《The Hallowed World [Isekai, Progression Fantasy]》 Ch. 1: Transmigrational Luggage Costs Extra! Shawn realized, upon reflection, that working until two in the morning is not a great pastime. It would have been not particularly noteworthy, except that it had been a repeat occurrence for months. It wasn''t the work that was driving him. It was the regret. ¡°Shawn, you''re in la-la land again!¡± He peered at the dark-haired girl leaning across the cheap black plastic patio table, a quizzical expression etched on her face. She waved her hand at him. "You never answered me before, whats up?" ¡°I''ve been busy. I have a review coming up for my patent proposals. They might have a shot.¡± He took a sip of coffee, and ruffled his unkempt, hair. It really showed, since this was his third cup of coffee of the day, and he still felt fatigue. Claire laughed in response. ¡°You need to take more time for yourself, you know that? I know you love your job, but you need a social life!¡± ¡°I have one. Look, you might laugh at my wilderness treks, but they''re fun for me!" he proclaimed. ¡°That is the opposite of being social, workaholic. That''s like, hermit training!¡± she declared with a finger wag. ¡°When¡¯s the last time you went on a date?" "Hey, it was only a week ago! She said she wanted to meet up this weekend, a second date," he protested, and frowned as Claire laughed. "You don''t like her because she''s nerdier than you. Besides, Claire, I don''t think that''s relevant." "Shawn, my advice? Get out more often, with people, and not machines. Or spending three days solo backpacking in the wilderness. Bring a friend next time!¡± Claire leaned back, looking content. ¡°Anyway, glad you could make it to lunch." A few minutes passed by, and an appetizer was brought out by their waitress. Claire dove into the basket of onion rings, while he glanced at his phone again, on his home screen. His brow furrowed when he saw the familiar face of a blonde, blue eyed teenager on there, posing and making a goofy face with Claire. A photo far older than the phone in his hand, now. He traced his thumb aimlessly along the siding, and felt a pang of heartache that had been growing since last week. Hope does not exist without the unwavering spirit of bravery. That was what you told me, back then. I wish I''d known what you meant, Maggie. "Hey, Shawn?" "Hmm?" He looked up, with Claire looking concerned. "I called your name twice. Something''s bothering you." Her gaze followed to his phone screen, that he clicked it off and tucked it in his jacket pocket. "Alright, you tell me what you think it is." She cleared her throat, their discussion sounding muted with the sound of other diners nearby, on this near-perfect fall day. ¡°You''re doing all this to create distractions for yourself, Shawn. To put something out of your mind. I think I know what." "Maggie." He tapped a finger softly on the table, his voice no longer carrying confidence. Only regret. "Mom mentioned it last week. I haven''t been able to get it out of my head since. So, I was up till two in the morning last night. Working." ¡°Shawn, I don''t like to call you out on it, but you''re burying yourself in work--in distractions.¡± She tilted her head to the side. "I think you should take a break." "I don''t need to--" "Yes, you do," she responded sternly. "Two in the morning, on your day job? Thats obsession, not dedication. I think you need to take a break. I think you need to hang out with people. Not machines, not hobbies, not obsessions. People. You need to take a vacation, and I''m going with some friends on the long weekend next week at a family cabin, southern Vermont. I want you to come along, socialize, make good food like you always do! Hell, maybe even tell someone other than your cat about the cool stuff you work on!" His mood brightened a little at that. Maybe it wouldn''t be a bad idea to decouple from distractions. "Okay, you know what, I''ll take your advice. I''ll pack a bag. Count me in. Maybe I need a break." "Now there''s a step in the right direction!" she beamed, her eyes brightening. "Hey, I miss Maggie, too. I loved that infectious enthusiasm she had, that unrelenting energy. You can do that, too! But use it to socialize, not bury yourself in a mechanical lab! Also--wait, do you hear something?" She squinted and looked at him--no, looked downward, at the table. He followed her gaze. Shawn blinked as the air shimmered above the patio table, and there was a crackle of energy. Claire pointed to a small blue sphere, the size of a marble, that had appeared from nowhere, shimmering with light. The sound of a hummingbird''s wings filled the air. ¡°Um¡­what is that?¡± She was fascinated and craned her body to examine the anomaly. "Claire, it''s a ball of something, floating over the table. Don''t touch it?" he cautioned, and slid his chair back. "I''m not going to!" she protested, yet made no attempt to move. More worryingly, that humming was getting louder. A few people were turning around to look in curiosity, a low commotion building. He''d already bumped his chair and grabbed his bag to get away from the thing. "I wonder if this is a like a...hologram? No wait, it''s probably a portal like in those isekai animes. Or, maybe a wormhole." "Claire, seriously move," he repeated. "You have no idea what it is." Worse still, was a low sense of something familiar about this. The plunge. The abyssal cold, seeping into his soul. It was uncomfortably familiar, but his conscious brain didn''t know why. "Okay, I''m not going to touch it Shawn. Because you''re right, messing around with apertures to unknown locations is probably a bad idea." Claire shook him out of his distraction, and was standing upright, examining the anomaly. It appeared to be vibrating, and that hum was becoming high-pitched, reaching a crescendo. She warily stepped back, and it followed. "Claire, no!" His shrill warning came too late, just as she tried to backpedal. Within a second ball of light expanded to a shimmering blue disc. Claire, and the table, vanished in a flare of light. They were gone. He felt his pulse skyrocket, and there were shouts around him. He gripped his bag, his knuckles bone white. He tried to process what he''d seen. A circle of blue. just like the one in front of him. He saw it, in that instant. Under the water and ice. A last pleading look. Then...gone. There were shouts around him, snapping him back to attention. People screaming for the police. And, that eerie, deep blue sphere, five feet away, was still giving off a hum of energy. It''s a portal. The same thing as before, I''ve seen it! He gripped his bag tightly, feet tensed on the ground. "Hey, Miss, if I don''t come back out of this thing, you tell them Shawn Pentecost went to follow his cousin, Claire Ryker! I have a cat at 230 East Street that''s gonna need a new home, in case I don''t make it back!" he called out to their waitress, who''d dropped her tray from the shock. Four tenths of a second later, he dashed into the aperture. He felt nothing, and saw nothing but bright blue light. The next thing he saw was a stone slab floor with glowing blue runes coming up to greet him as he winked back into existence, and he slammed into the unyielding ground with the weight of his body. He wheezed as his chest took the impact, only slightly mitigated by his outstretched arms. He curled into a ball, groaning. Whoever isekaied us, should have thought about a better landing site. Shawn winced and held his ribs, aching from the impact. The blue, spherical portal behind him, rippling like water, was rapidly dimming and shrinking in size. The room was composed of steel girder and slab stone, possibly concrete. Below him, he spotted a smooth cold stone shaped in a perfect circle. He glanced to his side, and let out a cry of relief. Claire was beside him, groaning as she, too, held her ribs from the impact of being dumped on the ground. ¡°What¡­what just happened?¡± she asked, eyes shut and her mouth clamped in a suppressed expression of pain. ¡°My whole existence hurts.¡± ¡°Same.¡± He gritted his teeth and dared to move. His ribs didn¡¯t feel broken, but that pounding ache wasn¡¯t going away anytime soon. Or the feeling like someone had just taken a grinding wheel to his entire body. He let out an exhale, and propped himself up on the icy cold floor. ¡°Claire we need to move, that blue portal thing is¨C¡± With a puff of air that frazzled his wavy brown hair, the spherical blue portal winked out of reality and doused the room they had landed inside, in utter darkness. ¡°...Collapsing,¡± she finished, while he rubbed at his ribs gingerly. He grunted before grabbing his phone from his pocket, and activated the flashlight torch. He shone the flashlight over her, wincing at the bright light. She propped herself up and peered at him. "Okay, I might have made a mistake, there." ¡°It homed in on you,¡± he responded, still in pain from the experience. That buzzing in his brain was finally a dull white noise. His flashlight shone across the smooth slab floor. There was not a single imperfection on the surface. He helped Claire to her feet, wobbling unsteadily. He panned the flashlight outwards--and saw the patio table, tilted on its side. They were standing on a stone floor, and he could make out runic symbols etched in, now that he was looking closer. A faint glow emanated from the angular shapes, written in a language he had never seen before. He knelt and traced the strange symbols, a tingle of static connecting his finger, to the rune in the floor. If you encounter this tale on Amazon, note that it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it. But the glow faded, as did the tingling sensation until he could feel nothing but the cold, dry air of the room. He rose and panned the flashlight in a circle, taking in the sights, while she peered around. "Hold up a second. How did you end up here, too?" Claire asked. "I jumped in, after you," he replied. She raised an eyebrow. "Don''t give me that look. No way I wasn''t going to follow." "Well, one thing is for sure: you''ve got bravery, or a bad case of stupidity." She took in the sight of the lab: instruments, beakers, what he suspected were power cells, and other devices stored in open cabinets and neatly arranged on metal and wood tables. The labeled items were even arranged alphabetically. "What is this place?" He directed her attention to the room, and the device in the middle of the chamber, the portal origin point. A set of three claw-like spires rose from the floor, made of the same material as the stone. They, too, possessed faint runic markings that glowed ever so slightly. He pivoted the light slowly. It had the appearance of a bird''s talons, when he thought about it. "My guess, a portal. Like in those science fiction films. Or, anime shows. That feels a little awkward to say, considering how crazy it sounds." ¡°What''s crazier is the lack of greetings." She waved to the empty lab. "You¡¯d think someone being transmigrated across the cosmos would be big news." She walked to a bench, examining a glass vial, and frowning at the label, while he continued to survey the room. The ceiling tapered to a peak above them, with curved beams that gave way to deeply faceted architecture. He noted a catwalk set arranged above, where various tubing and wiring were arrayed, going to the numerous workstations. But, no computers, at a glance. He examined the triple spires, noting the wires leading up to the stone slab that rose from the floor. He finally spotted one doorway, a set of metal-clad doors with a simple latch. ¡°I see an exit up that ramp. We should go try to find someone.¡± ¡°Shawn, we were just kidnapped into thin air!¡± She clamped his shoulder, looking at him worriedly. ¡°Your response is disturbingly muted.¡± ¡°I saw that portal once before.¡± Her face twisted into puzzlement at his stark conclusion. ¡°Say that again? You just so happened to see a magical portal, when?¡± ¡°I think I saw it once before. It was¡­when I was under the water. I couldn¡¯t reach Maggie. I think I was shutting down from the cold. I saw her¡­and then, before things went fuzzy¡­I saw a circle of blue.¡± She finished his thought. ¡°Shawn, you think whoever took her...grabbed us?" ¡°I don¡¯t know. But I do know one thing with absolute certainty: They never found her¡­remains.¡± He shuddered at having to use that word. ¡°I¨C¡± She never finished thought before the door on the far side slammed open. He saw a figure silhouetted against the bright light shining in¨Csomeone exceedingly broad and tall. he saw the silhouette expand¨Cthen there was nothing, but the light from the open door. It didn¡¯t last long, as the door swung closed, bathing the room in darkness, except for their flashlights. ¡°I didn¡¯t see it. Where¡¯d they go?¡± Claire whispered. ¡°Stay put.¡± He heard the rustling of something in the room. Light clicking sounds. Then another sound, soft, like a breeze. He listened intently, keeping his flashlight low to the ground. The sound wasn¡¯t at ground level. It was above them. He pointed upwards with one finger. Her eyes widened, and he kept the flashlight low to the ground. He heard the continued click of something nearby¨Clike the sound of cat claws on a hardwood floor. Maybe the catwalks he¡¯d seen earlier? He took a calculated risk. ¡°We¡¯re not armed. We don¡¯t know why we¡¯re here.¡± He directed his voice in the calmest way he could. Claire followed the subtle tilt of his head and peered upward. He could hear the rustle of something. Like the wingbeats of a flock of startled birds at the park. ¡°Where did you come from?¡± A female voice called out softly, above them¨Clike someone had taken birdsong, and given it a human voice. He heard more sharp clicks. Then a crackle of energy, and the room lit up dimly. He took that as his cue to tilt his head upwards, slowly. A glowing spear approximately a meter long, appearing as if it was made of pure light, was aimed at him. The weapon¡¯s soft glow illuminated someone above them¨Ca humanoid figure, draped in robes, standing on the catwalk, their body tensed like an Olympic athlete preparing a spear throw. He couldn¡¯t see their lower body, obscured by paneling above them. The person wore snow-white robes that went from head to foot, but were well-tailored, with a small sunburst embroidered in gold thread on the chest. A cowl obscured their face, but he could make out platinum white hair drifting out, and a gleam of golden eyes peering down. They held the spear of energy poised and aimed at his chest, with deadly intent. Bird-like hands. Okay, I¡¯m about three seconds away from being killed by someone with an energy weapon, who speaks English. What¡¯s the first thing I say? He rapidly ran through the bits of information he could glean. This lab was advanced and well maintained by somebody organized. Someone with considerable intelligence, given the complexity and cleanliness of the lab. Someone, who likely, could be reasoned with. ¡°We came through a portal. We ended up here. Your portal, presumably?¡± He kept his hands in the air while gesturing softly to the metal and stone device. Her gaze never left him, but he saw a shift of eyes, widening in surprise. ¡°Yes, my design. But also, impossible.¡± He heard the slightest hesitation in her voice. ¡°Why?¡± ¡°Because I tried it a week ago¡­and I failed.¡± The bright spear tip wavered in the air, ever so gently. ¡°You¡¯re capable of portal technology? It doesn¡¯t exist, where we come from.¡± Claire interjected, trying her best to look composed. ¡°That¡¯s not all.¡± Shawn still made no motion, except to gaze directly at the observer. ¡°You speak our language. This laboratory shows great care and organization. You either have advanced tech, or magic that fills in the gaps of what is possible in physics. I¡¯d say, you¡¯re someone of a creative mind, someone I need to talk to, about these portals. And, what they mean to me,¡± Shawn concluded. The spear tip nudged downward, the woman''s voice carrying a lower, more somber note. ¡°You¡¯ll be left disappointed. This was my last attempt to send out a portal. I failed.¡± ¡°You didn¡¯t fail. I saw another portal before this.¡± He saw a shift of golden eyes, arching in surprise. He had her undivided attention. ¡°Explain.¡± The weapon still sat in her hands, unwavering in its intended aim. ¡°Ten years ago, I saw one of your portals, a shimmering blue sphere or annular disc.¡± He took a deep breath. Did he dare to tip his hand now? He needed to buy her trust. But, he was also worried that, if what he saw then was real¡­then, did she also take his sister? And if she did¡­why? She tilted her head, curious. He was going to fish for information. ¡°The portal took someone, and then it snapped shut.¡± He hoped Claire wouldn¡¯t give it away, but he saw the subtlest tip of her chin out of the corner of his eye when she figured out what he was doing. ¡°Why are your portals taking people off of my planet?¡± The spear lowered. The hesitation in her voice returned. ¡°That¡­was not my portal. Someone else summoned a noteworthy individual to their cause.¡± The light spear dimmed, then disincorporated into floating motes of light. They held together a second before they disappeared into the dark ambiance of the room. Shawn let out the quietest breath of his life¨Ceven if this was the truth, it was a dread all of its own. It confirmed two disturbing things: The first: what he remembered was not an aberration or a false memory constructed as a method of coping. He¡¯d seen it. He hadn¡¯t imagined it. The second: His sister, Maggie, could be here, in this world. He had the first strand of hope he didn¡¯t realize he¡¯d needed for a long time, and it took all his effort to not let out a cry of absolute joy. He took another calculated move. ¡°So, you¡¯re not the only one who can create those portals.¡± The figure dipped their head lightly, their body posture relaxed now. ¡°No. There are others who can." The figure on the catwalk opened a clawed hand, and a softer, more benevolent ball of light appeared in her hand, Illuminating the room. The glowing globule floated as if carried by an air current, and drifted to the center of the room. Upon contacting a metal framed chandelier the device blazed with light and life, giving the room a golden glow like old incandescent bulbs, and showed the arcane lab in greater detail. But he didn¡¯t have long to contemplate it. The woman mantled over the catwalk, and down onto the laboratory floor. His eyes widened at the spectacle that followed. Massive white wings emerged from the woman¡¯s back, through a clever opening in the backing of her white robes. The wings appeared like a raptor species, lengthy and muscular, with teal highlights at the feather tips on either side. Her descent was cushioned dramatically by her wings. He had no parallel on Earth to match that grace, and otherworldly appearance. It wasn¡¯t just the wings. She had poised delicately with clawed feet¨Clike a bird or a raptor, with widely spread toes. They were tensioned against the floor, ending in yellowed, scalelike flesh. Intricate footwraps wove around the toes and traced up her feathered leg, disappearing into the robes. It was much the same on her feathered arms, human-like, but with short, bird-like talons on each of the three fingers, and an opposable thumb. She slowly slipped her hood back. A tuft of feathers adorned where her hair would be¨Ca whole crest of snowy white feathers that formed an accented crown with a few green highlights, almost like certain bird species. Her eyes were that of a raptor, glowing golden, and her lips formed a short, but versatile beak. Her limbs were lean and powerful¨Cthe thin feathers on the limb did not hide the accomplished athletics beneath them, and she shook the feathers as they poofed outward. ¡°Well now, I do believe introductions are in order!¡± He had zero preparation for this scenario. ¡°I uh¡­wow.¡± His anxiety was only being kept in check by his fascination with meeting someone truly not of his world, and he offered an open hand. ¡°Shawn Pentecost, of Earth. Greetings.¡± The woman peered at him with curiosity, feathers ruffling on her cheeks, before her beak creased slightly in a smile. ¡°Well, not the worst introduction I¡¯ve ever heard. Telga, the Radiant of Balance.¡± She shook his hand firmly after a second of hesitation, the banded scales of her hand feeling warm, and firm, and she expertly avoided nicking him with her claws. Her curious gaze shifted to Claire. ¡°You? You look like family members. Apologies if you¡¯re not extraordinary¨CI don¡¯t think I¡¯ve had a case where I picked up two at once.¡± ¡°I¡¯m his cousin, Claire Ryker. I''m a chemist...we both know science.¡± She was more hesitant about extending a hand, but did so after a gentle nudge from him. ¡°Two scientific minds? Goodness, that''s a rarity,¡± Telga said with a quick clack of her beak¨Cthat almost sounded like a chuckle. ¡°I wish the circumstances of your arrival could have been more opportune.¡± Shawn took that as his cue that all was not well, wherever they were. ¡°I¡¯m guessing there¡¯s a reason for the lack of celebration? Where are we, anyway?¡± Telga gestured to the laboratory. ¡°Welcome to Remaria, the Hallowed World. And it¡¯s a world that is on the brink unless I can do something about it, soon.¡± Shawn spent three seconds processing this¨Ca brand new world? ¡°What do you mean, it''s on the brink?¡± ¡°It¡¯s a long story.¡± She curled her clawed fingers tightly and winced¨Ca very human-like reaction. "There''s a lot going on." Claire appeared contemplative before speaking. ¡°So, I''m guessing it wasn''t random occurrence that grabbed us?" ¡°No. The magic I''ve used before, always brings people with immense potential." Telga motioned toward the door. ¡°Come with me. There¡¯s a lot to talk about." "Count me in.¡± Shawn didn¡¯t waste a heartbeat and motioned Claire to follow the avian toward the door, and Claire called out that she grabbed his bag. He realized distantly that his bag contained their only items from earth, and she slung it over her shoulder. "Claire, is my laptop intact?" She peeked inside. "Yeah, and your books. Hope you guys have AC power here." Whatever came next, he held a hope reignited by chance, that had nearly died out over the past ten years. He had an opportunity to find Maggie¡­and get her home. He hoped Telga didn''t have anything do do with her disappearance. He heard a slight clicking outside the door as he reached to open it¨Cwas someone else there, on taloned feet? He unlatched it, swung the door inward, and gasped. Another female avian with bright blue teal feathers, dressed in a dark uniform and fabric vest recoiled when she saw him. But the shock was replaced by action as she drew a revolver-style weapon from a holster on her thigh, and snapped it upwards to aim at his chest. Ch. 2: Watch That First Step, Its A Doozy! ¡°Regia, stop!¡± Telga¡¯s warning to cease came a fraction of a second too late as Shawn sprung to action, watching that firearm swing toward him. He was not letting that weapon be aimed anywhere near him. He twisted his body to be inside of her arm swing, and forced the weapon upward, grabbing the avian woman''s wrist to keep the firearm aimed skyward, away from everyone else. He then grabbed her vest to throw her off balance, and kicked at one of the digitigrade legs, stumbling her and attempting to send her to the ground. But she had also taken a firm grip on him in the tumble, bringing both of them down, and falling on top of him. By that point he¡¯d grabbed the gun away and pointed it straight up at her as she¡¯d reared back, trying to reach for a secondary sidearm inside her vest. She had gotten it halfway out before she heard the click of the hammer being cocked. ¡°Please, don¡¯t,¡± he warned her, and both of them frozen, mid-action. He took her appearance into detail for the first time. She was a warrior of some skill, based on her strength and incredible reaction times, based on her lean muscle, well-cared-for teal feathers, and a few light scars where the feathers parted on her arms, and one on her cheek. Her wings were spread and tensed, with blue and teal banding colorations. Her dark beak was pressed tightly, and her ocean-blue eyes focused on him with deadly intent. His warning may have been the only thing that gave her pause, and she gripped his shirt with one hand, knee down on his stomach. He¡¯d barely registered the impact or the difficulty in drawing breath. Her breath was tense, and he saw her clawed hand twitch in anticipation. He glanced over to Telga, who had been mid-speech on telling them to stop. ¡°Telga, is she with you?¡± ¡°Yes! This is Regia, my chief security expert!¡± When he rolled his head to catch the frantic expression on Telga¡¯s face, he knew it was a pure, reactionary response. He glanced down at the revolver in his hand, the hammer half-cocked already, and he slowly slid his finger off the trigger. ¡°Please don¡¯t shoot her! Regia, they are not our foes!¡± ¡°That remains to be seen,¡± the irritated avian snapped, and continued to glare at him, her feather crest on her head ruffled in a sign of aggression. ¡°Where did you come from? This place is locked down, even the cargo teleport isn¡¯t running!¡± ¡°We¡¯re travelers from Earth. Telga¡¯s portal pulled us in, in a delayed fashion.¡± He spoke dead steady, trying to use reason and rationale to get through to the woman straddling awkwardly on top of him. She¡¯d moved fast¨Calmost as fast as him. ¡°I am not your enemy. Now, I¡¯m gonna lower this weapon, and we¡¯re all gonna be calm about it. Question is, will you do the same?" ¡°Slowly.¡± It was barely more than a hiss, but it was enough. He slowly removed his finger from the trigger before he pointed the weapon away, very slowly. She never blinked as she watched the motion in detail--intense, raptor-shaped eyes. ¡°Now, can you get off of me?¡± After a few seconds of tense standoff, Regia smiled faintly with a creasing of her beak. ¡°Been a while since I¡¯ve been caught off-guard. You¡¯re quick.¡± He took that as his sign to slowly decock the weapon and lower it, while she slid hers back into her vest. She stood up, and after a second of hesitation, hauled him to his feet. ¡°And apparently, you know how to use that.¡± ¡°I¡¯ve used firearms before. I¡¯ve studied them¡­haven¡¯t built one, though.¡± He glanced at the weapon, aimed down and away from the others. It looked like a double-action revolver, and he noted the hammer could be cocked to a readied state. Six slightly oversized rounds sat in an ammo cylinder. When he unlatched the catch and pivoted the cylinder out, he noticed the entire cylinder could be removed¨Cindeed, Regia had a few extra ammo cylinders with the open ends secured on her vest. ¡°Interesting design. This looks like Earth tech, and has influences from¡­The Unica Six. A weapon you¡¯ve likely never heard of. The barrel is aligned with the bottom cylinder, not the top. The trigger is oversized for your fingers and gives more relief, so your claws don¡¯t catch. Double action trigger, a quite lengthy barrel for a sidearm. The rounds also seem¡­¡± he frowned. ¡°Oversized. Interchangeable cylinders suggest a pragmatic approach to improving the firing rate and reducing reload times. The weapon is light, but it¡¯s a beefy frame.¡± ¡°Well, now, someone who appreciates the design. That¡¯s a first." The woman stood considerably taller than him when he tilted his gaze upward, and he offered the cylinder and firearm frame. She accepted it after a second, then she reloaded the weapon before holstering it on her thigh. ¡°Regia Halcyon, sorry for the hasty reaction¨Cit¡¯s my job to handle threats. What do they call you?¡± She extended a clawed handshake; he hesitated a bit before offering a hand. This woman was trained, of that, he was sure. Dangerous, too. But, probably not to him and Claire. ¡°Shawn Pentecost, of Earth, and my cousin, Claire¨Cwould you stop giving me that look?¡± he asked agitatedly, daring a glance at her. ¡°You almost got killed twice in five minutes!¡± She pointed accusingly at Regia. ¡°Does he look like a threat?¡± ¡°Anyone who can disarm me that smoothly? I¡¯d say yes. I¡¯m always on the lookout for danger, and there are reasons for that,¡± she added, then she pointed a clawed finger at Telga, who scoffed. ¡°Ma¡¯am, my job is to keep your feathered ass alive. You didn¡¯t think to tell me about this?¡± ¡°We were headed to the observation level to discuss our situation.¡± Telga put a hand on Regia¡¯s shoulder for reassurance, and she took that as her sign to relax in posture, limbs no longer tense. "My last attempt at the portal worked...sort of." "Forgive me if I don''t sing any praise, Telga," she retorted, arms folded, and took a step back from the snowy white avian. "Do I have to worry about them?" "No." The single word answer caused a slow transition to a resting calm face on the blue feathered woman. Telga turned to them. ¡°I will apologize in advance, you lack context on our situation. We should walk and talk.¡± ¡°We should do a lot more talking, then,¡± Claire stated with agitation, having remained in a coiled stance the whole time. ¡°What is with the tension, are you guys expecting armed killers?¡± ¡°Yes,¡± Regia answered with a single click of her beak. ¡°Wonderful.¡± Claire nudged past Regia to examine Shawn. She pointed at a hole in his shirt¨Ca scrape on his chest from Regia¡¯s claw was present, with a tiny bit of blood. "You alright?" "It''s a scrape," he assured her. Though, it stung a little. "Okay, I have questions, so please, can we continue?" Every step Shawn took in this surreal world brought a sense of wonder that comic books and dozens of stories he read as a kid couldn¡¯t. They paled in comparison to the surreal nature of an actual, sapient individual from another world. Telga was a little difficult to keep up with, without a fast walking pace her claw stride was slightly longer than theirs. ¡°You know, you act like we¡¯ll be the most surprising thing you¡¯ll see today," Telga proposed. Regia was beside him, her hand gravitating toward the holster on occasion. ¡°Should I not? We don¡¯t have digitigrade, avian humanoids where we come from. Or portals, magical or technological," Shawn answered. "The technology or magic to pull off a feat, must be incredible!" ¡°Shawn, stop nerding out, start with the small questions!¡± Claire took up stride next to Telga, who stole glances at the two of them while she led them down the hallway made of slab stone and occasional metal frame reinforcement. ¡°Okay, if you don¡¯t mind. Are you two familiar with the physical sciences? Chemistry? Is your atmosphere similar in composition to ours? Can you fly? Are you a derivative or related to any earthly avian species¨C¡± ¡°And you accuse me of nerding out.¡± He couldn¡¯t hide a faint smile, despite his best efforts. ¡°I''ll take your advice, Claire. Telga, what does your species call itself?¡± Telga chuckled softly beside him. ¡°We are called the Aveeran. And yes, we fly.¡± ¡°Truly? I''m not an expert, but, the math of your wingspan doesn¡¯t add up. Unless you¡¯re capable of immense thrust or you¡¯ve got hollow bones, and a lightweight body frame. Or maybe the atmosphere is thicker, which could, in theory allow a greater generation of lift, but this is opposed by air drag--are you laughing?¡± Telga clucked contentedly at that¨Ca vocalization that was more bird than human. "Yes. I haven''t heard a voice of enthusiasm in a while," Telga answered, a crease of amusement in her face. You might be reading a stolen copy. Visit Royal Road for the authentic version. "Hey, you have me!" Regia countered, who clicked her beak in irritation. "So, what else then, Shawn?" He pondered the possibilities that allowed flight. "I can reasonably conclude that your limbs have a high power-to-weight ratio, appearing like a lean athlete from comparable human physiology.¡± ¡°Your math is not wrong, but incomplete. However, gliding is preferable over longer distances. Powered flight is energy intensive. Also, that was a shrewd compliment," Regia replied back. She had picked up on that. She turned to peer while leading them up a staircase, to a higher level¨Cstone bricks and a simple metal safety rail guarding against slips and falls. ¡°What else can you infer on how this is possible?¡± ¡°This question alone might take a while to unpack¨Chmm...what else¡­¡± Shawn noticed something about his gait. It seemed more¡­loping. He also felt a little lighter. ¡°Hang on. What''s the standard gravity here? I feel lighter, like the stairs are easier to climb.¡± ¡°Ah, solved part of it, have you?" Telga said sounding mildly impressed. "The standard gravity up here is about seventy percent of Earth if my records are correct; it¡¯s comparable to the outermost orbital layer. It''s around seven meters per second squared.¡± What was an orbital layer? He¡¯d have to follow up on that one, later. "Hang on a tick, my turn! I want to hear more about this magic you mentioned. We don¡¯t have that on Earth," Claire interjected. They climbed the stairs and entered a new corridor behind another latching door. It looked like a dormitory area, but there was minimal lighting. Smaller doors had demarcations for names¨Clikely, people¡¯s assigned quarters. "You summoned us here with...magic?" ¡°Correct. The last remnants of my divine strength were barely enough to bring you here. Your intact state is nothing short of a small miracle.¡± Telga guided them through the hallway where a few humanoid-sized furnishings were arranged, and they approached a set of double doors. ¡°These powers we have? We call them the gestalts. Almost everyone has one¨Ceither inherited or acquired.¡± ¡°But you¡¯re a cut above, you said divine. Like, actual gods?¡± Shawn had to scratch his head at that. ¡°Yet here you are, flesh and blood.¡± ¡°I¡­was.¡± The way her voice halted gave Shawn pause. Regia also gave a sidelong glance to Telga and sighed. She said nothing else, but he could sense the hesitation in Telga''s voice. Shawn theorized about why: Some kind of discourse had been going on between these two for a while¨Cwell before he got here, he theorized. ¡°Suffice to say, there are those of us above and beyond what the gestalts are normally capable of. We are called ¡®Radiants¡¯ in the common parlance," Telga finished. ¡°Her, not me. I¡¯m just a gal with a penchant for tactics, paintings, killing monsters and zealots, and keeping her impulses in check. Telga, have you broken to them where exactly we are?¡± Regia asked and pointed to the double doors. ¡°It¡¯s easier to show it than it is to explain it. The view outside should give a clear indicator.¡± She motioned for them to follow her, and unlocked the latch before motioning for him to open the door himself. ¡°I¡¯ll give you a few moments to take it in.¡± ¡°Word to the wise? Just take it slowly,¡± Regia said with a click of her beak, but made no motion to stop her counterpart. Shawn opened the door and stepped out to a walled garden¨Cand so much more. The garden was very much that, a garden with shrubs, low trees of green and teal leaves, with colorful flower equivalents, verdant and bright. There was a chatter of small birds nearby, foreign bird calls unfamiliar to him. The entire area was walled in by stoic-looking gray brick, expertly shaped and forming a barrier wall. At the far end was a metal fence that overlooked something. A fountain sprinkled water in a spiraling arc in the center, yet another oddity of physics that seemed broken. But Shawn and Claire gasped when they looked upwards. Gravity being broken was now the least of impossibilities. They were not on Earth. Above them was the gleam of an otherworldly nebula shining brightly, and a sea of stars twinkled behind the celestial beauty. Ghostly tendrils of the nebula traced across the sky in small whorls and arches, with green, blue, and yellow streaks painting its outline, as his gaze followed the endless expanse. A red star accented the sky, low to the horizon of where they were, and his arms fell to his side while his brain tried to reconcile this. They were in space. The garden was in space. There was a faint glow of some kind of atmosphere around them that terminated in a faint blue shimmer, just beyond the threshold of the walls. The fact that his lungs didn''t instantly collapse or his body simultaneously boiled and froze like it would if exposed to a hard vacuum, gave him a modicum of relief. But he did hold his breath for a spell longer than he should. ¡°Whoa. Well, the engineer in me says that we should be dead. Yep.¡± ¡°Shawn?¡± Claire sounded shaky and knelt on the grass¨Che thought it was grass, because it looked like grass from Earth¨Cand she rocked on her feet unsteadily. ¡°Shawn, this can¡¯t be real.¡± ¡°This is Remaria. Wherever it is.¡± A cold trickle of fear draped his back, everyone he¡¯s ever known was so incalculably far from him, that he couldn¡¯t even compute it. He forced himself to take deep, slow breaths. The greenery still smelt like fresh-cut grass, and cedar. He peered at the railing. There was a hint of something round in the sky obscured¨Cwas it a ring? A planetary ring? He couldn¡¯t see the rest, he saw just the tip of a lemon-colored ring, like Saturn. He continued his advance and walked along the dusty-colored brick path. The closer he got to the railing, the more he was filled with fascination. The outline of a planet was in the sky. A world of green and blue, like Earth. When he got to the railing, he gripped it tightly. Claire let out a low gasp. ¡°Shawn, what the hell am I looking at?¡± ¡°We are not in Kansas anymore.¡± he gripped the railing tightly and felt his stomach lurch. Down below him was a planet. An entire planet. But the planet wasn¡¯t right. On its surface, he saw that it had that wonderful marbling of brown, blue, and green, just like Earth would. But that is where the similarities stopped. This world was fractured. He could see large chunks of the world missing. No, that wasn¡¯t it. They were free-floating away from each other, giant fissures forming between continents. Water formed vast sheets where the ocean would drop into a chasm¡­and down into another layer. This world was hollow. Even now, some of the water looped impossibly, and against gravity, back around the planetoids. But the pieces were all a part of one original planet. Below, sunlight filtered from the orange dwarf star, to the giant, gleaming crystalline towers he could see from orbit, conveying their impossible scale. They shone with brilliance, and carried the light deeper into the layers, gleaming like small suns themselves where they terminated in spherical endpoints, illuminating the deeper continents¨Cit was difficult to even look at them for more than the briefest instant. There were other layers below those, some marbled with greenery¨Cothers barren, dusty looking. He could make out at least three distinct orbital layers, where the majority of the tectonic masses seemed to form around. He then realized what they were standing on, and he was wonderstruck. They were orbiting above the world. Their garden ended at a terminus. Raw rock, earth, and roots clung to the side in a sheer drop. He dared to lean over the railing, and realized their position must be a small moon. A tiny moon that couldn¡¯t possibly have enough gravity to hold him to the surface, let alone have a breathable atmosphere. It was terrifying¨Cand in a moment of brilliance, utterly awe-inspiring. This place¡­was something special, alright. He didn¡¯t have words for this. It was like someone had taken a Matryoshka doll, and applied it to an entire world. Whole continents and seas, split and separated from previously one congruous spheroid, each layer showing the same fractured composition. But there was greenery down there. There was life. ¡°Top five moment in your life?¡± she let out a slow breath and clung to the railing for dear life, even dropping her body low to the frame. ¡°Top five? First place, hands down.¡± He couldn''t take his eyes off of this sight. ¡°I want to dissect how this place defies gravity. How every bit of physics says that the world should collapse inward. How this world can¡¯t possibly be hollow. But all I can see is the beauty of the impossible.¡± ¡°Remaria is a special place.¡± Telga and Regia had emerged from the doorway without a trace of sound, and the snowy white Aveeran spoke in a tranquil tone. ¡°This place is a conflux of worlds beyond, a nexus of gods and mortals. What you see below, is our hallowed world. Our home.¡± ¡°I would say hollow, but given that you have godlike beings walking around¨Cassuming you aren¡¯t embellishing¨Cthe name fits quite well.¡± Shawn pointed to the fragmented world. ¡°And what threat is down there that pushes you to what might be an act of last resort?¡± ¡°My brother.¡± She hung her head low, and Regia let out an irritated click of her beak. "Revarik. The Radiant of Conquest." "Your brother is the threat?" Shawn turned, hands going slack to his side. The thought caught up with him, and he couldn''t imagine that kind of weight on your shoulders. ¡°One I should have done something about, sooner. But...when your family is the foe..." she trailed. The regret seeped into her words, her gaze fixed on that not-so-distant planet, focused on a spot somewhere directly below them. Regia stood there, one clawed foot tapping. ¡°He is so far gone, Telga, it¡¯s a disservice to call him family. He made one thing clear: he will kill you. He will do whatever he deems necessary, to obtain power.¡± She stepped toward Telga, but looked right at Shawn and Claire. ¡°Make no mistake: He is an enemy and a dangerous one, at that. He cannot be reasoned with. We tried. We failed.¡± Shawn put up a hand to interrupt. ¡°Why is he so dangerous?¡± ¡°He has an army, a creepy gestalt, and a passion for violence. His followers, acolytes, whatever they call themselves, are committed to his vision of making the world whole.¡± Regia looked nonplussed, having to say that. Shawn glanced at the broken world, then back at her. ¡°I presume you mean the nature of the scattered, disparate civilizations, down below?¡± ¡°Hah. I wish. See, he thinks he can make the world whole. Except if he pulls it off, it¡¯ll be a cataclysm worse than what split the world into pieces,¡± Regia stated deadpan. His eyes widened, and several apocalypse movies instantly played through his head. ¡°I was hoping you were being figurative.¡± ¡°Yeah, me too. He¡¯s hit some roadblocks, but¡­¡± ¡°He¡¯s a threat to the whole world. He''s tearing apart everyone in his path, with an obsessive vision to reunite the world. He might just destroy it, in the process.¡± Telga leaned onto the railing, claws making a soft metallic tapping sound, and her eyes narrowed and focused on that central core. ¡°I know what you¡¯re thinking. This place defies logic.¡± He nodded calmly, thinking about that impossible beauty, down below. "I have an awful lot of questions." ¡°You think I¡¯m crazy.¡± ¡°Not something I haven¡¯t thought about myself, either,¡± Shawn responded. ¡°You think we can help stop him?¡± ¡°I know you can. You¡¯re intelligent, driven, unafraid. All precursors to make that happen,¡± Telga answered confidently. ¡°But, how?¡± She let go of the railing and gazed at him, her beak set firmly, her eyes filled with a spark of determination. ¡°By granting you the power of the gestalts." Ch. 3: Prepare For Unforeseen Consequences... Shawn struggled to rank which was the most bizarre thing he¡¯d learned today: The fact that avian aliens existed. The fact that magic, or magic-integrated technology, existed. Or, that other worlds, with other sapient species that could have come out of the manual for a fantasy game, were floating everywhere. Or, possibly the most dramatic factoid, was that magical rocks gave people powers in this world, after Telga gave him a brief explanation of the magic. ¡°I''m going to need a minute to process this.¡± He glanced around at the spartan laboratory, filled with equipment, wiring, and half-finished projects. Once again, strangely empty. ¡°Telga, where is everyone else?¡± ¡°Mostly resting. It¡¯s technically the middle of the night, but I heard the teleport activate since it¡¯s close to my chambers.¡± It didn¡¯t feel like the middle of the night, but Shawn also realized they were in orbit. ¡°I swear, you don¡¯t sleep at all, Telga,¡± Regia pushed back, her cheek feathers puffing out. A sign of agitation, Shawn figured. ¡°And, you pulled these two poor souls. Sucks to be you guys, I¡¯m sorry in advance. Usually, we get some basement-dwelling losers with bad hair and degenerate personalities.¡± Shawn sighed in resignation. Someone had soured the experience for her, long before he could prove himself. ¡°Well rest assured, I¡¯m an engineer. I¡¯m a man of science. So is my cousin." Regia perked up at that, eyes glittering with interest. ¡°But, didn¡¯t you just say that the last time she tried this was thirty years ago?¡± ¡°I¡¯ve got a good memory.¡± Regia looked smug as she announced that. ¡°Don¡¯t ask a chick her age, though. It¡¯s considered universally impolite.¡± ¡°Ooh, someone with a dose of snark! Shawn, you¡¯ve been replaced as my favorite personality!¡± Claire called out with a grin. ¡°Now, I¡¯m no expert on Aveeran physiology, but I do know avians from our world live proportionately longer than their body mass would indicate. Mimetic birds such as parrots about the size of my arm,¡± she added as she gave them a scale to go on, ¡°have been notable for outliving their trainers!¡± ¡°That was a long way to say, they live longer,¡± Shawn stated dryly. "Out of curiosity, how long, exactly?" ¡°We live longer than humans, about five hundred Remarian orbits. The Radiants, those with exceptional powers, are theoretically immortal. Well, barring a violent outcome or being eaten by predators,¡± Telga summarized. ¡°My brother is the most dangerous predator, preying on this world, killing those that resist him, enslaving the rest¡­or using them for unspeakable things.¡± ¡°We left this problem unanswered for too long, between us, and the other Radiants.¡± Regia leaned in, with the closest analogy to a ¡®frown¡¯ he could read from her beak, and her sullen eyes. ¡°And despite my protests, Telga got her powers zapped by her brother, in an ill-fated attempt to find a solution on the core world, the bottom-most layer. This should not be your problem to solve, Shawn. For the record.¡± ¡°Either way, its an opportunity I didn''t expect, and I jumped in.¡± Shawn turned to peer at Telga, sitting composed. ¡°Let¡¯s talk about the gestalts. Most everyone on this planet can use some form of magic. Correct?¡± ¡°Almost everyone is born with a gestalt, or they can acquire one, from this.¡± Telga lifted a case from a locked cabinet, with no less than two separate layers of security locks. She opened the casing, made of some unremarkable dusty-looking metal, and pulled out a glass jar with a metal frame five centimeters in diameter. Housed within it was a blue fluid that seemed to glow with its own light. Inside, was a roughly hexagonal crystal array, no longer than his finger, that looked like bismuth¨Cthe facets appearing iridescent, as she shifted the jar gently. ¡°And by touching it, it will give me powers.¡± ¡°A simple explanation. It will be absorbed into your body, and the powers it may grant you, are varied. No two gestalts are the same, though some can be functionally identical.¡± Telga did not let go of the jar, but regarded it with a frown, and ran a thumb gently across the glass, contemplatively. ¡°You¡¯ve seen my light gestalt. Even without my full power, I can use it to generate light, or when concentrated, various simple rigid shapes that can interact with physical objects, or I can make energy-based projectiles. They can be¡­deadly, if need be.¡± ¡°Mine isn¡¯t the same.¡± Regia held out her hand, and particles of a clear fluid formed seemingly out of the air. A wavering sphere of liquid condensed, hovering just over her claws, and she twirled her fingers gently. The globule of liquid slowly rotated, forming a torus shape, rippling dimly. What was fascinating, was that as it grew larger, Shawn noted the air seemed to feel a little dryer around him. ¡°Can you tell what it is?¡± ¡°Hydrokinesis. The power over water.¡± Claire beat him to the conclusion and stared at it, fascinated. ¡°You¡¯ve accumulated the water moisture in the room.¡± ¡°Not quite. I think I also can store some elsewhere, where I can recall it later,¡± Regia explained, and held the globule of water aloft cupping her hands around it. It slowly took the shape of a small Aveeran, its form looking remarkably well-defined, despite being made of nothing but water. It even flapped its wings gently, in an incredible sign of animation. ¡°I was born with it. I¡­also had to master it quickly. Not all gestalts are benign.¡± She gritted her beak gently, eyes lowered, before the figure broke into tiny particles of water that evaporated back into the air in seconds. ¡°Incredible. And you can control it to that fidelity, form complex three-dimensional shapes?¡± The possibilities of this one were immense, the potential limitless. He hoped she hadn¡¯t had a bad experience that would limit her willingness to experiment. ¡°With the right level of focus? Yep. I can get them to move, manipulate, I can throw out a torrent of water¡­and occasionally, combine it with other gestalts to do some cool stuff.¡± Her mood brightened at that last mention, and she smiled. ¡°It¡¯s not as wild as some other powers I¡¯ve seen, but it is mine.¡± ¡°So, you¡¯re either born with it, or acquired through this material?¡± he pointed back to the crystal. ¡°What is it called?¡± ¡°This is Etteria. The backbone of all magic in this world,¡± Telga explained, and tapped the container gently. ¡°Anyone can touch the metal and it will grant them a gestalt¨Cusually. It may also lead to some physiological changes, as well, in certain cases. Some good¡­others¡­¡± she trailed off. Regia took note of the hesitation, beak pressed tightly. ¡°Just tell him, Telga. No need to keep the suspense.¡± Telga let out a whisper quiet breath, head tilted down. ¡°Shawn, Claire, I¡¯ve summoned others to help me solve problems before this, numerous times. Many went to live fulfilling lives in this world. But, the last time I tried, was almost thirty years ago. I had a¡­bad experience.¡± ¡°Meaning, the power went to their head, and they were a danger to themselves, and others. We had to put them down.¡± Regia pointed at that strange crystal with a single claw, her finger practically shaking. ¡°And you want to do this again. To strangers who owe you nothing, Telga.¡± ¡°That part comes later. I actually have a different purpose: I need you two to study these samples,¡± Telga corrected, surprising both him, and Claire. ¡°Telga, before I commit to anything¡­¡± Shawn took a moment, and looked for a reassuring sign from Claire. But she was in utter focus examining the crystal, eyes tracing those gleaming edges. ¡°What happened to that individual?¡± ¡°They became a monster. Not all gestalts end well. Some people¡­get controlled by magic. Not the other way around. Or, they believe that might makes right¨Cthat they can use that power forcibly upon others, and are beyond reproach.¡± Telga closed her eyes, shaking her head. ¡°I won¡¯t lie to you Shawn, I¡¯ve made mistakes before. As a Radiant, I should be setting a better example, trying to guide people to enlightenment and a growing civilization. But I didn¡¯t. Other people paid the price.¡± ¡°You can¡¯t blame every fault on yourself, Telga. You¡¯ve tried, which is more than I can say of the other Radiants. They¡¯re content with sitting on their damn perch above the world, and showing nothing more than a sneering indifference.¡± Regia sounded solemn, her feathers no longer bristled. ¡°You two should consider this: There¡¯s no coming back from this. You can¡¯t undo the changes, once you take in the Etteria. It may change you, in ways you don¡¯t want to change.¡± Her gaze never broke the lock from Telga, even as she spoke in a sharp tone. ¡°You tried peace, Telga. It didn¡¯t work. He¡¯s not gonna stop, and you know it. I told you, take out his golden general, and he could be delayed by months, or even years!¡± The narrative has been taken without permission. Report any sightings. ¡°That was a plan of futility, and would have had less effect.¡± Shawn put up a hand of restraint. ¡°Okay, I¡¯m not sure what your contention is with each other, but I have more questions. Why do you need me? And what are the risks?¡± Telga straightened up. ¡°I have some theories about Etteria I¡¯ve gleaned in recent years. I want an outside mind¨Cwell, two, now¨Cto explore the material. I want to study the crystals we haven¡¯t been able to before¨Cand how we can use it against Revarik. I have a theory that there is a way to beat him, without fighting a battle we have no hope of winning.¡± ¡°That¡¯s Telga¡¯s plan A,¡± Regia said with a ruffled set of feathers. ¡°It¡¯s also a plan that banks on us finding a solution to deal with her brother. He is dangerous and powerful. You know how they say, a general should never be at the forefront of his armies? Well, he does that sometimes. And when he shows up? Armies get murdered and cities die, turned to ghosts and ash. Luckily for us, using his full power like that takes a lot out of him, then he has to go on vacation for like¡­a few weeks.¡± Maggie for Fate¡¯s sake, if you¡¯re on this world somewhere? I hope to whatever powers exist in this world, that you weren¡¯t there when this guy started murdering cities. Shawn nodded while he processed this. ¡°This implies there¡¯s plan B. Probably a crazier plan, isn¡¯t it?¡± ¡°Oh, yeah, it¡¯s crazy,¡± Regia whistled. ¡°We hand that Etteria off to someone who can use it, which could lead to a number of really bad things happening. Worst case? It doesn¡¯t kill you, and it makes you into someone monstrous,¡± she stated calmly, her gaze shifting to him, and looking decidedly less hostile. ¡°Best case? You get powers. Then, we fight a battle we have no chance of winning, against an egotistical god who is teetering on madness.¡± ¡°That was the best case?¡± Claire echoed. ¡°Screw it, send me and the enginerd back to Massachusetts¨C¡± ¡°Claire, hold up a tick,¡± he interrupted before she could start venting. ¡°There may be other ways to help without rolling the dice on dangerous magic. I have expertise in manufacturing, weapon design, and modern infrastructure that could help, indirectly. And studying the Etteria. I do know materials.¡± Claire straightened in her seat. ¡°I don¡¯t know how far along your chemistry and other physical sciences are, but we may have knowledge that could be useful, even without attempting to take on funky powers. No offense, I¡¯m a little wary about messing around with magic crystals.¡± Shawn realized something, the way Telga kept regarding, running her finger across the case--not a nervous tic, but the way someone would trace their finger over a photograph, or other memento important to them. A thought clicked into place. ¡°This Etteria is different, isn¡¯t it?¡± ¡°It came from the core world. This sample¡­and its twin¡­¡± Telga sighed and glanced at the casing. ¡°The material will only bond with someone who doesn¡¯t already have a gestalt. It won¡¯t work on myself, Regia, or anyone else here in this sanctuary.¡± ¡°Except us.¡± Shawn mulled his response. This world below him had problems. Danger was building, if he believed Telga. Danger that she had witnessed personally, and already taken losses. ¡°If this material is so prevalent in your world, why only two samples? Why not more, and recruit an army?¡± Telga¡¯s eyes dimmed, as did Regia¡¯s, and her gaze lowered to the sample. ¡°These are different. These are a rare kind of Etteria¨Cprimal crystals. It was¡­not easy to acquire these.¡± The strain in her words, the way she held the case close to her chest, told Shawn that this price had been too high for her. ¡°You lost people, trying to get these. I can see it on your face. They were so important, you were willing to put yourself at grave risk.¡± Claire, ever the insightful one, beat him to the punch. Regia opened her beak to say something, but Telga put a hand up. Claire continued, speaking softly. ¡°Why?¡± ¡°Because I believed this was the only way to stop my brother¨Cto find a champion, with power and cunning to match his own. Which meant, I had to take a risk.¡± ¡°You were betting on a Hail Mary, weren¡¯t you?¡± Shawn¡¯s theory found purchase, and Telga nodded, running a thumb across the glass gently. ¡°A fleeting hope?¡± Regia regarded her counterpart, arms crossed over her chest, claws tapping her armor. ¡°More like a foolish hope. But an honest one.¡± A sharp metal chime filled the air, and Regia glanced down at her armor vest¨Ca silver disk with small runes etched on it had lit up red, and she put it up to her ear crest¨Ca tuft of feathers that sort of looked like an ear. ¡°Garrett, it¡¯s the middle of the night, what is it?¡± ¡°We lost ground-side communications with our primary contacts.¡± A sharp male voice broke through. ¡°Arcane transmitters are not working except on our close-ranged stuff, too. I can¡¯t reach Vea¡¯lant or the Valtirian capital. I¡¯m headed down to the portal to check it out.¡± ¡°Do it, as a precaution.¡± Regia placed the silver disk back in her vest pocket, frowning. ¡°Telga, I worry you might have overplayed your hand. When you activated your teleport pad to reach the heavens, you lit off a beacon any competent arcanist could follow. You took a massive risk without consulting me.¡± ¡°A necessary risk¨C¡± A thunderous sound shook the whole room: metal cabinets rattled, and a few jars tumbled and shattered. Shawn felt his feet sway, and they were all on alert. The disk on Regia¡¯s vest glowed bright red. ¡°Telga, Regia, all hands on deck! The cargo platform is compromised, they blew open a locked bulkhead, I see it on the observation lenses!¡± Garrett called out in a squawk of panic, and he tapped something in the background. Alarms started going off like shrill whistles. ¡°Security team, rally at the stairwell by the observation floor! Regia, get Telga out of here!¡± ¡°I¡¯m not leaving you, Garrett!¡± she responded, a warble in her words. ¡°You damn well will, if you want her to live through this! Get the emergency teleportal escape plan going, right now!¡± Garrett barked, and she went wide-eyed, before tapping the relay. ¡°If you can¡¯t contain it, you fall back. Don¡¯t make this a hill to die on.¡± Claire looked ready for a fight. Telga was terror-struck. Regia looked like she was about to murder some fools. Shawn knew he needed to make a decision, right now. ¡°Telga. You say you have two samples? We¡¯re using one. Right now.¡± ¡°Shawn, this is a monumentally bad idea, and you know it is!¡± Claire¡¯s biting words did nothing to deter him. He locked eyes with Telga. ¡°I have one question for you, Telga. I need you to be honest with me.¡± He took a deep breath, prepared to brace against an answer he knew might destroy his will to keep going if he was wrong, and Maggie was likely already dead. ¡°Did you take someone else, ten years ago?¡± ¡°No. But, why?¡± she asked, sounding confused. ¡°Shawn, don¡¯t¨C¡± Claire¡¯s warning to not tip his hand came too late. ¡°The person who was taken ten years ago was my sister, Maggie Pentecost. The whole world believed she drowned when we fell into a river during the winter, when the ice broke. It grabbed her, and they dragged me out, barely alive. Her body was never found. I know the truth now: she was taken here, by someone else.¡± ¡°Shawn¡­¡± Telga¡¯s eyes were wide with dread. ¡°It has been ten years. This world is filled with danger. The odds of her survival¡­¡± she trailed off, unwilling to state how faint a glimmer of hope there was. But it was still there. ¡°Why would two people who know each other, both be pulled by the same magic, on a planet of eight billion people?¡± he asked. Telga¡¯s answer was a deflated sigh. ¡°The pull of regret, Shawn. This magic always seems to pull exceptional individuals. I couldn¡¯t tell you why. But sometimes¡­Fate is cruel.¡± ¡°Then I¡¯m here for this reason. I¡¯m right where I need to be.¡± She slid her clawed hand away from the case. He hit the latch, with the dread building in the air. He glanced at that crystal suspended in the blue fluid, feeling the vibration on his fingertips as he gripped the canister. He glanced at Telga. ¡°If there¡¯s anyone scrappy and resourceful enough to survive this world, it''s her. Help me find her, help me bring her home, alive. I¡¯ll help you in whatever way I can against Revarik. I think it''s in both our best interests to work together on this one.¡± ¡°Shawn, you¡¯re trying to rationalize a stupid idea with a fantasy¨C¡± He ignored Claire, and waited for Telga¡¯s answer. Telga stood resolute, and nodded firmly. ¡°Done. Your sister, Maggie? It might be possible to trace her. Or at least, who brought her here.¡± ¡°Good enough to start. Claire, protect that other sample with your life," Shawn instructed. ¡°What about my say in this?!¡± she snapped. ¡°Shawn, you are taking a monumental risk with your own life. You¡¯re being irrational, emotional, and this is a bad idea on every level,¡± she insisted. This was the first time he¡¯d seen fear etched in her eyes. ¡°This is what your mom was worried about. You get obsessed, and you¡¯re going to chase a ghost. It wasn''t your fault. She¡¯s gone, Shawn. Don¡¯t do this.¡± Another thunderous sound of devastation, and the room shook again. Garrett¡¯s voice came through the relay. ¡°Regia, we can¡¯t hold them, you need to run! Grab Telga, and tell her that her brother¡¯s zealots are here to finish the job! If she stays, she¡¯ll die!¡± ¡°But what about the staff, there¡¯s sixty people here¨C¡± ¡°Telga is the only one that matters. We are expendable.¡± The shock on Regia¡¯s face, her beak agape, told Shawn she was not prepared to leave him. Shawn knew, it was now or never. Whatever this was going to do to him, couldn¡¯t make their situation much worse, and turned his gaze to Telga. ¡°If I don¡¯t survive this¡­promise me you''ll find her, and keep Claire safe.¡± He hovered his hand over the jar, ready for a plunge into the unknown. Telga stiffened, her actions no longer plagued by hesitation. She gave him a firm nod. ¡°You have my word. Help our world, and I will do everything in my power to keep you two safe, and find your sister.¡± ¡°Shawn, rethink your choice, there¡¯s an armory nearby, we have a contingency escape,¡± Regia interjected, trying to edge closer to him, her face tense. ¡°I have watched good people die horribly because of the gestalts. I don¡¯t know you, but I don¡¯t want your face added to the people I have to remember.¡± ¡°Regia¡­he¡¯s made up his mind.¡± She turned to Claire, a look of acceptance on her face. ¡°He does that. He sets a goal, and gets to it, every time." ¡°Ah, by the Radiants,¡± Regia sighed while she threw open a cabinet, grabbed supplies and stuffed it in a case, as if she had a plan in mind. ¡°Every human I meet is just a little bit crazy.¡± ¡°Not exactly untrue. If you die from this, Shawn?¡± Claire asked, her whole body tense. ¡°I¡¯m using your corpse for science. You live through this, I still might use your dead-assed corpse for science.¡± ¡°I love the ringing endorsement for really bad ideas.¡± He closed his eyes and went back to that moment. When he saw Maggie gasping under the ice, falling into the portal, and his own body was shutting down from the cold. He¡¯d barely made it back above the surface. He remembered her last pleading look. Don¡¯t let me die. He opened his eyes, his mind utterly tranquil in the chaos around them. ¡°Maggie taught me the most important thing in my life. There¡¯s no hope, without bravery.¡± He was not going to die in orbit before he¡¯d even set foot on Remaria. He was going to find Maggie and bring her home. He would survive to make that happen for all of them, no matter what it took. Even if he had to fight his way past a self-declared god, to do so. He plunged his hand into the jar, and grabbed the crystal. Ch. 4: Integration By Parts (And Magic) A searing pain shot through his entire body, and he gripped the small crystal with all his might. He staggered to one knee, unwilling to let go while the fiery sensation intensified across his skin, rippling across muscles, bones, and organs. He shuddered but kept himself from screaming, as the small piece thrummed with power in his hand. ¡°Shawn, let go of it!¡± Claire pleaded, but Regia held her back, out of the corner of his eye. ¡°Let go of me, you oversized stuffed bird!¡± ¡°Claire get back, it''s already started! If you yank it out of his hands, it could kill him!¡± Regia stood firm and grabbed Claire by the waist, dragging her back, and she screamed in rage. Telga took a step back, and gave a solemn nod, as piercing pain split across his body. ¡°Don¡¯t die, Shawn.¡± Gold threads traced across his skin, burning it and simultaneously healing it. He gritted his teeth so hard that he felt one of the cavity fillings he got at the age of thirteen crack. It was inconsequential to this pain, this fiery, agonizing pain. He felt his entire existence reorganizing and the stitching of flesh into something new, a glow now spreading across his body. I am not dying before I get Maggie home. I am not losing the few good things in my life before I have a chance to fight for them. He felt his whole body convulsing with pain, as his flesh burnt. But what was stranger, was the strange shapes appearing in his vision, the buzzing in his brain. It felt like a hive of bees inside him, a reprieve from the searing pain across his body. Runic shapes and symbols graced his vision, which he did not recognize at first¨Cuntil he realized they were similar to the teleport platform he had first emerged on, in this world. And he could understand them. Like a lightning rod in his brain, he could read them. Blood cauterized, burnt to ash, and that glow intensified around his body. All he could do was grit and hold his chest with his arms, groaning, and trying to keep his eyes open. He saw Claire fighting against Regia. Telga stood there, stoically, motioning for Regia, shouting for her to prepare their escape plan, and that she¡¯d carry him if she needed to. The runes in his vision grew fractally, becoming clearer, more distinct. His vision was blurring at the corners of his eyes, darkening as he fought to stay conscious. But he saw a message that instantly decrypted in his mind.
Who are you? How did you find me?
He didn¡¯t just see the words. He felt them. Buzzing in his mind, he ignored all else as his flesh seared and his insides churned, and his limbs cracked. I¡­I grabbed a crystal. It was the only way to protect my cousin--and newcomers. I have people to find, people to defend. He directed those thoughts to that internal sound, feeling his limbs twisting, his fingers creaking and cracking, and he collapsed on the ground. Muscles tensed and reformed along his body¨Che was being reshaped, molded into something else. The glyphs spun, as if hesitant, then unfurled into another message that resounded in his mind.
You¡¯re not from Remaria. You¡¯re different. Your body and soul resonate at a different frequency. What do you intend?
I have someone to find, in this world. She was taken. A Radiant bet it all on me, hoping I could help her save her world. I¡¯m hoping I can, so I can¡­ he panted, and let out a scream of pain as he felt cracks in his spine¨Cit wasn¡¯t just cracking, it was elongating. Every segment of his body felt like it was on fire, shaping and molding. The biting pain of a winter river, that numbness of pending death, couldn¡¯t compare to this.
You seek to make amends with your past.
I let my sister down. I have to make it right, even if I have to fight a god, to do so. But, what are you?
I¡¯m so much less than I was. I can¡¯t remember the span of my greatness, from before the dark. But, with you¡­maybe we can both be something more. Your gestalt will be suited to your skills, and build upon them to heights unforeseen. But, there will be other changes. Your soul still flickers¨Cit is haunted by other things. Things that you dread. Restraints you wish to break.
I have some baggage¨Coh dear gods, the pain!
It will pass. You have potential. It will not be wasted.
Shawn forced his eyes open, and he heard the screams he hadn¡¯t realized had been his voice. Every place on his body was in agony, but the voice inside his head was a beacon of calm. His vision blurred and he couldn¡¯t see what was happening to his body, but he knew he was changing. He felt sharp cracks and other twisting of his body, his neck, his spine, and a searing pain along his shoulder blades. His skin split like mud cracks on a hot summer day, patches turning green and white, and flaking apart. His screams had faded to low groans, and he felt the world closing in, the blackness crawling in from the corners of his vision.
Tell no one of my existence. Because they will destroy both of us or dissect us, for what makes us different.
Just promise me¡­that I will remain who I am.
That¡¯s up to you. But you have a spark of determination that burns brightly. Fight to survive. Fight for those you protect.
But¡­what do I call you? The genuine version of this novel can be found on another site. Support the author by reading it there.
Call me Halsey.
He felt the world close around him, and the relief of oblivion.
¡°Shawn, wake up, this is no time for a nap!¡± Shawn¡¯s eyes fluttered open, and he let out a low groan. Everything hurt everywhere, all at once, and he felt itchy all over, and his spine ached like he''d been slammed into the floor. This was worse than the portal, if such a thing were possible. Telga was kneeling beside him, beak practically in his face, and looking at him worriedly. ¡°Grrk¡­what¡­happened.¡± his words felt sluggish, something didn¡¯t feel right, at all. The worrying part was that he sort of remembered what happened. Those glyphs were still present in his vision, whirring away at messages. A new message appeared, and he read it.
Telga does not know I exist. Keep it that way. For your own sake, and safety, tell her nothing.
You were real?
I still am. Shawn, you¡¯re in danger, you need to move, right now. MOVE!
Shooting pain spread up his limbs, and he gasped while Telga let out a sigh of relief. ¡°Well, you¡¯re not an invalid, that¡¯s good news. Okay, there are some things you might want to be aware of since you were unconscious for about a couple of minutes.¡± He tried to speak again, but his tongue felt off¨Cit felt different, and the words were almost garbled. And the inside of his mouth felt spacious. His jaw felt all¡­wrong. He took in his surroundings. They were not in the same laboratory, and he craned his neck to peer around. Something felt off about the motion. Like his neck was a rubber band in tension. There was a persistent blur in front of his face that he couldn¡¯t quite make out. Something yellow and black. Claire gazed at him warily, clutching the casing with the other crystal protected within. Regia was locking down a door. Other Aveeran were in the room with them, staring at him in awe, including a colorful red and green male with a plume of blue feathers on his head crest, and bright green eyes. He had just been barking instructions¨Curgent, but calm. He wore armor similar to Regia and appeared bloodied, but alert. ¡°The level is warded off, but it won''t hold, Telga! We are trading space for time, get that exit portal up so we have a shot of escaping!¡± the man instructed calmly, and then saw Shawn looking his way. ¡°Okay, good, he¡¯s up! Is he mobile?¡± ¡°He¡¯s going to have to be!¡± Telga called out, and she brought his head in her direction. It was a little too intimately close for comfort for his liking. ¡°Shawn, some things have changed for you. Do you remember?¡± ¡°No. There was a lot of world-ending pain.¡± His tongue didn¡¯t want to move the way he remembered, and his words were labored. He ran his tongue over his¨Cwait¨C Where were his teeth? His eyes widened. It was then he noted his visual acuity was sharper. The color was more vivid, shapes were more defined. It was like he¡¯d plugged into an ultra-high definition monitor, and was viewing the world the way it was meant to be viewed. It suddenly dawned on him there was also a discomforting pain at his back¨Clike he was laying on it wrong, and there were two sore spots by his shoulder blades. And his lower spine. He dared to raise an arm to gently nudge Telga out of his personal space. And regretted it when he discovered something new that did not qualify as normal. ¡°Telga¡­what happened to me?¡± His arm was covered in green and white feathers, not glued on, but growing out of his skin. His hand and fingers were now covered in banded scales, like hers, and each finger ended in a sharp claw. More worrying, was the fact that he only counted three fingers, plus a thumb. ¡°Shawn, don¡¯t panic.¡± Telga didn¡¯t get the memo that this was not a calming statement, in any universe. ¡°That is the exact opposite thing you tell someone when you don¡¯t want them to panic!¡± Claire chastised before setting down the casing to come over to his side. ¡°Shawn, we had to carry you to this secure area. You¡¯re in a bad way.¡± ¡°I have bird fingers.¡± It was the most unintelligent thing he had ever said and didn¡¯t come close to describing how he felt. ¡°Why?¡± ¡°Your gestalt did a number on you.¡± ¡°I can see that!¡± Stating the obvious had a way of agitating him in a way few other things could, and he felt his face. Feathers there, too. His skull shape felt different. And, the yellow and black beak attached to his face was the icing on the cake¨Cthat explained that slight blurring of what was just inside the corner of either eye. A subtle motion on his back also got his attention, and he stared at the white and green wings now coming through the shredded remains of his jacket. "Oh, this is new." He wiggled one with an amateurish limb movement, and it responded with extreme speed. The total wingspan spanned easily his body height, or more. He reached for one with his hand, and knew it was real, because tugging on a feather resulted in a sharp, and distinct pain. ¡°Oh, boy.¡± He winced as he looked down¨Cand thankfully, his clothes hadn¡¯t fully disintegrated, but his legs had transformed, as well. They, too, looked like a raptor¡¯s talons, and he flexed the digits uneasily. They felt powerful, and he dared to put one foot down on the ground. He saw Telga¡¯s stance, the way she put weight on the foot, and took note. ¡°I got turned into a chicken.¡± ¡°Aveeran, technically,¡± Telga corrected and looked mildly impressed. ¡°This was not on my list of expectations. You should rest a second¨C¡± Another thunderous boom echoed, and dust drifted down from the ceiling. That got him instantly focused. ¡°Okay, rest time is over. What¡¯s our exit plan?!¡± he called out. ¡°Our exit portal is charging,¡± Regia explained, grabbing what looked like a rifle or carbine, and loading in what looked like shotgun rounds into the feed tube, before priming the lever action. ¡°We hold out until it¡¯s charged, then we get out of here.¡± ¡°Okay. I need a weapon. What have we got?¡± ¡°You were screaming in pain a few minutes ago, Shawn!¡± she exclaimed, even as she finished loading the rifle. ¡°And yes, we have firearms. Did you get anything out of your gestalt? I hate to ask, but your status as an Aveeran is possibly the strangest gestalt I¡¯ve ever seen.¡± ¡°I¡¯m¡­an Aveeran, now?¡± As if it wasn''t obvious already. I lost my human form. I should have known my bold move was going to have a price tag, he thought with an internal sigh.
From my point of view, be glad you didn''t get turned into a pile of ashes!
Shawn tried not to react from the forceful response from the voice--or Halsey, as she called herself. She did have a good point. Claire still hadn''t let go of this offense, however. ¡°You turned him into an overgrown chicken, and you stopped me!¡± Claire screamed accusingly at both Regia and Telga. ¡°I knew the risks, Claire,¡± he stated firmly. ¡°Give me a weapon. You guys are using lever action rifles from late nineteenth-century technology, or early twentieth. But your ammo seems unusual.¡± ¡°Alchemical cartridges,¡± Regia explained. ¡°It''s an alchemical charge in a steel-lined casing activated by impact, and the rounds are steel-core projectiles. Shawn, you¡¯re in no shape to be fighting¨C¡± ¡°I am.¡± Claire grabbed a spare rifle before examining it, and started loading the feed tube in rapid succession. ¡°Shanghaied to the ass-end of the universe! Plunked down into a scenario right out of a fantasy novel!¡± She growled, teeth gritted as she finished. ¡°And, with this idiot who screwed around with magic rocks!¡±
Hope she''s not related. Because she sounds quite upset.
Uh, yeah, she¡¯s a cousin of mine. Way to make this already awkward. The sound of a distant thud, on the other side of the barricaded and reinforced doorway, forced him to rise to his feet, and he grabbed a spare rifle. Adrenaline spiked through his body, and he steadied himself on his new legs, testing his balance. ¡°I¡¯ll die on my feet, thanks. Or claws, as might be the case.¡±
Arms and armor will not be your only deterrents against your foes, Shawn. Let''s put that Etteria to work.
Ch. 5: The Power Of Your Legacy Being transformed into an Aveeran, fortunately, hadn¡¯t destroyed his sense of balance, but many things still felt off¨Cchief among them, the overwhelming increased fidelity of his vision and hearing. He needed to be mobile, and he needed to be deadly, right now. As if on cue, runic text appeared in his vision, slowly unfurling into letters and symbols he could understand. Halsey was still with him.
Okay, Shawn, I¡¯m synced up with you. You got something useful! I was right about you!
Halsey, this is a bad time for a tutorial! We¡¯re in a crisis! He remembered that he could project thoughts to that presence, this Halsey, keeping his promise to keep her existence a secret. He gently tested his balance on his new feet, observing how Regia and Telga stood, the way he envisioned they spread their body weight. His muscle response was sharp, almost instant, and he spread the taloned toes widely, for balance. But the elongated ankle joint threw him off as he tried to move in a way that wasn¡¯t part of his natural gait, he almost stumbled. Claire grabbed him before he could topple. ¡°Shawn, I don¡¯t want to question your sanity, but are you still you?¡± she asked worriedly. ¡°I¡¯m Shawn Pentecost, born August sixth, at Baystate Medical Center. My parents are Marie and Jackson Pentecost. You told me in freshmen year of college that you had a crush on Nancy, from your art class. I almost died of hypothermia when I tried to rescue Maggie, when she broke through the ice on the river when I was fifteen. Satisfied?¡± he asked warily. She let out a measured sigh of relief. ¡°Yeah, you¡¯re you. You¡¯re just a different you. Wow, you¡¯re tall now.¡± It wasn¡¯t until she said it, that he realized he was at least several centimeters taller¨Calmost to Telga¡¯s height. ¡°Can you stand?¡± ¡°Yeah.¡± He could feel his brain slowly mapping out the movements, muscle memory was returning to a form he¡¯d never possessed before, and he kept watching the motions of the other Aveeran, the way they shifted their bodies, and their leg stride. He felt like every nerve was wiring in real time; he felt steady, after a few seconds. He narrowed his gaze at the door. ¡°How long before they¡¯re here, where¡¯s our exit?¡± ¡°Portal is charging, down the hall! Five minutes!¡± the rusty red and green feathered Aveeran with emerald-colored eyes got his attention, with a perpetual scowl on his face, accented by a faint scar line where feathers didn¡¯t grow, just above his eye. ¡°You idiots picked a bad time to try to throw things to chance! I hope you got a gestalt that doesn¡¯t kill all of us!¡± Almost as if on cue, more runic text appeared.
Shawn, the gestalts, you have choices to make. I don¡¯t remember much or If I have been barred access, but you can control what happens next. There are a few configurations of the Etteria that may be useful to you!
Halsey, I¡¯m barely standing here, and we¡¯ve got enemies at the gate! It was disorienting to see this presence overlaying his vision while the chaos swirled. He motioned to Garrett, and pointed to a set of fabric armor sitting on the table, similar to his. ¡°Help me put that on. I can fight.¡± ¡°Shawn, you are in no shape to be fighting!¡± Claire protested. ¡°Then pitch in. It sounds like we need to hold out for five minutes.¡± ¡°Shawn, you are insane.¡± Her lip trembled, but she slowly nodded, and set the casing down on the table, only to grab another rifle, examine it, and loaded more rounds. ¡°Cripes guys, what other tech did you borrow from Earth?¡± ¡°Whatever the summoned can bring with them or remember how to reconstruct,¡± Garrett answered. ¡°Our tech is all over the place, as a result. Doesn¡¯t help that our planet is a giant jigsaw puzzle, either.¡± Shawn in the meantime was trying to feel out just what he could do. He could feel a vibration in his body, like there was an energy coursing just below his feathers. His feathers. He couldn¡¯t even fathom this one just yet. Halsey picked up on his distress.
I need your input, from the following options. These abilities are tied to your personality, I have a limited list from my end. Information seems restricted.
Halsey, what exactly are you? Some kind of magical construct? An artificial intelligence? One of those annoying feathered gods that are taking a wrecking ball to my life? He really hoped that last one wasn¡¯t true.
I don¡¯t know. I¡¯m something more than I was before. I remember the connection to something greater, a starburst of vast power. I remember the cutting blade of being severed, and a long darkness, cold and uncaring. Now I¡¯m tapped into you, but a lingering thread to that greatness remains. That¡¯s our ticket to survive. I think I¡¯ve narrowed down your choices. You could be a brute. A destroyer. There would be no barrier you couldn¡¯t break, no will you could not bend, no enemy you couldn¡¯t tear apart.
No. Anything but that. That¡¯s not who I am.
But it was an influence on you. Once.
He winced and shook his head. No. I want nothing to do with that. I will never be that man.
A hunter, then? You took a liking to the outdoors, and with this, there would be no trap you can¡¯t sniff out, no shot you couldn¡¯t make, no wilderness you could not navigate and make it your home.
That¡¯s on the right track. But, what else could we configure it to be?
I have one more that might be a match for your personality. It would build on your knowledge and your passions. You could be an Arcanist Engineer. You could make the impossible, producible! There would be no problem you couldn¡¯t plan and prepare for! The author''s tale has been misappropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon.
He felt like that was the right choice, before she even finished. I think I know what I need, Halsey.
Alright, but a warning: There is no means of reversing the choice, once made. The Etteria in your body can only configure one of these. There may be more ways to enhance and strengthen it, later...but I think this choice, is the most important one of all.
Training, or playing with dangerous magical rocks? Yeah, I won¡¯t be touching any more Etteria anytime soon. All this information was fed to him while he strapped on armor over his ruined clothes, and he noted the snugness of the vest and leggings on his new form. He tried not to tear the fabric with his new claws, though his finger motions felt precise, and not lacking dexterity. Garrett called out that the invaders were approaching the bulkhead. He helped him secure the vest over his wings, and he noted the strength and fast response of these new limbs. He felt the rush of blood to these new extremities¨Cthey seemed quite sensitive, and he could feel minute air currents. But his focus was on this immense choice before him¨Con choosing his future gestalt, with this strange presence in his head guiding him. One option, he could rule out immediately. Alright, I can rule out being a brute. Never a brute. He pondered the other two choices. Being a hunter was one he might have a leaning toward. He liked the idea of being self-sufficient, able to work independently. He¡¯d spent his early twenties with friends, practicing camping and hunting¨Cactivities he still enjoyed. But¡­was it the right call, for now? He threw on a pair of armored bracers that Garrett handed him, while a charge continued to build in the background. ¡°Shawn, they¡¯re almost at the door. You better be ready!¡± Garrett insisted. Shawn clenched his new beak firmly, eyes narrowed on that last barrier between them, and the unknown enemy. ¡°Just about,¡± he answered while eyeing the weapon on the table. Functionally, it had all the appearance of a lever action firearm. If he didn¡¯t know better, it could have been made by Winchester or Ruger. But, created by an avian alien. Being a hunter would be a good play, Halsey. I¡¯m a good shot, and know how to hunt already, and know how to learn the lay of the land. But, he had one more choice. Becoming an Arcanist engineer could be the winning move because it was core to his identity. He could design almost anything, or could stand to be a bulwark against what was coming with innovation and daring. But, what would help the most, here?
If I may, Shawn? What do you stand by, in life?
Making lives better, and having a plan for any problem. That means, that I¡¯ve got one logical choice to make. I just need to be brave enough to take a leap of faith. And that I need to live long enough to put it to good use. He took a shaky breath before he grabbed the rifle, and checked if a round was chambered, by edging the lever action open ever so gently. This felt intimately familiar. This part of him, the training, had not left him. Garrett gave him a knowing nod. ¡°You¡¯re familiar with that?¡± ¡°It¡¯s close enough.¡± He closed the action fully and examined the feed tube slide, before grabbing the alchemical rounds in a specialized case. The size of the rounds indicated substantial stopping power¨Che hoped. ¡°They¡¯re almost here. Everyone not defending, fall back to the portal room!¡± Garret bellowed out as a warning to the anxious people¨Cmostly Aveeran, though there were, strangely, a few humans. He also spotted two wolf-like people who fell back to the barricaded door down the hall. Claire loaded a rifle, and a few compounds off the bench, examining them. ¡°This looks dangerous,¡± she muttered. ¡°Claire, fall back. Keep that crystal and yourself guarded. We might still need it,¡± he insisted before he shouldered the rifle, and moved swiftly to cover. Regia, Garrett, and Telga did the same. He took a measured breath, and took the plunge on his decision. Halsey, we¡¯re going with the arcanist engineer. I¡¯ll build myself a solution to topple a god. I can¡¯t outpower him, but maybe, I can outthink him.
I knew that might be the choice you would make. Mapping Etteria pathways¡­
A whirl of power crackled across his body, and he shuddered involuntarily as those wisps of gold and teal energy circled his body, less painful than the transformation, but still persistent enough. He felt a spider web of pain through his extremities, then gravitated towards his core, out to the tips of the wings. He felt wired, and alive. ¡°Shawn, you¡¯re glowing again, please don¡¯t catch on fire,¡± Claire insisted from her vantage point. ¡°I¡¯m good.¡± His answer was throaty, and he could feel the power resonating within him. He focused on the door, where a thunderous banging sound was approaching. ¡°Keep a suppressive fire on the door. We need a constant volley of rounds to keep them suppressed. Call out your reloads. Garrett, how many rounds are in the tube?¡± ¡°Six, plus one in the chamber,¡± he answered, eyes peering down the sights of his rifle. ¡°Save your gestalts for when you have to reload. I¡¯ve got a gestalt that gives me precision motor movements, and I can burst speed my body for short periods. Also, I¡¯m a bit late on the greetings. But, glad to have you, Shawn. Also, sorry that you got transformed.¡± ¡°It could have been worse. I could have gotten turned into a slime girl.¡± Garret let out a cawing laugh, even as he rested the stock of the rifle on the corner of the wall, steadying his aim. Shawn felt rock solid, his limbs tense and controlled. More glyphs appeared, and persisted, near the bottom of his eyes, but not obscuring his vision.
I can feel a trace of the Etteria working, it¡¯s configuring your physiology. I¡¯m still trying to figure out what, exactly, you¡¯ll be able to do.
How do I use these abilities?
You¡¯ll feel it by instinct, the Etteria seems to help people figure it out on their own by trial and error. For these, you will direct your ability through your limbs. You feel that buzz through your body, now? You are brimming with mana energy, and dangerously overloaded. I suggest you use it, so you don¡¯t¡­you know, become fried Aveeran. The Etteria is forming pathways through your body, like an extra nerve center.
He let out a nervous laugh that had Claire on edge. ¡°Uh, are you¡­okay over there?¡± she asked anxiously. The door resounded with an enormous impact. He sighted down the weapon, feeling energy coursing through his claw tips. ¡°Claire, I feel profoundly messed up. So let¡¯s not die here.¡± Another impact. The door deformed inwards, the steel buckling, and a few rivets popped out. ¡°How effective are these rounds against organic targets?¡± he asked Garrett, never taking his eye off his target¨Cthe doorway under assault. ¡°Brace your shoulder tightly. They''re effective enough. Anyone without magical shielding is in for a bad time.¡± Shawn took the moment to cycle a round with one fluid pump of the lever action, just to check how well the action worked, and caught the ejected casing, mid-air, in a burst of dexterity. He quickly inserted it back into the tube. ¡°Done this before?¡± Garrett asked with keen interest. ¡°For hunting, and stationary targets.¡± Garrett chuckled in response. ¡°Don¡¯t hesitate. They won¡¯t. Telga, you fall back first, down the hall. Displace, fire, displace. We¡¯re buying time.¡± The banging sound stopped¨Cand for two seconds, all sound seemed to stop. Shawn could feel the heat of power in his hand, as if looking for an outlet. The door burst inwards and skidded to the ground with a deafening clang, and Shawn shouldered the rifle, aiming at the foes beyond. The brute in front, a monstrous wolf-like humanoid clad in a blue and black uniform with piecemeal metal armor, stood at the forefront. Black and grey fur matted his body, and he pointed at them, fangs bared and poisonous green eyes fixated on them in hatred. ¡°Bring me Telga alive. Kill the rest.¡± A searing ball of fire appeared in the wolven foe¡¯s hand, and he lobbed it right at him. Ch. 6: Fight And Flight, Part One Shawn had never fired a weapon at another person. He¡¯d never considered it a possibility in his life. But the wolfman firing off a searing beam of fire in his general direction made it easier to justify breaking that restraint; the beam of deadly heat missed him by inches. He fired without flinching, catching the wolven humanoid in the chest, snapping the lever action back with instinctive muscle memory, and put a second round into his head, when he was staggered. His eyes widened when his foe shook it off. The wolven was bleeding from a round that hit his forehead, but it must not have penetrated. ¡°No effect on the target!¡± he called out. Garrett answered instantly. ¡°That¡¯s a Vorhunde! Thick skulls and broad ribs, and they regen from wounds! Focus on massive systemic damage, or clustered shots through the head!¡± Garrett called out. The beast stalked forward, more fire in hand, and flung it at them. Other humanoid foes in blue and black uniforms charged in behind him. He had to make a tactical decision. He needed to clear the crowd out first and deal with the big guy. He held the firearm with one hand, his free hand outstretched, and energy itched to his claw tips. Halsey, time to fire off some magic!
Focus on the lessers, I don¡¯t think they¡¯ll be as tough to take down as that furry menace! Focus on your ability, it¡¯ll feel like a burst of static in your chest, you¡¯ll feel it ¡®catch¡¯ if you¡¯ve done it right! Make sure to direct it outward, and mentally aim at your intended target!
The message was nearly instant. The connection between him and Halsey had vastly increased in speed, and he focused on a burning fury that surged from his core, down to his fingertips. His claws on his free hand glowed golden, then white hot, and his palm felt searing hot. He hoped this gestalt wouldn¡¯t cause him any self-damage, as he felt the heat reach a peak in his hand¨Che had to release it, or it might incinerate his whole arm! He felt the energy release like someone pulled a hair trigger when he mentally willed himself to let go and felt that tether of energy coming from his core snap. His hand recoiled from the blast of fire in the shape of a dart-like projectile, no longer than a few inches that seared towards his first target. It was a human male, dressed in a red and black uniform that looked like it was choking him, his face contorted in rage. Shawn could feel the projectile''s flight, a connection to it at a distance. It felt like his fingers were still connected to the flame, and he could guide it toward his foes¨Call of these feelings of a new strange sensation, occurred in the blink of an eye. The man at the front had raised a metallic crossbow to aim, once clear of the now-destroyed doorway. The fiery bolts streaked towards the man and drove into his chest, burning past his armor and dropping the man from the massive impact of flame. He caught fire, screaming. He didn¡¯t have time to appreciate the effectiveness of the attack, and fired off two more rifle rounds, striking home. The others at his back opened fire with their rifles, and Telga fired off an energy bolt. Three more attackers fell, with two additional foes on fire, but the Vorhunde pounced, flames in hand. Shawn tensed and waited for that split second when he¡¯d committed, a pulsing fireball in his foe''s hand. He did a risk calculation. That projectile likely required focus, just as his magical abilities did. Which meant that he had one chance to pull off a surprise. His aim snapped to the outstretched hand of the Vorhunde, the globule of fire gleaming with deadliness in his palm; Shawn had his target, and he fired. The rifle round pierced the wolfman¡¯s hand and the magical fireball, which prematurely detonated, flinging the wolfman off trajectory to the side. The out-of-control canine crashed into a bench, tumbling and coming to a stop by Claire. ¡°Shit, move!¡± he screamed out. The wolfman clawed at her leg, and she screamed¨Cbut rather than letting panic ensue, she leveled the rifle at the man¡¯s eye socket and fired in a blaze of deadly accuracy. She reeled backward, shoving the lifeless foe aside with a vicious kick, and Regia grabbed her, while she fired off a stream of water with her one free hand, blasting the invaders backward. ¡°Get her and Telga out of here!¡± Garrett screamed out, beak gritted as his eyes gleamed with intensity, and a flash of green lit them up. Garrett fired several shots at an impossible speed¨CShawn barely saw his hand movements, and two more foes staggered by Regia¡¯s hydro blast keeled over, riddled with effective shots that bloomed blood. Garrett let out a gasp as he seemed to lurch forward, but it was only to grab more ammo from an ammo belt that had been knocked to the floor, loading the weapon with incredible speed. Halsey also was trying to get his attention, too.
I think you have more than one ability! That first one, I think was some kind of fire burst, for all your pyromaniac tendencies!
I¡¯m not a pyromaniac! Even in this panic situation, being accused of pyromania wasn''t a slight he was going to stand for.
Every pyromaniac always puts out a forceful denial! It¡¯s okay, I might have been one, too! Maybe that¡¯s why I got thrown into that oblivion beforehand¨Cwait¨Cdid I say that aloud?
Oh for Fate¡¯s sake, Halsey, you better not be some nerfed, insane goddess living in my head now. Because I had too many issues already before you popped in here. He had far bigger problems to deal with as he finished reloading, and more shouts of rage echoed down the hall. Shawn turned to focus on the foes trying to stream past the blast of water, still being held back by the torrent of water hitting like a fire hose but Regia¡¯s power seemed to be rapidly losing force. Shawn¡¯s rifle bucked and he cycled the lever action, keeping count of the rounds fired. He had one left in the chamber before he caught a lull, and grabbed more of the alchemical cartridges off the bandolier on his vest. ¡°Reload!¡± Garrett¡¯s volley of fire was joined by others, forcing the foes to take cover¨Cbriefly. Now armored foes were coming through the door, the rounds pinging off of shimmering barriers that flowed like water around their bodies. Even the blast of water from Regia wasn¡¯t enough to slow them down. This narrative has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road. If you see it on Amazon, please report it. ¡°Fire ineffective!¡± Shawn barked out, still shoving rounds into the weapon''s feed tube, and ducked from incoming fire. Two crossbow bolts pierced through the thin metal, just above his head. Another shot nearly bounced into his skull from a ricochet, and he winced¨Cthat had been too close. He flicked out his palm, trying to snipe one off with several fiery bolts, but the barrage bounced off that shimmery barrier and slipped aside, bouncing into the ceiling or the walls. But the shimmering layer did seem to be flickering as if damaged by the assault. ¡°They¡¯re using arcane barriers! Focus fire on one spot!¡± Garrett screamed out like he¡¯d done this many times before. Shawn ducked to avoid the return fire of an electric crackle that sizzled and singed his feathers by his shoulder¨Ca near miss. Garrett peered at him from his vantage point in cover. ¡°Focus fire on my mark, then fall back down the hall!¡± Shawn dared a glance back. Regia had put up a barrier of water that floated along with her, absorbing the impact of the bolts. The rounds would make a huge splash, slow, then clattered to the floor. But the barrier was shrinking with each impact, water soaking the floor while she helped Claire limp backward toward the portal room. Shawn saw the portal was building up a charge, with a shimmer of blue light now spinning on the floor. He glanced back at Garrett, his face etched in focus, and he nodded grimly. ¡°On your call!¡± He held up three fingers with his free hand, and counted down silently. Shawn dared a peek and saw more of the men advancing. Garrett pulled a metal cylinder with small runes flickering angrily, and he pulled a metal pin with one claw. ¡°Gonna be loud!¡± he shouted and tossed the canister around the corner. Shawn dove down, covered his ears, and counted off in his head. It would have helped if he had ¡®ears¡¯ because they were more like tufts of feathers covering an opening. Covering them did little to dampen the deafening ringing sound he heard, and the intense flash of light. Garrett finished counting, and held a closed fist. Now! He focus-fired on the armored male, and fired at the same time as Garrett. The man was staggered from the blinding light and sound, and bullets pinged off in rapid succession at chest level, gleaming brighter until the barrier collapsed in a shower of gold sparks. Shawn lined up one last shot, eyes narrowed on his target, and ended the man with a shot to the throat, piercing through and leaving an arterial spray of blood. He would have lamented the loss of life. But these men had made their choices, as he watched the man on the floor gurgling. ¡°Falling back! Shawn, go!¡± Garrett called out with a screech and rapidly reloaded while Shawn hesitated for a second. Halsey had a message out of the corner of his eye. He could feel a calming, icy feeling in his arm¨Clike the Etteria was trying to hint at something!
I think you have another type of gestalt, give it a try! Focus on that feeling of energy, push it out from your core, toward your arm! Like a spigot or a valve, you can control the flow!
Okay, gonna give it a try. He reached out for that feeling of ice in his veins intensified and clenched his hand closed. Hoar frost climbed along the tips of his talons, forming intricate fractal patterns like a rapidly growing snowflake. His hand felt chilly, and energy willing to be released, if he so chose. ¡°Shawn, fall back now!¡± Garrett ducked behind cover as someone shot another series of crossbow bolts and more electrical bolts that arced and stung his skin, even with near misses. Shawn¡¯s nostrils on his beak were filled with the uncomfortable smell of singed feathers¨Csomeone was gonna cook his goose? Not today.
Okay, following along so far? You hold the energy primed in your body, but you mentally let go of it for it to take true form. It¡¯ll feel like a metaphysical rubber band snapping. Blast them with the ice, and focus all your power away from your core, and outward!
Here¡¯s hoping I don¡¯t make myself an impromptu ice sculpture, then! He replicated that feeling¨Cthat elastic snap as he mentally let go of the charge accumulated in his core. A blast of chill air nearly recoiled his hand upwards and away from his intended target, but he held his hand steady with the rifle frame, snap-freezing the standing water on the ground. It froze into a solid sheet of ice beneath the advancing foes¡¯ feet, little icicles forming into a massive barrier closest to him, and quickly grew to immense size. He relaxed his clawed hand, grimacing¨Cit felt like his hand was burning, and he glanced down. A layer of ice was wrapped around his hand, and he smacked it off against the bench, freeing it from the icy encasement. ¡°Falling back!¡± Shawn belted out before skidding out of cover, now that they had a temporary barrier of safety from incoming fire. Their foes struggled to move across the ice when he dared a glance back. He dove into cover by an open doorway, and fed more rounds into the rifle. Garrett peered at him, bewildered. ¡°You have two gestalts?¡± he gasped. ¡°Is that normal?¡± He didn¡¯t have a response adequate for this one. ¡°No, Shawn, most people don¡¯t get two completely different powers!¡± Garrett rapidly reloaded his rifle, and threw a cabinet into the hallway, intending to serve as more barricades. Shawn dared a glance toward safety, there were numerous people gathered around the shimmering ring of light, now spinning faster on the mechanical platform, a bright hum filling the air. Telga was directing people to stand in the middle, and he saw starlight outside a window, and a snippet of the world below. This was some way to crash land into a new world¨Cin a gunfight and magic-slinging fight of his life, in under a few hours. Halsey, do me a favor? Don¡¯t keep a murder count of the people that are dead in that other room.
It isn¡¯t murder if they were planning on killing you first, Shawn. Or you know, everyone in the room.
He couldn¡¯t help but feel that Halsey had just sassed him, and given him a fine point on the uncomfortable notion he was fighting for his life, in a battle not of his choosing. Whatever she was, she was not artificial.
You know, I can still hear you thinking.
His eyes widened at this prospect. We need to have a serious talk about the bounds of privacy, Halsey. Because some stuff is better stuck in my head.
Yeah, this might take some getting used to. Now you were on track for your glowing assessment of Regia, who, I must confess, is a gem of a--
Oh, no. We¡¯re tabling this thought until after I¡¯ve dealt with all the killers looking to end our existence. He peered back around the corner, looking for movement. ¡°Telga, how much longer?!¡± He cawed out. Or called out? He was lucky he could say anything, considering his physiology still felt all off. ¡°I need two minutes!¡± ¡°We¡¯re gonna be cooked chicken in two minutes!¡± He didn¡¯t bother explaining what a chicken was, and was more concerned when he felt an electric buzz over his feathers. Halsey, is that you messing with cosmic powers inside my body? Because I don¡¯t think I need any more surprises!
Still figuring it out! Hmm, the Etteria pathways are configured quite strangely for this one¡­I¡¯m not even sure I know what this one is. Energy... something...why can''t I remember what this is?
Both their thoughts were interrupted by screeching metal, and intense heat emanating from the door. It was melting in real-time, and he stared, bewildered, at another Aveeran, red feathers seemingly alight, and he glared at them with golden eyes, intense flames emanating from his clawed hands. Yeah, this one could be problematic. He fired until he emptied the magazine tube, and Garrett fired off his rifle. Shawn swore he saw the rounds melting in mid-air as they approached the new foe, who was burning through their barricade like it was nothing, ¡°Garrett, what is that power?!¡± ¡°Pyromancer gestalt, and a dangerous one! He¡¯s melting our rounds, or there¡¯s a force mage protecting him!¡± Either way, this foe was making short work of their defenses. They weren¡¯t going to survive twenty seconds, let alone two minutes unless Shawn did something desperate. He racked his brains for an idea¨Cand inspiration struck him! ¡°Give me a grenade. I¡¯ve got an idea!¡± Ch. 7: Fight And Flight, Part Two Shawn motioned to Garrett as a torrent of fire almost singed him, but the foe was still being held back by the partially incinerated barricade. Barely. ¡°Shawn, take a few! Pull the latch, it¡¯s a four-second fuse!¡± Garrett tossed him the metal-cased explosives that looked like something out of a cartoon, with a simple wire fuse. ¡°He¡¯ll burn the explosive prematurely!¡± ¡°Not if I do this!¡± He focused on the proliferating hoar frost climbing up along his claws, and he gripped the munition tightly. A shell of hardened ice started to emerge, rapidly forming fractal patterns and encasing the metal in ice, growing thicker and stronger. He didn¡¯t know how cold the ice was, but he hoped it would be enough to protect the munition long enough to keep from prematurely detonating. With his other hand, he pulled the fuse, while depressing the safety. ¡°Garrett, cover fire!¡± He followed up with an instant volley of rapid fire, with Regia and one of the irregulars firing in tandem. He saw the rounds seemingly melt, and the new foe laughed mockingly. ¡°Your efforts are futile¨C¡± But Shawn had already removed his hand from the safety, hoping he wasn¡¯t cooking this munition too long in his grasp. They needed to get out of this place alive, which meant taking risks. He tossed the ice-coated munition straight at that leering grin on the foe¡¯s beak, whose eyes widened as the munition refused to melt fast enough, and Shawn heard a click before he dove to cover. The thunderous detonation of metal shards was also accompanied by a hail of razor sharp ice shards that dug into their cover, and he glanced warily at an ice shard that had pierced partway through Garrett¡¯s cover, and he stared nervously at the icicle. ¡°Damn, that¡¯s impressive.¡± They both dared to peek to see what remained of their foe, but the coating of ice had turned the room into a steamy mess. At least it had partially extinguished the flames threatening to overtake the hallway. Shawn caught no sight of his foe, nothing but a scorched spot where the explosive had detonated, close to the floor. ¡°Did we get him?!¡± He wasted no time in reloading, hearing screams distantly. ¡°Fall back to the next cover position! Minks, Harvak, on the platform, now!¡± Garrett barked out orders, and everyone took their cue, with Regia tapping Shawn on the shoulder, trying to get his attention. ¡°Shawn, hold my hand, I¡¯m gonna try something!¡± He held onto her clawed hand without hesitation, and she extended her free arm, eyes narrowed as water coalesced. The billowing steam seemingly trailing to her hand, forming an increasingly large orb of water, shimmering and hovering in front of her. It started as the size of a chicken egg, then a baseball, then grew exponentially larger. Her hand was trembling¨Cshe was pulling an awful lot of effort, and her beak rattled under the strain. ¡°Focus on using your ice, use it on the water!¡± ¡°Trying!¡± He mentally mapped out that feeling of hoar frost, and he could feel the chill of unrealized power creep along his arm, draining the warmth from it, and frosty traces coated the feathers of Regia¡¯s arm. It felt like his mind was a pressure pump¨Call that energy needed was direction, and an outlet while it circulated through his body, brimming with unrealized potential. He could feel a spark of a connection where he held Regia¡¯s clawed hand. She held steady as that icy fractal crept along her body, coating her feathers in rime frost, and then jumped the gap to the globule of water, now the size of a humanoid being. It was taking everything he had to focus on, directing the ice rapidly crystallizing into a sizable mass. He could feel the tendrils of energy take purchase on the charged water, chilling it in a flowing mass of ice that churned and whirled, forming an animated icy ball that spun. She eased out of cover, as did he, and he saw their foe staggering to their feet, fire reigniting in their hands. The avian monster was shredded with metal fragments and ice that gave way to steam as his whole body became an inferno, and he screamed in rage as his wounds seemingly cauterized. He pointed at them accusingly. ¡°You will fall before the will of Revarik, insects¨C¡± ¡°Let¡¯s just press ¡®A¡¯ to skip the monologue,¡± Shawn quipped, and he felt the energy peak in his body, while Regia shuddered under the combined power. ¡°Gladly.¡± She fired off a stream of ice shards, superchilled to the brink of absolute zero, and perforated the foe with needle-sharp icicles. He could only melt so many of them before one found purchase in his fiery flesh¨Cthen two, then five, and then a final round pierced his throat, and he gurgled. Shawn barely saw it as his vision darkened¨Che was using too much energy, he could feel the strength leaving his body. ¡°Regia, I¡¯m almost tapped,¡± he gasped. She kept her aim for a fraction of a second longer before sending out a blast of ice like a frozen shotgun round, coating that opening with ice that encased the entryway. Shawn collapsed to his knees, with Garrett screaming about falling back. Regia grabbed him and slung his arm around her shoulder, and he managed to stumble to the platform, whirling with energy in a note rapidly approaching a crescendo. He wheezed, barely able to stand, and saw Claire binding the injury on her leg, suppressing a scream of pain by biting on her shirt sleeve. Telga was tapping in commands on a metal console, small lights winking in the air and communicating unknown intent. Garrett fell back to the platform before slamming a bulkhead door closed, and barricading it with a heavy cabinet. He then leaped onto the platform, kneeling and shaking Shawn to get his attention. ¡°Regia, he¡¯s almost burnt out! That was a dangerous move!¡± Garrett opened a small glass vial, and Shawn gasped, taking it from his hand. ¡°Drink that and try not to vomit!¡± ¡°I¡¯ll try not to,¡± he gasped. He licked his tongue inside his beak, and after a second of pondering just how he was supposed to do this, Regia tipped it back, holding his head steady. He recoiled not from the taste, but the feeling like he¡¯d just swallowed battery acid, and he nearly retched. But by force of will, he held down the vile liquid, which felt like it was burning his esophagus in the process. ¡°Regia, what the hell was¨C¡± Claire was sweating, but had done proper first aid on her leg, which was no longer bleeding. If you come across this story on Amazon, it''s taken without permission from the author. Report it. ¡°That was an etteria potion. He used too much, we use these to restore the balance. It also tastes awful,¡± Regia explained. He wasn¡¯t inclined to disagree, and tossed the empty vial aside, taking a deep breath. He gazed at her warily. ¡°What¡­what was that thing we just did?¡± ¡°Spliced gestalt. Nice work, by the way!¡± she beamed. ¡°That feathered fiend had that coming, and there¡¯s no way he survived that.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t jinx it.¡± He pulled himself unsteadily to his feet, feeling woozy, and glanced down at a deep cut on his arm. Claire tossed him the strip of bandages, and he hastily wrapped it tight over the injury and tied it off. ¡°So, uh, spliced gestalts. Does it always involve holding hands?¡± ¡°Only for ones that require a special connection,¡± Regia quipped. He put up a clawed finger, sputtered, then chose to say nothing. She kept on smirking. ¡°Don¡¯t read too much into it.¡± ¡°Too late.¡± He let out a shaky breath, and noted Telga had wrapped up at the console, corralling everyone to the platform. ¡°How long?!¡± ¡°Thirty seconds. Everyone stays on the platform!¡± she called out, and everyone tightened up¨Cabout twenty-five brave souls, themselves included. Some were crying. Others held them to assure them it was going to be alright. Shawn finished topping off his ammo tube, and Garrett gave him a cursory inspection. ¡°Yeah, you look better. Those potions work fast.¡± He quickly turned his gaze to the door, where there was a banging noise, and metal buckling inward. ¡°Oh, these guys just don¡¯t quit. There is no reasoning with these zealots.¡± ¡°Yeah, that seemed pretty obvious.¡± Shawn still felt awful all over, and Halsey sent him a message.
Don¡¯t push yourself like that! That was dangerous, for your level of experience.
Tell me something I don¡¯t know. He tensed as he felt that electric charge building in his hand, and he flexed his fingers, keeping his grip steady on the rifle with his other hand. ¡°Ah, man, this gestalt is acting up.¡± Those golden sparks kept emerging, and his fingers felt all prickly, like he¡¯d pinched a nerve. That was when his danger sense kicked in. The door buckled inward, the metal bulkhead framework melting and boiling away¨Cfragments burst outward, and he reacted in an instant, channeling energy to his arms and releasing it with a mental snap and focused on that electrical buzz. Whatever this new ability was, he was hoping it was something useful! He kept all his focus as a glow of yellow light formed, ever so briefly, like a protective shield, and deflected the white-hot fragments from the now-destroyed door. He blinked, and that translucent barrier around him burst into sparks.
Oh. That looks like a force barrier. A rather unusual one¨C
Halsey, we have a big problem. He gazed forward, and felt a cold tingle down his spine as he spotted that seemingly unkillable foe again. They had survived two lethal rounds of attacks, bleeding from numerous wounds. Flames weakly flickering off his red feathers, now stained with blood. A smoky visage surrounded him, shifting and shimmering like a cloud with a life of its own. A smoke cloud with eyes that were locked in focus on the gathered survivors. ¡°You can¡¯t run Telga,¡± the specter called out in a mocking tone¨Cbut it was from the beak of the dying foe, not the ghost-like being that slowly formed into a roughly Aveeran shape, and it pointed a half-formed claw at Shawn. Telga¡¯s eyes were widened, terrified of the specter before them, and her wings shaking uncontrollably. Shawn fired a rifle round at the specter to get his attention, and cycled a new round in. The smoky figure reformed in a second, and glared at him. ¡°Insolent pest.¡± ¡°Aiming to please, you murderous psycho.¡± He drew aim on that staggered Aveeran, still dripping blood. ¡°What¡¯s this, a ¡®kill them once, they come back stronger¡¯ gestalt?¡± ¡°You look new, fledgling, I don¡¯t recognize you. I can feel the power of the Etteria freshly bonded to you, feeble as it is.¡± That cawing, mockery of a voice grated on his ears oozed confidence. Shawn locked eyes with the apparition, which barely registered in his top ten craziest things he¡¯d witnessed in the past couple of hours. All the fatigue in his body dried up, adrenaline supplementing him for just a few seconds longer, as the platform charge built to a peak. ¡°It¡¯s rude to crash a party without introducing yourself. Who are you?¡± The specter laughed, and that future corpse of a man staggered, riddled with wounds too fatal for him to heal from. It was like he was being used like a meaty marionette doll, the limbs responding with jerky motions, the way the eyes rolled back. Even that wound in his throat had yet to catch up to him. Blood seeped from his throat and beak, and the specter continued to speak through the wounded man. ¡°I¡¯m the rightful ruler of this world. Telga is a fading memory, even as she tried to spread enlightenment to the tectonic continents.¡± Shawn glanced out of the corner of his eye to see her golden eyes widened, her beak slightly agape, and her limbs trembling. The specter continued, bright red eyes arched in delight. ¡°Thank you for paving the way for me, dear sister. I just wanted to say goodbye. I owe such a formality to a beloved family member.¡± ¡°Go to the chasms, Revarik,¡± she stated, beak chatting lightly, but her eyes alight with fury. ¡°You are no brother of mine.¡± ¡°You can¡¯t change me being your brother, any more than you can change the stars in the cosmic traverse.¡± Shawn felt that twitch of energy in his arm again, golden sparks emerging as if signaling him on something. Halsey, why do I get the feeling something bad is about to happen?!
Because it is! I think he¡¯s building up for a pyrrhic blast, you might be able to deflect it!
With what? The power of determination? He was going to die right here, he knew it in his hollow bones.
That energy barrier that was sparking from your hands, Focus every bit of everything you''ve got in your core, or we¡¯re not going to live through this!
While this frantic discussion occurred inside his head in the span of about a second, his foe was now glowing molten. The specter of Revarik laughed and gave them a dismissive wave. ¡°You¡¯ve done well, my disciple. Finish the job.¡± Everyone left standing fired a weapon or a gestalt at the foe, riddled with injuries. But they did nothing to stop his body from flaring white, as the charge of the platform reached a peak. There were only a handful of seconds left¡­infinitely too long a time. Shawn dropped the rifle and focused on that spark of energy running through his veins, directing it in the same way he¡¯d done so before, but bigger, straining to channel that power from his core, down his limbs. C¡¯mon, please, please, PLEASE hold this back! Golden motes coalesced and formed into impossibly thin sheets of etched hexagons of energy, forming an arc around the survivors. The impossible heat that had been building, leaving him feeling sunburnt, now felt muted. It came without a second to spare. The dying Aveeran erupted in a blast of white-hot flames that bounced off the barrier, incinerating everything in their path, and burning a hole through the orbital platform. Shawn staggered from the impact, claws digging into the smooth stone in narrow trenches, and both Regia and Garrett braced to keep him upright. The fiery monster took out a chunk of the platform, just as the charge peaked around them, golden light surrounding them. He squinted past the intense glare¨Cthen blackness swallowed the light. The white flame gave way to the green-blue nebula, and the pale stars of the cosmos¨Cthe entire structure around them had been ripped apart. The horizon of one of the massive, floating continents was beneath them. He felt the bottom of his stomach drop, as what was left of the platform fell out of orbit, in free fall. He saw a few humans and Aveerans that had tumbled to the fragmented edge of destruction, clinging on for dear life, just inside the teleportation circle. He glanced at Claire, screaming out of fear. Telga, head hung in resignation. Regia and Garrett, gripped each other for dear life as if they knew this was the end. The platform sang a high-pitched note, and his world turned white.
We¡¯re not done yet, Shawn. We have monsters to fight.
Ch. 8: Crash Landing Shawn, don¡¯t let me die¡­ ¡­ Don¡¯t let him take me¡­
Shawn, wake up! C¡¯mon, I can¡¯t drive your body for you! C¡¯mon, wake up!
Shawn opened his eyes and gasped, limbs afire, and he let out a hissing exhale from the pain of everything hurting. He was lying prone, a hard and unyielding ground beneath him. Everything about his existence protested against this pain, and he squinted his eyes, too in pain to take in the brightness of the waking world. He felt a radiating pain in the core of his being, burning pain that followed his nerves and felt like every inch of his body had been in contact with a nine-volt battery. But the pain was worst by his heart, burning and twirling. He had pushed his new body to limits he shouldn''t have, and he clutched his hand to his chest, groaning and rolling to his side, tears of pain weeping from his eyes. I''m alive. Pain was his signal he survived. But that pain faded, receding from his limbs, his wings, back to his core, where that angry burning subsided to a sharp warmth, and the whirling stopped. He dared to open his eyes, now that pain didn''t define his existence. His first sight upon waking, up above him, was of a purplish-blue sky, at the dusk hour of the world. The specter of that otherworldly green and blue nebula was barely visible against the coming night. And up above¡­specks of light, raining down in small flashes on the horizon. He coughed hoarsely, feeling like he¡¯d been choking on his father¡¯s second-hand smoke. He blinked and tried to figure out what was in the sky¨Cand his eyes widened when he realized what he was seeing. That wasn¡¯t a meteor shower. It was the fractured remains of their lunar platform, disintegrating in orbit, bits at a time. Anyone left up there was now falling into orbit, to be incinerated to dust. He dared to move his head; he heard groans, crying, and the encouraging words of Claire. ¡°Garrett, use your belt for a tourniquet, or they¡¯re going to bleed out!¡± she called out, and he turned his head to gaze at her, bloodied but alive, helping the rust and green feathered Aveeran with a woman bleeding badly from a wound on her leg, screaming and crying, her fair skin covered in soot and grime. Telga was using her light ability to shine light and direct others in the waning light, and Regia was wrapping a bandage around someone with a bloody head wound, but they were still alert. Shawn tried to rise, but tumbled back to the smooth stone beneath his feet. His claws found no purchase on the solid material, and a pulsing headache pierced his threshold for pain, and he groaned, feeling each throb of agony from the surface wounds in tune with his heartbeat. He felt searing pain coming from his beak, down the middle of his skull. He let out a stifled whimper and held his head with his hands, and scraped a sharpened nail against his scalp, trying to will the pain away. Halsey, do you have any kind of read of how badly I am messed up internally? Because this feels awful.
You¡¯re alive, for what it¡¯s worth. Don¡¯t push yourself that hard again if you can avoid it. You can kill yourself if you push your Etteria use too far.
He nodded weakly. Yep. I¡¯m pretty sure that death would have been kinder than the agony my body is going through. He winced and tried to pull himself off the ground¨Cmuch to his surprise, his winged limbs were strong enough to help lift him up. Everyone who had been on the platform was still here, by his rough count. Injured, maybe, but alive. The runic-traced stone slab they were standing on appeared to be powering down, faint blue lines of energy receding and melting into the cold, uncaring stone. Long, tall green grass surrounded the structure, with the metal and stone tri-tip claw structure arching above them. Beyond that, small insects buzzed about in the still-warm air, the air slightly humid. Alpine trees surrounded the meadow, towering tens of meters into the air, and looked not unlike what he would have observed on earth¨Cexcept the bark was golden, and the needles seemed to form impossibly small fractal shapes, fluttering in a light breeze. It was serene. And the epicenter of tragedy. If his head wasn¡¯t splitting and it felt like little splinters were digging into his arms, legs, and wings, he might have been able to appreciate the beauty of the landscape more, or that evergreen scent that reminded him of the forest retreats of home. Claire finally noticed he was alert, and hobbled over to him, falling to her knees and giving him a deep hug. ¡°Thank whatever divine power exists in this universe that you''re alive. You were barely breathing for a minute, Shawn. I think¡­I think that golden barrier you put up is the only reason we aren¡¯t toast.¡± She finally let go of her emotions and sobbed on his shoulder. He let her, because he barely kept his own emotions from melting down, not accounting for the pain his body was in. He wrapped a hand around her back, to reassure her. ¡°I¡¯m okay, Claire. I¡¯m alright.¡± He let out a shaky exhale, trying to fight at misty tears that threatened to betray just how out of sorts he was, and she ran her hands along the shoulder blades of his wings. For a moment, he hovered on the brink of breaking down, and just barely managed to keep from crying. Claire had been there during his college years, when he was lost, always trying to get his attention during his engineering precursor classes, before their study paths diverged. She was always trying to put a smile on his face, pester him, tousle his hair, get him to socialize. He studied, he excelled¡­ But he wasn¡¯t living. He hadn¡¯t felt alive since the day he woke up in the hospital after a near-death encounter with hypothermia and pneumonia from taking a lungful of water, and waking up with his mother sobbing¡­ ¡­And getting the awful news. He¡¯d wished he¡¯d died in the water. It would have been less cruel. Claire had been there in those bitter years, always pushing him forward, back into the light. Even when he hadn¡¯t realized he needed it. After what happened to his father¡­and later, Maggie, he was glad to have at least one family member to talk to in confidence. She¡¯d been the light to pull him back. Now, he had to do the same in turn, with her pulled to a hostile world, with no way home, after falling out of orbit. He could feel tears dripping on his shoulder, soaking into the fabric, and she shuddered uncontrollably. ¡°We¡¯re going to be okay, Claire. We¡¯re going to get through this.¡± Even with his whole world in pieces, she needed to know he was looking out for her, no matter what. ¡°You¡¯re not okay, Shawn. You¡¯re a giant chicken. Our only way home is burning up in orbit, and we have no plan.¡± ¡°Yeah, we do.¡± His vocal cords felt weak, wavering on the brink, but he cleared his throat through force of will. ¡°We¡¯re gonna find a place to shelter in. We¡¯re going to rally allies to stop that madman. We¡¯re going to beat him. And then, we¡¯re going to find Maggie, and go home. Easy plan, right?¡± You could be reading stolen content. Head to Royal Road for the genuine story. She laughed bitterly at that statement. ¡°You¡¯re either naive or unhealthily optimistic, Shawn. I don¡¯t know which one is worse.¡±
Hope isn¡¯t lost, Shawn.
Halsey¡¯s glyphs weren¡¯t just words he could see. It was a voice now, that he could feel, resonating deep in his mind. He¡¯d barely even registered the transition, in the last few minutes. A feminine voice that almost borrowed the slight rolling accent of his own mother¡­but wasn¡¯t. It¨Cshe, was her own voice. You speak, now?
Sort of. I think it¡¯s more like stimulation of the pathways that connect the ear to the audio-rendering portion of the brain, but¨CI¡¯m just a lost soul stuck in your head, and I don¡¯t have all the answers. Sorry.
We¡¯re alive because of you. Don¡¯t be sorry. No one approached him and Claire, and he figured, most everyone knew how bad this moment must be for them. He let out a soft huff, while Claire shuddered. It feels like we have an uphill battle, Halsey. A big one.
And this gestalt you possess has limitless potential. You will need to master it at every level if you want to have a hope of pulling this off. Fire, ice, and force. Each one presents an aspect to pursue. Each one, working in unison, brings you closer to making that happen. And maybe, taking down a Radiant. I¡­don¡¯t want to go back to that void, from before. I don¡¯t want to know what will happen if someone like Revarik is allowed to conquer, unchecked. Promise me you won¡¯t give up.
He gripped Claire firmly, and her trembling slowed. ¡°We¡¯re going to get through this, Claire. You have my word.¡± In a way, he was subtly making a promise to both of them.
Thank you, Shawn.
After a moment, Regia cleared her throat, and Shawn was helped to his feet by Claire. He still had the problem of wobbling on his clawed toes and felt like he was learning to walk, all over again. Claire getting a face full of feathers from his wings, did little to alleviate her mood. Regia looked relieved, at least. ¡°Hey, I see you¡¯re still in one piece, guys. But uh¡­¡± Regia pointed a thumb at Telga, who was staring upward, looking lost, running her fingers across her facial feathers. He sighed when he saw the fallen goddess¡¯s point of fixation. ¡°Yeah. This is not a great start, is it?¡± ¡°Nope.¡± Regia gazed at the survivors wearily, and wiped the soot off her feathers, before wiping it on a legging, and returning her focus to him. Not like a bird of prey¡­but like a person. ¡°You stood by us, Shawn. I¡¯m glad you didn¡¯t listen to me and take off. Because, I doubt any of us would have made it out alive without your help, and Claire¡¯s.¡± ¡°How many made it, total?¡± The question left him with a knot in his throat, and she grimaced, her fingers still gripping deadly tight against her rifle stock. ¡°There were two other teleport platforms, set to different locations. We did plan for a contingency like this. I know one of them triggered. I don¡¯t know how many made it, and our little communicators are too short-range to reach them." She tapped the silver disc for emphasis. Garrett, weary and bleeding from a cut on his cheek, took a resting stance next to her, hands bloodied from doing triage on a few others. ¡°Garrett, any word on the third platform?¡± His telling gaze upward, at the debris streaking across the evening sky; the way he clenched his beak, told Shawn the answer he couldn¡¯t say aloud. Regia¡¯s eyes dimmed, and she put an arm around Garrett, while that tough-as-nails warrior gazed with fervor at hapless victims turning into ash, as they fell planet side. ¡°It was my fault. I didn¡¯t see it coming. I thought we covered our tracks, they¡¯ve never been able to find us¨C¡± ¡°Garrett.¡± Shawn found his voice and got the warrior¡¯s attention. ¡°I don¡¯t doubt you did your best. Who we¡¯re up against, seems to be exceedingly intelligent, and ruthless. We held them off long enough to ensure there were survivors. If we¡¯re lucky, Revarik¡¯s men will believe everyone died in orbit.¡± Garrett clicked his beak and slung his rifle over his shoulder with a loop of a sling. ¡°I know you mean well, Shawn. But people I knew were up there. And died up there.¡± The subdued anger didn''t speak to a lack of emotion; more likely, it wasn¡¯t the first time he¡¯d taken a bitter loss. After a few seconds, he pointed to a small dirt path. ¡°We set this contingency up a while ago; we¡¯re a few hours from the town of Vea¡¯lant. No one knows about these escape platforms or their locations but myself, Regia, and Telga. We need to move, as soon as we¡¯re able. We¡¯re in the ass-end of nowhere, on the tectonic mass of Valtiria. One of the biggest chunks of rock on Remaria.¡± ¡°Hold up. What is our plan?¡± Claire asked, having wiped the tears on her jacket sleeve. ¡°Do we have allies we can count on?¡± ¡°You¡¯re looking at them,¡± Garrett said gruffly. ¡°Vea¡¯lant is a town Telga kept watch over for years, sort of a home away from home. It¡¯s our new base of operations. Hopefully, it¡¯s how we left it¨Ca frontier town, away from anything important.¡± ¡°Someone better go shake Telga first,¡± Shawn pointed out. ¡°She does not look like she¡¯s taking it well.¡± ¡°Shawn, she¡¯s gonna need a minute. All of our plans just went up in smoke. Unless you have a plan for taking a small, quiet lumber town and making it into a formidable bastion of industry, we are infinitely far from killing that son of a bitch, down in the core world," Garrett answered sharply. ¡°Sorry. Maybe I should say something?¡± he suggested in a low tone. ¡°No, you really shouldn¡¯t¨C¡± ¡°I¡¯ll be fine.¡± Telga must have heard her name mentioned, because she approached the rest of them, her white feathers stained and ragged. This was not the composed, elegant goddess he''d seen before--it made her seem far more relatable. ¡°I¡¯ll grieve later. But we need to move, now. Garrett is correct. Regia, get everyone mobile. We¡¯ll leave in a few minutes. I¡¯ll dismantle this platform, so no one can use it or back-track it.¡± ¡°I¡¯ve got explosives for that,¡± Garrett replied casually, slinging an ominous-looking pack off his back, with a few wires sticking out of waxy blocks. ¡°Telga, I have a few healing potions in my bag. Give them to the worst wounded, get them mobile. Are you good with that?¡± ¡°Yeah. Let¡¯s get to work.¡± Shawn glanced skyward one more time, before glancing at Claire. ¡°Well, it sounds like we might be fighting for our survival for a bit, first. But, about Maggie¨C¡± ¡°I¡¯m with you, all the way. If you think she¡¯s alive, then I should stop doubting that.¡± Her movement was a bit stiff, but whatever triage efforts she had done, gave her back most of her mobility. She grabbed her rifle, checked the chamber, and nodded before grabbing the small case with the yet-unused Etteria. She said nothing about it, but Shawn pondered after what happened to him, if it was worth the risk of her using it. ¡°Let¡¯s go kill a wannabe god, Shawn. And get Maggie home.¡± He smiled faintly. ¡°Easy plan, right?¡± ¡°The best kind.¡± ¡°Better plan fast,¡± Garrett cautioned, and pointed to the wounded. ¡°I know Vea¡¯lant and its surroundings well enough to know that fresh injuries are going to slow us down. It¡¯s going to attract predators if we''re unlucky. Stay sharp, shoot at what I tell you is killable¡­and run from whatever isn''t.¡± Shawn glanced at his empty hands, and frowned. He was weaponless¡­but he still had his Etteria core. He dared to push a charge of energy to his hand from his core¨Cand was rewarded with a light splintering pain behind his sternum. He grunted and rubbed at it gently. ¡°Performance issue with my gestalt. I might have overdone it.¡± ¡°After what you did, you''re lucky you''re not a corpse,¡± Garrett said softly. But, he didn''t hesitate to hand him a revolver from his thigh, and the holster. ¡°Have you used something like this before?¡± He took the weapon gently, spun open the cylinder, and looked at the design. He practiced removing the cylinder, then replaced it before snapping it shut again, and aimed down the sights toward a distant tree, feet planted and with a slightly staggered stance. ¡°Yep.¡± He holstered it gently. ¡°Some variance in design, but functionally identical.¡± ¡°Then don''t waste the ammo, unless you can make your shots count.¡± He handed him three more ammo cylinders, and gestured to both of them. ¡°We have nightfall coming up fast. Take one thing to heart, you two: we are not the top of the food chain, out here.¡± A distant predatory shriek came from deep within the forest, echoing across the serene landscape. Shawn felt the feathers on his neck bristle. ¡°Then we better get moving.¡± Without preamble, they got the survivors on their feet, with the two most injured being carried over the shoulder by the Vorhunde that had accompanied them. The path was faint, but visible, and Shawn kept glancing anxiously at the dimming light. This new, awkward stride was going to take some learning, not even accounting for the lower gravity. He was going to have to pick it up, fast. Getting turned into avian species was the least of his worries right now, as he pushed forward and did his best not to trip on his own two feet. He kept his wings tightly pressed to his back, and hoped that whatever was in the forest, found easier prey elsewhere. A second primal scream, somewhat closer, told him that happy wishes weren¡¯t a thing today.
Ch. 9: A Path To Safer Havens The most challenging aspect of this new form, Shawn realized, was not the constant re-learning of the most fundamental ability to walk. Or that he didn¡¯t have a clue how to use his wings, yet, and wasn¡¯t bold enough to try. He was slightly envious when he saw Garrett sent out a few teammates to scout ahead with mighty flaps of their wings, and notify the town. The short range communicators still seemed to be unreliable. The strangest challenge he noted, was the strange sensation that he couldn¡¯t sweat. He noticed it, after a while: even with the cooling air around them, he still felt warm. Too warm. More importantly, he couldn¡¯t feel any beads of sweat forming on his body. He felt his respiration rate increasing. It did help, somewhat. Aveeran must cool their bodies through rapid breathing¨CShawn deduced that their lungs were compact heat exchangers, like avian species from Earth. So when Claire commented for the fourth time if he needed a break and he sounded winded, he shook his head. He didn¡¯t feel winded or lightheaded. He gestured to a few other Aveeran doing the same. He hadn''t picked up on it until he was paying attention. ¡°I¡¯ll be fine.¡± It wasn¡¯t a deal killer, but just another thing he wasn¡¯t completely used to, and keeping his beak slightly agape felt embarrassing. It was telling that Regia glanced his way when he stumbled again. He kept trying to walk like he was putting toe to heel, and it was difficult to unlearn it. Even though he knew his balance point was different. ¡°I forgot how out of sorts you are. I¡¯ve never seen a gestalt turn someone into a completely different species. I¡¯ve seen a few minor changes in physiology, but¡­¡± Regia trailed off as if trying to find less-edged words. ¡°You¡¯re going to need some practice.¡± ¡°I feel like I¡¯m walking on tiptoes.¡± He¡¯d been doing okay when he slowed down, and strangely, he didn¡¯t feel the uneven and rough ground beneath his feet, where exposed granite was checkered with tree roots from the hardy alpine growths. If anything, it felt like his flesh was tougher, more adaptive than he remembered. She stopped him, while the others kept moving. ¡°What¡¯s up?¡± he asked after the group passed. ¡°You need to put more weight on your claw tips. Watch how I do so.¡± He had been paying attention to the other Aveeran, but he hadn¡¯t had time to watch it more keenly because they¡¯d been in a hurry. ¡°Alright.¡± He followed her cue, and watch Regia flex her foot and showed him in a slightly exaggerated way how her clawed toes flexed, rose, and came down with a regular, normal stride. She also demonstrated over a patch of the nearby alluvial boulders, with her toes conforming to the surface, and digging in her claws. Soft green moss accented the rock and cushioned her feet. They appeared to be quite powerful, and he¡¯d noted they had impressive grip strength. ¡°Now, you try. Same path, Shawn.¡± ¡°I¡¯m not an infant, Regia¨C¡± ¡°But this body isn¡¯t yours. You¡¯ll have to learn, because I sincerely doubt we can change you back anytime soon. If at all.¡± There was an air of concern in her tone, and she winced. ¡°Sorry in advance. I need you mobile and fully functional; that ensures everyone else''s survival rate goes up. You already showed remarkable competence on the orbital platform.¡± He didn¡¯t take offense to it¨Cshe was trying her hardest to keep upbeat, in the face of such a surreal escape. He slowed his pace deliberately, feeling the tension of his clawed toes, and tried not to overcorrect. It still felt like his balance was off¨Cor, his sense of balance was now super-sensitive. The slightest disruption made him feel like the world was skewed. Claire looked on casually, her face brightening a little, and she gave a silent nod of approval. ¡°Now, the rough terrain. Remember, don¡¯t fight it,¡± Regia assured him. He used a trick he¡¯d used for hiking¨Cnot looking down, but six or seven meters ahead of him, always anticipating the next several steps. He found it worked¡­somewhat. He still felt his claws gripping too tightly on the softer moss, and Regia caught him with grace when he almost stumbled off the boulder, and she smirked. ¡°Well, I guess you don¡¯t make a terrible Aveeran, after all.¡± ¡°Yeah, is it normal to have a rather muted reaction to a complete form change? Because I¡¯m feeling a little numb to it.¡± He figured once he wasn¡¯t in a danger scenario, which had been the past few hours, there was going to be an inevitable crash, on his part. And hopefully, not in front of Claire. Regia nodded while walking along the boulder, and he navigated slowly. ¡°By the sound of it, you¡¯ve already been through some heavy stuff in your world. I wouldn''t call it numbness, so much as having a stronger mental bulwark against change.¡± He hesitated before answering. ¡°You could say that. So, you''ve never heard of people going through a full-body change? I feel like someone stuck a lightning rod in my head.¡±
Don''t look at me for that one. I think that¡¯s just Aveeran physiology at work.
So, you didn¡¯t decide ¡®Hey, I¡¯m going to turn this poor sod into an Aveeran, just for the laughs¡¯, right?
Oh, no. If I had that power, I¡¯d have transformed you into something a little more durable. Like the scaled Kin.
Your implication that my body is made of glass is noted, Halsey. He was slowly trusting his footing a little more, and he caught sight of Telga, watching with keen interest. ¡°So, great avian sage, apparently people don¡¯t get turned into entirely different species. Any insight?¡± ¡°I¡¯ve heard of it before,¡± Telga stated calmly, while Garrett and a few of the other least-injured Aveerans moved ahead. All eyes turned to her, with her composure regained. ¡°Before the cataclysm that sundered our world, it was written that those who came to this sanctuary world first were the Kin of Earth, long ago. They, and travelers from other worlds. They took upon the Etteria, and became the first unique species of Remaria. The Aveeran, the Vorhunde, the Lovar¡¯ii, and many others.¡± ¡°But, not recently?¡± Claire inquired, eying her brother with curiosity. ¡°No. These days, most people are born with a gestalt. Very, very few are¡­virgin, so to speak,¡± Telga replied with an uneasy clearing of her throat. ¡°And, you knew this might happen to me?¡± he asked, his voice edged. ¡°Or, to Claire?¡± ¡°I didn¡¯t have concrete evidence of it, no. But I did state very plainly, that it could change you. And from this discovery¡­I think the legends are true. We did descend from the Kin.¡± Claire glanced at the case she''d slung in a bag, narrowing her eyes at it. ¡°Great. Ultimate power, but you get turned into something else. This is making me want to do this, less and less. I told you not to do it, Shawn¨C¡± ¡°No one forced that Etteria in my hand. I did it on my own.¡± He could still feel lingering pins and needles jolting his nerves, as if that Etteria was needling through his body. ¡°I made that choice, even if it was a hasty one. I didn¡¯t lose my humanity in the process. Only my desire to ever have fried chicken again, given my current¡­status.¡± He frowned when he heard Halsey laughing internally. Shut up, that''s not helping. Claire broke out in anxious laughter. ¡°I¡¯m glad you can make jokes, after watching people die left, right, and center.¡± This text was taken from Royal Road. Help the author by reading the original version there. ¡°Yeah, real talk? It¡¯s pretty messed up Claire, and I am by no means cozy with it. I shot people, and burned them. I killed them in self-defense. They may have been trying their damndest to kill us, but that doesn¡¯t make me feel any better about it.¡± He dug his claws on his fingers into his palms gently, and took a calming breath. ¡°Okay, we need to get moving again. I¡¯ll have to pick this up as I go. And sort out how to fly. Why are we not doing that?¡± ¡°We have wounded, and untrained Aveeran are short-range in flight. We¡¯re talking minutes, not hours of flight,¡± Regia explained. ¡°We might have wings, but they take work to make full use of." ¡°I''m still in a bit of an existential crisis with that unsettling, dreaded notion that Earth colonized this place.¡± Claire tied back her hair so it wouldn¡¯t get in her face, and grunted against the discomfort of the bindings. ¡°Telga, what else do you know? What are the Kin?¡± ¡°Earth had magic. A lot of it. Apparently, well-hidden, because you two didn¡¯t know about it.¡± They stared at each other in disbelief, then at Telga, who seemed to have regained confidence in her words. Or, more likely, was one domino away from breaking down, and trying desperately not to. ¡°Let¡¯s focus on getting to Vea¡¯lant. This place might be calm, but it¡¯s not safe,¡± she warned. ¡°Guys, let¡¯s get moving! I don¡¯t want any night bound predators to pick up the scent of fresh blood!¡± Garrett called out from up ahead. Shawn glanced at Claire, who slowly nodded. ¡°Guess questions can wait, then.¡± Shawn was fortunate that one boon of his newfound body was the keen sense of night vision. While he couldn¡¯t see color as well, he could make out distinct contrasts of surfaces, and easily see objects in fine detail, even at a distance. They progressed along the faintly marked path through a series of coniferous equivalents. A ridge of low mountains of grey stone with mixed vegetation on the cliff faces loomed off to their left, obscuring part of the night sky. Small meadows dotted the area where the trees receded near them, and a small mill pond was visible, just a little further out. A pale white moon¨Can actual moon, shone light across the still waters, lapping gently around bone-white trees that had been since flooded. Do they have beavers in this magical world? It looks similar enough to Earth, that if you didn¡¯t look too close, you couldn¡¯t tell the difference. Halsey made no commentary, but he could feel her presence there, soaking in the sights and sounds¨Cand even the other sensory things that he didn¡¯t have a name for, yet. He swore he could feel a slight inclination to keep a direction like he had his own internal compass. It wasn¡¯t much of a stretch¨Cit was theorized that birds could ¡®read¡¯ magnetic north, and aided in their navigation, especially during migration seasons. Almost as if on cue, he could hear the call of alien-sounding birds composed of shrill screeches, long, drawn-out warbles, and low cooing sounds all around him. Nightly birds were fluttering overhead in a stealthy manner. This place was untouched by civilization¨Cno trash, no overwhelming foot traffic. The trail was barely more than a faint hint of traversal. This was a truly untouched world. He would have loved to explore this¨Cbut he had someone to find, and rescue, from this place. Ahead of them were more of the root-covered rocks, and untamed wilderness. Claire was keeping pace well, even slightly ahead. Regia stopped him briefly to hand him a dagger from her vest, and he glanced at it. ¡°You¡¯ve used one of these before?¡± she asked quietly. ¡°I¡¯ve used a knife before with proficiency. I¡¯ve cleaned deer and other carcasses, along with carving and striking a flint.¡± He wasn¡¯t about to let a valuable tool go to waste, and slipped it into a vest pocket, just within reach. He fumbled a bit because of that glaring problem of only having four fingers, and he tapped it reassuringly. ¡°But, why¡­¡± ¡°Garrett doesn''t mince words: we are not at the top of the food chain, Shawn. Even with wings and the ability to get out of danger with a burst of flight, or our gestalts? There are monsters everywhere that can end someone¡¯s life very quickly, and very violently.¡± He glanced around, still attuning to the alien noises around him. If those noises stopped, he figured trouble was close by. ¡°Can¡¯t have it too easy, can we?¡± ¡°Ah, you¡¯re getting the hang of it,¡± she grinned. They quickly caught pace with Telga, who used her small light globules to help the several humans navigate the woods. The two wolvens¨Cthe Vorhunde, he recalled¨Chad taken up the lead, leaving their wards with a few others to carry, having recovered somewhat. They were bipedal, like the Aveerans, but occasionally leaped to a low tree limb for visibility. They could leap almost double their body height, and would talk to each other softly. A man and a woman, Shawn noted. He pondered if they were related to one another. They had the same amber-colored eyes and similar brown and red fur markings accenting their limbs and faces. Or, there might have been less diversity in visual appearance between species. Halsey, take notes. I¡¯m woefully out of my depth; I have to find a library on this three-dimensional jigsaw world. Wait, hang on, you seem to know things about the Aveeran. Care to chime in?
I cannot seem to recall things on my own. When you were thinking of the Aveeran, memories triggered for me. I was able to glimpse some of it. From a textbook, I saw?
How do you not even know what you can and can¡¯t remember? He saw faint lights through the trees¨Cartificial lights, or like the globules of illumination he¡¯d seen from Telga, and other areas on the orbital retreat.
If I see things I recognize, I¡¯ll let you know. All I do know, for a certainty? If the Radiants knew I existed, they would snuff me out. And you. I have an intimate fear of them that I cannot explain.
Telga¡¯s on our side. I don¡¯t hate her, she gave me a shot at finding Maggie somewhere in this world. But I wish we¡¯d had more heads-up. I could have grabbed a solar panel, my laptop, and downloaded every survival book known to man, industrial practices, blueprints, hunting gear¨C He stopped and let out a soft breath. There was no point worrying about those. The laptop in his bag had made the trip intact, somehow, along with his machinist handbook copy he loved. But the laptop only had a finite battery. If they didn¡¯t have a means of generating AC power here, it was useless. Assuming that it didn¡¯t get banged up in the chaos. Claire still held it for safekeeping. But, why would they wipe you out?
Because they think I¡¯m dangerous. But I don¡¯t know why.
Fortunately, they didn¡¯t have far to navigate in the dark. Shawn could see dim lights between the trees, and the trees had done nothing but grow taller, and thicker. When he realized what he was looking at, he gasped. These trees would put the redwoods of Earth to shame. ¡°Hey, you¡¯re gawking. That¡¯s a good way to lose focus, and become a tasty treat for a monster,¡± Garrett teased beside him, now that they were closing on Vea¡¯lant. He could almost hear the sound of music nearby, and what might be a perimeter wall of considerable height, just beyond the grove of massive trees. ¡°Garrett, I¡¯ve had a bit of a day, and I need something to take my mind off the¡­more trying circumstances,¡± he stated with a clack of his beak. It jarred his head a little, and he grumbled. Garrett laughed in response. ¡°What, you? You sure had no hesitation to do what was needed. You¡¯re a natural!¡± ¡°So was my father. But he wasn¡¯t defending people, let¡¯s say.¡± Garrett picked up on it, with a slow nod. ¡°Oh. That kind of ¡®natural¡¯ talent. Not the good kind, huh?¡± ¡°Nope.¡± Every second he thought of that man, was a victory for that fiend sitting in a grave. Garrett took a second to click his communicator, and Shawn could indeed just make out the outskirts of the town¨Cnestled in an opening of the massive trees that towered above them. ¡°Vea¡¯lant militia, this is Lieutenant Garrett Victus, we¡¯re about to cross into the range of the forward sentries on the north side. We had to maintain radio silence, and we¡¯re bearing wounded members. Did the scout team meet up with you?¡± There was a crackle of energy from the small device. ¡°Harvak came in a couple of minutes ago, we¡¯re scrambling the healers and we¡¯ll meet you at the front gate. What happened to the orbital retreat? We saw fire in the sky¨C¡± ¡°Secturas Sanctuary is gone.¡± Garrett gripped the relay so hard that Shawn worried he might break the device. ¡°Revarik¡¯s men got onboard. They killed a lot of people, and one of their heavy gestalt users destabilized it with a pyroclastic blast. We made it out with twenty-five. One other platform might have made it, but they¡¯re downstream on the tectonic mass, way out in the middle of nowhere. No idea how many made it.¡± ¡°Damn. I thought Telga was safe.¡± ¡°She¡¯s with us. We¡¯re alive, and hopefully, Revarik believes we¡¯re all dead." Garrett''s beak gritted tightly. "That specter-possessing prick was there, Varrick. Mocking us in the futility of it. I wish he¡¯d showed up in person, so I could have had a shot at putting an alchemical round through his grinning beak.¡± Garrett''s feathers were tensed, and Shawn felt like sound was fading out. He waved a hand in front of his face--was it fatigue? No, not to that level. Everything felt like it was playing through an old radio, with static present. He snapped his claws together, frowning. His hearing was fine a second ago. Something was wrong. He knew it, without recognizing the why. "Garrett, something''s happening," he tapped his shoulder, to get his attention. He heard one more burst from the radio before it was too difficult to hear. ¡°Just get here in one piece. We¡¯ll talk then--" That was when the sounds around them stopped, and Shawn felt every nerve go on end. Garrett sensed it too, his beak slightly agape. Shawn grabbed his revolver, Garrett leveled his rifle at the woods, and put his back to Shawn, wings creasing against each other. Sound around them felt...muffled. Like something was distorting in the air, or someone had stuffed cotton in his ears? ¡°Bandersnatch!¡± Garrett screamed out. Ch. 10: So Much For A Scenic Tour... "Predator?!" Shawn had to speak up to hear himself, and Garrett shifted his head behind him. Anything that could mute the world had to be dangerous. "Bandersnatch, it''s close! They hunt in pairs! One bite, and you''re done!" Garrett hand-signaled people to move to the lights, and everyone stayed close, running to safety. "Soft spots?!" Shawn called out. "Don''t bother with the skull, it''s as strong as magisteel! Aim at the neck or the hips on the rear legs!" Shawn could feel his heart rate rise, and he pushed more energy from his core down to his hand, nurturing a baby flame in his grip. a tiny trickle of power made the journey while he cocked back the hammer of the firearm, looking for motion. Trying to hear the sound of a predator taking slow, stalking steps. This was a predator with a deadly ability, for certain. Telga fired off one of her illuminating globules above them, breaking the darkness of the forest with a burst of light that illuminated almost as clear as day. There was no stalking or subtlety as the primal scream from before perforated the air, the creature''s stealth now exposed. Like the shriek of the mythical banshee, it filled him with immense horror, and he spotted the source coming up the path behind them. Two creatures were already loping forward and broke out into a sprint, now that they sensed their prey was almost out of their grasp. Jeweled eyes glistened with malevolence, they were long brown and black furred, six-limbed creatures with razor-sharp talons, and a whiplike tail that zipped behind them. Their maw was nothing but teeth. Deadly, serrated teeth, jutting forward from their mouth which gave them a primal, but no less terrifying bite as they split off at the response of gunfire. One well-aimed light spear that Telga heaved with precision hit one of the creatures--but, the weapon glanced off the shoulder and found no purchase. The two creatures split up and they dove into the underbrush, deep and undisturbed, near them. "Everyone get to town, tight formation!" Garrett''s voice still sounded distant, like a bad audio signal in a remote region, and Shawn strained to see where the threat was. He had to rely on his vision on this one, and he channeled more power to his arm, feeding the fire that burst into a churning ball of flame, burning brighter and more violently. This was different from the fixed amounts he''d fired off with the fire darts. This was similar to the freezing stream he fired with the ice gestalt--a constant stream of power, coursing from his core to through his body. It was not as intense as the burst power required for the darts, but he could feel a tiny trickle of fatigue slowly building. He hadn''t fully recovered, yet, and he sent out a surge of flame, trying to flush out the creatures. some of the underbrush was dry and caught flame. It forced the creatures to act now, or there would be a wall of fire quickly building, covering the people they were stalking But it wasn''t enough. There was a scream, a sudden lunging monster that grabbed one of the survivors, and dragged them back into the woods--all in less than a second, from the opposite side he''d lit up. He knew it was too late when he heard a death scream--which then abruptly stopped in a crunch of bone. "Movement right!" he screeched out, throwing out a cast of flame and expending what little stamina, right at where the Bandersnatch had been. the sudden inferno caused the creature to snarl, their easy kill interrupted and the intense flames forced them back into cover, deeper in the woods and trailing embers on their fur. He extinguished the flame and grabbed the revolver with both hands, feet planted, and took a slow breath even though his heart was beating in overdrive. The weapon bucked in his hands two times. He heard the thunk as the rounds hit the creature on the retreat, and it screeched in fury, the sound of rustling underbrush being overwhelmed by the crackling fire. "Shawn, keep that fire going!" Garrett called out, the muffled dampening on his hearing now less intense. The survivors were on a full-tilt run toward stone and steel walls he could just make out, lights going up from the nearby town and the screech of more Aveeran taking flight in the gloom of the evening. He ran at a breakneck pace, wishing he''d gotten a crash course--no pun intended--of flying. Regia fluttered into position by his back, dousing the flames so it wouldn''t turn into a forest fire. He lowered his weapon and nodded, all the while falling back. That muted sound was intense--she tapped his shoulder for emphasis, and he knew the danger was right on top of them. The second creature almost caught him off guard--he managed to slam one fire bolt into the creature while Regia hit it with a blast of water, disrupting its leaping strike. The Bandersnatch slammed into the side of a tree, He swore he felt that monster''s talons clip just by his feathery crest a second prior, but it was back up on its feet, snarling and rushing their position again. He fired out of reaction, aiming at the broad chest. Regia had grabbed her rifle and fired, hitting. The rounds didn''t do enough damage as the creature shrieked and tried to lunge after them again. They both hopped backward, out of range as deadly claws raked across the air. This story has been taken without authorization. Report any sightings. "Up and away Shawn!" Regia screamed out, using her hydro blast to knock it away, and then she used her wings to spring up along a tree trunk, climbing with incredible speed. With the tightness of the forest here, it was impossible to spread his wings. He channeled every bit of strength he had into the leap, having the mind to holster the pistol before he did. He felt a glancing strike as talons raked by his leg, bouncing off the armored leggings--it still felt like a red hot pain on his leg as he scrambled up the trunk, watching the creature leap up almost twice its body length to nearly catch him again. Fortunately it failed to find a grip and tumbled to the ground below, where it screeched angrily. He couldn''t fly quite yet, but his fingers and legs did find purchase in the deep grooved bark of the tree. It leaped again, trenching its claws into the bark, and gained on him. "Shawn, get to cover!" Regia called out. He held his body as close to the trunk as he could, digging claws in for dear life as she knocked the creature away with a blast of water. It was relentless in its pursuit, and a third tumble finally dissuaded it. He wasted no time to scramble the remaining distance. He saw Regia mantle up to a thick cross-limb, while more Aveeran poured in from the town, armed with gestalts glowing and rifles firing. Shawn saw Telga fire off another light globule to mark off the creature''s position. The unforgiving fire forced the monster to retreat, trailing blood. He aimed the revolver once more and fired the last two rounds, hitting it in the back where they impacted in small trickles of blood. It finally succumbed to the numerous rounds, and collapsed, screeching before the screeches faded to a low, wheezing gasp. He doubted he got the kill on it, but it felt like immense relief, knowing he''d taken a stand against something deadlier than himself and survived. Regia steadied him from his perched position, hand firmly on his shoulder, and examined him with fascination. "Damn, I think you''re alright, Shawn! You might make a decent Aveeran eventually!" He let out a panting laugh; now that adrenaline wasn''t powering his actions, he felt shaky as he dug his claws into the rough textured bark. "Ah shit, that was...is it always like this here!?" His heart rate still felt like a jackhammer in his chest, and his hands were shaky. No outdoors trip he''d made in his life had come close to this level of danger, willingly pursued. "No. They smelled the blood. We got unlucky, I think I saw the other mate of the pair take someone...chasms take them," she cursed, and heaved from exhaustion. A few embers trailed up from the ground. "Claire got to the gate, she''s alright by the way, I saw her there." He nodded weakly, his voice caught in his throat from his panting. "Let me catch my breath...I''m tapped out on near-death encounters for a day." A few minutes later, the massive steel-reinforced gate, easily two stories tall, creaked open with a grinding of gears and a flywheel spinning distantly. Shawn and the others were greeted by several members of a militia, armed with more of the lever action rifles, and a few revolver-type weapons¨Cjust like Regia¡¯s. The firearm¡¯s tech was distinct¨Cturn of the century, but powerful weapons nonetheless, minus the strange alchemical rounds they used. People in white-banded uniforms attended to the wounded and ushered them to safety; most of the buildings were made of stone, and what appeared to be concrete reinforced buildings, with occasional timber accents. The color of the wood matched the heavens-spanning trees and made the place look like a frontier town¨Crugged, but serviceable. He would have sworn he was witnessing a time capsule of the wild west...but on an alien world. A taller Aveeran stepped forward, dressed in the vest and tan-colored fatigues of the militia; he was muscular, broad-winged, and with the color markings of a golden eagle, complete with golden-colored eyes. He held a small pipe at the corner of his beak, gripped tightly as he moved past his comrades, and approached Telga. ¡°Are you alright, Telga? What happened?!¡± he called out. ¡°They¡­¡± Telga looked like the weight of the events caught up with her¨Cit wasn¡¯t the trek, the debris burning up in orbit, or the beleaguered looks on the survivor''s faces. It was the sight of this man she knew and recognized, that finally broke her will. Shawn saw her slump, her wings held at cockeyed angles. ¡°We didn''t stand a chance.¡± The man said nothing more, and tucked his pipe into a vest pocket, before giving Telga a reassuring hug, head bowed low. ¡°Ah, damn it all. Is there no place on this blasted jigsaw puzzle of a world that¡¯s safe, then? Not even those orbital moons?¡± "We have these two, to thank for our survival," Telga replied as she nodded her head in his direction. The man let go of Telga, hand resting on his pistol, and he peered at Shawn intensely. He took a sniff of him and tilted his head. It was a little awkwardly close, but Shawn stood his ground. Maybe it was a cultural thing. ¡°I don¡¯t recognize you. Where did you come from?¡± the man asked, eyes narrowed. ¡°Let''s just say I had a magical mishap. The name¡¯s Shawn, by the way. Of Earth. I''m a bit of a way from home, same with her," he added as he gestured to Claire. The man regarded this, beak clenched tightly. Several tense seconds went by, as the newcomer peered at him, examining his injuries and sooty feathers. ¡°Why should I believe you?¡± ¡°Because you''ll listen to me, Varrick,¡± Telga scolded. ¡°This young man put himself at grave risk for all of us.¡± ¡°That a fact?¡± He sounded skeptical, before turning back to Shawn, looking a touch more concerned. ¡°You look like you''ve been through the wringer.¡± ¡°I had a close call with someone trying to roast me like a game hen. Plus, the aforementioned monsters that just took someone who survived being blasted out of orbit,¡± Shawn stated flatly, gauging the reaction from the newcomer. "Also, this forest is hella dangerous." Varrick grinned at this, reached out, and gave him a bear hug that left him short of breath. ¡°Welcome to Remaria, son, where incineration is only the fourth leading cause of death!¡± ¡°What are the top three?¡± he asked with a wheeze. He was rethinking the whole ''hollow bones'' theory because Varrick was strong. ¡°Predators, environmental hazards, and belligerent Radiants," the broad shouldered warrior responded in a hearty voice. Shawn wanted to laugh, because he could have used a lighthearted moment. But, all he could hear now was that crunch of bone. He doubted that would be the last time that awful sound replayed on loop in his head. Ch. 11: Sanctuary, But No Relief For The Weary The bear of an Aveeran finally let Shawn go, grinning from one end of his beak to the other. ¡°Hah! You know what, as cocky as you sound, color me surprised that Telga vouches for ya! So, you and the lithe woman are the two that showed up on the doorstep of a forgotten world? Thanks for keeping the old bird in one piece.¡± ¡°¡®Old bird¡¯, indeed,¡± Telga scoffed, looking faintly hopeful as she gently pulled the muscular Aveeran off him. ¡°Shawn, Claire, this is Varrick Termina, the resident smith of Vea¡¯lant, voluntary militia member, and a man of many talents. Just don¡¯t stroke his ego too much. It might lead to an unfortunate medical condition,¡± she added coyly. ¡°A pleasure. We¡¯re glad to see some friendly faces. And not more murderous monsters out in the woods,¡± Shawn said, then gripped the man¡¯s hand firmly. Claire did the same, though with a bit more caution. ¡°We¡¯re uh¡­well, it¡¯s been a day. We should talk in private¨C¡± ¡°The only thing you¡¯re doing is getting checked out by the healer. You two are beat to crap,¡± Varrick interjected gruffly, before pointing at the various minor injuries Shawn had sustained, and Claire¡¯s leg. ¡°None of that magical healing potion crap, we need to clean, sterilize and stitch. We only have so many magical medical miracles, so we save them for emergencies. Garrett, nice of you to keep them in one piece, yeah?¡± he called out and smiled at Regia. ¡°We missed you too, dear. Glad the old bird didn¡¯t scare you off.¡± ¡°Still standing here, still being offended,¡± Telga huffed, her feathers ruffling like a cat with a bottlebrush tail. ¡°Varrick, I know you have questions. Can we wait for the wounded to be treated, first?¡± ¡°Aye. We¡¯ll have to do the truncated tour. C¡¯mon, we¡¯ll take you to the apothecary. We just got a shipment of new medical supplies last week, you¡¯ve got good timing. Damn Bandersnatches got a little bold chasing a group this close to town." Shawn followed them through the clearing of the town''s open area. It was a vast open area, built on a slight incline¨Cincluding a hill, overlooking the surrounding area, though the titanic trees still managed to hover over all of it. Distantly, Shawn could see a few structures nested in the giant boughs of the trees¨Cbut he didn¡¯t see a way up, at least, not without flying to them. He glanced at the wings on his back. You need a workout once I¡¯m not on the brink of collapse. That¡¯s on my ¡®to-do¡¯ list. Varrick wasted no time on guiding them through the town, towards a larger, three-story brick and stone building labeled as ¡®apothecary¡¯ in English lettering. He still was in dismay over that one. The odds of using the same language were astronomically low. And even if mages had found this world first¨Ca disturbing thought that he hadn¡¯t dared to follow up on¨Cthen wouldn¡¯t it stand to argue that it wouldn¡¯t be a modern version of English? Or as Telga had pointed out, continued imports had occurred regularly? Just not ones that she was responsible for. Learning a new language was at least one merciful relief, on the pile of other challenges and dreads that lay before him. He shook his head and clenched his beak. No. Focus on the now. Get healed, get rested, form a plan. that''s what you''re good at.
I think you¡¯re keeping it together pretty well, for what little I can offer.
You''ve been quiet for a bit. They''d finally reached their destination in the rough-hewn timber and warm-colored apothecary, serving as a medical center for the wounded. Though most of the injuries were not life-threatening, they still had people with shrapnel wounds and burns. Two had broken limbs or had been shot by crossbow bolts. It was a grim outlook for the first round of dealing with Revarik¡¯s men, and he silently analyzed his actions while Garrett stitched his wounds, having raked the feathers of his arm away gently to expose the deep cut on his arm. He''d gotten hurt a few times on his survival treks, but not to this level.
You had a lot on your mind, though you seem to be processing it logically. But, Claire is hurting, Shawn. I know little of people¡­but there¡¯s a lot of pain there that mending physical wounds won¡¯t touch.
He glanced over briefly to her, where they were removing her bandages and preparing to clean them with hot water, what he suspected was bar soap and an antiseptic wash. He couldn¡¯t help but notice the disparate tech¨Cthey had magic, but showed some signs of decent medical knowledge, along with various technologies with a wide spread of sophistication. More questions he would ask, later. Claire was looking away, and trying not to grimace in pain as they cleaned the slashing wound, and bound it closed, along with clean cloth bandages. He knew she was tough, but¡­this was above and beyond what anyone should have to face in their life. I know Halsey, he thought with resignation. I worry I might have made a short term move, with long term consequences. He winced as Garrett stitched a deep cut on his arm, after cleaning it. ¡°I don¡¯t think we got formally introduced, Garrett. Are you some kind of warrior?¡± ¡°I¡¯m outfitted with the militia of Vea¡¯lant. Sort of a combination of a town guard, and recon activities, Garrett Victus. I¡¯d shake your hand, but uh, I don¡¯t wanna have to stick you with more needles.¡± Shawn winced as he stitched the wound closed. ¡°Yeah, me too. My occupation until today was as an engineer. I built and designed stuff. My day job didn¡¯t usually involve incinerating and perforating zealots. Or using a cryo blast to create an area denial trap.¡± ¡°That sounds useful. The engineering part, I mean,¡± Garrett was laser-focused on his work, and his hands were dead steady¨Cnever shaking once. ¡°I would make a surprisingly good healer if I had more anatomical training. My gestalt gives me nerves of steel. Super precise motion, and I can hyper-boost my speed for a few seconds at a time.¡± ¡°I saw it. You unloaded multiple rounds on the invaders, and your aim was¡­effective,¡± he finished. ¡°I have questions, but¡­they can probably wait. Anyway, the name¡¯s Shawn Pentecost.¡± Garrett finished with his stitches, wiped the spot clean, and smirked softly. ¡°What do you know, you¡¯ll live. I talked to the alderman a few minutes ago while grabbing supplies. We''ll set you guys up here tonight, then we¡¯ll sort out some stuff tomorrow. Now, Telga did explain to me that you, uh¡­¡± ¡°Got turned into a bird?¡± he asked with a raised eyebrow. Garrett spoke in a lower tone, after nodding softly. ¡°That, yes. We should probably not advertise that too widely, either. Your gestalt is highly unusual. Powerful, and possibly dangerous. You have three separate powers.¡± ¡°How do you distinguish them?¡± This bothered him that he had three unique powers--and if he focused for long enough, he could feel that gentle thrum of energy, hiding in his chest somewhere. Garrett pointed to a book on the table, showing medical procedures--and likely gestalt usage to heal injuries. ¡°Most people only have one distinct gestalt. Though, it can manifest in a variety of means. You have Regia with the water blast and various other means of manipulating water. Telga has her light-based abilities. Mine are more hyper musculature control and sped-up reflexes¡­but there are some crazy ones out there. Though, many people barely use them, or know how to, at least more than the minimum.¡± If you spot this tale on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation. ¡°Some training is required?¡± ¡°There always is. But, not everyone is living a dangerous life. Those in the more built-up areas of Remaria, have normal lives. Relatively speaking.¡± Garrett patted his arm for emphasis, where a faint hint of green light traced where his veins might be, beneath the feathers. ¡°But, you need to channel that energy, work it like a muscle group. Or like you would practice with a blade or a bow, if you want to reach maximum potential.¡± ¡°Good pointer.¡± Shawn leaned gently against the wall¨Cand bumped his wings into the rough-hewn timber, bruising the joint. He said nothing at the motion, but Garrett tilted his beak in curiosity. ¡°That might take some getting used to, I bet. A little tip before you go to sleep, now that I¡¯m thinking of it. You¡¯ll want to sleep on your side. A cramped wing in the morning is the most painful thing. You can sleep on your back, but you need space to spread out your wings.¡± Shawn nodded at this. ¡°After the day I''ve had, I doubt sleep will be forthcoming anytime soon." ¡°Try anyway. You could barely stand, by the time we got to town.¡± Garrett discarded the soiled clothes before handing him some simple clothes¨Ca tunic with buttons to cover his wing shoulders and attended to another person with moderate cuts and burns a short distance away. Shawn sighed and glanced at the fabric armor that had taken the brunt of the injury¨Che hadn¡¯t noticed it, but there were thin metal plates in recessed pockets that had kept a piece of shrapnel or two from going through him. When he¡¯d taken it off he was forced to reckon that his body was¡­different. He could feel muscle tone beneath the feathers, but it was lean muscle, not bulky. In a way, it was a reflection on who he was before--not super strong, but lean and mildly athletic. He threw on the tunic, and slowly stretched to get it buttoned over his wings¨Ca first, of many times he would have to do this. He was mentally numb by this point, and fatigue was creeping in. He lay back, trying to find some center he could retreat to. He took the moment to shift on the cot to get Claire¡¯s attention. The healer, a white and brown feathered woman who looked similar to the other doctor, had already attended to her cut. Claire was glancing distantly out the window. ¡°Hey, you alright?¡± ¡°No, Shawn. I¡¯m not,¡± Claire replied unhappily. ¡°We¡¯re in a world infinitely far from home. People just tried to kill us. You got turned into¡­¡± she waved her hand, unable to say it. ¡°Any one of those would be bad, on a given day. All of them at once? I gotta ask, what did we do to earn a ticket here?¡± She did her best to try and hide the cry of anguish, but it was still there. She balled up on the cot, knees curled up against her chest. ¡°Shawn I know you¡¯ve been through bad shit before. With Maggie, and then your¨C¡± ¡°Don¡¯t even say his name.¡± He felt his claws dig against the mattress, when she tried to bring it up. ¡°Every time I give that man a thought, is another moment he¡¯s laughing from the grave.¡± ¡°Sorry. I know you¡¯re a little¡­sensitive about that one. But, you¡¯ve got more reaction to that, than our current situation.¡± Her weary eyes peeked out from behind her knees, and she looked exhausted. ¡°Between you and me? I¡¯m scared to hell of what tomorrow brings.¡± He wished he could tell her it was going to be okay. Someday. And he¡¯d fight for that day when it would be. But he had no answers and assurances tonight. Nothing but the calming presence as he shifted the bedframe to lean in. His hand hesitated when he reached out to put a reassuring hand on her shoulder. He saw his scaled fingers, and those short, sharp claws at the end. He realized then¨Cwhen it finally sank in¨Cjust how much this had cost him already. He flexed his fingers uneasily, and then clapped his hands together, before leaning back on the lumpy pillow, watching her try to hide her tears. ¡°It¡¯s my fault we¡¯re here¨C¡± ¡°Don¡¯t say that. Because it¡¯s not.¡± She glanced at him, cheeks puffy from tears. ¡°There is no one to point a finger at, but whoever took Maggie. And maybe Telga, but my instinct is telling me one thing. She¡¯s just as scared as we are. That look on her face when she saw Rerarik? Did you see it?¡± He glanced at her and remembered that sheer look of terror. ¡°She knew he was coming to kill her. She knew he would do it. That¡¯s some messed up family, whatever happened between them. But I don¡¯t know if it¡¯s that clear-cut. I think there¡¯s something she isn¡¯t telling us. Yet. But somehow, we¡¯re going to find a way to beat that guy.¡± ¡°You make it sound like it¡¯ll be easy. If we somehow can find Maggie on this god-forsaken planet, that¡¯ll be a miracle by itself.¡± She finally nestled down on the bed, exhausted. ¡°I hope you and I can cook up miracles like we¡¯re world-class experts, because I think we¡¯re going to be pushed beyond our bleeding limits on this.¡± ¡°We¡¯ll make our own hope, Claire. The same way I always have.¡± He emphasized that personal vow, one that finally brought a pained smile to Claire''s face. "You know something? Anyone else, I''d think they were full of it. But you believe it, and that''s why I know you''ll find a way." He lay back and felt fatigue like he had never before, and stared at the ceiling¨Cfinely fitted timber, all cut to the same length and carrying a rustic, wild west feel. The healers, making their rounds, were distant noises. He tried to relax¡­but couldn¡¯t. That face in that smoky visage. It reminded him of his father. That look of malice and disappointment, all rolled into one. Just the memory of it brought back a surge of hatred, and he curled his claws into his palms so tightly, he felt pinpricks of pain. Revarik. He just marched in and killed people. Defenseless people, not even members of the military. He had a face to match against the monsters, a foe to target all his efforts at, now. A short while later, someone dimmed the strange, magical lights that floated in the air. Whether it was Telga''s doing, or they were a different source for lighting, he didn¡¯t know. But the darkened atmosphere, with naught but the ghostly visage of the nebula and the starlight outside the windows, did little to illuminate the room. Except, for the fact that he could still see silhouettes and light-colored textures quite well. His night vision was, unironically, making it difficult to sleep. He stared aimlessly at the dark ambiance of the room. There were a few hushed whispers, of people in pain, or grief. One conversation that stood out was a young couple, a human man and woman, talking to each other, assuring each other that they were lucky. He turned on his side, too exhausted to sleep. He was too much a foreigner, in a body that wasn''t his. He¡¯d have to make it his own¡­someday. He managed to weakly position his wing so he wasn''t sleeping on it, and gazed unfocused out the window, small hints of firebug-like insects buzzing outside, winking on and off in response to one another. Minutes turned to hours, or so it felt like to him. He gripped the pillow tightly¨Cand likely put a hole or two through the cover, with his claws. Halsey, are you still there?
Still am. Not like I can go anywhere. I presume you have a query?
He let out a soft sigh. Do you know what you are? Because I¡¯m not sure I know what I am, anymore.
That makes two of us. But I doubt you''re one to leave a question unanswered, from what I know of you. As for what I might be¡­I can speculate, if you want.
Well, I''ve got one or two theories. Not that I shouldn''t be freaking out right now, but¡­I''m either imagining you, in a mind slowly unraveling or¡­ he rubbed at the bridge of his beak gently, like he would when he rubbed the bridge of his nose in a moment of stimming. I think¡­you''re the Etteria. Or something within it.
Of all the things you could focus on, you focus on me?
I can¡¯t sleep. I might as well try to solve the mysteries I can. He heard the shift of springs on the cot and glanced over his shoulder to see Claire lay next to him, softly gripping his wings. She looked like she was barely awake, before she settled down, holding onto him gently and mumbling quietly. Well, this is awkward.
I take it you two are close?
It¡¯s¡­hard to explain. We haven''t had it easy in our respective lives¨Cmine with my sister disappearing, her with her family issues. We¡¯ve tried to be there for one another. Claire and I are more like friends, than family members.
I see. She¡¯s¡­unusually determined, from what I observed, today.
She doesn¡¯t let obstacles get in her way. She never did. He finally felt fatigue seep into his mind, and he closed his eyes. I¡¯ve been thinking for a bit¡­if you''re the Etteria, Halsey¡­ then either you''re a magical construct or a remnant of someone''s consciousness. That''s my theory. You know things I don''t.
How do you intend to prove it?
Well, for starters, staying alive. Second off¡­we need to test your capabilities. Because I get this feeling we¡¯re going to need each other to survive¡­and figure out what we are.
You might already have the answer to what you are, you know. What you are, is what you choose to be. A human, an engineer, a gestalted avian¡­perhaps more than that.
Hmm. There''s wisdom in that. It¡¯s¡­not as terrible as it could be. He dozed off to the sound of nightly birds and the buzz of insects in this forest, in a world that defied imagination.
Ch. 12: First Dawn Shawn could hear the call of birds, which brought him back to the waking world. Red and purple rays of light were just barely visible at the tops of the massive titan trees, a more intense purple and red than he was accustomed to. He groaned softly¨Chis wings felt stiff, and fortunately, Claire had moved back to her cot earlier in the night. But, the injuries seemed to already be healing. And, he also needed to find a bathroom. He thought he¡¯d seen a washroom earlier. He cautiously stretched his wings, feeling joints popping and creaking with much-needed relief. He nearly stumbled taking his first step, and steadied himself, taking a deep breath and trying to relax. He needed to focus on the most basic of things: walking and keeping balance. Weight on your tiptoes. Or claw tips. This is going to take some getting used to.
Didn¡¯t Telga say that the Kin became the first Aveeran, among other species? I seem to remember things, but¡­a lot of it is hazy. Half-remembered dreams.
He nearly jumped from the shock and steadied himself again. Sorry, I forgot you were there.
Don¡¯t be. I¡¯ll, uh¡­try not to pay attention, when you¡­you know.
He stared blankly into space as Halsey implied something unsettling. Just what exactly do you sense? What are the limitations?
I appear to be tied to your immediate senses. Sight, touch, sound, and other senses unique to Aveeran physiology. Though, I am just an observer. I might be able to notice things you don¡¯t know, or recognize some things. We¡¯ll have to test this later. I infer that your knowledge as an engineer lends itself to experimentation, deductive reasoning, and various scientific methods, correct?
Let¡¯s start by going to the washroom, Halsey. He took the slow motions that he remembered from Regia¡¯s quick lesson. He found his stride after a few test steps, and opened the doorway to the private room. There wasn¡¯t much in here. A large bucket of water was present, a sink that was set in a frame, a mirror, a few basic toiletries, and an opening by a three-legged chair that told him one thing: Indoor plumbing didn¡¯t exist here. He sighed softly and rubbed the crest of his beak. It was similar enough to his stimming when he was working through a problem. This gets worse and worse. Note to self, Halsey, we need to utilize the small river nearby to get civil works a jump start. I¡¯m sure I could come up with something.
I¡¯ll add it to my list. I¡¯ve got about a thousand entries for improvement since I¡¯ve been skimming what thoughts I could in your head. How on earth do you organize this thing? There seems to be an excessive number of memories and clusters of knowledge dealing with procreation. More time should have been spent studying calculus, material science, and¨C
He physically waved his hand, and grunted. Hey, my brain, my rules. Please don¡¯t go roaming. I have some bad stuff stored in there that I don''t feel like reliving. Also, don¡¯t judge my taste in eroque.
This sounds like a topic of fascination, truly.
He couldn¡¯t tell if she was serious or not. A few minutes later, he grabbed the bar soap and the wash basin, and cleaned his hands. They needed to get a hot water source at some point, but this would suffice for now. The presence of soap indicated they understood the need for cleanliness and its use as a highly effective antibacterial method. But the tech seemed all over the place, now that he thought about it. He took a sniff of the soap out of curiosity, and was surprised: lavender scent. Well, at least this is some sign of modern hygienics. Now, onto the next steps. Not dying, figuring out these powers, and maybe, find a way to become less feathery.
I''m pretty sure that last one is a futile hope. Look on the bright side, you have wings!
He glanced over his shoulder, where he managed to shrug one without knocking the limb into the wall. It''s a small benefit, Halsey. I should be way more bothered by this, except I''m not. I mean I am still a humanoid. Mostly. Damn it, the pinky finger, how am I going to use a keyboard again? He clenched and relaxed his hand gently.
I doubt your grip strength suffered.
There was a lot of ground to cover for the day, and the more time he spent digging out of this bad situation, the less time he had to worry about a mental breakdown from the last day and change. He glanced at the small framed mirror on the wall, and glanced down at himself. Did he dare to look at the reflection? I could just avoid it, he thought in a slight moment of aversion.
Your curiosity is going to get the better of you. I want to see what you look like, too! I¡¯m not omniscient, you know!
But are you, though? He thought with a raised eyebrow. Though, the musculature didn¡¯t quite translate as well as he thought it might. He rubbed at his beak in contemplation for a second. Alright, the hell with it. If Regia is willing to hit on me, it can¡¯t be that bad.
Was she, though?
Dunno. Considering how we met? Maybe. That said, I have about eighty other priorities first. He took a deep breath and peered into the mirror. It wasn¡¯t as bad as he thought. He knew he was taller, now, probably closer to two meters than his one-seventy centimeters. He still had the same glacial blue eyes, but they were shaped differently, now¨Clike a bird of prey¡¯s eyes. His eyes also took up a slightly larger proportion of the face. When he blinked slowly, he felt a third membrane slide into place¨Csomething he hadn¡¯t noticed before. It was similar to the nictitating membrane of a cat. This content has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere. He also felt the shape of his beak with his fingers¨Cslightly hooked, like an eagle, and colored a dull yellow. It didn¡¯t protrude as far as it might on a bird of prey, and he hinged it open slightly to see his tongue was narrower, and slightly longer. The inside of the beak was serrated, presumably to grip and crush food. Meal time was going to be interesting, to put it mildly. He didn¡¯t even know what he was supposed to eat, or capable of eating. Likely, a diet of meat, and possible plant matter. He patted his beak after a moment, testing how remarkably hard it was¨Cand it made a slightly hollow sound. He ground it tightly, trying to look intimidating, and watched his expression in the mirror. It surprised him that the musculature and small facial features were not all that dissimilar to a human¨Cto who he was, before. He looked down, taking a quick breath. No. I¡¯m alright. This could have been worse. I could have died right there, on the spot. I¡¯m not human, but I didn¡¯t lose my humanity. No one¡¯s taking that from me. He gazed upwards and noted the large, feathery ¡®crest¡¯ of green and white feathers that accented his head. Almost like a blue jay, even. The feathers formed a pattern on his face, like the markings on a tabby cat or a Bengal tiger. He tried to smile and noticed the beak wasn¡¯t as rigid as he thought. Halsey, do you know Aveeran aesthetics?
A little. Maybe. I¡¯ve been thinking about that one. You would be¡­quite the catch, as they say. Easy on the eyes.
I won''t let that notion get to my head. He examined a fine-toothed comb on the stand; after a moment of hesitation, he brushed a few errant feathers back into position. He emptied the small basin into a wastewater bucket, afterward. Alright then. We need to figure out what we¡¯re up against¨C The growl of his stomach got his attention, and he rubbed uneasily at his torso. Then again, let¡¯s see if anyone else is up, first. It turned out that the veteran blacksmith had camped out in the apothecary, along with the mottled brown and white head healer, glancing at him with curiosity behind a pair of spectacles that rested on the bridge of his beak. ¡°Well, you¡¯re up early. Especially after an mild round of Etteria burnout. How do you feel?¡± ¡°I feel¡­okay, doc.¡± he rubbed at one wing errantly, unsure of what to say. Telga was also at the table, quietly talking to Varrick, with a globule of light illuminating the area dimly above their heads. One that didn''t appear to be generated by her. ¡°So, I think we all can agree that my uh¡­circumstances¡­ should stay on a need-to-know basis, doctor¡­¡± ¡°Chakra,¡± the brown and white feathered avian announced, peering at him intensely. Shawn noted the low-profile glasses with a black frame tucked onto his ear crests. ¡°You are in decent shape for being blown out of orbit. But you must take a day or two of low-key activities. And not using your abilities further, if you can help it.¡± ¡°I agree. More research is required to understand just what the Etteria did to you,¡± Telga murmured, glancing his way. ¡°I¡¯ve been laying out what happened on Secturas sanctuary with Varrick. We¡¯ll address the town leadership in a little while. Pull up a seat.¡± ¡°Uh¡­okay.¡± he sat on the plain, but well-carved wooden chair, and felt his claws click audibly against the wood plank floor. Small slots on the back of the chair had some thin padding. He glanced back at his wings and wondered¨C Oh. They have that relief, so I can rest my wings on something. It didn¡¯t take him long to figure out, and he sat down stiffly. His feathered tail was protruding, and sitting on it was uncomfortable. The chair, too, had a small relief to accommodate that; he felt his tail feathers just barely touch the ground. I have a tail, and it¡¯s still the thing that bothers me the least. He saw Chakra holding a bowl of what looked¨Cand smelled¨Clike oatmeal, next to Telga. The head healer noticed his gaze, and handed him a still-steaming bowl of the grains, and a simple wooden spoon. ¡°I presume this is edible for me?¡± Shawn asked. ¡°It¡¯s not as fancy as what they have in Valtiria Prime, but¡­it''s a homely meal, in a pinch,¡± he offered with a smile. Shawn glanced down and noted it did look like oatmeal, and Charka had added something like brown sugar on top. Unfortunately, it was a bit of trial and error to eat using the spoon, and he grunted as he had to wipe a gob of oatmeal with a cloth from his beak. ¡°Forgive my manners. This is um¡­gonna take a bit to get used to.¡± He finally managed to get a bite in, and it slid down his throat effortlessly. Well, I¡¯ll be damned, it is oatmeal. Mom, thank you for making me eat this every day to save money and make me not hate it, he thought with surprise. In the meantime, he listened to the discussion between Telga and Varrick. What he did know, was that these two had known each other a while. The way they talked without hesitation with each other, how Telga¡¯s ingrained dread, etched on her face ever since she saw that wraith of her brother appear, had faded a little since. Varrick had a slight accent, almost Scottish, but Telga¡¯s accent was clean, even slightly British. They spoke about her spending the last month holed up on the orbital platform, and how bad the situation was. ¡°We don¡¯t have that fallback now, Varrick,¡± Telga concluded. ¡°Revarik was willing to sacrifice heavy hitters to get to me, casualties be damned. I¡¯m hoping he thinks we all perished.¡± ¡°You can¡¯t out-reason crazy, Telga.¡± Like Regia and Garrett, Varrick didn¡¯t call her by her full title¨Csomething he¡¯d noticed from earlier. ¡°We told you, this son of a bitch can only be dealt with one way: by killing him. I know he¡¯s family, but that didn¡¯t mean a thing to him when he ordered your death. I am not letting you take any more risks like that again.¡± He stared intensely at Telga, and she refused to blink. ¡°Varrick, we¡¯re in an untenable position. Unconventional actions are required to win this, now. And rest assured, If killing him is the only way¡­¡± she scrunched her face, and stared right back at him, ¡°Then that¡¯s what we¡¯ll have to do. For the sake of everyone in Valtiria, and beyond.¡± This seemed to satisfy the smith, who nodded in response. ¡°Who else did we lose? We finally got in touch with the second away platform¨Cthey made it ground-side in one piece, and are informing our counterparts in Belgradi. They got away clean, and burned their teleport pad so it couldn¡¯t be traced." Telga wrung her hands gently. ¡°I don¡¯t know. Garrett told me the third platform never activated¡­¡± She hung her head low, her wings drooped in tandem, and dug her clawed hand deep into the wooden table. ¡°I had power. I wasted it on a futile hope.¡± ¡°You still have power. People have faith in you, Telga.¡± Varrick turned his attention to Shawn, head tilted in curiosity. ¡°Dunno how you got pulled into this mess, though. What¡¯s your story, Shawn?¡± ¡°Long story made short? Life is filled with fateful encounters. I¡¯ve got someone to find on this planet, and I will. No jacked-up god is getting in my way,¡± he declared adamantly. Varrick looked mildly surprised. ¡°And you plan on doing that, how?¡± ¡°The way I know best: study, plan, design, and put the biggest piece of ordinance I can build, squarely between the eyes of our shared adversary.¡± he took another bite of oatmeal like it was routine. ¡°Easy, really.¡± ¡°Is he full of shit?¡± Varrick directed to Telga. She let out a slight whistle that he didn¡¯t know how to interpret, until she spoke a second later. ¡°Probably not. He slew several of Revarik¡¯s men before we escaped. I¡¯m more curious about your powers, I was not able to properly observe them.¡± ¡°First, I need to know what we have on hand, the lay of the land, and more importantly, are you guys ready to endure some hardship?¡± He set the bowl down and glanced at the two of them. Chakra was still busy on a small stove, and loading in a wood cord. ¡°Because there is going to be some pain ahead.¡± ¡°To do what?¡± Telga asked. ¡°To give us a fighting chance against your brother, in a fight we set on our terms,¡± he answered. ¡°Get me up to speed.¡± ¡°Me, too.¡± All heads turned to Claire, looking more determined¨Cand still a slight mess, considering the hand-me-down garments were a little oversized. But, they were fitted for a human. ¡°Shawn and I have skills. If we¡¯re sheltering here, I¡¯m not gonna be deadweight. I¡¯ll help with whatever I can.¡± ¡°Then let¡¯s take a tour of town,¡± Varrick replied. ¡°It¡¯s a decent place to start.¡± ¡°Good. It¡¯ll be an opportunity to stretch my legs. And wings," Shawn affirmed. Ch. 13: The Seeds Of Our Industrial Revolution Varrick and Telga both led the way through the town, walking at a brisk pace. Shawn noted they were courteous enough that they didn¡¯t fly, though he did see other Aveerans taking flight during the busy morning. He stopped and stared at those broad, magnificent wings propelling them to incredible heights. Their strength was considerable, given their angle of ascent, and they maneuvered with flawless grace, illuminated by the intermittent sunbeams filtering through the titan trees. ¡°So¡­¡± he trailed off, a million questions buzzing. ¡°You guys are quite capable of flight. I also see almost everyone wearing tunics or a button-backed shirt to allow unfettered motion of their wings.¡± ¡°It¡¯s our natural state. It does present to being a bit of a pain during the winter, but, there are always trade-offs,¡± Varrick shrugged. ¡°Telga was telling me you two were¡­inquisitive and scientific. What can you tell me, at a glance?¡± ¡°Well, this town looks like the turn of the twentieth-century Earth, roughly. But it¡¯s also hard for me to map everything, one for one. I can¡¯t account for societal valuation of knowledge, or¨C¡± Claire interrupted him with a clearing of her throat.¡°Nerd bird, short version,¡± she emphasized. He glared at her intensely. ¡°Not cool, Claire.¡± ¡°Hey, the crisis is still young. We¡¯ve still got that other Etteria crystal. If I feel like growing wings, I might give it a try,¡± she added with an anxious laugh. "Too soon?" "Too soon," he answered flatly. "For all we know, it was a fluke.¡± He turned to Varrick, trying to remain focused. Claire was still adjusting, and he couldn¡¯t blame her for being a bit dejected. ¡°Okay, so level with me, Varrick, and Telga. How many men does Revarik have?¡± ¡°Several hundred thousand. More, if you count followers who aren¡¯t trained in violence. He has the core world, and the deepest orbital layer under his control, along with all its denizens,¡± Telga answered. ¡°Right. The layers. This world is like¡­an onion. A holy onion,¡± he added quietly. Claire chuckled softly at that¨Cit was a step in the right direction. ¡°And, how many people oppose him?¡± Varrick took the lead on the question. ¡°A lot, but¡­everyone¡¯s fragmented, literally, in this case, and tyrant gods aren¡¯t the only problem we have to face. Valtiria is the biggest tectonic mass in orbit,¡± he explained, showing them the canal dug as part of an offshoot from the stream at the edge of town. Shawn noted it was a rather active water source, and there was a considerable gradient¨Cit wouldn¡¯t be a likely flood zone. Maybe he could use this for a plumbing setup, eventually. ¡°How big is the world, anyway?¡± he asked. ¡°World census is about¡­eh¡­three hundred million? Assuming we¡¯ve accounted for most of the tectonic masses. You dig deep enough anywhere, and you¡¯ll find broken cities, failed settlements, magical gestalt users setting up cozy retreats, eldritch nightmares in their hidey-hole, and more.¡± ¡°That seems low, for a planetoid of this size.¡± Shawn glanced at Claire. ¡°By the way, your planet shouldn¡¯t exist. It defies physics.¡± ¡°Hah! Listen to this hatchling prattle on about physics! Like you didn¡¯t just witness magic and other crazy things already?¡± Varrick offered with an accompanying bout of laughter, which tapered to a few chuckles at the end. ¡°Now, you talk the fancy talk, but just how skilled are you in walking the walk?¡± ¡°Well, if bullets don¡¯t work, then maybe several fireballs will suffice, since I seem to be able to make those.¡± He snapped his fingers, trying to replicate his fire ability¨Cbut to no avail. He frowned at that. ¡°Okay, work in progress on the fire part. High-speed projectiles still solve a lot of problems.¡± ¡°Or, you know, chemical deadliness.¡± Claire¡¯s reaction was disturbingly calm. ¡°Wonder if that fiend would burn if I cooked up white phosphorus. Or maybe burn his lungs with chlorine gas.¡± ¡°Uh, Claire? Using that shit is a crime against humanity,¡± Shawn stated uneasily. ¡°Well, it¡¯s a good thing he¡¯s not human, then, is he?¡± she asked, teeth on edge. "Claire, we just got here. We don''t need a relitigating of the horrors of trench warfare and chemical weapons on our first week." She raised an eyebrow at that. "We need shields as much as we need swords, if I might borrow a phrase." ¡°A fair point. I don¡¯t think we have the chemicals or the means of storing stuff that nasty right now. I need a proper chemist bench, and an inventory of magical ingredients.¡± ¡°Yes, let¡¯s take inventory, first, before we decide to bring chemical warfare to a brand new world, please.¡± What was terrifying was that he was sure Claire could make those deadly items, with the right equipment. Claire had an edge to her. He knew it, because he''d seen her get put down by family at every turn. It was like they were unwilling to let their daughter outshine her older brother with a gambling problem, and a minor league baseball career they were sure would lead to the big leagues. He''d seen her push her efforts in front of their face, just for recognition. Sometimes, with words that became heated and angry. She''d shown off one time with a chemical solvent that turned organic matter to sludge in minutes, or other chemicals that could be used for metal cutting that transferred waste heat and sped up cutting time. All they''d been focused on, was that she was talking over her brother. That had not been a great Thanksgiving dinner. Shawn pointed to the trees surrounding them. "Varrick, let''s start with some basics. We don''t have trees this huge, back on Earth, except for very small segments of forests in specific locations. I could use some details about our location." ¡°Well¡­¡± he pointed to the massive, gold-barked trees that towered a hundred meters into the air, with six-point leaves forming the bulk of the vegetation. Each limb was as big as a car, further up. The trunk itself was almost as big as an eighteen-wheeler. ¡°We¡¯re in the Germina forest. Vea¡¯lant is a frontier town, part of the Valtirian free states. We like our independence, and the folks in Valtiria Prime¨Cthe capital¨C-tend to leave us to our own devices. Except for taxes.¡± he let out an indignant hoot at that and rolled his eyes. ¡°We produce lumber, lumber by-products, and we typically farm enough crops for the town, and livestock, that we don¡¯t need to import much.¡± ¡°How big is the town?¡± ¡°About nine hundred people. It¡¯s a mix of humans, Aveerans, some Vorhunde, a few vulpines, and a few Nekotames--the furry fellas with long tails. We¡¯re pretty diverse here,¡± he added with a contented chuckle. He waved them over to the small river, where a sawmill was going at the early morning hour. Shawn observed a crew of Aveerans and a few humans unloading large logs from a cart. Except, instead of horses, they were using several large creatures that looked like velociraptors, covered in feathers. Um, okay, we have dinosaurs now. Or, something functionally similar to them. He glanced down at his arm and pondered if there was a common species link. ¡°So, you prepare timber? Any chance you guys have a lathe?¡± ¡°We have a saw driven by a water wheel. We could hook up other machinery, but that¡¯s all we currently use it for.¡± Shawn noted it for another time¨Chydropower could be helpful. But he needed a generator and a capacitor. Among other things. The tech here was competent enough, some of these things could be possible, and the disparate tech suggested he could find advanced stuff¡­somewhere, in this fractured world. Stolen novel; please report. He also needed to get familiar with his powers. He pondered if he could melt metals down using his fire. It was certainly intense enough, temperature-wise. But, he also needed to know how much he could sustain a steady stream, or find other means of replicating it, like a proper forge could. He focused on the mill, and Varrick shrugged, still considering his query. ¡°Alright, any other power setups for machining?¡± ¡°We have some woodworking lathes," he answered. This was palpable progress. ¡°And you run the smithy.¡± ¡°I produce a bunch of mechanical parts when needed. Nothing fancy though,¡± Varrick shrugged. ¡°Why?¡± ¡°I need to see the lathes. I¡¯ve got some ideas.¡± Claire perked up at this and smiled. ¡°Watch out. Once Shawn gets an idea, he doesn¡¯t let go of it,¡± she warned Varrick, who clucked softly. ¡°Huh. is this a good thing or a bad thing? I feel like it could go either way.¡± After a couple of moments, Shawn peered at the woodworking lathe. It was relatively primitive. But it appeared to keep true to the center and had some metal fixturing. Wonder how much eccentricity we get on this thing, or runout. If this is low accuracy, it won''t help much--
Based on your visual accuracy, the runout is .1 millimeters from the true axis of rotation. That''s not bad for such a low-tech setup.
He blinked in surprise. Halsey, how do you know that?
I observed the surface based on your visual acuity. This may present difficulty in scaling to more precise measurements. I could tell you that you would also maintain a perpendicularity of .05 millimeters, with the current setup. Again, with 95% confidence. There are numerous variables in part fits, the balance of the fixturing, especially at higher speeds, and the cutter head''s stability.
Halsey...this could be very helpful. What about surface texture?
I don''t think your finger has the level of fidelity for me to gauge that. More precise instrumentation is required.
He picked up a chunk of scrap wood, and noted a mechanical scale nearby. Give me an estimate of the weight of what I''m holding.
Five hundred and fifty grams. approximately.
He put it on the scale. 545 grams. An error of less than one percent. Temperature of the ambient air?
You''ll need a gauge for that I think.
Worth a shot. You''re some kind of magical construct, alright. But with a personality and a broad swath of prior data. He glanced down at his chest, tapping it gently. A magical construct inside my body. This should be kinda horrifying, but...Halsey, this is incredible.
It''s just math and physics, where I can infer such information. I think the gestalts may break some of the normal rules of reality. I find it puzzling that I can infer this. It comes...naturally, to me.
Either way, this is tangible help I don''t need a gestalt to make use of. Measurements with a decent degree of precision also seemed an unrealized, possibly immense advantage. With this discovery, he had some ideas to improve the lathe; it was hand-operated with a foot lever, but mechanical power would be a plus. ¡°Claire, thoughts on getting this thing motorized?¡± ¡°Sure. But, Shawn, this place looks agrarian. Where will we find magnets, copper, and enough metal to create a casing?¡± she pondered aloud. ¡°Also, what¡¯s our long-term goal here?¡± ¡°Starting up the fires of industry, training people, and starting a means to out-tech Revarik. Claire, did you happen to examine my bag? Did the laptop survive? ¡°Yeah I haven¡¯t powered it up, and we have no means to produce power¨Cyet. Why?¡± she asked. ¡°There was also a copy of a machinist¡¯s handbook in there,¡± he replied with a grin. ¡°You know how useful that¡¯s going to be?¡± ¡°A laptop with a survivalist guide to the apocalypse would be preferable, along with blueprints and instructions. But that¡¯s a solid start. I left it in the apothecary, with what was left of your clothes. Your jacket got shredded when you grew wings." She wrinkled her face as she said that. "Sorry, wasn''t trying to sound insensitive." He let out a sigh. ¡°I know you weren''t. I liked that jacket. Varrick, I think we can make some improvements. Let¡¯s go check out the smithy.¡± A few moments later, Varrick swung the door open to the rustic smithy. The bottom floor had more of that stone slab¨Cand rough-hewn timber that formed much of the structure, and more finely fitted wood flooring that was well thought out. All around him were the tools of industry he¡¯d need. Most of it was basic, but he could use it to build the next steps of his plan to not die on this planet. And maybe, make a lot of other people¡¯s lives a lot easier. ¡°Metal press. A stamp set. Some basic gages and calipers¨Cthese are very helpful,¡± he mused. It was a decent machinist shop¨Cfor now. ¡°You have a forge that goes¡­how hot?¡± Varrick tapped it for emphasis. ¡°Hot enough that I can melt almost any damn metal I want. I also have a gestalt that helps with that,¡± he added coyly as he waved a small iron bar stock in his hand, no larger than a pencil. He tapped it, and the metal almost seemed to flow like a liquid, and he formed it into a small hoop. After a few seconds, he bent it by hand and restored it to the original cylindrical bar stock. ¡°That¡¯s easy with simple iron. More complicated alloys get tricky, bending it right. I have to feel it out by magical muscle memory. If you get my meaning.¡± "What does that do to the physical properties?" "Depending on my level of focus? I can make the alloy reach states where I can greatly improve the tensile strength, and hardness." he flexed his hand gently, and splayed them out. "Dead steady hands. My gestalt takes some precision. small batches of metal I can do pretty easily. Large batches, complicated geometry...that''s tougher." ¡°What other gestalts are there?¡± Shawn pondered as he tapped his beak¨Cand flinched when it made a rather obnoxious hollow sound. ¡°If you can imagine it, there¡¯s a person who can do it. Telga knows more about gestalts than me because she¡¯s seen a lot,¡± Varrick commented and waved to the room. ¡°I¡¯m a simple guy, I build stuff that we need.¡± "You plan on utilizing the gestalts?" Telga echoed. "To make a stopgap for any crucial missing tech, yeah," Shawn answered. "I just need the right people. This shop is...decent, but you¡¯re missing something crucial. Man, what I wouldn¡¯t do for a Bridgeport right now.¡± ¡°A what, now?¡± Varrick added with a grunt. ¡°A milling machine. A device capable of cutting complex shapes into various metal alloys or other materials. You can use it to make fasteners, bolts, and all sorts of high-precision hardware. You can produce parts at a large scale, with a properly trained operator." Their interest was on him, now, with the way they leaned in. "There are also some tools you can make using an upgraded lathe, as well. The sky''s the limit on what you can make with both of them,¡± he added with an emergent smile. ¡°I think if we use what we¡¯ve got, and get a metal supply, we can build one, and start making some cool stuff. The lathes could use an upgrade, too, to cut metal. That¡¯s just a matter of more raw power, hooking them up to the hydropower, or building an electric motor.¡± ¡°What¡¯s an eclectic motor?¡± Varrick posed casually. Shawn sighed softly at this notion. He would have to explain the electrical charge, what they could do with it, and the concept of electrons...and Lorentz force. On second thought, I need to explain the bare bones minimum. I need to see where the gaps in knowledge are--theirs, and my own. He chose to answer the short way. ¡°A device to make a lot of common problems go away. If I can build one, we could produce power for the town, and make this place more livable, free up time to work other challenges. But, I admit, I need to see some of the gestalts in action. Yours could be immensely helpful for what I have in mind. Other power sources to run a motor could be...helpful." ¡°Mine? Haha. I use it to straighten pieces when I don¡¯t hammer them true," Varrick said with a casual wave. "I didn''t build orbital summer homes, let''s say." Shawn smiled widely. ¡°Well, those are a ways away, for now. I''ve got some ideas. The good kind. Now, as for your supplies. What do we have?¡± ¡°We don¡¯t have a lot of metal. There was a mine, east of here, a few hours'' walk, but it''s been abandoned for years.¡± Varrick let out a deflating whistle. ¡°Last I heard, it was abandoned due to some creepy crawlies taking up residence. The first lesson you should learn is that your life can end on Remaria, just like that.¡± He snapped his fingers for emphasis. ¡°Know why?¡± ¡°Regia said we aren¡¯t on the top of the food chain. Last night...proved that,¡± Claire chimed in while glancing at the various forge tools, and the setup of the forge itself. ¡°This is¡­not a bad setup. But get Shawn what he needs, I¡¯m sure we can work miracles. I can help post-process some of the ores with the right chemicals. Some ores can be broken down that way.¡± ¡°Ah, you¡¯re an alchemist by trade?¡± he mused. ¡°No, chemist. Magic need not apply in our world. Or, so we were led to believe. Anyway, could you introduce us to who¡¯s who around here?¡± ¡°You met the healer, Chakra, already, plus his wife, Lucia. I mean it¡¯s not that big a town, but it¡¯s bustling, for what it is," he added as he pointed a thumb over his wing. Shawn mulled the situation for a moment. Halsey, can you take¡­notes?
I¡¯ve got a mind like a steel trap. What are you thinking?
Once we¡¯ve gotten the lay of the land, I want to get that mine running. He kept that thought to himself for now. They needed to start small. He needed to replicate his powers in a controlled way, so he could make use of their full capabilities. ¡°Varrick, let¡¯s keep making the rounds. I¡¯d like to meet the leads of the town. I¡¯d also like to stop by the militia, and talk to Regia and Garrett, too.¡± Ch. 14: Vealant, The City In The Trees Shawn and Claire spent the next few hours meeting people¨Cthough, many were attending to the refugees from the orbital platform, and Garrett had already fallen in with the militia. The part town watch, part recon task force were housed in a squat, two-story brick and steel-reinforced building sitting on a low rise, by the outskirts of town. It was defensible, and he could hear the crack of rifle rounds in the distance. They practiced with live fire routines on the outskirts of town, away from the bustle. From what he¡¯d gathered so far, the rifles were not effective against threats he expected to see regularly. This meant he needed to figure out his powers and see what practical effect they could produce, with minimal power input on his part. He kept trying to snap his fingers to will any of them into existence and so far, all he¡¯d managed to do was produce sparks, much to Claire¡¯s delight. ¡°So, you have fire, ice, and a third, stranger thing.¡± ¡°Some kind of protective barrier. We would all have been roast chicken if I hadn¡¯t gotten that barrier up. But, I seem to be having some¡­replication issues.¡± He frowned as he tried to focus on that feeling from before, that charge of energy, going from his core, down his limbs. He could feel it¨Cfaintly. Like an empty channel within his body. Before, he¡¯d felt like he was brimming with that electric charge. Maybe someone else would know what the issue was. Was he doing it wrong?
You¡¯re still not at full charge. You used almost all of it during our escape. I believe your body will naturally convert some energy from your normal food intake. Or, imbibing certain alchemical products.
Let¡¯s not make a science experiment out of our body. Just say you don¡¯t have the knowledge on this, or you can¡¯t remember. He glanced up to see Telga and Varrick talking quietly outside of the primary town municipal building. It was a defensible, three-story structure fortified with what appeared to be rudimentary concrete and metal cladding where applicable. He tapped the metal cladding, trying to scratch it. Even his talons left no mark, and Claire raised an eyebrow. ¡°Gonna have to power up to tear through walls, Shawn.¡± ¡°Nah, take a look. This is steel. I don¡¯t see any corrosion, given the relative humidity. Someone knows what they¡¯re doing,¡± he pointed out. But, the disparate tech levels were still puzzling: the gestalts carried limitless potential. The dwellings appeared insulated¨Cif simple, but why? Was it a resource restriction? Was it cultural? Or, perhaps an aspect of the fundamental nature of the planet: fractured continents, different knowledge pools, all separated by insurmountable, literal gaps? He¡¯d have to file those questions away for later. ¡°Telga, who do you have in town who is knowledgeable in history and physical sciences?¡± he asked abruptly. ¡°Well, I have a detailed knowledge of many sciences. Though, the gestalts tend to break physics at times,¡± she demurred, examining him curiously. ¡°I¡¯m surprised you¡¯re up and running. You didn¡¯t need to¨C¡± ¡°Solving problems is my way of putting bad stuff behind me.¡± He didn¡¯t elaborate further than that, and she nodded softly. ¡°What about...those who didn''t make it?" he asked, and felt his words falter for a second. Her gaze never left him. ¡°I spoke with the alderman. For those we can confirm perished, there will be a remembrance service. It¡­may be different from what you are accustomed to, from your place of origin.¡± The way her eyes dimmed, as if the lights had gone out, told him she was barely holding it together. Halsey, do you know why I feel relieved?
Why''s that?
Even gods aren¡¯t infallible around here, and they have feelings, too. He cleared his throat before addressing her. ¡°I¡¯d uh¡­I wouldn¡¯t mind being there for that.¡± ¡°Me, too,¡± Claire spoke up after a moment and gently rubbed at her arm. ¡°Will we be safe here?¡± ¡°For now. Varrick, I have a favor to ask. I¡¯ve made arrangements for the rest of the survivors. Given their knowledge base, Shawn and Claire might be inclined to use the smithy shop.¡± Varrick raised a feathery brow at that. ¡°Before I agree to this, do you trust them?¡± ¡°Yes. I do. They were thrust into a situation not of their making, and chose to fight against Revarik anyway.¡± Shawn found it telling that they were asking right in front of them, rather than in private, and Varrick looked their way, gold eyes gleaming. ¡°Okay. I''m up for it. I have a few thoughts.¡± He approached Shawn, sizing him up. ¡°I gathered you have a bit of a unique situation. You¡¯re not going to have an easy time. This is a hard life, out here, but we live well when we work together. Give me some skills of yours, top three.¡± ¡°I can hunt. I can help design and manufacture various items. I¡¯m no slouch in a fight, either,¡± he replied firmly and straightened to his full height. That look was that of a man who had weathered the world well, and knew its harsh realities. ¡°Claire, your skills?¡± he called out. ¡°I know chemistry and lab setups. I know martial arts. I have¡­more social skills than Shawn when it comes to getting information and convincing people to help.¡± She also stood at attention, as if they were being judged. A good impression was crucial here. Varrick gazed at both of them for a spell, his expression unreadable except for the slight tensing by his eyes and cheeks. That eagle-eyed stare was¡­intense. People on Earth didn¡¯t stare at each other so intensely. Varrick nodded to the smithy on the hill. ¡°Those are a good start. You¡¯ll work to earn your keep. I can give you a roof over your head, and a hot meal. I¡¯m expecting the same thing from the other poor souls who aren¡¯t in broken spirits who made their way here. You¡¯re expected to help out with what you can, to help us thrive¡­¡± ¡°We can do that. We¡¯ll have to pool knowledge on what we can be useful with.¡± He glanced at Telga, who gave a silent nod to Varrick, who then smiled before responding. ¡°Alright then! Let¡¯s finish the tour, then get you situated.¡±
Shawn met several other people during the day and took mental notes. Halsey committed the discussion to memory. He was somewhat distracted by one thing that Telga had told him earlier that was still eye-opening: Aveeran and humans were not the only species that populated this world, not by any measure. He felt like he¡¯d been thrust straight into a Dungeons and Dragons campaign, when he thought about it. They briefly spoke to the town council, a collection of six individuals. Two were human, two were Aveerans colored like a macaw parrot¨Ctwins, even¨Cbut Shawn wasn¡¯t prepared for the other two. The first was a roughly lizard-looking female, with bright green eyes, and yellow scales, standing on two legs, and possessing a short tail. She stood about a meter and a sixty centimeters tall¨Cfairly short, in retrospect¨Cand spoke with a slight lisp of an accent, on account of her forked tongue. When he shook her hand in greetings, he noticed her scaled flesh was warm¨Cvery warm, even. It was not indicative of an unregulated metabolism. He found that fascinating. Despite the appearance of scales, this suggested she was warm-blooded. She was the head historian and researcher of the town, and she told him her species was called the Lovar¡¯ii. A case of literary theft: this tale is not rightfully on Amazon; if you see it, report the violation. She was also quite energetic, and Claire looked frazzled after the warm greeting. ¡°So you¡¯re from Earth? My goodness, there hasn¡¯t been anyone from there in a while! At least, around here! Usually, the Radiants stockpile them in their little retreats, and send them on important missions. Then they get murdered by giant monsters, walk into one of the many hazards of Remaria, or try to take on an army. They don¡¯t last too long!¡± she added with an eye roll. ¡°Oh goodness, names! I¡¯m Alara, and you guys are¡­¡± ¡°I¡¯m Claire, this is Shawn,¡± she offered. She glanced at the other counsel member, a bipedal that Shawn thought looked suspiciously like a kitsune or other fox-like being, right from his manga novels. The young male looked unimpressed, with the way he scowled with dark red fur with black and white accents on his face and hands, and ochre-colored eyes. He didn¡¯t even offer a handshake. ¡°You are?¡± Claire asked, in an attempt to break the ice. ¡°Riggs. I run imports and exports for the town, mostly timber, and some agrarian products, too. Forgive me if I don¡¯t shake your hand. Summons have a short life expectancy, and I don¡¯t like to get attached to people who usually end up dead in a month. Though, Telga''s folks have fared much better, the few she has brought in,¡± he added with a disgusted sound emanating from his throat. Shawn aimed an anxious glance at Telga, who looked annoyed at the young man, before responding. ¡°Riggs, I understand your viewpoint¨C¡± ¡°No, you don¡¯t. Every time a Radiant tries to import a ¡®solution¡¯, it ends badly for everyone else. Do you think your brother isn¡¯t doing the same thing? Or Mikealson, downspin of us?¡± He gritted his pointy teeth, eyes narrowed at Telga. ¡°I like being in the ass-end of nowhere, where the biggest dangers are the monsters. I can deal with the monsters. Imported murder machines? I run for the hills when they show up, thanks.¡± ¡°Relax! Do we look dangerous?¡± Claire asked in a sweetened voice. The vulpine scuffed his foot pad on the wooden floor and clicked his tongue. ¡°We¡¯ve just been through a traumatic ordeal, and we¡¯d like less of that, thanks.¡± ¡°Look babe, if you last a month, I¡¯ll be impressed. Last longer than that¡­¡± he smiled as he gazed at her as if examining her intensely. ¡°I might have to buy you dinner.¡± ¡°Yeah, you¡¯re not really my type, guy. Not including that shiny personality, either,¡± she scowled and crossed her arms, while Riggs chuckled softly. ¡°Suit yourself. If you last longer than a month, you might earn my respect, at the least." Shawn was tempted to say something unflattering¨Cbut let it stand. Claire could easily handle this guy. He soon met the remaining council who represented more mundane activities¨Ctown clerical duties, record keeping, and construction teams. One was a militia member, filling in the slot for Garrett or Regia. They were still debriefing with the militia on the situation, and would join them later. After making brief introductions, it was late afternoon, with the sunbeams interspersed between the massive trees surrounding the town. Shawn noted a gravel path, well maintained and lit, that led outward onto a winding path through the forest, past the larger trees, and into the more terrestrial-sized forest. He also noted the town was surrounded partially by steep hills that did not seem readily traversable; the front gate was the easiest way in. He also observed the militia had a few members perched on watch towers, always on the lookout, armed with rifles and what looked like some kind of optical scopes. He pointed to one casually and got Varrick¡¯s attention. ¡°Why are there always armed lookouts?¡± Varrick grunted softly, standing stoically as he glanced in that direction. ¡°Your arrival wasn''t enough of a clue? There are plenty of monsters big enough to treat the town as a feasting ground, let¡¯s say. We have several gestalt users with considerable firepower to deal with large threats, and we also have some alchemical weapons to deal with foes. Do you have giant, fire-wreathed salamanders about six meters long, that can set off forest fires during the dry season? Or are they constantly eating any poor soul in their path?¡± he asked, his beak creased in a smirk. ¡°No. We don¡¯t have those, where we come from,¡± Shawn said with a moment of dread. ¡°What else is out there?¡± ¡°Large predators. Some look feline, others look like an¡­it¡¯s got a tough scaled hide, and rolls around in a ball. Dunno how it gains momentum, but it¡¯ll crush you into paste if you don¡¯t get out of its way.¡± Shawn looked at Varrick blankly. ¡°You have killer armadillos, out here?¡± ¡°Is that a creature from Earth?¡± ¡°Um¡­not exactly.¡± He rubbed the bridge of his beak and sighed. ¡°And, these threats are big enough to warrant a persistent armed watch?¡± ¡°Welcome to Remaria,¡± Varrick grinned. ¡°This giant ball of scattered rocks has plenty of dangers, and the skeletal remains of people and old civilizations dot the whole landscape. Even the Radiants and their misguided efforts at conquest still aren¡¯t the top threat. Monsters, storms, weird environmental magic can be troublesome. Or, a wrong step out a gravity well that¡¯ll eject you out of the atmosphere¡­it gets a little strange at the tectonic edge, so we try to map and mark it." It was hard to keep a haggard look from creeping onto his face. This planet is so messed up, Halsey. Did Varrick say you can even get yeeted into space?!
Unfortunately. I was more worried about the plethora of giant monsters that chew on humanoid birds for breakfast. They rate higher on my list of probable causes of your death.
Halsey, what''s my leading likely cause of death? Just out of morbid curiosity.
Pissing off Claire.
Shawn kept his reaction muted. ¡°That¡¯s¡­helpful to know. Claire, you should take that Etteria, and power up.¡± ¡°Hell, no, Shawn! Look what it did to you!¡± she protested, shaking her head vigorously. ¡°Maybe if I feel like it¡¯s death either way, I¡¯d consider it!¡± ¡°Claire? You are bite-sized, and your fists of fury are not going to do diddly to monsters,¡± he countered. ¡°Varrick, let¡¯s call it a day, and get settled in. I want to start figuring out a way to be useful to the town, because I¡¯ve got a whole planet to search once we¡¯re in decent shape.¡± ¡°For what reason?¡± ¡°Well, killing a sadistic, power-hungry god is a good start. Then I need to find someone from Earth who was dragged here. Involuntarily. If she survived ten years here, she¡¯s gonna be pissed to find out that some of her favorite bands broke up while she¡¯s been stuck here.¡± Claire rolled her eyes at this. ¡°If Maggie survived this world for ten years, I worry about what state she''ll be in if we find her, Shawn. Boy band breakups are going to be the least of her concerns¨C¡± A shrill whistle sounded from one of the guard towers, and Shawn snapped attention to the controlled shouts from one of the watch members, and a silver disk on Varrick¡¯s vest lit up. ¡°Town Militia, all hands! Got a pack of Jabberyowls coming in!¡± ¡°A jabber-what?¡± Shawn wanted to fly to see what the distress was, but someone was already firing their rifle. A shrill screech, followed by several others, emanated from beyond the wall. Several rifle shots cracked in the distance, and Varrick grabbed his rifle off his sling, and checked the chamber, looking at both of them. ¡°Fall back, we¡¯ll deal with this.¡± ¡°Oh hell no, if we¡¯re going to earn our keep, we¡¯re killing monsters!¡± Claire fumed. That infernal screech was getting louder, and Shawn gasped as it became a death rattle. A large, furry creature the size of a compact car leaped almost two stories and landed inside the town perimeter wall. It was already riddled with bullet wounds that trickled blood, but it showed no signs of slowing down, and it leered at their small party. There was a scream as another creature leaped onto one of the watchtowers, and the Aveeran manning it barely got away from a set of swiping paws. They had instantly unfurled their emerald wings with a burst of speed into the air, and fired while retreating, sharp cracks of rifle fire pinging it relentlessly. Shawn took in the visage of the creature staring them down, snarling. It had all the appearance of a large, black-furred feline larger than a tiger, and its face ended in a bloodied, hooked beak. Short, stubby wings emerged from its back; its fur stood tensed, and it hissed at them. The tail was muscular and powerful, with short spiky protrusions running from the base of the tail, all the way down the spine. This creature was the winged version of the Bandersnatch, minus the ''muting out the world'' power he''d observed. Varrick tossed his revolver sidearm to Claire. "Jabberyowl, pack hunters. Gotta kill the head of the pack, before they¡¯ll retreat.¡± Claire checked the weapon while Shawn tensed, feeling that familiar spark of fury coursing from his core, down to the tips of his claws, and motes of fire emerged from his palm. He wished he hadn''t left his revolver behind. ¡°Which one is the head of the pack?!¡± ¡°The biggest, meanest one that¡¯s staring down at us.¡± Varrick gritted his beak and shouldered his rifle in an instant, aiming. ¡°They¡¯re fast. You take a swipe from those claws, you¡¯re dead.¡± Halsey, this planet is insane, and we¡¯re being thrown into the deep end again!
You might want to start channeling your Etteria core to make fireballs to deal with the hungry predator! Why do you have to look so damn tasty to them?!
As if reading his mind and his tensed stance, the creature pounced with incredible speed over the distance, using its wings as airfoils to guide on target at Shawn, who felt a surge of heat course through him. This critter was three meters of clawed death and primal rage, aimed at him. Now he knew exactly how the birds felt when his pet cat brought them home, to deposit on his doorstep as a morbid gift. Ch. 15: Murder Cats And Smithy Shops Shawn leaped away from the slashing claws and snapping beak of that deadly feline out of sheer reaction. He came out of his evasion feeling that tingling fire in his arm erupt into a white-hot flame. If he was still running on fumes for his Etteria, he''d have to make his shots count. He held his hand back in a braced position, aiming square at the face of the ferocious foe, remembering everything Halsey told him¨Cabout pushing energy away from his core, or wherever this energy was stored. This was getting marginally easier¨Che just had to direct that energy, like holding a taut rubber band. He let loose with a mental sensation of allowing the energy to flow, like a nocked arrow. But this creature moved fast, and anticipated this move. It swerved to the right, and the fiery bolt singed the fur on one of its ears. It snarled at this offense, and hesitated. Claire and Varrick had both retreated, with Claire leaning on the frame of an accent wall, firing with precision. The powerful round tore into the creature¡¯s flank, while Varrick fluttered backward as the creature was closest to him, swiping and lashing out with its tail¨Ca longer member that told Shawn even its rear was not unprotected. The spines tore a chunk out of a wooden fence post Varrick had been adjacent to. He loosed another fire dart, once again missing¨Cthe bolts were too slow for this fast feline, and it ducked and leaped after him again, having decided he was the bigger threat. He tumbled away and felt a set of instant bruises on his wings¨Che¡¯d forgotten they existed, and now he was paying for it. ¡°Varrick, it¡¯s too fast for my gestalts!¡± he called out. ¡°And it¡¯s eating rifle rounds for breakfast!¡± Varrick balked, firing with deadly aim as he put rounds into the creature''s flank. But they didn¡¯t seem to have much impact, and it screeched in fury, still trying to fight its way toward Shawn. He scrambled backward and nearly had his foot taken off by a deadly swipe, and fell back to a porch of an adjacent building. Halsey, what about my ice ability?
You need to focus on it, you need to channel your ability! It¡¯s different than the fire, it¡¯ll feel different as the power goes through your Etteria network!
My network?! What does that mean?!
Oh right, I didn¡¯t explain that one. We really should go over my observations and some pointers¨C
Halsey, not now! He frantically grabbed a wooden chair to put an obstacle between him and the creature, and it stumbled when it skidded across the surface, flung with all his might. He focused on that other pathway within his core with deadly, patient calm, and was rewarded with feeling the reassuring chill of hoar frost creeping along his talons. The Jabberyowl screeched and tried to hook outwards with its forward paw, slashing at air and missing him by millimeters. But, it bought him time to blast a globule of frost onto the porch, snap-freezing the surface and coating the porch and a good portion of the surrounding area with ice. The frost did not climb up the feline¡¯s legs¨Cit only seemed to be effective on inorganic matter, and the creature reared back its paws as the ice spread underneath it. In doing so, It scrabbled and slipped on the ice. He took that as his opportunity to focus on the globule of fire in his hand, pushing down that impulse of energy from his core, down his arm, and using his fingers to hold the globule in place, channeling power and feeling his fingers shaking from the vibration of the power. And pain. It felt like a splintering pain was emanating from his wrist, along his lower arm, but he held focus and aimed at the temporarily staggered creature. Once he lined up he released the blast of fire with as much force as he could. It impacted on its chest, its fur smoldering, and it reared backward, rolling on its side in the dirt of the town center. But Shawn wasn¡¯t exactly focused on that, so much as the burning recoil on his arm, and he clutched it. He warily kept an eye on the monster as Varrick and Claire¨Cand other militia members, now free from the roars by the gate¨Copened fire on it. Most of the shots missed and sent up plumes of dirt and grass. The creature screeched, locked its intense green eyes with Shawn, radiating hatred. It skidded back onto its legs, bounded up along a house adjacent to the wall with an incredible feat of athletics, and then leaped with incredible grace over the town wall. It kept yowling with that screechy tone, and used its wings to glide away to safety¨Cthe rounds traced after it, but found no purchase in its body. ¡°Yeah, you better run!¡± Shawn called out with a screech and grimaced against the burning pain of his right arm. The hoar frost on his other hand melted and faded, and he gripped his arm. Distantly, the pack of animals fled into the forest depths, with fading screeches and yowls. ¡°Shawn, are you okay?!¡± Claire called out and slid out the cylinder from her revolver¨Cjust as Varrick tossed her a spare one, which she reloaded with incredible fluidity before snapping the cylinder back into position. He nodded and showed his fingers¨Ca little scorched, but the pain was fading. ¡°Yeah. Mostly self-burn.¡± He glanced at Varrick, shaking his head. ¡°What the hell was that all about?¡± Varrick growled audibly while he reloaded his lever action, and after glancing at the ramparts, let out a soft sigh. ¡°Damn Jabberyowls. That was aggressive, for them. Normally they don¡¯t come close enough to the wall for us to shoot at them. And they like our powerful gestalts, even less. Life out here keeps you on your clawtips, or you become a monster''s next meal.¡± ¡°Fun. How did I burn myself?¡± Shawn muttered. ¡°You better learn to channel your gestalt a little better. That was impressive¡­but inefficient,¡± Varrick stated, before slinging his rifle back between his wings. He then motioned to examine Shawn¡¯s hand. ¡°Ah, minor burns. Let¡¯s get this wrapped, it should heal quickly. We also need to run you through some training. I can¡¯t make use of you if you¡¯re dead.¡± ¡°Ain¡¯t life in Remaria grand,¡± Claire uttered with a snarl and examined the revolver. ¡°These rounds didn¡¯t do anything but piss it off.¡± Varrick frowned, before taking off the belt for the holster, and handing it to her, surprising her. ¡°Keep that. Even a firearm that¡¯s only good against smaller creatures has a good chance of scaring off the bigger ones. The Jabberyowls are pack hunters, and they¡¯re clever. Occasionally, they pick off game animals from the nearby farms, then run away with the kill before we can respond, to share amongst themselves. Not so sure why they were willing to leap over the wall to eat a rather scrawny Aveeran,¡± he added with a smirk, pointing to Shawn. ¡°I¡¯m glad I¡¯m not considered a filling meal,¡± he muttered. ¡°Do you think they were focusing on me?¡± ¡°That¡¯s a good point.¡± Claire picked up on his cue. ¡°Most predators are opportunists and ambushers. They charged through here in broad daylight, past the sentries which they knew to avoid. Unless the rules of the animal kingdom are wildly different in Remaria, there were better targets to choose from. I¡¯d say, something was driving them.¡± ¡°Hmm. Possible. I¡¯ve known gestalts that could control or make it easy to train and tame various monsters, but¡­it¡¯s just speculation on my part. Try not to look edible, Shawn. It¡¯ll up your chances of survival.¡± Shawn felt the urge to snap his beak at Varrick, who laughed at the gesture. ¡°Yeah. Top of the priority list: make more effective guns, get this gestalt figured out, and build a bigger wall. And looking scarier.¡± ¡°That last one''s never gonna happen, with your appearance as a stuffed bird,¡± Claire stated with a smirk. He gave her a smoldering look in response. ¡°Life lesson: don¡¯t play with magic rocks.¡± ¡°I hate you sometimes, you know that, Claire?¡± ¡°What are family members without a little animosity?¡± she added with a grin. ¡°Okay, that¡¯s a more intimidating glare. Keep working on it. Someday, you might be able to scare small forest animals.¡± ¡°Bite me. You were complaining about how I am constantly courting death." "Well if it''s unavoidable, best to be prepared." He softened his expression. "A fair point."
After the excitement of the day, Shawn was glad to be back at the smithy, where Varrick had a living quarter attached. There was a guest room with two beds¨Cit was sparse but serviceable. The bed was larger, to account for Aveeran wingspan, and their slightly taller stature. Varrick gave them a quick tour. This novel''s true home is a different platform. Support the author by finding it there. ¡°So, as you might have noticed, the orbital platforms had¡­different tech. I was up there once." ¡°This strikes me as 1800¡¯s, early 1900¡¯s technology. Minus whatever you can do with the gestalts.¡± The furnace was serviceable, as well as the other equipment. What it needed was maximum utilization. ¡°So, your house, your rules. Anything specific?¡± ¡°Sure. On the off chance you meet a plus one¡­maybe take the action someplace else.¡± Shawn and Claire glanced at each other skeptically while Varrick bit on his pipe gently. ¡°You earn your keep, if you¡¯ve got skills, we¡¯ll put them to good use. Try to be home before nightfall, lock the door, and make sure you clean up after yourselves.¡± ¡°Indoor plumbing is high on my priority list,¡± Shawn muttered. ¡°Why is the tech level so disparate? The orbital platform had steel works and advanced magitech, it held gravity and an atmosphere. This is¡­not the same.¡± ¡°Ah, noticed that, have you?¡± Varrick pointed to the forge and grunted. ¡°The Radiants tend to keep tech to themselves. There were means of manufacturing that were advanced at one point. However, the scattered nature of the world makes it tough to propagate information. And industry. Valtiria Prime might have some good examples of magitech prevalent everywhere, and in some of the major cities. Same story, with the layers below. But¡­lots of it gets stuck, and you can''t get it from one place to another. Not easily." ¡°Yeah, he¡¯s got a point. It¡¯s hard to ship industry when your entire planet is one giant asteroid field,¡± Claire pointed out sourly. ¡°It''s all over the place. Orbital platforms, and then this! Gestalt users with literal firepower, and then a town without a functional sewer system!¡± She placed her bag on a counter and then looked at Shawn. ¡°Telga hosed us. Giant cat monsters tried to eat you today. You''re acting unnaturally chill.¡± ¡°Would you prefer I act doomy? Because I don''t. Claire, I still have my books, and we aren''t the only travelers from Earth. We have something to start from.¡± But, she wasn''t hearing logic, eyes narrowed at him. ¡°Have you looked at yourself in the mirror lately? I think you''re traumatized!¡± ¡°Yep. Let''s talk about my trauma. Because it''s the thing I love to talk about the most. If I wasn¡¯t fine, I would say so.¡± She leaned in, fists clenched. ¡°No, you wouldn¡¯t. You bottle it in, like you do, every single time. Right until you call me at two in the morning on a weekday, sobbing and¨C¡± He felt every feather bristle on his body at that accusation, and she knew she¡¯d gone too far, when she stopped herself, biting her lip. ¡°I¨CI shouldn¡¯t¡­¡± she trailed off, unable to take back the words. ¡°You shouldn¡¯t have,¡± he stated quietly. He could feel the peering gaze of Varrick out of his peripheral vision, and gestured to the veteran smith. ¡°Just some¡­well, stuff that we were still working through, back on Earth.¡± ¡°I know that look. I know that deflection, Shawn. Because I¡¯ve seen it too much in my life.¡± Varrick pulled his pipe away, to sprinkle in some dried product, before lighting it with what Shawn suspected was a primitive match. Varrick waited for the tiny plume of smoke to clear before he regarded them. ¡°Look, I¡¯m not going to pretend to be blind. You in particular Shawn, have damage, but I¡¯m guessing it¡¯s from prior events. Regardless of whether you admit it, or not. My advice? Square it away, or find a way to put it behind you. Distractions get you killed in Remaria faster than a Radiant in a bad mood out here.¡± It felt like a rebuke, but Shawn also realized he was giving a stark reminder: Life was not easy in this world. Claire puffed out an impatient breath of air. ¡°We¡¯ll handle it, Varrick. We made it this far.¡± ¡°Good. Now, if you need an extra ear to listen to on occasion, I can do that.¡± Varrick took a contemplative puff of his pipe. ¡°Anything I should worry about?¡± ¡°We¡¯re good,¡± Shawn answered before Claire could get a word in, and she took his lead and slowly nodded. Varrick tilted his head, looking satisfied at the response. ¡°Oh, new rule. No rivalry squabbling.¡± Shawn turned to aim a droll look at Varrick, who chuckled. ¡°You aren''t exchanging fists, so I presume this is normal for you two.¡± ¡°Unfortunately,¡± Claire responded with a puff of air. She took one of the bunks¨Cthe lower one. ¡°Seriously, what can we do against a guy who can blow moons out of the sky? We¡¯re boned.¡± ¡°Just let it rest for a day, Claire. We can find solutions along the way. Varrick, I think we might stand a chance. But, I also need some space to test out my gestalt. I''ve got a few theories.¡± He nodded and pointed to the forge. ¡°Best practice where you can''t burn or freeze something solid. This building is well fortified, and the timber is quite fire-resistant from the local trees. Try not to make yourself an ice sculpture or roast yourself, yeah? The barracks also have some training grounds for gestalts. Especially for people on bonding day.¡± ¡°What¡¯s that?¡± ¡°Ah, when people come of age, we give them an Etteria crystal. It''s a ritualistic day, a little bit of celebration, a little bit of a rite of passage. People might be born with a gestalt, but not everyone¡¯s is notable. In most cases, people can take the crystals and gain a gestalt. Usually, only one." ¡°I thought¨C¡± Claire cleared her throat audibly and gave him a face full of ire. He stopped mid-sentence¨Che had another resource. Hang on. Halsey, confirm something for me if you can. Can the normal Etteria be bonded to someone with a gestalt?
Yes, but it¡¯s not the same, based on Telga¡¯s brief description. It either gives them a new power if one has not manifested by genetic heritage, or reinforces their existing one. I think. You should research this one later, I only vaguely recall this one.
So the primal Etteria is different. Does it need a blank canvas to work? Someone who has no gestalt or genetic changes?
Good question¨Cwe should investigate this when we can. We have one sample we can test, before Claire uses it. If she wants to use it.
Shawn cleared his throat in that brief instant of time, taking Claire¡¯s cue. ¡°So, what other gestalts are there, in town, if almost everyone has one?¡± ¡°Most are minor. Low-level telekinesis, instant memory recall, creating a small spark or a flame on demand. Turning invisible for a few seconds at a time¡­damn teenagers always trying to go snogging, but they forget they still make sound,¡± Varrick added with a huff. ¡°Yeah. I think tomorrow will be a busy day,¡± Shawn replied hastily while Claire rolled her eyes. ¡°Alright, Claire, I need to go practice some stuff. I can¡¯t rest right now.¡± ¡°Yeah, I¡¯m with Varrick. Try not to turn yourself into fried chicken,¡± she added sourly. ¡°What¡¯s a chicken?¡± Varrick asked. ¡°You don¡¯t have those here?¡± Shawn felt a small part of his entire existence die when Varrick shook his head. ¡°No. We don¡¯t. What is it, anyway?¡± ¡°A small game animal that everyone swears tastes like everything,¡± Claire explained. There was no need to emphasize that they ate birds as part of their diet, before this. Shawn let out a frustrated exhale as Claire got settled in her bunk a moment later, and Varrick used a short burst of flight to leap up to the second floor, though a series of climbing points were there for those without wings. Varrick turned around, gesturing to him. "Your gestalts. Are you getting a feel for them? Most people go through training on them...but no two gestalts are quite the same. I can tell you, find your core, first. It all starts there." "I...sort of feel it. But is it physically there?" he asked hesitantly. Varrick nodded. "The Etteria, it bonds to us. it''s got a physical presence...and then one that exists elsewhere. its influence isn''t limited to its physical connection, either. Telga knows more. Me, I''m just a simple smith who knows metals, Shawn. Though, I saw you worked out a few basics. Not everyone gets those right. Some people even hurt themselves. Start small, feel them out." "How?" "You''ll feel the power channel through you. Think of it like a river. You''re tapping off a small stream at a time with...floodgates, in essence." Shawn took note of the analogy. "You need help...I''m right here." "Yeah. I just...I need a little time to think," Shawn answered, after thinking on it. Varrick nodded calmly before heading up to the loft, out of sight. He glanced around the open space of the forge, and could feel the comforting heat of the coals within. Varrick had said before that evenings were starting to get cool¨Can autumn equivalent wasn¡¯t that far away. He glanced at a small pile of metal scraps on the table, labeled iron. He hefted it in his claw¨Cit didn¡¯t weigh much, probably only a few hundred grams, at best. Halsey, let¡¯s get to testing. I want to explore what I can do, but we¡¯re starting small. He regarded the iron in his hand, and his abilities. There was vast potential if they worked the way he thought they worked. It was time to unlock that potential.
I typically save announcements for pre or post-author notes, but I think these two matter too much. Hallowed World hit RISING STARS late last night. This is awesome, guys! Now, for those of you tuning in, please, if you want more people to see this story, we need to boost the visibility, and climb! Add a follow, favorite or a rating, if you''ve made it this far! These all matter for which stories are considered popular! Now, I do appreciate the follows, favorites and ratings you guys have given the story so far, but we are lacking reviews--they do help others determine if a story is worth checking out or not. If we can get to five reviews (and please, I must emphasize, base it on how you feel about the story!), I''ll release an extra bonus chapter in the near future! Second announcement, the patreon is live for The Hallowed World, and has been since day one. If you guys want to continue supporting my writing efforts, consider signing up! Here are the details: * Sign-up is for a full month of content. You get billed on the same day every month. * 20 advanced chapters (not in public release) of The Hallowed World, 15 advanced chapters of Newly Broke Heroine. All for one low price at the shopkeeper/merchant tiers. Each chapter is average length of 2500-3000 words. This also is the reason I only post 3X/week. * I''m human which means I''m not perfect. If a chapter slips a day, I won''t forget you guys. I try to avoid this by buffering more than what patreon offers, but life stuff happens. * Your efforts help fund advertising, editorial stuff, and give me breathing room to combat life''s unexpected challenges. * The image below is clickable and takes you to my patreon. Even if you only want to get 3 chapters advanced for 2 bucks a month, every bit helps! Alright, I''m all set. Sorry that was a bit long-winded, I limit this to like, only one or two times per story. Thank you everyone who made this story get the visibility it has! Ch. 16: Error And Trial Shawn took a light breath and was glad for the privacy of the empty room, with evening now sending its growing tendrils of shadow across the landscape. It wasn¡¯t too long before he could see the nebula¡¯s glow illuminating trees, and the single functional moon was also lending to that effort. He couldn''t imagine the effort it took to calculate the moon trajectories or the rotational positioning of the tectonic masses around this strange world. If magic wasn¡¯t what was keeping the world together, then he didn''t know what was. He glanced at the iron scraps, and put them down, for now. He grabbed a small chair and brought it to the smooth wooden workbench, well-varnished and cared for¨Cpresumably by Varrick. He needed to start very small. For starters, he needed to determine which power he was pulling from. He had three to choose from, which based on Garrett¡¯s reaction, wasn''t normal. He flexed his open hand, and wanted to focus on the most benign power: the force barrier. Alright Halsey, how much do you know about these powers?
Very little. I know only the basics. What I said before was true: there is an Etteria core inside you. It''s not so much physical, so much as¡­overlapped with your body. That aligns with Varrick''s explanation.
Okay¡­but, that crystal absorbed into my body. And I felt little splinters and pains for a while.
That''s the physical portion. You now have a lattice of that crystal inside your body; it follows nerve pathways, integrating with your body. The energy travels along these pathways for various effects, depending on the gestalt acquired.
He found this deeply unsettling. Was metal self-replicating within his body? This was some strange magic, to put it mildly. But why are the gestalts so varied? Telga said no two are the same. He flexed his hand, and tried to feel out that core¡­somewhere nested near his heart, from before. Also, it¡¯s kinda creepy, a metal that ¡®grows¡¯ is now interfacing with my organic body. I¡¯m offering myself to the nearest predator I see if I ever hear ¡®Assuming direct control.¡¯ Just throwing that out there.
I don¡¯t think I could control you, it doesn''t work that way. That also sounds¡­ wrong.
Do you have morals? He found that surprising.
I know that controlling others is wrong on every level. It¡­feels like a belief I held strongly. Now, let¡¯s focus. Clear your mind. I think Aveerans are more tuned into their core than other species. We should start with that. Before, it was easy; when you first took the crystal in, your whole body was¡­like an overloaded battery. It wanted an outlet, and resistance was low, if I might borrow an analog.
Okay, so it had to go somewhere, and it was like floodwaters spilling out, or a pressurized fluid source. He sat on the simple bench adjacent to the forge, and took a deep breath, trying to picture that energy source. Near the heart, and lungs, perhaps. Once he closed his eyes, he tried to push the rest of the world away, took a deep breath, and held it. It was something he''d done before, many times. After his father¡­left¡­and Maggie had allegedly drowned, he tried various exercises to not fall into despair or rage. One of those two events had been tugging at him, ever since. This exercise, along with forays of hunting and wilderness treks, had long since become his tools to manage this burden, and his job. He¡¯d been mostly successful. He inhaled slowly through the nostrils on his beak¨Cand frowned. It made a slight whistling noise. He tried to tune it out and regain the tranquility he needed. After about a good thirty seconds, he could feel something¨Cthe pulse of his heart, running faster than a human heart. Not out of shape, but simply the result of different biology. He exhaled softly, and spread his wings gently, to the most ¡®neutral¡¯ state he could manage, where he barely even noticed them. It was difficult¨Ctheir sensitivity to air currents let him know that there was a slight draft from the door and an air current from the forge. After another few seconds, he could feel more than just his heart going. He could feel the pulse of an electrical charge, hiding in the shadow of his heartbeat. He could feel that pulse, ever so gently, radiating out with the softest of currents¨Cdown his torso, down his legs, to the tips of his claws, all the way to his wingtips and taloned feet. But, he didn¡¯t focus on it. He focused on his core. Pondering what it meant. Halsey, I feel that core¡­it¡¯s like a physical manifestation in my chest. Is that¡­the shard?
Yes. However, you should talk to the others about what their knowledge can glean about the specifics. Or, you know, keep saying random things, and maybe we can unlock my memories. Siiiiigh. This is a mood, knowing someone stuffed me into that Etteria shard.
Yeah. I think we¡¯ve reasonably concluded that. Unless there¡¯s a gestalt that can send a whole personality, soul¡­thingy¡­through the air, into another person. But what you are, exactly, is still a mystery. Or¡­who you are.
I¡¯m flattered that you think I¡¯m a person.
If you¡¯re an artificial construction, you¡¯d pass the Turing test, by my book. You speak like a living person, with a grasp of language, and a sense of self-identity. You build on previous interactions. AI¡¯s in my world, or constructs built of digital bits of information, are nowhere near that sophisticated. Yet. Alright, I need to focus for a few minutes. He pondered this while feeling out that spark of energy in his core, and focused on nothing but that, and Halsey. The spark of energy had a rhythm that shadowed his own heart, now that he was tuned in. That faint pulse could be felt going outward to his extremities. But he only needed one outlet at a time. For now. He kept his eyes closed. It was easier to focus his way, trying to get a small bit of that energy to travel in a specific direction; like cutting ice off a melting glacier, and letting it flow downstream. Or, was the analogy of a glacier calving and dropping a big chunk of ice into the ocean, to slowly melt? He frowned as he lost focus¨Che couldn¡¯t feel the spark of energy as prominently, and he took a second to readjust. It didn¡¯t take long once he found the rhythm again, with slow, measured breaths. He¡¯d used this gestalt before, but now, he was testing to see what triggered it, to make it by willpower and on-demand, rather than panic reactions. Because if he couldn¡¯t use it when he needed it, he¡¯d become monster food in this world of deadly predators and half-mad gods. And being dead would not protect Claire, or get Maggie home. This tale has been unlawfully lifted without the author''s consent. Report any appearances on Amazon.
You¡¯re not splitting it off the energy, so much as redirecting current, like a simple logic gate. Now, which one are you trying for?
The force barrier. I can¡­sort of feel it on my claw-tips. Without opening his eyes, he flexed his hand gently, feeling that charge of energy running through his fingers. He directed that energy to an outlet. He supposed the natural extremities of his hands and feet would be easy, for now. He felt he could constrict and expand that flow path¨Cnot in the physical sense, and not with a binary approach¨Cbut more like a water spigot from the backyard, controlling the overall flow rate. A greater level of fidelity that he could dial in. He heard a low hum as he felt the barrier slowly form around his hand. But he didn¡¯t open his eyes, yet. He flexed his claws gently, feeling the barrier conform around his hand with an electric tingle. He was going by sound, and this other sense that wasn¡¯t touch but¡­something else. Like he could detect the charge of the energy. It was a low hum. But, if he throttled it with a restrictor¨C The hum increased in frequency. He dared to open his eyes, just a crack, and he saw the golden barrier of interlinked hexes flexing about a millimeter over his hand, and fading away as it spread further away from his fingers. He opened his palm gently, and the barrier receded a little, back toward his wrist. He closed his claws and formed a fist, and the barrier spread halfway up his arm.
You do love your experimentation, don¡¯t you?
Error and trial¨CI mean, trial and error, Halsey. He could map the manipulation of the barrier to his hand movements, and he rotated his wrist, gently. The barrier followed along, conforming against his fingers with an electric buzz. After several motions over the next few minutes, he concluded that he could do simple manipulation of the barrier to expand and contract. The smaller an area he focused the barrier, with a consistent slow trickle of energy flow he could ¡®meter¡¯ to it, the more intense the glow of the hexes became. And, they also split into a finer mesh. A finer mesh. What did that mean? He went by his previous interaction with the barrier¨Chow it had shielded against a pyrrhic blast and kept them all from being cooked, on the orbital platform. He must have used immense levels of energy¨Ceverything he had been brimming with¨Cduring that last effort. Halsey, take some notes for me. Actually¡­the glyphs you projected into my vision¨Cor, something that gets between the optic nerve, and where it¡¯s processed in the brain. Can you project something, other than words?
I¡¯m not sure. I mean, I can try. Why?
Draw a circle. The most perfect circle you can imagine.
Where are you going with this?
An inkling of an idea. He flexed his claws before he mentally pushed the barrier away from him¨Coutward, away from his body. It responded accordingly, and he focused his eyes on it, keeping his focus hand still. He used his other hand, trying to see if he could manipulate the barrier--changing variables in its construction. There were several variables to consider. First, the geometry. Second, the intensity of the barrier--he could feel a tiny trickle charge of fatigue building. Not the instant fatigue accruement from before, but more the burning of lactic acid buildup for an extended run or exercising too intensely. Thirdly, the fidelity of the structure itself--how many of those little polygons formed per unit area. Fourth, the overall complexity of the geometry--was he making primitives, or something complicated? There was one other factor: the interaction with the physical world. That was the biggest variable, how the barrier played against the other objects--texture, friction, permeability. or how it interacted with other gestalts. It could hold back fire and a concussive force, but could it hold back other things? or permit something else through it, a permeable barrier?
You''re overthinking it. One step at a time.
Right, sorry. I''m new at this. This is untapped, unknown, and something worth being fascinated by. Halsey suppressed a chuckle inside his head, and her work was apparently wrapping up. She had overlaid a circle onto his vision. He brought the barrier up to it, and focused on using his free hand to shape the barrier. Somehow. Could he do that? He realized he was also feeling a lighter draining feeling only building in intensity. He filed it away as another observation: he was not an infinite well of energy like he was before. Halsey, take notes. I have a mana bar.
A what, now?
It¡¯s sort of a joke. I¡¯m trying to draw analogues between what I know, and what I¡¯ve observed. I have a magic meter. I¡¯m sure there¡¯s only so much of this Etteria, or mana that I can store in my body¨Cor elsewhere, and I¡¯ll be out of juice. Then this barrier will probably pop. Can you calculate that?
That one¡¯s going to be a little complicated, Shawn. I¡¯d need time to figure that out. Plus, you know your own body better than I do. If it feels like you¡¯re pushing too hard, stop. I¡¯m sure that passing out is not good for your health¨Cor, others relying on you.
He gave a soft wing shrug, since his hands were busy forming this barrier like clay. That¡¯s a fair point. Let¡¯s see if I can shape this the way I want¡­ He brought his hand up to the barrier, creasing the polygons with his touch, and felt an electric flow with his focus hand. Little electrical tingles went from his claw tips to the rough-hewn circle, glowing brightly now. In a way, he was shaping the barrier like putty, applying force to get the polygons to go in a way that he wanted. But, he could easily push too hard, and part of that barrier would crumble in a burst of tiny sparks. He had to reconstruct it by channeling more power from his core, and correcting his work when the shape loosened. But, a few gentle hand motions allowed him to adjust it to a high degree of precision. With minute traces of a single claw, he smoothed out the edges, and his beak creased. Halsey, how close of a circularity is this to true?
While I have limited means to gauge other than your visual acuity¡­the runout is in the hundredths of a millimeter. I think Varrick had a gauge over there on the table, an old dial one. But I don¡¯t think it¡¯s sensitive enough to test this. Or, measure it before you lose focus.
It¡¯s a start. If I can make circles, I can make other things. I just need to chug those Etteria potions for bigger stuff, probably. Though I¡¯m pretty sure that one might have a practical limit, I¡¯m not a human or Aveeran battery. Now that he was holding the completed shape, he didn''t have to mentally direct his focus--it held that rigid form on his own, without expending mental effort. Halsey, this has massive implications for castings. If this is thermally insulative, I can make... his eyes widened. Halsey. if this is just limited by precision and time, I can make any three-dimensional object I want, with the right metal. Maybe we have to make some negative dies out of it for reproducibility, but--
Shush, nerd bird. You made a circle. Celebrate that. building bigger stuff is going to take time. And how, exactly are you going to be pouring molten metals into this?
He chuckled at the sass, before he directed a charge of Etteria to his free hand, and raised a feathery brow at the tiny flame now hovering over his fingertips, fueled by his will. That''s how. He willingly cut the energy flow off, and the barrier popped out of existence with a flash, and a few glowing motes of golden light. He let out a soft huff, and his fingers felt cramped--a sensation that faded over a minute. Well, that wasn¡¯t bad for our first attempt. I made a circle out of a barrier. That¡¯s good. We have other tests to run, too.
What is our next goal, anyway?
I want to build an upgraded lathe, a milling machine, and a lab bench for Claire. We need all of these things to start building the stuff I need. Or at least, make it quicker. I don''t think I have the mental discipline to make gears or other complicated structures just yet. the milling machine shouldn''t be terribly difficult to set up, provided we get a reliable power source, either hydro, or steam-- A knock at the door broke his focus, and he nearly jumped from his seat. He rose from his spot, and Varrick grumbled from his loft. ¡°Can you get that Shawn? Tell them I¡¯m not doing any rush jobs, not at night,¡± he called out. Shawn stretched his limbs after sitting for a fair chunk of time, his wing joints needing a good stretch before he headed to the door, and unlatched it. Regia was standing there, looking composed¨Cand not wearing her uniform, but a more casual dark blue tunic. She had a bottle in hand, and she smiled. And, he noted, her feathers had been slicked back and looked a little less rugged. ¡°I heard about your little kerfuffle in town earlier, you and Claire. Also, I might have seen you working on your gestalt. Mind if I come in?¡± Ch. 17: Guns, Gestalts, And Good Wine Shawn froze at this proposal. A woman was here. From another world. With a bottle of wine in her hand. And, showing some concern for him and Claire. This was an imminent freak-out moment.
Seriously you dunce, tell her she can come in. Your beak is gaping.
It is not! Shawn had to muster his composure to ignore Halsey¡¯s reprimand and beckon Regia inside. ¡°Uh, sure, come on in.¡± ¡°Why, thank you! I see that nasty beast we heard about earlier didn¡¯t turn you into a meal,¡± she added, tapping him on the beak. He frowned as she brushed past him, and twirled on her claws before setting the bottle on the table, and calling out. ¡°Yo, Varrick! Get your feathered arse down here, I need drinking buddies! It¡¯s been a shit few days, and you make decent company!¡± ¡°I hope you didn¡¯t take that from Telga¡¯s stores. She¡¯ll fry you good if you did,¡± Varrick retorted. He hopped down from the landing, and landed with a cushioning flap of his wings, bending stiffly at his knees. He winced and rubbed his back. ¡°Damn it, I hate getting old.¡± ¡°You¡¯re not old, you just act old, for the sake of the rest of us!¡± Regia sang and hugged him. Claire approached from the guest quarters, trying to tidy her hair up with a scrunchie before the cheerful avian also hugged her. ¡°Looking good, dear! A few more weeks of harrowing escapes and shooting giant monsters, you¡¯ll be able to face down the scariest things this planet has to offer!¡± ¡°Oh! Um, okay, you get cozy,¡± Claire offered awkwardly, before Regia danced back to a small storage area, grabbing some simple, but functional tankards to place on the table. Shawn didn¡¯t notice it until he heard the clack of claws on the porch, and Garrett appeared, in a more casual tunic that accented his green and red feathers, and he gave a welcoming hug to him, smiling. ¡°Hey, my favorite crack shot is camped out here? Sorry, we didn¡¯t catch up earlier. I had to put the green-feathered new guys to work. We¡¯re busy getting the militia up to speed.¡± ¡°Not that I know Aveeran culture, but¨C¡± Shawn protested, but Garrett had already let go, and he pointed at the bottle on the table. ¡°Shush! You¡¯ll learn it as you go. Now, I don¡¯t know what Earth is like, but here in Remaria? It¡¯s a tradition for good friends to blow off steam after a few bad days and have a drink. Before you ask, yes, Claire can drink this,¡± he added before tapping the bottle for emphasis, his claw clinking on the glass. ¡°Uh¡­okay. I¡¯ll have a go. What are we celebrating?¡± Garrett let out a clack of his beak. ¡°Well, survival is a good start. We also have a memorial tomorrow, for those who¡­didn¡¯t make it off the platform. We toast, to celebrate the fallen. We try to view them for their accomplishments and bravery, not what we lost.¡± Shawn nodded, and brought over an extra set of chairs from the small dining table Varrick had set up in the guest quarters. Everyone gathered and sat down¨Cwith Regia plunking down next to him, on the wide bench seat. ¡°So uh¡­like I said¡­it¡¯s been a few interesting days, to put it mildly.¡± ¡°That¡¯s Remaria in an eggshell,¡± Regia replied, eying the bottle with fascination. ¡°This is a small treat I stashed away a few years ago in my locker in the barracks. It feels like a good day to open it.¡± What Shawn found fascinating was her using a single sharpened claw to gouge into the cork at the top, and pulled it out with one swift motion; it made a distinct thunk sound. She gave it a light swirl, and he could smell something rich from the bottle¨Ctannins, something fruity but unfamiliar to him, reminding him of raspberries, but with a sharper, more tart scent. He also noted a small relief in the tankard shape, molded for¡­ He tapped his beak gently while he studied the mug, and thought about it. A tankard for an Aveeran. That¡¯s handy. He realized his beak protruded further than the rest of his face, so, a relief would keep him from spilling. Regia poured the dark purple wine into the five tankards, and slid them to each of them. ¡°Now this one here is Rousant, 1992 blend. So it¡¯s aged about¡­five orbits or so. It should be a treat! Now, before we start¡­a toast, to the fallen. I know we were up against some dangerous foes, but¡­losing anyone sucks,¡± she added in a lower tone, the song in her voice temporarily gone. ¡°Yeah. I uh¡­I just did what I thought was right,¡± Shawn offered awkwardly. ¡°What you thought was right? Shawn, without your stupid bravery, I think all of us would be dead, between you and Claire. She¡¯s a sharpshooter. I saw her clip a few of those bastards trying to slaughter everyone.¡± ¡°I prefer not thinking of a body count,¡± Claire countered, arms folded gently. ¡°Preserving lives is the only way I can justify ending others when given no alternative. And those guys that charged at us? Yeah. Peace talks were never an option.¡± ¡°Everyone¡¯s first time is the worst.¡± Regia tipped back her drink, her beak clinking ever so softly on the tankard. He took that as his cue and took a sip, taking care not to clip his beak into the side. ¡°Well, maybe you can sample something a little more worthy of remembrance, then.¡± Aside from some water he¡¯d intermittently grabbed throughout the day, he realized he had not sampled much of the local food. But this wine¨Cit was tart, dark, and rich. And potent¨Cthe alcohol content seemed to be a touch stronger than he was used to, and he slowly lowered it, sampling this flavor. Like one of the best currants he¡¯d ever tasted, and a hint of sweetness like raspberries. Everyone else had followed suit, and Claire had taken a liking to it, he noted. ¡°Oh, this is¡­goodness, I don¡¯t have words for this,¡± Claire said, a faint smile crossing her face. ¡°Forgive me for asking, but, does your body¨C¡± ¡°Metabolize alcohol? It does. Probably quicker than a human, though,¡± Garrett said, nudging Regia from his seat on the other side of her. ¡°Watch out for this one. She¡¯ll drink you under the table, and be singing bawdy songs while doing it.¡± ¡°That¡¯s so not true,¡± Regia scoffed, before tipping back a sip and wagging a claw at him. ¡°I don''t sing bawdy songs, that¡¯s Telga. She¡¯ll deny it, till the day she dies.¡± He couldn¡¯t help but notice a mischievous smile across her beak as she said it.
The probability of truth¡­about ninety-eight percent.
You don¡¯t actually know that number, Halsey. Wait. Do you?
Haha. The number, no. The intuition, based on my scant interactions over the past two days? It¡¯s a good chance.
Shawn masked his chuckle to be timed with everyone else''s. Varrick sat back in his seat, looking on thoughtfully before giving Regia a nod. ¡°Yeah, it¡¯s true. Damn radiant drank me to a draw once. And she gets more bawdy as the night goes on. A curator of rich culture there, that one,¡± he added with a crease of his beak. Garrett couldn¡¯t stop a hearty laugh. Love what you''re reading? Discover and support the author on the platform they originally published on. ¡°Hah! I knew it. She should be here, but she¡¯s been talking to the council, keeping busy all day. I keep one of the militia guys near her when myself and Regia aren¡¯t there. I know she¡¯s hurting. Just wish she¡¯d say it so she could go to the grieving part,¡± he finished in a quieter tone, now settling back down. ¡°She¡¯s tougher than the rest of us combined, Garrett,¡± Varrick pushed back. ¡°If I was truly worried, I¡¯d be there right now. As it were, I might go swing on by. It¡¯s not that late, yet.¡± ¡°She¡¯d appreciate it. Anyway, I think we should focus our attention on our new arrivals.¡± Garrett gestured to him and Claire. ¡°Shawn, we didn¡¯t have much chance to talk, with everything going on. Regia told me you had some motivation to put the would-be overlord out of commission.¡± ¡°Yeah. Deal with him, somehow not die in the process, and find my sister. Easy enough.¡± The wine in his cup gave him a little more courage to say that, without his voice wavering. The logical side of him that told him that it was going to be a long, difficult path. ¡°He¡¯s our noble knight!¡± Regia added as she playfully elbowed him in the ribs. Her wing kept having this tendency to want to curl around his back. ¡°Say, What did you do before this? I mean, both of you?¡± ¡°Honestly, there isn''t much,¡± Claire answered, her tone brighter now. ¡°Well, he had a shit childhood, it got better, then his sister drowned. Well, what he believed at the time. Then, he and I went to the same college. He needed a lot of work," she added in a sincere tone. He took no offense to it. "My primary vocation is chemistry and chemical processing." "Specifically?" Regia prodded gently, sounding intrigued. ¡°For my primary job, I did chemical processing for various industrial applications. Lubricants, refrigerants, caustics, cleaning products! You name it, get me the right precursors and the right equipment, and I can mix up a lot of cool stuff! And explosives, but don¡¯t let that one circulate,¡± she added with a shrug. ¡°Hey, explosives might be a good choice. We have foes that can cast magical barriers that eat rifle rounds,¡± Shawn countered. ¡°I can even build the weapons that make it possible.¡± "Such as?" Garrett asked. Shawn quickly grabbed a pen and sketched something on a loose pad of paper Varrick kept tucked away, and showed the rudimentary sketch of the grenades he''d seen used. Then, he showed them what he had planned for improving effectiveness. "The explosive is fine. But you want to have split points so those fragments receive the maximum energy. Frangible points of weakness. The debris will do more damage to monsters, with higher penetration. In theory. It''s about maximizing your potential energy." Garrett frowned as he tapped the sketch. "That...is interesting. Wouldn''t have thought of that." "Same principle for the rifles. Maximize your energy efficiency," he emphasized. "Those rounds we fired at the Jabberyowls seemed ineffective, the Bandersnatches too. I suspect the rounds aren''t optimized, or monsters are tougher to kill than I ever imagined." ¡°Pfft. That''s the wine talking,¡± Claire added while tousling his feathers, much to his annoyance. Her cup was already empty, he noticed. ¡°Or the birb part of you.¡± ¡°Becoming a birb¨CI mean bird,¡± he added with a roll of his eyes, ¡°Didn¡¯t change my knowledge base or my memories. I think. The point is, that I have theories on why the weapons are inefficient. The alchemical rounds are low power, the burn isn¡¯t complete, or the tolerances are too loose. I¡¯ve narrowed it down to a few things. The rounds themselves could also use some work, and be made more aerodynamic¨C¡± ¡°Shush, no work talk,¡± Claire interjected again while tapping his beak. Regia giggled at this motion, and while he had feathers, he let out a sigh of protest. ¡°Don¡¯t let Shawn talk science or math, or designing crazy shit. Once you let him get started, he will never shut up about it.¡± ¡°Oy, when did this become a roast?¡± he protested, while Claire laughed. ¡°When you grew a morbid fear of rotisserie ovens,¡± she added with an evil smile. ¡°Go add some cesium to water, why don¡¯t you,¡± he added with a hoot¨Cand then he grasped his beak, embarrassed that that had happened, while Regia clapped him on the shoulder, laughing. ¡°You two are something else. What a package deal we got! Condolences, though, on whoever you left behind.¡± ¡°My house plants are toast,¡± Shawn sighed. ¡°Mom will think I¡¯m ignoring her. At least the cat has a doorway. I told the waitress to go to my apartment before I bolted into the portal...I hope Simba is okay." ¡°Telga got us here. I¡¯m sure there¡¯s a way back,¡± Claire assured him, then wrinkled her brow. ¡°Ah, crap. Mandi is gonna think I stood her up on that date. Of all the priorities¡­¡± ¡°It might be possible to get you back home. Telga or the other Radiants would know best, but, I can¡¯t think of an instance where someone wanted to go back, the few I know about personally,¡± Varrick grunted. ¡°You liked it, there?¡± Shawn answered with a slow dip of his beak. ¡°I was more at home at my job in a mechanical lab, or going camping in the wilderness, hunting. I¡¯d hunt my own game¨Csometimes a bow, sometimes a rifle, similar to the ones you have on hand,¡± he added, and air gestured, pretending he held a rifle in hand. ¡°I was good at it, but I only took what I needed to eat. Then, when I was done, it was back to the city. Not quite as high stakes as out here, though." That crunch of bone, of someone dying within sight of the town on that first night, still echoed in his head. He needed to do better, build better weapons, and get stronger, so that events like that, didn''t happen again. ¡°And yet here you are, now having to start from very different circumstances.¡± Varrick folded his hands at the table, leaning in, and peering at the two of them intensely. ¡°Regia, I didn¡¯t have much of a chance to talk, and I prefer to ask with said subjects present. Can he walk the walk? Garrett?¡± ¡°To survive and help us endure what''s coming? Both of them can.¡± Regia sat up, wing draped over his, her eyes focused on him, Claire, then back at him. ¡°Can you build other stuff, like she can? I saw you practicing your gestalt.¡± ¡°I can measure stuff. And, I think I have some ideas on how to use it. But I still have a lot to learn.¡± As a demonstration, he focused on his core, and put out a shimmering golden barrier around the claws of his hand, flexing it gently. She leaned in with interest. ¡°Interesting. So it protects against¡­deadly stuff, as we observed.¡± ¡°That¡¯s not all.¡± He smiled as he gestured to the tankard. ¡°I don¡¯t want to waste the wine. Varrick, a cup with water?¡± ¡°Oh? Got an idea?¡± ¡°Yeah.¡± He formed the barrier and with a few quick motions, started wrapping it around a bowl sitting on the table, feeling the slight resistance as the barrier contoured to the shape, almost like a plastic wrap over a casserole dish. He focused on that trickle of energy, feeling the electrical current as he finished replicating the bowl, and then, lifted the bowl out gently with his free hand, focusing on keeping the shape of the imprint. ¡°Okay. So, you can replicate object forms?¡± Claire asked. ¡°Better.¡± He motioned for Varrick to pour the water, after a low protest about making a mess. But, to their surprise, the force barrier retained the water. The barrier hummed a little more agitatedly when in contact with the fluid. ¡°Okay, I¡¯m mildly impressed. It¡¯s not a solid¡­its energy, given form,¡± Claire breathed. She dipped a finger in the water, sending ripples across the surface. ¡°But, how¡¯s this help?¡± ¡°Now, the part I haven¡¯t worked on, yet. Can you pick up that bowl, Varrick?¡± ¡°I better not get soaked,¡± he grumbled. He frowned as he ran his fingers over the shimmering hexagon mesh, but was able to lift the barrier. The water sloshed around lazily, and the barrier didn¡¯t disperse. Shawn felt a mental ¡®catch¡¯ now that he¡¯d focused on the shape, in its finality, akin to setting a ratchet on a socket wrench. Varrick moved it away, slowly. ¡°Now, keep walking till I tell you to stop. Can you go to the far end of the room?¡± ¡°Aye.¡± He followed, carrying the force-fueled object, while Shawn felt a mental tether to it¨Clike he could picture it, feel it, even at a distance. But, the further Varrick walked away, the more fuzzy that picture felt, he couldn¡¯t feel the surface, or feel the texture of the barrier. ¡°Okay, stop.¡± Varrick froze, and turned around, a crease of his beak emerging. ¡°So, whatcha thinking, son?¡± ¡°I think we can, indeed, make castings and forgings,¡± Shawn concluded. "The reason I say that is it didn''t conduct heat. Or, it has an immense thermal resistance. I might have to practice a lot, or make an investment negative to work from. But this is our first step to getting better weapons, armor, and equipment. I call it my force mold.¡± He let out a small thrust of his claws into the air in triumph¨Cand lost his connection to the mold. The water instantly dropped and splashed onto Varrick¡¯s trousers, and he let out a warbling sound of anger. ¡°Damn it, Shawn! I knew that was gonna dun happen!¡± he shouted with a smoldering glare aimed at him. ¡°Work in progress, and sorry,¡± he added hastily before grabbing a dish rag from the kitchen. Garrett and Regia were hooting with laughter, and Claire tried not to giggle at the unintended spectacle. ¡°Oh shut it, you mockingbirds,¡± Varrick shot at them with a snap of his beak, but he accepted the dish cloth and tried to dry off. "Yeah, if you drop that on someone working with molten metals, it''ll do worse than leave me in a bad mood." Regia clapped Shawn on the back, bright blue eyes peering at him with amusement. ¡°Better build a containment area, then! I get first dibs, Shawn! You¡¯re building me more rifles!¡± she beamed, in an awkwardly close moment, while Varrick fumed behind them. Shawn smiled faintly. ¡°Well, better rifles, too.¡± He felt a spark of different energy, and put out his free hand, to get a small wisp of flame going for emphasis. ¡°But now, we have to work on step two. And probably work on making step one a little less messy.¡± Ch. 18: In The Arms Of An Aveeran When Varrick explained the rites of burial for the natives of Valtiria, Shawn had built in his head that there was some hidden horror, or some strangeness that his time on Earth wouldn¡¯t have prepared him for. It turned out that all his worries were for nothing, though there was one oddity he didn''t quite understand, without bodies to bury. ¡°You burn the deceased¡­and then gather the Etteria from their body?¡± ¡°Aye. It¡¯s a rite of tradition. As a person ages, regardless of species, the lattice of Etteria grows within them. Not adversarial to life, but it changes and grows more complex. If anything, it strengthens a person, over time.¡± Varrick tapped his chest for emphasis, as Shawn threw on a more formal-looking tunic, courtesy of Garrett, who matched his size. Varrick was just a titan among the Aveeran, Shawn realized. Taller, broader, and his gestalt was utterly metal, and untapped. ¡°We gather the Etteria and make artifacts of it. Most of the time, the powers granted by the Etteria vanish¡­but in rare instances¡­some trace of the gestalt remains. Usually, it goes to the next of kin. Or, sometimes, it¡¯s donated to others.¡± ¡°Could people gain powers from it? I don¡¯t want to sound morbid, but¨C¡± Varrick gave him a reassuring nod. ¡°Not something other people haven¡¯t thought of, no. There¡¯s something about the death of a person that renders the Etteria mostly inert¨Cin most instances. No one who has studied it fully understands yet. But, no, gestalts can only reinforce or grant new powers when it''s unearthed fresh.¡± Claire helped him with the buttons on the wings in the meantime, though he had insisted that he could do it by himself. ¡°You know, if I¡¯m stuck like this, I¡¯ll have to do this on my own.¡± ¡°You¡¯re pretty chill about this, you know that?¡± It wasn¡¯t the first time she¡¯d said it, and he rolled his eyes. ¡°I have two hands, two legs, and I don¡¯t have the urge to peck for bits of food on the ground, Claire. Oh, and two wings. We need to add flight practice to my routine, along with our militia training.¡± He rotated his wings gently and Claire got a face full of feathers, and she punched him in the wing in response. ¡°Hey, clear my airspace, land dweller,¡± he added with a crease of his beak. ¡°You¡¯re not even remotely bothered by the change? Assuming we get back home¨Cand that¡¯s a big if¨Cyour mom is gonna be pissed when she finds out she has a chicken for a son!¡± Claire scolded and gave his feather crest a tousling. ¡°Oh, I''m a little bothered by it. I have this weird magnetic sense of direction. My sense of balance is super sensitive, and I worry I''m gonna trip on my own two feet." He took a moment to put foot wraps around his clawed feet, mimicking what Varrick had done to dress up for the occasion. Boots and other footwear could be made for an Aveeran, and he''d seen a few wearing them. But, they required some effort to make to conform to the talons. He glanced up from his seated position, with Claire being unreadable. "Yeah, us having to tell my mom she now has an avian for a son? That''s going to be a hard sell. But, that¡¯s a problem for another day. The first thing I want to do, is figure out that supercharged Etteria with your genius chemistry skills, let¡¯s see what we can learn about it.¡± He straightened the collar, and the tunic felt snug. Claire had also gotten a set of simple clothes from one of the other human families in the town, but it was serviceable. She tied back her hair and pressed her lips firmly as she examined him. ¡°What, are my feathers out of sorts?¡± ¡°No. I just¡­I mean, it¡¯s not a terrible look for you,¡± she added hesitantly, before grabbing a comb and smoothing his feather crest, much to his annoyance. ¡°You still make that same scowl when I¡¯m giving you shit for stuff.¡± It was a decent attempt to make it a little less somber. ¡°Glad some things haven¡¯t changed. Let¡¯s get going, we don¡¯t want to be late.¡± Several minutes later, they had gathered with a small chunk of the town and were floating a few simple rafts on the river, filled with small mementos of the fallen: Shawn was surprised that several people from this town had volunteered on the orbital retreat. Telga was dressed in a white and black trim tunic, her feathers no longer sooty¨Cbut her eyes still wore the same dread he¡¯d seen from her when she looked upon the visage of her brother, possessing his men like they were nothing more than biological puppets. It was the only outward sign he noticed that she was not doing okay. She blamed herself for their deaths. He knew because it was the same look he¡¯d seen in the mirror, for far too long. Varrick nudged him gently while they stood in the crowd, and spoke barely above a whisper. ¡°Usually we do a pyre for¡­the process. But, given the circumstances, the sawmill guys offered this. It was done in the past, for a few settlements as a historical trend. Their tradition was to send the fallen¨Cor their keepsakes¨Cto the lake downstream, with a single lantern to guide them to the stars beyond.¡± ¡°Yeah. That nebula is an ocean of stars. I¡¯ve never seen anything like it,¡± Shawn murmured. He didn¡¯t question the implication that the culture held a belief in a life beyond death. Especially, after witnessing living gods and magic that took his science texts, and told him everything he knew was wrong. Shawn glanced at the audience, all gathered and a few sobbing, a few looking stoically, keepsakes and pictures clutched to their chest. A few children¨Ca human, and a cat-like girl, stood by the front, sobbing. They were holding hands as Telga read off the names of the fallen. They looked young, no more than four, maybe five years old. He felt a tightening of his throat when he thought about it. Five years old, and having to go through this. Knowing friends and family were killed by a mad god, and that more would almost certainly follow. They won¡¯t be the last, Halsey. But I sure as hell will make sure Revarik¡¯s little conquest is short-lived.
Best to pay attention. There will be time for that, once we get other pieces in motion.
Telga also called upon the family members to speak¨Capparently, several had approached her before this and had prepared a few words. The little girl with brown hair and green eyes, joined her father, a tall man with lean muscle and calloused hands. He helped her to the front, where she spoke, her small voice trembling. ¡°My big brother was up there, in the stars with our Radiant. He always told me he would bring me up there, someday. He said, ¡®The view of our world is like watching a garden. Beautiful, tended with love.''¡± She let out a soft sniffle, rubbing her eyes to wipe away her tears. ¡°I hope to grow wings someday and find him up there.¡± She stepped away to her spot on the side, held with love by her presumptive father, who was doing his best to hide his tears. A man built for a hard life, having to say farewell to his son, too soon. Royal Road is the home of this novel. Visit there to read the original and support the author. A few more spoke, after a rather quiet moment of reflection. One, an Aveeran with bright green feathers, spoke fondly of his wife, and how her gestalt had been used to tend to the various systems that kept that orbital platform functional. Another spoke of their daughter¡¯s fascination with science. Likely, she worked in one of the laboratories Shawn had noted on their brief visit there. But eventually, everyone had spoken, and Telga nodded to a black and white Aveeran before preparing her last statement. ¡°I wish I had more to offer than a memorial. We¡¯ve spoken to the capital, and the other Radiants, who have told us their courage under fire will not have been in vain.¡± Golden eyes shimmered with teary mist, and Telga expertly wiped them away after turning her head briefly. Claire stood next to him, holding his hand gently. He hadn¡¯t even noticed it until he looked down. He then glanced at her determined expression, her gaze fixed on the raft filled with a few black and white photographs. It was strange, seeing the infancy of photography, here in Remaria, but he also saw the more familiar few floral arrangements. Roses. Just like the ones we laid on Maggie''s casket. He felt that pang of heartache. Ten years, Maggie. We thought you gone. And my mind shut out the impossibility. He rubbed at his wrist gently, standing stoically at attention while Telga finished. ¡°We bid farewell to our loved ones, and we, the Radiants, hold with our hearts that the fallen will be guided to the shores of Aetir, the great shoal sitting on the window to the beyond.¡± Her gaze lifted upward, likely referring to the nebula that shone at night. At least, that¡¯s what Shawn inferred. She closed her notebook and nodded to the man who cast off the small float, carried by the river''s gentle current. Eventually, the raft rounded a riverbend, past a forested embankment, and disappeared from view. People looked on for a few minutes¨Ctwo Aveerans, looking like a brother and sister, gave a haunting call that Shawn was sure no human could replicate. It was mournful¡­and serene, in a way, as their voices complimented one another. ¡°They¡¯re lucky,¡± Regia murmured beside him, dressed neatly in a brown and black tunic behind him, having been quiet the whole time. He saw the bloodshot eyes and puffy feathers on her cheeks¨Cshe¡¯d been crying a bit, before, but not here. ¡°Their fight¡¯s ended. Ours is just getting started, Shawn.¡± ¡°That it is.¡± Revarik wasn¡¯t the only danger on this wild and untamed planet he had to be worried about. Even the local wildlife presented a problem, with their scale of lethality. He peered around to see the crowd slowly dispersing, after having broken into smaller groups, or some returning home in the late afternoon sun, starting to dip below the apex of the titan trees. Regia regarded him with curiosity. ¡°You have rights of remembrance where you were, yes?¡± ¡°For most people? There were a few.¡± He glanced her way, and he continued. ¡°Depending on where you lived or what your belief was, sometimes they¡¯d bury the departed in the earth. Or they might do a cremation. Some would entomb their fallen, preserve their bodies, and leave them in underground chambers. Some of that might sound silly, but¡­people had a lot of different ways of coping with the loss of those whose time had come.¡± ¡°It¡¯s not silly. You go on another tectonic slab of rock, they burn their dead. Another rock? Unlike us, they carve out the heart and eat it, like they can ingest the Etteria and make themselves stronger. I¡¯m no stranger to seeing weird and wild things, Shawn. Yours sounds pretty tame, by comparison,¡± she assured him. ¡°They¡¯d eat the heart?¡± he echoed, and put a hand over his chest, feeling anxiety. ¡°Alive or dead?¡± ¡°Yes,¡± she answered with a smirk. He felt that clarifying this one would do more harm than good if he inquired further. ¡°Anyway, Varrick is letting me borrow you guys for militia training. I suppose in your case, we can skip the bare-bones basics, you guys need real survival training, and I think you''d be useful, given your skills. Are you guys up for it this afternoon?¡± ¡°Gladly,¡± he rumbled. ¡°I could use something to take my mind off a day like this, you know? What do you have in mind?¡± ¡°Target shooting and gestalt usage. You know, the fun stuff.¡± ¡°Let me change out of this gear, I''m game for that. I also need to borrow one of the alchemical rifles, to get a feel for some things. But uh, I think I need to do something first." It was odd, knowing the strongest person in this town, was feeling her weakest, at this moment. He stepped to the waterfront, where Telga lingered and sat on the dock, hands clasped together. She had a mournful look about her; not unexpected, either. He tried to scale the loss of Maggie, to what she had just experienced. She said her farewells to twenty people. Twenty names. Hopes and dreams, turned to dust in the atmosphere. He rubbed his hand gently, knowing she needed time¨Cor assurances. ¡°Hey, how are you holding up?¡± He finally worked up the courage to speak. ¡°Better than I have any right to be,¡± she murmured gently, the water lapping gently on the shore of the dock. She had a small silver pendant looped on a necklace that she was peering at--it looked like a locket, with a photograph inside. He didn''t get a chance to inquire before she tucked it away under the collar of her tunic, and said nothing about it. She rose to address him properly. ¡°Shawn. This will repeat itself all over Remaria, because Revarik won¡¯t stop until he has what he wants. Do you think you have something you can contribute?¡± "Telga, be straight with me." He leaned in. "What exactly is he after? You''ve pointed him out as terrible being, but I don''t know his exact plans." "He believes the Radiants must reunite the planet. Except, with his role as the Radiant of Conquest...there''s only one way to go about it. By force." She almost sounded monotone when she said that. "He thinks the planet is sick. He thinks it''s dying. That we must find the cure, to make the world whole again. But if he does that...this world will crush under that cataclysmic collision." "Regia wasn''t kidding, huh?" he asked somberly. She shook her head slowly. "I knew him best. He was brilliant. A lot of Radiants looked up to him for his ideas. Then he got it in his head that he would do anything necessary to secure his strength, and the safety of this world--well, his world. His plans all lead to our destruction. Which is why we have to stop him." "And he thinks you''re the biggest threat?" Her eyes locked on him, a shroud of anger just below the surface. "You think I don''t know how this looks? My own brother has done this, Shawn. He took the core world and Seluniri, the second-deepest orbital layer, and killed everyone in his way. I can''t even utter aloud what I witnessed him do personally--" She inhaled sharply, and clenched her beak tightly, before recomposing herself a few seconds later. "Everything I do now--everything I have left--is to preserve Valtiria, and beyond, from his fell influence." Halsey, she might be as damaged as me, if she''s not lying. She was masking her pain whenever people were looking. Or, trying to. Should he lean into it, a little? He tried to use a rational approach. ¡°Well, I don''t know about stopping a god just yet, but I can help with arms and armor, for starters. Plus whatever else I can invent along the way, to make it happen.¡± He took a measured breath and peered at her reaction. ¡°I think I can use my gestalt to build stuff. When we¡¯re not getting trained by the militia, we¡¯re testing and building. Get myself and Claire the resources we need, and we¡¯ll make things happen. I think I can make your rifles more effective for one, and I have some plans for the ammunition. But we¡¯re talking a couple of weeks for solid results. Maybe more.¡± ¡°What do you need?¡± ¡°I need to get that mine nearby open and operational, or sufficient imports of various metals and chemicals. I need a metal press. There''s an ammo bench in Varrick''s shop but I need tools to modify it for what I have planned. I need to build some new machinery for precision cutting and metalwork. All that requires the mine is supplying us. I¡¯m going in there to clear it out myself if needs be,¡± he stated, sounding determined. ¡°Let¡¯s work on that goal first. Without it, none of the other plans work. That, or a steady supply line of materials. Are you on board with that idea?¡± She glanced down at the now-empty river bend, before turning to him. ¡°Then, let¡¯s make that happen. Garrett, Regia? Give them some introductory lessons on how we do things in Remaria.¡± Regia lit up like a beacon, and grinned at him. ¡°Oh, I like this plan. Garrett, where do we start?¡± ¡°Same place I start with all the recruits. See how far they get on their own skill, first, and take a tally of everything they do wrong,¡± he added calmly. Those raptor green eyes were already locked on him, and he knew this was a test he couldn¡¯t afford to fail. ¡°Let¡¯s meet there in one hour.¡±
Ch. 19: Friendly Fowlpower Shawn hadn¡¯t known what to expect, to put it mildly. He should have expected a level of pain and difficulty, and that Regia and Garrett were pushing everyone to be at their best. He didn¡¯t expect this level of physical torment. Three hours later, he was convinced that Garrett was determined to break him, or forge him into a finely tooled instrument of warfare. After obstacle courses and cardio for that length of time, he was panting nonstop. This lack of sweating thing was a bit of a pain, but no one else seemed to be bothered by it¨Che and Claire were starting with the recruits, volunteers from the village who would go through the basics. The start had been laps. A dangerous effort that left him scrambling to not trip on his own two feet, and keep his wings tightly tucked behind him. Claire made it look easy, but he¡¯d never questioned her athletics. Though, she couldn¡¯t quite keep up to pace with the Aveeran, the Vorhunde, or the Vulpines. She came pretty close, but Garrett shrugged. ¡°Claire, keep up pace with your teammates! Remember, you all work together!¡± Garrett and Regia had taken perches on a low tower, watching their progress, and Shawn slowed the pace a little. The other recruits followed suit. Another Aveeran, with black feathers and blue eyes, and two Vorhunde, along with two human males, sweat gleaning off their bodies. The Aveeran and the Vorhunde could run faster without effort. Okay, minus the ''covered in feathers part'' I guess digitigrade legs lend themselves to a distinct advantage, he realized. He pondered why he was running when he could fly. Then again, there were some limitations. He couldn¡¯t fly in close quarters, and maneuvered on the ground more quickly than in the air, once he got the feel for it. ¡°And, carry!¡± Regia barked out. The ¡®carry¡¯ portion of their test was to lift a shortened log of timber, and carry it over a distance of a hundred meters a few times¨Call in cohesion. They¡¯d dropped it only once, and luckily, no one¡¯s feet had been flattened. Shawn had course corrected, and had the Vorhunde switch sides on the carry, saying the weight wasn¡¯t balanced. It had been much easier after that, and the male Vorhunde nodded, a rugged grin crossing his muzzle. He was dressed in a thinner shirt, with lengthy dark brown fur across his body, and powerful limbs showing muscle tone. He had a short muzzle, bright white teeth, and hazel eyes flecked with green. ¡°New in town, huh?¡± he asked as they took a brief water break. Shawn tipped his canteen with care and downed it a little too fast; a dribble went down his lower beak. ¡°You and the lean mean one.¡± ¡°The lean mean one has a name,¡± Claire huffed. ¡°It¡¯s Claire Ryker, if you¡¯d kindly. I¡¯m no slouch. That¡¯s Shawn Pentecost.¡± ¡°Ah, gotcha. Name¡¯s Trask.¡± Shawn extended his hand and got a sweaty, hand-crushing handshake from the man, who grinned. ¡°You''re tougher than the other Aveeran, I''ve noticed. You''re not built like that brick-shaped bird Varrick, but decent.¡± ¡°I spend time hunting and wilderness tracking,¡± he replied, still feeling the grip of that man''s hand afterward. He filed a memo to never get in a fight with a Vorhunde. ¡°We uh, got lucky on the escape from Secturas sanctuary. I was there for some consulting on some engineering work." It was mostly the truth. ¡°But you''re doing this? Why?¡± ¡°Good way to meet the people I¡¯m working with. I''m not afraid of putting in the hard work, and I¡¯m unfamiliar with this part of Valtiria. Garrett tells me that zealots aren''t the only worry.¡± If Bandersnatches and Jabberyowls were any indications, there was worse, out there. The man relaxed and gestured to the other Vorhunde, with lighter brown fur and green eyes, and a bit of a mohawk cut on his scalp. ¡°Well, welcome, at any rate. This short stack is my brother, Raine.¡± ¡°Ah piss off, you¡¯re one centimeter taller,¡± the man replied with a surly tone, only to give his brother a hearty slap on the back. ¡°He¡¯s taller, but I''m the sweet talker. After we heard about the birdy queen crash landing, we volunteered for the militia. We already hunt proficiently. He can spear a fish at ten meters. I can pip one of those nasty razorbeaks that like to dive bomb folks and tear them up, with a shot from four hundred meters away or more.¡± ¡°Good skills. Gestalts?¡± Shawn inquired. Raine chuckled. ¡°He can evade wherever there¡¯s a deep absence of light. Useful, when you''re in the deep woods or the plains further east of here. Me? I have some means of detecting most living beings nearby when I don''t have a line of sight or my normal vision can¡¯t pick them out. I don¡¯t miss very often with my shots,¡± he added. ¡°You?¡± ¡°Force barrier. And one other tied to controlling heat,¡± he added as he pulled a trickle charge from his core to show his barrier, and they looked on, fascinated as he flexed his fingers. ¡°Haven''t used them much, but they''re...huh?!" He heard the sound like a fire hose blasting and reacted out of instinct, whirling around and expanding the barrier. A torrent of water bounced off the golden hexagons, running off and soaking Trask and Raine, and he felt the force on his palms. He dug his talons into the earth to withstand it, gritting his beak. The impromptu soaking ended. While he only got a light dampening, the others got soaked. He heard a cackle at a distance, and Regia fluttered down from her perch, eyes alight with mischief. ¡°Recruits, pay attention! There are always unexpected surprises. Including rain showers!" She laughed, before firming up her expression. ¡°First, you two, you got soaked! Bad placement! Shawn, next time fully shield your teammates! You''re lucky that it was water, not acid, fire, or necrofumes, or they''d be dead!¡± She pointed at Claire, who remained dry. ¡°Good dodge, you were paying attention! There are no safe spots in Vea¡¯lant, not after what you witnessed yesterday when hungry predators jumped over the wall.¡± ¡°Ah come on, bird brain, we¡¯re on break!¡± Trask protested, wiping the water from his face and looking utterly dejected by the soaking. ¡°Break''s over, then!¡± Regia replied coolly. ¡°This a good opportunity since you''re all cooled off.¡± Trask and Raine both rolled their eyes at this, before she pointed at Shawn, her claw tapping on his beak while she smiled. ¡°We need a demonstration of firepower. Since no two gestalts are quite the same, and come in great and small scales of power, every unit we compose is custom-tailored.¡±
She likes getting cozy with you.
Not helping my focus, Halsey! He tried not to react and stuck to a formal response. ¡°Yes, Ma¡¯am¨C¡± The narrative has been illicitly obtained; should you discover it on Amazon, report the violation. ¡°Regia''s fine.¡± He was more surprised at the lack of formality, though he had seen standard uniforms with a few different ranks stitched on. ¡°Fire range, five minutes. We''ll start with our ranged bread and butter." After enduring a small marathon of athletics, Shawn smiled as he got his hands on a rifle. The beat-up targets downrange in the forest clearing had seen use, and Regia defaulted to him to show the recruits how to operate the rifles. ¡°Me?¡± he asked, then added as he nodded firmly, ¡°Yes. Allow me to go through the basics.¡± He was lucky this firearm was functionally almost identical to the rifles from Earth; though the lever action mechanism was a little different. The mechanism reset the trigger only after cycling a round. Once he''d studied it, he showed the components, the ammo, and the operation. Regia and Garrett nodded silently, while they ran through it. Then, they got confused as he went prone, and protested. ¡°Aveeran¡¯s don¡¯t lie down in the dirt!¡± Regia fumed. ¡°They do if they want maximum accuracy and minimum exposure against counterfire.¡± He loaded five rounds, then frowned as he noted no adjustment on the elevation or windage. ¡°Your maximum range target is five hundred meters. But you only have most shots at three hundred. Hang on. Need to test something.¡± He aimed at the closest target, set at a hundred meters. He hit the target with a sharp metallic ping sound, then cycled. He produced the same result, at two hundred meters. At three hundred¡­the shot sailed over the target and impacted behind it. He frowned. ¡°Strange. That should have hit.¡± They didn¡¯t have a calibrated distance on the rear sight, which was a simple circle and post, with two faint glowing dots on either side to account for a ¡®leveled¡¯ rifle. ¡°Aim was too high,¡± Garrett pointed out, kneeling by him. ¡°You¡¯re accounting for gravity, yes?¡± ¡°Of course¨C¡± He smiled faintly. ¡°Ah, I know the problem.¡± He realized he¡¯d forgotten one smaller aspect: the lower gravity constant. That meant the round would have a flatter trajectory, and less vertical drop, compared to Earth gravity. He aimed a tad lower and cycled the round before firing again. Ping. A smile crossed his beak as he hit the head of the target, just barely. ¡°Solved the problem, or just a bad aim?¡± Regia teased, leaning in. ¡°Solved the problem.¡± He took a few more shots at the three-hundred-meter target and noticed the rounds were accurate. The problem was, he suspected they were lower velocity than they should be, based on the time between when he fired, and when he saw the round impact. His visual fidelity let him gauge roughly how long¨C
Shawn, the velocity of the rounds¨Cgiven your rough calculations¨Cis only about six hundred¨Cmake that six hundred and twenty meters per second. Accounting for the standard gravity that Telga gave us, this explains your over-aim. Also, it explains why the rounds were ineffective against the foes on the station. The stopping power is low.
I was getting to that part, he thought silently before he fed more rounds into the ammo tube, and cycled an expended round¨Cexcept, the round didn¡¯t extract. He frowned and examined the tube. ¡°Malfunction. Stand by,¡± he called out and checked the feed port. The round hadn''t been extracted after he pulled back the action gently, and he reached in and extracted it with a careful pull of one claw. ¡°Ah, that happens. The alchemical cartridges sometimes get stuck,¡± Garrett explained. ¡°Bad casings, and we do reuse them.¡± ¡°Brass would work better, steel if you can''t get it in supply. As a note, you¡¯ll warp the casings to hell if you reload them continuously, or risk a malfunction if the casing ruptures. Realistically, you can only reload them a few times before you should scrap them and melt them down,¡± Shawn stated before cycling a new round in. ¡°Honestly, you should only use them once, depending on the material.¡± ¡°Is that your experience talking?¡± Regia asked, eyes lit with curiosity. ¡°Research, and my hobbies. The casings could also stand to be tapered, you have straight cylinder casings which can get stuck in the chamber. A tapered chamber would help immensely with extraction.¡± He fired again at the four hundred meter target, putting the round dead center in the head of the target. The five-hundred-meter target fell without effort. But, he also knew at that distance, the power of the round would not be as substantial. Never mind the idea that proper gunpowder, or magical rounds, could up the possibilities, if someone hadn¡¯t already beat him to the punch. ¡°Varrick¡¯s a gunsmith, yes?¡± ¡°He knows more than he claims,¡± Garrett said with a slight scowl. ¡°Old bird might just have a bad history with it.¡± ¡°Well, I¡¯m gonna need him, and every book you guys have on these rifles, and their construction. I can think of a lot of improvements. Chief among them, a windage and adjustable sight to account for bullet drop. Glass optics would help, too. I saw one or two rifles with glass optics, but I''m guessing those are prized possessions." He emptied the feed tube by cycling the action, then checked to see if the chamber was empty, before handing the weapon to Garrett. ¡°Great. I could use better weapons. Because swinging magical weapons at a beast up close, isn¡¯t my thing,¡± he added with a chuckle. ¡°I¡¯m decent with some close-range stuff. Daggers. I previously used a sledgehammer for a job when they tore down buildings,¡± Shawn shrugged. ¡°Not as good with a bow as I am a rifle, but I can do it.¡± ¡°That¡¯s impressive. What was the draw weight?¡± ¡°Ah¡­what¡¯s the number¡­maybe forty-five kilos?¡± Shawn pondered. Nobody in this world likely knew the imperial system. ¡°Anyway, I thought we had a two-parter here, using our gestalts.¡± ¡°Eh, let¡¯s let people have their target practice, first,¡± Regia shrugged, before peering at him intently. ¡°You, however, are gonna be showing me fowlpower.¡± ¡°I think you mean firepower,¡± he corrected, even as she laughed at her pun. He furrowed his brow. ¡°Oh great, you¡¯re picking up puns from Claire, now?¡± ¡°Sisters!¡± Claire beamed while grinning evilly at him, and high-fiving Regia. ¡°Let¡¯s just get to the burning stuff once we¡¯re done.¡± While the rest of the recruits were taking turns practicing, he sat cross-legged¨Cor, cross-clawed, he supposed¨Cand worked on his focus on his core. Garrett was watching intently, when he dared to crease open an eye. ¡°What are you doing, indeed?¡± Garrett asked, as he sat down. ¡°This is a little technique I developed to get me through some stuff.¡± Shawn could feel that pulse of energy in his core¨Clikely, more replenished since yesterday. It was different from his normal muscular endurance¨Ca second reservoir of potential since he didn¡¯t have difficulty feeling it. Garrett leaned in, curious. ¡°You see¡­I had two things in my life that went wrong. Only one of which, I had any impact on." ¡°Your sister drowned¡­and likely got stolen by one of the Radiants, here,¡± he said quietly, green eyes focused on him, while he felt for that strand of current in his body. He found it faster than before, now that he knew what to feel for. ¡°Yeah. The first thing in my life that could have broken me for good, was¡­awful.¡± He mentally tugged at that current, like operating an ethereal switchboard. The one that made it feel like an inferno, in his veins. He could feel a trickle of it, pulsing weakly, no stronger than the warmth of a campfire in his core. It was different than the feeling of an electrical pulse from the force barrier. Distinct. More untamed. He had to throttle that power tighter, to achieve the same level of restriction to his claws. "You mentioned something about your father, when we were walking to Vea''lant." Shawn nodded, softly while focusing on that spark of warmth. ¡°My father was not a good man, Garrett. I worry constantly about becoming just like him.¡± ¡°So¡­you took up some kind of meditative approach?¡± ¡°Yeah. It¡­helped take the edge off the day. Some people choose alcohol. Some drugs. Some choose despair. After Maggie disappeared¡­I chose this, and when I could, forays into the wilderness to go hunting, putting myself into survival mode, to help rebuild my focus. And, maybe my compulsive need to build stuff." He let a small trickle of that hot energy go, coursing through his core, and he felt the spark of flame on his claw tips. He didn¡¯t open his eyes, but he could feel a tiny spark of flame, hovering over his palm, gentle and warming. ¡°When I was practicing with my gestalt earlier¡­it helped keep my focus. It¡¯s probably the most important thing I ever learned. Nothing my father imparted to me, ever came close. He tried to make me like him, and pushed me as far from that outcome as possible.¡± A bitter laugh ensued. ¡°My mother taught me patience, calm, and control after he was gone. She might have also saved my life.¡± Garrett let out a grunt of acknowledgment. ¡°What did your father do that was so bad?¡± Shawn opened his eyes and glanced at Garrett, the flame rising in height and temperature, but he kept that power flow restricted. Mentally throttled. He would not let his anger direct the intensity of this power. ¡°He hurt us. And did worse, to others.¡± Ch. 20: Feather Trigger Rage Shawn could hear the crack of rifles in the distance, Regia offering pointers to Claire and the others, and scolding them for not taking the time to line up their shots. But the silence from Garrett was deafening. His half-open beak and widened eyes sold the level of shock. ¡°Shawn...maybe we don''t need to--" ¡°No. I need to talk about this one. I''m infinitely far away from anyone who would stop me if I talked about this one." He let out a calm breath, realizing this had been sitting in the background for a while. Garrett took that as his cue to relax his posture, his limbs less tensed. "I told you my father wasn''t a great person. He¡¯d been very effective at compartmentalizing his life, up until when I turned thirteen.. Mom saw the hints, from time to time that something was off. But¡­she never could fully grasp how awful he was.¡± Shawn never let go of his focus on the flame in his hand, as he fed it with his Etteria core, feeling the tendrils of warmth through his arm, down to his claws. But, he could gently throttle it to his legs, or his wings, even. Garrett tilted his head, beak agape. ¡°You never knew, until¡­when?¡± ¡°When he wanted me to know what he did. How his ¡®job¡¯ was just a cover¨Ca facade. I knew he worked for the military. Mom told me his job was ''contract security.'' Which, when I found out much later, really just meant that he worked as a mercenary, a soldier for hire. He was getting nowhere with Maggie, uh, my sister, and she had no interest in the military, guns, survival stuff. She¡¯d become somewhat of a rebel, despite a series of increasing restrictions on her life. He failed to realize that the more he tried to push her in one direction, the more she dug her heels in." The flame rose higher, and he narrowed that beam of pure heat to run hotter, with minute adjustments of his claws acting like a flame break. ¡°Over time, I noticed he was more prone to anger. He could occasionally have a hair-trigger temper, and he¡¯d knock stuff off tables, or throw a coffee mug at a wall, one time. My mom told me, it was stress from work. I didn¡¯t buy that for a minute, I thought she was trying to sugar coat his behavior. he¡¯d been acting shitty toward Maggie, and I knew there was a reason for it. I didn¡¯t know how awful that reason was.¡± Garrett nodded while he continued to experiment with throttling the flame, while talking in an even voice. ¡°So, I knew my father had a stint in the military. He was discharged before he met my Mom. He charmed her, brought her into his life, they had us¡­life was okay. For a while." Garett sat there, the slightest dip of his head indicating he was following along. "It all added up, though. He missed sports practices. He was out late at night¡­doing who knows what. Smoking in the house. Soon, he was screaming at my mom a few times that he was the ¡®provider¡¯ and that it was ¡®his¡¯ rules he set. I think as we got older, he was afraid we might start having opinions different from his.¡± ¡°Well, that sounds like military training alright," Garrett commented. "The order of command is pretty clear, so that everyone fulfils their role. But, with families...that''s not the same thing. That''s control." ¡°That''s one way to put it. I grew to resent him, the way he treated Maggie, as she got older. He was being unjust. He¡¯d punish her for tiny things, like not clearing her plate, after dinner. Or, talking to a girl that she¡­liked. Like, I didn¡¯t understand, at the time. Why was he so controlling?¡± Shawn glanced at the flame, and pushed with that ethereal nudge to ignite a flame in both hands, no more intense than the warmth of a summer breeze. ¡°It got worse from there. The yelling started. The more we pushed back, the more severe it got. When I was twelve¡­I walked into an argument between him and Mom, her asking where his money was coming from. He wouldn¡¯t answer. He got agitated, accusing her of being disloyal. She threw back an accusation that he was hiding something. ¡°Then, he hit her.¡± The flames in his palms intensified¨Cbut only to the level he allowed. His pulse spiked, and his throat clenched uneasily. ¡°That was the end of my perception that my father was a decent human being. He apologized instantly, but it was too late, and I knew, with the way he tried to blame her for it, something dark crawled out of him. He¡¯d already set in stone that he was hiding something awful, and that we were in the dark, by design." ¡°Mom was terrified. She didn''t say a single word; she just wore this look of terror on her face, and got a pack of ice for her bruises. Not a shout, not a whimper...just a screaming silence. I went to my room, shaking, wondering what she did to deserve that. And the answer is, she didn¡¯t. Mom¡¯s a loveable sort, but she was too afraid to speak out. It was¡­kind of an old-school silent stoicism. It almost got her killed.¡± ¡°That man would have been dead, right then and there, if I ever saw something like that.¡± Garrett''s gaze was low to the ground, his voice tense. ¡°I presume you don¡¯t tell people this one much, huh?¡± ¡°Only to mind healers in our world, borrowing a term from Varrick. Maggie saw some of it, too,¡± he replied softly. He still could feel that awful, choked-up sensation in his throat, Hands that wouldn¡¯t stop trembling as he scrunched in his bed, trying to hide his sobs as his father walked by his bedroom door, like it was routine to hit his mom. He clenched his beak, and toned down the flames in his hands to nothing more than candlelight, while Garrett looked on observantly. ¡°That was just the start. The full breadth of what he did, what came out later¡­no human could do that to other people. Only a demon could do what he did." "What did he do?" Shawn swallowed uncomfortably. The flames flickered and died out. "I don''t think I''m ready to talk about that one, yet. What I''ve told you is more than what most people know." I remember broken glass and sobbing. A choking gasp. The sledgehammer, on the ground-- Even now, he couldn''t put take his mental eye off of what he''d seen, and he rubbed his hands together gently. ¡°Yeah, I have baggage I¡¯ve been working past for a long time, Garrett. It has not been easy. That¡¯s why I need to get this gestalt figured out. Because I worry I might have the same feather-trigger rage my father did. I saw what he did. Those memories didn¡¯t die out when he did.¡± ¡°So¡­you seek to set yourself apart from your father?¡± Garrett concluded, green eyes focused on him. He rose from the grassy ground and brushed himself off. ¡°Yep. Putting as much distance between that man, and who I am, became a lifetime goal.¡± Garrett''s beak creased slightly upward. ¡°A noble goal. So, that¡¯s why you kept that level of focus when I saw you firing on the range? On our retreat, from the orbital platform? I think anyone else would have frozen up. You didn¡¯t.¡± ¡°Because I¡¯ve seen the horrible things that man did, and what other men like him do. Inaction is a choice. A bad one.¡± Shawn shook his head, trying to forget that man¡¯s face as readily as burning every photograph he¡¯d ever had of him. He noted the firing on the range had stopped. Regia was talking with Claire, who had hit the targets at the extreme end of the range, and looked confident as she cycled out the remaining rounds from her rifle. This book is hosted on another platform. Read the official version and support the author''s work. ¡°Well, looks like shooting time is over,¡± Garrett mused, stretching his wings lightly. ¡°Thanks for sharing that with me. It kind of helps me figure out how to make effective use of recruits. Though, I don¡¯t usually telegraph that out.¡± ¡°Put me in a mechanical lab, with the right supplies? I''ll find a way to even the odds against Revarik,¡± Shawn replied with a grunt. ¡°There¡¯s more, but¡­yeah. I¡¯ve had this aspect of myself under control, for a while. It¡¯s what happened to Maggie that almost broke me. Finding her in this world of floating rocks? That¡¯s going to be tough.¡± ¡°If she made it here? If she''s anything like you, then there''s a chance she''s alive here, somewhere," Garrett responded, sounding confident. "I don''t know about you, Garrett? Call it an engineer''s worst-case scenario, but I get this feeling she''s in the core world." He looked down at his feet, as if he could peer through rock, stone, and an entire orbital layer. "I don''t have any way to prove that. But it would be the kind of thing I need to be prepared for. To fight through three goddamn layers of this world to get to her." "Hey, there''s an idea. You and I should walk out to the tectonic edge and take a look. Best view in the universe,¡± he added with a level of confidence, the way he stood casually. ¡°That mine that I heard Varrick mention? It¡¯s right near there. We also tell our young to stay away from the edge, due to the risk of ugly, unsightly deaths, and their bodies never being recovered. Just throwing that out there.¡± ¡°A view to die for?¡± Shawn asked with a bit of humor. ¡°Is there anything on this planet that doesn¡¯t kill you?¡± ¡°Hey, We¡¯ve done pretty well on this post-cataclysmic pile of rocks. Now, I don¡¯t want to torch the targets out here, we¡¯ve got a small arena set up for gestalts, made out of durable materials.¡± He pointed with his thumb to a small set of durable stone enclosures¨Calmost like a miniature obstacle course, then called out to Regia and the others. ¡°Alright recruits, it¡¯s the fun part of our training! Or maybe not so fun, depending on what the Radiants blessed you with when you were born! Gestalt training time! Let¡¯s see what you guys got!¡±
Hitting targets with fire darts was fun. Shawn didn¡¯t want to admit it, but this part was secretly fun, as he recalled everything he knew. He¡¯d started small and reached out to his core to direct only a small amount of that energy to his hand. But, there appeared to be a minimum amount of mana¨Cas he called it¨Cto create a globule of flame in his hand. Below that, it would create flickers of flame in his hand, maybe enough to ignite kindling or light a candle. But it wasn''t an offensive flame projectile. It felt like a minimum energy threshold had to be crossed, to be effective. But once he pushed a current beyond a certain limit, those small, dart-like flames emerged in his palm, and he could gently grasp them with his fingers¨Cmore amazingly, without burning his flesh. He seemed to be immune to the flames'' impact¨Cthough when he brought it too close to the feathers on his face to examine, he felt a feather or two get singed. Claire hadn¡¯t stopped laughing about that, and that he was going to become an impromptu firebird, and that his attempt to emulate a phoenix was going to end badly. He responded to her heckling with a one-claw salute. ¡°Hey, easy where you point those claws! You could put someone¡¯s eye out!¡± she laughed. He chose to ignore it and channel another fire dart, gaze focused on the furthest out target. He didn¡¯t ¡®throw¡¯ the fire darts, so much as give them an initial velocity. He could make minute adjustments in-flight, to correct for bad aim. However, it took a bit of focus to do so, and he also noticed a light burning sensation in his chest, which he rubbed gently. ¡°Hey, Regia. What warning signs should I not ignore?¡± he called out. She walked over to his station, after using her water blasts to knock down several targets. ¡°Burning sensation in your core? Classic Etteria use fatigue. Lucky for you, you don¡¯t need Etteria to survive, but if you overuse it, you can cause some damage to yourself. Don¡¯t do that,¡± she warned him. ¡°It comes in a degree of severity. Mild discomfort, where it will feel like a dull ache. The next step is a low burning sensation in your chest, or extremities when using your gestalts. If you get to the point where you are feeling severe physical pain, you need to stop immediately. Because if you push further than that, you can get Etteria burnout, and damage your nerves. Push far enough, and you cause organ failure, and die.¡± His eyes widened at that notion, and nodded sharply. ¡°Got it, my body is giving me warning signs.¡± ¡°Haha, no, I think that¡¯s just me this time,¡± she added with a sharpened smile. He stammered for a few seconds while she laughed. ¡°You¡¯ll find that over time if you frequently use your gestalts, the amount of power you can exert without hurting yourself does seem to increase. The Radiants seem to have no limits.¡± ¡°Kind of you guys to show off firepower and hydropower, but what good is mine?¡± Trask grumbled. Regia tilted her head, then flicked out her wrist to shoot a thin jet of water at him. Trask melted into black motes in an instant, dodging the spray aimed at him because his body simply disappeared. The shadowy motes flowed through the shadows cast by the trees on the arena. Shawn blinked, barely able to keep up, and Trask¡¯s whole body materialized a split second later. His fur was a little frazzled, but he was dry. And irritated. ¡°You know what it¡¯s good for? Not getting hit! Or, repositioning yourself to put yourself behind an enemy formation!¡± she pointed out. ¡°Your gestalt is as powerful as your imagination allows for! Get creative! The shadow-based gestalts lend themselves to information gathering and tactical repositioning. Use them to the maximum effect. An enemy can¡¯t kill what they can¡¯t hit. So if someone like Shawn here throws an exploding fireball at you¡­that split second where you disappear into little shadowy particles is your window of safety. I suggest you get the timing right, so I don¡¯t end up with flambe recruits,¡± she added. ¡°Do you always shoot at your recruits?¡± Trask grumbled. ¡°Not with anything that would cause permanent harm. Now, back at it!¡± Regia instructed with an air of authority. Claire had to sit out a bit on this one, and Shawn felt a little bad about that, since she had no gestalt, and had made clear her wariness of taking one in. In the meantime, he practiced, while Garrett demonstrated his burst speed, sparring with Trask and challenging him to dodge his lightning-fast strikes with his claws and talons. Trask was good. But, even he took a claw to the solar plexus and wheezed while Garrett toppled him and locked him in a chokehold before he begrudgingly tapped out. ¡°Cheap shot,¡± he said after he¡¯d regained his breath. ¡°You heard the lady. You need to get creative. Maybe you use an alchemical flash bang to create light¨Cand shadows¨Cwhere none exists, perhaps?¡± he proposed. ¡°Get creative, recruit. I expect you to demonstrate a new use of your ability within the week! Every trick you can pull off is another way to evade a hungry monster, or put one into the dirt! Or on the dinner plate,¡± he grinned. ¡°On that note, Garrett, what¡¯s good eating around here?¡± Claire asked, sounding curious. ¡°Shawn here hunts. But I don¡¯t think he¡¯s hunted the same things you do.¡± ¡°Roast razorbeak is gamey, but very filling. It¡¯s best with a sprinkle of seasoning, very juicy. We also have some domesticated boars that make good eating, and Manix out by the butcher shop has a little curing house to make some food that¡¯ll preserve through winter if kept bone dry.¡± ¡°All this talk of food is making me hungry,¡± Regia called out, then motioned to the recruits. ¡°Alright, I think that¡¯s enough for today. You trained hard, but you trained within your limits! Etteria burnout is no good and leaves you in a longer recovery when you could be pacing your training! We¡¯ll head to the main hall, grab a bite, then call it a day!¡± Shawn glanced down at himself, dirtied from laying in the ground, and from the various other activities. He really could go for a shower, but there wasn¡¯t one in Vea¡¯lant. Or, a communal bath house. Reinventing all the modern comforts would be a pain in the tail¨Cuntil he thought of something from the equipment over in Varrick¡¯s smithy shop. ¡°Claire, what would it take to make plastic?¡± ¡°Chemicals I don¡¯t have?¡± she shrugged. ¡°Petroleum? Why, what¡¯s your angle?¡± ¡°Well, how about something a little easier? Maybe something to make a flex hose?¡± ¡°To do¡­what?¡± ¡°Make a shower. Because if I have to take a bird bath, I might die of shame.¡±
Ch. 21: No Pain, No Gain For the next few days, Shawn knew nothing but pain. Regia, Garrett, and others took turns rotating them through the basics of the militia, instructing the recruits¨Cabout thirty of them, from across the town¨Cabout the basics of survival, training, maximizing the use of their gestalts, and more importantly, the importance of teamwork. He was glad for it. It gave him something to focus on: to acclimate to the world and the dangers it presented. There were plenty of them. He quickly learned that most of the militia rotations used a mixed unit of species, each one being treated tactically, covering each other''s weaknesses, and complementing their strengths. Though, he found it quite surprising that Regia kept partnering up with the team, and would be giving out orders, testing their reflexes with blasts of water, and occasional heckling. In the evenings, even exhausted, he would work in the smithy, helping Varrick with various items while Claire got a makeshift lab set up, using borrowed chemicals from everywhere across town. They would work until the nebula was prevalent in the night sky, before calling it a day. Most people would call it exhausting. He called it an experience, as he spent part of the night dismantling one of the rifles, and the accompanying alchemical rounds. After consulting with Garrett on how to do so safely, he had successfully deconstructed one, and showed the components to Claire. ¡°No gunpowder.¡± ¡°Say what?¡± ¡°Yep. It¡¯s a small trace of gel activated by the hammer impact against the center of the case¨Calmost like nitroglycerin, which is unstable as all hell. Functionally it almost feels like a rimfire cartridge, and there¡¯s no primer. The gel is the ignition source, that¡¯s it.¡± He showed the jelly-like substance he¡¯d been able to carefully extract and showed her how viscous it was. ¡°So, when you hit it with the hammer, the high impact triggers it, and it ignites. No sparking, like in a rimfire.¡± ¡°What a weird magical technology,¡± she murmured. ¡°What do you think the limitation of it is?¡± ¡°It¡¯s not as good as gunpowder,¡± he concluded. ¡°Or, the gel isn¡¯t potent enough. If I had to hazard a guess, based on the travel speed at the target range? It''s mid-range at best. Not very effective against giant monsters around here, at all. Last estimate I had was like, six hundred meters a second. And that¡¯s not accounting for drag.¡± ¡°The recoil is quite manageable, though. Barely kicks at all. The bullet could also use some work, it¡¯s not very aerodynamic,¡± she pointed out. ¡°You want to hit targets hard, and at long range? You need either a more potent gel, or gunpowder.¡± ¡°You can make it, right?¡± ¡°Sure, they have most of the preamble here, and no one¡¯s bothered using it. We also need an ammo reloading bench.¡± She frowned when she pointed at the casing. ¡°The straight wall cartridge sucks. Do you know how many times it got jammed in the chamber? Like one in ten rounds. That could be a lethal issue in a crisis moment.¡± ¡°I¡¯m not inclined to disagree, they need a lubricant, tapered casings, or copper trace to extract the rounds better. Though, having claws does present an advantage,¡± he added as he demonstrated putting an intact round into a disassembled rifle, then pulled it out with little difficulty. ¡°Show-off. You¡¯re leaning into this a bit.¡± At least he could get her to smile a bit. ¡°Not really. Claire, what if I forget what I used to look like?¡± he asked quietly. ¡°Like, the me I used to be? The me that I¡¯d like to get back to, which while quite average, was me." He gestured to his body. "This? I don¡¯t know what to do with this, yet. I have no photos of me, now that we¡¯re stuck here on Remaria. And the phone I turned off, because the nearest charging station is about one reality away, give or take.¡± ¡°I¡¯d remember,¡± she replied, giving him a good look. ¡°Yeah, but it¡¯s not me, when I look in the mirror. It¡¯s a gestalt run wild, that turned me into something else. It¡¯s a risk I took¨C¡± ¡°No. I know it¡¯s you.¡± He didn''t mind the interruption, while she leaned back in her seat. ¡°Do you know how I know that? The way you talk. The way you scrunch your face when you¡¯re trying to solve a puzzle¨Clike we are, with these rifles. The way you get that wonderstruck look, when you find something new to study. A physical appearance is only one component of who you are. It¡¯s¡­something I think you need to keep in mind.¡± ¡°That was¡­ actually quite thoughtful,¡± he conceded. ¡°I like it when we¡¯re working together, rather than trying to egg each other on.¡± ¡°Me, too! I like solving problems with chemistry. And possibly explosives.¡± She tapped the round gently on the table, and he very cautiously put a hand over hers to avoid activating the round. ¡°I don¡¯t think you should tempt fate by tapping that wizard bullet on the table,¡± he pointed out. She glanced down at the round and nodded. ¡°Yeah, good point. Well, I think if we go with gunpowder, we will have another problem. These barrels are not made of strong steel. The components will likely rip themselves apart if we try to go for higher chamber pressures. This? This already loses some of the power, because it gases something fierce. You¡¯re losing a lot of potential energy, the way it¡¯s set up.¡± ¡°I noticed. There¡¯s plenty of room for improvement, at least. The lever action works, but I prefer a bolt action, mechanically it''s simpler. Trigger groups for automatic or semi-auto could be possible, too.¡± He stretched his wings gently and felt fatigue building in. They¡¯d already spent part of the day training, and helping out Varrick sapped the rest of his endurance. ¡°There you go, on about improvements. Got a practical set of things to work on?¡± Varrick asked coyly, tapping a thread on a simple fastener. ¡°Gunpowder. And a better barrel. I¡¯d also like to switch to a bolt-action design. Lever action is a pain. I can do it, I have some calculations on how to pull it off,¡± he answered as he tapped a claw on the table. ¡°Ah, it¡¯s late. I¡¯ll jot down notes and we¡¯ll start looking around to see where we can get some of the components of gunpowder.¡± ¡°Why not use the alchemist gel?¡± he asked with curiosity. ¡°Need a primer, too,¡± Claire pointed out, ¡°if we use gunpowder.¡± ¡°The gel could act as a primer,¡± he suggested thoughtfully. ¡°We want bigger bullets, and speedier bullets. Also, harder bullets, if you want to penetrate deep into a monster¡¯s guts and past their tougher outer hides,¡± he explained. ¡°Don¡¯t worry Varrick, we won¡¯t put you out of a job, but if we do make this work, you¡¯ll be overwhelmed with orders.¡± ¡°Burdened with work? I guess that¡¯s not the worst thing that could happen,¡± he replied, and let out a rumble of contentment as he finished his work. ¡°Let¡¯s start fresh tomorrow.¡± ¡°With Regia and Garrett running us in training? Yeah, we¡¯re stretched thin.¡± Shawn glanced at the clock on the wall. ¡°How does a planet that¡¯s broken into pieces even have a consistent twenty-four-hour day?¡± ¡°It¡¯s easy on the outer layer. The deeper layers rely on those giant solar crystals that take sunlight deep within. There are some strange day and night cycles, deeper down,¡± Varrick answered as he closed the bench and walked over to his loft. ¡°Try not to stay up too late, you two." ¡°Can do,¡± Claire answered before she started putting the parts into a drawer. ¡°Well, onto the next challenge for tomorrow, then.¡± Stolen from its original source, this story is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.
Training the next day always presented new opportunities and new solutions to their current problems. He spent as much time as possible working on his gestalts. The hard part was finding that rhythm within himself, the pulsing core of Etteria that was now integrated with his body. Giving it shape and form was getting easier with each attempt. and it was taking less effort to continue using his abilities. Regia explained that the Etteria core--the physical portion, and the metaphysical one--could grow and become more complex over time. with regular use, it was like working a well-toned muscle. He jokingly called it ''magically fit'' and got punched in the wing by her. However, he also noted her fighting back a laugh as she did it. Of his powers, the force barrier was easiest to use, but the most difficult to get the maximum potential out of--owing to his still nascent attempts using it to make molds at Varrick''s smithy. He could still summon a barrier of incredible strength when he focused it on a smaller portion of his body, or a broader, less focused barrier gave him full body protection¨Cif needed. And, protection for his fist, when he did a quick sparring with Trask and Raine. He¡¯d landed a blow that sent the elder Vorhunde tumbling, complaining about a bruised rib. Shawn felt some impact as he shook his clenched claw, and noted something: he¡¯d hit way harder than he had planned for. Did that mean he could amplify force? ¡°Damn, Shawn, you might be an Aveeran, but you hit like a Vorhunde!¡± Raine called out with a hint of excitement and helped his brother to his feet. ¡°Hey, Trask, are you broken?¡± ¡°No. I want a rematch. Birdy¡¯s fast on his feet,¡± he grinned, and wiped the sweat away from his fur. ¡°Ten gold says you can¡¯t do that twice.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t have money. I like playing for sport,¡± Shawn commented dryly, panting a little from the exertion. This lack of sweat is annoying. It¡¯s going to be a limitation in a prolonged brawl. I need to find a way to work around it. A few rounds later, he was convinced that a burst activation of his force barrier would not only protect a part of his body. But, it could also amplify the force of his blows¨Cwithout shattering his bones. Trask had landed a good hit on his beak when he misjudged the man''s motions. It felt like getting punched in the nose. He groaned, wiping a trickle of blood away, and Trask helped him to his feet, smiling. ¡°You good?¡± he asked. Shawn felt his beak for any damage¨Cjust a cut on the inside of his cheek, and he gave him a nod. ¡°I¡¯m good.¡± Internally, he noted he should try that reactive barrier against more hammer blows, and whether it would also soften the impact on him. ¡°Shawn, you know, most Aveerans flare out their feathers when they¡¯re being laborious,¡± Garrett commented in a subtle nudge. ¡°No need to keep up appearances.¡± He¡¯d felt his feathers bristle before, and trying to do it on-demand wasn¡¯t as hard as he thought. Claire laughed at it. ¡°Like a giant feathered heat sink,¡± she teased. ¡°I uh¡­wasn¡¯t that winded,¡± he tried to deflect. She still wore that wry smile though. Seriously, why didn¡¯t I think of that?
You¡¯ve been an avian for a week, and managed to stay alive in a forest filled with predators. There might yet be hope.
He learned something else, while he was sparring¨Cthose wings of his could give him an extra burst of speed to dodge and evade, and he evaded a few blows he didn¡¯t think he could have, from before. Flight practice had been limited¨Che knew enough to take off, but sustained flight, he wasn¡¯t good at. It was like trying to work an atrophied muscle¨Cit would be slow and painful. All through the day, Regia had been happy to demonstrate with a blast of water every now and then, to see if he and the others were paying attention to threats. The first time he got soaked and was left dripping wet, with Claire and the others laughing at his failure to get his barrier up in time, was a teachable moment he was not keen on repeating. He glared at her accusingly but said nothing. She just whistled and said he needed to be more fleet of claw. He swore it sounded like a line from a book, somewhere. But, it also allowed him to test something else: his fire gestalt. He got annoyed with the dripping wet sensation, and rather than change uniforms, he twirled the small ball of fire in his hand while sitting cross-legged, thinking of its utility. He started tossing the small dart of fire in his hand, rhymically. He used to do the same thing with a stress ball at work, and it helped him think. Meanwhile, he listened to Garrett talk to the others about the various gestalts they had witnessed personally, and what to expect out in the field. Halsey, can I¡­channel this over my body, without incinerating myself?
Maybe, if you got it low enough power, yes. But, don¡¯t fry yourself. I don¡¯t think you¡¯re a phoenix, and that won''t end well.
Wait. Are there phoenixes in this world? He''d been listening to Garrett talk about monsters and the other sentient species in the world, but this definitely wasn''t one of them.
Well¡­I recall seeing something in your head about a fiery bird that would self-incinerate upon death, and then a reborn phoenix would rise from the ashes. I don¡¯t think that would happen here. So, don¡¯t try it?
Yeah, I¡¯m kinda nervous about the lethality of some of these gestalts. He choked the flow of energy across his palm, and the flame flickered, barely more than a candle¡¯s worth of energy, in preparation for his plan. He slowed down his breathing, focusing on that tiny flicker of flame, and his Etteria flow. Now, I just need to do this at a low enough power, to not incinerate myself. He kept his gaze focused on Garrett showing off his gestalt, and how he used it to tactically displace at high speeds. Shawn was impressed by how fast he moved over short bursts; he was practically a blur of feathers and claws. But, he also noted how continuous use left Garret instantly fatigued, panting, and unable to answer immediate threats with high effectiveness ¡°See what happened? I got winded,¡± he stated between pants. ¡°This is why you need to keep a reserve for an emergency, because threats are plentiful, in the wilds beyond our forest town. We also have a militant god on the move below our feet, and they have gestalts, too.¡± Shawn noted that against other gestalt users, he¡¯d need to pay careful attention to what powers they had. He¡¯d been sitting with his Etteria barely a trickle, and felt confident enough to try the next step. He gently opened that mental check valve of energy, and let it flow across his body. He felt a gentle warming across his body¨Cstarting with his extremities, then flowing inward, toward his torso and chest. A very faint glow of orange surrounded his body¨Cnot a full flame, but something of a precursor to it, and he felt his soaked clothes drying off, a bit at a time. He kept his breathing calm and controlled as he used his hand motion to act like a mental throttle. And he nudged it ever so gently. Bits of steam rose off his clothes, but it felt like a reward for figuring out a puzzle, and more importantly, it felt like a good soak in a sauna. Claire shied away nervously. ¡°Hey, Shawn? You¡¯re steaming.¡± ¡°Gestalt training, shush,¡± he spoke slowly, eyes open no more than a crack. ¡°Don¡¯t break my focus¨C¡± A blast of water from Regia put him right back at square one, and his force barrier came a fraction of a second too late to prevent him from getting soaked again. He squawked with frustration. ¡°Damn it, I was almost dry!¡± He glared intensely at her, while she wore that knowing smirk. ¡°You forgot the most important lesson, Shawn, be aware of your surroundings!¡± She leaned in and tousled his feathers, and he let out a sound of disgust. ¡°Besides, you did it once, which means, you can do it again.¡± ¡°I think you secretly hate me,¡± he stated accusingly. ¡°Hmm¡­no.¡± That coy smile was possibly the most annoying aspect of the ordeal, and he wiped the water from his face for the second time in a row. ¡°Now, what have we learned?¡± ¡°Be aware of my surroundings.¡± Rather than retort, he leaned into it¨Cfor now. ¡°Good. Now, Trask, show me your shadow evasion again, and get a hit on Garrett!¡± Regia instructed and got everyone back into motion on their training. Claire wouldn¡¯t stop chuckling as Regia fluttered up to her observation tower, watching as people practiced on the range. ¡°I think she likes you.¡± ¡°Is it normal for people who like you, to torment you?¡± he asked with an edged tone. ¡°Oh no. That''s marriage-level dedication.¡± He stared at her, unable to form a retort while she wore a Cheshire cat grin. ¡°Just saying, in the worst case you¡¯re stuck like that forever? It¡¯s good to keep the options open. I could be an honorary aunt someday!¡± ¡°You are more terrifying than the monsters that roam the forest. And possibly¨C¡± A primal scream from the forest got everyone¡¯s attention, and Shawn instantly flicked a flame dart in hand, while Claire grabbed her rifle, sighting down and looking for a threat. The others quickly grabbed cover near the barracks while Regia called out for a calm and ordered defensive line. "Ah hell, what is it this time?" She snarled. "The next monster that tries to murder us, I''m beating it into submission, and domesticating it!" ¡°Shawn, big thing closing fast, tree line, two hundred meters, due north,¡± Raine called out, sharpened claws ready for battle. Shawn could feel that ever-so-gentle nudge of the magnetic north, and all the others turned to face the threat once he pointed in that direction. ¡°Claire, fall back to the town wall, get everyone inside. Raine, any idea what it is?¡± ¡°Big, and hungry, that¡¯s all I¡¯m getting!¡± He grabbed a rifle from the firing range and chambered a round, as did the others. Shawn could hear another ear-piercing screech, and something massive was trampling the trees, closing fast. ¡°Recruits, fall back to the town wall!¡± Garrett screamed out. ¡°Valtirian thunderhead incoming!¡± Shawn knew by gut instinct this was a danger level above murder cats. The trampling foliage crushed downward to reveal the beast, easily the size of a small truck. It was charging on a set of four sturdy legs, covered in a tough blue and green colored hide that would put a rhino to shame. Its head was shaped like a hammerhead shark, and energy crackled from its teeth. One thing was clear, this was a predator that Regia had been right to be wary of. They were in for a bad time.
Ch. 22: Thunderbird ¡°Garrett, assessment!¡± Shawn called out, even as the beast charged, and energy crackled out of its jaw. He didn''t doubt that this thing was a threat that required maximum force. ¡°It''s fast, armored, but can¡¯t turn worth a damn! Hit it in the flanks and at the back of the neck, and when it opens its mouth, be somewhere else! it fries prey!¡± Garrett was the first to earn the beast''s ire as it turned its head as it loosed a torrent of crackling blue energy. Shawn would have conjectured magical plasma, because it didn''t fire off at the speed of light. Either way, Garret leaped from his perch in a blaze of speed, a few green feathers scattered as lightning zapped the tower, scorching the wood and exploding the timber where it struck, instantly boiling whatever moisture was in it. Halsey, ever seen anything like this?
Nope! Whatever vestigial knowledge I have isn''t included, and fried Aveeran is not a dish we should plan on making, let alone becoming!
He was already sprinting to cover as the group scattered to encircle the beast, rifles firing and doing superficial damage. Regia firing a torrent of a focused beam of water, as thin as a piano wire. The jets of water traced across the hide, cutting into its flesh; it roared in outrage, blood dripping lightly from the wounds. "Not effective enough! You need to get closer!¡± Shawn called out, feeling the beast focusing on him--this thing was targeting him next. He flapped his wings and dodged a blast so close, he could feel the static on his feathers; he came out of his evasion and sprung into the air, just as Regia spread her teal and blue wings. It occurred to him that he hadn''t seen her flying in great detail¨Cdespite the wings, the Aveeran didn''t fly as often as he would have expected, except for a short distance across town. But her feathers rippled under the air current, gleaming from under the sunbeams working past the trees; she was grace and daring, firing her rifle at the weaker flanks while flying and dodging the deadly return fire. He''d seen a lot of crazy things, but this one, he could appreciate. Less appreciative, was him landing on the Thunderhead and gripping it for dear life while he pulled a white-hot stream of Etteria charge, the flames in his palm erupted into a short column of flame with the intensity of a plasma cutter. He slammed down at the base of the neck, smelling burnt flesh and hearing the creature screech beneath him. He felt a crackle of static across his body¨C
Shawn, full body shield!
He didn''t waste a second and drew his Etteria from that different thread of energy--his force barrier power. He pushed a barrier outward across his body as he sprung off, sensing the danger. A deafening boom left him disoriented and he flapped his wings to gain altitude, dodging a swipe of razor-sharp teeth. He didn''t dodge the swipe of its elongated forward leg quite fast enough. It felt like he got hit by a linebacker, and his barrier shattered into gold sparks on impact. He managed to tuck and use his wings to slow his landing, tumbling a few meters. He felt bruised and battered and his flank ached, but nothing was bleeding, and he couldn''t feel any broken bones. the barrier had definitely saved his life--but a follow-up hit could still kill him. That walking tank seemed fixated on him, rearing its head in response to rifle fire. One of the human recruits loosed an energy whip that crackled black and purple, scarified flesh marking his arm as the energy traced across him. It bit into and seared the monster''s flesh, and it whirled around to fire a stream of that energy it seemed to have no shortage of. The man dove and ducked to cover behind a stone barrier, while Shawn stumbled to his feet, groaning. This damn thing kept coming after him, and another dose of a near miss of deadly plasma energy only cemented one grim notion in place: this thing held a grudge. Okay, new plan! We need to slow this thing down! I need to try out my ice gestalt, but there''s no standing water¨C ¡°REGIA! get the ground soaked, and get that beast wet!¡± He screamed out. She wasted no time in jetting a torrent of water while airborne; the force of the water shoving the creature''s head aside, stumbling as it charged after Shawn. He pushed that cool, calming sensation down his veins, condensing that power down for a burst effort. Hoar frost climbed along the tips of his claws, and across his palms, as he leaped into the air, barely avoiding clipping his wings as he veered between two trees. The thunderhead roared and smashed past the vegetation, and he felt the breeze on his tail feathers, from how close it was.
Would you stop being prey and kill this thing?!
Halsey, the best apex predators hunt in packs!
Oh, that¡¯s bullshit, you¡¯re saying that to not leave me in a panic, you feathered maniac!
Shawn would have been amazed at the reactivity of his increasingly complex companion, but he was still dealing with said monster, intent on turning him into chicken wings. He whirled around, prepping his frost blast on the still-soaked forest floor, with Telga dousing the creature with water. Now! Shawn waited for the creature to commit, then rolled to the side as it charged past him, gnashing teeth missing his feather crest by mere inches. He came out of the roll, wings taking a bruising, and slammed down on the ground with all his might, sending his Etteria forward in a frigid blast. The frost screamed across the water that had pooled in areas, freezing instantly and spreading at an incredible pace. The thunderhead skidded over the slippery surface and fell on all fours, sliding along while Regia doused it on water, the jet freezing on impact. The narrative has been taken without permission. Report any sightings. ¡°Hit it from the flank! Now!¡± Shawn screamed out, panting and feeling dangerously overtaxed from the burning sensation that was running through his body, in a vertical column down his chest. He grabbed his dagger off his vest, while the team poured fire onto the creature. But the immobilization didn¡¯t last long, and the creature twisted its body, shattering the icy encasement on it like it was nothing more than brittle glass. It launched a counterattack in a torrent of deadly energy from its jaw. One of the humans that had been closing, cycling rifle rounds, caught a stray forking bolt from the plasma. The energy seared his arm and chest, and he went down, screaming as his flesh cooked. Shawn however, had sprinted and got to flight speed, flapping his wings with all his might, bracing his arms, and holding the dagger in a manner like he was using a lance. He hoped this wasn¡¯t a suicidal charge, and he kept his force barrier active, that burning sensation in his chest intensifying in a distinctly uncomfortable way. His target on the creature was the heavily burned segment, at the base of the neck. An errant strike of that electrical energy hit him¨Cglancing off his barrier after it had rebounded. The deflected energy turned a chunk of tree into exploding bark and flash-boiled sap, and a piece of debris grazed by the knuckle of his wing. He ignored the stinging sensation and lined up for his target, bracing himself. He drove the dagger deep with the impact and landed squarely on its back, staggering the creature, and he heard it screech. Tough hide gave way to softer flesh underneath and he sliced viciously, opening up a wound that gushed blood. It reared back, trying to fling him off, but he dug his talons in while the rain of firepower hit it in the flanks. Trask also leaped into the fray, claws coated in shadowy particles that ripped through the creature''s hide and tore at the fleshy bits underneath. ¡°Shawn, care package!¡± Garrett flitted along with a burst of green and red feathers and dropped a canister with a latch¨Cthe Aveeran equivalent of a grenade he¡¯d handed him before. Shawn knew what to do after observing it on the orbital retreat. He held on for dear life while the creature flailed, digging his taloned feet in for that extra bit of grip.
Shawn, I¡¯m not entirely convinced you¡¯re wholly sane in this head of yours!
I¡¯m pretty sure I''m developing an unhealthy craving for action and danger, so, you¡¯re not wrong! He pulled the pin, shoved the now-armed device deep into the wound, and flung himself off of the creature with a burst of feathers. A ray of intense energy raked across his golden barrier, and even with the protection it afforded, it felt like a searing spike of pain and a burning pain radiating along his wing and shoulder. His wing fluttered and he banked to the right unintentionally. He flared his tail, to try to get as much deceleration as he could out of his out of control descent. He skidded to the ground in a tumble, claws raking across the icy surface and screeching to a halt with a sound like¡­well, claws on a chalkboard. He turned to see the beast open its jaw with leering hatred aimed in his general direction, energy crackling. He knew the fuse was about to blow¨Chopefully, he didn''t get the timing¨C The beast¡¯s neck and a good chunk of its back exploded in a gory fountain from the explosive. He clutched his hands over his head, shielding himself from the showering debris and viscera¨Chis barrier hadn¡¯t quite recovered, and he took a shower of monster guts and viscera. When he dared to look past slimy, ruddy grossness, he saw the creature teetering sideways with a blank stare, before it listed onto its flank in slow motion and tumbled to the ground, bleeding out its insides from the massive wound. He put out a fist and screamed in triumph. That had been too dangerous. but damn, did it feel good to score a victory like that.
Yeah, you¡¯re hella crazy, Shawn. Don¡¯t do that again.
He laughed. He let out a full, cawing laugh, even though he was showered in monster blood and other bits and pieces, and ignored the pain aching across his body, while the others cheered. Claire dashed over to hoist him to his feet. ¡°Yeah, guys, that¡¯s how it¡¯s done!¡± he roared out. ¡°Have a plan, and be prepared to be a little bit crazy!¡± ¡°Holy shit, did you just¨CI can¡¯t believe you just¨Cdon¡¯t ever do that again!¡± she screamed, her face contorted in both excitement¨Cand sheer outrage. A punch to his wing still couldn¡¯t stop his laughter, and she grimaced at the gross monster bits still sticking to his feathers. ¡°You look like a serial killer!¡± she screamed out, but her composure broke, and she let out a titter of laughter. ¡°I just¡­I mean, I¡¯m laughing and I¡­oh this is so messed up.¡± ¡°Yes, it is,¡± he managed to gasp out between laughs, and the others gathered around him¨Cwith Garrett checking him for any obvious injuries. ¡°Oh, ow, not the wing,¡± he panted, trying to catch his breath as the veteran warrior probed his wounds, and forced him to a sitting position. ¡°Bruised, there¡¯s a good laceration at the knuckle. It¡¯ll heal quickly, along with those cuts.¡± Shawn¡¯s eyes widened, realizing what he¡¯d forgotten in the chaos, and he glanced over to where Lance had been. ¡°Shit, Lance took a hit¨C¡± ¡°He¡¯s alright,¡± Raine called out, and helped the injured man up, who hissed and had clear scarring on his torso and arm, the skin blackened in small streaks. But he managed a weak smile, despite Raine''s probing. ¡°Glancing blow. You¡¯re lucky you¡¯re not cooked, man.¡± ¡°Any closer and I¡¯d be scattered to the landscape like those trees it zapped,¡± Lance coughed out, holding his chest. He summoned his dark and purple energy to his fingertips and traced over the injury. ¡°But that bad bastard was going to have to work harder than that to kill me.¡± Shawn let out a shaky exhale, and glanced at the blood on him with a muted disgust. ¡°Hey, Regia. Can I ask a favor?¡± ¡°You want to ask me a favor? Chasms, Shawn, you just helped take out a Thunderhead! I¡¯m lucky you¡¯re not monster food right now!¡± she shouted¨Cbut the relief in her eyes was palpable. ¡°You know, Claire¡¯s right. The blood-drenched look just isn¡¯t you.¡± ¡°Just hose me down,¡± he stated with resignation, then handed off his items to Claire. ¡°Garrett, any risk there¡¯s more of those things out there?¡± ¡°Second pack of monsters that have run into town. Strange,¡± he murmured. ¡°I wonder if something is driving them.¡± ¡°Like¡­what? Bigger, scarier monsters?¡± Claire dared to ask. ¡°A lot of animals will also scatter well ahead of natural disasters¨Cthey have a sixth sense for it, at least, back on Earth.¡± ¡°Or, armies on the move,¡± Garrett proposed, rubbing his beak gently, before nodding to Regia. ¡°Okay, hose him off, I¡¯ll take him to the medical. Raine, is Lance okay to move?!¡± he called out ¡°I''m good, Lieutenant,¡± Lance growled, and gave the man a knowing nod. ¡°You¡¯re gonna go to the apothecary, no questions asked. Raine, Trask, get him on a stretcher. Regia, Claire, take our daring star of the moment, too. Shawn, a word to the wise, protecting your teammates is great and all, but¨C¡± Shawn sensed it when Garrett frowned and pulled at his tunic. ¡°Shawn, you¡¯re kinda glowing. What¡¯s with that?¡± ¡°Uh¡­I dunno, I¡¯m not doing that. Not on purpose¨C¡± A spasming pain wracked his body and he staggered to one knee, and he reflexively dug his talons into the soft earth and patches of ice rapidly melting beneath him. A sickening ache filled his chest, and he clutched at it, unable to catch his breath. ¡°Can¡¯t¡­¡± he tried to get the words out, but they were a whisper. Everything hurt. Inside, his heart was hammering, and he couldn¡¯t draw enough breath. He was only held upright by Claire and Regia, and Garrett grabbed a vial off his vest, instructing them to tilt his head back. He didn¡¯t protest at that battery acid of a liquid he remembered from before, and he struggled to remain conscious, nodding his head weakly. ¡°Get him to the apothecary, now! Go get Chakra and make sure he¡¯s got what we need!¡± Ch. 23: Burnout If there was a pain in his life that had ever come close to the full-body wracking agony of being turned into an Aveeran, it was this. Etteria burnout. He sat up on the bed and rubbed at his chest. The burning pain, the shortness of breath, had faded quickly, once the others got him to the apothecary. Chakra had immediately gotten to work with his gestalt, soft pinpricks of light on his claws that had stitched up the worst of the wounds, and more importantly, alleviated his overworked Etteria core.
Shawn, to borrow a term from your past¡­you drained your mana bar. Completely. That was not a great idea.
No, it was not, he silently conceded while Chakra examined him, his face scrunching in focus as he probed his chest. ¡°Shawn, I need to know something. This Etteria you absorbed gave you three separate gestalts?
And a mental wingmate. But, if we mention that, we¡¯re going to end back on this table, probably as a cadaver.
He nodded in acknowledgment to both of them. ¡°It was a little unusual. On a scale of one to dead, how close was I?¡± ¡°Second stage of Etteria burnout. No permanent damage, minus any healing work I could do. Shawn, you need to learn your limits, because you can seriously hurt yourself by overdoing it,¡± he scolded, then softened his expression to one of more compassion. ¡°That said, I won¡¯t disagree with the outcome. Lance is alive. You¡¯ll recover in about a few hours. You¡¯re taking the day off from training tomorrow, as a precaution.¡± Regia nodded beside him. ¡°He took out a Thunderhead, Chakra. He did exceptionally well. Garrett is currently examining that corpse to see what the Chasms drove it into such a frenzy. I don¡¯t know if it was charging right at Vea¡¯lant, so much as being driven by something. It¡¯s worrying.¡± She had refused to leave his side in the past hour, standing stoically on one side of the bed. Claire sat down on a simple chair, next to the bedside. ¡°What he did was reckless,¡± Claire uttered, shooing a scathing glare his way. He didn¡¯t react to it, and she leaned in. ¡°Don¡¯t ever do that again, Shawn. Because I don¡¯t know if I could take losing you.¡± ¡°You won¡¯t. Lesson learned, and I know how far I can push it, now.¡± Chakra was still tapping one spot over what he thought was his sternum, and Shawn raised a feathery brow¨Cthe man was utterly focused, and slipped down a pair of glasses over his face, with a faint glow coming from the frame of the lenses. ¡°What¡¯s that?¡± Chakra leaned in, eyes focused. ¡°Part of my gestalt. I have an unusual ability to ¡®see¡¯ the Etteria within people. But, it¡¯s too strong, and I use these lenses to dim and give focus to the ability and filter it out into something I can meaningfully interpret. It also helps me diagnose any gestalt-related problems, with my knowledge of Aveeran physiology, and other species. But your Etteria core is¡­unusually bright. And woven through your body--the physical and the aetherial. This is¡­well, it¡¯s already networked to the level of what I would expect from a middle-aged individual with good health.¡± ¡°So, has Telga told you the exact circumstances?¡± He asked cautiously, glancing at Regia¡¯s response, who gave a soft nod of her head. ¡°She told me that the Etteria deposit they found was preserved in some kind of locked chamber during her misadventure to the core world,¡± Chakra answered, and he traced his finger across Shawn¡¯s left arm. ¡°This is very unusual. The weave of the Etteria¨Cboth the physical filaments, and the elsewhere¨Cis intricately detailed. There¡¯s enough Etteria filament here for two people.¡± I wonder why, Shawn thought in a comment directed toward Halsey, who had a rather subdued reaction.
So, this could mean that I was a person, at one point?
Possibly. Though this whole ''can''t tell anyone, anything'' is a bit of a roadblock to getting answers. ¡°Look, Chakra, tell me one thing. Is this a good discovery, or a bad one?¡± he finally asked. The healer took a step back and allowed Shawn to cover back up. ¡°Well, at a glance? You shouldn¡¯t have suffered Etteria burnout, if these were normal circumstances. You should be dead from organ failure, by this point.¡± ¡°That¡¯s¡­grim. I like my new favorite feathered maniac to continue to fly above the ground, rather than be buried in it,¡± Regia said with a click of her beak, and pointed a claw at him. ¡°New rule, don¡¯t push it, next time?¡± ¡°Lance could have gotten killed if I wasn¡¯t distracting it,¡± Shawn pointed out. ¡°That thing was dangerous.¡± She had the look of wanting to argue, but looked away and a gruff sound emanated from her throat. ¡°The team did alright. Though I will concede, falling back to the safety of the walls, while normally a good tactical option, wasn¡¯t going to work on something clearly in a driven enraged status. I need to have you go out with Garrett more to learn the lay of the land," Regia conceded. ¡°These findings are¡­interesting. We should examine the Etteria tomorrow,¡± Claire pointed out, looking anxious. ¡°Because we still have one sample sitting around that I could use? But I¡¯d like to know the risks, given all we¡¯ve observed.¡± ¡°We should make it a priority. I¡¯m going to let Shawn stay here for a few hours, and then, you¡¯re taking a day off, at least,¡± Chakra scolded. ¡°We also could stand to do some blood work, while I¡¯m at it.¡± ¡°Let¡¯s not poke and prod him all at once,¡± Regia interjected. ¡°Priorities: we rest, we train, then we go clear out that mine. Most of Shawn¡¯s plans don¡¯t work until we have a steady stream of supplies, and Valtiria Prime has been blowing off Telga. I need to put a talon to the backside of Her Royal Majesty,¡± she added with a low-toned growl. ¡°Who, Telga?¡± Shawn asked, with a slight smirk. ¡°No. The actual, official ruler of these parts. Claire, don¡¯t let him work obsessively when he¡¯s at Varrick¡¯s shop, either?¡± Claire shrugged in resignation. ¡°Regia, I¡¯ve been trying for years,¡± she sighed.
There were a few things that Shawn was looking forward to when they got back to the smithy. The first was a hot bath. Then, sleep. Claire explained what had happened, with Varrick looking on with amusement. Support the creativity of authors by visiting Royal Road for this novel and more. ¡°You¡¯re telling me this lean Aveeran took on that thing?¡± Varrick asked, sounding skeptical. ¡°I had help. Regia and I combined efforts, the others hit it while I held its focus. I doubt I could have taken that thing on my own without becoming a statistic of Remaria. Predators are still one of the top leading causes of death, you know,¡± Shawn quipped, and Varrick hooted with laughter. ¡°That they are! Alright then, let¡¯s get you cleaned off, then. Claire, mind fetching water from the¨C¡± ¡°I can manage,¡± Shawn replied softly. Varrick''s gritted beak, told him that this wasn''t an argument he was winning. ¡°No, you¡¯re not. You¡¯re taking a break, after a day like that,¡± Varrick scolded. ¡°Telga would skewer me with one of those light spears of hers if I let you push yourself stupidly to the point of collapse. By the look of it, you¡¯re halfway there.¡± He had already grabbed a large basin, and pumped water into it from the nearby reservoir. ¡°Children these days¡­always thinking they¡¯re invincible,¡± he grumbled. ¡°We¡¯re not kids,¡± Shawn protested. ¡°Yeah, you are. You might be of an age where you¡¯re adults, but here on Remaria? You¡¯re a fledgling, barely older than a teenager. If I let you, you¡¯d work yourself to the bone, because you think you have something to prove.¡± That scolding look Varrick shot his way, felt unusually harsh, but he chose to listen this time. What he heard wasn''t a dressing down¨Cbut a voice of concern. ¡°Shawn, life is hard in this world. Out in the capital, where I used to live, people got soft. Then they¡¯d venture out into frontier towns like this, to start scratching out something for themselves. Or they''d help build up the central infrastructure of that eyesore of a city¡­and you know what happened?¡± ¡°No, I don¡¯t." ¡°There are nothing but bones, everywhere¨Cfrom remains to abandoned and destroyed settlements. If it¡¯s not monsters, it¡¯s bandits, especially in the far reaches, where the law is only as close as the one you make. We do hold that close, and we thrive when we work together. Something I think you two have an inkling about.¡± Varrick¡¯s stern look softened when he looked at Claire. ¡°I¡¯ve known you two for a handful of days. You have talent. You¡¯ve faced danger. But the line between daring and reckless is feather thin.¡± ¡°We''re going to do what it takes to survive. His sister is somewhere on this ball of rocks, and we''re going to find her, someday. I get where you''re coming from, Varrick. We can learn,¡± Claire responded, her eyes alight with determination. ¡°Learn fast.¡± He grabbed a paper-wrapped package from a table, and handed it to her. ¡°I had this sent for in the adjacent township, a few hours away. It¡¯s an alchemist book, for all your tinkering needs, and hopefully proves useful.¡± ¡°This could be useful. Thanks.¡± She set it by her impromptu lab bench. Varrick then reached for another package, and handed it to him. Shawn, I also got you some more tools. I had a favor owed to me by the resident smith over there. Tool bits. They''re made of Etteria-infused materials, tung¡­tungsten carbide, I think?¡± ¡°Tough stuff. These will last.¡± He looked at the drill bits, each cut carrying various fluting and drill sizes, including some cutters with a flat head. ¡°We get our crazy contraptions made, the priority is to replicate these. I¡¯m rather impressed they have tungsten carbide. It¡¯s not easy to make." ¡°Well, I can work small miracles here, but in the capital? They make bigger miracles. The problem with this planet is the propagation of tech¨Cbits of scattered knowledge, everywhere, and the teleport strands leave much to be desired.¡± ¡°You know it just occurred to me, I didn¡¯t ask how you guys traverse the various tectonic continents. Are there connection points like with Telga¡¯s retreat?¡± Claire snapped her fingers, even as she helped set up the tub in the washroom. ¡°Correct. Some are bigger, you can transport carts, large groups of people, and even small armies. But¡­the tech to replicate them is in the hands of the Radiants. Unlike Telga, there¡¯s gated access, and building more of them is a pain.¡± Varrick explained, puffing out his feathers. ¡°You know, as much grief as I give that old bird, She¡¯s possibly the most caring Radiant I¡¯ve met. She has managed to get trade, industry, and some semblance of security to parts of Valtiria. It was a mess before she came into the equation.¡± Several trips of heated water later, Shawn was satisfied with the lukewarm bath, and Varrick had gone into detail about the Radiants nearby, of which, there were three. Two in the capital, one in another retreat, a good distance away. Bits and pieces of a plan were coming together, slowly but surely. But first, he needed to wash this filth and grossness off himself¨CRegia had hosed him down earlier, but hadn¡¯t gotten everything. The lukewarm bath was, at best, tolerable. But he¡¯d also swam in ice-cold streams when he¡¯d been on his survivalist trips before. It wasn¡¯t long before the water was...murky. He took care to wash his feathers, as best he could. Some day this has turned out to be, Halsey. His companion spent a few seconds processing, as glyphs spun and whirred, and he heard her voice again, inside his mind.
I¡¯m with Claire. You need to take care of yourself, Shawn. Because you can¡¯t protect anyone if you¡¯re dead. I worry if Telga was betting it all on you. If she did, then she has nothing left as a backup.
More vigorous scrubbing. At least his feathers cleaned well, he was worried they might have gotten stained by the blood, but that had been an unfounded worry. We learned more things today. My barriers can take the energy blast from that thunderhead. We learned I can instant-freeze standing liquids of considerable volume, and we can flash-freeze foes to limit their mobility. These are all very important. And, my barrier can be used as a force multiplier. It has¡­incredible utility if I can get around this Etteria limitation. He frowned as he finished wiping his face. What was that glow around me, earlier? A residual barrier?
No. I think your Etteria network grew. I felt it, just a small amount.
But, how? And what does that mean?
Remember how Varrick said that the Etteria could grow over time? It¡¯s either replicated by trace minerals in our diet, or exposure to something in the environment.
He straightened up, wincing as he stretched his sopping wet limbs and temporarily forgot about his just-healed wounds. So, what are you thinking? Exposure to something? I don¡¯t think it¡¯s anything I ate. It happened after I killed the thunderhead.
Yes. While I do believe the effort of Etteria usage may be tied to slow development¨Clike exercising a muscle group in training¨Cthis seemed much too quick. It might have been tied to that¡­but, I don¡¯t know by what mechanism. The only thing I felt¨Cand you might not have¨Cwas a faint trickle of energy.
It was zapping everything in sight. Look, I¡¯ve had a very long day Halsey, and I¡¯m exhausted. He rubbed his beak gently, and could still feel aching muscles all over. Chakra¡¯s work did not help entirely with that pain¨Cjust the injuries. Let¡¯s start fresh tomorrow, okay? Unlike you, I feel all of this.
That¡¯s¡­not entirely true. I do feel your pain. When you get hurt, I do, too. Even if the pain isn¡¯t physically there.
That small revelation surprised him, and he rubbed at an aching wing joint. How can you feel, Halsey?
I don¡¯t know. But I want to find the answer, Shawn. There¡¯s an answer, somewhere, in this ripped-apart world. Maybe we¡¯ll find it along the way, when we look for Maggie.
He thought that, for a split second, Halsey might be being manipulative. That she was pushing him to further her own objectives, whatever they might be. But, so far, she had done nothing but be sincere. A silent companion, whose success was tied to his. What if we don¡¯t find her, Halsey? What if Claire was right, back then? What if there¡¯s nothing left of her but gnawed-on bones, in a monster¡¯s lair?
Don¡¯t lose hope. I haven¡¯t. If she''s anything like you, she would have found a way to survive here.
He finished cleaning and threw on a clean set of simple garb for nighttime¨Canother set borrowed from Garrett. He had no money to buy anything and was getting hand-me-downs. But he glanced at the mirror, and clenched his beak, and narrowed his eyes. He was not letting rampaging monsters or mad gods get the better of him. Hey, Halsey...I think we need to do something a little dangerous.
What''s that?
We have to tell Claire about you.
...You really are insistent on having a death wish, you know that?