¡± Zylara gave him another quizzical look, but Aurelian was already looking at the Essence vial in his hand. Revelate! Name: Sanguine Essence Type: Essence Quality: Legendary Tier: Adaptive Requirement: Initiate Description: This is the distilled Essence drawn from the blood of a Sanguinated individual. It contains the power of Anima manipulation, and can be used to Infuse an Essence Draught or in the ritual creation of a new Blood Scion. Effects: Essence Draughts infused with this Essence gain an echo of power from the Blood Lords when used with an appropriate Mind, Body, or Spirit Skill. When used in the creation of a Blood Scion, the new Scion will receive a 10% boost to Vitality and Endurance upon successful Transformation, in addition to the Sanguinated Trait and other associated bonuses. ¡°Wow. Nice. Okay. Now we¡¯re getting somewhere,¡± he said excitedly. ¡°Are you ready, Z? I have no idea how this will taste.¡± ¡°I¡¯ve been ready, Aurelian. Even the watching spirits of this land are probably yelling at you to get on with it.¡± Aurelian blinked at her words, and then looked in a random direction. He gave his best ¡®Jim from the Office¡¯ expression, and then picked up the Chalice. ¡°What was that?¡± Zylara asked with what amounted to amused bewilderment. ¡°Just saying hello to the fourth wall,¡± Aurelian murmured distractedly while counting to ten heartbeats. The moment he did, he felt his Crest settle into his right palm in a flash of crimson lightning. The moment it did, he wasted no time. The sword was braced along his armoured thigh, Aurelian cleansed his hands of foreign elements with a quickly summoned burst of flame to scour the flesh¡ªwhich didn¡¯t suffer more than a discomforting heat thanks to Fire Resistance¡ªand then he dragged his right palm along the blade¡¯s edge to open the flesh. From there he grabbed up the chalice, and simply squeezed his fist¡ªPain Tolerance made the entire process incredibly nonchalant¡ªto allow blood to spill into the obsidian relic¡¯s waiting receptacle. As his blood filled it, one of the rubies around the rim lit up. When he continued bleeding into it, a second, and then a third lit up rapidly. ¡°At least now I know how much I need,¡± Aurelian declared with a snort of amusement, and continued to squeeze his fist bleed into the cup. Only when all six of the rubies that encircled it shone with scarlet energy did he relent, and relax his fist to stem the blood flow. It still amazed him that he could lose as much blood as he did and barely feel it. It was just more proof that ¡®Health¡¯ was a strange and esoteric value. ¡°Hold this,¡± he said quickly while handing the Chalice to Zylara, who took it with a look of bemusement. He picked up the vial of Sanguine Essence the moment she did, and promptly unstoppered it and emptied the entire thing¡ªwhich flowed like crimson water¡ªinto the chalice as well. When the Essence melded with his blood, the rubies sparked with power and the chalice¡¯s body lit with crimson light, nestled between both an inner and outer layer of obsidian. ¡°Woah.¡± Aurelian said quietly. ¡°That¡¯s cool.¡± ¡°It is¡ definitely something.¡± Zylara agreed. ¡°Though now I realise I agreed to drink blood and am somewhat, ah¡¡± ¡°It¡¯s this or be a cripple forever, Z.¡± Aurelian said quietly, and with a slight grimace of apology for his own bluntness. ¡°I don¡¯t think it¡¯s really a choice. It isn¡¯t a guaranteed fix, but the only other option I have is¡ well, a long-shot at best.¡± ¡°It¡¯s okay, Aurelian.¡± Zylara assured him with a warm smile. ¡°I was mostly just mustering courage. I resolved myself to this, and I do not change my mind easily once I decide I want something. Being your first, ah, ¡®Blood Scion¡¯ is hardly something to be ashamed of. You¡¯re not just the Reclaimer, you¡¯re my friend. It¡¯s my honour to be beneath you.¡± Aurelian felt his cheeks warm at her words, and she smirked at him. ¡°Cheers, Aurelian.¡± she said wryly, and then tipped back the Chalice in one smooth motion. Zylara handed the Chalice back to him after she finished, and Aurelian watched her with wary trepidation while the elf blinked in surprise at the taste. ¡°Huh¡¡± she said in a pleasantly surprised tone, ¡°that didn¡¯t really taste like blood at all.¡± ¡°Oh?¡± Aurelian asked with settling nerves. Maybe the process wouldn¡¯t be as terrible as what he¡¯d experienced, after all. ¡°What did it taste like?¡± ¡°It was like my favourite sweets from Sanctuary. How did¡ªNngh?!¡± In the same instant as Zylara groaned, a System prompt appeared in his vision. Zylara Lyse Stormbow has ingested your [Primogenitor Essence] and distilled [Sanguine Essence] through the [Blood Lord¡¯s Chalice]. Zylara Lyse Stormbow is now eligible to Awaken as a Blood Scion. Per the Laws of Eld, the Primogenitor must consent to the Transformation. WARNING: If denied, Zylara Lyse Stormbow will die. Do you wish to allow the Transformation to proceed? Y / N Aurelian stared at the message for one long, bewildered moment and then mentally smashed the ¡®Y¡¯ option with his mind and looked down at Zylara. The moment he did, her blue eyes snapped to him with a haggard look of amusement, and then she lifted abruptly out of his arms¡ªbuoyed on power far outside of his own. In the same moment, a new and distinct tether erupted from his Core, and Aurelian traced its passage with his mind and Dragon¡¯s Gaze until it connected directly to Zylara¡ªor rather, to her Core. Another System notification populated his vision when it did. [Calamity Core] detected within Primogenitor. [Elysean] Race detected within Primogenitor. [Nephilim] Origin detected within Primogenitor. [Dominion] Title detected within Primogenitor. Blood Scion Transformation will now adapt to special factors. Standby. Aurelian barely had time to blink in surprise before the screaming started. B2 | Chapter 08: King of the Bugs Aurelian¡¯s eyes snapped up to where Zylara hovered above him, now three metres in the air, and he sucked in a breath while staggering to his feet. The elven woman was held aloft like she were floating in water, her hair drifting in the air around her alongside her limbs and the loose fabrics that adorned her ruined armour. She was screaming in pain. It was a scream he recognized all-too-well. Scarlet lightning danced around her body in coruscating, illuminating bolts of aetheric force, and Aurelian used his Dragon¡¯s Gaze to see the combination of Life and Death mana warring around her at the same time as Anima¡ªimmense amounts of Anima¡ªcreated hollow tubes within which the life and death mana were threaded. Dragon¡¯s Gaze is now Level 23! With each new thread funnelled in, one tube containing Life and one containing Death would twine together; combined and braided with Anima acting as an almost mono-molecular boundary between the two competing powers. Each new braid that formed¡ªand there were already dozens, with more eventuating as he watched¡ªtwisted around Zylara¡¯s body and snaked down toward her destroyed legs. ¡°Woah¡¡± Aurelian watched in stunned silence as the braids congregated together into lines of crimson light that, amidst the effervescent scarlet lightning, formed the framework of an entirely new body. Zylara¡¯s dismembered left leg and shattered right leg were framed in what he could only call a wireframe outline¡ªone that shone with brilliant crimson light to his normal gaze. With Dragon¡¯s Gaze still active, he could also see the iridescent braids of Life, Death, and Anima that comprised every millimetre of the wires, and watched with rapt focus as the process continued across her entire body. The lightning seared her flesh and tore at it, ripping away seemingly random chunks of flesh to reveal exposed flesh, sinew, and tendons beneath. Dragon¡¯s Gaze is now Level 24! Nothing about his companion was inviolable to the transformative power of the System, and Aurelian averted his gaze when it stripped her of the armour she¡¯d had since they left the ruined palace. The only thing that was spared, in fact, was Zylara¡¯s bow¡ªwhich itself sparked and crackled with current that seemed to be morphing it in kind, and dyeing it the same obsidian colour as the Blood Lord¡¯s Chalice. Aurelian? What is happening? We can hear screaming across the battlefield. Bahamut reported worriedly. Even the Skarnids are beginning to turn their attention toward it! It¡¯s Zylara. She¡¯s mid-transformation. You need to stop them from intruding! We will do what we can, but her screams are deafening even my roars. Something greater than her mortal lungs is at work here. This must be System-wrought projection. Do what you can! My Arisen are almost here. They¡¯ll handle any stragglers that head toward us. Very well, but rejoin us the moment the ritual is complete! Bahamut insisted. Karsys is flagging, and I cannot give him energy as I can you. Understood. Thank you for holding out so far. Aurelian sent with sincerity. Bahamut sent back a feeling of amusement and mild derision, though not for Aurelian specifically. If I were to truly struggle against these insects, I would be unworthy of the title of Dragon King. Aurelian sent back amusement of his own, and the conversation ended. Instead, he gave the majority of his focus to Zylara¡¯s still-changing body¡ªincluding the new, and entirely naked flesh of a new foot slowly coming into being as the wireframe began to solidify into ¡®hardlight¡¯, and transition from energy to true flesh. The remainder of his focus was directed toward his Arisen. He could finally feel them closing distance rapidly, and turned when they arrived. The five onyx-carapaced Arisen Skarnids halted a small distance from him and Zylara, and directed each of their eight, glowing crimson eyes to regard the transformation with what Aurelian translated mentally as both interest and, more surprisingly, approval. He would dwell on that particular detail later, he decided, while watching their tails waving through the air almost like immense antennae awaiting a signal. ¡°There are more of your corrupted cousins coming to interfere with the transformation,¡± he said with a nod toward Zylara. Something told him that mentioning the intrusion on the transformation was the right way to go, and as if in confirmation, he felt outrage echoing from his now-chittering Arisen Skarnids. ¡°You must not let them interrupt her Transformation,¡± he said firmly. ¡°Kill any that get too close, and don¡¯t bother preserving them for raising. Slay them as fast as possible.¡± Five bass susurrations of affirmation followed his words, and the ¡®lead¡¯ Skarnid in their centre¡ªthe first one he¡¯d raised¡ªraised its pincers and clacked them together twice in assent to the order. Then, in a demonstration of intelligence that truly stunned Aurelian, the lead skarnid turned its head back and forth and chitter-hissed in a way he almost felt like he could understand. ¡°{Protect the King! Protect the Scion! Purge the Interlopers!}¡± The meaning was, at best, loosely translated¡ªbut it still sent a mild shock of existential bewilderment racing through Aurelian¡¯s mind. ¡°You guys can speak?¡± he asked with open surprise, while trying to ignore Zylara¡¯s pained shrieking behind him. The ¡®lead¡¯ Skarnid redirected its attention to him, and the creature inclined his eight-eyed head. ¡°{We have always been able to speak, my King, but now we can do so without the distortion of the Darkening}¡± it said in the same chitter-hiss bass susurration. ¡°{When you liberated us from the Curse, it restored our minds, and allowed us to return to the glory of our true selves.}¡± ¡°Your true selves?¡± Aurelian asked with more curiosity than apprehension, now, though the latter still remained. ¡°{Once,}¡± the skarnid to the right side in what Aurelian vaguely recognized as a more feminine octave, ¡°{we Skarnids were not unlike a civilization ourselves. Our Queens united us, and gave us purpose, while our Warriors¡ªlike the corrupted one that summoned us¡ªdefended our creche-towers. We thrived in this land. Our lore tells us this.}¡± Unauthorized duplication: this tale has been taken without consent. Report sightings. ¡°{Then came the Curse,}¡± the lead Skarnid hissed furiously, ¡°{and the Darkening of our species. Sense was eroded, our glorious carapaces were violated, and we were left bereft and warped¡ªabominations compared to the glory we once knew. Even the Warriors were not immune to it, as you have yourself seen, my King.}¡± ¡°Warri¡ª¡± Aurelian¡¯s eyes widened. ¡°You mean the Behemoth? That massive one?¡± ¡°{Yes, my King,}¡± the lead Skarnid replied. ¡°{The Warrior. None remain of the old power, but they are mighty still. That one was merely a shadow of their former glory.}¡± Aurelian was floored. ¡°Hey, quick question. Why do you keep calling me your King?¡± The skarnids were silent for a moment, and then the ¡®female¡¯ answered. ¡°{We have never had Kings, only Queens. Even now, corrupted as our race is, the Queens remain. You are the first male to rule us, and so, it is your title by right. Your essence flows through us and gives us eternal life and power, and so, we are yours, my King.}¡± ¡°Oh,¡± Aurelian said with a blink, ¡°okay then.¡± He had expected that the Skarnids likely had some sort of social system, but by the explanations of his Arisen, they had once been part of an entire insectoid civilization. The parallels between a certain bug race from a world of craft and war were hitting him over the head like a hammer. So, too, was the potential. ¡°These Warriors¡¡± Aurelian began curiously, ¡°is this something that has to be bred, or can your kind, like¡ Evolve?¡± ¡°{A wise question, my King,}¡± the lead Skarnid said approvingly, followed by a chittering of agreement from the rest. It was like Aurelian suddenly had his own arachnid hype squad, which frankly seemed poleaxing, bewildering, and weirdly cool all at once. ¡°{Our new existence gives us insights into ourselves we did not possess while under the Curse. With sufficient Anima, and your own desires, you can Evolve us as you see fit.}¡± Aurelian¡¯s eyebrows shot up at that piece of information, and his mind filled with images of titanic Skarnids rampaging across his foes, or obliterating entire swathes of enemy forces with pseudo-Bio Titans, Arachnid Velociraptors, and more. A grin slowly crept across his features. ¡°Are you guys able to, like, store Anima? I know you use it to heal yourselves, but can you store excess?¡± ¡°{We are able to Harvest it for you, my King, yes¡ªthough we are limited to what our bodies can contain before we must consume it.}¡± ¡°How much can you store?¡± ¡°{Five Imbuements.}¡± Aurelian mentally translated that to five points of Anima, and nodded in consideration. ¡°Try and start doing so, but don¡¯t sacrifice your lives or ability to fight for it.¡± he ordered decisively, while peering past them toward the distance where his Dragon¡¯s Gaze told him more corrupted skarnids were approaching. ¡°And see to the, ah, interlopers. I appreciate the insights, but this¡¯ll have to wait until we have less chaos happening.¡± The five skarnids chitter-hissed in acquiesce, and the lead creature lifted its head to release a strange kind of mix between a bugle and trumpet noise. ¡°{Onward, brethren! For the King!}¡± That particular kind of pronouncement raised more points of curiosity for Aurelian, though they were ones which he had no time to ponder before his five Arisen assumed a flying wedge formation and scuttled off toward the direction the Skarnid stragglers were approaching from. ¡°I still have so many fucking questions,¡± he said to himself while watching them go. ¡°Do I need to name them now or something? Would Anub¡¯arak be way too on the nose? Jesus¡¡± Zylara¡¯s next scream pulled him back to what he was doing, and he turned back to her immediately. What he saw left him speechless. In the time he¡¯d been speaking¡ªthe thought still bewildered him a little¡ªto his now-charging band of murderous scorpion-spider Arisen, the elf¡¯s transformation had progressed rapidly. Her flesh retained the pale beauty it had held before, though now her skin was more like what Aurelian would classify as ¡®goth girl¡¯ pale than the mere ¡®fair skin¡¯ she¡¯d had before. It was as if every scrap of melanin had been removed from her flesh, and every sunkissed moment of pigment had been erased. More than that, Aurelian noticed a tangible increase in the visible sculpting of her musculature. Where before Zylara had been lithe grace and nimble elegance, now she instead held a more defined curvature to her calves, and her thighs had thickened considerably with muscle. Her glutes¡ªwhich he steadfastly refused to think of her as her arse¡ªhad also seen a marked improvement in both firmness and substance, though Aurelian pointedly avoided staring once he remembered she was entirely naked. It just felt wrong, to him, to leer at her in a state of such vulnerability. Zylara was the embodiment of the hot elf stereotype which every gamer nerd had ever wanted, and it almost felt like he was putting that boyhood fantasy on her when he looked at her. He felt vaguely like Adam in the Garden of Eden, tempted by the view of the apple¡ªhe snorted at the correlation between ¡®apple¡¯ and ¡®butt¡¯¡ªand the wiles of Eve. The elven maiden had flirted with him, and despite that being a possible indication of attraction, he had no desire nor right to presume such. He was sure she had no shortage of options, nor past amusements, given the System¡¯s description of elves as, in essence, eminent horndogs; and he had no wish to risk overstepping with her. Especially, in fact, when he considered she might very well be one of the few true friends he made in the Realms for the foreseeable future. Besides, she deserved more from him, after what she¡¯d already sacrificed. Aurelian risked another glance upward, and noticed that her savaged arms and wounded torso¡ªfrom what he could see¡ªhad been given the same melanin-reducing physical reconstruction, and that there was a vitality-laden red flush to her skin in various places as the changes took hold. Zylara had even stopped screaming, and had instead improved from throat-rending cries to a low groan of discomfort while she floated among the wrapping brace of light, and power, twining across her body. When the braids of Life, Death, and Anima reached her scalp and rolled down her hair to push it toward a glossy, midnight-black that could have challenged the Blood Lord¡¯s Chalice for which was darker; a sudden chime occupied his mind¡ªand Aurelian¡¯s vision was momentarily obstructed by a new System alert. Transformation Complete! Zylara Lyse Bloodstorm has been successfully Transformed! Congratulations, Aurelian Lucis Imperius! You have Sired your first Blood Scion! Aurelian barely had time to process the alert before another populated his vision, in the same moment as he noticed Zylara beginning to descend. She drifted down like she was held aloft by wind, and for all that he wanted to catch her, she was still very naked. He opened his mouth to utter an epithet at the impossible choice, but the sound died halfway through his vocal chords when he read the new prompt¡ªand his brow furrowed in confusion. Congratulations, Aurelian Lucis Imperius! Hidden Conditions Met! You have managed to bring back an extinct species, and simultaneously create a new one! Achievement: Blood and Legacy For successfully achieving another impossible feat and massively advancing the greater goal of your Reclamation, you have received the following: 1 x Runic Bloodmail of Eld 1 x Elden Map Fragment 1 x Skill Compression Tome ¡°Aurelian.¡± A voice that mixed a familiar elegance with a more ethereal, and regal confidence pulled him from his consideration of the Achievement announcement¡ªand, for the second time in the same moment, awed surprise stole his breath away. B2 | Chapter 09: Blood Scion Zylara stood before him, naked as the day she was born, and smiling at Aurelian with eyes as red as freshly spilled blood. His gaze automatically swept her from head to toe, and he felt his cheeks inflame at the visage of feminine beauty he withheld. Before he could say anything, or even apologise for the instinctive up and down; she stepped closer and wrapped her arms around him. Aurelian felt her, with agonising awareness, pressing her generous chest against his body, and pulling him into an embrace that applied pressure to his very bones. Zylara definitely seemed stronger than before, as well. ¡°Thank you,¡± she said in the same elegant tone as before, though it was tempered by the waver of pure emotion. ¡°This transformation is more than I ever could have hoped. The System listened, Aurelian. It listened to me for the first time in my life, and it gave me the option of what to do¡ªof what to become. It allowed me to redesign myself, Aurelian. That¡¯s a thing heard of only in tales¡ or, I suppose, among Nephilim.¡± Zylara¡¯s words were thick with raw emotion, and Aurelian instinctively wrapped his arms around her in kind¡ªplacing his already-scarred-over palm atop the crown of her thick, silky-smooth black hair. ¡°I¡ you¡¯re welcome, Zylara.¡± ¡°You don¡¯t understand the gravity of the gift you¡¯ve given me,¡± she insisted while tightening her grip on him enough to make it measurably more difficult to breathe. ¡°You don¡¯t understand what it means to have true self-determination for the first time in my decades of miserable life, always hating what I saw in the mirror, and lamenting the lack of what I wished was there. You freed me from my own self-loathing, Aurelian.¡± Zylara¡¯s voice wavered while she spoke, and seemed to be dancing between relief and the cumulative shedding of long-held emotional trauma. Aurelian had the distinct impression interrupting her would be in poor taste, and so he simply let her speak. ¡°You have no idea what it¡¯s like to see other women, and wish to have what they have,¡± she continued against his chest. ¡°You freed me from that pain. You freed me from hating myself for something I could never control; from the resemblance to the body of a father I¡¯ve despised for my entire life.¡± Zylara let out a ragged sigh when she finished, as if purging herself of something she¡¯d kept locked deep within her soul for a very long time. ¡°You¡¯ve given me the right to choose my most perfect self,¡± she continued in a distinctly happier tone. ¡°I finally look like my mother¡¯s daughter, instead of his. I may not have¡ appreciated what she did, Aurelian, but she¡¯s my ma-ma. I looked at her, and I looked at myself, and I knew I reminded her of a love that had cursed her. You¡¡± she took a steadying breath before continuing, ¡°you gave me the chance to save her from that reminder, and to see me as hers alone. You gave me a chance to see her look at me without seeing him. Thank you. Thank you.¡± ¡°If you¡¯re happy, I¡¯m happy,¡± Aurelian responded after several moments, and with an awkward attempt at a cheerful smile, though not due to her clear emotion. His point of uncertainty was something far less profound than that. ¡°Hey Zylara?¡± ¡°Mm?¡± ¡°You know you¡¯re, um, naked¡ right?¡± ¡°I know,¡± she said with a musical laugh, and a markedly more amused voice. ¡°At least when I¡¯m hugging you, you can¡¯t stare at my tits.¡± ¡°Ah,¡± Aurelian responded lamely when that logic clicked into place. ¡°It¡¯s not like I mind you staring,¡± Zylara clarified in a lower voice. ¡°And they did get bigger, by the way,¡± she demurred with what he recognised, even in her ¡®new¡¯ voice, as on-brand Zylara-style teasing. ¡°A full brassiere size or two larger, I think. The System was very accommodating to my wants.¡± ¡°Jesus Christ, Zylara!¡± he half-groaned, and half-laughed in response. It was just like the elven woman to turn a sweet, vulnerable, and personal moment into a chance to fluster and off-put him with a few quick sentences. The fact he had noticed she¡¯d jumped a notable amount of proverbial cup sizes, and that she then pointed it out, did not help matters. The fact that the Prime Material apparently not only had bras, but that they were common was also surprising, though he filed that away as ¡®Nephilim shenanigans¡¯. He had no doubt someone had been summoned that had invented lingerie. Whether it was a male or female, however, was anybody¡¯s guess. More than that, Zylara¡¯s joy at her ¡®customization¡¯ freedom did make sense, he conceded after a moment of thought. Aurelian was by no means an expert on psychological conditions, nor on the nature of anatomical disconnect¡ªbut dysmorphia was a well-understood phenomenon on Earth, and given what Zylara had confessed about her father¡¯s true nature, he could imagine her feeling a sense of disgust and self-repudiation for what she might have assumed was any kind of resemblance to the unknown elf. Not that it would be proper to ask that and clarify. ¡°That¡¯s not all,¡± Zylara said and drew back his full attention, ¡°look at these!¡± A System message populated his view before he could respond, and before his eyes betrayed him. Zylara Lyse Bloodstorm has invited you to view her Character Sheet (Hidden). Do you accept? Y / N It wasn¡¯t a hard choice. Aurelian accepted immediately. He had only really seen Bahamut¡¯s character sheet as a point of reference, and had never bothered to really dig into Karsys and Zylara¡¯s own. Partially due to not knowing them all that well, and partially because he figured they wouldn¡¯t be as exciting as Bahamut¡¯s. It had been a foolish thought, of course, given he¡¯d shared his¡ªbut Aurelian likely had very different views on the ¡®privacy¡¯ of that sort of thing than they did, as denizens. The fact Zylara¡¯s sheet was also classified as ¡®Hidden¡¯ interested him, though he would need to see if the Skills, Traits, or Titles revealed the reason prior to interrogating her. He had his own version of veiling his true power, but he wasn¡¯t sure what Zylara¡¯s would be. While he read, his eyebrows rose steadily, and his eyes started to widen in shock. Not only was Zylara¡¯s character sheet impressive, he could also see what he assumed were new and very important changes. Changes clearly wrought by his hand. Name: Zylara Lyse Bloodstorm Temper: Initiate Infusions: Mind 1/2 | Body 1/2 | Spirit 1/2 Core: Bloodstorm Core (Purification Stage) Chakras: 1/7 Level: 36 | Race: Sanguine Elysean (E) | Origin: Storm Elf (E) | Gender: Female | Zodiac: Owl (R) Health: 675 | Mana: 376 | Stamina: 420 | Anima: 0 STR: (42) 46 | AGI: 68 (85) | DEX: 115 (132) | VIT: (45) 49 | END: 77 | INT: 85 | PER: 92 | WIL: 46 | CHA: 77 Mind Skills: Revelate (E) 26 | Precision Aim (E) 51 | Persuasion (UC) 38 | Deception (UC) 22 | Exploration (UC) 62 | Tracking (R) 48 | Iron Will (R) 48 | Cryptography (R) 31 | Investigation (UC) 29 Body Skills: Running (C) 66 | Acrobatics (UC) 59 | Evasion (R) 48 | Environmental Adaptation (E) 52 | Poison Resistance (UC) 49 | Ranged Mastery (R) 56 | Shortsword Mastery (C) 32 | Stormsurge Momentum (E) 42 | Pain Tolerance (UC) 59 | Durable (UC) 30 | Elemental Resistance (E) 37 | Piercing Shot (R) 38 | Heavy Shot (UC) 42 | Rapid Shot (UC) 39 | Lightning Shot (E) 46 Stolen from Royal Road, this story should be reported if encountered on Amazon. Spirit Skills: Mana Control (R) 48 | Soul Sense (UC) 32 | Shadowmeld (E) 57 | Lightning Bolt (R) 34 | Lightning Infusion (R) 22 | Mend (UC) 22 | Purify Air (E) 36 | Gale Force (R) 28 | Wind Blade (R) 27 | Anima Conversion (E) 1 | Anima Syphon (E) 1 | Anima Infusion (E) 1 | Anima Diffusion (E) 1 | Force Control (L) 1 Traits: Elven Alacrity (UC) | Keen Mind (R) | Fast Learner (E) | Stormblooded (L) | Hunter¡¯s Senses (R) | Natural Predator (R) | Sanguinated (L) | Force-Bound (M) Titles: Survivor (R) | Outrider (R) | Defender of the Innocent (E) | Markswoman (UC) | Spellbow (E) | Walking Arsenal (R) | Adaptive (UC) | Death Defying (E) | First Scion (L) | Nephilim Blooded (L) Languages: Common | Elven 33% to Level 37 You have 4 Skill Points Available! You have 1 Skill Upgrade Point Available! ¡°Holy shit, Z!¡± Aurelian exclaimed with bewilderment. ¡°Your abilities are insane!¡± Zylara laughed into his chest at his words, and the new enhancements to her voice made it sound akin to an ethereal chime. Goosebumps erupted on his skin at the sound, though they weren¡¯t from displeasure. ¡°Now you know how Karsys and I felt,¡± she teased him warmly. ¡°Would you like to see the new abilities?¡± ¡°Of course I would!¡± he affirmed without hesitation. With another laugh, she complied. Name: Bloodstorm Core Type: Mana Core Quality: Mythic Tier: Initiate Requirement: Calamity Essence, Storm Elf Origin Description: A fusion of your natural Swiftbolt Core and the latent energies of your Nephilim Sire¡¯s Calamity Core Soulforce has resulted in the formation of a Bloodstorm Core, hearkening to an Infusion upon your Sire¡¯s Body. This Core allows you to harness your Lightning attunement with greater potency, and wield it by the authority of your blood, absent the permission of the Eternals or Divine. Effects: All Arisen you command may inherit an echo of your Lightning abilities. Special Effects: You are immune to any Lightning-based abilities inferior to your current level. Name: Sanguinated Elysean Type: Race Rarity: Epic Description: Your Elysean heritage has been fully awakened and brought to the fore, and has been shaped by the Sanguination of your Sire. As a result, you have gained all the bonuses afforded to members of the Nephilim-descended Elysean race. Effects: +3 Willpower per Level, +1 Charisma per Level. Special Effects: All other Elysean-blooded individuals will instinctively recognise you as a pureblooded existence, and if your Charisma is higher than theirs, automatically defer to you. Name: Sanguinated Type: Trait Rarity: Legendary Description: You are Sanguinated. Your Sire was the first of his kind, and you are the first to inherit such power directly. Yours is the legacy of the Blood Lords of Eld, and hearkens back to a power even gods have failed to attain. Effects: +3 Vitality per Level, +2 Charisma per Level, +15% Mind Skill XP. Special Effects: You have gained access to the Anima Resource as a result of this trait, allowing you to manipulate and wield it to whatever extent your Skills allow. Name: Force-Bound Type: Trait Rarity: Mythic Description: You are the bound companion of a being that has been granted a Dominion, and as such benefit from the power that dwells now within your blood in kind. An echo of divine power is now yours to wield in service of the Lord of Force. Effects: +2 Willpower per Level, -50% Mana Cost for all Force Skills. Special Effects: You have gained access to Force Control, a lesser incarnation of your Sire¡¯s Force Dominion. Name: First Scion Type: Title Rarity: Legendary Description: You are the first Blood Scion of a new bloodline, and the first such existence in untold millennia. Yours is the inheritance of Eld, and the grace and power of the Blood Lord lineage stretching out into time beyond memory. Effects: +10% Strength, +10% Vitality, +100% Anima Syphoned, +2 Charisma per Level. Special Effects: As First Scion, you alone have Command Authority over the Arisen Legion of your Sire, second only to your Sire¡¯s own, and will be recognised as the de facto leader and inheritor of the Arisen Legion should your Sire die a True Death. Name: Nephilim Blooded Type: Title Rarity: Legendary Description: You have, through an ancient and sacred ritual, been Sired by the blood of a Primogenitor that is also a Nephilim. Such a thing has never occurred in the history of the Realms, and as such, you are the first of a unique line of Sanguinated Elyseans. Effects: Skill Limit Penalty Nullification, +2 Attribute Points per Level Special Effects: You are able to sense Soul Tethers upon those of your current Temper or lower. ¡°So. What do you think?¡± ¡°I think you¡¯re an absolute monster now, Z,¡± Aurelian answered with a shake of his head. ¡°I also think that your First Scion title is going to prove very useful, if normal isekai tropes are anything to go by.¡± ¡°What do you mean?¡± she prompted curiously. ¡°Well, let¡¯s just say that I might be rendered mysteriously unconscious for random lengths of time, and having someone to control my Arisen Legion while I¡¯m as awake as a brick will be very reassuring.¡± ¡°You shouldn¡¯t speak of such things,¡± she murmured. ¡°It¡¯s inviting bad luck.¡± ¡°Trust me, it¡¯s just how it goes.¡± he assured her with a sage certainty he felt in his bones. ¡°As for the rest¡ whew! You have some crazy Attribute bonuses too. What are those from?¡± ¡°Oh!¡± she said with a laugh. ¡°Here, I¡¯ll pinpoint them for you.¡± Zylara was as good as her word, and the skills in question ¡®lit up¡¯ for his attention. When he read them, he very nearly felt himself growing envious. B2 | Chapter 10: Skills and Thrills Name: Precision Aim Type: Mind Skill Rarity: Epic Level: 51 Tier: Adept Description: Focus your mind and hone your awareness, actively increasing your accuracy with ranged attacks, and allowing you to fire with pin-point accuracy while moving. The faster you are moving, the more mana is required for Precision Aim to work. Initiate Infusion: This skill has been Infused with [Skylord¡¯s Focus] at Initiate tier. This Infusion allows your Precision Aim to be used irrelevant of speed of movement, and grants you triple your natural accuracy when attacking any foe within five hundred metres. At distances of one hundred metres or less, you are alerted to Critical Points on your targets, allowing you to deal exponentially more damage with each attack. Name: Stormsurge Momentum Type: Body Skill Rarity: Epic Level: 42 Tier: Initiate Description: Invoke the power of the storm to suffuse your limbs with lightning speed, and allow you to traverse terrain with heightened celerity. This skill passively increases your agility by 20%, and allows you to temporarily boost it by a further 20% at the cost of 10 mana per second of use. Initiate Infusion: This skill has been Infused with [Thunderous Alacrity] at Initiate tier. This Infusion increases your passive Agility boost by 10%, and allows you to use Stormsurge Momentum¡¯s temporary boost for free while in the presence of a storm. Additionally, you cannot be impaired by any movement-affecting Skill lower than Stormsurge Momentum¡¯s current Tier. Name: Elemental Resistance Type: Body Skill Rarity: Epic Level: 37 Tier: Initiate Description: All resistances to Fire, Water, Earth, and Air mana types and their subsidiaries and advanced types are compressed into this Skill. Each level of Elemental Resistance allows you half the skill¡¯s level in damage nullification against those elemental attributes, rounded down. (Current Nullification: 18%) Name: Shadowmeld Type: Spirit Skill Rarity: Epic Level: 57 Tier: Adept Description: Shadowmeld allows you to become one with the shadows when standing still for 3 seconds, and retain that Stealth while stationary or moving at less than 15% of your maximum speed. This skill functions only in deep shadows, and is especially powerful at night, or in Territory controlled by a friendly or allied Authority. Initiate Infusion: This skill has been Infused with [Nightstalker¡¯s Grace] at Initiate tier. This Infusion increases your passive Dexterity by 5%, and allows you to hide in any shadowed area. Additionally, the first time you make any attack after each successful Shadowmeld, you will gain a temporary 30% boost to your Agility and Dexterity for 3 seconds. Name: Stormblooded Type: Trait Rarity: Epic Description: Yours is the blood of the Stormlords, and your connection to that line is as pure as any found in the Realms. Hearkening back to the power of the Eternals themselves, your connection allows you an unprecedented connection to Air and Lightning Mana, and enhances your physical abilities as you grow in strength. Effects: +2 Agility per Level, +1 Dexterity per Level, Air and Lightning Skills cost -50% Mana. Special Effects: Your Attribute per Level bonuses scale with your Temper, and increase by 1 point at each new Temper stage. Additionally, you passively gain a 10% bonus to your Dexterity. Name: Defender of the Innocent Type: Title Rarity: Epic Description: You have proven yourself to be a noble person, worthy of praise and accolades, for the unwavering protection of the innocent and defenseless¡ªeven at significant risk to your own life¡ªtime and time again. Effects: +15% Charisma, +2 Charisma per Level. Special Effects: When rushing to the aid of those weaker than you, you gain +25% movement speed and all Stamina consumption is reduced by 75% until you exit combat, or the threat has been deemed neutralised by the System. Name: Spellbow Type: Title Rarity: Epic This content has been misappropriated from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere. Description: Might and Magic are blended in your blood, and you are an exemplar of harnessing both gifts to a degree rarely seen. You have performed incredible feats of martial and magical combination, and have earned recognition from your Ancestors as a result. Effects: You have gained the ability to create Arrows from pure mana. Each Arrow costs 1 Mana, and may be created free of extra cost from Air, Fire, or Lightning mana. Special Effects: Your arrows ignore all armour that is not enchanted, and equal to your current Temper or higher. Name: Death Defying Type: Title Rarity: Epic Description: You have been reduced to less than 5% of your total Health five times in as many hours, and not only survived, but eked out a victory in each encounter. As a result of this, you have defied Death itself, and spat in the face of Fate. Effects: +15% Vitality, +2 Vitality per Level. Special Effects: You take 20% less damage from all sources when below 15% of your Total Health. Aurelian let loose a low and impressed whistle when she shared her impressive array of Epic Mind, Body, and Spirit Skills and sighed wistfully. ¡°Stormsurge Momentum would be so useful for me. So would Elemental Resistance. How did you get them?¡± He was aware of Death Defying and Defender of the Innocent as well, but neither of those seemed practical for him at that moment. He couldn¡¯t risk the requirements for Death Defying, and nor did he have any reasonable way to attain Defender of the Innocent presently. ¡°Stormsurge Momentum is a bloodline skill,¡± Zylara said with a hint of dissatisfaction. ¡°I inherited it from my father, I believe, given that my mother is just a normal, run of the mill mutt elf,¡± she said with a bitterness that seemed sourced from some measure of trauma, though Aurelian was not foolish enough to try. A moment later, however, she continued more cheerfully. ¡°My Elemental Resistance, however, was the result of careful curation. Sanctuary has learned how to trigger certain skill acquisitions, and Elemental Resistance is one of them.¡± ¡°How is it triggered?¡± Aurelian enquired immediately. ¡°You must take damage from all four different elemental types repeatedly, and until your health drops to below ten percent multiple times. It¡¯ll usually be awarded if you have all four resistance types at Initiate Tier within a day or so of one another.¡± ¡°Hmph,¡± Aurelian grumbled. ¡°I¡¯m missing Earth, Water, and Air resistance. I have Fire, Ice, and Lightning.¡± ¡°We can fix that, probably, on our journey,¡± Zylara said with a small laugh. ¡°Though, first, we need to kill those remaining skarnids¡ªand for that, I need¡ª¡± ¡°Clothes!¡± Aurelian said abruptly. ¡°Right! Sorry! I have something for that, actually.¡± ¡°You mentioned that,¡± Zylara noted with clear amusement. ¡°Yeah, I got an achievement for, uh, Siring you¡ªand part of it was armour. One second, let me just¡ª¡± Aurelian mentally claimed the System reward, and three items dropped to the ground nearby in a neat pile: a brown leather tome, a piece of torn parchment, and what looked like a folded set of steel and mail beneath them, as black as a starless night. Zylara pulled her head back to look at the pile, and then raised her scarlet eyes to lock with Aurelian¡¯s own. ¡°Don¡¯t look away,¡± she commanded simply. ¡°But I thought¡ª?¡± ¡°Aurelian,¡± Zylara said more firmly, ¡°Don¡¯t. Look. Away.¡± Aurelian swallowed at her tone of voice, but nodded once in assent. He had no idea what she was playing at, but the look in her eyes¡ªa mix of apprehension, nervousness, determination, fragile confidence, and beneath it all fear¡ªtold him that not obeying her would be destructive to her in ways he likely could not understand. Women, he had learned from both his mother and sister, were beings of great mystery. When Zylara stepped back, Aurelian received a full view of her new body, and found himself dry-throated for the first time in a very, very long time. She was, in a word, stunning. Her height had to have increased to just over six feet tall¡ªperhaps around one-hundred-and-eighty-five centimetres or more¡ªand her skin had taken on an alabaster smoothness that made it almost shine in the noonday sun. Her silky black hair fell around her high, sharp cheekbones and aquiline jaw to the lower part of her back, with several bangs in the front resting down to just below her collarbone, which was clear to see, and elegantly feminine without being distracting. Her shoulders were somewhat wider, and her biceps notably more defined; with a clear rise and fall along her arms sloping with the muscles. The elven maiden, watching him unblinkingly, took a moment to stretch languidly¡ªand Aurelian let out a quiet noise somewhere between a tortured groan and a wistful sigh when she did. Zylara¡¯s breasts were a work of art. Full, supple, and with the kind of gravity-defying rounded firmness that could usually only be achieved through a careful mix of skincare products and religious workout regimes. From everything he¡¯d read¡ªanatomy and erotica both, if he were being honest with himself¡ªand the limited discourse he¡¯d had with the medical student he¡¯d dated once; her breasts would have been best described as archetypical, or else a mix between rounded and bell-shaped. Both breasts were entrancingly symmetrical, and were adorned with a small areola and rounded nipple; both of which were a darker shade of pink or lighter shade of red. When Zylara moved, her breasts lifted and shifted in a way that diverted blood from his brain, and left him swallowing back saliva while he warred with the ingrained instinct to look away, and the deeply male desire to stare without blinking. His eyes inevitably trailed further down, and roamed first over her neatly set and defined six pack, past her carved V-shaped lower abdomen, and toward her groin. One of the main things he noticed, distantly, was that Zylara was essentially entirely hairless below her eyebrows at the front, and below the lowest parts of her scalp at the back. Whether it was a trait of elves or a side effect of her Transformation, he wasn¡¯t sure¡ªbut the black-haired, pale-skinned woman was as smooth as silk, and entirely without what any human would consider noticeable body hair. She was the most beautiful woman he¡¯d ever seen¡ªboth in person or otherwise. Zylara embodied every gamer dude¡¯s elven ¡®waifu¡¯ fantasy rendered into gorgeous, buxom, muscular reality. He finally had a true reference to Arwen¡¯s beauty, and she was his goddamned companion. ¡°You¡¯re killing me here, Z. We need to go.¡± Zylara laughed at his mix of warning and growled frustration, and elegantly prowled over to the pile of items with a demure smile and blink of her long, dark lashes. ¡°And here I was having fun.¡± I knew horny elves would end up biting me in the arse, Aurelian lamented mentally, while trying in vain to dispel the image of Zylara and her impressive new posterior that his mind automatically created. ¡°Oh. Wow.¡± Zylara¡¯s voice, no longer playfully flirtatious, intruded upon his thoughts. ¡°Aurelian, do you have your pouch?¡± ¡°No, it¡¯s on Bahamut for safe-keeping,¡± Aurelian replied while turning, and noticing her already mostly clothed by some sanity-sparing miracle of the System and item usage. She wore a set of moon-silver chainmail that hid her body well, with red-runed black plates on her biceps and shoulders, and similarly runed obsidian plates over the majority of her torso. Her forearms were covered by red-patterned black steel vambraces on her forearms down to her wrists, and her legs were covered in the same mix of plates over her thighs¡ªcuisses, Aurelian reminded himself¡ªand form-fitting dark leather down along the impressive lengths her legs. That same black leather hugged her muscular lower thighs and calves down into a pair of red-runed black sabatons, both of which seemed to be light enough for her liking when she kicked her toes into the ground and tested them. Her black hair fell in waves down her back, with clear bangs on either side of her slightly elongated and pointed ears. The red of the armour matched the crimson of her lips, and in some cases, the bright scarlet of her eyes. It also contrasted very nicely with her new, flawless alabaster skin tone. ¡°Why do you ask?¡± he continued after he had a chance to take her in. ¡°You need to see these items. I did get armour, as you can see, but you received some important pieces here,¡± Zylara explained while moving over to snatch up her blackened, red-runed bow¡ªwhich, promptly, erupted with crackling bolts of scarlet lightning¡ªwith a look of satisfaction at its changes. ¡°The map fragment you can use immediately, and you should probably do the same for the Tome¡ªbut that¡¯s up to you. I¡¯m not sure if you want to save it or not.¡± ¡°You go on ahead. I¡¯ll meet you over there. I need to heal myself, too.¡± Zylara grinned at him and replied with a demure ¡°Yes, my lord¡± before igniting Stormsurge Momentum in a crackle of red lightning and surging away from him toward the direction he sensed both the Arisen and Bahamut. And now, he realised, where he sensed Zylara as well. That would take some getting used to. At least, unlike the Arisen, he couldn¡¯t sense her emotions at all. That would have been a basket of complications he had no interest in carrying around. Instead, he bit the bullet and used almost all of his Anima¡ªnow no longer needed¡ªto accelerate his healing, and converted it into rapid restoration with a hissing breath as damaged flesh and even some broken bones were rapidly and near-instantly repaired. ¡°Fuck me,¡± he growled under his breath, ¡°will that ever not hurt?¡± Pain Tolerance is now Level 39! Aurelian snorted at the System alert and shook his head in disbelief. He didn¡¯t care what anyone said. The System definitely had a sense of humour. B2 | Chapter 11: Open Eyes Anima Conversion is now Level 5! . . . Anima Conversion is now Level 8! Three levels was nothing to scoff at, he supposed. ¡°Now then, let¡¯s see here¡¡± he said while picking up the tome and map fragment, and focusing on the latter first. Revelate! Name: Elden Map Fragment Type: Artefact Quality: Legendary Requirement: Primogenitor Description: A fragment of the Ancient Map of Eld, home of the Blood Lords. The map has been lost to time, and with it, the location of the Elden and their ancient seat of power. Special Effects: When united with the remaining six fragments of the Ancient Map of Eld, this will unlock the pathway to the homeland of the Elden. Aurelian stared at the fragment for several precious seconds, and then shook his head immediately. ¡°And of course, this means¡ª¡± The System¡¯s pop-up alert confirmed his suspicions a moment later, as if it had been waiting for just that realisation.
| QUEST ISSUED: The Ancient Map of Eld You have stepped foot on the path to recovering the secrets of the Elden already, but the journey before you is yet extensive. With the recovery of the first Elden Map Fragment, you have embarked on the next leg of your journey. Find the remaining six pieces of the Ancient Map of Eld, and combine them to unlock the path to the Elden homeland. Be warned, the covetous envy of Absolum cannot be easily denied. Success Parameters: Acquire all six Elden Map Fragments Reconstitute the Ancient Map of Eld Failure Parameters: Lose the Elden Map Fragments Someone else reconstitutes the Ancient Map of Eld Rewards: 1 x Secrets of the Elden 1 x Unique Title (Varies) Huge Experience Gain |
He stood at the precipice of a vast and mountain-girded valley, shielded by peaks in reminiscence of a giant horse shoe. The sky overhead a swirling maelstrom of golden light and blackened clouds twisting together like the central eye of a sky-spanning hurricane. Towers of obsidian and silver, shining with scarlet veins of Anima, jutted from the earth; their surfaces engraved with intricate and pulsating runes of golden light. At the center of it all, a colossal gate loomed¡ªsealed, cracked, but yet unbroken. ¡°The Path is severed¡ but not lost." The voice, at once singular and at the same time a choral cacophony, thundered in his bones¡ªit inhabited his blood, his marrow, his very soulforce and Core. ¡°Find the Fragments. Rekindle the Blood. Inherit the Legacy." The words were a demand, a command, and a plea all at once. They boomed with the authority of something beyond mortality, something as Ancient and Primordial as Bael¡¯tharax and yet wholly separate. Aurelian¡¯s vision lurched abruptly, reality bending around him in a kaleidoscope of light until¡ªAurelian gasped out a desperate breath and nearly dropped the fragment. His pulse pounded in his ears, and he felt something screaming at his mind and soul. There was a pressure building within him, a kind of immense and incalculable weight that was pressing against his skull from inside while he attempted to process what had just happened. ¡°Was that Eld¡?¡± he muttered to himself. ¡°Did I just see the homeland of the Elden?¡± Aurelian! Bahamut cut in abruptly. What are you doing?! Huh? What do you¡ª? Check your System alerts! I cannot both shield you and protect the mortals at the same time! You must cease these tangential distractions! Bahamut, I just got a vision of¡ª Later! the Dragon King interrupted. We can discuss it after the current crises are abated! Not bothering to reply given the impatience in his bond¡¯s mental sending, Aurelian instead directed his attention to the System at Bahamut¡¯s behest, and was promptly assailed by a bevy of notifications. Dragon¡¯s Gaze is now Level 25! Enjoying the story? Show your support by reading it on the official site. . . . Dragon¡¯s Gaze is now Level 27! Congratulations, Dragon¡¯s Gaze has reached Initiate Tier! You have gained Experience! Would you like to Infuse the Dragon¡¯s Gaze Skill? Y / N Aurelian¡¯s eyes widened and he realised immediately what Bahamut had meant. While the alert itself was not a great burden, the implication behind it was¡ªand now that his partner was no longer shielding the System¡¯s influx from him, Aurelian could feel the physical and metaphysical pulls of the decision as potential energy raged to be harnessed or let free to pass on. He hesitated only long enough to snatch the Essence Draught stored in his armor¡¯s storage, and tore off the seal. A second later he tipped back his head, and poured the contents down his throat. The moment he did, he mentally smacked the ¡®Y¡¯ option on the System prompt. Infusion request confirmed. Searching for valid Essences . . . Essences found. Populating . . . [Essence of the Leviathan] (L) No other Essences found. Would you like to use this Essence? Y / N Another instantaneous ¡®Y¡¯ followed, and Aurelian watched with now-abating discomfort, but grim understanding of more to come, as the System cycled through its processes dutifully. [Essence of the Leviathan] has been selected for Infusion. Infusion parameters have been confirmed. [Essence of the Leviathan] will grant the [Monarch¡¯s Starsight] Infusion. Mind Skill [Dragon¡¯s Gaze] will now be Infused with [Monarch¡¯s Starsight]. Beginning Initiate Tier Mind Infusion . . . Aurelian¡¯s head exploded with pain, and he snarled in both rage and self-recrimination at knowing he had completely expected the outcome, and still chosen to go through with it. ¡°Stupid, stupid, stupid¡ª¡± His cursing of himself was cut off by another wordless snarl, suppressed as best as he could, while power and energy flooded his mind and¡ªmore specifically¡ªhis corneas with unbridled might. Bael¡¯tharax¡¯s last gift raged through his veins, almost amplified by the existing Body and Spirit Infusions within him, and seared its way through his insides. Pain Tolerance is now Level 40! Aurelian felt as if his eyes were being hollowed out, scraped away molecule by molecule, and filled with magma as the infusion raged on. Pain Tolerance and Dragon¡¯s Resolve surged to the fore, but neither could do more than brace him for the pain and suffering he knew was sure to come. Bael¡¯tharax¡¯s essences were an incredible boon, but they were also Legendary in their quality, and Nephilim or not; he remained an Untempered Novice. The fact he wasn¡¯t dead was impressive all on its own, and while knowing that didn¡¯t help, it certainly did give him a reason for somewhat ironic self-appreciation. It was quite the achievement to be so hilariously overpowered for his level that the essence of what was essentially a quasi-deity didn¡¯t obliterate him where he sat, and equally shocking, that he managed to stay conscious through the process. Though admittedly, he¡¯d have happily taken an enforced nap. Pain Tolerance is now Level 41! Another lance of agony seared through Aurelian¡¯s mind and he felt himself heaving for air as he fell back against the rubble and sand, fists clenched, and eyes alternating between squeezed shut and wide open. He could feel fire in his gaze, burning away impurity as blood trailed in warm rivulets across his battle-dirtied cheeks, and foul smoke wafted from his skull and eyesockets. Pain was an old friend by that point, but even then, this was like nothing else. ¡°F¡ªFuck¡¡± he cursed under his breath, while his fingers dug into the earth and dragged metal, stone, and desiccated ground along in their wake. ¡°Fuck, fuck, fuck!¡± The pain was barely ameliorating when another wave hit, and his back arched at the force of it. His body was reacting, not simply to the infusion itself, but to the coalescing multitude of draconic energy¡ªplatinum energy, at that¡ªsuffusing his being. It was as if both his Dragon¡¯s Sanguination and his Mana Control skills were resonating with the changes happening to Dragon¡¯s gaze¡ªand Aurelian was a passenger in his own flesh. Pain Tolerance is now Level 42! ¡°Come on,¡± he snarled through clenched teeth while his vision swam, and a kaleidoscopic chaos of colours, light, and magical essence raged across his sight, ¡°make it end, make it end, that¡¯s enough, this is¡ªargh!¡± Dragon¡¯s Gaze was aflame in his eyes, and he could feel his vision morphing. He could feel something within his seeing organs change in a fundamental way. This wasn¡¯t the usual alteration of using the skill¡ªit was something more. An evolution was taking place, and he was powerless to stop it, powerless to do more than writhe and snarl and wait for fate and the System to decide he had suffered enough to earn his growth. His eyes burned with energy, and as the agony seemed to hit some sort of crescendo, Aurelian felt something in his eyes pop, inaudible in truth, but visceral enough that the force of it sent a rippling shiver through his nervous system. Initiate Tier Mind Infusion Complete! Congratulations, Aurelian Lucis Imperius! You have successfully Infused [Monarch¡¯s Starsight] into the Dragon¡¯s Gaze Skill! Please review your Infused Skill for further details! The world unfolded in a way that shocked him into stillness. Aurelian sagged against the earth as the last dregs of agony faded rapidly from his body, and his head cleared from the fugue of suffering that had afflicted it. His eyes blinked, once and slowly, and he lifted a hand instinctively to reach out toward what he could now see. The world was different in a way words could never fully describe. Spectrums of colours previously forbidden to his sight bloomed in a bevy of brilliance that brought tears to his bloodied gaze. Mana filled the air, and he could see it with such clarity and precision that he no longer even needed to think in order to identify it. What was more, his vision was no longer beholden to the simplistic limitations of his mortal body¡ªNephilim or not. He sat up slowly, and he realised that he could see his Arisen battling the corrupted Skarnids. What was more, he could see Zylara¡ªboth the ghost of her passage via the mana she had left in her wake, and her leaping figure. She was barely a vague dot in the distance, yet the moment he wanted to, he was able to ¡®zoom¡¯ in on her like his eyes were a high-definition camera lens. The Blood Scion was rendered with perfect clarity to him, moving with lethal and terminal grace as she massacred skarnids alongside the Arisen. They moved with and around her, working to use their obsidian bodies to launch the Spellbow into the area repeatedly and with enough regularity that she was airborne more than not¡ªfiring her bow with manifested arrows of black shadow mana wrapped in scarlet lightning. ¡°Woah¡¡± he said quietly, and instinctively pulled up his System alerts to review the results of his Infusion. Name: Dragon¡¯s Gaze Type: Mind Skill Rarity: Epic Level: 25 Tier: Initiate Description: You have unlocked the power of a Dragon¡¯s Gaze, allowing you to perceive the active power of the world around you. You are able to see perfectly in even the darkest of places, see mana in its myriad compositions within the world, and track enemies through their body heat alone. This skill additionally permits you other benefits, when paired with certain Titles and Skills. Initiate Infusion: This Skill has been Infused with [Monarch¡¯s Starsight] at Initiate Tier. This Infusion allows you to see anything within direct sight range with perfect clarity, up to one kilometer away. Additionally, you are now able to perceive and target the mana attunement and Core of any creature at your Tier, below your Tier, and a maximum of 1 Tier above. Additionally, you are now able to perfectly recreate an image of a spell from mana traces alone, including the general shape and species of the person that used the spell, and use this recreation to either track a target or learn the process behind casting the spell yourself. This is limited to creatures below or at your level, and up to 10 levels higher. Finally, you gain access to the trait Truesight. Name: Truesight Type: Trait Rarity: Legendary Description: Dragons have long been the absolute apex of the food chain, and their powerful eyes factor into this greatly. Through the power of the previous Dragon King, you have attained the eyes of a True Dragon, and are now able to view the world as they do. Due to your lack of true draconic form, however, this trait is limited in its application. Effects: +25% Perception, +2 Perception per Level Special Effects: You are able to pierce all illusions and invisibility at or below your current Tier, and up to 2 Tiers above. Additionally, you are impervious to being blinded outside of physical damage to your eyes, and your vision is no longer impeded by even the brightest of lights, nor the darkest of shadows. Aurelian felt a grin split his lips as he read what the System told him, and opened his mouth to cheer, only for a new alert to freeze him in place. You have reached Level 25! Congratulations, Aurelian Lucis Imperius! Through tribulation and strife, you have managed to ascend past your limits! You have reached Initiate Tier! You will now undergo your First Tempering! B2 | Chapter 12: Family Bonds Suraiya stood with her hands crossed under her bust, staring up at the portraits lining the walls of an immense office within her designated quarters. Her eyes were faintly narrowed, focusing on the hung paintings of men and women that had been dead for centuries, and attempting to discern some measure of connection between herself and them. ¡°Do they trouble you?¡± Lycinia asked from her left side, her voice filled with a genuine interest that Suraiya couldn¡¯t help but find endearing. ¡°No,¡± she answered honestly, ¡°but they do not inspire me, either. You say these are my ancestors, but despite some familiarity in features, I feel nothing here that connects me to them.¡± ¡°Hm¡¡± Lycinia responded thoughtfully, while turning her head back to look at the portraits herself. Suraiya frowned once more as she did the same, and tried to find something to inspire any shred of familiarity within her. Lycinia had woken her up the morning after her first night in Sanctuary, and had demanded she get dressed. When Suraiya noted she had not brought anything ¡®appropriate¡¯, Lycinia had simply smiled and told her to follow. Ten minutes later, she¡¯d found herself deep within a veritable treasure trove of dresses, blouses, skirts¡ªsome of scandalous length¡ªand something Lycinia called ¡®jeans¡¯. Ten minutes had turned into two hours, and Suraiya had lost herself in the absolute joy of simply experimenting with different looks. It wasn¡¯t that clothing itself necessarily appealed to her in any way, but instead that she found satisfaction in finding the right combinations¡ªin matching the correct pieces with their natural counterparts, and building the most ideal combination into a near-perfect ensemble. It was something she had been doing since her childhood, and beyond that, something expected of a Princess-Royal. She was not just an aspiring Knight, after all; she was the daughter of Royalty, and whatever her aspirations and open-mindedness about Sanctuary, she doubted she would ever lose the pride and purpose that had motivated and defined her since infancy. Her mother certainly hadn¡¯t, and Suraiya saw no reason to defy that particular example. It had taken her nearly the entire two hours to find enough different options that appealed to her, and by the end she had settled on a particularly enjoyable high-collared ivory-dyed bodice with loose sleeves, which flared upon reaching her wrists. Gold threading was woven in and along its surface, and Lycinia had been gracious enough to tie it for her at the back. A skirt of soft fabric fell from her high waist downward, its front hem shorter than its rear and showing off her legs just above her knees. It had been scandalous to Suraiya, but Lycinia had encouraged her to go with it, and she had felt somewhat daring. The rear hem fell to below her knees, and the entire skirt was trimmed in gold. Most importantly, the Tollarius symbol was emblazoned over her left breast in literal gold, and settled into the fabric with magic. Lycinia had already been wearing what she called a ¡®himation¡¯ in white, cinched at the waist with gold, and complemented by a pair of shin-high golden sandals. It made Suraiya feel faintly overdressed, in truth, but Lycinia had assured her that she would learn the trends of the patrician families of Sanctuary in short order. Suraiya couldn¡¯t argue. She probably would. From there the redhead had all but marched her through the various rooms of her quarters and into the office where Suraiya now found herself. ¡°It isn¡¯t that I don¡¯t see resemblance,¡± the Princess said finally, after giving up and shaking her head. ¡°I just don¡¯t feel connected to any of this. It doesn¡¯t feel like mine. I feel like an outsider trying to fit some sort of expectation, without even understanding the basis of that expectation in the first place.¡± She sighed and stepped backward, turning toward the vacant desk. ¡°I just got my mother back, Lycinia, and I am realising that after all these years, I¡¡± she sighed and bit her lip. ¡°I don¡¯t even actually know her. She vanished when I was still just a small child.¡± ¡°I can imagine you must be feeling a myriad of frustrations,¡± Lycinia ventured. ¡°Yes, as if sobbing like a baby in your arms wasn¡¯t proof of that.¡± ¡°Oh please, you aren¡¯t the first person to break down in the world, Suraiya, and you won¡¯t be the last.¡± Suraiya sighed at her ¡®cousin¡¯ when she spoke, and turned back to the beautiful redhead. ¡°I know that, I¡¯m just feeling lost here. This, all of this, should evoke something in me¡ªI can see that. I can see the resemblances. I¡¯m hardly blind, I just¡¡± ¡°Don¡¯t feel a connection to any of it,¡± Lycinia ventured helpfully. ¡°Yes!¡± ¡°Do you think your mother did?¡± her cousin continued. ¡°I don¡¯t know. My mother is the Adamantine Maiden. I¡¯m sure she rolled through Sanctuary like she was born to it,¡± Suraiya said, while ignoring what she knew to be contravening evidence Lycinia herself had already provided. ¡°You know that isn¡¯t true,¡± Lyncia chided gently. Suraiya bit her lip again and her hands sought her biceps and gripped them in the way she often did when stressed. It was an old habit, but one she¡¯d had since childhood. When things built, truly built, beyond her scope of control; she always sought her own physical power for reassurance. Even after the Desolation, the horrors and the trauma, the darkness she had faced¡ªeven still, she found safety in her own martial strength. It didn¡¯t matter that she was still a Novice. It certainly didn¡¯t matter that she had only survived because of Ser Gilbert and the rest. Her power was her shelter. It gave her a sense of agency, even amid the madness that was her current situation. ¡°Even if it isn¡¯t,¡± she responded to Lycinia finally, who had simply observed her patiently while she ruminated. ¡°The fact remains that my mother is a stranger to me. I am glad to have her back, I am thrilled to be able to finally learn about her¡ªeverything, whatever I can, and then some¡ but outside of the people I came here with, Lycinia, my only friend in this place is my horse!¡± ¡°What am I,¡± the redhead asked in a tone of amusement, ¡°offal?¡± ¡°Oh gods,¡± Suraiya said with a widening of her eyes and a rapid spin to look at the other woman, ¡°Lycinia, I am so sorry, I didn¡¯t mean¡ª¡± Lycinia laughed and waved her hand airily, ¡°oh relax, Suraiya, I am merely teasing you. I am not offended by your lack of overnight infatuation with me. I would consider it suspicious if you didn¡¯t keep me somewhat at arm¡¯s length. Your mother refused to so much as smile at anyone for the first year of her time here, so I hear it.¡± A case of content theft: this narrative is not rightfully on Amazon; if you spot it, report the violation. Suraiya searched Lycinia¡¯s eyes for a moment, and though her Empathic Link skill was useless at that moment¡ªdue to its specific requirements¡ªshe could not see any sign of lies on the Elysean woman¡¯s features. That, at least, was a relief against the sudden upsurge of guilt she felt for her careless words. She would need to be markedly more careful in future, in order to avoid a social faux pas that could alienate her. Normally she was, in fact, far more cautious about what she said¡ªand who she said it to. The last few days had rattled her, and while Suraiya understood the why of it, her lack of decorum felt incredibly frustrating. It was like she was letting herself down, not to mention her earnest wish to learn more about the people of Sanctuary. ¡°Would you be willing, perhaps, to tell me more about Sanctuary?¡± she asked instead of continuing the previous discourse, and while forcing herself to settle her hands on her hips to project confidence. ¡°I would much prefer to discuss that, than to continue waffling on about my, ah, mother issues.¡± ¡°Hm¡¡± Lycinia said thoughtfully while peering at her ¡°...I suppose I could, within reason. You did have a fair amount of questions, and I did not have a chance to answer you when you asked.¡± ¡°Thank you,¡± Suraiya said sincerely, and moved to one of the largest paintings in the room. ¡°This one,¡± she said while gesturing to it, and looking over as Lycinia joined her, before turning back to the picture. ¡°This woman here. It says her name is ¡®Selucia¡¯? She looks stunning, and I know you bear her name¡ªand this plaque says she was ¡®Imperatrix¡¯, but I know nothing else. Tell me about her.¡± ¡°Selucia Tollarius? You picked a loaded first question,¡± Lycinia said with a quiet laugh, and shook her head. ¡°Where do I begin? Selucia was everything I aspire to be. She was powerful, brave, visionary, wise, and from what records and Charlemagne tell us: she was the single most iron-willed person of her age. Even the Imperator thought twice about crossing her.¡± Suraiya raised her eyebrows and peered up at the painting of the radiant, golden-haired imperious beauty with a surge of curiosity. ¡°What made her so powerful?¡± ¡°Selucia reached Seventh Temper, and became one of the only Ascended in the history of the Empire,¡± Lycinia explained while resting her right hand on her hip, and cocking it in a casually salacious manner that Suraiya found herself envying. She had no idea how the woman was so effortlessly confident. When her mind caught up to what Lycinia was actually saying, her focus snapped back to the tale. ¡°Seventh Temper? That¡¯s¡ that¡¯s imp¡ª¡± Suraiya cut herself off before she continued, and pursed her lips. Impossible? Was it? Was it really? She had always been taught that such a feat was reserved for only the most pious, the most divine, those directly selected by the Nine. Her theological tuition had insisted that no one had been granted the power to ascend beyond Grandmaster since the father of the Ascendancy, Justinian the Uniter, had vanished. ¡°You¡¯re learning, at least,¡± Lycinia said with a smile of approval, and then gestured back up to Selucia. ¡°To hear Charlemagne tell it, it was Selucia that created his Echo, Selucia that came up with the plan to summon the Nephilim¡ªa Calling, they named it¡ªand Selucia that laid down the wards and enchantments that protect Sanctuary to this day.¡± ¡°Seventh Temper¡¡± Suraiya said with wonder, awe, and some healthy-but-hidden doubt as she looked up at the portrait of a woman that barely looked a decade older than her. ¡°If she was so powerful, though, how did she die? Surely she could have resisted?¡± Lycinia shook her head and turned back to Suraiya with a serious expression, one which sent a small chill down the Princess¡¯ spine. ¡°Your skepticism is understandable, but your ignorance is showing, Suraiya. Compared to today¡¯s scale of power, Selucia was a demi-goddess,¡± Lycinia explained in a matter-of-fact tone that seemed intent on conveying the importance of her words. ¡°More than that, she was fighting a force bolstered by Avatars, Chosen, and the Grand Ascendant himself¡ªthe Archtraitor, Justinian. Selucia is not just our last Imperatrix, she is one of those that people here hold in the highest reverence. Discussing this with me is fine, but you must be careful not to voice your¡ skepticism¡ outside of my company.¡± Suraiya glanced back at the portrait, and then returned her gaze to Lycinia. ¡°Is it truly so dire?¡± she asked with wariness and moderate confusion. ¡°For a woman raised in a theocratic dictatorship, you are remarkably unaware of the idea of reverence, Suraiya. What if someone had doubted the Sun God openly within Stormharrow?¡± Suraiya¡¯s mind flashed immediately to Jacques du Valais and Commander Elenoir, and she grimaced. Lycinia simply nodded in grim approval. ¡°Precisely. While we are not nearly that insane here, consider if you will the ramifications of you, the leader of our newest band of Godsworn adoptees, questioning the validity of our last ruler¡¯s legacy.¡± Suraiya bit her lip at Lycinia¡¯s words, and nodded once. ¡°I suppose you are right,¡± she admitted, ¡°that would very much be¡ª¡± ¡°Monumentally foolish,¡± a new voice cut in suddenly, in a feminine alto Suraiya recognized all-too-well. Her spine stiffened, her heart thundered in her chest, and she turned toward the speaker. ¡°Which, given you are my daughter, would look terrible for me as well.¡± Lycinia turned with her, and subtly placed her left hand on Suraiya¡¯s elbow, squeezing it once in support before taking a tactical step to the right. ¡°Patrician-Paramount,¡± the redhead greeted Vasilia with a respectful bow of the head and upper back. Suraiya¡¯s mother was dressed in an attire much akin to Lycinia¡¯s, albeit with more finery. Her arms were banded by three golden rings along her biceps, between her shoulder and elbow, and her chest was additionally covered by a purple sash¡ªone emblazoned with a gilded sword atop golden scales. She radiated power, grace, and unstoppable momentum. Just as when Suraiya had first seen her, Vasilia Tollarius was a force of nature. ¡°Dispense with that rubbish, Lycinia,¡± the Adamantine Maiden said to the other woman with a derisive snort. ¡°I deal with enough bowing and scraping outside the Blood. I do not need it from my own people. I thought you knew that.¡± ¡°Protocol, my lady. Suraiya does not yet¡ª¡± ¡°Suraiya was raised in a palace, Lycinia,¡± Vasilia said while shaking her head, and settling her gaze on Suraiya¡¯s own. The princess felt her breath hitch, and she forced herself to calm¡ªmeeting her mother¡¯s imperious stare steadily. ¡°My daughter has forgotten more about etiquette than anyone in Sanctuary has ever learned. Being Elysea¡¯s inheritors does not mean we have the monopoly on civilisation, no matter what Charlemagne and the Consul prattle on about.¡± Lycinia sighed openly at Vasilia¡¯s words, and reached up to rub her forehead. ¡°You really should learn to mind your tongue, my lady. One of these days it will¡ª¡± ¡°Why are you here, mother?¡± Suraiya cut in with a surge of focus, and a quiet promise to apologise to Lycinia later. ¡°I do not mean to sound¡¡± she trailed off, took a breath, and then continued, ¡°to sound displeased, but I was learning from Lycinia, and I¡ªwell, I expected a summons, not an¡ not this.¡± Not her strongest opening, but, Suraiya found herself proud she¡¯d managed it at all. For her part, Vasilia simply appraised her for a long moment, and then grimaced. ¡°You really are just like me,¡± she half-stated, half-muttered loud enough for Suraiya to hear. The statement sent a childish thrill of warmth and happiness through her, mixed with a confusing ensemble of pain, regret, and¡ resentment. ¡°That does not answer my question, mother.¡± Suraiya responded as calmly and as regally as she could, while trying to ignore the thunderous pounding of her heart. The traitorous organ was probably quite audible to the two other women in the room, given their Tempering levels, and Suraiya desperately tried to ignore that fact. ¡°I suppose it does not,¡± the Adamantine Maiden said, before approaching with a languid, preternatural grace that revealed the true might of her Tempering, and the immense fine control she possessed over her body. ¡°I came, daughter, to speak with you¡ªand to rip off the proverbial bandage, before things become too complex.¡± ¡°My lady, are you sure that is wise?¡± Lycinia asked with a sound of genuine concern that warmed Suraiya¡¯s heart, and simultaneously twisted her into a malaise of self-recrimination at how weak Lycinia must have thought her. ¡°What bandage?¡± Suraiya asked, before Vasilia could respond to the redhead beauty. ¡°Well, the blowhard already revealed it¡ª¡± Suraiya¡¯s heart hammered in her chest with greater potency at Vasilia¡¯s words ¡°¡ªwhen you sought your petition, and I see no reason to let the wound fester. I know you must be feeling any number of ways about what he said, Suraiya, and I confess I am¡¡± Her mother paused, scarred features twisting with momentary guilt, and then grimaced and pressed on¡ªjust as Suraiya knew she would. ¡°...not good at this. I became a Queen, but that was a title. What I am, Suraiya, is a warrior¡ªand I see that same stern conviction in you. I know you have questions, I know you have anger, I know you have pain.¡± Suraiya took a steadying breath, preparing herself for what came next. ¡°But I think it¡¯s time we addressed the proverbial dragon in the room,¡± Vasilia said finally. ¡°It¡¯s time to meet your brother.¡± B2 | Chapter 13: F?????i???r???s???t????? ????T????e?????m???p????e????r????? Aurelian took a steadying breath when the System announced what was to come, and realised he was going to be a lot later getting into the fight than he¡¯d thought. He could feel it, in fact: the energy building within his Calamity Core like a surging tempest of power, a maelstrom of potential and inarguable might that was going to flatten him like a can of soft drink under a truck tyre. His eyes searched for signs of an alert, but none came, and he breathed out shakily. Bahamut. A moment of silence passed before the dragon replied. I know. I saw the alert as well. Bahamut said grimly. How long will you need? You¡¯d know better than me, bud. Let¡¯s just hope it isn¡¯t too long. A mental rumble followed in response, but it was mild. Zylara¡¯s new form is impressive, the dragon admitted, and she is more than pulling her weight. Your new creations are equally useful, albeit to a lesser degree. She appears to be working with them in perfect synchronism, which bodes well. We should be able to hold. Should I call them back to¡ª You will be safe. Bahamut stated firmly. I will ensure it. Do as you must, Aurelian. We will hold. A wave of relief swept through him, and Aurelian took a breath against the rising tide of power. Even then it was like a pool forming in his Core, radiating through his veins and sending goosebumps across his flesh. For some reason, he suspected that what came next would not be like the Tempering others endured. He had been told by Tarixi already that one¡¯s Infusions dictated the qualitative increase of each Tempering. His Infusions were far more powerful than almost anyone else¡¯s, including during the prime of the Empire, if the Echo¡¯s words were to be believed. Thank you, he sent to Bahamut. I will contact you when I am concluded. I will share my strength as needed. The link went quiet, and Aurelian drew another steadying breath. His eyes searched the immediate area nearby and he grimaced at the rampancy of sand, dirt, dry earth and ruined materials. What a time to not have his satchel. The Nephilim took another moment and then cursed and forced himself to his feet. His eyes sought the crater he¡¯d made when saving Zylara, and he sprinted toward it immediately¡ªignoring the building whine of power in his body and the latent surge of raw potential blistering in his veins. He reached it in less than a minute, and threw caution to the wind to drop over the edge and half slide, half dirt-surf his way to the bottom. Dust and sand occluded his vision, and he tapped into his Force Dominion¡ªvery mildly¡ªto clear the air around him with a small pulse-wave. Instead, he detonated a shockwave that popped his ears from the displacement. Moreover, he drained an exponential amount of his recovered mana. Aurelian¡¯s eyes widened, and he shook his head in wonder. That was going to take some getting used to, and he¡¯d need to practise daily, most likely, with the new skill to ensure he didn¡¯t accidentally harm himself or his allies when using it. A shiver of anticipation rolled up his spine, and Aurelian settled himself down onto the dirt and on his back¡ªgrimacing at the discomfort of his head on the ground. It was, as he suspected, perfectly flat¡ªlike a divine razor had sheared it smooth. His eyes closed, and he let his nervous energy manifest in a wiggle of his fingers as he felt the energy in his body building. It had started in his Core, but it was not isolated there; the power was snaking in everywhere, steadily growing in both intensity and density as the seconds went by. He had thought it would be an instantaneous process, but it was almost as if the System was giving him time. It was a strange change from form, but one he was not about to complain over. Aurelian settled his hands on his abdomen, over his solar plexus, and tried not to think about what would happen next. His Pain Tolerance was level 42, which meant he was almost at Adept tier with it thanks to the insanity of his Infusions, and his Dragon¡¯s Sanguination meant his body would be far stronger than any other Novice in the Realms. Combine both skills with Dragon¡¯s Resolve, and he was reasonably certain he would¡ªif nothing else¡ªhave quite a considerable advantage in staying alive through the Tempering. His vague understanding of the process was that it would expel impurities and, given it was his First Temper, massively expand his available soulforce. Tarixi had been very clear on that: Soulforce, not mana. It dealt primarily with his Core, his active use of power, and his aural projection. Mana was tied to Soulforce, but was not directly apart of it, and though that confused him to an extent¡ªhe vaguely understood. Soulforce was more about passive or instinctive skills, and things that wielded his focus, sense of self, and internal energy. It was transcendent and mystical, like sorcery. Mana, meanwhile, relied on rigid patterns and almost mathematical or chemical knowledge to combine different types of energy to create reactions. It was like combustion or, perhaps, like physics¡ªcrafting the framework through which the world functioned, as opposed to Soulforce, which was the essence by which existence gave that function the building blocks. They were interconnected but separate. The author''s narrative has been misappropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon. It was also way above his head, but he found the puzzle distracting. Aurelian¡¯s breathing calmed somewhat from the rumination, but the build of power in his body only grew, and it was only thanks to Dragon¡¯s Resolve that he wasn¡¯t out-and-out panicking. It was not fear, really, as much as it was nervous anticipation. A First Temper affected everything, even if Soulforce Expansion was its primary impact. It made his body more durable, his muscles denser, more responsive, and more tolerant to considerable punishment. There was a stark and clear difference between a Novice and an Initiate, the same way¡ªso he had been told¡ªthat there was a clear difference between an Initiate and an Adept. Aurelian had trained against both First and Second Temper enemies, either as genuine foes or simulacrums, and that experience gave him some very practical awareness of what he could expect from¡ª His Core pulsed. His breath hitched. The power inside of him flared. Congratulations, Aurelian Lucis Imperius! System Energy has reached required levels for Soulforce Expansion. The System will now begin the First Temper process. Good luck, Reclaimer! Aurelian¡¯s Calamity Core whined to his own mind, and began a rotation within his mind¡¯s eye that created a whorl of prismatic motion¡ªsearing its way into rapidity beneath the skein of crimson and radiant banding. He shivered under the feeling of the metaphysical representation of his power when it created an upswing, and his hands dug into the dirt. Power started to build like a turbine accruing energy, and he felt himself shaking subtly¡ªnot from nerves, but from the sheer density of the energy that was beginning to come to life in his veins. Aurelian took another shaky breath and, a moment later, the first wave of power hit him. His back arched, his teeth grit, and he felt it sweep through his body; more intense, more powerful, and more impactful than anything that had come before. Pain Tolerance flared to life, and while the suffering did not match that of his Infusions¡ªyet¡ªin scope, there was a sense that what he was experiencing was simply the precursor to the main event. ¡°I hate this so much¡¡± he muttered in a voice he didn¡¯t care sounded whiny. He was entitled to complain. It wasn¡¯t like he¡¯d chosen to be summoned. The bloody System had picked him out of who knows how many people to transmigrate, and now he was stuck being tortured by the universal arbitration engine¡ªthe closest thing to God¡ªeach time he did anything to actually improve his chance at survival. Another spasm rocked his body as the second wave of rising power flooded through him, and Aurelian groaned openly in pain. That one had really hurt. It felt like knives were digging into his skin, and like an acupuncture had gone horribly wrong and someone was just sticking thousands of needles into every inch of his skin. Had he not already been through mass level-ups and three Legendary Infusions, he¡¯d have worried the pain would drive him crazy. Another surge rolled through his nervous system hot on the heels of the third, and this time he felt the difference. The power, he realized, wasn¡¯t ratcheting up additively¡ªit was ratcheting up multiplicatively. Each wave was twice as strong as the one that had come before, which made the third wave four times worse than the first. That meant the tenth wave would be¡ª Aurelian killed the thought before he could finish it and squeezed his eyes shut even tighter. No time to dwell on that. Just focus on surviving for now. When the fourth wave crashed into him, Aurelian felt his jaw creak from the force of biting down, and he felt his consciousness waver at the suddenness of the onslaught. If it was only ratcheting up in additive waves, that would be one thing¡ªbut this¡ this was something else entirely. Tarixi hadn¡¯t mentioned anything like this, and Aurelian was beginning to want to go back in time and yell at himself never to lose that stupid storage room. He opened his mouth to laugh hysterically at his own situation, and then the fifth wave hit. It crashed into him like a cascade of mind-warping agony, and Aurelian raged at the fact that it was absolute bullshit that Pain Tolerance hadn¡¯t gained a level. His body writhed, his fingers clawed at the dirt, and he tasted copper in his throat from a scream he didn¡¯t know he¡¯d unleashed¡ªa scream loud enough and forceful enough that he¡¯d torn the tissue of his throat. He didn¡¯t last until the sixth wave. Darkness embraced him, and Aurelian was free of the pain. A moment later he opened his eyes to a white expanse, staring up at space. Aurelian furrowed his brow in surprise, and found himself lying on a ground that wasn¡¯t entirely a ground. His eyes raked the sky, which showed countless stars, nebulae, comets, and other astral phenomena¡ªand then lowered to look around a stretching plain of pure white. A blink followed, and suddenly the white was green grass, and a tree stood in full bloom nearby. Its trunk was white, with platinum and golden whorls across his length. He recognized the tree. He¡¯d seen it before. He¡¯d been sitting against it when he first transmigrated. Aurelian picked himself up from the ground, looked down at himself, and noticed he was wearing new attire. A white toga, of some sort, adorned his body, with nothing on his feet and what looked like platinum bands around his biceps, each one bearing the embellishment of a soaring dragon in obsidian stone. His eyes moved back to the tree, and Aurelian now saw he was no longer alone. A woman with jet black hair sat against its trunk, right leg stretched out and left leg pulled inward, with her left arm resting over her knee. She wore a simple toga of her own, cinched in silver at the waist, and entirely black in colouration¡ªwith crimson trimming along the edges. As he watched, her right hand rose, and she curled a beckoning finger. ¡°Don¡¯t be scared, Alex¡ªor should I call you Aurelian?¡± she asked rhetorically in a strong and faintly amused voice. ¡°I am neither god nor devil, and I mean you no harm.¡± Aurelian arched an eyebrow warily, but given the tree was there, and she knew his Earth name, something told him he was¡ªat least for that moment¡ªsafe. It was obvious she was connected to the System somehow, and she didn¡¯t look like any of the gods he¡¯d seen. ¡°Who are you?¡± he half-asked, half-demanded while he approached, and eyed the woman carefully. Her skin was faintly tanned, in a way reminiscent of the Mediterranean on Earth, and her features spoke of what he would actually call Greek ancestry at a glance. ¡°This is the part where I say it isn¡¯t all that important,¡± the woman said with a wry smile, and a crinkle of mirth around the corners of her eyes¡ªboth of which were red, and as bright a shade of scarlet as his own. ¡°But?¡± Aurelian prompted her as he came closer and halted a few feet away. ¡°But,¡± the woman continued agreeably, ¡°I don¡¯t care much for the mysterious, and I am not vlammeni.¡± ¡°Vla-what?¡± The woman laughed at him, and shook her head with an apologetic wave. ¡°Sorry, it slips out sometimes. Forget it,¡± she said and offered her right hand to him casually from the ground. ¡°Pleased to meet you, Aurelian Lucis Imperius,¡± she said warmly when he took her hand. Her grip was warm, but her palm was calloused, and Aurelian felt a strength there that could have crushed his bones in an instant. ¡°My name is Elysea.¡± B2 | Chapter 14: Lineage ¡°You¡¯re Elysea,¡± Aurelian repeated with ascending eyebrows while looking down at the Greek brunette. ¡°The Elysea.¡± ¡°Well when you say it like that, it just sounds silly,¡± the woman replied with amusement. ¡°But yes, I am Elysea¡ªalso known as the First Calamity.¡± ¡°And this isn¡¯t some sort of fever dream?¡± ¡°Oh, it¡¯s definitely a dream,¡± Elysea said with a laugh. ¡°It¡¯s just a necessary one.¡± ¡°What about my Tempering?¡± ¡°That is taking care of itself,¡± she assured him. ¡°The System will see to the necessities of your body, and we are within a bubble of potentiality here anyway¡ªtime is not actually moving at the same speed.¡± ¡°And how do I know this isn¡¯t a trick?¡± ¡°Just ask the System,¡± Elysea said with a gesture at the tree. ¡°Ask the¡ª¡± Aurelian cut off and turned toward her. ¡°What?¡± ¡°Oh, right, you aren¡¯t there yet,¡± Elysea said while reaching up to palm her forehead. ¡°That¡¯s embarrassing. Uh, okay, let me just¡ª¡± she reached behind her and thumped her fist against the tree¡¯s trunk. ¡°Hey! Show him!¡± Before Aurelian could question further, System text appeared in the air before him. This meeting has been ordained. You reside within the System¡¯s embrace, Reclaimer. There is no imminent danger here. Aurelian raised his eyebrows at the words, and then nodded slowly. ¡°Okay, so, that¡¯s a thing. Cool¡¡± he said while at a loss for words, and stared with a mix of wariness and burning curiosity at the tree. There were so many questions to be asked after that interaction, and he didn¡¯t even know where to begin. ¡°I can see the questions burning in your eyes,¡± Elysea said wryly from where she sat. ¡°Sadly, we don¡¯t really have time to answer them. I¡¯m here to deliver you a warning, Aurelian, and do my duty as the First Calamity. What you do with that warning is up to you.¡± Aurelian looked back at Elysea when she spoke, and a mix of disappointment and stubbornness welled within him, but he brushed away the former and suppressed the latter. Bullheaded wilfulness certainly had served him well in some situations, but this was unlikely to be one of them where it gave him a positive outcome. Instead, he forced himself to focus on her words. ¡°I take it this is something that all Nephilim experience?¡± he guessed while acceding to her words and sinking down to join her on the grass near the tree. ¡°No,¡± she said with a shake of her head. ¡°This is something special. It wasn¡¯t made for you, but you¡¯re the first one to qualify for it, which is pretty interesting.¡± Aurelian blinked at her words. So it wasn¡¯t an inheritance from the Empire, which meant it was something older. His eyebrows rose, but he gestured for her to go on. ¡°Before I continue, though,¡± Elysea said while peering at him, ¡°I have to warn you that even though you know what I¡¯m about to tell you, it doesn¡¯t mean you are able to do anything about it. You need to be ready for the fact that information can sometimes be entirely without merit, especially when you lack the power to affect change.¡± Aurelian frowned at her words, but nodded in acceptance. ¡°Yeah, I¡¯ve gotten used to that sort of thing,¡± he said with a small shrug. ¡°This hasn¡¯t exactly been an easy experience.¡± ¡°Neither was mine,¡± she agreed with a smile, and reached out to pat his cheek in a way that reminded him, oddly, of his mother. ¡°It¡¯s good you have that sort of resolve, though. It¡¯ll go a long way in helping you realize your goals. Accepting what you cannot change is an imperative part about the burden Nephilim must carry.¡± ¡°That burden being?¡± he asked without preamble and with genuine interest. ¡°The Curse of the Nephilim.¡± ¡°Ah,¡± Aurelian said with a faint shock of nervousness. ¡°I can see you¡¯ve been informed. That¡¯s good, but you probably weren¡¯t told everything,¡± Elysea said while idly clasping her hands together over her stomach. ¡°What do you know about the curse?¡± Aurelian peered at her, and then recalled what Tarixi and Bael¡¯tharax had told him with a frown. ¡°Honestly? Not a lot. I was told that Nephilim eventually go crazy, and the ones that don¡¯t tend to find a way to die or fade out without going nuts on people,¡± he said with a small shiver at the thought. ¡°Sometimes they become Echoes, in order to preserve their knowledge¡ªbut it¡¯s basically inevitable for them to go nuts.¡± ¡°More or less accurate,¡± Elysea said with a nod. ¡°Though the concept of an ¡®Echo¡¯ is just a trite imitation of an Anima Construct. We can discuss that another time, though. You¡¯ll learn about those soon enough.¡± ¡°Oh. You know about Anima?¡± he asked with surprise, while looking at her scarlet eyes with newfound understanding. That was why they seemed so identical to his. ¡°You thought you were the first?¡± she asked with an amused chuckle. ¡°Nah, that was me. The Elden were the ones that summoned me to Terra in the first place. They were the ones that gave me the strength to do what needed to be done. They were the ones that taught me to harness Calamity¡¯s Blade.¡± You could be reading stolen content. Head to Royal Road for the genuine story. ¡°Then why did the System¡ª?¡± ¡°It didn¡¯t lie,¡± she cut in before he could finish. ¡°It just told you the exact truth. No one has done what you did. I never became a Primogenitor, but I was a Blood Lord. It¡¯s hard to explain,¡± she said while waving her hand. ¡°The point is, that¡¯s also why you¡¯re seeing me right now. We share that commonality. Among all the Nephilim that have come after me, you are the first to achieve the power of the Elden once more, Aurelian.¡± Aurelian stared at her for a long moment, and then let out a heavy sigh. It was a bit to process, not because he was entirely surprised, but because of the implications. It also overrode what Tarixi had told him. She had said that Selenia¡¯s followers had summoned Elysea, but the woman herself said that the Elden had, so¡ª Aurelian froze mid-thought and his eyes widened. ¡°The Elden were worshippers of Selenia?¡± he half-asked, and half-stated. ¡°Ha!¡± Elysea said with a laugh. ¡°They¡¯d probably kick you in the head for saying that. No, Aurelian, they weren¡¯t her worshippers. The Elden were Selenia¡¯s benefactors and teachers. They were her allies, too, and stood ready to help her when she finally realized how far beyond their original mission Solarius had strayed.¡± ¡°So it wasn¡¯t her people that summoned you, it was¡ª¡± ¡°The Elden Blood Lords,¡± she confirmed with a smile, ¡°at Selenia¡¯s behest and imploration, yes.¡± Aurelian blew out a breath and reached up to brush his fingers through his hair in confusion. ¡°What does this have to do with me, though?¡± ¡°Calamity¡¯s Blade,¡± Elysea said immediately while gesturing idly with her right forefinger, and drawing a sword in the air. ¡°I locked it behind the power of the Elden, because I needed to ensure that when it was used again, it was by someone that wasn¡¯t necessarily doomed to go insane.¡± ¡°The Curse?¡± ¡°Yes. The Curse¡¯s effects are, in simple terms, a check and a balance. The Nephilim are inordinately powerful, and can affect unimaginable levels of change upon the infinite Realms. To combat this,¡± she explained with grim certainty, ¡°the System¡ª¡± she knocked the tree ¡°¡ªcreated a baked-in devolution of their mental state. Nephilim, Aurelian, eventually go completely insane¡ªand at the zenith of their madness, when everything becomes too much, they turn their power inward against themselves.¡± Aurelian swallowed hard at her words. ¡°Boom?¡± he asked quietly. ¡°Boom,¡± Elysea confirmed. ¡°That¡¯s¡¡± ¡°Yeah,¡± Elysea agreed, ¡°it sucks. The System is not evil, Aurelian, but neither is it good. It is a force of reality, as omnipotent and omniscient as the biblical God of Earth. It operates on a cause and effect premise, and creates checks and balances for everything¡ªfor everything, Aurelian. That includes the Nephilim and the Gods, and it also includes the Curse.¡± Aurelian blinked at her words, and then nodded with a glance at the tree. It made sense, and was consistent with his experiences. The System did not seem like a punitive nor malicious force, but it also certainly wasn¡¯t a benevolent one. The most he could charitably say was that it was egalitarian in its callousness¡ªand while he was convinced it had a sense of humor that erred toward sadistic, he also wasn¡¯t married to the theory. What Elysea was saying made sense, and more than that, gave him hope. ¡°And you found this balance in the Elden?¡± ¡°Yes,¡± she confirmed with a smile and a nod. ¡°Through them, I found the second path toward escaping the Curse, though it was not easy. All I can tell you right now is that you must achieve Sanguination prior to your Third Temper, in order to be able to mitigate the Curse¡¯s effects. Achieving it as you did as an Untempered? Well, that¡¯s definitely a good thing, though I¡¯m not sure how that will impact your growth.¡± Third Temper made sense. It was by all reports the most critical Temper stage. ¡°What was the first path?¡± he asked her, having not missed the emphasis in her voice. ¡°The first path is both easier and more difficult at the same time,¡± she explained with a faint smile. ¡°Easier in that it is relatively natural progression, but more difficult in that¡ªat least in my era¡ªit painted a massive target on your back. The first path, Aurelian, is to become a god. Once you do, you lose your Nephilic benefits and your Divine Core overrides your Realm Walker abilities and the System¡¯s Nephilim balance enforcement. By ascending to godhood, you become part of the Prime Material wholly and irrevocably. Your power here and within the immediate Realms grows immensely, but your ability to affect ancillary Realms¡ªlike Earth¡ªis massively mitigated.¡± ¡°Checks and balances,¡± Aurelian murmured in understanding. ¡°Exactly.¡± ¡°I take it you¡¯re about to give me a big revelation,¡± he ventured with trepidation. ¡°Oh, you don¡¯t know the half of it,¡± Elysea said with a warm laugh. ¡°First, let me start by telling you this: the god you know as Solarius was originally a Nephilim named Arcastor, and was born in Greece during the time of the Peloponnesian League.¡± Aurelian stared at her, and then let out a low whistle. ¡°So he¡¯s not just a former Nephilim, he¡¯s from Earth? That¡¯s¡ a really big coincidence,¡± he said slowly. ¡°A really big coinci¡ªthat isn¡¯t a coincidence.¡± ¡°No, it isn¡¯t,¡± Elysea agreed with a wry smile. ¡°Shall I rip off the band-aid?¡± ¡°Please,¡± Aurelian said with a grimace. ¡°Very well. I know how Arcastor became Solarius, and what his original goal was, and the fact he was a Nephilim because before I knew he was Solarius, I fell in love with him as Arcastor.¡± Aurelian closed his eyes and muttered ¡°here we go¡± under his breath. ¡°Arcastor was my husband, Aurelian,¡± Elysea said with the same easy calm, ¡°and the father of my children. It turns out that, even though Arcastor and I brought children into the Prime Material, our joint origins meant they inherited not just our Nephilic gifts, but Arcastor¡¯s divine ones as well¡ªand the ability to sunder the planes.¡± Aurelian opened his eyes and raised his head. ¡°You always wondered why the System chose you for this. It wasn¡¯t random, Aurelian. It wasn¡¯t some twist of fate that brought you, of all people, here. It wasn¡¯t just pure moxy and grit¡ªthough those certainly played a part¡ªwhich allowed you to not just survive, but thrive here,¡± Elysea said while looking at him intently. ¡°Don¡¯t say¡ª¡± ¡°When my son went to visit the Realm of our origins, he took the name ¡®Crossworld¡¯. Over time, that name changed and evolved into ¡®Crosswood¡¯.¡± Aurelian¡¯s blood ran cold. ¡°You weren¡¯t summoned at random, Aurelian. You were chosen because you were the person best suited to stopping Solarius and the Eight by merit of the fact you, and you alone, possessed the potential for power that could eclipse any other Nephilim that came before you. Nephilic lineage, Elden lineage, Divine lineage.¡± Aurelian felt himself take a breath, and stared at Elysea in wordless shock. ¡°I¡¯m sorry it¡¯s under these circumstances, but I am so proud of you, Alexander,¡± Elysea said to him warmly. ¡°My name is Elysea Nike Athanasiou, and I welcome you home.¡± Aurelian felt his heart booming against his ribcage. ¡°Just don¡¯t call me Granny.¡± B2 | Chapter 15: Initiate Aurelian stared at Elysea in a mix of muted shock and quiet bewilderment. ¡°So let me get this straight,¡± he said slowly while reaching up to rub his eyes with his palms. ¡°Not only are you the original Calamity, you¡¯re also Solarius¡¯ wife, and the mother of his children, and my, what, great, great, great¡ª¡± ¡°As I understand it, not quite,¡± Elysea interrupted with the same faintly amused tone. ¡°Your great-grandfather was my son, Aurelian. We are not that far removed.¡± Aurelian took a moment to process that, and then released a slow breath. ¡°Right. Okay. Leaving aside the logistics of that particular revelation, I have to circle back: why me? Why not my sister, or my mother, or¡ª¡± ¡°The power is patrilineal, due to Solarius being a male god. It passes to the women of our family, but only the men can pass it on.¡± ¡°How does that make any¡ª?¡± ¡°A woman carries the child, but the seed comes from the father.¡± Aurelian stared at Elysea again for several moments, then threw his hands up. ¡°That¡¯s the dumbest thing I¡¯ve ever¡ª¡± ¡°I agree, it is quite frustrating, but that is the System¡¯s logic, Aurelian. Trying to unravel or understand it is the work of multitudinous lifetimes, even for someone like you that is now effectively immune to entropic deterioration,¡± she said with a faint smile. ¡°Congratulations on that, by the way, dear. Again, I am very proud of you for achieving that particular milestone.¡± ¡°Yeah, thanks, I¡ªhang on!¡± he said abruptly mid-gratitude. ¡°If I¡¯m immortal, aren¡¯t you immortal too?¡± ¡°Of course,¡± Elysea said with a nod. ¡°Then why aren¡¯t you still around?¡± ¡°Checks and balances,¡± she explained with another wry smile. ¡°The System took you out?¡± he asked with a wary glance at the tree. ¡°No, no, nothing like that,¡± she laughed. ¡°When I reached Seventh Tier, I had three choices: ascend into a deity like the Nine, transform into a new Eternal, or become one of the System¡¯s sentinels and leave the Prime Material forever.¡± ¡°You couldn¡¯t just choose ¡®option four: stay myself¡¯?¡± ¡°I gave birth to demi-gods, Aurelian. That was never an option for me. My body was altered irrevocably by my children.¡± Aurelian sucked in his cheeks sourly but didn¡¯t argue. He could see how getting knocked up by his-autocratic-glowiness would have impacts on Elysea¡¯s body¡ªnot that he wanted to think about his great-great-grandmother having sex. ¡°Okay, so you chose option three?¡± ¡°I did,¡± Elysea confirmed with a nod. ¡°I became a Sentinel, and the System allows me to travel the various Realms, affecting positive change within the scope of its balances, and even make intercessions against threats to their existences. I have been able to save many billions of lives¡ªmore than I can count, really. To them, I am a god, I suppose. Being a Sentinel allows me to use abilities nobody else has access to.¡± ¡°Well, if the System is basically God¡ª¡± ¡°No, it isn¡¯t,¡± Elysea corrected with a shake of her head. ¡°The System is not God, it is a framework, one that grew from a seed. Whether that seed self-actualized or was planted is the real question, but even I do not have access to the answer. If God exists in the way you think of Him, dear, then the System would be the framework by which He guides multiversal existence.¡± Aurelian leaned back at Elysea¡¯s words and looked up at the tree again in quiet consideration. It was a lot to process, truthfully: his origins, his bloodline, his Calling, his circumstances, and all the implications for the future that Elysea gave him. There was a sense of gravity and importance to the discourse that was overriden by how casual Elysea seemed with him. What should have felt like a dramatic and epic moment felt more like a casual chat with a distant relative. It was mildly disconcerting in its own way. ¡°I am sorry to interrupt what I am sure are terribly deep thoughts, dear, but we are nearing the end of our time. I was a little cheeky about extending our meeting, but your body is about to complete its transition to Initiate Temper, and I have no inclination toward robbing you of that bliss.¡± ¡°You said you had a warning?¡± ¡°I did. The Curse is not broken, it is merely delayed. You must discover the Secrets of the Elden, per your quests¡ªtwo now, at my last count¡ªand secure them prior to Absolum, Solarius, or their servants interceding. If you fail, you will be forced to either Tether yourself, or succumb to the insanity that dooms all Nephilim.¡± ¡°What about my bond to Bahamut?¡± ¡°The bond will give you a longer period of lucidity, but it will not shield you forever. When you die, so will the Dragon King. If you go utterly mad, especially if you reach tier six or seven, not even Bahamut will be able to restrain you. Once a Nephilim reaches Sixth Tier, their power doubles, and at Seventh Tier, it doubles again,¡± Elysea explained with grim seriousness to her tone. ¡°That is a secret that none but the Nine remember any longer¡ªthough eventually your bond will recall it,¡± his ancestor continued. ¡°This power gain is reflected not in your numbers, Aurelian, but in your Core. It functions as a kind of ¡®seal¡¯ on your potential. When you reach Sixth and Seventh Tier, you will accelerate astronomically in might¡ªand that is the reason Nephilim are called Calamities.¡± Aurelian let out a breath at her words and stared at his hands in thought. ¡°So that¡¯s where those legends come from?¡± ¡°Yes. Nephilim do not have ¡®bottlenecks¡¯ like other Cultivators, no matter what people believe. Your progress is completely linear, but your rewards are juxtaposed. All Nephilim attract adversity, it is part of our Cores¡ªbut so too do we grow exponentially through that adversity.¡± ¡°I¡¯m basically a Saiyan,¡± Aurelian muttered to himself quietly. ¡°A what?¡± ¡°Nevermind,¡± he said quickly. ¡°So was that your warning?¡± ¡°That, and one other: trust your heart, love as you desire, and do not allow the constraints of your origins to predicate your wants. It is a false humility that demands you see yourself like others. Empathize with them, protect them, shelter them, but remember this: you are the son of gods, heroes, and legends all. Your bloodline is the greatest the Prime Material has ever known. It is an arrogance to let yourself be cajoled into a faux modesty.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t want to be another Solarius,¡± he said with a frown, followed by instant regret. ¡°Uh, sorry, I didn¡¯t mean¡ª¡± ¡°It is quite alright,¡± Elysea said warmly. ¡°Your grandfather¡ªforgive me, I will refer to him that way¡ªis more complex than his worst traits, but he certainly did allow those worst traits to define him. You must stop him, Aurelian, and I know these revelations will make it that much more complicated for you; but it was necessary to avoid you learning it at the wrong moment.¡± Elysea reached out and pressed her hands to his cheeks. ¡°He would want you to do this. Arcastor was a good man, Aurelian. He was noble, he was brave, and he was true to his convictions. Solarius is not Arcastor¡ªhe is a warping of everything that I loved, writ into a divine megalomaniacal tyranny. End him, and in doing so, save your grandfather¡¯s soul from its own corruption.¡± ¡°How do I avoid becoming like him, though, if I don¡¯t hold myself with humility?¡± ¡°Knowledge is power, my child,¡± Elysea said with a wry smile and reached down to squeeze his hands. ¡°You know what you are fighting, and you know where you come from. You need not be falsely modest in order to avoid the trappings of absolute power. Remember the lessons of your grandfather¡¯s ascent to disgrace, and recall the honor of your bloodline. Let faith, not in gods, but in your own convictions guide you¡ªand heed the counsel of those you love. They will keep you on the right path.¡± ¡°Okay,¡± Aurelian said simply and smiled at Elysea. He was hardly ¡®fine¡¯ with any of it, but there was a kind of certainty of self and reassurance of purpose that came from the woman¡¯s words. For the first time in their discourse, he did feel some sort of connection to her. ¡°You look like him, you know,¡± Elysea said with a tilt of her head. ¡°Not entirely. Clearly your lineage has adapted to your mortal influences, but the shadow of him is there. I would wager he sees it too, and hates you for it.¡± ¡°Hates me for looking like him¡?¡± ¡°For reflecting what he abandoned back at him,¡± Elysea clarified. ¡°He was a noble soul, once, Aurelian. He probably sees that nobility in you, and it terrifies him.¡± ¡°Why?¡± ¡°Because he was once like you, and with even less potential, he conquered the Heavens. Imagine what he might think you, his own descendant, capable of. His power and blood amplify your Nephilic manifestation. You have the potential to be the most powerful Nephilim that has ever existed¡ªand your trials and burdens will be balanced to match that singular capability. You must persevere.¡± Support the author by searching for the original publication of this novel. ¡°I understand,¡± Aurelian assured her with a nod and a return squeeze of the hands. ¡°Well, sort of. I¡¯ll do my best.¡± ¡°Good,¡± Elysea said, reaching up to settle her right hand on his forehead. ¡°Now, our time is at an end. I will see you again at your Second Temper.¡± ¡°I¡ it was nice meeting you,¡± he said lamely and at a loss for what else to offer. ¡°It was nice meeting you, too,¡± Elysea laughed warmly. ¡°Best of luck, my dear child. May the wisdom of Eld offer you guidance.¡± Elysea¡¯s scarlet eyes blazed, and Aurelian felt something slam into his chest. Darkness obscured everything, and then abruptly, his eyes snapped open within the Desolation once more. When they did, a System alert populated his vision. Congratulations, Aurelian Lucis Imperius! Soulforce Expansion has been successfully completed. You have now completed the First Temper process. Congratualtions on taking your first true steps on the path of Cultivation, Reclaimer! Aurelian stared at the alert for several seconds, and then let out a laugh. He finally had a milestone that didn¡¯t completely devolve into a cacophanous montage of screaming and pain¡ªat least, not entirely. The discourse with Elysea had certainly helped to shield him from what he presumed was an immensely discomforting level of transformation. ¡°Wait, doesn¡¯t this mean¡?¡± Aurelian¡¯s eyes lit up, and he summoned his sheet instantly. Name: Aurelian Lucis Imperius Temper: Initiate Temper Infusions: Mind 1/2 | Body 1/2 | Spirit 1/2 Core: Calamity Core (Attunement Stage) Chakras: 1/7 Level: 25 | Race: Elysean (L) | Origin: Nephilim (L) | Gender: Male | Zodiac: Dragon (L) Health: 990 | Mana: 498 | Stamina: 288 | Anima: 0 STR: (85) 94 | AGI: 65 | DEX: 55 | VIT: (91) 99 | END: 63 | INT: 54 | PER: 48 | WIL: (99) 123 | CHA: (61) 91 Mind Skills: Revelate (E) 20 | Linguistics (UC) 1 | Philology (R) 5 | Exploration (UC) 11 | Investigation (UC) 6 | Dragon¡¯s Resolve (E) 23 | Tactician (R) 19 | Deception (UC) 4 | Dragon¡¯s Gaze (E) 27 | Intimidation (R) 6 | Persuasion (UC) 2 Body Skills: Pain Tolerance (UC) 39 | Longsword Mastery (C) 32 | Running (C) 35 | Dodge (C) 33 | Dragon¡¯s Sanguination (E) 29 | Brawling (C) 27 | Fire Resistance (UC) 27 | Lightning Resistance (UC) 23 | Ice Resistance (UC) 17 | Breath Control (UC) 22 | Acrobatics (UC) 23 | Poison Resistance (R) 14 Spirit Skills: Mana Control (R) 34 | Firebolt (UC) 24 | Lightning Bolt (R) 11 | Soul Sense (UC) 14 | Spirit Bond: Dragon (M) 15 | Force Dominion (T) 2 | Calamity¡¯s Blade (T) 15 | Anima Conversion (E) 8 | Anima Syphon (E) 13 | Anima Infusion (E) 5 | Anima Diffusion (E) 1 | Oathforger (L) 1 Traits: Fast Learner (E) | Dragon Force (E) | Aetheric Osmosis (E) | Godsbane (T) | Sanguinated (L) | Force Nullification (U) | Truesight (L) Titles: Elysean Reclaimer (U) | Survivor (R) | Aether Sage (E) | Dragon Rider (E) | Defiant (L) | Primogenitor (U) | Lord of Force (T) Languages: Common | Elysean | Draconic 13% to Level 26 You have 7 Attribute Points Available! You have 7 Skill Points Available! You have 1 Skill Upgrade Points Available! You have 1 Skill Evolution Points Available! Aurelian grinned and rubbed his hands together. It was time to do something hilarious. B2 | Chapter 16: Coup de Force Aurelian wasted no time dithering over his attribute points. With his bonuses to Strength, Vitality, Charisma, Willpower, and overall physicality and durability; he was not worried about his ability to output damage. What he lacked and most desired to shore up was his speed. Agility was his main physical weakness, and that was exactly where he dumped every single one of his attribute points. Name: Aurelian Lucis Imperius Temper: Initiate Temper Infusions: Mind 1/2 | Body 1/2 | Spirit 1/2 Core: Calamity Core (Attunement Stage) Chakras: 1/7 Level: 25 | Race: Elysean (L) | Origin: Nephilim (L) | Gender: Male | Zodiac: Dragon (L) Health: 990 | Mana: 498 | Stamina: 288 | Anima: 0 STR: (85) 94 | AGI: 72 | DEX: 55 | VIT: (91) 99 | END: 63 | INT: 54 | PER: 48 | WIL: (99) 123 | CHA: (61) 91 Mind Skills: Revelate (E) 20 | Linguistics (UC) 1 | Philology (R) 5 | Exploration (UC) 11 | Investigation (UC) 6 | Dragon¡¯s Resolve (E) 23 | Tactician (R) 19 | Deception (UC) 4 | Dragon¡¯s Gaze (E) 27 | Intimidation (R) 6 | Persuasion (UC) 2 Body Skills: Pain Tolerance (UC) 39 | Longsword Mastery (C) 32 | Running (C) 35 | Dodge (C) 33 | Dragon¡¯s Sanguination (E) 29 | Brawling (C) 27 | Fire Resistance (UC) 27 | Lightning Resistance (UC) 23 | Ice Resistance (UC) 17 | Breath Control (UC) 22 | Acrobatics (UC) 23 | Poison Resistance (R) 14 Spirit Skills: Mana Control (R) 34 | Firebolt (UC) 24 | Lightning Bolt (R) 11 | Soul Sense (UC) 14 | Spirit Bond: Dragon (M) 15 | Force Dominion (T) 2 | Calamity¡¯s Blade (T) 15 | Anima Conversion (E) 8 | Anima Syphon (E) 13 | Anima Infusion (E) 5 | Anima Diffusion (E) 1 | Oathforger (L) 2 Traits: Fast Learner (E) | Dragon Force (E) | Aetheric Osmosis (E) | Godsbane (T) | Sanguinated (L) | Force Nullification (U) | Truesight (L) Titles: Elysean Reclaimer (U) | Survivor (R) | Aether Sage (E) | Dragon Rider (E) | Defiant (L) | Primogenitor (U) | Lord of Force (T) Languages: Common | Elysean | Draconic 13% to Level 26 You have 7 Skill Points Available! You have 1 Skill Upgrade Points Available! You have 1 Skill Evolution Points Available! Unauthorized reproduction: this story has been taken without approval. Report sightings. With that done, he grabbed the Skill Compression Tome he had yet to examine and popped it into his armour¡¯s storage rune. He had an idea for that, but first he needed to consult with Zylara and Karsys¡ªand that meant he needed to deal with the immediate impediment to that possibility. I¡¯m coming. He sent to Bahamut. Good. Tarry not. We can discuss what occurred afterward. Bahamut responded simply. Aurelian chortled while pushing himself to his feet, and then stumbled after he did. His body was no longer what it had been. Aurelian glanced down at himself, and felt the surge of increased potency within his limbs. Elysea had said that Tempering changed Nephilim, and that it would have a more saturated effect due to his bloodline, but he had never imagined what he now felt. His Soulforce was like a furnace of potential energy churning around his Core and body, buoying him with its potency and infusing him with hitherto inconceivable levels of underscoring power. He felt good. Really good. He felt like he could run ten marathons and then run ten more. While it might have been an exaggeration, it certainly wasn¡¯t that far from the truth¡ªand his body felt overall improved as well. The change to his Agility hadn¡¯t even registered, but Aurelian realised that it was because his overall capacity had essentially skyrocketed with his level up. His combined bonuses had pushed him to a level of physicality that shattered his previous capabilities. While not a profound change, it was a notable change, and he could already feel the greater density of his muscles, the responsiveness of his body, the newly sharpened clarity of his mind, and the surging river of his expanded mana pool. ¡°Yeah. Okay,¡± he said while squeezing his hands into fists, ¡°I can definitely work with this.¡± Aurelian lifted his head to peer at the lip of the crater and he bent his knees, subconsciously tapping his Strength and Agility attributes and then launching himself forward. His eyes widened at the sheer explosion of momentum he experienced, and he let loose a wild laugh of excitement while he bound up the crater¡¯s edge. Two thirds of the way to the top he launched himself upward, leaping the remaining seven or so metres and slamming into the ground beyond the crater¡¯s edge. He turned back to look at the inverted dome he¡¯d carved into the world, shook his head in amazement, and then spun to race toward where he could sense his Arisen and Zylara doing battle. For good measure he put his hand to his side and started his ten-heartbeat-count for his Crest, while his enhanced vision honed in on the distant site of on-going battle. Power coiled within him in yearning to be used, and he began cycling mana as had become second nature. His Calamity Core started to race in his body at the same moment, rotating with prismatic radiance veiled behind scarlet shielding as he surged toward the fight. His left hand rose and he focused on his Soulforce and the mana pooling within him. At the same time, he cautiously tapped into his Force Dominion. Power roared to life within him, and Aurelian relied on the upgrade to his Dragon¡¯s Gaze to observe the fluctuations of mana and the essences of power gathering around his hand. For the first time since gaining the power, he found himself able to properly understand the subtler essence of his ability. There were still layers he did not comprehend¡ªhe could tell that at a mere glance, but compared to when he was Untempered and before he gained his Dragon¡¯s Gaze Infusion; the intricacies of his Force Dominion clicked in a way they hadn¡¯t before. Interest replaced wariness, and Aurelian realized that it wasn¡¯t mana that truly controlled the ability; it was Soulforce. The Dominion was a thing of will, not simply magic. It was intent itself. Aurelian smiled broadly at the realization and redirected his gaze toward the fight ahead. His increased Agility combined with his accelerated Strength allowed his legs to carry him further with each stride, and gain velocity more swiftly as well. A distance that might have taken him ten, or even fifteen minutes to cross prior to his Tempering was now almost traversed in less than five. When he came within full range of the raging battle, he took it in immediately with his enhanced Perception and Intelligence. Zylara fought alongside his Arisen with terrifying coordination, leaping through the air more than she was earthbound and launching arrows of pure mana, wrapped in scarlet lightning from her Bloodstorm Core. Each shot of her bow punched through the body of a skarnid with brutal accuracy, felling them in sometimes one, but never more than three shots. Their carapaces were not simply pierced, they were scorched where the mana penetrated¡ªand she left them as ruined husks upon the earth. Karsys was fifty meters afield, working with Bahamut to ferry the vast majority of the remaining swarm against his shield. Aurelian could see the Earth and Fire mana he was wielding as it danced and swirled around him, working to instigate the molten powers he wielded, while his Soulforce coerced the aberrant arachnids into attacking him with continuous ¡®taunts¡¯. Aurelian¡¯s bond, meanwhile, was a force of nature as was his nature: delivering blistering torrents of dragonfire and destructive blasts of magic that obliterated groups of skarnids at a time. Despite the seemingly endless number, Aurelian could already discern that the horde was thinning¡ªsuccumbing to the power of the dragon¡¯s fire and the ferocity of his other companions. ¡°Time to get to work,¡± he said at the same time as he let his newly evolved Soulforce precede him in a wave of presence. Zylara, Karsys, and the Arisen all snapped their heads around to stare when Aurelian entered the battle¡ªresponding to his Soulforce instinctively as his Nephilic power blanketed the battlefield. Then, he harnessed his Dominion. Soulforce came together into threads of radiant power that defied a true description of colouration as he willed it to tether to multiple different skarnids. Once he had tagged five of them, he felt a subtle strain within himself that told him any more than that would be exorbitantly dangerous. Five, it seemed, was his current hard limit. That¡¯ll do just fine, he thought to himself savagely. Aurelian instinctively used his mana and threaded pure Force through the ribbons of Soulforce that connected him to his enemies. When he did, he envisioned with utmost clarity exactly what he wanted to happen. Eighty mana vanished from his reserves in a shock of depletion and at the same moment, all five of the skarnids imploded. Their carapaces snapped with echoing cracks of chitinous substance, and Force magic compelled their entire bodies inward to the point of tethering centered upon their massive spines. The horse-sized arachnids screeched in terror as they were abruptly smashed together and their insides were forced outside like an immense fist was crushing them. Their exoskeletons condensed, shattering together while their putrid insides exploded outward in a visceral explosion of guts, gore, and corruption. ¡°What the hell was that?!¡± Zylara shouted mid-leap, while looking between him and the skarnids. ¡°I used the Force!¡± he answered with a self-indulgent cackle, and threw himself into the fray. The Arisen parted for him smoothly when he charged into battle, and Aurelian lifted his Crest to sing its ruthless song. Steel whined and cleaved through the air, and he became the death he was learning to command. The first skarnid he met attempted to swipe at him with its pincers, and Aurelian moved nimbly out of the way, dodging out from under the sweeping limbs and slicing the creature¡¯s legs off on its left side. He rolled away before it could respond, spun, and slammed his left hand against its collapsing left flank to envision and push with his Dominion. The creature¡¯s right flank exploded outward in a detonation of its internal organs, twenty more mana was lost, and Aurelian moved on. With the inefficiency of his Dominion¡¯s mana cost revealed, he did not rely on it too much. Instead he wove in Lightning Bolts with his strikes; cutting open carapace and igniting their insides with blasts of eviscerating energy that sent the creatures spasming to the earth¡ªonly for his Arisen or Zylara to secure the kill. Aurelian was drunk on his new abilities, and he danced through the battlezone like he had never been able to before. His current speed was incomparable to even thirty minutes prior, and he revelled in it. Pincers were dismembered, legs were cut away, heads were hewn in twain, and Aurelian started leaping from skarnid to skarnid in his haste for more. A familiar sense of thrill filled him, and he felt something resonating across the bond. Finally! Bahamut roared with approval in his mind. Finally, you hunt like a Dragon! Aurelian sent back a formless wave of love to his soulpartner and launched himself off his latest victim, tearing Anima from its body as it collapsed. He landed on his feet lightly, turned, and peered at where Zylara was approaching him from behind while idly firing off arrows at the now greatly-thinned swarm of skarnids. ¡°You seem to be in fine form,¡± she said wryly after she approached, while his Arisen charged back into the disoriented mass of their still-living, corrupted brethren. ¡°You could say that again!¡± Karsys announced as he joined them, and took a moment to regain his breath. ¡°You turned them almost the minute you arrived, Aurelian. What the hell happened?¡± ¡°I Tempered,¡± he said to them simply, and flexed his Soulforce again to enjoy the feeling. ¡°Because of it, I learned to better control a new ability. I don¡¯t think skarnids are going to be an issue for us moving forward.¡± ¡°Skarnids are the Desolation¡¯s version of pests,¡± Zylara noted while openly admiring the changes to his body. He had bulked up notably, thanks to his Strength and Vitality enhancements, though had not quite erred toward being too large thanks to the even distribution of his Agility. He also suspected it had something to do with his Elysean genetics and density of muscle mass, as opposed to outward bulk. ¡°He is not the only one that has changed, Zylara, as I said earlier,¡± Karsys noted while eyeing her speculatively. ¡°You look quite different.¡± ¡°A gift from the Reclaimer,¡± Zylara answered simply, and tossed her hair with her left hand smugly. ¡°Call it repayment for him almost crippling me.¡± Aurelian groaned at that, and lifted a hand to forestall Karsys when the human raised both eyebrows and turned to look at him. ¡°I promise, I¡¯ll explain later, Karsys,¡± he said quickly to the other man. ¡°For now, we should focus on finishing these skarnids.¡± ¡°That is assuming there are no more Behemoths lurking around here,¡± Zylara said warily. ¡°There shouldn¡¯t be, but it wouldn¡¯t be the worst thing. I have some experiments with Anima I¡¯d like to run on one of those.¡± ¡°Why not the one from earlier?¡± Zylara queried. ¡°I intend on testing that,¡± Aurelian said with a nod, ¡°but I have a feeling it may be too destroyed to be of use. We¡¯ll have to see.¡± A roar and strafing run from Bahamut pulled their joint attention, and Aurelian smiled. ¡°First, let¡¯s clean up these skarnids. Afterward, we can take stock. I¡¯ve gotten a hoard of Anima so far. I¡¯d like some more before the creatures eventually flee.¡± Both his companions nodded, and the three set off for the diminished and intimidated swarm. Aurelian had no doubt it would be a relatively simple affair to clean them up, but he still wore a grin of anticipation as he moved. He had an amazing new toy. He couldn¡¯t wait to test it out further.