《Soulweaver》


 Chapter 1: Just Another Day

    Today was not a good day. It was the kind of day where you wake up on the wrong side of the bed, and everything just seems to snowball after that. The kind that called for a stiff drink.


    Granted, it didn¡¯t take a special occasion for my manager to chew me out, but today was worse than most. Turned out he didn¡¯t appreciate me messing with our inventory management system very much¡ªshould¡¯ve known a control freak like him would give me shit for that.


    I work at one of those retro gaming places. The kind that services the dinosaurs who insist on physical media in a digital age.


    Anyway, my improvements used seasonal sales data to determine exactly what games to stock when. Even the intern was impressed.


    And it worked! I made things better. But what did I get for my effort? A tirade about how it wasn¡¯t my job and that I just needed to smile and sell and not meddle with shit above my paygrade.


    Uh, huh. Well, screw you too.


    Optimizing was in my blood. I had a lot of pointless records in games to prove it. Speedrunning, impossible challenges, you name it.


    Turned out none of those were very marketable skills. Who would¡¯ve figured?


    So, yeah. It was that sort of day and the average bar just wouldn¡¯t do. I needed a new place. Somewhere no one would know me. Some place I could be alone.


    An hour of aimless wandering later, my aching legs brought me to this hole in the wall¡ªa place called Cosmo¡¯s B & G.


    Horrendous name for a bar. On point for a seventies disco hall. Exactly the kind of place I was looking for.


    The bar was on the corner of a street, right in the middle of a residential neighborhood. Even before I entered, I could tell it¡¯d be a total dive. Grungy, dark, and with shitty new age playing in the background.


    Bells chimed as the door shut behind me, and I noted that the establishment wasn¡¯t as deserted as I thought it¡¯d be. Mostly men in their thirties, forties, and fifties.


    I took a seat at the counter and relaxed on its fluffy cushion, happy to finally be off my feet.


    ¡°Hail friend! You¡¯re right on time!¡± the overly jovial bartender said.


    ¡°Didn¡¯t realize I was expected,¡± I said sarcastically.


    The white-haired bartender replied with a wry smile. His eerie gray eyes regarded me with an almost predatory intensity, and his hair was greased to hell and back¡ªDracula style. Except white, instead of the vampiric black.


    I didn¡¯t mean to stare, but the guy was¡­ different, and not just because of the eyes and the hair. His brilliantly white, crisp suit was so clean it nearly glowed.


    Now, I¡¯ve seen a lot of bartenders. Some, at the fancier joints, liked to wear tux vests¡ªmore like their bosses forced them to¡ªbut I¡¯d never seen anyone wear a jacket before. Especially not a white one, and definitely not at a dive bar.


    ¡°There an event going on or something?¡± I asked, wondering if it was 80s night or something. None of the patrons wore anything even remotely from that decade, though.


    The bartender nodded in understanding. ¡°There sure isn¡¯t! I¡¯m Cosmo, by the way. Welcome to my humble establishment! It¡¯s not much, but you gotta admit, it sure is cosmic, am I right?¡± he said, winking theatrically.


    Ah. An eccentric. That was likely his normal outfit, too.


    I plopped my driver¡¯s license on the pristine counter. ¡°Just get me a beer.¡±


    Cosmo stared back at me, making no motion to grab my drink. ¡°A beer. You¡¯re serious?¡±


    ¡°Uh, yes? Y¡¯know, I don¡¯t think I¡¯ve ever had a bartender question my choice of drink before¡­¡± I said somewhat irritably. It wasn¡¯t like I was asking for milk.


    ¡°You came all this way¡­ for a beer? Greg, you don¡¯t want a beer,¡± Cosmo said, shaking his head. ¡°You need something stronger.¡±


    I frowned, fingers still on the license I¡¯d snapped onto the counter. ¡°How do you know my name? And how did you know I wasn''t from here?¡±


    Cosmo, as he called himself, cocked a brow. ¡°Never seen you before. And it doesn¡¯t take a mind reader to know you¡¯ve had a hard day, Greg. Besides, work a month or two behind a counter, and you¡¯ll get just as good skimming licenses, I promise.¡±


    I had laid it down. But Cosmo¡¯s gray eyes had been boring holes into my head this entire time.


    ¡°Y¡¯know what? Forget it,¡± I said. He was right. If anything, it proved just how stressed I really was. ¡°Pour me something. Anything.¡±


    ¡°You got it, boss.¡±


    I looked around the establishment while I waited. There were a couple of guys at the counter a few stools down. A half dozen more were seated at the booths along the back wall, chatting. An ancient jukebox sat on the back wall, along with a pinball machine.


    ''The One to End Them All'', it was called. Its art featured a young guy in fancy armor standing on a pile of dead monsters, wielding a sword and shouting up at the heavens. There was a strange shadow hanging over him, though, which didn¡¯t really fit with the rest of the art.


    Overall, the place had a cozy warm vibe and smelled of pine. You¡¯d think the low ceiling and dull lighting would make for a dour setting, but they didn¡¯t.


    The tables were all wooden¡ªreal wood, not the particleboard junk you find everywhere. The chairs, too. Not fancy, but solid wood, and well built. Beautiful in a simple way. The bar top had to be the most spotless, shiny slab of black walnut I¡¯d ever seen.


    In fact, after looking around, I realized I couldn¡¯t spot even a speck of dirt anywhere. Not on the floor, nor on any of the tables or chairs.


    The drink came sliding over. A whisky. Single malt. Expensive-looking, too.


    ¡°On the house,¡± Cosmo said with a wink.


    Well, I wasn¡¯t much of a whisky guy, but damned if I¡¯d pass up a free drink! I felt a little bad for judging him so harshly now. Maybe love can¡¯t be bought, but friendship? That was a whole other story.


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    The alcohol started working its magic, and I sank blissfully into the warm embrace of self pity. Who cared what Brian thought? My improvements worked, dammit, and that was all that mattered. Why didn¡¯t anyone understand that?


    For the thousandth time, I wondered what I was doing with my life. Was a shit nine-to-five job that barely paid the bills all I had to look forward to? No adventure, no sense of purpose?


    I wasn¡¯t asking for much. Just a chance to put the skills I knew I had to good use. To give my all for something.


    ¡°You remember that guy I was telling you about?¡±


    The bartender¡ªCosmo¡ªwas leaning over his counter, animatedly chatting up a patron. A big bearded guy with a leather jacket. A biker, most likely. I bet he rode a Harley.


    ¡°He¡¯s perfect. I¡¯m telling you, he¡¯s the one!¡±


    ¡°Uh, huh,¡± the biker gruffed back. ¡°What¡¯ll it be this time, another rock? You do realize that thing is still out there, getting stronger by the day, right?¡±


    ¡°What, those old things?¡± Cosmo said. ¡°Naw, Rocky won¡¯t harm a soul! Anyway, get this. High school dropout. Twenty-two years old and hasn¡¯t held a stable job even once. Just bounces around. No real friends. Not unless you count everyone he meets at the bar, and let¡¯s face it, most of them are so shitfaced they don¡¯t even know his name.¡±


    I wished they¡¯d keep it down. I just wanted to drink in peace.


    ¡°Yeah? What about their family?¡± the biker asked. ¡°Wasn¡¯t that your holdup with this idea?¡±


    ¡°Ah, his dad¡¯s a deadbeat. Kid practically hates him. Mother died young. Big sister is, well¡­ Let¡¯s go with estranged. And his high school buddies all went off to college. Trust me. He¡¯s got nothing. No hope. No future. He¡¯s as good as it gets.¡±


    Now that I could relate to. But that just showed how ordinary my life was, didn¡¯t it? Stories like mine were a dime a dozen, even down to the details. Nothing special at all.


    ¡°I dunno, Cosmo. You¡¯re talking about a real person here. This is different. I gotta say, this isn¡¯t like you at all. You think he¡¯s got what it takes?¡±


    ¡°Hey, even I need my entertainment sometimes! Besides, have you seen the records he¡¯s set? Speedrunning games, beating them with ridiculous handicaps? That¡¯s gotta be tough enough. Hey, you wanna know something truly hilarious? The poor sod¡¯s gonna walk into that game shop tomorrow and learn he¡¯d just been fired. He really oughta be getting a raise, but he did it without permission. So¡­ yeah. Intern¡¯s gonna get his job instead.¡±


    My hand froze, drink halfway to my lips. My hand¡­ was shaking.


    What the hell? One or two coincidences, I could believe, but this? What were the chances?


    I set the glass down with a heavy clink.


    Cosmo just described my exact day. Play by play. This was too weird. How much alcohol was in this thing?


    A voice in my head warned me of danger. That it¡¯d be best to leave. It was a small voice, though, and the instinct to have more of this delicious whisky prevailed.


    I admit I may not have been thinking entirely straight. Feeling a sudden compulsion to stand, I got up and made my way to the pinball machine.


    Setting my glass down on the machine, I rummaged through my pockets before realizing I didn¡¯t have any coins. A shame¡ªthe game looked to be on the more interesting side, as far as pinball machines went.


    ¡°Mind lifting your glass for me?¡± Cosmo said, suddenly standing beside me.


    ¡°Er, sorry?¡± I said reflexively. When had he walked over? I never even noticed. Shit¡­ Was I really that buzzed?


    ¡°Your glass. Mind lifting it?¡±


    ¡°Uh, okay?¡± I said, thrown off balance.


    I lifted my glass off the machine, and Cosmo neatly swept away the condensation that had built up under it, placing a cork coaster under the drink.


    ¡°Sorry,¡± Cosmo said. ¡°Old habit. So, how¡¯d you like a new life?¡±


    His words was so sudden that I just stared blankly.


    ¡°Uh, what?¡± was all I managed, setting the glass back down. My other hand instinctively clutched the machine.


    ¡°A new life! Y¡¯know, better than the shitty one you¡¯ve got?¡±


    The hell was going on? Had... Had he really been talking about me earlier? Was this some elaborate prank?


    I blinked, and suddenly, the entire bar went quiet. The white noise of chatter had vanished, and the guys seated at the bar were gone.


    No. I spun around, taking the whole place in. Everyone was gone. The bar was deserted. Empty. And all in an instant.


    What in the actual fuck?


    I hadn¡¯t heard a single person leave. The chimes on the door never rang. No sounds of shuffling chairs or glasses being put down.


    ¡°Who are you?¡± I asked, panic piercing through the haze of my buzz. I instinctively gripped the side of the machine like it was a lifeline, too shocked to even think about moving. ¡°What¡¯s going on here?¡±


    ¡°I mean, how many humans can do all the stuff I just did?¡± he asked mockingly.


    I didn¡¯t reply.


    ¡°I¡¯m a god. Thought that was obvious.¡±


    ¡°Sure. And I¡¯m Merlin, master wizard,¡± I retorted, glancing at the door.


    Cosmo looked at me with an expression of such utter confusion that he either had to be the world¡¯s best actor, or he genuinely didn¡¯t get it. Which only made the situation weirder.


    ¡°But¡­ I made everyone disappear¡ªwait.¡± His eyes widened. ¡°You¡¯re one of those people, aren¡¯t you? I admit I read about this in your world, but meeting one in person¡­ Wow. Yeah. This is awkward. You truly believe this is a hoax, don¡¯t you?¡± he said with a thoughtful frown.


    I backed away from the machine, finally breaking through my freeze response.


    This was really happening. This guy was going to kill me.


    I¡¯d known such things happen, of course. It was a rough world, after all. I just never thought it¡¯d happen to me.


    ¡°You can have my wallet,¡± I said, reaching slowly into my back pocket and throwing my wallet at Cosmo¡¯s feet. ¡°Not much in there, but it¡¯s yours.¡±


    The bartender looked at the leather wallet like it was a dead fish.


    ¡°I¡­ really don¡¯t know where you¡¯re going with this, Greg. I¡¯m not going to rob you.¡±


    Shit. It was worse.


    ¡°You picked the wrong guy to kidnap, you know? My dad doesn¡¯t have the money. Wouldn¡¯t pay out even if he did. You¡¯re wasting your time. Just¡­ just let me go.¡±


    ¡°What if I said I could send you to a world like those games you always play? The ones with the levels and classes and magic that you humans are so fond of.¡±


    Alright. Yeah. He¡¯s crazy.


    The knowledge made my situation easier to accept.


    I took a deep breath. It¡¯d been some years since track and field in high school, and I sure as hell hadn¡¯t maintained my runner¡¯s legs, but I remembered the motions. It''s the kind of thing you never forget.


    Cosmo was still leaning on the pinball machine. I¡¯d been edging to the door. I knew I could make it to the door in time.


    You got this, Greg.


    ¡°Alright, why don¡¯t we¡ª¡± I bolted for the door.


    Ten feet. Five.


    I didn¡¯t bother to glance back at Cosmo to see what he was up to. He couldn¡¯t stop me now. This was the home stretch.


    My hand closed around the tarnished brass knob. It turned easily¡ªnot locked. How could it be? All those people had just used it to leave.


    I had this. Once I was out into the street, I could lose this guy. I was sure of it.


    The door opened... and a hurricane blasted the room.


    The great vortex pulled at me, all-powerful, and it took everything I had to stop myself from getting sucked in.


    Because on the other side wasn¡¯t a residential street. In fact, it wasn¡¯t a street at all.


    It was the inky blackness of space. Outer space. I could¡¯ve sworn I saw the faint outline of a galaxy in the distance.


    Napkins and silverware all blew into the air, rushing for the door. Even the chairs.


    It was one of those fine wooden chairs that sent me sailing over the edge.


    I gasped for breath and immediately began to suffocate. My arms and legs flailed, but there was nothing to grab onto. My lungs swelled, forcing me to exhale, and my tongue felt like it was boiling.


    ¡°Well, I thought you might want to chat at the bar, but we can talk here, too, if you like?¡± Cosmo said, appearing in front of me, looking thoroughly confused.


    Had I been in a more coherent frame of mind, I might¡¯ve questioned how he could talk in the vacuum of space. Or breathe, for that matter. As it was, I just panicked helplessly in front of him.


    ¡°Ah, right. You need air to talk. Actually, you¡¯re gonna die pretty soon, so I think I¡¯ll just send us back.¡±


    Cosmo snapped his fingers, and I was suddenly back inside the bar.


    My legs promptly turned into Jello and I flopped to the ground like a wet noodle, gasping for air.


    Cosmo hardly noticed. He was staring forlornly at the room.


    ¡°Do you have any idea how hard it¡¯ll be to clean all this up?¡±


    ¡°What did you say?¡± I blurted, hyperventilating.


    Cosmo snapped his fingers, and I suddenly reappeared at the bar top, seated comfortably.


    ¡°Right,¡± he said. ¡°Now that that¡¯s settled, why don¡¯t we move on to something a bit more fun?¡±


    Instead of words, only gibberish came out of my mouth.


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry, Greg! You¡¯re safe. God¡¯s honor,¡± he said, half-assing a salute. ¡°I¡¯m sure this has all been a little strange for you, so why don¡¯t we chat about something you are familiar with? Class selection.¡±


    I stared at Cosmo blankly, my brain denying this absurd reality.


    And despite it all, a small voice at the back of my mind perked up in excitement. Class selection?

 Chapter 2: Class Selection

    Just breathe, Greg. Just¡ªoh shit! This is really happening, isn¡¯t it?


    I pinched myself. Then I remembered that pinching yourself isn¡¯t actually a good way to check if you¡¯re in a dream¡ªa nightmare¡ªor not.


    What the fuck! What the fuck, what the fuuuuuck!


    ¡°Why don¡¯t you take a swig, Greg?¡± Cosmo asked with a concerned expression. ¡°It¡¯ll help you calm down.¡±


    I took the damn drink and downed it in one go.


    Huh. It did help.


    With a clearer¡ªand slightly more inebriated¡ªmind, I took in my current predicament. I was in a bar. The bar was in outer space. I was talking to a god. Well, a self-proclaimed god, anyway.


    I rested my elbows on the bar top and rubbed my temples.


    ¡°I¡¯m¡­ gonna need another drink. Or ten.¡±


    Cosmo snapped his fingers, and my empty glass refilled.


    I laughed. ¡°This is so ridiculous.¡±


    ¡°Right?¡± Cosmo said. ¡°Imagine how I feel!¡±


    ¡°I was just looking for a drink, man,¡± I replied, throwing him a glare. ¡°It¡¯s been a long day. And now you¡¯re talking about other worlds and gods and classes?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s right. Well, world, anyway. And they¡¯re called Blessings, but yeah. Pretty much the same deal.¡±


    I took a sip of the smooth whisky and tried to make some sense of this situation.


    ¡°Alright, let¡¯s say I believe that you¡¯re a god and that this is all real,¡± I said, hardly believing the words coming out of my mouth.


    ¡°What, a bar in space and snapping my fingers to refill drinks isn¡¯t enough? Tough crowd!¡±


    I was about to counter with a witty comeback. Something about magicians and their inflated egos, but I stopped. What if he was a god? Or maybe an alien? As unlikely as that was, he had shown me some serious shit.


    Glancing out the window, I could see galaxies in the distance.


    If this was all an elaborate prank, I had to ask why? It would¡¯ve cost a fortune to set all this up. For me? A literal nobody? Occam¡¯s razor had a thing or two to say about that.


    Then again, what was the simpler explanation here? A hoax? Or a god?


    I downed another gulp. I wasn¡¯t nearly drunk enough for this.


    ¡°Why me?¡± I asked. That simple question that had been bothering me all this time. ¡°Because I¡¯m average? Is that it?¡±


    The god leveled a serious stare at me.


    ¡°Look, Greg. There¡¯s a whole laundry list of reasons why I picked you, and not one of them was because you¡¯re average. I¡¯m not forcing this on you. Say the word and I¡¯ll stick you right back into your ordinary life. Just know that I chose you, alright?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s¡­ Okay, fair,¡± I replied, surprised at his candor. His previously frivolous attitude was nowhere to be seen. At that moment, I felt like he might actually be exactly what he claimed. There was an¡­ aura about him. Something I couldn¡¯t quite put my finger on.


    ¡°So you picked me. Alright. What for, though? What, uh, what do you need me to do?¡±


    Cosmo rested his elbows on the bar top and steepled his fingers. An all-knowing smile plastered his face.


    Here it comes.


    ¡°Dunno!¡± Cosmo replied with a self-deprecating smile.


    ¡°Uh, you¡­ don¡¯t know?¡± I asked, bewildered. ¡°Or you just won¡¯t say?¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡± A moment of silence passed between us. Me, with a wary frown on my face. Cosmo, wearing a smug grin.


    ¡°I¡¯m waiting for the punchline,¡± I said.


    ¡°Greg, buddy, you¡¯re gonna be waiting a while.¡±


    ¡°No ¡®Defeat the Demon Lord!¡¯?¡± I asked. ¡°Or my favorite, ¡®I took pity and rewarded you for being a decent human being?¡¯¡±


    ¡°I mean, maybe?¡± Cosmo replied, scratching his cheek. ¡°That sounds awfully familiar, though. Where are you getting these ideas?¡±


    ¡°Well, there¡¯s a country in this world where this sort of thing is¡ª¡±


    ¡°Oh, right!¡± Cosmo said, slamming his palm on the counter. ¡°I thought I¡¯d heard that somewhere! It¡¯s a real hoot, isn¡¯t it? Wonder how the otakus would feel if they knew it was all real. Can you even imagine? This is your opportunity to play the harem protagonist!¡±


    ¡°And it was all going so well,¡± I sighed. Why¡¯d he have to go and make this weird? ¡°Besides, I¡®ve never heard of a single case where the god summons the hero without saying why¡ª¡±


    ¡°Hey, I never said anything about a hero. What¡¯s with the delusions of grandeur?¡±


    ¡°Fair,¡± I said. ¡°Summons a person without telling them why they¡¯re there. Usually, it¡¯s to fight some world-ending evil.¡±


    I¡¯d been hoping to get him to slip some hint, but his grin only widened.


    ¡°Nice try!¡±


    ¡°Alright, so you won¡¯t say why you need me. Fine. What about the world I¡¯ll be entering? Is it the standard medieval fantasy fare? Swords and sorcery, elves and dwarves? The full Tolkien?¡±


    ¡°Believe me, you¡¯ll love it.¡±


    ¡°Sure. And?¡±


    ¡°And I¡¯m genuinely not gonna tell you about it!¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re serious?¡± I asked incredulously.


    ¡°Greg, I¡¯m so serious that you should be thankful looks can¡¯t kill,¡± Cosmo said, looking like he was just barely stopping himself from laughing.


    ¡°You do realize I¡¯m this close to walking out right now, yeah?¡± I replied, pinching my fingers close together. ¡°You¡¯re asking me to walk into this with a blindfold and earplugs.¡±


    Cosmo¡¯s expression dimmed a bit, and I wondered if I saw regret flash across his face for a split-second. But it must¡¯ve been my imagination because he replied with another beaming smile.


    ¡°Isn¡¯t that exhilarating for people like you, though? I know how much time you spend planning out your characters in those games you play. I know how stressful it is for you. Trust me, Greg. It¡¯s better this way. Less angst.¡±


    I¡¯m gonna wring your goddamn neck.


    I nearly said it, but somehow managed to keep my mouth shut. Whether Cosmo was some super advanced alien, or really a god, pissing him off didn¡¯t seem like the brightest idea.


    Deep breaths, Greg. I ran through some Qi Gong exercises before speaking again.


    ¡°I¡¯m just going to talk out loud for a sec, if you don¡¯t mind.¡± This was it. My final olive branch. If Cosmo didn¡¯t give me anything, I was out.


    ¡°By all means!¡± Cosmo replied with his arms spread wide, that smile of his still clinging to his face.


    ¡°Alright, so. There¡¯s a lot of different gods in the various mythologies. Omnipotent, flawed, and human. Depends on the pantheon. So, which are you? Norse? Greek? I don¡¯t know my mythologies all that well, but if I had to guess¡ª¡±


    ¡°As amusing as it is to see you try, I¡¯ll stop you in the interest of time. I¡¯m not any god you¡¯ve heard of.¡±


    ¡°Okay, but you introduced yourself as a god. Not God. Which tells me you¡¯re part of a pantheon.¡±


    Cosmo¡¯s eyes sparkled, but he said nothing.


    ¡°Come on! Say something!¡±


    ¡°Something!¡± Cosmo said cheerily.


    You little¡­


    ¡°I get it,¡± I said, my voice dripping with sarcasm. ¡°Yeah, it all makes so much sense now. You¡¯re¡­ just an asshole, aren¡¯t you? I know your type. You have a bit of power and you just have to flaunt it whenever you can. Bet you¡¯re a small fry. What, the other gods bully you or something?¡±


    My heart pumped like mad. The words started pouring out, and it felt great. ¡°They got you chained up? Bet it¡¯s gotta suck.¡±


    A rush of adrenaline flowed through my body. I felt invincible.


    And suddenly, I sobered up. That moment when I realized I¡¯d just insulted a god¡ªor at least someone who¡¯d actually shown off powers that lent credibility to that absurd claim.


    The worst bit? I didn¡¯t even believe my own words. There was no logic to the insults. I was just spouting nonsense.


    I¡¯d let my irritation get the better of me. This ridiculous situation. The alcohol and my day¡¯s frustrations. And Cosmo just generally being a cosmic ass¡­ They¡¯d combined to send me over the edge.


    Nice going, Greg. You¡¯re so dead.


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    ¡°That¡¯s quite a rude thing to say to a god you¡¯ve only just met, you know?¡± Cosmo replied, but the humor in his voice told me he wasn¡¯t offended. At all.


    ¡°Sorry,¡± I said hastily.


    So, not like Zeus or Odin, then. I breathed a sigh of relief. They¡¯d have struck me down at the first insult. Maybe I do get to keep my head.


    ¡°Just¡­ I don¡¯t even know why I bother. You¡¯re giving me nothing here.¡±


    ¡°You bother because it¡¯s your dream, isn¡¯t it?¡± Cosmo said softly. ¡°It¡¯s what you¡¯ve always wanted.¡±


    Was it? It was true, I¡¯d often fantasized about being whisked away¡ªit was why I read so many stories where the main character got transported to another world, despite my many gripes with them. Maybe what he said did have a kernel of truth. After all, I was still here, fruitlessly trying to pull teeth from his mouth.


    I tried switching tracks.


    ¡°What can you tell me?¡± I asked.


    ¡°Well, I can show you what Blessings you¡¯ll have to choose from,¡± Cosmo said, reaching up behind the upside-down wine glasses that hung from the ceiling behind his bar.


    I was about to ask what he was doing when he pulled down a screen made of¡­ papyrus? The screen was like those roll-down projector screens, but instead of being white, it was brown and had an enormous amount of texture to it. Like an ancient medieval map, except instead of imagery, there was text, written in cursive ink.


    Blessing Selection


    Scout [Common]: Masters of reconnaissance. While not as deadly as their higher-tier counterparts, they are quick and adept at avoiding detection. Cannot Evolve.


    Perks:


    ¡ª Grants the ability [Farsight]


    ¡ª Slightly Reduced [Vigor] and [Dominion] Growth


    ¡ª Slight boost to [Grace] when wearing light armor (Note: Equipment Stat modifiers bypass any stat debuffs)


    Warrior [Common]: Warriors train in the way of the sword. They prioritize physique and bladesmanship above all else. Cannot Evolve.


    Perks:


    ¡ª Grants the ability to wield [Uncommon] bladed weapons.


    ¡ª Slightly Improved Vigor Growth. Significantly Reduced MP Growth per Level.


    ¡ª Slight boost to [Dominion] when wearing medium armor (Note: Equipment Stat modifiers bypass stat penalties)


    Paladin [Common]: As an envoy of your god, you represent resilience, order, and strength. Cannot Evolve.


    Perks:


    ¡ª Grants the ability to wield [Uncommon] bladed weapons.


    ¡ª Grants the spell [Bulwark]


    There were dozens more, and I looked over them all, expecting something good to eventually pop up. That was usually how it was in games. There were generally a handful of classes¡ªBlessings in this case¡ªgeared towards each play style. Those who enjoyed sneaking their way around and stealing stuff might choose a [Rogue] or [Thief] Blessing, while magic lovers might choose a [Mage] or [Sorcerer] Blessing.


    ¡°That¡¯s it?¡± I asked, struggling to keep the disappointment out of my voice. Only a handful of the options looked even remotely decent, and nothing worked for what I needed¡ªversatility. Not to mention that they all had a ¡®Cannot Evolve¡¯ message in the description.


    ¡°What do you mean?¡± Cosmo asked with a look of concern. Whether or not it was faked, I couldn¡¯t tell.


    ¡°I mean these suck! No, actually, there¡¯s a way bigger problem. Do you at least know if I¡¯ll have to fight something? Like monsters and such? Or an army?¡±


    ¡°Bet you can guess my answer!¡± Cosmo said enthusiastically.


    ¡°Right,¡± I replied, deadpan. ¡°Can¡¯t tell y¡ª¡±


    ¡°Wrong! I can tell you. But only sometimes.¡±


    I paused. That was¡­ unexpected. Maybe there was a reason he couldn¡¯t tell me anything?


    ¡°So¡­ You can tell me about the world, then?¡±


    ¡°I sure can. But I won¡¯t.¡±


    ¡°Yep. Nice one. You got me.¡± I took another swig.


    I was a moron for hoping.


    ¡°Look,¡± I said, feeling a lot older than I was. ¡°I know literally nothing about this place. Other than the fact that it seems to be medieval, based on the Blessings.¡±


    ¡°So, what will you do?¡± Cosmo asked, resting his head on his clasped hands.


    ¡°Well, since my patron god¡¯s given me so much to work with¡­¡± I said, my lips loose after my third glass. I was buzzed, for sure, but strangely, I was thinking as clearly as ever.


    ¡°If I picked a [Rare] or [Legendary] Mage build¡ªI¡¯m assuming those exist, because of the rarity tier next to the ones you showed me¡ªwhat if you need me to become the richest merchant in the world? Lotta good that would do me. The opposite¡¯s true as well. I can¡¯t pick a noncombatant blessing if I have to defeat some big bad monster. That¡¯s usually what heroes are summoned for, but with you refusing to say, it makes me wonder.¡±


    ¡°Interesting. Interesting,¡± Cosmo said, light dancing in his eyes. In this case, that wasn¡¯t just a metaphor; light did move around within his eyes. It was¡­ strange, to say the least.


    ¡°Which is to say, I need versatility. So there¡¯s no way in hell I¡¯m picking any of these Blessings. There¡¯s gotta be others, right?¡±


    ¡°Well, no¡­¡± Cosmo replied, but his usual confidence was gone. He was hesitating, and I needed to know why.


    ¡°Oh, c¡¯mon. You can¡¯t just tease [Common] Blessings while pretending that there aren¡¯t more.¡±


    ¡°Oh, there most certainly are!¡±


    ¡°But?¡±


    ¡°But they¡¯re inaccessible to you.¡±


    ¡°Inaccessible,¡± I said, dragging it out. ¡°An interesting choice of word. Not forbidden or restricted, or even unavailable. If they¡¯re just inaccessible¡­¡±


    An idea came to me.


    ¡°Are there any hidden blessings? Maybe gated behind some prerequisite or something?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m glad you asked!¡± Cosmo said, his smile broadening even further.


    ¡°What are they? Do I have to grow horns or something?¡±


    ¡°You¡¯d willingly change your race?¡± Cosmos asked, looking genuinely surprised.


    ¡°Er, that¡¯s an option?¡± I asked.


    ¡°Not right now, no,¡± he replied, still looking bewildered.


    So, not right now, but maybe eventually?


    ¡°What I meant was whether those blessings required me to be a particular race to unlock. Like a dragon or an elf.¡±


    ¡°Not quite,¡± Cosmo said, shifting his gaze to what looked like a microphone mounted on the ceiling. ¡°But since you guessed that there are hidden Blessings all on your own, without any help or guidance from me, well, I suppose it wouldn¡¯t hurt to show you these¡­¡±


    Cosmo reached to the right of where the Blessing roll was hanging and pulled out another similar roll. This one extended from the right to the left. On it was another list of Blessings. These not only had a rarity tier, but also a cost associated with them. Priced in points.


    ¡°Points? Really?¡± I asked. ¡°Totally thought you¡¯d have called it Cosmo Buckaroos, or something ridiculous.¡±


    ¡°That¡­¡± Cosmo said, his eyes lighting up, ¡°is a fantastic idea!¡±


    The words on the papyrus rippled and changed, making me instantly regret running my mouth.


    Like the [Common] blessings, the list went on for a while.


    Was it just me? Or were these descriptions getting weirder?


    Artificer [Uncommon] Cost: 39,995 Cosmo Buckaroos


    Artificers build stuff. Non-magical stuff. Boring stuff.


    ¡°Not that I don¡¯t appreciate the attempt at humor, but you mind showing me the descriptions? Like the [Common] blessings had?¡±


    Cosmo wrung his wrists. ¡°I don¡¯t know how to break this to you, kid, but¡­¡±


    ¡°Let me guess. You don¡¯t feel like it.¡±


    ¡°This time, I actually can¡¯t, even if I wanted to.¡±


    ¡°Huh.¡±


    [Artificer] was on the right track, at least. With a crafting Blessing, I could build a variety of tools for different situations, but its description made it clear they had little to do with magic.


    ¡°Alright, c¡¯mon,¡± I said. ¡°Show me the good stuff. I want to see those [Rare] and [Epic] tiers you¡¯re hiding. I¡¯m guessing there¡¯s two or three more above that, yeah?¡±


    ¡°Your wish is my command!¡± Cosmo unfurled another roll, this time from the left. It overlapped the previous two slightly. Then he brought out another, and finally a third.


    ¡°Now we¡¯re talking,¡± I muttered, quickly looking over the new options.


    The [Common] and [Uncommon] rolls had been all but covered up by the rarer tiers at this point. It didn¡¯t matter. I wasn¡¯t seriously considering those. Unless the rarer ones had some serious downsides, I¡¯d be a fool not to pick them.


    Of the [Rare] blessing, both [Smith Savant] and [Chronomancer] caught my eye.


    Smith Savant [Rare]: Cost: 139,995 Cosmo Buckaroos


    There¡¯s no better blacksmith alive. The stuff you make will outlive you, and your grandkids will kill just to get a piece.


    Chronomancer [Rare] Cost: 179,995 Cosmo Buckaroos


    Remember Back to the Future? Then you¡¯ll know that nothing good ever comes from messing with time. Probably why Chronomancers are so rare. And so feared.


    [Chronomancer] could be a good fit. The ability to manipulate time was universally useful. Whether in battle, pick-pocketing, or even during negotiations¡ªeven if only to buy more time to think, it was nothing if not versatile.


    Which is why I questioned its [Rare] tier. I¡¯d have expected it to be at least an [Epic] or a [Legendary], leading me to wonder if there were severe restrictions that were hidden in the missing Details section.


    [Smith Savant] seemed so close to what I needed, but it just felt like an upgraded [Artificer]. Without knowing for sure that it boasted magical properties, I couldn¡¯t pick it.


    Keeping [Chronomancer] at the back of my mind, I scanned the rest of the list. Sure enough, it was the [Legendary] and [Divine] options that caught my eye. As did their cost. The [Janitor] class was the only one that made no sense. Not only was it obscenely expensive, it was even higher than  [Cosmomancer]. Judging from what I¡¯d seen of Cosmo, I¡¯d fully expected [Cosmomancer] to cost the most.


    Janitor [Divine] Cost: 42,420,110,069 Cosmo Buckaroos


    Just your average custodian. The noblest of professions¡­


    Riiight. Let¡¯s just ignore that one.


    Aspect Deity [Divine] Cost: 2,262,501 Cosmo Buckaroos


    As a Deity of an Aspect, you wield ultimate, invulnerable power in your domain. Assuming, of course, you don¡¯t get vaporized by other deities who don¡¯t take kindly to you crowding their divinity.


    Administrator [Divine] 2,262,501 Cosmo Buckaroos


    As the ultimate arbiters of power in the world, Admins can freely bestow and remove Blessings from others. Strap in, folks, because it¡¯s time to snort some of that sweet, sweet, godly power.


    There¡¯s just one downside. If the previous Blessing would get you killed, this one¡¯ll get the gods so angry, you¡¯ll wish you weren¡¯t even born! Trust me, soul erasures are not fun.


    ¡°You¡¯re the one coming up with these descriptions, aren¡¯t you?¡±


    ¡°Well, obviously,¡± Cosmo said. He looked around the empty bar. ¡°Who else could it be?¡±


    ¡°Wait. Why would these gods care what Blessing I had unless they considered me a threat?¡±


    ¡°Oh, I wouldn¡¯t attack you. But, well, did you read the description?¡±


    ¡°Yep. I can recognize a death sentence when I see one.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m glad we¡¯re on the same page,¡± Cosmo said cryptically.


    ¡°So. How do I afford these classes?¡± I asked.


    ¡°Wish I could say,¡± Cosmo said, admiring his fingernails.


    I did my best to avoid rolling my eyes.


    ¡°Look, I get it. You won¡¯t tell me anything, but if I happen to guess something myself, will you tell me if I¡¯m right? Wait, don¡¯t ans¡ª¡±


    ¡°Sometimes!¡± the deity said with a chuckle, seemingly pleased at his response.


    ¡°Alright then,¡± I said, ignoring his idiocy. ¡°I¡¯m gonna start throwing out random ideas. Earn Cosmo Bucks!¡±


    ¡°Sorry? What?¡± Cosmo replied.


    Not that, then. Sometimes you could do things to earn points.


    ¡°Limitations. Restrictions.¡±


    Cosmo didn¡¯t react.


    ¡°Penalties?¡± I asked. It was a long shot, but some games allowed you to take on penalties in return for better rewards.


    ¡°I thought you¡¯d never ask!¡± Cosmo exclaimed, before pulling up yet another roll. This was different. It was titled ¡®Penalties.¡¯


    Well, shit.

 Chapter 3: Penalty Maxer

    Penalties


    Forego Boons: 5,000 Cosmo Buckaroos


    Arthritis: 10,000 Cosmo Buckaroos (Stackable 4x)


    Insomnia: 12,500 Cosmo Buckaroos (Stackable, 3x)


    High Level Starter Dungeon: 40,000 Cosmo Buckaroos (Stackable 5x)


    Halved Leveling: 40,000 Cosmo Buckaroos


    No Leveling: 80,000 Cosmo Buckaroos


    Halved Stats: 55,000 Cosmo Buckaroos


    No Stats: 150,000 Cosmo Buckaroos


    Forego Welcome Package: 250,000 Cosmo Buckaroos


    Deafness: 500,000 Cosmo Buckaroos


    Blindness: 1,000,000 Cosmo Buckaroos


    ¡°Fascinating,¡± I muttered, scanning the papyrus. While Cosmo was too busy enjoying my suffering to say anything remotely useful, the Blessings and Penalties on offer certainly did.


    For one, it told me that the world most likely resembled a medieval fantasy game world. Many of the Blessings were similar to those featured in the games I¡¯ve played, but it was the penalties that confirmed my hunch.


    I was surprised to see the word Dungeon appear there. Maybe it meant something completely different, but if I wasn¡¯t mistaken, we were looking at monster-filled caves and underground lairs here.


    The leveling penalty also told me that I could reasonably expect the experience points and leveling structures that most role-playing games had.


    That I could stack certain penalties was another interesting detail. Cosmo sure had put in some effort coming up with these.


    The list went on and on. Some were truly catastrophic. ¡°[Blindness]? Seriously?¡±


    ¡°Yep, that one¡¯s a doozy,¡± Cosmo said. ¡°1,000,000 Cosmo Buckaroos, though. You¡¯d be rich!¡±


    I really would be. It awarded so many Cosmo Buckaroos, I could almost afford the [Legendary] Classes with that alone.


    Except, I¡¯d be blind. Unless¡­


    ¡°Any way I could undo some of these penalties once I¡¯m in the world?¡± I asked, fully expecting another non-answer.


    ¡°Wouldn''t be much of a penalty in that case, would it?¡± Cosmo replied with an amused smile.


    ¡°Very true,¡± I replied.


    Regardless, no cost in the world was worth going blind or losing my hearing. Especially not in a new world where I might rely on sight and sound for survival, or even to communicate with the locals. Smell? Taste? Touch? Those I might be willing to compromise on. Maybe.


    ¡°Speaking of, will I be able to understand the locals? I''m guessing sapient beings exist in this world...¡±


    ¡°Well, who can say,¡± Cosmo replied, thoroughly fulfilling my nonexistent expectations.


    Before I dug into the penalties, I needed to figure out what I was aiming for. Once again, I looked over the list of Blessings.


    The [Divine] classes were out of reach, no matter how many penalties I racked up. In fact¡­


    ¡°Got a napkin and a pen?¡±


    ¡°Do I ever?¡± Cosmo said. ¡°Your wish is my command! Sometimes, anyway.¡±


    Cosmo snapped his fingers, and a napkin and a pen appeared before me.


    When I¡¯d summed them up, I laughed. The joke wasn¡¯t even funny.


    2,262,500 Cosmo Buckaroos. Exactly one point short. The cheapest [Divine] options weren¡¯t even attainable, even if I took on every single penalty. Let alone whatever [Janitor] was meant to be. Not to mention doing so would leave me little better than a vegetable.


    ¡°You didn¡¯t seriously think I¡¯d let you become a god, did you?¡± Cosmo said, looking at me like I was the crazy one here. He¡¯d popped up beside me and was poking his head over my shoulder to inspect my handiwork.


    Well, that at least made the choice easier.


    I focused on the ones I¡¯d shortlisted. The options were:


    Initializer [Epic] Cost: 444,995 Cosmo Buckaroos


    Systems! Leveling! Now even your gear gives you stats! Isn¡¯t that grand?


    Journeyman of all Trades [Legendary] Cost: 999,995 Cosmo Buckaroos


    Journeymen aren¡¯t Jacks. Nor are they masters. You¡¯re decent at everything, but you¡¯ll never be truly good at anything.


    Merchant Prince [Epic] Cost: 329,995 Cosmo Buckaroos


    With this class, you¡¯ll never be swindled again!


    Omnimancer [Epic] Cost: 519,995 Cosmo Buckaroos


    Because one element just won¡¯t do. All the elements. All of them. Glowing forehead arrow not included.


    ¡°Is [Merchant Prince] pretty much what it sounds like?¡± I asked, knowing I was shooting in the dark.


    ¡°Pretty much!¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re not going to tell me more, are you?¡±


    ¡°I actually can¡¯t. Not until you¡¯ve chosen your penalties.¡±


    My¡­ penalties?


    I looked over the penalty list again.


    Why would¡ªAh.


    ¡°It¡¯s this ''Forego Welcome Package¡¯ penalty, isn¡¯t it?¡±


    ¡°Got it in one!¡± Cosmo exclaimed, snapping and pointing a finger gun at me. ¡°The Welcome Package is full of useful tidbits that¡¯ll help you start your journey.¡±


    And the descriptions are one of those tidbits, huh?


    Given how little information Cosmo was giving me, the Welcome Package sounded like a significant benefit. Except for one thing. Foregoing it gave me a shit ton of penalty points.


    I thought long and hard about this decision. With my knowledge of game worlds, I had to wonder what I¡¯d gain from this package. Sure, Blessing details would be nice, as would information about the world, but those points¡­


    Regardless, I didn¡¯t need detailed class descriptions to eliminate a handful from consideration.


    I ruled out [Merchant Prince] immediately. From the penalty list and Blessing descriptions, I deduced that this world had monsters and dungeons. I didn¡¯t know if what Cosmo wanted me to do would require fighting them, but so long as this was a dangerous world, that wasn¡¯t a safe class to pick.


    ¡°Alright. To be honest, [Omnimancer] sounds pretty solid for a mage build.¡±


    ¡°Now that one¡¯s flashy. You know Gandalf in Lord of the Rings?¡± he asked.


    ¡°Uh, yeah?¡± I replied. I hadn¡¯t expected it to resemble the powers of a white wizard.


    ¡°Yeah, it¡¯s nothing like that. Trust me, you¡¯d love it.¡±


    I sighed. Despite Cosmo¡¯s terrible explanation, [Omnimancer] was definitely in the cards. As an elemental mage who¡¯d mastered all the elements, I¡¯d be powerful. But to afford it, I¡¯d need to take a slew of penalties that I simply wasn¡¯t comfortable with. I had to cross that one out.


    I didn¡¯t even bother with [Cosmomancer]. Yes, it was a Legendary class, but its description was clearly a joke.


    Absolutely 100% Cosmic. Trust me, it¡¯s the best. Number One.


    [Initializer] was more of a unique option, in that it was another ambiguous one. Cosmo¡¯s explanation was even worse than usual for this one.


    ¡°That is certainly a Blessing, isn¡¯t it?¡±


    The ability to allow objects to level. At first glance, it didn¡¯t sound all that powerful. The word ''Gear'' made me think it¡¯d only take effect on personal equipment¡ªweapons and armor and such.


    For killing dragons, this was not the best class. It didn¡¯t sound optimized for any purpose at all.


    What it was, however, was versatile. The key hint lay in the fact that it bestowed stats to items as well.


    ¡°Just talking out loud here,¡± I said. ¡°If, say, I were to initialize armor. Or a weapon. If I then leveled it, I could create specialized builds. Except, unlike a specialized Blessing, I could swap my armor and weapons according to the task at hand.¡±


    It was, essentially, another take on the coveted Polymath class. The class that, when leveled, became masters of everything.


    ¡°Well, sure. Assuming you can hot swap in the middle of a fight,¡± Cosmo said, tapping his chin.


    ¡°You honestly don¡¯t know?¡±


    ¡°Hey, don¡¯t look at me!¡± Cosmo said, raising his hands. ¡°I¡¯ve never done anything like this before!¡±


    That¡­ actually explained a lot.


    ¡°The point is, I could create a set that boosted my merchanting skills. Then, if I needed to kill a dragon, I could swap into my dragon slayer gear. It¡¯s a combat-crafting hybrid.¡±


    [Initializer] had the same crippling downside as many of the others¡ªit¡¯d likely be weak initially¡ªbut even so, I was definitely warming up to it. It sounded perfect for the uniquely ambiguous situation I was up against.


    Of course, this all assumed that my deductions were correct, though I had some confidence. For one, its [Epic] rarity tier was a big hint about its capabilities. Otherwise, it¡¯d be a lower tier. So was its point cost within that rarity tier¡ªit was on the higher end. For the same reason, I didn¡¯t believe that the Initialized bonuses would be random. It¡¯d make the class far too cumbersome to be useful, and would thus reflect in its rarity and cost.


    Also, maybe it was just the alcohol, but my spidey sense was tingling. I was getting excited¡ªthat hadn¡¯t happened in a long time.


    ¡°Talk to me, Greg,¡± Cosmo said, refilling my glass. ¡°What are you thinking?¡±


    I picked up the glass and swirled the amber liquid.


    ¡°If I¡¯m honest, [Journeyman of all Trades] feels like the safest option. I¡¯d be decently good at every skill, which I¡¯m guessing means magic as well. In games, these sorts of ¡®Jack¡¯ classes usually evolve into the strongest class of them all.¡±


    ¡°Oh? What¡¯s that?¡±


    ¡°The Polymath. Polymaths can become masters at every skill, making them the most overpowered, broken builds. Assuming you spend the time to master each skill.¡±


    Cosmo rested his elbows on the counter, interlocked his fingers, and rested his head on them, gazing at me intently. He sure seemed to be fond of that gesture.


    ¡°So?¡± he said. ¡°Why the hesitation?¡±


    I frowned and took a sip. ¡°Two things. For one, it¡¯s Legendary. The penalties I¡¯d have to take to afford it¡­ well, they¡¯d cripple me.¡±


    ¡°True enough. Imagine never going to a concert again,¡± Cosmo said, plugging his ears. ¡°What¡¯s your other hangup?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not sure if it can evolve. One particular word in the summary stuck out to me. The word ¡®never¡¯ was bolded, italicized, and underlined¡ªit said I¡¯d never be great at any skill.¡±


    ¡°I see.¡± There was both excitement and amusement in Cosmo¡¯s short reply. As usual, though, I couldn¡¯t guess why.


    ¡°This would all just be a lot easier with a bit more information,¡± I said, more to myself than Cosmo.


    ¡°Why not choose your penalties, then?¡± he asked. ¡°The Welcome Package would make this all so much easier, no?¡±


    ¡°Yeah,¡± I said with a grimace. ¡°Yeah, it would. Except I¡¯d be locking myself into the lower tier classes if I did. I did the math. Even assuming I picked most of the other non-crippling penalties, I wouldn¡¯t have enough to afford the Epic ones, let alone the Legendaries.¡±


    Support the author by searching for the original publication of this novel.


    ¡°And?¡± Cosmo asked, clearly expecting me to continue.


    ¡°And, I dunno if the lower tier classes can evolve. Not a single [Common] Blessing could, which makes me think only the higher rarities can.¡±


    ¡°Sounds like your mind¡¯s set, then,¡± Cosmo said, disappearing and reappearing a few paces away, a beer glass suddenly in his hand. He was cleaning it with a pristine white rag.


    Couldn¡¯t the guy just walk like normal people? That had to have been less than two steps!


    ¡°What?¡± Cosmo asked.


    I take it back. Every time he used one of those powers, he was practically showing off how not normal he was.


    ¡°I have,¡± I said, answering his earlier question. ¡°I¡¯m going for one of the higher tier classes.¡±


    If I couldn¡¯t be sure which ones were evolution-locked, all I could do was go with a solid bet to begin with.


    I asked Cosmo to magnify the ones on my shortlist, which he did by muttering ''Enhance!''


    The others disappeared, leaving only three. The [Rare] Chronomancer, and its lower penalty cost and higher flexibility. The [Legendary] Journeyman of all Trades with its known limitations, or the [Epic] Initializer, which was somewhere in the middle.


    ¡°Initializer¡¯s definitely a wildcard,¡± Cosmo said. ¡°The other two would serve you well.¡±


    ¡°Actually, I disagree,¡± I said. ¡°The real wildcard here¡¯s Journeyman, and whether it can evolve. If I¡¯m going with a class that¡¯s good ¡®as-is¡¯, that one would be the riskiest.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s an interesting way of reasoning about it. Wouldn¡¯t have thought of that,¡± Cosmo said, stroking his chin.


    ¡°Chronomancer, then,¡± he said. ¡°If you went with that, you could afford the Welcome Package. You¡¯d get to see all the nitty-gritty details.¡±


    ¡°Yes, I would,¡± I said, pondering the options.


    I spent the next hour poring over every option again, wracking my brain for every detail I could pull out of the summaries. I considered going with [Common] Classes. I considered what it¡¯d take to afford a [Legendary], weighing their merits and demerits against the types of situations I might encounter.


    Finally, I closed my eyes, took a deep, meditative breath, and decided.


    ¡°Initializer.¡±


    ¡°I see!¡± Cosmo replied, dragging out the ¡®e¡¯. ¡°May I ask why?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s the most versatile of the bunch,¡± I said simply. What I didn¡¯t say was that, considering the penalties I had to take to get the higher rarity Blessings, it was one of the few that made any sense.


    The list of penalties was long, but they fell into two major categories. Ones that sacrificed something major to gain a ton of penalty points, and ones that were less of an issue, but offered similarly fewer points.


    [Initializer] cost 444,995 Cosmo Buckaroos.


    I¡¯d already decided I¡¯d go without the Welcome Package, so that netted me 250k right off the bat. The others weren¡¯t nearly as easy. I didn¡¯t even consider taking the penalties that made me deaf and blind¡ªbecause, well, no sane person would. Though, I did find it interesting how the system considered eyesight twice as important as hearing.


    That left precious few options for getting me up to the required cost.


    One of them being [High Level Starting Dungeon].


    ¡°Now the penalties I can say more about,¡± Cosmo said before I even asked. ¡°As you¡¯ve probably guessed, that [High Level Starting Dungeon]¡¯s like the games you¡¯ve played.¡±


    ¡°Wait. Does that mean that I''ll start in a high level dungeon? Or that it''s a high level dungeon for low leveled people?¡±


    ¡°The latter,¡± Cosmo said. ¡°Believe me, Greg. Not even I would throw you into a high level dungeon. That''d just be mean.¡±


    ¡°How compassionate of you,¡± I said dryly.


    ¡°Now, what you may not know is that you can¡¯t combine some of the penalties,¡± Cosmo continued without skipping a beat. ¡°Halved Leveling and No Leveling can¡¯t be combined. You can only pick one. As for blindness, deafness, and arthritis, you can combine those all you want!¡±


    ¡°Yeaah, I¡¯m gonna pass on that,¡± I said, cringing at the thought. ¡°Grandpa had arthritis before he passed. Just hearing him talk about it hurt me. Feeling pain whenever I try to move isn¡¯t my idea of a good time.¡±


    ¡°Right? Getting old sucks.¡±


    ¡°How old are you, anyway?¡± I asked, leaning back on the barstool and crossing my arms.


    Cosmo threw me a look of pure horror and clasped his hands over his heart. ¡°Didn¡¯t anyone ever teach you not to ask a god his age? It¡¯s rude!¡±


    I rolled my eyes. ¡°Any others I can¡¯t combine?¡±


    ¡°¡®Halved Stats¡¯ and ¡®No Stats.¡¯¡±


    ¡°Makes sense. Those are what they sound like, aren¡¯t they?¡±


    ¡°You bet! No leveling means you¡¯re Level Uno for life. No level ups. None of that sweet dopamine rush you gamers are always craving.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s not the dopamine that bothers me,¡± I said. ¡°It¡¯s survivability. What about No Stats, though? What does that even mean?¡±


    That ¡®No Stats¡¯ granted twice as many Cosmo Buckaroos as ¡®No Leveling¡¯ was telling. Stats usually improved at a slower rate, but had far more meaning than levels. Foregoing stats was a heavy penalty to take on.


    ¡°Just that you¡¯ll be stuck with stats at rank one.¡±


    Heavy penalty indeed. That would be suicide.


    ¡°You''re saying I could expect to improve them without the penalty, then?¡± I asked. ¡°With level ups and evolutions and such?¡±


    ¡°Perhaps,¡± Cosmo said with a shrug.


    That was interesting. That info was probably also part of the Welcome Package, but anything pertaining to penalties likely wasn¡¯t.


    The way the penalties were structured, I¡¯d have to pick at least one that was truly significant. Either I forego leveling, or I forego stats. If I wanted any of the [Legendary] or [Epic] Blessings, this was a choice I¡¯d be forced to make.


    If I was honest, both sounded debilitating. Playing an RPG as a level one character was like cranking up the difficulty level to Nightmare Mode.


    Which meant if I picked either, I¡¯d need a class that could make up for that deficiency. Make up and exceed.


    ¡°I have one question for you, then. [Initializer] levels things. And also stats as well, by its description. Would I lose that ability if I took the ¡®Forego Leveling¡¯ or ¡®Forego Stats¡¯?¡±


    ¡°Hmm, that¡¯s a good question!¡±


    I took a swig, feeling the alcohol burn as it trickled down my throat. Yeah, that¡¯s gonna be a problem.


    ¡°You see the issue here, don¡¯t you?¡± I asked. ¡°If I can¡¯t level objects, [Initializer] becomes useless. So do pretty much all the other Blessings, for that matter.¡±


    ¡°Certainly looks that way, doesn¡¯t it?¡± Cosmo said.


    ¡°You really won¡¯t say anything?¡±


    Cosmo gave me a sly smile.


    Guess that means I¡¯m on my own¡­


    It was only after I¡¯d stared at the list of classes for what felt like an eternity that I remembered something.


    ¡°Cosmo, can you show me the Common Blessings again?¡±


    ¡°What, now? You¡¯re chickening out?¡± Cosmo said, acting shocked. ¡°Where¡¯s your sense of adventure!¡±


    ¡°Humor me,¡± I said, trying to keep the excitement out of my voice.


    ¡°No problemo, amigo,¡± Cosmo said, pulling the papyrus scrolls, which caused them to roll up and out of the way.


    I scanned the list¡­


    Bingo.


    I downed the rest of the whisky and slammed the glass on the counter. ¡°I¡¯ve decided. No Welcome Package. High Level Starter Dungeon. And¡­ No Stats.¡±


    The answer was right there all along. A couple of the Common classes had disclaimers next to the stat boosts they bestowed.


    (Note: Equipment Stat modifiers bypass any stat penalties)


    Games weren¡¯t like real life. They set down rules. Ironclad rules that underpinned their entire operation. Equipment stat modifiers bypassed any penalties. If that was true for Common Blessings, it was true of them all. I hoped.


    And that meant [Initializer] was one of the few Blessings capable of overcoming any stat debuffs. Its initialized gear bestowed stats, and because equipment stats bypassed penalties¡­ It practically nullified the penalty altogether! I saw nothing like that mentioned for leveling, so that was the only sensible choice.


    Even so, I needed confirmation. There was no way I''d gamble my future on a hunch, no matter how strong. Then again, Cosmo had already shown he wouldn''t give me a yes or no answer, so I''d have to get a little creative.


    ¡°Equipment stat modifiers bypass stat penalties,¡± I said, stating the facts aloud. ¡°[Initializer] bestows stats. Ergo, [Initializer] bypasses Stat penalties.¡±


    This was the tricky part. Time to see if Cosmo played ball. ¡°Assuming I choose that Blessing, how would the penalty list change?¡±


    ¡°Hmm, let me see,¡± Cosmo said, fiddling with the mechanism that unfurled the scroll. ¡°Ah! Here we go.¡±


    He rolled down a new scroll, containing an identical set of penalties. Identical... except for one.


    Stats Gained From Initialized Gear: 150,000 Cosmo Buckaroos


    I did my best to keep a poker face. Whether Cosmo had messed up with this Blessing, or if he was simply unaware, I was gonna be damned sure to milk this exploit. This was the confirmation I needed. I''d have stats! Just that I''d gain them through my gear, but that was actually a massive advantage in disguise. I could re-spec my stats simply by putting on different armor. I could have the most optimized build for every scenario imaginable!


    ¡°So, taking that brings you up to 440,000 Cosmo Buckaroos,¡± Cosmo said. ¡°So close!¡±


    I was just 4,995 bucks short.


    ¡°What Cosmic Irony,¡± Cosmo deadpanned.


    I¡­ actually laughed.


    Cosmo¡¯s lips edged up slightly. I was pretty sure that was the first genuine smile he¡¯d given me since I walked into his bar. As if my reaction put him at ease somehow.


    ¡°Feel like stacking that High Level Starter Dungeon Penalty?¡± Cosmo asked.


    ¡°Hard pass,¡± I said. Life was already going to be hard with [Initializer] in a high level dungeon. The last thing I needed was to reduce my odds of survival even more.


    The Forego Boons penalty seemed like the obvious bet, but without knowing more about what it did, I couldn¡¯t risk it. Cosmo wasn¡¯t willing to give me any details, so I turned to my only other resources¡ªthe Blessing descriptions.


    It took a while, but I finally found something that mentioned it.


    Boonchild [Uncommon]


    Details: Most struggle to receive Boons of the gods. Not you! You¡¯re swimming in them. They may not be all that strong, but who¡¯d say no to more freebies, eh?


    Gotcha!


    It made sense. If Blessings were powerful gifts of the gods, then Boons were their lesser counterparts. From the low cost, I could figure their worth¡ªnext to useless.


    ¡°Looks like no Boons for me,¡± I said.


    ¡°Oh, that¡¯s a good one! They¡¯ll just convert to experience, instead. Now, are you sure this is what you want?¡±


    I blinked. If I wasn¡¯t mistaken, Cosmo had just let slip something there.


    So, taking the penalty means I can¡¯t take Boons, but instead, that¡¯ll contribute to my leveling? That¡¯s hardly even a penalty.


    [Forego Boons] was a definite pick. As for the rest, I wasn¡¯t as sure. [Initializer] would be weak to start. While I wasn¡¯t crazy enough to stack it, I¡¯d taken the High Level Starter Dungeon penalty. That meant I¡¯d be relying on my gaming knowledge to pull me through. There was, of course, no guarantee the world worked that way, but Cosmo¡¯s hints and the class descriptions said otherwise.


    I didn¡¯t normally go with enchanting and crafting classes in my builds¡ªmainly because they tended not to specialize in any one thing. Which, ironically, was the reason I¡¯d chosen it.


    More than that, though, I knew so little about the world I was about to enter. Far less than I was normally used to. That was both terrifying and¡ªas Cosmo said¡ªmore than a little exciting. When was the last time I¡¯d been challenged like this? I could hardly even remember. I missed the feeling.


    Were there risks and unknowns with this route? Yes. But what was life without a little spice?


    ¡°I¡¯m sure,¡± I replied, meeting Cosmo¡¯s face.


    But the bartender didn¡¯t simply agree, as I¡¯d thought he would.


    ¡°There are no take-backs, you know? And I¡¯m not talking just about your Blessing. This is your last chance to walk out that door and forget this ever happened. Once you¡¯re in, you¡¯re in.¡±


    I¡¯d expected that all along, but hearing the words drove it home.


    ¡°I can¡¯t come back, can I?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m¡­ afraid I can¡¯t say,¡± Cosmo said. There was genuine regret in his voice. Like he wanted to tell me, but couldn¡¯t.


    My hand shook, and my heart pumped. Not out of fear¡ªthough there was a little of that¡ªbut anticipation. Cosmo wasn¡¯t wrong. I¡¯d lost count of how many times I¡¯d fantasized about being whisked away to another world.


    Cosmo set out two shot glasses on the counter.


    As I watched him pour, I wondered whether I really could give up everything I had here.


    For many, I imagined it¡¯d be a decision fraught with agony. Family, friends, careers. People who relied on them. That was a lot to leave behind. Shackles that weighed them down.


    I had none of these things. Certainly not with my dad. As for my sister, well, we hadn''t spoken in years. Hell, I didn¡¯t even have a pet. Maybe that was why Cosmo picked me.


    ¡°Let¡¯s do this,¡± I muttered.


    Cosmo raised his glass. He regarded me with relief, and also a touch of sadness. Like this was the last time we¡¯d see each other.


    I raised mine as well. Was this all real? Was it some great hoax? Looked like I''d find out soon.


    ¡°To new beginnings,¡± he said.


    ¡°New beginnings,¡± I echoed, gulping the shot. This was strong stuff. If this was all real, how long would it be until I had another?


    I made sure I relished every last drop of the divine liquid.


    ¡°May fate be kind to you,¡± he said as we set down our empty glasses.


    I rolled my eyes. ¡°Gee, thanks. Why don¡¯t you use your godly powers to¡ª¡±


    My world went blindingly white.


    The next thing I knew, I was standing in a dimly lit tunnel. My buzz was gone¡ªI was completely sober.


    I waited for my eyes to adjust to the darkness. Contrasting my dark surroundings, a green image of a person showed up. It reminded me of the Vitruvian man, with its arms and legs spread wide. I supposed that was my health display.


    Within the person, a bright blue liquid filled the outline, starting from the feet and rising up to the head. The words Essence Utilization: 0/10 appeared on top.


    The image moved when I did, making it function like a Heads-Up Display. I wondered how they pulled that off.


    Even neater¡ªI could drag and adjust the size and location of the items as I liked, as well as hide and show various features with a thought.


    Patting myself, I noticed that both my wallet and my phone were gone, leaving me with just my clothes. The hell?


    ¡°Thought you said you wouldn''t rob me,¡± I muttered in annoyance. It wasn''t like either would''ve done much good, but at least my phone had a flashlight. Might''ve helped until the battery ran out.


    An explosion of rocks broke me out of my thoughts, kicking up a cloud of dust I had to fan away.


    When the cloud cleared, I found two stone pillars that hadn¡¯t been there before. Shiny, black stone that was polished to an almost mirror-like finish.


    My eyes traveled up from the ground, trying to make sense of what I was looking at. The two pillars supported a large boulder, also shiny and black. Two rocky protrusions extended from it, and on top sat a smooth rock.


    A rock that had two glowing red orbs.


    No. Not orbs. Eyes!


    The assemblage shifted, and I understood that this wasn¡¯t just a pile of rocks. It was an animated pile of rocks. A Stone Golem. Specifically an Obsidian Golem. The Golem that had just pulverized a wall of the cave I was in.


    An overlay materialized around the golem¡¯s frame, coating it in a green hue.


    This wasn¡¯t the golem¡¯s magic, though. I recognized it as an element of my HUD¡ªthe same one that showed my Essence pool and body condition.


    In fact, it was exactly like my body¡¯s condition display. I supposed this was my Blessing helping me understand my enemy¡¯s current level of health. If I was right, it¡¯d shift to yellow, then red as I hurt it.


    Very neat.


    I didn¡¯t have a chance to ponder its meaning, but I did notice the golem¡¯s health overlay was now light yellow. It was obvious why¡ªin attacking the tunnel, it¡¯d pulverized its own hand.


    Strong, but fragile, huh? Befitting something made of obsidian.


    Its glowing red eyes found me. And then it let out a roar so deep, the cave actually shook.


    It was so absurd. So impossible, I laughed. My understanding of reality was breaking down around me, and my thoughts clouded.


    The golem smashed the ground. Small stones went whizzing by my ear. So close, I could feel the air they displaced.


    My cheek felt hot.


    I touched my face, and it came away wet.


    Strange.


    It was sticky and warm.


    I stared blankly at my bloodied fingers.


    And then I understood.


    This wasn¡¯t faked.


    This wasn¡¯t an illusion.


    It was real. It was all real.


    And I was about to die.

 (Not a Chapter) My Progression Fantasy Epic is now on Kindle and Audible!

    <div>


    Hey everyone!


    At long last, Book One of my epic progression fantasy Ashborn Primordial has launched on amazon in ebook, audiobook, and paperback (740 pages!). Narrated by the legendary Heath Miller (He Who Fights With Monsters), I''m incredibly happy with how the audio has turned out. The paperback and eBook also have all the world and city maps from those arcs.


    For those who don''t know, I spent a full year planning this story, and my outline for it is almost as long as the entire Lord of the Rings Trilogy (yeah, I may have gone a bit overboard :-P )


    Ashborn''s success on amazon will influence how long both it and Soulweaver end up being, so any support you can give me is greatly appreciated. As many of you know, writing is how I earn my living.


    This content has been misappropriated from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.


    How can you help? Aside from purchasing the ebook or audiobook, if you have Kindle Unlimited, downloading the book counts as a purchase. Ratings and reviews also help immensely, especially in these early days to get the story get off the ground.


    If you''ve left a review on RoyalRoad for Ashborn, please copy that over to amazon</a> and Goodreads</a> - no purchase necessary! (Fair warning - I may DM those of you who''ve left reviews asking the same XD)


    I''m incredibly excited about this launch, and I thank you profusely for your support!


    eBook: https://www.royalroad.com/amazon/B0CL9ZMVNP</a>


    Audiobook: https://www.royalroad.com/amazon/B0CW225VCC</a>

 Soulweaver 75: Bars and Nightmares

    My fists clenched so hard, my fingernails cut into my skin, drawing blood. ¡°What right do you have to judge me, huh? You brought me into this world! Against my will!¡±


    ¡°Come now. You didn¡¯t actually think you could save everyone, did you?¡± Cosmo said with a light laugh. ¡°I mean, look at you. You, of all people! Saving anyone? What a laugh!¡±


    ¡°So it was all a lie, after all,¡± I spat, stumbling back. ¡°You just brought me here to suffer.¡± I gestured to the battlefield. Hundreds of corpses lay strewn about, being slowly consumed by the fires that burned the ground and the sky.


    ¡°A lie? No. I gave you your chance. And you failed. You failed so miserably, you even got poor Aerion killed.¡±


    Cosmo patted Aerion¡¯s corpse, hands coming away with blood. She hung limp in midair, skewered through the belly on the blade of an enormous greatsword. Her eyes were closed, her lips were slightly parted, and her skin had gone pale white.


    ¡°No!¡± I screamed. ¡°That¡¯s not true! There wasn¡¯t anything I could¡¯ve done!¡±


    Tears ran down my face unabated, and no amount of blinking stopped them.


    ¡°Nothing you could¡¯ve done? My dear Grug, you failed to protect her!¡±


    ¡°Aerion¡­ Aerion doesn¡¯t need protecting!¡±


    Panic reared its ugly head, and I began to hyperventilate. This was all wrong. Something was horribly off here. It wasn¡¯t me who¡¯d caused Aerion¡¯s death! Was it?


    But before I could even begin to deal with that can of worms, Cosmo continued his little spiel.


    ¡°You failed to turn back the Cataclysm, and now you¡¯re gonna die, too,¡± the god said, shaking his head. ¡°Along with the rest of the world. First time in history the heroes completely failed to drive back the Archon, you know? Sure, some die along the way, but they always succeed. Maybe¡­ Maybe if you¡¯d just helped them¡­ Maybe things would be different.¡±


    ¡°A bit rich, judging me so soon, isn¡¯t it?¡± I said. ¡°I haven¡¯t even met any of them yet. Give me a chance!¡±


    ¡°A chance, is it? Just like Rogar gave you a chance. Failed him, too. Didn¡¯t you? Ten years? Please, you didn¡¯t even last ten weeks!¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s¡­ We have an understanding,¡± I said. ¡°I¡¯ll be back. I told him I¡¯ll be back!¡±


    ¡°And what good is it, returning after four years?¡±


    I frowned, and suddenly the world started to spin. ¡°Four¡­ Years? What are you talking about? That¡¯s not true! It can¡¯t be¡ª¡±


    I couldn¡¯t breathe. I had to get out. I had to be anywhere but here. I looked around desperately, and found a door.


    That was it. I had to get to the door. Stumbling, I ran. I almost tripped over the bodies. In fact, I was pretty sure I did, but I kept running anyway.


    I grasped the cold doorknob and flung open the door.


    In front of me were¡­ Galaxies?


    ¡°Hey,¡± a voice said from behind me.


    I turned.


    The battlefield was gone, and I was suddenly facing a silver-haired bartender in a suit.


    My awareness came flooding back.


    ¡°The fuck just happened?¡± I said, wiping my brow. I¡¯d been sweating profusely, but the tears on my face were gone without a trace, like they¡¯d never existed.


    ¡°I can¡¯t exactly look into your head¡­ But I¡¯d say you were having a nightmare.¡± Cosmo grinned. ¡°Care for a drink?¡±


    <hr>


    I stared at my glass of Japanese Whisky, idly turning it on the coaster. ¡°It was so damn real.¡±


    The bar was full of patrons, though for some inexplicable reason, everyone was sporting eighties clothing and hairstyles. That meant afros, bob cuts, and too much makeup.


    ¡°I¡¯ve had lucid dreams before, but¡­ My god. That was intense.¡±


    ¡°Yes?¡± Cosmo replied earnestly.


    ¡°Hilarious. Seriously, though. The fuck was that? Aerion dead? That battlefield? That wasn¡¯t you, was it?¡±


    I shivered, and not just figuratively. A chill went down my back. That was fucking terrifying.


    ¡°Greg, as flattered as I am that you think so highly of my powers, mind reading is not one of them. And I certainly can¡¯t peek into your dreams.¡±


    My eyes narrowed. ¡°Didn¡¯t I literally enter your bar from a dream?¡±


    Cosmo shrugged. ¡°You¡¯re awake now. Your mind must¡¯ve jumped directly from the dream to here.¡±


    ¡°If you say so,¡± I said, frowning. Even now, my heart hadn¡¯t fully calmed down, and the cold sweat on my back wouldn¡¯t go away for a while.


    This despite the smooth jazz playing in the background. It was drowned out by the din of chatter, but it wasn¡¯t a bad sort of noise, though. The place was lively, and even if all the patrons were just Cosmo conjurations, it was still comforting. Familiar.


    ¡°Well, dreams are usually manifestations of your subconscious mind,¡± Cosmo said as he wiped a glass.


    ¡°You do realize that¡¯s a stereotype, right?¡± I said, feeling myself start to calm down.


    This book''s true home is on another platform. Check it out there for the real experience.


    ¡°Manifestations of the subconscious?¡± Cosmo asked with wide eyes.


    ¡°No. Bartenders that constantly wipe glasses.¡±


    Cosmo¡¯s hands froze, and he frowned. ¡°Odd. I researched several sitcoms, and they all showed it.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s your problem right there,¡± I said with a laugh. Somehow, despite himself, Cosmo always seemed to know how to cheer me up. ¡°Anyway, you¡¯re probably right. I¡¯m scared of the same thing that happened to that delver and his wife happening to Aerion. I¡¯m scared this Cataclysm will wreck the world.¡±


    ¡°Annnnnd?¡± Cosmo said, leaning in.


    I turned my glass, causing the ice to clink melodically. ¡°And I¡¯m scared of gods playing games with mortals, Cosmo,¡± I admitted.


    ¡°As you ought to be.¡±


    ¡°Can I trust you?¡±


    ¡°Would you trust anyone with the sort of power I have?¡± Cosmo asked.


    I paused for a moment. ¡°I would. Depending on their character. I¡¯ll be honest. I really want to call you a friend, Cosmo. As ridiculous as that sounds¡ªmortal befriending a god and all that. But I see Dominion. I see his pomp and ceremony and all the devotion people seem to have for him.¡±


    ¡°And?¡±


    ¡°And then I see the Cataclysm, and how none of you gods have lifted a finger to stop it. Where was Dominion when the Landing Castle crash-landed? Where was he when the meteors crushed and burned the city of Basecrest? And¡­ Where are you, Cosmo? Dominion being an asshole, I can at least understand, but what are you doing to stop this madness? Not all of you can be that callous, right?¡±


    Cosmo didn¡¯t answer right away. Instead, he poured himself a shot, downed it, and let the alcohol ride down his throat.


    ¡°You might be better served asking why we can¡¯t just eliminate all the suffering in this world,¡± he said at last.


    ¡°This again?¡± I said, my brows knitting into a disbelieving frown. ¡°We¡¯ve talked about this before, Cosmo. I get that you can¡¯t stop tragedy without trampling all over personal freedom. People are free to make mistakes. Sometimes those mistakes get them hurt or worse. I get that. That¡¯s a completely different thing from doing something about Armageddon every hundred years!¡±


    ¡°For what it¡¯s worth, Cataclysm Dungeons don¡¯t show up in my country,¡± Cosmo said softly.


    ¡°That''s... true,¡± I said, taking a sip.


    ¡°Scout¡¯s honor!¡± Cosmo said, puffing up his chest. ¡°Only domain in all of Axius that can say that. Quite the marketing slogan, don¡¯t you think?¡±


    That was actually one of the biggest bombshells Aerion had dropped on me about the God of Order. What did that really mean, though? Why would Cataclysms just opt out of attacking his territory? Did he broker a deal with whatever demonic faction the gods were up against? Or was there more to this?


    ¡°I admit, your point still stands,¡± Cosmo said. ¡°I don¡¯t stop the Cataclysms, and neither do the other gods.¡±


    ¡°And you won¡¯t say why,¡± I replied.


    Cosmo gave me a pained smile. ¡°You know¡­¡±


    ¡°Yeah,¡± I said dryly. ¡°It¡¯s one of the million things you can¡¯t talk about. Or choose not to, as you love to remind me.¡±


    ¡°Well, now that you¡¯ve calmed down a bit, why not tell me about your current predicament? Your thoughts. Your plans. Your concerns¡­¡± The god patted his chest, closed his eyes, and nodded theatrically. ¡°Lay it all on old Cosmo, here.¡±


    I shrugged. ¡°I feel like I¡¯ve bared my chest aplenty, already, haven¡¯t I? The Cataclysm¡¯s just about the only thing on everyone¡¯s minds. People are dying. People died before the damn Landing Castle even arrived, and more and more are dying every day.


    ¡°We don¡¯t know if our strike teams are getting through, and Basecrest¡¯s heard nothing from the capital regarding reinforcements. Seems everyone¡¯s fighting their own battles. We¡¯re oh and ten, the bases are empty, and Aerion and I are next up to bat. So, y¡¯know¡­ The usual. All-out pandemonium, the end of days. Light stuff.¡±


    ¡°Oh, come now, Greg,¡± Cosmo said, deftly pouring me another drink. It seemed he was stirring up a cocktail this time¡ªa Whiskey Old Fashioned. ¡°Do you really think I brought you to this world to go die on some Divergence Rank backwater Cataclysm Dungeon?¡±


    ¡°I mean, no¡­ But are you really gonna tell me no Champion¡¯s died to some random monster?¡±


    ¡°None of mine have!¡± Cosmo said with pride.


    ¡°That¡¯s because you haven¡¯t ever summoned heroes,¡± I replied flatly.


    ¡°Wrong!¡±


    I raised a brow. ¡°You have? Seriously? Tell me about them.¡±


    ¡°Well, there was Rocky¡­ And then Rocky II, and Rocky III.¡± Cosmo lowered his fingers one by one. ¡°Rocky IX, and I think we¡¯re up to Rocky the four thousand seven hundred eighty-sixth, if my math is right.¡±


    I stared at my patron god for a long, long moment.


    ¡°What?¡± he said, starting to squirm under my gaze. ¡°Isn¡¯t a god allowed to choose his Champions?¡±


    ¡°You¡¯ve summoned rocks,¡± I said. ¡°For the past hundreds of thousands of years¡­ You¡¯ve summoned goddamned rocks.¡±


    ¡°Hey! Don¡¯t judge ¡®em till you know ¡®em! My rocks make the finest pets!¡±


    ¡°And what do the other gods have to say about that?¡±


    ¡°Allow an old sage to impart his wisdom, Greg,¡± Cosmo said, as Gandalf¡¯s hat and pipe poofed into existence above his head. Cosmo took a long, slow puff. ¡°The longer you live, the more you realize the opinions of gods aren¡¯t worth a damn,¡± he said in a cracked, ancient voice an octave lower than normal.


    ¡°So you¡¯re telling me you¡¯re full of shit?¡± I said. ¡°Good to know. I¡¯ll keep that in mind whenever you say anything from now on.¡±


    ¡°Now, wait just a minute there, Greg!¡± Cosmo said in his normal voice.


    The hat and pipe disappeared, and he looked more flustered than I¡¯d seen him in a long time. I don¡¯t know why, but the sight filled me with joy.


    ¡°Most gods. I meant to say most gods!¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re incredible, Cosmo. You truly are,¡± I said.


    ¡°That¡¯s¡­ The nicest thing you¡¯ve ever said, Greg!¡± Cosmo replied, his voice breaking. ¡°I¡¯m touched!¡±


    I sighed. As always, I was a fool to expect more from my god. This world was littered with ¡®Champions¡¯ that were literally rocks. Still, whether intentionally or not, he¡¯d basically let slip he¡¯d participated in 4,700 cycles. Which meant he¡¯d summoned that many rocks, and which also meant that he himself was at least half a million years old.


    Half a million... That was just an impossible number for me to get my head around.


    I stared at my patron deity, who was clutching his heart with both hands. You¡¯d never know it, looking at him. To me, he just looked like a goofy late-middle-aged man. A perfect Dad, if there was one.


    ¡°What¡¯s it like?¡± I asked. ¡°To live that long? Do you even remember anything that far back?¡±


    I sometimes struggled to remember what I ate for lunch the day before. I couldn¡¯t even begin to imagine what half a million years of memories must be like.


    Cosmo seemed to hear the tone of my voice, and ceased his clowning around.


    ¡°I do,¡± he said. ¡°We deities don¡¯t have the luxury of forgetting, like most mortals do. I can recall events of ages past as if they were yesterday.¡±


    ¡°Must be nice,¡± I said. ¡°You¡¯d be a certifiable genius after a few thousand years, just on account of remembering things no one else could.


    ¡°It is, perhaps, closer to a curse,¡± Cosmo said in a voice so soft that I barely caught it. ¡°All the joys, all the sorrows¡­ To be fair, there have been quite a number of joyous occasions. And yet¡­¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s the tragedies that stick with you, isn¡¯t it?¡±


    ¡°Like needles.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t you ever get¡­ Well, don¡¯t you ever feel lonely? Or depressed?¡±


    Cosmo gave me a small, sad smile. ¡°From time to time. Want to know the secret to dealing with it?¡±


    I straightened up. Now that was some useful advice.


    Cosmo, with the smuggest smile I¡¯d ever seen, reached under the counter and pulled out a bottle. ¡°Irish. Single. Malt.¡±

 Soulweaver 76: Departures

    The end of the world was¡­ Well, it was pretty much exactly like I thought it¡¯d be. I had to hand it to the media. When it came to violence and gore, they got things bang on.


    Scenes from Apocalypse Now and Blackhawk Down often flashed through my head in the days after the Cataclysm Dungeon landed. Or, crashed, more like. Unlike Dominion¡¯s Trial, coexisting with the local surroundings wasn¡¯t on this dungeon''s agenda. I hadn¡¯t been outside the city myself yet, but the scout reports said it had made a pretty decently sized crater when it landed.


    That was a perk Aerion and I now enjoyed, thanks to our relationship with Baron Sinclair. We had access to all the military intelligence that pertained to the dungeon.


    If the reports were accurate, and I had no reason to believe they weren¡¯t, then I didn¡¯t even want to imagine what sort of havoc higher tier dungeons would wreak. Forget the hordes, their very appearance would cause untold damage if any landed on a city.


    It had begun releasing its army almost immediately.


    When people had told me monsters would start spewing forth, I¡¯d imagined the sort of beasts we¡¯d encountered in Dominion¡¯s Trial. Goblins, hobgoblins, that sort of thing.


    What we got instead was an organized military assault, led by ten-foot-tall brutes that wore bone armor, bone earrings, bone necklaces, and looked like what you¡¯d get if the Predator and the Uruk-hai from Lord of the Rings had a baby.


    They could talk, understood battlefield tactics, and commanded all manner of vicious beasts, from oversized tusked boars to hobgoblins to even trolls and other abominations I didn¡¯t recognize.


    And these were supposed to be the weaker of the forces this dungeon would eventually spew.


    Aerion and I had remained behind to train until the last minute, and despite our pleas, Baron Sinclair had expressly forbidden us from taking part in the defense of the city.


    Aided by Basecrest¡¯s sturdy walls, the City Guard were doing a solid job thus far, but that didn¡¯t mean there hadn¡¯t been casualties. Every time someone died, I had to wonder if that was a life that could¡¯ve been saved had we intervened.


    Sinclair¡¯s strategy made sense, of course. It didn¡¯t matter how well we fought off the hordes unless we took down the dungeon itself, and expending the city¡¯s attack force in the defense of the city was a terrible idea.


    ¡°No one¡¯s coming, are they?¡± Aerion muttered from beside me. We stood on top of one of the taller buildings¡¯ roofs¡ªone that was near the wall to the east, where the dungeon had crash-landed. It gave us a decent view of the attacking forces while still being far enough away from the wall to put us out of range of magic and arrow fire.


    ¡°Doesn¡¯t look like it,¡± I replied, my expression grim. ¡°Sinclair always said it was an outside chance.¡±


    The reason we hadn¡¯t attacked the dungeon yet was because Sinclair had been led to believe that reinforcements were on the way. He¡¯d hoped to relieve some of the beleaguered troops on the walls, and to provide a protection detail for the mercenaries and soldiers planning on raiding the dungeon.


    They never came.


    ¡°Pretty sure all the other cities are fighting for their own lives right now,¡± I said. ¡°Nobody expected the Cataclysm to hit this early, and a week or two of meteors isn¡¯t nearly enough time to mobilize armies.¡±


    ¡°Which means the situation will get worse before it becomes better,¡± Aerion replied.


    ¡°All the more reason to take that dungeon down as quickly as possible.¡±


    ¡°If only it were so simple,¡± Aerion said. ¡°Cataclysm Dungeons are said to be enormous, even at lower tiers. It could take weeks or months for us to ascend to its highest level.¡±


    ¡°Then we¡¯d better be efficient,¡± I said. ¡°For the sake of everyone fighting for their lives.¡±


    ¡°Tomorrow,¡± Aerion said. ¡°We¡¯re finally going.¡±


    ¡°Tomorrow,¡± I agreed.


    Several raiding parties had been arranged, each staggered to head out through different exits, all taking different routes to the dungeon. Safer that way. Less chance of them being intercepted and wiped out before they could hit the dungeon.


    The thing was, each party had two guides¡ªwarriors in their own right¡ªwho were supposed to report back to Basecrest after their party had infiltrated the dungeon.


    Six such parties had been sent out. None of the guides had returned.


    Our turn was tomorrow, just before dawn.


    Stolen content alert: this content belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences.


    Aerion clenched one fist and gripped her soulkeeper in the other. ¡°Tomorrow,¡± she whispered. She was trembling.


    I put a hand on her shoulder. ¡°We¡¯ll be fine,¡± I said. ¡°We¡¯ve trained. We¡¯re stronger now.¡±


    I glanced at her Soulkeeper. Aerion kept it on her at all times, but she¡¯d allowed me to hold it once. I didn¡¯t have nearly enough Essence to Initialize the thing, and it was of [Rare] quality anyway, so it¡¯d probably fail if I tried, but I was willing to bet it¡¯d be quite the valuable item once I did. Unlike a regular soul stone, it hadn¡¯t shown me what stats it bestowed, which made me think it had some other, more beneficial ability.


    ¡°You don¡¯t believe that,¡± Aerion whispered back, snapping my thoughts back to reality. I wasn¡¯t entirely sure why my brain had gone off on that tangent to begin with.


    ¡°What makes you say that?¡±


    ¡°Because¡­ You¡¯re also trembling.¡±


    ¡°Huh.¡± I looked at my shaking hand. That explained the random thoughts. ¡°You¡¯re right,¡± I said. ¡°Guess that makes two of us, then.¡±


    If I was this out of it after Cosmo¡¯s little pep talk, I didn¡¯t even want to think what a nervous wreck I¡¯d have been without it. The stakes could only go so high when it was just your life on the line¡ªyou die. End of story.


    With the lives of tens of thousands or potentially millions on the line? That was the level of crushing pressure that would break even the most veteran warriors. Which, despite our recent exploits, neither of us were.


    We might have superhuman stats and fancy gear, but I still felt like we were pretty green in our real-world experience. Something we¡¯d undoubtedly gain with this dungeon, but that I knew would be an exceedingly painful process.


    We stood there a long, long while after. Long after the sun had gone down. For all we knew, it might very well be the last peaceful night we¡¯d know in a long, long time.


    I soaked in every moment because the next goodbye I¡¯d have to say would be one of the hardest.


    <hr>


    ¡°That¡¯s it?¡± I said, blinking at the master blacksmith in front of me.


    ¡°What else ya want me to say? Have a good trip? Be well?¡± Rogar scoffed. ¡°Get lost, brat.¡±


    ¡°No, I¡­¡± I struggled for words. ¡°I was sure you¡¯d go off on me for slacking or something.¡±


    The blacksmith grunted. ¡°Hard to, considering you¡¯re headin¡¯ out to try an¡¯ save us from that calamity,¡± he said, gesturing with his chin. ¡°Yer either brave or stupid, but I don¡¯t really care which. Can¡¯t very well spit on anyone who ventures out there when I sleep safely within the walls of the city, can I?¡±


    ¡°And the nails?¡± I asked. I¡¯d worked tirelessly over the past week, both in training my combat skills and fulfilling my promise to Rogar, but I hadn¡¯t even come close to the thousand he wanted me to make. Two hundred usable nails was still pretty good by my count, but this was Rogar we were talking about. Nothing less than perfection satisfied him.


    ¡°I¡¯ll manage,¡± Rogar said. ¡°Always have. Don¡¯t mind the nails. Just¡­ Come back alive, you hear?¡±


    I grinned. ¡°Look at you, getting all soft for me. You really are nicer than you look.¡±


    ¡°Watch your mouth, boy. You¡¯re an investment. Got no apprentice if you die, do I?¡±


    My smile faded a bit. It was hard to tell if that was all it was, or if he really did care. Would it kill him to be honest with his feelings for once?


    An awkward silence passed between us.


    ¡°Guess I¡¯ll be off, then,¡± I said, breaking it.


    ¡°Kill as many of those vermin as you can.¡±


    I waved as I left. ¡°That was always the plan.¡±


    <hr>


    ¡°Is there anything else you need?¡± Sinclair asked. ¡°Anything that will aid you?¡±


    I gave the anxious Baron a genuine smile. ¡°Well, since you¡¯re asking¡­ We¡¯d love a handful of Divergence Rank Blessed or a Boonworthy with us as protection.¡±


    Sinclair¡¯s face fell, and his lips drew into a taut line.


    ¡°I¡¯m kidding,¡± I quickly added. The haggard ruler looked confused for a moment, then cracked a small smile.


    ¡°You can¡¯t afford to send them with us any more than you can afford to send the whole army to the dungeon,¡± I said, interrupting the Baron before he could speak. ¡°You need them to defend the city. I mean, you¡¯ve given Aerion and me armor, training, and weapons. You¡¯re giving us a guard detail that¡¯s twice the size of the other assault groups, and we¡¯re taking the most convoluted route of them all. We¡¯ll make it. We¡¯ll take this dungeon down, and we¡¯ll come home.¡±


    Sinclair, who¡¯d been pacing around the armory where the strike team had assembled, stopped to gaze at us.


    ¡°Ensure that you do come back alive. We have lost so many already¡­¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s the plan,¡± I said, giving him a wink. ¡°But we kinda have to conquer the dungeon to do that, don¡¯t we? No early exits. No bailouts.¡±


    ¡°Right. Right,¡± Sinclair said, averting his gaze. ¡°Of course.¡±


    A guard in black brigandine armor approached, saving Sinclair from any further panic attacks. ¡°Sirs,¡± the guard said, addressing Aerion and me. ¡°We are ready to push off at your earliest convenience. With luck, we¡¯ll be at the dungeon by evening on the morrow.¡±


    I looked at the dozen or so guards Sinclair had assigned us. While none were Blessed or Boonworthy, they were all among Sinclair¡¯s best, and while he hadn¡¯t mentioned it, I felt like one or two might have been picked from his personal guard.


    I glanced at Aerion, who nodded. ¡°I¡¯m ready.¡±


    ¡°As am I,¡± I said loudly, so all the guards would hear. ¡°Let¡¯s do this.¡±


    I met Sinclair¡¯s gaze, and we exchanged nods. Either this would be the last time we saw each other, or Aerion and I would return as heroes of the land.


    I pictured it in my head¡ªOrder¡¯s Champion, returning as a savior of Dominion¡¯s people. From what I¡¯d gleaned thus far, those two didn¡¯t like each other at all.


    I savored that image, deciding I liked it very much. All I had to do to turn that daydream into reality was not die, infiltrate an enemy fortress, destroy an army, and do it before Basecrest was overrun and its people slaughtered.


    No. That wasn¡¯t the way to look at this. This was an opportunity of a lifetime. The chance to Rank up my Blessing to Divergence, and to level up my new weapons. To be drowned in a waterfall of stats, and to become the hero of a city.


    Despite the odds. Despite the danger¡­ I couldn¡¯t fucking wait.

 Soulweaver 77: Night Ops

    Our departure didn''t have much in the way of fanfare. No parades or ceremonies to see us off. Aerion and I left in the middle of the night, on empty streets, alone, with no one the wiser. We both wore hoods over our armor, but we¡¯d have worn them anyway.


    We¡¯d meet up with our guards outside the city walls, within the nearby forest where we¡¯d gone weasel hunting. To any onlooker, we¡¯d just look like we were leaving the city along one of the main roads. There was enough traffic into and out of Basecrest at all hours that we¡¯d blend right in.


    With how well the enemy had been intercepting our teams, the caution felt warranted. We still didn¡¯t know how or where our people were going missing, which was honestly more than a little terrifying.


    We left the city in silence, each wrapped up in our own thoughts, navigating by the light of the lanterns we each carried. Without a moon, the nights were far darker here than I was used to, which made lights an absolute must for nighttime travel.


    It wasn¡¯t until we turned off the main road for the forest, a couple of miles outside the city, that Aerion broke the silence.


    ¡°We¡¯re to cut due south and step a handful of paces into the forest. Someone ought to meet us. We don¡¯t want to venture too far into the forest. Not at dark.¡±


    I peered into the inky blackness. We couldn¡¯t have been more than a couple hundred feet from the edge of the forest, but even my night-adjusted eyes had a tough time finding them. I felt like I caught the barest outline of swaying trees at the edge of my vision, only to lose it again.


    ¡°Wonder if a high Cunning stat gives you night vision,¡± I muttered, mostly to myself.


    ¡°I imagine it would,¡± Aerion replied. ¡°I was thinking the same thing.¡±


    ¡°My world was a lot brighter, and even there, being able to see in the dark gave you an edge. Here, it¡¯s almost cheating.¡±


    ¡°Shh,¡± Aerion said, gesturing for me to stop. ¡°You hear that?¡±


    I listened, expecting to hear nothing, but I did actually hear. My Cunning was a lot higher than Aerion¡¯s, and despite a lifetime of blissful unawareness towards my surroundings, my stats were picking up the slack.


    ¡°Sounds like two people,¡± I said. ¡°Pretty close.¡±


    We looked around and saw no lights, which meant they¡¯d been standing in the dark.


    ¡°Ho, there,¡± a tall, bearded man said, emerging from the brush. ¡°Glad you made it safely.¡±


    Samaul, the captain of our little strike force. We¡¯d had some time to meet and greet the crew before our departure, mostly so they¡¯d be able to familiarize themselves with our faces, but it was never a bad idea to break the ice a bit. These guys would be risking their lives to guard us. I figured the friendlier we were, the better.


    ¡°You as well,¡± Aerion replied, giving him a nod. I did the same.


    The greeting was genuine, because as we¡¯d learned when we met, they were all top-class individuals. As one would expect from guards handpicked by Baron Sinclair.


    ¡°We recommend you stow your armor,¡± he said, bringing out a handful of large cloth bags. ¡°We¡¯ll be traveling light and swift, and traveling through a forest in armor is no different from torture. With luck, we won¡¯t see even a glimpse of combat.¡±


    ¡°Makes sense,¡± I said, ¡°but I¡¯ll have to insist that I keep mine on. I have my reasons, and I assure you I won¡¯t slow you down. Suffice it to say I¡¯ll be a lot slower without it.¡±


    Samaul was about to counter, but Aerion spoke up in my defense.


    ¡°He¡¯s right. Trust me, we¡¯d be much better served by having him in armor. I¡¯ve no such restrictions, so I¡¯ll remove mine.¡±


    Samaul looked at me, then back to Aerion, and upon realizing he wasn¡¯t about to win an argument against a Blessed, threw up his hands. ¡°Fine. If you do slow us down, however, I¡¯ll have to ask you to remove it.¡±


    ¡°Works for me,¡± I said, helping Aerion strip off her cuirass. We¡¯d gotten pretty good at it over the past week, helping each other out whenever needed. ¡°How far do we plan to travel tonight?¡±


    ¡°A few miles,¡± Samaul replied. ¡°There¡¯s a camp near the other edge of the forest I¡¯m hoping we can make. We¡¯ll get a few hours of rest, and push on. By then, we ought to have lost anyone who might¡¯ve been following us, and if not, we¡¯ll have ample visibility over the plains as we cut over to the Dungeon. I¡¯m afraid you and the lady might have to sacrifice a bit of sleep this night.¡±


    ¡°Oh, I doubt we¡¯ll be getting much of that for a while,¡± I said with a small smile. ¡°We¡¯re more than ready.¡±


    ¡°Good,¡± Samaul said. ¡°Then I¡¯ll leave you be. Stash your gear in these bags, and my men will carry the load.¡±


    I nodded my thanks, and soon, we had Aerion¡¯s armor stashed in a bag.


    As for me, I was looking forward to all the stat gains I¡¯d get from my recently Initialized gear. While I¡¯d improved nearly all of my stats over the past couple of weeks, I still had plenty of room to go, and my recent advance to E - 5 had brought with it a hefty increase in max Essence, for a total of 230, of which I¡¯d used 210. That was good, because I¡¯d had almost zero buffer before the level up.


    Perhaps unsurprisingly, [Uncommon] equipment cost a decent bit more than [Common] items to enchant, so I¡¯d foregone Initializing any more bits of my [Basecrest City Guard] armor.


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    That was alright. I couldn¡¯t be far from E - 6, when I¡¯d gain another 30 Essence. At that point, I could Initialize another one or possibly even two pieces of armor. I intended to round out the Initializations in this way as I leveled.


    Given where we were headed, I imagined it wouldn¡¯t be long at all.


    As it was, my cuirass alone had bought me headroom in most of the stats I¡¯d previously maxed out. I hoped to train up my Vigor, Cunning, and Grace before we even reached the dungeon, and so far, the plan was working. The ordeal of quickly traveling through a forest at night had brought my Vigor, Cunning, and Grace all up by 1, putting my current stats at:


    ¡ª Vigor:  39 (Max: 49)


    ¡ª Order:  10  (Max: 10) (Max Trained: 11)


    ¡ª Wisdom:  26 (Max: 50)


    ¡ª Passion:  20 (Max: 29)


    ¡ª Grace:  23 (Max: 27)


    ¡ª Cunning:  21 (Max: 23)


    ¡ª Dominion: 37 (Max: 74)


    We started out, the chill of the nighttime forest making the perfect environment for exertion.


    The guards at the front blazed a trail, bushwhacking with machetes, while the rest of us followed. For stealth purposes, we only had one lantern lit, and even that had blinders so it cast most of its light output in the direction we were headed.


    Which was to say, it was nearly pitch black, and the only way we navigated was by resting a hand on the person in front of us.


    It wasn¡¯t exactly a sprinter¡¯s pace, but it sure felt like it, given the lack of light. I really hoped our leaders were headed the right way, because if we got lost in here, our only recourse would be to wait until morning to try and find a way out.


    With every ordeal comes a bright side, though, and my Cunning stat that governed awareness had jumped by another point when Samaul finally called for a stop.


    ¡°We¡¯re already there?¡± I asked. We¡¯d walked for a few hours, but I assumed we¡¯d have hours left to go.


    Lit by the lantern, Samaul put a finger to his lip. The team went completely silent, leaving only the sound of critters and the wind.


    And something else. Footsteps in the distance, which I definitely wouldn¡¯t have noticed without my Cunning stat. For the captain to have noticed it showed just how important skill and experience were in this world, even with the benefit of stats.


    Still, while I heard it, I didn¡¯t know enough about the local fauna to tell what it was. It was definitely large enough to snap twigs as it walked, so this was no rodent, at the very least.


    I glanced at Aerion, who shook her head. She was just as lost as I was.


    We waited there for several tense moments, before Samaul gave a hand command to his troops. I wasn¡¯t versed in military signing, but even I could tell he was directing them to check it out.


    Two guards hurriedly donned their armor, with help from the others. They¡¯d already been wearing their undershirts and leggings, so in just a couple of minutes, they were steel-clad and ready to go. Samual handed his lantern to the guards, who disappeared¡ªif not silently, at least quickly¡ªinto the forest, leaving us in pitch darkness for several minutes.


    Maybe it was because of that darkness that my ears became extra sensitive, but I¡¯d never noticed the sound of my armor above the sound of the machetes. Plate steel wasn¡¯t the most silent thing in the world¡ªlikely another reason Samaul didn¡¯t want us traveling in it.


    We waited until the footsteps disappeared, and this time, all that was left were the normal sounds of the forest.


    Samual then lit another lantern, which had the same blinders on it as the other one, and came up to us and whispered in our ears. ¡°We¡¯re about two hours from camp. The ones who left will draw off whatever it is that¡¯s following us and join back up with us there.¡±


    Aerion and I nodded, and we set out again, though this time, the light of the lantern had been restricted even further, and it felt like Samaul took every precaution to make as little noise as possible.


    I had to admit, this whole thing gave me serious Jurassic Park vibes, but considering I was on another planet, Alien came to mind.


    Nope. Not going there.


    I banished that thought from my head the moment it¡¯d formed. This was not the same. We were not going to be hunted down one by one until there was no one left¡ª


    Samaul motioned for us to stop once again. The moment he did, I heard it.


    Footsteps. The same as before. Or¡­ Not quite. It was a bit more faint. And¡­


    Ah. There were more than one of them before. Multiple sets of footsteps. Now, there was only one.


    ¡°We¡¯re being stalked,¡± Samaul whispered to us. ¡°Change of plans. We make for the edge of the forest. No stopping. We¡¯ll move fast. Keep up.¡±


    We nodded back. Those Alien franchise thoughts were threatening to come back, and this time, I found them harder to ignore. We had the small group out in dark, unfamiliar terrain. We had the strange sounds and the hunter, too¡­ Goddammit, why did I have to watch those movies¡­


    To say the next hours were torture was an understatement. Samaul hadn¡¯t been kidding about the weight of armor when trying to move quickly. Even with my boosted Dominion, after hours of continuous exertion, I was tired. And I was operating with no sleep.


    I¡¯d wondered why Samaul hadn¡¯t donned his armor the moment we knew we were being stalked. This was why. It was why he¡¯d only put on his breastplate and helmet, like the other guards. Aerion had done the same. I was the only one with the full set on.


    At least I¡¯d be more likely to survive when whatever monstrosity was hunting us showed up.


    Those hours had allowed me plenty of time to think about our situation. Namely, that most animals that stalked their prey did it alone. Wolves and the like were a notable exception, but they also never ventured away from the pack. That we were dealing with a creature who could operate alone or as a team was concerning. It spoke to a level of intelligence I wasn¡¯t entirely comfortable with.


    The odd thing was that whenever we stopped¡ªusually so that Samaul could check if it was still following¡ªit stopped as well. By the volume of its footsteps, it was maintaining a constant distance from us.


    Why, though? The question killed me. Was it waiting for the right moment? I found it hard to believe it hadn¡¯t already had plenty of those. Especially as the sky went from black to dark blue, and we neared the edge of the forest, I had to think it¡¯d lost its opportunity.


    Which made no sense. There had to be more. There had to be¡­


    We broke through the forest, and under the predawn lighting, I knew exactly why our stalker hadn¡¯t attacked.


    Fuck.

 Soulweaver 78: Ambushed

    That would¡¯ve been a solid plan¡­ Had it been any normal animal.


    ¡°Well,¡± I said. ¡°I guess we now know what happened to the other strike teams.¡±


    ¡°Guards! Defense!¡±


    The fully armored guards¡ªSamaul thankfully had the presence of mind to armor everyone up before exiting the forest¡ªpointed an array of polearms and swords at our enemies, who surrounded us in all directions.


    Yep¡­ We¡¯d been led into an ambush. Forming a semicircle around us were no fewer than a dozen enemy troops, and they came in all shapes and sizes.


    From rabid dog-like abominations to Hobgoblins that wore thick furs to hedgehogs with terrifying, bloody razor discs instead of faces¡­ That last one freaked me out the most. Aside from the nastiness, they groaned and squealed, like they were constantly in pain, and looked very much not natural. Whatever twisted fuck had modified them had a mind I did not care to know.


    And right now, all of them were looking at us like prey.


    A thump from the forest made me look around, and suddenly, the razor hedgehogs proved the least of my worries. What was following us was no scout.


    I groaned. ¡°Is that what I think it is?¡±


    ¡°For all of our sakes, let us pray not,¡± Samaul replied, tightening his grip on his halberd.


    From out of the forest appeared a ten-foot-tall juggernaut, with a mottled, pale gray orkish face, muscular build, and yellowed bone armor that peeked through the gaps of the thick furs he wore. The Predator-Urukai hybrid scanned our group and sneered.


    He barked out a command, and the battle was on.


    The five dog-monsters moved in first, angling and darting in erratic ways. We didn¡¯t carry bows, but I doubted anything short of a master archer could¡¯ve hit them.


    Our four remaining guards encircled Aerion and me the best they could, but it was four-on-five, and unlike all the kung fu movies I¡¯d ever seen, the others didn¡¯t just stand around to watch.


    The Urukai commander sprung at us from behind, while the two Hobs lumbered behind the dog monsters. It wouldn¡¯t be long before they joined the fray.


    Individually, I was confident we could take on any of these guys¡ªmaybe even the commander. Together, though? We were at a massive disadvantage, and that was putting it lightly. These guys had slaughtered every team we¡¯d sent out, and all of those had Boonworthy and Blessed.


    ¡°Aerion, Reave,¡± I muttered, but she was already on it. Somewhat predictably, she latched onto the largest threat¡ªthe commander, and launched out of our guard¡¯s protective circle to engage.


    Not the most ideal defensive move, but then again, I didn¡¯t really want anyone near her when she was in her Berserker mode. So far, she¡¯d managed to tell friend and foe apart in our tests, but who knew how long that would last?


    To his credit, the enemy commander was not expecting an aggressive surprise attack. Let alone from the frailest-looking member of our group.


    Aerion scored a deep hit, her blade slipping through the gaps of the enemy¡¯s bone armor, but if he felt any pain, he certainly didn¡¯t show it.


    By the time he¡¯d recovered, Aerion was behind him, slashing away. It was just about the worst possible matchup for a big brute like him. Aerion excelled at mobility.


    Of course, I wasn¡¯t going to leave her hanging. ¡°Take care of the small fry. We¡¯ll handle the commander,¡± I shouted at Samaul.


    ¡°We¡¯ll handle them,¡± he shouted back, as he gored one of the dogs. With that level of badassery, he just might. I hoped he did, because I didn¡¯t have the time to worry about anything but the commander.


    I¡¯d hauled my poleax through the forest, mostly because even with my expanded inventory size, the long weapon wouldn¡¯t fit. That, and it had a pretty potent first strike, which I used now.


    [Skunky] activated, blasting the alien monster in the face. I never expected it to seriously distract a grizzled veteran, as I¡¯m sure our enemy was, but it did force him to look away from Aerion for a split-second.


    That was enough for Aerion¡¯s [Shock] to activate, right as she plunged her shortsword into his abdomen. The blade¡¯s [Venom Strike] ability activated again, though against a foe of this caliber, she¡¯d probably need a few dozen hits for it to really start to work.


    That was alright, because the poleax and the mace in my inventory were no longer my only weapons. That, and I had a nifty new trick up my sleeve. One I was sure Predator wouldn¡¯t expect. The only catch was¡­ I had to get closer.


    I tried to sneak up behind the thing, but with how quickly it and Aerion changed directions, and with how much they moved around, the task was impossible. Fights were rarely ever static, and fights between a Blessed and¡­ whatever the hell that thing was? Even less so. They¡¯d moved fifteen feet from where they¡¯d first started.


    Which worked in my favor. A few seconds later, the battle naturally came my way.


    And I was ready.


    With my full concentration, I summoned [Light of the Fearless] from my inventory, except I did it in a slightly unusual way.


    The weapon jumped out of a portal right in front of me¡­ Angled up and out, toward the enemy. My inventory¡¯s new [Aim] ability. This was the first time I¡¯d be using it in actual combat.


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    I timed it perfectly. The monster jumped back, away from Aerion¡¯s blade at the exact moment my own blade exited the inventory.


    Its exit wasn¡¯t especially fast¡ªit didn¡¯t fly out like a missile, or anything, and the portal had to be within a couple of feet of me¡ªbut it was unstoppable. That was to say, neither Aerion nor I had found a way of shoving the blade back in once it¡¯d come out. I¡¯d even tried it with some throwaway blades against a stone wall, and instead of going back in, the blade itself bent and broke.


    Unfortunately for our enemy, he was neither a wall nor made of stone.


    Both [Light of the Fearless], the blade¡¯s namesake ability, and [Shadow of the Fearless], had been active when I¡¯d stuck the blade in, and so they were still active when it popped out.


    The thing sliced right through the Urukai¡¯s bone armor and pierced his entire body, skewering him.


    I caught the handle as it emerged from my inventory, twisting it to enlarge the wound.


    This time, he did scream. Loudly.


    Aerion, still under the effects of [Reave] mercilessly cut into him as he flailed, trying to push himself off my sword, which he did in about three seconds. I had to hand it to this guy, he was a machine.


    Too bad for him, Aerion had inflicted about a dozen more cuts during the time he was impaled, and some of them were pretty deep.


    While our enemy seemed nearly impervious to pain, his wounds didn¡¯t magically heal, to my immense relief.


    That relief was cut short the next moment when his whole body lit up, with golden lines tracing all over his body.


    Static filled the air, and sharp crackling sounds made the hair on my back stand on edge.


    ¡°Shit! Everyone run!¡±


    I didn¡¯t know what that was, but glowing lines gave me serious ¡®Magical Superpower about to ruin your day¡¯ vibes.


    The crackling grew louder, and arcs of electricity spread like spiderwebs from the commander¡¯s body.


    Turned out I was right. I really wished I wasn¡¯t.


    Golden beams erupted from the Predator¡¯s body, tracing arcs that speared off in a dozen directions. Wherever they touched the ground, the soil turned black. Where they hit flesh¡­ It vaporized.


    The guards who¡¯d heard me managed to put a few extra feet between themselves and the commander, but not everyone was in a position to react.


    One of the commander¡¯s own attack dog-beasts was the first to go. The beam cleaved its body in half. As it did the head of the guard team that had been wrestling with it.


    Then it was my turn.


    A beam arced by me, forcing me to shimmy frantically away, avoiding it by mere inches. These things thankfully had no will of their own, moving on what looked like random arcs, but that made them only slightly less terrifying.


    It was only then that I managed to glance at Aerion, fearing I¡¯d find nothing more than dismembered body parts, and hoping beyond hope she hadn¡¯t stupidly charged at the creature.


    Aerion was still intact. That was the good news. The soul-crushing bad news was that she was unconscious, and one of the lasers was making a beeline straight for her hand.


    Cursing, I aimed and threw my poleax at the monster, who whirled. That action caused a bunch of the golden beams to move¡­ Something I had not anticipated at all.


    Luckily, the beams moved away from Aerion. They also sliced Samaul clean in half.


    I watched as the man twitched, then turned and looked my way, before his upper half slid cleanly off his legs.


    The laser beams winked out at that precise moment. One second earlier, and he¡¯d be alive. Just a single second.


    Samaul, our commander, was dead.


    It was only several moments later that I realized the field had gone silent. The Hobs that had been fighting off the remaining two guards stared stupidly at me, allowing the guards to skewer one in the heart, taking it down.


    I wrenched my eyes off Samaul¡¯s corpse¡­ And belatedly realized the speartip of my poleax was sticking out of the enemy commander¡¯s neck. The creature was currently twitching on the ground, making gurgling noises as the life left him. A lucky shot. Nothing more, nothing less.


    I searched for Aerion, and heaved a breath to find her still lying on the ground, unconscious.


    The lone remaining Hob bellowed a guttural roar¡ªwhich I took to mean ¡®fuck this¡¯, threw down his club, and ran for his life.


    Unfortunately, his last remaining buddy had other ideas. A buzzing sound caught my attention, sending a chill ripple up my spine. It sounded nothing like a chainsaw¡ªjust a high pitched whistle and the sound of chopped up soil, which was somehow infinitely scarier.


    ¡°Fuck!¡±


    The thing saw me standing near the corpse of its master, and came charging at full speed. The guards were too far. They¡¯d never make it in time. Except, I realized belatedly it wasn¡¯t charging at me. It was going for the person sitting halfway between us¡ªwait¡­


    Sitting?


    Aerion had sat up and was groggily rubbing her head, completely oblivious to the danger. She wore armor over her chest, but her extremities were in danger. I didn¡¯t know how lethal those buzzsaw hedgehogs were, but even a minor wound would be disastrous for us. Going into a dungeon injured sounded like a great way to die.


    ¡°Aerion¡± I screamed, running like a madman for her position.


    She stared at me blankly, half-awake.


    I did the only thing I could. I launched into a diving tackle and wrapped my arms around Aerion, while opening my inventory and ejecting every disposable item I had.


    My Steel Mace, jeans, and Aerion¡¯s old dagger all came flying out, aimed at the beast.


    It was a hasty, last-minute summon, so several missed, and even the ones that hit did no damage¡­ But it did surprise the hedgehog, throwing it off enough to narrowly miss my pauldrons with its buzzing armor.


    The saw nicked my gauntlet, and its momentum kept it going for several paces.


    Right into the waiting blades of our two remaining guards, who gored it with their spears. The thing jerked, let out a pathetic squeal, and keeled over.


    A deluge of System Messages scrolled by, filling my HUD.


    Congratulations! Vigor has increased from 39 to 42.


    Congratulations! Wisdom has increased from 26 to 27.


    Congratulations! Grace has increased from 23 to 25.


    Congratulations! Cunning has increased from 22 to 23.


    Congratulations! Dominion has increased from 37 to 39.


    Congratulations! [Initializer] has leveled up to Emergence - 6. Max Essence Increased from 230 to 250. Essence Utilization: 217/250. Would you like to reclaim Initialized equipment?


    ¡°Um, Greg?¡± Aerion squeaked, pulling me out of my thoughts. Her cheeks were red, and only then did I realize I¡¯d been staring right into her eyes this whole time.


    ¡°Yeah?¡± I asked, heaving above her.


    ¡°Would¡­ Would you mind getting off? You¡¯re kinda heavy.¡±

 Soulweaver 79: Delvers

    ¡°I¡¯m afraid I cannot allow that,¡± the guard said, shaking his head. ¡°Our sworn duty is to protect you.¡±


    ¡°No, see, that¡¯s where you¡¯re wrong,¡± I said, desperately trying to figure out how to convince this guy. ¡°That¡¯s your current mission. Your sworn duty is to the city of Basecrest, and to Baron Sinclair, who rules it. We might be the first parties to survive one of these ambushes, for all we know. Or, if the other delvers did survive, I¡¯m guessing their guards didn¡¯t. We need someone to report back. We need to tell Sinclair what¡¯s happening here.¡±


    ¡°While I understand the importance of relaying this information, it can wait until we have safely delivered you to your destination.¡±


    ¡°Your captain is dead.¡±


    To everyone¡¯s immense surprise, those words didn¡¯t come from my mouth, but Aerion¡¯s.


    I turned to look at my elven friend, who frowned, staring daggers into the ground. ¡°Your captain is dead,¡± she repeated.


    She seemed to have gotten through to them, because the guards didn¡¯t immediately reply.


    ¡°Look, we¡¯ll be fine. Aerion and I can handle ourselves¡ªwe better be able to, given where we¡¯re headed. You¡¯ll just be putting yourselves in unnecessary danger. I¡¯d rather you do a service to the city instead of dying pointlessly.¡±


    The guards glanced at each other, their resolve clearly wavering. But they weren¡¯t over the hump yet, so I gave them one last little nudge.


    ¡°Alright, if you don¡¯t go, then Aerion and I are calling this off. We¡¯ll head back to town to report what we¡¯ve found, and you¡¯ll be forced to accompany us.¡±


    ¡°You cannot!¡±


    ¡°Watch me,¡± I said, making for the forest we¡¯d just come from. Aerion followed suit, forcing the guards¡¯ hands.


    ¡°Alright! We¡¯ll go.¡±


    ¡°Thanks,¡± I said, turning around. ¡°And make sure you tell the Baron about all of this. That this was my idea. He doesn¡¯t strike me as the type to reprimand you for this, but Commander Tarth might. I want it known that you two were following orders.¡±


    ¡°Understood,¡± the guard said. ¡°Then we¡¯ll be off. I only wish we could have given them a more proper sendoff¡­¡± He looked down at the bodies, which lay where they had gone down. We hadn¡¯t touched them at all.


    ¡°As would I,¡± I replied. ¡°It¡¯s just too risky. We don¡¯t want whoever comes to check on them thinking there were more of us. I¡¯m hoping they¡¯ll see this as a stalemate fight to the death.¡±


    I knew that with things like footprints, an experienced tracker could probably figure out there were more fighters here, but by that point, I was hoping we¡¯d be well inside the dungeon.


    ¡°Godspeed, then,¡± The guard said, throwing me a crisp salute. ¡°May Dominion watch over you both. And if we do not meet again¡­ Thank you. For risking your life for our country.¡±


    The man turned and left before I could reply, taking his partner with him.


    ¡°We¡¯d better make a move ourselves,¡± I said. ¡°I¡¯d rather not linger here any longer than necessary.¡±


    Besides the threat of someone coming to check on their comrades, the sight of dead bodies wasn¡¯t something I¡¯d gotten used to yet¡ªmonster or human.


    ¡°I just can¡¯t believe Samaul is dead,¡± Aerion muttered. ¡°He was so experienced.¡±


    ¡°Just goes to show that anything can happen in a fight. Levels and stats are good and all, but sometimes, all it takes is a lucky shot.¡±


    Despite not wanting to look at the gruesome scene anymore than was absolutely necessary, I did a once-over to see if I could find anything valuable. In particular, I searched the enemy leader¡¯s body.


    His body stank of sweat and grime, and his armor was far too large for me, and looked to be badly mangled even before our recent fight, so I didn¡¯t bother seeing if it¡¯d be useful, but I did search his pockets.


    ¡°Bingo,¡± I said, delicately retrieving two small blue vials from a pouch inside his armor.


    ¡°A potion?¡± Aerion asked.


    ¡°Your guess is as good as mine. I figure we test this on something before using it ourselves, but my money¡¯s on healing.¡±


    Aerion frowned and nodded. ¡°I have heard tales of delvers encountering such things within dungeons. Almost always on the bodies of their foes. They are exceedingly rare, however, from all that I¡¯ve heard. And only found in small quantities.¡±


    ¡°Figures,¡± I said. ¡°Only question is, how effective is it? Is it as good as the miracle water? Or is it closer to the stuff you  brought along?¡±


    Aerion had packed several balms, salves, and a handful of potions, but the first two were natural remedies, and the only Boonworthy in Basecrest with the ability to make healing potions was low-level. Aerion had told me not to expect much from them. Good for nicks and bruises, but useless for any real injuries.


    ¡°I suppose we¡¯ll have to experiment to find out,¡± Aerion said, searching the other bodies. She shook her head. ¡°Nothing.¡±


    ¡°Figures that only the commander would have something like this,¡± I said.


    I stashed both vials in my inventory for now. Until we knew what they did for sure, we¡¯d be stupid to use them. I regretted not thinking of searching the bodies earlier, while the guards were here, but I really doubted they knew any more than I did.


    Even if a scholar on the topic told me it was perfectly safe, I¡¯d still want to test it. The thing was an unlabeled blue vial, after all. It could be filled with anything.


    We started out, breaking from our original plan. The enemy somehow knew exactly where we¡¯d be, and when we¡¯d be there. Which meant Sinclair had a mole. That was the other reason I wanted our guards to head back as soon as possible. As long as the dungeon had someone feeding them information, all outbound expeditions were compromised.


    We cut south before tacking east, then north, then east again. Luckily, our route put us in another part of the forest, where I hoped we¡¯d be less likely to be found.


    It was only then that I breathed easier, and took a moment to look over the level ups from the battle.


    Thanks to my Initialized City Guard Cuirass and the stats Light of the Fearless gave me, I had a lot of overhead in several of my key areas, and that one fight alone made them jump almost as much as all of Tarquin¡¯s raid combined.


    Not only that, I¡¯d gained a level, which had been a long time coming. It was almost like something about actual combat seemed to accelerate the process in a way that training never did.


    I¡¯d taken the opportunity to uninitialize my old Stainless Steel Cuirass that I no longer wore. I¡¯d left it back at Basecrest anticipating this level up, so that was a happy coincidence. While I¡¯d lose its [Minor Heat Resist] perk, I had far better gear now, so that didn¡¯t worry me overly much.


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    That freed up 8 points, which countered the extra points Aerion¡¯s fixed percentage utilization added when I leveled up. I now had a healthy bit of overhead, allowing me to Initialize another piece of my Basecrest City Guard armor.


    Initialize [Basecrest City Guard Helmet]? 99% chance to successfully Initialize [Uncommon] armor. Essence Cost: 15. Current Utilization: 209/250.


    Initialize!


    Basecrest City Guard Helmet [Uncommon]


    Now that is one snazzy-lookin¡¯ helmet! Might even save your skull, too!


    Essence Cost: 15


    Condition: 125/125


    Stats:


    Order: 14


    Passion: 13


    Abilities: None


    Well, not the worst haul in the world. Initialization not only strengthened it, but I got a decent number of stat points as well. No ability, though. Whether it was a quirk of luck that my cuirass gave me both stats and an ability, or if it was because cuirasses were the biggest piece of armor in the set, I¡¯d just have to experiment more to know for sure.


    While Passion was a bit of a throwaway¡ªthat was by far the hardest stat to level for me¡ªthe bonus to Order was nice. Even if it didn¡¯t do a whole lot for me right now, I was at my limit, and I could at least level it alone, through meditation exercises.


    Now all I needed was some gear that granted more Cunning and I¡¯d have headroom in all of my stats.


    ¡°I see you used your new ability to good effect,¡± Aerion said when we took a quick break in the forest. We weren¡¯t far from the dungeon now. The sun was now getting high in the sky, but the forest¡¯s canopy really helped keep the heat at bay. Just a few more hours and we¡¯d be there.


    ¡°That worked out better than I¡¯d hoped,¡± I admitted. ¡°Skewering the enemy boss was definitely not in the cards.¡±


    Aerion frowned as she munched on some bread from my inventory, no doubt puzzling over the turn of phrase I¡¯d used.


    I¡¯d been carrying her big backpack for the last while, and though it was filled to the brim with food, that was supposed to be her rations. For when the Cataclysm Dungeon separated us. Apparently, while it couldn¡¯t outright bar people from entering, it did have a sort of defense mechanism that allowed it to split parties up and hurl them to opposite corners of the world.


    Quite the nasty feature. I at least had my inventory. Aerion would have to make do with the supplies in her pack until we managed to reunite.


    ¡°It¡¯s odd,¡± she said after a while. ¡°This ability of yours to aim items from your inventory. It feels both powerful and weak at the same time.¡±


    ¡°I admit, it¡¯s a bit weird,¡± I said. ¡°I don¡¯t think I¡¯ve come across a single game that had this. I figured it¡¯d be the same old inventory I¡¯m familiar with. Seems like there¡¯s more to it, and seeing how my inventory seems to level, I¡¯m hopeful there¡¯s more where that came from.¡±


    ¡°You believe this aiming ability will expand?¡±


    ¡°I sure hope so,¡± I said with a grin. ¡°I can think of all sorts of neat tricks if it were a bit more flexible.¡±


    ¡°Then I shall pray that you obtain it quickly, and that these tricks allow us to survive in the dungeon,¡± Aerion said darkly.


    ¡°Hey, I¡¯m just as nervous about this as you are. But look, we¡¯ll be fine. We¡¯re both a lot stronger now than when we first entered Dominion¡¯s Trial.¡±


    ¡°Are we really, though?¡± Aerion asked. ¡°I have [Reave] and [Shock] true, but will that be enough?


    ¡°You¡¯re forgetting something important, though,¡± I said. ¡°Stats. We both have several times the number of stats we had going in. We¡¯re several times stronger, faster, and more dextrous.¡±


    Aerion lifted an arm suspiciously. ¡°It certainly does not feel that way.¡±


    ¡°Oh, believe me. We are. I get to experience just how much of a weakling I used to be every time I take off my armor.¡±


    Aerion gave me an interesting look. ¡°True. Is that why you sleep with your armor on, even in Basecrest?¡±


    ¡°Mostly,¡± I said. ¡°It feels fucking awful being weak.¡±


    ¡°I imagine it must,¡± she replied. ¡°On the other hand, you do get the rush of all of those stat points every time you equip your gear. It must be quite the sensation.¡±


    I grinned. ¡°Never gets old. Like, ever.¡±


    <hr>


    We slept for a few hours, taking turns guarding the camp while the other slept. I figured this was probably our last chance to rest before entering the dungeon, and we didn¡¯t know what the situation would look like once inside, so I wanted us as well rested as possible.


    That said, we were deep within enemy territory, and more than once, Aerion and I had heard nearby patrols moving around the forest, forcing us to be as quiet as we could.


    Our Cunning stats really saved us here¡ªI shuddered to think of how much my vanilla self would¡¯ve missed out on. We¡¯d have been caught in no time.


    As it was, we threaded our way through the forest, and due to the ordeal, my Order had gone up a point to 12. After so long being capped at its maximum, it was good to see that one go up again.


    The edge of the forest gave way to another sprawling valley, except this one was occupied.


    By a gigantic floating¡­ something. That was about all I could come up with.


    ¡°Incredible,¡± Aerion breathed. ¡°In all my life, I¡¯ve never seen anything like it.¡±


    ¡°Ditto,¡± I replied, jaw agape.


    Dominion¡¯s Trial resembled a five-sided upside-down pyramid. Jet black. It was massive, it was imposing, and my brain could understand what it was at a single glance.


    This? Well, for one, it had no set shape. Its Landing Castle had burned away entirely, leaving an enormous floating thing that resembled a ball about a half-mile in diameter. Its shape wasn¡¯t consistent, though. It shifted continuously, sometimes resembling something closer to a pyramid, and at other times growing spiky, like my mace. Its surface was mostly black, but it had a shimmering sheen to it, like a blown bubble.


    Under it lay a crater filled with all manner of rubble from the crash.


    ¡°So, uh¡­ We¡¯re really just supposed to walk under that thing to enter it?¡± I asked, staring up at the crazy contraption.


    ¡°According to the Baron, yes. What sources I¡¯ve read say the same. That though all Cataclysm Dungeons are unique in both size and shape, the method to access them is the same. Simply walk under them.¡± Aerion whispered.


    We were far from any nearby patrols, but after what had just happened to our strike team, I applauded her caution. The enormous amount of rubble beneath the sphere offered any number of places for enemy forces to hide.


    ¡°Walk to it and get teleported¡­ Could be worse. At least we won¡¯t have to breach a gate.¡±


    ¡°We normally would. It is good that the gate was destroyed,¡± Aerion said.


    Good indeed. Gates were small and defensible. Even with the swarm of monsters that circled the object, there were far too few to prevent anyone from getting in. Their perimeter was thin and had gaps everywhere.


    ¡°It is early in the cycle,¡± Aerion explained. ¡°Over time, their numbers will grow, and more powerful beasts will emerge. It will not be so easy to enter the dungeon as time progresses.¡±


    ¡°Squash these things fast, before they multiply. Like ants. Noted.¡±


    ¡°Our supplies are intact?¡± she asked.


    ¡°No worries there,¡± I replied. ¡°Even accounting for heavy exertion, we ought to have enough food and water to last a week or so. Past that, we¡¯ll have to figure things out.¡±


    I really hoped we didn¡¯t have to stoop to eating the monster carcasses, as some past delvers did. According to the records, some dungeons had an abundance of food. Others, not so much. I could only hope we got lucky.


    ¡°That just leaves healing,¡± Aerion muttered.


    ¡°Just healing,¡± I concurred grimly. That was the one thing all Cataclysm Dungeons lacked. There were no miracle healing pools like in Trials. Not only was it D Ranked, but the lack of facilities alone made it many-fold more deadly than Dominion¡¯s E Rank Trial we¡¯d cleared.


    ¡°Next time we delve a Trial, I am so going to try smuggling some of that water out,¡± I said, more to myself than anyone. It wouldn¡¯t work, of course. It couldn¡¯t be that easy. But if we could get our hands on it, it¡¯d make dealing with future dungeons far easier.


    The minutes passed, and we fell silent, analyzing the patrols. Evaluating when it¡¯d be best to strike.


    As it so happened, that moment came about an hour later, as the sun was starting to set.


    ¡°That gap,¡± Aerion said, pointing. ¡°It occurs every hour when the guard shift changes. It is our best bet.¡±


    ¡°I agree,¡± I said, having come to the same conclusion. ¡°I suppose this is it, then.¡±


    Aerion nodded. ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡±


    The time had come to raid our first Cataclysm dungeon.

 Soulweaver 80: Breach

    Only about four hundred yards separated the forest from the remains of the castle. Not a long distance, by any stretch of the imagination.


    The issue was that the ground in between was covered in uprooted tree trunks, shrubs, dirt, and chunks of landing castle wall, all strewn around like they¡¯d been part of a massive explosion.


    Which was pretty close to reality, now that I thought about it. When whichever high-ranking demigod had shot that giant beam up at the castle, it¡¯d thrown off the castle¡¯s flight path. I wasn¡¯t an expert on orbital physics, but I knew that making anything traveling fifteen times the speed of sound tumble end over end was never a good thing for survivability. We¡¯d all watched the Landing Castle break apart, sending dazzling fireballs all over the planet.


    People had even rejoiced at the time, believing we¡¯d taken out the dungeon before it had even landed.


    We hadn¡¯t, of course. We¡¯d had, however, stripped the thing of its outer layer of defenses. It was actually something of a miracle the dungeon itself had survived at all, considering the thing landed more like a meteor and less like a ship. Maybe its blobby nature helped it survive?


    I imagined the bubbly black goop bouncing off the ground like jello, and quickly concluded that the sight was more terrifying than any horde of monsters, and shelved it.


    Regardless, the impact had uprooted all the foliage and thrown off its shell, creating a large crater around ground zero. If it weren¡¯t for the sphere hovering above, I¡¯d say someone had dropped a bomb here.


    The devastation was immense, and that meant slow going. Not ideal when we knew the enemy had regular patrols, but it did offer us a lot of places to hide, so I couldn¡¯t exactly complain.


    ¡°One would think they would have cleared all this by now,¡± Aerion grumbled quietly as she vaulted over a log, making it look effortless despite the oversized rucksack on her back. We¡¯d chosen to have the guards haul her pack instead of putting it in my inventory to fit more. Most of it was food and water, so the more we had, the better.


    Less confident in my parkour skills, I chose to straddle it instead.


    ¡°Actually, I feel like this makes a pretty effective barrier, don¡¯t you?¡± I replied in an equally low voice, barely more than a whisper, but that was all Aerion needed to hear me.


    ¡°Perhaps,¡± Aerion replied. ¡°Though, by the looks of it, they are working to clear it out.¡±


    The last hundred yards or so had, in fact, been cleared, though where the workers who¡¯d worked on it had gone was a mystery to me. They must have returned through the dungeon¡¯s portal.


    The rules that surrounded these dungeons still weren''t entirely clear to me. Only Foundation through Divergence ranked Blessed and Boonworthy could enter any dungeon. After that, you were restricted to dungeons and Trials at your level or higher, since C rank was supposedly where the first soul evolution happened. That was a whole can of worms shrouded in mysticism and superstition, so sussing out the facts had proven to be a chore.


    The truth was, there were precious few people in the world at that level, and this world just didn¡¯t have the same sort of information access mine did. Sinclair was my most knowledgeable source, and his time was limited. What I¡¯d been able to determine was that something fundamental to one¡¯s being shifted at Convergence Rank, which usually made the person more powerful.


    It was usually accompanied by excruciating pain and mental trauma, so it wasn¡¯t like it came for free. The stories about ascending closer to divinity and having the favor of the gods, I chose to ignore. There was definitely something there, though, and while it was a ways off, I was already getting excited.


    As for Cataclysm Dungeons, it wasn¡¯t like they just spewed out endless hordes the moment they landed. They always started small, and grew and grew if left unchecked. Whether they were actively creating monsters on the other side, or if the portals simply took time to support more throughput, nobody seemed to know.


    ¡°Honestly expected more monsters,¡± I said, ducking under an uprooted trunk. ¡°You think the crash-landing killed them?¡±


    ¡°Likely,¡± Aerion replied, maneuvering around some vines. ¡°¡®Tis the only explanation I can think of.¡±


    I nodded, and from there, we kept our silence. We were close now, and we didn¡¯t want to tip off any nearby patrols until the last moment. Every step we took, though, just made the knot in the pit of my stomach tighten even further.


    There was nothing that could be done about getting split up¡ªthat was a fact we simply had to deal with. We¡¯d prepped for it as well as we could. We¡¯d outfitted Aerion with as many supplies as she could hold, and we¡¯d both progressed to the point where we could hold our own against most foes.


    I realistically shouldn¡¯t have worried¡­ But we both knew the sort of curveballs reality could throw at us. Just a few hours ago, we¡¯d been blindsided by an ambush we couldn¡¯t possibly have seen coming. Preparations only went so far.


    What we were doing was dangerous. I¡¯d just have to accept that, and trust in Aerion¡¯s skills.


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    Easier said than done.


    After what felt like an eternity, the clearing finally appeared before us, looking a good deal longer than a measly hundred yards. Instinctively, we both stopped, looking at the crater in the distance. There really wasn¡¯t a goal there. No obvious gate or portal to walk through. We¡¯d just make our mad dash and hope we were sucked up into the dungeon.


    That was, of course, not the part I was worried about.


    ¡°I¡¯ll follow when you¡¯re halfway there,¡± I said, knowing I was repeating myself. ¡°Your pack is heavy and you¡¯re smaller, so this will give you a head start.¡± We¡¯d gone over the plan many times already. Aerion had to have been sick of hearing this by now, but to her credit, she refrained from rolling her eyes, at least.


    ¡°I am still not happy about that, but yes,¡± Aerion replied. ¡°Once through, I¡¯ll search for you.¡±


    I nodded. ¡°Find the largest structure in sight, and go to its base. If it¡¯s too dangerous, leave a trail of notes with arrows pointing the way. I¡¯ll do the same.¡±


    We¡¯d discussed all of this already, of course, including the sorts of features we might use to leave notes behind. Given we knew absolutely nothing about the interior of this dungeon, it was about the best we could do.


    ¡°And¡­ We¡¯re stalling,¡± I muttered.


    ¡°We are,¡± Aerion said. She glanced at me, and I saw fear in her eyes. Not for herself, but for me. I knew because I must have had that very same look in mine.


    ¡°We¡¯ll be fine,¡± we both said at the same time, and smiled awkwardly after.


    ¡°Stay safe, yeah?¡± I mumbled.


    ¡°I¡¯m more worried about you,¡± Aerion said with a wry smile. ¡°Always getting yourself into trouble.¡±


    I snorted. ¡°You¡¯re one to talk. Alright. Let¡¯s do this. On three?¡±


    ¡°On three.¡±


    ¡°One. Two. Thr¡ª¡±


    Aerion bolted before I finished, and not for the first time, I had to marvel at how quickly she managed to move with such a large, ungainly pack clinging to her back.


    She made a beeline for the dungeon, and a few seconds later, she¡¯d reached the halfway mark, still undetected.


    That was my cue, and I bolted out of the debris, following in her footsteps.


    I, unfortunately, was not nearly as lucky. The guards¡ªwho¡¯d been occupied by the process of changing shifts¡ªmight not have detected a quiet, diminutive elf, but they sure as heck saw me clanging along in my shining steel armor.


    Shouts erupted, fingers pointed, and arrows soared through the air, forcing me to raise my shield in defense. The shield shuddered a few seconds later as several consecutive thumps impacted and pinged off.


    Through it all, I never stopped running because at that moment, the arrows were the least of my concern. I was pretty sure my armor would¡¯ve stopped them even without the shield. That wasn¡¯t why I was running.


    It was the dozen massive hyenas surging after me that kept my legs pumping. Hyenas with glowing green eyes, and from their aggression, I guessed these were not the scavenging type. They were hunters, and against a dozen? I didn¡¯t stand a chance.


    Yeah, no thanks!


    Without stopping, I pointed my poleax in their general direction and fired [Skunky]. The ability wouldn¡¯t do much of anything to harm them, but they didn¡¯t know that. The inky cloud, whose range had grown thanks to its recent level ups, arced through the air and splashed down directly in their path.


    The beasts circled around, forcing them to slow, and thus widening the gap between us.


    I fired it again, and again, not bothering to aim. I was close now. I couldn¡¯t have been more than twenty¡ª


    My blood ran cold.


    Aerion.


    I wasn¡¯t the only one they¡¯d fired arrows at. And unlike me, Aerion lacked both comprehensive armor and a shield.


    I watched in horror as the rain of black darts descended from the sky. It was impossible to outrun¡ªthey¡¯d predicted her path. She was about to run right into them.


    ¡°Aerion!¡± I roared, but before my next words left my mouth, something bizarre happened.


    Two things, actually. The arrows¡­ disappeared.


    And so did Aerion.


    It took my mind a moment to register that she¡¯d gone through the portal¡­ And so had the arrows.


    Fuck!


    If our enemies could follow us through¡­


    The hyenas were barely thirty feet away at this point. They¡¯d catch up in seconds.


    I also happened to be just seconds away from where Aerion had disappeared. I just wasn¡¯t close enough.


    And so, I used my ace in the hole. My absolute last-ditch trump card.


    I called it Spam ¡®Em With Junk!


    A pair of blue jeans and dirty sneakers materialized in thin air, flying away from me with considerable speed.


    The jeans caught the lead hyena right in the face, blinding it, and making him howl in panic. It stopped and let out a sound halfway between a yell and a giggle as it desperately tried to throw the garment off.


    Instead of successfully freeing itself from my soiled and smelly pants, it crashed into its buddy, which in turn caused something of a chain reaction, until half a dozen hyenas were tumbling end over end. The remaining half aborted their attack and circled back to their fallen brethren.


    I doubted any were seriously injured. I doubted they¡¯d be down for more than a few seconds.


    Luckily, a few seconds was all I needed.


    ¡°Eat shit, fuckers!¡±


    I flipped them the bird¡­ and promptly crashed headfirst into a pile of ice-cold snow.


    The hell?

 Soulweaver 81: Whiteout

    To say that I was woefully unprepared for the environment that greeted me was a comical understatement. The weird thing was, I didn¡¯t even panic.


    Instead, I contentedly ate the ice-cold snow, which mercifully dissipated the heat from my armored body. It was like stepping from a steam room into a nice, cold bath.


    Wait, seriously. What the hell?


    Or, I suppose more appropriately: Did hell freeze over?


    Sputtering, I got to my knees to find pure white in every direction I could see.


    Which wasn¡¯t far at all, owing to the wind and the snow. That refreshing breeze was actually a billowing, ice-cold snowstorm, and now that my sweat and heat had dried, I was beginning to cool down fast.


    Not good. Not good!


    I got to my feet, my boots sinking into the pure, driven snow. The Cataclysm Dungeon had apparently transported me to an ice world.


    I was alone, starting to freeze, and there were no signs of shelter anywhere nearby.


    Shit. Did Aerion get thrown into this, too?


    For her sake, I sincerely hoped not. Metal armor might not have been the best insulation, but it at least blocked the wind. Aerion, in her robe, was distinctly not prepared for a winter environment.


    Actually, I wasn¡¯t sure it¡¯d matter much. I was no stranger to brutally cold winters, having growing up in the north, but this was far worse than anything I¡¯d ever experienced. Far far worse.


    My best guess put it at negative eighty, or maybe even lower. Antarctica weather¡ªtoo harsh to sustain life, and absolutely lethal if I spent more than a few minutes out here.


    I turned a full circle. This was¡­ really bad. I had no idea where I was, and I couldn¡¯t see a thing in this blizzard. I could be ten feet from shelter, and if I picked the wrong way to go, I was dead.


    Just when I started to panic, the wind lulled, and my body went rigid. Not from the cold, but because I heard something.


    My first instinct was wolves. Or some ice monster. My second instinct was to run, but I quickly overrode that. If there really was a predator out there, there was no way I¡¯d out run it.


    So I stuck my poleax in the snow and pulled out Light of the Fearless. Its flames lit, and my heart pounded in my chest. Whatever was out there, it was big.


    I heard it again. Louder this time. It sounded almost like a¡­ A yell?


    No. Plenty of animals sounded human, and with this wind, I could easily have mistaken it. I heightened my senses, and waited, trying to recall all the combat training I¡¯d had lately.


    Muscles relaxed, knees slightly bent, deep breaths. Easier said than done when every lungful of freezing air felt like breathing needles, but I did my best. Of course, they just had to come from upwind, and without an eye shield, my helmet was useless blocking the snow trying to fill my eyes.


    Through the wind, I saw something. A dark form. I adjusted my position. At least now I knew where they were coming from.


    ¡°¡ªeg?¡±


    That¡­ was definitely speech. Okay, not hearing things. They were humanoid, and could talk.


    ¡°¡ªreg¡­at¡­y¡ª?¡±


    I frowned. They were trying to communicate. Which meant they might not be hostile? I lowered my sword just a bit, but kept it pointed in their direction.


    Then the wind lifted for the briefest moment, and I saw the stranger for who they were.


    For the love of¡ª


    ¡°Greg! Is that you?¡±


    ¡°Aerion!¡± I cried, running towards her. Or, plodding, as best I could. I crashed into the elf, enveloping her in a great hug.


    ¡°You¡¯re¡­ cold,¡± she muttered, half sobbing. Her breath had frozen around her face, and the falling snow had formed little icicles that hung off her frozen hair.


    ¡°So are you!¡± I shouted, trying to be heard over the wind.


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    ¡°How? How are we together?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t know!¡± I yelled back. ¡°But now¡¯s not the time! We need to find shelter!¡±


    ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°Shelter!¡± I shouted into her ear.


    ¡°Right. That way!¡± she said, pointing in the direction she came. ¡°I saw something that way!¡±


    ¡°Okay then! Let¡¯s go! Stay close! Easy to get lost!¡±


    I led the way, acting as a windbreak for Aerion, who took my words to heart and clung to my armor, sometimes tripping over my legs. I was perfectly okay with that¡ªI¡¯d rather fall in the snow than risk getting separated in this whiteout.


    Despite the deep snow, Aerion¡¯s footsteps were already getting covered, and I soon lost the trail, having to backtrack. Thankfully, Aerion was better at tracking than I was, so we were able to find it again.


    That happened twice more over the course of the next five, harrowing minutes, and each time, I grew more desperate. Our timer was counting down, and there weren¡¯t many grains of sand left in our hourglass.


    My fingers, toes, and ears were the first to go numb. I couldn¡¯t believe how incredibly hard it was to plod through this snow, even with my enhanced stats. Shortly after, I felt something tug at my armor, only to turn around and find Aerion, curled up in a ball, cradling her hands.


    ¡°Fuck! Why didn¡¯t you say anything?¡±


    Without waiting for a reply, I scooped her up and carried her in my arms. Her light weight and my stats in Dominion made the task feel like nothing, especially when compared to the torture of walking, and so I continued plodding on.


    The pain in my extremities dulled and vanished, and I knew I was on the verge of frostbite. I didn¡¯t even want to think of Aerion¡¯s digits¡ªwe¡¯d have to treat them the moment we were warm.


    ¡°Where is it? Didn¡¯t you say it was around here?¡± I asked. No response. ¡°Aerion!¡±


    She¡¯d fallen unconscious. Either from the pain, or maybe from hypothermia. Either way, our situation had just gone from bad to worse. If I didn¡¯t find¡ª


    My eyes spotted something in the distance. Again, it was hard to say for sure. My eyes had played tricks on me several times already, making me think I¡¯d spotted a structure, only to end up being nothing. Like a wintry mirage, born out of my own desperation.


    I didn¡¯t plod, I sprinted all-out, making a beeline for the structure. My excitement grew with each step that brought me closer. Each step where the building didn¡¯t disappear.


    Five steps later, I was sure it was real.


    Two steps after that, I began to panic. What if it was occupied by hostile forces? What if there was no way in?


    When I was ten feet away, I was finally able to make out what sort of structure it was. A stone and timber hut. A small, rudimentary structure with one door and only one small window. A chimney extended out the steeply gabled roof, but there was no smoke. That could either be good or bad, but at least it was unoccupied. Nobody could survive in these temps without a roaring fire.


    ¡°Hello!? Anybody in there?¡± I hoisted Aerion onto my shoulder and rapped on the door, hard. I tried the knob. Locked.


    I waited ten seconds. No reply. While I really didn¡¯t want to break down the door, I wasn¡¯t about to pick the lock, so I took a step back and kicked with all of my might.


    It turns out that was a bit overkill. With my stats, the door didn¡¯t merely open, it whipped 180 degrees and slammed so hard against its frame that it bent.


    I winced, but at least the door didn¡¯t come off its hinges. That would¡¯ve been far worse.


    Hurrying inside, I found a single, large room, with two rudimentary log bunk beds in a corner, a long table against a wall, and a fireplace at the other end. There were some other odds and ends too, but I ignored those for now.


    What I needed was firewood. Setting Aerion down by the mantle, I brought out Light of the Fearless and activated its namesake ability, placing the edges next to Aerion¡¯s hands and feet.


    The fire only lasted a few seconds, but even that was enough to warm the surrounding area. While it wouldn¡¯t solve the problem, I at least hoped it¡¯d give me enough time to search the area.


    The log holder by the mantle was empty, so I hurried back outside and circled the building, making sure I kept one hand on the wall at all times to be absolutely sure I wouldn¡¯t get lost in the whiteout.


    I¡¯d hoped to find some firewood, but came up empty, and I belatedly realized any wood left outside wouldn¡¯t be of much use, anyway. With this extreme cold and snow, it¡¯d have been too wet to use, and frozen anyway.


    Cursing myself, I came back in, freezing and desperate. My own digits hurt so much, I just wanted to curl into a ball and cry like Aerion had. But one look at my sickly pale friend, and all thoughts of pain vanished.


    So what if I didn¡¯t have firewood? I just had to make some. There was plenty of furniture, all wood. I brought out Light of the Fearless, and started hacking.


    I wasn¡¯t choosy. Anything large enough and made of wood was fair game. The main table, the chairs, and another table all fell quickly, easily cut by my strength and my sword¡¯s sharpness.


    Within minutes, I had a pile of wood in front of me.


    I¡¯d started a few fires in my life on camping trips, but always with matches. Even those required a lot of prep work, whittling down the wood into tiny slivers to get the flame to light. Nursing a fire to life was a lot harder than it looked, but luckily, I had some tools that allowed me to bypass that rigmarole.


    Namely, my blade.


    Throwing the logs into the fireplace, I activated [Light of the Fearless], which immediately combusted the wooden pieces, forming a roaring fire in just seconds.


    Rushing over to Aerion, I placed her closer to the fire. Then I got to work stripping off her gloves and boots, but recoiled when I touched her fingers. They were so unbelievably cold.


    Unable to just sit around and hope that the fire brought her back to life, I rubbed her hands and feet, trying to impart as much warmth as I possibly could into her.


    ¡°Aerion? Aerion, can you hear me?¡±


    No reply.


    After what felt like an eternity, her body finally seemed to warm up to normal temperatures, but it was only when I saw the faint rising and falling of her chest that I breathed easily.


    I¡¯d just barely managed to keep my friend from dying.


    Now all I had to do was prepare some hot water, figure out where the hell we were, and find some way of surviving this arctic wasteland.

 Soulweaver 82: The Raid Begins

    Making hot water is easy when you have an infinite supply of snow and a fire. I pilfered one of the several cook pots that hung above what used to be the kitchen, before I repurposed the table for firewood.


    I¡¯d slowly nudged Aerion closer to the fire, rolling her over so she got heat equally from all sides, making sure her hands and feet were getting warmed by the flames at all times. I was especially worried about her extremities, since those were usually the first to get frostbitten.


    Luckily, all of her digits were pink, not blue, and the color was steadily returning to her skin.


    While I probably ought to have removed her waterlogged clothing, that was a line I didn¡¯t dare cross. No good saving Aerion¡¯s life if I was gonna die after.


    It was fine¡ªthe fire was drying out her clothes as well, and her gloves and boots were already dry.


    Aerion¡¯s immediate needs taken care of, I started warming myself, stripping off my gauntlets and boots and doing my best to warm up. Luckily, the armor had shielded me from most of the snow, so I was a good bit drier than Aerion. In my case, it was the cooling sweat that was making me shiver. Without Aerion to help, I couldn¡¯t easily undo my cuirass, so I just warmed up as best I could beside the fire. My plate metal did a good job conducting the heat to the fabric liners on the inside.


    The cabin shuddered, and snow blew in from outside. I¡¯d managed to brace the door I¡¯d busted with some furniture, but it wasn¡¯t perfect, and there was a constant draft of cold air. Once our wood ran out, we¡¯d be forced to abandon this place, and judging by how fast the fire ate firewood, that wouldn¡¯t be long at all. I gave it half a day, tops.


    Staring at the pot I¡¯d hung on a spit above the fire as it slowly melted, my thoughts turned to the events that had led us here. The Cataclysm dungeon, the ambush, and now this. It was like one of the gods was conspiring against us, or something.


    At least the ordeal had granted me some Stats. Two to Vigor and one to Dominion, bringing them to 44 and 40 respectively. I¡¯d even gained a point in Grace, probably thanks to carrying Aerion while navigating the deep snow, bringing that up to 26.


    Aerion stirred, interrupting my thoughts.


    ¡°Water,¡± she croaked, her eyes still shut.


    ¡°Yes, ma¡¯am!¡±


    Using a poker, I removed the lid of the boiling pot and scooped some out into a wooden mug.


    ¡°I added some snow to cool it down, but it¡¯s still pretty hot. Sit up and take small sips.¡±


    Aerion grumbled, but did as she was told, holding the mug with both hands as she sipped.


    Hot water was like magic in times like these. In just a few minutes, the color had returned to Aerion¡¯s face, and she moved with much more energy.


    ¡°Thanks,¡± she said, her voice more or less back to normal. ¡°So, we survived, huh? What happened?¡±


    ¡°Well, you found me, but fell unconscious before we made it to the cabin. I carried you the rest of the way. How''s everything feel, by the way? Can you move?¡±


    Aerion wiggled her toes and tested her various limbs. ¡°It hurts a bit, but I¡¯ll manage.¡±


    I let out a breath. ¡°Good. Was worried sick you¡¯d have gotten frostbite.¡±


    Aerion frowned. ¡°You seem to know an awful lot about the cold.¡±


    ¡°Believe me, If you¡¯d grown up where I did, you would too.¡±


    Aerion fell silent for a while, before muttering something.


    ¡°Sorry?¡± I said. ¡°Didn¡¯t quite catch that.¡±


    ¡°I said¡­ Thanks. For saving me. I owe you a life debt.¡±


    ¡°Not this again,¡± I said, groaning. ¡°Are we really gonna keep having these convos every time we help each other out?¡±


    I braced myself for a drawn-out argument, but what I got instead was a small smile.


    ¡°I suppose not,¡± Aerion said, looking at me warmly.


    ¡°R-right,¡± I replied, caught off guard. ¡°Anyway, we ought to think of our next steps.¡±


    Aerion nodded. ¡°I am ready to leave.¡±


    ¡°Uh, not to be a downer, but no, you¡¯re not. Neither am I, for that matter. You saw how long we lasted in that snow and the wind. We¡¯re locked down until this storm passes, at the very least.¡±


    ¡°What do you suggest, then?¡±


    ¡°When the weather clears¡ªand I¡¯m seriously hoping that happens within the next day, or we¡¯re gonna freeze to death in here¡ªwe¡¯ll be able to get a lay of the land. The Cataclysm Dungeon might have spit us out somewhere random as a safety mechanism, but I¡¯m guessing this world can¡¯t be too big. It is the lowermost floor of a D Rank dungeon, after all. Or the outermost, depending on the layout.¡±


    ¡°Indeed,¡± Aerion replied. ¡°They grow with rank. This one should not be overly large.¡±


    ¡°Right. So I¡¯m hoping we can make our way to civilization. Which, in this case, would be our enemies. But I¡¯m assuming they¡¯ll at least have heating, so that¡¯s something.¡±


    ¡°Greg?¡± Aerion asked, looking puzzled.


    ¡°Yeah?¡±


    ¡°Why are we together?¡±


    ¡°Right, I¡¯ve been wondering about that myself,¡± I admitted.


    ¡°Cataclysm dungeons are supposed to fling delvers into far-flung locations, as a defense mechanism to split up large raiding parties.¡±


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    ¡°Makes sense,¡± I said. ¡°If I was designing a forward operating base for my troops, I¡¯d build in a similar mechanism. Makes no sense to allow an army through. I think¡­ It¡¯s because the System considers us one entity.¡±


    ¡°Like in Dominion¡¯s Trial¡­¡± Aerion replied, looking off into the distance.


    ¡°Right. The System is clearly confused about what you are. I¡¯m guessing it thought of us as the same entity, and dropped us in the same location.¡±


    ¡°I see,¡± Aerion replied slowly. ¡°I suppose it does make some sense.¡±


    To me, it didn¡¯t really make any sense, but I kept that to myself. We had bigger fish to fry right now. Like getting out alive.


    ¡°You rest up,¡± I said, gingerly getting to my feet. ¡°Get warm and dry. I¡¯m going to scour this place for anything else I can burn.¡±


    <hr>


    The storm finally let up a half day later, which was fortuitous since there wasn¡¯t a lot left in the cabin to burn.


    Both Aerion and I had conserved our energy, sipping on boiled water, munching on our snacks from her backpack, and catching some Z¡¯s when we could. On the cold, hard surface, sleep wasn¡¯t the easiest thing in the world, and I wondered if I¡¯d made a mistake dismembering the bunk beds for firewood.


    We opted to use up Aerion¡¯s rations first, both because it¡¯d ease her load, and because food outside my Spatial Inventory perished faster.


    With how cold everything was, I doubted that would be a huge issue, but it was still preferable to depleting my own reserves.


    Stepping outside, I wondered if we¡¯d stepped into another world altogether. ¡°If you¡¯d told me there was a gale-force storm here just a few hours ago, I¡¯d have called you a liar,¡± I said, admiring the scenery.


    The sky was a rich blue, the snow was pure and driven, and the sun was out. Or more accurately, suns¡ªthere were three, but all of them were tiny in the sky, and I could look at them with my naked eye.


    Or at least, I did, until Aerion smacked my back. ¡°Don¡¯t look at the sun. You¡¯ll go blind.¡±


    I rolled my eyes.


    ¡°Well, the good news is we¡¯ve found civilization,¡± I said, pointing into the distance.


    ¡°And the bad news?¡± she asked.


    ¡°We¡¯ll have to scale a jagged mountain to get there.¡±


    An entire mountain range loomed before us, barely a mile away. Built into the rock, all the way up, were metal buildings. Some spewed black smoke, while others looked like observation decks.


    Whatever it was, there was a large operation of some sort within that rock, and given what we knew, I was willing to bet that was where our enemies were coming from.


    No wonder the commander wore thick furs¡­


    ¡°I can¡¯t believe we never saw this,¡± Aerion muttered, craning her neck.


    ¡°In a whiteout like that? We could barely see fifteen feet! Let alone a mile. We could¡¯ve been right next to it, and we wouldn¡¯t have seen a damn thing. Only question is¡­ How do we get inside?¡±


    ¡°Perhaps we¡¯ll learn more if we venture closer?¡± Aerion asked.


    ¡°Fair enough,¡± I said, scanning the area. The whole range seemed peppered with those structures. ¡°Worse comes to worst, I suppose we could find some rocky outcropping by the mountains to hunker down at. Just wish we had a compass, in case the weather rolls in.¡±


    ¡°I doubt we¡¯ll get turned around so much we miss those mountains entirely,¡± Aerion said.


    ¡°You would be surprised. Let¡¯s hope we never have to deal with it.¡±


    ¡°The weather looks good for now, and I have recovered. I say we push forward.¡±


    Aerion, with much gusto, hefted her pack and proudly stomped off into the snow.


    She made it about two steps before she punched through the soft snow, getting stuck up to her knees.


    ¡°Right,¡± she said. ¡°Forgot about this. It will be slow going, but it¡¯s only a mile, as you said.¡±


    ¡°Uh, how about no?¡± I said, refusing to take a single step. ¡°Look, treading deep snow all the way there is just going to wear us out, even with our stats in Vigor.¡±


    Plodding step after step in deep snow was so much harder than it looked. I¡¯d made the mistake of underestimating it once after a snowstorm. It hadn¡¯t even been three hundred yards from the bus stop back home, but even that exertion destroyed me.


    ¡°The last thing we want is to show up there tired and winded. Especially if we find ourselves in a fight. Not to mention the frostbite. Without proper boots, we¡¯ll be lucky if we keep our toes.¡±


    ¡°What do you suggest, then?¡±


    ¡°Snowshoes,¡± I said confidently, squinting against snow so bright it hurt. ¡°And some goggles. I dunno about you, but I can barely even see.¡±


    Aerion blinked and stared at me like I was an alien.


    <hr>


    My elven friend watched on curiously as I retrieved a piece of cloth I''d packed into my inventory. I''d agonized over what to fit in the limited space, but I figured cloth, while not quite duct tape, was pretty versatile.


    Good job, Greg, your planning actually paid off for once!


    I cut off two long, narrow strips and held one up to my eyes, measured twice, and poked in two holes before tying it around my head.


    ¡°Well?¡± I said, flashing Aerion a grin. ¡°How do I look?¡±


    ¡°Honestly?¡±


    ¡°Honestly.¡±


    ¡°Hideous.¡±


    ¡°Hey! That''s so mean! I think it looks quite fashionable, myself.¡±


    ¡°How would you know? You''ve no mirror.¡±


    ¡°Trust me, I know,¡± I said, unperturbed. ¡°Besides, better get used to them, because you''ll be wearing one, too.¡±


    Despite wrinkling her nose and grumbling a little, Aerion put them on regardless.


    ¡°Surprisingly effective, for something so primitive,¡± Aerion said, looking around.


    ¡°Hey now, don''t go showering me with compliments until you see what I come up with next! You''re not the only one who can build a thing or two, you know?¡±


    Aerion rolled her eyes.


    I rummaged around and stripped the backing off a chair I¡¯d taken apart for firewood. The backrest was made of some thatched reed material, which felt perfect for my needs. I didn¡¯t know nearly enough about snowshoes to build one myself, but I was plenty capable of punching a couple of holes and tying a few knots with the small length of rope I¡¯d packed into my Spatial Inventory.


    Some people said duct tape could solve just about any problem. I didn¡¯t have duct tape, but I figured rope was nearly as good, so I¡¯d stashed some for the trip. I just never thought I¡¯d have to use it within a day of arriving.


    I strapped the makeshift snowshoe to my steel boots and took a few test steps.


    ¡°Well, not the most glorious of snowshoes, but I figure they¡¯ll suffice.¡±


    ¡°Fascinating,¡± Aerion said, analyzing my handiwork closely. ¡°They distribute the weight of your body, allowing you to float atop it. I¡¯ve heard of such contraptions in Wisdom¡¯s territory to the far north, but I¡¯ve never seen one in person.¡±


    As usual, Aerion was freakishly fast on the uptake when it came to anything mechanical. So much so that she managed to build her own set in half the time as I did, and hers looked a lot better, too, being shorter in the front and longer in the rear to allow for easy movement.


    While we only needed them to last a mile, I Initialized both sets for three points per set. They granted us a ¡®Stomp¡¯ ability that increased the damage to anything we crushed underfoot, but I largely ignored that. These basic abilities were practically useless next to the stuff my [Uncommon] and [Rare] equipment granted. I mainly just wanted them to not crumble after a few minutes of use.


    With the triple suns high overhead and snowshoes strapped to our feet, we set out. Two delvers about to raid a mountain fortress, alone, and all I could think about was how many stats I¡¯d gain from this trek of ours.


    ¡°Stop smiling,¡± Aerion said. ¡°It¡¯s weird.¡±


    ¡°Oh. Sorry.¡±


    I realized, somewhat belatedly, that I might have something of an addiction.

 Soulweaver 83: Unstoppable

    The rest of the trek went fast, mostly thanks to the snowshoes I¡¯d rigged together.


    ¡°I have to admit, these work better than I¡¯d thought,¡± Aerion said as we neared the base. ¡°That was almost easy.¡±


    ¡°Wow. A compliment from you? Hell must¡¯ve frozen over,¡± I said, looking around exaggeratedly. ¡°I take that back. Hell did freeze over, didn¡¯t it?¡±


    Aerion lobbed some snow into my face, which I admittedly probably deserved.


    ¡°Still,¡± I said. ¡°You¡¯re practically a genius at building things. Be careful with those compliments. You¡¯ll just stroke my ego.¡±


    ¡°As if you need me to do that,¡± Aerion said with an eye roll, before pointing at the base of the mountains. ¡°Look. Over there. It seems to be an entrance into the mountain base.¡±


    ¡°Looks like it,¡± I said. ¡°I know it¡¯s cold out, but I think we ought to monitor enemy activity for at least a half-day before making our move. There are a dozen ways this could go horribly wrong.¡±


    Especially without sanctuary rooms and an understanding of the base¡¯s layout, I didn''t add.


    ¡°Agreed,¡± Aerion said, looking up at the sky. ¡°So long as the sun stays high, I imagine we should not be overly troubled. If we do need to spend another night outside, however¡­¡±


    ¡°Let¡¯s cross that bridge when we get to it, yeah?¡±


    ¡°Cross¡­ Ah. I see,¡± Aerion replied. ¡°Indeed.¡±


    I smiled a bit. ¡°Y¡¯know, there was a time when that would¡¯ve completely befuddled you. Look at you now, catching onto my idioms.¡±


    ¡°Oh, rest assured. It¡¯s a survival skill,¡± Aerion replied before stomping away, leaving me speechless. Was it just me, or was she more snarky these days?


    <hr>


    We found a nice perch at the base of the mountain, a hundred yards away from what we believed was a primary gate into the compound. The one nice thing about this soft snow was it was easy to shovel with my shield, and so we dug ourselves a little hole that hid us from view almost perfectly.


    There we sat¡­ and waited. It didn¡¯t take long, though, before both Aerion and I realized the difficulty of our situation.


    The large metal door had swung open only once, to allow a small band of troops¡ªled by one of those orc-like commanders¡ªthrough. Probably another raiding party.


    It¡¯d shut the instant they left. Even if we were willing to risk getting closer, we wouldn¡¯t make it inside before it shut. And doing so would undoubtedly alert every enemy in the area. Not an ideal start.


    ¡°The more time that passes, the more troops the dungeon spawns, and the bigger the army assaulting Basecrest becomes,¡± Aerion had said.


    Time was of the essence, and this entrance was a no-go.


    Somewhat dejected, we broke our little camp and headed for another entrance we¡¯d seen, hoping to find some sort of access way that would allow us to slip in.


    The second entrance was a quarter-mile away, and looked identical to the first, so we didn¡¯t even bother with it.


    In this way, we walked several miles, trying to find a gate that would allow us to slip in.


    It was after we came across our eighth entrance that I concluded we needed a different strategy.


    ¡°At this rate, we¡¯ll run out of daylight before we find a way in,¡± I said. ¡°And it¡¯s quite a trek back to the cabin. Assuming the sun stays out, and the wind doesn¡¯t roll back in.¡±


    ¡°What do you suggest?¡± Aerion asked.


    I looked up the mountain. ¡°I think it¡¯s time we climb.¡±


    Aerion followed my gaze and slouched a little. ¡°Are you sure¡­?¡±


    ¡°Believe me, I don¡¯t want this anymore than you do, but I figure this is a military compound. All the entrances and exits at ground level are liable to be heavily defended. Besides, I feel like I see what looks to be observation decks up there. I¡¯d bet my right arm those aren¡¯t as well defended. Might be able to get in by clubbing a guard or three. Besides, we¡¯re pretty strong. I think we can manage it, as long as the deep snow lasts.¡±


    Aerion steeled herself and nodded. ¡°I keep forgetting about our stats. In the past, I wouldn¡¯t dare scale such a mountain, but now?¡±


    ¡°Now, we have what it takes,¡± I said.


    If this were a small hill, the decision would¡¯ve been easy. It wasn¡¯t. By my estimate, the peak was almost three thousand feet above us, and we were no mountaineers. That this facility seemed to span not only the full width, but also the height of this mountain range, left me a little overwhelmed. It seemed like both Trials and Cataclysm Dungeons loved to do things on a grand scale.


    Still, we did possess superhuman strength and constitution, and we had snowshoes, so that counted for something.


    We set out, with me breaking trail. Even with those snowshoes, though, my feet sank several inches with each step, making the journey much more arduous than it would otherwise have been.


    Luckily, that meant Aerion had a much easier time, following in my literal footsteps.


    The mountainside started to grow steeper a few hundred feet up, forcing me to start zigzagging. That made our trek easier, but also longer, and the longer we spent up here, the more likely it was someone would eventually notice.


    The slog was monotonous, and even despite the cold and my stats, I found myself breathing heavily by the time we neared. At least I had my status screen to stave off the torture. Seeing my Vigor and Dominion stats rise never got old. Between the trek here and the climb, I¡¯d gained one to each, and Aerion had gained one to Dominion, bringing her to 33 and mine to 45 and 41, respectively.


    By the time I closed my screen, the first observatory station wasn¡¯t too far away. What purpose the thing served, I didn¡¯t truly know. It looked like it was designed to watch for enemies, but if so, why hadn¡¯t they detected us yet? Without the storm to shield us, lookouts like these ought to have seen us coming a mile away.


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    ¡°Maybe they don¡¯t expect anyone this soon after landing?¡± Aerion said between breaths.


    ¡°Maybe,¡± I replied, taking another heavy, plodding step. ¡°But since when have we ever been lucky?¡±


    Instead of aiming directly at the structure, I climbed a bit higher, then angled down, from the side, in the hopes that anyone who might¡¯ve been looking out wouldn¡¯t see us.


    As we got closer, more of the buildings¡¯ details became clear. Protruding just past the side of the mountain, it was a long, narrow one-story building about the size of a shipping container, and looked to be made mostly of steel, with metal supports that propped it up. One entire wall was made of glass, and there was a plowed balcony free of snow that exited off to one side.


    That was our in.


    I motioned for Aerion to climb onto the roof of the structure and position herself above the door that led out onto the balcony, while I circled around and grabbed a large hunk of ice, which I compacted in my hands.


    Not trusting my throwing arm, I put my snowball into my inventory and made two more.


    [Aim] activated, and the snowball sailed through the air to smash against the door, right dead center. I was never going to throw anything again¡ªthis ability had me covered.


    When, after a minute, the door didn¡¯t open, I threw both my second and third balls.


    This time, the door did open, and out came a grungy, human-sized orc with dreadlocks.


    My stomach clenched, and for a moment, I thought we were up against one of the commander units from earlier.


    But this guy carried no visible weapons, and he was much smaller. A scout? Or a worker of some sort?


    Aerion dropped silently down on the guy before he¡¯d even had a chance to spot me, plunging her dagger into his neck.


    He died without a sound.


    Aerion whirled and disappeared inside, and I followed a few seconds later with [Light of the Fearless] in my hand.


    By the time I entered, there was nothing left to do. Two orcish bodies lay strewn across the floor, their necks sliced open and bleeding.


    I shivered. And this was without [Reave]. Was her berserker class rubbing off on her? Or was she just getting more comfortable with the act of killing? Either way, I was glad for it.


    ¡°You truly are a warrior, now,¡± I muttered.


    ¡°T-thanks,¡± Aerion replied, looking away with embarrassment. At least that part of her was the same.


    ¡°Well, we found our way in. I suggest we get¡ª¡±


    A blaring siren cut me off.


    I cursed. They found out already? How? Did they have surveillance cameras or something?


    I searched the room, finding an array of primitive consoles with analog dials and a bunch of levers. I didn¡¯t have a clue what any of them did, but I was starting to question whether this was really an observation post as I originally thought. I had hoped there was some big red button I could push to kill the alarm, but no such luck.


    ¡°Well, we¡¯re in!¡± I said. ¡°I say we make a break for it¡ª¡±


    I was cut off again, this time by a deep, booming voice, which, thanks to Cosmo¡¯s bauble, I understood perfectly.


    ¡°Intruder alert. Male Human. Sighted outside Gate G-14. All units proceed to intercept.¡±


    The message repeated, and while my first instinct was to run, something made me hesitate.


    ¡°What does it say?¡± Aerion shouted over the din.


    I translated, and Aerion frowned. ¡°It doesn¡¯t mention me.¡±


    ¡°No, it doesn¡¯t.¡± Also, what we came in from was very much a tiny side door. Nothing nearly big enough to be called a Gate.


    But maybe they called all doors gates, and maybe whatever sensor system they had only detected me.


    ¡°Greg! Look!¡±


    I instinctively swung around and brought my shield up, ready to face whatever abominations swarmed down the red-lit metal hallway that led off into the mountain.


    Only to find an empty hall.


    Huh?


    ¡°Not there!¡± Aerion said with frustration. ¡°Look at where I¡¯m pointing!¡±


    I sheepishly turned, realizing I¡¯d never actually looked, and found Aerion pointing at the wall of windows. Pointing outside, at something down at the ground level.


    A dozen or more indistinct dark forms ran out of the Gate, but from this high up, I struggled to make out any details.


    ¡°Is that¡­¡±


    The window suddenly magnified on what I was looking at, like the whole panel was a display.


    ¡°Woah,¡± I muttered. This was far too clear to be digital. I didn¡¯t know what magic powered this telescope, but it allowed me to witness everything in crystal clarity.


    A lone man stood at the center of a circle of orcs. He carried a fencing sword on his hip, and wore gorgeous fabric armor that was covered over with beautiful red embroidery.


    ¡°Another delver?¡± Aerion asked.


    ¡°Looks like it,¡± I said. ¡°But what the hell does he think he¡¯s doing, walking up to the Gate like that? You¡¯d think he was A ranked or something¡­¡±


    ¡°He would not have been able to enter if he was.¡±


    Aerion was right. If he was, the dungeon would¡¯ve kicked him out.


    ¡°So, he¡¯s basically fucked.¡±


    ¡°It would appear to be quite the disadvantageous situation, yes,¡± Aerion replied, with far more elegance.


    I sighed. ¡°So stupid. Why would he just waltz out like that?¡±


    He was, at best, a D ranker, and while I hadn¡¯t seen any in action, I doubted any could even come close to the awe-inspiring power of the A ranker who¡¯d attacked the Landing Castle.


    ¡°Shall we help him?¡± Aerion asked.


    ¡°Over my dead body,¡± I said immediately. ¡°We don¡¯t have the luxury of saving dumbasses who put themselves in¡­ stupid¡­ situations.¡± I trailed off, my eyes glued to the magnified window.


    The last time I looked, there had been a dozen-odd orcs, tightening the delver¡¯s noose.


    Now, a dozen corpses lay exactly where they stood.


    ¡°The fuck did he do?¡± I whispered.


    Aerion shook her head. ¡°I cannot say. One moment they were alive, and then¡­ They had all perished.¡±


    I watched the man look around, as if confused, before proceeding to the Gate. He was foiled by another group of orcs.


    This time, I saw what Aerion had seen. They just¡­ died. Somehow. It made no sense at all.


    ¡°He didn¡¯t even draw his sword, for Christ¡¯s sake.¡±


    ¡°Quite the formidable¡ª¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m going down,¡± I said, cutting her off.


    ¡°Sorry?¡± Aerion asked, turning to me.


    ¡°That guy. We need to team up with him.¡± My voice was trembling.


    ¡°Am I forgetting? Or didn¡¯t you just say ¡®Over my dead body?¡¯ And besides, what makes you think he wants to team up with us?¡±


    ¡°I did,¡± I admitted. ¡°And, er, that¡¯s a good point.¡± I¡¯d just assumed he¡¯d want to work with us. ¡°Still, this guy isn¡¯t a moron at all. He¡¯s a monster. And if he¡¯s smart, he¡¯ll know that our chances skyrocket with the three of us working together.¡±


    I grinned. ¡°With someone like that by our side, we¡¯ll be unstoppable.¡±

 Soulweaver 84: Richard Rhodes

    I darted out the door, but Aerion beat me to it, bounding off into the snow ahead of me. Given how compacted the ground was from our earlier traversal, she made good time, while I, with larger, heavier gear, lagged a bit.


    What had taken us almost an hour to hike up took barely five minutes on the way down.


    In that time, the base had sent out another group of orcs, this time led by a few commanders. Our friend seemed to be unable to take these guys out instantly, and was currently fighting them off four to one.


    He held his ground well, but even to my amateurish eye, I could tell his form wasn¡¯t all that great. Whatever Boon or Blessing he had clearly compensated for his lack of skill, and if I had to guess, experience.


    The guy had allowed the enemies to surround him, and was currently fending off strikes from several directions without even attempting to flee to a more advantageous position.


    Thinking about it, he shouldn¡¯t even be in this situation in the first place. Marching up to the Gate was reckless, even if he could take on the entire base.


    What I really wanted was to interview this guy before making any decisions. If I felt like he had a screw loose, or was one of those types that was just impossible to work with, we¡¯d go our separate ways. As Aerion said, though, he might not want to work with us, so it¡¯d give him the chance to get to know us as well. Still, I was confident. Lending someone a hand wasn¡¯t terrible as far as first impressions went.


    The opportunity here was too good to pass up. If he was, as I thought, just green, we could fix that. His strength alone made up for that lack of experience, and once we taught him proper tactics and made him a functioning part of the party, he¡¯d be devastating. At least for this dungeon, the three of us would make a potent force.


    Which meant we needed to pull him out without the enemy taking notice. Ordinarily difficult, but if I was right, we stood a chance, and a good one at that.


    I slid the final few steps and leaped into the fray, activating both [Light of the Fearless] and its counterpart.


    The offensive strength this sword gave me was genuinely unfair. These commanders could end me with a strike or two, and for the first time, I had an attack that matched that lethality.


    The first orc died without even knowing what hit him. He¡¯d been facing the man we were trying to save, and completely missed my charge from behind. Light of the Fearless plunged into his back and out his stomach, and I must¡¯ve hit his spinal cord, because the juggernaut went instantly limp.


    That actually caused somewhat of a problem for me, since he subsequently fell to the ground, which made extracting my blade exceedingly difficult.


    I was still struggling with that when another commander guy took notice and charged my way.


    Thankfully, so did Aerion. Though she hadn¡¯t activated [Reave] yet, her 33 points of Dominion made her plenty lethal, even without.


    A slice of her sword to the man¡¯s thigh, and another across his back, sent him reeling.


    He recovered fast¡ªfaster than I would¡¯ve thought possible, raising his arm to strike at Aerion. A knot formed in the pit of my stomach. She was in the wrong position to dodge, and Aerion carried no shield with which to defend.


    But then¡­ Then something neither of us could explain happened. The commander¡¯s blow never came. His arm¡ªin fact, his whole body¡ªremained motionless, like it was frozen in place.


    After what felt like an eternity, but must¡¯ve only been a few seconds, he fell over backwards. Dead.


    Both of us stared at the man, who grinned sheepishly. ¡°Looked like you were in a sticky spot, friend. Thought I¡¯d help you out!¡±


    ¡°Er, thanks,¡± Aerion replied, scratching her chin awkwardly. ¡°But there¡¯s still one left.¡±


    ¡°Right. We¡¯d best hop to it then, yeah?¡±


    She darted off, moving to engage the final opponent alongside the guy we were trying to save, but I didn¡¯t join them.


    Something about the way this guy spoke felt¡­ off to me, and like an itch I couldn¡¯t scratch, it bothered the hell out of me.


    ¡°Well, that¡¯s that, innit?¡± the man said jovially after the final commander fell. ¡°Many thanks to the both of you. I admit, I found myself in a bit of a bind there.¡±


    Pushing my feelings to the back of my mind, I addressed the guy. ¡°You¡¯re a delver, aren¡¯t you?¡±


    ¡°I am indeed,¡± he said. ¡°The name¡¯s Richard, by the way. Richard Rhodes.¡±


    ¡°Greg,¡± I said. ¡°And the elf there¡¯s my charge, Aerion.¡±


    ¡°Aerion and Greg. Well, your timing is just impeccable. Say, you wouldn¡¯t happen to know a way into this place, would you? These monsters seem to keep pouring out of this gate, here.¡±


    I glanced at Aerion.


    Well, at least he¡¯s not crazy.


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    She returned my look with one that said, ¡®Yeah, but he seems kinda odd?¡¯


    Or inexperienced. He honestly just struck me as a normal guy who¡¯d wandered onto a battlefield. Which, of course, made no sense.


    ¡°That¡¯s quite the power you¡¯ve got there. You¡¯re Blessed, I¡¯m guessing?¡±


    ¡°Indeed I am!¡± Richard replied.


    I nodded at Aerion, who nodded back.


    ¡°Actually, I¡¯m¡ª¡± He was interrupted by another group of monsters who just emerged from within the compound. ¡°Better get ready.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ve got a better idea,¡± I said. ¡°Unless you want to keep fighting endless hordes of these monsters, I suggest coming with us. We located a backdoor, about a quarter of the way up the mountain. If we hurry, we should be able to get there and get inside without their forces being any wiser.¡±


    ¡°That right?¡± Richard said, frowning at the mountain.


    ¡°Almost looks like the mountain scares you more than those monsters did,¡± I commented.


    ¡°Hmm? Oh, no. Just that I¡¯m afraid I¡¯m not much of an alpinist. Never did hit the gym as often as I¡¯d have liked.¡±


    ¡°Uh, huh. Well, anyway. I¡¯d suggest we make a move before the next wave arrives. There¡¯s an alarm going off within the facility, and I¡¯m guessing they¡¯re mustering troops from wherever they can find them. Won¡¯t be long before more show up, and in greater numbers.¡±


    When Richard laughed, my confusion only grew deeper.


    ¡°Sorry, something funny?¡± I said, giving no hint as to my mental state.


    ¡°Oh, no, nothing at all. Lead the way, friend!¡±


    <hr>


    Aerion dashed out front, and I brought up the rear, with Richard sandwiched in the middle. He was¡­ Every bit as clumsy as I¡¯d feared, failing to follow our hard-packed trail on more than one occasion, which landed him almost waist-deep in the snow.


    He apologized profusely each time, huffing and puffing to catch up with Aerion afterward. I felt a little bad for the guy. He was keenly aware of just how outmatched he was in the physical fitness department, and by the curses he uttered every time, he looked like he hated himself for slowing us down.


    All of this meant I got a good look at him on our way up. He was a late middle-aged wiry elf with a bit of a belly, which was honestly a bit of a shock. I¡¯d just assumed all elves were as fit as Aerion. Guess not¡­


    He was clean-shaven, with short cropped black hair, and not much muscle anywhere. His armor was an incredibly elaborate fabric, but one that wore like normal clothing rather than heavy gambeson. He wore a medium-sized rucksack on his back, which no doubt carried all of his supplies. Still, it couldn¡¯t have been more than a week¡¯s worth of food, if that.


    Overall, he was just about as maladjusted to the current environment as someone could get, both in his choice of clothing and his personality. Then again, I couldn¡¯t comment, given our own wardrobe. Clearly, none of us had expected this environment.


    ¡°I¡¯m a Foundation-Rank Boonworthy,¡± I said, going with something plausible, yet nothing that would raise any eyebrows. ¡°But Aerion over there is an Emergence-Rank Blessed.¡±


    ¡°That right?¡± Richard said, looking at Aerion, who was about fifteen feet in front of us. ¡°I¡¯m Foundation rank myself. Quite an impressive feat, especially for someone as young as yourself. I only wish my daughter could¡¯ve met you. She¡¯d have loved that. She¡¯s quite the adventurer, that one.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯ve got a daughter?¡± I asked.


    Richard¡¯s eyes lit up, downright beaming despite the exertion. ¡°And a son! She¡¯s eight and he¡¯s nine.¡± He furrowed his brows, and the joy that was just there seemed to evaporate. ¡°Reckon I just missed his birthday, in fact.¡±


    ¡°Oh¡­ I¡¯m sorry,¡± I said, lowering my gaze. ¡°Cataclysm hasn¡¯t been easy on anyone.¡±


    ¡°Yeah. Right,¡± Richard replied distractedly, like his mind was a million miles away.


    Poor guy. I figured entering a dungeon like this was pretty similar to me being spirited away from my world. With the obvious exception of never being able to return, of course.


    Richard couldn¡¯t have known how long he¡¯d be in here, away from his family. At least I had nothing to lose.


    ¡°How¡¯d you get into the dungeon, anyway?¡± I asked. ¡°Aerion and I had a hell of a time getting past the monsters guarding the gates.¡±


    I glanced at my elven friend, who, despite being quite a ways ahead of us, had undoubtedly been listening to the entire conversation.


    ¡°Hmm? Oh, that was the easy bit,¡± Richard said, panting out the sentence. ¡°Had a whole contingent of guards. Boonworthy and Blessed, the lot of them. Separated the moment we entered, though. A safety mechanism of sorts, or so I¡¯m told. Been roaming around searching for them ever since, but my luck¡¯s been awful rotten. It¡¯s all gone pear shaped, if you ask me.¡±


    I blanked for a moment. Pear shaped?


    ¡°Er, guards, huh?¡± I said, doing my best to cover up my momentary pause. ¡°Couldn¡¯t have come cheap.¡±


    ¡°Oh, I¡¯m not privy to those affairs, I¡¯m afraid,¡± Richard said, making his situation all the more confusing. Was he just some rich noble who happened to have a Blessing?


    Something didn¡¯t fit, though, and that itch from earlier came roaring back.


    Before I could ask anything else, though, monsters came pouring out of the gate down below. We were now about three quarters of the way up¡ªwell outside the line of sight of anyone on the ground, unless they happened to look directly at us.


    I just hoped none among them were good trackers. It wouldn¡¯t take much of one to find our footprints, and then the jig would be up.


    As it happened, I needn¡¯t have worried. The monsters¡¯ own footprints overwrote our own, and the orcs were left standing around, confused. Meanwhile, clouds had formed, and the snow had begun to fall. The wind was also starting to pick up, which made the journey even more arduous for Richard, but served to hide us from all prying eyes as well.


    We reached the railing to the mid-mountain station right as Richard¡¯s teeth started to chatter. With our enhanced Vitality, Aerion and I could stay out for a few more minutes, but if we hadn¡¯t found our little secret entrance, we¡¯d have been screwed.


    We all piled into the warm room, shutting the heavy metal door behind us, and swiveling the wheel lock shut.


    The alarm had been shut off at some point, leaving the three of us in the shipping container-sized control room as the wind howled outside.


    We all just stood there for several moments, saying nothing to each other, before I broke the silence. But before I did, I had to put my suspicions to rest. Reaching into my pocket, I discreetly slipped my translator back into my Spatial Inventory.


    ¡°Well, Richard,¡± I said. ¡°We¡¯re in. The question is, would you like to join us for now? Or would you like to delve this dungeon on your own?¡±


    ¡°Well, that¡¯s hardly a question, innit?¡± Richard replied in perfect English. ¡°Nothing like good company! I¡¯d love to team up, if you¡¯ll have me.¡±


    I stood there, blinking, refusing to accept what my brain was telling me.


    Richard was no elf. He wasn¡¯t Blessed, or even Boonworthy.


    He was British.

 Soulweaver 85: Broken Hearts

    More to distract myself than anything, I took a quick moment to inspect my recent gains as we walked deeper into the compound, and I couldn¡¯t resist doing a little mental fist pump. Aerion, observant as ever, saw my expression and narrowed her eyes, until she brought up my status screen for herself. That got her smiling as well, and she threw me a small nod.


    Congratulations! [Light of the Fearless]¡¯s Ability [Light of the Fearless] has leveled up to Foundation - 6.


    Congratulations! [Light of the Fearless]¡¯s Ability [Shadow of the Fearless] has leveled up to Foundation - 6.


    Congratulations! [Steel-Plated Tower Shield]¡¯s Ability [Mirrored] has leveled up to Foundation - MAX.


    Congratulations! Dominion has increased from 42 to 43. Current maximum: 74.


    Congratulations! [Initializer] has leveled up to Emergence - 7. Max Essence Increased from 250 to 270. Essence Utilization: 235/270. Would you like to reclaim Initialized equipment?


    I admired my notifications for a bit, happy that I¡¯d tweaked the notifications to tell me my current stat ceiling. Saved me from having to bring up the full stat page every time to compare.


    It wasn¡¯t a bad haul at all, thanks to that level up. I took the opportunity to immediately uninitialize our snowshoes. I could always initialize them again if needed, but for now, they just took up 6 Essence points for no good reason. Their [Stomp] ability was still at F - 0, and it wasn¡¯t like I planned to use them as weapons, anyway.


    Freeing that up brought me down to 229, which was seven points more than my utilization before leveling. As usual, every level up meant increased utilization, thanks to Aerion¡¯s 33%.


    I glanced at my berserking elven friend. No regrets there. Aerion was a little monster, and 33% was well worth the trade.


    What wasn¡¯t, however, was all the useless abilities my other gear had. Stuff I never leveled. Like [Hidden Dragon] that my cuirass gave me. Still at F-0, since I never used it in combat. Same with my gauntlets¡¯ [Minor Heat Resist], which was at F2.


    I¡¯d tried activating them in the middle of combat whenever I had the sense to remember, just to get them leveled, and to help my Blessing level, but that was easier said than done while in the thick of things. Still, I made a mental note to be better about that from now on. I also needed to Initialize my next piece of gear when I got a chance, now that I had more Essence.


    As far as Condition went¡­ I was learning that I really didn¡¯t have to worry about that much anymore with my [Uncommon] gear. Let alone [Rare] gear. [Light of the Fearless] had seen plenty of action so far, but it was only down to 776/800. Not only did it have way more points, but they decreased slower as well. It was just my [Common] stuff I needed to watch out for.


    Closing my screens, I focused on our surroundings. More specifically, Richard. We seemed to be in some remote corner of the base, seeing how we hadn¡¯t come across a single enemy. We were looking for a nice, empty room where we could come up with a plan, but until then, we kept our eyes peeled and our voices low.


    And all that time, there was only one thought going through my head.


    He¡¯s from Earth!


    Richard being an elf had completely thrown me off. So he got a choice to change his race? It made me wonder why Cosmo hadn¡¯t given me that option. I¡¯d even explicitly asked.


    Though he did so in a hushed voice, Richard talked Aerion up as we walked. Given their personalities, it was mostly him going on and on, with Aerion barely able to get in a word edgewise. That was great because it gave me ample time to scrutinize the middle-aged man.


    ¡°... Right smack in the belly of the beast, aren¡¯t we?¡± Richard muttered, looking around. ¡°Bloody brilliant of you to think of scaling the peak, honestly. Never would have thought of that myself.¡±


    I could understand him. Without Cosmo¡¯s translator. That sounded all sorts of alarm bells on its own, yet the more I observed, the more confused I became.


    Aerion¡¯s voice also translated to something like a British accent with Cosmo¡¯s bauble, but was entirely different when her voice came through unfiltered. It was captivating, even when she was speaking the comparatively harsher-sounding Common.


    In her native elvish, her words were almost like music. Supremely melodic, flowing, and just¡­ beautiful. Amazing as an art form, but incredibly distracting when actually trying to communicate, at least for me.


    I knew neither language, so it didn¡¯t matter much right now, but if I did ever learn elvish, I was going to have to find a way to deal with that eventually.


    That was a concern for the future, though, and right now, I grew increasingly confused with every word I heard. Hearing someone converse with someone in English, and for Aerion to reply in Common as if they spoke the same tongue, was jarring to say the least.


    It made no sense, actually. Aerion didn¡¯t have a translator, so she ought to have heard Richard speak in Elvish. But without my translator, I heard him speak perfect British English¡ªthe same as with the translator.


    Which meant the System somehow recognized that I understood his native tongue, and because he must be carrying a translator like mine, it decided to carry the language through untranslated. Richard wouldn¡¯t have noticed, of course. Both of our voices would sound the same to each other, with or without translation.


    There was more, too. Something to do with the way he carried himself, his gestures, and the phrases he used struck me as incredibly familiar. Thinking back on it, it must¡¯ve been the idioms he¡¯d used that triggered my spidey sense.


    Richard was definitely from my world, and if I had to guess¡­ From a time period similar to mine.


    My heart raced. If that were true, then I¡¯d finally met someone I could relate to. Someone who¡¯d actually get my references instead of responding with narrowed eyes or thousand yard stares. Who could reminisce with me about the world I''d probably never go back to¡­


    And yet, he was a Champion. Even if Richard kept my secret, what were the chances his god would? The gods of this world didn''t exactly have a spotless track record. Especially when it came to things like basic human decency.


    Revealing myself to him would carry a not insignificant risk of announcing who I was to his god, and thus, the larger world. That came with all sorts of ramifications. If the regent of Order¡¯s territory was even half as much of a politician as Aerion suggested, my life would become a living nightmare of political intrigue and maneuvering. I¡¯d lose a lot of the autonomy I have now, and unraveling Cosmo¡¯s true intentions would become a lot harder with so many eyes on me.


    Not to mention the ceremonies, parades¡­ I recoiled at the thought. As badly as I wanted to shoot the breeze with Richard, I couldn¡¯t. Not until I got to know him and his god a lot better, at least.


    For now, I had to find some way of letting Aerion know without tipping him off. While Richard didn¡¯t look dangerous, in fact, he struck me as the sort of jovial uncle every kid dreamed of having¡ªthe kind that showered their nephews and nieces with gifts and snuck them candy behind their parents¡¯ backs¡ªhe was a Champion. Of which god, I didn¡¯t know, but I¡¯d be a fool to assume he wasn¡¯t at least as powerful as Aerion and me. I sure as hell couldn¡¯t end monsters as easily as Richard had done back there.


    The question was¡­ How was I supposed to tell Aerion? If we decided to team up, we¡¯d be together at pretty much all hours of the day.


    I couldn¡¯t risk whispering the secret with Aerion, either. For all I knew, his Blessing gave him super hearing. I¡¯d have to come up with an excuse to lure Aerion a good distance away, and we¡¯d have to devise a strategy for how to deal with¡ª


    No, there was a bigger problem, I realized, panicking. What if Richard removes his translator bauble? He¡¯d learn the same thing I learned.


    Thoughts and plans ran rampant through my mind. Should I just tell him? Should I try to speak as little as possible? No, that wouldn¡¯t work at all¡­


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    The solution to my problem came not from my own head, but surprisingly, from Richard.


    ¡°Goodness!¡± Richard cried, slamming his fist into an open palm. ¡°With all the excitement, I bloody well nearly forgot! Well, that¡¯s just bad form on my part.¡±


    ¡°Uh, what do you mean?¡± I asked.


    ¡°Afraid I forgot to tell you, friend. I¡¯m Passion¡¯s Champion.¡±


    <hr>


    Aerion and I froze midstep.


    All the dozen half-baked plans and schemes in my head came to a screeching halt.


    ¡°Sorry?¡± ¡°What?¡± Aerion and I said in unison, both of us shocked, but for entirely different reasons.


    ¡°Bollocks,¡± Richard said sheepishly, rubbing the back of his head. ¡°Meant to tell you. Really did! Just slipped my mind with all the chaos. Did you dirty, and for that, you¡¯ve my sincere apologies.¡±


    ¡°N-no, it¡¯s fine,¡± Aerion said, flustered at the sight of a Champion bowing his head to her. ¡°Really! We¡¯ve only just met!¡±


    Aerion threw me a look, and I nodded. ¡°I wouldn¡¯t have expected a Champion to let on at all if they didn¡¯t feel like it. Thanks for the honesty.¡±


    ¡°Least I could do, friend,¡± Richard said, visibly relieved. ¡°Passion doesn¡¯t exactly want me going around blabbing, but lies and secrecy are no way to kick off a relationship, yeah?¡±


    ¡°Couldn¡¯t agree more,¡± I lied secretly.


    I agreed in spirit. Just that I had some¡­ extenuating circumstances. Still, that was surprisingly forthright of Richard. Here I was, expecting him to play all sorts of games to hide his identity, when he just came out and admitted it. Like a breath of fresh air. Refreshing. I respected that a lot.


    Especially when I had no intention of revealing my own situation¡ªa message I sent to Aerion with a look. Did I feel a little guilty? Sure. But while Richard was honest, one could also call him a little naive. What if we¡¯d been opportunists? Cut off from his guards as he was, I could think of any number of ways to profit from befriending a Champion. Or, if I had fewer compunctions, blackmail him.


    ¡°Wait,¡± I said, seizing upon my golden opportunity. ¡°That means you¡¯re from another world, doesn¡¯t it? How can you speak with us?¡±


    ¡°Oh, that? Quite handy, isn¡¯t it?¡± Richard said with a grin. ¡°Got that when Passion changed my race to an elf. Gave me the ability to chat with most forms of life. Quite remarkable, actually.¡±


    I stared at him blankly. ¡°Passion just¡­ Changed your race? With your consent, I assume?¡±


    ¡°Er, not quite. By the time I¡¯d realized it, I was already an elf. A bit of a shocker, though I admit I never looked this handsome.¡±


    Lack of basic decency, indeed. That was so fucked up, I didn''t even know where to start. For all my gripes about Cosmo, I had to at least thank him for not violating my right to my own body. Yeesh.


    ¡°Said I¡¯d go back to normal the minute I got home, though,¡± Richard said.


    I did a double take. He¡¯d said it so casually that the words didn¡¯t register the first time around. When they did, I froze in my tracks. ¡°Got¡­ Home?¡± I croaked. ¡°She said you can go back?¡±


    Aerion¡¯s head whipped to me, panic written all over her face.


    I hadn¡¯t ever bothered to ask anyone if that was possible. Why would I? Cosmo specifically said it wasn¡¯t when I¡¯d first been summoned. It was one of the few things he¡¯d actually confirmed.


    ¡°Course I can! All the Champions do, after every Cataclysm. Mandatory, it seems. Surprised you haven¡¯t heard.¡±


    A knot clenched in my stomach. Mandatory? I had to go back? Did I even want to?


    I very intentionally avoided Aerion¡¯s piercing gaze. She must¡¯ve known. Something like this would be common knowledge to this world¡¯s population. She knew, but she didn¡¯t want to discuss it. Understandable.


    I was already growing attached to her, and to this world. Who was to say what the situation would be like years from now?


    This was something I absolutely needed to bring up with Cosmo the next time we met. For now, I met Aerion¡¯s gaze and shook my head. Not now. Later.


    Shoving that thought to the back of my mind, I focused on the task at hand.


    ¡°You¡­ Just know how to speak the languages?¡± I asked. ¡°Even without any magical devices or anything?¡±


    ¡°Something like that. To me, I¡¯m still speaking my original tongue, and people answer back in it as well. I haven¡¯t a clue of how it works.¡±


    I let out a small breath and did a mental fist pump. So Passion¡¯s universal translator worked differently from Cosmo¡¯s. Was that true for all the other Champions? If so, why? Was it really because of his race change?


    Aerion cleared her throat, bringing me out of my thoughts, and pointed to a door. She¡¯d tried every one we¡¯d come across thus far, but they¡¯d been locked. This one was ajar.


    ¡°Ready?¡± she asked, eyes meeting mine and Richard¡¯s.


    We both nodded back, and it was like a switch had been flipped. The casual air vanished in an instant, and we all tensed, preparing ourselves for combat.


    I drew [Light of the Fearless] from my hip, while Aerion retrieved her [Nobleman¡¯s Steel Shortsword]. Its [Venom Strike] ability was now at F - 9, and was starting to pack quite a punch.


    As we¡¯d practiced in our breaching and entering drills, Aerion held up three fingers, then counted down, in a near-universal gesture I was sure Richard would get.


    He did, and when her last finger went down, we charged into the room to find a mid-sized space filled to the gills with all sorts of steam machinery.


    We combed the place together, moving quickly and methodically. With the layout being what it was, enemies could be hiding in any nook or cranny, but as we progressed, I became increasingly confident we were alone.


    That was until a high-pitched yell pierced through the noise of the machines.


    An orc, which had been crouched down so we didn¡¯t see him, rushed us with a scimitar held high in his hand.


    Aerion moved to intercept, but Richard cleared his throat. ¡°Erm, if you¡¯d allow me?¡±


    Before she could reply, Richard had extended his arm. He opened his palm, then closed his fist, in a grabbing motion that ought to have been completely ineffective.


    I¡¯d seen him use this move before, though. I knew what was coming.


    Even then, I could hardly believe it when the enemy orc collapsed midstep, tumbling end over end before coming to a rest at Richard¡¯s feet.


    The Brit turned and gave us a sheepish grin. ¡°Ghastly thing, isn¡¯t it?¡±


    ¡°Your power,¡± Aerion said. ¡°What is it?¡±


    ¡°Oh, um. I can increase blood pressure through arteries, resulting in critical failure of the one that makes you tick. In other words¡­ I can burst hearts,¡± he said with a sheepish grin.


    <hr>


    ¡°Empty,¡± Aerion stated, after making another round of the place.


    ¡°Empty,¡± Richard confirmed.


    I swiveled the ship-style wheel lock on the door, locking us in.


    ¡°Well, now we can talk in peace,¡± I said, sliding down a wall onto my bum. ¡°First things first. I want us to be on the¡ªI want to ensure our goals are the same. It¡¯d be a disaster if we teamed up only to later discover we had different goals,¡± I said, quickly correcting myself. I¡¯d almost said ¡®I want us to be on the same page¡¯, which might have hinted at my origin.


    Richard nodded several times, seemingly having missed my snafu.


    ¡°Right,¡± he said. ¡°Well, I¡¯m here to destroy this infernal dungeon. Did you know? Back on Earth, we play tabletop games with these sorts of things? Strangely similar, if you ask me.¡±


    ¡°Glad to hear it,¡± I said, not reacting one bit to his reference. I studiously ignored Aerion¡¯s furtive glances my way. We really needed to talk in private. ¡°That¡¯s our goal, too. We came here from the city of Basecrest, in Dominion¡¯s territory.¡±


    ¡°I know of it,¡± Richard said. ¡°That¡¯s the city under siege, yeah? What rotten luck.¡±


    ¡°Indeed,¡± I replied. ¡°Plenty have died already, and from what I understand, Aerion and I are one of the few teams to have made it through. We need to destroy this dungeon before it can grow and spawn more powerful monsters.¡±


    ¡°Peachy,¡± Richard said. ¡°We¡¯ll team up, us three, tear through this dungeon, destroy the core, and be home in time for supper!¡±


    Both Aerion and I looked at him blankly, though in my case, I was just acting the part.


    ¡°I believe it will take us several weeks to clear this dungeon, I¡¯m afraid,¡± Aerion said with a frown.


    ¡°Oh, I¡¯m aware. It¡¯s¡­ a saying. From where I¡¯m from,¡± Richard said in exasperation.


    Huh. So that was what it felt like, being on the other end. I felt for Aerion. That was a little annoying.


    I cleared my throat. ¡°Moving on, now that we know we¡¯re all here for the same reason, do we all wish to work together?¡±


    ¡°I think we¡¯d be bloody daft not to,¡± Richard said. ¡°I¡¯ve seen you fight, and you¡¯ve seen what I can do. We¡¯re strong. The three of us working together? I daresay we¡¯ll have an easy time of it.¡±


    My lips crept up slightly. ¡°Well, I don¡¯t know if it¡¯ll be that easy¡­ This is a Divergence Rank dungeon, after all. But I agree. I think we¡¯ll be stronger together.¡±


    Richard¡¯s thoughts echoed my own. The man could burst hearts, for Christ¡¯s sake. That was both absolutely terrifying, and insanely valuable. Before I harbored any thoughts of working with this man, I needed to know more. About him. And about his power.


    ¡°But there¡¯s one thing Aerion and I need to know, first,¡± I said.


    ¡°Ask and ye shall receive,¡± Richard said, bowing deeply. ¡°Assuming it¡¯s something I can answer, of course.¡±


    ¡°Oh, I think it is,¡± I said. ¡°Tell us how your heart crushing power works. In as much detail as you know.¡±


    Richard grinned. ¡°It¡¯d be my pleasure!¡±

 Soulweaver 86: A Grand Ole Party

    I wiped away some forehead sweat and blinked. ¡°So, you basically have no idea how it works.¡±


    ¡°Well, I wouldn¡¯t go that far,¡± Richard replied. ¡°For example, I do know that my Blessing¡¯s only any good at short distances. Becomes nearly useless after about a dozen or so feet. Erm, what else? Let¡¯s see.. Ah, yes, the stronger my opponent, the less of an effect it has. Which you probably saw, fighting those nasty buggers at the entrance gate.¡±


    ¡°I suppose that makes sense,¡± I replied.


    ¡°Does it work on any other parts of the body?¡± Aerion asked, beating me to it. She was starting to think like I did, which really came in handy in situations like these.


    ¡°Just the one, I''m afraid,¡± Richard said. ¡°Though Passion assures me I¡¯ll have more control once I grow stronger. It¡¯s a heart squeezer for now.¡±


    I winced at the joke, which seemed to delight Richard. ¡°Do you have a feel for how strong your opponent has to be before the ability stops working? Any way you could measure it?¡± I asked. I wondered if it would work on the obsidian golems I¡¯d fought in Dominion¡¯s Trial. Did those things even have hearts?


    ¡°Afraid not,¡± Richard replied, frowning. ¡°Asked Passion the same thing, myself. Said there¡¯s no magic in numbers, whatever that was supposed to mean.¡±


    Now that was interesting. It sounded an awful lot like Richard couldn¡¯t see stats and levels the way Aerion and I did. But rather than stats not existing at all for Richard, Passion¡¯s response almost made it sound like they were just hidden from him. Did that mean Eskil was the same? Or did Dominion allow his Champion to see stats?


    I thought back to the muscle-bound Viking and the answer became obvious. If I was a god, there was no way in hell I¡¯d trust that brute with numbers. Let alone allow him to guide his own path of progression.


    ¡°Still, it¡¯s quite the ability, I assure you. Gave me a right scare the first time I used it, that. Killed a rabbit and couldn¡¯t sleep for days.¡±


    Aerion and I exchanged a look.


    ¡°Is that so?¡± she said. ¡°Surprising, considering how many you just killed.¡±


    Richard¡¯s face fell. ¡°Yes, well. Desperate times make a man do desperate things, I¡¯m afraid.¡±


    ¡°You speak of the Cataclysm?¡± Aerion asked.


    ¡°Well, no. Not quite. A conversation for another time, perhaps,¡± he said with a sad smile. ¡°Now, since we seem to be playing show and tell, how about you fill me in on your own powers?¡±


    ¡°We¡¯d love to,¡± I said. ¡°But first, would you mind if we discussed a few things in private?¡±


    ¡°Of course!¡± Richard said, gesturing with his arm to the other corner of the room. ¡°I¡¯ll just¡­ study this intriguing machinery. Yes, I think I find this quite intriguing.¡±


    I shot Aerion a glance, and it was only through sheer force of will that we stopped ourselves from laughing.


    <hr>


    ¡°He¡¯s quite the odd one, isn''t he?¡± Aerion said, once we¡¯d sequestered ourselves in the far corner of the room. With all the noise from the steam vents, we could practically shout and Richard wouldn''t have heard a thing. ¡°He seems nice, at least.¡±


    ¡°He certainly does.¡±


    ¡°But you have reservations¡­¡±


    ¡°How¡¯d you know?¡± I deadpanned.


    Aerion rolled her eyes. ¡°You always have reservations. Dominion himself could come down and bequeath you with a Blessing, and I am sure you would ask him a dozen questions to convince yourself it wasn¡¯t some form of prank.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s¡­ Yeah. I probably would,¡± I admitted. Was I really so predictable? Or was Aerion just overly perceptive? ¡°At any rate, there are a few things you ought to know. Richard is not only from my world, we speak the same native tongue. And if my guess is right, he¡¯s from a time period relatively close to mine.¡±


    ¡°Unlike Eskil,¡± Aerion said with a pensive frown.


    ¡°Very much unlike Eskil, yeah. I don¡¯t know much about Viking history, but I¡¯d put him at around 1200 years before my time. We¡¯re so far apart that he might as well come from another world entirely.¡±


    Earth in the 800¡¯s practically was another world, having more in common with Axuys than the modern era.


    ¡°Amazing,¡± Aerion said, voice full of wonder. ¡°For the gods to not only summon Champions from other worlds, but other times, too. Their power knows no bounds.¡±


    ¡°Yeaaah.¡± I grimaced. That gods with the ability to teleport existed already rocked my world view, but time? Did that mean time travel was possible? That bombshell blew apart pretty much everything I thought I knew about the workings of the universe.


    As was generally the case with such monumental revelations, I locked it deep within a dark recess at the back of my mind, where it¡¯d stay¡­ preferably forever. Right now, we needed to figure out what to do about Richard.


    ¡°I gotta admit, his power is honestly amazing,¡± I said. ¡°With a monster like him at our side, I can''t see how we wouldn''t steamroll¡ªer, dominate¡ªthis dungeon.¡±


    ¡°Why¡¯d you correct yourself?¡± Aerion asked, frowning. ¡°You never do that. Not that I¡¯m complaining, mind you. I rarely understand your references, anyway.¡±


    This content has been misappropriated from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.


    ¡°Because if we do team up with Richard, I can¡¯t use those turns of phrase, can I?¡± I replied, smoothly ignoring her jab. ¡°Not without giving away who I am, at least.¡±


    ¡°Is that such a terrible thing?¡± Aerion said. ¡°We will be trusting each other with our lives, after all.¡±


    ¡°On its own? Not at all. In fact, I¡¯d love to tell him. He¡¯s probably the only one in this whole world who¡¯d get my references. We¡¯d have so much to talk about. But if Richard¡¯s the type who can¡¯t keep a secret, or if his god decides to snoop on him¡­¡±


    ¡°Then words would get out about who you are,¡± Aerion completed. ¡°Which would inevitably force you back to Order¡¯s territory.¡±


    ¡°Which might be bad for me, but it sounds like it¡¯d be terrible for you,¡± I said.


    Aerion bit her lip and nodded. ¡°It¡¯d do neither of us any good.¡±


    ¡°Right. So there are some downsides teaming up with Richard. Risk of exposure. The possibility he¡¯s deranged and bursts our hearts in our sleep.¡±


    ¡°Do you think he can?¡± Aerion asked, looking suddenly pale.


    ¡°I don¡¯t think he will,¡± I replied. ¡°And even if he wanted to, probably not? I don¡¯t know how our stats compare, but I feel like we can¡¯t be that far apart.¡±


    Aerion¡¯s posture slackened, and she let out a breath. ¡°That¡¯s a relief. Well, I say we join up. We could use his strength.¡±


    ¡°Agreed. There are some downsides, but the benefits are incomparable.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s decided then,¡± Aerion said. ¡°We are now a party of three.¡±


    ¡°For the duration of this dungeon, at least,¡± I said. ¡°And on that note, we need to agree on what we¡¯re going to tell him.¡±


    <hr>


    ¡°I admit, you had me worried there for a moment,¡± Richard said the moment we¡¯d returned. He looked bored out of his mind. ¡°By your expressions, am I to assume we¡¯re a party, then?¡±


    ¡°We are,¡± Aerion said. ¡°And I apologize for the delay. We had some matters to attend to.¡±


    ¡°No trouble at all,¡± Richard said, waving away her concerns. ¡°It''s quite the decision.¡±


    Aerion cleared her throat. ¡°Now that we¡¯re officially a team, I believe we ought to reintroduce ourselves. Once again, I am Aerion, a registered Foundation Rank Hunter, and I am proficient in daggers and shortswords. I possess two Blessings. One of Shock, and another that temporarily gives me great strength, at the cost of my Essence.¡±


    Richard whistled. ¡°Two Blessings? You must be quite the silver devil, eh?¡±


    Aerion glanced away, looking embarrassed. ¡°Nothing like that,¡± she mumbled.


    ¡°And what about you, Greg?¡± Richard asked. ¡°Did you know that the name Greg is quite common in my world? Fancy that, eh?¡±


    I gave Richard the most amiable smile I could muster. ¡°Not a coincidence, really. I¡¯m sure Champions have been summoned from your world several times in prior cycles. It¡¯s only natural certain customs and naming conventions were co-opted.¡±


    ¡°Reckon you have the right of it, Greg,¡± Richard said. ¡°So tell me, what wondrous powers do you boast?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m just the bag boy,¡± I said, thumbing to the oversized pack I wore. ¡°My boon allows me to access a small spatial storage. Someone¡¯s got to carry the supplies, and it sure won¡¯t be Miss Aerion, will it?¡±


    Aerion had, in fact, carried this load, all the way from Basecrest, through a forest, and to the dungeon. Which was probably why she shot me a glare colder than the snow outside.


    Sorry, Aerion, but I swear I¡¯ll apologize later.


    ¡°Remarkable!¡± Richard said. ¡°Quite the useful ability, that.¡±


    ¡°I do have combat training, though,¡± I said. ¡°I¡¯ve been trained in strategy and tactics, and the miss was kind enough to bequeath this magical sword to me,¡± I said, patting Light of the Fearless on my hip. ¡°I don¡¯t mean to boast, but there aren¡¯t that many swords out there with two magical abilities. Or magic armor, for that matter,¡± I added for good measure.


    Richard¡¯s eyes fixated on the sword at my hip, and widened as I spoke.


    ¡°I don¡¯t know what magic you worked to get your hands on such a thing, friend, but bravo. Even I don¡¯t have a sword with two abilities. Passion said it¡¯d take some time to scour her territory for something suitable for my ''limited capabilities''.


    ¡°What¡¯s that supposed to mean?¡± I asked. This was the first I¡¯d heard of anything like this. I glanced at Aerion, but she shook her head.


    ¡°Right, so, Passion¡¯s got all manner of swords and badass gear in her capital¡¯s armory, yeah?¡±


    ¡°Yeah?¡±


    ¡°Yeah! Except! Can¡¯t use ¡®em. Too high-rank, it seems! Wouldn¡¯t work on my lowly Foundation Rank soul.¡±


    I cocked a brow, and Aerion had the same expression. So, he was Foundation Rank. That was honestly a bit horrifying. If he was this strong at Foundation, what sort of monster would he turn into at the higher ranks? Then again, so would I. I had to remind myself that my Blessing was the sort that took a while to get off the ground. Like powerful Sorcerer classes in games, it would only show its true colors once I could swap gear sets as and when the situation demanded, reconfiguring my stats before every fight. That would give me an advantage no other Champion could hope to attain. That, and sentient weapons... I honestly couldn''t wait.


    ¡°I admit I hadn¡¯t known about this limitation,¡± I said, feeling more than a little smug about my sword. Don¡¯t get me wrong¡ªI was plenty smug before, but now I had something nicer than a groomed Champion did! How could I not do a little dance?


    I asked Richard a few follow-up questions, but he didn¡¯t know much more about the topic. Seemed Passion found details ¡®rather banal¡¯, and by the way Richard dismissed my questions, he apparently felt similarly.


    I really wanted to know if this was a strict limitation, or if it was like the Trials and dungeons, where people lost the ability to delve lower-rank dungeons once their soul ranked up. Either way, it seemed like the quality of someone¡¯s soul played a pretty large role in this world¡¯s power hierarchy.


    ¡°Well, you don¡¯t seem to use your sword much, anyway,¡± I said, mostly to cheer Richard up. There was something wholesome about the man that just made you want to like the guy.


    ¡°True enough, I s¡¯ppose,¡± Richard said, immediately glowing brighter.


    ¡°Now that we¡¯ve introduced ourselves, I feel it would be good to come up with a plan. Where do we go from here? How should we approach this¡ª¡±


    A blaring siren sounded, cutting her off, and forcing all of us to clutch our ears.


    Its drone reminded me of those air raid sirens from World War II. The same ones they used to announce tornado warnings. Deafening and horrible.


    To make matters worse, a series of loud bangs rapped against our door.


    ¡°I think that¡¯ll have to wait!¡± I shouted above the din. ¡°It appears we¡¯ve overstayed our welcome.¡±


    ¡°We¡¯d best make a move!¡± Richard shouted back. ¡°Seems they¡¯ve found us.¡±


    ¡°Alright! I¡¯ll open the door. Aerion? Richard¡­ Annihilate anything that comes through.¡±


    For better or for worse, our brand-new team was about to be thrown into the deep end. I just hoped my mental image of our little elite squad was as good as I¡¯d played it up to be.

 Soulweaver 87: The One

    I swiveled the handle, fully expecting rushing orcs, and instead¡­ A small horde of blue floating gelatinous¡­ blobs came rushing through, followed by a Skeleton holding a staff.


    A bare skeleton without a single article of clothing or a tome of magic, and one that walked on its feet rather than floating in the air.


    Not a Lich or an Elder Lich. Or a zombie. A plain old Skelly. At the rear, moving its arms as if giving orders to the troops. It was naked, except for a thin fencing sword that hung off a belt loop on his hip.


    There was something seriously messed up with this image, but regardless of how wrong this situation felt to my brain, I had no doubt every last one of these monsters was lethal.


    Most went after Richard and Aerion, but the moment I activated Light of Fearless¡¯ twin abilities, two spun my way. Which was when I noticed that they weren¡¯t mere blobs at all, but blobs with a single giant eye that made them look at least thrice as terrifying. Unlike the ones I was used to, though, these guys only had that single eye, which meant they couldn¡¯t see in all directions.


    That weakness would be their undoing.


    While they seemed far more mobile than the slow-moving laser skulls in Dominion¡¯s Trial, they reacted too late. I¡¯d already swung by the time they noticed me, and there was nothing they could do to avoid the razor-sharp blade as it sliced into them.


    The moment it touched their skin, though, I knew something was wrong. It passed through them without any resistance, like they weren¡¯t even there.


    It continued through the thing¡¯s gelatinous body, and passed through the second one in the same way, cutting the eye in half.


    Then the blobs started to glow in a manner that looked all too familiar.


    ¡°They have a self-destruct!¡± I roared, making the split-second decision to charge at them, diving through. There¡¯d only been a few feet between us to begin with, and if their bomb was any stronger than a mouse fart, I¡¯d be totaled.


    I tore through, emerging on the other side, and continued to sprint, grabbing Aerion¡¯s arm as I passed her. She¡¯d been fighting another blob that was also in the process of lighting up.


    It was only after we¡¯d rounded one of the giant steam machines that I noticed Richard wasn¡¯t with us.


    ¡°Where¡¯s¡ª¡±


    ¡°Over here!¡± Richard called in a voice that sounded surprisingly calm for our current situation. Hadn¡¯t he heard me? Did he not understand the danger?


    Aerion and I had been bracing for the explosion this whole time, but as the seconds dragged on, I realized something was off. The bombs should¡¯ve gone off by now. I was about to take a peek when our friend suddenly appeared, waving.


    ¡°All good, friend!¡± he said, flashing me a thumbs up. ¡°There¡¯s just one bugger left. Afraid I¡¯ll have to ask you to clean ¡®im up.¡±


    I looked around the corner and saw¡­ Something I couldn¡¯t have expected. I¡¯d guessed Richard might have dispatched some of the blobs on his own, but this?


    The steel ground was nowhere to be seen. It was instead painted over with slowly oozing blue goo. The remnants of what, until just a few moments ago, had been the one-eyed blobs.


    The skeleton stared at his small army, and while it lacked a face, it wasn¡¯t difficult to guess what the monster was thinking.


    ¡°With pleasure,¡± I said, brandishing Light of the Fearless.


    The skeleton drew its long, thin sword.


    If this were even a month ago, I¡¯d probably have panicked. I¡¯d have stepped into his range with a roar filled with adrenaline and fear¡­ And I¡¯d probably have gotten stabbed.


    After Dominion¡¯s Trial and a couple of weeks of intensive military training, I was no expert. But I at least knew what I was capable of. And, more importantly in this case, what my armor could do.


    I¡¯d taken blow after ruthless blow from Philip, and while I¡¯d parried, blocked, or dodged every blow I could in the first few days, I¡¯d learned that high-quality plate armor was actually pretty damn impressive.


    Swords were almost useless unless they targeted the joints or weak spots like my eyes¡­ but I had my helmet for that. Even axes and spears had a hard time, and only heavy swings from a greatsword or bludgeoning weapons like maul and hammers really hurt.


    Against a tiny needle like what the skeleton wielded? I didn¡¯t even bother to slow my charge.


    The sword impacted against my breastplate¡­ And slid right off, just like the armor was designed to.


    Allowing his strike to land let me press my own attack without hesitation. His sword might have been longer than mine, but thanks to that, I had the advantage when I got in close.


    I brought my sword up for an upward diagonal slash and put every ounce of my strength into the attack.


    I¡¯d already planned my next three moves. Leveraging the momentum of my strike, I¡¯d bring Light of the Fearless down in a horizontal swipe, before finishing with a leg stomp. The skeleton had no flesh, after all; with my Dominion stat, I felt like it¡¯d be simple to break his bones.


    Enjoying this book? Seek out the original to ensure the author gets credit.


    And then, once his leg was broken, I could take my time to finish him. Assuming he had no magic¡ªalways had to worry about that, as Philip kept drilling into me.


    As was often the case with actual combat, all of my plans went right out the window after my first strike.


    Not because the skeleton had tanked it, or because he¡¯d dodged and followed up with a counter.


    It was because my sword cleaved straight through his entire body, sending dozens of shattered bones flying in all directions.


    The skeleton crumpled to the ground before I¡¯d even completed the swing.


    ¡°Huh,¡± I said, staring blankly at the pile of bones in front of me. ¡°That was easy¡­¡±


    Congratulations! Dominion has increased from 43 to 44. Current Maximum: 74.


    Congratulations! Vigor has increased from 46 to 47. Current Maximum: 49.


    <hr>


    ¡°We definitely need to come up with a battle plan,¡± I said as we walked down the halls. We¡¯d left the main corridor with the blaring sirens in search of a more secluded area, but the further we walked, the more worried I got. ¡°And we need a map. Based on what Aerion and I saw on the outside, this compound is enormous. We¡¯ll get lost in an instant if we just roam around aimlessly.¡±


    ¡°Yes, I admit it¡¯s somewhat worrisome,¡± Richard said, stroking his chin in thought. ¡°You reckon we¡¯ll find one?¡±


    I shrugged. ¡°Beats me. If this were any normal place, I figure they¡¯d have to have maps to get by. But since we¡¯re in a dungeon that¡¯s in a special world of its own, who can say?¡±


    ¡°Right,¡± Richard said. ¡°Well then. How about we split up, an¡¯ map this place out? With all of us working together, I imagine we¡¯ll have this placed mapped in a jiffy. Meet back in an hour¡ªBloody hell!¡±


    We all clasped our ears as another siren blared.


    ¡°This is ridiculous. How are they finding us?¡± I asked no one in particular.


    ¡°Must have some way of tracking¡ª¡±


    ¡°Quiet!¡± Aerion hissed, motioning us to flatten against a wall. ¡°I think I hear people.¡±


    ¡°Get ready to fight,¡± I said, drawing Light of the Fearless from its sheath on my belt.


    The hallway we were in ended in a T-junction, and the heavy shuffling of enemy footsteps came from one of the others. If they turned down our hall, we¡¯d have to fight. There weren¡¯t any doors or rooms we could duck into, either. At least, not any that were close enough.


    We positioned ourselves about twenty feet from the junction and waited with bated breath as the footsteps got louder and louder.


    ¡°Hobgoblins,¡± I whispered, gripping my sword a little tighter. Just what we needed. Why couldn¡¯t it be those squishy blobs from before?


    Sure enough, a small army of Hobs thundered through the hallway. These guys were big, nearly touching the ceiling. And they wore thick hides like the ones Aerion and I had fought outside the forest.


    If they charged us, we were screwed. I could only hope Richard¡¯s¡­


    My thoughts ground to a halt as the Hobs kept on running. And running, and ran all the way across the hall into the other passage. This was no march¡ªit was more like an all-out sprint.


    A moment later, and the group of a dozen giants had passed us without ever noticing our presence.


    ¡°That, uh¡­ was unexpected,¡± I said, feeling the relief flood through me. It wasn¡¯t like I was a coward. Just that this would¡¯ve been a painful fight if Richard couldn¡¯t carry us through.


    ¡°Indeed,¡± Richard said. ¡°What do you reckon¡¯s got their knickers in a twist, anyway?¡±


    I did my absolute best not to laugh at Aerion¡¯s horrified expression. I managed it, but only just barely.


    ¡°No idea,¡± I said.


    ¡°You think we ought to follow ¡®em?¡± Richard asked.


    ¡°Why? Sounds like a recipe for trouble.¡±


    Richard gestured with his thumb. ¡°Perhaps, but they know where they¡¯re going. And we don¡¯t. Not like they¡¯ll notice us if we hang back, yeah?¡±


    I glanced at Aerion, who shrugged. ¡°I don¡¯t have a better plan.¡±


    ¡°Alright, fine,¡± I replied, letting out a breath. ¡°Beats mapping out this place one by one, I guess. But we¡¯ll hang as far back as possible. Not like we need to be close to track those brutes.¡±


    <hr>


    Rather than hanging back, we actually faced the opposite problem¡ªkeeping up. Those guys were big, and they were running. To keep up, we had to practically sprint after them. And unlike the Hobs, we had to slow down at every junction to ensure no one was around. That made us lose even more ground.


    We¡¯d gotten lucky so far, and hadn¡¯t come across anyone, but I didn¡¯t know how long that luck would last. Especially if we were going deeper into the compound.


    ¡°Still,¡± Richard said between breaths. He actually lagged behind Aerion and I, which made me think our Vigor stat was a bit higher than his. ¡°I can¡¯t believe how big this place is!¡±


    ¡°You and me both,¡± I muttered. We had to have run half a mile by now, and who knew how much farther we had to go?


    ¡°Imagine how many troops it could support!¡± Richard said.


    I really didn¡¯t want to. If this place was ever capable of fully populating these halls, the army would be absolutely terrifying.


    Well, at least this workout was good for my Vigor.


    It was after another quarter mile when our scenery changed, and all thoughts of chasing the Hobs left our thoughts.


    The previously windowless hallway suddenly opened up on one side, with a wide glass window about a foot high embedded into it.


    It was only then that I realized just how thick these walls were¡ªseveral feet thick. This place was a fortress.


    Because of that thickness, our view out the window was occluded, but even then, the sight beyond was out of this world.


    ¡°Bloody hell,¡± Richard breathed.


    My ¡°Holy shit,¡± echoed a similar sentiment.


    We all stopped running and pressed our fingers up against the glass.


    Outside was a world of white, which I¡¯d expected. What I hadn¡¯t expected was that the mountain range we¡¯d entered wasn¡¯t a normal range at all, but rather the sort of tall peaks that ringed an enormous crater.


    Hovering above that crater was a miniature sun, and immediately below it, someone was fighting off an army.

 Soulweaver 88: The Plan

    ¡°So, I guess we found the core¡­¡± I said, staring at the scene unfolding before our eyes. Something felt off about the whole thing, and it wasn¡¯t until I moved around the window that I figured out what.


    ¡°Magnified windows,¡± Richard said, tapping the glass. ¡°Came across one of these in Passion¡¯s Trial. Awful handy, isn¡¯t it?¡±


    ¡°It is,¡± I replied, shifting over to an unmagnified area. I couldn¡¯t see a thing. Not the delver fighting for his life, nor even the horde that attacked him. The enormous globe¡­ looked nearly as large, which spoke to its insane size. It had to be at least as large as the pyramid of Dominion¡¯s Trial. Maybe even bigger.


    ¡°So far¡­¡± Aerion said softly.


    ¡°How far do you reckon they are?¡± Richard asked.


    ¡°Best guess? Maybe twenty miles?¡±


    ¡°Right. Figured about the same myself. Think they¡¯ve got snowmobiles?¡±


    ¡°Er¡­¡±


    ¡°Ah,¡± Richard said, looking embarrassed. ¡°Apologies. They¡¯re these contraptions we¡¯ve got back home. Makes short work of the snow. I imagine there¡¯s some magical equivalent here, yeah?¡±


    ¡°Do you mean those?¡± Aerion asked, pointing to the glass. Richard and I both looked, and sure enough, a group of Hobs appeared to be riding a wide square platform on skis with a mast. Except instead of a sail, there was a crow¡¯s nest with a skeleton mage. The contraption was cutting tracks in driven snow, and though it looked slow from out here, they couldn¡¯t have been doing any less than thirty miles an hour.


    ¡°You think he¡¯s the one making that thing go?¡± Richard asked, pointing to the skelly.


    I shrugged. ¡°Doubt we¡¯ll ever have a chance to find out.¡±


    ¡°Why¡¯d you say that?¡± Richard asked, turning from the window.


    I thumbed to the speeder. ¡°Because even assuming we knew where they kept those things, I¡¯m guessing they¡¯ll be under heavy guard. Given our luck, I wouldn''t be surprised if it''s behind a bay door that''s sealed shut.¡±


    ¡°Hum,¡± Richard mumbled as he stroked his chin. ¡°You make some fair points, Greg. Still, I reckon it¡¯s our only way there, yeah?¡±


    ¡°Sorry, but what exactly is your plan?¡± Aerion asked. ¡°Do you intend to save that delver?¡±


    Richard gave her a look that was equal parts shock and confusion. ¡°Yes?¡± he said, glancing my way. ¡°Wouldn''t you, if you saw a fellow delver in need?¡±


    ¡°I¡­¡± Aerion looked away in anguish.


    ¡°We, uh¡­ don¡¯t have a great track record saving people,¡± I said, speaking for Aerion. ¡°Didn¡¯t exactly end well the last couple of times.¡±


    Richard¡¯s expression melted into one of anguish and sympathy.


    ¡°Can¡¯t blame yourself, friend,¡± he said, addressing Aerion. ¡°Awful noble of you to even try. I figure that¡¯s about all that anyone can do. The rest¡¯s up to god, yeah?¡±


    ¡°You mean Passion?¡± I asked, raising a brow.


    ¡°Oh, er¡­ Yes, I suppose it¡¯d be, wouldn¡¯t it?¡± Richard said, smiling wryly.


    Most people would¡¯ve glossed over that, but I was from the same world, and for him to say that...


    So Richard was religious. Back on Earth. I had to wonder how he took the revelation of Passion being an actual deity. Most religions didn¡¯t exactly have their gods popping up in your life and giving you powers, after all¡­


    ¡°Regardless,¡± Richard said, clearing his throat. ¡°We¡¯re three of us, and none weak. I reckon we¡¯ll make quite a good a show of it, so long as we try. But I must try. I understand if you two feel that¡ª¡±


    ¡°We¡¯ll go,¡± Aerion and I said at once, but likely for different reasons.


    I looked at Aerion, who flushed slightly. ¡°As you said, he¡¯s fighting out there, alone,¡± she said. ¡°Rewards aside, working together and looking out for one another should be the obvious course of action.¡±


    ¡°Right you are, Aerion,¡± Richard said with an approving nod before looking my way.


    ¡°That, and we¡¯re decently strong as we are,¡± I said. ¡°But with another powerhouse like that? We¡¯ll absolutely demolish this dungeon. That means safety for us, and lives saved back at Basecrest. Also,¡± I pointed at the massive sphere, ¡°I¡¯m pretty sure the core lives inside that thing. I don¡¯t think it¡¯s a coincidence that it looks just like the one we used to enter the dungeon.¡±


    ¡°Excellent points, all. Hadn¡¯t thought of the core being another entrance myself. So!¡± Richard said, clapping his hands together. ¡°We all seem to be in agreement. Splendid. Now¡­ How do we get there?¡±


    Stolen content warning: this tale belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences elsewhere.


    <hr>


    The path down to the crater was unmarked, but as luck would have it, another group of Hobs came rushing down our tunnel. Their thundering footsteps gave us ample warning which we used to locate another junction and hide in much the same way we¡¯d done for the previous horde. Or maybe squad was the better word¡ªthese Hobs were far too organized to call a horde. They acted no differently from soldiers in an organized military.


    Regardless, we followed them after they¡¯d passed. It wasn¡¯t long until they left our passage, making a series of turns that led them to a platform that they all piled onto.


    The platform was actually a lift, which lowered through the hissing of steam.


    I glanced at Aerion, who nodded.


    ¡°Their magic seems quite advanced,¡± she commented. ¡°Similar to that of my own people.¡±


    ¡°That right?¡± Richard asked. ¡°I must say, I certainly did not expect steam machines when I first entered Passion¡¯s territory. Downright medieval there, I tell you. Your home must be quite the place.¡±


    ¡°It¡­ has its perks,¡± Aerion said diplomatically, though while her feelings toward Order¡¯s territory might have been a tangled mess, I could sense that she held a lingering attachment for the place. I couldn¡¯t wait to see it some day.


    We didn¡¯t dare join the Hobgoblins on their lift, but we did watch approximately how far down they went¡ªabout what felt like ten floors¡ªbefore taking the wooden ladder that was installed in its own little shaft next to it.


    ¡°Y¡¯know, back on my world, this wouldn¡¯t have passed muster,¡± Richard said, huffing as we climbed down, one rung at a time. ¡°There, we have emergency stairs, not ladders. I mean, just imagine trying to fit a squad of those hobs in here if the lift¡¯s broken! It¡¯s bloody bonkers!¡±


    I had to agree. Forget Hobgoblins; the ladder was barely big enough for us. Whoever designed this thing clearly didn¡¯t intend the lift mechanism to break. And who knew? Maybe their particular combination of steam and magic meant that it never did?


    All I knew was that climbing this thing was a massive pain in the ass. I¡¯d hoped that my Vigor and Dominion stats would speed up the arduous task of climbing down ten floors, but this seemed to require more finesse than sheer strength and stamina, and so we all proceeded at a pace that could only be described as glacial.


    It took so long, in fact, that another squad of hobs passed us by on the lift, shaking our rickety ladder and drowning us with steam. I had never felt the urge to cough so badly as I did at that moment.


    Thankfully, I managed to reign it in, as did Richard and Aerion, and the steam passed without the Hobs being any wiser.


    Shivering from cold sweat and rapidly cooling steam, we finally reached the bottom floor. Or, at least, as far down as the ladder went.


    I expected the ladder to dump us into yet another series of halls. I could not have been more wrong.


    Whatever this space was, it was massive. Easily five stories in height, and maybe four football fields wide, we¡¯d entered into a warehouse of colossal scale.


    ¡°What in the world¡­?¡± Richard muttered. I was thinking the same thing. Why build something like this?


    ¡°Look,¡± Aerion said, pointing. ¡°Over there.¡±


    The squads of hobs that had passed shuffled aimlessly on the far side of the space.


    ¡°I¡¯ve not a clue why they made this place so big, but boy am I thankful for it,¡± Richard said. ¡°We¡¯re right out in the open and none of those buggers have even caught a whiff!¡±


    ¡°That, and Hobgoblins have pretty terrible eyesight,¡± I said. ¡°Question is¡­ What are they waiting for?¡±


    My question was answered a moment later when one of the walls on the far side revealed itself to be a door as it slid open, bringing with it the biting cold of the outside air.


    The snow was so blindingly bright on the other side that all of us were forced to avert our eyes. Even with my eyelids almost fully closed, I could barely stand to look at the sight.


    When the door finally closed and we could see again, one of those snow-ships we¡¯d seen earlier had suddenly appeared.


    Pandemonium broke out the moment it came to a halt, and for a moment, I thought I was watching a mutiny occur.


    The hobs that had been idling around suddenly broke out into a frenzy of action. Each punching, kicking, and shoving each other to get to the barge. They were so violent in their motions that I thought their goal was to destroy the barge.


    A dreadlocked Uruk-hai/Predator commander onboard the ship kicked off the marauding hobs, bringing his boot down to smash a hob¡¯s hand. The hobgoblin in question screamed in pain and fell back into the throng, only to be replaced by another hopeful.


    Tiring of this, the commander barked a command that I could hear even from this far away.


    ¡°Order!¡± he shouted, but while the hobgoblins¡¯ intensity might have decreased a bit, they showed no signs of obeying.


    The commander, seemingly had enough, jumped off the ship and into the fray, and for a moment, we lost sight of him in the throng.


    ¡°You reckon they did him in?¡± Richard asked.


    ¡°I¡¯d be shocked if they did,¡± I replied. ¡°Aerion and I fought one of those on our way here. They¡¯re no pushovers.¡±


    Aerion nodded vigorously. ¡°Agreed. I¡¯d be surprised if¡ª¡±


    Like a switch had been flipped, the roars and the shouts suddenly silenced, and a bloody commander jumped back onto the barge.


    ¡°One by one. You¡¯ll get your turn.¡±


    Now cowed, the hobs piled onto the barge until it was full. Then the bay door opened briefly to allow them to set out into the white snow before slamming shut behind them.


    The handful of hobs that had been left behind resumed their normal lethargy, ambling around aimlessly.


    ¡°Well,¡± Richard said with his hands on his hips. ¡°That¡¯s that, I suppose.¡±


    ¡°Right,¡± I replied. ¡°We should see if we can find another exit. Maybe they¡¯ll have other vehicles that can ferry us there.¡±


    ¡°Friend?¡± Richard asked with a big grin as he turned to face Aerion.


    ¡°Yes?¡± Aerion replied uncertainly.


    For some reason, I had a terrible feeling about what he was about to say. Aerion, it seemed, shared my worries, and for good reason.


    ¡°Pardon, but you sound like you know your way around machinery, eh?¡± Richard said, turning to Aerion. ¡°You, er, wouldn¡¯t happen to know how to pilot one of those contraptions by any chance, would you?¡±

 Soulweaver 89: Barge Thiefs

    ¡°You¡¯re not serious,¡± Aerion said, no doubt hoping for a response. So was I.


    When Richard didn¡¯t reply, however, we both learned something new about this elf. He was just a ''bit of a nutter'', as he''d say.


    ¡°Even if I can,¡± Aerion said, ¡°how do you plan to get past those Hobgoblins?¡±


    Richard looked at her like she¡¯d grown a second head. ¡°We¡¯re three of us, yeah? We¡¯ll be done with them in a jiffy.¡±


    ¡°Greg?¡± Aerion asked, and both of them looked my way¡ªsomething I was grateful for. Having introduced myself as a Boonworthy busboy and bodyguard, by all rights, I shouldn¡¯t have a say in the matter. That Richard treated me as an equal counted for a lot.


    ¡°I think there¡¯s a chance this could work,¡± I said, immediately adding, ¡°but it¡¯s risky. If there are safer routes out of here, I¡¯d want to explore them. Except¡­¡±


    Richard''s eyes narrowed. ¡°Except that while we dawdle trying to find a safer way out, our mate¡¯s out there, fighting for his life, isn¡¯t he? Can¡¯t exactly take our sweet time, yeah?¡±


    ¡°Well, I do agree that helping each other out is in all of our interests...¡± I trailed off, thinking. ¡°A frontal attack is probably our best bet.¡±


    ¡°Right,¡± Richard said with a nod. ¡°So here¡¯s what we do. We pounce on those sorry sods before their leader returns. Then we jump ¡®im. Three on one, he¡¯ll be no match for the lot of us.¡±


    <hr>


    Our strategy session didn¡¯t take long. The enemies were way out in the open, and there was no great way to sneak up on them. Nor could we just send out Aerion and draw them towards us. There were far too many for that to work, and there really was no good place to stage an ambush, even from our current position.


    So we did the next best thing. I set down my backpack and poleax, and we all lowered ourselves onto our bellies and crawled our way to the Hobs. Against humans, we¡¯d have been spotted almost immediately, but these hobs had terrible eyesight as we''d seen earlier. They wouldn¡¯t notice us until we were closer.


    We¡¯d get as close as possible before springing to our feet and taking the fight to the enemy. Once that happened, there was little point to detailed strategizing¡ªwe¡¯d have to react to the enemy according to their movements. The one thing we agreed on, though, was that we¡¯d stick together, fighting as a tight-knit group. Against this many, allowing them to split us up and pick us off one by one would be a death sentence.


    The operation started smooth, as most tended to, but one unlucky glance from a Hob spotted us well over fifty yards away. He pointed and made a ruckus, and after a few arguments with the others, they all seemed to get the hint and charged.


    An eight-foot tall Hobgoblin is scary enough on its own. A Hobgoblin wielding an ax or a mace is even more terrifying. But put a dozen of them together and have them charge at you like a stampede?


    That¡¯s the sort of thing that would make even a grizzled veteran wet their pants, and I was no veteran.


    The only thing that stopped me was Richard.


    Before their charge could gain its stride, it faltered, and for seemingly no reason. Some Hobs slowed, crashing into the ones behind them, which caused both to trip and fall.


    Others stumbled over their own feet and were in turn trampled by those behind them. Yet others just ran out of steam, clutching their chest.


    While there wasn¡¯t a single one that just dropped dead, Richard¡¯s power had a visible impact on them all.


    Leading our tight formation, I engaged with the first brute, activating [Light of the Fearless] and [Shadow of the Fearless] just before the moment of impact.


    Defense didn¡¯t even seem to occur to the attacking Hob, who instead opted to hurl its oversized battleax at me.


    Too bad for it, I¡¯d already closed the gap, plunging my magical blade into its fur armor.


    He might as well have been naked, for all the good it did. My sword not only penetrated the armor and plunged into his skin, it actually ran him through.


    Twisting the blade, I wrenched it to the side¡ªa near-impossible feat for a normal person with a regular sword, owing to the force required.


    My 45 points of Dominion, and the fact that I had not one but two magical abilities aiding me, tilted the scales in my favor, and my blade ripped through his side, almost bisecting him.


    Our group flowed past the standing corpse and laid into the next enemy. This time, Aerion engaged with [Aurora], her [Rare] blade. Though it lacked a magical ability, its obscenely sharp steel made short work of the Hob, who was far too preoccupied clutching its chest to notice the attack.


    Unlike me, Aerion¡¯s aim was perfect, and Aurora plunged into the Hob¡¯s heart. The monster froze in place, reflexively grabbing her blade with so much force that it cut into its hands.


    You could be reading stolen content. Head to Royal Road for the genuine story.


    Then it died, crumpling to the ground and wrenching the sword from Aerion¡¯s grasp. With 34 points of Dominion, Aerion¡¯s strength was only slightly lower than my own. The Hob, however, had even more, and without magic to allow her blade to come free, Aerion was forced to let it go.


    ¡°Oi! Heads-up!¡± Richard called.


    I looked up and paled.


    The tides had shifted, and our luck had suddenly run dry. Thus far, our attack had played out more or less like a Kung Fu film, with the enemies coming at the heroes one at a time, only for them to get wrecked.


    Reality was never so kind.


    Three Hobs descended on us from three different directions, clubs and axes raised. Aerion and I could only defend against two, and though Richard¡¯s face was screwed up in an expression of extreme determination, his ability didn¡¯t seem to affect these brutes as much as their counterparts. Either that, or they were simply ignoring the pain.


    My mind spun through the options one after another. Richard would have to dodge while Aerion and I dealt with the other two before coming to his aid. I was about to inform Richard of the plan when Aerion solved all our problems with one word.


    ¡°Reaving! All-out-assault!¡± she yelled, ripping Aurora free from the dead Hob''s clutches before throwing it to me.


    I didn¡¯t hesitate. With a grin, I threw her Light of the Fearless right before catching her blade.


    This was one of the attack patterns we¡¯d practiced, and honestly? It was our strongest card. Because the only thing more deadly than a berserking elf was a berserking elf armed with an absurdly overpowered sword.


    The three hobs didn¡¯t so much as die as they were massacred. One moment, they were alive, and the next¡­ Where I had not quite succeeded in cutting the giant in half, Aerion went through all three so quickly, I thought she¡¯d done it in a single strike.


    It¡¯d been three, but her monstrous 94 points of Dominion allowed her to move Light of the Fearless at absurd speeds.


    In the span of a single moment, Aerion had single-handedly shifted the battle from imminent defeat to total victory.


    About six more Hobs remained, but after seeing Aerion¡¯s horrifying display, fighting seemed to be the very last thing on their mind as they cried out in panic and ran. Some dropped their weapons, while others tripped and fell, scrambling away on all fours.


    As terrible as I felt about it, we couldn¡¯t allow them to flee. Who knew how long it¡¯d be until we commandeered a barge? In that time, they could easily return with their buddies.


    Thankfully, Richard came in clutch, here. We could barely keep pace with a sprinting Hob. But a Hob with severe heart pains? That was a different story.


    Minimized notifications ran down my HUD, and I was sure the same thing was happening for Aerion as we split up and ran down each of the fleeing monsters, gutting, slicing, and otherwise killing each and every one.


    When we met back up some minutes later, we were silent. The whole massive garage was silent, other than the chimes of notifications going off in my head.


    Congratulations! Grace has increased from 26 to 27. Current Maximum: 27.


    Congratulations! Dominion has increased from 44 to 45. Current Maximum: 74.


    Congratulations! Light of the Fearless¡¯ ability [Light of the Fearless] has leveled up to Foundation - 7.


    Congratulations! Light of the Fearless¡¯ ability [Shadow of the Fearless] has leveled up to Foundation - 7.


    Congratulations! Basecrest City Guard Cuirass¡¯ ability [Hidden Dragon] has leveled up from Foundation - 0 to Foundation - 2.


    More than the other level ups, I was at least happy I¡¯d finally gotten a chance to level [Hidden Dragon] some. The ability might¡¯ve been useless on its own, but every ability level up meant I was one step closer to my next Blessing level.


    ¡°We massacred them,¡± Richard mumbled, saying what all of us were thinking. ¡°We just¡­ Like animals¡­ There¡¯s so much blood!¡±


    There really was a lot of gore. With the way Richard fought, I imagined he hadn¡¯t seen very much of that until now. His kills were clean. Merciful, even.


    I glanced over to Aerion and gave her a nod, which she returned. [Reave] deactivated the instant all enemies had been downed, and with how fast we''d taken them out, she still had plenty of Essence left.


    ¡°They¡¯d have done the same to us,¡± she said softly. ¡°You¡¯ll get used to it.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s the bit I¡¯m afraid of,¡± Richard said shakily. ¡°Don¡¯t think I¡¯ll be getting much sleep tonight.¡±


    I¡¯d been walking over to put a hand on his shoulder when I froze midstep. To my own horror, I realized that I would probably sleep well. An hour from now, these dead Hobgoblins wouldn¡¯t even be on my mind. Was that because I¡¯d become so desensitized to killing already?


    I panicked for a moment before the voice of reason made itself heard. It wasn¡¯t like that. Not at all.


    ¡°Hey,¡± I said in as soothing a voice as I could muster, putting a hand on the shivering man¡¯s shoulders. ¡°I get that things are different here compared to where you¡¯re from. Don¡¯t let that make you lose sight of what you¡¯re about. These monsters aren¡¯t people. And even if they were? Would you have acted any differently? These things want to ravage Basecrest. If we fail here, people die, Richard. Men, women, the elderly¡­ Children? You have a family, right? Kids who¡¯re waiting for you?¡±


    Richard¡¯s eyes widened in realization. Realization¡­ and horror. ¡°My god¡­¡±


    ¡°You get it, don¡¯t you?¡± I said. ¡°We¡¯re not here for glory and Blessings. We¡¯re here to save innocent lives. To allow kids to grow up in a functioning world, and not just the gutted remains of the previous one.¡±


    ¡°R-Right,¡± Richard said, then again, more firmly. ¡°Right. That¡¯s what matters. The rest¡¯s just¡­ It¡¯s what must be done.¡±


    I nodded, and threw him a wink. ¡°Well, that¡¯s the cover story, anyway. Let¡¯s be honest. It¡¯s the fame and the gold that we¡¯re really after, right?¡±


    Richard looked at me with wide eyes before realizing I was joking.


    ¡°You got me,¡± he said with a laugh. ¡°You¡¯re quite brutal, you know that?¡±


    I grinned, clapping him on the back. ¡°Only when it¡¯s inappropriate, my friend.¡±


    The groaning of the bay doors rudely interrupted our conversation, forcing us to turn to the familiar-looking silhouette that emerged from the blinding white snow.


    ¡°Well, Richard, I hope you¡¯re ready,¡± I said, handing Richard a pair of fabric goggles I¡¯d fashioned earlier. ¡°Because the main event is about to begin.¡±

 Soulweaver 90: Now This is Barge Racing

    Richard¡¯s heart-seizing ability might not have killed the Hobgoblins outright, but it definitely slowed them down, distracting them with pain long enough for Aerion and I to move in and wipe them out.


    The same could not be said for the commander, who was the same type as the Uruk-hai/Predator hybrid who¡¯d ambushed us. As big as a hob, but leaner, with more compact musculature. He was armored, competent, and had dreadlocks that made him look like a total badass.


    Or an absolute nightmare if you happened to be his enemy. Worse¡ªhe was on the barge, which forced us to climb up to his position, putting us in grave danger.


    The one thing we had was the element of surprise.


    We rushed the barge before it skidded to a stop. It rode on four skis, which were connected to the barge via something like a leaf-spring suspension that would look right at home on a pickup truck back on Earth.


    The commander, being not just stronger and faster than the Hobs, but smarter as well, threw a lever the moment he saw us, causing the barge to lurch and pick up speed, nearly knocking us off.


    Aerion and I held on mostly thanks to our Dominion stat, and Richard¡­ Well, Richard fell off, but I managed to grab his arm before he hit the ground. His legs dragged on the ground, and he screamed.


    I couldn¡¯t blame the guy¡ªwe were going almost thirty miles an hour doing a wide circle in the enclosed garage bay.


    Doing a bicep curl that would impress any bodybuilder back on Earth, I wrenched Richard up until he was high enough to crawl over me and onto the barge.


    Luckily, Aerion had gotten there first, and was currently Reaving at the commander. I was a little worried about her Essence, but if there was ever a time to be in Reave mode, it was now.


    The ferocity of her slashes kept the commander occupied, but it also caused wood to go flying whenever Light of the Fearless sliced through, and the frenzied flurry of strikes prevented either I or Richard from engaging.


    It was a testament to the commander¡¯s skill that he was able to put up a fight at all, considering he had to keep an eye on the barge to prevent it from crashing, fight Aerion with just a small dagger, and watch out for our attacks.


    Despite his prodigious capability, it was only a matter of time until Aerion got through his defenses and skewered him with Light of the Fearless, activating its twin abilities.


    That instant was my moment, and I followed up with a flurry of slashes from Aurora.


    The commander¡¯s body seized, then slowly fell overboard, where it was trampled by the skis. The result was¡­ not pretty.


    ¡°So, Aerion,¡± I said. ¡°You can pilot this, right?¡±


    Instead of a reply, we got a thump. Aerion couldn¡¯t answer, because she¡¯d passed out.


    ¡°Fuck,¡± Richard and I said in unison.


    <hr>


    ¡°More!¡± I yelled, panic mounting. ¡°Yank it more!¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s as far as it goes!¡± Richard shouted back as our barge hurtled toward a wall at expressway speeds.


    I had, oh, about five seconds to decide whether to grab Richard and the unconscious Aerion and bail, or to try and wrangle control of this thing.


    I looked at the dozen levers again, trying to make some sense of it all. Why everything in this world insisted on using levers, I would never understand, but I cursed whatever god decided this was a good idea.


    They were unmarked. Because of course they were. Richard had tried almost all of them in the seconds that had passed. Some did something with the mast. One nearly made us topple over, and the other seemed to do nothing noticeable at all.


    The problem was we were on skis. But we weren¡¯t on snow. The garage bay floor was made of stone, or something like it. Suffice it to say, I didn¡¯t know how this thing was moving or turning at all, but its controls responded sluggishly.


    Hoping for the best, I grabbed a lever and nudged it, careful not to accidentally flip our barge over, in case I found the right lever.


    I had¡­ and I hadn¡¯t.


    I¡¯d found the brakes.


    ¡°Bloody brilliant! That buys us, what? Another five seconds?¡± Richard shouted.


    Yep, about five more seconds to repeat my feat. Because there was no way this thing was stopping before it hit that wall.


    In desperation, I grabbed two more levers, prayed to Cosmo, and pulled.


    The barge jerked¡­ and the nose turned. But something felt off. It wasn¡¯t the front skis that had moved¡ªthey were already pointed as far left as possible.


    Then it dawned on me. I glanced at the rear skis, and sure enough, they¡¯d turned too. Just, in the wrong direction.


    ¡°You have got to be kidding me,¡± I cursed. Four wheel steering? Why?


    This narrative has been purloined without the author''s approval. Report any appearances on Amazon.


    With barely a handful of seconds to spare, I threw the lever in the opposite direction, and despite our speed and lack of control, the barge turned away from the wall. Ever so slowly, protesting the whole way, it turned.


    And we avoided the wall. By about a foot.


    About twenty feet later, the barge finally came to a halt.


    Richard and I let out a breath we¡¯d unconsciously been holding.


    ¡°Right,¡± Richard said. ¡°So! How about we figure out how this thing actually works? Y¡¯know, before we take it out?¡±


    ¡°That¡­ sounds like the best idea I¡¯ve heard all day.¡±


    <hr>


    Richard and I had just gotten the gist of controlling this strange craft and were maneuvering it out of the garage when Aerion woke up, and despite her grogginess and grumbling, managed to learn the controls in about a quarter of the time it¡¯d taken both of us, working together.


    From then on, we just let Aerion have the controls. She was clearly better at this stuff than we¡¯d ever be, and all of us knew it.


    The ice-cold hit us the moment we were out, but Richard had thankfully had the presence of mind to grab the thick fur coat off the commander we¡¯d killed.


    Given its previous owner¡¯s size, it actually wrapped around all three of us, so long as we huddled together.


    So there we were, boldly rushing out onto the snowfield, Richard to Aerion¡¯s left, while I stood to her right. All bundled up. All slowly turning into popsicles.


    Luckily, the barge had a wooden lip that deflected the air above us. It wasn¡¯t quite as good as an actual windshield, but it got rid of most of the worst of it. Now our faces would only be slightly frozen when we arrived.


    From there, it was just smooth sailing all the way to where our warrior friend was fighting, and nothing even remotely bad happened to us.


    Or so I wished. Reality, of course, always found a way to fuck us over.


    ¡°Over there!¡± Richard said, pointing into the distance behind us. Then he turned around and pointed in front of us. ¡°And there, too!¡±


    I don¡¯t know where they¡¯d come from, but we now had not just one, but three other barges chasing us. Two from behind, and one ahead.


    ¡°No, they aren¡¯t after us,¡± Aerion said, pointing to the one that seemed to be on a collision course. ¡°I believe they are heading for the garage bay.¡±


    ¡°And the moment they pass us and see the others chasing us, they¡¯ll turn around,¡± I said.


    ¡°What d¡¯you reckon we do?¡± Richard said. ¡°I can stop their hearts if they get close enough. Or at least, give them enough chest pain they abandon the chase.¡±


    ¡°Good backup plan,¡± I said. ¡°Too dangerous to rely on as our only plan.¡±


    Allowing those Hobgoblins to get close would put all of us in grave danger.


    ¡°If something happens to the barge, we¡¯re fucked,¡± I said.


    ¡°Got any ranged weapons on you, then?¡± Richard asked.


    ¡°Not exactly. But I figure I¡¯ve got about thirty seconds to think of something.¡±


    <hr>


    My thirty seconds got me just about the simplest of plans. Since those tended to be the most reliable plans, I supposed it was for the better.


    Basically, Richard¡¯s ability took no time to activate¡ªit was instant, so long as he was in range.


    The problem was being in range meant putting ourselves in danger. The solution?


    Minimize our exposure. But first, we needed to take out the barge that was headed our way.


    It was just like those action movies where the hero and the villain drive towards one another at max speed, knowing the other guy would cave in first.


    Well, when that happens in real life, it¡¯s terrifying as hell, and I nearly shit my pants when the other barge didn¡¯t pull away.


    Aerion, however, was crazier than all of us, and not once did she flinch. The other guy, apparently understanding that if he didn¡¯t move, we really were going to crash, turned at the last second.


    The problem was that by then, he was so close that to avoid a collision, he had to careen away. At the speed he was going, that meant his barge toppled over instead, slamming into the snow and throwing up a cloud thirty feet high.


    That wasn¡¯t the only thing that flew¡ªHobgoblin bodies and wooden shrapnel rained through the air like someone had thrown a frag grenade.


    Some hit our barge, crashing into the wood and embedding themselves in our mast. Other pieces landed harmlessly in the snow, while yet others turned into obstacles for the ones chasing us, forcing them to divert.


    This would normally have widened our lead over them, but that would¡¯ve only delayed the inevitable.


    Instead, Aerion pulled the brake lever, and our barge lurched and slowed, causing the other two barges to rocket right past us.


    Large and ungainly as they were, turning around was no easy feat for these things, and we¡¯d just seen firsthand what happened to anyone who tried to turn too fast.


    Ordinarily, that would have bought us quite a lot of time to speed back up and lose them. Except, we had something better. We had Richard.


    ¡°Well?¡± I said.


    ¡°Think I got ¡®em!¡± Richard replied, flashing me a thumbs up. ¡°Might not¡¯ve killed ¡®em outright, but I do believe it did the job.¡±


    I watched as the barges that had started to turn continued¡­ and continued¡­ and kept turning, putting themselves in circles as Aerion mashed the speed lever, leaving the crippled barges in the dust.


    ¡°Not bad,¡± I said, feeling more than a little pride at our showing. ¡°Not bad at all.¡±


    We¡¯d only just met, and we were already meshing well. Rather than dread this horde of beasts we had to fight¡­ I was actually starting to look forward to wiping the floor with them.


    That was, of course, until we got close enough to the fight to identify the one warrior who was still holding his own against them all.


    Surrounding him was a wide ring of at least a hundred corpses, and just one look at the way this guy fought showed us why.


    The man wielded an enormous battleax, and cleaved through the stomachs of two Hobgoblins with a single blow. The force was so great that the Hobs were sent stumbling back, where they joined their brethren in the slowly growing mountain of bodies.


    The bearded blonde giant of a man set down his ax and pointed at the rest of the monsters, who hesitated to approach.


    ¡°Who dares challenge me?¡± He bellowed.


    Not one creature replied. Their fear was palpable, even to us.


    ¡°No? Well then. At least put up a good fight. For Odin! For Valhalla!¡±


    ¡°Oh no¡­¡± I muttered.


    A chill ran down my spine, and it wasn¡¯t because of the cold.


    ¡°Why?¡± Richard asked. ¡°What¡¯s the matter?¡±


    Aerion and I exchanged a glance and shook our heads.


    ¡°Fuck.¡±

 Soulweaver 91: The Viking

    ¡°That right there, is Eskil Magnusson,¡± I said, looking at the giant fighting in the distance. If his roars of Odin and Valhalla weren¡¯t enough, the way he utterly dominated the battlefield marked him as¡­ Different. ¡°A Viking¡­ Or so he calls himself,¡± I hurriedly added. ¡°He¡¯s Dominion¡¯s Champion¡­. And he¡¯s more than a little, er¡­ off.¡±


    ¡°That right? Another Champion?¡± Richard said, looking at Eskil with a newfound appreciation. ¡°And here I was thinking I¡¯d gotten a head start. So that¡¯s Dominion¡¯s boy, eh? And a Viking, no less. They¡¯re ancient folk from my world. Made a profession of raiding England¡ªmy country¡ªalthough, back then, I suppose it was called Anglo Saxony. How curious. I should very much like to have a chat.¡±


    ¡°Yeah, um, I¡¯m not sure if he wants to talk to you,¡± I said. ¡°He¡¯s¡­ not quite normal.¡±


    I filled Richard in on the events surrounding Eskil¡¯s procession. The shit-covered ax, the blasphemy against Dominion, and a quick summary of the events that followed, though I omitted Aerion and my involvement for the sake of brevity. We were on a barge about to encounter a horde of dangerous beasts, after all.


    I finished my explanation just before we arrived, and by then, Richard¡¯s impression of the man had devolved from curiosity to concern.


    ¡°I believe I understand your reservations,¡± Richard said, staring soberly at the warrior who screamed at the top of his lungs as he hacked a Hobgoblin apart. ¡°At any rate, I believe lending our aid works to all of our benefit. We do need to break through that horde to get to the Dungeon¡¯s core, yes?¡±


    Aerion turned the barge, avoiding the throng that surrounded Eskil, and it was only then that I noticed he wasn¡¯t just fighting them off¡ªhe was moving. Very slowly. Toward the enormous floating sphere that was the dungeon¡¯s core.


    ¡°You¡¯ve got to be kidding me,¡± I said, more to myself than anyone.


    ¡°He walked across the snowfield?¡± Aerion asked, equally astonished.


    ¡°That can¡¯t be,¡± Richard said as the truth dawned on him as well. ¡°You mean to say he¡¯s been fighting them off this whole time?¡±


    ¡°Seems that way,¡± I said as we circled the horde. It was mostly made up of Hobgoblins, but I saw the same dog-like monsters and the razor-mouth hedgehogs, too. ¡°And by the looks of things, he must not have taken much time at all to get here.¡±


    I couldn¡¯t be sure how many troops this Cataclysm Dungeon had, but I was pretty sure it was a whole lot more than just the hundred-odd creatures surrounding him.


    Still¡­


    ¡°Why is he so damn strong?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m just as puzzled as you, friend,¡± Richard said. I hadn¡¯t even meant to voice the thought aloud, but neither Richard nor myself¡ªhaving had the pleasure of being thrown into a high-level starter dungeon¡ªeven came close to that guy¡¯s Herculean strength. He was not only holding his own against the Commanders, but even pushing them back.


    And it wasn¡¯t just Commanders he had to worry about. He had a whole damn army attacking him from every angle.


    ¡°Is he actually invincible?¡± Aerion asked in disbelief.


    ¡°Certainly looks like that, doesn¡¯t it?¡± Richard said. ¡°I believe we may have been premature, thinking he needs our help. I reckon we could maybe use his.¡±


    ¡°He¡¯s not,¡± I said. ¡°Invincible, I mean. Are you?¡±


    ¡°God, no,¡± Richard replied.


    ¡°Then I don¡¯t see why one Champion would be while the others aren¡¯t. I think he¡¯s just strong. Really, really strong. But he can die.¡±


    ¡°You think we ought to rush in and help, then?¡± Richard asked.


    I shook my head. ¡°No. We¡¯ll use him as a diversion. That¡¯ll help us both. We¡¯ll occupy some of the monsters as we push our way to the core, while Eskil continues to keep the majority of the horde¡¯s attention. As much as I hate to admit it, he¡¯s a much bigger threat to them than even the three of us combined.¡±


    ¡°You got that right,¡± Richard said with a vigorous nod. ¡°Alright, then. Let¡¯s have at it, shall we?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m going to plow them,¡± Aerion said out of the blue, causing both of us to turn to her.


    ¡°Uh¡­ You sure that¡¯s a good idea, Aerion?¡± I asked. ¡°This thing isn¡¯t exactly stable.¡±


    ¡°It is, in a straight line,¡± Aerion said. ¡°And it¡¯s tall. Tall enough to smash apart most of the monsters.¡±


    We¡¯d been circling around the periphery of the hundred-something monsters attacking Eskil, and until now, nobody had noticed we weren¡¯t one of their own. That would change the instant we began plowing into the other section of the horde¡ªthe one that defended the ¡®entrance¡¯ to the core.


    At least, I assumed that was the entrance, given all the grunts guarding it. Monsters that looked distinctly more and more panicked the closer Eskil got.


    Aerion¡¯s idea wasn¡¯t necessarily a bad one. People think of guns and swords when they think of killing people, but few realize just how devastating a force a vehicle is. It¡¯s called Vehicular Manslaughter for a reason. Our barge might not have been made of steel and aluminum, but wood was just as good when it was going as fast as we were.


    The narrative has been illicitly obtained; should you discover it on Amazon, report the violation.


    The only question was whether we¡¯d survive our own attack, or whether we¡¯d be flung right into the enemy mob.


    On the other hand, I wasn¡¯t sure if dismounting and attacking would work any better.


    ¡°Alright,¡± I said. ¡°Let¡¯s do this. And let¡¯s all of us pray to our respective gods that we live to tell the tale.¡±


    <hr>


    Aerion did one last circle around Eskil, who was so embroiled in the act of killing that he¡¯d failed to notice us, and slammed the speed lever all the way forward.


    The barge bucked and lurched as it picked up speed, and Richard and I had to brace. This thing might not be able to turn very well, but it sure could move. I assumed something magical powered it.


    Even so, there was still a good hundred yards between Eskil¡¯s horde and the ones that guarded the invisible ¡®entrance¡¯ to the floating core. Just like the one that sucked us into the dungeon, the entrance was more like a teleporter than an actual gate, so there was nothing physically there. We didn¡¯t even have a precise point we were aiming for. Just ¡®under the enormous floating sphere¡¯.


    Did we have to aim for the center? Would it suck us in once we got close? The distinct lack of guards beneath the core gave me a pretty big clue. If I was right, we wouldn¡¯t have to go very far at all.


    Problem was, when you have a hundred enormous Hobgoblins forming a wall, even making it a few feet was an accomplishment.


    The guards who initially thought we were friendly now very obviously knew otherwise. Just that it was awfully hard to stop a speeding barge without a barge of their own, and none were in the area.


    We¡¯d made sure of that on the way over.


    Panic swelled through their ranks, and a handful routed. Those were the smart ones. The dumb ones, unfortunately, made up the vast majority of the ranks, and they all stood as firm as rocks.


    ¡°Everybody brace for impact!¡± Aerion cried. She needn¡¯t have. I had already sat down, braced my feet against the mast, and grabbed a hold of the railing, and so had Richard. Aerion just gripped the levers with all of her strength.


    It wasn¡¯t enough. It wasn¡¯t nearly enough.


    Aerion was the first to go. The barge bucked and shattered the instant we hit the crowd, and Aerion rocketed forward, flying off the barge.


    Richard and I were no exceptions, but instead of flying off, we slid forward to hit the forward control column Aerion had been at. Which was worse.


    I felt a piercing pain in my shoulder, and prayed to all the gods that nothing was broken. With no medical facilities and no miracle water, I¡¯d be fucked if it was. We all would.


    The moment my eyes refocused, and the pain subsided enough for me to think, I was back on my feet looking for Richard.


    I found him lying face down in the snow, along with my poleax. My backpack was a few feet away.


    As was a horde of monsters.


    Ignoring the pain in my shoulder, I grabbed my poleax and Aerion¡¯s backpack as quickly as possible, and used my free hand to pull Richard¡ªsurprisingly easily thanks to my strength¡ªup to his feet. His eyes opened, and he spit out some melted snow, looking very dazed.


    We didn¡¯t have a chance to help him because while Aerion was nearby, and while she seemed to have landed well, there were about a dozen Hobgoblins on their way.


    The good news was that, while risky as expected, our gambit had worked. What we were fighting was the back line of the guards. If we took them out fast, we could conceivably rush the gate before the others got to us.


    The bad news was that without Richard, we had almost no chance, and Richard was too busy puking into the snow right now to use his powers.


    Ignoring the Champion, I made a beeline for Aerion. Realizing I wouldn¡¯t make it in time, I hurled my poleax at the nearest Hob.


    It missed, but it did stop their advance, forcing them to look at me instead.


    That got about a half dozen of the brutes to break off, leaving Aerion with six to deal with on her own. I saw her explode forward in a move that could only mean she¡¯d activated [Reave], but that was the last I saw. I had my own battle to deal with.


    ¡°Alright, Philip,¡± I muttered under my breath. ¡°Let¡¯s see if your training keeps me alive.¡±


    Deep snow, in the cold, fighting monsters twice my size. About as bad as conditions could get, but hey, at least I knew what I was doing now. Kinda.


    I ducked beneath the first Hob¡¯s punch, activating [Light of the Fearless] as I swiped through the thick fur that covered his ribs. My shoulder screamed in protest, but something allowed me to ignore it. Like it was a thousand miles away¡ªnot really there.


    The blade cut cleanly through, gouging deep. The Hob went down howling, and I moved forward to the next one, carrying the motion of my slice into a sideways swipe, aimed for its legs.


    The Hob lifted its foot in defense, but the snow that hobbled me hobbled them just as much, and the Hob was a moment too slow. [Shadow of the Fearless] activated and cut through its legs¡ªnot cutting them off, but doing enough damage to bring the Hob to its knees.


    I was ready with my sword, and drove the blade through its chin and into its skull, killing it instantly.


    The third and the fourth hobs rushed me at the same time, swinging down with their clubs. With Light of the Fearless lodged firmly inside the dead Hob¡¯s corpse, I didn¡¯t have a chance in hell of retrieving it in time, so I didn¡¯t even try.


    Opening my Spatial Inventory, I fired my Steel mace at the one on the left while simultaneously activating its ability, [Bleed]. I shot my shield at the other. Getting the shield to fit in the 4 x 2 x 2 space had been impossible, so I¡¯d had Rogar lop off a bit to make it smaller and lighter.


    Even so, its pointed end made for a plenty lethal weapon when launched out of a cosmic interspatial inventory.


    Both weapon and shield hit their mark, and while they didn¡¯t do a whole lot of damage to the durable Hobs, they did buy me time. Time enough to grab the shield, hurriedly passing my arm through its arm loop, and free Light of the Fearless.


    I stabbed one through the gut and sliced at the other¡¯s knees until it finally fell, then I killed that one, too.


    Panting, I mustered my energy and started plod-running as fast as I could towards Aerion.


    I stopped a couple of steps later.


    Aerion didn¡¯t need any help. All six of her Hobs lay dead in the snow, and Aerion was grinning.


    ¡°You look¡­ happy,¡± I said, eyeing the carnage. It wasn¡¯t pretty.


    ¡°Why wouldn¡¯t I be?¡± Aerion squeaked in a voice at least a full octave higher than her usual. ¡°I just ranked up! I¡¯m Emergence now. And I¡¯ve just gained a wonderful new ability!¡±


    I gave her a wry smile, thinking of Richard¡¯s reaction earlier. He¡¯d been horrified at the act of killing when he¡¯d arrived. Aerion, however, had long since gotten past those inhibitions. And, it seemed, so had I.


    I¡¯d felt much the same as Richard a couple of months ago when I first arrived in this world. I had to wonder, though¡­ What was the more natural reaction? Dread? Or delight? And¡­ which of those was more broken?


    Regardless, I had a hard time feeling guilty about my glee.


    Level ups tended to have that effect.

 Soulweaver 92: Ranking up

    Congratulations! [Initializer] has leveled up to Emergence - 8. Max Essence Increased from 270 to 290. Essence Utilization: 235/290. Would you like to reclaim Initialized equipment?


    Not bad at all. The levelups were coming faster now than before, and I had no doubt it was the dungeon¡¯s effect. High stakes and actual combat got me more levels than any amount of practice and drilling could.


    As for Aerion¡­


    ¡°Well? Care to spill the b¡ªCare to tell me?¡± I corrected, glancing back in panic at Richard, who was plodding his way over. He hadn¡¯t noticed, bless his oblivious soul. ¡°It¡¯s a bit rude to¡ªOh shit!¡± I yelled, jumping forward and pushing Aerion aside.


    Just before an enormous arrow sailed past where she¡¯d just been, lodging itself in the snow.


    I looked into the distance to see a new barge, and a Commander with a bow, grinning viciously at me.


    ¡°Later! We need to get going,¡± I yelled, loud enough for Richard to hear. ¡°Now!¡±


    Richard broke into a run, and together, we set out fast-plodding through the deep snow.


    ¡°Richard!¡±


    ¡°No good,¡± he replied. ¡°They¡¯re out of range.¡±


    Great. Just great.


    To say that our pace was agonizingly slow would be an understatement. Sinking knee-deep with each step was a lot like walking through waist-high water. You can put all of your strength into moving your body, but you go nowhere fast.


    Normally, that¡¯s just an inconvenience. Here? It was a death sentence.


    Another oversized arrow shot for us, but having seen it coming, I positioned myself closest to the barge.


    The arrow slammed into my shield and pinged off, landing broken in the snow.


    ¡°Shield! Yes. Bloody good idea, Greg,¡± Richard shouted.


    ¡°Yeah, well. Not so great when the archer¡¯s on a barge.¡±


    I was the only one with any sort of defense against projectiles, and after two failed shots, the Commander had had enough. He barked an angry order at the barge¡¯s pilot, and it turned, putting it on an intercept course.


    ¡°I know I don¡¯t need to say this,¡± I said between breaths. ¡°But we can¡¯t outrun that.¡±


    ¡°Ironic¡­ isn¡¯t it?¡± Richard said from a few steps behind us, panting laboriously. He was working twice as hard as Aerion and me, and even then, he was falling behind. For all his lethality, it was patently obvious he had none of the boosts Dominion and Vigor gave Aerion and me, and part of me wanted to tell him to save his breath. ¡°It¡¯s what¡­ We did¡­ To them¡­ Just need¡­ a little breather¡­¡±


    Having reached his limit, Richard slowed to a stop.


    The barge, seeing this, turned to target him. Much easier to crash into a panting, stationary guy than a pair moving as quickly as they could. Or maybe they knew we wouldn¡¯t abandon him¡­


    If so, I had to give this commander a lot more credit. That was a smart plan.


    ¡°You lot go on ahead. I¡¯ll catch up,¡± Richard said, looking close to puking from the exertion.


    ¡°How about no?¡± I said, scooping up the man and hoisting him over a shoulder. The feat would¡¯ve been impossible for Earth Greg on a good day, but came quite easily with 41 points of Dominion.


    ¡°You¡¯re strong as an ox!¡± Richard said. ¡°And a million thanks. But I¡¯m afraid you¡¯ll have to speed up, or we¡¯ll be minced.¡±


    ¡°Going as fast as I can¡­¡± I grunted. Aerion was now several feet ahead of me, so at least I¡¯d take the full brunt of the barge¡¯s attack. The armor gave me more of a chance, but even with that, I wasn¡¯t¡ª


    The scenery changed. The world shifted, and I tripped and fell, sliding a good fifty feet on a sheet of pure ice before crashing to a stop.


    The barge was gone. The crater was gone. We found ourselves in a dim, enclosed space.


    It took my Greg brain another two seconds to realize we¡¯d tripped the boundary and entered.


    And we were all still together. Richard, Aerion, and me. We¡¯d made it¡­ Again.


    <hr>


    ¡°Well, that¡¯s one way to get out of a jam,¡± Richard said, brushing himself off¡­ With a handkerchief. I had to wonder if that was something he brought from Earth. It sure seemed that way to me.


    ¡°Alright, let¡¯s take stock and¡ªgah,¡± I cringed, clutching my left shoulder.


    ¡°Greg?¡± Aerion asked, bolting to my side. ¡°What¡¯s the matter? Are you hurt?¡±


    I nodded. ¡°Took a hard fall from the barge. Might''ve broken something.¡±


    Aerion helped me remove my pauldron, and after probing and moving my arm, we decided that it was just a sprain. I suppose I had my points in Vigor to thank for that. It wasn¡¯t bad enough to render my arm entirely useless, but it did hurt like hell when I moved it a certain way.


    ¡°You¡¯ll want to be extra cautious with that,¡± Richard said, pointing to my arm. ¡°Might not be bad now, but abuse it, and I guarantee you¡¯re in for a world of hurt.¡±


    ¡°Noted,¡± I said. ¡°Though, I¡¯m not sure that we¡¯ll get much of a choice. We¡¯re in the middle of a dungeon filled with monsters, without Sanctuaries and miracle healing water. I don¡¯t see how I¡¯ll be able to baby it.¡±


    ¡°Reckon you¡¯re right,¡± Richard said, trailing off. I didn¡¯t need to be a mind reader to guess what he was going to say.


    ¡°Not a great way to enter the last stage of the dungeon,¡± I said. ¡°I know. We¡¯ll have to revise our strategy going forward to take this into account. For now, how about we take a look around? Get a feel for where we¡¯re at, and then we can worry about plans later.¡±


    ¡°Right,¡± Richard said with far too much enthusiasm. I could almost see the twinkle in his eyes. Well, I guess it¡¯s good that at least one of us was excited.


    I, however, was excited about something else entirely. Aerion¡¯s status screen came up, and when I read over the description, my eyes bulged.


    Aerion: Elf [Sylvan Reaver] (Emergence ¡ª 0)


    Essence: 200


    Soul: Common / F


    Stats (Available: 10): Total: 108


    ¡ª Vigor:  33 (Max: 33)


    ¡ª Order:  8  (Max: 8)


    ¡ª Wisdom:  14 (Max: 15)


    ¡ª Passion:  2 (Max: 2)


    ¡ª Grace:  19 (Max: 19)


    ¡ª Cunning:  10 (Max: 10)


    ¡ª Dominion: 38 (Max: 56)


    Boons:


    ¡ª Racial Trait: Boon of Elven Grace: + 10 Grace


    ¡ª Racial Trait: Boon of Elven Vigor: + 10 Vigor


    ¡ª Racial Trait: Boon of Order: +5 Order


    Stolen from its rightful author, this tale is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.


    Blessing: Sylvan Reaver (Emergence - 0) [Uncommon]


    Ancient legends once spoke of fierce warriors who terrorized the ancient Elven Elderglades. Thought to be extinct, Sylvan Reavers risk it all for ultimate power. Few sights are as terrifying as a Reaver on the battlefield.


    Details:


    ¡ª [10] Stat points awarded per level


    ¡ª [10] Essence points awarded per level


    ¡ª [1] New ability per rank


    ¡ª Abilities can level to current class level


    ¡ª Evolvable (Evolutions: 0)


    Spells:


    ¡ª Reave (Emergence - 0): Cost: Up to 100% Essence. When activated, the Reaver gains supernatural strength until either all enemies in the area are dead, or their essence pool is drained. In return, they give themselves to their rage, which only the strongest can control. +120 Dominion while active.


    ¡ª Fading Fury (Foundation - 0): Cost: Progressive. When activated, augments all other active Sylvan Reaver abilities. The lower the Reaver¡¯s current Essence, the stronger the boost, and the more Essence consumed. Essence cost doubles for every ability boosted.


    Blessing: Shock [Emergence Rank Blessing of Dominion] (Emergence - 0): Imparts an electrical shock to anything the wielder touches. Consumes Essence.


    ¡°Hoooly shit¡­¡±


    <hr>


    I locked eyes with Aerion, who grinned sheepishly.


    ¡°Something the matter?¡± Richard asked, seeing our expressions.


    ¡°Aerion¡¯s just ranked up to Emergence,¡± I said, mirroring Aerion¡¯s grin. ¡°And her [Reave] ability''s just gotten a lot stronger.¡±


    ¡°Fantastic!¡± Richard said. ¡°Congratulations, Aerion! Well deserved. Mind sharing?¡±


    ¡°Of course,¡± Aerion replied, and proceeded to fill Richard in about [Fading Fury], though she couched it as an evolution to her base ability, since only Champions got new abilities when they ranked up.


    For one, she was now E - 0. For me, that meant more Essence, and more Essence gained per level, as well as a new ability. And what an ability it was! It was something that would prove monstrously powerful in the long run, but was useful even now.


    ¡°Sounds quite dangerous,¡± Richard reflected. ¡°A bit of rough and tumble and you''re already nodding off. Won''t this just get you knackered even faster?¡±


    ¡°I agree,¡± Aerion said, frowning. ¡°It¡¯s risky¡­¡±


    ¡°Yeah, but it¡¯s also stupidly powerful,¡± I said. ¡°Just think about it. The lower your Essence, the stronger you get. Which means your ability to end enemies and finish the fight also goes up. Plus, this thing applies to any ability you gain in the future! It¡¯s multiplicative! That¡¯s so unbelievably powerful, I don¡¯t even know where to begin. Besides, you don¡¯t need to activate it from the get-go, right? You turn it on when you need it.¡±


    After discussing her new power for a bit, she seemed to come around. Yes, it was risky, but her whole Blessing was based around the idea of a berserking front-line fighter. This was the perfect complement to that, and if managed properly, could prove absolutely devastating.


    Of course, it did rely on Aerion retaining the presence of mind to strategically activate the ability while under the influence of [Reave]. That would pose a bit of a challenge for now, but I was hoping we could work on that.


    As for her other abilities¡­ [Reave]¡¯s boon had doubled, giving her an absolutely ludicrous 120 point bump in Dominion. Not just that, but her Essence pool had doubled as well, and [Shock] had progressed to Emergence rank, too. Both of those had been sitting at Foundation-MAX, so it wasn¡¯t really a surprise.


    Aerion had just become far more capable as a warrior, and I couldn¡¯t wait to see her in action. It made my own level up pale in comparison, and I couldn¡¯t wait to see what ranking up to Divergence would bring me.


    After the fervor and excitement, we took some time to scout our surroundings in earnest. We were, for all intents and purposes, in an ice cavern. The type you see on nature documentaries, with their rich blue ice and gorgeous ice structures.


    Except, there was no rich blue ice here. There wasn¡¯t much of anything, because of how little light there was. The floor was slippery, it was cold, and dark.


    At least it was, until [Light of the Fearless] burst to life, illuminating our surroundings. After that? The nature channel had nothing on this.


    Every surface of the cavern of pure ice twinkled like a dazzling kaleidoscope as it reflected the light from the blade. Rather than a cavern, it seemed like we were in something closer to a tunnel, with sloped walls and a low ceiling only a couple of feet above my head.


    And then it was gone, [Light of the Fearless] having run out.


    ¡°Quite a handy ability, that,¡± Richard said, running his hand along a sloping wall of pure ice.


    I shrugged, despite no one being able to see it in the darkness. ¡°It¡¯s been more useful than I¡¯d have thought,¡± I said, thinking back to how I used it to heat up Aerion¡¯s fingers and toes. ¡°Just wished it lasted longer.¡±


    ¡°Indeed. You reckon we could lick this stuff if we had to?¡± Richard asked. ¡°Or maybe break it and eat it?¡±


    ¡°I heard eating ice was bad for you,¡± Aerion said from nearby.


    ¡°Well, we have regular water, but I figure this stuff is clean,¡± I said, pointing a thumb to the ice around us. ¡°Doesn¡¯t look like anyone, or anything, has come through here in ages. Past that, you just need to worry about not having too much, or it¡¯ll cool your body down too much. Fine when you¡¯re out and about. Not great when you¡¯re about to sleep for the night.¡±


    ¡°Good to know,¡± Richard said. ¡°How about we take this tunnel and see where it leads?¡±


    Given that the tunnel ended only about a hundred feet in the other direction, I was inclined to agree. It was either that or stay here, and staying wouldn¡¯t get us out of the dungeon. Nor would it help the people of Basecrest, I reminded myself. As much as it felt like we were on some far-flung expedition, our actions here mattered to tens of thousands, and the clock was ticking.


    A half-hour of traveling¡ªmostly in the dark, with occasional bursts from my sword, and we were still inside our little tunnel. There had been a handful of junctions so far, but all led to dead ends. It was as if someone had mined these tunnels looking for something, but gave up.


    So long as we got somewhere, I wasn¡¯t complaining. We¡¯d maintained radio silence the whole time to hear for any possible monsters, but after so long without having run into even a single one, we began to pick up our pace. We¡¯d gotten more comfortable traveling in the near-dark, and so we managed a brisk walk without fumbling too much.


    The end of the tunnel came with the proverbial light. In fact, it was so bright to our dark-adjusted eyes that we all had to look away as we approached, and then when we stood on the ledge the tunnel ended at, it took another minute for our eyes to adjust.


    When they did, we all gasped.


    If the tunnel from before was pretty with the reflected light from my blade, the sight before us was downright breathtaking.


    ¡°Have you seen anything like it?¡± Richard asked in wonder. Aerion and I shook our heads.


    ¡°Y¡¯know? I sometimes forget I¡¯m in a fantasy land,¡± Richard said. ¡°And then you see this¡­¡±


    I had to agree. With the strife of the city and how frighteningly good humans were at making extraordinary things feel normal¡­ It was sometimes easy to mistake this world for some sort of dystopia.


    The prismatic ice stalactites, the vast, yawning snowfield below us, its rich, blue ice illuminated by some unseen source, as if the ice itself glowed¡­ It made for a scene straight out of Lord of the Rings.


    ¡°It¡¯s not even the same color,¡± Richard remarked. ¡°It keeps changing. Blues to purples to yellows and reds¡­ This is incredible!¡±


    ¡°I agree,¡± I said. ¡°But more importantly for us, how the heck are we supposed to get past all this?¡±


    And the question I didn¡¯t voice: Why did all this exist in the first place? I could at least understand the Trials, being set up to test warriors and prepare them for the Cataclysms.


    Even the outer part of the Cataclysm Dungeon made sense. It resembled a sort of military base. A fortress built into the mountain-side. Something easily defensible. I had to assume the backdoor we entered through would be bolted shut during an actual invasion of any sort.


    Or maybe it was just a staging area designed to launch troops out of. Not necessarily as a defensive structure. Either way, it made sense.


    This, though? Why? Why put delvers into an ice cavern instead of a deathtrap filled with mines, explosives, magic, and whatever else?


    Unless¡­ Unless they couldn¡¯t control it. Maybe these monsters didn¡¯t build this structure? Maybe they only found it and built their base around it?


    I knew far too little about dungeons to comment, but something was definitely off here. If they didn¡¯t build it, then one had to wonder what the original purpose was¡­ If any.


    ¡°Hmm,¡± Richard said, eyeing the sheer precipice on which we stood. We were on a relatively large ledge that protruded above the vast chasm below us. The floor of the ice field was quite a ways below under us. The shape of the landscape resembled a giant U. Basically a large canyon with sheer, vertical walls on both sides, and we were currently standing on the top of one end.


    The height was too far to jump down and expect to live, even with boosted stats. ¡°You¡¯d think after all the trouble they took to dig that tunnel, they¡¯d have at least left some stairs¡­¡±


    There were no stairs. But did there really need to be?


    ¡°I¡¯ve got an idea. Can everyone stand back for a moment?¡± I asked, ushering my companions back into the tunnel.


    I took my sword, and activating both abilities, sliced down into the ice.


    Nothing. What ought to have been a jarring impact felt like cutting through air, with only a razor-thin mark to evidence its passing.


    I cut another, at a ninety-degree angle, and another at a forty-five degree, wrenching a triangular block of ice free. I repeated the process a few times, until I had rectangular indentation in the ice, about twelve inches deep and two feet across.


    Then I got to work expanding the hole and digging another one below that, finding that I needed just one of the abilities to cut through, which doubled my pace.


    After about five minutes, I had three flat levels cut into the ice, each deeper than the next.


    Or, in other words¡­ Stairs.


    It¡¯d be slow. It¡¯d be arduous. But we had a way down. Now we just had to see where it led.


    The stair-cutting exercise would do something else. Something far more important.


    It gave me an opportunity to put a bit of distance between myself and Richard.


    And that meant I could finally Initialize more pieces of gear, now that I had more Essence to play with.


    I honestly couldn¡¯t wait.

 Soulweaver 93: Stairway to Hell

    As I feared, the journey down was tedious and time-consuming. Mostly because of the cooldown period between activations of my sword¡¯s abilities. I was forced to idle around, waiting between invocations.


    I¡¯d hoped that the many consecutive uses of the abilities would¡¯ve leveled them up, but no such luck. Apparently, the System didn¡¯t consider hacking ice a useful experience. I couldn¡¯t really blame it. I gained more in three minutes training with Philip than I gained in the three hours I¡¯d been hacking away.


    Even using the sword one-handed to favor my injured left shoulder, I still managed a decent pace, once I got the hang of things.


    At least I had company, and Richard wasn¡¯t the type to stay silent for very long. In any other situation, I would probably have grown tired of that pretty fast, but it came as a welcome distraction from the monotony of stair construction.


    ¡°And so, there¡¯s this town east of London by the name of Hethel. Beautiful countryside. Went there with the family not one year ago. Emma just loved the change of pace. You¡¯d think the mucky pup would lose some steam after running around all day, but nope! Kept badgering us to return to the fields so she could have her fun. Very rural out there. Nothing at all like London. You¡¯d be forgiven for thinking there isn¡¯t much to see, other than farmland, but would you happen to believe it¡¯s the hometown of a very famous British Sports Car company? Ah, my apologies. I should probably explain what a car is, first¡­¡±


    I couldn¡¯t help but smile as Richard animatedly talked Aerion up. Aerion, for her part, listened with such rapt attention, you¡¯d think she was listening to Dominion himself. The difference being she asked Richard questions one after another, whereas I doubted she¡¯d be nearly as talkative in the presence of a deity.


    As for me, I had mixed feelings about the fun facts about my old world. On one hand, it was nice, being reminded of Earth. Of modern Earth, in particular. From everything Richard had said, I put him around the seventies or eighties. Before computers changed our lives, but recent enough that I could relate to the pop culture of his time. It felt good on some primal level to have someone else in this world who got it.


    On the other¡­ I couldn¡¯t help but think about what Richard had said about going back. Who was right? Passion? Or Order? Could we really return? Did we have to go back? Or would we have a choice?


    One of them was lying. That much was clear. The question was¡ªwho? And more importantly, why?


    Every one of those scenarios painted a wildly different circumstance. I¡¯d personally made peace with the fact that I¡¯d never return. That this was my new world, and that I¡¯d better come to embrace it. Which I had¡­ For the most part.


    What about Richard, though? It was painfully obvious just how much his family mattered to him. More than his own life, if I had to guess. If Passion was indeed pulling the wool over his eyes¡­ I didn¡¯t even want to begin to imagine the meltdown he¡¯d have when he learned the truth.


    On the other hand, if Passion was right, and all Champions had to return¡­ Where would that put me?


    Stripped of my powers and my stats. A normie again. With no life, no jobs, and friends so distant they might as well be acquaintances. Would I even remember my time here? Would it be better if I didn¡¯t?


    As I hacked away at the ice cubes, half listening to Richard prattle on about the miracle of the internal combustion engine, I realized that the very idea of going back actually terrified me, and the fact that it did honestly came as a surprise. I¡¯d barely been in this world a month, and I¡¯d nearly died more times in that month than I would have in an entire lifetime back on Earth.


    There was just one difference. I had a purpose here. I could be somebody in this world. That counted for a lot.


    Of course, the best possible outcome was if we got to choose, but I was willing to bet that wasn¡¯t in the cards. If it was, at least some Champions of prior cycles would¡¯ve opted to settle here. If they did, it would¡¯ve been recorded in the history books, and people would know about it.


    It had never happened. Not even once.


    Fuck.


    Just thinking about it made my skin crawl. But seeing how I couldn¡¯t do a damned thing to learn more about it, at least not until I met Cosmo again, I did what I usually do in these situations, and shoved the topic to a dark corner of my brain to focus on the task at hand.


    I had stairs to dig, an ice field to cross¡­. And gear to Initialize.


    <hr>


    Initialize [Basecrest City Guard Boots]? 99% chance to successfully Initialize [Uncommon] armor. Essence Cost: 17. Current Utilization: 235/290


    I confirmed.


    Basecrest City Guard Boots [Uncommon]


    Now we¡¯re talking. Based Basecrest Boots. Does it get any better than this?


    Essence Cost: 17


    Condition: 150/150


    Stats:


    Passion: 17


    Dominion: 9


    Abilities: None


    Well, that was a bit underwhelming. No ability, and two useless stats. Not that Dominion was useless, just that I had so much headroom right now that any more in that stat wouldn¡¯t benefit me for a long while. Passion was¡­ Well, let¡¯s just say that at this stage in my Champion career, it wasn¡¯t a priority.


    With these boots, I was now at 252/290, or at 87% utilization. That was a comfortable spot, but I was left a little dejected with the result¡­ So I decided to see how much my gauntlets would cost.


    Initialize [Basecrest City Guard Gauntlets]? 99% chance to successfully Initialize [Uncommon] armor. Essence Cost: 17. Current Utilization: 252/290


    The same. Fuck it, enchanting these would put me at 269. 21 points to Initialize something in an emergency. I was comfortable with that.


    Basecrest City Guard Gauntlets [Uncommon]


    A nice looking pair of sleeves. Useful, too!


    Essence Cost: 17


    Condition: 100/100


    Stats:


    Order: 26


    Abilities:


    ¡ª Snap [Foundation - 0]: You might not be able to snap and reset the world, but you can defy space and time! Snap your fingers, and your hands will move faster. You¡¯ll look more badass, and your stress will reduce on account of said badassery. For a small time¡ªno permanent world-altering changes here!


    I wanted to scream out at the world. 26 points to Order? What about Vigor? Or Grace or Cunning? All of which I sorely needed. I glanced at my stat screen and gnashed my teeth.


    Unauthorized content usage: if you discover this narrative on Amazon, report the violation.


    Sum Current: 202 Sum Maximum: 341


    ¡ª Vigor:  48 (Max: 49)


    ¡ª Order:  12  (Max: 50)


    ¡ª Wisdom:  27 (Max: 50)


    ¡ª Passion:  20 (Max: 59)


    ¡ª Grace:  27 (Max: 27)


    ¡ª Cunning:  23 (Max: 23)


    ¡ª Dominion: 45 (Max: 83)


    My stats weren¡¯t anything to scoff at, but I was currently on the path of my worst nightmare¡ªthe path of the all-rounder. Sure, it was possible to get really good at everything, if you managed to live long enough. But would I? In this world full of danger?


    I needed only to look at Aerion¡¯s specs to know that I was falling behind. Her earned total was only at 124, barely 60% of my total. Her Vigor sat at 33, with her ceiling now at 40 after she spent 7 points on it after her rank up. The remaining 3, she¡¯d put into Dominion, bringing it to a max of 59, and was currently at 38.


    And now, she had 120 points of Dominion to add to that, bringing her strength up to a staggering 158. That was absurd. I couldn¡¯t even remotely match her in any of my skills.


    No, something had to change, and soon. I chose this Blessing for its ability to craft curated, purpose-built sets of weapons and armor to excel at one thing. The idea being if I needed to be great at something else, I could just swap my gear, thus reconfiguring my stats in an instant. That was something Aerion couldn¡¯t ever do.


    I could only hope my next Rank-up brought me something useful. For now, I¡¯d have to make do.


    My eyes skimmed over the description, expecting to find another useless ability.


    They stopped when they read over the ability. I had to reread it to be sure.


    Acceleration? Now that I could get behind. It was a little weird that I had to snap to activate it, though, and more than a little inconvenient. Maybe I could snap with one hand while swinging with the other?


    I tested it out, snapping my fingers. Sure enough, my hands received a small burst of acceleration after. It wasn¡¯t much, probably not even enough to be visible, but then nothing was at F - 0. Unlike prior abilities I¡¯d seen that made weapons swing faster, this was much more useful. It applied to bare gauntlets, swords, and anything else I decided to hold.


    For my next ice block, I tried activating the ability mentally, fully expecting it to be a lost cause.


    To my surprise, it actually worked. Which meant that description was pure horseshit.


    I rolled my eyes. Typical Cosmo. Well, at the very least, this was one ability I¡¯d never have trouble leveling.


    <hr>


    The rest of the few hundred feet took me about another eight hours of digging. I discovered early on that by only partially cutting the blocks, I could cut two stairs at once, and use the downtime to use my strength to break off the chunks I¡¯d partially cut.


    The stairs were rougher-looking, but aided by [Snap], I nearly doubled my pace. The ability leveled to F - 3 as well.


    At last, we stood on the flat section of the U - shaped canyon. The ice underfoot had some texture to it, so while it was still ice, it was at least not the slippery sort of stuff you''d fall and break your wrist on.


    With our lower vantage, the passage on the other side was no longer visible, but navigating would be easy¡ªwe just had to head for the other cliff face. Luckily, we wouldn¡¯t have to scale that wall back up¡­ Which would¡¯ve been an absolute nightmare.


    Richard¡¯s storytelling petered out at some point, and we traveled in silence. Each lost in our own thoughts.


    It was why I didn¡¯t notice that something was off. Not until we were well into the middle of the field of ice.


    But even when my spidey sense tingled, I couldn¡¯t place what I felt. There were no monsters anywhere near us, and the huge expanse meant we could see for miles.


    No, it wasn¡¯t that¡­ It was something else. Something more sinister.


    And then it clicked. The only thing more terrifying than danger is the absence of it when it should clearly be there.


    ¡°Anyone else find it weird we haven¡¯t encountered a single monster?¡± I said, breaking the oppressive silence that had settled on our party at some point.


    ¡°I was just thinking the same thing.¡±


    ¡°''Tis odd,¡± Aerion commented. ¡°Perhaps other delvers have already defeated them?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t know about that,¡± I said. ¡°We might not be the first delvers in here, but I¡¯d say we¡¯re pretty darn close. And if that were true, wouldn¡¯t we have seen the bodies?¡±


    ¡°Good point,¡± Aerion conceded.


    ¡°Well, I say we don¡¯t look a gift horse in the mouth and carry right on,¡± Richard said. ¡°I¡¯ll not bemoan the fact that our foes seem to have slept in this day.¡±


    ¡°Right,¡± I replied, still not fully convinced. ¡°Let¡¯s just stay alert. I don¡¯t want anything sneaking up on us, alright?¡±


    ¡°Right,¡± Aerion replied.


    ¡°Eyes and ears peeled,¡± Richard said.


    I considered every possibility that whole time we walked across the ice. We were in a space where enemies couldn¡¯t readily sneak up on us, but that also meant we were horribly exposed. Nowhere to hide, and nowhere to run, really. We had all the space, but none that would protect us from any monsters that sprung up¡­ Sprung up?


    My stomach dropped when I realized our one blind spot. ¡°Keep an eye on the ground!¡± I shouted, half-panicking, though I couldn¡¯t exactly say why.


    ¡°You see something?¡± Richard asked.


    ¡°No. Just¡­ It¡¯s the one place we have no visibility. If something pops up through the ice¡­¡±


    ¡°Relax, friend,¡± Richard said. ¡°We¡¯re on high alert. I say we get across this ice as quickly as we can. Then we¡¯ll have nothing to worry about.¡±


    ¡°Yeah. Right,¡± I said, staring into the ice below our feet.


    We continued in silence for another stretch with Aerion leading, Richard in the middle, with me bringing up the rear. It was right at about the halfway mark that someone spoke again.


    ¡°Say¡­ I¡¯ve been keeping an eye out since Greg mentioned it,¡± Aerion said. ¡°And¡­ Do any of you see anything in there?¡±


    ¡°In the ice?¡± I asked from behind.


    ¡°I see¡­ Ice?¡± Richard said. ¡°Deep and thick.¡±


    ¡°Maybe I¡¯m just imagining it,¡± Aerion replied sheepishly, and kept walking.


    I¡¯d been paying attention to the ice ever since I realized it was a weakness, but I was mostly looking for anything moving under there. Anything that might hit us from below. Now that I looked closer¡­


    There was something in there. Or somethings, rather. A whole lot of them.


    ¡°Er, Aerion? Are those shadows what you¡¯re talking about?¡±


    ¡°Yes. They look like dark splotches in the ice, don¡¯t they?¡±


    ¡°Yeah¡­ I think I see them, too.¡±


    ¡°What do you think they are?¡± she asked.


    ¡°Can¡¯t tell,¡± I said, straining to peer down into the depths beneath our feet. It helped that the ice glowed¡ªit was the only reason we could see into it in the first place¡ªbut whatever was down there just looked like indistinct blobs.


    ¡°Well, so long as they¡¯re not moving, I say we ignore them and get out of here as fast as we can,¡± Richard said. ¡°This whole pole gives me the goose pimples.¡±


    Aerion gave me a look, and I could almost hear her asking ''goose pimples?'' I shook my head. Just Richard being Richard.


    ¡°I think you¡¯re right,¡± I said, feeling an indistinct sense of fear come over me. I didn¡¯t know what I was scared of, exactly. Only that this whole thing felt horribly wrong. ¡°Let¡¯s pick up the pace. I hope everyone¡¯s up for a jog¡­¡±


    <hr>


    Every minute of that jog felt like an eternity. I imagined arms springing up from beneath the ice to catch our feet. I expected an undead army to appear, surrounding us with thousands upon thousands of enemies and pitting us in a battle to the death.


    What actually happened, I could never have expected.


    We made it. Without issue or drama. We¡¯d arrived at the canyon wall on the other side.


    There was just one problem. The passage¡ªa narrow gorge that split the canyon wall like a very skinny V¡ªwas blocked.


    ¡°It¡¯s a solid wall of ice,¡± Richard said, placing his hand upon it. ¡°D¡¯you reckon they¡ª!?¡±


    We all saw it at once. We all heard it at the same time.


    Richard recoiled from the wall, nearly falling. ¡°Good god¡­¡±


    ¡°By Dominion¡­¡± Aerion gasped.


    ¡°What the fuck¡­¡±


    The wall of ice, almost ten feet thick, had a man buried inside.


    A man who was still alive, and who was calling for help.

 Soulweaver 94: Dance of the Sea Serpent

    ¡°Greg! Hurry!¡± Richard cried, on the verge of panic. ¡°He¡¯s still alive. Cut him out!¡±


    I moved instinctively, activating [Light of the Fearless] to make several precision cuts. I¡¯d have been far slower without all the practice I¡¯d just had cutting stairs while cradling my injured left shoulder, but even with all that, would I make it in time?


    Fundamentally, how was such a thing possible? Alarm bells began to ring in my head as I clawed through the ice. Nobody could survive more than¡­ What, a minute? Before they asphyxiated? Which meant someone had stuck him in there recently. We would¡¯ve seen them.


    But we saw nothing even remotely resembling a fight or a struggle. We hadn¡¯t even come across a single other soul.


    I finished cutting through the ice, bringing the middle-aged warrior, still encased in an ice block, tumbling down.


    Aerion, Richard, and I all got to work hacking at the ice, desperately fighting to free the frozen man, who was still pleading for us to save him.


    I broke off another chunk, getting close to his face, but I didn¡¯t rightly know how to actually get the guy out before he suffocated. The heat from my blade¡¯s ability couldn¡¯t melt ice nearly fast enough. Maybe with a half-hour, it¡¯d make some progress, but he didn¡¯t have a half-hour.


    Then the man¡¯s screams cut out.


    Not just that. He¡¯d stopped moving entirely.


    ¡°What the fuck is going on here,¡± I muttered, staring at the frozen corpse. Just moment ago, he¡¯d been writhing, calling for help.


    Now?


    The corpse¡¯s flesh was so pale, it looked like it¡¯d been there for centuries. Perfectly preserved in time. Except, that was impossible. Sirens blared in my head.


    ¡°Stay sharp!¡± I yelled, whipping my head around for any sign of an enemy. ¡°Might be a trap. There¡¯s something seriously wrong with¡ª¡±


    I never had a chance to finish my sentence. The wall that had blocked our way came crashing down. Broken, rather, by an almighty force that sent blocks of ice flying in our direction with the force of a grenade, forcing us to duck, run, and shield ourselves as best we could from the shrapnel.


    Having the benefit of a shield, I hunkered down, bracing against the blocks of ice that shattered against its metal surface, while Aerion, alerted by my warning, flattened herself on the ground, thereby avoiding most of the fallout. I saw a handful of small pieces streak across her back, tearing through her light armor and drawing blood, but she looked otherwise uninjured.


    Richard, unfortunately, had neither a shield, nor the instincts to hit the ground like Aerion had.


    ¡°Behind me!¡± I roared, but it was too late. He took the brunt of the impact. Tiny pieces of ice shredded his ornate cloth armor, and he crumbled in a wail of pain.


    If that were all, I might¡¯ve counted our blessings. Richard was down, but not out. Aerion and I were mostly okay.


    Except, I never thought to wonder what exactly could have caused such a sturdy wall of ice to come suddenly crashing down.


    I got my answer a moment later. I¡¯d never heard a roar so loud before. I¡¯d never heard anything that injected the fear of death straight into my veins like that.


    It was shrieking. It was massive. And it was utterly terrifying. Because when the frost cleared and the owner of that roar became visible, and its scaly torso coiled and coiled, forming a mountain of its own, I felt my knees give out from under me.


    I now knew what had made the passage we¡¯d been aiming for. It wasn¡¯t a passage at all, but rather a channel that had been cut out by the body of a creature so gargantuan, my brain could barely even comprehend it.


    We¡¯d just stepped into a boss¡¯s lair. One that put even the terrifying Obsidian Dragon in Dominion¡¯s Trial to shame.


    The serpent of pure ice that stared back at us from its eyes hundreds of feet up in the air, had to be as wide as a house, and at least half a mile long.


    In that moment, there were no expletives in the world that could convey what I felt. The words that came out of my mouth were just about the only thing that could.


    ¡°Oh¡­ My¡­ God¡­¡±


    <hr>


    I just¡­ Stared. At the colossal creature so huge, I could barely even see its head, high up near the ceiling of the great cavern we found ourselves in.


    I felt like I was in a surreal painting, where nothing made sense, and everything was some form of abstract art.


    ¡°Greg!¡± Aerion shouted. ¡°What do we do?¡±


    ¡°What do we do?¡± I laughed. ¡°What do you mean?¡±


    ¡°How do we fight it!?¡± she shrieked, and only then did the severity of the situation dawn on me.


    Stolen content alert: this content belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences.


    Fight¡­ Right, this thing was going to kill us, wasn¡¯t it¡­


    ¡°I, I don¡¯t¡­¡±


    ¡°Greg!¡±


    Something hit me across the face. Hard. It took my addled mind a second to realize it was Aerion¡¯s palm.


    ¡°Did you just slap me?¡± I asked, more shocked than anything.


    ¡°Get it together, Greg,¡± Aerion shouted into my face. ¡°I¡¯m just as scared as you are, Greg. But you¡¯re the one who comes up with the plans. You¡¯re the one who gets us out of these situations! You make the impossible possible! So get it together, and think of a plan!¡±


    Tears streamed down her face, but the way she looked at me¡­ With eyes full of hope¡­ And terror that lurked just behind that thin veil of composure¡­. Something about it resonated with me. Right down to my core.


    Right. Of course¡­ Look at me, panicking like a moron. I thought I¡¯d grown past this. I thought I¡¯d learned. I guess while my courage might have been enough to take on dragons, it wasn¡¯t quite at the level of city-ending giga serpents yet.


    The head of the snake started to fall. Even now, my brain failed to register the thing as a threat. It was so far away, and moved so slowly to my eyes. Like an avalanche on a nearby peak. The human body just didn¡¯t react to these things. Not until it was far too late.


    ¡°The head,¡± I blurted, my mind spinning into overdrive. ¡°If it has a weakness, I think it¡¯ll be in the head.¡±


    ¡°Okay!¡± Aerion shouted. ¡°So how do we get there?¡±


    ¡°We, uh¡­ We climb it?¡± I squeaked, staring up at the skyscraper-sized creature.


    Aerion nodded. ¡°We climb. What about Richard?¡±


    He was just starting to sit up and regain his bearings.


    ¡°I guess I¡¯ll just have to carry him¡­¡±


    <hr>


    Climbing a giant sea serpent the height of a small mountain was one thing. A hard thing¡ªto be attempted only by the most courageous climbers¡ªbut climbing a serpent made of ice? While it was trying to kill us? And do it while carrying my semi-conscious elven buddy?


    Yeah, that was goddamn impossible.


    ¡°This isn¡¯t working!¡± Aerion yelled, about a dozen feet higher up on the serpent¡¯s back than I was.


    That we¡¯d even managed to jump onto its back spoke volumes about our athleticism. We¡¯d managed it on the first try, before the serpent crashed into the ice.


    That was also when we learned that the ice we¡¯d been on? It wasn¡¯t solid at all, but rather a thin layer of ice covering a frozen lake.


    The thing about frozen lakes, though? They were only solid on the surface.


    A column of freezing water geysered up the instant the serpent broke through the surface and plunged underneath.


    With the size of the thing, it was some moments before the rest of its body followed, and we were currently on its back.


    The safest place to be.


    Until the damn thing dove underwater, bringing us with it.


    ¡°Bail out!¡± I roared. ¡°Jump off!¡±


    Aerion didn¡¯t need to hear it twice. With the most elegant bound I¡¯d ever seen, she leaped off the serpent¡¯s back, somersaulting in midair before landing perfectly on her feet on the ice nearby.


    I¡­ Wasn¡¯t so deft. Carrying Richard wrecked my sense of balance, so the best I managed was a clumsy roll onto the ice, hugging Richard to shelter him from the impact as best I could.


    The feat didn¡¯t do my woozy friend any favors, but it did keep him alive.


    The serpent¡¯s body finally disappeared under the ice, leaving behind an eerie calm. The kind you see in horror movies when the serial killer disappears into the shadows after killing his first mark.


    ¡°Mate¡­ I¡¯m never riding you again,¡± Richard said in his delirium, breaking that terrifying silence.


    ¡°He¡¯s in bad shape,¡± Aerion said.


    ¡°Yeah. I can see that.¡±


    Richard¡¯s cloth armor was being steadily stained with his blood.


    ¡°Not a whole hell of a lot we can do, can we?¡±


    ¡°We should get him away from here,¡± Aerion said, before looking at the passage. It was a good hundred yards away.


    ¡°No, we need to get away from here,¡± I said, gingerly picking Richard up.


    He groaned in pain, but an apology was all I could give him right now. My Spatial Inventory had healing salves, bandages, painkilling herbs, suture needle, thread, and other conventional medical implements.


    I couldn¡¯t use any of that until we were safe. Until then, I just had to pray that Passion and Vigor had a good relationship, and that Passion hadn¡¯t cheated him out of points in that stat over some stupid divine quarrel.


    ¡°Let¡¯s go!¡± I yelled, pushing as much power into my legs as I possibly could.


    A hundred yards didn¡¯t feel like much, but when you were running from a serpent that could chomp you whole without even realizing, it felt like an eternity. Every step felt like a thousand, and I lost track of my surroundings.


    My world became the passage with the broken wall, and the ice leading up to it. Doctors would call it tunnel vision, caused by adrenaline and my panicked flight response.


    Whatever it was, it supercharged my hearing. Everything felt more visceral. More real than it had ever been.


    Which was why I heard the ice crack this time.


    ¡°DODGE!¡± I yelled, throwing myself as hard as I could to the side.


    Aerion mirrored my motion without hesitation, diving the opposite way.


    Just in time to avoid the jaws of death that came bursting up through the ice, soaring into the sky like a column.


    ¡°Shit. Shit shit shit!¡±


    ¡°Greg! We need another plan!¡±


    ¡°I know!¡± I shouted. This wasn¡¯t working. We had too many handicaps. If we were going to fight this thing, we needed everyone at full strength. Including Richard.


    I looked at the elven Champion, struggling to keep conscious through the pain.


    ¡°Sorry, buddy. But we need your help.¡±


    ¡°Well, in that case¡­¡± Richard said through gritted teeth. ¡°Why didn¡¯t you just say so earlier?¡±


    I tried to give him a comforting smile, but a grimace was all I managed. ¡°Does that thing have a heart? And can you stop it?¡±

 Soulweaver 95: Wails of the Dead

    My first instinct was to run for the passage, but I quickly realized what a deathtrap that would be. Sure, the giant ice serpent couldn¡¯t move as freely in there, but neither could we. It took up the full width, leaving us nowhere to run or hide, and we definitely couldn¡¯t outpace it. All it¡¯d have to do was follow us in, and we¡¯d be dead meat.


    As bad as the lake was, it was the only place we¡¯d have a chance. At least out here, we could see the massive thing flop slowly back down onto the ice.


    ¡°Remember, the goal isn¡¯t to beat this thing,¡± I said. ¡°We just need to get it to give up and go¡­ away¡­¡±


    Ground and pleas for help interrupted me, but there was nobody around.


    Then I looked down. Into the ice. At those shadows we¡¯d seen earlier.


    Not shadows. Corpses. And they were calling out to us.


    ¡°Please! Oh, Wisdom! Please, have mercy. End my pain!¡±


    ¡°It hurts! It hurts so much! Make it stop! Make it go away!¡±


    ¡°What is this madness?¡± Richard said, voice cracking in fear. ¡°Are they all¡­ Are they alive?¡±


    I picked up my pace, more out of primal terror than anything. Was that the fate that awaited us if we lost? To be entombed in the ice? Alive, but not?


    ¡°We cannot let fear overcome us!¡± Aerion shouted from behind me.


    Aerion was right. That was a surefire way to die. Or worse¡­


    I forced my thoughts back on topic. On escaping this nightmare. I really had no idea if that was even possible¡ªmaybe this was the sort of serpent that got pissed and never gave up¡­ But if it was like any normal creature, it¡¯d have a sense of self-preservation. Even the monsters in Dominion¡¯s dungeon had shown a desire to hang onto life.


    The only question was whether we could get it to see us as threats or not. At the very least, the serpent didn¡¯t seem to have any attacks, other than using its massive size. That itself put it in a class below the Obsidian Dragon.


    ¡°Here it comes!¡± I said, as the giant snake¡¯s head plunged down towards us, its jaw open wide.


    Before we came up with any sort of real plan, we needed to test the waters. As such, our immediate goal was to not get eaten.


    Richard rode on my back, while Aerion was about a hundred feet away. It made no sense to give the serpent one target.


    As I¡¯d hoped, the thing targeted Richard and me. Well, as much as anyone can hope for a colossal being of pure ice to try and kill you.


    Being big wasn¡¯t always an advantage, however. It made the serpent¡¯s every movement potentially lethal for us, but it also meant the thing couldn¡¯t change direction very fast.


    And it sure as hell couldn¡¯t move quickly enough to catch Richard and me as I leaped out of there, narrowly avoiding being eaten.


    ¡°Did it¡­ work?¡± I asked, trailing off as I saw the result for myself.


    The serpent¡¯s head crashed into the ice, sending chunks flying in all directions, but instead of diving under for another strike, it abruptly halted.


    Then, slowly, its head came up and swiveled around, locking onto Richard and me. It slowly opened its colossal maw, allowing us to see inside. Past the razor-sharp fangs, and inside. It looked much the same as the outside, being made of ice. No flesh or a gullet or anything even resembling a digestive tract.


    And then it did something very un-serpentlike. It roared. It roared so hard, I nearly toppled over from the force of its ice-cold breath.


    ¡°Uh, Richard? I think you just pissed it off.¡±


    ¡°Seems like it,¡± Richard said. ¡°Sorry to say it, but I don¡¯t see how I¡¯ll be of much help with this one.¡±


    ¡°Well,¡± I said in despair. ¡°It was worth a shot.¡±


    I took off, ignoring the wails of the buried dead as I headed in a direction perpendicular to the serpent. I hoped forcing it to turn to follow us would at least buy us some time. As for Aerion, I didn¡¯t have a clue where she was¡ªon the other side of the thing¡¯s gargantuan body, possibly. It wasn¡¯t after her, though. So long as she avoided its tail, she¡¯d be fine.


    The bigger question was¡ªwhat the fuck were we supposed to do? We couldn¡¯t run, we couldn¡¯t hide, and we couldn¡¯t kill the damn thing, either.


    About ten seconds into running, I spotted Aerion jumping high into the air. Now that the serpent was traveling on the surface of the ice, its body was actually not that far off the ground, and since it was chasing us, and since we didn¡¯t move especially quickly, that meant parts of its body were more or less stationary.


    Just that neither Richard nor I were in a position to take advantage of that, being, essentially, bait.


    ¡°Nice, Aerion,¡± I muttered as I bolted randomly to the right just as the snake lunged for my previous position.


    Aerion landed on the side of the serpent, driving a dagger into its side, using that as a platform to jump onto the top of the beast. From there, she sprinted along its topside, rapidly approaching our position.


    I saw her give the hand signal for All-Out-Assault, and I couldn''t help but grin. Just moments prior, we''d been flailing. Now? Now we had a chance.


    The narrative has been taken without permission. Report any sightings.


    Timing my throw to coincide with Aerion¡¯s arrival on top of the serpent¡¯s head, I hurled Light of the Fearless at the elf, who caught it deftly.


    Aerion¡¯s motions changed. Her previously elegant movements became tinged with aggression, and I knew she¡¯d activated [Reave]. Now, we were on a timer. Either we took this snake out or escaped from it in time, or Aerion would keel over, and that was that.


    That was okay. Because now, in this limited window of opportunity, we finally had a strategy that might work. Aerion was in the right place at the right time.


    And she was doing some serious damage.


    Each slash sent chunks of the serpent¡¯s icy skull flying as she carved a ditch in between its eyes, and if I wasn¡¯t mistaken, it felt like the ice chunks got larger and larger with every strike.


    The serpent, predictably, roared in panic, forgetting all about chasing Richard and me. It also meant the serpent went careening away, and in just a few seconds, its head was over a hundred feet from our position.


    ¡°Fuck. I have to get to her!¡±


    As strong as Aerion was right now, she was also vulnerable. And I didn¡¯t know what sort of decisions she¡¯d make while under the influence of [Reave].


    ¡°Sorry, Richard. I¡¯m gonna have to set you down,¡± I said, leaving my poleax beside him. I¡¯d need two hands for what I was about to do.


    ¡°No worries at all, my friend. Go save your chum. I¡¯ll be here.¡±


    ¡°Right. We¡¯ll get you treated the moment we can,¡± I said, retrieving my shield from my inventory and placing it next to him. At least he''d have some defense if any other enemies popped up. ¡°For now, put pressure on your wounds to stop the bleeding.¡±


    I barely heard Richard¡¯s ¡°You got it,¡± as I jumped up and grabbed onto one of the serpent¡¯s scales. Lacking Light of the Fearless, I had to do this the hard way. The good news was I was so far back on the serpent¡¯s body by now that this section had none of the frantic, panicked movements of the head, allowing me to climb my way up.


    One shudder or jerky movement, and I¡¯d have been flung free. As it was, though, I made it, and then I was the one running along its back. I ran like a madman, figuring I had seconds now, before the thing realized it could simply dive under the ice to safety.


    I didn¡¯t even have that. To my horror, the serpent¡¯s head rose high into the air¡ªwith Aerion hanging onto it¡ªand crashed into the ice, disappearing below.


    The rest of the snake¡¯s body rapidly followed suit.


    And I was running right at it.


    The fuck was I supposed to do now? Jumping off was the sane move. But Aerion was still attached to the thing¡¯s head when it went below.


    ¡°Aw, fuck! I am so gonna regret this¡­¡±


    I got as far as I dared, flattened myself against the serpent¡¯s back, grabbed a hold of its scale, and hung on for dear life.


    ¡°I am so gonna regret this,¡± I muttered, just before the thing¡¯s torso sank beneath the frozen lake.


    <hr>


    I¡¯d swum in some chilly lakes before, so I thought I knew what I was signing up for. I thought I could handle it.


    I didn¡¯t, and I couldn¡¯t.


    The sheer chill of freezing water was difficult to overstate. Especially when you were subjected to immediate, total submersion.


    My hands immediately started pulsating, and my body started to convulse from the shock, nearly forcing out the breath I¡¯d been so desperately holding on to. It was like I¡¯d just been subjected to an electric chair.


    I didn¡¯t lose my breath, though. Forcing the convulsions under control, I willed my mind steady. There was something odd about the act. Like it was easier than it ought to have been. Like I had more control over my body¡¯s subconscious actions than ever before. I felt like I had an inkling of the stat responsible for this, but there¡¯d be time to experiment with that later. For now, I counted my blessings and worked my way forward along the snake¡¯s back, one scale at a time.


    I wasn¡¯t far from the head now. I would occasionally catch glimpses of it, with a streak of platinum that, I assumed, was Aerion¡¯s hair moving around. I couldn¡¯t be sure, though. Seeing anything underwater was difficult at best, and absolutely pointless at worst.


    Then there was the question of how long we could actually stay under here before we had to surface, and whether our air supply would last until it did.


    Because we weren¡¯t just under a lake. We were under a frozen lake, and trying to hack through a layer of ice while low on air sounded like a great way to drown.


    In hindsight, maybe not the best decision coming down here, but when the other choice was leaving Aerion to fend for herself? That wasn¡¯t a choice at all.


    After what felt like eons but was probably only about thirty seconds, I finally arrived at Aerion¡¯s position. She was desperately trying to enlarge the gash she¡¯d made in the serpent¡¯s skull, but fighting against its panicky motions and also trying to hit the thing proved to be too much for her. There just wasn¡¯t a good way of finding the proper leverage needed to brace herself.


    That was, until I came along. With one hand securely on a scale, I held Aerion¡¯s hand with my other, allowing her to stand on the thing¡¯s back and hack and slash away with my sword.


    Even underwater, [Reave] proved to be a godsend, allowing her to wreck the thing¡¯s skull. I knew, because I felt all the force through my arm, as she pulled on me to push on the sword, driving it deeper and deeper.


    This was realistically our only option. Fuck the snake up so much that it decided enough was enough, and broke through the surface.


    We¡¯d been underwater for about three minutes now, and while both of our lung capacities had expanded thanks to our Vigor, I doubted we had more than another minute or two left in the tank.


    So it was a good thing that the snake finally decided it¡¯d had enough about fifteen seconds of abuse later, and went vertical, aiming for the surface.


    I yanked Aerion down beside me, and she had the good sense to stick Light of the Fearless inside her belt and grab onto the scale with both hands.


    I¡¯d expected some colossal shockwave to hit us as we broke through the ice, but surprisingly, I didn¡¯t feel a thing.


    It was the debris that did us in. Because while the serpent¡¯s head made a hole big enough for it to pass through, it just wasn¡¯t big enough for a couple of tag-alongs.


    We slammed into a broken block of ice face-first. Aerion was wrenched off¡ªwhether because [Reave] ran out, or because her grip was bad, I didn¡¯t know. I managed to just barely cling on by the skin of my teeth.


    We almost had this. I could breathe again. I was in position to complete what Aerion had started. Activating [Aim], I fired my mace out of my Inventory, aiming it down into the icy gash. The force of its ejection blew another chunk out of the snake¡¯s head, causing it to buck and turn violently.


    I grabbed the handle of the mace and lifted for another blow, but something in my peripheral vision caught my attention.


    A dark blur some distance ahead.


    I looked up just in time to register the sight, but not fast enough to do anything about it.


    I watched in horror as the serpent opened its maw¡­ and swallowed Richard whole.

 Soulweaver 96: Rocky

    It took me another few seconds to comprehend what had just happened. Richard¡­ The Champion¡ªmy only connection to Earth¡ªhad just been swallowed.


    One moment he was there, and the next¡­


    What the fuck was that? Richard was dead¡­ Just like that? And I was supposed to accept this?


    Screw this bullshit.


    Screaming like a deranged man, I beat down on the gouge Aerion had started with my mace. Nothing but fury drove me, and in that moment, I felt like I got a glimpse of what Aerion felt when she activated [Reave].


    The world may as well not have existed, for all I cared. It was just me. This fucking snake, and my Steel Mace.


    I lost count of the number of times I smashed my mace into the serpent¡¯s back, dodging the debris that went flying everywhere. Some pieces actually hit me, pinging off my armor or smashing into my face, but I barely noticed. I didn¡¯t even notice the slew of minimized notifications fly down my screen. Or that, at some point, the hole I¡¯d gouged had gotten so big that I was standing in it.


    It was like a never-ending wall of ice. In any other situation, I might have gotten dejected. I might have given up. But the rage blinded me to all that. I was a machine, designed for one task and one task only¡ªbreaking this snake¡¯s skull.


    I kept hammering, smashing away at the thing, bit by bit.


    Suddenly, my mace hit something that felt like water and looked like water, but was much gooier, and thicker in substance.


    I noticed, because the fucking snake had finally stopped moving. And because Aerion was screaming her head off, trying to say something.


    When I came to my senses, I realized I was actually standing inside what must¡¯ve been the snake¡¯s brain. Extricating myself from the mess, I jumped off the creature and met up with Aerion.


    ¡°He might still be alive,¡± Aerion said. ¡°Help me break through its jaw!¡±


    The snake died with its mouth firmly shut, and so Aerion had been hacking away at it with Light of the Fearless, trying to get in. I joined in the effort¡ªmuch easier now that we were both on solid ground, and when Aerion activated [Reave] and [Fading Fury], it stood no chance. Her Essence was already quite low, which made [Fading Fury] extra potent. Every strike of hers broke off boulder sized chunks.


    I soon realized I wasn¡¯t of much help, so I worked on cracking the pieces Aerion broke into small ones, which I then hurled away, clearing the path for Aerion to continue her work. In just a few moments later, we were through. [Reave] shut off the moment the last piece fell, leaving Aerion weary, but conscious.


    As we stepped into the throat of this gargantuan beast, I had to wonder how such a thing could ever have lived. As I¡¯d seen before, the inside was surprisingly clean, and we walked on mostly ice, filled with bits of snow¡­ and skeletons. Lots of skeletons.


    ¡°Is it just me, or did the temperature drop by about forty degrees?¡± I asked, teeth chattering even though we were both running as hard as we could, trying to find Richard. It wasn¡¯t like it was warm outside, either¡ªI¡¯d have put it close to freezing. Inside here was much, much worse.


    It didn¡¯t help that both Aerion and I were sopping wet with ice-cold water, which had already begun to freeze in places, forming icicles and ice droplets all over. Our hair had frozen into a block of ice, making my head so heavy I actually felt it, and my body ached all over, like someone had pounded every bone in my body with a hammer. I didn¡¯t even want to guess how miserable it must¡¯ve been for Aerion.


    We toughed it out, though. With our enhanced stats, we could handle this for a few more minutes. Compared to us, Richard was in a far worse predicament.


    ¡°Must be how it kills its prey. Look,¡± Aerion said, pointing to the corpse of some animal. ¡°See how it¡¯s frozen solid?¡±


    ¡°Huh. So it freezes everything it swallows? And then, what? Slowly digests them?¡±


    ¡°Seems like it,¡± Aerion said, jumping lightly over a half-digested frozen corpse. ¡°I believe there is a good chance Richard is still alive.¡±


    If his earlier injuries haven¡¯t caught up with him, I thought darkly. Neither Aerion nor I were versed in medicine, so even if his injuries were treatable, chances were good we could only manage the basics. Even that was only thanks to our recent training. After agonizing about this deficiency, I¡¯d finally decided to have Baron Sinclair arrange for some medical training. We could now set bones, disinfect and suture wounds, and administer various salves that functioned as painkillers and immunity boosters.


    I only hoped it would be enough.


    We found Richard collapsed on the ground, cradling his leg with his back up against a wall. His eyes meandered lazily, and it was with a long delay that he half-heartedly tried to greet us. All he managed was an unintelligible garble.


    ¡°He¡¯s on the verge of hypothermia,¡± Aerion said, kneeling beside him and touching his hand and his forehead. ¡°Maybe frostbite, too. We need to get him out of here.¡±


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    ¡°Yes, let¡¯s,¡± I said, looking around the space. The light from outside filtered in, so it wasn¡¯t especially dark. But being inside what was essentially the serpent¡¯s intestines felt all sorts of wrong. Not to mention the cold. ¡°This place gives me the¡­ creeps?¡±


    Something caught my attention in the distance. A few dozen feet away from where Richard lay was a small mountain of detritus. Everything from hunks of ice to the frozen remains of eaten fish, whales, and all sorts of other goodness... Including my shield and poleax, or what was left of it.


    As well as some skeletons. Skeletons, armor, and swords.


    But now was not the time. Richard was dying. He needed my help, and only I could carry him.


    So I did the next best thing.


    ¡°Aerion? Go deeper and see if you can¡¯t find this serpent¡¯s core. I¡¯m guessing it¡¯ll have one, just like the giant and the dragon in Dominion¡¯s Trial did. Also, if you see any gear rivaling the quality of our current gear or better? Pick it up. And grab my poleax and shield while you''re at it.¡±


    Aerion glanced at me, then at the pile, and nodded. ¡°Understood.¡±


    I scooped up Richard as gently as I could and slung him over my shoulders, even as my teeth chattered uncontrollably. Not wasting another moment, I sprinted out the way we¡¯d come, reaching the snake¡¯s broken maw in just under a minute.


    Outside, the air was much warmer, and I laid Richard out on the ice before stripping off his cloth armor. It was thankfully a much simpler design than my own plate, and I got it off without much trouble.


    Underneath, the situation was¡­ not good, though with all the frozen blood, it looked far worse than it probably was. The good part about that was it had prevented the elf from bleeding out. The bad part?


    I had no freaking clue how to heal this.


    I did what I could, breaking off the frozen blood and cleaning him up, which revealed a number of superficial cuts, and two deeper wounds. Those must have been from the ice shards when the wall first blew.


    That was when Aerion joined me, kneeling beside our fallen friend. ¡°We should sterilize and stitch the wound as best we can,¡± she said, opening the medical kit I¡¯d pulled out of my inventory earlier. ¡°You ensure he stays warm. I¡¯ll make the sutures.¡±


    ¡°Roger that,¡± I said, feeling some of the worry subside. Richard wasn¡¯t badly wounded. He was weak, and needed insulation.


    Lacking fuel for a traditional fire, all I could do was activate [Light of the Fearless] as often as I could, placing it as close as I dared to Richard¡¯s body so he could absorb the residual heat.


    It was painfully slow-going, and I kept at it for well over an hour after Aerion wrapped up her stitching job. As usual, she did an excellent job, and if I didn¡¯t know better, I¡¯d have thought a professional did it. She¡¯d disinfected the area with some alcohol from my inventory, and covered the wounds with gauze. So long as he didn¡¯t push things, Richard would heal just fine, without danger of infection.


    I had to wonder how many other Champions had died early in previous cycles. I thought it was a tiny minority, but after seeing this dungeon¡­ Not to mention how lopsided Richard¡¯s powers were. He was a glass cannon, through and through, and unlike me, he couldn¡¯t reconfigure that on a moment¡¯s notice. His powers were even more lopsided than Aerion. Without us and his guards to protect him, he¡¯d surely have died.


    It made me realize how right I¡¯d been to pick such a versatile Blessing. It progressed slower, sure, but it¡¯d pay dividends in time. I was becoming increasingly sure of that.


    As for the rest of him, well, my efforts at least ensured he wouldn¡¯t lose any fingers or toes today, and that went for all of us. Both Aerion and I had stripped off our waterlogged armor and clothing, and put on a fresh set of clothes I¡¯d brought along in my inventory. I¡¯d agonized over whether to bring them, considering my extremely limited space, but I was now glad I did. It might very well have saved us.


    ¡°He owes us a drink,¡± I said dryly, when the color had returned to Richard¡¯s flesh, and his skin no longer cold and clammy. He rested with regular, even breaths, which I took to be a good sign.


    ¡°I¡¯d say he owes us more like ten, would you?¡± Aerion said with a smirk, laying down my poleax and shield.


    ¡°No argument there," I replied, inspecting the remains of my weapon.


    ¡°Sorry about the ax... I couldn''t find the shaft anywhere.¡±


    ¡°Don''t worry about it. Was probably blown to smithereens when the snake swallowed Richard.¡± The shaft was mostly missing and the spear tip was bent, but the weapon miraculously still had a bit of Condition left. It was useless in its current state, though, so I shoved it into my inventory. My shield was in better shape. Still serviceable. I put that in my inventory, too.


    ¡°So, uh, you manage to find anything good? Inside, I mean.¡±


    Aerion shrugged, gesturing with her chin to an odd-looking something a few feet away.


    ¡°Is that¡­ a rock?¡± I asked, genuinely baffled as to what it could be.


    ¡°Dunno. All of the gear was frozen and either cracked, rusted, or of subpar quality. This was the only thing that stood out. I found it deep inside, suspended in the middle of a pillar of ice.¡±


    That sounded an awful like a core¡­ Except this thing didn¡¯t look like a core.


    ¡°It¡¯s¡­ a rock,¡± I muttered, inspecting the object. It was smooth, like a water stone, but easily grapefruit sized.


    Aerion shrugged again. ¡°It¡¯s pretty. And, it was the only thing that wasn¡¯t frozen solid.¡±


    While true¡ªthe rock didn¡¯t have a trace of ice on it, and was only slightly cool to the touch¡ªthat didn¡¯t make it special enough to lug it around. It didn¡¯t resemble the other cores at all. In fact, its only other notable feature were the reddish-yellow lines that ran down the rock like ore veins, but that didn¡¯t say a whole lot.


    ¡°Well, maybe the System Message will tell me something¡­¡±


    I stared blankly at the screen that popped up the instant my fingers touched the cool stone. Uncomprehending, I could only blink in disbelief¡­


    ¡°Greg? Greg, what¡¯s wrong?¡±


    Name: Rocky the 423rd


    Abilities: Dormant (Inactive)


    Classification: Champion of Order


    Age: 42,344 years


    Stats:


    Vigor: Rocklike


    Order: Rockish


    Wisdom: Rockesque


    Passion: Rocky


    Grace: Rocked


    Cunning: Rocket


    Dominion: Rockadoo

 Soulweaver 97: The Spoils of Serpent Slaying

    I found myself at a loss for words. On the one hand¡­ It was a rock. It looked like a rock, and it was even called rocky.


    On the other, the description clearly said it was a Champion. It would seem Cosmo hadn¡¯t been kidding, after all¡­ I couldn¡¯t believe I actually found one.


    ¡°What?¡± Aerion asked. ¡°What do you see?¡±


    ¡°Not here.¡± I glanced at Richard, who was resting nearby, and ushered Aerion a few dozen feet away. ¡°Just to be safe.¡±


    ¡°Is it really such a big deal?¡± Aerion asked.


    ¡°See for yourself,¡± I said, granting her access to the same screen I saw.


    When she read the lines, she gasped. ¡°What¡­ What does this mean?¡±


    ¡°I honestly wish I could say, Aerion. Cosmo mentioned he¡¯d been summoning rocks as Champions for the past several thousand cycles, but I didn¡¯t honestly know whether to believe him. Now, though?¡±


    ¡°Order told you he summons rocks. Regular, ordinary rocks...¡± Aerion deadpanned.


    ¡°Seems like we have our evidence right here, don''t you think?¡± I said, hefting the thing. ¡°You think it''d make a good thrown weapon? It''s got some serious weight to it.¡±


    ¡°He could be summoning Champions, to end the cycle,¡± Aerion fumed, ignoring me. ¡°Real Champions. And instead, he summons rocks!?¡±


    ¡°I think he had his reasons,¡± I said cautiously, realizing I was treading on thin ice. ¡°I don¡¯t know, but lately, I¡¯ve been feeling like Cosmo isn¡¯t as incompetent as he so desperately wants everyone to believe. Almost wonder if there¡¯s some method behind his madness.¡±


    ¡°You think Order has a plan? You think that god who has forsaken his people for millennia, has some grand vision he is attempting to accomplish? By summoning rocks?¡±


    ¡°Well, I just think it¡¯s a possibility,¡± I said, suddenly a lot less sure of myself. ¡°We shouldn¡¯t rule out¡ª¡±


    ¡°No,¡± Aerion said. ¡°You¡¯ve spent too much time around that twisted god. He¡¯s corrupting you, Greg. I can¡¯t believe you¡¯re siding with him. After everything he¡¯s done. After everything he¡¯s done to you!¡±


    ¡°Look, I¡¯m not siding with anyone here,¡± I snapped. ¡°And I agree that Cosmo is an insufferable ass at times. Just, we need to consider all the angles. Or, what? Are you going to write this off as some extreme coincidence? That we just happened to find one of his prior Champions? Here, of all places?¡±


    Aerion paused for a long moment. ¡°You truly believe this was all Order¡¯s doing? Us entering this dungeon, I mean. Fighting that serpent? All of it?¡±


    ¡°I¡­ I don¡¯t know,¡± I said. ¡°I don¡¯t think he has that kind of power. At least, nothing he¡¯s shown so far indicates he does. I have a hunch the gods can¡¯t actually meddle that much in our everyday lives. I mean, if they could, why don¡¯t they just accompany their Champions and kill off every monster along the way? For that matter, why don¡¯t they just fight the Archon himself? As strong as the Champions might get, I don¡¯t believe for even a second they¡¯re in the same realm as those gods.¡±


    ¡°The gods use their powers to summon the Champions,¡± Aerion said. ¡°It is extremely taxing for them, and so they do not have the power left to intervene.¡±


    ¡°But if that¡¯s the case, why summon Champions at all?¡± I asked. ¡°Why not just use that power to take out the Cataclysm, once and for all? Or hell, they could just swoop in every time and blast those Landing Castles out of the sky like those high-rankers did. Seems awfully convoluted, going through all this trouble to bring us over from different worlds, doesn¡¯t it?¡±


    ¡°I¡­ do not know,¡± Aerion replied, biting her lip. ¡°Mortals cannot know the thoughts of the gods. We need only to do our part. After this, there will be no more cycles.¡±


    ¡°Right,¡± I said. ¡°So you keep saying.¡±


    ¡°You distrust my words?¡± she asked, taking the rock from me.


    ¡°No, I fully believe that you think that¡¯s what¡¯ll happen. Just that¡­ I dunno. Cosmo¡¯s gone through an awful lot of trouble to keep me in the dark about things I can learn trivially easily. There has to be a reason for that. At least, that¡¯s what I think. Just like there has to be a reason why we found this Champion-rock thing here.¡±


    On a whim, I tried to Initialize it, fully expecting the process to fail. I mainly wanted to test if I could Initialize Champions. That felt extremely broken, so I was about to put the thing back down when a message popped up.


    Initialize [Rocky the 423rd]? Initialization Cost: 9,433,855,172,409 Essence.


    I scarcely had the time to read that ludicrous cost when the message disappeared, only to be replaced by another.


    ERROR: Champion Detected. Unable to Initialize.


    My hopes were about come crashing down when that, too, disappeared. What followed was a slew of nonsensical messages.


    ERROR: Synergistic Essence detected. Calculating¡­


    ERROR: Insufficient Compute Resources. Unable to converge. Consulting Covenant Core¡­


    ERROR: Success. Determination: Combine Synergistic Essence Sources. Recomputing Essence Cost¡­ Complete.


    Initialize [Rocky the 423rd]? Initialization Cost: 33% Essence (Temporary). Essence consumption will be temporary and will transfer to the Champion¡¯s summoner over time. Summoner: The God of Order (Hola Greg it¡¯s me Cosmo! Teehee! No worries, amigo. I do so swear that all your oh-so-precious Essence will be refunded. Source: Trust me br¡ªERROR: Maximum personal note characters reached. In the future, please fit your messages within the allotted length.)


    I¡­ gawked.


    ¡°What? What is it?¡±


    ¡°I, uh, don¡¯t really know,¡± I said, sharing my messages with Aerion. For some reason, I had to manually share these, unlike the others.


    When she got done reading, Aerion had the same expression I had. Confusion, and disbelief.


    ¡°What does this even mean?¡± she asked. ¡°And what''s this at the end in parenthesis?¡±


    ¡°Uh, Cosmo being Cosmo, I assume? Just ignore it.¡±


    ¡°I shall,¡± Aerion said, smoothly accepting my explanation. ¡°And the rest?¡±


    ¡°I honestly wish I could tell you.¡± I said, running a hand through my hair. ¡°One thing¡¯s for sure. We¡¯re onto something here. There¡¯s no way we just happen upon something like this by coincidence. Not with those error messages. Did you see that initial cost?¡±


    Aerion nodded.


    ¡°You know how you said it costs the gods a lot to summon Champions?¡±


    Aerion nodded again.


    ¡°Well, call me crazy¡­ But I think we just got a glimpse as to exactly how much. About 9 trillion Essence. I¡­ get the feeling we weren¡¯t supposed to see that.¡±


    Support the author by searching for the original publication of this novel.


    ¡°Agreed,¡± Aerion replied, her face going pale. ¡°Do you think we will be punished?¡±


    ¡°Nah,¡± I said, shaking my head. ¡°If the gods were gonna do something like that, I feel like they already would have by now. Just, uh¡­ Let¡¯s keep this to ourselves?¡±


    Aerion nodded furiously.


    This¡­ This was some heavy shit.


    I let out a long breath and reached into my inventory, activating [Aim]. A bar of rations shot out, and I caught it in midair.


    ¡°Did you have to do that?¡± she asked, rolling her eyes.


    ¡°No. But I can,¡± I replied with a grin as I took a bite. It tasted like bland, salty crackers. There was a ton of other stuff packed in, most of which I didn¡¯t have a clue about. But it was energy dense, packed small, and preserved well. Not that the last point mattered all that much for me.


    I¡¯d wanted to pack some actually tasty food, but the math just didn¡¯t work out. For as long as we might be gone, we had to stuff in as many calories as we possibly could, and this thing fit the bill.


    I handed her a bar of her own, which¡­ didn¡¯t cheer her up at all.


    ¡°Anyway, sounds like we have to take this thing with us now,¡± I said. ¡°At least until I work up enough free Essence to Initialize it.¡±


    ¡°About that,¡± Aerion said, frowning as she reread the message. ¡°What does this bit about ¡®transference¡¯? It¡¯s quite confusing.¡±


    ¡°I could be wrong, but I think it means it¡¯ll eat up as much Essence as you do, at least initially.¡±


    ¡°Eat up?¡± Aerion asked, raising an eyebrow.


    ¡°Hey, don¡¯t look at me. It is what it is,¡± I said, throwing my palms up. ¡°Just that, unlike you, I think its cost will reduce over time. Maybe even to zero? I don¡¯t know if I can trust Cosmo there...¡±


    ¡°Is that even a question?¡± Aerion asked. ¡°You should never trust him. Nor does it say how long the process takes.¡±


    ¡°No, it does not,¡± I agreed. ¡°Could be years, for all we know. Still¡­ It¡¯s too tempting not to try it.¡±


    ¡°Do you even have that much Essence?¡± Aerion asked, navigating to my stats.


    ¡°Definitely not,¡± I said, saving her the trouble. ¡°It¡¯ll have to wait until I rank up. And if Rocky doesn¡¯t end up being worth it, I¡¯ll just uninitialize it. Maybe I¡¯ll find some other use for it,¡± I said. Even if it¡¯s just as a paperweight, I didn¡¯t add.


    Maybe it¡¯d sit on my wall, collecting dust. A memento of my adventures, just waiting for the day some young upstart came into my home and asked about it decades later. Then, with a twinkle in my eye, I¡¯d take a puff of my pipe, and begin the tale with, ¡°Well, you see, I was a Champion, once¡­¡±


    Or not.


    ¡°Looks like there¡¯s just enough space in my inventory to fit it, thanks to the food we¡¯ve been eating.¡±


    We hadn¡¯t actually touched our water rations yet, thanks to all the snow and the surrounding ice. We had plenty of food reserves, so even accounting for feeding Richard, we were in good shape.


    Speaking of, I glanced at our slumbering friend. ¡°Think it¡¯s time we busted this popsicle joint, don''t you?¡±


    Aerion stared at me, ration bar halfway to her mouth, looking downright disgusted to be in my company.


    Maybe she was right. Maybe Cosmo was rubbing off on me.


    <hr>


    Our march out of the valley to the chasm on the other side took us through the devastation that had been the scene of our battle. Wherever the snake crashed down into the ice, or sprung up from it, had turned into small ponds, and the area now resembled a mini archipelago, making navigation complicated and annoying.


    That gave me plenty of time to ogle our recent upgrades. And boy, oh boy, were there upgrades galore.


    Congratulations! Vigor has increased from 48 to 49 (Max: 49)


    Congratulations! Dominion has increased from 46 to 48 (Max: 83)


    Congratulations! [Steel Mace]¡¯s Ability [Bleed] has leveled up from Foundation - 9 to Emergence - 0.


    Congratulations! [Steel Mace]¡¯s Ability [Bleed] has ranked up to Emergence!


    Congratulations! [Light of the Fearless]¡¯s Ability [Light of the Fearless] has leveled up from Foundation - 7 to Foundation - 9.


    Congratulations! [Light of the Fearless]¡¯s Ability [Shadow of the Fearless] has leveled up from Foundation - 7 to Foundation - 9.


    Congratulations! [Basecrest City Guard Gauntlets]¡¯s Ability [Snap] has leveled up from Foundation - 3 to Foundation 4.


    Congratulations! [Initializer] has leveled up to Emergence - 9. Max Essence Increased from 290 to 310. Essence Utilization: 276/310. Would you like to reclaim Initialized equipment?


    Now that was what I called a haul. Between that and Rocky, we¡¯d made away like bandits.


    Most of the gains were incremental, but those incremental gains had still gained me a level. I was just two levels away from Divergence Rank, and the windfall that would bring. With the inevitable final boss still ahead of us, I was growing more and more optimistic that I¡¯d attain it by the time I left the dungeon.


    As I reveled at my list of advances, I found a couple of surprises.


    With all the chaos, I¡¯d almost forgotten I¡¯d used Snap a couple of times to accelerate my strikes. While it did little, it was part of my mission to level my less useful abilities. Both to make them more potent, and to aid with leveling up my Blessing. I forgot to activate my Cuirass¡¯ [Hidden Dragon], though, so I still had some ways to go in that department. I¡¯d have to make a habit out of that, just like I had with [Snap].


    It wasn¡¯t all good news, however. My Steel Mace¡¯s Condition had dropped to 22 from its maximum of 50. Being a [Common] Weapon, its Condition dropped faster than my higher tier gear, so I would really have to baby it until I got it repaired. Especially since it had the first ability I¡¯d ever ranked up to Emergence. It must have happened when I was bashing in the damned snake¡¯s skull. I couldn¡¯t wait to test out what the rank up had done to the ability¡¯s potency.


    Aerion¡¯s upgrades weren¡¯t anything to scoff at, either. She¡¯d leveled her Blessing from E - 0 to E - 1, granting her 10 stat points to spend, and both [Reave] and [Shock] had made similar jumps to E - 1 as well. Her Vigor and Dominion had seen similar gains to mine, jumping 2 points to 36 and 41, respectively.


    But the most impressive jump of them all had to go to Aerion¡¯s newest ability, [Fading Fury]. It had jumped all the way from F - 1 to F - 6, thereby proving my hunch that higher level enemies power leveled lower ranked abilities.


    That was a great thing, since it meant that despite all new abilities starting at F - 0, we¡¯d be able to rapidly level them to our current rank. I wouldn¡¯t be surprised if fights in the future ranked them up in a single fight.


    It was a corpse in the middle of our path that broke me out of my daydream. A frozen corpse, freshly de-iced after being buried for who-knew-how-long?


    ¡°These bodies¡­ Do you think the serpent was responsible for them?¡± Aerion asked.


    ¡°You mean like an ant, hoarding corpses away for later?¡±


    Aerion nodded.


    ¡°Creepy thought,¡± I said, looking down at the frozen blonde woman. She still had her plate armor on, and her green eyes were frozen open in an expression of shock. The color had vanished from her face, making her look ghastly, but she didn¡¯t look a day past twenty.


    Who was she? What sort of life did she lead, and how long had she been here? A hundred years? A thousand? Ten?


    As if killing and preserving them wasn¡¯t enough, the damn serpent had mimicked their voices, tricking us into believing they were still alive.


    Was it just a trick, though? It¡¯d felt so real. The pleas for help. The screams of terror. There had been so much emotion in them. Was it just copying the intonation and replaying them? Or was the truth even darker?


    ¡°Y¡¯know what?¡± I said. ¡°I initially thought Axius was full of wonder and beauty.¡±


    ¡°And now?¡± Aerion asked, glancing back at me.


    ¡°Now, I¡¯m beginning to think this place might be even more fucked up than where I come from,¡± I muttered. ¡°Just¡­ In different ways.¡±


    Aerion¡­ Didn¡¯t respond.


    We moved on, neither of us talking until we got to the chasm on the other side. I couldn¡¯t speak for Aerion, but I felt like I was fumbling around in an endless labyrinth that was lit only sporadically. Every time I learned something new, I got a glimpse at the bigger picture, but never enough to conclusively grasp the full image. A handful of pieces in a thousand-piece puzzle.


    The most frustrating part was I had no source I could turn to, or even a lead who¡¯d spill the beans. Cosmo was the closest thing, and his lips were tied, and rather than him just being an ass, it was starting to feel like he couldn¡¯t tell me. Or wasn¡¯t allowed to, for whatever reason.


    I could only hope this dungeon shed more light on things. Maybe I¡¯d learn more when we reached the core. We weren¡¯t far now.


    I knew because when Aerion and I exited the chasm, it was onto another ledge, like the one that led into the previous canyon.


    Except here, instead of another canyon, it overlooked a giant, pulsating ball of light, so bright I could barely stand to look at it. Something in my gut told me that this wasn¡¯t another portal.


    No, we¡¯d reached the core. And the only thing in between us was a vast, sprawling maze that stretched for miles and miles in every direction.


    A maze¡­ made entirely of ice.

 Soulweaver 98: Rat Race

    ¡°Well, that¡¯s not something you see every day,¡± I said, letting out a whistle.


    ¡°It¡¯s unlike anything I¡¯ve ever seen,¡± Aerion replied. ¡°What is this place?¡±


    The maze stretched on for as far as our eyes could see, all the way to the horizon, and off to the sides as well. Considering we stood on a ledge about fifty feet above it¡­ that was quite far indeed. Above us, the ice cavern finally ended, giving way to a cloudy gray sky, and for the first time since we¡¯d entered the core, our old friend the freezing wind reared its ugly head.


    Aerion shivered, pulling her coat a little tighter.


    ¡°The maze ought to protect us from the elements,¡± I said, looking down at the incomprehensible maze. ¡°Assuming we want to attempt it in the first place.¡±


    ¡°What do you mean?¡± Aerion replied. ¡°We have to, do we not?¡±


    ¡°I mean¡­ we could try climbing on top of its walls maybe?¡± I said, scratching my chin. ¡°Guessing there¡¯s something that would prevent us from doing that, though.¡±


    ¡°There has to be,¡± Aerion replied. ¡°Or else, what¡¯s the point of this place? It¡¯s clearly built to make it as difficult as possible for any invaders to progress.¡±


    ¡°Yeah¡­ Which means it¡¯s probably full of mines, monsters, and booby traps.¡±


    Traps were as old as warfare itself, but were still in use today, even on modern battlefields. I supposed it was no different here, in a world where high rank Blessed could shoot the equivalent of long-range missiles.


    A complex maze full of dangers was actually not a bad way of dealing with people. It reminded me of ancient castles, which forced invaders through convoluted routes and multiple sets of gates. All while the defenders rained arrows and molten tar down upon their assailants.


    Huh. Maybe we ought to give cheating the maze another look¡­ Diving headlong into this thing did not sound like a great idea if we could avoid it.


    ¡°Ugh,¡± Richard groaned, massaging his forehead as he sat up. ¡°What did I miss? I feel like dead dog.¡±


    ¡°You were injured by a shard of ice,¡± Aerion said, lending Richard a hand, which he took. ¡°We then fought a great serpent made of ice, that used the voices of the dead to trick us.¡±


    ¡°Lovely,¡± Richard said. ¡°Yes, I remember. Thought you were goners the moment it took you under the ice. I don¡¯t quite recall what happened after, though.¡±


    I cleared my throat. ¡°It uh¡­ swallowed you. But don¡¯t worry, we killed it, entered its belly, and got you out,¡± I said, patting his shoulders. ¡°What are friends for, eh?¡±


    Richard just stared at me like I¡¯d grown another set of eyes.


    ¡°It swallowed me¡­¡± he said.


    Aerion nodded. ¡°It did.¡±


    ¡°Good god man, how am I still alive?¡±


    ¡°Well, you¡¯re lucky the thing was made of ice. Seems instead of digestive fluid, it froze its prey, which it then somehow absorbed,¡± I said. ¡°Sounds like it absorbed more than their bodies, though. Their voices¡­ Maybe even their memories.¡±


    ¡°God¡­ That¡¯s vile.¡±


    ¡°Yeah¡­ Well, you¡¯re lucky it¡¯s a slow process. Biggest danger was the cold, but we got you out and heated you up with my sword. Took forever, though. We really need a better way to get warm.¡±


    ¡°We stitched your wound as best we could while you were out,¡± Aerion said. ¡°Best not to make any sudden movements for the time being.¡±


    Richard touched his stomach and winced. ¡°I reckon I¡¯ll take your advice on that. Don¡¯t think I¡¯ll be winning any golds anytime soon.¡±


    Aerion turned her head. ¡°Golds?¡±


    ¡°Gold medals. There¡¯s this competition where I¡¯m from, the Olympics. For the world¡¯s best athletes who¡ªah, nevermind. Point is, I won¡¯t be moving much. Not to worry, however. My Blessing does not require my mobility, thankfully. I¡¯m as fit to fight as ever, I assure you.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯d say we got off lucky. You¡¯re the only one among us whose powers aren¡¯t physical in nature,¡± I said, giving him a warm smile. ¡°We¡¯ll be relying on you in our upcoming fights.¡±


    Relief flashed across Richard¡¯s face, and he slouched slightly. ¡°Of course, Greg. You can count on me. Have to make amends for that poor showing, after all.¡±


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    Was he just ashamed he didn¡¯t pull his weight in that last fight? Or was he worried we¡¯d ditch him? Either way, he was wrong.


    ¡°You¡¯re an integral part of the team. Sure, so that serpent was a bad matchup for your ability, but you absolutely destroy weaker foes. Especially when there¡¯s a lot of them, which is something Aerion and I struggle with. We¡¯ve each got our strengths. Aerion¡¯s great against powerful monsters, and I¡¯m kind of an all-rounder,¡± I said, thinking of how very much I didn¡¯t want to be an all-rounder.


    Soon. With just a bit more Essence and a bunch of experimentation at the forge, I¡¯d be able to craft armor that gave me very specific bonuses, optimized for one particular goal. It¡¯d certainly help if I had an ability that aided with that, but for now, I was on my own.


    ¡°Now, what¡¯s this about a maze?¡± Richard said, gingerly rising to his feet. ¡°Don¡¯t tell me there¡¯s¡ªbloody hell!¡±


    Richard was so stunned he nearly fell, and would have had Aerion not been there to support him.


    ¡°What is this?¡± he asked in wonder as he took in the scene.


    ¡°Best guess? The dungeon¡¯s final line of defense,¡± I explained. ¡°A trap-ridden maze that we have to pass through to get to the core, which I assume is that miniature sun floating above everything.¡±


    At least there was no lack of light here. While the core didn¡¯t generate the sort of heat you¡¯d expect from a sun, it illuminated the area just fine. No more dark tunnels for us.


    ¡°Guess it¡¯s time I make some stairs. Let¡¯s head down and see what we¡¯re up against,¡± I said, dreading the idea of digging another few hundred steps. ¡°Who knows? Maybe we¡¯ll get lucky and bypass this thing entirely.¡±


    Fat chance of that. But we had to at least try, didn¡¯t we?


    <hr>


    We did, as a matter of fact, get lucky. Just not in a way I could ever have predicted.


    ¡°Don¡¯t those¡­ look a little large for steps?¡± Aerion asked, hopping down to the roughly cut block of ice.


    Imagine my surprise when I picked the best possible route down and headed over, all prepared to start hacking, only to find that steps had already been made.


    Big ones, and very roughly done. In fact, calling them steps was a disservice to the flat, level things everyone was used to. These were more like ledges. Some deep, others shallow, and most of them precarious.


    Whoever had hacked these out had been big, strong, and in a rush.


    ¡°You don¡¯t think¡­¡± Aerion said, trailing off.


    ¡°Eskil Magnusson,¡± Richard said, speaking the name on all our minds.


    ¡°I don¡¯t,¡± I said dryly. ¡°I mean, there¡¯s no way, right? We entered first, and we haven¡¯t seen a soul until now¡­¡±


    And yet, the oversized steps, the rough, heavy slashes that could very well have been the result of a giant swinging an equally big ax¡­ I had to admit, the chances were good. Especially given his proximity to the core.


    ¡°Could be that he took another route,¡± I said. ¡°Or, maybe it works similarly to the outer dungeon, flinging people to different areas.¡± If that was the case, Richard ought to have disappeared, but he didn¡¯t.


    ¡°Perhaps it depends on where you enter the core from?¡± Aerion asked.


    ¡°Or when,¡± Richard said. ¡°Maybe the location changes based on timing. Just to trip people up?¡±


    I shrugged. ¡°Could be. Whatever the case, he¡¯s beating us right now.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s a bad thing?¡± Richard asked as he dropped down another step. ¡°Let him clear out the monsters, I say. Let him deal with all the danger. We¡¯ll aid him as and when we¡¯re able, but if he can clear this dungeon all on his lonesome, I say more power to him.¡±


    ¡°Sure, safer for us,¡± I said. ¡°Also less reward.¡±


    It was something that had weighed on my mind more as of late. We¡¯d entered this dungeon to help Basecrest, and to do our part saving lives. That was still the foremost reason.


    But now that we had multiple delvers, and now that it looked increasingly likely that we¡¯d actually get through this dungeon¡­ I had to wonder if we were missing out.


    ¡°The first person to clear the dungeon gets to take the core, thereby collapsing the dungeon,¡± Aerion said. ¡°All other delvers get thrown out.¡±


    ¡°And, more to the point, get nothing,¡± I said. ¡°The delver that gets the core gets a Blessing from whichever god of the domain the dungeon is in, yeah?¡±


    Aerion nodded. ¡°The Blessing is, of course, well and good, but it is by far the lesser of the rewards.¡±


    ¡°Right, Passion mentioned something like that,¡± Richard said. ¡°Soul Expansion, yeah? Sounds handy, that.¡±


    ¡°The barrier from Divergence to Convergence is no small hurdle to overcome,¡± Aerion said. ¡°Those living in an era without Cataclysms sometimes toil and slog for decades to overcome it.¡±


    ¡°And clearing a Cataclysm Dungeon gets you a shortcut,¡± I said. Aerion had mentioned this to me in our downtime one day in Basecrest.


    ¡°Yes. The Dungeon Core is useless aside from being a high-value curiosity, similar to a soul stone. Like normal soulstones, it, too, contains a soul, but no one has ever managed to forge it into anything useful. Far better to offer it to the gods in return for expanding one¡¯s soul, paving the way for a smooth and seamless soul evolution.¡±


    I was not looking forward to this. On the one hand, it was the perfect chance for me to prove to Aerion that I was not, in fact, the god of Order. That I could accept the Blessing for myself. Doing so, however, meant cheating Aerion out of a bonus she could absolutely use. All to prove a stupid point.


    Not that I didn¡¯t want that power for myself. But how was I supposed to hog the Soul Expansion without permanently crippling our relationship? And what about Richard, who¡¯d contributed equally? Would Dominion be so kind as to recognize all of our efforts and bless everyone with expanded souls?


    ¡°It¡¯s all moot, anyway,¡± I said. ¡°If we don¡¯t beat Eskil¡ªor whoever cut these steps¡ªthere won¡¯t be a reward. Whatever we do, we need to do it fast, and be sure we¡¯re the ones to end this dungeon.¡±


    This wasn¡¯t just a fight for survival, anymore. It wasn¡¯t just a mercy mission to protect the lives of thousands.


    No, it was now a race. One that happened to involve three Champions, all vying for supremacy.

 Soulweaver 99: The Labyrinth of Death

    Soon after we dropped down to the maze, it became clear why one couldn¡¯t just go over it.


    ¡°It¡¯s as cold as ice,¡± Aerion said from up above us. She¡¯d volunteered to climb up the ice wall, using her dagger and shortsword as handholds that she jabbed in. ¡°I can¡¯t seem to break through.¡±


    ¡°Would you figure that!¡± Richard said. ¡°An invisible force field.¡±


    ¡°What¡¯s that?¡± Aerion asked.


    ¡°Oh, just something fictional from my world,¡± Richard said. ¡°An invisible barrier made of pure energy. Made of magic, in this case, presumably.¡±


    Aerion tried to work her way up further, but found that she couldn¡¯t jab her weapons into the force field like she had with the ice wall. She gave up after struggling a few moments, and dropped back to the ground.


    ¡°My guess is they go up quite some ways,¡± I said. ¡°And who knows? Maybe they just lead to a ceiling that we also can¡¯t see.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯d bet on it,¡± Richard said. ¡°No point going through the trouble of this maze if it was so easily bypassed.¡±


    ¡°Then why don¡¯t they just use that to block delvers off completely?¡± I said. ¡°If they have something so powerful, why go through all the trouble in the first place?¡±


    ¡°That¡­ is a fair point,¡± Richard replied, frowning. ¡°Must have some reason. Maybe there¡¯s some weakness? Or perhaps it¡¯s too costly?¡±


    ¡°Costlier than extending the walls of an enormous maze?¡± I asked. ¡°No, there¡¯s got to be some other reason.¡±


    As to what that was, I didn¡¯t have a clue.


    ¡°Well, whatever it is, looks like we¡¯re delving this the old-fashioned way,¡± I said.


    ¡°Seems that way,¡± Aerion said, pointing to a nearby wall. ¡°Look. Over there.¡±


    ¡°Looks like someone took an ax to the wall,¡± Richard said. ¡°Our friend the Viking, you think?¡±


    ¡°Very possible,¡± I said, inspecting the surprisingly shallow cuts in the wall. ¡°Seems like he didn¡¯t get very far, though.¡±


    ¡°If this is all someone with his monstrous strength could manage¡­¡± Aerion trailed off.


    ¡°Yeah. We don¡¯t stand a chance,¡± I replied, taking a test swing with Light of the Fearless. To no one¡¯s surprise, the blade hardly scratched the ice, even with both of its abilities active. ¡°Well, guess that just leaves us with the conventional approach¡­ With one small difference, I guess,¡± I said, as I stared into the wall.


    Into, not at. Because these walls were made of pure, crystal clear ice, or some sort of magical ice, rather, and we could see right through them. In fact, I could see through multiple sets of walls. Whether that made things safer or more dangerous, I couldn¡¯t say yet.


    ¡°Well, at least this won¡¯t be a dull experience,¡± Richard said, tapping the wall. ¡°We¡¯ll never be short of a view. So, what¡¯s the plan? Hug the left wall? Or the right one?¡±


    ¡°Why would you hug a wall?¡± Aerion asked quizzically.


    ¡°An old trick,¡± Richard replied. ¡°You can solve any maze in the world if you trace one of the walls all the way through.¡±


    Aerion glanced at me with widened eyes. ¡°Is that true?¡±


    I shrugged. ¡°You can solve most mazes that way, yeah. So long as the walls touch each other, or the maze¡¯s perimeter. That doesn¡¯t actually work if the maze has disconnected walls, though.¡±


    ¡°That a fact?¡± Richard said, scratching his nose. ¡°I wasn¡¯t aware.¡±


    ¡°It is,¡± I said, thinking back to all the puzzle games I¡¯d played with maddeningly infuriating mazes designed specifically to trip you up. ¡°It¡¯s especially problematic if the entrance or the exit aren¡¯t at the edges, but rather in the middle of the maze. In this case, I don¡¯t think we need to worry about the entrance, but that dungeon core was right smack in the middle of this radial maze, so it¡¯s very possible it qualifies.¡±


    ¡°What would you recommend, then?¡± Richard asked, looking quite impressed with my maze-solving skills.


    ¡°Well, there are some advanced ways of solving such mazes, like keeping track of the sum of the angles made with each turn¡­ But I figure we¡¯re more likely than not to mess something up and get lost. I say we just etch a mark in the ice at every junction, and follow the leftmost path first. If that¡¯s a dead-end, we backtrack and cross out that branch and move on. Worst case, we end up trying all possible routes, but I¡¯m guessing we¡¯ll solve this well before then. At least it¡¯ll be nearly impossible for us to get lost this way.¡±


    ¡°Indeed,¡± Richard said. ¡°Better than fumbling our way through. Getting lost in here would be a disaster. Could be stuck here for months. Which method do you reckon Mr. Eskil chose?¡±


    ¡°Which method do you think?¡± I replied with a grin, as did Aerion. ¡°From everything I¡¯ve seen, I¡¯d be willing to bet he charged in there headfirst.¡±


    ¡°Which ought to give us the advantage,¡± Aerion said.


    I bit my lip. ¡°Only If he isn¡¯t stupidly lucky¡­¡±


    You might be reading a pirated copy. Look for the official release to support the author.


    Somehow, luck always seemed to favor his type.


    <hr>


    Our first junction came and went, and I made a marking for later. That led to another junction, and we followed the left path.


    It was then that Aerion suddenly grabbed her sword, pointing it at the wall.


    ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± I asked, readying myself for combat. ¡°Something moved,¡± Aerion said, looking through the wall, to the passages that surrounded us. The translucent nature of these walls kept tripping me up. Sometimes, they were so clear that you thought the path went one way, only to run headfirst into the wall. Differentiating between our own aisle and the one next to ours was often non-trivial.


    ¡°In the next corridor?¡± I asked, keeping my eyes peeled.


    ¡°Can¡¯t be sure,¡± Aerion replied. ¡°Could be the next one, or the one past that.¡±


    ¡°Well, we all know how impervious these walls are. We should be safe,¡± I said. ¡°But let¡¯s stay alert, shall we? Just in case it was in our own. We all know why this maze is here, and it¡¯s not to give people a fun challenge.¡±


    The absence of any massive serpents or dragons had been bothering me. More than it should have. There were no great guardians here. Just us¡­ and a seemingly empty maze. Which meant that the enemy here was of a different sort. Smaller, perhaps, and considering our proximity to the dungeon¡¯s core, undoubtedly more lethal.


    A final boss, of sorts.


    I got my shield out, and we traveled from then on with me leading the group, Richard in the middle, and Aerion bringing up the rear. Everyone was tense. Everyone was ready for battle, primed to activate our Blessings and weapon abilities on a moment¡¯s notice.


    Which was good because we soon reached a dead end.


    Now, in a normal maze, you come to a dead end, there¡¯s nothing there, and you backtrack. Simple. Easy. Just a little time-consuming.


    This maze was nothing like that. It was occupied. By three giant men, all dressed in ancient plate armor.


    Except they were made entirely of ice. From their armor to their weapons to their flesh. Just like our surroundings. Just like the serpent, everything was ice.


    ¡°Richard!¡± I yelled.


    ¡°Already on it. They do have hearts. Stopping them now!¡±


    ¡°Aerion?¡±


    ¡°Activating [Reave].¡±


    The warriors, who¡¯d been standing like frozen statues, began to move. Ice cracked and shattered off their boots, as if they hadn¡¯t moved in so long they¡¯d fused with the ground, and they leveled their spears at us, marching forward without a sound.


    Three muffled cracking sounds emanated from somewhere inside them, which halted their advance. Their heads turned to one another, and against everyone¡¯s expectations¡­


    They laughed.


    And then they charged, as if to prove that they couldn¡¯t care less that their hearts had just been pulverized.


    Aerion and I, however, were there to meet them. Aerion shot straight past the leader and laid into his buddies, while I took the leader¡¯s spear stab head on with my shield.


    I felt like I¡¯d been pummeled by a rhino, and staggered back from the impact.


    The ice giant was there to exploit that moment of weakness, moving in with his spear for another strike.


    But then something odd happened. He faltered, removing one hand from the haft of his spear to clutch his chest.


    Confused, he looked down, then up at me, and finally to Richard, who wore a smug grin.


    ¡°Didn¡¯t see that comin¡¯, did ya? How about this?¡±


    Richard extended his arm and formed a fist, and the giant barked out a groan, stumbling.


    ¡°Whatever you¡¯re doing, keep it up!¡± I shouted as I activated [Light of the Fearless] and [Shadow of the Fearless], and sliced into the giant¡¯s spear.


    It sliced cleanly in two, with the tip clanging to the ground. Distracted by the pain, the warrior failed to move back far enough to dodge my next blow.


    I traced an arc from his shoulder down to his waist, cracking the ice that formed his body.


    A minimized System Message scrolled by. Odd¡­ I¡¯d just defeated the guy. They normally only minimize in the middle of a fight.


    I opened it up and glanced at it.


    Congratulations! Dominion has increased from 48 to 49. (Max: 83).


    A rumbling roar shifted my attention.


    It shouldn¡¯t have been possible. The Warrior should have died.


    With a wound that would have ended most beings of flesh, the giant carried on, grinning at me.


    With speed I hadn¡¯t expected, he grabbed my blade, cracking the ice of his own hand. He clutched my sword so tightly, I didn¡¯t have a hope in hell of freeing it from his grasp.


    He pulled the blade to his chest, bringing me along with it.


    ¡°You cannot win,¡± he said, voice raspy and low, almost lost amid the succession of cracks that emanated from the wound my blade had caused. ¡°They will take everything from you. Your life. Your soul¡­. Your hope.¡±


    I frowned. I¡¯d expected some sort of death threat, or promise that he¡¯d come to haunt me from beyond the grave. Something a clich¨¦ antagonist would say.


    But¡­ His expression of anguish, and his pained words¡­ It sounded almost like a plea.


    ¡°What do you mean?¡± I asked, my voice barely more than a whisper.


    ¡°You will see. You will see¡­¡±


    And with that, his body shattered. He fell to his knees, dropped the shaft of his spear, and when his head hit the ground, it broke free from his neck, rolling to a stop at my feet.


    ¡°Remember¡­¡± he said, eyes flashing with a burst of light before his head also cracked, leaving nothing behind but a mound of ice.


    When I looked up, his buddies had met a similar end by Aerion¡¯s hand, and she¡¯d reverted to her normal state.


    ¡°Okay, what the fuck was that?¡± I asked. ¡°And what the hell is going on here?¡±


    I didn¡¯t get an answer because at that moment, cracking sounds erupted from all around us. From the ground and the walls, we were surrounded by a cacophony of breaking ice.


    ¡°I¡¯ve got a bad feeling,¡± Richard said, edging closer to me.


    ¡°Richard¡­ I think you¡¯re right,¡± I said. ¡°Let¡¯s get out of here.¡±


    No sooner had the words left my lips than forms emerged from the walls.


    Forms made purely of ice. Warriors¡­ Just like the ones we¡¯d just killed.


    Dozens of them, all blocking our way out.

 Soulweaver 100: Sliver of Hope

    It didn¡¯t take a genius to understand just how screwed we were. Nowhere to run. Nowhere to hide¡­ The only hope we had of surviving was to break through the lines of the endless ice zombies that emerged from the walls, like a clutch of mosquitos spawning from their eggs.


    These beings felt no pain, or if they did, they laughed at it. They were relentless, and while not the hardest monsters I¡¯d ever fought, they were by far the most numerous¡­ And possibly the most intelligent.


    ¡°RUN!¡± I screamed, charging into the mob, driven more by adrenaline than any sane plan I¡¯d concocted.


    I bashed away the first ice warrior¡¯s sword, my momentum carrying me forward as I plunged Light of the Fearless into his body. The sword¡¯s twin abilities activated for a fraction of a second, shattering the surprised warrior¡¯s ice body.


    In the instant before I switched my gaze to the next warrior, I saw the light go out in his eyes. And I saw fear. The fear of death¡­


    My brain didn¡¯t have nearly enough time to process any of this, and so I kept hacking and slashing, favoring my right side when possible.


    The first three were the hardest. After that, the ice warriors I encountered were either clutching their hearts or otherwise distracted, because I cut through them like a blade of wind parting waves.


    The injury to my left shoulder all but forgotten, I hacked and I slashed, and I barely even noticed when their blades cut my cheek or slipped through the gaps in my armor, piercing skin.


    I felt invincible. I was invincible. This was life or death, and I chose life.


    And then Aerion joined the fray.


    We moved like a single entity¡ªa machine with two perfectly synchronized parts. When Aerion attacked, I parried. When Aerion ducked, I slashed. Every move of mine became a complement of hers, and vice versa.


    We tore through the mob at a terrifying rate, shattering warrior after warrior. Some with war hammers, others with spears, poleaxes, and swords.


    It didn¡¯t matter. Against us three, they may as well have been nothing but water.


    Problem was, even water could be lethal in great enough quantities, and these things were endless.


    Every corner we turned, more enemies appeared. Every junction we encountered, a swarm awaited us. There wasn¡¯t a single moment when we weren¡¯t in combat, and despite my best efforts to look out for the markings I¡¯d made, it proved a futile endeavor.


    That wasn¡¯t even the worst part, though. Every bend we rounded, he was there. A menacing figure on the other side of our wall in a parallel corridor. A figure decked out in ice armor far more intricate than the warriors we fought, and with eyes that glowed brightly of sky-blue ice.


    Just standing. Watching. He never moved. He just¡­ was there every time we turned.


    By the twelfth junction, I knew we were hopelessly lost. And I didn¡¯t even have the time to worry about it. Every second of every minute was a desperate fight for our lives. And through it all, the figure watched, his grin growing ever wider.


    Aerion became increasingly lethal as those seconds passed, and soon, she killed three enemies for every one I put down. Which meant she had precious little time left. She¡¯d activated [Fading Fury], and fueled by her own desperation, it practically made her a god.


    A dozen. A hundred. Five hundred? I¡¯d lost count of the number of foes we¡¯d vanquished. More than any I¡¯d ever killed, that was for sure.


    I had to admit¡­ We formed an incredible team. With Richard softening our foes and Aerion and I hacking away at the horde like a lawnmower cutting through grass.


    Minimized notifications flew by at an unprecedented pace, and I suddenly understood. I was ¡®in the zone¡¯. I¡¯d never really known what that was, and people had always said it couldn¡¯t really be explained.


    Right here, right now¡­ I got it. My motions happened so fluidly, with almost no thought. Time ceased to have meaning, and if you asked me whether I was dreaming or awake, I honestly couldn¡¯t tell you.


    All I knew was that I moved in a way I never had. My strikes, my footwork, my coordination and timing were all elevated to a superhuman state unlike anything I¡¯d ever experienced.


    If I messed up, I¡¯d die. But there was no stress. No fear or anxiety. In fact¡­ I was happy. Hacks and slashes for days.


    We weren¡¯t perfect, though. Even ignoring Aerion¡¯s impending crisis, the number of nicks and gashes on my body were no longer something I could ignore, even in my adrenaline-addled state.


    My movements slowed. Imperceptibly at first, then more, and more, and when I looked down, my cuirass was stained red. Our enemies, being constructed of ice, didn¡¯t have a drop of red on them, so it was pretty obvious where that came from.


    When did that happen? Was it because of all the small cuts? Or had I taken a spear to the gut or something? I never even noticed.


    Of course, the universe picked that exact moment to have Aerion go down, collapsing in an unconscious heap beside me. Her two hundred points of Essence had lasted long¡ªfar longer than before¡ªbut the end was inevitable.


    After that, I couldn¡¯t really tell you what happened. I scooped up my featherweight friend, and ran. I ran right into spears, swords, and all manner of lethal implements. My armor took most of the beating, but not all. The blood oozed from my body, and it was only after my manic rush that I thought to check up on Richard.


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    My friend, surprisingly, looked fine. Spooked, but fine. He¡¯d followed right behind me, leveraging the hole I¡¯d created in my wake. Even then, I imagined he must have had more than a few close calls.


    It was only a moment later that I realized he wasn¡¯t spooked on account of our enemies.


    ¡°Friend¡­ you¡¯ve the devil in you,¡± he said, tears streaming from his eyes. ¡°I¡¯ve never seen anyone fight like that. But it¡¯s killing you. You can¡¯t do this. You¡¯ve got to stop.¡±


    ¡°Stop?¡± I yelled, louder than I¡¯d intended. ¡°We stop, we die, Richard.¡±


    ¡°Maybe not. Don¡¯t you hear it?¡± Richard said, cupping his hand to his ear.


    My mad rampage had apparently scared our enemies¡­ Either that, or there were just fewer in this area for whatever reason, because for the first time since we started running, we weren¡¯t being attacked. There was nothing but ice for at least twenty feet in either direction.


    I tried to listen to what Richard was hearing, I really did. All I heard, though, was the mad pumping of my own heart and my ragged, heaving breaths.


    But then, something intruded on that rhythm. Something from far away.


    ¡°What is that?¡±


    ¡°Sounds like someone¡¯s fighting. And nearby.¡±


    I peered through the wall of our ice corridor, squinting to make out whatever it was that lay beyond.


    It took me a moment, but I did see something. Movement. In fact, lots of somethings were moving. And yelling, too. Someone was fighting out there.


    ¡°Is that who I think it is?¡± I rasped, my voice hoarse and low.


    ¡°Seen anyone else in the area? Think it might very well be our Viking friend.¡±


    ¡°Uh, okay? But how do we get there?¡± I asked, turning to face a group of ice warriors who¡¯d emerged from a wall thirty feet away.


    ¡°That¡­ Not a clue, I¡¯m afraid. Not unless you can bust down this wall.¡±


    ¡°With Aerion on my shoulder? While fighting off the ice zombie horde? Yeah, don¡¯t think so, Richard.¡±


    Richard frowned at me, but the time for chatting was over. The enemies were upon us again, and I went back to hacking and slashing.


    Only this time, when I¡¯d gotten through my second enemy, I fumbled. My balance was thrown off, and I crashed into the ground.


    I instinctively curled up into a ball, bracing myself for the onslaught of ice spears and swords that were about to skewer me.


    This might really be the end¡­ Going down in a fight was a death sentence, and against this many? Hell, they didn¡¯t even have to attack. They could just trample me, and I¡¯d probably die.


    That didn¡¯t happen, though. The spears never struck. The swords never slashed apart my armor.


    Because a guardian angel had grabbed my sword, and was fending them off.


    ¡°Aerion?¡± I cried, disbelieving. ¡°You¡¯re back?¡±


    ¡°Not for long if you keep lying there!¡± Aerion said, frantically dodging, parrying, and striking. ¡°Get up, for Dominion¡¯s sake!¡±


    I did as I was told, and the moment I was up, Aerion tossed me my sword, drawing Aurora¡­ And then we were back. Maybe not as fresh as before, but we were back.


    Except this time, we had a plan.


    ¡°Aerion! I need you to break down that wall.¡±


    ¡°Why?¡± Aerion shouted in between blocking and striking.


    ¡°Because I think Eskil Magnusson is on that side. And if we want to have any hope of surviving this shitstorm, we need to link up.¡±


    ¡°Link up with him!?¡±


    ¡°Believe me, I hate the idea as much as you,¡± I said, dodging a sword before smashing Light of the Fearless into the enemy¡¯s ice cuirass. The warrior¡¯s chest cracked and shattered a moment later. Ice¡­ Not the best choice of material for armor. ¡°But if you don¡¯t do this, we¡¯re all dead. This horde¡¯s endless, Aerion!¡±


    ¡°Okay!¡± she shouted, skewering one last enemy before jumping back. ¡°On it!¡±


    That left just me to fend off the horde. Except now, we were no longer mobile. We had an area to defend until Aerion broke through. That made us vulnerable.


    ¡°Richard!¡± I yelled.


    ¡°Going as fast as I can, friend!¡±


    Great. Whether two Champions lived or died came down to whether we could hold off the horde long enough for Aerion to punch through that wall.


    I cracked my neck and lunged as a new dose of adrenaline flooded my veins. What was I afraid of? This was gonna be a cakewalk.


    <hr>


    ¡°Aerion?¡± I shouted. ¡°Now would be good!¡±


    Aerion, of course, didn¡¯t reply. Her ability to converse while under [Reave]¡¯s effects was limited. Besides, she hadn¡¯t been out for very long at all. She couldn¡¯t have recovered much Essence, which meant¡ª!?


    Before I knew it, my berserking elven friend was beside me, hacking into an enemy that had been about to thrust a spear in my direction.


    ¡°The hell do you think you¡¯re doing!?¡±


    ¡°She¡¯s off her rocker!¡± Richard said. ¡°Stopped hackin¡¯ at the wall and jumped right into the fray.¡±


    ¡°Christ. Richard. I need you to cover for us.¡±


    ¡°Sorry? Cover?¡±


    ¡°Yeah. Get your ass to the frontline and stall these motherfuckers long enough for me to get Aerion under control!¡±


    ¡°Can you do that?¡±


    ¡°I better,¡± I said. ¡°Because if I don¡¯t, we¡¯re all dead.¡±


    Richard drew his sword with unsteady hands and approached the front line on equally shaky legs.


    At this rate, he was gonna die. No doubt about it.


    I snatched his sword out of his hands and thrust mine into his hands. ¡°It has an ability I never told you about.¡±


    ¡°W-what¡¯s that?¡±


    ¡°It makes you invincible for a short time,¡± I lied. ¡°You literally cannot die. So go out there and kick some ass.¡±


    Richard¡¯s expression fell, and his eyes narrowed for a moment before flashing me a pained smile. ¡°Well, why didn¡¯t you just say so?¡± he said, and even I could tell it sounded forced.


    Maybe it wasn¡¯t the nicest thing to do to a friend, but I needed Richard to get out there and fight if we wanted any hope of surviving, and I didn¡¯t have the time for a pep talk. I¡¯d apologize all he wanted later. And I¡¯d be sure to buy him a beer.


    With vigor I would¡¯ve thought impossible from our frail-looking Champion, Richard charged into the fray. And I?


    I tackled Aerion, bringing us both to the ground.


    I had about ten seconds before Richard uncovered my lie. Ten seconds to convince the writhing, berserking elf with 120 Dominion to hack a wall instead of the nearest enemy, and by Dominion I was gonna succeed.


    I only prayed I didn¡¯t die in the process.

 Soulweaver 101: Marry Me

    ¡°Aerion! Aerion, listen to me. You¡¯ve gotta¡­ Aw, shit.¡±


    Aerion wasn¡¯t listening. She happily continued to hack away at our foes, oblivious to my words. To extreme effect, I had to add.


    Her new strength was absolutely monstrous, allowing her to cleave through the ice warriors with a single swing of Aurora. She wasn¡¯t even using my sword¡­ With it, she¡¯d be an unstoppable machine.


    Until her timer expired, of course. It didn¡¯t matter how many of these things we killed, there¡¯d be ten more to take their place. They were endless, and there was only one shot we had at survival.


    This, however, was neither the time nor the place for coddling, so I went with the most daring, desperate plan I had¡­ I tackled Aerion.


    My elven friend, needless to say, did not like this. Not one bit.


    Before I even realized it, I was sailing through the air, having been forcibly thrown off Aerion. I didn¡¯t even notice when she threw me. Only that she had, and that it hurt like a motherfucker.


    I did succeed at one thing, though. I now had Aerion¡¯s undivided attention.


    The way she looked at me, with cold, dead eyes, almost made me hesitate. Almost. I barely managed to avoid her incoming strike¡ªapparently, she now saw me as an enemy.


    At least that meant I could get close, which was a start. The only way she¡¯d listen was if I forced her to. And that meant getting through the haze of [Reave]. To the real Aerion who lurked beneath.


    Instead of dodging her next blow, I rushed up to her, tackling her again. We both hit the ground, and this time, I bound her arms behind her back as I used my own weight to keep her planted firmly on the ground.


    Her awkward position hampered her ability to muscle me away, and despite several fierce jolts, I managed to hang on. Even augmented as she was, she still couldn¡¯t escape the laws of physics. Not at her level, anyway.


    ¡°Aerion!¡± I shouted into her ear. ¡°Listen to me. I know you¡¯re in there, somewhere. I know all you want is to kill, kill, and kill some more. But you¡¯ve got to focus on the wall.¡±


    I knew that using normal logic on her in this state would be worthless. I had to speak to the Berserker and the elf that was my friend. If there was any chance of making this work, I had to appeal to both.


    ¡°Break through that wall, and you¡¯ll find an army,¡± I said. ¡°You can fight to your heart¡¯s content. You can fight more enemies. A lot more! You understand?¡±


    Aerion said nothing, only glaring at me with those same eyes. Except now, there seemed to be some modicum of sanity behind them.


    Almost imperceptibly, she nodded.


    ¡°Okay. I¡¯m going to¡ªguh!¡±


    The second I let off the pressure, Aerion flung me aside like I was some toy. I hit the nearest wall hard, and for the next several seconds, every shred of my consciousness became consumed with the simple act of forcing air into my seized lungs.


    The craziest part? I didn¡¯t even think she meant to attack. Just that with her ridiculous strength, instead of a light shove, I went hurtling away.


    By the time I got to my feet, Aerion was gone. I immediately looked at the zombies, sure that she¡¯d rejoined the fight.


    My stomach dropped when I saw Richard, alone, clumsily swinging my sword to fend off the zombies. He was just barely holding on¡­ Which was actually an impressive feat, given his specs. Still, he wouldn¡¯t last much longer.


    That was a problem. But maybe it wasn¡¯t as big of a problem as I¡¯d thought.


    Because Aerion had returned to the wall, and the loud Crack that pierced the air a moment later indicated she¡¯d succeeded. She¡¯d broken through.


    ¡°Richard!¡± I roared. The elf didn¡¯t hear me, so I rushed up beside him, smashing my fist into a zombie that was readying to swing its sword at him. ¡°Richard! Great work, buddy, but we gotta hustle. Through the gap in the wall. Now!¡±


    ¡°Oh! Oh, right! About bloody time!¡±


    Richard bolted, diving for the hole, and I followed right behind. Aerion had already disappeared to the other side, so I was the last one through.


    All I had to do was defend myself until Richard was through, and then we¡¯d be home free.


    The problem was, the gap in the wall wasn¡¯t large. It was a jagged hole a couple of feet in diameter, and about three feet high. An awkward position made even more awkward by a clumsy elf.


    ¡°Uh, Richard? Any day now¡­¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m trying!¡± came his desperate reply.


    I dodged an ice arrow fired from the throng of ice zombies, right before swinging my Steel Mace into the nearest monster¡¯s jaw, shattering it. Its newly ranked-up [Bleed] was certainly showing its stuff. The blows required less effort, and even slight hits caused liquid to rush out of their body.


    Of course, with their bodies being made of ice, the liquid was water, but it seemed to function just the same as blood for my enemies. Those who lost enough crumpled on the spot. In fact, [Bleed] had leveled up again at some point during the fighting, from E - 0 to E - 1.


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    Every second that passed pushed me back bit by bit, until my back was against the hole that Richard was trying to squeeze through.


    I twisted to avoid a downward chop, before deflecting a thrust with my mace, sending it off-course. The war hammer, though, I couldn¡¯t avoid, and my battered body was slammed against the wall.


    Once more, the air was forced out of my lungs, and this time, three different blades were on a course to sink into me before I recovered.


    This was it. I had nowhere to run. I was surrounded by enemies, and I could barely even move my body.


    Then Richard spoke the magic words.


    ¡°Alright, I¡¯m through!¡±


    ¡°Music to my fucking ears¡ª!?¡±


    Imagine my surprise when a pair of arms didn¡¯t just pull, but flung me through the hole. Not a half-second before a sword, a battleax, and a war hammer all slammed into the spot I¡¯d just occupied.


    ¡°Richard? When did you get so¡ªoh.¡±


    It wasn¡¯t Richard who¡¯d pulled me through, but Aerion. She gave me one cursory glance with those ice-cold eyes, before smashing her sword into the broken wall, causing the whole thing to come crashing down, filling the void she¡¯d just created. Then she was gone. Laying into the army of monsters that surrounded our buddy Eskil.


    The space on this side was no less chaotic than where we¡¯d just come from, even though the passage was a good deal wider. That should have given everyone more space¡­ If it wasn¡¯t filled with what had to be hundreds of these ice monsters.


    Luckily, they all seemed hellbent on attacking Eskil, leaving Richard and me alone for now.


    ¡°Reckon she just saved your life, friend,¡± Richard said. ¡°Better send some flowers later.¡±


    ¡°Yeah,¡± I said, heaving as I found my feet. ¡°I think you¡¯re right. Stay sharp, though. Those guys on the other side might follow us¡­ through?¡±


    With the collapsed wall, I could see the zombies, just a few feet away. Except, they made no motion to attack, or even try to clamber over the debris.


    ¡°Why are they just standing there?¡± I said to no one in particular. ¡°It¡¯d be so easy for them to follow¡­¡±


    A stray ice arrow answered my question¡ªcrossfire from the raging battle outside. It sailed through the air and impacted the broken wall before falling to the ground.


    Or rather, it impacted the invisible shield that formed the roof of this maze.


    ¡°Curious,¡± Richard said, handing me back my sword. ¡°Thanks for the sword. Powerful weapon that¡­ Even if it doesn¡¯t make you invincible.¡±


    My eyes widened, but Richard just clapped me on the shoulder and gave me a sad smile. ¡°Maybe try trusting me a bit more next time, yeah?¡±


    I nodded. ¡°I will. Sorry.¡± I should¡¯ve known better than to lie to him. I''d acted in desperation, but that was no excuse. I swore then and there I¡¯d make it up to him.


    ¡°The barrier¡¯s back in place, then,¡± Richard said, looking up. ¡°No wonder they aren¡¯t allowed through.¡±


    While that made some sense, I had to wonder why these ice zombies were restricted by the same barrier that we were. They could phase in and out of walls¡­ Why couldn¡¯t they bypass the barrier to attack?


    I didn¡¯t know, but for now, that was one less thing to worry about. Because we definitely had enough on our plate already.


    ¡°We need to link up with Eskil,¡± I said, eyeing the mob of ice warriors. There were so many that I couldn¡¯t even see Eskil at the center, despite his stature.


    ¡°Looks like our friend¡¯s carving us a path,¡± Richard said, pointing to Aerion, who was ruthlessly hacking a path through.


    ¡°Yeah. Come on. Let¡¯s go help her out.¡±


    <hr>


    As it turned out, Aerion didn¡¯t need much help. In fact, I felt like I only got in the way. I couldn¡¯t kill the monsters nearly as quickly, and things got messy whenever I tried to get close. Her fighting style with [Reave] could be described as wild. Richard, though, was in his element, shattering hearts left and right.


    Moments later, we¡¯d broken through, arriving at the epicenter of the mayhem, where Eskil was currently swinging his oversized ax. If Aerion was like a blade of wind, ripping through our enemies, Eskil was like a gale-force hurricane. Each sweep of his ax cut down ten zombies¡­ Which made any attempt to get close to the man lethal.


    ¡°Eskil!¡± I roared. ¡°Eskil Magnusson!¡±


    For a moment, I worried that he, too, was under the influence of some Berserker state like Aerion, but that fear proved unfounded. I had to hand it to the guy, he knew how to fight.


    Faking an injury, he drew his enemies closer, before unleashing a devastating sweeping attack that decapitated all the ice soldiers nearby. Only then did Eskil glance at our group.


    I was about to call out to him when I realized it wasn¡¯t me he was looking at.


    It was Aerion, and when he saw her dance around the perimeter he¡¯d created, shattering and decapitating zombies one after another, his eyes grew wide.


    ¡°Eskil,¡± I said, trying to get his attention. ¡°We¡¯re here to help. Let¡¯s work together to defeat this dungeon¡­ Aaand he¡¯s not even listening, is he?¡±


    It was like I didn¡¯t exist.


    Eskil was fixated purely on Aerion.


    ¡°Woman!¡± Eskil roared, his deep voice rumbling through the passage. ¡°Woman! Hear me!¡±


    Perhaps sensing that Eskil was not one to be taken lightly, Aerion turned to face the giant with the same dead eyes she¡¯d given me.


    ¡°Oh. Oh shit,¡± I muttered, sensing where this was headed. We had a battle junkie Viking alpha male. We had Aerion, possessed by [Reave]. There was only one conclusion that could be drawn from this. ¡°Richard, this could get ugly. We need to stop them from fighting at all costs.¡±


    ¡°A little busy here,¡± Richard muttered, face screwed up in concentration. ¡°With those two no longer fighting, it¡¯s about all I can manage to keep those buggers off.¡±


    I looked at the mob of zombies. Sure enough, none of them were attacking. Some were clutching their hearts. Others had fallen to the ground, while some were marching forward despite the obvious pain.


    I glanced back at Richard, whose face was covered in sweat. ¡°Is it just me? Or have you gotten better at this?¡±


    Richard wheezed out something halfway between a cough and a laugh, and I knew his timer was ticking. So was Aerion¡¯s, for that matter.


    Whatever was about to go down, I needed to stop it pronto, or we were going to have a massive problem on our hands.


    ¡°Eskil. We have to¡ª!?¡±


    I stopped dead in my tracks, unable to believe what I was seeing.


    Eskil Magnusson, invincible battle-crazed Viking, had just driven his ax into the ice and fallen to his knees.


    ¡°Beautiful skjaldm?r! My Shield Maiden! Under the all-seeing eye of Odin¡­ Marry me!¡±


    In response, Aerion, my dear friend, ran out of Essence and fainted.

 Soulweaver 102: Maze of Nightmares

    Eskil rushed to Aerion faster than I would¡¯ve thought possible, propping her up before she hit the ground. I only noticed it after the fact, but he¡¯d crushed three ice warriors along the way, leaving a trail of shards behind him.


    Like he was handling fragile glass, he hoisted Aerion onto his shoulder, patting her back as he whispered something I couldn¡¯t hear.


    It made me sick. My body felt like it was on fire. All I saw was Eskil. Not the warriors. Not our predicament.


    Who the hell did he think he was? What gave the pretentious fuck the right to treat Aerion like that? Because he was big? Because he was a Champion? I hated people like him. Throwing around their authority, like they were the best thing since sliced bread. Cover be damned¡ªif I had to show Eskil I was a Champion to get him to listen, I¡¯d do it. I¡¯d fucking do it. I was overcome by an overwhelming urge to see this asshole lying in a pool of his own blood.


    I froze. What the hell was I just thinking? Was I willing to kill Eskil because he was an ass? This wasn¡¯t like me. It was because he treated Aerion like a possession, I realized. It had to be¡­ But was that all?


    ¡°I can¡¯t hold them any longer!¡± Richard shouted, breaking me out of my thoughts. Like a bursting dam, the ice warriors that had been previously indisposed rushed forward, forcing me to defend.


    One after another, they swarmed us, and every second became a fight for our lives. I just barely managed to recover Aurora, which had clattered onto the ground nearby, before I was surrounded.


    Eskil bellowed a roar as he swung his enormous ax with one hand. Even one-handed, he bisected a half-dozen enemies in a single swing.


    I wasn¡¯t nearly as proficient. A perfectly timed slash with both [Light of the Fearless] and [Shadow of the Fearless] active generally killed an ice warrior in one hit. Most times, I wasn¡¯t so lucky, and it often took two or three.


    I fought my way to Richard¡¯s position as quickly as I could. I didn¡¯t need a status screen to know he was low on Essence, and he¡¯d already taken several nicks, but the injury to my left shoulder throbbed harder the longer I fought, despite prioritizing my right. I gritted my teeth and pushed through it.


    The situation improved once we reunited. I kept the pressure off us both while he recovered, and it wasn¡¯t long before he started contributing again, shattering hearts and easing the pressure on me.


    Which put us back to the situation we¡¯d been in just moments prior. Not losing, but not winning, either.


    ¡°We¡¯ve got to do something!¡± Richard shouted from behind me.


    I snuck a glance at Eskil, fighting nearby. He was preoccupied¡­ If I managed to get close, I could distract him. If only I got him to slip up¡­ Some irrational part of me was still seethed with the urge to just let the ice warriors have their way with him... but logic prevailed.


    Eskil was our ticket out of here. As much as I''d loved to see him knocked down a peg, allowing him to die was as good as signing my own death sentence. Not to mention Richard¡¯s and Aerion¡¯s.


    ¡°Link up with Eskil!¡± I said as I dodged a thrust aimed for my abdomen. ¡°I hate it, but we¡¯ll be safer together.¡±


    ¡°Right, then!¡± Richard extended a hand, and squeezed his fist. The hearts of every zombie in a line from us to Eskil burst, forming a passageway of fallen bodies. ¡°Go!¡±


    I didn¡¯t need to be told twice. Breaking off from my current fight, I grabbed Richard, threw him over my shoulder, and bolted to Eskil. Part of me wanted to keep running. To run right up to him¡­ And run him through with my blade.


    The calmer side of my brain prevailed, and I let Richard down once we¡¯d gotten close. But not too close. With Eskil¡¯s fighting style, being near him was actually a danger. As the ten-foot-wide perimeter around him suggested. Not even the zombie warriors dared close within his striking range.


    Eskil laughed merrily upon seeing us. ¡°Well met. You must be Einherjar, yes! Come, together, we shall take them by the hundreds!¡±


    ¡°We¡¯ll die if we don¡¯t come up with a plan, friend,¡± Richard said. Good, the more he talked to Eskil, the less I risked provoking him. ¡°We need to find a way out of this bloody maze.¡±


    Eskil swung his ax, taking out another three Warriors who moved in to attack. ¡°Escape?¡± he asked, looking at Richard like he¡¯d grown a third eye. ¡°Why?¡±


    ¡°Why?¡± Richard asked incredulously. ¡°Because we can¡¯t win! They¡¯re infinite, Eskil. Do you know what that means? They¡¯ll keep coming!¡±


    ¡°Good!¡± Eskil thundered as he hacked apart another enemy. ¡°Let them come! What better way to test our mettle than combat against an unending horde? Shall we take count? I lost track after five hundred, but I will happily start over!¡±


    ¡°He¡¯s¡­ insane,¡± I heard Richard mutter under his breath.


    Amen, brother. Then again, considering how Eskil¡¯s strikes deftly corralled his foes, causing them to bunch up, trip over themselves, made me wonder. He didn¡¯t have a single wound on his body. For all his bluster and ego, he fought smart. Devilishly smart, in fact.


    But that was Eskil.


    ¡°Richard and I will die if we stay here,¡± I said, in between dodging a spear and striking back, shattering the warrior¡¯s ice armor and penetrating his chest.


    ¡°And who might you be? A fellow warrior, Chosen of Odin?¡± Eskil asked, turning his gaze to me for the first time.


    ¡°I''m uh... her porter. And her bodyguard. But yes, I am a warrior.¡±


    Eskil looked at me with an expression of such unbridled disgust, it actually made me wonder if he was looking at me, or some unseen enemy. I looked around. Nope, that look that said he¡¯d rather stare at a pile of fresh shit? Directed at me.


    ¡°Tell me, little porter, who are you to question an Einjerhar¡¯s words, hmm? What great feats have you performed to earn my respect? Let me tell you now. Einherjar do not die. We are immortal. Should I fall, I shall rise again at dawn, ready to fight evermore.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s¡­ Uh¡­ Okay, then¡­¡± I said, mentally reconfiguring my understanding of Eskil¡¯s sanity. He wasn¡¯t just a battle-crazed maniac. He was a battle-crazed maniac who thought he was invincible.


    My anger subsided considerably with that realization. God-like skills or not, I had a strong feeling Eskil would not live very long, a thought that utterly delighted me.


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    It didn¡¯t fix our immediate problem, though.


    ¡°Lead us out,¡± I said, smashing the pommel of my sword into the armored head of another warrior. The thing about ice was it was terrible against blunt force damage, and the warrior¡¯s skull promptly cracked. ¡°Every moment wasted is another innocent life lost.¡±


    ¡°Do not talk back to me, thrall,¡± Eskil barked. ¡°I see your master has failed to train you well. I¡¯ve a mind to cut your tongue.¡±


    What an infuriating bastard. This little shit wasn¡¯t worth my time.


    I turned to my friend. ¡°Richard? Can you tell him?¡±


    ¡°He¡¯s right, Eskil. Every moment we waste, the more peril we put Basecrest in.¡±


    ¡°Bah,¡± Eskil scoffed. ¡°Why concern yourself with the lessers?¡±


    ¡°Pardon?¡± Richard asked. ¡°Lessers?¡±


    ¡°Is that not what they are? Commoners. Lessers incapable of wielding an ax. Is it not their duty to serve as stepping stones for us Champions? They will rejoice for the honor.¡±


    That Eskil fully believed his words blew my mind. We were all humans from the same planet, and yet, his morals and values differed so drastically from our modern sensibilities that he might as well have been an alien. Were all humans like this back then?


    ¡°What drivel is this?¡± Richard spat. ¡°What kind of sick fiend are you?¡±


    ¡°Fiend? Fiend? You dare insult me, weakling? Champion though you may be, I could break your neck with a thought!¡±


    ¡°Newsflash, mate,¡± Richard seethed. ¡°Not everything¡¯s about killing, you know? Sometimes being a decent human being is more important. Might give that a shot sometime.¡±


    ¡°Hey! Both of you,¡± I yelled. ¡°Now is not the time for this. We need to get out of here.¡±


    Richard deflated. ¡°You¡¯re right. I apologize, Greg. Eskil, will you lead us out?¡±


    Eskil shrugged as he crushed an ice warrior that was unfortunate enough to venture his way. ¡°If you wish to flee, then so be it. Eskil, son of Magnus, shall be the one to bring you to salvation. For Odin!¡± He said, pumping his ax to the sky.


    ¡°For, er, yes. For Odin, I suppose,¡± Richard said, meekly raising a fist.


    Mine, too, raised, and I almost gave into temptation. I didn¡¯t know if it was my Order stat or something else, but in a feat of extreme discipline, I somehow restrained myself.


    I very nearly raised my fist and cried, ¡®For Fenrir!¡¯


    <hr>


    ¡°You¡¯ve got to be kidding me,¡± Richard said about ten minutes later when we arrived at the maze¡¯s exit.


    ¡°Seconded,¡± I said, resting a hand on the elf¡¯s shoulder. The solution to the maze had been a right, followed by a left, and then another right. That was it.


    It only took us ten minutes because we had to fight through an endless horde of zombies. If it¡¯d been much longer, I couldn¡¯t imagine how long it would have taken. This maze was vast. That Eskil had solved it must have been through sheer dumb luck. The very idea of Eskil using some strategy or plan was fundamentally impossible to imagine.


    All that time, Eskil Magnusson carried the still-unconscious Aerion on his shoulders, and with me bringing up the rear, I got to watch him the whole way. I really hoped she¡¯d wake up already and smack the Viking across the face.


    Unfortunately, she showed no signs of waking. Sometimes she was out for only a few minutes¡­ I didn¡¯t know what caused the variability.


    ¡°You know, in my culture, women choose their partners,¡± I said during a lull in the fighting.


    ¡°As far as I know, Vikings honor a woman¡¯s right to refuse,¡± Richard said. ¡°Isn¡¯t that right, Eskil?¡±


    ¡°She is a Shieldmaiden. A warrior at heart like me. She will desire me.¡±


    I rolled my eyes. ¡°And if she doesn¡¯t?¡±


    ¡°Then I will simply have to convince her of my worth. A simple enough task,¡± Eskil sneered, ¡°considering her present company. But I am fair and just. If you desire her, you need only challenge me to single combat.¡±


    ¡°No, thank you,¡± I said. ¡°Aerion¡¯s a grown woman. She can choose her partner just fine. No barbaric duels required.¡±


    Eskil scoffed.


    I had a feeling Eskil wasn¡¯t the sort of person who ever gave up. This could be a problem, but it was a problem for the future. Right now, we had another, far more pressing concern.


    When we broke through the tight confines of the maze into the vast, circular area directly beneath the dungeon core, we were just three fighters. And while the zombies from the corridors remained behind for some inexplicable reason, what faced us was no less intimidating. In fact, it was far, far worse.


    Five hundred yards ahead¡­ was an army. Unlike the mobs from before, they were organized, spread out in a vast line. And in front of them were beings mounted on horse-back.


    Commanders. The same Uruk-hai/Predator hybrids we¡¯d fought outside. Except they, like their horses, were made of ice. Their eyes glowed with impossibly bright blue flames that were visible even from here, and it only took a single glance to know. They were strong. Beyond strong. Each and every one of them.


    And then there was their leader. One glance at the horseback mounted Ice Commander, and I knew. The serpent we¡¯d fought earlier wouldn¡¯t hold a candle to him. There was an¡­ aura that surrounded him. Something intangible. Invisible. But clearly there.


    And when he turned his head towards us¡­


    We hadn¡¯t escaped. We hadn¡¯t won. We¡¯d just bought ourselves more time. Traded a coyote for a lion. Traded zombies for White Walker elites.


    ¡°Look at them! There must be hundreds of the scum!¡± Eskil breathed, seemingly oblivious to the commander¡¯s presence. He stared at the enemy with what looked like a mix of ravenous hunger and glee.


    ¡°Five thousand, actually,¡± I said in the most smug voice I knew. Partly to break free of whatever influence that commander was having on my brain. Partly to rub it in.


    I couldn¡¯t believe how off Eskil was. It was patently obvious they numbered more than a thousand just looking at them.


    ¡°How do you know, thrall?¡± Eskil barked.


    Instead of correcting the ape about my social status¡ªyou can¡¯t really argue with animals¡ªI gave him a breakdown of my assessment. ¡°Five battalions, each fifty soldiers wide and twenty deep. One thousand per regiment. Five battalions. Five thousand.¡± I met Eskil¡¯s gaze. ¡°Or is that too much math for you, oh Mighty Champion?¡±


    Well, that was dumb. My self control slips for an instant and look what happens. The last thing we needed was a fight between us. I was about to bite the bullet and apologize, when Eskil responded with words I wouldn¡¯t have guessed.


    ¡°What does it matter if they number in the hundreds or the thousands? We will end them all in the name of Odin!¡±


    I gave Richard a glance. It really did seem like Eskil couldn¡¯t count.


    Then again, Vikings were raiders, operating in small parties that landed their longships on the coast of what is now England, to rape and pillage. Vikings didn¡¯t really fight organized armies until¡ª!?


    An all-consuming force reverberated within my chest. Shaking me like the bass at a raucous concert.


    It wasn¡¯t a roar. It was¡­ Something else. Something more complex. Because within those reverberations was a voice. One that I felt, rather than heard.


    ¡°What¡¯s it saying?¡± Richard gasped, falling to his knees.


    Through sheer force of will, I managed to stay on my feet, as did Eskil. If this were any other time, I''d have been thrilled to see the Viking humbled like this. Now, though, all I felt was terror. Absolute, unrelenting, terror.


    Our eyes fixated on the leader as if under some curse. He stared back at us, boring holes into our very souls. He was barely even visible from this distance, and yet, it felt like he was right there. A regal, almost kingly presence of ice, sitting atop his frozen horse. He put the Ice Serpent to shame.


    ¡°You doom us with your presence,¡± he said, his gravelly voice weathered, commanding, and wise. ¡°For our lives¡­ For our children¡­ We will end you, and you shall rise again, being of flesh. As one of us.¡±


    ¡°Well,¡± Richard said through gritted teeth. ¡°Reckon we found the lord of this dungeon.¡±


    Fuck. This was gonna end up being even worse than season eight, wasn''t it?

 Soulweaver 103: Beheading the Snake

    ¡°At least let her down!¡± I shouted after Eskil. ¡°The middle of a fight is no place for an unconscious person.¡±


    ¡°As I said, thrall, if you wish to claim her, you may fight me for the honor. Until then, she belongs to me.¡±


    ¡°She belongs to no one, you fucking moron,¡± I fired back. Eskil didn¡¯t hear me. He¡¯d already bounded away on his giant legs.


    ¡°I¡¯m with you there, friend. What an insufferable turd. So, what now?¡± Richard asked, staring at the giant¡¯s back.


    ¡°We go after him,¡± I replied, already jogging.


    If only he hadn¡¯t taken Aerion¡­ As much as I wanted to separate from the asshole and figure out this mess, I couldn¡¯t leave her with that thug until she regained consciousness. I¡¯d have to cook up a plan on the go.


    ¡°Five thousand,¡± Richard said as we ran after Eskil. ¡°Five thousand against three. Can¡¯t say I like those odds.¡±


    ¡°Except, we¡¯re not here to beat an army,¡± I called over my shoulder. ¡°We just need to take out that dungeon core, and this whole place comes crashing down. Could you try, uh¡­ Breaking its heart?¡±


    Richard shook his head. ¡°Afraid not. Too far, for one. My range isn¡¯t nearly sufficient. Besides, I¡¯ve got to wonder if it¡¯s even alive. And if it is, would it have a heart?¡±


    The dungeon core being alive was a good point. I couldn¡¯t honestly say. The latter concern, though, I was less worried about. If it was alive, chances were good Richard could affect it. I mean, he¡¯d shattered the hearts of the warriors we¡¯d just fought, and they were made of ice. The only question was, to what degree? I was willing to bet the dungeon core¡¯s stats were off the charts.


    ¡°Worth a try,¡± I said. ¡°We¡¯ll just have to get you close.¡±


    ¡°Close, yes¡­ How wonderful,¡± he replied dryly.


    When we finally caught up to Eskil, he was, predictably, surrounded by enemies. With Aerion still slumped over his shoulder. With no other option, Richard and I fought our way to his position, coming close enough to keep an eye on Aerion, but not so close that we found ourselves inside his ax¡¯s range. Richard aside, I had no doubt Eskil wouldn¡¯t hesitate to lop off my head if he got the chance.


    Our current situation, while cosmetically similar to the situation we¡¯d just come from, was actually quite a bit better. Five thousand was a large number, but it was a whole lot better than flailing against infinity. Between Eskil¡¯s whirlwind of carnage, Richard¡¯s subtle but important heart breaking, and me protecting him, we were causing some serious damage. Eskil alone probably took out two hundred, and between Richard and me, I wouldn¡¯t be surprised if we¡¯d racked up another hundred.


    And it hadn¡¯t even taken all that long. At this rate, we¡¯d carve out a sizeable chunk of this army.


    Unfortunately, our elite team had one glaring flaw¡ªnone of us had ranged attack capability. Which meant that, despite the dungeon core sitting pretty right above our heads, we couldn¡¯t touch it. Not unless we somehow vaulted ourselves hundreds of feet into the air. That was a problem I¡¯d been banging my head against, but so far, I had nothing.


    That was when the three horseback-mounted Ice Commanders picked their moment to enter, and our situation rapidly devolved from ¡®only slightly hopeless¡¯ to ¡®we¡¯re all going to die.¡¯


    That was because, unlike all the action movies I¡¯d ever seen, the minions didn¡¯t mysteriously back away when the commander took to the field.


    Nope. In fact, their morale strengthened, and they came at us even harder. Except now, they were joined by an absolutely lethal monster.


    ¡°Duck!¡± I yelled as one of the Commanders caught sight of us and threw his javelin our way.


    The giant spear shattered just before it hit Richard, turning into a cloud of fast-moving shrapnel.


    Luckily, Richard had learned his lesson from the serpent fight, and slammed his body against the ground.


    The barrage of shards was so vast that even I got caught in the crossfire, with my armor taking most of the damage. Unfortunately, one of the shards found its way into a gap in my armor¡­ Specifically, in my left shoulder.


    I cried out in pain, falling to one knee as the ice shard embedded itself into my wound,


    Fatal mistake. I saw his next attack coming, but all I could do was curse myself for allowing myself to fall to my knee. I was vulnerable and the enemy Commander knew it. I saw his scimitar sweep down at my neck, its curved, icy blade promising swift death.


    Light of the Fearless wouldn¡¯t make it in time. No weapon would.


    But my inventory was another story.


    I thought about throwing Rocky, but that would be a waste. What if I couldn¡¯t recover it later? My Steel Mace flew out, aimed directly at the Commander¡¯s face.


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    He didn¡¯t even move to protect himself. All he could do was stare in horror as the mace collided with his face¡­ At the same exact moment his scimitar hit me.


    The only reason I lived was because the flat side of the scimitar smashed into my face, its wielder having all but forgotten about his attack.


    My helmet¡¯s chin guard protected my jaw, but my nose was a different story.


    Two things happened at once. My nose shattered¡­ And the commander was knocked off his mount, landing with a sickening crunch on the ice a few feet away.


    I barely noticed. My vision went white as blinding pain consumed me. I screamed as I clutched my bleeding face and rolled around on the ground like a child.


    The pain was unbelievable. It hadn¡¯t just been my nose. The blade must have shattered something else in there because it didn¡¯t subside. I just wanted to curl up and die.


    ¡°Greg!¡± A voice penetrated the haze. ¡°You¡¯ve got to get a hold of yourself!¡±


    I tried. I really did. I knew we were surrounded by enemies. I knew Richard could only hold them off for a few moments, and I knew that if I didn¡¯t pick up the slack, we¡¯d all die.


    Despite that, my eyes refused to open. My arms felt like wet noodles and my legs had turned to jello. My limbs didn¡¯t respond when I asked them to move. I had no idea pain could do this to someone¡­


    And then, another voice came through.


    ¡°Greg, if you don¡¯t get up, I¡¯ve a mind to punch you after we get out.¡±


    That didn¡¯t sound very fun.


    I blinked. I recognized that voice.


    ¡°Aerion?¡± I squeaked, opening my eyes. All around me, chaos reigned. My first thought was that it looked like the middle of a battlefield. A second later, my foggy brain recognized that this was, in fact, exactly what it was.


    And I was on the ground¡ªthe worst possible place I could be.


    I grabbed my sword and scrambled to my feet. ¡°Your threat was super effective,¡± I said, flashing Aerion a thumbs up, which earned me a look of confusion from the elf as she thrust my mace into my chest.


    ¡°Stop losing your weapons,¡± she said with a wry smile.


    I stashed the weapon in my inventory and smirked. ¡°I¡¯ll try. Not all of us are blessed with godly bashing powers like you, you know?¡±


    That was all the time we had for banter because the swarm that Richard had been keeping at bay poured forth, and I was back in the fight¡­ albeit with a broken nose.


    Oddly enough, the pain rapidly abated, to where I didn¡¯t even feel it. On the other hand, my motions grew increasingly fluid, my strikes more aggressive. I ripped through the ice soldiers faster than before, like a scalpel through rushing water.


    It wasn¡¯t long before Aerion joined me, and we started splitting our way to the next commander¡¯s location.


    The feeling was so intoxicating that I lost myself in the fight, cutting apart enemies one after another with Aerion by my side doing much the same and Richard breaking hearts from behind, that it was some minutes before I realized that not just one, but two enemy commanders had gone down. Courtesy of our resident Neanderthal.


    That left just one more commander, and the head honcho. The white walker.


    As it so happened, the four of us converged on the poor commander at the same time.


    It wasn¡¯t a fight. It was a fucking massacre. Eskil¡¯s ax split the commander¡¯s ice horse cleanly in two, lopping off the guy¡¯s right arm.


    If the loss of an arm fazed him, the commander sure didn¡¯t show it. Executing a perfect backflip off his bisected mount, he drew his sword and engaged Aerion.


    He¡¯d chosen poorly. If he thought the little elf was a soft target, he learned just how wrong he was in the seconds that followed. Aerion ripped into the guy like a rabid dog, pummeling him with Aurora, each strike augmented by [Shock]. This, on top of [Reave] and [Fading Fury] meant it was all the guy could do to defend.


    Too bad for him, he still had three of us to deal with. Richard cleared out the nearby rabble and softened the Commander, while Eskil and I went in for the kill.


    If I was honest, Eskil alone would have done the job¡ªdecapitation tended to kill most things¡ªbut for good measure, I speared him through his torso, activating Light of the Fearless¡¯ twin abilities to turn the attack into a horizontal slice that separated his upper body from the bottom.


    The Ice Commander fell to the ground¡­ In three pieces.


    I flung the ice from my blade and formed a line with my allies. Everywhere I looked, enemies surrounded us, encircling us like a noose. A noose of about twenty feet. Standing. Waiting. Not daring to step any closer. Because anything that did, died.


    And behind that army was the Supreme Commander himself.


    The horse-mounted White Walker cut an unbelievably imposing figure, and now that we were closer, he was even more impressive than ever. His very presence exuded a pressure unlike anything I¡¯d experienced. This guy was strong. And he was laughing at us, cackling like the arch-villain he was.


    ¡°Do you think you can defeat me?¡± he asked, clearly amused.


    ¡°I do not fight battles I cannot win,¡± Eskil murmured. It was a strangely subdued response from the Viking. No bravado or bluster. I suppose he felt the pressure as much as we did.


    I didn¡¯t know if I shared his optimism, but even so, we came here to win.


    And so, four pairs of eyes turned towards him at the same time. A slew of pending System Messages flew down my sight.


    Congratulations! Dominion has increased from 50 to 54.


    Congratulations! [Light of the Fearless]¡¯s Ability [Light of the Fearless] has leveled up to Emergence - 0.


    Congratulations! [Light of the Fearless]¡¯s Ability [Shadow of the Fearless] has leveled up to Emergence - 0.


    Congratulations! [Light of the Fearless] has ranked up to Emergence.


    Congratulations! [Shadow of the Fearless] has ranked up to Emergence.


    Congratulations! [Initializer] has leveled up to Emergence - 10 (MAX). Max Essence Increased from 310 to 330. Essence Utilization: 282/330. Would you like to reclaim Initialized equipment?


    I extended my arm and pointed Light of the Fearless at our enemy. Aerion lifted Aurora, Richard his Needle, and Eskil, his giant ax.


    The final boss of this dungeon, and the last hurdle we had to clear, had arrived.

 Soulweaver 104: Cyrus the Great

    We didn¡¯t wait. We didn¡¯t coordinate. We exploded into action. Everyone, at the same time.


    Eskil jumped high into the air, soaring above the battlefield with what could only have been a ridiculous Dominion stat.


    Aerion and I surged through the mass of troops ahead of us, ripping and reaving, working in perfect harmony achieved without a single word or sign between us. I shielded her when she attacked.


    My sword¡¯s newly ranked-up powers were immediately obvious. [Light of the Fearless]¡¯s beautiful white flame was now blinding to look at, having somehow grown even whiter. It radiated so much heat it made me sweat. Where before the fire clung to the blade, its wisps now lashed out, as if begging to burn anything nearby.


    [Shadow of the Fearless], meanwhile, was no less impressive. Its freezing black flame had grown even darker. Like looking into a black hole. Cold, icy, and powerful. It, too, licked the air like its hot counterpart, promising death upon anything it touched.


    Together with my blade, we decimated our enemies.


    Aerion killed every ice soldier who even looked my way, and all the while, Richard backed us up, crippling the enemy from behind. His support was difficult to quantify, but the combined effect resulted in a sort of magical cleaver that drove through the enemy nearly as well as Eskil could.


    We reached the Supreme Commander before long, where we found Eskil battering the poor guy with swings that would easily level a house. The force of his blows was so strong that it sent shockwaves through the air and tremors through the ground.


    And against this onslaught of destruction, the Supreme Commander held his own. In fact, he kept one hand on the reins of his ice horse, taking the Viking¡¯s earth-shattering slams one-handed.


    In that hand was a two-handed greatsword made of ice. The strength he had to have to deflect that sort of blow must have eclipsed even Eskil¡¯s.


    The Viking didn¡¯t have a chance on his own. Luckily, he had us to balance the scale.


    Aerion and I immediately set out to dismantle the fucker. I hit him with my most powerful strike¡ªmy sword¡¯s twin abilities firing at the same time right before contact, while [Snap] accelerated my gauntlet at the last moment.


    We both aimed for the same spot on his torso, and to reach it, Aerion had to hit him with a flying strike.


    It was like striking a gong. My bones rattled so hard, I nearly dropped Light of the Fearless, and both Aerion and I were sent tumbling onto the ground.


    ¡°That¡¯s no armor,¡± I muttered, climbing to my feet. ¡°He¡¯s got an ability.¡±


    Against everyone¡¯s expectations, it wasn¡¯t Aerion or Richard who replied, but the commander himself.


    ¡°That would be [Repel],¡± he rasped, sneering at us. His voice was like ice shards grinding against each other. Hoarse, broken, and cold. ¡°¡®Tis a Peak Divergence-Rank ability. And not one you¡¯ll likely overcome.¡±


    ¡°Chatty, aren¡¯t we?¡± I said, trying to buy some time. How the fuck were we supposed to attack a guy who could reflect physical damage?


    ¡°Basic courtesy, is all,¡± he said. ¡°Or is that concept no longer practiced in your time? When I was alive, it was customary for warriors to introduce themselves to one another.¡±


    ¡°Oh, it¡¯s alive and kicking,¡± I replied, trying to make sense of his words. What did he mean by ¡®when I was alive?¡¯ It reminded me of what that ice warrior had told me earlier. Seriously, what the fuck was going on here? ¡°I¡¯m Greg,¡± I said. ¡°Big guy¡¯s Eskil, my buddy back there is¡ª¡±


    ¡°Eskil, Son of Magnus. Sworn Einjerhar of Odin, and vanquisher of the forces of Ragnarok,¡± Eskil so helpfully corrected.


    ¡°Yes, that. Thank you so much for that clarification, Eskil. I¡¯m sure our enemy over there is very impressed. Anyway, that¡¯s Richard back there, and the rampaging elf is Aerion. You¡¯ll have to forgive her. She doesn¡¯t really understand ¡®cease-fires¡¯ in that state.¡±


    ¡°A [Sylvan Reaver]?¡± the Supreme Commander said, even as he deflected Aerion¡¯s vicious strikes. All three of us had ceased our attacks, but Aerion, still under the effects of [Reave], was still attacking, as if she hadn¡¯t even noticed. She probably hadn¡¯t. ¡°I admit, it has been some time since I fought one.¡±


    That was¡­ interesting. Not only was he sapient and lucid, he was aware of ranks and Blessings, too? What else did he know about us? And how was he getting that information? Did he have elevated System privileges because he was a dungeon boss?


    ¡°Well met,¡± the Supreme Commander rasped. ¡°I am Cyrus. First Emperor of the Achaemenids. Cyrus the Great, as some called me. Or I was, once. Now, I lead this army of Fallen, and I cannot allow you to pass.¡±


    ¡°You sure? Because it¡¯s really not that hard to step aside,¡± I said, gesturing with my arm. ¡°We¡¯re after that sphere in the sky. Not you.¡±


    ¡°We waste our time speaking with this vermin,¡± Eskil said, spitting at the ground. ¡°Only the Shield Maiden Aerion understands. Look! She continues to swing her blade, even now.¡±


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    ¡°She doesn¡¯t even have a shield, moron,¡± I muttered.


    Eskil didn¡¯t hear. Screaming ¡®For Odin!¡¯ Eskil jumped into the fray, officially putting an end to our pleasantries.


    I really wish he hadn¡¯t. I had so many questions for Cyrus. Wasn¡¯t every day you encountered a dungeon boss who was this amicable. I somehow doubted the Obsidian Dragon would¡¯ve enjoyed the idea of a polite discussion.


    Oh, well. ¡°Richard!¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ve got your back!¡±


    Good enough for me. Bellowing a roar of my own, I jumped into the fray.


    What followed was a blur. Mostly because with three warriors pummeling the same enemy, there was scarcely a moment when Cyrus wasn¡¯t defending against one attack or another. Eskil¡¯s strikes were heavy, fast, and fierce, and while Aerion couldn¡¯t match the sheer weight of his impacts, hers came easily thrice as fast, and were no less intense.


    I might¡¯ve been fooled that our attacks were simply weak, were it not for the deep gashes our attacks caused on the surrounding ice. Rock-sized chunks flew in every direction, and some even struck nearby Warriors, shattering them.


    But it was Eskil¡¯s strikes that caused the most mayhem. Each attack of his caused a shockwave that thumped in my chest like a subwoofer at a raging concert. Each of his misses sent entire boulders flying, leveling a dozen ice warriors when they fell, rolling and killing even more before they stopped.


    For my part, I tried to slot in between the two, thwarting any attempt Cyrus made to sneak in an attack.


    There wasn¡¯t much of that, though. He seemed perfectly content to defend against all three of us with his enormous blade, moving it faster than he had any right to.


    ¡°My Blessing¡¯s got no effect on him,¡± Richard called from behind. ¡°I¡¯ll screen the others. Ensure they don¡¯t get in your way.¡±


    ¡°Understood,¡± I yelled back, sneaking a glance at the army of ice soldiers, who stood at a respectable distance away from us. They hadn¡¯t attacked once yet. Nor did they show any intent to. Still, it was good to have Richard watching our backs.


    Cyrus¡¯ defense failed to last. Slowly, we learned the pattern of his blocks, the timing of his parries. Aerion broke through his defense first, landing a strike on his armored chest.


    It didn¡¯t crack, though. Not even after Eskil landed a full-on blow against Cyrus¡¯ chest, finally causing him to lose his balance on his horse. Seeing an opportunity, I rushed forth, thrusting with Light of the Fearless.


    It worked. While my blade didn¡¯t crack his armor, it did finish what Eskil¡¯s attack started, unseating the once-emperor from his horse.


    Cyrus half-fell, half-slipped off his mount, landing lightly on his feet. He twirled his sword casually.


    ¡°He taunts us! Crush him!¡± Eskil cried, rushing forth. But not before Aerion.


    She was on him the instant he was down, pummeling him with her attacks, a cold, silent reaper against Eskil¡¯s berserking frenzy.


    The sight of them attacking together was almost enough to make me wonder if they did indeed belong on the battlefield together. As good as my synergy with Aerion was, theirs was perfect. It was like they shared some bond from both being Berserkers. If it had been me they were attacking, I wouldn¡¯t have lasted a second.


    Cyrus, however, deftly dodged, parried, and blocked with movements that just oozed nobility. Every motion was as small as it could possibly be, without even an ounce of energy wasted. He almost looked like he was dancing around them. That level of skill didn¡¯t come from any ability. It came from decades of practice, honed to the absolute limit.


    Which only heightened my misgivings. This wasn¡¯t some one-dimensional monster, to be killed. This was a man. A real man, who had lived a long and storied life. Who¡¯d soared to the greatest heights.


    Which meant that the sea of ice soldiers surrounding us were, too. As were those poor souls buried under the ice in the serpent¡¯s lair. Just what the fuck was going on?


    I¡¯d all but given up hope of unearthing any more of that mystery when an opportunity arrived from the most unlikely of sources.


    ¡°Why won¡¯t you die?¡± Eskil cried as he landed the heaviest blow I¡¯d ever seen. It was so strong, in fact, that the ice cracked under Cyrus¡¯ boots, forming spider webs that streaked through the ice for several feet.


    ¡°As I said, I have died a great many times.¡±


    ¡°What do you mean?¡± I asked, ceasing my attacks to seize on the opportunity. Aerion and Eskil had no such desire, and kept attacking.


    Miraculously, Cyrus kept talking, even as he defended against them.


    ¡°This is your fate, delvers, should you fall.¡±


    ¡°You were a delver?¡± I asked. A sense of dread began to form over my head like a dark cloud. ¡°Like us?¡±


    ¡°We all were. Now, we are cursed to this corrupted immortality. Doomed to fight and die, again and again.¡±


    ¡°Why even fight, then?¡± I asked, right as Aerion landed a blow that actually forced Cyrus back a half-step. There was no way Aerion could''ve managed that, even with [Reave]. Not with Cyrus'' absurd strength. No, [Fading Fury] was amplifying her power to terrifying levels... Which meant she didn¡¯t have a lot of Essence left. A quick glance at her Status Screen showed she was down to 25%. Much more of this, and she¡¯d be out.


    Even so, I found myself unable to stop talking. There was something here, I was sure of it. A key to the greater mystery, or at least a hint.


    ¡°Because for every delver we kill,¡± Cyrus said with a smile, ¡°we gain a year of respite from this hell. For every Champion, we gain a lifetime. How lucky for me, then, that I have an opportunity to earn three at once.¡±


    Eskil snorted. ¡°You must be poor at counting, demon! There are but two Champions here,¡± he said, his eyes glinting.


    ¡°Oh?¡± Cyrus¡¯ rasped, his smile growing into a toothy grin as he stared directly at me. ¡°Is that so?¡±


    I did my best not to notice Richard''s gaze on my back.


    ¡°Listen not to this fool¡¯s lies,¡± Eskil said, saving me the trouble of diverting the conversation. ¡°This ends now!¡±


    Then, in an incredible feat of synchronization, both Eskil and Aerion pummeled Cyrus at the same time.


    Except this time¡­ something different happened.


    Fifty Ice warriors nearby shattered all at once, without warning.


    Frowning, I looked around. Was it just me? Or had that endless sea of Ice Soldiers thinned out just a bit?


    Eskil attacked again, but this time, I wasn¡¯t looking at Cyrus. I was looking at the crowd. And when a dozen soldiers shattered at the exact moment Eskil¡¯s strike landed, I came to a horrifying conclusion.


    We¡¯d fucked up. Big time. We¡¯d been fighting the wrong enemy all along, and now, we were about to pay the price.

 Soulweaver 105: For Aerion

    ¡°We can¡¯t hurt him without destroying the army, first!¡± I shouted, switching targets to the nearest troops. ¡°Take them out as fast as you can.¡±


    ¡°Already on it!¡± Richard said from behind me, having come to the same conclusion at the same time. It was great having someone so quick on the uptake.


    Surprising me, Aerion actually halted her attack, saw that I was now engaging the army instead of the head honcho, and instantly switched targets, joining the fray by my side. Her recent rank up, while not giving her total control over her [Reave] state, did at least allow her to retain more of her awareness than before.


    Eskil, on the other hand, ignored me and continued to attack Cyrus, but maybe that was for the best. Now that the jig was up, Cyrus would do everything in his vast power to stop us. Eskil would keep him occupied for now. Once again, I had a sneaking feeling he was aware of that, and was working to cooperate with us without actually admitting to it.


    Considering how Eskil was only one of two who did enough damage to get Cyrus to transfer damage to his minions, whaling on the guy was actually a good strategy for him. For the rest of us, we had to prioritize the army if we wanted any shot at winning.


    Even so, keeping Cyrus busy was good and all, but then what?


    Aerion¡¯s Essence was running dangerously low, and even if it wasn¡¯t, there were still over 4,000 ice soldiers to kill, and most of the ones who''d been dispatched were thanks to Eskil and his sweeping strikes that took out a dozen ice soldiers at once.


    How many hours would it take Richard and me, assuming we didn¡¯t gas out or suffer any injuries? Both horrible assumptions, if I was honest.


    I lost track of time as I struck, ducked, and blocked strikes, one after another. Richard¡¯s Blessing was truly a blessing here, as he concentrated his powers on the enemies immediately in front of us.


    Compromising the enemy¡¯s combat effectiveness both lessened the danger of Aerion and I sustaining injuries, while also allowing us to cut through their ranks like butter. Even that wouldn¡¯t last, I knew. Richard had a limit just like anyone else, and while his endurance was good, it wouldn¡¯t last the hours we needed.


    I looked up at that dungeon core, hanging ten stories above our heads. If only we could get up there¡­ We could end this at once.


    The dungeon, however, seemed hellbent on getting us to defeat Cyrus first.


    There was another factor complicating matters, too. One that affected both Richard and me.


    These people were real. Actual souls, who¡¯d lived normal lives, and who were condemned to this awful fate against their will.


    With every heart crushed, every soldier broken, my hesitation grew. Was this right? Wasn¡¯t I essentially subjecting innocents to torture?


    My internal debate was cut short when Aerion¡¯s eyes rolled up and she fell. This time, though, I was there to catch her. I¡¯d been monitoring her falling Essence, and I¡¯d warned Richard well in advance. He expanded [Heart Breaker]¡¯s radius, creating a temporary barrier that allowed me to scoop Aerion up and throw her over my shoulder.


    Having done this before, I knew I couldn¡¯t fight and keep Aerion safe at the same time, and I wasn¡¯t nearly arrogant enough to jeopardize her safety for the sake of my inflated ego. As much as I hated to admit it, there was only one among us who could fight effectively while carrying her.


    And so, with every instinct in my body warring against me¡­ I called for Eskil.


    ¡°Aerion¡¯s down!¡± I roared, fighting to be heard above the din of combat. ¡°I need you to carry her.¡±


    For the first time ever, Eskil obeyed, seemingly teleporting to my side with how fast he moved.


    ¡°Worry not, bus boy,¡± he said with a smug grin, looking down on me both literally and figuratively as he gently plucked Aerion from my shoulder and hoisted her upon his. ¡°I keep my family safe.¡±


    ¡°She¡¯s not your fucking family, asshole¡± I muttered, but Eskil was gone before I¡¯d even finished, off to hack at Cyrus. Incidentally, Cyrus hadn¡¯t even budged from his original spot, even when Eskil came over to pick up Aerion. He just¡­ Watched. Unperturbed.


    Maybe he thought we had no chance against his army. He was probably right.


    Richard¡¯s heart-crushing boundary broke right as I entered the fight. With only two of us, the going was slower. Richard took several nicks from strikes I couldn¡¯t fully block, and I myself took a hit to my shin. Nothing major, but I was reminded of that saying, ¡®Death by a thousand cuts¡¯. They didn¡¯t have to score a life-threatening blow. They just had to whittle us down, bit by tiny bit. And once our stamina broke, they¡¯d be all over us.


    We continued on like that for a good while, and after two hundred, I lost track of how many soldiers we¡¯d killed. Two hundred was an incredible number, but it was also just a drop in the bucket.


    Not only was I injured and tiring out¡ªmy strikes had become weak, my footwork sloppy¡ªbut Richard wasn¡¯t screening as effectively as he used to, either.


    At some point, Eskil had joined the fray some distance away, perhaps growing tired of wailing on an enemy who wouldn¡¯t go down. Or maybe he just saw Richard and me and wanted in on the action. Good. At least our pace would increase.


    It took me another minute after that realization to understand that something was horribly wrong. If Eskil was fighting the army¡­ Who was fighting Cyrus?


    With a horrible, sinking feeling, I looked back at where Cyrus had been. Where he still was. Watching. Observing. And if I wasn¡¯t wrong¡­ smiling.


    With just Richard and me, it made sense why he¡¯d feel that way. But Eskil had already killed in just a few moments more than Richard and I had managed in all this time we¡¯d been fighting. Eskil could conceivably destroy this entire army, and it wouldn¡¯t even take him that much time.


    Why would Cyrus just watch that happen? Weren¡¯t these his people? Didn¡¯t he care what happened to them? Why wasn''t he attacking?


    Unless¡­ Unless we have this all wrong.


    ¡°Attacking you deflects the damage to your soldiers. But attacking your soldiers¡­ It helps you somehow. Doesn¡¯t it?¡±


    I said that mostly to myself, but Cyrus¡¯ grin grew wider until he was cackling.


    ¡°I must admit,¡± he said. ¡°Only a handful of delvers have ever guessed the true nature of my ability. Most times, I destroy them before they can find out. But sometimes, when I allow this farce to run its course, they come close. No one has come as close as you, though. Well done. Well done, indeed.¡±


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    Panic crept up my spine. We hadn¡¯t been chipping away at Cyrus¡¯ power at all! We¡¯d just made a bad situation even worse. Dug our grave even deeper. ¡°Eskil! Stop attacking them!¡± I roared. ¡°Each soldier we kill just makes him stronger!¡±


    Cyrus'' maniacal laughter redoubled, until his sounds drowned out all others.


    ¡°What do you mean, Greg?¡± Richard asked, pulling up beside me. ¡°If we can¡¯t attack him, and killing his army makes him stronger, how in god¡¯s name are we supposed to kill him?¡±


    ¡°I wish I knew,¡± I said, frowning. ¡°I think he¡¯ll be vulnerable if we take out his entire army, but¡­¡±


    ¡°I reckon he¡¯ll not just stand around watching as we destroy his army, yeah?¡±


    ¡°Right,¡± I said with pursed lips. ¡°He¡¯ll probably wait until we¡¯ve killed off enough of his army to guarantee his victory, then attack us. This guy is honestly far too overpowered. What kind of enemy was literally invincible?


    ¡°Pretty cruel of you, isn¡¯t it?¡± I said, mostly to buy time to think this through. It didn¡¯t help that both Richard and I had to keep fighting as we worked all this out. ¡°You just said they were real.¡±


    ¡°What does one death matter?¡± Cyrus replied, the grin slipping from his face. ¡°They will return to fight again. My people are happy to sacrifice themselves for the opportunity to gain respite in a later cycle.¡±


    ¡°Note to self,¡± I muttered. ¡°Immortal undead ice soldiers do not think on the same lines as normal people.¡±


    It didn¡¯t take a genius to know we needed a new strat, pronto. But what the hell could we do? In a game, the boss would have some weakness we could exploit. But, as these dungeons proved so often, this was no game. There were no easy wins here. It wasn¡¯t designed to be beatable.


    Worse¡ªCyrus had been through this countless times. He¡¯d fought this very same battle against thousands of delvers. He¡¯d seen every tactic in the book, and no doubt had contingencies for each and every one. He was like a player who¡¯d died against the last boss over and over, constantly refining his strategy until it was honed to perfection.


    And we were first-timers. Stumbling around in the dark.


    If we wanted to win, we¡¯d need something different. Something so harebrained and outside the box that no delver in the past would have even thought to try anything like it.


    I looked up at the rapidly rotating core, floating ten stories above us, and an idea came to mind. A harebrained idea. Desperate, and likely to get us all killed.


    In other words, exactly what we needed.


    I fought my way to Eskil and got his attention.


    ¡°I have a plan. Maybe the only plan that¡¯ll get us out of here alive. So please, for Aerion¡¯s sake, just listen to what I have to say.¡±


    ¡°A plan?¡± Eskil spat. ¡°The thrall has a plan?¡±


    I didn¡¯t know what that word meant, but I had a few guesses. I ground my teeth, wracking my brain to come up with some way of convincing this brute. Should I lean on Richard? Eskil would at least listen to him. But Richard didn¡¯t yet know the plan, and I didn¡¯t have the time to explain it twice. Not when an army was trying to kill us.


    ¡°Unless you mean to say you are not merely a porter?¡± he asked, a sly smirk plastered on his face.


    ¡°Isn¡¯t that obvious? I¡¯m her bodyguard. I¡¯m Boonworthy. A warrior just like you!¡±


    Eskil¡¯s smirk only grew wider. ¡°So, just a porter, then.¡±


    A sudden urge to punch this guy in the face overcame me. Then Eskil went and said something none of us could have predicted.


    <hr>


    ¡°Fuck you, Eskil!¡± I gored another ice soldier. ¡°Who do you think you are? You can¡¯t just fucking claim her like she¡¯s some trophy. I don¡¯t give a shit if you¡¯re a Champion. I won¡¯t let you get away with this.¡±


    ¡°As I said, porter,¡± Eskil spat back from his position several yards away. ¡°If you want her, you are welcome to come take her. Once you have killed me in single combat!¡±


    ¡°Fine! Bring it the fuck on!¡±


    ¡°Now, let¡¯s all just cool our heads a moment, shall we?¡± Richard said, trying¡ªand failing¡ªto diffuse the situation.


    That was the thing about time bombs. Tough to stop once they got going. And this one wasn¡¯t going out.


    ¡°Is this really the time to be having a spat?¡± he pleaded. ¡°There¡¯ll be plenty of time for you two to duke it out, later, yeah? Why don¡¯t we all just get along and¡ª¡±


    ¡°For Odin!¡± Eskil charged me with his ax raised to the sky.


    ¡°For Aerion!¡± I shouted back, rushing him.


    And all the while Cyrus watched. Watched, laughed, and clapped, his blue eyes twinkling bright, content to watch us rip ourselves apart. ¡°Very good! Yes! Very good! When I thought I had seen it all¡­ This? This is new!¡±


    I couldn¡¯t care less what he thought. My eyes were dead set on Eskil. Eskil, and his oversized ax.


    Eskil soared high into the sky, ax overhead¡­ and I suddenly wondered if this was how I got myself killed. I was trusting Eskil. Trusting him, of all people. With my life and Richard¡¯s. Trusting that he was smarter than he looked. If he fucked this up¡­


    What¡¯s done is done. I had to commit. I braced myself for the shockwave as best I could, and waited.


    Time seemed to slow as Eskil hung at the top of his jump. Slowly, he fell, picking up speed until he was plummeting to the ground.


    Focusing on his ax blade and nothing else, I side-stepped a split-second before impact, avoiding the blade.


    Was the fucker really trying to kill me?


    The ax buried itself in the ice, shattering it and causing a spiderweb of cracks to erupt under our feet.


    I raised Light of the Fearless high¡­ and jumped on his ax, and so did Richard.


    With a guttural roar, Eskil jumped, bringing his ax¡ªand therefore, us¡ªwith him. The sensation was not unlike a race car taking off at full throttle. Pinned to the blade, I couldn¡¯t move an inch, so fierce was the acceleration. Just how much Dominion did this guy really have?


    Doubt crept into my head. How was he this strong? It made no sense at all.


    And then we were off, flying through the air¡­ Right at the core above our heads.


    I looked down to find the ground rapidly receding. If we missed¡­ If this insane plan didn¡¯t work, then I was probably going to die from the impact of the fall, and Richard? We¡¯d be lucky if his corpse stayed in one piece.


    As I said. Desperate. Harebrained. Exactly what we needed.


    Richard and I flew at breakneck speed to the core. Thanks to Eskil¡¯s double boost¡ªthe first from his jump, and the second from his ax swing¡ªwe were going to make it.


    I impacted first. Or rather, Light of the Fearless did, penetrating the soft, pulsating flesh of the core. With my other hand, I caught Richard just as he reached the top of his arc, and thanks to my points in Dominion, I swung him up above me with ease.


    He grabbed one of the millions of¡­ pustules? They anchored him in place¡ªbarely. He wasn¡¯t going to hang on for long, that was for sure.


    Then again, that wasn¡¯t going to be a concern.


    Mr. White Walker had finally caught onto our ruse, and he was none too happy.


    ¡°Is he¡­ Is he flying up to us?¡±


    I looked down. The ice army looked like ants from here. I tried to shove my fear of heights to the back of my mind, and instead tried to focus on finding Cyrus.


    It wasn¡¯t hard. ¡°Fuck! He¡¯s fast!¡±


    ¡°Reckon we¡¯ve only got a few seconds!¡±


    Panicking, I grabbed onto a pustule and yanked out my blade to strike again. When I did, fresh blood geysered out of the hole I¡¯d just made, pulsing out as if pumped by some heart.


    Wait. A heart?


    I looked at Richard, whose eyes widened in realization.


    ¡°Should I¡ª¡±


    ¡°Do it!¡± I screamed.


    ¡°But what if we¡ª¡±


    ¡°DO IT!¡±


    Richard did, and the result was far beyond what either of us could have expected. The heart didn¡¯t simply burst. It didn¡¯t collapse.


    It exploded, drowning us in an ocean of blood.

 Soulweaver 106: Flashpoints

    That was the thing about assumptions¡­ They had a tendency to fuck you in the butt.


    As Richard and I rocketed back to the ground, I couldn¡¯t help but laugh at the irony of making it all the way to the final boss¡¯ lair and collapsing the dungeon¡­ Only to succumb to gravity.


    Or at least, it was funny right up until the moment my eyes caught sight of Eskil, and the diminutive elf on his shoulder who was kicking viciously, looking very much like she wanted to be let down.


    I saw her, and my stomach dropped. What happened to Aerion if I died?


    The system unambiguously considered her my gear. Did that mean she¡¯d deinitialize when I perished? Deinitializing a living being meant killing them.


    Fuck.


    I didn¡¯t know. I couldn¡¯t know. And so, I had to survive.


    A couple of seconds remained. Not enough time for me to do much of anything, other than bury my head in my gauntleted arms, curl up my body, and hope for the best.


    I closed my eyes and braced for the crash.


    The impact came suddenly, and with the sound of cracking ice. That was to be expected. The sea of soldiers below meant I¡¯d hit them first. Maybe they¡¯d even cushion my fall.


    Except there was no secondary collision in which my bones were turned to jelly.


    I just¡­ kept falling.


    Huh?


    I opened my eyes. Darkness.


    Nothing but darkness.


    What¡­ the fuck?


    I looked up, and saw the dungeon. Or what was left of it, anyway.


    Pieces of the ice cavern were falling. Massive islands that had only moments before been the floor and the walls. Some fell faster than I did, others slower.


    I was witnessing the collapse of the dungeon, and it apparently looked a lot like falling into an endless abyss.


    Did that mean I would go with it? Where was Aerion?


    I frantically searched for any sign of my friends, but found none. I was alone in this unknowable place. Alone¡­ and still falling to my death.


    And then something hit me. Not physically, but spiritually. Something deep inside. A heaviness I couldn¡¯t quite describe. Like the very weight of my existence had ballooned, straining against its container before bursting to fill a new, larger whole.


    I knew then, without even checking my Status Screen, that I had just ranked up. I could now Initialize [Rare] items with 99% probability. I could Initialize Aerion¡¯s Aurora, or perhaps even her Soulkeeper pendant.


    The ground came up quicker than I¡¯d expected. Made sense, considering everything below me was pitch-black.


    I felt the impact before I¡¯d had time to properly register it, and when I finally pried myself from the pristine white floor, I was immediately crushed by some heavy object landing on my back.


    ¡°Son of a bitch!¡±


    My jaw once again hit the floor, and were it not for my Vigor, I was sure I¡¯d have knocked out a few teeth. As it was, my mouth just hurt like I¡¯d gotten a root canal without anesthetics.


    ¡°What did you just call me!?¡± came a familiar voice. It was close, too. Very close.


    On my back close.


    ¡°Aerion?¡± I asked, sitting up. That caused the elf to tumble off my back, hitting her head on the ground.


    ¡°Ow? I swear, you¡¯re such a brute at times.¡±


    ¡°Well, sorry, princess. I didn¡¯t¡ª¡±


    A loud crash made us both look at the giant who¡¯d just come tumbling down, limbs splayed out in all sorts of awkward angles.


    ¡°Er, you were saying something about brutes?¡± I said, a wry grin taking over my face. It wasn¡¯t often one got to see Eskil Magnusson, Champion of Dominion, looking like an absolute clown.


    ¡°Nothing,¡± Aerion said, with an equally large grin. ¡°Nothing at all¡­¡±


    ¡°Well, I see we all made it in one piece!¡± Richard said, offering Aerion a hand, which she took immediately.


    Grumbling, I got up again, hoping nothing fell on my head this time. It didn¡¯t, unless you counted Eskil¡¯s ¡®ODIN BLESS US WE HAVE PREVAILED!¡¯ assaulting my ears, along with blaring theme music that sounded worse than an 8-bit orchestral recording.


    Interestingly, my aching jaw stopped hurting the moment I stood. As did the throbbing ache from my left shoulder that had plagued me through most of the dungeon, and most of all¡ªmy broken, bashed-in nose.


    I¡¯d been healed. Instantly, and mysteriously.


    ¡°Quite a theme song, innit?¡± Richard said, plugging his ears until it ended.


    Eskil was now on his knees, in his own world muttering prayers to his lord god under his breath.


    ¡°What is this place, anyway?¡± Aerion asked, ignoring the viking.


    ¡°Looks an awful like the Trial¡¯s Blessing bestowment area,¡± I said. ¡°White floor, white walls¡­ Er, pitch-black open-air ceiling?¡±


    Looking up, I could swear I saw pieces of dungeon still falling in the distance. They seemed to burn up before getting anywhere near our white room, though.


    ¡°Seriously, where the fuck are we?¡±


    ¡°Right there with you, Greg,¡± Richard said. ¡°Doesn¡¯t make much sense to me, but then again, neither does much else in this world. I reckon you¡¯ve an easier time of it, having grown up here, eh?¡±


    I glanced at Richard, eyes narrowing. There was something about Richard¡¯s tone that made me reconsider his words. Was it the almost overly friendly nature of what he¡¯d said that made it sound¡­ off?


    It was natural he¡¯d be in higher spirits. We all were. After that adrenaline dump of a fight, followed by the euphoria of victory, who wouldn¡¯t be? Was it just that, though? I had to wonder.


    ¡°We¡­ did it,¡± I said, almost to convince myself this wasn¡¯t still part of the dungeon. ¡°We won.¡±


    ¡°We sure did,¡± Richard remarked, clapping my shoulder. ¡°And if I¡¯m not mistaken, this is where we¡¯re bestowed our just rewards. Congratulations, my friend.¡±


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    Richard extended a hand, which I took, and this time, the gesture felt entirely genuine. Was I just imagining things earlier?


    ¡°Wonder what we¡¯ll get this time,¡± Richard said. ¡°All I got last time was a bit of experience. A little underwhelming, that. Seems as a Champion, I¡¯m ineligible for another Blessing. That was a Trial, though. Maybe this¡¯ll be different?¡±


    ¡°I wouldn¡¯t get your hopes up,¡± I began, but was interrupted by a giant hologram of a striking warrior dressed from the head down in plate armor. He wore no helmet, showcasing the man¡¯s chiseled face and wavy black hair that fell to his shoulders.


    ¡°Greetings, my victors. Rejoice, for you have vanquished a great evil! In the name of Dominion, be rewarded!¡±


    ¡°In the name of Dominion?¡± Richard asked. ¡°Am I to understand that you are not, in fact, Dominion?¡±


    Dominion laughed, nodding with approval. ¡°Yes! Rejoice, for you have vanquished a great evil!¡±


    ¡°Uh, hello?¡± I asked. ¡°Can you hear us?¡±


    Dominion once again laughed, repeating the same canned message.


    ¡°Bloody hell, it¡¯s a recording!¡± Richard said, running his fingers through his hair. ¡°Defeat a dungeon, and we get a bloody recording!¡±


    ¡°It does seem like Dominion himself is not present,¡± Aerion said, letting out a relieved sigh. It was the first she¡¯d spoken since the projection appeared. I was pretty sure that if it really was Dominion, she¡¯d have been so flustered, she wouldn¡¯t have dared open her mouth...


    As for me, I couldn¡¯t care less if he showed up personally. Not unless it gave me the opportunity to bargain for some better rewards. I had to agree with Richard. The reward for clearing Dominion¡¯s Trial was a little underwhelming for me. Sure, experience was nice, but a new perk would¡¯ve been nicer. I wasn¡¯t asking for much¡­


    I stared up at the projection, which was still smiling and nodding proudly at us.


    ¡°Is it just me,¡± I asked. ¡°Or do the gods love giving themselves makeovers every time they appear?¡±


    Dominion¡ªat least, I assumed it was Dominion by the pompous arrogance and confident stature¡ªlooked nothing like the Dominion of Eskil¡¯s parade.


    I glanced at our resident Viking, who was now prostrating before the image, bawling in rapture as a stream of tears rolled off his cheeks and pooled on the ground below.


    ¡°Well, seems he at least recognizes the god.¡±


    Eskil raised his head to scowl at me. ¡°Blasphemer! Get on your knees and worship the Allfather.¡±


    ¡°Does that look like Odin to you?¡± I asked, acting on a hunch. ¡°Does he look the same as when he appeared during the parade?¡±


    ¡°Are you mad?¡± Eskil spat. ¡°Of course he is the same. The One-eyed Lord has no need to alter his visage for the likes of you peons.¡±


    ¡°One-eyed, huh?¡± I looked up at the decidedly two-eyed giant projection, who stood with his arms crossed, nodding in approval at us.


    ¡°What is he saying?¡± Richard asked.


    ¡°I¡¯m pretty sure Eskil over there sees something different from us. Actually, what does Dominion look like to you?¡± I asked.


    ¡°Er, short-cropped black hair,¡± Richard replied. ¡°Gelled a bit more than I¡¯d like. Fresh pressed gray suit. Rose boutonniere, no tie. Gray slacks and polished loafers. Quite a dashing figure, I¡¯d say.¡±


    ¡°Funny,¡± I said. ¡°Because I see a rugged warrior in full plate armor with long black hair.¡±


    ¡°I see the same as you, Greg,¡± Aerion confirmed.


    ¡°Well, that settles it,¡± I replied. ¡°For whatever reason, we all get personalized versions of Dominion.¡±


    ¡°Odd that Aerion and you share the same image, though,¡± Richard said with a frown.


    ¡°Probably because we¡¯ve fought together for so long,¡± I lied, glancing at Aerion. ¡°Anyway, what do you say we accept our rewards and go home?¡±


    Richard flashed me a grin. ¡°Sounds wonderful.¡±


    <hr>


    Calculating Rewards¡­


    Do you wish to share Blessing rewards? Options:


    ¡ª Retain 100% for self.


    ¡ª Equal split among party members.


    ¡ª Donate 100% to party members.


    Party members: Aerion, Greg.


    Well, here it was again. The moment of truth. I glanced at Aerion, then at Richard. Eskil was¡­ Well, he was off by himself, still prostrating. We wouldn¡¯t have to worry about him.


    ¡°Sorry, but would you mind if we consulted in private?¡± I asked. ¡°Need to figure out what Blessings we¡¯d like, and Aerion¡¯s a bit shy about stuff like this.¡±


    Aerion threw me a withering look, which I responded to with a ¡®Play along¡¯ expression.


    ¡°My¡­ apologies,¡± Aerion said through gritted teeth, which actually ended up making her lie sound more convincing.


    ¡°Oh, not at all, friend,¡± Richard said, raising his palms. ¡°Please, strategize all you wish. I understand! I¡¯ve quite the decision to make myself.¡±


    I frowned slightly. What decision could he possibly have? He wasn¡¯t officially in our party¡ªI assumed I had to register Richard with the System for him to be. I probably got to skip that step with Aerion, since the System considered her my weapon.


    ¡°Thanks, Richard,¡± I said, waving as we left. ¡°We¡¯ll be right back.¡±


    Luckily, the white-walled room was easily several football fields wide, giving Aerion and I ample opportunity for privacy. We stopped when we were around a hundred yards away.


    ¡°So¡­¡± I said.


    ¡°So¡­¡± Aerion replied, holding her arm and looking away.


    ¡°I¡¯ll be blunt. I don¡¯t want to do this.¡±


    ¡°You don¡¯t need to.¡±


    ¡°I know what you¡¯re gonna say. You¡¯ll say that¡¯s exactly what Cosmo would say, so you¡¯re gonna insist I take the Blessing.¡±


    ¡°Greg¡­¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m saying I don¡¯t want to do this because all I¡¯ll get is some measly XP, and you¡¯ll be robbed of your own Blessing. So, it¡¯s up to you. I¡¯ll do it if you insist. But I¡¯d rather we split the reward 50/50, like last time.¡±


    ¡°Greg, listen to me!¡±


    I gave Aerion a hard stare, and she looked deeply into mine.


    ¡°I said it¡¯s okay! You don¡¯t need to prove anything.¡±


    ¡°I¡­ What?¡±


    The corners of Aerion¡¯s lips crept up. ¡°We¡¯ve fought together. We¡¯ve nearly died together. I¡¯ve gotten to know you over the past months. We¡¯re closer than anyone I¡¯ve known in¡­ in some time.¡± she said, her smile fading a bit before returning.


    ¡°So, you believe me,¡± I said, blinking. ¡°You believe that I¡¯m not Cosmo.¡±


    Aerion nodded. ¡°I do. Order would never support me as you have. He would never have slogged so hard. You¡¯re¡­ you. And I fear I owe you dearly for how I¡¯ve treated you. I fear I¡¯ve betrayed the one person who¡¯s ever shown me kindness¡­ I fear I¡¯ve lost you.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s¡­ No¡­ It¡¯s not like that at all!¡± I said, struggling to form the right words. This was not how I anticipated this conversation going. I¡¯d been prepared to fight with her to accept her share of the rewards. And I¡¯d been prepared to bite the bullet and hog it all if she insisted. But this?


    ¡°Look, I still don¡¯t know what you went through,¡± I said, lowering my voice. ¡°But I don¡¯t need to be telepathic to know you¡¯ve lived through some seriously heavy shit. Everyone¡¯s got baggage. Even me. I get that some people just carry a lot more suitcases around than others. I don¡¯t blame you. Was I hurt? Yeah. Absolutely. Ripped to fucking shreds after that conversation we had after Dominion¡¯s Trial.¡±


    Aerion winced and averted her eyes, her face wrinkling with deep frown lines.


    ¡°But I can¡¯t blame you. Even I admit I must¡¯ve looked suspicious as hell. Guy shows up out of nowhere with powers that make no sense, and then proceeds to give you powers only Champions are supposed to have? Yeah, you¡¯d have been crazy not to suspect me. What frustrated me more than anything was how I had no way to prove it at the time.¡±


    ¡°You really forgive me?¡± Aerion said with upturned eyes, the rampaging Berserker nowhere to be seen. Right now, in this one moment, she looked fragile. Like a normal girl, for once.


    ¡°I do,¡± I said. ¡°Water under the bridge, and all that. But, uh¡­ one request?¡±


    ¡°Anything,¡± she replied without a bead of hesitation. ¡°Anything you desire, it¡¯s yours.¡±


    ¡°Oh, er, I was just gonna say I¡¯d love to hear about your past sometime. When you¡¯re comfortable sharing, of course,¡± I hastily added when Aerion¡¯s eyes flew wide open.


    ¡°No, it¡¯s¡­ It¡¯s fine. You deserve to know. I¡¯ll tell you everything, I promise. When we¡¯re out?¡±


    I nodded vigorously. ¡°No rush. So, 50/50 split?¡±


    ¡°50/50¡± Aerion confirmed.


    I finalized the decision, and for the second time in the past hour, I was taken by surprise.


    For the message that appeared was nothing like what I expected. It was better.


    ¡°The God of Dominion shall now grant your Reward¡­¡±


    Notification: Champion Detected. Patron Deity: Order. Champions may not accept Blessings¡­ Please choose your reward:


    1) Lump-Sum Bonus Experience


    2) Soul Evolution Seed

 Soulweaver 107: Pi?a Coladas and Coconut Bikinis

    I stared at the option for a good, long moment. ¡°Interesting¡­¡±


    ¡°What¡¯s the matter?¡± Aerion asked. ¡°Do you not have an option for soul evolution?¡±


    ¡°No, that¡¯s the thing,¡± I said. ¡°I do. Was not expecting that. Though, I suppose it makes some kind of sense. Gods want their Champions big and tough, and I¡¯m guessing they don¡¯t want us bashing our heads against evolutionary walls for years while the Cataclysm eats the world.¡±


    ¡°Indeed,¡± Aerion replied. ¡°I assume you¡¯ll be choosing it?¡±


    I checked my Status page, smiling as I did.


    Name: Gregory Samuel Wills


    Essence Utilization: 296/370


    Blessing: Initializer [Epic] (Divergence - 0)


    Stats:


    Vigor: 49 (Max: 49)


    Order: 19 (Max: 50)


    Wisdom: 27 (Max: 50)


    Passion: 20 (Max: 59)


    Grace: 27 (Max: 27)


    Cunning: 23 (Max: 23)


    Dominion: 62 (Max: 83)


    I already knew I¡¯d ranked up the moment we defeated the dungeon, but the rest was a very nice surprise.


    If there was anything to learn here, it was that Trials and dungeons did wonders for Vigor, Grace, and Dominion. When I entered the dungeon, those were at 42, 25, and 39 respectively, and if I hadn¡¯t hit my limits, Vigor and Grace would¡¯ve jumped as much as Dominion had¡ªa full 23 points. The other stats, though? That was a different story. Not unless I got diligent about actively modifying my magic, talking people up, and uh¡­ meditating while fighting?


    It proved that while leveling could happen in dungeons, there was a whole wealth of stats to be gained outside it as well. Assuming, of course, my damn stat caps didn¡¯t get in the way.


    Which brought me to the decision at hand. Could I use a bit of extra experience? Always. But an easy pass through my next soul evolution? Yeah¡­ This one was a no-brainer.


    ¡°Absolutely,¡± I replied, confirming my choice.


    The Status screen winked away and¡­ nothing happened.


    ¡°Er, I don¡¯t feel any different,¡± I said. ¡°Do you?¡±


    ¡°Same as ever,¡± Aerion replied.


    ¡°Do you even know what Soul evolution consists of?¡±


    Aerion shook her head. ¡°Few ever reach Convergence, let alone the higher ranks. From what I¡¯ve seen, none who do are especially keen to share the secret.¡±


    I had to wonder about that. Surely there was someone out there with a mind for profit? Even if the success rate was low, people could make a killing teaching that.


    Which meant there was likely something else stopping them. I supposed I¡¯d find out soon enough.


    ¡°Divergence!?¡± Aerion suddenly squeaked, her eyes going wide. ¡°When?¡±


    ¡°Just now,¡± I said, failing to hide my grin. ¡°Can¡¯t wait to see what sorts of upgrades this¡¯ll bring.¡±


    ¡°Bloody hell!¡± Richard suddenly blurted from nearby.


    ¡°What¡¯s up?¡± I asked.


    ¡°I¡¯d meant to ask earlier, but with all the craziness, I¡¯d nearly forgotten. It¡¯s just been killing me¡­¡±


    ¡°Uh, yeah?¡± I asked, wondering what was so important that Richard was asking now, of all times.


    ¡°Back in the dungeon, when we were in the thick of things, I could¡¯ve sworn you said the name of my Lord, Jesus Christ. Now, was I hearing things, or¡­¡±


    Oh shit.


    I opened my mouth to reply¡­


    And the next thing I knew, I was on a sandy beach decked with dozens of smoking-hot bikini-clad women, beach chairs, jet-skis and sailboats out on the crystal blue water.


    <hr>


    ¡°Gregorio! Mi amigo!¡± a voice¡ªa very familiar voice¡ªcalled out. ¡°Come on, grab a drink!¡±


    I turned to find none other than my patron deity, lying on his stomach on a massage table as a blonde supermodel oiled him up as he sipped what looked to be a Pi?a Colada. He wore star-shaped sunglasses that covered half his face, along with a speedo that had a picture of Cosmo winking, with the words ¡®Who¡¯s your OG G,¡¯ in a speech bubble across his ass.


    It wasn¡¯t his ridiculous clothing that caught my eye, though. The guy was ripped. There wasn¡¯t a shred of fat anywhere on him, and though not quite up to bodybuilder standards, he was pretty damned close. Well proportioned, too. The kind of body anyone would lust after.


    Cosmo snapped, and a beachside cabana bar popped up nearby. Manning the bar was¡­ you guessed it. None other than Cosmo himself, except he had a giant handlebar mustache, for some reason.


    ¡°C¡¯mon and get yer drinks, Greg! What¡¯ll it be?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m¡­ gonna pass,¡± I said, squinting at Cosmo¡ªthe one moaning as he got a massage, not the one behind the bar.


    ¡°Oh, come on. You need to loosen up, Greg,¡± he said. ¡°You just blasted that dungeon to smithereens, for god¡¯s sake! This calls for celebration. I know! I think you need a massage!¡±


    Cosmo snapped his fingers, and suddenly, I was on a massage table next to him, face down¡­ and naked.


    Horrified, I turned to see if he¡¯d at least left me my underwear. He had, but I now wore the same damned speedo he did.


    I felt sick¡­ Right up until a certain silver-haired elf materialized, wearing a Hawaiian frond skirt and a coconut bra. She wore anklets and bracelets made of leaves, and a headdress that matched.


    ¡°Aerion?¡± I squeaked in a voice as high as a pre-pubescent. My face went red-hot, and I could feel my heart trying to break out of my chest. This was so wrong.


    I looked away, embarrassed, but I couldn¡¯t avoid noticing her toned, lithe muscles. She¡¯d always hid it well, under her many layers of armor and clothing.


    Aerion applied some oil to her hands, slapped them together, then pushed down hard on my back, forcing me back onto the table. She then went to work on my shoulders pressing and kneading.


    My fight or flight response kicked in, and I squirmed, desperately trying to escape.


    I may as well have tried to move a mountain. Under Aerion¡¯s awe-inspiring strength, my actions did little other than embarrass myself. All the nearby beachgoers were now staring at my antics.


    My resistance waned about five seconds after as bliss overtook me. Damn, she was good.


    ¡°That¡¯s¡­ not actually Aerion, is it?¡± I asked, groaning in pleasure despite every shred of my mind telling me to resist. ¡°Fuck, this is so embarrassing.¡±


    ¡°Tut, tut, Gregorio! It¡¯s only embarrassing if you want it to be,¡± Cosmo said, grinning. ¡°What gave it away?¡±


    ¡°For one, she isn¡¯t even the slightest bit shy about wearing such revealing clothing. The Aerion I know would¡¯ve turned beet red by now and run away.¡±


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    ¡°And the other reason?¡±


    ¡°Aerion¡¯s more likely to beat me than to give me a massage.¡±


    ¡°Hmm. Good points. Don¡¯t worry, I¡¯ll have her tweaked for the next time you clear a Cataclysm Dungeon,¡± Cosmo said haltingly between moans of pleasure.


    ¡°Please don¡¯t. And¡­ Why her?¡± Cosmo could¡¯ve created literally any masseuse in the world. Hell, he could¡¯ve just cloned the woman doing his massage.


    This was so ridiculous. Less than an hour ago, I was in the thick of an all-out fight for my life. And just when I thought I¡¯d started getting used to this world¡­ There was never a dull day around here. Cosmo made amply sure of that.


    ¡°Come now, Greg. You¡¯ve been under a lot of stress! I figured you could use some relaxation. A familiar face is better than a stranger, yeah? I even took her stats into account, so if that Aerion can do it, yours sure can.¡±


    ¡°She¡¯s not mine,¡± I said, bristling as I thought of a certain Viking¡¯s earlier proposal. ¡°She¡¯s just a friend.¡± I sat up and gently pushed the not-Aerion masseuse away. ¡°A good friend, and she would definitely not be okay with this. I know you care about her. Don¡¯t you care what she¡¯d think?¡±


    Cosmo gave me an appraising look, like he was surprised. Surprised an intrigued. Then he chuckled. A smile that was both equal parts warmth and wry crept onto his face. ¡°Fine, fine! I do love to have fun with you mortals, sometimes.¡±


    I was taken aback for a second. I wasn''t expecting Cosmo, of all people, to humor me.


    ¡°Never fear! I will bring you the most powerful masseur in the land. Behold!¡±


    Cosmo snapped his fingers, and I felt the chill of cold behind me.


    My eyes went wide, and chills went down my back.


    Because replacing Aerion was none other than Cyrus¡ªthe White Walker Ice Lord I¡¯d just vanquished.


    Except, he was wearing the same outfit Aerion wore, complete with the coconut bra. It was the dumbest thing I¡¯d ever seen.


    And of course, Cosmo was laughing his ass off.


    I didn¡¯t have time to say anymore, as Cyrus pushed me down with his icy hand.


    I braced for pain, and instead received¡­ bliss? His cool hands felt amazing under the hot sun, and to my utter disbelief, waves of pleasure soon washed over me.


    ¡°You¡¯ve got to be shitting me,¡± I moaned. ¡°This can¡¯t be happening.¡±


    ¡°Uh, huh,¡± Cosmo said with a wry smile. ¡°And I¡¯m not the god of Order.¡±


    ¡°The hell you are!¡± I complained as not-Cyrus began an incredible deep tissue massage, using just the right level of pressure. Either I was going crazy, or he was even better at this than Aerion. ¡°The hell does the Order stat even do, anyway? Damn thing¡¯s useless,¡± I managed to say in between the bouts of bliss.


    ¡°Hey! That¡¯s so mean!¡± Cosmo said. ¡°Order¡¯s the most useful stat!¡±


    ¡°That right? Mind telling me what it does?¡±


    ¡°As a matter of fact, I do!¡± Cosmo said with a grin.


    ¡°Why did you bring me here, anyway?¡± I asked, moving right along.


    ¡°Excellent question! I brought you here because this is what you Earthlings do to celebrate. At least, that¡¯s what I learned watching your vacation ads, anyway.¡±


    ¡°Let me guess. Hawaii? The luau outfit kinda gave it away.¡±


    ¡°Non, non, Greg,¡± he said, waving a finger at me in disdain. ¡°Hava¡®ii!¡± He practically shouted the word, pronouncing it in the most ridiculous way possible.


    ¡°Hawaii¡¯s a tourist trap,¡± I said, unperturbed at his antics. ¡°Pretty, but overpriced compared to some lesser known tropical spots. Or so I hear¡­ Never had the cash to take an international vacation. Or, any vacation, for that matter.¡±


    ¡°Huh,¡± Cosmo replied, sitting up. ¡°The more you know¡­ Anyway, we¡¯re here because you gotta pick your rank-up ability, and what better way to make a critical, life-altering decision than after a relaxing massage from a pretty lady you like?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t like¡­ You know what? Nevermind.¡± I said. There was no winning against Cosmo. The more I argued, the harder he¡¯d push back. Instead, I finally worked up the willpower to escape my godlike masseur¡¯s clutches. Mustering all the mental strength I had¡­ I managed to sit up.


    The amazing abomination that was undead Luau Cyrus dematerialized, and I followed Cosmo back to the cabana bar, feeling suddenly limber from the divine massage. What a terrifying, yet wonderful, experience. Incredibly, against everything that made sense in this world¡­ Cosmo had succeeded. I felt more relaxed than I had in years.


    The speedo-wearing god ordered another Pi?a Colada. Relenting, I did the same, and a paper-umbrella sweet drink popped into existence in front of me, ice-cold condensation dripping down the side.


    ¡°So, tell me about Rocky,¡± I said, finally asking the question that had been on my mind ever since Aerion found the stone. ¡°What is it?¡±


    ¡°Ahh, yes!¡± Cosmo said, gazing wistfully into the distance. ¡°Rocky the 423rd. I remember her well.¡±


    ¡°Her?¡± I asked, raising an eyebrow. ¡°You give all your pet rocks arbitrary genders?¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t the French?¡±


    I opened my mouth to disagree, but I quickly found myself unable to offer a good comeback. ¡°I¡­ guess? So, what is it?¡±


    ¡°What do you mean, what is it?¡± Cosmo asked, looking at me like I¡¯d sprouted a second head. ¡°I thought the message made it obvious?¡±


    ¡°You know what I mean,¡± I said. ¡°I know it¡¯s one of your old champions. Summoned rock. Ha ha. Great joke. Hilarious.¡±


    ¡°It is, isn¡¯t it?¡± Cosmo said, eyes sparkling with excitement.


    ¡°Actually, no.¡± I leaned forward and looked Cosmo in the eye. ¡°So what is it, really? And you can¡¯t seriously expect me to believe we happened to find it by accident. How¡¯d it get there?¡±


    ¡°Hey! I summoned a metric ton of those things. You were bound to run into one sooner or later. Rocks¡­ They have this way of getting into everything. Like sand!¡±


    ¡°Uh, huh. How long until its Essence cost transfers back to you?¡± I asked. My Hail Mary attempt to catch the god off-guard.


    ¡°Wish I could tell ya,¡± Cosmo replied without skipping a beat. So much for my plan.


    ¡°And we just happened to run into it¡­¡± I said. ¡°In a Cataclysm Dungeon? With it being the core of a boss monster we had to fight? Don¡¯t you think it¡¯s a little strange that we were transported to a location in the dungeon that led directly to that encounter?¡±


    Cosmo shrugged. ¡°Buddy, I¡¯m flattered. Truly am. But you give me way too much credit if you think I can choose where you end up in a Cataclysm Dungeon, of all places.¡±


    ¡°Y¡¯know what I think? I think you¡¯ve spent the last tens of thousands of years summoning rocks, just so that when you finally summoned a real Champion who happened to have a Blessing that allows them to empower things, they¡¯d have an advantage.¡±


    Cosmo blinked at me, looking at me with a level of seriousness I¡¯d never seen from him before.


    ¡°Greg?¡± he asked, leaning in.


    ¡°Yeah?¡± I said, leaning in as well.


    ¡°It¡¯s a rock¡­¡±


    That was all he managed before he burst out laughing.


    With a sigh, I slumped back on my barstool. I really should have expected that.


    I knew from experience I¡¯d get no more answers from the god. Whether because he couldn¡¯t say or chose not to, either way, I¡¯d hit a dead end.


    So instead, I ignored the laughing god and sipped my delicious, refreshing beverage and looked around the beach. There was a ginormous ten-story resort a quarter mile from the beach, and all manner of sailboats dotted the pristine blue horizon. It was a sunny day, but not hot, and kids built sandcastles while couples frolicked in the water and the more daring souls surfed the four-foot waves.


    Just about as utopian as it could possibly get.


    ¡°I can¡¯t go back,¡± I said as I took it all in, more to myself than anyone. ¡°Can I?¡±


    ¡°Having second thoughts?¡± Cosmo asked, giving me an appraising look as he sipped his Pi?a Colada with his sculpted arms. Man this guy was shredded.


    ¡°No,¡± I said, tearing my eyes off his muscles. ¡°Just that a certain Champion of Passion seems absolutely convinced he can. Says Passion guaranteed him passage home.¡±


    I waited for Cosmo to respond, but he just stared at me, sipping on his drink until it ran dry, pulling air through his straw.


    ¡°One of you is lying,¡± I said bluntly. ¡°Question is, who? And why?¡±


    ¡°Well then,¡± Cosmo said, extending his index finger up into the air. Just when I was about to ask what he was doing, a cloth hat and a smoking pipe popped into existence above it. Twirling the hat, he set it on my head, and stuck the pipe in my mouth before I could react. ¡°I suppose you¡¯ll have to put your detective hat on and get to the bottom of this mystery, won¡¯t you?¡±


    ¡°What aren¡¯t you telling me, Cosmo?¡± I said, spitting out the pipe and placing the hat on the counter. ¡°What¡¯s stopping you?¡±


    Cosmo gave me a sad smile that was entirely at odds with his ridiculous speedo-clad character. ¡°You¡¯re doing good, kid,¡± he said. ¡°Just keep that train full steam ahead.¡±


    I stared into Cosmo¡¯s bottomless gray eyes, trying to see past the surface. I couldn¡¯t, of course. But I felt like I knew Cosmo well enough by now to know when he was serious and when he was joking. Not the easiest feat with this guy.


    And right now? He was dead serious. In that moment, I became sure of one thing. All the non-answers Cosmo had ever given me had never been out of malice or Cosmo¡¯s immaturity.


    I couldn¡¯t tell you why, but something in my head told me that, despite his jokes and his tomfoolery, Cosmo might just be the most trustworthy being in this world.


    ¡°You¡¯re trying to tell me something,¡± I muttered. ¡°But you can¡¯t. Maybe you¡¯re not allowed to, or there¡¯s something stopping you. But there¡¯s something bigger going on here. Bigger than the Cataclysm and the monster hordes. I don¡¯t know what it is yet, but I want you to know that I¡¯m aware. And I will get to the bottom of this.¡±


    I wasn¡¯t imagining it. The light in Cosmo¡¯s eyes intensified as I spoke, and in them, I saw something. Like a hunger, thirsting for me to go on.


    I sat back. ¡°I¡¯m going to operate under the assumption that Passion is lying to Richard. There is no going back. There¡¯s also no staying here, either. The history books make that abundantly clear.¡±


    Voicing that revelation made the whole thing feel more¡­ real. ¡°So, we¡¯re either transported to some other world, or¡­¡±


    I wasn¡¯t willing to go there just yet. Partly because it made no sense, and partly because my whole theory was based on a bunch of assumptions that could be false.


    ¡°I need to talk to the other Champions,¡± I muttered.


    ¡°You do that,¡± Cosmo replied, finally speaking up. He¡¯d been oddly silent for the past while. ¡°For now, how about we discuss those upgrades of yours?¡±


    A tropical breeze blew through the cabana bar, blowing against my mostly-naked body. It felt great, and right now, I wanted nothing more than to be out on the water.


    ¡°Got an ask,¡± I said, draining the last of my drink.


    ¡°Shoot.¡±


    ¡°This place is just a creation of your imagination, right?¡± I pointed at an enormous catamaran sailing yacht. ¡°The cabana¡¯s cool, and all, but I¡¯ve never been on a superyacht before. Probably never will. So why don¡¯t we have our little chat over there, instead?¡±

 Soulweaver 108: Catamarans and Big Screen TV’s

    A snap of Cosmo¡¯s fingers had us leaning against the polished steel railing of the superyacht as the small waves broke lazily against its pristine white hull. The coastline of Maui where we¡¯d just been stretched off into the horizon, backed by lush and beautiful mountains that disappeared into the beautiful reds and yellows of sunset.


    Its enormous sails flapped in the breeze, and the catamaran bobbed in the unique way only twin-hulled boats did.


    ¡°Damn,¡± I said. ¡°This is nice. Can you bring me here every time?¡±


    ¡°Whatever you like, Greg, but I wouldn¡¯t recommend it, personally,¡± Cosmo said, straightening from the railing and walking inside, Pi?a Colada in hand.


    ¡°Why?¡± I asked, following after him. ¡°Cost you extra Essence, or something? What¡¯s a few trillion for an all-powerful god?¡±


    ¡°Saw that, did you?¡± Cosmo said, chuckling with amusement. ¡°Well, now you can appreciate just how much trouble old Cosmo here goes through to summon you Champions. It¡¯s a rough life, being a god, you know?¡±


    That statement could either have been entirely true, complete bullshit, or anywhere in between. Without knowing Cosmo¡¯s Essence Pool¡ªif he even had such a thing¡ªit was impossible to say, and I somehow doubted the god would share.


    Inside, I found the equivalent of a living room, furnished with an enormous L shape couch, with massive panoramic windows on both sides. Further ahead was, of course, a bar, manned by a Cosmo bartender wearing a tux.


    That I barely paid his double any attention spoke volumes as to how warped my understanding of reality had gotten. Cosmo could show up as a squid at this point, and I¡¯d probably carry on the conversation just fine.


    I sunk into the supple leather of the couch and kicked my leg up on the mahogany coffee table that undoubtedly cost more than I¡¯d make at my old job in a lifetime, and brought up a pending notification as I waited for Cosmo to show me the options.


    Congratulations! Your Rank-Up has upgraded your [Spatial Inventory].


    Ability [Aim] has evolved into [Launch].


    Living weapons may now be stored inside the Spatial Inventory. NOTE: Significant trauma may occur if organisms are stored for extended periods of time.


    [Launch]: Aim and fire objects from your Spatial Inventory. Speed is inversely proportional to mass. Launched objects cannot be intercepted or stopped until they have fully exited the Spatial Inventory.


    Please choose upgrade path:


    Current size: 4 ft x 2 ft x 2 ft. Weight Capacity: 20 lbs.


    4 ft x 4 ft x 4 ft. Weight Capacity: 80 lbs.


    16 ft x 2 ft x 2 ft. Weight Capacity: 80 lbs.


    Now that was interesting. When I first got [Aim], I¡¯d hoped my inventory would gain something like this. Aim was useful, sure, but this? This was a weapon. I couldn¡¯t wait to test it. Still, my face fell a little when I saw that weight restriction.


    ¡°Why so glum, chum?¡± Cosmo asked, coming far too close to my face for comfort.


    ¡°Er, this inventory weight restriction... 80 lbs just feels restrictive, considering everything I could put in a space that large.¡±


    ¡°That so?¡± Cosmo asked. ¡°That''s more than you weigh, isn''t it?¡±


    ¡°Uh, no? Not even close,¡± I said.


    ¡°You''re pullin'' my leg!¡±


    ¡°I''m really not. I''m almost 150 lbs. Close to twice that.¡±


    ¡°You don''t say...¡± Cosmo''s eyes shot wide. ¡°Wait a minute. Lemme see this...¡±


    His fingers flew rapidly in front of him, and if I didn''t know better, I''d have called it more Cosmo shenanigans. Considering what I knew about how my Status Screen manifested, though, I''d bet good money he was thumbing through his own System.


    Wonder what that looked like. Wonder what sorts of admin privileges he had.


    ¡°Oh. Oh no,¡± Cosmo said with horror, though I honestly couldn''t tell if he was faking.


    ¡°What?¡± I asked, somehow doubting I''d like the answer.


    ¡°The units!¡±


    ¡°You''re not about to tell me you meant for it to be in kilograms or something, right?¡±


    ¡°Oh, please,¡± Cosmo said with a dismissive wave. ¡°I''m not American enough for that. Didn''t you guys lose a $300 million dollar space probe on account of a unit conversion error?¡±


    Not for the first time, I had to wonder just how much free time this guy had to know weird, random bits of Earth trivia like that.


    ¡°And there we go! Fixed.¡±


    I checked my upgrade screen again.


    Please choose upgrade path:


    Current size: 4 ft x 2 ft x 2 ft. Weight Capacity: 44 lbs.


    4 ft x 4 ft x 4 ft. Weight Capacity: 176 lbs.


    16 ft x 2 ft x 2 ft. Weight Capacity: 176 lbs.


    My eyebrow twitched.


    ¡°Something the matter? Still?¡± Cosmo asked.


    ¡°Oh, nothing,¡± I said, fighting to keep my voice even. ¡°Just can''t help but notice how those numbers happen to be 20 kg and 80 kg. Quite the coincidence, don''t you think?¡±


    ¡°Quite a coincidence indeed!¡± Cosmo said, clapping my back. ¡°Consider it your lucky day! Cosmo one-time special! Now, let''s talk about the really meaningful stuff, shall we?¡±


    Cosmo pressed a button on his remote and a gigantic 80¡¯¡¯ TV swiveled down from the ceiling. No primitive scrolls from behind the bar this time.


    On it was a fancy blue screen, not unlike my own System Messages. It showed three options, which, for some inexplicable reason, were all rainbow colored.


    Consumable Initialization


    Consumables such as tinctures, potions, and food may now be Initialized for temporary effects. Strength, duration, and effect varies depending on grade and nature of the item consumed.


    Essence cost reclaimed upon consumption. Note that not all effects may be beneficial. Consume at your own risk.


    Armor Sets


    Combine five unique armor pieces into a Set. Sets consume as much Essence as the item with the highest Essence cost.


    Choose any one ability of any piece in the set. This ability retains its current level, and will now apply to the entire set. All other abilities will be lost. Stats of the constituent pieces may be retained as-is, or freely redistributed for a [30]% stat penalty.


    Accelerated Reclaim


    Equipment may now be reclaimed once per day, in addition to level ups.


    Reclaim window increased to one hour.


    I whistled. ¡°Not fucking around with these perks, are you?¡±


    ¡°Greg, I fuck around with no one. Least of all you. So, what are you feelin¡¯?¡±


    I glanced at my god, who¡¯d copied me and put his legs up on the priceless coffee table.


    Shaking my head, I returned to the options. ¡°To be honest, they¡¯re all pretty strong. Initializing consumables reminds me of Tool Initialization I passed up in my previous rank up selection, actually.¡±


    Cosmo nodded knowingly. ¡°Believe me, Greg, cooking these choices up ain¡¯t easy! Then I had this brilliant idea! I said to myself, Cosmo, just copy the old ones and make them slightly better! And just like that, badda bing badda boom! Problem solved.¡±


    He closed his eyes and slurped bubbles from his empty Pi?a Colada, oblivious to me staring daggers at him.


    Seriously? Was that really how he came up with these?


    ¡°Funny, Cosmo. Because I distinctly recall you saying you didn¡¯t fuck around. Like, ten seconds ago.¡±


    ¡°Did I say that?¡± he said, looking genuinely shocked. ¡°Well, okay. Maybe I fuck around a little.¡±


    I ignored my patron deity. Whatever he said, these were good choices.


    ¡°Initializing consumables is definitely interesting. I actually tried that, once, but it didn¡¯t work.¡±


    ¡°Not a weapon or armor,¡± Cosmo said.


    This story has been stolen from Royal Road. If you read it on Amazon, please report it


    ¡°Exactly.¡±


    ¡°If I recall, you didn¡¯t choose tool initialization because you thought you could work around the system I oh-so-painstakingly crafted just for you. How¡¯d that go, by the way?¡±


    ¡°Not bad, actually,¡± I admitted, ignoring his little dig. ¡°Haven¡¯t had the chance to spend very much time on it, but I was able to initialize that waterskin, and later, Rogar¡¯s hammer. I think I made the right choice going with the inventory, back then. Dunno how we¡¯d have survived this Cataclysm Dungeon without it, actually.¡±


    ¡°Kinda crazy, huh?¡± Cosmo said. ¡°Wrong choice back there, and you could¡¯ve died!¡±


    I narrowed my eyes. ¡°You don¡¯t sound nearly as concerned about that as you ought to, Cosmo.¡±


    ¡°Well, because you didn¡¯t, did you? So why worry?¡±


    Was that supposed to be some reference to fate and personal determination?


    A breeze blew through the open sliding doors, and the catamaran¡¯s gentle undulations reminded us we were out on the ocean.


    It helped calm me down, allowing me to, once again, ignore the eccentric god¡¯s flawed logic. I considered the second choice. Consumables were interesting, for sure. That bit about it potentially creating negative effects didn¡¯t concern me. I could always analyze it before I drank it. And poisons were always useful.


    ¡°Another improvement on the old option, I see,¡± I muttered, re-reading the description for Sets. If memory served, the version of this I¡¯d encountered in my previous rank up was far more limited, which is why I never chose it.


    ¡°You betcha!¡± Cosmo said. ¡°Doesn¡¯t make it any less based, does it?¡±


    ¡°Sorry?¡± I said, whipping my head around. ¡°What did you just say?¡±


    ¡°Based! It¡¯s what the kids in your world say these days.¡±


    Oh god. ¡°Cosmo?¡±


    ¡°Yessir!¡±


    ¡°For the love of all that is holy, never say that again.¡±


    ¡°Oh¡­ Er, okay? Can I ask why?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s just wrong. Coming from you. Like, Archon-ending-the-world levels of wrong.¡±


    Cosmo¡¯s eyes bulged. ¡°That wrong, huh?¡±


    I nodded.


    ¡°Thank you, Greg. I nearly made a terrible mistake! Fret not, my friend. It has been stricken from the record. So¡­ Sets!¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s intriguing,¡± I said, rereading the description. ¡°A few restrictions with this one, but that ability¡­¡±


    The power to have any one of my armor¡¯s abilities apply to the whole set. And moreover, it only cost as much Essence as a single piece! Wasn¡¯t this exactly what I¡¯d been hoping for? A chance to finally move away from the all-rounder I was dreading becoming, in favor of a highly optimized set that excelled at one purpose?


    ¡°Just wish I knew how similar the items have to be, to be combined,¡± I said, glancing at Cosmo.


    ¡°Agreed,¡± Cosmo said, nodding seriously. ¡°Let me know if you find out.¡±


    Coaxing information from my god was never going to be that easy, was it? And knowing Cosmo, I wouldn¡¯t be surprised he really didn¡¯t know.


    ¡°Okay!¡± Cosmo said, clapping his hands with as much enthusiasm as a kid on Christmas morning. ¡°What about Accelerated Reclaim? I was pretty happy with that one.¡±


    I briefly glanced at option three, but ruled that one out pretty readily. ¡°Reclaiming once a day isn¡¯t all that useful,¡± I said, and I could swear I saw the light vanish from Cosmo¡¯s bottomless gray eyes.


    ¡°O-oh,¡± he said, voice cracking like he¡¯d just been disowned. I almost felt bad for him. Almost. Not for the first time, I reflected just how incredible of an actor this guy was.


    ¡°It''s just a matter of degree,¡± I said. ¡°On demand reclaiming? Now we¡¯re talking. I could Initialize and uninitialize gear in the middle of a battle, and since things get the same abilities when I re-initialize them, that could actually be useful. Of course, anything I did re-initialize would start back at F-0. That tactic really only makes sense if it retains its original level, though¡­ I suppose even without that, it would let me Initialize stuff like arrows and other throwaway projectiles without worrying about finding them after. Maybe think about that when you cook up my Convergence options, okay?¡±


    ¡°Greg!¡± Cosmo cried, slapping me on my back so hard I winced. ¡°That is a brilliant idea!¡±


    ¡°Uh, really?¡± I asked, hardly believing my ears. ¡°So you¡¯re gonna give me that option next time?¡±


    ¡°Absolutely¡­ Not!¡± Cosmo said, grinning. ¡°But it is a brilliant idea.¡±


    ¡°Cosmo?¡± I said, in as sweet and innocent a voice as I could muster.


    ¡°Hmmm?¡±


    ¡°Screw you.¡±


    <hr>


    In the end, it came down to Consumable Initialization and Sets. The choice wasn¡¯t that hard. As with Tool Initialization, I felt like I could work around the System to get it to do most, if not all, of what that ability allowed.


    It almost felt like my Blessing held this vast reserve of potential that was just being held hostage by these rules and restrictions. Like the power was there if only I could find it. Like these ¡®abilities¡¯ were, at least in part, more akin to guides that spelled out the formula.


    I made a mental note to really dive into Initializing more tools and other things. I felt like I¡¯d just scratched the surface with my Blessing¡¯s flexibility. With all the chaos before the Cataclysm Dungeon, there just hadn¡¯t been enough time to explore much. That would change once I got back.


    I made my selection. ¡°Sets it is.¡±


    ¡°What about the ambiguity around what qualifies?¡± Cosmo asked. ¡°Weren¡¯t you worried about that?¡±


    I shrugged. ¡°At the very least, I¡¯m pretty confident my current Basecrest City Guard armor qualifies. I can experiment from there. Even if it is extremely restrictive, it¡¯s just too powerful to pass up. Even right now, I¡¯ve got [Hidden Dragon] and [Snap]. I could have a set that makes me invisible or one that gives me super speed.¡±


    Both were pretty mediocre on their own, but became insanely powerful when applied to my whole body. Granted, neither were leveled high enough to do much yet¡ª[Hidden Dragon] only made me slightly invisible right now, and [Snap]¡¯s acceleration was moderate at best¡ªbut I was sure at least [Snap] would become much more useful. Especially since it was attached to Uncommon gear and could level to Emergence. Moreover, any ability I got from now on had the potential to become something incredible in the future. Elemental resistance, boosted vitality... The ability to fly?


    As for the stat reclaiming, that was honestly what made this so valuable.


    ¡°It¡¯s exactly what I¡¯ve wanted,¡± I said. ¡°It¡¯s the reason I picked this Blessing in the first place. To craft tailored equipment optimized for specific tasks. By redistributing stats, I can finally do that.¡±


    ¡°Not worried about that 30% penalty?¡± Cosmo asked.


    ¡°It''s still a win, even with that,¡± I said. ¡°70% of pure, optimized spec is a whole lot better than an extra 30% of a diluted distribution. Besides, I didn''t fail to notice how that 30%''s in brackets. I''m betting that penalty decreases as I rank up. Maybe even to nothing.¡±


    The options on the TV disappeared, replaced by fireworks and exploding confetti. The speakers blared to life, playing an obnoxious victory theme. Cosmo¡¯s head popped up on screen. The head flashed a million dollar smile and said, ¡®Armor Sets, babyyy¡¯ before flashing a wink.


    ¡°You¡¯re crazy, you know that?¡± I muttered.


    ¡°Only in the best possible way, my friend,¡± Cosmo said, before placing the back of his palm on his forehead. ¡°Alas, I¡¯m afraid our soulful time together draws to an end. I¡¯m afraid that I must let you go, little one,¡± he said, falling onto my lap.


    Or he would have, had I not gotten up already. Instead, he just crumpled onto the couch.


    ¡°How mean!¡± he said, righting himself. ¡°Just as I was pouring my heart and soul out.¡±


    Shaking my head, I walked out onto the railing, feeling the wind in my hair as I admired the Hawaiian coastline for a long moment.


    So peaceful. So idyllic. Soon, I¡¯d be back. To a world of dragons and goblins and magic. And violence.


    ¡°You know, it¡¯s funny. A year ago, I¡¯d have bitched about how fucked up our world was. Of the violence and the atrocities. Now, I can only see it as a utopia. I never knew violence. Sure, you could find pockets of it, but¡­ nothing like Axius.¡±


    Nothing like a world where people got up each day not knowing if meteors would fall from the sky, obliterating their city. Or if hordes of monsters would slaughter everyone they knew.


    A powerboat shot by, blaring music as a half dozen guys knocked back beers, laughing at the wakeboarder behind them who just took a spill.


    We¡¯d gone soft, in the modern day. And we didn¡¯t even know it.


    ¡°Do you miss it?¡± Cosmo asked, leaning back against the railing beside me.


    ¡°Wouldn¡¯t you?¡±


    ¡°For what it¡¯s worth, I¡¯m sorry,¡± he said, his voice entirely devoid of the silliness he¡¯d showed just moments earlier. ¡°Thought it¡¯d make you comfortable, giving you a taste of home.¡±


    ¡°You mean showing me the place I can never return to?¡± I snapped. I immediately regretted it. Why did I say that?


    ¡°Sorry. That¡¯s not¡­ It does,¡± I stammered. ¡°It does. Thanks, Cosmo. I think¡­ I needed this.¡±


    Cosmo nodded slightly. ¡°Happy to hear that, my friend. Maybe next time, we can bring Aerion too. For real, I mean.¡±


    I stared at the deity with a blank expression. ¡°You¡¯re joking, right?¡±


    Nope. Not a joke. Okay¡­


    ¡°I don¡¯t know how to break this to you,¡± I said, ¡°but if you brought her here, she¡¯d either assault you, or go off on a curse tirade until her voice went hoarse. Believe me, I¡¯d know.¡±


    ¡°Well, give it some thought, will you?¡± he said, leaning off the yacht¡¯s railing as he stared wistfully off into the horizon. ¡°And Greg? Take care of yourself, yeah?¡±


    ¡°Er, thanks,¡± I said, reflexively. ¡°You too. Oh, and Cosmo? Thanks. For not changing my species without consulting me.¡±


    The barest hint of sadness flashed across Cosmo''s face before he grinned and gave me a two-fingered salute.


    That was all I had time to process before the scenery abruptly shifted, melting and morphing before my eyes like putty.


    In just a few seconds, I was back. To Axius. Standing outside the ruined rubble of the Cataclysm dungeon, beside Aerion, Richard, and Eskil.


    And waiting for us a hundred yards away were three beings that made my knees buckle.


    Not gods. But they might as well be to me.


    Until now, I¡¯d thought that high level delvers were just that¡ªstronger, more capable.


    How wrong I was. For the first time since arriving here, I truly understood what it meant to be a high ranking delver.


    No wonder they couldn¡¯t enter low-level dungeons.


    They weren¡¯t human. They were something far, far more.

 Soulweaver 109: A Passionate Embrace

    The high-rankers¡¯¡­ presence was so intense, it actually took me until Aerion hissed at me to realize they weren¡¯t alone.


    ¡°What are you doing?¡± Aerion whispered. ¡°Kneel!¡±


    ¡°Kneel? Why would I¡ªoh fuck!¡±


    Next to their Champions¡­ were none other than Passion and Dominion. In the flesh. They exuded no aura of their own, not even a trace, which was why I missed them. But how could that be? Shouldn¡¯t the gods have the most aura of anyone?


    With the force of a Category V hurricane, a far more pressing concern wiped that curiosity from my head.


    Gods were here. Physically here.


    ¡°You have got to be shitting me¡­¡±


    Smooth, Greg. Real smooth. Goddammit! I should¡¯ve realized the gods would be here to greet their victorious Champions once we got out. What the hell was I thinking, hiding my identity?


    Speaking of, I glanced sidelong at Richard. Did he know? He had to at least suspect¡­


    I dropped to my knees, but not because I wanted to. My legs fell out from under me. With everything else going on in my head, I hardly noticed.


    The hell was I supposed to do now? I had no choice. I¡¯d have to come clean about who I was. I couldn¡¯t care less what Eskil thought about this, but Richard¡­ My chest clenched. I didn¡¯t want to tell him. Not like this. And how would the gods react, knowing Order has summoned a real Champion for the first time?


    Dominion and Passion didn¡¯t bother walking over¡ªthat was beneath the gods, it seemed. They teleported right up to us, leaving the high-rankers behind.


    Their gazes swept over Richard and Eskil¡­ and ended there. Not even the briefest glance our way.


    Huh?


    ¡°Well done, my Champion!¡± Passion said, throwing herself upon Richard¡¯s chest. She was, as one would expect, drop-dead gorgeous.


    Her jet-black dress had slits that went all the way down her skirt and started a fair bit higher than her waist, almost halfway up her ribcage, showing off a tantalizing amount of pristine white skin. The V cut of her neck was exceedingly low, doing nothing to hide her prodigious chest, and her immaculate black hair flowed in such elegant waves down her back, I had to wonder if it was made of silk.


    It all combined to take her far beyond risqu¨¦ and well into the realm of downright scandalous, and while she wore no jewelry, she hardly needed it. Her perfect features looked like they could¡¯ve been sculpted from a st¡ªOw!


    I glanced at Aerion, who glared daggers back at me.


    ¡°You were staring,¡± she whispered.


    ¡°Sorry,¡± I whispered back, lowering my head. She had it wrong. I wasn¡¯t ogling the goddess. I was trying to figure out just what the hell was going on here. Okay, and maybe ogling. But only a bit.


    Aerion looked away, an oddly pouty expression on her face.


    I didn¡¯t have the time to clarify. Passion was coming onto Richard like a lover, and Dominion was showering Eskil with praises. I didn¡¯t fail to notice the plentiful mentions of Valhalla and Ragnarok in his little speech. Seemed he was telling Eskil of their next destination, and Eskil being Eskil, was soaking it up with stars in his eyes.


    Dominion looked much the same as he did during the parade. Huge, imposing, and regal. I had no doubt Eskil was seeing something very different from the rest of us. It didn¡¯t take much of a stretch to guess at One-Eyed Odin¡¯s appearance.


    It sounded like they¡¯d be heading off somewhere together, which suited me just fine. One less problem to worry about.


    ¡°Now, come, Richard,¡± Passion said. ¡°Let us return to my territory. I¡¯ve lined up fifty of the prettiest women in the world. Alllll for my handsome Richie.¡±


    Okay¡­ Awkward.


    Passion¡¯s advances aside, did she really not know who I was? A million questions erupted in my head. Did that mean the gods couldn¡¯t detect other gods¡¯ Champions? Why?


    I thought back to the parade. Dominion hadn¡¯t noticed me back then either, but I¡¯d chalked that up to the crowd and our distance.


    Distance was not a factor here. Her six-inch heels were just a couple of feet from my head.


    Richard pushed her away, coughing awkwardly. ¡°Thank you, Passion, I appreciate the sentiment. However, as I have mentioned repeatedly, I am married, and I¡¯ve no intention of cheating on my wife.¡±


    ¡°Oh, come now, Richard. You¡¯re worlds apart!¡± Passion cooed into his ear. ¡°She¡¯ll never have to know. Just our little secret. You and me, mmm? Or¡­ are they not good enough for you? Do you need more? Do you need¡­ me?¡±


    I cringed. Oh, Richard, my poor friend. I swore then and there to never complain about Cosmo again. He was eccentric. But the others were total whack jobs. Whack jobs¡­ Who didn¡¯t know who I was.


    How was that possible?


    A chill ran down my spine. Could I really deceive a god?


    I got my answer a moment later.


    Passion broke her embrace and frowning, sniffing at the air like some dog.


    ¡°Something the matter?¡± Richard asked.


    ¡°Smells familiar,¡± Passion said. ¡°Smells like¡­ Order. You didn¡¯t happen upon any strange rocks, did you?¡±


    I froze. This was too dangerous. Maybe she couldn¡¯t sense me outright, but she sensed something. I couldn''t let her get close.


    ¡°None that I¡¯m aware of,¡± Richard said. ¡°Did you, Aerion? Greg? Ah, allow me to introduce my friends.¡±


    No, Richard, don¡¯t do this! I widened my eyes, trying to communicate nonverbally.


    He didn¡¯t get the message.


    ¡°Passion? These heroes saved my life more times than I can count. They¡¯re the true Champions here, if you ask me.¡±


    ¡°Is that so?¡± Passion asked, finally turning to us. ¡°Please, rise! I must thank the brave warriors who defended my Richie.¡±


    Richie? The hell kind of a relationship did these two have?


    Glancing at Richard, I found him awkwardly rubbing the back of his neck, looking like he wanted to be anywhere but here.


    Yeah, you and me both, buddy. If Passion found out who I was¡­


    Before my shy friend could react, Passion had embraced her in a deep hug.


    ¡°My, aren¡¯t you just the cutest thing? What¡¯s an elf doing all the way out here, hmm?¡± Passion squeezed Aerion like a doting mother¡­ or a passionate lover. Aerion, for her part, turned beet red, flailing like a goldfish.


    Passion held the hug for far too long, and when she released Aerion and stared deeply into her eyes, I knew the worst was yet to come.


    Sensing an impending calamity, both Richard and I rushed to Aerion¡¯s aid to pull her away from the goddess, but we were too late.


    Passion moved in for the kill¡­ and pecked Aerion on the lips, slowly tracing her tongue over the elf¡¯s lips after. ¡°Beautiful and delicious¡­ How I wish to take you home and tie you up in my deepest, darkest dungeon. Oh, the fun we¡¯d have¡­¡±


    Hoooly shit. I knew this goddess had a screw loose, but this was something else.


    I¡¯d never seen Aerion so out of it before. Not that I could blame her. Richard and I stared in shock as Aerion stumbled back like a drunk and fell onto her ass.


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    ¡°I¡¯m so sorry, Aerion, she¡ª¡±


    ¡°And you!¡± Passion exclaimed, whirling at me. ¡°I see you trying to wiggle away, sweet worm! I¡¯m sorry, dearest, but I¡¯m afraid that¡¯s quite impossible.¡±


    Despite there only being a few feet between us, Passion teleported to me, enveloping me in such an ironclad hug that it felt like not even a million points in Dominion would break through.


    This was it. She was literally touching me now. She¡¯d notice. My facade was up.


    My brain spun out a dozen plans. We couldn¡¯t return to Basecrest. Everyone around here hated Order. Aerion and I would flee south, to Order¡¯s territory. Or maybe we¡¯d wander on our own, finding Cataclysm Dungeons to¡ª!?


    Passion finally broke her embrace, and¡­ Yep. She kissed me.


    Except her kiss was nothing like the peck she¡¯d given Aerion. She grabbed my head and went full French, violating my mouth with her tongue until I could barely breathe.


    I tried worming away, but it was useless. Her grip was a vice. My brain froze, and for a moment, I thought this was the end. I was going to die.


    It was only when Richard yelled and Aerion screamed that Passion finally broke away and I came back to my senses. She looked at me with a look of such carnal hunger, I felt like a rabbit in front of a lion. ¡°My, you taste good,¡± she muttered, wiping her lip with a handkerchief she brought out of her cleavage. ¡°I swear, what is it with this cycle? So many delectable treats just waiting to be gobbled. How will I ever resist?¡±


    Please resist. That was about the most traumatic experience I¡¯d ever had. Near-death experiences included. My heart beat like a hummingbird¡¯s, and I was sure I was no less red than my elf friend, who stared off into the distance with unfocused eyes, her fingers idly touching her lips.


    ¡°What¡¯s wrong with you, Passion?¡± Richard roared. ¡°Is this how you treat my friends?¡±


    The man was fuming. It was the angriest I''d ever seen the mild-mannered Brit. I had to admit, it was touching, seeing him get so angry for our sake.


    Passion just smiled and waved away his concerns.


    The Champion¡¯s shoulders slumped, and he pressed his fingers to his forehead. ¡°I apologize, Greg, Aerion,¡± Richard said. ¡°Truly. If it¡¯s any consolation, she¡¯s this way with me, too.¡±


    ¡°No, it¡¯s, uh¡­¡± I trailed off, my mind blank.


    ¡°Right. Now that you¡¯ve had your fill molesting my friends, would you be so kind as to tell me where I should head next?¡±


    Passion tilted her head, flicking open a hand fan she¡¯d just conjured. ¡°Whatever do you mean, Richard? Where would you like to go? Unless, well, my naughty Champion¡­ If you wished to bed me, you needed only say so! Where would you like do it? In my chambers? In the dungeon, bound at your ankles and wrists? Or¡­ Or perhaps, here? In the open? Does anything make your heart flutter quite like being watched?¡±


    ¡°Please, Passion,¡± Richard said, massaging his forehead. ¡°This is wholly inappropriate! I speak of the next dungeon. Where is it? How far?¡±


    ¡°Oh, shush,¡± Passion said, brushing her fingers past Richard¡¯s lips. ¡°You, my dear Champion, need a break.¡±


    ¡°A¡­ break,¡± Richard repeated.


    ¡°Mhm! I¡¯ll not allow you to plunge yourself into another dungeon until you¡¯re well rested. Women, booze, sleeping like a sloth¡­ I allow it all!¡±


    Dark aura from my right made me turn my head, only to find that Aerion was staring at me with narrowed eyes.


    ¡°Passion,¡± Richard pleaded. ¡°As much as I appreciate your concern, I am fit to fight. Innocent lives are at risk. And¡­ The faster we rid this world of the Cataclysm, the sooner I can go home.¡±


    ¡°I suppose.¡± Passion sighed, gently squeezing Richard¡¯s shoulder. ¡°I know how much your family means to you, Richard. Fret not. Soon, you will be reunited. Which is why I cannot allow you to rush headlong in to danger. For their sake.¡±


    ¡°I¡­ I suppose I didn¡¯t see it that way,¡± Richard said, taken aback, but nowhere nearly as much as me.


    It was like Passion had flipped a switch. Her aura of sex disappeared, and what remained was a stern, concerned goddess. There wasn¡¯t a shred of ulterior motive there. No lies to conceal.


    She was telling the truth. About Richard going back to his family. Sure, it was possible I had it all wrong, and that she was the best damned actor in the world, but if so, her performance was good enough to make me question what I thought I¡¯d known.


    That there really was no going home.


    I shook it off. This wasn¡¯t the time or the place. I needed to get away from Passion, pronto.


    ¡°Er, if I may,¡± I said, slowly raising my hand.


    Both Richard and Passion turned my way. ¡°Yes?¡± the goddess said.


    ¡°What if Richard comes with us? We were planning on celebrating at Basecrest for a bit,¡± I said, cooking up a story on the spot. ¡°Maybe knock back a few at an alehouse¡­¡±


    Passion clapped her hands together. ¡°Now that, is an excellent idea! Go on, Richie, why don¡¯t you enjoy your well-earned victory with your friends in arms.¡±


    ¡°I, er¡­¡± Richard and I locked eyes, and I nodded. ¡°I think I¡¯d like that, actually,¡± he said.


    ¡°Very well!¡± Passion said. ¡°Don¡¯t be a stranger, now. Call for me when you wish to return, alright?¡±


    ¡°I will,¡± Richard said. ¡°Then we¡¯ll plan to depart at¡ª¡±


    Just when I thought we¡¯d get out of this situation, he showed up.


    ¡°Shield Maiden!¡± Eskil thundered, pacing over to our group. ¡°I¡¯ve not forgotten!¡±


    Aerion frowned in confusion, looking at me and Richard.


    ¡°Pretty sure he means you,¡± I said with a sigh. This was not going to end well.


    ¡°What business do you have with me?¡± Aerion asked, straightening up as the giant approached. As if it would somehow make her small frame any taller. She looked like an ant next to him, even when he went to his knees. We all did.


    Eskil grabbed Aerion¡¯s hand and cupped it in his.


    ¡°W-what are you doing?¡± Aerion asked, eyes going wide with shock. Shock¡­ and fear. She didn¡¯t make a single move. She didn¡¯t even try to wrangle free from his grasp. She¡¯d gone as silent as a terrified rabbit.


    The hell was she doing? Where was the Reaver I knew?


    ¡°Honorable Shield Maiden,¡± Eskil said, lowering his voice. ¡°You are the fiercest warrior I have met since entering Valhalla. Your courage in battle is unmatched. Your skill¡­ A sight to behold. And¡­¡±


    Eskil averted his eyes and scrunched his brows in anguish. Was he¡­ embarrassed?


    ¡°Yes?¡± Aerion asked, her voice quivering.


    ¡°And we share the same curse,¡± Eskil said, glancing nervously at Dominion, who stood with crossed arms several yards away. ¡°One that grants us immense power. Berserker!¡±


    Aerion frowned. ¡°You possess the same Blessing?¡±


    Eskil nodded. ¡°My blood runs hot, while yours is cold, yet we both give ourselves to the battle. We lose our minds and gain Odin¡¯s power. Don¡¯t you see, Shield Maiden? We are destined for each other. So marry me, and let us banish Fenrir. Let us drive back Ragnarok! Together! As one!¡±


    For a long moment, Aerion just stared.


    ¡°I¡­¡±


    ¡°You¡¯ve got to be shitting me,¡± I muttered. What was she doing? ¡°Aerion!¡± I shouted. ¡°Come on, tell him off!¡±


    She glanced at me, eyes wide with panic. ¡°I¡¯m sorry,¡± she said, her eyes meeting mine.


    My heart nearly stopped. What? Was she seriously considering accepting? A proposal from this brute? Why? Because he was a Champion? Well, so was I! What did she see in a guy like him? What about¡ª!?


    My thoughts stopped in their tracks. My heart pumped madly, and my forehead was covered in sweat.


    What the hell was that? Why would I even think that? Aerion was an adult. Who she liked was none of my business.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry,¡± she repeated, this time looking at Eskil. ¡°I cannot accept your generous offer, oh mighty Champion, though it pains me to say it. Please, understand.¡±


    I froze. She was¡­ trembling.


    How stupid of me. I had it all wrong. She didn¡¯t like Eskil. She was scared shitless he¡¯d kill her if she refused!


    And she did it anyway.


    Well, Eskil had another thing coming if he thought he could get away with hurting my friend in front of me.


    I got Richard¡¯s attention, jerking my head at Eskil.


    Richard looked at the giant, frowned, then nodded. He had my back. We¡¯d move in on Eskil together. Between Richard¡¯s power and my own strength, we ought to at least buy enough time for Aerion to escape. I just prayed that nobody else would interfere. Delusional, perhaps, but it was the only chance we had.


    Richard crept slowly behind Eskil. A true friend, this guy. And he didn¡¯t even know who I was. That would change. After this, I¡¯d¡ª


    I froze in my tracks. What was it Eskil just said? He said he was a Berserker. Like Aerion.


    But that made no sense. We hadn¡¯t seen him lose himself to his fury even once in that dungeon. Was his control over it so great we never noticed? Or¡­


    Or was he so strong he never even used his Blessing?


    A terrifying thought came over me. What if Eskil wasn¡¯t Foundation, or even Emergence? What if he¡¯d already reached Divergence?


    His insane strength¡­ How he launched both Richard and me at the core with ease¡­ His ability to fight hundreds of warriors on his own. It all made sense if he had.


    And if he had, Aerion and I would die. Maybe Passion would protect Richard, but us?


    ¡°Aerion, run¡ª!?¡±


    I stared blankly at the scene unfolding before my eyes.


    Eskil was now on the ground. Prostrating. In front of Aerion, who stood as still as a statue, stricken.


    ¡°I see now that I was wrong about you,¡± he said, looking up at Aerion in awe. ¡°You are no Shield Maiden at all, and for that, a thousand apologies. No, I see you now for who you truly are, noble Valkyrie! Under the All-Father¡¯s watchful gaze, I give you my heart and soul. Now and Forever!¡±


    ¡°Er, what¡¯s a Val¡ª¡± Aerion started, but was interrupted before she could finish.


    ¡°No!¡± Eskil said. ¡°I understand. A Valkyrie¡¯s heart is not so easily won. You do not find me worthy. I understand. But know this! Whether it takes a month or a decade, I shall prove my worth. So that one day, we might drink mead and feast on S?hr¨ªmnir, together, under the great timbers of Odin¡¯s palace. That one day we might fight side by side as br¨²er and b¨®ndi. As handle and blade of a single ax.¡±


    Eskil rose from his position, took Aerion¡¯s hand¡­ and kissed it. ¡°Fight well, my Valkyrie.¡±


    Without another word, the Viking spun on his heel and stomped off, departing with Dominion to who-knew-where, and leaving us all speechless. The god had appeared patently disinterested in all the drama, like he¡¯d seen it a thousand times.


    I cleared my throat. ¡°So, uh¡­ What in the actual fuck?¡±

 Soulweaver 110: Demigods

    ¡°Oh, gods!¡± Passion half-panted-half-squeaked in a voice several octaves too high. She was currently squatting, hands covering her face. As if standing were too much for her swooning self to bear. ¡°Have you ever seen such a heartfelt confession?¡±


    The high rankers stood a respectable distance away during all of this, showing no indication of interfering. I had to admire their poker faces. Stone-cold, those delvers. No, we were on our own.


    Before anyone could answer that question, she teleported over to Aerion, holding her hands.


    ¡°My dear, you must accept. You can¡¯t let a man¡¯s heartfelt feelings go unanswered! You mustn¡¯t!¡±


    If the goddess didn¡¯t literally have tears in her eyes, I¡¯d have thought she was fucking with Aerion. I genuinely couldn¡¯t decide which was more terrifying.


    Aerion, for her part, stood as still as a statue, eyes as big as saucers, her mouth opening and closing, but making no sound.


    ¡°That¡¯s quite enough of this,¡± Richard said, physically pulling the two apart. Or more like Passion let him. ¡°You¡¯ve had your fill, yeah? You¡¯ve already traumatized my friend.¡±


    ¡°Traumatize! Why, I would never¡ª¡±


    ¡°Sorry about that,¡± Richard said to Aerion, cutting off his patron deity. ¡°I¡¯ll try to get her away before she can do any more damage.¡±


    ¡°Damage! Damage!? My Ritchie? Saying something so mean? I¡­ I can¡¯t¡­ Do you know how hard it is for a goddess? Do you know how long I¡¯ve wished for such a beautiful proposal?¡±


    The tears were streaming freely down the goddess¡¯ face, and even I might¡¯ve been fooled if I hadn¡¯t seen what Cosmo and Dominion were like. I wasn¡¯t about to take any god at face value. Let alone someone so unhinged.


    ¡°You get no end of proposals,¡± Richard said flatly. ¡°You can scarcely spend ten seconds in your territory without receiving a love letter of some kind!¡±


    Passion scrunched her nose. ¡°It¡¯s not the same! I¡¯m a goddess, Richie. Only another god will do.¡±


    ¡°Uh, there¡¯s one right there,¡± I said, thumbing to Eskil and Dominion, walking off into the distance.


    ¡°That brute?¡± Passion spat. ¡°Please! Not my type.¡± The goddess began rattling off names, extending her fingers one by one. ¡°Wisdom¡¯s got that innocent, irresistible charm, but she¡¯s never shown an interest in the same sex. Tragic, really. We¡¯d make a great couple. Cunning and I have had our flings, but there¡¯s no spark there, you know?¡± Passion brought her hands to her chest and sighed, but it came out closer to a moan of pleasure. ¡°If only Grace would propose. Now there¡¯s a man after my heart.¡±


    So, Grace was a guy, and Wisdom a woman. The verdict was still out on Cunning, but that was¡­ interesting. While I¡¯m sure all of this was common knowledge to an Axian, it was still news to me.


    ¡°There¡¯s no rule saying it ought to be the man doing the proposing, y¡¯know?¡± Richard said. ¡°In fact, my wife was the one who expressed her feelings for me, first.¡±


    ¡°Is that so?¡± Passion said. ¡°You never mentioned that! The next time we meet, you¡¯re telling me all about you two lovebirds.¡±


    I had to wonder how this conversation became a counseling session for a goddess. I supposed chaos was the name of the game when it came to gods.


    Even the god of Order, apparently, I thought, smirking.


    That thought gave me an idea. A terrible idea. And before my brain had the chance to run it through my mental filters, my mouth was already open.


    ¡°What about Order?¡± I asked.


    I knew I¡¯d fucked up big time when Passion froze.


    ¡°What did you just say?¡± she asked, staring at me like a hawk eyeing its prey.


    ¡°Oh, well, you mentioned the others¡­ What about Order?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s¡­ Order, ha ha! Well, you see¡­¡±


    Deer in the headlights couldn¡¯t have been more apt to describe the goddess. Or a teen talking about her secret crush. She looked downright stricken.


    ¡°He and I, we, er¡­¡± she stammered, eyes darting every which way. ¡°I have to go!¡±


    Before any of us could react, she¡¯d already poofed out of existence, leaving us alone. Alone and dumbfounded.


    ¡°Someone mind telling me what that was about?¡± I said, looking at Aerion and Richard, who returned blank stares.


    Boy did I have some gossip to ask Cosmo about¡­


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    <hr>


    With all the commotion of the gods, I¡¯d almost forgotten about the others. Many others, in fact.


    We hadn¡¯t been the only delvers to enter the dungeon, and we certainly hadn¡¯t been the only ones alive when we¡¯d caused the core to collapse.


    Around fifty others were spread around the rubble of the landing castle, and the ones who¡¯d been too far to spot Dominion and Passion had been making their way to the forest, bound for who-knew-where. They must not have made it farther in, since we hadn¡¯t come across a single other delver.


    I didn¡¯t spot any corpses, though. Whoever died in the dungeon stayed in the dungeon.


    And, I supposed, some even became part of it, forever cursed to live as slaves to the dungeon, like Cyrus and his people.


    A few of the delvers cheered, but most looked tired and dejected. I couldn¡¯t blame them. Sure, annihilating a dungeon was good for the world, but there wasn¡¯t a single delver who wasn¡¯t also gunning for the rewards.


    And then there was the entourage of high rankers, who¡¯d been kneeling some distance away this whole time.


    Kneeling¡­ and glaring daggers at us. Well, me, in particular. Those glares turned even more savage when we neared, and they offered their congratulations to Richard, congratulating Aerion only after Richard said he couldn¡¯t have done it without our help. I could feel their auras bristling, getting under my skin.


    ¡°And who might you be?¡± a woman asked, giving me a look of such pure disgust that I wondered if I¡¯d wronged her in a past life or something. That, when combined with her aura, almost made me step back.


    My heart pumped. Not from fear, but excitement. This was what I could aspire to. This gravitas¡­ This presence. More than human. A demigod.


    I had to wonder if that aura could be wielded in combat, somehow. If it could be somehow controlled and released at just the right time¡­ I couldn¡¯t wait to get there.


    ¡°Greg,¡± I said, reaching an arm out. ¡°Aerion¡¯s bodyguard and porter.¡±


    My armshake was not reciprocated.


    ¡°A bodyguard,¡± she said, looking at me like a cockroach.


    ¡°Er, yes?¡± I replied, feeling that intangible aura of hers grow ever more violent.


    ¡°Greg here saved my life on numerous occasions,¡± Richard said, clapping my shoulder. ¡°Wouldn¡¯t have made it without him.¡±


    Their open hostility cooled a few degrees, but not entirely.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry,¡± I said. ¡°Did I do something to offend you?¡±


    The woman, seemingly unable to restrain herself any longer, finally spoke. ¡°It¡¯s a wonder you¡¯re still alive,¡± she said.


    ¡°Uh, sorry?¡± I replied. ¡°Not sure I follow.¡±


    ¡°You are neither a Champion nor a high ranker. Yet you fail to show deference before not just one, but two, deities. Have you no shame?¡±


    ¡°Oh.¡± I scratched my neck. I suppose that would be pretty odd. I just wasn¡¯t used to kneeling in front of people. ¡°My bad,¡± I said. ¡°I was in such awe, I forgot myself.¡±


    The woman¡¯s eyes narrowed. ¡°And yet you held a conversation with Passion as though she were a friend¡­¡±


    ¡°I guess my mouth just ran itself,¡± I said, shaking my head. ¡°Really don¡¯t know what I was thinking. You¡¯re definitely right. I¡¯m lucky the gods are so compassionate, ha ha.¡±


    She clearly didn¡¯t buy my story, but I apparently wasn¡¯t worth the trouble, because after giving me another suspicious glance, turned to Richard.


    I¡¯d have to be more careful from now on. Acting this deferential simply wasn¡¯t in my blood.


    ¡°Sir Richard,¡± she said. ¡°It was an honor meeting you. I bid you success in this Cataclysm and I promise we will all do our utmost to aid you.¡±


    ¡°I would certainly appreciate that,¡± Richard said, nodding to the high rankers. ¡°May the Archon¡¯s reign be short and painless.¡±


    The woman nodded, echoing his words, before bidding us farewell and bounding away at speeds that defied the mind. Far faster than Aerion or I could accomplish, even with our stats.


    High rankers might have had a much more limited set of powers compared to Champions, but their stats were nothing to scoff at. They could cream us if they wanted to. At least, as we were. I didn¡¯t doubt we¡¯d eventually outstrip them, but until then, they were very much a threat.


    Note to self. Don¡¯t piss off high ranking Blessed and Boonworthy. Will not end well.


    The others bid their farewells, and just moments later, it was Richard, Aerion, and me again, standing in the ruins of what used to be the dungeon.


    Not a moment too soon, either. I felt like I couldn¡¯t breathe right with those delvers around. Were they always like that? Or could they suppress that aura? Awfully inconvenient if they couldn¡¯t.


    Richard scanned the area, clearly looking for something.


    ¡°Your guards?¡± Aerion asked softly.


    Richard¡¯s shoulders fell, and he nodded once. ¡°Afraid I don¡¯t see ¡®em. Not one.¡±


    ¡°Cataclysm dungeons are dangerous places,¡± Aerion said, placing a hand on his shoulder. ¡°Without you, they would have been hard-pressed.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s just¡­ Two of them were Divergence, y¡¯know?¡± Richard said, staring off into the distance. ¡°Fine blokes, the lot of them. I thought they¡¯d survive.¡±


    ¡°Any of them have cold resistance?¡± I asked.


    ¡°Not that I recall,¡± Richard replied.


    ¡°Then chances are good the cold got to them. Aerion and I lucked out being near a cabin, and you ended up near the enemy¡¯s compound. If either of us were even a mile farther¡­¡±


    ¡°We¡¯d be dead,¡± Richard finished, looking heartbroken. ¡°So they all froze to death, then¡­¡±


    ¡°Seems likely,¡± I said, wondering why it was that Richard, Eskil, and I ended up in positions of relative safety. At least, I guessed Eskil had. It seemed a little convenient.


    ¡°Say, how did you and Aerion end up together?¡± Richard asked suddenly. ¡°I searched for my guards for hours, but never found them, and the weather was quite decent when I arrived. Sounds like you two ran into a blizzard, yeah? You must¡¯ve been pretty close.¡±


    ¡°Pretty close, yeah,¡± I said, locking eyes with Aerion.


    ¡°We were quite lucky,¡± she added.


    ¡°You got that right!¡± Richard said.


    Both Aerion and I tensed. Was he about to call our bluff?


    ¡°Must¡¯ve been that luck that carried us through the dungeon, eh?¡± he said, and just like that, the tension evaporated.


    ¡°Must be,¡± I replied, chuckling.


    ¡°Well then, I say we get a move on,¡± Richard said. ¡°Already past midday, and I¡¯d rather us build a good camp for the night. Where to?¡±


    ¡°Basecrest,¡± Aerion replied, stretching. ¡°I long for a hot bath and a delicious meal. No more rations. I¡¯ve had my fill of rations for a lifetime.¡±


    ¡°You and me, both,¡± Richard said, scanning the clearing. ¡°A bit surprised at the lack of a welcoming party, though¡­¡±


    I shrugged. ¡°Sinclair¡¯s forces are spread thin. He probably sent everyone he had here.¡±


    ¡°Fair enough,¡± Richard replied. ¡°I wouldn¡¯t suppose either of you know the way back, then?¡±


    Aerion and I exchanged glances.


    ¡°As it so happens, we do,¡± she said, pointing in the direction we came. ¡°That way.¡±


    ¡°Excellent!¡± Richard said jovially. ¡°Now, before we head out¡­.¡±


    The warmth faded from his face, and he turned to me, staring¡ªalmost glaring at me.


    ¡°There is something of vital importance we must discuss, first.¡±

 Soulweaver 111: Homecoming

    I gulped, not quite ready to have this conversation. Not now, and not here, of all places.


    ¡°Greg, Aerion¡­ This may sound off to you, but¡­¡±


    Here it comes¡­


    ¡°Would you two mind if I hid who I am when we enter Basecrest?¡± Richard asked, looking embarrassed.


    I blinked.


    ¡°It¡¯s not that I¡¯m ashamed of my status as Champion. Quite the opposite, really,¡± Richard said, his eyes darting between myself and Aerion. ¡°Just that I¡¯d rather avoid a commotion.¡±


    ¡°Wouldn¡¯t you want the recognition?¡± I asked, frowning like I couldn¡¯t possibly understand what he was on about.


    ¡°No. Well, yes¡­ Just that the city must have gone through so much recently. I wouldn¡¯t want to impose.¡±


    I had half a mind to tell him that the city could use any cause for celebration, but who was I to fault a man for hiding his identity? Gregory Wills was many things, but a hypocrite wasn¡¯t one of them. Well, not frequently, anyway.


    ¡°No problem, friend,¡± I said, smiling tightly. ¡°After everything you¡¯ve done, it¡¯s the least we could do.¡±


    Richard¡¯s back slouched, and I could almost feel the tension leave his body. Almost. His eyes lingered on me, just a second longer than they ought to have. There was something in his eyes. Something deeper...


    Then it was gone, as if it had never been there.


    ¡°Thanks, Greg,¡± he said. ¡°You¡¯ve no idea how much it means to me. I¡¯m sure this is all very odd for you two.¡±


    I shrugged. ¡°I¡¯m quickly discovering that all the Champions are a little unusual, in their own way.¡±


    Myself included.


    Okay, so maybe I was a hypocrite. But only a little¡­


    <hr>


    The journey back wasn¡¯t nearly as tough as the way here. No bushwacking this time¡ªenough people had come this way from Basecrest that there was now a nice trail to follow. Or a path, at least. As Richard was only too happy to remind us.


    ¡°Back on my world, the only time people went out into forests was for recreation,¡± he said, regaling Aerion, who listened with rapt attention. I tailed slightly behind, partly because the path wasn¡¯t wide enough for all three of us, but mainly because I didn¡¯t want Richard to see my nostalgic smile.


    ¡°Doesn¡¯t sound so different from Axius,¡± Aerion said. ¡°Braving the wilds to improve their abilities. Does your world have similar Blessings and Boons, by any chance?¡±


    Oh, right. I¡¯d never told Aerion people on Earth didn¡¯t have powers. Nor had she ever asked. I guess she just assumed we did.


    ¡°Er, not quite,¡± Richard said, looking away. Poor Richard. I could picture Aerion¡¯s ears drooping in a few moments when she learned the truth.


    ¡°People on our world¡­ Well, they don¡¯t have powers, y¡¯see?¡±


    ¡°What do you mean?¡± Aerion asked, frowning. ¡°Is the magic there different?¡±


    ¡°Well that¡¯s just the thing¡­ There is no magic on Earth. Just¡­ technology.¡±


    Aerion frowned. ¡°Like the elves of Order¡¯s territory?¡±


    ¡°From what I¡¯ve heard, yes. Just take that steam technology you have and fast-forward it about a hundred years.¡±


    A hundred years? Something about that sounded a bit off to me. Sure, Aerion¡¯s people had some relatively advanced steam-drive tech, but in most aspects, they struck me as medieval, living under the rulership of what was essentially a king, and only just beginning their industrial revolution. No computers, no internet, no space programs¡­


    ¡°No Boons. No Blessings¡­ No magic. You¡¯re just¡­ ordinary?¡± Aerion asked in exasperation. Sure enough, those pointy ears of her drooped, mimicking her expression.


    ¡°Afraid so,¡± Richard said, his own ears drooping. I guess it was a subconscious elf reflex. Something they couldn¡¯t control.


    ¡°Don¡¯t get me wrong,¡± he said. ¡°Technology¡¯s made for some incredible things. Cures to all sorts of disease. Vehicles that can fly through the air. Even bombs that can wipe entire cities off the planet. Not dissimilar to a High Ranker here.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s¡­ incredible,¡± Aerion replied, the wonder back in her eyes and ears. ¡°To create such power without magic. We would never be able to achieve something like that. But then¡­¡±


    Aerion fell silent.


    ¡°Yes?¡± Richard asked.


    ¡°If you lack magic, then do people of your world put themselves in danger¡­ for fun?¡± Aerion asked, confusion etched all over her face. That melted away as she seemed to have an epiphany. ¡°No wonder you Champions are so strong!¡±


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    ¡°Well, er, not exactly,¡± Richard said, sounding very much like he was about to let Aerion down again.


    ¡°Humans might be physically weak, But there¡¯s no monsters back on Earth, y¡¯see?¡± Richard said, his voice markedly higher than usual.


    ¡°No monsters¡­¡± Aerion said pensively. ¡°I don¡¯t understand. You mean to say your world is at peace?¡±


    I was just barely containing my laughter at this point. This conversation was so delightfully awkward, my only regret was not being able to record it.


    ¡°I mean, no,¡± Richard said, running his fingers through his hair. ¡°There¡¯s the occasional bear or puma, but most animals tend to keep to themselves. They¡¯re honestly more afraid of us than we are of them. Attacks are almost unheard of.¡±


    ¡°So your forests are safe, and people go for strolls in them?¡± Aerion replied. ¡°Sounds downright idyllic, if you ask me.¡±


    ¡°It does, doesn¡¯t it?¡± Richard said nostalgically, his eyes drifting to some faraway place. ¡°It has its wars and its cruelty, just like Axius, I suppose. I once thought it quite a terrible place, actually. That that worst things on Earth were us humans. Funny how coming to a world of dragons and literal monsters has a way of putting everything in perspective¡­¡±


    ¡°I bet it would,¡± I said, unable to restrain myself.


    Richard cleared his throat, as if to clear the air. ¡°Yes, well¡­ In my world, most people live in cities. Not much wildlife to be found there, what with the tall towers and the concrete. Getting out of those steel caves and into nature was considered therapeutic. Relaxing. A way to unplug from the hustle and bustle, so to speak.¡±


    ¡°It all sounds so¡­ wondrous,¡± Aerion said, glancing my way. I didn¡¯t need words to know she was judging me for never having shared the details of my planet.


    ¡°Even your cities sound incredible. I¡¯d love to have seen it¡­¡±


    Sorry, Aerion. Fat chance of that. Fat chance even Richard here went back. Even if he could, I was pretty confident the gods weren¡¯t allowing plus ones. None of this world¡¯s records ever mentioned such a thing.


    ¡°They certainly can be,¡± Richard said. ¡°Technology can be a terrible thing, but it can be marvelous, as well.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t understand,¡± Aerion said, frowning again. ¡°If that¡¯s all true, who would willingly forego the comfort of a soft bed or the warmth of a nice room for an outing in the forests? Without even the promise of power? The people of your world sound a little broken, if you ask me.¡±


    I chuckled, but it was drowned out by Richard¡¯s laughter. ¡°You might be right about that one, Aerion. You might be right about that.¡±


    <hr>


    The rest of the journey took the better part of a day, raising my Dominion by another point, to 63. It would have done the same for my Vigor if I had any headroom, but while I had plenty of spare Essence now to Initialize things, I¡¯d held off. After all, I needed every last bit of Essence I could get if I wanted to Initialize Rocky. I was willing to take a stat point hit or two¡­ These days one or two points made such little difference, and I could easily gain more with a dedicated power leveling session.


    After a discussion that resulted in the sentiment that yes, in fact, a hot bath and a night at a posh inn was worth the extra effort, I¡¯d hoisted Richard onto my back like I had in the dungeon, and with our enhanced Vigor and Dominion, Aerion and I sprinted the rest of the way back to town. The journey that should¡¯ve taken two days only took a few hours.


    As far as getting into Basecrest went, that was easier than I¡¯d expected. As easy as walking right in, actually.


    News of the dungeon¡¯s collapse had reached the town, and the gates had been thrown wide open. I didn¡¯t even see a guard posted¡ªsomething that would¡¯ve been unheard of just a day prior. We just strolled in, and considering Richard had only been paraded around Passion¡¯s territory, not a soul recognized him.


    I had to keep reminding myself that this world wasn¡¯t like mine, where information traveled instantly, and it only took people a few hours to cross the planet. Crossing territories was a months-long proposition, even for the precious few who had the money for it. Unless you were a Champion or a high ranker, of course.


    As such, the city couldn¡¯t have heard the news more than a couple of hours prior. The fervor was just starting up.


    ¡°What do you say we find ourselves a nice inn, wash up, and then hit the town for drinks?¡± Richard said, shouting to be heard above the cheers and cries of joy erupting through the streets. I even caught sight of some party magic being released, creating something like fireworks, if the fireworks were made of ice or wind or water magic.


    I glanced at Aerion, who grinned back, full of excitement.


    ¡°Sounds like a plan!¡± I said, searching for a nearby inn, but I needn¡¯t have bothered.


    Aerion guided us to the largest one in town, all the way in the inner ring.


    ¡°We can afford it!¡± she said, grabbing my wrist and leading me on, despite my reservations. ¡°C¡¯mon! Not like we celebrate like this every day!¡±


    It was nice, seeing this unreserved side of Aerion. The cathartic euphoria of having just lived through a life-or-death struggle was hitting all of us, and even without alcohol, I found my inhibitions melt away.


    ¡°Fine!¡± I said. ¡°But if we do this, we¡¯re booking the nicest room in the house!¡±


    <hr>


    The nicest room, as it turned out, was far more opulent than anything I could have ever imagined. Consisting of the entire top floor of the ten-story building, it commanded sweeping views of the entire city, allowing us to appreciate the reds and yellows of the sunset in all its glory.


    ¡°This place feels like it was made for twenty,¡± Richard commented as we explored our accommodations for the night.


    A part of me was deeply impressed. I honestly didn¡¯t think anything this opulent existed in this world¡ªit rivaled the sorts of penthouse suites you¡¯d see in big cities back home. Just without the electricity, TV¡¯s, lights, and other amenities. Not that they needed electricity for lighting here. At posh places like this, magic formed by Boonworthy lit the room just fine, bathing it in a beautiful amber glow.


    ¡°It¡¯s¡­ wonderful!¡± Aerion said, jumping happily onto a bed so big it put California kings to shame.


    ¡°Sure, the bed¡¯s nice,¡± I said, shrugging. ¡°But am I the only one looking forward to the private bath?¡±


    The mention of a bath got both Richard and Aerion¡¯s attention, and their lips curled up into a grin.


    Without a word, Aerion bounded off the bed and ran out of the bedroom.


    ¡°Hey!¡± I called, chasing after her, dodging the pieces of her cloth armor she stripped while running. ¡°Not fair!¡±


    ¡°Ladies first!¡± she said, disappearing into the bathroom, slamming the door behind her.


    Sighing, I stopped at the door.


    ¡°Best to let her, mate,¡± Richard said. ¡°If nine long years of marriage have taught me anything, it¡¯s that it¡¯s best to leave sleeping monsters lie.¡±


    ¡°Hey!¡± Aerion said from beyond the door. ¡°I¡¯m not a monster!¡±


    Richard¡¯s eyes shot wide. ¡°My sincerest apologies, ma¡¯am!¡± he yelled, before dropping his voice to a whisper. ¡°Best not to talk behind their backs, either. Not good for the heart.¡±


    ¡°Oi!¡± Aerion shouted. ¡°You¡¯re talking behind my back, aren¡¯t you?¡±


    Richard and I exchanged glances, and the same thought played through our minds.


    Was she really an elf? Or a mind-reading demon?

 Soulweaver 112: Bombshells and Penthouses

    It was incredible what a long, hot bath did for the soul after weeks out in the wild. Well, that and waiting two long hours for Aerion and Richard¡ªlet¡¯s be honest, mostly Aerion¡ªto finish. Not only did she go first, she happily took a whole hour and a half to herself, though I had to admit, she positively glowed when she emerged.


    Richard and I were a bit more frugal with our time, taking a half hour a piece in the beautiful marble bath pool. More than enough to feel like a new man.


    The icing on the cake? Floating around in a huge pool of hot water was one of the few times I didn¡¯t notice my stat loss with my armor off.


    Freshly cleaned, and with our clothes and armor magically laundered by a Boonworthy the inn¡¯s staff retained¡ªtalk about bizarre yet strangely useful powers¡ªwe headed down the stairwell.


    For the first time in what felt like forever, Aerion wore a pretty white dress that complemented her platinum blonde hair, which she wore down.


    ¡°You really ought to do that more often,¡± I muttered, ensuring Richard, who¡¯d gone on ahead of us, couldn¡¯t hear. Aerion wasn¡¯t the fastest stair climber in her heels.


    ¡°Why¡¯s that?¡± she asked, tilting her head. ¡°You know why I don¡¯t.¡±


    ¡°Sure, it¡¯s just¡­ You¡¯re pretty. It¡¯s a shame to hide that all the time. I really don¡¯t think you need to be so paranoid about people finding you here.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s¡­ sweet of you,¡± Aerion said, looking downcast. ¡°If only it were so¡­¡±


    She said nothing more, and we reached the bottom before long.


    ¡°So! Now that we¡¯re all freshened up, how about we go kill some monsters in the forest?¡± Richard asked in an excessively cheery voice.


    ¡°I think I¡¯ve had enough action for a lifetime,¡± I replied. ¡°Or at least a week, or so.¡±


    ¡°I think I¡¯m going to be sick if anyone mentions fighting tonight,¡± Aerion said, looking utterly disgusted. ¡°In fact, I believe I need a drink. Or ten.¡±


    Richard and I stopped in our tracks and stared in shock.


    Aerion narrowed her eyes in suspicion. ¡°What?¡±


    <hr>


    The sun might¡¯ve set, but the city felt like it was just waking up. As more and more people learned of the good news, they piled into the streets, eager to wash away weeks and months of anxiety and sorrow.


    Which, of course, meant all the good taverns, meadhalls, and alehouses were all occupied. A problem that could be trivially solved by having Richard announce who he was, but that just created a dozen other problems of its own.


    This was a world without social media, where even celebrities might go unnoticed. The chances anyone found out were very low.


    So we chitchatted and hung out in line. It wasn¡¯t so bad¡ªthe energy of the city was infectious, and the tavern girls even brought out drinks to people in line.


    With so many people around us, though, we couldn¡¯t exactly talk about anything sensitive, so we kept it to small talk. Details about Basecrest, what Baron Sinclair was like, and some of the escapades Aerion and I had been up to.


    Then, about fifteen minutes in, it happened. It started with an innocent double-take from a middle-aged man in line nearby. I ignored it at first, but then they kept glancing back at Aerion, muttering with more and more excitement to their friends.


    I moved a bit to shield her from their sight, but I knew the damage was done when they left their place in line to walk up to me, eyes full of hope.


    Nobody left their place in line. Not one as long as this.


    ¡°Excuse me? Pardon my interruption, but¡­ You¡¯re Silver, aren¡¯t you?¡±


    Aerion turned, and the man¡¯s eyes flew wide. ¡°By Dominion, it is you! It¡¯s Silver, everyone!¡±


    I groaned. Any chance we had of flying under the radar was gone. The crowd around us went silent, and I felt at least thirty pairs of eyes boring holes on Aerion and me.


    ¡°And is that Light of the Fearless!?¡± the man said, turning to me. That was apparently the moniker they were using for Silver¡¯s bodyguard.


    ¡°Look,¡± I said, ¡°if you don¡¯t mind, we¡¯d like to¡ª¡±


    ¡°You both made it! You survived the dungeon!¡± the man blurted.


    If we had thirty sets of eyes before, now we had the attention of the whole goddamn line.


    Gossip immediately broke out. ¡°Silver? She¡¯s that up-and-coming Elf Hunter, isn¡¯t she?¡±


    ¡°I heard she personally took down that slum lord. What was his name?¡±


    ¡°Tarquin! Not just that, she delved Dominion¡¯s Trial on her own. Rumor is she came away with incredible power.¡±


    ¡°Er, yes, we did,¡± Aerion said, trying her best to ignore the chatter.


    ¡°Three cheers for our heroes!¡± another man said, raising his empty mug to the sky.


    The line erupted in hoots and applause, and before we knew it, our group was being pushed to the front of the line amid more cheers.


    Aerion waved to the crowd while I followed behind, acting like the stoic bodyguard I absolutely was¡­ I did not act that way to get out of having to reciprocate. Definitely not.


    Richard walked beside me, tagging along. ¡°Quite the reputation you two have, eh?¡±


    ¡°Entirely unintentional, I assure you,¡± I muttered. I hadn¡¯t exactly planned for our alter egos to become famous¡­ Though I had to admit, it had its perks. And it helped conceal our true identities better than anything else could.


    The tavern was a massive three-story affair of timber construction with an A frame roof. Only the ground floor spanned the whole area, and was so packed with people, people squeezed and pushed their way past the bodies.


    Not us, though. Someone announced our arrival, and in a repeat of what happened outside, the place went silent for a moment before bursting into applause and cheers. We had alcohol of all kinds being shoved our way, and like Moses parting the sea, the crowd split in front of us.


    Maybe it had something to do with the tavern¡¯s owner¡ªa bald, slender giant with an epic beard that had to be at least eight feet long¡ªpersonally coming out to greet us. He wasn¡¯t skinny, per se. He would¡¯ve been pretty muscled, actually, if he was regular sized. On his extra tall frame, though, he just came across as lanky.


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    ¡°I¡¯m sure you¡¯re tired and looking for some rest, but¡­ We¡¯re all dying to hear what happened. Would you mind sparing a few words?¡±


    The whole place went so silent, you could hear every drunk burp.


    Aerion gave the man an awkward smile.


    ¡°It would be my pleasure,¡± she said, raising her voice so everyone could hear. ¡°It was a harrowing dungeon. Cold, and full of ice and other things too terrible to mention in such esteemed company,¡± she said, sounding like a natural-born orator and earning herself a round of laughs.


    No one spoke that comfortably without practice. And training. More mysteries to add to the pile.


    ¡°It was terrifying,¡± Aerion said in a lower voice. ¡°And as much as I appreciate the sentiment, it was not us who defeated the core. We merely aided the Champions of Dominion and Passion. Without them, we would surely have died. But by working together, we narrowly managed to prevail.¡±


    Aerion glossed over my role in destroying the core, which was exactly what I hoped she¡¯d do. Better to divert as much of the attention off of me and onto her. Fewer questions that way.


    ¡°The fair lady is modest!¡± the tavern wonder said. ¡°Not only did she risk her life for our city, she participated in the final battle! In the company of Champions, no less!¡±


    The whole place blew up with cheers and claps, and I felt like I¡¯d go deaf from the insane amount of noise. If the neighborhood hadn¡¯t known something was up before, they sure as hell did now.


    The cheers had only just started to die down when the owner cried, ¡°Free drinks for the heroes all night long!¡± His proclamation was followed by another round of cheering.


    ¡°Enjoying yourself?¡± Aerion asked cheekily as she waved to the crowd.


    ¡°Do I ever?¡± I fired back in the same tone. ¡°Can¡¯t wait until the procession.¡±


    Aerion snorted, but thanks to the noise, I was the only one who heard it.


    We followed our four bar hands¡ªwhy we needed four, I couldn¡¯t begin to guess¡ªall the way to the back of the establishment to the stairs.


    The second floor was only half the width of the space, allowing anyone seated there to look down on the mob below, and the third floor was even smaller.


    That was where our table happened to be. Our position of honor.


    Which suited all of us just fine. It was far less crowded up there, and the view of the tavern was sweeping. I felt sorry for all the bar hands that had to bring food and drinks up two flights of stairs up there, though they seemed to take immense pleasure in the task. We¡¯d have to remember to tip well. Especially considering drinks were free.


    ¡°You see why I asked to stay anonymous now?¡± Richard said, letting out a long, heavy breath as he slumped on his chair. Half the people on the floor were still staring, of course, but at least they couldn¡¯t hear us. ¡°Now that we¡¯ve a bit of privacy, I won¡¯t have to mind every other word.¡±


    ¡°You get used to it,¡± Aerion said with a wry smile.


    ¡°Right, I reckon you¡¯ve had your fair share of flying under the radar, so to speak,¡± Richard said. ¡°What with your assistance of the Baron, and all. Practically celebrities here.¡±


    ¡°The more I live it, the less I want it,¡± I grumbled, flagging over the bar hand who¡¯d been assigned to our table. ¡°I don¡¯t know about you, but I could eat a bear.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m right there with you, friend,¡± Richard said, taking a menu.


    While the amount we ordered sounded sensible, none of us took into account the ginormous portions, and once plate upon plate of food started to arrive, along with pitchers of mead, ale, and bottles of wine, it became obvious we weren¡¯t finishing this.


    ¡°Bollocks,¡± Richard said. ¡°It¡¯s my bad.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry about it,¡± I said. ¡°I¡¯ve got a feeling they made the portions extra large, especially for us. Besides, did you forget about my Boon?¡±


    Richard¡¯s eyes widened, and his mouth formed an ¡®O¡¯. ¡°Awfully handy, that,¡± he said. ¡°Once this Cataclysm business is over, I reckon you could make a killing starting up a food delivery business.¡±


    Aerion laughed, but Richard went on, unfazed. ¡°I¡¯m serious!¡± he said, sweeping his arms across the air. ¡°Just think of the possibilities! Think of the slogans! Food that never spoils! Fresh out of the oven! Now that is a competitive advantage if I ever saw one. The delivery companies back on my world would kill for that!¡±


    After the Cataclysm, huh? What the fuck was going to happen to us?


    Finding a rapt listener in Aerion, Richard went on about the legendary pizza joints and delicious Indian curry in his native England, while I zoned out, lost in my thoughts as I sipped on my mead.


    The more I learned, the more I thought about our situation, the more I became convinced that something more was going on here. Something hidden from the public eye. And it all boiled down to that one question¡ªdo we all get to go home or not?


    I¡¯d been through this mental debate a dozen times already, and it always boiled down to two options. Either we did, in which case it was a safe assumption that we lost our powers, or we didn¡¯t. Who the hell knew what happened in that case? We sure as hell weren¡¯t allowed to stay. Axius¡¯ historical records proved that without a doubt.


    Did we ascend to some godly plane? Were we transported yet again to another world that needed us? Or¡­


    I shook off the thought as I always did, tuning back into Richard¡¯s monologue. He was talking about cars, now. Of all the things Aerion latched onto, it was station wagons¡­ Go figure.


    ¡°What about you, Greg?¡± Richard said suddenly.


    ¡°Er, sorry?¡± I replied, caught off guard.


    ¡°What sort of film do you think you¡¯d enjoy?¡±


    So they were talking about movies, now? Aerion looked downright enthralled¡­ I couldn¡¯t blame her. Movies and videos were things I took for granted in the modern day, but to a society that lacked it, it must¡¯ve sounded like the best thing since sliced bread.


    ¡°Oh, er, I dunno,¡± I said, shuffling uncomfortably in my seat. ¡°Maybe something epic?¡±


    My chest suddenly felt hot, and it was like I was a stranger in my own skin. It was all so wrong¡­ and it wasn¡¯t the booze. Or at least, not just the booze. It was all this pretending, faking things I already knew. I¡¯d happily do that for someone I didn¡¯t care about. But at the expense of a guy with a heart of gold? At the expense of someone who¡¯d saved my back on numerous occasions?


    ¡°I¡¯ve just the thing for you, then!¡± Richard said, slamming his palm on the table, spilling alcohol of all sorts. ¡°Now, get this,¡± he went on, oblivious. ¡°There¡¯s a movie that came out just recently, yeah? Called Star Wars. It¡¯s about a society far away that¡¯s mastered spaceflight.¡±


    ¡°Space¡­ flight?¡± Aerion asked. ¡°Is that any different from the way birds fly?¡±


    I groaned. Really, Aerion? Did you have to open that can of worms?


    Richard clapped his hands together with glee. ¡°Boy, am I glad you asked! Y¡¯see, back in the sixties, we decided to go higher than any man ever had. We went to space. And then? We went to the moon¡­¡±


    The Champion then proceeded to spend the next half hour describing the space race in excruciating detail. It seemed Richard was something of a space nerd. The half hour after that was spent bemoaning that, despite having stepped foot on the moon in the sixties, humanity had done nothing in the decades since. Something that drove him up the wall, apparently.


    Maybe it was my ever-increasing drunkenness, but I found my earlier angst melting away, and as Richard shared detail after minute detail of Earth, I, too, fell under the spell of nostalgia, my mind whisked away to another place and another time.


    The conversation meandered, and I wasn¡¯t really sure how the guy had gone from the space race to giving us the nitty-gritty about his family, but then again, none of us were even remotely sober.


    ¡°They say love at first sight¡¯s nothing but infatuation,¡± Richard slurred, leaning over the table toward Aerion, who listened as though it was her prized god Dominion speaking. ¡°But y¡¯know what? Wasn¡¯t that way with Miranda. Some things in life¡­ Y¡¯just know. Know what I mean?¡±


    ¡°Yes! I do!¡± Aerion shouted, nodding vigorously. She was just as drunk as Richard, if not more.


    ¡°Exactly!¡± Richard said, essentially agreeing with himself. ¡°She didn¡¯t like me, though, you know? Not at first. Took some doing, that. But I won her over eventually, sure as day.¡±


    ¡°How!?¡± Aerion asked.


    ¡°Well, the roses and letters certainly helped. Some might say a bit old-fashioned, but it was what she liked. Truth is, there¡¯s no one size fits all. Gotta play her heartstrings, see? Give her exactly what she wants. But only in small doses, mind you. Too much, and she¡¯ll lose interest.¡±


    Aerion was nodding so much I worried her head would fall off. I could almost see the mental notes she was taking in her head. No one size fits all. Heartstrings. Not too much.


    ¡°So, you don¡¯t regret it?¡± Aerion asked.


    ¡°Not for a moment,¡± Richard said. ¡°Mind you, no relationship¡¯s without its ups and downs, but¡­ The memories we shared. The moments we created. The children we raised¡­ I tell you, Aerion, there is no joy greater in life than seeing life you created come into the world. No happiness more pure than watching them learn. To crawl. To babble. To walk¡­¡±


    Tears began rolling down Richard¡¯s cheeks. ¡°Oh, my. Apologies. I don¡¯t know what came over¡ª¡±


    ¡°You miss them,¡± Aerion said softly.


    ¡°I do,¡± Richard said, openly sobbing at this point. ¡°I miss them so very much.¡±


    Aerion leaned over and gently patted his back. ¡°You¡¯ll get to see them soon enough,¡± she said, throwing me an expectant look, but I had no words of comfort for Richard. No assurances that would soothe his aching soul.


    All I had was the terrifying possibility that he may never see them again. I wouldn¡¯t do that to him. Not now. Not until I had ample evidence Order was right and Passion was lying.


    But there was something else I could do. Something I should have done already.


    ¡°Being torn away from all that you know, never knowing when you¡¯ll come back¡­ Must feel a little like Luke Skywalker leaving Tatooine for the first time, wouldn¡¯t you say?¡±


    Richard froze, looking up at me with eyes as wide as saucers.


    ¡°Sorry? Don¡¯t think I quite caught that¡­¡± he wheezed. ¡°What did you just say?¡±


    My lips drew taut. ¡°Richard¡­ We need to talk.¡±

 Soulweaver 113: We Are The Champions

    As I looked into Richard¡¯s confused eyes, I finally understood what my angst had been all about. It wasn¡¯t keeping my origins a secret that had bothered me. Not when it had been necessary.


    The difference was that it no longer was. I¡¯d seen it with my own eyes, hadn¡¯t I? How Passion hadn¡¯t even been able to sniff me out, despite standing right next to me?


    The gods couldn¡¯t identify other Champions. The revelation was like a bombshell for me. Why hadn¡¯t I realized it earlier? Granted, between the fight with Cyrus, Cosmo¡¯s Hawaiian retreat with coconut bikini Aerion¡ªI glanced at the drunk elf beside me, but quickly averted my eyes, as did she for some reason¡ªand the shenanigans with Dominion, Eskil and Passion?


    Yeah, I¡¯d had my hands full.


    Now that I had a moment to think, though¡­ Only one thought came to mind.


    Weird.


    Why in the world would the gods be unable to sense other Champions? Especially when they seemed content parading their Champions like trophies? Even laypeople could identify them.


    The inevitable conclusion was that the gods were not omnipotent. In fact, it appeared more and more like they were all limited in various ways. Maybe even the same ways Cosmo was bound by.


    That was an interesting thought, but not immediately relevant. The fact was that Passion didn¡¯t know who I was. Which meant she hadn¡¯t been snooping in on our conversations. Whether because she truly respected Richard¡¯s privacy, as he claimed, or because she couldn¡¯t¡ªas he had also mentioned¡ªI didn¡¯t know.


    But I did feel reasonably confident that I could tell him without her learning. That was, of course, assuming he didn¡¯t go and spill the beans. After fighting with him and getting to know him, though, I wasn¡¯t even the least bit worried about that.


    I took a breath and went for it.


    ¡°I¡¯m a Champion,¡± I said, continuing when he didn¡¯t reply. ¡°I lied to you about my ability, Richard. I¡¯m not a Boonworthy. Spatial Inventory is just one of my abilities. I can bestow powers to armor and weapons. That¡¯s my real ability. It¡¯s why Light of the Fearless has two powers. The inventory is just one of the abilities I got for ranking up to Emergence.¡±


    ¡°Emergence,¡± Richard muttered. ¡°Not Foundation, then, as you¡¯d said.¡±


    ¡°Er, actually¡­ I just ranked up again after we came out of that dungeon. I¡¯m Divergence now.¡±


    Richard laughed, glancing between me and Aerion. He wore an awkward smile, as if he wasn¡¯t quite sure whether to laugh or be shocked. Or both. ¡°You¡¯re pulling my leg, aren¡¯t you?¡±


    ¡°Would I know details from Episode IV if I were? Want me to list off more? Tattooine¡¯s two suns? X Wings, Alderaan, Yavin? Vader¡¯s true identity? I can do this all night.¡±


    Richard, mouth open in shock, looked at Aerion, who nodded grimly.


    ¡°Good god,¡± Richard said, recoiling. He clutched his hair with both hands. ¡°It¡¯s true, then. You¡¯re¡­ Really a Champion. I¡­ I don¡¯t know what to say. So I didn¡¯t mishear. You really did say ¡®Christ¡¯ back in the dungeon, yeah? That wasn¡¯t just me falling off my rocker?¡±


    ¡°No, you¡¯re still sane,¡± I said with a sigh. ¡°To tell you the truth, I¡¯d been trying to hide my Earth idioms as much as possible. Turns out I¡¯m not very good at it.¡±


    Aerion rolled her eyes.


    ¡°Bugger it all. Now I feel silly for asking you to keep my identity under wraps. You¡¯ve pulled one over me all along, haven¡¯t you? Why, though?¡± Richard asked. ¡°Why hide it at all?¡±


    ¡°Well, first off, allow me to apologize. I lied to you, and believe me, I feel like shit that I did. Just¡­ I have reasons why I want to lay low.¡±


    ¡°Why?¡± Richard asked in exasperation. ¡°I¡¯ve reaped so many benefits from being Passion¡¯s Champion! From the money to the training to the gear¡­ I want for nothing!¡±


    Aerion bit her lip. ¡°It¡¯s not so simple, Richard. Greg is¡­¡± her eyes met mine, searching.


    I nodded.


    ¡°He¡¯s the Champion of¡­ of Order,¡± she said, lowering her voice.


    ¡°Of Order?¡± Richard frowned. ¡°Hang on. Passion said Order doesn¡¯t summon Champions. That the cycle of Cataclysms persists precisely because he treats this whole thing as a joke.¡±


    ¡°That was true,¡± I said. ¡°Until now. You¡¯re looking at the first actual Champion Order¡¯s ever summoned.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s¡­¡± Richard¡¯s eyes flew open. ¡°She doesn¡¯t know!¡±


    ¡°No,¡± I said. ¡°No, she does not. Nor do any of the other gods, from what I can tell.¡±


    ¡°Bollocks! This is¡­ You¡¯ve any clue what this means, Greg?¡±


    I grimaced. ¡°Wish I did, Richard.¡±


    Richard frowned in confusion. ¡°It means we can end the cycles! Once and for all!¡±


    I just gave him a pained smile. ¡°Uh, yeah. Seems that way.¡± One bombshell was enough¡­ For now.


    ¡°And yet, you feel the need to hide,¡± Richard said.


    ¡°I do,¡± I replied, matching his gaze. ¡°Order isn¡¯t like the other gods, Richard. He doesn¡¯t help me. He doesn¡¯t descend from the heavens and shower me with gifts. If I revealed I was Order¡¯s Champion¡­ Sure, people might be happy I was finally here to end the cycle, but I¡¯d be willing to bet I¡¯d have my fair share of assassins, too. People with grudges that run millennia long. I¡¯d have to flee to Order¡¯s territory.¡±


    ¡°And that¡¯s a bad thing, because¡­¡±


    ¡°Because the elf who governs Order¡¯s territory will shackle Greg and use him for his own ends,¡± Aerion replied. ¡°I¡¯ve lived there. I would know. Besides, Order¡¯s territory has neither Trials nor Cataclysm Dungeons. His territory has always been immune. No one knows why. And that means Greg cannot grow stronger there.¡±


    This narrative has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road. If you see it on Amazon, please report it.


    ¡°I see,¡± Richard said, downing his mug of ale and leaning back in his chair. ¡°Quite a pickle you¡¯ve gotten yourself into, eh?¡±


    I smirked. ¡°Tell me about it.¡±


    Richard stared off into the distance for a long while, and a silence fell upon the table as Aerion and I sipped our drinks, waiting for Richard to make the next move.


    Just when the silence was beginning to grow awkward, Richard slammed his mug on the table and turned to me.


    ¡°Right then. Your secret¡¯s safe with me, Greg. I¡¯ll admit, I¡¯m a little peeved you thought to hide it from me for so long¡ªthought we were closer than that¡ªbut I realize this could not have been easy for you to divulge, and so I thank you. Thank you for trusting me now.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re¡­ not angry?¡± I asked. Was this guy for real?


    ¡°Why would I be angry?¡± Richard asked. ¡°You came out and said it yourself, didn¡¯t you?¡±


    ¡°Well, sure, but¡ª¡±


    ¡°Then it¡¯s all water under the bridge! Now, I¡¯ll admit, I thought there was something a little fishy going on, at first. Your mannerisms struck me as¡­ a little different from everyone I¡¯ve seen here. Not anything that stuck out, mind you. Just a feeling. And then you and Aerion happened upon me together. Now that¡¯s a puzzle I¡¯ve yet to unravel. How¡¯d you do it?¡±


    ¡°Oh, that?¡± I said, my voice coming out higher than I¡¯d intended. ¡°I, er¡­¡±


    Ah, fuck it. I¡¯d been stupid to think a guy like Richard would hold my secret against me. The guy had a heart bigger than the moon.


    ¡°I told you I could initialize armor and weapons, yeah?¡±


    ¡°Yeah¡­?¡±


    ¡°Well, my power counts Aerion as a weapon. One thing led to another, and¡­ yeah. She¡¯s considered an extension of my Blessing now.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s true,¡± Aerion said when Richard gave her an inquisitive glance. ¡°I¡¯ll not lie. I¡¯ve mixed feelings on the matter, but it is true that I¡¯ve benefited greatly from this arrangement. My [Sylvan Reaver] Blessing was bestowed upon me by Greg, after all.¡±


    ¡°Remarkable,¡± Richard said, shaking his head in wonder. ¡°Truly remarkable. Never in a million years would I have dreamed of ever coming across a world filled with such wonder.¡±


    ¡°You and me both, friend,¡± I said.


    ¡°Hang on,¡± Richard said, leaning in. ¡°You from the states, then?¡±


    ¡°I am.¡±


    ¡°What year?¡±


    ¡°Your future. 2030¡¯s.¡±


    ¡°Wicked!¡± Richard cried, slamming his palm on the table. ¡°You¡¯ve any idea what this means?¡±


    ¡°Uh, it means I could give you investment advice that would make you a millionaire?¡± I said cheekily.


    ¡°No! Well, yes. Holy mother of god!¡± Richard said, seemingly having an epiphany. ¡°You could, couldn¡¯t you!? I could be rich! My kids could go to Oxford!¡±


    I was suddenly starting to regret this idea. What if we really could go back? What if Richard permanently altered Earth¡¯s history? And what if that meant I never existed? Or that my situation was totally different? Butterfly effect and all.


    Eh, fuck it. I¡¯d cross that bridge when I got to it. One existential crisis at a time.


    ¡°Sorry, went off on a tangent there,¡± Richard said, returning from his daydream. ¡°Greg¡­ We can talk shop! Chat about the world. Gossip! Movies! Fashion! You¡¯ve no idea how tough it¡¯s been. Nobody gets my references!¡±


    ¡°Brother,¡± I said, clasping his hand. ¡°I completely understand.¡±


    This was the main reason I¡¯d let him in on my secret. Sure, secrets between friends were bad and all, but was there really any satisfaction greater than shooting the breeze with someone who ¡®got it¡¯?


    No. No, I didn¡¯t think there was. The look of abject horror on Aerion¡¯s face was just icing on the cake.


    <hr>


    We spent the next six hours chatting of home. Everything from movies, as Richard seemed to enjoy, to politics, to me filling Richard in on history and technology. He was just as flabbergasted as Aerion when I started talking about computers, mobile phones, the internet, and of course, Artificial Intelligence that was steadily replacing humanity, chipping away at our place in the universe.


    Even Aerion, who¡¯d initially tuned out to our nerd talk, grew more and more interested with each new thing she learned about Earth.


    ¡°Earth sounds so beautiful,¡± Aerion¡ªnow thoroughly drunk¡ªsaid, tears streaming down her face. ¡°It¡¯s so magical! If only I could see it! All I ever wanted¡­ Was to see the world, y¡¯know? Is that too much to ask?¡±


    She sniffled, her emotions pouring out of her like a tsunami.


    ¡°That it is,¡± Richard said. ¡°It¡¯s a beautiful world with a whole lot of problems, but it¡¯s still beautiful. And it¡¯s home¡­ I swear, you can¡¯t know how much I appreciate you telling me all this, you two. It¡¯s just so important to have people around you you can trust.¡±


    I raised an eyebrow. ¡°You don¡¯t trust Passion¡¯s people?¡±


    Richard extended a hand, palm up. ¡°Either people place me on a pedestal I¡¯ve not earned,¡± he said, extending his other palm, ¡°or they keep secrets and pretend otherwise. I feel like nobody tells me what¡¯s really going on.¡±


    ¡°Huh,¡± I said, wondering what Passion¡¯s agenda was there. Or was it something her priests were doing without her knowledge? I¡¯d have scoffed at the idea some time ago. Knowing what I now knew of the gods¡¯ reach¡ªand their limitations¡ªI wasn¡¯t so sure.


    The Champion raised his mug. ¡°To home!¡±


    Aerion raised hers, but I hesitated.


    ¡°What¡¯s the matter, friend?¡±


    ¡°Home, huh?¡± I said. ¡°I¡¯m a little envious of you, Richard.¡±


    ¡°What for! You live in the literal future, mate! Sounds like a world I¡¯d scarcely even recognize!¡±


    ¡°Yeah, well¡­ My life wasn¡¯t all sunshine and roses, if you know what I mean¡­ Say, Richard. You think we¡¯ll keep our powers if we return?¡±


    ¡°Well, I¡­¡± Richard hesitated, lowering his mug. ¡°I dunno, really. Never thought much about it.¡±


    ¡°Yeah, well, I have. Someone with superhuman powers would be a headline in minutes.¡±


    ¡°Reckon you¡¯re right,¡± Richard said. ¡°And what of it? What need have we of powers that bursts¡¯ peoples¡¯ hearts or gives us super strength? We¡¯ve other means to defend our families, back on Earth.¡±


    I grimaced. ¡°It¡¯s not just the destructive power, Richard. You¡¯re still physically weak, but you¡¯ll see, once you level¡ªer, once you progress. Moving faster than any human¡­ Falling from great heights without getting hurt¡­ It¡¯s intoxicating. You¡¯ll miss it. A lot.¡±


    ¡°Perhaps you¡¯re right. Maybe I will miss that. Tell you what, though. I¡¯ll miss my family more. And if you give me that choice, I choose my family, each and every time.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s why I said I¡¯m envious. I don¡¯t have a family back home, Richard. Got a sister who cut me off years ago, and a father I wouldn¡¯t shed a tear for if I heard he¡¯d died in a ditch somewhere.¡±


    ¡°You don¡¯t mean that,¡± Richard said, his voice hoarse.


    ¡°No, Richard, I really fucking do. I¡¯ve got no job. No family. Nothing to return to. But here?¡±


    I glanced at Aerion, who lowered her eyes and fiddled with her mug, face scrunched up in anguish.


    ¡°Here, I¡¯ve got people I care about. People I¡¯m proud to call friends. I have power, and more importantly, I have purpose. Something I never found back on Earth.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re young, Greg. You¡¯ve got all the time in the world to find all of that, y¡¯know?¡± Richard said softly.


    ¡°Sure. But I¡¯d have to give up everything I had here, first. Let me ask you this, Richard. If you met your wife here in Axius¡­ If you had your family here, instead of on Earth¡­ Would you want to go back?¡±


    Richard pursed his lips and frowned, looking like he¡¯d just swallowed something bitter. ¡°No. No, I don¡¯t reckon I would.¡±

 Soulweaver 114: Spatialization

    We returned to our inn in the early hours of morning, dead drunk, and barely able to walk at all.


    Which really said something, because as I discovered, one of the stats¡ªlikely Vigor¡ªnot only improved your constitution, it also increased your alcohol tolerance.


    Which meant Aerion and I ended up consuming an ungodly amount of booze. Everything from beer to mead to everything in between. It was so much that Richard, with his very normal tolerance, started looking at us like we were aliens. I supposed Aerion technically was.


    It was the hardest I¡¯d partied since my high school days, and for what felt like the first time since then, I truly felt like I was among friends. Among people who cared about me. The real me. Without judgment or barriers.


    Just a group of like-minded people who¡¯d been through hell and back. Something not too different from what veterans must have felt with other vets. It was the sort of bond you shared with people you¡¯ve trusted your life with, and who trusted you with theirs in turn.


    I¡¯d never really had that, back on Earth. Neither, it seemed, had Aerion or Richard. Richard had his family, but after a few drinks, even he admitted this was different.


    Not better or worse. Just different. Unique.


    When we finally returned to our penthouse suite after a night of epic revelry, we were wasted and utterly exhausted, and Richard didn¡¯t even make it up the stairs, forcing me to carry him.


    Aerion flopped onto her bed without bothering to close her room¡¯s door, and after dumping Richard on his bed, I followed her lead and did the same.


    It was past noon by the time we awoke, and when we did, a note was waiting for us under the door. We were all out cold, so none of us had heard the messenger knock.


    The note bore the official wax seal of Baron Sinclair, and was addressed to Aerion and me.


    ¡°How much you want to bet that¡¯s what I think it is?¡± I asked, popping open the seal, my head foggy and throbbing from my hangover.


    ¡°It would seem the Baron somehow noticed our arrival,¡± I grumbled.


    Sure enough, it was a summons, requesting our immediate presence.


    ¡°To think he had the consideration to keep quiet about it,¡± Richard said, his voice equally groggy. ¡°Reckon he¡¯s a fine bloke.¡±


    I smiled. ¡°He¡¯s pretty solid, as far as nobles go.¡±


    ¡°Oh?¡± Richard asked, his lips curling up into a grin. ¡°No looking down on the plebeians?¡±


    ¡°Nope,¡± I said, finding a smile of my own creep onto my face.


    ¡°No asinine entitlement?¡±


    ¡°Nope,¡± I said, grin widening.


    ¡°No incompetent idiot inheriting power he should never have had?¡±


    ¡°Certainly none of that,¡± I said, bursting out into laughter at the same time as Richard.


    He walked over and embraced me in a tight man-hug, while Aerion watched on as confused as she was shocked at our alien mannerisms.


    ¡°I can¡¯t tell you how nice it is to finally shoot the shit with someone who gets it,¡± I said into his shoulder.


    ¡°Mate, I was about to say the same.¡±


    When we separated, there was a newfound connection between us. Or maybe it¡¯d been there ever since last night, when I revealed who I really was.


    If Aerion was confused before, she was downright baffled now. ¡°Someone mind telling me what¡¯s really going on?¡±


    ¡°Can¡¯t!¡± Richard said, turning to Aerion.


    ¡°Ancient Earth ritual,¡± I said, nodding. ¡°Very sacred.¡±


    Richard and I glanced at each other, and we only barely stopped ourselves from laughing.


    ¡°Well, fine, then,¡± Aerion said, crossing her arms and pouting, even as the tips of her long ears turned red. ¡°I¡¯ve the distinct impression you¡¯re enjoying a joke at my expense. But sure. Fine. Carry on.¡±


    A round of heartfelt apologies restored Aerion¡¯s ears to their normal color. Knowing Aerion¡¯s capacity for grudges, I thanked Cosmo she chose not to hold this one against us.


    ¡°I suppose you¡¯d best be off, then,¡± Richard said, letting out a small sigh once the moment had passed. ¡°Wouldn¡¯t want to keep the Lord Baron waiting.¡±


    ¡°Guess not,¡± I admitted, letting out a breath. ¡°Why don¡¯t you come with? You contributed as much as anyone to our success. Only fair that you get your fair share of the reward.¡±


    Richard raised an eyebrow. ¡°More reward than what Passion can offer?¡±


    ¡°Er, well¡­ When you put it like that,¡± I said sheepishly. ¡°Still, why not come along? We can hit the town after. So much to see in Basecrest. I¡¯d love to show you around.¡±


    Richard¡¯s expression fell. ¡°Afraid not. Best I return to Passion as soon as I can. It¡¯s quite a journey back to her territory, as I¡¯m sure you can imagine.¡±


    ¡°Really?¡± I said, downcast. ¡°With all the stuff we have to talk about? Don¡¯t you want to travel together a while longer?¡±


    ¡°Wish I could, Greg, and believe me, I¡¯d like nothing better. Passion might¡¯ve told me to take my time, but I know that woman. She can get downright neurotic about stuff like this. I¡­ suppose I¡¯ll be in town another few hours, at least. Might take a bit to find transport, given that I¡¯m not announcing who I am.¡±


    The author''s content has been appropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon.


    I sighed. ¡°Alright. I see I can¡¯t convince you to stay for a bit. Which is all the more reason why you should come. Sinclair can arrange the fastest transport in the city, and I¡¯d bet good money he can have it ready before anyone you could find on your own.¡±


    Richard hesitated, and I could almost see the battle that raged in his mind. ¡°You¡¯re sure Sinclair won¡¯t insist I parade myself around the town? I¡¯ve rightly had my fill of such fanfare. I fear I¡¯m quite tired of it.¡±


    ¡°He won¡¯t if we ask him not to,¡± Aerion said, fidgeting with her hand. While she¡¯d never said as much, it was clear she¡¯d grown fond of the fake-elf Champion during our time together. I could see it in her eyes¡ªshe didn¡¯t want Richard to leave as much as I did.


    ¡°He¡¯s a good guy. Trust me,¡± I said, putting a hand on Richard¡¯s shoulder. ¡°We¡¯re¡­ if not friends, at least trusted confidantes. We did just save his city, after all.¡±


    ¡°A good point,¡± Richard said. His shoulders drooped, and he gave me a wry smile. ¡°Very well, then. I suppose I¡¯ll accompany you a while longer.¡±


    <hr>


    I idled around while the others got changed¡ªI¡¯d learned to be comfortable in my armor at all times. Even while sleeping. That was a compromise I¡¯d have to live with, probably for the rest of my life, but human adaptability always managed to surprise you. I barely even noticed, these days. The rush of power and vitality more than made up for the downside.


    I brought up my Status Screen while I awaited, skimming over the slew of notifications I¡¯d received in the dungeon.


    Divergence - 0. I could feel it. What it was, I couldn¡¯t describe. It wasn¡¯t Dominion or Vigor or Grace, or any of the other stats. I¡¯d more or less internalized what each one of those did by now.


    No, this was something else. I felt¡­ more. Like my whole existence was heavier in some unquantifiable way.


    It wasn¡¯t a level or a rank, and yet, it made me giddier with excitement than any number could.


    I brought up the Spatial Inventory rank up notification I¡¯d minimized while talking to Cosmo on the catamaran.


    Congratulations! Your Rank-Up has upgraded your [Spatial Inventory].


    Ability [Aim] has evolved into [Launch].


    Living weapons may now be stored inside the Spatial Inventory. NOTE: Significant trauma may occur if organisms are stored for extended periods of time.


    [Launch]: Aim and fire objects from your Spatial Inventory. Speed is inversely proportional to mass. Launched objects cannot be intercepted or stopped until they have fully exited the Spatial Inventory.


    Please choose upgrade path:


    Current size: 4 ft x 2 ft x 2 ft. Weight Capacity: 20 lbs.


    <ul>


    <li>4 ft x 4 ft x 4 ft. Weight Capacity: 176 lbs. </li>


    </ul>


    <ul>


    <li>16 ft x 2 ft x 2 ft. Weight Capacity: 176 lbs.</li>


    </ul>


    The System had never allowed me to influence my Inventory¡¯s progression path before. Was this a trait of higher ranks? If so, I looked forward to getting there. The ability to shape my progression was one thing my Blessing sorely lacked¡­ Until now.


    Between this and the [Sets] ability I¡¯d gained from Cosmo? [Initializer] had suddenly ballooned in both power and flexibility.


    Ignoring the choice for now, I re-read the other upgrades. I could store living weapons inside the inventory now!?


    Thanks to that weight budget, all sorts of strategies came to mind, but one in particular stood out.


    Was it bad that stuffing Aerion into my inventory was the first thing that jumped into my head?


    From launching surprise attacks to storing her in there when she fell unconscious, the possibilities were near-endless. Not to mention I could even launch her out. That, with [Reave], and her Aurora¡ªwhich I could now initialize¡ªwould make for an absolutely devastating combo.


    The [Launch] ability on its own would prove supremely valuable. I¡¯d already abused my inventory¡¯s ability to bring out objects, but now that I could fire them at speed?


    I imagined spears hurtling from my inventory on a horde of goblins. I imagined delivering bombs straight into the face of an enemy commander. I imagined¡­


    In the distance, I heard someone cackle. It was only seconds later, when Aerion peeked her head out of her room and scowled that I realized it was me.


    Coughing awkwardly, I shut my mouth.


    Oh, what glorious strategies awaited us.


    That said, I now had an important decision to make. Depth? Or height?


    Choosing depth would finally allow me to store my poleax and other long weapons instead of lugging it around¡ªsomething that had plagued me ever since I obtained the weapon. It would also allow me to store plenty of spears and other long weapons.


    At least the weight restriction wouldn¡¯t be an issue. Aerion was shockingly light. Easily light enough to come under half of that 176 lb limit. How she generated such power with such a light frame was beyond me, but the Dominion stat paid no heed to mundane considerations like the laws of physics.


    Size, though? That was another story. As petite as my elf friend was, I didn¡¯t feel like I could contort her into a 2 ft x 2 ft space. Not without her activating [Reave] on me the instant she got out, anyway.


    Now, that was a thought¡ªget Aerion so pissed she went full berserker on whoever I unleashed her on¡­


    I chuckled. I didn¡¯t have a death wish. Nor would I ever treat any friend of mine with such disrespect... and then I realized she could just stand up in there quite comfortably.


    That could actually work, if not for my other wish¡ªto stick a forge in there.


    4 ft x 4 ft, though? That was plenty for a small forge, and for Aerion it''d be¡­ if not comfortable, at least tolerable. Assuming she was even conscious within that space. That line about extended-duration trauma concerned me. Why would anyone inside experience any trauma when time was stopped? To them, a day ought to pass in an instant. Right? And what did the System consider extended?


    There was much to test, and I only wished I could stay cooped up in our penthouse and experiment all day.


    I made my selection. The poleax would have to wait, for now.


    Spatial Inventory upgraded. Inventory Size: 4 ft x 4 ft x 4 ft. Weight Capacity: 176 lbs.


    For now, however, we had a meeting to attend. Richard emerged first, followed by Aerion.


    ¡°Bollocks!¡± Richard said, recoiling as Aerion emerged from her room, earning him a giggle from the elf. ¡°Darn near didn¡¯t recognize you, mate!¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s the intent,¡± Aerion said, wearing a wry smile.


    ¡°Aerion has uh¡­ reasons for hiding her appearance in public,¡± I said, feeling weirdly down about seeing her like this. My mind flicked back to her evening wear, in which she looked so elegant, and for only the briefest of instants, the image of a certain toned elf wearing a coconut bikini and a leafy skirt flashed into my head.


    No! Bad Greg! I purged that scandalous scene from my mind, feeling embarrassed for ever having recalled it.


    Damn you, Cosmo¡­ It was all his fault.


    I swore then and there. The next time I saw him, I was gonna land a sucker punch on his face.


    ¡°Greg? Are you well?¡± Aerion asked, peering up at me. She¡¯d walked over at some point, but I hadn¡¯t noticed. I¡¯d been a little preoccupied, after all.


    ¡°Nothing!¡± I said, a little too fast. Aerion didn¡¯t notice, but Richard certainly did, giving me a quizzical look.


    ¡°Let¡¯s go,¡± I said, turning on my heel and storming out the door.

 Soulweaver 115: Noble Ventures

    ¡°And I¡¯m telling you, Vikings liked to fight with guile and subterfuge!¡± Richard said, as we walked down Basecrest¡¯s busy streets. It felt like the revelry never ended, with happy drunks stumbling around on every road and boisterous laughter from every door. It felt great. Almost great enough to make me forget my hangover.


    ¡°Well, maybe Eskil¡¯s different,¡± I said, thinking to all the times the brute used his raw power to overcome enemies. Even as I said the words, though, I began to doubt them.


    ¡°I wouldn¡¯t be so sure about that, Greg,¡± Richard said. ¡°Notice how he always fought defensively? Not a single wound on that bloke. Not one! That simply does not happen when fighting an army, no matter how strong you are.¡±


    ¡°He baited his enemies,¡± I said. ¡°Corralled them, reduced their numerical advantage.¡±


    ¡°More than that, mate. I even saw him making traps. Pitfalls he lured those ice soldiers into. He¡¯s smarter than he looks. If I¡¯m right, much smarter.¡±


    ¡°Then why did he never once use his Blessing?¡±


    Richard frowned. ¡°What do you mean?¡±


    ¡°He said it himself, didn¡¯t he? He¡¯s a Berserker. Which means he¡¯s got something similar to Aerion. Did you ever see him go on a rampage?¡±


    ¡°Now that you mention it¡­¡± Richard trailed off.


    ¡°He didn¡¯t want to lose control.¡± The voice came from Aerion, and was barely audible above the din of traffic. ¡°Losing control would rob him of his ability to think.¡±


    ¡°Still,¡± I said. ¡°Can you even imagine how strong he¡¯d be in such a state?¡±


    ¡°Except, he doesn¡¯t have you to catch him when he falls,¡± Richard said. ¡°You two make a good team. I¡¯d wager anyone with such powers needs a partner. As strong as Eskil is, he¡¯s dead meat if he nods off in the middle of a scrap, yeah?¡±


    ¡°So, knowing that, he chose not to unleash his full potential,¡± I said, speaking my thoughts aloud. ¡°If that''s really true, then, well... He¡¯s a good deal smarter than I thought.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s what I¡¯m saying! Almost makes me wonder if the bravado¡¯s just a facade.¡±


    I shuddered. ¡°Let¡¯s hope not. Because if it is, and he really is that capable, he¡¯s far more terrifying than I''m comfortable with him being.¡±


    ¡°Amen,¡± Richard said, making the cross with his hand.


    ¡°What¡¯s that?¡± Aerion asked.


    ¡°Oh, just a religious thing,¡± Richard said awkwardly.


    ¡°I¡¯ve never heard of Passion requiring such a ritual,¡± Aerion said. ¡°Only Cunning has anything like that, to my knowledge.¡±


    ¡°He means back on Earth, Aerion,¡± I said. ¡°It¡¯s from an Earth religion.¡±


    Aerion¡¯s eyes widened, and I could almost feel Richard prepare for another speech about Earth customs¡­ But before he could, we arrived at Sinclair¡¯s castle¡­


    <hr>


    ¡°Ah, yes! You¡¯ve been expected,¡± an armored guard said, greeting us as we approached the main gate. ¡°The Lord Baron has been anxiously awaiting your arrival. Though, I was to expect only two of you. May I inquire who this person is?¡±


    ¡°A trusted friend,¡± I said. ¡°Sinclair will want to speak to him as well.¡±


    ¡°And you vouch for this man?¡±


    Both Aerion and I nodded. ¡°With our lives.¡±


    I thought I heard a mate! from Richard behind me, but I didn¡¯t say that just to impress the guard. It was the truth, after all.


    ¡°Very well, then,¡± the guard said. ¡°This way, please!¡±


    Rather than guiding us through the tall central hall to the audience chamber, the guard took a left, bringing us through a beautiful courtyard filled with exotic vegetation of all sorts¡ªmost of which were alien and different from any found back on Earth.


    Richard and I tried not to stare as we passed.


    After a few more hallways and turns, we ended up in a part of the castle compound I¡¯d never been to.


    ¡°Baron Sinclair¡¯s private residence,¡± our guard said as we approached. ¡°Finest in the city.¡±


    ¡°Best protected, too,¡± I said. In addition to the castle walls, we¡¯d passed through another set of inner walls to get here. ¡°Guess he¡¯s the most important man in the city, after all.¡±


    The guard led us to a great set of double doors, knocked twice, and stood aside.


    A maid opened the door, curtsied, and took over, leading us into the residence proper.


    Tasteful, was my first impression. Followed immediately by subtle. There was no gold and silver here. No garish colors or opulent displays of wealth. But the rugs and furniture that was present was all well-made, sleek, and complimented the rooms and halls well.


    Stolen content warning: this tale belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences elsewhere.


    Judging by their expressions, Aerion and Richard held similar opinions.


    We went up two flights of stairs to find Baron Sinclair gazing out at the city from his solarium¡ªa room with a wall made entirely of glass squares set into a metal frame, which curved up to form the ceiling.


    The elevated location gave the room a sweeping view of the rather impressive city, with the jet-black inverted pyramid of Dominion¡¯s Trial dominating the vista.


    ¡°Milord,¡± the maid said. ¡°Greg and Aerion have arrived.¡±


    ¡°Well met! Welcome, all of you!¡± Sinclair said, approaching us and giving both Aerion and me hugs. ¡°I admit I may have jumped with joy when I heard the news. To think you two are to thank for our city¡¯s salvation¡­ Again.¡±


    ¡°Well,¡± I said, glancing at Richard. ¡°Not just us. We had the help of two Champions as well. This is Richard, by the way. A dear friend of ours.¡±


    ¡°A pleasure,¡± Sinclair said, grasping Richard¡¯s forearm. ¡°Any friend of Greg and Aerion is a friend of mine.¡±


    ¡°Pleased to hear it,¡± Richard said with a smile.


    ¡°Now, while you undoubtedly had help, you must surely have played a key role, yes?¡±


    ¡°How would you know?¡± I asked.


    ¡°Well, for one¡­ Do you know how the dungeon fell?¡±


    My eyes narrowed. ¡°And if we do?¡±


    Sinclair¡¯s eyes brightened. ¡°I knew it! You were there, weren¡¯t you! You helped bring down the core. Please, sit. You must tell me everything! May I get you some tea? Or food, perhaps?¡±


    I smiled at the overeager Baron. He was like a child, with all of his questions.


    ¡°Maybe some tea,¡± I said, glancing at Aerion. ¡°And I hope you have a few hours, because this is going to be a long story.¡±


    Sinclair beamed. ¡°Believe me, Greg. There is nowhere I would rather be.¡±


    <hr>


    I spent the next while telling Sinclair about our exploits, from the ambush in the forest¡ªwhich Sinclair knew about, thanks to the guards we ended up sending back¡ªto the details of the dungeon, our meeting Passion¡¯s Champion, and all the shenanigans that ensued. To avoid Sinclair getting suspicious about my identity, I just said I was a Boonworthy. That was the story most people around town believed, anyway, so I rolled with it.


    Other than Rocky, and the fact that said Champion was sitting in front of Sinclair at that very moment, I left almost nothing out.


    ¡°Incredible,¡± Sinclair said, leaning back in his chair as he ran his fingers through his hair. ¡°It would seem this city owes you a great debt, then. Not only for identifying that our squads were being attacked, not only for braving the dangers of the dungeon on your own, but for working with the Champions to destroy the core¡­¡±


    ¡°Just doing what we can,¡± I said, neither denying our contributions nor playing them up. There was no need to; our feats stood on their own.


    ¡°I must arrange for a suitable reward. What would you like?¡± Sinclair asked. ¡°Alas, were I a Viscount or higher¡­ I could¡¯ve granted you both titles of nobility. As it stands, the best I can do is put in a recommendation with the capital. I shall travel there personally to argue your case.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯d do that?¡± I asked, raising an eyebrow. As surprised as I was, Aerion looked downright stricken. While I didn¡¯t know exactly what a nobility title did, I had a few guesses.


    ¡°For the saviors of our city? Of course, I would!¡± Sinclair said, looking at me like I¡¯d asked the most ridiculous question in the world.


    ¡°Well, er, that would be an honor, sir,¡± I said, not sure quite how to react. Luckily, Aerion swooped in and saved the day.


    ¡°While we are humbled by your offer, and while we did not delve this dungeon out of purely selfish reasons, we¡¯d certainly appreciate more immediate benefits, that we might be better able to continue the fight against the Cataclysm monsters. That fewer innocents might perish to those vile forces.¡±


    ¡°Well said, Aerion,¡± Sinclair replied, and I had to agree. She really had a knack for bargaining. Which, of course, only made me want to learn about her history even more, but there¡¯d be time for that. Aerion promised she¡¯d say, and I had no doubt she would. I just had to let her find the right time.


    ¡°Let it be known that the City of Basecrest honors its saviors. As I promised before you set out, you may take your pick of the armory. Any weapon or armor, no matter the value. Take as much as you¡¯re able to carry on your person.¡±


    A generous offer. I wondered if spatial inventories counted toward that limit.


    ¡°Furthermore!¡± Sinclair said, holding up a hand when Aerion was about to speak. ¡°You will both receive a sum of two thousand gold for your contributions. Each. Enough to live comfortably for the rest of your days¡­ Or to buy one or two mansions in the nicest part of the city, should you wish.¡±


    ¡°That is¡­ quite generous of you,¡± Aerion said. ¡°We gladly acce¡ª¡±


    ¡°I would wait until you¡¯ve heard all I have to say before accepting,¡± Sinclair said, a twinkle in his eye.


    Of course¡­ This was Sinclair. While I respected the man, he was as sly as they came.


    Aerion¡¯s eyes narrowed. ¡°That¡¯s hardly fair, don¡¯t you think?¡± she said. ¡°You withheld part of our payment for assisting with the Tarquin affair, getting us to agree to delve the dungeon to obtain our full reward. Now, you seek to do the same? After we saved the city?¡±


    While not rude, Aerion¡¯s tone had an edge to it. It was the most angry I¡¯d seen her get, and to be honest, I felt the same. I¡¯d always felt like Sinclair won that round of bargaining, back when we¡¯d spilled the beans on Tarquin. At the time, we¡¯d both felt like we didn¡¯t have the sort of bargaining power to argue with a Baron. But now?


    ¡°Will you at least hear my condition?¡± Sinclair said, his palms open.


    ¡°We¡¯re listening.¡±


    ¡°Well, I understand you two disdain pomp and fanfare, but I¡¯m afraid I can only grant you your award if you agree to appear in public. Basecrest has suffered much, and lost a great deal. It needs its heroes. It needs someone to shine light upon the nightmare that has ravaged us. May I ask this of you?¡±


    ¡°Oh¡­¡± I said, suddenly feeling very embarrassed. I exchanged glances with Aerion, who¡¯s ears had turned red. ¡°Er, of course. We¡¯d be happy to¡­¡±


    Sinclair, on the other hand, was grinning from ear to ear. As was Richard.


    ¡°Well,¡± the Baron said, clasping his fingers in obvious glee at his practical joke, ¡°Now that that¡¯s done, allow me to introduce someone.¡±


    A tall, slender elf man wearing elegant fabric armor entered the room and nodded his head at the Baron, then at us in turn.


    ¡°Elwend is a messenger, from the capital. He has a proposal for you¡­ Considering your penchant for travel, I believe you will be most interested in hearing it.¡±

 Soulweaver 116: Crouching Reaver, Hidden Aerion

    ¡°Quite a character, that one,¡± Richard said, munching on some potato crisps we¡¯d had delivered to our door. One of the perks of renting the penthouse suite¡ª24/7 concierge. Didn¡¯t even have to pay for room service.


    ¡°Certainly is,¡± I said, kicking my legs up on an empty chair and clasping my hands behind my head. The elf had been quite persuasive¡­ Probably because his plea came across as genuine to the core.


    Aerion, Richard, and I were currently relaxing around a reed table on our balcony that overlooked the street below. While it wasn¡¯t quite the epic view Sinclair had from his solarium, I couldn¡¯t complain. Sounds of the city drifted up to us, but not so much that we couldn¡¯t hold a conversation. It made for a nice ambiance, and the shade above our heads protected us from the hot, muggy sun.


    ¡°So? What shall we do?¡± Aerion asked, delicately placing a crisp into her mouth.


    I leaned back in my chair and stared up at the clear blue sky. ¡°We just got out of a life-and-death struggle¡­ I¡¯d be lying if I said I wanted to dive into another dangerous scenario. That said, we¡¯ve got a duty to end the Cataclysms, and as we¡¯ve learned firsthand, sparring and friendly training only gets us so far. If we want to survive¡­ If we want to save lives, we need to get as strong as we can as fast as we can.¡±


    Aerion nodded gravely.


    ¡°Looking at it that way, we¡¯ve got no reason to refuse, yeah? Besides, we¡¯ve still got a week to relax,¡± I said, popping a crisp into my own mouth. It wasn¡¯t quite as good as the potato chips on Earth, but it was close enough that it satiated that itch, so to speak. ¡°Only question is¡­ What¡¯s Richard going to do?¡±


    ¡°Your words ring true, Greg,¡± Richard said. ¡°Even so, I doubt subjugating a band of rogue elves hiding out in some forest is what Passion has in store for me. As much as I love your company, I¡¯m afraid I¡¯ll have to bow out.¡±


    ¡°Figured you¡¯d say that,¡± I replied, unconcerned. Richard had very few reasons for joining us on this mission. ¡°Still, we¡¯ll be traveling northeast from Basecrest. Same direction you¡¯re headed if you want to get back to Passion¡¯s territory.¡±


    Richard¡¯s normally jovial expression fell, and he glared at me. ¡°You¡¯re not suggesting what I think you¡¯re suggesting, are you?¡±


    I respected the gravity of the situation by sitting up, my back ramrod straight, and leveled his gaze with one of my own. ¡°I am.¡±


    ¡°Well, then,¡± Richard said, his tone as cold as ice.


    ¡°I don¡¯t understand,¡± Aerion said, standing up in panic. ¡°What¡¯s the matter?¡±


    ¡°Well, then,¡± I echoed, ignoring the panicking Reaver.


    ¡°I guess I¡¯ll be traveling with you awhile yet, friend!¡± Richard said, moving toward me and clapping my shoulder.


    ¡°Guess so!¡± I replied, beaming.


    We broke out laughing at the same time, which left Aerion crossing her arms and staring daggers at us.


    ¡°Why the long face, Aerion?¡± Richard asked in between fits of laughter.


    ¡°I swear,¡± she grumbled. ¡°One of you was bad enough. What have I done to deserve this!¡±


    To everyone¡¯s surprise, Richard moved over and gave the diminutive elf a brief hug. ¡°Thank you, Aerion, for all you do. Truly. It¡¯s not fair to you that we behave this way, and for that I am deeply sorry.¡±


    ¡°No! It¡¯s fine! I¡¯m glad!¡± Aerion squeaked, her voice muffled by Richard¡¯s chest. Her ears had turned bright red, and though I couldn¡¯t see the rest of her face, I was sure it matched.


    ¡°To the Sylvanglade, then!¡± I said, raising a potato crisp. ¡°Though, I suppose it won¡¯t exactly be a field trip if we take Sinclair up on his protection detail offer.¡±


    ¡°Must we?¡± Richard groaned, finally releasing Aerion from her agony. ¡°Coin¡¯s of no concern to any of us, yeah? Not like we need employment.¡±


    ¡°Well, if these elves are preying upon caravans, guarding them would make it easy for Aerion and I to find them,¡± I said, scratching my cheek. ¡°Plus, I¡¯d feel bad if they were attacked and killed.¡±


    Richard let out a breath. ¡°Well then, that¡¯s that. If you lot are going, I s¡¯pose the matter¡¯s settled. I¡¯ll tag along until you¡¯ve neared the forest. When did the good baron say the caravan¡¯s due to leave?¡±


    ¡°A week from today,¡± I said. ¡°Which is good, because we need to make that appearance the Baron was talking about. And, I don¡¯t know about you, but I need some time to get my things in order.¡±


    And to say ¡®hi¡¯ and ¡®bye¡¯ to a few friends, I didn¡¯t add. I owed it to Philip to at least pop my face in and tell them I was alive. As for Rogar¡­ he wasn¡¯t the sort of guy you just ghosted without expecting retaliation. I¡¯d rather not sow bad karma right now.


    ¡°Right, s¡¯ppose you do,¡± Richard said. ¡°Not to mention raiding the baron¡¯s armory.¡±


    ¡°You sure you don¡¯t want to come with?¡± I asked. ¡°Not too late to tell the Baron who you are.¡±


    ¡°After the bugger strong-armed you lot into making a public appearance? I think not! Besides, Passion¡¯s got all the weapons and armor I could ever want. Not like I¡¯ve much use for swords, anyway, with my power.¡±


    ¡°Good point,¡± I said, cringing at the thought of being put on display like Eskil. Judging from how Aerion looked like she¡¯d just drank sour milk, I was sure she was thinking the same.


    And then there was the matter of all my recent windfalls. Aerion and I still had to ¡®raid¡¯ the Baron¡¯s armory, as Richard put it, and I still hadn¡¯t turned my Basecrest armor into a [Set].


    Not to mention all the other stuff, like Initializing whatever I got in the armory, Initializing Aerion¡¯s Aurora, her Soulkeeper, and, if I had enough spare Essence after all that, Rocky.


    ¡°Well, friend,¡± I said, standing up. ¡°Seems like there¡¯s lots to be done, and precious little time to do it. Aerion and I are scheduled to enter Sinclair¡¯s vault later today, and we¡¯re supposed to appear for the procession later this week, which doesn¡¯t leave all that much time to get this stuff done. I suggest we hop to it.¡±


    <hr>


    First up on our agenda was clearing out my Spatial Inventory and reconfiguring it for the journey ahead. And since Richard had left to go run some errands of his own¡ªsomething about getting his clothing repaired¡ªwe had the whole penthouse to ourselves.


    Which of course meant the large living area was now littered with ration bars, waterskins, and all sorts of odds and ends I thought I¡¯d need in the dungeon, but didn¡¯t end up using. Blankets, spare clothes, socks, underwear, and much more.


    ¡°I¡¯ll be honest,¡± Aerion said. ¡°We won¡¯t need nearly as much food as we have here.¡±


    A case of theft: this story is not rightfully on Amazon; if you spot it, report the violation.


    ¡°Sure, but my spatial inventory just got some upgrades. I can fit it all without much trouble. I could even fit you,¡± I said, glancing sidelong at my elf friend.


    Aerion turned to me and frowned. ¡°What do you mean? What¡¯s with that look?¡±


    ¡°What look?¡±


    ¡°The one that says you¡¯re about to do something I won¡¯t like!¡±


    I felt a smirk come onto my face. ¡°Well, you¡¯re not wrong¡­ As I said, my inventory just got upgraded. I can fit more stuff now¡­ But I can also fit living, er¡­ beings.¡± I said, not wanting to call Aerion a weapon. ¡°Living beings I¡¯ve Initialized.¡±


    Aerion¡¯s brow shot up. ¡°And why, pray tell, would you ever wish to do such a thing?¡±


    ¡°Uh, you kidding?¡± I asked, genuinely unsure if she was messing with me.


    ¡°No?¡± Aerion said. ¡°Why would you think that?¡±


    ¡°Because the applications are endless,¡± I said. ¡°Just imagine popping out on an unsuspecting enemy, [Reave] activated. They wouldn¡¯t stand a chance! You want to talk about the element of surprise? Well, it doesn¡¯t get better than this.¡±


    Comprehension dawned upon Aerion, and her eyes widened. ¡°Or, you could put me in there when I pass out!¡±


    ¡°Exactly!¡± I said, getting excited. Her vulnerability had always been Aerion¡¯s biggest concern with [Reave]. Now, we had a solution. ¡°Or hell, if we practice it and we happen to be close, you might even be able to dodge incoming attacks by slipping in and out of that space. I dunno¡­ We¡¯ll have to test it.¡±


    ¡°Well?¡± Aerion said, grabbing my hands with an excited grin. ¡°What are we waiting for?¡±


    <hr>


    ¡°Okay, before we give this a whirl, there¡¯s something you need to know, first,¡± I said, broaching the one part of all of this that could bring everything crashing down.


    ¡°Yes?¡± Aerion asked, looking up at me.


    ¡°Well, why don¡¯t you read the description yourself?¡±


    I waited as Aerion pulled up my status screen and skimmed over the text.


    Spatial Inventory


    An inventory you can store stuff in and pull stuff out of. Might even keep perishables fresh! Good for storing weapons, armor, and maybe even little people. Size: 4ft x 4ft x 4ft. 176 lb Weight Capacity.


    Living weapons may now be stored inside the Spatial Inventory. NOTE: Significant trauma may occur if organisms are stored for extended periods of time.


    [Launch]: Aim and fire objects from your Spatial Inventory at moderate speeds. Launched objects cannot be intercepted or stopped until they have fully exited the Spatial Inventory.


    Aerion¡¯s eyes froze exactly where I thought they would. ¡°What does this mean?¡± she asked, voice wavering slightly.


    ¡°I honestly don¡¯t know,¡± I said, pursing my lips. ¡°I don¡¯t know how long this trauma takes to manifest, or what it¡¯ll feel like. If you want to back out, just say the word. If I could stick myself in my inventory, I would, but I already tried that and I can¡¯t.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll do it,¡± Aerion said, almost before I¡¯d finished speaking.


    ¡°Er, don¡¯t you want to think about this?¡± I asked.


    ¡°This will keep me safe in fights,¡± she said without a trace of fear or doubt. ¡°And it will better allow us to destroy Cataclysm forces.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s all true, but¡­ Well, there¡¯s no changing your mind once you decide on something, so I won¡¯t try. But you need to promise me you¡¯ll tell me, in detail, what it¡¯s like. And when it gets too much. I¡¯ll only let you in if you do.¡±


    Aerion nodded. ¡°I promise.¡±


    ¡°Okay, then¡­ Here goes¡­¡±


    I touched her shoulder and thought about sending her into the inventory space.


    ERROR: Object does not fit in Spatial Inventory. Size: 4ft x 4ft x 4ft.


    ¡°Well, I should¡¯ve expected that,¡± I muttered.


    ¡°What¡¯s the matter?¡± Aerion asked, seeing my frown.


    ¡°It says you¡¯re too large. The space is a 4 ft cube, and you¡¯re a bit taller than that.¡±


    ¡°Shall I sit, then?¡±


    ¡°Worth a shot.¡±


    Aerion sat on the ground and brought her knees up to her chest, hugging them. ¡°Will this work?¡±


    ¡°We¡¯re about to find out,¡± I said, kneeling next to her and touching her shoulder. I thought about placing her in my inventory, and this time, something happened.


    A 4 ft square of infinite blackness appeared and swallowed Aerion in the course of a few seconds. Then it disappeared, taking her with it.


    Opening my Status Screen, I brought up my inventory. Sure enough, Weapon:[Aerion] (Uncommon Soul) showed up alongside all my other stuff.


    I wasted no time and summoned Aerion back out. Just like my weapons and gear, she appeared over the course of a second or two. Her left side appeared first, followed by the rest of her, as still as a statue.


    A knot formed in my stomach. Was she alright? Was she stricken by fear? Or pain?


    It was only when she was fully materialized that her body unfroze and she heaved in a deep breath.


    ¡°Aerion! You okay?¡±


    Still holding her knees, she whipped her neck and looked up at me. ¡°We need to talk.¡±


    <hr>


    ¡°Okay, so let me make sure I have this straight,¡± I said, sitting across from a slightly-spooked Aerion on the floor. ¡°You can¡¯t move your body even an inch in there. Which means you can¡¯t breathe, either.¡±


    ¡°Correct.¡±


    ¡°But you don¡¯t suffocate, because time¡¯s frozen inside.¡±


    ¡°Yes. At least, it seemed that way.¡±


    ¡°But you are conscious?¡±


    ¡°No¡­ Well, somewhat. ¡®Tis the most bizarre sensation I have ever experienced, Greg,¡± Aerion said, pursing her lips. ¡°When inside, my thoughts cease. I cannot think or breathe or move.¡±


    ¡°But you do experience the passage of time¡­¡± I said, growing more confused by the second.


    ¡°Yes. I retain enough awareness to know that time has passed.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll admit, that makes very little sense to me,¡± I said, leaning back. I staring up at the ceiling as I tried to puzzle this out. ¡°I¡¯d have expected time to pass by in an instant. Kinda like how it is when you¡¯re asleep. But this?¡±


    ¡°It is a most unusual sensation¡­¡± Aerion said. ¡°I believe this might be the trauma the message was referring to.¡±


    ¡°Yeah, no kidding,¡± I said, trying to imagine what it was like. ¡°Okay, I guess that cans that experiment. I¡¯m truly sorry, Aerion. I won¡¯t ever subject you to that again.¡±


    Aerion frowned, giving me a confused look. ¡°Whatever do you mean?¡±


    ¡°Uh, isn¡¯t that what you want?¡± I asked, now equally confused.


    ¡°Why would you think that?¡± she said. ¡°I said it was uncomfortable, but it doesn¡¯t hurt. I am not physically injured.¡±


    ¡°No, but mentally¡­¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t misunderstand,¡± she said. ¡°I would not wish to be kept in there for days on end. A few minutes, though? Perhaps even an hour? That I can manage.¡±


    I gave Aerion a long, hard look. ¡°I don¡¯t like this,¡± I said.


    ¡°As you said, ¡®tis too valuable not to explore,¡± Aerion replied. ¡°Besides, I doubt I¡¯ll experience any of this whilst unconscious. I imagine I won¡¯t even be aware of it.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s¡­ probably true,¡± I said, thinking it over. ¡°You sure this is what you want?¡±


    ¡°Yes. At least, I would like to experiment with it a bit more.¡±


    ¡°Okay,¡± I said. ¡°But we go slow and cautious, yeah?¡±


    Aerion smiled. ¡°Of course. And Greg?¡±


    ¡°Yeah?¡±


    ¡°Thank you. For your concern. It¡­ means a great deal to me that you would feel that way.¡±


    ¡°Come on, Aerion. It¡¯s what any friend would do,¡± I said, shaking my head. I was never much for pity, but it was hard not to feel bad for her.


    Whatever childhood she¡¯d lived, it clearly hadn¡¯t been healthy or easy. I couldn¡¯t even begin to guess at what all she must have experienced.


    If only she had more friends¡ªreal friends, not contacts or acquaintances¡ªshe¡¯d know that. But she never had. Not until now, anyway. I really hoped that would change in the future. Aerion deserved better.


    I ruffled her hair and tried my best to smile.


    ¡°Now, c¡¯mon. If you¡¯re up for it, how about we try out this [Launch] ability?¡±


    I¡¯d always wanted to see a human cannon in action. Or, I guess it¡¯d be an elf cannon in this case, wouldn¡¯t it?

 Soulweaver 117: Elf Cannon

    [Elf Cannon] betrayed expectations.


    I thought Aerion would shoot out of my inventory, ready to rain death upon whichever unsuspecting foe happened to be in her path.


    I failed to account for two factors, however. One was the sheer force of Aerion¡¯s momentum. Even as light as she was, she was a hell of a lot heavier than the swords I¡¯d ejected until now.


    That, and the fact that my inventory retrievals were impossible to halt partway, resulted in more power than I would have imagined.


    [Launch] amplified that, turning what would have been an already deadly combination into something truly horrific.


    Aerion didn¡¯t just jump out. She rocketed, sending me sailing through the air before tumbling to a stop at the very end of our penthouse¡¯s balcony, pulverizing the table that had the misfortune of being in my way.


    The table¡­ And the potato crisps.


    I got to my feet, coughing and sputtering, and thanking my Vigor stat for keeping my neck from breaking.


    ¡°Well, that was¡­ interesting,¡± I said, gazing forlornly at the crisps as I dusted myself off. After so long on tasteless rations, it felt like a crime to waste proper junk food.


    ¡°Indeed,¡± Aerion said, rubbing her head.


    I realized I¡¯d allowed my excitement to get the better of me. ¡°Sorry! How, uh, how¡¯d it feel?¡±


    ¡°Just as you¡¯d expect bonking your head to,¡± Aerion said with a smirk.


    I rolled my eyes. ¡°You know what I mean.¡±


    ¡°Not as bad, now that I know what to expect.¡±


    ¡°Great news,¡± I said. ¡°Now we can practice lengthening the duration, if you¡¯d like. The longer you can manage staying in there, the more tactics and strategies open up for us.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t mind,¡± Aerion said, glancing at the destroyed table distractedly. ¡°And, er, my apologies. I¡¯d not meant to ram into you.¡±


    ¡°Oh no, that was my bad,¡± I said, scratching my neck. ¡°Or rather, it was intentional. I wasn¡¯t sure how far you¡¯d fly when I activated [Launch], so I figured I¡¯d aim you to fire at me. Figured it¡¯d be a good way to gauge the destructive potential, too.¡±


    ¡°And you never thought to test [Launch] on some mundane item before using it on me?¡± Aerion asked with a raised eyebrow.


    I blinked. That was a good point. I¡¯d gotten so excited, I completely forgot to test it on a sword or something.


    Witnessing my expression, Aerion giggled. ¡°Well?¡± she asked. ¡°Satisfied?¡±


    ¡°You kidding?¡± I replied with a grin. ¡°That was far beyond anything I ever expected. If you activated [Reave] upon exiting? Or better yet, right before you entered so you¡¯d have it active when you emerged? It¡¯ll be death for anyone unfortunate enough to be on the other end.¡±


    After her rank up to Emergence, [Reave] now boosted Aerion¡¯ Dominion stat by a whopping 120 points on top of her base 63, making for a total of 183.


    It was a poor strategy against hordes of monsters, but against powerful commanders and dungeon bosses?


    Those Ice Commanders wouldn¡¯t have stood a chance. Cyrus might have survived, but that guy was cheating. One thing was for sure. If I could¡¯ve kept Aerion in there, our harrowing plan to take out the core might have been a lot easier.


    Not to mention the slew of other applications, like launching Aerion over chasms or hard to reach places. If she carried rope, she could be my own very bridging vehicle.


    I sniggered, which caused the sharp elf to narrow her eyes.


    ¡°You¡¯re thinking something vile again, aren¡¯t you?¡±


    ¡°My thoughts are as pure as the driven snow,¡± I lied, feeling pretty smug.


    ¡°Has anyone told you you¡¯re a terrible liar?¡± Aerion asked.


    I sighed. ¡°All the time.¡±


    Now that we knew this system was viable, I had Aerion go back inside to test the limit of what she was willing to put up with. It was unfortunate that she couldn¡¯t signal me from within the inventory, so we agreed on a duration beforehand, followed by a break so that she could recover.


    That left me with some downtime, and after we started a ten-minute test, I walked over to my bed and lay down, pulling up my status screen. Specifically, the ability description of my newfound power.


    Armor Sets


    Combine five unique armor pieces into a Set. Sets consume as much Essence as the item with the highest Essence cost.


    Choose any one ability of any piece in the set. This ability retains its current level, and will now apply to the entire set. All other abilities will be lost. Stats of the constituent pieces will be reclaimed in one of two ways:


    Option 1) All stats remain as-is, with no change.


    Option 2) Allocate 70% of the total stats of the set to any attributes as you choose, while the remaining 30% will be permanently lost.


    Pieces must be of similar quality and construction to be turned into a Set.


    Sets available: 1


    I looked over my Basecrest City Guard armor, agonizing over my decision. I¡¯d thought about it on and off ever since selecting the option, but I felt like I was no closer to choosing. Both which option to take, and which ability to apply to the full set. I thought about the armor I might grab in Sinclair¡¯s vault, Initializing each piece in hopes of gaining some kickass new ability.


    But not only would that hog all of my spare Essence, if it didn¡¯t pan out, I¡¯d be left having to destroy that priceless armor. Not to mention I¡¯d pick up [Epic] gear if I could, and I wouldn¡¯t be able to Initialize that for some time. The thought of raiding the armor stores in town crossed my mind, but that ran the same risk of wasted Essence, money, and time.


    No, I was sure I¡¯d be allowed to create more sets in the near future. The half-rank upgrade was usually related to the rank up ability, so I didn¡¯t worry. What I needed was power, and I needed it now.


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    The abilities my various pieces currently boasted were my Gauntlets¡¯ [Snap], at F - 6, which enhanced my speed, and [Hidden Dragon], on my Cuirass, at F - 3, which was supposed to make it harder to detect.


    Taking [Hidden Dragon] to its logical conclusion, it would grant me Invisibility when fully leveled. That might sound like a no-brainer, but it wasn¡¯t that simple. All of my Basecrest armor pieces were only [Uncommon], which meant both of those abilities would cap at E - 10, the maximum level in the Emergence tier.


    Which meant I really couldn¡¯t say whether [Hidden Dragon] would attain true invisibility, or just make me slightly harder to see. The former was absolutely lethal. The latter¡­ merely somewhat nice to have.


    It was why I didn¡¯t even consider incorporating my old [Stainless Steel Gauntlets] into my Set. Even if the System considered them similar enough, their [Common] [Minor Heat Resist] ability just wasn¡¯t worth considering.


    [Snap], while far less exciting than invisibility, was useful at any level. Especially now that it would apply to my entire body. Superhuman speed would make me much more lethal than I currently was.


    Especially if I min-maxed my stats. Because right now, they were spread out all over the place, with neither rhyme nor reason. Hell, between my helmet¡¯s 14 points in Order and my Gauntlet¡¯s 26, I had 40 points for an ability I still didn¡¯t quite understand, and currently had little use for.


    As if that weren¡¯t bad enough, between my helmet and my boots, I had 30 more points in Passion.


    70 points that were utterly worthless to me right now. 113 points in all, leaving me only 44 points in useful stats. If I took the penalty, I¡¯d give up 34 points¡­ But I would then have 79 points to assign freely to the stats as I saw fit.


    I thought of the possibilities, and one immediately came to mind.


    I saw myself flitting across the battlefield. Untouchable. Firing off attacks one after another, quicker than my enemies could react to. The perfect complement to Aerion¡¯s brute strength. There to catch her and stash her away in my inventory when her Essence ran dry.


    I¡¯d agonized long enough. I chose [Snap], and took the option to redistribute my points.


    Armor Set creation confirmed.


    The status message appeared¡­ And then something entirely unexpected happened. Something magical. It was only when my armor melted into liquid metal and reformed before my very eyes that I realized just how extensive this ability was. It didn¡¯t just reclassify my armor! It physically turned it into something new. Something vastly different.


    I whistled. More than the sum of its parts indeed. Optimized stats aside, its condition was now almost double what it had been individually. Not to mention the physical change.


    I no longer wore disparate pieces of armor. I wore a suit, which wrapped around my body like a second skin.


    In fact¡­ How the hell did I get out of this thing?


    The moment I thought that, the suit rippled open, starting from my chest and working its way up to my head and down to my legs, like Eskil had just reached in with his fingers and ripped it open.


    When it was done, I simply stepped out, immediately losing all the benefits of the armor. That feeling always sucked.


    The suit rippled closed again. I whistled as I walked around the thing. If I hadn¡¯t just gotten out, I¡¯d swear someone was in there. The suit stood upright, its arms at its side. If nothing else, it made for an incredibly cool display piece. I could imagine a half dozen of these things adorning my personal armory.


    Or better yet, my Spatial Inventory.


    I¡¯d had enough of feeling weak, so I returned to the front of the suit and thought about entering. It rippled open just like before, except this time, I got to see the spectacle from the outside.


    ¡°Now that is pretty damn cool,¡± I muttered as the steel bent and reshaped itself in ways that ought to have been impossible.


    I turned around and stepped back into the suit, which closed around me.


    Nobody was around to see it, but I was grinning. ¡°Call me Iron Man.¡±


    <hr>


    Once I¡¯d had my fun, entering and exiting, I turned to the System Messages I¡¯d ignored until now.


    Basecrest City Guard Helmet [Uncommon]


    Basecrest City Guard Cuirass [Uncommon]


    Basecrest City Guard Boots [Uncommon]


    Basecrest City Guard Gauntlets [Uncommon]


    ¡­Have been combined to form the Armor Set: Basecrest City Guard Suit [Uncommon] Condition: 1000/1000


    79 points reclaimed. How would you like to reassign stat points?


    This suit would be fast and nimble. Grace would be its primary stat, with Vigor as a secondary. I already received 34 points to Dominion from Light of the Fearless, and so I wouldn¡¯t bother to put much into that.


    Granted, while my Basecrest armor had surprised me in the dexterity department, it was still full plate. Not exactly the most optimal for parkour and gymnastics. It felt a little odd to turn it into an agility-optimized suit, but then again, stats tended to make physical constraints like that meaningless. I bet I could put on solid stone and make it fast and agile with enough points to Grace.


    After mulling it over for a minute, I made my decision. 65%, or 51 points, to Grace, 30%, or 24 points, to Vigor, and the remaining 4 points to Dominion.


    This brought my Grace up from the previous 27 to 78, giving me over 50 points of headroom, and reduced my extreme Dominion overhead from 83 to 67, giving me 5 points to grow there. Vigor went up from the previous 49 to 50, netting me only one new point, but I wasn¡¯t worried about Vigor or Dominion. I could craft new jewelry and baubles that would undoubtedly boost those if needed.


    Power wasn¡¯t the point of this build. Speed was. At long last, my burning desire to align my stats for one specific purpose, had finally come true. With those absurd 78 points of Grace, coupled with [Snap], I¡¯d be the fastest man alive.


    Chuckling at my admittedly lame joke, I realized Aerion¡¯s timer was up, and I brought her out of the inventory.


    Aerion, true to form, sprang out, holding Aurora and ready to strike, before freezing, her arm outstretched awkwardly.


    I looked at her with amusement. ¡°No enemies here, Aerion.¡±


    Aerion sheathed her blade and gave me a look of disgust. ¡°Fine. See if I play along with your insane ideas next time. I mean, seriously, Greg¡­ The first thing you think of with this new ability is stuffing me in that bizarre space?¡±


    ¡°I mean, it did say Living Weapons could now be stored, and right now, you¡¯re the only one who qualifies as such¡­¡±


    Aerion huffed. ¡°Anyway, I think that¡¯s about my limit for now. I might be able to go a bit longer if I had to, but it gets¡­ weird, in there. Would you like to do another¡ª¡±


    ¡°No,¡± I said, cutting her off and giving her a warm smile. ¡°That¡¯s plenty already. Thank you, Aerion. I mean it. You didn¡¯t have to go along with any of this.¡±


    Aerion shook her head absentmindedly, as if her mind was a million miles away. ¡°It¡¯s fine,¡± she said. ¡°It¡¯s¡­ the least I could do. After I wronged you so horribly¡­¡±


    My eyes narrowed. ¡°Is that what this is about?¡± I said. ¡°Aerion, I don¡¯t hold that against you. You know that, right? You had every reason to believe I was Cosmo.¡±


    ¡°Even so,¡± she said, averting her eyes. ¡°You blessed me with this incredible power. You saved my life countless times in Dominion¡¯s Trial. You¡­ gave me a future full of hope. One I wouldn¡¯t have dared even dream of before. Suspicions or not, I should not have treated you that way, and while you may have forgiven me, I haven¡¯t forgiven myself. I¡¯m afraid you¡¯ll just have to accept that.¡±


    I sighed. For someone who was normally so mild-mannered, Aerion could get strangely obstinate at times. It was useless arguing with her when she got like this, so I let it go.


    ¡°I don¡¯t like it, but I can kinda get it. I¡¯d probably feel the same, in your shoes.¡±


    Aerion rolled her eyes. ¡°Y¡¯know, I think I liked you better when you were on guard against those¡­ what do you call them? Idiots?¡±


    ¡°Idioms,¡± I corrected with a chuckle.


    ¡°Right. Idioms. Anyway, what shall we do now?¡±


    I grinned. ¡°Now? Now, we have a decision to make,¡± I said as my suit rippled open in front of me. I casually stepped out. ¡°I¡¯d like you to be the one to do it. Do I initialize Aurora, your Soulkeeper pendant¡­ or Rocky? I only have enough Essence for one.¡±


    Aerion¡¯s eyes bulged and her lips curled up into an amazed grin, but whether it was because of my words, my suit¡¯s transformation, or my unbearably handsome good looks, it was genuinely tough to say.


    Regardless, I didn¡¯t need to see my reflection in her bright blue irises to know that I had the same exact smile on my face.

 Soulweaver 118: Countdown

    Aerion walked around me as I got in and out of my suit, refusing to believe her own eyes.


    ¡°How?¡± she asked. ¡°What even is your Blessing, to allow such a bizarre power?¡±


    I shrugged. ¡°You¡¯ve got access to all of my stats. I don¡¯t know any more than you.¡±


    Sure, I¡¯d picked this Blessing to be versatile, but even I was surprised by the wealth of powers available to me. From my inventory to armor sets, it felt like there were no limits to what my Blessing might be able to do in the future. That was one area I was sure I outmatched the other Champions. While Richard and Eskil might outstrip me in any one dimension¡ªwithout an optimized suit, anyway¡ªthey would never match the wealth of different abilities I had.


    ¡°How many more levels until you think you can Initialize Aurora and my pendant?¡± Aerion asked when she¡¯d finally had her fill of ogling my suit.


    ¡°Probably just one more, though I¡¯d only be able to do one of those, for now,¡± I said, running the numbers in my head. ¡°I gain 40 points of Essence per level now, thanks to my rank up. Of course, you take up some of that since Initializing you costs a fixed percentage of my pool, but I think I¡¯ll have enough at the next level. Especially if I deinitialize or destroy some of my [Common] clothing. Won¡¯t have much overhead¡­ But it should be enough.¡±


    ¡°Except, you don¡¯t know how long the rock will occupy your Essence Pool,¡± Aerion said. She pursed her lips and crossed her arms, giving me a death stare that I knew from experience was just her concentrating intensely. ¡°What if it takes years?¡±


    ¡°That is a risk,¡± I admitted. ¡°A big one. Would definitely be less risky to keep my reserve and Initialize whatever new gear we get from Sinclair¡¯s armory. That would give me a second set of armor to fight in, though its stats would be all over the place until I turned it into an [Armor Set].¡±


    Aerion looked into my eyes, and I thought I saw a flash of something there for an instant. Guilt, maybe. Or fear?


    ¡°You are truly alright with me making this decision?¡± she asked. ¡°This is your power. You don¡¯t owe it to me to bless my weapon.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s my power, sure, but the way I see it, upleveling you helps the whole party. Which keeps me safe. Trust me, my reasons are selfish. Just a matter of which route to take.¡±


    ¡°What of the rock,¡± Aerion said, eyeing the grapefruit sized stone I¡¯d placed on the table. ¡°Do you feel this gamble will be worth it?¡±


    I stared at the stone for a long moment. ¡°Honest opinion?¡±


    ¡°Yes. Always.¡±


    ¡°I think there¡¯s a good chance it will be. Now, I know what you think of Order and his capabilities, but I¡¯ve had this feeling for a while, now. Call it a hunch. That none of this is coincidence.¡±


    ¡°None of what?¡± Aerion asked, looking immediately suspicious.


    ¡°Us entering that dungeon where we did. Us happening to find Rocky in that serpent¡¯s core. And more¡­ My Blessing. I¡¯ve been thinking of my first conversation with Cosmo, back when he first summoned me, and I can¡¯t help but feel like my choice of Blessing was guided, somehow.¡±


    ¡°He told you to pick it?¡± Aerion asked.


    ¡°No, not exactly,¡± I said, feeling a little less confident. ¡°Pretty much the opposite, actually. He didn¡¯t ever suggest I should. But that¡¯s what an amateur would do. Master manipulators get you to do things thinking it was your choice to begin with. Trust me, politicians back on my planet had that down to an art form.¡±


    ¡°So, you admit he manipulated you,¡± Aerion said with a smug expression.


    I shrugged. ¡°Could be, yeah. But that¡¯s not the point. People manipulate each other all the time. Parents manipulate their kids to work hard so they can succeed in life. Would you hold that against them?¡±


    ¡°I suppose not¡­¡± Aerion said, brows furrowed in conflict.


    ¡°Exactly. What matters is why. To what end?¡±


    ¡°And? What is the God of Order¡¯s grand purpose?¡± Aerion asked, her words dripping with sarcasm.


    I deflated. ¡°That, I don¡¯t know yet. But I have a hunch Cosmo really is trying to end the cycle of Cataclysms forever¡­ And that hunch tells me that Rocky is the key to unraveling more of the puzzle.¡±


    ¡°Perhaps,¡± Aerion replied. ¡°Or perhaps your theory is all wrong, and all of this is mere coincidence.¡±


    ¡°We¡¯ve had this conversation before, Aerion, and yes. I freely admit I could be wrong. I¡¯m not usually wrong about my instincts, but no one¡¯s perfect. Least of all me.¡±


    Aerion agonized for another moment before the creases on her forehead melted away, and she met my eyes. ¡°I¡¯ve decided. We¡¯ll Initialize the rock.¡±


    If you discover this narrative on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen. Please report the violation.


    ¡°Really?¡± I said, thoroughly taken aback.


    ¡°I don¡¯t trust Order,¡± Aerion said. ¡°But I do trust you, Greg. And I respect your judgment. If you believe this is for the best, then I agree.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s¡­ Thanks, Aerion,¡± I said, rubbing the back of my neck. ¡°I appreciate that.¡±


    Aerion coughed lightly. ¡°So, shall we Initialize this rock? Or do you wish to dawdle all day?¡±


    I took a breath and put my armored hand on the slightly-cool stone.


    Initialize [Rocky the 423rd]? Initialization Cost: 33% Essence (Temporary). Essence consumption will be temporary and will transfer to the Champion¡¯s summoner over time. Summoner: The God of Order (Hey Greg it¡¯s me Cosmo! Teehee! Also, no worries. All of your oh-so-precious Essence will be refunded. Source: Trust me br¡ªMaximum personal note characters reached. In the future, please fit your messages within the allotted length.)


    ¡°Alright. Here goes nothing¡­¡±


    <hr>


    I didn¡¯t have quite enough Essence, so I ripped apart my [Common] Woven Fabric Trousers, netting me 3 Essence points, and a loss of 2 points to Vigor and 2 to Grace. The bang for the buck with [Common] items was truly terrible. I¡¯d replace it with something far better as soon as we had a chance to hit the local shops.


    Name: Rocky the 423rd


    It¡¯s a rock! But can it be more than a rock? Stay tuned to find out!


    Classification: Champion of Order


    Age: 42,344 years


    Essence Cost: 122


    Abilities: Unknown


    Status: Active (Incubating)


    Stats:


    Vigor: Unknown


    Order: Unknown


    Wisdom: Unknown


    Passion: Unknown


    Grace: Unknown


    Cunning: Unknown


    Dominion: Unknown


    Time Until Essence Reclamation: 2,591,990 seconds.


    As was usual when it came to anything Cosmo-related, my reaction was one of total bafflement.


    I shared the screen with Aerion before she could ask, and then she, too, joined me in being confused.


    ¡°How am I supposed to know how long that is?¡± Aerion asked, counting silently on her fingers. It was adorable. She had no chance in hell of figuring it out that way.


    ¡°Let me fix that,¡± I said, mentally willing the units to be not stupid.


    29 days, 23 hours, 59 minutes, 10 seconds.


    ¡°Much better,¡± Aerion said, looking visibly relieved. ¡°Yet, I am no less confused.¡±


    ¡°I admit, I don¡¯t know what I was expecting,¡± I said, scratching my head.


    ¡°I suppose the stats changed?¡± Aerion said, deflating. ¡°I apologize, Greg. I made a stupid decision. I should have known nothing related to the God of Order would do us any good.¡±


    ¡°Well, hold onto your horses,¡± I said, causing Aerion to squint. ¡°I wouldn¡¯t write this off just yet. There¡¯s one hint in here as to where this will all end up. You see it?¡±


    Aerion re-read the message, and her eyes widened. ¡°The Status¡­¡±


    ¡°Uh, huh. Incubating. Tell me, what sorts of things incubate?¡±


    ¡°Eggs,¡± Aerion said, suddenly looking at the rock in a new light. ¡°Greg¡­ Does this mean what I think it means?¡±


    ¡°Sure looks like it, wouldn¡¯t you say?¡±


    Like a blooming sunflower, Aerion glowed, happiness filling her face. ¡°We have to take care of it!¡±


    ¡°Well, that¡¯s a given,¡± I said.


    ¡°Do we have to keep it warm? We don¡¯t even know what type of egg it is! This is bad, Greg! What if the poor thing dies?¡±


    ¡°Hey!¡± I said, grasping Aerion¡¯s shoulders. ¡°Whatever the hell this is, it¡¯s clearly no normal egg. You think it would¡¯ve survived 40,000 years if it were that fragile? I say we just keep an eye on it. Doubt there¡¯s anything else we need to do, or the System Message would tell us. Or at least hint at it.¡±


    ¡°What do you think it is?¡± Aerion asked, wrapping her arms around Rocky and placing an ear on the cold stone.


    ¡°Hell if I know,¡± I said. ¡°Knowing Cosmo¡­ Probably a chicken. Or something equally ridiculous. I¡¯m just glad I get to reclaim my Essence in a month. That¡¯s not too terribly bad. If I¡¯m understanding this right, it should decay over that time, progressively freeing up more of my pool.¡±


    Aerion¡­ hadn¡¯t heard me, and was instead giving me a pouting death glare. ¡°Promise me we¡¯ll keep it, regardless of what it is!¡±


    I sighed. ¡°Sure. But if it does end up being a chicken or something dangerous we can¡¯t control, we may not be able to travel with it.¡±


    Aerion mulled over my words for a moment before replying. ¡°Acceptable,¡± she said.


    I smiled. ¡°Well, I suppose we have something to look forward to, now.¡±


    Which was good, because the dang thing left me with only a single point of free Essence. My buffer wailed in anguish.


    <hr>


    After ripping apart my [Common] Woven sweater, I managed to reclaim another 3 points, at the cost of two points to Grace and Cunning. Not to mention the boatload of Grace I had to improve. Almost 50 points of it. The net loss was minimal, and I¡¯d rather equip the highest rarity items I could get my hands on.


    Which, between the gold I¡¯d earned and my upcoming vault raid, was quite a lot. [Common] items had no place in my arsenal anymore. Not unless they possessed a truly unique ability.


    Not to mention I felt so much cooler now without the sweater. I¡¯d gotten used to sweating all the time, and in the ice dungeon, my layers had served me well, but here? It was hell.


    After that, my [Common] Stainless Steel Gauntlets I never used anymore were the next on the chopping block, but I¡¯d need a forge to melt those down. A hot one, at that.


    ¡°If only you had more Essence,¡± Aerion said. ¡°You could do what you did last time, and try to Initialize [Epic] gear until you succeeded.¡±


    I flashed her a smile. ¡°About that¡­ I¡¯ve got a better idea.¡±

 Soulweaver 119: [Launch]

    Sinclair blinked. ¡°You wish to defer selecting your treasure¡­¡±


    ¡°Not quite,¡± I said, tapping my finger against his Mahogany desk. While Sinclair didn¡¯t ordinarily meet people on such short notice, Aerion and I were exceptions. We¡¯d met him in his personal study, and were currently seated across his table. ¡°I want to defer it, but I also want to take my pick of the spoils in Dominium¡¯s vault. I don¡¯t know when we¡¯ll be back to Basecrest after this mission, and considering the contract comes directly from the capital, I¡¯m guessing we¡¯re bound to end up there after.¡±


    Sinclair leaned back in his leather chair, thinking it over. ¡°While true, I must caution you. All you will have is my letter of promise upon reaching the capital. I would have to call in a personal favor with the Executor to do this, and even then, I cannot guarantee they will offer you the same degree of freedom as I have. You might not be granted access to as many pieces of gear.¡±


    ¡°But the capital¡¯s vault is much larger than the one in Basecrest, right?¡± I countered. ¡°I¡¯d be happy making that trade.¡±


    Well, that was only one of the reasons, of course. Dominium¡¯s vault was bound to have far better selection than Basecrest¡¯s, and I¡¯d take quality over quantity any day, but what I was really after was Essence buffer.


    By the time we wrapped up with the elves and headed to Dominium, chances were good Rocky would¡¯ve hatched. Or if not, its Essence cost would be a small fraction of its current amount, assuming its cost decreased linearly.


    That would mean that I could, in fact, abuse the armory as I had in Basecrest. They said delayed gratification was where it was at, and at least this time, I was inclined to agree.


    Sinclair looked at Aerion, who nodded. ¡°I would like this as well. In fact, the idea was mine.¡±


    Huh. Nice improv, Aerion.


    The Baron sighed. ¡°Very well. I owe you two at least that much, but may I ask why? Surely, you¡¯d wish to equip yourselves with the best equipment you can obtain prior to journeying into such a dangerous forest?¡±


    ¡°It has to do with my Blessing,¡± Aerion said smoothly, covering for me. ¡°Due to the way my Blessing works, I stand to gain more by acquiring the gear later.¡±


    Smart. It was considered bad form to ask about the details of a delver¡¯s Blessing. Trade secret, and all, and who was more likely to stand on etiquette than the Baron of a city?


    I loved how I could count on my elf friend in these situations. She¡¯d always had a keen mind for dialogue, being strangely adept at guiding conversations her way. How she managed that with a Passion stat of 2, I would never know. Maybe Passion was one skill where natural aptitude could make up for a skill deficiency. Maybe all the stats worked that way.


    Now that was a thought.


    ¡°That right?¡± Sinclair said, interrupting my reverie. ¡°Seems strange to me, but then again, what Blessing doesn¡¯t have its quirks? I¡¯ll have the letter of promise drafted by the morrow, in time for the procession.¡±


    Ah, yes. The procession.


    ¡°Can¡¯t wait,¡± I said with a tight smile.


    <hr>


    Walking Basecrest¡¯s streets brought back a sense of nostalgia I wouldn¡¯t have expected. After all, it hadn¡¯t even been three weeks since we¡¯d last been there. Though, I supposed so much happened in that time, it might as well have been a year.


    What was that saying? I¡¯ve lived in a hundred years what most people wouldn¡¯t ever experience in a thousand?


    It felt apt here, and as I walked through the bustling city, I felt like a changed man. I supposed I was, technically. I was now Divergence Rank, and that meant several things. It meant I could Initialize anything up to [Rare] quality at a 99% chance of success. It also meant I would gain more Essence per level¡ª40 points¡ªup four times what I got at Foundation. My Spatial Inventory could hold more, including Aerion, and now had [Launch] and [Aim], unlocking a whole plethora of new abilities.


    In fact, that was what we were about to test. The penthouse¡¯s balcony wasn¡¯t exactly the best environment for combat tests, and both Aerion and I had plenty to test.


    The experience split she¡¯d received from the Cataclysm Dungeon allowed her to level her Blessing up from E-4 to E-6. Considering how, aside from 10 points she¡¯d put towards Grace, she hadn¡¯t spent any of her free stat points since entering the dungeon¡ªshe hadn¡¯t needed to, having overhead in both Dominion and Vigor¡ªshe had a whopping 60 points to spend.


    I, on the other hand, needed to grind my Grace to turn me into the speed demon I¡¯d envisioned.


    That meant an open field, and humans being creatures of habit, we returned to the field in the outer ring where we¡¯d once trained, before the dungeon.


    The Basecrest military used it for drills, but they weren¡¯t here right now, leaving it devoid of anyone who might get in the way. Or get hurt.


    ¡°First off, I think you should spend some of your stats,¡± I said, bringing up Aerion¡¯s status screen.


    Vigor: 40 (43)


    Order: 8 (8)


    Wisdom: 14 (15)


    Passion: 2 (2)


    Grace: 26 (29)


    Cunning: 10 (10)


    Dominion: 47 (59)


    ¡°Well, your Dominion¡¯s your highest stat, followed closely by Vigor. No surprise there.¡±


    ¡°Shall I put more points into Dominion?¡± Aerion asked.


    I shrugged. ¡°You have plenty of overhead there. Nothing stopping you from allocating points as you creep up on that. On the other hand, you¡¯re near your ceiling for Vigor, so I¡¯d definitely put some into that. As for the rest¡­ While Grace is your third-highest stat right now, I do still feel like Wisdom is worth putting points into. We know it allows you to shape your magic, and since you only have a small handful of abilities, I think having that customization is useful. Still, Grace is good, too. You¡¯re light and small, which makes you a naturally harder target. Moving fast and dodging enemies works perfectly to complement your Dominion.¡±


    ¡°I see,¡± Aerion said, scowling. ¡°It¡¯s odd that my Vigor almost matches my Dominion right now. Doesn¡¯t that seem wrong to you?¡±


    I shrugged again. ¡°The dungeon had us traveling and climbing a lot, so it¡¯s no surprise. That¡¯s why training even when we¡¯re outside dungeons is important. Can¡¯t really control what stats go up in a dungeon, but we can in training.¡±


    ¡°Right, then. I¡¯ve added 12 points to Vigor, bringing my ceiling to 55, and 16 to Grace, bringing that to 40. Another 15 to Wisdom puts it at 30, leaving 17 unspent. You sure I shouldn¡¯t invest in any of the other stats?¡±


    ¡°Uh, any particular reason you brought each stat to round numbers like that?¡± I asked, a little amused at her allocations.


    When she answered by glaring at me, I coughed, and my survival instincts urged me to reply to her question. ¡°I¡¯m not the biggest fan of putting points into anything unless there¡¯s a clear purpose and vision behind it. Like¡­ Your speech skills are just fine, even with your Passion at 2. Will increasing that really help you out? And we¡¯re still not completely sure what Order does. That stat is an utter waste until we do.¡±


    ¡°Cunning, then¡­¡± Aerion said.


    I tapped my arm. ¡°Definitely worth trying, at least. We know Cunning relates to awareness. Yours is pretty dang good¡­ Aside from one obvious exception.


    Aerion nodded. ¡°Reave.¡±


    ¡°Yep. We¡¯ve seen that ranking up has helped with that somewhat¡­ Maybe Cunning does as well. I can¡¯t be sure, but it¡¯s at least worth a shot.¡±


    Stolen story; please report.


    ¡°Agreed,¡± Aerion said. ¡°Then I shall put 10 additional points into Cunning, leaving 7 in reserve.¡±


    ¡°Sounds like a plan,¡± I said, giving her a double thumbs-up.


    Aerion rolled her eyes, before giving me an appraising look. ¡°I¡¯ve said it before, but your knowledge of these mechanics is truly impressive. To think you learned all this from games in your world¡­ It must be quite a world.¡±


    I smiled. ¡°I suppose you would get that impression after all you heard from Richard. Someone mechanically minded like you would have a heyday there. My world has technologies you wouldn¡¯t believe¡­ But it¡¯s got its fair share of issues, too. As bad as Axius? Maybe not. But it¡¯s certainly not perfect. People tend to invent problems, no matter how good life is.¡±


    Aerion chuckled. ¡°Quite true. Are you certain you haven¡¯t secretly improved your Wisdom stat?¡±


    ¡°Hey, you can see my screen anytime! I have no secrets.¡±


    Aerion rolled her eyes. ¡°So? Shall we get to training, or would you rather dawdle the day away? I must admit, I¡¯ve been itching to fight you.¡±


    ¡°Yeah. Me too, but first, I¡¯ve got some new toys to test.¡±


    ¡°Toys?¡± Aerion asked, cocking an eyebrow.


    ¡°[Launch]. That one test with you wasn¡¯t nearly enough. What¡¯s its range? Its offensive capabilities? I need to know more about the skill before I can use it in a fight.¡±


    ¡°Then I shall practice expanding my awareness while you do that,¡± she said, walking some distance away before sitting down and closing her eyes.


    Turning around, I looked around for any ammo I could use¡­ As well as targets I could use them on. While there were plenty of small pebbles, I only found a handful of larger rocks. Other than that, there was dirt and grass. I grabbed a few handfuls of those as well and stuck them in my inventory.


    As for targets, there wasn¡¯t a whole lot¡­ Which was why I brought my old Stainless Steel Cuirass¡ªthe [Common] one I¡¯d Uninitialized some time ago. I¡¯d kept it at Basecrest, unsure of what to do with it, but now, it¡¯d made the perfect test dummy. I propped it up in front of a larger rock, then got to work.


    I started with the grass. A torrent of grass poofed out of my Inventory¡­ And predictably scattered into a cloud about a foot after they emerged. Great for makeshift confetti, or surprising a weak, dumb enemy¡­ Pretty much useless for anything else.


    Well, that was about as expected. Next, I tried the dirt.


    I had to admit, this one was much more effective than anticipated. Rather than dissipating into the air, it shot out like a shotgun blast, albeit with much less force. Forget doing damage to the cuirass, a bunch of the dirt didn¡¯t even make it to the armor, despite being only about ten feet away.


    Despite that, the cloud of dust it kicked up actually made for a pretty effective screen, taking a minute or so to fully dissipate. Something about the tremendous speed at which the dirt exited the inventory made it far more explosive than just lobbing some dirt into the air.


    Next up were the smallest of the pebbles. I honestly didn¡¯t have much hope for these, considering their size¡­ I was proven right when I launched a barrage at the cuirass. They succeeded in knocking the plate away, sending it tumbling, but when I went to inspect the damage, the surface was barely dented, with only superficial scratches.


    Decent for soft, fleshy enemies, but I doubted it would even break skin against someone with the sort of boosted stats Aerion and I had.


    I worked my way up to bigger rocks, and while each did more damage on account of their weight, their speed slowed considerably, making the overall effect much less impressive.


    Overall, [Launch] was a good addition to my ranged repertoire, and while it might lack offensive punch for now, I was sure it would only improve with time. Time, and proper projectiles. I really needed some bullets, or something similar.


    Satisfied with my testing, I walked over to Aerion, who pretended to be deep in meditation.


    ¡°Level up your Cunning any?¡± I asked, smirking.


    Aerion opened her eyes, narrowing them as she looked up at me. ¡°You know as well as I that I haven¡¯t.¡±


    ¡°Difficult to work on your stats when you keep peeking at my experiments¡­ You could¡¯ve just come over and watched, you know?¡±


    Aerion rose to her feet, rolling her eyes as she did. ¡°So? Ready now?¡±


    ¡°I am. But first, some ground rules. I¡¯m trying to improve my Grace stat, and you Dominion. Which means I¡¯m gonna move around fast, and you should try to hit me while moving as little as possible. I can¡¯t be sure, but I feel like that¡¯ll boost your Dominion more than if you had to split your combat experience between Dominion and other stats.¡±


    ¡°An interesting conjecture,¡± Aerion said, nodding approvingly. ¡°Another learning from your game experience?¡±


    ¡°Something like that. Also, give me your steel shortsword¡ªthe one you picked up in the dungeon. And your spare dagger. Actually, why don¡¯t you gimme Aurora, too?¡±


    ¡°You wish me to fight barehanded?¡±


    ¡°Come on, with your Dominion stat, that¡¯s hardly crippling. Even without [Reave]. And you¡¯ve got magic of your own. You just upped your Wisdom, right? It¡¯ll be the perfect practice.¡±


    Aerion, moping, reluctantly agreed, handing over her weapons, which I swiftly deposited into my inventory, mostly just for storage. I wasn¡¯t planning on using those this battle, except as diversions.


    My ammo stores, however, were a different story. I walked around picking up stones by the dozen and shoveling piles of dirt into my inventory, all while ignoring Aerion¡¯s suspicious stares.


    Part of me realized the issue with what I was about to attempt. I was testing both my new suit and my inventory together, despite my suit being a speed-based build, and my inventory being magical in nature. To truly maximize my inventory¡¯s combat power, I¡¯d likely need a suit that let me dump points into Wisdom.


    For now, however, the hundred-odd stones of various types would at least see what [Launch] was all about.


    Taking up positions fifteen feet apart on the field, I gave the signal.


    ¡°Begin.¡±


    <hr>


    Aerion rushed at me, just as I thought she would. Instead of parrying or blocking her incoming punch, I dodged. Considering how my Grace stat was the same as before¡ªI needed to earn any upgrades there¡ªI wasn¡¯t expecting much.


    Turned out [Snap]¡¯s movement speed upgrade was beyond anything I¡¯d expected. Far beyond. Even at a paltry F - 6. My whole body wasn¡¯t just light and nimble¡­ I moved faster now. A lot faster.


    I felt almost superhuman. Similar to how I felt when I took off my armor and then put it back on again.


    At 27, my Grace wasn¡¯t anything to scoff at, but neither was it anywhere even close to the Dominion Aerion possessed. By all rights, I shouldn¡¯t have felt this good. Which meant that the effect must be stacking with every piece of armor in the set.


    That was to say¡­ [Snap] didn¡¯t just accelerate my whole body¡­ It was five times as powerful as before!


    I dodged Aerion¡¯s strike with ease, pivoting behind her for a follow-up. She whirled, stopping me, but I was gone again, now at her side. I still hadn¡¯t drawn any of my weapons¡­


    Just when I was about to move again, I got a notification.


    Congratulations! Grace has increased from 27 to 28.


    That was¡­ unexpected. It shouldn¡¯t have gone up that fast, based on prior experience. Or maybe I¡¯d already been close to a levelup before?


    I jumped back, forcing Aerion to follow. Right as she landed, I bounded away again. Not quite leaping, not quite stepping, but something in between.


    We darted around the field like this, with her chasing. The feeling was incredible. Intoxicating, even. If I was moving this well at my current stats, what would I be like later on? What would I be like when [Snap] leveled and ranked up? I¡¯d be untouchable on the battlefield.


    I cackled, giddy with excitement.


    I was so lost in my head that I only noticed Aerion some moments later, darting every which way.


    ¡°How am I supposed to stand still when you move so much?¡± Aerion fumed, punching again, only to miss as I twisted away at the last moment. ¡°I have nothing that can hit you at range!¡±


    That¡­ Was true. And was honestly a shortcoming we had to address at some point. I bet with Aeiron¡¯s Dominion, she could heft a pretty epic bow. Something to look into later. Maybe I should¡ª


    Congratulations! Grace has increased from 28 to 29.


    No way. There was no way my stats were increasing this quickly. The heck was going on?


    Then it hit me. The Soul Evolution Seed. It had to be.


    I didn¡¯t have time to contemplate, as Aerion swept me with her leg, forcing me to jump.


    ¡°Gotcha!¡± she said, launching herself right at me with a smug smirk plastered across her face.


    Shit. I couldn¡¯t move in midair. The error was my fault, but I had to admit, Aerion had capitalized beautifully on the opportunity.


    Had this been Greg of a few days ago, I¡¯d have lost. Aerion, however, had made a crucial mistake in forgetting that I now had a new weapon in my arsenal.


    I extended my palm and summoned the whole mound of dirt I¡¯d scooped up.


    Launch.


    A barrage of dirt shot out at incredible speed from all around me, blanketing the area, blinding us both.


    Time seemed to slow in that moment. I saw Aerion¡¯s eyes bulge in horror, and she barely managed to bring her arms up in a guard before the granules of dirt smashed into her figure.


    Her attack now canceled, I expected that to be the end of things. We¡¯d land, I¡¯d press the initiative, and steal the victory.


    To my surprise and horror, that was not what happened.


    My barrage didn¡¯t simply cancel out her jump. Her head whipped back, and she crashed onto the ground in a heap.


    I peered through the dust cloud, dazed and in shock.


    The dirt that hadn¡¯t hit her hadn¡¯t simply vanished. They¡¯d struck the earth, sending clouds of dirt flying high into the air.


    ¡°What the fuck¡­?¡± I muttered, as confused as I was shocked. How the hell did that happen? My earlier test hadn¡¯t even been a fraction as devastating.


    My eyes came back to Aerion, wondering why she hadn¡¯t said anything... Then I found her.


    I¡¯d fucked up. Something had gone wrong, and I¡¯d underestimated the sheer destructive potential of my new ability. Badly.


    Because my elven friend was lying facedown on the ravaged field.


    And she wasn¡¯t moving.

 Soulweaver 120: Oops

    I rushed to Dominion¡¯s temple with Aerion on my back. I barely noticed the hot, muggy air making my sweat cling to my skin.


    It was just dirt. Dirt! And in just one attack, they took out an opponent with 40 points of Vigor? If [Launch] was this devastating with dirt, why the hell hadn''t my earlier test wreaked utter havoc on my cuirass?


    A few ideas came to me as a ducked and weaved around the city traffic. For one, I''d been closer to Aerion than the cuirass. That must''ve concentrated the fire. Like the spread of a shotgun blast, the force was many times greater the closer you were. That was a possibility.


    The other... There were definitely some small stones and pebbles in that dirt, as evidenced by the streaks of blood on Aerion''s face and the holes punched through her clothing. I''d shoveled up a large amount of it... I should have thought to check for stones.


    But that just brought up another problem... Not even my stones had done that much damage. The smaller projectiles definitely sent the breastplate tumbling, but they hadn''t... Oh shit.


    I almost stumbled as a memory from years ago came rushing into my stupid head. I''d been half-listening to some armor geek streamer rant about how medieval weapon slicing tests were unrealistic, and that you had to anchor the thing you were hitting with a proper jelly-like substance inside for any tests to have any meaning...


    That must''ve been over a decade ago... But if he was right, it''d explain everything. I should''ve realized it when a single pebble had enough force to move the whole damn cuirass. It wasn''t that [Launch] was weak... The test had just been flawed. Aerion''s mass, as light as she was, was considerably more than the cuirass. She''d been forced to endure more of the impact.


    There was one final thing, too. Since I''d been trying to blind her with a dust cloud, the full brunt of my blast had been directed at Aerion''s face. A small target. Not only was the quantity of dirt greater than my test, it''d been closer, and aimed over a much smaller area. I was no physics expert, but even I knew those factors multiplied the force.


    And if it was that deadly with mere stones, what would it be like with swords? What would it be like with enchanted swords? Or missiles?


    I gulped. This changed everything. The ability honestly didn¡¯t sound like much at first glance. Shooting things out of my inventory with more force than before.


    I just hadn¡¯t figured how much force. Shame iced my veins. It was why I¡¯d tested it, goddammit!


    How wrong I had been. Objects emerged with the same force. Even said so in the damned ability description. The smaller the object, the greater the speed, and bullets proved that small things could be plenty devastating if hurled fast enough. Basic physics. I should have anticipated it. I should¡¯ve tested it better, maybe against a tree. Something that couldn''t have been blown away.


    Granted, there were no trees in the area, but that was no excuse.


    Stupid. Greg. Really stupid.


    I''d have to totally rethink how I tested new abilities in the future. Maybe even construct a proving ground, of sorts, set up with test dummies and other hardened targets. But where the hell would I do that?


    I glanced back at my unconscious friend. Her life wasn¡¯t in danger, of course. While her face was a bloody mess and her light armor was riddled with holes, she¡¯d recover without a single scar thanks to the magical healing she was about to receive. It didn¡¯t matter.


    I¡¯d hurt my friend. My dearest friend in this world, and it was the most gut-wrenching feeling I¡¯d ever felt. The moment she got out of treatment, I was gonna get down on my knees and beg her forgiveness. I''d fucking prostrate if I had to.


    I was only human. I screwed up. But I¡¯d be damned if I didn¡¯t own my mistakes. Never again.


    Rushing past the line, I burst into the temple amid cries denouncing me.


    Fuck ¡®em. I helped save this city. I figured that earned me enough brownie points to cut a line.


    ¡°Healer!¡± I shouted the moment I was through. This was the same building where Aerion had touched that stone after exiting the dungeon. The one that sat right next to the floating inverted pyramid.


    A skinny giant woman approached me. ¡°Yes? What is the meaning of this?¡±


    ¡°Got an emergency,¡± I said. ¡°You gotta heal her. Please!¡±


    The giant¡¯s expression softened a bit when she looked at Aerion¡¯s state, but shook her head. ¡°I¡¯m afraid I must insist you wait in line like the others¡ª!?¡±


    I flipped her a gold coin and showed her the medallion Sinclair had given me. The one with his family crest on it. ¡°Take it up with Sinclair if you have to. Now, can you heal her or not?¡±


    As much as I loathed throwing around my authority, Aerion was an exception.


    The giantess¡¯ eyes widened, and she nodded. ¡°This way.¡±


    I brought Aerion to a bed in a corner and set her down.


    ¡°These injuries are... not as severe as they appear,¡± the giant woman, a Boonworthy, said, frowning as she moved her large hands over Aerion¡¯s body. A golden light spread out from her hands, and whenever they passed over a wound, it visibly healed in front of my eyes.


    What an incredible power. For the briefest moment, I wondered what it would take to get this lady to join our party¡­ Gold? Promise of fame?


    I quickly gave up on it. Even assuming she was willing, who knew if we¡¯d get along?


    No, adding a healer with no other powers to our party wasn¡¯t the best idea, but we couldn¡¯t rely on just potions and salves, either. Those were only marginally better than the medicine from Earth. Sure, they could numb pain and lessen burns, but it was no Sanctuary water. True healing abilities were critical in a Cataclysm Dungeon.


    Even my sprained shoulder, which was about as minor of an injury as possible, had caused me so much grief. What if we got severely wounded? We¡¯d have to hole up somewhere for days, maybe even weeks, to recover.


    What I really wanted was a suit of armor that allowed me to heal¡ªboth myself and Aerion. In lieu of that, maybe Aerion could delve a Trial somewhere to gain a healing-related Blessing? Gaining a second, or even a third Blessing was apparently possible for non-Champions. Just, beyond rare, given how deadly the Trials were.


    It would be a lot of work, and with the Cataclysm kicking off in earnest, there would be more Landing Castles descending on Axius, not less. Would we even have the time?


    ¡°Do you require any healing?¡± the woman asked. ¡°Your donation was most generous. I would be happy to heal you as well.¡±


    I shook my head, running my fingers through my hair. Problems for another time. Problems we couldn¡¯t deal with right now.


    ¡°I¡¯m good,¡± I said. ¡°Can''t say much after cutting the line, but the others here need your attention.¡±


    Support the author by searching for the original publication of this novel.


    It seemed the healing I¡¯d received after exiting the Cataclysm Dungeon was a gift from the gods, as a reward to those who risked their lives in the name of the greater good. I was in tip-top shape, and thanks to my Vigor, my hangover was already gone without a trace.


    Then Aerion awoke, and when her eyes found mine, I found myself suddenly unsure of that decision.


    ¡°Uh, actually?¡± I glanced at the healer. ¡°Let me get back to you in about five minutes.¡±


    <hr>


    Aerion¡¯s reaction was more subdued than I thought. Instead of broken teeth, I got away with a bashed skull and an epic bruise.


    ¡°Be more careful next time!¡± she said, huffing off.


    I gave the healer an awkward smile before darting off after her.


    ¡°What came over you!?¡± she said when we were out.


    ¡°I fucked up,¡± I said. ¡°Poorly planned my testing. I can assure you, going forward, I''m going to test every fucking aspect of my ability in excruciating detail. I honestly thought it wouldn''t be that dangerous... But that''s no excuse. I was wrong, and I made an unforgivable mistake.¡±


    No matter how angry Aerion was, nobody was more pissed at me than myself. This was unacceptable. It was unlike me... I was too excited about using the ability, and after that test, I''d been lulled into a sense of complacency.


    Maybe it was my words, or maybe it was the anguish that must have been all over my face, but Aerion''s anger seemed to abate significantly.


    ¡°Well, everyone makes mistakes. We should work together to come up with a plan for this form of testing in the future. I suspect this is something that will affect even me... There will come a point when fighting you under [Reave] will no longer be safe.¡±


    ¡°I agree,¡± I said. ¡°We''ll need land, for one. Money isn''t a problem, but we''ll need to build up a place where we can test stuff out in peace. I... don''t know how that''s gonna happen yet, but I assure you it''ll be a top priority to figure that out.¡±


    ¡°Good,¡± Aerion said, averting her eyes. ¡°And... It was better to have discovered this now, when we''re still relatively low in rank, than later. Perhaps this was for the best.¡±


    I gave Aerion a pained smile. ¡°You''re incredibly reasonable, sometimes, you know that?¡±


    Aerion''s expression darkened. ¡°My apologies, I must have misheard. It sounded like you said sometimes... But that can''t possibly be right. Can it?¡±


    ¡°Uh, no, you''re absolutely right,¡± I said, stiffening. ¡°Always. Definitely always.¡±


    Aerion rolled her eyes. ¡°Well? Where are we off to next? And don¡¯t say back to the field. I¡¯m done training for today.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t you want to level your stats, though?¡± I asked half-assedly, knowing it was a sour cherry, even as the words came out of my mouth.


    ¡°Feel free to go train on your own, then¡± Aerion said bitterly. ¡°No, I rather think I¡¯m done training for the day.¡±


    ¡°Right. Makes sense,¡± I said, spotting an opportunity to cheer up my good friend. ¡°Say, Aerion. Would you like to buy some nice clothes?¡±


    ¡°Maybe?¡± she said, eyeing me suspiciously. ¡°Why are you asking?¡±


    ¡°Well, I¡¯ve been thinking that my [Uncommon] undershirts have been chafing a bit too much as well. I feel like it¡¯s time to upgrade to some [Rare] garments. Maybe even silk.¡±


    ¡°Was also hoping we could grab some Soul Crystals. For when I eventually Initialize Aurora. With our newfound wealth, I¡¯d be willing to bet we could get the best dang crystals in town.¡±


    ¡°Well?¡± Aerion asked, her voice giddy with excitement. ¡°What are we waiting for?¡±


    She grabbed my wrist and practically pulled me along, her anger long forgotten. More than the clothes shopping, it seemed it was the Soul Crystals that really got Aerion riled up. I should¡¯ve guessed.


    ¡°¡®Tis lucky we¡¯re at the center of town. All the best shops are around here. None I would normally ever shop at, mind you¡ªfar too pricey¡ªbut they do have the best gear.¡±


    I chuckled. For all the emotional scars of her past, she still showed that youthful spark from time to time.


    I followed after the diminutive elf as we weaved through traffic, avoiding dung piles, giants, and everything in between. The sun was hidden behind clouds, and it looked like it would probably rain, so I was happy to duck into the opulent curio shop located in Basecrest¡¯s central ring. According to Aerion, it was the nicest one in the city.


    It was where one found Soul Crystals, apparently. Too few master smiths in Basecrest to make for any real demand, and so these things were mostly just collected by the rich as baubles.


    Which meant their price tags were similarly hefty.


    I whistled as we went around, looking at the various pieces secured under thick glass displays. ¡°Didn¡¯t Sinclair say our four thousand gold was enough to buy a few mansions?¡± I muttered, too quietly for the clerk¡ªwho watched us with a professional smile¡ªto hear. ¡°Three hundred gold for some of these!¡±


    ¡°Yes, well, the rich need to spend their money on something¡­¡± she whispered back. ¡°One can only have so many mansions.¡±


    I felt like real estate investors back on Earth would have a thing or two to say about that.


    Seeing that we weren¡¯t just casual window shoppers, the clerk finally spoke up. ¡°If there is anything I can assist with, please do not hesitate to ask!¡±


    ¡°In that case,¡± I said with a toothy smile, ¡°I¡¯d like to see every orb in this case,¡± I said, pointing to the glass case with the biggest orbs.


    <hr>


    There were a half-dozen in all. I whistled. All [Rare], which I confirmed by touching each in turn. Quite the surprise, considering the local Trial was only Emergence Rank. Foundation corresponded to [Common], Emergence to [Uncommon], and Divergence to [Rare]. Which meant these orbs must¡¯ve been imported from elsewhere.


    The clerk didn¡¯t seem to appreciate me getting my fingerprints on them very much. Though he maintained a mask of professional courtesy, I could almost read the thoughts that must¡¯ve been going through his head.


    Damn peasants. Who do they think they are, touching these priceless treasures? Just look at them! They couldn¡¯t afford even the cheapest orbs if they tried.


    Okay, so maybe I was reading too much into his stiff posture, and the utter lack of enthusiasm in his voice, but I doubted I was too far off the mark. Neither Aerion nor I cared much, either. If we did, I¡¯d have dressed up in this world¡¯s version of a suit, and Aerion a dress of some kind. Instead, we¡¯d traipsed in with our armor. Freshly cleaned and no longer stinky, but not exactly the most fashion sensible choice.


    On the other hand, with all my armor, I must¡¯ve looked like Aerion¡¯s bodyguard, testing for traps by touching each orb before letting Aerion handle it. It didn¡¯t hurt that I wore the same armor as the City Guard¡ªsomething I could tell the clerk was dying to ask about, but had the good sense not to.


    ¡°Which Crystal tickles your fancy?¡± the clerk asked. ¡°I¡¯d be happy to tell you more about its pedigree.¡±


    Pedigree? What were these, show dogs or something? I wonder how the guy would react if I told him I was going to take this ¡®treasure¡¯ to a forge to smash it into little bits.


    Anyway, there were only two crystals that made any kind of sense for Aerion. Of the half-dozen, two were Passion-related powers that boosted one¡¯s image. Because of course the store¡¯s clientele would want to wear something like that around their necks, even if the power only manifested when worked into weapons or armor by a talented-enough smith.


    Similarly, the other three seemed to boast abilities more to do with showboating than anything useful. One of them apparently summoned a flock of swans¡­ From my own reading of it, it couldn¡¯t control them and make them attack, or do anything else. It just summoned them, and then they¡¯d fly away.


    Another one, [Aegis of the Sixth Barrier], offered a defense against all forms of magic. This one was one of the two I¡¯d been considering. I didn¡¯t think it would make a good fit for Aerion¡¯s Aurora, being a weapon. I didn¡¯t know if the crystal''s ability protected the weapon, or Aerion, and I wouldn¡¯t find out until the thing was destroyed. Too risky, but also tempting to grab, assuming we got a good deal for the pair.


    The other one was a no-brainer. [Smite] increased the weight of every blow dealt. Kind of like my [Snap] ability in its original form, except this one seemed to amplify the power without increasing the speed, somehow.


    Regardless, it had perfect synergy with Aerion¡¯s skill set. Between [Reave], [Smite], and her high Dominion stat, we really were turning her into a deadly monster.


    The only problem? That orb was 300 gold coins. The other one I¡¯d been looking at was 250.


    Now, it was Aerion¡¯s turn to bat. Using nonverbal cues, I¡¯d hinted which ones I was interested in without outright saying it. If I did, Aerion would¡¯ve lost a lot of my bargaining power.


    I locked eyes with Aerion, and she nodded. The message was clear. I¡¯ll take it from here.


    ¡°We might be interested in this red one,¡± Aerion said hesitantly. ¡°But only for the right price. And if you give us your best, we may buy two. We may even¡­¡± she slid Sinclair¡¯s token across the counter, ¡°put in a good word with the Baron. We¡¯re quite close, you see, after recent events.¡±


    I had to admit¡­ I didn¡¯t miss much from Earth. But at that moment, I regretted not having a camera. I would¡¯ve loved to preserve the look on the clerk¡¯s face when his jaw hit the floor.

 Soulweaver 121: Shopping Spree

    Being in the good graces of the city¡¯s ruler had helped more than we thought. Being celebrities didn¡¯t hurt either. The clerk flipped out when she learned we were the ones behind the collapse of the dungeon.


    She¡¯d run out of the store and fetched the store owner, whom we ended up chatting for a solid hour. He¡¯d even asked for our autographs¡ªsomething I hadn¡¯t known was a thing in this world. Apparently, fame had the same hallmarks in any world.


    In the end, we ended up haggling the price down to 250 gold coins for both the [Aegis of the Sixth Barrier] and [Smite] orbs, which the owner admitted was their cost price. He said he didn¡¯t feel right profiting off us. Which basically meant we got a good discount on the more expensive one, and the other for free. The owner had even thrown in a [Common] orb for free. One that had me salivating.


    We walked out of the store supremely happy with our purchases. More than that, it was such a far cry from the initial disdain and indifference we¡¯d been treated with, back when we shopped in Basecrest before the Cataclysm Dungeon.


    Which was, of course, how I was used to being treated my entire life. I felt like I¡¯d just gotten a taste of what it felt like to be rich and powerful, and I had to admit, it was pretty fine indeed. I used to think being rich was overrated. Now? I wasn¡¯t so sure anymore.


    Our next stop was the tailor¡¯s place, and we went without hesitation to the ritziest place in town.


    As much as Aerion and I appreciated the discount on the orbs, we both decided not to reveal our identities here. Sure, these guys made a killing fleecing the rich, but I knew the prior owner had lost out, selling those orbs at cost. Rich or not, it felt bad to abuse our privilege like that. That, and I was already getting tired of the publicity. Not to mention Aerion would negotiate a good deal even without all that.


    No, Aerion was so proficient at bargaining that we didn¡¯t need to pull out the hero card. I left the place carrying a bag full of the most luxurious silk I¡¯d ever worn. Not the gaudy, overpriced crap embroidered with gold, of course, but it was quality, nonetheless.


    The stuff was so soft, I could hardly believe it wasn¡¯t some magic fiber. Thin, too. So thin I wondered if it would rip, but as the clerk had shown us by pulling on both ends with all his might, it was much stronger than it looked.


    And with my Initialization boons, that would grow even further. I¡¯d confirmed in the shop that every piece I¡¯d bought was [Rare], and I couldn¡¯t wait to enchant them.


    That would have to wait, though. In fact, for my next trick, I¡¯d have to actually destroy the [Uncommon] clothing I currently wore, along with some of my other, lesser used weapons and armor.


    I thought about waiting to level up so I could Uninitialize them and sell them, but Aerion told me the secondhand clothing market¡ªespecially for the simple stuff I¡¯d bought¡ªwas very weak, and that it wouldn¡¯t be worth my time. Not when we were swimming in hundreds of gold.


    I had to agree, which was why I planned to melt my old steel gauntlets and rip apart my fabric garments as soon as we got to our next stop.


    Yep, our next stop¡­ Rogar¡¯s.


    I¡¯d be lying if I said I hadn¡¯t dreaded this reunion. It was partly why I¡¯d put it off for so long.


    ¡°Oh, and don¡¯t look him in the eye,¡± I said, coaching Aerion in proper grumpy asshole etiquette. ¡°He might take that as a challenge to his authority.¡±


    Aerion rolled her eyes. ¡°What is he, a blacksmith? Or a territorial animal?¡±


    ¡°Yes,¡± I replied flatly, causing my elf friend to chuckle. ¡°I¡¯m serious. He¡¯s a grouchy old bastard who will take advantage of you at the first opportunity. Keep your guard up, and don¡¯t give him an inch, alright?¡±


    ¡°Alright, fine,¡± Aerion said. ¡°I admit, I¡¯m rather interested in meeting him now. I doubt I¡¯ve ever met anyone as foul as you make him out to be.¡±


    ¡°Oh, believe me, he¡¯s the wors¡ª¡±


    ¡°GRUG!¡±


    I whirled to find the short, stocky man barreling in my direction.


    Shit. He was gonna attack me, wasn¡¯t he? The day had finally come. Rogar was showing his true colors at last.


    I instinctively adopted a guard position, as did Aerion, though neither of us pulled our weapons. I couldn¡¯t understand why the blacksmith would want to hurt me, but it was no secret he had it out for me.


    Bad decision, Rogar. I wasn¡¯t the same, weak human I¡¯d been upon entering this world. I could defend myself. I¡¯d send a message. I¡¯d fend off his¡­ bear hug?


    What the fuck?


    ¡°You sodding devil, you! Never thought I¡¯d see you again! And then I hear you¡¯ve gone and saved the city? I said to myself, no, not that Grug. Not my Grug! But sure as day, it was you, wasn¡¯t it? Wasn¡¯t it?¡±


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    ¡°Er, yeah¡­ It was me,¡± I said, glancing awkwardly at Aerion, who watched the drama unfold with an amused expression.


    ¡°Thank Dominion!¡± Rogar broke his hug and grasped me by the shoulder. He¡­ was crying. ¡°Thank you, Grug. Thank you for saving this city. I can¡¯t even imagine what it must¡¯ve been like. The sacrifice¡­ Did my blade help? Tell me my blade helped.¡±


    ¡°Your blade helped a lot, Rogar,¡± I said, patting Light of the Fearless at my hip. ¡°In fact, I might not have survived without it.¡±


    Thinking back to all the times I relied on its twin abilities, I could say with certainty that it¡¯d saved my neck more than a few times. If I¡¯d entered the dungeon with my old gear¡­


    I shuddered. I didn¡¯t even want to think about it. As useful as dungeon pick-ups were, you simply couldn¡¯t deny the power of a rare weapon magically forged.


    But those thoughts fell away to the much more pressing question.


    What the fuck was wrong with Rogar?


    I knew this guy far too well to take his antics at face value. I remembered all too well how he¡¯d treated me like trash when we¡¯d first met. Rogar was many things, but stupid wasn¡¯t one. The angry blacksmith was both sly and savvy, and he¡¯d never butter me up like this unless he wanted something. I could take a few guesses as to what.


    After all, who wouldn¡¯t want to buddy up to a couple of heroes? I groaned inwardly. Was this how it was going to be from now on? Leeches and moochers, looking to buddy up with the celebrities?


    All the more reason to keep my identity hidden. Both of them. The same went for Aerion.


    ¡°And who might this be?¡± Rogar asked, gesturing to Aerion, who was currently in her boy outfit.


    ¡°Friend of mine,¡± I said. ¡°Aerion, Rogar. Rogar, Aerion.¡±


    Rogar was all smiles as he shook Aerion¡¯s hand, while Aerion could barely keep from laughing. I realized the image I¡¯d painted of the man wasn¡¯t quite matching up to his current behavior. That was fine. His mask would crack eventually. And knowing the man, that moment wouldn¡¯t be too far off.


    Rogar complimented me for making a friend of an elf and led us in, yammering on about the forge and how business had been booming ever since he made me that sword.


    Well, Rogar might be an ass, but he was good at what he did at least. Light of the Fearless was one of the main reasons I was still alive. If nothing else, it had proven quite useful having a blacksmith willing to make stuff for me on the cheap... Though, now that money was no longer a problem, that had become less of a perk.


    Inside, I found another surprise waiting for me.


    ¡°Philip?¡± I said, genuinely shocked to find myself swept up in a tight embrace.


    ¡°Gods, am I glad you two made it back. Come, you must tell me everything!¡±


    ¡°And I!¡± Rogar said. ¡°What was it like? How¡¯d you make it out alive? Tell me everything!¡±


    ¡°Yes, everything,¡± Philip echoed, making me laugh.


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry, I will. First, though¡­ Why are you here? I thought, er¡­¡±


    ¡°You thought I was let go,¡± Philip said with a chuckle. ¡°Well, yes, I was, but then Rogar had a change of heart once he learned I was the one who helped train you two for the dungeon.¡±


    ¡°And so, you¡¯re back at the forge, recycling metal,¡± I said, shaking my head. Cracks began to form in my ironclad conviction that Rogar was putting on an act. If he was, he sure was going through a lot of trouble to make it believable.


    ¡°No place I¡¯d rather be,¡± Philip said, beaming. ¡°Feel like melting some steel? You can fill us in while we work.¡±


    I rolled up my sleeves. ¡°Do I ever?¡±


    <hr>


    ¡°You did what!?¡± Rogar roared, and not for the first time. Apparently, Sinclair hadn¡¯t bothered to notify Philip that I¡¯d played a pivotal role in ending the dungeon. Or that I¡¯d worked with two Champions, which left me in the awkward situation of breaking the news.


    ¡°You¡¯re telling me you¡¯re an honest-to-Dominion hero now?¡± Philip asked, his reaction only slightly more subdued.


    ¡°Well, we had a lot of help and a lot of luck. And it wasn¡¯t just me. Aerion here easily played as much of a role as I did. Maybe even more.¡±


    Both men turned to gaze at Aerion, who flushed. ¡°He¡¯s exaggerating,¡± she said, rubbing the back of her neck. ¡°It wasn¡¯t that big of a¡ªeep!?¡±


    Rogar and Philip swept the elf into a great group hug. I couldn¡¯t see Aerion¡¯s face, buried as it was in their chests, but her ears turned promptly pink. Honest, those ears of hers. It was kinda adorable.


    ¡°Alright already,¡± I said, breaking up the group hug. ¡°Give the poor man some space before you suffocate him.¡±


    ¡°Look at you,¡± Rogar said, beaming at us with pride. ¡°Gone an¡¯ saved the city. Yer heroes now!¡±


    ¡°I, er, suppose. Just did what we had to do.¡±


    ¡°Sorry, Greg, but I disagree,¡± Philip said. ¡°You didn¡¯t have to go risk your life delving a dungeon from which you would likely never return. Rogar¡¯s right. Normal people don¡¯t do these things. What you¡¯ve done¡­ You went above and beyond. You oughta be proud. Both of you. I only hope Sinclair appreciates the gravity of your achievement.¡±


    ¡°Well,¡± I smiled, ¡°he did let us raid his vault¡­ And he¡¯s going to try to make us nobles.¡±


    Both Philip and Rogar¡¯s jaws dropped.


    ¡°Say that again,¡± Rogar croaked.


    ¡°Nothing¡¯s certain yet,¡± I said. ¡°And even if it does go through, we¡¯ll probably be low on the ladder.¡±


    ¡°Greg,¡± Philip said slowly. ¡°I don¡¯t think you understand¡­ Becoming a noble isn¡¯t something that just affects you. It affects your whole family, down through the generations. Every child of yours will be a noble! This is bigger than you think, Greg. It simply does not happen. Not without exceptional circumstances.¡±


    ¡°Which they¡¯ve earned, Philip,¡± Rogar said.


    ¡°Yes, my apologies,¡± Philip corrected immediately. ¡°You¡¯ve of course earned it. Just that¡­ If you truly knew of its significance, you would not be here, melting metal with us.¡±


    ¡°Oh? Why¡¯s that?¡± I asked.


    ¡°It would be beneath your station,¡± Philip said bitterly.


    I laughed. ¡°That right there is a load of utter bullshit. For one, we¡¯re not nobles yet, so don¡¯t go distancing yourself from me. And even if we were, I¡¯d come right back here. Because this is the best damned forge in all of Basecrest.¡±


    Rogar puffed his chest a bit, but I could tell neither were about to let this go. So I switched tactics.


    ¡°Let¡¯s talk about the real reason we¡¯re here,¡± I said, grinning. ¡°We¡¯ve got some gear to melt, and some soul crystals to crush. I want to practice my forging.¡±

 Soulweaver 122:The Deadliest Weapons

    Of course, forging was only one of the skills I was interested in practicing. With my Spatial Inventory¡¯s size and weight capacity growing with each rank-up, it was only a matter of time before I could fit a full forge in there.


    Which meant I could forge while inside Cataclysm Dungeons and Trials¡ªboth of which were known for their rare metals. It was either that or pay through my nose at shops, and as I¡¯d recently seen with our orbs, even a small fortune didn¡¯t go very far when it came to the truly exotic items.


    Considering how delving was pretty much guaranteed to be in our future, I figured I¡¯d have plenty of opportunity. But only if I had the skills to match.


    But first, there was a bit of spring cleaning to be done. Thanks to Rocky, my Essence was maxed out, and I had more than a few dead weight items I needed to get rid of.


    Pretending like I was reaching into my backpack, I pulled out the remains of my poleax, which had been chomped by the giant serpent we¡¯d fought. While the wooden shaft had been minced, the blade itself was in relatively decent condition. Apparently, that was sufficient for the System to consider the weapon intact, albeit with a Condition that was now in the single digits.


    ¡°You¡¯ll be wanting to repair that, then?¡± Rogar said, taking the blade.


    ¡°Not quite. Thinking of melting it down, actually. Maybe I can practice forging the metal into something else, after?¡±


    ¡°Aye, we can do that,¡± Rogar said, surprisingly amenable. No mention of the cost or the effort involved or anything. ¡°Are you sure, though? This is decent steel.¡±


    I nodded. ¡°Positive. I mean, compare that to Light of the Fearless. It¡¯s not even in the same league.¡±


    ¡°Indeed,¡± Rogar said, flushing with pride.


    The fact was, I didn¡¯t need the weapon any longer. Sure, [Skunky] was a useful distraction against the weaker enemies of Dominion¡¯s Trial, but it just didn¡¯t hold up against the sorts of foes we now fought. And with it being a [Common] weapon, the ability was capped to Foundation rank. It¡¯d never grow stronger.


    The other no-brainer was my old Stainless Steel Gauntlets with the [Minor Heat Resist] ability. Still stuck at F - 2, because I never wore the thing. Another [Common] piece of armor, and so it went too. Melting stainless steel would be harder, but I bet we could manage to destroy it, regardless.


    My Steel Mace was harder. It was also [Common], but its [Bleed] ability was both at F-10, the max level for the Foundation rank. While relatively weak, the ability was incredibly useful. Especially when shot from my inventory. To make the most use out of [Launch], I¡¯d need a small arsenal of disposable weapons¡ªweapons strong enough to hurt, but cheap enough to be alright losing.


    I couldn¡¯t very well shoot Light of the Fearless¡ªeven if the sword didn¡¯t break upon impact, how many archers recovered all their arrows? Probably not many. Chances were good I¡¯d lose it in a fight.


    That just left me with Aerion¡¯s Nobleman¡¯s Steel Shortsword. While she was fine melting it down, I didn¡¯t really want to Uninitialize that. It was both [Uncommon], and its [Venom Strike] was very useful. Another great option to have in my arsenal. I¡¯d save that one for later.


    I similarly held onto my shield. Thanks to Rogar¡¯s handiwork, it was small enough to stick inside my inventory, and it had saved me more times than I could count. Its [Mirrored] ability was at F-10 now, and was decently handy as a distraction. Especially enemies sensitive to light.


    Philip worked the bellows, bringing the forge up to temperature, while I stuck the blade of the poleax into the coals.


    ¡°Now, pounding down metal might look easy, but there¡¯s quite a bit of technique to be picked up here, too,¡± Rogar said, surprising me. ¡°Melting the metal¡¯s a good opportunity to fold it over. Many ways to make a blank, but this way, they come out stronger, you see? Fewer imperfections. More evenly distributed.¡±


    Even Philip looked taken off-guard. He¡¯d never once mentioned this to either of us before. Seriously, what was up with this guy? His behavior went far beyond what I¡¯d have imagined. It ventured dangerously close to ¡®nice¡¯. I didn¡¯t like that one bit. Not one bit.


    Except I wasn¡¯t that desperate stranger looking to make a dime, anymore. I had some real awareness of this world. Prestige, too. I didn¡¯t have to agonize endlessly, too scared to bring up the hard topics.


    So I didn¡¯t.


    ¡°How about we cut the crap?¡± I said, causing the stocky man to freeze.


    ¡°Beg your pardon?¡± Rogar asked, while Philip looked at me pensively.


    ¡°Why are you acting like this?¡±


    ¡°Like what?¡± Rogar said, looking genuinely confused.


    ¡°Why are you being so nice to us?¡±


    Rogar opened and closed his mouth a few times. Then his expression shifted, and I knew I¡¯d unveiled the true face behind the mask.


    ¡°You saved my life,¡± Rogar said, and it was my turn to be confused.


    ¡°Huh?¡±


    If you discover this tale on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen. Please report the violation.


    ¡°You saved us all, Grug. Yer nothing like before. As I said¡­ Yer a hero. Seems to me, nothing I do could repay that debt.¡±


    Rogar¡¯s face scrunched up in anguish, and he looked away.


    For the first time since knowing this man, I saw regret on his face. Real, genuine regret. He wasn¡¯t faking. He wasn¡¯t planning some elaborate ruse. He was just¡­ genuinely thankful.


    ¡°O-oh,¡± I said lamely, before clearing my throat. ¡°Oh look! The metal¡¯s hot. Let¡¯s get on with melting, shall we?¡±


    I made it a point to ignore Aerion, who looked like she was just barely containing herself from breaking into giggles.


    <hr>


    It turned out Rogar had a point. I had to hand it to him, for all his character flaws¡ªwhich seemed to have magically dissipated¡ªhe knew his stuff. Between his guidance and the hours I¡¯d spent recycling metal with Philip before the dungeon, I really felt like I was getting the hang of things. The motions came more naturally, and the hammer felt less like a tool and more like an extension of my own arm.


    It was helped in no small part thanks to what I suspected was a combination of the Soul Evolution Seed and my new armor, which prioritized Grace. In the two hours we¡¯d worked, that stat had jumped a whopping ten points to 37¡ªunheard of, even at lower levels. It confirmed my theory earlier, that this Grace-optimized suit of armor actually leveled that stat faster than normal. Not to mention the feeling of stats increasing at this pace was incredibly exhilarating. It wasn¡¯t often I could actually feel the gains as they happened.


    Even Aerion had gotten involved, pounding iron for the first time in her life. She seemed to enjoy it greatly, despite the heat and the soot, but then again, Aerion had never had any qualms getting her hands dirty.


    Before I knew it, the weapon that was once my poleax was gone. Its Essence cost was gone. And what remained was a hunk of pristine steel, ready to be shaped into whatever I wanted.


    ¡°Let¡¯s make¡­¡± I was about to tell Rogar to make a sword, but that felt like a waste, at least for now. I¡¯d seen the destructive potential of those stones¡­ What I needed was something light, more than anything. Optimized for one purpose and one purpose only¡ªto punch through armor and hide. To penetrate.


    Not unlike a bullet. Except, bullets were so deadly because of their conical shape, and that conical shape only flew straight when spun. I had no way of making it spin, so bullets were out of the question. No, it had to be a stable, aerodynamic shape.


    Which meant long and pointed. Needles immediately came to mind, though I doubted those would do much damage. Sure, they¡¯d penetrate easily, but they were so tiny that I doubted they¡¯d actually hurt my enemies that much. The deadliest bullets expanded once inside the body, or broke apart into a bunch of pieces. Needles would punch right through, leaving only a tiny wound.


    I shook my head. I had to admit, I never figured all those shooter games I¡¯d played could come in handy like this.


    The more I thought about it, the more certain I became. I needed something bigger than a needle and smaller than a sword. Something that was naturally stable in flight, and that could penetrate objects easily.


    And while making cylindrical metal things was a lot harder than it looked¡ªI¡¯d know, I¡¯d tried one night when it had been just me working the recycler¡ªthis was Rogar we were talking about. The guy was nothing if not skilled. With my Soulweaving interface to help, I was pretty darn sure I could do it, too.


    ¡°Steel crossbow bolts,¡± I said at last. ¡°Or, darts. Six inches long. No need for a notch at the back. In fact, let¡¯s make a bunch of them. As many as we can. As light and aerodynamic as possible.¡±


    While I¡¯d first thought of arrows, I didn¡¯t know how well their wooden shafts would hold up to the abuse I would put them through. Probably well enough, considering how widely used they were in combat, but I didn¡¯t want to risk it. After all, arrows were rarely fired at point-blank range at the speeds my inventory was capable of.


    ¡°Doable,¡± Rogar grunted, nodding. ¡°You sure that¡¯s what you want, Grug?¡±


    ¡°Positive. But let¡¯s work this Soul Crystal in while we¡¯re at it, shall we?¡± I said, pulling out one of the cheaper orbs we¡¯d bought at the curio store.


    This one in particular had a very interesting ability. Nothing that would make it inherently valuable, or sell for any meaningful price, but I had a unique advantage there. Crafting magical weapons was normally a difficult process that only the most talented smiths could pull off. Which was why the few who could only bothered with high tier orbs and exotic metals.


    Rogar wasn¡¯t quite at that level, but this? He could definitely manage.


    ¡°What¡¯s it do?¡± Rogar asked, taking the orb.


    ¡°Penetration enhancement. Nothing special, just a Foundation rank. Should be perfect for these little darts, though. Say¡­ You wouldn¡¯t happen to know of a way to incorporate Soul Crystals intact, would you?¡±


    ¡°Intact?¡± Philip asked, looking awfully confused.


    ¡°Yeah, like, without crushing them to dust.¡± I knew it was a long shot. Still didn¡¯t hurt to ask.


    ¡°Never even heard of such a thing,¡± Rogar said. ¡°Where¡¯d you hear about that?¡±


    ¡°Ah, I didn¡¯t. Just an errant thought,¡± I said, evading the real answer. I hadn¡¯t heard of it, but that message that popped up on my Soulweaving interface about soul crystals losing their sentience when crushed had certainly hinted at it.


    Rogar shrugged. ¡°This going to be like last time, then?¡±


    ¡°Last time?¡± Philip asked. ¡°What¡¯s that supposed to mean?¡±


    ¡°Grug here took over halfway. Ended up making a damn fine blade out of it. Like he¡¯d been working them for years.¡±


    ¡°Oh?¡± Philip asked, throwing me a pensive gaze.


    I raised my hands. ¡°Look, I won¡¯t pretend like it was some fluke. We all know it wasn¡¯t¡­ But you¡¯ll have to forgive me for not saying any more.¡±


    I¡¯d been bracing for an argument, but the two nodded back without complaint.


    ¡°Of course you do,¡± Philip said, as if it were obvious. ¡°No ¡®normal¡¯ person helps Champions defeat a Divergence-class dungeon. Nor does any Blessed have any obligation whatsoever to tell others about their abilities. Quite the opposite, in fact. Rarer to find one willing to divulge details.¡±


    ¡°Right¡­¡± I said. ¡°Thank you. Both of you. Needless to say, I have something that helps with crafting.¡±


    ¡°Wish you¡¯d said so earlier,¡± Rogar grumbled. ¡°Would¡¯ve put you to good use¡­ Not that I¡¯d ever dream of doing such a thing now, mind you. Which reminds me¡­ The contract you signed, consider it annulled. No reason to¡ª¡±


    ¡°No,¡± I countered. ¡°I¡¯d like to continue training, if that¡¯s alright. I¡¯m leaving again in a few days, and I don¡¯t know when I¡¯ll be back, but while I might have some help from my ability, it¡¯s clear that there¡¯s no substitute for actual skill. I want to learn. I want to improve. So whenever I¡¯m able, I¡¯ll come back and visit. Is that¡­ amenable?¡±


    I¡¯d been wondering how to broach the topic, but Rogar had thankfully solved that problem by bringing it up.


    ¡°More than fine,¡± Rogar said with a genuine smile. ¡°It¡¯d be an honor to teach someone like you, Grug.¡±


    I almost corrected him about my name, but thought better of it. I¡¯d grown too used to being called Grug. Anything different sounded wrong now.


    ¡°Perfect,¡± I said. ¡°Then let¡¯s get aforging!¡±

 Soulweaver 123: Dartful Hammering

    I''d hoped my poleax would retain enough condition to retain its ability even while melted down before we started, but as I saw, no dice. The weapon¡¯s condition had reached zero and its 7 Essence points were reclaimed, which filled me with all sorts of feelings, considering everything we''d been through together. Then again, it was just a tool, and tools were meant to be used and repurposed.


    I noted that Rocky¡¯s Essence cost had already decreased by 2 points. Looks like the cost just ticked down over time continuously.


    I¡¯d already ripped apart my [Uncommon] shirt and hose leggings before arriving¡ªI figured I¡¯d rather avoid causing a scene by doing it in front of them¡ªso I was now at 326/370, leaving me 54 points if I was willing to expend my buffer.


    Which I was. The prospect of gaining an arsenal of ultra-lethal knife-darts outweighed the benefit of having a buffer. I hadn¡¯t really needed that in a long time, anyway.


    Then again¡­


    I glanced at Aerion, who watched on enthusiastically.


    ¡°Rogar?¡± I said, turning to the dwarf-like man. ¡°Mind telling me whether you can reforge Aerion¡¯s sword, Aurora?¡±


    I gestured for Aerion to show the smith her sword. Unsheathing it, she handed it to Rogar pommel-first. Her face was neutral, but there was no mistaking the excitement in her eyes.


    Rogar inspected the blade, holding it like it was some holy object.


    ¡°Magnificent,¡± he said. ¡°Only an elf could have forged this blade. True Mythril¡­ I suspect I¡¯ll not see another blade like it again.¡±


    He passed the blade to Philip, who also looked at it with reverence.


    Aerion looked proud, but I could only cringe. ¡°I suppose this means you can¡¯t reforge it, then?¡±


    The pride in Aerion¡¯s eyes vanished, replaced with a frown of worry.


    ¡°Afraid not, Grug, and that¡¯s not only a matter of skill,¡± he said, no doubt referencing my ability. ¡°My forge simply isn¡¯t hot enough to reforge the stuff. If you recall, yer blade only had a Mythril coating. Mostly for show. When we reforged it, we lost any benefit it might¡¯ve imparted. Not that such a small amount would¡¯ve done much¡­¡±


    ¡°Figures,¡± I said, glancing at my elf friend. While her face was a mask of stoic non-expression, her ears drooped sadly.


    I squeezed her shoulder. ¡°We¡¯re not nobodies anymore,¡± I muttered. ¡°We¡¯ll find you a proper forge, and then you¡¯ll have a reforged, Initialized blade that can wipe the floor with Eskil.¡±


    Aerion nodded, her lips curling upward slightly.


    Of course, finding a forge that would allow a total amateur like me to pound on the blade was¡­ Well, let¡¯s just say it limited the pool, but Aerion didn¡¯t need to know that.


    ¡°Metal¡¯s ready for forging,¡± Rogar said. ¡°If yer gonna break that crystal, you¡¯d best do it now.¡±


    ¡°Right,¡± I said, returning to the forge. ¡°Let¡¯s do this.¡±


    <hr>


    The process went smoother than last time, and thankfully, there was enough of the Soul Crystal to create several darts worth.


    This was also a good opportunity to test whether I could bring up my Soulweaving interface without having first Initialized gear.


    The answer, as it turned out, was I couldn¡¯t. Rogar began by sprinkling the crystal dust into the smaller blank we¡¯d split from the ingot we¡¯d made of the poleax, and hammering it again and again, folding the metal over.


    It wasn¡¯t very high quality steel, which meant softer metal. Things went quite a lot faster than with Light of the Fearless, mostly thanks to an interesting device Rogar had for shaping cylindrical objects.


    I helped Rogar with the basic shaping, which was the first step. I took his hammer¡­ and smashed the ingot, completely disfiguring the shape.


    ¡°What are you doing!?¡± Rogar snapped, some of his older persona showing before he corrected himself. ¡°I mean, er¡­ That¡¯s no good at all.¡±


    ¡°Well, I tried,¡± I muttered, ignoring him. It seemed my interface did, in fact, only work for objects I¡¯d previously Initialized.


    Which left me with something of an issue. I had to physically touch the glowing red pieces of metal to Initialize them, but I had to Initialize them before we finished the forging process.


    We waited for them to cool slightly, then I took the thickest gloves Rogar had, and quickly touched and Initialized all six of them. Neither Rogar nor Philip said a word as I wrapped up my task, but their incredulous gazes pretty much spelled out what they were thinking.


    I had to admit, I was a little bummed by my findings.


    On the one hand, it made sense that I¡¯d have to Initialize things to unlock the interface. On the other, the stats I was able to modify came purely from the Soul Crystal I¡¯d crushed when we reforged Light of the Fearless.


    Philip worked the bellows while we reheated the newly Initialized darts, as the System called it.


    Steel Dart [Common]


    Made from the remains of an actually useful weapon, this thing¡­ kinda sucks!


    Essence Cost: 4


    Condition: 15/15


    Stats:


    ¡ª None


    Abilities:


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    ¡ª Ouch! [Foundation - 0]: Inflicts a small wound on touch. Kinda like a bee sting, but bigger.


    I had to admit, as far as crappy [Common] abilities went, this one wasn¡¯t half-bad. In fact, it would synergize quite well with [Gouge] ability I¡¯d picked up from the store.


    ¡ª Gouge: Augments any damage inflicted by a tiny amount.


    The moment I picked up the hammer, the Soulweaving Interface came alive, showing the dart in a beautiful rainbow of colors.


    Well, that didn¡¯t make a whole lot of sense. Last time, each color represented a stat. I assumed the same was true here¡­ Except this Crystal gave me no stats. Would it suddenly impart stats if I optimized for any particular color?


    My hand remained poised above the metal, unmoving as I tried to sort this out.


    I didn¡¯t want stats. Stats on a thrown weapon were useless, especially since I planned to fire it directly from my inventory. It would never be equipped.


    That said, something told me that optimizing for one stat was better than striking a balance, so that was what I did.


    As for the stat in question¡ªthat was a no-brainer. I picked Black. Dominion was the only one I¡¯d even consider.


    I brought the hammer down, pounding out the other colors from the metal. I didn¡¯t even focus on the actual smithing. My ability guided my motions, telling me where to strike, with what force, and rhythm. The best part was I felt each and every action. I was there, present. Observing. I was learning the patterns. Patterns I could later put to use.


    As good as I was, though, I couldn¡¯t beat a machine. I¡¯d just handle the initial shaping, getting the ingot into a roughly cylindrical shape. Rogar¡¯s press would do the rest.


    While I maintained some awareness of my technique, I was more focused on the colors, and stamping out every last trace of the others. I had a hunch as to what these meant, and if I was right¡­ I grew giddy at the prospect.


    The interface vanished as quickly as it had manifested, and the dart was ready for the next step.


    ¡°Solid work,¡± Rogar said, picking up the ingot with his tongs and inserting it into the press.


    The device basically smashed two halves of a mold together. There were several molds, actually, of various thicknesses. Rogar and I spun a large wheel, which smashed the hot, malleable ingot into the mold, creating a perfectly straight cylinder.


    It only took a few heating passes to get the dart perfect.


    In the downtime, Philip and I crafted the tail fins from some scrap steel Rogar had. Being flat, triangular surfaces, these were a lot simpler to pound out, and we worked together to shape and cut out the pieces.


    Finally, Rogar took a tiny hammer and pounded three fins into the dart at the back, before dunking it in a bucket full of oil. ¡°Couldn¡¯t have done better myself,¡± he said as the oil vaporized and sizzled.


    I smiled. He didn¡¯t know the half of it. What I¡¯d done was nothing short of miraculous.


    I¡¯d taken the already useful [Gouge] and turned it into something far deadlier.


    Steel Dart [Common]


    Made from the remains of an actually useful weapon, this thing¡­ kinda sucks! But now it has some pretty slick magical abilities that make it¡­ actually kinda awesome?


    Essence Cost: 4


    Condition: 15/15


    Stats:


    ¡ª None


    Abilities:


    ¡ª Ouch! [Foundation - 0]: Inflicts a small wound on touch. Kinda like a bee sting, but bigger.


    ¡ª Burst [Foundation - 0]: Creates a localized explosion on contact. Definitely a lot bigger than a bee sting.


    While the forging process had been more involved than I¡¯d first anticipated, it¡¯d be more than worth it. My darts not only shot out of my inventory at crazy speeds, they could resist more damage before breaking, and they caused wounds and exploded.


    Not freaking bad at all. I was tempted to do the same thing for the other five darts we had to forge, but I kept my curiosity in check. I¡¯d make two others with the same ability, but I had to mess around with other options.


    For the next dart, I concentrated entirely on the gold of Vigor, pounding out all the other colors.


    The result¡­ was surprising.


    Steel Dart [Common]


    Made from the remains of an actually useful weapon, this thing¡­ kinda sucks! But now it has some pretty slick magical abilities that make it¡­ actually kinda awesome?


    Essence Cost: 4


    Condition: 15/15


    Stats:


    ¡ª None


    Abilities:


    ¡ª Ouch! [Foundation - 0]: Inflicts a small wound on touch. Kinda like a bee sting, but bigger.


    ¡ª Mend [Foundation - 0]: Heals the wielder a small amount on contact.


    Decidedly interesting. It healed me upon contact¡­ but I couldn¡¯t very well stab myself, because its other ability would hurt me. Still¡­ With this, I could heal myself by attacking my enemies. A tiny amount, to be sure, but fascinating nonetheless.


    For the next one, I tried splitting Vigor and Dominion 50/50, but that just yielded the same [Gouge] ability the Soul Crystal had to begin with. Apparently, mixing stats diluted the effect too much. At least, at my current level. Was it my own lack of skill at fault here? Or was it the weapon¡¯s [Common] rarity that made it this way?


    Something to play around with, for sure.


    I didn¡¯t bother making another with Passion or Order. The former was useless in a dart, and I still wasn¡¯t sure what the latter did. That was somewhat mind-boggling, considering what I was¡­ There was no chance the stat was useless, but I just didn¡¯t have the luxury of messing around with it right now. Not to mention my Order had already hit its ceiling, and it was a low ceiling right now. To improve it, I¡¯d have to invest in armor that upped that stat at the cost of others.


    I knew that Wisdom let me modify certain characteristics of my magic, so I prioritized blue next.


    The result was again surprising. This time, I got no second ability at all. [Ouch!], already the dumbest name for an ability I¡¯d ever heard, had changed. Now it was [Ouch In So Many Ways!].


    I had to take back my previous thought. This was the dumbest name I¡¯d ever heard.


    ¡ª Ouch In So Many Ways! [Foundation - 0]: Gone are the days when abilities dictate what damage gets done where. Now you determine the size and depth of the wound.


    So this one gave me customizability over the original magic. Not unexpected, but it was good to see my guess play out correctly.


    I had one more to experiment with, and it came down to Cunning or Grace. I bet Grace gave the dart an ability that allowed it to fly straighter, or more reliably hit targets somehow. Cunning, though? I didn¡¯t have the faintest idea. Cunning had to do with awareness, but what did that mean in the context of a dart?


    I was about to find out.


    I pounded out all the other colors, leaving only purple, and when it was finished, I got¡­


    ¡ª Extrasensory Perception [Foundation - 0]: On contact, the weapon imparts rudimentary awareness of the immediate area back to the wielder.


    Okay, now that was cool. I was pretty sure that at F - 0, that ¡®immediate area¡¯ was probably all of six inches across or something equally useless. I was willing to bet that even at F - Max, it wouldn¡¯t amount to much, but if I ever did this with higher quality metals?


    I couldn¡¯t even imagine the possibilities.


    Grinning from ear to ear, I proceeded to work the remaining three.

 Soulweaver 124: Delvers LLC

    If it seems too good to be true, it usually is.


    An old saying, but one that applied in any world.


    It happened when Aerion and I were getting ready to leave Rogar¡¯s forge. The moment I¡¯d been waiting for. The explanation behind Rogar¡¯s sudden persona shift.


    ¡°Wait¡­ Grug,¡± the blacksmith called as I finished packing my new projectile weapons into my pack.


    ¡°Yeah?¡± I asked, looking up to find an expression I¡¯d never see before on the smith¡¯s face.


    Anguish. Consternation.


    I knew then that Rogar was about to heap something truly godawful upon us.


    Safely, my instincts rarely led me astray.


    ¡°I need a favor,¡± he said.


    ¡°Yeah?¡± I asked, my voice oozing of suspicion. ¡°What are we talking about here?¡±


    ¡°Well¡­ You¡¯re heroes, y¡¯see? And¡­ you¡¯ve just conquered a Divergence class dungeon. Y¡¯see? And¡­ Well¡­ That old Trial of Dominion¡¯s must seem like child¡¯s play to you now, eh?¡± he said with an awkward laugh.


    ¡°Uh¡­ Not really?¡± I said. ¡°I doubt either Aerion and I could take out the Trial Guardian, even with our new advantages. The only reason we won last time was because we cheated.¡±


    ¡°Will the same trick work twice?¡± Rogar asked, suddenly grabbing my wrist. ¡°Will it work, Grug?¡±


    I looked down at his hand, and Rogar seemed to understand what he¡¯d done. He let go and backed away a few steps. He was still searching my expression, though.


    ¡°Maybe,¡± I said. ¡°But we don¡¯t even know if it¡¯ll be the same monster again. They rotate, or so I hear. What do you want, Rogar?¡±


    I had a few guesses, but I really hoped I was wrong.


    ¡°Take me with you. With the two of you together, we could clear the dungeon in a day. Maybe even less! Won¡¯t take much at all. Allow me to fight the monster¡­ I know it¡¯s not my place to ask. Not to a hero, let alone a noble. Just¡­ Let me gain a Blessing. No! Even just a boon! Anything!¡±


    ¡°Why?¡± I asked, scratching my cheek. ¡°You¡¯re a blacksmith. What use will a Boon do you? The chances you¡¯ll get anything even remotely related to forging are slim.¡±


    ¡°Grug, I¡¯ll never get anywhere as it is. Nobody will respect me until I delve a Trial.¡±


    I scoffed. ¡°I find that a little disingenuous, Rogar. You forged Light of the Fearless¡­ I¡¯m willing to bet you have no end of customers. Who cares if you delved a Trial?¡±


    It was Philip who replied. ¡°It actually matters a great deal. A Boon¡¯s an incredible thing for a smith. Even if Rogar never uses it his whole life, he¡¯ll be a Delver Forgemaster. His social status will be incomparable to what it is now. His forge will have no end of customers. Wealthy, noble customers.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re telling me that no matter how good Rogar is, he won¡¯t get that sort of business unless he has a Boon or a Blessing?¡± I asked incredulously.


    Philip nodded, looking a little confused that I didn¡¯t know about this already. ¡°Social barrier though it may be, it might as well be made of Voidsteel. It¡¯s not one that can be crossed any other way.¡±


    ¡°Skill only gets ya so far,¡± Rogar said. ¡°Without status¡­ yer nothin¡¯ in this world. Besides¡­ It¡¯s the only way I¡¯ll ever escape this place. I¡¯m meant for better. I know it. Can feel it in my blood. Please, Grug.¡±


    I almost jerked back when he bowed his head. Rogar¡­ Bowing to anyone short of a king? I looked out through the cloudy glass window. Was another Landing Castle about to fall on our heads?


    I took a breath.


    ¡°This is quite the favor you¡¯re asking, Rogar,¡± I said, running my fingers through my hair. ¡°For one, we barely have any time at all. We have that procession Sinclair wants us to attend, and we¡¯re due to head out of town with a convoy next week.¡±


    I glanced at Aerion, who frowned in thought.


    ¡°What do we have to gain from this?¡± Aerion said. ¡°I understand you have a working relationship with Greg, but the same is not true for myself. Why should I put myself in danger for you?¡±


    Aerion to the rescue, once again. If I¡¯d asked, it might¡¯ve come across as selfish. Rogar could have pulled the ¡®I gave you a job!¡¯ card. But with Aerion, he had no leg to stand on.


    ¡°I¡¯ll forge whatever you like while we¡¯re in there,¡± Rogar said.


    I was about to ask him what the big deal about that was when I remembered something Aerion had said when I first got to Axius, way back in the Trial.


    That blacksmiths were considered esteemed members of society. Not only because they were among the few trades that could shape metal¡ªapparently something that was considered a magic of its own¡ªbut because nothing found in Trials and Cataclysm dungeons could be taken outside. It was why I couldn¡¯t bring the miracle sanctuary water with me, and why I couldn''t use any of the exotic ores found in those pocket worlds.


    You might be reading a stolen copy. Visit Royal Road for the authentic version.


    Unfortunately, I¡¯d learned the hard way that all the snow I¡¯d stockpiled in my inventory had vanished upon exiting the Cataclysm Dungeon. Which meant my inventory wasn¡¯t immune to that rule.


    There was just one exception to that rule. Any item forged or made inside could be taken out. It was why the makeshift waterskin I¡¯d fashioned in the Trial didn¡¯t vanish. Just the liquid within.


    I looked at Aerion. ¡°Are there valuable ores in there we could use? Think we¡¯ll find any mythril?¡±


    ¡°There are,¡± Philip said. ¡°Now, I¡¯m not encouraging you to, mind you, but there absolutely are. Not mythril¡ªyou¡¯ll only find that under the oldest elven forests¡ªbut there¡¯s plenty of Voidsteel and Frostsilver. Even a bit of Aurorium, if you know where to look. The Trial¡¯s one of the primary sources of income for Basecrest¡¯s delving smiths, after all.¡±


    Well, those all sounded fancy to my ears, but I didn¡¯t know the first thing about this world¡¯s metals, other than Mythril. Gauging how Aerion¡¯s eyes widened, though, I assumed they were quite desirable.


    ¡°Aerion?¡±


    ¡°It¡­ would be worth considering,¡± she said, hastily adding, ¡°if we have time, of course.¡±


    I mulled it over. The weapons we might acquire from this expedition would be useful¡­ And my inventory was now large enough to fit even a small forge. If we could rope Richard into this, we¡¯d steamroll the dungeon. I felt like my British friend would be up for another chance to flex his magic¡­


    But it wasn¡¯t enough. We needed more from this foray. Something that would give us an absolute advantage in any future encounter.


    Was there anything in there that could¡­


    My thoughts stopped. There was. Of course, there was. We¡¯d used it to kill the Obsidian Dragon, hadn¡¯t we? We¡¯d used it when we tried to save Emma.


    The Aural Siege Bolt.


    If we could somehow bring those outside the dungeon¡­ I gulped.


    I thought what would happen if I launched those devastating things out of my inventory.


    They were far too destructive to be fired at point-blank range. It was like releasing a small bomb.


    But if I arced it? If I shot it like an arrow, high into the sky?


    Then it became something else altogether. It became artillery.


    I¡¯d have an overwhelming advantage over the next few enemies. And when combined with my Basecrest Armor¡¯s Grace stat¡­ I could flit across the battlefield, lobbing these bombs from every angle.


    In two words¡ªabsolute devastation.


    At least until I ran out, but if memory served, there were hundreds of those things back there in that underwater castle. We¡¯d been forced to leave the majority behind.


    The only problem was I didn¡¯t have nearly enough Essence to Initialize them all. If I recalled correctly, they were 8 points a pop. Even if my pool was completely empty, I¡¯d be able to Initialize less than 50.


    Still¡­ We had Aerion and Rogar. I¡¯d be shocked if the two of them couldn¡¯t cook up something if they put their heads together. We¡¯d have to make space in my inventory, which likely meant ditching whatever forge we brought down with us¡­


    The beginnings of a plan began to coalesce in my head. The favor I¡¯d gain with Rogar, the potential benefits, the ability to stretch my new legs and test out all sorts of new tactics¡­ It was tempting. It was quite tempting.


    And then Philip threw another wrench into the gears.


    ¡°Take me, too!¡± he said, kneeling in front of me.


    ¡°I know it¡¯s not my place. I¡¯m just a guard too scared to delve on my own. But still¡­ I dare to ask this of you.¡±


    Well, this was new. I gave Aerion a look, and by her exasperated expression, I could tell she felt the same. We¡¯d never had people bow to us before. And, to be honest? I fucking hated it.


    ¡°Alright, that¡¯s enough,¡± I said, physically picking Philip up¡ªsomething that made him wide-eyed in fear and fright.


    ¡°Never do that again,¡± I said, leveling my gaze at the city guard that moonlighted as a metal recycler. ¡°You¡¯re the reason Aerion and I survived that insane dungeon. I don¡¯t give a shit if I become Emperor of the world, I never want you bowing to us. Got it?¡±


    ¡°Er, alright?¡± Philip said, clearly confused. That was fine. I knew my Earth sensibilities were weird here, but I didn¡¯t care.


    ¡°We¡¯ll take you along,¡± I said. ¡°All you had to do was ask. That said¡­ I can¡¯t promise Boons and Blessings. For either of you,¡± I added, looking at Rogar. ¡°If I determine that Trial Guardian¡¯s too strong for us, we bail. We go back to floor four and take one of the exits. I¡¯m guessing you¡¯ll still get Boons, considering all the fights we¡¯ll encounter along the way. But I¡¯m only doing this if you agree to those conditions. Otherwise, the deal¡¯s off.¡±


    ¡°I agree,¡± Philip said. He was followed by Rogar a moment later, grumbling his agreement.


    ¡°Well, then,¡± I said, cracking a smile. ¡°Get ready. We leave in the morning. And in the meantime, I need you guys to repair all the damage to the armor and weapons we incurred in the Cataclysm Dungeon.¡±


    <hr>


    Finding Richard proved harder than I thought.


    ¡°Why the fuck doesn¡¯t this world have cell phones?¡±


    ¡°Sell fones?¡± Aerion asked, cocking her head. ¡°Another magic from your world, I take it?¡±


    ¡°Not magic,¡± I muttered. For the first time in ages, I was out of my armor. I¡¯d left it behind at Rogar¡¯s for repair. Which meant I was just a normal human being right now, and that made me more than a little irritable. ¡°Just a way to instantly talk to anyone across the world.¡±


    ¡°And this isn¡¯t magic, how?¡± Aerion asked, wide-eyed and incredulous. ¡°My people have replacements for magic, but what you say is nothing short of a miracle.¡±


    ¡°Look, we can chat about that later,¡± I said. ¡°All that matters right now is finding Richard.¡±


    And convincing him to dive into another deathtrap. How we were going to convince the guy was beyond me. I just had to ensure we did.


    We found Richard at a blacksmith, trying to negotiate a discount on some new armor he was trying to buy. Trying and failing.


    Aerion solved his problem with ease.


    ¡°Why¡¯d you even bother to negotiate?¡± I asked. ¡°I¡¯m sure Passion¡¯s got you loaded.¡±


    ¡°Well, yes, but it¡¯s the principle of the matter, you see?¡± Richard said. ¡°It¡¯s not right to overcharge, and I simply refuse to be fleeced.¡±


    I shrugged. ¡°Fair enough. So, Richard. Buddy,¡± I said, throwing an arm around his shoulder. ¡°How would you like to delve a Trial with us?¡±

 Soulweaver 125: Lava Hell

    The first thing that hit me when we stepped into Dominion¡¯s temple was the cool, dry air. The second was the nostalgia. When we¡¯d left Dominion¡¯s Trial, we¡¯d been half-dead, haggard, and just happy to be alive.


    The temple''s tall, steepled roof, its muted colors and quiet atmosphere had been such a sight for sore eyes. It was raining that day, I remembered. Cloudy and gray. My first introduction to Axius. I especially remembered the scent of horse dung.


    Now? It was a sunny early morning, and we were back to exploit it. I was going in a whole two ranks higher than when I¡¯d entered, with armor, powers, a whole team to back me up, and more experience fighting than I¡¯d accumulated in my whole life back on Earth.


    It was hard not to feel a little smug. What a difference a couple of months made.


    Rogar had repaired our weapons and armor, so we were in tip-top shape.


    While Aerion went off to chat with the priests, I brought up my status screen. I had actually been a bit surprised at the resilience of [Uncommon] and [Rare] gear. To the point where monitoring the Condition like a hawk really wasn¡¯t necessary anymore. I had the system hide those details for the more exotic rarities, and set it up so it would give me warnings at 50%, 25%, and 10%. I could pretty much forget about them until the warnings alerted me.


    Once that was done, we had little else to do other than admire the structure¡ªsomething Richard found especially fascinating.


    I took the opportunity to take stock of my current stat situation. I currently wore most of the [Rare] clothes I¡¯d bought at the tailor¡¯s¡ªunderwear, trousers, and an undershirt. Only my scarf was tucked away in my inventory. The other stuff was protected by my armor, so even Uninitialized, I didn¡¯t have much to worry about.


    Problem was, my Dominion stat was currently only 48, while I¡¯d earned 62. I¡¯d lost those stats when I destroyed my [Uncommon] clothing. Vigor had also reduced a bit, from 49 to 34.


    As things stood, I was at 346/370 Essence. Rocky¡¯s cost had gone down a few points overnight, and would continue to do so. Unfortunately, that was insufficient to Initialize even the smallest of my articles of clothing.


    Another day or two, and I ought to spin the roulette stat wheel and Initialize another piece of clothing. For now, I¡¯d just have to use wits and tactics a bit more.


    While I certainly felt the loss of stats¡­ I deemed the tradeoff worth it. I now had a small arsenal of deadly Initialized darts that could mince anything we came across. Also, even with my lowered stats, they were still incomparably higher than they¡¯d been when I¡¯d first arrived here.


    Not to mention my Grace stat, which not only grew rapidly, but sat at 37, with a whopping 74 as its current ceiling. This Trial would be an excellent opportunity to practice strategies that relied on speed and ranged attacks, rather than brute melee force.


    That was pretty much the opposite of how I¡¯d fought until now, and I couldn¡¯t wait to try it.


    Dismissing my stat screen, I saw Aerion chatting in a hushed voice with the officials in the distance. As a respected Hunter, she was the best bet in our group to convince the priests that we should be allowed to enter.


    ¡°You reckon they¡¯ll allow us in?¡± Richard asked, frowning.


    ¡°They will,¡± I assured him, fully aware of what he was thinking. Restrictions or not, people would bend a lot for a Champion. There was no need for him to reveal his identity here, though.


    Every Trial had a quota¡ªa maximum number of people it could support. Some said it was because it took divine energy to send us to the dungeons, while others thought it was the Boons and Blessings that cost the gods energy, and that the Trial¡¯s restrictions were how the gods ensured they didn¡¯t weaken themselves to the point of being unable to summon Champions.


    I didn¡¯t know who was right, or if everyone was wrong, but that wasn¡¯t the only red tape delvers had to deal with. The temple itself regulated entry beyond what the dungeon allowed. You could only enter if you had a letter of reference¡ªas Aerion had when she¡¯d traded her Soulkeeper to Tarquin¡ªor if you could pay the steep admission fee, or if you were of high enough station.


    With Sinclair¡¯s seal, our quickly-spreading reputation, and our bags of coin, we had all three. Only question was if there were any dungeon slots available.


    Aerion¡¯s face was unreadable as she paced back to us, but the straight back and long, bold strides she took gave it away.


    ¡°We¡¯re in luck,¡± Aerion reported, rejoining the group. ¡°It seems barely anyone¡¯s been delving the Trial the past few days. We may proceed without issue.¡±


    ¡°Please do let us know how much we owe you,¡± Philip said, scratching his head. ¡°You¡¯re already doing us an immense favor. The least we can do is cover the admission fee.¡±


    Aeiron shook her head. ¡°No fee. Greg and I are friends with the Baron. They¡¯re letting us in for free.¡±


    Philip¡¯s mouth formed an ¡®O¡¯, and hung there. ¡°The perks of status, eh?¡± he said sheepishly.


    Rogar grunted. ¡°Appreciate it, you two.¡±


    ¡°Well, appreciate it when we¡¯re all out safe and sound,¡± I said. ¡°We¡¯re a strong party for an Emergence-class Trial, sure, but anything can happen. Especially since neither of you are Dungeon-grade fighters. No offense, Philip.¡±


    ¡°None taken,¡± Philip said with a bitter smile.


    I felt bad for the guy. On his own, he¡¯d be dead meat. Skills could only get you so far in Axius. Without stats and a Boon or a Blessing, I doubted my mentor would¡¯ve made it past the first floor.


    And while he wore the same Basecrest guard armor I did, his wasn¡¯t enchanted in any way.


    I glanced at Rogar beside me as we walked to the other end of the temple, passing through the huge double doors that led to the Trial. He kept wiping his palms on the plate metal covering his body.


    There wasn¡¯t an inch of him that wasn¡¯t covered in steel. While somewhat rudimentary, I didn¡¯t doubt the quality. He¡¯d forged them himself, after all.


    With his battleax¡ªalso forged by himself¡ªhe looked like a perfect dwarf warrior.


    Too bad it was all for show. Rogar didn¡¯t know the first thing about fighting in armor¡­ Or using a battleax. Still, we¡¯d all agreed that an armored Rogar was a safer Rogar, assuming he managed to survive the first level without succumbing to heat stroke.


    Considering the furnace he worked in every day, I had a feeling he¡¯d be fine. As for mobility, though¡­ Aerion and I were treating the two as noncombatants. Their weapons and armor were purely for self-defense, to catch anyone or anything that made it past me, Aerion, and Richard.


    Stolen from its rightful author, this tale is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.


    As for the Brit, I imagined things would go similarly to the Cataclysm Dungeon. Part of the reason I wanted Richard along was because of how well the three of us worked as a team. With Aerion and me on the front lines, Richard could hang back, protecting the other two and providing heart bursting support for us when we needed it.


    Not that we would. I cracked my neck and glanced at the fancy-looking guards posted along the palisade walls on either side of us, forming a corridor to the Trial. I had to admit, I was looking forward to this. What did it feel like to be stronger than my enemies for once? What were the other levels like?


    Sure, Aerion had briefed all of us about what to expect¡ªhaving already delved it, and having done what sounded like an absurd amount of research beforehand, Aerion was an authority on the place. To the point where she could¡¯ve raked in an absurd amount of money by guiding delvers here. Or blacksmiths.


    I stared up at the jet-black inverted pyramid. The thing never got any less imposing, no matter how often I saw it. ¡°Everybody ready? We¡¯re against the clock here. We¡¯ve got two days, tops. If we aren¡¯t far enough along by tomorrow, we¡¯ll bail using one of the shortcuts Aerion knows about.¡±


    ¡°The exits cease after floor four, however,¡± Aerion said. ¡°That will be our point of no return.¡±


    ¡°You heard the man.¡±


    Aerion was dressed as a guy for this Trial. Between the Sanctuaries that would restore her makeup and the short expected duration of our delve, she figured it would be easier than explaining the truth to Rogar.


    As for Richard, we just promised the two he was a kickass delver specializing in backline support. Which was true. Of all our powers, his was the easiest to pass off as a regular one. I had often wondered if Passion had given him a [Common] or [Uncommon] class. Probably [Uncommon]. It was pretty obvious she¡¯d given him a penalty relating to his physical strength.


    I looked at Rogar and Philip. ¡°If either of you wants to bail, now¡¯s your chance.¡±


    The two stared back at me, their faces stone-cold and determined.


    ¡°Well, alright then. Let¡¯s do this.¡±


    <hr>


    The inferno hit me with the force of a blast furnace at full tilt. Sure, Aerion had said to expect scorching heat. She¡¯d warned us all to dress lightly and carry plenty of water for a reason.


    Trouble was, I was decked out in full armor, and so were Rogar and Philip. All I could do was tie a fabric bandana over my nose and mouth, and pass around more for the others. While not nearly as good as the stuff back home, it did keep us from coughing.


    The ground shuddered as a nearby volcano popped off, spewing magma and ash high into the blood-red sky. All around us, streams of lava snaked their way downstream, like rivers flowing in slow motion.


    ¡°Well, Richard, how¡¯s your first taste of hell?¡±


    Richard gave me a sour look. ¡°Humid. Far too humid.¡±


    I chuckled. ¡°Alright, let¡¯s get a move on. Rogar, Philip, as we rehearsed. Richard? You¡¯re with me.¡±


    It had taken no small amount of convincing to get Rogar to believe in Aerion¡¯s strength. She¡¯d been forced to pick both of them up and jump around Rogar¡¯s forge before they¡¯d relented. And while Philip had witnessed her strength during Tarquin¡¯s raid, he had a thing or two to say about being lifted by an elf half his size and a third his weight.


    I had to admit, the sight of Aerion bounding from island to island was more than a little disconcerting. Even without [Reave], her Dominion stat had grown so much lately.


    Meanwhile, Richard rode piggyback with me, and I followed suit. Where my Dominion fell short, I was making up with Grace¡ªa Grace stat that was rising fast.


    Our goal was one of the pillars in the distance. Only some of the numerous volcanoes had tops that spewed magma. The others ended in a black pillar that stretched up into the clouds.


    Gateways to the next level.


    The only issue was that some of those led to bosses, while others led to floor two.


    There was one in particular, though, that bypassed the second floor entirely and went to three. That was the one we were after.


    Of course, it was indistinguishable from the others, and without Aerion knowing the exact path, we would¡¯ve had to choose blindly.


    We jumped from rock to rock, from island to small island, tearing across the landscape at speeds I would¡¯ve considered unimaginable not too long ago.


    ¡°Gotten faster, have you?¡± Richard said from behind my back.


    ¡°Thanks to my new armor,¡± I said. ¡°Don¡¯t be getting too impressed, though. It¡¯s only gonna get better.¡±


    ¡°Can¡¯t wait to see it!¡± Richard said. I was guessing Philip and Rogar felt differently. Held under Aerion¡¯s arms like barrels, their faces came within a foot of the ground each time she landed. It must¡¯ve been horrible.


    Unfortunately for them, the quality of their ride was about to be the least of their concerns.


    Our first encounter came just a few minutes into our journey.


    ¡°Lava Leapers!¡± Aerion cried out from in front of me, dropping her cargo on a nearby island before bounding forth.


    I brought Richard closer, leaving him on the island next to what looked like a small army of oversized¡­ Rock Toads?


    Made entirely of obsidian, they were easily ten times the size of a regular toad, measuring maybe a foot in length and height.


    Aerion went to town, slashing at them with Aurora, but as I¡¯d learned in our first foray through the dungeon, swords were poor weapons against the hard obsidian. We needed hammers, or something like it.


    ¡°Richard, can you¡­¡±


    I trailed off as they lived up to my toad imagery, jumping high into the sky. All one hundred of them.


    ¡°Out of range, mate,¡± Richard called from somewhere behind me.


    ¡°Aerion, retreat to my position!¡± I shouted. ¡°I¡¯m gonna try something.¡±


    The Lava Leapers reached the apex of their jump, some hundred feet in the air. They looked like a barrage of arrows from there. I didn¡¯t know what sort of attack they had planned, but if nothing else, the force of their bodies smashing into us would do serious damage. Everyone other than Aerion and me would die.


    ¡°Not if I have anything to say about it,¡± I muttered, extending my right arm up into the air.


    I mentally ¡®loaded¡¯ the small arsenal of pebbles I¡¯d stashed away. All one thousand of them.


    I waited until the Leapers started to fall, getting closer. My pebbles were tiny, which meant they screamed out at absurd speeds, but they didn¡¯t fly far. The closer the Leapers were, the better the odds that they¡¯d hit and do real damage


    ¡°Er, Greg? Anytime now¡­¡± I heard Richard say.


    The barrage of Leapers was sinister as hell. They blotted out the soot-ridden sky. This must be what a rain of arrows looked like.


    If they really were arrows, we¡¯d be fucked. As it was, they were made of glass, and they were squat and fat.


    Perfect targets.


    I fired, and like a swarm of angry mosquitos, my pebbles zipped past, appearing from thin air all around me.


    I played my arm across the sky in an arc, like a firehose of angry bullets.


    Black swarm met black rain¡­ and then something truly incredible happened.


    The sound of breaking glass, like a thousand mirrors shattering all at once. But it was distant. Almost peaceful, like white noise.


    The sound died away¡­ and the swarm that was bound for us simply fell like flakes of black snow, their momentum fully countered by my stones.


    ¡°Huh,¡± I said, staring at the falling debris. My pebbles hadn¡¯t just killed some of the Leapers, or even most of them.


    Not a single Leaper had survived. They¡¯d been annihilated by one attack.


    A whole slew of kill notifications flew by.


    ¡°Friend¡­ When in god¡¯s name did you get so strong?¡± Richard said from behind me.


    I glanced at Aerion, who looked at me with wide eyes, then at Rogar and Philip.


    There was no surer confirmation of Richard¡¯s sentiment than wide-eyed looks of pure shock¡­ and more than a little awe.


    I had to admit, I was feeling more than a little smug right now. Sure, I¡¯d expended nearly all of my pebbles in that barrage, but I had proved out my ability in an actual fight. After the bout with Aerion, I knew my new power would be good. But this good?


    Moreover¡­


    I looked around, at the thousands of lava rock pebbles that littered the island. I looked at the ones that sat right beside the lava streams, glowing red-hot. And I looked at the lava itself. Not as something to be avoided or feared, but as a weapon. As ammunition.


    I grinned. This party was just getting started. And boy, was it gonna be hot.

 Soulweaver 126: Environmental Hazards

    Congratulations! Basecrest City Guard Suit¡¯s ability, [Snap] has leveled up from Foundation - 6 to Foundation - 7.


    Congratulations! Grace has increased from 37 to 40.


    The suit¡¯s level up happened before my fight, so the increase to Grace was the only one I¡¯d earned, even after killing over a hundred monsters. As I¡¯d hoped, the System counted ranged weapon fire as Grace-related experience. It usually was, in games. And thanks to my Soul Seed and suit, its growth was as spectacular as ever.


    Which suited me just fine¡ªthat synergized with my suit¡¯s strengths¡ªbut it did highlight a problem. As awe-inspiring as that barrage of fire was, Initializer likely didn¡¯t gain anything from it. None of the pebbles had been Initialized.


    Nor could I just enchant my ammo willy-nilly. While I¡¯m sure some of the pebbles would¡¯ve broken up on impact, I was willing to bet several hundred hadn¡¯t. Even if I did have a vast enough Essence reserve to Initialize them all, I¡¯d be stuck until I leveled up.


    The Accelerated Reclaim ability I¡¯d passed up came to mind, though that only allowed me to reclaim once a day. Not enough for the successive fights I was bound to run into inside a Trial or Dungeon.


    That was alright. I already had Initialized weapons¡ªI¡¯d use those on high-value targets, and they were both large enough and few enough that I¡¯d have a good chance of picking them up. Especially if my Grace, and thus, my speed, continued to increase as it did.


    Rather, what I needed now was to replenish my stock of Uninitialized stuff.


    ¡°You¡¯re grinning,¡± Aerion said, frowning. ¡°It¡¯s weird. Why are you grinning?¡±


    ¡°Because I¡¯ve got a feeling my offensive potential just skyrocketed, that¡¯s why.¡±


    Ignoring the still-shocked expressions on my companions¡¯ faces, I made my way to the edge of the island we were standing on, to the slow-moving lava that formed rivers and ponds.


    I crouched down, ignoring the scorching heat that only amped up the closer I got. My boots wouldn¡¯t last long on ground this hot, and the only reason my feet weren¡¯t roasting was thanks to my Vigor stat.


    The rocks here glowed red-hot¡ªthose were what I was after.


    Dumping out the remainder of the pebbles and rocks in my inventory, I began to refill it with new, sizzling replacements.


    Crucially, I didn¡¯t actually have to touch what I put inside my inventory. I¡¯d learned that when experimenting with Aerion. It must¡¯ve been another upgrade that came with my rank up¡ªas long as I was within a foot or so of the object, I could just suck it into the extradimensional space, and since time was frozen in there, my rocks would stay hot forever.


    Moreover, the stuff in my inventory didn¡¯t interact with each other. Probably another artifact of the frozen time, but I could put Aerion inside and then stuff the remaining space full of scorching rocks, and she wouldn¡¯t feel it. It was like there was an impenetrable barrier between every object inside.


    Quite handy, since that meant I didn¡¯t have to micromanage organizing things in there at all.


    Walking along our island, I quickly filled the space with every hot pebble I could find. I then jumped to the next island and repeated the process, eventually recouping my thousand projectiles. I included a handful of larger stones too, though I stopped at fist-sized. Anything heavier and there wouldn¡¯t be enough speed to do real damage. Not to mention the weight. Rogar¡¯s porta-forge weighed around fifty pounds on its own.


    Given the value of forging stuff in Trials, Axians had developed some amazingly portable forges, but it still took up over half of my inventory capacity. Thirty pounds wasn¡¯t a whole lot of budget.


    I had around five pounds left. I stared at the red-hot lava nearby. I couldn¡¯t know how quickly my inventory would spew lava, or what its weight was, but there was only one way to find out.


    Backing up, I took a running jump, skimming as low as I dared over the river of lava separating my mini-island from the next. It was about ten feet, and without [Snap], I might not have cleared it, even with my stats. As it was, I made it with ease, scooping the lava beneath me as I rushed over. Not once did any part of my body come into contact with the insanely hot rock.


    Mentally inspecting my inventory after I landed, I found I had scooped a surprisingly decent amount. I supposed the stuff was less dense than solid rock, so that made sense.


    Only question was¡­


    ¡°What do you say we get a move on?¡± Richard asked¡­ Right before I spewed a molten firehose into the air.


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    The arc only went a handful of feet before flopping down, forcing me to jump back to avoid the spray. It was a good thing I¡¯d fired it away from the group.


    That was¡­ limitedly useful. Good for slopping off the face of any nearby bosses¡­ But I wasn¡¯t quite done.


    I¡¯d fired half of what I had in that volley. This time, I focused, thinking of a tiny jet of lava, erupting from my inventory like a laser.


    It worked, and this time, the jet of superheated liquid rock fired in a straight beam several dozen feet before dissipating. While it wasn¡¯t quite as fast as my rocks, I had no doubt a beam of lava would mess up anyone¡¯s day.


    I jumped back to my previous island, topping up my lava reserves. Then I turned to Richard, smiling. ¡°Now I¡¯m ready.¡±


    The look of absolute terror my friends had all given me just minutes earlier was back.


    <hr>


    For some inexplicable reason, my little display fired Aerion up to the point where she engaged [Reave] on every enemy we came across after that, whether it was a single Ash Golem or a whole horde of Lava Leapers.


    Even Richard had taken her side, selectively bursting or weakening the hearts of her foes, while leaving mine untouched. I took it as a sign of his trust in my skills, and not as Richard and Aerion forming a coalition against me. Definitely not at all. Especially not when I racked up kills in quick succession, causing the two to look at me weird.


    The hell was I supposed to do? Suppress my new, awesome superpowers for their benefit?


    No way.


    Besides, my new toys had their limits. The lava jets were useless against the Ash Golems, and only limitedly effective against the Leapers. The things were made of lava rock¡ªbasically basalt¡ªand were nearly immune to heat. Even worse, my lava jets just splattered on their armored bodies, ricocheting every direction. I nearly got lava on Philip when it bounced off, whizzing by his helmet.


    I had Philip and Rogar stay especially far from the battle after that.


    Clearly, not the most effective weapon against the locals here. I couldn¡¯t wait to get to floor six and spray my jets on those goblin fuckers. Of course, I wouldn¡¯t be able to replenish my ammo after leaving this floor, so I¡¯d have to conserve it.


    Swapping out for an [Uncommon] warhammer I picked up in town, I activated [Snap] the moment before I smashed the Ash Golem¡¯s leg with all of my strength, sending cracks spreading through the monster¡¯s whole body. I¡¯d bought a pair of the weapons after we decided to delve the Trial, and I was glad I did.


    A followup strike from Aerion was enough to shatter it, bursting it into a hundred pieces of black glass that crumbled down.


    Aerion eyed my hammer with suspicion.


    ¡°I¡¯ve got another, just waiting to be used, you know?¡± I said, hoping she¡¯d bite.


    ¡°Never,¡± Aerion said the moment [Reave] deactivated. ¡°Can you imagine what everyone would say if word got out an elf was fighting with a hammer?¡± She said, as if it were the most absurd thing in the world.


    ¡°Uh, they¡¯d call you smart and resourceful? Why would you abuse Aurora like that?¡±


    Swords were fundamentally not designed to smash through rock. It was a good thing we¡¯d had Rogar resharpen Aurora before coming in. Its Mythril construction meant it could take a beating that would render most swords useless, but with Aerion¡¯s ridiculous strength, it was a wonder how the thing hadn¡¯t fallen apart already.


    It took a special weapon to hold up to the abuse our strength put them through. Even my [Uncommon] warhammer might not last through the Trial unless I babied it. Or Initialized it, once I had enough Essence.


    ¡°I would be a laughingstock!¡± she spat, her ears turning red. ¡°Besides, I¡¯m not trained in that barbaric fighting style. Weapons like that are more suitable for someone like Dominion¡¯s Champion.¡±


    Seriously? Why was she bringing Eskil up, of all people? I was sorely tempted to say that there weren¡¯t many things more barbaric than a berserker on the battlefield, but held my tongue.


    Instead, something else slipped out. Something I hadn¡¯t meant to say. Something much worse.


    ¡°Ah yes, your lover.¡±


    Oh¡­ shit. I realized I¡¯d fucked up the instant the words were out of my mouth, but it was too late. The damage was done.


    Aerion glowered at me with a look of utter disgust. Disgust¡­ and hurt. ¡°If that is what you think, then I¡¯ve nothing to say to you.¡±


    ¡°Wait! Aerion! I didn¡¯t mean¡ª¡±


    She spun on her heel and stormed off.


    ¡°Great going, Greg,¡± I muttered, glancing awkwardly at our companions. They were thankfully too far to hear our spat above the volcanic eruptions and the popping of the lava, but it was obvious to anyone with eyes that I¡¯d pissed her off.


    Why couldn¡¯t she just be more rational about this? We¡¯d have cleared this floor by now if she just used the damned hammer.


    ¡°Everything alright?¡± Richard asked, looking at Aerion worriedly.


    ¡°Just a¡­ disagreement,¡± I said with a sigh, waving away his concern. ¡°Aerion says we¡¯re nearly at the shortcut that¡¯ll take us to the next floor. I don¡¯t know about you, but I¡¯m itching to get out of this sweatshop.¡±


    We¡¯d cleared the floor in the span of a couple of hours, and we¡¯d absolutely wiped the floor with our enemies. It hadn¡¯t even been close.


    I cracked my neck. I was looking forward to doing the same on Floor 3, and then every floor above that. And somehow, somewhere in all of that, I''d have to apologize to Aerion.

 Soulweaver 127: The Haves and Have Nots

    Philip¡¯s world was a blur, and it wasn¡¯t on account of the heatstroke. Well, that too. Not for the first time, he wondered if he¡¯d made a terrible mistake asking Greg to take them along.


    Until now, Philip had never once stepped foot outside Basecrest. Traveling had never interested him, even when he obtained the means to do so. The city was life. It was all Philip knew, and he knew it well. Its ins and outs, its alleyways and its politics.


    Of course, he knew all about the Trial as well. He¡¯d seen plucky fighters enter, only to come out changed. Forged and tempered. He¡¯d also never seen a good number of them again.


    Still, he¡¯d felt for some time that his knowledge and experience was, on average, in excess of even those who made it. Philip had fought all his life. He knew the measure of a warrior, and he knew his own strength. This wasn¡¯t the inflated ego of a teen swooning after his first kill. This was, rather, his professional assessment, after having fought and taught in the City Guard for decades.


    Philip knew his strength. That was fact. And yet, here in this volcanic hellscape, he felt as though all that knowledge was nothing more than delusion. Could he have bested the swarms of Lava Leapers that attacked them? Could he have defeated the Ash Golem with a party that lacked a Blessed or Boonworthy?


    Philip knew the answer. His skills and his experience amounted to naught in the face of such terrifying foes. To say nothing of the environment. In some way, he had always known. Just that it was easy to forget with the routine of daily life, where such concerns were a world away.


    The truth was, Philip couldn¡¯t jump the incredible distances Greg and Aerion somehow could. He couldn¡¯t take blows that would render most men dead. Nor could he slice through rock with a sword and make it look easy. Philip would be lying if he said he never wanted that. Who didn¡¯t? Yet, for the first time in his life, he found himself truly craving that sort of power.


    For how could one go back to mundane normalcy after witnessing something so transcendent?


    Even as he hung helplessly, carried effortlessly under the arm of a skinny elf even smaller than his late wife, Philip wondered just what joke the gods had played upon the world to allow such a sight to come to pass.


    He glanced at Rogar, his cheeks turned ruddy red. Philip could only imagine his employer was thinking the same thing at that moment.


    They landed on an island of cooled lava, touching down only an instant before bounding off again, jumping a distance many times what the strongest men could only ever dream.


    What was her Blessing? Philip wondered. The strength of Dominion? But he¡¯d seen her engage her mad rampage ability. Was that then another Blessing? Did Aerion possess not one, but two powers of the gods?


    And then there was Greg. Philip craned his neck to glimpse his friend, wearing armor that looked identical to his own.


    Greg was, by all rights, an enigma. Philip had always known the man was special. He thought he¡¯d finally revealed his Boon at Rogar¡¯s forge, when he¡¯d miraculously hammered those strange darts like a master smith.


    Then he¡¯d gone and unleashed what Philip could only call an angry firestorm of devastation. What in Dominion¡¯s name was that? Why hadn¡¯t Greg used that power in his fight against Tarquin?


    Philip knew why. It was a Blessing. It hadn¡¯t been as strong back then, and must have evolved in the Cataclysm Dungeon.


    That¡¯s right¡­ The Dungeon¡­ What horrors had they all seen in there? What hells had they endured?


    The city lauded them as heroes, and heroes they were¡­ But people tended to gloss over the darker side of heroism. The risks. The torture. The trauma.


    Greg was not the same person he had once known. Nor was Aerion, and though he didn¡¯t personally know him, so too was the elf that rode on Greg¡¯s back.


    At least Richard, Philip could relate to. He felt in him a kindred spirit. Someone normal in this group of freakishly strong warriors. Richard lacked the strength of the Gods, nor did he appear proficient with weapons.


    Philip didn¡¯t doubt his strength. His presence seemed to have a way of weakening foes in a way Philip couldn¡¯t describe. Whatever his power was, it was strong. It had to be, to survive the Cataclysm Dungeon. In a way, his mysterious power made him even more terrifying.


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    But at least he was normal. An everyman. Or, elf, he supposed.


    Soon, Philip thought. Soon, he would possess powers like them. His life would be forever changed, and¡­ After all these long years, after spending so much of his life powerless, he would finally be able to protect his friends and his family.


    He would never have to watch idly by, cursing his uselessness. He could make a difference¡­


    Philip set his face. No matter what it took. No matter the danger, no matter the humiliation he had to endure, Philip would do it. He needed this, more than anyone knew.


    And he would have it.


    <hr>


    The pillar finally arrived in sight. A journey that would have taken most delvers days was crossed in a matter of an hour or two.


    Just as they bounded the final steps to the pillar, the ground fell out from under them.


    Philip had heard of these creatures. Had seen the sketches, and though he¡¯d never seen them with his own eyes, he knew them for the abominations they were.


    ¡°Heat Worms!¡± he cried.


    Aerion bounded away almost before the words were out of his mouth. Even then, he barely missed their terrifying maws.


    ¡°What the fuck are these things?¡± Greg asked.


    ¡°Heat Worms!¡± Philip repeated. ¡°They burrow underground, lying in wait until you pass overhead. Then they bite your leg off.¡±


    ¡°Huh,¡± Greg replied. ¡°Good to know. Let me just kill them real quick. Been meaning to test this thing out.¡±


    By this ¡®thing¡¯, Philip understood that Greg meant one of his magical weapons that seemed to materialize out of thin air.


    Except, this was a weapon unlike any other. One that Philip couldn¡¯t have predicted. Yes, he¡¯d seen the lava spray Greg had fired¡ªhe¡¯d almost gotten caught in the crossfire.


    Terrifying, that. Philip didn¡¯t know what to fear more, that his friend had such an awe-inspiring ability, or that Philip was so weak he¡¯d have died to the mere overspray.


    Yet what emerged from Greg¡¯s invisible arsenal wasn¡¯t like the spray. It wasn¡¯t a spray at all. It was more of a¡­ jet. Like high-pressure water, except orange and hot. And so fast that Philip barely saw the beam of light before it penetrated the terror that would have ended most Hunting parties.


    Philip watched as Greg calmly walked the beam of death across their enemies.


    When it finally winked out, the Worms looked largely as they did before. There were no signs of obvious damage, no blood to be seen.


    Something was different, though. Of that, there could be no doubt. The Worms¡¯ incessant slithering had stopped. Their soft-hiss had ceased. When just moments prior, their chittering had filled the air, now there was only silence.


    The Worms were no longer moving.


    An instant later, they cracked and crumbled, the bottom half of their torsos detaching from the upper.


    Philip gulped.


    There was no blood because the heat of Greg¡¯s attack cauterized the wound. There was no wound, because his blade of pure lava was so fine, so deadly, that the cut was cleaner than the cleanest healer¡¯s incisions.


    What powers were these? What Blessings bestowed such terrifying abilities? Were Dominion¡¯s gifts really this powerful?


    The seed of doubt sprouted, somewhere deep within Philip¡¯s mind. He dared to hope, and yet he knew the truth of those who retuned from the dungeon. Spells that lit an opponent on fire. Spells that ripped limbs of those lacking suitable defensive Blessings or Boons. These were within the bounds of what this Emergence-Rank dungeon could bestow.


    The strength of the gods? The ability to forge weapons on par with a master smith? Materializing weapons out of thin air?


    These were far beyond the scope of this lowly Trial. No, to Philip, they felt more akin to what the legendary high-ranking Trials might bestow.


    So that was it, then, Philip concluded. This was the secret both Aerion and Greg held.


    They were Divergence Rankers who had somehow bested a high-rank dungeon. It was the only explanation.


    It wasn¡¯t so farfetched. After all, wasn¡¯t Philip here, delving a dungeon far beyond his means? All thanks to the proper friends. In his case, the situation had manifested as a grand, cosmic coincidence, but there were certainly those with enough coin and sway to buy their way into such power.


    There was always risk in such an approach, of course. Several died in the attempt. Yet those who survived always came back changed. Demigods.


    Whatever the case was with Greg and Aerion, the fact that they stood before him, with these powers, redoubled his respect for them. Not only had they played a pivotal role in the downfall of one of the greatest crime lords in Basecrest, they had saved the city from a Cataclysm Dungeon as well.


    There was only awe in Philip¡¯s eyes as they proceeded past the swarm of dead Worms as though nothing had happened.


    Like a dream, they¡¯d breezed past the first floor, and thanks to Aerion¡¯s knowledge, were now swiftly on their way to the third, ascending the infinite spiral staircase.


    Aerion took the stairs five at a time, and he was sure the elf could have taken more, had it not been for the curving nature of the stairs.


    As for Greg, he bolted on ahead, taking the stairs two at a time, but at a pace that left Philip¡¯s mind reeling. His every motion was sped up in what could only have been magic.


    Yet more magic¡­ Philip wondered if the miracles would never end.


    Philip knew then, that if the gods were to descend this moment and ask what he valued most, there would be only one reply he could say.


    That, more than anything, he was thankful that Aerion and Greg were on his side. For never in his life would he want to fight any foe as fearsome as they.

 Soulweaver 128: The Third Floor

    Congratulations! Basecrest City Guard Suit¡¯s ability, [Snap] has leveled up from Foundation - 7 to Foundation - 8.


    I dismissed the notification with a smirk. Even easier Trials like this one were great for power leveling lower level abilities. And right now, [Snap] was one of the most powerful tools in my arsenal.


    Turned out there were no good ores to mine on the first or second floors, so we blitzed our way up the spiral staircase to the third floor. The most common exotic material¡ªFrostsilver¡ªwas found on the third floor, but the better stuff like Voidsteel and Aurorium were only found on the highest ones, and were far rarer and more difficult to extract. Many had died trying.


    I initially thought that with our faster pace, we¡¯d clear the stairs in no time.


    Except, as Aerion told me only after we¡¯d reached the top, the stairs took the same amount of time, regardless of how fast you went. You could crawl up the thing and only clear a single flight, or you could blitz through a thousand.


    Aerion gave me a pensive stare, and I could only sigh in return.


    This was stupid. What were we, prepubescent teens? I could¡¯ve cleared the air just by apologizing¡ªhell, I had every intention to¡ªbut I just couldn¡¯t get the words out. I mean, Richard and the others were right there. There wasn¡¯t a bit of privacy to be had.


    I¡¯d apologize the moment we had a moment to ourselves. Until then, we had a new floor to explore.


    The dungeon was slowly morphing into the environment I remembered. We were in a cavern, but one so vast, I could barely see the top. Unlike floor five, which was a network of tunnels and barren caverns, we emerged at the edge of a forest, and tall, canopied trees were all I could see.


    It seemed we¡¯d emerged from the base of a large mountain. A mountain inside a colossal cavern.


    ¡°Is it just me, or did Dominion go to town with his artistic expression? Every floor¡¯s one fantastical environment after another.¡±


    Philip shrugged. ¡°Wait till you hear about the Trial that takes place in the innards of a world-sized fish. Or the one with the ocean of stars¡­¡±


    I stared at Philip, not quite sure if I should believe him. Then I remembered the world I was on. Of course there would be something that ridiculous here.


    Philip¡¯s expression turned bitter.


    ¡°What?¡± I asked.


    ¡°I can tell you find the prospect exciting.¡±


    ¡°Hell yeah, I do,¡± I said. ¡°Know where that one is?¡±


    ¡°Passion¡¯s turf. Supposedly a Bastion-Class Trial.¡±


    B rank, huh? That was a ways off.


    I glanced at Aerion, who narrowed her eyes and looked away. I sighed. This was so stupid.


    <hr>


    We walked through the forest in silence, all lost in our thoughts. According to Aerion, the exit that bypassed floor four was on the opposite end, some fifty miles away. That didn¡¯t sound like much for people with our speeds, but the forest¡ªmore like a jungle, really¡ªhampered our efforts as we dodged vines, roots, and plant growth. How there was any light here, I didn¡¯t have the faintest clue. While not bright, odd balls of light floating idly in the distance did give us just enough light to move by.


    It was great for my Grace stat, though, which ticked up steadily, faster than it had any right to.


    That all happened automatically, though, leaving me a lot of time in my head. As people usually did with gobs of time to themselves, my stupid brain kept looping that interaction I had with Aerion.


    I really had to question why I lashed out at her like that. Sure, I¡¯d been irritated, but why say that, of all things? I wasn¡¯t a twelve-year-old, for Cosmo¡¯s sake.


    Nor was I that dense. I knew what these feelings usually meant. I¡¯d been around the block enough to pick up on the signs. Except, that made no sense.


    I looked at Aerion, jumping her way over and around obstacles in front of me, holding Philip and Rogar under her arms as usual.


    When I saw her, I felt gratitude, appreciation¡­ Respect. But no heart throb, no dilation of the pupils. I didn¡¯t feel like I saw Aerion in that way. She was a reliable, competent partner, and the arrangement we had lasted only until the Archon was killed. Or that was how it was supposed to be.


    Besides, she¡¯d never hinted that she had feelings for me, either.


    No, this was about Eskil, and the fucked up way he treated Aerion. Like she was a possession. Lashing out at Aerion, of all people, was just misguided.


    Also, I had to remind myself that the Viking came from a different era, with different sensibilities and culture. Still, that didn¡¯t make it alright. It was one thing to read about it in history books, and another entirely to live it.


    Or maybe it was just a ¡®me¡¯ thing. Maybe Eskil reminded me too much of my old man. I put a hard stop on that line of thinking. That place wasn¡¯t anywhere I cared to go. Not now. Not ever.


    Luckily, I was spared from any further introspection when we broke out into a meadow, and onto a pair of¡­ somethings?


    ¡°Are those... bears?¡± Richard said from behind my back.


    ¡°Obsidian bears?¡± I said, doubting my own words. I don¡¯t know why the sight struck me as so odd. I¡¯d seen so many crazier things. It was probably because these two were like 8-bit versions of bears. Each obsidian piece on their body was large, and formed perfectly straight lines and geometric shapes.


    My bewilderment only lasted a moment, though.


    Aerion dumped Rogar and Philip unceremoniously and blurred toward them. She¡¯d already activated [Reave].


    Losing only the barest instant to set Richard down a bit more gently than my angry elven friend, I took off after her.


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    My extra Grace, plus [Snap], more than made up the difference. I reached her, and overtook.


    Then I stopped.


    I wasn¡¯t strictly a melee fighter anymore. These days, I had more weapons in the arsenal. Ranged weapons.


    And it was high time I got to try out my brand-new darts.


    Aerion took the bear on the right, moving in to slash. The bear bellowed a roar that sounded like breaking glass, and deflected her attack, but it lost an arm in the process, as obsidian cracked and fell.


    Not bad. A few more strikes, and she¡¯d down the thing.


    Only question was¡ªcould I beat her?


    There was only one way to find out.


    I extended my arm in front of me and queued up a dart. One of the explody ones.


    Aiming with my Spatial Inventory was weird, to say the least. All I technically needed was concentrate on my target and the inventory would send whatever I flung in that direction.


    It wasn¡¯t perfect, though. While it got close, I needed an aid for finer accuracy. Maybe I¡¯d develop some sort of arm-sight someday when I attained sniper-levels of range. For now, an extended arm worked.


    A single Steel Dart erupted from my inventory. This wasn¡¯t its first time, of course. It was said that wise people learn from their mistakes, and wiser people learn from the mistakes of others.


    I, at least, learned from my mistakes¡ªafter that Aerion fiasco, I was going to thoroughly testing out every ability I got, no matter how excited I happened to be at the time.


    Lacking any live targets that were durable enough, I¡¯d tested the darts on trees to admittedly impressive effect. And while I didn¡¯t think they¡¯d be ineffective, there was a vast chasm between a tree and a vicious Obsidian Bear. Would the dart penetrate? Would it just punch a hole through? And how would the thing¡¯s condition fare against an enemy like this?


    I heard my answer before my brain registered what had just happened.


    Imagine a hundred mirrors, all hitting the ground at once. It was kinda like that. The bear didn¡¯t just shatter. It exploded.


    I could only attribute that to the dart¡¯s two-fold [Ouch!] and [Burst!] abilities. The former inflicted a wound. The latter made it explode. There was good synergy there, and when combined with the ridiculous speed the thing shot out of my inventory¡­ In hindsight, I supposed the bear didn¡¯t really stand a chance.


    Aerion, meanwhile, was still hacking at her bear. I thought about sending another dart at her bear, just for shits and giggles, but thought better of it. She was pissed as it was. I didn¡¯t want to do anything that risked her thinking of me as an enemy. Aerion on her own was lethal enough. Berserker Aerion with 167 points of Dominion? Downright terrifying.


    Her bear fell on her next strike, which cleaved the thing in two. This, with an Uninitialized blade.


    I caught our friends gawking at her performance. I was right there with them. Aerion turned and flashed me a primal grin, which I returned. Then she came back to her senses and remembered that she was supposed to be angry with me, turning away with a huff.


    Unfortunately for us, the forest had other ideas about letting us celebrate our victory.


    Almost as soon as the dead bear¡¯s shards hit the ground, a low buzzing sound started up around the forest. It came from all directions, all at once.


    ¡°Guess this isn¡¯t a Trial level for nothing,¡± I muttered, staring warily into the depths of the dark forest. The going had been just a bit too easy so far. Sounded like those times were over.


    ¡°Do we flee?¡± Philip asked.


    I grinned and cracked my neck. ¡°Richard? You got our backs?¡±


    The Champion grinned. ¡°Always, friend.¡±


    Two-dozen hovering critters¡ªthey looked like a cross between a giant millipede and a mosquito armored with obsidian plates¡ªappeared all around the periphery of the meadow, surrounding us. They were the sort of monster that would make an Entomophobe shake in a corner, wishing to die. Oh, and they glowed the same color as the forest.


    I guess I¡¯d found out the source of the forest¡¯s illumination, or one of them, at least.


    ¡°Let¡¯s crush these bug fuckers.¡±


    <hr>


    When the insects surrounded the party, Rogar had frozen stiff. Actually, he¡¯d frozen stiff when they had encountered the bears. Suddenly, the ax in his hand, which he¡¯d forged himself, felt a lot less secure.


    No. Who was he fooling? It wasn¡¯t the ax, it was the wielder.


    Rogar had never been more terrified in his life. Was this how all Trials were? No wonder delving smiths went in with the best delvers they could find! Rogar had always found it overkill. How hard could it really be?


    After the Lava Leapers, after the Ash Golems and the Heat Worms, Rogar had just about been ready to throw his ax into the damn lava. Nevermind being carried like a water barrel by an elf half his girth.


    If that was all, Rogar would¡¯ve accepted his fate and given himself to Dominion¡¯s will. Except, whenever he ought to have died, it was the terrifying enemies that had died instead. Whenever the party ought to have fled, they prevailed.


    Because the greatest monster of them all had been right by his side, all this time.


    Rogar gulped as Grug conjured up projectiles from nowhere. Had he not forged them himself, Rogar would¡¯ve been convinced he was magicking them into existence.


    Either way, the force at which they flew was nothing short of terrifying. Without even the barest hint of fear, Grug rushed toward the vile insect, faster than ought to have been possible. That, too, was something Rogar couldn¡¯t quite put his finger on. The way Grug moved was¡­ unnatural. No doubt some other form of magic.


    And then the impossible happened. The foul beast that would have eaten most delvers alive¡­ disintegrated.


    Rogar had only caught the barest glimpse of a black object appearing in midair, and then the millipede was gone.


    Then Rogar blinked, and Grug was gone. Rogar found him some dozen feet away, and by the time his eyes locked onto the moving blur, another insect had fallen.


    Meanwhile, Aerion put on a terrifying performance of his own. The slim-framed elf didn¡¯t even have a hammer, and yet he cleaved into the insects, with just the force of his attacks breaking their durable armor.


    Rogar winced at the abuse his blade must be taking. Worse, Rogar didn¡¯t know if he could truly repair the blade, especially with his portable forge. Not with the sort of abuse the elf was subjecting his weapon to. The smith inside him wished to cry, while the warrior roared.


    Aerion was like Dominion himself, ripping into his enemies with nothing but sheer strength. Where Grug fought with miraculous weapons, Aerion smashed his foes apart with pure brute force. His attacks were augmented by an almost elegant technique. Quite the odd combination.


    The sight of the two decimating their enemies as they converged at the same spot was nothing short of awe-inspiring.


    Rogar had never witnessed a more beautiful display of strength and magic in his entire life. Were these the heights great warriors achieved? Was this what Rogar had missed out by choosing the life of a smith?


    Rogar thought back to all those times he¡¯d talked down to Grug, treating him as just another nobody. The smith¡¯s blood chilled. Grug had held back. He¡¯d endured that treatment, each and every time.


    If he hadn¡¯t? If he¡¯d let his control slip for just one instant? Rogar would be dead.


    When the two master warriors met back up, every millipede had been annihilated. The battle hadn¡¯t even lasted a single minute, and neither combatant was injured or even tired.


    In fact, when Grug and his little elf friend met up, they were grinning. Grinning! As though they were enjoying this!


    Then again, when one wielded such absolute, overwhelming power, who was to say it wasn¡¯t fun?


    The smith swore, there and then, to make amends. Even if it took the rest of his life. Even if Grug never forgave him, Rogar swore upon Dominion¡¯s name. He would make amends, and he would start now, by showing Grug¡ªno, Greg¡ªto some valuable ore.

 Soulweaver 129: Smelting and Sorries

    Damn, I enjoyed that. Was there anything quite like letting loose and utterly wrecking a few dozen Giger-level monsters?


    Congratulations! Grace has increased from 43 to 48.


    I think not. And seeing the pure glee in Aerion¡¯s eyes, I knew she felt exactly the same. That the soul seed was working overtime on my stats was just icing on the cake.


    ¡°Hey, uh¡­ sorry about that,¡± I said, scratching my neck. ¡°Earlier, I mean. That was uncalled for.¡±


    The grin slipped a bit from Aerion¡¯s face. ¡°Yes, it was.¡±


    ¡°I honestly don¡¯t know why I said that. I guess we all say things we don¡¯t mean when we¡¯re irritated,¡± I said, laughing awkwardly, hoping Aerion would play it off.


    ¡°Truly?¡± she asked.


    I froze up. ¡°Uh, what do you mean?¡±


    ¡°I am asking if you truly didn''t mean it,¡± Aerion said softly, looking away.


    ¡°Of course,¡± I said. ¡°I mean, who¡¯d like a guy like him?¡±


    ¡°On the contrary, who wouldn¡¯t wish to be betrothed to a Champion?¡± Aerion said, frowning. ¡°It would be the honor of a lifetime.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re serious¡­¡± I said, feeling suddenly hot. ¡°After he treated you like that?¡±


    ¡°Like what, exactly?¡± Aerion asked, meeting my stare. ¡°He simply asked for my hand in marriage, and when I rejected him, he swore to win my favor. It was¡­ quite a gallant proposition, all told.¡±


    I clutched my helmet. A part of me wanted to go off on Aerion about how Eskil didn¡¯t give a damn about her wishes. That people like him did anything to get what they wanted, up to and including things that would get you life in prison back on Earth.


    But we weren¡¯t on Earth, were we? The customs and expectations were different here. And, well¡­ I had to admit Eskil hadn¡¯t exactly forced himself upon her. If anything, it was Passion who had.


    I let out a long breath. ¡°If that¡¯s how you feel, then why didn¡¯t you accept his proposal?¡±


    Aerion¡¯s back slackened, and her ears drooped, almost like she was disappointed. It lasted just a moment. Then she frowned. ¡°We¡¯d been fighting for our lives not moments earlier! How could I have said yes?¡±


    I bit my lip, feeling something nasty brewing in my chest. ¡°You¡¯re really considering this?¡± I asked, knowing full well what that ugly feeling was. Not like this was my first time around the block.


    Shit.


    I glanced at Aerion. Was I jealous? Seriously?


    Once again, Aerion¡¯s expression faltered.


    ¡°Perhaps,¡± she replied after a moment, her ears drooping. It was almost like she was waiting for me to say something... But the only things I felt like saying at that moment were curses. Certainly not the words I had a feeling she wanted to hear. Those were words I just couldn''t say. So instead, I did the only thing that seemed reasonable at the time.


    ¡°Really sorry about that,¡± I repeated. ¡°Promise it won¡¯t happen again.¡±


    ¡°Oh¡­ Right,¡± Aerion replied, eyes downcast. Her ears somehow managed to droop even lower. ¡°We¡­ We should leave soon. But, thank you. For apologizing. I appreciate that. Truly.¡±


    Aerion wandered off, her previous happiness nowhere in sight. I wanted to say something to cheer her up, but the opportunity had passed.


    I watched her receding back and sighed. I was never great at dealing with situations like these. She¡¯d thanked me though, so at least she wasn¡¯t angry anymore. That was a win in my book, and as much as I wanted to take the time to follow up with her properly, we really needed to get a move on. Before we could, I had to find that damned dart.


    Fearing this exact scenario, I¡¯d only used a single dart in my attacks. Maybe my thought process had been wrong, after all. Maybe I shouldn¡¯t have prioritized pure destructive power. What good was that sort of power if I lost the dang dart after? At least swords were easier to see¡­


    I recruited Philip and Richard in scouring the meadow for any sign of my dart. My Blessing projected a faint outline around anything I Initialized, making them easier to spot¡ªit¡¯s how I had retrieved all of my [Pet Rocks] after my first real boss fight, back when I¡¯d first arrived on the fifth floor.


    Problem was, that overlay didn¡¯t show me objects through walls, or if they were otherwise covered up. And here on the jungle floor, there was a lot to hide any trace of the dart.


    I was in the middle of searching on my hands and knees when Rogar came up to me.


    ¡°Er, Greg¡­ Got a minute?¡±


    ¡°Kinda in the middle of something, here Rogar¡ª¡± I began, then froze.


    Royal Road is the home of this novel. Visit there to read the original and support the author.


    ¡°Sorry, what did you just call me?¡±


    ¡°Uh, Greg. Right?¡±


    I gawked. Was my reality turning upside down, or was this actually happening?


    I pinched myself, ignoring Rogar¡¯s confused look. No¡­ This really was happening.


    ¡°Fuck me sideways¡­¡±


    ¡°What¡¯s that?¡± Rogar said, very obviously flustered.


    ¡°You called me by my real name¡­ After all this time. You finally used my real name.¡±


    Rogar scratched the back of his head. ¡°Yeah, well¡­ By the time I realized yer name was strange, I¡¯d already gotten too used to calling you Grug. Figured it¡¯d be¡­ awkward, to change.¡±


    I laughed. ¡°Don¡¯t worry about it. Just glad you finally got it right. Anyway, what can I do for you?¡±


    I asked, straightening up and facing the blacksmith.


    ¡°Actually, it¡¯s more what I can do fer you,¡± Rogar said, thumbing to a nearby mountain range. Well, nearby for people who traveled as fast as we did, anyway. I figured it was maybe five miles away.


    ¡°Could be wrong,¡± Rogar said, ¡°but I know that rock. Might be some good ore at the foothills. Might be worth checking out.¡±


    ¡°Oh. Oh¡­¡± I said, a grin slowly forming on my face. ¡°Well, why didn¡¯t you say so earlier? Lead the way! Or, actually, hold up. I still need to find my dart¡­¡±


    <hr>


    Searching for that damned dart took many times longer than the actual fight itself, but I did eventually find the thing. It was lodged into a fallen trunk nearby. A large frond covered it, preventing me from sensing it. I only found it by retracing my steps to where I¡¯d shot it, and extrapolating the general area from the direction and trajectory I¡¯d shot it at.


    I really needed to be careful about that in the future. There were several possible solutions¡ªfrom insta-reclaim to an ability that let me remotely stick Initialized objects in my inventory¡­ Unfortunately, I couldn¡¯t know if either of those were real abilities I would gain in the future, and so, I was stuck with what I had. And that meant I really had to be extra cautious with how and where I spent my ammo.


    I glanced at Aerion as we moved through the forest to the mountains. She seemed to cheer up when I mentioned the plan¡­ As far as I could tell, we were back to normal. For now, anyway.


    The vegetation thinned out as we closed in on the foothills, the damp soil giving way to pebbles and rocks, and eventually boulders we had to jump over.


    That was actually easier than navigating the forest, so we made better time the closer we got.


    ¡°Might try over there,¡± Rogar said from underneath Aerion¡¯s arm, pointing to a rockfall. I had to give it to the stocky man, he sure had adapted to the undignified method of transportation faster than I would¡¯ve guessed. ¡°Frostsilver likes to hide out among crumbly rock like this. Rockfalls are a good sign.¡±


    Aerion let the man down, and he began rummaging around the rubble, occasionally picking up stones to inspect. He went around like that for a while as the rest of us watched on, until his actions suddenly got more energetic. Falling to his knees, he dug out some larger rocks.


    ¡°Can I get a hand with this?¡± he asked, attempting to pull out a small boulder.


    Aerion walked up to the struggling man, reached under the boulder, and with only a bit of effort, turned it over.


    The force caused the rock to tumble the rest of the way down the hill, cracking and breaking until it came to rest in a huge cloud of dust.


    ¡°Er, thanks,¡± Rogar said, visibly shocked at Aerion¡¯s display. I could understand the feeling. Scrawny elf casually doing what he, with his impressive, stocky build, couldn¡¯t.


    He¡¯d get over it sooner or later¡­ I know I did. These days, it surprised me more when I saw normal people struggling with heavy things. Aerion had completely broken my sense of normalcy in that regard¡­ And to be honest, so did my own strength.


    ¡°Thought so,¡± Rogar said, staring at the compacted soil the boulder had been sitting on.


    It was only when I took a closer look that I saw what Rogar was talking about. Mixed in with the soil were white specks, almost like kernels of sand.


    ¡°Frostsilver?¡± I asked.


    ¡°Frostsilver,¡± Rogar replied with a nod. ¡°It might be the lowliest of exotic metals, but it¡¯s still more durable than the best steel, takes a sharper edge, holds it longer, and synergizes with magic far better. You want to ever incorporate a Soulshard above Uncommon rarity, you¡¯ll need at least this.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m sold. Now, how the hell are we supposed to turn these flakes into a usable weapon?¡±


    ¡°With the forge you brought along. Speaking ¡­¡±


    ¡°Right,¡± I said, looking around for a flat spot. There was one just a dozen feet away, so I brought Rogar¡¯s forge out there.


    ¡°Never will understand how you manage to do that,¡± Rogar muttered, checking the forge over.


    ¡°Relax,¡± I said, rolling my eyes. ¡°It¡¯s not damaged. No safer place than with me.¡±


    ¡°Right. Of course,¡± Rogar said, eyeing it warily. ¡°Anyhow, this forge doubles as a Bloomery. Philip?¡±


    ¡°On it,¡± the warrior said, taking apart sections of the stone base of the forge and rearranging it into a chimney.


    ¡°Now, we¡¯ve got plenty of dirt, but we¡¯ll need some water. I don¡¯t suppose that should be a problem?¡±


    ¡°Nope,¡± I said. ¡°We passed plenty of water sources along the way. Why, though? What are you doing?¡±


    ¡°Mud,¡± Philip said. ¡°We¡¯ll need to mud up the chimney to seal it. Past that, this Bloomery works much in the same way as the one at Rogar¡¯s smithy. We dump ore, coal, and coke¡ªthe other stuff we had you bring along¡ªthrough the top in alternating layers, and when that all burns down, we get a Bloom at the bottom. Hammer that, and it becomes an ingot.¡±


    Richard, who¡¯d stood back and spectated until now, whistled. ¡°Incredible, innit? Never would¡¯ve thought you could do so much with so little.¡±


    ¡°These forges are optimized for Trial and Dungeon purposes,¡± Philip said. ¡°We¡¯ve had centuries to perfect the art.¡±


    ¡°Mind you, the goal isn¡¯t to get a high purity weapon here,¡± Rogar said. ¡°Not with such a makeshift forge, and certainly not with as little time as we¡¯ve got.¡±


    ¡°Can¡¯t really make a weapon out of Frostsilver, anyway. Too weak,¡± Philip said. ¡°Need to alloy it with steel.¡±


    ¡°Right,¡± Rogar said, nodding. ¡°So we¡¯ll shape the ingot into the roughest of weapons. Just enough for the Trial to consider it a processed good. Then once we¡¯re back at my shop, we¡¯ll melt it back down, hammer out the impurities, and rework it into usable weapons.¡±


    ¡°Makes sense to me,¡± I said, scanning the surroundings. ¡°So, I guess we¡¯ll be here a while, then?¡±


    Rogar shrugged. ¡°Six or eight hours, I reckon.¡±


    ¡°Works for me,¡± I replied, already growing excited at the prospect of new, exotic weapons. This was so much better than spending a fortune in a shop.


    I rubbed my palms together. ¡°Let¡¯s get you guys some water.¡±

 Soulweaver 130: Frostsilver

    Getting Rogar water was easy enough. With the porta-forge out of my inventory, I had gobs of room and weight budget to spare, and with Richard no longer on my back, I reached the nearest pond in just a few minutes. The water was perfectly still, and in a jungle, I knew what that meant.


    Not that it mattered for our purposes. Bacteria-ridden water would make mud and clay just as well as fresh water. Although, with my Vigor, I wondered if I could even succumb to illnesses like that anymore.


    I returned to our little mining operation to find Aerion perched on the boulder she¡¯d moved, standing guard like a hawk.


    At least she didn¡¯t make a sour face when she spotted me. Progress, I suppose.


    I dumped the water out at the center of a pit of dirt Philip had created. He took off his gauntlets and got his hands dirty, mixing it up with some dried brush from nearby, before slapping it onto the sides of the brick chimney he¡¯d just assembled.


    At the very bottom of the forge was a metal pipe that would draw in air.


    ¡°While the position of the pipe naturally sucks in air for the furnace, it¡¯s not nearly hot enough on its own,¡± Philip explained.


    ¡°Got a fire going in there already,¡± Rogar said, ¡°but we¡¯ll need your help on the bellows to get it hot enough.¡±


    ¡°Sure thing. Don''t need the lava from the first floor?¡± I said. ¡°It''s still as hot as it was when I scooped it.¡±


    ¡°The opposite,¡± Rogar said. ¡°The furnace would just cool the lava. It''ll just get mixed up with the bloom, reducing purity. Not desirable.¡±


    ¡°Huh. Makes sense, I suppose.¡±


    ¡°Also, seeing as how this is Frostsilver we¡¯re dealing with, we¡¯ll need as many of us on the bellows as possible, even with that.¡±


    The bellows were pretty similar to the ones at Rogar¡¯s forge, and anticipating four physically strong people on hand¡ªreally more like six or seven between Aerion and myself¡ªwe¡¯d brought four different bellows along. The handles were wood and the bellows leather, so they¡¯d packed down pretty small in my inventory.


    As for attaching them, auxiliary pipes split off from the main intake, where each bellows connected to. We would all pump in a particular order to create a constant blast of air. It reminded me a bit of superchargers on sports cars back on earth. Pretty much the same deal.


    Just months ago, I wouldn¡¯t have known about any of this, and while Rogar and Philip weren¡¯t aware of concepts like vacuums¡ªthey just knew that fires needed air¡ªthey had still educated me on a whole slew of smithing terms and processes I¡¯d been clueless about.


    ¡°Say, why¡¯s it called Frostsilver?¡± Richard asked, staring up at the rocks. ¡°Doesn¡¯t strike me as especially cold, here. Quite pleasant, really.¡±


    ¡°Huh¡­ Good point,¡± I said, not having questioned the name. I just assumed it was named to be fancy, as most fantasy metals tended to be.


    ¡°Can¡¯t blame you for thinking that way. Thought the same thing myself ¡®till I saw the finished product for the first time,¡± Philip said.


    ¡°Finished product?¡± Aerion asked.


    ¡°You¡¯ll see when it¡¯s been put through the furnace,¡± Philip said with a smile. ¡°That comes later, though. Before that, we¡¯ve got to pick up enough ore to meaningfully process.¡±


    Luckily, the vein Rogar spotted was pretty chunky, and after digging down about a foot, we hit a much purer spot, allowing us to extract fist-sized pieces of ore. While it looked pristinely white to my eyes, Rogar insisted there was all sorts of crud mixed in that we had to melt off.


    After a half-hour of work, we had a large pile of Frostsilver ready to go. Enough to make a dozen small weapons.


    ¡°Alright, I¡¯m loading the materials now,¡± Philip said, dumping coal through the top of the chimney before adding coke¡ªbasically a special type of coal that glommed onto the impurities during the smelting process. The crap, or slag, would separate from the Frostsilver, leaving the pure metal behind. Well, purer, anyway.


    Philip continued to add alternating layers of coal, coke, and ore, until he¡¯d filled the chimney all the way to the top.


    Fueled by the fresh coal, the fire inside burned hotter and hotter.


    ¡°Now, we seal up the entrance,¡± Rogar said, slapping mud on the U shaped opening at the bottom. When he was done, the only opening into the furnace was the air pipe that stuck out.


    ¡°And now, we work the bellows,¡± Rogar said, rolling up his sleeve.


    I stopped him before we even started. ¡°Why don¡¯t you let Aerion and me handle this?¡± I said. ¡°You need us to do this for hours on end, yeah?¡±


    Rogar nodded. ¡°It is an arduous task, but one I am more than prepared to do. I owe you so much for bringing me here. It¡¯s the least I could do.¡±


    Stolen novel; please report.


    ¡°I appreciate the sentiment,¡± I said, genuinely surprised to see the blacksmith acting so nice. His character transformation still hadn¡¯t fully sunk in. ¡°But as you both know, Aerion and I are stronger than the average person. A lot stronger. We can work the bellows faster, and believe me, we have a ton of practice working together. We¡¯ll be able to synchronize better than four of us on the bellows.¡±


    While Philip remained silent, the look of hope and joy on his face was evident. He was strong, sure, but hours on end of pumping your arm would destroy anyone.


    ¡°Alright, then, Greg,¡± Rogar said. ¡°I swear I will make this up to you, though.¡±


    I smiled. ¡°Just make me some kickass weapons when we get out, alright? Aerion?¡±


    ¡°Ready.¡±


    The bellows pipes had two on each side, so I grabbed one with each hand, and across from me, Aerion did the same.


    It only took a minute or so to fall into a rhythm. The pumping action wasn¡¯t hard, once you got the hang of it. I¡¯d had hours and hours practicing on Rogar¡¯s forges, and Aerion, well, she was a quick study, as usual.


    Our continuous up-down motion sucked air in and forced it into the furnace, sending it up the chimney, hotter and hotter.


    Manual labor like this didn¡¯t even faze me at this point, so I quickly grew bored and zoned out, my arms pumping like mad in tandem with Aerion¡¯s.


    Well, maybe not quite in tandem. If I wasn¡¯t mistaken, Aerion was slowly upping the pace as she glared daggers at me. Seriously¡­ we¡¯d just made up. What was her problem?


    I, of course, reciprocated. Not doing so would throw off the timing.


    I barely heard Philip''s astonished remarks about how hot we were getting the furnace.


    Our little competition continued until our arms blurred, and I wondered if the bellows would break from the stress.


    It was only when Rogar shouted for us to slow down that Aerion seemed to come back to her senses.


    ¡°You nearly went and made the furnace too hot!¡± Rogar said, looking incredulous. ¡°Never in my dreams did I think anyone could move a bellows that fast.¡±


    ¡°Oh, uh¡­ Sorry about that,¡± I said. ¡°We¡¯ll be careful from now on. Won¡¯t we, Aerion?¡±


    Aerion hung her head. ¡°Yes. We will. My apologies.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s yer loss if you mangle the ore,¡± Rogar said with a shrug, and we returned to bellows pumping.


    Aerion kept a sane pace this time, which I matched, but her glares didn¡¯t get any better. I ignored her.


    Time droned on, and eventually, the task was done. Thanks to our rather aggressive pumping, it¡¯d only taken a couple of hours to melt everything down.


    My arms were only mildly sore after, though because my current Vigor and Dominion caps were lower than the max I¡¯d earned, those didn¡¯t go up. I made a note to Initialize my Silk clothing the instant Rocky¡¯s consumption decreased a bit more. I figured another day or so and I¡¯d have enough.


    After disconnecting the bellows from the pipe, Philip took my pickaxe and bashed in the clay at the bottom of the furnace that he¡¯d covered up prior to the burn.


    Philip raked out the contents, causing white-hot pieces of molten rock and ore to come tumbling out.


    Using some black art I couldn¡¯t understand, Philip and Rogar picked out various pieces of glowing rocks, throwing others away.


    ¡°Looks like we got a decent bloom,¡± Rogar said, looking satisfied and relieved.


    ¡°I admit, it all just looks like hot rocks to me,¡± Richard said, speaking what was on my mind.


    Rogar grunted. ¡°Takes some years to learn what to spot. Now, let¡¯s pound this into an ingot before it cools.¡±


    The one thing I couldn¡¯t bring was an anvil, so Rogar and Philip hammered the bloom¡ªthe purified ore¡ªon a large flat rock, flattening it and shaping it into a rough rectangle, periodically pounding other, smaller pieces into the bigger one to merge them. In the process, loads of impurities flaked off, and by the time they were done, only about half of the original size remained, despite them adding at least a half-dozen smaller ore pieces.


    In the end, what they got was about enough material to forge a shortsword out of, though as Rogar had said earlier, anything we forged now would be purely to let us carry the thing out of the Trial.


    The furnace retained an absurd amount of heat, and it proved all Rogar needed to heat the ingot back up to forging temperatures once it cooled.


    Richard, Aerion, and I watched as the experts worked their magic, pounding the thing into the shape of a blade.


    Their constant hammering attracted some of the local denizens, forcing Aerion, Richard, and me to kill or chase them away. They kept coming, though, and each time, they brought more of their friends.


    ¡°How long you reckon we can hold them off?¡± Richard asked.


    ¡°That last wave was pretty big,¡± I said. ¡°Any more, and we might have to bail. It¡¯s not us I¡¯m worried about.¡± I thumbed at Rogar and Philip. ¡°It¡¯s them.¡±


    I looked back over my shoulder. ¡°How¡¯s it going back there?¡±


    As if on cue, Rogar wiped his brow and set down his hammer. ¡°It¡¯s done!¡±


    All three of us turned to stare at Rogar¡¯s finished work.


    ¡°It¡¯s beautiful,¡± Aerion said in a hushed voice. I had to agree.


    It was only after they¡¯d spent an hour pounding out impurities that the material¡¯s name began to make sense.


    The blade of the sword was covered in a perfectly geometrical pattern of sparkles¡­ Like snowflakes, embedded into the steel. I¡¯d never seen anything like it.


    ¡°Think this oughta be good enough,¡± Rogar said. ¡°Dunno, though. Never done this before. Can¡¯t know until we leave the Trial.¡±


    ¡°Wait,¡± I said. ¡°You¡¯re saying delving smiths don¡¯t know if their creations will be snatched away until they leave? Isn¡¯t that kinda terrible?¡±


    Rogar shrugged. ¡°It¡¯s the only way.¡±


    Actually¡­ Maybe it wasn¡¯t.


    I put my hand on the blade.


    Initialize Froststeel Shortsword [Rare]? Initialization Cost: 24 Essence. Current Essence: 346/370


    ¡°Yep,¡± I said, dismissing the notification. ¡°We¡¯re good.¡±


    My words were drowned out by shrieks from the forest. The next wave was close. Very close.


    ¡°What do you say we get the hell out of here?¡±

 Soulweaver 131: Ace of Hearts

    Aerion had already scooped Rogar and Philip by the time I shoved the forge into my inventory. Richard jumped on my back, and we were off.


    Not a moment too soon, either. Beasts of all shapes and sizes darted after us the moment we started, emerging from the forest like ants.


    We hugged the small mountain range where the ore deposit had been¡ªwhile the foothills were slanted and full of boulders, scree, and other hazardous footing, it allowed us to travel far faster than we could in the forest. That dangerous footing also slowed our pursuers, while Aerion and I actually benefited.


    With my Grace that continued to improve almost by the minute, I might as well have been running on flat asphalt. My movements grew more nimble with every step, as did my pace.


    It wasn¡¯t long before I surged past Aerion, forcing myself to slow down to not leave her behind.


    I just wished my other stats went up as fast as Grace did. The truth was that these monsters were simply no longer at our level¡ªnot to mention the fact that half my stats couldn¡¯t increase at all because I¡¯d already earned more points than what my current loadout gave me.


    Our luck ran out when the range ended, merging back with the forest. I briefly considered the branches, but my Grace stat wasn¡¯t nearly high enough to pull off that feat. Not with any speed, anyway. Besides, while Grace made me more nimble, it did nothing to offset my weight. That was one area where Aerion would always have me beat. Well, unless I found armor that made me lighter. Not inconceivable.


    Our pace slowed significantly upon entering the forest, and whatever gains we¡¯d made at the foothills swiftly disappeared.


    The creatures following us must have sensed this and sped up, because it wasn¡¯t long before Richard called out a warning from behind me.


    ¡°They can¡¯t be more than twenty feet away,¡± he said, his voice tinged with effort and anxiety. ¡°I¡¯ve been bursting hearts as I can, but I don¡¯t reckon I can hold them off much longer.¡±


    ¡°Roger that,¡± I replied. I was about to clarify the turn of phrase when I realized Richard was probably the one person on this planet who actually got it. Despite our dire predicament¡­ I smiled. Life was just so much better with a few friends.


    ¡°Alright, listen up,¡± I shouted so that I¡¯d be heard over the sound of the wind and foliage rushing past us. ¡°The moment we find a clearing, we stop and take out these fuckers following us. Rogar and Philip at the back, with Richard, while Aerion and I deal with whatever-the-fuck is following us. Understood?¡±


    As much as I hated babying Philip and Rogar, I''d come up empty after wracking my brain for ideas. Slingshots came to mind considering how the goblins and most other creatures in this dungeon were made of Obsidian, but without Initialized weapons and projectiles, they wouldn''t do much against these foes. It''d taken a full swing of my longsword back when I''d first entered to take down even the weaker monsters. A mundane slingshot, even with the relatively impressive power slingshots could muster, wouldn''t have sufficed. Nor did I have enough Essence to give them both Initialized weapons and projectiles. To say nothing of the hassle of retrieving the ones that missed. I''d have to come up with a solution, eventually, but for now, they stayed at the rear.


    ¡°Understood!¡± ¡°Got it!¡± ¡°Yep,¡± came the chorus of responses, making me feel like the leader of some elite squad of special forces. Weird. It¡­ wasn¡¯t a bad feeling. Despite having gamed solo all my life, I could see myself getting used to this.


    Our opportunity came either just in the nick of time, or about ten minutes too late, depending on how you looked at it. I¡¯d been fending off several attacks for the past several minutes. The obsidian-cheetahs struck first, being the fastest.


    Dodging and deflecting their attacks slowed us down, giving the chimps and lemurs enough time to dive bomb from the trees above.


    The meadow did finally arrive, though, and the instant I cleared the other side, I dropped Richard and bolted back, getting a good look at our pursuers for the first time.


    I had apparently underestimated the opposition.


    Over a hundred different animals of all sorts rushed us¡ªsome small and lithe, others as large as boulders. Their only unifying trait was their obsidian composition.


    ¡°Alright, friends,¡± I muttered, grinning. ¡°Time to test out some new strats. I sincerely hope you¡¯re ready to get your glass cracked.¡±


    <hr>


    Not for the first time, Richard felt the drum beat of frustration pound in his chest as Greg and Aerion rushed headlong into battle. Yet again, he lamented his frailty, recalling Passion¡¯s words to him soon after he¡¯d been summoned.


    Richard would never grow strong. Physically, he would be as weak as an ordinary human. Greg might¡¯ve had the same restriction, but he¡¯d devised a clever way around it. Greg¡¯s armor made him superhuman, and considering how he never took off that armor, Greg was superhuman, as far as Richard was concerned.


    Aerion¡­ Well, there was no need to wonder about her strength. The diminutive elf scared Richard. Matilda would be her size in only a few years. To even imagine his daughter besting grown men in strength? Let alone brutality¡­


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    Richard shivered. He both feared Aerion and envied her. To possess such awe-inspiring power¡­


    Almost before he completed that thought, Aerion bounded toward a gorilla made of black glass., thrusting with her sword. By rights, such an attack ought to have had no chance of doing any damage. And yet, the sound of breaking glass confirmed she¡¯d just annihilated her opponent in a single strike.


    Richard watched in awe as she carried her momentum, slamming a shoulder into what looked like a lemur, shattering it before it even had a chance to react.


    Kicking off one foot, she surged into her next foe, dealing devastating strikes one after another in a masterfully choreographed symphony of death.


    Next to her, what was he? True, he¡¯d gained power after his recent rank up, courtesy of the Cataclysm Dungeon. Yet, it was more of the same power. Nothing new, like Greg or Aerion¡¯s. His range was greater, his ability to crush hearts stronger now. That was all¡­


    What was that, next to Aerion¡¯s might? To say nothing of her [Shock] ability, or that she inherited the powers of whatever weapons Greg Initialized for her.


    And then there was Greg himself. Richard had half expected the bag of tricks to fire more bullets from his magic bag, laying down a barrage of fire that decimated their enemies.


    Richard shook his head. The man was like a tank loaded with a machine gun. Or he had been in previous fights. Now? Now¡­ he was more akin to a fighter jet, moving so fast that nothing could touch him.


    Richard had to blink to confirm he wasn¡¯t seeing things. Greg blurred as he moved, to where Richard had trouble tracking the man.


    ¡°Just me, or has he gone and gotten even faster since the last floor?¡± Philip muttered from beside him.


    Richard liked Philip. He came off as the sort of hard-working, humble man anyone could respect. His wisdom of years only augmented that aura. Richard felt very much like they could be friends, and their limited conversations had only solidified that belief.


    ¡°Reckon you¡¯re right,¡± Richard replied, while Rogar only grunted.


    The stocky blacksmith was an enigma. On the one hand, he seemed friendly enough, if a little rough around the edges. On the other, Aerion had explained how he¡¯d treated Greg when they first met. Utterly repulsive behavior, in Richard¡¯s mind. He hadn¡¯t quite decided whether to hate the man or forgive him. He¡¯d kept interactions to a minimum for now.


    Ignoring him, Richard turned his eyes back to the battle. Where Aerion¡¯s steps were graceful and elegant, like a dancer¡¯s, Greg was, well, he was a bit like Iron Man, wasn¡¯t he?


    His strikes were direct, his footwork somewhat awkward, especially for the speed at which he moved.


    None of it mattered, however, when his opponents could barely register him, let alone react.


    It was quite remarkable, really. Rather than focus on Greg, he focused on the sounds of shattered glass that followed him. They came so quick, and in such rhythmic succession, that they almost formed a song of sorts. Each shattering with their own pitch and tone.


    ¡°You think he¡¯s smashing them, like Aerion?¡± Philip asked.


    ¡°Can¡¯t be,¡± Rogar said. ¡°Too fast. Must be using those pebbles of his.¡±


    At first, Richard¡¯s eyes couldn¡¯t make heads or tails of Greg¡¯s methodology. After Rogar¡¯s tip, however, he started to see the signs. The shattered shards hid the biggest clue.


    ¡°He¡¯s only using a single pebble,¡± Richard breathed, unable to process what his eyes were telling him. ¡°Just one.¡±


    ¡°You sure?¡± Philip asked, squinting. ¡°I can¡¯t see anything.¡±


    ¡°It has to be,¡± Richard said. ¡°The way the obsidian beasts shatter¡­ It¡¯s near instant. And the shards all explode radially out, all from a single point of origin. That can only mean one thing.¡±


    ¡°By Dominion,¡± Philip said, clutching his helmet. ¡°That¡¯s absurd!¡±


    ¡°Do you see, Philip?¡± Rogar muttered. ¡°This is the strength we stand to gain from the Trial. The chance to become more than human.¡±


    Philip¡¯s eyes widened, while Richard¡¯s only narrowed. Perhaps for them¡­ Perhaps they would receive a Blessing of Dominion. Richard, however, would only gain some paltry experience.


    It wasn¡¯t enough. He needed more. Wanted more. Wanted it with every shred of his being. Not just to ensure his safety. Not just so he could return to his family.


    He simply wished for it. Wished for the power to crush his foes like Greg and Aerion. Power for power¡¯s sake.


    It was a sensation Richard had not felt in the past. Power was best left to the authorities, who knew what they were doing¡­ and he still believed that. Back on Earth, there was no need for civilians to be strong.


    This, however, was Axius. A world that played by a different set of rules. It was a world much closer to the law of the jungle. To be weak was to be preyed upon. To be weak was to allow the Archon to rampage, slaughtering thousands and millions. Men, women¡­ even children.


    The very thought made Richard¡¯s blood boil like it never had.


    Frustration and indignation swirled within his chest, spinning faster, growing more potent like a whirlpool until¡­ until something deep within him cracked. Something that had been long dormant, sealing the furnace that was his heart.


    Something dangerous.


    When Richard heard¡ªno, felt¡ªPassion¡¯s laughter resonate within him, he suddenly understood the reason he was so weak. He understood why he¡¯d been caged and hampered.


    And he now understood what had to be done to unlock the vast reserves of power within him.


    Slowly, Richard¡¯s arm extended toward the swiftly-diminishing horde of beasts. Slowly, his fingers closed. Invisible threads of red speared out to every creature still alive.


    And, like a noose, closed around their necks.


    Richard¡¯s fist clenched, pulling the threads. Tightening, straining, until their victims could withstand the force no longer.


    The symphony of shattering came to an end. Not with a slow decay, but in a grand explosion¡­


    As two-dozen bodies burst at once.

 Soulweaver 132: Trial Leveling

    For a second or two, I couldn¡¯t tell what just happened. One moment, I was ripping through enemies, feeling good, and the next, they just¡­ fell apart.


    I first glanced at Aerion, who came out of Reave. She looked just as perplexed as I did.


    If it wasn¡¯t me, and it wasn¡¯t her¡­ Both our heads turned at the same time to find a bashful looking Richard scratching the back of his head.


    ¡°I might¡¯ve gotten an upgrade or two,¡± he said, not meeting our eyes.


    I rushed over and grabbed Richard, bringing him back to Aerion¡¯s position. ¡°Alright. Spill the beans.¡±


    Richard did exactly that over the next minute or two, telling us about his revelation and subsequent upgrade.


    ¡°If only it was that easy for the rest of us,¡± I muttered. Aerion threw me a withering glare, and I coughed, hastily adding, ¡°I suppose some of us have it harder, though.¡±


    ¡°Right, well¡­ I dunno if this means I can burst bigger beasties¡¯ hearts, but I ought to be a bit more useful in fights from here on out.¡±


    ¡°Buddy,¡± I said, throwing an arm around his shoulder. ¡°You¡¯re gonna be a helluva lot more than just a bit more useful. That was insane! That was on par with my stone barrage! Between the three of us, that¡¯s two ranged abilities. You just doubled our distanced firepower.¡±


    ¡°Well, when you put it that way¡­¡±


    Despite her congratulatory words, Aerion looked a bit downcast, and it wasn¡¯t hard to guess why. I wasn¡¯t worried, though. Her role in the party was easily as important as ours, if not more. Without anyone to pose an existential threat to enemies at close range, Richard and I would have a much harder time being effective. We really did synergize quite well.


    ¡°Well, we¡¯d best get back to the group, lest we give cause to mistrust.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m pretty sure Philip and Rogar have a whole mountain of suspicions already,¡± I said. ¡°Adding one or two more ain¡¯t gonna do too much at this point.¡±


    We walked back to find our two tagalongs waiting expectantly. If they had any questions for us, they certainly didn¡¯t ask.


    I really appreciated that. The less they probed, the less we¡¯d have to lie.


    ¡°We¡¯re nearly to the cave network leading to the fifth floor,¡± Aerion announced. ¡°Is everyone ready?¡±


    She got four nods, and so we set off the same as before. While we¡¯d just annihilated all of our pursuers, I didn¡¯t doubt more would come.


    Given the paltry stat boost I got from these weaklings, I wasn¡¯t especially keen on fighting another horde, and by the looks of distaste on their faces when more started tailing us, I assumed Aerion and Richard felt similarly.


    Luckily, we reached the end of the forest well before that became a problem. Greeting us was another mountain range, running perpendicular to the one we¡¯d just come from, but the differences made themselves apparent well before we got close.


    Even from a distance, I could see the dozens of black pockmarks at the base of the mountains. Some were tiny, and others much bigger.


    Cave entrances. This range held a vast network of caves, and within that was our ticket up to the next floor. I didn¡¯t really understand how that was possible, considering none of the mountain tops actually connected with the roof of the enormous cavern we were in. But I had learned to stop questioning minor details like that a long time back.


    Following Aerion, we rushed headlong into one of the dozens of cave entrances. This was one of the larger ones, but even still, I didn¡¯t have a clue how Aerion knew which one to pick. Without her¡­ Without a doubt, we would¡¯ve been screwed. All the strength in the world was useless when you were lost in a massive cave.


    Aerion charged deeper into the cave. The lighting quickly became nonexistent, forcing us to turn our lanterns on. At least that part was simple. One of the perks of carrying people was they could hold stuff for you.


    Philip held Aerion¡¯s lantern, while Richard held his in front of my chest securing it with both hands. Convenient.


    The surroundings gradually grew more and more familiar, with bioluminescent moss popping up here and there.


    There were surprisingly few turns. A right into a large cavern filled with monsters, which we killed, almost in passing. That was followed by a left at the tunnel at the other end. Then another left, and we found ourselves at a wall.


    ¡°Now what?¡± Richard said from my back.


    ¡°Uh, you¡¯re sure this is¡ª¡± I began, but stopped when I saw Aerion¡¯s outstretched finger, pointing up to the ceiling.


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    I looked up. There was no ceiling. This wasn¡¯t a wall. It was the bottom of a colossal chasm.


    A chasm with ledges every ten or fifteen feet.


    ¡°Now,¡± Aerion said, turning around, ¡°we climb.¡±


    I looked at the blacksmith and soldier she held in either arm and frowned.


    This¡­ could be a problem.


    <hr>


    It was definitely a problem. Without our cargo, we would¡¯ve managed without issue. As it was, the only good way to carry Philip, Rogar, and Richard, was on our backs. Problem was we had three people, and only two backs.


    That meant one of us had to hang back while the others climbed. The only sensible choice was Richard, considering he was the only one among the three who could actually defend himself if any monsters happened to arrive.


    Rogar hung off Aerion¡¯s back, while I got Philip.


    The going itself wasn¡¯t so bad. Some of the ledges were close enough that we managed to jump between them. For the others, we drove my Initialized darts into the stone wall, hauling ourselves up that way.


    The task would have been impossible without our stats in Dominion. As it was, we managed just fine. Rock climbers around the world would¡¯ve died in envy.


    What was horrible, though, was knowing I¡¯d have to climb all the way back down and do it all over again.


    Like the stairwell from the first to the third floor, this one took a set amount of time, which was why we didn¡¯t bother to rush. In fact, we went at a glacial pace. What was the point in exerting ourselves and risking a fall?


    Two hours later, the wall ended, depositing us at a ledge at the top of the cavern. The ceiling was filled with thousands of stalactites, some of which ended just a few feet on top of our heads. We¡¯d only climbed about a hundred feet or so, but when we looked down, I couldn¡¯t see the bottom.


    And then it was time for me to go back.


    Four hours later, we were all finally at the top. Despite the fact that my muscles didn¡¯t really get sore these days, I felt utterly exhausted.


    The good news, at least, was that we were back on the fifth floor. Home turf, as it were. The floor F - 0 Greg had spawned into this world on. It didn¡¯t hurt that my Grace was now at a whopping 54, up from the paltry 6 it had been when I first arrived here.


    I looked down at Aerion, who sat cross-legged on the ground, meditating.


    ¡°She¡¯s been that way ever since you left,¡± Philip whispered into my ear. ¡°Didn¡¯t say a word.¡±


    Aerion¡¯s eyes fluttered open. ¡°I didn¡¯t say a word because it wasn¡¯t needed,¡± she said, getting up. ¡°I was meditating. It¡­ helps,¡± she said, flicking me a glance.


    I pulled up her Status Screen, and just barely stopped myself from whistling. Her Cunning, which had been at 10 before, was now at 20.


    Ten points in four hours. Those Soul Seeds were nothing to scoff at.


    ¡°Do you need a moment to rest?¡± Aerion asked, her expression softening. ¡°You¡¯ve had a hard day. We should be well rested for the floors to come.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m good. Thanks, though,¡± I replied with a warm smile, feeling suddenly better. It was¡­ sweet of her to ask. ¡°I¡¯m sure we¡¯ll find a Sanctuary room before long. Actually, that ought to be our top priority for now.¡±


    We¡¯d blitzed through the floors so quickly that we hadn¡¯t searched for a single one, yet. According to Aerion, the Sanctuaries on the first floor were a bit out of the way, so we would¡¯ve had to detour.


    At least on the fifth floor, the Sanctuaries were right along our path. This was the highest floor I was comfortable going without filling up our canteens. This time, we¡¯d brought a half dozen of them. Real ones, not the flimsy vine crap Aerion and I had constructed last time.


    I took everyone¡¯s lanterns and put them back in my inventory. Lanterns were like beacons that announced our position. We didn¡¯t need them here. Not with the glowing moss. I¡¯d forgotten just how bright the natural lighting could be.


    We continued in silence for a good ten minutes before coming to a junction. Aerion picked the right tunnel, and we followed. Yet again, we¡¯d have been utterly screwed without her. Just how much had she prepared for her original Trial run? To think she¡¯d done everything, as a broke, normal elf, all on her own¡­


    It was sometimes easy to forget just how strong a character her petite frame held.


    Aerion guided us through the tunnels, before finally stopping.


    ¡°I could be mistaken, but I believe the next chamber is the home of the Obsidian Troll.¡±


    My eyes widened a bit. ¡°You mean the troll we took down together?¡±


    Aerion nodded. ¡°The very same.¡±


    ¡°What¡¯s this?¡± Philip asked.


    ¡°Aerion and I encountered this troll before either of us had gained any power.¡± Not quite a lie¡ªwe were powerless at the time. ¡°Huge, lumbering thing. Powerful, though. We just barely managed to beat the thing back then. Ended up dropping stalactites on the monster until it died. Trials being what they are, I¡¯m assuming it¡¯s respawned¡ªer, resurrected. I¡¯m guessing we won¡¯t have much trouble with it now, but Philip and Rogar should hang back, just in case.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t think that¡¯s a good idea, Greg,¡± Rogar said, glaring at me. Or rather, he was glaring in my direction. That was just his concentrating face.


    ¡°What do you mean?¡± I asked.


    ¡°Trials determine your reward by how much you contribute to the delve. At this rate¡­ Doubtful either Philip or I will come away with anything.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s¡­ a good point,¡± I said, frowning. I¡¯d nearly forgotten about that rule. ¡°You¡¯re saying you want to fight this thing?¡±


    Philip cleared his throat. ¡°If you and Aerion managed to defeat it without powers¡­¡±


    ¡°We got lucky,¡± Aerion said. ¡°Quite lucky.¡±


    I nodded vigorously. ¡°True that.¡±


    ¡°Then I suppose it¡¯s no different for us,¡± Rogar said. ¡°We¡¯ve got you two to watch our backs, haven¡¯t we? If that¡¯s not luck, I dunno what is.¡±


    I exchanged glances with Aerion, letting out a long breath.


    ¡°Well, fuck. Alright, fine. Then let¡¯s come up with a battle plan that doesn¡¯t get you two killed.¡±

 Soulweaver 133: A Regulars’ Perspective

    As Philip clutched Light of the Fearless in his hand, sweaty palms hot against the grip, he realized he was probably having what most might call a panic attack.


    It was unthinkable. Him, of all people? A veteran soldier? Panicking?


    It was worse than unthinkable. It was unforgivable. Philip drew a deep breath in an attempt to stabilize himself.


    The idea had sounded fine¡ªparticipate more, so that he might earn at least a Boon from the great god of Dominion. That is, it sounded fine all the way until they entered the great Troll¡¯s lair and witnessed the thing napping.


    Even on its belly, the thing was taller than Philip. How large must it be at full height? A better question¡ªhow in Dominion¡¯s name did Greg and Aerion best this monster without a single Boon or Blessing? Philip had seen how Greg had fought back then¡ªhe¡¯d trained him himself, after all.


    To say Greg was inexperienced would be the understatement of the century. The man was pathetic.


    Philip shook his head. No, Greg might have been wet behind the ears, but his capacity for the unconventional knew no bounds.


    With legs that felt like tree trunks, Philip plodded to the sleeping giant.


    The plan was simple, as most good plans tended to be. Philip would deal the first blow. A simple task, considering how the Obsidian Troll was asleep. Assuming, of course, that Philip didn¡¯t somehow wake it. A rather generous assumption, if he was honest.


    After that, Philip would flee, yielding the weapon to Rogar, while Greg and Aerion took turns distracting the beast.


    They¡¯d discussed safer¡ªand saner¡ªstrategies, such as having Greg and Aerion chop the beast¡¯s legs off¡ªthat they could so casually talk of such feats still astounded Philip, even after their displays of astounding power on the previous floors¡ªbut had ultimately decided against the plan. They simply couldn¡¯t be sure how much involvement Philip and Rogar required to be granted a Boon.


    Greg felt that too much aid on their part, and they risked losing their chance at a Boon. Philip had to agree. From all he¡¯d heard, efforts to outright cheat earned no rewards.


    Nor did Philip wish to. While he couldn¡¯t say the same for Rogar, Philip lusted after the Boon to aid the world. Should he be granted some powerful offensive magic, what use would it be if all Philip knew was to cower and hide?


    He was a warrior, dammit. A warrior thoroughly outclassed by his foes, but what Warrior wasn¡¯t, every now and then? If anything, this experience only proved how soft he¡¯d become. The City Guard loved poking fun at Hunters, calling them Hunters in Name Only, or Hunters of Fame, but Philip had always known the truth. Even in peacetime, those who survived the Trials had been cut from a different cloth.


    One that Philip was now experiencing for himself.


    Philip drew closer to the snoring, jet-black beast, confident the creature would hear his footsteps. He¡¯d even taken off his boots to ensure he made as little sound as possible, though Greg laughed at him for worrying.


    ¡°You could play a whole damn concert and that thing wouldn¡¯t budge an inch. We¡¯re so small, we might as well be mosquitoes to something that big.¡±


    Even so, Philip insisted upon taking every precaution. Greg¡¯s abilities gave him confidence, which was certainly a good thing. Confidence and overconfidence, however, were but a single step apart in the waltz of war¡ªsomething Philip knew all too well. Broken legs would be the least of Philip¡¯s concerns, should the Troll awaken and smash him.


    With bated breath, Philip finally closed within striking range. He looked down at Greg¡¯s sword, its gleaming metal looking deadly even without its twin abilities manifested.


    Philip had seen this weapon slice through obsidian like butter. No doubt Greg¡¯s strength aided, yet even without it, Philip felt powerful. He could only guess at the value of such a treasure.


    And yet, no matter how powerful the blade, it mattered naught if he couldn¡¯t land the blow.


    Holding the sword above his head with both hands in an overhand grip, Philip took a deep breath, willed the blade¡¯s twin abilities to activate¡­ And swung.


    <hr>


    As Greg had predicted, the Troll didn¡¯t wake up. It didn¡¯t matter. The thing turned in its sleep, just so happening to move its leg at that very moment. The leg that Philip had been about to lop off... or at least damage. He wasn¡¯t sure he had the strength to cut through Obsidian armor, regardless of the quality of blade.


    The question was moot, because the Troll¡¯s leg slammed Philip on the chest, caving in his breastplate and sending him tumbling.


    Philip was no amateur. Long-honed instinct took over, even when his mind froze. He threw himself into a roll the instant he hit the ground, despite gasping for air. His instinct saved him from further injury, though it did nothing against his temporary asphyxiation. No matter how many times he endured the experience, it never became truly comfortable.


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    ¡°You alright?¡± Greg asked, rushing to Philip¡¯s side in a blur.


    ¡°Fine,¡± Philip wheezed, even as his chest convulsed, gasping for air. ¡°Be alright soon.¡±


    ¡°If you want me to cripple it¡­¡±


    ¡°No,¡± Philip whispered. ¡°I¡¯m well. I will handle this.¡±


    Greg shrugged. ¡°Alright, buddy. But I¡¯m stepping in if you take another hit like that. You sure you¡¯re alright?¡±


    ¡°Just some broken ribs,¡± Philip said, wincing through the pain as he unstoppered his waterskin and downed a large gulp of miracle water. ¡°Not my first time, I assure you. Besides, I have this water to fix me right up.¡±


    Greg winced. ¡°Go get ¡®em, Tiger.¡±


    Philip frowned quizzically, but he shook it off. He must have misheard. Hallucinations were commonplace with injuries such as this. He might very well have hit his head without realizing.


    Shaking it off, Philip picked up Light of the Fearless¡ªwhich he¡¯d somehow managed to hold on to¡ªand once again stalked off toward the giant, already feeling the pain subside.


    This time, he did wear his boots. Greg was right. He doubted even yelling into the thing¡¯s ear would wake it up.


    Philip knew what would, though.


    Raising the blade, he once again activated its two abilities, and swung. This time, there was nothing to stop him.


    Despite knowing its power, Philip couldn¡¯t help but be surprised when the blade pierced into the massive troll¡¯s leg, just above the ankle where it was thinnest.


    The blade didn¡¯t quite cleave through¡ªGreg and Aerion¡¯s strength were indeed what allowed them to make such feats effortless¡ªbut it was enough.


    The troll roared awake, but Philip was already long gone, his legs pumping across the monster¡¯s cavern lair.


    The moment the silver and brown haired figures blurred past, Philip knew he was safe. No monster on this floor could get past one of them, let alone both.


    Philip came to a stop by Rogar, turned around, and fell to his knees.


    Just as the troll did the same. His strike might not have penetrated all the way through the creature¡¯s ankle, but Obsidian was a brittle glass. A bit of pressure in the wrong area, and the whole thing shattered.


    The troll, not being the most intelligent being in the land, rushed toward Aerion and Greg, and in so doing, shattered its right foot, where Philip attacked. Losing its balance, it crashed heavily to the ground, sending further bits of its black armor flying.


    ¡°Great work!¡± Greg cried out from a distance. ¡°You took out almost a quarter of its health!¡±


    Philip frowned. Was ¡®health¡¯ supposed to represent its life force? And if so, how in the world did Greg have access to that information? Was it simply his intuition, honed after having previously fought this monster? Or was it something else? Was it yet another ability Philip didn¡¯t know about?


    The warrior shook off the thought. Thinking of Greg¡¯s abilities served but one purpose: to give the thinker a headache. Instead, Philip turned and passed Light of the Fearless off to his employer.


    ¡°Your turn.¡±


    <hr>


    Rogar felt the icy touch of fear as he took the weapon he¡¯d forged with his own hands. In the forge, he was the master. The god of all that transpired¡­ Well, until that Grug¡ªGreg, such an awkward name¡ªtook over. What black arts that man wrought upon the metal, Rogar could not know. Nor did he wish to. All he wished was to leave this blasted dungeon alive. Not an hour went by when he didn¡¯t curse himself, not a moment when he regretted his decision to enter this infernal place.


    He never asked for this! This was liable to get him killed. As skilled as Greg and Aerion were, would they be fast enough to save him?


    The answer, as he soon found out, was yes. Absolutely yes.


    Rogar moved into position. Now that the Obsidian Troll was rampaging around the vast cavern, Rogar had to pick his position carefully, moving whenever he thought the Troll would switch directions¡ªa task that was harder than it sounded, owing to how quickly the beast pivoted, even with only one intact leg.


    The blacksmith would have thought that lacking a foot would prevent the creature from walking, let alone running, and while it did hobble the troll somewhat, it adapted incredibly fast. Shockingly so. Would Rogar be able to run like that? What of the pain? Did that thing even feel pain?


    ¡°Rogar! Now!¡± Greg shouted, bringing him out of his reverie. His legs were moving even before Greg had finished speaking. In this, at least, Rogar had his confidence. Nobody would accuse him of being a coward. Nobody.


    He ran to the troll even as it turned to face him, confident that Greg or Aerion would attract the beast¡¯s attention. Gripping the longsword with both hands, he concentrated on activating its twin abilities. The marvels of black and white erupted before his eyes, and for a fraction of a moment, Rogar¡¯s attention was taken by their sheer beauty. They were brighter than before. Stronger. Seeing it up close was mesmerizing.


    The distraction lasted only an instant, however. Then Rogar¡¯s mind focused on bringing the deadly blade down upon the troll in front of him.


    As promised, Aerion had attacked the creature, lopping off an arm. It whirled to attack them, however, Rogar miscalculated. He¡¯d come in too close. In mere moments, a wall of Obsidian would slam into him. Yelling in desperation, he swung Light of the Fearless. The blade cleaved through the troll¡¯s thigh¡­ But did nothing to stop its momentum.


    This is it, then, Rogar thought. With the troll alert and mobile, the force of the impact couldn¡¯t be compared to the strike Philip had endured. Rogar would die. Just like that. His first real encounter of any kind, and it wasn¡¯t his bravery or his technique that killed him, but luck. Pure rotten luck.


    Curse¡ª!?


    Rogar¡¯s world blurred, and before he knew it, he was under Greg¡¯s arm, being carried like a barrel.


    Impossible. Greg was on the other side of the troll! How did he save him? How could he have moved so fast?


    Greg looked down at Rogar, grinning. ¡°So? How¡¯d it feel to cripple a troll? Pretty great huh?¡±


    Rogar looked up at the madman with wide eyes. Yes, this man was mad. And in the distance, so was Aerion. So was Richard.


    Rogar realized at that moment that he had just signed on to delve an Emergence Class dungeon with a group of lunatics.

 Soulweaver 134: An Old Friend

    Damn, it felt good to be strong. I had to admit, wrecking that troll after Rogar and Philip had their turn was more therapeutic than I''d have guessed. Maybe I oughta delve Trials more often, just for the thrill. Everyone needed their stress relief, right?


    I glanced at Philip and Rogar, only to find them giving me weird looks. Actually, they were giving us all weird looks.


    ¡°What¡¯s got their panties in a bunch?¡± I asked Aerion, who narrowed her eyes at me. ¡°Er, you know what I mean.¡±


    ¡°Is it really so hard to guess? They just had a near-death experience.¡±


    I nodded knowingly, thinking back to our first fight. We¡¯d been chased out of the lair into a Sanctuary chamber by goblins, so we didn¡¯t¡ª


    ¡°Oh shit,¡± I said, hearing voices in the distance. ¡°Goblins, people. Let¡¯s grab that soul crystal and boogey.¡±


    I started to run, but got strange looks from everyone. Even Richard.


    ¡°Uh, what?¡± I asked.


    ¡°Any reason not to just¡­ take ¡®em out?¡± Richard asked, scratching his head.


    ¡°Orrr, we could do that,¡± I said, suddenly noticing how hot everything was. Rogar and Philip looked grim, but Aerion didn¡¯t hide the smirk spreading across her face. She looked just about ready to giggle.


    ¡°Yeah, yeah, laugh it up,¡± I muttered, grinning despite myself. I suppose I deserved that.


    <hr>


    As it turned out, Aerion and I only had a minor role to play in ending the goblins. Allowing Rogar and Philip to engage was too dangerous with their current numbers, and while either I or Aerion would¡¯ve managed the feat, none of us could have done it as spectacularly and efficiently as Richard.


    He just¡­ shattered their hearts. Nearly all of them. All at once.


    One moment, the enraged goblins were running at us, expletives hurling, spittle flying. The next? They were dead. Just like that. No sound, no explosions, no drama.


    Which sounded anticlimactic, but in reality, made it so much more terrifying. I tried to imagine a more efficient form of causing death, and I honestly couldn¡¯t. The ability to make the enemy die without fanfare or warning...


    I wasn¡¯t the only one staring at Richard after he pulled that off. He might be physically weak and easy to kill, but goddamn did he have some serious firepower. A glass cannon if there ever was one. That was even more true now, after his most recent upgrades.


    I was just glad Richard was a nice guy with a good head on his shoulders. And that we were friends.


    In typical Richard fashion, he even left four alive for Rogar and Philip. All without me ever asking. The guy was nothing if not conscientious.


    Our unpowered friends engaged the remaining goblins, taking them one at a time while Aerion and I ran interference, jabbing and poking at the others to keep them distracted until our allies dispatched their foes.


    Philip, being a lifelong warrior, had no issues dispatching the goblins. Quick, efficient strikes to their exposed necks shattered them with a single strike. Despite his age, his flawless technique made his attacks a lot more lethal than mine had been when I was first thrown into this Trial.


    Rogar, on the other hand... Well, let''s just say he treated the goblin like a sword to be hammered, using the same technique with his ax that he used with his forging hammer. Even I could tell how bad it was.


    Even so, Rogar''s muscles made up the difference, and though he took longer than Philip, he managed to get through them nonetheless. Though, to everyone''s amusement, he felt it necessary to accompany every strike with an epic roar.


    ¡°Go figure. Hollywood got it right after all,¡± I muttered.


    Richard snorted.


    <hr>


    We made it through the adjoining tunnels without much more trouble. Just another horde of goblins that Richard dispatched in similar fashion, leaving a few more for Rogar and Philip. It was funny how the existential threats of yesterday had so quickly become commonplace. If we¡¯d had this strength back then, would Emma be alive? Would that woman who died to the Obsidian Dragon have met a different fate?


    Almost certainly.


    I clenched my fist. It was pointless to think of what ifs. The fact was we didn¡¯t have that power back then. We failed them both, and nothing we did would change that now. All we could do was gain more power going forth, to avoid any chance of a repeat. I didn¡¯t know what I would do if the same thing happened again. Probably nothing nice.


    While the Trial might not have been the deathtrap it once was, the shimmering portal-like door was nonetheless a welcome sight. One of the several welcome differences between Trials and Cataclysm Dungeons.


    As a party of five, the Sanctuary room was greatly expanded over what Aerion and I had encountered, with a grove of fruit trees at the center of the forested space. A dirt pathway ringed it, and the walls and ceiling were all covered in vines, while the floor on either side of the walkway was covered over with fruit and vegetable plants.


    No meat, though. Come to think of it, there never was any meat. Maybe meat was harder to synthesize? Or maybe it was because, unlike Earth, meat was a luxury on this world. It wasn¡¯t that the average person couldn¡¯t afford it. Just that they could buy many times the amount of vegetables for the same money.


    Unauthorized use of content: if you find this story on Amazon, report the violation.


    This room also had a couple of large wooden tables at the back that were covered with bread, nuts, olives, and all sorts of other goodies. The opposite corner had five straw mattresses laid out on the floor. There was even an outhouse-style latrine with a thatched reed door hidden along one wall, obscured by bushes and vines.


    And of course, no Sanctuary would be complete without the fountain. This one was more like a trough that ran all along the walls, with miracle water pouring into it from wall fountains at regular intervals.


    A utopia, if there ever was one.


    I had to admit, Dominion really went all out with these. I wished we had them in the Cataclysm Dungeon.


    ¡°Penny for your thoughts?¡± Richard asked, walking up to me. ¡°I must say, this room is quite a welcome change from Passion¡¯s rooms. Not even a single bust of Dominion himself. Quite surprising, really.¡±


    ¡°Oh?¡± I replied, stretching. ¡°What are hers like?¡±


    From his description, I felt like I could guess.


    ¡°Imagine the seediest love hotel room¡­¡± Richard said. ¡°Now add a statue of Passion. In the nude, of course. With Sanctuary water flowing from her, er, well¡­ her bosom.¡±


    I froze. My guess had been very, very wrong. ¡°You¡¯re serious.¡±


    ¡°Afraid so,¡± Richard said, pinching his nose. ¡°Was quite the shocker when I first saw it.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll bet¡­¡± I said, trying my best to banish the thought. It was too late. The damage had been done.


    ¡°Aaanyway, what were you saying, earlier?¡± Richard asked, thankfully trying to change the topic.


    ¡°Oh, I was just wondering what the purpose of all this was,¡± I said, grateful for the invitation.


    ¡°Well, to prepare delvers for the Cataclysms, of course,¡±


    ¡°Sure, I get that. But in that case, why provide these rooms and shortcuts at all? Why go through all the trouble of building a Trial, for that matter? I¡¯m sure it costs them no small amount of power¡­ Why not just gift promising soldiers Boons or Blessings? And why, despite clearly intending for delvers to succeed, do so many die in the process?¡±


    Richard rubbed his chin. ¡°Good questions, all. I suppose the gods have some grand design. For example, consider how the Cataclysm Dungeons split everyone apart. No point taking an army, yeah? You¡¯ll want each delver to be as strong as they come.¡±


    ¡°Maybe,¡± I said, feeling uneasy. This was something that never sat right with me. This Trial was a deathtrap to anyone without a Boon or Blessing already. It was like it was designed to kill all but the very best. Or those who were well-connected enough to have higher level delvers guide them through, but that felt counterintuitive to me. Even if only the strongest delvers had a shot at collapsing dungeons, the world still needed its soldiers to fight off the monster hordes.


    ¡°Dominion has always been a harsh god,¡± Aerion said softly. ¡°¡®Tis no secret he cares little for the lives of those he deems weak.¡±


    ¡°So the other Trials are more favorable, then?¡± I asked.


    Richard shrugged. ¡°The one Passion had me do didn¡¯t strike me as much better. Pretty fields and fun farmhouses, but the succubi were quite deadly when they drained my party dry.¡±


    Succubi? I shuddered. That was so on-brand for Passion. I sincerely hoped I never had to venture into one of her Trials.


    I turned to Rogar and Philip, who had both rushed over to the water troughs and were drinking their fill.


    ¡°Alright everyone. Let¡¯s make camp here for a bit. Rest up, eat up, and get yourselves fully healed. We¡¯ll fill all our canteens with the miracle water, and then we¡¯ll debrief.¡±


    The relief among the group was palpable. Even Richard and Aerion relaxed. Despite our power, there really was no comfort like a place guaranteed to be safe.


    <hr>


    ¡°Let¡¯s talk about that fight,¡± I said after a few hours had passed. Richard, Rogar, and Philip went for the beds almost immediately, while Aerion and I retreated to a corner and chatted for a bit as we gathered the various fruits and vegetables. We¡¯d brought a small amount of provisions knowing we¡¯d have access to a Sanctuary chamber, so stocking up here was good. Not that I had a ton of space left with my forge taking up most of the room.


    I took a seat on my straw bed, back against the wall, as I munched on a surprisingly delicious roasted peanut in between words. It was surprising how much even small luxuries did for the soul. ¡°Rogar, you would¡¯ve died if I hadn¡¯t saved your ass, and Philip¡­ well, what did you think?¡±


    Philip hung his head in shame. ¡°Call it bad luck, but that¡¯s no excuse. I ought to have been faster. Minimized the time I was in danger. I was so caught up being quiet that I completely neglected other concerns. I¡¯m honestly ashamed.¡±


    I nodded. ¡°And you, Rogar. You might not be a warrior, but you need to at least read the flow of the battle. It¡¯s one thing for Aerion or me to win against a monster like that. It¡¯s another entirely to keep you safe. Especially from yourself.¡±


    Rogar¡¯s eyes narrowed. ¡°You told me to attack. I attacked.¡±


    ¡°Sure, but you really need to use your head in a fight. Trust me, it¡¯ll keep you alive. The reason I¡¯m saying all of this is because you guys will need to participate in the fight against the Dungeon Guardian when we get there, and believe me, that thing is no joke. Even with us looking out for you, you¡¯ll have to rely on your own skills to stay safe.¡±


    ¡°Understood,¡± Philip replied immediately. ¡°We¡¯ll be more aware from now on, I assure you.¡±


    ¡°Good,¡± I said, feeling very awkward talking to Philip like that. It wasn¡¯t long ago that he was the one training me, and when it came to combat skills, he wasn¡¯t even in the same league. Still¡­


    ¡°As you¡¯ve no doubt noticed, skill only takes you so far in a place like this. You¡¯ll have to stay on your toes until you receive your Boons.¡±


    Philip nodded and Rogar grunted¡­ Which I supposed was about all I¡¯d get out of him. ¡°Good,¡± I said. ¡°Now that we¡¯re all well rested, I want each of you taking one of those canteens. Keep that on you at all times, and if you get injured, don¡¯t hesitate to drink it. There are Sanctuary rooms on this floor and the next, so there¡¯s no point conserving.¡±


    Everyone took a canteen, and when we set out, refreshed and resupplied, I had to admit, I felt like a god. For the first time since entering Axius, I felt like how I did when I speedran games I¡¯d played hundreds of times. Absolutely confident, sure in the knowledge that I knew about everything that would come my way.


    It was a good feeling. Warm. Secure.


    Which only made the fall that much harder when we came to the stairs to the sixth floor.


    Because, unlike when Aerion and I had delved the Trial previously, there was a boss monster waiting for us.


    A monster with claws that glistened like glass. A monster with four legs, massive jagged wings, and a tail. A monster that stared at us with blood-red eyes.


    A monster that happened to look an awful lot like the Obsidian Dragon Aerion and I had barely defeated last time.


    ¡°The fuck are you doing here?¡±

 Soulweaver 135: Trial Guardian Redux

    Instinct honed from countless fights was the only thing that saved me as my mind kept looping, wondering why in the name of everything holy the goddamned Trial Guardian was here, on floor five, of all places.


    Luckily, my body had a mind of its own, grabbing Richard and running the instant that massive dragon opened its mouth. Think later. Act now.


    Dragons opening mouths usually meant one of two things¡ªeither they were about to chomp you, or they were going to fire magic. Both bad enough to ruin your day.


    Aerion, always quick on the uptake, followed suit, grabbing Rogar and Philip and bounding the other way.


    We just barely managed to avoid getting scorched, proving in an instant that, despite outranking the monster, it was still very much capable of ending us.


    ¡°Richard! I dunno how much you can do against that thing, but do it!¡±


    ¡°Already on it! I¡¯m giving it everything I¡¯ve got. Can¡¯t tell if it¡¯s doing much of anything, though.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s fine,¡± I said. ¡°Just keep up the pressure.¡±


    I looked around the cavern we were in. It was big, but the dragon clearly hadn¡¯t been intended for this space. The ceiling was riddled with pointy stalactites, and it wasn¡¯t nearly big enough for the massive beast to fly.


    In fact, it could barely even spread its wings.


    That was good. The advantage favored us.


    Unfortunately, pretty much everything else didn¡¯t.


    The angry dragon belched out another blasts of black fire, scorching the walls of the cavern. The blast ricocheted off the walls like a laser on a mirror, burning several other spots before finally dying out.


    My mind shifted into overdrive as I ran through a litany of possible attack plans.


    As it was, my suit¡¯s ability and my Grace allowed me to move faster than the dragon could. I doubted I¡¯d be in any real danger, even if the thing turned and blew fire on me straight on. The thing telegraphed each attack by opening its mouth for a couple of seconds. Plenty of time to get away.


    Aerion had yet to activate [Reave], probably because the moment she did, she¡¯d likely drop Rogar and Philip, deeming them dead weight.


    Which they kinda were. If we wanted any hope of beating this thing, she¡¯d have to drop them off somewhere.


    Problem was there was no safe place here for them. Nowhere was out of range of the dragon¡¯s breath. We just had to hope we distracted it enough to leave them alone¡­ And defeat it before it found them.


    As it was, Aerion was barely managing to avoid the attacks. Much longer, and she¡¯d get hit.


    I needed a plan, and I needed it now.


    ¡°Aerion!¡± I shouted. ¡°Drop off those guys at the other end. I¡¯ll distract the dragon.¡±


    Aerion shouted something in response that I couldn¡¯t quite understand, but I figured she got the message.


    Summoning my inventory, I concentrated on the hot magma rocks I¡¯d gathered¡­ and unleashed a barrage.


    A hailstorm of superheated pebbles pounded against the dragon¡¯s head¡­ And to my surprise, many actually penetrated, forming tiny cracks in its obsidian armor. I doubted the heat did much against an enemy made of obsidian, but their speed certainly did. Many more missed, though, as the dragon whipped its head to face me.


    That volley had cost me two hundred pebbles. I had about eight hundred more where that came from. Four shots.


    I fired again, but because the thing¡¯s snout was pointed at me, only about a third hit.


    Again, I could see them penetrating and doing damage¡­ Just not enough. It was like firing grains of sand at a person. Sure, they might punch right through, but you needed a lot of them to make a meaningful hole.


    I had, however, succeeded in making the dragon mad as hell.


    Which was good, because it gave Aerion the window she needed to drop her cargo.


    Bad because the dragon was now charging its breath attack at me.


    I blurred away, activating [Snap]. As I suspected, the dragon couldn¡¯t actually whip its head around fast enough to follow me.


    That wasn¡¯t the problem. The problem was that if I moved around too much, I¡¯d lead the dragon¡¯s breath directly to where Rogar and Philip were now cowering.


    I couldn¡¯t just lead the dragon around in a circle. I¡¯d have to double back at some point.


    And that meant placing myself directly into its field of fire.


    ¡°Fuck,¡± I muttered. Even if I might¡¯ve survived a blast like that, the Brit piggybacking on me certainly wouldn¡¯t.


    Luckily, my amazing partner came to my rescue.


    Aerion had activated [Reave] at some point and jumped onto the dragon¡¯s back, where she was hacking away at its Obsidian scale in an almost perfect reenactment of our first fight. Unlike that time, though, she was having some luck with it.


    The dragon canceled its attack and writhed, trying to fling her off.


    That was my chance. I stopped running, planted my feet, took aim¡­ And fired a single [Steel Dart]. This was one of the four with the [Ouch!] and [Burst!] abilities. The former expanded the entry wound. The latter made the dart blow up.


    These babies were one-time use, but I was figuring one was all I would need.


    I was both right and wrong.


    The writhing dragon turned at the last moment, making my attack aimed for its head miss and hit its wing instead.


    Unauthorized duplication: this tale has been taken without consent. Report sightings.


    Everything in a yard-long radius of said wing promptly exploded in a shower of Obsidian shards.


    While the attack hadn¡¯t destroyed the whole wing, if the dragon did try to fly with that damage, it would certainly notice the missing chunk.


    Unfortunately, it wasn¡¯t flying, and the wing functioned just fine as a fly swatter, even with a chunk gouged out.


    My attack caused the dragon to turn its attention back to me, which meant it was time to run again.


    Only, our orientations had shifted over the course of the battle. And now I was far too close to Rogar and Philip¡¯s hiding position for comfort.


    Spinning on a dime, I activated [Snap] and bolted to their location, barely even stopping before scooping them up.


    I turned again, and bolted away.


    I was almost quick enough. Almost.


    The Obsidian Dragon¡¯s black flame scoured the cavern floor, and while I avoided the primary blast, I wasn¡¯t lucky enough to miss the ricochet. I pivoted on my heel in the fraction of a second I had before it hit me.


    I avoided. The blacksmith under my left arm did not.


    Rogar screamed in pain as the black flame melted through his armor.


    ¡°Fuck! Richard, Philip. I¡¯m putting you guys down. Get your canteens ready and throw that Sanctuary water on Rogar wherever his armor¡¯s melted.


    I didn¡¯t wait to hear their reply before dumping them. I didn¡¯t wait to see how they were getting along before bolting away, firing another volley of superheated pebbles at the dragon.


    Aerion had the damage potential. I had the mobility and some damage potential, but getting my shots to hit had proven tricky. How many more darts did I want to waste on this thing? We still had the real Trial Guardian to kill, afterall. I wanted to keep at least a few in reserve.


    Think, Greg. Think. What other attacks¡­ Oh. Oh.


    My lips curled up into a nasty grin. There was that. That attack used no ammo. That attack combined both of our advantages.


    Yes. That was the way to go. Only question was... how the fuck was I supposed to communicate with Aerion when she was reaving?


    A plan came to mind. A stupid plan, perhaps, but one that might just work¡­ assuming I didn¡¯t get myself killed in the process.


    I ran to a corner of the room and dumped the forge in my inventory on the ground.


    ¡°Yo, Aerion!¡± I hollered. A mostly useless gesture, but I figured it couldn¡¯t hurt.


    Incredibly, Aerion actually stopped whaling on the dragon¡¯s back to look in my general direction.


    ¡°I have a plan! Come down here!¡±


    Aerion glared at me for a moment¡­ Before resuming smashing the dragon¡¯s back with Aurora.


    ¡°Welp,¡± I muttered. ¡°Guess we¡¯ll do this the hard way.¡±


    With the dragon flailing so much, climbing the thing was a lot harder than it looked. It took me two attempts to get on the thing, and another two after it threw me off.


    I had to give Aerion some serious credit for nailing it with a single attempt. Even with her super strength, it couldn¡¯t have been easy. I almost felt like the strength was almost a secondary benefit¡ªher single-minded, relentless focus while under the effects of [Reave] was a superpower on its own. That was something you usually only saw in the most elite soldiers back on Earth.


    One scale after another, I climbed my way up the dragon¡¯s back. Thankfully, with both of us climbing the thing, it no longer felt the need to use its flame breath.


    Instead, it spent its time careening all over the place, smashing against the cavern walls in a desperate bid to rip us off. Being made of Obsidian, it actually damaged itself in the process, much like the Troll we¡¯d fought earlier. Not enough to matter, though. My HUD told me it was still near full health, even after the damage to its wing.


    ¡°Aerion!¡± I shouted again, coming up next to her. ¡°Aerion, listen to me. I need you to attack when¡ªAh, fuck it.¡±


    Aerion wasn¡¯t listening. As usual, she knelt on the dragon¡¯s back, ruining her poor Aurora by smashing it into its thick Obsidian armor.


    Deciding enough was enough, I activated [Snap], my leg blurring faster than Aerion could react. With my super speed, I kicked the weapon out of her hand, sending it flying into the distance. Aerion watched the weapon disappear before spinning to me in anger.


    Before she could do anything, I threw her Light of the Fearless.


    She grabbed it out of the air, activating its twin abilities almost instantly.


    Then she grabbed the blade with both hands and drew the blade close to her body, looking like she was about to thrust it into the dragon hide.


    I didn¡¯t let her.


    Praying this would work, I touched her shoulder¡­ And sucked her into my inventory.


    The consent message I¡¯d been dreading didn¡¯t pop up. As I¡¯d hoped, the System recognized Aerion¡¯s consent was a persistent thing, and so she disappeared without issue.


    I pumped my fist. Operation Elf Cannon was a go.


    Rising to my feet, I ran the remainder of the dragon¡¯s back, gripping its scales to keep my balance when it thrashed¡­ all the way up to its head. Every step I took felt easier and easier, until its motions didn¡¯t bother me at all.


    I reached the top of its head and jumped, hurling myself into a backflip as I did. I¡¯d never done a backflip in my life. And yet, the motion came naturally.


    Twisting in midair like an aerialist, I extended my arm as I fell, upside down. Taking aim, I fired a single [Steel Dart] at the dragon¡¯s snout.


    The dart impacted and exploded almost before I¡¯d even finished thinking about attacking, disintegrating the front third of the dragon¡¯s face. And crucially, its array of razor-sharp Obsidian teeth, leaving a perfectly round opening.


    An Aerion-sized opening.


    Eat this, motherfucker¡­


    Still falling, I took aim and fired.


    Yep. I fired Aerion. Right into the dragon¡¯s gaping hole. Right as I landed on the ground far below, giving me a clear view of the spectacle that was about to unfold.


    Aerion¡¯s unstoppable momentum smashed apart what remained of the dragon¡¯s teeth.


    An impressive attack on its own, but that was only the beginning. A much deadlier weapon had just appeared, and its name was Aerion.


    I¡¯d never seen anything quite like it.


    Aerion didn¡¯t penetrate the roof of its mouth. She didn¡¯t slice it.


    No, she exploded through, each slash of Light of the Fearless shredding a different part of its skull, sending a thousand tiny shards flying in every direction.


    Without its armor to protect it from the inside, Aerion¡¯s slashes, augmented by [Reave] and my sword, absolutely devastated the dragon.


    In the end, there was nothing left. The damned dragon¡¯s whole head was just¡­ gone, leaving only a neck attached to a corpse. The dragon¡¯s body froze for a second, before crashing heavily onto the ground, shattering into a million pieces.


    Pretty similar to last time, now that I thought about it. Except this time, we hadn¡¯t needed a hundred sonic explosives. We didn¡¯t need ammo. We¡¯d relied on our own power, and that meant we could replicate the feat anytime, anywhere.


    Aerion, of course, fell with it.


    Jumping high, I caught her in my arms before she hit. With her ridiculously light weight, it was like catching a feather. With the only foe in the area vanquished, [Reave]''s effects allowing Aerion to come back to her senses. Gone were the days when she''d constantly pass out. Her higher Essence pool and our general skill at killing enemies fast both mitigated that weakness. She really was a sight to behold.


    I grinned at her, and she grinned right back. ¡°Anyone ever tell you you make one hell of a bullet?¡±


    Aerion¡¯s grin melted, replaced by a pout.


    Oh, shit.

 Soulweaver 136: Congratulations! You’re a Winner!

    Aerion glowered as she scrambled back to her feet and stomped off, but I couldn''t deal with that right now.


    Activating [Snap], I sprinted over to where Aerion had dropped Rogar and Philip off.


    ¡°How¡¯s he looking?¡± I asked, kneeling beside the injured blacksmith.


    ¡°He¡¯ll pull through just fine,¡± Richard said. ¡°Philip¡¯s canteen was enough to heal his face, and I poured Rogar¡¯s down his throat. He¡¯s resting now.¡±


    I let out a breath. This was my fuckup. Before I could say something, though, Richard cut me off.


    ¡°Not your fault, Greg. I think I speak for all of us when I say you¡¯ve done more than we could¡¯ve imagined. Doubt any of us thought we¡¯d survive, let alone defeat that thing,¡± Richard said, jerking his chin at the fallen dragon.


    ¡°Hear hear,¡± Philip said. ¡°Thought I was a goner, to be honest.¡±


    ¡°Just doing what we can. Right, Aerion?¡±


    The elf was either too far to hear, or chose to ignore me.


    I sighed when she didn¡¯t turn around.


    ¡°The hell did I do now?¡±


    ¡°Pretty obvious, innit?¡± Richard said, sidling up beside me.


    ¡°I don¡¯t get it,¡± I said. ¡°Sure, maybe I shouldn¡¯t have said that about her being a bullet, but I didn''t mean anything by it! Things didn¡¯t use to be like this, y''know. Between us, I mean.¡±


    I glanced back at the corpse of the Obsidian Dragon. The beast that was supposed to be the Trial Guardian had randomly shown up on the fifth floor. I had so many questions. Questions best answered by a pointy-eared elf. An elf who was currently peeved at me for no reason I could understand.


    ¡°Greg¡­ Friend,¡± Richard said. ¡°Have you never been in love?¡±


    My cheeks flushed. ¡°Obviously. I¡¯m not¡ªNo!¡±


    ¡°You sure?¡±


    ¡°I...¡± I paused and sighed. I¡¯d felt it several times already, hadn''t I? That hot, tingly feeling in the chest. The racing of the heart. The random thoughts¡­ The coconut bikinis.


    Okay, well, maybe not that last one. Fuck you Cosmo. But as immature as that bastard was, he hadn¡¯t sparked anything new. I¡¯d felt this before. It wasn''t like I was entirely oblivious. Just, things weren''t that simple.


    ¡°So maybe I do have a thing for Aerion,¡± I muttered, barely loud enough for Richard to hear. ¡°But so what? It takes two to tango, yeah? And she clearly doesn¡¯t like me.¡±


    ¡°Oh?¡± Richard asked, an amused smirk plastered across his face. It pissed me off a lot more than I thought it would, for some reason. ¡°And what makes you say that?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s obvious, isn¡¯t it? She likes Eskil. Big, strong guy. Proposed to her already.¡±


    God, I hated that guy.


    Richard shook his head. ¡°Mate, afraid I¡¯m gonna have to burst your bubble. She¡¯s waiting for you to confess.¡±


    I snorted. ¡°Uh, huh. And this is just a VR experiment by artificially intelligent machines to make the masses think they live in some utopia when they¡¯re really just unwitting batteries for the superintelligence.¡±


    Richard gave me a concerned glance. ¡°Tell me you just made that up.¡±


    ¡°I didn¡¯t, but don¡¯t worry. We¡¯re not there. Yet. Just the plot of one of the best movies of all time.¡±


    ¡°Thank god. What movie?¡±


    ¡°The Matrix. 1999. Check it out when you get there. That reality won¡¯t happen for another fifty years or so in my timeline. Well beyond your time.¡±


    ¡°I dunno know if I ought to be relieved or terrified.¡±


    ¡°Probably both,¡± I said with a wry smile.


    Richard shook his head. ¡°Talking to you is like flirting with the devil. But¡­ Ah yes. Flirting. Let¡¯s talk about that more, shall we?¡±


    I groaned. I¡¯d hoped the talk of machine overlords displacing humanity as the number one intelligence on the planet would make my friend forget about our original conversation. Apparently not.


    ¡°What does it matter?¡±


    ¡°It matters, Greg, because she¡¯s head over heels for you!¡±


    ¡°Yeah, right. Plain as day she likes that guy. Said so herself.¡±


    Richard frowned. ¡°That a fact?¡±


    ¡°It is. He''s a Champion. He''s strong. Maybe handsome, even if he is an asshole. I can see why she''d fall for a guy like that.¡±


    ¡°Mate, I''m quite certain she rejected that proposal. Nothing I saw gave me any indication she has feelings for Dominion''s Champion. And if it''s the Champion bit, you''re worried about, well...¡± Richard trailed off as he glanced at Philip, but I got the message.


    You''re a Champion, too.


    I opened my mouth, but no words came out. Was that really how Aerion felt? I honestly didn''t know. Besides, that was all moot, anyway. This wasn''t as simple as mutual affection. There were other issues at play here. Issues that couldn''t just be solved by talking about it.


    Richard sighed. ¡°Do I have to spell it out for you? Christ, you¡¯re as dense as a rock. Alright, so have you ever noticed when she¡ª¡±


    The ominous sounds of shouts and yells coming from the other end of the cavern stopped Richard.


    Aerion¡¯s ears stood on end, and all signs of her previous sulky behavior vanished as she rushed back to Philip and the unconscious Rogar.


    ¡°Maybe we have this conversation once we¡¯re on the sixth floor?¡± I said, remembering to walk over to the dragon¡¯s corpse to grab its soul crystal.


    ¡°Reckon so,¡± Richard replied. ¡°Same as usual?¡±


    ¡°Time to boogie,¡± I said, crouching down.


    ¡°No worries, Greg. I got your back!¡±


    If you discover this tale on Amazon, be aware that it has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road. Please report it.


    <hr>


    As we trucked up the stairs, I used the downtime to go over my latest gains, which were not insignificant.


    Congratulations! Grace has increased from 54 to 58 (Max: 74)


    Congratulations! Basecrest City Guard Suit [Uncommon]¡¯s ability [Snap] has leveled up from Foundation - 8 to Foundation - MAX!


    Congratulations! Blessing [Initializer] has leveled up from Divergence - 0 to Divergence - 1. Maximum Essence increased from 370 to 410. Current Utilization: 355/410.


    Finally. It was the first Blessing levelup of the Trial. The monsters here just didn¡¯t yield enough experience at my level to do a whole lot. Still, between the dart that had been destroyed in the previous fight and my levelup, I finally had more of an Essence buffer now. Maybe even enough to initialize Aurora.


    Aerion had seen some good gains as well, with her Vigor, Grace, and Dominion all seeing good gains. Her Dominion now maxed out at 59 points. She¡¯d also leveled from E - 6 to E - 7, netting her an additional 10 free stats.


    As for the dragon''s soul crystal, it was identical to before.


    Soul Crystal (Obsidian Dragon) [Uncommon]


    A Soul Crystal from an Obsidian Dragon. A valuable trinket! Good luck finding a use for it. May have additional, unknown uses.


    Grade: Emergence


    Abilities:


    ¡ª Obsidian Dragonfire: Imbues the strength of the black flames of a Trial Guardian. Caution: VERY HOT!


    Stats:


    ¡ª Vigor: + 5


    ¡ª Wisdom: + 30


    ¡ª Grace: + 20


    ¡ª Cunning: + 5


    ¡ª Dominion: + 35


    At my current stat levels, it wasn''t an amazing boost, but it wasn''t quite useless either. Especially if I forged another weapon with it like I did Light of the Fearless.


    We made it up the stairs and into the next Sanctuary room without issue. The moment we did, each of us damn near collapsed. Those of us who were still conscious, anyway. Rogar hadn¡¯t yet recovered, so we dunked him into the fountain¡¯s pool of healing liquid and called it good. As I¡¯d learned firsthand, it was impossible to drown in those things. Rogar might not appreciate waking up sputtering and coughing, but he¡¯d live.


    For my part, I sat down heavily in the bed of grass, and let myself fall onto my back. Before I knew it, my eyes slid shut, and I was asleep.


    I awoke with a startle to find a certain elf drooling over my breastplate, snoring softly. She must¡¯ve fallen over at some point. I looked up to find Richard and Philip smiling wryly at me from across the Sanctuary chamber.


    Well, shit. As gently as I could, I extricated myself from being Aerion¡¯s pillow, then stood up and dusted off my armor. Not gently enough, unfortunately. Aerion had always been a light sleeper, and so she awoke almost as soon as I¡¯d slipped out. I opened my mouth, but unsure what to say, I closed it again. She gave me a somber glance before bringing her knees to her chest and burying her face, curling up like a ball.


    ¡°Must¡¯ve¡­ uh, been as tired as I was, ha,¡± I said as I walked over to them, smoothly playing off our awkward exchange. When their smirks grew wryer, though, I realized my acting skills must¡¯ve left something to be desired.


    ¡°How¡¯s Rogar?¡± I asked, deftly switching topics.


    Richard rolled his eyes, while Philip cleared his throat. Okay, so maybe not as deftly as I¡¯d thought.


    ¡°Rogar is, well¡­¡±


    I followed Philip¡¯s gaze to the loudly snoring blacksmith, drooling in a corner of the Sanctuary.


    ¡°Looks like he¡¯s doing just fine.¡±


    ¡°Woke up cursing in the fountain,¡± Philip said, chuckling. ¡°He¡¯s just resting now.¡±


    ¡°Alright, I¡¯d say we¡¯ve earned ourselves a break,¡± I said, eyeing the sanctuary. This one was pretty similar to the previous ones with the mini forest, fountain, and fruits and vegetables¡ªwith the notable exception of floor to ceiling windows spanning one entire wall. Windows that looked out into an inky black abyss.


    This floor held a lot of memories for Aerion and me. Some good, some not so good. The innumerable times we nearly died, the harrowing submarine ascent¡­ Emma¡¯s failed rescue. Okay, most weren''t good.


    I glanced at Aerion, who stared forlornly into the darkness. I wondered if we¡¯d come across the Sanctuary room we dug Emma¡¯s grave in. Was it still there? Or would it have been wiped when the Sanctuary reset?


    My thoughts moved on, but Aerion''s clearly hadn¡¯t.


    ¡°You¡¯d best have a chat, Greg,¡± Richard said. ¡°She needs you.¡±


    I raised an eyebrow. ¡°Told you about Emma¡¯s death, did she?¡±


    ¡°Emma?¡± Richard asked, raising his brow. ¡°Can¡¯t say she did. But it¡¯s plain as day that she¡¯s not right at the moment. I daresay you¡¯re the only one among us who can help.¡±


    Our conversation from earlier popped into my head. ¡°You mean, because she, uh, y¡¯know¡­ I dunno, Richard. I don¡¯t see it.¡±


    Richard sighed, while Philip chuckled.


    ¡°Plain as day,¡± Richard repeated. ¡°She¡¯s head over heels, mate.¡±


    I glanced at Philip, who nodded, giving me a wry smile. ¡°I¡¯d say it¡¯s pretty obvious. Well, obvious to anyone not in love, I suppose. That¡¯s the way these things go. Ah, youth. I miss those days.¡±


    Philip was staring at Aerion, though it looked like his eyes were a million miles away. It didn¡¯t take much of an imagination to guess where.


    ¡°I almost forgot you knew she''s a girl,¡± I muttered.


    Philip shrugged. ¡°I''d have figured it out eventually, even if you hadn''t told me back when we trained together. Got to hand it to her, though, she knows how to work a disguise. Just that, well, it¡¯s tough to stay in character every minute of every day. The way she moves, the intonation of her words... The way she interacts with you. Wouldn''t have taken long to put two and two together, regardless.¡±


    I glanced at Rogar, but Philip shook his head. ¡°Dense as a lead brick, that one. I daresay she¡¯d have to tell him outright for him to notice.¡±


    ¡°That makes sense,¡± I replied. ¡°But still¡­ Aerion likes me? Really? Always thought she didn¡¯t care about things like this.¡±


    ¡°Whatever do you mean?¡± Philip asked. ¡°While it¡¯s not my business to meddle in such affairs, she¡¯s clearly of courting age, yes?¡±


    ¡°Well, sure, but¡ªI mean, we¡¯re fighting a battle for the fate of the world, for crying out loud. We¡¯re in the middle of a monster-filled den right now, and that isn¡¯t going to stop anytime soon. Any of us could be dead tomorrow. Hardly the sort of environment to be thinking about romantic feelings.¡±


    And her life is literally in the palm of my hands, I didn''t say. Maybe less so after I had Cosmo get rid of my ability to Uninitialize her, but still. How the hell was I supposed to reconcile that?


    ¡°And what of it?¡± Richard asked, oblivious to my internal monologue. ¡°Is that not precisely the time to forge strong bonds? As you said, none of us know what God has in store for us. Carpe Diem. Seize the day!¡±


    I frowned. ¡°Sure, that all sounds well and good. All the stories of soldiers going off to war after proposing, to give them a reason to stay alive and come back home, safe and sound. Never got behind that, though. Yeah, the ones who come back make for incredible stories, but you and I both know there are plenty who never do. Plenty who make their new wives widows. I refuse to do that. To anyone. Let alone someone I care about.¡±


    ¡°Think you¡¯re a little off there, Greg,¡± Philip muttered.


    I was about to argue when he raised his hands. ¡°Not that I don¡¯t understand where you¡¯re coming from. I do. Seen it myself. Just¡­ This situation¡¯s a bit different, don¡¯t you think?¡±


    ¡°How¡¯s that?¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re both risking your lives against the Cataclysm. Not like she¡¯s staying home safe while you go out and fight, yes? She could make the same argument you just made.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s even worse, isn¡¯t it?¡± I said. ¡°If I were to go down in the middle of a fight, or vice versa, the emotional impact would be so much worse. And in the middle of a fight, that could be lethal.¡±


    Of course, that concern might have been moot, at least in the case of me dying. It was very possible Aerion¡¯s life was linked to mine, seeing how the System considered her a living weapon. Which was, of course, the whole reason I was so hesitant about all this. Not a topic I could very well bring up with present company.


    ¡°Besides, if she''s that into me, why hasn''t she said anything?¡±


    Philip and Richard exchanged glances. ¡°You''re not from around here, Greg,¡± Richard said, probably for Philip''s benefit. ¡°But the culture''s quite a bit different in these parts. Isn''t that right, Philip?"


    Philip nodded. ¡°Rather unconventional for the fairer sex to initiate. That''s triply so for elven society, what little I''ve heard of it. They tend to be sticklers for this sort of thing.¡±


    I didn''t reply. Clearly, I had a lot to think about. A whole swamp of emotions to wade through. Whatever my feelings for Aerion, whatever she thought about me, I wouldn¡¯t do anything until I was sure that any changes in our relationship dynamic would result in something better, not worse. We had a great thing going right now, after all. For the first time in my life, I had someone I trusted implicitly. Who had my back, and who I got along with better than anyone I could remember.


    That was special. Precious, even.


    That didn¡¯t mean I couldn¡¯t do anything for my friend, though. Aerion missed Emma. What kind of friend was I if I couldn¡¯t even be there for her?

 Soulweaver 137: What Are Friends For, Anyway?

    Being there for Aerion ended up meaning sitting beside her for a long while. I don¡¯t think she even noticed my presence at first, but she did eventually. Maybe I just imagined it, but it felt like she crept a little closer to me bit by bit after that.


    ¡°I thought I¡¯d made peace with Emma,¡± Aerion muttered at last. ¡°Thought I¡¯d¡­ moved on. I suppose I never truly did.¡±


    ¡°I didn¡¯t know her long, but she was a noble soul. That much, anyone could tell. I can¡¯t even imagine what this Trial must be dredging up within you. I¡ªhonestly, I should¡¯ve thought about this. I shouldn¡¯t have proposed coming back in here. Not like we stand a whole lot to gain from this delve, anyway.¡±


    ¡°No, it¡¯s¡ªit¡¯s good that we¡¯re here,¡± Aerion said. ¡°We¡¯re helping the people who helped you, and we¡¯re learning more of our strengths. Especially you.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t disagree, but I have to wonder if it¡¯s worth it. Could¡¯ve just relaxed somewhere. Like normal people.¡±


    Aerion chuckled darkly. ¡°Since when have you and I been normal?¡±


    Our eyes met for a brief moment, before we both looked away.


    I really couldn¡¯t ignore this for much longer, could I? Now that Richard and Philip pointed it out¡­ she really did like me, didn¡¯t she? The awkward glances, her sulky behavior when I brought up Eskil¡¯s proposal¡ªit all made sense, in retrospect.


    Man, if that was all true, then I¡¯d misread her reaction badly. She wasn¡¯t actually thinking about marrying Eskil. She was thinking about me. About us. Or maybe I really did have it all wrong and she was gonna marry the guy. If I said no to her, would she go after Eskil?


    My chest clenched at the idea. I shook my head. Dark thoughts, Greg. Pointless thoughts.


    ¡°Just¡­ promise me one thing,¡± Aerion said after a moment. ¡°Whatever Rocky ends up being, promise me we¡¯ll take care of it? I can¡¯t go through what I did with Emma. Not again.¡±


    ¡°You have my word,¡± I said. ¡°I¡¯m done with being powerless. Thankfully, with our experience and powerups, I think those days are long behind us. We¡¯re smarter now. More aware. More capable.¡±


    Aerion nodded, giving me a small smile.


    Even otherwise, I had the distinct feeling that whatever emerged less than a month from now when the timer ran down would be a whole hell of a lot hardier than Emma could ever have been.


    ¡°Get some rest,¡± I said, moving to pat her shoulder before stopping myself awkwardly. Like there was an invisible wall stopping me. Just an hour ago, I¡¯d have been fine.


    Goddammit, Richard. Why¡¯d you have to go and put thoughts in my head?


    ¡°We¡¯ve got a long floor ahead of us,¡± I said, loud enough for everyone else to hear. ¡°Rest up, top up on the miracle water, and fill your stomachs. We¡¯ll move out when we feel ready.¡±


    <hr>


    There was one other thing I could do for Aerion, and after she and the others had fallen asleep, I touched Aurora¡¯s handle.


    Initialize Aurora [Rare]? Initialization Cost: 49 Essence. Current Essence: 355/410.


    I hesitated, glancing at her pendant, the Soulkeeper she always wore around her neck. As much sentimental value as that had, I honestly couldn¡¯t see it being as useful as Aurora once Initialized. Being considered ¡®armor¡¯, there was a chance it only manifested stats, or that it split its power between stats and an ability.


    If it did give her stats, Aerion wouldn¡¯t be able to use them. Only I could. Weapons, however, always granted abilities. I could always Initialize her pendant at a later date, once I had more Essence to spare.


    Helpfully, Rocky¡¯s cost had dropped again, yielding me a few extra points. That made Aurora¡¯s cost easier to stomach. I¡¯d debated between initializing her sword and one or two of my articles of silk clothing, but Aerion had waited long enough. Moreover, I worried for the condition of her poor weapon. Initializing it would give it more durability, and hopefully something that synergized well with her existing abilities.


    Praying to Cosmo, I confirmed the Initialization.


    Aurora [Rare]


    A beautiful blade made of Mythril, the exotic elven metal. Elegant and perfectly weighted, this ancient blade has seen its fair share of blood¡­ But it¡¯s about to see a whole lot more. Good luck finding a smith to repair it, though!


    Essence Cost: 49


    Condition: 400/400


    Abilities:


    ¡ª Echo Blade [Foundation - 0]: Creates up to [1] echo of the blade, mirroring the attack to do extra damage to the same or nearby targets.


    My eyes bulged at that description, and I nearly squealed, almost waking Aerion up. Almost¡ªI managed to contain myself at the last moment.


    But seriously, what the hell? Bladed projections that could attack nearby enemies? That was insane! And the number in brackets meant she¡¯d only pile on more as the ability leveled. Why was this so much better than the crap I usually got?


    The answer was obvious. I really needed more higher-rarity gear. Both Light of the Fearless and Aurora got kickass abilities, so it stood to reason that higher tiers naturally got better ones. If [Rare] was this good, what would [Epic] gear be like?


    I couldn¡¯t wait to rack up enough Essence to Initialize one and find out. I also couldn¡¯t wait to see the look on Aerion¡¯s face when she woke up.


    <hr>


    Thanks to the miracle water healing not only our physical wounds, but restoring our mental state, everyone was good to go in just a couple of hours, after gorging themselves on as much food as possible.


    Philip had brought along a small pot and some condiments, and impressed us all with his cooking skills. Thanks to that and the abundance of wood for a fire, we were able to enjoy a hearty vegetable stew with bread, rather than biting into onions and tomatoes raw. It was actually pretty good, all things considered.


    The tale has been illicitly lifted; should you spot it on Amazon, report the violation.


    Incidentally, the stuff I¡¯d been calling miracle water had about a dozen names, depending on what part of the world you were in. In these parts, they tended to call it Dominion¡¯s Gift, or Dominion Water. Passion Water, Cunning¡¯s Gift, Nectar of the Gods, and a myriad of other terms were used, depending on where the Trial happened to be.


    I supposed it made sense, but I was sticking to calling it miracle water. Easier that way, and thus far, nobody had misunderstood me.


    Aerion''s eyes moved constantly back and forth, and to anyone else, they might¡¯ve thought she¡¯d fallen off the deep end.


    I knew she was just rereading Aurora¡¯s description, over and over. When she wasn¡¯t doing that, she glanced furtively in my direction, eyes bulging as if she were trying to say something.


    As much as she undoubtedly wanted to bound over and chat about it, our present company made that tough without raising a bunch of questions. It was kind of hilarious, actually, watching her excitement fight against her prudence. Made me feel all warm and fuzzy.


    ¡°You didn¡¯t have to do that,¡± Aerion mumbled as we set out.


    ¡°I know,¡± I said, smiling. ¡°But I wanted to.¡±


    ¡°T-thank you,¡± Aerion said, her words barely louder than a whisper. ¡°For everything.¡±


    ¡°What are friends for, anyway?¡± I said, chuckling.


    We walked beside each other in silence for a while after that. It was a comfortable silence, the kind you got with people you knew well. It was¡­ nice.


    The moment was cut short when we arrived at the first cog railway platform. Guarded, of course, by our good friends the goblins.


    The memories of our prior harrowing encounter came flooding back. Of our daring escape and the chase, culminating with us going flying off our cart, tumbling to a stop. We¡¯d just barely survived.


    This time?


    Aerion ripped into her enemies, and we all got to see [Echo Blade] in action for the first time.


    The result was even scarier than I¡¯d imagined. A wispy, ghost-like edge manifested for a brief moment, slicing apart the goblin right next to the one Aerion killed. The strike was a mirror image of Aerion¡¯s own, tracing through the same exact arc. Just that it disappeared the instant her strike ended. And so, instead of killing one goblin, she¡¯d just killed two.


    Though there seemed to be a cooldown on the ability, preventing her from invoking it back to back, it was short, allowing her to invoke it multiple times over the course of the fight.


    In the end, she ended up killing half of the 30-odd goblins before I even had a chance to engage, and it wasn¡¯t like I was slouching.


    Even without her new ability, Aerion had a tendency to rush into battle headfirst, even when she didn¡¯t use [Reave]. That always worked fine¡ªuntil now. Until now, we¡¯d either fought individually, or I was right there next to her in the thick of things.


    The problem was that I was a ranged fighter now. At least, with my current setup. Admittedly, Grace-based armor didn¡¯t seem like it would synergize with firing bullets, but the combination was surprisingly effective. Just that I had to be incredibly aware of where I was and where Aerion and everyone else in my party was at every moment. My darts, and even the pebbles, had a nasty tendency to penetrate through weaker skin.


    Which meant I couldn¡¯t just fire a spread as I¡¯d been doing until now.


    Thankfully, my suit gave me the option of darting past Aerion. Instead of firing a barrage, which would¡¯ve instantly killed the goblins, I used Light of the Fearless to cleave them apart.


    That lava ammo was precious, and it felt unlikely I¡¯d have an opportunity to replace them on this floor or the next. As much as I wanted to rack up a higher kill count¡ªin the spirit of friendly competition, of course¡ªI had to be strategic here.


    And so, Aerion went on to slaughter the rest, while I only got two or three more kills in. The satisfied grin she gave me at the end blew away all the worries I had, though. If it meant seeing her this happy, I was happy to put my competitive nature aside¡­ this time. Especially considering the looks of total shock she got from the others.


    In the end, no one brought it up. Philip and Rogar were either too shy or too scared to ask, and Richard was too prudent.


    Needless to say, our subsequent cog rail ride was far more idyllic than our first time. Aerion, Richard, and I followed in our cart, while Philip and Rogar led with theirs, about a hundred feet ahead of us. Rogar picked up the controls in short order, with Aerion giving instructions.


    While counterintuitive, we did this to give us the best chance of dealing with any goblin threats we might encounter. Chances were low the gobbos would have enough time to organize an attack on the lead cart. They¡¯d sure as hell jump on their carts and follow behind, though, giving us the chance to pick them off easily.


    Without goblins to follow us, we dialed the speed back to less than half, taking in the wonder of the illuminated tunnel tubes that ran parallel to ours, or floated above in the inky black ocean. The other benefit of this cart arrangement was Aerion could react to Rogar¡¯s speed fluctuations, instead of the other way around. She¡¯d had a lot more time behind those controls, and was generally just better than most people, so this approach felt safer.


    ¡°Ever wonder where this place is?¡± I asked my companions. ¡°Pretty clear by now these are real places. Maybe chunks of real worlds, somewhere.¡±


    ¡°Just like the Cataclysms, huh?¡± Richard mused.


    ¡°Glad I wasn¡¯t the only one to make the connection.¡±


    ¡°They are different, though,¡± Aerion said. ¡°The shortcuts, the Sanctuary chambers¡ªhow one collapses after a single delve while the other doesn¡¯t. The gods must have similar means to the Archon. They must have recognized the potential of this form of training tool.¡±


    ¡°Can¡¯t deny that,¡± I said, though I had to wonder. ¡°Speaking of differences, any guesses why we ended up facing the Trial Guardian on floor five? Has anything like that happened before?¡±


    Aerion frowned and shook her head. ¡°Not that I¡¯ve heard of, though my knowledge is far from complete. It was something I planned to look up once we were out.¡±


    ¡°The mysteries continue to pile,¡± I muttered. ¡°On the one hand, it makes sense for a high level delving party to have appropriately scaled enemies¡­ Thought that was why lower rank trials were off limits to higher rank delvers.¡±


    ¡°As Passion explained it to me, it has to do with the caliber of your soul, or something along those lines,¡± Richard said. ¡°Something changes within you, at a fundamental level, once you cross into Convergence rank. Makes you incompatible with the lower tier Trials.¡±


    While I¡¯d come across similar gimmicks in games, I just couldn¡¯t understand how that translated to a real-world effect. Though, I¡¯d still planned for it, with that soul seed. I was pretty sure at this point that bauble was why I was gaining levels much faster now. That, and my suit.


    ¡°Just wish there was a way to learn more about¡ª!?¡±


    ¡°Incoming!¡± Aerion cried, making Richard and me whip our heads forward.


    In the distance around an upcoming corner were a cluster of bright lights. Thanks to the transparent nature of the tunnels, they blazed like small suns in the darkness. Suns that were steadily growing larger. I was about to extend an arm and get ready for a bombardment, but yet again, thought better of it. There were better tools at our disposal.


    ¡°Richard? You¡¯re up.¡±


    ¡°Consider it done!¡±


    ¡°Aerion? Slow down a touch. But not so much that we lose sight of Rogar.¡±


    ¡°Understood!¡±


    Rogar¡¯s cart rounded the corner and blurred through the waystation, and then we were up. Even going only around 20 miles an hour, we crossed it in the span of a couple of seconds. I barely had time to take in the four carts and thirty-odd goblins idling about.


    Then we were past. ¡°Uh, Richard?¡± I asked.


    ¡°Believe I got ¡®em all,¡± Richard said, wiping sweat from his brow.


    I slouched a bit, but kept a keen eye on our tail for another solid minute, when it became apparent that no one was coming.


    ¡°Would you look at that?¡± I muttered. ¡°The plan worked fine, after all.¡±


    Aerion sniggered, while Richard put a hand on my shoulder. ¡°Friend¡­ there¡¯s a first time for everything.¡±


    I couldn¡¯t help it. Even with the sunken castle looming in the distance¡ªour goal and the cause of so much strife¡ªI grinned from ear to ear.


    Maybe this time would be different.

 Soulweaver 138: To Harness The Power Of Sound

    Fighting our way to the sub pen was about as anticlimactic as Aerion and I expected. Even the hobgoblins¡ªmonsters that had nearly ended us the first time around¡ªbarely slowed us down, with Richard taking only a second longer to pulverize their hearts.


    I had to admit, as great as it was having this many powerhouses on the team, and as economical as it was to conserve my ammo¡­ I wanted to flex my new abilities, goddammit!


    I had to keep reminding myself that it was fine. That we all complemented each others¡¯ strengths well, with Richard proving exceedingly effective at dispatching large groups of small fry¡ªeven better than Aerion, after his recent breakthrough¡ªwhile Aerion was great at dishing damage up close and personal against heavier, hardier targets.


    While restricted to melee ranges, Aerion was actually quite versatile. She was agile enough, absolutely deadly with [Reave]. [Fading Fury] only amplified that, and as if that weren¡¯t enough, she was even more lethal now, thanks to [Echo Blade]. Once leveled, that ability would help her better deal with groups of weaker enemies, too.


    While she wasn¡¯t a tank, she could definitely hold her own should she be attacked, unlike Richard. Most importantly, she did a great job annoying boss-level enemies and occupying their attention.


    Which freed me up to serve as the brains of the group, directing tactics, jumping into the front lines when needed, or laying the pain with a barrage of long-range fire. We¡¯d seen all of this in the Cataclysm Dungeon, but now, after our recent rank ups and stat gains, the synergy was even more obvious. We were, if not perfect, close enough that it tingled my min-maxing tendencies in a good way. Each of us specialized for our respective purpose.


    So, it was absolutely going to suck when Richard left and that dynamic all fell apart. I somehow doubted Rogar or Philip would ever replace him.


    Speaking of, I had to wonder just what role those guys would play in the future. Even if they somehow snagged the best Blessing the Trial had to offer, it would be reckless to take them into Dungeons. They¡¯d be even more fragile than Richard. His offensive was so powerful that it functioned as an effective defense, at least against weaker enemies. I doubted Rogar and Philip would gain anything to even come close to what a Champion could obtain, nor would we have the time to rank them up in higher level Trials.


    That was a problem for future Greg, though. We¡¯d arrived at the sub pen, which brought my other worry to the front of my thoughts. If the subs we¡¯d used to ride out of here were gone¡­


    Those worries proved unfounded, however, when two identical looking subs sat in the corner of the sub pen, hanging in their cradles above the water.


    What was more, the crates of [Aural Siege Bolt]s were back in their original locations, sealed and untouched.


    ¡°So even this stuff resets,¡± I muttered. It wasn¡¯t just the monsters and the Sanctuary rooms. That made sense¡ªafter all, we¡¯d found no trace of prior delvers on our first run¡ªbut it was good to have confirmation. Especially when it meant I now had tons more ammo to pick from.


    The only question was how we were going to get it out of here.


    ¡°Alright, everyone. Let me tell you why we¡¯re here, and the problem we have to solve. So let¡¯s put our heads together and think.¡±


    <hr>


    Nothing meaningful had ever come easily in my life, and this particular problem was no exception.


    ¡°So, let¡¯s review what we know,¡± I said, scratching my head. ¡°We can¡¯t take these Siege Bolts out of the Trial. They¡¯ll just disappear like the miracle water and everything else. Because they¡¯re not processed.¡±


    ¡°Not processed, that¡¯s the tough bit,¡± Rogar said. ¡°Though, I admit, I wouldn¡¯t have dared to try without the elf.¡±


    Aerion stared off into the distance, looking very much like she was trying not to blush. She¡¯d been working with Rogar over the past hour, while Richard, Philip, and I scouted the area, clearing out all the nearby monsters. Or rather, it was mostly me hacking off pieces of them to let Philip go in for the kill. I gained almost nothing from these low-level creatures, so we figured it was a good opportunity to let Philip gain more favor with the Trial.


    ¡°We¡¯ve got that part solved, at least,¡± Rogar continued. ¡°Should be able to pound down certain parts of the bolt¡ªthe bits that aren¡¯t explosive, anyway. Won¡¯t be much good as a bolt anymore, but that¡¯s a problem we can solve outside the Trial.¡±


    ¡°Their size is the real issue,¡± Aerion continued. ¡°Your inventory has limited space, and even if we leave the forge behind after we¡¯re done with it, you won¡¯t be able to take more than a few dozen. Maybe a hundred if you clear everything else out, as well.¡±


    ¡°And we¡¯ve got a thousand, and I¡¯d like to take them all, if possible.¡±


    As the Trial had proven thus far, even a thousand somethings didn¡¯t last long when fired from a barrage. While the Siege Bolts did a heck of a lot more damage than mere pebbles, chances were good I¡¯d use them against hardier targets, too. The smaller we could get them, the more I could carry, which meant better odds in our future fights.


    This narrative has been purloined without the author''s approval. Report any appearances on Amazon.


    ¡°Which leaves only one option,¡± Aerion said, biting her lips.


    ¡°I¡¯m not opening that thing,¡± Rogar said, taking a step back. ¡°Not in a thousand years!¡±


    ¡°We have to,¡± Aerion said. ¡°It¡¯s the only way.¡±


    ¡°Then you can do it. We¡¯ll pick up your pieces when you blow yourselves up.¡±


    ¡°What¡¯s he talking about?¡± I asked, somewhat surprised to see Rogar so spooked. The last time he looked like this was when Sinclair¡¯s people blasphemed against Dominion during Eskil¡¯s parade.


    ¡°The Aural Siege Bolts are really just bombs, packaged in a way that they can be launched,¡± Aerion said.


    ¡°Right?¡±


    ¡°So, the logical way to make them smaller is to retrieve the bomb component, and forge that into something new. They¡¯ll be much smaller and lighter than the bolt. There seems to be quite a lot of shock absorbing material to protect the bomb from the forces of being launched.¡±


    ¡°And to prevent it from detonating!¡± Rogar said. ¡°Now, I don¡¯t know much about bomb making, but I do know people who do, and more than one of them is missing fingers. Or worse!¡±


    Aerion frowned. ¡°I admit, stripping the bomb material of its insulation might make it less stable. But as long as we don¡¯t fire it from the Siege Launcher, we should be safe.¡±


    ¡°Should be?¡± Rogar wheezed. ¡°And what if it isn¡¯t! How are you gonna store something so volatile, anyway?¡±


    ¡°That part won¡¯t be an issue,¡± I said. ¡°You know how I have that secret space I keep the forge in?¡±


    All three of my companions blinked at me. ¡°What?¡± I said, flushing. ¡°It¡¯s called a Spatial Inventory, but I didn¡¯t think you¡¯d know what I was talking about, so¡­ Anyway! My inventory preserves the state of anything I stick in there. Food doesn¡¯t spoil, and as you¡¯ve seen with the lava, it stays hot. Time stops in there.¡±


    Aerion nodded. ¡°I can confirm. I¡¯ve experienced it firsthand.¡±


    She, of course, didn¡¯t offer any more in the way of an explanation, resulting in confused looks from everyone. I didn¡¯t bother to clear up the confusion, since going into the details would probably only confuse them further.


    ¡°Point is, we won¡¯t need to worry about their safety once they¡¯re in the inventory. As for making them more stable, that¡¯s a hurdle we can cross later, once we¡¯re out. Only question is whether stripping out the bomb part is enough to get the Trial to consider it modified.¡±


    ¡°You won¡¯t know until you exit the Trial,¡± Philip said, frowning. ¡°Think I¡¯m with Rogar on this one. Seems like an awful risk for such an unknown benefit.¡±


    ¡°Believe me,¡± I said, tapping the crate I was sitting on. ¡°These babies are worth it. And I¡¯ve got a way to tell. Once we do the first one, I¡¯ll know. Just trust me on that. As for the danger¡­¡± I turned to Rogar, glaring at the bolt in front of him with his arms crossed, ¡°I completely understand if you¡¯re worried for your safety. Aerion and I will handle the first one to prove it¡¯s safe. If we survive, we¡¯d love it if you could help. Especially if we need to forge it or alter it.¡±


    ¡°How are you so confident it¡¯s safe?¡± Philip asked.


    I locked eyes with my elven friend. ¡°Because Aerion said so. And as terrifying as a Reaving elf is on a battlefield, believe me, he¡¯s even better when it comes to mechanical stuff. If he says it¡¯s safe, then that¡¯s good enough for me.¡±


    While Aerion¡¯s expression remained unchanged, her perked ears gave away her true feelings.


    I took a seat near the bolt across from Aerion and cracked my fingers. ¡°Well, then. How do we break into this bad boy?¡±


    Aerion gestured to a small pile of tools she¡¯d brought up from the submarine service area. Some of them looked familiar to me, like wrenches, something that was like a screwdriver, but with a funky pattern, but the griphook thing was just one among many I didn¡¯t recognize. I wondered if there was even an equivalent on Earth.


    ¡°We remove the case and pull away the impact material,¡± Aerion said, already grabbing the screwdriver and working on it. ¡°That¡¯s the easy part.¡±


    ¡°Alright, I like easy,¡± I said, picking up another tool and following after her. Of course, in this Trial world fragment, righty was not tighty, and I had to turn the screws clockwise to loosen them. That kept tripping me up, so Aerion managed about double the speed until my superior Grace began working for me and I caught up. In fact, the process seemed to be great for that stat.


    Congratulations! Grace has increased from 58 to 59. (Max: 74)


    While it was called a ¡®bolt¡¯, the thing was almost eight inches in diameter and a foot long, shaped like a cylinder. With both the front and back fairings removed and the spongy impact stuff stripped away, what was left was a core about three inches long, inside which a green rod about the size of my index finger pulsated.


    ¡°That¡¯s the bomb, I take it?¡±


    Aerion nodded. ¡°I¡¯ll handle this part,¡± she said, carefully taking a handful of other tools and prying the explosive from its cradle. There weren¡¯t any wires or anything¡ªwhatever alien tech built this had clearly moved past the need for such primitive mechanisms¡ªso she just pulled it out and laid it down nearby.


    ¡°Can I touch it?¡± I asked.


    Aerion nodded. ¡°Yes. And it¡¯s best you handle it with your armor.¡±


    ¡°You know this because¡­¡±


    ¡°Because it didn¡¯t explode when I used the metal tools to pry it loose?¡±


    ¡°Ah. Right. Of course,¡± I said, feeling the sweat bead up on my forehead. Sure, we¡¯d all leveled up a lot, but I knew the sort of destruction these things could wreak. I doubted any of us would survive a blast at point-blank range. There wouldn¡¯t even be bodies left.


    Biting the bullet, I reached down and gently touched the green sliver¡­ But quickly withdrew my finger.


    ¡°No good. Looks like we¡¯ll have to modify it if we want to take it out.¡±


    Surprising everyone, Rogar sidled closer and picked up one piece of the fairing. ¡°Seems to be thin and pliable. Shouldn¡¯t be too hard to fashion a casing that wraps around that thing,¡± he said, eyeing the green sliver with obvious distrust.


    ¡°I¡¯ve got a feeling that would count. Let¡¯s make it happen!¡±

 Soulweaver 139: Bomb Factory

    Rogar and Aerion did, in fact, ¡®make it happen¡¯. Quite easily, too. Using nothing more than the portable furnace, my molten lava as starting heat and coals for fuel, and a little help from the bellows worked by my arms, we had a roaring hot forge in no time. The steel plating on the bolts was thin, proving no trouble at all for the master blacksmith.


    While Rogar and I cranked out the new, compact housings one after another, Aerion worked on disassembling the siege bolts with Philip¡¯s help.


    Once we had a new bomb core and a casing to go with it, I swapped out with Philip, handling the core insertion process personally. With my Grace, I had hands more stable than a surgeon¡¯s, and while Aerion assured me that the thing wouldn¡¯t spontaneously explode, I wasn¡¯t exactly comfortable taking chances. Especially considering how many we had to get through. Even a tenth of a percent probability would be enough to trigger a detonation when building a thousand.


    If that happened, Richard, Philip, and Rogar would be vaporized. I didn¡¯t think Aerion or I would fare much better. In any case, I had no intention of finding out.


    As it turned out, encasing the stripped core in the new housing was enough for the System to consider the device a new weapon, labeling it a [Volatile Aural Core]/[Rare]. Not just that, I gained another 3 points to Grace, bringing me to 62, and Aerion hit her ceiling of 40.


    I didn¡¯t Initialize any of the cores, of course. Not with my nonexistent free Essence. But that didn¡¯t matter. That Essence problem would soon disappear, and I¡¯d have all the headroom in the world. Plus, I could literally Initialize these things as I fired them from my inventory¡­


    Now that was a broken combination if I ever saw one. Unlike my pebbles, bombs were kinda designed to self-destruct when used. Which meant I could fire off a steady stream, even if I only had the Essence to Initialize a handful.


    I¡¯d have to practice that In a controlled setting before I even dreamed of trying it in combat, of course. For now, though, I had the beginnings of one hell of an arsenal, and several ideas for exploring bomb-making when I got the chance.


    We worked like madpeople, not stopping for breaks, sipping on the miracle water to restore our concentration when we started to get tired. This area wasn¡¯t far from goblin patrols, and while I¡¯d wiped them out, I knew from prior experience that more could arrive. They likely wouldn¡¯t pose a threat, but I didn¡¯t want even the slightest risk of exposing our sensitive bomb-making operation to a fight.


    Three hours later, we were done. All but a couple of the bomb crates had been opened, piles and piles of dampening foam lay strewn about and my inventory now had nearly a thousand [Volatile Aural Core]s neatly piled up in one corner.


    Thanks to their tiny size, I was even able to stick the forge back in there after we were done. That was good, because we¡¯d need it again soon.


    We switched locations to the nearest Sanctuary chamber to top up on miracle water and take a break without anyone having to be on guard duty. Incidentally, this was the same chamber we¡¯d buried Emma in.


    As I¡¯d feared, there was no trace of the grave I¡¯d dug by the tree for the poor Aralez. Aerion fell to her knees on the soil where it had been, but it looked just like it had before I started digging.


    Aerion¡¯s fingers clutched the soft soil, her silent tears falling on the dirt like rain. ¡°Do you¡­ Do you think she¡­¡±


    ¡°She¡¯s in a better place,¡± I muttered, dropping to a knee and grasping Aerion¡¯s shoulder gently. ¡°That, I can promise you.¡±


    Aerion nodded, blinking away her tears, but she didn¡¯t move from her position. Giving her shoulder a gentle squeeze, I stood up and gave her some distance. She didn¡¯t need me intruding on this moment.


    I walked over to the other corner of the room by the windows that looked out into the darkness. In this case, there was a whole lot more than black to see, though. The dozens of tunnels that led into the castle were all well lit, disappearing into the distance like long, noodly fingers, and you could even see a bit of the castle itself if you looked straight up. It made for quite the amazing sight.


    You could be reading stolen content. Head to Royal Road for the genuine story.


    Just like last time, I wondered what world this place was from, and what its creators must have been like. While I¡¯d learned so much of the world since then, of Trials and Cataclysms, I had to admit, I was no closer to solving that particular mystery.


    I waited about an hour, both for Aerion to have her time, and for everyone else to have a bit of a breather, before addressing the group.


    ¡°So here¡¯s the plan,¡± I said, tapping against the window. ¡°This is the first submerged castle on this floor. The regular route out of here has you going through a whole bunch of these things, each bigger and more convoluted than the last, apparently.¡±


    ¡°Eight in all,¡± Aerion said.


    ¡°Right. That¡¯s a lot, and they get farther apart the further you go. We¡¯ve got a good pile of Frostsilver, but I hear there¡¯s some Voidsteel to be found on this floor. Maybe even some Aurorium. Problem is, none of us know which castle we might find those in. ¡°So here¡¯s what I propose. We delve the next two castles. If we find any of that stuff there, great. If not, we turn back and return here. I don¡¯t know about you, but fighting our way through seven more castles sounds like a massive pain in the ass. Especially when we have subs that¡¯ll bring us up to the seventh floor.¡±


    I waited for any disagreements. There were none. ¡°Well, alright then. Let¡¯s be off.¡±


    <hr>


    On our first delve, Aerion and I had never actually found our way to the cog rail station on the other side of the castle¡ªthe one that connected it to the next one.


    While it wasn¡¯t especially far, it turned out not knowing the way really hampered us, forcing us to probe passageways blindly. We came across grand ballrooms, decked out with water-filled chandeliers and spiral staircases, we fought through dozens of goblins and hobs, and several boar-like monsters I¡¯d seen chained up when we rescued Emma¡­ The one thing we didn¡¯t do was ascend any staircases. According to Aerion, the cog stations were all at the seafloor, so that eliminated a large time sink.


    About an hour later, we finally made it to our destination. This station looked almost identical to the one we¡¯d used to enter the castle, and was similarly guarded by goblins, which Richard killed without a second thought. I was getting a little worried just how much we were relying on the guy, but at least it sped up our delve considerably. We hardly even stopped to take out the mobs now.


    Back in our carts and more comfortable with the rhythm of things, we rocketed down the tracks at 60 miles an hour, the scenery blurring by.


    This time, we managed to avoid the goblins altogether by diverting to a secondary tunnel that ran about a hundred feet above the ocean floor¡ªthere were switchers at each junction, so once we edged our carts past, we just flipped the switch so anyone coming after would divert to the other tunnel.


    In this way, we arrived at the second castle without much fuss. That was where the familiar ended and the strange began.


    I¡¯d been expecting this castle to be more or less the same style, just bigger. It was not the same. Not even remotely. Where the previous castle had looked like what you¡¯d expect¡ªDisney-esque, with ramparts and walls¡ªthis one was¡­ not. Oblong in shape, it vaguely reminded me of a beehive, mostly thanks to the hexagonal tiles that formed its organic-looking shape.


    Except instead of any organic material, the honeycomb hexes were glossy glass, like someone from Earth had decided to build a bizarre modern skyscraper on the bottom of the ocean floor.


    Our view of the structure disappeared as we entered the tunnel that led into its station. This, too, was different from the previous castle, with neat, riveted metal forming the sides of a tunnel that arched perfectly above. Something resembling an LED light strip brightly illuminated the place.


    There were no goblins at the end of the tunnel where the station sat. It could easily have passed for a futuristic tramway station, with LED light strips plastered all over the place in a chaotic, yet artistic, fashion.


    ¡°Seriously, where the fuck are these things coming from?¡± I muttered.


    ¡°Right there with you, Greg. Thought these Trials were all actual places, just transplanted¡­ but maybe the gods just yank bits and pieces of inspiration from all over the place? Quite an impressive structure, this one.¡±


    ¡°Your guess is as good as mine,¡± I said, turning to the others. ¡°Alright. We¡¯re here, so let¡¯s not waste any time. We find our minerals and we boogie.¡±


    Given the architecture of this place, I wasn¡¯t keen on our chances. Maybe we¡¯d be able to melt down some of the metal? Assuming we could even get the forge hot enough to melt whatever the hell this place was made of?


    The platform¡¯s only exit was a double sliding glass door, which whooshed open when we walked through.


    On the other side, I expected something akin to the interior of most modern skyscrapers¡ªhalls, concrete, more modern lighting.


    What I got was¡­ well, I honestly couldn¡¯t parse what my brain was telling me.


    There were no rooms in this massive ¡®castle¡¯. It was all one, unbelievably cavernous space. A space that looked like a beehive.


    Oh, and we were currently standing on its ceiling. Looking down.


    Richard grabbed my shoulder. ¡°I think I¡¯m gonna be sick.¡±

 Soulweaver 140: The Second Castle

    ¡°Well, on the good side¡­ the whole castle, if you can call it that¡ªis visible,¡± I said, addressing our incredibly confused group. They weren¡¯t the only ones. I still struggled to understand what I was seeing.


    The ¡®castle¡¯ was composed of hundreds of honeycombs, curving around to form a sealed environment. It was like standing on the inside of a balloon. Or a beehive, if it was entirely hollow. It was hard to tell how big each honeycomb was¡ªsome were larger than others¡ªbut on average, I¡¯d say they were about half a football field or so. Pretty tiny. Each one seemed to be its own biome, and rarely did two adjacent cells look even remotely similar. It made for a dazzling display.


    ¡°Looks like each of those things is its own ecosystem,¡± I said, looking out at the expanse. ¡°And I¡¯m guessing they each have their own localized gravity.¡±


    ¡°Sorry?¡± Philip said, frowning in confusion. ¡°Localized gravity?¡±


    ¡°We¡¯re standing upright,¡± I clarified. ¡°Guessing we¡¯ll be able to stand upright in the others, too, even the ones facing us on the other side.¡±


    ¡°Well, yes¡­ why wouldn¡¯t we?¡± Philip asked.


    I opened my mouth to reply, but then realized that the association between mass and gravity, that stellar bodies create their own gravity, probably hadn¡¯t been made on Axius.


    ¡°Well, it won¡¯t be an issue,¡± I said, shrugging. ¡°Problem is, it looks like we¡¯ll have no weight while we¡¯re in the center of this huge space. Assuming we can even jump that high, of course.¡±


    Our honeycomb¡¯s glass walls only seemed to rise about thirty feet¡ªlow, but still not quite jumpable. Luckily, ours had a bunch of trees in it, so I figured I¡¯d be able to jump off a high branch to vault myself.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry,¡± Philip said. ¡°I don¡¯t believe I¡¯m understanding your plan. ¡°You want to somehow jump across the void to another area?¡±


    I nodded. ¡°Exactly. We pick out a honeycomb from here¡ªone that looks like it¡¯ll have a good shot of having the ores we want¡ªthen Rogar and I jump over, do some mining, then jump back¡­¡±


    My friends were not convinced. ¡°What are the chances you¡¯ll land on the right one?¡± Richard asked. ¡°Or that you¡¯ll make it back to us, for that matter?¡±


    ¡°Fair point,¡± I said, looking up at the hundreds of unique biomes. ¡°I¡¯m pretty confident I can get close, but sticking that landing¡¯s gonna be rough.¡±


    ¡°What of the actual landin¡¯?¡± Rogar said. ¡°You sure you can survive that?¡±


    ¡°Shouldn¡¯t be a problem for me,¡± I said, looking over the blacksmith. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, I¡¯ll shield you from any impact. You¡¯ll be fine.¡±


    I looked around our own biome. ¡°Well, sounds like we have some homework to do before we can attempt this safely. Rogar? Stay here and look for possible candidates. Biomes that look like they might have Voidsteel or Aurorium.¡±


    ¡°And what will you do?¡± Philip asked.


    I glanced at the nearby wall.


    ¡°Test something,¡± I said, stepping closer to it.


    ¡°Yep, that¡¯s gonna be a problem.¡± It was a single sheet of opaque pure glass, all the way up. Couldn¡¯t see a thing through it. And like the Trial maze¡¯s walls, it was impenetrable. No chance of carving out handholds, even with Aerion¡¯s strength. Which meant we¡¯d need another way.


    ¡°Any ideas?¡± I said. ¡°If we could scale these, it¡¯d give us some margin for error. Rather, I don¡¯t think we should even attempt it unless we can.¡±


    Aerion already confirmed there was no invisible ceiling by throwing a rock as hard as she could¡ªit sailed over the walls and never came back, drifting away to some far-off honeycomb.


    So the concept was viable. If we could just solve this one problem¡­


    ¡°Have you considered digging?¡± Richard asked, surprising us all.


    ¡°I¡­ doubt that would work,¡± I said, scratching my head. ¡°But, I guess it¡¯s worth a shot?¡±


    Turned out, it was. The wall ended about three feet down¡ªfar too short for a real wall. It wouldn¡¯t have been stable. But this was a pocket world in a world with magic, so I barely paid it any mind.


    ¡°I admit, I didn¡¯t think it would be that easy,¡± I said, having crawled under the wall to the other side. The biome immediately adjacent to ours was a desert, and the sweltering heat made my clothes stick to my skin.


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    We returned almost immediately.


    ¡°Any bets this is another way the gods make Trials easier for us?¡± I said. ¡°No way this would fly in a Cataclysm dungeon. Remember the ice maze?¡±


    Richard and Aerion nodded darkly.


    ¡°Whatever the reason,¡± Philip said. ¡°It sounds like we now have a plan of action?¡±


    ¡°That we do. Rogar?¡±


    ¡°Found several spots that ought to have Voidsteel, and a handful that might have Aurorium. Found exactly one that looks like it might have both. Can¡¯t promise anything, of course. Not until we¡¯re closer.¡±


    I grinned. ¡°Oh, don¡¯t worry about that. Just point me in a direction and tell me where to go.¡±


    <hr>


    ¡°I can point you to the ore. I can show you how to smelt it. There¡¯s no need for me to go,¡± Rogar said, edging away from me.


    ¡°Sorry, Rogar, but you¡¯re necessary on this one. Now c¡¯mon. Just think of how much favor you¡¯ll gain with the Trial. Look at Philip over there. He¡¯s green with envy.¡±


    Rogar glanced at Philip, who looked away. ¡°He doesn¡¯t look anything like that.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re just not seeing it,¡± I said. ¡°Now, we¡¯ve wasted enough time already. Let¡¯s hop over there, mine what we need, and hop back.¡±


    Rogar whispered something under his breath. Something about how he was going to die, and how he never asked for this.


    Sorry, Rogar, but you kinda did.


    With the short blacksmith strapped onto my back, I hauled my way up a tree Aerion had picked out earlier. It was tall and healthy, with big sturdy branches that would bear our combined weight.


    I didn¡¯t climb all the way to the top, of course¡ªthose branches were too small¡ªbut thanks to my Vigor and Dominion, I didn¡¯t have to. I could jump a decent amount higher than the average person, and I only needed a few feet to clear the ceiling.


    The bigger question was aim. I took my time after getting to my target branch, holding the trunk for support as I stared up at the dizzying array of honeycomb cells.


    ¡°Time to see if that Grace makes a difference,¡± I muttered.


    ¡°What did you say?¡± Rogar asked, staring down at the ground some twenty feet below.


    ¡°Nothing. I¡¯d tell you to hold on, but I know you¡¯ll do that, anyway. Alright, here goes. Three, two, one¡­¡±


    Taking the best aim I could, I launched. And it was only when we passed out of our honeycomb into the gravity-less space that another, much more pressing concern came to mind¡ªair.


    I instinctively held my breath, but Rogar¡¯s breathing from behind me told me I didn¡¯t have to worry. There was air here. Just no gravity.


    We proceeded to sail across the expanse in what was one of the most surreal experiences of my life. I felt like an astronaut performing some insane EVA, jumping from the surface of a planet to try and land on a passing spaceship or something.


    Both Rogar and I fell silent for a long while, until our destination loomed larger and larger.


    My aim had actually been pretty decent, but the problem was our location wasn¡¯t perfectly on the opposite side of the honeycomb. It was more off to the side. And that meant we weren¡¯t going to drop straight down onto our target. We approached it at an angle, skimming across the tops of nearby cells, until it became obvious that we would miss our target.


    I was about a half-dozen cells off. Realizing this, my brain flew into overdrive, mapping exactly where our target was, relative to the cell we¡¯d end up in.


    Orienting once on the ground would be a problem, but the cell we¡¯d land at was about four away from the target, with a tundra biome being the first one that led in the right direction.


    With that memorized, I focused on our landing¡ªor rather, our crash-landing.


    It was a good thing our biome was a desert. No trees to get tangled in, or bushes to crash into. God forbid rocks.


    As it was, I ate a mouthful of sand, while Rogar went tumbling, rolling to a stop.


    ¡°Still alive?¡± I asked, spitting out a mouthful. Sand was among the most godawful things to get in your mouth. Like many others, I hated sand.


    ¡°Just about¡­¡± Rogar said.


    ¡°Good. Then let¡¯s get moving,¡± I said. Thus far, the biomes we¡¯d entered had been devoid of life, but I didn¡¯t dare assume that would continue to be the case. I kept my head on a swivel and Light of the Fearless in hand, ready to deal with anything that jumped out of the ground.


    Our tumble left me disoriented, and seeing how I couldn¡¯t see the neighboring cells from my vantage, I just picked a wall at random, digging a tunnel beneath it to the other side. The sand stopped under the wall, giving way to loose dirt.


    For a moment, I wondered if we¡¯d ended up in another desert, but no. The biome on the other side was a tropical oasis, with a beach, lapping waves, and some palm trees. Overall, very nice. Just not the one I needed.


    Returning to the biome we landed in, I tried another wall and tried again. That one led to a swamp, but the third was tundra¡ªthe same biome I¡¯d spotted as we were falling.


    I¡¯d just missed noticing one tiny little thing.


    As my head poked out of the hole I¡¯d dug and I looked around, I saw something just a couple of feet away that tingled my spidey senses. Hooked and almost metallic, it looked like the beak of a bird, but there were four of them.


    Four birds? All with their beaks perfectly parallel?


    Then it moved, and when all four ¡®beaks¡¯ moved at the same time, something clicked in my brain, and I recognized what they were.


    Not beaks, but claws. Oversized claws belonging to a pure white paw. A paw of an oversized polar bear that saw me and reared up on its hind legs, roaring.


    ¡°Well, shit.¡±

 Soulweaver 141: Speed Demon

    I didn¡¯t wait for the bear to make the first move. All my mobility meant squat when I was stuck in the ground. Using every ounce of strength I had, I surged up, throwing a punch at the bear¡¯s stomach.


    The bear clearly didn¡¯t expect me to attack, because it just froze up for a second, buying me enough time to whip around to its back and yell at Rogar, who¡¯d just poked his head through the opening.


    ¡°Stay in the tunnel if you don¡¯t want to die!¡±


    Rogar¡¯s head vanished almost instantly. At least the guy knew how to keep himself alive.


    That left me free to give my full attention to fighting this bear. The tundra around us was mostly flat and devoid of trees or any sizable shrubs. That meant no cover, but it also meant fewer obstacles.


    I¡¯d never seen a polar bear in person, and I couldn¡¯t be sure if this thing was the same as the bears on earth, but I never thought they¡¯d be so¡­ huge. Standing on its hind legs, the thing was easily as tall as a tree, towering over me like a giant.


    Except unlike the giants that made up a third of Axius¡¯ civilized population, this thing must have weighed as much as a house. Augmented or not, I was under no delusion that this monster couldn''t rip me limb from limb with nothing but its physical strength alone.


    Good thing I was in a suit designed for mobility.


    The bear fell back onto all fours and charged, and it was a lot faster than I would¡¯ve thought possible.


    Even with my 62 points in Grace, I barely avoided its strike, thanks mostly to a split-second decision to activate [Snap]. That ability had already saved my life more than once, and would only continue to do so as it got stronger.


    The issue wasn¡¯t dodging the arm, but rather knowing what sort of attack it was about to throw¡ªit didn¡¯t rear up to swipe at me, which meant I could expect either bites or slashes. Both were deadly, and it didn¡¯t help that the bear moved much faster than its size ought to have allowed.


    The bear went all out, unleashing a flurry of paw swipes and lashing out with its mouth. I dodged each one, waiting until the barrage finally stopped. When it did, I found my opportunity, activating both of my sword¡¯s abilities and slashing down.


    I expected the strike to take a leg, or at least render it useless. What I got instead was a thin red line¡ªa surface strike. It was like the bear had metal armor under its hide.


    Even so, I managed to get a handful more strikes in before another paw swing forced me to I hurl myself away, narrowly avoiding it.


    Well, if melee weapons were out, projectiles were next. Leaning low, I shoveled a bunch of dirt into my inventory. The nice thing about not having to physically touch things to store them was that I could store a ton of it really quickly. Just dirt, of course. Nothing fancy.


    Just that my spar with Aerion had proven that dirt almost always had plenty of rocks embedded within.


    To make it count, though, I¡¯d have to get close. Too far, and they¡¯d lose the explosive force of their [Launch].


    That wasn¡¯t a problem¡ªthe bear was currently hurtling its way to me, spittle flying from its open maw, black eyes full of rage like I¡¯d just murdered its child. Seriously, what the hell had I done to warrant such hate?


    The bear pounced, and I fired. The entirety of what I¡¯d just scooped up came blasting out, blinding the bear and smashing dozens of pebbles, stones, and rocks into its thick hide.


    That had more of an effect. When the dust cleared, I found the bear twitching, swiping at empty air, clearly still unable to see. Or smell, judging by the sorry state of its snout. Injuries covered its formerly pristine white hide, dying it red.


    While none of my stones seemed to have gouged especially deep, they definitely put the hurt on. With an unlimited supply of rocky dirt, I could probably have killed it this way, eventually.


    But not only did that risk the bear regaining its sight and coming after me, it would burn precious time.


    No, I had to end this, and I had just the tool that could. Not the bombs; those were liable to get me killed at this range. My other projectiles.


    With the bear still distracted, I approached as close as I dared. Close enough for the bear to whip around, staring blearily in my general direction.


    [Launch].


    I was the last thing it would ever see. My forged dart fired with such speed that I didn¡¯t even see it, and for a moment, I thought I¡¯d missed.


    Then I saw the gaping hole in the bear¡¯s face, where its right eye used to be.


    The bear went suddenly still, then keeled over, collapsing in a heap.


    Walking over, I nudged its paw, ready to fire another dart, just in case.


    Then I found a piece of metal lodged halfway through its skull, sticking out. My dart.


    ¡°Is it over¡­?¡± Rogar¡¯s feeble voice was barely audible as he peeked out of the hole.


    ¡°All clear. Now get over here and help me remove my dart from this thing¡¯s brain.¡±


    This was not going to be fun.


    A case of literary theft: this tale is not rightfully on Amazon; if you see it, report the violation.


    <hr>


    The task was not fun. In fact, it was the exact opposite of fun. After trying and failing to pull it out, we resorted to breaking open the bear¡¯s skull. I don¡¯t think I¡¯ve ever had a more traumatic time recovering anything of mine, but we did finally get it out and cleaned up. The dart¡¯s nose was a bit blunt, but the projectile was straight and still had plenty of Condition, so I chucked it back into my inventory.


    Then we set out for the far wall to dig another hole. As I occupied myself with that process, I looked over my newly earned stat gains. That bear had been no joke, and the System had rewarded me handsomely.


    Congratulations! Grace has increased from 62 to 65.


    Congratulations! Light of the Fearless[Rare]¡¯s ability [Light of the Fearless] has leveled up from Emergence - 2 to Emergence - 3.


    Congratulations! Light of the Fearless[Rare]¡¯s ability [Shadow of the Fearless] has leveled up from Emergence - 2 to Emergence - 3.


    Congratulations! Basecrest City Guard Suit[Uncommon]¡¯s ability [Snap] has ranked up to Emergence!


    Congratulations! Basecrest City Guard Suit[Uncommon]¡¯s ability [Snap] has leveled up from Foundation - MAX to Emergence - 0.


    Congratulations! Steel Dart [Common]¡¯s ability, [Ouch in So Many Ways!] has leveled up from Foundation - 0 to Foundation - 4.


    Congratulations! Wisdom has increased from 27 to 28.


    Snap¡¯s rank-up had me giddy. Abilities got noticeably better when they did, and considering how it was the lynchpin to my superspeed build, I tested it right away.


    The difference was like jumping from a family sedan into a sports car. My acceleration was in another league from before. Where I¡¯d struggled to dodge the bear just minutes ago, I was willing to bet I could run laps around it now. Even Rogar was shocked.


    I couldn¡¯t wait to see the look on Aerion¡¯s face when she found out how much I¡¯d improved.


    The other surprise was my dart. I¡¯d used the one that I¡¯d crafted with Wisdom. From the results, it was pretty clear the increased damage was a result of its stupidly-named ability, [Ouch in So Many Ways!]. It allowed me to visualize and modify the damage¡ªthough being F - 0, the effect was extremely limited.


    I¡¯d visualized the dart penetrating deeper before firing, and it had penetrated, so I counted that as a win. Especially since it had only lost half its Condition, putting it at 7/15. That meant Rogar could repair it, and with it having jumped four levels to F - 4, the ability would be noticeably stronger next time. I really had to make more of these out of [Rare] materials. A dart with an ability at Emergence grade would be absolutely devastating. Devastating and reusable.


    The biome we¡¯d just entered was a wet jungle, covered by a thick canopy, ants, worms, snakes, and all sorts of other jungle goodies¡ªonly, they were about five times the size of normal ones.


    Because of course they were.


    After slicing a ten-foot-long snake in half, I gave Rogar the all-clear, and we quickly made our way to the other wall.


    This was the last wall separating us from the cell Rogar had scouted¡ªone that looked like a gray, mottled mess from afar. I hadn¡¯t been able to get a good look at it on the way in, so this would be my first opportunity.


    Unfortunately, we ran into another issue before then. The dirt on the other side wasn¡¯t dirt at all, but rock.


    ¡°Good sign, I guess?¡± I said, crawling out of the hole I¡¯d dug.


    Rogar grunted. ¡°Promising. But how will we get through?¡±


    I grabbed one of the pickaxes from my inventory and handed the other to Rogar. ¡°How else?¡±


    We made good progress, trading off when the other got tired, but even then, it was slow-going.


    ¡°Y¡¯know,¡± I said after some time had passed, ¡°When we first met, I never imagined we¡¯d be working together to dig a hole in the middle of a Trial, of all places.¡±


    ¡°You and me both,¡± Rogar grunted. ¡°Never thought I¡¯d be crazy enough to delve a Trial. Always thought the danger was too great.¡±


    ¡°And what are your thoughts now?¡± I asked in between swings. ¡°Now that you¡¯ve had a taste of delving life?¡±


    ¡°I think you delvers are not right in the head. Only a madman would go through this.¡±


    ¡°Probably right about that,¡± I muttered. ¡°Considering we¡¯re far stronger for this Trial than the average party¡­¡±


    It seemed obvious to me that the Trials would scale its difficulty accordingly, but Aerion hadn''t known enough about the Trials to be sure, and with how C Rank and above delvers¡ªthose who''d evolved their soul¡ªcouldn''t enter lower level Trials, I''d been hopeful the Trials were static. No such luck, it seemed. At least the average monsters were still the same. Silver linings and all.


    ¡°It¡¯s a deathtrap,¡± Rogar said. ¡°Plain and simple. Designed to tempt fools who think they¡¯re better.¡±


    I¡¯d had the same thought. Several times, in fact. As a training mechanism, the Trials felt far too dangerous. Not to mention all the insider knowledge available for purchase. They pretty heavily favored the rich and the well-connected. If you knew the shortcuts and had the money to pay for Emergence Rank bodyguards, chances were good you could make it all the way to get a Blessing.


    The system really made me wonder if that was what Dominion had in mind when he set this up. Surely, he knew a more fair system would produce stronger warriors with fewer casualties?


    Which could only mean it was designed to be this way. For whatever reason, Dominion wanted this level of brutality. He was alright with people buying their way through¡­


    ¡°Say, Greg?¡± Rogar said softly.


    ¡°Yeah?¡±


    ¡°Thank you¡­ for bringing me. I understand you had no reason to accept my offer.¡±


    I shrugged. ¡°Not like I¡¯m being selfless, either. We wouldn¡¯t even have come to this ¡®castle¡¯ were it not for my own desires.¡±


    ¡°Even so,¡± Rogar said. ¡°If we survive all this, I will owe you a debt. The sort that can¡¯t be repaid easily.¡±


    I put a hand on the stocky blacksmith¡¯s shoulder. We really had come a long way, hadn¡¯t we? For the longest time, I¡¯d thought of Rogar as nothing more than just an asshole.


    Turned out he had a pretty decent heart, and an even better pair of smithing arms.


    ¡°Let¡¯s get out of here alive, first. Then we can talk. Sound good?¡±


    Rogar nodded, and for the next three hours, we worked tirelessly to dig through the rock to the other side.


    We did finally break through, though, and the acrid smell of sulfur was the first thing that assaulted my senses. Vents dotted the black, cracked rock landscape, and there wasn¡¯t a single animal in sight. Small miracles¡­


    ¡°What do you think?¡± I asked, helping Rogar up.


    Instead of answering, Rogar wandered around, picking up rocks every now and then, or getting on all-fours. He eventually stopped and grinned up at me.


    ¡°I think it¡¯s your lucky day. Not often one finds veins of Aurorium and Voidsteel intermingled.¡±


    My face lit up. ¡°First good news I¡¯ve heard all day. Sounds like we have more digging to do.¡±


    I¡¯d just handed the pickaxe back to Rogar when the cell chose that precise moment to explode.

 Soulweaver 142: Revelations

    I blurred into motion and drew Light of the Fearless in one smooth move, ready to lay the pain on the sorry monster that dared fuck with us. I¡¯d just about had it with sudden appearances of overpowered enemies. I was gonna unleash everything I had in my vast arsenal on this fucker...


    Unfortunately, not every problem could be solved with a hack or a slash.


    The earthquake under our feet and the geysers that belched sulfur into the air seemed to be a natural phenomenon. There wasn¡¯t a monster in sight.


    ¡°Uh, Rogar?¡± I asked, fighting to stay on my feet. Rogar had failed at that task in the first few seconds, and was now on all fours. ¡°How long do you think it¡¯ll take to mine that ore?¡±


    ¡°Mebbe a few hours,¡± Rogar shouted back, white-knuckling his battleax. I couldn¡¯t blame him. If this was a normal quake, it was going on for an awfully long time. Worse, it was reshaping the landscape, pushing up rocks in certain places while swallowing other areas entirely.


    And while there were thankfully no skyscrapers to rain glass and metal on our heads, we could easily be swallowed up if we weren¡¯t careful. Which, I supposed was the point. The whole damn cell wanted to kill us.


    Grabbing Rogar, I slung him over my shoulder, before jumping around, avoiding the protrusions, and doing my damndest to maintain my balance.


    It took every ounce of my concentration, but after a while, I managed to find my rhythm. Just that maintaining that seemed impossible. I¡¯d already had several near misses, and sooner or later, I was gonna mess up.


    Congratulations! Grace has increased from 65 to 66.


    Hurray for silver linings. In a less dangerous setting, this would¡¯ve made for some awesome training. If my Grace continued to improve at this rate, it wouldn¡¯t be long at all before it maxed out.


    Unfortunately, that did nothing to solve our problem. I was starting to consider abandoning our plans and fleeing to another cell when the vibrations finally subsided.


    What remained was nothing like the flat landscape of before. We were surrounded by jagged hills and miniature mountains. Some of which protruded all the way up through the ceiling into the portion that had no gravity.


    ¡°Well,¡± I said, staring up at one. ¡°I guess we won¡¯t have any trouble getting out of here, at least.¡±


    Rogar was happy to finally have his feet under him again. Any more jostling and I was pretty sure he¡¯d have thrown up. The guy didn¡¯t take to motion sickness well. Or, at all. A bit of miracle water calmed his stomach, saving us from that unfortunate outcome.


    ¡°Well?¡± I said. ¡°Where do we dig?¡±


    Rogar pointed to a nearby jutting formation of pitch-black rock that was studded with twinkling white flecks. They almost looked like stars up close. ¡°We don¡¯t have to,¡± he said. ¡°That¡¯s Voidsteel, mixed with traces of Aurorium, if I¡¯m seeing things right.¡±


    My mouth hung open. Things had finally gone our way for once? We¡¯d actually struck gold?


    Either we¡¯d gotten incredibly lucky, or something was about to go horribly, terribly wrong. I supposed we were about to find out.


    <hr>


    We were not lucky.


    The earthquakes happened every fifteen minutes, and lasted for ten. Not a lot of time to mine, especially when each quake usually erased the work we¡¯d done. We¡¯d inevitably find new protrusions with the metals we were after, but owing to how exotic and durable those metals were, it was slow-going.


    That was, until I realized that the right combination of dirt and nearby rocks kicked up from the quake made for a near ideal explosive.


    Digging was for normies. Blowing stuff up? That was where it was at.


    The trick was first etching a narrow hole into the rock with the tip of our pickaxes, about four inches deep. Then, I¡¯d just put my hand up to the hole and [Launch]. The tiny space, coupled with the insane force from my ability and its quirk that things coming out couldn¡¯t be stopped, pulverized the ejected stones and rocks. Which, in turn, blew apart the metal-rich ore like I¡¯d just set off a stick of dynamite.


    Well, I say rich, but Rogar pointed out that Voidsteel required a lot of smelting and refining. When processed, even a big pile of the stuff would yield barely enough for a small blade¡ªif that. To say nothing of Aurorium. The situation was even worse. It seemed only high-ranking dungeons had dense veins of the stuff.


    There wasn¡¯t much I could do about that, though. Having any of these metals felt like a win. They weren¡¯t things that could be bought in stores, and they were essential for making the best equipment.


    The only downside to my approach was I wasn¡¯t immune to the blast, and my suit started taking damage. Nothing I could do about that, though. I¡¯d just have Rogar repair it once we were done with the Trial.


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    Which was soon, hopefully. I¡¯d barely had time to recover from the Cataclysm Dungeon before we decided to go on this delve. I was looking forward to some R&R before Aerion and I headed out to the elven forest.


    I was in the middle of daydreaming about hot baths when the next series of tremors kicked off. Thankfully, it would be our last. We¡¯d gathered a whole pile of the ultra-rare ore. Processing them into a form that could be carried out could wait until we were back with the rest of the group. I was so done with this place.


    <hr>


    Aerion eyed her fellow delvers warily.


    When Greg left, she sat down to meditate, having spent another 5 points in Dominion and Cunning after her recent level up, bringing her ceiling up to 64 and 25, respectively. She¡¯d maxed out both, so the headroom was welcome, and if she needed, she still had 7 points in reserve to spend.


    Thus, Aerion had sat still, closing her eyes as she tried to focus on the various sounds around her. The sound of her heartbeat, her breathing¡­ Richard and Philip, whispering¡ªclearly gossiping¡ªabout something.


    She only picked up bits and pieces, but the word ¡®she¡¯ came up more than a few times. Being the only female party member, and perhaps the only woman in this whole castle, Aerion found her concentration slipping.


    Some might¡¯ve called it good training. Aerion called it annoying. If they were going to talk about her, couldn¡¯t they move farther away? And why discuss her at all? Aerion wasn¡¯t born yesterday¡ªclearly, they were up to no good.


    And while Aerion thought highly of them both¡ªespecially Richard¡ªAerion had to admit, Philip was more of a mystery. While he seemed like a nice person, she¡¯d never bothered to get close to him or Rogar. She¡¯d never had to; they were just Greg¡¯s friends and business partners. Or at least they were, until they decided to delve together.


    Aerion was never very good at making friends. She wouldn¡¯t have the slightest clue how to¡ª!?


    Aerion¡¯s ears twitched. The sounds of approaching footsteps destroyed the last strands of meditative concentration she had.


    Relenting, she opened her eyes. ¡°Yes? Is something the matter?¡±


    ¡°Say, Aerion¡­ We should chat,¡± Richard said.


    Aerion gestured to the grassy patch in front of her. ¡°What¡¯s this all about?¡± she asked.


    ¡°Well, first, allow me to preface this by saying that I care about you and Greg,¡± Richard said. ¡°You¡¯re both dear friends to me. My truest friends on Axius.¡±


    Aerion nodded. ¡°I value your friendship as well, Richard,¡± Aerion replied. ¡°And¡­ yours as well, Philip,¡± she added.


    Her hesitation must have shown, because Philip returned her words with a wry smile. ¡°It¡¯s no secret we¡¯re not all that close. And yet, you¡¯ve saved my life more than once in the past days. I¡¯ve nothing but gratitude for you, which is why I feel we must have this conversation.¡±


    Aerion was beginning to grow suspicious now. ¡°Is this serious?¡±


    ¡°No.¡± ¡°Yes,¡± Philip and Richard said at the same time.


    ¡°Er, well¡ªnot in the way you¡¯re thinking, most likely,¡± Philip corrected, scratching his head.


    ¡°It¡¯s about Greg, Aerion,¡± Richard said. ¡°Specifically, your relationship with him.¡±


    ¡°Oh. Oh¡­¡±


    Richard held up both palms. ¡°Now, it¡¯s not our business to meddle in the affairs of others¡ªand normally, I wouldn¡¯t. But as I said, I care about the two of you. We both do. And sometimes, friends need to have hard conversations with their friends, for the benefit of everyone.¡±


    Aerion rolled her eyes. ¡°I¡¯m not a child, Richard. No need to, what is it you say? Beat around the bush? This is about the, er, argument Greg and I had earlier, isn¡¯t it?¡±


    Philip scratched his nose. ¡°Well, er,¡±


    ¡°I understand completely,¡± Aerion said, bowing her head. ¡°Allow me to apologize for that. As a delving party, we place our lives in each others¡¯ hands. A petty argument may seem trivial, but here, it could lead to mistakes during a fight. Mistakes that may very well get one or more of us killed. You have my sincerest apology.¡±


    ¡°That¡­ wasn¡¯t what we were talking about, Aerion,¡± Richard said, looking somewhat embarrassed. Aerion couldn¡¯t fathom why he of all people would come across that way, however. She was the one who deserved the shame. Well, Greg did, if she was honest. But Aerion wasn¡¯t raised to shift the blame. Regardless of who was at fault, the team dynamics suffered.


    Aerion found herself growing irritated. Just thinking about Greg sparked all sorts of unwanted emotions these days.


    ¡°This isn¡¯t working,¡± Philip said with a sigh. ¡°You¡¯ll have to spell it out for her, I¡¯m afraid.¡±


    Richard cringed, prompting Philip to put a hand on his shoulder. ¡°Friend, this was your idea. Best you see it through.¡±


    Richard massaged his forehead. ¡°S¡¯ppose you¡¯re right. Though I must admit, I am regretting it now.¡±


    ¡°I suppose they¡¯re perfect for each other, in that way¡­¡±


    ¡°In what way?¡± Aerion frowned. ¡°What do you mean?¡±


    ¡°Aerion,¡± Richard said, looking her in the eyes. ¡°This might come as a bit of a surprise to you, considering his recent behavior¡­ but, er, Greg likes you. Romantically, that is.¡±


    Aerion¡¯s eyes flew wide, and her heart began pumping like mad. ¡°E-excuse me!? That¡¯s¡ªthat''s not possible. You must be mistaken.¡±


    Greg hadn¡¯t shown even a hint of attraction toward her. In fact, he¡¯d brushed off each of her advances, time after time. Bold advances, at that!


    ¡°I can see this is going to take some doing,¡± Richard said with a sigh.


    Philip¡¯s lips warped into an evil smile. ¡°Good thing we¡¯ve got all the time in the world, eh?¡±


    ¡°Right you are, friend. So, then, Aerion. The first thing you have to understand about Greg is he''s about as dense as lead...¡±


    Aerion squirmed in front of the two men. She had a sneaking feeling she was in for a very uncomfortable few hours.

 Soulweaver 143: Paradigm Shift

    Getting back ended up being significantly harder than I thought it would. Despite doing my best to look back and memorize our origin cell on our way out, we had a hell of a time locating it again. All the cells kinda blurred into a mosaic from here, and when we thought we found it, we¡¯d find a half-dozen others that looked the same.


    All we had was the general region of the honeycomb we¡¯d started out in, and the fact that the biome was a forest one¡ªwhich, incidentally, happened to be the most common type of biome.


    Not much information to go on at all. What I wouldn¡¯t give for a phone camera¡­


    Upon realizing how long this would take, we relocated to a neighboring cell¡ªone that wasn¡¯t seismically active¡ªbefore wasting two hours calculating and plotting. In the end, it would be a crapshoot no matter what we did, so we took our best shot and went for it.


    It was only once we were most of the way through the zero-G expanse that we identified what could¡¯ve been our original cell. Each castle had exactly one entrance and one exit, leading to different sections of the cog rail system. Ours happened to be one of them, and so, it looked a little different from the rest. Not different enough to be noticeable from all the way across the weird honeycomb structure, but I thought I caught sight of it on our way in.


    Problem was, we were about thirty cells away. At that distance, even if we went the right way, we¡¯d have a hell of a time striking the correct bearing.


    So we ended burning another few hours digging our way in the general direction of our original cell, only to turn up empty. That whole time, I lamented our inability to communicate. Even with rudimentary comms, I could¡¯ve asked Aerion to shoot up a signal of some kind¡ªmaybe burn the forest¡ªso we¡¯d have a beacon to latch onto.


    The only good thing to come out of this crazy maneuver was another two points of Grace, bringing me up to 69 out of my current max of 74.


    After spending hours trying to backtrack, I swore I¡¯d make solving our comms problem my top priority once we were out. A chatbox felt like such a trivial thing to add to my system¡¯s UI, but either Cosmo hadn¡¯t thought to include it, or he couldn¡¯t. I dug around my HUD for damn near a half hour before giving up.


    Something to ask him at our next meeting. Which I hoped would be soon, considering how completing Trials or Dungeons seemed to trigger them. Even still, I wasn¡¯t hopeful he¡¯d give me anything. He never gave me powers unless I earned them, like with my rank up. If there was a solution to be had here, it would probably rely on me and whether I could hack my Blessing in the right way.


    In the end, I came up with a trunk-and-branch system, where our main route took us in a straight line, with branches going sideways in both directions when we thought we were close.


    It was a good thing I did. After what felt like an eternity¡ªfar longer than we¡¯d spent actually mining the stuff, we found our original cell while on a branch route. More accurately, it was Aerion¡¯s voice that tipped me off.


    I found her in the middle of a heated debate with Richard and Philip, and for some reason, Aerion¡¯s cheeks and ears had gone red.


    ¡°Guess what, everyone? We¡¯re baaaaack!¡± I said, my voice trailing off when for some reason, everyone turned to glare in my direction. ¡°So, uh, what did we miss?¡±


    The hostile gazes dissipated in an instant, making me even more curious. But the mystery wasn¡¯t about to be solved that easily.


    ¡°Greg, Rogar!¡± Richard said, walking up to us. ¡°All went well, I take it?¡±


    I shrugged. ¡°About as well as we could¡¯ve hoped. We found the metals. As for how much we¡¯ll end up getting, well¡­ I guess we¡¯re about to find out.¡±


    I gave an inquisitive glance at Richard, but he took one look at Aerion and shook his head.


    Some other time, his expression seemed to say.


    That was fine, because we had our fair share of work cut out for us. ¡°How about we relocate to the nearest Sanctuary chamber? I¡¯m exhausted.¡±


    Well, some of us were exhausted, anyway. Rogar looked like he was about to collapse, and despite not having gone through our ordeal, Philip and Richard weren¡¯t looking so great, either. The more Vigor Aerion and I gained, the more out of touch we became with what was normal for people. Sleep was becoming less and less necessary, and we could even go longer without eating or drinking, too.


    For the sake of our party, we returned to the cog rail back to our original castle, where we found the nearest sanctuary and crashed.


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    At least, that was what most of the others did. Aerion walked aimlessly through the forest, sneaking occasional glances my way when she thought I wasn¡¯t looking. Yeah¡­ something had definitely changed. But even expanded to fit the four of us, the sanctuary wasn¡¯t big enough for the sort of private conversation I suspected this would need.


    So instead, I brought out Rogar¡¯s forge and went to work prepping it. I¡¯d seen it in action enough times by now to understand the basics. After assembling the chimney bricks, sealing the gaps with wet mud, I loaded the coal, coke, and metal ore in alternating layers, all the way up the chimney.


    Then I lit a fire at the bottom and waited for the thing to get hot before working the bellows to boost the temps.


    It was a slow, tedious process, but it was something that would have to be done before exiting the Trial. If we wanted to take that ore back with us, anyway. I didn¡¯t have a clue how we were going to forge these exotic metals with this makeshift portable forge¡ªbut that was where Rogar, master blacksmith, came in.


    I ignored Aerion¡¯s glances for the most part, but when I did look back at her, she always quickly looked away. It wasn¡¯t lost on me that I probably ought to have gone over and chatted with her, yet something stopped me. There was a wall between us. One that hadn¡¯t been there just days before, and it was all thanks to Richard and Philip.


    I sighed, trying to clear those thoughts from my head. Feelings weren¡¯t what I needed to be worrying about right now. The Trial Guardian on the next floor was. Chances were good we weren¡¯t going to find another Obsidian Dragon up there¡ªonly question was how strong the thing would be, and what resources we¡¯d have to destroy it.


    It was tough to plan for a threat you knew nothing about, but I could at least take a few guesses. Floor seven was mostly ocean, with that one island where the portal was. The thing was, there wasn¡¯t that much room for a ground-based mega monster on the island. Forests covered most of it, and the parts that weren¡¯t had deep trenches, or steep mountains.


    Which told me that the chances of encountering one were pretty low. Better odds that the thing was avian, like the dragon.


    Our first time around, avian threats posed an especially tough challenge. While still a problem, I now had my darts and pebbles, and Richard¡¯s attacks also worked at a distance. None of us had especially long-range weapons, but unless the thing launched missiles at us, I figured we¡¯d manage.


    Rather, it was the other, more likely situation that worried me the most.


    What if the Trial Guardian was aquatic?


    If I was honest, the chances were good. I thought back to that mammoth whale we encountered on our way up. The thing must¡¯ve been a mile in length. If that decided to attack us?


    A chill trickled down my spine. What could we even do against such a threat? We¡¯d be stuck in our subs. All our powers would be useless. Only Richard stood a chance, but he¡¯d struggle to crush the heart of something so gigantic.


    I took a breath. It made no sense for something so powerful to be the boss of a lowly E rank dungeon. But then, it made no sense for the Obsidian Dragon to show up on floor 5, either¡­


    Fuck. I needed to do something. Sitting around stewing like this was just getting me worked up. I needed to kill something.


    Before I knew it, my legs were taking me to the Sanctuary¡¯s entrance.


    ¡°Where are you going?¡± Aerion asked. I¡¯d forgotten she was still awake.


    ¡°Want to test those Bolt cores. Need to know if they¡¯re usable in their current form.¡±


    ¡°And you were planning on going out there alone, were you?¡± she asked, eyebrow raised accusingly.


    ¡°I¡ªuh, of course not. Want to go together?¡±


    Aerion let out a sigh and shook her head. ¡°I¡¯ll write a note for the others so they don¡¯t worry. Then we¡¯ll go.¡±


    <hr>


    Well. This was awkward.


    I¡¯d never had any trouble with the silence that passed between Aerion and myself in the past, but less than a minute after exiting the sanctuary chamber, I was wishing I¡¯d gone alone.


    ¡°So, uh¡­ How¡¯s it going?¡± I said, feeling instantly stupid the moment I did. Great going, Greg. What are you, fourteen?


    ¡°I¡­ never got a chance to thank you,¡± Aerion said, completely ignoring my question, which was probably for the best. Though, judging how she looked, I doubted it was an intentional decision on her part; she looked like her head was a million miles away. Had she even heard me?


    ¡°Uh, thank me for what?¡± I asked, heart irrationally pounding away in my chest.


    ¡°For Initializing Aurora, of course,¡± Aerion said, giving me a look of confusion. ¡°What else?¡±


    ¡°Oh, er, right¡­¡± I said, scratching the back of my helmet. ¡°Well, I said I would, didn¡¯t I?¡±


    ¡°Yes, but¡­ this new power. It¡¯s incredible. I can only imagine how strong I will become once it levels a bit more. It¡¯s already granted me another echo just leveling up twice.¡±


    ¡°Agreed,¡± I said, feeling the tension flow out of my body. This was how it always was with Aerion. No matter what was going on between us, it always felt comfortable chatting with her. A friend I could always lean on. Had that changed? Or was it just me? ¡°Guessing you¡¯ll be getting even more soon. Pretty dope ability, I gotta admit.¡±


    The question was if it would be enough for what we were about to face. Would my new siege bolt cores be enough of a decisive advantage?


    We rounded a bend and encountered an entire horde of goblins.


    I brought out one of the cores and threw it high into the air.


    We were about to find out.

 Soulweaver 144: Trial Forging

    There had to be a hundred of the obsidian goblins, all just milling about. Even still, the lethality of the original Siege Bolts hadn¡¯t faded one bit from my mind, and given that these had the same explosives, just packaged in a slightly different form factor, I was backpedaling the moment I threw it. I hunkered down behind a cog cart, with Aerion joining me a split-second later.


    Then we waited, and kept waiting, but all I heard was the screeching and child-like gibberish of the goblins.


    Peeking around the cart, I saw the goblins holding the bolt core, arguing with one another.


    It was a little hard to tell what was going on¡ªunderstanding their language made things even worse. I heard snippets of ¡®kill¡¯, ¡®toy¡¯, and ¡®bash¡¯... I supposed that was about the level of what could be expected from these creatures.


    ¡°Why hasn¡¯t it exploded?¡± I whispered.


    Aerion shook her head. ¡°Without the shock absorbing material, it ought to be far less stable¡ª¡±


    She was interrupted by a deafening, otherworldly wail, followed by the sounds of balloons popping. An awfully familiar screech that sent chills down my spine.


    Jagged shards flew past us in a cloud of projectiles not unlike my own rock barrage. Except, these weren''t rocks. They were the glass remains of the goblins.


    I peeked around the cart to find, surprisingly, a pond of gore. The vast majority of the goblins were just¡­ gone, their bodies having shattered into a million pieces. Just that there had also been a whole lot of organic boar-like animals that I hadn''t noticed earlier. They must''ve been at the center of the group. Of the hundred or so goblins, only a handful remained¡ªthe ones who¡¯d been on the very outer edge of the horde. All dyed red from the gore. They stared on in silent disbelief as the remaining boar-things shivered in shock.


    I also stared, but for a different reason. Had it always been this powerful? Not just in force, but in range as well.


    ¡°It''s not just my imagination, right?¡± I said. ¡°That felt bigger than the normal ones. Right?¡±


    ¡°It was,¡± Aerion said, frowning. ¡°It could be that the dampening mechanism was somehow also attenuating the power. The Status description did refer to them as volatile. Perhaps this is what it meant?¡±


    Well, damn. That was something. If I hadn''t lobbed it as far as I did, Aerion and I would be mincemeat.


    But then, if they were so powerful and volatile, why hadn¡¯t the impact made them go off, considering that very mechanism had been removed? Was there some time-delay? Or was the chance of it exploding really that random?


    ¡°I will deal with the rest.¡± Aerion started to stand up, but I grabbed her arm.


    ¡°Wait. Let me try one more thing.¡±


    The siege bolt cores weren¡¯t actually that different in size and weight from the darts I¡¯d had Rogar make me. They lacked the fins and the pointy tip that stabilized the darts, but at least in this case, I wasn¡¯t trying to hurl them very far.


    Standing up, I took aim at the stragglers that had been on the periphery. There honestly weren''t many left after that first explosion, so I aimed for the ground in between the ones who were left, then activated [Launch].


    The bolt core blurred out of my inventory, and I barely caught sight of the thing before the screech assaulted my ears. This time, I got to see the devastation firsthand. Goblins¡¯ pulverized. Streams of red boar arced through the air, flying every direction¡ªincluding at me.


    There wasn¡¯t a whole lot I could do to avoid the blast. I looked at Aerion, who¡¯d gotten the same treatment.


    ¡°Well,¡± I said, cracking a bloody smile. ¡°At least there¡¯s a Sanctuary nearby.¡±


    Aerion was¡­ well, let¡¯s just say she was decidedly not happy.


    <hr>


    The miracle water fountain was an incredible thing. Not only did it heal us and clean us, it burned away all of the gore that covered our bodies.


    Luckily, the others were all resting when we entered, or we¡¯d have had a whole lot of explaining to do.


    As it was, by the time everyone woke, they found Aerion and I serious-faced and ready, and nobody questioned a thing.


    Rogar and Philip worked together to set up the Bloomery furnace, and to my surprise, the process went pretty much exactly like last time. With Aerion and I working the bellows, and a bit of lava to get things going, they were able to get the furnace up to temperature pretty quickly. We threw in the ore we¡¯d gathered and sealed up the furnace.


    All that was left was to wait several hours for it all to melt down.


    ¡°Alright, so we¡¯ve accomplished just about everything we set out to do,¡± I said after a bit. ¡°With the exception of getting you two Boons or Blessings, of course.¡±


    Stolen from Royal Road, this story should be reported if encountered on Amazon.


    Philip and Rogar nodded, glancing only briefly at Richard. No doubt, they thought he¡¯d joined for the prospect of getting a boon as well, but if they had any questions, they kept it to themselves.


    ¡°Problem is, we ran into the Trial Guardian on floor five, and I¡¯d feel pretty comfortable betting against there being no guardian up on 7.¡±


    ¡°Agreed,¡± Philip said. ¡°I believe we should prepare for another Guardian.¡±


    ¡°Right,¡± I said. ¡°The issue is that we have no idea what it might be. Aerion, any ideas?¡±


    She shook her head. ¡°Back when I first researched the Trial, I had to pay quite the sum to gather what information I did. I only obtained what I felt was necessary at the time. If I¡¯d known this would happen, I would¡¯ve asked around at Basecrest.¡±


    ¡°No use beating ourselves up over it. I think everyone assumed we¡¯d be fighting the same dragon again. Anyway, I think the chances are good that it¡¯s aquatic.¡±


    ¡°Aquatic?¡± Rogar asked, looking visibly concerned. ¡°How¡¯d you know?¡±


    ¡°I agree with Greg,¡± Aerion said. ¡°We passed an enormous monster on our way up last time. It could very well be that, or something similar.¡±


    ¡°Floor seven is mostly water, so it fits. Of course, I could be wrong, too. We really don¡¯t know. Thing is, we need to make a decision. We can avoid the water entirely, but we¡¯ve got six more castles to traverse¡ªseven, if we count the one we just returned from. Each one is going to be harder and larger than the last, and to put it bluntly, Aerion and I just don¡¯t have the time. Sinclair will be expecting us to attend his parade, and past that, we¡¯ve got to protect a caravan heading out from Basecrest. We only have a couple of days left.¡±


    ¡°So, we¡¯ll be using those submersible contraptions, then?¡± Rogar asked.


    ¡°Think it¡¯s really our only bet. Question is, what can we do to give ourselves the best shot we have, assuming the Guardian is aquatic?¡±


    ¡°Quite the pickle, that,¡± Richard said, stroking his chin with a frown on his face. ¡°The way I see it, only I¡¯ve got anything capable of attacking from inside a sub¡­¡±


    ¡°The submersibles have tubes for firing the Aural Siege Bolts,¡± Aerion said. ¡°We weren¡¯t equipped to reload them last time, but with some practice, I suspect we could grow quite efficient at using them.¡±


    ¡°So that¡¯s why you left a few boxes untouched,¡± Richard said with a nod. ¡°Had wondered about that.¡±


    I nodded. ¡°Would be idiotic not to arm ourselves to the teeth on the way up.¡±


    If I was honest, the harrowing ascent from last time still haunted me. To think we¡¯d have to do it again, but with a possible monster of the deep lurking out there? Not my idea of a good time.


    ¡°The Siege Bolts are well and good, but I want more,¡± I said. ¡°Let¡¯s put our heads together and come up with something.¡±


    <hr>


    Sometimes, not everything went the way I wanted. Rarely did, now that I thought about it. In the end, there wasn¡¯t a whole lot more we were able to come up with, other than drilling contingencies and scenarios. Instead of idling by and waiting for the furnace to do its thing, we used the time to train Rogar and Philip to pilot the subs. Richard and Philip would be with me, while Rogar would ride in Aerion¡¯s sub.


    That way, we could switch pilots if Aerion and I had to focus on scanning for threats and operating the bilge pumps. This time around, we had them out and armed, so if the subs¡¯ hulls did get punctured, the pumps would activate automatically. That was honestly something we should have done the first time around, but neither of us had any experience back then. Now, we knew better.


    Our strategy was simple¡ª hug the bottom of the ocean in the direction of the island¡ªwhich we could deduce by simply following the cog railway tunnels that ran on the ocean floor. Just that we¡¯d be on the outside, this time, rather than in them. The tunnels were all well-lit, and by hugging the ocean floor, we hoped that we¡¯d avoid the attention of whatever megafauna happened to be nearby.


    If that did happen, we¡¯d dump the ballast and perform an emergency ascent to the surface as fast as possible. That way, even if the monster targeted us, we¡¯d be on the surface before it had a chance to act. This was, of course, not great for the stress it would put on the subs, but Aerion was confident they could handle such an emergency ascent¡­ Well, once, anyway.


    Once on the surface, we¡¯d have a lot more options with respect to maneuverability. I would normally put Aerion in my inventory for this, since that would be one less life at risk, but there was no one I trusted more in the pilot¡¯s seat than Aerion. Myself included.


    On the other hand, four people was one too many to fit in a single sub. It would mess with our ability to maneuver, and in the worst case, we¡¯d be unable to ascend at all. Having a second sub doubled the number of Siege Bolt torpedoes we had, too.


    Thankfully, there wasn¡¯t any need to modify the ballast system like we¡¯d done last time; my inventory was a far superior storage medium than an empty ballast. That meant we were ready to go once Rogar, Richard, and Philip learned the controls, which took only a couple of hours¡ªfirst with static instruction, then with them doing practice runs outside the castle under our supervision.


    They all proved to be quick learners, with Rogar beating the other two in natural aptitude, though not nearly as much as Aerion. I doubted anyone could match her terrifying learning speed.


    In the meantime, our furnace had finished its job, and we returned to the Sanctuary to remove the bloom¡ªthe metal chunk at the bottom¡ªand pound it on the ground into an ingot.


    We then reconfigured the furnace into a forge, for heating the bloom up whenever it got cold, and continued hammering, purging the impurities and slag from the bloom until we were left with a relatively pure ingot of regular steel, Voidsteel and Aurorium.


    ¡°Gotta say, I¡¯m surprised we were able to work these metals with such basic tools,¡± I said, having just finished a session on bellows.


    ¡°We¡¯re not, really,¡± Philip said. ¡°The exotic metals haven¡¯t really been forged, so much as incorporated into the lump. We¡¯ll need a hotter forge for that. It¡¯s about the upper limit of what Rogar¡¯s workshop¡¯s capable of.¡±


    ¡°On a good day, anyway,¡± Rogar grunted. ¡°Doesn¡¯t matter, for now. Just need to get this made into enough of a weapon shape to carry out of here.¡±


    That process was easier said than done, considering the size of the bloom. After over a dozen reheating cycles, we managed to hammer it into something that looked like an extra wide, extra thick greathammer before the System acknowledged it as a weapon. It looked more like something an orc would wield, than anything exotic. It was as rough and ugly as a weapon could get. The crude hammer barely fit in my inventory.


    ¡°Well, guess there¡¯s only one thing left to do,¡± I said, trying and failing to stop myself from grinning.


    ¡°And what would that be?¡± Richard asked.


    I pointed to the siege launcher. ¡°Why, blowing up some huge whales, of course.¡±

 Soulweaver 145: Where The Fun Begins

    The whale killing process was as gruesome as it was tedious, taking another several hours. Like last time, they took a while to show up once we turned the beacon on, swimming through the tube from the ocean outside into the giant pool area. Seeing the contraption the second time around, I had to conclude that this room was some giant game, set up so the owners of the castle could entertain themselves by pulping gigantic sea creatures for fun. There really was no other reason I could think of to warrant a weapon that caused such a mess.


    This time, however, it wasn''t Aerion or me on the gun, but Rogar and Philip. We figured this was just about the best possible way to get them some meaningful Dominion brownie points. Not just because of the damage they inflicted, but on account of how unnecessarily difficult the contraptions were to use. Whatever civilization built this place seemed obsessed with levers. From the subs to their weapons, every goddamned thing was actuated by levers. Want to turn the Siege Launcher left? There''s a lever for that and a separate one for turning it back to the right. Ditto for up and down.


    It was, at least, less complex than the subs, so Rogar and Philip''s prior experience with those helped immensely, with the blacksmith picking up the mechanical task a bit more rapidly than Philip. Even so, Philip''s years of experience meant he wasn''t too far behind, and it only took them both a couple of misses before they were regularly landing shots.


    I even got a point to Grace for my effort demonstrating the device. Considering the nonexistent danger and how easy it was, I was happy to get anything at all. Grace was now at 70. It was tough to imagine I¡¯d gained over 40 points in less than a week. All thanks to that Soul Seed and my suit.


    We took our time and did a thorough job with the whales, hoping to clear the area of as much wildlife as possible to ensure they wouldn¡¯t decide we were a tasty snack when we left. Last time, we cleared the tower and immediately ascended. This time, we¡¯d be tracking horizontally across the ocean floor, so the danger of that was much higher¡ªand killing the whales here only reduced the local population. It did nothing for the ones on our route.


    Even so, we all felt better knowing there were fewer of those things lurking around. Even if the gore turned the sub pen into a horror scene.


    While Aerion and I were busy making a bloody, gory mess of the pen, the others headed to the nearby Sanctuary chamber to top up on miracle water and food supplies, which they brought with. No harm being over prepared, after all.


    That all done, we were finally ready, and nobody was more eager than me to get out of this place. I just wanted a hot bath and about twelve hours of solid, uninterrupted sleep. To get there, we needed to survive this deathtrap of a floor, first.


    Each sub carried sixteen siege bolts. On Aerion¡¯s sub, Rogar would be responsible for loading the bolts into the torpedo tubes and manning the bilge pump unless Aerion became incapacitated. Then, he¡¯d take over. Similarly on mine, Richard and Philip would work together to load the tubes.


    ¡°Alright, then,¡± I said, slipping into my sub after the others. ¡°Let¡¯s all make sure we end up topside in one piece, yeah?¡±


    Aerion nodded, and we both closed and swiveled our hatches at the same time.


    Sitting at the pilot¡¯s seat, I cracked my knuckles and grabbed the descent lever. ¡°Everyone ready?¡±


    With all the hard metal surfaces everywhere, we¡¯d decided it¡¯d be best for the others to be seated, so Richard was on my right, behind me, and Philip on my left. Aerion even designed rudimentary seat belts out of rope that would hold them in place if we went inverted.


    ¡°Ready as we¡¯ll ever be, I reckon,¡± Richard said.


    ¡°Likewise,¡± Philip replied. ¡°I¡¯m quite ready to be done with this Trial.¡±


    ¡°Then hold on tight, and pray to Dominion things go better than last time,¡± I said, easing the lever down.


    As we descended in the enormous pool, water completely covering the bulbous glass window that formed the entire front of the short, squat sub.


    Not for the first time, I wished this thing had sonar, or some form of instrumentation that let me pilot it without having to rely on the image outside. I also wished Aerion and I had a way to communicate. The memory of almost drowning in this thing as Aerion tried desperately to tell me about the bilge pump was still fresh in my head.


    Sadly, neither of those were a thing in this sub that looked like it came straight from a steampunk movie set, so I made do by following Aerion¡¯s sub closely. It¡¯d have helped if we at least had the exterior lights on, but out of an abundance of caution, we¡¯d turned those off as well.


    ¡°Y¡¯know, I always wondered what it was like, traveling in a sub,¡± Richard said, right after the sub¡¯s hull groaned under the mounting water pressure. ¡°But now, I think I¡¯d rather not have known. Downright terrifying, this.¡±


    ¡°I honestly never even knew such inventions existed,¡± Philip said. ¡°But I feel similarly. The very thought of an ocean¡¯s weight crushing us should something go wrong. This is the stuff of nightmares.¡±


    ¡°Oh, I wouldn¡¯t worry about that,¡± I said casually.


    ¡°Yeah? Vouch for the construction of these subs, do you?¡± Richard asked. ¡°Have to say, it¡¯s a relief that you¡¯ve ridden these before.¡±


    A case of content theft: this narrative is not rightfully on Amazon; if you spot it, report the violation.


    ¡°Oh, no,¡± I said. ¡°Almost died in this thing last time. Just that if the sub does critically implode, we¡¯ll be dead before we realize it. Pressures at this depth are something else.¡±


    Neither of my companions responded. Spooking them wasn¡¯t my intent, but it was true that shit could go sideways down here fast. The more aware they were, the better.


    I slipped the sub down the massive tube connecting the pool to the ocean outside, and moments later, Aerion and I reached the end, exiting into the deep, dark abyss.


    We then turned left, making a half lap around the castle, to follow the well-lit cog rail tube-tunnel we¡¯d used to go to the second castle.


    As if affected by the pressure, all three of us fell into a stiff silence, the only sounds the whoosh of the propeller and the water against the hull, occasionally broken by groaning or creaking sounds.


    Until this experience, I¡¯d always thought of the ocean floor like the diving ads in Hawaii¡ªclear, brilliant blue, with sunlight dancing across the sandy bottom, where coral and tons of other wildlife lived.


    That was, of course, only true for extremely shallow areas of the ocean. Most of it was dark. Real dark. It could¡¯ve been midday topside, and we wouldn¡¯t have known. Light didn¡¯t penetrate this far. This place was always pitch-black, utterly devoid of light. There was no wildlife growing on the bottom. Only sand. Endless sand, and if it weren¡¯t for the light of the cog tunnels, we¡¯d have been utterly blind.


    As it was, they served as a comforting presence. A bastion of civilization in this hostile, alien place, like a fire at night in the woods. Amazing what even a little bit of familiarity did for the soul. Not that the tunnels would help us if we had an emergency. No, we were all alone out here. Two tiny cylinders of metal in an endless expanse.


    I shook off my wandering thoughts. Now was not the time for daydreaming. Despite the illumination of the tunnels, it took everything I had to spot Aerion¡¯s sub in front of me. We couldn¡¯t get too close to those tunnels for fear of hitting them, so we traveled about fifty feet away.


    It was beautiful, in an eerie sort of way, with the lit-up tunnels disappearing off into the distance.


    ¡°Funny, isn¡¯t it?¡± Richard said in a hushed tone. ¡°Those lights almost make this experience feel familiar. Without them, I reckon we¡¯d be panicking to hell and back right now.¡±


    ¡°True that,¡± I replied, wondering if we were all thinking the same thing at that moment.


    The second castle came into view some time later¡ªlonger than it had taken on the cog railway. We weren¡¯t moving nearly as fast in the subs¡ªsomething that gave me a bad feeling about the later castles.


    The second castle¡¯s honeycomb structure looked just as bizarre to me as it had the first time around, but it soon came and went.


    ¡°Is it just me, or is the rail tunnel leading away from the castle almost at the same place as the one we used to arrive there?¡± Philip asked.


    ¡°Nope, you¡¯re right,¡± I said. ¡°Can¡¯t be more than a handful of cells away from the one we used to enter it.¡±


    Richard whistled. ¡°Insidious, really. Bet most delvers would jump clear across the structure, expecting the exit on the other side, when in reality, they need only burrow under a few cells.¡±


    Insidious, and intentional, I reflected. Dominion was clearly testing his delvers with this little trick.


    The castle, if one could even call it that, disappeared from behind us, and we continued on in silence. The gap between the second and third castles was even longer, and this time, the castle resembled the first one, just larger and deeper.


    We flew a wide arc around it before finding the tunnel on the other end and following it. How many hours had we just saved? I couldn¡¯t even begin to guess.


    The fourth, fifth, and sixth castles came and went, each larger than the last. The fourth castle resembled an enormous translucent fishbowl, bisected with levels visible from the outside that ran vertically instead of horizontally. I didn¡¯t have the slightest clue how gravity worked in there, but if I had to guess, it wouldn¡¯t have been fun. The thing was also massive, easily larger than the previous castles.


    The fifth was just like the first one, but upsized, and the sixth was, well, it looked like a giant sea turtle of epic proportions, with the castle entering just under the turtle¡¯s shell. Needless to say, I had no clue what the inside of that one looked like. Nor did I have any intention of finding out.


    An hour later, we breezed past the seventh castle, which had the usual architecture, but far too much of it. The thing must¡¯ve been a half-mile in length alone, to say nothing of its height. I couldn¡¯t even see the tops of its massive spires. What horrors of the deep lay in wait there? What treasures sat there, begging to be found?


    With any luck, we would never know.


    The final castle took a full two hours to come into view, and during all that time, I swore we¡¯d be gobbled up by some gigantic sea creature.


    Our journey was utterly uneventful, though, with Richard and Philip striking up a conversation about the politics of Basecrest to stave off the boredom. I tuned in and occasionally participated, and it was thanks to that that I didn¡¯t notice the two hours it took to get to our next destination. All in all, we must¡¯ve been traveling for at least six. I thanked Cosmo that it was the last. The last castle finally appeared, along with the cylindrical staircase that speared upward, penetrating the inky depths.


    The thing wasn¡¯t so much a castle, but a maze on the bottom of the seafloor, leading to that staircase. We could see the well-lit area plainly from here, and if we did have a means of communication, it would¡¯ve been trivial to guide someone through, avoiding the many monsters that waited along the way.


    Of course, that would have required someone flying all this way in the sub. That was besides the point, though. I had to wonder just how many shortcuts and cheats there really were for each of these Trials. I wondered how many would go forever undiscovered.


    Aerion brought her sub to a halt and spun around, facing me. She nodded and held up three fingers, before dropping one, then another.


    When her index finger went down, we both reached for the ballast levers and pulled back all the way.


    ¡°Well guys, hope you¡¯re ready,¡± I said, as the sub lurched upward. ¡°Because this is where the fun begins.¡±


    Richard chuckled, while Philip tightened his grip on his restraints, as evidenced by the sound of twisting rope.


    If only I¡¯d known just how horribly true those words would become only moments later, I¡¯d never have dared say them.

 Soulweaver 146: Monsters of the Abyss

    Our journey began well at first, like most things did. An uneventful ascent through the inky black, with Aerion¡¯s sub¡¯s interior lights being the only source of illumination. Even that started to disappear, as her sub ascended more quickly than ours. Probably because of our extra weight, being three people as opposed to her two.


    I even began to have hope that we¡¯d make it topside without issue, and of course, that was the moment disaster struck.


    Disaster came in the form of a shadow in the distance, barely noticed. The problem was made worse by our exterior lights being shut off. There was hardly a morsel of illumination out there.


    ¡°Uh, guys? Don¡¯t want to be the bearer of bad news, but I think we¡¯ve got company. Richard, you feel any burstable hearts nearby?¡±


    ¡°Afraid not,¡± Richard said immediately. The mood in the sub went from tense to taut, and each of us scanned the darkness for any sign of what we¡¯d just seen.


    ¡°Remind me never to travel in a sub again,¡± I muttered as the seconds past. Each moment, we worried we might become whale fodder, or end up in the belly of one of the colossal beasts.


    We continued to rise, and yet nothing happened.


    ¡°Did you feel that?¡± Philip suddenly asked.


    ¡°What?¡± I said. ¡°I don¡¯t feel any¡ª!?¡±


    This time, I did feel it. A ¡®push¡¯ against the sub, like someone had turned on a giant fan, pushing us off course.


    Then I looked up, trying to spot Aerion¡¯s sub. That was when my stomach fell, and dread¡¯s icy finger stroked my back.


    ¡°Uh, guys? Aerion¡¯s sub. It¡¯s gone.¡±


    ¡°What? What do you mean, gone?¡± Richard asked.


    ¡°I mean I can¡¯t see it anymore. No lights. No nothing. One moment, it was there, then it was just¡ªno, wait, it¡¯s back?¡±


    I frowned, confused. Aerion¡¯s sub lights suddenly appeared, then disappeared, before reappearing again.


    ¡°The fuck is going on?¡±


    And then it hit me. The cold, hard truth of the matter. A truth I never wished I¡¯d learned.


    It wasn¡¯t her sub lights that were flickering on and off. It was the same thing that happened when distant city lights twinkled from traffic passing in front.


    Except this was no car.


    No, it was a mile-long beast of the deep. A terror so enormous, it defied comprehension.


    ¡°Buckle up, everyone. Think it¡¯s interested in¡ªoh shit!¡±


    I threw the sub into a hard bank to avoid the shadow that was barreling straight for us. In a split-second decision, I flipped the exterior lights on, expecting to see a massive maw, wide open.


    What I saw instead was strangely familiar to my previous ascent. A moving roof passed above me at speed, except this time, I recognized it for what it was.


    I relaxed as the thing¡¯s tail fin passed us without issue.


    ¡°Well, we¡¯ve avoided being eaten. For now.¡±


    But just as I was about to slump back in my chair, I thought to look up, but instead of the faint interior lights of Aerion¡¯s sub, I saw¡­ nothing?


    I flipped my exterior lights off, wondering if that was blinding me. Then I let my eyes readjust to the dark.


    Again, nothing. No flickering or anything. No trace of the lights at all.


    That was when I saw something in the distance. Not a shadow, but a silhouette. An incomprehensibly large outline of a massive something. A faint red horizontal bar above it.


    Of course the Trial Guardian was the same colossal creature I¡¯d encountered the first time around. Why the hell wouldn¡¯t it be? Ever since the dragon on the fifth floor, I¡¯d feared something like this would happen. An enemy where not one of our powers counted for shit. I swore to every god I could think of¡ªthis was the last goddamned time I was delving a Trial beneath my rank. It was like Dominion was flipping us a giant, cosmic finger.


    The whale circled around for another pass. As for why, that was obvious.


    Chills crawled up my back, and my breaths grew heavy and short.


    ¡°What¡¯s the matter?¡± Richard asked, seeing my behavior.


    ¡°What happened?¡±


    ¡°I think we just found the Trial Guardian. And I think Aerion and Rogar¡¯s sub was just eaten.¡±


    <hr>


    The reality of the situation took several seconds to sink in. What if Aerion¡¯s sub had just drifted high enough that I couldn¡¯t see her? What if she¡¯d taken evasive action like I had, and we were now both separated?


    That theory lasted all the way until I spun the sub, going full forward in the opposite direction to avoid the incoming monster. Nothing. No sign of Aerion¡¯s sub. No, I¡¯d seen the monster pass clearly above us. It had clearly attacked something directly above them.


    ¡°Ideas, anyone?¡± I asked, trying to get my nerves under control. ¡°Really wouldn¡¯t mind a little help right about now.¡±


    ¡°Not a chance we outrun that thing,¡± Richard said.


    ¡°I agree. We have those siege bolts. I say we use them,¡± Philip replied. Both of them were awfully calm, considering the bombshell I¡¯d just dropped. So was I, for some weird reason. I felt nothing. Just a cold calmness, draped over me like an icy blanket. Was this what Aerion felt like under [Reave]? She had Siege bolts too. She could punch her way out, right? But then, why hadn¡¯t she? Was she injured? What if their sub had already imploded? Was Aerion suffocating as we spoke?


    Something suddenly welled up in my throat, but I swallowed it down. Panicking right now would do Aerion no favors. Especially not if she was in trouble.


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    ¡°Tubes one and two are already loaded,¡± I said. ¡°Here goes nothing.¡±


    I reached for the right lever and yanked it back, spinning the sub around. At the same time, I pulled the lever for the floodlights. This time, I did see pretty much exactly what I¡¯d expected.


    An enormous mouth, at least ten stories tall, opened wide. So wide, the sub¡¯s floodlights couldn¡¯t make out the top or the bottom. This felt less like being swallowed, and more like entering a massive cave.


    A cave with weak, fleshy walls.


    ¡°Eyes peeled people. Anyone see any sign of Aerion¡¯s sub?¡±


    ¡°Negative,¡± Richard said. ¡°Can¡¯t see a damn thing out there. Or, in there, rather.¡±


    ¡°What about its heart?¡± I asked, wondering if we might¡¯ve had a chance of ending this whole thing right here and now.


    ¡°Nothing,¡± Richard replied. ¡°Wherever its heart is, it¡¯s out of my range.¡±


    Philip looked a little confused at our conversation, but didn¡¯t comment on it. ¡°I don¡¯t see anything either, I¡¯m afraid,¡± he said.


    The panic once again threatened to take control, and once again, I fought it down. With a deep breath, I made my decision.


    ¡°Launching torpedo one,¡± I said, yanking the rightmost lever.


    A whooshing sound and a slight rocking of the sub was all we heard as the torpedo fired. Being a siege bolt, it didn¡¯t have the propeller on the back I was used to, so its range was extremely limited. That was alright. It wasn¡¯t going far.


    We saw the impact before we heard it. One moment, the sub¡¯s lights shone on a cavern-like wall of flesh, and the next, it had a perfect O-shaped hole, leading out to the ocean.


    A low bass rumble reverberated through our sub.


    ¡°Uh, what¡¯s that?¡± Richard asked.


    ¡°Hell if I know!¡± I grabbed the thrust lever and threw it full forward. Our sub lurched, and I fired the second torpedo for good measure.


    Augmented by our own speed, the torp shot out and ate another clean hole in the thing¡¯s flesh.


    ¡°Reload!¡± I said, yanking the torpedo loading levers back, which opened the tubes for loading. All while maneuvering the sub through the freshly expanded opening. I couldn¡¯t exactly brag, but I¡¯d gotten a lot more familiar with piloting this thing. I had to wonder if that was on account of my Grace stat, or something else.


    As if on cue, I got a welcome message.


    Congratulations! Grace has increased from 70 to 71. (Max: 74)


    The bass drone redoubled in volume just as our sub made it out. Philip worked the right tube, loading the Aural Siege Bolt into its slot, while Richard did the left.


    The moment they finished, I pushed both loading levers forward and fired the right torp as the gigantic whale-worm-thing passed us, waiting about ten seconds before firing the other. If I launched both at the same time, the blast from the first would annihilate the second, rendering it useless.


    Luckily, there was no chance of missing¡ªthis thing was gigantic.


    Each torpedo punched its own little hole, and yet, the boss¡¯ health overlay remained pegged in the green.


    ¡°What¡¯s the matter?¡± Richard asked, seeing my frown.


    ¡°We¡¯re not hurting it,¡± I replied.


    ¡°What do you mean? We just opened four bloody massive holes in that thing!¡± Richard said incredulously.


    ¡°Sure. It¡¯s not especially tough, and our torpedoes do heavy damage, but with how massive this guy is? They might as well be mosquito bites. We¡¯d need hundreds, maybe thousands, of torpedoes to whittle this thing down. I¡¯m pretty sure those stripped down bolt cores won¡¯t function very well if we tried to shoot them out the torpedo tubes.¡±


    ¡°Then we go for its heart,¡± Philip said.


    ¡°Or its head,¡± I muttered. ¡°At least we know where that is.¡±


    The biggest problem with that plan, of course, was the danger it put us in. Not to mention that I still had no clue where Aerion¡¯s sub had gone, a fact that lingered at the back of my mind, slowly eating away at my sanity. I could suppress it. I could ignore it. But eventually, I¡¯d crack and do something stupid. My only hope was that we killed this motherfucker before that happened.


    ¡°We need to recalibrate,¡± I said, smashing the ballast lever, causing the sub to jerk upward once more.


    ¡°What do you mean?¡± Philip asked.


    I pointed at our sub¡¯s bulbous glass window. ¡°Right now, we¡¯re flying blind. Our flashlight only penetrates so far. Past that, or anything outside its field of view, and we can¡¯t see it. We need to take this fight to the surface. Or, if that proves impossible, getting to brighter water will allow us to see the whale before it attacks us. That thing is massive. Hard for it to sneak up on¡ªoh, fuck!¡±


    Fate had to have a sense of irony, for the damn whale to attack us the instant I said that line.


    Except this time, it didn¡¯t attack from the side. No, it came from below us. From one of our blind spots.


    The column of flesh rushed up vertically¡ªthe water inside its maw actually pushing us up faster than before.


    This time, we fell deeper into it than before. Far deeper, reaching what I guessed was its gut, when we hit something solid. Or, semi-solid.


    Tentacles reached up all around us, whacking the sub. Green venom oozed off their tips, sizzling against the sub¡¯s hull.


    ¡°Mate, think we¡¯ve found ourselves in a pickle,¡± Richard said, staring up at the hull.


    ¡°Tell me about it,¡± I grunted, reaching for the torpedo lever, but stopped. If that Siege Bolt went off at point-blank range, we¡¯d basically be deleting ourselves from existence. I couldn¡¯t fire it. Not until we were clear of the tentacles.


    ¡°Richard? Hearts?¡±


    ¡°Think I¡­ Yes! I think I can help!¡±


    Richard closed his eyes and concentrated. A couple of seconds later, the thumping stopped, leaving us in silence.


    A few seconds after that, the tentacles drifted down into view. Dead.


    ¡°I don¡¯t know what¡¯s more disgusting,¡± I said. ¡°The fact that there are massive writhing tentacles in this thing¡¯s gut, or that they have hearts.¡±


    ¡°Almost feels like separate organisms, doesn¡¯t it?¡± Richard said, wiping a bead of sweat from his forehead.


    I didn¡¯t even want to ponder the implications of that as I had the sub ascend. Turned out there was a whole mountain of flesh all around us. Flesh and bones. Lots and lots of bones.


    ¡°Guess this might be part of the whale¡¯s digestive system,¡± I muttered, turning the sub.


    I was about to angle for the far wall when I saw something. A glimmer. Partially buried in flesh, but still clearly visible.


    ¡°Aerion!¡± Richard and I shouted the moment we saw it. Then reality hit, and that panic that I¡¯d suppressed until now came out in full force.


    ¡°Oh, no¡­¡± Richard muttered.


    To say their sub wasn¡¯t in good condition was, well, it¡¯d be the understatement of the century. The hull had caved in. The glass window had shattered, forming a spiderweb of cracks. All while a half-dozen tentacles beat down upon it.


    ¡°Are they¡­?¡± Philip trailed off.


    ¡°Alive,¡± I said, glancing at Aerion¡¯s status screen. No change. So she, at least, was still alive. And if she was, chances were decent she¡¯d kept Rogar alive as well.


    I got a bit closer. Close enough to see that Aerion¡¯s health might very well not last long.


    ¡°Their sub¡¯s integrity¡¯s failed,¡± I said. ¡°Looks to be about half-full with water, and we don¡¯t know when the thing will fail completely. If they get exposed to the water pressure at this depth, they¡¯re toast.¡±


    My mind flew into overdrive, and I came up with a game plan. As crazy as it sounded, this was where I operated best. High stakes and high pressure tended to bring out the best in me.


    ¡°Richard? I¡¯m going to do a high-speed pass by. I want you to take those things out. Philip? You come up with a way to rescue them.¡±


    ¡°Understood,¡± Richard said, focusing on the tentacles ahead of us, while Philip just nodded.


    I urged the sub forward, and we accelerated, heading straight for the center of the tentacles, just above Aerion¡¯s sub.


    I didn¡¯t bother slowing¡ªI knew from the cog carts how fast Richard¡¯s ability could activate, and so I kept going to the other end of the whale¡¯s innards before spinning the sub around.


    ¡°Gottem!¡± Richard said.


    Sure enough, the tentacles drifted idly around.


    ¡°Alright, that¡¯s problem one solved,¡± I said. ¡°Philip? Got any ideas how we can rescue them?¡±


    ¡°Perhaps one,¡± Philip said. ¡°Though I fear you¡¯re not going to like it.¡±

 Soulweaver 147: Belly of the Beast

    Our sub lacked any external arms we could use to tow Aerion¡¯s sub, and pushing it was out of the question. Philip was right. This was the only way.


    I groaned. The subs had something for this exact contingency. Their hatches could be mated, presumably for doing something similar to what we were about to attempt.


    The problem? For one, Aerion¡¯s sub wasn¡¯t just caught in a web of tentacles. It was also near the back of the whale¡¯s stomach. I¡¯d wondered why it was so hard to fly the sub before, until Richard pointed out a surge of water just past where Aerion was. It seemed we¡¯d reached the end of the aquatic section of this whale¡¯s innards. Anything past was likely dry, passing through a giant filter, and subs did not fare well in dry spaces. I couldn¡¯t even be certain if there was breathable air on the other side.


    The effect was a current that was both strong and erratic, making any attempt to hover the sub a challenge. Oh, and Aerion¡¯s sub¡¯s hatch was bashed in and mangled.


    Which meant there was no chance in hell of forming a good seal. Problem was, we needed that seal to keep the air inside from rushing out. That air was the one thing keeping us alive, for a few reasons. Humans¡ªand elves, presumably¡ªneeded air to breathe, but we could survive a couple of minutes without it. Not enough time to get to the surface, but at least we wouldn¡¯t die immediately.


    Of course, nothing was ever that easy. Any air we did lose wouldn¡¯t be replenished, with Aerion¡¯s sub being the only other source of oxygen for miles.


    The pressure, however, took a bad situation and made it so much worse. If we lost our air and the water came rushing in? Well, we¡¯d be pulped. Worse, any water that did rush in would slice like a high-powered laser. The pressure was just that unbelievable.


    There was one solution to this problem. And I hated it. I just didn¡¯t have the time to whine about it.


    ¡°Well, here goes nothing,¡± I said, maneuvering the sub upside down, so our hatch aligned with Aerion¡¯s. Needless to say, that made navigating around the sub a royal pain in the ass, and to complete the inverted turn, I had to actually jump out of the seat to brace my feet against the roof of the thing, reaching up to manipulate the levers from below. The upside down, inverted levers.


    Yeah. Not the easiest thing I¡¯d ever done. The erratic current did nothing to make things easier. By the third try, I started to lose hope. When the current foiled my sixth attempt, moving us so far away that I had to flip us right side up so I could fly it back in position, well, let¡¯s just say that I¡¯d never felt so much anxiety in my entire life.


    It was only when, on my tenth attempt when the metal docking collar extended and grabbed onto the hull of Aerion¡¯s sub that I breathed easy. It was most definitely not a perfect seal, but it was at least strong enough to keep the subs together despite the current.


    We also had gravity working in our favor. We¡¯d be upside-down in a sealed sub. So long as that remained the case, the air in our sub, being lighter than the water around it, had no way to escape. It¡¯d have to escape down, through the docking collar.


    Problem was, the water pressure was so high, the surrounding water would compress the air in our sub, flooding it anyway.


    ¡°How could you possibly know all of this?¡± Philip asked, looking thoroughly confused.


    The answer, dear Philip, is open-world underwater exploration and base-building sandbox video games.


    ¡°I know this must look suspicious,¡± I said instead. ¡°I promise I¡¯ll explain everything in due time. For now, I just need you to trust me.¡±


    Richard nodded. ¡°Greg¡¯s got our back, Philip. I can vouch for him.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s not¡­ no, nevermind,¡± Philip said, shaking his head. ¡°Now is not the time. Let¡¯s go.¡±


    ¡°Pump?¡± I asked.


    ¡°Active!¡± Richard replied, flipping the lever to turn the thing on.


    Turned out the reason the pump had been plugged into the wall of the sub was for this exact purpose¡ªit could pump water from the docking port to prevent that exact scenario. Barely.


    The thing strained and groaned against the pressure, and vibrated worryingly.


    ¡°Alright, people, let¡¯s move,¡± I shouted, grabbing the hatch handle and swivelling it open. ¡°Chances are that thing¡¯s gonna break any second.¡±


    With our feet strapped into Philip¡¯s rope restraints, the three of us joined forces to turn it.


    Gravity worked in our favor, with the hatch falling open on its own to reveal a pool of water. Our pump was holding. For now.


    ¡°Fuck, I am so gonna regret this,¡± I said, hyperventilating before diving into the pool.


    Despite bracing for the shock, I couldn¡¯t have predicted how insanely uncomfortable the sensation was.


    Every instinct in my body wanted me to just stay standing there, shivering and unmoving, for as long as possible.


    If I wasn¡¯t wearing my armor and my enchanted clothing, maybe I¡¯d have given up. But some stat, somewhere, let me prevail. With agonizing difficulty, I forced my legs to just move.


    The first motion was the worst. Once I got moving, every subsequent motion became a bit easier as my muscles unseized. Again, I was pretty sure the only reason I didn¡¯t immediately black out was thanks to my Vigor.


    Something shuddered behind me, and all of a sudden, I was being pushed back. Pushed up, towards my sub.


    Fuck!


    The pump had failed faster than I¡¯d feared, and now I had about ten seconds before everyone died.


    Moving as fast as my muscles allowed, I put my hand near the biggest gap between Aerion¡¯s sub and our docking collar and summoned what little lava I had left from my inventory.


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    The superheated rock spewed out like glue paste, steaming up the water nearby as it rapidly cooled into a watertight seal. It worked better than I could have hoped, and in just seconds, I¡¯d plugged most of the gaps. Enough to make a difference, at least.


    Only then did I dare look back at our own sub, fearing the worst.


    Luckily, the worst hadn¡¯t come to pass. My head broke above the surface, gasping for air, about a third of the way up.


    ¡°What happened?¡± Richard asked, his face a mix of fear and relief.


    I gave him a thumbs up. ¡°Should be fine for now. I figure all this water will dump into Aerion¡¯s sub when I open it... assuming hers isn¡¯t fully flooded. Needed some air. I¡¯m going back down. Wish me luck.¡±


    ¡°Good lu¡ª¡±


    I dove before he finished. We might have averted our impending crisis, but Aerion certainly hadn¡¯t.


    Bracing my feet against the sides of the docking collar, I spun the stuck wheel with all my strength, moving it a half turn at a time.


    The thing groaned open, and with an effort that felt like it would pull my arms out of their sockets, I edged the damn thing open.


    Water rushed in immediately¡ªa good sign. That meant there was still air inside Aerion¡¯s sub.


    I just hoped she and Rogar remembered to take a breath before the rest of it poured in, filling her sub to the brim.


    Muttering an apology¡ªI couldn¡¯t imagine the terror Aerion and Rogar would¡¯ve been feeling at that moment¡ªI rushed in the moment their sub filled fully with water.


    The space wasn¡¯t large, and I found Aerion, wide-eyed with fright, almost immediately.


    Her hair floated behind her like a ghostly veil, and when her half-blue half-green eyes found me, they got even wider, and an air bubble escaped from her lips, prompting her to clasp her mouth with both hands.


    I very nearly smiled.


    Then her face melted into something that was equal parts relief and sheer, unfiltered joy. Like she was crying tears of joy, despite being underwater. And despite the ridiculous danger of our situation, despite the fact that a million and one things could end us at any second, a singular thought went through my head at that moment.


    Goddamn, she¡¯s so hot.


    Luckily, smarter human Greg had enough control to shove dumb monkey brain Greg off a cliff, because I managed to grab Aerion¡¯s arm and yank her through the hatch. We were underwater, after all, with a limited oxygen reserve. While our Vigor boosted that time over a regular human, that didn¡¯t make us fish.


    Aerion, to my surprise, resisted, pointing down.


    I looked down to find Rogar, floating with his eyes closed. He wasn¡¯t moving.


    Shit.


    I pointed to Aerion¡¯s chest, then up to our sub. She shook her head, but when I pointed to me, and then to Rogar, she got the hint.


    She hesitated for a second, then she drifted closer.


    I didn¡¯t get it. Didn¡¯t she need air? What was she doing? I started to mime the plan once again, but when Aerion closed to within a few inches, her floating silver hair making her look like some sort of sea nymph, I knew something was wrong. As though caught in a trance, I felt myself powerless to move.


    And then, suddenly, our lips touched, and Aerion grabbed my head, closing her eyes.


    My head went blank, and for the full span of five seconds, I had no thoughts. No panic or pounding heart, no shock or surprise. It just felt¡­ nice. I didn''t even try to resist. I didn''t want to.


    All those other feelings came immediately after, when Aerion broke away and surged up, her boots smacking into my head on her way.


    Seriously, what the hell? Did that really just happen? Holy shit!


    My head was still on fire when I scooped up Rogar, pushing him above me into the docking collar.


    The moment he was, something yanked him up with incredible force, pushing him into our sub.


    I got the same treatment when I entered the docking collar. When Aerion¡¯s delicate fingers closed around my armored hands, I didn¡¯t resist. I let her pull me up into our sub.


    As I hoped, the water level was lower now, with the water barely penetrating the roof of our craft.


    ¡°Rogar!¡± I shouted. ¡°Get him some miracle water! And Richard, CPR!¡±


    ¡°Hard to do much of anything with the sub upside down, Greg!¡± Richard called back. ¡°Believe me, we¡¯re trying.¡±


    I looked around the cramped sub. ¡°Right.¡±


    ¡°Aerion? A hand with the hatch?¡±


    Aerion nodded, and the moment we were fully inside, we worked together to slam the hatch shut and swivel it closed. A surprisingly easy task, considering it must have weighed well over a hundred pounds.


    I started to scramble over to the pilot¡¯s seat, but Aerion had me beat. The genius elf had already flipped the lever to retract the docking collar, causing a horrible groaning, screeching sound.


    ¡°That would be the lava I used to seal the collar to your sub,¡± I said, coughing up some water. ¡°Ignore it. If it doesn¡¯t come loose, just power away. Doesn¡¯t matter if the thing rips off. Don¡¯t need it now.¡±


    Aerion nodded and applied power to the sub. The screeching sound got louder and louder until we felt a jolt, and the sub broke free.


    Aerion pulled the lever to rotate the sub, but the thing barely budged.


    ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± Philip asked, tending to Rogar, who was now on the ceiling of the sub, his body draped over the closed hatch. Richard was administering CPR, applying pressure to his chest, while Philip tried to dribble miracle water down the man¡¯s throat.


    ¡°We¡¯re overweight,¡± Aerion said. ¡°This craft was never designed to carry five people.¡±


    ¡°Will that be a problem?¡± Richard asked.


    ¡°Let her worry about that,¡± I said. ¡°You focus on Rogar.¡±


    ¡°On it!¡±


    I dropped in beside him, relieving him of the task when he got tired. CPR was surprisingly harder than it looked, and usually ended up breaking the ribs of the patient.


    I was about thirty chest pumps in when Rogar jolted awake, sputtering up all the water that Philip had just poured down his throat. I suppose I should have seen that coming.


    ¡°On his side!¡± I said. ¡°Get him on his side. Aerion? Keep the sub inverted for now. Rogar really doesn¡¯t need to be crashing into things right now.¡±


    Aerion looked over her shoulder, pulled her hair back around her ear, and flashed me a small smile before turning back to the sub controls.


    I froze up for longer than I¡¯d like to admit.


    So. That was different.


    The three of us rolled Rogar over, where he belched up even more water before falling into a violent coughing fit.


    He muttered a bunch of words, none of which made any sense, but I thought I caught a ¡®Dominion-damn¡¯ and ¡®curse water¡¯ in there.


    ¡°Well, if you¡¯re well enough to talk, my professional medical opinion is that you¡¯ll pull through,¡± I said, patting Rogar¡¯s shoulder before sitting hard on my butt. The relief was palpable.


    ¡°A bit early to relax, don¡¯t you think?¡± Philip asked.


    I shook my head, smiling. ¡°Sure, we¡¯re in the literal belly of the beast, but hey! We¡¯re all together now. We¡¯re still alive.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s not much,¡± Richard muttered.


    ¡°It¡¯s enough,¡± I said softly, looking around our sub. At Aerion at the helm. At us three, crowded around the recovering Rogar. I exhaled slowly.


    ¡°I don¡¯t know about you all, but I¡¯ve had enough of this goddamned whale. Let¡¯s end this thing.¡±


    Three pairs of eyes returned my stare, their expressions cold and bitter, and three heads nodded back.

 Soulweaver 148: To Rip A New One

    ¡°So let¡¯s go over what we know,¡± I said, once Aerion had maneuvered the sub away from the tentacles, turning it right side up in the process. We were currently floating somewhere inside the whale¡¯s vast belly. Having swallowed us, the whale was no longer thrashing around, and we figured it was safer in here than out there, where the thing would no doubt attack us again.


    Rogar was stable, having consumed more miracle water and was currently resting.


    ¡°And what do we know?¡± Richard asked.


    ¡°For one? This is a whale,¡± I replied. ¡°Or something close enough to a whale that we can probably assume it shares similar anatomy. Sure, it¡¯s about a hundred times larger than any natural whale, but it¡¯s got the same basic shape. It¡¯s got fins, the same sort of mouth and jaw, eyes on its sides, and if I wasn¡¯t mistaken, I saw a blowhole on the top when it passed us by.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s all well and good,¡± Richard said. He sat with his knees up to his chest on the ground in a corner. With this many people on board, there was barely a square inch of free space anywhere. ¡°But what can we do with it?¡±


    ¡°Well, if all the other parts are in the same place¡ªbarring stomach tentacles¡ªit stands to reason its vitals are in the same spot, too, right?¡±


    Richard shook his head. ¡°Been searching for a heart to burst, mate. Haven¡¯t spotted a thing. Either we¡¯re looking in the wrong place, or it¡¯s out of my range. Either way, doubt I¡¯ll have much success bursting something as strong as this beast.¡±


    I smiled. ¡°Oh, I wasn¡¯t talking about the heart. I was talking about its brain. And we know exactly where a whale¡¯s brain is.¡±


    Lightbulbs went off in my friends¡¯ eyes one by one, with Aerion being the first to grasp the full nature of my plan.


    ¡°This will be quite dangerous,¡± Aerion said. ¡°We¡¯ll have to deal with significant currents if its mouth is open, all while being over the weight limit of our craft.¡±


    ¡°I know,¡± I said. ¡°But it¡¯s a risk we¡¯ll have to take. This is our best shot at taking this fucker down, and we¡¯re in the perfect place.¡±


    ¡°Er, someone mind elaborating?¡± Philip asked. ¡°I admit, this is all a bit outside my area of expertise.¡±


    Richard jabbed a thumb at me. ¡°Basically, this nutter wants us to fly the sub up the whale¡¯s throat, then angle the sub up and punch through the roof of its mouth until we hit the whale¡¯s brain. Er, its skull,¡± I added when Philip frowned.


    For the first time, I realized not everyone in this world had the same sort of knowledge modern science had given humans. For the longest time, people thought the heart was where the ¡®soul¡¯ resided, and where we got our consciousness from.


    Axius was more modern than medieval Europe in that regard¡ªprobably thanks to the knowledge past Champions brought with them¡ªbut even then, magic had stunted the development of a lot of what I¡¯d have taken for granted in any developing society. Still, people knew things died when you struck them in the head. Not an especially difficult thing to figure out.


    ¡°Not to alarm anyone, but I recommend we do whatever we¡¯re about to do fast,¡± Aerion said with a concerned frown.


    I moved closer to her seat. ¡°Why? What¡¯s wrong?¡±


    ¡°The submersible¡¯s control levers are acting sluggish,¡± she said. ¡°I¡¯m worried something may have been damaged. It is difficult to say whether they¡¯ll get any worse, but we should get to the surface as quickly as possible¡­ Just in case.¡±


    ¡°You heard her,¡± I said, turning to the others. ¡°Any objections to this plan?¡±


    There was only silence.


    ¡°Alright, then. Full power to the mouth! Let¡¯s brain this motherfucker.¡±


    <hr>


    The way forward was pretty easy¡ªdark, but easy¡ªuntil the damn thing decided to open its colossal mouth. That upset the water, creating a strong current and an immense amount of turbulence, especially near the creature¡¯s outer walls.


    That forced Aerion to keep the sub in the very center, and while that was hard enough on its own, the sluggish responses only made it harder.


    ¡°It¡¯s getting worse,¡± Aerion said, her fingers dancing between the levers to keep the sub oriented properly. If she failed, best case, we lost our progress and had to start over. Worst case, we hit a wall and took more damage. We couldn¡¯t afford either.


    ¡°Just stabilize the sub,¡± I said. ¡°Don¡¯t worry about¡ªwatch out!¡±


    From out of the blackness, an enormous object came flying at us at incredible speed.


    With godlike reflexes, Aerion flipped the controls, sending the sub careening end over end¡ªand barely missing the massive fish or whatever it was.


    Then it was gone, traveling deeper into the whale¡¯s belly, while Aerion corrected our sub¡¯s orientation, getting us back on course.


    ¡°Too close,¡± Aerion said, wiping a bead of sweat from her forehead.


    ¡°Tell me about it. Let¡¯s just pray that one was the last.¡±


    The simpler the threat, the harder it tended to be to defend against, and massive objects hurtling at us were about as simple as threats got.


    Cosmo must have smiled upon us that day, because the whale shut its massive maw soon after gobbling its meal, and the current disappeared, allowing Aerion to dial back the sub¡¯s power.


    We arrived at the entrance soon after.


    ¡°If it opens its mouth again, I won¡¯t be able to keep us in position,¡± Aerion said. ¡°We need to point upward to shoot the torpedoes. The sub only has a propellor on the rear, so we¡¯ll be swept away.¡±


    ¡°Noted,¡± I said, glancing at the loaded torpedo tubes.


    ¡°Chances are good our attack causes the whale to writhe,¡± Philip said. ¡°I¡¯d bet good it¡¯ll open its mouth the moment we do.¡±


    Stolen from its original source, this story is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.


    ¡°I was thinking the same,¡± I replied. ¡°Which is why, Aerion? I want you to send us full speed ahead the moment the torpedoes impact. We all know how much damage those things cause¡ªeven if it doesn¡¯t punch all the way through the skull, it¡¯ll make an opening. One we can hide in. This way, even if the current does push us, we¡¯ll be pushed against that small hole, which we can then widen. We¡¯ll use the same hole to fly out once we¡¯ve finished the job. Can you do that?¡±


    Aerion nodded. ¡°Assuming we can get inside before the current surges, yes.¡±


    ¡°Then we¡¯ll just have to time this perfectly,¡± I said, placing a hand on the 1st Aural Siege Bolt and Initializing it. At 8 Essence a pop and my Essence at 398/410 prior to Initialization, I didn¡¯t actually have enough to Initialize both, but that was fine. These things were devastating enough on their own. Giving it a bit of extra oomph should be all we needed to punch a big first hole.


    ¡°Everyone ready?¡±


    ¡°As we¡¯ll ever be,¡± Richard muttered. ¡°I¡¯ll be on the lookout for any squishy bits I can burst on our way in.¡±


    ¡°Appreciated,¡± I said with a nod. ¡°Alright then. Aerion? Mind doing the¡ªactually, hold up. Think it might be better if Philip launched the torps. Y¡¯know, to get the credit.¡± I glanced down at Rogar, but the blacksmith wasn¡¯t getting up any time soon. I somehow doubted it would count if we put Rogar¡¯s hand on it and pulled the lever for him. These Trials seemed to be pretty good about guarding against cheats and shortcuts that weren¡¯t explicitly intended to be there.


    ¡°Then, with your permission¡­¡± Philip said, glancing at Aerion sitting in the pilot¡¯s seat beside him, who nodded back.


    ¡°Fire the left one first,¡± she said. ¡°Then wait about five seconds before firing the other.¡±


    ¡°Firing!¡± Philip announced, before pulling the lever. The torpedo whooshed out of its tube, followed soon after by the other.


    There was nothing but silence for a moment as the slow-moving projectiles penetrated the inky blackness.


    Then the sound hit us. Dulled by distance and changed by water, the sound of destruction came through loud and clear, and the System Messages I¡¯d been looking out for appeared.


    Aural Siege Bolt [Uncommon] has leveled up from Foundation - 0 to Foundation - 2!


    Aural Siege Bolt [Uncommon] has been destroyed. 8 Essence reclaimed.


    ¡°Now!¡± I muttered, fist clenched against Aerion¡¯s chair, but I shouldn¡¯t have bothered. As always, Aerion was one step ahead, having already pushed the thrust lever full forward. The sub lurched toward what we hoped was a brand new hole in the whale¡¯s side.


    We couldn¡¯t know until we got closer, but the cloud of blood was definitely a good sign. Well, not so much for Aerion, who had to navigate blind right into that using nothing more than where she thought the hole might be.


    ¡°Richard! Philip! You¡¯re up!¡±


    The two men worked as quickly as they could in the cramped space, loading another set of torpedoes, of which I Initialized one.


    Turned out Aerion¡¯s instincts were damn near perfect, because we sailed right into the fresh hole our torpedoes had made. If she¡¯d been even slightly off, we¡¯d have slammed right into the whale¡¯s walls, and while anything made of flesh didn¡¯t sound too hard, this thing might as well have been made of concrete. I doubted our glass canopy would¡¯ve survived the collision.


    A great bellowing roar sounded from all around us. It was louder and more strained than last time, and not just because we were closer to the source.


    ¡°Think we hit it where it hurts,¡± I said. ¡°Everyone brace against something. This won¡¯t be pretty.¡±


    Sure enough, the whale¡¯s maw opened, sending a torrent of water through its gullet. The current affected us, too, but as I¡¯d hoped, it only served to press us against the wound we¡¯d just opened. And, thanks to it being a new wound, the flesh here was actually soft, cushioning our impact.


    The whale¡¯s wails continued, seemingly without end.


    ¡°It¡¯s not stopping!¡± Philip cried after a full thirty seconds had passed.


    ¡°We must be getting close!¡± I shouted. ¡°Philip, fire the left torpedo. One or two more and I think we¡¯ll have it!¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s too dangerous!¡± Richard cried. ¡°You sure we¡¯ve got the distance to make this safe?¡±


    With the right half of our sub buried against the whale¡¯s flesh, only the left tube was safe to fire. Even that was a bit close for comfort, but we¡¯d shot a bunch of these things by now¡ªI was familiar with their range.


    ¡°Aerion?¡± I asked.


    ¡°It is our only hope,¡± she said with a nod. ¡°Do it.¡±


    Philip pulled the lever, but the whoosh was masked by the whale¡¯s cries. I almost felt bad for the thing. Unlike Cyrus, who attacked us for his own personal reasons, this thing was just going about its life. I doubted it was sapient or harbored any ill will against us.


    Still, it was its life against ours, and this was a battle for survival. We heard the torpedo impact, but this time, it was accompanied by the abrupt and immediate cessation of another sound. It took us a moment to realize what had just happened.


    Aural Siege Bolt [Uncommon] has leveled up from Foundation - 0 to Foundation - 2!


    Aural Siege Bolt [Uncommon] has been destroyed. 8 Essence reclaimed.


    ¡°The whale¡¯s cries,¡± Richard muttered. ¡°They¡¯ve stopped!¡±


    Sure enough, a stream of minimized messages flew past my HUD, and when Aerion brought the sub forward, we didn¡¯t find the usual red mist we¡¯d been surrounded in. That was still there, of course, but bits of something occasionally smacked into the canopy, leaving red marks. It didn¡¯t take us long to figure out what.


    ¡°I think I¡¯m going to be sick,¡± Richard said, suddenly looking very ill. To be honest, so did I.


    ¡°Keep it in you,¡± I said, turning away from the gruesome sight. ¡°At least until we get topside. Aerion? Mind getting us out of this?¡±


    Aerion¡¯s face had drained of all color, and she looked stricken as she stared at the bits of brain matter that floated by.


    Seeing her in that state had the weird effect of calming me down.


    I was about to call her name to snap her out of it, but stopped. That¡¯s what I would¡¯ve done before. Instead, I put a gentle hand on her shoulder from behind and squeezed, resting my forehead on the back of her head.


    ¡°You okay?¡± I asked softly.


    Aerion jolted at the contact, but didn¡¯t wiggle away. She nodded imperceptibly. ¡°I am now,¡± she said before turning and giving me a smile. ¡°Thank you.¡±


    I just nodded back awkwardly before clearing my throat. I was really going to have to get used to this new dynamic between us.


    ¡°Why, uh, why don¡¯t we try firing another torpedo?¡± I asked. ¡°Think one or two more ought to punch us through.¡±


    ¡°Right,¡± Aerion said. ¡°Philip? If you wouldn¡¯t mind?¡±


    ¡°On it,¡± Philip replied, but was interrupted by another voice.


    ¡°Forgotten about old me, have you?¡±


    We all turned to see Rogar sitting up, massaging his head.


    ¡°You¡¯re back!¡± Richard said.


    Rogar scowled. ¡°I was never gone, you dolt! Now, somebody help me up. Got a bomb to load.¡±


    I was about to tell the blacksmith to get some rest, but I knew he¡¯d ignore me.


    And so this time, Rogar loaded both tubes and fired, thus earning his keep. Hopefully.


    Twin impacts sounded out, and this time, a whoosh of current carried us forward. Aerion let it, sending us out of the hole we¡¯d just blasted through the whale¡¯s skull.


    In just moments, we were out, sailing through the inky black ocean.


    ¡°Aerion?¡± I said, squeezing her shoulder. ¡°Take us up.¡±


    I¡¯d had enough diving for a lifetime. Or ten. Yet when I peeked at those System messages, I found it all but impossible to wipe stupid grin off my face.


    Congratulations! [Initializer] (Epic) has leveled up from Divergence - 1 to Divergence - 2!


    Congratulations! [Initializer] (Epic) has leveled up from Divergence - 2 to Divergence - 3!


    Maybe deep, dark abysses weren¡¯t so bad, after all.

 Soulweaver 149: Lost In Translation

    The blackness gave way to a deep blue that became brighter and brighter as we ascended. To reduce the strain on our beleaguered sub, Aerion had us ascending at about half the max rate, so the journey took a while.


    That gave me plenty of time to look over my new gains. I honestly hadn¡¯t expected much, considering the low rank of this Trial, but that Trial Guardian had been a notch or two above the Obsidian Dragon. I doubted we would¡¯ve had any chance of taking the thing down from the outside, and if our sub¡¯s propulsion had been any weaker, or if it had been damaged, our strategy wouldn¡¯t have worked.


    In fact, I doubted attacking anywhere other than the whale¡¯s brain would have done enough damage to kill the thing with the ammo we had onboard.


    Which must have been why I¡¯d gained not just one, but two levels, vaulting me to D - 3. The bolts had pushed me over the edge, gaining a number of levels upon impact. Just that they¡¯d been destroyed a moment later.


    Even so, I was pretty pleased with my gains. With a new Essence budget of 490, of which 424 were currently consumed, I had a lot more free Essence to work with.


    Enough, even, to start fantasizing about my next armor set.


    Aerion had likewise seen some impressive gains, jumping one level to E - 8 after that fight. I guessed she gained less because my Siege Bolts had done most of the work in killing the thing, but her expert maneuvering had sent her Grace stat soaring.


    I pulled up her current stats.


    Stats available to distribute: 32


    Vigor:   54 (Max: 60)


    Order:  8  (Max: 8)


    Wisdom:  14 (Max: 30)


    Passion:  2 (Max: 2)


    Grace:  42 (Max: 42)


    Cunning:  21 (Max: 25)


    Dominion: 64 (Max: 74)


    She¡¯d been distributing points along the way, more or less according to the scheme we¡¯d discussed for her. While not a well rounded build, I definitely felt her stats complemented her fighting style. I didn¡¯t need the numbers to see that¡ªshe¡¯d become quite the force to be reckoned with, persisting longer in [Reave] while also being far stronger. She hardly ever passed out these days¡ªa testament to her Essence pool and the fact that we had all gotten a lot better at killing things.


    As for my stats, they weren¡¯t too shabby either.


    Vigor:   34 (Max: 34) (Max Trained: 49)


    Order:  1  (Max: 1) (Max Trained: 14)


    Wisdom:  28 (Max: 28) (Max Trained: 41)


    Passion:  12 (Max: 12) (Max Trained: 20)


    Grace:  74 (Max: 74)


    Cunning:  15 (Max: 15) (Max Trained: 23)


    Dominion: 48 (Max: 48) (Max Trained: 62)


    Many of my stats had suffered due to my Grace build, but that was the nature of min-maxing. My Dominion, for instance, had been trained all the way up to 62, but due to the gear I currently wore, that was capped at 48. The moment I put on Dominion-heavy gear, though, it¡¯d jump back up.


    Which basically meant that, ignoring [Reave], my unfettered stats exceeded Aerion¡¯s across the board. Unlike her, however, I could change that distribution as easily as changing clothes. With more armor suits, that advantage would only heighten.


    I¡¯d really have to get more gear to enhance my Grace, though. I never thought I¡¯d hit that ceiling as fast as I did.


    Heavy breathing brought me out of my daydreaming. The mood was tense our whole way up, with all of us fearing another whale attack. With this many people weighing the sub down, it was slow going, and I could almost feel the anxiety in our cramped confines.


    ¡°Anyone else ever been so relieved to see blue water?¡± Richard asked.


    ¡°Never,¡± Philip replied.


    ¡°Being able to see the thing attacking us goes a long way,¡± I said with a chuckle. ¡°Something tells me we¡¯re home free, though.¡±


    Almost before the words were out of my mouth, four pairs of eyes glared back at me, forcing me to throw my hands up in defeat.


    Jinxes or not, our sub ascended peacefully, with the water growing brighter and brighter, until we punched through the surface.


    Rogar instantly fell seasick from the bobbing, and we had to rush to open the hatch to let him hurl in time. That was a close call.


    I crawled out after he¡¯d had his moment, and having gone through this rigamarole before, I knew exactly what to look for.


    ¡°Do you see anything?¡± Aerion asked.


    ¡°Actually? Yeah.¡±


    ¡°You see the pillar of light?¡±


    ¡°Sure do. I also see the island. Looks like our fight with the whale didn¡¯t take us as far away as I thought.¡±


    We¡¯d followed the line of castles all the way for the express purpose of being close to the island when we surfaced, but I could¡¯ve sworn the whale had taken us miles out.


    ¡°Guess it was mostly writhing in pain while we punched holes into it,¡± Richard said, popping his head out. ¡°God, is it good to see the sun again.¡±


    I jumped out onto the hull to allow everyone their turn to bask in the sun.


    Our well-earned relaxation was interrupted when a series of waves suddenly rocked our sub, forcing everyone inside. Philip slipped off, forcing me to dive after him, but we thankfully managed to get everyone onboard and shut the hatch.


    Stolen from its rightful author, this tale is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.


    Not a moment too soon, either, because an enormous wave sent the sub sideways before Aerion had the good sense to dive.


    Not out of fear for our sub, but the disaster that was about to unfold if Rogar endured any more rocking.


    Once we¡¯d descended about twenty feet, we no longer felt a thing, and after Aerion angled us up, we saw the cause of the turbulence.


    Like a black gash in the water, something bobbed on the surface, extending into the distance like a wall.


    It took me a moment to register what we were looking at.


    ¡°No way¡­¡±


    The instant Aerion surfaced the sub, I swiveled open the hatch and peeked out.


    ¡°What? What is it?¡± someone called out from below.


    ¡°See for yourself,¡± I said, moving to a side.


    Richard peeked out, and like me, his jaw dropped.


    It was the carcass of the whale we¡¯d killed. In the dark depths of the ocean, it was safe to say we¡¯d all underestimated its size.


    Forget sailing to shore¡ªwe could just walk across our rubbery new land bridge all the way there.


    <hr>


    ¡°So, uh, anyone interested in looking for the core?¡± I asked, once we¡¯d all debarked onto the whale. Rogar was the happiest at this decision, since the thing didn¡¯t bob nearly as much as our tiny sub. Its flesh was slick and wet, but none of us complained. Land wasn¡¯t far.


    That lack of complaining was more than made up for by the glares I got back from everyone, however. Glares that would¡¯ve frozen Passion¡¯s own heart. Which, of course, meant the herculean task landed on my shoulders.


    We definitely didn¡¯t have the time to search a miles-long whale for a tiny orb, nor did I have any intention of entering this thing¡¯s guts again. I¡¯d had my fill of whale innards for a lifetime.


    I was in the middle of agonizing over what to do when we came across the whale¡¯s head. I¡¯d been worrying about crossing a chasm of brain innards, but the thing¡¯s head was so big that the hole we¡¯d punched looked downright tiny in comparison. It was off to one side, which meant we could bypass it entirely if we wanted.


    I looked at my companions. ¡°Am I seriously gonna dive into that?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s the most logical place for a core,¡± Richard said, clapping my shoulder.


    ¡°You said it yourself,¡± Philip chimed in, clapping my other shoulder.


    ¡°Well, sure, but is it worth it?¡± I knew the answer the moment I uttered those words. For someone like me, leaving behind treasure was borderline impossible. It was unholy. It went against everything I believed in.


    And so, sure enough, I jumped into the hole. Alone.


    Despite a cloth wrapped around my nose and mouth, and despite doing my best to hold my breath, the stench was something else. Seawater mixed in with oxidizing brain matter to make for a truly disgusting experience. As if the gray-red folds of gore weren''t bad enough.


    Worse¡ªI had to dig through this. Thank all the gods for my inventory.


    Light of the Fearless made quick work of the job, and thanks to my inventory, I was able to scoop up pieces of gore and [Launch] them overboard without actually touching it. I had to wonder if anyone in the history of gaming had ever thought to use their inventory as a vacuum cleaner. A gray matter vacuum cleaner at that.


    I somehow doubted it.


    The task went fast¡ªits brain was large, to be sure, but it felt disproportionately tiny for something this massive. I¡¯d been expecting a mansion¡ªsized brain. What I got was something closer to an apartment.


    I vacuumed out the last of its brain without luck. To be fair, the ice serpent¡¯s core was deep in its belly, not its head.


    I was about to turn around and leave when I looked down the hole our sub had made. Light didn¡¯t penetrate far into the whale¡¯s maw, but strangely, there was a source down there that let me see. Like a tiny candle, incredibly faint, but highly visible in the total darkness.


    Spurred by my curiosity, I edged closer to the entrance of the hole we¡¯d blasted with the sub. In front of me was a sheer drop of about a hundred feet, to the bottom of the whale¡¯s mouth. Its enormous teeth, each easily two stories tall, remained firmly shut.


    The smell was even worse in here.


    There was no denying it, though. Whatever that thing was, I needed to check it out.


    ¡°Aerion?¡± I shouted back up. ¡°I¡¯ve removed most of the gore. Uh, Would you mind coming down here with me? I, uh, I¡¯d really love to have you around.¡±


    I¡¯d expected a whole laundry list of reasons why she couldn¡¯t, or wouldn¡¯t, and to be fair, she¡¯d have been entirely justified in refusing.


    Instead, I just got a ¡°I¡¯ll be right there,¡± followed by my favorite elf peeking her head into the opening.


    It only took her a few moments to jump into the hole and join me inside.


    ¡°Huh.¡±


    ¡°What?¡± Aerion asked.


    ¡°Nothing. Just, this is the first time we¡¯ve been alone in a while. Never imagined our first date would be so¡­ wet.¡±


    Aerion cupped her face in one hand and groaned. ¡°Is this to be my fate? Doomed to endure your terrible jokes?¡±


    ¡°Hey! You never said my jokes were terrible!¡± I said, exaggeratedly clutching my heart.


    Aerion rolled her eyes. ¡°As your betrothed, I am telling you this now.¡±


    ¡°That doesn¡¯t mean you can¡ªhey, wait. Betrothed!?¡±


    Aerion¡¯s eyes widened, before turning introspective. Her ears slowly drooped. ¡°Yes? Is¡­ is that not what we are?¡±


    ¡°It was just one kiss!¡± I blurted. ¡°I mean, we haven¡¯t even talked about it yet!¡±


    ¡°A kiss you accepted,¡± Aerion said suspiciously. ¡°Did you not?¡±


    ¡°Well, sure, but¡ª¡±


    ¡°Then why would we not be betrothed?¡±


    ¡°You serious?¡±


    Aerion tilted her head. ¡°Why wouldn''t I be?¡±


    Well, shit. It was my turn to groan this time. Was I the weird one for having reservations about the whole Blessing situation? I supposed that without the ability to Uninitialize Aerion¡­ no, this was neither the time nor the place to be having this sort of internal monologue.


    ¡°I think I¡¯ve made a terrible mistake,¡± I muttered, which were decidedly not the right words at that time, as evidenced by Aerion going completely stiff and wide-eyed.


    ¡°You mean¡­¡±


    ¡°Oh! No! Sorry,¡± I followed up immediately. ¡°My bad, that¡¯s not what I meant. I¡¯m into you. Like, for sure.¡±


    Aerion looked thoroughly confused. ¡°Into me? I don¡¯t understand.¡±


    I let out a breath. ¡°I like you, Aerion. And clearly, you like me.¡±


    ¡°So, you wish to marry, then?¡±


    ¡°No! At least, not until we talk through some stuff. Even then, I¡¯d like to take things slow.¡±


    Aerion nodded in understanding. ¡°You wish to meet my family, to seek their approval. Of course, I should have anticipated that. But, well, that may prove to be a bit of an issue. My family is, well, you know¡­¡±


    ¡°Oh, that¡¯s, uh, not what I meant,¡± I said quickly, not wanting to bring up any unpleasant memories. My shoulders sagged and I felt like my translator had suddenly failed me. Why was this so goddamn hard?


    Aerion¡¯s ears drooped even further, and her expression wallowed between disappointment and confusion.


    ¡°Hey,¡± I said in as soft a voice as I could muster. Conversation had clearly failed, so I took action instead, moving closer to Aerion. My hands moved to her shoulders, and after a moment¡¯s hesitation, I gently held them. ¡°There¡¯s a whole bunch of cultural differences we¡¯re gonna have to work out with this. Not to mention the quirks of our situation. I¡¯m from another planet, and, well, you¡¯ve seen how uh, different I can be. I¡¯ve got no clue how your culture does things either. We¡¯ll talk things through. Sort it out one step at a time. Just not now? And especially not here. Can you wait until we¡¯re back at Basecrest? I¡¯ll pour my heart out. Promise.¡±


    I felt my cheeks flush, and saw the same in Aerion¡¯s.


    ¡°Okay,¡± she mumbled, giving me a small smile and an even smaller nod.


    ¡°Good! That¡¯s good. Now, I dunno about you, but I¡¯d love to get out of here as soon as possible. Feel like climbing down there with me to grab that glowing green thing?¡±


    Aerion, with red cheeks and ears that matched, pushed lightly against my chest and shook her head, smiling as she did. ¡°Who would? But I¡¯ll join you anyway, so lead on!¡±

 Soulweaver 150: Shut Up

    The journey was worth it. After climbing down the stinking, fleshy wall of the whale¡¯s mouth, we finally reached the glowing green thing. Which was, in fact, the whale¡¯s core. It must have been dislodged when we blasted a hole out of its brain, because it was just sitting there, not connected to anything.


    ¡°Is it just me?¡± Aerion asked, staring at the orb in her hands. ¡°Or is this one larger than the others?¡±


    ¡°Definitely larger,¡± I said. ¡°The others were tangerine sized. This one¡¯s a grapefruit.¡±


    ¡°Tan-ger-een?¡± Aerion asked, frowning up at me.


    ¡°I guess you don¡¯t have those here,¡± I said. ¡°Orange fruit. Very sweet. Delicious. Or at least, it is thanks to hundreds of years of selective breeding.¡±


    ¡°I have no idea what that means, and I am not in the mood to ask,¡± Aerion said, giving me a wry smile.


    ¡°Touch¨¦. Also, I get the feeling you¡¯re more talkative now.¡±


    ¡°Really?¡± Aerion asked, pushing her hair behind her ear. ¡°I didn¡¯t notice.¡±


    ¡°Well, I like it, so keep it up,¡± I said, flashing her a thumbs up. Now, let¡¯s see what this bad boy¡¯s all about.


    I put a hand on the orb, bringing up its Status Screen.


    Soul Crystal (Abyssal Warwal) [Rare]


    A Soul Crystal from a creature so colossal, so terrifying, it goes about its days minding its business searching for food. All so it doesn¡¯t starve. Truly heinous! The pit of all evil! And you murdered it in cold blood. Feel proud, Greg. Feel very proud, you horrible human being.


    Grade: Divergence


    Abilities:


    ¡ª Resilience of the Deep: For sixty seconds, gain an additional 25% to Vigor.


    Stats:


    ¡ª Vigor: + 160


    I blinked. Divergence? Seriously? That both confused me and explained a lot. Its danger level and the fact that we''d taken it down gelled with a high D Rank monster in my head. But how the hell was it so big? If D Rank monsters were this big, I didn¡¯t even want to guess at how big A Rankers were. Though size wasn¡¯t everything, as Cyrus had proven, I had to wonder if this thing was special. Maybe a mutated, overgrown monster made just for situations like these?


    Also, this crystal was utterly broken in the ¡®how is this even possible?¡¯ way. A fixed percentage boost to my Vigor on top of that absurd boost? This would put my Vigor on par with Aerion¡¯s Dominion while she was Reaving!


    I supposed it made sense, considering how resilient the beast it came from was. We could''ve expended a thousand Siege Bolts and not fazed it, had we attacked it more conventionally.


    This one crystal alone gave me so many ideas about what I¡¯d do once I unlocked another Armor Set. Considering I was currently at D - 3 and such upgrades tended to happen at the half rank mark, I likely didn¡¯t have far to go.


    ¡°Y¡¯know? Between this, the ores we found, and those bolt cores, we managed quite the haul, don¡¯t you think?¡±


    Aerion nodded vigorously. ¡°I can¡¯t even fathom how much the Siege Bolts will sell for. Not that you¡¯d sell them, of course,¡± she quickly added upon seeing my expression.


    ¡°How about we chat about this topside? I¡¯m a little sick of the stench.¡±


    ¡°Yes. Let¡¯s.¡±


    I took one last look at the yawning cavern that was the inside of the whale. It literally went on for miles. What secrets lay buried deep inside its stomach?


    Were this a game, I would absolutely find out. But the act of physically tearing open dead guts was far more disgusting than clicking a button on a mouse. I didn¡¯t regret not staying and exploring one bit.


    Everyone was chatting amiably when we got out.


    ¡°So?¡± Philip asked. ¡°Any bets on whether we¡¯ve got another fight on our hands?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯d take that bet,¡± I replied, climbing out of the whale¡¯s brain hole after Aerion. ¡°It¡¯s pretty obvious to me that the Trial¡¯s throwing tougher enemies at us since we¡¯re so high-leveled.¡±


    And possibly because we have two Champions here, I didn¡¯t add. I wouldn¡¯t be surprised if the Trials had special mechanisms to help train the Champions.


    ¡°I take it your whale spelunking was a success?¡±


    I held up the core. ¡°I¡¯d say so!¡±


    Richard whistled. ¡°Would you look at the size of that one!¡±


    The core was passed around for everyone to ogle before it went back into my inventory, where it would safely remain until we were out.


    ¡°So you think we¡¯re in for another fight, eh?¡± Richard asked.


    I was about to reply when a deep roar from the island made us all turn our heads. Moments later, the dragon took to the sky, beating its wings until it was at the same altitude as the peak of the mountain that dominated the island. It then began circling the island.


    ¡°Well, I guess that means I win,¡± I said without emotion. ¡°Seriously, can¡¯t we get a break? Just once?¡±


    ¡°Sorry, Greg,¡± Richard said, clapping my shoulder. ¡°You picked nightmare difficulty, I¡¯m afraid. What do you reckon it¡¯s doing?¡±


    ¡°Probably looking for food,¡± I said. ¡°Hawks do the same thing, don¡¯t they?¡±


    Sure enough, after a few minutes, the dragon dove for the forest. When it appeared again, it had something in its mouth. It retreated to its lair soon after.


    You might be reading a pirated copy. Look for the official release to support the author.


    ¡°If we¡¯re lucky, it¡¯ll have the same level of strength as we encountered on floor five,¡± I said. It almost felt like we were glitching the Trial with this much power and this many Champions present. I wondered how often Champions grouped up to take down Trials.


    Considering how possessive each god was about their Champion, probably not often.


    ¡°Lucky?¡± Rogar barked. ¡°What in Dominion¡¯s name is lucky about that terror? We nearly got our arses roasted last time!¡±


    I was about to argue, but it was hard to deny that Rogar and Philip had been just moments away from death that whole battle. Richard, too. Aerion and I, though? While taking a swipe of its claw wouldn¡¯t be pretty, I doubted either of us would die to a single hit. Aside from its black flame breath, of course. I had no idea how we¡¯d fare against that. Remembering the devastation that caused to the forest last time, probably not great.


    ¡°Still, it¡¯s our best bet. Aerion and I have fought it twice now, and we know its weakness¡ªlike the material it''s made of, it¡¯s strong, but brittle. And unlike the past two times, we now have a weapon that can mince it.¡±


    ¡°The Bolt Cores, you mean?¡± Richard asked.


    I nodded. ¡°I¡¯ve confirmed that the bombs will detonate if I fire them with [Launch]. They don¡¯t fly especially far, nor are they particularly stable in the air, but they¡¯ll do. Besides, I¡¯m guessing the stupid dragon¡¯s gonna munch on any projectile we send at its mouth, so it¡¯ll do the job for us, even if the bolt fails to detonate on its own. I know from experience it only takes one of those inside it to end the thing.¡±


    ¡°But what of our contribution?¡± Rogar asked. ¡°We should help in killing the beast.¡±


    I shook my head. ¡°No, you¡¯d better let me handle it. Aerion and I nearly died the first time around trying to lure it into a trap. Just sheer dumb luck that saved us in the end. I¡¯d rather not tempt fate a second time. You¡¯ve all contributed to our fights thus far. Especially against the whale. That was a team effort if I ever saw one. Trust in that, and let me deliver some quality payback.¡±


    <hr>


    There was no grand plan or devious strategy this time. Aerion climbed down the chasm with Rogar on her back, and I did the same with Philip. Then Aerion went back up to grab Richard and repeated the process.


    Then, cracking my fingers, I set out into the dragon¡¯s lair with Aerion by my side.


    ¡°So,¡± Aerion said the moment we were out of eyesight of the others, slipping her fingers into my free hand.


    I didn¡¯t resist.


    ¡°Does kissing in your culture not indicate romantic affection?¡± she asked.


    Her hands were so soft! And so small! I¡¯d never noticed until now. How could such dainty fingers wield all that raw power? Her strength put mine to shame.


    Seriously, it blew my mind. Magic was the obvious answer, but¡ª


    ¡°Greg?¡± Aerion asked, peering up into my eyes. ¡°Are you well?¡±


    Damn. Was she always this cute?


    ¡°S-sorry,¡± I stammered, feeling suddenly hot. ¡°No, uh, it very much does. Especially a kiss on the lips. Gotta say, I was not expecting that.¡±


    ¡°Quite rude of you, you know? Forcing the girl to make the first move. It¡¯s the man who¡¯s supposed to initiate.¡±


    ¡°O-oh, yeah?¡± I said sheepishly, navigating us around a pile of bones. ¡°I mean, Philip said as much. Things were actually pretty similar back on Earth for a long time, too. We¡¯ve moved away from that recently, though.¡±


    ¡°Then, why the hesitation?¡± Aerion asked, glancing at me out of the corner of her eye. ¡°You did say you harbor affections for me, and yet¡­¡±


    ¡°No worries there,¡± I said. ¡°Hell, I feel like every little gesture you make is cute. No, believe me, you¡¯ve got me wrapped around your little finger so tight it¡¯ll turn blue.¡±


    Aerion didn¡¯t respond, but I figured she caught my meaning by how her ears turned redder.


    Walking along like this felt¡­ nice.


    ¡°Just, we¡¯ve got some issues to sort through, Aerion. Your Blessing, namely. Stuff we probably shouldn¡¯t get into in the middle of a Trial. Besides, even aside from that, there¡¯s generally a courting period before getting married. That can be as short as a few days to as long as a decade in some cases. Some people never even get married.¡±


    ¡°Yet they live together? As friends?¡± The very idea sounded like I was telling Aerion about aliens. Ironic, since I was one. For her to be totally onboard with extraterrestrial life and flip out over marriage customs? Some things would forever remain a mystery.


    ¡°Nope, romantically,¡± I said. ¡°People usually get together and see if they¡¯re good for each other first. Go out on dates, do romantic things together. That¡¯s honestly the best part.¡±


    ¡°Is it?¡± Aerion asked, eyes downturned. ¡°I wouldn¡¯t know.¡±


    I raised a brow. ¡°You¡¯ve never been in a relationship? Oh, right. That would mean you¡¯d have to marry in your culture, I guess¡­¡±


    ¡°Precisely. And no, I¡¯ve never been married.¡±


    ¡°I see. Thing is, neither have I.¡±


    ¡°But you¡¯ve been romantically involved before?¡± Aerion asked. Not one to pull her punches, this elf.


    ¡°I, uh. Yeah, I have,¡± I said. ¡°Just once, really. The others never really went anywhere.¡±


    ¡°Others?¡± Aerion asked incredulously.


    ¡°Just one or two. Look, this is very normal for people on my world. Not uncommon to have a half dozen relationships or more before you find your lifelong partner.¡±


    ¡°Oh. I see,¡± Aerion said, looking very conflicted. ¡°This is quite different from how elves court.¡±


    ¡°Huh. So humans are more like what I described?¡± I asked.


    ¡°Not quite,¡± Aerion said, fidgeting. ¡°Though I have heard that humans generally choose their partners. Elven marriages are generally arranged by one¡¯s family.¡±


    ¡°Ah,¡± I said, the lightbulb clicking in my head. ¡°Actually, that¡¯s the norm with some Earth cultures as well. Or it used to be. As I said, things have changed.¡±


    When we stopped at the entrance of the sleeping dragon¡¯s chamber, I turned and held both of Aerion¡¯s hands in mine.


    ¡°So, uh, would you be cool with taking things slow? At least for now, until I sort through all of my baggage? You¡¯re¡­ you¡¯re precious to me, Aerion. I realize that now. Everything we¡¯ve been through? This synergy we¡¯ve got going? I think it¡¯s really something special. Which is why I don¡¯t want to fuck this up. I¡¯ll be honest, I¡¯ve got more jitters about this than speedrunning Diablo II on Hell difficulty. Oh, uh, you wouldn¡¯t get that. Sorry, I meant¡ª¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s hard for you,¡± Aerion said with a giggle. ¡°Greg, I¡¯ve known you for a while now. I¡¯ve had plenty of time to catch on.¡±


    ¡°Right.¡±


    ¡°And, yes,¡± she said.


    ¡°Uh, yes?¡±


    The dragon snorted awake, biting groggily at the air. I really wished it would shut up. Couldn¡¯t it see we were having a moment?


    ¡°To whether I would be alright proceeding slowly. ¡®Tis quite unusual for my kind, but, well, there¡¯s little that¡¯s usual about you, wouldn¡¯t you say? To say nothing of our relationship.¡±


    ¡°True that,¡± I muttered.


    My words were answered by a deafening roar.


    Aerion and I turned simultaneously and shouted back.


    ¡°Shut up!¡±


    I extended an arm and fired two Bolt cores.


    As expected, the stupid dragon opened wide and chomped down on them both, snatching them from midair.


    It was the last thing it ever did.


    Anticipating the explosion, I moved forward to shield Aerion, but was handily pushed to the side.


    ¡°I don¡¯t need protecting,¡± she muttered, as a hailstorm of obsidian glass peppered us.


    I hardly noticed. I was too busy staring into her mesmerizing half-blue half-green eyes.

 Soulweaver 151: Electric Town

    The white ¡®congratulations, here are your rewards for not dying¡¯ room looked identical to how I remembered it, with a massive projection of Dominion¡¯s head and shoulders looming over us, telling us how we¡¯d conducted ourselves with honor and¡­ yadda yadda.


    One could only listen to the same canned animation so many times before losing interest. I felt like something like this would earn a whole slew of one-star ratings back on Earth, but I suppose if your society was medieval, you¡¯d watch it enraptured like Rogar and Philip were. Hell, even Richard¡¯s eyes were glued to the screen.


    The only ones who weren¡¯t were myself and Aerion, who was staring up at my eyes. I thought about sneaking a kiss when no one was looking, but decided that was very much preteen behavior, and that I was better than that.


    Instead, I restrained myself¡­ only for Aerion to stand on her toes and give me a kiss a moment later after she confirmed no one was looking.


    We promptly proceeded to make out. So much for restraint.


    It was only Richard¡¯s cough that forced us apart a split-second before Rogar and Philip turned to look.


    My head got hot and I felt incredibly stupid. What were we, high school kids hiding their first love behind their parents? We didn¡¯t have to hide anything. Then again, the stupid grin on my face was proof of how much I was enjoying this.


    I figured it was the same sort of thrill you got when committing an innocent crime or telling a lie. Even mundane actions became exciting, and making out with Aerion was uh, well, it was anything but mundane. Even with her dressed like a guy. Damn. Maybe that made it even better?


    Dominion¡¯s repetitive speech finally ended and Philip and Rogar were bathed in light, allowing me to breathe easy. I couldn¡¯t know whether they¡¯d received a Boon or a Blessing, but by the light and their stunned, happy looks, they must¡¯ve gotten something.


    As for me, while there wasn¡¯t a soul seed option like I¡¯d received in the Cataclysm Dungeon, I couldn¡¯t exactly complain. I hadn¡¯t expected the experience boost to do much, but considering the enemies we faced, the Trial apparently felt I ought to be rewarded.


    Between this and the Trial Guardian fight¡ªif you could call it that¡ªI jumped three levels, bringing me to D - 4. Aerion, meanwhile, had just hit E - MAX, having risen three levels too. While it looked like she was catching up, I suspected that state of affairs wouldn¡¯t last long. Especially now that she was using an Initialized Aurora. My guess was that I¡¯d start pulling ahead before long, though I¡¯d be delighted if she leveled as fast as I did.


    The slew of leveling meant she had a bunch of stats to spend, and I had a ton more free Essence to play with. When combined with Rocky¡¯s dropping Essence cost, that meant I was now at 432/530. Enough to start Initializing things when we were out. Maybe even prep for my next Armor Set.


    ¡°Well?¡± I asked, approaching Rogar and Philip. ¡°Spill the beans. What did you guys get?¡±


    ¡°Dominion saw fit to grant me Shield Wall,¡± Philip said with his chest puffed out. It must¡¯ve been really puffed for me to notice it under his Basecrest plate armor. ¡°It¡¯s an Emergence-Rank boon, augmenting my defense. I can create phantom shields beside my own, or have them circle me, protecting me from all sides.¡±


    Well, that was something. ¡°How strong are they?¡±


    ¡°Apparently they¡¯ll have half the durability of my current shield.¡±


    My eyebrow raised. ¡°Now that is something. That could become seriously impressive with a quality shield.¡±


    ¡°Precisely my thought,¡± Philip replied, beaming. ¡°I honestly never imagined Dominion would value my contributions this much.¡±


    I had to wonder about that. What we got was a recording. My guess was Dominion had no clue when someone cleared his Trial. I couldn¡¯t imagine the god getting notified each and every time across all of his various Trials. Across centuries and millennia, he¡¯d go insane.


    No, I suspected the true entity here was that Covenant Core that kept showing up in the System Messages, usually when my unique set of circumstances errored it out. It sounded an awful like the central computer, or intelligence, responsible for overseeing these sorts of things. If that was true, then Boons and Blessings were being doled out based on some algorithm.


    I wonder what the people of Axius would say if they found out their godly gifts came from a machine?


    ¡°Congratulations, Philip,¡± I said, exchanging arm clasps with the older warrior. I mentioned none of my ruminations. That was all they were, for now¡ªconjectures and theories. Not worth voicing until I had more evidence. ¡°You earned every bit of it. Hope you¡¯re planning on celebrating.¡±


    ¡°Oh, believe you me, as soon as we¡¯re out, I¡¯m hitting the best tavern in town.¡±


    I let out a breath of air. ¡°You sure that¡¯s a good idea, Philip? They won¡¯t know what hit them!¡±


    Philip burst out into laughter. It was good to see the man so relieved. The past few days hadn¡¯t been easy on him and Rogar.


    Speaking of, I turned my attention to the blacksmith who wore an expression I wasn¡¯t at all expecting.


    ¡°Uh, Rogar? Something wrong? You got a Boon, didn¡¯t you?¡±


    Rogar looked up at me and scowled. ¡°Aye. Emergence Rank at that.¡±


    ¡°So, what¡¯s the problem?¡±


    ¡°The problem is it¡¯s Dominion-damned useless!¡± he swore, before hurriedly glancing at the god¡¯s projection.


    Dominion¡¯s recording wasn¡¯t bothered in the least, smiling down upon them with his arms crossed, giving them the occasional nod of approval.


    I fought not to roll my eyes. It was hard¡ªthe temptation was great.


    ¡°Why don¡¯t you tell me about your Boon, and then we¡¯ll see if it¡¯s useless.¡±


    ¡°Draining Hand,¡± Rogar said in a lower voice, as though Dominion would suddenly reach out and rescind his Boon. ¡°Lets me suck the heat out of things. I¡¯m a blacksmith, Greg! A blacksmith! My lifeblood is heat! What good is a cold forge? Nothing! I¡¯ll be a laughingstock, I tell you!¡±


    If you find this story on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen. Please report the infringement.


    ¡°Alright, let¡¯s just calm down and¡ª!?¡±


    The world whirred around me, blurring as it did. When it stopped, I was stuck in the middle of a crowd on an extremely busy street. People young and old passed me by, from smart suit-wearing businessmen to young punky teens with bleached hair. Women with handbags to grandmas. The sound of car traffic in the distance completed the scene of a modern-day metropolis, bustling with life. Yet despite the ocean of people occupying every square inch of the sidewalk, not one shoved me or pushed. Also, nearly everyone wore medical masks.


    I looked around dazedly¡­ Past the crowd was a jungle of glass and concrete buildings, ranging from five stories to ten. Everything from ''80s retro to the ultramodern. And on their walls were no end of billboards in an eye-bleeding assortment of garish colors.


    When one of the oversized LCDs surged to life, showing the words Doki Doki! Waku Waku!  I knew exactly where I was.


    ¡°You¡¯ve got to be shitting me.¡±


    ¡°Konnichiwa, Guhregu!¡± a familiar voice called.


    I found the silver haired god standing at the corner of a nearby highrise, near a shop that occupied the first floor of the building, wearing a coat made of white feathers and black leather. That was all I could see from my position, so I weaved through the crowd to my patron deity.


    Up close, I saw he wore heeled boots, skinny leather jeans¡ªwhich were ripped¡ªchains that hung off of them, and a shirt so short it showed some of his chiseled abs. And the coat, of course. To complete the look, he had a gunblade slung across his shoulder.


    ¡°Greg-san, we meet again,¡± he said in a low, edgy sort of voice. ¡°I have awaited this day for a thousand years.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m sure,¡± I said, already feeling the onset of a headache. ¡°Nice to see you too, Cosmo. But why here, of all places?¡±


    ¡°What, you don¡¯t like it?¡± Cosmo asked in his normal voice. ¡°I was sure you would! This is supposed to be a holy place in your culture, right?¡±


    ¡°No! Well, you¡¯re not strictly wrong, but no! I¡¯m not that way. And I am definitely not a weeb.¡±


    ¡°A weeb?¡± Cosmo asked, frowning in confusion before his eyes lit up in understanding. ¡°Ah! A weeaboo! Greg, I think we both know you¡¯re absolutely a weeaboo. What about those figures you keep in your room?¡±


    ¡°Those are action figures, Cosmo,¡± I corrected, thoroughly unsurprised that he''d invaded the privacy of my room back on Earth. ¡°Totally different from the figurines you¡¯d find at a place like this!¡±


    ¡°What, you mean like that shop over there?¡± Cosmo pointed to the store, where instead of having a wall facing the street like a normal store, its wall was composed of dozens of glass cases, stacked five high. In each were countless plastic figures. All female, and in various poses and states of undress.


    ¡°Yes, just like those¡ªwait¡­¡±


    I did a double-take, ignoring Cosmo¡¯s widening grin as I walked up to the nearest one. The girls inside were all white-haired, thin and lithe, and short. They all had half-blue, half-green eyes, except the ones that had the red evil eyes thing.


    ¡°You have got to be shitting me,¡± I groaned. The entire store was packed full of model Aerions.


    ¡°Like it?¡± Cosmo asked. ¡°You really should check out the ones over here,¡± he said, pulling my arm and forcing me to follow through a fabric divider boasting an Aerion with her finger on her lips in a ¡®shhh¡¯ gesture. Despite my internal turmoil at this situation, I had to admit, it was kinda cute.


    That feeling evaporated the moment I stepped through. Apparently, this was the NSFW section of the store, and¡­ yeah, I turned back immediately.


    It didn¡¯t help at all that everywhere I looked, I saw Aerion.


    ¡°Cosmo, you really gotta cut it out with this crap,¡± I said. ¡°There¡¯s teasing, and then there¡¯s this. This is downright offensive.¡±


    ¡°What humor isn¡¯t?¡± Cosmo asked, peeking his head through the Aerion divider curtain.


    I was about to argue when I realized he had a point.


    ¡°Maybe, but still. Please tone it down. I really don¡¯t understand you. One moment you say you want to make up with Aerion, and the next, you¡¯re doing this. You really think she¡¯ll forgive you for whatever you did to her if she finds out?¡±


    ¡°What¡¯s the matter, Greg? It¡¯s different now! You¡¯re a couple! Husband and wife to be! Congratulations on that, by the way.¡±


    ¡°Er, thanks, but we¡¯re just going to take it slow for now.¡±


    Cosmo leaned against a case full of Aerions and snorted. ¡°Friendo, I don¡¯t think you understand what ¡®slow¡¯ means on Axius. And that¡¯s not even talking about elves. They are not known for dragging their feet.¡±


    ¡°Yeah,¡± I said, tasting something bitter in my mouth. ¡°Figured that one out myself. Anyway, can we have this conversation elsewhere? It¡¯s kinda distracting in here.¡±


    Cosmo shrugged. ¡°Suit yourself. But you sure you don¡¯t want a souvenir?¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re saying I can take something back from here?¡± I asked, head spinning at the potential implications.


    ¡°Well, I can¡¯t exactly give it to you, but there are ways¡­ if you catch my drift.¡±


    ¡°I really don¡¯t catch your drift. Also, nobody says that sort of thing anymore.¡±


    ¡°Oh, really? Huh,¡± Cosmo said, as though I¡¯d just insulted his mother. ¡°Anyway, why don¡¯t you just pick one?¡±


    ¡°Fine,¡± I sighed, stooping down to regard the many Aerions. Arguing with Cosmo felt like it''d get me all of nowhere. Better to just pick and get it over with.


    That said, there really were thousands of them, and it was hard not to get lost staring at them. This was the woman I loved, after all. I couldn¡¯t get enough of her.


    Ignoring all the lewd ones eliminated about two-thirds of the choices. The rest ranged from cute to badass, with some showing off her exploits in battle. I had to admit, those were especially detailed. One in particular depicted Aerion in a gorgeous set of red armor that was bathed in flames, fist cocked as she fell upon a hydra-like creature from high in the air.


    Her face was exceedingly well done, with every little detail matching her actual face almost perfectly. She was almost expressionless, as she would be while under the effects of [Reave]. The dichotomy between her pose and her expression somehow made the piece all the more striking.


    There was even rubble and destroyed cars on the ground.


    ¡°This one,¡± I said without hesitation.


    ¡°Aw, c¡¯mon!¡± Cosmo whined. ¡°Of all the options, that¡¯s what you pick?¡±


    I rolled my eyes. ¡°I¡¯m not choosing anything even remotely lewd, Cosmo. But¡­¡± I said, looking at another in the case beside it. To be honest, it had been a hard choice.


    The other one had Aerion standing in a simple white nightgown, her hands clasped behind her back. She was smiling gently, and something about the genuine happiness on her face struck me. It was like she was a completely different person from the one I knew. Someone who was at peace with herself.


    ¡°Alright, I¡¯ll throw that one in, too. Special service.¡±


    I shook my head. ¡°Not like I can take anything from here, anyway, so have at it. Now, can you move us somewhere we can talk?¡±


    Cosmo clapped once, and I was suddenly sitting on a bar stool. In front of me was an onyx bartop with lights that shone through it from below, showing the stone¡¯s veins. Behind that was one of the most epic liquor racks I¡¯d ever seen, and behind that was a 30th story view of the busiest intersection in the world.


    I grinned. ¡°Now we¡¯re talking.¡±

 Soulweaver 152: The First Rule of Economics

    Cosmo put down two whisky glasses and poured out some 30-year-old Scotch that probably cost more than I made in several months at my old job.


    ¡°Cheers!¡± Cosmo clinked his glass against mine, and we both took a sip. It was quite possibly the tastiest whisky I¡¯d ever had. For how much they charged, it better be.


    ¡°So, why Tokyo?¡± I asked. ¡°Hawaiian beach I can understand, but this?¡±


    The bar was insanely upscale. A live band played smooth jazz in the corner, and from the dark tones to the hidden LED strip lights to how everyone either wore suits or elegant dresses, this was the sort of place that charged a hundred dollar cover just to get in, with drinks at a price tag to match. It struck me now not a single person made a ruckus, and everyone was nodding politely and chatting in hushed tones, like they didn¡¯t want to annoy their neighbors.


    Cosmo leaned against the bar counter and stared wistfully at the view outside, swishing his glass. ¡°Why indeed? Don¡¯t you like it?¡±


    ¡°Well, it¡¯s certainly nice,¡± I admitted. ¡°Never been to Japan. Was always one of those bucket list places if I ever made enough money to travel.¡±


    ¡°So, never?¡±


    I cringed. ¡°Do you have to kill a young man¡¯s dreams like that?¡±


    ¡°Greg, that life wasn¡¯t you and you know it,¡± Cosmo said, turning around to open his arms wide at me. ¡°This is the real you! Getting to use that big brain of yours to save your party each and every day? Don¡¯t tell me this isn¡¯t the stuff of your dreams.¡±


    ¡°I mean, it kinda is,¡± I admitted. ¡°Just wish the stakes weren¡¯t so damn high. Defeat the Archon, save the world! Sounds great in a game. In reality? That¡¯s stressful as hell. And don¡¯t even get me started on the whole ¡®what comes after¡¯ thing. That¡¯s gonna be a bombshell for a whole host of reasons.¡±


    ¡°So you believe me, then?¡± Cosmo asked.


    ¡°About not going back? Let¡¯s just say I trust you more than the other gods right now. That¡¯s a pretty low bar.¡±


    I could¡¯ve imagined it, but I thought Cosmo¡¯s smile widened just the tiniest bit.


    ¡°Greg, that is the nicest thing anyone¡¯s ever said to me!¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s¡­ pretty pathetic.¡±


    ¡°So! You talk to Aerion about meeting up?¡± Cosmo asked, not missing a beat.


    ¡°Er, no, actually. Not yet.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t tell me you forgot!?¡±


    ¡°I didn¡¯t,¡± I lied. ¡°This is a sensitive topic, you know? If I bring it up in the wrong way, I¡¯ll just do more damage. Why do you want to make up with her, anyway?¡±


    Cosmo¡¯s face fell. ¡°Everyone has regrets, Greg. Times they wished they could hit the big ole reset button and do things over. I¡¯ve lost count of mine.¡±


    ¡°What¡¯s stopping you from descending from the heavens and granting them eternal life? Or like, gold?¡±


    Cosmo shook his head. ¡°C¡¯mon, Greg! You know me. Not my style! I¡¯m a laissez-faire, hands-off kinda god. Better for the economy.¡±


    I snorted. ¡°You mean better for your mental health. Anyway, it¡¯s fine. I appreciate you not prying into my life, so I¡¯ll give you the same respect. Just don¡¯t be surprised if she says no. And whatever you do, do not force her here. You¡¯ll burn any chance of ever making things right with her again.¡±


    Cosmo put his drink down and gave me a sloppy salute. ¡°Aye aye, sir!¡±


    I got the distinct impression that he¡¯d just ignored everything I said. I sighed and took another sip, looking out at the hustle and bustle far below.


    ¡°Penny for your thoughts?¡± Cosmo asked.


    ¡°It¡¯s nothing. Just¡­ All those people, going about their daily lives. Living in their tiny little microcosms, oblivious to the fact that there are other worlds out there. Worlds with godlike beings, fantasy creatures, and magic.¡±


    ¡°Excuse me!? Godlike? How rude!¡±


    ¡°Really shows just how little humanity knows,¡± I continued, ignoring him. ¡°I somehow doubt life would ever be the same for Richard if he really were allowed to go back. He says he wouldn¡¯t miss the powers, but it¡¯s so much more than that.¡±


    ¡°Guy¡¯s got a family waiting for him. Makes everything a whole lot harder.¡±


    ¡°Sure, and I get that. Just that I don¡¯t think it¡¯ll be as easy of a decision for him when the time comes. That is, if he isn¡¯t walking to his own death.¡±


    I downed my glass, and Cosmo¡¯s expression didn¡¯t budge one bit as he poured me another. So much for getting another hint.


    ¡°I gotta say, Greg, you really are making friends left and right. Earth Greg would die of shock!¡±


    ¡°Not intentionally. Dunno what it is about Axius¡ªI¡¯m socializing more now than I ever have. Just wish I wasn¡¯t always the one solving peoples¡¯ problems.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s what you do, Greg. You¡¯re capable and reliable. Rare traits in any world. Congratulations, by the way, on taking out that dragon. Quite the far cry from your first experience, eh?¡±


    I shrugged. ¡°Helps to be a lot stronger. That did feel good, though. Nothing like stomping all over the enemies that nearly killed us before to show exactly how far we¡¯ve come.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯ve both come so far,¡± Cosmo said, wiping a nonexistent tear from his eye. ¡°So, what problems are you vanishing away for your friends this time?¡±


    ¡°Well, Rogar¡¯s salty that his new Boon sucks,¡± I said, swirling the amber liquid. ¡°But something about his ability doesn¡¯t sit right with me. He can apparently drain the energy from things. Which actually sounds like a useful combat power, but of course, Rogar won¡¯t be interested in that. He¡¯s focused on his forge, and I just can¡¯t see how sucking heat from a fire will help him.¡±


    ¡°A valid concern,¡± Cosmo said, tapping his chin. ¡°Still, quite surprising of Dominion to bestow a Boon that leeches energy. More his style to hit things. Or burn them.¡±


    I narrowed my eyes. ¡°That¡¯s¡­ a good point, actually. It really doesn¡¯t seem like Dominion¡¯s game to be leeching power from others. I¡¯d expect that from Cunning, or something.¡±


    Cosmo laughed. I waited for him to elaborate and when he didn¡¯t, I continued on.


    This story originates from Royal Road. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there.


    ¡°If you think about it, you can¡¯t suck energy out of a system without it going somewhere. If Rogar¡¯s pulling heat from his forge, he¡¯s got to have some way of putting it back, right?¡±


    ¡°Beats me,¡± Cosmo said. ¡°But firing energy beams definitely sounds more like the Dominion I know. Still, maybe there''s something you''re missing? May not be a bad idea to brush up on your forging 101.¡±


    ¡°Huh,¡± I said, thinking it over. ¡°Might be onto something there. Thanks, Cosmo. As usual, you can be surprisingly helpful, even when you do your damndest not to be.¡±


    ¡°Er, thanks? I guess?¡± Cosmo said, scratching his cheek.


    ¡°Which brings me to my other problem. Rocky.¡±


    As if I¡¯d suddenly said the taboo word, the other patrons of the bar all silenced their conversations, turning their heads in my direction.


    ¡°What?¡± I asked, looking at Cosmo.


    ¡°He said the magic word, everyone! He¡¯s buying a round for the house!¡±


    Polite claps and head nods filled the bar. If this were an American bar, the place would¡¯ve been filled with roars and cheers, and maybe even a couple of guys clapping my back.


    ¡°The hell does that even mean?¡± I asked Cosmo as I lifted my drink to the crowd. ¡°Not like I¡¯ve got any yen on me.¡±


    ¡°Ah, that¡¯s alright. I¡¯ll spot you this time,¡± Cosmo said, snapping his fingers. A mountain of cash suddenly appeared on the bar counter nearby, all arranged like a pyramid.


    ¡°Earth Greg would¡¯ve died of shock,¡± I deadpanned. ¡°Would rather you give me gold. Not that I need it. For the first time in my life, I¡¯m loaded. Only took going to another world to make that happen.¡±


    ¡°Right? Life¡¯s so much better on Axius, isn¡¯t it?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s a nuanced and complex topic. And quite frankly, it¡¯s hard not to miss modern life when you keep reminding me of everything I left behind.¡±


    ¡°As I said, Greg, I¡¯m only taking you to places you like. Say the word, and I¡¯ll stick us in a medieval dungeon, with fully simulated smells and grime!¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll stick with the Tokyo skyscraper, thank you very much,¡± I said, downing the last of my second drink. Cosmo was there to fill it up barely a second after I set the glass down. Godly bartending skills, this guy.


    ¡°Don¡¯t think I didn¡¯t notice what you just did,¡± I said, already starting to feel the whisky¡¯s effects.


    ¡°Do what?¡± Cosmo asked innocently.


    ¡°Change the topic! We were talking about Rocky! You said it was just a rock. Now that rock¡¯s got a ticking timer, and I¡¯m guessing when that reaches zero, Rocky will very quickly no longer be a rock.¡±


    Cosmo blinked. ¡°I fail to see the issue here.¡±


    ¡°The issue is that you lied to me!¡±


    ¡°How rude! Now see, that¡¯s where you¡¯re wrong, Greg. Rocky was a rock when you asked me last time. Just a plain ole¡¯ rock hanging out there, minding its own business. But you had to go and Initialize it. Now, all bets are off!¡±


    ¡°So you¡¯re telling me that all of your other Rockies are also ¡®rocks¡¯ just waiting to be Initialized? If that¡¯s the case, doesn¡¯t that mean I¡¯ll have a goddamn army of¡­ Whatever the hell pops out?¡±


    ¡°I really wish I could tell you, Greg,¡± Cosmo said with a shrug. ¡°Believe me, I¡¯m as excited to see what¡¯s going to happen as you are!¡±


    ¡°So you really don¡¯t have a clue.¡±


    ¡°Zilch. Zip! Nadda!¡±


    I sat back on my bar stool. ¡°Y¡¯know, I don¡¯t think I¡¯ve ever met anyone where I¡¯m so utterly unable to tell if they¡¯re joking or just clueless. You¡¯re either an incredible actor, or an incredible character. My money¡¯s on both.¡±


    Cosmo clutched his heart, giving me the most heartfelt look he ever had. ¡°Greg! I am so touched! You¡¯re such a good kid. It¡¯s a shame we don¡¯t talk more.¡±


    ¡°And whose fault is that?¡± I asked. ¡°Seems like I gotta clear a Trial or a dungeon to get any screen time with you.¡±


    ¡°Hey, don¡¯t blame me! That one¡¯s squarely on your shoulders.¡±


    ¡°What do you mean?¡± I asked, eyes narrowed.


    ¡°I told you I¡¯m always here for you, didn¡¯t I? Way back when you first popped into that Trial.¡±


    ¡°Uh, sure? And?¡±


    ¡°And nothing! I¡¯m here for you, whenever you want.¡±


    ¡°So you¡¯re saying I can just call up to the sky and say, ''hey Cosmo, I wanna chat, and you¡¯ll send me to one of these virtual bars?''¡±


    ¡°Sure will!¡±


    ¡°And I¡¯ve always had this ability?¡±


    ¡°Sure have,¡± Cosmo said. ¡°I¡¯ve been wondering why you never wanted to talk. I thought¡­ I thought you didn¡¯t like me¡­¡±


    ¡°Huh. That¡¯s pretty incredible.¡± I chose to ignore Cosmo¡¯s theatrical sniffling. I never even dreamed I¡¯d have full-time access to Cosmo, and while he¡¯d clarified he¡¯d never whisk me away in the middle of a fight, this was still an incredible resource. What other benefits was I missing out on?


    ¡°Why can¡¯t you just visit like the other gods do?¡± I asked. ¡°And before you say anything about being on Dominion¡¯s territory, Passion seemed to have no issues appearing there.¡±


    ¡°Well, yeah, she¡¯s Passion, and I¡¯m Cosmo!¡±


    ¡°Order, you mean.¡±


    ¡°Always hated that name. So stuffy, don¡¯t you think?¡± Cosmo said, faking a shiver.


    It had always bugged me that Cosmo¡¯s character seemingly had nothing to do with the concept of Order. Passion was the very embodiment of her trait, as was Dominion. Cosmo was anything but orderly.


    ¡°Doesn¡¯t suit you at all,¡± I said, hoping he¡¯d take the bait.


    ¡°Right? That¡¯s what I always say! Anyway, Dominion and I uh, well, we don¡¯t have a great working relationship.¡±


    ¡°Good to know. You know what would¡¯ve been better? Knowing that when I was debating whether to out myself as your Champion.¡±


    ¡°Greg, buddy,¡± Cosmo said, resting a hand on my shoulder. ¡°I knew you¡¯d make a smart choice.¡±


    ¡°So, you did want me to keep the fact that I¡¯m your Champion under wraps.¡± I said, happy to have finally coaxed something out of him.


    ¡°Never said that!¡± Cosmo replied, smiling. ¡°That¡¯s just like, your interpretation, man.¡±


    ¡°Uh, huh. And the sky is blue.¡±


    ¡°Not on every planet, no.¡±


    I blinked. This guy¡­


    ¡°Are there any gods you¡¯re friends with?¡±


    ¡°Friend is such a strong word, but I assure you I get along just fine with most of them!¡±


    ¡°Passion?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s complicated.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll say. She bolted the second I mentioned you.¡±


    Cosmo chuckled. ¡°When you live as long as we do, you¡¯re bound to get into all sorts of relationship drama. Not a single god out there who hasn¡¯t had their share of flings¡­ Or sworn mutual and total destruction on another once or twice.¡¯


    ¡°Yourself included?¡± I asked.


    ¡°Oh, sure. I¡­ haven¡¯t been that person in a while, though,¡± he said, strangely serious. ¡°A long while.¡±


    ¡°Is that why you¡¯re so keen on making up with Aerion? This whole ¡®Cosmo not Order¡¯ thing? You said you¡¯ve turned over a new leaf, right?¡±


    ¡°Oh, that?¡± Cosmo said, shaking his head. ¡°Nah, this is a story from long ago. Tens of thousands of years. I was a different man back then. Spunkier. Less wise.¡±


    I immediately realized my mistake. Applying human-scale timelines to godlike entities was bound to land me in hot water. It seems this leaf was turned over before the Egyptians were even around.


    ¡°Well, Greg, as much as I¡¯d love these chats, our time¡¯s just about up.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ve noticed these little sessions don¡¯t last that long. Does it cost you Essence to maintain this space? Guessing there¡¯s a limit to how often we can chat here.¡±


    ¡°Greg, first rule of economics. Nothing comes for free.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m pretty sure that¡¯s not a¡ª¡±


    I was too late. The god and the bar were gone, and I was standing at the entrance to Dominion¡¯s Trial.


    It was pouring rain. Again.

 Soulweaver 153: Sir Grug

    We ran for the temple, hoping to get out of the rain. Because for all our stats and abilities, pouring rain still sucked and I had the sneaking feeling it always would. Unless I Initialized an energy umbrella or something. An idea for later, maybe.


    For now, we were happy to find refuge within Dominion¡¯s temple¡¯s halls. The thunderous rain diminished to a background white noise as we stepped inside, fully expecting the same slew of congratulations and questions from the temple staff as last time.


    What we got instead were a bunch of pretentious-looking pricks breathing down our necks, looking very much like they had a bone to pick.


    ¡°Where have you been?¡± One of them, a man wearing a long braided beard and far too much gold, asked. His tone and expression both made it sound like he had better things to do. That he was humoring us just by his very presence.


    ¡°Clearing the Trial, obviously,¡± I said, feeling more than a bit peeved, but letting his attitude slide on account of him wearing Sinclair¡¯s official robes.


    ¡°Clearing the Trial? After you¡¯ve only just returned from the Cataclysm Dungeon?¡± The man asked incredulously. ¡°In the days and hours before your scheduled procession through the city? Do you have any idea how much work has gone into making this event a resounding success?¡±


    ¡°Uh, I can guess?¡± I said, scratching my neck. I was starting to feel a little guilty. Maybe.


    A middle-aged woman next to him snorted. ¡°Doubtful. It¡¯s more than you lot can imagine. And the main cast just happens to disappear into a dangerous Trial mere days before? What if you¡¯d died? Could you imagine the outrage?¡±


    So, they¡¯re more worried about the inconvenience to them than my life. Good to know!


    ¡°Well we¡¯re here now, aren¡¯t we?¡± I said, trying to be the bigger person. ¡°What does the Baron need us to do?¡±


    ¡°Get prepared!¡± the man barked. ¡°You¡¯re to report to the castle at once. As for the rest of your party¡­¡±


    ¡°They¡¯ll be treated to the nicest guest accommodations the castle has,¡± I said, leveling a stare at the man. ¡°Won¡¯t they?¡±


    ¡°Yes, yes. Fine. Now, please, hurry. I¡¯ve had no end of complaints about your disappearance.¡±


    Without another word, the entourage turned and left, entirely oblivious to the stares they received from the templars.


    ¡°Don¡¯t they ought to escort us there, or something?¡± Richard asked. ¡°Thought that was how these things normally went.¡±


    ¡°Yep,¡± I muttered. ¡°Pretty sure they were. Whoever Mr. and Mrs. Stick-Up-Their-Pants were, I hope we never meet again.¡±


    Aerion snorted, before immediately covering her mouth, eyes darting around the temple.


    I barely suppressed a smile.


    ¡°Alright, sounds like we¡¯re expected at the manor,¡± I said, turning to Rogar and Philip. ¡°You guys are welcome to come along, but I¡¯m guessing this will be a bore.¡±


    ¡°Oh, really?¡± Rogar began. ¡°Well, in that case, we¡ª¡±


    ¡°We wouldn¡¯t dare intrude,¡± Philip said, cutting the blacksmith off. ¡°We¡¯ll be more than content to watch the procession like the others. Won¡¯t we, Rogar?¡±


    ¡°Oh, er, sure?¡± Rogar replied, looking very confused about Philip¡¯s words.


    ¡°Sounds good to me. Meet up after?¡±


    ¡°Count on it!¡± Philip said. ¡°We¡¯ve got alehouses to raid.¡±


    I laughed. ¡°You guys do that. Aerion? Best register our delve on that tablet thing like last time, because we definitely don¡¯t want to keep the baron waiting.¡±


    ¡°Oh, I already did when you all were chatting,¡± Aerion said, flashing me a grin. ¡°Though since we never officiated our party, the others will need to register on their own.¡±


    That was Aerion for you. Sneaky and smart.


    ¡°Never was one for such fanfare,¡± Richard began, but Rogar and Philip¡¯s stares made him cough. ¡°Though, I suppose I ought to, shouldn¡¯t I? Wouldn¡¯t want to upset any gods¡­¡±


    And so, the three of them wandered over to the stone and registered in turn. From what Aerion had said, being mentally transported to Dominion¡¯s avatar was quite the experience. One I was happy to forego. It was better for me if Aerion got all the attention. For now, anyway.


    ¡°Well, guess it¡¯s time,¡± I said, realizing I could stall no longer. ¡°Let¡¯s go be paraded around like trophies!¡±


    Unauthorized use of content: if you find this story on Amazon, report the violation.


    <hr>


    ¡°Ah! You¡¯re here!¡± Baron Sinclair said the moment we entered his waiting room in Basecrest¡¯s manor. ¡°I must say, the next time you decide to delve a Trial, please do let me know? I¡¯m not as young as I used to be. Not sure my heart can take the abuse.¡±


    ¡°We¡¯ll uh, be sure to do that,¡± I said, exchanging glances with Aerion. We¡¯d completely forgotten to tell the Baron we¡¯d be gone.


    Oops.


    ¡°Well, now that you¡¯re here, I¡¯ve some good news. Very good news, in fact,¡± Sinclair said, gesturing for us to sit.


    We did so, taking seats beside one another at the square wooden table in the center of the room.


    Almost as soon as we sat, butlers emerged, serving us both hot black tea.


    ¡°From the highlands of Order¡¯s territory!¡± Sinclair said, making me raise a brow.


    ¡°Order, you say?¡±


    ¡°Only the finest!¡± Sinclair beamed, clearly proud of himself.


    So Order¡¯s land had the best teas, huh? I suspected that wasn¡¯t the only thing they were known for.


    I glanced at Aerion, who looked down. My girlfriend had been keeping secrets. We definitely needed to talk later. About this and so many other things.


    ¡°So, what¡¯s the good news?¡±


    ¡°Without further delay, I am pleased to announce the bestowal of the title of Knight for your efforts defending Basecrest, both against domestic threats, and against the Cataclysm Dungeon that besieged us.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s wonderful!¡± Aerion said, looking star struck.


    ¡°It was approved?¡± I asked, sipping my tea. Sinclair was right. It was delicious. ¡°I thought you said the chances were slim.¡±


    ¡°Indeed, indeed. But this city would no longer stand were it not for the two of you. I¡¯ve forged strong connections over the years. I¡¯m simply happy they came in useful this time around.¡±


    So Sinclair twisted arms and called in favors to make this happen, huh? I felt a little guilty, but then again, he was right. Sinclair wouldn¡¯t have a city left to govern if we hadn¡¯t helped.


    ¡°That¡¯s amazing,¡± I said genuinely, wondering if I¡¯d be called Sir Greg everywhere I went. Or, more likely, Sir Grug. I barely suppressed a groan. ¡°So, what does this entail, exactly? You¡¯ll have to forgive us. Neither of us have been nobles before.¡±


    Aerion¡¯s eyes flitted to mine before glancing away. It was a small motion that most wouldn¡¯t ever notice. Not unless they happened to be admiring her blue-green eyes at the time.


    That one, tiny gesture told me more than Aerion ever had until now.


    She was a noble.


    Not a shocking revelation, all things considered. Aerion was well versed in etiquette and was far too skilled for a commoner her age. Such education did not come cheap. If my understanding was right, things like etiquette weren¡¯t even offered at all unless you were of sufficient social status, no matter the coin.


    ¡°As we both mentioned, we don¡¯t want our activities restricted,¡± I said, shelving Aerion¡¯s social status aside for now. ¡°If there¡¯s any obligation¡­¡±


    ¡°Quite the contrary, I assure you,¡± Sinclair said. ¡°The title comes with a land grant, though being the lowest noble title, the area is correspondingly small. I did ensure that your grants are next to each other, however.¡±


    That got me listening.


    ¡°How big are we talking? A field? A village?¡±


    ¡°With the two plots combined, perhaps closer to that of a small village,¡± Sinclair said. ¡°Though your particular territory has no structures on it, as of present. Nor any residents, of course.¡±


    ¡°Of course,¡± I echoed. It¡¯d never have been that easy. No town to collect taxes from or shops with steep discounts for the owners¡­ Though maybe that was for the best. Last thing we wanted was to inherit a poorly functioning town with rampant crime that would leave us bankrupt. ¡°And where exactly is this plot?¡±


    I was all but certain it¡¯d be somewhere in the ass end of nowhere.


    ¡°About a half-day¡¯s ride from Dominium,¡± Sinclair said, puffing out his chest. ¡°I fought hard on your behalf to ensure the location was desirable.¡±


    My mouth hung open for a moment. ¡°That¡¯s¡­ actually amazing. And how big of a plot are we talking?¡±


    ¡°Yes, well¡­¡± Sinclair wrung his wrists, his previous confidence gone without a trace. ¡°Being such prime land, I¡¯m afraid they¡¯re on the smaller side. About five hectares, apiece.¡±


    I drudged up some memories from my farming simulator days. A hectare was about a hundred yard square, so two plots side by side would be roughly the equivalent of a tenth of a square kilometer.


    By medieval standards, where land was vast, that wasn¡¯t much at all. By modern standards? Practically an empire.


    ¡°And this land is ours to do with as we please?¡± Aerion asked, flashing me the barest sliver of a grin. ¡°If, for example, we wished to use it to practice new techniques?¡±


    Seriously? Was she reading my mind or something? That was literally the first thing my mind jumped to.


    ¡°Indeed, such usage would be well within your rights,¡± Sinclair said. ¡°I won¡¯t lie, the expectation is that you develop the land, either by farming or attracting settlers. With your reputations, I daresay you¡¯ll have an easier time of it than most.¡±


    ¡°Sounds like a lot to manage,¡± I said. ¡°Sounds like exactly the sort of thing that could become the sort of burden we¡¯ve been hoping to avoid.¡±


    ¡°Unless we delegate,¡± Aerion said. ¡°If we can get people to construct productive facilities like shops and mills, we could levy a tax. And when issues arise, our governor would handle them.¡±


    I frowned, thinking it over. ¡°S¡¯ppose we could even have people manage our training facilities. Hell, maybe we offer it to others for a charge¡­¡±


    I was never a business owner back on Earth, but I had played several games that simulated economies. The best path to riches and fame never involved doing the heavy lifting yourself, but rather buying or building factories or properties that generated passive income. And while our recent exploits had netted us quite a tidy sum, at the rate we were burning through it, it wasn¡¯t gonna last forever.


    Or even a few months. And besides. Wasn¡¯t it every gamer¡¯s dream to build a kickass home base of operations?


    My interest was piqued and I leaned in closer. ¡°Tell us the details. Every single one. Leave nothing out. If I have to endure being paraded around, the least I can do is distract myself with how I¡¯m gonna build up my own personal empire.¡±


    I must¡¯ve let my diabolical scheming reach my face, because Sinclair suddenly looked a lot less sure of himself.


    The Baron dabbed the sweat off his brow with a cloth. ¡°It would ah, be my pleasure.¡±

 Soulweaver 154: The Worst Day Of My Life

    As it turned out, thinking of building my own personal empire served quite well to distract me from the absolute torture that was being paraded around the city.


    Seriously, if I wasn¡¯t absolutely certain I¡¯d done the right thing hiding my identity as a Champion before, I was now. I couldn¡¯t even imagine being regularly trotted around cities on a parade float, on display like some trophy. No matter the benefits.


    Judging by her facade of a smile, neither was Aerion. Being in the limelight freaked her out¡ªsomething we shared in common.


    It was like ants under the skin. I didn¡¯t mind social gatherings¡ªwith good friends, they could even be fun, sometimes. But as the center of attention? All those eyes on us, marveling at the feats we¡¯d pulled off or judging us for not protecting their loved ones¡­ If only they knew just how close to death we¡¯d come. If only they knew how lucky we¡¯d gotten, barely pulling through.


    That was the crux of it, really. The pressure. Sure, I put a lot of pressure on myself¡ªalways had¡ªbut that was me. There were few things I hated more than people telling me what to do. Few things I hated more than expectations and the horrible knot in my chest when I inevitably didn¡¯t measure up. Didn¡¯t people understand that?


    I didn¡¯t need to be a Champion tasked with saving the world to know that you could never measure up. Not to your parents. Not to the bright, wide-eyed people looking at me like some kind of savior.


    ¡°It¡¯s the hope you impart that¡¯s valuable,¡± Sinclair said as he waved, smiling. The Baron had good instincts, I had to give him that.


    ¡°Hope is a dangerous thing,¡± I said, also waving and smiling as our float proceeded down the road with much fanfare. Trumpets, dancers, flower throwing. The full monty. ¡°That¡¯s the sort of thing that starry-eyed kids killed.¡±


    ¡°And how many more would die if they never fought at all? How many more would have perished had they not fought tooth and nail against the Cataclysm¡¯s forces?¡±


    I bit my lip, feeling copper in my mouth. It was an impossible question. And because both sides of the argument had merit, you were damned either way. Inspire hope in a kid who goes off and dies? His mother hates you for life, wishing you¡¯d never existed.


    Save the world? Did your best to minimize casualties? Sorry, but a million people died anyway. How are you going to look the bereaved families¡¯ in the eye and say you did the best you could? That their kid died for a worthy cause?


    Saving the world was hard enough without that baggage. Be it in the workplace or an alcoholic father or here, there was no crime quite like hard, honest work. No punishment harsher than the one reserved for good intentions. I hated it with every fiber of my being.


    And yet, I continued to wave. Because humoring Sinclair had done us a lot of good so far, and I doubted that funnel was bound to stop anytime soon. In our plight against the Cataclysm, I¡¯d take every advantage I could get.


    Like fresh, uncultivated land a stone¡¯s throw from the capital.


    Now, I wasn¡¯t a fool. Despite Sinclair not having any details of said land, it wasn¡¯t hard to guess how bad it really was. No land that close to the capital went uncultivated. Not in a medieval society like this one.


    Which meant the soil was probably rotten for farming, too boggy for ranching, and too out of the way to serve as a trade hub.


    Which honestly suited me just fine. All I really needed was a field to set up an obstacle course on and a whole bunch of training dummies. Preferably training dummies on rails or something else that moved.


    And since Rogar wanted to leave Basecrest to make a name for himself, I supposed we could construct a forge and a few houses. Nothing fancy, just enough to be comfortable. Even without major roads, I was sure I could hoof any wares Rogar had to sell over to the capital or another town. Wouldn¡¯t be long before his talent¡ªand new status as a delving smith¡ªwould attract buyers.


    Luckily, the sorts of people who bought high end, functional weaponry tended not to have much issue getting to remote locations. In fact, the remoteness might even enhance the reputation of Rogar¡¯s wares.


    Because if games had taught me one thing, it was that humans always coveted rare things. Even when that rarity was purely artificial.


    The procession continued through Basecrest¡¯s major arteries, and while there weren¡¯t that many of those, we traveled at a crawl so everyone could get a good look.


    We finally came to the spot where Rogar, Philip, and Richard were, and Aerion and I waved, perhaps a little more heartily than normal.


    This story has been taken without authorization. Report any sightings.


    I couldn¡¯t be sure, but I could swear I saw Richard sniggering.


    The parade finally ended at Dominion¡¯s temple, where a massive crowd of onlookers had gathered.


    Aerion and I left our float and climbed up the stairs to the top of a wooden platform that was visible to the whole wide area.


    ¡°Do you think we can do it?¡± Aerion finally asked. She¡¯d been silent the whole time.


    ¡°So the pressure got to you, too, huh?¡±


    ¡°Perhaps a little. Fighting the Cataclysm¡­ I knew it to be a colossal undertaking. I knew the risks. The difficulties¡­ But this?¡±


    Aerion instinctively reached out for my hand, but quickly withdrew when she remembered we were literally being watched by thousands.


    ¡°Hate to be the breaker of bad news,¡± I said as Sinclair introduced us with much pomp and circumstance. Re-introduced, rather. Everyone knew who we were by this point. ¡°But there¡¯s no good solution other than ignoring it. Just tune it out. Focus on the task at hand. Chip away at that wall bit by tiny bit, and you¡¯ll eventually get there.¡±


    Aerion said something, but her words were lost when Sinclair motioned to me.


    Oh, no. No no no no!


    ¡°And now, our saviors would like to address the city.¡±


    Don¡¯t you dare, Sinclair!


    ¡°It is with the highest honor that I bring you Greg and Aerion!¡±


    The cheering was so loud, not one soul heard the string of expletives I hurled at Sinclair.


    ¡ª ¡ª


    This is not happening. This is NOT happening!


    My legs were stone as I dragged myself to the dais. The hell was the Baron thinking? Springing a speech like this without informing us?


    I glanced at Aerion. My elven friend was normally pale, but she¡¯d gone full White Walker now. She had to be hating this as much as I was.


    I locked eyes with the Baron and gave him a look. The You Owe Me look. Sinclair just smiled back. Little prick.


    My traitorous legs carried me up to the podium and soon, the greatest Trial of my life was upon me.


    I looked out over the crowd of thousands. Starry-eyed believers. Naive fools. Well, Sinclair. You put me on stage. You never told me what not to say.


    Big. Fucking. Mistake.


    ¡°People of Basecrest!¡± I called out, my voice amplified by the same magic Sinclair used to project his voice. Probably the Boonworthy nearby who was staring daggers at me.


    ¡°I¡¯m afraid the good Baron has it all wrong. We are not your heroes.¡±


    The crowd that had been hooting and cheering fell deathly silent.


    Good. Let them meet their heroes.


    ¡°We are not the gods¡¯ chosen,¡± I lied. ¡°We are not infallible, nor are we invincible. I could fall off this stage and die! I could be killed tomorrow by monsters. I¡¯m the same as you. I grow old, I grow tired. I bleed. Yes, I possess a Blessing, but so what? I¡¯m hardly the only one. Hardly the strongest among them. Isn¡¯t that right, Aerion?¡±


    ¡°I-it is,¡± Aerion chimed in, recovering quickly after a moment of surprise. ¡°We just did what we could. Nothing more. Without the Champions, we¡¯d never have defeated the Trial.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s right,¡± I said with a nod. ¡°I know you all came here hoping for some grand speech. Some words to rouse you to fight the Cataclysm. But know this. There is no glory in death. None of you¡ªyeah, I¡¯m talking to you hotheads out there¡ªnot one of you is unkillable. Should you fight? If the alternative is death, or the loss of your loved ones, sure. Fight! But fight smart. Use your head. Come up with a plan. Rely on your fellow people. Leave your egos at home. Then, and only then, will you have a chance.¡±


    ¡°Homes can be rebuilt,¡± Aerion said, sounding much more comfortable. ¡°Shops repaired and cities re-founded. Not lives. Lives disappear, and nothing you ever do will bring them back.¡±


    I turned, surprised to hear so much emotion from Aerion. That surprise only redoubled when I saw the tears streaming down her cheeks. This wasn¡¯t some generic message. This was personal. She was thinking of Emma. Of everyone else she¡¯d lost along the way.


    I found her eyes and nodded.


    ¡°So, I guess what we¡¯re trying to say is¡­ Don¡¯t be a hero. Don¡¯t be another statistic. I¡¯m not telling you to die. I¡¯m telling you to live. Be smart, protect what needs protecting and abandon the rest. Maybe then we can all pull through this in one piece.¡±


    I didn¡¯t bother to wait out the silence. I turned from the podium and walked back to Sinclair, who looked very much like he was about to have a nervous breakdown.


    ¡°Your fault,¡± I said. ¡°You should never have¡ª¡±


    Sinclair never heard my next words. They were drowned out by the sort of din of cheers, claps, and hooting you could only get from thousands of souls, all showing their guts, all at once.


    I turned back to the crowd. My brain refused to make sense of this situation.


    ¡°Well,¡± Sinclair said, patting my shoulder. ¡°Unconventional, to be sure, but it seems you¡¯ve quite the knack for oration.¡±


    ¡°They¡¯re insane,¡± I muttered. ¡°They¡¯re all insane.¡±


    Congratulations! Passion has increased from 20 to 23! (Max: 24)

 Soulweaver Book Two Epilogue

    Yashas lacked the deftness of Grace¡¯s Champion, but caution mitigated many a weakness. As such he moved through the brush quietly. Methodically. It mattered not. None of the others were here, nor would they arrive for some time. Weeks, perhaps. Months, even.


    By then, they¡¯d be too late. He¡¯d have mapped out every inch of the mighty Cataclysm dungeon that stood before him, still steaming from its crash-landing.


    Yashas had tracked the massive square spire as it crashed down upon Axius. He¡¯d waited for the dust to settle, and now, finally, he sneaked his way to the crash site, optimistic that he would be the first to enter. The first to benefit from its hard lessons.


    There, he would hone his skills and he would learn all there was to learn about this new dungeon. For in all his years serving as a general to Emperor Ashoka, he¡¯d learned that there was no commodity more precious¡ªno resource more vital¡ªthan knowledge.


    Approaching the alien structure, he reached out and touched the cool gray structure, and was instantly whisked away.


    The ironclad composure that he prided himself on, however, all but vanished the moment he took in this new dungeon.


    Destroyed roads, wider and made of no material he¡¯d ever seen. Tall, square structures surrounded them, all of which seemed to soar to the sky. Orderly windows of glass were embedded into every floor, larger and clearer than any Yashas had ever seen.


    Strange script was written along their sides, and though Yashas had never encountered the language, he knew what it said. He surmised he was likely the only among the Champions who was literate in the languages of Axius. His patron had insisted upon it.


    The words spelled T O K Y O. As for its meaning, he could only guess though why did it sound familiar? It sounded almost like Ohana¡¯s language, didn¡¯t it? He¡¯d have to ask the Champion of Grace when he saw her next. Likely in here, if the Champions truly were converging on this dungeon.


    Sadly, the buildings all looked to be on the verge of collapse.Far too dangerous to enter, that was for certain. Many windows were broken, and the strange gray material that comprised the structures had fallen, revealing a skeleton of metal rods inside. How did they stand so tall without crumbling?


    And what of the enormous panels that draped their sides? Most were clearly destroyed, yet a few shone brightly, displaying a myriad of garish colors. Yashas took several moments to comprehend just what he was seeing.


    They were¡­ paintings. Paintings that moved of their own volition as though alive. Yashas stared at the sight, transfixed, for several moments before he mustered the will to turn away. Magic was real in this world, after all. He thought he had grown accustomed to that fact, and yet¡­


    Even so, they were nothing but ruins. Whatever wondrous civilization had once dwelled here was long gone. Transformed, perhaps, into the very monsters that roamed its streets, shambling as though life itself had left them.


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    Yashas swiftly moved into an empty alley before they noticed him. While their senses appeared dulled and they moved sluggishly, Yashas would not take any chances. He was no stranger to combat, after all. He¡¯d fought alone. He¡¯d commanded armies, and through careful planning and an unquenching thirst for information, he¡¯d prevailed time and time again.


    This time would prove no different. It seemed the next few months would prove quite interesting. Once he learned all there was to know about this dungeon, its beasts, its structure, he would acquire all the tools he required to command even the mightiest of Champions.


    Eskil, Son of Magnus, came to mind. Of Convergence rank¡ªthe highest of all the Champions Yashas knew, though it was possible Eskil had ascended even higher by now. His information was surely out of date, what with that monster¡¯s rate of growth.


    Speaking of monsters however, Yashas wondered if it was not Richard he should be wary of. Strange names, the both of them. Strange customs, as well. Though his patron deity had warned him to expect those of cultures he¡¯d never seen, it was jarring nonetheless.


    As a pupil of the great philosopher-diplomat Chanakya, Yashas had, of course, been exposed to those outside the great Mauryan Empire. He¡¯d encountered the Seleucids and the Greco-Bactrians by way of Kandahar and Lampaka. He¡¯d even skirmished against them on occassion. Yet though they worshipped different gods and held different festivals, their behavior was still understandable.


    This, however, was his first time interacting with so many truly foreign cultures, and indeed, it had taken quite a force of will to grow accustomed to them. Even now, Yashas found the task to be a challenge, more so than being whisked away by his patron deity¡ªKrishna, in all likelihood. The god was notorious for his many forms, and had always loved his tricks.


    But those concerns were distant. With all he¡¯d learned of his fellow Champions, they warranted far more of his worry.


    Yashas would never match Dominion¡¯s Champion in sheer strength, nor Richard¡¯s strange ability to woo people¡ªand from what he¡¯d gleaned, that Champion¡¯s combat powers were nothing to scoff at, either. The ability to render one¡¯s opponent instantly dead? Yashas would have to be on his guard at all times around that one.


    Or was it perhaps his companions he ought to guard against?


    Yashas thought to the woman who accompanied him. A long-eared woman¡ªthough she pretended to be a man. One of the so-called elves. Their kind didn¡¯t strike him as altogether different, despite everyone¡¯s insistence that they were. Did having long ears and fair skin truly separate people more than their customs and values in this world? The giants were far more alien to his eyes.


    He shook his head. It mattered not, in the end. Of far more import was her status. Her miraculous powers. The fact that Passion¡¯s Champion had befriended her¡ªa nobody¡ªalmost instantly.


    While Yashas¡¯ patron never admitted as much, Yashas could guess. Only a Champion could have caused such a reaction, and given that Yashas now knew the identities of all the others¡­


    Certainly, if they were trying to keep their identity hidden, as they surely must be given the lack of fervor, he held quite the potent advantage. One that could be warped to his benefit? What was that deity thinking? Would his Champion elf finally end the cycles? Or was there a hidden motive behind their existence? Some godly agenda? Only time would tell. Regardless, he couldn¡¯t wait to meet them.


    After all, how many people knew that Order had summoned a Champion this cycle? A real Champion? How many knew it was an elf?