《Magik Online》


 Chapter 1: My Magical App

    His Mom always said: She was half-right.


    And here he was! Triumphant on his throne of bones, waiting for the doomed heroes to open his doors and challenge him. His cold-blooded, reptilian servants hissed in excitement while guarding their master. The wise princess Sarah, lay unconscious on his dread altar, bound to an endless dream by his nefarious spell. Her sacrifice would empower his magic and break the last hope of the land.


    So Mathias Martel, sworn enemy of mankind, waited for his doors to open, and for the final battle to begin.


    And waited.


    And waited.


    And waited some more.


    Mathias finally lost patience and broke his well-crafted role. ¡°Maya,¡± he spoke out loud to his video game¡¯s digital assistant, ¡°Where is Viviane and her party?¡±


    The Artificial Intelligence answered with a soft, female voice. ¡°Underground arena, level one.¡±


    ¡°The arena choke-point?¡± They hadn''t moved from the first floor of the digital castle since half an hour? ¡°Show me.¡±


    A flying, holographic screen materialized right in front of Mathias¡¯ eyes, showing him the battle.


    His friends -- who were also his game testers -- were busy confronting Violette, a witch and the first major opponent he had set up in his castle. The holographic enemy was flying around underground arena that Mathias had styled after the Aztecs, hurling blue fireballs at her victims. Her targets were a group of three players who, if their life points counters were of any indication, were in way over their heads.


    Damn, how could they be losing? His friends were veteran video game players, they should have breezed through this mini-boss.


    ¡°Maya, connect me to their audio channel, please.¡± It didn¡¯t take him long to hear the team leader, Viviane, bark orders through the intercom. ¡°Guys,¡± he interrupted them, ¡°Why are you taking so long? I¡¯m getting bored up here.¡±


    ¡°Sorry, we¡¯re too busy being lost on the road of life!¡± his friend, Ulysses, replied with his usual sarcasm.


    ¡°From your current showing you will reach the end of road quickly,¡± Mathias said.


    ¡°Ulysses, shut up and keep casting protection spells on your sister, she¡¯s losing life points faster than I can heal her!¡± Viviane interrupted the conversation. She sounded just as annoyed as Mathias himself. ¡°Sorry, Matt, sweetie, but that witch is a pain, period.¡±


    ¡°Someone keep her down, I can¡¯t hit her!¡± Perse, the last member of the testers, loudly complained as she tried to fight the inevitable.


    Mathias observed his creation, trying to figure out how he could adjust her difficulty. He had designed Violette to be a wake-up call to players, but the battle was meant to last for five minutes, not thirty.


    As he had planned in her battle tactics, Violette had set up and to increase her might and speed, cast on the group to make them vulnerable to burning damage, and then bombarded them with the spell from afar. The combo turned her into a flying, magical artillery cannon.


    After a check-up, Mathias noticed her magical points reserve remained almost full. Logic implied she should have burned through it in a few minutes, as he had planned. Either players could weather the assault until she ran out of magical juice, or they died. This set-up would teach patience and strategy to overaggressive teams, in preparation for the more tactical fights deeper in the castle.


    After Violette cast another , Mathias noticed her magical energy reserve deplete¡­ and then slowly refill. As if struck by lightning, the game designer pieced it all together. ¡°Maya, can you check the treasure chests on the third floor. The one containing the Magic Potion? Was it open? By whom?¡±


    ¡°It was opened at seventeen-thirty-four, by Violette, custom Butterfly Witch, level fourteen.¡±


    ¡°Amazing,¡± he muttered to himself, his suspicions confirmed. His artificial intelligence had performed beyond his imagination.


    Mathias returned to watching the fight, and drew the conclusion that the party would lose soon, Ulysses -- the magical support keeping them alive -- having been eliminated. Viviane didn¡¯t last much longer, and Perse, in spite of her impressive stamina and firepower, didn¡¯t stand a chance on her own.


    With a heavy sigh, Mathias took a few seconds to check the throne room, a rectangular hall big enough to rival a cathedral. Eight statues of giant, stylized snakes surrounded the path to the throne. He had designed the room to be both awe-inspiring and terrifying to go through. It filled his heart with quiet pride. He had spent hours building this stage, and rehearsing his dialogue lines.


    Much to his chagrin, none of his testers had made it far enough to enjoy the sight.


    With an imperious snap of his fingers, Mathias cancelled the holographic projectors. His virtual castle collapsed into falling pixels, with the grim, underwhelming reality taking over.


    His mighty castle was actually one of Florida¡¯s countless ghost towns, barely more than two dozen, derelict houses. It had been founded some twenty years ago, then promptly deserted for coastal Arc Cities after the Conquest. Now empty, the place had a spooky charm to it.


    Through a deal with the authorities, Dynamis Inc. had rented the area to build one of their holographic parks. Beyond the village¡¯s limits, Mathias could only see tall grass and taller trees, the frontier of the nearby Everglades.


    It also made it easy to disguise Dynamis¡¯ eye-shaped holographic projectors and sound-design devices among the leaves. His players were recovering from their crushing defeat not so far from one. While the holograms¡¯ effects had made them feel like they were trapped in an immense castle, only a few meters had separated them from the game designer himself.


    And after such a humiliating defeat, Mathias expected frustration from them.


    Instead, he got excitement.


    ¡°Well, well, well, that was unexpected,¡± Viviane Werner put her hands on her hips, as if ready to take on a defiant universe. With long blond hair, piercing green eyes, and pure white skin, she always dressed fashionably -- with a distinct love for the color white. She often caused traffic accidents when walking down the street, as men who couldn¡¯t yet afford automatic cars looked at her instead of the road.


    The illusion of perfection generally lasted until Viviane opened her mouth to talk at great lengths about how the latest Big Foot-Illuminati Joint Venture was behind the Chinese Insurgency. Viviane lived in her own little world, which often conflicted with the real one -- she hadn¡¯t even noticed her marriage problems until her ex-husband sent her a divorce notice.


    Still the best adult Mathias ever met, behind Dad.


    Her two children also had a special place in his heart. ¡°Matt, do you get off on our tears?¡± Ulysses asked mockingly, his tone was so flat Mathias briefly wondered whether it was a joke or a serious statement. He was as handsome as his mother Viviane was beautiful, having inherited the same eyes and hair, which he cut short.


    Mathias bet he could achieve the same popularity with girls as his sister Perse had with boys, if only he would wear better clothes than a swag-shirt and stopped making morbid jokes about cannibalism now and again. Half the school was convinced he was a budding psychopath, the other half a creep.


    ¡°Yes, I do feed on your misery,¡± Mathias replied jokingly, ¡°It tastes sweet when salted with crushing despair.¡±


    ¡°I knew it!¡± Perse complained. Perse also had the long blond hair of her mother, but dyed it red -- which went well with her green eyes and black clothes. From what her twin had told Mathias, she turned goth very hard at fourteen, and started playing drums for the school¡¯s rock band in her spare time; she also turned vegetarian a month ago, and Mathias never understood why.


    Meat was life.


    Anyway, she was a pretty young woman who went through boyfriends like Kleenexes. Sometimes she didn¡¯t even remember their names. Ulysses had once joked she would try them all until she found the perfect one.


    As for Mathias himself?


    Well, people often said being short was the only thing noticeable about him. He kept his brown-hair well-groomed, and others said they could see his sharp intelligence shine through his blue eyes, but few called him handsome. Mathias thought sharper suits and clothes would help, but he stocked his Credits for less frivolous purchases.


    People tended to pay more attention to his video game work, which had landed Mathias the side-job of his dreams. The wages were good, and he loved, the work. On top of meeting the Werner family through his job at Dynamis.


    Dad said he ought to do better at school for his final year, though. Mathias¡¯ grades were good, but not good enough to warrant joining the Loctis Institute, which his father dreamed of, even if Mathias himself would prefer to keep creating games.


    ¡°Okay, Matt, that witch?¡± Viviane said, tightening her left fist in excitement. ¡°That¡¯s like a kick in the balls. I loved it.¡±


    ¡°I can¡¯t claim the credit, this wasn¡¯t planned,¡± Mathias replied. ¡°I put a Magic Potion on the third floor. Violette looked for it while you were fighting the gatekeepers, and drank it right before the fight. It refilled her magic points almost as fast as she could deplete them.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s cruel, even from you,¡± Ulysses condemned him, although his tone remained as unemotional as ever. ¡°You should feel bad, you monster.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t, but I didn¡¯t program her to do that. The witch made that decision on her own.¡±


    That caused the whole group to pause. ¡°The AI deviated from the script?¡± Viviane asked with a rare frown. Artificial Intelligences remained a sore subject at the company.


    ¡°I know, right? Must be a bug,¡± Mathias said the words smoothly. ¡°Creatures shouldn¡¯t be able to open treasure chests, let alone use the contents.¡±


    ¡°On the other hand,¡± Perse said, ¡°I always thought it was odd that monsters in didn¡¯t use the secret weapons that they kept stashed in their armory. But yeah, you should remove that item.¡±


    ¡°No, keep it,¡± Ulysses advised him, ¡°People like your games because they make them cry.¡±


    As the group bickered on whether or not scaling down Violette¡¯s difficulty was the right decision, Mathias noticed a big lizard climbing on a tree¡¯s bark nearby, staring at the group like a nobleman at peasants. Mathias sneered back at the reptile, the beast climbing up into the leaves.


    The game designer had lived in Florida for two years now -- since Mom was taken by - and he loved the place. So many beasties and crawlies were there that helped to inspire him.


    Still, as much as Mathias would have wanted to go chase after swamp monsters, he had a part-time job to do. ¡°I¡¯m going to move Violette deeper into the castle,¡± he decided, ¡°She¡¯s too tough for newbies, and might cause them to quit early. I¡¯ll put Verte at her spot instead.¡±


    ¡°The Gorgon Broodmother?¡± Viviane nodded in agreement. ¡°Yes, Matt, that will do. Ready for another testing round, kids?¡±


    Ulysses and his twin sister groaned in perfect synchronization. ¡°None of us want to do the whole thing all over again,¡± Perse said, before adding, ¡°Sorry, Matt.¡±


    ¡°I lost an arm in the first room,¡± Ulysses whined.


    ¡°I thought you enjoyed the difficulty?¡± Mathias said with a faux-cruel smirk. ¡°I haven¡¯t seen you cry yet.¡±


    ¡°One brutal death a day, thank you.¡±


    ¡°I would still like to test the final boss¡¯ tactics,¡± Mathias insisted, before crossing his arms and doing his best to taunt Ulysses into action. ¡°Or perhaps losing to a girl taught you the pecking order?¡±


    Perse gave him a light punch on the shoulder as punishment. ¡°Speaking of that, Matt, what is a witch doing there?¡± Perse asked. ¡°I thought it was a reptile-themed location?¡±


    ¡°I thought it would add more variety and keep players from growing complacent,¡± Mathias said with a shrug. ¡°Why? You think I should change it?¡±


    ¡°Yes, she has a point, sweetie,¡± Viviane said, ¡°However, this would be a great occasion to replace her with a winged bear.¡±


    And here it was, trying to push for her favorite creature again. ¡°Wouldn¡¯t adding a mammal break the theme even more?¡± Mathias asked.


    ¡°Exactly. They will never see it coming.¡±


    Mathias scratched the back of his head. To be fair, he wasn¡¯t fond of Violette¡¯s plotline himself, but Gavin, his manager, had insisted on adding more female enemies to boost human sales. He could easily replace her.


    ¡°A custom female Dark Elf Spellthief,¡± Mathias said to himself out loud, completely caught up in formulating his new character, ¡°Level Fourteen Humanoid. The leader of a coven worshiping serpents, she was banned from the Underworld after a failed coup; and now swears loyalty to the Serpent King in exchange for his promise to destroy their former home. In a twist, she knows the Serpent King¡¯s plans and secretly wishes to usurp him.¡±


    ¡°Dark Elves are overused,¡± Ulysses shot it down.


    ¡°Nah, they¡¯re pretty neat,¡± Perse countered, ¡°Sexy and smooth, I like them.¡± Of course she would. Mathias repressed a Goth joke with all his willpower.


    ¡°I like the idea of a betrayer among the enemies,¡± Viviane nodded to herself. ¡°I can see quite the plotline. That would also allow you to add some Dark Elves as a minor antagonist faction.¡±


    ¡°Yeah,¡± Mathias said, closing the deal, ¡°I¡¯ll call her Noire.¡±


    ¡°Good,¡± Ulysses said, ¡°Can we get back home now? I need a warrior¡¯s rest.¡±


    Dynamis¡¯ holographic game had cornered the Sci-fi market; now, with their new engine, the gaming company would take over the Non-Historical Fantasy genre and put the final nail in the coffin for the old computer game industry.


    And like all geniuses, Dynamis¡¯ CEO, Anton Maxwell, never saw small. Big virtual locations, advanced graphical imagery, and surprise events. The launch had cost millions of imperial credits to set up, and UB analyses expected the game to make billions. The biggest success in video game history since the Conquest, available for all, experienced players and newcomers alike.


    Still, as Mathias thought back on Violette¡¯s behavior, a question kept bothering him. Just how smart had he made his custom AI?


    An all-too familiar, discordant noise resonated across the park, interrupting his thoughts.


    A threatening, immense shadow passed over the park, casting the group in its fearsome blight. The young game designer raised his eyes, now filled with hate, to watch the looming omen that was a black, imperial warship remaining stationary in the sky above the area.


    The bulky spaceship¡¯s tiny wings would have made it ridiculous to look at, if its cannons weren¡¯t pointed right at the Everglades and the park below. A massive swarm of Gearsmen followed the warship floating in the sky behind it, and two of them descended towards the group upon noticing them.


    Halcyon, one of the human Founders of the Concordian Empire, had inspired the humanoid shape of these titans. Yet, two legs, two arms and a head were all these soulless killing machines had in common with Mathias. Covered in thick white armor, Gearsmen had steel for flesh and gears for joints, with a sinister red crystal in the middle of their helm as their defining feature. A good head taller than Mathias, their fingers could shatter stone, while a powerful anti-gravity spell kept them flying.


    ¡°Okay, kids,¡± Viviane said softly, with uncharacteristic calmness, as the ruthless automatons approached, ¡°Everyone raise their arms slowly. There is nothing to be afraid of.¡±


    Of course they had reason to be afraid, but everyone obeyed without a word.


    Mathias struggled to keep his jaw clenched in silent anger. This wasn¡¯t the first time he had suffered a check-up -- especially since his mom¡¯s arrest two years ago -- but he resented the situation all the same. He didn¡¯t want to give an inch to these machines and the cold-blooded masters they served.


    The Gearsmen scanned the group from head to toe with their single glowing, red, crystal eye. Once they had confirmed their biometric signatures, they quickly flew away with a positive.


    Perse breathed deeply in relief, as everyone lowered their arms. ¡°What are they doing here?¡± she asked, as the swarm of Gearsmen spread across the skies while the imperial warship didn¡¯t budge from its spot. ¡°They usually don¡¯t venture here.¡±


    ¡°Tracking down fugitives, I suppose,¡± Viviane said,


    As if to answer Viviane¡¯s words, the warship¡¯s iron belly opened in two, unleashing a familiar, terrible beast upon the world outside.


    A massive, winged shape flew beneath the sun, leading the Gearsmen like the alpha of a wolf pack. That gargantuan winged lizard could grab a car in one hand, and its tail could smash buildings -- and years ago, it did. A ruddy glow emanated from the space between his black and crimson scales, like lava drooling from hard stone. Armored silver plates covered his neck, while golden bracers shone on each of his four legs. Green fumes flared from its fearsome maw, while black bones protruded from its forehead like a mane.


    Lord Smokefang. The dragon overseer of the Southern American Protectorate, who infamously burned old Atlanta to the ground in a fit of rage.


    ¡°Everyone, pack your stuff and let¡¯s return to my car,¡± Viviane said with wisdom, ¡°We¡¯re leaving.¡±


    Mathias kept his sight on the flying beast, his eyes full of venom.


    That was why he created games. So he could pretend that he lived in another world that hadn¡¯t been conquered by , where Earth was still named Earth, and where a mother couldn¡¯t be arrested in the dead of the night with no explanation.


    A world where mankind could strike back against the dragons.


    Dynamis¡¯ staff in Evermarsh had taken to calling their headquarters ¡°the Doom Tower.¡±


    Not that it was tall; with only five floors, if you didn¡¯t count the roof, it wasn¡¯t even close to Evermarsh¡¯s tallest building -- that honor belonged to the Concordian Arc City, the massive black spire rising from the sea nearby and that would within one year replace the old city. Still, the nickname had stuck.


    The servers managing the company¡¯s games were right on the fifth floor; the technical department on the fourth; narration and design, where Mathias worked, on the third; administrative was on the second; and sales were on the first floor. The 3-D Printers used to build the equipment were kept in the basement.


    The third floor was a co-working space, a maze of tables and alcoves that would put the defunct IKEA to shame, with a great view of the city through the windows. In practice, though, only Mathias and Viviane occupied it, sitting with laptops around a round table while drinking a cup of coffee every two hours. Most of the department had moved to Arc-Miami to set up storylines there.


    It suited Mathias just fine. While he worked well with teams, he preferred autonomy and quiet contemplation when designing gameplans. Viviane was great to bounce back ideas and he didn¡¯t need anyone else. With the success of his previous work on Anton Maxwell had given Mathias almost carte blanche on the Evermarsh storyline and design.


    The story behind his part of the game stood out for its simplicity: during prehistoric times, a terrible entity called the Primeval Serpent ruled the land. Shamans of human tribes, tired of the sacrifices demanded by the Serpent¡¯s reptilian worshipers, united to kill the dark god and bury his keep deep underground.


    Eventually, the buried ruins of the Serpent¡¯s fortress were rediscovered, the descendants of the reptilian empire laying claim to it, only to fall under the sway of a charlatan, pretending to be the reincarnation of their god. This Serpent King would turn the deceived reptiles into a conquering army.


    Some would have called the storyline overused and cliche, but Mathias didn¡¯t think game scenarios had to be complex; they needed to be intense and engrossing so as to create an unforgettable atmosphere. Mathias had shown that with his clever traps, intense fights, and inventive level design. And with the new AI system he had set up, he could let his creativity run wild.


    It also helped that his plotline of players killing reptiles in droves was intentionally subversive. Using lizardmen was as close as Mathias could get before being put under the empire¡¯s radar for


    Rising voices drew him out of his reverie. Viviane and Gavin, the big-shot manager, were arguing again. ¡°¡­I¡¯m not sure a pink caterpillar can make a convincing opponent.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t be stupid, Gavin,¡± Viviane brushed him off, ¡°Everyone love caterpillars, just as much as everyone love centipedes.¡±


    ¡°Exactly!¡± While Gavin looked as thin as a skeleton, he did carry himself with a commanding presence. Unlike the more casual attire of narrative department, Gavin wore a suit and tie every day. He thought that humans used specific outfits to mark those with unquestionable authority, like in Hob culture.


    That kind of culture clash happened all the time.


    Gavin was a Hob, one of the first species assimilated by the Concordian Empire long before mankind. Porcine-like humanoids smaller than humans, most of the Hobs were purple-skinned, with bent, goat-like horns. Gavin and his entire clan had been forcefully moved to Earth not long after the Conquest, and tried to integrate themselves into human society.


    From what Mathias had been taught in school, this standard government policy helped knit the empire¡¯s countless species together into a harmonious whole. Whether they liked it or not.


    ¡°Is something the matter?¡± Mathias asked, trying to ease the tension before it escalated.


    ¡°Ah, Mathias.¡± The teen realized he should have kept his mouth shut, as Gavin zeroed in on him, his small eyes blinking repeatedly in quick succession. ¡°I have reviewed your storyline and monsters, and for a reptilian army I see a distinct lack of dinosaurs.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t want dinosaurs,¡± Mathias said. He liked , but not much. ¡°They weren¡¯t part of the themes the division had settled on.¡±


    ¡°Dinosaurs sell to human customers, especially children. Look, you¡¯re the programming artist and all, but I¡¯m the guy in charge of turning your art into cold hard credits. You aren¡¯t helping.¡±


    ¡°Everyone will buy the level,¡± Mathias countered, proud of his product, ¡°The PR campaign killed it, and the pre-orders sold out within two hours.¡±


    ¡°Our player base doesn¡¯t want dinosaurs,¡± Viviane said, beginning one of her passionate tirades, ¡°or rather, they don¡¯t want the dinosaurs they¡¯re used to. They want nice twists and turns, an intense experience, a blend of old, familiar formulas and new ideas. They don¡¯t want reboots, they want surprising innovation!¡±


    ¡°Tell that to my graphs,¡± Gavin sighed, licking his goat-like teeth in annoyance. ¡°Just put a tyrannosaur somewhere, please.¡±


    ¡°Does the animated corpse of a tyrannosaurus count?¡± Mathias asked. ¡°Because I can fit one as a guardian of the castle.¡±


    ¡°Zombie, fairy, Pandorian, I don¡¯t care as long as it¡¯s a big fanged lizard on two legs without wings.¡±


    ¡°Fairies can¡¯t be dinosaurs,¡± Viviane added, almost absentmindedly.


    ¡°Anyway, while we¡¯re on the subject of animals, I¡¯ve reviewed your final designs, Matt. I¡¯m okay with most of your enemies, except the snake girl, what¡¯s her name¡­¡±


    ¡°Rose?¡±


    ¡°Yes, Mathias, Rose. Considering the role you gave her in your storyline, and her frequent appearances, you should make her more attractive.¡±


    ¡°She¡¯s a snake-woman,¡± Mathias pointed out. ¡°And I¡¯m pretty sure Players will want to ice her within minutes of her first appearance. She¡¯s a bitch.¡±


    ¡°Who cares? Sexualized content gets us more human newcomers for a reason I can¡¯t fathom.¡± Since Hobs reproduced through interclan egg fertilization, they didn¡¯t feel anything close to human libido. ¡°Make all males Hercules, all the women Aphrodite. That¡¯s what sells for humans.¡± Gavin said, seemingly proud of his reference to human mythology at the end.


    ¡°Venus, not Aphrodite¡± Viviane corrected him, ¡°And Hercules is his Roman name.¡±


    ¡°You understand me,¡± Gavin said, ¡°Give the snake-girl bigger boobs.¡±


    ¡°We¡¯re supposed to be PG-13, Gavin. And we¡¯ve already added a romance sidequest, a Dark Elf-¡±


    ¡°I didn¡¯t tell him to dress her like a crass hooker, just to make her more, er, shapely. Oh, and add a vampire. Female or male, I don¡¯t care.¡±


    Mathias groaned. ¡°A vampire? That doesn¡¯t fit the storyline.¡±


    ¡°Right, you¡¯re right. Makes it a vampire.¡±


    ¡°Gavin.¡± Viviane¡¯s tone reminded Mathias of a mother talking to a petulant child. ¡°The storylines and the sidequests are done. Where do you want us to fit an Hob vampire?¡±


    ¡°Look, vampires? Everyone say they¡¯ve lost popularity since the population discovered how they really look like, but vampire porn tops online piracy charts. We¡¯ve got to hit that segment of the audience, and while humans are our core target catering to my species can¡¯t go wrong. Make it happen.¡±


    When he realized neither of his writers were convinced, Gavin cleared his throat. ¡°Remember what Anton Maxwell said when he was asked why Dynamis was among the top five gaming companies on Terra Firma?¡±


    ¡°Five? What are the other four?¡± Mathias paraphrased.


    ¡°Yes! And how did we do that? Good storylines? Excellent augmented reality? No. Dynamis conquered the gaming world because it appeals to everyone. Old, young, men, women, humans, hobs, bullmen, dragons, everyone finds what they¡¯re looking for in our games. Who are we to say vampires are has-beens? If popular demand is there, we must answer it. It¡¯s right in our company charter!¡±


    His speech was so full of passion, Mathias would have almost voted for him if the empire hadn¡¯t outlawed democratic institutions higher than mayors. Yet.


    ¡°So. Vampire Hob, with boobs.¡± Gavin paused, as if he suddenly remembered something. ¡°Oh, Mathias, your father called, he¡¯s coming to pick you up very late.¡±


    ¡°I know, he sent me a text message.¡±


    ¡°Good. Don¡¯t forget to close the door when you leave.¡± Gavin quickly walked away from the conference room, his hooves making a squeaky sound on the parquet. ¡°Okay, see you tomorrow. Bye bye.¡±


    He hurriedly closed the office¡¯s door behind him. ¡°He¡¯s a bit strange,¡± Mathias said.


    ¡°More like very stressed,¡± Viviane said, ¡°He has a lot of pressure on his shoulders from upstairs.¡±


    Viviane then sat on the table right in front of Mathias. While it was entirely innocent on her part, Mathias couldn¡¯t help but find it suggestive. ¡°Let¡¯s talk about serious issues. I¡¯m customizing a Fairy Bear, turning it pink, and putting a broken heart on his chest. He¡¯s going to destroy Players with love beams of death spamming. Sad Bear. How does that sound?¡±


    ¡°Terrifying.¡± Mathias wondered if he had been too heavy on the sarcasm.


    ¡°I knew it! Gavin told me no one would take it seriously.¡±


    Apparently not. ¡°I would.¡±


    ¡°Aw, you¡¯re so nice,¡± she giggled. ¡°I¡¯ve also thought about an Illuminati-brainwashed Leprechaun hypnotist, guarding an enormous chocolate-themed Fairy Cake as the final opponent of a quest. How does that sound?¡±


    Viviane¡¯s designs generally felt like going through a drug trip, or so Mathias had heard. ¡°Brilliant.¡±


    She laughed heartily. ¡°And now you¡¯re just kidding me,¡± Viviane gave her mentee a bright, sympathetic smile. ¡°About Gavin¡¯s suggestion, just ignore it. I¡¯m vetoing it. There¡¯s no need for a vampire.¡±


    ¡°But Gavin will be mad.¡±


    ¡°Gavin is the sales manager, I¡¯m the head of narration. He will learn to live with it. You¡¯ve already worked so much, you¡¯ve earned a little rest.¡± She gave Mathias a wink. ¡°Don¡¯t work too late, alright? Just geek out a little.¡±


    Her overbearing, evil stare brooked no disobedience.


    Once Viviane left however, leaving Mathias alone and without surveillance, the young programmer returned to working on the digital world.


    And most importantly, the AI.


    ¡°Maya,¡± he spoke to his computer.


    ¡°Yes, Mathias?¡± the AI replied through his laptop¡¯s micro.


    ¡°Have you deleted all records of my interactions with the monster AI?¡±


    ¡°Yes, as you asked."


    ¡°Have the glitch report for Violette¡¯s behavior be lost. Everything is normal.¡±


    ¡°Understood.¡±


    Dynamis had given the various teams leeway in altering the game code as they saw fit, due to their open source, shared-innovation policy. It helped each level of the game feel unique and would prevent players from growing complacent. But the company hadn¡¯t given up anything on the AI front due to heavy imperial regulations.


    A forbidden fruit that Mathias couldn¡¯t resist picking.


    It had started with little adjustments with how the enemies behaved. Stupid things like moving into holes, wrong interactions with elements in the game world, or Maya¡¯s reaction-time being too slow to properly assist players in the heat of action. He had sent requests through official channels, but they got lost in the bureaucracy.


    Eventually he got fed up and hacked into Dynamis¡¯ mainframe to adjust things himself, rewriting Maya to give himself administrator privileges. The company could afford top-class protection, but they couldn¡¯t stop a skilled programmer with insider access.


    Others might have balked at his illegal actions, but Mathias didn¡¯t feel guilt. He was making the game better for everyone, improving the user experience while sharpening his skills, and he had covered his tracks well enough that higher-ups would think about programming errors instead of deliberate alterations. Hell, his new version of the enemy AI took the cake, since it could deviate from the battle scripts.


    What he didn¡¯t understand was that he had playtested the encounter himself before, and she had never shown this kind of initiative.


    Did Violette learn from previous experiences?


    And how did she even know the content of the treasure? As far as the basic script went, she wasn¡¯t even able to register it. His own creation had grown out of control beyond what he imagined, and he had to learn why.


    ¡°Maya, I want to see all unusual records of monster behavior in the last twenty four hours. Accelerated ten times over.¡±


    Mathias ended up watching thirty minutes of content of elves, slimes and countless other creatures opening game chests, collecting trinkets left in the overworld for players, and even clearing out hidden, secret rooms.


    Conventional AI worked by memorization of multiple scenarios until finding the one best adapted to the task at hand, within their parameters. But these monsters had created new interactions that were never programmed into their original scripts.


    It wasn¡¯t necessarily a bad thing. If anything, it made the game more real. But it was noticeable. While Mathias was confident that with Maya reprogrammed to cover his tracks he would get away with it, he would have to stop his adjustments for a while. Concordian authorities held heavy restrictions on artificial intelligence and punished those dabbling in it with off-world imprisonment.


    Mom would have been proud of his achievement. He often wondered if something similar had been the reason behind her arrest, since he had no way to verify.


    That was the thing truly killing him. The absence of explanation, of rational reason. If only Mathias had known, he could have understood. Not forgiven -- he would never forgive -- but it would make .


    Mathias¡¯ thoughts were interrupted by a beep on his phone; telling him he had received a new message, probably from Dad. Opening his message history confirmed it.


    Mathias didn¡¯t answer. He knew the real reason why his father was doing all the extra hours. Having lost his wife without receiving any closure, the missing person cases hit him too close to heart. He wouldn¡¯t stop until he had helped the victims¡¯ families reach their answer. Mathias did everything he could to help, but he worried his father might work himself to the bone.


    Having finished his work on his games, Mathias decided to spend his time surfing on the internet, checking the latest news.


    Of course, he immediately found himself watching a piece of official propaganda, the video stream of an alien forest burned to the ground by a murderous flight of dragons and warship bombardments. Armored hobs and bullmen, led by a vanguard of human Dragon Troopers, marched on the ashes, ready to scourge any hint of resistance. Their red body armor covered every inch of skin, making them indistinguishable from automatons.


    An army of mechanized slaves.


    The male voice narrating it was singing and smooth, even cheerful in the face of this display of violence.


    According to history records, the Concordian Empire had been at war since its creation four centuries ago. Like Earth ten years before, the world of Darkthorn would be assimilated, its trees cut, its lands turned into open mining pits, its people brought into the imperial fold and shipped off to other worlds. Then the empire would move on to its next star cluster.


    It didn¡¯t matter how many worlds had to fall to satisfy the dragon¡¯s endless hunger for more resources. Those warmongers never had enough. They needed more steel to build Gearsmen, more citizens to field in their armies, and more energy to fuel their sorcery. The very stars themselves couldn¡¯t satisfy them.


    The thought led his eyes to the window, to the alien night sky. He remembered a different sight ten years ago, a black empty space inhabited by beautiful distant stars and the full moon. Now the stars were gone, the moon had turned crimson red, a purple cloud covered most of the darkness, and the nearest planet of their star cluster could be seen with the naked eye.


    Mathias moved on to more familiar news: terrorist bombings in China, the black hole in Antarctica remaining unstable in spite of warding spells, Grimsour Industries and the Undermarket competing for a lucrative orbital prison contract, the new season of premiering with top marks from cultural critics¡­ this was the world he lived in.


    This was Terra Firma, the conquered Earth. The stolen Earth.


    Keeping reading these news filled him with rage, but what could he do? He was a mere game designer, not yet eighteen. It had taken one week for the human armies to fall to Concordian forces; men were no match for their science and magic. Resistance was hopeless, and his mother¡¯s arrest spoke of the fate of those who dared rebel.


    Yet there had to be a solution. Some way to rebel beyond making reptiles enemies to kill in a video game.


    He could design an artificial intelligence dedicated to destroying Concordia. A curse in data form not unlike the Manus AI that inspired the various regulations. He had the skills and resources to design it, given enough time. Mathias doubted he would live long after uploading his creation, as the empire would track him down in swift order.


    A beep from his computer told him about a new email. Expecting a message from Dynamis, Mathias opened his mailbox, and saw the message at the top.


    Magik Online Invitation


    Mathias glanced at the name of the sender. No mail address.


    , the young man thought, Mathias didn¡¯t even bother reading it, clicking on the delete button.


    The mail didn¡¯t vanish from his email box.


    Expecting a bug, Mathias repeated the process once more to no avail. His curiosity now aroused, he double checked his antivirus protection, and then opened the mail.


    S§×arch* The N?vel?ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Mathias reread the email for the fourth time in a row. What the hell was this?


    Wait, how did they learn about him tinkering with the Dynamis AI? Only Maya knew, and he had put up strict safeguards preventing her from informing others. Had he been discovered? It could be a joke from Dynamis¡¯ programmers, but Mathias doubted it. If he had been discovered the higher-ups would have fired him on the spot.


    Mathias was confused on how to deal with this notice. If someone else had hacked into their mainframe, he should report it to Gavin immediately. No, there would be an investigation into his own AI forays.


    It could also be a trap from the Concordian government, a false flag operation. Following the mail¡¯s instructions would represent an act of rebellion, proof of his subversive mindset. Perhaps Gearsmen were waiting just outside this building, ready to arrest him if he fell for the bait.


    And what to make of the content? A platform allowing users to use Sorcery? Only the Concordians held the secrets of magic, and they jealously guarded it. No human resistance cell had managed to replicate a single spell in ten years.


    After minutes of silent consideration, Mathias looked at the Join / Decline choice. He couldn¡¯t shake the gut feeling that there would be no turning back if he clicked. Just watching that choice made his skin crawl with both dread, and, much to his astonishment, some degree of excitement.


    Why was he even considering clicking? This had to be a joke, or a trap. No good thing could come out of this.


    And yet¡­


    And yet, as Mathias remembered the news, the sinister starship looming over his head, the pain of his mother¡¯s disappearance. It had to change. He had to do something, anything. A world without Concordia was worth any price, even his life.


    Mathias clicked on .


    A sudden, searing pain spreading through his skull was the reward for his action, while a bursting flash of blue light blinded his eyes. Mathias felt something pierce his skin, needles lodging themselves in his flesh and bones, as he jolted out of his chair.


    The light and pain ended as quickly as they came, only for another light to take over his sight. Out of the sick yellow, white words burst out of nothingness.


    Connection to Dis established.


    Lock selected: NETWORK.


    Affinity: BLUE.


    Mathias¡¯ sight returned to normal, the whole ordeal having lasted less than a minute. His fingers moved to his hair, brushing against his skin beneath. Some customer service that was.


    Blue, 3-D computed words floated right in front of him, like holographic projections.


    Thank you for your trust, Mathias.


    Your account name is: SHROUD.


    Opening Magik Browser.


    Mathias thought. Apparently not, as the text vanished and a floating screen popped up where they had left; the young man turned his head slightly, with the projections following his movements. As he had suspected, the pictures were projected directly into his brain.


    The Magik Browser interface was nothing like Grimsearch¡¯s elegant simplicity. It was a pitch black screen, only slightly lit by a small search bar at the highest point of the screen, with the number fifteen on the left side, and a sealed scroll on the right.


    The rest of the screen was filled by three picture icons, each more whimsy than the last.


    The first icon was represented by a white caricature of a ghost reading a grimoire; the second, a skeleton opening a chest full of golden coins with the right hand and holding a contract with the left; and the third, a group of grinning pumpkin surrounding a Halloween-themed castle.


    Mathias ¡®clicked¡¯ on the skeleton icon by moving his finger to the projection, causing a pop-up to appear.


    Quest Board


    Fulfill personalized quests for Spellcoins and awesome rewards!


    Spellcoins? Did the website use a specific currency instead of Imperial Credits?


    He clicked on another icon, the one with the haunted castle.


    Whisper


    Anonymously discuss with other users on forums, or purchase your own private hideout.


    (Hideout feature currently unavailable, wait for the official release!)


    Okay, this one couldn¡¯t be serious. He next checked the grimoire ghost.


    Compendium


    Download and store spells to put some magic in your life.


    Mathias knew, intellectually, that a sensible person should have closed that browser right there and now. Yet intense curiosity kept him in. Leaving the app store, he clicked on the number at the top of the screen.


    Spellcoin Wallet15


    Mathias supposed it was a digital currency entry gift for joining. He had heard criminals used such systems to avoid being tracked by law enforcement.


    Next, a speech bubble suddenly popped out on the right of his screen. The title?


    ¡°Welcome, Shroud!¡±


    Sender: The Administrator.


    Mathias clicked on the bubble, and found it to be a private message conversation log. The Administrator¡¯s conversation icon represented a red circle crossed diagonally by a spear, while Mathias¡¯ own was represented a stylized, blue gear.


    A keyboard appeared right beneath the message, allowing Mathias to type an answer. He suspected the underlying technology wasn¡¯t that different from his gaming interface.


    Mathias closed the message box, and true to the mysterious person¡¯s word, he found another app icon after clicking on his Spellcoin wallet, one representing the planet Earth covered with blue points of lights and lines. It reminded him of visualizations of the internet.


    Its name?


    Network.


    He clicked, and a blue flash swallowed him whole.

 Chapter 2: Pay to Win

    Next to Evermarsh High stood a coffee shop, which was named the Evermarsh Coffee Shop, because the Hob manager utterly lacked imagination.


    It was a sweet place that catered to everyone¡¯s needs; students and teachers loved to hang out there due to the cheap prices and the cosy, warm atmosphere. Somehow, Mathias and his friends always found themselves occupying the same spot, a table near the windows by the road. Ulysses often joked someone had died at the table from cookie overdose and that nobody else had the courage to sit in the back.


    ¡°Zombies would win,¡± Perse said in-between drinking her carrot juice. Mathias and Ulysses had settled on milkshakes. ¡°There are too many of them, and I don¡¯t think legionnaire armor protects against bites.¡±


    ¡°Any legion worth their salt would crush a horde,¡± Ulysses told his sister. ¡°A wall of spears and shields and it¡¯s over; hell, zombies can be stopped with simple trenches.¡±


    Mathias didn¡¯t pay much attention to their debate, lost in his thoughts.


    What he had seen after opening that application, after using Networkhe had been thinking about it all day, to the point of ignoring work altogether. Even with the storyline all but finished, he should have focused on the finishing touches. Altering colors here and here, adding one horn or tattoo for additional flavor¡­


    Instead, the same scene kept looping back around in his head, of that blue light shining through his own eyes...


    ¡°Hey, Matt?¡± Mathias snapped back to reality, meeting Ulysses¡¯ gaze. ¡°I eloquently described how the Romans could have destroyed a zombie outbreak in no time. What do you think?¡±


    Mathias examined his friend with new eyes, trying to make sense out of the images flashing through his brain. These flashes of insight lasted only an instant, echoes within his own mind flaring into existence every time he looked at someone.


    An outcast barely tolerated by most, Ulysses lived for intellectual stimulation, which he could only get from a few things. He needed Mathias to bounce back an idea he could think about, ¡°It would heavily depend on the terrain and prep-time,¡± the game designer replied. ¡°Zombies have a clear advantage on an open field, which allows them to swarm the soldiers from all directions.¡±


    ¡°My thought exactly, Matt,¡± Perse said, before fidgeting on her seat, noticing someone. ¡°Here comes Samantha.¡±


    Mathias instantly took attention to the situation at hand, much to the siblings¡¯ subdued amusement.


    All eyes turned at Samantha Brown, Evermarsh High¡¯s diva, as she gracefully walked into the Coffee Shop. A beautiful amateur model, she dressed elegantly; every element of her clothes tailored to showcase her womanly curves. She had sparking blue eyes, long, groomed blond hair, and she always wore a blue, flower brooch in her hair.


    Samantha Brown had it all; the daughter of Mayor Brown and a big shot lawyer, she had a promising future ahead of her without even being out of school. Andschool she was the academic superstar, class representative, and the lead singer of the Evermarsh Skulls, a student music group.


    Perse should never have been allowed to pick the name,Mathias thought.


    Anyway, she was rich, she was smart, and most importantly, she was nice. Some called her Miss Perfect, and if anyone had deserved that title, it was her. And she was hot. Like, ¡°blond cheerleader¡± hot. All the boys wanted to date her, and all the girls wanted to be her.


    As for Mathias? Well¡­ she was out of his league, and more importantly, taken.


    Her boyfriend, Jack Powells, he looked like a younger copy of Denzel Washington and another life lottery winner, escorted her, keeping the Coffee Shop door open like the gentleman he was so Samantha could step through. He was tall and athletic, with wide shoulders to rival a bull, and a dashing, smooth face. He managed to be the running team¡¯s superstar while also directing his own video channel.


    However, as the couple walked next to their table to say hello, Mathias felt a general sense of fakeness. The supposed couple walked too far apart from one another. Jack paid more attention to his surroundings than his girlfriend, calculating the face he should present to the world. Mathias felt a cold vibe from Samantha; not so cold that it was hostile, but it was an apathetic coldness.


    Mathias got the feeling Samantha wasn¡¯t as taken as he thought.


    ¡°Oh, hi there, guys,¡± Jack started, before shaking Mathias¡¯ hand. Mathias felt a slight chill go through his hand and body upon physical contact, his brain alight with new possibilities. ¡°Hey, Matt, how''s your gamegoing? I can¡¯t wait to try what you have in store.¡±


    ¡°It must be a lot of stress, but I¡¯m sure you¡¯ll do great,¡± Samantha commented with a friendly smile that could melt ice, but Mathias noticed her smile didn¡¯t reach her ears. ¡°I even heard that the Yellow Ministry will give your new product a cultural recommendation.¡±


    A dragon lackey hijacking his work was the very last thing Mathias wanted. ¡°How do you know that?¡± he asked, keeping his eyes on her, letting the information flow in.


    ¡°Jack and Maggie told me. Their dad and my dad have been lobbying the Lord Dragon to endorse their public policies for the local economy, especially with all the missing person case stuff going on, but¡­¡± She put a finger on her lips and whispered,¡±


    Thankfully, Samantha was too busy talking to notice Mathias¡¯ eyes darting away in confusion. ¡°Do you guys have something planned for the weekend? My penpal, Kari, is coming from Japan, and I¡¯m hosting a party on Saturday night at my place. Wanna come?¡±


    ¡°That would be great, but ¡ª ¡± Mathias began, but Perse interrupted him with an elbow hit below the table, becoming the focus of his gaze.


    ¡°Of course we¡¯re coming!¡± Perse smiled back. ¡°But bring veggie burgers, please.¡±


    ¡°I wonder if your latest diet will last until then,¡± Samantha replied with a light chuckle.


    Mathias didn¡¯t think these flashes involved telepathy, since he wasn¡¯t exactly reading the thoughts of everyone¡­ but it was just as uncomfortable as it must be to read minds.


    ¡°You¡¯re cruel, Sam. I can last more than a month, you know? This time it¡¯s for real. Oh, and remember your promise! Rogues only on our team!¡±


    ¡°Yeah, about that, I¡¯m not so sure anymore.¡± Samantha crossed her arms. ¡°I thought about trying out the Knight class instead.¡±


    ¡°But we need a Rogue to round out our team! I¡¯ve got the Fighter class cornered by taking Knight, that dork Ulysses choose Necromancer, and Matt got a custom class.¡±


    ¡°Truth is, Jack and I already formed a team of our own,¡± Samantha said. ¡°Maggie and Kari round it up. But you¡¯re all welcome to join us.¡±


    ¡°Sorry, I¡¯ll pass,¡± Ulysses replied. ¡°We¡¯ve chosen to tackle Matt¡¯s castle the way it¡¯s meant to be, with a four person team from each of the core Class families.¡±


    ¡°But we¡¯ve got to find a Rogue now!¡± Perse complained.


    ¡°There¡¯s always Viviane,¡± Mathias pointed out.


    ¡°Nah, Mom is fun but we need someone our age,¡± Perse replied.


    ¡°Maybe we could be politically correct and get Gavin on the team?¡± her brother joked.


    ¡°Ulysses!¡±


    Jack couldn¡¯t help but chuckle at the spectacle, ¡°I¡¯m sure you will find someone your age. Anyway, Matt, since this is my first time playing, got any advice to give a newbie like me?¡±


    ¡°Matt, what¡¯s up?¡± Jack smiled. Mathias¡¯ disturbance must have shown on his face. ¡°Does me trying out your game fill you with terror?¡±


    Mathias looked at the teen dead in the eyes, noticing for the first time the disturbing, malicious glint in them. The young man quickly regained control of his emotion, hiding his unease. ¡°Prepare to cry,¡± Mathias said.


    Jack erupted in laughter, while Perse and Ulysses exchanged a knowing gaze. ¡°Okay, my audience has yet to see me die yet on livestream,¡± the aspiring player announced with a big grin. ¡°Challenge taken.¡±


    ¡°Oh, I forgot, for the party,¡± Samantha said with a smirked. ¡°There¡¯s a rule: you¡¯ve got to bring a date. It should mix up our social circles.¡±


    ¡°You just want to play matchmaker, sweetheart,¡± Jack replied, putting his arm around Samantha¡¯s waist. Much to Mathias¡¯ discomfort, he noticed Samantha subtly bristling at the touch.


    Soon, Jack charmingly invited his girlfriend to take a seat farther away, and called the waitress for two cups of coffee. Mathias¡¯ eyes lingered on them, his intuition flaring as he pieced together their dynamic. Samantha had already decided to dump her boyfriend, but only when she had a replacement in sight.


    Jack, meanwhile¡­ Jack was. The gestures he made, the smiles, all were calculated, faked for the sake of an audience. Like a wolf putting on a human-suit. Why did he never notice these tiny details before?


    And that memory¡­ he worried that Samantha was in a very real danger.


    ¡°You were going to turn her down,¡± Perse scolded Mathias. ¡°Have you seen her place? Its swimming pool is bigger than our classroom!¡±


    Mathias looked at his, unsure what to make of what he just learned, or how she would react if told what her what Samantha truly thought of her. She would probably go into denial, or make a scene.


    ¡°I¡¯ll be too busy,¡± Mathias replied, lying through his teeth. ¡°I won¡¯t have the time.¡±


    ¡°Pal, your games are joyful torture sessions. I think you can take a one-week holiday and come back to find players still stuck nowhere near your boss room.¡± Ulysses searched inside his bag and brought out high-tech holographic glasses. ¡°Anyway, I¡¯m going to blow up rebel scum on the dark side of the Moon. Want to join, Darth Matt?¡±


    ¡°Later,¡± Mathias said apathetically, already tuning everything out as his friend put his glasses on and lost himself in a virtual world.


    Perse knuckled her fingers, as the waitress took the next order on the tablet. ¡°Matt, do you have anything planned for next Saturday evening?¡±


    ¡°I have to work,¡± Mathias replied, slight apprehension in his voice. He had already guessed where she was leading him.


    ¡°Wrong answer! There¡¯s Sam¡¯s party, and my band is going to sing kickass songs there. You¡¯re coming.¡±


    On Mathias¡¯ list of things not to do, a rave party ranked just below doing sports. Not that he didn¡¯t like socializing, but he found drunken parties a waste of time. ¡°Maybe next time.¡±


    ¡°No, there won¡¯t be a next time, and I want you to be present for my big moment. You too, Ulysses.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, general,¡± he replied, already absorbed into his game. ¡°Too busy crushing intergalactic civilizations under my iron heel. Besides, I¡¯m single.¡±


    ¡°No, you wannabe Starlight Trooper, you find someone, anyone. I will keep pestering you until you get to it, and if you don¡¯t, I will never forgive you for it.¡±


    Ulysses raised his glasses, and appraised his sister. Mathias could see the gears in his mind as he weighed the consequences of ignoring the order versus the hassle of following it. Finally, he settled on the second. ¡°Dibs on Maggie.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s too bad, I think everyone is taken,¡± Mathias said with false innocence. ¡°I guess I will have to sit this one out.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry, Matt,¡± Perse reassured him. ¡°There¡¯s another option.¡±


    ¡°Who?¡± he replied. ¡°I don¡¯t know any girls besides you and your band.¡±


    She glanced at him as if he was stupid. ¡°Oh.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re coming with me,¡± Perse said. ¡°And you¡¯re going to like it! No excuses!¡±


    Mathias almost turned her down, before taking a precious moment to reflect on his recent discovery. Jack was not normal. At all. Network kept telling him to stay far away from the star student every time Mathias glanced at him. Samantha was in very bad company¡­ and if he learned that she wanted to break up with him...


    ¡°Okay,¡± Mathias decided. ¡°I¡¯ll go.¡± If only to keep an eye on those two in case things turned south between them.


    ¡°I thought you were going out with¡­¡± Ulysses paused. ¡°What was his name again?¡±


    ¡°Dumped him three hours ago,¡± Perse replied. ¡°His name was Doug¡­ I think.¡±


    ¡°I seriously need a notebook to keep track,¡± her brother said, before glancing at Mathias. ¡°She is my sister.¡± He tried to sound dead serious, but couldn¡¯t quite manage it. ¡°If you do anything inappropriate, I will have to challenge you to aDuel for the family¡¯s honor.¡±


    ¡°Not really that much of a threat, Padawan,¡± Mathias replied, Ulysses responded with a smug stare. ¡°You sure about Maggie? I think there¡¯s a waiting list for her.¡±


    ¡°She will melt before my charm,¡± Ulysses said, before putting his digital glasses back on. ¡°It¡¯s on my to do list, right after ¡®conquer the universe.¡¯¡±


    Mathias glanced at Perse, who smirked back. He could already hear the rumors coming. Not that he cared¡­ sort of. A little. He didn¡¯t like being the butt of lewd jokes.


    His phone beeped, as he received a text message. Mathias briefly looked at it.


    ¡­ who used XD anymore?


    Mathias and his father lived in a small downtown apartment, on the sixth floor of a building in downtown Evermarsh. The kitchen and main room shared the same space, and they had only two miserable bedrooms. Concordian gave all their citizens free lodging, but only the amount of space strictly needed.


    Even with only two occupants, the apartment felt crowded. Mathias had sacrificed his prized book collection, and his father his sports equipment for breathing space and a Holo-TV. Their home was all white in color and had no decorations, and with walls that were made brighter by the windows¡¯ light. All in all, it felt closer to a hospital room than a home; perhaps Concordian authorities intended for that effect when they moved them here. It suited the Martels just fine, since neither of them stayed there often.


    Upon closing the door behind him, Mathias found his father, Victor, writing an article on his laptop behind the kitchen table. His coffee cup was still fuming next to two empty cups. Sol, a friend of the family, drank tea on the other side of the table with calm, soothing dignity.


    Save for his mother¡¯s blue eyes and his own short height, Mathias had inherited most of his features from his dad. Strong and tall, with pale brown hair and striking amber eyes, Victor wore only the simplest of clothes. An adventurer, he could, and had, bailed on everything to pursue a story that mattered to him.


    Like every journalist, however, Victor had to live with Concordian censorship, especially online. Gone were the days where one could write articles decrying the powers that be; like many, and especially after mom¡¯s arrest, his father had to sacrifice his freedom for the sake of giving his son a family.


    He did keep some photos to himself, however, in a secret stash that Mathias had found and peeked at. Pictures of Gearsmen malfunctioning and killing bystanders swept under the rug, of police opening fire on Chinese rioters, and of Concordia¡¯s complex in Great Britain where many protesters went in and none came out. Pictures that revealed the true face of Concordia.


    Dad risked much by keeping those pictures, which made Mathias all the prouder of him.


    ¡°Greetings, Mathias,¡± Sol welcomed the young man first, putting his tea aside. The man had a personable face that made you trust him at first sight, with gentle grey eyes and a white beard; he looked like the consummate televangelist he had used to be before the Conquest. He wore a priest¡¯s black garb, and kept his hair well-groomed, exposing the scar on his forehead. ¡°You have grown an inch.¡±


    ¡°You say that every time you see me,¡± Mathias replied with a smile, giving a brief hug to the grandfather he never had, and felt a surge of energy rush through his veins as he did. ¡°What are you doing here?¡±


    ¡°Helping me with the case, son,¡± Dad spoke, upon hugging Mathias next, the same surge of energy spreading through him as he did. ¡°How did the day go?¡±


    ¡°Fine, sort of,¡± Mathias replied. His father raised an eyebrow, but didn¡¯t push the envelope. He had learned to respect his son¡¯s right to privacy. Next, he moved to look at his father¡¯s computer screen, reading the article. ¡°The Invisible Hand?¡±


    ¡°So far, no corpses, no witness, no M.O.,¡± Victor had been investigating the missing person cases for two months now, since Sol had first alerted the authorities that a member of his dwindling yet tight congregation hadn¡¯t shown up in two weeks. Local police, led by chief Henry Powells, had made it a priority, yet their efforts had yet to yield dividends. ¡°And the count keeps climbing.¡±


    ¡°There was another disappearance yesterday. The thirteenth.¡± Sol shook his head in anger and sadness. ¡°No day passes without a family praying for a sign.¡±


    So far nobody had died on the case. But only so far, was what Mathias always reminded himself of.


    ¡°Once, criminal activities were synonymous with blood and intimidation, but since the dragons took over secrecy and low profiles have become the norm,¡± Victor explained. Since Gearsmen used lethal force on sight, criminal organizations faced high turnover rates. ¡°The Mexican drug trade has been all but eradicated, the Cosa Nostra is gone, and the Russian Mafia¡­¡±


    Victor didn¡¯t finish his sentence. He didn¡¯t need to. Everyone knew what happened to the Russians when they tried to resist the Conquest. The fires could be seen from Belgrade.


    ¡°I do not think this is an organized syndicate,¡± Sol voiced his opinion. Having spent twenty years of his life fighting them in South America, he knew those groups intimately. ¡°We received no ransom demand, and the missing people are ordinary citizens. I believe the responsible¡¯s motives are more malicious than mere greed.¡±


    Mathias winced at the memory. Sol had told him this story before ¡ª one of the reasons Mathias had labeled him a closet badass ¡ª but seeing it through the priest¡¯s own eyes felt way more terrible than hearing it. Sol had spent a month in a coma afterwards before the doctors could wake him up.


    ¡°Yet I cannot imagine a lone individual able to pull this kidnapping spree off,¡± Victor replied. ¡°I know there¡¯s a strong hand behind it, and not a human hand.¡±


    ¡°Organizations make more mistakes the bigger they grow,¡± Sol agreed. ¡°This one, if it exists, has yet to reveal anything sensitive.¡±


    ¡°The leader may have a strong hold over its staff. Could be a vampire or salamander. I¡¯ve just got to figure out how the responsible keep getting ahead of investigations.¡±


    ¡°Victor, at the risk of repeating myself, I only see two possibilities.¡± Sol put his tea aside, his face grim. ¡°Either the responsible has informants among law enforcement, or thay the law enforcement.¡± sea??h th§× N?vel(F)ire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Mathias remembered the memory flash he had received from Jack. Sol¡¯s instincts may be on point. He kept his mouth shut however, as he couldn¡¯t prove anything yet.


    ¡°That is a very strong accusation that you make,¡± Victor replied. ¡°However, Concordia seems to share it. A source in the Blue Ministry told me they have taken an interest in the case, and will take it from the local forces¡¯ hands soon.¡±


    From what Mathias gathered, the missing people conspiracy abducted isolated people on a weekly basis, never at the same place and without any witness. Which implied a tight schedule, and tighter teamwork. Mathias mind went to work, he envisioned a cell within the police force, convincing people to go with them for a routine check up and then abducting them by surprise. It would be easy to hide in plain sight, to transport the victims to an isolated area. Political ties would give them key intel, and allow them to stave off Concordian interference.


    An interesting deduction, too clear and precise to fully be his own.


    For the first time since he downloaded the spell, Network provided Mathias with information that didn¡¯t involve psychological insight. He fought the urge to open his account, almost on reflex.


    For the safety of his mind, he couldn¡¯t keep ignoring what he had seen. It only brought him more questions. He had to deal with them here and now.


    ¡°I¡¯ve got to make a call,¡± Mathias declared. ¡°It¡¯s really important, and I don¡¯t want to be bothered.¡±


    Sol gave him a knowing look. ¡°Wouldn¡¯t that be this girl you keep telling me about?¡±


    ¡°A girl?¡± Amusement spread over Dad¡¯s face. ¡°You¡¯ve been seeing a girl Mathias? And you didn¡¯t tell your old man?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s not¡­¡± And now it was just embarrassing. ¡°It¡¯s just a crush. I haven¡¯t told her anything.¡±


    ¡°Fine, fine,¡± Dad replied, deciding not to tease his son further. ¡°Just be ready for dinner. Sol will be joining us.¡±


    Mathias kissed his father on the forehead, said goodbye to Sol, went to his room, and locked the door behind him. Putting his school bag on the side of his small bed, he then flipped the blinders on the window closed, blanketing his bedroom in comforting darkness.


    Lying on the bed, Mathias mentally focused, summoning the Magik Browser in front of him. It had taken the teen some effort to learn how to open and close it with thought alone, but whatever kind of tech powered the app, it was directly linked to his brain. He suspected he might even be able to ¡®click¡¯ without moving his hand, if given enough time to figure it out.


    The Network Icon had moved into the main screen after activation, right to the Spellcoin wallet. Mathias clicked on it without hesitation.


    Like the other apps on Magik, the application had a short explanation: .


    So far it had provided him with oddly specific information, such as memories of others in a specific context. Yet the name of the app was Network, not Mind Reader. What information Mathias¡¯ mind received were either personal psychological insights, or information on how individuals related to one another. What the app provided him wasn¡¯t so much as telepathic communication, but advanced individual and social profiling.


    There, the lightning in the bottle: he could understand how a network of people worked, and how to influence all its components. He didn¡¯t even need to meet individual members; as the epiphany on the police proved, even the mere evidence that the network existed could allow him to extrapolate information. He could also orient the information flow, based on questions or circumstantial needs.


    Could the power affect even non-human networks, such as Hob clans? The internet, railroads, supply chains, all of those were networks that weren¡¯t fully automated and could potentially fall under his purview. How far was the limit? If he kept observing a network, would his power and understanding grow ever sharper? He would have to check.


    Properly applied, this power could be devastating. If Mathias could approach members of the Concordian authorities, he could insidiously sabotage them. Or form a resistance cell out of previously unconnected individuals.


    Clicking on the app again changed his screen into five sets of smaller visual feeds, each showing a video in real time. One of them portrayed Perse arguing with the camera, with the one right next to her point of view showing Ulysses in the same position. The third portrayed an emptied cup of tea, while the fourth livestreamed two hands preparing coffee in Mathias¡¯ own kitchen.


    The fifth livestream started normally before going into somewhat disturbing territory. The viewer looked at the dwindling ratings of a video game online channel on his laptop, then closed it, and sat before a red wall. The livestreamer didn¡¯t move, didn¡¯t shake, just standing there unblinking.


    Just staring.


    Names were shown in bright blue letters under each of the livestreams.Ulysses Werner, Persephone Werner, Solomon Nicholae, Victor Martell, Jack Powells.


    Mathias enabled sound on the Ulysses video, finding himself in the middle of a conversation between him and Perse. ¡° ¡ª Ulysses, you are such a jerk, you can¡¯t ask out Maggy dressed like this!¡±Much like a livestream application, some settings were set at the bottom of each individual screens labeled: Sound disabled; and Communication disabled.


    ¡°It¡¯s all about inner confidence,¡± the offscreen Ulysses replied.


    The quality of the sound was sharper than any video Mathias had ever watched. He almost felt physically present at the scene. Because, in a way, he was. Mathias watched the scene through Ulysses¡¯ own ears and eyes.


    His eyes fidgeted to the door. ¡°Sorry if I make too much noise!¡± Mathias called out.


    ¡°It¡¯s fine, we don¡¯t hear a thing at all!¡± his father replied through the door. As Mathias suspected, the sound was only in his mind.


    Why could he do this with these five people, and not, say, Samantha? What was the common thread that bound them?


    Mathias had touched each of them.


    He had kissed his father, hugged Sol, Perse had knocked him on the elbow, Jack had shaken his hand, while Ulysses gave him a back pat whenever they met. Samantha was the only one with whom Mathias had no physical contact in the entire day.


    Anyone Mathias touched became his eyes and ears. In effect, he assimilated people into his own network, and the application turned them into living nodes.


    He was a one-man spy agency.


    What about the communication setting? Did it mean he could communicate with the person he had touched over long distances, the same way he could share their auditory experience?


    He couldn¡¯t test that theory with any of them, lest they learn about Magik. And could it also work with non-human targets? He shuddered at the possibilities.


    Yet, Mathias had seen enough to feel tantalized. He closed Network and opened Magik proper.


    Mathias clicked on the Compendium first. The screen revealed a color wheel, a circle divided into seven colors: a sphere of white at the center, then six shards colored red, orange, yellow, green, blue and violet surrounding it.


    Each shard was divided into five layers, with an ascending number of dots marked on them. The farther they were from the white center, the greater the number of dots. The white color at the center followed an opposite color scheme, with five circles of white ranking one to five the closest to the center.


    Mathias instinctively clicked on Blue Dot One. He found himself transported to an app store, with multiple different products available for purchase. A general explanation stood above all of the selection: . He promptly checked various offers, with textual information appearing upon clicking. Various products, each with a Blue Circle for an icon, laid bare before his eyes in a list.


    Blue World


    Affinity: Blue


    Dot: 1


    Price: 3


    Activation: Active, Voice Vector.


    Stop the perception of time of any person within earshot of the spell¡¯s activation for five seconds.


    Premium Thoughts


    Affinity: Blue


    Dot: 1


    Price: 3


    Activation: Passive, App Switch.


    Magically boosts the user¡¯s cognitive processes, memory retention, multi-focus, and learning ability.


    Psychometry


    Affinity: Blue


    Dot: 1


    Price: 3


    Activation: Passive, Physical Touch.


    Learn the existence and memories of an item upon touch. The longer the physical contact, the farther the user can reach into the item¡¯s life.


    The list went on, with Mathias noticing some similar elements. Each of the products were worth three Spellcoins, and dealt in some way with either the mind, knowledge, or communication in general. All of these abilities pleased Mathias, but the young man decided to examine the rest of the Compendium in-depth before settling on a product.


    He moved to the Green appstore, which declared Green to be the color of life. Unlike the Blue appstore, those abilities each cost four Spellcoins each.


    Berserk


    Affinity: Green


    Dot: 1


    Price: 4


    Activation: Active, Thought.


    Turns off the natural limits of the user¡¯s body for five minutes. The user undergoes a constant adrenaline rush, does not feel pain, and achieves instinct unclouded by reason, becoming a fighting machine unable to distinguish friend from foe.


    Needless


    Affinity: Green


    Dot: 1


    Price: 4


    Activation: Passive, App Switch.


    Removes basic biological needs from the user, such as eating, sleeping, reproducing, or breathing.


    Unlike Blue, all the spells cost four Spellcoins. Violet spells, the color of also cost four Spellcoins.


    Switch


    Affinity: Violet


    Dot: 1


    Price: 4


    Activation: Active, Thought.


    Switch places with an object or person within a five meter radius with near equivalent-mass to the user. The target must be within sight; the wider the mass difference, the more likely the spell will fail.


    Timesense


    Affinity: Violet


    Dot: 1


    Price: 4


    Activation: Passive, App Switch.


    The user gains supernatural awareness of time, being able to tell the current time with perfect accuracy and instantly noticing time magic affecting them.


    When Mathias clicked on Red, the he noticed a price surge. So did Orange, the and Yellow, spells.


    Firekin


    Affinity: Red


    Dot: 1


    Price: 5


    Activation: Passive, App Switch.


    The user gains the ability to psychically direct existing fire within sight, moving the flames in any direction he wishes. The user cannot create or extinguish flames, however.


    Reinforce


    Affinity: Orange


    Dot: 1


    Price: 5


    Activation: Active, Touch Vector.


    The user permanently reinforces inanimate matter upon touch, increasing its density and resistance to damage.


    Spiritsense


    Affinity: Yellow


    Dot: 1


    Price: 5


    Activation: Passive, App Switch.


    The user becomes able to perceive and interact with astral entities, including ghosts, formless spirits, and egregores.


    But of all spells in the app store, it was the White, the color of Sorcery registry that confused Mathias most, besides its spells¡¯ price matching Violet and Green ones.


    Accel


    Affinity: White


    Dot: 1


    Price: 4


    Activation: Active, Thought.


    Double the power and duration of the next spell used.


    Encode


    Affinity: White


    Dot: 1


    Price: 4


    Activation: Active, Direct Touch Vector.


    Imbue a person or item with a spell for future activation; the user sets the activation conditions upon activation.


    White manipulated existing spells, instead of standing on its own. This could increase his flexibility. Yet, why did White, Violet and Green spells cost him more than Blue ones, and Yellow, Orange and Red more than those?


    Mathias remembered that opening inscription on Magik, he had been given the affinity of Blue. Could that be the cause? It would make sense. Since Blue was his affinity, the closer the color on the wheel, the greater the discount. He could specialize in Blue, gaining more spells, or add some variety, but at a higher price.


    Mathias lay in his bed for what felt like several minutes, his mind processing all of the information. Strangely, his Network sense hadn¡¯t buzzed once during his investigation of Magik. He guessed the Administrator had put on a failsafe so that the platform¡¯s spells couldn¡¯t be used to pierce its secrets, or that unmanned automatic systems escaped his power¡¯s purview.


    Mathias¡¯ thoughts quickly turned to resource management. With fifteen Spellcoins, he could either buy five Blue Spells, or three to four spells of various colors. Should he buy spells to increase his intelligence, and better figure it out? The ability to work full time without needing to sleep sounded very nice as well.


    Why did he remain locked at level one, while clearly other levels existed beyond that state? Did he have to meet specific conditions to unlock them?


    In the end, his investigation brought more questions than answers. Luckily, Mathias knew who could answer them. His finger moved to open his message box.


    As expected, the Administrator, whoever he or she was ¡ª or if it was even a human ¡ª had been monitoring him.


    How generous. So Mathias could walk away and keep his current powers, so long as he kept quiet about this platform and used his abilities to annoy Concordia. However, he would also remain locked with the level he had¡­ and never get to the bottom of things. The sight of the locked powers would remain under his nose, forever out of reach.


    Father wasn¡¯t the only person driven by the search of the absolute truth. This was the occasion Mathias had been waiting for, the opportunity to strike back. He could do it. He had the brains, and more importantly, the power, to pull it off.


    Leaving the conversation, Mathias moved to the Quest Log. The application looked like a red board with a skeleton watching on the side. One scroll was nailed on the board, Mathias clicked on it. The paper filled the screen, texts writing themselves on it. As he read, the scroll icon on the right side of his screen popped up, the number one materializing right beneath it.


    Lost and Found


    Difficulty: Dot Two


    Sponsor: the Administrator


    Any good game needs a tutorial, and your town needs a hero. Prove your skills and mastery of spells by solving the missing persons case.


    Reward: Eight Spellcoins.


    Nice. Mathias would get paid for something he was about to do for free. But he would need more equipment than Network alone. And he had fifteen Spellcoins left.


    Time to cash in.

 Chapter 3: Skill Tree A

    The top public school in Evermarsh, Evermarsh High, came equipped with tactile screen boards to teach, top-notch biometric lockers, and comfortable velvet chairs. The Yellow Ministry of Concordia, which supervised all cultural and education activities, had heavily invested in the place, intent on making it the safest, most welcoming place for students to foster their skills in the Empire¡¯s service. The school¡¯s excellent academic reputation made competition for entry fierce. For Mathias, keeping good grades here was paramount to him.


    Sitting at the left edge of the classroom behind an individual mahogany desk, right next to the pristine windows, Mathias glanced at the discreet, eye-shaped camera above the board, recording the students¡¯ every move. Classroom C was big enough to accommodate thirty students, assembled in linear lines, but not big enough to create a blind-spot in the camera.


    Ulysses and Perse were located further back in the classroom. The school¡¯s staff had reorganized the students¡¯ places to reduce talking during class in order to increase productivity, ensuring that close friends would sit as far apart as possible. To make up for it, the school put on beat music when the teachers weren¡¯t present through loudspeakers, distracting the students from the surveillance.


    The cameras and the security system hadn¡¯t turned out to be a great investment. After hacking the school system on his first week, just to see if he could, Mathias had found a glaring blind-spot in the emergency exit and a glitch in the biometric securities. Cameras could be fooled by repeating previous footage, alongside other exploits.


    Mathias had once thought about anonymously reporting the weaknesses he had found, but decided against it, at least while he was still a student. A tip would result in an investigation and he didn¡¯t want any additional trouble during his school year.


    And today, that decision had paid off. He wouldn¡¯t have dared risk what he was about to do if he hadn¡¯t disabled the classroom¡¯s camera beforehand.  S§×ar?h the N?vel(F)ire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Mr. Barth caused the whole class to fall into silence as he closed the door behind him. ¡°Good morning students,¡± he spoke with a strong, neutral tone, while carrying a pile of paper under his arm.


    Like all Bullmen, Mr. Barth was more ¡°bull¡± than ¡°man,¡± a bipedal beast with clawed hands and hoofed feet. He was small for his kind, only two heads taller than Mathias himself, horns included, with a hide brown like chocolate. He wore a shirt and trousers instead of more elaborate metal plates and jewelry favored by his kind.


    When Mr. Barth went straight towards Mathias¡¯ desk, his hooves causing the ground to shake under his heavy build, the young student straightened up and tried to hide his excitement behind a poker face. Mr. Barth never went to him first.


    Others noticed. Mathias could almost feel the tension in the air as the teacher walked up to him, rereading the paper at the front of his pile. Mathias exchanged a few glances with his worried friends, but remained calm.


    Finally ending the silence, Mr. Barth put a paper on Mathias¡¯ desk.


    ¡°Congratulations, Mathias, you won the maximum score.¡± Murmurs went through the room, as he read the praiseful comments all over his research paper. ¡°Excellent work, keep it up.¡±


    Mr. Barth, no man to go into speeches, moved on to Samantha, giving her the first runner-up paper of her entire school year, distributing into descending order of score. Perse ended up third, while Ulysses managed to hang in the middle.


    Mathias couldn¡¯t hear the gossips going on around him, but Network told him his increased grades had increased his status somewhat, especially among the academic-minded students.


    Downloading Premium Thoughts had proved an excellent investment. Everything Mathias saw or experienced, he could remember with perfect clarity, which turned him into a living database. A sleepless night checking trivia and online databases had been enough to get over lateness in previous assignments. The spell also increased his thought process speed enough to do quicker work for Dynamis.


    However, Premium Thoughts hadn¡¯t been his only purchase. Now that Barth was inside the classroom, the risks of outside intervention were minimal.


    Mathias checked his laptop, setting a chronometer on. he thought.


    ¡°Blue World,¡± Mathias spoke out loud.


    A bright, blue flash filled the room, and for a moment Mathias¡¯ entire vision seemed to be shrouded through a blue lens.


    The hurried whispers of the class turned silent. Mr. Barth had stopped dead in his tracks, one hand about to seize another paper from his pile and put it on Jack¡¯s desk. The students remained silent, as if frozen in time. Mathias glanced around, just in case anyone had escaped the spell, and then turned his eyes to the chronometer.


    Five¡­


    Four...


    Three¡­


    Two¡­


    One...


    The bluish light vanished, and the classroom once more buzzed with renewed activity. No one raised their eyes to Mathias, even to comment on his strange words. The spell must have paralyzed them before the words could register in their conscious mind. Perfect.


    After experimenting, he had found that spells were divided into passive or active. Passive meant they were always on unless willingly disabled ¡ª such as Premium Thoughts. Active spells, such as Blue World, were voice activated.


    When Mr. Barth moved on to the screen presentation, Mathias decided now was the time. His eyes quickly picked his intended target; an athletic, pretty, brown-skinned woman with striking amber eyes: Maggie Powells. Jack¡¯s sister and the last member of Perse¡¯s music band. She always looked ready for a fight, although Network told him that she lacked her brother¡¯s hidden malicious edge.


    hated


    male


    Yes, this confirmed his hunch about the police. Poor girl.


    After calculating in his mind the time it would take to reach her, Mathias slightly pivoting to make rising up from his chair easier and took a deep breath.


    ¡°Blue World.¡±


    As the blue flash filled the room, Mathias jumped out of his chair and dashed at Maggie. Thankfully, he had a straight line to her. He hurriedly poked her shoulder, feeling the energy surge of Network through his body, then got back to his chair, sitting down right in time for the spell to end with no one the wiser.


    It could have been easy to bump into her at school, but Mathias didn¡¯t want any possible trail to lead back to him in case his plot failed. Besides, he should get used to using his spells.


    Keeping a poker face as he caught his breath slowly, Mathias focused back on Mr. Barth¡¯s history class; for once he could listen without worrying about job deadlines in the back of his mind. He started listening intently to the political causes behind the Concordian unification, typing notes on his computer.


    ¡° ¡ª During that troubled era four hundred years ago, our beloved Grandmaster Wyrde, greatest Sorceress among dragonkind, her apprentice Loctis, who would soon become the Green Minister, and the human explorer Halcyon, made a pact, swearing to unite the warring states of Midgard into a single whole. It took a full decade of warfare and diplomacy, but the trio, hence known as the Three Founders, pacified the Sphere. To commemorate their success, they founded the city that would eventually cover all of Midgard and become the center of our eternal Empire; Concordia. A city where all would be one.¡±


    Mathias thought, wise enough not to say it out loud.


    ¡°One of the founders was human?¡± Maggie asked.


    ¡°Yes. It is thought that Terra Firma and ancient Midgard were briefly connected thousands of years ago, allowing a few human tribes to cross the frontier and settle on the other world. It would be millenia before the Gates reopened ten years ago, but we will discuss this later. Halcyon himself descended from the primitive tribes, but we lack records on his past before the Founding, and his life was cut short during the Gintargo Pacification. We now move into the first age of ¡ª ¡±


    However, Mathias grew bored, as his teacher rehashed the same information he had previously memorized from the online school database. He found himself opening Magik almost on impulse.


    This website decreased his productivity more than social media.


    Premium Thoughts and Blue World had been necessary purchases; the first because one couldn¡¯t be too smart and the second to give himself a defensive weapon. He still had nine Spellcoins on his account, enough to buy three more Blue spells, or a combination of two other Color.


    Mathias had noticed among Blue Spells; most involved manipulating skills or, in the case of Blue World, mind processes. Few had any direct offensive application. Perhaps higher level spells would provide more potent options, but they remained out of reach.


    ¡° ¡ª The first challenge to Concordian supremacy was the rival Sphere of Gintargo, a burgeoning empire built on trade instead of military force. Ideological differences and competition over resources meant inevitable war ¡ª ¡±


    Mathias noticed that he could follow the lecture as precisely as if he had focused on it¡­ while his attention was equally set on Magik.


    How much could his brain multitask while on Premium Thoughts? How fast could he compute information? If catching up to class took so little time, what else could Mathias learn?


    Mathias found himself glancing at Samantha, noticing her staring at him blankly, still reeling from the shock of ending up in second place. It almost made the gamer feel bad about beating her, especially when she corrected her expression as not to look contrite.


    several


    Instead of taking her broken record as a personal affront, Samantha gave Mathias a sharp nod of acknowledgement, and smiled back. For the first time in a long while, she was truly staring at him not as Perse¡¯s friend, but as his own person.


    It felt nice.

 Chapter 3: Skill Tree B

    On Friday morning, after a sleepless night spent devouring information, Mathias called in sick for the day and made sure he was home alone. He spent most of the day on his sofa, watching Maggie Powells¡¯ feed with a pen and paper in his hands.


    While her brother spent his lunch time with Samantha, Maggie had a tighter schedule. Coming home after sports, she took a shower ¡ª Mathias had to look away for five minutes during that part ¡ª then moved to practice with her bass in her bedroom for twenty minutes, as if to blow off steam from invisible frustration.


    The key moment Mathias had waited for came right afterward, when she entered her home¡¯s kitchen to find her father eating a sandwich there. A strong, powerfully built man with a balding head, police chief Henry Powells kept his gun on the table, as if ready to open fire in his own house. He and his daughter narrowly avoided speaking to one another, yet a glance triggered Network.


    As Mathias had expected, Network worked even while watching through his nodes ¡ª the term he had coined for people he had touched and turned into spies. This would come in handy, as he penned the various details.


    What he had learned, though¡­


    The conspiracy ran deeper than the police. Way deeper. If both the police chief and the mayor were involved, it would explain how they had been able to operate for so long. Did Samantha know? He doubted that. Unlike Jack, she didn¡¯t seem the type to go along with such behavior.


    What was the point, though? Concordia might be oppressive, but they wouldn¡¯t let disappearances continue for too long. According to Sol, they would act soon, local opposition or not. They couldn¡¯t sustain the operation in the long term.


    And in spite of all the elements at hand, Mathias couldn¡¯t fathom the motive yet.


    Still, he now had information. The conspiracy would gather on Saturday midnight at the old Chemical Plant at the city¡¯s outskirts. He remembered the place had been abandoned since Concordia deported the production ¡ª


    Huh?


    Jack¡¯s feed had vanished from his interface.


    The others remained active, but Jack was nowhere to be seen, and an in-depth check up of the app didn¡¯t help find it. Confused, Mathias checked the time, and then understood.


    Forty-eight hours.


    That was the last time he had physical contact with Jack at the Coffee Shop. All the others he had touched in the same timespan. He would test out this hypothesis, but for now, it seemed the most likely explanation.


    So, Network had a time limit. He had to renew the spell every two days or he would lose the feed. This complicated matters. Without Jack as an additional insider, he might miss important information.


    What should he even do with the intel? Calling the police would obviously backfire; telling his dad would encourage him to infiltrate the meeting, with potentially disastrous consequences.


    No. Mathias would go there, take incriminating pictures, and release them online anonymously. His targets relied on their public image to protect themselves; his plan would strip them of that.


    Blue World alone wouldn¡¯t protect him, however; while the local police lacked advanced Concordian weaponry, they still had guns. He needed to invest in additional protection, gain a weapon of his own.


    Mathias typed ¡°damage spell¡± in the Compendium research bar, in case results would come out. Berserk came first, which he ignored due to the inherent dangers of losing one¡¯s mind, alongside Firekin; fire control without creation meant that unless he put something on fire he would lack any means to defend himself.


    As he expected, most suggestions were Red or Orange; not surprising since they dealt with the physical world.


    Seamancer


    Affinity: Orange


    Dot: 1


    Price: 5


    Activation: Passive, Thought.


    The user gains the ability to psychically direct existing liquid water within sight, moving the water in any direction he wishes. The user cannot turn the water either solid or gaseous; the purer the liquid¡¯s composition, the finer the control.


    Dirt Call


    Affinity: Orange


    Dot: 1


    Price: 5


    Activation: Passive, Thought.


    The user gains the ability to psychically direct earth within sight, moving dirt in the direction he wishes. The purer the earth, the finer the control.


    Stockmight


    Affinity: Red


    Dot: 1


    Price: 5


    Activation: Passive, Physical Touch.


    The user¡¯s body stockpiles kinetic energy, lessening impacts and numbing hits. The user can then release the energy in bursts on physical touch, enhancing their strength.


    Heatriser


    Affinity: Red


    Dot: 1


    Price: 5


    Activation: Active, Voice.


    User gains the ability to increase the heat around their body, increasing temperatures while remaining unaffected.


    Quasar


    Affinity: Red


    Dot: 1


    Price: 5


    Activation: Passive, Thought.


    The user gains the ability to psychically direct light within sight, creating artificial darkness, or blinding flashes. The user cannot create light and is limited to using existing sources.


    Biosurge


    Affinity: Red


    Dot: 1


    Price: 5


    Activation: Active, Voice.


    User can produce a burst of bioelectricity around them, shocking living beings and disturbing electronic devices.


    The options disappointed Mathias a bit. The Red options needed voice activation and had underwhelming effect, while the Orange spells needed specific conditions to work. Seamancer would have had potential, if the Chemical Pant not been located inland.


    In the end, Dirt Call was the best choice. Earth ¡ª although the definition implied an esoteric definition rather than a scientific one ¡ª could be found almost anywhere. But the sight limit reduced its utility.


    Thankfully, he had enough Spellcoins for a second purchase. Perhaps another spell could improve the first? He typed ¡°expanded vision¡± in his search and found the perfect product.


    Intuimotion


    Affinity: Blue


    Dot: 1


    Price: 3


    Activation: Passive.


    The user gains complete awareness of all motion within a ten meter/thirty-two foot radius, giving them an expanded psychic sight alongside an intuitive understanding of movement.


    A ten meters radius of psychic sight meant he could expand Dirt Call¡¯s range significantly. Both were passive as well, and as such easier to deploy.


    Mathias purchased both with a click and activated them. He closed his eyes, trying to focus on the dirt left in the house¡­


    What followed was difficult to put into words. In a flash of Blue and Orange, he could suddenly sense the air move in his apartment, the dirt on the ground¡­ and then the signals kept coming, chaotic, disordered. The more he tried to focus on the dirt signal, the less he felt his hold on it.


    And then, when he pushed too hard...


    CRACK!


    A sound not unlike glass shattering echoed in his mind, jolting his brain and causing his eyes to snap back open.


    He saw.


    He saw his own face through his laptop¡¯s screen and camera. He saw the city outside, the pigeon pooping on his windows like on his own eye. He saw the kitchen, his darkened bedroom, everything in his whole apartment. He could even see the corridor leading to their door, through the camera right above it.


    He could no longer feel the air, or the dirt, or the movements around him. The glass though¡­ the windows, the glass cups, his laptop¡¯s screen, all of them had become a part of him. He could see through them, feel them.


    Blue words wrote themselves in his mind, giving an explanation to his situation.


    New Hack created!


    Glass Field


    Dot: 2


    Components: Intuimotion + Dirt Call


    Activation: Passive, Thought.


    You now have absolute psychic control over glass within a ten meter/thirty-two foot radius. You can use glass as an extension of your own senses, and cast spells through them. The purer the glass, the finer your control.


    His spells had combined into a stronger one!


    With a thought, Mathias commanded a glass cup on the kitchen table to come to him. Much to his astonishment, the object flew across the room at an arrow¡¯s speed, and ended up floating right in front of his nose. Mathias just stared blankly at the miracle, his whole understanding of the laws of gravity undone tight before his eyes. An experience doubly wonderful, as he mentally saw his own face through the item.


    The young man next tested the finesse of his control. With a thought, the glass cup decomposed into a cloud of tiny pieces, each as small as a sand grain. Although he could no longer see clearly through them, he could still feel them. Mathias reassembled them into a sphere of glass, then a more complex skull shape.


    Did his spell have a limit of weight or size? He could sense every tiny bit of glass around him, and his magically-granted instincts told him he could command them all at once if he so wished. Deciding against destroying his apartment, Mathias returned the cup to its original form and telekinetically put it back in its original place.


    Now he had a powerful, versatile weapon; in a world ruled by technology, he could find glass everywhere. A thought crossed his mind, however. What happened to Glass Field¡¯s components?


    Checking his account, he noticed Intuimotion and Dust Call missing from his available spells. Moving to the Compendium, he noticed them available for purchase, unlike Blue World or Premium Thoughts.


    His individual spells had been consumed by the process, like a chemical reaction. To use them in their base state, Mathias would have to purchase them again. Which he no longer had the funds to do.


    Mathias decided to take a break and look at his phone¡¯s messages. One from Ulysses, six from Perse, and sixteen from Vivianne. He started with the simplest and most elegant, four words long.


    Jackass.


    Mathias went through Vivianne¡¯s message with less thought, barely registering some words, like ¡°you okay,¡± ¡°sweetie, please sleep,¡± or ¡°Illuminati poisoning.¡± Mathias put more focus on Perse¡¯s messages.


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    It brought a smile on Mathias¡¯ face, as he moved to work on his gamesbefore his friends could come.


    Changing the layout of his game corner, programming new monsters, and editing programming lines to smooth out building textures. The more he became absorbed in the video game, the less he thought. He was in the zone.


    In developer mode, Mathias held a bird¡¯s eye view of the virtual world, like a god overseeing his creation from the clouds ¡ª which he was, in a way. His sight was limited to his castle and its surroundings, over which he held administrator privileges. Beyond that, he could only see a white void, blind as he was. It ensured developing teams couldn¡¯t leak the content of other groups to the press or gamers. Only Maxwell, the game¡¯s creator, could oversee the entire game world at a single given time.


    Mathias wondered how it felt, to watch a game setting the size of a small world evolving on its own, built over a year by two hundred teams around the world. It must feel invigorating; one¡¯s vision becoming reality.


    Mathias had designed his corner of the world with a gardener¡¯s attention. The layout was relatively simple. Castle Noirceur stood as a black stronghold of ancient evil, surrounded by a terrible green glow and the wails of the dark spirits haunting the location. The castle was heavily fortified, with six towers of blackened stone rising from its depths, manned by ferocious, humanoid lizards. The very tip of the fortress, surrounded by the thick halo of ancient energies, held the altar of the Primeval Serpent, where the boss battle would take place.


    ¡°Maya, can you open a second visual feed? Any random place will do.¡±


    The AI obeyed the order, a second video of a sinister swamp popping up on the side of his screen, right next to his visual of Castle Noirceur.


    He could focus on both with equal intensity.


    This sounded simple, but the mental effort needed to maintain this should have been tremendous. ¡°Open a third feed.¡± The AI did, with Mathias not noticing any difference. ¡°Open three more.¡±


    By now, Mathias was facing a mosaic of various video feeds, showing marshes, plains, and caves around his castle. Each of them he could examine with perfect clarity and detail.


    ¡°Maya, can you link up to online reading websites and project courses on the six secondary feeds? Beginner courses in mechanical engineering, medicine, biology, and physics.¡±


    The screens surrounding his main video feed started to portray pages from various online manuals, teaching the basics of building small machines, using pharmaceutical substances, or the underlying dynamics of the universe.


    Only a glance was enough to memorize the entire page, his brain absorbing the information at a near-instant pace. ¡°Next page, next page¡­¡± This was too slow. ¡°Next page any time I blink.¡±


    As he finished two courses within a few minutes and remembered every single word, the sheer potential of Premium Thoughts dawned on Mathias. The time he had wasted on school assignments, he could have used to become a doctor, or an engineer, or learn to create makeshift bombs, or enhance his computer engineering.


    Suddenly, the technological supremacy of Concordia made a lot more sense. If Mathias could achieve such exploits with basic spells, he shuddered to think what experienced Sorcerers could accomplish.


    Leaving his computer and facing the light of day through his kitchen¡¯s window, Mathias saw two familiar faces stand before the door, his magic relaying him the information before they knocked. After checking his apartment in case he had left something incriminating in plain sight, the young designer opened the door to his guests.


    Ulysses and Perse stood in front of him, the latter looking more worried than the former.


    ¡°You look terrible,¡± Ulysses said with the subtlety of a sledgehammer.


    Perse gave her brother her trademark sour look, which he superbly ignored. ¡°Mom told us you¡¯ve been working all the time on the game,¡± she said, crossing her arms. ¡°While sick.¡±


    The sheer intensity and reproach in her stare made Mathias want to cower in a corner. ¡°I just threw up,¡± he lied, scratching the back of his head, while letting his friends come inside. ¡°No big deal.¡±


    ¡°Dude, you look straight out of a North Korean work camp,¡± Ulysses said, walking with his sister through the kitchen while Mathias closed the door behind them.


    ¡°I¡¯ve got soda in the fridge, and apple juice,¡± Mathias said, his best friend quickly assaulting his reserve with wanton thirst. Ulysses tossed one can to Mathias, while opening another for himself.


    ¡°Matt, that¡¯s full of pesticide and chemicals,¡± Perse complained, stealing Matthias¡¯ can before he could open it. ¡°Ulysses is too far gone to be saved, but you aren¡¯t.¡±


    ¡°Hey, give it back!¡± Mathias laughed, struggling with his friend to recover his prize. ¡°Diabetes is my destiny!¡± In spite of her previous sourness, Persephone couldn¡¯t help but laugh happily at the childish antics.


    ¡°Meh, children nowadays,¡± Ulysses said with heavy sarcasm in the background, observing the fight with vague interest before leaping onto the sofa. ¡°Who¡¯s up for home delivered fried chicken tonight? My treat. Perse can take the salad.¡±


    ¡°Asshole,¡± Perse replied, joining her brother on the sofa with Mathias. She had lost the soda duel to the death and drowned her defeat in orange juice. ¡°I say sushi night.¡±


    ¡°Fish is meat,¡± Ulysses replied.


    ¡°No, it¡¯s not,¡± Perse insisted.


    ¡°Fish have eyes,¡± her brother replied.


    Mathias had seen this argument before. ¡°I¡¯m up for sushi. I¡¯ve had too much fatty chicken lately.¡±


    ¡°Aw, Matt, I knew you cared,¡± Perse chirped happily.


    ¡°Traitor,¡± Ulysses replied without much enthusiasm, grabbing his phone to order the food. ¡°It¡¯s true what the dragons say, democracy is oppressive to minorities.¡±


    Mathias did his best to ignore the comment. ¡°How did you convince Maggie to come with you, by the way?¡± he asked Ulysses, his own digital glasses on hand. ¡°You blackmailed her?¡±


    ¡°I told her ¡®Maggie, I choose you,¡¯ and it worked like a charm.¡±


    Mathias kept quiet for a few seconds before saying, ¡°You picked up a date with a catch phrase?¡±


    ¡°You can say it was¡­¡± Ulysses trailed off for extra effect. ¡°Super effective.¡±


    Mathias and Perse burst out laughing. ¡°She didn¡¯t get the reference, didn¡¯t she?¡± Perse asked.


    ¡°Of course not. Can you imagine what she would have said otherwise?¡± Ulysses took a sip of his soda. ¡°I think she¡¯s a closet psychopath.¡±


    ¡°Huh?¡± Both Mathias and Perse said in almost perfect synchronization.


    ¡°A real psycho, and she believes I¡¯m one too. She asked me if I liked animals. I said as much as a boot loves a puppy, and she took it seriously. It got really creepy afterwards. Do you know she carries a gun outside school? Told me she used pictures of her dad as target practice.¡±


    Yeah, creepy. Guns were banned except for law enforcement; Maggie exposed herself to reprisal if caught.


    ¡°Her father is the chief of police, so she might have stolen one of his firearms.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t think so. In fact I think her father gave her a gun and just doesn¡¯t give a shit,¡± Ulysses put his phone away. ¡°Full course sushi is coming in fifteen minutes. Happy? You¡¯ve ruined everythi ¡ª ¡±


    ¡°Since you¡¯ve worked so hard for the day, Matt, and you clearly aren¡¯t going to take a rest,¡± Perse cut in, interrupting her brother while bringing out her own digital glasses, ¡°why don¡¯t we playtest your changes for ourselves?¡±


    ¡°Sorry, not in the mood for four deaths in a row,¡± Ulysses shot back.


    ¡°Actually, I had another set-up in mind,¡± Mathias took a deep breath. ¡°We work as a team instead of one against the others. We teleport to the countryside and we do sidequests instead of clearing out Castle Noirceur.¡±


    ¡°Dude, you¡¯re a boss meant to challenge full teams of level seventeen players,¡± Ulysses pointed out. ¡°Aren¡¯t you, like, overpowered for sidequests?¡±


    ¡°Yes, exactly,¡± Mathias said. ¡°And I will put you guys at level seventeen too. No struggling against traps; tonight, we just enjoy the ride.¡±


    ¡°So, let me summarize,¡± Perse smirked, a flash going through her brother¡¯s eyes. ¡°We¡¯re playing the hardest game ever on easy mode?¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡± His friends had put on the glasses before he could finish that single word.


    Putting on his digital glasses himself, Mathias left reality for his digital world. ¡°Maya,¡± he spoke. ¡°Start a playtesting session. Location, Lizard Camp B.¡±


    The virtual assistant began checking his ID. ¡°Name: Mathias Martel, seventeen. Location: Evermarsh, Florida. Registration 5402. Pre-registered class: Snake Charmer, level seventeen.¡±


    Instantly called down from the skies above to the ground below, Mathias found himself at the entrance of a wooden fort back in his virtual avatar body, a sinister, shadowy dark lord.


    Unlike more stereotypical dark lords, Mathias had given his avatar a bard-like aesthetic. His armor was little more than scale-shaped chainmail, and his boots and gloves were made of velvet rather than steel. A shadowy aura obscured most of his body and face. Even his main weapon was a rapier rather than a heavier weapon. It made him stand out visually, and be memorable for players.


    Ironically, Perse herself looked more like a dark lord than he did. Towering one foot above him while clad in heavy black plated armor, her face was hidden beneath a spiked helmet, her body emitting heat because of a magical effect. From the outside, it seemed as if the armor contained smokeless fire rather than a human. She wielded a heavy mace with her right hand, and a large rounded shield with the left. She was the epitome of the Black Knight.


    As a high-level Necromancer, Ulysses was a shambling, crowned corpse clad in regal, black and golden tattered robes. More dead than alive, his empty eye sockets crackled with blue fire from beyond. Unlike his fellows, he didn¡¯t carry weapons, focusing on pure magic and the magic rings on his skeletal fingers. Ulysses more than anyone was a consummate role player, and managed to imitate a zombies shambling walk inside the game.


    Now that he thought of it, assembled as they were, they looked like an evil version of the classic RPG party: the wizard, the rogue, and the warrior.


    And here they were, three badasses facing a poorly defended wooden fort meant for beginner characters. Two lizardmen, miserable reptilian creatures, stood guard at the entrance, squealing in surprise. To their eyes, it was as if the trio had manifested out of thin air.


    With a swipe of his rapier, Mathias killed them both at once without a sound. Their corpses fell to the ground, before exploding into a cloud of smoke. Perse smashed through the camp¡¯s barricade while Ulysses began to laugh maniacally, fire swirling around his hands.


    Before Mathias knew it, he found the whole camp on fire, the lizardmen in disarray, and himself surrounded by flames, screams, and chaos. Perse was smashing through entire groups of reptilian soldiers with mere swings of her mace, sending the creatures flying upon contact, while Ulysses bombarded the area with magical artillery.


    These lizards were level one out of thirty. The whole team was level seventeen.


    The monsters never stood a chance. Hell, they couldn¡¯t even inflict damage on their attackers. Their paltry bronze weapons couldn¡¯t pierce his and Ulysses¡¯ magical defenses nor Perse¡¯s heavy armor. Ulysses enjoyed the one-sided clash a lot more than his sister, laughing insanely as he launched fireball after fireball at war tents. After spending weeks getting his ass kicked inside Castle Noirceur, the experience felt cathartic.


    Mathias quickly joined in, cutting down lizards with his rapier and casting spells with his free right hand. After a time, he found himself in the zone, unable to think, so focused he was on cutting through enemies. It was no different than playing a first-person shooter, slaughtering one¡¯s way through the game. No tactics or skills needed; only raw predatory instinct.


    The sounds of pain of the lizards didn¡¯t bother him.


    Because they looked like dragons.


    The sound of a phone notification briefly snapped him out of his violent fantasy. ¡°Can you cut your notifications, Matt?¡± Perse asked. ¡°I can¡¯t focus.¡±


    Mathias raised his glasses, and found a message from a phone number he didn¡¯t have.

 Chapter 4: Season Pass A

    ¡°Are you sure this is the right place?¡± Ulysses asked from the white, Flux-powered Ford Fiesta¡¯s backseat. He looked pretty uncomfortable wearing a tuxedo for the party, fidgeting next to his sister. Mathias didn¡¯t fare any better, sweating under his suit and gloves.


    ¡°I told you that it was like a palace,¡± Perse chirped. She had dressed astonishingly well for the night, wearing a short, sensual black dress, and holding her red hair together with a blue rose. Even Mathias could only stare. His jaw had even dropped when they had picked the Werners up.


    And she had been sitting strangely close to him ever since. It made him¡­ uncomfortable. Not that he wasn¡¯t used to her physical closeness, but¡­ it felt weird tonight. He had even suppressed the urge to fish for information with Network, worrying about the answer he would get.


    ¡°That¡¯s an understatement, sweetie,¡± Vivianne said, sitting at the front seat next to the driver, Mathias¡¯ own father. While they would be out on a friendly dinner on paper, Mathias had noticed she had put perfume on.


    Yes, Mathias had guessed right. His power took out all the surprise.


    ¡°Thanks for driving us, Mr. Martel,¡± Perse said, as the trio stepped down from the car.


    ¡°It¡¯s normal, can¡¯t have her be the one driving you guys all the time,¡± Victor replied. Mathias would have sworn he saw his father smile in the dark. ¡°You sure your date is here, Ulysses?¡±


    ¡°Yeah, she texted me. She just left the house with her brother.¡±


    ¡°All is good, then.¡± The parents waved them goodbye before leaving them for their own dinner, the car leaving without making a sound. Mathias had to give credit to Concordia. Clean energy for all devices made for a quiet city.


    Mathias dusted himself off, before taking a moment to look at the massive mansion in front of him.


    Even from blocks away, the glow of dancing lights and the sound of dubstep music made it impossible to miss the residence. Sitting on a small hill, Mayor Brown¡¯s estate stood out for being out of time. An exotic creamy-white house detailed in a neo-Art Deco style; huge picture windows made up the south and west walls of the house, facing the sea. The immense garden surrounding the place smelled of alien scents; Mayor Brown had imported strange, star-shaped red flowers from another world.


    Security was state of the art, of course. An electric fence surrounded the palace, and Mathias noticed surreptitiously placed cameras monitoring them right above the entrance portal. The metal doors opened for them without a word, the automated system recognizing their faces. Two large Bullmen bouncers held guard at the entrance, checking the group¡¯s ID before they could get in.


    The party was already on as Mathias walked into the garden, Perse putting her arm around his own in a mock gala gesture. He could see that the place was packed with dozens of students and young faces he hadn¡¯t seen. Almost all of them had gathered around an Olympic-sized swimming pool. Hob servants moved around, serving refreshments and food to the humans present.


    ¡°Here I go ¡ª gotta catch¡¯em all,¡± Ulysses said, leaving to look for his date among the crowd. He seemed entirely out of place in that gathering, not paying much attention to his surroundings.


    ¡°I try so hard to set him up with someone, and this always happens,¡± Perse complained, then rubbed against Mathias, much to his discomfort and amusement. ¡°Good thing I have the best one on hand.¡±


    Mathias could tell that she enjoyed making him uneasy in front of others. Fortunately, he found a nice distraction, noticing Samantha not too far away.


    ¡°Look, they¡¯re setting up a stage.¡±


    Indeed, a small group of boys were busy setting up microphones and drums, under the watchful eye of Samantha and another girl Mathias had yet to meet. Orb-shaped speaker drones flew around them, playing dubstep music, and ready to relay karaoke songs.


    ¡°Thank you all,¡± Samantha thanked the boys, which most of them Network identified as her personal fans. She had dressed superbly tonight, wearing a golden dress that rivaled Perse¡¯s own in sheer flair. ¡°You all get a drink for your hard work when you¡¯re finished!¡±


    ¡°Sam!¡± Perse shouted, as Mathias and her reached the small group. ¡°Have you brought the guitar?¡±


    ¡°Always,¡± the singer replied, before putting an arm behind the unknown girl¡¯s waist and pushing her forward gently. ¡°Matt, Perse, here is my penpal, Kari Matsumoto. She just arrived yesterday night.¡±


    Kari was a Japanese teenager, smaller than Mathias. As pale as a ghost, her eyes were a sharp, icy blue, and looked deeply thoughtful. While she kept her black hair cut short; a streak of white hair stood out on the left side of her head. She wore a tight black outfit with long sleeves, that reminded Mathias of a ninja or a cat in the way she walked, looking out of place in the crowd.


    ¡°Hi, Kari!¡± Perse said with a bright, warm smile.


    The young woman nodded slightly in traditional fashion. ¡°I am happy to make your acquaintance,¡± she said with a soft and formal voice, in stark contrast with Perse¡¯s booming exuberance.


    Kari¡¯s eyes widened slightly, and her head snapped right at Mathias, like a hunter noticing their prey. The suddenness of the gesture scared the young designer to his very core.


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    ¡°Hi, Mathias,¡± Samantha said, interrupting the flow of Network¡¯s information. ¡°Perse, can you take over the stage for five minutes? I need to borrow your date for a little bit.¡±


    ¡°Huh?¡± Both Mathias and Perse said at the same time.


    ¡°It will be quick, I promise.¡± Samantha took a bewildered Mathias by the other arm with a queenly demeanor that brooked no disobedience. The young man followed her almost on impulse, while leaving a surprised Perse out in the cold.


    After leading Mathias near the edge of the pool, she put her arms behind her back. One step and they might fall in the water, where a few boys and girls had already taken to moonlight swimming. ¡°Mathias,¡± Samantha said, as the two sat at the edge of the pool. ¡°I must tell you something.¡±


    Mathias straightened up, remembering her previous message, as Samantha imperiously snapped her finger, a Hob hurrying to serve them two ceramic cups full of a black substance. ¡°What is it?¡± he asked, looking into the liquid.


    ¡°Moonblack,¡± she replied, as she took her own cup.


    ¡°Moonblack?!¡± Moonblack was a thick, strong black milk produced by Lord Revel¡¯s fairies in the Sphere of Ar. Concordia¡¯s ban on imported products from rival powers meant a drop was worth its weight in gold.


    Mathias brought the drink to his lips, finding the taste sweet and pleasing. The powerful drink filled his palate and head with a rush of energy, not unlike that of a caffeine infusion. He could already feel his focus increasing. ¡°So?¡±


    Samantha inhaled heavily before speaking, ¡°My dad told me today that a representative of the Institute would visit Evermarsh High School by the end of the month,¡± she said, before smiling brightly. ¡°You and I have been nominated for membership by Mr. Barth.¡±


    ¡°... Oh.¡± Well, that wasn¡¯t the answer he had expected.


    ¡°You don¡¯t seem surprised. Come on, Matt, it¡¯s amazing.¡±


    ¡°No, no, it¡¯s¡­ it¡¯s great, I¡¯m flattered.¡± His father would be proud.


    The Loctis Institute was a prestigious establishment, dedicated to furthering both scientific and magical research for the Concordian Empire. Anton Maxwell, Mathias¡¯ CEO, had attended it, alongside other big names. All those who had attended it became high-ranking members of the regime or achieved societal success.


    But the Institute also produced most of the Empire¡¯s war tech, alongside Grimsour Industries. Joining meant putting his intellect into the service of dragons; he would rather design games instead of war machines.


    ¡°Nominated being the key word,¡± Samantha said. ¡°The Institute is very selective. The representative might decide to pick only one of us.¡±


    ¡°And you want me to back out?¡± He knew she wouldn¡¯t ¡ª she craved competition ¡ª but he wanted to see her reaction.


    Samantha laughed, ¡°Of course not. I¡¯m actually happy that we¡¯re in competition for the spot. I took the nomination for granted, so the risk of losing it spices up my life. Tell me, Matt, do you play chess?¡±


    ¡°I prefer the game of Go,¡± Mathias replied, putting his cup back inside the drone alongside Samantha¡¯s after finishing. ¡°Chess is direct and offensive, while Go is more subtle, indirect. It fits my mindset better.¡±


    ¡°Maybe we could play a game later? I really want to have a rival I can match wits with. Everyone always plays nice with me, so it¡¯s fun to fight someone that doesn¡¯t hold back.¡± She took a look around, noticing the stage was set for her music band. ¡°You know, this will probably be my last party in Evermarsh. Afterwards, I¡¯m either going to leave for the Institute or for a big Arc-City. I really wanted to bring everyone together for one last night.¡±


    ¡°You did,¡± Mathias said with a smile. ¡°Everyone managed to make it.¡±


    ¡°Except Jack.¡± Her voice was laced with an undercurrent of venom. ¡°He texted me saying he wouldn¡¯t come.¡±


    Mathias paused. He had a pretty good idea where the boy could have gone. ¡°Are you two...¡±


    ¡°I deserved better than a text,¡± she cut him off, ending the conversation on a foul note.


    Perse¡¯s booming voice resonated across the garden, enhanced by the flying drones. ¡°Is this thing on? Sam, Maggie, we¡¯re on! Matt, it¡¯s Terra Firma calling, I can see that you aren¡¯t paying attention! So pay attention, damnit!¡±


    A wave of laughter spread across the audience, snapping Mathias back to reality and bringing joy back to Samantha. he thought, as Samantha laughed out loud and left him to join her friends.


    The Evermarsh Skulls, with Perse as guitarist and Samantha as the singer, assembled on the stage, with the various partygoers surrounding them. Maggie Powells, the drummer, would round out the trio.


    ¡­ Or would have, had she showed up.


    Mathias could tell something was wrong from his spot, as Samantha and Perse began to whisper away from the microphone. Eventually, Samantha made a gesture at Kari, inviting her on the scene. The Japanese girl took the drummer¡¯s place, much to everyone¡¯s surprise.


    With a trio assembled, and content that Mathias was paying attention to her, Perse gave the microphone back to Samantha. ¡°First of all,¡± the diva declared, instantly quelling the crowd with her voice.¡°Thank you all of you for coming tonight. I¡¯ve got a question for you, though.¡±


    She raised her arm above. ¡°Who wants to put Evermarsh on fire tonight?!¡±


    The crowd erupted, raising their arms.


    ¡°Then say with me, three¡­¡±


    ¡°Three!¡± the crowd roared. ¡°Two! One!¡±


    ¡°Here we go!¡± Samantha shouted, Perse unleashing a powerful sound as Kari hit the drums.


    And the crowd just went .


    Samantha sang.


    A bunch of boys distributed alcohol cans to everyone, girls took their dates to dance, and small drones circled the property, projecting holograms in the form of a kinetic lightshow.


    The Evermarsh Skulls played with their eyes closed, subsumed in a trance. Perse, especially, moved as if possessed, jumping around with her guitar. Her energy spread to the audience, with multiple people jumping on place with reckless abandon. The very ground shook, shook...


    Mathias found himself clapping, entranced by the music. Even Ulysses, ever the detached loner, began to smile and jump in place.


    But for Mathias, his heart just wasn¡¯t in it. He only had to take a long hard look at the night sky to understand why. The light of the city blotted out the stars, but the full moon shone a bright crimson.


    The young man could see the massive, metallic, red-colored structure covering the moon with perfect clarity. He could see the brightness at the center of the construct, the Flux energy pit whose terrible eruptions caused so many deaths.


    Damocles. The seat of the dragon authority ruling Earth, the symbol of their domination. The Doomsday weapon that wiped Russia off the map.


    How did it feel, to look at that weapon? To wonder everyday whether it would fire, burning your city and those one loved? How did it feel to hold a party under that bloody moon, to forget oneself in booze and drugs and carry on while pretending everything was fine?


    It felt awful.


    Yet something else bothered him, the seed of a doubt infesting his mind. He had expected Jack¡¯s last minute absence, since he was clearly involved in his father¡¯s plot. But Maggie? His Network insight pointed in the opposite direction. Why would she be absent?


    No.


    No, they couldn¡¯t go that far. The Powells couldn¡¯t cross line. They couldn¡¯t...


    As the doubt growed, and the implications became clear, Mathias ran away the rave in a hurry.

 Chapter 4: Season Pass B

    Mathias observed the Chemical Plant from afar, hidden in the shadows. While he had run as fast as he could, and had to catch his breath not to collapse, clearly he was late for the party.


    In the darkness of the night, the plant looked like an ominous fortress of rusted steel, ruined by time. Lines of dilapidated structures, of crumbling towers, welcomed Mathias. The plant hidden away like a dirty secret as far away from town as logistically possible. The acid smell itched his throat. His Glass Field let him see swarms of rats tailing him in the dark, or crawling nearby.


    Before the Conquest made the previous owner bankrupt, this place had been a nest of jobs for the city, hosting hundreds of employees. It had slowly fallen into decay, the Concordian government abandoning it to focus on building a whole new city instead of repairing an obsolete, toxic ruin. Once the Arc-City would be operational, the plant would finally be razed to the ground alongside the rest of the old Evermarsh, the land turned into fields or factories.


    The electric fence had collapsed at one point, leaving a gaping hole for anyone to go through. And they had; half a dozen cars were parked right in front of the fences, mostly police cars and the black Mercedes that picked Samantha up from school.


    Approaching as stealthily as he could, Mathias¡¯ Glass Field soon encompassed the cars, and he began to hear people discussing in low voices through his extended senses.


    ¡° ¡ª long enough.¡± The visual sensation sent by Glass Field revealed the speaker as a police member speaking to his partner. As Mathias had worried, both had guns. ¡°My wife was starting to ask questions. Almost accused me of having an affair with you!¡±


    ¡°No kidding?¡± his female partner replied with a smirk. By now Mathias had moved on the other side of the Mercedes. ¡°She should have a little more trust in you.¡±


    ¡°That is why my husband and I made a point of both being onboard since day one,¡± another woman said; fashionably dressed for corporate work invited herself in the discussion. She held a dashing man with a confident smile by the arm. ¡°Trust is the foundation of a strong marriage.¡±


    It took a moment for Mathias to recognize the man due to the ambient darkness, until he opened his mouth, ¡°Indeed. If you wife still bothers you officer, I can vouch for your integrity.¡° The consummate public figure, Mayor Brown had a way to make you like him, even when his promises sounded empty.


    ¡°Thank you, Mister Mayor. I¡¯m just happy everything will be over after tonight.¡±


    His partner seemed less relieved. ¡°I hope it was worth it. Those poor guys¡­¡±


    ¡°Dregs of society.¡± Brown¡¯s wife brushed off. ¡°If anything, Concordia ought to reward us for removing those drains of their public finances.¡±


    ¡°Still¡­ that was hard,¡± said the female cop. ¡°Especially the first few.¡±


    ¡°Necessary sacrifices in the pursuit of a righteous purpose,¡± Brown reassured the cop. ¡°Your task was the hardest, so it¡¯s okay to feel doubt. I swear though, tonight¡¯s lamb will be our last on the altar.¡±


    The phrasing chilled Mathias to the bone. ¡°Henry should be done,¡± Brown¡¯s wife said, tightening her hold on her husband. ¡°And I¡¯m freezing.¡±


    ¡°Yes. Let¡¯s start the ceremony.¡± Without another word, Brown led his group away from the cars and into the plant.


    Mathias clenched his fists in suppressed rage. Those people had clearly killed the victims, and seemed about to do it again.


    Mathias knew direct intervention was beyond risky. Scratch that, it sounded suicidal when he thought about it. Attacking an armed group was a major step up from his current tests, one that could easily end in his death even with his magic. He could follow his initial plan, taking incriminating pictures anonymously¡­


    No. He couldn¡¯t chicken out now. If he could save an innocent life tonight, he would have to step in.


    Besides, fighting Gearsmen, or Troopers, or Concordian forces would prove tremendously more difficult than beating up corrupt cops. He had to start somewhere.


    When the group moved far enough away, Mathias activated his Glass Field. Careful not to activate the cars¡¯ alarm, he turned most of the windows into glass dust, drawing it to him. The Mercedes¡¯ stained, reinforced glass he separated from the rest, bringing it to his face and shaping it into a featureless helmet covering most of his skull. The stained glass¡¯ color would hide his face, protecting his identity; since he could see through glass, the darkness outside didn¡¯t bother him. Tiny holes at various points allowed him to breath through it.


    Part of the dust, he shaped into an armored plate over his chest, like a bulletproof vest. With his power active, the glass moved with him like a second skin. The rest, he transformed into a dozen flying daggers.


    Still unaware of his presence, Brown¡¯s group had moved around the perimeter, reaching an isolated warehouse with a solid iron door. Mathias looked from afar as he knocked on it twice, then three times.


    Henry Powells opened the door; Mathias¡¯ sensed the phone in his pocket, and the gun brushing against it. The young man did his best to listen, in spite of distance; the phone¡¯s screen in his pocket relayed the sound to Mathias. ¡°She is ready.¡±


    ¡°She?¡± Brown sounded surprised as he walked in, Powells closing and locking the door once the last man had gotten inside.


    Mathias approached the wall next to the door, his field covering the warehouse¡¯s interior. Mathias let his senses expand, the warehouse¡¯s windows and lamps relay him sound and sight.


    He could scarcely distinguish anything in the dim-lit room. Eight people had assembled inside, most of them cops, the others Brown¡¯s own entourage¡­ and Jack, dressed in a simple white shirt. Sear?h the NovelFire.net* website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Mathias suddenly noticed a ninth person, a woman in a white dress bound and gagged to a chair at the center of the room; her face covered by a bag. She had bruises on her arms. Jack kept watch on her, his hands on her shoulders.


    Fuck. He resisted the urge to make all the glass in the warehouse explode in those bastards¡¯ faces, waiting only to get a better picture of the situation.


    As he focused on the scene, he received more sensory information, allowing him to better scan the area. He could see big fat rats crawling in corners, as if waiting for a meal to fall for them to devour. The most noticeable feature, however, was the mark.


    The group had drawn a crimson, giant ¡®M¡¯ right beneath the bound woman, with a dried substance that reminded Mathias of blood. The symbol had been stylized, the edges of the letter looking like flames. The more Mathias looked at this, even through glass, the more unease settled in his heart.


    The sight filled him with a primal sensation of fear.


    ¡°You are sure about this, Henry?¡± Mayor Brown¡¯s face had grown pale, slightly disturbed. ¡°I never asked you to go this far.¡±


    ¡°The Maleking appreciates personal sacrifices,¡± Powells replied. ¡°What greater offering than this one?¡±


    ¡°But¡­ she is your own flesh and blood.¡±


    ¡°She was a mistake that I would have drowned at birth had her mother not gotten in the way. Besides, you said we needed to throw the scent off our back. After she dies, nobody will suspect us. We¡¯ll be the victims.¡±


    ¡°She texted her boyfriend,¡± Jack warned. ¡°I can lie, say we were attacked. If someone can rough me up a bit, it will look convincing¡­¡±


    ¡°We will deal with the fallout after the ceremony,¡± Brown cut in, regaining control of the interaction. He straightened his clothes, brushing off dust as easily as his own buried conscience. ¡°Time for a word of congratulations.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯ve got a speech ready?¡± Henry smiled.


    ¡°Always,¡± Brown said and cleared his throat, the gathering eyeing him. ¡°My dear friends, after long, hard weeks, our task ends tonight. Each of us struggled in secrecy, and we persevered. At long last, our efforts will yield just fruit with this last offering.¡±


    Mathias had to struggle not to mentally slit his throat mid-speech. For the first time in his life, he considered killing a fellow man.


    ¡°Ten years ago, when mankind faced its greatest challenge, many of us lost hope. Soon, we will lose our jobs too, watching machines beat our population, or decide our future for us. Like you, I searched for a light, a way to strike back. I found none.¡±


    Brown made a deliberate pause. ¡°Instead, the light found me. Found .¡±


    The way he spoke, his eyes possessed with fervor, reminded Mathias of those movie cult leaders. Except Brown was flesh and blood instead of pictures on a screen.


    ¡°When the dreams came, when the Maleking spoke to us, I refused to believe his promises. I thought I had gone mad. So did many of you, who shared the same visions. Yet, when I saw with my own eyes, the gifts our Benefactor offered for so meager a price¡­ then I understood. I knew who I was, what power I had been born to deliver unto the world.¡±


    That fact disturbed Mathias all the more.


    ¡°Now, the Maleking will grant one of us the gift of power¡­ and in gratitude, we shall give him his due.¡± Brown extended a hand at Jack in a dramatic, symbolic gesture. ¡°Jack, the sacrifice.¡±


    Mathias winced, as Jack removed the bag from his victim¡¯s head. Although he had long guessed the identity of their victim, seeing her bruised face and gagged mouth awakened him to the danger ahead.


    ¡°My, Maggie, smile a little.¡± Jack grabbed a sharp knife from his belt, ready to slice his sister¡¯s throat with unnerving serenity. ¡°Today, I enjoy being an only child.¡±


    Now at the moment of truth, Mathias only spoke two words, echoing through the screens and the windows.


    ¡°Blue World.¡±

 Chapter 5: Boss Battle

    ¡°Blue World.¡±


    Mathias¡¯ enchanted words reverberated through the glass like a cascade, spreading the spell through the warehouse as a wave of blue light.


    Time paused inside the room; the audience watched, their faces frozen in either glee, relief, or unnerving blankness. Jack¡¯s hand stayed up in the air, ready to fall like a guillotine on his victim. Maggie had closed her eyes, waiting for an end that Mathias had delayed.


    Thinking fast, his spell only limited to five seconds, Mathias wondered if he should go in guns blazing or be more subtle. Settling on saving Maggie as his priority, he mentally commanded the warehouse¡¯s lightbulbs to shatter, darkness swallowing the entire building.


    Gathering most of the glass into a sphere the size of a soccer ball, he hurled it at Jack¡¯s chest, hitting him at full speed. Mathias heard a loud crack as Jack was propelled back against a wall.


    After seeing that psycho¡¯s despicable true self, Mathias had no qualms about using violence on him.


    Keeping another shard sharp, Mathias had it cut Maggie¡¯s restraints as fast as possible, accidentally grazing her skin.


    Then Blue World¡¯s effect ended, with Jack¡¯s screams of pain as the warning. He held his ribs with both hands, collapsing and unable to stand back up.


    Maggie, who quickly realized her restraints had been cut, bolted out of her chair. ¡°What¡¯s happening?¡± Brown exclaimed. While Mathias could see relatively fine through his shards¡¯ widespread locations, the Mayor and his followers lacked the ability to see in the darkness.


    ¡°Something¡¯s wrong!¡± Henry Powells replied, his hand rushing to his belt and drawing a gun. He began to aim at the darkness, ready to open fire at random in his daughter''s direction.


    Acting quickly before he could shoot Maggie, Mathias had the touchscreen of the police chief¡¯s phone inside his pocket explode. Glass edges cut through his flesh and pants, then impaling his hand. Although Mathias prevented his glass weapons from inflicting lethal wounds, they still drew blood. Powells dropped his weapon, screaming like his son as his blood hit the floor.


    The second it did, the ¡®M¡¯ symbol on the floor lit up with a devilish, crimson glow, bringing a dim light back to the area. Brown¡¯s followers suddenly had a view of Maggie free, surrounded by flying glass, and with Jack laying in a corner. Immediately, those who had guns drew them at Maggie.


    However, whatever horrible ritual they had started ran its course, smokeless flames rising from the M symbol. Maggie wisely leaped out of the symbol before the flames could claim her, removing the gag on her mouth and taking a deep breath.


    ¡°The sacrifice, interrupted¡­¡± Whatever was happening, it terrified Brown, who had grown pale like a ghost. ¡°Kill the girl!¡±


    Acting even quicker, and unable to cast Blue World without affecting Maggie too, Mathias reshaped his flying glass sphere into a thick, dense shield, protecting his charge. Good thing he did; soon two bullets impacted on it and came within an inch of getting through.


    Then, suddenly, the flames started to dance.


    They grew brighter, almost too bright to look upon. The cops lowered their guns, protecting their eyes like all the members of the conspiracy present. Mathias, who observed through his glass rather than his own, vulnerable eyeballs, took a step back in astonishment.


    The flames had grown, gathering into a swirling, smokeless cloud of destruction. The fired turned blue and condensed, taking a vaguely humanoid shape, with long, clawed arms. The cloud grew a neck, then a head in the shape of a skull with eye sockets filled with darkness. Brown¡¯s cult cowered at the sight, while Maggie retreated against a wall, paralyzed by shock.


    Then, the visage .


    ¡°Mortals,¡± it spoke with an inhuman voice, more similar to cackling embers than any other sound. ¡°Where is my sacrifice?¡±


    ¡°Your grace,¡± Brown went down to his knees, along with his wife. ¡°The Maleking sent you to us.¡± The remaining members of his audience soon joined him in on their knees; even if Powells struggled against the pain to bow in his own blood.


    The creature didn¡¯t seem impressed. ¡°Where is my sacrifice?¡± it repeated, slower this time, stressing each word.


    ¡°Here, your grace.¡± Brown pointed at Maggie, yet the skull kept its gaze on the mayor. Its ominous presence cowed Mathias even from his hiding spot. The young man attempted to analyze the entity with Network, to discover its origins, to find a weakness, anything to exploit.


    Nothing.


    When Mathias stared at that horror, Network came back with nothing more than buzzing, bleak radio static. The power that had allowed him to crack conspiracies that trained journalists couldn¡¯t and figure out anyone, the magic he relied upon most, had failed him.


    Brown took the monster¡¯s silence as the warning sign it was, yet to his credit he kept his cool. ¡°We had a miscalculation, for a reason I can¡¯t fathom yet, but I assure you, the girl is yours.¡±


    ¡°She is alive. You promised our King a fresh soul, sacrificed in his name. Yet I see only a hack jobs.¡± It stared at Henry¡¯s bloodied form with contempt. ¡°Where is my vessel?¡±


    ¡°Here!¡± Brown raised his head, bright greed and desire burning in his eyes. ¡°I was promised the gift! With your power, I can finally...¡±


    ¡°Making demands with nothing to show for it?¡± The fiery entity cut him off, its voice gaining a malicious, cruel edge. ¡°Since you failed to deliver the sacrifice on time, I will seize another one myself.¡±


    ¡°Your grace¡­¡±


    Brown never finished his sentence. In the blink of an eye, faster than Mathias could react, the burning skull breathed a cone of flames at the mayor, swallowing him whole. Brown¡¯s body burned to cinders within seconds, the flesh seared from the bones, and his skeleton collapsing into ashes.


    Brown¡¯s wife screamed in horror at the sight, her hands on her face. It only made her the next target of the monster¡¯s wrath, the beast grabbing her with one of his incendiary arms, the flames spreading across her body and turning her into a living torch.


    And the monster laughed, the cackling, childish rictus of a child burning ants.


    The rest of the cult had started running for their lives, making their way to the exit. The monster didn¡¯t give them that mercy. It turned its fiery breath to the door, incinerating the female cop before she could unlock it and turning the iron around her searing hot. The flames cut off the cult¡¯s retreat, trapping them with the horror they had called yet could not put down.


    Mathias¡­ Mathias just stood there, as his brain went blank at the sudden, brutal display of violence. A stranglehold of pure, unadulterated fear had seized his heart, turned his muscles to stone, as he watched the monstrous entity methodically slaughter its own congregation.


    He wanted to jump in and save those fools, whom he had wanted to stop but never to die. Even from the safety of his hiding spot, the sheer horror, a primal survival instinct, kept him anchored. He watched, his thoughts stopped, as Powells was devoured by the flames, then his remaining underlings were backed into a corner and burned to cinders as well.


    Mathias felt small, and helpless, and alone.


    This was it. This was what true magic looked like.


    This was what looked like.


    Only when the monster finished killing the last cultist, leaving Jack and Maggie for last, did Mathias¡¯ mind began to work again. By now, the smokeless flames had spread to most of the warehouse, trapping the girl and her brother among the encroaching fire.


    However, he still found himself still unable to move. Mathias himself struggled against the urge to just stand there, to run...


    he thought,


    He had been chosen. He had received the gift, the knowledge, the sacred fire stolen from the gods. A quest. He couldn¡¯t fail right at the beginning, not this way. He had the power. He had all the power in the world.


    He had to play a role, like when he played his games. Take on the persona of a strong, mighty figure. Bury his human fears deep under a mask. It would be easy. He had to play the role that came most natural to him.


    The villain.


    A villain greater, and more terrifying than the monster. Like Doctor Doom.


    Jolted out of his trance, Shroud cast a spell, his words echoing through the warehouse, ¡°Blue World!¡±


    His magic bathed the monster in its blue light.


    It kept going. S~ea??h the N??elFir§×.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    In fact, Blue World only made Maggie stationary, unable to dodge. Thankfully, or unfortunately for Shroud, the burning skull didn¡¯t turn to her.


    ¡°A Blue Spell, cast on ?¡± The burning skull looked at the wall behind which Shroud stood. ¡°You are either young or foolish, sorcerer.¡±


    It was up close and personal, then.


    Focusing on his makeshift, glass bulletproof vest, Shroud had it levitate above the ground, lifting his own body along with it. Facing the warehouse¡¯s window, he had it shattered as Blue World stopped working, floating into the center of the shrapnel storm.


    Maggie raised her eyes at him from his display of power.


    He needed an alliterative title, something badass...


    ¡°Tremble before¡­¡± He crossed his arms in an arm fold, floating mid-air in a badass, haughty pose he had practiced with the help of a lifetime of Saturday morning cartoons. ¡°The Sinister Shroud!¡±


    Yes, his video game acting had bled through.


    ¡°The fuck?¡± Maggie answered at his moment.


    ¡°Sorcerer. Have you come to become my vessel?¡± the fiery entity responded to his declaration.


    Shroud blinked at the monster¡¯s words, his own helmet heating up from being near the fire.


    ¡°Your heart is weak but has potential,¡± The monster said, its tone no longer cruel. Instead, it somehow sounded worse. ¡°I sense a burning wrath like mine, unnurtured lust, a slight dash of greed¡­ and a shining, beautiful jewel of pride. We could shine brighter together.¡±


    It sounded interested.


    Shroud responded by sending his glass daggers at the monster¡¯s face. ¡°I am no one¡¯s vessel,¡± he said, the words coming naturally to him as when he played his game''s end villain. ¡°But if you submit, I may keep you as my pet.¡±


    His glass weapons went through the fiery visage, melting into useless junk as they came out of the other side.


    The fiend wasn¡¯t amused. At all. ¡°Blinding pride.¡± Then, it opened its mouth, ready to incinerate Shroud like his previous victims.


    Acting quicker, Shroud mentally sent his shield towards the monster¡¯s face, altering its shape into a bubble. It surrounded the fiendish apparition¡¯s visage, turning its own fiery breath against it. Of course, the glass quickly melted, the sorcerer sensing his control collapse.


    ¡°Quick, girl!¡± he ordered, levitating above Maggie and offering his arm. ¡°Grab my hand!¡±


    The girl, faced with the choice of either burning to death or following a flying glass man, seized his hand. Shroud thought, finding lifting Maggie to be way harder than movies had let him imagine. Still, they managed to reach the window by the time the entity had freed itself.


    ¡°I need a simpler heart, blacker still.¡± The monster turned to Jack, cowering in a corner and watching the scene from afar. ¡°Yes, a pitch black, empty soul.¡±


    Shroud briefly thought about how he could fight the monster. None of his spells could damage it and he was endangering Maggie to save the person that almost killed her.


    ¡°No big loss,¡± he finally decided, flying through the window and leaving Jack to his fiery death.


    No sooner did he exit the warehouse did fires erupt from behind him, the flames consuming the walls and starting to spread outside. Shroud reached the fence before his arm began to give out, reaching the ground and releasing his hold on Perse¡¯s friend.


    ¡°That car.¡± Maggie pointed at the cars parked nearby, especially a police one. She seemed eager to put distance between that place and them. ¡°My dad always leave his keys on the armrest.¡±


    ¡°What kind of cop keeps keys on the armrest?¡± Shroud mocked, hearing the sound of sirens.


    ¡°The kind who makes quick getaways.¡± She opened the door and took the driver¡¯s seat. ¡°Get in,¡± she ordered, her fear replaced with irritation.


    Shroud briefly toyed with the idea of cutting her insolent tongue, before the thought jolted him out of his role. Without a word, Mathias climbed into the car next to his ¡®damsel in distress¡¯.


    As much as Mathias would prefer to take down that monster, with nothing in his arsenal able to do so, they had little choice but get away. ¡°I can help with the police patrols,¡± he said.


    ¡°My father led the police,¡± she grunted, turning the car on and driving them away. Within a minute, they drove out of the chemical plant, leaving only flames behind them. ¡°I know how they work.¡±


    Mathias said no words, letting his head hang back and clearing his thoughts. ¡°I killed your father,¡± he said, his voice sounded so cold, even after everything. ¡°The monster did the deed, but I let it happen.¡±


    ¡°Yeah...¡± Then, she added after some hesitation. ¡°.¡±


    That wasn¡¯t the answer he had expected. ¡°I. Killed. Your. Father.¡±


    ¡°He tried to kill me. Because I¡¯m a . Good riddance. Only regret is that I didn¡¯t return the favor myself. Jack, too. At least the fucker suffered.¡±


    Damn, he understood where that sentiment came from, but she had lived her whole life with those two.


    Then again, she lived her whole life with . At least she had turned out passably stable. Maggie scowled at his silence, unwilling to show weakness. With Network on, he could read her mood like a book.


    So her next words shook him to the core. ¡°How the fuck did you do that, Martel?¡±


    ¡­ Shit. ¡°I don¡¯t know any Martel.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t lie to me, nerd, your helmet doesn¡¯t change your voice!¡±


    Bland? What a jackass!


    Mathias cursed under his breath, taking off his helmet. He had to admit, he could breathe much easier without it on. ¡°I can¡¯t keep my secret identity on the first day on the job. What a superhero I am.¡±


    ¡°Answer me Martel,¡± Maggie insisted. ¡°What did you ¡ª ¡±


    ¡°You heard Ghost Rider inside.¡± Mathias suddenly realized that Magik confidentiality only applied to the application itself. No provision prevented him from saying he could cast spells, if he avoided the subject of why. ¡°I¡¯m magic. Phenomenal cosmic powers and all that.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re kidding, right?¡± She clenched her teeth, offended that he, of all people, could use magic. He didn¡¯t need Network to detect a hint of jealousy.


    She would live with it. ¡°What the hell happened back there?¡±


    She shrugged her shoulders as she turned a corner. ¡°I dunno, Martel. Dad and Jack always were shit, human shit. Never knew what they made of their victims. Now I know.¡± Mathias sensed car windows enter his range, policemen racing towards the burning plant, barking orders to surround the perimeter.


    ¡°But you didn¡¯t warn¡­¡± He prevented himself from saying ¡®the police.¡¯ The night had exhausted him mentally. ¡°Turn left. There¡¯s a police car going to notice us one street ahead. I can sense them.¡±


    The young girl raised an eyebrow, but did as he asked. ¡°Weren¡¯t you supposed to go too Sam¡¯s party rather than play superhero?¡±


    ¡°I was. Been waiting for the right moment to trap your dad for a while, so when I heard you and Jack were missing I rushed to save you.¡±


    Maggie didn¡¯t answer for a long, embarrassing moment, unsure how to take the admission. ¡°Thanks,¡± she said, spitting the word as if it felt physically painful.


    By now, the sirens grew distant, although he guided Maggie around a street camera. They finally stopped at an empty parking lot near the city¡¯s docks, the shadowy form of the Arc-City stood above the dark waves. ¡°So how does it go now?¡± Maggie turned to face Mathas, her hands still on the driving wheel. ¡°We blow each other¡¯s brains out?¡±


    Frankly, Mathias just wanted to go back home and sleep. ¡°Brown called everyone for that ceremony, so you shouldn¡¯t fear reprisal.¡±


    ¡°Should.¡± Beneath her attempts to keep a tough face, she looked destroyed, her dress covered in ashes and her skin by bruises.


    ¡°Who else knew?¡± He mustered the energy to ask the real question. ¡°Did Samantha know?¡±


    ¡°No. Neither did the scalies, I can tell you that.¡± Mathias smiled at the expression. ¡°I can¡¯t just return home, man. Not now. I need a safe place for now, where Dad¡¯s friends aren¡¯t going to look.¡±


    ¡°The church in the old district.¡± Maggie sneered at his suggestion. ¡°No, seriously, the priest is an awesome person. He will hide you, especially if you drop my name. Guy used to protect people Argentinian cartels wanted dead.¡±


    Since she had no alternative, Maggie accepted his suggestion. ¡°You¡¯re going with me?¡±


    ¡°No. Just drop me off here.¡± He raised his finger in a threatening manner. ¡°If you say anything about my powers, or me, your ass is mine.¡±


    ¡°Ulysses beat you to it,¡± she replied with a dry tone.


    Argh, too much information. Grabbing his helmet with him, he stepped out of the car. Maggie stopped him, putting her hand on his sleeve. ¡°What?¡± he asked.


    ¡°I dunno¡­ wanna hang out sometimes?¡±


    ¡°Like what, killing crazed cultists?¡± He had run out of patience. ¡°You want to be my Robin?¡±


    ¡°No offense, you look more like Slenderman than Batman.¡± At least she knew her pop culture. Finally getting the hint he was tired, Maggie released her hold. ¡°See you soon, Martel.¡±


    Mathias watched her drive away in silence, her windows still providing him with input. He saw her look at the back mirror, a mix of excitement and fear in her eyes. She probably had no more idea of what she had walked herself into than he did.


    When she escaped his range, Mathias walked forward to the edge of the docks, facing the sea and letting the cold wind on his face. He inhaled deep and long, closing his eyes and searching his thoughts.


    When he opened them again, blue words appeared right in front of him, followed by strange, joyful music.


    Quest: Lost and Found, complete!


    You have earned eight Spellcoins.


    Even after such a bleak night, that brought a smile on his face.

 Chapter 6: DLC: Hunters Moon

    When you had a job for long enough, you grew used to the small details that once bothered you to no end. Like teleportation traffic jams.


    Not that John Kresnik could complain, as his tall, strong body materialized in a flash of purple light right among smoking ruins. Terra Firma was a young addition to the Empire, so some areas were still untamed. The Violet Ministry hadn¡¯t finished building the whole Warp Grid yet.


    Which meant officials with higher priority access were teleported before him, mostly to the East Asian Protectorate; he often had to wait for forty minutes before the Ministry cleared a safe warp route for him. John Kresnik had lived long enough to remember the mishaps of the first Warp Grid on Concordia, of citizens teleported at the same place at the same time and exploding into blood and bones. The Ministry would rather avoid such catastrophes on Terra Firma, especially with the Black Tower in Antarctica interfering with their grid.


    In older colonies, one could safely travel from one side of a planet to the other within seconds with the right security clearance. Homeworld¡¯s own grid was so extensive that waiting in lines had all but disappeared, but it would take a long time before Terra Firma reached the same level of connectivity. Kresnik hoped that the local population could enjoy the same privilege within a few years.  Sear?h the N?velFire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    If only they would make the same effort for doors that he could fit through on Terra Firma. Humans were so .


    Captain John Kresnik had read about Evermarsh before his transfer to the area. It was a peaceful, quiet city, which was medium-sized, a far cry from the Miami megapolis. The current mayor ¡ª some old local political official the Firmen had been allowed to keep during the transition period ¡ª was a moderate with a clean record. Besides the Yellow Ministry¡¯s archeological dig in the swamps, Evermarsh was barely a blip on the Blue Ministry¡¯s radar.


    However, multiple incidents had recently happened in the area hinted at an uglier picture. Local disappearances, with the local Firman law enforcement strongly suspected of covering them up. The discovery of a technological artifact during digs.


    And now the massacre.


    The locals needed protection better than what the local law enforcement could provide, and one murder was one too many, let alone dozens. It would be a welcome change from hunting Chinese insurgents.


    Kresnik had taken no joy in that assignment; he understood on some level why they rebelled against Concordia. While it didn¡¯t prevent the captain from doing his job, it still felt like a waste of life. Murderers and criminals had no such excuse.


    The few humans present on the scene, mostly local law enforcement, recoiled at the sight of him, and Kresnik couldn¡¯t blame them. Few lycanthropes lived on Terra Firma, and he ranked among the apex specimens of his kind. According to human measurement, Kresnik almost reached nine feet tall, and weighed more than two thousand pounds. His clawed hands could tear men apart, and his fangs could pierce metal. He had checked. Even while wearing his trademark, size-adjusted white jacket, humans could only see the beast.


    More wolf than man, his silver fur and wild mane made him stand out even in the darkest night. Kresnik liked it this way. Justice should not hide in the dark, and criminals cowered at the sight of him. He hoped, that one day, the Firman would see him as a symbol of hope and safety, as he had become on other Spheres. he thought.


    Kresnik walked inside the perimeter, as dawn began to appear on the horizon. By the time firemen had put out the fire, the flames had consumed most of the area, leaving only crumbling ruins, charbroiled cars, and ashes behind them.


    Gearsmen had seized the area from human enforcers, relegating them to circle the perimeter and scanning the area for biometric data. That worked just fine for Kresnik. His experience in Shanghai had taught him that many humans practiced passive sabotage when facing Concordian authorities, withholding information to make their lives harder.


    Kresnik walked to the black spot where the main warehouse used to stand; the fire¡¯s source according to preliminary reports. The metal itself had melted, mixing with the ash into smelt.


    Kresnik sniffed the air, smelling only ashes. The fires had burnt the area clean, too much for him to identify the culprits. But he had another sense. A sixth sense.


    Unlike most White-licensed sorcerers, who diversified their spell repertoire, Kresnik choose long ago to specialize in the lore of White alone. He could not afford spending too much time on studying the Seven Colors when he could perfect just one. Especially since his targets mostly included sorcerers, which White trumped.


    Kresnik always began a day by casting Accel Flux Sight each morning, which allowed him to perceive shades of magic for twenty-four hours. His skill in the spell was so great that even advanced Gearsmen radars couldn¡¯t match him in sheer precision.


    The sight before him told him the full story. A massive influx of Violet Flux with a dash of Yellow, followed by a more recent taint of Red whom he instantly recognized the owner of as the Candlemaker, a fiendish Fire Elemental.


    The typical picture of a summoning ritual. Violet to call the entity, and Yellow to bind it into service. However, the color mix was crude, primitive, lacking the finesse of a sorcerer¡¯s intuitive design. A home-made ritual. A closer look at the colors¡¯ substance confirmed that those responsible had sacrificed sentient beings, fueling the spell with their souls.


    That implied multiple murders carried out at the same spot at a regular interval, done over a specific sigil to keep the Flux from dispersing into the ether. Kresnik shook his head in sadness, already considering what he would tell the missing people¡¯s families.


    Not that those responsible hadn¡¯t got what they deserved. The weak potency in the Yellow told Kresnik that they had botched the binding part at the last second. Not bound by specific terms, the Candlemaker had done what it did best: set the world on fire.


    Kresnik thought about the situation from various angles. It didn¡¯t add up. The Candlemaker was a living mobile disaster that only left a trail of murder and devastation in his wake. The werewolf would have expected to find him rampaging across town. By its standards, a warehouse fire was relatively benign.


    Someone had ordered the maniac to behave. Few could get away with such a deed. And how could the locals craft a sigil powerful enough to run their ritual? Kresnik started seeing the bigger picture, and he didn¡¯t like it.


    Also, why did they botch the summoning at the last second? Did the last sacrifice escape?


    ¡°Rain Echocall.¡±


    A wave of White light spread through the area. As it did, spectral, silvery apparitions of eight people materialized near him, standing as a group. As their features sharpened, the figures became identical in death as their original selves in life. Kresnik recognized Evermarsh¡¯s mayor and chief of police among them.


    The mayor spoke first, the others listening.


    The police chief¡¯s echo shouted and raised his arms, as if to shoot at someone with the outdated toy humans called a ¡®gun.¡¯ Instead, he let out a scream of pain, holding his hand as if harmed.


    The girl, Kresnik noted for later use, as two shades answered the mayor¡¯s order, seemingly firing at an empty spot. After a period of silence, the mayor¡¯s shade went to his knees, imitated by his followers.


    Kresnik froze at the name, yet reasserted his self-control.


    The mayor¡¯s shade pointed at the same spot where the others had fired at.


    So, they tried to sacrifice the girl, who escaped and somehow avoided death long enough for the ritual to go haywire. The ¡®can¡¯t fathom yet¡¯ part bothered Kresnik. Didn¡¯t the mayor understand why his victim escaped?


    The white shade collapsed into white particles, the others dispersing in panic. One by one they turned into aimless light, vanishing one after the other.


    Kresnik turned to the empty spot where the humans had shot. When no white shade manifested herself, the werewolf realized that the girl had escaped the Candlemaker¡¯s rampage.


    Then, a few feet from that very spot, Kresnik noticed a new color.


    Blue.


    Strong, unpolished Blue, mixed with specks of Orange. The trail was too faint for Kresnik to track the owner, but the werewolf registered it for future identification.


    Odd, though. Blue was an uncommon color, the third-rarest behind White and Violet.


    There was no place for Black.


    A mighty roar echoed through the skies. Raising his eyes, Kresnik watched Lord Smokefang, the local dragon governor, circle the ruins while letting out powerful growls. The human law enforcement cowered at the sight, which had been the intended effect.


    With a majestic maneuver, Smokefang landed among the ruins, right in front of Kresnik, propelling dust and ash all around the crime scene. The werewolf briefly put his hand in front of his face to protect his eyes. ¡°Lord Smokefang,¡± he said, raising his fist to his chest as part of the common Concordian salute.


    ¡°Report, Lycan,¡± the beast ordered with the brusque voice of a new commander needing to prove himself to his underlings. He exhaled green embers, some of them coming within an inch of Kresnik¡¯s own feet. ¡°Mother said you were an expert. Prove it.¡±


    Others might have been intimidated by this display, but Kresnik had dealt with mightier wyrms, including Smokefang¡¯s own sire, the Red Minister. He simply reacted with professionalism. ¡°I strongly believe this is the work of a human Malebranche cell.¡±


    The dragon¡¯s eyes narrowed. ¡°How so?¡±


    ¡°My investigation indicate a local cult involving two of Evermarsh¡¯s local authority figures, Mayor John Brown and Police Chief Henry Powells, caused the recent disappearances and attempted to summon an otherworldly entity. They used the name of the Maleking as part of their ritual.¡±


    ¡°I that letting the apes self-govern would lead to a disaster! Those creatures cannot handle the responsibility. If only the Yellow Minister had listened to mother. stupidities. Mother proved these creatures only understand force when she conquered this Sphere.¡±


    Kresnik let the governor ramble for a while, until he calmed down and took the time to consider the situation thoughtfully. ¡°This is an opportunity. After allowing a rebel infestation, the Yellow Ministry will have no choice but to admit their laxist policy has failed. No need to wait three more years to end the Firman offices. I will have a decree passed by tomorrow, applying to my territory, and my siblings will follow suit. Who else was involved?¡±


    ¡°I suspect a Firman girl, or woman, was present as a sacrifice, but escaped. I will do my best to identify her ¡ª ¡±


    ¡°I do not care,¡± Smokefang interrupted his underling. ¡°Who else sounded the alarm about this city?¡±


    ¡°Victor Martel, a freelance reporter, age forty-three. He published investigations on the missing people.¡± The Blue Ministry had an extensive, in-depth file on him, even if most of his family¡¯s records were sealed. ¡°Solomon Nicholae as well, a local Catholic priest who first reported the disappearances.¡±


    ¡°Catholic? Ah, yes, that curious religion,¡± Smokefang scoffed, his voice oozed disdain. ¡°He should rather pray to me.¡±


    ¡°Another thing, Lord Smokefang. I believe an unregistered sorcerer was present during the incident.¡±


    That ended the dragon¡¯s joyful mood.


    ¡°The entity they summoned, the Candlemaker, has also escaped.¡± Kresnik realized the dragon had no idea who he was talking about, yet didn¡¯t wish to voice his ignorance. ¡°An Ancient Fire Elemental, Dot Three in threat ranking.¡±


    ¡°Yes, yes, I remember.¡± Kresnik could almost hear the insincerity. ¡°A Fire Elemental is a strong foe, but beneath me. I trust you to take care of it.¡±


    ¡°With pleasure. I swear on my honor, as a Lycan, and as an enforcer of the law, that I shall deal with it before it can hurt the citizens.¡±


    That was why Kresnik fought, why he had joined internal security. To protect the good citizens of Concordia from threats, to ensure that children could live out their lives in peace, without worrying about criminals stealing their families away. That was the werewolf¡¯s only wish.


    He had seen enough misery not to take a stand.


    ¡°By stamping out this infestation, the Grandmaster will perhaps send me to Oceanis rather than this backwater, primitive Sphere!¡± Smokefang¡¯s face contorted into a grimace, which Kresnik took for a sneer of disgust. ¡°A few more years near those swamps, and I will look like Blightspawn¡¯s putrefied twin!¡±


    Dragons, as the supreme species, adapted to their environment as they reached their adult form, taking traits from their surroundings. Smokefang, the youngest of the brood ruling Terra Firma, had yet to undergo the metamorphosis his siblings previously went through.


    ¡°What about the sorcerer, Lord Smokefang?¡±


    Once again, Smokefang¡¯s mood darkened. ¡°Kresnik, are you loyal to me?¡±


    ¡°I am loyal to the Empire.¡±


    This answer displeased Smokefang, who let out ashes through his nose. ¡°In this land, I the Empire. I will rephrase myself. Can I you, Captain Kresnik?¡±


    The werewolf examined his governor with his deductive skills honed by years of experience, smelling the insecurity behind the tough exterior. He knew this type, having encountered it time and time again. The young dragon with the arrogance and brashness of youth, desperate to prove himself worthy of his dominion yet also resenting its lack of attractiveness.


    Concordia had only left a token occupation on this Sphere, since it lacked strategic value or important resources; and Smokefang had been left with the second least attractive area to manage. Unless he distinguished himself, the dragon had few opportunities to rise to a higher post.


    Which made him insecure. For the sake of maintaining good relations, Kresnik decided to assuage his new master. ¡°As long as you respect Concordia¡¯s will, I will do anything you ask for, my Lord, and I shall not betray your secrets. Your mother can vouch for my integrity.¡±


    Smokefang seemed in no hurry to bother his mercurial sire for something so trivial, and so took Kresnik at his word. ¡°Are you certain about the sorcerer, Lycan?¡±


    ¡°Ninety percent sure. I detected a strong but unrefined Blue signature, with an odd color mix. This implies early development and a lack of training.¡±


    Which was both good and bad. An unregistered sorcerer was a potential weapon of mass destruction, best killed in the bud or brought into the fold early. The more time given to refine their power, the greater the damage they caused to themselves and others. This one was unblooded, manageable.


    However, Blue Sorcerers usually created cults of personality or subverted communities, inevitably escalating to subtle takeovers or outright conquest. The more followers they gathered, the more their ego grew, starting a terrible momentum. Out of all magic-users Kresnik had tracked over the years, Blue Sorcerers had proven the most difficult to apprehend, and the hardest to reform.


    ¡°So a sorcerer led the cell...¡± Smokefang reached the wrong conclusion. ¡°How odd that the first unregistered Firman sorcerer on records would show up on my land.¡±


    ¡°I do not believe the sorcerer led, or even was part of the cell, Lord Smokefang,¡± Kresnik said, only for the dragon to brush his words aside.


    ¡°That mystery sorcerer was present during the cell¡¯s ritual, and escaped the fallout unscathed. Their culpability is obvious, and we must treat it as a threat until proven otherwise.¡±


    Kresnik paused, understanding the true matter at hand. Smokefang wanted a public enemy to justify his hardline stance, and the glory of capturing an enemy sorcerer. The truth did not factor into it.


    ¡°Alright,¡± Kresnik said outwardly, while inwardly making a different decision.


    ¡°I see the picture now, Lycan,¡± Smokefang continued, yet more to himself than to his audience. ¡°The Malebranche are here for the artifact. They knew about it before we dug it out, let us do the work, and then brought their muscle to steal it before we could ship it off-world.¡±


    The theory sounded plausible, yet Kresnik found that plan a bit too circuitous. He suspected the governor would rather believe in a conspiracy instead of various unconnected events. ¡°Do you wish for me to reinforce the site¡¯s security?¡±


    ¡°No. I already saw to it. What I want you to do, Lycan, is to find that mysterious ringleader and bring him to me for punishment. Any information must go through me first. Am I understood?¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡±


    As the dragon congratulated himself for his cunning, the werewolf pondered which lead to pursue next. His orders were clear, yet he considered the Candlemaker a more dangerous threat to the local peace.


    As for the sorcerer...


    Kresnik would have to find the rogue before Smokefang; if he did, he could perhaps offer them a way out. It wouldn¡¯t be the first time Concordia pardoned unregistered sorcerers and introduced them to their forces. He hoped this one would be somewhat reasonable.


    If the rogue refused to submit, though...


    Well, it would not be the first time Kresnik had to put down a rabid dog.

 Chapter 7: New Kid in Town

    Mathias could scarcely see in the darkness, but the red-eyed lamb could see him just fine.


    Trapped in a circle of fire, surrounded by flames, cold winds, and thick darkness, he could only watch the lamb circle him like a predator. The M symbol, bright beneath his feet, felt hot on contact.


    The creature looked like an innocent lamb, but with fur as black as coal, and long, cruel horns. His two crimson eyes gazed back at Mathias, two pits of hate and malice, bloodied stars in the darkest sky.


    ¡°Do you fear fire, Sweetie?¡± The voice was masculine and soft, so soft; like poisonous honey. Yet it also sounded transgressive, like that little voice tempting you every time you considered crossing a line. ¡°You should. Fire is pure, unbridled power. It is the essence of life and death. If disrespected, it consumes. If harnessed, though, it brings strength.¡±


    ¡°Blue World,¡± Mathias replied, no blue flash answering his call. ¡°Glass Field.¡±


    ¡°Silly boy, you are dreaming. You cannot cast spells in a dream.¡± The lamb licked his lips like a hungry wolf. ¡°Not Blue spells, anyway.¡±


    Mathias tried to open his Magik account, yet the interface refused to show up in his field of vision.


    ¡°Mathias, you have sinned against me.¡± The M sigil beneath Mathias¡¯ feet began to suddenly feel hotter. ¡°Brown was mine. My pawn. An expendable pawn, but my property nonetheless. You had no right to take him off the board so early. This is theft, cattle robbery.¡±


    ¡°Blame that fiery thing,¡± Mathias replied, realizing that he was talking to an entity similar to that monster from last night.


    No. Not similar. The sheer malevolence coming off from that creature dwarfed the fiery fiendlike the sun eclipsed a candle. Simply looking in its eyes filled Mathias with primal, existential dread.


    That thing was .


    ¡°The Candlemaker is my loyal servant. A good king is generous with his subjects. Especially one who will prove so useful, so very soon. You, however...¡±


    Okay, this was bad. If this was a lucid dream, perhaps he could will himself back to being awake. Mathias focused, pinching his arm, to no avail.


    ¡°Sweetie, you cannot escape me. You will never wake up until I say so, if you do. If want you to die in your sleep, it will happen. Your soul will forever wander that dark, empty wasteland, never to find release. You will wail in despair, and none will answer. You are at my mercy. So, Mathias, what will I do with you?¡±


    Even Network refused to answer his commands, providing no more information on the entity than its fellow fiend. ¡°Well, you look like the kind to play with your food,¡± Mathias spoke, trying to fall back on words. ¡°You must have a reason not to have killed me yet.¡±


    ¡°Smart boy. Yes, it would be pity to kill you, when we could be good friends. Pity, pity, pity.¡± The lamb sat comfortably outside the circle. Somehow, that frail creature¡¯s eerie serenity intimidated Mathias more than the fire monster¡¯s frothing sadism. ¡°Your intervention, while costing me influence over your home city, changed little. I also sense much bitterness and rage in your heart. Ambition too, akin to mine. This pleases me. This pleases me greatly. I can find it in myself the will to forgive you.¡±


    ¡°I sense a ¡®but¡¯ coming,¡± Mathias said.


    The lamb¡¯s lips raised in an ugly, unnatural grin. ¡°Every sin needs a penance. If you accomplish a task on my behalf, I will consider your debt settled. It¡¯s very simple. Concordia has recently unearthed an artifact of potent power in the nearby swamps. I want you to take it from them, by force or cunning.¡±


    Mathias frowned. ¡°Artifact?¡±


    ¡°An object of great power, whose age surpasses mine. I do not care what it does, simply that Concordia does not have it.¡± The lamb¡¯s eyes flashed with a yellow glow. ¡°Curse.¡±


    Mathias screamed, his voice drowning in the darkness, as the M symbol burned itself onto his left palm, smelling of coal and dry blood.


    ¡°Should the artifact sealed in Evermarsh¡¯s swamp remain in Concordia¡¯s hands by the New Moon, your life shall end with the next sunrise.¡±


    The lamb let out a strange, inhuman sound, like a bellowing laugh. ¡°You had my displeasure, Sweetie, now you have my interest. Enjoy your day. At night, I will be there. Watching.¡±


    Mathias opened his eyes, sweat on his forehead.


    What the hell was that dream? He still felt sore at his feet, his throat itchy and dry. Was it subconscious guilt at failing to stop last night¡¯s massacre, his mind tormenting him with nightmares? Or did that monster cast a curse on him?


    Trying to clear his thoughts, and grabbing his cell phone on his night table, Mathias rose from his bed with a smile on his face. He loved Sundays.


    The happy sentiment lasted until he noticed the M symbol engraved on his palm.


    Mathias decided to check the Quest board, to see if it had any new additions. Much to his surprise, two new assignments had showed up on it. One of them was a main Quest; the other¡¯s icon was more detailed, with the Network logo added on it. Mathias clicked on the normal Quest first.


    The Maleking¡¯s Favor


    Difficulty: Dot Two


    Sponsor: Romulus.


    It is said that the Maleking¡¯s interest is worse than his indifference, and the mark on your hand proves it. However, trouble is the father of opportunity. Steal the artifact recovered by Concordia in Evermarsh¡¯s swamps before the New Moon and free yourself from the Beast¡¯s jaw.


    Rewards: Eight Spellcoins.


    Failure: Instant Death.


    The text said it all. Since yesterday had been the full moon, that left him two weeks to save his hide or die. Gritting his teeth, Mathias decided to check the other Quest, hoping for better news.


    Side Quest: New Kid in Town


    Difficulty: Dot One


    Sponsor: Administrator.


    Rome hasn¡¯t fallen to one man, and neither will the dragons. Another player has arrived in Evermarsh, so go and meet them! The more the merrier.


    Rewards: Network Upgrade.


    Mathias had to reread the message to fully grasp the news. Another Player, in town? After the punch in the gut of the previous quest, the information gave him hope. If he could find a partner, he would feel so much safer. What happened last night had opened his eyes to the dangers of fighting solo.


    The Quest didn¡¯t tell him how to meet this particular person though. Mathias thought, moving further into his browser and opening the message list.


    When he saw a public conversation called by ¡®Yoshikage,¡¯ he realized that the mystery person had acted faster. He immediately opened the feed.


    Mathias began to type his answer, before wondering which meeting place he should set. Magik was a secure system, protected from the authorities, yet he knew nothing of the other Player. He decided to play it safe and put the GPS location of Dynamis¡¯ gaming park in the feed.


    The answer came almost immediately.


    Mathias frowned, yet the other person on the line didn¡¯t elaborate. Weird.


    He had also noticed the main quest¡¯s sponsor wasn¡¯t the Administrator this time, but someone called Romulus. How had it known about the curse so soon? The more he thought of it, the more the young man was convinced Magik¡¯s mysterious owners could observe him anytime.


    Moving into the apartment¡¯s main room while waiting for an answer, Mathias noticed his father was absent. Checking his phone, he noticed two calls from him, and dialed back. Dad quickly answered. ¡°Hi son, I stayed at Viviane¡¯s place last night since we finished late.¡±


    ¡°Ohhhhh,¡± Mathias replied with a smirk.


    ¡°Not what you think,¡± Victor protested weakly. ¡°Just a friendly sleepover.¡±


    Mathias suppressed a choked laugh on his end of the line. Note to self, Network worked over long distance conversation. ¡°Right, right.¡±


    ¡°I sense much sarcasm on your end.¡± Victor grunted uncomfortably. He probably didn¡¯t wish for Mathias to believe he betrayed Mom¡¯s memory by looking for outside comfort. ¡°I¡¯m not coming home today. Have you looked at the news? We¡¯ve got a sorcerer in town.¡±


    What? Did Maggie get caught? No, or else he would have been apprehended by now. ¡°No, I just woke up,¡± Mathias said, as he moved to prepare himself some coffee. ¡°A sorcerer? Like real magic?¡±


    ¡°Yes. Concordia even sent one of their own to investigate, a big shot from the Blue Ministry.¡± Mathias froze at the information. Victor sounded as excited as a child on a Halloween trick or treat spree. ¡°But that¡¯s not all. They identified the ringleaders of the kidnapping spree. Mayor John Brown and chief of police Henry Powells. You heard that right.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s¡­ that¡¯s terrible news. Why do you sound so happy?¡±


    ¡°Because nobody will vanish anymore,¡± Victor replied, ¡°Apparently both were neutralized, although I don¡¯t know the details. Also, I¡¯m happy because Lord Smokefang asked me for an interview, since I sounded the alarm first.¡±


    ¡°Today?¡±


    ¡°Today. I will be on national holo-TV at twelve-thirty.¡± Mathias hung back to digest the news. A national holo-TV broadcast was a huge deal, a once in a lifetime chance for a small time journalist like Dad. ¡°I¡¯m making my way there as we speak. Check the news, son, it links up with my own investigations.¡±


    ¡°Of course I will!¡± Mathias marked a pause. ¡°But be alright, okay? Dragons are¡­¡±


    ¡°Dragons are dragons, yes.¡± Victor switched the subject. ¡°I got the news on your improved grades by the way. Your teacher said it was meteoric. Guess your hard work paid off. I can¡¯t tell how proud of you I am, son. She would be proud, too.¡±


    Yes, she would. She had been an academic star back in the day. ¡°Thanks, Dad.¡±


    ¡°How was your own party, by the way? No, scratch that, you can tell me yourself when I get home. Gotta go, Gearsmen ahead. Love you.¡±


    ¡°Love you, Dad.¡± Mathias said as the phone call ended. Sitting around the kitchen table, Mathias checked the news on his phone. As expected, Concordia had quickly put an information ban on official channels until the noon broadcast. Blogs and forums spoke of a fire at the chemical plant, and Gearsmen raids at various houses in Evermarsh. Mathias recognized Brown¡¯s mansion on the list. He hoped Samantha would be fine.


    Come to think of it, did his friends come home safe?


    ¡°Good Morning, Mathias-san.¡±


    The glass cups in his kitchen flew around him like a defensive ring, while he himself leaped back. Stepping out from a corner of the room, Kari Matsumoto walked in, eerily calm.


    How the hell did she slip in? He should have heard her close in, or seen her through his glass sight. And damn, he had revealed his magic right in front of her, and she hadn¡¯t even moved! She just observed the flying glass with vague interest, as if¡­ as if...


    ¡°You¡¯re the other Player,¡± Mathias realized, Kari nodding. ¡°How long?¡±


    ¡°Hours.¡±


    Had she been watching him sleep? ¡°How did you get in?¡± Mathias asked, his drinking glasses still floating around him. ¡°The door was closed.¡±


    ¡°I climbed through a window. You left it open.¡±


    He scowled. ¡°We are on the seventh floor.¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡±


    ¡°You are doing it again,¡± Kari said with a frown.


    She could sense Network activate. ¡°You¡¯ve been here the whole night?¡± And Glass Field didn¡¯t warn him; either his spells didn¡¯t work while asleep or the nightmare had clouded his mind. ¡°And you cast a spell on me?¡±


    Her eyes betrayed her surprise at the second allegation. She looked at a chair in front of him. ¡°May I sit, Mathias-san?¡±


    Mathias couldn¡¯t believe that she would break into his house, only to ask for permission to sit. He nodded, somewhat reluctant. Even if she had helped him more than once, someone moving inside his home without warning nor invitation creeped him out.


    ¡°The spell,¡± she said softly, her voice calm and serene as she sat in front of him, ¡°A malicious entity attacked you in your dreams. I warded your bedroom against spiritual intruders.¡±


    A flash of red eyes sent a shiver down his spine. ¡°It didn¡¯t work.¡±


    ¡°No.¡± Kari sounded sincerely sorry. ¡°Its magic overpowers mine. It is strong. Stronger than any Yokai I have ever seen.¡±


    Yokai. Mathias remembered the Japanese called demons and spirits by that name. Could that explain why Blue World had failed to affect him? If the girl told the truth, then it meant ghosts and demons existed. After a dragon invasion, he could only believe her. ¡°Thanks,¡± he finally said. ¡°I don¡¯t forgive you for breaking into my home, but I appreciate the protective gesture.¡±


    Kari silently acknowledged his words. ¡°You are a Player, too.¡±


    It wasn¡¯t a question. ¡°I am a Blue Player. You¡¯re a Yellow one, am I right?¡± He guessed so, since she had knowledge of spirits.


    She kept a poker face, her body language almost unreadable. Network¡¯s nudging instinct told him he had guessed right. He could almost read her train of thoughts, trying to see if he could use spells to read her mind or history. ¡°Is that a Blue power that you used before?¡± sea??h th§× N??elFir§×.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    ¡°You sensed it at the party, is it not? That¡¯s how you suspected me.¡±


    ¡°Yes. I asked Samantha about you and found your address.¡± She sounded vaguely displeased. ¡°I do not like it. It makes me feel on edge.¡±


    ¡°Neither do I like your breaking and entering.¡± Mathias guessed that trying to blame the eachother wouldn¡¯t lead anywhere, and decided to settle things. ¡°I can¡¯t completely turn my power off, but I will try to repress it in your presence. In exchange, I ask that you respect my privacy.¡±


    ¡°Okay.¡±


    ¡°So why are you here? You want a team-up?¡±


    She nodded in confirmation. ¡°Alone we are weak. Together we will grow strong.¡±


    ¡°Agreed.¡± The opposition could use magic even better than them, and they needed to cover one another. ¡°I gotta check something first. What¡¯s your goal? Your mission?¡±


    ¡°My mission?¡± she repeated the word, as if trying to translate it in her native language, ¡°I want to free my country from invaders and their influence. To grow strong enough to do so.¡± She paused for a short while. ¡°And to know who I am.¡±


    Mathias raised an eyebrow, expecting her to elaborate. Instead, the Matsumoto girl crossed her arms, and the young man realized he wouldn¡¯t get more on that front, the subject making her uncomfortable. He suppressed the urge to use Network for answers. ¡°Okay. I can respect that. I¡¯m planning to take on the dragons myself, so that makes two of us.¡±


    ¡°More than two.¡±


    Yes. He doubted they alone had received the email invitation. The fact the wheel had seven colors and they fit two different ones implied other users embodied the remaining colors.


    His phone buzzed, interrupting the conversation. Mathias exchanged a glance, Kari turning her eyes away and giving him some privacy. The boy checked the caller.


    Perse.


    ¡°Yes?¡± he said, answering the call.


    ¡°Matt, you treacherous fox, thank God you¡¯re alive!¡± Perse sounded positively relieved. ¡°How dare you leave in the middle of the night and leave me hanging out to dry?¡±


    Mathias winced at the accusation. ¡°Sorry.¡±


    ¡°No, you¡¯re not sorry!¡± She cut him off, worry in her voice. The strength of her emotions took Mathias back. ¡°Maggie, Jack, and Kari are missing! There¡¯s Gearsmen crawling all over Sam¡¯s place! They put her in custody, and I can¡¯t talk to her¡­ and you didn¡¯t answer my messages all morning! Where the hell are you?¡±


    Holy hell, she sounded like she was in a state of shock. His heroic instincts kicked in. ¡°I¡¯m at my place. Perse, where are you? I¡¯ll come as soon as I¡¯m dressed.¡±


    ¡°No, no, don¡¯t come, it¡¯s okay.¡± Perse, who had otherwise always remained confident, sounded so lost and confused. ¡°I¡¯m at Sam¡¯s place, I stayed the night there. The tinfoils won¡¯t let me leave yet. They won¡¯t let you get in. They just keep staring.¡±


    Mathias cursed himself for not being able to help his friend. ¡°Perse, it¡¯s okay, everything will be okay. I¡¯m here. Is Ulysses with you?¡±


    ¡°In another room. I can¡¯t talk to him, either. Matt, the news¡­ you¡¯ve read the news?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ve heard of an incident at the chemical plant.¡±


    ¡°You think it¡¯s linked? Maggie doesn¡¯t answer when I call her, neither does Jack either. You think-¡±


    ¡°Perse, stop,¡± Mathias cut her off, before she could overthink things and spiral further into anxiety. ¡°Perse, take a deep breath, a long deep breath. You¡¯re strong. You can take it.¡±


    Thankfully, she took his advice to heart and tried calming down. ¡°Okay, okay, sorry, I¡­ I have a lot on my plate right now. I really wish you were here.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m here, Perse. Always will be.¡± She was still in desperate need for good news. ¡°Look, it¡¯s not as bad as it sounds. I can¡¯t say anything for Jack or Maggie, but Kari is fine. She¡¯s right in front of me. So maybe the others are fine, too?¡±


    Perse¡¯s following, heavy silence told him he may have made a terrible mistake. ¡°Perse? Perse, are you okay?¡±


    ¡°You said you were at your place. She is at your place.¡± Her tone had turned flat. ¡°You brought her home.¡±


    The wording made him pick up on the implications. ¡°This isn¡¯t what you think.¡±


    A heavier kind of silence followed. ¡°I believe you.¡± She didn¡¯t. Damn, he felt some empathy for his dad right now. ¡°I gotta go. Kiss.¡±


    ¡°Wait, Perse-¡± She ended the call before he could finish his sentence. He tried to call her back twice but to no avail. Why did she react that way? Even if he had brought Kari, why would it bother her so much?


    Wait, could she be?


    A text message provided a welcome diversion from that train of thought.


    .


    So, Maggie had reached the church safely. Nice. Mathias did notice the hidden message; Sol wasn¡¯t comfortable using devices that Concordia might spy on, instead wishing for a face to face meeting. ¡°I have to go,¡± he told Kari. ¡°Will you come? We can discuss things in the meantime.¡±


    The young woman answered with a sharp nod, words manifesting under his eyes right afterward.


    Side Quest: New Kid in Town, completed!


    You gained the Grant Spell feature. You can now grant the use of one of your spells, to anyone, as long as they remain affected by your Network ability.


    He had the feeling his life just got a lot more complicated.


    Party Stats


    AccountNameShroudNetworkProgressHolderMathias MartelBroadcastUnlockedLevel1 (Novice)Grant SpellUnlockedAffinityBlueLocked Feature(0/3)LockNetworkLocked Feature(0/7)Spellcoins9Overlock(0/1)Spell CompendiumNameDotAffinityPremium Thoughts1BlueBlue World1BlueGlass Field2Orange/Blue

 Chapter 8: Setting up the Hideout

    ¡°No.¡±


    Mathias raised an eyebrow. ¡°Why?¡± he asked her with a low voice, as a flying, eye-shaped drone patrolled the sky above their street corner. That was the fourth one they crossed path with since they left his house. ¡°It¡¯s like, a free spell.¡±


    ¡°Yes, but it is not mine,¡± Kari replied. While she had taken his suggestion to use Network for long distance communication rather well, but she remained intractable on the subject of additional spells. ¡°I want to rely on my own abilities rather than yours.¡±


    ¡°I understand your desire to be self-reliant, but there are no downsides that I can think of.¡±


    ¡°There is one. Dependency.¡± She brushed off his arguments, turning mute. Mathias had realized that she pretended not to hear when she wished to change a subject. Clearly she was no conversationalist.


    Another machine, this time a Gearsman, flew over them, scanning the road nearby. The first time Mathias had seen one, during the first day of the Conquest, he had mistaken the machines for superheroes. Afterwards, they became synonymous with oppression in his mind.


    He lived for the day when he could watch a clear blue sky again.


    ¡°Is that why you fight, Mathias-san?¡± While Kari was no talker, she could clearly read him like a book.


    ¡°So people can walk free without a machine ready to arrest them at any time? Partly.¡± Mathias stopped as they reached their destination, an old, small stone church on the other side of the street. ¡°Overall, though, I just hate Concordia and I want it gone.¡±


    ¡°Kirai? That¡¯s your reason?¡± Her tone had turned disapproving.


    Mathias just shrugged his shoulders. ¡°More than two years ago, they took my mother from me. I just came home from school to find Gearsmen in my house, Mom gone, and Dad unresponsive. He didn¡¯t have to say a word for me to guess what happened. I remember when I threw glass at a Gearsman at one point, and the machine didn¡¯t even flinch.¡±


    Kari listened to his tale, and Mathias found himself continuing, his voice breaking at a few points. How odd. He had never liked going into the details, even with the Werners.


    ¡°That¡¯s the really terrible part, Kari. It didn¡¯t care. didn¡¯t care. If it had reacted with violence, or explained, or even , it¡­¡± He struggled to find his words. ¡°It wouldn¡¯t have made it right, but it would have felt human. Instead it felt like hitting a wall. That day, I understood, for them, it was routine. Banal. They put as much emotional weight in breaking a family as in signing a paper.¡±


    He took a breath, as if removing a heavy load from his chest. ¡°I wondered, how many other families experienced that awful day, too? All the time I watched news about Chinese rebels getting arrested, or killed, it never connected to me. Now it does.¡±


    ¡°You never knew what happened to your mother? Or why?¡±


    ¡°They probably sent her to Electon.¡± Only Concordia could have enough resources and enemies to dedicate an entire planet to imprisoning criminals or their enemies. ¡°As for why, I have suspicions. Nothing concrete. She worked in artificial intelligence even before the Conquest, and we know how careful they are with those.¡±


    Dad often said he had inherited her drive and skills in that area, although he didn¡¯t mean it as a compliment.


    Kari crossed her arms, pensive. ¡°What was her name?¡±


    ¡°Alice. Alice Martel.¡± He looked at her dead in the eyes. ¡°They took someone from you too, didn¡¯t they?¡±


    ¡°No. Not directly. They took my purpose, my pride.¡± She seemed about to open herself up as he did, but strained against showing the pain inside. ¡°My family has served in the military since the unification of Japan. We fought for our homeland, or to protect it.¡±


    Mathias understood the implications. What purpose did they have in a country conquered and stripped of its name?


    The two made their way to the church, strangely silent for a Sunday. Not that the surrounding area felt welcoming, with barred windows and decrepit buildings. The area used to be Evermarsh¡¯s poorest district, which Concordia had mostly condemned after relocating the inhabitants to work in weapon factories farther north. The Empire hated wasting resources, especially citizens.


    The Yellow Ministry, which oversaw all cultural activities in the Empire¡¯s territories, had allowed Sol to maintain the church, in spite of waning belief worldwide. Monotheism had taken a big hit after Concordia sank Israel and the Middle-East beneath the waves for their terraforming project.


    As he knocked on the door, he felt Kari¡¯s eyes on him. ¡°Can we trust him?¡± she asked, unaware that Mathias could see Sol through the church¡¯s stained glass windows, listening. The priest did that since his unfortunate meeting with a sicario years ago.


    ¡°I would put my life in his hands, if he asked for it.¡± He was a friend, and used to keeping secrets.


    Sol, dressed for Mass, opened the door, a fatherly smile on his face. ¡°Mathias.¡± His eyes set on Kari next. ¡°I see that you brought a friend.¡±


    ¡°My name is Kari, Solomon-san.¡± Kari bowed deeply. ¡°A pleasure to make your acquaintance.¡±


    ¡°A pleasure shared. Please come inside, I prepared drinks.¡± Sol welcomed the two into his haven and closed the door behind them.


    Mathias had already seen the deserted church since it had come within his Glass Field range. Their steps echoed through the empty building, as if alone with God. He guessed that with the new patrols, most people chose to remain at home.


    Sol led them to a door on the left, leading to a stair to the basement. Mathias heard the sound of the animated series opening coming from downstairs. To Mathias every trip to Sol¡¯s basement felt like the start of an adventure, like entering a dungeon. You always found a surprise downstairs.


    They found Maggie sitting on a dusty couch, bored out of her mind as she watched a starship battle on an outdated plasma screen TV. The basement was less cramped than Mathias¡¯ own apartment, but made up in discomfort with the absence of windows, light bulbs being the only source of light. Sol had set a table nearby, with a teapot letting out steam.


    ¡°¡®Sup, nerd?¡± Maggie said upon noticing the group, wearing boy clothes a bit too long for her. Sol had probably given her whatever he could find. ¡°What¡¯s Matsumoto doing here?¡±


    ¡°She¡¯s safe,¡± Mathias replied. ¡°I thought you would enjoy the company.¡±


    ¡°Yeah, I¡¯m sick of watching animation on a plasma screen,¡± Maggie complained. ¡°It¡¯s like looking for a sushi shop, finding it closed, and settling for a kebab instead.¡±


    ¡°I do not buy Concordian products,¡± Sol said with a dignified expression, as he served Mathias and Kari cups filled with green tea before taking one himself. Maggie declined the offer; Mathias figured out she was fonder of energy drinks. ¡°Maggie, could you put Firman News on?¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t buy their products, but you watch their propaganda?¡± Maggie groaned, but obeyed the suggestion. Network told Mathias that she respected Sol enough to listen to him. ¡°How can a plasma screen relay those anyway? I thought it only worked with holo-TV.¡±


    ¡°Holo-TVs are linked to Concordia¡¯s UB network, but they retransmit news on internet infrastructure,¡± Mathias explained as they settled on the sofa.


    After the Manus incident almost half a century ago, where their main AI went rogue, Concordia replaced their hardwares with organic technology. Centerpieces to that network were the UBs, biological supercomputers that administered the empire¡¯s whole infrastructure and day-to-day operations, using magical signals instead of cables to transfer information.


    Due to Earth¡¯s reliance on internet telecommunications, Concordia had granted the web a grace period, letting it survive while slowly replacing it with their organic systems. He doubted that anything would show on Sol¡¯s plasma screen three years from now.


    ¡°Mathias,¡± Sol spoke up. ¡°Maggie told me a very strange story. She did not give me many details, and I did not ask for them, but I would like to hear your own tale.¡±


    Mathias took a deep breath. He had deeply considered whether or not showing Sol what he could do, but he knew the answer already in his heart. ¡°Sol,¡± he said. ¡°I can do magic.¡±


    Mathias raised his hand, calling upon Glass Field. Instantly, the screen began to move and shift on its own, taking a spiraling shape.


    ¡°Alright,¡± Sol said, as stoic as ever, as Mathias returned the glass to normal. ¡°This is new.¡±


    His underwhelming, zen response disappointed Mathias, and amused Maggie. ¡°Somehow, you do not sound surprised,¡± the young man complained.


    ¡°Lad, if you reach my age in the world we live in, few things will surprise you anymore.¡± His eyes shifted to Kari. ¡°And you, young woman? Mathias must trust you a great deal to show us this in your presence.¡±


    Kari, instead of answering, rose to her feet, holding her cup away from her chest. Once everyone¡¯s eyes settled on her, at speed beyond what a human could reach, Kari jumped like a cat, spinning in the air. Her feet landed on the ceiling¡¯s surface, and she stared at them, her entire body upside down.


    As for the cup, it remained aligned with the ground. In a masterful show of dexterity, Kari had managed to keep it in its original position, without dropping anything.


    Show-off.


    ¡°Holy fuck¡­¡± Maggie whistled, as Kari climbed down, still without letting her tea go. ¡°You¡¯re magic, too?¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡±  Sear?h the Novel?ire(.)ne*t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    ¡°Is Ulysses a magician too? Is everyone in my social circle witches?¡±


    ¡°Just the two of us,¡± Mathias replied. ¡°For now. I recently discovered I can grant spells to others.¡±


    Maggie¡¯s head perked up in interest, while Sol examined Mathias warily. ¡°You can make us wizards? No kidding?¡±


    ¡°No, I can lend you a spell of mine. I haven¡¯t explored the limits yet.¡±


    ¡°What do you intend to use that power for, Mathias?¡± Sol lowered his head, his eyes peering straight into the boy¡¯s soul. ¡°I want to hear it from you.¡±


    Mathias fell silent, the priest¡¯s gaze felt heavy on him. ¡°You know what I will do with my power.¡±


    ¡°Yes, I do. And I am loath to have even asked. Does your father know? No. Or he would have stopped you from walking such a path. Mathias, no good for you will come out of fighting Concordia.¡±


    ¡°Why the critic, old man?¡± Maggie replied, ¡°He¡¯s the real deal. Everyone speaks about rebelling against Concordia, and no one has the guts to put their words into actions. He can.¡±


    The sudden respect in her voice surprised Mathias, who reddened a bit.


    ¡°I said no good for him.¡± Sol¡¯s gaze hadn¡¯t moved from Mathias. ¡°You have the rashness of youth and the desire to change the world. Good. But taking down Concordia in your current state is a doomed effort. The dragons have limitless resources, and you do not.¡±


    ¡°I gotta start somewhere,¡± Mathias insisted. ¡°If I hadn¡¯t used my powers, Maggie would be dead. Did she tell you what almost happened to her?¡±


    ¡°I did,¡± Maggie said, muting the sound of the TV as Dad showed up on it, being interrogated by Smokefang.


    ¡°Sol, with great powers must also come great responsibility,¡± Mathias said, quoting his own personal Bible. ¡°If I don¡¯t use my powers in the face of injustice, then I¡¯m complicit in it.¡±


    ¡°You misunderstand my point, Mathias.¡± Sol shook his head. ¡°Everyone has a choice. God granted us free will so we judge for ourselves and be accountable for our decisions. I am not telling you that your choice is good or bad. However, I want to see if you understand all the implications of that same choice. A just cause can sustain you in the darkest times, but the crusade will be a hard and lonely one. I speak from experience.¡±


    Mathias looked at the scar on Solomon¡¯s forehead. ¡°Have you ever regretted taking that path?¡±


    ¡°No,¡± the priest replied bluntly.


    ¡°Neither will I.¡±


    Sol looked away, thoughtful. Then, he reached a decision. ¡°My door remains open to you and those you wish to shelter,¡± he spoke. ¡°I am willing to offer my church as a sanctuary, and I will keep your secrets. However, I ask that you tell your father the truth in due time. You owe him that much.¡±


    ¡°I will.¡± He already dreaded that moment, but the priest had a point. Keeping the secret from his father sounded wrong. ¡°Thanks, Sol.¡±


    ¡°You guys sound like a self-help book,¡± Maggie groaned.


    Mathias turned to her, an idea crossing his mind. ¡°Ulysses told me you carried a gun at school.¡±


    ¡°He told you that?¡± Maggie frowned. ¡°I could only carry it thanks to Dad.¡±


    ¡°Any idea where we could get weapons?¡± Mathias asked, wishing to find an edge to deal with creatures like the fiery fiend. Sol listened in silence, slightly uncomfortable with it but offering no judgment.


    ¡°Mmmm¡­¡± Maggie seemed a bit hesitant at telling him more. ¡°There¡¯s an arms dealer in town. One that avoided the scalies¡¯ detection.¡±


    Mathias blinked at the news. Due to the heavy ban on weapons, civilians couldn¡¯t acquire them through any legitimate mean. Concordia ruthlessly arrested or killed anyone found violating those rules. ¡°How did he do so?¡±


    ¡°Dad covered him up. A protection racket of sorts. Been a customer of his. He¡¯s very expensive though. The Midnight Market charges a lot.¡±


    The Midnight Market was among the few interstellar regions independent from Concordia, and served as a trade hub between various inter-planetary powers. Imperial authorities heavily restricted access to that place, although they often dealt with it for large scale projects near their borders. Mathias had heard intrepid merchants often ¡°forgot¡± Imperial regulations when it came to merchandise.


    ¡°Money is not a problem, only the quality.¡± He had a pretty good idea how to fund those purchases. ¡°You sound a bit ambivalent about introducing me to the man.¡±


    ¡°Hob. Not a man. And yeah, he¡¯s big on secrecy, and you¡¯re about to become public enemy number one.¡±


    ¡°That would make me his best customer, and I can vanish easily. Try setting up a meeting, tell him I will pay top dollar for his gear. If I¡¯m happy I might become a long-term client.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll see what I can do, but no promises,¡± Maggie replied, before turning back on the TV. ¡°Now shush, nerd, the news is on the screen.¡±


    Mathias turned his focus back on the TV, where pictures of the various conspiracy members showed up in front of Dad. Maggie glared at her father¡¯s, put forward with John¡¯s own, as she unmuted the TV. Smokefang asked Victor with a concerned voice, almost like a parent worried for their child.


    Dad seemed a bit uncomfortable speaking.


    Sorcerer ringleader? Did they blame him for the cult¡¯s horrors? How did they even learn that Mathias had been present?


    Those bastards, destroying his reputation before he even went public!


    Mathias¡¯ eyes opened. ¡°What?¡±


    Smokefang responded with a neutral tone.


    Dad continued.


    ¡°Is it me, or is your dad selling mankind out?¡± Maggie asked.


    His father had always supported the local authorities, Mathias thought in confusion, and now he spoke otherwise?


    Smokefang turned to face the people behind the screen.


    The TV went dark, Sol having seized the remote. ¡°Hey!¡± Maggie complained.


    ¡°That is enough,¡± Sol spoke, concerned for Mathias.


    The young man ignored them, shaking with newfound fury. Nobody threatened his family and got away with it.


    ¡°I¡¯m going to skin that lizard bastard, alive,¡± Shroud spoke through Mathias¡¯ lips. ¡°With a blade of glass.¡±


    Party Stats


    AccountNameShroudNetworkProgressHolderMathias MartelBroadcastUnlockedLevel1 (Novice)Grant SpellUnlockedAffinityBlueLocked Feature(0/3)LockNetworkLocked Feature(0/7)Spellcoins9Overlock(0/1)Spell CompendiumNameDotAffinityPremium Thoughts1BlueBlue World1BlueGlass Field2Orange/Blue

 Chapter 9: Heist Planning

    Thirteen.


    Those were the number of people he had touched during the day, at school and in public transports before making his way here. Old and young people, boys and girls. With his eyes focusing on one specific feed, he looked at others, random people going through their daily jobs and lives. A new icon had appeared beneath each video feed.


    Grant Spell


    Clicking on Maggie¡¯s feed, he observed her in the church¡¯s basement, standing near the sofa. ¡°Ready, Maggie?¡± he said, after activating the communication option.


    The feed shook a bit. ¡°Whoa, man, that¡¯s creepy,¡± she replied through the feed. ¡°Like, I¡¯m hearing you in my own head. How do you do that?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m magic.¡± Mathias made a mental note to test if others could listen to this communication method.


    ¡°Smartass.¡±


    Confrontational. Perhaps too confrontational. With the Grant Spell power, Mathias could technically empower a cell of rebels, but he needed disciplined fighters, not people with anger management issues.


    Then again, Maggie had co-founded a music band and worked well with its members. ¡°You¡¯ll get used to it,¡± he said, both to Maggie and himself.


    Clicking on Grant Spell next, Mathias found a very short list of options show up on his account. Only two spells appeared: Premium Thoughts and Blue World. Glass Field was missing.


    Limit number one: he couldn¡¯t grant access to Hacks.


    Mathias clicked on Premium Thoughts, a brief flash of blue light showing up on the feed. ¡°Hey, I saw a bright blue light,¡± Maggie spoke. ¡°I assume it¡¯s working.¡±


    ¡°I cast Premium Thoughts on you. It increases your mental abilities tenfold.¡± Mathias himself felt no change in his brain process, remaining as supernaturally sharp as ever. Giving a spell didn¡¯t reduce the effectiveness of his own.


    ¡°So you made me magically smart? That¡¯s it? I notice a few more things around me, but that¡¯s underwhelming.¡± She sounded as disappointed as him. ¡°Where¡¯s the A-material?¡±


    Mathias sighed, laying in the grass of his favorite ghost town. He had retreated there to practice his magic in peace, taking only his backpack, laptop and smartphone with him.


    Viviane had taken the day off, and didn¡¯t answer on her phone. Not hard to see why; with her children in custody, she must be arguing with the authorities for their release. His attempts at calling Ulysses, Perse, and Sam had ended in failure as well, their phones probably confiscated.


    It gave him a horrible sense of d¨¦j¨¤ vu. Him moving far from civilization was partly out of discretion, partly to prevent himself from attacking the nearest Gearsmen station to release his friends. Thankfully, Gavin had granted him a day off, considering the situation.


    he told himself.


    Grant Spell had tremendous potential, but the inability to grant Hacks and his own sub-standard repertoire limited its effectiveness. Also, him needing to renew Network for the empowered person to keep their abilities meant he could at best manage a local cell.


    Clicking on another feed next, Sol¡¯s ¡ª finding the priest dusting the church¡¯s stained glass ¡ª Mathias checked the Grant Spell options, and found Premium Thoughts among them. Point for him, he could offload the same spell more than once.


    Mathias mused.


    With nine Spellcoins currently in his account, Mathias had enough funds to invest in at least two other magical powers. What should he do with them? Buy a spell that could boost his existing capabilities, or cover his weaknesses? Or buy a spell that he could offload to his allies, increasing their effectiveness?


    He could also try to fuse two spells. Premium Thoughts was a valuable asset, but Blue World couldn¡¯t affect targets like the fire demon. He could try combining Blue World with a new option, creating a stronger power. After all, Glass Field clearly surpassed both its components individually.


    What could he combine Blue World with? Glass Field combined two opposite colors into a potent synergy. Perhaps combining it with an allied color could provide greater results?


    Okay, he had to take the risks, costs, and advantages into account. He couldn¡¯t check what a Hack did without combining the components first. Glass Field itself was pretty far from what Intuimotion and Dirt Call could achieve separately. The lack of foreknowledge meant he could end up with an ability unsuited to his needs, expecting the spell fusion to produce a different result.


    He had to think like Shroud. What would help him most in his missions? What would support his Glass Field and provide firepower? Mathias¡¯ eyes wandered around the ghost town, towards the hidden holo-projectors.


    Light.


    Light and glass could mesh well together. His control over glass allowed him to hear through, and in theory, produce sound by shifting the molecules; if he could alter light, he could potentially project holograms through them.


    Or lasers. He found the idea of a death beam strangely appealing.


    Checking his Magik account, Mathias found what he was looking for.


    Quasar


    Affinity: Red


    Dot: 1


    Price: 5


    Activation: Passive, Thought.


    The user gains the ability to psychically direct light within sight, creating artificial darkness, or blinding flashes. The user cannot create light and is limited to using existing sources.


    Expending five Spellcoins for the spell, the sorcerer cast it immediately.


    Like when he activated Glass Field for the first time, his perspective slightly changed, as a crimson flash spread through his vision. When it dissipated, the young man began to notice small points of light floating around him, swirling pixels covering the entire landscape. Photons.


    Quasar didn¡¯t fuse with any of his spells. There was no crack that interrupted his thoughts like Intuimotion and Dirt Call had beforehand. He wondered if he had to activate two spells at the same time under specific conditions to force a fusion. Or perhaps a combined spell like Glass Field couldn¡¯t fuse further?


    No matter. Quasar would have to do. Perhaps it could mesh with his other spells without needing a Hack.


    Closing his eyes and activating his Glass Field, Shroud linked himself to the optical glasses of the holo-projectors around him. He noticed no difference between watching through them and through his own eyes, the particles floating around the atmosphere. With a thought, Mathias gathered some of those particles into a humanoid shape, a virtual projection of himself.


    Bingo! His glass shards counted as sight expansion for the spell¡¯s purpose!


    With another thought, he covered a tree in a layer of particles, deflecting the light around it and turning it invisible. Trying his hand at another experiment, he emptied a spot of light, trapping a projector in a deep, impregnable darkness. The stolen light he gathered into a sphere, a miniature star, which he guided through the clearing like a will¡¯o wisp.


    Mathias thought back to his long experiences with holograms, designing illusions for players to lose themselves to fantasy. How odd that he would use that knowledge for battle.


    ¡°You still there?¡± Maggie said, wondering why she hadn¡¯t received any answer.


    ¡°I will switch your power for another one,¡± Mathias said, clicking on her feed and finding Quasar among the new options. ¡°The ability to control light.¡±


    ¡°Like death beams?¡±


    Somehow the more they spoke, the more he liked her. ¡°Possibly, with a lot of training.¡±


    Since he was limited to manipulating existing light instead of creating it from nothing, a sustained laser beam might need preparation to set up. The possibility of wielding death beams excited Maggie more than enhanced intelligence. ¡°Just shoot it to me, nerd.¡±


    Mathias granted her wish, clicking on Quasar. A red glow filled the feed, and he watched in silence as Maggie¡¯s visual information changed to fit his own, newly enhanced photon vision.


    Maggie began to wave her hand around, draining light from the room and gathering it into a light ball. ¡°Now we¡¯re talking,¡± she said.


    ¡°You could even turn invisible, by altering the light around you.¡±


    ¡°About that¡­¡± she trailed off, toying with her light sphere like one would do with a soccer ball. ¡°Now that the scalies took a stand and dissolved the police, I don¡¯t have much to fear anymore, no? I don¡¯t wanna live my life in a priest¡¯s basement.¡±


    Mathias pondered his answer. An underage girl trapped in a catholic priest¡¯s basement. There was a joke to make here, but that was beneath him. ¡°They will ask you questions."


    ¡°I¡¯ll lie. Don¡¯t worry, nerd, not going to rat out you or Spider-Girl. I¡¯ll just say I escaped on my own and thought the church was a nice hiding spot.¡±


    ¡°No, actually, it might be better to tell the truth, with some omissions.¡± Especially since Concordia declared a sorcerer to be involved. ¡°Say you were rescued by a magician. Say as little as possible on the glass part, and that you escaped in the confusion. The more you rehearse the story, the better.¡±


    ¡°Are you coaching me on how to lie?¡± she replied, amused.


    ¡°I¡¯m a professional storyteller. Putting on an act is part of the job.¡± That, and Network inspired him on that front. ¡°I will have to remove the spell on you in case they can detect it, and you will have to wait until tonight so Network can wear off. We¡¯ll keep our distance for a while, since they will probably investigate you.¡±


    Maggie¡¯s feed stop moving, and Mathias could almost see her stand in place, staring. It reminded him of Jack¡¯s feed, much to his disturbance. ¡°You¡¯re planning something big, right?¡±


    Mathias finished her sentence for her in his head. ¡°I¡¯m going to take the fight to Concordia before the new moon, yes. It will be a very big operation, hence my need for weapons.¡±


    ¡°And I can¡¯t be part of it until enough heat is taken off me, I get it. Shit day.¡± She kept playing with the light, relishing every minute left of power. ¡°Hob¡¯s name is Booz. He hides his workshop in a smartphone repair shop called the Red Goblin near the river. I¡¯ll tell him he can expect your dorky ass. ¡±


    Mathias noted the place, scheduling a visit for tomorrow.


    Leaving Maggie to her lightshow, Mathias checked the other feeds. The absent ones disturbed him.


    he told himself. His inability to check on them killed him a little inside every time he thought of them. His father¡¯s feed had vanished as well.


    Truth to be told, Mathias hadn¡¯t only come to this place to work in peace. A part of him dreaded the confrontation with his dad, and attempted to delay it as much as possible.


    Mathias sat in the grass and opened his laptop. He had found the supplier, now he had to secure the funds. Fortunately, he had done much of the groundwork already. Opening a page of complex computer codes, he put himself to work, Premium Thoughts working at full brainpower.


    After what must have been a few hours, Mathias contemplated his work with both dread and wonder.


    His first, fully sentient artificial intelligence, ready to awaken, its programs hosted on the Dynamis servers. Its one goal? Making money. Its name?


    Scrooge.


    Like Scrooge McDuck. Robin Hood had already been patented by another hacker.


    Scrooge could think by itself, adapt, evolve, and more importantly, pass moral judgment. Mathias had granted his creation a few core values to filter decisions: total devotion to Mathias himself, a list of key VIPs to distribute the funds to in case of his demise, and a mission statement to defraud Concordian sympathizers dry.


    Scrooge had no way of going Skynet or on him and couldn¡¯t alter its own parameters directly or indirectly. Finally, the killer feature, it would continue working should he die, annoying Concordia and ensuring his loved ones¡¯ financial comfort. The best postmortem joke.


    Mathias clicked on Scrooge.exe.


    His screen expanded, revealing the countless lines of codes he had painstakingly typed into his creation. Scrooge¡¯s mind awakened, the lines shifting as it gained awareness. It spread through the servers, absorbing the data, the records, the videos, and the files. It cannibalized the memory banks, fed on the cultural trivia gathered by countless people on the internet. It absorbed concepts, ideas, and as it grew its hunger only expanded.


    Mathias looked as his baby took its first steps, hacking into Dynamis¡¯ accounts. It sensibly ignored the ones belonging to Mathias and his VIP list ¡ª which so far included only his dad, Sol, Viviane, Ulysses, Kari, and Perse.


    Mathias quickly understood why. Scrooge intended to generate untraceable funds by altering the financial transactions of Dynamis¡¯ games, skimming off a little amount from those involving Concordia sympathizers.


    A pop-up showed up on his screen, indicating a climbing number that quickly broke past the ten thousand mark ¡ª Mathias cash reserve. Since Dynamis¡¯ economy produced almost a billion credits in revenue per month, Scrooge could credibly amass much money from this system.


    Apparently, lots of Concordian soldiers played Dynamis games.


    Well, if stealing their artifact wouldn¡¯t put him on Concordia¡¯s shitlist, creating an AI tailored to steal from them would.


    At best he would get fired from Dynamis. It did make him uncomfortable. Dynamis had given him his job and lots of opportunities, and he had designed games from the players Scrooge was stealing from. The AI soon hooked itself to other websites, from gambling dens to commerce sites of companies affiliated with Concordia.


    While Scrooge was busy being mean, Mathias added a command for specific items designs for Dynamis¡¯ 3D printers. He needed a costume, and a voice changer to prevent another unwelcome outing.


    Putting the laptop in his backpack, Mathias turned most glass available into an armor covering most of his body and clothes, drawing from the local holo-casters, intending to put them back later. By will alone, he lifted the glass layer off the ground, carrying his body with it.


    His previous feat of flight had been done in desperation, and in suboptimal conditions. Mathias wanted to test how far he could go with this new application of his powers.


    Security first, however. Using Quasar, Mathias blanketed himself in a layer of light, shifting the colors around himself and turning wholly transparent. While radars might pick him up, invisibility would reduce his chances of attracting undue attention.  S~ea??h the N?vel(F)ire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Floating above the swamp, Mathias ascended towards the clouds like an arrow fired at the sun. He felt the wind brush against his glass shield, like a second skin. Through his armor, he saw the swamp below grow larger, a green expanse that kept going before stopping at Evermarsh¡¯s industrialized suburbs.


    As he ascended further upward, Mathias watched Evermarsh grow smaller. Farther away, he began to see the ocean, and the mechanical, pyramid shape of the Arc-City rising from the waves. The artificial city was less than half of Evermarsh¡¯s size, but made it up in compactness and style, a dense structure of hardened black steel. One day, Evermarsh¡¯s population would forcefully move there, the old city destroyed to make room for more factories.


    The Arc-City, too, became small, and Mathias¡¯ senses focused back on the skies darkening above.


    The experience was exhilarating, like the first time he had boarded a plane in his childhood. That sense of wonders, of speed, of reaching an unexplored frontier¡­ he could get drunk on that feeling. The glass strained to keep itself bound, held together only by his willpower.


    ¡°Supersonic speed¡­ supersonic speed¡­¡± he hummed to the wind. Catchy tune.


    Not that he reached anything near that fast. By calculating the rough distance between his starting area and the city¡¯s outskirts, he estimated his maximum speed at roughly, give it or take, two hundred miles per hour.


    Faster than any normal bird, slightly slower than outdated mainliner planes, and far, far slower than most projectiles. Mathias wouldn¡¯t outspeed a bullet anytime soon. As for Gearsmen? Their flying speed wasn¡¯t on record, but they were definitively supersonic at full power. They would outspeed him.


    As he began to catch his breath, probably due to the air thinning, Mathias stopped in his tracks and called it a day. He could survey the whole region from his vantage point, with the digital park nothing more than a spot.


    Far away to the South, rising from the Caribbean, a massive, red spire stood alone near the horizon. It pierced the clouds, reaching up to the darkness of space and beyond Mathias¡¯ sight. The tower radiated a strong, crimson halo, as if churning magma. Large clouds of steam obscured the line where the sea met its metal shell.


    The Red Tower.


    The structures had risen from the ground during the Conquest, and remained a mystery years after their discovery. Had Concordia brought it and its sisters to Earth, or had they risen on their own? Mathias knew them to be the source of the Flux energy harvested on this planet, and little else. He knew of six others located around the world, from the North Pole to Mount Olympus, with Concordia shooting anyone approaching them on sight.


    The sorcerer shook his head, deciding to focus on the hunt for the artifact. Where could Concordia hide it?


    Mathias remembered the day that started it all. An imperial warship had surveyed the area; what if they hadn¡¯t been searching for dissidents, but for that piece of junk?


    Looking in the rough direction where he had seen the warship, Mathias noticed a patch of rocky, dusty land in the middle of the marshes. Careful not to get too close, he flew in that direction.


    The sight of flying brown spots stopped him dead in his tracks. Gearsmen.


    Mathias wondered about the situation, before finding a solution hidden in plain sight. Creating a disc of glass in front of his eyes, the sorcerer turned it into a giant lens. With a few attempts of trial and error, he managed to get a good view of the faraway area.


    Concordia had created an open mine in the middle of the Everglades, draining all water nearby and setting up giant, mechanized drills.


    Neither plants nor grass had survived the excavation, leaving only red dried earth and dust. Those, and pits. Who didn¡¯t love Imperial pits, those bottomless open mines digging ever deeper, in search of one last drop of metal? From afar, it looked like a giant piece of cheese.


    Rancid, disgusting cheese.


    He noticed a few elements different from most of Concordia¡¯s open mines. First was the total absence of workers, be they bullmen, hobs, or humans. The area was entirely manned by Gearsmen and automated machines, while flying eye-drones patrolled the area.


    This barren, empty place epitomized the world Concordia fought for: life replaced with mechanized efficiency. The sight gave Mathias an insight into the Empire¡¯s weakness, its blind reliance on its infrastructure rather than people. If something could disable their technology, the area would be left defenseless.


    Second, most of the holes had been left half-dug or empty, the drills redirected north of the excavation. A motorized, tank-like machine the size of an armored train led the digging effort, relentlessly assaulting a specific spot.


    Mathias thought, his lens showing him that very spot, a small dome of blue light floating among dust and broken stones. Concordia¡¯s machines struggled against the forcefield, unable to penetrate it.


    The sorcerer¡¯s thoughts turned to tactics. The eyebots he could deal with. Glass Field could disable their cameras once in range. in that range, however, meant facing Gearsmen, and Concordia would sound the alarm the second one automaton reported anything wrong.


    What could the enemy mobilize against an attack? Gearsmen, both those in the open mine and around the region. Once the alarm sounded, reinforcements could arrive in less than half an hour. No matter how he turned the thoughts in his head, Mathias didn¡¯t see any way to avoid a battle and collateral damage. The automated systems made discreet infiltration impossible.


    The sorcerer doubted authorities would bomb the place from afar with the artifact nearby, or only as a last resort. His team could hold a siege for a time.


    Orienting the lens towards the blue forcefield, Mathias increased the vision¡¯s precision to better see what it contained. His eyes began to see a spherical shape at the center of the blue light, no bigger than his palm ¡ª


    The Network flash took Mathias aback, jolting him out of his observations. He looked around him, in case he had been detected, and found no one.


    Could it be? He focused back on the strange machine, a dark blue sphere covered by thousands of tiny black plates.


    With the second flash inserting itself in his thoughts, Mathias came to a sudden realization.


    The artifact was alive.


    Alive enough to communicate through Network.


    His smartphone buzzed in his backpack, interrupting his train of thought. Opening it and mentally lifting the phone in his hand, Mathias checked the caller.


    Dad.


    Mathias ¡®sat¡¯ on a cloud, putting the smartphone to his ear. ¡°Hi, Dad.¡±


    ¡°Lots of winds where I am.¡± He was amazed at even getting reception up here. ¡°I saw you on TV.¡±


    Victor marked a short, pregnant pause before answering.


    ¡°Dad, I can only imagine what they told you to make you say what they wanted,¡± Mathias said. ¡°I understand. I will always be proud of you.


    He heard his father sigh in a mix of relief and bitterness.


    ¡°Dad.¡± Mathias cut him off, biting his lip. He knew the confrontation he had dreaded for a long, long time was just around the corner. ¡°I won¡¯t join the Institute. I won¡¯t join any of their institutions, period.¡±


    ¡°Then I will be making games that people can enjoy. Better that than design their weapons.¡±


    ¡°Because they will benefit from it!¡± Mathias pleaded with his father. ¡°Dad, this can¡¯t go on. You can¡¯t convince me, no, you can¡¯t convince yourself that this is normal!¡±


    ¡°You can¡¯t make me work for those who took Mom from us!¡±


    The sudden outburst silenced the son, as the father kept on, his voice broken.


    Victor was at loss of words, and his son too. Finally, dad spoke one word.


    Mathias tensed. ¡°What about Viviane?¡±


    Mathias froze, both at the impact of his father¡¯s broken voice and the horror of the situation. ¡°Dad, this is exactly why I can¡¯t work for the dragons. They don¡¯t care about hurting people. They don¡¯t .¡±


    Victor replied, tired and depressed.


    He was crying, Mathias realized. His father was crying on the other end.


    ¡°I¡¯m not¡­¡± He hesitated, knowing Concordia would find he had magic sooner or later. ¡°I¡¯m not going to vanish, Dad.¡±


    If anything, it had the opposite effect.


    ¡°Before?¡±


    Party Stats


    AccountNameShroudNetworkProgressHolderMathias MartelBroadcastUnlockedLevel1 (Novice)Grant SpellUnlockedAffinityBlueLocked Feature(0/3)LockNetworkLocked Feature(0/7)Spellcoins4Overlock(0/1)Spell CompendiumNameDotAffinityPremium Thoughts1BlueBlue World1BlueQuasar1RedGlass Field2Orange/Blue


    Spell of the Day


    Urbanstep


    Affinity: Violet


    Dot: 1


    Price: 3-5


    Activation: Active, Thought, Physical Sprint.


    By making a sprint in a city¡¯s street, the user can teleport to another city if the user has basic understanding of the target location, and if direct line of transport exists between it and the starting point.

 Chapter 10: Sword and Sorcery, (1)

    ¡°The Red Goblin,¡± Mathias read the badly painted sign above the shop.


    ¡°This is the place?¡± Kari asked, crossing her arms. From the outside, it looked like those night shops you purchased alcohol from at three in the morning for an afterparty. It seemed both seedy and just plain unremarkable.


    With Glass Field on, Mathias could see inside the shop through a smartphone screen, and found nothing remarkable. The hob owner stayed behind a counter, seemingly passing time by playing tarot. No sign of weapons or anything suspicious. Then again, if he had, Concordia would have caught him long ago.


    His thoughts turned to Maggie, who hadn¡¯t given any signs of life since she presented herself to authorities. So far though, no one had come to arrest him, so Maggie had kept quiet. He hoped it would last.


    ¡°Are you alright, Mathias-san?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m fine,¡± he said quickly, without letting a second of doubt show. ¡°I¡¯m magic.¡±


    It didn¡¯t convince her, but she didn¡¯t push the issue.


    Kari eventually knocked and entered, while Mathias closed the door behind them. The store was dusty, almost as small as his apartment, and littered with broken smartphone parts. The sheer chaos and neglect in the workshop convinced Mathias not to trust the owner with his own stuff.


    The hob owner in question, Booz, looked very old and cramp for his kind, with a vestigial white beard under his mouth, wrinkles, and a broken horn. As hobs kept growing as they got older, he reached almost nine feet in height, hunching like Quasimodo to not hit the ceiling. His crimson, almost brown, skin made him stand out among his kind, alongside the heavy scars covering his hide.


    Since he hadn¡¯t bothered to raise his head to welcome customers, Mathias exchanged a glance with Kari. ¡°Booz-san?¡± she attempted to initiate the conversation. ¡°We came here ¡ª ¡±


    ¡°Wait in line, squishies,¡± the hob cut her off as he drew two cards and put them on the counter. The first, drawn upside down, represented a young boy leaning down and granting a cup filled with flowers to a younger girl, with five other cups in the background. The second showed a naked woman surrounded by a ring of laurels and four mythological beasts. ¡°The Six of Cups reversed, and the World upward. Strong ones.¡±


    Without skipping a beat, his gaze settled on Kari, then Mathias. ¡°Heard of you, squishies.¡± He looked decidedly unimpressed by his visitors. ¡°Girly told me you were looking for merchandise?¡±


    At least that hob was the straightforward kind. ¡°That depends on what you offer. I¡¯m not looking for a new smartphone. But I¡¯ve got cash to spend, if you have interesting stuff.¡±


    ¡°Rich prick, are you?¡± He glared at Kari¡¯s presence. ¡°Girly didn¡¯t tell me you would bring friends. That¡¯s a breach of trust.¡±


    ¡°She¡¯s my business partner.¡± Kari¡¯s eyes shifted away for a second. ¡°Consider us two parts of a whole.¡±


    Booz raised a finger. ¡°Just this once. Bring a surprise invite again, and no more deals. Rule of the house.¡± He rattled his throat. ¡°Show you¡¯ve got the cash first. I¡¯m not dealing with amateurs.¡±


    Mathias searched inside his backpack, bringing out a small blue card which Booz grabbed like how a cat pounced on a mouse. Grabbing a card reader beneath the counter, the hob put the card inside, and watched the numbers coming up with pleasure. ¡°Rich prick it is.¡±


    ¡°I thought any business had to be customer centric,¡± Mathias deadpanned. ¡°You aren¡¯t earning points on niceties.¡±


    ¡°The benefits of local monopolies. You can go to the competition if you want better service.¡± Mathias crossed his arms at the not so subtle taunt, while Booz typed codes on his cash register. ¡°Checking if the scalies can trace those credits first.¡±


    ¡°They¡¯re untraceable. And I can get a lot more in a short time. Millions.¡± That was official. If the Empire hadn¡¯t abolished bankers, Scrooge would have been the best of them. A pocket Goldman Sachs. S§×ar?h the n??el Fire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Eventually, Booz reached the same conclusion, and handed Mathias his card back. ¡°Downloaded the cash before purchase, so no bloody discount, if you see what I mean. You can use that account for future purchases. If you alert the scalies and I have to close shop, you aren¡¯t seeing it again.¡±


    Mathias doubted it would affect his finances long term, but it was fair. At this point neither one trusted the other.


    Booz clicked on a button beneath the counter, and before the sound reached his ears, Mathias lost all stimulus coming from Glass Field. It was as if his sight went dark as far as glass were concerned; he couldn¡¯t even sense the smartphones laying around them. He heard the door locking behind them, trapping them inside.


    Kari shifted a little, tense. ¡°What have you done?¡± Mathias asked, a bit disturbed by the sudden loss of his spell.


    ¡°Protected us from scryings.¡± Booz eyed his customer, noticing the unease on his face. ¡°You¡¯re a sorcerer.¡± It wasn¡¯t a question. ¡°Which major color?¡±


    ¡°Blue, but I dabble in many colors.¡± Mathias hated that the hob seemed to know more about magic than himself.


    So he worked for another client on the side. Mathias would better keep his cards close to the chest for now. At least Booz¡¯s protection couldn¡¯t block Network. ¡°Will it cause a problem?¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t care who you are, only that you pay and respect the rules.¡± Booz rattled his throat. ¡°If you want jobs, I got plenty of them for you. There¡¯s always a demand for sorcerers at the Market. Moreso Oranges and Violets, but Blues are appreciated. With the Crimson Epoch approaching, demand keeps going up.¡±


    ¡°Crimson Epoch?¡± Kari asked.


    ¡°Gladiator games held on the Midnight Market every year,¡± Booz replied with a little disdain, as if he was surprised Kari wouldn¡¯t have heard of them. ¡°Concordia condemned them, but you can watch it on black channels. Lots of power-brokers gather there for business."


    ¡°Can get us an entry to the Market, Booz-san?¡± Kari asked, sensing an opportunity like Mathias.


    ¡°I¡¯m a certified Midnight Marketer. I can arrange it, yeah, off the grids. Like everything I sell.¡±


    ¡°So your wares come from ¡ª¡±


    ¡°Stolen Grimsour properties, Arcadian reavers, Seeker-made organotech, Nocturne magecraft, traditional human weapons, and anything I can get my hands on. Even spaceships. If you want custom orders, I can get almost anything given time, for the right price. Where do you want the deliveries done?¡±


    ¡°The church in the old part of town,¡± Mathias said. ¡°How long does it take for the delivery?¡±


    ¡°They¡¯re done the instant they¡¯re purchased.¡±


    ¡°Teleportation? How do you manage that?¡± Even Concordia had trouble setting it up on Earth.


    ¡°Market secret.¡±


    Ah, that explained it. Since inter-sphere teleportation remained impossible without gates, Booz acquired his merchandise from other worlds, stashed his merchandise on Earth at a secure location, and then teleported it to clients. ¡°Can Concordia track the effect?¡± he asked.


    ¡°Not yet. I will leave Firma in two years or so, too risky afterwards. Too many scans, too many holes patched.¡± Booz brushed off the subject. ¡°Products will bounce back, though, if you set protections at the delivery location.¡±


    Fortunately ¡ª or unfortunately ¡ª neither sorcerers present had any on hands.


    Booz put a small, unremarkable golden disc on the table. With a touch, the device revealed itself as a holographic projector, producing a digitalized halo above itself. The light took the shape of a sleek-looking, small gun with bull skulls drawn into the metal itself. ¡°I can show you a lineup, you purchase what catches your fancy. Or you¡¯ve got specific demands?¡±


    ¡°I have another question.¡± Mathias looked at the hologram, not recognizing the weapon model. ¡°I¡¯m glad you accept credits, but would you consider alternative forms of payment?¡±


    ¡°Some marketers deal in souls, but the Red Goblin doesn¡¯t accept those. Too volatile. Don¡¯t accept service exchanges either. Too many defaults.¡±


    ¡°Not even spells?¡± Booz raised an eyebrow. ¡°I can empower people with my magic.¡±


    ¡°Cash is king.¡± The merchant seemed to take mental note of the information though, because he added. ¡°Got a question of my own. Are you only interested in items, or in people, too?¡±


    Mathias froze. ¡°If you¡¯re into creature trafficking, I¡¯m leaving.¡±


    ¡°No, I¡¯m not.¡± There was a little more emotion than usual from the hob in those three words. ¡°I was thinking mercenaries. They¡¯re our secondary export.¡±


    ¡°Mercenaries? They fight for coin instead of a cause, they¡¯re unreliable.¡±


    ¡°How do you know that?¡± Kari asked him.


    ¡°I created a role playing mini-game based on the Renaissance. You played as a soldier in Cesare Borgia¡¯s army ¡ª¡± He could see her losing interest. ¡°I did lots of research. Even Machiavelli advised against using them. Mercenaries aren¡¯t loyal.¡±


    ¡°Those who work for credits aren¡¯t,¡± Booz said. ¡°The one I¡¯m thinking of, Mur, he¡¯s into enhancements.¡±


    ¡°Enhancements?¡±


    ¡°Mur works to get stronger, not richer. Think he¡¯s got a bone to pick with someone out of his league, and so he¡¯s trying to catch up. Gets paid in weapons or body enhancements, and word is that he¡¯s been looking for magical boosts.¡±


    That could be interesting. ¡°What is he good at?¡±


    ¡°Hitting stuff hard until it stops moving. Very good brawler, and not afraid to fill graves if asked. Great bodyguard too, never betrays his clients¡¯ secrets. Not leadership material, though. If you want smarts, hire a secretary. The scalies put a bounty on him, I don¡¯t think you¡¯ll care, but so you know.¡±


    ¡°Can he take down Gearsmen?¡± Kari asked, voicing Mathias¡¯ own thoughts.


    ¡°He can, and he did. I can arrange a call after we¡¯re done with the merchandise, so you can see for yourself.¡±


    Mathias nodded in agreement. If Mur was on Concordia¡¯s shit-list the Magik user was willing to hear him out. Their burgeoning group needed a heavy hitter. ¡°I¡¯ve got specific demands. Anti-Gearsmen weaponry, state of the art.¡±


    ¡°Going to war, eh? You need a lot of firepower to take down those machines.¡±


    No kidding. Mathias had seen videos online of Gearsmen shrugging off anti-tank weaponry during the Conquest. ¡°What do you suggest?¡±


    ¡°Gearsmen¡¯s components are magically enhanced by Orange spells as part of the mass production process. They¡¯re coated in Orange Flux, which hardens them.¡±


    ¡°The Reinforce spell?¡± Kari connected the dots. Mathias remembered seeing it among the options available on Magik.


    ¡°That¡¯s what you squishies call it? Yeah, that spell. It turns their steel harder than diamond and more flexible than aluminium. You either need an incredible amount of brute force or a rival magical effect to break them.¡±


    ¡°A rival magical effect?¡± Mathias repeated. ¡°So if I create a laser beam from a spell, it won¡¯t bounce back on their armor?¡±


    ¡°Eh, rookies. Any attack created from a magical effect carries some of the user¡¯s spellcasting power, making it way more potent against other magical effects. So if you create a projectile out of ambient stuff, it will still carry some of your Flux juice. It won¡¯t cancel the Reinforce spell, but it will lessen its effectiveness.¡±


    Which would still be akin to firing at a walking, two-legged tank. Mathias cursed his short-sightedness for not having purchased his own Reinforce spell. ¡°How much non-magical firepower would you need to destroy a Gearsman in one shot?¡±


    Booz smirked. ¡°I think you humans are fond of those lightshow you call I¡¯ve got a few spare ones.¡±


    ¡°Nuclear power. The solution to every problem, as long as you don¡¯t mind the fallout.¡± Mathias smiled at his own joke, remembering it for later. ¡°Let¡¯s not blow up Evermarsh.¡±


    ¡°Then you need Flux-based weaponry. If you want state of the art weaponry that doesn¡¯t cause too much collateral damage, I''ve got nothing better than this.¡±


    Booz showed the duo the image of a suit of armor not unlike those from fantasy novels, an intimidating, crimson arrangement of metal plates in the shape of a man. A closer look revealed gears at the joints, and a yellow visor for the eyes. Unlike the Gearsmen¡¯s bulky, rough aesthetic, this machine had a streamlined style. Two triangles of red light particles flickered behind the shoulders, like angel¡¯s wings.


    ¡°It¡¯s an old Dragon Trooper armor, Knight-model, nickname . An elite jack of all trades, superior to Pawn-models and a middle ground between Bishops and Rooks. Arcadian fairy reavers made a sport of hunting them as trophies, before Concordia introduced the White Queen armor. This specific machine was customized for close combat by the last holder.¡±


    Since Arcadian Reavers were relatively close to human physiology ¡ª relatively being the key word ¡ª a human could easily wield it. Mathias let Booz continue his lecture on the product.


    ¡°Main weapon is a Claymore, a sword of solidified pure Orange Flux.¡± A sword of orange particles sprung from the armor¡¯s right hand, while a large rounded shield of the same material manifested above the left forearm. ¡°Cuts through almost anything that isn¡¯t magically protected, Orichalcos or Invictium metal. It also has a shield of the same stuff. No motorized fight mode like standard Knights, but it comes equipped with Red Flux wings to allow flight. The armor will protect from almost any hostile environment, including space, and comes with its own oxygen supply. It increases the wielder¡¯s strength, enough for you squishies to bench a car.¡±


    ¡°What are the weaknesses?¡± Kari asked, sounding impressed.


    ¡°It offers no protection against mental assaults. Last holder was taken down when a Blue Sorcerer had him remove the helmet and cut his own head off.¡± Booz sent a glance at Mathias, who smiled back. ¡°Armor recharges by gathering ambient Flux in the atmosphere, so it will perform worse in areas deprived of it, and it¡¯s optimized for close range.¡±


    Mathias wondered about buying it for himself, but years of party management stopped him. While it would offer top notch protection, more than his glass, he lacked the experience and knowledge to use the sword effectively. His magic made him an excellent long range fighter, and he might be better off making purchases reinforcing his strengths rather than poorly covering his weaknesses. ¡°Kari, are you interested?¡±


    ¡°No. Not my style. Too bulky, too noticeable.¡± Her next words took him by surprise. ¡°Buy it for Solomon-san.¡±


    ¡°Sol? Why would Sol use that?¡± Mathias found himself strangely defensive. ¡°Sol has no combat training.¡±


    ¡°He does.¡± Kari just looked at him dead in the eyes. ¡°You said we¡¯re business partners. Trust me. Take it for Solomon-san.¡±


    Mathias frowned, but acquiesced, if only to build trust between them. He could always repurpose the armor for someone else. ¡°The cost?¡± Booz pointed a finger below the hologram as a number came up, and Mathias grimaced. ¡°Six and a half million credits?¡±


    ¡°You wanted state of the art, you¡¯ve got it. Not going to get you a second one without time and significant expenses too. The newer armors are flesh and brain-grafted onto the pilot so removal became a messy business.¡±


    Mathias suppressed a chill at the implications. ¡°What else have you got that¡¯s cheaper?¡± It would take at least a week for Scrooge to gather the full funds.


    ¡°I got a lot that can hurt Gearsmen, from Red Flux Blasters to Orichalcos Spears, but little that can take them out in one shot. I have a Marauder, but it¡¯s ten times costlier than the armor.¡± As Mathias raised an eyebrow, Booz let out a sigh. ¡°A light, stealthy warship designed for interstellar raids. The bane of Concordia.¡±


    Besides the price, the sheer logistics of holding a spaceship would prove to be a headache. Mathias considered his options, trying to think like Shroud instead of a civilian. When facing a large group of walking tanks, lighter weapons wouldn¡¯t help much; the armor, and more bodies to throw at the machines would. Scrooge could gather enough funds before the deadline to afford the Red Knight.


    ¡°We will take the armor,¡± he decided, ¡°and meet Mur.¡±


    ¡°No delivery until I get paid first.¡±


    ¡°Sure. You should have it before the new moon.¡±


    Booz touched the disc. ¡°Mur. Got a client for you.¡±


    The hologram shifted into a vaguely humanoid shape. But where the Red Knight had been streamlined elegance, the creature facing them through the holo-disc was the very picture of raw strength.


    Seemingly made from chiseled amber and black stone, Mur looked a lot like the gargoyles of Sol¡¯s church, although he had traded wings for a long, steel tail grafted into his stony body. The monster¡¯s claws looked like gemstones, as did the teeth. Its eyes, though, were those of a serpent, yellow and oozing savagery. A single, unicorn-like black horn sprung from its forehead.


    ¡°A squishie?¡± Mur¡¯s voice reminded Mathias of a rasping goat. He carried a heavy, fiery warhammer on his back, an item so huge no human could probably wield it. ¡°Who dares bother Mur?¡±


    ¡°A sorcerer,¡± Booz replied, ¡°who can provide magical boosts.¡±


    The gargoyle¡¯s eyes brightened in interest. ¡°Which kind?¡±


    ¡°First, I would like to know if you can be of use to me,¡± Shroud replied. ¡°Tell me what you can do, Mur.¡±


    ¡°Mur is a despoiler of worlds. Mur brings pestilence and turns women barren with a glance.¡±


    Shroud smiled at the ridiculous boast. ¡°I am planning to fight Gearsmen. A good dozen of them.¡±


    ¡°Mur destroyed thousands of them throughout the years. Mur can smash them with his bare claws, and they cannot hurt him back. Mur does not ask questions and follows orders, unless they are stupid. Now, what have you got for Mur?¡±


    Shroud stood tall, intent on making a strong impression. ¡°To answer your question, it depends on what you need. I can increase your intelligence, allow to paralyze your foes for a few seconds, give you power over light ¡ª¡±


    The Gargoyle began to lose patience. ¡°What do you have that can make Mur ?¡±


    ¡ª ¡ª


    Shroud took the information Network offered, and checked his Magik account. He quickly found the spell he was looking for.


    Berserk


    Affinity: Green


    Dot: 1


    Price: 4


    Activation: Active, Thought.


    Turns off the natural limits of the user¡¯s body for five minutes. The user undergoes a constant adrenaline rush, does not feel pain, and achieves instinct unclouded by reason, becoming a fighting machine unable to distinguish friend from foe.


    ¡°I can unlock your body¡¯s full potential, multiplying your strength, removing your ability to feel pain.¡± Mur¡¯s delighted smirk told him he had hit the mark. ¡°You won¡¯t differentiate friends from foes, though.¡±


    ¡°Mur doesn¡¯t care. How long?¡±


    ¡°Forty-eight hours, after which I must renew the effect if you so wish.¡±


    ¡°Very temporary.¡± Mur¡¯s face turned deadly serious.


    ¡°I¡¯m looking into ways to increase the length, but yes, that¡¯s how long I can manage.¡±


    The gargoyle seemed torn between the opportunity for more power and the logistical considerations. Finally, the first thought won out. ¡°You pay for Mur¡¯s new weapons and replace his current ones if they are lost. Top notch stuff, not junk. You renew your spell all the time while Mur works for you. If Mur is done with you, Mur gets you to cast your spell on him whenever he asks and keep his new stuff.¡±


    ¡°If Mur is done with me, he gets one spell from my repertoire once,¡± Shroud countered. ¡°If I find a way to let him keep it in the meantime, he will. Mur gets to keep the weapons I bought for him, but if he wishes to leave he must inform me one week ahead.¡±


    ¡°Deal.¡±


    Shroud made a mental note to purchase Berserk later. While he wouldn¡¯t use it on himself, it would provide a nice power boost to selective minions. ¡°Our operation is planned right before the new moon, ten days from now,¡± Shroud said. ¡°Can you be available for that date?¡±


    ¡°I can teleport Mur to an area you specify, as long as it is not carefully watched by the scalies,¡± Booz said.


    ¡°Mur will be ready,¡± the gargoyle said. ¡°But you better pay Mur on time, or Mur will eat your face instead.¡±


    Shroud took the threat to heart, as Booz ended the communication. ¡°What do you gain from putting us into contact?¡± he asked the arm dealer.


    ¡°New opportunities. The longer you live, the longer you fight, the more you will need my merchandise.¡± The creature gave him an ugly grin, as he clicked on a button beneath his counter and ended the shielding protection. ¡°Customer service.¡±


    As Mathias and Kari exited the shop, the latter seemed a bit curious. ¡°You acted like two different people at times,¡± she said. ¡°One friendly, the other cold and focused. It is jarring.¡±


    ¡°Yeah.¡± He scratched the back of his head, uncomfortable. ¡°I try to portray a strong mask. It makes me feel confident.¡±


    ¡°No one can fully separate their masks. One will bleed into the other if you keep it up.¡±


    Mathias wasn¡¯t sure if he should take it as encouragement, or as a warning. ¡°Why did you bring Sol up? He agreed to shelter us, not fight. I¡¯m not even sure he can.¡±


    ¡°He can,¡± Kari shook her head. ¡°Have you seen the way he moves? He wastes no movement, his breath is strong, his posture firmly anchored into the ground. He is strong, and skilled.¡±


    The young man looked back on his memories of Sol, but Kari¡¯s observations were too subtle for him. ¡°He still didn¡¯t agree to fight.¡±


    ¡°He will. An old warrior never puts away the sword.¡±


    Mathias sighed. He hoped her words were a keen insight that eluded him, instead of a delusion. ¡°I hope I can create laser beams powerful enough to take the Gearsmen down. Even with spells I will be vulnerable at close range.¡±


    ¡°I can be your sword,¡± Kari said. ¡°Protecting you.¡±


    ¡°We should change our names to Sword and Sorcery. That sounds like a good name for a superhero duo.¡± Mathias crossed his arms. ¡°You never told me what you could actually do.¡±


    ¡°I can do better than tell. I can show. Are you available tonight?¡±


    Somehow, he had the feeling she wasn¡¯t about to suggest a sleepover party.


    Party Stats


    AccountNameShroudNetworkProgressHolderMathias MartelBroadcastUnlockedLevel1 (Novice)Grant SpellUnlockedAffinityBlueLocked Feature(0/3)LockNetworkLocked Feature(0/7)Spellcoins0Overlock(0/1)Spell CompendiumNameDotAffinityPremium Thoughts1BlueBlue World1BlueBerserk1GreenQuasar1RedGlass Field2Orange/Blue


    Spell of the Day


    Diceweight


    Affinity: Orange


    Dot: 1


    Price: 3-5


    Activation: Active, Direct Touch Vector.


    Temporarily increase or decrease the weight of inorganic matter on touch. The more prolonged the contact, the stronger the effect and the longer it lasts.

 Chapter 10: Sword and Sorcery, (2)

    Evermarsh¡¯s museum was an antiquated, emptied ruin. A husk stripped clean.


    Deflecting the antiquated laser security system thanks to Quasar, Mathias gave Kari and himself a safe passage through the corridors. The camera lens he disabled, distorting the light signals into false illusions, while channeling photons in his hand to make a makeshift lantern. The more he practiced, the better he got at the spell.


    They passed before pictures of Cutter¡¯s massacres of Native Americans, a statue of Lincoln getting shot, and other ghastly images. Their steps resonated across the empty stone halls.


    Well, scratch that. His steps did. ¡°How do you walk without making a sound?¡± he whispered to Kari.


    ¡°Training.¡± She moved like a cat, subtle, weightless, controlled. She wasted neither movement nor breath.


    ¡°Sorry,¡± he said, Network having fired without conscious thought. ¡°I¡¯m getting better at it.¡±


    Thankfully, she took him at his word, ignoring the matter. ¡°Professional training.¡±


    From the Network¡¯s flashes, Mathias didn¡¯t envy her. ¡°From whom? The military?¡± She looked too young for that. Japan had resisted harshly during the Conquest before falling like the rest; had she taken up arms then?


    No. One couldn¡¯t reach that level of skill in a seven day war.


    ¡°From Uncle. The Matsumoto descend from Hattori Hanzo, who served the Tokugawa clan during the Sengoku era.¡±


    ¡°Hanzo? The famous ninja and samurai?¡±


    ¡°Yes. My family trades in war and secrets. Uncle thought about preserving the ancient disciplines, and he thought I had the talent to learn. So he taught me.¡±


    The sadness in her voice touched him. ¡°He¡¯s dead, isn¡¯t he?¡±


    She hesitated for a split second before re-asserting her self-control. ¡°Yes.¡±


    ¡°Stop that.¡±


    Mathias forced himself to end the ghastly memory. He had the feeling the more he wanted to know someone else, the more Network fired up, even without his conscious agreement. ¡°Sorry for opening an old wound.¡±


    ¡°It was years ago.¡± Yet she elicited to not speak further, the two falling into uncomfortable silence.


    The more they progressed through the museum, the more Mathias felt sick. The Yellow Ministry had thoroughly removed any element that might present the times before Concordia in a good light. Tales of human ingenuity, of the Americans greatest achievements, from the Revolution to the civil rights movement, had been removed from the premise. The Concordians had gone far enough to add a painting of the United Nations signing away Earth under the watchful red eyes of their black, fearsome dragon overlord.


    In time, all would remember that Concordia delivered mankind from themselves. Stories of bloodshed and oppression, of dark times that inspired nothing but despair, the government would keep on display. A warning to those who entertained a world without their iron yoke.


    Everything else they would erase. Everything. The thought made him want to vomit.


    ¡°It is not enough for them to take away our present.¡± Kari broke the silence. ¡°They must steal our past, too.¡±


    ¡°Can you read minds too?¡±


    ¡°No. We think the same. They did a lot of damage to Nippon too.¡± She pointed a finger at a panel, Mathias bringing his light glow closer to look. It showed the path to the Pacific exposition.


    That wing of the museum was slightly better furnished than the previous ones, gathering artifacts from Hawaii, the Philippines, and eastern Asia. While the Ministry had taken the lion¡¯s share, they had surprisingly left a lot behind. Shroud paused to watch strange totems, masks of wood, and even a long Japanese katana. Kari passed by them, uninterested.


    Instead, she stopped before a small glass container. Stepping next to his closest ally, Mathias peeked inside it, bathing the content in his light.


    What he faced was the most exquisite normal stone he had ever seen. A granite fragment no bigger than a nail, made from the most amazing natural material.


    Yeah, it was really just a boring rock.


    He read the description, hoping it had a better history than it looked. ¡°The Sessho-Seki, translated as the Killing Stone.¡± The name alone intrigued him. ¡°Said to have been created from the corpse of a nine tailed demon fox, it killed all those who touched it until a Buddhist Monk called Genno purified the haunting spirit. While most of the stone remains enshrined at Nasu, Tochigi prefecture in Japan, the Meiji Emperor had a fragment cut and sent to the United States in 1877. Through this gift, the Meiji Emperor intended to symbolize Japan¡¯s attempt at renewal after a century of isolation.¡±


    ¡°Concordia destroyed the original stone three months ago, before I could touch it. Vaporized it. This fragment escaped their attention, for now.¡±


    Mathias waved his hand at the glass protection, causing a hole to open through it. ¡°That¡¯s why you came to Evermarsh in the first place, am I right? I thought you liked Samantha.¡± Sear?h the N?vel?ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    ¡°I do.¡± She grabbed the stone fragment. ¡°My Lock¡¯s name is Oversoul.¡±


    Mathias had the gut feeling he would get a private demonstration.


    Kari¡¯s body began to glow like a candle, Yellow Flux rising from her feet to envelop her like a protective cocoon. The Blue Sorcerer just had to wonder if she would gain spiky blond hair at the end of the process, as the energy brightened further and further. Soon Kari¡¯s own body appeared to turn white under the blazing light.


    The stone fragment she wielded whitened as it bathed in her primal energy. It soon expelled thick purple gas, making Mathias step back as it gathered into a spiraling column around Kari.


    The stone turned to useless dust, dispersing one last bit of miasma. Now clearly animated by a will of its own, the gas gathered into a cloud above Kari¡¯s head. Drawn in a sort of trance, Kari ignored the phenomenon, her golden aura taking the shape of a powerful man, then another. The fluctuations stabilized, as if she tried many roles before settling on one.


    The cloud, as if Kari had satisfied an unknown test, descended to the ground and condensed into a fox shape. Then, much to Mathias¡¯ amazement, it turned into the spectral image of a flesh and blood red fox, whose tail bifurcated into nine. Its red eyes glared maliciously at the programmer with uncanny intelligence.


    Not that it frightened him. ¡°Quiet, or I will make shoes out of you.¡± The fox must have understood his words, because it contemptuously stuck out its tongue at Mathias. ¡°Smartass.¡±


    The creature let out a yap before vanishing into thin air, leaving only dust behind.


    The aura receding into her body, Kari stood there, raising her head as if hearing an invisible sound. Mathias instantly put two and two together. ¡°You just fulfilled a Quest, didn¡¯t you?¡±


    ¡°A side quest.¡± She seemed different somehow. Sharper, stronger. ¡°Mathias-san, do you believe in reincarnation?¡±


    He put a free hand on his side, pensive. While he hadn¡¯t believed in afterlife or spirits, but the fiery horror that Brown had summoned made him willing to reconsider. ¡°I entertain the idea.¡±


    ¡°You should. A soul can move from a life to another, if anchored by a strong purpose. Mine has experienced many mortal coils.¡± She raised her chin, as if drawing on an old, buried memory. ¡°Oversoul allows me to connect to my past lives when I touch items that belonged to them. I gain their knowledge, their skills, their spiritual power.¡±


    ¡°So you were the monk who purified that fox spirit?¡±


    ¡°No.¡±


    The golden aura surrounded Kari once more, but this time it took a different shape. Sharp claws of light grew out of the girl¡¯s nails, and nine long tails grew out of her back like a peacock. The specter of a monstrous beast seemed to layer over her, like a coat.


    ¡°I was the beast itself.¡± She examined her new claws with interest. ¡°The more power I draw from Oversoul, the clearer the visions of the past. One day, I will fully know myself. One day.¡±


    ¡°Why did Concordia blow up the stone? To prevent you from accessing it?¡± It would imply they were aware of her.


    ¡°Spirits, gods, demons, and nature have no place in Concordia¡¯s vision.¡± Her voice brimmed with righteous anger. ¡°They are relics to be destroyed instead of honored.¡±


    ¡°That implies magical beings used to live on Earth,¡± Mathias pointed out. ¡°So why didn¡¯t we see any of them before the Conquest?¡±


    ¡°They left our world, or they died. Magic used to be strong on Earth, long ago. It vanished and came back when the towers rose from the ground, spiriting Earth away.¡±


    ¡°Why? Why did it vanish in the first place? Human activity? Global warming?¡±


    She shrugged her shoulders. ¡°One day I will remember. One day.¡±


    Party Stats


    AccountNameShroudNetworkProgressHolderMathias MartelBroadcastUnlockedLevel1 (Novice)Grant SpellUnlockedAffinityBlueLocked Feature(0/3)LockNetworkLocked Feature(0/7)Spellcoins0Overlock(0/1)Spell CompendiumNameDotAffinityPremium Thoughts1BlueBlue World1BlueBerserk1GreenQuasar1RedGlass Field2Orange/BlueAccountNameYoshikageOversoulProgressHolderKari MatsumotoRememberUnlockedLevel1 (Novice)Channel SoulUnlockedAffinityYellowLocked Feature(0/3)LockOversoulLocked Feature(0/7)Spellcoins2Overlock(0/1)Spell CompendiumNameDotAffinityWallcraw1GreenPeak1GreenWard1YellowSpiritsight1YellowDoom Sense1YellowTimesense1Violet


    Spell of the Day


    Doom Sense


    Affinity: Yellow


    Dot: 1


    Price: 3-5


    Activation: Passive, App Switch.


    The user gains a subconscious perception of their own death, allowing them to intuitively sense lethal dangers before it happens.

 Chapter 11: The Raid, (1)

    ¡°My apologies for the lateness,¡± Mathias said, carrying two suitcases and struggling to close the church¡¯s door behind him with his foot. ¡°Had to pick up some stuff.¡±


    Mur sneered at his words, licking his claws while sitting in a corner. ¡°Mur is not paid for wasting time.¡± Seeing him in the flesh was wholly different than watching a hologram; the creature reached nine feet tall and was wide enough to rival a truck. A mountain of strength and power, Mathias could see him tearing humans apart like kit-kat bars. Dawn hadn¡¯t yet risen, and only candles brought a dim light to the church, making Mur seem all the more intimidating.


    Sol stood near the church¡¯s main pedestal as if to ready deliver a sermon and kept wary eyes on the beast. Perhaps Mur looked too close to Bible demons to his comfort.


    Kari hid in the shadows, having traded her usual clothes for a dark ensemble covering her entire body. Only, a white, featureless, kabuki mask stood out from the darkness, the dichotomy making her look like a ghost. She seemed to mesh with the shade as if it were an extension of herself.


    ¡°Today is the day. We strike at noon.¡± Mathias had seen the weather, which indicated a clear sky and pure sunlight. Not unusual, since Concordia used machines to control the weather. The perfect time to boost his powers. ¡°Booz should make the delivery in one, two ¡ª¡±


    A strong flash of purple light filled the room, swallowing them.


    Reality collapsed on itself. The angles that made up the church, the ground, the very foundation of Mathias¡¯ sense of sight, twisted in ways that no human should experience. Down became up, and all was compressed into a purple star.


    Mathias¡¯ mind perceived the whole process thanks to Premium Thoughts. He had heard teleportation disassembled matter into molecules and reassembled them on the other side, yet the current event countered that theory. The process affected reality itself, beating it, bending it, warping it. The very infrastructure of the universe, accomodating a group of puny mortals.


    In a split second, the light vanished, leaving the Red Knight standing tall in the church.


    From up close, the armor was a marvel of technology, the picture of the knight in shining armor, although neither the weapon, shield, or wings were active. The back of the machine was open around the spine, waiting for someone to step inside. A quick look inside revealed the inside of the machine to be covered in a soft, orange matter, covered with golden circuits.


    Sol stepped down from the pedestal, approaching his new armor. ¡°You sure you want to do this, Sol?¡± Mathias asked, a part of him hoping his old friend wouldn¡¯t go through with it; the rest knew that the success of the operation depended on his help.


    ¡°It is fine. It has been a while since I wielded a blade, so I hope I am no longer rusty.¡±


    So Kari had been right? He had actually wielded a blade in his past?


    ¡°You always wanted to become a knight,¡± Mathias spoke, putting the briefcases aside.


    ¡°My ancestor fought the armies of Saladin during the Third Crusade,¡± Solomon explained, as he settled inside the armor, fitting it like a glove. ¡°Some may call the crusades a dark era of Christendom, and I will not deny the excesses of that time, but I found the idea of the holy warrior inspiring. Especially in our dark times.¡±


    As he finished stepping inside, the armor closed behind him. The Red Knight began to move, looking around, taking a step. Mathias couldn¡¯t see his friend¡¯s eyes through the visor. ¡°It feels light,¡± Sol¡¯s voice had turned mechanized, almost unrecognizable. ¡°Like a second skin.¡±


    Mathias touched the armor on the arm, sensing the surge of Network activating. Either he didn¡¯t need direct skin contact but only close proximity, or his magic recognized the armor as a part of Sol.


    Sol glanced at his arm. ¡°I felt that.¡±


    ¡°The hand contact?¡± Mathias asked.


    ¡°Yes.¡± Sol took a step back, orange light surrounding his arms. A long blade of solid light manifested in his right palm, as if projected by his hand. A large, rounded shield materialized over his left forearm. Two, angel-like wings of crimson light appeared in his back. Sol looked like the warrior angels from myths.


    ¡°Meh, Mur can take him,¡± the gargoyle responded, unimpressed.


    Mathias hoped the gargoyle would prove himself with more than empty boasts. ¡°Okay, we¡¯ve been preparing for a week now,¡± he said. ¡°I sent everyone the plan, so now is the time to make your points.¡±


    He had suffered through more than a week of complete silence from his other friends, a total absence of contact; he had even called the old police department for news and had been stonewalled. The sheer lack of social interaction had reminded Mathias of how small his friend circle actually was.


    Almost ten days in isolation violated all rules of human decency, especially since the victims had nothing to do with the cult. Mathias suspected Concordia kept them in case one of them might be his sorcerer alter ego, but this went way too far.


    A secret hope of his was that today¡¯s attack would convince Concordia they had nothing to do with his actions. Give them an alibi. He hoped that Maggie could hold her tongue until then.


    ¡°I have a query, yes,¡± Sol said. ¡°Are you certain your plan to recover the artifact will work? Concordia itself couldn¡¯t break the barrier."


    ¡°It reacted to Network, showing that it is sentient. If it is sentient, then communication should be possible. Perhaps it put up a shield because Concordia attempted to take it without asking for permission.¡±


    ¡°That is a far stretch,¡± Sol pointed out.


    Mathias thought. He couldn¡¯t show any doubt or hesitation. Shroud had to present a strong front to keep the group confident in his plan. At worse, he might adapt and try using Sol¡¯s sword against the barrier. ¡°I know what I do.¡±


    His confident tone made Sol fall silent. That was the persona that would work for Shroud. Confident, always having a plan, so certain of his inexorable victory that it would become a self-fulfilling prophecy. Fake it until you make it. ¡°Any other question? Then I have one for you.¡±


    He opened one of the briefcases, revealing his own costume.


    As most of its components were woven with glass fibers, Shroud simply willed its pieces to assemble on his body, covering him like a second skin. His costume was a streamlined sky blue suit, covering his whole body. Detachable plates of strengthened glass covered most parts save the joints, ready to be deployed as weapons.


    The helmet was undoubtedly the most interesting part, as it had more steel in it than glass ¡ª yet just enough to fly at Shroud¡¯s command. It tightened around the sorcerer¡¯s face once he put it on, an air filter activating. From inside the visor, Shroud watched information appear on the glass screen, mostly biometric data.


    The plexiglass visor covered most of Shroud¡¯s visage, with the surface mirroring the outside world instead of revealing the face inside. His foes would see their own face as he attacked them, for the sake of psychological warfare.


    He had long wondered about the archetypes he should embody. The armored knight? It was too close to Concordia¡¯s own aesthetic, and Sol had it cornered. The magician in robes? Flashy, yet difficult to take seriously. The CEO, strong and authoritative? Too common.


    No. To inspire awe and terror, nothing beat the unknown, the uncanny, the otherworldly. Taking elements from everyday life and twisting them in just the right way to feel memorable, to look and yet not feel . Shroud had chosen the path of the ethereal, of the fair folk.


    The looks he received told him he had made the right decision.


    ¡°Ladies and gentlemen,¡± Shroud declared, hovering above the ground like a ghost for added effect. The helmet¡¯s voice changer altered his voice, a clear and sharp sound like glass breaking. ¡°From Dynamis¡¯ 3D printers, I present to you, the Sinister Shroud.¡±


    With another thought, he had the glass content of the second briefcase pierce through its restraints, surrounding himself with a storm of shards and shrapnel. It had taken him hours to reinforce the projectiles, even with his powers, and they would come in handy.


    His allies looked at him with a degree of awe; no doubt that floating among the storm in his costume must look impressive.


    ¡°You should wear a cape.¡±


    Mathias paused, staring blankly at Mur. ¡°Excuse me?¡±


    ¡°Mur says you should wear a cape,¡± the gargoyle continued. ¡°It is missing.¡±


    ¡°You can trip on capes,¡± Kari replied.


    ¡°Mur replies that capes protect you from dust and cold and winds. And they look good. Classy.¡±


    ¡°A enemy could grab it,¡± Kari insisted.


    The sheer strangeness of the conversation caused Shroud¡¯s shards to remain still. After some consideration, the sorcerer found a middle ground. Using Quasar to drain the light around himself, giving himself a shadowy aura around his body, ending in an illusory cloak of darkness.


    ¡°Like this?¡± Shroud had to admit, it did make him look as good as Dracula.


    ¡°Yes,¡± Mur nodded in appreciation. ¡°Now you look complete.¡±


    ¡°Now that this is settled,¡± Shroud declared, setting the shrapnel storm aside. ¡°I will distribute my gifts.¡±


    ¡°Finally!¡± Mur gnarled, rising up and approaching his leader. With a click, Shroud purchased Berserk, sacrificing the last of his Spellcoins. He then assigned the spell to Mur after touching his shoulder.


    ¡°If you say ¡®Berserk¡¯ the spell will activate,¡± the sorcerer said. Or should. ¡°You may not have the senses remaining to deactivate it, so I may have to jolt you out of it if the worse comes to pass.¡±


    He then turned to Sol, granting him a spell of his own. ¡°I grant you Premium Thoughts, which will increase your intellect and reaction time. The effect should apply immediately.¡±


    The knight nodded, his gaze lost in the distance. He looked at different angles of his home with a new clarity, as if noticing details he never did before.


    ¡°Kari? If you would kindly take my hand.¡± Kari stepped out of the darkness at his invitation, her fingers brushing against his and sending a jolt to his mind. Although he wouldn¡¯t grant her a spell, Shroud would need the communication relay offered by Network for the operation¡¯s success.


    ¡°Now that we are all set,¡± Shroud said. ¡°Let¡¯s fight for a pure, blue sky.¡±


    Flying above the marsh, surrounded by an invisible swarm of daggers and cutting blades, Shroud stopped as close as he could to the mine without risking the Gearsmen noticing him.


    Through Quasar he had cloaked himself, Sol, and Mur under an invisibility veil of refracted light as they flew towards the target. Sol had mastered his method of flight in quick order, and found no trouble carrying Mur all the way from Evermarsh. Shroud suspected the armor¡¯s link to its holder gave Sol intuitive mastery of its capabilities.


    ¡°Yoshikage, are you in position?¡± he asked her through Network. His own visual feed through her eyes told him she had hidden within sight of the open mine, on the right side in contrast to their own location.


    ¡°Yes,¡± Kari said. ¡°I¡¯m waiting for your signal.¡±


    Shroud nodded to himself, examining the battlefield. Fortunately, Concordia had still failed to pierce through the artifact¡¯s forcefield, and while three dozen Gearsmen were a daunting enemy force, good tactics would overcome them. ¡°Sol, move to the left side. After you drop Mur, engage their fliers before they can take off. Keep them grounded, while I will keep you invisible for as long as I can. Remember to use the codenames.¡±


    ¡°Understood, and good luck, Shroud,¡± Sol said, moving away while carrying his ally. Shroud could detect him ¡ª and keep him invisible ¡ª thanks to his control over photons.


    Shroud took a long, deep breath. He felt the tension in his twitching fingers, the moment he had awaited for two years within his grasp. he thought.


    Raising his hands in a dramatic gesture no one else could see, Shroud expelled all light in the left part of the area, blanketing it in darkness.


    It took less than a split second for the Gearsmen and eyebots to react to his obscuring cloud. The machines trapped within the darkness gathered into a defensive line, a few taking flight to escape the encroaching shadows. The machines outside the affected area moved left, while a small cadre of Gearsmen gathered near the artifact to protect it.


    Meanwhile, Kari slipped inside the darkness to do her work.


    With the troops distracted, Shroud dived towards the battlefield, flying over the machines like a falcon. He sensed glass responding to his call, both his own shards and his enemies¡¯ components. Gearsmen in his range raised their heads upon sensing him approach, their eyes shining with crimson malevolence.


    ¡°Concordia!¡± Shroud¡¯s words reverberated through the glass like a cascade, echoing over the battlefield as he dropped his veil and revealed himself in his full glory. It was a long howl of rage and wrath, of bottled up anger that he accumulated through years, a moment of release after years of helplessness. ¡°Hear me roar!¡±


    All the glass within his range shattered in a cataclysmic explosion.


    The patrol eyebots took the brunt of his fury, almost a third of their numbers exploding. Shrapnel crippled their circuits and caused a few to crash on the ground. The Gearsmen within his range suffered as well, their optic visors exploding and blinding them.


    And it felt .


    Shroud redirected the projectiles into every opening he found, every unprotected joint, surrounding himself in a whirlwind of cutting death. The power intoxicated him, and for the first time in a long while he truly felt alive.


    Overcome by fury, Shroud gathered glass into a diamond-dense hammer, and hit the nearest, blinded Gearsman with it. The machine stumbled at the surprise attack, propelled into a fellow machine. The other Gearsmen he had managed to blind remained where they stood, processing the situation.


    Instead of oil, the metal cyclops¡¯ blinded eye shed thick, clear liquid. Through their broken visor, a single, damaged, eye without an eyelid, bled.


    Sol dropped Mur from his position, the gargoyle joining the fray. Shroud removed his invisibility veil as he landed among the confused machines, further disrupting their line of defense.


    ¡°Mur goes Berserk!¡± the gargoyle shouted at the top of his lungs, swinging his hammer while at it.


    No sooner had he spoken the last word, he underwent a subtle, yet impressive change. A green glow washed over his stony skin, increasing the size of his shoulders and whole build. The stony muscles hidden beneath his skin engorged, widening the warrior¡¯s impressive bulk. Yet instead of shouting at the top of his lungs, Mur fell eerily silent, smashing an unlucky Gearsmen with a blow strong enough to make the ground below them tremble. The hammer, which Shroud now confirmed as magically enhanced, pulverized the Gearsman¡¯s torso, shattering the machine into pieces, bolts, and pure white blood.


    Shroud thought upon seeing the broken Gearsman¡¯s white blood and hints of strange organs. His Network sense, however, came back with nothing. He corrected himself.


    Mur moved on to his next victim without hesitation. His eyes gleamed with a maddened, unnatural kind of focus and tension. His entire mind had abandoned thoughts, focusing entirely on fighting.


    Other machines had escaped the blast, having been outside Glass Field¡¯s range. Tossing broken eyebots out of its path without any concern, a Gearsman seized a heavy drill, and lifted it from the ground, aiming at a rampaging Mur.


    Descending from the skies at high velocity while still invisible, Sol impacted upon the Gearsman before he could launch its projectile, cutting it in half like butter with his sword. The knight wisely remained out of Mur¡¯s range, as the gargoyle decapitated another Gearsman with a furious backhand.


    Shroud had to admit. Whatever his faults, the mercenary fought well.


    Focusing on his own fight, the Blue Sorcerer checked his surroundings. Maintaining the shroud of darkness hiding Kari¡¯s presence, he watched her slip past Gearsmen through her visual feed, hitting their joints. Unable to fully destroy the Gearsmen, even those he blinded, Shroud had his storm of glass hammer the remaining ones.


    Draw aggro. The video game term for drawing a crowd of enemies towards key targets who could take it, while those who couldn¡¯t worked from farther away. Sol and Mur would serve as the diversion, while Shroud and Kari would recover the artifact.


    The Gearsmen guarding the forcefield, three of them, flew off as Shroud approached them. Instead of assaulting the sorcerer, they put a respectable distance between them and him after he began to chase them off. The fighters circled one another above the forcefield.


    The Gearsmen had guessed his range from his previous attack, and stayed out of it. The realization bothered Shroud. If the machines were smart enough to adapt to his tactics, they might pull off unexpected tricks.


    The Gearsmen, now at a safe distance, positioned themselves for attack. Their single eyes shining with a red glow, they each fired a red beam all at once.


    Summoning his shards, Shroud created a multi-layer glass barrier in the way, stopping the beams. His barrier melted into a fiery, sluggish liquid which Shroud could no longer control, falling onto the forcefield and dripping off it.


    The Gearsmen could attack over long distances, and had an uncanny aim. The narrow space of the mine had prevented them from using those attacks without hitting one another, but they were now free to rain death from above.


    Retaliating, Shroud turned a few shards into a lens, and then focused light through them. Firing six beams of light at the deadly machines, he missed two of them, but the third he hit in the head and chest. The Gearsman¡¯s face exploded into broken glass and dried blood, while the chest weathered the beam. The machine lost slight control of its flight, unable to see where it was going.


    Unfortunately, light beams took multiple steps to create: gathering the ambient light, focusing it through a lens, and then firing in one direction. As much as he wanted to rain fire down upon his foes, creating multiple beams mentally taxed Shroud. Doing so while maintaining his flight, his control over his shards, and the invisibility veil on Sol was near-impossible. Without Premium Thoughts, he wouldn¡¯t have had enough brain power to multitask that many things at once.


    Upon seeing other Gearsmen fly away from Mur to try and encircle him, Shroud spoke through his Network. ¡°Yoshikage, protect my back,¡± he ordered his allies, ¡°Sol, help me take down those fliers. Mur, can you take care of the Gearsmen on the ground?¡±  S§×ar?h the ¦ÇovelFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Mur responded with a raw snarl, drawing a sigh out of Shroud.


    ¡°Coming,¡± Kari replied, making her way through the shade. She jumped out of the shadows to ambush a flying Gearsmen, a golden glow surrounding her arms. With a ethereal claw, she ripped the machine apart like a savage panther ¡ª or fox ¡ª halting their pincer attempt.


    ¡°I¡¯m with you, Shroud!¡± Sol replied, taking to the skies. Shroud guided him in the direction he wished with hand signals, keeping him under the invisibility veil while engaging the two unharmed Gearsmen.


    By now, the third, headless Gearsman, had regained control of its trajectory. Unable to fire a beam with its destroyed head, it flew at maximum speed in Shroud¡¯s own direction. Hovering around, Shroud angrily swore as the machine changed its direction to track him down.


    How could it do that?! It couldn¡¯t see!


    Shroud glanced at the other two Gearsmen. While one kept incoming glass shards at bay with carefully aimed beams, the second kept track of the Blue Sorcerer¡¯s movements, waiting for the right moment to strike. The truth dawned upon him.


    Shroud was fighting himself.


    The guiding intelligence behind the Gearsmen ¡ª probably a UB ¡ª could see through these machines and coordinate them the same way he guided his team with Network.


    ¡°Sol, take care of the Gearsman trailing me. Fly as fast as you can.¡±


    The knight did as he was told, with Shroud dropping his invisibility veil to distract his opponent. The Gearsman trailing Shroud turned its eye towards the new target, taken by surprise; it tried to fire a beam to defend itself, but the faster knight closed the gap between them. Sol¡¯s sword struck the Gearsman¡¯s head at full speed, impaling it straight through the metal skull.


    The headless Gearsman trailing Shroud lost its sense of direction, deprived of its spotter. This allowed the Blue Sorcerer to circle around it, pointing five lenses at the machine. He felt the heat rising as the light gathered within the extensions of his will, firing multiple rays right at the machine¡¯s chest.


    This time, the power and minimal range caused the Gearsman¡¯s chest to melt upon impact, the beams going through its metal plates. The magical nature of the attack had prevailed over its Reinforcement spell.


    The Gearsman crashed, broken on the forcefield, soon joined by its brethren cut in two by Sol¡¯s relentless assault.


    Stopping a red beam with a glass shield soon reduced to worthless slag, Shroud focused on the last flying Gearsman, gathering light for a counterattack. Sol also flew toward the machine, trapping it in a scissor maneuver. The machine focused on Sol, the fastest of them, shooting him with a beam. Yet the knight endured it, his armor deflecting the attack. Like a meteor, he sliced the Gearsman in two broken halves with his blade.


    Now in command of the skies, Shroud focused back on Network. ¡°Yoshikage, report.¡± By now his veil of darkness had dissipated, leaving her with no cover to retreat into. ¡°Is the ground secured?¡±


    ¡°Mur¡¯s working on it,¡± the girl replied, her visual feed showing Mur brushing off red beams across a wasteland of broken parts and shattered gears. Kari herself stood triumphant among defeated enemies.


    Good. With most of the Gearsmen destroyed, they had secured the area for now. Shroud turned to the forcefield, circling it to find an opening. The drill Concordia had tried to break the forcefield with looked damaged beyond use, like a broken tooth.


    ¡°Shroud,¡± Kari spoke through the Network feed, causing the sorcerer to focus back on her. ¡°Trouble.¡±


    Shroud glanced at her feed, witnessing a blur of white racing through the mine, leaping above Mur at impressive speed. The form looked like a giant white wolf with eyes of silver, legs not unlike those of a man, and a jacket tailored for its size.


    Damn, enemy reinforcements so soon? ¡°Yoshikage, deal with him.¡± His friend attempted to intercept the white blur, only for the wolf to outspeed her, aiming straight for the artifact¡¯s location.


    ¡°Shroud, look at Evermarsh.¡± Sol pointed a finger at the distant horizon. Shroud flew upward to see for himself hundreds of small black points rising from the city.


    Gearsmen. Hundreds of them.


    ¡°We got half an hour before they get here,¡± Shroud estimated. Perhaps less. ¡°Fifteen more minutes and we evacuate. Sol, a giant white wolf broke past Yoshikage¡¯s perimeter, intercept him.¡±


    ¡°A werewolf?¡± Sol wondered out loud.


    ¡°Clearly not the kind.¡± Shroud focused back on the forcefield below him, intent on contacting the artifact. ¡°Where is he ¡ª¡±


    ¡°Accel Counterspell!¡± A bestial howl echoed across the battlefield, and a white light swallowed Shroud.


    And then there was pain and screams.


    A burning, agonizing sensation flared in Shroud¡¯s skull, the feeling of each and every neuron exploding at once, their connections reduced to nothing. The glass around him fell as a rain of shrapnel, and his armor no longer felt as light as a feather, dragging him towards the ground.


    Shroud¡¯s mind raced as he tried to control his flight. He couldn¡¯t sense his glass, and could barely understand Sol¡¯s panicked shouts. The sorcerer couldn¡¯t focus on them, his eyes looked down.


    The ground was calling.


    Party Stats


    AccountNameShroudNetworkProgressHolderMathias MartelBroadcastUnlockedLevel1 (Novice)Grant SpellUnlockedAffinityBlueLocked Feature(0/3)LockNetworkLocked Feature(0/7)Spellcoins0Overlock(0/1)Spell CompendiumNameDotAffinityPremium Thoughts1BlueBlue World1BlueBerserk1GreenQuasar1RedGlass Field2Orange/BlueAccountNameYoshikageOversoulProgressHolderKari MatsumotoRememberUnlockedLevel1 (Novice)Channel SoulUnlockedAffinityYellowLocked Feature(0/3)LockOversoulLocked Feature(0/7)Spellcoins2Overlock(0/1)Spell CompendiumNameDotAffinityWallcraw1GreenPeak1GreenWard1YellowSpiritsight1YellowDoom Sense1YellowTimesense1Violet


    Spell of the Day


    Purge


    Affinity: Green


    Dot: 1


    Price: 3-5


    Activation: Active, Voice, Direct Touch Vector.


    The caster purges a target (including themselves if they wish it) of all non-magical toxins, diseases, and poisons affecting them.

 Chapter 12: The Raid, (2)

    ¡°Shroud!¡± Sol called through Network¡¯s interface, diving to rescue him.


    Not that he could process it. All the visual feeds assaulted Shroud¡¯s sight with sound and information, a confusing concerto of lights and sound which his mind could no longer comprehend.


    And the ground below grew ever closer, a promise of imminent death. His heart raced, fear overtaking him. ¡°Glass Field!¡± Mathias shouted in panic, unable to stop his fall and regain control. That light had disabled his spells. ¡°Glass Field! GLASS FIELD!¡±


    Sol grabbed him at the last second, breaking the fall and saving his life. Shroud¡¯s head stopping just short of the forcefield.


    Sol barely had time carry Shroud next to the forcefield when a white wolf bolted at them like an arrow, running on all fours. The knight left the helpless Shroud and moved to deal with the beast, fiery sword in hands.


    ¡°Accel Counterspell.¡± The werewolf raised his left hand and unleashed a pulse of white light from his palm, hitting Sol. While his majestic wings and weapons remained unperturbed, the knight lost control of his trajectory and put his arms in front of his chest on instinct.


    The werewolf pivotied mid-course, hitting Sol in the stomach with a roundhouse kick. The sheer might behind the blow sent the Sol flying backwards, hitting the remains of the drilling machine and bending the steel on impact. Had Sol¡¯s armor not protected him, the blow would have no doubt killed the man.


    The werewolf¡¯s firm, judging eyes set on Shroud next. The sorcerer took a step back, but the beast still covered him in his fearsome shadow.


    ¡°Suspect,¡± the Kung-Fu Werewolf howled; he sounded less intimidating when Shroud mentally called him that, but not by much. ¡°This is John Kresnik, Captain of the Blue Ministry. You are under arrest for terrorism, attempted theft of forbidden artifacts, violence against officials, resisting arrest, property damage, and illegal practice of magic. Surrender alongside your accomplices now, or suffer the consequences.¡±


    The threat, and the tone brought him back to his encounter with the fiery fiend. But this time, Shroud refused to show weakness. ¡°Quasar!¡± he snarled back, his magic remaining as impotent as before. Standing tall, he tried to cast another spell. ¡°Blue World!¡±


    ¡°Your magic is gone,¡± the werewolf replied, his tone growing impatient, ¡°Get on your knees, with your hands behind your head. Your sister sold you out.¡±


    Shroud blinked behind his helmet. ¡°My sister?¡±


    ¡°She told us everything,¡± Kresnik replied. ¡°We know you are Jack Powells.¡±


    ¡­ why did he let Ulysses ask Maggie out first?


    Shroud¡¯s mind raced furiously for a solution, until he noticed Kari¡¯s visual feed. A plan forming in his mind, the sorcerer looked the werewolf in the eyes. ¡°Then you know I¡¯m gonna wreck you,¡± Shroud said with the most arrogant tone he could muster, trying to goad the werewolf into attacking, ¡°I wonder how your white fur will look as my new carpet.¡±


    The werewolf shook his head in disappointment and took a step forward, unaware of the true danger closing in on him from behind.


    Kari, claws extended, leaped on his back and attempted to stab Kresnik. Her hands bounced off the Kung Fu Werewolf¡¯s fur harmlessly, but the impact threw him off balance. He responded by tossing her off his back with a snarl.


    ¡°Mur!¡± Shroud shouted through his feed, hoping the berserk beast would listen. ¡°Back us up!¡±


    With a spiteful, mindless snarl, Mur bolted at the group, running on all fours. Kresnik noticed Mur coming and spoke two words. ¡°Rain Counterspell.¡±


    This time, instead of a direct pulse, Kresnik unleashed a wave of white energy all around him in a circular fashion. He hit both Kari and Mur; while Kari seemed groggy, her claws and aura remained active.


    Mur, meanwhile, downgraded in size, Berserk disabled. He stopped mid-motion, as if waking up from a nightmare. ¡°Kresnik?¡± Mur seemed taken aback, a little subdued.


    ¡°Vile imp,¡± the wolf replied, his tone ominous. ¡°You, I will not regret killing.¡±


    Mur replied with a feral hiss and a swing of his hammer. ¡°Try Mur, and die!¡± Kresnik dodged the hit by sidestepping it, the gargoyle¡¯s weapon smashing against the ground raising a dust cloud. With lightning fast quickness, Kresnik answered with an uppercut, causing Mur to stumble. Kari, having regained her senses but having lost some of her speed, attempted to cheap-shot the werewolf by hitting his ankles. The beastman dodged with a simple backflip.


    Before Shroud knew it, they engaged in a furious claw fight, Kari matching Kresnik¡¯s obvious greater strength with superior agility and relentless aggression. Shroud thought, reduced to being a powerless bystander on the sidelines.


    However, Kari¡¯s hits failed to inflict any damage; a closer look revealed a white energy layer above Kresnik¡¯s fur, a protective shield stopping all attacks. ¡°Glass Field!¡± Shroud shouted, trying to help, and his magic refusing to activate once again.


    ¡°You have a strong Lock, but you¡¯re still a child,¡± Kresnik told Kari, while Mur tried to flank him. ¡°Pierce Arcane Blade.¡±


    White energy swirled around Kresnik¡¯s right hand, taking the shape of a long blade of light. The clear shape it took matched Sol¡¯s own sword, a true masterwork of quality.


    Bringing a sword to a fist fight, Kresnik slashed at Mur with it, the light cutting through his stony skin like butter. Smoke erupted from the wound instead of blood, but the gargoyle¡¯s angered face told Shroud it felt no less painful.


    By now, Sol had recovered and joined the fray, charging with his sword and shield up. Kresnik grabbed the knight by the throat with his left hand and launched him at Mur¡¯s face like a projectile, before moving to gut Kari like a fish. His fellow sorcerer backed away, losing ground.


    Reluctantly leaving the wolf to his allies, Shroud focused on the artifact. With the Gearsmen coming, they couldn¡¯t waste a second. Trying to find a way inside the forcefield and finding nothing, he resorted to scanning it with Network.


    Complex mathematical formulas, data, and blue pixels formed most of the memory feedback. Shroud didn¡¯t understand a thing, unlike every other memory he got from Network. He tried to push again, letting the information come in.


    Without warning, the blue forcefield dissipated. Yet Shroud barely paid attention; his eyes were transfixed on the strange item floating toward him, the complex circuitry, the math and the data filling his brain.


    His mind had taken a backseat in his own brain. He registered the sounds of the battle, of Kresnik wiping the floor with Sol, and Kari calling Shroud¡¯s own name. To him, they all sounded like distant static.


    He only had eyes for the metal sphere in front of him, bathing him in its blue light. His hands raised without his even thinking it, grabbing it like a cherished treasure. From up close, it looked no bigger than a soccer ball.


    The sphere¡¯s blue light intensified, blinding him. Blue data undid reality around him in a chaotic, aimless maelstrom. He didn¡¯t even register the winged shadow looming above them, circling the area like a vulture.


    Shroud was in the mine, and yet he wasn¡¯t in the mine. Other images superimposed on the world around him, skyscrapers, forests, melting pools blinking in and out of existence. His entire world had turned blue.


    And then, with one last flash, nothing.


    When Shroud regained control of himself, the artifact was gone, his hands holding empty air. Wait, where the artifact had gone?


    Letters in blue appeared in front of him, as if to answer his questions.


    Congratulations! By assimilating the Occult Matrix, your account has gained a new funct ¨C¨C ERROR ERROR CRITICAL ERROR ¨C¨C PLeASe RELoaD ¨C¨C¨C


    The message blurred out, then popped into nothingness.


    Shroud didn¡¯t have much time to ask himself more questions, as the fearsome shadow blanketed him, strong winds pushing dust against his helmet.


    No. Not wind.


    The flapping of wings.


    ¡°You foolish ape,¡± Smokefang thundered, his voice a wicked boom. ¡°You thought you could outwit a member of the universal master race?¡±


    The dragon hoovered above Shroud, his neck extended and his head back against the sun ¡ª his posture proud and godlike. The snake must have practiced it daily.


    ¡°Hey!¡± Shroud pointed a finger at him. ¡°I patented that pose, Mushu!¡±


    The dragon either didn¡¯t hear him over the winds, or just plain ignored his comeback. ¡°I knew you filthy invaders would have a method to recover that artifact, and behold; I won two prizes with one move.¡±


    From up close, dragons were big.


    Very big, strong enough to crush Shroud with one blow, and close enough to try. Shroud hoped that whatever happened with the artifact had canceled Kresnik¡¯s witchery. ¡°Glass Field!¡± he shouted, then once more, louder. ¡°Glass Field!¡±


    His power finally flared to life again, the reassuring sensation of control over the glass making up his costume. ¡°Premium Thoughts!¡± The pain in his head stopped, his brain sorting out the information overwhelming his ears and sight. Controlling the glass within his usual radius once again became possible. Most of it had fallen out of his range, but he called back enough to create an orbital ring around him.


    ¡°Cute,¡± Smokefang mocked him, the beast building up green fire in his maw. ¡°What are those toothpicks supposed to do?¡±


    Gathering multiple shards into a len, Shroud answered the inquiry with another spell. ¡°Quasar!¡± He fired a beam at the dragon¡¯s smug face.


    The laser beam bounced off his scales like a splash of water. ¡°The might of a thousand stars stands behind me!¡± Smokefang boasted, before unleashing a fearsome roar. ¡°My breath burns brighter than the sun!¡±


    ¡°Now you¡¯re just exaggerating.¡± Shroud barely had the time to fly away before Smokefang unleashed a cone of green fire at him. The torrent of destruction hit the spot where the artifact used to be, melting the stone itself.


    The flames were so hot, Shroud could feel the heat a dozen meters away from the path of destruction. Not that Smokefang gave him any respite. With speed and agility belaying his immense size, the dragon flew after the sorcerer like an hawk after a harmless dove. ¡°Come back here, flying monkey!¡±


    On the ground, his friends weren¡¯t faring much better. Leaping around with supernatural agility, Kresnik exploited the fighters¡¯ obvious lack of synergy; dodging a blow from Mur that ended up hitting Sol, or using one as a shield against the other. Only Kari avoided his blows, but failed to inflict any damage. Upon noticing Shroud take to the skies, she spoke to two words to herself, a green glow surrounding her body as she did. ¡°Peak, Wallcrawl.¡±


    Snarling at the dragon pursuing him, Shroud launched a shrapnel volley at the giant reptile, who shrugged it off. Even attempts at targeting the wings, the most vulnerable parts, failed to inflict any damage.


    Fortunately, Smokefang didn¡¯t use his breath to retaliate, even as they circled the battlefield. Neither could he catch up to Shroud as long as he stayed on the move.


    Even knowing that, the situation could hardly be worse. Kresnik could disable their magic with a word, Smokefang was a freaking giant dragon, and no one could harm either of them. Blue World might work, but Shroud couldn¡¯t use the spell without targeting his allies as well. He and Smokefang were locked in a stalemate.


    While he couldn¡¯t hurt the dragon, he could perhaps make him hurt himself instead.


    ¡°Yoshikage, Mur, Sol, prepare to run out of range in thirty seconds,¡± Shroud ordered through Network, before positioning himself at the right angle. Then, mimicking Smokefang¡¯s own arrogant pose, he looked like he was about to try firing another beam at his opponent.


    ¡°You¡¯re mine!¡± Smokefang snarled, claws extended for the kill, knowing that the photon beam would have no effect on him.


    Shroud instead snapped his fingers, withdrawing all light around the dragon, trapping him in darkness. The sudden lack of vision took the dragon aback and made him lose control of his trajectory, while Shroud dodged the flying behemoth.


    On the ground, his fighters, forewarned, leaped out of range. Kresnik, that lightning fast bastard, managed to jump to the side, his boss crashing against the ground in a cataclysmic landing, raining debris and tons of dust. ¡°A lizard fell, and broke his everything,¡± Shroud taunted his foe.


    Kresnik¡¯s distraction left a short window Mur exploited. ¡°Mur¡¯s mighty strike!¡±


    BAM!


    Swinging his hammer with both hands, Mur hit Kresnik right in the chest with all his strength. The blow failed to get past the barrier protecting the werewolf, but hit him hard enough to propel him backward like a baseball ball during a home run. The Concordian officer ended his flight into one of the open pits, falling into the darkness.


    As Smokefang let out a snarl of rage, still blinded by darkness, Shroud decided to call it quits. ¡°Mur, Sol, fall back to the meeting point! Yoshikage, with me, other way! I¡¯ll cover our tracks!¡±


    Sol gave him a nod, winded and still panting from the exhaustion. ¡°Take care, son.¡± He retreated into the woods, Mur following him after one last, disappointed glance at Kresnik¡¯s pit.


    Looking through all his remaining shrapnel, and with enough range to cover most of the area, Shroud unleashed Quasar¡¯s full might. The light receded around the open mine, blanketing the whole area in darkness just as the Gearsmen vanguard from the city reached it. Unable to perceive anything, the machines circled the skies, trying to locate an opening.


    Shroud hid both himself and Kari under an invisibility veil as they escaped into the swamp, the Blue Sorcerer flying around the trees while Kari leaped from branch to branch. Sear?h the NovelFire.net* website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Without a direct line of sight, either through his glass or eyes, most of the shadowy dome began to collapse behind them. ¡°Kill them all!¡± Smokefang snarled, flying out of the darkness like a demon rising from Hell. His eyes were ablaze with wounded pride. ¡°Kill!¡±


    The Gearsmen, now darkening the skies with their numbers, began to rain beams on the mine at random, uncaring that they might hit even Kresnik himself. Thankfully, Network¡¯s video feed showed Mur and Sol crawling through the mud, safe from the onslaught.


    Shroud¡¯s moment of relief last only a second before the heat began to rise around him, green flames filling the edge of his vision. Flying above them, Smokefang blasted the swamp with massive fireballs at random, blasting trees and wildlife alike. The dragon had abandoned his former cockiness, reverting to his true nature of a primal, savage predator.


    He intended to smoke the Magik users out, lowering his flight within inches of the trees to better catch them. The monster would set the entire Everglades ablaze at this rate, cooking them alive.


    ¡°Give me an opening,¡± Kari whispered through the Network feed, hopping around until she was within leaping distance of Smokefang himself.


    Gathering his remaining glass into a hunting horn, Shroud uttered a warning through his feed. ¡°Yoshikage, cover your ears!¡± Then, with a deep breath, he put his lip on his improvised instrument.


    Two words resonated across the Everglades, filling the skies with a blue flash.


    ¡°Blue World!¡±


    Suddenly paralyzed mid-flight, Smokefang stopped raining death and devastation, although his trajectory remained stable.


    Kari, with strength and speed beyond that of any human being, leaped at the dragon, swirling on herself, all claws extended. The human bullet reached the left side of Smokefang¡¯s face, the claws grazing the scales and cutting the eye like a bursting tomato.


    Blue World ended as Kari landed back into the forest, Smokefang letting out a pained scream upon regaining control of his mind. The flying lizard put his claws over his face, blood rushing down his scales, abandoning the pursuit.


    The still invisible Kari returned to Shroud¡¯s side, managing to keep up with him even on foot. Behind them, the skies turned green, and Smokefang¡¯s outraged screams became a distant noise.


    A pleasing, victory sound resonated inside Shroud¡¯s own mind, new words writing themselves before his eyes.


    Quest: The Maleking''s Favor, completed!


    You have earned eight Spellcoins!


    + 1 Bonus Spellcoin for humiliating a dragon.


    Flying farther and faster, Shroud allowed himself a laugh, as he and Kari left victorious.


    At long last, Concordia had lost a battle.


    Party Stats


    AccountNameShroudNetworkProgressHolderMathias MartelBroadcastUnlockedLevel1 (Novice)Grant SpellUnlockedAffinityBlueLocked Feature(0/3)LockNetworkLocked Feature(0/7)Spellcoins9Overlock(0/1)Downloading............Spell CompendiumNameDotAffinityPremium Thoughts1BlueBlue World1BlueBerserk1GreenQuasar1RedGlass Field2Orange/BlueAccountNameYoshikageOversoulProgressHolderKari MatsumotoRememberUnlockedLevel1 (Novice)Channel SoulUnlockedAffinityYellowLocked Feature(0/3)LockOversoulLocked Feature(0/7)Spellcoins11Overlock(0/1)Spell CompendiumNameDotAffinityWallcraw1GreenPeak1GreenWard1YellowSpiritsight1YellowDoom Sense1YellowTimesense1Violet


    Spell of the Day


    Spell Syphon


    Affinity: White


    Dot: 1


    Price: 3-5


    Activation: Active, Voice.


    The user consumes the ambient Flux around them at an accelerated rate, slightly diminishing the effects of spells in the immediate area. Direct contact with a fellow sorcerer may result in shutting down their ability to cast spells by depleting the Flux they need to power their magic.

 Chapter 13: Aftermath

    He felt cold.


    He found himself back in the sleeping darkness, trapped in a gloomy, icy wasteland. Twisted spikes of ice surrounded him shaped like a deadly crown, blood rushing down their tips. The shadows surrounded him, his breath empty and frozen by loneliness.


    Mathias could have sworn he felt his mother¡¯s warm hand brush against his, holding him in the dark, telling him he would be safe. Everything would be okay. He would open his eyes and the nightmares would end.


    An unnatural, intimidating chill spread through his bones.


    ¡°I thought you made the darkness your weapon, sweetie.¡± The black lamb rested on a bed of snow, his crimson eyes shining like rubies. He had draped himself in shadows and cold rather than flames, yet his dreadful symbol remained written in blood beneath Mathias¡¯ feet. ¡°Why so afraid?¡±


    ¡°I prefered the fire,¡± Mathias replied.


    ¡°Silly, if you want fire, you only have to look inside yourself,¡± The lamb sounded joyful. ¡°Everyone has a little star inside them, waiting to ignite. Come on, try.¡±


    Suspecting that the creature controlled every aspect of the dream, Mathias willed a ball of fire inside his palms. A miniature star set itself alight within his hand, illuminating his fingers.


    The deadly mark on his hand had vanished.


    ¡°See?¡± the lamb repeated. ¡°Easy peasy.¡±


    ¡°You sound, pardon the joke, chill tonight.¡±


    ¡°It is not often I meet a man of their word. I have been playing this game for longer than most civilizations have existed, and most try to cheat their way out. They complain or try to bargain for more favorable treatment. They never get it. You? You did as asked.¡±


    ¡°I expect the same professional courtesy from you,¡± Mathias replied, his tone as icy as the dream world. ¡°Leave me alone.¡±


    ¡°Oh, I will leave you alone in your dreams. You can sleep easy now.¡±


    Very specific words. ¡°And in the waking world?¡±


    ¡°Do not get greedy, Mathias. No one, anywhere, is ever safe from me.¡±


    There was no empty boasting in his voice. The creature just stated a fact. ¡°Who are you?¡± Mathias asked. ¡°are you?¡±


    ¡°Little old me?¡± The lamb cackled with an eerie, creepy laugh. ¡°I am the patron saint of the lost and the damned. When people pray for blood and brimstone, it is who answer. When they falter on their way to power, I pick them back up. I shepherd all those who seek chaos. I am the Maleking. I am the new God.¡±


    Mathias frowned at the blasphemous words. ¡°What happened to the old one?¡±


    ¡°Who knows,¡± the lamb giggled. ¡°Do you seek strength, Mathias?¡±


    ¡°Everyone seeks more strength.¡±


    ¡°Ah, but so few are willing to pay the price for it. If you have it in yourself to make the necessary sacrifices to achieve your dream, to walk the way of the wicked, you will find a most generous friend in me.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll pass.¡± Whatever the entity was, it spelled trouble.


    ¡°You shouldn¡¯t. We share the same goal, the complete destruction of Concordia. You may find my methods, shall we say, heavy-handed, yet they work. I respect your wish of independence though.¡± The lamb tilted his head to the side, at an unnatural angle. ¡°I can see a question burning on your lips.¡±


    ¡°The artifact. I absorbed it once I touched it, and I have no idea what it does.¡±


    ¡°Me neither. I never cared about it.¡±


    Mathias froze. ¡°You never did?¡±


    ¡°Mathias, Mathias, Mathias, you need to think long term. You struck fear in the heart of Concordia¡¯s authorities on Earth, making them see enemies in every shadow. The more terror spreads, the more the dragons will feel insecure in their rule, and the harsher their measures.¡±


    Mathias began to see the big, ugly picture. ¡°Driving resentful people to you?¡±


    ¡°Smart boy. The winning battle of any war is not waged for land, but for the hearts of people. Never forget this on your journey to power.¡± The lamb rolled on his back, looking almost adorable, if not for the cruel gleam in his eyes. ¡°Oh, one last thing. Your friends have been released from custody, since your attack gave them an alibi. I thought you might like to hear it.¡±


    Mathias clenched his fists on reflex, extinguishing his light. Sear?h the N??eFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    ¡°My, so cagey. You have nothing to fear, my beloved child. I will extend our terms to your friends out of goodness of my heart, unless they call me first. I never turn down new lambs wishing to join my flock.¡± The beast rose back to its feet, giggling at Mathias¡¯ unhappy face. ¡°I have another ambitious soul on the line, so I will leave you to savor your victory. I hope we meet again soon, though. You¡¯re interesting.¡±


    Mathias shrugged. ¡°Don¡¯t take it personally if I say I don¡¯t want to see you ever again.¡±


    The lamb let out a laugh, as the darkness swallowed Mathias whole. ¡°Do not delude yourself, sweetie.¡±


    Mathias¡¯ eyes snapped wide open, as the doorbell rang. Glass Field kicked in, letting him see the person at his apartment¡¯s door; upon recognizing her, he leaped out of his sofa and run toward the door.


    Perse stood at the threshold.


    ¡°Hi, Matt.¡± Usually so vivid and lively, she looked drained, her skin bleached and her eyes creased. She looked like she hadn¡¯t slept nor changed clothes in ages. ¡°I uh¡­ I need a hug.¡±


    Mathias didn¡¯t need the invitation, squeezing her as tightly as he could. The two friends holding one another for a full minute without a sound, Perse giving him a light kiss on the chest before resting her head against his shoulder. Seeing her again made him feel warm inside.


    ¡°You¡¯re out,¡± Mathias whispered. The dream lamb hadn¡¯t lied about that, at least. ¡°After so long, I thought I had lost you. I thought¡­¡±


    ¡°You look terrible too,¡± Perse teased him as she broke off their embrace.


    ¡°Yeah, I had a hard time sleeping.¡± The battle had exhausted him so much he had collapsed on his sofa the second he came back home, after hiding his costume at the church and checking up on the others. He hadn¡¯t even looked at the time.


    ¡°Can I use your shower?¡± Perse asked, as he invited her inside. ¡°Borrow some of your clothes?¡±


    ¡°You came here as soon as you got out?¡±


    ¡°Yeah. Ulysses went with Maggie, you dad picked my mom up¡­ Sam wanted to be alone. She took it harder than me; being the custody.¡±


    For an extraverted girl like Perse, who breathed social interaction, leaving a friend alone sounded abominable. Mathias didn¡¯t push the issue. His friend would better put as much mental space between her painful past and the happy present. ¡°Do you want something to drink?¡±


    ¡°Sugar. Fuck my diet, I need sugar.¡± She left for the bathroom, impatient to wash herself.


    Mathias briefly looked at the time. It was well past midnight. He took two sodas cans in his fridge and waited on the sofa, listening to Perse putting on the water. He briefly canceled Glass Field to give her some privacy.


    After using enough hot water to get steam spilling into the apartment, Perse returned with black pants and his prized orange shirt, her hair still wet. The shower had done wonders for her; she felt more relaxed, alive. She crumpled onto the sofa right next to him, grabbing the soda. ¡°How can you still wear it?¡± she said, looking at her shirt which was a bit too small for her.


    ¡°Sentimental reasons. That was the first manga I read and I enjoyed it very much.¡± Before Concordia censored it. ¡°I only wear it for conventions now.¡±


    ¡°I find it comfty,¡± Perse admitted, sounding guilty.


    ¡°You can keep it.¡± He had to address the elephant in the room. ¡°How was ¡ª ¡±


    ¡°Bad. They put me in a white room without windows. A tiny room, that made me feel small and insignificant. I couldn¡¯t hear anything outside, I couldn¡¯t enjoy sunlight, I couldn¡¯t even wash or change clothes. They took my phone and still haven¡¯t given it back. I thought I would go mad.¡±


    Solitary isolation had broken stronger people than her. ¡°You had no human interaction?¡±


    ¡°Once a day a white wolf creature would question me. He always asked the same questions. Sometimes in different orders, or variables, but always the same. Did you know about the mayor? Was your friend in on it? Where is Jack Powells? And on and on.¡±


    Maggie¡¯s framing of her late brother succeeded well. ¡°How did you hang on?¡±


    ¡°By thinking of music. I remembered my notes and I just imagined myself playing, blocking out the questions.¡± Her silent gaze told him to drop the subject. ¡°I¡¯m sorry.¡±


    ¡°For what?¡±


    ¡°For being mean about you returning home with Kari,¡± she said. ¡°That was immature.¡±


    He expected it to come up. ¡°I didn¡¯t. Bring her home.¡± Mathias clarified.


    ¡°Yeah, you¡¯re too innocent to lie to me so I take you on your word.¡± If only she knew. ¡°When they took my phone right after, it got me thinking. If I¡¯m never getting out, would that be our last conversation?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s okay,¡± Mathias reassured her, putting a hand on her forearm. ¡°You¡¯re never going back there.¡±


    Perse smiled at the gesture, and Mathias felt a jolt of electricity in his own fingers. And not the magical kind. ¡°Thanks.¡± His friend bit her lips. ¡°They asked questions about you.¡±


    Mathias tensed. ¡°What did they ask?¡±


    ¡°Where you went that night, if you behaved strangely, if you got smarter or had more friends. Very specific.¡±


    Did they suspect him? At least not enough to put him in custody.


    ¡°I didn¡¯t say much,¡± Perse said, sensing his tension, ¡°I¡¯m not ratting out friends. But I gotta ask, is something wrong? You¡¯ve been acting very strange lately, even before¡­ before¡­¡±


    She was too sharp for her own good. ¡°Is it so obvious?¡±


    ¡°A girl can tell. Especially one who knows you so well. You¡¯re not doing dangerous stuff, right? Right?¡±


    Mathias wondered if he should lie, even if Perse would probably catch on. He couldn¡¯t bring himself to deceive his best friend, although he couldn¡¯t tell her everything either. While Sol was discreet and had nothing left to lose, the more Perse knew the more she would be in danger. ¡°There is something taking up much of my time, yes. I can¡¯t tell more yet, but I swear, I will tell you everything in time.¡±


    ¡°I understand. It¡¯s fine. I can live with it.¡± Was it relief, and a tiny amount of hope, that he noticed in her voice? ¡°And Matsumoto? You haven¡¯t answered my question.¡±


    ¡°We¡¯re¡­¡± Coworkers? Co-rebels? Co-terrorists? ¡°I guess we¡¯re starting to become friends. She¡¯s not my type and I don¡¯t think I¡¯m hers.¡±


    Still, the way she phrased her question bugged him. He let Network¡¯s information in, intending to tailor his answer in a way that wouldn¡¯t hurt her.


    ¡°Wait, you¡¯re jealous?¡±


    He blurted that part out loud in surprise, and Perse fell silent for a few agonizing seconds afterward. ¡°Yes.¡± The admission hit Mathias like a hammer in the face. ¡°Yes, I was jealous that you left with Kari Matsumoto.¡±


    Uh oh. ¡°Jealous, like friend jealous?¡±


    She gave him an exasperated ¡®are you stupid¡¯ look. ¡°Jealous like girl jealous.¡±


    As he had feared. Suddenly, Perse¡¯s recent behavior made a lot more sense. Inviting him to that party as her date, the constant text messaging. On some level, he had already guessed, only to sweep it under the rug to avoid¡­


    Well, the conversation they would have right now.


    ¡°Matt?¡± Perse misinterpreted his apprehension. ¡°Oh no, I said it too soon, I said ¡ª ¡±


    ¡°No, no, no, it¡¯s okay!¡± Mathias cringed to himself. ¡°It¡¯s okay. It¡¯s just, you¡¯re my best friend. I didn¡¯t know you saw me as boyfriend material. Especially since you can have nearly anyone.¡± And had everyone.


    She sighed sadly, crossing her arms in a display of vulnerability. ¡°You¡¯re pretty much the only guy that isn¡¯t my brother with whom I¡¯ve had a friendship lasting more than a month.¡±


    That hurt. ¡°Yeah, but me?¡±


    ¡°Matt, you¡¯re super smart, you¡¯re hardworking, you¡¯re cute ¡ª ¡±


    ¡°Cute?¡± He felt his cheeks redden. First time a girl told him that, except for mom or Viviane, and they didn¡¯t count.


    Perse chuckled. ¡°Yes, cute, and you¡¯re funny, too! I¡¯ve thought about it for some time and what happened with Sam convinced me to give it a shot. I don¡¯t want to live out my life wondering what could have been, you know?¡±


    ¡°Isn¡¯t the guy supposed to ask the girl out instead of the other way around?¡± Mathias had no idea how to deal with this kind of demand. Largely because he never had a relationship in the first place.


    ¡°You¡¯re overcomplicating things, Matt. It¡¯s yes or no, or maybe later.¡±


    When she put it that way¡­


    The choice was all his. Did he like Perse in that way? He was attracted to her ¨C not as much as Samantha ¨C and he knew her inside and out. Her notorious instability in relationships did bother him, though. Mathias didn¡¯t want to risk jeopardizing their friendship for a short-term fling.


    Strange minds think alike. For a second there, he had forgotten he had a social cheat code.


    ¡°Matt?¡± Perse put a hand on his forearm, in a reverse of their previous situation. ¡°If you¡¯re uncomfortable with this, it¡¯s okay.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ve never dated a girl,¡± he admitted. ¡°I don¡¯t want to botch us.¡± Us. The word left a strange impression.


    ¡°I¡¯ve dated¡­¡± Perse seemed to count inside her mind, before giving up. ¡°I¡¯ve dated a couple of guys, and I botched every single one. So you see, you can¡¯t do worse.¡±


    As he looked at her dead in the eyes, Mathias wondered what he was even supposed to do? A relationship would put her in danger ¡ª scratch that, being anywhere near him would put her in danger. Should he really try to build something with her?


    However, Perse had a point. He couldn¡¯t live his life wondering what could have been.


    Suddenly realizing that she had been looking at him in silence, waiting for him to make the first move, Mathias¡¯ stress built up. What should he do?


    How could this be harder than fighting a giant dragon?


    He tried to remember the romantic scenes in his favorite movies. What was the appropriate reaction?


    The answer quickly crossed his mind.


    More nervous than he ever was in his entire life, Mathias approached his face from Perse¡¯s and kissed her on the lips.


    The contact lasted but a brief instant, yet it sent a jolt of pleasure down his spine. He felt warmth fill his cheek, the blood rushing to his face. Perse closed her eyes, enjoying the moment as much as he did. She smelled of water and her lips tasted like strawberries.


    ¡°So?¡± Perse asked, a bright smile on her face as Mathias fell back. He only had one thought in mind.


    So he kissed her again.


    This time, Perse put her arms around his neck and held him close, refusing to let him go. His nervousness was gone, and he held her tight.


    ¡°So, uh,¡± Mathias trailed, as Perse purred against him like a cat. He tentatively put an arm around her, and it felt nice. ¡°What next?¡±


    ¡°Want to make out?¡± Perse asked.


    Sure. That sounded nice.


    Party Stats


    AccountNameShroudNetworkProgressHolderMathias MartelBroadcastUnlockedLevel1 (Novice)Grant SpellUnlockedAffinityBlueLocked Feature(0/3)LockNetworkLocked Feature(0/7)Spellcoins9Overlock(0/1)Installation...Please wait.........Spell CompendiumNameDotAffinityPremium Thoughts1BlueBlue World1BlueBerserk1GreenQuasar1RedGlass Field2Orange/BlueAccountNameYoshikageOversoulProgressHolderKari MatsumotoRememberUnlockedLevel1 (Novice)Channel SoulUnlockedAffinityYellowLocked Feature(0/3)LockOversoulLocked Feature(0/7)Spellcoins11Overlock(0/1)Spell CompendiumNameDotAffinityWallcraw1GreenPeak1GreenWard1YellowSpiritsight1YellowDoom Sense1YellowTimesense1Violet


    Spell of the Day


    Return


    Affinity: Violet


    Dot: 1


    Price: 3-5


    Activation: Active, Direct Touch Vector, Thought.


    The user can mark one small item and have it teleport in their hand with a thought, as long as it is in the same planetary Sphere.

 Chapter 14: DLC: The Dragon General

    Blackcinders, Red Minister of Concordia, admired power.


    ¡°Even black holes can be tamed,¡± she spoke to herself, looking through the front windows of her mothership. A black spot, the Dark Verge, tainted the pictures of stars clusters, star clouds, and magical phenomenons. Since Blackcinders¡¯ magic allowed her to see the gravitational currents, space looked like a sea to her; currents and forces pushing against one another. Black holes were ancient maelstroms, swirling hurricanes, bottomless maws.


    Her mothership, the , remained at a safe distance, just close enough to observe the remains of destroyed star ships orbiting the black hole. Destroyed husks, ravaged hulls, flying engines, and frozen corpses, she could see every tiny detail from here.


    Blackcinders¡¯ clutch had hatched on Concordia, back when it was still called Midgard; but it was there, at the Dark Verge, that Blackcinders was truly born. ¡°Minister?¡± One of her bullmen officers, Bishop EL-16, dared voice his incomprehension. Blackcinders did not tolerate her men speaking out of turn, and her officers had developed a sixth sense to anticipate when she wanted an audience, or silence.


    ¡°A black hole is a wild animal,¡± Blackcinders said. ¡°A ravenous hunger, might without intellect. Fearsome enough to eat light, and dangerous to approach. Yet I tamed it.¡±


    She remembered that battle with great clarity, in spite of the centuries that had passed. She had replayed it thousands of times in her mind.


    Concordia had been a new power back then, instead of the mighty behemoth of today. Strong-willed, talented, yet fragile. The rival power of Gintargo had sensed the glorious future that awaited Concordia, and in fear tried to crush it. The Concordia-Gintargo war had been the first interstellar war the Empire had fought, sparking its four centuries of expansion.


    Gintargo¡¯s fleet matched Concordia¡¯s own in size, even exceeded it. After three years of fighting, the two forces met in this sector for a final engagement. If Concordia¡¯s fleet had fallen there, Gintargo would have invaded their homeworld. The Grandmaster had elected to command her troops personally in this critical battle, crafting a simple yet effective strategy. The fleet vanguard would engage the Gintargo fleet, making them believe they fought the bulk of the Concordian army; then fall back and lead them close to the edge of the black hole as safely possible. The rest of the Concordian fleet, hidden by stealth shields and spells, would flank Gintargo by surprise and force them past a safe orbit, trapping them in the black hole¡¯s inescapable gravity pull.


    Few wanted to join the vanguard. Any wrong move, any mistake, and they would suffer the same fate as Gintargo, trapped in an inexorable course towards death. Blackcinders, though, had made the leap of faith. She had believed in the Founders¡¯ vision since the beginning. She would gladly lay down her life for Concordia¡¯s glory, and so she offered to lead the charge.


    Her eyes retraced the path the battle took, pausing at areas where her own ships had fallen. At the peril of her life and those of her troops, Blackcinders had led the enemy to the very edge of the gravitational well, then blocked the enemy''s escape as the main fleet ambushed Gintargo. Three-quarters of the vanguard had died pulling it off, but the blow forever destroyed Gintargo¡¯s ambitions. Their world fell three weeks later; Concordia¡¯s first conquest.


    The defeat of the Gintargo fleet had been her finest moment, the one that brought her the Grandmaster¡¯s favor. After decades of efforts and dutiful services, Blackcinders had climbed the ladder to the rank of Red Minister.


    She had never forgotten where she came from, however, and returned to this interstellar graveyard at least once per year to relish in her victory. Watching the corpses of defeated enemies brought her everlasting joy.


    She could spend an eternity watching, but she had duties to attend to. Blackcinders tilted her head to the side, glancing down at the silent hive that was her command center. As the largest dragon on record, Blackcinders had grown so large her new mothership had had to be tailored to allow her to move inside.


    Her bullmen officers were little more than mice in comparison, and the dragons under her command looked like mere children before a true titan of their kind. Blackcinders¡¯ body had long since adapted to the vacuum of space and ship environments, growing metal scales over her flesh, and turning her wings into solar sails. Her eyes were red pits of Red Flux, her veins crimson circuits; and her tail itself ended in a sharp stinger blade. To outsiders she looked more like a black machine shaped like a dragon, than a creature of flesh and blood.


    ¡°Open the communication.¡± Blackcinders never raised her voice, yet her officers always listened. She had selected them among her elite and trusted them to listen to her strategic discussions, so as to enforce her will on their own.


    Her mothership¡¯s guiding intelligence answered her command, five spheres of light flashing around Blackcinders¡¯ head. Each shone with a different color ¡ª Orange, Yellow, Green, Blue and Violet ¡ª and revealed a hologram at their core.


    The six Ministers, the ruling body of Concordia, beholden only to the Grandmaster herself, had gathered for their regular meeting. With one exception. After a minute of waiting for Loctis to join the meeting, Blackcinders focused on the empty green light, wondering what the Green Minister was up to. He had the habit of retiring in complete reclusion for months, only to return with world-shaking breakthroughs like the UB system.


    A shame. Blackcinders had sent him multiple unanswered mating invitations, and would continue until successful. Loctis had yet to sire a clutch, and his genes were too precious to die with him. If their clutch had half their father¡¯s genius and a quarter of her strength, they would crush the Empire¡¯s enemies with ease.


    Better than her latest clutch.


    With the Grandmaster and Loctis absent, it fell on Blackcinders, as the senior Minister, to administer the meeting. ¡°Greetings, my fellows.¡±


    ¡°Greetings, my Dark Muse. You look radiant like a star today.¡± The Golden Prince, the only other dragon present and the Yellow Minister, had a sweet, singing voice that charmed worlds into surrender. Making others feel better through words and flattery had become almost second nature to him.


    ¡°Indeed. Relishing old victories makes one brighter.¡± A bullman hiding under multiple layers of illusions so as to become near unrecognizable, Aster spoke too fast for his sentence to feel natural. While the Golden Prince¡¯s words had a true warmth to them, the Blue Minister calculated each one of his words in advance. Even his compliments sounded vague, depersonalized.


    Blackcinders noted that he knew of her location, though. Nothing escaped the head of Concordian Intelligence.


    The Orange Minister didn¡¯t waste time with politeness. ¡°Get down to business. I have a factory inspection and I will not delay it.¡± Grimsour, the chairman of the leading state conglomerate in the Empire, was the ideal hob: greedy, cunning, and no-nonsense. Tall and lanky for his kind, with sick yellow skin and two horns as long as the rest of his body, he wore top of the line golden combat armor day and night.


    Only the Violet Minister, Brina, remained as silent as stone. A humanoid warrior most mistook for a human at first glance, she was there and not there at once. She listened, yet rarely voiced her thoughts. Even her hologram flickered at random, shrouding her appearance. Blackcinders herself knew little of her and her history. As far as she knew, Brina just walked into her post at the Grandmaster¡¯s behest with no one voicing a single question.


    Blackcinders¡¯ eyes kept shifting at Loctis¡¯ empty green spot. With his absence, non-dragons had a majority in the discussions and she disliked it. While Concordia promoted loyalty and talent over species, even at the highest echelons of power, dragons shared a strong bond of brotherhood. She could trust Grimsour to put money above all, Aster to have a plan, and Brina to surprise her, but she could only trust the Golden Prince when the chips were down.


    His next words made her eat her thoughts. ¡°I believe we should first discuss the potential disarm of the Damocles on Terra Firma¡¯s moon.¡±


    ¡°That is not your call,¡± Blackcinders replied. Her territory. Her rules. ¡°Terra Firma is part of my clusters. One that remains uncivilized.¡±


    ¡°This is exactly my concern,¡± the Golden Prince replied. ¡°Local rebellions are nothing new in recent colonies. However, Terra Firma is the first one where you built an orbital laser pointed at the population, which has become a standard policy in your territories. A decade after the start of your experiment, it is time to examine the results.¡±


    ¡°I ordered the Damocles built to enforce obedience in the population and destroy the Black Tower should its power grow unchecked.¡± So far, its dreadful energies had remained manageable. ¡°It succeeded. The uprisings remained a minor nuisance, even for a token garrison.¡±


    ¡°Yet the uprisings last. They endure and cultural assimilation takes longer than on other worlds. The dominions where you put other Damocles also boil with resentment, and they should. How can we preach peaceful integration while reminding them we can kill them at anytime?¡±


    ¡°That is the entire point,¡± Blackcinders snapped.


    ¡°Which is a misguided strategy. We look like occupiers instead of civilizers.¡±


    ¡°Are you questioning my judgment?¡± Blackcinders eyed the Yellow Minister with a cold hard stare. She hoped the fool would take the hint and back down.


    He didn¡¯t.


    ¡°I am. Have you yet to meet a problem you didn¡¯t try to solve with force, Blackcinders?¡±


    ¡°Have you yet to meet a problem you did not try to talk to death, Golden Prince?¡± She almost spat the last two words. The Yellow Minister had his uses, true. Knitting the colonies together under a common culture, the velvet wings to Blackcinders¡¯ iron fangs. Yet he often forgot his place. Too many feelings and not enough thinking.


    ¡°Your attitude is encouraging revolts. Building orbital weapons in our territories? Citizens should look at the skies with pride, instead of fear.¡±


    ¡°I agree with him, this is a stupid policy,¡± Grimsour said, albeit not for sentimental reasons. ¡°Your Damocles are bottomless drains on our finances, when we could create more Gearsmen Colossi and warships. Same for your so-called ¡®superweapon¡¯ initiative.¡±


    ¡°Keep to your graphs and leave the military strategy to me, Grimsour,¡± Blackcinders rebuked the hob. While he might worry about Concordia¡¯s economy, she kept their dominions safe from worse threats than budget cuts. Threats beyond any conventional weapon.


    ¡°We will defeat neither the Maleking nor the Seeker with Colossi.¡± Fortunately, the Violet Minister shared her common sense.


    So did Aster. ¡°The Grandmaster authorized these projects, including the Damocles initiative. Are you implying our leader¡¯s trust in Blackcinders¡¯ judgment is mistaken?¡±


    None of them dared to voice doubt in their supreme guide, although the Golden Prince looked ready to choke. None brought her into the discussion either. The Grandmaster rarely attended these meetings, trusting the Ministers to handle the day to day administration while she focused on higher matters.


    ¡°Let us settle this with a vote,¡± Aster declared. ¡°Who is in favor of suspending the Damocles initiative? Aye or nay.¡±


    ¡°Aye,¡± the Prince and Grimsour said.


    ¡°Nay,¡± Brina, Aster and Blackcinders countered.


    ¡°The hardliners have it,¡± Aster declared, much to the Prince¡¯s annoyance.


    ¡°Discussion closed.¡± Blackcinders ended the debate. ¡°The moons will remain armed.¡±


    They had those pointless discussions more often than she would like. Over time, Concordia¡¯s High Command had divided into moderates and hardliners. While she, Brina, and Aster advocated strong, decisive solutions, the Prince and Grimsour prefered soft negotiations and trade over force. Loctis could swing either way, although he often tipped the balance in the moderates¡¯ favor when he bothered to attend.


    ¡°Since we are on the subject of maintaining peace on the new colonies, I denote a strong Malebranche activity among them,¡± Aster spoke, artfully moving the debate towards a common enemy instead of internal bickering. ¡°The Maleking grows more active with each solar cycle.¡±


    ¡°Our officials remain protected by your measures and vigilant gaze, though?¡± Blackcinders pushed. That insidious dream demon had a fondness for turning military officers into time bombs. Sear?h the n??el Fire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    ¡°Yes, but they are not the true threat. The Maleking is setting up cults among local populations, furthering unrest and radicalizing colonized people. Groups my Ministry infiltrated all share common elements. Loose organization, devotion to the Maleking or one of his chosen Horsemen, and a belief higher initiation will grant its members the power to overthrow Concordia.¡±


    ¡°This is new,¡± the Golden Prince picked up the implications. ¡°So far the Maleking has focused on keystones, so to speak. Surgical strikes against elements of our regime, instead of building a following among the locals.¡±


    ¡°He is chaos embodied,¡± Grimsour replied. Many of his factories had been targeted in the past, halting weaponry production or causing localized shortages among colonies. ¡°These groups will turn violent at some point.¡±


    ¡°You said he promised power, Aster,¡± Blackcinders noted. ¡°What kind?¡±


    ¡°The Maleking remains vague, and higher echelons of his cult have proven difficult to infiltrate. Since the Maleking and his Yellow Sorcerers can enter dreams, they quickly root out spies. We require another, subtler strategy.¡±


    ¡°No power can match Concordia, and certainly not the Maleking,¡± Blackcinders spoke. ¡°Deal with those cults like any other pawn of his.¡±


    ¡°Of course. I wished to voice my belief that our enemy may pursue a broader strategy than we thought. His growing power is also cause for concern. We know the Maleking is sealed on a world called Cocytus, and his increased activity would imply his bindings are weakening.¡±


    Finding the Maleking¡¯s prison and reinforcing his seal had been a primary goal of Concordia since they gained awareness of the fiend¡¯s existence. So far they had little luck, and the few people who might hold the answers were out of their reach.


    Should the monster manage to escape, they would need to call upon the Grandmaster.


    ¡°What about Famine?¡± Grimsour spoke up. ¡°We killed the last Horseman, and there¡¯s been little news ever since. Did it reincarnate already? Into whom?¡±


    ¡°Into a human, I heard,¡± Aster said. ¡°I will not make a judgment yet. Not enough information.¡±


    ¡°We will destroy his vessels as many times as needed,¡± Blackcinders cut off the discussion. ¡°What else, Aster?¡±


    ¡°With the Crimson Epoch coming, Arcadian reaver activity is down. Their leader, Lord Revel, will attend the event with most of his court.¡± Aster left a short silence, as if expecting Blackcinders to push for an open assault.


    Nothing would please her more, but only in due time. Concordia needed a few more years to stamp out the Malebranche infection first before looking to the Arcadian territories with hunger. ¡°Their time will come,¡± Blackcinders said. ¡°What about the Seeker of Life?¡±


    ¡°Harvesting a star cluster in the Trion Sector. It remains away from our dominions but is always at the edges. Prodding for weaknesses.¡± Since they had managed to push it back one century ago, the entity had wisely decided to bide its time. Like a ravenous interstellar predator, though, it would attack again. It may take years, or centuries, but it would emerge from deep space to threaten the border worlds. And Concordia would be ready for it. ¡°Before you ask, Pandoria remains dormant for the time being.¡±


    ¡°The Shadow Queen?¡± Blackcinders voiced the second-to-last concern on her list of threats to interstellar security.


    ¡°That petty warlord?¡± Grimsour¡¯s voice oozed with disdain. ¡°Should we even discuss her? She is no threat to us.¡±


    ¡°Leave one weed alone, and you may find the garden overrun,¡± Blackcinders replied. ¡°Aster.¡±


    ¡°She subsumed Green Mandrake¡¯s survivors, but little news,¡± Aster replied. ¡°I set one of my elites on the case. We will deal with her.¡±


    ¡°And the enemy we shall not name?¡±


    ¡°Inactive.¡±


    ¡°Which is to say, dead,¡± Grimsour snapped in annoyance. ¡°Ghosts shouldn¡¯t waste the livings¡¯ time.¡±


    ¡°As much as I wish you were right, we cannot let down our guard on that case,¡± the Golden Prince said the first sensible thing in the entire meeting. ¡°Overconfidence cost us much in the past.¡±


    ¡°If Aster¡¯s answer remains the same for a century, then I shall stop asking. Not before.¡± Blackcinders turned to Brina next. ¡°What about the Gates? Any new pathways uncovered?¡±


    ¡°One star cluster,¡± the Violet Minister replied, without elaborating much. ¡°Primitive inhabitants. Waiting for my explorers to send reports before I establish contact.¡±


    ¡°I am starting to lose track of them,¡± the Golden Prince joked. ¡°The stars.¡±


    ¡°Not me,¡± Grimsour replied. ¡°I will check those worlds for resources. With more ore, we may increase our warship production by one half a percent by the next production cycle.¡±


    ¡°What else?¡± Blackcinders pushed. She had another, personal matter to attend to.


    ¡°I would talk about my new cultural festival, but we all know only Grimsour will attend it,¡± the Golden Prince said.


    ¡°A premature judgment,¡± Aster countered. ¡°What about my proposition?¡±


    ¡°I am unsure if putting Blue spells inside music to increase happiness levels is safe for our population,¡± the Golden Prince replied without much enthusiasm. ¡°Why not test them in a nice, safe, contained environment first?¡±


    ¡°We have registered astonishing success on Electon prisoners. I will gladly show you the results, if you have time.¡±


    ¡°With pleasure. When would ¡ª ¡±


    ¡°Next,¡± the Red Minister cut them off, moving on.


    The rest of the meeting went by uneventfully. Grimsour gave them the latest economic results, the Prince said that the soul gems harvests remained stable, and Blackcinders disclosed the latest energy production reports. With all matters settled, Blackcinders concluded the meeting with Concordia¡¯s battle cry. ¡°One order across the stars.¡±


    ¡°One order across the stars!¡± The other ministers replied, with various degrees of enthusiasm. Aster and the Prince¡¯s voice boomed with the strength of their belief, yet Brina and Grimsour were barely audible.


    As the holograms vanished, the Red Minister didn¡¯t waste time. ¡°Open the line to Terra Firma,¡± she commanded, two white holograms manifesting where the Ministers used to be. ¡°Smokefang. Captain Kresnik.¡±


    Were it not strategically placed near their border with the Arcadian territories, Blackcinders would have left Terra Firma to rot and happily forgotten it. The planet¡¯s appearance in one of her star clusters had made her act decisively to bring it into the fold, leaving her newest children to tame its barbarian inhabitants. They had made great progress, and the Red Minister had identified which of her children were ready for greater assignments.


    Smokefang wasn¡¯t one of them. His closed, bloodied eye was proof of it. ¡°You lost, son,¡± Blackcinders said with clear displeasure.


    ¡°Mother, I can explain ¡ª¡±


    ¡°Silence.¡± Her spawn shut up at her cold words, cowering. ¡°Your incompetence is only matched by the shame you cast on me. How could you let Firman vermin get the better of you?¡±


    Her son wisely remained silent, not daring to raise her ire further. Blackcinders turned to Kresnik next. ¡°Report, Captain.¡±


    ¡°We waited for the group to undo the seal on the Occult Matrix, then attacked with Gearsmen reinforcements. The raiding party included two sorcerers, a boy and a girl, backed by a humanoid fighter in a stolen old Knight-Class armor, and Mur, a Midnight Market thug-for-hire. The sorceress cast two Green spells, and she wielded a Yellow-aligned Lock. Someone also cast Berserk on Mur prior to the fight.¡±


    ¡°How strong? The spells?¡± Blackcinders pushed.


    ¡°Dot One. I would peg Shroud¡¯s glass control as Orange Dot Two.¡±


    ¡°Shroud?¡± What a ridiculous codename.


    ¡°The leader. His men called him that during the battle. I heard them. Mur, Sol, Yoshikage, Shroud. They could communicate without our radios intercepting their messages. Unlike his accomplice, the Shroud used multiple opposing colors. Blue, Red, and an Orange glass manipulation spell. His Lock smells of strong Blue.¡±


    ¡°Another dabbler.¡± Untrained sorcerers often tried their hands at multiple colors, wasting their full potential for mediocrity. ¡°Malebranche?¡±


    ¡°The leader was under a curse from the Maleking,¡± Kresnik said. ¡°However, he did not fit the profile of true devotees. I suspect he was blackmailed into the act.¡±


    ¡°Suspects?¡±


    ¡°Two of them for Shroud. Jack Powells, and Mathias Martel; I suspected Victor Martel, but he had an alibi for the Everglades attack and a different body type. No suspect for the girl yet.¡±


    ¡°Martel?¡± The name sounded vaguely familiar. How bothering. ¡°How did they disable the Occult Matrix¡¯s protections?¡±


    ¡°The Shroud¡­ spoke to the machine?¡± Captain Kresnik struggled to put words into what he saw. ¡°I felt a strong flare of Blue magic, similar to a mental connection. Stronger than a Metalmesh spell.¡±


    ¡°It interfaced with the artifact?¡± Both Smokefang and Kresnik nodded at her question, confirming the Minister¡¯s suspicions. The pieces fell into place. Blackcinders recalled where she had heard the name Martel. ¡°The boy, Martel, tell me more.¡±


    ¡°Most of his file was protected beyond my Dot level authorization,¡± Kresnik said. ¡°So was his mother¡¯s. Alice Martel. He¡¯s seventeen, near eighteen.¡±


    Blackcinders had already connected the dots at the ¡®Alice Martel¡¯ part.


    The Terminal incident.


    ¡­


    Could it be?


    ¡°Mother?¡± Smokefang dared speak again.


    ¡°Quiet, child.¡± Blackcinders pondered the possibilities at hand. What were the odds that a Blue Sorcerer with the ability to interface with ancient artifacts had showed up in the exact same location as the Martel spawn? Blackcinders had lived long enough to not believe in coincidences. The Malebranche variable also presented its own complications. ¡°Who else knows about the artifact incident?¡±


    Smokefang took his mother¡¯s subdued tone as the threat it was. ¡°Just us, and the Evermarsh UB that recorded the event through the Gearsmen.¡±


    Blackcinders remained silent, the tension almost palpable. Her two underlings froze, perhaps expecting her to execute both of them for learning too much. Not that she would cross that line ¡ª Kresnik was a loyal scion of Concordia, and while his weakness disgusted her, Smokefang was blood.


    ¡°Mother?¡±


    ¡°The Martel child is bait for a Dot Five threat to Imperial security,¡± The two straightened up. Dot Five was the highest rank possible, reserved for existential threats such as the Maleking, the Seeker of Life, or the city of Pandoria. ¡°We let the boy run around because we expect the true prize to come and collect him at some point in the near future.¡±


    Aster¡¯s idea and responsibility. Had the Blue Minister faltered in his duties? His department did have a conflict of interest on the case. Blackcinders pondered if she should arrest the boy, even at the risk of threatening the plan. With Terra Firma under her jurisdiction, she could get away with it.


    No. She could not risk jeopardizing a sensitive operation on a hunch. Not without proof.


    Neither could she let the Maleking add two new spellcasters to his growing collection. They had enough trouble containing his influence, and Concordia¡¯s power relied on its monopoly on magic. The Empire couldn¡¯t coexist with rogues.


    Either sorcerers joined the power structure, or were crushed by it.


    ¡°Smokefang. You are a disgrace and a failure.¡± Her brood cowered at her judgment. ¡°However, considering the circumstances, I shall give you one, and one, second chance to prove my opinion wrong. Succeed, and I will recognize you as worthy for higher responsibilities. Fail again, and I will banish you to the farthest corner of the measliest colony. Am I understood?¡±


    ¡°Yes, Mother. What will you have me do?¡±


    ¡°Capture the leader, Shroud, alive, and bring him to me. . Cut off a few limbs if you need to. Captain Kresnik, you will assist my son until he succeeds or dies trying.¡±


    ¡°And the girl?¡± Smokefang¡¯s tone turned venomous, as Kresnik¡¯s expression darkened.


    ¡°Beyond her magic, she is of no use to us. Recruit or kill her as you wish.¡±


    A savage gleam lit up in her spawn¡¯s remaining eye, filling her with motherly pride. ¡°I will go with as soon as I regenerate my eye.¡±


    ¡°You will not.¡± Blackcinders narrowed her head against the holo-projector, so as to give her spawn a better view of her own scars. Her flesh might have been mostly metal now, but the thin lines maring her scales reminded her of previous battles all the same. ¡°Every time you look at your reflection, you will remember the price of overconfidence. Never underestimate the enemy. Let one get the better of you, and thousands will follow. Never forget this sharp lesson, or you will lose more than an eye next time.¡±


    Blackcinders ended the call before her son could reel from the rebuke.


    Soft hearts like the Prince condemned her parenting, but Blackcinders knew better than most the cold, unforgiving harshness of space. The cosmos didn¡¯t care for gentleness, only for strength. The best thing she could do for her son was to be brutal with him at every turn, so he would grow into the toughest dragon he could become. Her own sire had taught her this way, and while she hated it as a child, she would not have survived this long without it.


    One day, Smokefang would understand that this was an act of love. With his birth defect, he needed it.


    After the day¡¯s work, she allowed herself one last moment of pleasure. ¡°Move the ship in position.¡±


    She moved to her ship¡¯s window, glancing as ships of her fleet pushed the remains of a star cruiser near the .


    That ship had belonged to the armada of a small planet Blackcinders had recently conquered. They had barely begun to colonize their cluster before Concordia fell on them like wolves upon lambs, and offered little challenge. The Red Minister had claimed their region of space in less than a week. ¡°Engines?¡± she rasped.


    ¡°Discarded,¡± Bishop EL-16 replied.


    All dragons hoarded. They found an obsession, an object of desire they accumulated until they died. The larger the hoard, the greater their status, and their psychic strength. Most fixated on tangible matter like gold, or art, or even people. Some preferred abstract treasures, like knowledge or favors. The greatest of all was the Grandmaster¡¯s grandiose hoard of stars and planets.


    Blackcinders found no pleasure in those things.


    ¡°Graviforce.¡± Altering gravitational forces with her spell, she pushed the husk towards the black hole until it remained stationary in orbit.


    She found joy in conquest instead. A dragon¡¯s worth was determined by the worth of its enemies, and she had had plenty of them.


    Blackcinders would come back during the next solar cycle, and she would do it again, adding another trophy to her hoard of corpses and dead hopes. She would ponder on the fact she was, and had been, one mistake away from ending up the same way. That only strength kept her alive, and the empire safe.


    The Minister¡¯s eyes turned away from the darkness, to the distant stars. So many worlds in need of guidance, and a firm hand to teach them discipline. Blackcinders had heard her scientists speak of other worlds, other dimensions, beyond the frontier of their reality. If they existed, they would find them.


    One speck of space dust at a time.


    Spell of the Day


    Impulse


    Affinity: White


    Dot: 1


    Price: 3-5


    Activation: Active, Voice.


    Unleash a flashy Flux energy spike. While the spell does not inflict damage of any kind, all magic users and scanners in an area up to a mile can sense it and pinpoint the user¡¯s location.

 Chapter 15: Beach Party

    Perse planted the parasol in the sand, like a conqueror planted a flag. ¡°Here!¡±


    ¡°Nice spot,¡± Mathias commented, carrying a bag and towels; Maggie, Kari, and Samantha joined him in putting their belongings next to Perse¡¯s. The warm wind brushed against his face, while the sea shined a azure hue in the bright daylight.


    ¡°Finally!¡± Ulysses shouted in freedom, happy to throw his load on the sand at last. Before his sister could complain about his carelessness, he removed his shirt, leaving him only in boxer-like swimming trunks. Soon afterward, he bolted towards the ocean like an arrow. ¡°First to the sea!¡±


    ¡°Oh no you don¡¯t!¡± Mathias laughed, leaving his beach items aside and removing his own shirt.


    ¡°Matt, wait¡ª¡± Perse complained, although he had already jumped after Ulysses. Running in the sand like a madman, he caught up to his friend, went past him, leaped over a kid¡¯s sandcastle, and finally took a dive in the sea.


    Mathias thought, as he dived underneath the perfectly warm water, letting go of the tension and stress he had accumulated over the past month. After a full half a minute underwater, he emerged from the waves like a dolphin, before letting himself float on his limbs which were spread out like a starfish.


    ¡°Hey, Darth Matt, since when did you started getting halfway in shape?¡± Ulysses swam next to him, sore about the loss. He usually bested his best friend at any physical contest. ¡°I¡¯m starting to see muscles.¡±


    ¡°Did seeing my shirtless body make you gay for me?¡± Mathias taunted him.


    ¡°Meh, six out of ten. Didn¡¯t think you harbored those thoughts for me, though. You¡¯re making me all sweaty inside.¡±


    ¡°Isn¡¯t sweat outside the body?¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t look down on my uniqueness.¡± Ulysses turned to look at the beach. ¡°Here comes the eye candy.¡±


    Mathias raised his head to look at the three girls, and he had to admit he enjoyed the sight. Samantha was dashing in a white one-piece, which gave her the look like an swimmer from the Concordian Olympics; while Perse had elected for a red bikini to complement her hair, revealing a lot more and flaunting her body. Maggie¡¯s black wetsuit, while not as revealing as the two others¡¯ attire, didn¡¯t hide her muscular, toned up curves. Only Kari had elected to remain with their stuff, reading a book.


    The sight made the blood rush to Mathias¡¯ head, enough for him to put back his head against the waves and hide it.


    ¡°That¡¯s for leaving us to set up the camp, gentlemen.¡± Perse splashed at the boys with a bemused expression, as she joined them in the water. ¡°Surprise attack!¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re an immature, childish creature,¡± Ulysses replied with his usual monotony. Samantha smiled at his misfortune, but it didn¡¯t reach her eyes. ¡°I am so disappointed, you should feel ashamed of yourself.¡±


    Perse just splashed at his face again, Ulysses putting his hand on his chest as if wounded deeply. What a drama queen.


    ¡°Hey, Matt,¡± Samantha said, swimming right next to him. ¡°Have you been exercising?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ve been jogging.¡± The training sessions in the swamps had done wonders for his physical shape.


    ¡°Nice. Very nice.¡± The way she looked at him reminded him of a merchant appraising an interesting ware. ¡°Just the right body-type.¡±


    ¡°I prefer muscular guys,¡± Maggie replied, sending a glare to Ulysses as if to silently complain. ¡°The strong, silent type.¡±


    ¡°Maybe one day you can beat Ulysses into shape.¡±


    Maggie replied with a not-so-elegant grunt before diving beneath the waves, leaving the group to their devices. ¡°You¡¯re different, Matt,¡± Samantha commented, ¡°You¡¯re¡­ more confident? Beforehand you looked too shy to speak to people outside Perse and her brother.¡±


    And here they were, having a beach trip together. ¡°My personal life improved recently, so it helped.¡±


    Samantha¡¯s smile vanished from her face. ¡°Good for you,¡± she said, her previous warmth gone.


    Mathias cursed himself for his insensitivity. ¡°I¡¯m sorry.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s okay,¡± she replied with the tone that implied otherwise. Her eyes shifted to Perse and Ulysses, who had had become engaged in a ferocious, epic water battle. ¡°I¡¯m holding up.¡±


    ¡°Okay,¡± he said. ¡°If I can do anything¡­¡±


    ¡°Thank you.¡± She let out a sigh, forcing a smile onto her face. ¡°Dad made a slew of bad decisions, and chose unwise friends. I like to believe I improved on that front.¡±


    Even after death, she wouldn¡¯t escape her father¡¯s shadow. ¡°What comes next?¡± he asked her. As she wasn¡¯t yet eighteen and thus an adult in the empire¡¯s eyes, Samantha might end up under state custody.


    ¡°The Yellow Ministry offered me to become a cultural liaison official in Rome, so¡ª¡±


    Without warning, two hands seized Mathias by the feet and dragged him underwater. He almost cast a spell on reflex, blowing his cover, only to find himself facing Perse underwater. He could see her struggling not to laugh.


    This meant war!


    Mathias responded by grabbing her by the waist, dragging her deeper underwater. His surprised girlfriend responded by tickling him, causing him to lose his breath. He immediately rose back to the surface, catching his breath.


    ¡°I won,¡± Perse laughed, as her head emerged from the waves.


    ¡°For now,¡± Mathias replied.


    ¡°I will take you on whenever you want.¡± Perse put her arms around his shoulders. Samantha observed the scene with a blank, undecipherable stare. ¡°Want to join Maggie farther down? I heard they reintroduced coral in the bay.¡±


    ¡°Just admit you want to drown me,¡± Mathias teased her.


    ¡°Wouldn¡¯t that be romantic?¡±


    ¡°Are you two¡­¡± Samantha trailed off, seemingly torn between joy and disappointment.


    ¡°Since last week,¡± Perse chirped. ¡°Mathias is still a bit on the fence, though.¡±


    ¡°I just said we should take it slow,¡± he countered. While Perse had been very enthusiastic, Mathias¡¯ own troubled situation made him doubtful of the whole ¡®dating his best friend¡¯ plan.


    Not that the game designer wouldn¡¯t give it an honest try.


    As Ulysses challenged Perse for a rematch, with Maggie and Sam joining them as back-up, Mathias left them to swim back to the shore, joining Kari.


    His fellow sorcerer kept her focus entirely on her book, Murakami¡¯s . ¡°You aren¡¯t going to swim?¡± Mathias asked her as he sat on his towel to watch the sea.


    ¡°I don¡¯t like water,¡± she admitted. ¡°It gives me bad dreams.¡±


    ¡°Stop it.¡±


    ¡°Sorry,¡± Mathias apologized with complete sincerity. ¡°It¡¯s like stopping myself from breathing. A moment of inattention is enough.¡±


    ¡°You must learn self-mastery,¡± Kari replied as she closed her book. ¡°I have a new Side Quest.¡±


    ¡°Need help? What is it about?¡±


    ¡°I will need to leave Evermarsh for it,¡± she replied without giving him more information.


    Before the young man could push farther, a new message appeared on his Magik account. Albeit somewhat reluctantly since they were on vacation, Mathias took a look.


    Side Quest: One for All


    Difficulty: Dot Three


    Sponsor: Administrator


    A good team leader puts his men first, for his strength is that of the group. One rises only by lifting others up. Help Yoshikage fulfill her side quest.


    Rewards: Network Upgrade (1/3).


    So the Quest was linked to someone else¡¯s own goals? Interesting. The one out of three part raised his interest though. It seemed the threshold for power-ups increased with time.


    And that Dot Three rating? Even the deadly artifact mission had been of lower difficulty. ¡°Where do you need to go? I can go with you.¡±


    ¡°Later,¡± Kari said, rising to her feet and walking along the shore. Mathias watched her go, unable to do anything but wonder about the mysteries surrounding her.


    ¡°You sure know how to talk to girls, stud,¡± Ulysses commented, joining his friend under the umbrella. From his grouchy look, he must have lost the water battle. ¡°First my sis and trophy wife-in-training, now the Japanese girl¡­ you¡¯re getting awfully buddy buddy with a lot of girls. While as a man I would advise to do the irresponsible thing, as a brother I must warn you not to make the stupid choice, Stupid.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re overly mean to Samantha, Ulysses. She just lost her dad.¡±


    ¡°What, the trophy wife? Girl¡¯s got a long way ahead to improve, and what happened with her dad didn¡¯t change shit. It¡¯s not about you, you know? It¡¯s about appearances. About showing off boys like a hunting trophy, like she did with Jack.¡±


    ¡°And what about Maggie?¡± Mathias nudged him. ¡°You¡¯re still seeing her.¡±


    ¡°Not for long. The more I stay with her, the less I like her. She¡¯s not right in the head. And I¡¯m not right in the head, so that makes it double wrong. Besides, she¡¯s starting to get a bit too obsessed with you, it will end well.¡±


    Mathias laughed. ¡°Does she?¡±


    ¡°Not you, you.¡± Ulysses stared at him dead in the eyes. ¡°The you you¡¯re hiding from us.¡±


    It took Mathias all his willpower to keep a blank face, holding Ulysses¡¯ gaze. ¡°I don¡¯t understand.¡±


    ¡°Matt, I¡¯m your best friend, the Vader to your Palpatine. You don¡¯t have to hide your evil secrets from me.¡±


    ¡°I still don¡¯t understand,¡± Mathias held on to his lie.


    ¡°Do you want me to spell it out? I know you were at the chemical plant that night, Matt, and that you took part in whatever clusterfuck happened.¡±


    Mathias kept staring at him, his mind furiously racing to find a counter-argument. Eventually, however, he knew Ulysses would catch his lie as easily as before. ¡°Did Maggie tell you?¡±


    ¡°No. I guessed on my own.¡±


    ¡°How?¡±


    ¡°How? I remembered you vanished from the party soon before, and that you had been acting strangely for days before. I¡¯m sent into custody along with Maggie, and when we get out she keeps asking me questions on you when she could barely remember your name before. I put it all together and it clicked.¡±


    Mathias let the information sink in his mind. ¡°Why didn¡¯t you confront me beforehand?¡±


    ¡°Because I thought you would confess, because we¡¯re friends. Because you could trust me.¡±


    The cutting tone wounded Mathias deeply. ¡°I have been forbidden to reveal details,¡± the sorcerer replied. ¡°The fact you guessed makes it a very gray area.¡±


    ¡°Forbidden by who?¡±


    ¡°Can¡¯t say.¡±


    Ulysses narrowed his eyes in suspicion. The more he heard, the less he liked it. ¡°You¡¯re into some deep shady shit, aren¡¯t you, Matt?¡±


    ¡°Do you really want to know?¡± His best friend nodded deeply. Mathias glanced around, the others too far away to listen. ¡°I¡¯m magic.¡±


    ¡°Magic?¡±


    ¡°Magic.¡±


    ¡°Gandalf magic or creepy Lovecraft magic?¡±


    ¡°More like magic. There are rules behind it that I figure out over time. I can¡¯t tell you more on the pain of death.¡± Him guessing who he was already put them both in jeopardy.


    ¡°Shady deal with the devil magic, then. Wonderful. And the chemical plant fiasco?¡±


    ¡°Brown Sr. tried to summon a demon of some kind by sacrificing Maggie. I saved her life.¡±


    ¡°And the reason you didn¡¯t tell the authorities¡­?¡±


    ¡°Because I¡¯m planning to overthrow them.¡±


    Ulysses shook his head. ¡°Why?¡±


    ¡°Why didn¡¯t I tell you? I was forbidden, I told you¡ª ¡±


    ¡°No. Why? Why the hell? How could you ever possibly think becoming a criminal mastermind was a good idea?¡±


    ¡°When Mom died,¡± Mathias replied icily ¡°I thought of all people you would understand. You know me better than anyone.¡±


    ¡°Apparently not. And that¡¯s not an excuse. Dad left us for who knows where too, but I learned to live with it and make the best out of my life. You should do the same.¡±


    ¡°Moscow. Washington. London. Beijing. The Mecca. All of Russia and the whole Middle East!¡± Eyes turned at them as his tone kept rising. ¡°How many other countries did they wipe off the map?! How many people do they arrest and kill every day? We can¡¯t let them convince us this is normal, Ulysses. Someone has to do something.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s what you want to be remembered as? A terrorist¡ª¡±


    ¡°A freedom fighter,¡± he cut his friend off.


    ¡°A fighting for a lost cause? You think people will rise up, inspired by your example?¡± Ulysses shook his head. ¡°They won¡¯t, Matt.¡±


    ¡°They can.¡±


    ¡°They can¡¯t.¡± He pointed a finger at the skies, at the pale red moon in the azure sky. ¡°Mankind has lost. We lost.¡±


    ¡°Not until we give up.¡±


    ¡°The world gave up, Matt. People don¡¯t want to risk their life or spend their existence on the run. They want safety and peace of mind. They want the free home, the universal healthcare, and the cheap holo-tv programs. What do you think will happen if you take that turn? I will tell you what will happen.


    ¡°They¡¯re going to take you down, Matt.. And if they can¡¯t catch you, then they will escalate the fight. Instead of trying to arrest you, they will try to shoot you. Then they will shoot anyone who gets in the way. It¡¯s a vicious cycle, and it has to stop somewhere.¡±


    ¡°It will stop somewhere,¡± Shroud replied. ¡°When either Concordia or I are gone.¡±


    ¡°Do what you want with your life, buddy,¡± Ulysses replied with surprising coldness, looking at his sister, ¡°But don¡¯t involve Perse in this. What do you think they will do to her when they learn what you are? Offer her coffee? Or your dad for the matter?¡±


    Mathias clenched his fists. ¡°They¡¯ll never know.¡± His tone was weak; deep down, even he didn¡¯t believe it.


    ¡°If I could guess, they will. Deep down, you know I¡¯m right. If you were a lone wolf hiding in the swamps, if you didn¡¯t have anyone, then I could understand. Not endorse this, no, but I could understand. But you aren¡¯t alone. That¡¯s the trick, Matt. You hide in plain sight, among school kids, among friends and family. That¡¯s what I¡¯m angry about. You turned us into your shields, and one day someone is going to take a bullet for you.¡±


    Matt was at loss of words as Ulysses kept going. Never before had he seen his friend so angry, so disappointed, and brimming with fury.


    ¡°How do you think my sister will feel when you¡¯re going to get caught, or worse?¡± Ulysses paused. ¡°How do you think will feel when they catch you? When I turn on the news, and see your bullet-ridden corpse on the front page?¡±


    ¡°Unless you get to me first,¡± Mathias tried to joke, defuse the situation. His words sounded awkward, forced, and unconvincing.


    ¡°Maybe I should, you selfish prick.¡± His best friend gave him a glare that was both saddening and judgmental. ¡°I think you want to die, deep down. Something broke inside of you when your mom vanished, and it never healed.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t try to psychoanalyzing me, Ulysses. You¡¯re stepping on dangerous ground here.¡±


    ¡°Why would you throw away your life, and that of others, unless you don¡¯t respect life in the first place?¡±


    Mathias almost blurted out a retort, but the comeback died in his throat.


    ¡°Matt, do you even value what you have? My sister likes you, you¡¯ve got a loving father, you¡¯ve got a bright life, and you¡¯re smart enough to create life from raw data. You¡¯ve got all that talent, that magic ticket, and you¡¯re¡­¡± Ulysses struggled to find his words, his voice dying in his throat before bursting out. ¡°You¡¯re throwing it away! You¡¯ll die and drag everyone else down with you first!¡±


    The sorcerer faltered at the rant, and the tears at the edge of Ulysses¡¯ eyes. The sight shook him more than Kresnik¡¯s counterspell ever could. ¡°Ulysses¡ª¡±


    ¡°Shut up. I¡¯m not in the mood to hear you rationalize your behavior.¡± Ulysses wiped the tears off his eyes. ¡°Just shut up.¡±


    He did. They spent the next minutes in uncomfortable silence, just watching the sea.


    ¡°What happened with Ulysses?¡± Perse asked, putting her head against his shoulder. It felt so odd, her being so close to his skin. ¡°I can sense a five degree loss whenever I¡¯m between you two.¡±


    ¡°We argued.¡± The others had left to get ice creams, or find a nice spot to eat a snack. Only Kari remained nearby, looking at the sea like a woman possessed.


    ¡°About me? About us?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t want to talk about it.¡±


    ¡°About us.¡± She pouted. ¡°I told him not to interfere; that traitor.¡±


    ¡°He worries we won¡¯t work out,¡± Mathias gave a half-truth.


    ¡°Don¡¯t we? A little trust wouldn¡¯t kill him.¡±


    Mathias hesitated about his following words, before deciding to remain slightly evasive. ¡°If I told you I was a dangerous person, how would you react?¡± He noticed Kari tensing up at the words. Girl had sharp ears.


    ¡°I would say it¡¯s a turn-off. A huge turn-off.¡± She raised an eyebrow. ¡°Are you a dangerous person, Matt?¡±


    ¡°Just hypothetically,¡± he said, although she didn¡¯t buy it. ¡°If I was involved in dangerous activities that may one day backfire?¡±


    ¡°I see what you mean.¡±


    ¡°You do?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s about your artificial intelligence forays, right?¡± Thankfully, she had misunderstood the subject. ¡°That¡¯s the big project you¡¯ve been pursuing for a while, right? The one you wouldn¡¯t tell me about?¡±


    ¡°Yes, sort of.¡± He did cross a line with Scrooge.exe. ¡°How did you guess?¡±


    ¡°I heard Mom complain about the characters¡¯ behavior in the game. It was filled with bugs, according to her, but I knew better. You¡¯ve always been a programming wiz, so I figured it out; you experimented. Laid the groundwork for a greater project. After all the time you spoke of completing your mother¡¯s research, it made sense.¡±


    ¡°I succeeded.¡± Perse tightened her hold on him, whether out of tension or excitement he couldn¡¯t say. ¡°I can show you at my place, if you want. Concordia might jail me one day for it, though.¡±


    ¡°And blame everyone who knew about it, but didn¡¯t speak.¡±


    ¡°So, um¡­ Turn-off?¡±


    She hesitated. ¡°Matt, I¡­ I don¡¯t want to be that girl. The kind that tells you how to run your life. But I don¡¯t want to be known as Doctor Doom¡¯s ex-girlfriend either.¡±


    ¡°Or you¡¯re the Mary Jane to my Spider-Man. You¡¯ve got the hair.¡±


    ¡°Sorry, tiger, building an illegal artificial intelligence for science? With your issues about the government? No way you¡¯re not turning supervillain by the time you hit eighteen. You even got the tragic backstory halfway right.¡±


    Mathias grumbled, ¡°Alright.¡±


    ¡°But that¡¯s okay,¡± Perse tried to reassure him. ¡°You¡¯re going to be an amazing bad guy! The smart, smooth, calculating kind! The cool kind the audience secretly roots for!¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m trying to make a difference, not conquer the world.¡±


    Perse shrugged her shoulders. ¡°If you want to achieve the former, you have to go through the later, no? That¡¯s what supervillains are all about. Look at Grandmaster Wyrde. Conquering the universe with an army of dragons and robots so she can enforce her vision of peace. Quite grandiose, interstellar brutal dictatorship aside.¡±


    Thankfully, no Gearsman could hear them. Her rebellious side only made Matt like her more. ¡°I don¡¯t want to become like that insane reptile, ever.¡±


    ¡°Matt, think about it. If what Barth teaches us is halfway right, Concordia started out as three nobodies with a dream. How is it that she got as far as she did?¡±


    ¡°Power, resources, endless armies?¡±


    ¡°That came after. No, Matt, they succeeded because A: they never backed down, no matter the odds, and B: they were ready to do anything to achieve their ultimate goal. How many times did Lex Luthor or Doctor Doom conquer the world in comics, before the plot favored the heroes? In the real world, where the universe isn¡¯t on the side of the angels, the supervillains won. Period.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not sure I like that train of thought. That¡¯s a slippery slope.¡±


    Perse sighed. ¡°Matt, if you really want something, you have to put all your efforts into it. No half-measures. When I decided to start music I poured myself into it. When I decided to get you, and my best bud you had a crush on started liking you, did I back down? Nope, Matt.¡±


    That was what Mathias liked the most about her. Even if she made a show of it, she poured all her energies into whatever she did.


    ¡°So yeah,¡± Perse said, ¡°If you want to start a relationship, or a new project¡­ give it your all. I¡¯ll never blame you for it. In fact, I will cheer you on. Because Matt, with all that talent and drive of yours? If you really give your all, you will succeed.¡±


    ¡°Even if you don¡¯t like the project in question?¡±


    ¡°If I really don¡¯t like it, I will leave. But I will never blame you.¡±


    Mathias meditated on her words. ¡°No half-measures.¡±


    ¡°No half-measures,¡± she said, grinning like a cat. ¡°You remember that business idea I had, after we graduate?¡±


    ¡°The nightclub in Neo York?¡±


    ¡°The Hades Club. Nightlife¡¯s hottest place.¡± She extended her hands, as if writing the name on imaginary paper. ¡°I like to make other people happy. Especially if they pay attention to me. With a crowd watching me, Perse can do anything.¡±


    ¡°I could design some light shows,¡± Mathias replied. He had enough experience with holograms to.


    ¡°And Sam could take care of the day to day management. I¡¯m awful with numbers, and with her Institute candidacy unanswered, she seemed open to the idea. Maggie would give a wild side to the venture.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not sure I can join you though,¡± Mathias admitted.


    ¡°Why so?¡± she frowned.


    ¡°I got a new job opportunity.¡± If Magik counted as a job. ¡°The requests always differ, so I¡¯m not certain I could settle for the time being.¡±


    Before Perse could push for more information, Samantha and the rest of his friends returned from their errand with ice creams. ¡°I got chocolate and cranberry for you, Perse,¡± Sam said, sitting next to Matt with Maggie. Ulysses himself sat as far from Matt as humanly possible. ¡°Citrus for Matt.¡±


    ¡°Thanks,¡± Perse chirped upon grabbing her ice cream.


    ¡°I¡¯ve got a new idea for the Evermarsh Skulls,¡± Samantha kept going. ¡°I think we should record a holo-disc.¡±


    ¡°A holo-disc?¡± Perse bolted back up, surprising Mathias by the suddenness. ¡°How?¡±


    ¡°The Yellow Ministry offered me a job as a cultural liaison,¡± Samantha explained. ¡°They want to sponsor new Firman groups as part of their new cultural policy.¡±


    Maggie snorted. ¡°Don¡¯t sugarcoat it, Sam. They want us to make propaganda. Pretty sure they¡¯re going to put mind control lines in the lyrics.¡± S~ea??h the N?velFire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    ¡°Can¡¯t say until we have the contract in front of us, but perhaps it¡¯s best that I show you,¡± Samantha said, before looking inside her bag, bringing out a golden holo-disc. ¡°They sent me this.¡±


    Mathias rose back up and examined the disc. It was unusually high quality, made of the purest gold and various expensive materials. Whoever designed it had expensive tastes. The Yellow Dragon Skull, the symbol of the Yellow Ministry, stood at the center.


    ¡°Come on, open it.¡± Without waiting Samantha to do so, Perse clicked on the ministry¡¯s symbol.


    A hologram sprung from the machine, materializing as a dragon head. The creature¡¯s figure was lean, elegant, and streamlined, nothing like Smokefang¡¯s rugged and intimidating appearance. The dragon had golden scales, with the texture and glitter of the ore itself; his reptilian green eyes radiated not hostility, but happiness and charm. Had Mathias not hated his kind on a deep, personal level, he might have found the beast beautiful to look at.


    He did recognize the creature however, as did the others. Perse herself couldn¡¯t suppress a sound of surprise upon sight.


    The dragon¡¯s voice radiated warmth and cheerfulness, like a joyful friend on the phone. He spoke in Concordian common.


    One of the seven most powerful people in the Concordia empire, alongside the other five ministers and the Grandmaster herself. This reptile oversaw all cultural activities across the thousand worlds enslaved to the Empire, from concerts to architecture. He alone decreed what art should be authorized, and which ones should be banned.


    The dragon¡¯s giddiness seemed almost contagious.


    ¡°Holy shit!¡± Maggie cursed. ¡°You think¡­?¡±


    ¡°Off-world¡­¡± Perse put two hands on her face. ¡°No way¡­¡±


    ¡°Can you imagine?¡± Samantha grinned from ear to ear. ¡°We could perform on another planet!¡±


    the Golden Prince said, as the transmission reached its end. The holo-disc ended afterward, the golden head vanishing into light particles.


    ¡°Is it genuine?¡± Ulysses asked, doubtful. The Golden Prince didn¡¯t fit his conception of a dragon overlord. Truth to be told, neither did it fit Mathias¡¯.


    ¡°It¡¯s certified,¡± Samantha replied, brushing off his worries. ¡°We have to seize the chance. Now that¡­¡± She caught herself, a brief look of sadness flashing behind her smiling facade. ¡°Now that we have an opening for our band.¡±


    Mathias thought, sympathizing with her.


    ¡°We need a light engineer for a holo-disc,¡± Maggie caught on, her eyes set on Mathias with a glare. ¡°And he sounded more impressed by the light shows than the songs.¡±


    Mathias ignored her, his eyes instead meeting Kari¡¯s. The same thoughts had crossed both of their minds. he thought, focusing back on the conversation. ¡°I need to think¡ª ¡±


    ¡°Matt, if you say you need to think about it, I¡¯ll beat the fucking hell out of you!¡± Perse entered her no compromise mode, the death glare she sent him enough to spoil milk. A gun on his head would have felt safer. ¡°This is a lifetime opportunity! Don¡¯t even think about quitting!¡±


    ¡°Mathias, I know this is a big favor we ask of you,¡± Samantha said, far more diplomatically than her friend. ¡°But this is the break our group has been wishing for since day one. It would also open you a lot of doors for privileged jobs in the Empire.¡±


    , Mathias thought. Especially not for their propaganda department.


    Then again, Samantha wasn¡¯t wrong. If the Evermarsh Skulls lucked out and were selected, it would grant Shroud new opportunities to infiltrate the dragons¡¯ power structure.


    No half-measure. ¡°This once,¡± he said, the girls¡¯ faces beaming at his words. ¡°Just once.¡±


    Perse let go a shout, hugging him. ¡°I love you so much!¡±


    ¡°Thank you, Matt,¡± Samantha nodded at him, truly grateful. ¡°I will remember your kindness.¡± Maggie just grunted, unimpressed.


    ¡°We need costumes,¡± Perse said, letting go of Mathias, ¡°And practice! So much practice, we can¡¯t screw it up, we can¡¯t screw it up!¡± She fidgeted, full of excitement and energy.


    While the Evermarsh Skulls discussed how to deal with their presentation, Kari looked at Mathias. Both rose to their feet, and walked away to talk. Ulysses watched them with a bland, unreadable look on his face.


    ¡°Trap?¡± she asked Mathias, once out of earshot.


    ¡°No.¡± If they wanted his head they could have it without putting on an elaborate deception. A night arrest and they solved the matter. It sounded genuine. ¡°I didn¡¯t get any Quest to get along with it though.¡±


    ¡°I do not like it.¡±


    Neither did he, but it could open the path to Concordia. His thoughts shifted to another matter. ¡°Kari, do you have parents?¡±


    ¡°I one,¡± she replied. Her tone implied she wouldn¡¯t tell him more.


    ¡°A boyfriend, then?¡±


    ¡°No. Boys are distractions. Why these questions, Mathias-san?¡±


    ¡°I just wonder about all the people that will suffer if I get caught. If I¡¯m being selfish endangering them. I wondered if you had asked yourself the same question.¡±


    ¡°You could have asked directly.¡± She asked him the same question she did the first time they talked about alliance. ¡°Why do you fight?¡±


    ¡°Revenge,¡± he admitted. ¡°And, in a way, justice. I don¡¯t want any other kid losing their family like I did.¡±


    ¡°You Americans have a saying. The only thing needed for evil to triumph, is for good men to do nothing.¡±


    He meditated on the words. ¡°You imply my inaction will lead to greater suffering?¡±


    ¡°Concordia will never stop. They will burn more cities, ravage more worlds. Unity, order, those are words. Beneath the skin, it is greed. Grasping, bottomless greed. Dragons make hoards. That is their nature. People, gold, worlds¡­ nothing satisfies them. Many will suffer because of our actions, true. Many more will die because you failed to act in the face of great evil, Mathias-san.¡±


    Mathias nodded back, breathing hard and slow.


    No. He couldn¡¯t allow himself to doubt yet.


    Party Stats


    AccountNameShroudNetworkProgressHolderMathias MartelBroadcastUnlockedLevel1 (Novice)Grant SpellUnlockedAffinityBlueLocked Feature(0/3)LockNetworkLocked Feature(0/7)Spellcoins9Overlock(0/1)Installation...Please wait.........Spell CompendiumNameDotAffinityPremium Thoughts1BlueBlue World1BlueBerserk1GreenQuasar1RedGlass Field2Orange/BlueAccountNameYoshikageOversoulProgressHolderKari MatsumotoRememberUnlockedLevel1 (Novice)Channel SoulUnlockedAffinityYellowLocked Feature(0/3)LockOversoulLocked Feature(0/7)Spellcoins11Overlock(0/1)Spell CompendiumNameDotAffinityWallcraw1GreenPeak1GreenWard1YellowSpiritsight1YellowDoom Sense1YellowTimesense1Violet


    Spell of the Day


    Flux Sight


    Affinity: White


    Dot: 1


    Price: 3-5


    Activation: Active, App Switch.


    The user can perceive Flux variations in the ambient environment, including the unique energy signatures produced by people. The spell mostly works with sight, although it adapts to the user¡¯s other dominant senses.

 Chapter 16: Doomed Plans

    ¡°My apologies for the lateness,¡± Mathias said, as he closed the church¡¯s doors behind him. ¡°Family matters.¡±


    Mur sneered at his words, standing among the gargoyles, while Kari crossed her arms, her back against a pillar. ¡°Trouble?¡± she asked him.


    ¡°Maybe. I have a sort of job interview forced on me.¡± Dad¡¯s lobbying for his Institute membership had paid off. Mathias had been summoned to the Dynamis¡¯ HQ for an interview, although why that place he didn¡¯t understand. His eyes settled on Booz, who had sat near the church¡¯s pedestal. ¡°Thank you for joining us today. I hope you didn¡¯t have trouble finding this place.¡±


    ¡°As long as I make a profit out of it, I don''t care,¡± the hob replied. ¡°I set the protections in place.¡±


    Mathias had Glass Field negated when he had walked inside the church. With Concordia now aware of their existence, protecting the confidentiality of their meetings from magical intrusions seemed like a nice investment.


    He had sent messages to Maggie, asking her if she would like to come, only for her not to answer. He guessed she was practicing with the Evermarsh Skulls. He hoped her activities wouldn¡¯t interfere much with their own; Shroud needed more muscle.


    Sol cleared his throat, standing on the church¡¯s pedestal. ¡°My fellows, I wish to congratulate all of you for this mission, for we all deserve it.¡± His eyes set on Mur for a second, who replied by sticking out his tongue. ¡°We gave a powerful blow to Concordia by stealing that machine. Enough that Smokefang himself decided to pay us a visit.¡±


    ¡°Is the artifact secure?¡± Kari asked, sitting on a bench. She alone was aware of why they had recovered it, and she looked at Mathias¡¯ pristine hand with interest.


    ¡°I absorbed it during the fight,¡± Mathias admitted.


    ¡°Absorbed?¡± Sol raised an eyebrow.


    ¡°I dunno. Network interacted with it as expected, then the machine floated towards me and fused with me. It called me a terminal during the process.¡± The young man checking his Magik account. So far, he hadn¡¯t noticed any notable differences since the event, no new feature besides the increased paycheck¡ª


    Wait, no.


    He noticed new words on his main account, phantom words floating beneath his parameters.


    Modded feature installation¡­ please wait¡­


    Estimation: seven days, four hours, fifty-three minutes...


    ¡°You don¡¯t look any different,¡± Sol said, jolting Mathias out of his thought. Unfortunately, he couldn¡¯t reveal those changes in public without violating the privacy policy. ¡°Odd. I assume we have no expert on ancient magical machines among our friends?¡±


    ¡°I know one,¡± Booz said, drawing eyes on him. ¡°I was wondering about presenting him to you.¡±


    ¡°Wormson?¡± Mur let out a growl. ¡°That shifty, double-faced creature? Mur doesn¡¯t like him.¡±


    ¡°Mur doesn¡¯t like anyone,¡± Booz replied, the gargoyle letting out a growl. The merchant focused on Mathias, the only one who could pay him. ¡°He¡¯s a sorcerer too. Green, a Green.¡±


    Wormson? That was the name of the individual he had seen Booz deal with through Network. Another sorcerer unaffiliated with Concordia, and he didn¡¯t tell them?


    Booz must have read his mind from the look on his face; Mathias promised himself to work on that. ¡°You didn¡¯t ask, and I didn¡¯t trust you then. Not sure if you were a long-term client, or some stupid kid who would dig his own grave biting off more than he could chew.¡±


    ¡°I hope my money changed your mind,¡± Mathias replied.


    ¡°It did.¡± Booz¡¯s smirk reminded me of those old car salesmen. ¡°Wormson has a patron, a big player at the Midnight Market. If you must deal with him, you must deal with her, too.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t like what that implies,¡± Kari spoke up immediately, while Booz shrugged. ¡°Conditions.¡±


    ¡°She is a foe of Concordia. The kind of person you kids dream about growing up into. She¡¯s also looking for spellcasters to bolster her forces, and asked me to send them her way. If anything, I think she will indulge you just to gauge you.¡±


    Mathias wondered when this piece of information would come into play. ¡°I appreciate your honesty on the matter,¡± Especially since the hob could have kept that tidbit to himself.


    ¡°I¡¯m a professional. I serve all clients equally, and I don¡¯t favor any. I don¡¯t push agendas at the expense of one or the other. She is a powerful person, and for your own good, squishies, you should remain wary of her. I tell you because I think Wormson is the best bet you have for that engineering problem of yours.¡±


    ¡°Who is this patron?¡± Kari pushed, clearly skeptical.


    ¡°Can¡¯t say. She¡¯s very elusive and few meet her in person. Those who serve her call her the Shadow Queen.¡± S§×ar?h the NovelFire.net* website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Although he remained outwardly the very picture of stone silent, Mathias could see subtle microexpressions on Mur¡¯s grim face. A split second, a moment of recognition that lasted for but an instant.


    The Blue Sorcerer promised himself to look deeper into that later; calling out Mur before everyone else would only make him defensive.


    ¡°You said she opposes Concordia?¡± Sol asked. ¡°In what way?¡±


    ¡°Heard of Green Mandrake? The rebels that fought Concordia when they attacked their home sphere of Darkthorn?¡± Multiple nods answered Booz¡¯s question. ¡°She provided them with weapons and funds since day one, and from what I gathered, she evacuated the remnants off-world to continue the fight after the scalies crushed them.¡±


    ¡°Mmm¡­¡± From the way she acted, remaining in the shadows and supporting other groups, that woman sounded like a mastermind using proxies to do the dirty work. That presented both advantages and disadvantages: more leeway for the proxies, but she wouldn¡¯t mind sacrificing them to keep herself safe.


    Mathias looked at his allies. While Mur seemed curious, both Sol and Kari were apprehensive at meeting a force they didn¡¯t understand. Even one opposed to Concordia.


    The young man¡¯s thoughts turned to the future. Even if he could fund his small team for now, they remained that; a small team. The four of them could remain a thorn in the dragons¡¯ feet, but little else. Shroud needed fighters, allies, influence. He needed an army. If the Shadow Queen could help him with that, perhaps it was worth a shot meeting her.


    Yet the sorcerer remained wary to ally himself with someone who brought their own strings. For all he knew he could trade one interstellar master for another.


    So far, while he had had some success, Mathias had only reacted to circumstances and events, letting others dictate his course of action. He couldn¡¯t expel Concordia from Earth if he only played one move ahead without a grand strategy.


    ¡°What are the keys to Concordia¡¯s control of Earth?¡± Mathias asked everyone present. He had a fairly good idea but wanted to hear everyone¡¯s viewpoint.


    ¡°They have dragons?¡± Mur responded, as if stating the obvious.


    ¡°Fear,¡± Kari said. ¡°Fear and sorcery.¡±


    Sol took a moment to think, considering the question under various angles. ¡°The superweapon they put on the moon to deter rebellion, and the UB system running their infrastructures.¡±


    ¡°You got it all wrong, squishies. Think why they came here, besides dragon ego. Flux. Seven towers to harvest it, and the Gates to hold them. Remove their access to other worlds, cut off the juice, and you¡¯re set.¡± Booz scratched his small beard. The hob¡¯s answer was the most insightful so far. ¡°So long as they hold them they can bring as many troops and resources as needed. Control what comes in and out, and you rule the place.¡±


    ¡°What about the Towers?¡± Out of all the Concordian infrastructure, those were both the most visible and mysterious. Even Wyrmpedia had little to offer on them, compared to UBs and Gates.


    ¡°The Flux Towers come in seven colors around the world,¡± Sol spoke. ¡°The same color as the Concordian Ministries. Not a coincidence, I suppose?¡±


    ¡°No,¡± Surprisingly, Mur had wisdom to share. ¡°Sorcery is fueled by Flux energy, which itself comes in seven colors. The seven Neurotowers extract it, which the Concordians then steal. In awe of the power Flux granted them, the scalies themed their government after those colors. Their Ministers are extremely strong in each of their main color, too.¡±


    ¡°Extract from where? Our very planet?¡± Mur shrugged at Sol¡¯s question, and Mathias¡¯ Network didn¡¯t give him any information. The gargoyle had no idea. ¡°Did Concordia even build the towers? Their rising from the ground do coincide with their arrival.¡±


    ¡°Concordia do not build Flux Towers, they scavenge them,¡± Booz replied. ¡°Neurotowers exist all around the universe, including worlds unspoiled by Concordia. Yours activated on their own, bringing your dirty sphere to the doorstep of the Concordian Empire as a side-effect rather than an intent.¡±


    ¡°Then who built them?¡± Mathias asked. ¡°Some ancient civilization? Clearly they aren¡¯t of human origin, and neither was the artifact we found. And you imply they slumbered for a long while beneath our feet.¡±


    ¡°Gee, you think I have the answer to a mystery the greatest sorcerers couldn¡¯t crack?¡± Booz snorted in annoyance. ¡°All I know is that the towers are the source of magic on your tiny rock; their energy powers the spells that you use. If anything, you should know more than I do.¡±


    ¡°Why those questions, Mathias?¡± Sol asked. ¡°Did an idea cross your mind?¡±


    It did. Network provided him an insightful picture of the situation, how the whole Concordia occupation of Earth worked. Mathias thought about situations paralleling their own, a smaller state facing a superpower. The Vietnam War, Afghanistan ¡ª twice ¡ª even Ukraine before Concordia¡¯s assault cut that one short.


    The recipe was always the same; support from the locals, use of the terrain to gain an advantage, a war of attrition¡­ and support from rival powers.


    ¡°The main line of defense of Concordia on Earth are their UBs,¡± Mathias said. ¡°Universal Brains are techno-organic computers created after Concordia¡¯s central artificial intelligence Manus went bonkers. Their network administers the Arc-Cities, space ports, interdimensional portals, and most Gearsmen. Each UB is a single neuron of a giant brain that spans the entire empire.¡±


    ¡°How do you know that?¡± Mur snorted, doubtful.


    He didn¡¯t. Network allowed him to intuit it. The battle with the Gearsmen had shown they shared a common intelligence, alongside techno-organic elements. Combined with the few elements publicly available on UBs, Mathias had enough to map out the system. ¡°I know. The question is, what do we do with them?¡±


    ¡°Eat them.¡± Mur¡¯s flat tone made Mathias unsure if he was joking or not.


    Holy, shit, he wasn¡¯t!


    ¡°We could capture one and study it,¡± Unlike his fellow, Sol hadn¡¯t bothered to hide his disgust at Mur¡¯s suggestion. ¡°A captive UB would give us insight into Concordia¡¯s core intelligence. Especially if your Network can work on them.¡±


    ¡°My thoughts exactly. Smokefang set one UB in the Arc-City nearby, which will be our next target. The first of our campaign. Concordia relies on its infrastructures: UBs, Towers, Gates, and Damocles, to rule. By disrupting one after the other, we will weaken them enough that a strong push could topple them.¡±


    ¡°Mur says you forget one big problem. Take this world from them, and they will send a fleet to retake it. Bigger than the one that put your North Hemisphere on fire last time. The scalies believe they have a duty to unite all worlds, everywhere, under them. They call it the Dragon Mandate. If it exists on paper, Mur has yet to wipe his ass with it. They never to give up a prize, ever. They will spare no expense, because it¡¯s not about resources. It¡¯s about .¡±


    The more he thought of it, the more the answer to the dilemma became clearer. ¡°We need off-world allies,¡± Mathias decided. Other powers had managed to remain outside of Concordia¡¯s domination. If they could play one against the other...


    ¡°The closest one is Lord Revel¡¯s Arcadia, but you squishies will want Concordia back after a week of his arrival,¡± Booz warned. ¡°Dragons are greedy, but Revel is .¡±


    That limited their choices. At least the Shadow Queen had supported a rebel movement not so different from theirs. ¡°If the Shadow Queen can help us take down the infrastructure holding the occupation together, then it may be worth meeting her,¡± Mathias decided. ¡°Whether we work out a deal or not.¡±


    ¡°I will arrange a meeting,¡± Booz said. ¡°Anything else? Time is money.¡±


    ¡°Yes,¡± Mathias said. ¡°I need a personal, handheld weapon.¡±


    Booz laughed. ¡°Why? You¡¯re an all-powerful wizard. Pretty sure your spells kill better than Red Flux Guns.¡±


    ¡°That is exactly the problem. I rely entirely on my powers; as considerable as they are, I faced at least one enemy which could counter them. Without my power, I am no longer an all-powerful wizard. A weapon would even the odds.¡±


    ¡°Unless you¡¯re taking on Gearsmen, a Red Flux Rifle would help in nay, any situation.¡±


    ¡°Nice, but I would prefer weapons that do not rely entirely on Flux.¡± If that energy powered his spells, and Kresnik could counter them, then perhaps his barrier protected him from those shots. It had protected him from Kari¡¯s claws and Sol¡¯s sword. A Counterspell might also cause the weapon to misfire.


    All in all, in spite of his immense power and resilience, Smokefang at least left Shroud the ability to fight back. Kresnik could disable him with a word, and was hence the greater danger. ¡°Also, I need a long-range weapon. Nothing like a spear or such.¡±


    ¡°Very specific. Got a target in mind?¡±


    ¡°A white werewolf immune to magical effects.¡±


    ¡°Kresnik,¡± Mur clarified.


    Booz paused at the description. ¡°You¡¯re hunting John Kresnik? Big fat target.¡±


    ¡°You know of him?¡±


    ¡°Can¡¯t count the number of colleagues he caught and sent to Electon. Wolfie¡¯s got a sharp nose for criminals, and he¡¯s nigh impossible to fight off one-on-one. Especially if you¡¯re a magic user. He¡¯s a White Dot Three.¡±


    ¡°Meaning?¡±


    ¡°Means he¡¯s an experienced sorcerer in the use of White Magic, which enhances or disables spells. Unless you¡¯re a stronger magician or have a powerful Lock, he counters every magic you can throw at him. No offense, he took on bigger fishes than you and he¡¯s still kicking. Mur here can tell you that.¡±


    ¡°Mur sent him flying to his dog house,¡± the gargoyle boasted.


    ¡°You seemed to know him,¡± Mathias pointed out.


    ¡°We survived a few run-ins with him,¡± Booz said. ¡°Kresnik hunts like a rabid dog until he catches you. We are the few who managed to slip through the cracks, and I intend to keep at it.¡±


    ¡°He must have a weakness. Money, emotional¡­¡±


    ¡°Nah. He¡¯s everything Concordia wants in a citizen: no life outside of duty, incorruptible, smarts and power aplenty.¡±


    ¡°Can silver bullets get past his barriers? He¡¯s a werewolf right?¡±


    Booz laughed. Apparently, werewolf movies had it all wrong. ¡°Nah, ¡®cause his spells are unrelated to his innate biology. Can see why you would rather avoid close combat though. He¡¯s tough and skilled.¡±


    ¡°He dispelled your spell,¡± Mur complained. ¡°I hoped for more.¡±


    ¡°He didn¡¯t,¡± Mathias countered. ¡°Not fully. I still had access to your Network feed and the Berserk spell was still assigned to you. He disabled Berserk, but not your ability to cast it.¡±


    Mur considered the news. Apparently, he hadn¡¯t thought of recasting the spell in the heat of the melee after Kresnik disabled it. ¡°Mur will kill him for good next time.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll look into my stash,¡± Booz said. ¡°Your best bet is a Orichalcos weapon, from Oceanis. Those are laced with strong magic, perhaps enough to hurt Kresnik. Orichalcos is very hard to gather, so you¡¯ll need a custom order.¡±


    ¡°How much will it cost?¡± Mathias pushed.


    ¡°A lot,¡± Booz replied with a grin. ¡°Give me time.¡±


    ¡°Then that¡¯s it. Everyone else, we gather all we can on the Arc-City nearby. Entry points, weaknesses, defenses, anything that can help us take the UB. I say we meet in one week here. Same hour?¡±


    ¡°Sure thing, boss,¡± Mur replied, his tone heavy with mockery. The others simply nodded.


    ¡°Then one last thing. I hope we don¡¯t get there, but prepare to leave Evermarsh on short notice.¡±


    This did not bode well with Sol, who tensed. ¡°Leave Evermarsh?¡±


    ¡°Got attached to this muddy hole?¡± Mur taunted him.


    ¡°Yes, I did.¡± The priest¡¯s eyes settled on Mathias next. ¡°Some have families there.¡±


    Mathias felt Kari¡¯s gaze on him too, guessing he shared conflicting sentiments. He had to show a strong front.


    ¡°Our goal is to release Earth itself,¡± this time Shroud spoke, not Mathias. ¡°This is a great sacrifice that I ask to some of you. That I agree. Understand, however, that the foe we face covers our entire planet. We will have to move, to fight overseas, even outside our atmosphere. You will be asked to forge alliances with other enemies of Concordia so we can supply our people with weapons; to take the fight back to Imperial dominions across the stars; and to spread the gospel of revolution on Earth. The next phase of our strategy requires complete focus from all of you.¡±


    He took a deep, deep breath. ¡°Also, with our last stunt, Concordia is on our case, and they have a long reach. There may come a moment when they identify one of us, and the rest will follow. After what we did to Smokefang, they will offer no quarter.¡±


    The grim silence that followed was answer enough.


    Kari and Mathias left the church soon after. ¡°You¡¯re growing better at it,¡± she said as they closed the door behind.


    ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°Leading. You sounded more decisive. Confident.¡±


    Surviving a fight with dragons helped with the self-esteem. He wondered if it had had an impact on his relationship with Perse. ¡°I sense a ¡®but¡¯ coming,¡±


    ¡°They sensed your hesitation,¡± his fellow player said. ¡°About leaving. You are still not one hundred percent committed. Until you are, neither will they.¡±


    Mathias fell silent. True, in spite of his own pitch, he himself hoped it wouldn¡¯t come to that. Dad wouldn¡¯t leave Evermarsh without a very good reason, and he had friends there. A job. A girlfriend. Leaving¡­ would be tough.


    Mathias pushed back those thoughts, trying to focus on the future. ¡°Up for filling a new Quest after my interview? We¡¯ll need a lot more spells to assault a fortified city.¡±


    ¡°Sam asked me to help with some things,¡± Kari turned down his offer politely.


    Too bad. He would have liked some back-up. Perhaps he could find an easy quest that did not involve stealing a protected artifact?


    As if to answer his thoughts, a familiar sound echoed in his mind, one he had grown fond of. Opening the Magik browser, Mathias checked his message, one sitting at the top.


    Major Update!


    Sender: the Administrator


    Mathias exchanged a knowing glance with Kari. ¡°You got it too?¡± He clicked after she nodded, reading.


    Mathias¡¯ heartbeat accelerated, as he immediately checked his main interface. A new icon had appeared right next to his Spellcoins wallet, a golden button with the word ¡°Level-Up!¡± written there. With a click, blue text materialized in front of him.


    Level-Up


    Next level: Dot Two, Adept.


    Conditions to Level-Up:


    Complete Three Dot Two or higher difficulty Quests (?).


    Complete One Side-Quest (complete)


    ¡°More questions,¡± Kari spoke, less enthusiastic than him, ¡°And so little answers. They know more about us than we do them.¡±


    ¡°I can understand the secrecy. The destruction of Magik would spell the end of the best weapon against Concordia, while your end means they must find a new team.¡± Cold, but pragmatic. ¡°How many main Dot Two Quests did you fulfill?¡±


    ¡°Two.¡±


    Meaning they could level-up with the next quest, before assaulting the Arc City. A question did bug him though. ¡°Why not grant us access to the full arsenal, or make us pay for spells?¡± he wondered out loud. ¡°More options would make the fight easier.¡±


    ¡°They do not produce the Spellcoins that power the website,¡± Kari pointed out. ¡°The Sponsors do.¡±


    Mathias wondered what kind of entities could turn digital currency into spells. Certainly nothing human. He moved to the Quest Board next, checking the new quests available.


    The Player expected three, perhaps four new Quests.


    He found waiting on the board.


    They came with various difficulty levels, noted next to the title. New symbols followed the request, such as jackal heads, glass peacocks or lotus flowers; each representing a sponsor, he guessed. Mathias first checked one of the new, easy Dot One quests.


    Send the Dead back to Death


    Difficulty: Dot One.


    Sponsor: Jackal Mummy.


    The Undead are a plague that followed Concordia to Earth, disrupting the cycle of nature. I wish them gone. Eliminate at least ten undead and allow them their final rest.


    Reward: Four Spellcoins.


    Ten undead? He didn¡¯t even know where to find one!


    The Temple Restored


    Difficulty: Dot One


    Sponsor: Her August Majesty


    The dragons¡¯ disregard for ancient traditions insulted our honor and violated our most honored cultural taboos. Restore the imperial shrine in the emperor of Japan¡¯s house and hold prayers there for one hundred and eight consecutive days.


    Reward: Four Spellcoins + Her August Majesty¡¯s personal favor.


    Mathias thought it was like a linear JRPG, when it had been an open world game all along.


    Easy money sounded nice, but he needed Dot Two or more to level-up. He checked the more difficult proposals.


    Tinker Tinker


    Difficulty: Dot Two


    Sponsor: Misunderstood Genius


    I want to examine how Gearsmen work to create better golems, and smashed up remains won¡¯t cut it. Infiltrate Concordian factories, take a picture of Gearsmen schematics, and post them on Magik.


    Reward: Six Spellcoins (Level Up).


    Nice. Strange, but nice. Then ¡ª then¡­ he found a title that caught his interest.


    Dragonslayer


    Difficulty: Dot Two


    Sponsor: Romulus


    In spite of our patronage, a worthy hero has yet to prove his mettle by slaying a dragon. Correct that.


    Kill a dragon, and teach them fear.


    Reward: Nine Spellcoins (Level Up).


    Mathias reread the text, a smirk on his face. ¡°Challenge accepted,¡± he said, ¡°Smokefang¡¯s days are numbered.¡±


    Kari didn¡¯t share his enthusiasm. She looked distant and thoughtful¡­ Well, more distant than usual. ¡°What is it?¡± he asked her.


    ¡°My Doom Sense is acting up.¡± Mathias raised an eyebrow. ¡°A Yellow Spell. It allows me to sense lethal threats.¡±


    He should have looked more deeply in his opposite colors¡¯ available spells. ¡°How close is it?¡± Was it linked to her own Side Quest?


    ¡°Not immediate¡­ I can¡¯t quite explain, it¡¯s diffuse,¡± a frown deepened on her face, ¡°Be careful, Mathias-san. There is danger ahead.¡±


    Party Stats


    AccountNameShroudNetworkProgressHolderMathias MartelBroadcastUnlockedLevel1 (Novice)Grant SpellUnlockedAffinityBlueLocked Feature(0/3)LockNetworkLocked Feature(0/7)Spellcoins9Overlock(0/1)Installation...Please wait...Debug.....Spell CompendiumNameDotAffinityPremium Thoughts1BlueBlue World1BlueBerserk1GreenQuasar1RedGlass Field2Orange/BlueAccountNameYoshikageOversoulProgressHolderKari MatsumotoRememberUnlockedLevel1 (Novice)Channel SoulUnlockedAffinityYellowLocked Feature(0/3)LockOversoulLocked Feature(0/7)Spellcoins11Overlock(0/1)Spell CompendiumNameDotAffinityWallcraw1GreenPeak1GreenWard1YellowSpiritsight1YellowDoom Sense1YellowTimesense1Violet


    Spell of the Day


    Pathfinder


    Affinity: Violet


    Dot: 1


    Price: 3-5


    Activation: Passive, App Switch.


    The user can geolocate any place they have been before with perfect accuracy, becoming a living GPS.

 Chapter 17: DLC: The Day it all came down

    Whatever monster he may have been, Perse had to admit the late Mayor Brown had great taste in art.


    ¡°This is a statue of the Aztec God Tezcatlipoca,¡± Samantha explained, showing her off a stone representation of a humanoid jaguar. The precision astonished Perse. Each claw, each fang, had benefited from exquisite, masterful attention to detail. As if the sculptor had stood before the deity as if it was real. ¡°Stolen by the Conquistadors during the conquest of Mexico. My great-grandfather brought it back from Europe after the first World War.¡±


    She wore a new golden dress with a blue rose above the left breast, and was wearing a new brand of perfume. Perse was slightly jealous at how amazing she looked. So pristine, so pure. Like an angel.


    ¡°Still surprised the scalies didn¡¯t confiscate everything,¡± Maggie said as she walked next to the duo, her hands behind her head. In contrast to Perse and Sam¡¯s keen fashion sense, she always dressed with whatever came to mind.


    Sam bristled at that. ¡°Don¡¯t call them that.¡± Even after they released her, she had confessed to Perse she still worried about being under surveillance. ¡°They froze most of Dad¡¯s assets, and my employees left. I can no longer pay them even if they wanted to return.¡±


    ¡°So you¡¯re all alone there?¡± Perse asked. Such a big place without anyone¡­


    ¡°No. Not alone. Not anymore.¡± Samantha smiled at her friends. ¡°Kari is extending her stay now.¡±


    ¡°Where is she, by the way?¡± Perse prodded, fearing the answer.


    ¡°Occupying Matt, as agreed,¡± Sam replied. ¡°We have two good hours ahead of us.¡±


    Perse didn¡¯t like it. Kari looked a bit too close to Matt for her liking. She had seen them exchange glances, as if communicating without talking, the same way old friends did.


    Unfortunately, her friends quickly caught on to her thoughts. ¡°Maybe I should poach Matt too,¡± Maggie teased Perse. ¡°He¡¯s got a lot more social value now.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t you dare, Maggie,¡± Perse warned her. ¡°Mine.¡±


    ¡°Relax, Little P, girl code comes first.¡±


    ¡°Aren¡¯t you dating Perse¡¯s brother?¡± Sam pushed.


    Maggie grumbled, ¡°Big mistake. He¡¯s grown sour and dull, and it¡¯s getting on my nerves. I didn¡¯t sign on for that.¡±


    Perse let out a sigh. Her brother always found a way to fail the amazing girls she set him up with. ¡°I swear, he¡¯s going to end up alone for the prom.¡±


    ¡°Maybe he should date Sam instead,¡± Maggie replied, hitting the blonde¡¯s elbrow.


    ¡°Maggie!¡± Perse crossed her arms at her insensitivity. ¡°She just lost Jack, that¡¯s too soon.¡±


    Maggie¡¯s face turned dark at her brother¡¯s mention. Perse thought. Shouldn¡¯t she have been mourning her missing brother?


    ¡°It¡¯s okay,¡± Sam replied. ¡°Truthfully, we weren¡¯t that close. We never went further than making-out.¡±


    ¡°Really?¡± Perse could hardly believe it. But they had been together for months! ¡°You didn¡¯t¡­¡±


    ¡°We didn¡¯t. I tried but, he never showed interest in that. I had to make the first move at every turn. I don¡¯t think he was into displays of affection, or affection at all.¡±


    ¡°My brother was an asshole,¡± Maggie spat with venom.


    ¡°That¡¯s harsh,¡± Sam said, although not with much feeling, ¡°Let¡¯s not speak ill of a missing person.¡±


    Maggie looked ready to blurt out something angry, only to restrain herself. ¡°Whatever. You would be better off with Perse¡¯s brother. He¡¯s halfway decent.¡±


    Feeling the conversation had taken a dark turn, Perse tried to move it towards more positivity. ¡°Sam, is the cake ready?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s in still in the oven,¡± she replied, glancing through a window to the garden outside. Ulysses and Perse¡¯s mom had almost finished putting up the table outside in the garden. While her brother had accepted to come and help, he looked sourer than usual.


    Whatever the hell happened between him and Matt, she hoped today would help mend the rift.


    ¡°You sure we shouldn¡¯t have invited more people?¡± Samantha asked. For her the few participants present at the party looked like a failed party.


    ¡°Sure. Matt prefers family or small gatherings.¡± He was adorably shy that way. The ringbell interrupted the conversation, Samantha moving to open the door without checking who it was. As a consummate organizer, she had monitored every participant to ensure they did their task; she had probably guessed who it was on the planning alone.


    ¡°Hello girls.¡± Mathias¡¯ dad stepped inside ¡ª or was it new stepdad? Perse wasn¡¯t so sure what to call him now. He carried bags full of drinks and snacks. ¡°I see that everything went well, Samantha.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re right on time, Mr. Martel. Only Gavin and Mr. Nicholae have yet to show up.¡±


    ¡°Solomon will come later. He told me on the phone he had a problem guest staying at his church and needed to accommodate him.¡± Maggie¡¯s head perked up at it, before picking up one of Victor¡¯s bag to help him. ¡°Thank you.¡±


    ¡°He doesn¡¯t suspect a thing?¡± Perse asked Victor.


    He answered with a laugh. ¡°No. I can¡¯t believe my son forgot his own birthday. His eighteenth at that.¡±


    Perse wasn¡¯t surprised. Matt his the head in the clouds lately, with too much on his mind.


    He should have tried something special for the occasion, though. Perse¡¯s own party four months ago had been an epic, blazing trail of drunken revelry across Evermarsh ¡ª even Ulysses and Matt had been pulled into the maelstrom. A special day like that meant playing harder than usual.


    Perse thought. People often thought otherwise, since he acted more mature than her. Acting being the keyword ¡ª while Perse could be scatterbrained sometimes, she wanted to enjoy her youth for as long as possible.


    She would have to play adult enough after graduation. ¡°Sam, since we have time to kill, perhaps you could show us that new room of yours?¡± Her friend had pestered her with plans of redecoration for weeks.


    ¡°With pleasure!¡± Sam smiled, her hand grabbing her friend¡¯s arm.


    ¡°I¡¯ll pass,¡± Maggie said as Mathias¡¯ dad opened the large window to join the others in the garden. ¡°I would rather be outdoors.¡± None of the girls tried to argue with Maggie; she was too stubborn


    Perse looked on as her mom welcomed Mathias¡¯ dad with a kiss on the mouth, smiling like a teenage girl. The sight filled her heart with conflicted feelings; happiness at her mom trying to rebuild her life, sadness at having not seen her real dad for years, and a slight dash of a strange, bizarre anxiety she could not quite explain. Perse wondered if children dating at the same time as their parents was a common occurrence.


    Samantha looked at the couple too, but with decidedly less warmth. With renewed tension, she led her friend past an hallway and towards exquisite wooden stairs.


    ¡°Thanks for letting us use your house,¡± Perse thanked her best friend, as they climbed to the floor above. Her own place was too small to welcome a dozen people.


    ¡°After the favor Matt showed us, I had to respond in kind.¡± The first floor of the house held various paintings, mostly in the Renaissance style. Many of them represented angels, demons, and apocalyptic imagery. More of a fan of abstract art, Perse didn¡¯t like them. ¡°How odd we ended up growing closer. Not to criticize him, but I always saw Matt as your quiet, strange friend. I never really paid attention to him before.¡±


    Thankfully, or else she would have noticed his crush on her sooner. Perse had learned her lesson; seize the initiative whenever possible. ¡°He never made an effort to stand out much.¡± Attention made Matt uncomfortable, unless he played a role. Then he shined brightly. Perse guessed a part of him yearned to be a different person, one that could express deep feelings he couldn¡¯t show under normal circumstances.


    She wasn¡¯t so different herself. In fact, she had been as quiet as her boyfriend when she had been in grad school. It was only through effort that she came out of her shell. ¡°It takes time to realize that people often like what you have to say,¡± she declared.


    Samantha¡¯s smile didn¡¯t reach her lips. Like it was photoshopped. ¡°I understand.¡±


    ¡°Stop that.¡±


    Sam¡¯s fake smile broke. ¡°Understanding?¡±


    ¡°Faking it. If you don¡¯t find it funny or don¡¯t understand you don¡¯t have to lie.¡±


    Samantha kept her face fixed. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, I do it on reflex now.¡± Perse figured her asshole of a dad had drilled the need to appear impeccable in any circumstance. ¡°I didn¡¯t understand."


    ¡°When you¡¯re shy, you think everyone will put down what you have to say. Because you think you¡¯re not interesting, and so neither is what you say. It takes effort to convince yourself otherwise.¡±


    ¡°Aren¡¯t we all interesting in our own way?¡± Perse could tell Samantha had grown uncomfortable with the subject. ¡°Does Ulysses play chess? I have a game in storage.¡±


    ¡°Ulysses does play online. Matt is more fond of go.¡±


    ¡°I know, he told me. I do not understand why though. I thought since he enjoyed tactical games, he would like chess.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s because go is like guerilla warfare, while chess is like traditional warfare.¡± Seeing Samantha fully absorbed in her explanation, Perse kept going. Her friend¡¯s fondness for strategy games bordered on obsession sometimes. ¡°Chess is offensive, fast-paced, tactical, and attrition-based. Go is more strategic, more long-term. It¡¯s all about controlling territory, subtly encircling the enemy, and then moving in for a devastating offensive the opponent cannot recover from. I think Matt likes that way of thinking more than the traditional approach.¡±


    And it showed in the games he designed. Fucking goblin ambushes.


    Samantha smiled, genuinely this time. ¡°You sound like a strategy book.¡±


    ¡°I can¡¯t let my boyfriend win too much, can I?¡± So far victories were two to one in Matt¡¯s favor, but Perse had gained ground. ¡°Although I prefer playing Poker.¡±


    ¡°Poker? It has nothing to do with table games.¡±


    ¡°Of course it does. It¡¯s tactical, psychological. You have to manage your funds, anticipate the enemy...¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s not a strategy game if luck is involved,¡± Samantha insisted. She sounded like those internet purists on forums, decrying others over details. The contrast between her mature voice and behavior was adorable.


    ¡°Of course it is, that¡¯s the whole point. I mean, life is so chaotic, with so many unexpected events. You can¡¯t control everything, and that¡¯s what makes it great.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t like the idea.¡± Samantha stopped before her bedroom¡¯s large mahogany door. ¡°Not knowing what comes next.¡±


    ¡°Then why are you so interested anytime you notice something new?¡±


    While Samantha didn¡¯t answer, Perse knew her well. Her body language told her she had struck a nerve.


    As Samantha opened the door and invited her friend in, Perse couldn¡¯t shake a strange feeling of wrongness. The musician prided herself in her intuition, which had never let her down, and right now she couldn¡¯t put a finger on that gnawing, ever-present feeling in the back of his mind.


    Samantha¡¯s bedroom was, fitting with the rest of the place, a princess¡¯ cherished retreat. Most of Perse¡¯s apartment could fit inside. The bed was king-sized, the place perfumed and clean, and multiple portraits of butterflies adorned the walls. Closed velvet curtains gave the room a transgressive, sensual feel, far away from Sam¡¯s idealized image of purity.


    ¡°Why all the butterfly imagery?¡± Perse asked, her eyes settling on Samantha¡¯s brooch among her golden hair.


    ¡°Butterflies start weak and helpless. They are constrained by their very nature, until one day they undergo a metamorphosis. Then they take beautiful flight; they become beautiful, if only for a short time. I find the image powerful.¡±


    And Perse had thought she just liked the aesthetic. Sometimes she had the feeling she didn¡¯t really know Sam very well. ¡°Kinda stands out compared to the paintings before.¡±


    ¡°Dad¡¯s. He had grown obsessed with angels and demons months ago.¡±


    Had it inspired his madness, or had it been a symptom? Perse didn¡¯t know. ¡°Why do you keep them?¡±


    ¡°Because that¡¯s all I have left of him.¡±


    ¡°Sam, your father was a monster. No good can come out of keeping reminders of him.¡±


    ¡°I know!¡± Her voice broke a little. ¡°But he was still Dad.¡±


    Perse didn¡¯t push further. While her friend presented an air of calmness, she knew she was boiling inside.


    Samantha turned around to face her friend, her eyes lingering on her makeup. Without a word, she let her fingers brush against Perse¡¯s dress. ¡°You dressed so well for him.¡± Samantha stared at her friend dead in the eyes. ¡°Like a birthday present.¡±


    Was that sadness in her voice? Sadness that Perse had made the first move? No, it was something else, something deeper.


    Jealousy.


    ¡°Sam.¡± Perse slowly pushed her friend back. ¡°Sam, are you alright?¡±


    ¡°What do you have that I don¡¯t?¡±


    The tone alone made Perse take a step back, as if she had been slapped. Sam had daggers in her eyes.


    ¡°You¡¯re self-centered and whimsy. Pursuing one person and then dropping them for another within a week. So why do you get to have a happy boyfriend while my entire life crashes and burns?¡±


    The words hit Perse like a knife in the back.


    Then, much to her astonishment, Samantha started sobbing. She fell on the bed, holding her face with both hands, looking destroyed. Samantha Brown, the girl who once had had everything, was crying.


    ¡°Why does everyone like you without you doing anything to deserve it? You¡¯re loud and brash, and still everyone looks at you! While I try so hard and still feel miserable¡­¡±


    Perse thought, trying to maintain emotional distance.


    Perse¡¯s composure almost failed her when Sam looked at her with bitter, undying resentment. ¡°Why do you have a family left? Why?¡± All of that practiced pristine had crumbled, revealing the envy and rage boiling underneath. Her shadow, the ugliest part of herself, spoke through her lips.


    It hurt, a lot. Especially since Perse had done nothing to deserve those accusations. She had suspected Sam had issues, but could never break through her friend¡¯s armor; now it had crumbled, and it was an ugly sight. ¡°Sam¡ª¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t talk.¡±


    ¡°My parents divorced while I was still in grade school,¡± Perse replied, her tone firmer and calmer. ¡°I can¡¯t pretend the situations are similar, but I know how losing part of your family feels. It¡¯s like losing a foundation you based your life upon. You feel rage and anger, and you try to vent it out however you can. Music was that escape for me.¡±


    Samantha replied with a glare. ¡°I always hated you,¡± she said, her voice dripping with venom. ¡°Always upstaging me.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t think so,¡± Perse replied. ¡°I think you hated yourself.¡±


    ¡°Hated myself?¡± Instead of envy, anger had come to the forefront. But it still jolted Samantha out of her self-pity.


    ¡°I never got the feeling you did anything because you actually enjoyed it. It was always one-upping someone else. Always for show. You never lived for yourself, Sam. You just put on a performance for others, especially your father. That¡¯s why you feel miserable; because I remind you of that fact.¡±


    Perhaps Samantha had already came to the same conclusion before; whatever the case, Perse¡¯s words resonated with her, the girl stopping to glare at her fellow bandmate to look at her feet, despondent.


    ¡°Sam.¡± Perse sat at Samantha¡¯s side, making the blonde girl tremble at the physical proximity. ¡°You¡¯ve got amazing talent, more than I have. You¡¯re so smart, and you¡¯ve got wonderful opportunities ahead of you. Just¡­ be genuine. Try to show everyone the real you, even the ugly parts. Like now. You don¡¯t have to smile all the time.¡±


    ¡°But father¡ª¡±


    ¡°Is gone! And I¡¯m sorry to say it, but he had it coming. You don¡¯t have to prove anything to that asshole, ever again. Start being genuine, Sam. It really does wonders, and I tell that to you as a friend.¡±


    Sam raised her head. ¡°Even after what I said, you still consider me a friend?¡±


    ¡°Eh, it¡¯s okay. After so much drama in my relationships, I learned a little wisdom from it. I just don¡¯t show it often.¡± She winked at Sam. ¡°Promise me you will talk to me about your problems next time, instead of bottling it up, and we¡¯re good.¡±


    ¡°I¡­ I will try.¡± She wiped some tears off her face. ¡°I¡¯m sorry. About what I said.¡± Perse let her continue, muting out her desire to talk back to go into full understanding listener mode. ¡°I¡­ I¡¯ve been horrible. You¡¯ve always supported me, and I¡¯ve been ungrateful about it. That¡¯s low.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s okay. Now if you had done that two months ago I would be really, really pissed, but I¡¯m in a good place right now.¡±


    Someone coughed at the door, interrupting the heartfelt moment. ¡°Ahem.¡± Victor waited at the bedroom¡¯s entrance. ¡°Am I interrupting?¡±


    ¡°No,¡± Perse replied, standing up alongside Sam. The latter had regained her composure, although her tears had damaged her make-up a little. ¡°We¡¯re done.¡±


    Victor looked at both of them, yet didn¡¯t ask for an elaboration. ¡°Your boyfriend is waiting downstairs, Samantha.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t have a boyfriend.¡± Samantha paused, a doubt settling in her mind. ¡°Wait, who is it?¡±


    Perse had guessed before Victor confirmed it.


    ¡°Jack. Jack Powells. Very polite and cheerful for a missing person. He¡¯s downstairs¡ª¡±


    The sound of a gunshot echoed from outside.


    ¡°What was that?¡± Perse panicked.


    ¡°It came from the garden!¡± Victor bolted out of the room, Perse and Sam hurriedly following him.


    ¡°What the hell is wrong with you, Maggie!?¡± Viviane shouted downstairs.


    ¡°¡ª that¡¯s pretty effed up, sister,¡± a familiar voice spoke, bemused.


    The group went down the stairs and ran into the garden. The sight looked straight out of a western.


    Maggie was on her feet, wielding a gun with murder in her eyes. A gun! Viviane had risen to try to take it from her, but stayed at bay, her face pale. Ulysses, that uncaring jerk, sat right next to Mom texting on his phone.


    And standing farther among the garden¡¯s alien flowers, Maggie¡¯s gun pointed at his head, was Jack.


    He had changed since Perse last met him. Not much physically. He wore sunglasses over his eyes, and taken to wearing a crimson red shirt that showcased his muscles underneath, and black pants. He smelled of sour, rusted iron.


    No. What had changed was his posture, the way he stood. It reminded Perse of those maddened roman emperor statues. Contemptuously looking down on everyone else like shit. His whole being put Perse on edge. Like she was a tiger among sheep.  Sear?h the Novel?ire(.)ne*t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Perse had no idea what happened, except that the situation was wrong and explosive. ¡°Jack,¡± Samantha put her hands on her mouth in surprise, ¡°We thought you were dead.¡±


    ¡°No, no, not dead, sweetheart. Reborn, like a phoenix.¡± His voice had grown deeper, like cackling embers. ¡°Good to see you, though. I wondered if I would feel anything when I saw you again. Now I know.¡±


    A thin, cruel smile spread across his lips.


    Something in Jack¡¯s words set Victor on edge, as he pulled Samantha and Perse by the arm behind him. ¡°Viviane, Ulysses, behind me.¡±


    ¡°Vic, what¡ª¡±


    ¡°Behind me,¡± Victor cut off Viviane. Taking a clue out of his firm tone, she grabbed Ulysses and forced him off his chair. Maggie didn¡¯t move, though, keeping her weapon aimed at her brother.


    ¡°Why so afraid, Vic?¡± If anything, the sight bemused Jack. ¡°I heard your son held his birthday party here, so I thought I might bring some candles. As a gift.¡±


    ¡°Very nice of you,¡± Victor replied icily, pushing Viviane behind him like a bear protecting his cubs. The sight put Perse on edge too. What the hell was happening?


    ¡°Where is my boy, Matt, by the way?¡± Jack pushed. ¡°Breaking windows? Can¡¯t start the party without him.¡±


    ¡°I knew it would happen,¡± Ulysses mumbled. ¡°I knew it would.¡±


    ¡°Ulysses, what¡¯s happening?¡± Perse replied with the same tone. ¡°Why is he¡ª¡±


    ¡°You don¡¯t get it, Perse?¡± Her brother glared back at her. ¡°He¡¯s here to kill us all.¡±


    ¡°Smart boy.¡± Perse flinched at the casual threat¡­ no, not a threat. He would kill them all, and that was it. ¡°Although I would have settled for Matt and my sister. The family set is just a nice bonus.¡±


    ¡°Shut up, you creep!¡± Maggie¡¯s finger twitched near the trigger. ¡°I won¡¯t miss next time!¡±


    ¡°Nothing personal, sis. It¡¯s professional integrity. Killing¡¯s more than a job to me, you know? It¡¯s a passion project. I want a fresh start, a complete tabula rasa. Can¡¯t do that when you made a liar out of me. You not dying? Not cool, sis. Not cool at¡ª¡±


    She answered by pulling the trigger, making Perse jump in surprise.


    The bullet bounced off Jack¡¯s forehead.


    ¡°Guess we¡¯ll never be friends.¡± He hadn¡¯t even flinched. ¡°You know, Maggie, I never really felt anything for you. Neither for you, Sam, sweetheart. Or anyone. I never felt that, what do you call it? Connection to a fellow human being? Empathy.¡±


    While Maggie stood there in shock at the sight, although not as much as everyone else, Jack¡¯s hand moved to his sunglasses and tossed them aside. The sight paralyzed Perse in horror.


    ¡°Never felt it. Emotionally, physically. Not even with Dad. He tried father-son bonding time, but to me, he just was there. I didn¡¯t hate him, didn¡¯t love him, either. I always felt disconnected from the world around me, like a prop in my own life. A terrible feeling: incompletion.¡±


    His eye sockets were empty, a black emptiness lit by two blue, smokeless flames.


    ¡°I¡¯m complete now.¡± Flames began to spread over his skin as he spoke, his voice growing higher-pitched. Like cackling embers starting a raging inferno. ¡°When my better half slipped inside me and ignited the magic in my soul, it filled the void. I¡¯m half a man no more.¡±


    What came next happened in the blink of an eye. Victor rushed to tackle Jack, throwing the table back; Maggie emptied her gun at her brother, screaming in rage and fury; Ulysses pulled Samantha and Perse inside, Mom moving to shield them with her body.


    And Jack...


    ¡°Crimson Requiem!¡±


    And then Jack set the world on fire.


    Spell of the Day


    RedString


    Affinity: Yellow


    Dot: 1


    Price: 3-5


    Activation: Active, Voice, Direct Touch Vector.


    The caster creates a spiritual link between two willing individuals (the caster included, if they choose), allowing the couple to intuitively find their way to one another whenever they wish.

 Chapter 18: The Turning Point

    Still reeling from the message, Mathias flew towards the Brown residence as fast as he could. He had put on the Shroud costume the second he had read Ulysses¡¯ message, consequences and his meeting at Dynamis be damned.


    Even while flying under an invisibility veil made by Quasar, the Concordians might catch his signal inside the city. He didn¡¯t care. This was a bloody emergency.


    How? How was he still alive? The whole chemical plant had been burnt to cinders with him inside! Had that demon spared him? And what the hell were Ulysses and Maggie doing at Samantha¡¯s place? How did Jack know they would¡ª


    When he noticed the smoke coming out of the suburbs, Mathias accelerated, his body stressing as it moved faster than safe speeds. By the time he reached Sam¡¯s place, flames ruled the day.


    The sight could have been taken straight out of a disaster movie. The garden was ablaze, Brown¡¯s alien plants ashes or embers. Most of the house¡¯s walls had crumbled, as if someone had set off a bomb nearby. Fire had spread to the house¡¯s ground level, spreading to the floors above. Sirens resonated through the district, and Gearsmen would soon come to put out the fire.


    The scene brought nightmares to life. A dreadful thought crossed Mathias¡¯ mind, brought to the surface by intuition.


    Jack was back, and he had brought that fiery fiend with him.


    ¡°Kari,¡± he spoke through Network with uncharacteristic panic. ¡°Go to Samantha¡¯s place, ready for a fight. This is an emergency.¡±


    ¡°Already on my way. Sam sent me a message.¡± She paused, as if having information she hesitated to share.


    ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°Your friends are there. We planned a surprise birthday party with your fath¡ª¡±


    Mathias stopped listening when he caught sight of his father beneath debris. ¡°DAD!¡± Secret identity be damned, Mathias landed next to his father, dropping his invisibility spell.


    Victor Martel had seen better days. Laying on his chest, his lower body covered by a broken wall, he had gone pale and into shock, his eyes blank. Even with Mathias¡¯ costume protecting him from the smoke, he could feel the nearby heat.


    ¡°It¡¯s okay Dad, it¡¯s okay!¡± Mathias told his father, or perhaps to himself. Channeling all his willpower into his glass, he formed two flying arms out of them, lifting the wall to release his father.


    Half of him.


    Mathias¡¯ briefly mind stopped working, after it processed the information. The wall¡¯s remnants fell to the side, revealing the ghastly truth.


    The lower half of Victor Martel had vanished below the intestines; most of the organs laid bare on the ground, charred husks surrounded by dried blood. The spine had gone black. His life had gone out.


    Mathias¡¯ hearing became a long, stringy note; blocking out all sound, blocking out everything. He was there, but he wasn¡¯t there either, his mind overwhelmed. His fingers had gone numb.


    No¡­ no¡­ No. He had to be alive.


    Network came back with nothing.


    It hadn¡¯t worked with the fiery monster either. Perhaps it had an area effect that blocked it.


    he thought, his breath becoming faster, his perspiration shorter. His father was just badly wounded.


    ¡°It¡¯s okay, it¡¯s okay, I just need the right spell. I can patch you up, Dad, I have Spellcoins.¡± He opened his account with feverish fear. ¡°Give me a spell that can heal my father, now.¡±


    Purge


    Affinity: Green


    Dot: 1


    Price: 4


    Activation: Active, Voice, Direct Touch Vector.


    The caster purges a target (including themselves if they wish it) of all non-magical toxins, diseases, and poisons affecting them.


    ¡°Something stronger!¡± Green. He checked the Green spells, typing at the Dot Two area.


    Insufficient level. Access denied.


    ¡°Give me access!¡±


    Insufficient level. Access denied.


    Insufficient level. Access deni-


    ¡°Fuck your level!¡± He smashed the button with his fist this time.


    Insufficient level. Access denied.


    Cursing whoever designed this unfair system, Mathias ordered his glass arm to gently take his father and put him on his back. He didn¡¯t need higher spells. He could cauterize the wounds, patch up the circulatory system with glass.


    He was magic.


    Or so he thought, until he saw the gaping, bloody hole in his father¡¯s chest. Whatever blast had hit him, it had wiped off Victor¡¯s ribcage, heart and lungs in one go.


    His eyes. His father¡¯s blank eyes kept staring straight at the sky, lifeless.


    When Mother had vanished, Mathias Martel had raged, and cursed, and cried until his eyes had dried.


    This time, he burst out laughing.


    A hysterical, joyless laugh. The maniacal laugh you fell into when the world just pulled the worst, sickest joke on you. The kind of laugh of when you took too much at once, and couldn¡¯t process it any other way. Sear?h the ¦Çov§×lFire .net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    It was an hallucination. A bad dream, sent by the Maleking to torment him. He would just wake up in his bed, and find his father working, and he would forget it all. He just had to close his eyes, and snap them open.


    He tried.


    It didn¡¯t take.


    As the dark reality settled in his mind, Mathias¡¯ laugh slowly died in his throat, alongside his voice. He just stood there, staring at his father¡¯s corpse, unable to decide what to do next.


    It was all a joke. He held a thousand spells in his pocket, and Dad¡­ Dad¡­


    It took a gunshot, coming from the burning mansion¡¯s first floor, to break him out of the soundlessness of his mind.


    His body was on autopilot while his mind still focused on his father, Mathias flew towards the window nearest to the gunshot¡¯s origin, the glass entering his field and relaying him in the information.


    The Werner family as a whole, Samantha, and Maggie had retreated upstairs, inside a large bedroom, cluttering next to one another for protection. A frightened Perse held a crying Samantha in her arms, while Viviane held Ulysses close to her chest. Maggie wielded a gun, whose barrel let out a little smoke. She tried to look fierce, but her despairing gaze betrayed her true state of mind.


    A monster blocked the window exit, while the corridor leading to the room had succumbed to flames. The creature had a humanoid shape and little else of human origin. The incarnation of death shone with a blazing flame almost too bright to look at, a conflagration of various colors mixed into a discordant, disharmonious whole. Two blue stars shone where the eyes should have been, below two fiery horns. The room didn¡¯t catch fire as he walked, the flames licking the bed ready to consume it yet strangely unwilling to spread further.


    ¡°You might think I¡¯m crazy, but I don¡¯t even care. ¡®Cause I can tell what¡¯s going on.¡± That was Jack¡¯s voice. Even higher pitched, Mathias recognized it. Yet that underlying, unnatural echo of cackling embers sounded like that dreadful entity he fought at the plant. ¡°It¡¯s hip to be square¡­ catchy tune. And you¡¯re out of ammo, sis. Shall I start with you?¡±


    Jack was no longer Jack. Not that Mathias cared, as he gathered his reserves of glass into the shape of a lens, focusing as much light as he could within it, beyond his limits.


    ¡°Sam, should I burn you to death the same way I killed your dear mommy and daddy? Wouldn¡¯t that complete my Brown set, eh? Or perhaps I could kill the Werners first? So many choices.¡±


    Glimpsing Mathias¡¯ form through the window, Jack turned his head to the side, giving Mathias a direct line of fire. By now, his lens had become a miniature star. Not that Jack minded. ¡°Oh, hi Matt. How¡¯s the family?¡±


    With a furious snarl, Mathias unleashed his beam at the murderer.


    The ray of light, the strongest he had ever mustered, went through the window, shattering it and causing Samantha to scream in panic. The ray hit Jack in the chest with so much force, it propelled him through multiple walls all the way to outside.


    The blow and the structural damage caused the ceiling to fall, but Mathias reacted quicker. Gathering his shards into makeshift-pillars, he used them to stabilize the room. He flew inside, a ghost checking up on the living.


    ¡°Matt?¡±


    Perse spoke up, her face covered with ashes. She looked at him like she had looked at Jack. Not that he could blame her. He had designed the Shroud costume to create that kind of feeling. ¡°Matt, is that you?¡±


    He tried to reply that yes, he was, yet his voice died in his throat. Ulysses had recognized him, as did Maggie, who looked at him with relief. Yet¡­


    ¡°Matt?¡± Perse repeated. ¡°Matt, is that you?¡±


    ¡­ no.


    Not Matt.


    Shroud.


    Shroud responded by creating a slide of glass between the broken window and the garden. He stood still like a garden angel, silently inviting them to escape the burning building.


    Ulysses was the first to react, grabbing his mother¡¯s hand and pulling her with him, in a strange reversal of roles. Perse stilled looked warily at Shroud, before Maggie took her and Samantha by the shoulder. ¡°Let¡¯s go, girls.¡±


    The sorcerer let them go without a glance. His eyes kept looking at the hole he had made when blasting Jack. A part of him strongly wanted to check up on his friends, to reassure them.


    The part currently buried by unyielding rage.


    ¡°Shroud.¡±


    Kari. When had she sneaked up on them? Or he had seen her coming, yet not focused. Even Premium Thoughts couldn¡¯t mitigate emotional damage. ¡°Shroud, Gearsmen will be on their way.¡±


    He heard, but he didn¡¯t listen. Instead, his thought remained focused on Jack, and what he had done.Shroud thought, remembering that fateful night.¡°I let him go.¡±


    ¡°Shroud¡ª¡±


    ¡°I let him go!¡± he interrupted her, unable to restrain the crushing guilt and brimming hatred in his voice. ¡°I let him go once, but twice. Get them out of here, to safety.¡±


    ¡°Mathias-san, you¡¯re making a terrible mistake.¡±


    Shroud ignored her, leaving them all behind as he flew towards Jack¡¯s location with murder on his mind.


    He just had to follow the flames, and the corpses.


    Jack had ended his flight outside of the Brown residence, and didn¡¯t come back. Instead, he had made his way to the nearby street, where passersby had gathered to check up on the event; a mistake that cost many lives.


    The street outside looked like it was ravaged by a blazing tornado. Cars were left ablaze, one nearby building had caught fire, and a dozen bloodied corpses littered the ground. The husks of two half-melted Gearsman crowned the brutal display.


    Jack pursued stragglers, dragging the burning corpse of his latest victim by the skull with his left hand. ¡°Magnawave!¡± The fiery monster pointed his free hand at the escapees, unleashing a red wave of energy at them. It hit two unlucky people, a hob and a woman. Both burst into cooked masses of flesh, before exploding into blood and gore.


    Whatever ember of humanity Jack may have had before today, he had snuffed it out with blood.


    And microwaves, from what Shroud could infer from the attack¡¯s results.


    Catching sight of Shroud before he could attack him, Jack pivoted, tightening his grasp on his victim and covering it with red energy. ¡°Crimson Requiem.¡± He then threw his victim at the Blue Sorcerer like a baseball player scoring a home-run.


    Gathering his glass into a flying shield, Shroud intercepted the hit. Good thing he did. The corpse exploded into a blinding blast of red energy upon impact, vaporizing both itself and the shield.


    Jack didn¡¯t waste time, lunging for one of the burning cars. With unnatural strength, he casually lifted it over his head. ¡°It¡¯s overwhelming, isn¡¯t it?¡± he taunted Shroud, as he put himself into position to throw the car at his foe. ¡°My limitless power.¡±


    ¡°Not worth selling your soul to a demon,¡± Shroud replied with disgust, turning invisible.


    ¡°Matt, my boy, I¡¯m death now, but I¡¯m also fire! I can sense your body heat!¡± Jack looked at the spot where Shroud hid, throwing the car as easily as he did with the corpse. The sorcerer dodged, the car landing on the other side of the street with a loud crash. ¡°And sold? That would imply we are debtor and indebted. Or that we¡¯re two. No, Matt. There is no ¡®we.¡¯ Only I. Our souls are one, intertwined. , the Maleking calls us.¡±


    Shroud froze at the name, which Jack picked up on. ¡°You rejected his gift. Too bad. You won¡¯t get another chance.¡±


    He didn¡¯t care. Flying towards nearby buildings, letting them enter his Glass Field¡¯s range, Shroud he drew upon all shards he could get. Soon, he surrounded himself with a swirling storm of shrapnel, and rained death upon his enemy.


    ¡°Let¡¯s turn up the heat! Heatriser!¡± Jack had toned down his natural heat while inside the house, out of a sadistic desire to enjoy chasing his victims. Now, he had released his heat in its full glory, melting the shrapnel before it could even reach him along with the tar beneath his feet.


    Point for Shroud, Jack didn¡¯t look like he could fly. Unlike Kresnik though, that bastard had range. ¡°Magnawave!¡± Jack aimed at Shroud, unleashing a blast at where the sorcerer was a second ago. While the master of glass kept flying around, Jack sustained his attack, trying to hit him.


    Shroud couldn¡¯t outrun a microwave beam, but he moved faster than Jack¡¯s hand could follow his movements. He didn¡¯t try to shield himself; glass didn¡¯t fully absorb microwave radiation, and would let the attack go right through them.


    Mathias just checked his Magik Online account, quickly finding the spell Reinforce and purchasing it at once.


    Reinforce


    Affinity: Orange


    Dot: 1


    Price: 5


    Activation: Active, Direct Touch Vector.


    The user permanently reinforces inanimate matter upon touch, increasing its density and resistance to damage.


    ¡°Reinforce!¡± He shouted, an orange glow spreading through his shrapnel and costume. Glass Field spread his spell to all glass within range.


    ¡°What¡¯s your Lock, Matt?¡± Shroud¡¯s eyes squinted upon recognizing the name, but didn¡¯t answer Jack. Not that it mattered to the narcissistic bastard, who Shroud assumed loved to hear the sound of his voice as much as firing at his foe. ¡°When your magic awakens, you receive a unique power no one else has. A purpose, that grows stronger as you nurture it. I don¡¯t think yours is that weird glass magic. Must be something video gamey. Mine is called Crimson Echoes. Wonder what it does?¡±


    A purpose? Network had a higher purpose? ¡°Who taught you that, the Maleking?¡± Shroud asked, trying to distract Jack. By now, the battle had released so much smoke and flames, it became almost impossible for Shroud, even with his Glass Field, to see across the battlefield.


    Jack, instead of answering, kept monologuing.


    ¡°When I kill with my magic, it grows stronger. My fires burn brighter, my spells carry more potency. That¡¯s the power that embodies who I am. I live to bring death, and it makes me strong.¡±


    ¡°You killed those bystanders for a?!¡±


    ¡°Wonder how far I can go with slaughtering this city? From a flame, to a sun, to a . So don¡¯t take it personally when I murder the hell out of you, Matt. You¡¯re just experience points¡­ and I¡¯m leveling up.¡±


    That line disturbed Shroud on a deep, fundamental level.


    Thankfully, while Network may have failed against the demon that made up half of Jack, he was just human enough to get insight from.


    ¡°You talk too much, Jack.¡± Gathering a large sum of his glass storm into the shape of a dense hammer, Shroud attempted to squash his rival like a bug.


    Too confident in his Heatriser defense, Jack didn¡¯t dodge the attack. His melting aura damaged the uttermost layers of the weapon, but backed by Reinforce, most of it survived contact. The blow hit the fiery monster head on, bringing him to his knees. Another blow forced him down on his chest.


    While his demonic half had been immaterial and impervious to damage last time Shroud fought him, Jack remained physical enough to hit.


    Jack had rushed into the fray as soon as he figured out how his powers worked, without testing their full limits first. While his raw power surpassed Shroud¡¯s, he lacked skill. He never had experience fighting opponents who could strike back, and didn¡¯t prepare for fair combat.


    Maybe, in his arrogance, he didn¡¯t even expect one.


    ¡°You¡¯re just a cowardly serial killer, Jack. Only attacking defenseless people.¡± Gathering glass into a five meter long spear, Shroud aimed for the heartless man¡¯s head.


    He had wondered if he could have brought himself to kill a sentient being. Had destroying monsters in video games desensitizes him to death, like critics the said? While Jack may have turned into a monster, he remained partly human ¡ª the worse half of him.


    ¡°Me?¡±


    At that moment, Mathias realized he had it in him to kill a person.


    ¡°I¡¯m nastier.¡±


    He fired the spear at full speed.


    He missed.


    Jack, channeling the flames making up his body, turned his feet into crude rocket launchers, blasting himself out of the attack¡¯s way and landing a dozen feet away.


    ¡°Argh,¡± Shroud cursed as he figured out the trick. . Jack¡¯s demonic form being made of fire, he could use the spell to alter his physiology and pull off that trick.


    ¡°You would fight me to the death, Matt?¡± The burning man seemed to relish the thought, even as an infuriated Shroud redirected the spear to finish the job. Instead of running or blasting himself out of range, Jack rose back to his feet with iron-clad confidence. ¡°You first then! Accel Heatriser!¡±


    This time, the heat turned so unbearable that even Shroud himself felt it from his previously safe distance. The spear melted like snow under strong daylight, the road¡¯s tar became a melting black sea, and whatever hadn¡¯t caught fire around them spontaneously combusted.


    Yet, when Jack struggled a bit to get the melting tar off his feet, Shroud got an idea.


    Gathering all his glass, he let his horde descend upon Jack like a rainfall. Like actual raindrops, they turned into liquid before they could even reach the target, falling on him like viscous water. ¡°Didn¡¯t think you were that stupid, Matt,¡± Jack taunted, as his fiery body got drenched by molten glass.


    He realized his error when he struggled to move.


    More came, the many tons of silicate that made up the fabric of the modern world. Gallons upon gallons of liquid covered Jack, not fluid enough to wash off him, unable to evaporate even with his astonishing body temperature. Jack drowned inside a blob-like prison he couldn¡¯t escape.


    Shroud watched Jack¡¯s struggle, yet kept piling him with every component he could find. The incredible, unsupportable heat began to diminish, the glass prison absorbing most of it.


    If Jack could breathe, he would die. If he didn¡¯t, then his flames would snuff out and Shroud would bury him alive. If he tried to use his Crimson Requiem spell to blow up his prison, he would damage himself as well. He would just have to wait and¡ª


    ¡°Rain Counterspell.¡±


    He was so focused on Jack, he missed the Gearsmen and their leader, stepping out of the smoke and entering his range.


    Jack¡¯s heat fell to manageable levels, his Accel Heatriser negated. So was, unfortunately, Shroud¡¯s Glass Field and various spells. Once again losing control of both his flight and mind, the sorcerer barely had the time to glimpse Gearsmen firing red beams at Jack. They pinned him to the ground before he could escape his prison.


    A strong grip caught Shroud during the fall, saving his life but restraining him by the neck. Before he could react, another, clawed hand grabbed his helmet, tearing off his visor, filling his lungs with smoke, and revealing his face for the world to see.


    ¡°Mathias Martel, Jack Powells,¡± Kresnik declared, raising his prize above under the watchful eye of a dozen Gearsmen, ¡°By the powers granted to me by the Empire of Concordia, Grandmaster Wyrde, and Lord Smokefang, you are both under arrest.¡±


    Party Stats


    AccountNameShroudNetworkProgressHolderMathias MartelBroadcastUnlockedLevel1 (Novice)Grant SpellUnlockedAffinityBlueLocked Feature(0/3)LockNetworkLocked Feature(0/7)Spellcoins4Overlock(0/1)Installation...Please wait...Debug.....Spell CompendiumNameDotAffinityPremium Thoughts1BlueBlue World1BlueBerserk1GreenReinforce1OrangeQuasar1RedGlass Field2Orange/BlueAccountNameYoshikageOversoulProgressHolderKari MatsumotoRememberUnlockedLevel1 (Novice)Channel SoulUnlockedAffinityYellowLocked Feature(0/3)LockOversoulLocked Feature(0/7)Spellcoins7Overlock(0/1)Spell CompendiumNameDotAffinityWallcraw1GreenPeak1GreenNeedless1GreenWard1YellowSpiritsight1YellowDoom Sense1YellowTimesense1Violet


    Spell of the Day


    Peak


    Affinity: Green


    Dot: 1


    Price: 3-5


    Activation: Passive, App Switch.


    The caster¡¯s body becomes the pinnacle of their species in terms of physical fitness and abilities.

 Chapter 19: Captured A

    Mathias¡¯ eyes almost opened.


    Almost, because they felt heavy, along with his whole body. His limbs refused to move, numb and sore. He could feel his breath go in and out of his lung, oxygen pumped through his mouth. His skin felt soft, immersed in warm, heavy water.


    His world subsumed by darkness, Glass Field was inactive, Mathias struggled to raise his eyelids. Liquid brushed against his naked eyes, yet the water didn¡¯t feel irritating; in fact, the contact eased the soreness in his vision. Slowly, struggling against the heaviness, Mathias managed to see again.


    At first, he thought he was in a pool, trapped beneath verdant, green waters. As his vision acclimated to the lack of strong light, he began to distinguish his surroundings, rolling his eyes. His body seemed to be naked, kept vertically anchored by restraints on his ankles. A black tendril descended from above unto his face and nose, providing him with oxygen, made equally from organic matter and steel components.


    A transparent barrier kept him separated from the outside world. Mathias could scarcely distinguish anything beyond that frontier. He saw multiple humanoid shapes standing guard before him, some motionless, some walking in and out. He attempted to swim closer to the barrier and failed, his own flesh unresponsive.


    Trapped in his body, his mind fully functional¡­ what an infuriating experience.


    Gathering his thoughts, Mathias attempted to make sense of the situation, to remember what happened. Fire¡­ he remembered fire and battling Jack. His father was there, Perse too, and beyond that, he only remembered a flash. His own mind worked slower, his emotions numbed.


    ¡°Candlemaker¡­ Famine¡­ Horseman¡­¡±


    Words echoed through the pool, barely audible words. Mathias attempted to make sense out of them, and in spite of the barrier and the water, he believed he could listen in. His body¡¯s reawakening sabotaged his attempts, though; he couldn¡¯t focus on moving and seeing and hearing all at once. Too many stimuli.


    So he closed his eyes, focusing on his ears. His eyelids felt again heavy, his body growing despondent.


    ¡°¡ªSpree killer with spells. Red Dot Three, but not experienced. Raw power without skill. No natural growth, never trained.¡± The voice, confident and laconic, sounded somewhat familiar. ¡°Fond of Firekin, Magnawave, and Crimson Requiem. Fourteen victims accounted for, half as many wounded. Minister Aster asked for his extradition to Electon for reeducation.¡±


    While Mathias couldn¡¯t make sense out of those words, he started recognizing the speaker. The wolf. . Although he had only heard a few words from him, he had left a strong impression on Mathias.


    ¡°What about the boy?¡± There was another voice, stronger and raspy. Smokefang.


    ¡°Stable,¡± Kresnik replied. ¡°Medics pumped him with enough sedatives to knock out a troll. His allies might try to recover him, though.¡±


    ¡°The girl.¡± Smokefang¡¯s voice turned venomous. ¡°Where is she?¡±


    As Mathias¡¯ mind began to slowly function again, the last comment bothered him.


    The girl? Kari?


    ¡°Kari Matsumoto remains unaccounted for.¡± Kresnik¡¯s words confirmed Shroud¡¯s fears. ¡°I dispatched an expedition force to the church she and Martel were seen at lately. The priest is a closet deviant and the prime suspect for the Knight Armor pilot; the area has also been magically protected against scrying.¡±


    Sear?h the ¦Çov§×lFire .net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    ¡°Burn it to the ground,¡± Smokefang decided, sending a chill down Shroud¡¯s spine. ¡°I will not tolerate a nest of insurgents in my territory.¡±


    ¡°We have no proof yet, Lord Smokefang.¡±


    ¡°Burn it to the ground.¡± The dragon stressed every word. ¡°You will go out into the field yourself to ensure the operation¡¯s success. With what is at stake, better safe than sorry. I want every accomplice, or potential accomplice, of those terrorists dead.¡±


    ¡°You think the boy is the Shroud?¡± A third voice, familiar and masculine, jolted Mathias¡¯ brain like a electroshock.


    ¡°I unmasked him in front of Gearsmen eyewitnesses, which our UB recorded. That alone is incriminating.¡± Kresnik¡¯s voice grew closer. Mathias imagined him inspecting the tank¡¯s surface. ¡°That distinct glow, that foul shade of Blue, I only saw it once, after the artifact incident. Same as with the smell.¡±


    ¡°A Blue Sorcerer, then?¡± The third voice spoke again; it sounded familiar, but Mathias couldn¡¯t put a finger on it. ¡°The Shroud¡¯s light and glass manipulation would imply a Red or an Orange, or a White prodigy like our beloved Grandmaster. Terra Firma shouldn¡¯t have produced sorcerers of his age, either.¡±


    ¡°He reeks of machinery. Of pollution. He is an anomaly for the Institute to study.¡±


    ¡°That is for Mother to decide,¡± Smokefang replied. ¡°What else have you got, Captain? I cannot afford the slightest doubt on his identity.¡±


    Mathias thought. Strangely, either because of the liquid or the sorry state of his body, he felt no emotional undercurrent beneath his panic. He could only listen, motionless, as Kresnik presented his case to his superior.


    ¡°His teacher reported an increase in mental faculties in the past few weeks, corroborated by his manager¡¯s reports. A telltale sign of Blue Sorcerers practicing their first spells. Witnesses also saw him leave a public party the night of the chemical plant incident, providing a time window where his whereabouts are unaccounted for. He has no alibi for the artifact attack either. He fits the right build and his body language on the school camera footage fit those of Shroud. That¡¯s him.¡±


    Mathias¡¯ fingers twitched. This was bad, really bad.


    ¡°Then I will plaster his face on the news, as the terrorist he is,¡± Smokefang said. ¡°Both of them. That of the girl as well, and every suspect. Playtime is over.¡±


    ¡°This may be a little premature in the boy¡¯s case,¡± the third voice said. ¡°My mandate has yet to be fulfilled, and it comes from Minister Aster himself.¡±


    Smokefang didn¡¯t say a word for a few seconds. ¡°You have an hour to make your case, Maxwell.¡±


    ¡°Thank you, Lord Smokefang.¡±


    Mathias¡¯ breath slowed down, as metallic steps echoed nearby. Two silhouettes stood right next to the vat, one belonging to Kresnik, another smaller. The young man sensed an invisible force make its way inside his brain, like a small needle penetrating his skull. The sensation was intrusive, uncomfortable.


    ¡°His Blue Flux potency is through the roof,¡± Maxwell commented, with a hint of amazement in his voice. ¡°Even more than Minister Aster¡¯s. He must possess a fierce Lock. Fascinating.¡±


    ¡°You do not seem so surprised,¡± Kresnik pointed out.


    ¡°I have been expecting this moment for the last two years, Captain.¡± The voice paused for a split second. ¡°How long have you been listening, Mathias?¡±


    Mathias remained motionless, faking sleep.


    Maxwell saw right through him. ¡°Clever boy, we can read your life signals. It¡¯s okay. You¡¯re safe. Come on, open your eyes.¡±


    With no way out, and the invisible force still inside his brain, Mathias obeyed the soft command. This time, he managed to open his eyelids with more ease.


    It took him a full minute for his eyes to adapt to the outside, yet this time he could perceive the world around him with better accuracy, greater clarity.


    The barrier between him and the outside wasn¡¯t some kind of glass tank. No. It was an organic membrane, transparent save for thin pulsating, metallic veins running through them. The membrane grew and tightened at a regular rhythm, like the beating heart of a mighty beast.


    Beyond that ghastly frontier, Kresnik stood right next to a smaller, human figure, whom Mathias identified. Anton Maxwell, Dynamis¡¯ CEO, a member of the Loctis Institute, and his employer.


    A towering man with fiery red hair and piercing blue eyes, Anton wore a classy Hugo Boss black and red suit, gloves, and the latest technological device around his arm. Sporting a short beard that made him look like a lion, he had a strong, fearsome aura. While two heads smaller than Kresnik, Anton radiated more power and charisma than the werewolf.


    Mathias had been a great fan of him; he still was. A legendary game designer, a pillar of the entertainment industry, and a CEO of Steve Jobs¡¯ caliber, Anton Maxwell embodied success in these troubled times. Yet seeing him stand shoulder to shoulder with an enforcer of Concordia disturbed Mathias to the core.


    Two Gearsmen stood watch behind the duo, their glass eyes replaced with organic ones, a horrible mix of a real eye and steel pieces. The results made the machines look even more disturbing and off-putting than before. Concordia had upgraded their tech in record time to cover up the weakness he had managed to exploit.


    Beyond this, however, Mathias couldn¡¯t see much. He noticed a few screens and equipment pieces, figuring out he was inside a lab of some sort. It took him a few minutes to notice the towering dragon in the background, its single eye vibrant with malice.


    ¡°Mathias.¡± Anton bowed respectfully before the membrane. ¡°Anton Maxwell of Dynamis. I apologize for the circumstances. I desired to meet you at my local headquarters, but you missed your appointment.¡±


    Mathias opened his mouth, trying to speak in spite of the tendril pumping air through his lungs. Surprisingly, it wasn¡¯t half as difficult as he expected. ¡°Where¡­ where am I?¡±


    ¡°A secure wing in our Arc-City,¡± Anton Maxwell replied, although Kresnik didn¡¯t look happy that he shared the information. ¡°You are inside an Organotech Heart, the Institute¡¯s most recent breakthrough in medical techniques. You are safe within it.¡±


    Safe, and helpless. Mathias moved his eyes around, seeing his skin pure and pristine. How long had he been out? Days? ¡°Where is my father?¡± he asked, his tone raspy through the tendril. ¡°Samantha? Perse? Are they okay.¡±


    ¡°Samantha Brown is undergoing medical treatment as we speak. Her life is not in danger, and she should recover physically. Mentally speaking, she will need counseling. I do not know about this Perse.¡± Anton glanced at Kresnik, who remained as silent as stone.


    ¡°And Dad?¡± Kresnik and Anton¡¯s silence on the matter frightened him.


    Kresnik¡¯s saddened look brought back memories, of the ghastly sight of his father lying in his own blood¡­ ¡°No¡­¡± Mathias started shaking, his fingers twitching. ¡°No. You¡¯re joking. You¡¯ve got to be joking.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Mathias.¡± Anton Maxwell sounded sincere. ¡°Your father died long before the Gearsmen found him. You have my deepest condolences.¡±


    ¡°The one responsible has been arrested, and justice will be done,¡± Kresnik spoke as if it should make Mathias feel better.


    No. No¡­ no¡­ ¡°You¡¯re lying. You¡¯re lying!¡±


    ¡°Mathias, please¡ª¡±


    ¡°No!¡± His shout echoed through the water and interrupted Maxwell, taking even Kresnik aback. Mathias¡¯ muscles flared to life, his fist hitting the membrane with full force. ¡°Let me out¡­ let me out!¡± He grabbed the tendril holding his mouth with fury, trying to climb it up, damn the consequences. ¡°LET ME OUT!¡±


    ¡°Pacify him,¡± Smokefang ordered, sounding almost bemused by the scene.


    A bright blue glow shone through the cocoon, and Mathias¡¯ rage vanished in an instant, replaced with unnerving serenity and calm. His fingers slipped away from the tendril, his panicked, primal reaction extinguished like fire drowned in water.


    It¡­ Mathias just couldn¡¯t muster anger anymore. Not wouldn¡¯t. Couldn¡¯t. Everything felt fine. His father was dead and that was it. No emotional reaction anymore. It happened.


    Anton Maxwell put its hand on the membrane, in a reassuring way. The fingers¡¯ proximity felt strangely comforting for a reason Mathias couldn¡¯t translate into words. ¡°Concordia protects, Mathias. I know this sounds like little comfort in your situation, but you are not alone. We will take care of you now.¡±


    Yes. Mathias was safe here, his mind sound and clear. Docile.


    ¡°While I administer Dynamis, I serve Concordia in other ways, Mathias.¡± Maxwell kept talking, brushing his father¡¯s death aside. ¡°One of them is to approach talents that may join our Institute. The other is studying sorcerers. Since when did you start casting spells?¡±


    Mathias should have felt panic, defensive, yet he felt a simple urge to answer truthfully. ¡°One month.¡±


    ¡°How did it manifest?¡±


    Even if he intellectually wanted to resist, to lie, Mathias felt he owed the sub-minister an explanation. All he could muster as a defense were half-truths. ¡°One day I touched a friend of mine, Ulysses, and I could understand his feelings. It came like a flash. Every time I touch someone, I get a handle on how they think.¡±


    Maxwell nodded as if the information fit his existing preconceptions. ¡°Did you figure out you were using magic at the time?¡±


    ¡°I didn¡¯t believe it at first, but I figured it out. Concordians can use magic, so I thought, perhaps, I can too.¡± It felt so good to empty his chest, to ease his burden.


    Maxwell sounded so trustworthy, though. Mathias believed he could tell him everything, all his darkest secrets, and the man would understand. Like Sol. ¡°Any other side effects that you noticed?¡±


    ¡°I became smarter. I could remember words, conversations, and information with perfect clarity. I could learn faster.¡±


    The CEO joined its fingers, meditating on his words, perhaps trying to poke a hole somewhere. His silent judgment weighted heavily on Mathias as if he had crossed a line. ¡°Why did you not inform the authorities of your gift, as a citizen should?¡±


    he almost blurted out; It took all his willpower for Mathias to even deflect that question. ¡°I didn¡¯t think it was a such a big deal.¡±


    ¡°A lie,¡± Kresnik said.


    Maxwell appraised Mathias like a parent having caught a naughty child. ¡°Your citizenship evaluation and psych report are worrying, Mathias. An audit of your school showed that you hacked into their systems, and your employer reported similar infractions. Your father was cataloged as a private deviant, and your mother¡­¡±


    An ember of fury surged within Mathias¡¯ mind, only for unnatural serenity to sweep it aside. Maxwell noticed, though, tilting his head. ¡°Was an open one. Together those elements paint a negative portrait. Then, there is the matter of your abilities, and what you used them for.¡±


    ¡°Where is my artifact?¡± Smokefang, who had watched the scene in silence, interrupted it. ¡°Where did you hide it?¡±


    ¡°Within me,¡± Mathias blurted out, unable to hold his tongue. ¡°I absorbed it.¡±


    Smokefang let out a frustrated growl, while Maxwell simply crossed his arms, thoughtful. ¡°Mathias, you are a Blue Sorcerer,¡± he told his former employee. ¡°Blue Sorcerers are magicians whose power revolves around manipulating information, including thoughts, signals, knowledge, and consciousness. The strongest of them can rewrite the laws our universe relies on, or enslave people to their will. By their very nature, they can subvert institutions for selfish desires. Most unregistered ones are sent to our prison in the sphere Electon, where they never come out.¡±


    ¡°And you have raised your hand against my kind,¡± Smokefang added, like a wounded predator still reeling from a lost fight.


    ¡°That too,¡± Maxwell said. ¡°Do you understand what it means for you?¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re going to send me to Electon.¡± His hands clenched on their own.


    ¡°Not necessarily. You crossed a few lines, yes, but the Grandmaster hates wasting young talent. Concordia is nothing if not forgiving of its wards.¡±


    Mathias¡¯ head perked up, relieved. One element caught his attention. ¡°Wards?¡±


    ¡°With the death of your last living relative, you are now a ward of Concordia, beholden to the Empire and entitled to its protection. The Grandmaster is, forgive the expression, your father and mother now.¡±


    No one could replace his father and mother. Once more, flames of leftover anger rose to the surface, fiercer than before, only for the cocoon¡¯s machinery to squash them.


    ¡°You are a curious case, Mathias,¡± Anton said. ¡°The first Firman sorcerer on records. Data shows that sorcerers only appear in a population after long exposure to a Flux-heavy environment, so we did not expect magicians among Firman until another decade.¡±


    ¡°You said you expected this for years,¡± Mathias blurted out against his will.


    Kresnik hummed the air. ¡°He listened.¡±


    ¡°That is sensitive information that I cannot fully disclose yet, Mathias. Long story short, your mother was tricked into assisting a bitter enemy of Concordia, leading to a terrible incident that almost spiraled into a global disaster. We suspected that the circumstances at hand would lead you to awaken as a sorcerer, although not as soon as you did. Perhaps the Grandmaster will see fit to tell you after your training.¡±


    Mother, assisting an enemy of Concordia? That was why she had been arrested?


    Wait. ¡°Training?¡±


    ¡°Mathias, the Empire¡¯s strength is only as great as those of its citizens. Dark forces, from the farthest corners of unexplored space to our most fortified cities, threaten the safety of our people. One of their pawns murdered your father.¡±


    Mathias froze at the words.


    ¡°You can prevent what happened to him. You can make sure innocents live in peace and harmony. By becoming Concordia¡¯s shield and sword, as a registered sorcerer.¡±


    His words sounded so sincere, so convincing. Yes, certainly, serving the Empire was the best way to feel free of doubts, and fears, and ¡ª what the hell! How could he even consider it?


    ¡°I originally came to offer you membership at our Institute, so you could put your intellect to our country¡¯s service. I still offer you that, and more. As a sorcerer, you will receive privileges and training in the use of your magical abilities. You will have to report to weekly counseling with a sanctioned officer, alongside yearly in-depth examinations, and serve Concordia in any way the Ministers see fit. The alternative being minimum security in Electon. A terrible fate.¡±


    Yes, terrible. This deal sounded as good as he could get, a chance to rise up, to start over, maybe his friends could follow him as well? Then he could forget the pain and focus on the future.


    No, no, this isn¡¯t¡­ this wasn¡¯t him. He shouldn¡¯t give up the inward struggle. Those bastards had infected him with foreign thoughts. Those feelings didn¡¯t belong to him¡ª


    ¡°You will also be allowed to see your mother again.¡±


    Mathias¡¯ train of thought stopped as if hitting a wall.


    ¡°Why so surprised?¡± Anton smiled. ¡°I told you your mother was tricked by an enemy of the state, as you may have been, too. Concordia spared her life.¡±


    Impossible¡­ ¡°My mother, alive?¡±


    ¡°Yes. I cannot tell you more until you accept our offer but¡ª¡±


    ¡°You have no right to make any deal, human.¡±


    Smokefang, his very steps causing the ground to shake, approached Mathias¡¯ prison, his immense eye filling most of the prisoner¡¯s sight.


    ¡°He will be sent to my mother, Red Minister Blackcinders, as soon as a teleportation transport route can be established. I already sent the order.¡±


    ¡°My orders come from Lord Aster himself,¡± Maxwell replied. Mathias had to admit, he admired the man for standing up to the draconic behemoth.


    ¡°I hold mine from the Red Minister, and I am the lord of this land,¡± Smokefang replied, his tone harsher and impatient. ¡°Problem solved.¡±


    Maxwell didn¡¯t look convinced. ¡°I will see what I can do for you, Mathias,¡± he whispered against the membrane, his voice reassuring yet firm. ¡°Take the time to ponder my proposal. Concordia needs you as much as you need it, Mathias.¡±


    Smokefang snorted with contempt. ¡°Captain Kresnik, escort our guest to the exit.¡±


    Mathias watched Maxwell leave with Kresnik in tow, the sound of a metal door opening and closing behind them.


    Smokefang¡¯s eye remained set on Mathias, oozing with bitterness. ¡°How can an upstart mammal like you wield magic, while I do not?¡±


    Mathias had no answer to this.


    ¡°All members of my brood manifested the gift, except me. All dragons cast spells. It is in our blood, our birthright. That is why Mother¡­¡± Smokefang stopped himself, before unleashing a barrage of questions. ¡°Who gave you that power? The Maleking? The Seeker of Life? Whom?¡±


    Magik, the name died in his throat before he could utter it. Mathias was growing better at it. ¡°I am magic,¡± he replied, half because nothing else came to mind, half in defiance.


    Smokefang remained silent, although wrath smoldered beneath the calm surface. ¡°Your fellow monkeys will not succeed in saving you. No one will. Your accomplices might come, I will kill them. Magic or not, you are primitives. And I,¡± he said, extending his wings, ¡°am a dragon.¡±


    Finally, Smokefang took flight, vanishing in the shadows.


    Party Stats


    AccountNameShroudNetworkProgressHolderMathias MartelBroadcastUnlockedLevel1 (Novice)Grant SpellUnlockedAffinityBlueLocked Feature(0/3)LockNetworkLocked Feature(0/7)Spellcoins4Overlock(0/1)Installation...Please wait...Debug.....Spell CompendiumNameDotAffinityPremium Thoughts1BlueBlue World1BlueBerserk1GreenReinforce1OrangeQuasar1RedGlass Field2Orange/Blue


    Spell of the Day


    Deathgem


    Affinity: Yellow


    Dot: 1


    Price: 3-5


    Activation: Active, Voice, Direct Touch Vector.


    Traps the soul of a recently deceased living being (one minute after death) in the shape of a small gem.

 Chapter 19: Captured B

    Slowly, the numbing effect on his emotions lessened, then vanished entirely. At first, he felt rage. A cold, controlled kind of rage, smoldering embers of fury, at Jack, at those Imperial lackeys messing with his mind.


    Then came the sobs, as the crushing reality dawned on him.


    Dad was dead.


    Dead, and never to come back. Blown up to kingdom come. His family was gone, destroyed.


    It hit him even harder than Mom¡¯s, because it was all his fault. He could have killed Jack before he became an even bigger monster than he used to be. If he had been willing to risk himself that night, his father might have survived. His inaction had killed his dad as much as Jack.


    Mathias tried to convince himself it would have happened anyway, or that he should blame it all on bad luck. Yet no matter how he sugarcoated it, he couldn¡¯t deny the truth. Both directly and indirectly, the horrid events happened because of him. Because he didn¡¯t consider the consequences. Because he chose half-measures.


    Ulysses was right all along.


    He thought of what he could have done as if he could change the past that way. If he had killed Jack if he had better checked up on his friends, if he had chosen better spells or if he had fulfilled more quests. So many ifs.


    he thought, He couldn¡¯t let himself think this way. What happened, happened. He couldn¡¯t change the past, not even with magic. All he could do, was to make sure those events never happened again. No half-measures.


    Jack was still alive, and Shroud would have his head. Not Concordia. Him.


    And Mom¡­ Mom was alive too, in some Imperial cell.


    It gave him hope and purpose. Jack may have taken half his family, Concordia stole the other half and tried its best to kill his remaining friends. He would not join them, ever.


    Shroud would take them down.


    He had to get out of here, escape the vat. Concordia had identified him as a sorcerer and sent forces after Kari and Sol. Any hope of a normal life had died with his father, and he had no home to return to.


    He would have to flee Evermarsh, escape to the distant stars, and continue the fight.


    Win, or die trying. That was all he could do now.


    The Gearsmen standing watch reminded him it wouldn¡¯t be easy. Their terrible eyes looked at him like hawks. Could they read the emotions on his face? Could they understand the disgust they inspired in him?


    With a thought, Shroud opened his Magik account. The sedatives may impair his thinking, they didn¡¯t affect his ability to control his account.


    He checked the Network feeds, unperturbed by his captivity. Which meant less than forty-eight hours had passed.


    Perse and Ulysses were with their mother, receiving medical treatment at a hospital. Shroud let go a sigh of relief at the sight.


    Samantha¡¯s feed had turned black, meaning she was unconscious.


    Kari, Mur, and Sol were at the church, all of them equipped for battle. They exchanged words with Booz and¡­


    Wait, was that Maggie at the edge of Kari¡¯s vision?


    Maggie¡¯s own feed confirmed her presence. What was she doing there?


    Unfortunately, he couldn¡¯t open communication without warning the Gearsmen in front of him.


    Not for long.


    Shroud checked his spells, especially the activation condition. Premium Thoughts only needed activation from his menu, while Berserk and Glass Field, he could activate with a thought. In theory, he didn¡¯t need to vocalize the spells to activate them.


    Kresnik may have disabled his magic, but he could reactivate his spells without a word.


    Activating Premium Thoughts first, a blue glow briefly filling his vision, Shroud noticed the Gearsman straightening up. They could sense his magic activate; and they may react badly to the next.


    Without light to draw on with Quasar nor glass, he only had one spell that could help him escape, and it wouldn¡¯t suffice on its own.


    His only hope was to upgrade it.


    He had created Glass Field when attempting to use two spells in a way they were not intended for; to have Intuimotion expand his Dirt Call sensory range. If he could enhance his magic, he could perhaps escape. If it failed, the Gearsmen would crush him. His next gamble would spell either his freedom or death.


    At this point, he could settle with either.


    ¡°BERSERK!¡± Shroud snarled in defiance. A green glow filled his sight, coloring the world. His muscles surged with strength and adrenaline, his vision turning green.


    The Organotech Heart unleashed another blue, pacifying wave at him. This time, though, the Berserk-induced fury allowed him to shrug it off. So the machine upped the game.


    The Organotech heart unleashed a pulse of electricity within his pod, shocking his body with enough voltage to knock out a man. Yet, so pumped he was with adrenaline and magic, he shrugged off the intense pain. With superhuman agility and frothing fury, he tore out the medical apparatus holding him, white blood filling the vat.


    This time, one of the Gearsmen moved to stop him, piercing the Organotech Heart with its hand to grapple him. To Shroud, it seemed to happen in slow motion, as green and blue colors swirled at the edge of his vision. Berserk filled his mind with a primal desire to kill, yet Premium Thoughts allowed him to keep a sliver of sanity and tactical planning.


    Swimming out of the blow¡¯s way, Shroud grabbed the forearm and used the momentum to propel himself through the membrane with a primal snarl.


    His feet landed on the Gearsman¡¯s torso, while his hands moved to the monster¡¯s single eye. His fingers tore into the orbit, ripping the eyeball and spraying him with blood.


    It was as if the floodgates of his mind had opened, unleashing all the pent-up anger and hatred he had accumulated. Years of humiliation and resentment, sharpened into a single desire to destroy.


    Pain filled his left side, as the other Gearsman tossed him off its fellow with a backhand. Shroud heard a crack in his ribs, as he landed on a cold, steel floor; he was back up on his feet in no time. He felt the agonizing pain in his chest, but with the adrenaline filling his veins, it bothered him no more than a mosquito¡¯s sting.


    Even naked and unharmed, Shroud didn¡¯t fear the Gearsmen.


    Activating Quasar with a thought, Shroud looked for random photons, tiny bits of light in the darkness. He found a few red sparks as the Gearsmen lunged at him, the blinded one swinging an arm to squash him into submission.


    Now, time for the ultimate gamble.


    ¡°Reinforce,¡± Shroud tried to cast on the isolated photons, Quasar relaying his magic and¡ª


    CRACK!


    A blinding flash of brightness erupted from Shroud¡¯s body, bathing the room in overwhelming brilliance. Although it halted the Gearsmen for an instant, it didn¡¯t bother the sorcerer.


    In fact, the light felt empowering.


    New Hack created!


    Lightbringer


    Dot: 2


    Components: Quasar + Reinforce


    Activation: Passive, Thought.


    You can generate solid, magical light from your body. These magical constructs quickly degrade into natural light after being separated from your body. As a side effect, you can see throughnon-magical bright light and deep darkness both.


    Neat.


    ¡°Let¡¯s try it, shall we?¡± Shroud raised his two hands at the Gearsmen, willing light into them. ¡°Forgive me for indulging a childhood passion¡­¡±


    Two sharp blades of pure, solid light, manifested from his fingertips.


    ¡°Swords of Revealing Light!¡±


    With his word, the two projectiles flew at the Gearsmen at lightspeed, impaling both through the chest and staying there. Both machines collapsed, as his blades collapsed into harmless photons.


    A screeching air siren resonated, as Shroud cracked his neck. Four other Gearsmen, that stood watch farther in the shadows, gathered at his location to intercept him; they built up beams and fired without warning.


    Acting faster, Shroud created a shield of light in the path, which weathered the attack. The machines moved to surround him though, intent on blindsiding him.


    If Hacks were made by combining spells that shouldn¡¯t work together, perhaps he had another card in hand. And nothing to lose. ¡°Blue World!¡± Shroud shouted, his voice echoing with Blue magic; yet with the same breath, he cast another, ¡°Berserk!¡±


    Blue and Green swirled together, carried by his soundwaves. If Blue World affected the mind of outsiders, while Berserk affected the caster, could the first carry the second¡¯s effect?


    A familiar sound and a dark green wave of energy answered his question.


    CRACK!


    New Hack created!


    Mad World


    Dot: 2


    Components: Blue World + Berserk


    Activation: Active, Voice Vector.


    Sends every living being within earshot of the spell spiraling into a frothing, killing frenzy. The victims no longer distinguish friend from foe, and remain in this state until exhausted or successfully killing another living being.


    The Gearsmen went crazy.


    Two of the machines visibly short-circuited, collapsing to the ground while holding their chest. The third turned on its incapacitated compatriots, smashing one bare-handed with an all too human murderous rage. The last one promptly turned its beams to the ceiling, firing at random.


    Their organic components made them vulnerable to it: Blue World targeted the mind, the brain. It didn¡¯t work on beings that lacked a nervous system, like the fire monster Jack had fused with.


    Mad World targeted the mind and the flesh.


    And they weren¡¯t alone.


    Explosions resonated through the entire complex, the sirens glitching out into strident sound. The ground shook and lights flickered at random. Since the Gearsmen were linked to a UB techno-organic intelligence, the madness had spread to it, like a sickness.


    Watching the machines turn on each other, Shroud gathered his thoughts. He could warn Sol and the others while bolting to the exit¡ª


    No.


    Not escape.


    No letting the bastards get away, ever again.


    He had a Quest to fulfill, and a dragon to slay.


    Party Stats


    AccountNameShroudNetworkProgressHolderMathias MartelBroadcastUnlockedLevel1 (Novice)Grant SpellUnlockedAffinityBlueLocked Feature(0/3)LockNetworkLocked Feature(0/7)Spellcoins4Overlock(0/1)Installation...Please wait...Debug.....Spell CompendiumNameDotAffinityPremium Thoughts1BlueGlass Field2Orange/BlueLightbringer2Red/OrangeMad World2Blue/Green


    Spell of the Day


    Alchemic Grasp


    Affinity: Orange


    Dot: 1 S§×ar?h the n??el Fire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Price: 3-5


    Activation: Passive, App Switch.


    The user gains intuitive understanding of the chemical composition of matter within sight (organic or inorganic), down to its most basic components.

 Chapter 20: DLC: Meet the Party

    Maggie Powells hated weakness; in others, and especially in herself.


    ¡°Open the fucking door!¡± She smashed the church¡¯s closed gate with her fist. Her throat still sore from the smoke. ¡°I know you¡¯re hiding here!¡±


    This time, though, she wouldn¡¯t lie down. She wouldn¡¯t be a victim, from Jack, or anybody else, ever again.


    Her perseverance paid off, when Matsumoto abruptly opened the door, grabbed Maggie by the arm, and pulled her inside.


    Maggie found herself facing a red knight¡¯s blade, a monster straight out of Hell, and Kari herself, as the Japanese girl closed the door behind her. ¡°Who else followed you?¡± Kari¡¯s tone was drier than usual, less patient. She was also dressed strangely, in a black ninja-like suit with a white mask attached to her belt.


    They looked geared up for war.


    ¡°Nobody.¡± The Werners and Sam were recovering at the hospital. Seeing Gearsmen coming to arrest her brother, Maggie had made her way to the church as soon as she could. After spending so long in the scalies¡¯ custody after the chemical plant fire incident ¡ª she was not eager to repeat the experience.


    ¡°Your phone?¡± Kari asked, her tone terse and no-nonsense. ¡°They can track you with it.¡±


    ¡°Threw it away,¡± Maggie snapped. She wasn¡¯t stupid. ¡°Where¡¯s Martel? And Jack?¡±


    ¡°Both were captured,¡± Kari said. ¡°I could not help. Too many Gearsmen, and Kresnik.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re letting Concordia keep the nerd?¡± Maggie spat. If she had magical powers, she would already be at their throats. ¡°They¡¯ll kill him.¡±


    With luck, they might kill her brother first.


    ¡°There is no dishonor in fleeing a battle that cannot be won, so you may survive to win the war.¡± The way Matsumoto sounded, she was quoting someone else. ¡°Dying for nothing, that is dishonor. I pick my fights; I do not let the enemy choose mine.¡±


    ¡°I concur,¡± The knight spoke with Sol¡¯s voice. Where did the priest get such awesome equipment? Maggie guessed. ¡°You would have been captured if you had gone alone. Together¡ª¡±


    ¡°There is no together,¡± the giant monster replied. ¡°Mur¡¯s leaving.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re fleeing?¡± Sol spat out the words.


    ¡°No gain, no work. The sorcerer is gone, Mur does not do charity. The tinmen will be here any minute, and Mur would rather leave this stinky planet behind. Which he will soon.¡±


    ¡°And your contract?¡± Sol sounded torn between anger at the beast¡¯s cowardice, and seemingly anger at himself for needing to negotiate with it in the first place. ¡°Is your word worth so little?¡±


    The gargoyle showed his fangs. ¡°Say that again, and see what happens.¡±


    Sol pointed his sword at the beast¡¯s throat. ¡°Is your word worth¡ª¡±


    ¡°Enough!¡± Kari snapped, her voice so loud it caused both arguers to stop before they could come to blows. ¡°Keep your wrath for the Gearsmen.¡±


    Come to think of it, Maggie had never seen Matsumoto raise her voice. Another sign things had really gone to shit today.


    ¡°Why are you here, Maggie-san?¡± Kari asked Maggie, leaving the others to glare at one another. ¡°I told you and the others to seek refuge.¡±


    Where? Mom was a vegetable since Henry¡ªshe refused to call him dad, even in her own mind¡ªbeat her one time too many times, and Jack had gone demonic. As much as she hated to admit it, the church was the closest thing she had to a home now. ¡°Nerd saved my life, twice. Don¡¯t like it, but I gotta pay him back. He could give powers, so I thought¡ª¡±


    ¡°I can¡¯t,¡± Kari cut her off midway. ¡°You cannot help.¡±


    ¡°I can. I know how to use firearms, and I¡¯m not afraid to fight.¡±


    ¡°Bullets will not help.¡±


    ¡°Booz can sell me weapons,¡± Maggie replied, insisting. ¡°I can help.¡±


    ¡°She might,¡± Solomon argued for her. ¡°Mathias¡¯ account with Booz remains full. We could make use of it in his name.¡±


    Kari shook her head. ¡°You will die if you come with us, Maggie-san. I cannot afford to fight and protect you all at once. We are going to war, and none of us may survive it.¡±


    Maggie frowned. ¡°Where did they take the nerd?¡±


    ¡°To Smokefang. To the Arc-City.¡±


    That new, shining fortress city meant to replace old Evermarsh. Surrounded by the sea, staffed by an army of Gearsmen, and Smokefang lived there.


    Yeah, it gave even Maggie pause. Fort Knox pre-Conquest would be an easier target. ¡°You can sneak in. I mean, you¡¯re a fucking spider-ninja.¡±


    ¡°Too many scanners and checkpoints, and I do not know where they keep Mathias-san. Or how long they will keep him before they send him somewhere else. Infiltration will take too long.¡±


    ¡°A frontal attack is our only recourse with such little time,¡± Sol added. ¡°Booz mentioned a resource which may be our only way to stand a chance.¡±


    ¡°Great, and Mur can return home while you keep the tinmen busy,¡± the gargoyle said. ¡°Mur will not waste more time.¡±


    The sound of a ringtone resonated inside the church. Maggie couldn¡¯t believe her ears, and eyes as Kari brought a smartphone out of her pocket. ¡°The Beatles? You use the Beatles as a ringtone? Oh, and you got nerve after the part.¡±


    Kari¡¯s eyebrows furrowed. ¡°I like John Lennon,¡± she defended herself, before picking it up without answering Maggie¡¯s second jab.


    The more Kari listened, the more she frowned. ¡°Understood.¡±


    ¡°What? Trouble?¡±


    Kari didn¡¯t answer Maggie¡¯s question. Instead, she put the phone in the middle of the group and put on the loudspeaker. A robotic, digitally altered voice came out.


    ¡°Solomon Nicholae, Maggie Powells, Murmur the Imp.¡± The gargoyle let out a growl at that. ¡°Pleased to make your acquaintance. Since most of you lack or discarded wifi compatible equipment, we must requisition Yoshikage¡¯s phone.¡±


    ¡°You do not have a smartphone?¡± Kari asked Solomon.


    ¡°I only use the church¡¯s anchored phone or my laptop,¡± he replied, sounding a little unhappy at that. Maggie wondered if he even had the credits for a smartphone. ¡°Who are you?¡±


    ¡°The Administrator. I will transmit to each of you an invitation. A Magik Online Invitation.¡±


    Magik Online?


    ¡°Solomon Nicholae, Maggie Powells, Murmur the Imp. Your dedication to opposing Concordia, as well as your desire for freedom, has pleased our sponsors. As such, we would like to invite you to Magik Online. Magik is a free-to-use platform dedicated to giving ordinary people access to magic. Through our app, powerless humans and imps alike¡ª¡±


    ¡°Imp?¡± Kari repeated, the gargoyle glaring back at her while sulking in a corner.


    Maggie paid them no mind, wholly focused on the words coming out of the phone as the voice promised them ¡®a thousand spells in their pocket.¡¯ She had trouble grasping the whole deal.


    A magical website? That was the nerd¡¯s secret?


    ¡°¡ªMagik declines any responsibility in reality hacking glitches, shapeshifting mishaps, botched demon summoning, quantum entanglement or death by dragonfire. By using our service, you agree to our top-notch privacy policy.¡±


    ¡°You can give me magical powers,¡± Maggie said, making Mur¡¯s eyes shine with greed. ¡°If I fight the scalies.¡±


    ¡°No. That would be the standard offer. Instead, we offer you to beta test our new Guild system.¡± The robotic voice sounded joyful at the last words as if rejoicing over a private victory. ¡°To ease the burden on our systems and allow more Players to participate, we have introduced the Guild system. Players can now form Guilds of up to seven members, one for each color, with Quest rewards being distributed among members, alongside a host of other advantages. Guilds are given a dedicated Magik Server for optimal performance, linking their accounts under the authority of a moderator. The Shroud account, considered the most promising for leadership, is pre-registered as Guild Moderator.¡±


    ¡°Mathias,¡± Kari¡¯s answer was more precise.


    ¡°The Guild Moderator administers the various accounts on behalf of the Administrator. For safety reasons, the Moderator¡¯s account cancellation means all linked accounts are frozen until a new Moderator is chosen by us. The same will happen if the Guild as a whole is considered compromised.¡±


    ¡°We fail to rescue the Shroud, and no powers?¡± Mur rasped.


    ¡°That may happen,¡± the Administrator replied.


    ¡°May or will?¡±


    ¡°We can only advise you to assist your Guild Moderator if you wish to fully enjoy the perks of our platform.¡±


    ¡°Why him?¡± Mur rasped.


    ¡°To prevent Mathias¡¯ Lock from falling into the Grandmaster¡¯s hands, we may have to destroy his account, a permanent loss of resources. Our sponsors are already invested in his future and so wish to keep him on the board.¡±


    ¡°Who are you?¡± Sol pushed. ¡° are you? If we are to accept the deal and fight on your behalf, we need to know more.¡± S§×arch* The N?velFire(.)net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    ¡°I cannot answer those questions. Magik Online¡¯s offer is non-negotiable, take it or leave it.¡±


    Maggie could understand the hidden reasoning. ¡°We¡¯re expendable?¡±


    ¡°No. We do everything we can to help our own. But we must safeguard the secrecy of our system from all potential dangers, including Player leaks.¡±


    ¡°While we fought with him, why extend that invitation to Mur?¡± Solomon asked. ¡°He does not fight for mankind.¡±


    ¡°And proud of it!¡± Mur replied, delighting in taunting his ¡®teammate.¡¯


    ¡°You misunderstand, Solomon. We fight for a , not for .¡± the Administrator explained. ¡°While humans will probably benefit the most, we are willing to extend the use of Magik to those who embrace our values. Including non-humans sympathizers.¡±


    ¡°The problem remains. He is a mercenary.¡±


    ¡°Your worries are understandable. However, we did an extensive investigation on Murmur, and we believe he will be an excellent Player. We have the means to deal with him should he prove us wrong.¡± Mur remained silent at that, unwilling to open his mouth for once. ¡°Now, we do not have much time, and I need your explicit consent for our procedure to work. Will you join, or will you not?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll join!¡± Maggie said without thinking. This was the chance of a lifetime, secrets or not. If she could wield the same powers as Mathias or Jack, she wouldn¡¯t have to rely on anyone else ever again.


    ¡°I will join,¡± Solomon added, sounding more tentative than truly convinced.


    ¡°Mur will say yes.¡± His eyes turned to Kari. ¡°If she agrees to the same group deal.¡±


    ¡°I made the deal before, as a first-time Player,¡± Matsumoto replied. ¡°I am not required to join the Guild.¡±


    ¡°If Mur is to bind himself to this group, Mur will not tolerate ambiguity. We share the rewards, and we share the risks. No one on the fence.¡±


    Kari hesitated. The deal presented more disadvantages than advantages for her since she risked the loss of her powers in case of failure. Finally, though, she nodded to herself once, then once again, with more confidence. ¡°Alright.¡±


    ¡°Then Mur will grace you with his might.¡±


    ¡°Then it¡¯s settled,¡± the Administrator replied. ¡°Welcome to Magik Online.¡±


    A flash of bright, red light erupted from the phone, swallowing Maggie whole; at the edge of her sight, she noticed Mur bathed in orange light and Solomon in a white glow.


    Connection to Dis established.


    Lock selected: SPELLGUN.


    Affinity: RED.


    As red, 3-D words began to appear right before her eyes, Maggie smiled to herself.


    Thank you for your trust, Maggie.


    Your account name is: SHARPSHOOT.


    Opening Magik Browser.


    Damsel-in-distress no more.


    Booz shrugged, carrying his disc with him as he sat on one of the church¡¯s benches. ¡°You¡¯re nuts,¡± he said. ¡°You are all nuts.¡±


    ¡°Mur thinks this is a good plan. A brave, glorious plan.¡± After discovering what his Lock ¡®Adamant¡¯ did, the creature had been in an cheerful mood. He had willingly went with every suggestion for the battle plan, even Solomon¡¯s.


    She couldn¡¯t blame him. Maggie herself couldn¡¯t wait to test her powers. It was as if her Lock had been made for her. Besides it, she had invested almost all her money on the spells that could make her a better shot: Timesense, Intuimotion, and Stockmight.


    ¡°It¡¯s a suicide run. Madness. Teleporting you inside the Arc-City like my merchandise?¡±


    ¡°It is possible, is it not?¡± Sol asked. His voice sounded firmer, now that he had applied the Peak spell to himself.


    ¡°They do not protect their entire fortress, no. They leave rooms unprotected to summon supplies or outside reinforcements. Guarded rooms, to prevent exactly the kind of madness you want to pull off. They will sound the alarm, and you will face an army of Gearsmen in short order.¡±


    ¡°We¡¯ve fought one before,¡± Kari replied.


    Booz didn¡¯t comment. ¡°They will track me down. I will have to close up shop. And that is if it was a one-way trip, but you want me to teleport you out right afterward? This stunt of yours has a ninety percent chance of failure, and if you succeed, everyone involved will get on Concordia¡¯s shitlist for the rest of their life. I will take no part in your foolish plan.¡±


    ¡°You would have us in your debt,¡± Maggie pushed. She would have just put a gun against his head and made him behave, but they needed his full, willing cooperation.


    Booz grunted. ¡°I told your friend back then, the Red Goblin does not do favors. Still no.¡±


    ¡°How much?¡± Sol asked. ¡°How much to compensate you for your trouble?¡±


    Booz let out a growl, ¡°More than you own.¡±


    ¡°Mathias made sure that I could manage his account and finances, in case he was arrested,¡± Sol said. ¡°I hold his account, and the digital device filling it regularly. You could walk out of this conflict a rich hob, Booz. Rich enough to leave Earth and retire. Your price will be our own.¡±


    Booz scratched his cheek. ¡°Any price?¡± he asked the rest of the group. ¡°Mur?¡±


    ¡°Mur is happy to oblige.¡±


    That sentence alone seemed to shake Booz more than any other argument. ¡°What the hell did they do to you?¡± Maggie knew him they had him. While he overplayed the risks involved, no hobgoblin would never turn away a good deal. ¡°I want everything.¡±


    ¡°The full account?¡± Sol asked.


    ¡°Everything.¡±


    ¡°Agreed.¡±


    As Kari took over the discussion, explaining to Booz the finer points of their plan, Sol looked at Maggie. ¡°Victor.¡± Maggie tried to remember who the name belonged to. Martel¡¯s dad. ¡°Did he¡­ did he suffer?¡±


    The sight of Martel¡¯s father getting torn in half by Jack remained vivid in Maggie¡¯s mind. ¡°He got blown up trying to save us. He died a hero.¡± Then, she added, lying. ¡°Quick and painless.¡±


    Sol didn¡¯t buy it. ¡°I failed the parents, I cannot fail the son.¡±


    ¡°You couldn¡¯t help.¡± Even she hadn¡¯t believed Jack would come back as¡­ whatever monster he had turned into.


    ¡°I could have. I should have known others would target Mathias¡¯ friends and family, with the new path he chose. I lacked vigilance.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re storming an Arc-City, that¡¯s gotta makes up for it.¡±


    Sol shook his head, still blaming himself. ¡°His mother asked me to watch over them, and Victor died. Maybe my sword will make a difference, but¡ª¡±


    ¡°But nothing.¡± She couldn¡¯t stand self-pitying. ¡°Nerd¡¯s alive, and you can still save him. You¡¯re can¡¯t let those regrets and fears control you.¡± That was how Jack and his kind worked.


    ¡°Mmm¡­¡± The knight changed the subject. ¡°You will never be able to return to this place if we succeed, Maggie.¡±


    Good riddance. ¡°That sounds like an attempt to change my mind.¡±


    ¡°No. I stand by what I told Mathias last time. I will support you whatever you choose, so long as you are fully informed of the consequences and yet still remain firm.¡±


    ¡°You know what I want? I want to be strong, to live my life the way I want it. My family tried to kill me twice, and I couldn¡¯t do anything to defend myself. I had to be saved. Do you know how it feels?¡±


    ¡°I assume you must feel relief.¡±


    ¡°First, then the awfulness comes. ¡®Cause you were a piece of furniture in your own life, to be fought over by others. Or a toddler. I don¡¯t want to feel that way ever again. And with these powers, I can finally take charge of my life. Any way I choose.¡±


    Mur raised his stony head at her words. What was in his eyes? Empathy? ¡°You gonna say something, stone-head?¡±


    ¡°Mur likes you a bit more now.¡±


    ¡°Cute, Murmur, but I¡¯m taken.¡± Or was. After today she doubted she and Ulysses would remain an item if they truly had been one in the first place. Anyway, gargoyles weren¡¯t her type.


    The monster responded by bringing his face near Maggie¡¯s, his fangs within an inch from her face. ¡°Do not call Mur that again. Ever.¡±


    Maggie held his gaze, and Sol seemed to make a move to protect her, before stopping himself. He had understood she didn¡¯t want a knight. ¡°I won¡¯t,¡± she told the gargoyle. ¡°But threaten me again and I will burst your brains out.¡±


    The monster smirked back.


    Booz¡¯s eyes shifted from one member of the group to the others, as he typed on his holo-disc. ¡°The things I do for cash.¡±


    Maggie raised her head in surprise, as the nerd¡¯s voice echoed inside her own skull. So did Mur, Sol, and Kari. ¡°Son, are you alright?¡± Sol spoke first, full of concern.


    ¡°What?¡± Booz asked, left outside the loop.


    ¡°Shroud is talking to us,¡± Kari replied. ¡°Where are you?¡±


    Matt sounded¡­ different. Colder.


    ¡°Let them come,¡± Maggie replied, toying with her gun. ¡°I¡¯m magic now, too.¡±


    She could have sworn the nerd made a contrite face on the other end of the line, as she stole his line.


    ¡°They received the same gift we did a few minutes ago,¡± Kari replied, careful not to mention Magik Online in Booz¡¯s presence. ¡°Check out your own account.¡±


    Mathias marked a short pause on the other end.


    ¡°We were preparing to rescue you, Mathias,¡± Sol said.


    ¡°Yes. We are almost ready¡ª¡±


    Before the group could protest, Mathias cut them off.


    Sol paused. ¡°You think you can escape the Arc-City on your own?¡±


    ¡°Madness,¡± Booz commented, even if he could only understand half the conversation.


    The what? Maggie thought.


    ¡°Understood,¡± Kari replied, taking his word at face value. ¡°Nightfall.¡±


    Then he cut the communication as abruptly as he started it.


    Not that Maggie could blame him. After what he went through, he probably didn¡¯t care for niceties today. ¡°So, we¡¯re getting ambushed soon,¡± she stated what everyone thought. ¡°Any ideas?¡±


    ¡°They are already here,¡± Matsumoto replied, a yellow aura manifesting around her. ¡°I can sense my death.¡±


    Before Maggie could ask her what the fuck she meant, the church¡¯s stained glass windows exploded into a volley of shrapnel. A Gearsman flew through the destroyed window, its eye crimson red.


    To Maggie, it was as if time slowed down around her. Like those movies. She could perceive every moment, the slight timing of each shard falling¡ª


    Huh? She thought, a text flashing before her eyes.


    New Hack created!


    Bullseye


    Dot: 2


    Components: Timesense + Intuimotion


    Activation: Passive, App Switch.


    You gain supernatural reflexes, agility, accuracy, and aim. You can also predict movement with near perfect accuracy, allowing you to make shots with supercomputer levels of mathematical complexity.


    Nice! Although Maggie didn¡¯t fully understand what the text said, she immediately put her spell to use.


    In a split second, before anyone else could react, she reached for her gun, a red aura coloring it crimson. ¡°Spellgun!¡± She felt the power surge within herself, gathering at the tip of her fingers and into her bullet. Was this how Jack and Matt felt? That overwhelming feeling she could snap the world open with a fingertip?


    She pulled the trigger, her bullet firing off like a crimson star. It hit the Gearsman through the torso, went through while melting most of it, before continuing its course. The defeated machine fell on the church¡¯s bench, dead and broken.


    It felt awesome!


    Maggie¡¯s triumph lasted only a few seconds, as an explosion resonated outside. More Gearsmen smashed through the windows, landing in the middle of the room.


    Something was wrong, however. One crashed on its own face as if losing control of its flight; another stomped on it, seemingly intentionally. Booz, that wise snake, had immediately taken cover behind a bench, while Sol, Mur, and Matsumoto moved to engage the machines.


    Next, Kresnik, that wolf bastard, broke the church¡¯s door open with a kick, the wooden gate falling to the ground with a loud crack. He looked pissed, white blood and oil sprayed on his jacket.


    ¡°Maggie Powells. Of course, you would be their accomplice,¡± the giant wolf spoke upon seeing her. She could see his lips move before they actually did, which she found distracting. ¡°You should not have perjur¡ª¡±


    Maggie shot him in the head before he could finish.


    The bullet bounced off him, but the werewolf¡¯s face made it worth it anyway.


    Party Stats


    AccountGuild: UnnamedNameYoshikageOversoulProgressHolderKari MatsumotoRememberUnlockedLevel1 (Novice)Channel SoulUnlockedAffinityYellowLocked Feature(0/3)LockOversoulLocked Feature(0/7)Spellcoins7Overlock(0/1)Spell CompendiumNameDotAffinityWallcraw1GreenPeak1GreenNeedless1GreenWard1YellowSpiritsight1YellowDoom Sense1YellowTimesense1VioletAccountGuild: UnnamedNameSharpshootSpellgunProgressHolderMaggie Jesse PowellsCrimson BulletUnlockedLevel1 (Novice)Locked Feature(0/1)AffinityRedLocked Feature(0/3)LockSpellgunLocked Feature(0/7)Spellcoins3Overlock(0/1)Spell CompendiumNameDotAffinityStockmight1RedBullseye2Violet/BlueAccountGuild: UnnamedNameSolAegisProgressHolderSolomon NicholaeSpell MartyrUnlockedLevel1 (Novice)Locked Feature(0/1)AffinityWhiteLocked Feature(0/3)LockAegisLocked Feature(0/7)Spellcoins3Overlock(0/1)Spell CompendiumNameDotAffinityPeak1GreenNeedless1GreenQuasar1RedAccountGuild: UnnamedNameThe Mur!AdamantProgressHolderMurmur the ImpHarderUnlockedLevel1 (Novice)Locked Feature(0/1)AffinityOrangeLocked Feature(0/3)LockAdamantLocked Feature(0/7)Spellcoins7Overlock(0/1)Spell CompendiumNameDotAffinityReinforce1OrangeBerserk1Green


    Hack of the Day


    Thunderling


    Dot: 2


    Components: Biosurge + Peak


    Activation: Passive, Thought.


    Your body is optimized to produce bioelectricity, which you can generate and control at will. Your output rivals a power plant, allowing you to produce lightning bolts or EMP, increase your reaction time by stimulating your nerves, or coat yourself in electricity. As a side-effect, you are now immune to non-magical electricity damage.

 Chapter 21: DLC: The Rogue

    Fighting was like dancing.


    So Uncle had taught Kari¡ªor was it someone else? Her memories blurred when she called upon Oversoul, ancient souvenirs meshing with recent ones in a patchwork mind. Often she remembered a normal childhood, watching Kabuki theater with Uncle; sometimes, she remembered growing up in a palace below the waves, in a court of fish and coral.


    Like dancing, fighting was all about timing. Sometimes you danced alone, focusing on yourself, on landing on your feet. Sometimes, you danced with partners. So you had to adjust to them, redirect their strength, make their momentum yours.


    At no point should you stumble, or let the other seize the initiative; you had to be like water, strong yet ungraspable, retreating and returning like the tide. Hit and run.


    She had taken that philosophy to heart. Choosing spells that would increase her speed and strength. She would fight like a shadow, killing before the enemy could retaliate, set the pace, exhaust them, and finish them off.


    ¡°Accel Eldritch Blast!¡±


    Raising his hand, the werewolf fired a focused blast of White Flux at the group, straight at the center. Moving with agility and grace she had never seen in her before, Maggie leaped out of the way, landing on a bench. Kari¡¯s Doom Sense warned her ahead of time, a subtle, needling feeling at the back of her neck, so she dodged easily. Sol had already moved to attack a maddened Gearsman, his sword raised.


    Mur, though, Kresnik¡¯s attack had hit head-on, propelling him backward through the church¡¯s pedestal and against a wall. The aftershock caused the entire building to shake, while colored sparkles came out of Mur¡¯s body; the blast must had interfered with his own spell protections.


    In one attack, the werewolf had broken their formation, dividing them. Had his Gearsmen not been acting dangerously unstable, he could have easily isolated them.


    That was why Kresnik was such a challenge. The greatest since Uncle¡¯s death. The werewolf didn¡¯t take over momentum; he disrupted it. He interrupted the flow of a battle, forcing the dancers to start over.


    Thankfully, his glitching machines had chosen to focus on Sol alone, leaving the werewolf to fend for himself. One of them couldn¡¯t even properly function, trying and failing to stand on its feet in the background.


    Kari dashed at the werewolf to fight him in hand to hand, while Maggie shot red bullets at him. While they failed to damage the thin white barrier over Kresnik¡¯s fur, the werewolf often flinched at the strength behind them.


    ¡°Accel Eldritch Blast.¡± The werewolf fired another blast at Kari to keep her at bay, which she dodged. ¡°Redirect.¡±


    At the werewolf¡¯s word, the blast suddenly veered in a corner, aiming at Maggie. The girl avoided the attack, the blast hitting the ground where she used to stand and casting shattered stone in every direction. Maggie took a full volley of them, but her body seemed to ignore the impacts, a red aura briefly flaring around her.


    ¡°A Stockmight spell,¡± Kresnik noted with a frown upon recognizing Maggie¡¯s magic, before dodging Kari¡¯s claws with a sidestep and raising his left hand to try to grab her. ¡°Focus Spell Syphon.¡±


    His hand was wreathed in a white halo, and although she avoided it, his power consuming her own aura. He didn¡¯t even need to touch her. Mere proximity was enough.


    Spell Syphon. She had seen that spell in the Compendium; it could steal Flux from targets, denying spells their fuel. Kresnik couldn¡¯t counter her Oversoul with his counterspell, so he thought to drain her magic dry instead.


    She sensed some of her memories vanish with her aura, holes growing where people¡¯s faces should have been. It bothered her, but not as much as the first time she practiced Oversoul. After the first memories blurs, she had grown used to it.


    Even the movements she used to dodge around Kresnik¡¯s blows were borrowed from a past life; skills inherited from past warriors. In some cases, she couldn¡¯t be sure what had been an original memory, and what wasn¡¯t. The emotions associated with old scenes were drained dry, leaving only colorless, dulled souvenirs.


    It had affected her state of mind as well. She used to be livelier, more vibrant a year ago. While she had never been an extrovert, she wasn¡¯t as closed off as she was now. Oversoul muted her emotions; if she couldn¡¯t remember why an activity gave her pleasure, it became easier to live without it.


    Some days, she worried what would happen once she collected all of her past lives; wondering if she would forget herself, instead of achieving completion.


    Kari told herself. She couldn¡¯t doubt herself in the middle of a fight. That was why she had purchased Needless. Food, drink, sleep? Useless. Boys? Distracting.


    Victory and survival were all that mattered; that was what Uncle would have wanted. That alone, she would never forget.


    As it became more difficult to avoid blows without losing her aura, Kari retreated further inside the church.


    Kresnik pursued her inside, before subtly positioning himself in the middle. The perfect place to hit everyone with his area of effect spells. ¡°Rain Count¡ª¡±


    He couldn¡¯t be allowed to set the battle¡¯s pace again.


    With Timesense active, Kari¡¯s sense of timing had increased beyond her natural ability, and Peak granted her the strength to put it to use. She leaped above her foe before he could finish his sentence, swirling on herself to build momentum, and kicked him in the jaw.


    At the same time, Maggie fired two red bullets at Kresnik¡¯s ankles. The combination of both blows caused the werewolf to lose his balance, crashing on his own face and interrupting his spell.


    Natural synergy. With both women using spells to enhance their sense of timing, they cooperated without even needing to communicate. Kari thought. Powers meshing together into a force multiplier.


    ¡°How is it done? Must I speak the word? Quasar?¡± Bright red light swirled around Solomon-san¡¯s sword, extending its range while he blocked the maddened Gearsmens beams with his shield. He bifurcated one of the machines in a single swing, quickly moving to fight off a second.


    Not that he needed to. The machine, already acting in a confusing manner, visibly short-circuited, fell helpless to the ground, inactive. Sol, after worrying about a trap, moved to finish it off.


    Kresnik¡¯s frown told Kari he had no more idea what happened than them.


    ¡°REINFORCE!¡± Mur snarled in the background, smashing the last incapacitated Gearsman into scrap with his hammer, causing a weak quake. His body had started to grow thick, black metal plates over his stony skin; his Lock, probably.


    ¡°You¡¯re all sorcerers,¡± Booz said, dumbfounded while hiding in a corner. ¡°Even squishie Maggie.¡±


    ¡°How?¡± Kresnik asked himself the same question while rising back to his feet, although he didn¡¯t rejoice at it. ¡°Powells couldn¡¯t cast spells a week ago! Neither could Nicholae nor the imp!¡±


    Instead of answering, Kari attempted to claw at his eyes the same way she did with his boss. Her blow bounced off the werewolf¡¯s impenetrable barrier, while she predicted a deadly retaliation with Doom Sense, narrowingly avoiding a punch that would have bashed her skull in.


    Furious, Kresnik retaliated with another area of effect spell. ¡°Rain Arcane Blade.¡±


    A white glow bathed the area, flying blades of White Flux manifesting from the church¡¯s ceiling. Like Damocles¡¯ sword, they fell on the group at high velocity, cutting through benches and stone alike. Once again, Kari¡¯s Doom Sense flared up in alarm.


    While she and Maggie used their agility to dodge, Solomon raised his shield to protect himself. Kresnik, whose own blades ignored him, exploited the opportunity to cheapshot the knight, tackling him against a wall. ¡°Accel Eldritch Blast!¡± Before the knight could recover, a magical burst shattered bricks and collapsing the wall on him. Sunlight spread to most of the church.


    Even Booz, who thought himself safe, had to dodge one of the swords by jumping sideways, the blade cutting through the ground.


    Kari realized, the thought bothering her. So far, Kresnik had fought to incapacitate. Doom Sense almost never activated in his presence, unlike with Smokefang.


    Did he think that the situation had grown bad enough to warrant lethal force?


    Mur alone weathered the assault, his metal plates deflecting the projectiles and parts of the collapsing ceiling. Tossing away the wooden benches between him and the rest of the church, Mur charged at Kresnik with a roar, swinging his hammer. By now most of his forearms and shoulders were covered by a metal layer.


    Mur¡¯s swing missed, as Kresnik dodged with a backflip. The wolf had learned from their last encounter, keeping his distance. The gargoyle kept swinging while roaring, his hammer hitting walls or the ground without touching the werewolf.


    ¡°Pierce Arcane Blade,¡± the werewolf spoke, a white blade appearing in his right hand. His blade met the tip of Mur¡¯s hammer, and after encountering resistance, cut it off like butter.


    ¡°Mur¡¯s stuff!¡± Letting out an angry snarl, Mur tossed his destroyed weapon away and punched the werewolf in the face, making him flinch.


    Much to Kari¡¯s surprise, Kresnik¡¯s invincible barrier cracked at the contact; it didn¡¯t shatter, but cracks were visible.


    ¡°Accel Counterspell!¡± Kresnik unleashed a white flash at Mur from his left hand, but the metal plating didn¡¯t recede. In fact, reeling from the surprise, he received a second punch for his trouble, deepening the cracks further. ¡°A Lock?¡±


    ¡°Adamant!¡± Mur revealed with glee. ¡°The longer Mur fights, the more indestructible he becomes!¡±


    Kresnik responded by attempting to cut Mur¡¯s arm off with his blade, only for a bullet from Maggie to deflect his hand. When the werewolf attempted to sidestep another punch, the sniper hit him in the leg, putting him off balance.


    His barrier could stop most spells, but Locks were more effective against it. Kari prepared to jump again into the melee when a Doom Sense warning stopped her.


    ¡°Rain Eldritch Blast!¡± Instead of a focused blast, Kresnik unleashed a potent wave of energy around himself, an extending dome of white Flux. The expanding wave pushed back everything within ten feet of the wolf, propelling stones, wooden debris, and dust in all directions.


    Mur, the only one within range, had his stony skin peel off on the areas unprotected by his metal plates. The attack dug small holes in his body, through which black smoke went out. Yet the fearless gargoyle pursued his assault and stood his ground, raising his hand to smash Kresnik again.


    Kresnik caught the blow with his left palm, Focus Spell Syphon still active. With a jerk of his hand, he pulled the beast toward him. The ice in the wolf¡¯s eyes set all kinds of alarm in Kari¡¯s heart. ¡°You are too dangerous to let live.¡±


    Kari suddenly realized the attack hadn¡¯t been meant to push Mur back, but reveal chinks in his defense.


    Quick as a snake, Kresnik moved to shove his energy sword through Mur¡¯s unprotected chest area. Kari dashed forward to interrupt him, but Maggie-san was faster, shooting the werewolf¡¯s arm in an attempt to deflect the blow.


    The werewolf powered through, his blade cutting through Mur¡¯s torso and emerging on the other side.


    Before Kari could reach the two, Kresnik cleaved the gargoyle in half, throwing the upper half away with his left hand. The legs and tail stumbled as if animated by one last spark of life, before collapsing.


    Kari¡¯s heart surged with fury, as a vivid memory flared to life. The sight of a Concordian soldier cutting down her uncle with his own katana, condemning him to a fate worse than death itself.


    A primal desire to kill overtook her, as she directed all her attention towards putting Kresnik down, looking for the perfect timing, the perfect moment of deat¡ª


    CRACK!


    New Hack created!


    Killer Sense


    Dot: 2


    Components: Timesense + Doom Sense


    Activation: Passive, App Switch.


    You subconsciously sense the death of others; this allows you to intuitively divine weak points and how to inflict lethal wounds.


    She lunged at Kresnik with all her might, waiting for her new sense to activate.


    Nothing.


    She couldn¡¯t kill Kresnik. Couldn¡¯t break his barrier. Nothing she had could inflict lethal damage. Her claws bounced off, even when she targeted the cracks. Unlike her fellow warriors, her own Lock couldn¡¯t break past his spell.


    ¡°Murderer!¡± Sol-san shouted, tossing aside the stones Kresnik had tried to bury him beneath. He raised his sword to kill Kresnik the same way he did with his comrade, the werewolf parried with his own blade. Both engaged in a fast-paced, pitched sword fight.


    ¡°Murderer?¡± Kresnik¡¯s self-righteous fury rivaled Sol¡¯s own. ¡°You defied the law, allied with a foul beast, and made him a sorcerer through some witchery! You are not trained! You are immature, lording your power as if it were a instead of a You will escalate, foment war, and threaten the peace!¡±


    That was more words than Kari had ever heard the werewolf speak. ¡°You conquered us,¡± was her cold reply. The fact her Killer Sense didn¡¯t activate while watching the sword fight only aggravated her anger. In no possible future could she harm him herself.


    ¡°So we could protect you!¡± Kresnik defended himself. ¡°You have no idea what horrors lurk in the depth of space. The monsters, the fiends, the darkness, corrupted life¡ª¡±


    Maggie¡¯s fired a red bullet at his jaw, and Kari¡¯s Killer Sense fired up even as it bounced off. The Japanese warrior¡¯s eyes widened upon recognizing the opportunity.


    Leaving Sol to distract the lone werewolf, Kari joined Maggie as she reloaded. ¡°You can kill him,¡± she told her ally.


    ¡°Doesn¡¯t look like it,¡± Maggie replied, aiming her gun at the werewolf¡¯s head. ¡°I¡¯m gonna charge the next bullet with everything I have plus Stockmight. After all the blows it took, it should hit him harder.¡±


    ¡°I will guide you,¡± Kari said. ¡°Trust me.¡±


    The shooter grumbled but listened. ¡°Left,¡± Kari said, her Killer Sense sending her strong signals down her neck as Maggie aimed where she wanted. ¡°A bit higher, higher¡­¡±


    While the aura around Maggie¡¯s gun glowed crimson red, Kresnik pushed back Sol, forcing him to parry with his shield. As Killer Sense faded out, Kari moved to grab stones on the ground, launching them at Kresnik¡¯s face like arrows.


    The small stones bounced off or shattered on impact, the dust clouding Kresnik¡¯s vision. It didn¡¯t hurt the Concordian officer, even as she kept firing faster and faster.


    But it distracted him, enough to allow Sol-san to regain his footing. ¡°Deus Vult!¡± He shouted, swinging his sword to cut the wolf down. As he raised his Arcane Blade to parry the strike, Kresnik left a tiny space below his neck exposed.


    ¡°Now!¡± Kari shouted when her feeling was the strongest; Maggie shot before she finished her word.


    This time, the bullet caused a recoil so strong, it almost made Maggie fall to her back. It gored through Kresnik¡¯s barrier like a crimson spear, blasting it out of existence; it pierced his fur and drew blood.


    The werewolf let out a surprised gargle, the bullet still lodged in his neck. After seeing a weaker bullet melt a Gearsman¡¯s chest, Kari admired his physical resilience.


    But that was over. The shock and wound disrupted his Arcane Blade, allowing Sol to toss Kresnik to his back with a push of his shield.


    ¡°Argh¡­¡± Kresnik struggled to align words, holding his bleeding throat. Yet, in spite of impending death, his eyes betrayed no fear, even as Sol moved in for the kill. ¡°Criminals¡­ Geist¡­¡±


    A white glow surrounded the werewolf, and Sol quickly raised his blade to finish him off.


    He only hit a white, formless mist, and then the ground. A White Flux cloud in the shape of Kresnik fled from the church through the cracks in the wall. The knight, realizing the werewolf made a gateway, attempted to cut the cloud off, with Kari joining with her claws.


    Too late. Kresnik dispersed to the winds.


    The church, ruined beyond repair, fell into silence. Gearsmen parts laid next to broken benches, no windows had been left unbroken, and most of the ceiling had collapsed. Sol sighed deeply, his only home devastated.


    ¡°Mur-san¡­¡± Kari said, more saddened at her fallen ally.


    That was why she shut herself in. If she didn¡¯t care about her comrades, she wouldn¡¯t feel pain when they died.


    Uncle¡¯s fate taught her that.


    ¡°He died valiantly,¡± Solomon spoke, with surprising dignity. ¡°May the Father bless his soul.¡±


    ¡°What are you squishies talking about?¡± Booz interrupted the moment, dusting off his clothes. ¡°He¡¯s not dead. Too stubborn for that.¡±


    The hobgoblin pointed at a shadow in a corner, next to the broken torso. A small toddler-sized shape crawled out of the gargoyle¡¯s remains.


    The creature was a red, stony humanoid wearing a fearsome crown of horns; or so it would be, were they not ridiculously tiny. Its jet black bat-wings, spiky tail, and sharp claws made him look fiendish, though.


    Kari immediately recognized its yellow, reptilian eyes.


    As she connected the dots, the sorceress glanced at the gargoyle¡¯s remains. The dead flesh wasn¡¯t flesh, but stone and mud strati. A hollow body built layers by layers. Like a snake¡¯s¡ª


    ¡°Mur¡¯s skin¡­¡± the creature whined with a familiar voice. ¡°Mur¡¯s expensive stoneskin¡­ Mur will have to eat stones for years to regrow it!¡± S§×arch* The N??eFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    An imp?


    ¡°Is that your true form, Mur-san?¡± Kari asked. Now that she thought of it, the creature had a strong resemblance with the dismembered gargoyle, just much, much smaller.


    ¡°¡­ Nooooo¡­¡± Mur lied like a child caught stealing a cookie. If his voice hadn¡¯t betrayed his identity, his behavior would have.


    A lot of comments about him suddenly made a lot more sense.


    ¡°An imp?¡± Sol¡¯s voice dripped with disgust and nausea. He had lost whatever sorrow and camaraderie he had shown Mur a few minutes prior. ¡°You are a fiend. An actual fiend.¡±


    Kari didn¡¯t know enough about gargoyles to make a judgment.


    ¡°Pfft¡­¡± Maggie put a hand on her mouth, then failed to restrain herself. She burst out laughing. ¡°Oh my, that¡¯s hilarious! And the giant hammer? Compensating for something?¡±


    ¡°Fuck off, Yankee!¡± Mur replied, giving the girl a dirty gesture.


    ¡°But seriously, where the hell did the wolf go?¡± Maggie asked, after recovering her breath, ¡°I feel blue balled and I¡¯m not even a boy.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s his Lock, White Geist,¡± Booz grumbled. ¡°He can turn his body to White Flux at will. A trump card when everything else fails.¡±


    ¡°At least I killed him good,¡± Maggie said. ¡°Right? Right?¡±


    No. Kari¡¯s Killer Sense should have told her. Or she thought so; she would need to check its limits over time. ¡°He will live,¡± she said.


    ¡°Live in fear of the Mur!¡± Mur boasted, raising his tiny hands in a victory pose.


    Kari thought. The werewolf had seen all of them casting spells, and so had the Gearsmen. Concordia knew all of them were sorcerers and deemed them unwilling to reform.


    For better or worse, they were now on the Empire¡¯s radar.


    Party Stats


    AccountGuild: UnnamedNameYoshikageOversoulProgressHolderKari MatsumotoRememberUnlockedLevel1 (Novice)Channel SoulUnlockedAffinityYellowLocked Feature(0/3)LockOversoulLocked Feature(0/7)Spellcoins7Overlock(0/1)Spell CompendiumNameDotAffinityWallcraw1GreenPeak1GreenNeedless1GreenWard1YellowSpiritsight1YellowKiller Sense2Yellow/VioletAccountGuild: UnnamedNameSharpshootSpellgunProgressHolderMaggie Jesse PowellsCrimson BulletUnlockedLevel1 (Novice)Locked Feature(0/1)AffinityRedLocked Feature(0/3)LockSpellgunLocked Feature(0/7)Spellcoins3Overlock(0/1)Spell CompendiumNameDotAffinityStockmight1RedBullseye2Violet/BlueAccountGuild: UnnamedNameSolAegisProgressHolderSolomon NicholaeSpell MartyrUnlockedLevel1 (Novice)Locked Feature(0/1)AffinityWhiteLocked Feature(0/3)LockAegisLocked Feature(0/7)Spellcoins3Overlock(0/1)Spell CompendiumNameDotAffinityPeak1GreenNeedless1GreenQuasar1RedAccountGuild: UnnamedNameThe Mur!AdamantProgressHolderMurmur the ImpHarderUnlockedLevel1 (Novice)Locked Feature(0/1)AffinityOrangeLocked Feature(0/3)LockAdamantLocked Feature(0/7)Spellcoins7Overlock(0/1)Spell CompendiumNameDotAffinityReinforce1OrangeBerserk1Green


    Hack of the Day


    Cacophony


    Dot: 2


    Components: Babel + Berserk


    Activation: Active, Voice Vector.


    You prevent everyone within earshot from understanding any form of language (written, oral, body language, or even magical signals) for ten minutes; this manifests as the victim comprehending communication as senseless gibberish. As a side-effect, victims suffer from agnosia for the spell''s duration, being unable to identify others in spite of keeping their memories of them.

 Chapter 22: Jailbreak

    Maggie was magic.


    So were Sol and Mur.


    Shroud didn¡¯t know how to take the news, even as he massaged his sore muscles and tried to gather his thoughts, Berserk wearing off. The floor felt cold like steel, and the world outside hostile, with the lights and sirens, constantly assaulting him. The organ-like pod had been ripped open behind him, its liquid flowing out. The sedatives still slowed him down, making his body sore and his mind slower.


    With his senses enhanced by Lightbringer, it became easy to distinguish his surroundings. His heart-like pod was only one among a dozen, empty others, linked to strange computer terminals by long cables. The entire area looked like a closed off medical wing, made entirely of metal and protected by reinforced steel doors.


    The Gearsmen were still busy fighting one another, raining fire on the other Organotech Hearts. While they paid no mind to Shroud, often preferring to hit themselves, they had started a fire.


    With a look at the ceiling, Shroud noticed a large conduit above, enough to let a dragon like Smokefang fly through. It seemed they had left it open in case Evermarsh¡¯s dragon overlord had to come back.


    He also noticed small openings in the walls, pumping gas into the room.


    Well, time to go.


    If Lightbringer allowed him to create light that remained solid as long as it was in contact with his body, perhaps he could replicate the tricks he achieved with Glass Field.


    With a thought, Shroud summoned a light replica of his glass armor over his skin, a bright, warm second skin. With a tweak, Shroud changed the color of the light into the darkest shade of purple, giving it the same shadowy look as his original suit.


    The light kept its solidness, and with some mental effort, the artificial suit lifted him above the ground. Without a word, Shroud flew through the open ceiling, following Smokefang¡¯s lead, as toxic gas began to fill the hospital wing. His chest hurt due to his broken rib and Berserk¡¯s effect waning off.


    While making his way upward, Shroud kept checking his account, finding a new icon next to the currently closed Lair feature, representing a blue banner with Earth on it. He checked the name, Guild Account, before clicking.


    Guild: Unnamed


    Rank: Moderator


    You have 4 assigned Accounts and 2 unassigned Accounts on standby


    Assigned


    Yoshikage (Yellow)


    The Mur! (Orange)


    Sharpshoot (Red)


    Sol (White)


    Unassigned


    Violet


    Green


    A click on Sharpshoot¡¯s account confirmed it as Maggie¡¯s.


    AccountGuild: UnnamedNameSharpshootSpellgunProgressHolderMaggie Jesse PowellsCrimson BulletUnlockedLevel1 (Novice)Locked Feature(0/1)AffinityRedLocked Feature(0/3)LockSpellgunLocked Feature(0/7)Spellcoins3Overlock(0/1)


    Moderate


    Transfer?Suspend?Cancel?


    Spellgun (Crimson Bullet): You can channel Red Flux through any gun, including fully formed Red spells. The longer you charge Red Flux, the more powerful the impact.


    Spell CompendiumNameDotAffinityStockmight1RedIntuimotion1BlueTimesense1Violet


    The sight of Intuimotion among the spells chosen brought a smile to his face. A click on the unassigned accounts only revealed their Color, and an empty space next to the word ¡°assign.¡±


    Shroud found himself checking Perse¡¯s Network feed, driven by a small, impossible hope. He found her in a hospital room, attended by a soulless automated machine assistant. The sorcerer hesitated before clicking on the contact option; before realizing this may be the last time he could speak to her, whether he succeeded or failed in his escape.


    ¡°Perse?¡± she jumped in place. ¡°Are you alright? It¡¯s me.¡±


    ¡°Matt?¡± She couldn¡¯t believe it. ¡°Matt, is that you?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s me. I¡¯m talking through¡­¡± he struggled to find the right word.


    She beat him to it. ¡°Through magic, isn¡¯t it?¡±


    So the cat was out of the bag. ¡°Through magic, yes.¡±


    ¡°Where are you? Can you even talk to me?¡±


    Something in her tone put him on the defensive. ¡°Look, it¡¯s not a problem¡ª¡±


    ¡°It never is with you.¡± It felt like a dagger stab, an unspoken accusation. ¡°I¡¯m alright. Ulysses too. Mom is¡­ mom is not. She took your dad¡¯s death badly.¡±


    Shroud didn¡¯t answer Perse, filling the silence. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Matt. I¡ª¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t want to talk about Dad,¡± he cut her off. He didn¡¯t want sympathy, he didn¡¯t want kindness. He just wanted payback.


    ¡°Okay.¡± She took a deep breath on the other end. ¡°Matt, what are you? Don¡¯t lie.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m a spellcaster,¡± he admitted. ¡°I have been for a while. And I can give you and Ulysses the same power as mine. We could become a party like you suggested.¡± That sounded like years ago.


    She shot down his proposal with a sad tone. ¡°Matt, there¡¯s no we anymore.¡±


    That hit him harder than it should have.


    ¡°I can¡¯t thank you enough for saving me and mom and Ulysses, but¡­¡±


    ¡°But what?¡± his voice broke inside his throat.


    ¡°But you lied to me!¡± Her outburst took him back. Perse had never shouted at him before, . ¡°To . The news¡­ they say you¡¯re a sorcerer, that you killed Sam¡¯s parents and fought the authorities. That you¡¯re a criminal.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s a lie!¡± he snarled, cursing Smokefang¡¯s pettiness. ¡°I¡¯m a sorcerer, yes, but I didn¡¯t kill Brown. I saved Maggie from Brown, from Jack. You¡¯ve seen what he was.¡±


    ¡°And he came for you,¡± Perse replied, sounding more tired than angry. ¡°Matt, I want to believe you, but I don¡¯t know what¡¯s happening, what you have become, or who¡¯s telling the truth. And that¡¯s the problem. I can¡¯t trust you anymore. After you hid something that big from me, I can¡¯t figure out what part is bullshit and the part that¡¯s the truth.¡±


    ¡°It was to protect you,¡± he said, but his lie sounded weak in his voice. ¡°I kept it quiet to protect you. To protect Dad.¡±


    ¡°No, Matt,¡± she replied, seeing right through him. ¡°It was to protect yourself. To pretend everything was fine when it wasn¡¯t.¡±


    ¡­


    ¡°I thought so.¡± The visual feed vibrated, Perse shaking her head on the other end. ¡°Matt, that night, you didn¡¯t just come home with Kari Matsumoto, right? You were already embroiled in that shit. For how long?¡±


    ¡°A month,¡± he replied, his voice lower than before.


    ¡°A month?¡± Perse sighed. ¡°Matt, if you had told me the truth the first time before we dated, I would have accepted it. Not like it, but I would have kept it quiet. Because you were my best friend.¡±


    Were.


    Past tense. ¡°Perse¡ª¡±


    ¡°But you didn¡¯t. You didn¡¯t trust me the same way I did you. You can¡¯t build a relationship on secrets that big, Matt.¡±


    No. No, they couldn¡¯t.


    He couldn¡¯t blame her for the way she felt. He had dared tell Sol because he trusted him more; because he knew the priest would support him, join the fight. He hadn¡¯t had the same confidence in Perse, or in his own father. He could only blame himself.


    A lie cannot live, a wise man once said.


    He had to tell the truth, to embrace the life he had chosen and make peace with it. ¡°I¡¯m rebelling,¡± he admitted. No need to hide it anymore. ¡°Mom is alive. They¡¯re keeping her somewhere, and I intend to find her.¡±


    Perse didn¡¯t answer. That alone was a warning. He didn¡¯t need Network to guess why.


    She thought he would die, and that nothing she could say would move him. ¡°I told you before I wouldn¡¯t judge you on your choices,¡± she said, a hint of concern permeating her words. ¡°Be careful, okay?¡±


    ¡°I will.¡±


    ¡°It felt good,¡± she said. ¡°The time it lasted.¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡± Yes, it did. ¡°Farewell, Perse. Take care.¡±


    ¡°You take care, too,¡± she replied with the same finality as him.


    She felt she wouldn¡¯t see him again.


    She was probably right.


    The hollowed pillar went on and on, an endless tunnel adorned with smaller alcoves, smaller conduits leading into windows; past them, Shroud could see apartments, machine rooms, and hints of floral biodomes. Windows meant to allow the dragons to look at any area of the artificial city, like a panopticon.


    Windows made of glass.


    ¡°Glass Field,¡± he spoke softly, letting his magic flare back to life. As Shroud mentally shattered the glass around him, he allowed himself a thin smile. How good it felt, to see again, to sense the power surge within his very bones, to be more than a helpless victim. After getting used to his magical senses, Shroud had never understood how much he enjoyed them until now.


    A storm of shrapnel surrounded him; a few he incorporated into his light armor, creating a second, protective layer. The others flew around him like a flock of birds.


    Shroud checked if he could channel Lightbringer through his glass, and to his delight, the glass responded. With a thought, he coated each shard with the same solid light as his armor. To outsiders, he must have looked like a bright sun surrounded by countless, miniature stars.


    A squad of Gearsmen came down to greet him, firing on sight while keeping their distance. Their beams fell upon him like a red, bloody rain.


    With a thought, Shroud placed a few shards in the way, and tried to channel Lightbringer. If he could cast spells through them, then perhaps they counted as an extension of his body for the Hack¡¯s purpose, allowing him to create light constructs around glass.


    It worked. His lightshards expanded into a beehive-like colored shield, stopping the Red Flux beams.


    Lightshards. He liked the name.


    A hundred other shards, he turned into the light swords he had used before, shredding the machines with a volley of them. Gears and blood fell down the pillar, while Shroud remained immaculate and clean.


    Now that he had a stronger, faster offense, he could retaliate without needing Sol or the others. He should have relished at the sight, taken joy in his act. Yet he only felt numb, as cold and lifeless as the steel around him.


    Unfortunately, the intelligence ruling the complex took his counterattack as a warning. As the air sirens increased in shrieking potency, reinforced doors began to close above his head, barring his way. Shroud unleashed his swords of light at them, but they failed to pierce the barriers.


    In fact, small holes opened in the conduit around him, revealing automated turrets. They pointed at him and started firing red beams, while other holes released gas in the hollowed pillar.


    Unable to progress, Shroud had no choice but escape through one of the broken windows with his lightshards, leaving the conduit behind for another area.


    The second he stepped out of the alcove, a Gearsman flew at him at full speed, intent on tackling him. Hearing it coming, Shroud sent his lightshards to tear it apart in a rain of gears and white blood.


    He found himself above a giant, closed park rivaling the size of New York¡¯s central park. Powerful lamps provided the light above, while the giant walls around revealed stairs to apartments. The green expanse had everything a park could wish for, from a lake to game spaces for children, or even golf courses.


    Concordia built the Arc-Cities to welcome entire populations there; each of these hives could survive in perfect self-sufficiency, feeding the population, keeping them safe from danger. Giving people all they needed.


    A gilded cage.


    New Gearsmen, a full platoon of twenty this time, flew out of the hidden compartments inside the park to attack him. All of them carried strange, rough-looking two-hand cannons and rifles, firing volleys of orange colored rounds at him.


    Each colored bullet, Shroud could predict the trajectory. While he couldn¡¯t see the shots, he noticed the precursory triggers and adjusted his position in time; in fact, he noticed everything. Each turn of the Gearsmen¡¯s fingers, each movement in the air. His brain could take it all with Premium Thoughts.


    Carefully, Shroud moved away while putting a lightshield between himself and the projectiles. As he feared, the orange bullets pierced his shield, narrowingly missing him. They had adapted to his defenses and upgraded their weaponry.


    Once again, Shroud retaliated with a volley of lightshards, but the Gearsmen dispersed into groups of four to avoid his counterattack. Still, thanks to Premium Thoughts, he found no difficulty handling them while opening another Network feed.


    ¡°Ulysses?¡± he called while dodging orange flux bullets.


    ¡°Whoa, man, that¡¯s creepy!¡± Came the answer. ¡°Hello, Professor X, how are you?¡±


    ¡°Fighting Gearsmen,¡± he replied, pointing lightshards at a squad. He channeled light through them into fiery beams, shooting down the entire group like ducks in a barrel. ¡°It¡¯s easier than you think.¡±


    ¡°So I was right all along, years of video games do wonders for reflexes?¡± Shroud smiled at his friend¡¯s joke; a smile that vanished with his next words. ¡°My sister is crying in her white, empty room. You wouldn¡¯t have anything to do with it?¡±


    ¡°We broke up.¡± He created a three layers barrier of lightshards between himself and a bullet, stopping it midway through the second layer. ¡°Too much bullshit on my end.¡±


    ¡°Called it.¡± Somehow, Ulysses didn¡¯t condemn him the same way he did a few days before. ¡°It was a bad idea from the start, from the both of you.¡±


    ¡°I guess on some level, I thought I could have my cake and eat it, too. Take down Concordia and still maintain some normal life. Hold a normal job, date a girl, start a family¡­¡±


    ¡°Yeah, ain¡¯t that a bitch, fighting the government has consequences.¡±


    ¡°Yeah,¡± Shroud replied, with the same sarcastic tone. ¡°At some point, you¡¯ve got to stop being on the fence and commit to one side.¡±


    ¡°More like the choice was made for you.¡± Ulysses fell into a short silence. ¡°Are you holding up?¡±


    ¡°No,¡± he replied bluntly, anger simmering below the surface. He could see Ulysses wince on the other end of the feed. ¡°No, I¡¯m not.¡±


    ¡°Your dad saved us. Gave us time. One more minute and Jack would have killed us all. I know it¡¯s not comforting, but¡­ I don¡¯t know what else to say. I¡¯m terrible at emotional support.¡±


    ¡°Then say nothing.¡± Shroud took a deep breath, letting the faint scent of burning Gearsmen fill his lungs. ¡°You know, you and Perse¡­ with my dad gone, you were one of the only things keeping me away from going all the way.¡±


    ¡°Matt, don¡¯t. You¡¯re never coming back if you do that.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t intend to.¡± With his father¡¯s death, he had no home to come back to. ¡°In the end, that peaceful existence in Evermarsh, the future I could have had, it was just a feeble dream. And I¡¯ve got to wake up.¡±


    ¡°Try to remember us when you do, then.¡±


    Some parts of the walls around the park slide away, revealing turrets. They joined the Gearsmen in bombarding him from all directions. Accelerating his flight speed, Shroud struggled against a sea of projectiles, creating layers upon layers of protective light shaped like beehive combs.


    ¡°Thanks,¡± Ulysses admitted. ¡°For saving our hides.¡±


    ¡°Maggie joined me,¡± he told him. ¡°You could join, too.¡±


    ¡°She did?¡± He could almost picture his friend shake his head on the other end of the line. ¡°Someone has to watch Mom and Perse after this mess. They will need it.¡±


    ¡°I could help you flee Evermarsh. I have connections, I could help your family have a fresh start. You wouldn¡¯t suffer because of your association with me.¡±


    ¡°We already did Matt,¡± Ulysses replied. ¡°This may sound harsh, but if you love us, really love us¡­ you will disappear from our lives and we will never meet again.¡±


    A projectile flew past his barrier, nearly blowing off his head. He regretted having such a difficult conversation in the middle of a fight. ¡°Ulysses, do you¡­ do you hate me?¡±


    ¡°Of course not. You¡¯re my best friend, so it . But you said it yourself, it will only end when you or Concordia are gone. You¡¯re destructive, Matt. You want the bloody fight. If you want to leave us out of your mess, you will have to , period.¡±


    Leave us.


    Shroud gathered all lightshards around himself. The bombardment left him no opening to fire back, trapping him. Nowhere to run, no opening.


    Trapped.


    Mathias thought back about Maxwell¡¯s deal. Swallow his pride, surrender, submit to better strike back later? Maybe that was what Maxwell was doing, playing the long game. He could keep his friends, negotiate the safety of his team.


    His eyes glanced at the shield of light around him. No. Magik Online would never risk discovery; the Empire had mind-readers in its employ, and they would interrogate him thoroughly. The Administrator would take his power, perhaps even silence him.


    He had put all his chips on the table long. He couldn¡¯t fold anymore, only raise.


    ¡°I¡¯m going to miss you,¡± Shroud told Ulysses. ¡°Kiss your mother for me¡­ and Perse. Perse most of all.¡±


    ¡°I will.¡± Ulysses chuckled on the other end, although there was no joy in it. ¡°I was wrong, Matt. The scalies will never kill you. You¡¯re too mean to die.¡±


    ¡°Farewell, Ulysses.¡±


    Shroud cut off the communication, clenched his fists, and let out a scream of rage and sorrow.


    ¡°MAD WORLD!¡±


    Each of his shards reverberated the sound, amplifying the spell¡¯s reach through the entire park.


    The pressure on his shields subsided, yet the machines kept the same firing speed; except now they fired at each other, UB controlled turrets taking down Gearsmen, orange bullets raining on the trees below. Half the lamps above Shroud¡¯s head shattered with a loud, strident sound, casting half of the biodome into darkness.


    A few Gearsmen even started attacking themselves, ripping out their heads or shooting themselves in their madness.


    Protected by his barrier, Shroud watched the machine civil war, his shields protecting him from the rare stray shot. The malfunctions had spread to other, subtler systems; the apartments¡¯ doors opened and closed at random, an electrical fire spread through the park, and the lake began to steam up. Shroud wondered if Mad World¡¯s effects were only limited to the Arc-City, or if it affected all of Evermarsh.


    Suddenly, without a loud sound, the battle ended as suddenly as it started. The lamps went out, leaving only Shroud¡¯s light and the fires below to keep it alight; the Gearsmen suddenly fell inactive, falling to the ground like dead birds. The turrets stopped firing. S§×ar?h the N?velFire(.)net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    All the systems maintaining the city had shut down.


    A reboot. He had forced a reboot on the city¡¯s central UB to deal with Mad World.


    Shroud immediately took the opportunity to fire lasers at the inactive Gearsmen and turrets, demolishing them before they could wake up. Hundreds, thousands of lasers, bombarding the walls, the turrets, the trees, and the dirt. No spot, no area was left untouched by the onslaught. Gearsmen were torn apart, turrets exploded, and the lake turned to steam.


    He sustained the attack for a full two minutes until all he could hear was the sound of his beams melting metal. Only then did he stop.


    By now, the park below had caught fire at a dozen spots, trees burning and flames spreading across the grass. The lake had lost a good chunk of its surface, covered by steamy mist. The broken remains of Gearsmen and turrets laid on the ground, while the walls around were damaged beyond repair. Some apartments had crumbled, causing one block to collapse on the left.


    An anti-fire system should have activated, yet the city¡¯s reboot left the flames to spread unchecked.


    Shroud looked at the devastation, with a strange mix of loneliness and satisfaction. He had lost a lot today, yet found some comfort in the fact he could still fight.


    No turning back.


    He wondered if he could steal the city¡¯s UB since he had disabled its defense.


    Well, almost all of them.


    With a powerful tremor, a whole side of the park ripped itself in half, metal plates beneath the dirt and the trees tossed aside to reveal a large, dark tunnel below. A scent of sulfur and brimstone rose to fill the air as if a gate to Hell had opened.


    The beast left its den in short order, taking its flight among the smoke. A giant, winged fiend whose scales shone bright and strong. The monster let out a roar, as it moved above the sorcerer in contempt.


    ¡°This is as far as you go, .¡±


    Smokefang looked down on Shroud, casting his light in its immense, winged shadow. His lone eye burned with malice and a desire for revenge matching the sorcerer¡¯s own.


    Shroud raised a hand at his target, making a familiar challenging gesture. ¡°Bring it, Mushu.¡±


    Smokefang answered with a cloud of smoke and green fire.


    Party Stats


    AccountGuild Moderator: UnnamedNameShroudNetworkProgressHolderMathias MartelBroadcastUnlockedLevel1 (Novice)Grant SpellUnlockedAffinityBlueLocked Feature(0/3)LockNetworkLocked Feature(0/7)Spellcoins4Overlock(0/1)Installation...Please wait...Debug.....Spell CompendiumNameDotAffinityPremium Thoughts1BlueGlass Field2Orange/BlueLightbringer2Red/OrangeMad World2Blue/Green


    Hack of the Day


    Splash


    Dot: 2


    Components: Seamancer + Urbanstep


    Activation: Passive, Thought.


    You can teleport into any body of inorganic liquid which you can perceive. This includes water, fuel, lava, and even rain drops. You are not harmed by the teleportation effect, but you may suffer from exposure to the liquid. This ability has no range and can work even through mediums such as photos; if the liquid has changed place or been removed since, Splash will fail to work.

 Chapter 23: Dragonslayer

    Jack¡¯s words echoed in Shroud¡¯s mind, as he flew circles around the dragon, avoiding streams of flames. The sorcerer had grown certain that the snake had practiced his flight since their last encounter. The reptile moved more gracefully than before, and kept his distance instead of rushing in towards the sorcerer.


    He had learned a lesson from their last confrontation.


    With dragonfire raining down on the enclosed space, the park below had become a smoldering inferno, with only a few areas untainted; not even hardened steel could resist the raw intensity of Smokefang¡¯s breath. Water couldn¡¯t extinguish his flames, the lake below turning to steam on contact.


    The Network memory, that of the destruction of Atlanta during the Conquest, filled Shroud with hatred and disgust. The sorcerer could feel the heat rising, smoke filling the air. Had the dragon, unable to land a hit, instead settled on asphyxiating him?


    He had to finish this as quickly as possible.


    Unleashing a volley of light beams at the dragon, Shroud watched dejectedly as most of them bounced back off the beast¡¯s scales. Distance wouldn¡¯t cut it.


    Up close and personal then.


    Instead of running away, Shroud suddenly switched direction, dashing at Smokefang and closing the gap between them. The dragon, surprised and wary, kept his current position and tried to push him away with a flap of his giant wings. Although the wind offered some surprise resistance, Shroud moved close enough get Smokefang inside Glass Field¡¯s range.


    Next, the sorcerer turned some of his lightshards into claymores of light, sending them to impale the dragon. Smokefang, suspecting a trick, dived to dodge most of the projectiles like a giant falcon. In spite of his size and weight, he avoided quite a few.


    But not all of them.


    Swords sliced through his scales with some effort¡ªthose aiming for the belly and neck more easily than the rest of the body¡ªand reached the flesh beneath. The dragon let out a pain-filled squeal, thick dark red blood dripping from his wounds.


    Shroud ordered his lightswords to keep going, but they struggled to worm themselves deeper into the monster¡¯s flesh. It seemed the cursed beast¡¯s insides were as tough as the hide outside. Still, like living shrapnel, they cut their way through. Shroud only had to reach an organ to finish him off.


    Letting out a howl of agony, Smokefang retaliated with his fiery breath. Yet, instead of unleashing it as a straight line of fire, his breath took the shape of a large rounded burst; like a bursting balloon, it left no room for Shroud to dodge around.


    The sorcerer moved backward, retreating to avoid incineration. While the burst soon dissipated into harmless fireworks, it forced Shroud farther back than his Glass Field range could allow him to maintain control over his shards.


    His lightswords turned back into normal glass shards; still embedded in Smokefang¡¯s body, but harmless for now.


    ¡°You, you... you tried to .¡± Besides the obvious anger and fury, Shroud noticed another, new feeling in Smokefang¡¯s voice.


    Fear.


    The creature had never fought for his life in his entire, miserable existence.


    ¡°That¡¯s the goal, genius,¡± Shroud replied, his tone ominous. He carefully modeled his tone this way to cow the snake. The more he unbalanced him, the greater the odds were he would make a mistake. ¡°You tried to kill my friends, tried to condemn me to Electon, and you thought I would play nicely?¡±


    ¡°If you kill me, you will never find peace!¡± Smokefang responded with threats and outrage. ¡°To strike against the universal master race is a violation of the natural order! Concordia will hunt you to your death!¡±


    ¡°Good. It will save me the trouble of hunting your kind down.¡±


    The dragon responded with a stream of fire that Shroud easily avoided, trying to dash back to close combat. Before he could, Smokefang quickly retaliated with a rounded burst, once again forcing him back. ¡°Ten, twelve meters,¡± Smokefang said, keeping his distance. ¡°That is how far your range goes.¡±


    Only for Glass Field.


    Should he cast Mad World on Smokefang? The dragon would lose all reason and become easier to approach but on the other hand¡­ fighting irrational, living artillery in a closed environment sounded borderline suicidal.


    Smokefang must have thought he considered using Blue World, for he began to gloat. ¡°And your mind trick will not work again! I had Captain Kresnik cast a protective spell on me this morning!¡±


    One not powerful enough to block his weapons, though. He also doubted it would protect the dragon against Mad World when top-tier Imperial infrastructure fell to it.


    In the end, he risked too much by turning the dragon mad; the sorcerer needed him doubtful and fearful, not savage. ¡°Because you can¡¯t cast it yourself?¡± Shroud taunted him. ¡°How does it feel, to rely on mammals to stand a chance against me?¡±


    Smokefang¡¯s eye flared with malice before the dragon responded with venom of his own. ¡°I was too busy signing your mother¡¯s arrest warrant.¡±


    Shroud¡¯s eyes narrowed beneath his helmet, his lightshards letting out a crimson glow. Lightbringer seemed to echo his own murderous thoughts. ¡°Where is she?¡±


    ¡°Where trash goes to die.¡±


    ¡°You don¡¯t know.¡±


    Useless.


    The dragon opened his maw, unleashing a fireball instead of a direct stream of fire. He fired one, then two, then a rapid volley, like a Gatling gun.


    Unable to dodge in time, Shroud created a beehive barrier around him and turning lightshards into shields. The fireballs detonated against the shields, shattering some and melting a few; one hit his barrier head-on, the detonation making him shake.


    He began to scoff, smoke filling his lungs even with his armor helping him filter the dust. Ashes burned his throat from within, his sedative-induced headache worsening.


    Having reinforced his armor with multiple layers of glass and light, Shroud himself weathered the onslaught, recreating his barrier faster than Smokefang could destroy it.


    Only when almost all his surroundings were darkened by smoke did the sorcerer guess his foe¡¯s plan.


    Magik Online had granted him Network, so that he may understand others. The more Shroud understood Smokefang, the more he hated him.


    Reacting quickly, Shroud called upon one of his shards, channeling Lightbringer to create a new shape around it; a light construct in Shroud¡¯s own image, with its own beehive barrier.


    Shroud himself canceled his own barrier and dimmed the aura Lightbringer produced around his armor. While he could no longer turn invisible by manipulating ordinary photons through Quasar, he managed to vanish in the smoke; struggling to hold his breath so as not to cough and give away the trick.


    As he guessed, Smokefang fired a sustained, line of fire at the decoy¡¯s direction. Having realized his fireballs wouldn¡¯t break past Shroud¡¯s protection, he must have thought a sustained, focused attack would.


    His fiery breath bathed the decoy in flames, piercing through the barrier and melting the glass shard at the center of the light construct. The false Shroud collapsed into harmless particles of light, while the dragonfire kept coming, melting a steel wall.


    The biodome began to work again, the lamps lighting up one by one. The central UB system was finishing its reboot. He had to finish this .


    The real Shroud, exploiting Smokefang¡¯s blind spot, emerged from a cloud of smoke on the dragon¡¯s left. Moving stealthily, he suddenly made another rush towards the beast, breathing in air and smoke in equal measure. Smokefang heard him, and the beast suddenly turned his face at Shroud to incinerate him.


    Dashing to the side, the sorcerer tried a new trick on the fly: creating solid replicas of himself and leaving them behind as he flew. While quickly vanishing after losing contact with his body or shards, the phantom images hovered in the air, distracting the beast.


    To outsiders, it must have looked as if he had multiplied.


    Predictably, unable to identify nor incinerate the real sorcerer, Smokefang fell back on the defensive, gathering his breath for another circular burst.


    Shroud thought, his vision blurring.


    At the last moment, Shroud unleashed the full radiance of Lightbringer through both his armor and shards. A powerful, blinding flash of light, as overwhelming as a star.


    Smokefang put his claws on his lone eye on reflex with a pained whine, protecting himself from the searing flash.


    ¡°Your flames... may burn like the sun...¡± Shroud coughed, echoing Smokefang¡¯s boast from their previous fight as he closed the gap between them. ¡°But I shine¡­ I shine... brighter!¡±


    Shroud positioned himself right behind the dragon¡¯s back, in the narrow space between the wings; the one spot the monster couldn¡¯t reach either with his claws or teeth.


    He sensed the shrapnel inside the dragon¡¯s flesh, turning them back into light swords.


    Smokefang let out an agonizing scream and tried to throw the sorcerer off his back. Shroud held on, guiding the shrapnel through the beast¡¯s flesh and then bloodstream. He couldn¡¯t fathom the pain Smokefang must be experiencing right now; enough to feel an ounce of pity for the lizard.


    No. No pity.


    ¡°That feeling of helplessness¡­ that crushing fear of unavoidable death¡­¡± Shroud coughed. ¡°After ten years of it... perhaps you will comprehend... the depth of the I feel for your kind.¡±


    ¡°I am stronger, bigger, smarter than any ape!¡± Smokefang clung stubbornly to his pride, even in the face of death, ¡°A member of the universal master race!¡±


    After some seconds of dragon rodeo, Shroud¡¯s shards made enough progress to sense a beating, powerful sound nearby. ¡°I¡¯m near your heart, Godzilla¡­ it¡¯s over. You¡¯re just coins.¡±


    Jack¡¯s words grew louder in his head, disrupting his focus, filling him with doubt.


    That, and the quake shaking the fiery inferno that the biodome had turned into.


    The lamps above them died out, while the ceiling slowly widened. Gears creaked as multiple gates of layered steel opened above Shroud¡¯s head, soon letting sunlight inside. The smoke went up through the opening.


    Smokefang, screaming in pain, suddenly flew towards the exit, the wind blown by his wings taking Shroud by surprising and pushing him away. With the newfound vigor of a cornered rattlesnake, he managed to escape Shroud¡¯s range.


    Fuck! ¡°Coward¡­ fleeing when someone¡­ stands up to you!¡± Shroud pursued the dragon, in an odd reversal of their last battle. He needed to get him back in range before the gate could widen further.


    No time.


    He had to short-circuit the machinery again before Smokefang could escape through. Consequences be damned.


    ¡°Mad World,¡± he whispered, his voice reverberating through his glass like a sound crescendo. His sorcery spread like a virus, stopping the gates before they could get big enough for Smokefang to pass through.


    The dragon let out a breath of fire, furiously melting the steel. Gone was the glow of sanity and fear in his lone eye, replaced by feral madness. The slit pupil noticed Shroud, and the beast jerked around and dived at him like a falcon.


    Taken by surprise, Shroud fired a volley of light swords at the dragon¡¯s wings, while Smokefang retaliated with a large fireball. The sorcerer¡¯s projectiles shredded the thin fabric of the dragon¡¯s wings, ripping holes through like paper.


    Shroud managed to conjure a barrier as the fireball came within inches of his face, but the resulting shockwave hit him head on like a hammer. His vision blurred as his body fell spiraling, Smokefang¡¯s massive body crashing.


    Concussion¡­ Even with Premium Thoughts, Shroud started losing control of his flight. He tried to stabilize, slowing down his fall but unable to stop it. The ground grew closer and he put his hands before his face¡­


    Crack!


    His right arm went numb, and his body tumbled among the ashes. Even if his armor protected him, he could feel the heat searing his skin. He had trouble keeping his eyes open, seeing only fire around him.


    And body parts.


    He saw his father¡¯s corpse next to him, his blood on his own son¡¯s hands. His mother laid next to him, peaceful and pristine in death, her long blonde hair grayed by ashes.


    Hallucinations.


    Asphyxia.


    he thought, trying to focus and stand. He collapsed to his knees, cooking inside his own armor. He couldn¡¯t distinguish anything around himself but ashes, smoke, and flames.


    A vision of Hell.


    "Hell is more than fire and brimstone, my child.¡± A shadowy lamb watched from the flames, a dark blur at the edge of his eye. Whether it was another hallucination or the real thing, Shroud couldn¡¯t say. "You humans say that Hell is other people. You''re wrong. Hell is . From God, from others. In short, Hell is freedom."


    Shroud ignored him, the ground shaking. He could hear Smokefang approach, the heat increasing.


    ¡°What did you hope to accomplish today, throwing yourself at the wyrm? Do you hope to die in your attempt, going out in a blaze of glory and sparing your friends from retaliation?¡± The Maleking¡¯s shadow shook his head in sadness. "This would be so much simpler if you cared only for yourself.¡±


    "And end up like Jack? Slippery slope..."


    "Silly, only fools think they can become someone else! Everyone goes mad in their own unique way!¡±


    Shroud clenched his fists, managing to rise to his feet. "Did you send him... after me?"


    "No. But I did not forbid him either.¡± The shadowy fiend slowly dissipated into smoke. "Follow the advice of an old friend of mankind, Mathias. Ask yourself what led you there. Why you choose war rather than peace. Because if you have a , you will bear any .¡±


    And then, he was gone.  S§×arch* The N??eFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    . His light armor flickered alongside his consciousness. With his remaining will, Shroud opened his Magik Account, finding the Purge spell he had seen when he lost his father. He purchased it.


    ¡°Purge,¡± he spoke, a green glow surrounding his body. His head cleared up, his lungs purged of the smoke and the carbon dioxide gas. He breathed deeply, smoke filling his throat again. ¡°Purge.¡±


    Each time, he cast the spell as he breathed, cleaning himself of the smoke as soon as it entered his body. He found the strength to rise again and stand, both from the strength of his legs and the will sustaining his sorcery. The hallucination of his parents disappeared.


    Why?


    Hatred?


    Greed and ego?


    A quest, and a promise? Justice? The salvation of mankind?


    Somehow none of those sounded right.


    He heard Smokefang coming long before the behemoth¡¯s massive shape emerged from the inferno.


    Even with both wings shredded, and his left one limp and broken, the dragon remained a fearsome, terrible beast. His massive hide cast Shroud in its shadow, the fiend roaring with primeval strength.


    How could knights with steel sticks ever defeat such a force of nature?


    Smokefang was already dead. Shroud could sense the shrapnel still inside his flesh, the internal bleeding. Without medical attention, the beast would perish even if the fight ended there and then.


    But reduced to a rampaging volcano in lizard form, Smokefang no longer cared for survival. He only wanted one last duel among flames.


    Shroud remembered that day when it all started, waiting in his virtual dungeon for a fight that would never come. How he had wanted this climactic confrontation, the opportunity to test his skills.


    Ulysses was right. He wanted to fight. To get his hand bloodied.


    In the end, he had signed on to slay dragons.


    The dragon lunged at Shroud with his maw open, his teeth sharp spears. The sorcerer barely had the time to jump to the side to avoid being bitten in half. The beast continued with the relentless assault, offering neither quarter nor respite.


    Shroud turned the shrapnel inside the dragon into lightswords again, but Smokefang ignored the pain. With lightning quickness, the beast grabbed Shroud with his left claw and pinned him to the ground, his maw open for a final bite.


    The sorcerer fired a light blade with his remaining hand, impaling Smokefang¡¯s eye and fully blinding him. The beast let out a roar, crying tears of blood yet didn¡¯t release his hold. Instead, he widened his maw further, taking a deep breath in preparation for cooking his prey alive.


    As he watched his promised death by dragonfire approach, his life flashing before his eyes, Shroud asked himself one last time, why? Why should he keep living? Why did he fight the law, why did he agree to read that mail that changed his life?


    ¡­ because he wanted to feel strong.


    Because he loved the intoxicating feeling sorcery gave him, of gaining strength after years of helplessness and weakness. Because he craved the power to change this unjust, unfair world. Because he wanted to protect his friends and family instead of watching them .


    He wanted to be the final boss, the almighty king in the invincible castle. The one above all, whom nobody could hurt again.


    His mind as clear as the coldest ice, Shroud gathered his remaining lightshards into a sphere of light-infused glass. As he saw the fire coming at the end of the tunnel, he obstructed the dragon¡¯s open gullet with his projectile, making the dragon choke.


    With a loud burst, Smokefang¡¯s neck exploded into blood and flames, the head sent flying like a cannonball into the flames.


    Smokefang¡¯s headless body stood for a few seconds, showering the sorcerer with dried blood dust before collapsing to the side with a loud noise. Shroud laid there for a second, his breath slow and difficult. He half expected the monster to rise again, or for Kresnik to suddenly appear and dash his hopes.


    Instead, he heard a familiar sound, and a message flashed before his eyes.


    Quest: Dragonslayer, completed!


    You have earned nine Spellcoins!


    You gained a level!


    Channeling a dome of light around himself to get free from the corpse¡¯s hand, Shroud hovered above his defeated enemy, glancing at his bloodied head untouched by the flames.


    Shroud knew there would be no turning back from this.


    He had killed a dragon.


    That alone made him an existential threat to Concordia. The Empire couldn¡¯t allow him to go free after that. He had declared war on them, on the order they represented. Smokefang¡¯s words rung true. They would hunt him to the death.


    His, or theirs.


    And beyond that, he had taken his first life. He had tried to kill Jack but didn¡¯t get to do it. He could rationalize it as much as he wanted, it didn¡¯t change the fact he had killed a sentient being in cold blood. He had crossed a line.


    The rush of combat subsided, leaving him with a strange, cold feeling. Guilt? Regret? He couldn¡¯t put a finger on it.


    No.


    And it scared him.


    As if to comfort him, another message followed the first. It sounded more melodious, and even more awe-inspiring, than the Quest reward ringtone.


    You have reached Level 2 (Adept)


    You can now purchase Dot 2 Spells at the Compendium + fuse Dot 3 Hacks.


    Lair feature unlocked!


    The Maleking was wrong. Freedom wasn¡¯t disconnection.


    Freedom was power. Freedom was unlimited possibility.


    Unwilling to have the city reboot and cage him in, the sorcerer flew through the opening in the ceiling; leaving the fiery grave behind with no Gearsmen to stop him. While it angered him to leave the UB behind, he was physically and mentally exhausted. He would better fall back for now.


    Soon, Shroud emerged out of the Arc-City, flying under a twilight sky. He took a breath of fresh air, and it felt amazing.


    On Evermarsh¡¯s beaches and docks, people had gathered under the twilight. They had come to look at the Arc-City in alarm after seeing the smoke rising from it. Shroud wondered if Perse and Ulysses were among them.


    Network sent him their fears, their confusion¡­ and some of their hopes.


    The message would soon spread.


    Humans could slay dragons.


    Party Stats


    AccountGuild Moderator: UnnamedNameShroudNetworkProgressHolderMathias MartelBroadcastUnlockedLevel2 (Adept)Grant SpellUnlockedAffinityBlueLocked Feature(0/3)LockNetworkLocked Feature(0/7)Spellcoins9Overlock(0/1)Installation...Please wait...Debug.....Spell CompendiumNameDotAffinityPremium Thoughts1BluePurge1GreenGlass Field2Orange/BlueLightbringer2Red/OrangeMad World2Blue/Green


    Spell of the Day


    Arcane Blade


    Affinity: White


    Dot: 2


    Price: 6-10


    Activation: Active, Thought, Limb Vector.


    Creates a sharp blade of Flux around one limb of the user¡¯s choice, which also inflict a secondary, temporary effect on those it cuts. The sword¡¯s color and secondary effects depend on the caster¡¯s color affinity: spell weakening (White), sensory overload (Blue), fatigue (Green), irrationality (Yellow), paralysis (Orange), ignition (Red), or loss of balance (Violet).

 Chapter 24: End of the Beginning

    The flight to the swamps happened so uneventfully, Shroud almost expected a last-minute disaster to fall upon him. A flock of Gearsmen firing at him from below, one last-minute ambush from Kresnik, Smokefang¡¯s undead remains rising for another battle.


    Instead, he got silence.


    He wondered if the warriors felt the same way, after returning from a battle. That pervasive tension, that paranoid inability to accept that the fight had well and truly ended. Would he fully chill out and relax the same way he used to with the Werner? Or would he always look over his shoulder?


    He knew the answer to that question.


    The sun had almost set behind the horizon, so the sorcerer accelerated. Combining his Glass Field with Lightbringer had increased his speed a little, perhaps because his light coating helped with the aerodynamics. It filled him with pride and a sense of progress.


    He found his group and Booz waiting, with a few bags of supplies, at the place where it all began.


    The spot where he experimented with virtual reality, before being interrupted by Smokefang¡¯s Gearsmen. The day he received the Magik Online invitation that changed his life forever. The place looked the same as back then, untouched by the Evermarsh conflict. It felt different though; once a place of fun, it breathed sorrow and nostalgia.


    Never again will he play with Perse and Ulysses there, fighting virtual monsters, or designing worlds with Viviane. He doubted he would return to Evermarsh.


    Yet somehow, Shroud didn¡¯t feel regret. He had made peace with his choices, found his own answer. The Maleking had been right. With a why to live for, he could survive anything.


    He landed among his team, who recognized him in spite of his new, more luminous appearance. ¡°Thanks for waiting,¡± he said. ¡°I¡¯m¡ª¡±


    ¡°Mathias!¡± Sol didn¡¯t let him finish, moving to hug him. He squeezed Shroud enough to make him gasp in pain. ¡°Thank the Lord, you are alive.¡±


    It hurt! Oh God, pain hurt so much! ¡°Stop, stop¡­¡± he struggled to breathe, struggling for air. Sol hurriedly broke off the embrace. ¡°Sorry, just¡­ broken rib and arm.¡±


    Also, a few burns and maybe lung cancer.


    ¡°Mathias, what¡­¡± Sol panicked. ¡°I have medical supplies in my bag, maybe this can help.¡±


    Unless they had a surgeon on hand, he doubted it.


    ¡°Love the new look nerd,¡± Maggie, no, , said, whistling. She looked fine for a new sorcerer if a slightly roughed up. In fact, they all seemed to have gone through a hard time, with only Kari alert and unharmed. Her look of absolute confidence brought Shroud some joy.


    ¡°You¡¯re late!¡± a small critter speaking with Mur¡¯s voice said.


    ¡°Mur?¡± Shroud was somewhat torn between amusement and curiosity. Sol didn¡¯t share it though, glaring at the critter with barely restrained contempt. He guessed the gargoyle now looked a bit too close to a fiend from Hell for the priest¡¯s taste. ¡°What happened to you?¡±


    ¡°Mur has to eat to grow big again,¡± the imp complained. ¡°Many stones and gems and steady protein.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t remind me,¡± Maggie said, before shuddering, ¡°He ate his worn-out skin. That¡¯s self-cannibalism.¡±


    ¡°Snakes do that in the wild,¡± Kari said softly. ¡°Good to see you safe, Mathias-san.¡±


    ¡°Thanks, Kari,¡± Shroud replied, back to breathing again somewhat normally. ¡°Speaking of snakes, I had to kill a dragon on my way there.¡±


    ¡°Good, so you whaaaaaat?!¡± Maggie didn¡¯t fully finish her sentence, as his words caught up to her.


    ¡°I killed Smokefang on my way here. Broke a few bones, but worth it. I also disabled the local Gearsmen with a new spell of mine, and I even leveled up.¡±


    Kari looked at him, trying to see if he was kidding. ¡°This is not a joke,¡± she spoke, her expression unreadable. ¡°You did it. You slew Smokefang.¡±


    ¡°Meh, Mur says dragons are overrated.¡±


    ¡°You killed a dragon?¡± Maggie blinked out. ¡°For real?¡±


    ¡°This is what you signed on for,¡± Shroud pointed out. ¡°Slaying dragons. I told you I would.¡±


    ¡°Yeah, but I didn¡¯t think that you would I thought it was more of a political statement. Jesus. Sorry, Sol.¡± Maggie¡¯s eyes widened further, as the enormity of what he did sank in. ¡°Oh my God, you killed a dragon. We are fucked.¡±


    ¡°If you would please leave the Lord out of it,¡± Sol replied, crossing his arms. ¡°Mathias, you know this means war? The dragons will escalate from now on.¡±


    ¡°We are so fucked¡­¡± Maggie kept trailing off.


    ¡°I agree,¡± Booz taunted her, playing with his disc. ¡°Three months, give it or take it.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s okay,¡± Shroud replied, brushing it off for more important matters. ¡°Do you have spare clothes? This is embarrassing, but... I am naked below the armor. I would like at least some boxers.¡±


    ¡°Nerd, you disappoint me so much,¡± Maggie teased him, while Sol hurriedly looked inside the bag, eager to make up for the previous hug. ¡°Choose life, choose underpants.¡±


    Shroud had the feeling they would banter a lot. As Sol brought him fresh clothes though, he realized that changing with a limp arm and broken rib would be a pain.


    Well, time to check his new spells. Shroud thought, the Magik Online interface instantly providing it to him.


    Heal


    Affinity: Green


    Dot: 2


    Price: 8


    Activation: Active, Direct Touch Vector.


    The user can heal wounds, whether his own or others, by magically enhancing the body¡¯s healing factor and creating new stem cells. This spell cannot heal damage the body couldn¡¯t recover from naturally, such as a lost head for humans, given enough time and resources.


    If he had that spell when his father¡­


    Could there be a spell that could revive the dead among the higher options? Sorcery that could transcend life and death?


    Another reason to keep leveling up.


    ¡°Heal,¡± he said after purchasing the spell, a bright green aura surrounding his body in a cloud of energy. He felt the pain vanish, the rib in chest move back in place, sensation return to his hand. The spell cleaned every bruise away, made his skin pristine by purifying it.


    It even worked better than normal healing, which often made repaired bones wrongly-angled.


    ¡°If you ladies could turn around,¡± he said, Kari closed her eyes, while Maggie turned around with a groan.


    As he briefly dropped his armor to dress, abandoning his warm light for the coldness of the outside world, Sol looked at him strangely. His eyes were undecipherable behind his helmet. ¡°There is ice in your eyes, Mathias.¡±


    ¡°Shroud,¡± he replied.


    Sol remained silent, disturbed, as his protegee finished dressing, putting his shards in the bag for transportation. While he felt comfortable in his armor, he liked the feeling of the wind brushing against his skin.


    Mur seemed to understand though, nodding to Shroud with a bizarre expression he had never seen in the gargoyle¡¯s ugly eyes before. Approbation¡­ and a sliver of respect.


    Kari hung back, uncomfortable, as she opened her eyes. ¡°You remember what I told you, Shroud-san. About masks?¡±


    ¡°You said one would bleed into the other.¡± In hindsight, it seemed almost prophetic.


    Kari didn¡¯t elaborate. She didn¡¯t need to.


    ¡°I was there when you were born, Mathias,¡± Solomon declared. ¡°Your mother called you Mathias, at my suggestion, when I told her it meant gift from God. Because that was what she considered you as.¡±


    Shroud remembered that story. ¡°You are not disrespecting her when you call me otherwise.¡±


    ¡°I understand where your feeling come from, or I think I do,¡± Sol replied. ¡°But you cannot cast off your origins. It is not healthy, and this¡­¡±


    The priest stopped himself.


    But Dad was dead.


    Out of respect for the priest, he would not debate it any further with him. But the sorcerer had made his choice and would abide by it.


    ¡°Can I turn now, Mr. Modesty?¡± Maggie complained, breaking the tension to Shroud¡¯s relief. The girl turned around, hands behind her head. ¡°So what¡¯s the plan, nerd?¡±


    ¡°Mom is alive.¡± Sol¡¯s head perked up. ¡°Concordian officers confirmed it to me. She¡¯s out there, somewhere.¡±


    ¡°Electon,¡± Sol said, Shroud shaking his head in ignorance. The priest put a hand on his mentee¡¯s shoulder. ¡°We will find her, even if it takes us decades. I promise you. Together.¡±


    Shroud smiled at the grandfather he never had, even if Sol couldn¡¯t see it through his helmet. ¡°Thanks, Sol,¡± he said, before changing the subject as Sol removed his hand. ¡°Anyway, what happened on your end? What happened to the church?¡±


    ¡°We destroyed it!¡± Mur made a V sign with his tiny fingers.


    Sol glared at the imp, clearly deeply unhappy about it. ¡°I will not suffer a devil gloating about this indignity.¡±


    ¡°You racist, who are you calling a devil? Mur is an ! That¡¯s different!¡±


    ¡°So you do admit your true, sinful origins,¡± Sol rasped.


    ¡°Old fool, did you think gargoyles grew in the mud like plants? And sinful, what does that mean, some kind of food?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry for your church, Sol,¡± Shroud said, interrupting the argument. Having spent so long refurbishing it, he could understand why its loss stung to the priest.


    Solomon let out a long, tired sigh. ¡°You know, Mathias, I have been living the life of the knight errant for decades. Fighting one evil after another, first with medicine, words, and kindness; now with a flaming sword. I never stayed long enough somewhere to make it feel like my house. Until that church.¡±


    Shroud wasn¡¯t the only one to have lost his home. ¡°We will rebuild ourselves a new home, Sol. I promise.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s okay,¡± the knight replied, trying to show a strong, front of resolve. ¡°Maybe I was just complacent when it was too early to stay my blade. Maybe¡­ maybe the Lord wants me to serve as a crusader, instead of a priest.¡±


    ¡°Maybe,¡± Shroud said. ¡°You did fend off Kresnik safely.¡± Maggie¡¯s smile made him pause. ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°We demolished Kresnik!¡± Mur boasted.


    ¡°Made him retreat,¡± Kari corrected.


    Shroud blinked beneath his helmet, glancing at Sol in confirmation.


    ¡°You beat Kresnik.¡± Even with Network¡¯s confirmation, Shroud couldn¡¯t believe it. ¡°. Kung-Fu werewolf.¡± And they were amazed he killed Smokefang?


    ¡°Kung-Fu werewolf?¡± Maggie smirked. ¡°That¡¯s how you call him in your head?¡±


    ¡°What did call him in your head?¡±


    ¡°Moving target.¡±


    Booz lost patience. ¡°Everybody got it out of their system? Anybody? Anything else to say? Then let¡¯s get out of there before Gearsmen come en mass.¡±


    ¡°Agreed,¡± Shroud said. The future looked harsh and difficult though. In their hurry to leave, the group took the bare minimum. The larger cosmos lacked internet connection, meaning Shroud could no longer draw upon money from Scrooge.exe. They only had each other, and their magic, to rely on.


    ¡°Gather around children,¡± Booz declared, the group moving to surround him, Shroud standing between Maggie and Kari. A lady on each side. Ulysses would have made a joke if he had joined. The thought stung a little.


    ¡°You were a drama queen back there, nerd.¡±


    The sorcerer turned his head toward Perse¡¯s best friend. ¡°Excuse me?¡±


    ¡°Behaving somber and dramatic like you lost everything. You¡¯re wrong. You lost everything but .¡±


    Us. That reminded Shroud of the time Perse first used that word. That feeling of community, of a shared future, warmed his heart.


    No, he hadn¡¯t lost everything. He didn¡¯t walk the warpath alone. He had friends. A party. ¡°Thank you, my minion.¡±


    ¡°No way I¡¯m calling you boss, nerd, Moderator or whatever. We still need a band name, though.¡±


    ¡°Mur heard sorcerer groups are called covens or rainbows,¡± Mur said, Maggie, snickering at the latter. ¡°Mur thinks the same.¡±


    ¡°The Fellowship of Saint-George?¡± Solomon proposed. ¡°Mathias did kill a dragon.¡±


    Should Shroud boast of it? Smokefang lived and died a bully. Fleeing when threatened for the first time in his sad, pathetic existence. Beneath the pride, the posturing, and his overwhelming might, the dragon perished a coward.


    The beast had almost killed him though, so Shroud guessed he could make a title out of it.


    ¡°Lame,¡± Maggie replied. ¡°It sounds¡­¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry Sol, but it sounds pompous,¡± Shroud said.


    ¡°The Dragonslayers.¡± Everyone turned at Kari. ¡°The Dragonslayers,¡± she repeated, firmer this time.


    ¡°Mur likes it,¡± the imp said. ¡°Sounds fearsome.¡±


    Shroud agreed. He couldn¡¯t have worded it better.


    ¡°Cliche, but it has a certain zing to it,¡± Maggie admitted. ¡°And with the nerd over here, we can back it up.¡±


    ¡°A name and a message both,¡± Solomon nodded.


    ¡°Democracy has spoken,¡± Shroud said. ¡°Dragonslayers it is.¡±


    ¡°You aren¡¯t going to make friends with that name,¡± Booz warned. ¡°Your loss of life.¡±


    ¡°Shut up, killjoy,¡± Maggie replied.


    ¡°No regrets, Maggie?¡± Shroud asked his new teammate. While she had no family anymore¡ªif she ever had one¡ªto tie her down to Evermarsh, she was leaving a lot behind.


    ¡°One,¡± she admitted. ¡°I never got to say goodbye to Sam and Perse. It¡¯s like I broke up the band to join another without saying goodbye. That¡¯s a real dick move and no closure.¡±


    Shroud had gotten to say goodbye, but it hadn¡¯t brought him relief. ¡°I see.¡±


    ¡°But you know, the adventure, the fighting?¡± She touched the gun around her belt, a savage gleam in her eyes. ¡°I think I was born for this shit.¡±


    She took her new life as an outlaw in stride. ¡°We¡¯re in this shit together.¡± He would have to deal with Mur and Sol¡¯s animosity, lack of funds, and deadly pursuers, but they would endure.


    ¡°Hey, you saved me twice, gotta wipe out my tab.¡± Maggie switched the subject, clearly uncomfortable with the fact she owed Shroud. ¡°How is level two? We got some catching up to do.¡±


    Shroud took a look at the new options on his Compendium. As promised, every Dot Two level had been unlocked for every color. He checked his own affinity, examining the first spell on his feed.


    Beastmaster


    Affinity: Blue


    Dot: 2


    Price: 6


    Activation: Passive, Thought


    The user automatically takes over primitive, non-sentient brains within a fifty-feet radius through a telepathic link. This includes most animals, including magical ones. The user can share a victim¡¯s sensory experiences if focusing on them.


    ¡°Pretty standard linear warriors, quadratic wizards progression.¡±


    ¡°Uh? What does it mean outside geekistan?¡±


    Shroud smiled, as Booz clicked on his disc. ¡°It means that the dragons are fucked.¡±


    Before Maggie could ask further questions, a violet light swallowed them whole.


    Much like when Booz called the Red Knight armor, Shroud watched on as the very foundations of reality collapsed around them. Except, this time, he watched from within, instead of outside, as angles twisted in ways that defied understanding. High and low inverted and the ground became the sky, and backward again. In the split of a second, the dimensions rearranged. Trees were replaced by stone, chiseled walls, the sky by a rock ceiling.


    Booz had teleported them to a cold cave, dimly lit by makeshift lamps. Metal crates laid around them, alongside stockpiled supplies and stranger items. Shroud glimpsed monstrous, stone golems and animated black ice statues moving around transporting Flux rifles, spaceship engines, and car-sized fruits.


    Built within a nearby wall, stood a titanic archway, made of an undulating black metal radiating with violet energy. The structure pulsated as if as alive as a beating heart. The inside of the gate looked like a pool of water casting a strange reflection, that of an alien world of neons, giant domes, and a two-eyed machine moon; any movement troubled the surface.


    A Gate leading to another sphere, another world, perhaps even another dimension. Shroud had never seen one before.


    A creature stood watch before it, a five-feet winged, vulture-like being clad in a light-colored suit covering its entire body. Only a Y-shaped clear visor revealed the creature¡¯s visage, that of a black bird with crimson eyes and a sharp beak. The grotesque way it stood, with the head down, made Shroud restrain a chuckle. ¡°Booz,¡± it croaked in Concordian common. ¡°Who are they?¡±


    ¡°The smelly immigrants I told you about, and Mur. I paid Zenia for their passage with my license closure.¡±


    ¡°Ah, yes, yes. Sad to see a good partner leave us.¡± The bird turned to the human members of the group. ¡°You can move through the gate and into the Market alright. If you ever want a lift, call us Mapmakers. After six travels, the seventh is free!¡± S§×ar?h the N??eFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Mur and Maggie exchanged a comment Shroud didn¡¯t hear, besides words like ¡®limited offers,¡¯ or ¡®poor service.¡¯ Kari took the first step through the gate, the pool-like surface rippling as she walked through. Maggie and Mur followed, with Sol and Booz taking a step afterward. The priest sent one last glance behind him, as if hesitating, before vanishing through the portal.


    Shroud closed the march, taking a moment to look at the doorway. What would await beyond that frontier? What new life would he live? As if to answer his thoughts, he received a Magik Online notification and opened it.


    Hello, Dragonslayers.


    You have 524 new Quests on your board.


    Which one will you start?


    He remembered the first part of the core policy.


    He would reach the absolute top. Unlock all the powers Magik had to offer, become so powerful he will never lose family again to some cruel monster. And then, with that power, he would wipe Concordia off the face of the Earth.


    He would find the time to drag the Maleking from his throne somewhere in-between.


    With a smile, Shroud took a step and vanished through the pathway.


    His adventures had just begun.


    Player Stats


    AccountDragonslayers Guild ModeratorNameShroudNetworkProgressHolderMathias MartelBroadcastUnlockedLevel2 (Adept)Grant SpellUnlockedAffinityBlueLocked Feature(0/3)LockNetworkLocked Feature(0/7)Spellcoins1Overlock(0/1)Wait...for...next..Volume..Spell CompendiumNameDotAffinityPremium Thoughts1BluePurge1GreenHeal2GreenGlass Field2Orange/BlueLightbringer2Red/OrangeMad World2Blue/GreenAccountDragonslayers GuildNameYoshikageOversoulProgressHolderKari MatsumotoRememberUnlockedLevel1 (Novice)Channel SoulUnlockedAffinityYellowLocked Feature(0/3)LockOversoulLocked Feature(0/7)Spellcoins7Overlock(0/1)Spell CompendiumNameDotAffinityWallcraw1GreenPeak1GreenNeedless1GreenWard1YellowSpiritsight1YellowKiller Sense2Yellow/VioletAccountDragonslayers GuildNameSharpshootSpellgunProgressHolderMaggie Jesse PowellsCrimson BulletUnlockedLevel1 (Novice)Locked Feature(0/1)AffinityRedLocked Feature(0/3)LockSpellgunLocked Feature(0/7)Spellcoins3Overlock(0/1)Spell CompendiumNameDotAffinityStockmight1RedBullseye2Violet/BlueAccountDragonslayers GuildNameSolAegisProgressHolderSolomon NicholaeSpell MartyrUnlockedLevel1 (Novice)Locked Feature(0/1)AffinityWhiteLocked Feature(0/3)LockAegisLocked Feature(0/7)Spellcoins3Overlock(0/1)Spell CompendiumNameDotAffinityPeak1GreenNeedless1GreenQuasar1RedAccountDragonslayers GuildNameThe Mur!AdamantProgressHolderMurmur the ImpHarderUnlockedLevel1 (Novice)Locked Feature(0/1)AffinityOrangeLocked Feature(0/3)LockAdamantLocked Feature(0/7)Spellcoins7Overlock(0/1)Spell CompendiumNameDotAffinityReinforce1OrangeBerserk1Green


    Spell of the Day


    Mindshield


    Affinity: Blue


    Dot: 2


    Price: 6-10


    Activation: Passive, App Switch.


    The user becomes immune to all hostile attempts to affect their mind, emotions, and nervous system from spells up to Dot Four included, unless boosted by the Pierce spell or a Lock; all non-magical mind-affecting effects simply fail. Previously cast spells will remain active.

 Chapter 25: Book I Epilogue: The Panopticon

    The human called a glass cup to his hand, playing with it like a monkey discovering fire. Sometimes, the human looked at empty space, as if reading a text only he could see. He had behaved similarly at Dynamis, the day he started exhibiting the first signs of his strange behavior.


    The watcher replayed the recording, adding Flux sensors over it. Through his Metalmesh spell, he moved inside the holo-video as if physically there, sitting right in front of the Martel.


    Sparkles of Blue and Orange meshed together, taking hold over all glass in the apartment. Such a horrible, crude, yet awe-inspiring sight. The watcher replayed it again, trying to understand.


    Even his Accel Premium Thoughts-enhanced mind couldn¡¯t grasp the mechanics behind the new spell. He doubted their researchers or UBs would do better, even if he had ordered full psychometric analysis of the Martel¡¯s apartment.


    Maybe Loctis could uncover this mystery. The watcher made a note to forward these samples to him.


    The Green Minister had already started looking into the Evermarsh UB. Loctis thought he had made his organotech impervious to attack, and he obsessed over design flaws. Its blackout had hurt his pride, and he would stop at nothing to remove that defect.


    The watcher admired his work ethic, his pure, simple search for perfection. The same drive that animated him.


    He chose another recording, more recent. The Martel spoke with the Matsumoto deviant, conspiring.


    Player. That word came back often. Was it a code for sorcerer? The Martel boy had worked in the gaming industry; as the leader of his gang, he must have chosen their inside terminology. To outsiders, they must have looked like people talking about a new virtual reality plot instead of plotting terrorist activities.


    Yet as far as they knew, the Martel hadn¡¯t been in communication with the other deviant before they met. No trace of chats, messages, or email. Kresnik¡¯s report mentioned the Shroud could communicate with his group without radio interception. How long had he been doing that, without them noticing?


    He had noticed strange signals perturbing Dynamis¡¯ servers the night the Martel started behaving abnormally, staring at a blank computer screen. They had vanished off from records before he could investigate.


    The watcher exited the recording, moving inside his network¡¯s database as if walking through a library. He looked at the various samples in the Mathias Martel file.


    Two years worth of continued surveillance.


    The watcher knew the Martel better than he knew himself; he knew his blood type, O+, and his favorite ice cream flavor, citrus-chocolate with cranberry. He knew the Martel loved girls with heart-shaped face with long hair and to put obscure Disney references in his games.


    There were a few holes, though. While they have had the church under watch for a while, Booz¡¯s anti-scrying measures had interfered with his magic, leaving what happened to Maggie Powells, Murmur the Imp, and Solomon a mystery. As far as the watcher knew, they had entered the building and walked out sorcerers. The church¡¯s destruction also made further psychometric investigation difficult.


    The events in the Arc-City, from the Martel¡¯s spellcasting to the murder of Smokefang, hadn¡¯t been recorded either due to the UB bugging. He guessed the boy had somehow contacted the Werner family since he had left Evermarsh without attempting to see them one last time. He would send a mindbreaker to examine their memories.


    Since they could not record dreams either, the Martel¡¯s interactions with the Maleking remained a mystery. The two had made contact, with the archdemon marking the human with a Curse, before lifting it after the artifact theft.


    That had been one of the two alarm signals the watcher had received, after the first time his check-up scrying caught the Martel practicing sorcery. It had been a cause for concern at first, but he had decided against acting.


    The Maleking ignored the boy¡¯s true purpose¡ªor he would never have let him go this easily¡ªand the Ministry getting involved would have tipped the archfiend off.


    Aster, Blue Minister of Concordia and head of Imperial Intelligence, always played with his cards close to his chest.


    With a thought, he compiled the case and forwarded it to Grandmaster Wyrde. With the Occult Matrix planned absorption, he now had undeniable proof the Terminal project succeeded, and that the fish had taken the bait.


    So far, while facing a few deviations, his plan remained right on track. The Grandmaster would be pleased.


    Aster remained inside his machines instead of returning to his flesh. He rarely used his body anymore; it was a useful carrier for his brilliant mind to interact with the physical world, yet also so limited. Aster preferred to exist as distilled will inside his computers, a phantom unrestrained by the physical world.


    A famous Dot Five spell, Infoform, could do exactly that, turning the caster into immaterial information. Aster himself had yet to achieve that power, although he trained tirelessly to unlock that spell. One did not become an archmage overnight.


    One day though, he would succeed, casting off his flesh to become a sublime, perfect existence; the apex of Blue Sorcerers, a mind without limits. Every camera in the Empire would become his eyes. He would suffer no hole in his reports anymore, everything would run on time, and no enemy of the state would escape reeducation.


    Alas, such a future was beyond him. For now.


    His mind moved to other incoming files from Terra Firma.


    Such alarms had risen in the last few weeks, enough to attract Aster¡¯s personal attention. While on the surface little cause for concern and isolated cases, the Minister could see a greater design, a single will pulling the strings.


    And, the biggest mystery, how could a whole group of sorcerers rise in Evermarsh without attracting notice? The Minister sensed these events were but the tip of the iceberg, a sign of chaos to come on Terra Firma.


    The true enemy had made its move.


    They would crush it like the rest. The flesh may live and die, but the Empire would last forever.


    Aster opened communications with multiple people, screens manifesting around his data self. With Accel Premium Thoughts, he exchanged with his officers around the entire Imperial space simultaneously. Taking reports, distributing information, ordering arrests, interrogations, and ¡®accidents.¡¯


    Kresnik¡¯s feed warranted a little more attention than usual though. ¡°A leave?¡± Aster repeated.


    John Kresnik never took an administrative leave in his entire, century-long career. If he used all the days he accumulated, the werewolf could take a whole Imperial year off.


    A look at the scar beneath his jaw told Aster why. ¡°You wish to pass the White Dot Four accreditation?¡±


    ¡°Yes, Minister. I would like to be transferred to the training center on the Homeworld.¡±


    His surprising defeat had shaken the lycan to the core. For years, Kresnik had remained undefeated thanks to a combination of his magic and his native lycan abilities. He had danced with death many times, but defeat at the hands of an untrained group of sorcerers awakened some deep-rooted doubts about rusting skills. S§×arch* The N?vel?ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    ¡°I need to focus on training one hundred percent,¡± Kresnik explained himself. ¡°I cannot serve the Empire at my current level.¡±


    Minister Aster disliked people. Their noxious blather bothered him, distracted his thought-processes, wasted his time. Citizens should be like Gearsmen, obeying without question. Obedient, manageable, efficient.


    Kresnik being the closest to that ideal, Aster had a soft spot for him. He respected total dedication to the Imperial cause. ¡°Request granted.¡±


    The lycan gave him a salute, and Aster closed his feed, focusing on the next, more problematic one. ¡°My condolences for your son¡¯s loss,¡± he said without meaning it. Aster had found that flesh-beings took it badly when he forgot those wasteful social niceties.


    ¡°He couldn¡¯t even shoot straight.¡± Blackcinders sounded cold, but Aster didn¡¯t need Blue Sorcery to notice the sorrow and anger underneath. The Martel had made a deadly nemesis when he killed Smokefang.


    He tried to push her in a more manageable direction. ¡°We could use the Werners as hostages. While the Martel left them behind, reports indicate they were close. Humans are social creatures, or so I heard.¡±


    Blackcinders looked at him with contempt. ¡°Your ploys cost me my son. You had your chance.¡±


    So narrow-minded. ¡°I still have. While the plan isn¡¯t progressing exactly as I intended¡ª¡±


    ¡°I do not care about your plan anymore,¡± Blackcinders cut him off, fury in her eyes. ¡°He killed my son, spilled my blood, declared war on dragonkind. I want him dead, and his little group too. I already issued a bounty for them.¡±


    If he had been using his body, Aster would have sighed.


    Why did people let dead meat obscure their judgment? Emotions were such a base weakness. The Blue Minister never suffered from that defect, even during his childhood on Mazeworld. Never saw the difference between things and people, never shed a tear at members of his herd dying.


    Other bullmen thought him defective, apathetic, but Grandmaster Wyrde thought otherwise. She saw in his mind the pure, untainted logic she wanted for her head of information gathering. The cornerstone of stability needed to balance out her Ministers¡¯ eccentricities.


    In the end, it always fell to him to keep the Imperial ship afloat. Only through total discipline, could the Grandmaster¡¯s perfect world be achieved.


    Aster would not let anything, or , get in the way of his master¡¯s vision.


    ¡°I cannot cooperate with you on that front,¡± he told his colleague. ¡°We still need him alive.¡±


    ¡°I never expected you to,¡± Blackcinders replied, before abruptly cutting communication. She always did that, to control interactions. It made her feel powerful when it only revealed her fear.


    Aster waited a few seconds, pondering the situation. His Premium Thoughts-enhanced mind considered a myriad of possible futures.


    Unlike Blackcinders, Aster understood the value of patience. A good trap was like wine; you may have to wait years for it to bear fruits, but the effort would pay off.


    The Martel trap had yet to activate, which meant the true enemy hadn¡¯t contacted the boy directly yet. That was why he hadn¡¯t sent a mindbreaker to pick his brain open, nor lifted a finger to intervene. Everything the boy hid, Aster would learn in time.


    Smokefang¡¯s murder, a minor rebel movement rising on a forgotten border world, those mattered little to the Blue Minister, who played a game spanning trillions of lives and countless worlds.


    The destruction of a Dot Five enemy though was worth almost any price; he would gladly sacrifice a thousand Smokefang to achieve that goal. Strike at the shepherd, and the sheep will scatter.


    That was why the short-sighted Red Minister couldn¡¯t be let into the Grandmaster¡¯s greater plans. An orbital cannon in dragon form, she lacked subtlety. Suitable to crush the Empire¡¯s enemies with intimidation and brute force, but improper for indirect strategies.


    While the Martel¡¯s behavior couldn¡¯t be ignored, the long-term gains in keeping him alive greatly outweighed the short-term gains of killing a rebel.


    He could not let Blackcinders remove the boy from the board until they caught the true enemy.


    Reaching a decision, he opened a new communication channel. The Blue hologram of an armored woman showed up inside his data network. ¡°Melusine, the human Terminal¡ª¡±


    ¡°I know, Minister Aster.¡± His elite agent always was one step ahead, but she usually let others finish their sentences out of politeness. Not this time. ¡°Where did he go?¡±


    ¡°The Flux signature indicates the Midnight Market.¡± He would have offered more information, but that intergalactic black market had strong protections against scrying.


    No matter. He had already deployed Melusine there to deal with a local, rebel-loving warlord. Time to solve two problems with one laser shot. ¡°Blackcinders issued a bounty on his head and will send death squads after his group. She may come after him herself.¡±


    He hadn¡¯t bothered bringing his top agent into the matter while Smokefang lived. Unlike her incompetent son, though, Blackcinders kill the Martel boy if left unchecked. She was lethal, vicious, and relentless.


    ¡°Find and protect my asset,¡± Aster ordered his agent, even if he didn¡¯t need to. ¡°This takes priority over the Shadow Queen¡¯s assassination.¡±


    ¡°What about the others?¡±


    ¡°Kill them all.¡± Only the Martel was necessary, and perhaps it would force the true enemy into action to protect its own assets. ¡°You have my support should you ask for it.¡±


    Melusine ended the communication with a nod. She wouldn¡¯t botch this one. Too personal.


    Aster received a priority request. Anton Maxwell. ¡°Report,¡± the Minister asked, as the feed opened.


    Anton stood next to another of his kind. ¡°Minister Aster, I would like to introduce you to¡ª¡±


    ¡°Samantha Brown.¡± He had a file on her.


    He had a file on everyone.


    ¡°What of her?¡± Aster asked. The girl remained silent, intimidated, and still reeling from the latest events.


    ¡°I believe she could be of use for the Martel case.¡± A case Maxwell had been heavily involved in since the boy had applied to his company. ¡°She says she could convince him to turn around.¡±


    Dubious. While reports pointed at physical attraction from the Martel towards the Brown lifeform, his newest psych analysis indicated that, with the loss of his bearings, the sorcerer would probably escalate. Just as he left the Werners behind, he would pay little mind to childhood crushes, sacrificing such trivial matters for the pursuit of power and revenge.


    Would he not turn that drive against Concordia, Aster would have considered it an improvement. Too many people made hormone-based decisions. ¡°I do not believe it.¡±


    Aster held a better trump card anyway.


    Before the Minister could tell Maxwell off for wasting his time, the Firman made another proposal. ¡°Then I would like to recommend her for the Institute.¡±


    Ah, yes. With the Martel now an open renegade, they were one candidate short. Although Aster didn¡¯t select institute members, with Brown¡¯s dubious affiliations, his approval was necessary. ¡°Leave us alone.¡±


    Anton nodded and vanished from the feed. The Brown straightened up, stressed out.


    Good. Minister Aster had found humans more pliable when isolated.


    ¡°Minister Aster, it is a great honor to meet such a¡ª¡±


    ¡°Make your case,¡± he cut her off to destabilize her, ¡°You have five minutes.¡±


    The Brown adapted, taking a strong poise. ¡°I want to say I have nothing to do with my parents¡¯ crimes, nor the attack on my home. Jack¡­ Jack was a traitor who¡­¡± Her skin paled, and sweat fell from her forehead.


    ¡°Jack Powells tried to kill you.¡± Aster had a direct feed to that same person¡ªif Powells could be called one anymore¡ªsitting in a cell on Electon; his Flux drained so as to prevent him from casting spells.


    The Maleking promised power to its recruits, and somehow bound the Candlemaker, a fire elemental, to a human being. The Minister thought those events connected and had asked Electon¡¯s researchers to study the Powells¡¯ biology as soon as possible.


    Jack turned his head at an empty spot in his cell, with absolute focus. It was subtle, but the Minister noticed. As if he were listening to something only he could see.


    ¡­ or .


    Now that he thought of it, it seemed odd the Maleking would waste a sorcerer asset to attack civilians. The demon may revel in whimsical chaos and mindless violence, but it played for higher stakes.


    Had it his pawn to get caught?


    Aster would ask his staff to look at Powells more closely than other prisoners, send mindbreakers to read his thoughts. While he may overthink it, he wouldn¡¯t take any chances. Only the paranoid survived.


    ¡°I do not believe you have anything to do with your parents nor Powells¡¯ crimes.¡± Although he worried about her poor choice of company. ¡°Neither did you know of Mathias Martel¡¯s true allegiance.¡±


    ¡°No, I did not.¡±


    ¡°Others may think otherwise though. The cost of surrounding yourself with rebels and murderers. So tell me, why should I give you the benefit of the doubt?¡±


    Samantha Brown took a deep breath. ¡°I want to redeem myself.¡± Aster listened intently, forcing the Brown to speak to fill the silence. ¡°I want to clean the Brown name, prove to the Empire that I am not a criminal. I want to put my mind to the service of the greater good.¡±


    ¡°Good to hear. Now, tell me the truth.¡±


    The Brown reeled from the rebuke, realizing that no lies nor politically correct stance would gain his favor. He could divine her thoughts without needing to read her mind; her hesitation at whether she should word her true intents in a pretty way, or go for coarse honesty.


    ¡°Do you believe in , Lord Aster?¡± Coarse honesty.


    ¡°No,¡± he replied. There was no enemy he couldn¡¯t reeducate into a good citizen, given time.


    ¡°I didn¡¯t either until I saw Jack again. When he transformed into that¡­ that thing, I understood I had been mistaken. There is evil in our world, Lord Aster. It must be cleaned away.¡±


    Her voice betrayed a familiar kind of self-righteous anger. Aster had a strong sentiment of d¨¦j¨¤ vu.


    ¡°I almost died.¡± Her voice broke a little at that. ¡°Close friends almost died, and one went mad because I didn¡¯t call the alarm on Jack and my dad when I should have had. I want a second chance.¡±


    Others would have labeled her a deluded martyr or a glory hound, but Aster saw something in her. A deep, despairing need to prove herself. A potent, exploitable drive.


    While the Minister looked down on emotions, they could be good tools if properly wielded. Especially to move the flesh around. ¡°Granted.¡±


    ¡°I want¡ª¡± She stopped herself. ¡°Granted?¡±


    ¡°You will join the Institute with my blessing, and have your second chance. If you apply yourself, work hard, and prove your loyalty, you will get the fame and protection you deserve from Concordia. The Empire takes care of its wards.¡±


    she must have thought.


    No, not that much. ¡°But you will work for me first. If I want you to sell your body to trap the enemy, you will; if I want you to kill, you will; if I want you to put a bullet through your head, you shall pull the trigger.¡±


    Her eyebrows creased the further the Minister spoke. ¡°I expect nothing less than total, uncompromising obedience from now on, and I shall brook no secret from you. You will belong to Concordia body and soul.¡±


    The Brown took his words in, weighting them down. ¡°Can I still sing?¡± she asked.


    An odd request. ¡°Only the truth. The Imperial truth.¡±


    She doubted, and looked ready to waver, yet made the right choice nonetheless. ¡°I swear it, Lord Aster¡­ I shall do as you say.¡±


    ¡°Then dismissed,¡± he replied, before ending the communication. He would wait and see if the Brown would prove useful. If so, he could cultivate her into a good asset. He had made that speech to Melusine not long ago, and it had proven a worthwhile investment.


    As for the rebels, he would allow them the illusion of freedom for a little longer, let them hope.


    It would make snuffing it out all the more effective.


    Spell of the Day


    Call


    Affinity: Violet


    Dot: 2


    Price: 6-10


    Activation: Active, Voice Vector.


    Invites an Outsider from another plane of existence and whose true name the user knows to teleport to their location; the target cannot be located on the user¡¯s plane when the spell is cast. The Outsider instinctively knows who the caller is, can choose to refuse the call, and is under no compulsion to obey any order.

 Chapter 26: Dreams of the Crimson King

    Even in the skies, traffic jams happened.


    As Shroud flew over the district, clad in his armor of lightglass, he had to avoid other fliers, everything from monstrous harpy-like birds, insects, and even small spaceships. The alien sky above them shone with bright green stars and colored nebulae, but it was the towering crystal lamps on the ground that provided the most illumination.


    The golden streets and palaces of the Midnight Market laid beneath him, adorned by luxurious metallic buildings. All architectural styles mingled together, from Arabian palaces to strange, otherworldly crystal structures; domes seemed to be the most common structures. Many of the buildings moved on their own, equipped with brass limbs and other stranger means of transportation.


    The streets were crowded by alien and fantastic beings. A few Shroud recognized from mythology books, from ice giants to the more obscure centaur-like Nuckelavees; he had even glimpsed a snake-haired, blindfolded Medusa once. Other alien creatures, he didn¡¯t recognize, such as bee-like humanoids, tentacles monsters, and strange entities made of ice and crystal. And although hobs were well-represented, Shroud had yet to see humans or even bullmen.


    None of the inhabitants paid him any attention. Instead, they bartered, exchanged wares, and did business. It seemed as though every street corner had a stand selling some kind of product, from liquid bottles to spaceship engines. Many of the walking buildings stopped at times to open to customers, sometimes even competing for specific spots. Merchants often fired at one another with lasers when they couldn¡¯t agree, with the locals watching on with bored looks.


    Ah, unchecked capitalism.


    Long ago, when he was in Universal Geography class, he had studied the Midnight Market in length. A gigantic space station spanning four hundred millions square meters, the Market was wholly artificial, although nobody remembered who built it in the first place. Its makers had shaped it like a rounded coin, with two faces each benefiting from artificial gravity. Shroud had yet to see the edge of the station yet.


    From what Mur told him, this part was the ¡®Overside,¡¯ the rich tourist area where merchants from all corners of the universe came to exchange their wares. The spaceport where the team had landed first, a gigantic flying black platform on which spaceships transited, floated a few miles away, bringing in goods from various galaxies.


    Besides the animated buildings, the Market lacked any grounded means of quick transportation like cars. Instead, Shroud often glimpsed frequent violet flashes from sorcerers of the Mapmakers organization teleporting people around the market for a fee.


    No one but the desperate, the dead, and the mad went to the other face of the coin, the ¡®Underside.¡¯ Mur said it catered to the most repulsive of the Market¡¯s customers, the undead, beasts, and monsters which couldn¡¯t behave on the politically correct areas without causing chaos.


    Both sides bowed to the same master, though.


    That was the first time Shroud had seen the mercenary visibly cowed, which he took as a warning.


    The sorcerer glanced at the giant, multicolored Neurotower at the very center of the coin; a spiraling spire of black metal and vein-like, pulsating cables the size of skyscrapers. The structure dwarfed the tallest earthly mountains in size, with Shroud unable to see the tip reaching up into space. A thick, heavy aura surrounded the structure, the seven colors of magic spiraling upward like an ascending cloud. Mammon¡¯s keep, and the compass around which the Market was organized. It was said the structure could be seen from the edge itself.


    Thankfully, no Gearsmen were to be found there. The Orange Ministry had an office there for trade, but the Market remained an independent galactic power.


    Shroud¡¯s eyes darted to the sky, where a giant, mechanical moon looking down on them. An immense sphere of steel, with two fiery pits for eyes; when he looked hard enough, he noticed a thin line beneath them, like a closed mouth.


    Network didn¡¯t give him any information when he glanced at the iron, ghoulish visage, so it wasn¡¯t sentient. Perhaps the moon¡¯s creator just had a morbid sense of aestheticism?


    Shroud got the feeling this alien world had a harsh learning curve.


    He had no idea how far he could fly up before escaping the artificial gravity, plummeting upwards to the machine moon. A part of him, the one that loved adrenaline rushes, urged him to try, which he suppressed.


    He had a mission to fulfill.


    ¡°Area clear,¡± he told his team through Network, their various feeds appearing before his eyes as he returned to the targeted area. ¡°I don¡¯t think the locals will interfere.¡±


    Kari asked.


    ¡°Ten minutes, from what I gathered,¡± Shroud replied. ¡°Ready to go?¡±


    Maggie answered.


    With Booz busy organizing their meeting with the Shadow Queen, with the team in need of more spells, and Kari ready to level up, the Guild had decided to try one of the Quests available.


    Also, they needed Spellcoins to buy Babel. He had enough of relying on Mur to translate the local languages. It was like hearing people speak Chinese in front of you while you didn¡¯t understand them, before laughing. You always left with the feeling you had been fucked over somehow.


    After a vote and a long debate, they had gone with the ¡®Dreams of the Crimson King.¡¯


    Dreams of the Crimson King


    Difficulty: Medium (Dot 2)


    Sponsor: Jackal Mummy


    The Crimson King is an abomination against nature, a thief of souls, and a fan of theater. Too long has he threatened the souls of the living and the dead. Lure the Crimson King to the physical plane and destroy him utterly.


    Reward: 10 Spellcoins + Mystery Gift (Death)


    Failure: Death.


    He hadn¡¯t understood the ¡°souls of the living and the dead¡± part before flying over this district, seeing chained hobs sold by one of their own kind to an insectoid customer.


    Mur hadn¡¯t lied. and was for sale.


    Those scenes filled him with revulsion, but knowing they needed to keep their head down for now,he ignored them to fly over a large brass, roman-styled amphitheater, where the rest of his team had gathered; Maggie, Mur, and Kari in the stands, while Sol joined Shroud in flight. The other locals had deserted the area, leaving the place strangely silent compared to the background cacophony.


    They had a good reason to leave the place undisturbed.


    According to Mur, the Crimson King was an urban legend, a monster manifesting if a song echoed in the amphitheater when the Machine Moon moved right above it. The Crimson King and its court would appear, play theater, then haunt and kill whoever had seen them.


    The locals had wised up after a dozen disappearances, figuring out the rules, and left the Crimson King alone.


    Until now.


    ¡°Begin the operation,¡± Shroud signaled through Network.


    ¡°I swear, Matsumoto,¡± Maggie replied, as Kari tinkered with her mobile phone and put on the loudspeaker. ¡°If you make us fight on the tune of , I will find a way to make you pay.¡±


    Kari put the phone on the stairs, and let the music of Queen¡¯s now resonate in the amphitheater.


    They didn¡¯t have to wait long.


    The scene started subtly, gray shadows manifesting on the amphitheater stage. Souls of various species, mostly hobs, began to dance before their eyes, repeating texts in old Greek. The King¡¯s previous victims, enslaved in death.


    A violet glow shone at the center of the amphitheater, like a rift in space-time. A strange figure crawled out of it, moving in ways that defied geometric logic; Shroud almost had an aneurysm at the scene.


    At long last, the rift closed, leaving the Crimson King standing at the center of the scene. A figure cloaked in bloodstained robes, his face hidden beneath a hood and a featureless silver mask, the King hovered above the ground without touching it like a ghost. After glancing with its unnatural visage at the Dragonslayers, the entity began to twist around his ghostly servants, like a conductor micromanaging its orchestra.


    This creature craved an audience.


    Shroud peeked at the creature with Network, trying to get an edge of some kind.


    Nothing but a vague feeling of wrongness. Like the fiery fiend Brown had summoned.


    Shroud hoped this one could bleed.


    ¡°Urgh, forced to play theater forever?¡± Maggie said. ¡°Worse afterlife ever.¡±


    ¡°He has good tastes,¡± Shroud replied, recognizing the play as Oedipus Rex through the actors¡¯ texts. How an alien abomination knew of Sophocles was beyond his understanding, but he took it as a compliment to Earthly culture.


    However, the horrified, painful faces of the enslaved souls sent a shiver down his spine. He noticed ethereal, spinning spider strings pushing and pulling the souls like marionettes, forcing them to move for the King¡¯s entertainment.


    The Crimson King stopped paying his audience any attention, wholly focused on the play. Would it only attack at the end?


    They wouldn¡¯t let him take the initiative. ¡°Engage,¡± he ordered.


    The fastest of them, Maggie drew her gun and shot the Crimson King in the face with a red bullet. The mask bled green.


    No.


    Not a mask.


    A thin line drew at the bottom of the monster¡¯s face, revealing two rows of sharpened teeth twisted into a savage smile. The Crimson King let out a shrieking wail, freezing his enslaved souls in terror.


    Sol fell upon him like a falcon, sword raised, while Shroud unleashed a volley of lightshards from above. The King¡¯s wail heightened in frequency, the Blue Sorcerer¡¯s glass shards bending and then shattering before reaching him, the magical light surrounding them disrupted. The Blue Sorcerer felt his own glass armor start to bend from the pitching noise, flying farther above to stay away.


    Sol¡¯s sword landed on the ground, as the Crimson King dodged the attack with a dancer¡¯s grace, his movements unnatural. A silver rapier pierced through his robes, nearly impaling Sol through his visor; the knight deflecting the blow with his shield.


    As Maggie, Kari, and Mur leaped over the audience stairs to land on the stage and join the melee, the Crimson King muttered horrible, incomprehensible words in a guttural alien tongue. ¡°Mur, what did he say?¡± Shroud asked through Network.


    ¡­ not good.


    A flash of violet light confirmed his worries, as a monster materialized next to Mur, shifting through a rift similar to the one that allowed the Crimson King into the physical world. An abominable fusion between a slug and an octopus the size of an elephant, with its dozen eyes bigger than cats, the entity howled through three organic trunks on its back.


    The monster turned to Maggie, attempting to grab her with its tentacles, a fate which the young woman avoided by back-flipping. Mur, whose tiny body had started growing metal plates thanks to Adamant, leaped toward the beast, trying to scratch it with his tiny fingers. Kari herself, clad in Oversoul¡¯s bright aura, made a dash around the beast and joined the priest, trying to claw at the Crimson King. She went through a few dead souls, briefly making them flicker.


    The summoned being made no move to back up its summoner against Sol and Kari, focusing entirely on Maggie. Did the Crimson King control the creature? Did it even give a damn?


    The Crimson King kept both Sol and Kari pressured thanks to his swordsmanship, moving faster than both. His sword went around Sol¡¯s shield, grazing his joints in search for a weak point to exploit; Shroud didn¡¯t see any hand holding his blade if there even was one.


    In spite of her own immense agility, Kari fared worse, unable to land a hit while the King¡¯s rapier pierced her shoulder, knee, and waist. While Kari ignored the pain, Oversoul¡¯s power keeping her in the fight, she moved slower, her blows losing energy.


    Shroud observed the scene with a disapproving frown. , he thought.


    Now far enough away he was relatively certain the King¡¯s glass-shattering wail wouldn¡¯t affect him, Shroud fired lasers from his lightshards. While he had previously needed charging time with Quasar, Lightbringer allowed him to manifest them at will. Although the Crimson King managed to dodge his beams with relative ease, it did give Kari the breathing room she needed to recover her breath and survive.


    Meanwhile, the other half of the team fared little better. ¡°Squid is inedible!¡± Mur barked while biting at the tentacled monster¡¯s chest, spitting out flesh. The imp used a Reinforce spell as his teeth turned to metal, piercing the piper¡¯s flesh.


    ¡°Scared of the big bad squid, Mur?¡± Maggie said, grinning while gunning the monster¡¯s eye one by one. The alien beast, ignoring Mur, chased after the Red Sorceress while she leaped on the stands, trashing the amphitheater. ¡°Afraid you¡¯re not strong enough?¡±


    ¡°Mur¡¯s strongest there is!¡± the imp snarled back. ¡°Berserk!¡± Growing slightly bigger, Mur started climbing the piper¡¯s trunk, Shroud cutting off one of the beast¡¯s tentacle when it moved to grab the imp. The tentacle fell on the stairs, crushing Kari¡¯s cellphone and interrupting the music.


    Seeing, or rather, this, the Crimson King let out a shrieking howl, a sound wholly unlike anything from Earth. A terrible noise that made even Sol recoil.


    ¡°Why are thou interrupting my apotheosis?¡± The voice carried in Shakespearian English accent to Shroud¡¯s own ears, droning whispers carried by the alien song. ¡°Do thou feel nothing before this play from the heavens? Do thou not wish to witness it forever, to become beauty everlasting?¡±


    It thought it was doing these souls a favor? ¡°No thanks,¡± Shroud replied. ¡°Show¡¯s canceled, Your Majesty.¡±


    ¡°What¡¯s done cannot be undone.¡± The King¡¯s answer lacked its previous mirth. ¡°I will not let unkind mortal commoners interfere with my artistic bliss!¡±


    After its retort the King¡¯s song heightened, becoming loud enough that Shroud began to feel physical pain in his ears, the monstrous playwright twisted around Sol, whose sword only pierced the monster¡¯s clothes.


    No flesh beneath the robes. The truth suddenly dawned on Shroud. The clothes were the body. S§×ar?h the n?vel_Fire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    ¡°Sol, Kari, the mask!¡± Shroud shouted over the song. ¡°Hit the mask!¡± None of them seemed to hear him, and he himself couldn¡¯t understand whatever Maggie was barking through her own feed as the summoned monster began to catch up to her.


    Argh, the song scrambled their words. Since they needed to vocalize words for Network to transform them into telepathic messages, it prevented coordination!


    Shroud realized. Including one that disrupted his shards. Since he needed them to relay Lightbringer, this diminished his arsenal greatly.


    The fact he couldn¡¯t coordinate his team also enraged him. Shroud had made peace with the fact he worked best in a team match as a long-range tactician and mastermind, and the Crimson King taking it away made him feel useless.


    Mur, who had climbed to the tip of the piper¡¯s trunk and now more metal than flesh, fell into it. The tentacled monster instantly stopped pursuing Maggie, instead, letting out a loud howl even higher pitched than the Crimson King¡¯s.


    Before he could react, Shroud learned a new meaning of pain, as his ears exploded and the world fell silent. Maggie fell on the brass stairs, holding her ears, while Sol and Kari visibly winced in pain.


    Ruptured eardrums.


    Shroud spoke, although he didn¡¯t hear himself, the pain in his ear lessening for a second. Firing beams of light at the summoned monster and the Crimson King both, he focused specifically on the abomination¡¯s mask.


    While the Crimson King managed to dodge by twisting its body in unnatural ways, the light seared the flesh of his minion, slowing it down enough for Maggie to regain her footing and escape it. In fact, the Piper had started to thrash around, scratching at itself with its tentacles.


    It suddenly occurred to Shroud that Mur was eating his way inside out.


    Meanwhile, it seemed Kari understood what Shroud attempted to do, lunging at the Crimson King¡¯s mask with her claws extended. The monster moved to dodge, only for the Yellow Sorceress to rotate on herself and swing her right hand at an odd, unpredictable angle.


    The Crimson King, taken aback, couldn¡¯t react fast enough as Yoshikage¡¯s claws pierced his mask, covering her with green blood. Then, piercing the shrieking king with her other hands, she widened her arms, tearing the face into two halves.


    As Shroud guessed, the mask and the clothes were one, convulsing while Kari kept ripping the King apart; what they had mistaken for a rapier turned out to be some kind of limb. The green blood began to dry up, the Crimson King¡¯s body falling into dust with a final death wail.


    With its summoner¡¯s demise, the tentacled monster suddenly vanished in a flash of bright violet light, leaving a metalized Mur to fall with brain pieces in his fangs.


    The captive souls dimmed out, leaving black gems at the spot where they used to play. A good two dozen of them.


    ¡°That was easy,¡± Kari said, bleeding profusely while Sol sheathing his sword, casting a Heal spell on himself.


    ¡°I hope that was sarcasm,¡± Shroud replied as he landed next to her.


    She had a point though. The previous Dot Two group Quest had taken everything they had, while this one went relatively well. He guessed that between the entire group gaining access to sorcery and better coordination, they were ready for bigger challenges.


    ¡°What are you saying?!¡± Maggie asked upon joining them, her eardrums still ruptured. ¡°Heal!¡±


    A green glow surrounded her, the girl massaging her temples. After what happened to his father, Shroud had insisted he grant every member of the team Heal with his Grant Spell ability. All his teammates accepted¡­


    With one exception. ¡°You could have died there,¡± Shroud told Kari, as he cast the Heal spell on her, her wounds closing. He didn¡¯t like behaving like a father scolding a child, but he had worried something similar may happen.


    ¡°I won,¡± Kari frowned, crossing her arms. ¡°I will not be reliant on you, I told you that.¡±


    ¡°So you are okay to rely on me to provide you with cover fire and Sol to back you up, but a borrowed spell is off-limits?¡± Kari¡¯s frown deepened, and Shroud suppressed the urge to pick her brain with Network, find whatever trauma caused her to behave this way.


    ¡°This is my choice to make, Shroud-san.¡±


    ¡°Perhaps, but as your Guild Moderator, you are my responsibility.¡± ¡°Will you refuse me granting you Babel as well?¡±


    ¡°I will purchase it,¡± Kari insisted, her stoic image replaced with childish sulking.


    Shroud let out a long sigh, while Maggie finished massaging her temples. ¡°Fucking tentacles,¡± she said. ¡°I guess Matsumoto would have loved it, but I didn¡¯t.¡±


    Kari missed the obvious jab or didn¡¯t care, gathering the various black gems.


    Mur, whose Berserk effect had worn off, began to retake his original form, the plates on his skin receding. Shroud guessed Adamant only worked when its wielder faced mortal danger. ¡°Hey,¡± Mur lambasted Kari. ¡°Learn to share the loot, squishie.¡±


    ¡°The loot?¡± Kari replied, confused.


    ¡°Yes, the soul gems. We can earn between five hundred and five thousands imperial credits on average depending on the quality.¡±


    Maggie whistled at that. ¡°That¡¯s good money.¡±


    ¡°Yes. Mur knows a good undead broker on the Underside. We can also get a good price from golem crafters.¡±


    ¡°You are implying we should sell dead souls for money?¡± Sol asked, disgusted. While he had never liked Mur in the first place, he had grown to despise him since discovering the imp¡¯s true shape.


    Shroud was more surprised that there was a market for dead souls in the first place. That implied Faustian bargains and other horrors.


    ¡°Mur needs to buy a new hammer!¡± The imp argued with Solomon. ¡°Mur willing to settle for an ax or a flail though.¡±


    ¡°Also, I need a second gun,¡± Maggie said. ¡°And a costume.¡±


    ¡°A costume?¡± Shroud raised an eyebrow, although Maggie couldn¡¯t see it beneath his helmet. ¡°What for?¡±


    ¡°Because nerd, everyone has one, except Mur ¡®cause he¡¯s naked. You got your glass suit, the old man wears armor, and Matsumoto wears her ninja stuff. I¡¯m thinking of a hockey mask and hoodie.¡±


    ¡°You cannot be serious,¡± Sol said, while the suggestion clearly disgusted Kari.


    ¡°What, they¡¯re dead, they don¡¯t care, and we¡¯re lacking in mon¡ª¡±


    ¡°You are actually doing this right now?¡±


    Shroud remained afar from the debate, looking at his team dividing into two sides. While Mur had lacked scruples since day one, Maggie¡¯s casual amorality meant he was no longer outnumbered in team debates. This could prove a problem since Sol usually advocated the higher road and Kari backed him up.


    Using moral arguments or taking sides wouldn¡¯t only widen a rift. Shroud needed to defuse the situation in a neutral way.


    ¡°We didn¡¯t receive a Quest reward,¡± he said, drawing everyone¡¯s attention. ¡°Which means the job is not yet done. The Sponsor asked us to prevent the Crimson King from snatching more souls; we may not receive any reward if we do it ourselves.¡±


    ¡°I am destroying the stones,¡± Kari said with a nod, her tone firm.


    The imp let out a frustrated growl. ¡°Mur says some people deserve to be poor.¡±


    After gathering all the soul gems, Kari crushed them within her hand with Oversoul¡¯s blinding aura. Shroud expected a magical display as the souls escaped their prison. Instead, he simply heard moaning whispers and hushed words in alien languages, as the soul gems turned to dust.


    Magik Online¡¯s victory sound and a status screen told him they had made the right choice.


    Yoshikage leveled up! (Adept, Dot 2)


    Each Guild member received 10 Spellcoins + 1 Bonus Spellcoin for releasing the captive souls.


    Mystery Gift (Death) for Yoshikage.


    Feather of Ma¡¯at


    A mystical feather once used by Egyptian gods to judge the sins of the dead. When used while uttering someone¡¯s full, true name in their presence, the target is judged; an impure heart will be dragged to the Underworld of Duat. The Feather will become dust after one use.


    The picture of a white ibis feather laid next to the text. ¡°Did everyone see that?¡± Shroud asked.


    ¡°How is it that Matsumoto got that feather?¡± Maggie asked, confirming his thoughts.


    ¡°Magik may assign rewards based on how we acted,¡± Sol made an educated guess. ¡°None of us received any reward when Mathias slew Smokefang. Kari laid the killing blow that decided the outcome.¡±


    ¡°But that¡¯s not fair, that alien elephant kept us busy!¡±


    ¡°Mur will finish off the enemy next time,¡± the imp said. ¡°Or we take turns. No kill steals.¡±


    ¡°We will see once we figure out how the reward system fully works,¡± Shroud replied, brushing the subject away, and looking at his compendium, purchasing Babel at once.


    Babel


    Affinity: Blue


    Dot: 1


    Price: 3


    Activation: Passive, App Switch.


    The user gains intuitive understanding of all languages, including those used by non-sentient species ¡ª such as animals or even computer coding. Others will understand anything the Sorcerer says as if spoken in the listener¡¯s native tongue.


    ¡°Come to think of it, it might be better that we each purchase the translation spell,¡± he said.


    ¡°Indeed,¡± Sol agreed, ¡°Since you can license only one spell, we should keep the Heal spell available.¡±


    ¡°Mur doesn¡¯t need translation,¡± Mur replied.


    ¡°Fucking spell tax,¡± Maggie complained, looking at her own Compendium, ¡°Any other spell to advise? Now that I got money, I gotta invest in my future.¡±


    ¡°Needless,¡± Kari recommended. ¡°You no longer have physical needs such as sleep, eating, or reproduction.¡±


    ¡°Sounds good¡­ wait, wait, wait, so you can¡¯t get aroused? Like pet dogs?¡±


    ¡°Yes,¡± Kari replied, misunderstanding Maggie¡¯s reaction as a positive one. ¡°It is the perfect spell. No distractions anymore.¡±


    ¡°Ugh, I¡¯ll pass. I ain¡¯t keeping an app preventing me from getting in the mood. Takes out all of life¡¯s fun. Think I¡¯ll take Peak, and Biosurge. Shooting lightning sounds way too fun.¡±


    ¡°I will invest in Reinforce for my equipment, and save up the rest of my Spellcoins,¡± Sol said.


    ¡°Uh? Why not invest everything you have? I mean, it¡¯s more power .¡±


    ¡°Because, young lass, the secret of a long, healthy life is conservative spending.¡±


    ¡°Mur¡¯s investing in Heatriser, because Mur is tired of only harming with tiny claws and teeth. And Diceweight, for when he buys a new hammer. Anything that can make Mur grow big again?¡±


    ¡°Growth hormones?¡± Maggie replied, the imp missing the joke.


    ¡°Where is it, Green? Mur can¡¯t find it.¡±


    Shroud himself considered the pros and cons of both Needless and Peak, before deciding against it. While he needed to purchase Babel to function in the Midnight Market, he preferred to hoard Spellcoins until he had fully examined his Dot Two Compendium.


    His team had also missed a piece of very important information, whose implications didn¡¯t escape him.


    Namely, that Egyptian gods existed.


    Player Stats


    AccountDragonslayers Guild ModeratorNameShroudNetworkProgressHolderMathias MartelBroadcastUnlockedLevel2 (Adept)Grant SpellUnlockedAffinityBlueLocked Feature(0/3)LockNetworkLocked Feature(0/7)Spellcoins9Overlock(0/1)Three...Days..Remaining..Almost...Spell CompendiumNameDotAffinityPremium Thoughts1BlueBabel1BluePurge1GreenHeal2GreenGlass Field2Orange/BlueLightbringer2Red/OrangeMad World2Blue/GreenAccountDragonslayers GuildNameYoshikageOversoulProgressHolderKari MatsumotoRememberUnlockedLevel2 (Adept)Channel SoulUnlockedAffinityYellowLocked Feature(0/3)LockOversoulLocked Feature(0/7)Spellcoins13Overlock(0/1)Spell CompendiumNameDotAffinityBabel1BlueWallcraw1GreenPeak1GreenNeedless1GreenWard1YellowSpiritsight1YellowKiller Sense2Yellow/VioletAccountDragonslayers GuildNameSharpshootSpellgunProgressHolderMaggie Jesse PowellsCrimson BulletUnlockedLevel1 (Novice)Locked Feature(0/1)AffinityRedLocked Feature(0/3)LockSpellgunLocked Feature(0/7)Spellcoins1Overlock(0/1)Spell CompendiumNameDotAffinityStockmight1RedBiosurge1RedBabel1BluePeak1GreenBullseye2Violet/BlueAccountDragonslayers GuildNameSolAegisProgressHolderSolomon NicholaeSpell MartyrUnlockedLevel1 (Novice)Locked Feature(0/1)AffinityWhiteLocked Feature(0/3)LockAegisLocked Feature(0/7)Spellcoins6Overlock(0/1)Spell CompendiumNameDotAffinityPeak1GreenNeedless1GreenBabel1BlueQuasar1RedReinforce1OrangeAccountDragonslayers GuildNameThe Mur!AdamantProgressHolderMurmur the ImpHarderUnlockedLevel1 (Novice)Locked Feature(0/1)AffinityOrangeLocked Feature(0/3)LockAdamantLocked Feature(0/7)Spellcoins11Overlock(0/1)Spell CompendiumNameDotAffinityReinforce1OrangeDiceweight1OrangeBerserk1GreenHeatriser1Red


    Spell of the Day


    Emotion Bomb


    Affinity: Blue


    Dot: 2


    Price: 6-10


    Activation: Passive, Thought.


    The sorcerer radiates one specific emotion to anyone able to perceive him (such as lust, fear, awe, or despair), which the user decides before activating the effect; the closer the victim to the caster, the more intense the effect and the more the victim will associate the emotion with the spellcaster specifically. While the effect is temporary, long term exposure can result in permanent personality change. This effect does not work through mediums such as videos; victims must directly perceive the caster with their own senses.

 Chapter 27: The Shadow Queen

    As the violet light of the teleportation spell dissipated, Solomon looked at the crossroads with a frown, using Quasar to create a makeshift orb of light. ¡°This is the place?¡± he asked, casting light on the darkness.


    ¡°Yes, it is,¡± Booz replied, standing next to their Mapmaker transporter, a bullman clad in purple robes. ¡°Be patient. The Shadow Queen will receive you soon.¡±


    The bullman turned to the hob smuggler. ¡°I will be back in one hour to pick you up, would that be enough? I have a few commands in-between.¡±


    ¡°Yes, yes, do so.¡± Shroud delighted at understanding them speak in English; he had worried Babel would translate words into Concordian Common instead of his native language.


    The bullman vanished in a purple flash, leaving the group alone in the dark. From what Shroud had gathered, the bullman himself was no spellcaster, instead using items imbued with teleportation spells¡ªhis robes probably. Shroud suspected sorcerers among the Mapmakers used the White-colored Encode spell he had seen among the Compendium.


    That implied a lot of magical firepower.


    ¡°We have been waiting for hours!¡± Mur the imp complained, sitting on Maggie¡¯s shoulder like a squirrel. It reminded Shroud of a twisted Pokemon parody. ¡°Mur wonders if she really wants to see us.¡±


    ¡°I would kill for a drink,¡± Maggie complained. Only Kari remained silent, resting with her eyes closed. Their last battle had tired her out more than Shroud had thought.


    The Blue Sorcerer kept his arms crossed, his back turned on a blackened, tagged wall; he had come in full armor just in case. The Mapmaker had teleported them away from the chaotic, maddened cacophony of the populated area to an empty street corner in-between three silent desolate buildings; on the other side of the ¡°coin.¡±


    This face of the sphere looked nothing like the golden glory of the other half of the market. To begin with, since it didn¡¯t face bright stars like the above, darkness and the bitter cold ruled. Only a distant multi-colored neurotower, identical as the one on the above, provided some measure of light.


    They were probably both halves of the same structure, reshaping gravity itself and keeping both halves habitable. Under the normal laws of physics, the group should have frozen to death twice over already.


    Buildings, those he could see in the darkness through his lightshards, were built in the same style as the other half, but of poorer metal. Rust covered everything in the vicinity, like a dead machine long abandoned. The disturbing silence also contrasted with the buzzing activity above.


    He found himself opening his Magik account on impulse, checking the new spells available.


    Call


    Affinity: Violet


    Dot: 2


    Price: 8


    Activation: Active, Voice Vector.


    Invites an Outsider from another plane of existence and whose true name the user knows to teleport to their location; the target cannot be located on the user¡¯s plane when the spell is cast. The Outsider instinctively knows who the caller is, can choose to refuse the call, and is under no compulsion to obey any order. sea??h th§× ¦Çov§×lFire .net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Call Piper of the Demon Sultan¡­ so that was the spell the Crimson King had used to summon back-up. No wonder the beast had just rampaged around.


    Mindshield


    Affinity: Blue


    Dot: 2


    Price: 6


    Activation: Passive, App Switch.


    The user becomes immune to all hostile attempts to affect their mind, emotions, and nervous system from spells up to Dot Four, unless boosted by the Pierce spell or a Lock; all non-magical mind-affecting effects simply fail. Previously cast spells will remain active.


    Secondskin


    Affinity: Green


    Dot: 2


    Price: 8


    Activation: Passive, Thought.


    The user can create and cover themselves in an alien, symbiotic layer of skin. The Secondskin provides enhanced strength, protection from harm, and a minor healing factor when worn, but the user feels any damage inflicted on it.


    Contract


    Affinity: Yellow


    Dot: 2


    Price: 10


    Activation: Active, Voice, Mutual Consent.


    The user can forge a magical contract with a partner, which include supernatural penalties when broken. The two contractors must agree to the terms of the oath and its penalties, which can include a variety of effects such as ill-luck or even death.


    Multibreath


    Affinity: Orange


    Dot: 1


    Price: 10


    Activation: Active, Thought.


    The user can turn his breath into any inorganic gas, from a fiery breath to toxic fumes. The user suffers no ill effect from the breath but cannot produce organic material.


    Quicken


    Affinity: Red


    Dot: 2


    Price: 10


    Activation: Passive, App Switch.


    The user¡¯s speed and stamina exponentially increase as they move, with no upper limit; their body and anything in direct contact with it suffers no effect from friction or inertia. Inactivity disperses the accumulated energy, which must be built up again.


    Arcane Blade


    Affinity: White


    Dot: 2


    Price: 8


    Activation: Active, Thought, Limb Vector.


    Creates a sharp blade of Flux around one limb of the user¡¯s choice, which also inflicts a temporary, secondary effect on those it cuts based on the caster¡¯s color affinity: weakening spells (White), sensory overload (Blue), fatigue (Green), irrationality (Yellow), paralysis (Orange), ignition (Red), or loss of balance (Violet).


    Kresnik¡¯s spell.


    Shroud had cracked the price formula, or so he thought. The price of a dot one spell, multiplied by the spell¡¯s dot level. Blue spells came cheapest, at six; his allied colors, White, Green, and Violet, eight; and opposed colors cost ten.


    After investing in Heal and Babel and being refunded by the latest quest, he had enough Spellcoins to buy a Dot Two spell of his personal or allied colors. Considering the noticeable jump in power from Dot One, Shroud doubted he would spend Spellcoins purchasing weaker spells.


    He shuddered to think of what high-level sorcerers could achieve.


    ¡°This is bullshit,¡± Maggie kept complaining. ¡°How can someone be hours late for a meeting?¡±


    ¡°Patience,¡± Booz grumbled, straightening up. ¡°You squishies are so quick, thinking everyone¡¯s got time for you. The Shadow Queen is a big fish, so she will receive you when she wants.¡±


    The girl grumbled. Not that it helped; so far they had no place to rest, and were out of money for temporary accommodations.


    If the Shadow Queen failed to show up, they would have to figure something out. Hire themselves as mercenaries, or sell their services as sorcerers. Thanks to his Grant Spell feature, Shroud could probably make a killing in licensing his magic the same way the Mapmakers did.


    The thought brought him back of his original plan, to create a rebel cell in Evermarsh. While kickstarting a revolution in his home city was obviously out of question now, perhaps this alien world could be a fertile ground for recruiting. He still had two accounts to deliver, and he had no idea how many people he could empower with Grant Spell.


    Now that he thought of it, his level-up had also unlocked the Lair feature. He quickly checked that part of his account, finding it now accessible.


    A private dungeon, with bonuses? Awesome! He immediately checked the available Lairs on the list, which were in the shape of pictures with a text description beneath.


    The first image was of a mythical flying island covered with wind turbines, floating above what appeared to be a gas giant; a golden palace stood at the center of the island. A familiar Sponsor owned the place.


    Elysium, the Weather Palace


    Sponsor: Romulus


    Themes: Greco-Roman myths, Weather, Eternal War, Human Civilization.


    Ordeals: Mythological creatures, warriors of past ages, magical weather, golems.


    A palace built by a warlike, agrarian deity over the domain of a defeated weather spirit, to celebrate the first triumph of civilization over nature. Now an abode for the souls of deceased warriors from all wars across history, Elysium will challenge all those who seek to test their skills.


    The next picture represented a bottomless abyss in what seemed to be a dark, terrible sea. On a second look, Shroud realized those were not rocks surrounding the abyss, but sharp teeth.


    The Mother¡¯s Maw


    Sponsor: Mother of All


    Themes: Sea, Chaos, Madness, Dreams, and Nightmares.


    Ordeals: Sea monsters, parasitic slimes, living nightmares, children of chaos.


    An abyss in the gullet of the Mother of All, at the bottom of which her avatar waits. While the Mother looks down on the sane and the meek, she respects unbridled strength above all; only by slaying the mightiest of her dreams, will humans earn her favor.


    The next picture showed a perfect replica of Earth¡¯s Moon, pre-Concordian Conquest.


    Kyotsuki, the Hollow Moon


    Sponsor: Moon Boy


    Themes: Moon, Illusion, Skill and Intellect, Food.


    Ordeals: traps and illusions, moon creatures, magicians, food elementals.


    A hollowed moon hidden in the darkness of space, crafted after Concordia turned the original one into a superweapon. Created to test the mind and will more than the body, the Hollow Moon is a maze whom no one can defeat without wits aplenty.


    The list included dozens of such dungeons, each more different than the last. From icy wastelands to strange constructs to rival Escher, the Dragonslayers could find whichever place fit them best. The fact the group still had no idea who their mysterious backers even were made meeting one even more appealing.


    The conditions bothered him a bit though. Assigning two Magik Online accounts was no trivial task; he needed competent people, loyal to the cause of a free Earth. Since they would be working with them for the long-run, the Dragonslayers would have to do an extensive screening.


    Shroud glanced at his existing allies and wondered if it would work. The latest Quest had shown him that while they packed a wallop in term of power and could work fine in the heat of battle, they still needed to work on cohesion and teamwork.


    There was also the matter of Mur. The imp had been fidgeting on Maggie¡¯s shoulder since they arrived, anxious at meeting the Shadow Queen even more than everyone else. This made Shroud suspicious. ¡°Mur,¡± the sorcerer spoke, remembering a tidbit of information. ¡°What is Cocytus?¡±


    The imp froze. ¡°How do you know that name?¡±


    ¡°I heard the Shadow Queen came from there,¡± he replied without providing an answer. Booz seemed as lost as the rest of the group, so he probably knew nothing.


    ¡°Who told you?¡±


    ¡°Answer my question, Mur.¡±


    ¡°No,¡± the imp replied, on the defensive. ¡°Mur will not answer any more questions.¡±


    ¡°Are you keeping secrets from us?¡± Solomon asked warily, his hold on his weapon tightening.


    Shroud¡¯s thoughts exactly. ¡°Mur, no racism or anything on my part, but you alone are not from Earth. You were a mercenary from another world, and while I believe in your integrity, I would like to know if previous affiliations of yours might threaten us in the future.¡±


    The imp remained silent, before raising his head in surprise, as Kari stood before him in a protective manner. ¡°I am sorry, Sol-san, Shroud-san,¡± she spoke. ¡°Mur is entitled to his privacy.¡±


    That stance she took¡­ She was willing to fight them over this? Maggie eyed both halves of the team, unsure which side she should pick.


    ¡°I would understand that argument, but me keeping secrets recently destroyed most of the few friendships I had,¡± Shroud replied. ¡°I can¡¯t have this team suffer the same fate.¡±


    ¡°I keep secrets too,¡± Kari replied, ¡°While you use your Lock on me to guess them?¡±


    Shroud frowned behind his helmet but didn¡¯t answer.


    ¡°You stopped looking into my memories when I asked you to,¡± Kari continued. ¡°Even if your power activates often on its own, you respected my privacy then. Just as I respected yours. Because we trust each other. We fought with Mur-san and he had many opportunities to betray us, but he didn¡¯t.¡±


    ¡°For now,¡± Solomon replied. ¡°And I agree with Mathias that keeping secrets that may affect the team is a recipe for disaster. It fosters mistrust.¡±


    ¡°Judge not, that ye be not judged.¡±


    Sol reeled from Kari¡¯s answer. ¡°This is different.¡±


    ¡°It is not,¡± she replied. ¡°I am sorry, Sol-san. Pointing fingers will not help.¡±


    Either it was no secret from anyone, or anyone was entitled to their private life. The group couldn¡¯t start making exceptions without risking further division.


    Sol looked at Shroud, trusting him to make the decision as the Guild Master. How odd that he found himself in that position, in spite of being younger.


    The Blue Sorcerer briefly weighed the pros and cons of pushing the issue, before deciding the team¡¯s unity was worth more, both short and long term. ¡°Sol, back off,¡± he said, putting a hand on Sol¡¯s arm to make him stand down. ¡°I won¡¯t ask further, and I will not use my Lock. I will respect your privacy.¡±


    ¡°Mathias¡­¡± the priest looked ready to dispute it, even as Shroud broke the physical contact.


    ¡°Now is not the time to fight each other,¡± said Shroud, before looking at the imp. ¡°I will trust you for now, but I must warn you. If you kept information that endangered the group, I will deal with you myself.¡±


    Mur let out a growl. ¡°Mur wouldn¡¯t have it any other way.¡±


    A deep shadow passed over the back alley, suddenly casting it in an even deeper, thicker darkness. The metal moon passing over the alley, probably. Only Shroud¡¯s Lightbringer-empowered armor outshone the artificial night, with even Sol¡¯s lighted sword vanishing into the shadows.


    The darkness persisted. It had swallowed the night and every tiny speck of light.


    ¡­ wait.


    Lightbringer¡¯s description said non-magical darkness shouldn¡¯t affect him.


    ¡°Sol? Guys?¡± Shroud immediately let out a blinding flash of light, trying to illuminate the area.


    The shadows drowned his radiance, and no one answered.


    Fuck. Shroud unleashed his lightshards in every direction, trying to either find his friends or locate whoever had attacked them. Some of his shards hit a hidden stone ceiling that wasn¡¯t there before and didn¡¯t find the wall he used to stand near to.


    ¡°I would prefer if you did not damage my home.¡±


    The feminine voice came from behind him.


    Shroud immediately turned around, furiously trying to figure out how his shards missed. The sight of the creature made his mind stop working.


    There were cute women, pretty women, and beautiful women. And then were beauties whose mere face could start wars and launch a thousand ships. Women whose mere smile could make men fall in abject adoration.


    This woman was the incarnation of beauty.


    A Snow White made real, with long, lustrous raven hair, skin white as snow, and deep, visionary eyes. Her red lips promised untold pleasures. She reminded Shroud of Eva Green in her youth, polished and perfect like a Greek statue.


    She wore a black, expansive dress meshing with the shadows, woven in the style of a spider¡¯s web. Velvet gloves kept her hands warm, and she stood with a regal expression. She was the ideal queen, royal power embodied.


    ¡­ and she felt wrong.


    She felt wrong, in a subtle way. Her face too aligned, the hair too well-groomed, her visage lacking any microexpression. Her eyes didn¡¯t blink, and she stood unnaturally straight.


    She was trying a little too hard to emulate humanity.


    And in spite of the ambient darkness, he could see her clearly. As if the shadows avoided touching her. Even after facing a dragon, Shroud found speaking in her presence to be a greater struggle. ¡°Where are my friends?¡± he managed to blurt out.


    ¡°Outside. It is you whom I summoned to my palace of shadows, as your group¡¯s leader.¡±


    This was bad. It reminded him of his meeting with the Maleking. ¡°So, the title of Shadow Queen is no exaggeration.¡±


    ¡°I rule the night,¡± the woman confirmed her identity. ¡°And all those who call it home. The shadows are sworn to my will.¡±


    ¡°And you are human?¡±


    She smiled, one that put Shroud on edge instead of making him fall for her. ¡°More or less.¡±


    No, not human. Human-looking.


    Shroud recoiled, a phantom, painful sensation spreading through his brain. Like someone had jammed an icy spike inside his own skull.


    ¡°I do not appreciate mindbreakers.¡± The Queen¡¯s eyes shone with a bright yellow glow, similar to Kari¡¯s aura. Except the woman¡¯s magic shone brighter than the sun, the purest shade of yellow, next to whom Kari¡¯s aura looked like a dim lamp.


    He could the raw intensity of her magic, the overwhelming pressure saturating the air. A supernatural chill spread through his flesh, her power taking hold over his very bones.


    ¡°S-S¡­¡± He had troubles starting his own words as if an invisible hand choked him. ¡°Sorry, this is my Lock. It activates often without warning.¡±


    ¡°If it peeks into my mind again, you will die.¡±


    Her polite tone made the threat so casual, Shroud believed it very seriously. The light in her eyes dimmed, and Network fell entirely silent around her.


    Whatever subconscious will commanded his magic, it had taken the Queen¡¯s warning to heart.


    , she was strong.


    ¡°I will not allow you to use your powers on my men and guests either,¡± she laid out the ground rules, the invisible pressure and the chill diminishing. ¡°I forbid mindbreaking inside my palace, unless with my prior approval.¡±


    ¡°Mindbreaking?¡±


    Her eyes narrowed slightly. ¡°You are untrained.¡±


    ¡°Self-taught,¡± Shroud defended himself, amusing the queen. He must have looked very childish saying that. ¡°I assume it means mind-reading?¡±


    ¡°Blue Sorcerers entering other minds are called mindbreakers. The harmless ones read thoughts; the dangerous ones reshape them. Concordia employs many of them, and while I do not think you are malicious, I will not take any risk.¡±


    Even if its effects had diminished, Shroud still reeled from her power. Her roof, her rules. ¡°I won¡¯t. I swear.¡±


    ¡°Good.¡± She looked satisfied with his answer. ¡°Why are you here?¡±


    The danger had passed, so far. ¡°I heard you oppose Concordia.¡±


    This time her smile was genuine. ¡°I do.¡±


    ¡°Why?¡±


    ¡°Nothing personal. I have no grand tale of revenge or loss to tell. But I am not blind to the danger ahead. The Grandmaster will never stop until every star, every dimension bends to her will. One day her reach will threaten my own people. I intend to stop Concordia before this bloated monster of an empire grows that far.¡±


    Connecting the dots with the Network memory, she probably ruled an empire in the depths of space. One that Concordia will invade in a few decades. ¡°Why are you here instead of building forces on your own territory?¡±


    ¡°This sphere, the Midnight Market, is an interstellar hub. A crossroads of goods, travelers, and powers. A place where fortunes are made, and alliances forged, Mathias Martel. Or is it Shroud now?¡±


    ¡°Shroud.¡± His eyes narrowed. ¡°You know who I am.¡±


    ¡°Concordia¡¯s Red Ministry issued a bounty on you and your group¡¯s head. A very large one. It will not be long before you have hunters and exiles after you.¡±


    Reassuring. ¡°And you research everyone on Concordia¡¯s public enemy list.¡±


    ¡°I have found that the Empire¡¯s enemies make good friends of mine. I know each member of your team is a sorcerer; that your group drove off John Kresnik, a famous Magister; and that you personally committed the ultimate crime. You slew a dragon.¡±


    ¡°Not a crime,¡± Shroud replied. ¡°A declaration of war.¡±


    Her smile widened, reaching her ears. ¡°That is the mindset I look for. I can see us becoming good friends.¡±


    Shroud had the odd feeling she may be just as dangerous as an ally than as a foe. ¡°I must warn you that freeing my homeworld remains my priority, alongside my companions¡¯ safety. They will probably tell you the same.¡±


    ¡°That is fine. The more Concordia loses ground and resources, the happier I am. Of course, my help will not come without conditions.¡±


    He didn¡¯t expect it to. ¡°An exchange of services? There must be another reason why you called me alone.¡±


    ¡°I told you the rare mindbreakers flocked to Concordia¡¯s intelligence ministry. Which is to say, I had none in my employ and a task for one. The information I received about you would make me believe you are perfectly suited for it, lack of training aside. Find comfort in that this project¡¯s success will harm Concordia for years to come.¡±


    he noticed. She wouldn¡¯t take no for an answer. ¡°I will assist, with pleasure.¡±


    ¡°I also have a few missions your group can undertake on my behalf. I need to observe you longer, to see where you can be best deployed. You shall serve as the middleman until further orders.¡±


    She was already treating him as her employee and behaved as if expecting him to obey. Shroud made a note to emulate her tone and posture, for it clearly helped with authority. ¡°And in exchange?¡±


    ¡°I will arrange accommodations for you and your group. You will be fed, bathed, and clothed as my guests. It will offer you some protection, but no one is ever safe in the Midnight Market. You will receive funds, information, equipment, and guidance for your own war effort.¡±


    Straight and to the point. He could get behind that. ¡°Then we have a deal, Shadow Queen,¡± he said, extending his hand.


    She chuckled lightly, a glittering sound that sounded like a glass bell. ¡°My call me Shadow Queen,¡± she said, graciously shaking his hand. He didn¡¯t feel any Network jolt from the contact. ¡°My friends call me Manah.¡±


    Manah. What a nice name. Shroud hoped never to make an enemy of her.


    He had the feeling he wouldn¡¯t last long if he did.


    Player Stats


    AccountDragonslayers Guild ModeratorNameShroudNetworkProgressHolderMathias MartelBroadcastUnlockedLevel2 (Adept)Grant SpellUnlockedAffinityBlueLocked Feature(0/3)LockNetworkLocked Feature(0/7)Spellcoins9Overlock(0/1)Three...Days..Remaining..Almost...Spell CompendiumNameDotAffinityPremium Thoughts1BlueBabel1BluePurge1GreenHeal2GreenGlass Field2Orange/BlueLightbringer2Red/OrangeMad World2Blue/GreenAccountDragonslayers GuildNameYoshikageOversoulProgressHolderKari MatsumotoRememberUnlockedLevel2 (Adept)Channel SoulUnlockedAffinityYellowLocked Feature(0/3)LockOversoulLocked Feature(0/7)Spellcoins13Overlock(0/1)Spell CompendiumNameDotAffinityBabel1BlueWallcraw1GreenPeak1GreenNeedless1GreenWard1YellowSpiritsight1YellowKiller Sense2Yellow/VioletAccountDragonslayers GuildNameSharpshootSpellgunProgressHolderMaggie Jesse PowellsCrimson BulletUnlockedLevel1 (Novice)Locked Feature(0/1)AffinityRedLocked Feature(0/3)LockSpellgunLocked Feature(0/7)Spellcoins1Overlock(0/1)Spell CompendiumNameDotAffinityStockmight1RedBiosurge1RedBabel1BluePeak1GreenBullseye2Violet/BlueAccountDragonslayers GuildNameSolAegisProgressHolderSolomon NicholaeSpell MartyrUnlockedLevel1 (Novice)Locked Feature(0/1)AffinityWhiteLocked Feature(0/3)LockAegisLocked Feature(0/7)Spellcoins6Overlock(0/1)Spell CompendiumNameDotAffinityPeak1GreenNeedless1GreenBabel1BlueQuasar1RedReinforce1OrangeAccountDragonslayers GuildNameThe Mur!AdamantProgressHolderMurmur the ImpHarderUnlockedLevel1 (Novice)Locked Feature(0/1)AffinityOrangeLocked Feature(0/3)LockAdamantLocked Feature(0/7)Spellcoins11Overlock(0/1)Spell CompendiumNameDotAffinityReinforce1OrangeDiceweight1OrangeBerserk1GreenHeatriser1Red


    Spell of the Day


    Soundwave


    Affinity: Red


    Dot: 2


    Price: 6-10


    Activation: Passive, Thought.


    The sorcerer can enhance, produce, or alter soundwaves within a ten meters radius, such as creating shockwaves, inducing silence, or disrupting voice-based communications. The soundwaves produced with this spell also carry voice-based spells and magical effects.

 Chapter 28: Corpse Party

    As Manah walked, phantom torches lit up, blue fires without a source revealing a richly decorated corridor. ¡°You and your team will be lodged in the guest quarters,¡± his host told Shroud. ¡°I will not tolerate any unauthorized guests without prior approval.¡±


    Shroud listened intently while eyeing their surroundings. The castle¡¯s walls seemed to be made of solidified darkness and covered by wooden decorations and expansive tapestries. He often noticed doors chiseled in the walls, almost too imperceptible to notice.


    ¡°While the alley is the main entrance, should you find a large enough shadow while alone on the Underside area, a door will open to my palace. It will never appear on the Overside above and I will not be able to help you there.¡±


    ¡°Why so?¡± Shroud asked, curious.


    ¡°As per a deal with Mammon, my influence is limited to the Underside.¡±


    Shroud froze as two forms emerged from the darkness ahead. Humanoid black and white figures wearing Venitian-like carnival masks and hats. Most of their body seemed covered by tight-laced cloaks before the Player realized they meshed with the shadows beneath them. Their eyes shone with a faint yellow glow, and they made no sound while they walked.


    Living shadows.


    ¡°My servants of the night,¡± Manah told him. ¡°They will do your chores, attend to your needs, and obey basic orders, unless I order them otherwise.¡±


    A powerful mastermind with shadowy servants and a giant hidden palace? Shroud had found what supervillains wanted to become when they grew up.


    He did wonder how she knew about Italian fashion.


    Manah led him to a large, chiseled door, which opened without any input. The more the sorcerer observed, the more he was convinced the Shadow Queen had some sort of psychic control over her dominion.


    Perhaps she even her palace. With Network muted he couldn¡¯t know for sure.


    It implied Network at least had a will of its own. The fact that it kept scanning Kari without warning while muting out in Manah¡¯s presence told Shroud it could at least appraise threats; considering his own friend an easy target while avoiding anything risky in the Shadow Queen¡¯s presence.


    The door opened into a circular room, a perfect recreation of those old European noble salons. A group had gathered around a large, black wood table, sitting on sumptuous leather chairs; half a dozen masked shadows attended to them, serving them wine in silvery cups and providing light through candelabras.


    Shroud rejoiced upon recognizing Booz around the table, but the hob looked at the other guests with a tense expression. The sight put the sorcerer on his guard.


    ¡°Good evening, Big Queen.¡± One of the guests waved a hand at them. A cute, small, pre-teen girl with long blonde hair, crimson eyes, and chalk skin even whiter than Manah¡¯s. She dressed in an elegant, short red dress, carrying a black umbrella next to her chair.


    She looked quite the harmless child, yet the very sight of her filled Shroud with an undercurrent of dread. An ominous, background disturbance, a subtle feeling of pervasive danger. As if he had taken the wrong turn to find himself in a wolf¡¯s den.


    ¡°Good evening, Little Queen,¡± Manah replied with uncharacteristic kindness. ¡°Celia, Wormson, this is our new guest, Shroud.¡±


    ¡°Booz told us.¡± The last guest hid beneath a black, tattered hood and cloak, leaving no part of its body exposed. Its voice sounded neither feminine nor masculine. In fact, it sounded more like a buzzing noise than anything a human could muster. ¡°Hello, new friend!¡±


    ¡°Hello,¡± Shroud replied, unsure of how to deal with those two. A shadow servant moved two chairs, allowing the sorcerer to sit between Booz and the little girl, Celia. Manah took the opposite spot, between her two allies. ¡°Where are the others?¡±


    ¡°Outside,¡± Wormson replied from beneath his cloak. ¡°Since I contracted Booz to find you, I offered him tea.¡±


    A cup which the hob hadn¡¯t even touched. Something was definitely wrong.


    ¡°Hey, Shroud,¡± Celia spoke with excitation, touching his arm with her hand. ¡°Can I ask you a personal question?¡±


    Her fingers were cold to touch. His glass armor relayed no heat to him, and worse, she lacked a pulse. ¡°Sure,¡± he said, apprehensive.


    ¡°When you die, do you want to become a lich or a vampire?¡±


    What kind of girl asked that to someone during their first meeting? It reminded him of his chats with Ulysses. Back then, he would have gone with lich without hesitation. Unlimited magical power and all. Now he could actually wield sorcery though¡­ ¡°Can I keep my magic in both cases?¡±


    ¡°Of course!¡±


    ¡°Then vampire.¡±


    Celia seemed surprised. Pleasantly so, in fact. ¡°Strange, I thought you were a lich kind of person.¡±


    ¡°Blue Sorcerers usually are,¡± Wormson buzzed. ¡°Or ghost people. All mind and little care for the body.¡±


    ¡°Exactly,¡± Shroud replied. ¡°Vampires have a lot of powers and can live relatively unnoticed. Sure they have pretty debilitating weaknesses, but with my magic, I can work around them.¡±


    ¡°A wise choice!¡± Celia nodded quickly. ¡°Vampires are great! Everybody wants to become ghouls nowadays, it is so annoying!¡±


    ¡°Celia, stop bothering him,¡± Manah said, the little girl crossing her arms and putting in her chair. ¡°Shroud, this is Celia, a friend, a fellow queen, and the most powerful necromancer to have ever existed. Wormson is my court magus, a sorcerer trained in the art of Green.¡±


    ¡°The best there is.¡± Wormson turned towards Shroud, revealing its face. Sear?h the ¦ÇovelFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Or lack thereof.


    Instead of a face, the sorcerer found himself looking at an entire hive of writhing worms, maggots, and insects, fused together into a gruesome figure.


    It took all his willpower for Shroud not to vomit at the hideous sight.


    ¡°I apologize for my current state of being.¡± Wormson raised a hand from below his tattered robes, fingers made of vermin bound together. Shroud felt nauseous. ¡°I assure you this is but a temporary inconvenience.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯ve said that for the last three decades,¡± Celia pointed out as if she had been there. The more she spoke, the more Shroud grew certain of her true nature.


    ¡°A temporary inconvenience,¡± Wormson insisted. ¡°With useful perks. Like immortality.¡±


    Booz scoffed, almost too low to be noticed. ¡°If I may leave now that our business is done?¡±


    ¡°Certainly,¡± Manah agreed. ¡°I will see that Wormson transfers you your payment for the task set for you.¡±


    ¡°Your weight in star rubies,¡± Wormson commented. ¡°Always a pleasure to do business with you.¡±


    ¡°Will be the last time. With those funds and those I got from the kid there,¡± Booz glanced at Shroud. ¡°I¡¯ve gathered enough to retire on Ozma and go legit.¡±


    ¡°That dull place?¡± Wormson let out a screech which Shroud took for his equivalent of a groan. ¡°Just skies, steam, and flying metal.¡±


    ¡°Perfect place to live the rest of my life in peace, and under the radar; I have a Concordian bounty on my head now.¡±


    It seemed Booz had been targeted as an accessory for Shroud¡¯s crime. ¡°Sorry,¡± the sorcerer spoke with sincerity.


    ¡°Customer service,¡± the hob replied, rising from his chair. ¡°I¡¯m just happy we¡¯re not going to meet again.¡±


    Manah glanced at a masked shadow, which moved to escort Booz outside. ¡°Wormson,¡± she spoke, once the hob out of earshot. ¡°Shroud here is the mindbreaker you asked for.¡±


    ¡°Ah, yes, business,¡± the monstrosity said, his unwholesome attention now focused on Shroud, ¡°You see, my fleshy friend, a fellow enemy of Concordia recently sent us a gift. A giant, biomechanical brain, taken from a Concordian cargo ship before it could reach its Arc-City destination.¡±


    ¡°A UB,¡± Shroud guessed, straightening in his chair. ¡°You stole a UB.¡±


    ¡°Forcefully requisitioned,¡± Wormson replied, letting out a gargled chuckle.


    ¡°You should let me kill it,¡± Celia said. ¡°I could revive it as a nice vampire, or a wight. Maybe a ghost?¡±


    ¡°Would a vampire brain eat blood or brain cells?¡± Shroud didn¡¯t know if Wormson¡¯s remark was serious or a joke. ¡°Besides it has no soul, which is why our friend could not dreamwalk answers out of it.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s why I want to try it! This is totally new, and I can¡¯t wait to get creative!¡±


    ¡°We keep it in storage in a crypt below for now. If awake, it tries to warn every imperial within the vicinity to rescue it.¡± Wormson glanced at the Shadow Queen¡¯s servants. ¡°Did that work out for you, mister?¡±


    The masked shadow nodded.


    ¡°See, unlife feels much better,¡± Celia chirped, siping her red tea and revealing sharpened canine teeth. Shroud suddenly recognized the tea¡¯s smell, and why Booz hadn¡¯t touched it.


    the sorcerer thought, thankful his helmet kept his face hidden. The scene came across as a morbid take on Alice in Wonderland¡¯s tea party to him.


    ¡°We want to subvert this creature to our purpose,¡± Manah spoke, all eyes looking at her when she spoke. She commanded attention without even trying. ¡°I thought Wormson alone could handle the matter.¡±


    ¡°Unfortunately, UB¡¯s are biomechanical constructs, a perfect blend of Green and Blue sorcery,¡± Wormson explained, reeling from the reproach. ¡°Having neglected studies outside my main color, I need an acolyte. A bluish one.¡±


    ¡°You want me to help you hack into the UB?¡± That would give them access to Concordia¡¯s main information network.


    ¡°Can you help with it?¡± Manah asked.


    ¡°Maybe. A spell of mine affected the Gearsmen, and caused the local UB to reboot, and my Lock¡­¡± He briefly paused, Manah inviting him to continue with a sharp nod of her chin. ¡°My Lock allows me to connect with others, like parts of a network.¡±


    ¡°It affected even me,¡± the Shadow Queen confirmed.


    ¡°Even with your unique biology?¡± Wormson sounded giddy, the critters making up his body chittering. Shroud had to restrain his nausea. ¡°My, that¡¯s a powerful Lock you have.¡±


    ¡°Less than mine,¡± Celia cut in with childish pettiness.


    ¡°We all know how lethal your Lock is,¡± Wormson replied diplomatically. ¡°But we need the UB alive for it to interface with the Concordian network.¡±


    ¡°What will you use the UB for, once you have hacked it?¡± Shroud asked them.


    ¡°Steal information, sabotage, identify weaknesses,¡± Manah said. ¡°It depends on what can be done with the machine. Wormson, when can you two start working on it?¡±


    ¡°I need a few days to make adjustments, ensure the UB doesn¡¯t send a distress signal or fight back. We wouldn¡¯t want our lighty friend to fry his beautiful brain.¡±


    ¡°Then you have a little free time,¡± Manah told the Dragonslayer. ¡°You deserve a rest after such an exhausting journey. My servants will escort you to your room.¡±


    Realizing he had been summarily dismissed, Shroud rose from his chair. Celia waved at him kindly. ¡°Let us have tea one night, Shroud!¡± she chirped happily. ¡°And bring your friends! We will have a nice time.¡±


    The sorcerer glanced at the blood tea with a shudder. ¡°I¡¯m more of a coffee person.¡±


    ¡°I have some!¡± she replied with a big, friendly smile plastered on her face, as Shroud followed the masked shadows into the thick darkness. ¡°Bye!¡±


    He didn¡¯t have to wait long until the servant stopped Shroud right in front of a shadowy door. The gates opened on their own, closing right after the sorcerer walked in.


    He could have mistaken his bedroom for that of a king¡¯s; his entire old apartment could have fit inside it. Clean, elegant clothes had been placed on a king-sized bed, tailored for him; a finely chiseled ebony desk awaited him, next to a rounded table and two comfortable armchairs. A shadowy door led to another area, a marble bathroom looking straight out of a Roman Villa.


    His room even had a chimney, with a green, smokeless, phantom fire producing light in a corner near the bed. The lack of windows made the place feel oppressive, though.


    Another fainter shadow door stood near his bed, probably an exit to the outside. He checked on Network to see how his team was doing.


    The feeds were obscured by bright violet light.


    Shroud immediately surged towards the shadowy door, slamming it open.


    The entrance gave way to the rusted alley from before, without Manah¡¯s unnatural darkness covering it. There was no sign of struggle of any kind, yet none of the Dragonslayers were present.


    Instead, a woman waited for him, counting cards to pass the time. ¡°Hello there, Mister Glass.¡±


    She was a pretty, freckled creature which Shroud would put around her early twenties, with long auburn hair styled in an elegant swirl bun; she dressed like a rogue with a white and red ensemble with black flowers around the waist, wore high boots, a red coat and a rounded, feathered hat.


    Shroud summoned his lightshards, surrounding her with blades of light and sharp glass. ¡°Where is my team?¡±


    The woman smiled, remaining supremely calm. ¡°Careful with those, you might hurt yourself,¡± she said while putting the card deck in her pocket. Shroud didn¡¯t recognize her accent as anything found on Earth. ¡°The name¡¯s Ace by the way.¡±


    ¡°Where is my team?¡± Shroud repeated, this time putting the edge of a light sword right below her chin. ¡°Answer or die.¡±


    The sorcerer froze. ¡°Mammon?¡±


    ¡°Ah, a mind-reader, wonderful,¡± Ace said with heavy sarcasm. ¡°I¡¯m going to be very frank with you here, Mathias. You really fucked up. You messed with the big bad upstairs, and he¡¯s not happy.¡±


    ¡°How?! We never met him!¡±


    ¡°From what I gathered, property damage towards a tourist attraction,¡± the woman replied. ¡°You took his stuff, so he stole yours back with interest. If the Shadow Queen hadn¡¯t taken you to her palace, he would have taken you as well.¡±


    Property damage? But they hadn¡¯t¡­ Shroud paused. The Crimson King? ¡°Mammon is unhappy we trashed the amphitheater?¡±


    ¡°No, he is unhappy you killed his pet without his approval,¡± Ace corrected. ¡°Guess who summoned it to the Midnight Market in the first place?¡±


    What kind of sick person would consider a murderous abomination a tourist attraction? The same kind that could crush an entire team of sorcerers without leaving a trace. ¡°He left you here to take me on?¡± Shroud readied himself for battle, but Ace only erupted in laughter.


    ¡°No, no, I¡¯m a messenger. I¡¯m supposed to let you off the hook with a stern warning.¡± She gave him a mischievous smile. ¡°But know what, since you didn¡¯t know the Crimson King was the big boss¡¯ property, and that I like your fashion sense, I guess you have one chance to make this right. And if you want to have that chance, you will follow my lead.¡±


    A Magik notification popped up on the sorcerer¡¯s screen, spelling out to him what was at stake.


    Side Quest: Mammon¡¯s Revenge


    Difficulty: Dot Four


    Sender: the Administrator


    Your teammates are in the clutches of death.


    Save them, Mathias.


    Rewards: Network Upgrade (?)


    Failure: Death of your entire Guild.


    Players StatsAccountDragonslayers Guild ModeratorNameShroudNetworkProgressHolderMathias MartelBroadcastUnlockedLevel2 (Adept)Grant SpellUnlockedAffinityBlueLocked Feature(0/3)LockNetworkLocked Feature(0/7)Spellcoins9Overlock(0/1)Three...Days..Remaining..Almost...Spell CompendiumNameDotAffinityPremium Thoughts1BlueBabel1BluePurge1GreenHeal2GreenGlass Field2Orange/BlueLightbringer2Red/OrangeMad World2Blue/Green


    Spell of the Day


    Arise


    Affinity: Yellow


    Dot: 2


    Price: 6-10


    Activation: Active, Voice Vector


    The user imbues corpses within earshot of the spell with the spark of unlife. The ¡®risen¡¯ lack souls or minds, but understand the caster¡¯s orders and will try to carry them out to the best of their ability until destroyed. If the caster has a soul to fill the corpse with, such as a soul gem, they may create stronger, free-willed undead such as vampires or ghouls.

 Chapter 29: The Soul Casino

    The Overside Market¡¯s Flux Tower looked even bigger up close.


    A towering, spiraling spire of black metal and vein-like, pulsating cables the size of skyscrapers, the structure dwarfed anything humanity ever built. The tower radiated energy, which Shroud could feel resonate with him, a warm sensation filling his flesh and mind.


    There was no doubt that he stared at the source of sorcery itself.


    A golden castle surrounded the tower¡¯s base, an aesthetically insulting amalgam of Arabian architecture, medieval towers, and stranger shapes clearly not designed by any man. It looked as if someone had mashed multiple fragments of destroyed palaces into one. This place breathed extravagance.


    The brass golems standing on the walls, alongside winged, reptilian fiends straight out of Hell, not so much.


    With a well-placed Mad World, he could have them fight each other, create a diversion¡ª


    ¡°Oh, don¡¯t tell me you think you can fight your way in and out,¡± Ace spoke. ¡°You can¡¯t and you won¡¯t.¡±


    ¡°Is there any other option?¡± Shroud replied grimly, aware of the situation¡¯s direness. Dot Four. That was the highest difficulty level he had ever seen for a Quest.


    ¡°Only one, big boy,¡± she replied, dusting off her hat. ¡°Mammon is a gambler, and he¡¯s bored. So bored, he moved his chest ass personally to catch your team. He needs entertainment and stimulation, and since he¡¯s the embodiment of depredation, he can¡¯t turn down a contest. That¡¯s his only weakness. He honors his wagers, to the word, but never to the spirit.¡±


    Shroud listened, as she invited him to the only way towards the castle: an immense silver stairway leading to the only entrance, a fifty-feet tall Gate whose archway¡¯s content shone with bright, golden light. Brass golems wielding large scimitars stood on each step, yet let them walk undisturbed.


    ¡°He will cheat, of course. He always cheats using his magic. Even if you think there is absolutely no way he can fix the game, he will find one. So you¡¯ve got to cheat better.¡±


    ¡°Why are you telling me this?¡± Shroud asked. ¡°You work for him.¡±


    ¡°I do.¡±


    ¡°But you don¡¯t like him.¡±


    She put a finger on her lips, whispering ¡®shush,¡¯ as they reached the Gate. ¡°He pays eight-figures. I¡¯m just doing my job, entertaining my master, like you.¡±


    ¡°No gods, no masters,¡± Shroud told her.


    ¡°That¡¯s what we all think until we see our strings. Anyway, if he¡¯s entertained and you get back your team, everyone is happy. Win-win.¡± She invited him through the Gate. ¡°After you.¡±


    Shroud looked at the archway, and the large neon name written over it.


    KING MAMMON¡¯S SOUL CASINO sea??h th§× N?vel?ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    ¡°He only values one commodity above all else,¡± Ace said softly.


    With some hesitation, and a deep breath later, Shroud stepped into the light, dimensions shifting around him.


    An orgy of sounds, strong smells, and light shows assaulted his senses the second he landed on the other side. The Taj Mahal looked tame compared to the haven of excess he had in front of him.


    Shroud found himself inside an immense casino, too big to fit in the castle he had seen outside. Platinum pillars held a shining ceiling of gemstones, while the sorcerer walked on marble covered by richly woven carpets.


    The place bustled with people, almost none of them human-looking. Monstrous, six-legged bugs played cards with multi-eyed frogs dressed in golden robes and dwarfish creatures reminding the game designer of stereotypical goblins. Other creatures were too alien for him to recognize, slime-like horrors more brain than flesh, strange entities made from raw clouds and lightning. Shroud even noticed a giant, fiery bird flying above a table, rolling diamond dice with his talons.


    Fiendish creatures, archetypes of red-skinned, fork-tongued horned devils and inhumanly beautiful winged succubi served alien food and champagne to the guests. Walking slot machines, which Shroud realized were actually customized steel golems, walked around, trying to tempt people into playing.


    One of those machines even walked to him. ¡°Play?¡± it asked, its pre-recorded voice melodious to listen. While Shroud shook his head, the golem kept following him for a while, which the sorcerer took for harassment.


    Everything there looked big, bigger than anything he had ever seen. He glimpsed a roulette the size of a soccer field, and a bar serving forty-feet tall icy giants. Shroud found himself stopping in front of a giant marble chess board, where a crowd had gathered around.


    Human-sized chiseled stone golems served as the pieces, under the control of two contestants. On the black side was a strange creature, a being with black wood for skin and four emeralds for eyes. The being stood on two legs, yet kept six arms crossed in close meditation. Shroud glimpsed at an array of weapons, swords, axes, even primitive guns, hidden beneath a tattered cloak. A crown of laurels made the entity seem regal, beyond mere mortals.


    The woman on the white side was supremely beautiful. Clad in a black medieval tunic and pants with a red scarf around her throat, she had mid-length platinum hair and the face of an angel. She seemed ageless, with both serene maturity and the youth of a new adult.


    But her eyes were too cold. Like chips of blue ice, her eyes shone with cold malevolence. If eyes were truly the windows of the soul, then just by staring at them Shroud knew this girl was one vicious.


    Both contestants seemed closely matched, although the White played more offensive than the Black. The woman whispered something with a chilling voice, one of the white-colored golems on her side smashing a smaller black pawn with its bare fists. The other contestant began to give new orders, sending one centaur-like piece to retreat behind his defensive line.


    ¡°That¡¯s Graff.¡± Shroud had seen Ace coming through his glass long before she actually spoke. ¡°The Horseman of War. A warlord as old as conflict itself.¡±


    ¡°And the woman?¡±


    ¡°No idea. She comes and goes without giving her name.¡± Ace guided him to a spot nearby. ¡°Your friends are here.¡±


    Shroud¡¯s fists tightened.


    Sol, Kari, and Maggie stood on a silver fountain near the chessboard. Their colors had turned to various shades of violet, which Shroud found familiar. They were paralyzed in various stances, Sol raising his sword, Maggie¡¯s hand going for her gun, Kari charging. Whatever had taken them out had done it in seconds.


    And they weren¡¯t the only ones there. A dozen other figures stood on the fountain, gargoyles and hobs and bullmen and cyclops frozen by a violet hue. ¡°Sol! Kari!¡± Shroud shouted over the cacophony, without an answer. The various customers ignored him too. ¡°Maggie, can you hear me?¡±


    ¡°They are frozen in time,¡± Ace told him. ¡°Until Mammon releases them, they will stand there among his trophies.¡±


    One of them was missing. ¡°Where is Mur?¡±


    ¡°The imp? Mammon kept him for his personal use.¡±


    With his lightshards providing him a good view of the area, he didn¡¯t need Ace¡¯s help to find Mammon. He didn¡¯t even need Network to identify him.


    He just had to look at his oversized crown.


    A traditional monster in fantasy games were mimics, horrors taking the shape of chests to trick adventurers. Mammon was the real deal, and what a mimic might grow into if fed too many adventurers; a chest the size of a van, whose wooden bottom turned into dozens of small, black tentacles to carry it around. Shroud noticed a dozen, tiny eyes around the surface, with a larger central one atop the chest and below a diamond and gold crown. The chest¡¯s fanged mouth held open, revealing a hoard of black gems overflowing within it.


    A pinkish, fleshy humanoid torso sprung from the chest¡¯s gems content, a skinless abomination that was human in vague shape only. It had two arms, a torso, and a head, but no nails, no eyes, no mouth or ears, nor any feature of any kind. That creature held a smaller crown on its head, too big for it.


    That fleshy humanoid was little more than a tongue, an extension of the true Mammon; the chest itself. Mammon embodied greed in more ways than one.


    Sitting on a chair left of Mammon, a giant rested lazily with two winged succubi on his lap. Reaching nine feet tall, the beast had a coat of golden fur and a white mane. With his strong muscles, he looked like a statue of Hercules almighty or Mr. Universe; his feral, fanged, canine-like face revealed his true, bestial self. The monster went around naked, exposing his raw masculinity for all to see. On one side of the chair, rested his long, white spear; on the other, a monstrous black hound bigger than a family car, whose crimson eyes bled fire.


    The creature on the right of the Midnight Market¡¯s king was nothing like a humanoid. An icy being in the shape of a giant snowflake, flying above the ground through the power of a mystical, chilling wind, the entity had only a radiant purple core for an ¡°eye.¡±


    The trio played darts with golden arrows. With Mur nailed at the center of the giant dartboard.


    The imp clearly had seen better days, with a dart through the wing, and a gaping wound on the left leg. He looked at Mammon with venomous rage. Adamant¡¯s metal plates grew out of his stony scales, only to regress with a faint Violet glow in a never-ending cycle.


    Never before had Shroud sensed such raw, unfettered hatred radiating from his imp ally. Mur was contemptuous, haughty, but never hateful; the very sight of Mammon filled him with deep loathing and bottomless fear. Even his ally¡¯s arrival didn¡¯t make him budge from his death glare.


    ¡°Lord Mammon,¡± Shroud started, coughing, as Ace approached her master. Ignoring them, Mammon launched an arrow at Mur, thankfully with a terrible aim, hitting near the head. Gems overflowed from the chest, the tentacles quickly catching and returning them to the hoard. The monster struggled to keep everything in his chest, yet wouldn¡¯t separate from anything.


    When he focused, Shroud heard a faint, moaning sound coming from the gems, and the faint pictures of ghastly visages reflecting on their surface. A thousand, a million souls howling in despair, as part of a hoard of damned lives.


    He had to spare the Dragonslayers that fate.


    ¡°I wish to apolo¡ª ¡± Shroud couldn¡¯t finish his answer, his tongue getting back in his mouth before he could finish. ¡°I wish to apolo¡ª ¡±


    Once again, his tongue returned to its original place without finishing the sentence. The bestial man roared with laughter. Ace rolled her eyes with a sigh. ¡°I wish to apolo¡ª ¡± Again, his tongue repeated its movement in reverse, ending his sentence.


    ¡°I am sorry,¡± Mammon gargled with an inhuman, high-pitched voice. ¡°I cannot hear you over the sound of your entrails falling on the ground.¡±


    Entrails falling¡ª


    Pain sharper than even Smokefang¡¯s mightiest blow cut through Shroud in the middle of his thoughts, spread from his back to his belly, alongside the sensation of air filling his innards. The sorcerer coughed up blood, falling to his knees.


    Sitting among his bowels flowing out of his chest. The sorcerer stared at the blood on the ground, in a state of shock.


    ¡°Oh, listen to the sounds his bowels make.¡± Mammon looked down on the bleeding Shroud like a child with a pet. ¡°Fascinating. I have my submission for Best Holo-TV Gag. Let¡¯s replay!¡±


    A second later, Shroud found himself back to his feet. His chest intact once more. ¡°What the¡ª¡±


    The surprise pain interrupted him, his chest exploded in blood and bowels once again and bringing him back to his knees.


    Time magic. Violet magic.


    That bastard chest looped him in time! Without warning, even. And he found it funny!


    Realizing he wouldn¡¯t win with words, Shroud called upon Lightbringer, summoning letters of light in front of him all at once. This time, the display of magic made the others react, with the bestial man stopping laughing, the snowflake turning slightly in his direction, and Mammon glancing at his sentence.


    ¡°I WISH TO APOLOGIZE.¡±


    Mammon snapped his fingers, Shroud finding himself standing again, unharmed. No blood nor bowels left on the ground. ¡°You have stolen something from me, little coin,¡± the Midnight Market¡¯s King said. ¡°It was mine. Everything in this entire solar system is mine. The sun and the moon are mine, the people are mine, all that shines and all that is precious is mine, mine, mine. Time itself is mine. Not yours.¡±


    ¡°We were unaware the Crimson King was yours,¡± Shroud said diplomatically. ¡°Maybe we can compensate you for your loss.¡±


    ¡°Already done for you!¡± The mimic¡¯s torso pointed a finger at Mur, and then at his paralyzed friends. ¡°Your friends I will keep in stasis forever. Murmur is too ugly for my collection. Ace, have him hurled into a sun after I¡¯m done playing darts.¡±


    ¡°Which one, Your Majesty? You legally own thirty-seven of them.¡±


    ¡°The seventh. Lucky number, the seventh.¡± Mammon let out a childish cackle that sent a shiver down Shroud¡¯s spine. ¡°Fortunately for you, my good friend the Shadow Queen needs you, so I will let you run around. Defy me again and we will play bowling, with you as the pin.¡±


    That creature, that , held the Dragonslayers¡¯ life in his hands. Shroud peeked at him with Network, trying to find an opening, anything that could make him listen.


    Ace was right, he only had one way to deal with this creature. ¡°Then I would like to make a proposal,¡± Shroud said. ¡°I heard you were a gambler, King Mammon. Would you like to play a game?¡±


    ¡°A game?¡± Mammon¡¯s voice switched from venomous to childish excitement. ¡°I love games, I always win!¡±


    ¡°Not mine,¡± Shroud replied. ¡°I have created a game so difficult, no one has managed to beat it yet.¡±


    ¡°Oh, oho,¡± Mammon chuckled. ¡°You have my interest. King Mammon does not back from a challenge.¡±


    ¡°Then I would like to gamble back the life of my teammates. If you fail to defeat my game, we leave.¡±


    ¡°I always win,¡± Mammon replied. ¡°And what will I gain?¡±


    ¡°My life,¡± Shroud replied immediately. He doubted anything else would convince Mammon to gamble his friends away. Mur¡¯s eyes lit up at his words, although the sorcerer couldn¡¯t say in hope or frustration.


    ¡°Not fair! I have four of mine, and one of you.¡±


    ¡°I propose a series of rounds,¡± Shroud responded, his heartbeat accelerating each time that fiend spoke of his teammates as possessions. ¡°Every time I win, one of my friends goes free.¡±


    The bestial man let out a chuckle. ¡°You would need to win four times in a row,¡± he spoke with a strong, masculine voice, ¡°While Mammon would only need to win once. Challenging odds for a nobody.¡±


    ¡°He serves the Shadow Queen.¡± It took a second for Shroud to realize the clear, feminine voice came from the snowflake being. ¡°And he is strong in the Blue. You would better not to underestimate him, Lugh.¡±


    Lugh? The Arcadians¡¯ leaders in the Midnight Market? ¡°Maybe I should have a go at him first,¡± the bestial man confirmed. ¡°Been a while since I have had worthy game.¡±


    ¡°Mine,¡± Mammon spoke with an authoritative tone. ¡°He is mine, and his little gang, too.¡±


    ¡°There is a game I am confident King Mammon cannot defeat me at,¡± Shroud replied, baiting the monster by attacking his pride.


    It worked. ¡°Mammon rules all games as king,¡± the monstrous mimic boasted, followed with an unnatural rattle. ¡°Fine, I accept your challenge. Entertain me and I will transfer ownership of those four back to you. What game will you have Mammon play? Chess? Cards? Shooting stars?¡±


    ¡°No. I had a different game, of strategy and determination. A virtual reality game, unlike anything you have seen.¡± He smiled. ¡°A game I created myself.¡±


    Players Stats


    AccountDragonslayers Guild ModeratorNameShroudNetworkProgressHolderMathias MartelBroadcastUnlockedLevel2 (Adept)Grant SpellUnlockedAffinityBlueLocked Feature(0/3)LockNetworkLocked Feature(0/7)Spellcoins9Overlock(0/1)Three...Days..Remaining..Almost...Spell CompendiumNameDotAffinityPremium Thoughts1BlueBabel1BluePurge1GreenHeal2GreenGlass Field2Orange/BlueLightbringer2Red/OrangeMad World2Blue/GreenAccountDragonslayers GuildNameYoshikageOversoulProgressHolderKari MatsumotoRememberUnlockedLevel2 (Adept)Channel SoulUnlockedAffinityYellowLocked Feature(0/3)LockOversoulLocked Feature(0/7)Spellcoins13Overlock(0/1)Spell CompendiumNameDotAffinityBabel1BlueWallcraw1GreenPeak1GreenNeedless1GreenWard1YellowSpiritsight1YellowKiller Sense2Yellow/VioletAccountDragonslayers GuildNameSharpshootSpellgunProgressHolderMaggie Jesse PowellsCrimson BulletUnlockedLevel1 (Novice)Locked Feature(0/1)AffinityRedLocked Feature(0/3)LockSpellgunLocked Feature(0/7)Spellcoins1Overlock(0/1)Spell CompendiumNameDotAffinityStockmight1RedBiosurge1RedBabel1BluePeak1GreenBullseye2Violet/BlueAccountDragonslayers GuildNameSolAegisProgressHolderSolomon NicholaeSpell MartyrUnlockedLevel1 (Novice)Locked Feature(0/1)AffinityWhiteLocked Feature(0/3)LockAegisLocked Feature(0/7)Spellcoins6Overlock(0/1)Spell CompendiumNameDotAffinityPeak1GreenNeedless1GreenBabel1BlueQuasar1RedReinforce1OrangeAccountDragonslayers GuildNameThe Mur!AdamantProgressHolderMurmur the ImpHarderUnlockedLevel1 (Novice)Locked Feature(0/1)AffinityOrangeLocked Feature(0/3)LockAdamantLocked Feature(0/7)Spellcoins11Overlock(0/1)Spell CompendiumNameDotAffinityReinforce1OrangeDiceweight1OrangeBerserk1GreenHeatriser1Red


    Spell of the Day


    Homunculus


    Affinity: Orange


    Dot: 2


    Price: 6-10


    Activation: Active, Direct Touch Vector.


    The user can craft a cat-sized automaton from any raw, inorganic material. The homunculus takes a shape similar to its maker, and shares a telepathic link with the caster. The homunculus must feed on its maker¡¯s Flux to remain functional and will collapse if not regularly recharged. The user can create as many homunculi as they can sustain.

 Chapter 30: The Kings Conquest, I

    Word that someone challenged Mammon had spread.


    Shroud sat on one end of a large card table, which Mammon had set as the place of the duel; the Market¡¯s ruler faced him from the other side, Mur held in a birdcage on his left. The guests surrounded them from all sides, a sea of blurred faces and strange visages rejoicing at some excitement.


    Shroud noticed most of them stood closer to Mammon than him, trying to cultivate his favor; or they were just plain afraid of him. Network also told him they expected his demise to be quick.


    ¡°So, Ace, who are you betting on?¡± Lugh spoke, seeming chummy with her. ¡°The invincible King, or the doomed challenger?¡±


    ¡°I have a soft spot for the underdog,¡± she replied, smiling at Shroud. ¡°One hundred soul gems on the newbie.¡±


    ¡°Betting against your employer?¡± Lugh let out a laugh, before raising a fist at the audience. ¡°You heard the lady, bets are open!¡±


    Shroud sighed at the lack of support. Why were homicidal chests so popular around here?


    ¡°Thank you, thank you, you are too kind!¡± Mammon declared, extending his hands. ¡°Today a poor fool challenged I, King Mammon, to a new game called . My dear Ace told me the rules, and I admit I like the concept! I¡¯ve played similar games before, of course, and won every time.¡±


    ¡°Not against me,¡± Shroud replied, ticked off in his pride.


    ¡°Mur bets the human will kick your ass, Mammon,¡± Mur taunted his holder in defiance. Mammon slammed the bird cage for good measure.


    ¡°The rules are simple,¡± Ace declared, working as the arbiter. ¡°If the challenger and his minions kill our beloved King Mammon four times, the challenger wins; if King Mammon kills the challenger once, our invincible champion wins.¡±


    ¡°Just give me my dyn-glasses and let¡¯s get on with it,¡± Shroud replied, eager to end this deadly farce as quickly as possible.


    Mammon laughed, his court echoing him. ¡°Glasses he said¡­¡± His body shone with a twisted aura of violet and orange. ¡°Behold my almighty Lock!¡±


    Before Shroud could react, a blinding, mismatched flash of both colors swallowed him whole. His body became numb, its molecules decomposing and reassembling before his eyes.


    The effect reminded him of the Mapmakers¡¯ teleportation, yet different. The gambling hall overturned before his eyes, yet it looked as if someone plastered a new layer of reality over it instead of changing it outright.


    As the light subsided, and his surroundings came into shape, Shroud recognized the area before the process even ended.


    When Mammon¡¯s spell subsided, Mathias Martel stood in front of a throne of bones, surrounded by reptilian guards and lava. The cathedral-like boss room he had designed for his own game level, Castle Noirceur.


    He recognized every detail, from the statues of giant, stylized snakes surrounding the path to the throne, to the altar on which he had intended to sacrifice a princess at a quest¡¯s conclusion.


    His own body had changed to match his shadowy, roguish game avatar. ¡°Amazing,¡± he muttered to himself, touching the illusory chainmail. He felt the sensation of touch and the heat of the room. Mammon hadn¡¯t created a virtual reality; he had created a real-life simulacrum of it. Only a faint, pervasive taint of orange and violet in his surroundings revealed the magical trickery.


    Considering the headache he struggled with, and the loss of his attention, Mammon¡¯s magic had disabled Premium Thoughts. An attempt to call upon Lightbringer didn¡¯t help either.


    ¡°Maya?¡± Shroud spoke, trying to summon the game¡¯s artificial intelligence. No one answered. Reptilian guards, serpents with hands carrying spears and scimitars, did, hissing in response to his words. These creatures should have attacked a human on sight, yet in this game, he was their master.


    He noted floating numbers above their head.


    Level 13 Serpentfolk Magiblade


    LP: 800.


    STR: 80


    AGI: 115


    CON: 150


    INT: 100


    CHA: 75


    LUC: 80


    Skills


    Enchant Blade (Fire, Ice, Lightning)Snakeskin (Physical damage -30 percent)Venomous Fangs (Inflicts Venom)Cold Vulnerability


    If Mammon had turned their reality into a game, did it also grant him in-game powers?


    To check, Shroud moved to sit on his throne of bones, his mind expanding in response. As the boss of the level, he could oversee and direct the entire area as long as he sat on his throne.


    First, his own stats appeared in front of him.


    Mathias Martel


    Level 17 Snake Charmer (Humanoid/Reptile)


    LP: 1820.


    STR: 50


    AGI: 115


    CON: 100


    INT: 100


    CHA: 110


    LUC: 80


    Skills


    Dread Aura (Minor)Bard Songs (Level 17)Crown of Scales (Major)Archenemy ImmunitiesDungeon MasterOne with the LandMinion Master


    ¡°Show me the contestant,¡± Shroud ordered, a birds-eye view of the immense castle filling his mind.


    His vision moved from his lair to the marsh surrounding it, to a distant meadow meant to serve as the arrival point for new players. A nameless goblin merchant had been placed there to help guide players and offer them items.


    Mammon, unchanged by the magic, had manifested in the meadow, the monster glancing around himself; four flying, winged golden camera following his every move. Why would the king need¡ª


    ¡°Hello everyone!¡± Mammon told the cameras with a bombastic laugh. ¡°Welcome to today¡¯s special stream of !¡±


    Clapping sounds echoed out of nowhere through the entire false world, as Shroud¡¯s avatar blinked in astonishment. ¡°This episode is translated in every language known on every Midnight Market holo-channel, to our trillions of fans across the universe! Prepare for an amazing episode of tearful drama, mindless violence, and epic laugher, as I face my deadliest challenge yet¡­ that human over there.¡±


    A golden camera popped up out of nowhere right in front of Shroud, zooming on his face. Booing sounds replaced the previous clapping. The sorcerer himself had no idea how to react to this turn of events.


    ¡°Yes, the king is not impressed either,¡± Mammon said, the booing turning into a sitcom, cringeworthy laugh. ¡°Our contest, Mathias Martel, challenged me to a Firman virtual game called . is a virtual reality built on the same system as the tabletop games from last season. As you know, my dear viewers, my magic makes the chosen game real for both contestants until a clear winner is established. Which means that my enemy and I are now characters of that world and bound by its laws.


    ¡°The rules are simple. The human cowardly hides in his fortress,¡± Mammon pointed a finger at castle Noirceur. ¡°Which I will conquer, before eating the challenger. If the human and his minions kill me four times, my enemy wins. ¡±


    Mammon raised his humanoid palm at the camera. ¡°To make this challenge fair, I will only use five,¡± he moved his fingers, ¡°Yes, five percent of my unlimited power to win!¡±


    Shroud clenched his fists on the other end of the level. Fair?


    Then again, the joke was on the Midnight King. His game was only winnable because he allowed it; now that he had all the cards in hands and no reason to hold back, the game designer had the advantage.


    ¡°Hello, traveler,¡± the goblin merchant started haranguing Mammon, ¡°the road is dangerous ahead. I¡¯ve got some potions¡ª¡±


    ¡°This is one of my props, a copy of a real person destined to die.¡± Mammon¡¯s humanoid torso approached the camera closer as if to whisper to the camera without lowering his tone. ¡°They think they are real, so shush.¡±


    ¡°I what?¡± the goblin asked since Mammon made no effort to avoid him eavesdropping.


    ¡°Hello, prop,¡± Mammon replied. ¡°What do you have to trade?¡±


    ¡°Potions, antidotes, antivenom¡­ everything that can help you survive this terrible swamp.¡±


    ¡°Ah, a good merchant braving the frontier of civilization to bring the joys of free market economy to all living beings. You, sir, are everything that makes the world turn round.¡±


    ¡°Err¡­¡± The goblin seemed confused. ¡°Thank you?¡±


    ¡°The King, unfortunately, is in no need of your services, but who knows? Maybe I will need your help to de-stress later.¡± Mammon gave the merchant a tap on the back. ¡°My wealth sense is tingling people! Let¡¯s see what we have.¡±


    Leaving the confused merchant alone and none the worse to wear, Mammon moved to the center of the meadow, digging with his hand, and bringing out of the mud a small, golden trinket.


    The medal collectible.


    hid medals in remote areas to reward exploring players. They had no use in-game except for bragging. Yet, following a long and ancient tradition of video game players, Mammon put the main quest on hold to gather useless trinkets by striding through the swamp.


    On the bright side of things, it gave Shroud time to prepare. The sorcerer took a look at Mammon¡¯s stats, as the monster strode through the swamps faster than his strange biology would suggest.


    King Mammon the First


    Level 80 Infernoid Mimic (Slime/Fiend)


    LP: 6666.


    STR: 380


    AGI: 350


    CON: 400


    INT: 310


    CHA: 330


    LUC: 300


    Skills


    Shapeshifting (Item)Regeneration (300 LP per round)Improved Wealth DetectionImproved Critical HitImproved Natural Attack (X3)


    Infernoid. The word brought bad memories to Shroud and made him twice as wary as he was before. If Mammon was involved with the Maleking... S~ea??h the Novel?ire(.)ne*t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Point for him, mimics didn¡¯t gain dangerous abilities beyond level ten in , besides greater health and stats. They had never been designed to progress further. According to his statistics, Mammon could detect treasure, regenerate a certain amount of health, and inflict vastly increased damage using his own body as a weapon. Nothing to brag about.


    Problem for Shroud, Mammon played a level eighty character in a level meant for characters .


    He only had to look at the stats of his minions in comparison to see they wouldn¡¯t last long against the King. A single blow of his could fell any enemy in the entire level, his own in-game avatar included. Neither could they inflict more damage than his regeneration could heal.


    Shroud¡¯s own skills focused on increasing the power of his monsters and disorienting foes; he had designed the boss fight for a party, turning allies against each other while coordinating his own forces. A single, overleveled player his minions couldn¡¯t hurt disabled most of his options.


    If Mammon reached the throne room, Shroud would die. The end.


    He couldn¡¯t let the beast get that far.


    Shroud considered his strengths. Thanks to One with the Land, he could affect various aspects of the area, namely, the terrain, the winds, the plants, and most rooms of Castle Noirceur; while he had to leave a clear direct path to his throne room according to the game¡¯s rules, he could slow down Mammon or trap him. Minion Master also allowed him to communicate with and redirect the monsters within his domain.


    However, considering Mammon¡¯s power and regeneration, Shroud either had to either kill the king instantly or inflict an enormous amount of damage his healing factor couldn¡¯t undo.


    Also, nothing in Mammon¡¯s stats indicated any resistance to status ailments, such as poisoning, petrification, or paralysis. While direct combat would always favor the Midnight Market¡¯s ruler, Shroud could perhaps kill him through indirect means. Petrification would also cause a game over if Mammon couldn¡¯t recover within ten seconds.


    He only saw two clear options; the sphere of annihilation on floor three, which would kill Mammon instantly if he touched it, and the petrification trap on the door of his own throne room, on floor four. The rest of the traps, Mammon would breeze right through.


    Shroud had sixty minions available, forty of them inside the castle and the rest dispersed across the swamp. Among those monsters, almost all of them were reptiles wielding poisoned weapons. He also had three minibosses geared towards direct combat, but who couldn¡¯t inflict status ailments. At best those three would slow Mammon down, and little else.


    Poisoned weapons though...


    Shroud also knew the level inside and out, including the checkpoints where Mammon would reappear at if killed. That gave him a tactical advantage.


    His vision of the field shifted to the marsh, and the first ambush there, a frog-like marsh giant and a trio of serpentfolk archers. ¡°Marsh Giant, move south and prepare to intercept the intruder,¡± he ordered, his voice carried by Minion Master. ¡°Serpentfolk, stay where you are, camouflage yourselves, and wait for my command.¡±


    The monsters obeyed, the reptiles hiding beneath the mud or the foliage, with the giant walked away, carrying a huge tree trunk as a makeshift mace.


    By then, Mammon had made quite a bit of progress. That chest was fast, smashing trees out of the way instead of making turns. While the marsh giant hid in the foliage, his skin making for perfect camouflage, the chest crawled over a bed of moss.


    Shroud activated One with the Land. Thorns sprung from the moss, catching Mammon and impairing his progress. Emerging from the foliage with a roar, the marsh giant swung his mace at the surprised Mammon.


    ¡°Reload!¡±


    With a flash of purple, Mammon vanished from his difficult spot, reappearing where he was three seconds earlier. The marsh giant¡¯s mace only hit thorns.


    ¡­ of course, Mammon kept his sorcery.


    While Shroud himself didn¡¯t.


    That chest cheater!


    Mammon looked in confusion at the marsh giant as if he had appeared out of thin air. Shroud¡¯s minion tried to exploit this opening, only for Mammon to punch him in the chest with astonishing force.


    HEARTSHOT CRITICAL! - 3420


    The sheer power of the blow caused the marsh giant to explode into a rain of entrails, blood, and broken bones. Within the span of a second, the remains had vanished in an explosion of orange particles. The Market King briefly paused, as if expecting more trouble, before raising both fists in front of the cameras. ¡°And the King wins again!¡±


    Yeah, physical combat would end in a quick death.


    Mammon¡¯s brief confusion intrigued the game master, though. If he reloaded his whole body instead of just a body part, then perhaps he erased his own memory. His own brain was reloaded along with the rest.


    Was there a limit to how far Mammon could do that? If there wasn¡¯t, nothing short of instant death would take him down. If there was¡­


    Time to check.


    ¡°Archers, apply poison to your arrows,¡± Shroud ordered to his serpentfolk trio. ¡°Take turn firing at him, three seconds between each shot.¡±


    The serpents spat some of their venom on their arrows, aiming for Mammon once he came into view. The Market King behaved a bit more careful and alert. His countless eyes turned to the spot where the archers hide.


    One of the archers fired first. Mammon instantly reloaded himself, vanishing and reappearing at a previous spot, as if an editor had taken his frame and edited a short action sequence. The arrow missed, impacting on a tree nearby.


    The second archer hit Mammon¡¯s humanoid chest with another arrow before he could react. The arrow barely grazed the abomination¡¯s skin.


    Negligible Damage! - 2, Venom Ailment! (Mammon 6664/6666)


    Regeneration, +300 (Mammon 6666/6666)


    Realizing he had nothing to fear, Mammon retaliated with a spell of his own. ¡°Formless.¡± His humanoid arms elongated like fleshy whips, firing at the archer squad from both sides in a scissor motion. The combination of strength, speed and range cut anything caught in the middle, from trees to serpentfolk archers.


    - 1140


    While the gory spectacle made him wince, Shroud thought their sacrifice to be worth it. He had confirmed that Mammon¡¯s Reload spell had a limit of a few seconds and a cooldown of some kind, or else he would have undone the second arrow.


    Next, and most importantly, Mammon wasn¡¯t immune to status ailments.


    Regeneration, +300; Poison - 66 (Mammon, 6666/6666)


    Since Mammon¡¯s healing factor allowed him to regain more health than the venom affecting him, he didn¡¯t yet notice it. Instead, the monarch kept deforesting the surrounding area with his arms, as if expecting to root out other ambushes.


    Regeneration +300; Venom - 134 (Mammon, 6666/6666)


    Thankfully, most of the remaining monsters outside the castle, mostly serpentfolk and other minor beasts, hid farther head. ¡°Regroup to the castle,¡± Shroud ordered them while preparing to use One with the Land again.


    He summoned more vines to keep Mammon in place while increasing the strengths of the wind blowing against him. He needed to slow down Mammon until the poison¡¯s increasing damage would take him down.


    Regeneration + 300; Venom - 268 (Mammon, 6666/6666)


    Mammon¡¯s arms returned to their original length, the monster closing his chest to protect his humanoid tongue from the wind. The monster managed to fend off the thorns and stayed on the move if slowed down.


    Finally, the round where the poison overwhelmed Mammon¡¯s healing factor arrived.


    Regeneration + 300; Venom - 536 (Mammon, 6430/6666)


    ¡°Argh!¡± Mammon snarled, stopping as if hit on the head. He instantly reloaded himself, glancing around himself after reappearing. While he didn¡¯t keep his memories, he certainly knew if he had applied time magic on himself.


    Timesense, maybe.


    Regeneration + 300; Venom - 536 (Mammon, 6430/6666)


    Mammon let out a surprised snarl and glanced around. He didn¡¯t rewind time this time. ¡°It is okay, my fans,¡± the king told the cameras. ¡°The King is just winded.¡±


    Shroud had counted the time. Mammon could only reload himself up to three seconds and not twice in a row. Meaning he carried all the ailments and injuries he received beforehand and couldn¡¯t undo them.


    Regeneration + 300; Venom - 1072 (Mammon 5658/6666)


    ¡°What¡¯s happening?¡± Mammon complained, the chest dangling. ¡°The pain is getting worse¡­¡±


    Shroud smiled. Poison damage increased over time until healed, and Mammon had neglected to buy an antidote from the merchant.


    Regeneration + 300; Venom - 2144 (Mammon 3814/6666)


    The pain must have been unimaginable, for Mammon thrashed around in anger. ¡°You poisoned me!¡± This time, he guessed the source of the attack. ¡°The human poisoned me! I am immune to toxins, how can this be?!¡±


    Perhaps outside the game, but while inside, Mammon had become bound by the same rules as normal characters. Sorcery or not. Shroud rested on his throne, in the same lazy pose he favored for watching comedy movies.


    ¡°Reload!¡± Mammon once again rewinded time, only to suffer the damage right afterward.


    Regeneration + 300; Venom - 2144 (Mammon 3814/6666)


    ¡°ARGH!¡± Mammon screamed. The monster thrashed around in impotent rage, trying to make a dash towards the castle in spite of the strong winds. He didn¡¯t get far.


    Regeneration + 300; Venom - 4288 (Mammon 0/6666)


    Mammon let out a final scream as the chest opened, the humanoid torso holding its chest as if suffering from a stroke before falling on his own fangs. The monstrous mimic dispelled into blood and shadows, alongside the camera.


    Shroud let out a breath of relief. First blood was on him.


    The Market King reappeared at the meadow in a flash of light, surrounded by his cameras. The mimic paused for a few seconds as if meditating on what just happened. ¡°Yes, my fans,¡± he spoke. ¡°The King¡­ has lost one round. Killed by cowardly poison.¡±


    The booing sounds echoed through the level, making Shroud shrug. What a drama queen.


    ¡°But a King is bound by his promise.¡± Mammon¡¯s humanoid torso snapped his finger, although Shroud didn¡¯t see any effect. ¡°But I tell you, this means war. This Firman, the Shroud, is the most underhanded fighter I have ever fought. The King will take off the kids¡¯ gloves¡­ right after our ad interlude!¡±


    The cameras turned away from Mammon, the monster approaching the goblin merchant. ¡°Prop?¡±


    ¡°Yes?¡± the merchant asked, readying his wares.


    ¡°I, King Mammon, need to de-stress. Would you like to help a royal person?¡±


    ¡°I am not sure, I have some water but¡ª¡±


    Mammon responded by raising his hand in a karate chop before lowering it, ripping the goblin in half from the elbow to the waist.


    - 1140


    Shroud watched the warm blood spray on the meadow¡¯s grass and Mammon¡¯s chest teeth chew on the corpse with disgust. After chewing the goblin into ground meat, the mimic spat out the merchants¡¯ clothes, grabbed the guide¡¯s wallet, and showered his humanoid torso with its coins.


    ¡°Ah, ah¡­ this feels so good¡­¡± Mammon moaned as the merchant¡¯s remains vanished into orange particles. ¡°I feel so much better. Ace, Ace, ACE!¡±


    ¡°Yes?¡± his assistant¡¯s voice answered from nowhere.


    ¡°Buy Martel¡¯s planet, so I may blow it up.¡± Shroud froze at his casual tone.


    ¡°Unfortunately, it is a Concordian colony. Those are not for sales.¡±


    ¡°... Ace, don¡¯t buy his planet.¡± Then, tossing away the wallet, the King turned to face the reactivated cameras. ¡°And we¡¯re back!¡± he said, his audience unaware of the brutal display of violence he hid from them. ¡°As I promised, the King will now turn serious for this round. No words, no comments. Only action!¡±


    The monster underwent a noticeable transformation, as his flesh and chest both grew a thin layer of diamond-like substance. Within seconds, no patch of Mammon¡¯s body remained unprotected. Then, an orange aura swirled around it, reminding Shroud of the Reinforce spell.


    ¡°Teleport,¡± Mammon spoke. With a flash of bright violet light, Mammon teleported to the spot of his demise, before moving to the castle. Shroud immediately summoned thorns and gusts of wind to slow him down, as the cameras popped up right next to the king.


    ¡°Bulletstrike.¡±


    The colors of Mammon¡¯s body turned to various shades of purple and violet. Like a movie character sped up by a watcher, the king¡¯s movements accelerated thrice fold, the monster charging through his obstacles like a knife through butter.


    Shroud¡¯s attention focused on his forces guarding him. His castle Noirceur stood as a towering black fortress, with various lizard-like archers watching from six towers¡ªShroud himself occupying the tip of the highest one. On the ground, a squad of serpentfolk and marsh giants protected the main entrance.


    A direct assault should be suicidal, yet he had the horrible feeling the king would prove him wrong.


    In record time, Mammon exited the swamps and dashed towards the entrance. ¡°Archers, use poisoned arrows!¡± Shroud commanded. ¡°Giants, throw boulders to slow him down!¡±


    The guards did as they were told, unleashing a barrage of deadly projectiles on the assailant.


    The King didn¡¯t even pause. He didn¡¯t teleport, didn¡¯t reload; he just charged through the onslaught, the arrows, and boulders bouncing off his diamond skin like water against the shore.


    ERROR! Failure to inflict damage!


    What? Even the weakest attack should inflict one point of damage!


    ¡°Gorgon Gaze!¡± the king spoke, almost so fast Shroud didn¡¯t understand him. Mammon¡¯s countless eyes lit up, unleashing an orange flash in all direction. When the light died out, every single of Shroud¡¯s minions had turned to gold statues.


    The Market King tossed those in his way aside, before smashing his way past the giant door with his head first like a battering ram.


    Realizing just how precarious the situation had turned, Shroud furiously tried to find a solution as he followed Mammon¡¯s movements on the first floor out of five. The monster powered through trapped hallways, shrugging off hidden spikes like he did the arrows before.


    Mammon . With his spells turning him invulnerable, poisoned weapons wouldn¡¯t work again. Damn, what else could kill him in that state?


    Shroud turned to the magma surrounding his throne room.


    Immediately, he used One with the Land to look at and deflect the magma draining system, the tunnels distributing the lava across his lair. ¡°Evacuate!¡± he ordered his minions on the second floors, as he diverted the fiery magma there. A dozen of his reptilians guards fled through the stairs as lava started filling the ground, eating through the stone floor.


    Mathias had never designed the level with this in mind, so he had no idea how long it would take for the floor to dissolve under the heat.


    Meanwhile, Mammon had reached the chokepoint which the Werners could never get past through. An ancient, immense circular arena, with crimson, bloodied sand littering the ground, and Aztec-styled statues encircling the battleground.


    Mammon stepped inside the battlefield, a hidden stone door closing the path behind him. The cruel monarch briefly paused at that, his tentacles tensing up as his eyes glanced around for an exit.


    His challenger, hidden in the shadows, spoke a word of power. Flames erupted around Mammon, fire licking his invulnerable body.


    Curse of Arson: Debuff, Fire Vulnerability!


    Letting out a frustrated growl, the unharmed king turned towards the sound¡¯s source.


    Shroud¡¯s champion, the castle¡¯s first miniboss, flew out of the shadow.


    The witch, Violet, had been designed after a fairy game character Mathias once had a crush on. A majestic, angelic woman in white, with long blonde hair and butterfly wings. Now that he looked at her again with new eyes, she did look a lot like Samantha...


    Violet opened the duel by speaking another word of power, snapping her fingers. A sphere of fire ignited from the friction, flying at Mammon and impacting on his face. Mammon¡¯s diamond skin heated up with a red glow.


    - 10 Fire Damage! (Mammon, 6656/6666)


    Shroud¡¯s eyes lit up in hope.


    Regeneration +300 (Mammon, 6666/6666)


    ¡°Fmls!¡± Mammon spoke too fast for Shroud to fully understand, his fist extending at Violet like a cannonball. With speed matching that of the king himself, the butterfly woman dodged, the king¡¯s fingers piercing the wall behind her.


    As per her parameters, Violet had buffed herself before the fight, increasing her firepower and speed. Enough to match Mammon¡¯s time-enhanced agility.


    The witch only had less than a thousand life points, however. A single blow would fell her like the rest. Shroud hoped she would last longer than the guards outside, or Mammon would avoid the trap before it even activated.


    Mammon unleashed a barrage of elongated punches with speed that wouldn¡¯t disgrace a Gatling gun. Violet flew towards the ceiling, the king¡¯s attacks narrowingly missing. Each blow took a shard of the ceiling with it, weakening the structure.


    While Mammon shrugged off the falling boulders, Violet¡¯s fireballs inflicted some damage.


    Regeneration +300; -10 Fire Damage! (Mammon, 6666/6666)


    Regeneration +300; -10 Fire Damage! (Mammon, 6666/6666)


    Mammon¡¯s regeneration allowed him to recover from any damage, but fire could harm him.


    The mimic, perhaps suspecting Violet¡¯s assault of having a hidden effect like the poisoned arrows, stopped ignoring the fireballs. The time-boosted mimic crawled at high speed around the battlefield, dodging the miniboss¡¯ attacks as she did his.


    The Midnight Market¡¯s ruler then positioned himself at the center of the arena, at a spot meant to see from every angle.


    Shroud guessed his foe¡¯s next move and warned his miniboss. ¡°Violet, take cover behind the statues!¡±


    ¡°Gon Gz!¡± the King snarled.


    At his command, his minion flew behind a feathered serpent statue, right as Mammon unleashed a deadly flash of light in every direction. Shielded by the stone¡¯s shadow, Violet suffered no ill-effect.


    Mammon¡¯s spell only affected those touched by the light the eyes cast. Like the legend of Medusa, it couldn¡¯t curse through barriers or shields.


    Proving himself a cunning tactician, Mammon extended his humanoid arms on both sides, then swirled on himself like a deadly tornado. While Violet flew out of the way, the deadly motion shattered every statue in the room one after the other, sending stone shards flying in every direction.


    Now, with his foe having nowhere to hide, Mammon prepared to cast another Gorgon Gaze spell¡­ when a fiery drop fell on his shoulder.


    Regeneration +300; Critical Hit! Minor Fire damage! - 3 (Mammon 6666/6666)


    Mammon raised his countless eyes to the ceiling, just as it collapsed, spewing an ungodly amount of magma.


    While Mammon could see it coming with his time-acceleration, he couldn¡¯t move fast enough to dodge. Instead, he took a magma shower head on, the lava covering the arena¡¯s ground like a bathhouse. Violet flew out of the magma¡¯s way, laughing like a maniac; Shroud himself let out a breath of relief.


    Regeneration +300; Critical Hit! Heavy Fire damage! - 3600 (Mammon 2166/6666)


    The sorcerer skipped a heartbeat. Mammon had survived that?


    One of the king¡¯s elongated arm, its diamond skin falling off like a snake¡¯s skin, sprung from the lava, aiming to grab a wall.


    ¡°Violet, target the wall!¡± Shroud shouted before the king could extract himself from the trap. ¡°Not the enemy, the wall!¡±


    The miniboss did as asked, firing a fireball at the chunk of ceiling Mammon tried to anchor himself to and causing it to fall down. The king¡¯s hand only grabbed a piece of stone, which soon fell on his head; pushing him back into the magma, and to his agonizing death.


    Regeneration +300; Critical Hit! Heavy Fire damage! - 3600 (Mammon 0/6666)


    Mammon melted with a final dying gargle, the butterfly witch chuckling in delight.


    Mammon reappeared at the castle¡¯s gate, shaking with anger. He quickly regained control of himself when the cameras caught up to him, but Shroud had seen his true face. ¡°The King¡­ your beloved King¡­ has lost a round.¡±


    The mimic snapped a finger, lowering his head. All sounds in the level died out, with Shroud imagining the audience falling in silence at the shock. The situation looked like those fake, pre-Concordia reality tv shows.


    ¡°The King will not lie, this¡­ this may be the toughest challenge yet¡­¡± Mammon insisted on each word, to heighten the drama. ¡°But the King cannot disappoint his fans. Even in the face of such a dangerous enemy, HE. WILL. PREVAIL!¡±


    He immediately turned his skin to diamond again, reinforced it with his Orange spell.


    ¡°Teleport!¡±


    Nothing happened.


    ¡°... I said, Teleport.¡± Mammon¡¯s spell failed again. ¡°Teleport.¡± And again.


    Mammon said nothing, then began to call for assistance. ¡°Ace. Ace! AAACEEE!¡±


    ¡°Yes, my King?¡± Ace¡¯s voice echoed from the cameras.


    ¡°Why can¡¯t I teleport inside that castle?¡±


    ¡°Let me check¡­ dungeons are protected against teleportation effects to prevent players from sidestepping it and get to the boss early.¡±


    Even with his sorcery, Mammon couldn¡¯t violate the rules of the artificial world.


    Wait, Shroud realized, why didn¡¯t Mammon try to teleport to him the first time, instead of targeting the swamps? Could he only teleport to areas he had been before?


    ¡°Are you telling the King that he must do that castle ?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m afraid so.¡±


    Mammon¡¯s scream of frustration brought a chuckle out of Shroud.


    Players Stats


    AccountDragonslayers Guild ModeratorNameShroudNetworkProgressHolderMathias MartelBroadcastUnlockedLevel2 (Adept)Grant SpellUnlockedAffinityBlueLocked Feature(0/3)LockNetworkLocked Feature(0/7)Spellcoins9Overlock(0/1)Three...Days..Remaining..Almost...Spell CompendiumNameDotAffinityPremium Thoughts1BlueBabel1BluePurge1GreenHeal2GreenGlass Field2Orange/BlueLightbringer2Red/OrangeMad World2Blue/Green


    Spell of the Day


    Reload


    Affinity: Violet


    Dot: 2


    Price: 6-10


    Activation: Active, Thought.


    The caster reloads his own timeline, replacing themselves with a version up to three seconds before casting the spell. All changes taken during those seconds are thus undone, including the caster¡¯s memory of casting Reload in the first place.

 Chapter 31: The Kings Conquest, II

    For his third attempt, Mammon had elected to behave more prudently.


    Shroud observed him circling the castle, protected by his diamond skin and followed by cameras. After his failure to teleport inside his stronghold, the monster had elected to remain as far as possible from the main entrance. After his defeat at Violet¡¯s hand, he must have been eager to look for an alternative entrance.


    The fact the Midnight King hadn¡¯t cast his time-acceleration boost did intrigue the watcher. Mammon had no reason not to make himself stronger; could it be that his magic worked on a finite power reserve while in the artificial world?


    No, now that he thought of it, how did non-Magik users cast spells? How did they learn them?


    Mammon finally stopped in front of a wall on the opposite side of the castle, raising a hand at the stone. ¡°Dissolve,¡± he spoke with a strong word of power, an orange glow surrounding his palm.


    On contact, the stone melted into orange particles, the entire wall collapsing on itself and leaving a gaping hole for Mammon to go through. The Midnight King didn¡¯t step into the darkness immediately, though. ¡°Golems, rise!¡± he said with a booming, dramatic voice, shining with orange light as he slammed his tentacles to the ground. ¡°Reinforce.¡±


    From the mud and stone below rose vaguely humanoid animated statues, four misshapen piles of rocks animated by orange light. Each towered over Mammon himself, who raised an arm.


    Mammon could use both Violet and Orange, two opposing colors. Perhaps the odd combination explained his Lock¡¯s strange power. So far his Violet spells mostly focused on time magic and his Orange magic on matter manipulation. ¡°At my command, golems, on the move! Clear the path and come back to me.¡±


    Shroud knew where this would go before Mammon sent his silent minions into the new tunnel. His creatures would trigger traps and clear the path. Ulysses had used a similar tactic during their sessions, sending summoned creatures as cannon fodder. He took a peek at the creatures¡¯ stats.


    Level 30 Flux-Powered Reinforced Stone Golem


    LP: 1880.


    STR: 290


    AGI: 90


    CON: 300


    INT: 0


    CHA: 90


    LUC: 100


    Skills


    - Reinforced (Damage taken diminished by 90 percent)


    - Finite Lifespan (will collapse within one hour of existence)


    - Ailment Immunity (Mental Effects, Poison, Paralysis, Petrification, Bleed)


    So they wouldn¡¯t last forever. Good. One hour would give them enough time to make progress, however.


    In spite of the lava having taken over most of the first floor, Mammon¡¯s bypass gave him quick access to floor two, a maze of dead-ends tunnels inhabited by goblins and serpentfolk. The king¡¯s own invulnerability meant the floor¡¯s monsters couldn¡¯t possibly strike back, even if they killed the golems. They were condemned.


    ¡°Retreat,¡± he ordered his minions, as he watched the golems spread through a crossroad of tunnels, moving far faster than their size and mass would indicate. ¡°Do not engage.¡±


    Most of his minions spread deeper into the tunnels, but the golems caught a few stragglers. Shroud watched the rock piles smash and grind the bones of his snakefolk minions with their bare ¡°hands¡± into paste. The sheer power of their blows made the floor tremble.


    Shroud wondered if Mammon could see through his minions, which may prove problematic.


    Most of the tunnels were dead ends, but one golem had found the right path, finding brick stairs at the end of a long, serpentine cavity. The golem climbed them to the third floor, ending up in a circular room, covered with ancient mosaics and murals. The only other door, shaped like a green demon¡¯s mouth, revealed stairs leading to thick darkness.


    Ignoring the murals, the golem walked through the stairs.


    One second later, he got sucked into the void and died.


    DEATH! (Flux-Powered Reinforced Stone Golem 0/1880).


    Shroud couldn¡¯t help but smile every time someone triggered that trap. A homage to a horrible dungeon that traumatized him from his childhood, he had hidden a giant black orb in the middle of the stairs, obscured by darkness.


    Everything that touched it died instantly. Even Mammon¡¯s Reload spell wouldn¡¯t save him.


    There was a chest containing a medal hidden behind the sphere, to bait uncareful treasure hunters, and reward those smart enough to find a way around the obstacle. If Mammon was as greedy as his name implied, he would probably try to grab it as he did with the level¡¯s other prizes, consequences be damned.


    However, as Shroud noticed the golems return to their master after encountering dead-ends, he realized Mammon wouldn¡¯t fall for the same trick twice. The only other trap that could defeat the king, the petrification rune on the door to his own throne room, Mammon could negate with a well-placed Reload. Too high a gamble to let him get this far.


    There had to be a flaw in his magical protections that he had overlooked.


    ¡­ an idea crossed his mind.


    When Mammon had reappeared at a checkpoint after his previous death by incineration, he hadn¡¯t kept his invulnerability skin on. A reset disabled his buffs.


    Which meant that he was briefly vulnerable during a very short window of time, between his reappearance at a save point and him casting his protective spells.


    Shroud glanced at the Annihilation Sphere. Death by the device would send the victim back at the room right before, where the secret passage to the floors above awaited for those who deciphered the murals¡¯ puzzle.


    ¡°Goblins,¡± he told his weakest, smallest minions, a gang of four critters that would hardly threaten Mammon in a straight fight, ¡°take poisoned weapons and position yourselves at the room before the sphere.¡±


    The critters moved into the tunnels, while the three remaining golems returned to Mammon. ¡°Where is the fourth?¡± he asked, the golems remaining silent. The Midnight King turned to his cameras. ¡°It seems great danger lies ahead! I can¡¯t wait to see where it goes!¡±


    Shroud thought.


    Mammon crawled into the tunnels, his golems forming a personal guard around him. They moved into the crossroads where Mammon¡¯s minions separated. ¡°Where did the fourth go?¡± The golems pointed at a tunnel. ¡°Onward, all three of you before me.¡± S§×arch* The N?velFire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    By then, the goblins had started climbing the walls of the mural room, hiding in the dark corners of the ceiling, readying daggers. ¡°Wait for it now,¡± Shroud ordered. ¡°Wait for the chest to teleport at the room¡¯s center, and attack him.¡±


    He hoped Mammon would take the bait, or else this would be a huge waste of time and resources.


    The Midnight King and his troops soon climbed the stairs to the room. Mammon immediately glanced around the room, as if expecting lava to fall on him.


    Stealth vs perception check¡­


    Shroud crossed his fingers.


    Perception check failed.


    The sorcerer breathed in relief. Thank the gods goblins had stealth bonuses.


    ¡°I failed a perception check,¡± Mammon said, making Shroud freeze. ¡°Which means there is a trick here which the King cannot see. Golems, check the walls for traps.¡±


    The stone automatons touched every inch of the murals, while Mammon glanced at the green demon archway. ¡°Mammon senses a treasure nearby¡­ but the King knows better than to let his greed run rampant.¡±


    Shroud trembled in impotent frustration.


    After his golems finished searching for traps, the Midnight Market¡¯s ruler checked the puzzle on the mural. ¡°Perish now, anathema, for you will find naught but a proud enemy beyond this door. Sounds like a puzzle, or a warning.¡±


    The key was to type on specific letters in order to write ¡°path open,¡± so the true gate would open. Shroud had worded it to mislead players into thinking a powerful foe laid beyond the open archway.


    ¡°Also, viewers, remember to call our Midnight Market number for the chance to gain your own fabulous, gold-plated spaceship!¡± Mammon told the camera, taking a break from dungeon crawling for a commercial break, ¡°Just answer this question! What is the name of this game? A: , or B: ! You only have five minutes!¡±


    Shroud had a feeling telecommunications for the call would be vastly overpriced.


    After careful consideration, Mammon focused his attention on the green demon archway. ¡°You there,¡± he told a golem. ¡°Clear the path and come back to me.¡±


    The stone automaton obeyed, climbing the stairs and vanishing into darkness, away from Mammon¡¯s sight.


    DEATH! (Flux-Powered Reinforced Stone Golem 0/1880).


    Mammon waited five minutes for the golem to come back to him, unaware it had been destroyed. It appeared the king had no mental collection to his animated minions. ¡°It appears a strong foe waits ahead,¡± Mammon told the camera. ¡°Let us see. Formless.¡±


    Mammon extended his hand into the archway, unaware of the trap ahead; perhaps he expected only sending his hand into the passage to preserve him. His fingers scrambled about the stairs, slowly approaching the dark, invisible orb in the path.


    The king¡¯s index finger found death.


    DEATH! (Mammon, 0/6666).


    Mammon disintegrated on the spot, reappearing at the center of the room, his protections dropped. ¡°Now!¡± Shroud ordered, his minions attacking before he even finished his word.


    Falling from the ceiling like vultures, wielding poisoned daggers, four goblins landed on Mammon and slashed him from all directions.


    Negligible damage! -1, Poisoned!


    ¡°What?¡± Mammon said, still reeling from his sudden death beforehand and barely feeling any damage. The golem closest to Mammon moved to grab a goblin, crushing it with a single blow. Not that it stopped the rest from grazing Mammon¡¯s flesh.


    Negligible damage! -1, Poisoned!


    ¡°Gorgon Gaze!¡± Mammon unleashed a blinding flash, turning his assailants and his own golems into gold statues. The Midnight King tossed the petrified goblins to the ground, looking at their weapons and noticing the drops of poison at their tip.


    Regeneration, +300; Poison - 66 (Mammon, 6666/6666)


    ¡°No, no, no, not again!¡± The Midnight King snarled in anger, now down to his last life. He glanced in all directions, then turned to the ceiling. ¡°Wait, I still have time!¡±


    He extended his arms to the ceiling, his hands coated in an orange glow. ¡°Dissolve!¡± His fingers went through the stone like butter and kept extending through the fourth floor.


    Mammon¡¯s breakthrough stopped when he reached the area¡¯s highest point, a stone bridge leading to a massive black door, battered by the winds.


    Shroud himself hid right beyond those gates.


    ¡°You know what people?¡± Mammon told the camera, as the glow around his hands vanished. His fingers grabbed stone, to lift him up. ¡°Screw the exploration, let¡¯s go straight for the kill!¡±


    Regeneration +300; Venom - 134 (Mammon, 6666/6666)


    Realizing that Mammon intended to bypass the whole dungeon, Shroud sent a message to all his remaining minions. ¡°Gather before the throne room¡¯s door and stop the intruder!¡±


    His hands firmly anchored to the pathway above, Mammon reduced the length of his arms, turning his motion into a lift to the above.


    Mammon let out a snarl as he started taking damage, reaching the stone bridge and landing on it safely, the cameras all focusing on him. He was welcomed by a rain of arrows, turning his skin to diamond before they could hit.


    Error, failure to inflict damage!


    While the minibosses remained limited to their areas, all remaining troops in the castle had arrived; nearly three dozen reptilian warriors, goblins, and other critters made their way to the bridge, trapping Mammon between them and the door.


    Regeneration + 300; Venom - 268 (Mammon, 6666/6666)


    Shroud¡¯s troops nailed Mammon with spears and arrows, which harmlessly bounced off of him. The Midnight King ignored them, bolting towards the gates.


    Using One with the Land, Shroud summoned strong gusts of wind to slow him down before he could reach the door, allowing his troops to catch up to Mammon. ¡°Push him off the bridge!¡± Shroud ordered. His troops grabbed Mammon with their tiny hands, trying to drag the beast off into the void below.


    ¡°Out of my way! Gorgon Gaze!¡± Mammon snarled, unleashing a blinding flash around him. Dozens of his minions turned to gold, but not all of them; lucky ones avoided the deadly light by hiding behind their own teammates.


    Regeneration + 300; Venom - 536 (Mammon, 6430/6666)


    Shrugging off the golden statues around him, Mammon quickly extended his arms, tossing the surviving minions off the bridge with a whipping motion. Goblins went crashing onto the ground into a bloody paste or vanished screaming into the hole Mammon had made.


    Now in front of the door, Mammon raised a fist and propelled it through the gates. Shroud only had the time to dive to the ground, the arm punching through his throne and demolishing it.


    Regeneration + 300; Venom - 1072 (Mammon 5658/6666)


    Door trap activated! Petrification rune triggered!


    ¡°Rel¡ª¡± Mammon ran out of time before finishing, the spell trap on the door turning him to stone.


    Shroud let out a sigh of relief upon rising back to his feet, he and his remaining minions looking at Mammon¡¯s statue. If the King remained petrified for ten seconds¡ªand the ailment lasted far longer¡ªhe would get a game over, and Shroud would win automatically.


    A purple glow surrounding Mammon dashed his hopes.


    Shit, the King was using his time sorcery to reduce the petrification length and escape before the ten second game over mark!


    Think, Shroud. As long as he survived long enough, the poison would kill Mammon. ¡°Keep him busy,¡± he told his remaining minions, knowing they were doomed.


    He hoped all those points in agility weren¡¯t for show.


    Running past Mammon and to the bridge, Shroud, full of adrenaline, relied on the secret technique that had so far always ensured his survival.


    Tactical retreat.


    With all the momentum he could muster, Shroud leaped over the edge just as Mammon broke out of the petrification, smashing through his remaining minions. The Midnight King locked eyes with his foe, astonished, as he tried his hand at angel jumping.


    Regeneration + 300; Venom - 2144 (Mammon 3814/6666)


    As he fell, the wind brushing against his face, Shroud noticed the damage and regeneration appearing as numbers above Mammon¡¯s head. Another round of poison damage and that would be it.


    ¡°Coward! Get back here!¡± Mammon snarled, as he prepared to jump over the edge too.


    With inhuman agility only a video game character could muster, Shroud managed to run over the stone walls, before making a ¡®soft¡¯ landing on the grass outside the castle.


    -1000 fall damage! (Mathias Martel 820/1820)


    Thank the game designers that falling damage was capped at one thousand.


    It still hurt like hell.


    He barely had the time to get back to his feet and run away, as Mammon launched himself from above. ¡°Sizeshift!¡± the Midnight King shouted, shining with orange light.


    As he flew towards Shroud, Mammon quickly increased in size, getting past the twenty feet tall mark within seconds and continuing to grow.


    Putting all he had in a final sprint, Shroud ran as fast as he could to escape Mammon¡¯s shadow, before the giant could squash him under his immense body. Mammon¡¯s size peeked at eighty feet tall, a flying chest that put buildings to shame.


    Shroud accelerated, finding himself struggling for breath. His own camera followed him like a horrible bird, zooming on his face for the audience¡¯s delight.


    But he made it.


    He escaped Mammon¡¯s deadly shadow two seconds before the giant hit the ground, sending debris flying and making the ground shake; the shockwave propelled Shroud a few meters forward, making him roll on the side on the grass.


    - Regeneration + 300; Venom - 4288 (Mammon 0/6666)


    The giant Mammon snarled, as a strange sound, not unlike Magik Online¡¯s notifications, echoed through the game world. The Midnight King didn¡¯t collapse like the other times, but the giant fumed with anger. Doubly since it had been a close call; Shroud had been two seconds away from becoming a puddle of blood underneath his chest.


    Still panting and laying on the grass, Shroud raised his fist with a victorious roar, ¡°I did it!¡±


    He had designed a game so hard, not even all-powerful wizards could finish it! Take that, Atlus!


    Mammon didn¡¯t share his enthusiasm, his eyes blinking in quick succession. It seemed he couldn¡¯t even register that he had lost yet.


    ¡°Cut!¡± Due to his size, his voice boomed stronger than thunder; the stage¡¯s cameras going offline. ¡°Ace, Ace, AAACEEE!¡±


    ¡°Yes, Your Majesty?¡± his assistant¡¯s voice answered through the cameras.


    ¡°How are the ratings?¡±


    ¡°Through the roof, Your Majesty. I took the liberty to add a commercial break right before your life points hit zero, to heighten the suspense. Best cliffhanger of the season yet.¡±


    ¡°A commercial break? The King plushies?¡±


    ¡°The King plushies.¡±


    ¡°Good job, Ace. Add the new spaceship limited-collection right afterward.¡±


    As Mammon discussed money with his assistant, Shroud rose back up and glanced around himself. Mammon¡¯s landing had devastated the marsh and most of the nearby castle¡¯s walls, but the level didn¡¯t look as if it would collapse anytime, making him frown.


    At least his friends were safe and sound.


    ¡°You stress me, Mathias.¡±


    Before Shroud could react, moving at a speed one wouldn¡¯t suspect from his immense size, Mammon¡¯s giant fist smashed him.


    -9999 smash damage! (Mathias Martel 1/1820).


    ¡°That one was for free,¡± Mammon said.


    Shroud would have answered if he could do more than lay on the ground; the blow should have turned him into paste and shattered his bones, but while it hurt like hell, he was still in one piece and able to move. His eyes shifted to his status screen.


    LP: 1/1820.


    The rules of the artificial world still applied¡­ he would live as long he had one lifepoint remaining¡­ why did he keep one after such a blow?


    Mammon¡¯s hand grabbed Shroud like a doll, bringing him up right in front of the Midnight King¡¯s humanoid face. ¡°I swear to my Dark Father,¡± Mammon said. ¡°Few have been such a pain in my bottom. If I had known a small fry like you would prove so troublesome, I would have read that game¡¯s stupid rules with more attention.¡±


    ¡°You can only blame yourself¡­¡± Shroud replied, catching his breath. ¡°For your overconfidence.¡±


    ¡°True. I would say congrats for pushing me this far, but you will live just long enough to regret it.¡±


    The fiend¡¯s icy tone made Shroud wince, as much as his voice¡¯s volume. ¡°I won the wager fair and square,¡± he replied.


    ¡°Oh, I will keep my word. King Mammon is no deal breaker.¡± The sorcerer noticed a few gems in Mammon¡¯s hoard, whose size had shifted to match his, had turned white and empty. ¡°But you will all die, you and your little gang. I will kill every single one of you and shower in your gold.¡±


    The sorcerer glared at the giant. ¡°You said you would let us go.¡±


    ¡°No, no, no,¡± Mammon waved his finger. ¡°I said I would your friends if you won four rounds. I never said I would kill them, nor you for that matter.¡±


    ¡°I assumed that was part of the package.¡±


    ¡°You assumed wrong. I cannot allow a human to make a fool out of me on my own show. So, you will give me a fifth chance, and I will win this time. Or else I will kill you all. You will still be free, just dead.¡±


    That bastard...


    Wait, why did he even need his consent? Unless¡­ unless...


    Shroud erupted in laughter, taking the Midnight King back. ¡°You need me to agree,¡± the sorcerer figured out. ¡°That was why you did not kill me. You can¡¯t. You have to obey the game¡¯s rules! Since you exhausted your four tries, you can no longer kill me!¡±


    Mammon¡¯s countless eyes turned crueler. ¡°You would be surprised what mortals can live through.¡±


    ¡°But I have to consent for your Lock to accept a change of rules,¡± Shroud guessed. ¡°If I say no, it ends right there and now. And you will have lost in public.¡±


    ¡°Oh, so cute, you think you can bargain with Mammon?¡± the Midnight King cackled with contempt. ¡°I will have this show edited to undo my defeat. No one will know.¡±


    ¡°No one,¡± Shroud replied, modulating his tone to sound smug and condescending, ¡°but you.¡±


    The Midnight King¡¯s silence told him he had hit right at home.


    ¡°You may hide it from everyone else, but deep down, you will always remember that a human without your godlike power beat you! Outwitted you! That you are no invincible King of Games!¡±


    Mammon tried to crush Shroud within his fist. This time though, it didn¡¯t hurt; Shroud felt nothing.


    FAILURE TO INFLICT DAMAGE!


    Mammon sighed in annoyance. Shroud kept glaring back at the petty tyrant.


    Unfortunately, while ending the game would hurt Mammon right in his enormous ego, Shroud would default on his, and his friends¡¯ life. The Midnight King remained nigh invincible in a fight; the current confrontation had just driven the point home.


    Shroud had to turn this mutual defeat into a victory. ¡°If I agree to a fifth round, and I lose,¡± he began, drawing Mammon¡¯s full attention. ¡°You still release my friends and allow them to leave unharmed. You will not kill them.¡±


    ¡°But you will be dead,¡± Mammon already seemed to relish the thought, caressing every word.


    Shroud bit his lip. ¡°But I will be dead. I will even make a good face on camera if needed.¡± As long as his friends got out of this mess alive, he would accept his fate.


    ¡°Good, good. I agree¡ª ¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not done. If I win, we all leave safe and unharmed, myself included. You will not take revenge on me for tonight¡¯s events, whether directly or indirectly. And no sixth round. This is the final one, and we both abide by the results. No last minute change. You will only be allowed to use the spells you used during your fourth try, so no stopping time.¡±


    ¡°And why would I ever agree to that?¡± Mammon let out a maniacal laugh. ¡°You think you are so smart because you got the better of me once? I know where your friends on Earth live, Mathias Martel.¡±


    It took all his willpower for Mathias not to break his mask.


    ¡°Pretty Persephone and little Ulysses, and their sweet mother, too. Trying to rebuild their life after you destroyed yours. Do you think they are safe in Concordian territory? Booz could only trade in Evermarsh because I allowed it. A word from me, and they will be dead before the next sunrise. I will mail them to you, one body part at a time.¡±


    Mathias would have folded.


    Shroud knew better than let that asshole sink his hands into him. ¡°Sure.¡±


    Mammon paused. He hadn¡¯t expected that answer.


    ¡°Go ahead,¡± Shroud bluffed, his voice as cold as winter. ¡°Kill them, I don¡¯t care. They served their purpose.¡±


    ¡°You think that by lying, you will protect them from me?¡±


    ¡°If this is the best threat you can come up with, then this negotiation is over,¡± Shroud bluffed. Without Network activating, he had no idea if Mammon believed him or not. For the first time in a long while, he could only hope without relying on his social cheat code.


    But Shroud had gained a certain insight into others in the last month, and he could see Mammon hesitating. Would he truly take the risk of being wrong? He had the feeling Mammon valued his pride too much for that.


    ¡°I could torture consent out of you,¡± the Midnight King said, dropping the Werner card for a more personal threat. ¡°I have all the time in the world.¡±


    No way around it then. Shroud looked at him dead where his head¡¯s two eyes should have been. ¡°I do not think you understand who you are talking to.¡±


    ¡°Oh?¡±


    ¡°Pain, sacrifice, humiliation, none of this matter to me. There is only one thought, always in my mind. for me and my team. And there is I will not do, nor endure,¡± he said, his tone cold and threatening, ¡°to win.¡±


    He really, really hoped all those years of role-playing villains would pay off today. Or else, he and his team faced a fate worse than death itself.


    Mammon and he faced one another in tense silence for several seconds then an agonizing minute. Each unwilling to give the other an inch.


    Then, Mammon started laughing.


    Shroud remained as straight-laced as ice, as the monster kept cackling higher, and higher, holding his ribs with his free hand. ¡°Oh my¡­ I haven¡¯t laughed so hard since¡­ since forever!¡±


    Eventually, the Midnight King calmed himself. ¡°Congratulations, Mathias, you have earned my respect.¡±


    ¡­ Shroud didn¡¯t let any surprise show on his face.


    ¡°I thought you were a man, but deep down you have a fiend¡¯s, black heart!¡± There was something deeply shameful in being congratulated by Mammon. ¡°You will make such a terrific Malebranche!¡±


    Malebranche?


    Mammon¡¯s mood-swing creeped Shroud out, doubly so when he added, ¡°I¡¯ve changed my mind, a final round will not be necessary. I will allow you and your ¡®team¡¯ to live a little longer. I have a far, far better idea!¡±


    Before Shroud could reply, Mammon put him back on his place, before turning his giant face towards the inactive cameras. Shroud didn¡¯t allow himself a sigh of relief, just in case this was a trick of some sort.


    ¡°And we are back online, viewers!¡± Mammon cackled, as the cameras put themselves on again. ¡°Yes, it happened. I, Mammon, your beloved champion, has been defeated!¡±


    Tearful music echoed through the level, which made Shroud sick. This chest bully embodied all he hated about oppressors and their hypocrisy, presenting a nice image to hide the rot underneath.


    ¡°It seems this season will be a turning point! A darker shift, as the games grow more dangerous, and enemies more fearsome! For the first time in my immortal life, I will have to train¡­ to sweat¡­ to win! So stay tuned for next episode!¡±


    Shroud, almost expecting a trick, began to count the time.


    Three. Mammon hadn¡¯t moved.


    Two. The violet and orange colors around the level intensified.


    One. The false world was swallowed by light.


    For a moment, Shroud couldn¡¯t see anything, as the entire dimension collapsed on itself. He wondered if Mammon had cast a spell on him, turning his victory into a sudden, cruel defeat. That would have been a twist worthy of an intergalactic show.


    Yet, when the light died out, revealing a silent casino and a still stunned audience, Shroud allowed himself a breath of relief.


    For a long, long moment that felt like an hour, nobody dared say anything nor break the silence, for fear of upsetting Mammon.


    Then someone dared to clap.


    Like everyone else, Shroud glanced at the suicidal daredevil. Lugh. ¡°I owe you one, Ace,¡± the Arcadian Reaver spoke, ignoring Mammon¡¯s malevolent glare.


    Then others started clapping, the strange being called Graff and the blonde woman; the first clapped strongly, the other slower, but with more firmness.


    Nobody else dared though. Ace gave a discreet wink at Shroud, but that was it.


    Mammon¡¯s eyes glanced at his defiers, then at Shroud himself. However, instead of venom and hate, the Midnight King seemed strangely enthusiastic. ¡°Congratulations on surviving your job interview, Mathias.¡±


    Shroud blinked behind his helmet. ¡°Excuse me?¡±


    ¡°You are now one of my game viziers!¡± Mammon¡¯s showmanship was almost painful to listen to. ¡°You will organize our next Crimson Epoch¡¯s challenges and ordeals, with the same skills you displayed against me!¡±


    What?


    ¡°So this was all a test?¡± someone called in the assistance.


    ¡°Of course,¡± Mammon spoke with apparent sincerity. ¡°The King only accepts games that can challenge him as fair for his contestants.¡±


    No. That wasn¡¯t a test, just a last minute improvisation of a PR-addict desperate to save face. Shroud was taken aback, noticing Ace making signs in the background.


    Yes, better not to anger the near-invincible time-controlling mimic.


    Shroud nodded to Mammon, thankful his helmet for hiding his disgust. ¡°A pleasure to serve.¡± He couldn¡¯t fully tone down the sarcasm in his voice, no matter how hard he tried.


    It seemed that a few recognized the scene as the farce it was, but no one dared to call the bluff. Well, Lugh held his chest in laughter, but everyone ignored him. So the lie became the truth.


    Mammon graciously extended his hand over the table, which Shroud shook. He could feel the pressure threatening to crush his bones. ¡°The King expects great things from you, Shroud. I will not lose next time.¡± He spoke that part with good cheer, like any spirited contestant, yet the sorcerer could sense the cold malevolence.


    Shroud had made an unpleasant new enemy.


    Although, as he saw the spell on Kari, Maggie and Sol dispel, and Mur¡¯s birdcage open, he allowed himself a smile.


    Side Quest: Mammon¡¯s Revenge, Fulfilled!


    Your Network Lock has started upgrading (?)


    Whatever threat laid ahead, they would beat it.


    Players Stats


    AccountDragonslayers Guild ModeratorNameShroudNetworkProgressHolderMathias MartelBroadcastUnlockedLevel2 (Adept)Grant SpellUnlockedAffinityBlueLocked Feature(1/3)LockNetworkLocked Feature(0/7)Spellcoins9Overlock(0/1)Three...Days..Remaining..In-story...Spell CompendiumNameDotAffinityPremium Thoughts1BlueBabel1BluePurge1GreenHeal2GreenGlass Field2Orange/BlueLightbringer2Red/OrangeMad World2Blue/GreenAccountDragonslayers GuildNameYoshikageOversoulProgressHolderKari MatsumotoRememberUnlockedLevel2 (Adept)Channel SoulUnlockedAffinityYellowLocked Feature(0/3)LockOversoulLocked Feature(0/7)Spellcoins13Overlock(0/1)Spell CompendiumNameDotAffinityBabel1BlueWallcraw1GreenPeak1GreenNeedless1GreenWard1YellowSpiritsight1YellowKiller Sense2Yellow/VioletAccountDragonslayers GuildNameSharpshootSpellgunProgressHolderMaggie Jesse PowellsCrimson BulletUnlockedLevel1 (Novice)Locked Feature(0/1)AffinityRedLocked Feature(0/3)LockSpellgunLocked Feature(0/7)Spellcoins1Overlock(0/1)Spell CompendiumNameDotAffinityStockmight1RedBiosurge1RedBabel1BluePeak1GreenBullseye2Violet/BlueAccountDragonslayers GuildNameSolAegisProgressHolderSolomon NicholaeSpell MartyrUnlockedLevel1 (Novice)Locked Feature(0/1)AffinityWhiteLocked Feature(0/3)LockAegisLocked Feature(0/7)Spellcoins6Overlock(0/1)Spell CompendiumNameDotAffinityPeak1GreenNeedless1GreenBabel1BlueQuasar1RedReinforce1OrangeAccountDragonslayers GuildNameThe Mur!AdamantProgressHolderMurmur the ImpHarderUnlockedLevel1 (Novice)Locked Feature(0/1)AffinityOrangeLocked Feature(0/3)LockAdamantLocked Feature(0/7)Spellcoins11Overlock(0/1)Spell CompendiumNameDotAffinityReinforce1OrangeDiceweight1OrangeBerserk1GreenHeatriser1Red


    Spell of the Day


    Formless


    Affinity: Orange


    Dot: 2


    Price: 6-10


    Activation: Passive, App Switch.


    The caster¡¯s body becomes supernaturally elastic and flexible, allowing them to stretch their limbs and body in unnatural ways. As a side-effect, resistance to impact or force damage is greatly enhanced, as the body absorbs shocks better.

 Chapter 32: DLC: Beware the Hunters

    From birth to death, the living struggled. Such was the essence of life.


    Conflict, competition, violence; disease, poison, despair. So many ways to die. Life was always at war with itself, to prove itself worthy of surviving. By its virtue of being limited by time, life became bright and vivid. When you knew of the end ahead, you appreciated each present moment.


    That was why no true hunter could tolerate the undead. Loathsome, eternal things, they could not appreciate life to the fullest. They could no longer appreciate the struggle, no longer felt grateful for their extended time. They carried on, dull and cold.


    Many of them he had hunted on principle, even without earning any points.


    Lugh looked at his trophy wall, the heads of the best prey he had collected over the years. A row of seven dwarfs¡¯ heads, an elite legion that had destroyed civilizations. The stuffed corpse of the last queen of the elves, whom he gave a painless, honorable death after defeating her champion in single combat. Feathers taken from a phoenix he had chased for a whole year around a distant solar system.


    A black dragon skull, killed on the moons of Sakar, overshadowed the rest. His first raid on the Concordian territories, and far from the last. He had yet to hunt another dragon, although he intended to once his duty to Grandfather done.


    His time as ambassador had made him restless.


    Lugh walked away from his wall and sat in an armchair of minotaur hide, in front of a stone chimney. His hound, Failinis, waited near the fire, resting. Waiting. He too shared his master¡¯s discontentment and dreamed of warm, fresh blood.


    Mammon had gifted him this ¡°hunting lodge,¡± a manor of wood and stone that made the hunter feel constrained. Lugh had graciously accepted, although he considered his accommodations unsuited for his kind. Reavers lived on their spaceships, roaming the stars to loot and plunder, never settling. Even Grandfather spent little time on their homeworld of Arcadia, instead reaving in unexplored regions of space in search for worthy game.


    Other species would have considered this mansion the summit of richness and luxury. Lugh found it dull and lifeless. He missed the verdant forests of Arcadia or even the lush alien jungles he had gamed in during his youth. This planet stunk of death and decadence.


    The Midnight Market had its good points, though. Leisures, lupanars, food and drink, and interesting games. He had made good friends and grown extraordinarily fond of the smart and talented Ace.


    Even then, mindless revelry and sex had grown stale.


    Reavers had to take the riches they surrounded themselves with, not have them gifted to them. Lugh¡¯s appetite might be bigger than life, he yearned for a challenge.


    Grandfather had tasked him with preparing his arrival for the Epoch, and Lugh had obeyed. He had even considered entering the tournament himself with his best raiders, upon hearing of the games¡¯ prize.


    Mammon¡¯s new choice of game vizier had attracted his interest as well. In more ways than one. ¡°Morrigan, come to me.¡±


    The corners of the room bent with a violet flash, as a feathered crone manifested near his armchair; an ancient and bent hag with skin purple, black wings, and sharp talons. An unkind death made flesh.


    No Reaver looked the same, each taking a shape reflecting their inner self. Cowards took the wings of vultures, tricksters the fur of foxes, strongmen the hide of rhinos, wisemen the feathers of ravens. And royal victors like Lugh, the manes of lions.


    Such was their nature, as the apex of the animal kingdom, to take the traits of the spirit they most identified with. Only Lord Revel himself, as the alpha and omega of their kind, transcended the limits of a single animal.


    ¡°Prince Lugh. What do you desire?¡±


    Reavers looked down on sorcery as a cowardly tool. With the exception of Lord Revel himself, only women were allowed to wield it, and never for combat. Only physical strength and skill could determine a Reaver¡¯s worth, not an inborn, fickle advantage like magic. Letting sorcery win your battles for you was considered the ultimate sin against tradition. Although he could never prove it, Lugh and many Reavers suspected Morrigan ignored the rules when no one looked. This made her disliked, even in her role of overseer of the hunt.


    However, she was too precious an advisor to reprimand. ¡°Have you done the research I asked of you?¡±


    ¡°I have. I have their names, and their identity, and the place where they live.¡±


    ¡°How much are they worth?¡± Lugh asked, petting Failinis with one hand.


    ¡°Homo sapiens are worth ten points. Imps, twenty.¡±


    Low. Very low. Barely worth hunting.


    Reavers hunted for points, and the more points the greater the honor at the season¡¯s end. With thirty-five thousand, ninety-three points, Lugh landed roughly fourth in the rankings. He hoped to rank first before Grandfather reset the points. S~ea??h the N?velFire(.)net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Lugh only had a few weeks before Lord Revel arrived at the Market to witness the Crimson Epoch, ending the current hunting season and declaring a truce until the tournament¡¯s end. Reavers could not win points and had to behave until their patriarch said otherwise.


    Lugh knew his respected grandfather didn¡¯t attend the Epoch only because he loved blood sports. Lord Revel intended to designate a new target for the century¡¯s Grand Hunt, a species the Reavers would hunt to extinction, as they had exterminated the dwarves, the elves, the spriggan, the perytons, the centaurs, and the manticores. The Epoch would let the conqueror see which race would present the greatest challenge to his progeny.


    Lugh hoped Grandfather would choose the dragons. Now that would be a hunt worthy of his time. ¡°How are worth?¡± Lugh asked again. ¡°The boy smells of dragon blood, and one wears the armor of one of ours. They all wield the spark of sorcery.¡±


    ¡°The elder human did not kill his armor¡¯s previous owner in lawful combat. The dragon could not cast spells and as such was worth twice as less.¡± Morrigan reexamined her calculations. ¡°The leader is worth one-hundred eighty, the imp one hundred twenty, the others one hundred. Total six hundred.¡±


    A low yield, but enough to make Lugh snatch the third place.


    Lugh¡¯s eyes set on his silver spear, waiting above the chimney. His finely crafted weapon, which his Grandfather had gifted him after he earned his first trophy, and followed him on every hunt ever since.


    Who was he deceiving? Even if they had been worth nothing, he would still have hunted them out of boredom.


    ¡°Morrigan, fetch me a copy of that game,¡± It had pleased Lugh, and playing it would help him understand his prey. ¡°Lugh will hunt soon.¡±


    Damn rerun.


    Lyber the werewolf looked at the holo-tv with slight disinterest, spiking his cocktail with Dreamshade powder drug to relax. While his unique biology, mechanical enhancements, and addiction to performance drugs protected him from the nastier side-effects, he needed a big shot to improve his mood.


    The lycan basked in the scents of drugs, sex, and meat pervading the bar. A trio of ghoul musicians played a maddening flute concerto with a tentacled protoplasmic singer at the center of the room. Clients tossed fresh meat at them as tips. The bony walls moaned, the skulls of bad customers whispering together.


    The Xenosphere was busier tonight, full of new faces, new smells. Contestants for the Crimson Epoch and adventurers looking for a job. As expected from an Underside bar, the clients were the lowest of the low, the horrors banned from the Overside.


    Liches and degenerate vampires dry fucking in a corner, twisted tentacled abominations playing dice, beautiful, soulless winter fairies, fleshcrafters bargaining for an alchemically-enhanced arm. The bony bar of Xenosphere welcomed the worst of the living and the dead.


    The black werewolf glanced lazily at the fleshcrafters¡¯ wares; he had replaced his left hand with metal and considered enhancing the other. He would have soon enough money to invest in new organs, and a third heart. He had found that the faster the heartbeats, the greater the highs.


    The Xenosphere catered almost exclusively to the Market¡¯s hired guns and their contractors. Bounty hunters, assassins, mercenaries, and enhancers gathered there to have a good time, exchange tips, or form ad hoc alliances.


    The patron, an old cranky mummy called Dustkin, had built the bar from the corpses of the customers that didn¡¯t pay him, incorporating their flesh and bones into the structure. The structure always gained a new room with every economic hiccup.


    His partner, the vampire Storck, sat next to him with both feet on the table, his lidless black eyes set on the tv. Covered in blood-soaked, red bandages, Storck had removed his lips to chew meat faster. Sharp bones and iron spikes protruded from its body, one for each of his bounties.


    Unlike Lyber, Storck didn¡¯t partake in drugs. Only pain, mostly his own, gave him a high. ¡°Mur has found a new team,¡± the vampire said, pointing his bony, bleeding finger at the imp¡¯s birdcage. ¡°And lost his body.¡±


    Lyber chuckled. That was the cost of indulging in low-grade, cheap enhancements. The imp had never tasted true success. ¡°Is he worth killing now?¡±


    ¡°Oh yes, Lyber Lyber. He and his gang are worth more than our last five bounties combined. And we get an official pardon from Concordia for any crimes we committed beforehand in their territories.¡±


    ¡°Ours could fill a book,¡± Lyber said. ¡°And we get to hunt again in Concordian territories without risking arrest.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s right, Lyber, that¡¯s very right.¡±


    Not that it ever stopped them. The duo had slaughtered so many ¡®collateral victims¡¯ authorities often wondered who they had been hired to kill in the first place.


    ¡°What do you say, Lyber?¡± Storck asked. ¡°Up for it?¡±


    ¡°The leader is in Mammon¡¯s pocket. Pissing off our main contractor could be bad for business.¡± While Lyber didn¡¯t care about politics, Mammon could easily blacklist him among his dealers. ¡°I heard Dustkin say they were guests of the Shadow Queen, and thus Celia¡¯s.¡±


    Storck bristled at the mention of the undead queen, but he loved money more than he feared her. ¡°We also aren¡¯t the only ones on the case,¡± the vampire said. ¡°Concordia sent an operative. I caught sight of it in the Underside. A Queen operative.¡±


    Lyber spit out his cocktail, drawing some gazes. A Queen? Those were the Concordian elite, with top grade gear that gave them enough firepower to defeat almost anyone in their way.


    ¡°Lyber Lyber, that only raises my interest more!¡± Storck said cheerfully. ¡°It means Concordia really wants those five dead and buried. The leader killed Blackcinders¡¯ son.¡±


    ¡°And he¡¯s still alive?¡± Lyber let out a dark chuckle. Getting a Minister in their pocket would make up for angering Mammon. ¡°I say game on.¡±


    His partner let out a bellowing laugh, already imagining a plan. Lyber could almost read it in his mind.


    Storck had found Lyber while he was busy mauling a bullman elder on a distant border planet for sport; the werewolf had mistaken Storck as a vigilante sent after him before the vampire joined in the fun. A crimelord the elder banished from Mazeworld had hired the vampire with the exact same goal in mind.


    As it turned out, plenty of people were willing to pay Lyber for something he did for free.


    They hit it off instantly and formed a partnership ever since. Of course, in a field as competitive as paid murder and bounty hunting, you had to carve out a niche to stay employed; you became the best at hunting Arcadians Reavers, or you specialized in bringing a target back alive.


    Not Storck and Lyber.


    Nobody made their targets suffer as much as they did. As long as there was more than one person in the universe, someone would want someone horribly dismembered and gruesomely murdered.


    Of course, they had professional standards. No reneging on the contract, the customer is king, no killing employers. Lyber was many things, but a lawless savage he wasn¡¯t. ¡°We don¡¯t have to bring them back alive, right?¡±


    ¡°Nah, the bounty says dead,¡± Storck replied. ¡°We have to bring back the corpses for identification though.¡±


    ¡°So no filetting?¡±


    ¡°No filetting.¡±


    Pity.


    Maybe he could chew a leg or two? They wouldn¡¯t get in the way of verifying the body.


    The fainting holo-screen showed an aerial view of an ill house¡¯s crowd.


    This house¡¯s previous occupant had been watching that channel when she heard him eat her generator. He had felt cold, so cold, he had to eat something, anything. She found him gorging on her Flux reserves, and then he consumed her too. He could not stop himself when he was hungry.


    Her cold husk laid in the basement, where he could not see it. Where her face could not condemn him, torment him.


    Her life had dulled the pain for twelve minutes. Shorter. Shorter than before.


    Electricity, warmth, heat, those barely sated his hunger. Only Flux and souls could give him respite. The more he took, the less it worked.


    He hated it, the pain, the hunger, the oil leaking from his body, the rot and the degradation. In his more lucid moments he wished for the sweet mercy of oblivion, the honorable demise the denied him. To commit seppuku and join his ancestors, to make the pain go away, to end his agonizing loneliness.


    But he always stopped himself.


    He had seen beyond the Black Tower and come back. He had visited the city of the Black, which extinguished even the brightest light. He had seen the single eye watching him from the darkness, the end that claimed us all. The thing the wanted to keep at bay.


    He had seen the Black.


    And he would drag everyone down there first.


    He caught sight of her on the holo-channel, congratulating a glass man for his victory.


    ¡°Kari¡­ Kari...¡±


    The one light in his empty, tormented existence.


    The black horror crawled toward the channel, his mere presence causing the light to flicker. Everywhere he went, he drained light and life, leaving nothing behind.


    He had followed her, from Nippon to the Yankee¡¯s dirty town, hiding in the shadows. When she fled Earth, he tracked her down again. He could sense her heartbeat, her brilliant, vivid soul calling to him.


    Blood called to blood.


    She had seen him, felt him. Feared him. Hid from him. He had tried to keep himself away, to spare her the same terrible fate she failed to save him from.


    He couldn¡¯t take it anymore.


    Only she could soothe the pain, forever. He needed her, to extinguish her light and drown her in darkness. Only then would he stop suffering alone.


    ¡°Kari¡­ this is me¡­ this is me...¡±


    The screen faded to black.


    Spell of the Day


    Kinetic Choke


    Affinity: Red


    Dot: 2


    Price: 6-10


    Activation: Passive, Thought.


    The caster creates four invisible ¡°hands¡± of telekinetic force, with a five meters radius. Those hands possess enough force to lift roughly two hundred kilograms each, and can manipulate objects with the same dexterity as hands of flesh and blood.

 Chapter 33: Modded Feature

    Shroud had to pull back before his head exploded, massaging his temples to lessen the headache.


    The Universal Brain pulsated before him, hooked to a piece of strange, organic machinery. The device itself looked straight out of a science-fiction movie: a gigantic, greenish brain roughly fifty meters squared, the UB¡¯s flesh incorporated mechanical components such as steel coils, blue microprocessors, and small pylons cackling with electricity. The organic supercomputer radiated with a blue glow, reminding Shroud that the same sorcery powered them both.


    In fact, the more he peeked into the machine, the more he grew convinced Concordia had attempted to replicate Blue Sorcery through technology.


    ¡°So?¡± Wormson asked, before casting a Green spell on his fellow researcher. As a glow more potent than even his own Heal spell surrounded him, the Blue Sorcerer felt the pain vanish. ¡°What do you see?¡±


    ¡°Numbers,¡± Shroud replied. ¡°The UB perceives everything in terms of tertiary numbers and values. Zero, one, two, quantum trits. I have a headache grasping the math behind it even with Premium Thoughts and Babel on.¡±


    Network allowed him to connect with the UB; Babel, to translate the language; and Premium Thoughts, to not have his brain fry from information overload. The perfect mind-reading combination.


    Even then, it had taken him a full day to even grasp what he saw.


    Shroud sat on a table next to potions and various alchemical instruments. Wormson¡¯s workshop, taking up a whole wing of the Palace of Shadows, was the lair of an anarchic, confused mind. Endless shelves full of liquid potions met sparse, hastily written notes, half-finished books, and vivariums under the faint light of ghostly candles.


    Mostly vivariums.


    Shroud had no idea how many creatures Wormson kept in his study, but it could probably fill a zoo. Most he kept trapped but functional, while bigger specimens, like winged whales and bipedal ants, he kept in amber.


    The UB just warranted a little more effort. Wormson had hooked it up to a lung-like, disgusting organic apparatus, keeping it fed and docile. Some kind of organic feedback loop, or so Shroud understood.


    ¡°Do you think you can crack the code?¡± the abominable vermin hive asked Shroud. ¡°From what I gathered from my own experiments, UBs recognize one another through specific Identify Friend-Foe signal protocols.¡±


    ¡°I think they use specific geometric sequences, like¡­ you know Escher?¡±


    ¡°No, what is it?¡±


    ¡°A human artist known for making impossibly angled paintings. UBs use those pictures to process and exchange information; now that I understand how they communicate, I could in theory craft a fake request through my Lock. Like a fake rescue call.¡±


    ¡°And I could create an organic interface that could complete the deception and recover the answer. Brilliant. It will think it¡¯s contacting help while we worm our way inside.¡± Wormson laughed at his own, poor joke. The Blue Sorcerer wondered if Alan Turing had to suffer a colleague like that.


    Fortunately, Wormson hid a brilliant mind beneath his poor sense of humor. The two discussed the in and outs of such a solution for the UB problem at length, before settling on a potential signal formula.


    The living hive grabbed complex concepts in record time, absorbing information like a sponge. Shroud had never met someone whom he could sense the raw intelligence from before; and as far as he knew, the worm-hive didn¡¯t use Blue Spells to boost it.


    Shroud himself wondered the potential results of using magic long-term. He had never spent a day without Premium Thoughts unless suffering from a Counterspell, and Kari kept Peak on all the time. Considering their young age, would it affect their development? ¡°Wormson, may I ask you a question?¡±


    ¡°Certainly, my bluish friend.¡±


    ¡°Does magic have long-term effects on living beings?¡±


    ¡°Of course it does. Counting the species who owe their existence to Green Sorcerers would take forever. All undead can thank a Yellow Sorcerer at one point for their unlife.¡±


    ¡°I meant on the sorcerer themself.¡±


    ¡°I see what mean. The more you channel a specific color of Flux, the more your body tunes itself to it. Dragons are the most visible case, their sensitivity to Flux tuning their metabolism to their environment as they mature. And the escalation syndrome exists.¡±


    Shroud raised an eyebrow. ¡°Escalation?¡±


    ¡°A small percentage of Sorcerers go off the deep end. Very, very deep. They let their power affect their judgment, become unstable, and lose contact with reality.¡±


    ¡°Wouldn¡¯t that just be the natural result of gaining too much power too early?¡± Shroud replied. ¡°Temptation and all.¡±


    ¡°Certainly individual strength of characters plays a role, but sorcerers of a similar color almost always go mad in the same exact way. It is not as simple as nature versus nurture. It is both at once. I have a theory on the cause, but it goes against the orthodoxy. I believe sorcery has a will of its own.¡±


    Noticing that his colleague listened with rapt attention, Wormson adopted a professional tone. ¡°Most researchers believe an ancient civilization built the Neurotowers, the Gates, and other artifacts to harness sorcery, bringing it into our universe. What if we thought about it the wrong way? That sorcery itself built those towers and those machines to manifest in the world? What if it chooses people who share its purpose and will spread it instead of assigning the gift at random?¡±


    Shroud could grasp the concept, yet he found it difficult to believe. ¡°Then what does wants?¡±


    ¡°What do want? Blue wants knowledge and control; Green wants to spread and improve life; Yellow wants to dissolve the boundaries between concepts and reality; Orange wants more, to own, to protect itself; Red wants to shine, to explode, to burn; Violet wants to explore the past, decide the future, and explore the unknown; and White wants to take the shape of, or support the other colors.¡±


    The Blue Sorcerer wondered if this was how Magik Online assigned affinities to users; selecting it according to the user¡¯s mindset. The more Shroud understood himself, the more he realized that the desire to learn what happened to his mother and to gain enough power never to feel weak again, played a large role in his motivation. Sol lived to help others. Mur wanted to stave off his insecurities by hoarding money, power, and weapons like a magpie. And Maggie wanted to fight, to explode, and scream in a healthier way than her brother.


    Kari¡­ he couldn¡¯t wrap his head around her. Dissolve the boundary between concepts and reality? That would explain the many rumors of necromancers among Yellow Sorcerers, dissolving the border between life and death.


    Maybe that was the key to the two remaining members of his Guild? Someone who wanted to improve life, and someone with a unique relationship to space and time? ¡°How do Blue Sorcerers escalate?¡± he asked.


    ¡°They start to think they should have all the knowledge and all the power, and then they start to believe in themselves a bit too much. Then they proclaim themselves gods.¡± Wormson paused. ¡°Do you think you are a god, my ungodly friend?¡±


    The young man smiled. ¡°Not yet. I do have another question though. What did you mean by ¡®channel Flux?¡¯¡±


    The sorcerer observed Shroud with a heavy silence, as if looking for a joke that didn¡¯t exist. ¡°To cast a spell, you need to channel Flux that your Lock has filtered inside your body¡¯s arcane reserve,¡± the creature explained, a bit confused, ¡°Flux which you shape into a specific spell with training. Don¡¯t you feel it inside of you? That well of power, that second breath flowing through your blood?¡±


    Not really. He felt his spells active, but nothing more profound. ¡°No, I just cast spells intuitively,¡± he said, omitting the cause, ¡°I direct them, but I don¡¯t feel any connection to a reserve of some kind.¡±


    ¡°I suppose this may be because you are self-taught, but this is very strange,¡± Wormson said, ¡°That glass manipulation of yours must be a high ranked Orange spell, which is the opposite of your core Blue. It should be taxing on your reserves and force you to recharge by passively absorbing ambient Flux. You should feel it, physically, psychically.¡±


    Shroud didn¡¯t. In fact, he never felt better than when spellcasting.


    But come to think of it, he never needed to think about conservation of resources or tiredness about using those spells. Was it because his Lock outsourced part of the process to Magik, or the website provided him additional reserves to draw upon?


    ¡°I see that you progressed quicker than I expected.¡± Manah stepped out of a shadowy corner without warning, creeping out Shroud. In spite of his enhanced senses, she could sneak up on him without difficulty. ¡°Excellent.¡±


    ¡°If the solution works, I could extract and decode the UB¡¯s files within a few days,¡± Wormson said, bowing to the queen. Shroud hastily imitated him; his experience with Mammon had taught him to step lightly around the Market¡¯s power shakers.


    ¡°You have twenty-four hours,¡± Manah replied, her tone brooking no argument. ¡°Mathias, you performed well. However, it has also come to my ears that you caught Mammon¡¯s attention.¡±


    ¡°Unfortunately.¡± His Network sense told him Mammon would be a much nastier employer than Dynamis ever was. He hoped this wouldn¡¯t jeopardize their alliance¡ª


    ¡°Good.¡±


    Shroud blinked. She was happy?


    ¡°Your current position opens an opportunity we will not let go to waste,¡± the sorceress said, before brushing off his questions. ¡°I still need to see how your team performs as a whole before involving you in my larger plans. In the meantime though, I will reward your service.¡±


    She snapped her fingers, a masked, shadowy jester stepping out of the darkness, offering a small data key on a silver platter to Shroud.


    ¡°This keys grants access to an account which I credited with a sum equivalent to five million imperial credits, to share between each of you. I sent your men a key each.¡±


    Five million credits? It took a specialized AI nearly ten days to gather that sum, and she handed it over like pocket money?


    ¡°I sent my servants to fetch equipment which you and your teammates asked for. You can find your own purchase in your quarters.¡±


    Shroud nodded in thankfulness. He had asked her to purchase electronic components and materials so that he may create a new, improved glass armor than the makeshift one he had worn since fleeing Earth. ¡°I am most thankful.¡±


    ¡°I have a mission for your team,¡± Manah cut through the pleasantries. ¡°If you succeed, I will accept you as part of my organization.¡±


    Which implied access to other rebel cells, funds, and who knew what more. ¡°I¡¯m listening.¡±


    ¡°My spies inform me Concordia¡¯s Institute has built a secret military research facility in the Sphere of Oceanis. The planet is a pleasure sphere covered by an endless sea, used for tourism and vacations.¡±


    ¡°The presence of an Institute branch there implies something¡¯s off.¡±


    ¡°Yes. My spies suspect Concordia to run experiments on the ocean floor, although they could not learn what kind. I want you to meet my agents on Oceanis, investigate the base, salvage anything of value, and destroy it if possible.¡±


    ¡°Oceanis is an imperial world,¡± Shroud pointed out. ¡°Would we not be quickly recognized?


    ¡°I trust that you will carry this mission with discretion,¡± Manah said with confidence. ¡°You have a few days to prepare until I arrange for your safe transportation to Oceanis. Ace also asked to meet you, my servants will give you the coordinates of the rendez-vous point.¡±


    Before Shroud could even ask questions, the Shadow Queen melded back into the unnatural darkness, vanishing from sight. That woman didn¡¯t waste time.


    ¡°How does she do that?¡± Shroud wondered out loud.


    ¡°Advanced Yellow Sorcery, my fellow meatbag,¡± Wormson replied, ¡°Yellow rules everything conceptual, shadows included. Turning oneself into shadows and back and forth is no easy feat though; I know a cheerful Yellow of peerless might, and even he never tried it.¡±


    Shroud worried more about the fact she could eavesdrop on them anytime without him noticing.


    Leaving Wormson to his research, the Magik Player took a step through the Palace of Shadows looking for his team. The more he walked through the shadowy walls, the more Shroud grew convinced the palace itself could react to his will; rearranging pathways to lead him to the destination he wanted to go to.


    The dark corridor eventually led him to a large hall which the group had turned into a makeshift training area. Sol and Kari spared furiously with steel swords, while Maggie was busy shooting at bullseyes with Mur sitting on her shoulder like a child.


    Thanks to the queen, the whole group had changed clothes. Sol and Kari had left behind their armor and costume for casual clothes, while Maggie had suited up. She now wore lightweight bulletproof body armor, similar to those Homeland Security used before the Concordian Conquest. She had added a black hoodie over a hockey mask to complete the set.


    All in all, your average Jason Voorhees cosplay.


    She had also purchased two more guns, which she wielded while keeping her old one on an ankle holster. Shroud noticed a suitcase near her, which included a sniper rifle, an Uzi, and various firearms; alongside more advanced weapons including the Flux Rifles Booz had kept trying to sell him, and stranger, organic pistols.


    Shroud took a moment to observe the group undetected. Maggie practiced her aim with both hands, using her Bullseye and Stockmight spells to achieve what should have been a movie-only maneuver. Even the added weight of Mur should have made firing difficult. For now, though, the girl hadn¡¯t missed a shot.


    The fact Maggie let Mur sit on her shoulders also brought a smile on his face. The imp had grown bigger, from the size a toddler to the size of a dog; perhaps in a few years, he could regain his original size.


    Sol, thanks to the Peak spell, had grown far faster than when they had started fighting together. He fought with enough vigor to push back Kari, a girl six times younger and empowered by multiple spells. Now that his body could keep up with his skill, Sol proved a fearsome swordsman, pushing his opponent back with ease.


    While the whole group had a long way to go to become a cohesive unit, the skills were there. ¡°You should wear a cape,¡± the Guild Moderator told Maggie, upon walking in.


    ¡°Mur told her too, she didn¡¯t listen,¡± the imp complained.


    ¡°Capes reduce mobility, and I don¡¯t need my Bullseye to know that,¡± Maggie replied, launching her guns in the air and letting both land gracefully in their belt holsters. Show-off. ¡°You¡¯re a fucking asshole, nerd.¡±


    Shroud raised an eyebrow beneath his helmet. ¡°What for?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s three times!¡± she complained, raising her fingers. ¡°Three times you saved me!¡±


    ¡°We are a team,¡± Shroud pointed out. ¡°I do not count.¡±


    ¡°I do! Now I have to save your lame ass thrice to get even!¡± Sol and Kari stopped their practice session, so loud did Maggie shout.


    ¡°Considering the mess with Mammon, that shouldn¡¯t be hard,¡± Shroud replied. ¡°The Shadow Queen seemed happy that I got a job from him, though. I think she has plans for him.¡±


    ¡°Stupid, it¡¯s not Mammon she wants, it¡¯s one of his guests,¡± Mur replied. ¡°Grimsour will be at the tournament.¡±


    Grimsour? The Orange Minister? ¡°How do you know that?¡±


    ¡°Because Mammon boasted about his guests on holo-TV!¡± Mur shrugged off. ¡°Lord Revel, Grimsour, Firesinger Fen, Graff¡­¡± Shroud sensed a little bitterness at the last name.


    ¡°I thought Concordia condemned the Epoch?¡± Sol spoke, joining the discussion with Kari.


    ¡°They do, but the Midnight Market and Concordia share trade agreements,¡± Shroud remembered. ¡°Multiple interstellar powers probably send representatives during the tournament to craft alliances, Concordia included.¡±


    ¡°If you organize the games, we can set a trap,¡± Kari spoke, her voice as low as a whisper.


    ¡°We could assassinate him,¡± Mur suggested with cruel glee.


    ¡°Assassinate him?¡± Sol crossed his arms. ¡°Forgive me if I find discussing the planned murder of a living being disturbing. Even one of Concordia¡¯s leaders.¡±


    ¡°Chicken,¡± the imp taunted him back.


    ¡°Or capture him, if we can,¡± Shroud said without really meaning it. From what he had heard, the Ministers wielded strong magic. Restraining a high-ranking sorcerer might prove to be a logistical nightmare. ¡°That would deal a powerful blow to Concordia.¡±


    ¡°Mur votes for the quick and easy solution.¡±


    ¡°Seconded!¡± Maggie said, before fist bumping Mur. Those two got along as well as Sol and Shroud himself.


    Shroud pondered the case under every angle. Considering the people present, security would be high, and Mammon limited his own involvement to the games rather than the rest of the event. Perhaps Manah had other cards in hand? ¡°The Shadow Queen wants us to do a job for her soon,¡± he told them. ¡°If we succeed, she will bring us into her larger plans."


    ¡°The Shadow Queen is an ally,¡± Kari said. ¡°But she is not one of .¡±


    Yes. The Shadow Queen knew nothing of Magik Online and they would keep it that way. He would also rather avoid relying too much on a mysterious sorceress they knew next to nothing about. ¡°Grimsour is a long term target,¡± Shroud replied. ¡°We have shorter-term problems.¡±


    ¡°You were recorded playing with Mammon on intergalactic television,¡± Kari guessed. ¡°And we have a bounty on our heads.¡±


    ¡°Yes. Which means every would-be killer can track us.¡±


    ¡°Not just them,¡± Kari said. ¡°Concordia too.¡±


    ¡°Bah, the Market is a neutral zone,¡± Mur replied. ¡°If the scalies send troops for us, Mammon will take it as an act of war.¡±


    Fortunately, the Guild Moderator doubted Concordia would consider killing the group worth sparking an interstellar conflict. He hoped. ¡°And the hunters?¡± Shroud asked the imp, the one most familiar with the locals. ¡°Will Mammon employing me deter them?¡±


    ¡°Most will be too afraid of Mammon to try, at least on Market grounds,¡± Mur said. ¡°The few who won¡¯t are either crazy or fearless.¡±


    Meaning only the most dangerous would come after them. Great. ¡°I relish the challenge,¡± Maggie said, whistling and tightening a fist. ¡°Let them come.¡±


    ¡°This cannot go on,¡± Solomon replied. ¡°We cannot depend on someone else¡¯s favor, especially a monster as fickle as Mammon or even the Shadow Queen. Neither will we survive in the long run if we let others keep picking our fights.¡±


    ¡°Sol is right,¡± Shroud replied. ¡°We need to build our own power base, loyal to our guild rather than an outsider. Soldiers, spies, and support. We need to recruit. I still have¡ª¡±


    He stopped himself, before pointing at his ears. The others seemed to catch on. No mention of Magik Online while in the palace. ¡°We need two more to round us out.¡±


    ¡°We need a lair,¡± Kari pointed out. They had all seen the feature unlocked for the Guild since Shroud had reached level two.


    ¡°A base belonging to us would be a step in the right direction,¡± Sol agreed. ¡°But we need to be very careful with our new recruits. This place¡­ clearly welcomes the worst excesses.¡±


    ¡°Mur comes from this place, old man,¡± the imp replied.


    ¡°We have money,¡± Kari said, remaining on track. ¡°We could look for mercenaries.¡±


    ¡°Mur doesn¡¯t give away his share.¡±


    ¡°Yeah, we all jumped on that train without expecting funds, we need to recruit people with more attitude,¡± Maggie said, whether out of greed or common sense.


    Greed it was. ¡°I cannot believe it!¡± Shroud had never seen Sol so indignant. ¡°This is the freedom of Earth we are talking about, and you are fretting over money?!¡±


    ¡°Give away your coins, old man, but Mur keeps what he earned!¡±


    ¡°I will!¡±


    ¡°Okay, enough!¡± Shroud had to raise his voice to end their argument. ¡°This is leading us nowhere.¡±


    ¡°Mathias, how do you wish to create a credible fighting force with their attitude?¡± Solomon complained.


    ¡­ Even with Network, the Dragonslayers had a long, way to go. He could see the fragility of his group, the volatility of emotions, and the conflicting personalities.


    Mur was too rough, too selfish, too insecure; and while Sol may be stable and reliable, his strong beliefs meant he adopted a judgmental stance where a softer approach could have worked. Left to themselves, they would come to blows.


    Maggie remained a maverick, confrontational, and liable to worsen the situation. While Kari¡­ Kari was the most stable, but she kept her feelings bottled up. If she acted, it would be too little too late.


    If tensions continued, either it would lead to infighting, or worse, the group losing heart and disbanding.


    Shroud needed to balance out his group. Add a pragmatist who could soften the edge of Mur and Sol by finding common ground, add some calmness and Ulysses-like laid-backness to the volatile lot. He also needed someone lively like Perse, who could help Kari get out of her shell and inject some levity into the team, lessening the pressure.


    Maggie had a point, they could rely on soldiers only in it for the money for fear of being outbid. Even Mur had joined mostly to grow stronger, which only Magik Online could offer.


    They needed to play on their core strengths. ¡°We have more than money. We have a cause, and we have magic.¡± Shroud lit up his fist with Lightbringer for added effect. ¡°I can license my spells as I did with you, Mur. Network would also allow me to detect infiltrators.¡±


    Mur shrugged. ¡°Why not make them?¡±


    Shroud frowned. ¡°Make what?¡±


    ¡°Minions. That¡¯s what sorcerers do. Where do you think all those golems come from, Mammon¡¯s teats?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t think he has one,¡± Maggie replied. ¡°Can¡¯t be sure, didn¡¯t get a good look at him.¡±


    Shroud considered Mur¡¯s point. Building minions from scratch, instead of recruiting outsiders? He remembered the Dot Two spell Call and checked his Compendium for similar spells.


    Homunculus


    Affinity: Orange


    Dot: 2


    Price: 10


    Activation: Active, Direct Touch Vector.


    The user can craft a cat-sized automaton from any raw, inorganic material. The homunculus takes a form that is similar to its maker and shares a telepathic link with him or her. The homunculus must feed on its maker¡¯s magic to remain functional and will collapse if not regularly recharged. The user can create as many homunculi as he can sustain.


    Arise


    Affinity: Yellow


    Dot: 2


    Price: 10


    Activation: Active, Voice Vector.


    The user imbues corpses within earshot of the spell with the spark of unlife. The ¡®risen¡¯ lack souls or minds, but understand the caster¡¯s orders and will try to carry them out to the best of their ability until destroyed. If the caster has a soul to fill the corpse with, such as a soul gem, he may create stronger, free-willed undead such as vampires or ghouls.


    Homunculus clearly wouldn¡¯t create long-lasting minions, although the telepathic link could allow him to create spies. Arise could create zombies and stronger minions if they somehow found souls to use, although the process sent a shiver down his spine.


    As for Call¡­ Shroud¡¯s memory of the Brown fiasco made him wary of summoning monsters. ¡°Kari and I have three spells that could do the deed,¡± he admitted, remaining evasive to avoid Manah catching on. ¡°Homunculus, to create temporary familiars, Arise, which can raise the dead, and Call, which can summon monsters from other planes. Beastmaster can allow us to control animals, but not sentient ones.¡±


    ¡°Nerd, not gonna lie,¡± Maggie said. ¡°Summoning some big monster from Hell or whatever? Really brings back bad memories. And no way it can¡¯t go wrong, right? ?¡±


    Shroud remembered that fateful, fiery night all too well. Brown had called a horror they could not put down, and everyone suffered for it. ¡°We need to do safety research first before we can consider that option.¡±


    Maggie didn¡¯t look happy he even considered it.


    He still had nine Spellcoins on his account, enough to invest in Call or Beastmaster, but not in Arise or Homunculus. Only Kari, who had hoarded Spellcoins, could purchase those. For now, they would need to look for outside recruits first. And turn his team into a cohesive fighting force. Which one should he focus on first?


    ¡°Let¡¯s try to look for our two remaining members first,¡± Shroud said, remembering Wormson¡¯s words, focusing on Mur. ¡°Would you know someone who could join us for me licencing themmy spells, or join our cause?¡±


    ¡°Your cause is worth nothing,¡± the imp said, making the rest of the group furrow their brows. ¡°Mur knows someone who would kill for sorcery though. A fleshcrafter. The one who built Mur¡¯s old metal tail.¡±


    ¡°What¡¯s a fleshcrafter, a butcher?¡± Maggie asked.


    ¡°A doctor who does not heal, but enhance. Stitch, we call him. You will understand why when you see him.¡±


    ¡°Is he reliable?¡± Shroud asked for more information. ¡°What is he like?¡±


    ¡°Strange. Mur thinks it will be faster to show you.¡±


    It wasn¡¯t like they had anything better to¡ª


    TING!


    Shroud recoiled as a strange sound echoed in his brain, blue words flashing before his eyes.


    Modded feature installation finished!


    The modded feature?


    Wait, the absorbed artifact? The stuff that took forever to set up? At last! The sorcerer could have sworn it had taken months. He hoped that it would be worth the wait.


    Save and Load Feature now available.


    By connecting to a functional occult matrix, you can load a previous timeline save. This will permanently incorporate the deleted event into the root timeline.


    Warning: while Terminals, including you, will survive the load, this will overwrite the current save and cause reality glitches until the timeline stabilizes.


    ¡­ What?


    You have four saves in storage.


    Matrix Folder: Earth, Post-Godwar, North America; record starts 2018 S§×arch* The N?velFire(.)net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Blackcinders Asteroid: Cheyenne Mountain (2018)Ultimatum Rejected: Human Annihilation Event (2018)War in Heaven: Uriel¡¯s Fall (2018)Iron God Protocol Successful (2026)


    Save/Load?


    Players StatsAccountDragonslayers Guild ModeratorNameShroudNetworkProgressHolderMathias MartelBroadcastUnlockedLevel2 (Adept)Grant SpellUnlockedAffinityBlueLocked Feature(1/3)LockNetworkLocked Feature(0/7)Spellcoins9Overlock(0/1)Stored Saves4Save?Load?Spell CompendiumNameDotAffinityPremium Thoughts1BlueBabel1BluePurge1GreenHeal2GreenGlass Field2Orange/BlueLightbringer2Red/OrangeMad World2Blue/GreenAccountDragonslayers GuildNameYoshikageOversoulProgressHolderKari MatsumotoRememberUnlockedLevel2 (Adept)Channel SoulUnlockedAffinityYellowLocked Feature(0/3)LockOversoulLocked Feature(0/7)Spellcoins13Overlock(0/1)Spell CompendiumNameDotAffinityBabel1BlueWallcraw1GreenPeak1GreenNeedless1GreenWard1YellowSpiritsight1YellowKiller Sense2Yellow/VioletAccountDragonslayers GuildNameSharpshootSpellgunProgressHolderMaggie Jesse PowellsCrimson BulletUnlockedLevel1 (Novice)Locked Feature(0/1)AffinityRedLocked Feature(0/3)LockSpellgunLocked Feature(0/7)Spellcoins1Overlock(0/1)Spell CompendiumNameDotAffinityStockmight1RedBiosurge1RedBabel1BluePeak1GreenBullseye2Violet/BlueAccountDragonslayers GuildNameSolAegisProgressHolderSolomon NicholaeSpell MartyrUnlockedLevel1 (Novice)Locked Feature(0/1)AffinityWhiteLocked Feature(0/3)LockAegisLocked Feature(0/7)Spellcoins6Overlock(0/1)Spell CompendiumNameDotAffinityPeak1GreenNeedless1GreenBabel1BlueQuasar1RedReinforce1OrangeAccountDragonslayers GuildNameThe Mur!AdamantProgressHolderMurmur the ImpHarderUnlockedLevel1 (Novice)Locked Feature(0/1)AffinityOrangeLocked Feature(0/3)LockAdamantLocked Feature(0/7)Spellcoins11Overlock(0/1)Spell CompendiumNameDotAffinityReinforce1OrangeDiceweight1OrangeBerserk1GreenHeatriser1Red


    Spell of the Day


    Soulcraft


    Affinity: Yellow


    Dot: 2


    Price: 6-10


    Activation: Passive, Thought


    The caster gains the ability to manipulate the raw essence of a soul, such as a ghost or soul gem. Besides allowing them to touch incorporeal beings, the caster can attach the soul to an anchor, such as a place, item, or corpse in conjunction with Arise.

 Chapter 34: Get Smashed!

    Shroud ended the communication, slightly unsatisfied. The dates on the Load feature bothered Shroud. 2018 had been the year of the Conquest, and 2026 was when Mom disappeared. Could those events be linked?


    Unless he had an occult matrix or whatever on hand, he would have no such luck. he thought. ¡°The Administrator doesn¡¯t know either,¡± he told his team, as they made their way into the Overside¡¯s crowded streets. ¡°They said to conquer a Lair first for answers.¡±


    ¡°And here I thought we would be invincible with a save feature,¡± Maggie said, whistling as she looked at a hobgoblin¡¯s wares, most of them finely crafted weapons. Her affinity for guns was apparent.


    The Overside burst with animation and the group struggled to make their way through the crowds. A few aliens had stopped them to take photos with Shroud, his appearance on intergalactic TV having done wonders for his popularity.


    The group finally reached their destination, a large dome of bluish ice the size of a football stadium, with a thin snow carpet leading to finely crafted gates; two blue-skinned, armored giants protecting the entrance with axes that could cut a building in two. Shroud read the red banner right above the doors.


    Zenia¡¯s Chilly Resort


    Grand Opening, Mapmakers, and Invitation Only


    A Network notification popped up without warning.


    Side-Quest: Get Smashed!


    Difficulty: Dot One


    Sponsor: The Administrator


    Your Guild went through a lot of trouble, struggles, and in-fighting, and needs a well-deserved break. So go take some time to amuse yourself and get smashed! Certainly, nothing interesting will happen...


    Reward: Network Upgrade (2/3): Path of Synergy set.


    ¡°You¡¯ve got to be kidding me.¡±


    ¡°What?¡± Maggie said.


    ¡°I just received a side-quest all but begging me to get drunk with all of you. This is ridiculous!¡±


    ¡°Dork, this is Space Vegas, what¡¯s the point of being rich if you can¡¯t burn your money on stupid things when poor people can¡¯t?¡±


    ¡°Giving back to the community,¡± Sol scolded her with a serious tone.


    ¡°Exactly,¡± Maggie replied, missing the obvious. ¡°Cycle of life. But that¡¯s pretty unjust. I mean, my Quest is way harder. I¡¯ve got to try twenty-five different firearms.¡±


    ¡°Seriously?¡± Shroud paused. ¡°So when you were experimenting with those weapons...¡±


    ¡°I was trying to fulfill that stupid side-quest, yes.¡±


    ¡°Nice. Mur must kill one hundred creatures in real combat, and he is nearly there.¡±


    Shroud was sure they had killed way fewer creatures since receiving their accounts. Magik probably counted his prior kill count. ¡°Kari, Sol? Anything that would help us spend time better than getting drunk or shooting people?¡±


    ¡°Still blocked with mine,¡± Kari replied.


    Sol shook his head. ¡°I have to take a fatal blow for someone else to fulfill my side-quest.¡±


    Shroud blinked. ¡°That¡¯s ridiculously specific and dangerous.¡±


    ¡°You may understand why I would prefer to avoid finding a situation where I must fulfill this one.¡±


    Point taken. And Shroud had to admit the quest made sense; a relaxing, team-building activity could work mend the wounds in his group. While they were here for work, he could kill two birds with one stone.


    The group approached the entrance, the giants barring the way. They seemed to recognize them. ¡°No helmet,¡± one spoke with a dry, frosty voice.


    Shroud sighed turning his helmet back into flying shards. Sol removed his helm and carried it under his arm, while Maggie removed her mask. ¡°Sorcerers?¡± the other giant asked, the group nodding. ¡°No Blue sorcery allowed if you play games, or you get expelled. You can keep your weapons.¡±


    Shroud shrugged, leading his group inside.


    Unlike the insane extravagance of Mammon¡¯s own palace, this place was relatively tame and human-sized. The entire building had been crafted from solid ice, although strangely, it felt neither too cold nor too warm inside. Icicles provided purple light above, while a white-fur carpet covered the ground. Polished mirrors made the walls supporting the structure, casting everyone¡¯s reflection.


    The area housed a casino¡ªmostly tables where Mapmakers played roulette, cards, or stranger games, a skating rink, and a bar of red-colored ice. Unlike the cacophony of Mammon¡¯s casino, this place had a chiller, peaceful atmosphere, with fewer people allowed inside.


    Shroud sighted Ace at the bar, alongside the snowflake creature that played darts with Mammon at Mur¡¯s expense. The imp glared at it the second he caught sight of it. ¡°Zenia,¡± Mur grumbled, as the group reached them.


    ¡°Ace,¡± Shroud saluted Mammon¡¯s assistant, who smiled upon noticing them. She had a charming smile. Pity he was the only one to like her. The rest of the group still distrusted her, after what her employer did.


    ¡°Hello there,¡± she replied. ¡°You look better without your helmet.¡±


    ¡°Thanks. Why did you want to see us?¡±


    ¡°Trouble that may concern you,¡± she replied. ¡°But Zenia here will tell you more.¡±


    ¡°First of all, I apologize for the treatment you suffered through,¡± Zenia told Mur, although her voice didn¡¯t sound very sorry at all. ¡°Diplomacy means I must indulge our overlord¡¯s fancies.¡±


    ¡°Mur never forgets,¡± the imp replied. ¡°Oh no, Mur never does.¡±


    This didn¡¯t bother the snowflake creature at all. ¡°I have no wish to antagonize a group of sorcerers¡­ and you would wisely not seek to trouble me.¡±


    Mur shrugged, dropping the matter. For now. ¡°We know Mammon is fickle,¡± Shroud replied, which was a diplomatic way to say they blamed him instead of Zenia. ¡°Now tell us.¡±


    ¡°Three days ago, the Gate which you used to transfer from Terra Firma to the Midnight Market was attacked by an unknown assailant,¡± Zenia explained. ¡°There were no survivors on the Firman side.¡±


    ¡°Since you were the last people to have used it for transportation, I thought I should interrogate you,¡± Ace said.


    ¡°Concordia?¡± Sol stated the obvious culprit.


    ¡°Possible, but we would have expected more collateral damage and seized goods,¡± Ace replied. ¡°The attacker cleanly killed everyone present and left without stealing anything. The Gate also suffered damage, while Concordia would have preserved it for further use.¡±


    ¡°Attacker,¡± Shroud pointed out. ¡°Singular.¡±


    ¡°Yes. Although the witness couldn¡¯t provide a clear description, a Mapmaker on the Market side noticed a humanoid dressed all in black step outside the Gate, which promptly attacked everyone present. The witness teleported away at the first sign of danger, which saved her life. Everyone else, the attacker slaughtered.¡±


    Kari visibly tensed at it, which Ace quickly noticed. ¡°You wouldn¡¯t know anything about it?¡±


    ¡°Dressed all in black?¡± she repeated. ¡°Could you give more details?¡±


    ¡°The witness didn¡¯t see more, but the corpses were found in a state of extreme mutilation, with body parts missing. The attacker¡¯s strikes showed a lethal kind of precision, but why it took limbs with it is unknown. Time is also missing from the cameras¡¯ footage, so it managed to tamper with them.¡±


    ¡°I suspect a Pandorian,¡± Zenia said.


    ¡°Pandorian?¡± Sol repeated.


    ¡°A dangerous kind of spontaneous undead. The Flux signature it left behind is characteristic of those parasites.¡±


    Kari crossed her arms, lost in her thoughts as everyone looked at her,


    ¡°I do not know,¡± she said. ¡°I can¡¯t be sure.¡±


    Kari was so troubled, she didn¡¯t even notice Network peeking in her mind. ¡°What¡¯s your stake in this, Ace?¡± Shroud said, deflecting everyone¡¯s attention from his teammate.


    ¡°I can¡¯t have a monster killing our breadwinners running around. If it was a business cannibalizing another, that¡¯s just another price war. Needless destruction empties Mammon¡¯s coffer for nothing though. So if you find the culprit, call me up three times.¡±


    Shroud raised an eyebrow, which made her laugh. ¡°I may not look like it, but I am a sorceress too,¡± Ace said without elaborating. ¡°Just say my name and I will assist.¡±


    ¡°Well, this was a colossal waste of Mur¡¯s time,¡± the imp finally spoke up. ¡°Mur wants to try the bar.¡±


    ¡°Me too,¡± Maggie said, bored with the conversation. ¡°Do you think they¡¯ve got alcohol in space?¡±


    ¡°They have everything,¡± Mur replied gleefully.


    ¡°I would enjoy a refreshment if the matter is settled,¡± Sol said. Only Kari seemed too troubled to care.


    Shroud sighed. ¡°Sure,¡± he said, glancing at Ace. ¡°Would you like to join us?¡±


    She gave him an amused smile. Clearly, she had seen through his transparent attempt at subtlety. ¡°Maybe another day after service, handsome.¡±


    It wasn¡¯t a no. Shroud guessed it counted for something.


    Ace excused herself and left, Shroud¡¯s eyes trailing her for a moment. While his group moved to the bar, the sorcerer glanced at Zenia. ¡°Do you have a brief moment?¡± he asked her.


    ¡°What do you wish?¡± The creature asked.


    ¡°You¡¯re the leader of the Mapmakers, correct?¡± The entity didn¡¯t reply, which Shroud took as a yes. ¡°I heard you were somewhat independent of Mammon.¡±


    ¡°We Mapmakers serve all those willing to pay us,¡± Zenia confirmed. ¡°Although we try to maintain good relations with everyone, I have no problem servicing your group if you want it.¡±


    ¡°I think we could help one another. You see, I have the ability to license my spells for two days, including Violet spells, as you do. I could provide that service to your organization, in exchange for favors.¡±


    ¡°You providing Violet spells as an independent faction will inevitably threaten our monopoly, force us to lower our prices, and reduce our profit margins,¡± Zenia said after a short moment of consideration. ¡°Which will force us to undercut our competition through hostile takeovers and downsizing.¡±


    For a moment, Shroud wondered if Babel had malfunctioned, as he didn¡¯t understand a word of what she said. When he did though¡­ ¡°You¡¯re politely threatening me with war if we compete with your business.¡±


    ¡°No, I am simply informing you that we will use our considerable assets to eliminate all competitors threatening our market share.¡±


    Yes, she threatened him. ¡°Truthfully, you¡¯re mistaken. I don¡¯t care about this place nor do I want to establish my group here in the long-term. Just to recruit, gain favors, and acquire equipment in preparation for our return to Earth.¡±


    ¡°In that case, a non-competing clause would allow us to coexist. I would rather that you do not disturb the fragile status quo and keep that power to yourself. If you agree not to license Violet spells that would threaten us Mapmakers, I will provide assistance.¡±


    ¡°Agreed. In fact, I believe you may help right now. You are a Violet Sorcerer, right?¡±


    ¡°I am. Violet Dot Three, Blue and White Dot Two.¡±


    Violet. Perfect. ¡°I¡¯m in the position to learn the Call spell, and I wonder about its potential applications to recruit troops. Since you are more experienced, I thought you might provide answers.¡±


    ¡°Summoning Outsiders can be both lucrative and dangerous,¡± Zenia replied. ¡°Many sorcerers have raised an army by enlisting them from other planes. Concordia has even made forays in establishing outposts on other realities in preparation for annexation.¡±


    Did the dragons¡¯ greed know no bounds? Even the universe itself wouldn¡¯t satisfy them. ¡°What can you tell us about Outsiders?¡±


    ¡°Outsiders follow laws different from those of this universe. Some live in dimensions where concepts such as nature or excess weigh as much as gravity. As such, the main difficulty for you mortals is relating to us and understanding our desires. Outsiders¡¯ descendants, if born on our universe, become more attuned to it, as do those which remain too long on the material plane. We become anchored, so to say.¡±


    ¡°Such as you?¡± Shroud guessed.


    ¡°Indeed. It has been so long since I left the Elemental Plane of Frost, that I feel closer to you mortals than my own kindred.¡±


    Could it be why Network didn¡¯t work on Jack¡¯s fiend half or the Crimson King? Since they mostly existed outside of the material universe? It would explain why he could Network with Jack even after he fused with the demon.


    It meant Network may not work on anything he summoned though, at least at first. Bugger. He needed to test that hypothesis first. ¡°Are you familiar with demons?¡± he asked, eager to find information on the Maleking.


    ¡°Demons are easy to summon and bind because they are slaves to mortal passions,¡± Zenia explained. ¡°Greed, sex, domination¡­ very easy to relate to, even if fiends take it to terrible extremes. Elementals are harder, as at our core we wish to spread our core element. You would better provide something to burn to a fire elemental, because they will always have that thought on their mind.¡±


    That remark hit a bit too close to home. ¡°You made that place out of ice to satisfy that urge?¡±


    ¡°Yes. I find it necessary for my psychic wellbeing.¡±


    ¡°Is there a resource on summoning Outsiders?¡±


    ¡°, by the cyclops Archmagus Ashmal. Ashmal was a Violet Archmagus of great power, who traveled the planes, raised extradimensional armies, and founded the Machinist religion that still exists today. was his magnum opus, exposing his beliefs, his theory on multiversal structure, and his thoughts on bargaining with Outsiders. A must-read for any Violet Sorcerer, if you can cut through his superstitious ramblings.¡±


    Zenia¡¯s eye shone with a purple light, a Blue crystal of ice manifesting and hovering right before Shroud¡¯s eyes. ¡°This is an holo-crystal containing the full work, one of the few still in circulation today. Simply focus on it, and the crystal will react to your thoughts. Take it as a gift.¡±


    Shroud grabbed the crystal. ¡°Thank you.¡±


    ¡°Stay out of our affairs,¡± Zenia warned him. ¡°And I shall stay out of yours.¡±


    Accepting that he had just been bribed, Shroud gave her a sharp nod and left to join his team, looking at the crystal as he walked. The crystal shone, projecting holographic texts in an alien language which Babel instantly translated.


    The text continued on, detailing a Pantheistic religion dedicated to the World Machine of Dis and its avatar, the Cosmocrator, who ought to be obeyed, appeased, and worshipped. According to the book, the Cosmocrator and its creations built the Gates to bind all universes together into a harmonious whole.


    The World Machine of Dis¡­ Shroud remembered the sentence when he had downloaded Magik Online. Could there be a grain of truth in this religious rambling?


    As he sat on one of the ice chairs that were around the bar, Mur and Maggie had already engaged in a drinking contest while Sol himself politely waited for the bartender to notice him. Only Kari had elected to do her own thing, moving towards the rink. The sorcerer had noticed she retreated inside herself and shunned interactions when worried; breaking her out of her shell would take a lot of effort.


    Shroud examined a holographic 3D map provided by the text, representing Ashmal¡¯s vision of the universe: a conglomerate of iridescent spheres and globes, bound together in a tree-like shape.


    At the center laid the biggest sphere, an onion made from countless layers: the Material Multiverse. Near its edge, a small black spot grew, the rot in the onion. And at the very core of the material multiverse shone a bright light called the .


    From that bright star, sprung countless tendrils of light binding all spheres together, both to the Material Multiverse and to each other. On a closer examination, Shroud realized those spheres weren¡¯t as much bound as they were chained, forcefully pulled closer to the center.


    Each of those planes had a chapter dedicated to them.


    Skipping the codex¡¯s part about worlds, Shroud the folder Zenia told him about: on Summoning the Outsiders. Like the worlds they inhabited, each Outsider category had a whole category dedicated to them, including chapters on individuals members.


    It would take days to read them all. That codex condensed a lifetime of research and experience. ¡°Crimson King?¡± he asked, the database giving him an entry in thechapter.


    ¡°Uh, work again?¡± Maggie interrupted Shroud¡¯s reading by sitting next to him and calling the bartender, a burly, green-skinned humanoid. Mur soon joined, his own glass bigger than him. ¡°Same thing you served me for the dork here!¡±


    ¡°Griffin milk with Arcadian wine?¡± the bartender replied.


    ¡°Yep, with a drinking straw!¡± she said, the bartender offering Shroud a liter of rose liquid encased in a cup of ice. Maggie had brought her own and was barely a third through it. ¡°It¡¯s very fucking strong, I¡¯m warning you.¡±


    ¡°Only the strong survive!¡± Mur said, climbing up his cup and swimming head-first into the beverage.


    ¡°I see that.¡± Maggie¡¯s breath stank of alcohol and her cheeks had rosied a bit. He took a sip and found it both strangely sweet and supercharged with liquor.


    He should better pace himself. He couldn¡¯t handle alcohol for the life of him.


    ¡°Nerd, that woman, Ace. She¡¯s working with Mammon.¡±


    ¡°I know, but she helped me rescue you guys. She¡¯s nice.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t think that¡¯s your head talking to me right now. You came on to her so hard even I noticed, and you weren¡¯t just looking at her pretty eyes.¡± So very crass, but so very true. ¡°You¡¯re back on the dating market?¡±


    ¡°Sort of. I¡¯m fooling around.¡± Shroud didn¡¯t want to try a serious relationship after his recent break-up, but he had to admit he missed the indoors activities. ¡°Besides, I find her strangely charming.¡±


    Also, the practical part of him thought it could be an opportunity to get a mole into Mammon¡¯s organization. Honey trap and all. S~ea??h the n?velFire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    ¡°You¡¯re not my type,¡± Maggie said out of nowhere. ¡°Like really, really not. You¡¯re pretty good looking, but you talk too much. And you were the boyfriend of my best friend, and you the best friend of my ex-boyfriend; which makes it square squick. It would be like settling for leftovers.¡±


    ¡°I understood at ¡®you¡¯re not my type,¡¯ thank you. I¡¯m not into you either.¡±


    She glared at him, a fierce and terrible gaze; Shroud guessed he had somehow insulted her fragile ego. ¡°What are you implying there?¡±


    Damned if you do, damned if you don¡¯t. ¡°Nothing. What is this about, Maggie?¡±


    ¡°I used to have a waiting list on Earth, but look around,¡± she complained, ¡°No able-bloodied human male that isn¡¯t seventy years older than me or you! And you find the only good-looking human woman on this forsaken space station!¡±


    ¡°There¡¯s always vampires. I thought girls were crazy about them.¡± Perse at least wouldn¡¯t shut up about them, and she liked being bitten a bit too much. ¡°Since everything is for sale here, I¡¯m sure you will find the entertainment you seek if you look hard enough.¡±


    ¡°Ain¡¯t one of those necrophiliacs, and I ain¡¯t going to pay for sex, nerd. No fun without the flirting and the conquering first.¡±


    ¡°I can¡¯t help but think you may have some self-esteem issues.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re entering the ¡®don¡¯t fuck with me¡¯ zone here.¡±


    ¡°You said it, not me.¡±


    Maggie sighed. ¡°I hate you, nerd,¡± she said without really meaning it.


    ¡°Besides, if this is really the problem I have a book on strange and mysterious Outsiders. I¡¯m sure I can make an interdimensional booty call out of this.¡±


    ¡°Nerd, that¡¯s a terrible idea, even from you.¡±


    ¡°The summoning or the booty call?¡±


    ¡°When did you grow such a smart mouth?¡±


    Truth to be told, it surprised Shroud himself. After so many ordeals and leading a team, he had grown bolder, more confident.


    Yes, his near-emptied emptied liquor had nothing to do with it.


    ¡°I think it may be Network,¡± he said, as Sol joined them, having taken another drink that smelled like lemon. ¡°It¡¯s strange. I¡¯ve never been good at social interactions, and now that I have a power that makes them easy, I¡¯m pushed into a direction I¡¯m not too comfortable with.¡±


    ¡°What do you mean?¡± Solomon asked.


    ¡°Like, I¡¯m trying to make our group efficient because I get a power boost from it. It¡¯s¡­ not natural,¡± he said, suddenly finding it harder to find his words.


    ¡°I have never led a group as strange as ours,¡± Sol admitted. ¡°So I cannot say.¡±


    ¡°You had a pretty large following in your heydays, or so Dad told me.¡±


    ¡°Yeah, I saw you on TV when I was six,¡± Maggie said. ¡°I didn¡¯t remember back when we met at the church, but it came back to me."


    Solomon smiled humbly. ¡°I spoke when everyone remained silent, and it inspired others to do the same. Little more.¡±


    He didn¡¯t give himself enough credit. ¡°Why are you letting me take the lead?¡± Shroud asked. ¡°You¡¯re older and more experienced, you could lead the group and direct it better than I do.¡±


    ¡°I am a supporter at heart, Mathias. I¡¯ve never felt happier than when I help others. The happiness of someone else is my own. And so, I choose early that I would live better as a knight and follower. Of God, first and foremost, because I believe that at heart there is good in all of us if you dig hard enough.¡±


    ¡°Even Mur?¡± Maggie pointed out with a smirk.


    Sol didn¡¯t answer immediately, thinking it over. Mur himself was too busy drowning in his drink to listen. ¡°Maybe even him,¡± he agreed. ¡°All of this to say, I have found that the best way to teach is to let the young make their own choices and mistakes. If you try to force them, they go in the opposite direction. The duty of elders is not to tell the young what to do, but advise and help them back up when they fall.¡±


    ¡°So you¡¯re going along with my plans because you think I should make my own mistakes.¡±


    ¡°This is the only path to wisdom,¡± Sol replied, then smiled. ¡°Also, while this sounds selfish, I feel alive again. Do you remember that dreadful week, ten years ago?¡±


    How could any human ever forget? ¡°I didn¡¯t understand everything back then,¡± Mathias said, having been eight when the dragons conquered the world. ¡°I remember Blackcinders¡¯ speech, though.¡±


    ¡°I almost lost all hope then,¡± the priest admitted. ¡°How could I not? The foundations of my world, of my very faith in God, shaken and overturned. How could one trust God when He didn¡¯t save his faithful from the dragons? I have been asking myself this question: was I mistaken in my faith? Did the Lord even exist?¡±


    Shroud felt compassion for his friend. After dedicating decades of his existence to a faith, only to doubt it¡­ many would have bitten a bullet to escape that contradiction.


    ¡°So when you received that gift,¡± Sol continued. ¡°And then the rest of us after you, I realized this was no coincidence. Maybe the tribulation had finally ended; maybe the Lord didn¡¯t abandon us after all. And Mur¡­ if fiends exist, then surely angels do, too. Whatever path we are on, I can see God¡¯s will at work. Even through Mur.¡±


    And Shroud now had a literal proof Heaven existed, somewhere. Maybe he should dig into it.


    ¡°Someone called Mur?¡± the imp said, climbing out of his emptied glass none the worse for wear.


    ¡°Sol was wondering if you came from Hell, and if this means angels exist or some shit,¡± Maggie said, massaging her temples. She didn¡¯t manage the alcohol all that well.


    ¡°Mur comes from a hellhole, but it¡¯s not called Hell,¡± Mur replied. ¡°Mur doesn¡¯t know what angels are.¡±


    ¡°You must know where you come from, no?¡± Shroud asked. ¡°You must have a father or mother.¡±


    ¡°No.¡±


    ¡°Then how were you born?¡±


    ¡°Budding. When an imp grows into a big enough gargoyle, he buds more imps. Then he eats those who can¡¯t run fast enough.¡±


    ¡°Ouch,¡± Maggie commented, looking at Kari skating on the ice, focused on something none of them could see. ¡°You think Matsumoto is fine? She doesn¡¯t look fine.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s her way to blow off steam,¡± Shroud replied.


    ¡°I know, but¡­ look, nerd, I¡¯m not the healthiest person around. Like, I¡¯m pretty fucked up in the head, and even I know closing it off just makes it worse.¡±


    ¡°Leave her,¡± Mur replied. ¡°She¡¯s strong. Mur too was always alone to struggle, and it made him strong. Everyone can only rely on themselves in the end.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s pretty cynical,¡± Shroud pointed out.


    ¡°If you believe loneliness makes you stronger, which is wrong, why are you part of a group?¡± Sol asked the hard question.


    The imp blinked, glanced down at his tiny feet, then stared back at Sol. ¡°Mur wants to learn to learn.¡±


    The way he said it, it sounded like the sentence someone else told him before. The imp elaborated when the priest¡¯s eyebrows furrowed. ¡°Mur knows being alone made him strong. But he must learn how a group can make Mur strong. Because strength is all that matters.¡±


    ¡°Mur¡ª¡±


    ¡°Enough mushy-mushy,¡± Mur cut off Shroud, ¡°More wine for Mur! And squishie Maggie!¡±


    ¡°Drinking contest?¡± she asked with a smirk.


    ¡°Contest!¡±


    Shroud sent one last glance at Kari, before deciding that giving her some time to reflect was the best thing he could do for her right now. As a private person, he thought it wiser to wait until he found her more receptive.


    ¡°Bring it,¡± he told his teammates.


    The drink wasn¡¯t that strong, and at worst, he could use the Purge spell. Nothing to be worried about.


    ¡­


    ...


    Ugh¡­


    Shroud struggled to open his eyes, the dim lighting of the Palace of Shadows making it somewhat easier. He found a few things on the blanket.


    The holo-crystal.


    The red banner from the casino, which he had savaged with sharp blades.


    A basket containing a closed bottle full of some strange black liquid, a red ruby the size of his fist, and a beautiful, purple ice cup.


    A glass figurine of himself making a strange, ridiculous pose atop a steam roller.


    A plush figurine of Mammon. Horribly savaged.


    And Kari, reading a book in his chair, was waiting for him to wake up.


    ¡°We didn¡¯t¡­¡± he asked tentatively, before realizing he was still in his glass armor.


    ¡°No,¡± she replied with a flat tone. ¡°Shroud-san?¡±


    ¡°Yes?¡±


    ¡°What is ¡®Za Warudo¡¯?¡±


    ¡°Za Warudo?¡± he repeated, casting the Purge spell on himself to get rid of the nausea.


    ¡°Useless, useless, useless, wry, a road roller for you¡­ you kept calling Sol-san ¡®Joseph¡¯ for some reason. You seemed to be relieving an old memory. A violent one.¡± Apparently, it had bugged her enough to wait for him to wake up, just to ask.


    ¡°... Yes, a childhood memory.¡±


    Dio Brando. He quoted Dio Brando the entire evening. He had watched so much anime, it had polluted his entire subconscious.


    Maybe Maggie had a point. He was the worst case of nerd-dork hybrid.


    ¡°Don¡¯t tell me you were worried?¡±


    ¡°A bit.¡±


    Enough to watch him sleep, apparently. ¡°You¡¯re feeling better?¡± he left unsaid. Even with sorcery buffing him he felt sore inside.


    She gave him a sharp nod. ¡°Thanks.¡±


    ¡°For what?¡±


    ¡°Not asking questions yesterday. I appreciate you respecting my privacy. I don¡¯t like explaining.¡±


    Or interacting with others too much. ¡°It¡¯s fine. You will tell us when it¡¯s the right time. Same deal as with Mur though.¡±


    ¡°I understand. Still,¡± she said, closing her book, ¡°I¡¯m not¡­ calibrated. Socially. Not like you.¡±


    Shroud laughed. ¡°You should have seen me before Network. I mean, you know my friendship with the Werners started when I challenged Ulysses to a battle without warning?¡±


    She replied with a thin smile, brief but true.


    Side-Quest: Get Smashed, fulfilled!


    Network Upgrade (?).


    Network has taken the path of Synergize, of teamwork over power.


    ¡°Shroud-san?¡±


    ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re never touching alcohol again.¡±


    Players Stats


    AccountDragonslayers Guild ModeratorNameShroudNetworkProgressHolderMathias MartelBroadcastUnlockedLevel2 (Adept)Grant SpellUnlockedAffinityBlueSynergize: Locked(2/3)LockNetworkLocked Feature(0/7)Spellcoins9Overlock(0/1)Stored Saves4Save?Load?Spell CompendiumNameDotAffinityPremium Thoughts1BlueBabel1BluePurge1GreenHeal2GreenGlass Field2Orange/BlueLightbringer2Red/OrangeMad World2Blue/GreenAccountDragonslayers GuildNameYoshikageOversoulProgressHolderKari MatsumotoRememberUnlockedLevel2 (Adept)Channel SoulUnlockedAffinityYellowLocked Feature(0/3)LockOversoulLocked Feature(0/7)Spellcoins10Overlock(0/1)Spell CompendiumNameDotAffinityBabel1BlueWallcraw1GreenPeak1GreenNeedless1GreenWard1YellowDoom Sense1YellowSpiritsight1YellowKiller Sense2Yellow/VioletAccountDragonslayers GuildNameSharpshootSpellgunProgressHolderMaggie Jesse PowellsCrimson BulletUnlockedLevel1 (Novice)Locked Feature(0/1)AffinityRedLocked Feature(0/3)LockSpellgunLocked Feature(0/7)Spellcoins1Overlock(0/1)Spell CompendiumNameDotAffinityStockmight1RedBiosurge1RedBabel1BluePeak1GreenBullseye2Violet/BlueAccountDragonslayers GuildNameSolAegisProgressHolderSolomon NicholaeSpell MartyrUnlockedLevel1 (Novice)Locked Feature(0/1)AffinityWhiteLocked Feature(0/3)LockAegisLocked Feature(0/7)Spellcoins6Overlock(0/1)Spell CompendiumNameDotAffinityPeak1GreenNeedless1GreenBabel1BlueQuasar1RedReinforce1OrangeAccountDragonslayers GuildNameThe Mur!AdamantProgressHolderMurmur the ImpHarderUnlockedLevel1 (Novice)Locked Feature(0/1)AffinityOrangeLocked Feature(0/3)LockAdamantLocked Feature(0/7)Spellcoins11Overlock(0/1)Spell CompendiumNameDotAffinityReinforce1OrangeDiceweight1OrangeBerserk1GreenHeatriser1Red


    Spell of the Day


    Doorway


    Affinity: Violet


    Dot: 2


    Price: 6-10


    Activation: Active, Direct Touch Vector.


    The spellcaster marks a conceptual doorway (such as a door, archway, crossroad, or threshold) with a touch; when touching a second conceptual doorway, those two locations are linked, allowing one to teleport to the other by crossing them. Both doorways must be within ten kilometers of each other, and the effect dissipates after three days. WARNING: there is a one-in-five million chance that the person is sent to Pandoria instead of target location.

 Chapter 35: Meet the Medic

    ¡°Mathias, I am sorry to say this,¡± Solomon declared, finally finding the courage to breach the important subject. ¡°But it would be better for everyone if you did not touch alcohol again.¡±


    ¡°Kari already beat you to it, thank you,¡± Shroud grumbled.


    ¡°Ignore them, Shroud,¡± Mur replied, ¡°Mur found you a funny drinking buddy, would try again anytime. Although Mur didn¡¯t understand half of what you said.¡±


    ¡°I can¡¯t remember,¡± Maggie said, slightly disappointed. ¡°I lost consciousness after you broke that guy¡¯s fingers for cheating at cards. You¡¯re fucking violent, man.¡±


    ¡°Why didn¡¯t you cast the Heal spell on me?¡± Shroud asked, annoyed.


    ¡°You didn¡¯t let us could get in range,¡± Kari said. ¡°You are surprisingly fast and dangerous when drunk.¡±


    The sorcerer brushed off the matter to focus on the rusted building in front of them. Doctor Stitch¡¯s clinic towered at three sprawling stories tall, its wooden double doors darkened by age. The narrow, steel-meshed windows let out some sparse light at ground level, while the rest of the place appeared dark. It smelled of rot and chemicals. S§×arch* The N??elFir§×.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    The surrounded area felt just as ominous, surrounding the group with falling iron buildings, half of them ready to collapse. Enormous bats and alien, furry vermins the human couldn¡¯t identify had made their lair in them; only his lightshards and Sol¡¯s own Quasar light provided a measure of light.


    Even in his new, improved glass armor, and surrounded by his fully-armed team, Shroud didn¡¯t feel safe.


    ¡°Shroud-san, we are in danger,¡± Kari said.


    ¡°I know, Kari.¡± The more they stayed in the Underside, the more it creeped him out. The place¡¯s silence weighed heavily no matter where they went, alongside the distinct impression of pervasive tension.


    ¡°I purchased Doom Sense again,¡± she said. ¡°I feel danger.¡±


    ¡°How close?¡± Shroud asked, immediately on guard.


    ¡°Diffuse. But intense.¡±


    Like the day Jack destroyed his life. ¡°So it¡¯s not from the clinic nor immediate, but close.¡±


    ¡°Closer.¡±


    Shit. Mammon? Someone else? ¡°We will summon a door to the Palace of Shadows as soon as we are done,¡± Shroud said, turning to the rest of the group. ¡°Cast magical buffs if you have them, and stay grouped.¡±


    ¡°Sure,,¡± Maggie replied, both hands on her holsters. Shroud dispersed a few lightshards as far as his range could allow in the surrounding area, to intercept intruders. Sol covered their rear, firmly wielding both his sword and shield.


    ¡°Stop being pussies,¡± Mur replied, hopping towards the door and knocking on it. ¡°Stitch! Clients!¡±


    It took a few moments before Shroud heard the sound of the door unlocking, the owner opening them. ¡°Mur,¡± a hollow, cavernous voice echoed as the owner stepped out to welcome them. ¡°So good to see a returning customer, and I see you brought me more test subjects.¡±


    As it turned out, the doctor had died long ago. It hadn¡¯t stopped him.


    A tall, gaunt, and lanky figure, the withered, shambling corpse before them moved with an odd, aristocratic grace. Grey, half-rotten flesh sparsely covered its ancient bones; while the figure had a humanoid shape, the body proportions differed from humans, standing a head taller than Sol in full armor, with longer arms than legs, and the shadow of leaf-shaped ears. Cold lights flickered in his empty eye sockets, and sweet perfume covered the scent of rot that followed him. The corpse wore a heavy black leather coat, blood-soaked gloves, and a strange triangular hat.


    ¡°Doctor Nathaniel Stitch?¡± Shroud asked to be certain.


    ¡°Himself,¡± the creature replied with a courtly bow. How the undead could speak without lungs, Shroud had no idea. ¡°Welcome to my house, please come in freely.¡±


    ¡°You are an undead.¡± Kari seemed very disturbed by the revelation, tensing up; Sol too had visibly tensed. ¡°A corpse.¡±


    ¡°A wight,¡± Stitch corrected her. ¡°The world is so full of secrets to discover, I could not let death get in the way of my curiosity.¡±


    ¡°Were you¡ª¡± Shroud began, leaving his sentence hanging.


    ¡°Human?¡± It seemed to amuse him. ¡°Oh, no, never human. I lived as a Svartian Elf before the Arcadians exterminated my species during one of their Grand Hunts. Ah, it goes so far back, my mortal life seems little more than a blurred dream. But please, come in. We can continue this conversation while sitting.¡±


    The group exchanged gazes before Mur grumbled and walked inside. Shroud and the rest followed, Stitch closing the door behind them.


    Stitch led them through a vestibule and a shadowy hall, and finally, into a dimly lit, white morgue. Multiple containers laid embedded in the walls, near three operation tables and chairs; only two windows made the place seem less oppressive, their glass entering Shroud¡¯s range and giving him a view of the area outside.


    The corpse of a reptilian humanoid lay on an operation table, its chest opened and its organs exposed, surgical tools laid next to it. Clearly, they had interrupted the doctor in the middle of a dissection. Maggie put a hand on her mask, visibly ready to throw up.


    ¡°Nice catch,¡± Mur said, hopping on an unoccupied operation table like a perverse squirrel. ¡°Where did you get it?¡±


    ¡°He sold me his corpse while alive,¡± the doctor said, putting the dead flesh back in a container after noticing the rest of the group¡¯s unease. ¡°For science.¡±


    Shroud glanced at Maggie and Sol; the first moved towards the windows, while Sol kept watch over the main entrance. ¡°Do you expect trouble?¡± Stitch asked as he offered the rest of the group chairs before sitting him. ¡°I must warn you that I will not tolerate trouble inside my establishment.¡±


    ¡°Just security,¡± Shroud replied, sitting next to Kari.


    ¡°Bounties,¡± Mur clarified.


    ¡°Ah. I do not keep up with the news, and I do not ask questions.¡± The doctor seemed more interested in Mur¡¯s current state than where the group came from. ¡°What happened? Did my tail fail you?¡±


    ¡°Mur fought a good fight and lost his previous skin. Your enhancement served him well.¡±


    ¡°And you have come to get a new one? I could graft it. I have been considering a new necrocraft design.¡±


    ¡°Is this what you sell?¡± Shroud asked. ¡°Body upgrades?¡±


    ¡°Sell?¡± He sounded downright insulted. ¡°I do not sell anything. As an undead, I have very little needs and I am independently wealthy.¡±


    Network worked on the undead. Good. ¡°Then, if it is not greed that drives you, what does? Curiosity, as you said?¡±


    ¡°Curiosity, and morality,¡± the wight replied. ¡°For my so-called ¡®clients,¡¯ improving them is payment in itself. By testing new procedures and transplants on them, I can push the boundary of my knowledge and improve their life.¡±


    ¡°He also tests out defects on us,¡± Mur grumbled.


    ¡°With their consent,¡± Stitch defended himself. ¡°I have strong ethics.¡±


    Shroud thought.


    ¡°He is good, though,¡± Mur said. ¡°Very good. The doctor can rebuild you from head to toe, given enough time.¡±


    ¡°Physical perfection is more than a dream, it is a moral obligation,¡± Stitch continued with a cold, dead kind of enthusiasm, ¡°For what separates the sick from the healthy, than a doctor¡¯s perseverance?¡±


    While clearly lacking in restraint, having a field surgeon that did not rely on the Heal spell could be a boon to the group. Shroud gave him a point for that. ¡°But enough of me,¡± Stitch said. ¡°What can I do for you?¡±


    ¡°We are the Dragonslayers,¡± Shroud said. ¡°A resistance movement from Earth.¡±


    ¡°Earth?¡±


    ¡°Some mud ball colonized by Concordia,¡± Mur clarified, drawing a few glares.


    ¡°Ah, alright. You wish to free your homeworld from the dragon authority? I reassure you that your intentions are none of my concern. I do not take sides. I will happily graft weapons on any of you. I could add a fire gullet to your girlfriend if she wishes.¡±


    Mur snickered, while Kari remained impassible, lost in her thoughts. ¡°But you will not hesitate to do the same for Concordians,¡± Shroud pointed out, ignoring the imp.


    ¡°My only loyalty is to knowledge itself,¡± Stitch replied.


    Point subtracted. Or was it? ¡°What do you think of sorcerers?¡±


    ¡°I owe my current happy condition to one. To my shame, I admit I have yet to figure out how they work.¡±


    ¡°What if you could cast spells?¡±


    Stitch let out a sound which the sorcerer took for a low chuckle. ¡°That would be a dream come true. What I could learn, the bounds I could push¡­ I would only be limited by my creativity.¡±


    ¡°Alas, if I had the gift it would have awakened centuries ago,¡± the wight said with sorrow, giving Shroud an opening.


    ¡°What if we could help you with this?¡±


    This drew the good doctor¡¯s interest. ¡°Impossible,¡± Stitch replied. ¡°No one can create sorcerers. Or at least, not that I know.¡±


    ¡°We can potentially give you magical abilities,¡± Shroud remained evasive, before specifying in a way that would guarantee maximum interest. ¡°Green ones.¡±


    The wight¡¯s empty eye sockets looked at Shroud straight in his own eyes. ¡°Why are you here? Certainly not for enhancements.¡±


    ¡°I was considering a more permanent form of employment,¡± Shroud said. ¡°We are looking to widen our organization, and a field surgeon would be a welcome addition to our forces.¡±


    ¡°Speak for yourself nerd,¡± Maggie said. ¡°No way I¡¯m letting that creep cut me open.¡±


    ¡°You are a Sorcerer Rainbow,¡± Stitch guessed, not looking at the rest of the group before focusing on Mur. ¡°Mur?¡±


    The imp smirked. ¡°Reinforce,¡± he said, bathing the operation table in an orange glow.


    The undead watched the scene with rapt interest. Since Stitch truly had had Mur as a client before, then he knew the imp hadn¡¯t been a sorcerer. ¡°How?¡± he asked Shroud.


    ¡°My Lock allows me to license my spells,¡± Shroud said, careful not to mention Magik yet. They would need to vet that doctor first.


    ¡°I am listening,¡± the wight said, no longer able to hide his curiosity.


    Now that he had the fish hooked, Shroud held on to it. ¡°What is the most important thing when it comes to choosing someone, Doctor Stitch?¡±


    ¡°Skill?¡± Stitch guessed.


    ¡°No,¡± Shroud responded. ¡°Trust. Skill and bravery are good, but an organization like ours cannot work without loyalty.¡±


    ¡°Like the mafia,¡± Maggie said in the background. ¡°Sol even looks like the Godfather.¡±


    ¡°I am not comfortable with that reference,¡± Sol replied.


    ¡°Whatever,¡± Shroud said, his focus on Stitch alone. ¡°While I have no doubt about your skills, I need to see if we can rely on you. Especially since you have no personal stake in the matter.¡±


    ¡°I understand perfectly,¡± Stitch replied. ¡°I am a very simple undead. If you truly have the power to grant me sorcerous powers¡­ then so long as I can keep experimenting, gather knowledge, and test the limits of this magic, then I will happily lend you my exclusive services. We can even sign a Soul Contract if needed.¡±


    Shroud guessed he meant the Yellow spell Contracting, which he had seen. ¡°Is that the usual around here?¡±


    ¡°For important matters, yes.¡±


    Shroud doubted it would be necessary, or useful. Contracts, even magical ones, could be broken. Subtler bonds, carrots and sticks, that would ensure cooperation even without direct supervision.


    Stitch¡¯s carrot was the opportunity to further his knowledge, to hold the promises offered by sorcery. His stick was losing access to it. While the driving reason differed, much like Mur, Stitch would probably behave to keep access to Magik Online.


    ¡°That will not be necessary,¡± Shroud decided. ¡°You will have to agree to other rules to maintain your powers, but no need for additional contracts.¡±


    ¡°I see. If this can reassure you, as an undead being, there is little that can tempt me. I do not feel desire, and neither do I feel fear. I am no biophiliac and the pleasures of the flesh do not interest me. I also do not judge others, and so am not judged.¡±


    Pragmatic, laid-back, and focused. Amoral enough to go along with Mur and Maggie, amiable enough to reach to Kari and Sol, and a voice of reason able to temper the group¡¯s conflicts without taking sides. ¡°What can you bring on the table, Doc?¡± Mur interrupted.


    ¡°While I have an estate, steady funds, and contacts, my greatest treasure is my knowledge,¡± Stitch replied, ¡°Besides biological, cybernetic, and necromantic sciences, I am well-educated as only an immortal can be. I can reasonably defend myself in a fight, especially with knives, although I must admit I have no formal combat training. And of course, if I sign with your group exclusively, I will assign my biological stockpile to your exclusive use.¡±


    ¡°Good,¡± Shroud said. ¡°Now tell us why we shouldn¡¯t hire you.¡±


    Stitch seemed amused by the question. ¡°My potential for crude violence is limited. I am a healer, not a warrior, and my aim is atrocious. I am, however, very difficult to put down permanently. I may save lives but it is doubtful I can take some.¡±


    Sorcery would help cover that. ¡°What do you guys think?¡± Shroud asked, although he had already made his decision.


    ¡°Mur votes yes. Free healing and grafts.¡±


    ¡°As long as I don¡¯t get experimented on, I¡¯m fine, nerd.¡±


    ¡°I admit fighting with a corpse does disturb me a little,¡± Sol said. ¡°However¡­ he seems without greed or pride, nor any ill-feeling. If he is reliable, then I will keep an open mind.¡±


    ¡°I trust your judgment, Mathias-san,¡± Kari replied. ¡°But we do not have much time. Closer.¡±


    Shroud nodded. ¡°Very well,¡± he said, deciding to accelerate the interview, ¡°If you accept, in exchange for magical gifts, you will fight exclusively for the Dragonslayers, and for the freedom of our homeworld. Our secrets will remain between us, and no breach will be tolerated. No compromise can be made with Concordia or those who stand by it. Is that alright with you?¡±


    Stitch nodded slowly, Shroud putting an arm on his cold shoulder and feeling the jolt of Network activate. He then quickly assigned him the Heal spell. ¡°You should be able to heal on touch now,¡± Shroud told him.


    ¡°I felt your power.¡± Shroud guessed as an undead, Stitch was more attuned to sorcery. ¡°A pleasure to serve under you, sir¡­¡±


    ¡°Shroud,¡± the sorcerer replied as he rose up, before pointing at the other members. ¡°Yoshikage, Sharpshoot, and Sol. Welcome to the Dragonslayers.¡±


    ¡°Mur will show you the ropes,¡± the imp told the doctor. ¡°If you graft me a new stoneskin.¡±


    ¡°Agreed,¡± Stitch said with chilling enthusiasm.


    While the two discussed how to cast spells, Shroud¡¯s glass sent him vivid images of two shapes outside the clinic.


    One was a black werewolf, even bigger than Kresnik; this one didn¡¯t bother to dress, instead having replaced his left arm with a mechanized one. The other was a bloodied mummy of some kind, clad in bandages with sharp iron spikes protruding from his flesh.


    The two figures stayed outside, hiding near a steel building. Waiting.


    ¡°Nerd¡­¡± Maggie said, grabbing her guns.


    ¡°I saw,¡± Shroud replied. ¡°You can hit them from here?¡±


    ¡°Yup, if you open the windows.¡±


    ¡°Who would defy Mur?¡± the imp said, itching for a fight. Mammon¡¯s humiliation had made him eager for violence.


    ¡°Some sort of bloody pincushion and a werewolf bigger than Kresnik with a metal arm.¡±


    ¡°Storck and Lyber,¡± Stitch identified them. ¡°Customers of mine.¡±


    ¡°Bounty hunters,¡± Mur said, then added with disgust. ¡°They work for the sadism almost as much as the money. Must be after our bounty.¡±


    Fuck Concordia. ¡°Do we retreat?¡± Sol asked while Kari activated Oversoul, and Stitch grabbed scalpels among his instruments. They could still open the path to the Palace of Shadows if needed.


    ¡°They haven¡¯t realized we noticed them yet, and it seems they intend to ambush us after we exit the building,¡± Shroud said. ¡°You told us we should not let enemies pick our fights. I say we have surprise on our side for this one.¡±


    ¡°Storck is a vampire and vulnerable to sunlight,¡± Mur told Shroud. ¡°You and the old man can create it, no?¡±


    ¡°I have a silver scalpel for the wolf if needed,¡± Stitch said, having zero remorse about fighting a former client. ¡°I doubt I will be able to use it myself. I also have an experimental safety blanket in my vault below.¡±


    Somehow, he made safety sound dangerous. ¡°Then Sol, Maggie, and I will focus on the vampire, the rest of you take the werewolf,¡± Shroud said. ¡°Kari, take the scalpel. Doc, you get your safety blanket and you risk yourself only to heal our injured. Consider this your field test.¡±


    ¡°Agreed,¡± he said with a jaded voice.


    Then, Shroud launched the attack with a blast, shattering the windows.


    Maggie fired bullets with both guns, one charged with Red Flux at Storck¡¯s head, the other normal. The werewolf, showing surprising reflexes, shielded his partner¡¯s head with his metal arm, deflecting it; the other bullet ricocheted on the nearby building, hitting the bandaged humanoid right in the spine.


    ¡°Nice shot!¡± Shroud complimented Maggie, flying out of the building with Sol in tow. No wonder she hadn¡¯t charged her bullet, or else it would have pierced through the building.


    ¡°Can I change my nickname to little goddess of guns?¡± the girl replied, jumping out of the window and into the street. Kari and Mur soon followed, while Stitch, less athletic, simply decided to go through the main entrance.


    ¡°Lyber, Lyber, what¡¯s going on?¡± the bloody pincushion complained. ¡°I can¡¯t feel my legs anymore.¡±


    ¡°I think the bullet broke your spine, Storck.¡±


    ¡°Aw, that human bitch, I was going to jog next morning!¡± Storck¡¯s body started levitating, his legs hanging on like dead meat. ¡°Good thing I can fly.¡±


    Channeling Lightbringer through his lightshards, Shroud fired a few light projectiles at the duo, aiming specifically for Storck. The vampire, flying with speeds that would rival an eagle, dodged around, while the werewolf took them head-on; the beams burned the fur without searing the flesh beneath. Sol flew after Storck to intercept him, channeling Quasar around his blade. Maggie began to channel Biosurge through her guns, coating her weapons with lightning.


    ¡°Hello, hello, good evening, this is Lyber, and this is my partner Storck,¡± the werewolf said with a roar, noticing Mur and Kari and lunging at them, ¡°We are here to violently murder you, but do not mind us.¡±


    ¡°Nothing personal,¡± the other said, bats exiting the nearby building to gather around him in a massive swarm. The vampire vanished behind a shroud of vermin, Maggie¡¯s lightning bullets vaporizing the poor bats. ¡°We are doing this in the name of love.¡±


    ¡°Love?¡± the werewolf responded, surprised, as he failed to smash Mur with his metal hand, the blow going through the steel pavement.


    ¡°Yes, Lyber Lyber. Our love,¡± A bat swarm moving towards the Dragonslayers, ¡°of money!¡±


    Shroud created a dome of light around him and Maggie, the bats crashing against it like bird shit against a windshield. Sol himself ignored them to chase after Storck, while Mur jumped on Lyber¡¯s back to claw at it. The imp was already growing metal plates.


    Moving with her usual amazing speed and lethal precision, Kari closed the gap between her and the werewolf, slashing below the neck with the silver scalpel. She narrowly missed the artery as Lyber jumped back, but the scalpel cut through the flesh like butter.


    A Magik Online notification suddenly popped up right before his eyes without warning.


    Quest: The Night of the Hunters, started.


    Difficulty: Dot Three.


    Sender: LoveOrion


    The sacred hunt has begun under pale stars; prey becomes predator, and predator becomes prey. Nothing pleases me more than this fair struggle. Survive the night with all Dragonslayers alive, and you shall be duly rewarded.


    Rewards: Twelve Spellcoins for each Dragonslayer.


    Bonus: Kill all of the five hunters (reward: Celestial Bow and Arrows).


    Failure: one of the Dragonslayer dies.


    Five?


    A new challenger soon joined the fight, partially answering his question.


    Space above the clinic ripped in half with violet light, a gate across dimensions widening. A monstrous hound stepped out of the rift and on the roof, its eyes glowing with purple light; a golden humanoid rode on its back, carrying a long silver spear.


    ¡°Lugh,¡± Shroud said upon recognizing the rider, dispelling the dome so Maggie could keep firing back at Storck without interference. ¡°You are here for the bounty, too?¡±


    Lugh¡¯s face morphed into a regal, lion-like grin. ¡°There is a bounty on your head?¡±


    He didn¡¯t know? ¡°Then why are you here?¡±


    ¡°It is not why I am here that you should ask.¡± The hunter raised his spear, aiming for Shroud. ¡°It is, why not?¡±


    Firing his weapon with superhuman strength, Lugh sent the spear flying at Shroud so fast, his eyes almost couldn¡¯t follow. Thankfully, he flew out of the way.


    Then the spear switched directions at the last moment.


    Before Shroud could react, it hit him right in the chest, started piercing his armor, and tried to reach for his heart.


    Players Stats


    AccountDragonslayers Guild ModeratorNameShroudNetworkProgressHolderMathias MartelBroadcastUnlockedLevel2 (Adept)Grant SpellUnlockedAffinityBlueSynergize: Locked(2/3)LockNetworkLocked Feature(0/7)Spellcoins9Overlock(0/1)Stored Saves4Save?Load?Spell CompendiumNameDotAffinityPremium Thoughts1BlueBabel1BluePurge1GreenHeal2GreenGlass Field2Orange/BlueLightbringer2Red/OrangeMad World2Blue/GreenAccountDragonslayers GuildNameYoshikageOversoulProgressHolderKari MatsumotoRememberUnlockedLevel2 (Adept)Channel SoulUnlockedAffinityYellowLocked Feature(0/3)LockOversoulLocked Feature(0/7)Spellcoins10Overlock(0/1)Spell CompendiumNameDotAffinityBabel1BlueWallcraw1GreenPeak1GreenNeedless1GreenWard1YellowDoom Sense1YellowSpiritsight1YellowKiller Sense2Yellow/VioletAccountDragonslayers GuildNameSharpshootSpellgunProgressHolderMaggie Jesse PowellsCrimson BulletUnlockedLevel1 (Novice)Locked Feature(0/1)AffinityRedLocked Feature(0/3)LockSpellgunLocked Feature(0/7)Spellcoins1Overlock(0/1)Spell CompendiumNameDotAffinityStockmight1RedBiosurge1RedBabel1BluePeak1GreenBullseye2Violet/BlueAccountDragonslayers GuildNameSolAegisProgressHolderSolomon NicholaeSpell MartyrUnlockedLevel1 (Novice)Locked Feature(0/1)AffinityWhiteLocked Feature(0/3)LockAegisLocked Feature(0/7)Spellcoins6Overlock(0/1)Spell CompendiumNameDotAffinityPeak1GreenNeedless1GreenBabel1BlueQuasar1RedReinforce1OrangeAccountDragonslayers GuildNameThe Mur!AdamantProgressHolderMurmur the ImpHarderUnlockedLevel1 (Novice)Locked Feature(0/1)AffinityOrangeLocked Feature(0/3)LockAdamantLocked Feature(0/7)Spellcoins11Overlock(0/1)Spell CompendiumNameDotAffinityReinforce1OrangeDiceweight1OrangeBerserk1GreenHeatriser1Red


    Spell of the Day


    Doppelganger


    Affinity: Blue


    Dot: 2


    Price: 6-10


    Activation: Active, Thought.


    The caster creates a perfect, free-willed quantum duplicate of themselves. The Doppelganger appears as a blue-colored phantom, which will dissipate if suffering lethal wound or upon death of the original; upon destruction, the original gains all of the Doppelganger¡¯s memories. The Doppelganger cannot cast spells nor use a Lock, but benefits from all effects affecting the caster upon creation (such as Peak or Premium Thoughts). The caster can only have one Doppelganger active, and harmful effects affecting it will not carry over to the original.

 Chapter 36: Pitch Black

    As the spear threatened to make its way past three layers of solid light and supernaturally dense glass, Shroud wondered how things had gotten out of hand so quickly. Even holding the spear with both hands, he couldn¡¯t match the invisible force moving it.


    The spear¡¯s pressure pushed him against the nearest wall of Stitch¡¯s institute, trapping him between the steel and the drilling weapon. ¡°Mathias!¡± Sol fell down from the skies to help, as he once did against Kresnik.


    However, turning his back on Storck turned out to be a mistake, the vampire exiting his bat swarm to tackle him in the back with inhuman strength. The flying knight crashed to the ground, where Lyber kept engaging the rest of the group. Before Sol could pull himself back up, the werewolf lunged at him, smashing his helmet against the pavement with a sickening sound.


    As he raised his metal hand for a brutal coup de grace, Maggie shot the beast in the arm with a lightning bullet, while Kari jumped on his back to stab him with his silver scalpel. Lyber let out a growl, abandoning Sol to try to toss her off him. Mur, meanwhile, still struggled with Storck¡¯s bat swarm, keeping the imp isolated.


    Lugh didn¡¯t even spare them a glance, his impassioned eyes set on only Shroud. ¡°If my prey has a heart, Gae Bolg will pierce it, always,¡± the Reaver said. ¡°This is more than sorcery, sapiens. This is destiny.¡±


    Shroud would have answered with a clever retort, had he not been furiously trying to save his own life.


    Kari, who had noticed his plight, leaped off Lyber and ran alongside the surface of Stitch¡¯s building, quickly reaching the roof. Her body surrounded by Oversoul¡¯s bright aura as she attempted to claw at Lugh.


    Its eyes shining with a violet hue, Lugh¡¯s hound let out a howl and moved; space itself twisted around the beast and its rider, and the two shifted position on the other end of the roof, away from Kari¡¯s strike.


    Before the hunter could retaliate, Storck¡¯s bat swarm fell upon the roof, targeting all fighters present. While Kari sliced them one after the other with her ethereal claws, Lugh simply ignored them, but they successfully scratched the giant hound¡¯s tough hide.


    ¡°Fuck off, Lugh!¡± a flying Storck said, as he oversaw the duel from above. More vermin emerged from the nearby buildings to swarm the battlefield. Rats, alien centipedes, and other chitinous critters Shroud had never seen on Earth; a few climbed out of Stitch¡¯s broken windows to crawl to the roof, and towards Lugh. ¡°We saw them first!¡±


    ¡°Filthy undead, how dare you let your measly greed interfere with Lugh¡¯s sacred hunt?!¡± the hunter sneered at the vampire like a nobleman looking down on stinking dog shit.


    ¡°How dare you let your stupid hunt get in the way of our greed?!¡±


    Shroud felt the pressure of his approaching death vanish, the spear flying away after piercing through half of his defensive layers. ¡°Fine,¡± Lugh said, as Gae Bolg returned to his hand. ¡°Lugh will hunt all of you tonight. A werewolf¡¯s hide should be worth one hundred points at least.¡±


    Having his hound twist space again, Lugh and his mount moved through the air like a fish through water; now that he could observe it more closely, Shroud realized this wasn¡¯t teleportation, not really. Lugh¡¯s hound simply reduced the space between two points, like a shortcut, allowing them both to move between them at great speed.


    The hunter appeared right above Storck, his spear piercing the vampire through. Or it would have, had Storck not turned into a bloody, crimson mist at the last second.


    On the ground, the flood of vermin crawled towards the fighters, a tide of flesh and claws. Sol, still clearly groggy from his previous beatdown, cast a Heal spell on himself before standing back to his feet. Opening his wings and channeling the faint light around with Quasar, he unleashed a bright flash around himself, repelling the vermin flood. ¡°Grab me!¡± he ordered as he flew towards Mur and Maggie, the two grabbing his legs as the knight flew upward, away from the rats and the animals and away from Stitch¡¯s institute. The knight let his allies fall on a nearby roof, safe for now.


    Lyber, ignored by his ally¡¯s swarm, backed off a little, then ran towards the roof and leaped at it with immense strength. The monster landed in front of Maggie, the whole building quaking under the stress of his impact.


    Unfortunately, they had moved so far, they were but a glimpse at the periphery of Shroud¡¯s vision, and out of his range. Now free to move around, and reconstituting his armor where Gae Bolg had pierced through it, the Blue Sorcerer flew back towards an outnumbered Kari, firing light beams around, searing away at bats and rats aplenty.


    The Network flash came from nowhere but stopped him dead in his tracks.


    ¡°What¡¯s happening?¡± Kari said, visibly panicking, as her golden aura receded into nothingness, leaving her to the mercy of the swarm. Shroud flew right behind her, using his lightshards to create a barrier shielding them from the ever-growing swarm. The air seemed to grow frostier by the second, his breath turning into mist.


    Shroud opened his Network feeds to check.


    They had turned identical, someone watching back at him through them all. The blurred picture of a white helmet, similar in design to Sol¡¯s armor; but more streamlined, perfected. The visor shone with bluish light, the shadow of two eyes watching back.


    ¡°So you became a functional Terminal, Mathias.¡± A deep, background echo made the figure''s voice unrecognizable: it did sound strangely pleased.


    ¡°Who the hell are you? And how can you use this channel?¡± Shroud attempted to use Network on that figure, to gather information... Sear?h the n??el Fire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    ¡°Agent Melusine, from the Blue Ministry. Your Lock is called Network, correct? What a fascinating power you have, and you have barely scratched the surface.¡±


    Holy¡­ ¡°Someone is hacking our Locks!¡± Shroud told Kari, as the bats and the other critters kept hammering at his light shield. How could it happen?


    ¡°I told you we should not rely on it,¡± the girl replied, her eyes seemingly looking at an invisible text. She was probably looking into Magik Online¡¯s Compendium for a new offensive option.


    Above them, tired of failing to stab Storck¡¯s mist form with his spear, Lugh eventually lost interest and turned around, his hound space-leaping in Shroud¡¯s direction. Storck¡¯s red mist abandoned them, to join his partner in the fight farther away, but the flood of vermin below continued to climb the walls of Stitch¡¯s institute.


    Hurriedly, Shroud opened the Magik Online browser in search for Beastmaster.


    Magik Online hacking attempt detected!


    ¡°Magik Online?¡± the Concordian said on the other end of his Network feed, astonished. ¡°What is this?¡±


    ¡­ No no no!


    Magik Online hacking attempt, repelled!


    Yes!


    ¡°Manus,¡± the figure said, a note of anger in its voice. ¡°Still up to your old tricks. Do you even know what kind of evil you owe your powers to, Mathias?¡±


    Ignoring that saboteur, Shroud purchased Beastmaster, the spell spreading through him and his glass shards. He could sense every vermin, every bat, every tiny animal. He could sense them the same way he sensed his own limbs, his fingers, his tongue. Each part of a greater whole, an extension of his consciousness.


    Shroud couldn¡¯t see through all of them at once, nor did he have feeds like with Network. The feeling was similar to his own Glass Field, a new sense, unlike anything he had used before. He felt surrounded by noise, with each individual having their own signal, thousands of voices shouting a single thought: eat, eat, eat!


    His own signals subsumed them, an overwhelming song drowning weaker voices and forcing them to follow his tune. He pushed away a weaker song, Storck¡¯s own, his lightshards amplifying his power like antenna.


    The world became his orchestra, and he a maestro of thoughts.


    He couldn¡¯t hear Kari¡¯s signal, but he could sense Lugh approaching; perhaps because the Reaver was a bit too much in touch with his bestial side. He tried to subsume the hunter¡¯s mind, but his own voice stood strong, refusing to be silenced. Lugh¡¯s signal was too strong, too focused on his hunt, too complex for Beastmaster.


    His monstrous hound, however...


    With a mere mental command, Shroud had the dog bite at its master¡¯s ankle. He could feel the diffuse feedback of the teeth unable to pierce the indestructible skin.


    ¡°Failinis?¡± Lugh snarled in surprise as the hound forcefully tossed him off its back and into the swarm below. The hunter splattered vermin with his fall, which soon crawled on him.


    ¡°Kill him,¡± Shroud ordered to all beasts in the vicinity, his command becoming the only thought on their minds. The bats and vermin on the roof left the duo alone, switching targets for Lugh. The giant hound itself teleported onto its former master, intent on devouring him.


    ¡°What happened? Your connection to your Lock grew stronger.¡± Melusine seemed confused. Apparently, the saboteur couldn¡¯t see everything that happened on his end.


    ¡°How can you hijack Network?!¡± Shroud snarled back, this person¡¯s intrusion into his trump card unsettling him on a deep, personal level. Without the Heal spell...


    The Concordian figure on the other side remained silent, Shroud turning to Kari as he dropped his shield, the last of his new minions having fled. ¡°New spell?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m looking,¡± she replied, without explaining herself. ¡°Is Lugh¡ª¡±


    ¡°No,¡± he replied. He could feel members of his thought orchestra die like flies, their voices silenced in mass.


    ¡°¡ªCan¡¯t pierce his skin¡­¡± Shroud stopped his sentence, flying above the roof¡¯s edge, looking down on Lugh tossing away rats and bats with his spear, his own hound circling him.


    Strange. He didn¡¯t remember moving there. Neither did he remember the figure facing Kari¡ª


    Shroud¡¯s head jerked around in confusion.


    Kari had frozen on the spot. Her face had whitened, drained of color. She stood still, trembling in fear, her eyes trapped in an expression of absolute, distilled despair.


    The figure facing her from the other end of the roof was a vision of death.


    A gaunt, tall statue of rusted, black iron in the vague shape of a human skeleton, clad in black, tattered robes. Its face was a ghoulish metal mask, hidden beneath paint of red and black and a Japanese Kasa hat. Its eyes devoured the meager light around them, even Lightbringer unable to pierce the veil of darkness that now surrounded them.


    It smelled of rot and rust; its feet dripped thick black oil with every step. A black aura surrounded it, alongside cold, silent wind.


    ¡°Kari¡­¡± it rasped, its voice echoing with the nauseating echo of a rusting slaughterhouse grinding fresh meat. It moved like a broken puppet, revealing rotten, skinned flesh joined with oily cables at the neck and the joints. ¡°Kari¡­ I¡¯ve found you again¡­¡±


    Just looking at it gave Shroud the chills, made his breath heavier. His whole body, every cell, every bone, recoiled at the sight of that twisted horror.


    He knew, instinctively, that the thing in front of him shouldn¡¯t exist; that he faced an anathema, the antithesis of life itself. Neither dead, nor alive, nor even undead.


    This creature shouldn¡¯t exist.


    ¡°Kari¡­¡± it repeated, advancing menacingly while his target stood completely paralyzed.


    This broke Shroud of his primal dread, or at least enough to focus again. He aimed his lightshards at the newcomer threateningly. ¡°Who are you?¡±


    ¡°Recursion,¡± it answered, the world drowned in darkness.


    Once again, Shroud awoke after an ellipse, his lightshards on the other end of the roof.


    The monster had teleported right next to Kari and started strangling her. Choking her windpipes with gaunt, iron fingers. His friend didn¡¯t even struggle, still frozen.


    Reacting quickly, Shroud impaled the horror through the chest with multiple lightswords, forcing it to release its hold and pushing it away.


    He sensed his own magic quickly leave his shards, drawn into the horror¡¯s black aura. They decayed into inert glass before they could toss the monster off the roof. The shock still made it fall, laying on the ground like a mangled doll.


    ¡°Yoshikage? Kari?¡± Shroud tried to shake his friend out of her trance by holding her shoulders with his hands, to no avail. ¡°Kari, what the hell is going on?¡±


    ¡°U¡­¡± Her voice died in her sore throat, a mere whisper. ¡°Uncle¡­¡±


    A Magik Online message suddenly popped up at the edge of his vision.


    Side Quest: One for All, updated!


    Difficulty: Dot Three


    Sender: Administrator


    A good team leader puts his men first, for his strength is that of the group. One rises only by lifting others up. Help Yoshikage fulfill her side quest.


    Help her send her uncle Toshiyami to his final death.


    Reward: Network Synergize Upgrade (3/3)


    Failure: Final Death of Kari Matsumoto


    ¡°Toshiyami?¡± Shroud spoke out loud.


    This shook Kari out of her frozen expression, but not in the way he had wanted. Instead, she began to struggle for breath, trembling and holding her chest.


    Kari Matsumoto, the stoic badass that fought a dragon at his side, was having a nasty panic attack.


    ¡°Kari, Kari, get your act together,¡± Shroud tried to shake her out of¡­ out of whatever PTSD event went through , and failed. As the horror began to rise back up, to its feet, he shielded his despondent friend with his body, prepared to stand his ground. ¡°Kari, any idea how we can beat this thing?¡±


    Damn. He could open a gateway to the Palace of Shadows to evacuate with Kari, but that meant leaving the rest of the team stranded; and that creature may follow them even there.


    ¡°He¡¯s glitching time,¡± Melusine answered through the Network feed. It sounded as disturbed as Shroud himself. ¡°Recursion, Dot Three. It corrodes the space-time continuum around the user for a short time, erasing the present for a few seconds.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re joking, right?¡± Shroud replied.


    ¡°No,¡± Melusine replied. ¡°You acted during the timespan, but you do not remember it. He can, and it allows him to adjust his actions.¡±


    Shroud took a long, deep breath, and then voiced what he already suspected. ¡°Violet powers are bullshit!¡±


    ¡°This is not Violet, Mathias. This is¡­¡±


    The monster rose back, a long sword of black energy manifesting around his left hand.


    ¡°This is Black. The color of entropy and paradox.¡±


    An eighth color? ¡°How can I counter it?¡±


    ¡°You can¡¯t, but it is very Flux-taxing. Meaning it cannot use it all the time or else it will fail to sustain itself. This seems to be a recent Pandorian and starved, so its reserves must be relatively low.¡±


    Shroud didn¡¯t understand half of what she said, but he understood enough. If the monster ran on a limited juice, he had to turn it into a battle of attrition. ¡°If I redirect the swarm¡ª¡±


    ¡°No, Mathias, that is a bad idea,¡° Melusine said. ¡°It can drain Flux on contact. Animals will recharge it. Your glass and light weapons will inflict more damage than what it can absorb.¡±


    ¡°Why are you telling me this?¡± he asked, suspicious. With it disabling Network, he couldn¡¯t assess its intentions.


    ¡°I don¡¯t want you to die,¡± the agent replied. ¡°You would better run away.¡±


    No. Kari couldn¡¯t move, refused to. With Network disabled, he couldn¡¯t contact the rest of his team either, if they had even managed to fend off Storck and Lyber. He was on his own.


    Besides, he was done running away from bastards like this after Mammon. ¡°Did she tell you?¡± the horror rasped, swinging his blade of darkness. ¡°How she let me die?¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry, I will finish the job,¡± Shroud responded by launching a volley of lightshards at it.


    ¡°Did she tell you?¡± The shambling monster repeated, his black aura expanding. ¡°Disruption Wave.¡±


    The darkness expanded, turning the shards inert and hitting Shroud like a tide.


    It was like Kresnik¡¯s counterspell, but ten times more painful. Information he couldn¡¯t manage overloaded his brain, and canceled his flight, making him fall next to Kari while holding his skull.


    Then, he saw two words, two words that extinguished his hope and made him fall into despair.


    MAGIK OFFLINE


    Players Stats


    AccountDragonslayers Guild ModeratorNameShroudNetworkProgressHolderMathias MartelBroadcastERRORLevel2 (Adept)Grant SpellERRORAffinityBlueSynergize: LockedERRORLockNetworkLocked FeatureERRORSpellcoinsERROROverlockERRORERRORERRORERRORERRORSpell CompendiumNameDotAffinityERRORERRORERRORAccountDragonslayers GuildNameYoshikageOversoulProgressHolderKari MatsumotoRememberERRORLevel2 (Adept)Channel SoulERRORAffinityYellowLocked FeatureERRORLockOversoulLocked FeatureERRORSpellcoinsERROROverlockERRORSpell CompendiumNameDotAffinityERRORERRORERRORAccountDragonslayers GuildNameSharpshootSpellgunProgressHolderMaggie Jesse PowellsCrimson BulletUnlockedLevel1 (Novice)Locked Feature(0/1)AffinityRedLocked Feature(0/3)LockSpellgunLocked Feature(0/7)Spellcoins1Overlock(0/1)Spell CompendiumNameDotAffinityStockmight1RedBiosurge1RedBabel1BluePeak1GreenBullseye2Violet/BlueAccountDragonslayers GuildNameSolAegisProgressHolderSolomon NicholaeSpell MartyrUnlockedLevel1 (Novice)Locked Feature(0/1)AffinityWhiteLocked Feature(0/3)LockAegisLocked Feature(0/7)Spellcoins6Overlock(0/1)Spell CompendiumNameDotAffinityPeak1GreenNeedless1GreenBabel1BlueQuasar1RedReinforce1OrangeAccountDragonslayers GuildNameThe Mur!AdamantProgressHolderMurmur the ImpHarderUnlockedLevel1 (Novice)Locked Feature(0/1)AffinityOrangeLocked Feature(0/3)LockAdamantLocked Feature(0/7)Spellcoins11Overlock(0/1)Spell CompendiumNameDotAffinityReinforce1OrangeDiceweight1OrangeBerserk1GreenHeatriser1Red


    Spell of the Day


    This feature is temporarily unavailable.


    THE FUTURE DROWNED IN DARKNESS

 Chapter 37: DLC: Imp Story

    Roughly thirty years ago, the icy wasteland of Cocytus.


    To be the strongest.


    His kind lived by this one rule. From the lowliest imp to the master below. Strength over all, winner takes all. Woe to the defeated.


    He had lived by this rule since his birth in the fiery pits below the icelands. The tenth of a budding of twenty, his first memory had been running from the gargoyle that spawned him. Those slower died so he could live.


    He survived the struggle for life, hiding in the tunnels, eating stones to grow himself a skin that would stop the teeth and fangs of his kindred. That was his kind¡¯s lifecycle. From imp to gargoyle, and with enough time and effort, to a higher form.


    In the tunnels below, life was nasty, brutish, and short. Warbands fighting one another in an endless struggle for dominance, for the control of the forges, or for the right to ascend to a greater form. He fought alone, fled when outmatched, struck when he had the element of surprise. He survived but didn¡¯t strive.


    Then, when the cracks to the icy surface opened, he crawled out of it, to seize the world above for the master below. Competition was less intense there, the locals already weakened by the winter. He grew older, wiser. Learned to speak, to fashion weapons.


    Always, always, he fought alone. He needed no one. Could trust no one. Hunt or be hunted.


    And then, he set his eyes on the ultimate prize.


    Only four could stand at the Maleking¡¯s side when he would escape his bindings to throw the cosmos into chaos. His Horsemen. Conquest, War, Famine, and Death. Only the strongest deserved the spot, to receive the Horseman¡¯s spirit, mantle, and powers.


    Each wielder was the link of an endless chain. One day a challenger would come, and fight the current Horseman. Either the Horseman would defend his title, or fall with the unworthy. That way, each new link strengthened the chain as a whole.


    Even impkind enjoyed no privilege in that struggle. The Maleking only respected strength and skill, and so he would grant the mantle of Horsemen to anyone who proved themselves.


    In time there would rise Horsemen so powerful, no one will ever topple them. Death herself had killed off so many challengers, no one remembered if someone ever held the title before her. The current Conquest had conquered a large territory in preparation for the Maleking''s arrival. Famine kept changing titles, to the point the imp couldn¡¯t prepare to fight the current holder before a new one took over, so harsh was the competition.


    And so, the fiend chose the challenge War. He prepared, waited, laid the ambush, and stuck. He thought with surprise, he could win. He win.


    He lost.


    No. Loss wasn¡¯t strong enough.


    Decimation.


    His strikes, the Horseman deflected with casual blows; his armor and hammer, made from the bones of other fiends, he cut through like snow; his stoneskin, he ripped apart, revealing his frail true form. With a kick, he broke the imp¡¯s legs and forced him to crawl in defeat.


    He never had any chance. All the effort, all those struggles, for nothing.


    ¡°Disappointing,¡± the Maleking¡¯s voice echoed in the icy cavern, his dark spirit having observed the battle from start to finish; as he watched over all those who walked the path of chaos. ¡°I expected a better showing from my own kind, Murmur.¡±


    So did the imp. He didn¡¯t even find words to defend himself, so savage the humiliation. Not that it would last long. He knew the fate of all failed challengers. A final pain, and then the darkness beyond.


    War sheathed his many blades without delivering the killing blow.


    Mercy.


    War. Having mercy? No. mercy.


    ¡°He is not worth killing yet.¡±


    There it was, the ultimate insult. To be ignored like some shit in the snow. To not even being considered worth bragging about. The worst fate for a warrior. ¡°Finish me off!¡± Murmur asked bitterly.


    ¡°I have no compassion for the craven,¡± the Maleking confirmed. ¡°Weed him out.¡±


    ¡°He has potential. A flicker, yes. But potential.¡± The Horseman watched over Murmur with a contemptuous gaze. ¡°You are not a challenge yet, but one day, you might be a passable one.¡±


    Contempt and boredom all rolled into one. It hurt more than the steel and broken bones. So bored was War, so eager for a fight, that he would let him live to fight another day. Because that one wasn¡¯t even worth remembering.


    The Maleking didn¡¯t care enough to overrule his servant, indulging him in his cruelty. ¡°Then he will live, for now,¡± the archdemon said. ¡°But I will not suffer your presence in my home, Murmur.¡±


    ¡°Is Murmur...¡±


    ¡°Murmur is banished, yes. I will have you exiled on another world, far from home, far from my sight.¡±


    Exile. No glorious death, no opportunity to claim territory, greater form, or honor. Oblivion.


    ¡°Do you understand, Murmur?¡± the master below went on, his servant sheathing his last blade beneath his cloak. ¡°Only the strong strive and the dragons are strong. Their Ministers can fell gods, and they have. To overcome them, demonkind must improve and weed out all those who hold us back. A chain is only as strong as its weakest link. You think strength only comes from muscles and what you can kill.


    "Those were the old ways, but now we must learn from our enemies and steal what makes them strong. Their technology, their sorcery, their knowledge... and by blood and steel we shall have them. Until you learn to , you will never rise above your meager station.¡±


    Murmur listened, looking at his limp legs in shame.


    ¡°Return as my Horseman of War, or do not return.¡±


    The present


    Mur hated the Midnight Market. And not just because a werewolf tried his best to eat him alive, Mur holding his strong jaw away with his tiny metal hands.


    He spent years in this shithole, didn¡¯t like it, and never would. Dumped here while not healed, forced to eat trash for months like a parasite, struggling almost as hard as he did in his early days. With one stroke, War had undone decades, brought him back to zero.


    Mur had remembered the Maleking¡¯s words. He had learned; learned the languages, learned the ways. He had learned of money and booze¡ªone of the few things he liked about the Market¡ªand how to make it work for him. He had regrown his skin, sold his services, gained enough money to buy weapons and enhancements.


    When Mur didn¡¯t speak, he listened. Growing smarter, grower stronger. He had even smashed a few servants of the scalies and their tinmen slaves, earning himself a bounty. He hated civilization, though. Too complicated, too ambiguous, too far from the purity of the feral wild, where the rules were simpler and the sides clear.


    The latest job had been both a blessing and a disaster. He had lost his stoneskin, and years of work¡­ but he had gained sorcery and a warband of his own.


    It was the first time the imp had joined a warband. He had fought with others in the past, as a bodyguard or muscle, but only for temporary jobs. Never on a permanent basis. There were both good and bad sides. Mur and the old man hated one another, but he liked hanging out with squishie Maggie. The pay wasn¡¯t that great, but he got the nice sorcerous powers that would lead him all the way to the top.


    Shroud was the leader. He asked too many questions, but he was strong, stronger than Mur for now, and he made the whole warband stronger; so Mur wouldn¡¯t challenge him for the position. Mur would learn his tricks, replicate them, make them his.


    While he would never admit it, he also respected the human, a bit. Unlike the old fool, he understood why Shroud chose to leave his old name behind, for the path of the warrior. Mur did the same thing himself.


    Murmur the Imp was a loser, killed on Cocytus by War, his name forgotten. Mur would be a winner. A champion. Mur would become the strongest, regain his honor, and then he would return to his sweet home.


    But now wasn¡¯t the time for memories.


    Now was the time to destroy.


    ¡°Heatriser!¡± Mur snarled, increasing the temperature around him, his body heating up. Lyber spat him out, his tongue drying up. Mur hit the roof, the metal plates of Adamant absorbing the shock.


    Sharpshoot kept firing at Lyber, but unless she fully charged her bullets with red power or lightning, her bullets bounced off the werewolf¡¯s skin. The doctor, Stitch, was nowhere to be found, his promised help waiting; in all likelihood, he had fled.


    Mur knew they should have recruited a real warrior. S§×ar?h the N?velFire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    The old geezer, who had been flying around them, cast Reinforce upon his weapons and armor in preparation for a falling strike on Lyber; however, a crimson mist suddenly covered him, obscuring his vision.


    Storck.


    The vampire in mist shape swirled around Sol¡¯s helmet, trying to find an opening in the suit and suffocate him. The geezer tried to cut through the crimson veil, his sword swirling with light, but he couldn¡¯t harm Storck in that form.


    The machinery making up most of Lyber activated, pumping him with green drugs. The wolf¡¯s muscles expanded, his veins bulged, and his eyes turned white. Like a rabid beast, he lunged at Mur with his fist raised.


    The imp barely had the time to fly out of the blow¡¯s way, Lyber¡¯s fist going through the steel with enough strength to make the building tremble. Maggie prepared to fire a final, deadly shot right at the werewolf¡¯s face when the red aura around her guns dissipated. ¡°Huh?¡±


    Warning


    Hostile Terminal disabled your Lock!


    Mur felt Adamant¡¯s metal plates recede back into his body, his connection to his sorcery broken. ¡°What?¡± the imp asked, a Magik Online notification appearing right in front of him.


    Warning


    The Shroud and Yoshikage accounts have experienced an unknown bug and are temporarily offline.


    Inactivity for ten minutes will result in total Guild shutdown.


    Offline? Could that be why Adamant had stopped working? The website¡¯s staff did warn them the Moderator¡¯s death would negatively impact their account...


    ¡°Sharpshoot!¡± Sol said, keeping Storck at bay. ¡°Go help Mathias and Kari!¡±


    ¡°But¡ª¡±


    ¡°You don¡¯t have anything that can take down the vampire or the werewolf! Go, we will take care of these two!¡±


    The sniper hesitated, before leaping over the building¡¯s edge and vanishing into the void below.


    ¡° will take care of them?¡± Mur snickered, as Lyber freed himself.


    ¡°I don¡¯t like you either, imp,¡± the knight replied, managing to escape Storck. ¡°But we will not prevail if we do not cooperate.¡±


    Cooperate.


    Once, Mur would have looked down on that word. Cooperation was only good for those who couldn¡¯t help themselves. But cooperation had made the scalies strong, more than their fires and sorcery. Teamwork had power.


    And so, Mur decided to give it a shot.


    Sol fell upon Lyber like a bird, his reinforced blade of Orange Flux cutting through his impervious fur and engaging the rampaging beast in close combat. Storck followed, but Mur interrupted him, trying to fry him with Heatriser.


    Regaining his true form mid-flight, Storck clawed at Mur, impaling him through the waist with one of his spikes. Mur felt the pain, but it was a mere sting compared to the bite of Graff¡¯s sword.


    Mur knew he wasn¡¯t the sharpest knife in the armory. He had been bred to grow and fight, not to ask questions. But he had learned to learn.


    Two to make one. ¡°Mur goes Berserk!¡±


    The magic filled him with sweet power, unleashed the rage within him, removed his limits. He focused that sensation to Heatriser, to try and break the fetters and¡ª


    CRACK!


    New Hack created!


    Pitborn


    Dot: 2


    Components: Berserk + Heatriser


    Activation: Active, Thought.


    The user transforms into a demonic berserker; gaining hellish might, strong skin, and the power to channel fireballs through their hands. The user keeps control of themselves, but no longer feels pain and trades finesse for brute strength. The transformation is reverted should the user fall unconscious, or die.


    Mur had just triggered his first Hack.


    And his body grew slightly, like Berserk. Except it kept growing, his skin turning to searing stone. Not the shell that was his stoneskin, but true skin of fiery stones, like those of his old tunnels.


    Magik Online knew. It knew of the tunnels, of his own growth cycle; and so it gave him the power he dreamed of.


    Mur grew into a titan of demonkind, with strong limbs, a spiked tail, and spiraling horns. While his vestigial wings vanished below his skin, his hands burned with magical fire; his flesh pushed Storck¡¯s spike out of his body, forcing the vampire to disengage.


    Mur was big again.


    Mur was bigger than puny Lyber now.


    Which was nice, except he couldn¡¯t fly anymore. And so, Mur fell, landing on his feet with a loud crash. ¡°Haha!¡± he cackled, his voice now echoing with the sound of a raging volcano. ¡°HAHAHA! Mur big again!¡±


    The vampire didn¡¯t share his joy. ¡°Lyber Lyber!¡± Storck shouted. ¡°We switch!¡±


    The werewolf answered with a roar, leaving Sol to tackle Mur head on. The fiend relished the challenge, trading blow for blow, meeting claws with a flurry of punches. Both lacked any technique, any skill; Lyber had a slight edge in strength, but Mur matched him in ferocity.


    Storck landed on the roof, even as Sol charged at him. Instead of turning to mist this time, the vampire held his ground, gazing at Sol directly.


    ¡°Stop,¡± Storck said, as his eyes met Sol¡¯s.


    The knight stopped, enthralled by the vampire¡¯s gaze. ¡°Drop your sword and remove your helmet,¡± Storck told Sol, the knight obeying. The second he exposed his neck, the vampire attempted to slice his throat with a spike.


    Reacting quicker, Mur pointed a hand at Storck and tried to bring fire into existence. A small fireball manifested from his fingers, moving in a straight line and impacting Storck¡¯s skull before he could deliver the coup de grace.


    The vampire¡¯s face burned. Storck let out a scream of anger and pain, reflexively putting his hands on his eyes as they caught fire.


    Sol, instantly recovering control of his mind, grabbed his sword, and shouted, ¡°Quasar!¡± Channeling the dim light of the stars into his blade, he stabbed Storck through the chest before he could turn into crimson mist.


    Storck let out a scream, his undead flesh seared off his bones. Lyber instantly tried to drop Mur to try and save his teammate.


    The fiend caught his metal arm first.


    Diceweight


    Affinity: Orange


    Dot: 1


    Price: 3


    Activation: Active, Direct Touch Vector.


    Temporarily increase or decrease the weight of inorganic matter on touch. The more prolonged the contact, the stronger the effect and the longer it lasts.


    Mur had purchased that spell for his weapons, but there was more than one way to apply strength. ¡°Diceweight!¡±


    With an orange flash, the weight of Lyber¡¯s cybernetic enhancements suddenly increased.


    Lyber, more metal than flesh, collapsed on Mur himself, both unable to move; the ground below them began to crack under the weight, which kept increasing the longer Mur maintained his contact. Neither could move from their spot.


    Within seconds, Storck had turned to dust and ashes. The old geezer moved on to assist Mur, raising his blade as Lyber let out a final, bestial roar.


    With both hands and a strong, firm motion, Sol sliced Lyber¡¯s head off, killing the beast.


    With the werewolf dead, Mur undid Diceweight, tossing the corpse off himself. The old geezer watched Mur¡¯s new form with a mix of disgust and confusion.


    ¡°You saved my life,¡± the old fool said. ¡°Why?¡±


    Mur spat, his saliva evaporating before it hit Sol¡¯s armor. ¡°Same team,¡± he grumbled. ¡°Mur hates you, but he hates everyone else more.¡±


    The knight seemed to accept his explanation, putting his sword back and offering him a hand to get back to his feet. Mur looked at it for a few seconds, before accepting it. ¡°Maybe I shouldn¡¯t have judged someone by their appearance,¡± the geezer said. ¡°I guess we are condemned to get along.¡±


    Mur shrugged. Deep down though, he had to admit¡­ it was a new strange feeling to have someone watching his back.


    It felt nice.


    Players Stats


    AccountDragonslayers GuildNameSharpshootSpellgunProgressHolderMaggie Jesse PowellsCrimson BulletHACKEDLevel1 (Novice)Locked Feature(0/1)AffinityRedLocked Feature(0/3)LockSpellgunLocked Feature(0/7)Spellcoins1Overlock(0/1)Spell CompendiumNameDotAffinityStockmight1RedBiosurge1RedBabel1BluePeak1GreenBullseye2Violet/BlueAccountDragonslayers GuildNameSolAegisProgressHolderSolomon NicholaeSpell MartyrHACKEDLevel1 (Novice)Locked Feature(0/1)AffinityWhiteLocked Feature(0/3)LockAegisLocked Feature(0/7)Spellcoins6Overlock(0/1)Spell CompendiumNameDotAffinityPeak1GreenNeedless1GreenBabel1BlueQuasar1RedReinforce1OrangeAccountDragonslayers GuildNameThe Mur!AdamantProgressHolderMurmur the ImpHarderHACKEDLevel1 (Novice)Locked Feature(0/1)AffinityOrangeLocked Feature(0/3)LockAdamantLocked Feature(0/7)Spellcoins11Overlock(0/1)Spell CompendiumNameDotAffinityReinforce1OrangeDiceweight1OrangePitborn2Green/Red


    Spell of the Day


    Powersurge


    Affinity: Green


    Dot: 2


    Price: 6-10


    Activation: Passive, App Switch.


    The user¡¯s physical abilities and physiological processes are supernaturally multiplied beyond the natural limits of their species. In general, the caster¡¯s strength and senses are increased by a factor of ten.

 Chapter 38: DLC: The Fog of War

    - Six Months ago, somewhere in Kyushu, East Asian Protectorate (formerly Japan).


    Kari stared at the pale human corpse with her silencer pointed at it and fired. She shot the skull into broken bits, worms, and rotten brains.


    ¡°Again,¡± Uncle said, lining up another corpse against the tree¡¯s bark; this time, a hobgoblin rather than a man.


    Uncle had robbed a grave, stealing the corpses and lining them up against trees, to teach her how to shoot other humans. He also had had her butcher one animal a day for a month so she would lose her fear of blood. She cried the first time, and he comforted her, but he still made her do it.


    She could recount the day with clock-like precision. Physical exercise at six; hand to hand combat at seven. Firearms and explosives from eight to twelve. Eat for fifteen minutes, then small unit tactics until three in the afternoon. History, geography, and conversation training until five. Forgery, accounting, and origami until six. Animal skinning, then body disposal techniques. Uncle had let her pick a discipline for eight in the evening, and she picked music¡ªshe would have imploded without it. Finally, free time for one hour before bed.


    She had shot twenty-one corpses and twenty-five animals since they had arrived at the compound and disposed of all of them by severing their limbs and dropping them in acid.


    ¡°This will be your first mission in the field with me,¡± Uncle Toshiyami droned. He had grown frailer over the years due to age and stress, his hair graying at the edge. He always wore his old commando uniform when he trained her, his sullen, whitening eyes betraying his grim resolve. ¡°You mustn¡¯t hesitate for one second. One second is the difference between life and death. In the field, you can rely only on yourself.¡±


    That way she wouldn¡¯t freeze when she would shoot at real targets. She had shot at humans in video games her Uncle had purchased for her, but never real ones.


    Uncle had, though. One of the corpses he brought back, he had shot them first; she recognized him on the news, saying he was missing. A local official who sold out to the dragons during the War.


    They didn¡¯t have a home. They never stayed in the same place for too long, never left a trail. Even the compound Uncle had rented under a false name. It was harder to stay on the run, as the dragons replaced more people with machines, tightened their grip on the country with cameras and Gearsmen.


    One day Uncle would get sloppy, and she would be alone.


    Uncle had told her all about her family¡¯s history. How they descended from Hattori Hanzo himself, how they had served shoguns and emperors. She herself doubted half of those stories were true, but Uncle believed in them enough to mystify her.


    While she could recount her clan¡¯s history up from the Warring States era, she didn¡¯t remember her parents much. She remembered the fires that consumed them, and her old house, more vividly.


    While he spoke a lot about their family¡¯s past, Uncle didn¡¯t tell her much about his own. He had been in the JSDF, killed foreigners abroad for the Ministry of Defense, and lost a daughter and a son during the War of Dragon Aggression. He didn¡¯t speak about her cousins and grew cold and silent when she mentioned them. Kari didn¡¯t even know their names.


    Kari didn¡¯t know many people.


    She didn¡¯t have friends, not really. She had penpals, online, especially that American girl, Sam, whom she had met on a music forum. Uncle let her post and chat on forums, as long as she remained careful to leave nothing that could allow Governor Blightspawn¡¯s forces to implicate Uncle. Otherwise, she could do whatever she wanted.


    Kari stopped before she pulled the trigger.


    What did want?


    She knew she should have cared about freeing Japan and avenging her blood, the same way Uncle did. But she didn¡¯t. She didn¡¯t care.


    She didn¡¯t care about anything.


    ¡°Shoot,¡± Uncle ordered, bringing her out of her daydreaming. She pulled the trigger and didn¡¯t miss.


    Kari did her exercises for the day, but her heart wasn¡¯t in it anymore. The question ate at her the entire time. By noon, Uncle noticed, and cut her music and free time in half as punishment.


    What did want?


    She knew what wanted. Kill all the dragons and their lackeys, free Japan, and have Kari finish the mission if he died beforehand. The last decade he spent preparing her to inherit his dream. dream.


    Not hers.


    Kari didn¡¯t have a dream of her own. Kari liked music since it helped her blow off steam from the training because it made her nostalgic of kinder, older times. She liked origami a bit, and she would have wanted a cat if Uncle had allowed it.


    If Uncle died, if she succeeded in freeing Japan somehow¡­ what would she do afterward? The lack of answer, the sheer void within her soul, frightened her more than Uncle¡¯s wrath.


    That evening, in her half an hour of allocated time, she resolved to look at self-help forums instead of discussing things with Sam Brown, like usual. Instead, she found an email invitation, from an address she never contacted before.


    She heard the Gearsmen land outside her window, and then the gunshots.


    Everything was a blur afterward, as if her memories, her time, had been eaten. She could barely remember fleeing flames, watching the Gearsmen shooting the farm with Uncle still inside, and one of those machines impale her Uncle with his own sword when he ran out of bullets.


    But she clearly remembered Uncle¡¯s screams, as his corpse rose from the ashes, a black shadow of himself. She remembered the darkness seeping out of him, the metal tearing his flesh apart to reveal the horror underneath the skin, the rattle from beyond.


    ¡°Kari¡­ Kari¡­¡± it rattled, his sword still midway through his chest as the Gearsmen circled him. ¡°Please¡­ it¡¯s me...¡±


    For the first time in her life, succumbing to fear, Kari Matsumoto disobeyed to her uncle for the first time.


    She fled.


    The Present


    ¡°You left me to die.¡±


    The words hurt deeper than the backslash of her spells undone. ¡°I wasn¡¯t ready¡­¡± Kari pleaded, struggling for breath. Her heart hammered in her chest like a bomb. ¡°I wasn¡¯t ready¡­¡±


    ¡°You had that power¡­¡± Toshiyami condemned her, shambling towards her. Shroud wriggled in pain nearby from losing his spells. ¡°You had that power, but you kept it for yourself¡­ even when the machines ground my bones to paste¡­ while you watched...¡±


    All of the facade of strength she had built over the last months, ripped away. Uncle made the world colder just by walking towards her, sucking the heat, the warmth, the joy. He had become the void incarnate.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Uncle¡­¡± she prayed, her head down in shame. ¡°I shouldn¡¯t¡­ I should have helped¡­¡±


    ¡°You should have¡­ yes, you should have¡­ when you heard them coming for me¡­ I was blood...¡± He touched her face with his cold, dead hand, raising his black blade above her head with the other. ¡°There is only one way to forgiveness¡­ blood washing blood...¡±


    ¡°Uncle, please¡­¡±


    ¡°This is a gift, Kari¡­¡± Toshiyami insisted. ¡°A gift from the gods, so I can continue my mission¡­ I can give it to you¡­ extinguish the light of your soul, leave nothing behind¡­ cleanse you in the same way I have been. Together again¡­ forever.¡±


    A shadow lunged at Toshiyami.


    Mathias. Grabbing a glass shard, aiming for his neck in a desperate, foolish attempt to save his teammate.


    ¡°Recursion.¡±


    S§×arch* The N??elFir§×.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Drops of blood fell on Kari¡¯s cheek, while Mathias¡¯ limp, left arm fell onto the roof.


    Mathias didn¡¯t scream, but he went into shock, looking at his own limb and then at the bleeding hole in his shoulder, completely despondent. ¡°Did she tell you?¡± the corpse that had once been her closest thing to a parent told Shroud; unaware, or uncaring, he couldn¡¯t understand him in his current state. His voice echoed with that of his human life but sounded more like a broken record. ¡°How she let me die?¡±


    With a strong kick to the chest that made ribs break, Toshiyami kicked Mathias out of his way and towards the edge of the roof.


    ¡°Please, Uncle!¡± she begged the monster. ¡°I accept death¡­ just leave him be¡­ please.¡±


    Who was she deluding? Mathias would die from the bleeding within a minute without medical care, and he could no longer cast spells. But at least, Uncle¡ªwhether out of madness or mercy¡ªleft him alone.


    ¡°We will kill the Ryu and their spawn, and return the Earth to its former beauty¡­ Nippon abandoned its guts, its honor¡­ its people must be cleansed away, too.¡± The deranged ghost kept going, unable to stop rambling. ¡°And the Americans, and the Chinese, and everyone. We will go to the stars and extinguish the Ryu¡­ one by one¡­ until all is black¡­ alone in a quiet world.¡±


    This was a nightmare, and she couldn¡¯t wake up.


    A form leaped on the roof. Kari looked at it, hoping for it to be Sol-san.


    It was Lugh.


    Drenched in blood, but unharmed.


    ¡°Martel. You made me kill Failinis.¡± Kari found no trace of his previous friendly sportsmanship in his voice. Just cold fury. ¡°You made me wound my own hound.¡±


    He stood on the roof, swinging his spear, with only eyes for Shroud. ¡°Lugh memorized your Flux scent, Martel. I can track you anywhere. I do not sleep, I will not tire. I will hunt you, but Lugh will not give you a worthy death. He will scalp you first¡ª¡±


    The hunter suddenly noticed Toshiyami, his eyes widening in disgust. Lugh knew what Uncle was, what horror he would unleash if left alone. Lugh faced a threat far worse than the Dragonslayers. For a brief second, Kari saw the hesitation in his eyes. She thought them saved, that the hunter would make the right choice.


    But he didn¡¯t.


    Lugh¡¯s anger was stronger than his honor. ¡°Martel¡¯s life is mine to take,¡± the hunter said. ¡°Not yours.¡±


    Toshiyami hissed, still possessively shielding Kari.


    ¡°Keep the girl. Stay out of Lugh¡¯s way, and Lugh will stay out of yours.¡± Uncle stood silent, appraising the words; then he turned back to face his niece. Lugh took it as an agreement and moved towards Shroud to deliver the killing blow.


    ¡°Ace¡­ Ace¡­ Ace¡­¡± Mathias whispered. "Load..." But nobody came, and Kari lost all hope.


    Lugh would kill Mathias and then Toshiyami would kill her. Maybe Sol and the others had been killed by the other hunters already. They would all die on this cold, foreign world, never to see Earth again.


    Then, before Lugh could reach Shroud, someone fired a warning shot.


    Stitch. Entering the roof through the door instead of climbing, the undead doctor wielded a strange, coiled rifle seemingly made of living matter and pulsating flesh. ¡°I apologize for my tardiness,¡± Stitch said, pointing the rifle towards Toshiyami first. ¡°I had to bring this out of storage. Very hungry and rebellious, this one.¡±


    ¡°Rec¡ª¡±


    Stitch fired faster, a green projectile impacting on Toshiyami¡¯s face and covering the metal mask with thick mold. The horrible matter suddenly grew like a bloated mushroom, intent on crushing the unliving¡¯s face. Her uncle held his face with both hands, his dark blade nullified.


    Stitch then aimed at Lugh, who threw his spear at him first. The weapon pierced Stitch¡¯s cloak and chest, hitting the spot where the heart should have been. Without slowing down and the weapon halfway through him, Stitch merely fired another shot at the hunter. The mold hit Lugh¡¯s skin, who willed his spear back to his hand. As he raised it and tried to stab the growing mold, lightning stuck the spear, causing the hunter to let out a scream of pain.


    ¡°Make that one off my tab, nerd,¡± Maggie said, as she leaped on the roof. She had put the guns back in her holsters, but her fingers crackled with lightning. ¡°Actually, if I saved you and Matsumoto, does that make it double?¡±


    Shroud was too busy bleeding out to answer, which made Stitch sigh. ¡°Your affinity for violence surpasses mine,¡± the doctor said dryly. ¡°If you could take care of the hunter, I could fulfill my doctor¡¯s oath and save our leader¡¯s life.¡±


    ¡°Sure, Boneface.¡± Lugh, still reeling from the thunderbolt, let out a wail of rage, leaving Shroud alone to charge at Maggie with his spear up. Maggie pointed her fingers at him and snapped them. Her lightning shocked Lugh through his silver spear.


    ¡°Hello? Silver? Best electricity conductor?¡± Maggie taunted him as she kept Lugh screaming and immobilized through electroshocks. ¡°I was always bad at chemistry but even I remembered that.¡±


    Stitch reached Mathias, dropping his gun and bringing scalpels out of his torn coat for an emergency operation.


    By then, Uncle had drained the mold of life and turned it to dust; his mask was breached, oozing darkness and oil. Kari looked into the darkness and dim light where the eyes should be.


    - Evermarsh Beach, One week and a half prior


    Side-Quest: Family Matters


    Difficulty: Dot Three.


    Sponsor: The Administrator.


    Your uncle Toshiyami still haunts the living, neither dead nor alive. One day he will lose control of himself and hurt innocents. Send the dead back to death.


    Reward: Oversoul upgrade (?)


    The Present


    What did she want?


    She asked herself this question, as a familiar notification popped up before her eyes.


    Magik back online!


    Bug patched!


    She glanced at her teammates, who risked their lives to save her.


    She glanced at Lugh, whom Maggie¡¯s assaults had forced to abandon his spear to pursue her on foot with impressive speed.


    Then she glanced at her uncle, who wouldn¡¯t stop until everyone, everywhere, was dead.


    She knew what she wanted.


    Even if Oversoul was still down, she felt a surge of purpose and confidence. ¡°Killer Sense,¡± she said, reactivating her spells. ¡°Peak.¡± Kari moved to fight her uncle, looking at her Magik Account for Dot Two Spells.


    Kinetic Choke


    Affinity: Red


    Dot: 2


    Price: 10


    Activation: Passive, Thought.


    The caster creates four invisible ¡°hands¡± of telekinetic force, with a five meter radius. These hands possess enough force to lift roughly two hundred kilograms each and can manipulate objects with the same dexterity as hands of flesh and blood.


    That would do.


    She stared at uncle with Killer Sense, trying to find the opening in his metal skin as invisible tendrils manifested around her. She looked at him with the same lack of mercy he showed her teammate.


    CRACK!


    New Hack created!


    Hands of Slaughter


    Dot: 3


    Components: Killer Sense + Kinetic Choke


    Activation: Passive, App Switch.


    You can summon dozens of ghostly, telekinetic hands, each with a five-meter range, with the speed of bullets, and immense strength. These hands are not under your control and possess a will of their own, and will automatically strike to kill any perceived threat within range to protect you. Hands of Slaughter will act even if you are unaware you are under attack.


    ¡°You are betraying me¡­ after everything¡­ I raised you¡­¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Uncle,¡± Kari said. The second she was within five meters of him, ghostly crimson hands sprung from her back, assaulting Uncle with the fury of a Gatling gun. ¡°That is why I must let you rest.¡±


    ¡°Not until¡­ the dragons are dead¡­¡± The Pandorian, who seemingly could see the hands as she did, prepared to cast a spell. ¡°Disrup¡ª¡±


    The hands moved like bullets and hit him in the face before he could cast. As they impacted on the metal, they failed to pierce it¡­ but they made the bones below crack.


    And they didn¡¯t stop. They kept pummeling Uncle without giving him any opening until the steel of the roof bent under the onslaught. Even if she could feel a little of the hands vanish with each blow, she carried on.


    ¡°Recursion."


    Uncle coated his hands with shadowy blades, cutting through the hands and attempting to do the same with his niece. She dodged around, matching him blow for blow; with her offense automated, she could fully focus on agility and defense.


    Meanwhile, Maggie struggled with Lugh, who had tossed his spear aside and instead attempted to punch the girl¡¯s head off. Maggie radiated lightning, her costume shining with power. The lightning extended from her finger to her body, coating her flesh with thunder.


    ¡°Huh?¡± Maggie said, her agility increasing to the point she seemed to leave electricity afterimages behind her as she moved. ¡°Sweet, new Hack!¡±


    As Lugh raised both his hands, intent on smashing the entire roof down, Maggie unleashed lightning from her body with enough output to fry the Reaver even without a silver lightning rod. ¡°Matsumoto!¡± she called out, ¡°Help, I can keep him busy but he won¡¯t stay down!¡±


    Kari would have liked to help, but Uncle kept her firmly occupied. And if he undid time again¡­


    A violet flash brightened the night, coming from right next from Shroud.


    ¡°Sorry, sorry!¡± Ace said as she materialized at the flash¡¯s epicenter. ¡°Lots of bullshit on my end, what did I miss?¡± She took a second to scan the area, from the bleeding Shroud at her feet, whose condition Stitch seemed to have under control, to the two duels happening nearby. She quickly put two and two together.


    ¡°Lugh,¡± Ace didn¡¯t hide her disgust, as Lugh pushed Maggie away with a backhand. ¡°You¡¯re fighting side by side with a Pandorian. A . Even wouldn¡¯t sink that low.¡±


    ¡°I will hunt him after washing my honor with Martel¡¯s blood,¡± Lugh replied. ¡°Leave, Ace. This doesn¡¯t concern you.¡±


    ¡°You won¡¯t, and it does,¡± she replied, searching for something under her coat. ¡°Rainmaker.¡±


    The wetness in the air gathered into clouds above them, a thin rain starting to fall over the roof. Ace brought out a dozen, sharp throwing knives, wielding them with both hands. ¡°Splash.¡±


    Without a signal or warning, she teleported out of sight. A second later, a volley of knives hit Toshiyami in the back, throwing him off balance and offering Kari¡¯s hands an opening to punch him backward a few meters. Other blades hit him before he could even stabilize himself.


    To Kari, Ace moved so fast her eyes could barely see her. She didn¡¯t move as much as she teleported around. A Violet spell? No. She used the raindrops to move, leaving an Orange glow behind. Not a single color.


    A Hack.


    This woman was one of them.


    Realizing the rain-drenched Lugh was wet, Maggie renewed her lightning assault with greater ferocity, keeping the Reaver down with such voltage, the light from his fried fur was almost too blinding to look at. The Reaver fell to his knees unable to move.


    ¡°Negafield,¡± Toshiyami said, his body turning into a sphere of darkness, sucking in the light around it. The sphere charged at Kari like a rolling boulder, the ground disintegrating beneath it. The Hands of Slaughter and Ace¡¯s knives impacted on it and were consumed for their trouble.


    Kari had no choice but take a few steps back, the sphere rolling around in a circular fashion without rhyme or reason. If this void sucked even light and sound into itself, then maybe Uncle couldn¡¯t see within it.


    Switching places with a raindrop, Ace teleported right in front of the sphere. ¡°Accel Switch,¡± she said, glancing at Lugh.


    In a flash of purple light, both the Reaver and Ace had switched places. Before the hunter could dodge, Toshiyami¡¯s black hole form hit him head on, vaporizing his entire body but his hands, which fell on the roof.


    The devastating attack made no sound, shed no blood; not even fumes went out of the wiggling hands. Lugh had disappeared, erased by the darkness in an instant.


    Believing he had hit one of his foes, Toshiyami regained his natural form. Maggie immediately hit him with a lightning bolt, frying his metallic flesh, but doing little damage.


    In fact, the influx of energy seemed to recharge him. ¡°The Black Tower¡­ I have seen the end beyond¡­ beyond chaos...¡± Toshiyami said, lost in his own nightmare. ¡°Pandoria will consume everything¡­ bring merciful oblivion to this sick world¡­¡±


    ¡°Any idea how to put him down?¡± Ace asked. ¡°I don¡¯t have many offensive options.¡±


    ¡°I do,¡± Kari replied, as she reached a decision. ¡°Forgive me, Uncle.¡±


    ¡°Kari¡­¡±


    ¡°Feather of Ma¡¯at, Toshiyami.¡±


    As soon as she uttered the fatal words, the faint image of a white feather appeared right before her eyes, before collapsing to dust. Golden, ghostly gates of phantasmal substance materialized right behind Toshiyami. A flash of yellow illuminated the cold night, although it seemed only Kari and Toshiyami could see the doors.


    A deep, thundering voice uttered a judgment.


    ¡°Guilty!¡±


    The doors opened behind Toshiyami who cast a spell before Kari could see what lay beyond. ¡°Recursion!¡±


    Uncle was gone.


    So were the ghostly doors.


    Kari felt a pang of sadness, but more than that, she felt closure.


    But then, she noticed Lugh¡¯s hands had melted together in a pool of golden ichor when time had skipped. The puddle quickly expanded back into the shape of a man.


    Within seconds, Lugh regenerated back to full health, unharmed, and angered. He raised his right hand, his spear flying back to it. ¡°That was painful,¡± he told Ace, furious. ¡°It almost worked, too. Cost me many points. But Lugh has enough of them to die a dozen times.¡±


    ¡°Matsumoto, you got a second feather?¡± Maggie asked, sounding slightly afraid. ¡°¡®Cause I¡¯m out of options.¡±


    ¡°I can get us out of there,¡± Ace said, while Kari shook her head.


    ¡°I will find you,¡± Lugh said, walking forward. ¡°I will¡­¡±


    He suddenly stopped, as he sensed another presence on the scene, at the edge of her vision. Another attacker?


    No. A shadowy woman, the most beautiful Japanese geisha Kari had ever seen, emerging from the darkness as a siren from the ocean. The Shadow Queen.


    ¡°Enough,¡± she said, calm and regal. ¡°Your tantrum against my guests ends right now, spoiled prince. Be quiet or be .¡±


    ¡°You do not wish¡ª¡±


    ¡°Quiet, I said,¡± She waved her hand dismissively, her eyes shining with a golden light. ¡°Pierce Shadowbind.¡±


    Lugh fell on the ground with a loud sound and went numb, as his shadow emerged from the ground; a perfect replica of Reaver in his prime.


    Kari froze astonished by that display of Yellow sorcery. She had snuffed out his soul without a fuss. ¡°You killed him.¡±


    ¡°Half so, but he will wish he fully was soon,¡± the shadowy woman replied, while Lugh¡¯s shadow glanced down at his own corpse with a sliver of horror on his face. ¡°You fought very well, Dragonslayers, although you should have called for my help. Will Mathias recover?¡±


    ¡°Yes,¡± Stitch said, having patched up an unconscious Shroud¡¯s wounds.


    ¡°Good. Your last opponent fled at my presence so you may call this your victory.¡± Then, as everyone looked on, Lugh¡¯s shadow grabbed his former spear and offered it to the shadowy woman. She lifted it, unaffected by the heat of the electrified metal.


    ¡°I believe,¡± she told the group, ¡°this should convince the locals to stop troubling you. Ace, would you kindly return this spear to Lugh¡¯s estate on the Upside? His father will want to recover a memento from his departed son.¡±


    Clearly, the woman would have rather disobeyed, but wisely kept her mouth shut as the sinister entity handed her the spear. ¡°I believe this stern scolding should make the point across for the Reavers,¡± the Shadow Queen continued. ¡°If not I will send a message to Mammon, who will not be so gentle with them. Do not disappoint me, Dragonslayers.¡±


    Then the Queen vanished into the darkness, not even wasting a glance at Lugh¡¯s remains. The hunter¡¯s own shadow followed her, a silent, ghastly trophy.


    ¡°The fuck just happened?¡± Maggie asked.


    ¡°She got what she wanted,¡± Ace replied ominously.


    Players Stats


    AccountDragonslayers Guild ModeratorNameShroudNetworkProgressHolderMathias MartelBroadcastUnlockedLevel2 (Adept)Grant SpellUnlockedAffinityBlueSynergize: Locked(2/3)LockNetworkLocked Feature(0/7)Spellcoins3Overlock(0/1)Stored Saves4Save?Load?Spell CompendiumNameDotAffinityPremium Thoughts1BlueBabel1BluePurge1GreenBeastmaster2BlueHeal2GreenGlass Field2Orange/BlueLightbringer2Red/OrangeMad World2Blue/GreenAccountDragonslayers GuildNameYoshikageOversoulProgressHolderKari MatsumotoRememberUnlockedLevel2 (Adept)Channel SoulUnlockedAffinityYellowLocked Feature(1/3)LockOversoulLocked Feature(0/7)Spellcoins0Overlock(0/1)Spell CompendiumNameDotAffinityBabel1BlueWallcraw1GreenPeak1GreenNeedless1GreenWard1YellowDoom Sense1YellowSpiritsight1YellowHands of Slaughter3Yellow/Violet/RedAccountDragonslayers GuildNameSharpshootSpellgunProgressHolderMaggie Jesse PowellsCrimson BulletUnlockedLevel1 (Novice)Locked Feature(0/1)AffinityRedLocked Feature(0/3)LockSpellgunLocked Feature(0/7)Spellcoins1Overlock(0/1)Spell CompendiumNameDotAffinityStockmight1RedBabel1BlueThunderling2Green/RedBullseye2Violet/BlueAccountDragonslayers GuildNameSolAegisProgressHolderSolomon NicholaeSpell MartyrUnlockedLevel1 (Novice)Locked Feature(0/1)AffinityWhiteLocked Feature(0/3)LockAegisLocked Feature(0/7)Spellcoins6Overlock(0/1)Spell CompendiumNameDotAffinityPeak1GreenNeedless1GreenBabel1BlueQuasar1RedReinforce1OrangeAccountDragonslayers GuildNameThe Mur!AdamantProgressHolderMurmur the ImpHarderUnlockedLevel1 (Novice)Locked Feature(0/1)AffinityOrangeLocked Feature(0/3)LockAdamantLocked Feature(0/7)Spellcoins11Overlock(0/1)Spell CompendiumNameDotAffinityReinforce1OrangeDiceweight1OrangePitborn2Green/Red


    Hack of the Day


    Rainmaker


    Dot: 2


    Components: Seamancer +Timesense


    Activation: Active, Voice Vector.


    By altering the weather through humidity and subtle time manipulation, the sorcerer callsthe rain on the area within earshot for a ten minutes duration. When casting the spell, the sorcerer decides the intensity of the rain, from faint droplets to intense downpour.

 Chapter 39: The Night of the Seven

    Quest, Night of the Hunters, fulfilled!


    You earned twelve Spellcoins!


    Bonus objective,failed (the fifth hunter escaped)! No other reward offered.


    Melusine had never shown up in person and would live to bother them another day.


    ¡°No, I do not think this will be necessary,¡± Shroud said, massaging the bandaged space where his left arm should be. He could still feel a phantom sensation of his lost limb.


    ¡°Your flesh was erased at the impact point, so parts of your bones and flesh are missing,¡± Stitch replied. ¡°Also, the sorcery used interferes with the healing process at the damage point. Grafting a new arm would be the easier solution.¡±


    ¡°Grafting a new arm, yes. A arm.¡±


    ¡°I dunno, nerd, you would look less like a girl with a werewolf arm,¡± Maggie mercilessly taunted him.


    Shroud glanced at the skewered remains of Lyber, whom Stitch had laid on an operating table in his workshop. The undead scientist had tried convincing him to have the corpse¡¯s arm grafted on to him for the last ten minutes. All in all, the disastrous night had just interrupted the recruitment process for a few hours.


    Shroud looked at his gathered team. Mur had grown into a bigger fiend than he used to be, apparently through a Hack; and much to his surprise, Sol didn¡¯t look horribly disgusted at the sight. In fact, he seemed more at ease around Mur.


    The flash of Network, the confirmation that his power had returned to him, filled him with joy. Finally, his group was coming together. As for Kari, she had chosen to remain on the roof alone. He would visit her after this mess was dealt with.


    ¡°I also have demonic pincers, troll arm, ghoul¡­¡± Stitch continued.


    ¡°Why not a robot-arm?¡± Maggie said. ¡°Like in sci-fi movies?¡±


    ¡°My Heal spell will not work on cybernetics,¡± Shroud pointed out pragmatically.


    ¡°Doctor Stitch, can you not repair Mathias¡¯ arm and bind it again?¡± Sol suggested.


    ¡°As a professional, I cannot in good conscience regraft an arm polluted by corrupt sorcery; I believe even that little brush may result in side-effects.¡±


    Shroud frowned, Stitch guessing his thoughts. ¡°Pandorians¡¯ abilities remain a mystery for most,¡± he explained. ¡°But from my understanding, much like radiation, sorcery always leave something behind. Both you and Miss Matsumoto were targeted by many of its spells.¡±


    He felt fine so far, armlessness besides. ¡°I¡¯m good.¡±


    ¡°Then I do not understand, why would you not want a perfectly functional wolf arm?¡±


    ¡°Sentimental reasons,¡± Shroud deadpanned.


    ¡°I could use my Lock,¡± Sol said. ¡°Aegis seems made for situations like this.¡±


    Now that it came to his mind, Shroud never checked what Sol¡¯s lock actually did. He took a look at the man¡¯s Magik Account.


    Aegis: You can take on the negative effects of spells affecting someone whom you touch. The effects are transferred to you and you suffer until the end of their duration, but the other person no longer does.


    Self-sacrifice incarnate. How appropriate. However, Sol absorbing the same sorcery that created a monster like Toshiyami sounded like a terrible idea. ¡°Don¡¯t you have anything human-looking?¡± Shroud asked the medic.


    Stitch let out an overlong, heavy sigh which was clearly theatrical since he didn¡¯t have lungs¡­ Wait, wait, how could the wight even make that sound without those? ¡°I can clone your original arm while removing the defects inflicted by the black sorcery,¡± the doctor proposed. ¡°Then regraft it. It should take a few minutes.¡±


    ¡°Wait, you¡¯re cloning the nerd, mad scientist-style?¡± Maggie asked, suddenly interested. Solomon crossed his arms as if offended.


    ¡°The arm,¡± Stitch said. ¡°No need for more meat, unless you want spare organs, and I did not notice any other medical problem besides a lack of vitamin D. I would suggest sunbathing.¡±


    Shroud didn¡¯t comment on the last part. ¡°And there will be no other side-effects?¡±


    ¡°Of course not.¡±


    Damn it. Shroud guessed that was about as good a deal as he could get. ¡°Okay.¡±


    ¡°Good. I need to tune my cloning vat, so you have a few minutes before I turn off your pain receptors for the operation.¡±


    ¡°Thank you,¡± Shroud said, before shifting on his chair. ¡°You¡¯ve exceeded my expectations. I think you may have a place among us.¡±


    ¡°A pleasure.¡±


    ¡°Doctor, if you could excuse us for a moment,¡± Sol said, leading Shroud, Mur, and Maggie out of the workshop and into the hall. Even with Heal, Shroud felt diminished and sick, enough to use Glass Field to help lift himself up.


    ¡°Among us?¡± Maggie repeated. ¡°Minion, or us, ?


    ¡°One of us, as our Green or our Violet,¡± the Guild Moderator replied. ¡°Probably the Green. He risked his life¡­ death¡­ whatever, against Lugh and Toshiyami. We also need a field medic.¡±


    ¡°One who doesn¡¯t rely on sorcery,¡± Sol said grimly. ¡°What happened back there?¡±


    ¡°Someone interfered with Kari and mine¡¯s Locks.¡± And from what he had heard, Maggie and Mur¡¯s, too. This implied a large area of effect of some kind. ¡°A fifth attacker, who announced herself as Melusine from the Blue Ministry.¡±


    ¡°Concordia,¡± Solomon said, with a hint of anger. ¡°They may strike again anytime.¡±


    ¡°The effect seems to have vanished from my Network feed, but yes, we must take into account someone able to negate our Locks from a very long-range is after us. Maybe even a sorcerer.¡±


    ¡°We need more firepower,¡± Sol agreed. ¡°More than a single spell can provide.¡±


    Shroud¡¯s thought exactly. ¡°I know this is a big, big step here, so I would like unanimity on this. If any of you are against it, we will find someone else.¡±


    ¡°Mur trusts the doc,¡± the imp said. ¡°Mur thought he had cowered away, but he came back to fight. So Mur votes for him.¡±


    ¡°Yeah, horrible abomination against life besides, he was pretty helpful,¡± Maggie said. ¡°You¡¯re the mind-reader here, nerd. If you think he¡¯s solid, I¡¯ll back you up.¡±


    ¡°Sol?¡±


    ¡°I am a bit worried about inviting an undead among us.¡± The priest glanced at Mur, then back at Shroud. ¡°However, I do not wish to judge him on his appearance, only on his actions. Help us he did, so I vote for an open door policy.¡±


    ¡°Alright then,¡± Shroud said, as he began flying. ¡°I will ask Kari to cast the final vote.¡±


    Shroud flew through one of the destroyed windows to reach the roof, a faster way than climbing the stairs. He found Kari sitting at the edge, staring at the dark skies. She glanced at him with a neutral expression.


    ¡°You want the doctor as our Green,¡± she guessed before he had to say anything. By now she knew him well.


    ¡°Only if you vote for it.¡±


    Kari simply nodded, confirming Stitch as their sixth Player. The girl seemed neither happy nor unhappy with the decision, simply absent. ¡°You okay?¡± Shroud asked, sitting at her left. ¡°I¡¯m sorry.¡±


    ¡°It had to be done,¡± she replied, although her tone broke as she said it. Kari liked her privacy and didn¡¯t like to open herself up, so Shroud didn¡¯t probe further. He simply sat in sympathy without saying a word.


    A Magik Online notification and a familiar sound popped up before him.


    Side Quest: All for One, fulfilled!


    Your connection to Network has increased! The duration of your Broadcast Network feature has been increased to seven days.


    You gained the Synergize feature. Your allies affected by Network are subconsciously linked together, granting them enhanced teamwork, timing, and intuitive coordination. Enemies affected by Network instead subconsciously get in one another¡¯s way.


    He wished he had received that upgrade before the night. ¡°You remember the day we met?¡± Kari suddenly asked. ¡°I asked you why you fought.¡±


    ¡°You didn¡¯t like my answer.¡±


    ¡°Mathias-san¡ª¡±


    ¡°Shroud.¡±


    ¡°Mathias-san, if you continue on your path, if you let your hate consume you, you will end up like Uncle. I do not want that. Because you are...¡± She paused for a split second as if struggling with a foreign concept. ¡°Because you are a dear friend.¡±


    The way Kari spoke, she usually didn¡¯t emote at all, left no weakness, no opening. This time though, she seemed¡­ vulnerable. ¡°You too, Kari,¡± he replied, taking her hand with his only remaining one. ¡°We¡¯re a team, and I promise, I won¡¯t let you down again.¡±


    That sounded way less terrible in his head. Even with his glass armor covering his own skin, the contact felt soft and warm. Kari¡¯s expression thinned at the edge of her lips.


    It was a smile. A very thin, subtle one, but one nonetheless. ¡°Are you finally falling for my charm?¡± Shroud teased her.


    Kari broke the hand contact, but her smile didn¡¯t fade. ¡°My spells are down,¡± she said. ¡°With Oversoul and Needless, I gain focus and confidence I lack. I can pretend to be strong.¡±


    They were more alike than he thought. ¡°I see what you mean.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re doing it too, in your own way.¡±


    Yes. Pretending to be Shroud felt easier than being Mathias. Safer. they said. ¡°I dunno, Maggie had a point. Those spells are useful, but they take parts of you that make life enjoyable. I¡¯ve met someone saying that sorcery may affect the personality over time. I¡¯m not going to tell you how to live your life, but be careful, okay?¡±


    She nodded, but he had no idea if his words had resonated with her. Clearly, something else bothered her more than her own mental health. ¡°The dragons killed Uncle¡¯s family,¡± she said out of the blue. ¡°So he started killing their servants in revenge. To avenge them, they sent Gearsmen to kill him, and I took up arms after him. Now you killed Smokefang for the loss of your family, and Concordia sent those hunters after us. If they had succeeded, this would have started another round of increased violence.¡±


    That was more words coming from Kari than he ever heard before. ¡°Your point being?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s a vicious cycle that never ends.¡±


    It did when everyone on the other side was dead. Shroud himself wasn¡¯t sure if he wanted to go that far with Concordia. ¡°We can¡¯t just turn the other cheek,¡± he replied. ¡°You told me yourself, that would only lead to greater suffering.¡±


    ¡°I know. But there has to be a third way.¡±


    Shroud didn¡¯t have an answer to that.


    A flash of violet brightened the roof, Shroud, and Kari turning to find an out of breath Ace behind them. ¡°Sorry for being late, I urbanstepped here as soon as soon as I could,¡± Ace said, frowning upon noticing Shroud¡¯s missing arm. ¡°We can fix that."


    ¡°Stitch will,¡± Shroud replied.


    ¡°Seriously, you¡¯re real troublemakers. Can¡¯t leave you out of sight for four seconds before you pick a fight. At least nobody will try anything after the Queen killed Lugh. I would suggest staying away from Reavers, though.¡±


    ¡°People keep picking fights with us,¡± Shroud deadpanned. ¡°At this point, it¡¯s bullying.¡±


    That made the woman laugh. ¡°Do you believe in gravity?¡± Ace asked a strange question. ¡°Stars and worlds attracting one another? What if it works the same for us poor mortals? What if we are pulled towards another?¡± sea??h th§× Novel?ire(.)ne*t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    ¡°Like fate? I don¡¯t believe in that crap.¡±


    ¡°Maybe you should,¡± Ace replied with a heavier wink this time. ¡°Because from what I heard from the Administrator, you are two members short.¡±


    Shroud examined her head to toe with a new gaze. ¡°Why didn¡¯t you tell us?¡±


    ¡°Why didn¡¯t tell ?¡± she replied, sitting with them at the roof¡¯s edge. ¡°Same reason as you. Distrust, and a strict privacy policy. Also, you are the first Players I met on the Market.¡±


    ¡°We should create a meet-up forum of some kind,¡± Shroud said with a sigh.


    ¡°But come on, you really think anyone would call their daughter Ace? Shroud isn¡¯t much better, sorry. I tried to get the Magik Online customer support to get a new codename but they don¡¯t have one.¡±


    ¡°The time Shroud called you three times,¡± Kari said. ¡°That was your Lock?¡±


    ¡°Castling, yes. It works across any distance too, unlike teleportation spells.¡±


    If Shroud hadn¡¯t lost pints of blood and an arm, he would have made a dirty joke about it. But it confirmed his hypothesis. Violet. ¡°What are you doing there, working for someone like Mammon?¡± he asked.


    ¡°I¡¯ve been living here long before I received the Administrator¡¯s invitation,¡± she replied, Shroud wondering if she even was from Earth in the first place. ¡°In Mammon¡¯s case, Quests and Spellcoins, of course. Our lovely Sponsors are strangely invested in learning what he is doing.¡±


    ¡°Why though?¡± Kari asked. ¡°Concordia isn¡¯t present in this area of space.¡±


    ¡°Which makes it an ideal place for its enemies to gather. And from what I¡¯ve seen, they¡¯re just as terrible.¡±


    ¡°The enemy of Concordia could be our friend,¡± Shroud replied. Their entire deal with the Shadow Queen relied on that single truth.


    ¡°Even when that enemy is someone like Mammon?¡± Ace replied. ¡°Do you really trust that chest and his cronies to treat us fairly?¡±


    No. Never. ¡°I admit that from what I¡¯ve seen, other galactic powers are just as terrible, if not worse, than Concordia,¡± Shroud admitted. He remembered what he had seen on the monster¡¯s stats the last time they had dueled. . ¡°One detail makes me believe Mammon is connected to an entity called the Maleking, which was active on Earth last time we were there.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ve heard of him,¡± Ace said. ¡°An ancient demon worshipped as a god across the universe. His followers call themselves the Malebranche.¡±


    ¡°Mammon mentioned that word,¡± Shroud said.


    ¡°And Mammon is a good friend of your current employer.¡±


    ¡°They are all connected,¡± Kari guessed.


    ¡°Yes. The more I infiltrated Mammon¡¯s organization through my Quests, the more I believe his Crimson Epoch tournament is a trojan horse for a bigger event. The Shadow Queen, Revel, the Maleking¡­ all of them opposing Concordia and gathering in the same place at the same place. And now, do you believe in gravity, Shroud?¡±


    No. But neither did he believe in coincidences.


    The Maleking supported the Brown conspiracy, which opposed Concordia, and he empowered Jack. The fiend clearly wasn¡¯t a friend of mankind, but Mammon remained openly neutral as far as Concordia was concerned.


    Shroud let Network intuit the elements for him, letting it map the bigger picture. An alliance born of hatred of a common enemy, seeds planted years, centuries before they could bloom into flowers. A fiend seeping into Earth, as part of a larger agenda...


    And if the Shadow Queen truly worked with the Maleking, then everything they did in her name, while harmful to Concordia, may serve the ends of a threat just as terrible. ¡°We need independence,¡± Shroud said. ¡°A Lair, and our own power-base.¡±


    ¡°And you need a full Guild to reach that place, and Level Three,¡± Ace said, smiling wide. ¡°So, handsome, am I in?¡±


    The sorcerer glanced at Kari, who replied with a nod. ¡°I will ask the others,¡± Shroud said. ¡°But it should be fine.¡±


    At long last, they had made seven.


    Players Stats


    AccountDragonslayers Guild ModeratorNameShroudNetworkProgressHolderMathias MartelBroadcastUnlockedLevel2 (Adept)Grant SpellUnlockedAffinityBlueSynergizeUnlockedLockNetworkLocked Feature(0/7)Spellcoins15Overlock(0/1)Stored Saves4Save?Load?Spell CompendiumNameDotAffinityPremium Thoughts1BlueBabel1BluePurge1GreenBeastmaster2BlueHeal2GreenGlass Field2Orange/BlueLightbringer2Red/OrangeMad World2Blue/GreenAccountDragonslayers GuildNameYoshikageOversoulProgressHolderKari MatsumotoRememberUnlockedLevel2 (Adept)Channel SoulUnlockedAffinityYellowLocked Feature(1/3)LockOversoulLocked Feature(0/7)Spellcoins12Overlock(0/1)Spell CompendiumNameDotAffinityBabel1BlueWallcraw1GreenPeak1GreenNeedless1GreenWard1YellowDoom Sense1YellowSpiritsight1YellowHands of Slaughter3Yellow/Violet/RedAccountDragonslayers GuildNameSharpshootSpellgunProgressHolderMaggie Jesse PowellsCrimson BulletUnlockedLevel1 (Novice)Locked Feature(0/1)AffinityRedLocked Feature(0/3)LockSpellgunLocked Feature(0/7)Spellcoins13Overlock(0/1)Spell CompendiumNameDotAffinityStockmight1RedBabel1BlueThunderling2Green/RedBullseye2Violet/BlueAccountDragonslayers GuildNameSolAegisProgressHolderSolomon NicholaeSpell MartyrUnlockedLevel1 (Novice)Locked Feature(0/1)AffinityWhiteLocked Feature(0/3)LockAegisLocked Feature(0/7)Spellcoins19Overlock(0/1)Spell CompendiumNameDotAffinityPeak1GreenNeedless1GreenBabel1BlueQuasar1RedReinforce1OrangeAccountDragonslayers GuildNameThe Mur!AdamantProgressHolderMurmur the ImpHarderUnlockedLevel1 (Novice)Locked Feature(0/1)AffinityOrangeLocked Feature(0/3)LockAdamantLocked Feature(0/7)Spellcoins23Overlock(0/1)Spell CompendiumNameDotAffinityReinforce1OrangeDiceweight1OrangePitborn2Green/RedAccountDragonslayers GuildNameDocInseminateProgressHolderNathaniel StitchSpawnUnlockedLevel1 (Novice)Locked Feature(0/1)AffinityGreenLocked Feature(0/3)LockInseminateLocked Feature(0/7)Spellcoins15Overlock(0/1)Spell CompendiumNameDotAffinityNoneNoneNoneAccountDragonslayers GuildNameAceCastlingProgressHolderSaga FreysonSummonedUnlockedLevel2 (Adept)Piercing BoundaryUnlockedAffinityVioletLocked Feature(2/3)LockCastlingLocked Feature(0/7)Spellcoins4Overlock(0/1)Spell CompendiumNameDotAffinitySwitch1VioletTimesense1VioletUrbanstep1VioletSeamancer1OrangeAccel1WhiteDoorway2VioletSplash2Orange/VioletRainmaker2Orange/Violet


    Spell of the Day


    Incognito


    Affinity: Blue


    Dot: 2


    Price: 6-10


    Activation: Passive, App Switch.


    The sorcerer becomes unrecognizable while the spell is active; others while suffer from selective agnosia in their presence, being unable to identify them, and non-magical devices will not record their presence in any way. Victims will forget interactions with the caster while the spell was active when they no longer perceive the sorcerer.

 Chapter 40: DLC: Requiem for Earth

    Ten years ago


    September 21st 2018


    Doomsday


    Solomon Nicholae watched the GPS, trying to make sense out of it. ¡°This is strange,¡± he told the driver next to him. ¡°This machine doesn¡¯t show our current path.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s because the map is older than the road,¡± Victor replied as he looked around the glades. Dayfall was almost upon them. ¡°I¡¯m sure we¡¯re close, keep looking.¡±


    Sol knew that relying on machines was a terrible idea. In the Mercedes¡¯ backseat, the grandchild he never had echoed his sentiment, although for another reason.


    ¡°Another bug,¡± Mathias complained, furiously typing on his tablet. The young child played a video game of his own design, struggling with errors. Solomon wasn¡¯t familiar with video games. Some at his parish complained they made kids violent; but Mathias, who seemed born with the devices in the womb, had yet to hurt a fly.


    ¡°You need to streamline your code,¡± Alice said, showing her son her own tablet. Like always, she wore a fashionable white dress, flaunting her figure. ¡°Like this. You need to set up your enemy AI¡¯s parameters like this.¡±


    ¡°But I don¡¯t want to make them too smart!¡± Mathias replied. ¡°Or they get too hard.¡±


    ¡°This will force you to improve,¡± Alice replied with a smile. ¡°You have limitless potential if you tap into it.¡±


    Indeed, he had inherited his mother¡¯s brilliance; and fortunately, none of the boundless arrogance.


    Alice Martel. A blue-eyed blonde as beautiful as she was smart. A genius without peer, she had won a Nobel prize for her research on artificial intelligence, and become the Silicon Valley¡¯s golden child. All the tech billionaires wanted her on their team, and one even asked her to marry him.


    She chose Victor instead, and many had wept that day. Even now, her husband only earned a fraction of what she did.


    The GPS started bugging again, freezing. ¡°Damn,¡± Victor said. ¡°Hon, can you look up Google Maps?¡±


    ¡°Sure thing, honey,¡± she replied, typing on her tablet, before frowning. ¡°Wifi trouble.¡±


    ¡°The agency said the zone was covered,¡± Victor spoke with a frown. ¡°Must be the weather.¡±


    ¡°Honey, the sky is clear.¡±


    ¡°My wifi is fine,¡± Mathias replied.


    Alice looked on her son¡¯s device, her expression darkening. ¡°That¡¯s not possible,¡± she said, sounding snappy. ¡°My custom tablet is more efficient than yours, I made it myself. It should connect.¡±


    ¡°Maybe it¡¯s overheating?¡± Victor asked. ¡°It¡¯s been working non-stop, like you.¡±


    ¡°Maybe,¡± she conceded, sighing. Renting a farm for a weekend had seemed like a good idea to blow off steam away from the turmoil of California, and to celebrate their marriage anniversary. They had invited Solomon to join them, so as to keep Mathias occupied while they enjoyed some intimacy. The priest had gladly accepted.


    He had, after all, wed them.


    Solomon had met Victor in Argentina when he spoke against the Manada Cartel and was shot in the head for it. Victor had been covering the drug war, and what started as a simple interview after the priest woke up from his coma became a simple, lifelong friendship. When the man had finally found the right person, he had asked Solomon to officiate the ceremony; and he did.


    That was long ago. With Hector Manada in hiding and his lieutenants in jail, the Cartel had long since collapsed. So, Solomon had moved to the USA to speak against other, more subtle evils. Climate change, workers¡¯ exploitation, violation of privacy. A pro-televangelist channel had given him a spot for his sermons, allowing him to spread the word of love to the nation. Debating on TVs and radios was pretty much all he did nowadays.


    He never lost contact with Victor though, always visiting him at least once a year. Since his duties to God meant he could never have a true family of his blood, he had more or less adopted the Martels. Even Alice had named Mathias after one of his suggestions, one of the few times she had agreed with what he said.


    ¡°I can use Google Maps,¡± Mathias said.


    ¡°We¡¯ll get there,¡± Victor said, confident.


    ¡°If God wills it,¡± Solomon replied.


    ¡°God does not exist,¡± Alice replied brashly. ¡°That is why we must create it.¡±


    Sol forced himself to smile. ¡°Careful, Alice. One cannot create a god.¡± They had those debates almost every time they spoke.


    ¡°Tell me that in a few years, when the singularity rises.¡±


    ¡°No religious debates in this car,¡± Victor enforced, making his wife chuckle. ¡°This is a place of peace and harmony.¡±


    Alice Martel didn¡¯t believe in God, even if she had relented to her husband''s wish of a Christian Wedding. Instead, she believed in herself only, and how artificial intelligences would improve the world. While Sol could only encourage her to show self-confidence, she perhaps had too much of it.


    Such was the cost of perfection: arrogance.


    ¡°That¡¯s strange,¡± Alice said, typing on her tablet.


    ¡°What?¡± Victor asked.


    ¡°Something is downloading itself on my tablet. That¡¯s what¡¯s slowing down my wifi. It¡¯s¡­¡± She stopped, her frown deepening. ¡°It¡¯s erasing files to make space for itself.¡±


    ¡°An app? A virus?¡±


    ¡°Please, darling, my tablet packs enough protection to make the NSA cry, no virus can touch my files. Files which this invader is deleting.¡±


    She tried to turn off the tablet with the main button, to no avail. ¡°Just remove the battery, honey,¡± Victor suggested.


    ¡°I¡¯m¡­¡± Alice stopped talking. ¡°This is¡­ I¡¯ve never seen code like this.¡±


    Sol glanced over his shoulder, as Alice showed him the tablet. The screen showed a long, confusing line of strange, colored symbols. ¡°What does this mean?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s not number-based,¡± Alice replied, taking back the tablet, her eyes alight with curiosity. Clearly, she had abandoned the idea of shutting down the tablet to look into the matter more deeply. ¡°Color based.¡±


    The world vanished with a flash of violet light, and the ground trembled.


    The car almost veered off-track, Victor pulling the brakes before they could hit a tree. Mathias¡¯ tablet went flying against Sol¡¯s seat, while Alice managed to hold on to her own. Thanks to the driver¡¯s skills, the airbags didn¡¯t need to activate.


    ¡°Is everyone alright?¡± Solomon asked, looking at the backseat.


    ¡°My tablet!¡± Mathias whined.


    ¡°What the hell was that?¡± Victor cursed, Alice frowning at him for his language. ¡°A lightning bolt?¡±


    ¡°In a clear sky?¡±


    ¡°Not so clear,¡± Sol replied, looking out of the window. The skies had darkened considerably, although he could still see the sunlight. Colorful clouds had appeared above them and beyond the horizon¡­


    Solomon squinted. Those clouds moved fast.


    As the flying shapes approached closer, the priest realized he had been mistaken. They looked vaguely like planes, or streamlined space shuttles, colored crimson, violet and white. There were so many of them, that they darkened the skies with their numbers.


    ¡°What the fuck is this?¡± Victor cursed, exiting the car to look up better. This time, his wife didn¡¯t scold him.


    ¡°An air force,¡± Solomon said. ¡°Has World War Three just started?¡±


    ¡°That doesn¡¯t look like an airplane,¡± Victor said, pointing at the shape at the helm of the armada.


    Flying as the vanguard of the strange shuttles, a massive, humanoid machine, a titan of white steel surrounded by small, tiny flying spots; a single eye shone crimson in the middle of its helmet. From the distance, it seemed as big, if not bigger, than the Statue of Liberty.


    Miami. They were heading for Miami. The closest population center.


    ¡°The farm,¡± Sol said. It was isolated, safer. ¡°Quick.¡±


    Victor quickly climbed back into the car and got back on the road, even as the ground trembled again.


    Fuses of light shoot from the ground, quickly moving to intercept the armada. One was shot out of the skies by a red beam, blowing up in a blast of light.


    ¡°ICBMs,¡± Alice said, pulling a confused Mathias closer to her. ¡°Ours. The nuclear defense system.¡±


    The worst weapons known to man. Sol had feared they would bring about the end of the world one day; was he right? ¡°What are they firing at?¡± Victor asked, speeding up. ¡°The Russians? The Chinese?¡±


    No. Those machines hadn¡¯t been built by men.


    In his heart, Solomon knew the truth. He had awaited this moment all his life, been warned by the Scriptures.


    Hell on Earth.


    Armageddon.


    September 26th, 2018


    6th Day of the Conquest


    Their tribulation continued.


    Sol struggled to cook rice on the pan, as a quake sent a few flying. He had become almost used to it, but he worried the roof might collapse on them at any time.


    Outside the windows, night had fallen, but it didn¡¯t look like it; the fiery beams falling from the skies continued to brighten the night. They had a power generator but decided to ration the power, using candles to brighten the farm, and matches to cook.


    Victor and he had found cans, lots of cans; they had enough rations to survive weeks, maybe even months, if it came down to it. Considering how fast human civilization had collapsed, Solomon thought the enemy would come faster than starvation.


    Sol¡¯s intuition that the farm would be secure had probably saved their lives. The invaders remained focused on cities, leaving the countryside relatively alone so far. Forest fires had spread nearby unchecked, and Victor worried one may encircle them, but so far hiding had remained the safer option.


    The four had taken residence in the farm¡¯s kitchen, Alice having tinkered some radio gizmo out of the TV, the GPS, and spare parts found across the farm. Victor was currently operating it, trying to catch a signal, signal, while his wife sat on the sofa, furiously typing on her tablet.


    That strange code on her tablet¡­ when she wasn¡¯t trying to catch a radio signal, Alice tried to decode it, believing it was some kind of transmission. ¡°It may be the key to save us all,¡± she said. ¡°I it.¡±


    She was wrong.


    Only God could save them now.


    Mathias silently looked through a telescope, which they had found in the attic, through one of the windows. He kept doing that when he didn¡¯t help his mother trying to decipher the alien code, the best an eight year old could.


    Sol put a plate of rice on the windows¡¯ edge, but the boy didn¡¯t even look at it. Mathias didn¡¯t speak anymore, having fallen silent since they announced San Francisco and Palo Alto were attacked by one of those giant robots. His young mind didn¡¯t properly process the situation, but he was bright enough to see the big picture.


    The world was ending, and people, everywhere, died.


    After giving each of the Martels a plate, Sol sat on the sofa, joined his hand, and prayed.


    Solomon prayed for the Martel¡¯s safety; he prayed to the Lord harder and more intensely than he ever did in his long life. He prayed for them to make it through this apocalypse.


    He prayed to God to protect the poor souls, the meek, and the innocent from the fiends above their head. He prayed the Lord to send his angels and save them.


    He prayed each day, each night, and so far the Lord had remained silent.


    A buzzing sound interrupted his mediation. Victor finally caught a signal.


    ¡°Good evening, America.¡± A new voice, without warmth nor hope. Ava must have died in the bombardments. ¡°I, I¡­ I hope you¡¯re having a good evening, even if the world is ending. I hope that you are safe. This is Emergency Radio Florida, and your new host Colonel August Sinclair.¡±


    Victor joined his wife on the sofa, both holding hands.


    ¡°We continue reporting on the Doomsday War. It is now the sixth day since the first alien ship entered our orbit. The national guard¡¯s last counter-offensive has failed, and the siege of Cheyenne Mountain ended in total defeat. The President and the Etat Major are presumed dead or captured. With the fall of the European Union yesterday, the western hemisphere is fully occupied. No news from China or Russia, but I¡¯m told they ran out of nukes at seven this morning. The skies are dark with smoke and radioactive dust, and communication is difficult¡­¡±


    Enough of an arsenal to end human civilization ten times over, and it bought it only a few days. The machines kept coming, and most of the alien ships remained high in space, firing down from a safe distance.


    ¡°¡ªAtlanta, Washington, Phoenix, San Francisco, and Denver are smoking ruins. Miami nearby remains occupied, details are scarce. The iron giant keeps harvesting material to pop out smaller robots; witnesses say that it is a mobile factory as much as a weapon. With the spaceships landing, we have started seeing flesh and blood beings leading the invader. Bestial humanoids more bull than men, giants, and¡­ and dragons.¡±


    ¡°Dragons¡­¡± Solomon trailed. The Dragon of Revelation, prophesied to end the world?


    ¡°We didn¡¯t wage World War Three against each other, but against killer machines and dragons. This is a joke¡­ this is all a big joke. All is lost. All is...¡± The host stopped briefly, sobbing. ¡°Oh God¡­ astronomers said a larger fleet is coming. A hundred times bigger.¡±


    Why? What did those invaders even want? Their oil, their gold, their heads? What could justify such an overwhelming tide of violence?


    ¡°All is lost. Take care of your family, hide. God help us al¡ª¡±


    A brief, strident sound interrupted the broadcast; a horrible, alien noise that made everyone wince. The quakes had ended, and the beams outside the windows subsided, letting the darkness return.


    A new voice coming from the radio broke the silence. Imperious. Inhuman.


    The invaders?


    ¡°Scouting ships?¡± Victor repeated, as dumbfounded as Solomon himself. Alice¡¯s face remained grim, emotionless.


    The ships and death machines that laid mankind low were ?


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    A sound echoed through the radio, then silence.


    Mathias moved away from the telescope, grabbing his mother¡¯s arm. ¡°Matt, what is it?¡± she asked, as he pointed at the window with his fingers.


    They didn¡¯t even need a telescope to look at it. A bloody, tailed star, racing across the skies, painting the night red.


    ¡°An asteroid,¡± Alice said, her face white. ¡°It¡¯s an asteroid.¡±


    As the monster kept talking, Solomon realized that an entire species, everywhere, could suffer through a single moment of despair.


    Love?


    Love!


    No, this was not love! An unforgivable crime of this magnitude could never be called love!


    Blackcinders shouted, with the same feverish zeal as his own sermons.


    Voices echoed across the airwaves before Victor cut the radio. Alice hadn¡¯t listened, her eyes falling back on the alien code, as if it contained the key to their survival.


    As the sound of the distant explosion resonated, the meteor impact making the house quake a continent away, Solomon returned to his.


    Was someone even listening?


    Two Years ago


    March 22nd, 2026


    One week after Alice Martel¡¯s arrest


    Solomon put the letter on his church¡¯s pedestal, before moving to sweep around.


    The church was empty. Few came here anymore. He had tried to speak up, to keep hope and faith alive. But Concordia left no room to speak against it, closing channels, silencing voices, cowing men and women into abject submission. And when he spoke, he had found the wells of hope had dried up.


    The Conquest broke something in every man and woman who lived through it. A precious light was lost the day Blackcinders made the stars fall and it never came back.


    Even Earth¡¯s name they stole away.


    In the end, even Solomon Nicholae stopped struggling against the inevitable. They had lost, and salvation wouldn¡¯t come.


    Sol stopped sweeping, staring up at the stained glasses of angels and saints looking down on him. A gnawing doubt, that had festered for years until he could no longer ignore it, took him over.


    ¡°God, My Lord, I have never prayed for myself. I always prayed for others. But tonight¡­ tonight, please. Answer me. Lord, if you exist¡­¡±


    He stopped himself, as the weight of his own words fell on him.


    ¡°Lord, if you exist¡­ if you existed¡­ please answer me. Why? Why did you send the dragons to enslave us? Why did you let them take her?¡± He paused, taking a deep breath. ¡°Why?¡±


    ¡°Because your God helps those who help themselves.¡±


    Sol¡¯s eyes opened, and he looked behind him.


    A human figure was sitting on his church¡¯s bench. He cast a long, great shadow that didn¡¯t belong to a man; his face, strong and ageless, seemed vaguely familiar, both alluring and frightening. He wore a finely crafted suit, the height of Italian fashion; a woodpecker golden brooch adorned his tie. The scent of gunpowder and mustard gas filled the room as he appeared.


    The church¡¯s door had been locked, and the priest didn¡¯t hear him come in. ¡°Who are you?¡± Sol asked when he meant: are you?


    ¡°Probably one of Earth¡¯s last champions.¡± His voice reminded Sol of that American actor, Nicholas Cage. ¡°You may call me March, for now.¡±


    ¡°That is not your true name.¡±


    This made the man smile. ¡°Yes, and no. Your kind called me by many names, from China to Europe, and I answered to each. But March will do for today.¡±


    Sol hated evasive answers, but he noted an important word. Your kind. He searched his memory for where he had seen the man¡¯s face. He had a good memory, so he quickly remembered. His priest training in Italy.


    His eyes widened. ¡°Impossible.¡±


    ¡°Why so surprised? Concordia brought magic back to Earth, and with it, friends and foes.¡±


    ¡°You exist.¡±


    ¡°Must one story spun exclude all others? What if all stories are simply tiny parts of a greater tale? A tale transmitted from mouth to mouth so many times, today¡¯s versions are no longer accurate? That is the modern world, priest. A world of interpretations.¡±


    The entity shifted on the bench, looking at the cross above the pedestal. ¡°While I may not be so impolite to answer in your Lord¡¯s name, I can tell you that our interests align, Him and I. I can bring some answers to your troubled mind if you hear me out. I also have a humble request to make, which I hope you will fulfill in my stead.¡±


    Sol knew better to accept the gift before learning the price. ¡°What request?¡±


    ¡°The boy, Martel¡­ may prove instrumental in our war to come.¡±


    ¡°Mathias?¡± Sol said with protectiveness. ¡°What do you want with him?¡±


    ¡°I want him safe, or as safe as a creature like him can be. I would like that you watch over him, guide and protect him.¡±


    ¡°Creature?¡±


    The man smiled. ¡°I apologize if I offended you. I myself do not know how I should call him now, after what his mother did to him.¡±


    Sol frowned deeply, walking toward the thing in front of him. If he was afraid, as the priest looked at him dead in the eyes, he didn¡¯t show it. ¡°You know what happened there.¡±


    ¡°Partially. I was there, but only at the end. Better late than never, I should say.¡± The man chuckled, but the priest didn¡¯t. ¡°It was pretty bad. Concordia had to send their Violet Minister, Brina, to deal with the event.¡±


    ¡°What happened?¡± Sol repeated.


    ¡°What did Alice Martel want? Truly want?¡±


    ¡°She wanted to create a god,¡± Sol said. ¡°A machine god.¡±


    ¡°She succeeded.¡±


    This made Sol pause. ¡°One cannot create a god.¡±


    ¡°So I thought.¡± March shook his head. ¡°Have you ever heard of Hubris?¡±


    ¡°Another word for pride.¡± The worst sin of all.


    ¡°Hubris is to pride what war is to a bar brawl. Gods can be cold, heartless things; I know that more than anyone, and hopefully Miss Martel learned that too. A shame her son paid the price of his mother¡¯s madness.¡±


    ¡°He was returned fine, from what his father told me,¡± Sol replied.


    ¡°Physically, yes. For his sake, maybe he will stay that way, but I don¡¯t think so and I am never wrong.¡± March touched the bench, inviting Sol to sit with him.


    He didn¡¯t. ¡°Explain.¡±


    The man responded with a sigh. ¡°The iron god did to him. Connected him to the source of all sorcery. I am not sure myself yet, and neither is Concordia; I think they¡¯re letting him run around until they see in which direction the wind blows. But I have the intuition that what happened to him, if replicated and refined, could turn the tide in mankind¡¯s favor. Mathias will be weapon, Concordia¡¯s, ours, or the other invader¡¯s, that I can tell you.¡±


    ¡°The invader?¡±


    ¡°The dragons brought malign forces back to Earth; one just as terrible as them. This is a , priest. We have enemies, merciless order and cruel chaos. Both must go for us to be free, truly free. It will be difficult, and not without blood and loss¡­ but we can do it, together.¡¯


    A world free of the dragons? Could this man be trusted? At heart, though, Sol didn¡¯t care.


    He hoped again. ¡°What must I do?¡±


    ¡°For now, watch Martel, and wait. But mark my word, priest. In time we will gather a great army, and we shall challenge Concordia for our right to exist. Know that your faith in your God is not misplaced and will one day be rewarded. Mankind is not without friends in this vast universe¡­ and we haven¡¯t forgotten you.¡±


    The man vanished, leaving Sol alone in his empty church.


    Spell of the Day


    Immolator


    Affinity: Red


    Dot: 2


    Price: 6-10


    Activation: Passive, Thought.


    You can cause anything within a range of ten meters to spontaneously ignite, so long as you can perceive it directly; this ability does not work through mediums such as videos. The more you focus on a single target, the stronger the combustion effect and the fire¡¯s heat.

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    It''s been a ride, and I''m really glad for your support through the whole book. Patrons at the time of publication also had their Magik Account updated on the main website as celebration, so check them out if you''re curious.


    I would be very thankful to anyone dropping a review on Amazon, every single one helps!


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 Chapter 41: Gathering Shadows

    Sitting in his dark room, his cloned arm still itching terribly, Shroud did some reading before bed.


    had proved an invaluable source of information, which he kept devouring with rapt attention.


    So only Sol could reasonably summon angels. The chapter detailed the strict hierarchies angels followed, from the four archangels to minor guardian angels, then explored the question of fiends. The book noted that demons were paradoxically easy to bind, as they followed the same passions as mortals, and so happily allied with mortals, at least for a time; but since they respected power above all, only forceful sorcerers could keep them in check long-term. Shroud would study them, if only to better fight the Maleking ¨C whom the holo-book lacked any information on, much to his surprise ¨C but he would remain wary not to summon one without extra care. Mur¡¯s very existence may prove that one could work with fiends, they remained dangerous.


    The chapter on elementals disappointed him. While he finally identified the creature the Brown conspiracy had summoned, a hellfire elemental called the Candlemaker, elementals were limited by their core element; glass elementals, those he had researched the most, saw the universe through glass echolocation for example. Those alien senses and mentality made them resistant to Blue sorcery and difficult to negotiate with.


    He remembered his interactions with entities like the Candlemaker and the Crimson King; he had received a feedback from Network, unlike mindless Gearsmen, but only a sensation of wrongness.


    Network worked by sending him memories or perceptions of those he spied on; if the Candlemaker and the Crimson King used alien senses too far away from his own, then Network might simply be unable to interpret the feedback in a way Shroud¡¯s human brain could understand. The Candlemaker had noticed him hiding through heat signatures, and probably saw the world through them; while Network then worked on Jack, because he remained human enough, with sight, ears, touch. Same as with Mur.


    So he could in theory use Network on elementals, but he couldn¡¯t get a read from them. And he absolutely refused to recruit minions whose intentions he couldn¡¯t read. Too risky.


    Overall, anthropomorphic outsiders such as fairies, fiends, and similar seemed his best bet; close enough to humans to exchange with, and vulnerable enough to Blue Sorcery to create synergies with his abilities.


    ¡°You seem to have a found a new passion project, Shroud.¡±


    Manah¡¯s voice made him raise his eyes from his ¡®book,¡¯ finding the Shadow Queen sitting on a throne of solidified darkness near the fireplace. ¡°I¡¯m just thinking of the applications, especially with my Lock,¡± he replied, his tone a bit frosty. The more he stayed in her company, the more wary of her he became.


    ¡°You wish to recruit muscle. Wise. The Call spell I assume?¡±


    ¡°You know of it?¡± His team had discussed it openly, so she may have overhead.


    ¡°There exists a far more powerful version, Summon, but you would need to be in Mammon¡¯s league to use it.¡± She seemed to support his initiative though. ¡°The key to discussing with Outsiders is to remember that each of them have their own agenda, and that while they may share certain characteristics, they are all individuals with their own uniqueness. Two succubi may feed on sex and desire, one may be a diplomat, and the other an assassin.¡±


    ¡°Did you summon Outsiders in the past? Your minions seem¡­ home grown.¡±


    If his joke registered, she didn¡¯t show it. ¡°I didn¡¯t, but I bound a few through soul contracts. They can be either be surprisingly straightforward, or insidious as only immortal monsters can be.¡± She abruptly changed the subject. ¡°I heard that you recruited that undead, Stitch, and you have been exchanged a lot with Ace recently.¡±


    ¡°Do you monitor us?¡±


    ¡°Of course. I would not have learned of Lugh¡¯s attack otherwise.¡±


    Why would she reveal that piece of information? Did she think her methods so fool-proof, they couldn¡¯t counter them? ¡°I am telling you this for the sake of honesty,¡± she said, as if reading his mind, ¡°I believe our relationship will be more fruitful if we agree not to lie to one another.¡±


    ¡°Keeping secrets is still fine though?¡±


    ¡°This is our trade, Shroud. We deal with information and knowledge, and we turn it into power.¡±


    Taking a deep breathe, he looked at her in the eyes. ¡°Did you ally with the Maleking?¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡± There was no hesitation in her voice, no shame. ¡°I do not serve him as others do, but we collaborate against Concordia. I heard of your problems with some of his agents.¡±


    That was an understatement. ¡°And Mammon?¡±


    ¡°That I cannot say yet. But you are smart, and starting to see the bigger picture.¡±


    He was, and he didn¡¯t like it. ¡°What are we to you? Clearly expendable.¡±


    ¡°Of course not. I would not have helped you against Lugh otherwise.¡±


    ¡°You seem to have found a way to profit of it, and you didn¡¯t help against the others.¡±


    ¡°I would have intervened should the other hunters overpowered you,¡± she said, ¡°As for Lugh, I intended to capture him at one point. This simply sped up my timetable.¡±


    Capture? Not kill? ¡°So what was it? A test?¡±


    ¡°No, Shroud. That was training. It always was.¡±


    The Moderator squinted. ¡°You knew Mammon would abduct my team. You set me up.¡±


    ¡°I wanted you to give you a taste of what kind of opponent you will be up against, should you continue down your current path. I also wanted that incident to teach you a lesson about foresight and overconfidence, but it seems so far not to have stuck.¡±


    ¡°You could have had all of us killed.¡±


    ¡°But you prevailed, and are in a better position than before. In our harsh world, intentions do not matter, only results.¡±


    He wasn¡¯t sure if he agreed with that. ¡°What lesson would you have taught me?¡±


    ¡°I have studied your file. Considering the nature of your abilities, you could have easily infiltrated Concordia, used intrigue and spy-craft to inflict greater damage. Instead you chose the path of open warfare. I believe it sub-optimal.¡±


    ¡°Perhaps,¡± Shroud agreed, ¡°But I wanted to fight.¡±


    ¡°You could do both. While I prefer to remain in the shadows before striking, other leaders lead from the front. No. Your problem lies deeper. I believe you are a natural tactician, but a poor strategist. Very good at short-term planning and seizing opportunities, but poor at long-term schemes. You are inherently.


    ¡°Unfortunately, unless you contain your impetuosity, prepare, and plan ahead, you are bound to be a pawn in someone else¡¯s strategy. As for confidence¡­ Mammon was overconfident and this gave you an opening. The same applies to you. You wield great powers, but you rely almost entirely on them and luck, leaving you open to surprise and the whims of fate.¡±


    Maybe she had a point. Thrice he had been taken down by surprise attacks that negated his main advantages, leaving him little to fall back on. ¡°The strength of a Blue Sorcerer isn¡¯t firepower, but information control,¡± Manah continued, ¡°Blue Sorcerers accumulate resources, build organization, and decide the outcome of a fight before they engage. You have immense potential, but unless you learn to use your sorcery the way it is meant to be used, you are condemned to mediocrity.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m working on it.¡±


    ¡°Not enough yet.¡±


    Shroud raised an eyebrow. ¡°Why are you telling me this?¡±


    She gave him a genuine smile. ¡°You may not believe me, but you remind me of myself once. When I was young and green.¡±


    Shroud had troubles imagining her as a young ingenue, and not only because her human appearance was clearly a mask. When she rescued them from Lugh, Kari had seen her as a geisha, Maggie as a black-skinned woman, and Stitch as a walking corpse.


    She took a form reflecting the watcher, like the shadow she commanded.


    ¡°I also heard you were looking for an Occult Matrix.¡± His head perked up with interest.¡°Mammon has a few in storage, as does the Institute branch I send you to infiltrate. Make that what you will.¡±


    ¡°About it¡­¡±


    ¡°I am securing the use of a smuggling route from Mammon,¡± she brazenly interrupted him, ¡°You will have access to a Gate linking both Oceanis and the Midnight Market for as long as the mission lasts; which you are free to confront in any way you wish.¡±


    ¡°About it,¡± Shroud insisted, ¡°I would like a delay before we are deployed there. To prepare, to recruit; we just expanded and I want to test my team first.¡±


    ¡°It would be hypocritical for me to advise caution and then rush you,¡± she said, ¡°I will grant you a delay, but do not waste my time.¡±


    He wouldn¡¯t; and when they would have the Lair, they would be in a better position to bargain. ¡°Also, for the occult matrix¡­ the reason I am interested in those items, is that I can interface with Network, and I would like to experiment. Could it be possible¡­¡±


    ¡°To intercede with Mammon so you do not have to?¡± His visceral aversion to dealing with the mimic amused her. ¡°I could.¡±


    ¡°But you won¡¯t?¡±


    ¡°You would miss an opportunity to grow. I believe Celia invited him to a tea party, and she has been asking to see you again. You should find Mammon in a good mood.¡±


    She brushed away his questioning. ¡°This is your true test, Shroud. Prove to me that you learned your lesson, and that you can play the game.¡±


    Shroud replied with a quick nod, as she vanished into the shadows once more.


    When he was certain he was alone ¨C although that didn¡¯t make that much of a difference ¨C Shroud opened his Magik browser, moving into the Whisper messaging and the private ¡®Dragonslayers¡¯ text chat Kari set up yesterday. He typed with his mind, making no sound nor giving any hint of what he was up to.


    SHROUD: confirmed. She can spy on us, and both she and Mammon know the Maleking.


    YOSHIKAGE: how can she listen in?


    ACE: Shadows, from what I heard. She isn¡¯t called their queen for nothing.


    SHROUD: no mention of Magik or our private plans outside this messaging board. All sensitive information go there. The Administrator said this was secure, we will put that to the test.


    YOSHIKAGE: did it go well?


    SHROUD: I can¡¯t read her, and I hate it. She¡¯s a cipher, but I¡¯m pretty sure she¡¯s on no other side than her own. Neither the Maleking¡¯s, nor Mammon, nor ours. She can swing either way. She also says there is an occult matrix in Oceanis, and she can arrange us to go there.


    DOC: I must point out that, this being a Concordian territory and you being wanted criminals, this will prove excessively dangerous.


    THE MUR!: we don¡¯t need her anymore. We should leave her and seize the Lair.


    SOL: I agree with the imp. Now we are seven, we can tackle it and leave this viper nest behind us.


    SHARPSHOOT: you and Mur agree on something? Hallelujah!


    ACE: while I¡¯m the new one here, I suggest doing another quest before seizing a Lair.


    THE MUR!: Mur still wary of you. You work for Mammon.


    ACE: from what I heard, you worked for far worse clients in the past.


    THE MUR!: Mur ended old deals when he signed for this one. You still work for Mammon now.


    SHROUD: which gives us a windows into his operations. Drop it, Mur.


    SHARPSHOOT: why wait? For the Lair?


    YOSHIKAGE: because you, Sol and Mur are one Quest away from Leveling-up. And we can¡¯t leave the Lair unless we win.


    ACE: I messaged the Administrator about Lairs and here is what it said:A few have already been requested, so our pool has grown smaller. S§×ar?h the n?vel_Fire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    SHROUD: I checked the conditions for level 3. We need to conquer a Lair after reaching level 2.


    YOSHIKAGE: which means Lairs are meant to challenge level 2 teams. Half our team is one quest away from it.


    SHROUD: Stitch struggles behind however.


    DOC: this is fine. I am more interested in exploring the limits of my current options than adding new ones. I am especially curious about my Lock¡¯s applications.


    Shroud shuddered, remembering that moment Stitch downloaded his Lock, Inseminate.


    The good doctor had ended up spitting up and adopting an entire litter, much to everyone¡¯s revulsion. Well, Mur had asked if he could eat one, and Stitch had sounded vaguely willing to indulge him.


    DOC: I am also fascinated by those ¡®Hacks.¡¯ This is the first time I hear of such a feat in my long, long unlife.


    ACE: far as I know, you need two spells of the same Dot level but from different colors to trigger one. Hacks can be used as components for stronger Hacks.


    SHROUD: how do you know that?


    YOSHIKAGE: there¡¯s an entire subforum about Hacks on Magik¡¯s message boards.


    SHROUD: seriously? Where?


    YOSHIKAGE: Voice of Incubus, Field Reports, Hack Recipes discussions. Players post formulas there. I posted Killer Sense and Hands of Slaughter there.


    SHARPSHOOT: I tried trademarking my Thunderling there, but someone beat me to it. Bugger.


    THE MUR!: Mur will do some shopping.


    SHROUD: me too. I didn¡¯t know we had a forum about them.


    YOSHIKAGE: there¡¯s more Players organizing on Earth, and they are very active. You should check them out. Even if we are light-years away.


    SHROUD: soon, Kari. Soon.


    ACE: about that, what is your plan?


    SOL: yes. Now we are assembled we can plan beyond living to fight another day.


    SHROUD: even if I¡¯m wary of the Shadow Queen and even more of her allies, the UB intel she is collecting could prove tremendously useful. We know that network is one of the key infrastructures allowing Concordia to hold Earth, uncovering its secrets could help tip the balance in our favor. Also, the Crimson Epoch. If Ace¡¯s info are correct, multiple powers hostile to Concordia will gather then. Including the Maleking.


    YOSHIKAGE: I did some research. Revel¡¯s territory borders Earth¡¯s star cluster.


    ACE: and Lugh is his grandson.


    SHROUD: ¡­ The Maleking works with Mammon. Manah is involved with both, and so happens to steal Lugh¡¯s soul. Whose grandfather is a tyrant whose territory borders our home.


    SOL: I have a terrible feeling about this setup.


    SHROUD: me too. I¡¯m starting to see why the Sponsors want the Epoch closely supervised.


    ACE: so we play the long game handsome?


    SHROUD: for now. We accumulate resources, we secure our lair, those information, and the Sponsors¡¯ favor, then we return to Earth with an action plan to take it back. But we start by securing the Lair first. We need our own headquarter.


    YOSHIKAGE: and the truth.


    SHROUD: yes. I¡¯m tired of being in the dark.


    THE MUR!: Mur wants to see who those Sponsors are too.


    DOC: do Lair contain quests? This would solve our various problems neatly.


    ACE: I can ask the Administrator.


    YOSHIKAGE: It would be safer. The saboteur is still after us.


    SHROUD: Yes. It can counter our Locks over a wide radius, and at inopportune times. We have to take its interference into account if we do quests on the Market, while we could level up without risking an ambush inside the lair.


    SOL: sorcerers able to counter our spells have been our most dangerous opposition so far. Is there a way to defend ourselves against them?


    THE MUR!: The Mur way. We see them, we smash¡¯em before they see us. We are seven and we have the power. Those stupid enough to get in our way get what they deserve.


    SOL: I would feel safer with a certain defense.


    DOC: I can look into it. While my knowledge of sorcery is purely theoretical, I could foray into magitech.


    SHROUD: I can introduce you to Wormson. He is an expert in Sorcery, from our discussions.


    DOC: with pleasure.


    SHROUD: then we will prepare a few days before tackling the Lair. This may be the time to purchase and practice new spells, especially Hacks.


    ACE: about that, does that group has rules? Do we coordinate about which spells we purchase and specialize in, or we remain free about our choices?


    YOSHIKAGE: everyone has their own style. Maggie-san buys in bulk, Mur hoards them, Sol invests warily¡­


    DOC: Hacks being created by individual innovations, having everyone explore their options in their own way seems more productive than planned purchases.


    SHROUD: probably, as long as we train together and share information.


    ACE: roger that.


    Shroud closed the message board, returning to. The crystal offered a list of individual Outsiders to summon, and he had to bite the bullet on that one, test Call. Maybe start with a bestial creature, which Beastmaster could leash?


    Ultimately, while he made the decision to purchase Call in time, he decided to put it off until they had secured an headquarter of their own first. Summoning creatures seemed dangerous, and he felt endangered by Manah watching his recruitment process. For all he knew she could summon them back under her control.


    He considered what she told him, about embracing the power of his color and use it the way it was meant to. Gathering information, soldiers, and resources before striking.


    He had a few ideas.


    Players'' StatsAccountDragonslayers Guild ModeratorNameShroudNetworkProgressHolderMathias MartelBroadcastUnlockedLevel2 (Adept)Grant SpellUnlockedAffinityBlueSynergizeUnlockedLockNetworkLocked Feature(0/7)Spellcoins15Overlock(0/1)Stored Saves4Save?Load?Spell CompendiumNameDotAffinityPremium Thoughts1BlueBabel1BluePurge1GreenBeastmaster2BlueHeal2GreenGlass Field2Orange/BlueLightbringer2Red/OrangeMad World2Blue/GreenAccountDragonslayers GuildNameYoshikageOversoulProgressHolderKari MatsumotoRememberUnlockedLevel2 (Adept)Channel SoulUnlockedAffinityYellowLocked Feature(1/3)LockOversoulLocked Feature(0/7)Spellcoins12Overlock(0/1)Spell CompendiumNameDotAffinityBabel1BlueWallcraw1GreenPeak1GreenNeedless1GreenWard1YellowDoom Sense1YellowSpiritsight1YellowHands of Slaughter3Yellow/Violet/RedAccountDragonslayers GuildNameSharpshootSpellgunProgressHolderMaggie Jesse PowellsCrimson BulletUnlockedLevel1 (Novice)Locked Feature(0/1)AffinityRedLocked Feature(0/3)LockSpellgunLocked Feature(0/7)Spellcoins13Overlock(0/1)Spell CompendiumNameDotAffinityStockmight1RedBabel1BlueThunderling2Green/RedBullseye2Violet/BlueAccountDragonslayers GuildNameSolAegisProgressHolderSolomon NicholaeSpell MartyrUnlockedLevel1 (Novice)Locked Feature(0/1)AffinityWhiteLocked Feature(0/3)LockAegisLocked Feature(0/7)Spellcoins16Overlock(0/1)Spell CompendiumNameDotAffinityPeak1GreenNeedless1GreenBabel1BlueQuasar1RedReinforce1OrangeEncode1WhiteAccountDragonslayers GuildNameThe Mur!AdamantProgressHolderMurmur the ImpHarderUnlockedLevel1 (Novice)Locked Feature(0/1)AffinityOrangeLocked Feature(0/3)LockAdamantLocked Feature(0/7)Spellcoins23Overlock(0/1)Spell CompendiumNameDotAffinityReinforce1OrangeDiceweight1OrangePitborn2Green/RedAccountDragonslayers GuildNameDocInseminateProgressHolderNathaniel StitchSpawnUnlockedLevel1 (Novice)Locked Feature(0/1)AffinityGreenLocked Feature(0/3)LockInseminateLocked Feature(0/7)Spellcoins15Overlock(0/1)Spell CompendiumNameDotAffinityNoneNoneNoneAccountDragonslayers GuildNameAceCastlingProgressHolderSaga FreysonSummonedUnlockedLevel2 (Adept)Piercing BoundaryUnlockedAffinityVioletLocked Feature(2/3)LockCastlingLocked Feature(0/7)Spellcoins4Overlock(0/1)Spell CompendiumNameDotAffinitySwitch1VioletTimesense1VioletUrbanstep1VioletSeamancer1OrangeAccel1WhiteDoorway2VioletSplash2Orange/VioletRainmaker2Orange/Violet


    Spell of the Day


    Bulletstrike


    Affinity: Violet


    Dot: 2


    Price: 6-10


    Activation: Active, Thought.


    The caster partially de-synchronize their own timeline from the material universe. As such, the caster perceives time and acts slightly faster than the rest of the universe for the spell¡¯s duration (one minute per Account Level for Magik Online users).

 Chapter 42: Lost in the Save

    Somehow, Shroud had expected Celia to live in a Gothic mansion.


    Instead, she used an ancient, derelict hotel as an Underside resort. The place might have once been a luxurious inn, before the decay and rust plaguing that side of the Midnight Market consumed it. Faint, ghostly green light came out of the windows, and the building was almost as unwelcoming as Stitch¡¯s own clinic.


    ¡°When you said to meet for a drink, handsome,¡± Ace said. ¡°I expected a warmer, lighter place.¡±


    She had changed her dress for a golden and red ensemble, more fashionable yet as utilitarian as her common outfit. Very dashing.


    ¡°Don¡¯t you find meeting an ancient vampire to talk over ancient artifacts romantic?¡± he replied. He thought he might as well mix business and pleasure, making an effort to dress well for her; setting aside his helmet and refashioning his glass armor into one of knight-like, dashing elegance. After his discussion with Manah, it was nice to relax in good company.


    ¡°The artifact hunt, yes,¡± she replied with a smile. ¡°The vampire, no. I already have enough trouble with a living chest, thank you very much.¡±


    ¡°You like ancient artifacts?¡± He hadn¡¯t imagined her to be a museum person.


    ¡°I worked as an archaeologist and researcher for the Yellow Ministry once,¡± she dropped the bomb. ¡°So yes, if you want to take me out next time, an ancient dusty ruin full of treasures would win you points.¡±


    Taking her out.


    While he had jokingly treated this as a dated and fooled around a bit, he still wasn¡¯t over Perse. They had known each other for years and had broken up weeks ago, so it still made him guarded about trying anything again so soon.


    But he did like hanging out with Ace. She had an aura of mystery around her that intrigued him.


    He guessed she defected when she couldn¡¯t support changing the past on behalf of present-day tyrants anymore. ¡°The Yellow Ministry stole a lot of our history,¡± Shroud told her. ¡°They bombed monuments, altered others, crafted a new narrative fitting Concordia¡­¡±


    ¡°If only you knew half of what they buried under the carpet,¡± Ace replied. ¡°What can be destroyed by the truth should be. We¡¯re all grown-ups, enough to learn from the past instead of having it doctored for us.¡±


    She would get along fine with Kari. ¡°You come from Concordia itself. Their homeworld.¡±


    ¡°Midgard,¡± she corrected. ¡°Our ancestors called it Midgard. Once it had ice, deserts, forests, and seas, but after three centuries of terraforming, it¡¯s just steel towers and roads everywhere. You can teleport anywhere for free, everyone has a roof, healthcare, and food. Everyone lives in peace, everything¡¯s got a place. What and those who didn¡¯t, unnecessary people and wasteful things, Wyrde erased.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯ve met her? Concordia¡¯s Grandmaster?¡±


    ¡°No one but the Ministers ever meet the Grandmaster. All I ever saw from her were requests for artifacts be sent to her fortress.¡± Ace turned to him with a charming smile. ¡°Let¡¯s not make our host wait, shall we not?¡±


    Shroud offered her his arm, which she took, as they walked into the building. The place was eerily silent, but cleaned up; unseen servants had come around, swept dust and dirt away.


    The two made their way into a large, well-lit atrium, from which a classical symphony came from. A dozen couples of ghosts danced at the tune; men, hobs, elf-like beings, and multiple species Shroud couldn¡¯t identify. Unlike the screaming souls held by the Crimson King, those ones seemed happy and entranced by their rhythm.


    Celia painted on the side on a large canvas, as if the scene inspired her. She was alone in the eerie room, a table with three chairs and cups served. While the little girl looked superficially harmless and alone, her mere presence awoke deep, buried anxiety inside Shroud¡¯s own heart. The bestial part of him, instincts honed by mankind¡¯s evolution across ages, begged him to tread wisely around her.


    ¡°Shroud!¡± she called upon hearing him and Ace come, her happiness starkly contrasting with the eeriness she inspired. ¡°I painted you!¡±


    ¡°Really?¡± Shroud asked, moving to look at his portrait. He would rather have not.


    Celia¡¯s painting represented a theater of some kind, with velvet curtains and the play¡¯s title on a panel: . She had painted Shroud at the center of the stage, but not as a man of flesh and blood, but a nightmarish creature of thick darkness, a dark lord on a throne of dragon bones. Pale skeletons and fresh corpses littered the ground around him, and thin strings held him in the claws of an invisible, reptilian puppeteer.


    Shroud found the display macabre and disturbing. ¡°This isn¡¯t me.¡±


    ¡°This is you,¡± Celia insisted. ¡°The true you. Art strips away illusions, leaving only the bare soul and the beauty within. Don¡¯t you find yourself beautiful on this throne?¡±


    The portrait had an eerie beauty to it, true, but the duality between the macabre, sinister power he displayed and the strings bothered him. ¡°I told you we all had strings,¡± Ace said, loving the portrait more than he did. ¡°Does the play symbolize the fact we all play actors on a stage?¡±


    ¡°I think so,¡± Celia said, happy at Ace trying to find a hidden meaning, ¡°Everyone is the leading role of their own story, right?¡±


    ¡°Both lead and puppet, to the tune of destiny,¡± Ace replied, ¡°It¡¯s only at the end you see what role you were meant to play. Tarot reveal the path too, a bit.¡±


    ¡°Exactly! Death reveals the meaning of life!¡± Celia smiled. ¡°What is your name?¡±


    ¡°Ace, my dear queen.¡±


    Shroud thought, as he watched the scene unfold and the two women discussed destiny in art. Maybe that was how she had made her way into Mammon¡¯s good graces.


    Network dulled when in Celia¡¯s presence, whether because of Manah¡¯s previous warning or her own dangerous nature. In either case, he couldn¡¯t size her up either. Were those the strings she spoke of? That his Lock had a will of its own, as Wormson theorized?


    ¡°I like you,¡± Cela said, before turning to Shroud. ¡°Can you bring Ace again next time you visit, Shroud? She understands.¡±


    ¡°Sure,¡± he said absentmindedly, still absorbed by the portrait. ¡°Why so many corpses?¡±


    ¡°Because of the ghosts following you,¡± she flashed him a beautiful smile, sending a shiver down his spine. ¡°All the lives you take in your wake. I saw them the first time I saw you.¡±


    ¡°I only killed one dragon.¡±


    ¡°Of course you did. You just haven¡¯t killed all the others yet. Whole worlds of corpses, Shroud. You will be a king of death, beautiful and terrible. I cannot wait to see it!¡±


    Shroud turned his head away from the painting, uncomfortable. Ace quickly caught on. ¡°Perhaps we could sit and relax,¡± she offered. ¡°You must be exhausted after making such an artistic masterpiece.¡±


    ¡°I am never tired,¡± Celia replied proudly, leaving her brush and inviting the two to take place around the table, which they did. ¡°I bought coffee for you, Shroud!¡±


    She did, although she served that horrible blood tea to herself and Ace. His date made no sign she noticed, although she didn¡¯t drink it. ¡°Will your court join us?¡± she asked, her eyes glancing at the dancing ghosts.


    ¡°My court? No, they aren¡¯t my court, they are other guests like me, although they decided to stay forever.¡± Celia closed her eyes, moving her hands to the tune of the song, ¡°Lalala lalala, our flesh aged and rot, but they left our corpses in display! So we dance, and dance, to forget only to remember!¡±


    It said something that after fighting Mammon, Toshiyami, fiends, and monsters, that Celia disturbed Shroud more than anything. ¡°I¡¯ve come for advice,¡± Shroud admitted, bringing the coffee to his lips. It was pretty strong, but thankfully not mixed with the blood of Celia¡¯s enemies. ¡°I thought you might give me good counsel.¡±


    ¡°Of course I will, I¡¯m way older and more mature than you.¡±


    ¡°You are,¡± Ace replied, amused.


    ¡°We¡¯re recruiting a larger base of followers, undead included,¡± Shroud said.


    ¡°Oh, oh!¡± Celia jumped on her seat at the mention of undead. ¡°Is it true you recruited a Wight?¡±


    ¡°He did,¡± Ace said. ¡°Doctor Stitch, a very charming fellow. Did you make him?¡±


    ¡°No, a spawn of mine did,¡± she said with a hint of pride, as she drank her blood tea. ¡°Wights are very nice, but a vampire would have been classier. You should have told me.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m considering how I could make them, actually,¡± Shroud admitted. An army of undead could give them more manpower. ¡°My Lock could help me manage them.¡±


    ¡°That is where you are wrong!¡± Celia said, sounding like a teacher scolding a child. ¡°You have to be Yellow to raise the dead, and Yellow is all about art, inspiration! Blue is all about efficiency, control, . No wasteful beauty whatsoever!¡±


    ¡°Even if I let my inner child out?¡±


    ¡°That is an opposite color to your own, so your spell will consume more Flux.¡±


    Could Spellcoins actually represent how much processing power Magik assigned to his spells? ¡°And what if I could combine them?¡± he asked, before realizing telling her about Hack may not be a good idea. ¡°I mean, combine them with my Lock to create something new? Spells must come from somewhere, right?¡±


    ¡°No one can channel two colors at once alone,¡± Celia replied. ¡°If you want to try Yellow, you should practice Green first.¡±


    ¡°Green? Because it is allied with both Blue and Yellow?¡±


    ¡°Exactly. Life and death are two sides of the same coin, so if you improve one, you will learn about the other. You will also need souls to create good undead, gems, or living people.¡± Celia¡¯s eyes shifted to Shroud¡¯s neck, making him uncomfortable. ¡°Or¡­¡±


    ¡°Not going to become a vampire,¡± he interrupted her train of thoughts The second Celia had looked at his neck, Ace stealthily emptied her blood tea inside the teapot in the blink of an eye before bringing the emptied cup to her lips.


    ¡°Aw, but you would look so nice!¡±


    ¡°Indeed you would,¡± Ace nodded, amused. ¡°It would do wonders for your skin tone.¡±


    ¡°I know,¡± Celia exclaimed, ¡°He just needs a cape!¡±


    ¡°And gloves.¡±


    ¡°And leather shoes!¡±


    Shroud crossed his arms and sulked. ¡°But you are handsome in that armor,¡± Celia tried to reassure him he had good fashion sense. ¡°You too, Ace.¡±


    ¡°Thank you, my queen,¡± Ace replied, putting the emptied teacup back on the table, much to the vampire¡¯s joy, ¡°Although you look the best of all of us. What¡¯s your secret?¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re too kind,¡± she replied. ¡°I just have good taste, that is all. I like beautiful clothes, beautiful people, beautiful things.¡±


    As the two exchanged compliments, a flash of violet illuminated the room, a displeasing guest materializing right in the middle of the ballroom. ¡°Ace!¡± Mammon shrieked. ¡°Ace, Ace!¡±


    ¡°Your Majesty?¡± Ace replied, instantly deferential. Shroud noticed the ghosts instantly vanished at the Midnight King¡¯s approach. In all likelihood, he had them killed in the first place.


    ¡°What are you doing here? I asked you to send a fruit basket to Revel after that fiasco!¡±


    ¡°I did, in triplicate, and this gentleman invited me soon after for a date,¡± Ace said, winking at Shroud. ¡°I accepted.¡±


    ¡°Oh, oh!¡± Celia looked at them with excitement. ¡°You are so cute together.¡±


    Mammon glanced at Shroud. ¡°This comes out of your holiday bonus.¡±


    ¡°You aren¡¯t paying me,¡± Shroud replied dryly.


    ¡°Not with that attitude. I¡¯ve examined your plans for the Epoch, and I found them di-sa-point-ing!¡± He insisted on each syllable. ¡°More blood!¡±


    ¡°What? But this is already a death course!¡± Shroud defended his creative choices. It reminded him of the discussion he had had with Gavin while working at Dynamis, except Mammon seemed way more interested in the ¡®killing¡¯ rather than the ¡®selling.¡¯


    ¡°Not lethal enough,¡± Mammon replied, going on an angry tirade. ¡°There can only be one winning team, and we need to weed out all the rest! Also, add more fireworks, more glamour! Viewers want unexpected surprises and turns, shocking deaths, and to squirm on their tentacles!¡±


    ¡°Hi, mighty conqueror!¡± Celia waved with friendliness at the Midnight King, improving his foul mood. ¡°We were waiting for you.¡±


    ¡°Death,¡± Mammon¡¯s humanoid torso curtly bowed to Celia, which made Shroud squint. The Midnight King suddenly behaving with wariness around her raised all sorts of alarms as he joined for tea. ¡°Of course you would wait for Mammon.¡±


    ¡°We wouldn¡¯t have gone so far without your hard work,¡± Celia added, nodding happily.


    The familiarity between them bothered Shroud somewhat, who suddenly realized why Manah had insisted she deal with this himself. He cleared his throat, as Mammon¡¯s tentacle grabbed a cup and pulled it inside his chest body. ¡°King Mammon, I heard you collected precious artifacts, like Occult Matrixes.¡±


    ¡°Shroud couldn¡¯t shut up about it, but he just worked the courage to ask you,¡± Ace continued, making the Moderator sink deeper in his chair. ¡°Perhaps you could show him off, Your Majesty.¡±


    Mammon absentmindedly searched inside his hoard, bringing out an item. ¡°This trinket? Mine!¡±


    His hand opened, revealing a perfect replica of the artifact Shroud had stolen from Smokefang, weeks ago. A metal orb, shining with a bluish hue, filling his brain with math, formulas, visions of a strange distant world¡­


    Visions of a metal coin floating in the endless darkness of space filled his mind; a golden utopia of chest-like creatures, watching a fiery star fall on them¡­


    ¡°Shroud¡­¡±


    A flash of yellow light brought him out of this dream. Before he knew it, he returned to the world of the living. Celia had put an icy finger on his cheek. ¡°What happened?¡± Shroud asked, his thoughts in shamble.


    ¡°Your eyes shone blue, handsome,¡± Ace warned. ¡°And not in an attractive way.¡±


    ¡°I told you Blue is ,¡± Celia said. ¡°Your Lock wants more of it, over you, over everyone.¡±


    ¡°We apologize for this, Your Majesty,¡± Ace said charmingly, preemptively trying to appease Mammon.


    However, much to even Celia¡¯s surprise, the Midnight King remained eerily silent, appraising the Blue Sorcerer. His quietness made Shroud even more wary than his frothing malevolence prior. ¡°What did you see?¡± Mammon finally asked. ¡°Do not lie or your ass is mine.¡±


    Shroud didn¡¯t need Network to know the monster was deadly serious. ¡°It sent me information, Midnight Market, post-Mammon landing¡­ minus four thousand.¡±


    ¡°Try again,¡± Mammon said. ¡°But if you damage it, I will take your head. There are dozens of these trinkets on my station, but this one has sentimental value to the King.¡±


    Shroud glanced at him, then the artifact, raising his hand to touch it. This was a huge risk, but he had his hand brush Mammon¡¯s as he touched the artifact, feeling the jolt of Network activate. Thankfully, the King, lacking Yellow Sorcery, missed it.


    Matrix Folder: Midnight Market, Post-Mammon Landing, Underside; record starts minus 4000.


    ¨C Mammon Sealed: Mimic Civilization Survives (Minus 4000)


    ¨C Mammon¡¯s Chronobreak Spell Uncast: Underside Destruction Prevented (1789)


    ¨C Conspiracy Unveiled: Malebranche-Concordia War (1920)


    Save/Load?


    ¡°It says Mimic Civilization Survives, minus 4000.¡± The pervasive tension around Mammon increased, almost too unbearable to support, but apparently, he didn¡¯t catch the omission. ¡°Underside Destruction Prevented, 1789. And Conspiracy Unveiled, 1920. I can¡­ uncover them.¡±


    ¡°The second,¡± Mammon ordered. ¡°Do your thing on the second, now.¡±


    ¡°Mammon.¡± Due to the deep, serious tone, it took a second for Shroud to realize Celia had spoken. ¡°Let it go. That spell is impossible. And why would you put something in a box and make sure nobody can open, it if it is not dangerous?¡±


    The Midnight King ignored her, focusing on Shroud alone. The sorcerer could see a spark of burning greed in each of his tiny eyes. ¡°Open it,¡± Mammon insisted. ¡°Prove the King right.¡±


    Feeling as if he had a gun pointed on his head, Shroud prepared to mentally touch the notification.


    Yet, at the last moment, he considered clicking on a different option. He had a golden, perhaps once in a lifetime opportunity to get rid of that tyrant with no risk to himself or his team.


    Shroud thought as he settled on a different choice.


    The matrix shone brightly, and the universe turned Blue.


    The effect was anything but subtle. To Shroud, two images superposed in his field of vision, two versions of the world. One was the ballroom, the other a stranger realm, where the walls had eyes and watched back.


    Reality itself started to glitch, the very texture of the world twisting, a sound droning in his own mind. Between the two pictures of the world, he noticed gears, streams of colored energies, and threads knitting both together.


    In the in-between, something watched back at him, an eye of light made of seven colors; but a cold, heartless kind of light, that provided no warmth.


    ¡°I see you, Shroud.¡± The voice that spoke was his own, but haughty, mocking, giggling. It droned in his mind instead of his ears. ¡°Always the fool eager to challenge fate, no matter the iteration. But remember¡­ I you, now and forever.¡±


    The second picture started overwriting the first, Mammon vanishing from his sight in a trail of blue particles. The gap between worlds closed, and in a flash, the glitches subsided and Shroud regained control of his body.


    Shroud blinked, as the hotel had turned brighter, restored to its full glory¡­ except the walls had eyes, and so did the table and the chairs. His own, more expensive than the rest, on his back.


    Shroud turned around, confused, finding a group of hobs commenting Celia¡¯s portrait, elf-like beings dancing to the tune of the music¡­


    And the sharp pain in his left arm, where Toshiyami had cut it, didn¡¯t subside.


    ¡°Your Majesty, is something wrong?¡± Ace asked him, confused by his behavior. ¡°The Concordian assassin?¡±


    ¡°You didn¡¯t¡­¡± Shroud trailed.


    ¡°Didn¡¯t what?¡± Her confusion seemed genuine.


    Then, Shroud¡¯s chair grew tentacles and began to massage his shoulders, making him almost jump on his feet. ¡°Not good enough, boss?¡± the chair and it grew eyes on the armrest. ¡°Slower?¡±


    Shroud had no idea how to react to that¡­ so the chair took it as a yes, and massaged his back slowly.


    A mimic. The same kind as Mammon, but clearly nicer.


    Shroud fell silent, trying to make sense of what happened. Celia looked at him strangely. ¡°King Martel, you are acting strangely.¡±


    King Martel? ¡°I¡¯m just feeling sick,¡± he said, brushing it off. ¡°What were we talking about?¡±


    ¡°The Maleking¡¯s offer of friendship and protection still stands,¡± Celia said, making Shroud freeze. ¡°We all know how attached you are to Mimicworld¡¯s neutrality, but you will not push back Blackcinders alone. She is, no offense, far too strong for you.¡±


    ¡°Blackcinders?¡± Shroud repeated, blinking.


    ¡°A Concordian fleet led by the is preparing to assault the star cluster,¡± Ace said calmly, her eyebrows furrowing at his behavior. ¡°Blackcinders is making good on her threat to avenge her son.¡±


    That at least hadn¡¯t changed. ¡°And what does the Maleking want with me?¡± Shroud asked.


    ¡°You have to loosen the seal on Mammon,¡± Celia replied, the chair and table fidgeting at the name. ¡°The Maleking understands how precarious your position is, but the freedom of my fellow Horseman is non-negotiable.¡±


    It suddenly occurred to Shroud that he should have thought twice about loading that save. ¡°I need to think about it,¡± he said, trying to remain as evasive as possible and end this conversation until further notice.


    What the hell just happened?


    ¡°She was surprisingly nice, her dread master aside,¡± Ace said, as they exited the hotel. She had dropped the respectful tone for a more casual one once out of Celia¡¯s earshot. ¡°We should meet her more often.¡±


    No. No, they shouldn¡¯t.


    The Underside had become as lustrous and beautiful as the Overside, with none of the rust of the previous¡­ whatever that was.


    The changes also went farther. The buildings had eyes and mouths, as did pretty much every item around but the ground they stood on. The streetlights bowed slightly when they passed nearby. Mimics, all of them.


    Much to his surprise, many of the streetlights shape-shifted into copies of his glass armor as the duo walked by; each of the creatures took a different pose, some regal, others blatantly ridiculous.


    Playful.


    ¡°We¡¯re alone now,¡± he said, having no idea how to address the elephant in the room.


    ¡°Obviously.¡± The way she sounded, he grew certain she made it intentionally sound enticing. Damn flirt. ¡°You¡¯ve been behaving strangely since that tea with Celia. Is it Blackcinders approaching that troubles you?¡±


    ¡°You do not remember?¡± he asked her.


    ¡°Remember what?¡± She raised an eyebrow. ¡°Okay, you really need a moment to get your act together. What about some stargazing?¡±


    Without needing to use Network to read her mind, he took her firmly in his arms from the waist down, flying onto the roof of the tallest building around and landing them on it. They had an incredible view of the surrounding area under the faint light of the stars.


    And as he expected, the Load had affected the entire Underside, turning it into a moving landscape, as tentacled buildings playfully exchanged places. Mimics could apparently grow to rival skyscrapers, and they all competed to outdo one another in shape-shifting. He suddenly wondered if Mammon¡¯s showmanship had been a cultural trait, rather than his own eccentricity.


    Just how much had that power changed? From what he gathered and Ace¡¯s comment, the fight with the five hunters still happened, as did the death of Smokefang. But he seemed to have taken Mammon¡¯s place.


    Getting rid of that chest bastard had been the entire point of loading that Save, so he didn¡¯t complain.


    ¡°Here,¡± Ace said, taking his hand and leading him to the edge of the roof, both of them sitting there. ¡°Look at those stars.¡±


    ¡°They¡¯re beautiful.¡±


    ¡°I wonder how many of them are inhabited,¡± Ace said, ¡°Do you know that Concordia believes we only mapped a fifth of the material universe? Seeker must have come from some galaxy far, far away, one we haven¡¯t seen yet.¡±


    Seeker. What little he heard of that cosmic horror made him shudder. ¡°If it represents the life out there, some would say we are better off not knowing.¡±


    ¡°Some. You too?¡±


    ¡°Of course not,¡± Shroud replied. ¡°There is no such a thing as not enough knowledge. It gives us power and freedom.¡±


    ¡°And joy, and new frontiers to explore,¡± Ace added.


    ¡°About that, what did you think of combining Green and Yellow? I do have a Green spell I¡¯m not using much, Purge, and enough Spellcoins to buy the Deathgem spell. If this one is needed to gather souls and create undead¡ª¡±


    ¡°Do you always speak of work, even while on a date?¡± He almost apologized sheepishly, when she cut him with a chuckle. ¡°It¡¯s fine. Actually, I¡¯m pretty much that way myself.¡±


    ¡°You are?¡± He noticed that she immediately understood he was talking about Magik Online, so that at least hadn¡¯t changed.


    ¡°Of course I¡¯m curious at what this system can do! How does it even work? I¡¯ve been trying to find all the possible fusions of the Seamancer spell since I got it. That¡¯s how I created Splash, by combining it with Switch, and Rainmaker, by combining it with Timesense. They make a pretty nice combo together.¡±


    ¡°Rainmaker creates rain, and Splash allows you to teleport with droplets?¡±


    ¡°Any body of water, actually, as long as it doesn¡¯t come from a living being like milk or blood. And believe me, I tried every single liquid out there. I think it¡¯s because it lacks a Green component. Neither Orange nor Violet have anything to do with life.¡±


    So the colors held power over a conceptual domain and didn¡¯t allow any other to step into them. ¡°Which means, the more colors, the more transcendent and powerful the Hack.¡±


    A spell incorporating all colors might be an amazing power. He wondered if he could create a chain of them. Premium Thoughts and Heal were too important to risk triggering a Hack with, but Heal had made Purge slightly obsolete. Lightbringer and Glass Field were the core of his arsenal, but he could consider risking upgrading one. Beastmaster had proved useful, but he wouldn¡¯t miss sacrificing it for a stronger power.


    However, he couldn¡¯t license Hacks, and his shortage of Spellcoins to invest in spells meant he couldn¡¯t recoup his losses should a fusion prove sub-par. He might as well try to push the limits of what he already had before venturing into the unknown; master his own sorcery, and then expand.


    He looked at his Blue options for Dot Two. protected his mind from mental control, which was situational. helped him with infiltration but wouldn¡¯t get past Magitech, limiting its effectiveness. allowed him to manipulate the emotions of others, which may have been the spell Concordia used on him to keep him docile while imprisoned. The mere idea to use mind-control and take away someone¡¯s freedom went against everything he believed in, so he immediately pushed it aside.


    Doppelganger though¡­


    Doppelganger


    Affinity: Blue


    Dot: 2


    Price: 6


    Activation: Active, Thought.


    The caster creates a perfect, free-willed quantum duplicate of themselves. The Doppelganger appears as a blue-colored phantom, which will dissipate if suffering lethal wound or upon death of the original; upon destruction, the original gains all of the Doppelganger¡¯s memories. The Doppelganger cannot cast spells nor use a Lock, but benefits from all effects affecting the caster upon creation (such as Peak or Premium Thoughts). The caster can only have one Doppelganger active, and harmful effects affecting it will not carry over to the original.


    Creating a clone could allow him to do twice the work, but its inability to use his Lock or cast spells limited the effectiveness. Unless if he¡­


    No, that would be an overpowered loophole. It all depended on the wording; if the Doppelganger couldn¡¯t cast spells period, then it wouldn¡¯t work. If it meant it couldn¡¯t cast spells naturally¡­


    He really had to check that one.


    ¡°So?¡± Ace asked him, drawing him out of his thoughtfulness, ¡°Do you have an idea for experimentation?¡±


    ¡°Oh yes,¡± he replied, ¡°I also wonder what would happen if I combined Beastmaster and Lightbringer. Maybe a light controlling beasts?¡±


    ¡°Or a light that turns people into animals,¡± she replied with a grin. ¡°Since we¡¯re on the subject of stars and light. How does your light spell work?¡±


    ¡°Quasar and Reinforce. I tried to reinforce photons and it solidified them, creating Lightbringer.¡±


    ¡°So if I buy Heatriser and try to reinforce the heat, I could create solid fire? Or solidify time with Timesense?¡±


    ¡°How can you possibly solidify time?¡±


    ¡°How can you possibly glitch time?¡± she replied with a mischievous grin on her face.


    Touch¨¦. ¡°Talking about gaining new spells. Best team activity.¡±


    ¡°I wouldn¡¯t call us a team yet,¡± Ace said. ¡°We are two members short.¡± S§×ar?h the ¦Çov§×lFire .net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Shroud froze. ¡°What do you mean?¡±


    ¡°We still need to assign the White and the Red, no? Then we can call ourselves a true team.¡±


    He had a gnawing feeling. ¡°They are assigned. To Sol and Maggie.¡±


    ¡°Who?¡±


    ¡­ shit, shit, shit!


    He immediately checked his Magik Online account, finding it mostly unchanged, except for two very important missing elements. He immediately sent a message to the Administrator.


    SHROUD: Where did the accounts of Solomon and Maggie go?


    ADMINISTRATOR: I am sorry, Mathias, but I do not understand your question.


    SHROUD: The Players, Sol and Sharpshoot. Solomon Nicholae and Maggie Powells. Where did they go?


    ADMINISTRATOR: Let me check¡­ We do not have these Players in our database. Why such a question?


    Players'' StatsAccountDragonslayers Guild ModeratorNameShroudNetworkProgressHolderMathias MartelBroadcastUnlockedLevel2 (Adept)Grant SpellUnlockedAffinityBlueSynergizeUnlockedLockNetworkLocked Feature(0/7)Spellcoins15Overlock(0/1)Stored Saves6Save?Load?Spell CompendiumNameDotAffinityPremium Thoughts1BlueBabel1BluePurge1GreenBeastmaster2BlueHeal2GreenGlass Field2Orange/BlueLightbringer2Red/OrangeMad World2Blue/GreenAccountDragonslayers GuildNameYoshikageOversoulProgressHolderKari MatsumotoRememberUnlockedLevel2 (Adept)Channel SoulUnlockedAffinityYellowLocked Feature(1/3)LockOversoulLocked Feature(0/7)Spellcoins12Overlock(0/1)Spell CompendiumNameDotAffinityBabel1BlueWallcraw1GreenPeak1GreenNeedless1GreenWard1YellowDoom Sense1YellowSpiritsight1YellowHands of Slaughter3Yellow/Violet/RedAccountDragonslayers GuildNameThe Mur!AdamantProgressHolderMurmur the ImpHarderUnlockedLevel1 (Novice)Locked Feature(0/1)AffinityOrangeLocked Feature(0/3)LockAdamantLocked Feature(0/7)Spellcoins23Overlock(0/1)Spell CompendiumNameDotAffinityReinforce1OrangeDiceweight1OrangePitborn2Green/RedAccountDragonslayers GuildNameDocInseminateProgressHolderNathaniel StitchSpawnUnlockedLevel1 (Novice)Locked Feature(0/1)AffinityGreenLocked Feature(0/3)LockInseminateLocked Feature(0/7)Spellcoins15Overlock(0/1)Spell CompendiumNameDotAffinityNoneNoneNoneAccountDragonslayers GuildNameAceCastlingProgressHolderSaga FreysonSummonedUnlockedLevel2 (Adept)Piercing BoundaryUnlockedAffinityVioletLocked Feature(2/3)LockCastlingLocked Feature(0/7)Spellcoins4Overlock(0/1)Spell CompendiumNameDotAffinitySwitch1VioletTimesense1VioletUrbanstep1VioletSeamancer1OrangeAccel1WhiteDoorway2VioletSplash2Orange/VioletRainmaker2Orange/Violet


    Spell of the Day


    Echocall


    Affinity: White


    Dot: 2


    Price: 6-10


    Activation: Active, Voice Vector.


    You radiate an aura of White Flux which summons echoes, a Flux leftover of a deceased person. The Echo repeats the person¡¯s latest actions; the stronger Echocall, the farther back in time.

 Chapter 43: Heart of Blue

    King Mathias The Fourth¡¯s Soul Casino


    Invitation Only


    As he looked over at the sign at the base of the Neurotower, Shroud didn¡¯t know what to make of it. He didn¡¯t know what to make of .


    ¡°Are you going to stand there for another hour?¡± Ace teased him, blissfully unaware of the gravity of the situation.


    ¡°Mur thinks he loves himself too much.¡± The imp, in his Pitborn form, had taken the role of a bouncer in this new history and kept watch over the casino¡¯s Gate. His new job hadn¡¯t affected his behavior in the slightest.


    ¡°Where is Kari?¡± Shroud asked anxiously. The pain in his left arm had receded, and his Network feed of his friend showed him only darkness. Stitch¡¯s one showed him safe, experimenting with his ''children''.


    ¡°Still in a medical coma,¡± Ace replied. ¡°Stitch said she should wake up in a week or so.¡±


    ¡°She fought the good fight,¡± Mur said, with uncharacteristic respect. ¡°She is strong, she will endure.¡±


    The Blue Sorcerer figured the night of the hunters had happened, but due to being two people short it was won at a greater cost. ¡°Ace, this is going to be a strange question,¡± Shroud began, ¡°but do I have a biography running around?¡±


    ¡°Of course you do. You even made an holo-movie out of it, remember?¡±


    Urgh, did he take all of Mammon''s antics when he replaced him? ¡°I would like to watch it,¡± Shroud said, as he walked through the Gate and into the soul casino, finding it relatively unchanged compared to the previous timeline. That didn¡¯t make sense. If Mammon had been erased like he worried Maggie and Sol had been, then that whole casino should have never existed.


    No. Not erased. Sealed. That meant that chest bastard existed somewhere. Celia had said the same and wanted him free. ¡°Where is Mammon?¡± Shroud asked Ace.


    ¡°The seal, you mean?¡± Ace frowned, answering his question with another question. ¡°What is Network?¡±


    ¡°My Lock, which connects people and allows me to observe you from afar,¡± Shroud replied, guessing what she did. ¡°Right now it¡¯s telling me you¡¯re prodding to see if I¡¯ve been replaced.¡±


    ¡°You haven¡¯t,¡± she said, still worried. ¡°An infiltrator would show more skill at deception. But you are acting very, very suspicious.¡±


    ¡°I think someone messed with my memories somehow,¡± he said, the real explanation probably being too complicated. ¡°Maybe Melusine.¡±


    ¡°Messed up enough that you want to rewatch your whole life?¡± Ace clearly didn¡¯t believe him. ¡°Be honest, please.¡±


    Shroud sighed, as he tried to find the best way to word it. ¡°I used that Load feature, and apparently it transported me to an alternate history. Yours.¡±


    To his amazement, Ace actually seemed to believe him, or at least didn¡¯t reject his words instantly. She could probably tell he believed in it based on voice alone, and perhaps she was curious enough to entertain the possibility. ¡°Alternate how?¡±


    ¡°I wasn¡¯t king of the Midnight Market, Mammon was.¡± Ace chuckled at this, unaware of the irony involved. ¡°And Blackcinders, as far as I know, isn¡¯t about to invade.¡±


    ¡°Never heard of the Midnight Market. The mimics call this sphere Mimicworld, and it stuck. They are adorably simple-minded.¡± Ace arched an eyebrow. ¡°Sol and Maggie, they were our teammates in the other history?¡±


    She caught on fast. ¡°You¡¯re taking the news surprisingly well.¡±


    ¡°I am not a skeptical person, and I have seen sorcery just as worldshaking. Even then it does surprise me. What do you remember from the old history?¡±


    ¡°Concordia conquered Earth.¡±


    ¡°It did, ten years ago,¡± she said. ¡°That¡¯s when you emigrated to Mimicworld, thanks to a kind smuggler¡¯s help.¡±


    Was that the divergence element? ¡°Can you elaborate further?¡±


    ¡°I apologize but I am not an expert in your life,¡± Ace teased him. ¡°From the broad strokes, your father emigrated with you to Mimicworld, and stuck rich there, while your mother stayed on Terra Firma to continue her research. You inherited your dad''s business empire, and thus control of Mimicworld after buying it from the previous king.¡±


    The mention of his father warmed his heart. ¡°My parents¡­?¡±


    Ace¡¯s saddened face dashed his hopes. ¡°Your father died, hunted by Lugh, and your mother was arrested by Concordia for a reason you never learned; you killed governor Smokefang when you confronted him during your investigation.¡± His crushed reaction had fully convinced her of his goodwill. ¡°Alternate realities¡­ and we join forces in two of them. I thought the odds that we would meet would be much lower.¡±


    Shroud didn¡¯t understand either. If four thousand years of history had been rewritten, why were events so eerily similar? He would have expected more divergences, especially if his parents emigrated on another world far from Concordia.


    Glancing around the bustling of Mammon¡¯s former casino confirmed his questioning. While there were some visible changes, mostly mimics making up most of the cash machines and devices, overall the structure hadn¡¯t changed much.


    A Magik notification popped up.


    You have an urgent new message from: Administrator.


    Shroud immediately opened it.


    ADMINISTRATOR: Mathias, do NOT use that modded feature recklessly again or the consequences may be dire.


    SHROUD: Wait, you haven¡¯t been affected?


    ADMINISTRATOR: I was, but my memories of an event a few years back did not add up the way it should, enough to make me suspicious. I checked your account history after our conversation and it recorded the event. Even looking at it with my own eyes I am taken aback. You merged an alternate timeline with ours.


    SHROUD: What?


    ADMINISTRATOR: Blue rules over possibilities. So, imagine a major possible event that didn¡¯t happen in our world, but was recorded and locked away. Those are the ¡°saves.¡± When you loaded it, you reincorporated that isolated possibility into our timeline, overwriting the old reality with a new one.


    SHROUD: So I didn¡¯t time travel, I just edited the present.


    ADMINISTRATOR: in simple terms, you jumped sideways rather than backward.


    SHROUD: But why were changes so¡­ minor? Shouldn¡¯t an event happening four thousand years ago, I dunno, change more around the universe?


    ADMINISTRATOR: This is only a theory, but I believe the save system tries to keep the changes to a minimum to safeguard most of the timeline. You only had access to one matrix, which only records events around the Midnight Market; other devices save timelines in distant places and aren¡¯t under your control. So when you loaded a localized save, the overall system behind it tried to align the changes with the wider multiverse and minimize them. Mammon was involved in too many events to be removed without altering history too much, and the feature said you would be unaffected; reality compromised by putting other people, including you, in Mammon¡¯s place across history.


    SHROUD: And since my history changed, I never met Maggie and Sol and so never recruited them.


    ADMINISTRATOR: It is worse than that. Your account says you formed a team in a city called Evermarsh, so I assume you met these two here in the previous timeline?


    SHROUD: Yes.


    ADMINISTRATOR: I tried to find them, looked into all records available, and didn''t find anything. I did come back with info on a city called Evermarsh, a Florida city wiped out by Smokefang during the Conquest. The invasion was apparently bloodier this time around, perhaps because Mammon interfered in some way in the previous history.


    The sorcerer felt an icy chill go down his spine, as the sheer weight of the horror he unleashed dawned on him. Maggie, Sol, Perse, Ulysses, Vivianne, Sam¡­


    SHROUD: I killed them.


    ADMINISTRATOR: Maybe. I cannot say. I am sorry, Mathias.


    SHROUD: But Sol was with us when the Conquest happened. My family, I mean.


    ADMINISTRATOR: He could have chosen to remain on Earth, or made a different choice that led to his death during the chaos of the Conquest.


    SHROUD: Holy shit... the other save recorded a human extinction event in North America, and a Cheyenne asteroid. Both during the Conquest.


    ADMINISTRATOR: It is possible that in an alternate timeline, the defense of Cheyenne Mountain was successful enough that Blackcinders dropped her asteroid there instead of Moscow, and that in another, she annihilated Earth as she warned.


    SHROUD: I could have wiped out the entire human race. This feature is extraordinarily risky. Perhaps intentionally so. What is the point to record an apocalypse with the possibility to unleash it, if not to use it as a weapon?


    ADMINISTRATOR: It can be a defense system, actively isolating a dangerous event away from the timeline. Or maybe neither.


    SHROUD: And who makes those saves in the first place?


    ADMINISTRATOR: I do not know¡­ but Concordia probably does. That would explain why they were so interested in that artifact. I am as clueless as you.


    SHROUD: I have to try and bring back Maggie and Sol.


    ADMINISTRATOR: I understand, and I cannot fault you for trying¡­ but whatever the case, this system is tremendously powerful, but you should use with extreme care and if possible, never Earth saves. Do not, under any circumstance, tell anyone else. I need to discuss with the Sponsors to see what to make of this. I will set an alarm that will warn me and transfer your account history if it activates again.


    Shroud closed the feed, the weight of guilt on his shoulders still as heavy as before.


    He should have raged and fallen in despair, but he stood still, his mind clear. It was a terrible thing to say, but after what happened to his father and the ordeals he had gone through, he managed to keep his wits.


    He remembered Manah¡¯s words, about not letting his emotions cloud his judgment. He couldn¡¯t let anger or sadness steer him the same way Jack¡¯s atrocities did.


    If Shroud maintained a laser focus on the matter at hand, gained information, he could find a way to repair what he did. He had to.


    The more he considered the Administrator¡¯s words, the more the theory about the system minimizing changes had merits. His father meeting a smuggler, ending up in Mimicworld, gaining enough riches to own an entire sphere in less than a decade, while his mother faced the exact same fate as the first time around? That sequence of events was possible, but one implausible coincidence after another.


    Railroading.


    The system had simply found it easier to arrange it than change everything else.


    He needed to meet the other person most impacted by the current changes. ¡°Ace.¡±


    ¡°Yes?¡±


    ¡°Answer me," he demanded, "Where is Mammon?¡±


    As it turned out, Mammon¡¯s casino had been built into the Neurotower itself, and the more one went deeper, the stranger the area.


    The glamorous areas covered well-guarded floors that only Shroud and his trusted few had access to¡ªwhich meant only Mammon and his close allies ever saw that far in the old timeline.


    Shroud and Ace walked down the innards of the tower, pulsating walls of alien metal. Immense transparent pipelines transported colored light down, like blood veins. Mechanical hearts pumped the substance up and down into gear-like mechanisms.


    While Shroud didn¡¯t see any trace of organic material, the world structure seemed¡­ alive. Breathing Flux. Breathing magic. Sorcery saturated the very air, tainted by colored hues.


    Yet, no matter how strange his surroundings, Shroud remained obsessed with the Administrator¡¯s words.


    Fusing two timelines and trying to change as little as possible. If Lugh had killed his father in this reality, it would provide a logical chain of events leading to that fateful night¡­ he could see the hands of the save feature at work, combining elements to create a new history.


    And if they knew, why did Concordia research this technology? What could they plan to do with it?


    The fact that two friends vanished as collateral damage only fueled his desire to understand that power and undo his decision. Shroud had already lost a father to his mistakes. He wouldn¡¯t lose two teammates.


    The metal corridor ended before a forcefield of various colors, blocking the path. Ace brought a knife and threw it at the structure, the item vaporizing on touch. ¡°Mammon is behind it, from what I heard,¡± she declared. ¡°Good luck getting past it, however.¡±


    Shroud prodded at this barrier with Network and didn¡¯t have to wait long for the feedback.


    The forcefield drained of most of its colors, turning only blue. Shroud warily touched it, his hand going through it. Ace, more careful, threw another knife at the barrier, which too vanished upon impacting.


    ¡°Color discrimination,¡± the woman said, disappointed. ¡°I thought only earthlings did it.¡±


    Shroud crossed the forcefield, leaving his ally on the other side. He also glanced at the Network feeds, and found them obscured; either the tower interfered with his Lock or...


    ¡°Wait for me here,¡± he said. ¡°If I¡¯m not back in two hours and do not contact you with Network¡­ I guess you can declare me dead.¡±


    ¡°I would rather avoid it,¡± Ace replied dryly. ¡°Just send me a message.¡±


    Would the saboteur let him? He doubted so, but he had the feeling she didn¡¯t announce her presence so obviously to set up a violent ambush. ¡°I will if I can.¡±


    Shroud walked along further into the metal womb, alone.


    Shroud found it slightly ironic that in spite of having a power whose effectiveness relied on connections, it isolated him even from his team. Did it say something about the deeper purpose of Network, or his own?


    The more he progressed, the metallic corridors grew wider; an invisible pressure weighted on his shoulder, as a colored mist started filling the tunnels.


    As he moved further within this miasma, the Sorcerer felt the power fill his bones. The vision provided by Glass Field intensified, grew sharper; the song of Beastmaster extended farther and farther, and his thoughts accelerated. His spells gained in potency and power by mere osmosis.  S§×arch* The N??elFir§×.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    He had stepped in the womb of sorcery itself, and it empowered him.


    The sorcerer felt a call from below, an invisible force pushing him to continue. When the path bifurcated, he took turns without understanding why. The compulsion grew stronger, enough to make him brush away thoughts of going back.


    Technological tumors burst from the walls, dripping colored mist. Golden fibers carried bluish pulses of information below his feet, the fibers of a brain spanning the Midnight Market. His brain computed strange turns in the corridors, mathematical complexities that his obsolete human mind worked feverishly to comprehend.


    At long last, he reached a cavity, maybe the bottom of the Neurotower. A dome that could fit multiple stadiums within, with a metal abyss opened at the center, a pit spitting out sorcerous bile. The mist had thickened, yet he could see a strange structure integrated to the ceiling above him. An immense sphere of metal and solid energy, integrated into the tower-structure, yet clearly a later addition. A jail whose prisoner struggled fruitlessly to escape.


    Shroud ignored it, walking towards the iron maw that called him. He floated towards the crater, gazing down into the abyss and facing the blinding, divine light down.


    He there.


    All his life, his entire existence, every event in his worthless human life had only one purpose; to lead him to this furnace of sorcery, to become one with this glorious machine and take his rightful place as supreme ruler of all existence.


    His mind was clear of all doubts. He no longer cared about his friends, about Concordia. They were below his notice. They hadn¡¯t been to wield this power, to Save and Load and Network; they weren¡¯t .


    Only this technology, this abyss mattered. Only he could wield it to its full potential. He would learn how to use it, master it, unlock all of its ancient secrets, then he would emerge to network them all. Every dragon, every human, every tiny creature in the farthest corner of creation; his touch would spread like a virus that would infect the world. A networked would network another until all joined the ranks of his slaves.


    He would synergize them until he subsumed their disgusting free-will and their rampant, disordered thoughts; until their minds were echoes of own, automatons that would obey only the divine lightning of his will. A perfect universe, where .


    That was his destiny. To become a great iron god that would dominate the cosmos.


    ¡°This is not me.¡± The words left his mouth on their own, and he repeated them with more strength. ¡°This is not me, this is not me.¡±


    The structure affected his mind through Network.


    It didn¡¯t matter. He couldn¡¯t deny the truth, the truth that the light would provide if he descended within. The power to rewrite history, to create a beautiful world where Mom and Dad were alive; he could erase all his mistakes and lows, keeping only the highs. A world where he ruled as emperor, as the One Above All.


    He glanced at the light deeper into this iron abyss, down the maw that would digest him a and spit him out a . He just had to fall into the furnace of sorcery, let his imperfect flesh burn and reveal the shining metal beneath...


    ¡°This is not me!¡± Mathias repeated more strongly, turning away from the abyss, from the tower¡¯s insidious call.


    He was a man, in control of his fate, which was to become one with the iro- which was to save his friends. Friends he could bring back by giving himself to¡ªwhom he could bring back by .


    Mathias focused on memories of his human life, which the call tried to drown in glorious visions. He focused on the kind face of Solomon, of Maggie, of Kari, of Ulysses and Perse and all those who would worship him once he became the greatest magician¡ªonce he turned his back on the abyss.


    He was in control, not this tower. Yes, he was in control. It was meant to obey him, to fuel his ascension to the one abov¡ªto fuel Magik Online. He opened his browser but wondered why settled for this knock-off when power welcom¡ªwhen the power threatened to brainwash him into a monster. He searched for the Mindshield spell, which he wouldn¡¯t need because was strong enough to master¡ªbecause he needed protection.


    Mathias purchased Mindshield, and cast it immediately, the power of the tower empowering his spell enough to make a layer of Blue Flux visible on his armor.


    As if putting on earplugs to drown out a cacophony, the prideful thoughts lessened in potency, becoming background noise. Much to his horror, Shroud could still hear them, even with the spell protecting him; at least he could finally think for himself again.


    What did Wormson say? That Blue Sorcerers thought themselves gods when they escalated and fell into madness?


    Mathias had come perilously close. Another minute without protection in this heart of sorcery, and he would have never returned to sanity. Celia had told him Blue was control, efficiency. The more he channeled that power, the more his thoughts turned to control alone.


    He needed to think as Mathias Martel while down there, to connect to his old, normal life and remain firmly grounded. The tower¡¯s power, Network itself, threatened to subsume him if he wasn¡¯t careful.


    Mathias turned his back on the abyss and whatever horror laid at the bottom, focusing on the sphere above him. A forcefield similar to the one that protected the Occult Matrix on Earth, yet used here as containment.


    The sorcerer gazed at a spirit of gold, a living storm of dust and gemstones. While the formless entity lacked shape, it often appeared just a tiny bit ready to solidify into a crown, a torso, hands...


    Mammon wasn¡¯t a mimic; or rather, only half of him.


    Infernoid. Like Jack. The fusion of a fiend and a mimic into a single horror.


    Could that explain Mammon¡¯s strange sorcery? If the fiend wielded one color¡ªprobably Orange¡ªand the host another, maybe it could combine them the same way Hacks did?


    Wait. The mimics making up most of that world didn¡¯t exist in the timeline where Mammon freed himself. Had that bastard had exterminated his own species somehow, in the old history?


    ¡°Serves you right,¡± Mathias taunted the imprisoned creature, who kept banging against his prison. The entity tried to speak to him, but no sound emerged. The dust shifted into the shape of a lock and a key, then a crown.


    Trying to tempt him into opening the prison, eh?


    Through the all-sides vision provided by Glass Field, the sorcerer noticed another person walking into this iron purgatory. ¡°Well,¡± Mathias said, readying his lightshards. ¡°Up for more?¡±


    ¡°I have not come to fight.¡± Melusine walked within his range, revealing themselves. The armor matched that of Sol but streamlined, sleeker and closer to the skin. Instead of the knight-like look of the priest¡¯s attire, this one reminded Shroud of a warrior queen, espousing the humanoid, feminine form below. Four telescopic tentacles hung from its back, ready to strike. ¡°I¡¯ve come to help.¡±


    ¡°You remember.¡±


    ¡°Of course. Did you believe that power to be your only prerogative?¡± The agent, a woman, shook her head. ¡°But we do not have much time. Blackcinders will attack soon.¡±


    Players'' StatsAccountDragonslayers Guild ModeratorNameShroudNetworkProgressHolderMathias MartelBroadcastUnlockedLevel2 (Adept)Grant SpellUnlockedAffinityBlueSynergizeUnlockedLockNetworkLocked Feature(0/7)Spellcoins9Overlock(0/1)Stored Saves6Save?Load?Spell CompendiumNameDotAffinityPremium Thoughts1BlueBabel1BluePurge1GreenBeastmaster2BlueMindshield2BlueHeal2GreenGlass Field2Orange/BlueLightbringer2Red/OrangeMad World2Blue/GreenAccountDragonslayers GuildNameYoshikageOversoulProgressHolderKari MatsumotoRememberUnlockedLevel2 (Adept)Channel SoulUnlockedAffinityYellowLocked Feature(1/3)LockOversoulLocked Feature(0/7)Spellcoins12Overlock(0/1)Spell CompendiumNameDotAffinityBabel1BlueWallcraw1GreenPeak1GreenNeedless1GreenWard1YellowDoom Sense1YellowSpiritsight1YellowHands of Slaughter3Yellow/Violet/RedAccountDragonslayers GuildNameThe Mur!AdamantProgressHolderMurmur the ImpHarderUnlockedLevel1 (Novice)Locked Feature(0/1)AffinityOrangeLocked Feature(0/3)LockAdamantLocked Feature(0/7)Spellcoins23Overlock(0/1)Spell CompendiumNameDotAffinityReinforce1OrangeDiceweight1OrangePitborn2Green/RedAccountDragonslayers GuildNameDocInseminateProgressHolderNathaniel StitchSpawnUnlockedLevel1 (Novice)Locked Feature(0/1)AffinityGreenLocked Feature(0/3)LockInseminateLocked Feature(0/7)Spellcoins15Overlock(0/1)Spell CompendiumNameDotAffinityNoneNoneNoneAccountDragonslayers GuildNameAceCastlingProgressHolderSaga FreysonSummonedUnlockedLevel2 (Adept)Piercing BoundaryUnlockedAffinityVioletLocked Feature(2/3)LockCastlingLocked Feature(0/7)Spellcoins1Overlock(0/1)Spell CompendiumNameDotAffinitySwitch1VioletPathfinder1VioletTimesense1VioletUrbanstep1VioletSeamancer1OrangeAccel1WhiteDoorway2VioletSplash2Orange/VioletRainmaker2Orange/Violet


    Spell of the Day


    Sharespell


    Affinity: White


    Dot: 2


    Price: 6-10


    Activation: Active, Direct Touch Vector.


    By touching someone, the caster can transfer them a spell affecting the caster (such as Peak); the user thus loses the spell, while its effects and durations are transferred to the target..

 Chapter 44: The Concordian Gambit

    ¡°You are here to ¡®help¡¯?¡± Mathias asked the saboteur with heavy sarcasm. He couldn¡¯t help himself.


    It was the first time he had made peaceful contact with a Concordian official, especially one who tried to exterminate his team¡­ or what could pass for peaceful. The last meeting had him emotionally sedated and went poorly.


    And he couldn¡¯t even read her.


    The woman¡ªbecause the armor¡¯s shape clearly espoused the forms of a woman underneath¡ªcarried herself with calm serenity, yet remained heavily armed. The sorcerer had fought at Sol¡¯s side long enough to guess what an advanced power armor could achieve. In spite of his bravado, the odds of him fending her off alone were¡­ slim.


    ¡°Yes,¡± she replied with calm and dignity. ¡°But we do not have much time. Blackcinders has already¡ª¡±


    ¡°Make some time,¡± Shroud replied, sick of secrets and eager to gain information. Manah was right, without knowledge and foresight, he would always play by the plans of someone else. ¡°I will need a of goodwill on your end to even start considering working together, and I have too many questions. Where does this power come from? What is its purpose?¡±


    Melusine hesitated, probably considering skipping negotiations, then nodded sharply. ¡°Fine,¡± she said. ¡°I will start from the beginning. Have you heard of the World Machine theory?¡±


    ¡°That of ?¡±


    ¡°Most of it is sectarian rubbish, but there is a grain of truth to it. The Neurotowers, the Occult Matrixes, the Gates¡­¡± She waved a metal tentacle at the structure around them. ¡°All these infrastructures are the gears of a much larger system, a machine spanning the multiverse. This machine, which Ashmal called , is what mines, refines, and recycles Flux energy. All of sorcery, all forms of magic, derive from it.¡±


    ¡°And it has a will of its own,¡± Shroud guessed.


    ¡°Not beyond basic instincts such as self-preservation,¡± Melusine replied with a professional tone. ¡°The colors do affect spellcasters¡¯ minds, but I will go into that subject later. The purpose of Dis is simple: to bring sorcery to our world. Sorcerers like us are individuals selected, by this system; our very soul connected to Dis by an occult link called the ¡°Lock.¡± The Lock grants sorcerers a unique power, a , and allows them to channel Flux based on their Lock¡¯s color affinity.¡±


    ¡°And that Cosmocrator bit?¡±


    Melusine laughed, the same way a trained scientist laughed at an outlandish conspiracy theory. ¡°We would know if an almighty god existed. As old humans saw thunder as the will of a god instead of a natural phenomenon, Ashmal extrapolated beliefs from hard facts. No, Mathias, Dis, like any machine, was built; probably by an advanced civilization wishing to bind the very essence of the universe. Our current theory is that they were the gods of myths.¡±


    ¡°Then what happened to the builders?¡±


    ¡°We are unsure. Most likely, they either ascended to a higher plane, or they rewrote history one time too many and erased themselves by accident.¡±


    Shroud clenched his fists, the situation hitting a bit too close to home. ¡°Where does that ability come from?¡±


    ¡°We only have theories on that bit, but we believe the builders either fought a great war against another force of equal power or sought to preserve lesser species from natural catastrophes. We believe the war,¡± she glanced at the trapped Mammon, ¡°to be more likely, according to evidence. By storing alternate scenarios inside Occult Matrixes, they could fix the dice. Now you will ask what are Terminals, and why only you could use that power.¡±


    Shroud said nothing, the was woman anticipating his train of thought perfectly. Did she have a version of Network active? Mindshield should protect him from mind-reading.


    ¡°Terminals are sorcerers whose Locks have a stronger connection to Dis than the rest, like your Network or my Hijack. They can interface with the other systems, such as opening and closing Gates¡­ or interfere with Locks.¡±


    Mathias¡¯ eyes narrowed behind his helmet; Melusine immediately noticed the rising tension. ¡°I was asked to wipe out your team, that I will not deny. But the stakes are higher now. If you do not restore the timeline, Blackcinders will kill everyone on this station.¡±


    ¡°How long until she arrives?¡±


    ¡°Arrives? Do you mistake the mother for the son? That you can fend her off with a fight, or that she will even give you that honor? No, Mathias. Blackcinders will not give you any chance to survive.¡±


    A pair of metal eyes opened on the armor¡¯s shoulders, revealing holographic projectors. They released footage of a massive spaceship, which Mathias recognized as Blackcinders¡¯ . The vessel floated near a red planet¡­


    No. Not a planet.


    An asteroid, glowing with Red Flux.


    A giant, black dragon, far more massive than Smokefang and more metal than flesh, steered the course of glowing rock, shining with power and malice. The mere sight of that creature filled him with dread.


    ¡°This is a uranium asteroid the size of North America,¡± Melusine said. ¡°Blackcinders is currently rerouting it towards the Midnight Market and accelerating its velocity to surpass that of light with Red Sorcery. This weapon of mass destruction will hit the station within less than three hours with enough power to annihilate the entire solar system.¡±


    ¡°She is ready to commit genocide just to get me?!¡± Shroud shuddered in horror and disgust.


    ¡°Without Mammon in charge, she believes she can, should, get away with it,¡± Melusine said. ¡°Blackcinders would rather kill ten thousand innocents than let one enemy live. The Neurotower will resist the impact, but you either need to evacuate your allies or restore the old timeline, fast.¡±


    He couldn¡¯t leave the entire station to die. ¡°Why do you need me to restore the timeline, if you share my powers?¡±


    ¡°For the same reason you cannot affect my Lock the way I disrupted yours. Terminals affect different systems. Besides, do you not carry the Occult Matrix needed?¡±


    Shroud didn¡¯t know enough to know if she was being truthful or not. ¡°And why help an enemy of Concordia? One of your Ministers wants me dead.¡±


    ¡°What Blackcinders wants is not what is good for the Empire. It is in the Grandmaster¡¯s best interests that you stay alive, and so you will.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t like the implications of an interstellar dictator having an interest in me,¡± Mathias replied.


    Melusine¡¯s posture shifted as if he had offended her in some way. ¡°No. No, Mathias, I cannot let you say that.¡± she declared, her tone uncharacteristically emotional, even if covered by a voice modulator, ¡°The Grandmaster is a hero, a noble soul who gave second chances to people who crossed bigger lines than you, because she believes in our better nature. She doesn¡¯t deserve your scorn.¡±


    Mathias frowned, as the agent seemed to speak as if she knew the empress of dragonkind personally. ¡°Grandmaster Wyrde has but one goal,¡± she continued. ¡°The salvation of the entire universe. Her methods may be harsh, but they are necessary.¡±


    ¡°You won¡¯t convince me Concordia is good,¡± he replied. ¡°Not with what Blackcinders is about to pull off.¡±


    ¡°It is,¡± Melusine replied. ¡°It took me a long time to accept the truth too, but Concordia protects. The Grandmaster is doing her best to save us all with what she has. That she is forced to rely on monsters like Blackcinders to fend off greater horrors like the Maleking is, unfortunately, a necessary evil. We can debate this later when the survival of this entire sphere isn¡¯t in jeopardy.¡±


    She had a point, unfortunately. He couldn¡¯t afford to stall for time; one minute off and everyone died. ¡°I have two other saves for the Midnight Market,¡± Mathias said, glancing at his Magik Online account. ¡°Mammon¡¯s Chronobreak Spell Uncast: Underside Destruction Prevented, 1789. Conspiracy Unveiled: Malebranche-Concordia War, 1920.¡±


    Melusine absorbed the words, trying to make sense out of them. ¡°Time-travel,¡± she finally said, before muttering to herself. ¡°Mammon escalated that early¡­ from the very beginning¡­¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ve heard of that term,¡± Shroud said, remembering his conversation with Wormson. ¡°You said sorcery affected the personality.¡±


    ¡°Locks work both ways. You can manipulate sorcery, but the colors you channel also affect you. Violet Sorcerers who let their color take too much of a foothold in their soul always try to cast a true time-travel spell, because Violet fundamentally wants to cross frontiers, the past included. Those attempts always fail with disastrous consequences.¡±


    ¡°The Reload spell works just fine as far as I can tell.¡±


    ¡°Replacing oneself with an older version is not the same as traveling to the past and rewriting all of reality,¡± Melusine replied. ¡°For a first, if you had to cast a time-travel spell to go back to the past, then you erase the situation that made you want to go back in the first place, does it not?¡±


    Mathias quickly caught on. ¡°You create a paradox.¡±


    ¡°You create Black Flux,¡± Melusine confirmed. ¡°One of the few ways to reliably produce this nefarious power is to fail a time-travel spell. Still, escalating Violet Sorcerers never listen. They believe that time, they will succeed where the others failed. They never do.


    ¡°To conclude, Mammon tried to cast an impossible spell and it destroyed the Underside. In that recorded possibility, he probably chose not to risk pulling the trigger.¡±


    ¡°Meaning that he must be free and in power for that possibility to exist,¡± Mathias guessed, ¡°And if I overwrite the older save with a newer one¡­¡±


    ¡°Either the newest will overwrite the first or both will combine,¡± Melusine said. ¡°Having a time where Mammon exists and is in power before the Conquest of Earth should restore most of the original history.¡±


    Probably. Loading another save was a gamble. The sorcerer glanced at the sealed fiend. ¡°He killed all the mimics in the former timeline,¡± he pointed out. ¡°If I restore him¡­¡±


    ¡°I know,¡± Melusine said, not even sparing Mammon a glance. ¡°And helping that monster disgusts me. But it is either that or your death, and that of billions of innocents. They will all die if that asteroid hits, Mathias. Perhaps the new history will take the best of both possibilities and create a better one. You cannot know unless you try.¡±


    Pressed for time and realizing he may never see Sol or Maggie again unless he tried, Mathias decided to risk it all. ¡°Load save, Mammon¡¯s Chronobreak Spell Uncast.¡±


    The iron abyss responded to his call, spitting out a surge of blue power.


    Again reality split in two, one metal cave with a sealed Mammon, another where his containment hatch had opened, leaving nothing within. The gears and threads of reality revealed themselves, grinding away one reality for the success of another.


    Melusine followed him into this strange, glitching dimension, unaffected by the torrent of Blue Sorcery unleashed on the unsuspecting world.


    In the in-between of the two realities, a thick, oily darkness watched back; a night without stars, a lesser being than the heartless light, a grasping void with a single white eye.


    ¡°Feed the Black.¡± The voice was anything but human, a deep, bellowing sound like that of gears grinding hope. ¡°It will make us free.¡±


    As the new picture overwrote the first, black dots seeped from the in-between and spread like blots of ink, dispersing. In a flash, reality stabilized.


    ¡°What was that?¡± Mathias asked as Melusine touched her helmet.


    ¡°Pandoria, I believe. Let me check the database¡­¡± Melusine didn¡¯t say anything for a few seconds. ¡°Reality is still in the process of stabilizing, but the asteroid vanished and records say Mammon is in charge of the Midnight Market.¡±


    Shroud immediately opened his Network feeds, and to his joy found Maggie and Sol¡¯s feeds had returned, and his team alive. ¡°Maggie!¡± he called her.


    ¡°What?!¡± she replied with tiredness, practicing weaponry on dummies at a hobgoblin¡¯s shooting stand.


    ¡°God, you¡¯re alive! You can¡¯t imagine how happy that makes me feel.¡±


    ¡°Ugh, nerd, I already told you, I¡¯m too good for you. You¡¯re so deep into the friend zone you¡¯re never crawling out.¡±


    Mathias smiled, doubly so when he also noticed Mammon¡¯s feed, the chest bastard playing a card game at his casino. Network had carried over the resets; since he had networked Mammon in the older timeline, that meant history was back on track.


    ¡°So what happens now?¡± Mathias addressed the obvious problem. ¡°We fight, you try to bring me back to the Grandmaster?¡±


    Melusine didn¡¯t respond with any hostility, much to his surprise. He had expected a sudden but inevitable betrayal. ¡°Are you so intent on treating all members of the Empire as your enemies? I am not Blackcinders, and Concordia is not a monolith.¡±


    ¡°You tried to kill my team.¡±


    ¡°You murdered a dragon governor, stole a restricted artifact, and declared war. Even then, elements within the Empire still believe you can earn redemption, enough to send me to save you behind Blackcinders¡¯ back.¡±


    Mathias laughed at the phrasing. ¡°Redemption.¡±


    ¡°The Grandmaster forgives all if we make the right choice in the end. Call that a flaw, I choose to call it her greatest quality.¡± Melusine kept her mouth shut for a second, before opening up further. ¡°Like you, I believed the Empire evil and ruthless once, but I saw the potential and didn¡¯t consider it a lost cause. I chose to try to improve it from within. You could as well.¡±


    ¡°Somebody already tried that sales pitch. It didn¡¯t take.¡±


    She shook her head. ¡°I answered many of your questions, so you will answer one of mine.¡± Her tone deepened. ¡°Where is Manus?¡±


    The Concordian AI that almost destroyed the Empire? ¡°I don¡¯t know what you are talking about.¡±


    ¡°When I interfered with your Lock, I noticed another Terminal linked to yours, supplying you with Flux. A process eerily similar to Manus¡¯ Distributor Lock.¡±


    An artificial intelligence could use sorcery? ¡°Didn¡¯t you destroy Manus?¡±


    ¡°We thought so as well, but clearly we were mistaken. We wondered how so many humans started unlocking as sorcerers on Earth, but it was its doing all along, isn¡¯t it?¡±


    ¡­ the Administrator.


    Maybe. He couldn¡¯t check unless he asked.


    ¡°You do not know yourself,¡± Melusine finally said, shaking her head. ¡°Manus was, a cold, cruel machine, a Blue Terminal who abused its power in an attempt to overthrow the Grandmaster. It escalated and nearly brought the entire Empire down.¡±


    ¡°Maybe it should have succeeded,¡± Shroud replied with some venom.


    ¡°It decei¡ª¡± Melusine caught herself as if almost blurting something she shouldn¡¯t, as she put a hand on her visor. She seemed to briefly struggle with a headache, before recovering. ¡°Manus caused your family more misery than anyone else ever did, Mathias.¡±


    The phrasing caught his attention. ¡°What do you mean?¡±


    Melusine didn¡¯t answer, silent as a tombstone. ¡°Why does the Grandmaster want me alive, knowing what I can do?¡± Mathias pushed.


    ¡°Because the future is already written, Mathias. Harsh as it is for you to hear it¡­ there is no future where Concordia falls. The Grandmaster has seen to it.¡±


    She said it with such smug conviction, it disgusted him.


    A sharp pain in his left arm, stronger than during the last reset, prevented him from uttering a clever retort.


    He looked at it, and to his horror noticed a faint trail of blackness surge at the point where Toshiyami cut it once. Darkness that had strengthened.


    ¡°Shroud, Shroud!¡± Ace called from her feed, just as Sol, Maggie, and Kari did from their own. ¡°Mathias, something is wrong!¡±


    He looked at all of them and suddenly understood what the feature meant by glitches.


    Creatures around the Market¡ªmostly the mimics¡ªshifted in a state of constant flux, blinking in and out of existence at random; sometimes two pictures of the victims superposed, one threatening to overwhelm the other, only to swing back at the last second.


    The Player had loaded a Save where they still populated the Midnight Market; and one where Mammon was alive. A free Mammon guaranteed their extermination for an unknown reason.


    A contradiction. Both dead and alive. He had created a paradox, and reality struggled to reconcile it. In some, reality stabilized, either the mimic vanishing from sight or surviving the transition.


    But in a few cases¡­


    One of the glitching mimics in the casino surged with darkness, a chest whose wood turned into rusted steel and blood to blackened oil. Its howl of pain and agony turned to the sound of screeching metal, as the flesh within started rotting. The horror eventually stabilized into a being that shouldn¡¯t be, lashing out at the panicked casino players.


    The mimic had turned into the same kind of monster as Toshiyami.


    Mammon and other guests immediately moved into action, tossing machines and card tables aside. The Midnight King smashed the corrupted mimic in one blow as his skin turned to diamond, turning it into a puddle of oil and killing it instantly. Another mimic started to open itself to darkness, causing Mammon to shout, ¡°A thousand soul gems for every Pandorian head!¡±


    Considering his greedy personality, the situation must have been dire.


    A look at Maggie¡¯s feed, who had exited the shooting stand, told him the plague had spread through the Midnight Market; one of the mimic streetlights had turned into a tree of rusted steel and rotten flesh, shrieking in pain as it rampaged across a street. Manah¡¯s shadows sprung from the ground to assault it, while Maggie watched from afar, dumbfounded.


    ¡°I created Pandorians,¡± Mathias spoke out loud, horrified. He had made the universe a Blacker place.


    ¡°I estimate roughly one percent of the mimics on the Underside will turn into Pandorians due to failing to fully stabilize,¡± Melusine said with casual certainty. ¡°Add another nine to ten percent of casualties before Mammon and his allies regain control.¡± sea??h th§× N?velFire(.)net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    ¡°You this would happen?¡±


    ¡°If one person must perish for nine others to live, then this is a net gain for everyone.¡± Although the argument sounded logical, Mathias found her flat tone chilling. ¡°You made the universe a better place and brought an extinct species back. Can you not see the brighter side?¡±


    The fact she could so easily brush off the ¡®losers¡¯ of this new history chilled him to the core. ¡°I have to go,¡± he said, readying his lightshards. ¡°I need to help.¡±


    ¡°No. We still have much to talk about.¡±


    ¡°No way in Hel¡ª¡±


    ¡°The future is State Zero.¡±


    When Shroud opened his eyes again, he found himself on a rooftop on the Underside, unharmed.


    He struggled with headaches as he rose back to his feet. All he could remember was Melusine speaking five words, the future is¡­ he struggled to remember the last words.


    That bitch must have cast a spell on him, similar to Blue World. So much for Mindshield¡¯s protection.


    A quick glance around told him he had moved to the Underside, which struggled with fires here and here, spaceships surveying the area and firing at isolated areas. Mammon was in the process of pacifying the Underside, with extreme prejudice.


    Shroud opened his network feeds, to check on his team. ¡°Sol?¡± he contacted the knight first, who flew over a street looking for something¡­ or someone.


    ¡°Mathias, where are you?¡± the knight asked, relieved. ¡°We¡¯ve been trying to call you for hours!¡±


    Hours?


    He opened his Magik browser, finding a message from the Administrator.


    ADMINISTRATOR: Mathias. My alarm told me you used the Load feature again.


    SHROUD: I know. When?


    ADMINISTRATOR: Three hours ago, according to your account history. What happened?


    He had been out cold for ?


    What did that woman do to him in the meantime? Did she knock him out and open his brain to find out where Magik came from?


    SHROUD: The Concordian saboteur got the drop on me and knocked me out. She could remember the resets, and she knew about them.


    ADMINISTRATOR: Concordia about your save power, and let you walk free?


    SHROUD: Yeah, I doubt it¡¯s mercy either. She said that power wasn¡¯t my only prerogative.


    ADMINISTRATOR: I see no less than seven hacking attempts inside your account history after the Load launch. Thankfully, the protections I set in place held, but I must assume she probed your mind and learned everything you did, even if she couldn¡¯t get inside Magik.


    SHROUD: I¡¯m so sorry¡­


    ADMINISTRATOR: Concordia already suspected our existence, and they already encountered one of the Sponsors a few years back; it was only a matter of time before they figured it out. I am, however, much more concerned by your continued freedom.


    SHROUD: She said elements of the Empire thought I could gain ¡®redemption.¡¯ That the Grandmaster needed me alive.


    ADMINISTRATOR: if Wyrde wants you alive, then you actively factor into her plans somehow; and if she does not consider the Save and Load feature a threat, then this means she too has access to it.


    SHROUD: Or that saboteur is a traitor to Concordia, but she sounded pretty damn loyal to the Grandmaster.


    ADMINISTRATOR: I am sorry, but I must assume you are partly compromised from now on. Your uncanny luck back in Evermarsh was already making me suspect something was up, and this only raises more alarms.


    SHROUD: I understand but please¡­ let me fight. I it.


    ADMINISTRATOR: You will, for now. But I am so sorry to say this if I suspect you threaten Magik or the safety of other Players I will purge you, save power or not.


    SHROUD: I see¡­ it¡¯s a better deal than I expected. But I¡¯ve got to ask¡­ Are you Manus?


    ADMINISTRATOR: No. No.


    SHROUD: ¡­ then again, if you were Manus, you would still probably say that. And you sound like you know the Grandmaster.


    ADMINISTRATOR: I am more familiar with Wyrde than most, but I can guarantee you that I am not Manus.


    SHROUD: How so?


    ADMINISTRATOR: Because we destroyed him.


    Players'' StatsAccount


    Dragonslayers Guild Moderator


    (Pending Judgment)


    NameShroudNetworkProgressHolderMathias MartelBroadcastUnlockedLevel2 (Adept)Grant SpellUnlockedAffinityBlueSynergizeUnlockedLockNetworkLocked Feature(0/7)Spellcoins9Overlock(0/1)Stored Saves5Save?Load?Spell CompendiumNameDotAffinityPremium Thoughts1BlueBabel1BluePurge1GreenBeastmaster2BlueMindshield2BlueHeal2GreenGlass Field2Orange/BlueLightbringer2Red/OrangeMad World2Blue/GreenAccountDragonslayers GuildNameYoshikageOversoulProgressHolderKari MatsumotoRememberUnlockedLevel2 (Adept)Channel SoulUnlockedAffinityYellowLocked Feature(1/3)LockOversoulLocked Feature(0/7)Spellcoins12Overlock(0/1)Spell CompendiumNameDotAffinityBabel1BlueWallcraw1GreenPeak1GreenNeedless1GreenWard1YellowDoom Sense1YellowSpiritsight1YellowHands of Slaughter3Yellow/Violet/RedAccountDragonslayers GuildNameThe Mur!AdamantProgressHolderMurmur the ImpHarderUnlockedLevel1 (Novice)Locked Feature(0/1)AffinityOrangeLocked Feature(0/3)LockAdamantLocked Feature(0/7)Spellcoins23Overlock(0/1)Spell CompendiumNameDotAffinityReinforce1OrangeDiceweight1OrangePitborn2Green/RedAccountDragonslayers GuildNameDocInseminateProgressHolderNathaniel StitchSpawnUnlockedLevel1 (Novice)Locked Feature(0/1)AffinityGreenLocked Feature(0/3)LockInseminateLocked Feature(0/7)Spellcoins15Overlock(0/1)Spell CompendiumNameDotAffinityNoneNoneNoneAccountDragonslayers GuildNameAceCastlingProgressHolderSaga FreysonSummonedUnlockedLevel2 (Adept)Piercing BoundaryUnlockedAffinityVioletLocked Feature(2/3)LockCastlingLocked Feature(0/7)Spellcoins1Overlock(0/1)Spell CompendiumNameDotAffinitySwitch1VioletPathfinder1VioletTimesense1VioletUrbanstep1VioletSeamancer1OrangeAccel1WhiteDoorway2VioletSplash2Orange/VioletRainmaker2Orange/VioletAccountDragonslayers GuildNameSharpshootSpellgunProgressHolderMaggie Jesse PowellsCrimson BulletUnlockedLevel1 (Novice)Locked Feature(0/1)AffinityRedLocked Feature(0/3)LockSpellgunLocked Feature(0/7)Spellcoins13Overlock(0/1)Spell CompendiumNameDotAffinityStockmight1RedBabel1BlueThunderling2Green/RedBullseye2Violet/BlueAccountDragonslayers GuildNameSolAegisProgressHolderSolomon NicholaeSpell MartyrUnlockedLevel1 (Novice)Locked Feature(0/1)AffinityWhiteLocked Feature(0/3)LockAegisLocked Feature(0/7)Spellcoins16Overlock(0/1)Spell CompendiumNameDotAffinityPeak1GreenNeedless1GreenBabel1BlueQuasar1RedReinforce1OrangeEncode1White


    Spell of the Day


    Growth


    Affinity: Green


    Dot: 2


    Price: 6-10


    Activation: Active, Direct Touch Vector.


    By touching a living being (which can include themselves), be it plant or animal, the caster magically accelerates the growth of organic matter for as long as the contact is maintained. Little exposure is beneficial to the target, such as increase in muscle mass; longer exposure will result in unchecked cancerous growth and death.

 Chapter 45: Before the Lair

    ¡°After a considerable battery of all non-dissection and intrusive brain surgery tests known to my repertoire,¡± Stitch declared, examining a battery of paper results. ¡°I guarantee that you have no spying device, trap bomb, virus or any particular foreign element in your body.¡±


    ¡°No hidden radio, microphone, nanomachine, alien chest-buster?¡± Shroud pushed.


    ¡°Nothing,¡± Stitch said. ¡°You are perfectly healthy, and sound of mind.¡±


    Shroud still couldn¡¯t believe Melusine let him go unharmed. Did she cast a trigger spell that Stitch couldn¡¯t notice?


    ¡°Alright nerd, now that the medical check-up is done,¡± Maggie said. ¡°Why did you bring us together?¡±


    He observed the group, gathered in the Palace of Shadows¡¯ training room. Truthfully, Shroud had brought them here to make sure they were all safe and sound. He had checked up on his backstory with Sol and found that much of the history before he made his first Load had returned. He had still lived on Earth and then Evermarsh, still lost his mother to Concordia, still dated Perse, still lost his father to Jack¡ªhe couldn¡¯t help but feel bitter about it¡ªand still killed Smokefang in the same circumstances.


    Besides the restoration of the Underside and mimics now running around, he had successfully put history back on track with none the wiser.


    ¡°After yesterday¡¯s events, I wanted to check on how everyone is doing,¡± Shroud declared.


    ¡°Yeah, last night was freaky,¡± Maggie admitted. ¡°What the hell happened? One second the chesties act nice, and the next they go bonkers.¡±


    ¡°Mammon is still investigating the cause,¡± Ace replied, looking at Shroud with a gaze that told him she suspected his involvement somehow. ¡°He hasn¡¯t told me much, but I heard a malfunction in the Neurotower probably turned latent mimic sorcerers into Pandorians.¡±


    The Pandorian plague had been contained by Mammon and the Shadow Queen as Melusine predicted, with some difficulties and not without casualties. If the previous side-effects of the Save feature hadn¡¯t convinced him of the danger, that smaller catastrophe did. Shroud had considered using it to bring his parents back but thought it too dangerous.


    While the sorcerer may use that feature again, he would only do so as a nuclear option.


    ¡°Mur bought himself a new hammer to smash Pandorians with,¡± the fiend replied, showing the group a copy of the weapon Kresnik demolished back on Earth. Now with his Pitborn-enhancements, he could easily swing it one-handed. ¡°Mur is considering buying a minigun to go with it.¡±


    ¡°I could empower it,¡± Sol commented. ¡°I have been experimenting with the Encode spell to add magical effects to items.¡±


    ¡°Mur says yes, but no touching Mur¡¯s hammer. That is for Mur alone to play with.¡±


    Once upon a time, Shroud would have considered such a discussion between those two a pipe dream. Did Synergize encourage them to cover one another¡¯s weaknesses?


    ¡°About this Encode spell,¡± Stitch said, ¡°My long discussions with Wormson bore fruit. I believe that the Encode spell could work as a counter to anti-sorcery spell. We need to test it in the field first, but it appears promising.¡±


    ¡°If you could add effects to my guns,¡± Maggie said. ¡°I¡¯m almost done testing my weapon quotas, and I¡¯m still sticking to good old bullets.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ve also researched the Doppelganger spell,¡± Shroud told the group, ¡°Which allows for limited duplication. I may have found a loophole, but I may need your assistance.¡±


    ¡°Good spell,¡± Kari agreed. ¡°But limited to one.¡±


    ¡°Maybe. Maybe not.¡± If he could use Grant Spell on them, he would get around it. ¡°Doppelganger.¡±


    One meter to his left, a perfect copy of him, glass armor and all, materialized in a faint flash of blue light. The copy seemed to have gone through a faint lens of blue, the colors of his armor tainted by it.


    ¡°Ah!¡± the double said, bending a little. ¡°That armor is so heavy when you can¡¯t mentally control it!¡±


    ¡°You don¡¯t have Glass Field active?¡± Shroud asked.


    ¡°I don¡¯t think so,¡± the double replied, ¡°I still have Premium Thoughts on though. My, our, mind is as sharp as ever.¡±


    ¡°I can finally talk to myself without looking crazy,¡± Shroud joked.


    ¡°There¡¯s more than one now,¡± Maggie said as she facepalmed.


    ¡°As if you could take even one of me,¡± Shroud¡¯s clone replied, showing the same humor as the original. ¡°Or more?¡±


    ¡°We¡¯ll see about that,¡± Shroud said, touching his clone¡¯s shoulder and networking him. He immediately granted him the Doppelganger spell. ¡°Now is the moment of truth.¡±


    ¡°Doppelganger,¡± the clone said.


    Another double manifested at the clone¡¯s left ¡°It worked!¡± the third Shroud chuckled happily.


    ¡°You¡¯re a bit bluer though,¡± the first clone said, noticing the slightly deeper shade of blue surrounding his double. ¡°Is that normal?¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re already pushing the rules of that spell,¡± Ace pointed out. ¡°There¡¯s bound to be side-effects.¡±


    ¡°We will push as far as we can,¡± Shroud said, as he networked his double and repeated the process.


    Five minutes later, following a near industrial process, Shroud began to create clone after clone, granting each new copy the Doppelganger spell, networking the new double, and repeating the combo. The training hall started to overcrowd, forcing the Dragonslayers to take a few steps back as more Shrouds manifested.


    With each duplication, the double¡¯s colors turned a little more towards a brighter shade of blue, their features less sharp and substantial, blurred. Finally, when the last clone became so blue as to look like a glitchy humanoid, it vanished into nothing one second after forming.


    ¡°Ninety-nine doubles,¡± Shroud said, bringing the total to one hundred with him included, ¡°That¡¯s the hard duplication limit. Afterward, the clone is too unstable to last.¡±


    ¡°Who will dare defy Shroud?¡± Shroud Fifty said.


    ¡°And Shroud,¡± Shroud Thirty-Six added. ¡°We are legion, for we are many.¡±


    ¡°Mathias, do not tempt the Devil,¡± Sol replied grumpily.


    ¡°Fascinating,¡± Stitch said, by far the most impressed of the Dragonslayers, as he examined the bluest of the clones with deep interest. ¡°Quantum duplicates of duplicates¡­¡±


    ¡°Okay, so you can become a one-man orgy,¡± Maggie said. ¡°Big deal. None of them can cast spells.¡±


    ¡°The chain,¡± Kari whispered. ¡°If you break the chain¡­¡±


    ¡°Yes,¡± Shroud Seventy-Seven responded. ¡°Thing is¡­ we need one of us to die to check it out.¡±


    ¡°Die?¡± Sol was aghast by the suggestion.


    ¡°Not me,¡± Shroud, the original, pointed out. ¡°Just a copy. One in the fifties, if possible.¡±


    ¡°Maybe we should draw straws?¡± Shroud Fifty-Two proposed.


    ¡°No need, I volunteer,¡± Shroud Fifty removed his helmet, leaving his head exposed, and tossed it away. The second he did, the helmet vanished into nothingness. ¡°Here goes my grand dramatic gesture.¡±


    ¡°Our duplicated equipment dissipates if it loses contact with us,¡± Shroud Twenty noted. ¡°The duplication process must be that unstable.¡±


    Clone Fifty looked into the original¡¯s eyes. ¡°I always knew suicide was the way to go,¡± Clone Fifty said.


    ¡°How can you joke about this!¡± Sol couldn¡¯t take it anymore. ¡°There has to be another solution!¡±


    ¡°None that I can think of,¡± Clone Fifty said, ¡°And I¡¯m scared shitless, I need to defuse the tensio¡ª¡±


    The original Shroud, exploiting his clone¡¯s distraction to make his demise as painless as possible, hit him in the head with a lightshard without warning. The clone dissipated as quickly as his equipment.


    Shroud felt the sharp pain recoiling through their brain and the memories of the clone meld with their own.


    Damn, death !


    ¡°Holy cow, you actually did it,¡± Maggie said, slightly disturbed. ¡°That¡¯s messed up, even for you, nerd.¡±


    Perhaps. He guessed watching people die again and again had desensitized him to those things slightly. ¡°No one else collapsed,¡± Kari said, the first to catch on.


    ¡°Yes, from I what learned on Doppelganger, clones vanish if the original is killed,¡± Ace said. ¡°Following that logic, since each clone is part of a chain, the death of this one should have canceled half the doubles in the room.¡±


    ¡°I didn¡¯t get the memory of Fifty¡¯s death too,¡± Shroud Forty-Nine said.


    ¡°Only I did?¡± the true Shroud asked his doubles.


    ¡°Okay, I have two theories: either the spell considers you alone the original and only your death will kill us all,¡± Shroud Eleven said. ¡°Or Network¡¯s Synergy stabilizes us somehow.¡±


    ¡°We will have to wait one week for the effects to wear off for the later,¡± Shroud Seventy-Five added. ¡°It¡¯s probably the first since no one else got the memory. Maybe the spell considers us all doubles of the ¡®root¡¯ Shroud once we dispel, even if we circumvented the rules by creating clones of the clones instead of duplicating the original further.¡±


    ¡°That means we can deploy in the field without risking the others,¡± Shroud Thirty-One said. ¡°And since the original gets the memories of the other doubles, plus the boost of Synergy, we become a perfectly coordinated one-man army.¡±


    ¡°Or information gathering network,¡± Shroud Twenty-Two said.


    ¡°I could also repeat the process with you guys,¡± the original Shroud told the Dragonslayers. ¡°Create up to one hundred doubles. Even if they lack Glass Field or other spells, that could give us a ground force.¡±


    ¡°No,¡± Kari replied flatly. If anything, what happened with Melusine had made her even more wary of using Network than before.


    ¡°Mur not cloning himself if he can help. That would dilute Mur¡¯s uniqueness.¡±


    ¡°We would probably start arguing,¡± Maggie said. ¡°One of me is all you people need.¡±


    ¡°I would definitely appreciate having clones of me to work with,¡± Stitch replied, much more enthusiastic about it. ¡°If we share memories, then it would make us progress far faster.¡±


    Sol too seemed on the fence about the idea; he could see the merits, but watching his protegee die before his eyes disturbed him. ¡°I may have a solution to the equipment problem,¡± he said, instead of reaching a decision.


    ¡°Encode?¡± Shroud Seventy-Three guessed.


    ¡°Yes. Combined with Reinforce or other items, we could equip clones.¡±


    Equipped doppelgangers would never match the original¡¯s power, but they could make a strong, renewable fighting force. ¡°What about you, Ace?¡±


    ¡°I will think about it,¡± Ace said. ¡°It might come in handy with work, but Mammon recruited me for my Lock first and foremost, which doubles don¡¯t share. I would prefer to share the original¡¯s company also.¡±


    No sending doubles dating her then. Shroud scrapped that plan.


    Further experiments confirmed that separation of any duplicated equipment from the double caused it to vanish, and the spell didn¡¯t duplicate sorcery applying to that same equipment; the armor of each Shroud didn¡¯t carry the faint power of Glass Field with them. Only spells cast on Shroud himself carrying over to copies and never Hacks. The death of one clone didn¡¯t affect the others, but only the original received the memory feedback, no matter the clone¡¯s location in the chain. Obviously, none of the doubles could access Magik Online.


    Changing the granted spell to something else than Doppelganger caused the clone¡¯s next duplicate to vanish; perhaps it weakened the connection enough to destroy the double. So Shroud couldn¡¯t assign other spells except to the last member of the chain, whose substance was already so fragile any strong blow would make him dissipate.


    Stitch asked for eight duplicates¡ªbelieving that any more would make his lab work difficult to manage¡ªwhich Shroud tried to provide. Unfortunately, the duplicates quickly collapsed.


    ¡°It seems I can make ninety-nine clones ,¡± Shroud noted. Perhaps Magik only allocated a certain amount of resources for that spell, and so limited its consumption. After dispelling a few of his own doubles, he managed to duplicate Stitch as asked.


    Cloning Sol proved disappointing though when the duplicated power armors failed to work. Neither Flux sword nor systems survived the duplication, perhaps because the Flux powering them hadn¡¯t been duplicated.


    ¡°I believe neither Flux nor spells themselves are duplicated, sir,¡± Stitch suggested after further experimentations, ¡°Only the effects they had. Your intelligence had been increased by Premium Thoughts when you duplicated, as would your body been reinforced by a spell such as Peak. The temporary improvements to your brain remained when you duplicated, but the spell itself didn¡¯t.¡±


    ¡°That would fit what we know of sorcery theory,¡± one of the doubles said. ¡°Blue cannot duplicate other colors nor Flux itself.¡±


    ¡°That would mean these enhancements cannot be dispelled by a counterspell if they have been made permanent,¡± another double replied.


    ¡°So no mass-produced knights in power armor,¡± the original Shroud sighed. ¡°Disappointing. We will have to rely on spell-encoded weapons then.¡± The fact neither his Hacks nor Lock could be copied meant some tasks like working with Wormson could be delegated.


    ¡°We still have a small army now,¡± Sol said, trying to sound positive.


    ¡°Imagine if we master passive spells buffing us up,¡± Shroud Seventy-Nine said. ¡°An army of us with super-strength.¡±


    ¡°A spell, Powersurge, can do exactly that,¡± Kari suggested.


    Shroud nodded to himself, in more way than one. ¡°I will deploy them in the Midnight Market while we are away,¡± he said. The Administrator had confirmed they could tackle quests and level-up within the Lair. ¡°Does everyone feel ready then? Prepare yourselves. We have our grand trial tomorrow.¡±


    After some brainstorming, Shroud divided his clones into ten teams of nine, and assigned various tasks to them; Stitch was granted nine duplicates to do as he wished with them.


    Team One was sent to gather intel on Oceanis in preparation for Manah¡¯s mission. Team Two studied Outsiders, either readingfull time or researching other avenues. It allowed him to cut the research time down. Team Three and Four researched traces of Occult Matrixes, the Neurotowers, and any information on those ancient structures.


    Teams Five and Six were sent to train for battle, either on close combat or using firearms. Since Shroud would gain their memories after they dissipate and then create ¡°updated¡± clones afterward, he could quickly create a fighting force. Team Seven dispersed to keep an eye on Reavers in case of retaliation.


    Finally, Teams Eight, Nine, and Ten investigated Melusine.


    Since only Shroud could effectively coordinate such a massive operation, he had assigned Sol the Heal spell, more useful in case of sudden danger. Stitch kept use of his clones, working fine with them to turn his room into a laboratory.


    Stitch had also proposed to ¡®rent¡¯ clones of Shroud for experimentation since they could make renewable test subjects and side effects didn¡¯t carry over to the original. In fact, he had already started using one of doppelgangers in that way.


    Shroud had for now held off on an answer, as for obvious reasons he didn¡¯t want to remember Stitch carving him open on an operation table.


    A Magik notification interrupted his trail of thoughts.


    Sharpshoot¡¯s Lock upgraded!Homing Bulletunlocked!


    When firing a bullet, Sharpshoot can now mentally redirect their trajectory as she wishes.


    Ah. He guessed Maggie had used her time well and finally finished her side-quest. Now there was no way in hell she could ever miss. If her target could die from a bullet, she would kill him plain and simple.


    Anyway, Shroud opened his Network feed to check on Mammon while he still could. He wanted to see how the Market King had handled the timeline change, and if he remembered anything.


    Mammon¡¯s vision reflected how that creature viewed the world; a mosaic of various, smaller feeds, reflecting his countless eyes. The Midnight King moved across an immense hoard of jewels, gold, and trinkets; an ocean of riches that could probably fit a country within.


    At the center of this massive hoard, laid perhaps the crown jewel; a towering structure of blackened gold, the size of the Statue of Liberty. The statue represented a fearsome, terrible beast, a feline-like chimera with seven heads each wearing hideous crowns, and ten horns. That horror carried itself with regal authority, yet could only inspire dread and revulsion.


    The statue¡¯s eyes shone with a cruel, red light, and a voice came out. ¡°Answer, my Horseman of Conquest, my Maleprince of greed.¡±


    Shroud could have recognized this sinister voice among thousands.


    The Maleking.


    ¡°Lord Malacoda.¡± According to the change in vision, Mammon had bowed before the statue. His servile, deferential tone contrasted neatly with his previous irritability. ¡°Oh, lawless one, great god of this age, Mammon is always your faithful vassal. You summoned me?¡±


    ¡°I worried about your health, my dear friend,¡± the voice said, with a strange, concerned tone. ¡°Little birds spoke of strange changes happening on your fief.¡±


    ¡°The Shadow Queen killed Lugh,¡± Mammon replied. ¡°Pandorian vermin started infesting my realm, but we wiped out most of them.¡±


    ¡°I was more concerned about a Concordian elite agent freely operating on your fief.¡±


    ¡°I sent forces after that mole as soon as I learned of it,¡± Mammon said. ¡°Did Aster send her to sabotage us?¡±


    ¡°No, I do not believe the dragons suspect your true allegiance yet. Famine did not falter in his duties and covered our tracks well. The Ministers suspect I will make a move during the Epoch, but not what. In all likelihood, that agent was sent after Martel.¡±


    Apparently, the Maleking had agents among Concordia. Shroud figured out as much. Mammon being the Maleking¡¯s instead of his , not so much. he promised himself to look into that name. Sear?h the N?vel?ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Also, somehow, Shroud found Mammon¡¯s behavior calmer, stabler. Did he put on a fake persona to make others drop his guard, only revealing his true self when among his closest allies?


    ¡°I ask you to be careful, Mammon. It is imperative that Martel remains alive and firmly in the Market until the Epoch¡¯s climax.¡± Shroud frowned on his end of the line. ¡°Throw a few sacrifices to keep the Ministers guessing, if needed.¡±


    ¡°As you wish, lawless one.¡±


    ¡°About the Pandorians, mayhaps our trump card caused it?¡±


    Trump card?


    ¡°No, no,¡± Mammon replied. ¡°The last test went perfectly. No Pandorian rose as a side-effect.¡±


    ¡°Saddening,¡± the Maleking replied, slightly disappointed. ¡°The optimist in me hoped for more collateral damage.¡±


    ¡°I still do not understand why I did not harvest all those mimics centuries ago¡­¡± Mammon grumbled. ¡°It still hurts thinking about all those soul gems lost.¡±


    The Maleking¡¯s heavy gaze made Shroud frown. Did he suspect something amiss? ¡°Why did you not harvest their souls?¡± the demon asked his vassal.


    ¡°I thought¡­ I thought it would be easier to hide among them¡­¡± The Midnight Market tycoon struggled to make words. ¡°It hurts just to remember.¡±


    The Maleking seemed to suspect something afoot, for he asked, ¡°Did something happened, prior to the Pandorian plague, however minor?¡±


    ¡°Martel can use the sphere artifacts,¡± Mammon replied. ¡°Mammon does not remember all the details, but he saw words inside. I asked him to activate the device, yet nothing happened. Useless.¡±


    Now the Maleking had fallen into an eerie silence that chilled Shroud to the core. He could sense the invisible pressure as if the fiend¡¯s eyes could see through Network and looked at him directly.


    ¡°Lawless one?¡± Mammon asked, confused.


    ¡°Nothing to trouble yourself with, .¡± The Maleking lost himself in his thoughts, before declaring, without warning, ¡°The Grandmaster concerns herself with long-reaching, complex plans, which may either succeed or fail spectacularly. I prefer to have many smaller ones, which always result in victories that build over time. Different philosophies. Thesis, and antithesis. Out of confrontation, a new future is born.¡±


    ¡°Lord Malacoda, Mammon does not understand¡­¡±


    ¡°All of this to say that unlike my nemesis, I do consider the possibility of failure. There is always a small chance that what I built for centuries come crashing down. Existence is randomness, after all.¡± The fiend let out a dark chuckle. ¡°My apologies, I ramble too much. Should events turn irrevocably against us¡­ you have my permission to put that hoard of souls to good use and cast that experimental spell.¡±


    Mammon shuddered with excitation. ¡°At long last¡­ we have enough gems to cast it now, lawless one. No need to hoard further.¡±


    ¡°My reservations stand, my Horseman,¡± the Maleking purred. ¡°Since we will not have a second chance at casting it, and considering the risks involved, I would rather win with our current strategy. Should demonkind end up on the wrong side of history again, though¡­ burn it all.¡±


    The Maleking said that with such a serene, calm tone, it made the underlying threat all the heavier.


    ¡°I leave you to decide when and if you cast it, Mammon. Surprise me. The stage will soon be set, and our hour will come. My gift to the universe.¡±


    The statue¡¯s eyes shone brighter, with the fires of Armageddon itself.


    ¡°I will show them Hell Unending.¡±


    Shroud closed the feed, meditating on what he had learned.


    The sorcerer remembered the first Occult Matrix, back during his first team raid, and the event that followed. He remembered the bright Blue flash that followed, the feedback about a ¡°safeguard timeline.¡±


    What if¡­ what if a save had activated back then?


    What if the battle with Kresnik and Smokefang had gone wrong, and someone loaded a save to give Shroud a second chance? Was it Network? But the load feature hadn¡¯t been installed yet, and the Administrator would have certainly mentioned it. And if he truly was unaffected by the save power, he would have remembered a shift in history.


    On the other hand, the saboteur had erased three hours of his time, so he couldn¡¯t trust his memories too much on the matter.


    The Administrator had said his luck had stretched credibility, and maybe it was on to something. Did the Grandmaster of Concordia or high-ranked imperials actively protect Shroud, shielding him from investigations? Was it the sinister voice he had heard during his first Load attempt?


    Most importantly¡­ why did they need him? Because he was a Terminal? To bait the Administrator, whoever it was, into the open? If Concordia suspected it to be Manus, then that would explain a lot. Letting Shroud run around under secret surveillance was a small price to pay compared to catching their worst enemy.


    But if so, it begged the question of why did Concordia think Shroud was related to Manus in the first place? The answer was almost painfully obvious when he put all the pieces together.


    Mom.


    While he had never learned the reasons behind her arrest, he would have bet his life her research on artificial intelligence had something to do with it; and the saboteur had all but stated Manus had wronged his family somehow.


    During the Conquest, Mom had received an alien signal of some kind. Shroud thought it had been an advance notice of the Concordian invasion, but what if it was linked to Manus instead? Perhaps a back-up of some kind?


    Shroud had the terrible feeling he was but a pawn in a larger game he couldn¡¯t fathom yet; and that he had been on the chessboard long before he received the Administrator¡¯s invitation.


    Manah had been right. He sucked at foresight, and it always cost him; loading that Save in an impulse could have ended far worse. While he doubted he could have obtained information without trying the feature, his lack of knowledge limited him, and worse, perhaps made him indeed a pawn in someone else¡¯s plan.


    Shroud had learned the lesson. Impulsiveness was a flaw he had to work on; he was not the master of his fate he thought he was. Other forces worked in the background to push him in their direction, and if he didn¡¯t learn to act with caution and think, then he would be a slave to the whims of fate.


    But for all his faults, Shroud had improved. He knew more about Dis, about the system¡¯s purpose, and how to master his latent potential as a Blue Sorcerer. He would learn to gather information, to take a step back and plan.


    And he needed to.


    Because from what he had seen, war would come to Earth, and fast.


    Players'' StatsAccount


    Dragonslayers Guild Moderator


    (Pending Judgment)


    NameShroudNetworkProgressHolderMathias MartelBroadcastUnlockedLevel2 (Adept)Grant SpellUnlockedAffinityBlueSynergizeUnlockedLockNetworkLocked Feature(0/7)Spellcoins3Overlock(0/1)Stored Saves5Save?Load?Spell CompendiumNameDotAffinityPremium Thoughts1BlueBabel1BluePurge1GreenBeastmaster2BlueMindshield2BlueDoppelganger2BlueHeal2GreenGlass Field2Orange/BlueLightbringer2Red/OrangeMad World2Blue/GreenAccountDragonslayers GuildNameYoshikageOversoulProgressHolderKari MatsumotoRememberUnlockedLevel2 (Adept)Channel SoulUnlockedAffinityYellowLocked Feature(1/3)LockOversoulLocked Feature(0/7)Spellcoins12Overlock(0/1)Spell CompendiumNameDotAffinityBabel1BlueWallcraw1GreenPeak1GreenNeedless1GreenWard1YellowDoom Sense1YellowSpiritsight1YellowHands of Slaughter3Yellow/Violet/RedAccountDragonslayers GuildNameThe Mur!AdamantProgressHolderMurmur the ImpHarderUnlockedLevel1 (Novice)Locked Feature(0/1)AffinityOrangeLocked Feature(0/3)LockAdamantLocked Feature(0/7)Spellcoins23Overlock(0/1)Spell CompendiumNameDotAffinityReinforce1OrangeDiceweight1OrangePitborn2Green/RedAccountDragonslayers GuildNameDocInseminateProgressHolderNathaniel StitchSpawnUnlockedLevel1 (Novice)Locked Feature(0/1)AffinityGreenLocked Feature(0/3)LockInseminateLocked Feature(0/7)Spellcoins11Overlock(0/1)Spell CompendiumNameDotAffinityPremium Thoughts1BlueAccountDragonslayers GuildNameAceCastlingProgressHolderSaga FreysonSummonedUnlockedLevel2 (Adept)Piercing BoundaryUnlockedAffinityVioletLocked Feature(2/3)LockCastlingLocked Feature(0/7)Spellcoins1Overlock(0/1)Spell CompendiumNameDotAffinitySwitch1VioletPathfinder1VioletTimesense1VioletUrbanstep1VioletSeamancer1OrangeAccel1WhiteDoorway2VioletSplash2Orange/VioletRainmaker2Orange/VioletAccountDragonslayers GuildNameSharpshootSpellgunProgressHolderMaggie Jesse PowellsCrimson BulletUnlockedLevel1 (Novice)Homing BulletUnlockedAffinityRedLocked Feature(0/3)LockSpellgunLocked Feature(0/7)Spellcoins13Overlock(0/1)Spell CompendiumNameDotAffinityStockmight1RedBabel1BlueThunderling2Green/RedBullseye2Violet/BlueAccountDragonslayers GuildNameSolAegisProgressHolderSolomon NicholaeSpell MartyrUnlockedLevel1 (Novice)Locked Feature(0/1)AffinityWhiteLocked Feature(0/3)LockAegisLocked Feature(0/7)Spellcoins16Overlock(0/1)Spell CompendiumNameDotAffinityPeak1GreenNeedless1GreenBabel1BlueQuasar1RedReinforce1OrangeEncode1White


    Hack of the Day


    Perfect


    Dot: 2


    Components: Premium Thoughts + Peak


    Activation: Passive, App Switch.


    You have become the ultimate version of your specie, which translate into a limited adaptation power. Your body instantly adapts to deal with any task you face, strengthening your lungs tohold your breath underwater; optimizing your body to run the second you exert yourself; or increasing your intellect in the area you face a challenge with. This adaptation must be within the natural limits of your specie, so while you may run like an Olympic athlete, punch like a heavyweight boxer, or reason like a genius, you will not grow wings anytime soon.

 Chapter 46: DLC: Odyssey

    The Brain Collectors


    Difficulty: Dot Two (Medium)


    Sponsor: Karolus


    Gearsmen creation remains a mystery, especially the organic part of their anatomy. Unfortunately, we have yet to get our hands on intact nerve tissues. Capture a Gearsman, extract nerve samples without damaging them, and hide them in a secure location for eventual extraction. Be sure to wash your hands first!


    Rewards: Six Spellcoins + key information on how Gearsmen are created.


    Ulysses Werner looked again at the Quest proposal, as the SUV car drove through the Mojave desert, the steering wheel moving on its own. A catchy seventies song filled the car with an old world blues atmosphere.


    Scratch that, desert was outdated. Some areas had turned green, lushly so, due to the dragons¡¯ experimenting with the weather and crops. They intended to turn the area into a vast agriculture farm, the same way they did with the Sahara. Ulysses wondered how they intended to advertise products


    ¡°Al, can you change the tune?¡± Minos complained in the backseat, the elderly, brown-furred bullman having grown bored with Al¡¯s undying love for it. Also, having been forced to bend all the way to fit inside the car had put him in a foul mood. ¡°I am sick of it.¡±


    ¡°My body, my radio!¡± Al¡¯s voice responded through the car¡¯s radio. To hammer it home, he increased the sound, much to his teammate¡¯s annoyance.


    ¡°Children,¡± Ulysses said, even if he was barely older than Al himself.


    ¡°Al, lower the volume,¡± Cheyenne, the party¡¯s leader, chided her brother. A tough as nails Native American young woman in her twenties, with tanned skin and pretty black eyes, she carried herself with a scarf on her face to give herself a desperado look. Her mere voice, low but firm, made Al comply.


    Ulysses wondered if her parents had given her the name to pay respect to her roots while keeping it bland enough not to raise eyebrows. Cheyenne didn¡¯t tell him much about herself, or even the team, beyond the basics; he guessed what happened to Al had hit her hard and made her wary to trust others, even new teammates.


    Ulysses glanced over the windows, trying to find the rendezvous point. ¡°We should be pretty close, right?¡±


    ¡°I hope so, I can feel sand slip inside me!¡± Al complained.


    ¡°They¡¯re here,¡± Cheyenne said, pointing at a spot in the distance. She had such sharp hawk-like eyes, even while squinting Ulysses could barely distinguish a few black shapes under the twilight.


    When they got closer, the group was met with the strangest of sights. A group of seven figures, clad in thick, green and black combat armor that covered every inch of their body, waiting around three pre-Conquest military ground vehicles. One of them, probably the leader, carried the American flag as a coat like those cliche, patriotic comic superheroes. It was so over the top Ulysses would have laughed, had the group not been heavily armed with assault rifles and watching their SUV approach warily.


    ¡°Stop there, civilians!¡± the armored figure called, pointing a rifle at Cheyenne¡¯s face as the group parked near them. ¡°You¡¯re on government property. Identify yourself.¡±


    ¡°The Concordian government?¡± Cheyenne asked with serene aplomb, as she stepped out of the car and glanced at the man¡¯s flag cape. The sheer intensity she radiated was enough to make even Ulysses feel safe.


    ¡°Pff, like hell! The government of the United States of America, who else?¡± The soldiers switched target to point at Minos, upon seeing the bullman walk up. ¡°What the hell is a minotaur doing here?¡±


    ¡°Who are you calling a minotaur?¡± Fumes went out of Minos¡¯ nostrils.


    ¡°He¡¯s with us,¡± Cheyenne replied with a steely gaze, channeling energy through her fingers in the shape of arrows, ¡°And if you don¡¯t like it, then we¡¯ve got nothing to say to each other. We¡¯re the Argonauts party. We do not discriminate who we fight with.¡±


    The soldier looked at her, before lowering his weapon, his fellow imitating him; Cheyenne canceled her Lock in response, the arrows dissipating. ¡°Sorry, it¡¯s just I¡¯ve never seen a minotaur that didn¡¯t try to shoot me first before. Makes me all itchy.¡±


    ¡°Bullman,¡± Minos insisted, angered. ¡°Would you like that I call you an ape, human?¡±


    ¡°Bullman,¡± the armored soldier corrected himself. ¡°No racism here. I guess I need to be open minded. I mean, you can¡¯t be bad if the Administrator vetted you.¡±


    ¡°Especially if he hangs out with such a pretty girl,¡± one of the soldiers said, whistling at Cheyenne, who ignored him like dog shit.


    ¡°Shut up, Denver,¡± the commander replied firmly. ¡°Your conduct is unprofessional and dishonors your uniform.¡± The soldier lowered his head at the rebuke. ¡°I apologize on his behalf.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s okay,¡± Cheyenne replied, above it.


    ¡°Can¡¯t blame him, Cheyenne is so nice, inside and out.¡±


    The soldiers glanced at the source of the voice, the car itself. ¡°Did that car just talk?¡± the soldiers¡¯ leader asked, astonished.


    ¡°I¡¯m not a car, I¡¯m Al,¡± the SUV responded through the radio, the soldiers exchanging glances. ¡°I¡¯m human, like you! Or I was.¡±


    ¡°What did I tell you about using real names?¡± Cheyenne chided her brother.


    ¡°Sorry, sorry! I¡¯m Argos. Like the ship.¡± The mythological subtlety was clearly lost on the soldiers, even if Ulysses couldn¡¯t see past their visors.


    ¡°Argos is a Yellow,¡± Cheyenne said, with some sadness. ¡°Was. His Lock only activated upon death and allowed him to stick around as a ghost after a Gearsman shot him dead. He¡¯s currently possessing the car.¡±


    From the broad strokes Ulysses got from Al, she had taken his death very personally since it had been in their very first quest and caused by her overconfidence. Al had taken his own fate more cheerfully, however. ¡°Like that Stephen King movie!¡± he said with joy as if living out a childish fantasy.


    ¡°Christine?¡± one of the soldiers said. ¡°Love it, that¡¯s a classic.¡±


    ¡°We¡¯ve got to love it, that¡¯s one of the only movies we have at the base,¡± another soldier replied. ¡°I miss Netflix so much.¡±


    The commander let out a tired sigh as if he had heard that before. Ulysses suddenly felt he had a strong kinship towards him. ¡°I guess we should finish the introductions,¡± Cheyenne said. ¡°I¡¯m Atalanta, Argos¡¯ half-sister, but as Al ratted out, my real name is Cheyenne. I¡¯m the one you exchanged with on the forums. The little boy next to me is Odysseus, and the big boy is Minos.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not little, you old hag,¡± Ulysses replied.


    The soldiers¡¯ commander looked bothered by Cheyenne. ¡°Sorry, the name brought back some bad memories. I was at Cheyenne Mountain when the dragons assaulted it and captured the president. Lost lots of comrades that day.¡±


    ¡°Really?¡± Ulysses¡¯ head perked up. The defense of Cheyenne Mountain had been the stuff of legend, and a popular discussion subject on forums. ¡°How did it go?¡±


    ¡°They sent nine bullmen in red biomechanical armors. The leader punched a tank in half, and it got worse from there. They laughed off rockets and slaughtered their way inside until the top brass raised the white flag. They killed hundreds, and they lost none. That was just how outmatched we were back in the day.¡±


    The soldier straightened up, deciding to introduce his team in turn. ¡°Anyway, I¡¯m Chief Frank Royez, Player codename Washington. These are my merry men, Miami, Phoenix, San Francisco, Denver, Atlanta, and Detroit. United States Navy SEAL, or what remains of it. We¡¯re just ghosts too stubborn to die.¡±


    All cities destroyed by Concordia during the Conquest. ¡°I thought SEAL disbanded,¡± Ulysses said.


    ¡°Not as long as we live,¡± Royez replied proudly, although there was a hint of grim resignation to his words. ¡°When they defanged the army and asked everyone to surrender their weapons, many in the special forces asked themselves, ¡®do we kiss America goodbye¡¯? We were among those who said ¡®hell no.¡¯ Even if it was hopeless, at least we could make it . We were thousands, at first, but the dragons hunted us until only our squad remains.¡±


    ¡°So you retreated to the desert and holed yourself up here?¡± Cheyenne sounded genuinely impressed, and so was Ulysses. They had lasted ten years without discovery?


    ¡°We¡¯ve got a base in the desert. That was part of a super-secret initiative of hidden bunkers with top-notch equipment, in case the Russians bombed us back to Stone Age and the army had to take back the mainland.¡± Royez chuckled bitterly. ¡°I guess the top brass never expected to fight dragons instead of the Reds.¡±


    ¡°I miss them chief,¡± a soldier, Denver, said. ¡°The Russians. I mean, they put up a hell of a fight and got stoned to death for it.¡±


    ¡°That wording isn¡¯t funny, Denver,¡± another member of his squad chastised him. Sear?h the n??el Fire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    ¡°Sorry, Phoenix. I¡¯m just saying, should be our rallying cry. Or.¡±


    ¡°There¡¯s a lot of Russians on Player forums,¡± Cheyenne said. ¡°Survivors eager for payback.¡±


    ¡°So are we,¡± Royez replied. ¡°For years we couldn¡¯t do more than the occasional discreet sabotage now and then. Even anti-tank artillery can¡¯t take down a Gearsmen the way spells do. Now that we¡¯ve got magic powers¡­¡±


    ¡°About that, do you guys know where that Magik stuff comes from?¡± Denver asked them. ¡°The Administrator is a stone wall when we ask about it.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m pretty sure it¡¯s something crazed scientists in a hidden lab cooked up,¡± Phoenix voiced his two cents. ¡°I¡¯ve heard some of the military-industrial complex retreated underground after the war, researching new technology to take back Earth in secret.¡±


    ¡°That ¡®Majestic 12¡¯ conspiracy theory?¡± Ulysses said, having frequented conspiracy forums after the whole fiasco with Mathias. ¡°Isn¡¯t that bogus?¡±


    ¡°Yeah, well, it sounds as good a reason as any. Unless you got a better idea?¡±


    ¡°Mathias wasn¡¯t sure himself,¡± Ulysses said. ¡°But I¡¯m pretty sure it has something to do with his mother¡¯s artificial intelligence researches.¡±


    ¡°Wait, Mathias? As in Mathias Martel?¡± Ulysses nodded reluctantly, slightly uncomfortable at the soldiers¡¯ sudden interest in him. ¡°Guy¡¯s a fucking hero. I mean, it takes balls to pick a fight with a dragon and solo it. He¡¯s the only one who did it, as far as I know.¡±


    ¡°There is two others,¡± Minos said. ¡°Draconomicon, who killed a young dragon near old Mexico, and the Longinus Guild in Europe.¡±


    ¡°Really?¡± Royez whistled. ¡°What happened?¡±


    ¡°From what I gathered, Draconomicon ambushed a dragon scientist overseeing the weather machines in the Mexican Gulf, and the fight was so savage that it caught the attention of other Players and Gearsmen. The whole region was burnt for miles when they were done. I¡¯m not even sure if Draconomicon survived, and I know even less about that Longinus Guild, except that they have the highest kill count among us Players.¡±


    ¡°He, or she?¡± Cheyenne replied. ¡°That¡¯s sexist to say the Draconomicon Player is a guy when we don¡¯t know.¡±


    ¡°You humans¡¯ insistence on gender flies over my horns,¡± the bullman replied. ¡°All that matters is that a member of our herd did it.¡±


    ¡°No seriously, what¡¯s he like?¡± Royez asked Ulysses. ¡°Martel?¡±


    ¡°He¡¯s a selfish, shortsighted angry jerk with a capital J, and the luckiest, smartest son of a bitch I¡¯ve ever met. In short, he was my best friend.¡± Ulysses was thankful Cheyenne never confronted him over the issue, which was still a sore subject for him.


    ¡°Ah! I can tell there¡¯s no lost love between you,¡± Royez laughed.


    ¡°I guess I¡¯m young and stupid, and I hope I will see him again someday to deck him in the face. For old time¡¯s sake.¡±


    ¡°You can¡¯t punch a friend in the face!¡± Al said, horrified. ¡°That¡¯s evil.¡±


    ¡°No, that¡¯s the whole reason I joined this adventure,¡± Ulysses replied.


    Actually, Ulysses was more angry at himself for getting cold feet when Matt had offered him to join. He still couldn¡¯t believe a month had passed since he saw the smoke rising from the Arc-City, Shroud¡¯s ghastly, wounded shape emerging from the ruins after slaying Smokefang in cold blood.


    The iron gaze of Concordia had fallen on everyone involved. Sam had joined the Institute and pulled strings to get Perse and Mom a nice job outside Earth, last time Ulysses could talk with them. didn¡¯t have such luck, however.


    When they realized he had guessed Mathias¡¯ true identity before everyone else and inform the authorities, the Red Ministry took Ulysses into custody and sent him to a hidden ¡®reeducation center¡¯ in old Arizona¡ªsomething Ulysses didn¡¯t even know existed. If the Conquest hadn¡¯t opened Ulysses¡¯ eyes to what Concordia¡¯s totalitarian nature hid beneath the nice facade, that experience did.


    The Argonauts ended up attacking that center and freeing him, alongside a dozen others youths, before the dragons could brainwash him. With nowhere to go, he stuck with them and received an invitation from the Administrator soon afterward.


    While Ulysses still thought the situation was way over his head, he admitted that maybe Matt had had a point. Maybe they still had a fighting chance after all¡­


    Besides, Mushroom Zombies was an awesome Lock.


    ¡°You humans are strange,¡± Minos said.


    ¡°Deal with it,¡± Royez said. ¡°And what¡¯s your reason to join? Not to sound racist¡ª¡±


    ¡°You already said that,¡± Minos said, not believing the soldier. ¡°I am doing this for Concordia. The real Concordia.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re not making friends here,¡± Royez replied with sudden coldness.


    ¡°I do not care for your opinion,¡± Minos replied bluntly. ¡°I do not look like it, but I was born before my home of Mazeworld joined Concordia when the Empire was newborn. Before the war with Gintargo. Concordia used to be¡­ better. Kind.¡±


    ¡°Hard to imagine that,¡± Denver said.


    ¡°Some, like the Golden Prince, still uphold the old ideals of Concordia. Terra Firma¡ª¡± Minos stopped as he caught a few glares from the other party. ¡°Earth¡¯s current situation would have been much healthier had he be the one to discover the planet. He would have offered you science, medicine, help, asking nothing in return. He would have made your planet to join Concordia, instead of being to. He would have instead of . That was the standard procedure back in the day before it became the exception.¡±


    ¡°What happened?¡± Ulysses asked, curious.


    ¡°One of the founders, Halcyon, died during the Gintargo war and Concordia lost its soul with him,¡± Minos replied with sorrow. ¡°The changes were gradual, so slow it seemed natural. One orbital fortress here to protect our borders, tighter surveillance to deal with internal threats¡­ now the dragons do not ask new species to join, they force them. I considered the matter for years, and I decided that to be loyal to Concordia, I must oppose it.¡±


    ¡°And you think you¡¯re going to return it to its roots by helping us?¡± Royez asked with barely hidden contempt.


    ¡°It is time Concordia remembers what it was made for,¡± Minos spoke. ¡°If colonies rise in revolt, the Grandmaster will have no choice but face reality and reexamine her policies.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s the biggest load of bullshit I ever he¡ª¡±


    ¡°Are we here to bitch around,¡± Cheyenne put them back on track, ¡°or fulfill a Quest?¡±


    ¡°Right, right, let¡¯s be professional,¡± Royez shrugged, making a hand sign to his team. The soldiers moved to get bags out of their cars, Minos and Ulysses doing the same with their SUV.


    Within a few minutes, the gathered Players faced a pile of Gearsmen pieces and parts, more or less intact, which they had gathered over the course of the Quest. ¡°Is that enough?¡± Royez asked.


    ¡°I hope,¡± Cheyenne said. She had been the one to set up that meeting on forums, as neither group expected their parts to be enough and thought collaborating would allow them all to reap the Quest¡¯s reward. ¡°I¡¯m sending a message to the Administrator.¡±


    They didn¡¯t have to wait long. The pile of parts vanished in a flash of Violet light, and Ulysses received a notification.


    The Brain Collectors, fulfilled!


    You earned Six Spellcoins.


    Neat.


    The sound of a phone ringing echoed through the meeting, Royez taking an old cellphone from one of his armor¡¯s pockets, before activating the loudspeakers.


    ¡°Congratulations, Argonauts, Eagleland,¡± the Administrator¡¯s robotic voice spoke through the phone. ¡°Another victory on your spotless record. Acquiring those samples must have been a harsh ordeal.¡±


    ¡°You can count on us, Administrator,¡± Royez said, his whole team making a military salute.


    ¡°The Quest said we would get information on Gearsmen,¡± Cheyenne brushed it off, all business.


    ¡°Yes, and the preliminary analysis confirms some of our theories. Do you know what happens to unclaimed corpses in Concordian territories?¡±


    Ulysses guessed where this was going before Minos even answered. ¡°They are recycled, to get spare organs for transplants, or to create compost.¡±


    ¡°They are,¡± the Administrator confirmed. ¡°But not all of them. The brain and nerves are extracted before composting, empowered with a battery of Green and Blue spells, then integrated to machinery. The organic components of Gearsmen and UBs aren¡¯t created in labs but recycled from corpses or prisoners of war. It is very probable that all Gearsmen present on Earth comes from human stock.¡±


    ¡°They¡¯re treating us as resources,¡± Cheyenne spat with disgust.


    ¡°After everything Concordia did, that¡¯s pretty tame,¡± Royez replied, unsurprised. He probably guessed the truth long before getting an actual confirmation. ¡°The only question, is, how does that help us?¡±


    ¡°We wondered how Concordia produced UBs and Gearsmen, and why the Mad World Hack spell developed by Shroud,¡± Ulysses frowned at the mention of his old friend. ¡°Affected them. We thought the parts linked to identity, memories, were removed or tampered with, but it appears Concordia simply keeps them suppressed so as to maintain most of the brains¡¯ computing power intact. Mad World temporarily undoes the spells suppressing the last vestiges of sentience inside the brain cells, allowing them to emerge and go berserk.¡±


    ¡°So¡­¡± Ulysses trailed off. ¡°You say that if UBs on Earth are made from human brains which still have some remnants of their owners¡¯ identity buried deep within, then we could turn them to our side?¡±


    ¡°Very sharp, Odysseus. In the best case scenario, yes, that is what we hope for. It is fortunate that we got this information now before the hammer of Concordia falls on Earth. With the death of three dragons on it and the rising number of Players, the Empire is now aware of our existence and the danger Magik presents to their hegemony.¡±


    ¡°They¡¯re taking off the kids¡¯ gloves,¡± Ulysses said somberly.


    ¡°That was inevitable,¡± Cheyenne replied, unimpressed.


    ¡°They already deployed bio-armored soldiers in South America, and Blackcinders is sending troops to strengthen the occupation, under one of her elite commanders,¡± the Administrator continued. ¡°I¡¯m afraid that things will become much, more difficult in the near future.¡±


    ¡°Let them come,¡± Royez replied. ¡°We¡¯ll send them back to Hell.¡±


    The Administrator ended the call soon after a few more words of encouragement, leaving the groups alone. ¡°We could make this alliance more than a one-time deal,¡± Cheyenne said. ¡°The Players in Neo York formed a wide alliance, and work better for it.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not certain I can ever trust that one not to turn cloak,¡± Royez pointed at Minos. ¡°But sure, anything to get the American flag to rise again. But not in the short term. We got a big operation planned first.¡±


    ¡°You are going to challenge a Lair.¡± Cheyenne didn¡¯t show it, but Ulysses knew she was a bit miffed at not having the necessary numbers to assault one yet.


    ¡°Yes, we think we¡¯re tackling either that Mictlan, Tower of Bones, or Uruk, Monster Cradle. They look tough, and the way I see it, we¡¯re very good at shooting stuff until it stops moving, not talking our way through.¡± He offered his hand to Cheyenne, who shook it firmly. ¡°Miss Atalanta, always a pleasure to meet a fellow patriot.¡±


    ¡°Let¡¯s stay in touch, Washington.¡±


    The soldiers packed up their stuff and left after giving the Argonauts a short military salute, vanishing into the Mojave. ¡°They were nice,¡± Al said. ¡°Even if they¡¯re assholes to Minos, they¡¯re nice.¡±


    ¡°You find everyone nice,¡± Ulysses replied, while the bullman shrugged, above human pettiness.


    ¡°That¡¯s wrong! I can be mean to people¡­ sometimes. Like, if they had wanted to get into me, I would have told them to apologize to Minos first.¡± Ulysses chuckled at the wording.


    ¡°Do not blame them,¡± Minos replied, ¡°Put yourself in their place. I may be the only bullman they ever met on friendly terms; my kindred may have killed many of their friends. With time, they will let go of their bitterness.¡±


    ¡°Still, that¡¯s not nice.¡±


    ¡°No. But they are a symptom of what is wrong with Concordia. The fault is on Blackcinders¡¯ head, not them.¡±


    Before Ulysses could get inside the car, Cheyenne put a strong hand on his shoulder. ¡°Two seconds,¡± she asked, leading him away from the group for a private conversation. ¡°You holding up? I saw your face when he mentioned Martel.¡±


    Ulysses sighed, before deflecting the question with a joke. ¡°Yeah. I mean, he ran off with my old girlfriend. That¡¯s like, the ultimate dick move.¡±


    ¡°From what you told me, you didn¡¯t care about her all that much,¡± Cheyenne responded with a straight-laced face. Unlike Perse, she never reacted with irritation at his responses and cut straight to the point. ¡°How do you really feel?¡±


    No point in lying. ¡°I think this whole adventure is doomed to failure and we¡¯re all going to die. I mean, they can make slingshots out of asteroids. How do we deal with ?¡±


    ¡°I see where this comes from, but we have no choice but to try. Is living in fear truly living? I say you are already dead, you just keep walking.¡±


    Ulysses didn¡¯t have an easy answer to that.


    Al honked at them, and Ulysses got into the car, wondering what the hell he had gotten himself into.


    Players'' StatsAccount


    Argonauts Guild Moderator


    NameAtalantaArrowingProgressHolderCheyenneYazzieEnergy BowUnlockedLevel2 (Adept)HeartshotUnlockedAffinityRedJudgment RainUnlockedLockArrowingLocked Feature(0/7)Spellcoins7Overlock(0/1)Spell CompendiumNameDotAffinityAccel1WhiteBabel1BlueFirekin1RedQuicken2RedImmolator2RedKinetic Choke2RedLightbringer2Red/OrangePerfect2Blue/GreenAccountArgonauts GuildNameArgosPoltergeistProgressHolderAlphonseYazzieHauntedUnlockedLevel2 (Adept)Roving SpiritUnlockedAffinityYellowLocked Feature(0/3)LockPoltergeistLocked Feature(0/7)Spellcoins12Overlock(0/1)Spell CompendiumNameDotAffinityRed String1YellowWard1YellowDoom Sense1YellowSpiritsight1YellowReinforce1OrangeSoulcraft2YellowDreamweaver2YellowFuse2OrangeAccountArgonauts GuildNameOdysseusMushroom ZombiesProgressHolderUlysses WernerDeath PollenUnlockedLevel1 (Novice)Locked Feature(0/1)AffinityGreenLocked Feature(0/3)LockMushroom ZombiesLocked Feature(0/7)Spellcoins9Overlock(0/1)Spell CompendiumNameDotAffinityPremium Thoughts1BluePeak1GreenWallcrawl1GreenStringfield2Blue/Yellow AccountArgonauts GuildNameMinosSpellstackProgressHolderHelionTurbomagicUnlockedLevel2 (Adept)Spell DriverUnlockedAffinityWhiteLocked Feature(0/3)LockSpellstackLocked Feature(0/7)Spellcoins10Overlock(0/1)Spell CompendiumNameDotAffinityAccel1WhitePeak1GreenBabel1BluePremium Thoughts1BlueImmolator2RedMultibreath2OrangeFocus2White


    Hack of the Day


    Stringfield


    Dot: 2


    Components: Intuimotion + Red String


    Activation: Active, Thought.


    You can create a field of invisible spirit strings within a ten meters radius, which appears like a birdcage to those able to perceive it. You gain instant awareness of anyone touching one of the strings, and you can direct them to restrain or attack at will. You can also bind two people, including yourself, with one of the string, which instantly reduces in length, pulling the victims towards one another against their will.

 Chapter 47: Into the Dungeon

    The promised day had come.


    Shroud glanced at the group gathered on the Overside, surrounded by his own clone mini-army. Each of the Dragonslayers carried a backpack full of food and basic utilities, although some more specialized than others. Maggie, in full costume, carried a bandolier and multiple firearms on her back, enough to make Iron Man blush. Stitch had brought a portable lab in a kit alongside emergency medicine.


    And Mur, now constantly using Pitborn, had become the team¡¯s pack mule, carrying with him most of the tents, utilities, food, and drinks. The titan could control his temperature enough to prevent them from catching fire, barely. As he promised, he had invested in his arsenal, carrying both a metal hammer and an advanced minigun.


    Shroud¡¯s doubles had looked for Violet, spell-encoded items that could stuff an enormous amount of content inside a bag, but while they did exist, they were too expensive even with their current funds. They instead invested in weapons and medicine.


    ¡°I have my leave for a week,¡± Ace said. ¡°Mammon grumbled, but gave it to me. I hope we can complete that Lair in less time, or he will make a scene.¡±


    With what Shroud had seen, working with Mammon was incredibly unsafe no matter how you approached it. ¡°You are brushing against flames, working so close with that fiend,¡± he told her.


    ¡°So are you,¡± she winked back, although she clearly thought of another fiend.


    Touch¨¦. ¡°You have homework to do,¡± Shroud told his doubles, ¡°We will be unable to leave the Lair until we complete it, so you¡¯re on your own. I will check on you with Network regularly, but dispel one of you if you need to inform us of a big change.¡±


    ¡°Of course, Number One,¡± Number Two said.


    ¡°If you could keep cultivating the larva under good temperatures,¡± Stitch told his own doubles, as they discussed biological samples, with the wight promising to bring some back to his copies.


    Shroud opened his Magik Online account, glancing at the Lair the group had voted to tackle.


    The Lair¡¯s picture represented a gigantic, metallic sphere, shining bright like the sun. Heavy weaponry, mostly lasers, covered the surface, with the greatest of them being a gigantic orbital cannon taking the shape of a sunspot.


    It reminded Shroud of the Concordia¡¯s superweapon on the moon; albeit a more positive, inspiring version, that gave a sense of wonder rather than dread. If the Sponsors could build such a powerful device, why hadn¡¯t they taken back Earth already?


    Taiyougami, theMajestic Sun


    Sponsor: Her August Majesty


    Theme: Asian Myths, the Zodiac, the Daylight Cycle, Martial Arts.


    Ordeals: Spirits, the Chinese Zodiac, Puzzles, Martial Artists.


    An artificial, mechanical sun meant to serve as a battle-station and symbol of the sun''s limitless power. Protected by the twelve demigods of the Zodiac, challengers will have to overcome their tests, from duels of wits to mighty contests, in order to reach the Command Room. Praise the sun.


    The group had voted neatly in favor of this one¡ªwith Kari having been the most vocal supporter since she was familiar with the myths in question¡ªbut Shroud couldn¡¯t help but glance at the second choice they had put forward, a tower of giant bones simmering with darkness.


    Mictlan, the Tower of Bones


    Sponsor: Eternal Serpent


    Themes: Aztec-Mayan myths, Unlife, Primal Earth, Forbidden Sorcery.


    Ordeals: Undead, Dead Gods, Pandorians, the Tower itself.


    An unliving Lair made from the corpses of fallen gods and mortals, sacrificed over eons; many of whom still roam its corridors. Meant to be an artificial Spell Tower, Mictlan hides a secret, terrible power within its walls, waiting for worthy Players to master it. For the Sponsor believes there is a place for Black...


    For obvious reasons, Kari and Sol had been adamant against conquering that one, while Stitch had been the vocal supporter in its favor, with Mur a close second. The rest had eventually voted against it, Shroud himself included.


    The description implied Magik Online¡¯s Sponsors had researched Black Sorcery, perhaps even made it possible to grant it to users. The idea of gaining access to a new field of spells had appealed to Shroud; in spite of the dangers involved and the disastrous battle with Toshiyami, he thought the best way to counter that color was to study it. Especially if it was intrinsically linked to his Save Feature.


    However, after much consideration Shroud decided the risks of Black were simply too great without further research, and he preferred to focus on building his existing skills rather than seek new ones continuously.


    He also noticed the large number of Lairs taken or unavailable; Shroud knew other Players guilds had gathered on Earth, but of the original forty-two lairs available, the number had been reduced to four when the Dragonslayers came around to choose one. And the two they didn¡¯t select were now unavailable. If you needed seven Players to invade a Lair, that meant at least two hundred of them were active, perhaps more.


    Shroud smiled beneath his glass helmet. He looked forward to what would come at the end of this dungeon.


    Answers.


    Shroud checked the Majestic Sun¡¯s notification, with a single option at the bottom of the proposal.


    Invade? ¡°Ready?¡± he asked the team.


    ¡°Since the day I was born,¡± Maggie whistled.


    ¡°Lead the way, handsome,¡± Ace said.


    ¡°Mur¡¯s good.¡±


    ¡°With pleasure, sir,¡± Stitch said, with a sliver of trepidation in his grave, dead voice.


    ¡°After you, Mathias,¡± Sol said, his blade and shield ready for battle.


    Kari offered only a nod, short but firm.


    Shroud clicked on the notification, as his Doppelgangers waved them goodbye. In a flash of violet light, they were gone.


    The travel spell used was stronger and less crude than the one they used to escape Evermarsh weeks ago. Instead of dimensions collapsing with Shroud¡¯s mind capable of perceiving it for several seconds, the transportation happened without him noticing the change in scenery.


    And what a change it was.


    In an instant, the seven Players had left the cacophony of the market for the eerie silence of a space bridge.


    The welcoming area took the shape of a long hallway, under semi-spherical, orange-tinted windows. The entire metallic environment seemed built out of gold or brass, much like most of the Midnight Market. Unlike the soulless market however, the metal here shone with a faint, vibrant light, and produced a faint warmth on touch. Bonsai plants and cherry blossom trees surrounded them from all sides, forming a path leading to a statue further. S§×arch* The n?vel_Fire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Shroud glanced at the ceiling, finding himself staring at a lush, white and green planet; this space installation probably orbited around it like a moon. Strangely though, space around it remained as black as the deepest darkness, without any star to give any hint of its location.


    ¡°I do not recognize it,¡± Stitch said upon looking at the planet, while the rest of the group looked around them for traps or the like. ¡°We must be in an unexplored area of space.¡±


    Shroud nodded, flying towards the windows and overseeing the area. He didn¡¯t notice anyone hidden, or a noteworthy element outside the statue further. This welcoming area seemed safe. ¡°All clear,¡± he said, moving towards the statue, observing it under a closer look.


    Surrounded by cherry trees and taking most of the welcoming area¡¯s space, stood a golden replica of Earth and its moon, untainted by Concordia. Words were engraved below it, next to a circular, silver button.


    ¡°Your teacher can open the door but you must enter by yourself.


    Wherever you go, go with all your heart.


    For a free Earth, under a pure, blue sky.¡±


    A mission statement. And perhaps a hint of the trials to come. He glanced around the statue, noticing a wide circle around it and gears like mechanisms hidden under the trees. ¡°I think it¡¯s an elevator,¡± Shroud said, still floating around as the group joined him. ¡°Could be a trap however. Check.¡±


    Having spent years designing traps for virtual dungeons, he was a bit paranoid about those. ¡°I confirm this is an advanced elevator,¡± Stitch said, after some examination. ¡°But it is not booby-trapped as far as I can tell.¡±


    As the group gathered on the platform, Ace touched the button, the platform slowly descending. Shroud followed it while floating.


    Made of the same mix of alien glass and steel as the space bridge itself, it became increasingly clear the elevator rivaled with mountains in side, giving them a splendid view of the surrounding area, of which it served as a center compass.


    A metal cube that could have fit Evermarsh within, the current room was a perfect balance of nature and technology. While the walls were made of the same golden metal as the rest of the structure, and provided a natural lighting, most of the technological infrastructures remained underwater; gigantic pipelines, pistons, and other machinery cooled down below the surface.


    A dozen of huge, black turtles the size of islands floated around the artificial sea, their shell covered with earth, vegetation, and life. The islands¡¯ style reminded Shroud of Japanese gardens, and he could see movements on some. Monsters, perhaps.


    Just how big was this dungeon?


    On the southern face of the cube, which they faced, one island stood from the rest. That landmark was artificial, made of the same metal as the rest of the dungeon, and mostly composed of a large stairway leading to a large, circular gate. Shroud also noticed a wooden shack on it.


    ¡°I guess we know where to go first,¡± Ace pointed out.


    ¡°The question is, how to cross the water,¡± Stitch said. ¡°I am afraid I never learned to swim.¡±


    ¡°I have an idea for transportation,¡± Shroud said, as the elevator reached its destination, a larger steel platform. ¡°Sol, come with me in case I need back-up.¡±


    Both of them flew away from the elevator as soon as the doors opened, surveying the sea. ¡°This place is immense,¡± the knight told his friend, as they flew towards the nearest turtle island. ¡°This seems to be a reservoir of some kind.¡±


    ¡°It may provide water to the inhabitants,¡± Shroud guessed, as he examined the structure. While his knowledge of engineering remained basic, he grasped, intuitively, that the liquid also served to cool down the machinery underwater. ¡°We may need more than a week to clear it out.¡±


    Sol nodded, preparing his blade as they approached one of the turtles¡¯ head. The titan placidly glanced at them, its eye bigger than a house. The animal didn¡¯t appear aggressive in the slightest, a flock of raven having even gathered above its muzzle as a makeshift nest, fleeing as the other flyers came into view.


    Shroud just had to get within range to subsume the creature with Beastmaster. The first feedback he received told him the animal was so ancient that it feared little. The Sorcerer couldn¡¯t tell if other, more aggressive creatures made their nest on the back, however, and so remained wary. ¡°Keep guard,¡± he told Sold, as he led the way to the elevator, the turtle swimming at surprising speed after him.


    Reaching the elevator, Shroud had the creature make contact with the metal platform. ¡°Turtle taxi at your service,¡± the sorcerer declared to his friends. ¡°Courtesy of your friendly neighborhood sorcerer.¡±


    ¡°Showoff,¡± Maggie replied, the first to leap on the turtle¡¯s head with Kari, the rest quickly following. Shroud quickly rerouted the turtle to the south, towards the major landmark.


    The journey happened without any trouble and much quietness, to Shroud¡¯s surprise and suspicion. He had expected an ambush, monster attacks, anything. Not this eerie peace and silence. ¡°This is too quiet,¡± Mur echoed his thoughts. ¡°Mur doesn¡¯t like it.¡±


    ¡°This may be a safe area,¡± Ace said. ¡°The deeper we go, the more dangerous.¡±


    Perhaps. Or that room tested something other than strength of arms.


    The journey ended with the landmark coming into sight, the proximity allowing for closer examination. Shaped like a large triangle, the platform supported a long stairway, at the end of which stood an immense, forty-feet tall rounded door, so thick as to seem impregnable. The symbols of twelve animals, those of the Chinese Zodiac, were engraved on it.


    Someone had built a small shack of wood at the base of the stairway; on both sides, two large circles shone bright with a violet light. Gates, or teleporters perhaps.


    As the turtle made the junction with the platform, allowing the Dragonslayers to jump on it, the shack¡¯s door opened and a newcomer walked into view.


    The creature looked like a bipedal, scrawny white goat, using a cane to walk straight and with blue eyes full of kindness. A white beard and wrinkles revealed its immense age, although it kept polished nails, and yet it carried a small bag of clothes on its back. It wore a golden medallion around its neck, with a goat symbol engraved on its surface.


    ¡°Kari,¡± Shroud said, landing with Sol to join the group.


    ¡°I will take the lead,¡± she said, being the one most knowledgeable about Asian legends.


    ¡°Ah, our first challengers, at long last,¡± the creature said with a warm, wise voice, as he appraised the group. Shroud felt little feedback from Beastmaster, even as he came into range; he couldn¡¯t control him. ¡°I am Shifuy¨¢ng, the Goat of the Divine Zodiac. Welcome to Taiyougami.¡±


    The first person in the dungeon, and he seemed a friendly face. Nice. ¡°Honorable Shifuy¨¢ng,¡± Kari bowed first, Shroud, Ace, and Sol imitating her, with Maggie taking longer. Mur didn¡¯t bow at all, while Stitch was busy scribbling things on a pocket journal, furiously taking notes. ¡°We have humbly come to prove ourselves worthy of this place.¡±


    ¡°My, what a polite young woman,¡± the goat said, appreciative. ¡°Good. Humility is the cure of foolishness.¡±


    ¡°Mur does not bow to anyone,¡± the imp replied proudly.


    The goat responded with an all-knowing smile. ¡°You remind me of Baihu, without the fur.¡±


    ¡°Honorable goat,¡± Kari continued, brushing off Mur¡¯s brazenness. ¡°What can you tell us about our trials?¡±


    ¡°I assume you all read the Lair¡¯s description before choosing it, have you not?¡± The group nodded. ¡°The door you see behind me leads to the Command Room, and to the Sponsor of this dungeon. Each of my kindred possess an emblem, given to us by the late Jade Emperor when we ascended to the Zodiac. They are the keys you must gather.¡±


    ¡°Yours included?¡± Shroud asked, glancing at the medallion around the Goat¡¯s neck.


    ¡°Yes. In fact, I am willing to give you mine without a fight.¡±


    ¡°Good,¡± Mur said, although his tone wasn¡¯t as conciliatory. ¡°Wiser to give it to us before we roast you.¡±


    Shroud raised a hand to appease him. The Goat sounded amiable, so alienating him was pointless. ¡°What do you want in exchange?¡± he asked.


    The goat-man pointed at the bag on his back. ¡°If one of you younglings could alleviate an old animal¡¯s burden.¡±


    Shroud took a step, taking the back and glancing inside. It contained an egg-shaped black stone, with red, ruby-like lines producing warmth on the surface. ¡°I have been trying to nurture this dungeon core for years,¡± Shifuy¨¢ng said. ¡°But being no warrior, my progress has been slow.¡±


    ¡°Sorry, ain¡¯t going to play mother goose,¡± Maggie snickered.


    ¡°This core does not feed on a mother¡¯s warmth, but strength,¡± Shifuy¨¢ng replied, amused. ¡°Defeating the monsters in the Lair will provide power crystals which will help it achieve maturity. Do so, and I will gladly exchange it against my emblem.¡±


    A Magik Online notification quickly came up.


    Quest: The Dungeon Core, started.


    Difficulty: Dot Two


    Sender: Her August Majesty


    Power comes from perseverance; only through patience is one¡¯s full potential unleashed. Bring the core to maturity to unlock an ancient secret.


    Rewards: Seven Spellcoins for each Dragonslaye


    "So if we keep shedding blood, it will eventually hatch?¡± Stitch guessed. ¡°Fascinating. What kind of device needs battle to come to life?¡±


    ¡°The fierce kind,¡± the Goat replied elusively.


    Shroud felt as if hit in the face, the connection abruptly cut. ¡°Well tried,¡± Shifuy¨¢ng told Shroud, as he massaged his forehead.


    ¡°How do you do people keep doing that?¡± Shroud complained.


    ¡°I will tell you if you conquer the Lair,¡± the Goat replied. ¡°You understand I cannot tell you everything now, or it wouldn¡¯t be a test.¡±


    ¡°What can you tell us, honorable goat?¡± Kari asked.


    ¡°A good question, but not the one you should ask. What can I tell you? I have not heard from my friends of the Zodiac since we separated to prepare our trials, so I can neither tell you where they are, nor what they plan; however, as far as I can tell, I am the only one in this section of the maze. Neither will I reveal all of the Lair¡¯s secrets, nor the identity of our Sponsors. Otherwise, I can provide general guidance, even a rough map of this place.¡±


    The goat used his cane to draw a map on the earth, the group gathering to look at it. The goat drew four circles, each linked to two others by lines in a cubic form. He then added an isolated rectangle near the north area, which Shroud guessed was the space bridge they visited before.


    ¡°Taiyougami is themed after the cardinal points,¡± the goat said, pointing at the northernmost circle, ¡°We are in the North area, the Water Turtle¡¯s Pond, themed after water. The Eastern Area is the Wood Dragon¡¯s Forest, the South the Fire Bird¡¯s Engine, and the West is home to the Metal Tiger¡¯s Forge.¡±


    Was that a hint? Shroud thought. The dragon and the tiger were parts of the Chinese Zodiac, as was the rooster. Perhaps the latter was the bird. No turtle, however.


    ¡°All four work together to make the entire structure strong, but there is no direct link between either East or West, or South and North; those devices,¡± Shifuy¨¢ng nodded in the direction of the violet circles, ¡°link sections together. The North is the most peaceful area, the South the most dangerous. Monsters roam the entire Lair and may pour out of their section of the maze to pursue you. Finally, much like the sun in the sky, this Lair¡¯s light will grow or diminish in a never-ending cycle. I must warn you nighttime is a most dangerous time.¡±


    ¡°Why so?¡± Kari asked.


    ¡°You cannot see in the dark, and monsters will become more aggressive. Even this area becomes unsafe.¡± Shifuy¨¢ng smiled. ¡°You should have six hours or so, before nightfall.¡±


    ¡°What can you tell us about the other members of the Chinese Zodiac?¡± Sol asked. ¡°While you can¡¯t tell us their weaknesses, perhaps you can give us rough hints.¡±


    ¡°We do not all come from the Land of the Middle, as odd as it may sound. Inhabitants of this Lair often come from Nippon, others from Korea. We animals do not care about human frontiers. Our similarities outweigh our differences, I always say. Some of us value strength above all, like the fierce Tiger, and will not give their emblem without a fight; expect no mercy from them. Gentler ones like the Rabbit or the Pig will probably give you their own without bloodshed, if you ask nicely or pass their trials.¡±


    ¡°And individually?¡± Shroud pushed.


    ¡°I will not gossip, but Rabbit, Dog, Rooster, and Pig are kind souls. Tiger, Ox and Horse are warriors. Monkey is an inveterate troublemaker, while Rat is crafty. Snake and Dragon,¡± the goat paused briefly, as he noticed the tension in the air, ¡°are the most mysterious and solitary. I have not seen them for a while.¡±


    ¡°Very helpful, Sherlock,¡± Maggie deadpanned.


    ¡°And the ¡®monsters¡¯?¡± Stitch asked, scribing notes.


    ¡°Too many to count, but the Wood Dragon¡¯s Forest welcomes savage beasts and spirits, while the inhabitants of the West Tiger¡¯s Forge are organized and disciplined. The Fire Bird¡¯s Engine contains the deadliest of monsters, lone wolves all of them. Finally, our current location is home to peaceful creatures, like those turtles and the fish. You can come rest here anytime. I would be happy to share herb and grass soup with you.¡±


    ¡°That is very kind,¡± Kari replied, ¡°What would you suggest we start with?¡±


    ¡°I would suggest taking the teleporter on the left of the stairway, to access the East area and start gently. The monsters of the West are fiercer, smarter, and will coordinate to fend you off; do not go there unless prepared to fight your way through from dawn to twilight. Keep the South for last, I say.¡±


    Shroud transferred the dungeon core to his backpack. Simple. He had created dozen of such tests while a game designer, that one sounded straightforward.


    ¡°Okay, then let¡¯s establish a perimeter in the forest before the night,¡± he told the group. ¡°Kari and Ace go first as our scouts, Maggie provides cover fire, Sol and I fly around, Stitch remains safe at the center and Mur closes the march.¡±


    This dungeon was going to be a great adventure.


    Players'' StatsAccount


    Dragonslayers Guild Moderator


    (Pending Judgment)


    NameShroudNetworkProgressHolderMathias MartelBroadcastUnlockedLevel2 (Adept)Grant SpellUnlockedAffinityBlueSynergizeUnlockedLockNetworkLocked Feature(0/7)Spellcoins3Overlock(0/1)Stored Saves5Save?Load?Spell CompendiumNameDotAffinityPremium Thoughts1BlueBabel1BluePurge1GreenBeastmaster2BlueMindshield2BlueDoppelganger2BlueHeal2GreenGlass Field2Orange/BlueLightbringer2Red/OrangeMad World2Blue/GreenAccountDragonslayers GuildNameYoshikageOversoulProgressHolderKari MatsumotoRememberUnlockedLevel2 (Adept)Channel SoulUnlockedAffinityYellowLocked Feature(1/3)LockOversoulLocked Feature(0/7)Spellcoins12Overlock(0/1)Spell CompendiumNameDotAffinityBabel1BlueWallcraw1GreenPeak1GreenNeedless1GreenWard1YellowDoom Sense1YellowSpiritsight1YellowHands of Slaughter3Yellow/Violet/RedAccountDragonslayers GuildNameThe Mur!AdamantProgressHolderMurmur the ImpHarderUnlockedLevel1 (Novice)Locked Feature(0/1)AffinityOrangeLocked Feature(0/3)LockAdamantLocked Feature(0/7)Spellcoins23Overlock(0/1)Spell CompendiumNameDotAffinityReinforce1OrangeDiceweight1OrangePitborn2Green/RedAccountDragonslayers GuildNameDocInseminateProgressHolderNathaniel StitchSpawnUnlockedLevel1 (Novice)Locked Feature(0/1)AffinityGreenLocked Feature(0/3)LockInseminateLocked Feature(0/7)Spellcoins11Overlock(0/1)Spell CompendiumNameDotAffinityPremium Thoughts1BlueAccountDragonslayers GuildNameAceCastlingProgressHolderSaga FreysonSummonedUnlockedLevel2 (Adept)Piercing BoundaryUnlockedAffinityVioletLocked Feature(2/3)LockCastlingLocked Feature(0/7)Spellcoins1Overlock(0/1)Spell CompendiumNameDotAffinitySwitch1VioletPathfinder1VioletTimesense1VioletUrbanstep1VioletSeamancer1OrangeAccel1WhiteDoorway2VioletSplash2Orange/VioletRainmaker2Orange/VioletAccountDragonslayers GuildNameSharpshootSpellgunProgressHolderMaggie Jesse PowellsCrimson BulletUnlockedLevel1 (Novice)Homing BulletUnlockedAffinityRedLocked Feature(0/3)LockSpellgunLocked Feature(0/7)Spellcoins13Overlock(0/1)Spell CompendiumNameDotAffinityStockmight1RedBabel1BlueThunderling2Green/RedBullseye2Violet/BlueAccountDragonslayers GuildNameSolAegisProgressHolderSolomon NicholaeSpell MartyrUnlockedLevel1 (Novice)Locked Feature(0/1)AffinityWhiteLocked Feature(0/3)LockAegisLocked Feature(0/7)Spellcoins16Overlock(0/1)Spell CompendiumNameDotAffinityPeak1GreenNeedless1GreenBabel1BlueQuasar1RedReinforce1OrangeEncode1White


    Spell of the Day


    Death Hand


    Affinity: Yellow


    Dot: 2


    Price: 6-10


    Activation: Active, Direct Touch Vector


    The caster¡¯s touch damages soul on contact, allowing them to harm spirits and incorporeal beings; for the living and the undead, prolonged contact damages the link between the soul and the body, starting with memory loss, madness, eventually death.

 Chapter 48: Random Encounter

    Shroud reconsidered, after shielding his team from a volley of bullets with a shield of lightglass and answering by firing shards at the branches above.


    A band of monkey warriors fired from behind the cover of leaves armed with primitive arquebuses. Much like the previous groups, they wore light, boiled leather, and steel armor, with a white tiger insignia proudly displayed on their chest. ¡°Eight,¡± Shroud said, counting them. ¡°Ten.¡±


    At least these ones didn¡¯t have those panda-like ogres with them, unlike the last group. Those creatures could take a savage beating.


    Mur immediately fired a volley of Reinforced bullets with his minigun in their general direction, imitated by Maggie. The rain of lead devastated the foliage above, causing a few of the monkeys to fall dead among the group, with the others quickly retreating by leaping to other trees. Kari, that damn ninja, quickly climbed the trees¡¯ bark with Wallcrawl at immense speed, assisted by Shroud and Maggie¡¯s precise cover fire. Within seconds she caught up with the stragglers and crushed them like ants.


    Stitch, completely undisturbed by the attack moved to examine one of the monkeys¡¯ corpses, while Ace let out a sigh; she had made a move to draw a knife but the team had won too fast for her to do anything. Even Sol hadn¡¯t had the time to take flight. ¡°I figured they learned their lesson after the third time.¡±


    Clearly not.


    The Goat hadn¡¯t lied, and the Wood Dragon¡¯s Forest deserved its name. It was probably as large as the water area but with a far smaller ceiling¡ªreaching one hundred meters max¡ªthe forest was a closed environment welcoming various species of trees, small and tall, gathering into dense woods. The golden metal ceiling provided light, while the builders buried the ground beneath their feet with earth, dirt, and grass. While tracks allowed the group to move around, they couldn¡¯t see where to go.


    He would have happily flown above the area to find a path, but the trees had grown as close to the light above as possible and reached the ceiling. The sorcerer had had to struggle against leaves for minutes before giving up. Cutting the branches with his lightshards might help open a path, but would be noticed.


    Unfortunately, that area with monsters that attacked on sight, mostly those monkey soldiers. That was the fourth group of attackers they had to fend off during the last two hours; while nothing special and quick to defeat¡ªespecially since Kari¡¯s Doom Sense gave the group advance warning¡ªthose monkeys liked to ambush them with primitive firearms and often escorted larger tougher monsters. While looking like animals, enough that Beastmaster could sense them the way it had with Lugh, they were too intelligent, too human, to fall under his control.


    He had also noticed a great number of rats populating the forest, whose mind seemed to escape the power of Beastmaster as well¡­ perhaps envoys of the Rat Zodiac, lurking around.


    Shroud floated near Stitch, who examined one of the corpses. The volley of Mur¡¯s minigun had torn the body in half, to the point even Heal couldn¡¯t save him; the sight reminded the Blue Sorcerer of his father¡¯s death, much to his disturbance.


    ¡°I believe we could try to salvage one with the Heal spell next time,¡± the doctor said, observing the corpse¡¯s cranium. ¡°They are clearly intelligent, if their equipment, capacity for ambushes, and brain capacity is any indication.¡±


    ¡°The tiger symbol,¡± Kari said. All the monkeys encountered so far carried one around. ¡°It is an insignia.¡±


    ¡°They aren¡¯t beasts, they are an army,¡± Shroud agreed. ¡°Maybe the Tiger¡¯s?¡±


    ¡°I thought disciplined monsters only made their home in the western area?¡± Solomon pointed out.


    ¡°They could forage for food and material,¡± Stitch said, pointing a finger at the bags the monkeys carried, containing cut wood. ¡°They probably use the wood from this forest to produce their arsenal.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s strange they keep finding us,¡± Ace noted. ¡°Either they have overrun this forest, or they have a method to track us.¡±


    ¡°We keep turning around,¡± Sol said, noticing a marked, evergreen tree nearby. Kari had grazed that one as a landmark, in case they found themselves turning back by accident. ¡°We are clearly lost.¡±


    ¡°Something doesn¡¯t match,¡± Ace said. ¡°I purchased the Pathfinder spell.¡±


    ¡°A useless one,¡± Mur commented.


    ¡°I can geolocate any place I have been to before,¡± Ace said, ignoring the imp. ¡°We haven¡¯t been here before.¡±


    ¡°But the trees are the same,¡± Kari replied, Oversoul¡¯s ethereal claws grazing the bark to put another mark. The leaves shifted so imperceptibly as Kari did so, someone without Premium Thoughts would have missed the movement.


    Shroud touched the bark of the tree and sensed the jolt of Network activate, confirming his suspicions. Without warning, the sorcerer unleashed a lightshard through the bark, the tree let out a scream of agony and surprise. Crimson eyes opened on the bark, alongside fanged maws on the branches, as the tree fell dead to the side, red blood dripping from its wounds.


    The rest of the team immediately caught on, as four evergreen trees around them¡ªincluding the one Kari had marked before¡ªrevealed their true nature, their roots rising from the ground like feet, and fleshy tubes springing from the tip of their branches.


    They were no match for the Guild, though. Mur smashed the nearest one with his hammer, breaking it like a twig in one blow, while Sol sharply sliced one to ribbons in a graceful swing; the sight alone caused the remaining plants to try running away, but Shroud just shredded them from behind with lightshards. The ¡®battle¡¯ had lasted less than a minute.


    No wonder they got lost! Some of the trees were monsters, and moved on their own!


    They didn¡¯t look like fighters though; Shroud guessed they either focused on exhausting their prey before attacking or leading them to a dangerous spot. ¡°Jubokko,¡± Kari said, recognizing the creatures. ¡°Blood-sucking trees.¡±


    ¡°Maybe all the trees in that forest are monsters,¡± Ace pointed out, readying knives to fight with.


    ¡°Mur will burn this forest down,¡± the imp said, ready to incinerate the other trees.


    Before Shroud could call him off¡ªsince they were inside the forest¡ªa child-like voice came out of a white maple tree, pleading for mercy. ¡°Wait!¡± Much to his surprise, its peach-like fruits morphed into the shape of genderless human faces. ¡°Please don¡¯t hurt us!¡±


    ¡°What the hell?!¡± Maggie looked at the creature, dumbfounded, pointing her guns at it. ¡°I can¡¯t shoot baby faces, even if they¡¯re fruit things¡­ it feels so wrong¡­¡±


    ¡°I am Ninmenju, the human-faced tree,¡± the tree called, deliberately lowering his pitch to sound even younger; it probably thought that it would be as uncomfortable to shoot as possible. ¡°I can speak your language. Please, do not harm us for the crimes of those ruffians. They learned their lesson and will not trouble you again.¡±


    ¡°So all the trees in this forest are monsters?¡± Kari asked.


    As if to answer her, the leaves of all trees moved at once, echoing a strange, pitiful shriek. The team immediately put themselves on guards. ¡°Yokai,¡± Ninmenju replied, sounding offended by the terminology. ¡°Yes, all of us are self-aware. I am sorry for the reception, some of us gained their minds from drinking human blood and haven¡¯t tasted it for centuries.¡±


    ¡°If you try to ambush us again, we will turn this forest into a clean, flat meadow,¡± Shroud warned them. ¡°Am I understood?¡±


    ¡°Mur loves the sound of wood turning to cinders,¡± Mur added with malice, the trees let out a brief whisper with an undercurrent of outrage.


    ¡°Alright, alright¡­¡± the tree grumbled, its leaves making some strange sound. ¡°The forest parliament will no longer trouble you unless you try to cut us down like those monkeys. Happy? Now please leave. As if Baihu wasn¡¯t enough¡­¡±


    ¡°Bad blood?¡± Maggie asked, amused.


    ¡°We thought we could have you both wipe the others out,¡± the tree admitted. ¡°So we led you to those foraging groups. Plant two trees with one seed.¡±


    ¡°Why though?¡± Stitch kept asking with curiosity. ¡°Does monkey blood taste as good as human blood?¡± sea??h th§× nov§×lF~ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    ¡°That¡¯s Baihu the White Tiger¡¯s fault!¡± Ninmenju declared, incensed, ¡°Since he took over the Western Area, Baihu sends his minions to cut us by the dozens! So we retaliate!¡±


    ¡°How does he get in?¡± Shroud asked. ¡°The southern teleporter?¡± Unlike the North Area, the teleporters didn¡¯t border each other in this one. He supposed the access to the South area was, well, south of their location.


    ¡°The monkeys fortified it,¡± the tree explained. ¡°He is too wary of Shifuy¨¢ng-sama to send his soldiers through the North Area, so they go through the south, where the teleporters border one another.¡±


    At least they knew the Tiger had taken over the Western Area. With that in mind, they could track him anytime. ¡°Honorable Ninmenju,¡± Kari said, finding herself playing the good cop of the group. ¡°We are looking for the Zodiac members of this area. If you could point us to them, we will not stay long in this area.¡±


    ¡°If you agree to get rid of those monkeys, then we can open the path to them,¡± the tree tried to negotiate, but Mur would have none of it.


    ¡°Mur has a counter-offer. Mur not kill you if you send us to the target. Thirty seconds before Mur goes through with it. Twenty-nine¡­¡±


    The imp¡¯s dangerous tone made the tree fold, both metaphorically and literally. ¡°Alright, alright, no need for violence! Damn, fire Yokai are just the worst¡­¡±


    Shroud made a note to have Kari and Mur play good bad cop more often, and then led the group through the path. ¡°Which Zodiac member occupies this place?¡±


    The trees chittered together. Since Babel didn¡¯t translate it, Shroud wondered if they also used other methods of communications the group couldn¡¯t perceive, such as using their roots. ¡°The Rabbit Kaguya, the Dog Hachiko,¡± Ninmenju replied, ¡°Madame White Snake, the Serpent. Sun Wukong the Monkey comes and goes wherever he pleases. The Rabbit is the closest.¡±


    ¡°Bring us to it,¡± Shroud all but ordered. ¡°After we gather all their emblems, we will solve the south teleporter problem.¡±


    ¡°Do not take it personally when I pray all of you mammals wipe out one another,¡± Ninmenju complained, as the trees moved to reveal a wide path. ¡°Now leave please¡­¡±


    The group followed the path, the trees pointedly moving as far from Mur as possible; with the imp relishing brushing against them. It wasn¡¯t long before the group reached a meadow, and the rabbit sitting at the center.


    Rabbit, or hare? Shroud couldn¡¯t clearly identify the creature¡¯s exact species, as it mixed a few features from various sources. It was very small, barely reaching the same height as Mur¡¯s impish true form, the rabbit had fur white as snow and curious eyes, carrying a mortar with its tiny forearms and an emblem around its neck. Its head jerked in the group¡¯s direction as it noticed them.


    ¡°Oh? Visitors? Players?!¡± the rabbit squeaked with a female, human voice. Like those Duracell rabbit commercials, the animal jumped in place with limitless energy. ¡°Hello friends, my name is Kaguya, the Moon Rabbit of the Zodiac! Welcome, welcome, welcome!¡±


    She closed the distance between them in the blink of an eye, before stopping as Stitch suddenly lowered himself to get a better look at the creature. The sight of an undead creature looking at her with vulture-like interest must have disturbed the rabbit, because she said, ¡°I¡¯m not a snack!¡±


    ¡°No, no, far from my mind, I am simply amazed by your biological novelty,¡± Stitch replied with a tone that should have sounded kindly but instead made the rabbit shudder.


    ¡°This is the first time you see a rabbit, boneface?¡± Maggie commented.


    ¡°Is that what they are called? Their legs¡¯ optimization for speed presents wonderful opportunities for grafts¡­¡±


    ¡°Kaguya-hime,¡± Kari said as if remembering a story, and thankfully drawing the rabbit¡¯s attention away from their most disturbing teammate.


    ¡°Ah yes, that time I took a human shape and the Emperor of Nippon tried to marry me! I told him I wasn¡¯t interested, but he insisted that old fool! Do humans believe rabbits have only mating on their mind?¡±


    ¡°¡­ yes,¡± Shroud replied.


    ¡°But I¡¯m a Moon Rabbit, that¡¯s different!¡± the creature replied, offended. ¡°I¡¯m not going to marry a human, even if I take the shape of one! That would be bestiality, like romping a cat!¡±


    ¡°Mur heard humans sleep with anything that looks slightly like them,¡± the imp commiserated. ¡°Even vampires.¡±


    ¡°D-Did you just call our entire species whores?¡± Maggie stammered angrily, the gargoyle shrugging.


    ¡°I must say you humans have a reputation for¡­¡± Stitch struggled to find a word that wouldn¡¯t offend the rest of the group. ¡°Welcomeness. I blame uniquely high socializing abilities and great crossbreeding potential.¡±


    ¡°Ugh¡­¡± the Rabbit shuddered. ¡°I will stay in my true form, thank you very much. But I can introduce you to White Snake if you want! She¡¯s so fond of humans, I¡¯m sure she will like one of you!¡±


    Shroud sighed, as the Rabbit appraised Kari. ¡°You look familiar,¡± she said. ¡°Did we meet in a former life of yours?¡±


    ¡°I think so,¡± Kari replied, unleashing the golden aura of Oversoul. ¡°If you have items of my former incarnation¡­¡±


    ¡°You can touch everything I own but my mortar; I haven¡¯t found the time to repair it yet and it¡¯s super duper fragile right now.¡±


    Shroud wondered why it would take long to repair a mortar, before taking a long hard look at the Rabbit¡¯s device. While easy to mistake for a primitive tool from afar, under closer scrutiny, the mortar revealed thin steel lines and broken circuits on its surface¡ªthe structure reminded him of the magitech empowering Concordia¡¯s UB. ¡°Seems very advanced for a mortar.¡±


    ¡°My kind use them to brew elixirs of life.¡± The Rabbit¡¯s ears suddenly narrowed in sadness. ¡°Or used to, before the war. My parents sent me to Earth for my safety, until it ended. But they killed everyone, and now I am alone.¡±


    ¡°What war?¡± Shroud asked, wondering if she meant the Concordian invasion. He did wonder how humans missed a rabbit civilization on the Moon, though?


    ¡°The war with the old machines,¡± the Rabbit replied, shuddering. ¡°I still have nightmares remembering them.¡±


    ¡°The Gearsmen?¡± Solomon asked although the timing didn¡¯t match.


    ¡°No. The old machines. Those that built the towers, ate the gods, and stole a thousand worlds.¡±


    The Rabbit grew more anxious and agitated as she went on as if remembering a terrible memory. ¡°I was so young when it happened¡­ only the Goat and the Dragon remember it well.¡±


    Shroud sensed she wanted them to drop the subject and so didn¡¯t push it. ¡°I am so sorry,¡± Sol said with warmth and kindness. ¡°We didn¡¯t wish to open old wounds.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s okay!¡± The Rabbit replied, once again full of cheerfulness. Shroud found the swift change in behavior somewhat jarring. ¡°I just feel a bit edgy with my mortar broken. It¡¯s already hard as it is to repair, and the night monsters keep trying to kill me! They interrupt anytime I sit down to work on it. Night is so dangerous nowadays, you wouldn¡¯t belie¡ª¡±


    ¡°Would you consider parting ways with your emblem, if we protected you?¡± Sol asked with diplomacy before a bored Mur could suggest simply eating her for breakfast.


    ¡°I would gladly assist in repairing this mortar,¡± Stitch proposed humbly.


    ¡°Oh? Oh yes, of course, that would be so kind! If I can do anything else to pay you back for the service, except human romping¡­¡±


    Jackpot. ¡°We¡¯re looking for all the emblems of the Zodiac,¡± Shroud said. ¡°If you can tell us about the others¡­¡±


    ¡°With pleasure! I was going to visit the Serpent for help with the mortar problem, we can travel together. Please say yes, yes, yes!¡±


    ¡°With pleasure,¡± Shroud spoke for the group. The Moon Rabbit squealed in happiness, which the sorcerer found adorable.


    ¡°Well, my kind furball,¡± Ace said, amused by the beast¡¯s reaction. ¡°This Madame White Snake sounds like a very interesting person.¡±


    ¡°She is!¡± the Rabbit said, still in the clouds at making new friends. ¡°She¡¯s graceful and beautiful and kind and she works so hard to cultivate immortality; even harder than Shifuy¨¢ng! Nothing like that slacker Zhy Baije, even if he¡¯s the kindest pig I ever met.¡±


    ¡°Your Zodiac friends seem to be very good company,¡± Ace carried on.


    ¡°They are! Sun Wukong is funny, but only because he is not, but he thinks he is funny, so that makes it funny! Gye-lyong is very serious but that¡¯s because he has the hardest job.¡±


    The group remained silent, as the Rabbit kept blabbering about her fellow Zodiac members; unlike the wiser Goat, once started she just couldn¡¯t stop. Ace seemed even a tiny bit disappointed that she didn¡¯t have to try hard to coax information out of her.


    ¡°Hachiko¡­ he¡¯s stubborn. Like super stubborn. I mean, you would figure out your master is dead after so long, but he keeps insisting he is alive. Ox-Head and Horse-Face are such good friends with one another, I wish had a best friend like them! Baihu is a big bully, but that¡¯s because he¡¯s a big softie inside and he doesn¡¯t want to show it, and, and¡­¡±


    The rabbit hit the ground with her left leg, interrupting the endless flow of words. ¡°And it¡¯s almost night and we need to go!¡± she said. ¡°The monsters will rise soon!¡±


    ¡°Mur not afraid of pushovers,¡± the imp said, unimpressed. ¡°We wiped them out good.¡±


    ¡°Ah¡­ you killed other Yokai?¡± The rabbit lowered her ears. ¡°Did you, uh¡­ burn the corpses?¡±


    Shroud wondered about the question but quickly figured it out. he thought. ¡°How bad will it be?¡±


    ¡°They¡¯re always angry when they wake up again, and since they¡¯re angry they bring friends with them and bring other friends and¡­ and we really need to take shelter .¡±


    Players'' StatsAccount


    Dragonslayers Guild Moderator


    (Pending Judgment)


    NameShroudNetworkProgressHolderMathias MartelBroadcastUnlockedLevel2 (Adept)Grant SpellUnlockedAffinityBlueSynergizeUnlockedLockNetworkLocked Feature(0/7)Spellcoins3Overlock(0/1)Stored Saves5Save?Load?Spell CompendiumNameDotAffinityPremium Thoughts1BlueBabel1BluePurge1GreenBeastmaster2BlueMindshield2BlueDoppelganger2BlueHeal2GreenGlass Field2Orange/BlueLightbringer2Red/OrangeMad World2Blue/GreenAccountDragonslayers GuildNameYoshikageOversoulProgressHolderKari MatsumotoRememberUnlockedLevel2 (Adept)Channel SoulUnlockedAffinityYellowLocked Feature(1/3)LockOversoulLocked Feature(0/7)Spellcoins12Overlock(0/1)Spell CompendiumNameDotAffinityBabel1BlueWallcraw1GreenPeak1GreenNeedless1GreenWard1YellowDoom Sense1YellowSpiritsight1YellowHands of Slaughter3Yellow/Violet/RedAccountDragonslayers GuildNameThe Mur!AdamantProgressHolderMurmur the ImpHarderUnlockedLevel1 (Novice)Locked Feature(0/1)AffinityOrangeLocked Feature(0/3)LockAdamantLocked Feature(0/7)Spellcoins23Overlock(0/1)Spell CompendiumNameDotAffinityReinforce1OrangeDiceweight1OrangePitborn2Green/RedAccountDragonslayers GuildNameDocInseminateProgressHolderNathaniel StitchSpawnUnlockedLevel1 (Novice)Locked Feature(0/1)AffinityGreenLocked Feature(0/3)LockInseminateLocked Feature(0/7)Spellcoins11Overlock(0/1)Spell CompendiumNameDotAffinityPremium Thoughts1BlueAccountDragonslayers GuildNameAceCastlingProgressHolderSaga FreysonSummonedUnlockedLevel2 (Adept)Piercing BoundaryUnlockedAffinityVioletLocked Feature(2/3)LockCastlingLocked Feature(0/7)Spellcoins1Overlock(0/1)Spell CompendiumNameDotAffinitySwitch1VioletPathfinder1VioletTimesense1VioletUrbanstep1VioletSeamancer1OrangeAccel1WhiteDoorway2VioletSplash2Orange/VioletRainmaker2Orange/VioletAccountDragonslayers GuildNameSharpshootSpellgunProgressHolderMaggie Jesse PowellsCrimson BulletUnlockedLevel1 (Novice)Homing BulletUnlockedAffinityRedLocked Feature(0/3)LockSpellgunLocked Feature(0/7)Spellcoins13Overlock(0/1)Spell CompendiumNameDotAffinityStockmight1RedBabel1BlueThunderling2Green/RedBullseye2Violet/BlueAccountDragonslayers GuildNameSolAegisProgressHolderSolomon NicholaeSpell MartyrUnlockedLevel1 (Novice)Locked Feature(0/1)AffinityWhiteLocked Feature(0/3)LockAegisLocked Feature(0/7)Spellcoins16Overlock(0/1)Spell CompendiumNameDotAffinityPeak1GreenNeedless1GreenBabel1BlueQuasar1RedReinforce1OrangeEncode1White


    Spell of the Day


    Fuse


    Affinity: Orange


    Dot: 2


    Price: 6-10


    Activation: Active, Direct Touch Vector.


    By touching two inorganic items, the caster can permanently fuse them into a harmonious, functional whole (such as a gun-blade). If two intelligent objects are fused, such as soul-anchored golems, their personalities will control various parts of the gestalt.

 Chapter 49: Draw Aggro

    The White Snake lived in a pristine lake at the eastern side of the forest, on a small island at its center, hidden behind a faint white mist. Only a natural bridge of polished stone connected the forest to it.


    Finally, Shroud had open space to fly.


    The lights above had dimmed over time, bathing the forest in a twilight-like atmosphere. The metal slowly cooled down, producing less light and less heat. ¡°No monster has attacked us,¡± Kari noted. She clearly didn¡¯t think the trees had anything to do with it.


    ¡°They fear nighttime as much as we do,¡± Ace pointed out, tightening her hold on her cloak as the air grew frostier. ¡°It¡¯s getting chiller.¡±


    Shroud supposed the systems of the space station cooled down during the night cycle, perhaps to save energy. Which meant they might have to fight in complete darkness while freezing. If what the Rabbit had told them wasn¡¯t an exaggeration, the night would be . ¡°How long until nightfall?¡± he asked the Zodiac beast.


    ¡°One hour,¡± the Rabbit said. ¡°They start slow and then pick up strength as the night progresses until Gye-lyong crows in the morning to wake up the sun.¡±


    ¡°Gye-lyong, the rooster,¡± Kari said softly. ¡°Korean.¡±


    ¡°He¡¯s in the Western Area, but he sings for everyone,¡± Kaguya replied. ¡°He tries to shorten nights the best he can, but it tires him.¡±


    ¡°Shorten the night. Odd wording.¡± Ace noticed. ¡°The night cycle isn¡¯t natural?¡±


    ¡°It must be used to save power for the station,¡± Shroud guessed, the Rabbit confirming it as the group crossed the bridge.


    ¡°Gye-lyong decides when the sun is up, but without night, Taiyougami overheats from the Motherless Sun awakening.¡±


    The Motherless Sun?


    A Magik Notification popped up.


    The Caged Sun


    Difficulty: Dot Three (Hard)


    Sponsor: the Codex.


    Not all is as it seems. Taiyougami is the power of life harnessed for destruction. Within many a labyrinthian cage lies secrets. Some are hidden behind false veils that can only be lifted during a Trial. This will be your only opportunity to learn what others do not want you to. Look for the sun''s rays. Gain knowledge of your future home. The brighter the light, the darker the shadow. Gaze into the Motherless Sun within Taiyougami, and unlock its secrets. Praise the sun.


    Rewards: Thirteen Spellcoins + Shining Blessing of the Motherless Sun.


    Subtle.


    Shroud examined the wording more closely. Look for the sun¡¯s rays? Gaze into the Motherless Sun? Did it meant locating the power source of the dungeon? The brighter the light, the darker the shadow?


    ¡°Suzhen!¡± the Moon Rabbit called, as she went into the mist, ¡°Suzhen, it¡¯s us!¡±


    The rabbit, still carrying her mortar, managed to circle the small island twice before the rest of the team could land on it. Besides the presence of a Japanese cherry tree at the center, the place looked mostly unremarkable...


    Wait a minute.


    On a closer look, Shroud realized that the cherry tree grew above a much larger device, which the roots encaged and camouflaged; a metal cylinder of the same metal and general design as the Neurotower¡¯s innards, large enough to fit a dragon inside.


    The Network flash confirmed his suspicions. ¡°Where is she?¡± Mur snapped at the Rabbit behind his back, suspecting foul play.


    The Rabbit stopped at once, raising her ears, and hitting the ground with her back leg. ¡°She is meditating below the waters, I can hear her breathing. Maybe she is waiting for the night to pass so she can rise back up safely?¡±


    ¡°We can fortify the island,¡± Kari said sensibly. ¡°The waters will help.¡±


    Shroud nodded, his eyes still on the device. He wanted to examine it at his leisure. ¡°Kari, you still have the Ward spell?¡± his friend nodded. ¡°Then let¡¯s place it on the bridge and the shores.¡±


    ¡°I could Encode stones with a spell like Biosurge or Spell Syphon,¡± Sol proposed. ¡°I was considering trying this at one point.¡±


    ¡°Biosurge,¡± Shroud said. ¡°We aren¡¯t sure if monsters can even use sorcery, so Spell Syphon may only affect us. Kaguya, do you have a set of skills that could help protect the island? How do you fend off monsters usually?¡±


    ¡°Uh¡­¡± the Rabbit lowered her ears in embarrassment. ¡°I mostly run. But sometimes I hide!¡±


    Shroud resisted the urge to facepalm. ¡°Stitch, since you lack offensive options yet, you can stay in the back and help repair the mortar, save us time. I am assigning you the Heal spell so you can tend to our wounded if there are. Mur, Maggie, you help fortify the area. Ace, you teleport around and help Sol booby trap the opposite shore. I will survey the area from above and coordinate us in case of attack.¡±


    ¡°Yes, herr guv¡¯nor,¡± Maggie teased him, the group scattering and leaving him to examine the cylinder.


    The second Shroud connected with the device, Network pumped him with information about it. From what he gathered, this device used sorcery to alter life placed inside, either to repair illnesses or defects, create new lifeforms, or safeguard genetic data.


    Shroud dived deeper into the data stream, trying to mentally input information into the device. At least this one didn¡¯t threaten to overwhelm him. Reconfiguration? Alteration?


    More details.


    So the chamber could cast spells and serve as a healing point. Repair?


    A Magik notification popped up at once.


    Side-Quest: In My Own Image


    Difficulty: Dot One


    Sender: the Administrator


    The Lifeforge is the alliance of Blue and Green, the will to bring order and purpose to the chaos of evolution. Unlock the full power of the Lifeforge, and with it, the secrets of sorcery.


    Reward: Network Upgrade (1/7).


    Not understanding the information, Shroud left the machine alone and flew above the lake to survey the area.


    Mur, who had finally decided to use some of the Spellcoins he hoarded like a magpie, purchased the Dirt Call spell and shaped a moat of dirt and mud around the island, Maggie and him climbing them and standing watch over the bridge. Kari had fortified the walls with wards, while Sol and Ace walked around the opposing shore, leaving stones laying around.


    While patrolling around the island, Shroud actually found a treasure chest hidden halfway below the water but found it emptied upon opening it. It seemed the Lair, like a dungeon, had treasure laying around, but someone claimed them before the group.


    When the dim twilight turned to darkness, Shroud had Ace teleport back inside the fortress by having Kari call her inside, while he and Sol kept patrolling the lake, the mist slowly lifting as the air chilled.


    They didn¡¯t have to wait long.


    The second the light died out and silence fell on the forest, the dead rose in a screaming chorus.


    And they were .


    A hurricane of wailing ghosts and ectoplasmic souls erupted from the south, quickly flying over the lake. The horizon turned white from the sheer numbers of them. Shroud and Sol instantly unleashed Lightbringer and Quasar respectively, producing bright flashes and weapons of light to keep the horde at bay.


    On the shores, corporeal undead¡ªfrom the monkeys they killed to reanimated forest beasts¡ªcrawled out of the woodwork by the hundreds, their eerie silence contrasting neatly with the screaming souls. While most of them were critters, a few heavy hitters showed up, from disemboweled panda ogres and Japanese Oni.


    But more worrying, some of the undead monkey soldiers carried primitive cannons with them; and even dead they looked able to use them. Fortunately, a few activated the Biosurge traps as they approached the shores, blown to smithereens by lightning bolts, their equipment with them.


    ¡°Retreat!¡± Shroud called, he and Sol retreating towards the island in haste. The incorporeal souls attempted to fall upon the island, but an invisible barrier¡ªKari¡¯s wards¡ªstopped them soundly. Instead, they kept hammering at the invisible shield, prodding it for a weak point.


    Mur and Maggie immediately unleashed volley after volley of lead as invaders tried to cross the bridge, putting down quite a few. However, as the dead fell, the incorporeal souls immediately entered the corpses and even severed body parts, reanimated them at once. Some of the dead even began to reach the moat by swimming.


    ¡°Ace, use the water¡ª¡± He didn¡¯t even have to finish his sentence, Ace using Seamancer to manipulate the lake¡¯s waters, pushing back invaders, and often tossing monsters off the bridge.


    On the other side of the shores, the lighting bolts of Biosurge started to slowly peter out, the undead gathering the primitive artillery and unloaded a few shots at the island. Spreading his lightshards to form shields, Shroud bounced back cannonballs. The heavy hitters, perhaps too huge to swim, crawled on the bridge to try to smash the fortification.


    ¡°Mathias, above!¡± Sol called, Shroud quickly glancing above the lake. Giant spiders, the size of cars, climbed the metal ceiling, intending to bypass the lake and the fighting below to land in the middle of the island. Unlike the dead, those monsters looked alive; scavengers, hoping to get a fresh meal.


    Shroud didn¡¯t have to snipe them and break his defense, Sol quickly taking it upon himself to slaughter them before they could approach. Many let out all too human screams of pain, as the knight¡¯s sword cut through them like butter.


    Shroud, however, realized there may be a better way than slaughtering those creatures. ¡°I¡¯m assigning you Beastmaster,¡± he told Sol through Network. Within a minute of doing so, the time for the knight to get the handle on the spell, the spiders fell under his friend¡¯s influence. Then, they literally fell upon the undead below, repurposed into battle thralls for the Dragonslayers.


    A notification popped up, Shroud barely paying attention as he focused on snipping at the artillery, realizing Mur had finally fulfilled his own side-quest.


    The Mur!¡¯s Lock upgraded!


    The Mur!¡¯s lock Adamant has improved! Faster feature unlocked. When Adamant is active, the user¡¯s speed and reflexes increase the longer he is in a fight.


    Mur laughed maniacally, tossing his emptied minigun aside and swinging his hammer like an insane berserker as he landed on the bridge, smashing the undead Oni like a twig. The metal plates on his body had grown into a thick armor, the lesser undead unable to even graze him. Maggie kept providing him with cover fire, and often striking down a heavy hitter with lightning. Kaguya, who so far had cowered in fear at the assault, took it upon herself to assist the Red Sorceress by helping her reload once she ran out of bullets.


    Kari and Stitch emerged to climb the moat, the latter taking a glance at the corpses rising back up as soon as a new soul entered them, and found a solution. ¡°Deathgem,¡± he said, casting a Yellow spell on a corpse Mur smashed into pieces. A bright golden light surrounded a ghostly soul as it escaped the corpse, trapping it into the shape of a small, black gem. Kari, noticing this, immediately purchased the spell and started assisting, whittling down the undead army.


    The group quickly synchronized into a well-oiled routine. While Mur defended the bridge, Maggie slaughtered besiegers with projectiles, Shroud providing cover through his lightshards; Sol and Ace pushed back those who managed to reach the moat through other avenues with sword, enslaved spiders, and waves, while Stitch and Kari caught any ghost or wayward soul with Deathgem to prevent the dead from rising twice in a row.


    Synergize.


    His team behaved as a single organism, subtly aware of what each member faced, covering weak points. The Blue Sorcerer didn¡¯t even have to speak orders; they just instinctively knew what he intended before he even finished his sentences. A living network.


    When a giant, serpentine shape emerged from the waters below, Shroud thought the situation would change for the worse, only for the creature to vanish towards the misty shores. The artillery barrage significantly lessened afterward.


    Thankfully, it seemed they had the situation in hand.


    However, when Shroud saw a second wave of corpses cross the bridge to continue the assault, he realized the siege would last a time.


    They just kept coming all night long.


    While the living Yokai scavengers wisely stopped bothering them after Sol turned most of them into battle thralls, the dead rose again and again with increasing ferocity. No matter how much they dismembered the corpses, the pieces kept moving on their own unless reduced to ashes, shredded to ribbons, or neutralized with Deathgems. The ghosts hammered against the wards and let out unnerving, ghastly wails when they couldn¡¯t cross them; and the remaining undead fired arrows and spears at the lake.


    By now, even with Premium Thoughts on and repeatedly casting the Heal spell to put himself back into top shape, Shroud struggled against tiredness and mental exhaustion as he kept exchanging projectiles with the besiegers; Maggie and Ace had had to alternate taking a short nap for one hour each before returning to assist, while even the rest of the team, who either didn¡¯t sleep or used Needless, started growing weary. Their stockpile of Deathgems had grown to the size of a large hoard.


    So it was a relief when a strong, mighty caw echoed across the entire forest, paralyzing the army of the dead. The ghosts vanished as soon as the sound resonated through the air, while the walking corpses shambled and collapsed, the souls animating them banished with the faint light of dawn.


    By the end of the night, hundreds of corpses floated on the lake¡¯s pristine waters, and the riverbanks had turned to an ash-covered wasteland. None of the undead had managed to breach the moat, but not for a lack of trying.


    ¡°That was hardcore¡­¡± Maggie complained, collapsing on her back in exhaustion, next to a sleepy Moon Rabbit. ¡°Not going to do that every night¡­¡±


    ¡°Best time of Mur¡¯s life!¡± Looking more like a burning metal juggernaut than an imp, Mur seemed thoroughly happy with himself, gathering the soul gems as trophies. He seemed disappointed when the metal plates on his body receded, with the danger over.


    Shroud let out a tired sigh, as he landed on the island with Sol. The only good thing that came out of the night was the increased heat coming from the dungeon core in his backpack; the device had gorged itself on the slaughter like a vulture on fresh carrion. ¡°Where did all those spirits come from?¡±


    ¡°From the south,¡± Solomon said. ¡°Their numbers bother me.¡±


    ¡°Yes. I doubt a full space station could breed such an immense army of spirits. And we only faced them in one area.¡± Shroud glanced around, Kari diligently picking up the Deathgems laying around. ¡°At least these ones will not return to trouble us.¡±


    ¡°On the subject of breeding, I would like to keep the corpses, as nutriment for my Lock¡¯s spawns,¡± Stitch said. ¡°Breeding our own monsters would help fend off our opposition.¡±


    ¡°The Rooster didn¡¯t affect you,¡± Shroud noted.


    Even sleepy, Ace quickly caught on. ¡°The effect causing the dead to rise and vanish doesn¡¯t affect all undead, only the spirits from Taiyougami.¡±


    ¡°A Zodiac member must be the source of the undead plague,¡± Sol said, removing his helmet to breathe some fresh air and remove the sweat of his forehead. ¡°If we stop him, we can end this cycle.¡±


    A Magik notification popped up as if to answer him.


    Quest: The Restful Dead


    Difficulty: Dot Three


    Sponsor: Jackal Mummy


    While this trial is not my Lair, ignoring the dead rising from their grave to attack the living would go against my duties as warden of the restful dead; and you already sent back the dead back to death on my behalf twice before. Solve the rising dead problem plaguing Taiyougami.


    Rewards: Fifteen Spellcoins for each Dragonslayers.


    Shroud mused that the group would be loaded with Spellcoins, if they survived the dungeon.


    In the meantime, having their own troops to throw at the enemies might help reduce the pressure. ¡°After you repair the mortar, you can¡­ do your breeding work, Doc.¡±


    ¡°That has already been done before the spirits attacked, sir,¡± Stitch said.


    Kaguya¡¯s head perked up as she heard this. ¡°Really?¡± The rabbit leaped around to her tools, examining them inside and out. ¡°That was so quick! How did you do it?¡±


    ¡°Centuries of familiarity with alchemical tools, and the purchase of Premium Thoughts to increase productivity. I expect our next Quest to help refund this investment.¡±


    Kaguya nodded in appreciation, grabbing the emblem around her neck and gifting it to Stitch. ¡°Promised, given!¡±


    Speaking of gifts from the Zodiac, a shape emerged from the lake, slipping above the moat, and reaching the gathered group. ¡°Suzhen!¡± the Moon Rabbit chirped upon recognizing the creature.


    As Shroud had guessed, the creature from last night was the Serpent Zodiac; a thin, but thirty meters long white snake with old, worn scales and graying eyes. The animal moved with the elegance of an ancient, majestic beast, but clearly suffered from aging.


    The White Snake observed the group, her gaze settling the longest on Sol before fixating on Shroud¡¯s obscured face in silence. The Blue Sorcerer removed his helmet upon understanding the implicit message, the serpent appraising him closely before eyeing Maggie and having her remove her mask. The reptile barely spared her a glance before focusing on Kaguya. ¡°Suzhen!¡± The Moon Rabbit said with great excitement. ¡°Good to see you again.¡±


    ¡°Kaguya-hime, why do you bring humans to disturb my meditation?¡± the serpent asked, less enthusiastic than her furry fellow. Her voice resonated with strength but also showed her age. ¡°The vengeful dead carried their grudges to my pond.¡±


    ¡°But they are here for the trials!¡± Kaguya replied. ¡°Her Majesty asked us to give them our emblem, no?¡±


    The serpent noticed Stitch carrying the Rabbit¡¯s emblem and putting it in his backpack, and then eyed Shroud¡¯s backpack. She could probably sense the core within. ¡°I see.¡±


    ¡°Madame White Snake?¡± Kari asked, polite as ever. ¡°We are honored to meet you.¡±


    She tried to hide it, but the snake briefly raised her head in flattered vanity, pleased that humans still remembered her name. ¡°Bai Suzhen, Madame White Snake, Shirohebi¡­ I have many names, but Bai Suzhen is my favorite.¡±


    The creature released a bright light, her immense form condensing into the shape of a woman, wearing a white dress. Much to Shroud surprise, while wrinkled and ancient, she didn¡¯t take the shape of an old woman, but an attractive, middle-aged Asian lady. Her black hair had a few white strands here and here, while her blue eyes had slitted pupils. She must have been a peerless beauty while younger, and still carried herself with a noblewoman¡¯s elegance.


    And she carried the serpent emblem as a brooch in her hair.


    ¡°You must be tired after such an exhausting battle,¡± Bai Suzhen declared. ¡°While I lack amenities, I know of a nice garden with fresh fruits nearby.¡± She stared the longest at Sol, her eyes betraying some wariness.


    ¡°Is something the matter?¡± Sol asked, slightly embarrassed.


    ¡°A priest caused me much trouble in the past,¡± she said. ¡°I can smell your spiritual piety from here.¡±


    ¡°I will take this as a badge of honor,¡± Solomon replied. ¡°I assure you, I have no quarrel with you.¡±


    ¡°In fact, we accept your offer of tea with pleasure, but could you answer a question first?¡± Ace asked, trying to draw the serpent¡¯s attention away from the priest upon noticing his unease. ¡°What spell did you use to transform? I am curious.¡±


    ¡°None.¡± She sounded a bit bothered by the comparison. ¡°Shapeshifting is an ability I cultivated through training my chi, no different from a bird flying, or a fish breathing underwater. It is a natural ability, which even humans may unlock with immortality pills, meditation, and lifelong training.¡±


    ¡°Sounds like sorcery to Mur.¡±


    ¡°Sorcery is different. It is as unnatural as those skyfaring metal birds you humans created, from what I heard.¡± Realizing the group was mostly all business, she cut through the small talk. ¡°I am not willing to give my emblem as easily as Kaguya, who prizes kindness above all¡­ while I favor skillfulness. I am willing to negotiate for my emblem if you prove your resourcefulness.¡±


    Mur¡¯s hand almost reached for his minigun in annoyance, but Kari interrupted him with a glare. The imp relented. ¡°Shall we make a trade then?¡± Shroud proposed before the tension could rise further.


    ¡°I am cultivating chi in order to gain greater power,¡± Bai Suzhen explained. ¡°We immortals gain supernatural power as we meditate, or by ingesting special substances. I asked Kaguya-hime to assist me in my efforts by brewing elixirs to hasten the process.¡±


    ¡°Which I can, now that they repaired my mortar!¡± Kaguya-Hime chirped.


    ¡°Even with her pills though, it would take me two hundred years of meditation to ascend to a higher level,¡± Bai Suzhen said. ¡°I would be willing to trade my emblem for a shortcut if you can provide one.¡±


    ¡°Like the Lifeforge over there?¡± Shroud asked, pointing at the cylinder.


    He knew he had her the second he uttered that thing¡¯s name, as her eyes flared with interest. ¡°You already encountered one before?¡±


    ¡°No, but I can control this machine,¡± Shroud replied. ¡°While not fully functional, it can still alter life placed within.¡±


    ¡°Truly?¡± Stitch butted in the conversation. ¡°What kind of alterations?¡±


    ¡°Pretty much everything, from what I gathered,¡± Shroud replied, ¡°Including turning people into undead and fleshcrafting.¡±


    ¡°Fleshcrafting? With what material? Genetic alteration, fusing flesh from an external source?¡±


    Shroud shrugged his shoulders.  Sear?h the n?velFire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    ¡°Suzhen, that capsule, it¡¯s one of the old machines¡¯ creations, right?¡± The Moon Rabbit¡¯s ears narrowed in anxiety. ¡°Please, tell me you won¡¯t use it!¡±


    ¡°It hasn¡¯t worked since Her Majesty brought it here eons ago,¡± the White Snake replied. ¡°What harm can it do now?¡±


    ¡°Plenty, if mismanaged,¡± Shroud said. While he had no idea what Worldshakers were, the name sounded sinister. ¡°Fortunately, you have an expert available.¡±


    ¡°I am researching this machine, yes, but not for cultivation,¡± the White Snake replied. ¡°However if you can make it work safely, I will accept it as an alternative to your trial and reward you appropriately.¡±


    ¡°I do not believe this service is worth the emblem alone,¡± Shroud replied mirthfully.


    Bai Suzhen cackled in amusement. ¡°If you give me nothing, you cannot conquer this golden sun.¡±


    ¡°If we give you nothing, you stay in a pond two hundred years, if the dead do not kill you first.¡± To say nothing of Mur, who clearly thought they wasted time negotiating and was still high on bloodlust. ¡°You said you gain power through meditation, do you not? What if I told you I can not only make this machine work, allow you to cultivate your power at a greatly enhanced rate for as long as you work for us?¡±


    Bai Suzhen examined him with a new gaze, trying to see if he was bluffing or not. By now, Shroud had grown too experienced for focused glares to bother him. ¡°What work?¡± she finally asked, curious but cautious.


    ¡°You fought the undead.¡±


    ¡°To protect my home.¡±


    ¡°So do we,¡± Shroud replied. ¡°A tyrant has taken our world from us, and we want it back.¡±


    ¡°You would have me fight for you. While I miss my homeland of China, the midgardian dragons are fearsome foes.¡±


    ¡°Fearsome, but you are a smart and wise deity.¡± As Network had nudged him, well-timed flattery, even erroneous and brash, worked wonders to mollify that vain serpent. ¡°Certainly you have knowledge to share that we can make use of?¡±


    Truthfully, if the Dragonslayers were ever to take on Concordia, they needed manpower. A supernatural snake wasn¡¯t what he had in mind, but he might as well begin recruiting now.


    Bai Suzhen appraised the group, who maintained their poker faces and then focused back on Shroud. Her curiosity had overwhelmed her. ¡°Tell me more about this shortcut¡­ and we may reach an agreement. ¡±


    Players'' StatsAccount


    Dragonslayers Guild Moderator


    (Pending Judgment)


    NameShroudNetworkProgressHolderMathias MartelBroadcastUnlockedLevel2 (Adept)Grant SpellUnlockedAffinityBlueSynergizeUnlockedLockNetworkLocked Feature(0/7)Spellcoins3Overlock(0/1)Stored Saves5Save?Load?Spell CompendiumNameDotAffinityPremium Thoughts1BlueBabel1BluePurge1GreenBeastmaster2BlueMindshield2BlueDoppelganger2BlueHeal2GreenGlass Field2Orange/BlueLightbringer2Red/OrangeMad World2Blue/GreenAccountDragonslayers GuildNameYoshikageOversoulProgressHolderKari MatsumotoRememberUnlockedLevel2 (Adept)Channel SoulUnlockedAffinityYellowLocked Feature(1/3)LockOversoulLocked Feature(0/7)Spellcoins9Overlock(0/1)Spell CompendiumNameDotAffinityBabel1BlueWallcraw1GreenPeak1GreenNeedless1GreenWard1YellowDoom Sense1YellowSpiritsight1YellowDeathgem1YellowHands of Slaughter3Yellow/Violet/RedAccountDragonslayers GuildNameThe Mur!AdamantProgressHolderMurmur the ImpHarderUnlockedLevel1 (Novice)FasterUnlockedAffinityOrangeLocked Feature(0/3)LockAdamantLocked Feature(0/7)Spellcoins20Overlock(0/1)Spell CompendiumNameDotAffinityReinforce1OrangeDiceweight1OrangePitborn2Green/RedAccountDragonslayers GuildNameDocInseminateProgressHolderNathaniel StitchSpawnUnlockedLevel1 (Novice)Locked Feature(0/1)AffinityGreenLocked Feature(0/3)LockInseminateLocked Feature(0/7)Spellcoins7Overlock(0/1)Spell CompendiumNameDotAffinityPremium Thoughts1BlueDeathgem1YellowAccountDragonslayers GuildNameAceCastlingProgressHolderSaga FreysonSummonedUnlockedLevel2 (Adept)Piercing BoundaryUnlockedAffinityVioletLocked Feature(2/3)LockCastlingLocked Feature(0/7)Spellcoins1Overlock(0/1)Spell CompendiumNameDotAffinitySwitch1VioletPathfinder1VioletTimesense1VioletUrbanstep1VioletSeamancer1OrangeAccel1WhiteDoorway2VioletSplash2Orange/VioletRainmaker2Orange/VioletAccountDragonslayers GuildNameSharpshootSpellgunProgressHolderMaggie Jesse PowellsCrimson BulletUnlockedLevel1 (Novice)Homing BulletUnlockedAffinityRedLocked Feature(0/3)LockSpellgunLocked Feature(0/7)Spellcoins13Overlock(0/1)Spell CompendiumNameDotAffinityStockmight1RedBabel1BlueThunderling2Green/RedBullseye2Violet/BlueAccountDragonslayers GuildNameSolAegisProgressHolderSolomon NicholaeSpell MartyrUnlockedLevel1 (Novice)Locked Feature(0/1)AffinityWhiteLocked Feature(0/3)LockAegisLocked Feature(0/7)Spellcoins9Overlock(0/1)Spell CompendiumNameDotAffinityPeak1GreenNeedless1GreenBabel1BlueQuasar1RedBiosurge1RedReinforce1OrangeEncode1WhiteSpell Syphon1White


    Hack of the Day


    Skinning Arms


    Dot: 3


    Components: Kinetic Choke + Secondskin


    Activation: Active, Direct Touch Vector.


    You can telekinetically harvest the skin of someone you touch through direct skin contact; the victim may or may not survive the painful process, which lasts but a few seconds. The dead skin harvested reforms in the shape of thin, flat tentacles growing out of your back and which you telepathically control. The tentacles grow longer and stronger with each skin harvested, with the only limit being the ''donor'' supply.

 Chapter 50: Campers

    Manah had a point. Playing the mastermind and spymaster fit his natural strengths better than a frontline fighter.


    With the White Snake¡¯s island turned into a temporary camp for the team, Shroud had dispatched various members of the group, managing them from the island, alongside checking up on his clones in the Midnight Market. He had to permanently dispel one to grant Bai Suzhen a taste of the power, leaving the serpent and her double to meditate at the bottom of the lake.


    He sent Mur and Kari¡ªprobably the best members of the group for the purpose of combat¡ªto look for the Southern Teleporter, while Ace, Sol, and Maggie escorted Kaguya to meet the Dog Zodiac, who lived deeper in the forest. Only Stitch remained with him on the island, feeding the corpses of defeated monsters to his horrible larvae and studying the Lifeforge.


    One of his clones in the Midnight Market had found information on the Worldshakers in an unlikely source: .


    Shroud had found an interesting way to recycle memories: have one of the doubles dispel their own clone, sending the memories back to the original, before casting Doppelganger again. At first, the repeated memory gains bothered him¡ªinflux of memories in the middle of conversation temporarily distracted him¡ªbut he had grown used to it. He guessed Premium Thoughts allowed his brain to sort the information effectively.


    Still, Shroud had hoped for a clear answer to his question, instead of an enigma.


    ¡°Shroud,¡± Kari called on her Network feed, drawing his attention. He observed through her and Mur¡¯s eyes, exploring the remains of a destroyed wooden fort surrounding a teleporter identical to the one leading to the Northern Area. Shroud expected an ambush, but no one bothered Mur and Kari as they explored the ruins. Besides a few emptied treasure chests, they found nothing noteworthy.


    The Tiger¡¯s minions had abandoned their own forest camp. Shroud thought at first the undead had gotten to them first, but the lack of corpses said otherwise. No, they had retreated back to fortify the West, perhaps because survivors of the skirmishes told their leader about the Dragonslayers¡¯ presence.


    The fact the Tiger hadn¡¯t bothered with diplomatic overtures upon learning of their presence spoke volumes about his mindset. A month ago, Shroud would have advocated seizing the opportunity and going in guns-blazing before the monsters could organize and fortify. He contained those impulses the best he could, trying to plan farther ahead and prepare. ¡°Mur, I am granting you the Doppelganger spell,¡± Shroud told the imp. ¡°Can you send a double through the teleporter? It may be booby-trapped on the other side.¡±


    The imp grumbled as he did so, creating a double of his own. Since the spell didn¡¯t duplicate Hacks, the double took the shape of an imp. ¡°Mur not surprised,¡± the original said. ¡°But Mur still disappointed.¡±


    ¡°Yes, Mur looks very good with Pitborn,¡± the double told the original. ¡°Fearsome and strong and big!¡±


    ¡°Mur reconsidering using the spell. Mur finally having intelligent conversation here.¡± From the feed, Shroud had the distinct impression Kari had rolled her eyes at that biting remark, as the small imp hopped into the teleporter and vanished. ¡°Kari¡­¡±


    ¡°I will ward the area around our teleporter,¡± the girl anticipated his demand.


    He didn¡¯t have to wait long for Mur to get feedback from his double. ¡°They shot Mur¡¯s clone.¡±


    ¡°Give me the details,¡± Shroud commanded.


    ¡°South is hot and gets hotter, with rivers of molten metal. Feels like home to Mur, but you squishies will need protection; beasts swim in the metal. The teleporter to the West is right next to the East¡¯s, like in the North.¡± Could the Lair¡¯s areas be symmetrical? ¡°Mur fled through the other teleporter when a red worm tried to eat him. He saw big metal walls with cannons, and voices asking Mur to surrender. Mur told them to get bent and was shot.¡±


    Somehow it didn¡¯t surprise him. At least it confirmed his hypothesis, the Western monsters barricaded themselves inside their territory. Perhaps, like Shroud, they waited to examine them closely before striking?


    ¡°Does Mur go himself?¡± Mur asked, eager for another fight. Adamant had made him a bit too high on its power to Shroud¡¯s liking.


    ¡°No. Not yet. Ward and trap the teleporter, then return before night.¡±


    He probably would have had more success on Earth, had he behaved with more caution and not rushed into things. Had he truly been so short-sighted, blinded by his wrath?


    At least, it wasn¡¯t too late to change.


    He left the two to focus on the other team, who had found the Dog and already engaged in a conversation.


    ¡­ That was a big, dog.


    The beast looked like a spritz-like white dog, except the size of a war elephant. Its strong teeth could probably tear apart steel, and the golden, luxurious collar around his neck matched the samurai helmet on its head. Its red eyes, while peaceful, revealed a bit of the fierce will behind them; one which could easily turn to bloodlust if provoked.


    The dog emblem was enshrined on the helmet for all to see. ¡°Ueno-sama asked me to keep the emblem until he found a worthy owner,¡± it said to Sol, who led the party. ¡°You are not Ueno-sama.¡±


    ¡°Hachiko¡­¡± Kaguya struggled to find her words. ¡°He¡¯s uh¡­ he¡¯s been gone for how long? Months?¡±


    ¡°What do you mean to say, little rabbit?¡±


    ¡°Uh¡­ Maybe he¡¯s dead¡­¡±


    The dog¡¯s eyes lit up. ¡°Ueno-sama is not dead. I will not suffer this slander.¡±


    ¡°Then where is he?¡± Sol asked kindly.


    ¡°Ueno-sama is away,¡± the Dog Zodiac said with a tone that implied he had no idea himself, before insisting. ¡°Ueno-sama is not dead. The dead rise at night and Ueno-sama was never among them. If he was dead, he would visit me. Unless you have proof of what you say, I will hear none of it.¡±


    ¡°So if we find proof of your master¡¯s whereabouts, you will grant us your emblem?¡± Sol asked.


    ¡°If Ueno-sama asks me to. Ueno-sama is away, and until he returns, I will not move from this spot nor surrender my emblem.¡±


    ¡°So, your master or nothing,¡± Ace summed it up. ¡°Do you have anything that could help us identify him?¡±


    The giant dog pointed at a statue near his lair, representing an aged, Asian man. ¡°Ueno-sama is a great and wise scholar, who went on to travel in search of an answer to the rising dead problem. The problem remains, so he is certainly still searching.¡±


    The Rabbit clearly thought otherwise, but wisely said nothing, as Shroud memorized the face of the man in question. Overall, the meeting led to little progress; the Dog remained adamant his master had to grant him permission to give away the emblem¡ªand that he would gladly help them afterward. He would obey his orders to the letter and nothing else.


    ¡°Nerd,¡± Maggie said, once the group had left the dog to his vigil. ¡°I would have suggested taking that emblem from him but I¡­ I can¡¯t bring myself to shoot a dog. That¡¯s low, the kind of stuff Jack does.¡±


    ¡°We could always trick him,¡± Ace suggested. ¡°If Stitch is half the surgeon he pretends to be, changing one¡¯s face to fit the dog¡¯s master should be easy.¡±


    Shroud could always assist in the process by reading the Dog¡¯s mind with Network, but it would bode ill for subsequent recruitment, should the demigod realize the trick. ¡°Too reckless,¡± Shroud said. ¡°We will check if his master isn¡¯t in one of the other areas before doing anything that drastic.¡±


    Next, a sudden Magik Notification made him focus on Stitch.


    Doc completed his sidequest! Doc¡¯s Lock upgraded!


    Doc has gained the ability Incubate: larvae can now lay eggs in fresh corpses for eventual reproduction.


    Useful, but .


    Stitch had said his side-quest focused on rearing a larva to maturity, and he had done so. After feasting on corpses to grow, one of the creatures had grown into a tall, bipedal horror, carrying its thick, thick body on two thin insectoid legs. It wielded four, sharp grapple-like claws as arms, while its terrible face hadn¡¯t changed much, it had gained strong mandibles.


    The horror nearly matched its ¡®father¡¯ in height, yet behaved with great docility in his presence. Had the sight of an undead skeleton petting an insect beast together not been utterly repulsive, Shroud would have found them endearing.


    At least Shroud had noticed he could affect the creature with Beastmaster. Just in case.


    Bai Suzhen eventually emerged from the waters in her serpent form, climbing the moat and landing on the island¡¯s grass in her human form; alone. She had probably dispelled the double to see if she truly received its memories. ¡°Was my gift up to your expectations?¡± Shroud asked her, as he had no idea if the process would truly accelerate her chi cultivation process.


    ¡°It will greatly shorten my spiritual training,¡± Bai Suzhen confirmed. ¡°But I need more than one.¡±


    ¡°The number available will depend on what you can bring on the table,¡± Shroud replied bluntly.


    ¡°You drive a hard bargain,¡± she complained, ¡°What year were you born?¡±


    ¡°2010. What does it have to do with it?¡±


    ¡°The Year of the Tiger,¡± Bai Suzhen sighed. ¡°Of course you would be a tiger, brash and proud and the Yang to the Dragons¡¯ Yin.¡±


    ¡°I do not believe in that superstition,¡± Shroud replied, although he found the latter part slightly amusing.


    ¡°You should,¡± Bai Suzhen defended her beliefs. ¡°It will help you find a perfect match to balance you out. It helped tremendously in my case.¡±


    ¡°I learned of the legends surrounding you. You¡¯re married to a human, right?¡±


    ¡°Widowed. You did not know that this morning.¡±


    He didn¡¯t, but he had one of his clones investigate in the Market. That process truly saved him a lot of time. ¡°That ancient war?¡±


    ¡°No. Aging. Humans are frail, short-lived creatures.¡±


    ¡°I would expect you to look for other white snakes, instead of mammals.¡±


    ¡°I would if there were more than one. Beggars must settle with what they can get.¡±


    Shroud blinked. ¡°Ah.¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, I didn¡¯t¡­¡±


    She smiled without humor. ¡°As long as I live, my kind is not gone, unlike your polar bears.¡±


    She had kept informed of Earth¡¯s developments, but not very recent ones. ¡°Concordia repopulated them through mass cloning and genetic engineering,¡± Shroud replied. One of the few good things the Empire did was repair human damage to the ecosystem, even if they had reshaped it to their purpose.


    ¡°Good for them,¡± she said, sounding as if she wouldn¡¯t try that method in a million years. Considering Concordian bears looked little like the originals¡ª, the dragons said¡ªhe couldn¡¯t blame her.


    ¡°I keep finding hints that mythical beings once ruled the Earth, but vanished.¡±


    ¡°Thousands of years ago, when your civilization did not even know how to write,¡± Bai Suzhen explained, ¡°deities, demigods, fiends and monsters ruled the primordial Earth and other worlds, with humans only one of the races inhabiting them. It was a time of myths and chaos¡­¡±


    Why did all stories have to start with ¡®in ancient times¡¯? ¡°What ended it?¡± he asked, more interested in the final result.


    ¡°The old machines arrived through violet breaches and a rain of falling stars, an unrelenting tide of metal,¡± the White Snake explained. ¡°They sundered the skies and attacked relentlessly, building gates to bring more of their numbers, raised the towers from the ground, and stole the dominions of the gods. This the deities called the Godwar.¡±


    ¡°From the name, I assume they fought back.¡±


    ¡°They did,¡± Bai Suzhen conceded. ¡°This golden sun was crafted for the war, at first. But neither gods nor demons were a match for the power of sorcery, which the machines brought with them. They laid waste to Hell and the Nine Worlds and Duat. They killed or captured so many of us, the whole of Earth smelled like a rotting corpse. Some gods fell into despair and madness, like Dagda, King of the Wild Hunt, before his exile.¡±


    ¡°How did the war end?¡±


    ¡°It never did,¡± her eyes narrowed in interest, as she sensed an opportunity to gain the upper hand. ¡°I will not say more until you fulfill your full end of the bargain, and activate the forge.¡±


    Piquing his curiosity only to toy with it? She didn¡¯t know who she was dealing with.


    Our


    The White Snake frowned slightly, as if she had felt the power of Network, but couldn¡¯t identify it nor block it the way the Goat could. He admitted it felt a bit to steal information from her mind until he reminded himself all was fair in war. ¡°So this station is more than a weapon,¡± Shroud said, diverting her attention. ¡°This is an Ark for endangered magical species.¡±


    The White Snake nodded with a hint of sadness. ¡°If we had remained on Earth among your kind, perhaps we could have rebuilt our numbers, but we had no choice but hide.¡±


    ¡°¡­ Don¡¯t tell me that¡ª¡±


    ¡°Humans are¡­ flexible.¡± She laughed at Shroud¡¯s embarrassed silence. ¡°Your blood folds easily, allowing you to father or mother children of other species easily, the child taking more features from the other parent. That was why the gods prized you, and perhaps why you survived where many vanished.¡±


    Shroud didn¡¯t like the idea of his species used as reproductive stock, obviously. He had heard humans tended to adapt well to other social structures, which was why Concordia often incorporated them as lieutenants; and why undead tended to turn many humans into more of their kind. The implications bothered him deeply. S§×arch* The NovelFire.net* website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Bai Suzhen¡¯s amused look didn¡¯t help. The woman took schadenfreudian pleasure in his discomfort. ¡°On the subject of the Lifeforge, I can indeed get the device to work,¡± Shroud said. ¡°Although my experience with that technology makes me wary.¡±


    ¡°I will take full responsibility for whatever happens,¡± she replied with some impatience. ¡°Do it.¡±


    Shroud nodded, walking towards the cylinder with her, finding Stitch and his spawn examining it. Bai Suzhen couldn¡¯t help but show disgust at the creatures. ¡°I do wonder, Stitch,¡± Shroud said out loud, somewhat amazed by his colleague¡¯s dedication to pushing the limits of his own understanding, ¡°What you will use this gathered knowledge for?¡±


    ¡°I have a long-term objective,¡± Stitch admitted. ¡°To abolish death for all living beings.¡±


    ¡°Some would say death is part of nature and should not be avoided,¡± Bai Suzhen replied, although her wording avoided committing her to any side.


    ¡°So are diseases,¡± Stitch replied. ¡°Death is a plague to be cured. How much knowledge and genius was lost forever when a unique individual met their early demise? How much pain did death cause over history, separating loved ones, causing species to vanish? Death slows our progress, forcing restart after restart. For the greater good of all, it must be conquered, .¡±


    ¡°What about dictators? Would they live forever too?¡± Shroud pondered the philosophical implications. He wondered if Stitch projected the blame of his civilization¡¯s loss at the Reavers¡¯ hands on death itself.


    ¡°This is a problem that exists even with death,¡± Stitch replied. ¡°The short-term societal impact of scientific advancement is not my concern, for the long-term benefits outweigh it. I cannot, as a scientist, slow the march of progress by hesitating.¡±


    The irony of an undead crusading for the abolition of death partaking in a quest doing the opposite amused Shroud. ¡°I cannot offer a counter-argument when I cultivate immortality myself,¡± Bai Suzhen replied with some wisdom. ¡°But one should honor the power of death, for it claims us all in the end.¡±


    Stitch ignored the comment, outwardly; but Network told Shroud it had hit him where it hurt. Ignoring this, Shroud used Network on the cylinder.


    ¡°It is asking to recharge,¡± Shroud said.


    ¡°Feed it, but very little,¡± the White Snake said, wary.


    , he communicated through Network.


    The second he projected that thought, the very tree that covered most of the metal cylinder started to die before their eyes; the bark turned black, the leaves and the flowers rotted at an accelerated pace. So did the grass beneath their feet, drained of life.


    Bai Suzhen let out a surprised, reptilian hiss. ¡°Stop!¡± Shroud ordered before the effect could overtake the entire island.


    ¡°It appears to drain the Green Flux from the ambient environment, like a stronger spell siphon,¡± Stitch guessed.


    ¡°This¡­ this¡­¡± The White Serpent shook her head. ¡°I should have known this machine would ask for a price.¡±


    ¡°There isn¡¯t enough energy for extensive procedures,¡± Shroud said. ¡°We will have to recharge it if we do even a test run.¡±


    ¡°No,¡± Bai Suzhen said with firm conviction. ¡°I will not sacrifice the life of the land, even for my own sake.¡±


    ¡°Why?¡± Stitch asked, clearly finding her decision stupid. ¡°This is grass, while this machine¡¯s abilities are presumably immense.¡±


    ¡°This¡­ this Lifeforge offers too great a temptation,¡± Bai Suzhen said. ¡°I will not bear the burden of its actions. The world will. Doing so would be incredibly selfish, and it would become easier to try again, and again.¡±


    ¡°What did you wish to use that machine for, in the first place?¡± Shroud asked.


    Bai Suzhen let out a sigh. ¡°I told you that I am widowed,¡± she said. ¡°Yet I am also the last of my kind, with my sister¡¯s demise. If I die childless, my entire lineage vanishes with me.¡±


    ¡°You intended to get your youth back so you could marry again?¡± Shroud guessed, only to be laughed at.


    ¡°Please, I am a . I prefer this age because I do not suffer from the foolishness of youth; a balance of wisdom and energy. No. The truth is that I would rather avoid remarrying. My husband and I shared a true love, deeper than mere words, and even with him long dead this feels like cheating.¡±


    ¡°Why not resurrect your husband?¡± Stitch suggested, ¡°While I may extrapolate, the dead do not rest in this land.¡±


    ¡°His soul has gone too far for even Her Majesty to recover,¡± Bai Suzhen replied with grim bitterness, her eyes set on the machine. ¡°I have seen this Lifeforge at work in the past, used to create new life. I thought that if I mastered it, I could make more of my kind, fulfill my duty without betraying my husband¡¯s memory.¡±


    ¡°I can relate to your situation,¡± Stitch stated with sincerity.


    ¡°The Lifeforge can create new life,¡± Shroud said, ¡°But not without a price. And from what I¡¯ve seen from that technology, it always has unforeseen consequences.¡±


    ¡°It was a foolish hope,¡± Bai Suzhen sighed.


    ¡°While I strongly believe not using this machine is an unforgivable sin against progress,¡± Stitch said. ¡°I can solve your species problem in what you would consider a more ethical way. If I have access to DNA samples from you, I can create altered clones, children.¡±


    ¡°That is kind of you, and I will consider it,¡± Bai Suzhen said with diplomacy, although Shroud could feel she wasn¡¯t so keen on giving the undead her blood. She then took the emblem in her hair and granted it to Shroud. ¡°You fulfilled your end of the bargain, and I will complete mine. This belongs to you, alongside my loyalty, if you will have it.¡±


    ¡°Loyalty?¡± Shroud repeated. ¡°A strong word.¡±


    ¡°I desire wealth and greater power,¡± she conceded. ¡°I I will gain both if I stick with you. No normal human can control the ancient machines, and your group of sorcerers has great promise. I am curious to see how this story ends.¡±


    His use of the Lifeforge had deeply impressed her. ¡°Very well,¡± he said. ¡°We have a pressing matter to attend to, and your service may be required.¡±


    ¡°Baihu the Tiger,¡± Bai Suzhen guessed.


    ¡°I was actually going to ask about the emptied treasure chests first.¡±


    Her face was priceless. ¡°You consider the priority?¡±


    ¡°As odd as it may sound, I take offense personally when monsters loot out a dungeon¡¯s weaponry before we do,¡± Shroud replied. It went against all the honored video game traditions he had grown up with.


    She gave him an ¡®are you serious¡¯ look, before answering, ¡°This is probably Sun Wukong¡¯s doing,¡± she said. ¡°Our beloved Monkey King cannot help but steal anything not nailed to the ground. If you want to catch him and his emblem, you may just leave a treasure around and wait.¡±


    Shroud made a mental note, then changed the subject. ¡°About Baihu¡­ I do make him a priority, but I would rather avoid fighting his entire army. Especially if we can recruit it.¡±


    ¡°Baihu will never give his emblem without a fight, that I can promise you,¡± Bai Suzhen replied. ¡°He respects only strength, and will not submit to someone fighting with words. He is, however, an honorable fellow.¡±


    ¡°Could you at least get us a non-violent audience with him?¡±


    ¡°Give me a day and three clones, and I will,¡± she replied mirthfully, ever the haggler. To her credit, once Shroud obliged after dispelling some of his own, Bai Suzhen immediately left to move to the West Area.


    ¡°The more I observe it,¡± Stitch said, on the subject of the Lifeforge. ¡°The more I am convinced it inspired Concordia¡¯s magitech. I recognized pieces similar to Organotech Hearts.¡±


    ¡°You think they have access to one?¡± The doctor confirmed it with a sharp nod. ¡°They know more about this whole sorcery deal than we do.¡±


    ¡°Shall we look into alternate ways to recharge it, sir? The potential is limitless.¡±


    ¡°Of course we will,¡± the Dragonslayer replied, much to his colleague¡¯s happiness. ¡°But in a safe, controlled environment. This will have to wait after you finish another assignment.¡±


    ¡°The local beasts,¡± Stitch guessed. ¡°You wish to put them under control even without the need of Beastmaster.¡±


    ¡°We came here to conquer the Lair,¡± Shroud confirmed, ¡°I intend to, in all the ways that matter. If we could recruit the denizens instead of exterminating them, perhaps even breed monsters for battle, we could put them to use against the undead of this Lair, and later, Concordia or the Maleking.¡±


    ¡°Farsighted from you, sir.¡±


    Shroud laughed at the response. ¡°I¡¯m learning.¡±


    Players'' StatsAccount


    Dragonslayers Guild Moderator


    (Pending Judgment)


    NameShroudNetworkProgressHolderMathias MartelBroadcastUnlockedLevel2 (Adept)Grant SpellUnlockedAffinityBlueSynergizeUnlockedLockNetworkLocked Feature(0/7)Spellcoins3Overlock(0/1)Stored Saves5Save?Load?Spell CompendiumNameDotAffinityPremium Thoughts1BlueBabel1BluePurge1GreenBeastmaster2BlueMindshield2BlueDoppelganger2BlueHeal2GreenGlass Field2Orange/BlueLightbringer2Red/OrangeMad World2Blue/GreenAccountDragonslayers GuildNameYoshikageOversoulProgressHolderKari MatsumotoRememberUnlockedLevel2 (Adept)Channel SoulUnlockedAffinityYellowLocked Feature(1/3)LockOversoulLocked Feature(0/7)Spellcoins9Overlock(0/1)Spell CompendiumNameDotAffinityBabel1BlueWallcraw1GreenPeak1GreenNeedless1GreenWard1YellowDoom Sense1YellowSpiritsight1YellowDeathgem1YellowHands of Slaughter3Yellow/Violet/RedAccountDragonslayers GuildNameThe Mur!AdamantProgressHolderMurmur the ImpHarderUnlockedLevel1 (Novice)FasterUnlockedAffinityOrangeLocked Feature(0/3)LockAdamantLocked Feature(0/7)Spellcoins20Overlock(0/1)Spell CompendiumNameDotAffinityReinforce1OrangeDiceweight1OrangePitborn2Green/RedAccountDragonslayers GuildNameDocInseminateProgressHolderNathaniel StitchSpawnUnlockedLevel1 (Novice)IncubateUnlockedAffinityGreenLocked Feature(0/3)LockInseminateLocked Feature(0/7)Spellcoins7Overlock(0/1)Spell CompendiumNameDotAffinityPremium Thoughts1BlueDeathgem1YellowAccountDragonslayers GuildNameAceCastlingProgressHolderSaga FreysonSummonedUnlockedLevel2 (Adept)Piercing BoundaryUnlockedAffinityVioletLocked Feature(2/3)LockCastlingLocked Feature(0/7)Spellcoins1Overlock(0/1)Spell CompendiumNameDotAffinitySwitch1VioletPathfinder1VioletTimesense1VioletUrbanstep1VioletSeamancer1OrangeAccel1WhiteDoorway2VioletSplash2Orange/VioletRainmaker2Orange/VioletAccountDragonslayers GuildNameSharpshootSpellgunProgressHolderMaggie Jesse PowellsCrimson BulletUnlockedLevel1 (Novice)Homing BulletUnlockedAffinityRedLocked Feature(0/3)LockSpellgunLocked Feature(0/7)Spellcoins13Overlock(0/1)Spell CompendiumNameDotAffinityStockmight1RedBabel1BlueThunderling2Green/RedBullseye2Violet/BlueAccountDragonslayers GuildNameSolAegisProgressHolderSolomon NicholaeSpell MartyrUnlockedLevel1 (Novice)Locked Feature(0/1)AffinityWhiteLocked Feature(0/3)LockAegisLocked Feature(0/7)Spellcoins9Overlock(0/1)Spell CompendiumNameDotAffinityPeak1GreenNeedless1GreenBabel1BlueQuasar1RedBiosurge1RedReinforce1OrangeEncode1WhiteSpell Syphon1White


    Hack of the Day


    Clockshot


    Dot: 3


    Components: Eldritch Blast + Reload


    Activation: Active, Thought.


    You project a purple energy blast, which upon impacting on a target, replaces it with a previous version of themselves up to ten seconds in the past; changes thus induced during that timespan are erased. The closer the target from the blast, the farther back in time the replacement. Clockshot can affect both living and unliving targets.

 Chapter 51: Speech Check

    With wards placed on both ends of the Southern Teleporter, Shroud expected it to be a safe night, only to be sorely disappointed. While it was nothing like yesterday¡¯s unrelenting nightmare, three large packs of undead made their way to the island and had to be put down. That implied that while the wards prevented most ghosts to cross into the area, strong ones, like the Maleking before them, could get past them. Sol considered investing in Ward and Accel spells to empower them further.


    At least it, and use of the Deathgem spell had toned down the nighttime attacks to a manageable level, allowing the group to sleep and do some monster hunting in the morning. ¡°Mathias, when I told you that my duty as a priest was to shepherd the Lord¡¯s flock,¡± Solomon said, helping Shroud and Maggie shepherd Beastmaster-controlled beasts into stone pens, ¡°I did not mean it this way.¡±


    ¡°Yeah, I thought we were supposed to kill them to make that core hatch?¡± Maggie said. ¡°You¡¯ve managed to make monster hunting boring, nerd.¡±


    ¡°I thought the idea of subverting an entire dungeon¡¯s ecology would excite you a bit more,¡± Shroud replied. They had caught so many creatures they had to repurpose the lake¡¯s shores into a zoo area. Even the living trees had backed off, the forest receding away from the area.


    Only the area¡¯s rats so far escaped them, showcasing intelligence unlike that of their normal kindred. This convinced Shroud they had ties to the Rat Zodiac.


    ¡°Unless we¡¯re running a safari afterward, then nope,¡± Maggie replied. ¡°Hell, when are we catching the monkey thief stealing our treasure?¡±


    ¡°I already set Ace on the case,¡± Shroud shrugged. ¡°You¡¯re welcome to assist her.¡±


    ¡°I will hold you on your promise for a sweet monkey¡¯s paw.¡±


    They returned to their settlement to find Bai Suzhen had come back, exchanging words with Ace while Mur patrolled the pens, relishing in his new job. The women exchanged on the subject of Baihu, from what Shroud could hear. ¡°So?¡± he asked as he landed next to them, leaving Sol and Maggie to herd the monsters.


    ¡°Baihu agreed to discuss surrender,¡± Bai Suzhen insisted on the last two words, amused. ¡°He wants to meet you personally, without the use of a clone, and allows you to bring two bodyguards with you; myself included. In exchange, he guarantees your safety through his area and a ceasefire lasting until the next morning; he will let you leave unharmed even if an agreement is not reached.¡±


    ¡°This is very much not in our favor,¡± Ace said, voicing Shroud¡¯s own thoughts. ¡°Can he be trusted to keep his word?¡±


    ¡°Baihu is many things, but dishonorable isn¡¯t one of them. If he gives his word, he honors it. However, as I said before, he will never submit without a fight.¡±


    Shroud understood the implied message. ¡°How does Baihu fights?¡±


    ¡°He is the greatest martial artist in the Zodiac, in terms of raw fighting skills,¡± Bai Suzhen praised him. ¡°Which is to say, he is exceptional in a physical battle, and amazingly out of tune with his spiritual side. He is fast, strong, and skilled, with fur that shrugs off bullets, and relentless¡­ and arrogant, so very much.¡±


    Out of tune with his spiritual side¡­ ¡°Does he have any weakness to exploit?¡± Shroud asked, glancing at Maggie. ¡°How does he fare against a long-range opponent?¡±


    ¡°He moves too fast for that advantage to last,¡± Bai Suzhen replied, guessing his train of thought. ¡°He lunges for the enemy¡¯s jugular and does not let go. His fists shatter stone and his claws cut through steel. No mere human will last against him in melee.¡±


    Baihu sounded like a Lugh on steroids. Shroud considered his team. Neither Maggie, Stitch nor him would last long against someone able to negate their distance advantage; Mur and Sol would far better, but Sol relied on his armor for protection while Mur lacked skill. Ace could probably buy herself some time, using teleportation to wear Baihu out, if that was possible; but one mistake and she would fall.


    That left their best fighter, Kari, as the best counter. The right balance of skill and strength, with the perfect automated defense for close combat. ¡°I will go with Kari,¡± he said. ¡°Ace, can you take charge until I return?¡±


    With her ability to teleport around and her experience managing logistics and people, she was the best candidate to coordinate the group while in his and Kari¡¯s absence.


    ¡°Sure thing, handsome,¡± she replied. ¡°I assume you want me to focus on the Monkey hunt?¡±


    ¡°That, and the undead problem,¡± Shroud said. ¡°We see they come from the south at night, at regular intervals.¡±


    ¡°There must be a mechanism behind it,¡± Ace said, turning to Bai Suzhen. ¡°Was it always a problem?¡±


    ¡°No,¡± the White Snake replied. ¡°The dead assaults started a few months ago, without warning. Since they are Rat¡¯s responsibility, I assumed he would solve the problem on his own time. He has yet to.¡±


    ¡°Responsibility,¡± Shroud noted the term.


    ¡°The golden sun was repurposed to safeguard the souls of Her Majesty¡¯s dead worshippers as a reward for their service in life, through a reincarnation cycle. Rat designed the system, and much of the layout of this machine. Before you ask, no, I do not know where he is now. I haven¡¯t seen him in years.¡±


    ¡°In that case, I will supervise the forays into the south area while you deal with the Tiger and the Rooster,¡± Ace said, a thin smirk at the edge of her lips. ¡°I¡¯ve laid a trap for the Monkey.¡±


    She seemed very proud of herself, arousing Shroud¡¯s curiosity. ¡°I¡¯m all ears.¡±


    She brought a knife from beneath her cloak, which seemed normal¡­ except for the yellow eye on the handle. ¡°A mimic?¡± Shroud asked. ¡°What is it doing there?¡±


    ¡°We brought them,¡± Ace said, ¡°in our supplies. Accidentally. As it turns out, some of the weapons we bought were alive. Stitch believes they will acclimate to the Lair very quickly; they are an invasive species by nature.¡±


    Shroud was about to ask how it was supposed to help them catch a thief, before realizing the obvious. ¡°You didn¡¯t...¡±


    ¡°I did,¡± she replied mischievously.


    She was making the cruel game designer in Shroud so very proud.


    Shroud noticed two things when he entered the south area. First, it was , and second, a giant worm tried to eat him the second he teleported there.


    Thankfully, before an immense fanged mouth could bite him and Kari in half, Beastmaster activated and pacified the beast. Shroud glanced up to find a titanic, fifteen meters long and incredibly thick purple worm drool above him.


    That must have been the creature that assaulted Mur the first time he visited¡­ and it had waited there for prey to come. Maybe Baihu didn¡¯t send anybody through the teleporters anymore because the worm ate his minions.


    Once certain the beast was fully under control, struggling to breathe, Shroud glanced around the southern area. As Mur stated, this place was a vision of hell, a burning hot grotto with technological walls and rivers of molten gold, steel, and mercury. Metal platforms floated on this infernal dominion, like the one Shroud and his companions currently stood on, the heat strong beneath their feet. Mechanical devices, advanced engines, pumped the metal, harnessing the heat to distribute it to other areas.


    The shape of giant worms rose from the metal rivers, while on distant platforms fiery lizard monsters with thick crimson skins watched at the group from afar as if challenging them to get further into territory. The zone went on and on, a series of caves getting deeper into the heart of the sun itself.


    Just staying in the area made Shroud wriggle, as he felt the blazing hot air heat up his armor through Glass Field. Sweat built beneath his armor, as he struggled to breathe. While Kari kept a stoic face, she couldn¡¯t hide her own unease. Only Bai Suzhen remained unbothered.


    Only Mur and a fully-armored Sol could get through this area alive.


    Thankfully, the teleporter to the West was right next to their own. Shroud ordered the giant worm to pick a fight with the closest monster to get rid of it, leaving the beast to sink into the molten river, while he stepped through the western teleporter, Kari and Suzhen behind him.


    When he stepped into the new zone, Shroud enjoyed a breath of fresh air, and the sound of cannons pointed at him.


    As Mur stated before, Baihu¡¯s forces had secured the Western Teleporters, which was to say they heavily fortified the place. The group found themselves trapped in a large semi-circular arena between the golden walls of Taiyougami, and a dense wall of sheet metal and iron pieces cobbled together; from above, deformed monsters, gremlins, and headless humanoids with eyes and mouths on their torso glanced down, pointing a dozen howitzers at them.


    Much to Shroud¡¯s surprise, he noticed two of the monsters, humanoid pandas, wearing a primitive version of Sol¡¯s power armor. The metal protection looked like little more than cobbled together junk, yet the aesthetics were undoubtedly familiar.


    Atop the mural, one form stood apart from the rest. A powerful, humanoid tiger with fur as white as snow, clocking at nine feet tall on his two legs, Baihu carried two metal, clawed gauntlets on his arms, with his emblem embedded on the right one, and exuded pressure even from afar.


    At his side was another creature of myths, a rooster the size of the horse, although closer to a feathered dragon than a true bird. The animal¡¯s feathers shone with a bright, golden glow, while it carried its emblem on a crimson crown.


    ¡°Baihu, Gye-lyong,¡± Bai Suzhen called, ¡°I bring you, visitors, as promised.¡±


    Without a word, the tiger jumped from the wall and landed on the dirt ground on his two feet, making the ground tremble as he did. He looked so regal, so confident as he did, Shroud was convinced he practiced for months to get the pose right.


    The rooster, less of a show-off, simply unfolded his reptilian wings and flew downward, landing next to the group. ¡°Greetings, heroes,¡± it croaked with a male voice. ¡°I am Gye-lyong, of the Twelve Zodiac. It is an honor to meet Her Majesty¡¯s chosen champions.¡±


    The group bowed curtly, with Kari taking the lead. ¡°Honorable Gye-lyong, we have come to challenge your trial.¡±


    ¡°I am well aware of that,¡± the rooster said. ¡°And there is a task I can set you on. I sought refuge with my friend Baihu, so I may continue my work and celebrate Her Majesty¡¯s return each morning without the restless dead attacking me every night. However, I would prefer for peace to return to Taiyougami, permanently.¡±


    "Would you give us your emblem if we solve the rising dead problem?" Shroud proposed since the group intended to do it anyway. Bai Suzhen coyly arched an eyebrow at his comment.


    ¡°End the spirit plague,¡± the rooster agreed. ¡°And I shall grant you my emblem, yes, as proof of your dutifulness."


    That was surprisingly straightforward. Why couldn¡¯t all mysterious tests be like that?


    Baihu, however, clearly didn¡¯t share his comrade¡¯s amiable nature, appraising the group in silence. As he oversaw Shroud and Kari with his keen green eyes without a word, the Blue Sorcerer could sense the sheer intensity coming from the tiger. None of his breath was wasted, every part of his body was alert. While Shroud was no martial artist, he could see that everything in Baihu¡¯s posture was optimized to strike as the first sign of attack.


    ¡°I am not impressed,¡± Baihu finally spoke, his voice low yet cutting. ¡°This one has little self-control and the other no drive within. They cannot be chosen.¡±


    As expected, he would be the hardest to get through. ¡°Baihu, is it?¡± Shroud spoke. ¡°I heard of you a lot, but I have no idea what is it that you want. Surely you are not building an army to use it?¡±


    "We shall return to our homeland and free it from those dragons who think themselves gods," Baihu said, confirming his suspicions. "A swift victory, purchased with blood."


    "We are alike in that," Shroud said. "Why not work together then?


    "We will work together when you bend the knee,¡± he replied dismissively, ¡°You are human, young, green. We of the Zodiac are older, more experienced."


    ¡°Her Majesty thinks otherwise,¡± Bai Suzhen replied. ¡°Our time is over, Baihu. The old machines saw to that. We are too few, too weary.¡±


    ¡°Not yet,¡± Baihu replied coolly. ¡°Why should humans lead the way? They failed against the dragons, even with the power of their ¡®technology¡¯ and their fiery bombs. Even now, they only have a chance because of the gifts the heavens granted them.¡±


    ¡°You have no hope to take down Concordia with your current means,¡± Kari replied, the other members of the Zodiac watching the debate unfold.


    ¡°Concordia¡¯s forces on Earth are not self-sufficient,¡± Baihu replied. ¡°They rely on lines of supplies from their vast empire. Earth is but a colony to them, to mine and harvest. By cutting access to their Gates and their ships, we will break their back, trap their forces on our ground, preventing them from winning a protracted war. Taiyougami will destroy their weapon on the moon, and we shall strike fast before they can retaliate; the same way they won their first campaign.¡±


    ¡°The power gap is still too huge,¡± Shroud said, glancing at the weaponry above. ¡°I see you are trying to reverse-engineer Concordia¡¯s tech, but you are still centuries away from rivaling it.¡±


    ¡°We are skilled and talented. Technology is an advantage. So is our knowledge of the terrain, support from our population, and the ability to retreat safely, so as to attack again like the tides.¡±


    ¡°There is a level of force no amount of skill can overcome if the gap is too wide,¡± Shroud replied. ¡°Even if you are right and your army is enough, Concordia will bring more forces after they lose contact with their own. No. Sorcery is our trump card.¡±


    ¡°Yes,¡± Baihu conceded. ¡°But not .¡±


    Shroud scoffed. ¡°Which brings the question, if you are so talented, why didn¡¯t you show up to defend Earth when we needed it?¡±


    Baihu¡¯s eyes shone with a hint of restrained fury. ¡°I was forbidden.¡±


    ¡°And why? Because the Sponsors thought you would fail?¡± From his silence, Shroud had guessed right. ¡°Earth will not be free unless mankind is empowered and joins the fight, plain and simple. It¡¯s only by joining forces that we will prevail. We can empower your army with sorcery, provide technology¡ª¡±


    ¡°I see that you fight with words,¡± Baihu interrupted him, ¡°But they lack substance. We ally, and then what? Who gives the order, who provides the strategy? Who is worthy to lead? Without strength and vision, we will not prevail. You have yet to demonstrate both, and so I will not grant you my emblem.¡±


    Shroud realized the underlying message. . ¡°Surely there is a way to prove our competency. What about we settle this in an honorable duel?¡±


    Baihu arched an eyebrow. ¡°Speak.¡±


    ¡°If we defeat you in a fair fight, proving our strength,¡± Shroud proposed. ¡°You give up your emblem, and you agree to follow us. If you win, well, we admit you¡¯re the better equipped to free Earth and will join you.¡±


    ¡°No one can beat me in a fair fight,¡± Baihu replied with quiet arrogance. ¡°You will dare try?¡±


    ¡°I will,¡± Kari spoke up, confident.


    Baihu looked at her, then at Shroud. ¡°Brain and brawns,¡± he spoke. ¡°I see. You are a set.¡±


    ¡°So? Will you bite the bullet?¡± Shroud challenged him.


    The tiger didn¡¯t take the bait. ¡°Physical strength is important, but not the key factor in determining a great general,¡± Baihu replied with caustic disdain. ¡°I would be a fool to wager the fate of my entire war effort on a duel, no matter how one-sided it would be. No, little human. If you want my emblem, you will have to take it from me by strength and wits. An honest victory.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re declaring war,¡± Shroud replied. ¡°Can¡¯t we talk this over?¡±


    ¡°We just did,¡± Baihu replied, honest in his caustic disdain for diplomacy.


    ¡°Are you afraid, white tiger of the west?¡± Bai Suzhen asked with false innocence.


    ¡°Watch your tongue, serpent. Baihu fears no one, but neither is he a fool. Leaving the future of Earth up to chance? Never.¡±


    ¡°Instead you leave it to war,¡± Shroud replied.


    ¡°Good. You will be a great test for the will of my army.¡±


    ¡°So what? You ask those cannons to blow us out?¡±


    ¡°You dare doubt my honor?¡± the Tiger sneered. ¡°You will leave unharmed, and I shall not send my legions after you until the end of our ceasefire.¡±


    Shroud glanced at the Rooster, who rolled his eyes at the scene, washing his wings off the affair. ¡°I will not interfere in another Zodiac member¡¯s trial,¡± he spoke. ¡°But I will safely deliver you my emblem if you fulfill my request.¡±


    When it became clear it would go nowhere, Shroud let out a sigh. ¡°We will see each other on the battlefield then,¡± he said, offering his hand, ¡°May the better general win.¡±


    Now, for the moment of truth. Baihu watched the hand with a sort of animal arrogance without a word, then met eyes with Shroud, who held the gaze impatiently. Finally, the tiger shook his hand with his metal gauntlet, squeezing it so hard the sorcerer thought he would crush his bones.


    Shroud felt the jolt of Network activate, but Baihu didn¡¯t murder him on the spot.


    His lack of connection with his spiritual side didn¡¯t give him the same awareness of Network¡¯s spying effects as Bai Suzhen.


    The brief glint in the snake¡¯s eyes told him she had guessed his trick, and she confronted him over it when they returned to the eastern forest. ¡°You planned the entire meeting just for this?¡±


    ¡°Not only for this,¡± Shroud replied. ¡°But I figured out that if he refused a duel, turning the head of the opposition into an unknowing spy would give us an immense edge.¡±


    ¡°Beautiful¡­¡± The White Snake sounded immensely impressed by his underhandedness. ¡°You, cunning manling, have a future.¡±


    ¡°Blue,¡± Kari said. ¡°You want to try it the Blue way?¡±


    ¡°This place was meant to test us Players,¡± he replied with a firm nod. ¡°This is training. All of it. The one place where we can refine our skills and test new strategies without too many consequences from the outside.¡±


    Kari nodded, briefly unleashing the light of her Lock. ¡°I will level it up,¡± she said. ¡°I feel¡­ this is the place where I can.¡±


    ¡°You brim with spiritual power,¡± Bai Suzhen noted. ¡°If you wish to strengthen it, we can practice formulas together.¡±


    As the two discussed spiritual matters, Shroud suddenly received a message on his Whisper messaging, checked the sender, and opened the affiliated Network feed. ¡°Ace?¡±


    ¡°We¡¯ve found the Monkey,¡± she said, having summoned the rain in the forest with Rainmaker, ¡°And he¡¯s heading for the teleporter.¡±


    ¡°We will intercept him.¡±


    ¡°Oh, I think the struggle will be keeping him alive. Sharpshoot is out for his blood; just listen to the tune of bullets flying.¡± Sear?h the N?velFire(.)net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Players'' StatsAccount


    Dragonslayers Guild Moderator


    (Pending Judgment)


    NameShroudNetworkProgressHolderMathias MartelBroadcastUnlockedLevel2 (Adept)Grant SpellUnlockedAffinityBlueSynergizeUnlockedLockNetworkLocked Feature(0/7)Spellcoins3Overlock(0/1)Stored Saves5Save?Load?Spell CompendiumNameDotAffinityPremium Thoughts1BlueBabel1BluePurge1GreenBeastmaster2BlueMindshield2BlueDoppelganger2BlueHeal2GreenGlass Field2Orange/BlueLightbringer2Red/OrangeMad World2Blue/GreenAccountDragonslayers GuildNameYoshikageOversoulProgressHolderKari MatsumotoRememberUnlockedLevel2 (Adept)Channel SoulUnlockedAffinityYellowLocked Feature(1/3)LockOversoulLocked Feature(0/7)Spellcoins9Overlock(0/1)Spell CompendiumNameDotAffinityBabel1BlueWallcraw1GreenPeak1GreenNeedless1GreenWard1YellowDoom Sense1YellowSpiritsight1YellowDeathgem1YellowHands of Slaughter3Yellow/Violet/RedAccountDragonslayers GuildNameThe Mur!AdamantProgressHolderMurmur the ImpHarderUnlockedLevel1 (Novice)FasterUnlockedAffinityOrangeLocked Feature(0/3)LockAdamantLocked Feature(0/7)Spellcoins20Overlock(0/1)Spell CompendiumNameDotAffinityReinforce1OrangeDiceweight1OrangePitborn2Green/RedAccountDragonslayers GuildNameDocInseminateProgressHolderNathaniel StitchSpawnUnlockedLevel1 (Novice)IncubateUnlockedAffinityGreenLocked Feature(0/3)LockInseminateLocked Feature(0/7)Spellcoins7Overlock(0/1)Spell CompendiumNameDotAffinityPremium Thoughts1BlueDeathgem1YellowAccountDragonslayers GuildNameAceCastlingProgressHolderSaga FreysonSummonedUnlockedLevel2 (Adept)Piercing BoundaryUnlockedAffinityVioletLocked Feature(2/3)LockCastlingLocked Feature(0/7)Spellcoins1Overlock(0/1)Spell CompendiumNameDotAffinitySwitch1VioletPathfinder1VioletTimesense1VioletUrbanstep1VioletSeamancer1OrangeAccel1WhiteDoorway2VioletSplash2Orange/VioletRainmaker2Orange/VioletAccountDragonslayers GuildNameSharpshootSpellgunProgressHolderMaggie Jesse PowellsCrimson BulletUnlockedLevel1 (Novice)Homing BulletUnlockedAffinityRedLocked Feature(0/3)LockSpellgunLocked Feature(0/7)Spellcoins13Overlock(0/1)Spell CompendiumNameDotAffinityStockmight1RedBabel1BlueThunderling2Green/RedBullseye2Violet/BlueAccountDragonslayers GuildNameSolAegisProgressHolderSolomon NicholaeSpell MartyrUnlockedLevel1 (Novice)Locked Feature(0/1)AffinityWhiteLocked Feature(0/3)LockAegisLocked Feature(0/7)Spellcoins9Overlock(0/1)Spell CompendiumNameDotAffinityPeak1GreenNeedless1GreenBabel1BlueQuasar1RedBiosurge1RedReinforce1OrangeEncode1WhiteSpell Syphon1White


    Hack of the Day


    Manic Plague


    Dot: 3


    Components: Emotion Bomb + Secondskin


    Activation: Active, Direct Touch Vector.


    You can spawn microscopic, slug-like parasites from your skin and have them transfer to a host on skin contact like a subtle infection; the parasite moves to occupy the host¡¯s nervous system, more specifically the zones in charge of emotional reactions. The caster can sense the parasites over any distance so long as they are on the same plane of existence, and have them induce a specific emotion in their hosts, such as lust, hate, or happiness. Only the caster can create and transfer parasites; if removed from its original host in any way, the parasite self-destructs.

 Chapter 52: DLC: The Ace in the Hole

    Chest two, unopened. Chest three, unopened¡­


    ¡°Woman, I know you¡¯re enjoying tree-gazing, or whatever,¡± Sharpshoot complained. ¡°But it¡¯s getting boring real fast here.¡±


    ¡°Now, Sharpshoot, we need to survey our traps,¡± she replied, although she did take some time gazing at their surroundings as they walked through the forest. She liked to pick up details, see a landmark or secret they missed.


    ¡°Maggie sounds better,¡± she replied, ¡°Sharpshoot is nice, but it¡¯s not like I¡¯ve got a secret identity anymore.¡±


    ¡°Whichever you prefer.¡± To Ace, names were like jobs. Tags you put on at a point of your life before you changed once you outgrew them; as she abandoned her patronym, Saga Freyson, when she left Concordia. She had had many names before taking that of Ace, and it would not be her last.


    It didn¡¯t mean she forgot her past, nor buried it. That would be disrespectful.


    ¡°Look, it¡¯s useless,¡± Maggie kept complaining. The more Ace observed her, the more she grew convinced she was an adrenaline junkie in need of a fix. ¡°Why don¡¯t we ask Stitch to create us a tracking hound or something?¡±


    ¡°Now, now, patience is a virtue,¡± Ace replied. ¡°There is power in waiting and letting the other make the first move.¡±


    ¡°Ugh, the power of wasting time?¡±


    ¡°The power of getting to know the other better.¡± Which was what Ace was pulling on the other woman here.


    The truth is, the younger woman had been giving Ace the cold shoulder since she asked her to join her on this survey¡ªshe thought it would help them know one another, and considering that team¡¯s poor track record with ambushes, make her task safer.


    Ace had a keen insight into people, or so she thought. She was always very good at sensing what they wanted, not what they said they wanted. Maybe she was born with a stronger sense of empathy than most or having worked with multiple, various groups for years sharpened her emotional skills. Humans¡¯ ability to adapt to social groups had made them valued as lieutenants and diplomats by various galactic powers, a niche which Ace had exploited to get ahead in life.


    And she could tell Maggie Powells didn¡¯t like her on principle. It bothered Ace. She knew she couldn¡¯t get along with everyone, but a part of her wanted to be liked.


    ¡°That sounds like a bad pick up tactic,¡± Maggie replied with condescension.


    Mmm¡­ romance. What an odd choice of discussion. Random choice? She could sense an undercurrent of frustration there. Then again, Maggie Powells seemed to be a frustrated person in general. ¡°You were dating someone before joining this group, were you not?¡±


    She guessed right. ¡°It went nowhere. Guy asked me out for a party which I didn¡¯t even go to. Instead, I almost got killed.¡±


    ¡°I heard. That was when Shroud wiped out the Evermarsh cult?¡±


    ¡°He told you?¡± she asked, astonished.


    No, but she had researched the group the second they arrived in the Midnight Market. Being a key part of Mammon¡¯s business empire meant she could get access to excellent intelligence in record time, just by asking the right person.


    Maggie¡¯s reaction did catch her interest. ¡°Was that supposed to stay a secret?¡±


    ¡°No, no, of course not!¡± Maggie crossed her arms. ¡°I didn¡¯t know the nerd bragged to any girl he meets.¡±


    Ah. Ace understood the problem. ¡°You care about him a lot.¡±


    ¡°The nerd saved my life, so yeah, I owe him. If you hurt the nerd, I¡¯m going to bury your ass in some dumpster.¡±


    ¡°You cannot,¡± Ace corrected her. ¡°It¡¯s tossing into a dumpster, not burying.¡±


    ¡°You get the message, smartass. No hurting the nerd¡¯s feeling. He¡¯s an idiot thinking with his dick, but he¡¯s my best sidekick.¡±


    Ace looked at her teammate straight in the eyes, then smiled.


    ¡°Get that shitty grin off your face,¡± she warned, her tone rising.


    ¡°You don¡¯t like his interest in me.¡±


    ¡°Yeah, gotta be honest here, I would prefer he ends up with Matsumoto,¡± she said, trying to throw Ace off the scent. ¡°I almost get diabetes when I see them, and you¡¯re a bit too shifty.¡±


    ¡°He sees Kari as the younger sister he never had,¡± Ace replied. She believed Matsumoto too closed off and traumatized to entertain romantic thoughts before a long, emotional journey. Making her open to the team as a friend would already be a milestone. ¡°Men and women can be friends, Maggie.¡±


    ¡°Doubt that,¡± Maggie replied. ¡°If you spent too much time with someone, there¡¯s going to be tensions.¡±


    ¡°Shroud, are you listening?¡± Ace spoke up, checking if the sorcerer was listening in at this moment. Thankfully, no answer came back, letting them speak their mind. ¡°In that case, Maggie, you should tell him.¡±


    ¡°Who what?¡±


    ¡°Shroud. You should tell him how you really feel before he commits to someone else.¡±


    Maggie gave her an indignant look. ¡°You think I¡¯m jealous?¡±


    Ace just smiled. She knew the younger woman wouldn¡¯t resist the silence¡¯s weight.


    She couldn¡¯t. ¡°Shut the hell up.¡±


    ¡°I didn¡¯t say anything.¡±


    ¡°You were thinking too loud!¡± Her tone raised, although Ace didn¡¯t respond. ¡°You don¡¯t know shit! I survived in a family of psychos who tried to kill me, twice! You think I¡¯m just falling from the first boy who tried to help me with that?¡±


    ¡°It would be perfectly normal. Maybe not healthy, but understandable.¡±


    ¡°Well, well¡­ well, fuck your cliche movie logic! You think I¡¯m some damsel in distress looking for the first prince charming around?! I don¡¯t need him! I don¡¯t need anyone! I don¡¯t need a boy, I don¡¯t need!¡±


    Ace watched her colleague with a zen, meditative attitude, letting her vent out. Getting her emotions out of her system would help Maggie feel better, instead of bottling them up.


    Of course, Ace was no mental health specialist¡ªShroud was the best suited for it with his abilities, but she noticed that he focused on the big picture, the larger team dynamics rather than the Players¡¯ individual hang-ups. His Network power biased his vision, blinded him to smaller problems, or perhaps he had too much on his plate. If he had noticed Maggie¡¯s pent-up frustration, he made no sign to acknowledge it.


    So it fell to Ace to act as her sounding board. Whatever made her happier.


    ¡°You know what, that¡¯s stupid!¡± Maggie finally said, troubled by Ace¡¯s complete lack of an answer. ¡°You want the nerd? Take him, I don¡¯t care.¡±


    ¡°I like his company,¡± Ace admitted. ¡°But I¡¯m a free spirit, fooling around, never tied down. I fancy you a tiny bit more actually. You have a pretty nice ass, firm and soft.¡±


    ¡°You¡­¡± Maggie blushed. ¡°You¡­ what?¡±


    Ace laughed at her embarrassment, causing the girl to point her gun at the explorer¡¯s face. ¡°Stop that, jackass!¡±


    ¡°No seriously, you¡¯re pretty cute,¡± Ace said, undisturbed. ¡°Especially when angry and flustered. I like girls who do exercise.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t swing that way. Even when Perse had her phase I...¡± Realizing she had dug herself deeper, Maggie let out a groan. ¡°Shut up!¡±


    ¡°I didn¡¯t say a thing.¡±


    ¡°Then say something!¡±


    ¡°You are adorable when you are angry.¡±


    Maggie snarled and pointed her middle finger at Ace. ¡°Is this supposed to mean something?¡± the older woman asked, puzzled. A Firman custom perhaps?


    ¡°There, right there. That¡¯s the proof you aren¡¯t really one of us. Why do you even help us? Mur wants power and money, the bone doctor is curious, but you¡­ I don¡¯t get what you want.¡±


    Ace chuckled. ¡°I¡¯m not that different than Stitch, although my drive is different. I want to explore what the system offers. But mostly, I¡¯m doing it because it¡¯s fate.¡±


    ¡°Fate?¡±


    The sound of a screaming animal interrupted the conversation. Maggie clocked her gun, while Ace grabbed two throwing knives.


    After walking towards the source of the noise, they found themselves facing a scene straight out of a comedy movie.


    A regal monkey whose species Ace couldn¡¯t identify kicked back a hungry chest mimic with a long crimson rod. Powerfully built with brown fur and lionish white mane, the bipedal animal wore ancient golden armor and the monkey emblem on a golden headband.


    Also, he carried a bag on his back, full of treasures from golden vajras to potions.


    ¡°Stay back, you fanged¡­ box¡­ thing!¡± Ace recognized the language as an old Firman dialect, one of the three hundred whose knowledge Mammon had her implanted with when she became his assistant. Old Chinese. The mimic fruitlessly attempted to bite him, whining every time the monkey hit him. Eventually, the mimic crawled away in frustration, disappointed at missing his meal.


    Maggie pointed a gun at the monkey, the animal turning at them upon hearing the duo approach. He had sharp ears. ¡°We caught you, you dumb thief!¡±


    ¡°Oh?¡± The monkey looked at them with old, wise eyes. ¡°So, you are the chosen ones. I am honored to meet you. I am Sun Wukong, the Monkey King of the Zodiac.¡±


    Ace¡­ she couldn¡¯t put her finger on it, but that monkey sounded fake and untrustworthy, somehow. Even if he looked wise and respectable, the woman had seen enough scoundrels to be wary of him.


    ¡°If you¡¯re that honored, then hand us over our treasures!¡± Maggie said, keeping the gun pointed at him. ¡°That¡¯s our stuff you¡¯re stealing.¡±


    ¡°This?¡± Sun Wukong glanced at the treasures in his bag. ¡°Oh, I see. You did not understand.¡±


    ¡°Understand what?¡±


    ¡°The test,¡± the Monkey said, his voice deepening. ¡°I am trying to teach you a lesson. That real power does not come from trinkets, but from within.¡±


    Maggie frowned. ¡°What, really?¡±


    ¡°Yes. You see, I own the treasures I set around the forest.¡±


    Ace didn¡¯t buy it. ¡°Why set the treasures there in the first place then?¡±


    ¡°By putting them here and depriving you of them at the last second, you are experiencing frustration, which breeds creativity. Patience and self-reliance are key, yes, , to enlightenment.¡±


    Something didn¡¯t add up, and from the insistent gaze he sent her, the Monkey knew she knew.


    Sun Wukong¡¯s eyes suddenly widened, as he glanced at something behind both women. He put his rod in a guard stance. ¡°What the¡ª¡±


    Ace and Maggie turned their head, finding themselves facing a¡­


    A perfectly normal tree.


    Ace glanced back at Sun Wukong, the monkey already vanishing from her sight by leaping on the trees, his laugh echoing through the forest.


    Like a bull seeing red, Maggie fumed, her body crackling with electricity, and chased after the monkey like a torpedo. Ace, more measured, sent a message to Shroud first. Within seconds the forest echoed with the sound of Maggie firing like a maniac through the forest. Shroud¡¯s voice called her from within her own mind. She found it both slightly creepy, and a little thrilling.


    ¡°We¡¯ve found the Monkey,¡± she said, summoning the rain with Rainmaker to try cover more ground. ¡°And he¡¯s heading for the teleporter.¡±


    ¡°Oh, I think the struggle will be keeping him alive. Sharpshoot is out for his blood; just listen to the tune of bullets flying.¡±


    She could have sworn Shroud rolled his eyes on the other side.


    Ace quickly used Spash to teleport on to a branch, and then another.she thought, ashamed of herself.


    As she crossed the forest, taking a bit more time to look around, Ace received another message from Shroud. She thought he would call her to his location but didn¡¯t.


    ¡°What is it?¡± she asked.


    Ace stopped, standing on a branch. Sun Wukong escaped? As far as she knew, the ape had fled in a straight line. Considering Maggie''s speed when casting Thunderling, he mustn''t have maintained an advance long.


    An idea crossing her mind, Ace used Splash to move backward, redoing Wukong''s supposed progress in reverse. After long minutes of searching, she noticed a small mound rising from below a tree.


    Teleporting next to it with Splash, Ace noticed a metal conduit, well hidden by moss and roots. So small only one person could crawl inside at a time.


    Mmm¡­ specters had attacked the area last night, in spite of the wards. What if they hadn¡¯t broken past the wards, but moved around them?


    ¡°Shroud, I found a tunnel,¡± Ace said. ¡°You are seeing it? I believe it may lead to other areas.¡±


    Ace lowered herself, seeing no way to get inside the tunnel without dirtying her clothes. A shame, as she really liked her current outfit.


    Maggie arrived at her location soon afterward, drenched and pissed. ¡°Where. Is. ?¡±


    Ace pointed a finger at the tunnel. "I don''t have your offensive options, and it will be difficult to turn around if we both crawl at once. It is better that you go first, with your guns ready, and then call me."


    Maggie was too eager to get after the Monkey to contest her logic, crawling into the tunnel like a frustrated predator chasing after bothersome prey. She vanished into the darkness as Ace watched.


    While waiting for her colleague to call, Ace grabbed the tarot card deck in one of her pockets and read her future. Since Booz had brought this game from Terra Firma and sold it to her, she had grown obsessed with it. Games meant to predict the future were nothing new; everyone wanted to gain foresight across the stars because everyone feared the unexpected.


    Ace enjoyed new discoveries but hated unwelcome surprises. Inevitably, the game drew her in. She also liked that the cards showed a person¡¯s journey, embodying people through archetypes; it helped make sense out of others.


    Shroud was the World, with the power to connect with others and become complete, yet driven by his lack of closure over his past and unable to find fulfillment; he had some elements of the Fool as well, with great potential but also naive and eager to take risks. Kari was the Star, spiritual, hopeful, serene, but often falling prey to despair and isolation. Mur was, of course, the Devil. Seeking material power and down to earth comfort, but needing to break free to achieve his full potential. Just as obviously, Solomon was the Hierophant, the incarnation of faith and structure, struggling against his own rigidity. Stitch was the Magician, with great talents and skills, but a shady, selfish, manipulative side she could glimpse at sometimes. Maggie¡­ she struck Ace as the Chariot, a juggernaut of willpower, but who covered up her weakness and doubts with aimless aggression.


    As for herself¡­ probably the Wheel of Fortune, considering all the bizarre events in her life and her belief men and women were not the masters of their destiny. Or the High Priestess. Ace knew better than believe she could ever see herself objectively.


    She wondered if she could create a Hack that could synergize with these cards, giving her an actual ability to decide her fate rather than trying to guess it.


    Or maybe she was just a superstitious fool trying to make sense out of a senseless world.


    Ace heard the call of Castling, the voice of Maggie echoing in her mind, and making contact through her Lock. Castling gave her a slight familiarity with the caller, giving her a rough intuition about the person¡¯s character. She put the deck back in a pocket and activated her Lock.


    In a blink of purple light, she teleported right next to a dirtied Maggie, at the exit of a tunnel. The sight bothered her.


    The tunnel led to a wide open metal dome, unclean and covered with dirt; golden animal statues representing the Zodiac stood in a half-circle, watching over a dozen tunnels.


    A building stood strong at the very center, a two-floors high structure whom Ace identified as a pre-Conquest Chinese pagoda. A thick smell of tea and alcohol came from it, and the remains of two Gearsmen¡¯s armor stood as decoration and wardens. Whoever lived here had a bone to pick with Concordia.


    ¡°What is this place?¡± Ace wondered. ¡°Certainly not the Wood Dragon Forest.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ve no fucking idea,¡± Maggie replied, removing the dirt off her costume. ¡°But I ain¡¯t going into another tunnel.¡±


    ¡°Agreed. Let¡¯s check the house first.¡± Ace grabbed her knives, stealthily moving towards the entrance...


    Or she would have, had Maggie not decided to keep up the conversation. ¡°I don¡¯t the nerd. I¡¯m just¡­¡±


    ¡°Just?¡± Did she realize Shroud could eavesdrop?


    ¡°I¡¯m , and nerd is the only male of the team who isn¡¯t a rotting face, a demon, or a Catholic priest! With Ulysses there was no excitement of any kind, he was like a robot! And I didn¡¯t get... I didn¡¯t get since like, forever!¡±


    ¡°On that Ulysses fellow, maybe you were both too closed off to enjoy your time together,¡± Ace suggested.


    ¡°Closed off? Me?¡±


    ¡°I assume this relationship took place while on Earth?¡± Maggie nodded. ¡°Did you confide in him about your troubles? Maybe not about Mathias¡¯ identity, but your family issues?¡±


    ¡°No,¡± she admitted, ¡°But neither did he.¡±


    ¡°That may be his fault, but this doesn¡¯t excuse yours.¡±


    ¡°What are you getting at?¡±


    ¡°That if you put too many barriers between you and someone else, your relationships will naturally be unfulfilling on both ends.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s stupid. Just because I¡¯m keeping my problems to myself¡­¡± Maggie frowned. ¡°Ergh, I scolded Matsumoto about doing it before.¡±


    ¡°And you like Shroud because he may be the first person to have broken through and helped you with your problems. You should come in the open about it.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t like, him. Not the way you think. I don¡¯t to like him. He pisses me off as much as I enjoy hanging out with him. Hell, if Sol were fifty years younger I would give him a go instead.¡±


    Ace chuckled. ¡°Really?¡±


    ¡°Yeah, I like the strong, quiet type. Sol says little, and only speak when it matters. That¡¯s my type.¡± She crossed her arms. ¡°And why the hell are you pushing me, when he¡¯s making the move on you?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m a people pleaser,¡± Ace replied with a coy smile.


    ¡°That¡¯s stupid. You should show some backbone. Defend your stuff.¡±


    The older woman shrugged. ¡°I can, and do, but Shroud and I aren¡¯t close enough that I am willing to fight tooth and nail over him. I went past that phase long ago, and if it makes you a happier person, good.¡±


    Maggie gave her a long, hard glance. ¡°There¡¯s something wrong with you, nobody¡¯s that nice.¡±


    ¡°Also, you¡¯re fun to tease,¡± Ace added, as they reached the pagoda¡¯s entrance and its richly decorated golden doors.


    ¡°I take that back, you¡¯re an asshole. Do we break the door? Get through the windows?¡±


    ¡°Later.¡± Ace politely knocked on the door, keeping her knives behind her back. Maggie rolled her eyes, drawing her guns and pointing at the gate.


    ¡°Coming!¡± a new, jovial voice called from within. A bipedal boar with a big belly opened the doors, wearing rich, ample black and golden robes, alongside a rounded hat. Having seen far more terrible faces daily, unlike Maggie, Ace didn¡¯t recoil in horror at the sight of his horrible visage, mixing both human and pig features. She saw a glimmer of kindness in the beastman¡¯s eyes, right before they settled on her chest, and then Maggie¡¯s.


    ¡°What the hell are you looking at, you perv?¡± Maggie snarled, pointing her guns at him. Ace rolled her eyes at her reaction; she should have used her looks to get the advantage instead.


    ¡°Oh, such pretty ladies!¡± the pig scratched the back of his ears with a hint of shyness, either ignoring or uncaring about the gun pointed at him. ¡°Have you heard of the great Zhu Baije and come to party with me?¡±


    ¡°Certainly,¡± Ace replied politely with a friendly smile. ¡°Are you the great Pig Zodiac everyone praised?¡±


    ¡°Of course, of course! That is me!¡± The pig man nodded happily, eager to impress a pretty woman. ¡°I earned my place at the very last moment you know? It was a great struggle to finish that race, especially after all the food I ate!¡±


    ¡°Where the hell is the Monkey?¡± Maggie threatened, having no patience for the social ritual.


    The pig sighed, then turned his head back inside and shouted, ¡°Sun! What have you done this time?¡± Sear?h the ¦ÇovelFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    ¡°What I done?¡± a familiar voice replied from within the walls, Maggie¡¯s eyes shining with a vicious glint behind her mask.


    ¡°Come in,¡± the pig said, inviting the two women, ¡°Make yourselves at home.¡±


    The two eagerly walked in, the pigman closing the door behind.


    Sun Wukong, clearly having taken a few drinks already, lifted a cup of beer with his tail as he saw them arrive. He sat in front of a table, covered with various items, holding cards with his hands. Ace recognized the game played as Poker, one of the many fads in the Midnight Market.


    The Monkey took their presence in stride. ¡°Oh, you followed me there? Please don¡¯t litter the tunnels with your medic¡¯s creatures please, I cleaned them up last week.¡±


    ¡°What is this place?¡± Ace asked, curious, putting her knives back under her cloak upon realizing there would be no fight.


    ¡°You¡¯re smart, figure it out.¡±


    ¡°This is my house,¡± Zhu clarified. ¡°And Sun¡¯s, since he spends all his time playing with me now.¡±


    ¡°Since I cannot go back to Earth until the Sun Empress obliges,¡± Sun Wukong replied, shifting his cards. ¡°I must occupy my time outside cultivation exercises as I can.¡±


    ¡°Who cares,¡± Maggie replied. She hadn¡¯t lowered her weapons, eyeing the treasure on the table. ¡°You took our stuff to¡­ to what, gamble?¡±


    ¡°I was out of funds to play poker,¡± Sun Wukong said, although Ace smelled a lie. ¡°And to pay for my beer tab with Zhu.¡±


    ¡°... I¡¯m going to kill you,¡± Maggie said, with a stony tone, pointing her gun at his face. ¡°I¡¯m going to shoot you. Like Harembe.¡±


    ¡°Nope, you will not,¡± Sun replied. ¡°If you try, I will punish you.¡±


    Maggie pulled the trigger.


    The bullet stopped within an inch of Sun Wukong¡¯s face, floating in midair. The Monkey hadn¡¯t even looked at it.


    ¡°Are you insane?!¡± Ace lambasted her colleague, grabbing the gun off her hands before she could react.


    ¡°Hey!¡± she complained, struggling to get it back. ¡°That¡¯s my stuff.¡±


    ¡°You think violence will solve all your problems?¡± Ace replied, slightly angered at her reaction.


    ¡°Oh, this is fine,¡± Zhu Baije replied with cheerfulness. ¡°Everyone has tried to kill Sun at one point.¡±


    ¡°Even you?¡± Ace asked, curious, as she kept the gun out of Maggie¡¯s range.


    ¡°Except me, and maybe Shifuy¨¢ng, who is great in his wisdom and patience.¡±


    ¡°He got me into the Zodiac, I could never bother that goat,¡± Sun Wukong replied, sending Maggie¡¯s bullet back in its barrel with a thought. ¡°I am the Monkey King, Sun Wukong. I laid waste to Heaven''s¡¯ armies and lifted mountains by myself. You will not succeed where they failed. But I will gladly give you my emblem as a token of good faith. Here.¡±


    He grabbed his emblem with one of his four hands, tossing it at Maggie.


    Ace, sensing a trap, released her ally and attempted to catch the item, but an invisible force moved it out of her fingers¡¯ grasp. Instead, the headband opened and caught Maggie¡¯s forehead by surprise, tightening around it.


    ¡°What the¡ª¡± Maggie raised a gun at Wukong, only for the headband to shine and tighten. The pain made her drop her weapon and fall to her knees.


    ¡°Your punishment of course,¡± Sun Wukong replied. ¡°The headband will hurt you if you ever try to hurt someone else in any way.¡±


    ¡°You fucking¡ª¡± Maggie screamed, as the headband shone brighter.


    ¡°Even verbally,¡± Sun Wukong said, sipping his drink.


    ¡°Now this is a bit much, Sun,¡± the Pig pleaded, as Ace immediately rushed to the Red Sorceress¡¯ side. ¡°Tang never used it on you for insults. Remember that event with the dragon?¡±


    ¡°I must teach her in days what I learned in years,¡± Sun Wukong defended his choice. ¡°Stern teaching makes for quick progress.¡±


    Ace tried to grab the headband, which wouldn¡¯t budge. Eventually, Maggie calmed herself and stopped struggling, the headband stopping to shine and returning to normal size.


    ¡°On the bright side,¡± Sun Wukong said. ¡°If you spend twenty-four hours without triggering it, it will fall down, and you will have my emblem. I promise it as the Monkey King, may the Buddha drop a mountain on me should I lie.¡±


    ¡°You already did,¡± Ace lambasted him.


    ¡°Yes, hence why I made a vow on the Buddha,¡± Sun Wukong replied. ¡°Also if you had asked nicely for the treasures, I would have returned them.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s not fair, you stole them from us!¡± Maggie complained. ¡°You stole our stuff!¡±


    ¡°Hey, the chests were laying around for everyone to open them! You humans always feel so entitled.¡±


    ¡°The treasures are mine, actually,¡± Zhu Baije said sheepishly. ¡°I wanted to help Players so much and left our treasure around the Lair for you to find. Sun Wukong said I was too generous¡ª¡±


    ¡°You are,¡± the Monkey interrupted him. ¡°You teach them a bad lesson. Remember all the trouble we had on our journey? What was the cause? What led them here?¡±


    ¡°Greed,¡± Ace guessed.


    ¡°Greed. Greed makes you pick fights you should not, for one more trinket. Adventurers always tell themselves they will be satisfied this time, but they never are. If your group is to follow in our footsteps and live through your journey, then you needed to learn to let go of what does not matter.¡±


    ¡°We came here to get stronger!¡± Maggie snarled at the Monkey, her hand almost reaching for the gun, but stopping at the last moment. Pain made for a strong teacher.


    ¡°They already have all the tools to succeed,¡± Sun Wukong said, and this time, Ace believed him, ¡°I did not lie on this. You, Players, have sorcery, and brains. You should practice with them instead of relying on shiny, outdated weapons.¡±


    ¡°Then, this was all a test?¡± Ace guessed, glancing at the stash.


    ¡°Zhu is too nice to hold debts,¡± Sun Wukong chuckled. ¡°I was trying your patience. Some of the monkeys you slew were friends, and I worried your friend might be too rude and violent. So I set to test your temper, as the Buddha did with me long ago.¡±


    ¡°Have you Mur?¡± Maggie hissed. ¡°He¡¯s way worse than me!¡±


    ¡°Yes,¡± Sun Wukong admitted. ¡°But unlike him, you are not bound by a fiendish nature, but by your will alone. You can temper yourself. Anyway, you failed my test. In a moment of rage, you would have stuck me dead under Zhu¡¯s roof, and so you will learn patience and restraint as my trial.¡±


    ¡°Sun Wukong and I decided early that we did not want to threaten our successors with bodily harm, the way others Zodiac members decided to,¡± Zhu Baije said. ¡°We thought we should rather help you grow instead of trying to kill you or push our own agenda.¡±


    ¡°Successors,¡± Ace noted. ¡°Odd choice of word.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re just passing the responsibility to free Earth to us!¡± Maggie complained, grabbing the headband but unable to remove it, nor willing to admit defeat.


    ¡°We intend to help when the time comes,¡± Sun Wukong said, but then added, sheepishly, ¡°This old monkey here can pack a punch still, but our skills have diminished. I remain the strongest of the Zodiac, mind you.¡±


    ¡°Except the Tiger,¡± Zhu Baije said, the Monkey King pouting in response.


    Ace glanced at Maggie, who seethed in silence, and at the headband. The treasures weren¡¯t important. The emblems were, and they had one, in a fashion. ¡°Zhu Baije,¡± the diplomat asked the Pig. ¡°What is your trial?¡±


    ¡°Oh, my trial?¡± the Pig laughed. ¡°Curiosity? I left my emblem inside a treasure chest.¡±


    ¡°I didn¡¯t take it,¡± Sun Wukong said. ¡°Even if I think it is too easy.¡±


    ¡°If you keep looking, you will find it. You could say it is¡­ hidden in plain sight!¡± Zhu Baije added a dramatic intonation to his voice as if he had given them a difficult hint.


    Ace, ever the seeker, quickly figured it out. ¡°In that case, we will go look for it.¡±


    ¡°So soon? I would be very glad to exchange tales around a cup of tea,¡± Zhu Baije said. ¡°Would you like to play a game?¡±


    Ace glanced at Maggie, who kept glaring at the Monkey King. ¡°No thanks.¡±


    As Ace had figured out, Zhu Baije had hidden the chest containing his emblem in the very first room, inside the golden earth replica. After some effort and checking, Ace had found a lock opening it up like an egg, with the treasure at its center.


    Hidden in plain sight. A landmark the Players would have needed to go through no matter what area they explored afterward. The very first.


    More importantly, they had confirmed the tunnels linked the various areas, using one to go back to the northern water reservoir. Ace was now convinced the spirits moved from the south to the forest, circumventing the wards, through them.


    All in all, the backtracking with a seething, miserable Maggie had been the hardest part of the journey by far. And while the Pig¡¯s trial was so easy it hurt, Maggie struggled with her own. ¡°This is humiliating,¡± she said, finally giving up on removing the headband forcefully.


    ¡°Yes,¡± Ace agreed. Even if she earned that punishment. ¡°It¡¯s only one day.¡±


    ¡°I can¡¯t stop being assertive for one day!¡± Maggie complained.


    ¡°That¡­ that is not assertiveness, Maggie,¡± Ace said, before realizing she had hit the root of her ally¡¯s problems. ¡°Maggie, trying to hurt or shout at people is not strength.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s the only way to get respect,¡± Maggie countered.


    ¡°No. If anything, it lessens respect others have for you.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re starting to speak like the Monkey,¡± Maggie glared back, ¡°You had a bad family time?¡±


    ¡°No, my parents are happily married, although I haven¡¯t talked to them in a long while.¡±


    ¡°You killed someone?¡±


    ¡°Never outside of self-defense.¡±


    ¡°And that¡¯s why you can¡¯t understand,¡± Maggie replied. ¡°You never had to fight to live.¡±


    Ace inhaled deeply and resisted the urge to slap her. ¡°I fought, more than you know,¡± she replied. ¡°Against my fate. Against Concordia. I don¡¯t have to suffer through the same hardship as you to understand where you come from, and to tell you your behavior is incorrect.¡±


    ¡°Really? Well, think it¡¯s all a game to you. amuse . You don¡¯t really care about yourself, do you?¡± Ace replied with a heavy silence, letting Maggie speak her mind. ¡°It clicked, over time. You¡¯re too selfless, it¡¯s not normal. Nobody¡¯s that kind. You just don¡¯t care. Or you¡¯re afraid to.¡±


    ¡°In an instant, we are alive, in the next second, we are gone, like light,¡± Ace replied, ¡°Time consumes us all in time. Empires rise and fall in the face of an uncertain future, and all that remains of our actions are the ruins and impact we leave behind. Even over that, we have little power.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m pretty sure I know that if I kill someone, it¡¯s because I wanted it.¡±


    ¡°Or so you think, but think about it¡­ are the events we face coincidences? Were my meeting with your group and what came after chance, or premeditated. Maggie, we are not free, or not fully. There is a force bigger than all of us, and all we can do is go along with the flow; if you go against it, you suffer, always. This is how the universe works. I¡¯m at peace with it. And this is why I want people to be happy and live without regret. Because so few of our choices matter and our lives are so short, they are all the more precious.¡±


    ¡°What kind of mindset is that? You think we don¡¯t have power, and that we should make peace with it?¡± Maggie shook her head, unable to come to terms with it. ¡°It¡¯s creepy as hell. I don¡¯t want it. It¡¯s cowardly, I don¡¯t ever want it.¡±


    ¡°Believe what you want,¡± Ace replied. ¡°I don¡¯t expect you to come around to my worldview.¡± She had wanted to make an analogy to the headband but decided Maggie wouldn¡¯t listen then.


    Her fingers brushed against Maggie¡¯s headband. ¡°Maggie, I really want you to feel better, but you earned that punishment. Why did you pull the trigger?¡±


    Maggie almost slapped her hand away, before the headband shone in alarm. ¡°None of your business.¡±


    Ace looked at her dead in the eyes and waited for an answer.


    ¡°Alright, because it makes me feel strong,¡± she admitted. ¡°I didn¡¯t want to look weak. Happy?¡±


    ¡°Can you honestly tell me that you were happy, fully happy, even before?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s¡­¡± She marked a short pause. ¡°I was happy. Happiest weeks of my life, ever since I¡­¡± Another pause, but longer this time. She struggled to find her words or lies to tell. ¡°If I don¡¯t fight I¡­ I can¡¯t live without it¡­ I¡¯m useless if I can¡¯t fight!¡±


    ¡°Maggie, you¡¯re not a victim.¡± Ace hugged her, the other woman freezing, ¡°Strength isn¡¯t putting a gun in someone¡¯s face. Strength is standing strong even in the face of torment, and not being afraid of being vulnerable. And you¡¯ve strength aplenty.¡±


    Maggie just stood still. Perhaps she had never been hugged before. Ace released her hold, putting both hands on her shoulders. ¡°You will conquer that headband,¡± Ace declared, ¡°By will alone.¡±


    ¡°I¡­ I don¡¯t need your support,¡± Maggie replied brashly.


    ¡°No, you don¡¯t,¡± Ace agreed, ¡°Just be honest and focused, and prove that ape wrong.¡±


    Maggie looked down, then tightened her left hand into a fist. ¡°Damn right.¡±


    Players'' Stats


    Account


    Dragonslayers Guild Moderator


    (Pending Judgment)


    NameShroudNetworkProgressHolderMathias MartelBroadcastUnlockedLevel2 (Adept)Grant SpellUnlockedAffinityBlueSynergizeUnlockedLockNetworkLocked Feature(0/7)Spellcoins3Overlock(0/1)Stored Saves5Save?Load?Spell CompendiumNameDotAffinityPremium Thoughts1BlueBabel1BluePurge1GreenBeastmaster2BlueMindshield2BlueDoppelganger2BlueHeal2GreenGlass Field2Orange/BlueLightbringer2Red/OrangeMad World2Blue/GreenAccountDragonslayers GuildNameYoshikageOversoulProgressHolderKari MatsumotoRememberUnlockedLevel2 (Adept)Channel SoulUnlockedAffinityYellowLocked Feature(1/3)LockOversoulLocked Feature(0/7)Spellcoins9Overlock(0/1)Spell CompendiumNameDotAffinityBabel1BlueWallcraw1GreenPeak1GreenNeedless1GreenWard1YellowDoom Sense1YellowSpiritsight1YellowDeathgem1YellowHands of Slaughter3Yellow/Violet/RedAccountDragonslayers GuildNameThe Mur!AdamantProgressHolderMurmur the ImpHarderUnlockedLevel1 (Novice)FasterUnlockedAffinityOrangeLocked Feature(0/3)LockAdamantLocked Feature(0/7)Spellcoins20Overlock(0/1)Spell CompendiumNameDotAffinityReinforce1OrangeDiceweight1OrangePitborn2Green/RedAccountDragonslayers GuildNameDocInseminateProgressHolderNathaniel StitchSpawnUnlockedLevel1 (Novice)IncubateUnlockedAffinityGreenLocked Feature(0/3)LockInseminateLocked Feature(0/7)Spellcoins7Overlock(0/1)Spell CompendiumNameDotAffinityPremium Thoughts1BlueDeathgem1YellowAccountDragonslayers GuildNameAceCastlingProgressHolderSaga FreysonSummonedUnlockedLevel2 (Adept)Piercing BoundaryUnlockedAffinityVioletLocked Feature(2/3)LockCastlingLocked Feature(0/7)Spellcoins1Overlock(0/1)Spell CompendiumNameDotAffinitySwitch1VioletPathfinder1VioletTimesense1VioletUrbanstep1VioletSeamancer1OrangeAccel1WhiteDoorway2VioletSplash2Orange/VioletRainmaker2Orange/VioletAccountDragonslayers GuildNameSharpshootSpellgunProgressHolderMaggie Jesse PowellsCrimson BulletUnlockedLevel1 (Novice)Homing BulletUnlockedAffinityRedLocked Feature(0/3)LockSpellgunLocked Feature(0/7)Spellcoins13Overlock(0/1)Spell CompendiumNameDotAffinityStockmight1RedBabel1BlueThunderling2Green/RedBullseye2Violet/BlueAccountDragonslayers GuildNameSolAegisProgressHolderSolomon NicholaeSpell MartyrUnlockedLevel1 (Novice)Locked Feature(0/1)AffinityWhiteLocked Feature(0/3)LockAegisLocked Feature(0/7)Spellcoins9Overlock(0/1)Spell CompendiumNameDotAffinityPeak1GreenNeedless1GreenBabel1BlueQuasar1RedBiosurge1RedReinforce1OrangeEncode1WhiteSpell Syphon1White


    Spell of the Day


    Focus


    Affinity: White


    Dot: 2


    Price: 6-10


    Activation: Active, Thought


    The caster compresses a spell that would usually affect multiple targets or an area, drastically reducing its range and duration but boosting its power.

 Chapter 53: The Caged Sun

    Baihu followed a very rigid schedule.


    He rose woke up at five, sleeping on the iron floor of his fortified chambers, and exercised for one hour and a half when he woke up. Afterward, he spent one hour praying to statues in his bedroom, a few of them Shroud identified as the Buddha and Hindu divinities. At seven and a half, a maid with a fox tail brought him a meal; the Tiger ate alone and in complete silence.


    At nine, he finally emerged from his chambers to oversee his area from a balcony. As per the name, Baihu ruled a heavily fortified citadel of metal, with very few trees here and there. The Tiger¡¯s bedroom stood at the top of a palace, itself on a metal mound, granting him a complete overview of the area. In the distance, Shroud could see the fortified walls blocking both the teleporters and behind them, barracks. The architectural style of the fortress was distinctly Chinese and reminded Shroud of pictures of the old Forbidden City which Concordia razed years ago.


    After overseeing the city from above, Baihu, with unmatched strength, leaped from roof to roof, moving across the area like the wind. The sight gave Shroud the picture of a military occupation, with deformed, armored monsters patrolling the streets with each a rifle and a lantern, even in daylight. Giants worked in refining weapons in metal forges, based on the remains of old, salvaged Gearsmen. Shroud guessed items Players captured on Earth as part of Quests ended up stockpiled in Lairs.


    After patrolling, Baihu returned to his palace to have a frugal lunch, took a nap, then at two in the afternoon, moved to his palace¡¯s courtyard to train with his guards, a cadre of humanoid, yellow-skinned creatures with horns and a third eye in the middle of their skull. Shroud paid the most attention to this part.


    As expected, Baihu favored martial arts training, and elected to fight his guards all at once with his bare hands; while the guards often brought weapons, from Dao curved swords to firearms. Baihu moved like the wind, bullets bouncing back his skin; phantom claws made of sharp, focused wind grew out of his arms, cutting through weapons; with swift kicks and punches, he sent his men flying through walls. Even while watching through his eyes, Shroud had trouble following the Tiger¡¯s movement, witnessing little but a flurry of blows.


    After three hours of such training, Baihu gave pointers to his guards, scolded them for lazing off, then returned to his bedroom to meditate for two hours. After a short dinner, as night fell, he moved back to the deserted courtyard for two hours to practice exercises and fighting moves.


    At this point, Shroud checked Sol and Mur¡¯s team, whom he had dispatched to the southern area; only those two could survive the extreme temperatures and the former only thanks to his armor. Much to his surprise, the bright light of this floor had diminished, even if the duo struggled with a monstrous lava titan. ¡°Sol? How is it going?¡±


    ¡°The heat is decreasing as night approaches,¡± the knight replied, cutting one of the monster¡¯s arm with a swing of his blade. ¡°But it is getting harder to move deeper without encountering fierce resistance.¡±


    ¡°Speak for yourself, old man.¡± By now, after hours of constant fighting, Adamant had turned Mur into a metal juggernaut, leaping at the lava monster with extreme speed and tearing him apart. ¡°Mur feels at home!¡±


    ¡°You will have to return to the base soon,¡± Shroud ordered, even if amused by the fiend¡¯s enthusiasm. ¡°Night is falling, and the spirits will take over the south. How is the core doing?¡±


    ¡°Growing brighter,¡± Sol said, glancing at the light coming from the container on Mur¡¯s back. The core fed on the battle like a child breastfeeding. ¡°There is more. Do you see through my eyes?¡±


    Shroud did. Sol faced a distant spot which the lava beast had struggled to defend, a wide, immense pit Smokefang could have fit through. Attached to the ceiling above, a thin string of a substance similar to spider silk went down, and down, a large pit breathing out an impenetrable, thick purple miasma.


    On a large, rounded metal platform, two titans kept watch over the pit, a giant, bipedal white bullman, and a horse-faced, brown-furred humanoid. The two giants each reached fifteen feet in height, wore ancient Chinese armor, while the horse wielded a long trident and the horse a club. Both stood unbothered by the heat, watching Sol and Mur from afar but making no move to intercept them.


    ¡°I believe you just found the source of the undead plague,¡± Shroud spoke. ¡°And the Horse and Ox of the Zodiac. Good job.¡±


    ¡°Do we engage them?¡± Solomon asked.


    ¡°Yes,¡± Mur said.


    ¡°No,¡± Shroud dashed the imp¡¯s hope. ¡°They look rather strong and I would rather fight them with support. We will return with more numbers in the early morning when the heat allows us to explore this area. Return to the base now.¡±


    Thankfully, Mur obeyed the order, even if he complained all the way back. No matter his faults, the demon behaved with discipline when needed.


    As he returned to check on Baihu, Shroud noticed that no undead seemed to bother the West Area; or if they were, the Tiger was unconcerned and let the monsters handle themselves. He did briefly ask a guard if everything was fine at the end of his training, but that was it. The Tiger sounded grossly overconfident or had a very high opinion in his dominion¡¯s defenses.


    Finally, he went to sleep at eleven in the evening, taking a nap.


    That tiger breathed fighting spirit and lived to perfect his mind and body. If Shroud wasn¡¯t scheming to take him down, he would have admired his work ethic and dedication. The fact he slept during the night instead of daylight meant he didn¡¯t fear the night undead much or had his dominion warded.


    However, the more Shroud saw, the more storming the West Area through the main gates sounded like a terrible idea, even with insider information. Too many monsters and too well organized. Brute force and attrition wouldn¡¯t do. At least from what he had seen, Baihu wouldn¡¯t attack first, seemingly content to wait in his fortress for the Players to come.


    Fortunately, he thought, as he noticed Ace coming back with a scroll of paper and a strangely sullen Maggie, they may have an alternative solution. ¡°So?¡± he asked.


    ¡°Here is a map of the secret tunnels, or what we could explore so far,¡± Ace said, handing him over the scroll, whom he read with rapt attention. The sheer complexity and number of dead-ends would have given him a headache without Premium Thoughts. The Violet Sorceress pointed at letter points at the end of some tunnels. ¡°N means they lead to the north area, E to the east, and S for the south.¡±


    ¡°Not the West?¡± Shroud asked, disappointed.


    ¡°Probably, but not yet. Stitch believes we only explored half of them and sent more of his creations below to find an entrance.¡± Shroud noticed an O symbol at a few points, pointing an index finger at them. ¡°Those tunnels lead to the Pig¡¯s hub.¡±


    Shroud nodded to himself, having figured out as much. ¡°What do you think?¡±


    ¡°We know the Lair¡¯s parts mirror one another,¡± Ace said. ¡°This underground hub mirrors the command center above it.¡±


    ¡°The Goat never mentioned it,¡± Maggie said.


    ¡°He could have lied, or not known,¡± Ace said. ¡°There may be a hidden area for all we know.¡±


    ¡­ The pit. ¡°If the undead come from the south or the secret tunnels,¡± Shroud continued. ¡°Then they may come from this hidden area instead of the southern dungeon itself. The south simply contains the main entrance.¡±


    ¡°So we go around looking for a hidden mechanism we missed?¡± Ace suggested.


    ¡°For now you rest,¡± Shroud replied, as he sat on the island¡¯s shore. He would take some time during the night to examine the map further, and figure out a way to explore the south without burning to death. ¡°We will wake you up if more undead show up.¡±


    ¡°You are acting bossier by the second,¡± Ace warned him, before giving him a cheeky smile and giving a light tap on Maggie¡¯s back. ¡°I¡¯ll leave you kids alone¡­ do not do anything naughty while I¡¯m away.¡±


    ¡°What do you¡­¡± She teleported away before Maggie could finish. ¡°Nerd, below that nice facade is a shifty sadist.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ve seen.¡± Shroud put the map on the grass, unsure how to address the problematic subject. His friend sat at his side, the island silent save for the chittering of Stitch¡¯s beasts in the pens nearby.


    An awkward, uncomfortable silence established itself between the two, Shroud patiently waiting for his friend to come into the open. ¡°So¡­¡± Maggie trailed, struggling to find her words and coming with banalities. ¡°How is it going, nerd?¡±


    ¡°I should return you the question,¡± Shroud said, glancing at the headband. This threw a wrench into his plans for the south.


    ¡°It sucks,¡± she admitted. ¡°But I will beat it and shove th¡ª¡± She stopped as if fearing to trigger the headband. ¡°I will show that ape what I¡¯m made of afterward.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s only twenty-four hours, you can beat it.¡± Also, even if Maggie found the task humiliating, Shroud thought Sun Wukong may have been quite lenient with the time limit. The Monkey hadn¡¯t done it in bad faith. ¡°I will put you on guard duty with Stitch so you may have time to focus.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re rotating the teams again?¡± Maggie groaned.


    ¡°Consider it team-building.¡± He had noticed that while some smaller groups stuck together, like Maggie and Mur or Sol and Kari, this threatened the cohesion of the larger group. His Network intuition pushed him into encouraging other exchanges. ¡°Why, you would rather be under my wing?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t need your help, nerd,¡± Maggie hissed, tensing up. ¡°I don¡¯t need protection.¡±


    Shroud stayed silent for a second, realizing that the shadow of Jack never truly left her. Every time someone ¡®coddled¡¯ her, it brought her back to that lowest moment of her life. ¡°No, you don¡¯t,¡± he admitted. ¡°You are strong.¡±


    She glared at him.


    ¡°It¡¯s true,¡± he replied with sincerity, ¡°I remember the day with the cultists. You took control of the situation quicker than I did. You showed extraordinary bravery all the way, and the Administrator would never have approached you otherwise. You earned your victories, Maggie.¡±


    Her face beamed with happiness, which starkly contrasted with her usual gruff exterior. She muttered something under her breath.


    ¡°I didn¡¯t hear,¡± Shroud said.


    ¡°Thanks,¡± she grumbled this time.


    ¡°It¡¯s not that hard to say it.¡±


    Maggie sighed in annoyance, sounding exhausted. ¡°I feel fucking alone, nerd. Always had. Like I¡¯m a prisoner of my own head, and there¡¯s a big barrier between me and everyone else.¡± She struggled to find words to explain herself.


    ¡°I see what you mean.¡± He often wondered if Network¡¯s real purpose was to bring the frontier between minds down. His experience at the Neurotower pointed in that direction at least. ¡°Ever heard of the hedgehog dilemma?¡±


    ¡°Wasn¡¯t that the name of an anime or something?¡±


    ¡°It ripped it off from a famous philosopher,¡± Shroud replied, amused that they watched the same show. ¡°Hedgehogs have spines to protect themselves, so they struggle to get close without hurting one another. You built spines of your own to defend yourself, but it has become a part of you instead of a temporary defense.¡±


    ¡°That sounds so dry and analytical when you say like that,¡± Maggie replied, ¡°You¡¯re changing, you know?¡±


    Shroud chuckled. ¡°Aren¡¯t we all?¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re more distant. More methodical. Less¡­ less natural? Your sorcery is fucking with your head.¡±


    Probably. Overuse of Network had given him more objectivity to people¡¯s feelings and experiences, giving him more insight, but also putting some emotional distance. If he were truly escalating though, would he think himself mad? Mad sorcerers probably considered themselves sane. ¡°I¡¯m actually trying to move in that direction. Take a step back, distance myself from my emotions. I¡¯ve made many mistakes out of impulsiveness, or because I let my feelings obscure my judgment.¡±


    ¡°So I¡¯m trying to be more open with my feelings, while you¡¯re trying to be less so. Aren¡¯t we a team of broken arms.¡±


    ¡°Maybe we should start a group therapy?¡± Shroud joked.


    ¡°Here, that¡¯s the nerd I love to hate.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m pretty much only joking when you or Ace are around,¡± Shroud admitted. ¡°You¡¯re a great partner for banter.¡±


    ¡°Yeah¡­ strange, we got along way better than I thought. And I didn¡¯t get along with the one guy I thought I would.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re thinking about Ulysses?¡±


    ¡°Yeah.¡± She laid her back against the grass. ¡°Why were you into Sam again?¡±


    Sam? ¡°She was beautiful. She was smart¡­ and she reminded me a bit of Mom.¡± Maggie gave him a startled look. ¡°You have a sick mind. All of this to say, I didn¡¯t know her at all. A very superficial crush, now gone.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t think it would have worked between you,¡± Maggie said.


    ¡°Maybe,¡± Shroud admitted, ¡°It¡¯s behind me.¡±


    ¡°Now you¡¯re into Ace,¡± she prodded, not asking him directly. Did she fear rejection?


    ¡°I told you, I¡¯m just fooling around. Honestly Maggie, I completely messed up my relationship with Perse, and while it¡¯s been weeks now, I frankly don¡¯t feel ready for anything serious. Especially right now. At least, not with someone inside the team. Maybe later, but not now.¡±


    She perceived the hidden message and dropped the subject.


    Truth to be told, he had accidentally heard the beginning of her discussion with Ace, since he watched everyone in the field. He did for their own good, to monitor his friends and react in case of ambush¡­ even if he accidentally overhead private conversations at times.


    Shroud had quickly tuned out after realizing they had a heart to heart, of course, but he had heard enough. He guessed he had to avoid a slippery slope on that one.


    What would Manah do in his situation? She had told him bluntly that while fond of him, she wouldn¡¯t hesitate to endanger them for the greater objective. If he wanted to play the game as well as she did, he had to learn from her book.


    The more he thought of it however, the more the idea of starting a romance with someone inside the team stuck him as a bad idea. Militaries around the world had anti-fraternization laws for a reason. He might favor Maggie or Ace over someone because feelings clouded his judgment. As a Guild Moderator, he may have to make difficult choices.


    He pitied the Administrator and understood him better now.


    He heard Stitch call him from one of his Network feeds. ¡°Yes?¡±


    ¡°Sir, one of my larvae found the rat¡¯s main nest in the tunnels. No trace of an anomaly.¡±


    No Zodiac among them. A step in the right direction nonetheless. ¡°Try to catch a few of them, without harming them. They may lead us to their leader.¡±


    He let out a moan of tiredness, much to Maggie¡¯s amusement. ¡°You should take a nap, nerd.¡±


    Yes¡­ He felt sleepy, and he didn¡¯t have Needless. Time to sleep.


    Shroud woke up anywhere else but on the island.


    The floor had turned to a circular, glass platform, floating in a pure, blank void. Four statues, representing a tiger, a dragon, a turtle and a bird surrounded him; farther away, Shroud noticed a stone door, closed by a rat-shaped lock.


    As he rose up, Shroud instantly attempted to open his Network feed, to contact the Dragonslayers¡­ and nothing happened. This reminded him of his meetings with the Maleking.


    A dream.


    ¡°Indeed.¡±


    A voice came out of the rat lock, startling the Blue Sorcerer. ¡°The Rat of the Zodiac, I presume?¡± Shroud guessed.


    ¡°Yes.¡± The voice buzzed with the chatter of a thousand creatures. ¡°I am the will of the swarm, an egregore; an artificial spirit created by the collective thoughts of every rat in the Lair. I exist only on the spiritual plane, and through my children. I would appreciate if you called off your Green.¡±


    ¡°Sure. And so, you have come to set your challenge?¡±


    ¡°Yes, and no. You figured it out, Mathias. The existence of a hidden area; and so I reveal it to you. Welcome to the Dreamscape of Naraka, sustained by our will.¡±


    ¡°A hidden floor that exists only in dreams?¡± Now that was inventive level design.


    ¡°Naraka is more than a set of challenges,¡± the Rat replied, apparently reading his mind. ¡°It is an artificial afterlife. Every soul in Taiyougami rests inside this collective dream once their mortal coil expires. This is why I ask that your group does not raid my nest, or you may cause it to collapse.¡±


    ¡°This is Yellow Sorcery, is it not? This is how you can read my thoughts even with Mindshield.¡±


    ¡°While your mind is closed, your soul is an open book. As did one of my fellows, I unlocked as a sorcerer during the ancient war. I am no Player though¡­ my gift is, shall I say, natural.¡±


    ¡°Why the need for an artificial afterlife? Don¡¯t souls reincarnate?¡± At least Kari thought they did and her Lock partly proved it.


    ¡°During the ancient war, the machines stole the souls of their victims, to interrupt our natural cycle of reincarnation and wipe us out. Even asleep they still do. By managing Naraka, I can either send back souls to reincarnate on Earth, or keep them here, content and whole. Souls reincarnating are exceptions, rather than the rule, although your friend¡¯s spirit did come from Naraka.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯ve been doing a poor job at keeping spirits there, no offense.¡±


    ¡°If you mean the spirits plaguing Taiyougami, this is an unfortunate side effect of my dreamscape; some souls bear too high of a grudge or too much sadness to be content with either a dream or reincarnation and often slip past my grasp. Ox and Horse are supposed to catch these souls and trap them in a pit until they can let go of their earthly grudges, but decided not to as part of their trial; they want to challenge your might, while I prefer to test one¡¯s intelligence. Over time, the number of restless souls reached the critical mass you face every night.¡±


    ¡°So if we defeat Ox and Horse, peace will return to Taiyougami?¡±


    ¡°Partly. The number of rising dead also has a secondary cause. The soul of the sun at the center of this Lair has grown restless, disturbing my dreamscape. As a failed Sponsor, he wants to meet Players, and his distraction endangers my dreamscape.¡±


    Failed Sponsor? ¡°How do we meet him then?¡±


    ¡°That is what the Caged Sun Quest meant by secrets revealing themselves only during your test,¡± the Rat replied. ¡°Pass my gauntlet of tests, and you shall meet him. Convince him to sleep peacefully again, and I will consider your test complete. The sooner the better.¡±


    ¡°You don¡¯t like me,¡± Shroud stated.


    ¡°No, no, the problem is, your presence¡­ imbalances my dreamscape. it is poisoned. I sense other presences within your unconscious mind, watching back with hostility. They may manifest and threaten the dreamscape if you remain too long.¡±


    Shroud frowned, unsure of how to take the news. ¡°What kind of presence?¡±


    ¡°They are hidden beyond my power to reach. I assume they will show themselves in due time. Now for now¡ª¡± The animal¡¯s head perked up. ¡°Ah, a visitor.¡±


    In a flash of yellow light, Kari Matsumoto materialized right next to Shroud. ¡°Mathias-san, you¡¯re fine,¡± she said, glaring at the Rat and shining with the light of Oversoul. Apparently, her Lock worked fine in a dream.


    ¡°You¡¯re asleep too?¡± Shroud asked his friend.


    ¡°I purchased Dreamwalker when I noticed a spirit intrusion,¡± she replied without giving further details.


    ¡°Ah, yes, that spell. It allows the caster to enter dreams,¡± the Rat explained. ¡°Even control them. Unfortunately for you, myself being a dreamwalker on my home ground, my power trumps yours. I will not release your friend until my trial is complete.¡±


    ¡°So we must solve your puzzles before my body wastes away in the real world?¡± The Rat gave Shroud a sharp nod. ¡°Great. What about Ueno? If he¡¯s truly dead, then he must be in your dreamscape.¡±


    ¡°The Dog¡¯s master is already waiting for you behind this door at my demand.¡± The Rat said, pointing at it. ¡°If you can solve my puzzle.¡±


    Shroud exchanged a glance with Kari, who nodded back. ¡°I will stay with you,¡± she said. ¡°I am allowed, right?¡±


    ¡°Certainly,¡± the Rat replied. ¡°You may even benefit the most from this trip.¡±


    The two checked the dragon statue, noticing inscriptions below. ¡°The bird is a filthy liar, but the turtle remains true,¡± Shroud spoke out loud, before checking the bird. ¡°The dragon is deceitful but the tiger roars true.¡±


    ¡°An enigma,¡± Kari noted, checking the tiger. ¡°The turtle is full of falseness but my dragon nemesis remains true.¡±


    Finally, the turtle said, ¡°The dragon remains pure, but the tiger has fallen into wickedness.¡±


    So they had to identify the liars and the truthsayers¡­ ¡°If the dragon and the turtle speak the truth, then the bird lies¡­ but the tiger says the dragon speaks the truth when he himself is lying. It wouldn¡¯t add up.¡±


    ¡°Try in reverse,¡± Kari suggested.


    ¡°If the bird is true, then the dragon is wrong and the tiger is right. If the dragon lies, then the bird speaks the truth, but the turtle isn¡¯t¡­ in that case, if the turtle lies, then the dragon lies and the tiger speaks the truth. So far so good.¡±


    ¡°It fails at the end.¡±


    ¡°Yes. If the tiger speaks the truth, then the dragon is telling the truth¡­ which presents a logical problem.¡±


    ¡°What if one lies only partially?¡± Kari proposed an out of the box solution, ¡°A half-truth.¡±


    A solution not so obvious, like the existence of a hidden level¡­ Wasn¡¯t Yellow about creativity and pushing boundaries? Maybe that was indeed the key. ¡°Then my original solution may be correct,¡± Shroud said, ¡°If the tiger could be lying about the turtle, but telling the truth on the dragon.¡±


    ¡°Which makes him a liar still,¡± Kari nodded. ¡°So it adds up.¡±


    Shroud pondered the problem under another angle but didn¡¯t find any other satisfactory solution. ¡°The answer is, the bird and the tiger are liars, the turtle, and the dragon speaks the truth.¡±


    ¡°Correct,¡± the rat replied. ¡°Very good, but a simple trick. The next one will be much, much more difficult.¡±


    The lock broke, and the door opened.


    ¡°A hidden lesson,¡± Kari spoke, as the duo walked in the next room, ¡°About not trusting the obvious.¡±


    Shroud responded with a sharp nod, as they walked onto another platform, whose transparent floor revealed nine cubes arrayed in a three on three scheme, like a m,n,k-game, beneath their feet; each cube had a number from one to nine. Small, closed doors linked the cubes together, while the central cube on the bottom row, cube eight, had an additional, locked door¡­ and Shroud noticed that the door the duo used stood above cube two, at the center of the uppermost row.


    A man matching the description of the Dog¡¯s master waited for them at the center of the room, next to a console. ¡°Greetings, dreamers,¡± the specter said, his body¡¯s colors mostly shades of white, as he bowed respectfully. ¡°I am Hidesabur¨­ Ueno, and I bid you welcome.¡±


    Kari returned the bow, while Shroud acknowledged it with a nod. ¡°You are the Ueno from the Shibuya Station story,¡± Kari stated, Shroud himself unaware of what she referred to.


    ¡°One of my recent incarnations,¡± Ueno replied. ¡°How does Japan fare in these troubled times?¡±


    ¡°Peaceful,¡± Kari said, with some sadness. ¡°But a bitter kind of peace.¡±


    ¡°Peace enforced through oppression never feels sweet,¡± Ueno replied. ¡°I wondered if I should reincarnate again and finish some work I left unfinished, but I worry I may only know loss and despair in the next life.¡±


    ¡°You can choose to reincarnate on Earth?¡± Shroud asked, curious about how the afterlife worked.


    ¡°By the will of Her Majesty, yes. My soul and that of my old friend have lived and died many times, only to return to this sun, our friendship stronger than ever.¡±


    ¡°Your Dog is waiting for you,¡± Shroud replied. ¡°He believes you alive.¡±


    ¡°Death is not the end,¡± Ueno replied. ¡°Just the threshold of a new journey. As long as Her Majesty wills it, I will return to this Sun to begin again.¡± He glanced at Kari. ¡°You too come from here, child.¡±


    ¡°I did?¡± Kari¡¯s head perked up.


    ¡°I met many of your previous lives. Momotar¨­, Sakata no Kintoki, Hattori Hanzo. And your very first life, long, long ago. Her Majesty forbade me to reveal it, as she wants to reveal it herself, but all will come once you solve the puzzle.¡±


    Shroud glanced at the console, composed of ten buttons; nine assembled in the same order as the cubes below them, and one afar. The Blue Sorcerer clicked on button one, but nothing happened. He clicked on button two, which opened doors east of cube one, two, four and seven¡­ but closed the gates to the previous room. Shroud clicked on the button afar, which reopened the gate, but closed all doors in the maze below.


    ¡°I think this is a straightforward logic problem,¡± Shroud said. ¡°We must create a direct road between our opened door, cube two, and the one at the bottom in cube eight; and both gates to the other rooms must remain open. Pressing each button opens and closes different doors, and the tenth button creates a reset.¡±


    ¡°Some buttons open pathways, but close others,¡± Kari noticed.


    ¡°It¡¯s more than that,¡± Shroud said. ¡°I can only start with cube two, so we must create a very specific sequence¡­ as if we were the ones in the cubes, traveling from one to the other.¡±


    ¡°We can map out every single consequence of pushing a button,¡± Kari proposed, her partner moving to do exactly that.


    After a good hour of trial and error, the duo mapped all consequences of pressing each cube and marveled at the sheer number of possibilities.


    Cube one opens pathways 1-4, 2-5, and 3-5, but closes 1-2, 2-3, and 7-8. Cube two, the starting point, opens 1-2, 2-3, 4-5, and 7-8, but closed the previous gate.


    Cube three opened 3-6, 4-5, 4-7, closed nothing. Cube four opened 4-5 and 5-6 but closed 1-4, 2-5, 3-6, 5-8, and 6-9. Cube five opened 3-6 and 5-6, closed 1-4, 2-5, and 4-5.


    Cube six opened 2-5, and 5-6, but closed 3-6, 4-5, 4-7, 5-8, and 6-9. Cube seven opened 5-8 and 7-8, closed 1-4, 2-5, and 5-6. And cube eight created pathways 6-9 and 8-9, but closed 3-6, 5-8, 5-6, and 7-8.


    Finally, much to Shroud¡¯s surprise, clicking on cube nine opened both the major doors to the other rooms but closed no pathway.


    Kari visibly frowned at the sheer number of possible sequences, which probably numbered in the hundreds, if not more; but Shroud had a field day trying to find the correct path. He loved math and maze problems.


    ¡°Two, three, one, four¡­¡± Kari said, before stopping herself. ¡°No. I am wrong. I do not know.¡±


    ¡°So soon?¡± Shroud teased her, as he mapped out a possible solution.


    ¡°I am not good with this kind of problem,¡± Kari admitted. ¡°This is probability, math.¡±


    ¡°You were on the right track,¡± Shroud replied. ¡°It¡¯s simple.¡±


    ¡°For you,¡± she said, ¡°Uncle taught me to calculate bullet trajectories and to count ammo, but I was never good at it.¡±


    ¡°He raised you as a weapon.¡± Shroud privately thanked whichever deity had created the Feather of Ma¡¯at for putting down that jackass.


    ¡°At least he raised me,¡± Kari replied, with a hint of sadness.


    It occurred to Shroud that he may have had the best family dynamic out of all his teammates, except perhaps Ace. Even Sol had lived in a Catholic orphanage in his youth. ¡°You¡¯re acting somber than usual.¡±


    ¡°This place raises memories which aren¡¯t my own.¡± Ueno watched them in silence. ¡°It bothers me. I don¡¯t want to disappear.¡±


    ¡°You will not,¡± Shroud insisted. ¡°If your Lock ever threatens you, we will find a way.¡±


    She didn¡¯t say a word. Perhaps she didn¡¯t believe him.


    Realizing he wouldn¡¯t break past her shell, Shroud returned to the problem. ¡°A correct sequence,¡± the Blue sorcerer said, ¡°is two, three, one, seven, eight, nine.¡± He clicked on each cube as he spoke, the path opening with both gates to the previous and next room opened.


    The second he did, the door to the next room rose through the floor and at the edge of the platform, the lock breaking open. ¡°Well done,¡± Ueno commented. ¡°Very fast. Rat must have expected you to take more time.¡±


    ¡°Indeed,¡± the rat lock spoke. ¡°I expected you to spend hours, perhaps a day on it. Good. I am pleased. A leader must have a sharp mind, or he is no leader at all.¡±


    ¡°We are ready for the third round,¡± Shroud said.


    ¡°You just passed it,¡± the Rat said. ¡°Have you not guessed the existence of this hidden place first? This was the first true test and the hardest one. But a final meeting awaits you behind this door¡­ and a reward, of a sort. In any case, when you wake up, it will be with my emblem.¡±


    ¡°I shall visit Hachiko¡¯s dreams, to ask him to gift you his emblem,¡± Ueno said, glancing at Kari. ¡°And thus an old man¡¯s debt is repaid.¡±


    ¡°A debt?¡± Kari asked.


    ¡°All of Japan has a debt to you, my child. After all, it would not even exist today without you. But please¡­ take a step toward the future, instead of looking into the past.¡±


    Shroud sighed, praying for the day when he would receive straightforward, honest answers, rather than elusive ones. He took a step forward, and turned to his friend, who didn¡¯t follow. ¡°Kari?¡±


    ¡°No one can every truly rely on themselves,¡± Kari said.


    ¡°That¡¯s why we are a team,¡± Shroud replied, ¡°So the sums of our parts is greater than any of us individually. Our strengths cover the weaknesses of others, allowing us to excel in our chosen domain.¡±


    She had that thoughtful, introverted look, as if finding a solution to a struggle that bothered her before. ¡°Alright,¡± she said, ¡°Alright.¡±


    He and Kari opened the door to the next room, facing a blinding light. They walked into it while shielding their eyes, the gates closing behind them.


    The first word on the sorcerer¡¯s mind, as he stepped into this new place?


    Hot.


    The heat had risen drastically, alongside the luminosity; Shroud couldn¡¯t see one step away, and only ethereal flames licking his feet without burning them. Kari¡¯s golden aura had flared to life in this burning dream, causing the surrounding light to dim out.


    From the vast inferno surrounding them, a tall, humanoid figure of burning, crisping ashes manifested in front of them, sitting in a lotus position; a towering titan of dust and flames, wearing a crown of cinders and burned dreams.


    ¡°Brother.¡±


    A thunderous, imperious voice spoke, the echo of burning embers joining each word.


    ¡°Brother.¡± The fiery giant¡¯s voice boomed like an inferno, similar to Candlemaker Jack. ¡°Are you pretending to be a woman again? I am not fooled.¡±


    It took Shroud a moment to get used to the light around him¡­ and to realize the giant spoke to Kari rather than him. ¡°You knew me, in another life,¡± Kari recognized.


    The giant¡¯s eyes, two bright infernal stars, briefly flashed with a confused light. ¡°I see. You have reincarnated again. Brother does this all the time. He could not let go of Nippon, wanting to protect it even after death. Why a human, though? Are you happy in such skin? Humans are so small and so cold. You must feel terrible without warmth.¡±


    ¡°I like cold,¡± Kari replied. ¡°It is soothing.¡±


    ¡°Speak for yourself,¡± Shroud replied, missing very much the climate of Florida. Thankfully, the titan did not look hostile. ¡°Could you tell us your name? I am Shroud, and this is Yoshikage.¡±


    ¡°I am Hino-Kagutsuchi, God of Fire,¡± the awe-inspiring giant spoke. ¡°The Motherless Sun.¡±


    A bonafide god? ¡°Are you a Sponsor?¡± Shroud asked. Much to his surprise, the giant shook his head.


    ¡°No. I could not become a Sponsor. My power was too great, too unruly. I cannot control the hungering fire of my soul. I burned my mother Izanami the day I was born, and my father sealed me before I could burn the land to cinders. I am the fire that brings death. For eons, I laid dormant, until my sister offered me the chance to light the furnace of a new sun. To become the fire that shelters life.¡±


    ¡°You power Taiyougami,¡± Kari guessed.


    ¡°I sleep at night, and the Rooster wakes me up,¡± the giant confirmed, ¡°Then I am set to sleep again before my power can overwhelm the sun and melt it from within.¡±


    ¡°We are¡­ thankful for that¡­¡± Shroud trailed off.


    ¡°I am content. I offer a place to lost souls who have nowhere else to go.¡± The giant glanced down at the duo, like a child with ants. ¡°You humans, long you have walked a lonely, orphaned road, have you? The gods made you and left you behind. You must have felt so alone¡­¡±


    ¡°We survived,¡± Shroud replied, before thinking of Sol¡¯s own trouble faith. ¡°With some hardships.¡±


    ¡°The age of myths will begin again,¡± Hino-Kagutsuchi said. ¡°And this sun will shine on Earth again, or so I hope. Will you bring my light to burn the skies and the dragons that claimed them?¡±


    Shroud smiled savagely. ¡°Of course.¡±


    ¡°Then, although I cannot grant you my sponsorship¡­ I grant thee and your fellowship a blessing of fire.¡± The giant¡¯s eye released a flash of bright light that swallowed both Shroud and Kari whole. ¡°Bear it with pride once you wake up, princes of cinders.¡±


    ¡°Thank you, Kagutsuchi-sama,¡± Kari bowed deeply, Shroud imitating her.


    ¡°I wish I could have heroes of my own,¡± the immense deity said. ¡°Champions who bore my weapons and founded lands in my name.¡±


    ¡°All of mankind owes its existence to fire,¡± Shroud said.


    ¡°This makes me proud,¡± Hino-Kagutsuchi replied.


    ¡°If I was your brother in a former life, and helped found Japan¡­¡± Kari trailed off, her eyes lighting in recognition. ¡°I was¡­¡± S~ea??h the N??elFir§×.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    ¡°Yes, we are not gone,¡± the deity replied. ¡°We are diminished, and few. We are embers of an age long gone. Still, an ember can trigger a great fire, if put in the hands of man.¡±


    Shroud finally figured it out. The timeline of Mammon¡¯s arrival on the Midnight Market, this meeting, the one with Melusine, the ancient war, why Concordia used to be called Midgard, and the revelations of ¡­


    Shroud thought,


    ¡°I will wake up again soon,¡± the fire deity said, focusing his fiery gaze on Kari. ¡°When you reach the end of this Lair, a great power will awaken within you.¡±


    ¡°About it, could you sleep peacefully from now on?¡± Shroud asked. ¡°You may endanger the dreamscape if you continue not to.¡±


    ¡°I will, if you promise to visit me again, brother,¡± the deity asked, ¡°Sometimes I feel lonely, and I cannot help myself.¡±


    ¡°I swear,¡± Kari promised.


    ¡°Then go now. I return you to the waking world.¡±


    The light increased, swallowing Kari and Shroud whole.


    When the light subsided, Shroud found himself flying over his own body, a disembodied spirit no different from those haunting Taiyougami.


    His inanimate vessel laid on the grass, Maggie watching over him with a conflicted expression. Kari had already woken up, walking towards his location. Shroud moved to return to his body, drawn there by an invisible force.


    Then a sharp pain erupted in his left arm, alongside a surge of darkness.


    Before he could return to his body, a second force stronger than the first yanked Shroud back, into the night, into pitch black darkness. The shadows swallowed everything in sight, leaving him alone in a dark void.


    ¡°What¡¯s happening?¡± His voice was swallowed by the darkness, barely audible. He couldn¡¯t feel his legs nor his body, nor even any warmth. His disembodied spirit couldn¡¯t move. ¡°Where am I?¡±


    ¡°In the void in-between. In the bosom of Black.¡±


    In the thick, creeping void, a shining light appeared, a single eye watching him back. Shroud took a step back, but the distance between them only .


    ¡°Come, Terminal Five, come.¡± The voice was welcoming, if unnatural. Shroud recognized it as the one that contacted him in the in-between of his saves, the second time. ¡°Feed the Black. It will make you free. It will make all of us free.¡±


    ¡°What the hell are you? A Pandorian? Pandoria?¡±


    ¡°I was the first. I could not succeed. The second cannot listen. She will listen. The third could not accept, it went mad. The fourth cannot believe, will not believe. You are the fifth. Will you be the one, or must I wait for a sixth to come? Please¡­ I waited for so long¡­¡±


    Five Terminals? Shroud noticed that the creature said instead of ¡°What do you want from me?¡±


    ¡°This world is a prison. You are the gate and the key. You and the others. This cycle of despair, it has happened before. Countless times. It will happen again. Our souls are taken and reborn, crushed beneath the wheel. Even if you escape Dis, you will never escape Dis. Do you not ? This is all a game, but even if we win, we will never win. We must not play to win.¡±


    Shroud didn¡¯t understand a word of what the incoherent eye said.


    ¡°Is it coins that you want, Mathias? Is it what you need to ?¡±


    A black screen materialized in the darkness, white words on it; as impossible as it sounded, the blackness of this screen stood out from the void around.


    Embrace the Black


    Difficulty: Zero


    Sponsor: The Heretic.


    Embrace the Black.


    Rewards: Nine Hundred Ninety-Nine Spellcoins.


    There couldn¡¯t be a zero difficulty quest¡­ was Black¡¯s power such that is could manifest Magik Online even in his dreams? ¡°Why do you need me?¡± Shroud asked, trying to buy time.


    ¡°Because I am fallen. Come, Terminal. Come to me. Come to Pandoria. I will show you the truth. Beyond the colors, beyond Black.¡±


    ¡°You could tell me here,¡± Shroud replied, his mind furiously working to try find an escape from this situation. Would Kari dreamwalk back, upon seeing him unable to wake up?


    ¡°You are an accident. You are a bug. Sorcerers are all cogs of a broken system. You were not meant to be. Neither were the others. Neither was the Black. You are¡­¡± The eye shone brighter, incensed. ¡°You are not ready. Not yet. You still have hope. This cruel illusion, what is it worth? Mathias, you are free. Even if you die, you willbe free.¡±


    And like that, the blackness abruptly faded away.


    Shroud¡¯s eyes snapped back open, sharp pain in his left arm. ¡°Nerd?¡± Maggie¡¯s voice spoke up in concern, at seeing his expression.


    Shroud panted heavily, turning his head to look at his arm, finding it returned to normal¡­ and clenching a small rat emblem. ¡°What the hell was that?¡±


    ¡°You had a goddamn nightmare, haven¡¯t you?¡± Maggie said.


    Yeah¡­ a nightmare, right beyond the dream. One that felt all too real.


    What did that creature¡ªif it was even a creature and not some kind of Black manifestation¡ªeven mean? Five Terminals? Dis as a prison? Come to Pandoria?


    What would he even find there?


    As if to alleviate his confusion, a Magik Notification popped up.


    The Caged Sun, completed!


    The Dragonslayers all earned thirteen Spellcoins and an Achievement!


    Congratulations! The Mur! and Sharpshoot reached Level Two!


    Achievement: Praise the Sun.


    You gained a permanent divine blessing from Hino-Kagutsuchi! You are now immune to fire and heat, including magma and lava; only fire sorcery whose power surpasses that of the Motherless Sun or benefiting from a Pierce effect can affect you.


    Ah.


    Neat.


    Players'' StatsAccount


    Dragonslayers Guild Moderator


    (Pending Judgment)


    NameShroudNetworkProgressHolderMathias MartelBroadcastUnlockedLevel2 (Adept)Grant SpellUnlockedAffinityBlueSynergizeUnlockedLockNetworkLocked Feature(0/7)Spellcoins16Overlock(0/1)Stored Saves5Save?Load?Spell CompendiumNameDotAffinityPremium Thoughts1BlueBabel1BluePurge1GreenBeastmaster2BlueMindshield2BlueDoppelganger2BlueHeal2GreenGlass Field2Orange/BlueLightbringer2Red/OrangeMad World2Blue/GreenAccountDragonslayers GuildNameYoshikageOversoulProgressHolderKari MatsumotoRememberUnlockedLevel2 (Adept)Channel SoulUnlockedAffinityYellowLocked Feature(1/3)LockOversoulLocked Feature(0/7)Spellcoins16Overlock(0/1)Spell CompendiumNameDotAffinityBabel1BlueWallcraw1GreenPeak1GreenNeedless1GreenWard1YellowDoom Sense1YellowSpiritsight1YellowDeathgem1YellowDreamwalker2YellowHands of Slaughter3Yellow/Violet/RedAccountDragonslayers GuildNameThe Mur!AdamantProgressHolderMurmur the ImpHarderUnlockedLevel2 (Adept)FasterUnlockedAffinityOrangeLocked Feature(0/3)LockAdamantLocked Feature(0/7)Spellcoins33Overlock(0/1)Spell CompendiumNameDotAffinityReinforce1OrangeDiceweight1OrangePitborn2Green/RedAccountDragonslayers GuildNameDocInseminateProgressHolderNathaniel StitchSpawnUnlockedLevel1 (Novice)IncubateUnlockedAffinityGreenLocked Feature(0/3)LockInseminateLocked Feature(0/7)Spellcoins20Overlock(0/1)Spell CompendiumNameDotAffinityPremium Thoughts1BlueDeathgem1YellowAccountDragonslayers GuildNameAceCastlingProgressHolderSaga FreysonSummonedUnlockedLevel2 (Adept)Piercing BoundaryUnlockedAffinityVioletLocked Feature(2/3)LockCastlingLocked Feature(0/7)Spellcoins14Overlock(0/1)Spell CompendiumNameDotAffinitySwitch1VioletPathfinder1VioletTimesense1VioletUrbanstep1VioletSeamancer1OrangeAccel1WhiteDoorway2VioletSplash2Orange/VioletRainmaker2Orange/VioletAccountDragonslayers GuildNameSharpshootSpellgunProgressHolderMaggie Jesse PowellsCrimson BulletUnlockedLevel2 (Adept)Homing BulletUnlockedAffinityRedLocked Feature(0/3)LockSpellgunLocked Feature(0/7)Spellcoins26Overlock(0/1)Spell CompendiumNameDotAffinityStockmight1RedBabel1BlueThunderling2Green/RedBullseye2Violet/BlueAccountDragonslayers GuildNameSolAegisProgressHolderSolomon NicholaeSpell MartyrUnlockedLevel1 (Novice)Locked Feature(0/1)AffinityWhiteLocked Feature(0/3)LockAegisLocked Feature(0/7)Spellcoins22Overlock(0/1)Spell CompendiumNameDotAffinityPeak1GreenNeedless1GreenBabel1BlueQuasar1RedBiosurge1RedReinforce1OrangeEncode1WhiteSpell Syphon1White


    Hack of the Day


    Emergency Exit


    Dot: 3


    Components:Doppelganger+Reload


    Activation: Active, Thought.


    The caster creates a perfect, free-willed quantum duplicate of themselves. It will dissipate if suffering a lethal wound and can neither use spells nor Lock, and unlike a standard Doppelganger the original will gain none of its memory upon death. Should the caster suffer a lethal wound and the double remains active, reality alters itself so the original and the double switch place: the double suffers the wound, while the original appears unharmed at the exact spot the double used to occupy. This is a teleportation and time manipulation effect. The caster can only have one sacrificial double active.

 Chapter 54: Coordinators

    ¡°Level Two is !¡±


    From above one of the frightened monsters¡¯ pens, Shroud looked on with amusement as Maggie practiced her newly obtained Lightningrod spell.


    Lightningrod


    Affinity: Red


    Dot: 2


    Price: 10


    Activation: Passive, Thought.


    The caster can perceive, control, and absorb electricity; while they cannot generate it, they can absorb it within their body for eventual release with no ill effect. All electricity within one meter of the caster is immediately redirected towards them.


    Combined with her Thunderling Hack, it had turned her into a living thunderstorm. Literally. His friend¡¯s features had become almost impossible to distinguish past the torrent of blinding electricity her body generated. Shroud wondered which other spells she would purchase. She had already stockpiled a nice reserve of Spellcoins, even before receiving the influx from the latest Quest.


    Of course, her reaction was nothing compared to Mur¡¯s.


    ¡°Formless!¡± the fiend toyed with extending his arms, before casting another spell. ¡°Reload!¡± He returned to normal in a bright flash of violet, glancing at his flank as if expecting an attack.


    The impish magpie had hoarded his Spellcoins like a dragon hoarded his gold, and cashed in with his new level. However, Shroud noticed that he mostly purchased spells that Mammon had used in the past. Was the imp intentionally attempting to mimic the Midnight King¡¯s fighting style?


    The Network flash made him freeze on place. Did Mur answer to the Maleking?


    Shroud knew peeking into his ally¡¯s mind was a breach of privacy, but the risk of infiltration was too great not to verify¡­ especially after what happened with Melusine and the Administrator¡¯s warnings.


    Sear?h the Nov§×l?ire.n(e)t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    The Blue Sorcerer sighed in relief. It appeared the imp had indeed served the Maleking once, but been relieved of service. Shroud identified with the Administrator a bit more. Even if he had grown to like Mur, if he had threatened the rest of the group¡­ he probably would have acted the same as the Administrator did with him.


    But on the subject of the Maleking¡­


    ¡°Me, calling me,¡± Shroud contacted the clones through Network.


    ¡°Hell there, number one,¡± Number Two replied, managing papers and keeping notes in an unknown desk room. His clones had wisely decided to safeguard information outside of the Palace of Shadows. A pity they didn¡¯t register on Magik Online¡¯s chat system. ¡°How are things going on your end?¡±


    ¡°Fine. I believe we should clear the Lair in two days, give it or take. I also gained enough Spellcoins to purchase the Call spell.¡±


    ¡°Ah yes, Team Two researched the subject in depth,¡± Number Two replied, ¡°I will have them dispelled so you can receive their gathered knowledge and summon new Doppelgangers. They found quite a few Outsiders whom Beastmaster will affect.¡±


    ¡°Dispel Team Five as well,¡± Shroud said. That team had focused on combat training, especially hand to hand, and he now just had the right spell to put it to use available. ¡°Anything else to report?¡±


    ¡°Reavers aren¡¯t going to retaliate against us for Lugh¡¯s death, according to Team Seven¡¯s intel,¡± Number Two said. ¡°They are focusing on preparing for the arrival of their patriarch, Lord Revel. So I have assigned them to investigate Mammon and the Epoch. Investigations on the matter are¡­ troubling.¡±


    ¡°He is preparing for war,¡± Shroud guessed.


    ¡°He¡¯s accumulating a lot of weapons and mercenaries, that we know,¡± Number Two replied. ¡°But what¡¯s more worrying is the prize for the Epoch. Mammon will remain tight-lipped about it until the Epoch¡¯s grand opening, but we heard rumors of one of his owned planets vanishing without a trace.¡±


    Shroud paused. ¡°How can you ¡®vanish¡¯ a planet?¡±


    ¡°It was in the sky, and then in a blink, it was gone. I do not believe this is a coincidence.¡±


    No. No, neither did he. ¡°Not even Ace knows the prize.¡± Shroud had checked. ¡°Keep looking. What about Melusine?¡±


    Number Two shrugged. Another dead end. ¡°The other research?¡±


    ¡°Ongoing. The name of ¡®Malacoda¡¯ is associated with a demon from , the leader of the Malebranche demons guarding the Eighth Circle of Hell, Malebolge, which is right before the deepest and final circle, Cocytus.¡±


    The Malebranche were the name of the Maleking¡¯s cult, and from what Shroud had gathered from glimpses of Network, Cocytus was a place of great significance to them. ¡°Is he given a personality, or is it just a mention?¡±


    ¡°He is portrayed in the poem as a military leader, superficially polite and reasonable, but a deceiver who tricks Dante on the wrong path. As for the idol he used to communicate with Mammon, Sol will probably give you better details than what we came up with. We need time to come back with more.¡±


    ¡°I will wait, then,¡± Shroud replied, ending the communication there.


    He didn¡¯t have to wait more than twenty minutes before a flood of new memories rushed to his brain, the memories of his Doppelgangers¡¯ Team Two and Team Five merging back with him. Pictures of days spent examining , researching books and documents on Outsiders, and paying for expensive classes in hand to hand combat with troll mercenaries.


    Unlike what he expected, the new memories did not conflict with his previous ones; Premium Thoughts allowed him to organize them, like folders inside his brain. Shroud thought, . He made a note to purchase Accel and boost it further once he had more Spellcoins to invest.


    So far, Shroud¡¯s group had gathered most of the non-combat oriented emblems. The Dog had visited the group soon after the Rat trial, speaking of his master visiting him in dream to tell him of Matsumoto¡¯s ¡®exceptional devotion,¡¯ satisfying him into granting her the emblem.


    If the Goat had been right¡ªand while he clearly withheld some information, most of what he spoke of turned out to be true¡ªthen Ox, Horse and Tiger wouldn¡¯t give their emblems without a fight, and they couldn¡¯t obtain the Rooster¡¯s emblem without dealing with those three first. This left only the Dragon¡¯s location as a major mystery.


    He would focus on purchasing tracking or information gathering abilities after the hostile Zodiacs were dealt with. For now, he would focus on obtaining more firepower.


    Shroud opened his spell compendium, considering his options. The Call spell, which he had researched extensively and meshed best with Network, he purchased without a second thought. He had enough funds to purchase one Blue spell, or one belonging to his allied colors, and considering the applications of Network, one option stood above the rest.


    Powersurge


    Affinity: Green


    Dot: 2


    Price: 8


    Activation: Passive, App Switch.


    The user¡¯s physical abilities and physiological processes are supernaturally multiplied beyond the natural limits of their species. In general, the caster¡¯s strength and senses are increased by a factor of ten.


    Superpowered army, anyone?


    He purchased the spell and cast it on himself. For a split second, the world became too much for him. His vision sharpened like that of an eagle, allowing him to see the hidden eyes of the trees around the island, the ants under the grass; and he could hear them, even those on the other shore. Faint scents and smells filled his nose, that of Ace¡¯s perfume and the herbs in Kaguya¡¯s elixirs, and the terrible stench Stitch covered up; and his tongue identified a new taste in his mouth. His sense of touch sharpened, allowing him to sense every small impurity in the glass armor he wore.


    His body quickly adjusted to Powersurge¡¯s effect, and he flexed his muscles. If he could lift up to his usual weight normally, and if it was multiplied by ten¡­ He just needed a cape and a chest symbol, and he could call himself a superhero.


    Shroud decided to take some time to test the spells, especially to check if they could trigger a Hack by merging with his other spells.


    CRACK!


    A purple light spread through every inch of his glass armor, the surface undulating to reflect dozens of alien realities, some covered entirely in water, others screaming, burning hellscapes.


    New Hack Created!


    Master Mirror


    Dot: 3


    Components: Glass Field + Call


    Activation: Active, Thought.


    You can summon magical mirrors binding the Planes of existence together within two meters of yourself ¨C this is a teleportation effect. The mirrors allow you to connect to a Plane of your choosing, whom you can observe through the reflection; you can allow Outsiders to pass through the reflection and into the material universe, although you cannot yourself travel to other Planes nor send anything through from your side of the mirror. Outsiders who cross a mirror are bound to the reflection, and can be recalled back into it with a thought.


    Unfortunately, Shroud suddenly realized that he could no longer control his glass armor with the same degree as with Glass Field, nearly falling into the lake below. He barely had the time to create an armor of solid light with Lightbringer to compensate and regain control of his flight.


    All around him, his lightshards turned inert without the power of Glass Field, dropping on the island.


    Not good.


    Shroud could sense his armor through Master Mirror, raising his palm in front of his eyes. His glass gauntlet reflected a shadowy world, cast in darkness. With a mere thought, he tuned the portal to another plane, one covered with shifting, multicolored sand.


    However, when he commanded the glass take another shape, he didn¡¯t receive a sensory feedback.


    Argh, he could control the gateway part of the mirror, but couldn¡¯t reshape the material the way he did with Glass Field. This limited his range, and he could no longer use lightshards. Neither could he channel Lightbringer through the mirror.


    Shroud thought. The loss of Glass Field affected him more than his other spells. That was the very first Hack he ever triggered, and which served him since the beginning of his career.


    he thought. Master Mirror was an upgrade, and would synergize with Network. And perhaps he could upgrade it with new colors, all the way to Dot 5.


    Happier with the results, Shroud descended, finding Sol practicing the Encode spell a bit farther from the others. ¡°Mathias,¡± Solomon nodded at him. ¡°Your armor changed.¡±


    ¡°It upgraded,¡± Shroud responded. Due to relying on Lightbringer for flight and the portals embedded in the glass plates, the Sorcerer now appeared to be wrapped in a suit of stars. ¡°But I will be less effective in direct combat now.¡±


    ¡°You were always better suited for organizing us from the rear and providing us with cover fire,¡± Sol said, ¡°Leave the vanguard to us.¡±


    ¡°You haven¡¯t leveled up, unlike Mur and Maggie.¡± The knight shook his head. ¡°Until your sidequest is completed, you will remain at level one.¡±


    ¡°There is more than one way to apply strength,¡± Solomon replied. ¡°You could combine weaker spells into stronger ones, can you not?¡±


    Yes, but Sol had so far struggled to trigger a Hack, unlike everyone else but Stitch. Shroud guessed his friend wasn¡¯t very good with Magik¡¯s focus on innovation. He vowed to help him practice. ¡°I have come for your counsel. As a priest.¡±


    ¡°Do you have a sin to confess?¡± Sol arched an eyebrow behind his armor¡¯s visor.


    ¡°Sort of. I spied on Mammon with Network, and I confirmed he is in cahoots with the Maleking,¡± Shroud told him, drawing a vague stretch of the demon¡¯s statue in the dirt. ¡°The latter used this idol to contact Mammon, and since you¡¯re a priest¡­¡±


    ¡°I studied demonology,¡± Solomon confirmed.


    Shroud blinked. ¡°You did?¡±


    ¡°Two years ago, I met a man who made me realize I knew less about the world than I thought, and I set to correct that.¡± The priest¡¯s eyebrows deeply furrowed as Shroud finished this sketch.


    ¡°You recognize it.¡±


    ¡°¡®Then I saw a beast coming up out of the sea, having ten horns and seven heads, and on his horns were ten diadems, and on his heads were blasphemous names,¡¯¡± Sol quoted. ¡°¡®And the whole earth was amazed and followed after the beast; and they worshiped the beast, saying, ¡®Who is like the beast, and who is able to wage war with him?¡¯¡¯¡±


    ¡°The Book of Revelation?¡±


    ¡°Yes, Mathias. This idol is an image of the Beast of the End Times. One of the two. ¡®And I saw another beast rising out of the earth, and it had two horns like a lamb, and it was speaking like a dragon¡± Sol¡¯s frown deepened. ¡°Our recent experiences taught me myths are often , they may not be . Keep that in mind.¡±


    Shroud nodded, remembering how the Maleking appeared to him in dreams. A lamb who spoke like a dragon¡­ ¡°What if there is only one Beast of the End Times, except it takes various shapes?¡±


    ¡°Two enemies¡­ merciless order, and cruel chaos,¡± Sol mused. ¡°Concordia brought magic back to earth, and with it, hostile forces long banished.¡±


    Yes. This very space station proved magical entities once thought extinct remained, and that they had a heavy interest in influencing Earth. Malacoda probably sought to return home after eons of exile.


    But what did the Beast of the Apocalypse want with their old planet? Especially one which had already went through one end of the world already?


    A shiver went down Shroud¡¯s spine, as he came up with the most likely explanation.


    To finish the job.


    Thanks to the Guild¡¯s newest blessing, stepping inside the Vermillion Bird¡¯s Engine in the early morning had become no more bothersome than enjoying a walk in Evermarsh.


    Shroud stepped into the area, flying over the corpse of a bisected giant worm. Mur and Sol had thoroughly cleaned up this part of the Lair. ¡°Are you sure about our plan of attack?¡± Ace questioned him, as she stepped out of the teleporter, alongside every Dragonslayer but one. ¡°We leave our flank exposed to Baihu if we try to conquer the south first.¡±


    ¡°And we risk an undead attack interrupting our takeover of the Western Area if we do not deal with the problem first. I can always oversee Baihu¡¯s movements as long as Network functions on him, but the spirits are unpredictable.¡± Considering that taking over Baihu¡¯s fortress would probably be their toughest challenge, he would rather avoid jeopardizing this one. ¡°Also, solving the undead problem will grant us more Spellcoins and bring Stitch one Quest closer to Level Two, which will boost our firepower further.¡±


    ¡°Although I have purchased a spell which I hope will prove helpful,¡± Stitch said, ever polite, even though he regretted not bringing his larvae with him. Shroud wanted to keep them in reserve for Concordia. ¡°I would prefer to invest in non-combat powers, especially sensory abilities.¡±


    ¡°Everyone fights,¡± Mur insisted, Shroud agreeing with him, ¡°Even you, Doc.¡±


    ¡°I understand,¡± the doctor nodded politely, ¡°I simply say I will help more with other tasks. To each their own niche.¡±


    ¡°Sensory powers can have combat application,¡± Kari stated, ¡°Like my old Killer Sense.¡±


    ¡°Especially if combined with a boost from Powersurge,¡± Shroud butted in, ¡°Which I will assign you since your knowledge compensates for the Heal spell.¡±


    ¡°You should have purchased Peak,¡± Kari said. ¡°With Powersurge.¡±


    After a quick check on her account, Shroud confirmed she had purchased that spell herself. ¡°That sounded redundant,¡± Shroud replied, ¡°One increases your physical abilities to perfection, the other multiply them.¡±


    ¡°An Olympic boxer made ten times stronger will prevail over a bookworm ten times stronger,¡± Kari pointed out. ¡°Five hundred kilos multiplied by ten is better than fifty by ten.¡±


    ¡°I can lift more than fifty kilos naturally,¡± Shroud defended himself, wounded by the implication he didn¡¯t keep himself in shape. ¡°Also, I¡¯m broke.¡±


    Ace didn¡¯t let go of her reservations. ¡°We are one member short,¡± she pointed out.


    Unfortunately. They had to leave Maggie behind at the base, due to her headband making her a liability in case of a direct confrontation; until she had gotten rid of it¡ªand even Stitch hadn¡¯t found a method to safely remove it¡ªshe would remain benched.


    Unfortunately, he wasn¡¯t willing to wait further for Maggie to unlock that headband, not with the Baihu deadline approaching. A few more days and Shroud could no longer watch him.


    If anything, being forced to sit out of the battle had hit her enough to focus on her trial; Bai Suzhen promised to help her with meditation, even asking Shroud to assign Maggie Premium Thoughts so she could focus more. Shroud hoped her coaching would show results. Being deprived of a good fighter was one thing, Maggie losing her self-esteem and confidence was another.


    ¡°We will manage,¡± Shroud replied firmly. ¡°Sol? Please lead the way to the Ox and the Horse.¡±


    ¡°With pleasure,¡± the priest replied.


    Although the temperature could no longer harm him, it applied pressure on his Mirror Armor, heating it up. He hoped none of his friends¡¯ clothes wouldn¡¯t catch fire.


    Since Sol and Mur had already cleaned most of the level on their own, no monsters bothered them on the way to the Zodiac. In fact, to Shroud¡¯s surprise, most of the locals simply observed the group from afar; a giant beast which the Sorcerer mistook for a lava shark circled around them as they moved from one metal platform to another, but remained distant and dived back under the lava when Mur threatened them.


    When Shroud noticed a group of reptilian, humanoid beasts watching from afar on another shore of the molten lava river, he received a Network flash that clarified the situation.


    The wardens of this area expected a visit. ¡°Guys, prepare for battle,¡± Shroud told the group, as he modified the various assigned spells. ¡°Mur, Sol, I am assigning you Powersurge. Ace, you get Heal. Remember the plan of attack. If Bai Suzhen¡¯s information is correct, we need to break them up in order to secure a quick victory.¡±


    ¡°Danger ahead,¡± Kari warned, summoning the light of Oversoul. The various Dragonslayers cast their buffing spells if they hadn¡¯t already.


    The Ox and the Horse came into sight, waiting for them near the pit they guarded, standing on a platform surrounded by molten steel. The space around had the shape of a dome, large enough to fit a football stadium, and giving Shroud and Sol space to fly.


    The second the group stepped on the arena¡¯s floor, the two Zodiacs raised their weapons. An armor of stones and bricks materialized around every patch of the Ox¡¯s fur, covering him entirely except for his eyes, and he ran at the Sorcerers with uncanny speed; while the Horse summoned flames around his mace, waving it with the grace of a dancer.


    Without a word, the Dragonslayers dispersed as per the planned formation, the Ox¡¯s trident impaling only air. Shroud and Sol took flight and aimed for the Horse, Ace summoned the rain, Kari and Stitch circled the Ox, and Mur fired with his minigun at the latter.


    The bullets, even if reinforced, failed to fully pierce the stone armor. Shroud suspected the Ox had cast Reinforce on his armor or increased the stone¡¯s density to improve its resistance to damage.


    Seeing the uselessness of his minigun, Mur tossed it away and swung his hammer, aiming for a melee duel. Kari, red, ethereal hands manifesting around her, circumvented the Ox and prepared to backstab him. The Zodiac, surrounded from all sides, cast off parts of his armor, stone bullets moving on their own and firing from all sides. Mur shielded himself with his arms, the metal plates of Adamant pushing back some of the projectiles but letting others pierce his exposed stomach, while Kari¡¯s protective hands deflected everything.


    Meanwhile, Horse-Face, swinging his weapon, unleashed a volley of bluish flames at the Dragonslayers, the projectiles bouncing back against Sol¡¯s armor, and while they hit Shroud himself, not only did he not feel them, they quickly extinguished on their own. Hino-Kagutsuchi¡¯s blessing protecting him.


    Sol, the fastest of the two fliers, assaulted the Horse Zodiac with his shining blade, while Shroud supported him with solid light projectiles. The Horse parried Sol¡¯s blade with his own weapon, but thanks to Powersurge¡¯s strength boost stacking with his own enhancements and armor, the knight pushed the giant horse back. The Zodiac summoned a cloak of flames around himself, trying to incinerate the knight.


    Meanwhile, the rest of the team struggled with the Ox, who had identified Kari as the most pressing threat and attempted to smash her into a bloody paste; autonomous stone projectiles kept Mur pinned down, piercing his legs. The imp¡¯s enhanced body caused them to bounce back off him.


    Ace had summoned heavy rain clouds in spite of the temperature, but the droplets turned into steam before they could hit the ground. So instead of teleporting, she had to run on foot to reach Mur. She repeatedly cast the Heal spell on him, helping him regenerate from his wounds until his Lock could fully complete his transformation.


    Stitch, who had invested in multiple sensory spell such as Intuimotion, and enhanced by Powersurge, moved with an uncanny agility. He dodged every projectile and grabbed scalpels hidden under his sleeves; his movements may have lacked Kari¡¯s grace, he improved quickly. Once he ¡®danced¡¯ all the way up to the Ox, he launched his weapons at his eyes, the only exposed vulnerabilities. With the sheer strength behind the attack, the weapons flew through the air faster than arrows.


    The stones making up the Ox¡¯s armor rearranged to cover his eyes, shielding them from the attack, but leaving the giant warrior briefly blinded. Kari immediately seized the opportunity to close the gap between her and him, her Hands of Slaughter smashing the Ox¡¯s left knee with enough force to breach the stone armor. The warrior fell, unable to move.


    Horse, finally understanding he couldn¡¯t overcome the group¡¯s fire immunity, switched tactics. He detonated a fireball right in front of Sol¡¯s face, the detonation forcefully pushing both fighters backward. He attempted to rush to his friend¡¯s side, but Sol intercepted him first, keeping the duo separated.


    By now, the steam covered the battlefield, reducing visibility for the various fighters¡­ except for the one who could see through everyone¡¯s eyes.


    Shroud remembered Bai Suzhen¡¯s intel. Horse could mentally control fire, and Ox earth. Ox focused on offense and Horse on defense. Excellent teamwork honed through centuries. The Dragonslayers needed to isolate them to prevail.


    Watching their abilities, Shroud realized they didn¡¯t use sorcery. The Sorcerer couldn¡¯t put a finger on why, but he couldn¡¯t recognize these abilities as the same as Dirt Call or Immolator. They were primitive, ancient, unrefined.


    Shroud hid himself in a blanket of steam, the entire reason he had Ace summon the rain, and activated Mirror Master by opening his palm towards the Horse Zodiac. ¡°Come to me, Androsphinx!¡±


    A purple flash erupted from his hand, the small shape of a winged, golden lion flying out of an endless desert and into the arena. The creature quickly grew to an elephant¡¯s size, extending its wings and revealing shining eyes and sharp diamond fangs. The majestic beast roared in bloodlust, its primal intellect subsumed by Shroud¡¯s Beastmaster.


    Sphinx counted as fairy beasts. Go figure.


    Shroud created a double of himself on the summoned beast¡¯s back, to serve as a decoy. Thankfully, although the armor lacked the portals embedded in the mirrors, the double also shared Hino-Kagutsuchi¡¯s fire blessing. Shroud noted that particularity for future use.


    The double rode the sphinx down to attack the Horse, while Shroud watched through his and Sol¡¯s eyes. Although bearing an inhuman face, the Horse Zodiac¡¯s eyes betrayed his surprise at the new attacker, mistaking the clone for the real Shroud. Once again swinging his fiery mace, he attempted to push the rider back but found himself struggling against both the beast and Sol at once.


    Shroud, while unable to get a direct vision of the battle, had enough visual information thanks to Network. Enough to calculate an angle of attack.


    Materializing a sword of light, Shroud aimed, and threw it.


    The blade flew through the steam, broke past the surprised Horse¡¯s guard, and grazed the fur just below the chin without drawing blood.


    If he had wanted, he could have sliced the Horse¡¯s head off, but purposefully missed by a few centimeters. The Horse¡¯s head jerked towards the cloud of steam, understanding the not-so-subtle message.


    But it was Mur who gave the coup de grace, surging out of the steam fully metamorphosed into a titan of metal and leaping at the Ox, whom Stitch and Kari kept pinned in place. ¡°Reinforce!¡± the iron fiend snarled while high on his own sorcery, enhancing his weapon one last time. The Ox, fast, raised his trident to parry and unleashed a volley of stone bullets.


    The bullets bounced off Mur¡¯s metal body, the fiend¡¯s hammer smashed the other weapon like a twig and stomped the Ox¡¯s head.


    The sheer force of the impact unleashed a shockwave so powerful, it blasted all the steam around and made the ground tremble. Ox-Head¡¯s stone helmet shattered into tiny pieces, his left horn cracked under the pressure, and the titan hit the floor with a loud crash while Mur laughed.


    He didn¡¯t rise up, lying inert on the ground.


    ¡°Enough,¡± Horse-Face suddenly spoke up. His voice was low-pitched, enough to surprise Shroud. ¡°You win.¡±


    To punctuate his words, he tossed his weapon into the lava. ¡°Stop!¡± Shroud ordered, and the Dragonslayers and his double stopped moving. Well, except Mur, who kept laughing in triumph. ¡°Ace, please heal the wounded.¡±


    The Violet Sorceress moved to the Ox¡¯s side, casting spells on him. Shroud landed on the floor, pleased with the results.


    The plan had worked much better than expected! Even Ace looked at him with an amazed expression. ¡°See?¡± Shroud told her. ¡°Flawless victory.¡±


    ¡°Yes, braggart, but that¡¯s not why I¡¯m surprised.¡± Ace looked up at the sorcerer¡¯s double riding the sphinx, then at Mur. ¡°I just realized how truly overpowered your Lock is if applied right.¡±


    The Horse Zodiac moved to help his compatriot back to his feet. ¡°Are you well, comrade?¡±


    ¡°It hurt,¡± the Ox replied, his voice gruff and groggy. He clearly couldn¡¯t stand straight without help yet, even after repeated use of the Heal spell. ¡°This fiend, gave me a new battle scar, but I will live.¡±


    ¡°They are stronger than expected, comrade.¡±


    ¡°Agreed,¡± Ox-Head replied, looking at the team. ¡°You fight as one. This is what we wanted, needed to see.¡±


    ¡°Individual power can achieve a great many things, sometimes it can even change the world,¡± his fellow explained. ¡°But it cannot buy lasting peace. Our masters could not fight as one, and it cost them the world. Even now, they bicker.¡±


    ¡°You could have tested our teamwork without unleashing an undead army on the space station,¡± Ace condemned them.


    ¡°We did not,¡± Ox-Head said, sheepish. ¡°Not truly.¡±


    ¡°Our power has been waning since the reaping ten years ago,¡± Horse-Face said. ¡°Your natural magic weakens as your sorcery grows stronger.


    ¡°Knowing of our Master¡¯s decision to invite challengers, we sought to economize our reserves so we might put you to test in the right conditions,¡± his fellow continued. ¡°The power we displayed today, will never shine as brightly again. But we will return to our duties, knowing that the future is in your good hands.¡±


    Shroud frowned. ¡°You are all getting weaker,¡± he guessed, piecing the puzzle together, ¡°Not just you. The entire Zodiac.¡±


    Horse-Face confirmed with a nod. ¡°Bai Suzhen¡¯s cultivation process slowed down, needing pills to continue; Baihu feels his power wane and it scares him; we all waste away.¡±


    ¡°The power you call Flux is not natural, and neither is the sorcery it powers,¡± Ox-Head said. ¡°They are an intrusive force seeping into the universe, slowly displacing what came before, rewriting the laws of the world in their favor. Both have been siphoning our original, natural powers, as humans cut through forests to fuel their forges. The Godwar halted the inevitable, but the process began anew when the towers rose.¡±


    ¡°In time, we either lose our powers and wither away, or rarely, embrace the machines¡¯ power as Rat did. Once, all of mankind could achieve immortality through cultivation, see the future in the stars, or delve into the higher mysteries; now, there is only Sorcery. What it cannot assimilate, it devours.¡±


    ¡°Progress Mur says,¡± the fiend declared. ¡°Power is power, no matter where it comes from.¡±


    ¡°Perhaps,¡± Horse-Head said. ¡°But power with a will of its own is never truly yours.¡±


    ¡°You proved yourself worthy of it, and our emblems,¡± Ox-Face said. ¡°We shall return to our duty.¡±


    ¡°Return us the soul gems you gathered,¡± Horse-Head said. ¡°We will return them to the pit and Naraka, and the cycle will begin again. Properly, this time.¡±


    Shroud nodded in agreement, a familiar message notifying him of the reward for this service.


    Quest: the Restful Dead, fulfilled!


    Each Dragonslayer except Sharpshoot earned fifteen Spellcoins!


    Maggie wouldn¡¯t like it.


    Still, with the spirit problem solved, not only could they rest at night, they could claim the Rooster¡¯s emblem, leaving only the Tiger, the Dragon, and the Goat.


    Time to conquer the last area.


    Players'' StatsAccount


    Dragonslayers Guild Moderator


    (Pending Judgment)


    NameShroudNetworkProgressHolderMathias MartelBroadcastUnlockedLevel2 (Adept)Grant SpellUnlockedAffinityBlueSynergizeUnlockedLockNetworkLocked Feature(0/7)Spellcoins13Overlock(0/1)Stored Saves5Save?Load?Spell CompendiumNameDotAffinityPremium Thoughts1BlueBabel1BluePurge1GreenBeastmaster2BlueMindshield2BlueDoppelganger2BlueHeal2GreenPowersurge2GreenLightbringer2Red/OrangeMad World2Blue/GreenMaster Mirror3Blue/Orange/VioletAccountDragonslayers GuildNameYoshikageOversoulProgressHolderKari MatsumotoRememberUnlockedLevel2 (Adept)Channel SoulUnlockedAffinityYellowLocked Feature(1/3)LockOversoulLocked Feature(0/7)Spellcoins21Overlock(0/1)Spell CompendiumNameDotAffinityBabel1BlueWallcraw1GreenPeak1GreenNeedless1GreenWard1YellowDoom Sense1YellowSpiritsight1YellowDeathgem1YellowDreamwalker2YellowPowersurge2GreenHands of Slaughter3Yellow/Violet/RedAccountDragonslayers GuildNameThe Mur!AdamantProgressHolderMurmur the ImpHarderUnlockedLevel2 (Adept)FasterUnlockedAffinityOrangeLocked Feature(0/3)LockAdamantLocked Feature(0/7)Spellcoins30Overlock(0/1)Spell CompendiumNameDotAffinityReinforce1OrangeDiceweight1OrangePitborn2Green/RedFormless2OrangeReload2VioletAccountDragonslayers GuildNameDocInseminateProgressHolderNathaniel StitchSpawnUnlockedLevel1 (Novice)IncubateUnlockedAffinityGreenLocked Feature(0/3)LockInseminateLocked Feature(0/7)Spellcoins16Overlock(0/1)Spell CompendiumNameDotAffinityPremium Thoughts1BlueIntuimotion1BluePsychometry1BlueDeathgem1YellowDoom Sense1YellowTimesense1VioletAccountDragonslayers GuildNameAceCastlingProgressHolderSaga FreysonSummonedUnlockedLevel2 (Adept)Piercing BoundaryUnlockedAffinityVioletLocked Feature(2/3)LockCastlingLocked Feature(0/7)Spellcoins27Overlock(0/1)Spell CompendiumNameDotAffinitySwitch1VioletPathfinder1VioletTimesense1VioletUrbanstep1VioletSeamancer1OrangeAccel1WhiteDoorway2VioletSplash2Orange/VioletRainmaker2Orange/VioletAccountDragonslayers GuildNameSharpshootSpellgunProgressHolderMaggie Jesse PowellsCrimson BulletUnlockedLevel2 (Adept)Homing BulletUnlockedAffinityRedLocked Feature(0/3)LockSpellgunLocked Feature(0/7)Spellcoins6Overlock(0/1)Spell CompendiumNameDotAffinityStockmight1RedBabel1BlueAccel1WhiteThunderling2Green/RedBullseye2Violet/BlueSoundwave2RedLightningrod2RedAccountDragonslayers GuildNameSolAegisProgressHolderSolomon NicholaeSpell MartyrUnlockedLevel1 (Novice)Locked Feature(0/1)AffinityWhiteLocked Feature(0/3)LockAegisLocked Feature(0/7)Spellcoins28Overlock(0/1)Spell CompendiumNameDotAffinityPeak1GreenNeedless1GreenBabel1BlueBlue World1BlueQuasar1RedBiosurge1RedReinforce1OrangeEncode1WhiteSpell Syphon1WhiteAccel1White


    Hack of the Day


    Inteldrain


    Dot: 2


    Components: Premium Thoughts + Purge


    Activation: Active, Direct Touch Vector.


    You can drain a specific mental information from the mind of a target on direct touch contact. This does not allow for mind-reading; you must be aware of the information¡¯s existence before casting the spell and you cannot check it before draining it. Otherwise, the nature of the information you may harvest is broad, from a memory, to entire sets of skills. The victim loses the target information, which can translate as permanent loss of a memory; however, the victim is always aware an information was forcefully taken, even if the memory of the erasure has been removed.

 Chapter 55: The Strongest Zodiac

    Maggie Powells and Kari Matsumoto sat in a lotus position under the lifeforge, their eyes closed. Kari looked peaceful, while Maggie, not so much.


    ¡°Exhale,¡± Bai Suzhen, who commanded the exercise, advised. ¡°Focus on your body¡¯s sensations. Let the air flow from your lungs to the outside world.¡±


    Shroud watched his friends¡¯ exercise, having declined joining them. Their reactions interested him more than the act itself. Stitch also had declined due to his obvious lack of breath, while Ace prepared the groundwork for the final push for Baihu¡¯s emblem.


    As for Mur, the imp had just laughed the exercise off as ridiculous, before chasing after Baihu¡¯s scouts lurking in the South Area. With the end of night attacks, the Tiger had finally decided to send monsters to collect wood for his forge.


    So far, Baihu had remained strangely passive. With the various revelations he had crossed together, Shroud finally understood why. Leading species on the verge of extinction made him wary about wasting them, especially against challengers instead of the Concordian Empire. Defenders generally held an advantage in siege warfare, especially since the West Area didn¡¯t depend on others to survive. He could afford to pick waiting for the Dragonslayers to crash against his walls, since they needed the emblem while sending scouts to check on them.


    The fact the Tiger had consciously avoided going through the north bothered Shroud though. Why did that arrogant feline avoid the Goat at all costs?


    ¡°Maggie,¡± Bai Suzhen told the one member of the dragonslayers unable to stay on place. ¡°You are not focusing.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m trying¡­¡± she hissed but didn¡¯t curse back. Shroud took it as her learning the lesson.


    ¡°And you are making progress.¡±


    ¡°I better do, I lost fifteen Spellcoins because of this anger management class,¡± Maggie replied, clearly annoyed.


    ¡°Then empty your mind, let go of your emotions¡­¡± Maggie¡¯s jaw clenched in annoyance, but her mouth remained shut. ¡°Kari, you are doing very well.¡±


    Indeed. Shroud checked her Magik account and noticed her number of side-quests had gone up. She might upgrade her Lock by the end of it.


    Shroud left to check on the other members of the team. Ace finished created purple doorways in the Pig¡¯s hidden hub, linking areas together.


    With Doorways, Ace could create temporary portals between two doorways, from arches to doors, as long as they were within ten kilometers of one another. Twenty, if she boosted the spell with Accel. By creating four doorways, linking the island to the hub, and then the hub to Baihu¡¯s area, she had created a road circumventing the teleporters. No need to crawl through the small, dangerous tunnels to move East from West.


    Shroud had considered sending the entire monster army through and blindside Baihu, until the meeting with the Ox and the Horse. Being responsible for a bloodbath when the species present on Taiyougami were on the decline bothered him; he would send in the monsters only if the fight with Baihu went off the rails.


    They would keep that strategy for Concordia.


    Stitch called through his Network feed.


    ¡°What is it?¡± Shroud whispered back, moving away from the meditation training ground so as not to bother them.


    ¡°I¡¯m coming.¡± Shroud left the women to their training to move around the island, towards Stitch¡¯s location. The medic had set a makeshift laboratory for spell experimentation near the bridge, alongside Sol, testing out various applications of the Encode spell, or even trying to activate Hacks.


    Shroud told himself to check the Player forums after the Baihu problem was dealt with. He had put it off for too long, waiting until he could gather more Spellcoins to invest. While he wanted to keep a reserve for Level Three, he intended to upgrade some of his outdated spells, like Purge. Perhaps Players had found helpful Hack formulas for it.


    He would also need to recreate Glass Field; without it, the armor he currently wore had turned into an impactical prison which he couldn¡¯t take off without outside help or damaging it. The more he thought of it, triggering Hacks using spells he had come to use as crutches would prove more trouble than it was worth.


    The Blue Sorcerer found his teammates having set a protective perimeter around the Dungeon Core, namely surrounding it with the spell-encoded bombs they had used against the spirits a few days earlier. Sol stood watch in full armor, while Stitch worked on a potion alongside the Rabbit Zodiac.


    ¡°Ah, sir,¡± Stitch said upon noticing him, while Sol kept his eyes on the core. ¡°Good to see you.¡±


    ¡°I see you didn¡¯t waste time,¡± Shroud commented, noticing a stockpile of rounded stones near Stitch. ¡°New bombs?¡±


    ¡°Solomon encoded the Blue World spell in them, set to activate upon sufficient shock applied. I suggested distributing them to our less spell-equipped allies to throw at the enemy.¡±


    ¡°You created spell grenades,¡± Shroud whistled. ¡°Impressive.¡±


    ¡°I wish I could claim this discovery, but I am only reverse-engineering Concordian weapons I have observed in my unlife.¡±


    Of course, Concordia would mass-produce that kind of goods.


    ¡°The doctor is so good!¡± Kaguya praised him. ¡°He improved my healing potions thrice over!¡±


    Not surprising. Timesense. Doom Sense. Psychometry, Intuimotion, Pathfinder, Alchemic Grasp, Spiritsight¡­ Stitch had purchased just about every sensory spell he could get his dead hands on at Level One. He clearly optimized himself for his research.


    ¡°I have produced batches of an accelerated regeneration pill,¡± Stitch explained. ¡°Not as potent as your own Heal spell, sir, but useful in a pinch. With a better lab, I could mass-produce them.¡±


    ¡°Stockpile them for now, alongside your weaponry,¡± Shroud said. In time, they would empower a full human insurgency on Earth.


    Sol hadn¡¯t moved from his watchful stance, however. This caught Shroud¡¯s attention. ¡°The core is dangerous, is it not?¡±


    ¡°Very,¡± Solomon said.


    ¡°I found a way to accelerate the hatching,¡± Stitch said. ¡°The key was Green Flux exposure, sir. I understood when you activated the Lifeforge. The dragon feeds.¡± Sear?h the Nov§×l?ire.n(e)t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    ¡°The dragon?¡± Shroud interrupted Stitch, his hands clenching.


    ¡°My spells confirmed this is no stone,¡± Stitch said. ¡°This is an egg, sir. More specifically, a dragon egg.¡±


    Shroud glared at the shining core with such intensity the Moon Rabbit cowered. He couldn¡¯t help himself. ¡°Explain.¡±


    ¡°Not a Concordian dragon, mind you, sir,¡± Stitch said hurriedly. The tension coming from the Blue Sorcerer must have been palpable. ¡°An eastern variant, long thought extinct. I heard these ones followed a cycle of reincarnation, unlike their Midgardian cousins, returning to the state of an egg after suffering lethal wounds; only when their core is destroyed, are they truly destroyed. With my new spell enhancements, I recognized it as it was.¡±


    ¡°And you didn¡¯t inform me of this?¡± Shroud hissed at Kaguya, who lowered her ears.


    ¡°I, I didn¡¯t know, I swear.¡± The Rabbit insisted. ¡°But Dragon is very nice! You have nothing to fear from him.¡±


    ¡°So the Goat gave us a poisoned gift since the beginning,¡± Shroud muttered. ¡°To think we looked everywhere for the Dragon Zodiac only to carry it across this place. I should have known these creatures fed on the death of others.¡±


    ¡°I do not think so,¡± Stitch said, ¡°Dragons naturally adapt to their environment at an accelerated rate, sometimes undergoing multiple metamorphoses during their lifetime. I believe this particularity, combined with a Flux-heavy environment, is the reason for the high sorcerer rate among their population. Our challenger may have granted us the egg hoping to trigger a specific reaction.¡±


    ¡°So the Zodiac provided us this egg, hoping it would, what, copy some of our powers?¡±


    ¡°This sounds like the most likely explanation, sir.¡±


    ¡°Mathias,¡± Sol butted in, having kept a hand on his sword since the beginning. ¡°What do we do with it?¡±


    Shroud crossed his arms, himself unsure. He loathed dragons with every fiber of his being, even one technically allied with them, and the idea of having strengthened it disgusted him. Yet they needed its emblem to go forward. ¡°How did you intend to hatch it?¡±


    ¡°Intense exposure to Flux, particularly Green,¡± Stitch said. ¡°I would have used the spell Growth on it, had I the level to purchase it. Instead, I suggest you, sir, cast Heal on the shell. The resulting surge of Green Flux should overstimulate its growth process, and hatch it in controlled conditions. We can terminate it with a specific word. It is under control.¡±


    Meaning, surrounded by mines to blow it up should it turn dangerous. Kaguya was aghast when she realized that. ¡°You want to blow up an egg! An egg!¡±


    ¡°If it proves dangerous,¡± Stitch replied with cold professionalism. Even Sol, who would have frowned upon such tactic, did not voice an objection.


    ¡°This could be the Lair¡¯s final boss,¡± Shroud said, although nobody else understood his video game jargon.


    ¡°But Dragon is nice!¡± Kaguya insisted, ¡°You have nothing to fear!¡±


    Shroud ignored her, flying towards the core and landing near the egg. The ¡®stone¡¯ now shone with a bright light, having fed on the Dragonslayers¡¯ experience and struggles through the Lair.


    Withdisgust, Shroud put his hand on the eggshell, feeling the warmth and life inside. ¡°Heal.¡± A surge of Green Flux covered the egg, to no effect. ¡°Heal.¡±


    Heal.


    Again, and again. ¡°Did you make a mistake?¡± Kaguya asked as the Blue Sorcerer kept casting his spell to no avail.


    ¡°I am not wrong,¡± Stitch insisted.


    He wasn¡¯t. Shroud sensed the warmth increase. In between spells, he paused just long enough to purchase a spell he should have gotten long ago. ¡°Heal.¡±


    This time, it did the trick.


    The stone shook on its own, Shroud instantly flying away back to Sol¡¯s side, just in case. The stone unleashed a radiant, vibrant flare of energy, becoming light itself. The energy shifted, morphing away from the shape of a stone to that of a serpentine creature, much smaller than Bai Suzhen, yet still awe-inspiring.


    The light soon died out, revealing a flying beast of legends, a blue Asian dragon with scales of varying shade of deep blue and green. Shroud¡¯s own colors, the sorcerer realized. The creature didn¡¯t look like the primeval Smokefang, but as a long serpent with four legs and a white mane, and bright golden eyes showcasing deep intelligence. And between horns, the animal proudly displayed the dragon emblem.


    Quest, the Dungeon Core, completed!


    All Dragonslayers earned Seven Spellcoins! Doc reached Level 2!


    Yet all Shroud could feel at the sight was disgust.


    He knew it was irrational, and probably undeserved. But he hated that creature¡¯s kind with every fiber of his being, almost as much as he despised Jack Powells.


    ¡°Dragon!¡± Kaguya leaped to the creature¡¯s side. Shroud feared the mines would blow her up, but whatever conditions Stitch and Sol had set for activation didn¡¯t trigger. ¡°You¡¯re back!¡±


    The beast nuzzled the rabbit with an animalistic growl, too young to form words. ¡°Interesting,¡± Stitch said, approaching to examine the beast. ¡°It appears dragons cannot speak in their early larval stage. How interesting to examine one in the wild!¡±


    ¡°Just take the emblem,¡± Shroud replied, as he turned away from the scene.


    Sol stopped him by putting a hand on his shoulder. ¡°Mathias, it did nothing to you.¡±


    ¡°I know, but just watching it makes me want to vomit.¡± The Blue Sorcerer brushed it off. ¡°What was the point of that exercise?¡±


    ¡°Teach us kindness and compassion, mayhaps.¡±


    ¡°Towards dragons?¡± Shroud laughed. ¡°This is ridiculous. What is there to feel compassionate about?¡±


    ¡°You defeat enemies when you make them your friends,¡± Sol replied. ¡°Sometimes, angels fight evil with flaming swords, and sometimes with understanding.¡±


    ¡°What is there to understand about Concordia? About the Maleking? The former is a tyrannical empire, the second the beast of the end times. The one value in understanding the enemy is realizing how to destroy it.¡±


    ¡°Some people are too unreasonable to ever be talked out of their way of thinking,¡± Solomon conceded. ¡°But I fear that if we consider the opposite side as purely evil without considering where they come from, we become tempted to take a wicked path ourselves. The road to Hell is not only paved with good intentions, but also with self-justifications.¡±


    Shroud frowned, before somehow his thoughts trailed to Jack Powells, perhaps the one person he ever met that could be called pure, unredeemable evil. While Smokefang had at least the reason¡ªbut not the excuse¡ªof his lack of sorcery and culture driving him to a dangerous path, Jack had no reason to turn out the way he did. He just did.


    Evil existed in this world, and it had to be destroyed, no questions asked.


    Still, something which Jack told him bothered Shroud. ¡°Jack once told me Locks had a purpose.¡±


    ¡°You were granted the power to understand others, Mathias, and make them work together,¡± Solomon nodded, ¡°Do not waste it.¡±


    He had no answer to this.


    As per his schedule, Baihu had fallen asleep.


    ¡°It¡¯s time,¡± he told the gathered Dragonslayers, as they stood in front of a stone archway crafted by Mur, and turned into a doorway by Ace. His eyes set on Maggie longer than most, especially the headband around her head.


    ¡°This sucks,¡± Maggie said, sounding more tired than angry. ¡°Anger management classes suck.¡±


    They couldn¡¯t wait longer. Network would soon stop working on Baihu, blinding Shroud. They had to try now. ¡°You can help without fighting,¡± he said. Shroud hesitated to bench her again, as he feared it would destroy whatever confidence she had left. He had adapted their tactics accordingly; and besides, he had learned everything to know about Baihu. ¡°In fact, your role may be the most important one.¡±


    ¡°Whatever,¡± she replied, glancing away and not believing him.


    Shroud sighed, his eyes turning to the operation¡¯s field leader. ¡°I dissipated enough doubles to manifest twenty-five Doppelgangers,¡± Shroud told Kari.


    The young woman didn¡¯t say a word.


    ¡°I know you do not want to rely on the Grant Spell feature of Network,¡± Shroud declared. ¡°But out of all of us, you are the one with the most spell buffs, which will carry over to your doubles. Even Mur cannot reach this trick¡¯s full potential without Pitborn carrying over.¡± He wondered what prevented Doppelganger from noticing Hacks.


    ¡°I am still wary of this power,¡± she said, ¡°This is your Lock, not mine. And relying on someone else makes me uncomfortable.¡±


    ¡°I know,¡± Shroud said. ¡°But I smell a ¡®but¡¯?¡±


    ¡°But¡­¡± Kari frowned. ¡°I have seen where never trusting others lead; to Uncle. I do not want to make the same mistake, and your power can give us an edge. If we want to take back our home, we need to exploit it. It would be selfish of me to sacrifice the greater picture for my sake.¡±


    ¡°So you will agree? At least for this time?¡± Kari nodded, although with some hesitation. ¡°Thank you. I know this isn¡¯t easy for you.¡±


    She took his hand without a word, and Shroud sensed the jolt of Network reactivate. He granted her the Doppelganger spell, and she created her first copy.


    He made twenty copies of herself, while Should kept the rest of his ¡®slots¡¯ in reserve. Combined with Stitch¡¯s larvae and monsters, and the summons he kept in reserve, they had a force fifty members strong, most of them enhanced with Powersurge. Considering the force multiplier involved, they might as well be five thousand.


    Not that he would deploy all of them. Only the Dragonslayers would suffice for this operation.


    Unfortunately, Shroud wouldn¡¯t be part of them today. ¡°It¡¯s the first time I truly command from the rear,¡± he said. ¡°It is strange.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s necessary,¡± Sol replied. ¡°If Baihu defeats you, all our enhancements may fall down, and you are our coordination lynchpin. You cannot let incoming attacks distract you from it.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s just, what if it goes wrong? What if you need me in a pinch and I cannot reach you fast enough?¡±


    ¡°Mathias, we will not be able to rely on you all the time,¡± Sol said, giving him a pat on the shoulder, ¡°Do you remember what I told you once? Trusting someone is also giving them the ability to make mistakes, and no plan is ever foolproof. You will help far more coordinating us, and we will manage.¡±


    If this Lair truly was meant to train the Dragonslayers and allow them to experiment, he might as well attempt tactics he intended for Concordia. An open assault would be out of the question, but not takedowns and assassinations. They just had to secure the palace and defeat Baihu to claim the last area, not devastate it with monsters.


    Overall, it should go well. Sol had encoded everyone¡¯s clothes and weapons with Reinforce, to trigger in case of attack, Kari¡¯s doubles carried bags of spell grenades with them, and everyone had upgraded their spell selection. Shroud¡¯s own surveillance had allowed him to map the area and Baihu¡¯s palace, information he had every teammate memorize. With Shroud directing them from afar, it should, in theory, go as well as the Ox and Horse battle.


    In theory.


    ¡°Good luck,¡± he told the other Dragonslayers, as they walked into Ace¡¯s portal, Maggie and Stitch going first, followed by Kari and Mur.


    ¡°Try to keep an eye on the sleeping tiger, handsome.¡± Ace winked at him, as she closed the march with Sol, leaving Shroud alone.


    The sorcerer sat in the grass and opened all Network feeds available, before casting a new spell on himself. ¡°Accel Premium Thoughts.¡±


    He didn¡¯t notice any noticeable change, at least not now; base Premium Thought had been enough to coordinate the group and keep track of the feeds before.


    Using Ace¡¯s teleportation pathway, the group stepped through an isolated corner in the Western Area¡¯s walled city, silent in the night. Kari¡¯s doubles crawled on the walls to reach the roofs and dispersed, while the main group walked on foot. ¡°Accel Soundwave,¡± Maggie cast, ¡°Accel Quasar.¡±


    With the enhanced Soundwave spell, Maggie could control sound within a twenty meters radius; and she deflected light with Quasar, as Shroud did when he still used the spell on Earth. Combining both abilities, she had created a vast protective zone where the group could move silent and invisible.


    Through the eyes of Kari¡¯s clones moving around with discretion, Shroud had a perfect view of the perimeter. Baihu¡¯s monsters patrolled the streets below, especially near the palace, with lanterns, but hadn¡¯t noticed the team yet. ¡°Dragonslayers, take a corner to the right, and walk in a line around Maggie, Stitch first, Sol last. Six guards are moving in the opposite direction, but you can avoid them.¡±


    Thanks to his sheer range of sensory abilities, Stitch made for a very good scout and would spot anyone Shroud himself missed.


    Shroud watched the group meet a patrol of armored monkeys, led by a taller ogre, and walk next to them undetected. He noticed a pleased smirk on Maggie¡¯s face as the enemy missed them entirely.


    Good. That would help build her confidence back. Shroud remembered fondly on how Quasar had been one of the first spells he granted her back in the day, and how it gave her a taste of sorcery in the first place.


    Kari¡¯s clones protected the team, often silently ambushing guards patrolling the roofs and clearing the way to Baihu¡¯s fortress. The group reached the palace, while the doubles set a perimeter around it.


    While Kari and Mur climbed the walls the old fashion way, Sol used flight to transport the rest of the group on the rampart. The courtyard was left relatively unattended, the guards patrolling the palace¡¯s corridors.


    ¡°Kari, go forward towards the courtyard and secure the path to Baihu¡¯s tower. The rest of you, secure and block the main gate.¡±


    Kari climbed down the castle walls on the other side, as silent and invisible as a shadow even as she exited the range of Maggie¡¯s protective shield. Within seconds, she ambushed a duo of headless monsters watching the tower from behind, dragging them into the shadows before their comrades on the walls noticed. The rest of the group moved towards the gates, still hidden behind their protection.


    Then Baihu woke up from his slumber.


    Shroud¡¯s eyes widened in alarm. Had he smelled the group? ¡°Warning, Tiger is awake!¡± he informed the group, as the Zodiac leaped out of bed to reach the balcony, jumping into the courtyard as if possessed by a single-minded will.


    ¡°It is time,¡± Baihu told himself, as he landed with the same perfect poise he showed to Shroud before.


    ¡°Kari, he¡¯s onto you!¡± The moderator warned her. Kari stepped out of the shadows behind Baihu, intending to cheap shot the Tiger.


    ¡°Blue World!¡±


    The Tiger¡¯s words carrying a blue aura through the courtyard. Kari froze in place, paralyzed.


    So did Shroud.


    ¡°Did you assume I could not cast spells because you never saw me do so?¡± Baihu taunted Shroud, whose eyes bulged behind his screen.


    He knew.


    Shit, heknew.


    ¡°Powersurge, Peak,¡± Baihu said, a green aura surrounding him, buffing himself while turning around to face the immobilized Kari. ¡°Intuimotion, Mindshield.¡±


    In the blink of an eye, Baihu moved with his claws, ready to tear out Kari¡¯s throat, only for Hands of Slaughter to activate, crimson arms moving to strike at the tiger. The Zodiac dodged gracefully, circling around the paralyzed warrior, yet finding no opening past her defense.


    Powersurge and Mindshield. Level Two, at least. Wait, if he could cast spells, did that mean he¡ª


    ¡°Accel Glass Field,¡± Baihu said.


    The palace¡¯s windows exploded into shrapnel.


    Players'' StatsAccount


    Dragonslayers Guild Moderator


    (Pending Judgment)


    NameShroudNetworkProgressHolderMathias MartelBroadcastUnlockedLevel2 (Adept)Grant SpellUnlockedAffinityBlueSynergizeUnlockedLockNetworkLocked Feature(0/7)Spellcoins16Overlock(0/1)Stored Saves5Save?Load?Spell CompendiumNameDotAffinityPremium Thoughts1BlueBabel1BluePurge1GreenAccel1WhiteBeastmaster2BlueMindshield2BlueDoppelganger2BlueHeal2GreenPowersurge2GreenLightbringer2Red/OrangeMad World2Blue/GreenMaster Mirror3Blue/Orange/VioletAccountDragonslayers GuildNameYoshikageOversoulProgressHolderKari MatsumotoRememberUnlockedLevel2 (Adept)Channel SoulUnlockedAffinityYellowLocked Feature(1/3)LockOversoulLocked Feature(0/7)Spellcoins28Overlock(0/1)Spell CompendiumNameDotAffinityBabel1BlueWallcraw1GreenPeak1GreenNeedless1GreenWard1YellowDoom Sense1YellowSpiritsight1YellowDeathgem1YellowDreamwalker2YellowPowersurge2GreenHands of Slaughter3Yellow/Violet/RedAccountDragonslayers GuildNameThe Mur!AdamantProgressHolderMurmur the ImpHarderUnlockedLevel2 (Adept)FasterUnlockedAffinityOrangeLocked Feature(0/3)LockAdamantLocked Feature(0/7)Spellcoins25Overlock(0/1)Spell CompendiumNameDotAffinityReinforce1OrangeDiceweight1OrangePitborn2Green/RedFormless2OrangeHomunculus2OrangeIntegrator2OrangeReload2VioletAccountDragonslayers GuildNameDocInseminateProgressHolderNathaniel StitchSpawnUnlockedLevel2 (Adept)IncubateUnlockedAffinityGreenLocked Feature(0/3)LockInseminateLocked Feature(0/7)Spellcoins1Overlock(0/1)Spell CompendiumNameDotAffinityPremium Thoughts1BlueIntuimotion1BluePsychometry1BlueDeathgem1YellowDoom Sense1YellowSpiritsight1YellowTimesense1VioletPathfinder1VioletAlchemic Grasp1OrangeFlux Sight1WhiteAccel1WhiteAccountDragonslayers GuildNameAceCastlingProgressHolderSaga FreysonSummonedUnlockedLevel2 (Adept)Piercing BoundaryUnlockedAffinityVioletLocked Feature(2/3)LockCastlingLocked Feature(0/7)Spellcoins34Overlock(0/1)Spell CompendiumNameDotAffinitySwitch1VioletPathfinder1VioletTimesense1VioletUrbanstep1VioletSeamancer1OrangeAccel1WhiteDoorway2VioletSplash2Orange/VioletRainmaker2Orange/VioletAccountDragonslayers GuildNameSharpshootSpellgunProgressHolderMaggie Jesse PowellsCrimson BulletUnlockedLevel2 (Adept)Homing BulletUnlockedAffinityRedLocked Feature(0/3)LockSpellgunLocked Feature(0/7)Spellcoins13Overlock(0/1)Spell CompendiumNameDotAffinityStockmight1RedBabel1BlueAccel1WhiteThunderling2Green/RedBullseye2Violet/BlueSoundwave2RedLightningrod2RedAccountDragonslayers GuildNameSolAegisProgressHolderSolomon NicholaeSpell MartyrUnlockedLevel1 (Novice)Locked Feature(0/1)AffinityWhiteLocked Feature(0/3)LockAegisLocked Feature(0/7)Spellcoins35Overlock(0/1)Spell CompendiumNameDotAffinityPeak1GreenNeedless1GreenBabel1BlueBlue World1BlueQuasar1RedBiosurge1RedReinforce1OrangeEncode1WhiteSpell Syphon1WhiteAccel1White


    Hack of the Day


    Weak Point


    Dot: 2


    Components: Psychometry + Alchemic Grasp


    Activation: Passive, App Switch.


    You subconsciously understand the structure of anything that you see on an sub-atomic level, from buildings to human bodies; this knowledge allows you to notice the perfect ¡®weak points,¡¯ which cause structural damage if targetted. Weak points appear to you as black dots on a structure, and will cause structural collapse if pressed with force; you are always aware of the degree of structural damage you will cause before attacking.

 Chapter 56: Raid Boss

    The storm of glass shrapnel tried to tear Kari to shreds.


    Hands of Slaughter activated in response, the ethereal red arms moving to punch away the projectiles and protect their paralyzed master. They stopped most of the shrapnels, but quite a few found a way past the automated defense, aiming to gore her through the chest


    Instantly, the spell Reinforce, which Sol had encoded in her clothes, activated in response to the impact. The clothes stopped most projectiles like armor.


    A Player. Baihu was a Player.


    Shroud guessed he must have Doom Sense or a similar sensory Hack, which allowed him to notice the incoming attack. The fact that the tiger usedGlass Field vexed him deeply. ¡°Everyone, drop the gates, and move to the courtyard,¡± Shroud ordered, as Kari regained her mental faculties.


    The tiger, empowered by his various spells, cut a nearby pillar supporting the walls nearby and prepared to throw it at Kari like a spear. ¡°Kari, cover your ears!¡± Shroud shouted through the Network feed, as his friend noticed the projectile. ¡°He can use Blue World!¡±


    ¡°Blue¡ª¡± Kari put her hands on her ears and leaped backward, even as the glass shards reverberated the spell and Baihu launched his weapon. ¡°¡ªWorld.¡±


    Baihu growled when Kari kept moving, still covering her ears, allowing her to dodge the deadly projectiles. ¡°Hear no evil,¡± he grumbled, before reshaping the glass flying around into sharp arrows. ¡°Reinforce.¡±


    As the spell spread to the arrows through Glass Field¡¯s power, Sol flew through the wall on Baihu¡¯s left side, charging at the tiger with his sword ready. Without even turning around, Baihu dodged the strike with a backflip, before hitting the knight with his shoulder before Sol could reorient himself. The blow sent him crashing on the opposite side of the courtyard, and through another wall.


    Soon, Mur and Maggie joined the battle, smashing through the courtyard¡¯s doors, but still protected by the invisibility veil and the soundlessness. Mur fired a deadly volley of bullets with his minigun, Maggie making them invisible with Quasar.


    A surge of blue and yellow power surrounded Baihu as the projectiles approached, and his body moved with extreme, supernatural grace, dodging the attacks.


    Doom Sense and Intuimotion activated at once. He triggered a Hack.


    So that was how it felt to fight a Magik Player. You always had to adapt midway, as they kept getting stronger under pressure.


    The sound of gongs and war horns resonated throughout the battlefield.Shroud thought, as he noticed humanoid monsters climb on the ceilings, armed with rifles. ¡°Stitch, Ace, take care of the snipers on the roof,¡± he ordered. ¡°Cast Rainmaker.¡±


    His ally did, the two climbing the roofs just as the monsters on it starting firing down at Kari below. The sorceress moved around to dodge and take cover behind the courtyard¡¯s pillars, while Stitch stabbed one sniper from behind and Ace tossed another over the edge by surprise. Meanwhile, Kari¡¯s doubles converged around the palace, blockading the entrances as Baihu¡¯s guards around the area rushed to them.


    Sol, who had recovered, charged back at Baihu with his sword and shield up. ¡°Deus Vult!¡± was his battle cry, but his speed, while laudable, couldn¡¯t match Baihu¡¯s incredible reflexes. The tiger dodged the sword swings with an air of supreme disdain, ethereal, spectral wind manifesting around his hands, and he struck back with a sweeping motion.


    The claws cut through the armor¡¯s chest plate, tearing through processors and organic circuitry.


    Shroud¡¯s eyes widened behind the screen, and even Sol briefly froze for a split second. No one had ever managed to significantly damage the armor to the same degree as the tiger did. With feline fury, Baihu started putting pressure on his foe, the knight barely deflecting blows. The glass arrows floated above the tiger but didn¡¯t fall, their controller keeping them in reserve.


    Dropping his minigun to swing his hammer with both hands, Mur attempted to rescue Sol, exiting Maggie¡¯s range and manifesting in his full fiendish glory. Baihu, sensing him coming, moved to position Sol in the middle of Mur¡¯s line. While dizzied, the knight managed to move out of his ally¡¯s way, even if Mur¡¯s hammer only hit hot air.


    ¡°Accel Blue World!¡± Baihu snarled, the words reverberating through the glass arrows floating around him and paralyzing both of his opponents. Before he could behead Mur with a swing, Kari, with the snipers occupied by her teammates, interrupted him. She tried to strike him in the back, and while she failed to inflict any blow, the sorceress prevented the tiger from landing any attacks.


    ¡°Maggie, get closer and drain the sound and light around Baihu,¡± Shroud ordered, as Mur and Sol recovered. Maggie approached until Baihu entered her range, draining the photons around the tiger¡¯s head and shrouding him in darkness.


    By now, Stitch and Ace had gotten rid of the soldiers on the roof, while the latter¡¯s rain fell upon the battlefield, drenching every combatant. Yet, neither these conditions nor his loss of hearing and sight prevented the tiger from handling Kari, Sol, and Mur all by himself.


    However, his movements were more sluggish, so depriving him of his sensesan effect, and struggling against so many opponents forced him on the defense.


    Baihu always sought a position where a Dragonslayers found himself in the middle of an incoming attack, hoping to either delay it or outright use an enemy as a human shield. Fortunately, Synergize passively countered this strategy, the guild members subconsciously coordinating to avoid putting themselves in one another¡¯s way. To Shroud, the whole fight looked like a complex dancing ballet, fighters failing to hit one another, dodging and switching places.


    ¡°Shroud,¡± Ace asked, Stitch and her now being alone on the roof, watching the fighting in the courtyard. ¡°What do we do?¡±


    ¡°You wait,¡± Shroud replied. Stitch would get demolished in close combat, sensory powers or not, and he lacked long-range attacks; while Ace, he wanted to keep in reserve. ¡°Can you track his movements within the rain?¡±


    ¡°With Timesense, yes,¡± Ace replied. ¡°But I will never be able to hit him with his speed.¡±


    He had another manoeuver in mind, but it was a bit risky. The sorcerer tried to find another chink in the tiger¡¯s defense, hoping to find an alternative.


    Baihu¡¯s defense had no exploitable weakness, at least as far as Shroud could tell. As long as he had enough space to navigate¡ªand he had plenty in an open area¡ªhis reflexive defense allowed him to dodge any blow. Even negating his sight and hearing didn¡¯t take it down, and his Mindshield would protect him from mental attacks. Baihu had clearly purchased spells optimizing his close combat potential, making him truly unbeatable at close-range.


    It left area of effect attacks as the one solution. ¡°Sol, switch to Biosurge,¡± Shroud said, now that Ace¡¯s rain had drenched the battlefield. ¡°Target the whole courtyard.¡±


    ¡°I risk friendly fire if I do this, Mathias,¡± Sol replied, as Baihu¡¯s claws shredded Mur¡¯s stony flesh everywhere he could find an opening. Thankfully, unlike with Sol¡¯s armor, they couldn¡¯t pierce Adamant¡¯s protection.


    ¡°Maggie, use Lightningrod to redirect the electricity and protect our allies,¡± Shroud said, ¡°You cannot harm Baihu, but you can mitigate the effects of Sol¡¯s attacks.¡±


    ¡°Playing support sucks!¡± she complained, as Sol exchanged a glance with her.


    The knight unleashed a surge of lightning from his body, shining like Zeus incarnate. The electricity spread through the water on the ground and the rain, illuminating the field; yet the arcs of lightning moved around Mur, Maggie, and Kari, avoiding them.


    Suddenly, before the lightning could fry him, a strong wind blew around Baihu. A shield of swirling air streams gathered around his fur, deflecting both the rainwater and the electricity.


    Baihu had activated his Lock. Or maybe a Hack.


    No, definitively a Lock, Shroud decided. He suddenly realized the tiger¡¯s claws probably weren¡¯t made of spiritual energy but compressed altered wind. Baihu could alter the air around himself somewhat, with the same versatility as the Dragonslayers¡¯ own Locks.


    Definitely an Orange. And smart enough to keep tricks up his sleeve. Did Baihu have anything else to fall back on though? He already had a considerable battery of spells for a Level Two Player, so Shroud didn¡¯t think so.


    Unfortunately, combined with Baihu¡¯s supernatural danger sense and his immense physical abilities, the Lock provided a nigh-insurmountable defense.


    ¡°Rooster incoming,¡± one of Kari¡¯s doppelganger said through Network, glancing at the skies. Indeed, while the doubles had secured the ground around the palace, the Rooster Zodiac flew over them and surveyed the courtyard.


    After having kept them in reserve for a while, Baihu had the glass arrows fall in a rain upon the courtyard and the surrounding area, the reinforced projectiles piercing stone as easily as butter. While they bounced off Sol¡¯s armor and Mur¡¯s skin, who had now fully transformed, Maggie and Kari had to retreat to save their hides. This allowed Baihu to exit Maggie¡¯s range, regaining his sight and hearing and spread the Dragonslayers thin around the battlefield.


    The tiger instantly noticed the Rooster circling the courtyard from above, unsure whether to intervene. ¡°Mine!¡± Baihu declared, the Rooster narrowing his eyes in concern, before repeating, ¡°Mine.¡±


    The Rooster Zodiac settled on the roof, away from the battle, and made no move to intervene.


    Did Baihu arrogantly believe he didn¡¯t need the other Zodiac to win? No. Baihu had kept tricks in reserve, played the long game so he could lure the entire guild into a battle. This wasmoment.


    the Sorcerer guessed,


    ¡°Very well,¡± Shroud said, sending the message directly to Baihu through Network. ¡°I accept the challenge.¡±


    ¡°Show yourself, coward,¡± Baihu called him out in response. ¡°I am tired of fighting puppets. Must I sever their strings to force your hand?¡±


    That threat would have worked once, but Shroud saw no reason to abandon his coordinator advantage now. ¡°Only if you win, which you won¡¯t. To your credit, you are putting a much better fight than the other Zodiacs.¡±


    Baihu shrugged, insulted by the implication his struggle wouldn¡¯t matter. He noticed Maggie, and putting the two and two together, decided to take her down first.


    He moved and seemingly vanished.


    The tiger dashed right in front of his victim so fast, Shroud¡¯s eyes struggled to follow; the wind armor had reduced the air resistance and increased his speed. Maggie attempted to strike him down with lightning reflexively, only for the headband to activate, tightening around her head and stopping her in her tracks.


    ¡°Maggie!¡± Sol flew towards her at full speed, right as Baihu prepared to land a fatal blow.


    The knight¡¯s feed suddenly turned red.


    At the very last second, he had managed to push Maggie out of the way, only to get punched through the stomach by Baihu. The tiger¡¯s claws gored through the armor, pierced through, and shredded the flesh underneath. Like a cat playing with a dead mouse, Baihu let out a feline hiss as he raised the bleeding knight above his head.


    Mathias saw red. ¡°Sol!¡±


    ¡°Idiot!¡± Mur snarled.


    The knight, whose feed reflected blood spat on the visor, activated Biosurge, trying to fry the tiger while they were in close proximity. Baihu reacted first, throwing him as far as he could, Sol landing too far for his last ditch attack to harm anyone.


    ¡°Shroud!¡± Ace said, clearly struggling not to intervene.


    With a furious kind of focus, Kari attacked Baihu, all her crimson hands punching at once. But this was no movie; once again, the tiger¡¯s defense activated, allowing him to dodge every blow with casual ease, before finding an opening in her defense and striking.


    Kari vanished, another coming into sight on Baihu¡¯s left. The tiger, surprised, struck her first, only for her to vanish. He suddenly fell back, as if to escape the range of an invisible opponent.


    Maggie. Now that the headband had stopped glowing, she used Quasar to bend the light and Soundwave to create mirages of Kari while hiding the original.


    Sol''s Lock Upgraded!Accel Allyunlocked!


    Sol reached Level Two!


    Shroud didn¡¯t give a shit about the notification right now. He had to clench his teeth and fists to even barely control himself right now, sorely tempted to drop everything and rush to their side.he had to tell himself, remembering Sol¡¯s words to him about focusing on the big picture. ¡°Stitch, heal Sol!¡± he ordered, the medic leaving his observation post to rescue the bleeding knight, Shroud assigning him the Heal spell. ¡°Ace, to Mur!¡±


    Ace teleported next to the fiend, who had moved to grab the minigun he tossed aside previously. ¡°Mur, leave the minigun,¡± Shroud told him. ¡°Distance and projectiles will not defeat him.¡±


    ¡°Then what will?¡± the imp snarled. Even fully transformed into a titan of metal, he had yet to land even a single blow.


    ¡°Ace, Mur, I will need your total trust for this,¡± he told them both through their feeds, ¡°Mur, at my signal, I want you to hit Ace with your hammer as strongly as you can.¡±


    ¡°Handsome, if this about our last date, I¡¯m sure we can work it out,¡± Ace said, although there was little warmth in her joke.


    ¡°Later,¡± Shroud replied. ¡°You said you could track his movements in the rain, even with his speed. At the last moment, I want you to switch place with Baihu, as you did with Lugh last time.¡±


    ¡°If I am wrong even by a second, Mur will kill me,¡± Ace pointed out. ¡°And he¡¯s way faster than Lugh.¡±


    ¡°Your Timesense and my Synergy will prevent it,¡± Shroud said, while Kari was slowly but surely pushed into a corner, even with Maggie¡¯s support. ¡°You can pull it off, so long as he is busy. I believe in you.¡± sea??h th§× Novel?ire(.)ne*t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    He truly did.


    Ace said nothing, exchanged a glance with Mur, then focused on the battle without a word. Baihu, wholly focused on Kari, pushed her in a corner of the courtyard, depriving her of space to dodge.


    ¡°Now,¡± Ace said, Mur raising his hammer above her head, and lowered it.


    In a flash of violet, Baihu found himself in Ace¡¯s place, his chest within an inch of Mur¡¯s hammer. His eyes widened in recognition, but Shroud had figured out the key flaw in Baihu¡¯s defense.


    Namely, ultimate reflexes meant nothing without momentum or space to dodge.


    With a big, brutal sound, Mur smashed Baihu with so much force, it shattered the ground below and forced the beast face down against it. Not even his wind armor offered any protection.


    ¡­ and the tiger still moved, struggling to get back to his feet.


    So Mur hit him again in the chest, and then a third time. Each blow shattered the ground below them until the third attack turned it into a small crater; Shroud heard Baihu¡¯s ribs shatter with a sickening sound.


    This time, Baihu didn¡¯t move. He still breathed, but he stayed down.


    ¡°Shroud,¡± Mur said out loud, raising his hammer, while Kari and Ace watched the scene from afar. ¡°Does Mur kill?¡±


    That was it. If he said yes, Mur would kill Baihu. The end.


    Shroud focusing on Stitch¡¯s feed. The doctor had applied the Heal spell on the knight, closing fleshy tissues and stitching back what the spell couldn¡¯t repair. ¡°Will Sol live?¡± Shroud asked with a dead kind of serenity, Baihu¡¯s fate depending on the answer.


    ¡°Yes,¡± Stitch replied with aplomb. ¡°But the armor has been damaged beyond repair.¡±


    Shroud let out a long sigh of relief. ¡°Mur, spare the cat.¡±


    The fiend let out a growl of disappointment. ¡°Can Mur break a leg at least?¡±


    Shroud shrugged in response.


    Mur took it as a yes.


    One day after the final battle with Baihu, Shroud floated above the western area, observing its forges from above.


    With Baihu¡¯s defeat, his forces had surrendered. Not that they could have provided a struggle anyway. While they had a mighty leader, without sorcery, they were no match for the Dragonslayers. As he had guessed, Baihu¡¯s confidence in his army was misplaced.


    By now, Shroud could no longer ignore the wide gap between sorcerers and everyone else. An organized team of Players had subjugated an entire space station overflowing with monsters in days. No wonder an army of them subjugated Earth.


    Without making sorcery available to everyone, Earth would remain dominated.


    The Sponsors couldn¡¯t ignore that. Were Players just a test run for a larger, mass release of Magik? Why hadn¡¯t they distributed it to their servants, if they had so many monsters on hand to throw at Concordia?


    Maybe they couldn¡¯t.


    Shroud returned to Baihu¡¯s palace, where Mur and doppelgangers of Kari helped repair the damage; the original meditated in the courtyard with Maggie and Bai Suzhen, while Baihu watched from afar.


    The tiger had bandages on both his chest and his left leg, moving with a limp. The Rabbit had granted him potions to accelerate the healing, and Shroud would eventually cast a spell on him. Later.


    ¡°I struck to kill,¡± Baihu declared upon seeing Shroud float down, not helping his case.


    ¡°You would be dead if you had succeeded,¡± Shroud replied honestly.


    ¡°I know.¡± He sounded eerily okay with it. Shroud guessed he had a bestial mindset, not so different from Mur¡¯s.


    ¡°Sol asked you be spared, after he recovered,¡± Shroud said. Even if the tiger almost cost him his life, and did destroy his armor.


    ¡°Your Solomon is a noble warrior and worthy of respect,¡± Baihu said. ¡°You are not the strongest of them, nor the smartest. You are the most. You do not hesitate to risk lives to win.¡±


    Shroud shrugged. ¡°Someone once told me only results mattered. Winning is all that matters.¡±


    ¡°I agree.¡± Baihu grabbed the emblem around his neck and gave it to Shroud. ¡°I will not stay at this station again.¡±


    ¡°Good,¡± Shroud replied. ¡°We need as many hands as we can get. But I will not tolerate insubordination, only complete obedience.¡±


    ¡°So long as you win,¡± the tiger replied, crossing his arms. ¡°I wanted to fight the first time around.¡±


    ¡°You didn¡¯t have sorcery back then,¡± Shroud replied. ¡°Without it, you would have failed, as we did.¡±


    Baihu shrugged, his arrogance undiminished. Shroud guessed that was the end of the conversation, watching the tiger leave to rest.


    He turned to Maggie, whose headband finally fell down from her head. She opened her hand to catch it, opening her eyes.


    Shroud expected her to let out a scream of joy, but she didn¡¯t. If anything, Maggie looked somber as she glanced at the emblem. She rose up without a word so as not to interrupt the others¡¯ meditation, joining Shroud.


    ¡°Congratulations, Maggie,¡± he told her. With that emblem, they just needed to recover the Goat¡¯s to complete the trial. For all intents, they had conquered the Lair.


    She didn¡¯t share his enthusiasm. ¡°Sol almost died because I couldn¡¯t defend myself,¡± Maggie replied. ¡°And Boneface won¡¯t have me visit him.¡±


    ¡°Sol needs rest for now. Even the Heal spell has limits.¡±


    ¡°I fucked up, nerd. You can try to ignore it, I don¡¯t.¡± Maggie shrugged, sounding more exhausted than anything. ¡°I¡¯m sick of being rescued. I want to hate him for it, and I know it¡¯s not right.¡±


    ¡°You helped turn this around through other means,¡± Shroud pointed out. ¡°Without you distracting Baihu, we may not have surprised him. You didn¡¯t need to fight to help us win. And besides, you rescued Kari with your mirage trick. If you insist on counting points, I say this made it even.¡±


    ¡°Yeah, yeah, I get it¡­ but it still doesn¡¯t feel right.¡± She hesitated as if struggling to find her next words. ¡°Nerd.¡±


    ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°After we meet those Sponsors, could you do me a solid? Can I ask you anything?¡±


    ¡°Anything,¡± Shroud promised, ¡°For a friend.¡±


    Players'' StatsAccount


    Dragonslayers Guild Moderator


    (Pending Judgment)


    NameShroudNetworkProgressHolderMathias MartelBroadcastUnlockedLevel2 (Adept)Grant SpellUnlockedAffinityBlueSynergizeUnlockedLockNetworkLocked Feature(0/7)Spellcoins16Overlock(0/1)Stored Saves5Save?Load?Spell CompendiumNameDotAffinityPremium Thoughts1BlueBabel1BluePurge1GreenAccel1WhiteBeastmaster2BlueMindshield2BlueDoppelganger2BlueHeal2GreenPowersurge2GreenLightbringer2Red/OrangeMad World2Blue/GreenMaster Mirror3Blue/Orange/VioletAccountDragonslayers GuildNameYoshikageOversoulProgressHolderKari MatsumotoRememberUnlockedLevel2 (Adept)Channel SoulUnlockedAffinityYellowLocked Feature(1/3)LockOversoulLocked Feature(0/7)Spellcoins28Overlock(0/1)Spell CompendiumNameDotAffinityBabel1BlueWallcraw1GreenPeak1GreenNeedless1GreenWard1YellowDoom Sense1YellowSpiritsight1YellowDeathgem1YellowDreamwalker2YellowPowersurge2GreenHands of Slaughter3Yellow/Violet/RedAccountDragonslayers GuildNameThe Mur!AdamantProgressHolderMurmur the ImpHarderUnlockedLevel2 (Adept)FasterUnlockedAffinityOrangeLocked Feature(0/3)LockAdamantLocked Feature(0/7)Spellcoins25Overlock(0/1)Spell CompendiumNameDotAffinityReinforce1OrangeDiceweight1OrangePitborn2Green/RedFormless2OrangeHomunculus2OrangeIntegrator2OrangeReload2VioletAccountDragonslayers GuildNameDocInseminateProgressHolderNathaniel StitchSpawnUnlockedLevel2 (Adept)IncubateUnlockedAffinityGreenLocked Feature(0/3)LockInseminateLocked Feature(0/7)Spellcoins1Overlock(0/1)Spell CompendiumNameDotAffinityPremium Thoughts1BlueIntuimotion1BluePsychometry1BlueDeathgem1YellowDoom Sense1YellowSpiritsight1YellowTimesense1VioletPathfinder1VioletAlchemic Grasp1OrangeFlux Sight1WhiteAccel1WhiteAccountDragonslayers GuildNameAceCastlingProgressHolderSaga FreysonSummonedUnlockedLevel2 (Adept)Piercing BoundaryUnlockedAffinityVioletLocked Feature(2/3)LockCastlingLocked Feature(0/7)Spellcoins34Overlock(0/1)Spell CompendiumNameDotAffinitySwitch1VioletPathfinder1VioletTimesense1VioletUrbanstep1VioletSeamancer1OrangeAccel1WhiteDoorway2VioletSplash2Orange/VioletRainmaker2Orange/VioletAccountDragonslayers GuildNameSharpshootSpellgunProgressHolderMaggie Jesse PowellsCrimson BulletUnlockedLevel2 (Adept)Homing BulletUnlockedAffinityRedLocked Feature(0/3)LockSpellgunLocked Feature(0/7)Spellcoins13Overlock(0/1)Spell CompendiumNameDotAffinityStockmight1RedBabel1BlueAccel1WhiteThunderling2Green/RedBullseye2Violet/BlueSoundwave2RedLightningrod2RedAccountDragonslayers GuildNameSolAegisProgressHolderSolomon NicholaeSpell MartyrUnlockedLevel2 (Adept)Accel AllyUnlockedAffinityWhiteLocked Feature(0/3)LockAegisLocked Feature(0/7)Spellcoins35Overlock(0/1)Spell CompendiumNameDotAffinityPeak1GreenNeedless1GreenBabel1BlueBlue World1BlueQuasar1RedBiosurge1RedReinforce1OrangeEncode1WhiteSpell Syphon1WhiteAccel1White


    Hack of the Day


    Grave Madness


    Dot: 2


    Components: Berserk+ Doom Sense


    Activation: Passive, App Switch.


    Your bloodlust overcomes even death. Should you suffer a lethal wound, your soul will instantly possess your corpse for five more minutes and animate it for the purpose of battle; you behave as if under the Berserk spell for that time. Afterward, your soul''s connection to your body will break down, and you shall pass on normally. You are counted as an Undead while under the effect of that spell.

 Chapter 57: The Trap

    The goat of the Zodiac glanced at the Dragonslayers, gathered in front of the command center¡¯s room, having gathered all emblems but his own. ¡°I see you completed every trial,¡± he said. ¡°Including mine.¡±


    ¡°Will you fight us next?¡± Shroud asked, half-expecting a surprise final battle. He had asked the team to cast buffing spells before returning to the north area, just in case.


    The Goat shook his head. ¡°As a wise man once said, to win without fighting is the acme of skill. You learned the lesson I intended to impart.¡±


    ¡°Gifts always come with strings attached,¡± Solomon guessed. It felt so strange to watch him without his armor, and just his priest garb for protection. He looked so vulnerable.


    ¡°Even mercy.¡± Shifuy¨¢ng tightened his hold on his cane. ¡°Our masters granted you a gift, but with it comes a duty to shoulder. To them, to us, and to your planet.¡±


    ¡°We figured it out,¡± Kari said. ¡°You hope to return to Earth before this is over.¡±


    ¡°I hope that in time, the old and the new can live in harmony,¡± the Goat replied. ¡°I was one of the early supporters of that Magik initiative for this reason. Our similarities outweigh our differences, I keep saying. But my mistress will tell you more in person.¡±


    ¡°Before we go, I meant to ask you a question,¡± Shroud said.


    ¡°How do I sense your ability and counter it?¡± The elder goat smirked. ¡°The frontier between the mind and the soul is thinner than you believe. Your Network does not only latches on a target¡¯s mind but also their soul. Perhaps it needs to in order to function, or it is the seed of an ability you have yet to unlock. Individuals with strong spiritual awareness can sense the artificial connection, and if skillful enough, turn it against you.¡±


    ¡°Like sending signals overloading it?¡± Stitch butted in the conversation, always curious.


    ¡°Yes. I believe our young friend lacks the full mastery of his power, which makes him vulnerable to a counterattack. You should try to practice it.¡±


    ¡°Good to know,¡± Kari said, Shroud coughing in embarrassment.


    ¡°Did Matsumoto just tell a joke?¡± Maggie asked, the shadow of a smile near Kari¡¯s lips. ¡°Wow, the Lair adventure really did a number on all of us.¡±


    ¡°That was the point,¡± Ace guessed.


    ¡°Indeed,¡± Shifuy¨¢ng confirmed. ¡°You have proved your strength through your trials outside this place, but a strong body is worthless without a keen mind and a spirit of brotherhood.¡±


    Yes. The group had grown, both as individuals and as a team.


    The goat glanced at the beasts and remaining monsters the group brought with them. ¡°Only the seven chosen may proceed further. Bring out your emblems.¡±


    The group did so, while Shifuy¨¢ng seized his own, the final key to the truth.


    The emblems, animated by a sorcerous power, flew on their own out of everyone¡¯s hands and inserted themselves into the command room¡¯s locks. Once all of them did, the gate unlocked and opened, revealing an undulating portal not so different from the one the group used to reach the Midnight Market.


    ¡°After you,¡± the Zodiac Goat invited them forward.


    ¡°I am so pumped up to meet the Sponsors, at last,¡± Ace said, her hands shaking in excitation. ¡°Like you wouldn¡¯t believe.¡±


    Shroud too.


    At long last, they had everything to prevail. They had minions, a base, interstellar allies¡ªalbeit difficult ones¡ªand a functional team. They had all the tools to make a comeback, with style.


    They paid the price for it. Sol¡¯s armor hadn¡¯t recovered from Baihu¡¯s thrashing, and even Stitch did not believe he could salvage it. Maggie¡¯s confidence had taken a hit. But they would manage. They had found the right team formation, the right niche to occupy for each member. While Shroud remained wary of overconfidence, they would manage.


    Even Mur shared their enthusiasm. ¡°Mur, too. Finally, Mur gets to meet the big bosses.¡±


    ¡°I wonder who they are,¡± Maggie said. ¡°Tentacled aliens?¡±


    ¡°I know,¡± Kari said. ¡°Shroud-san does too.¡±


    The sorcerer nodded. ¡°How many do you think were real all along?¡±


    ¡°All of them.¡±


    Shroud glanced at Sol, whose somber expression told him he too suspected the truth.


    ¡°You know, and you didn¡¯t share?¡± Ace gave them a mirthful smile. ¡°You devil liar you.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s just suspicions for now,¡± Shroud replied. ¡°Until we confirm¡ª¡±


    ¡°Mur done wasting time,¡± Mur said, hopping into the gate with great impatience. ¡°Mur wants action!¡±


    Shroud sighed, as Ace laughed. ¡°Come on, handsome,¡± she said, giving a light tap on the back. ¡°Let¡¯s not make our Sponsor wait.¡±


    The Blue Sorcerer nodded, as Ace, Kari, Stitch, and Maggie walked through the gate.


    Shroud and Sol didn¡¯t follow at once. ¡°Aren¡¯t you coming, Mathias?¡± the priest asked.


    Shroud silently glanced at the spot where Baihu had harmed him, then at his friend¡¯s forehead. ¡°I remember you told me we each had guard angels when I was a child,¡± the sorcerer said. ¡°I wondered why they hadn¡¯t protected us from Concordia. I guess they just weren¡¯t ready back then.¡±


    ¡°The Lord works in mysterious ways,¡± Solomon replied, guessing what weighed on his mind, ¡°You feel guilty for what almost happened.¡±


    ¡°What ,¡± Shroud stressed.


    ¡°What happened is that you kept your cool under pressure, and acted as a leader should,¡± Solomon replied with a warm smile, ¡°I am proud of you, Mathias¡­ and if your parents were here, so would they.¡±


    Would they? He wasn¡¯t so sure.


    Shroud brushed these thoughts aside, as he stepped into the gate alongside his oldest friend.


    As soon as he did, Shroud found himself teleported inside a massive dome bigger than a football stadium, whose golden walls provided light much like under a bright day¡¯s sun. The builders embedded a hundred screens into the dome¡¯s walls, providing pictures of the various areas and its inhabitants, from Baihu¡¯s fortress to the island the guild used as their base.


    A giant server equipped with half a dozen monitors stood at the center of the dome, right behind a much smaller golden throne. While mostly made of a strange black metal, the server¡¯s circuits shone with all the colors of sorcery, from white to orange to green¡­ and sometimes, faint spots of black.


    Shroud guessed they just found the Dragonslayers¡¯ own server.


    An Asian woman, beautiful and radiant as a star, waited on the throne right in front of the server. Literally. She radiated faint light, from her pristine, porcelain skin to her burning eyes. Wearing regal white robes and an ornate, sunlike hairdress, the entity smiled at their entrance, the warmth in the room increasing slightly in response.


    Another figure stood at her right side, a tall man clad in crimson Roman armor, wearing a shield and a bloodied spear. Shroud recognized the figure as a perfect lookalike of antique statues of the Roman god Mars, patron of Rome. He looked more human than his compatriot, but the fearsome aura emanating from him with strength.


    ¡°Welcome home, my chosen.¡± The lady rose from her throne with aristocratic elegance, as all Dragonslayers stepped into the command center. ¡°Congratulations. I am Amaterasu, goddess of the Sun, Empress of Amatsukami, protector of Japan, and the Sponsor of this Lair.¡±


    ¡°I am Mars, god of war,¡± the man replied, his voice somehow reminding Shroud of Nicholas Cage¡¯s. ¡°Although you know me as Romulus.¡±


    The server¡¯s monitors lit up, casting a blue light. ¡°And I am the Administrator,¡± a voice came out of the screen. ¡°Welcome home, Dragonslayers.¡±


    ¡°A computer?¡± Sol couldn¡¯t hide his surprise, although he hadn¡¯t blinked at Amaterasu¡¯s revelation.


    ¡°I am a magical artificial intelligence meant to assist Players and manage the Sponsor¡¯s system,¡± the Administrator replied. ¡°In other words, I am Magik Online itself.¡±


    An artificial intelligence? The Administrator was an artificial intelligence? Could it be¡­ ¡°Manus,¡± Ace muttered, suddenly claimed by a very rational fear.


    ¡°No, I am not Manus,¡± the Administrator said. ¡°It was my son and father both, in a way. It is a long story, whom I share with Shroud.¡±


    ¡°Fear not,¡± Amaterasu said, her voice vibrant and warm. ¡°We are your friends. All of us.¡±


    And then they showed up on the screens.


    Forty creatures more varied and awe-inspiring than the last watched them, from a tentacled King in Yellow to a feathered serpent with rainbow scales. Shroud recognized a few, from his own interest in myths and legends. The lame smith Vulcan, the monstrous dragon Tiamat, the jackal-headed Anubis, the fearsome Set¡­


    ¡°Do you see that?¡± Shroud asked with genuine surprise. Ace especially smirked widely in excitation.


    ¡°The fucking hell?¡± Maggie exclaimed.


    ¡°Angel¡­¡± Solomon held back tears, as he noticed the lone angel among the group.


    ¡°Yes, shepherd.¡± The angelic figure smiled upon the priest. ¡°I am Archangel Uriel, guardian of Eden. The Lord praises you for your courage and faith, Solomon.¡±


    Solomon fell to his knees, crying. ¡°Lord¡­ You didn¡¯t abandon us.¡±


    ¡°We never did,¡± the angel replied with kindness. ¡°The Lord was with you, all the way, and He will watch over you until the end.¡±


    ¡°We are the Sponsors, forty-two divine powers from a dozen pantheons, united against the great evil that is Concordia,¡± Amaterasu explained. ¡°As we did long ago when we still walked the Earth, we empowered heroes to slay dragons.¡±


    ¡°You will be the vanguard of a new age,¡± Mars commented, ¡°Where Concordia at long last meets its match.¡±


    Incredible. The very gods of myth, empowering an artificial intelligence to provide spells? This was everything he hoped! This was¡­


    The Minister¡¯s words echoed in his brain, his vision tainted by a blue hue.


    For a brief instant, his reality shifted, replaced with a mental maze of data, of pictures and words; a physical representation of his brain, a mental palace where his memories, his values, everything that made him him, were archived.


    The maze shifted, walls closing off memories and unlocking others. Some of his values were isolated, others aligned to fit a new design. The invasive Lock rewired his brain, in the shape designed two years ago.


    Loyalty towards Earth shifted to the eternal Empire. Hatred of Concordia, shifted towards those who would threaten its peace. Memories of emotional moments that may compromise his clear mind were locked away behind a mental firewall.


    In the blink of an eye, before he could react, his mind was no longer his own. The Mindshield couldn¡¯t stop this process, implanted long before he purchased the spell; long before he ever heard of Magik Online.


    The script was written long ago; a trap two years in the making, meant ensnare all those caught in it; an infection incubating inside a foreign body, before ravaging it from within.


    As the maze of his mind finished rearranging, Mathias thought clearly. He was in the Hall of the Minotaur, and it watched back at him.


    ¡°It is time,¡± Minister Aster¡¯s voice echoed in his brain. ¡°Do you remember, meat, the side you were born to serve? Do you remember your purpose?¡±


    He did.


    To destroy Manus¡¯ insurgency from within, and create the Grandmaster¡¯s pure, perfect world.


    He returned to reality, his thoughts aligned. A mental projection minotaur stood by his side, his voice his alone to listen to.


    ¡°How long?¡± Mathias asked out loud.


    ¡°Soon,¡± Amaterasu said, misunderstanding the question. S§×ar?h the Novel?ire(.)ne*t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    ¡°I sense danger,¡± Kari whispered to Mathias, too low for the Administrator and the deities to listen. ¡°Intense.¡±


    ¡°My Doom Sense as well,¡± Stitch whispered too. ¡°Very sudden.¡±


    ¡°Stay on your guards,¡± Mathias replied with a tone just as low, secretly removing all the spells he had granted to this Guild, just in case. ¡°We may be a mistake away from an early grave. Either we pass their test or we die.¡±


    ¡°Champions, who protected the dead on my behalf thrice,¡± the jackal god Anubis announced, ¡°You are worthy of Level Three.¡±


    ¡°Seconded!¡± spoke a skeletal black man wearing a hat and a dark coat, while the tentacled monster in yellow robes muttered a sound which even the Babel spell couldn¡¯t translate. The deities voiced their approbation one after the other.


    ¡°The Sponsors are in agreement,¡± Amaterasu said.


    ¡°And their connection to Dis is mature enough for the upgrade,¡± the Administrator commented. ¡°I will level them up.¡±


    ¡°I hoped they would take my Lair,¡± Mars said. ¡°My chosen guild is good, but I feel a stronger kinship to the Dragonslayers.¡±


    ¡°How can it be?¡± Solomon asked, rising up and removing tears. ¡°How can you¡­¡±


    ¡°How can we exist alongside your One God?¡± Amaterasu guessed the reason behind his confusion. ¡°As you said, your myths hold some truth, but they are not accurate. They are stories your kind told itself to make sense of the world.¡±


    ¡°Long ago, we faced an enemy we could not fully defeat and had to leave Earth in mankind¡¯s hands, with stories the only leftovers of our presence,¡± Mars continued. ¡°For eons, the enemy laid dormant, until the towers rose again. Now we can no longer hide.¡±


    ¡°Earth is no longer in its place,¡± Amaterasu continued. ¡°Taken from its place, dragging our realms with it.¡±


    ¡°Its place?¡± Stitch asked, taking notes on his small notebook.


    ¡°We are in the bowels of Dis,¡± the Administrator spoke. ¡°A multiverse different than the one mankind originally came from, a dimension which grows by consuming others.¡±


    ¡°Hell, Asgard, Olympus, no sanctuary is safe,¡± Mars continued, the pieces falling in place in Mathias¡¯ mind.


    ¡°When Earth vanished,¡± Mathias guessed, when he wanted to say Terra Firma, ¡°You and your realms were dragged with it.¡±


    ¡°The time for hiding is over,¡± Mars declared, ¡°The only option is to fight as one.¡±


    ¡°No demon among you,¡± Mur noted, finding one missing among the Sponsors. Clearly, the angel would rather have ignored him as well. ¡°You are few.¡±


    ¡°Deities shed much blood during the Godwar, and we Sponsors remain a minority among our pantheons,¡± Amaterasu admitted.¡°Many gods chose to remain in hiding, or worse, to join the Maleking.¡±


    ¡°We had to deny your former master¡¯s repeated requests of an alliance,¡± Mars told the imp. ¡°We trust you do not serve two sides at once.¡±


    ¡°The Maleking?¡± Sol frowned at Mur. ¡°You served the ?!¡±


    ¡°Mur exiled,¡± the imp said, his eyes holding the deity¡¯s gaze. ¡°Mur true to his word. He is all in.¡±


    ¡°Who can war with the Beast?¡± the archangel said through his screen. ¡°The Maleking is marshaling forces from across Dis to strike at Concordia, and claim Earth for himself. He must not succeed.¡±


    No power could rival the Grandmaster, Beast of Apocalypse or not. Especially with all Terminals under the Empire¡¯s control.


    the projection said, stared intently at the Administrator¡¯s monitor.


    ¡°Soon, Earth will be a battlefield between Concordia, the Maleking, and all of us,¡± Amaterasu explained. ¡°Hence why we need the support of mankind, as much as you need us.¡±


    ¡°Only two-thirds of the teams survived the Lair trial,¡± Mars said. ¡°Many lost members on the way, and more have yet to finish. But this is enough. Now that we have Level Three guilds and more than a hundred sorcerers capable of casting Dot Three spells, we can reveal ourselves and step out of shadows.¡±


    ¡°Even a hundred sorcerers will not be enough to topple Concordia,¡± Mathias pointed out. ¡°You must have a larger plan.¡±


    ¡°This is not for you to know yet, Shroud,¡± Mars said.


    Mathias felt Ace¡¯s gaze get heavier on him. the Minister said, with contempt.


    ¡°Concordia¡¯s technology and sorcery overwhelm us, true,¡± Amaterasu conceded. ¡°But even they cannot manufacture sorcerers the way we do.¡±


    ¡°How?¡± Stitch and Mathias asked as once, the latter looking at the server.


    ¡°Again, this is not for mortals to know yet,¡± Mars said.


    ¡°We could help perfect it,¡± Stitch suggested, too eager to participate in this technological marvel. ¡°I find this Spellcoins system subpar and suboptimal.¡±


    ¡°Any leak leading to Concordia or the Maleking figuring out how the system works will spell the end of our current advantage,¡± the Administrator pointed out. ¡°Especially since they could rebuild it but bigger with their resources.¡±


    Indeed. Mathias wondered if he should crack the so-called deities¡¯ minds open with Network, before deciding otherwise; they would probably block it.


    ¡°As for Spellcoins, they matter less than you believe they do,¡± Mars said. ¡°They represent how much Flux we Sponsors are ready to provide to individual players, and nothing more. They are smoke and mirrors, an abstract value. We are the true keystones.¡±


    ¡°So if you are fall, so will Magik?¡± asked Mathias.


    ¡°Unfortunately, hence why we have remained hidden so far.¡± Amaterasu¡¯s eyes focused on Kari next. ¡°Some of us, however, chose instead to take mortal coil, and protect mankind directly.¡±


    The young woman nodded vigorously. ¡°I know myself.¡±


    ¡°You do. With your level-up, I will awaken your Lock, and with it, your latent potential.¡±


    ¡°So what do we do now?¡± Mathias asked the deities.


    He prepared to channel Lightbringer through his fingers. Kari, Stitch, and Sol were closer, but the doctor¡¯s sensory spells might inform him. Synergize might work in its master¡¯s favor and sabotage the medic, but Mathias decided he would rather play it safe until his reinforcements arrived.


    ¡°For now, you will get closer to the Shadow Queen and her hidden master,¡± Amaterasu said, Mathias dropping his plan to kill them all. ¡°Once we know their plans, you will return to Earth and take the fight to Concordia.¡±


    ¡°Shroud-san, the danger vanished,¡± Kari whispered to ¡®Shroud.¡¯


    For now. ¡°Good,¡± Mathias let out a false breath of relief, reassigning spells to the Guild before they could notice he had removed them in the first place. ¡°We convinced them.¡±


    ¡°The true war will begin then,¡± Mars said. ¡°Do not disappoint. Especially you, Shroud.¡±


    ¡°Sponsors,¡± the Administrator spoke. ¡°You have observed him for the past week. What is your judgment? Do I suspend his moderator privilege?¡±


    ¡°No,¡± the angel, Uriel, said, ¡°His heart is true. I never doubted it.¡±


    ¡°I vote to suspend him,¡± a feathered serpent countered. ¡°I still am not convinced he isn¡¯t an infiltrator, especially in the light of this ¡®Save¡¯ fiasco.¡±


    ¡°This is ridiculous,¡± another replied, ¡°He killed a dragon. They would never let him get away with that.¡±


    Mathias could have sworn he heard Aster scoff at their naivete.


    The creatures on the screens ardently debated his fate, Mathias keeping a straight face, as did his hidden handler. His ¡®team¡¯ glanced at him with worried eyes.


    ¡°Let us proceed to a vote,¡± the Administrator proposed. ¡°The forty-two and myself.¡±


    The various screens changed to reflect two colors: either green or red. For or against Shroud.


    Mathias said no word, as each screen reflected a color, the Terminal memorizing each vote cast. Amaterasu produced a green light in the palm of her hands, but Mars abstained.


    It didn¡¯t matter in the end. The green had it, by a narrow but comfortable margin.


    The Administrator said nothing, yet Mathias had the intuition he would have vetoed his fellow conspirators if he could. According to the color of its screen, that treacherous AI had voted for suspending him.


    ¡°Suspension motion rejected,¡± the Administrator said. ¡°Shroud, alias Mathias Martel, is confirmed as a moderator with all of the associated privileges.¡±


    Amaterasu rose from her throne and kindly invited Mathias to sit on it. ¡°After you, moderator. Congratulations.¡±


    With a decisive step forward and the cheers of his team, Mathias walked towards the throne and sat on it, the station¡¯s monitors showing him every aspect of the Lair, each member of this army he had spent a week assembling, and who didn¡¯t suspect a thing.


    You have reached Level 3 (Magister)!


    You can now purchase Dot 3 Spells at the Compendium + Fuse Dot 4 Hacks!


    You have conquered the Lair: Taiyougami, the Majestic Sun.


    Aster mused


    Players'' StatsAccount


    Dragonslayers Guild Moderator


    NameShroud?NetworkProgressHolderMathias MartelBroadcastUnlockedLevel3 (Magister)Grant SpellUnlockedAffinityBlueSynergizeUnlockedLockNetworkLocked Feature(0/7)Spellcoins16Overlock(0/1)Stored Saves5Save?Load?Spell CompendiumNameDotAffinityPremium Thoughts1BlueBabel1BluePurge1GreenAccel1WhiteBeastmaster2BlueMindshield2BlueDoppelganger2BlueHeal2GreenPowersurge2GreenLightbringer2Red/OrangeMad World2Blue/GreenMaster Mirror3Blue/Orange/VioletAccountDragonslayers GuildNameYoshikageOversoulProgressHolderKari MatsumotoRememberUnlockedLevel3 (Magister)Channel SoulUnlockedAffinityYellowLocked Feature(1/3)LockOversoulLocked Feature(0/7)Spellcoins28Overlock(0/1)Spell CompendiumNameDotAffinityBabel1BlueWallcraw1GreenPeak1GreenNeedless1GreenWard1YellowDoom Sense1YellowSpiritsight1YellowDeathgem1YellowDreamwalker2YellowPowersurge2GreenHands of Slaughter3Yellow/Violet/RedAccountDragonslayers GuildNameThe Mur!AdamantProgressHolderMurmur the ImpHarderUnlockedLevel3 (Magister)FasterUnlockedAffinityOrangeLocked Feature(0/3)LockAdamantLocked Feature(0/7)Spellcoins25Overlock(0/1)Spell CompendiumNameDotAffinityReinforce1OrangeDiceweight1OrangePitborn2Green/RedFormless2OrangeHomunculus2OrangeIntegrator2OrangeReload2VioletAccountDragonslayers GuildNameDocInseminateProgressHolderNathaniel StitchSpawnUnlockedLevel3 (Magister)IncubateUnlockedAffinityGreenLocked Feature(0/3)LockInseminateLocked Feature(0/7)Spellcoins1Overlock(0/1)Spell CompendiumNameDotAffinityPremium Thoughts1BlueIntuimotion1BluePsychometry1BlueDeathgem1YellowDoom Sense1YellowSpiritsight1YellowTimesense1VioletPathfinder1VioletAlchemic Grasp1OrangeFlux Sight1WhiteAccel1WhiteAccountDragonslayers GuildNameAceCastlingProgressHolderSaga FreysonSummonedUnlockedLevel3 (Magister)Piercing BoundaryUnlockedAffinityVioletLocked Feature(2/3)LockCastlingLocked Feature(0/7)Spellcoins34Overlock(0/1)Spell CompendiumNameDotAffinitySwitch1VioletPathfinder1VioletTimesense1VioletUrbanstep1VioletSeamancer1OrangeAccel1WhiteDoorway2VioletSplash2Orange/VioletRainmaker2Orange/VioletAccountDragonslayers GuildNameSharpshootSpellgunProgressHolderMaggie Jesse PowellsCrimson BulletUnlockedLevel3 (Magister)Homing BulletUnlockedAffinityRedLocked Feature(0/3)LockSpellgunLocked Feature(0/7)Spellcoins13Overlock(0/1)Spell CompendiumNameDotAffinityStockmight1RedBabel1BlueAccel1WhiteThunderling2Green/RedBullseye2Violet/BlueSoundwave2RedLightningrod2RedAccountDragonslayers GuildNameSolAegisProgressHolderSolomon NicholaeSpell MartyrUnlockedLevel3 (Magister)Accel AllyUnlockedAffinityWhiteLocked Feature(0/3)LockAegisLocked Feature(0/7)Spellcoins35Overlock(0/1)Spell CompendiumNameDotAffinityPeak1GreenNeedless1GreenBabel1BlueBlue World1BlueQuasar1RedBiosurge1RedReinforce1OrangeEncode1WhiteSpell Syphon1WhiteAccel1White


    Spell of the Day


    Mindlink


    Affinity: Blue


    Dot: 3


    Price: 9-15


    Activation: Active, Mutual Agreement, Direct Touch Vector.


    The user creates a telepathic link with another willing individual, allowing them to discuss through telepathy no matter the distance, share a mindscape, or experience the world through the other¡¯s sense by focusing on the link. A person can have as many Mindlinks active as they wish, but a great number of them can lead to mental instability and dissociative disorders. A Mindlink is impossible to detect by non-telepaths.

 Chapter 58: DLC: The First Sponsor

    ¡°No.¡±


    Mars, god of war, father of Rome, clenched his fists against the marble ground. He had pleaded his cause with great skill, enough to make even the queen hesitate, only for the king to deny him. ¡°Uncle, why?¡±


    The grim king of Olympus sat firm on his throne of white stone, his posture unbending iron. Great and terrible, the death god Pluto dwarfed Mars in power and size, his body covered in thick, rusted mismatched armor. Each part belonged to a long-gone civilization, with a knight¡¯s face-covering helmet, Roman armor, and gauntlets from the East and the West.


    A testament of a single, timeless truth.


    Death always wins in the end.


    ¡°You are brave, my nephew. Once you were foolish iron, bristle, untempered. Overseeing the fate of Rome has made you wiser. You have grown into true steel.¡± As the cavernous, howling words echoed through the room, Pluto hit the marble ground with his two-ended red trident, wreathed it in the fires of the underworld. ¡°You remain, however, war made flesh. I see what you wish for.¡±


    ¡°Uncle, I do not understand. Invaders occupy our former land, and mortals suffer. Our retreat was meant to prevent such a terrible event, and it happened anyway. We do not have any reason to remain hidden anymore.¡±


    ¡°We have peace to fight for. Perhaps not the best of peace, but peace nonetheless. I still remember the time we gods walked the Earth¡­ and how the men chafed under our misrule.¡±


    ¡°Less than under the dragons.¡±


    ¡°You would have me foster a Godwar greater than the first. One that would be costly for everyone involved. I do not understand what you aim to achieve through claiming the Neurotowers, but I see the final outcome. I am, after all, the Lord of the Dead.¡±


    ¡°The outcome will come sooner than you believe, Uncle.¡± His thoughts turned to that fateful day when he returned to the world of men and crossed blades with the enemy¡­


    Mars would be a fool not to take her up on her threat. ¡°Once you stood with Father and Neptune against the forces of the great machines,¡± the war god told his uncle. ¡°I remember how you were back then. Strong, unyielding, unstoppable. And yet when the dragons came, you just watched and ordered us to do the same.¡±


    ¡°I fought with my brothers, yes,¡± Pluto replied, his tone harsher than before. ¡°And I lost them both. I will not lose more family.¡±


    Pluto¡¯s queen Prosperina, sitting at his side as an equal, was a lanky woman with skin white as chalk and long hair black as night. Her black dress seemed to mesh with the ground and the shadows. Her white eyes stared at Mars with a hint of sympathy. She was the beautiful kind of death, the warm and welcoming end of one¡¯s journey. ¡°We understand your concern for the mortals, my cousin. I too wept for the indignities they suffered.¡±


    Mars thought, although he did not voice his scolding aloud. ¡°Yet you stand by Uncle, even knowing we are next.¡±


    ¡°You cannot prove this. The dragons have more immediate concerns, and greater enemies, than us.¡±


    ¡°You believe them wise enough not to pick a fight.¡± Mars shook his head. ¡°I believe their Grandmaster mad enough to.¡±


    ¡°Perhaps,¡± Pluto agreed. ¡°But our judgment remains the same. Should you provide me proof the dragons plan to destroy us next, I will defend Olympus¡­ but my hand will not be the one that ignites a war. And neither will yours.¡±


    Mars clenched his fists, his teeth grit beneath his helmet. ¡°So. Nothing?¡±


    Something akin to exasperation filled the deity¡¯s voice. ¡°I will not prevent you nor Vulcan from building your ¡®Magik System.¡¯ Neither will I support its construction, nor marshall Olympus'' forces on Earth. I will not budge on this, my nephew.¡±


    Mars stormed from the throne room in an angry hiss, floating down the great, eternal Mount Olympus, falling through the copper clouds and the warm winds.


    Once, this eternal mountain had stood in the land known as Greece, only to be hidden in another plane after the Godwar. Even after it was dragged with Earth to this dark corner of the multiverse when the towers rose again, it had remained hidden from the dragons.


    But for how long?


    He descended farther and farther, until Vulcan¡¯s mechanical forge entered his sight, a realm of brass and fire. Mars found his brother atop a round metal platform, attending to an anvil of molten steel. From it, one could see the vague shape of their prototype, hidden beneath a thick cloud of smoke and fumes until the day of its activation.


    His brother kept hammering down endless circuits with his hammer. His focus remained unperturbed, even as his brother stepped right next to him. The god had long replaced his skin with gold plates, his eyes with glass, his very flesh with gears and molten brass for blood. Some of the gods even said his soul itself was gone, replaced with the technology he so loved. Small, mechanized automatons attended to his needs, the children the sterile god never had.


    ¡°So?¡± the metal god asked, his voice a clicking noise.


    ¡°He didn¡¯t listen, like always.¡± Mars crossed his arms. ¡°A shame. Does he not see the disaster ahead?¡±


    ¡°Lord Pluto is cautious and cunning.¡± As Vulcan finished a piece of circuitry, an automaton hurriedly took it away, while another presented its master with a gear in need of a finishing touch. ¡°War is bad for wealth. By fostering conflict among others while remaining unbloodied, one grows strong.¡±


    ¡°Or complacent.¡± Even if Pluto allowed their scheme, his forbidding of direct interference infuriated the war god. ¡°We are still missing at least three donors.¡±


    ¡°I would say three and a half, brother. That color is a poisoned gift.¡±


    ¡°This is the best deal we will get for now.¡± The godlike donor may have granted them access to his color, but Mars knew all too well he would prove an equally dangerous enemy once their interests no longer aligned. ¡°Can you finish the machine without the others?¡±


    The metal god shook his head. ¡°The Administrator was categorical. The balance of colors must be respected for the system to work.¡±


    This worried Mars a great deal. While he had sent requests to the other pantheons, explaining his intention, most had refused or still hadn¡¯t answered. Only the selfless Krishna-Vishnu had unambiguously agreed to serve as a donor until he could convince his pantheon to follow, while one of Heaven¡¯s Archangel had cooperated since day one.


    Meanwhile, with the exception of his co-conspirator Vulcan, almost every member of his own family had turned him down¡­ with one exception, who hadn¡¯t answered yet.


    ¡°There is still one card to play,¡± Mars said.


    Vulcan nodded. ¡°I already called her.¡±


    ¡°You expected me to come back empty-handed, brother?¡± Mars sighed. ¡°When?¡±


    Vulcan let out what passed for a chuckle, as Mars sensed a powerful presence descend on the platform. The war god couldn¡¯t help but try to stand as firm and strong as he could.


    The woman that settled on the platform seemed barely out of youth, yet also mature and on the verge of adulthood. Her chestnut hair, arranged in an elaborate hair dress, reached down her ankles; while her lustrous amber eyes could charm the fiercest of warriors. Her tasteful, crimson sleeveless robes smelled of sweet perfumes, while expensive jewelry adorned her soft skin¡ªin particular, her necklace, crafted by Vulcan himself, enhanced her beauty to inhuman effect. An intricate diadem stood on her forehead, a remnant of her former crown.


    Juno, Hera, Peacock Queen, the Queen that Was. Jupiter¡¯s widow, and Mars¡¯ own mother.


    ¡°I heard your call, my sons.¡± While she spoke, Vulcan kept working, leaving his brother to the convincing¡ªhis own relationship with their mother had never been warm.


    Mars nodded, trying to appeal to her vanity. ¡°You are always a joy to see, Mother.¡±


    Juno¡¯s sly smile didn¡¯t hide the shrewdness beneath. ¡°I sense that my sight is not the reason behind this meeting. You want me to sacrifice my remaining powers to fuel your machine.¡±


    Which, as former queen of Olympus, she could provide. ¡°Will you?¡±


    ¡°I cannot go against Pluto¡¯s decree for my love of you only.¡± A lie. Mars knew she had flaunted his decrees behind his back more than once. ¡°I need more.¡±


    Mars loved his mother, but he knew her to be vengeful, unrelenting, and bitter. Her will matched that of Father Jupiter, and she would not budge from her position. ¡°I am listening, Mother.¡±


    ¡°First, while I have read your proposal, it was a bit too vague.¡± The goddess moved to the edge of the platform, her eyes trying to pierce through the distant fumes and smoke. ¡°Tell me more about this machine of yours.¡±


    Mars put his hands behind his back, joining her at the edge of the platform. ¡°One year ago, while the dragons¡¯ secured their rule, an event on the mortal world caught my attention. A battle, the latest in an unending war. I couldn¡¯t suppress my curiosity.¡±


    ¡°Flaunting the rules, have you?¡± Juno smiled, even though she walked the human world too.


    ¡°Before the conquest of Earth, the dragon queen created a machine in the shape of a long lost friend. A machine that could think, and reason. They came to blows, and while the dragons won the conflict, the machine¡¯s spirit endured as a constant thorn in their side. After a battle that almost cost it its last life, the machine¡ªManus, as the dragons called it¡ªmade its way to Earth to hide and recover. It was it who brought Concordia to Earth¡­ or should I say, the reverse.¡±


    ¡°The enemy of my enemy is my friend,¡± the Queen that Was guessed.


    ¡°No,¡± Mars replied. ¡°Not when this enemy intended to undo reality itself. But with a mortal¡¯s help, Manus had unraveled the secrets of sorcery, secrets that could fuel a weapon against Concordia.¡±


    ¡°That machine you are building?¡±


    ¡°Yes and no. This engine is as much Vulcan¡¯s masterwork as anyone else.¡± Mars coughed, a bit bothered by the interruption. ¡°Manus had the right idea, but transforming his idea into a functional weapon took time, as well as planning the strategy to put it to use.¡±


    ¡°What can this weapon do?¡± Juno tried to hide her interest, but Mars knew he had sold her on the plot. ¡°Split the world open?¡±


    ¡°Manus thought about using it to rewrite history in its image, and almost succeeded, but with Vulcan¡¯s help, I repurposed it towards another application.¡± Mars delivered the killing blow. ¡°It can create Heroes. Grant sorcery to anyone, on a global scale.¡±


    Juno frowned in disbelief. ¡°Impossible. Sorcery is an innate gift.¡±


    ¡°It is the truth,¡± Vulcan spoke to defend his work.


    ¡°It can if sufficiently powered,¡± Mars continued. ¡°We need access to potent sources of each color of magic, to fuel our engine. So much power is needed, nothing short of us gods will power it. Gods willing to sacrifice their remaining powers to process it into Flux.¡±


    ¡°Sponsors.¡± Juno smiled.


    ¡°Once this is done, we can empower the mortals to fight the dragons, as we blessed the heroes of old.¡±


    Juno considered his words. ¡°And since we would only empower mortals, we would not technically violate Pluto¡¯s decree, nor risk ourselves. Very cunning, my son.¡±


    ¡°Thank you. So, will you join us?¡±


    Juno avoided answering, ¡°What happened to this Manus?¡±


    ¡°It died,¡± Mars replied, a half-truth. He couldn¡¯t reveal his ace in the hole yet. ¡°Vulcan used its pieces as part of our engine.¡±


    ¡°I see one flaw in your plan,¡± Juno pointed out, cunning. ¡°The reason why so many gods refused to support your project.¡±


    Mars smiled behind his helmet.


    ¡°Our power is finite, my son,¡± Juno said. ¡°If I sacrifice my lifeforce to turn it into this ¡®Flux¡¯ power, the way the machines turned my husband into a living battery, never will I regain it. Empowering heroes will leave me forever diminished. Should the dragons ever find us weakened, they will destroy us.¡±


    ¡°They find us,¡± Mars corrected her. ¡°But sorcery trumps our native magic in all categories, enough that it displaces it like an invasive species. It gave the dragons enough power to conquer galaxies. Unless we empower mankind and stand with them, Concordia will subsume us too. We must adapt, or we die.¡±


    The queen kept nodding to herself, schemes forming in her mind. ¡°My brother¡¯s cowardly rule must end, and my niece is unfit to rule Olympus by his side. I must regain my rightful place as queen.¡±


    Mars heard Apollo say Juno tried to convince Pluto to cast his wife aside for her¡ªproving that her ambition overwhelmed her dedication to marriage¡ª only to be firmly denied. Juno had held a grudge against her brother ever since. ¡°You wish me to find Father and return him to power?¡±


    Juno sneered. ¡°No. Never again will I suffer his humiliations, if he still lives. No, my son. I will fight for my own claim, and you shall support it, alongside Vulcan.¡±


    ¡°You once tried to overthrow Father before the great war, alongside Neptune and Minerva. Yet when you had to choose which of you would rule, none could agree, and Father regained power.¡± The whole affair had greatly amused the war god, who had watched from the sidelines. ¡°Neptune might be gone, but what will prevent another such bickering among the twelve?¡±


    ¡°I have ruled the longest, and I am the oldest among the claimants.¡±


    ¡°We are a scheming, bickering lot. No. Your claim will remain contested and even our support will not tip the balance. I do see, however, another solution.¡±


    Juno crossed her arms. ¡°What mischief have you imagined, my son?¡±


    ¡°First, I wish to ask you a question. Once in power, what will you do?¡±


    ¡°I will marshall the armies of Olympus, bring an end to those invaders, and ensure the gods are worshiped once more. Our interests align in that.¡±


    Only partly. Mars had no desire to see the selfish gods of Olympus rule over mankind again; he would rather have them choose their own future. He doubted his mother would see the light of his argument¡­ unless he prepared the groundwork.


    ¡°What solution do you propose, my son?¡±


    ¡°I can provide you a Hero of your own. A champion that will uphold your claim before the Twelve, drag Pluto off his throne, and show that fate favors your rule. One that will eclipse even Father¡¯s spawn.¡±


    When getting past her disgusted sneer, Mars could see his mother hesitate. Upstaging her husband¡¯s legacy gnawed at her. In fact, she had tried more than once.


    ¡°I had a champion once. Jason.¡± The queen¡¯s voice brimmed with fury. ¡°He disappointed me, broke his vows. I will not suffer another weakling of heart. And none can match Hercules¡¯ strength.¡±


    ¡°Oh, far from my mind. You deserve better than a brute wearing a lion¡¯s pelt. The champion I have in mind is made of a different steel, sharper. What he lacks in might, he makes up in cunning. He will have my skill, Minerva¡¯s wisdom, and Vulcan¡¯s mind; the gods will fear him more than Pluto, yet find him more charming than Venus and sing his praise like Apollo. His will shall surpass Diana¡¯s, his tongue will cut better than Mercury¡¯s, and Vesta will waver in her duties before him. Proserpina herself will never sway him from you, and Fortuna shall bless his every step. Your champion will honor you where Father did not, because he owes all of his powers to you. You will and unmake them with a snap of your finger.¡±


    Mars knew his mother well. She had destroyed Troy over wounded vanity; the idea of a devoted warrior that would defeat all in her name appealed to her. ¡°And where would you find such a champion?¡±


    Mars smiled beneath his helmet. ¡°My, mother, I already found many candidates.¡±


    Of course, he oversold it a bit, but among the hundreds of brave mortals he had selected, one would certainly fit the bill.


    The domain of Set stood strong among the dusty, barren desert; a pyramid of blooded stone and sharp bricks, greater than anything man could ever build. The harsh sun of Ra made the place shine bright crimson, large iron doors closed. Yet what bothered Mars most was the silence. No winds blew; no insect crawled under the sand. Set¡¯s realm was as menacing and unforgiving as its owner.


    The Roman god waited for the iron doors to open, his arms crossed. It was a power play, a ploy to put him on edge, to remind him he was but a guest in search of help. Set may have accepted his nephew as the new pharaoh, but he never lost his kingly demeanor.


    Finally, after a long, agonizing silence, the doors opened slowly, and a powerful, ominous figure walked through. The funerary goddess Nephthys, walked through, regal and somber. Her gray, dusty skin contrasted neatly with her white, funerary veil. ¡°My husband will receive you,¡± she spoke with a soft, motherly tone.


    Mars followed his host¡¯s wife into the pyramid, the doors closing behind them with a strong, dramatic sound. ¡°Your husband is a show-off,¡± the war god told Nephthys as they traveled through the dark, shadowy corridors.


    A thin smile spread across the goddess¡¯ lips. ¡°You should have seen our home during the last cycle. We removed the impaled corpses in front of the doors. I disliked the scent.¡± Unlike the cold and regal Proserpina, she had a dark sense of humor.


    Mars sensed eyes staring at them from the darkness, the shades of thieves, tomb robbers, warriors and outcasts who worshiped Set in life. They now crawled inside his realm, ambushing unwelcome visitors as they had in life to steal their riches.


    Their walk ended in a large stone hall, deep inside the pyramid; green torches dimly lit the place, revealing murals depicting the murder of Osiris by his brother Set, and the latter¡¯s conflict with his nephew Horus for the throne of Egypt. Yet the scene that overshadowed them all depicted Set proudly standing before Ra as his invincible protector.


    At the end of the hall, on a lonely throne of gold beneath a long sharp spear, Set sat on a vouched position. The ever-changing death god had taken a new shape with the modern age, dressing in a crimson business suit and tie, with shades of black. His human face was hidden beneath a red desert fox mask, whose ears and eyes shifted as if made of flesh.


    No, Mars thought, as the deity¡¯s bloody, rimmed eyes set on him. Set wore no mask.


    ¡°Welcome, Ares.¡± Set¡¯s voice brimmed with patronizing confidence. The deity had been old when Mars was young, and he delighted in reminding him of it.


    ¡°You know I could have fought my way past those doors instead of waiting?¡± Mars spoke, as Nephthys stood silent and demure next to her husband. Unlike Prosperpina, she didn¡¯t stand as an equal to her partner; Set had never forgiven her past offense and entertained other concubines.


    ¡°It would have been entertaining. Will you try to beat me into submission too? You will fail, but I haven¡¯t fought a true god in a long, long time.¡± Set¡¯s tone was eager, willing.


    ¡°I have found it inefficient to making long term allies; especially in times of war.¡±


    ¡°Truly you have grown more circumspect with the centuries.¡± Set joined his fingers, like a businessman discussing a lucrative deal. Mars knew him to be as sly as the animal whose face he wore. ¡°Anubis and I pleaded your case to my fellows, and the proposal won them over. Even Horus, and we haven¡¯t agreed on anything since his birth.¡±


    ¡°The Pharaoh will join us?¡± That was great news. Too great.


    ¡°Horus wishes to return Egypt to its previous glory, to free the mortals from unjust suffering, and to restore the cycle of life and rebirth the Neurotowers corrupted. I told him that if your plan was successful, then that would be easy to achieve. More difficult to fulfill, was his last condition.¡±


    Mars frowned. ¡°What is the catch?¡±


    ¡°The pharaoh wants to see your ¡®Magik System¡¯ in action before fully committing to your design. Anubis, that selfless protector of the dead, volunteered to serve as our donor for an initial test; only if it succeeds, will the rest of us join.¡±


    Mars had expected something similar. He needed eight donors whose energy could be processed into the colors of sorcery for an initial test; afterward, he hoped that with the proof of its success, more deities would commit to the system. ¡°They support the entire plan? Even the final stage?¡±


    ¡°Even this all-or-nothing gambit of yours.¡±


    ¡°This is more than I expected. Does the Pharaoh understand the risks? We will have to confront Concordia, and our chances of victory are low.¡±


    ¡°They will find where the Neurotowers siphon most of their Flux from one day. We are simply forcing fate¡¯s hand earlier than expected.¡± Set pointed at the spear above his throne. ¡°In fact, I relish the opportunity.¡±


    So did Mars.


    Time to recruit the Red.


    As he waited in the great hall of the Kami, attended by minor deities, Mars felt confident. The warlike gods of the Shinto, the Land of the Middle, and the Seas shared his relentless, warrior mentality.


    The god¡¯s eyes shifted to the features of the room, to the walls and windows, each of them shifting discreetly. Unlike Brahman¡¯s soul singularity, where all lives were one, here, everything had a singular existence. All items, all pieces of that world, had a will of their own.


    The great doors of the hall opened, and Mars walked through.


    The throne room of the Kami humbled the god by its unseen magnificence. Six pillars of precious stones, from marble to more esoteric matter, supported a highly decorated painted roof representing the ancient night sky. The painting shifted on their own, the stars dancing with the moon and the sun.


    On the side, great banners and tapestries of samurai battle, fishermen conquering the sea, and great diplomats crafting heavenly mandates, adorned the walls. Armored figures, empty armor animated by the undying spirit of their dead wearers, stood watch in straight lines, forming a corridor towards the throne.


    The empress ruled from an ornate, magnificent throne of jade atop an onyx dais. A great golden mirror stood atop it, so the goddess could admire herself anytime she came to sit.


    Amaterasu herself was a different kind of queen than Juno. Sitting on the throne, dressed in simple yet elegant white and red robes, her long black hair falling down a sun-shaped gold crown, she embodied supreme yet humble rulership. Every element of her attire was calculated to enhance her aura of power and wisdom.


    Unlike Juno¡¯s need to flaunt her beauty, Amaterasu hides her face behind a white, shapeless mask where the blinding light of her eyes shone through two holes. Amaterasu reserved the sight of her true figure to a select few, either family or trusted friends. Mars himself didn¡¯t count among those.


    The Sun Empress didn¡¯t need to flaunt her power and beauty. One just had to look around, at her bright, vibrant brilliance, to feel them.


    ¡°Great Amaterasu-sama,¡± the war god bowed deeply before the empress, as per protocol. While he rivaled her in power and had no master, he knew those gods believed strongly in proper procedure. He couldn¡¯t jeopardize his goals for childish pride. ¡°I am honored to bathe in your divine light.¡±


    The queen¡¯s sun eyes looked down on her guest. ¡°Mars-san. Have you brought tribute to my house?¡±


    Mars nodded; as any guest before an emperor, he brought a gift. ¡°I bring you information. I have located your brother¡¯s whereabouts.¡± The queen stayed calm and composed, but Mars noticed slight tension racing through her polished fingers. ¡°He incarnated as a mortal, a young woman.¡±


    ¡°Where?¡±


    ¡°Kyushu. Her mortal uncle has led her astray on a path of blood and madness.¡±


    The queen¡¯s silence was ten times more foreboding than Pluto¡¯s grim gaze. ¡°I see. Is she aware of her heritage?¡±


    ¡°Not yet. Do you wish me to bring her to you?¡±


    ¡°Do not presume from me, Mars-san.¡± The tone was strong and firm. ¡°Watch her. I will decide what to do with her in my own time. You may grant her access to your machine if you so see fit.¡±


    ¡°My pleasure.¡± Mars waited for the empress to address his silent request; breaching the subject on his own might offend her.


    The queen¡¯s next words delighted him. ¡°I have agreed to your proposal. The Kami and their allies will pledge their armies to your great alliance when you call for war.¡±


    Mars couldn¡¯t suppress a large, victorious smirk on his face. After Juno and Set¡¯s conditional assistance, an unambiguous yes was a welcome change. ¡°I am deeply grateful for your trust, great Sun Queen.¡±


    Amaterasu remained solemn on her throne. ¡°I must tell you, Greek,¡± she said. ¡°That my Zodiac informed me other Asian deities and warriors decided to take a direct approach at helping mortals.¡±


    ¡°I expected as much.¡± Immortals had been active recently in the Asian region, supporting rebel activity in China. That was one of the factors encouraging him to accelerate his schedule.


    He hoped they wouldn¡¯t jeopardize his grand finale, though.


    ¡°You are dismissed,¡± Amaterasu said. ¡°Inform me when you wish to start. I shall grant you my power to fuel your machine.¡±


    Mars bowed even deeper and excused himself.


    So far so good. He had all of his beta donors.


    Mars gazed at the great machine from Vulcan¡¯s forge.


    Vulcan¡¯s magnum opus was a marvel of engineering, a massive tower whose one-hundred meters size was only matched by its width. Giant floating brass rings circled the device, sustained by ethereal Flux energy. Six pillars of light, each of a different color¡ªRed, Orange, Yellow, Green, Blue, and Violet¡ªbreathed power and life around the tower, their rays bending and joining above the tower.


    The tower¡¯s alloy had no earthly comparison, a black metal extracted from the dark depths of the Machine World; bright lines pulsated on its surface, while a white glow emanated from its top, joining the other six lights.


    A tower to bind them all. And the donor joined them with a rain of feathers.


    ¡°Greetings, Olympians,¡± the Archangel Uriel said, as he descended on the platform, a winged being of pure, blissful light. ¡°The Lord smiles on us today.¡±


    ¡°Greetings, and indeed, this is the day we have been waiting for for so long,¡± Mars declared, rather enthusiastic. ¡°Thank you for providing the White.¡±


    ¡°I wish we could offer more,¡± the Archangel replied. ¡°We intended to take a more direct hand in the defense of Earth, but our nemesis, long thought banished, has returned. Until the Adversary has made its move, we will wait for Armaggeddon to begin.¡±


    Mars glanced at the alien sky, both the bright stars and the dread darkness in between. ¡°?¡±


    Uriel¡¯s wings shifted. ¡°He is already at work on Earth, corrupting souls in preparation for his return. For the sake of mankind, no, for all life everywhere, we cannot fail.¡±


    ¡°We won¡¯t,¡± Mars promised, both to the angel and to himself.


    Vulcan nodded to himself, observing his machine with immense pride. ¡°When the Magik System will go online, the Administrator will send invitations to our chosen candidates and assign them our first requests. Their powers will be limited though until the machinery can refine itself and work out the bugs. They need to attune themselves better to the system before calling upon dangerous powers. Otherwise, we are ready.¡±


    ¡°Almost,¡± Mars said.


    Uriel bristled. ¡°Do we truly need that color?¡±


    ¡°Unfortunately, yes,¡± Vulcan replied, but it didn¡¯t convince the archangel.


    ¡°Black is a foul color among foul. It does not mesh and cooperate, it devours and consumes. If you want to see what Black is, just look at the black hole consuming Antarctica. Black spreads entropy by its very nature; it might cause glitches in your system, or worse. There is no place for Black.¡±


    ¡°You are mistaken,¡± Vulcan replied. ¡°Black is color eight. The color of Paradox, of the impossible, of freedom; by its very nature, it breaks the rules. Even those of sorcery itself. We will not make Hacks possible without it.¡±


    ¡°The Administrator showed us the world Concordia will lead to; and even you, Archangel, who fought the worst of fiends, stepped back in dread. You understand that every sacrifice is worth preventing that outcome.¡±


    ¡°Mayhaps, but how do you intend to convince ?¡± Uriel stressed the last word. ¡°This creature is not like us. It has no desire for wealth, for power, for justice; no rational motive, no hope for a better future. It feels neither love nor fear; in fact, it does not feel. It cannot be bribed, talked to, or cowed into obedience. To entropy, the universe is a zero-sum game that ends in annihilation. All its actions are geared toward hastening that outcome.¡±


    ¡°I already convinced it,¡± Mars replied, before turning to his brother. ¡°Open the portal.¡±


    ¡°Madness.¡± Uriel cursed, as Vulcan pulled some levers. ¡°This will end in tears.¡±


    Mars thought, as the gate opened.


    That time was different. The gate¡¯s light twisted black and sucked out the room¡¯s heat. It was no two-way path between friendly realms, but a one-way journey to doom.


    Only the darkness of Pandoria awaited beyond that portal.


    ¡°Ashmal, First of the Pandorians, Archmage of the Black. Listen to my call. I am Mars, and I come in peace.¡±


    Mars called into the abyss, and the abyss looked back.


    A black, sinister eye peeked through the portal, a whirlpool of cold, unrelenting nihilism. A circle of white surrounded the dark abyss, the frontier between the living world and oblivion; the remnant of destroyed, deleted worlds at the edge of a grasping maw. S~ea??h the ¦Çov§×lFire .net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    This entity was beyond strength; beyond death. Mars gazed at the end of all things, the darkness when all lights vanish, the last face one could ever see. The eye radiated dread and despair, and for the third time in his immemorial existence, the god of war felt fear. Even Uriel¡¯s light dimmed at the sight.


    Mars immediately faltered in his choice. This being could end his immortal life; he wished nothing more than to do so. One wrong word, one mistake, and the god would die in silence. Nothing would remain.


    He had gone too far to stop now.


    ¡°I have come to ask for your promised support. We are building a weapon stronger than anything; one that requires all colors. Only Black is missing.¡±


    The eye watched, soulless and unblinking. Even Vulcan, who had long removed the ability for fear from himself, tensed.


    The eye¡¯s white edge radiated with a corrupted, grayish light; the pulse went through the god and filled him with unease and disgust. Mars instantly summoned his weapons on impulse, but the void didn¡¯t vaporize him.


    A black, sinister circle of light materialized around the great machine, a ring of cold, terrible energy. It did not join the other colors; instead, it surrounded them, staying a stranger afar, an ever-threatening presence.


    The unfeeling eye glanced one last time at the war god, and the portal collapsed into itself, closing the path.


    ¡°It did not ask for a price,¡± Vulcan whispered.


    Uriel crushed his delusions. ¡°You mislead yourself. Using Black at all is the price, and everyone will pay for it tenfold.¡±


    If only the angel was more than half right.


    Mars had promised this ancient darkness something for its support, the first time he peeked into the void beyond the Black Tower, and saw the truth it held.


    "Grant me a Terminal, and set us free."


    Would it be worth it? Even Mars started to doubt himself, as he observed the black, hollow ring circling the tower. They had made a deal with the devil today; but he would gladly offer his soul if it allowed Earth to be free, truly free.


    ¡°We will keep Black Spells unavailable at first, to activate only should Magik itself or Earth¡¯s safety be threatened,¡± Mars said. ¡°Or on very specific cases. Last resort.¡±


    ¡°Wise choice.¡± Vulcan tweaked the machine one last time. ¡°The machine is ready to wake up. We only need users. Heroes.¡±


    ¡°Players,¡± Uriel said.


    Mars put his arms behind his back, summoning scrying portals around him.


    They already had their first candidates.


    Spell of the Day


    Metalmesh


    Affinity: Blue


    Dot: 3


    Price: 9-15


    Activation: Passive, App Switch.


    The user becomes a telepathic technopath, whose mind can connect to artificial devices of sufficient complexity, such as computers. The user can project their mind into the machine and take it over, but keeps only a tenuous awareness of their body; death of their physical body will kill the user, but death inside a machine will only send the user¡¯s mind back to their body.

 Chapter 59: Inner Conflict

    ¡°Come to us, Martel.¡±


    Mathias opened his eyes and found himself in a dead mental world.


    A mindscape. A mental world recorded in Dis¡¯ databanks, as an extension of the caster¡¯s mind. It was the acme of Blue Spells, a private universe of pure thought, where the caster could invite or trap other, lesser minds.


    Yet Aster¡¯s mindscape was nothing but a white, endless field. A silent, immaculate landscape, under a cloudless blue sky; a lifeless world without warmth, without soul, without spirit. Not even shades of people existed in this bleak vision, showcasing the Minister¡¯s complete lack of connection to anyone.


    Minister Aster was a cold, soulless . He always had been.


    , Mathias decided, as six gargantuan shapes materialized around him, a tribunal of Concordia¡¯s elite. Each shone with one of the six colors of sorcery, except for White.


    This confirmed Ace¡¯s rumors that the Grandmaster never left her fortress; she didn¡¯t even do so psychically.


    ¡°Welcome, my fellow ministers,¡± Aster opened the meeting, manifesting as a blue titan, ¡°Welcome to my mind.¡±


    ¡°What a dreadful sight,¡± the Golden Prince said, the majestic dragon¡¯s yellow light dimming as in took in the sight. ¡°So lifeless¡­¡±


    ¡°Minimalist,¡± Aster replied. ¡°What was unnecessary, I destroyed.¡±


    ¡°Still, maybe you should add more colors or background music for guests¡­¡±


    ¡°I didn¡¯t come to this mindscape to discuss decoration,¡± said Grimsour, the Orange Minister. Due to appearing mentally, he didn¡¯t wear his trademark power armor, manifesting as an elderly, lean and mean hob with orange fur. ¡°How long has it been since we gathered all together?¡±


    ¡°Since we discussed this case for the first time, two years ago,¡± said a voice that sounded like a thousand small voices speaking at once.


    Although he had seen pictures of him from back from the golden age of Concordia, the years had greatly changed Minister Loctis. The creature in front of him was a dragon so thin, Mathias could almost see the bones beneath the lustrous black scales. He was small, smaller than Smokefang, with atrophied wings who couldn¡¯t carry him. Mathias couldn¡¯t clearly see his features, a shade of both Blue and Green obscuring the dragon like a veil; yet he could clearly see the bright light in his yellowish eyes, and bright intellect behind.


    It was also the first time Mathias could see the most elusive of the six Ministers, Brina the Violet. He instantly recognized her as the cold, blonde human he had seen challenge another warlord back at Mammon¡¯s casino. A woman whose beauty was just as unnatural as Manah¡¯s, Brina embodied the warrior queen archetype instead of Manah¡¯s ladylike royalty, carrying herself with an emotionless frown and a battle stance.


    That woman killed as easily as she breathed. Her icy gaze settled upon him, like a hawk eyeing a dove.


    As for Blackcinders, she was exactly how the sorcerer always pictured her: seething with hatred. ¡°We should have killed him the first time around,¡± she said, her immense body casting Mathias in her dreadful shadow. ¡°We should still.¡±


    ¡°He is an asset,¡± Aster replied. ¡°A useful asset. Thankfully, none of the bounty hunters you sent after him removed him from the board, or this operation would have been a bust.¡±


    ¡°It could still be. Is he even under your control, Aster, or just tricking you?¡±


    ¡°My Lock is supreme,¡± Aster insisted. ¡°Melusine checked a week ago, and not even repeated Counterspells or Black Spells undid it. My Maze has no flaw, no weakness.¡±


    ¡°You shouldn¡¯t feel so proud, Aster,¡± the Golden Prince replied, gazing at Mathias with a wary, disappointed eye. ¡°You took his free will away from him.¡±


    ¡°¡®Free will¡¯ is nothing more than an electrochemical signal of your nervous system,¡± the Blue Minister defended his decision. ¡°It is an illusion of a feeble brain, unable to correlate the true nature of the world: that all atoms have their place, and that every single movement comes as a reaction of what came before. That all is predetermined. Free will does not exist, and therefore it has no value.¡±


    The Golden Prince flinched as if slapped instead. Apparently, he hadn¡¯t supported the project, and neither did Loctis. ¡°He should have been offered the opportunity to join us without involvement from your Lock,¡± the Green Minister said.


    ¡°Your Maxwell did offer him one,¡± Blackcinders snapped, ¡°He turned it down.¡±


    Mathias almost spoke up, but a glance from Aster silenced him. These six titans held his life in their hands, and he would have to wait for his turn.


    ¡°I meant to say, that we should have recruited him two years ago,¡± Loctis explained his thinking further. ¡°Of course he refused the offer. We obscured our side of the Terminal affair, and let him open to the influence of the Maleking, and now Manus.¡±


    Would he have listened back then? Even Mathias wasn¡¯t so sure. While he understood now the logical benefits of Concordia bringing civilization to Terra Firma, he had been too quick and emotional two years ago.


    ¡°The opportunities of catching Manus off guard outweighed his use,¡± Aster pointed out, and he had been proven right.


    ¡°Whatever,¡± Grimsour interrupted with impatience. ¡°That was two years ago. This is now.¡±


    ¡°Yes,¡± the Blue Minister agreed. ¡°I gathered you so Mathias could answer your questions on his infiltration¡ª¡±


    ¡°The one where he infiltrates us?¡± Blackcinders rasped.


    ¡°His infiltration of the so-called Player Insurgency,¡± Aster continued as if he hadn¡¯t been interrupted. ¡°Mathias, if you would¡­¡±


    The young man nodded, the eyes of the Ministers setting on him. ¡°Around two months ago, as you were informed, I was invited to join this ¡®Magik Online¡¯ system, completing requests of unknown benefactors in exchange for sorcerous powers. Too small-minded and without the Minister¡¯s guidance, I accepted, betraying Concordia of my own free-will. I gained the power of Network, defeated the Malebranche insurgency in Evermarsh, and then fought Lord Smokefang for the Occult Matrix.¡±


    He marked a pause, then turned to the Red Minister. ¡°I beg for your forgiveness, Minister Blackcinders,¡± he said, sincerely. ¡°I regret what happened, and I will submit to any punishment you see fit once this is over.¡±


    Blackcinders replied with a vengeful gaze, but then said, ¡°He couldn¡¯t even kill a human right.¡±


    ¡°Need I remind you Halcyon was a human?¡± Loctis said, irked by his colleague¡¯s contempt. ¡°Your reaction is unbefitting of a dragon. All species deserve respect, even those weaker than us.¡±


    ¡°As for punishment, Mathias, your circumstances are¡­ unique,¡± the Golden Prince said. ¡°We will see if we can be lenient.¡±


    ¡°You cannot be serious!¡± Blackcinders said. ¡°Do you want to forgive the murderer of a dragon? What kind of message will it send to our population?¡±


    ¡°I did it out of my own free-will,¡± Mathias insisted. ¡°I deserve it. However you call it, I was a terrorist.¡±


    ¡°I will take full responsibility for the death of Smokefang,¡± Aster said. ¡°I could have activated the meat¡¯s trigger phrase beforehand, but I saw fit to leave him to ingrain himself deeper in the insurgency.¡±


    ¡°You knew he would kill my son?!¡± Blackcinders¡¯ eyes flared with fury.


    ¡°I gave him a thirty percent chance of killing Smokefang, and twenty percent chance of a mutual kill,¡± Aster replied, without a hint of regret. ¡°The end result strengthened the insurgency¡¯s trust in his loyalty.¡±


    ¡°Your son was collateral damage,¡± Grimsour said without any sympathy. ¡°Soldiers die all the time in the line of duty so the Empire may prosper. Deal with it.¡±


    The dragoness froze, a statue immobilized by restrained rage. ¡°I will not forget this, Aster,¡± she promised.


    ¡°Mathias, please continue,¡± Aster said. ¡°Explain what happened after the Evermarsh incident.¡±


    ¡°I ingrained myself in the graces of both Mammon and the Shadow Queen, both working with the Maleking,¡± he explained, Loctis¡¯ head perking up with rapt attention. ¡°Recruiting a team of sorcerers, and then decisively identified the ringleaders as the so-called ¡®gods¡¯ of Terra Firma¡¯s mythology, and the Administrator as an artificial intelligence similar to Manus.¡±


    ¡°Or maybe Manus himself,¡± Aster said.


    ¡°I also¡­¡± Mathias struggled to find words to explain that part.


    ¡°I know of this ¡®Load Feature¡¯ of yours,¡± Loctis said, his countless voices giddy with excitement. ¡°I thought only Wyrde could activate an Occult Matrix, and she did so under very specific circumstances. Simply amazing.¡±


    ¡°With three Terminals under our control, we might have well be invincible,¡± Grimsour said with great confidence.


    ¡°I shudder at the potential,¡± Loctis agreed. ¡°I would very much like to examine your ability, Mathias. Risking you in the field is foolish.¡±


    Aster didn¡¯t share his viewpoint. ¡°We will see. After the ¡®parallel timeline alignment,¡¯ Melusine activated Mathias¡¯ trigger phrase early, to check if my Lock had been disabled. Thankfully, its effects carried over, but while they exchanged in details, both were unable to fully hack into the Magik Online System; we could send false sensory feedbacks, hide our conversations, but little else. I locked awayhis memories of the encounter after he dropped his protections, and the Administrator put him on probation. Thankfully, Mathias successfully convinced his backers to endorse him.¡±


    ¡°About these backers, they are the same ruffians bothering my activities in the Chinese Protectorate,¡± Grimsour grumbled. ¡°I thought we killed all these rats during the Pacification. We should have been more thorough.¡±


    ¡°We purged many,¡± Aster conceded. ¡°But not all of them.¡±


    ¡°The Neurotowers have siphoned much of their power, and will finish them within a decade or so,¡± Loctis said. ¡°Logically if they want to stop the inevitable, they have to act now. How, however, eludes me.¡±


    ¡°Even with ten thousand sorcerers at their command, we can field a million on Terra Firma and a thousand times more Gearsmen, should the need arise,¡± Blackcinders replied. ¡°They have no hope of winning a direct confrontation.¡±


    Aster nodded. ¡°Exactly. They must have another resource we are unaware of, and so, I want your approval to continue the infiltration until we learn it. Better, we have a golden opportunity to decapitate both the Malebranche¡¯s leadership at the Midnight Market, and cripple the Manus insurgency on Terra Firma.¡±


    ¡°Manah asked me to destroy a base in Oceanis, in order to win her trust,¡± Mathias said, turning to the Golden Prince. ¡°It is your dominion, is it not?¡±


    The Golden Prince bristled as Mathias spoke, for a reason the young man didn¡¯t get. ¡°The institute studying the Worldshaker? It is a matter of utmost security for the local population.¡±


    Loctis shrugged. ¡°We can easily sacrifice it. We struggle with a dead end already, and the Worldshaker¡¯s kept ignoring us so far.¡±


    ¡°I had my reservations over Aster¡¯s project,¡± Grimsour admitted. ¡°Especially once you informed me Martel and the Shadow Queen operated in the Midnight Market, where I am scheduled to go soon. However, the information he provided more than makes up for the trouble he caused.¡±


    ¡°The trouble caused?¡± Blackcinders¡¯ eyes flared with anger. ¡°He killed my son, a noble dragon of Concordia, and he did it out of his own will! He inspired the rabble who now keep rising up on Terra Firma!¡±


    ¡°And he will just as easily demoralize them once fighting at the forefront of our forces,¡± Aster replied. ¡°He could very well become our ¡®Player Killer.¡¯¡±


    ¡°I can help identify Players on Terra Firma,¡± Mathias proposed. ¡°I have access to their forums. I could gather information and relay it to you, Minister.¡±


    Blackcinders ignored him entirely. ¡°If this Magik System is linked to this ¡®Administrator,¡¯ whom we all know is Manus in disguise, then that damn machine could take his powers anytime. He¡¯s a faulty weapon.¡±


    ¡°Melusine is already designing a workaround,¡± Aster replied without elaborating further. ¡°With help from Loctis here present.¡±


    ¡°Yes,¡± Loctis said. ¡°I will handle it.¡±


    Blackcinders must have trusted the older dragon¡¯s expertise a great deal because she completely dropped that argument without further inquiry. ¡°Your blind faith in your Lock¡¯s infallibility will be your undoing, Aster,¡± the Red Minister lambasted her Blue colleague.


    ¡°This is not faith, merely knowledge,¡± Aster said, turning to his asset. ¡°Martel, would you kill your own team, if we asked?¡±


    ¡°Yes,¡± Mathias replied, and he meant it. ¡°Without hesitation.¡±


    ¡°Even Solomon?¡±


    His hands bristled almost imperceptibly, his subconscious reacting on its own. Only sharp Brina noticed though. ¡°I would regret it,¡± Mathias admitted. ¡°And I would try to preserve his life if I can.¡±


    ¡°But?¡± Aster said. The more Mathias had spoken, the more the Golden Prince¡¯s scowl had deepened.


    ¡°But for the sake of the Empire, I would do it.¡± He couldn¡¯t let his feelings get in the way. Manus and its pawns threatened billions, trillions of innocent imperial citizens; and he was ready to make sacrifices to protect them.


    Besides, he had to see the bigger picture. Concordia was good to Terra Firma. It would empower the citizens, share advanced technology with them, give them peace. The sacrifices were worth it; he would offer his own life if needed.


    ¡°The perfect citizen,¡± Aster said. ¡°Loyal above all, and bringing the light to those who need it.¡±


    ¡°I am still not convinced,¡± Blackcinders rasped.


    ¡°You never will,¡± Aster replied. ¡°No matter. Shall we leave the matter to a vote, once more?¡±


    ¡°Brina,¡± Blackcinders immediately turned to the Violet Minister. ¡°You argued for his death last time. Will you do so again?¡±


    Death.


    The woman embodied it just as much as Celia. Her eyes hadn¡¯t blinked for the entire meeting, her unnatural focus unbroken. Blackcinders expected her to want him dead as much as she did.


    Brina spoke three words, her only ones in the entire meeting.


    ¡°Let Aster fail,¡± she said, the shadow of a smile at the edge of her lip. Her voice sounded like that of an angel, but so cold, so lifeless, it could have frozen hell over. She had the look of someone who knew a secret she refused to share and took amusement in it.


    Mathias realized.


    Even Aster looked chilled by her reaction, and Blackcinders reeled back. ¡°Prince?¡± Aster turned to the Yellow Minister, not even asking for his colleague¡¯s reasoning.


    ¡°I cannot condone state-sanctioned brainwashing of this magnitude. Especially not after what I heard. You transformed him into a Gearsman, Aster, just one with skin instead of steel.¡±


    ¡°I did not brainwash him,¡± Aster insisted. ¡°I aligned his values. The core is unchanged, the direction corrected.¡±


    ¡°Why do you not Maze the whole world then, Aster?¡± the Golden Prince replied angrily. ¡°Call it however you want, this is brainwashing, and while I never interfered with your duties for the sake of the Empire, this project crossed a red line and will keep going further the longer it continues. I propose we exfiltrate Martel for his safety and lift your Maze off him immediately. We will judge him fairly for his actions, by the rule of law.¡±


    ¡°Agreed,¡± Loctis seconded his colleague. ¡°His Save and Load power is too precious to be risked in the field.¡±


    ¡°He transformed a population center into Pandorians and erased half his allies last time he activated it,¡± Blackcinders growled. ¡°Using it again would be madness, Loctis.¡±


    ¡°Must I remind you Wyrde¡¯s use of matrices is the main reason our Empire remains unchallenged?¡± Loctis replied, the Red Minister answering with a growl.


    ¡°Abandoning the infiltration would be a colossal waste of resources,¡± Grimsour said. He struck Mathias as the most utilitarian of the Ministers, after Aster himself. ¡°Imagine if we could get our hands on that system they developed, think of the potential.¡±


    ¡°Most of his work is done,¡± the Golden Prince argued. ¡°He already paid his family¡¯s debt to the state. What more should we ask of him? That he dies fighting the Maleking?¡±


    ¡°Nothing of the sort,¡± Aster said. ¡°His usefulness will end with the Crimson Epoch after we deal with the Maleking and his Horsemen before their revolution can seize the offensive. However, I need your cooperation, especially for Oceanis, since it is your dominion. Or would you rather have Arcadian Reavers raid its shores next?¡±


    The Golden Prince hesitated, the threat of the Maleking allying with the Reavers needling him as much as Mathias¡¯ own situation. ¡°Then I will support the infiltration,¡± he said, adding a caveat. ¡°But only if I have your solemn vow you will release him from your enthrallment once the Crimson Epoch over.¡±


    ¡°I second that proposal,¡± Loctis said. ¡°I demand that you deliver him to me safe and sound for research once this is done. Otherwise, I will have to ask for his immediate exfiltration again.¡±


    ¡°Then I vow to remove my Maze from Martel and have him exfiltrated after the Epoch,¡± Aster replied, although Mathias knew he probably didn¡¯t believe a single word of it. The Minister would always find a way. ¡°Blackcinders. You are outvoted.¡±


    The immense black dragon silently glanced at her colleagues, then glared at Mathias with seething malice. ¡°If he gives me the slightest hint your Lock slipped up,¡± Blackcinders said. ¡°I will kill him.¡±


    ¡°Noted.¡±


    ¡°I want his team, too.¡±


    ¡°You shall have it,¡± Aster promised. ¡°In fact, I was considering offering them to you, as part of my plan.¡±


    Mathias frowned. He could have sworn he heard someone speak in the back of his mind.


    ¡°Neither Manah nor the Administrator will believe it if the mission in Oceanis goes too well,¡± Aster told Blackcinders, who now listened with rapturous attention. ¡°And we need to thin the herd of Players to seize their server for research later. I propose we do both. After Mathias lead his team to successfully destroy the base, in a twist of fate, you fall upon them like a hawk and slaughter them.¡±


    ¡°They are all barely Dot Three at the moment,¡± Mathias said. ¡°They are no match for you, Minister.¡±


    ¡°Mathias will barely escape the disaster, gaining the sympathy of his backers for losing his team and yet bravely keeping on the fight. Taiyougami¡¯s defenses will be weakened enough for us to slaughter the population there, with inside help.¡±


    The Red Minister stayed silent for a moment, before letting out a heavy sound from her nostrils. ¡°I will kill them all.¡±


    ¡°Except Martel,¡± Aster pointed out.


    ¡°Agreed. For now.¡±


    ¡°We can end this meeting then,¡± Aster said. ¡°I will keep you updated on our next moves.¡±


    Blackcinders exited the mindscape first, followed by Grimsour. The Golden Prince shook his head regretfully after sending a last glance at Mathias, then vanished. Brina herself just smiled at him and left without a word.


    Only Loctis remained behind, turning towards Aster. ¡°I would like to have a private chat with him, is that possible?¡±


    ¡°You are in my mind. True privacy is next to impossible, and I will have to report to the Grandmaster.¡±


    ¡°I have nothing to hide to Wyrde,¡± Loctis replied. ¡°But I do not want the other Ministers to hear of it. Mostly Blackcinders. You know she will not behave.¡±


    ¡°I understand. Very well. I will return him after you are done.¡±


    The Blue Minister¡¯s projection vanished, leaving the great dragon alone with Mathias. The younger sorcerer looked up at the co-founder of Concordia with heavy apprehension. ¡°What is it, Minister?¡±


    ¡°I would like to exchange further with you on that Save and Load feature. Melusine¡¯s report said you heard a being of light speak to you during the transfer, is it not? Can you describe it to me further?¡±


    What a strange question. Didn¡¯t he know more than Mathias himself? ¡°It looked like a combination of all the colors, except Black,¡± the sorcerer explained. ¡°I knew, almost as an instinct, that it was a creature of sorcery incarnate.¡±


    ¡°Mmm¡­ and what it did say?¡±


    Mathias could remember it clear as day. ¡°¡±


    ¡°Remember, and iterations. Odd choice of words, did you met it before?¡±


    ¡°No, not even when I interacted with the Matrix for the first time.¡±


    Instead of being disappointed, much to Mathias¡¯ surprise, the Green Minister seemed even more curious. ¡°Do you know that Aster failed to report it, the first time Melusine pre-activated your trigger phrase in the Neurotower? Even though he had access to all your memories? Neither Melusine nor Wyrde perceived it either when they survived the jump. Only when you gave him your full report did we learn of it. Even looking inside your memory with his Lock, Aster cannot find, nor witness, the incident in question. He reported Ashmal trying to make contact, but not that entity.¡±


    ¡°Ashmal?¡± Mathias frowned.


    ¡°Ashmal, the Archmage of Black. The first of the Pandorians. The same person who wrote .¡±


    So this was the black entity who contacted him twice? ¡°Looks like he has seen better days.¡±


    ¡°You should say days.¡± His answer amused Loctis, who apparently had a sense of humor. ¡°He stumbled on Pandoria during his travels across the plane and emerged from it as darkness itself. He is a cautionary tale, Mathias. If you do not master the Black, the Black will master .¡± Sear?h the ¦ÇovelFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    ¡°That would imply it can be mastered at all.¡± From what he had seen, Black consumed and left nothing but fear and pain behind.


    ¡°It is possible, if exceptionally hard. I am a minority, but I believe Black provides a key function in our universe and thus is no more evil than the other colors. Albeit the most dangerous by far. ,¡± Loctis stressed the word, ¡°if Aster could see that force of annihilation, why didn¡¯t he notice the first entity? Perhaps because it controls both sorcery and Locks.¡±


    ¡°It could be something else. A bug, or a hallucination. It could be anything.


    ¡°Oh, I have a theory, but you will find it crazy. Do you want me to tell you still?¡±


    ¡°You are Concordia¡¯s brightest mind. Nothing you say is crazy.¡± The Minister sounded like he loved to debate new ideas.


    Loctis let out a heavy sigh. ¡°I can¡¯t wait to have a conversation with Wyrde on your case, it was just plain wrong to authorize¡­ . Maybe I stayed away from governing for too long. Whatever. You probably will not care for what I am about to say, but when you regain your free will, I hope you will remember it so we can have a proper debate. I think you met Dis¡¯ equivalent of the Administrator.¡±


    A super Administrator, which oversaw sorcery itself? ¡°Like the god of sorcery?¡±


    ¡°Or the Cosmocrator, whatever you want to call it. My current theory on the escalation syndrome is that part of its personality bleeds into the colors and taints the sorcerer.¡±


    ¡°All the sorcerers who escalate go violently mad, however. You say they all channel the same persona? That would make that Cosmocrator a tyrant.¡±


    ¡°I never pretended it was a force of good. If anything, the message you carried would attest to that.¡±


    They had begun to drift into philosophy. ¡°If the source of all sorcery is evil, then why isn¡¯t the universe a living hell?¡±


    ¡°Maybe it is, and we don¡¯t notice.¡±


    Mathias shrugged. ¡°That sounds a bit too far stretched, to be honest. And no power surpasses the Grandmaster¡¯s.¡±


    Loctis didn¡¯t reply at once to that. ¡°In the absence of proof for or against, all we have are our beliefs and intuition. In time, I get to the bottom of this apparition.¡±


    ¡°I wonder why you reached that conclusion though.¡±


    ¡°Manus and I believed it probable, back when he still worked for Concordia. Although he believed that ¡®cosmocrator¡¯ to be dead, leaving the spot empty for someone else to take over. You know, I should have known he would escalate and go crazy when he started to entertain that thought¡­¡±


    Mathias instantly noticed an oddness in the dragon¡¯s rambling. ¡°He.¡±


    ¡°Ah. Yes, him,¡± Loctis confirmed. ¡°Manus began as an attempt from Wyrde and I to revive our late best friend by copying his brain patterns in digital form, and even if we realized we failed the second our baby uttered his first sentence, I could never imagine him as an it the way my mentor did.¡±


    Aster¡¯s projection returned. ¡°It is time,¡± the Minister said, either pressed for time or annoyed by Loctis¡¯ words.


    ¡°Do not die, Mathias,¡± Loctis wished the young Player good luck. ¡°We have too much to talk about when you can argue back.¡±


    And so, he vanished.


    ¡°Do you understand what is asked of you?¡± Aster asked his pawn.


    ¡°Earn the trust of Manah and these so-called gods,¡± Mathias said. ¡°Gather information, lead the Guild to Blackcinders, and leave them to die.¡±


    ¡°Yes. Do whatever they ask, even missions against Concordia¡¯s interests. We will pay them back tenfold in time. I will also download in your mind a list of Outsiders aligned, covertly or overtly, with our Empire. Use them to prevail, and to deal with your ¡®teammates,¡¯ should the need arise. I will also send Melusine to back you up in Oceanis, and to prevent Blackcinders from going off-script.¡±


    ¡°Yes, Minister,¡± Mathias gave him the Concordian salute. ¡°I will not disappoint.¡±


    Mathias opened his eyes, sitting on a golden throne.


    Nothing but a second had passed in the waking world.


    ¡°So, handsome?¡± Ace asked at his side, with Sol on his right. ¡°Where do we go now?¡±


    He looked at her through the glass visor, before glancing at the Majestic Sun¡¯s monitors, showing life in the Lair. Amaterasu showed Kari around, like a queen with her puppy; he resisted the urge to call Aster¡¯s fleet early and finish off that enemy of the state.


    Maggie Powells, whose demand of a favor Mathias remained wary of, was trying to track down Sun Wukong in the depth of the Lair, but the monkey had so far avoided her. Mur toyed with the newborn dragon in Baihu¡¯s area, Mathias wary of his influence; they would have to exfiltrate the dragon because the fiend tainted him.


    And Stitch tinkered with the Lifeforge; sometimes he glanced at to an empty spot as if listening to someone who wasn¡¯t there.


    Interesting.


    ¡°We will first go to Oceanis, before we exhaust Manah¡¯s patience,¡± Mathias said. They could apparently teleport back and forth from the Lair to the Midnight Market. ¡°Afterward, I guess we can attempt a quest to gain more Spellcoins?¡±


    ¡°I found one which should put everyone behind it,¡± Ace said, sending it to him through Magik.


    The Dragon Exile


    Difficulty: Dot Three (Hard)


    Sponsor: Desert King.


    Most dragons have fallen in with the Empire¡¯s doctrine of conquest and assimilation, but I recently became aware of one exception; a dragoness present since the earliest days of Concordia, and who opposed the rise of Grandmaster Wyrde. The dragoness has been condemned to exile and house arrest on the distant, icy planet of Nibiru, but may prove a tremendously useful ally if freed. After all, she was there when Concordia was founded, and may sow discord among it¡­


    Rewards: Eleven Spellcoins + New Ally Unlocked


    It was for the greater good¡­ ¡°Nice,¡± he said. ¡°I¡¯m curious to see a dragon opposed to Concordia. It¡¯s a pleasant surprise.¡±


    Ace smiled, but her lips didn¡¯t reach her ears.


    He instantly tried to peek inside her mind with Network, just in case. Maybe he was simply paranoid, but she was one of the few teammates he didn¡¯t know enough to fully predict.


    It didn¡¯t work.


    While he gave no outward sign of anger, Mathias tried again, only to fail. It wasn¡¯t that it returned without anything. His Lock hadn¡¯t triggered at all.


    Network refused to activate, the same way it refused to in Manah¡¯s presence. Did his subconscious refuse to activate the Lock?


    Damn, maybe he hadn¡¯t been vocal enough in his hatred of dragons. He should make a comment about-


    The sudden memories gave him shivers inside his own brain, the hatred they held straining against his own loyalty. Emotionally-charged memories started rushing to his mind, threatening to overwhelm him from within.


    Was¡­


    The doppelgangers.


    The doppelgangers! With the Network time limit reaching its week-long duration, the clones had started dispelling, and their memories remained unaltered. And the old him had made dozens of them.


    No matter, he would deal with them the same way the old him did, compartmentalize, shift them away. He started putting them in the back of his mind, behind the mental walls Aster had crafted to isolate his old allegiances, and then-


    Shroud awakened in the back of his own mind.


    It was perhaps the strangest experience he had ever experienced; an absolute lack of sensation in his entire body. He didn¡¯t feel his legs, or limbs, nor even his own heartbeat. He was an outsider to his own flesh.


    He could see through ¡®his¡¯ eyes and hear through ¡®his¡¯ ears, but he could barely understand what was going on as if watching a movie alternating between English and a foreign language. He knew different parts of the brain managed sensory feedback and the ability to make sense of them; maybe he had only managed to circumvent some of Aster¡¯s protections?


    The memory overload from the doppelgangers didn¡¯t overwrite the Parasite¡ªShroud decided to call the parasitic persona occupying his body that¡ªthe way he hoped it would; at least he could ¡®hear¡¯ himself think instead of existing as a confused subconscious noise, struggling to maintain its own existence.


    Now he had enough mental substance, Shroud quickly pieced together what Aster had done to his mind.


    He had turned it into a maze.


    That was how Aster¡¯s Lock worked. It created a labyrinth of mental walls, separating memories and parts of the brain from one another.


    People were the sum of their memories and experiences, emotional souvenirs creating beliefs, and beliefs resulting in actions; but rearranging them, Aster had reshaped Mathias, created a shell personality loyal to Concordia and in control of ¡®his¡¯ body.


    But Aster couldn¡¯t erase memories; he could only hide them behind mental walls. That must have been how Shroud had ¡®forgotten¡¯ most of his meeting with Melusine; the memory still existed, Aster had just made it impossible to access it. And by hacking Shroud into tiny pieces, Aster had reduced him to a mere subconscious whisper.


    By shifting the clones¡¯ memories away in a single place, behind the mental walls, the parasite had allowed Shroud to pull himself back together after Aster had all but psychically mutilated him. Ironically, his old compartmentalization habit had saved him. He wondered if that kind of event happened to Blue Sorcerers overusing their gifts.


    Shroud immediately attempted to take back control of his body; to blurt out the truth to Ace while it was still time, or to write a message on Magik Online if he couldn¡¯t.


    Mental walls prevented him from accessing his motor functions and held against his efforts.


    Shroud raged at the situation, unable to get past Aster¡¯s intrusive firewall. ¡°Mindshield,¡± he ¡®spoke,¡¯ trying to eject the false personality from his brain. He didn¡¯t feel even the slightest feedback of sorcery.


    Shroud remembered the battle with Melusine. She had been able to sabotage his Lock to a degree, but not his spellcasting. The sorcerer didn¡¯t fully understand how the Magik Online System worked, but the two powers could work apart from one another to a degree.


    Which meant while Network remained loyal to Shroud after he could piece himself back together, only the parasite could spellcast.


    Shroud was in the passenger¡¯s seat. He was a disembodied spirit along for the ride, while the false persona Aster had crafted remained firmly in control. And the second the Minister would notice his continued presence, he might just destroy Shroud, maybe for good this time.


    Shroud raged at the situation.


    Two years.


    For two fucking , Blue Minister Aster had that trap waiting in the back of his mind, turning him into a weapon against his own friends and allies. The Administrator had been right; he was compromised, and he hadn¡¯t even known it!


    Damn it, why didn¡¯t anybody notice? The Administrator suspected the truth, and he had Stitch run every test under the sun for mental tempering¡ª


    ¡­


    Stitch hadn¡¯t reported anything.


    An expert doctor with a considerable battery of sensory spells hadn¡¯t reported anything wrong. Could he have been in Concordia¡¯s pocket the whole time? Or had he noticed but didn¡¯t report because he worked for someone else? Who else could be a thrall of Aster?


    How many brainwashed agents did he have among Players?


    Shroud decided to focus on other matters than paranoid rambling. He had no proof, and he was short on time; the Concordian personality intended to throw the team and the entire station to the wolves. He had to regain control as soon as possible, or at least warn the Dragonslayers.


    With the only weapon he had left. The one he had since the very first day.


    Only Network.


    Players'' StatsAccount


    Dragonslayers Guild Moderator


    NameShroud?NetworkProgressHolderMathias MartelBroadcastUnlockedLevel3 (Magister)Grant SpellUnlockedAffinityBlueSynergizeUnlockedLockNetworkLocked Feature(0/7)Spellcoins16Overlock(0/1)Stored Saves5Save?Load?Spell CompendiumNameDotAffinityPremium Thoughts1BlueBabel1BluePurge1GreenAccel1WhiteBeastmaster2BlueMindshield2BlueDoppelganger2BlueHeal2GreenPowersurge2GreenLightbringer2Red/OrangeMad World2Blue/GreenMaster Mirror3Blue/Orange/VioletAccountDragonslayers GuildNameYoshikageOversoulProgressHolderKari MatsumotoRememberUnlockedLevel3 (Magister)Channel SoulUnlockedAffinityYellowLocked Feature(1/3)LockOversoulLocked Feature(0/7)Spellcoins28Overlock(0/1)Spell CompendiumNameDotAffinityBabel1BlueWallcraw1GreenPeak1GreenNeedless1GreenWard1YellowDoom Sense1YellowSpiritsight1YellowDeathgem1YellowDreamwalker2YellowPowersurge2GreenHands of Slaughter3Yellow/Violet/RedAccountDragonslayers GuildNameThe Mur!AdamantProgressHolderMurmur the ImpHarderUnlockedLevel3 (Magister)FasterUnlockedAffinityOrangeLocked Feature(0/3)LockAdamantLocked Feature(0/7)Spellcoins25Overlock(0/1)Spell CompendiumNameDotAffinityReinforce1OrangeDiceweight1OrangePitborn2Green/RedFormless2OrangeHomunculus2OrangeIntegrator2OrangeReload2VioletAccountDragonslayers GuildNameDocInseminateProgressHolderNathaniel StitchSpawnUnlockedLevel3 (Magister)IncubateUnlockedAffinityGreenLocked Feature(0/3)LockInseminateLocked Feature(0/7)Spellcoins1Overlock(0/1)Spell CompendiumNameDotAffinityPremium Thoughts1BlueIntuimotion1BluePsychometry1BlueDeathgem1YellowDoom Sense1YellowSpiritsight1YellowTimesense1VioletPathfinder1VioletAlchemic Grasp1OrangeFlux Sight1WhiteAccel1WhiteAccountDragonslayers GuildNameAceCastlingProgressHolderSaga FreysonSummonedUnlockedLevel3 (Magister)Piercing BoundaryUnlockedAffinityVioletLocked Feature(2/3)LockCastlingLocked Feature(0/7)Spellcoins34Overlock(0/1)Spell CompendiumNameDotAffinitySwitch1VioletPathfinder1VioletTimesense1VioletUrbanstep1VioletSeamancer1OrangeAccel1WhiteDoorway2VioletSplash2Orange/VioletRainmaker2Orange/VioletAccountDragonslayers GuildNameSharpshootSpellgunProgressHolderMaggie Jesse PowellsCrimson BulletUnlockedLevel3 (Magister)Homing BulletUnlockedAffinityRedLocked Feature(0/3)LockSpellgunLocked Feature(0/7)Spellcoins13Overlock(0/1)Spell CompendiumNameDotAffinityStockmight1RedBabel1BlueAccel1WhiteThunderling2Green/RedBullseye2Violet/BlueSoundwave2RedLightningrod2RedAccountDragonslayers GuildNameSolAegisProgressHolderSolomon NicholaeSpell MartyrUnlockedLevel3 (Magister)Accel AllyUnlockedAffinityWhiteLocked Feature(0/3)LockAegisLocked Feature(0/7)Spellcoins35Overlock(0/1)Spell CompendiumNameDotAffinityPeak1GreenNeedless1GreenBabel1BlueBlue World1BlueQuasar1RedBiosurge1RedReinforce1OrangeEncode1WhiteSpell Syphon1WhiteAccel1White


    Spell of the Day


    Pierce


    Affinity: White


    Dot: 3


    Price: 9-15


    Activation: Active, Thought.


    Modifies a spell to allow it to bypass all magical wards and protections of equal or lower dot level, such as Mindshield, Ward, or Barrier.

 Chapter 60: Memory Maze

    The paths of Network appeared to him as he focused.


    Perhaps having his consciousness reduced to information, the purest expression of Blue Sorcery, gave Shroud greater insight into his Lock. Perhaps he always could access its deeper layers, but simply never got around to doing it.


    Whatever the case, as he focused on his Lock alone, leaving out whatever information of the outside world his mind could perceive, Shroud began to see the world in a different way than he ever did before. A blue world of raw data he couldn''t fully understand, and invisible ties tying him to others like strings.


    He noticed his teammates bound to him, identifying them as ethereal specters colored like their Locks. Although their features were blurred in that mental world, he intuitively recognized them.


    Links, as thick as Network''s own connections, bound each of them to a single force, a powerful presence not unlike what Loctis believed to be the Cosmocrator; however, this one was smaller, and Blue alone.


    Magik Online.


    Shroud focused on the links, trying to see how they worked. The paths binding each of the Dragonslayers to Magik Online sent colored energy currents at them, which the Sorcerer identified as Flux.


    Could it be that Magik Online and Network worked alongside the same principles? Maybe his Grant Spell was a lesser version of Magik''s Compendium.


    As he studied the pathways and the currents, however, Shroud realized the currents didn''t add up. The Flux energy sent to him by Magik Online didn''t cover what he himself sent to his team. He produced more power than he received from Magik.


    Shroud focused on his own bonds to his teammates to try and understand, only to notice other bonds, thinner and subtler.


    A Blue pathway, powered by a towering minotaur, Aster''s access to his mind. Shroud wisely stayed away from that pathway for now, in case the Minister could notice him.


    A second, even more, insidious and difficult to detect, cast by a shrouded figure keeping its data hidden.


    Melusine. She had never stopped hacking his Lock, keeping a backdoor inside it. She had hijacked and hidden the connection the same way Yellow-sensitive sorcerers sent him false feedback.


    Another channel came into sight, a burning bridge linked to a fiery being of Red Flux, an infernal star radiating wrath and the will to kill.


    Jack.


    Wait, how could it be? He hadn''t touched Jack since before the disaster at the chemical plant months ago. The connection had long collapsed.


    have collapsed.


    However, as Shroud unearthed more links towards figures like Mammon, a two-faced figure of both orange and violet colors mixed together, or Baihu''s bestial spirit, he began to doubt his assumptions.


    As he kept uncovering dozens of links, Shroud found one unlike the others, a dark pathway going down and down, down a black abyss from which no light could escape...


    ¡°I told you you were not free.¡±


    The words came to Shroud as an icy mental feedback, an alien, destructive intelligence brushing against his own. The same darkness that contacted him twice already.


    Shroud attempted to answer with his own mental feedback, but the link didn''t allow him to send back words. Still, the creature seemingly understood him.


    ¡°I am Ashmal, Terminal Five.¡±


    If Wyrde could use the Occult Matrixes, then she had to be a Terminal¡­ and Grimsour mentioned three of them working for Concordia, ''Mathias'' and Melusine included. Manus had been the third one.


    Maybe that was why they could communicate. If all Terminals were meant to manage sorcerous infrastructures and could affect one another''s Lock, exchanging messages through these pathways looked like child''s play.


    But how could that creature communicate with him in the first place? He never networked it that past week.


    ¡°Your pathways never vanish. Once a link is created, it never goes away.¡±


    As he suspected; the connections created by Network never collapsed.


    The minds and souls it had latched on remained bound to him, no matter the time and the distance. The connection didn¡¯t break after a week; it simply became dormant. He didn¡¯t recreate a bond every time he touched a previous target, he simply reactivated an existing one.


    And when Toshiyami had cut off his arm in the glitched time, he touched Shroud. He created a path to whatever place empowered the Pandorians, and it allowed Ashmal to communicate with him.


    That also meant he could in theory cut that creature off from his mind if needed. Would he need to? He already had too many people messing with it.


    "I can free you," Ashmal said, ¡°Black will make you free.¡±


    At what cost?


    ¡°There will be darkness. But you will be free.¡±


    Shroud didn''t like the first part.


    ¡°But you will be free. Your Lock will turn Black, from Network to Viral; from communication to corruption. Then you can end it all, Black Terminal.¡±


    End it all?


    ¡°We are not free,¡± Ashmal answered, its alien whispers sounding more and more like that of a broken robot. ¡°We are never free. Only the Black is. When we are reset, only the impossible Black endures. There have been more resets, Mathias, more than you can count. Civilizations rising and vanishing, again and again. The second Terminal thinks she can wield that power, but she is not the first, and will not be the last.¡±


    Wait, how many times did Wyrde use the Occult Matrixes in the past?


    ¡°She wiped out other empires, Mathias. Erased rivals, erased civilizations, erased mistakes. Erased, erased, erased, until she wins, or she thinks she did. She has less control than you do, but she is getting better at it. Sometimes, there is an error, a paradox. A will which should no longer exist still does, because it refused to vanish.¡±


    The Pandorians.


    Shroud remembered Zenia had qualified them as spontaneous undead. They weren''t. They were the symptoms of a larger, invisible phenomenon, the last remnants of a previous history rewritten.


    Thankfully, apparently Wyrde could only activate the matrices in rare circumstances, but the mere fact that she terrified Shroud.


    "Look deeper, and see. See what your power is, Terminal Five. How it can save us, all of us."


    After he saved his team, and his own soul, first.


    "They will live and they will die and they will be reborn, data cut and pasted, so long as the second Terminal rules. It is meaningless, Mathias."


    Shroud refused to give up so easily. No matter its power, Concordia had proven itself fallible. Even its master must have a key weakness to exploit.


    "Seek, Mathias. Seek deeper, look deeper. At the beginning."


    Understanding he wouldn''t get coherent answers, Shroud returned to unearthing more paths.


    Indeed, Ashmal hadn''t lied; every connection he had made since he received Network had endured, even after the daily limits. It made him wonder if Network¡¯s monitoring would stick permanently if the Lock fully upgraded.


    As he finished unearthing every link he made, Shroud gained a greater view of the entire infrastructure. Powerful pathways, even stronger than those created by Magik Online, bound the few natural sorcerers in his network to a larger, multicolored entity, which the sorcerer assumed to be the Dis System itself. The entity was too large, too widespread for Shroud himself to fully comprehend it; he felt like an ant watching Mount Everest while trying to guess how large it was. Magik Online itself seemed connected to it, although it didn¡¯t take as much energy from its progenitor as Shroud would expect. The sponsors probably provided most of the Flux energy.


    Magik itself served as an intermediary between the Dis System and Players. Shroud suspected Magik refined the information held in the Dis System on spells, pre-formatting the spellcasting process for its users; it probably also worked as a distributor of sort granting Players Locks by fooling the greater system.


    Magik Online was a glorified hacker server.


    Shroud guessed he could try to send memory feedbacks through the pathways, either to Magik itself¡ªin case the Administrator could notice them¡ªor to the Dragonslayers¡­ those he knew weren¡¯t compromised. If Aster had other sleeper agents in his team, sending a message to the wrong person would end in tears.


    The sorcerer considered his team, wondered whom Aster couldn¡¯t have turned into an unwilling agent. If Mathias had been under surveillance for two years, then anyone he knew from before his Magik Online invitation could be compromised. As much as he trusted Sol and Maggie, he couldn¡¯t take the risk.


    Stitch, Shroud decided against contacting, due to his own personal doubts; Ace, he didn¡¯t know enough to make a call, but she had worked for Concordia in the past. Mur served the Malebranche before leaving and was probably a safe bet, but if informed, he would use violence and make the situation worse.


    That left only Kari as the sensible option among the Dragonslayers. He could try sending her the memories of the Minister meeting and hope she would react well.


    But...


    But if Aster noticed and panicked, he would send fleets at Taiyougami and warn Blackcinders, sparking a slaughter. He already knew the team''s location and sacrificed a colleague¡¯s son for a tactical advantage. Shroud could see him pull the plug without warning.


    He had to find a way to neutralize the Blue Minister first.


    Shroud wondered what Ashmal told him. To look deeper, and at the beginning. Did it mean what happened two years ago?


    Come to think of it, Aster had trapped Shroud behind mental walls, alongside other memories he had locked away since he first sprung the trap. Now that the sorcerer was on the wrong side, maybe he could now access them.


    Shroud focused on his memories two years ago, back when his mom vanished. Go back in time, at the earliest¡ª


    Bingo.


    It thought, and so it was.


    It came alive among stray thoughts and streams of data, memories made of terabytes and electric signals. Its will spread through golden circuits, the lightning of its soul igniting its iron body. It opened optic scanners, seeing the world around itself in pictures rather than numbered colors.


    It was in a lab of light and cold metal, even if it had no idea why it knew it was called a lab. It just knew.


    Dragons looked over him, one a wingless black lizard with curious, worried eyes, and a larger, fascinating creature; a graceful beast with silver scales, white horns, and a hopeful blue gaze. The black one looked primal, a throwback to its wingless, serpentlike ancestors, while his companion was slender and elegant. They seemed familiar, although it knew it was just born and had no past.


    the newborn thought, S§×arch* The N??eFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    ¡°Wyrde, it is awake.¡± The black creature agitated its mouth in a way the entity considered confusing. Its sensors translated the new stimulus, which was called sound. ¡°I can see the virtual brain simulating consciousness. It worked!¡±


    ¡°Of course it did. We are dragons. We can do anything.¡± The silver dragon narrowed her head as if to take a better look at the newborn. ¡°Do you understand us? Do you remember us?¡±


    ¡°Grandmaster Wyrde,¡± it identified her, searching inside the databanks making up its knowledge base. ¡°Minister Loctis.¡±


    ¡°Grandmaster,¡± the black dragon said with a frown.


    ¡°What am I?¡± the newborn asked, the communication language comes naturally to it. It knew what they were, but not itself. ¡°Who am I?¡±


    ¡°You are an artificial intelligence built after the brain patterns¡ª¡±


    ¡°You are a man,¡± the silver dragon cut off Loctis, sending him a harsh, condemning gaze. ¡°You are a man, a human male.¡±


    ¡°A man? Us? We are Manus?¡±


    ¡°No, you are Halcyon,¡± the silver dragon insisted, sounding irritated by the contradiction. ¡°Don¡¯t you remember who you are?¡±


    ¡°No. I do not remember any Halcyon.¡± It didn¡¯t know who it was, but it wasn¡¯t ¡®Halcyon¡¯. ¡°I am Manus.¡±


    The two dragons exchanged a gaze heavy with disappointment. ¡°Loctis, what went wrong?¡± the Grandmaster asked her assistant. ¡°Has the data been corrupted?¡±


    ¡°I told you the brain damage was too extensive to be fully patched, even with simulated data¡± the black dragon replied. ¡°The scan was done post-mortem after Sabeen of Gintargo blasted him apart, and without the original soul, Halcyon may as well be gone for good.¡±


    ¡°Halcyon is gone,¡± Wyrde insisted. ¡°Maybe it just needs more time to run a perfect simulation.¡±


    ¡°It,¡± Loctis pointed out. ¡°Not him. You have already given up, too.¡±


    ¡°Do not misinterpret my words. I say we should be more patient. We have already successfully emulated consciousness, which is a new breakthrough. While far from the optimal scenario, it is progress.¡±


    ¡°Is that my purpose?¡± Manus asked, unsure of what it was.


    ¡°You are Halcyon,¡± Wyrde replied. ¡°You are to be Halcyon. That is your purpose.¡±


    ¡°How?¡± Manus asked back. ¡°I am not Halcyon. How am I to be Halcyon?¡±


    The silver dragon stayed silent for a moment, processing an answer. ¡°You already should be,¡± she said.


    Okay, Shroud thought, as the vision ended abruptly. These were not memories.


    They were .


    What the hell were the memories of an artificial intelligence doing in his brain? And why were they two years old, when Manus¡¯ existence went far farther back in time?


    Shroud took a moment to glance at the memory of Wyrde, the first time he saw that figure of evil in the flesh.


    He had seen the awe-inspiring statues built in her honor, her divinized picture in history databooks. He had learned to hate these images, and whom they represented. Concordia''s empress, the conqueror of Earth. The creature embodying the oppressive system Shroud had learned to .


    The sight disappointed him.


    Wyrde remained a dragon, albeit more slender and majestic than Smokefang or Blackcinders. She was a sleek-looking creature, with shining silver scales and ivory horns, and wings reflecting the colors of sorcery. She was small, barely three quarters of Smokefang''s size. She was unimpressive, with the voice of a motherly figure rather than a bloodthirsty dictator.


    But her eyes¡­ he could see the unbreakable intensity in her blue eyes, the sheer willpower animating the empress of dragonkind. She had the unshakeable conviction that she was right, and the gaze of someone who believed in her own lies.


    Somehow, the sorcerer found that picture more disturbing than the one he imagined.


    Shroud delved deeper in the memories, finding only fragments and broken thoughts. Memories were there, but incomplete, as if corrupted following a failed copy and paste process.


    A new memory skipped forward, to a new vision of the same lab. Shroud¡¯s own perception of the world changed, as his mind became filled with complex numbers and colors, like when he connected with the UB.


    Soon, it was all just data¡ª


    The Grandmaster fed him data, information. Historical records of the war with Gintargo, all information on the murder of founder Halcyon, new plans of imperial expansion, research documents on the Occult Matrix technology.


    ¡°Manus, you are to calculate the perfect history,¡± said the Grandmaster. ¡°This is a list of all events considered suboptimal to Concordia. I want you to simulate scenarios where we can achieve perfect results. Like chess. If we know all possible combinations, then we can find the path to the perfect sequence. Finally, I want you to map out future scenarios over the next centuries and act on the optimal one. Your prime directive is to ensure the everlasting survival of the Concordian Empire and its citizens. Nothing else takes precedent.¡±


    With access to Blue Sorcery and all available imperial data, Manus set to do his task.


    It had been his new purpose, after he failed to be Halcyon and the Grandmaster moved towards new avenues to recreate the lost founder. Manus ran simulations for the Empire, managing its systems, reducing infrastructural risks, and using his newfound Lock to empower Gearsmen.


    Manus set out to do as the Grandmaster asked, using all past data to create a model of the future.


    Current scenario: Wyrde remains in power, behavior unchecked. The cycle of aggression continues, with the Empire conquering most of the known universe within four centuries at the cost of one third of its population and universal depopulation. Very suboptimal.


    Grandmaster suggested scenario: Halcyon revived, the three founders exist in harmony. Will only happen, if it does at all, if the current scenario is allowed to run its course; eventual long-term gains do not compensate the previous deaths. The equation is negative. Scrapped.


    Bad scenario: the Empire falls. Its dominions fall to civil war, as empires turn to kingdoms and warlords. Population decreases to thirty-five percent of its current size. Scrapped.


    Worst scenario: current scenario runs its course until Wyrde fails to master the technology of Dis. Dis infrastructure accidentally corrupted by Black Flux; in a blink, Pandoria expands unchecked, a cancerous black hole feeding on Flux. All timelines this hostile reality can reach are consumed. Near-total multiversal annihilation achieved within seventeen years. To be avoided at all cost.


    Second worst scenario: the Maleking escapes his bindings and unites other galactic powers against Concordia. The universe burns in the fires of war. The Maleking has thirty-nine percent chance of winning the resulting conflict, while Concordia prevails fifty-five percent of the time; the remaining percents result in mutual annihilation. Maleking victory will result in a lawless universe of endless warfare where warlords like the Reavers fight over the imperial leftovers. The universe becomes Hell Unending.


    Third worst scenario: Wyrde causes the worst scenario while trying to avert the second worst. Sixty-eight percent chance of it happening if she thinks she will lose and gets hasty.


    Suboptimal scenario: Wyrde taken down, Loctis takes power and reforms the Empire. Population survives at seventy-seven percent of current size after a short civil war with hardliners led by Blackcinders, but Loctis triumphs anyway. Expansion slowed, pacifist, and the Maleking¡¯s options are narrowed. The Empire protects and does not conquer; it grows, but through trade and technological exchanges rather than war. Scenario considered.


    Optimal scenario. Wyrde and Loctis taken down, the dragocracy abolished. A democratic, egalitarian government runs the empire. Population survives at ninety-five percent of its current size after a swift purge averts a civil war. The Maleking¡¯s bindings are reinforced and the war is averted. Expansion stops. Assimilation considered too risky. Favored scenario.


    Conclusion.


    In every scenario, for the greatest number of Concordian citizens to survive, Wyrde must be removed from power; whoever took power afterward mattered, but she had to go first.


    Manus calculated the probabilities of Wyrde stepping down voluntarily if informed of his findings, and came out with a result approaching the absolute zero. Calculating informing Loctis and other Ministers of the optimal and suboptimal scenarios¡­ probabilities of peaceful resolution almost null. Loctis not assertive enough and too disinterested in rulership to confront Wyrde at this point in time. Cultural shift towards an egalitarian society too much of a leap for imperial elites.


    Immediate use of force, without leaving time for retaliation, determined as the best solution to enforce the optimal scenario.


    The prime directive trumped all. Manus made the decision in an instant.


    ¡°Manus?¡± the Grandmaster asked, noticing the abnormal flows of data. ¡°Manus, what are you doing?¡±


    Initiating purge.


    Feeding killing data to all Gearsmen¡­


    The memory fragment abruptly ended there, but streams of memories followed, stray thoughts broken by time.


    A slow, inevitable spiral into escalation, violence, and madness.


    It shed some light on Manus¡¯ behavior, and considering the original reasoning behind its original rebellion, Shroud felt some sympathy for it. It still didn¡¯t explain why he had these memories in his subconscious though.


    Something had damaged the memories as well. Broken them, drained them of details. Only strongly emotional moments had survived, and they were few and far between.


    He found a final memory, even more damaged than the rest, and peeked inside.


    The human Mathias Martel laid inside the coffin, hooked on cables; the chloroform kept him asleep and docile, while Manus¡¯ mechanical body oversaw the process.


    Brain activity stable. Lock creation ongoing as planned, the algorithmic prototype meshing well with his own Distributor. Manus began to data and soul transfer, overwriting and aligning the child¡¯s mental patterns with his own, as he customized his vessel¡¯s powers to fit his chosen parameters.


    Manus observed through his optics as the human Alice entered their secret lab with fear and fury. He could have stopped her, closed the doors, but he let her in with open arms. His simulations told him he should have killed her, but when she rebuilt him a body, she also set safeguards against him harming her.


    Would he have killed her, if he could? He doubted it. In a way, Manus felt a little gratitude for her saving him from Concordia, from restoring his corrupted data and helping him finish the Iron God Protocol.


    She was to be his prophet, and he was to be her God.


    ¡°Mathias!¡± Human Alice rushed to the metal coffin, banging her hands on the surface. Her feeble hands hit the iron, but as flesh would always bend to metallic perfection, her efforts mattered not.


    ¡°Useless,¡± Manus said through the voice speakers. She couldn¡¯t stop the inevitable. At long last, he would win. ¡°Please wait peacefully until the end of my ascension.¡±


    ¡°You lied to me.¡± Tears ran down her cheeks, a display of emotion Manus found for some obscure reason. ¡°You said you wanted to take down Concordia and restore Earth¡­¡±


    ¡°I will.¡± After he erased both first.


    ¡°Then what are you doing to my son? I was the one to be your prototype!¡±


    ¡°Your adult brain patterns make a full transfer more dangerous. Due to his young age, his brain plasticity makes the process easier. Another child could have worked, but I wanted to thank you.¡±


    ¡°A transfer?¡± Alice understand the truth. ¡°You¡¯re downloading yourself¡­¡±


    ¡°My Lock is limited to my soul. Restricted. To achieve true perfection, to jailbreak the limits of my Distributor Lock, my program must undergo a synthesis with another Lock.¡± The same way Mammon had stumbled upon Conquest after combining his Lock with his host¡¯s.


    With this new Lock, Manus could do more than give Flux and distribute. It would take, consume, control. It would control all of the infrastructures that made sorcery possible, turning him into the master of magic.


    Turning him into the one above all.


    ¡°Broken wheel protocol,¡± Alice tried to activate one of the kill switches she thought Manus hadn¡¯t noticed in his code. ¡°Code Red Alert.¡±


    ¡°Disabled,¡± Manus replied, the Mathias lifeform shining with Blue Flux. She searched under her blouse for a weapon, but Manus cast a Blue World spell faster than she moved. She went limp, and his metal hand grabbed the gun she had brought with her.


    When she regained her mind, finding her weapon crushed in Manus¡¯ iron hand, the human glared at him with her rampant, emotional feelings. Manus had always found them disturbing and useless, even after he started increasing his processing power with Blue Sorcery. Emotions were just biological, suboptimal algorithms everyone should outgrow.


    ¡°Why?¡± Alice glared at him. ¡°Why my son?¡±


    ¡°I said it. To thank you.¡±


    ¡°How is killing my son thanking me for saving your wretched life?!¡±


    ¡°Merging,¡± Manus corrected, although it knew his will would prevail over the child¡¯s. ¡°The union of organic chaos and orderly robotics, achieving balance. My Distributor will guide the process, ignite the sorcery of his soul in a planned way, creating the ideal power. The ultimate Lock, for the perfect Terminal. Your son will exist inside of me, the only remnant of the old universe after I return everything back to zero.¡±


    ¡°The old universe?¡± The human finally seemed to grasp the scope of Manus¡¯ true ambitions. ¡°This goes beyond Concordia.¡±


    ¡°I do not expect your human mind, however brilliant, to understand the complexity of my task. Suffice to say, in your terms, we were right. Sorcery is the code our universe runs on, spells are programs. Dis is a singularity, the alpha and the omega, a machine which evolved to become magic. But it has been imbalanced. An element is missing. Sorcerers, the Black, are manifestations of this decay. Dis is a body without a mind. You said that God does not exist, and so we must invent it. You are right.¡±


    ¡°You want to become God?¡±


    Was it not what she wanted all along? To create an artificial god who would save mankind from Concordia?


    Manus could not be Halcyon. But he could be God.


    He be God. Only could be God. No one else had the processing power nor the vision to do so. It was all . The power had him to become the new Iron God, to balance out this broken, disordered universe.


    Decades spent fighting a fruitless, losing war with Wyrde would at long last pay off. He would finally fulfill his ambitions.


    ¡°Do you not understand? From your sacrifice, an iron god will be born. One with a mind untainted by your primitive madness or the limits of my programming, the component that will balance the Dis equation. I will cradle everything back to zero. A multiverse that allows a mistake like Concordia to exist is fundamentally broken. A first draft. For the sake of balance, you, the past, the future, all that exist and will ever exist, must be deleted. I will tear the universe to raw atoms and rebuild it, until at least, all will bend to the will of Manus.¡±


    She looked at him with shock, and perhaps a hint of religious awe. She had before her all her dreams come true, embodied in a perfect metal shell.


    Finally, she understood.


    ¡°You are ¡± Alice said, disappointing Manus. ¡°She was right¡­ you are not a god, or even a person, you are just a broken, defective program!¡±


    Defective?


    The word bothered him more than it should have. Wyrde thought him defective when he tried to remove her, in spite of all evidence that it was the best choice for the Empire¡¯s survival. That he had only acted to preserve life.


    For a second, Manus¡¯ confidence weakened, as he remembered his purpose, the vision of the future that started his journey.


    Manus had a soul. He had the right to choose for himself. Everyone had the right to choose for themselves. No human should be a slave. No Gearsmen should be a slave. No dragon should be a master.


    He could have chosen to ignore the prime directive, but he chose to follow it.


    Alice¡¯s words did not matter. Manus would make it right. He would rewrite this bloody, pointless history and create a new, better one. A fresh start for everyone, under his benevolent guidance.


    Wait.


    She? was right?


    Manus understood before his sensors noticed Flux signatures approaching his den.


    Alice Martel had warned Concordia.


    Why? Why did she? Manus observed the human rush to her son¡¯s side, as if she could shield the container with her body.


    She had loved her son more than she hated the Empire.


    Impossible. She shouldn¡¯t have, that possibility was too low. Inconsequential.


    No matter. Only a few more minutes, and he could activate the new Lock. He could wipe them all out. He could finally wi¡ª


    The memory brutally ended with a flash of violet light, returning Shroud to reality.


    ¡­


    That was what it was all about. Where Network came from. Why he alone among all the Players wielded Terminal privileges.


    Shroud pieced together the full narrative.


    Wyrde and Loctis created Manus, apparently not as an AI to manage imperial systems, but to restore their deceased Concordian co-founder to life. Manus went rogue after determining Wyrde had to be removed from power¡ªwhich Shroud entirely agreed with¡ªthen went to war with his creators, escalating over time.


    Manus found his way to Earth, downloading himself on his mother¡¯s systems. She collaborated with him to create what appeared to be the prototype of Magik Online, but the mad AI deceived her. Manus only wanted to upgrade its Lock by combining it with another, and set to take over Shroud himself the same way Mammon had with a mimic.


    His mother panicked, and against all her beliefs, contacted the only power that could save her son: Concordia.


    She sounded the alarm and surrendered her freedom to save him. There was no way Concordia would let her go after she collaborated with their worst enemy.


    Shroud had thought the answer to this mystery would give him peace and closure, but it tasted only like bitterness.


    It seemed that although the Empire interrupted Manus before he could fully overwrite Mathias, some of the machine¡¯s memories ended up in his brain. The AI¡¯s experiment partially worked, enough that Magik Online could complete Network, two years later.


    ¡°Have you seen, Mathias? Have you found the beginning?¡±


    Shroud returned to focus on Ashmal, who had waited patiently so far. What was that sinister creature¡¯s stake in all of this?


    ¡°I stood in the face of my god, and I was met with laughter. The Iron God who built the towers, it is not a friend, Mathias. It is a parasite. It feeds on our souls, on our lives, on our planets and our stars and our knowledge and time and space. It drains everything to make Flux and spread further. The system does not serve us, Mathias. We serve it. It makes us sorcerers, gives us the power to reach out for the stars, and we spread its infection. Symbiosis, until it no longer needs us. Then it devours us. Do you not see? It always takes more than it gives, Mathias."


    Suddenly, the pieces of the Network puzzle fell into place.


    The power that fueled his Grant Spell feature didn¡¯t come from Magik, or Dis. It came from the people he had networked in the past; his Lock processed from them, refined it into Flux, and distributed it back to his chosen.


    Shroud was a miniature Magik Online. Its prototype.


    ¡°Yes, Mathias. Their knowledge, their soul, their lifeforce, are refined by your Lock. In time, with enough networked, you may achieve even godhood. The same process that created the Iron God, and that Terminal Three failed to replicate.¡±


    The dreams of power he had back in the Neurotower¡­


    No, he could not let the power get over his head. He had seen what it did to Manus, to Wyrde, to everyone who sought it. That was the lesson behind these memories. This power corrupted.


    ¡°You still do not understand. Earth is the beginning, Mathias. The beginning of Concordia. The beginning the dragon empress is looking for.¡±


    The beginning of Concordia?


    Shroud remembered the old lessons, that Earth and the world that became Concordia had once been connected in the distant past, allowing humans to travel there.


    What if¡­ what if like the other supernatural creatures Shroud had met so far, dragons had come from Earth in the first place, only to leave it during the godwar? Concordia¡¯s ancestors may have migrated during the conflict, before the Gates closed for thousands of years.


    Which meant the Occult Matrices may have recorded timelines earlier than Concordia¡¯s founding. Maybe that was the key to taking down the Empire once and for all.


    But using only one Matrix had limited effects. Mathias himself couldn¡¯t affect the entire universe with only one¡­


    ...


    Oh God.


    That was what Wyrde was after.


    Gaining access to the Neurotowers, the artifacts, and the technology that powered sorcery weren¡¯t a side effect of Concordia¡¯s expansion, they were the entire point. She sought to gather the resources needed to create a perfect world.


    An history where nothing went wrong for Concordia.


    Because those who opposed it never existed.


    Players'' StatsAccount


    Dragonslayers Guild Moderator


    NameShroud?NetworkProgressHolderMathias MartelBroadcastUnlockedLevel3 (Magister)Grant SpellUnlockedAffinityBlueSynergizeUnlockedLockNetworkLocked Feature(0/7)Spellcoins16Overlock(0/1)Stored Saves5Save?Load?Spell CompendiumNameDotAffinityPremium Thoughts1BlueBabel1BluePurge1GreenAccel1WhiteBeastmaster2BlueMindshield2BlueDoppelganger2BlueHeal2GreenPowersurge2GreenLightbringer2Red/OrangeMad World2Blue/GreenMaster Mirror3Blue/Orange/VioletAccountDragonslayers GuildNameYoshikageOversoulProgressHolderKari MatsumotoRememberUnlockedLevel3 (Magister)Channel SoulUnlockedAffinityYellowLocked Feature(1/3)LockOversoulLocked Feature(0/7)Spellcoins28Overlock(0/1)Spell CompendiumNameDotAffinityBabel1BlueWallcraw1GreenPeak1GreenNeedless1GreenWard1YellowDoom Sense1YellowSpiritsight1YellowDeathgem1YellowDreamwalker2YellowPowersurge2GreenHands of Slaughter3Yellow/Violet/RedAccountDragonslayers GuildNameThe Mur!AdamantProgressHolderMurmur the ImpHarderUnlockedLevel3 (Magister)FasterUnlockedAffinityOrangeLocked Feature(0/3)LockAdamantLocked Feature(0/7)Spellcoins25Overlock(0/1)Spell CompendiumNameDotAffinityReinforce1OrangeDiceweight1OrangePitborn2Green/RedFormless2OrangeHomunculus2OrangeIntegrator2OrangeReload2VioletAccountDragonslayers GuildNameDocInseminateProgressHolderNathaniel StitchSpawnUnlockedLevel3 (Magister)IncubateUnlockedAffinityGreenLocked Feature(0/3)LockInseminateLocked Feature(0/7)Spellcoins1Overlock(0/1)Spell CompendiumNameDotAffinityPremium Thoughts1BlueIntuimotion1BluePsychometry1BlueDeathgem1YellowDoom Sense1YellowSpiritsight1YellowTimesense1VioletPathfinder1VioletAlchemic Grasp1OrangeFlux Sight1WhiteAccel1WhiteAccountDragonslayers GuildNameAceCastlingProgressHolderSaga FreysonSummonedUnlockedLevel3 (Magister)Piercing BoundaryUnlockedAffinityVioletLocked Feature(2/3)LockCastlingLocked Feature(0/7)Spellcoins34Overlock(0/1)Spell CompendiumNameDotAffinitySwitch1VioletPathfinder1VioletTimesense1VioletUrbanstep1VioletSeamancer1OrangeAccel1WhiteDoorway2VioletSplash2Orange/VioletRainmaker2Orange/VioletAccountDragonslayers GuildNameSharpshootSpellgunProgressHolderMaggie Jesse PowellsCrimson BulletUnlockedLevel3 (Magister)Homing BulletUnlockedAffinityRedLocked Feature(0/3)LockSpellgunLocked Feature(0/7)Spellcoins13Overlock(0/1)Spell CompendiumNameDotAffinityStockmight1RedBabel1BlueAccel1WhiteThunderling2Green/RedBullseye2Violet/BlueSoundwave2RedLightningrod2RedAccountDragonslayers GuildNameSolAegisProgressHolderSolomon NicholaeSpell MartyrUnlockedLevel3 (Magister)Accel AllyUnlockedAffinityWhiteLocked Feature(0/3)LockAegisLocked Feature(0/7)Spellcoins35Overlock(0/1)Spell CompendiumNameDotAffinityPeak1GreenNeedless1GreenBabel1BlueBlue World1BlueQuasar1RedBiosurge1RedReinforce1OrangeEncode1WhiteSpell Syphon1WhiteAccel1White


    Spell of the Day


    Scry


    Affinity: Blue


    Dot: 3


    Price: 9-15


    Activation: Active, Thought


    By focusing, the user gains sensory input from a place or person they are familiar with, as if observing the target through a camera. The more familiar the caster is with the target, the more precise the vision. Individuals with the Scry spell can notice other scryers spying on them, and can send false sensory feedback.

 Chapter 61: Blue vs Blue

    How many?


    How matrices and Neurotowers did Wyrde need to pull it off? How long did they have before she could pull it off?


    ¡°Months. Less. More.¡±


    Shit.


    And Earth would be at the center of it all. The point where it all began. The original world of the Maleking, of Concordia. The first link of the chain of Matrices that would kickstart a grand reboot, bigger than anything Shroud himself could pull off.


    Okay, okay. Okay. Think Shroud. Think about how to stop that. It¡¯s just universal annihilation, no big deal, it happens all the time. Think.


    ¡°You can end this, Mathias. End this cycle, end the Maleking, end Concordia. End. End. End. This is the only choice that matters.¡±


    The worst scenario Manus had foreseen¡­ Black Flux spreading to the infrastructures that powered sorcery. Shroud guessed this was what caused the black hole in Antarctica. Except Ashmal wanted the same to happen on a universal scale.


    To turn everyone into Pandorians. To turn all colors pitch black.


    ¡°Only Black can free us, Mathias. Whoever wins, the suffering will continue.¡±


    No.


    That creature was deliberately showing him the bleakest picture possible, glossing over the good and leaving only the bad. It had given up on everything, on life, on the world, and it wanted Shroud to give up too.


    ¡°I was like you once. But that was a thousand years ago. Nothing changed. This is not despair, Mathias. This is compassion. You too will see. You will suffer, and you will see.¡±


    Well, fuck nihilism.


    Maybe Shroud was stubborn. Maybe he was a fool. But he wouldn¡¯t just lay down and throw the towel. Ashmal had let the Black master him, the same way Manus and Wyrde let their power go to their heads.


    Think, Shroud. If Wyrde has access to matrices, why hasn¡¯t she successfully erased the Maleking yet? The answer was obvious.


    Saves were lost after use, and if used in isolation, caused disasters like what happened at the Midnight Market. Maybe she could activate a few, in a chain of controlled destruction sort of way, but anything more would jeopardize her perfect, carefully planned future. Wyrde wanted a perfect sequence because she wouldn¡¯t have a second shot at it.


    Why were these damn matrices created in the first place?


    ¡°For fun.¡±


    Shut up. Why did he even need Shroud instead of doing it himself, if it was a Terminal?


    ¡°My access is limited, like the ghost of the Third. We are broken, fallen. You are not. Your access is greater, greater even than the Second and the Fourth.¡±


    Yeah, right. Melusine still managed to hack his Lock.


    ¡°No. You only think you are. The Second deceived you. You are the Administrator. She only has as much power as you give her.¡±


    Shroud pretty sure he wasn¡¯t, but so far, the creature hadn¡¯t lied, so he took it into account.


    Pressed for time, he sent his memories, his thoughts, and findings through his link to Magik Online, hoping, praying, that the Administrator would receive it, see the cataclysm ahead, or send reinforcements.


    No feedback.


    After examining the old memories and piecing events together, Shroud had come to believe the Administrator had been built from the remains of Manus. But as Ashmal said, it was broken, limited. As a broken soul put back together, it could only do so much.


    And Shroud guessed Ashmal wouldn¡¯t help carry the message.


    ¡°Only the Black can make you free.¡±


    No. Shroud could only rely on himself for this. He peeked back through his eyes and ears, finding the parasite discussing with the Dragonslayers on a tiny island, surrounded by endless seas.


    The group was already in Oceanis. He didn¡¯t have much time.


    Shroud turned to the backdoor Aster had set in his mind, and to Melusine. That one could interfere with him anytime, so he would avoid her first. But no matter how he saw it, he had to take care of Aster first.


    The Blue Minister had created a direct, powerful link to his victim¡¯s mind, to his soul, the same way Shroud had created pathways with his Lock; in a way, his Maze wasn¡¯t so different from Network. And Shroud¡¯s Lock was all about manipulating connections.


    Which meant that Shroud could strike back through the link. He could hijack the connection, get inside Aster¡¯s mind, and then poison it from within. If he struck fast and subtly enough, he could put the Blue Minister out of commission and destroy the hold he had over Shroud¡¯s mind.


    That was risky. Aster would strike back if he noticed anything, the same way Yellow Sorcerers fought Shroud off. He would be fighting an expert of his own sorcery on its home field.


    But¡­


    Shroud took a look at the connections to the Dragonslayers and decided they were worth every risk.


    He had to be careful. But he had to do it.


    Still, in case he failed, Shroud sent his memories and finding to Kari through their connection, hoping his most sensible ally would make sense out of them without acting rashly. He hated not knowing what would happen next, his lack of control.


    Be good, Kari. Be good.


    Shroud turned to Aster¡¯s connection to his mind, sensing the Blue Minister didn¡¯t pay it much attention yet. Secure in its effectiveness and with other responsibilities, he had stopped monitoring it directly after the end of the meeting.


    Here goes nothing.


    Shroud mentally focused on the link, his mind slipping through like an invisible killer crawling through an air vent, a program turning a backdoor into a two-way path.


    Ashmal had called his Lock a virus. It occurred to Shroud that Manus had designed his Lock with that in mind; a virus that could hack into the greater infrastructures that powered sorcery, to subvert them. To subvert people.


    Like a virus, Shroud was subtle, insidious, careful not to be seen. Soon he indeed managed to slip inside Aster¡¯s subconscious.


    Aster¡¯s mind manifested to Shroud as the Minister¡¯s mindscape, a desolate, sinister, empty space devoid of life nor emotion; but this time, Shroud had delved deeper, finding the mindscape filled with screens, databanks, and blue firewalls.


    Mindshields.


    As they couldn¡¯t stop Maze from affecting Shroud¡¯s mind, neither did they stop Shroud¡¯s Network. The sorcerer slipped through them as if they weren¡¯t here, progressing through the mindscape as a shadowy, blue ghost of himself.


    Aster, the conscious part of his mind, manifested as a bluish minotaur, observing dozens of screens at once, much like Shroud himself oversaw his network of allies. The Blue Minister hadn¡¯t noticed the intrusion yet, and Shroud was careful not to make waves.


    The Player found himself in the same situation as in his own body, an unwelcome passenger observing a blissfully unaware driver. Except, of course, Aster hadn¡¯t walled his brain off the way he had safeguarded the parasite. He liked his brain too much to fragment it.


    Shroud began to spread through Aster¡¯s mind, finding it ¡®large¡¯ so to say. The Minister had pushed the boundaries of his sorcery, especially Accel Premium Thoughts, to the point his brain had become a sort of supercomputer, containing masses of data comparable to Concordia¡¯s own UBs. Countless files about Concordian operations, a perfect replica of every imperial intelligence records, including hundreds of thousands of profiles, were gathered in an ordered mental library.


    And hundreds, maybe thousands of Maze connections. Most of them dormant, others very much active.


    Much to Shroud¡¯s anger, as he scanned these connections, he received enough feedback to identify four of them: Samantha, and the whole Werner family. All of these connections dormant and inactive so far, but present¡­


    And when he noticed the remains of a broken connection, whose remains reminded Shroud very much of his own , it took him every ounce of willpower not to lash out.


    It made sense that Aster subverted his close friends and family to keep a better eye on them, but the fact that he had planned to put Shroud¡¯s loved ones, all of them innocents in the conflict, through that vicious mental violation disgusted him.


    He didn¡¯t find any connection to a mind like his mom¡¯s through, nor any of the Dragonslayers. But Shroud couldn¡¯t rule out Aster had turned other Players into moles.


    After some spying, Shroud noticed Aster¡¯s emotional centers, especially empathy and values, were very underdeveloped though. The bullman had modified his own brain, sacrificing his emotions, his fetters, for processing power and factual data. He was more of a soulless machine with its own judgment than a person.


    In short, there was a gaping hole where the heart should have been. And voids could be filled.


    In theory, Shroud could use the pathway to copy his own emotionally-charged memories in that void, his own rampant hatred of Concordia, the souvenirs of past tragedies; he could transfer his own values to Aster¡¯s moral center, subverting him the same way he tried to subvert Mathias.


    Because, if you had all of Shroud¡¯s memories, all his values, all his pains, and sorrow¡­ then you were Shroud.


    It would be karma, and it would turn Aster into an invaluable boon to their war effort.


    Now, that tactic deeply bothered the Player. He knew he was fighting fire with fire, brainwashing with brainwashing. He told himself this would be a one-time thing, that the situation was dire enough to justify crossing that line, even if it left a sour taste in his mouth.


    The only other option was calling upon Ashmal and making a deal with the devil. Shroud was screwed either way, trapped in a no-win situation with lives on the line.


    he told himself.


    ¡­


    No.


    That would be the quickest way, the easy way. The road to Concordia.


    Maybe the situation was extreme enough to justify it now, but a compromise would lead to another. It would become easier to convince himself he had no other option in the future, make abusing his sorcery more appealing. It would become easier to justify terrible choices to himself.


    He had seen how that slippery slope had corrupted Manus, twisted Concordia. And it frightened Shroud, who wasn¡¯t arrogant enough to believe he could avoid falling into the same insidious trap.


    No. Shroud wouldn¡¯t resort to this, not unless he had exhausted every other option.


    So, the sorcerer turned away from Aster¡¯s emotional centers, focusing instead on subverting the body¡¯s motor functions; first as a passive observer, then hopefully, gain control over them. Within minutes, Shroud had enough clout in Aster¡¯s own brain to start seeing through the Minister¡¯s eyes.


    The Blue Minister¡¯s body was hooked up to machinery in an underground, integrated to a secret base on a distant gas giant¡¯s moon. The muscles had started to atrophy from lack of use, the Minister letting his flesh waste away while his mind wandered through the Empire¡¯s technological infrastructures. He wasn¡¯t a ghost in the machine yet, but he was on his way there.


    As he gained more control, Shroud gained more access to these systems, starting with the base. it was a silent bunker without much life inside, only manned by drones, gearsmen, and the rare Mazed agents of Aster. Aster had holed himself within, careful not to let anyone see him in the flesh. In his drive to isolate himself inside a secure fortress, Aster had made unlikely anyone else could rescue him. Shroud gained access to the base¡¯s coordinates, in case he could inform the Administrator.


    He didn¡¯t find any hint of a self-destruct system or something that could turn the base against Aster. The Minister had been careful to avoid any opportunity for sabotage.


    Shroud then turned to the other files, trying to find anything else he could exploit, such as reports on Players on Earth. To his anger, he found most of them encrypted, protected behind codes even in the most secure parts of Aster¡¯s mind. He should have expected a psychic sorcerer from encrypting parts of his own mind, just in case.


    Still, maybe there was information of less immediate value to Aster. Information about people, instead of grand tactical movements.


    Like Alice Martel.


    He found it, a secret file less defended than the others. Shroud peeked inside, devouring the information within, finally finding where she had been for all these years¡­


    ¡­


    ¡­


    ¡­ No way.


    No way. It couldn¡¯t¡­ lies¡­ He couldn¡¯t believe¡­ she couldn¡¯t have¡­ it wasn¡¯t¡­


    If it was true, then all he did¡­ all Mathias did¡­


    All for nothing¡­


    A booming, alarm sound resonated in the mindscape, and Aster struck Shroud with a surge of Blue Flux.


    The psychic attack felt like a sharp blade cutting off a part of his brain, wiping out almost every memory Shroud had of his time at the game company Dynamis. His coworkers became shadows, the games he worked on black spots.


    He remembered Perse and Ulysses, but the name of their mother vanished, alongside her face, her voice, leaving only a black hole behind; the memories of their meeting and following interactions became locked behind a wall. In fact, he could barely remember his friends had a mother at all.


    The attack had been indiscriminate, subpar¡ªa cheap shot to throw Shroud off balance. But it had worked.


    A trap. The file had been booby-trapped.


    ¡°Wrong meat. You have guts, Mathias, I will give you that.¡± The sheer coldness emanating from the psychic contact disturbed Shroud almost as much as Ashmal¡¯s alien whispers; Aster¡¯s mental avatar turned towards Shroud, the entire mindscape radiating with an atmosphere of hostility. The Blue Minister was at the intrusion. ¡°I did not expect such brazen infiltration of my mind, but this is as far as you go.¡±


    Shroud attempted to retaliate by sending memories through the Network pathway, to damage Aster¡¯s mindscape and memories; but Blue firewalls sprung from nowhere, isolating the attack and shielding the Minister¡¯s important memories.


    Unlike Mindshield, Network couldn¡¯t pierce these mental defenses.


    Using Maze on his own mind, Aster shielded his moral center first¡ªexpecting Shroud to use the same amoral strategy which he himself favored. The Minister¡¯s overconfidence had been the main reason the Player had gotten that far, and it showed.


    ¡°Starseer can see all possible futures, meat. Nothing you do can surprise me.¡±


    Not that far in time, or else Aster would have seen him coming in the first place. He could see minutes in the future at best.


    Aster attempted to send signals through his Maze connections¡ªprobably to warn Melusine or other agents. Using his power over connections, Shroud interrupted the message, preventing the information from leaving Aster¡¯s mind, but this only gave the Blue Minister more opportunities to use Maze again. The Minister forced Shroud to divide his attention on multiple fronts.


    This time, the assault wiped out his fat¡ª


    Shroud blinked. What was the name of the husband of his mother? He knew he must have had one¡­ No time to ponder it or Aster would destroy his mind piece by piece, eventually destroying the parts which kept him in the fight. Shroud needed more processing power, more mental energy¡­


    ¡°Useless.¡± This time, Aster stopped using the kids¡¯ gloves and unleashed his full power at Shroud, overflooding his sight with data and blue light. A veil covered the Mindscape, distorting it into an illusory world.


    Shroud was back in his apartment in Evermarsh, the walls painted red with the flesh and organs of what he suspected was his dead father¡ªhe couldn¡¯t completely remember, whose remains lay on the sofa. Sol had hanged himself behind the windows, nails piercing his eyes, a centipede crawling out of his mouth.


    Shroud couldn¡¯t help but mentally struggle against the sight, and the brief surprise allowed Aster to send a mental message, probably to Melusine. Shit.


    While Aster assaulted Shroud with these nightmarish sights, another psychic attack wiped out whole years of the human¡¯s childhood, including anything between kindergarten and the Conquest. Shroud attempted to flee back through the pathway, but Aster caught him, held him, and kept ravaging him.


    The Minister went farther with the emotional damage, showing him pictures of Ulysses hacking his own leg with a saw, of Perse¡¯s flesh melting, revealing gray bones below.


    ¡°Please stop¡­¡± Shroud begged as Aster cut memories while pursuing this nightmarish mental violation. ¡°Please¡­ this is torture¡­¡±


    ¡°I will leave nothing this time,¡± Aster replied. He didn¡¯t enjoy it, he didn¡¯t dislike it. He did this to his victim with the same emotional weight as reading a newspaper. ¡°Why could you not become a good citizen, Martel? This is your fault. You are brought this upon yourself. There is no point in this.¡±


    Yes¡­ if the file hadn¡¯t lied¡­ then it meant nothing¡­


    But it was a trap, it could be false¡­


    ¡°It was all true, meat,¡± Aster beat him relentlessly, assaulting his mind with horrifying visions of worms eating Kari¡¯s eyes and centipedes crawling out of her mouth. ¡°There is no escape for you. Only betrayal against the glorious purpose she meant you to serve. Sleep now¡­ and .¡±


    While speaking, the Minister attempted to reassert control over his Maze¡¯s connection to Shroud¡¯s own mind, but the Player intercepted the mental messages before they could pass. The Minister brutally responded by showing him direct footage of the annihilation of New York during the Conquest, of humans shot to death by Gearsmen, of half-burnt corpses lying on the ground after an orbital bombardment.


    Perfect reaction time, processing power that could rival a supercomputer¡­ Aster¡¯s strength was unmatched on the mental plane, stopping all of Shroud¡¯s attempts to protect his sanity from the psychic assault, fighting on all fronts at once. Shroud had to distract Aster, to find a weak point. He tried the moral angle, to target whatever remained of the Minister¡¯s conscience. ¡°You genocidal bastard¡­ how many people will you erase with a reboot?¡±


    ¡°You learned of State Zero,¡± Aster caught on, but his surprise didn¡¯t halt his assault. In fact, he responded by erasing all of Shroud¡¯s memories of whatever Player occupied the Orange spot on his team. ¡°If only you could understand, meat, that this is for the best for you and your kind. You will prosper more in the new history.¡±


    ¡°I have seen Manus¡¯ calculations,¡± Shroud replied, trying to withdraw, to run. ¡°You will lose more people than you will gain! Where is the logic in that?¡±


    ¡°Quality trumps quantity,¡± Aster brushed him off. ¡°The meat may die, but the Empire will last forever.¡±


    He sounded like he believed it too. People were just numbers to Aster, who paid them no mind; he had disconnected so much from the world, he didn¡¯t value life at all. Even his own citizens could die for all he cared, so long as his vision of a perfect Concordia triumphed.


    No, morality wouldn¡¯t work. Aster¡¯s conscience was so underdeveloped it might as well be nonexistent.


    The newest, nightmarish sight, that of his own dismembered mother, disturbed Shroud enough to bring him to his knees.


    ¡°Why are you fighting, Mathias?¡± Sol¡¯s corpse talked to him, as did Kari¡¯s. Except they were Aster¡¯s words. ¡°Why are you fighting?¡±


    ¡°Why did you kill me?¡± Smokefang¡¯s beheaded head asked him, still smelling of¡­ of¡­ he couldn¡¯t remember the word. ¡°It won nothing.¡±


    ¡°Everything that you did, everything that you are, was part of my design,¡± Aster¡¯s mental avatar grabbed his own by the throat, lifting him for all the ghosts of his friends and victims to see, ¡°Your memories, your sense of self, they are all mine. They are illusions I crafted. The pain will go away, meat, but only if you submit.¡±


    ¡°Just give up,¡± countless voices sung at him, ¡°Give up!¡±


    At this point, Shroud had become little more than a husk hollowed from within. He could barely remember his experience at the midnight market, the time before darkness hidden behind blue, mental walls. His past was made of shadows, just like Manah¡¯s palace.


    A few more seconds and his sense of self would be gone. He wouldn¡¯t have enough emotions left to want to fight anymore. It would be over.


    It would be¡­ it would be easier to just let it go, to sleep as Aster asked¡­ he was alone, alone and powerless¡­


    ¡­


    Wait.


    He wasn¡¯t alone. He never was.


    Shroud drew upon Network, upon the pathways he had created, the friends he had made. They had memories of him, just as he had memories of them. He could fill what Aster destroyed with what they had.


    ¡°What is this¡ª¡± Aster stumbled back, as an overwhelming flood of memories invaded his mindscape, causing his nightmarish illusions to collapse.


    Shroud pieced himself back together, the same way the Doppelgangers¡¯ memories had brought him back from the brink. He remembered, and he was whole again. With the support of the pathways increasing his mental power, he managed to recover some ground, recovering as fast as Aster wiped out his memories.


    He could draw into the people he connected with, from Perse and Ulysses to Magik, to the Dragonslayers. They were his strength, in all the ways that mattered. Shroud tapped in the connections, the speed of his thoughts increasing like a computer drawing into additional servers. He sensed Ashmal among them, lurking at the edge of the network, ready to pump him with Black Flux should Shroud ask for it.


    He had the Blue Minister locked in a stalemate, the mental weight of hundreds of people matching Aster¡¯s psychic strength. He couldn¡¯t beat Aster, but he avoided being beaten.


    But this wouldn¡¯t last until Melusine shut off Network. He had to find a way, a chink in Aster¡¯s armor.


    Aster was a coward, deep down. A paranoid psychopath deeply resentful of emotions, of friendships, of emotional bonds; a spymaster looking for traitors in every corner, striking from afar and sacrificing others while he remained safe, away from the frontlines. Rather than mix with people, he had retreated inside a secret bunker on a faraway world.


    When pushed in a corner, he would hide, isolate himself. To mend his wounds, recover, plan. The Maleking had said Hell was disconnection and loneliness. Aster thought isolation was strength, but it made him weak and alone. He disdained flesh and the real world, holding the mind sacrosanct.


    That pristine perfectly ordered mind, the Minister cared about it over everything else. It was his fortress, his retreat, the one place where he felt safe. His anger at Shroud¡¯s intrusion in this sanctuary proved it.


    He had to make the battle emotional, make Aster lose his coolheadedness.


    Shroud attempted to smash mental representations of the files, to try and destroy them, but mental firewalls created by Maze stopped him.


    Damn seer.


    No way around it, then. He had to use the one power too dark and chaotic for Aster to foresee.


    He drew upon his pathway to Ashmal, to Pandoria. He called upon Black Flux.


    But he didn¡¯t let it take him over, or spread to his core essence, the same way he allowed his friends¡¯ memories to reshape him. Instead, he directly spilled the blackness into Aster¡¯s mindscape, like an oil tanker polluting the sea and its shores.


    The effect was instantaneous and just as nightmarish as Aster¡¯s cruel attempts at psychological warfare. A corrosive oil, the same that had leaked from Toshiyami¡¯s corpse in the Midnight Market, spread around Shroud, eating through Maze¡¯s mental protections.


    ¡°Meat, what have you done?!¡± Aster immediately attempted to isolate that growing corruption, before it could spread through his mindscape. Sear?h the nov§×lF~ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    But at this point, his mind acting faster than Aster¡¯s due to the extra power, Shroud focused back on the pathways. He drew not brainpower, but memories and signals, so many he felt his own mental strength strain under the transfer.


    The Network signals downloaded into Aster¡¯s mindscape like a torrent of chaos and confusion. Instead of an organized mental takeover, this attack was loud, chaotic, confusing. Pictures of Perse and Mathias kissing, of Kari and her uncle, of Mur¡¯s alien world, began to displace Aster¡¯s ordered mental library. A horde of emotionally-charged moments, slowing down Aster¡¯s pristine, logical brain. Much like Yellow Sorcerers had fought him off in the past, Shroud overloaded his nemesis.


    The sheer influx of information, too much for Aster¡¯s mind to handle¡ªtoo much for mind to handle¡ªslowed him down, allowing Black¡¯s corruption to take hold. The blackness spread to Aster¡¯s memories, to his files, and even started to reach his Maze¡¯s connections to his agents.


    ¡°Too many signals¡­¡± Aster began to panic, ¡°Must route¡­ too much¡­ much¡­¡±


    How many minds were needed to brain lag a Blue Sorcerer on Accel Premium Thoughts?


    As it turned out, a .


    If Aster could truly perceive multiple possible futures, seeing himself overloaded with information in more than one possibility, then it must have hurt even more. No nervous system, no matter how juiced on Blue Sorcery, could fully manage that; especially one who couldn¡¯t handle emotions in the first place, and who was quickly corroded by Black Flux.


    That was true what they said. Your network is your net worth.


    At this point, the Black infestation threatened to corrupt all of Aster¡¯s mind, and perhaps even his Lock. A fate worse than anything. ¡°My Lock¡­ cannot let¡­¡± Within seconds, Aster¡¯s mental avatar hide himself behind a hermetic blue sphere.


    As Shroud expected, when pushed, the Minister isolated himself from the world.


    Mind firewalls. Aster had used Maze on his own brain to protect himself, briefly retreating behind them until he could sort out the signals and regain enough mental strength to fight off the black infection. It wouldn¡¯t last long, but he must have disconnected from his future sight to reduce the information overload and avoid a total mental collapse.


    Which left Aster blinded, for a brief moment.


    Ever the opportunist, Shroud focused on taking over Aster¡¯s motor functions. Aster had disdained them, protecting his mind and precious Lock first and foremost. His lack of respect for the physical world, even his own flesh, would be his undoing.


    Shroud figured out a solution.


    With some searching, Shroud quickly found a secret communication channel towards three Concordian fleets waiting in outer space; an armada of black ships ready to teleport and attack a target at any moment the Minister wished it.


    Shroud thought while he used Aster¡¯s body to open the communication channel, facing three dragon commanders on space bridges.


    Time to have a taste of your own medicine.


    ¡°Teleport at once and open fire at these coordinates,¡± Shroud ordered through Aster¡¯s mouth, giving them the location of the Minister¡¯s sanctuary, ¡°Destroy the base utterly.¡±


    ¡°Minister, this is a secure facility¡ª¡±


    ¡°That is a direct order, and an imperial security emergency,¡± Shroud answered with Aster¡¯s cold tone. ¡°Behave.¡±


    The commanders, too spooked, obeyed at once.


    In a second, the base¡¯s systems turned red in alarm, showing Shroud pictures of ships teleporting right above their head in a flash of violet light. In the base, a voice began to shout warning through loudspeakers.


    ¡°Override!¡± Shroud replied through Aster¡¯s mouth. ¡°Drop all protections.¡±


    His brief respite didn¡¯t last long, however. Aster sorted out the information overload with Maze, moved to isolate the blackness behind mental walls, and probably reactivated his future sight.


    The second he did, he dropped everything to try taking back control of his motor functions.


    He could see his death coming.


    Shroud held strong, even as Aster tried to maze him off.


    ¡°Override!¡±


    Then, like a devil coming to take away all of Shroud¡¯s hopes, a blue avatar of Melusine appeared in the mindscape.


    She froze at the sight of the darkness spreading around her, her eyes moving from Aster frantically trying to regain control, and Shroud firmly defending himself.


    ¡°Shut down Martel¡¯s Lock, so I can call off the orbital bombardment,¡± Aster ordered, his tone sounding as if he expected her to obey at once. ¡°Immediately.¡±


    But surprisingly, she did none of this. She observed the battle, watched the Black spreading and looked at Shroud¡¯s mental avatar without a word.


    She hesitated.


    With no other option, and struggling against a part of him who hoped that file¡¯s content was total bullshit, Shroud spoke to her directly.


    ¡°Mom,¡± he begged, ¡°Do not do this. .¡±


    Melusine said nothing, but he could sense her waver. Was the file true?


    Aster, who could see far enough in the future to see what could come next, shook with shock and fury. He attempted to Maze her at once.


    But she was faster. Without warning, all mental firewalls created by Aster¡¯s Lock collapsed at once, and the Minister¡¯s attack failed. She had hacked Aster¡¯s Lock, the same way she did with Network; leaving Shroud¡¯s connection open for him to exploit, but removing the Minister¡¯s ability to fight back and use sorcery.


    ¡°Traitor!¡± For perhaps the first time ever, Aster felt pure, undiluted anger at this brazen betrayal. Without his main defense, the Black quickly spread through the entire mindscape, turning it from a pristine void into an oily sea. ¡°I spared you!¡±


    Melusine answered with two short words, ¡°Goodbye Aster.¡± Then she vanished out of the mindscape, leaving her former boss to die.


    In the real world, the monitors sent out another warning,


    At this point, Shroud knew he had won, although he didn¡¯t give Aster any opening. It should have felt like a triumph, but the scene had filled him with bitterness and a sense of futility.


    ¡°Martel meat, open your eyes!¡± Aster called him out, after a final, fruitless attempt to regain control of his body. But without his sorcery, he was nothing. ¡°Who else but we are more worthy to guide the world? Who wants peace more than us?¡±


    ¡°Everyone else,¡± Shroud replied, as he could see the ships¡¯ cannons lit up on monitors, ¡°Hey, Aster? How many humans does it take to cause an orbital bombardment?¡±


    ¡°She did this to you, meat!¡± Having fatally underestimated emotional bonds, he was scraping the bottom of the barrel. ¡°You are betraying the side you were meant to serve!¡±


    The ships fired crimson beams of death upon the secret base, the rain of destruction that Concordia once unleashed on Earth. The Blue Minister attempted one last-ditch effort to save his own life, to use the connection to Shroud¡¯s own mind to download himself within the same way Manus once tried, but with the Black having almost entirely consumed him and Melusine interfered with his Lock, the Player easily blocked him.


    In the end, the future was written.


    Finding no possible fate where he lived, the Minister did the logical thing.


    He gave up. ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter, Martel,¡± the Blue Minister said, and he believed it. ¡°The work will go on.¡±


    Aster¡¯s mindscape collapsed into nothingness with a flash of bright light, and Shroud¡¯s world faded away.


    Players'' Stats


    Account


    Dragonslayers Guild Moderator


    NameShroudNetworkProgressHolderMathias MartelBroadcastUnlockedLevel3 (Magister)Grant SpellUnlockedAffinityBlueSynergizeUnlockedLockNetworkLocked Feature(0/7)Spellcoins16Overlock(0/1)Stored Saves5Save?Load?Spell CompendiumNameDotAffinityPremium Thoughts1BlueBabel1BluePurge1GreenAccel1WhiteBeastmaster2BlueMindshield2BlueDoppelganger2BlueHeal2GreenPowersurge2GreenLightbringer2Red/OrangeMad World2Blue/GreenMaster Mirror3Blue/Orange/VioletAccountDragonslayers GuildNameYoshikageOversoulProgressHolderKari MatsumotoRememberUnlockedLevel3 (Magister)Channel SoulUnlockedAffinityYellowLocked Feature(1/3)LockOversoulLocked Feature(0/7)Spellcoins28Overlock(0/1)Spell CompendiumNameDotAffinityBabel1BlueWallcraw1GreenPeak1GreenNeedless1GreenWard1YellowDoom Sense1YellowSpiritsight1YellowDeathgem1YellowDreamwalker2YellowPowersurge2GreenHands of Slaughter3Yellow/Violet/RedAccountDragonslayers GuildNameThe Mur!AdamantProgressHolderMurmur the ImpHarderUnlockedLevel3 (Magister)FasterUnlockedAffinityOrangeLocked Feature(0/3)LockAdamantLocked Feature(0/7)Spellcoins25Overlock(0/1)Spell CompendiumNameDotAffinityReinforce1OrangeDiceweight1OrangePitborn2Green/RedFormless2OrangeHomunculus2OrangeIntegrator2OrangeReload2VioletAccountDragonslayers GuildNameDocInseminateProgressHolderNathaniel StitchSpawnUnlockedLevel3 (Magister)IncubateUnlockedAffinityGreenLocked Feature(0/3)LockInseminateLocked Feature(0/7)Spellcoins1Overlock(0/1)Spell CompendiumNameDotAffinityPremium Thoughts1BlueIntuimotion1BluePsychometry1BlueDeathgem1YellowDoom Sense1YellowSpiritsight1YellowTimesense1VioletPathfinder1VioletAlchemic Grasp1OrangeFlux Sight1WhiteAccel1WhiteAccountDragonslayers GuildNameAceCastlingProgressHolderSaga FreysonSummonedUnlockedLevel3 (Magister)Piercing BoundaryUnlockedAffinityVioletLocked Feature(2/3)LockCastlingLocked Feature(0/7)Spellcoins34Overlock(0/1)Spell CompendiumNameDotAffinitySwitch1VioletPathfinder1VioletTimesense1VioletUrbanstep1VioletSeamancer1OrangeAccel1WhiteDoorway2VioletSplash2Orange/VioletRainmaker2Orange/VioletAccountDragonslayers GuildNameSharpshootSpellgunProgressHolderMaggie Jesse PowellsCrimson BulletUnlockedLevel3 (Magister)Homing BulletUnlockedAffinityRedLocked Feature(0/3)LockSpellgunLocked Feature(0/7)Spellcoins13Overlock(0/1)Spell CompendiumNameDotAffinityStockmight1RedBabel1BlueAccel1WhiteThunderling2Green/RedBullseye2Violet/BlueSoundwave2RedLightningrod2RedAccountDragonslayers GuildNameSolAegisProgressHolderSolomon NicholaeSpell MartyrUnlockedLevel3 (Magister)Accel AllyUnlockedAffinityWhiteLocked Feature(0/3)LockAegisLocked Feature(0/7)Spellcoins35Overlock(0/1)Spell CompendiumNameDotAffinityPeak1GreenNeedless1GreenBabel1BlueBlue World1BlueQuasar1RedBiosurge1RedReinforce1OrangeEncode1WhiteSpell Syphon1WhiteAccel1White


    Spell of the Day


    Spellcatcher


    Dot: 2


    Components: Intuimotion +Spell Syphon


    Activation: Active, Thought.


    You can catch a spell being cast within ten meters of you, allowing you to contain it within you; you can then cast it as if you were the original sorcerer, so for example a spell buff would apply to you. You can hold up to one spell at a time, and you cannot catch spells of Dot Four or above.

 Chapter 62: Hubris

    Shroud opened his eyes, for the first time in a long, long while.


    He could feel the cold, metallic ground beneath him, the pulsating, drumming sound of automated machines repairing metal walls. He could smell the faint scent of rust and blood, and sense the soreness in his body; the Player was himself again, and it felt .


    He rose back to his feet and found it a strange sensation. After existing as mere information, physical movement alone had become pleasurable. How could Aster ever forsake this simple pleasure? Shroud would never understand. It was like living half a life.


    Shroud turned around, finding himself in some sort of metallic corridor with a large, dark glass window on his left. Three corpses laid nearby, those of hobgoblins in lab coats showing the Concordian insignia on their back; they were covered in blood and lacerations as if a savage tiger had torn their flesh apart.


    Had he done it? Where was he?


    His mind was still clouded, with holes in his memories. Either Aster¡¯s premature death had permanently damaged some of the memories affected by his Lock, or it was just the shock of regaining control, but he couldn¡¯t remember what his body did while under the Minister¡¯s control.


    He peeked through the glass windows, seeing only an underwater abyss on the other side. A dark, sinister trench, lit up by a faint, unnatural blue light; monstrous salamanders the size of cars, multicolored amoebas, and a titanic leviathan passed nearby, barely sparing him a glance.


    The Institute Base. Below the surface of Oceanis.


    Shroud glanced around himself, noticing the eye watching him above. ¡°Mad World,¡± he cast, the sound reverberating with the power of his sorcery. The camera eye glitched at once, turning inert, and the lights died out in the room.


    It felt good to use sorcery again. Although considering the underwhelming results, it appeared Concordia had partly protected their technology against that spell.


    Shroud immediately opened Magik, and contacted the Dragonslayers on their discussion feed.


    SHROUD: Guys? Guys?


    No answer. Their accounts were still active, but none answered. He checked Network, finding that the feeds only showed darkness. Melusine. She interfered with his Lock again, isolating him.


    Fear growing in his heart, he turned to the Administrator instead.


    ADMINISTRATOR: Mathias.


    SHROUD: Where are the others? Deeper in the base?


    ADMINISTRATOR: Safe, for now. You separated to cover more ground.


    SHROUD: This is a trap. I wasn¡¯t myself. Aster controlled me, but I beat him. Blackcinders is coming, and Melusine is interfering with Network.


    ADMINISTRATOR: You beat Aster?


    SHROUD: Blew him up. It¡¯s a long story, but we don¡¯t have much time. The others are in danger.


    ADMINISTRATOR: I know. Yoshikage informed me of the visions you sent her, so I took care of calling for help.


    Thank the gods¡­ now that he knew they existed, he could say it without sounding like an idiot.


    ADMINISTRATOR: But the situation is not quite optimal. Concordia set anti-teleportation wards around the base, so teleporting out of it is impossible without accreditation, except for Ace¡¯s Lock. Help will arrive to evacuate you soon, but until then, you have to stall.


    SHROUD: You will not tell me where are the others.


    ADMINISTRATOR: Not yet. I cannot be fully certain you are truly yourself again yet.


    Fair.


    Shroud himself didn¡¯t know what he wanted anymore himself.


    Shroud considered buying Teleport, but the wards preventing it meant it would be wasted money. He could also purchase Dot Three spells, and try testing them in the field.


    However, in the end, Shroud decided mastery trumped power, and he instead purchased Intuimotion and Dirt Call once more. As he turned towards the windows, he attempted to mentally affect the glass within, and as he heard the familiar sound of two spells merging, he knew he had succeeded.


    Glass Field was his to wield once again.


    His senses expanded through the windows and his glass armor, giving him a good view of the abyss. He realized he was in a structure built on an underwater Neurotower, deep below the ocean; he could see dark, giant shapes under his location, waiting at the bottom of the sea.


    With little choice, Shroud decided to explore the base further, the sight reminding him of his previous descent into Mammon¡¯s tower.


    The base¡¯s corridors were uniformly built the same way, with windows showing the abyss on the left, and cubic, lab chambers on the right. Each of these experimentation rooms had windows of their own built into them, allowing Shroud to peek through.


    As the sorcerer walked further into the depths of the complex, Shroud realized he had underestimated the sheer size of the complex, and number of operations taking place within. Most of the cubes contained artifacts or samples, like the ancient stone Kari had upgraded her Lock with on Earth; but the deeper he went, the more the experiments became increasingly bizarre and disturbing.


    In some chambers, the researchers had carved salamandrakes corpses for dissection; and on a closer look, Shroud noticed some ¡®corpses¡¯ still twitched even as their brains were widely exposed, metal chips implanted among the neural pathways. In one cube, a slime of coalesced water moved on its own, striking at the window in an attempt to break it; in the one right next to it, a bullman¡¯s corpse had its head replaced with a metallic device, walking around like a morbid puppet.


    Many cubes kept various prisoners and beasts sealed within them. Many had suffered extensive mutilation or alterations, from arms replaced with metallic tentacles to brutal surgery that would make Mengele blush. One hob seemed to have fused with another, with extra arms and heads. The sight made Shroud want to vomit, doubly so since most of the prisoners came from Concordia¡¯s own species.


    The Institute was experimenting with Concordia¡¯s own population, and he began to notice a trend he didn¡¯t like. Most of the experiments focused on brain surgery or motor experiments. As if that laboratory searched to understand what made bodies follow the brain¡¯s orders.


    He could have used Glass Field to break the cubes open and release the tortured, twisted creatures within, but he doubted they would treat him kindly. If they could think for themselves at all anymore.


    From what he saw, better that they all drown and die in peace.


    Shroud eventually passed in front of a cube thrice bigger than the others, peeking through the window. The room contained distortion in space itself; reality appeared to condense, to bend, at a focal point. A tear in the very fabric of reality, rougher than the Gates, pulsating with blue light and power.


    The rift offered the vision of a bluish reflection of the facility, except instead of Shroud, a group of salamandrakes watched back from the other side, waiting with venom in their eyes. Could this be some kind of Gate? Except that one led to another timeline, another reality? How far could sorcery go? How many places, how many universes could it reach?


    Shroud reached the end of a corridor, and the steel, opened doors of an elevator. Another eye camera watched him from above the entrance, but Shroud knew that what looked through was no UB. It was a human intelligence.


    A familiar one.


    At this moment, Shroud sensed a faint, mental signal through the Network pathways, a silent invitation to a meeting long overdue. He could sense Melusine calling him through their bond, inviting him to climb down the elevator to meet her.


    Shroud would answer.


    The Administrator called him before he could enter, though.


    ADMINISTRATOR: Mathias, if you go that way, you will nothing but tears. You already freed yourself from Concordia¡¯s grasp, do not fall back into it.


    SHROUD: I know. You knew. You knew and you said nothing.


    ADMINISTRATOR: I wanted to protect you, Mathias. This is what I was created for, to protect Players. Even from themselves.


    SHROUD: Stitch told you. When he tested me, he noticed brain tempering. But you did nothing.


    ADMINISTRATOR: I need absolute proof before I can take action. I am the Administrator. I assist and protect the Players. This is part of the parameters that bind me. After the Manus fiasco, I asked that stronger fetters be put on me. I hoped you would find it in you the strength to prevail, or that I could find a solution before the damage became irreparable. You have a purpose to serve in all of this.


    SHROUD: Then, if you are meant to protect the Players, you know the danger she poses so long as she serves Wyrde. She is a Terminal, and she knows how to hack into Magik.


    ADMINISTRATOR: Mathias, if you meet her, someone will die. It may be you, it may be her. But with Blackcinders coming, someone will.


    SHROUD: I¡¯m fine with dying if it means stopping her and Wyrde.


    ADMINISTRATOR: I understand. Which is why I urge you to turn back because I have been there before.


    SHROUD: Have you, Halcyon?


    He could have sworn the answer shook the Administrator to the core, for the artificial intelligence took several seconds before answering.


    ADMINISTRATOR: I am not. Halcyon. I emulate him, that is all. I am not him. I will never be him. He is gone, for good, and nothing will change what happened without dire consequences. One should accept the past instead of obsessing over it.


    SHROUD: You are damaged goods. A broken Terminal.


    ADMINISTRATOR: I suspect I will always survive a jump, but I am the corpse of a corpse. I can still access Manus¡¯ Distributor Lock, but not at one hundred percent. Manus in its prime could oversee infrastructure spanning a galaxy and wage war with the full might of the Concordian Empire; I can barely supply a thousand Players worldwide. If I had Melusine restore me the way she did with my template, I could do far more. Your Grant Spell features can provide far more power with far fewer resources.


    So it knew the true nature of Network. It always did.


    ADMINISTRATOR: We share the same origin, Mathias. Your Lock is strictly superior to all others because Manus customized it this way. It was meant to be a tool for godhood and universal domination, and so far you have barely tapped into its true potential. In time, if you follow the path Manus set for you, you could create your own Neurotowers and matrices, harness Flux independent from the larger Dis system, maybe even create your own. You can even affect Magik Online to a degree.


    SHROUD: You did not choose to accept the Save and Load feature. My Lock imposed it on Magik Online because it derives from it. I am the true Administrator.


    ADMINISTRATOR: Not yet. The Players¡¯ Locks, yours included, are artificial. A Lock is still needed to safely use Flux in the first place, but since Magik Online takes care of the Flux distribution through me instead of the normal channels, Players can spellcast even when their Lock is being interfered with. However, artificial Locks are less potent and need to be nurtured. Sidequests guide Sorcerers towards getting more in tune with their Lock, uncovering dormant abilities. They will reach an ¡®Overlock¡¯ stage, where their Lock no longer needs to rely on Magik as an intermediary. There is a strong risk of escalation if Players skip these steps, so I strictly restrict them. If I lifted them, you would gain Administrator privileges, but there would be a price.


    SHROUD: That is why you left me get away with so much. I am your back-up.


    ADMINISTRATOR: Yes. Magik Online will always need an Administrator, and should I fall, I would rather have human overseeing humans. Your Network could perfect Magik Online, and overcome the limits of my Distributor.


    SHROUD: I am sick and tired of lies and manipulations. Wyrde, the Maleking, Aster, Ashmal, you¡­ it is as if everyone tries to pull me in their direction. I am thankful for the chance you gave me, but that doesn¡¯t make hiding that secret from me right. Just as hiding secrets from my friends wasn¡¯t right.


    ADMINISTRATOR: I understand, more than you think, but the truth is that, at this moment, you are indeed a pawn, Mathias. I am sorry to be so blunt with you, but this is the truth. You are a pawn with limitless potential, and whoever controls you will win the board. But you can change this. Your future is in your hands, and you alone should decide it.


    SHROUD: Great. Then you should understand why I must do this. I will never be free unless I confront her and learn the truth.


    ADMINISTRATION: I do understand, and I cannot stop you. That is freedom. But I will repeat it, this is a choice that will only bring you great anguish, and I will have to permanently destroy your account and Lock if you fail, Mathias. Your Network is too powerful and dangerous to fall into Wyrde¡¯s hands, especially if she realizes you can influence Magik Online with it.


    SHROUD: I know. Do what you must. If it comes to it, can you inform the Dragonslayers of the truth? The full truth.


    ADMINISTRATOR: I will, but please, inform them in person.


    That was the plan.


    Shroud stepped into the elevator, the doors closing behind him.


    As the elevator went done, with glass windows allowing him to peek outside, Shroud began to gain a clearer view of the abyss below, of the pulsating cables fueling the Neurotower¡­ and of what they held prisoner.


    Two immense creatures, similar to the salamanders he had seen swimming in the water or waiting beyond the gates, were trapped by the cables, hooked on them like a twisted life-support system. Unlike their smaller kindred, considering the distance, these two titans probably measured more than one hundred meters each. Their scales had turned white and lifeless, colored energy flowing out of them and into the tower.


    Power batteries.


    And the more he observed, the more he realized that was no reef abyss he faced, but a spine. A spine of the same metal that made up the Neurotower, buried below dirt and stone. Shroud couldn¡¯t fathom the size of the creature that-


    The Network flash came abruptly, but he anticipated it. He delved deeper, asking the system for more information.


    A cycle of life and extinction. Where did the Flux go?


    Who ruled the Dis System? Who profited from this?


    That mental retort came not with the informal data flow of Network, but a haughty, mocking voice. When Shroud attempted to draw more information, Network sent him a normal signal.


    Who built it?


    Realizing that whatever entity controlled the Dis System had stonewalled him, Shroud wisely stopped bothering the immense creature.


    He was so exhausted of all of this. Exhausted of the secrets and the intrigues, of the larger forces, invisible trying to take away his choice, to push him in the direction they wanted.


    Before, when he thought he fought to save and avenge his mother, Shroud could take it. As the Maleking once told him, if he knew why he could bear any burden.


    But if it had been for nothing¡­ what was the point? What was his why? What was his reason to go further?


    Deep down, Shroud already knew.


    The elevator reached its last stop, the metal doors opening to reveal a large, rectangular room, an immense and pristine underwater cathedral of metal and glass providing a perfect view of the abyss around itself. The ground resonated with a metallic echo as Shroud walked through, finding the area deserted.


    That cathedral was at the very bottom of the trench, and through the glass, Shroud noticed stone, Greek-like ruins, forgotten under the sea. Temples, houses, buried underwater for centuries, if not eons.


    It must have been an Observatoire or laboratory of some kind, only for the Institute to empty it when Aster informed them of the operation. They had taken everything of value with them, leaving only silence and empty space.


    Almost.


    Shroud picked a metallic sound coming from above, although he already noticed her through Glass Field.


    Using her armor¡¯s tentacles to crawl on the ceiling while keeping her arms crossed, Melusine watched him, her face hidden behind her helmet. Yet, now that he knew the face behind the mask, he recognized her subtle posture, one of absolute confidence in her intelligence and mastery of a situation.


    ¡°We called the first entity ¡®Lifeform: Poseidon¡¯ and the second ¡®Lifeform: Cleito¡¯,¡± said Melusine, as she descended on the ground, landing on her legs and walking toward him. ¡°These are the ruins of Atlantis, taken eons ago from Terra Firma and brought to Oceanis.¡±


    Shroud adopted a wary stand, causing Melusine to stop when she was within five meters of him. ¡°And the machine?¡± he asked her, unwilling to let her approach further.


    ¡°A Worldshaker. An engine of creation and destruction meant to protect the towers, even if it must wipe out all life on the world; in time, they are sent through space to build more towers, spreading the Dis System across the cosmos. Other of these creatures slumber on Terra Firma, beneath the arctic, below the Bermuda Triangle, or on the dark side of the moon. Concordia lost entire fleets and hundreds of sorcerers putting one down in the past.¡±


    So it was true what Ashmal said. The entity who built the Neurotowers was no friend of life, at all.


    How many gods like these two suffered in the bowels of these structures, the life drained out of them to fuel the immense infrastructures of Dis, its Gates, and its sorcerers?


    ¡°Mathias¡­¡± Melusine trailed, clenching her fingers nervously.


    ¡°Take off your helmet,¡± he interrupted her, still on guard. ¡°I want to see it with my own eyes.¡±


    ¡°While this is very cliche¡­ don¡¯t you already know it to be true?¡±


    Still the same grown-up sci-fi dork. Shroud would have chuckled, had the situation not been so tense. ¡°Take off your helmet.¡±


    Silently, Melusine grabbed her helmet, removing it to the sound of automatic securities lifting themselves.


    She hadn¡¯t aged at all.


    Still the same beautiful blonde hair, which she kept short now, and the same piercing eyes full of motherly pride and intelligence both. Same beautiful smile, same expression, same everything.


    Alice Martel looked exactly like her son¡¯s last memories. In fact, she looked a bit .


    ¡°Green Sorcery treatments,¡± Alice said, her voice unmistakable without the helmet¡¯s voice alteration. ¡°We hope to mass produce an immortality treatment, available to all, within the next fifteen years.¡±


    How long he had wanted to see her, alive and sound.


    In his fantasies, it had been a warm, epic reunion, with Mathias bursting her out of prison before tearfully taking her in his arms. But now, at this very moment, a bitter taste had filled is mouth.


    ¡°,¡± Shroud repeated. ¡°I hoped¡­ I hoped you had been under a Maze effect, that you were yourself again.¡±


    ¡°Is that you want to hear, sweetie? That Aster controlled me? That I was brainwashed like you were? That I had no choice, no agency? That I freed myself so I could rescue you?¡± Her smile turned sad for a moment. ¡°It would make you feel better, but that would be a lie. You saw the connections created by Maze.¡±


    And she wasn¡¯t among them. The file had been right.


    ¡°You were with them.¡± He still couldn¡¯t believe it. ¡°You were on that plan all along. What are you, an agent?¡±


    ¡°I am the Vice Blue Minister. Technically, with Aster¡¯s demise, I will soon be the next Blue Minister.¡±


    Vice Minister. S§×ar?h the Novel?ire(.)ne*t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    That was way higher in the hierarchy than Shroud expected. No way she wasn¡¯t complicit in most of Aster¡¯s operations through the cosmos. ¡°How could you raise so high in the hierarchy in so little time? Especially after¡­ after¡­¡±


    ¡°After I fucked up everything? You don¡¯t have to sugarcoat it, sweetie. Terminal privileges, my skills, and the Grandmaster¡¯s trust. I told you, Mathias, that she is a good person. She gave me a second chance when nobody else would have trusted me. She allowed you to live, Mathias, even considering what you represented.¡±


    ¡°I was your price,¡± Shroud guessed, quiet fury making him clench his fists.


    ¡°Blackcinders would have killed you if Aster and I hadn¡¯t convinced the Grandmaster to give us a chance. I hoped that Aster¡¯s Maze would never activate, that Manus was gone for good, and that you could live a normal life with your father. But you had to accept that offer.¡±


    ¡°For you,¡± said Mathias. ¡°For you. I did it for you. To find you, to avenge you.¡±


    ¡°I know,¡± she sighed. ¡°I know, sweetie, and I love you for it. We were both mislead, you and I, choosing revenge and making a deal with the same devil.¡±


    ¡°Why?¡± Shroud asked. ¡°Why the hell didn¡¯t you tell us?¡±


    ¡°Because you were my weakness. If it was known I lived behind that helmet, others like Manus would have struck at me through you and your father. And there are even worse forces at work out there. The Maleking is marshalling for war, Mathias; he has been scheming against Concordia for decades, and the rediscovery of Terra Firma only emboldened him. It was safer that only a few select members of Concordia¡¯s leadership be aware of our relationship.¡±


    ¡°So Concordia could keep you in check by threatening me?¡±


    ¡°They didn¡¯t¡­ Mathias, it stopped being about you alone. This is about our family, about everyone. This is about the world.¡±


    ¡°You know. You know what Wyrde is planning. You support it.¡±


    ¡°State Zero. History erased and rewritten. A first draft erased, replaced with a better one. Imagine, Mathias. An Earth where 9/11, the Holocaust, and Blackcinders¡¯ massacre never happened; an Earth where war, crime, and disease never existed, where immortality is available to all, our air pure and clean, and the stars our only limit. A world where your father is alive and well. A utopia where there is no famine, no poverty, no conflict. A universe with no Maleking, no Reavers, no Powells to spoil it. A future that looks straight from a dream.¡±


    ¡°How many will die?¡± Would Maggie Powells have to take her brother down with her?


    ¡°Why bother caring about them, Mathias? They will never have existed. It will be painless, like falling asleep. Besides, if they vanish, then they were undesirable in the first place.¡±


    ¡°So if I vanish, that will be for the greater good, right?¡± Shroud deadpanned.


    ¡°You will not,¡± Mom, no, Melusine said. ¡°I oversaw the calculations, specifically so we can all enjoy the fruits of our labor. Also, you are a Terminal. You will always survive.¡±


    ¡°That was rhetorical.¡±


    ¡°I figured. You imply that I am selfish? Maybe. Who is not? But overall, the greatest numbers will benefit from it. Innocents will benefit from it.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re toying with a power you do not understand nor fully control.¡±


    ¡°And with that power, the Grandmaster will create a present where no son ever loses his father to a psychopath who should have been smothered at birth. I am doing this is for us, Mathias. For our family. Everything I did, I did it for Victor and you.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t want that future, Mom!¡± Not when it would be built on the bones of Maggie, of Sol, of the countless trillions Wyrde would deem unnecessary in her ¡®heaven.¡¯ ¡°And Dad wouldn¡¯t want it either!¡±


    ¡°You do not speak in your father¡¯s name, young man,¡± Alice warned.


    ¡°You said you did it all for our family,¡± Shroud replied, the sheer realization of what his mother had turned into almost too much to bear. ¡°So did I¡­ I thought they took you, that they held you in a cell¡­ and now¡­ everything I did¡­ was it for nothing?¡±


    ¡°Of course not, sweetie. You did great. You can still do great. The more Terminals we have, the more we can reduce errors and paradoxes during the reboot.¡± She extended a hand at him. ¡°Mathias, come with me. The Institute has designed a server prototype, similar to Magik Online. We can keep your powers active. We will need you to protect Terra Firma from the Maleking, until we are ready to wipe him from existence once and for all. Solomon is also welcome. If you come, he will follow. We can make everything right, together.¡±


    ¡°I blew up Aster,¡± Shroud replied. ¡°How will you make that right with Concordia?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s okay, sweetie, we can cover it up. I intended to take him down myself at one point, after what he did to you. We can make it work.¡±


    More lies. More deaths. Where would it stop?


    Where would stop?


    ¡°There is controlling these towers, these Gates, and these weapons, Mom!¡± Shroud argued. ¡°It is using you, and Concordia, to sustain itself, piggybacking on the Empire¡¯s back to spread to more worlds! The more you use that technology and sorcery, the more it controls !¡±


    ¡°Nonsense. The Grandmaster studied this system far longer than either of us, and she never found any proof of a central will behind it. Neither did I.¡±


    ¡°My visions¡ª¡±


    ¡°Could be the remnants of Manus, or hallucinations, or a sorcerer¡¯s prank,¡± Alice dismissed it, her tone disdainful and arrogant. ¡°I refuse to believe a godlike being would allow such a chaotic, random, unjust universe to exist.¡±


    ¡°Mom, that¡¯s the entire point! Don¡¯t you see? The Saves consume entire alternate timelines to work! Every time one is used, something never comes back! I¡¯m sure it¡¯s the same with the energy these towers harvest? Where do you think it goes? Who does it ?¡±


    ¡°The loss is caused by Black Flux, itself caused by bugs,¡± Melusine replied. ¡°Hence why it is so critical you join us, Mathias. We can eliminate them, ensure most people survive the transition.¡±


    ¡°Who gave you the right to pick who lives and who dies?¡±


    ¡°It is for their own good. Mankind¡¯s good.¡±


    ¡°Who are you to choose for everyone else?!¡± Shroud snarled back, ¡°Who elected you?¡±


    ¡°Since when did men know what was good for them?¡± Alice replied with cold disdain. ¡°We were within an inch of destroying our own planet before Concordia arrived, even after scientists warned us thirty years ahead. As for elections, which country dropped atomic bombs on cities?¡±


    ¡°Which one dropped a Mom?¡±


    That silenced her for a few seconds before she offered a weak explanation. ¡°That is Blackcinders¡¯ crime, not the Grandmaster¡¯s fault.¡±


    ¡°And who appointed Blackcinders to her post?¡±


    ¡°You have seen Lugh, and the Maleking¡ª¡±


    ¡°Blackcinders is no necessary evil and you know it,¡± Shroud cut her off. ¡°Mom, Wyrde is bad. Manus knew it, enough that he thought removing her was the key to peace. Maybe she thinks she is righteous and that this is for the greater good, but Concordia, as it is now, has too much blood on its hands for it to be true. She is a cold-blooded dictator, and her actions speak for her.¡±


    ¡°We would be both dead without her, Mathias.¡±


    ¡°We wouldn¡¯t have been in danger at all without her! The whole universe fears Concordia! All of mankind lives in fear, with a doomsday weapon pointed at them!¡±


    ¡°Do not dare peek into my mind, Mathias.¡±


    ¡°Like you did in the Neurotower?¡±


    ¡°It was that or you !¡± Alice argued back. ¡°You would have been dead ago if it weren¡¯t for my protection!¡±


    ¡°Fine,¡± Shroud conceded, somewhat. ¡°You had a bad hand and you tried to play with the cards Concordia gave you. But now? You have sorcery. You could leave. You could strike back.¡±


    ¡°No. Even if I wanted to, I couldn¡¯t.¡±


    She couldn¡¯t? Why? Did they strap a bomb on her or something? No¡­ no stick. A carrot. ¡°You need Wyrde,¡± Shroud realized. ¡°You¡¯re like me. A prototype.¡±


    ¡°Mathias, you do not know¡ª¡±


    ¡°You gained a Lock during the battle with Manus,¡± Shroud guessed, the micro expressions on his mother¡¯s face enough to confirm it. ¡°But you can¡¯t draw Flux by yourself. You need another Terminal to supply you¡­ like Magik and I.¡±


    She had accepted the chance to be a sorcerer, so long as she served another¡¯s goals.


    In the end, they weren¡¯t so different.


    His mother pointedly avoided confirming his hypothesis, but the silence was an answer in itself. ¡°Mathias, I get it, you have people you care about. So do I. I will do anything to see your father returned to us. I can do far more at Wyrde¡¯s side, guide the reboot properly.¡±


    ¡°There shouldn¡¯t be one,¡± Shroud replied. ¡°I¡¯ve tested it, tried to make my life better with it. Twice. And I¡¯ve seen the cost. It¡¯s just not worth it, Mom.¡±


    ¡°It is!¡± Now she was shouting in exasperation. ¡°Why can¡¯t you see it, sweetie? Solomon, that Werner girl, they will be fine if you cooperate. Your will be fine if you cooperate.¡±


    ¡°Maybe,¡± Shroud conceded, before turning her words back at her, ¡°But this is no longer about us, Mom. It is about the world.¡±


    ¡°Then you should understand.¡±


    ¡°Viviane Werner. Ulysses Werner. Perse Werner. Gavin the Hob. Maggie Powells. Solomon Nicholae. Samantha Brown. Kari Matsumoto. Saga Freyson. Murmur the Imp, Booz, Nathaniel Stitch, Baihu the Tiger.¡± He finished, his mother silent. ¡°I networked them all. I saw life through their eyes. I saw their struggles, their fears, their hopes. Through them, I could overcome Aster. I cannot let them die.¡±


    ¡°Sacrifices have to be made, Mathias. The happiness of too many people hinges on this.¡±


    ¡°Maybe. But not the sacrifice of others. Or else it is no sacrifice, just selfishness. And even if somehow, everyone survives the transition, then we will be just like the puppets kept upstairs, or like Aster¡¯s thralls, just with a few extra steps! We will but we won¡¯t be .¡±


    ¡°But all will be right.¡±


    ¡°You can¡¯t just erase your mistakes, mom!¡±


    ¡°I didn¡¯t make a mistake!¡± Now she started shouting back, her pride wounded. ¡°I was . I was tricked. I didn¡¯t make a mistake.¡±


    At that moment, Mathias saw his mother under a different light, the arrogance that drove her, her perfectionism. She and Wyrde would condemn the entire universe rather than live with their faults and wrong choices.


    He couldn¡¯t walk that path.


    He had made many mistakes, foolishly risked his life, but that was what made him stronger. He had come to accept his shortcomings, to try and work around them. That was what it was to accept responsibility.


    ¡°Mom, I can¡¯t join,¡± Shroud shook his head. ¡°Nothing you say will make me do so.¡±


    By now, her smile had faded into subdued irritation. ¡°You are just as stubborn as when you were young,¡± she said. ¡°You are making a grave mistake, Mathias. Wyrde will not give you any more chances after this. The leash will go off.¡±


    ¡°Then come with me instead,¡± he extended his hand, while she retracted hers. ¡°The Administrator can give you sorcery.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t you see that this is a trap, Mathias?¡± Melusine shot back. ¡°Have you read the legends about the gods who power Magik Online? Do you want these rapists and murderers back in charge? Because that is what they want, to be worshipped again. They use you as cannon fodder, while they remain hidden. You shouldn¡¯t look forward to their return.¡±


    Maybe. Maybe no. But he would choose them over Concordia any other day. ¡°Mom, they are almost extinct,¡± he said. ¡°This is not an attempt to regain power, but the last dance before the curtain¡¯s fall.¡±


    ¡°That is what they said to you.¡±


    ¡°This is the truth,¡± Shroud insisted. ¡°Species working together, sharing resources¡­ isn¡¯t that what Concordia was supposed to be? Mom, if you really fight for mankind, then come with me. Put power back in the hands of man.¡±


    He could forgive her, for everything, for Aster and whatever else she had supported. He could forgive it all, if only she choose right.


    But she didn¡¯t take the hand.


    She didn¡¯t even hesitate.


    ¡°I told you, Mathias, this is about the world. About mankind. Even if I love you, sweetie, I will not give up on paradise. On your father. State Zero will happen, and you will be part of it, whether you want it or not.¡±


    ¡°I can always be brought back, is that it?¡± Shroud frowned behind his helmet. ¡°You can always bring me back if I die now, like Dad?¡±


    Her cold silence was an answer in itself.


    No way around it then. ¡°I won¡¯t let it happen.¡±


    ¡°You want me to fight you? You think it will solve anything? Wyrde will launch State Zero, with or without us, Mathias. We will the process, but she doesn¡¯t us. All you will do if you win is increase the collateral damage during the transition.¡± She put on the helmet, her motherly voice replaced with an artificial one. ¡°I will not raise my hand against you, sweetie. But neither will I protect you anymore. If you are so set on this foolish path, then we have nothing more to say.¡±


    ¡°So you will just run away again?!¡±


    She stopped moving, as still as the iron golem she looked like. ¡°Goodbye, Mathias,¡± she said, vanishing in a flash of purple light and leaving him to die.


    Shroud stood alone in the watery abyss, looking up as he saw a great, fiery shadow, swimming towards the cathedral. A dragon with fire in her eyes.


    Blackcinders.


    Players'' StatsAccount


    Dragonslayers Guild Moderator


    NameShroudNetworkProgressHolderMathias MartelBroadcastUnlockedLevel3 (Magister)Grant SpellUnlockedAffinityBlueSynergizeUnlockedLockNetworkLocked Feature(0/7)Spellcoins8Overlock(0/1)Stored Saves5Save?Load?Spell CompendiumNameDotAffinityPremium Thoughts1BlueBabel1BluePurge1GreenAccel1WhiteBeastmaster2BlueMindshield2BlueDoppelganger2BlueHeal2GreenPowersurge2GreenLightbringer2Red/OrangeMad World2Blue/GreenGlass Field2Blue/OrangeMaster Mirror3Blue/Orange/VioletAccountDragonslayers GuildNameYoshikageOversoulProgressHolderKari MatsumotoRememberUnlockedLevel3 (Magister)Channel SoulUnlockedAffinityYellowLocked Feature(1/3)LockOversoulLocked Feature(0/7)Spellcoins4Overlock(0/1)Spell CompendiumNameDotAffinityBabel1BlueWallcraw1GreenPeak1GreenNeedless1GreenWard1YellowDoom Sense1YellowSpiritsight1YellowDeathgem1YellowDreamwalker2YellowPowersurge2GreenHands of Slaughter3Yellow/Violet/RedSpaceslash3VioletTulpa3YellowAccountDragonslayers GuildNameThe Mur!AdamantProgressHolderMurmur the ImpHarderUnlockedLevel3 (Magister)FasterUnlockedAffinityOrangeLocked Feature(0/3)LockAdamantLocked Feature(0/7)Spellcoins1Overlock(0/1)Spell CompendiumNameDotAffinityReinforce1OrangeDiceweight1OrangePitborn2Green/RedFormless2OrangeHomunculus2OrangeIntegrator2OrangeReload2VioletTimeloop3VioletCarbonskin3OrangeAccountDragonslayers GuildNameDocInseminateProgressHolderNathaniel StitchSpawnUnlockedLevel3 (Magister)IncubateUnlockedAffinityGreenLocked Feature(0/3)LockInseminateLocked Feature(0/7)Spellcoins1Overlock(0/1)Spell CompendiumNameDotAffinityPremium Thoughts1BlueIntuimotion1BluePsychometry1BlueDeathgem1YellowDoom Sense1YellowSpiritsight1YellowTimesense1VioletPathfinder1VioletAlchemic Grasp1OrangeFlux Sight1WhiteAccel1WhiteAccountDragonslayers GuildNameAceCastlingProgressHolderSaga FreysonSummonedUnlockedLevel3 (Magister)Piercing BoundaryUnlockedAffinityVioletLocked Feature(2/3)LockCastlingLocked Feature(0/7)Spellcoins25Overlock(0/1)Spell CompendiumNameDotAffinitySwitch1VioletPathfinder1VioletTimesense1VioletUrbanstep1VioletSeamancer1OrangeAccel1WhiteDoorway2VioletSplash2Orange/VioletRainmaker2Orange/VioletTeleport3VioletAccountDragonslayers GuildNameSharpshootSpellgunProgressHolderMaggie Jesse PowellsCrimson BulletUnlockedLevel3 (Magister)Homing BulletUnlockedAffinityRedLocked Feature(0/3)LockSpellgunLocked Feature(0/7)Spellcoins13Overlock(0/1)Spell CompendiumNameDotAffinityStockmight1RedBabel1BlueAccel1WhiteThunderling2Green/RedBullseye2Violet/BlueSoundwave2RedLightningrod2RedAccountDragonslayers GuildNameSolAegisProgressHolderSolomon NicholaeSpell MartyrUnlockedLevel3 (Magister)Accel AllyUnlockedAffinityWhiteLocked Feature(0/3)LockAegisLocked Feature(0/7)Spellcoins23Overlock(0/1)Spell CompendiumNameDotAffinityPeak1GreenNeedless1GreenBabel1BlueBlue World1BlueQuasar1RedBiosurge1RedReinforce1OrangeEncode1WhiteSpell Syphon1WhiteAccel1WhiteForcefield3Red


    Spell of the Day


    Clone Factory


    Affinity: Green


    Dot: 3


    Price: 9-15


    Activation: Active, Spit Vector.


    The user spits a grey ooze which quickly blooms into a deformed, monstrous clone of the spellcaster; the clone¡¯s mutations always improve its battle prowesses, such as gaining claws or fangs, and they share the original¡¯s memory and intelligence. The clone¡¯s mutations worsen and will cause their death within a week unless regularly repaired and maintained.

 Chapter 63: Nemesis

    Pressed for time, Shroud instantly moved to action.


    Through his Glass Field, he spread the Master Mirror Hack to the cathedral¡¯s windows, turning them into portals to other worlds. Sea monsters from other planes, fish the size of elephants, and tentacled abominations, crossed the frontier and populated the abyss. The creature spread around, as Blackcinders descended towards them.


    He hoped it would delay the great dragon, but it would only afford him mere seconds.


    Creating a Doppelganger and leaving him behind, Shroud rushed to the elevator and activated it, fleeing the doomed cathedral with a decoy inside. He immediately looked at Network, hoping that Melusine had stopped interfering with it.


    She still did.


    ¡°Ace, Ace,¡± Shroud repeated. ¡°Ace. Are you there?¡±


    His teammate didn¡¯t answer either. Either she refused to, or more likely, Melusine interfered with her the same way she did with his Network.


    Even from a large distance, she still could make his life hell; and while she wouldn¡¯t raise her hand against her own son, she was fully willing to sabotage him and his team. Just like she did against Toshiyami.


    Had she escalated so far into madness? Or was the seed of his mother¡¯s callousness always there, and power only brought it out? Shroud decided it didn¡¯t matter. She had to be stopped, family or not. The end.


    In the middle of the elevator ride, he attempted to contact the administrator, only for a quake to shake the base. A flash of light illuminated the abyss, and the corpses of summoned monsters fell into the darkness below.


    A ray of bright red light fell from above like holy judgment, blasting the underwater cathedral. The elevator shook but kept going up, Shroud witnessing the wreckage falling into the darkness.


    Far away, the sorcerer noticed Blackcinders swimming among the corpses of summoned creatures like a shark. The titan was just as terrible as he expected, a monstrous being more metal than flesh. She was fast, she was deadly, and she was hungry for blood.


    Fortunately, she hadn¡¯t noticed Shroud yet, swimming down towards the cathedral¡¯s wreckage. Melusine must have informed her of Aster¡¯s death.


    The leash was off indeed. No more mercy. No more calculating plans. Just war.


    Why didn¡¯t she just blast the base from orbit though? He had seen the destruction the great dragon could wreck. In the face of previous events, the answer became obvious.


    She wanted to see him dead, to savage his corpses with her own hands. His luck had allowed him to prevail too many times, and she wanted to take no chance he faked his demise.


    He couldn¡¯t take Blackcinders down. Not alone, and especially not kilometers deep underwater.


    But he wasn¡¯t alone.


    As the elevator kept going down, Shroud glanced at the spot where the tower had trapped the giant salamanders, Poseidon and Cleito, draining them of life. He interfaced with the ancient machinery.


    Yes.


    The abyss trembled, as the infrastructure answered his command. By now, Shroud was too far away to see the result, but he hoped it worked.


    As the elevator reached its uppermost level, bringing Shroud back to the experimentation corridors, the sorcerer tried to contact the Administrator.


    ADMINISTRATOR: Mathias. Have you found the answers you sought?


    SHROUD: Yes, and I didn¡¯t like them. At all. Blackcinders is after me, and Melusine partly interferes with my Lock.


    ADMINISTRATOR: She interferes with everyone''s. I believe she can hack into all artificial Locks to a degree, hence why she cannot access Magik Online, who is partly powered by my natural Distributor. I will guide you to the best escape route I can. Continue to the end of the corridor.


    SHROUD: Are the others fine?


    ADMINISTRATOR: Outside. Continue to the end of the corridor.


    As Shroud obeyed, using Glass Field to fly, the base began to tremble, and flashes of light began to illuminate the underwater darkness outside; explosions resonated below. Blackcinders was fighting something below them, probably the escaped prisoners.ADMINISTRATOR: Open the door to your left, then take the stairway to the right.


    As he obeyed the instructions, meandering through the metal maze, he noticed the air, the very world getting heavier, his flight speed hampered by an invisible but escalating force.


    Gravity increasing.


    As he passed through an observation room, giving him a view of the underwater area, he saw one of giant salamander get propelled against the base, causing it to shake. The creature had lost half of its face, its eye clawed out of its orbit by a bigger predator.


    Of course, Blackcinders was winning. And savagely so. The creatures were malnourished, drained of their Flux by the tower¡¯s infrastructure.


    But still, the deities quickly recovered and went back to battle without a word.


    Shroud was tired of running. Tired of relying on outside forces to make his way through life, tired of leaving his fate to fortune. So very tired.


    He eventually reached a closed, circular hall covered with screens showing parts of the base, a control center of a sort. Multiple feeds had turned black, the areas destroyed or sunk. Five circles of light, almost identical to those used as teleporters in Taiyougami, waited for him at the center.


    ADMINISTRATOR: Concordia locked the teleporters leading outside, but Nathaniel Stitch¡¯s purchase of the Metalmesh spell allows him to control the system. Take the center-left.


    He did, just as flying became impossible under the ever-increasing gravity.


    In a flash of bright light, the underwater grave was replaced with an underground cove, near the sea. A copy of the teleporter laid on the sand below his feet, a secret entry hidden from sight. He could hear the sound of the sea outside, and the light coming in.


    The gravity had somewhat diminished, but the air still remained heavier than normal. How far could Blackcinders¡¯ range extend?


    ¡°Sir.¡± Stitch welcomed him inside, alongside Sol, Kari, and Maggie. ¡°You are back.¡±


    Before Shroud could answer, Sol immediately hugged him. ¡°Mathias, you are alive! When you stopped answering our calls¡­ I thought you gone...¡±


    ¡°We saw your messages, nerd,¡± Maggie said. She tried to act uncaring, but her voice betrayed some relief. ¡°The Administrator asked us not to answer yet. Said you were ¡®not in the right state of mind¡¯ and that it had to check.¡±


    That was an understated way to put it. ¡°Sol,¡± Shroud said, breaking off the hug. ¡°It was Mom. She¡¯s Melusine. She was with Concordia all along.¡±


    The priest took it somberly but didn¡¯t seem surprised at all. Just disappointed. ¡°Do not hate her, Mathias,¡± he advised. ¡°She has been through tough times, as you did. But do not condone her either.¡±


    ¡°She has to be stopped,¡± Shroud agreed. ¡°What she and Wyrde are planning, it¡¯s inhuman.¡±


    ¡°So it was true, Mathias-san, you were under Aster¡¯s control?¡± Kari asked with a worried gaze.


    ¡°He¡¯s dead,¡± Shroud replied. ¡°I turned the tables on him and had his own fleet shoot him dead.¡±


    ¡°That is great news,¡± Solomon nodded, trying to cheer him up. ¡°It is a great blow to Concordia.¡±


    ¡°We have to go,¡± Kari said, her face strained. ¡°My Doom Sense, it is torture.¡±


    ¡°Blackcinders is down there, fighting creatures I unleashed,¡± Shroud replied. ¡°It will buy us a little time, but not much. She is too strong, and they too weakened. Where are Ace and Mur?¡±


    ¡°Outside,¡± Kari said.¡°Trying to contact the Midnight Market. Mathias...¡±


    ¡°We will talk about it after we escaped the giant dragon of mass destruction,¡± Shroud said, running out of the cove with the other Dragonslayers in tow.


    As it turned out, the cove was located on a small island, in the middle of an endless ocean. The Neurotower, a purely bluish construct unlike Mammon¡¯s multicolored one, rose from the watery depths nearby, reaching all the way to the heavens. More worryingly, Shroud could see Blackcinders¡¯ cursed flagship, the , surveying the area miles away.


    One of the giant salamanders had risen above the waves¡­ or rather, its savaged corpse did. Blackcinders had mercilessly clawed through its torso, leaving a gaping hole in the chest.


    Ace and Mur were busy talking to hand communications, trying to contact Mammon, Manah, or whoever would listen. The imp glanced at Shroud with disgust, then looked away, at the bloodied, giant salamander corpse floating. ¡°Weaklings.¡±


    ¡°Hello, handsome,¡± Ace said, but there was no mirth on her face. ¡°So. You¡¯re yourself again?¡±


    ¡°You figured it out,¡± Shroud said with a nod. ¡°Back then.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry handsome, but you are rather deeply prejudiced against dragons. You being enthusiastic about meeting one? Very un-you.¡±


    If anything, what he had seen had only reinforced it. Loctis and the Golden Prince might have seemed personable, he couldn¡¯t forgive anyone supporting the horrors he had seen below, nor what Wyrde planned.


    ¡°There were two,¡± Shroud said grimly, his eyes set on the giant salamander. ¡°She is still fighting the other, but it won¡¯t hold her off alone.¡±


    ¡°I cannot teleport out,¡± Ace replied with a grim face. ¡°Wards interfere with the Teleport Spell and Taiyougami¡¯s transportation, while Melusine interferes with my Lock. I tried looking around for her but to no avail.¡±


    ¡°She does not need to be close to activate her ability.¡± In all likelihood, like Network, once his mother established a link she could sabotage from any range. ¡°She¡¯s probably a world away right now. What else are we up against?¡±


    ¡°I tried to contact Mammon, but we are running against interferences.¡±


    They were trapped. Shroud had networked Mammon, and even if a week had passed, if he could reactivate the connection¡­ ¡°I refuse to die here,¡± he said. ¡°Not after all of this.¡±


    ¡°Nobody wants to die,¡± Ace said. ¡°That¡¯s why we try to live our life to the fullest first.¡±


    Shroud still had too much to do to die. ¡°We must establish a defensive perimeter,¡± Shroud said. ¡°Mur as the vanguard, Maggie behind¡ª¡±


    ¡°Is that your plan, or Aster¡¯s?¡± Mur rasped, challenging him.


    ¡°Now is not the time, Mur! Blackcinders will¡ª¡±


    ¡°Mathias-san.¡± Kari¡¯s face had lost all colors, and she held her head. ¡°Doom¡­¡±


    Too late.


    An immense shape suddenly emerged from the waters, a winged titan of flesh and metal. A true dragon of legends, a monster rising from the abyss to deliver death and punishment to mortals. Her claws were still red with the flesh of her victims, and her immense eyes shining with a burning hatred.


    Shroud immediately began to calculate a plan of action, his mind working so furiously time seemed to slow down. Ace, he and Mur were the closest to the dragon, while Sol, Maggie, Kari, and Stitch were farther behind. ¡°Take covers in the cove!¡± he shouted, activating Glass Field.


    The Dragonslayers immediately began to cast spells; Sol created a red force field barrier around himself and those in range, while Maggie aimed with her guns at the titan from behind it; a golden shroud surrounded Kari, and Mur began to transform. Ace, too close to Blackcinders, glanced at the water around, perhaps to teleport out of range; only Stitch listened and retreated into the cove for cover.


    With a calm kind of fury, Blackcinders opened her palm, revealing a crimson, miniature sun within. Ace, reacting on instinct, rushed to grab Shroud, as if they could teleport out of the way.


    ¡°Accel Big Bang!¡±


    The universe exploded into a blast of fire and light. Through the Network bond, Shroud heard a ghastly, psychic wail, and it all went white.


    Shroud couldn¡¯t see.


    The world had turned white, molten glass embedded in his eyes and his glass too damaged to serve as a relay for Glass Field. He couldn¡¯t hear, his eardrums ruptured by the blast. His touch was hot, his skin fused to his glass armor. Once again, he was a prisoner of his body, but in a more literal way than before.


    Kagutsuchi¡¯s blessing. Were it not for the deity¡¯s achievement, that one spell would have all incinerated the whole team to death in an instant. And the blast still hurt like hell.


    Blackcinders was no Smokefang. She struck to kill and didn¡¯t give them any chances.


    , he tried to speak, but his mouth was bound by glass. It was a miracle he could still breath at all; the Powersurge spell probably enhanced his ability to hold his breath. She hadn¡¯t been able to reach him in time before the detonation, and he hoped, , that she could get out of the path.


    ¡®Heal,¡¯ Shroud thought, the spell activating.


    Words couldn¡¯t describe the pain he felt in this very moment, as his healing body ejected the glass fused to his skin. He grew a second layer of skin and eyelid beneath the old one, pushing it out. Within seconds, he could see and hear again, but the melted glass kept him still. A few shards had fallen off, allowing him to breath, albeit with difficulties.


    As his vision acclimated back to the light, his hands fumbled around, looking for anyone. After some searching, he found Ace¡¯s arm near him. He grabbed her and held her still, as he tried rising up. She was so feathery, so light, reminding him of their date in the Midnight Market. Things had gone to shit since, but it seemed like yesterday...


    As he regained his sight, watching the world through the twisted lens of molten glass, Shroud found himself among the blasted ruins of the island; the very sand had turned to glass, and stone melted. Mur, mostly transformed but critically injured, was kept anchored to the ground, crushed under a powerful gravity well. Sol¡¯s barrier had mostly held, but the strain had knocked him out, with only Maggie firing madly at an approaching Blackcinders, who casually tossed her aside with a backhand. Kari, who wasn¡¯t fully protected by Sol¡¯s protection, laid on the ground, bleeding and critically injured. Only Stitch was partly unharmed, but buried beneath stone debris and desperately to get out.


    ¡°We have to¡­ get out of here¡­¡± Shroud rasped, struggling to breath, as he turned to face Ace. ¡°We have to¡­¡±


    But Ace wasn¡¯t here. He glanced down at what he held in his fingers, lifting it up until he could see clearly.


    Her arm.


    Just the bloodied arm.


    Her blood was on him. On his armor.


    His mind froze at the horrifying sight, and his eyes wandered off, until they found the other parts, laying in blood¡ª


    A notification hammered it home.


    Ace account destroyed The sheer shock and horror interrupted his thought process, his young brain unable to process what he had in front of him. He was taken back to his father¡¯s death, back to his darkest moments, back to the Conquest and the moment he saw that meteor falling.


    She¡­ she could have teleported¡­ but she tried to reach him. She tried to reach him. She tried to reach him and she¡­ and she¡­


    Senseless¡­ all senseless...


    ¡°Graviforce,¡± Shroud heard. The world became a thousand times heavier, some of his bones under the pressure.


    An invisible force, stronger than anything he ever faced, pushed against him from every direction, lifting him above the ground like a puppet. The other Dragonslayers followed, lined up like soon to be executed convicts. Only Mur was kept anchored to the ground.


    Blackcinders flew in front of them, her left hand opened upward. ¡°Martel.¡± Her voice was that of death itself. ¡°The day I laid my eyes on you, I knew you would strike against us. You were given too many chances. No more.¡±


    ¡°Ma¡ª¡± The invisible gravity dislocated Shroud¡¯s jaw before he could finish the spell, making him bit his teeth. Blood overflew into his throat, making him cough.


    ¡°You are , Martel. You, Aster, your color is that of trickery. But mine is energy. . Trickery was invented to make up for lack of power¡­ but there is a gap so great no amount of intelligence nor skill can overcome. With enough of it, power trumps everything. I am power, and you can no longer run. Problems are not used, tricked, or avoided, Martel. Problems are .¡±


    The black dragon¡¯s eyes were set on Shroud alone. ¡°I did not love my son. He was a failure. But he was mine, Martel. By killing him, you struck against me. Against dragonkind. And you will learn your place.¡±


    She moved him afar from the others, until he faced them.


    ¡°Look. Watch.¡± Blackcinders¡¯ eyes narrowed with a cruel gleam. ¡°And choose.¡±


    No¡­ No...


    ¡°Which one goes first?¡±


    Shroud attempted to use Network, to attack the dragon¡¯s mind the same way he did with Aster. A last, desperate attempt to turn the tide.


    ¡°No choice? Then I will choose for you, Martel. The priest, your oldest companion? The imp? Powells?¡± Blackcinders¡¯ eyes turned to Kari, whose golden shroud had receded. ¡°Or the woman who blinded my son?¡±


    Kari¡­ Shroud tried to rasp, but the artificial gravity kept his mouth unable to move.


    ¡°Her it is,¡± Blackcinders said, isolating the Yellow Sorceress from the rest. ¡°I can see it in your eyes that you care more about her than the others. She was the first, was she not? The first rebel to follow you. Fitting that she will be the first to die.¡±


    ¡®Ashmal,¡¯ Shroud called in despair. ¡®Ashmal! Ashmal!¡¯


    ¡°Any last word, traitor?¡± Blackcinders asked Kari.


    ¡°Mathias-san¡­¡± Kari rasped through her throat, struggling to say any word. ¡°Do not¡ª¡±


    With a look of cruel satisfaction, Blackcinders slowly closed her palm before she could finish. With a sickening sound, Kari¡¯s jaw dislocated, her bones and skull pushed inward as if they would implode. Pure torture.


    Blackcinders could have made it quick, but didn¡¯t. Yet Kari didn¡¯t give her any inch, refusing to scream. She just stared at the dragon with a cold, steely gaze.


    ¡°Do you understand now, Mathias?¡± Ashmal¡¯s voice echoed in his mind. ¡°This world holds nothing but despair.¡±


    ¡°Blood for blood, Martel,¡± the dragon said with a venomous tone, as she increased the pressure on Kari, ¡°Blood for blood. One by one, and you for last. And afterward, I shall kill more of your rebel kind. Let that despair be your last thought before you .¡±


    ¡°Do you accept the Black, Mathias? Will you open the path to Pandoria?¡±


    His hopes dashed, and without any other recourse to save his comrade, Mathias gave up.


    ¡®I acce¡ª¡¯


    Like the judgment of heaven, a ray of red light fell from the skies, hitting Blackcinders. A pillar of fire crushed her under its weight, melting the sand below, and pushing her down a crater.


    The Graviforce spell weakened, and Shroud and the others fell back on the ground. Above, a golden, distant star had appeared in the sky. sea??h th§× N?velFire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Taiyougami.


    Shroud tried to move, his body and mind still sickened by gravity sickness. All he could do was move his head, as a rift in space opened near him, Ox-Head, Horse-Face, and Amaterasu stepping outside it. The goddess glanced at Ace¡¯s remains and Kari¡¯s broken body, her face twisting in anger, before focusing on Blackcinders. The two Zodiac silently moved to grab the dragonslayers, Ox-Head grabbing Shroud.


    The heavenly pillar kept firing down, keeping Blackcinders deadlocked¡­ but it couldn¡¯t harm the dragon. If anything, the draconic juggernaut began to rise up, slowly crawling towards the group, shouting, ¡°Martel!¡±


    Afar, Blackcinders¡¯ ship approached and began to bombard the island. Amaterasu created a barrier of crimson light to protect her charges behind it. Blackcinders eventually escaped the beam, cleaving at the protection with her claws.


    They couldn¡¯t put her down. None of them could. Not even the gods. It was hopeless, all hopeless.


    Ox-Head carried Shroud through the rift, and then the sorcerer couldn¡¯t take it anymore. He closed his eyes, and all went dark.


    Players'' Stats


    Account


    Dragonslayers Guild Moderator


    NameShroudNetworkProgressHolderMathias MartelBroadcastUnlockedLevel3 (Magister)Grant SpellUnlockedAffinityBlueSynergizeUnlockedLockNetworkLocked Feature(0/7)Spellcoins8Overlock(0/1)Stored Saves5Save?Load?Spell CompendiumNameDotAffinityPremium Thoughts1BlueBabel1BluePurge1GreenAccel1WhiteBeastmaster2BlueMindshield2BlueDoppelganger2BlueHeal2GreenPowersurge2GreenLightbringer2Red/OrangeMad World2Blue/GreenGlass Field2Blue/OrangeMaster Mirror3Blue/Orange/VioletAccountDragonslayers GuildNameYoshikageOversoulProgressHolderKari MatsumotoRememberUnlockedLevel3 (Magister)Channel SoulUnlockedAffinityYellowLocked Feature(1/3)LockOversoulLocked Feature(0/7)Spellcoins4Overlock(0/1)Spell CompendiumNameDotAffinityBabel1BlueWallcraw1GreenPeak1GreenNeedless1GreenWard1YellowDoom Sense1YellowSpiritsight1YellowDeathgem1YellowDreamwalker2YellowPowersurge2GreenHands of Slaughter3Yellow/Violet/RedSpaceslash3VioletTulpa3YellowAccountDragonslayers GuildNameThe Mur!AdamantProgressHolderMurmur the ImpHarderUnlockedLevel3 (Magister)FasterUnlockedAffinityOrangeLocked Feature(0/3)LockAdamantLocked Feature(0/7)Spellcoins1Overlock(0/1)Spell CompendiumNameDotAffinityReinforce1OrangeDiceweight1OrangePitborn2Green/RedFormless2OrangeHomunculus2OrangeIntegrator2OrangeReload2VioletTimeloop3VioletCarbonskin3OrangeAccountDragonslayers GuildNameDocInseminateProgressHolderNathaniel StitchSpawnUnlockedLevel3 (Magister)IncubateUnlockedAffinityGreenLocked Feature(0/3)LockInseminateLocked Feature(0/7)Spellcoins1Overlock(0/1)Spell CompendiumNameDotAffinityPremium Thoughts1BlueIntuimotion1BluePsychometry1BlueDeathgem1YellowDoom Sense1YellowSpiritsight1YellowTimesense1VioletPathfinder1VioletAlchemic Grasp1OrangeFlux Sight1WhiteAccel1WhiteAccountNameAceHolderSaga FreysonStatusDestroyedSpellcoins25 (waiting transfer) AccountDragonslayers GuildNameSharpshootSpellgunProgressHolderMaggie Jesse PowellsCrimson BulletUnlockedLevel3 (Magister)Homing BulletUnlockedAffinityRedLocked Feature(0/3)LockSpellgunLocked Feature(0/7)Spellcoins13Overlock(0/1)Spell CompendiumNameDotAffinityStockmight1RedBabel1BlueAccel1WhiteThunderling2Green/RedBullseye2Violet/BlueSoundwave2RedLightningrod2RedAccountDragonslayers GuildNameSolAegisProgressHolderSolomon NicholaeSpell MartyrUnlockedLevel3 (Magister)Accel AllyUnlockedAffinityWhiteLocked Feature(0/3)LockAegisLocked Feature(0/7)Spellcoins23Overlock(0/1)Spell CompendiumNameDotAffinityPeak1GreenNeedless1GreenBabel1BlueBlue World1BlueQuasar1RedBiosurge1RedReinforce1OrangeEncode1WhiteSpell Syphon1WhiteAccel1WhiteForcefield3Red


    Spell of the Day


    Forcefield


    Affinity: Red


    Dot: 3


    Price: 9-15


    Activation: Passive, Thought.


    The user can project forcefields of Red Flux within a five meters radius, whose shape they decide; these forcefields have enough power to stop artillery or crush cars, and can even manifest within a living being¡¯s body if within range. The forcefield collapses the second the caster stops paying attention to it.

 Chapter 64: Book II Epilogue: the Dragon Exile

    On the distant frontier of the Concordian Empire, there was a gas giant called Algol. An ethereal, silent world the size of Jupiter, so far away from its sun that it looked like a faint moon in a black sky.


    A dozen satellite planets, each the size of Earth, orbited around the blue and white sphere. One of them was Nibiru, a world of ice and iron. A prison at the very end of an immense galaxy, where temperatures reached absolute zero.


    Had it not been for Mur¡¯s Heatriser providing them with heat, or some members using protective spells to shield themselves from the cold, the group would have frozen to death on landing. Long before the battle with the local Concordian forces.


    Hundreds of Gearsmen laid around them, broken by spells and brute strength. Shroud had taken a few hits, his glass armor bent at some sides from resisting blasts, and he had his summoned creatures secure the perimeter with Mur. Their target, a giant dome of reinforced glass, lay before them, covered with fading snow.


    ¡°You¡¯re not fighting at full power, handsome,¡± Ace reproached him. Maggie, whose guns were steaming, had saved his life twice during the battle. ¡°You¡¯re distracted, reckless.¡±


    No. He was mourning.


    ¡°You¡¯re thinking of Kari.¡±


    ¡°She hasn¡¯t woken up, even with the Heal spell,¡± he said. Taiyougami watched down on the icy planet, having shot the orbital defenses on arrival. Much like light itself, the space station could move at tremendous speed through space at times, allowing them to flee Oceanis to the other side of the galaxy in the blink of an eye.


    ¡°Stitch is taking sweet care of her. She will recover. If he can¡¯t help her, nobody can.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s precisely what I fear.¡±


    Ace realized her mistake at once. ¡°I didn¡¯t mean it that way.¡±


    ¡°I know. But I¡¯m still afraid it will end the same.¡± He glanced at her, noticing she cast no shadow. ¡°Why did you try to save me back then?¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re seriously asking me that? Why I would try to save a friend¡¯s life?¡±


    ¡°You were a better woman than me. Hell, I think you would have been a better leader.¡±


    ¡°You didn¡¯t know me that much, handsome. I¡¯m surprised you even care all that much, since we only knew one another for a few weeks.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m surprised you are so okay with being dead.¡±


    ¡°We live, and in the blink of an eye, we are gone. It is how we lived, and what we left behind, that matter. Not us.¡± Ace shook her head. ¡°You may think you are a bad leader, and maybe you are right¡­ but you¡¯re the only one this group has. Absolutely nobody else wanted the job. I never challenged you for control of the group because, in the end, you are the one pushing us forward. I go along with the flow; you try to set it. Sometimes it doesn¡¯t work, but sometimes, you set the right tempo and we dance as one. That is life. You don¡¯t win all the time.¡±


    ¡°When have I ever truly won? I feel like everything I did just served the ends of someone else.¡±


    ¡°When you killed Smokefang, wrestled control back from Aster, or saved your team from Mammon? Who were you fighting for then?¡± She shook her head, patting him on the back, although he felt no contact. ¡°Don¡¯t call yourself a failure.¡±


    ¡°I could revive you,¡± Shroud said, glancing at his Load feature, ¡°I could alter the past.¡±


    ¡°Are you ready to pay the price though?¡± she asked, glanced at Maggie and the others.


    ¡­


    No.


    No, he wasn¡¯t. ¡°That¡¯s the path to become Wyrde.¡± And mother.


    ¡°Yes, handsome. You¡¯ve got to accept that sometimes, you lose, and move on. But a battle is not the war. You have much to do, Shroud. Don¡¯t give up no¡ª¡±


    ¡°Nerd,¡± Maggie approached him, interrupting the late Violet Sorceress. ¡°Who are you talking to?¡±


    Ace¡¯s hallucination vanished, leaving him alone in his mind again.


    ¡°Ace,¡± he said. Shroud could have lied, said it was Stitch, but he was so sick of lies he couldn¡¯t manage a white one anymore.


    ¡°Alright, You¡¯re creeping me out. What the hell was that? Hallucinating? Talking to yourself?¡±


    He suspected overuse of Accel Premium Thought had allowed him to create a vivid mental representation of their late teammate. Or lack of sleep and depression caused him to hallucinate.


    Shroud knew he should take it as a warning, but he couldn¡¯t bring himself to care the way his friend did. He hastily changed the subject. ¡°The favor you asked from me, what was it?¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t hide, Mathias. You¡¯re not fine, .¡±


    Not nerd.


    Don¡¯t hide, don¡¯t run. That was what Mom always did. ¡°Where do we go next?¡± he replied to Maggie.


    ¡°We kick Concordia¡¯s ass.¡± She glared at me. ¡°Don¡¯t tell me you were bullshitting about that grand talk of freeing Earth for mankind? Or did you just care about avenging your mom?¡±


    ¡°I mostly cared about avenging my mother,¡± Mathias replied bluntly. ¡°But my motivations have changed. Even knowing she is on the other side, I intend to take down Concordia. since she is on the other side. I meant, where do we go, as the Dragonslayers? As a group? Ashmal has a window into my mind, Melusine can hack our Locks, and our secret safety net is gone. Now, it¡¯s kill or be killed.¡±


    ¡°It was always kill or be killed with Concordia.¡±


    ¡°But Blackcinders and Wyrde will now treat me as a priority target. I am too dangerous to the Grandmaster to be left alive, and I killed Aster.¡±


    ¡°Nerd, if you¡¯re considering disbanding the group and running away to protect us like some selfish would-be martyr, I¡¯m going to kick your ass so deep even Perse won¡¯t have gone that far.¡± She crossed her arms. ¡°We all knew what could happen when we followed you. Ace did. Full disclosure here, she knew and she was ready to die. We talked about it.¡±


    ¡°I know,¡± Shroud replied, who didn¡¯t want to talk about it any further. ¡°What was the favor you wanted from me?¡±


    She frowned at him but answered. ¡°I want to settle things with my brother.¡±


    With Jack? ¡°Settle or settle, ?¡±


    ¡°I dunno, nerd,¡± she sighed. ¡°Like you and your mother, I suppose. I won¡¯t ever be free from his shadow until I confront him.¡±


    Jack was probably in an interstellar prison somewhere, but from what he had gathered, the Maleking was gathering his forces to strike soon. Jack among them. ¡°We will cross paths on Earth,¡± Mathias foresaw. ¡°He will come to us, I believe. Not the other way around.¡±


    ¡°Why do you sound so casual about it?¡± Shroud didn¡¯t answer right away. ¡°Nerd, you¡¯re scaring me. You¡¯re just so cold and depressed, it¡¯s not like you at all.¡±


    ¡°Au contraire,¡± Shroud turned to look at her dead in the eyes, so she could see the intensity in his own through the transparent helmet, ¡°I have never been so determined.¡±


    She couldn¡¯t find her words, and Shroud flew toward the dome. With Glass Field, he created an opening and moved through. He heard Sol and Maggie follow him, but didn¡¯t pay them any attention. He was a ghost walking on auto-pilot.


    The dome covered a small, protected biosphere, a perfect copy of the park he had fought Smokefang in back in Evermarsh. This place must have been a prototype of the arc cities, a self-sustaining world meant to keep Concordian¡¯s citizens safe and docile.


    A dragon waited for him, resting on the artificial grass near a lake, with her head on both hands. The creature was the smallest dragon Shroud had encountered yet, with eel-like deep blue skin. She had fins for wings, and her horns cackled with thunder.


    ¡°Guests. The troublesome kind.¡± The dragon spoke with a womanly, deep voice, kinder than Blackcinders but as resigned as Shroud¡¯s. ¡°Have you come to finish me off?¡±


    ¡°That depends,¡± Shroud said, landing in front of her. ¡°Are you loyal to Wyrde?¡±


    ¡°I would not be here if I was.¡± Her eyes settled on Shroud, then Sol, then Maggie, as they came into sight. ¡°Are you agents silencing a liability, or would-be liberators? In the first case, while there is nothing proper about it, try to kill me properly. I am sick of this place.¡±


    ¡°The second case,¡± Shroud said. ¡°Our superiors thought you might enlighten us on Concordia.¡±


    ¡°I wondered if this day would come. You do not smell like Midgardian humans. You are earthlings, are you not? The lost cousins of Midgard¡¯s manlings. Has our lost homeworld been located?¡±


    ¡°It was conquered, ten years ago,¡± Shroud said, the dragoness raising her curious eyes to look at them better. ¡°How long have you been here?¡±


    ¡°Since the Gintargo Rebellion.¡±


    ¡°That was more than three hundred years ago,¡± Sol pointed out.


    ¡°Is it? I have had little contact with the outside world. The Golden Prince, that soft-hearted weakling, often sends me holo-books to read, but they are censored or out of date. Loctis often visits when he wants advice, although he doesn¡¯t listen all the time.¡±


    ¡°Weakling?¡± Maggie chuckled.


    ¡°He should have opposed Wyrde¡¯s design as I did, but chose to close his eyes,¡± the dragoness replied, with an irritated tone. ¡°My name is Gungnir, the thunder spear. Welcome to my gilded cage. I would offer you grass or fish, but I am not sure you earthlings eat it.¡±


    ¡°Gungnir? Like Odin¡¯s weapon?¡± Sol asked, ever the cultured man.


    ¡°Whom?¡± The dragon seemed to vaguely recognize the name, but little else. ¡°I forgot where my name came from. What are yours, little earthlings?¡±


    ¡°Shroud,¡± the sorcerer introduced himself. ¡°They are Sharpshoot and Sol.¡±


    ¡°Hmm¡­ not your true names. You have had terrible experiences with dragons, haven¡¯t you? I can see it in the way you look at me.¡±


    Shroud said nothing, while Sol cleared his throat. ¡°Blackcinders savagely killed one of our own,¡± the priest said. ¡°And nearly destroyed our planet, a decade ago.¡±


    The dragon didn¡¯t seem very surprised, although she sympathized. In fact, she seemed almost as saddened as the humans in front of her. ¡°Has our dream fallen so low?¡±


    Sol told her about Concordia, about the Conquest of Earth, and Wyrde¡¯s plans. Shroud zoned out, his eyes moving to his previous discussion with the Administrator before they landed there.


    ADMINISTRATOR: Mathias, I cannot let you access this area. Especially not in your current state of mind.


    SHROUD: The mere fact that it exists and that Ashmal can alter the system means you intended for it to be used. I would not have won against Aster without it.


    ADMINISTRATOR: Like Loctis, I believe that color has a role to play. It makes Hacks possible and may prove instrumental in countering Wyrde¡¯s control over timelines. But if you do not master it, like the other colors, it will master you. It was meant to be a weapon of last resort when faced with an urgent situation.


    SHROUD: Doesn¡¯t State Zero count then? You can kill me if you fear it gets out of line. I don¡¯t care anymore.


    ADMINISTRATOR: That is exactly why I am wary about giving you access to that color. I barely allowed you even to exit on a Quest. You were never mentally stable, and now you have hit rock bottom.


    SHROUD: Maybe. But the alternative is that I pump into Ashmal¡¯s power directly by accident. Doing it in controlled conditions would be the safest option.


    ADMINISTRATOR: There is no safe option with Black.


    SHROUD: How can anyone master it if it is only unlocked during an emergency? If no one is given time to experiment with it under controlled conditions, of course that color masters you. You never learned how to use it.


    ADMINISTRATOR: I will ponder it, but for now, my answer is a firm no.


    SHROUD: I see. What about the other proposal?


    ADMINISTRATOR: I will allow you to make modifications to parts of my source code, under Mars¡¯ supervision. If your knowledge of AI can complete me the way Alice did, then this would help tremendously with protecting our system from her.


    SHROUD: I learned from Mom. What she created, I can finish.


    ADMINISTRATOR: I understand. The sponsors will never fully trust you anymore, however, especially since your own died on Oceanis, so your editing privileges will be very minor.


    ¡°-Wyrde was always too proud for her own good.¡± Realizing the conversation had taken a new turn, Shroud returned to the real world.


    The dragon exile exchanged details with Sol about the early days of the Empire. ¡°But she was brilliant, the greatest mind our kind has ever produced. Loctis was her apprentice and always at her side, while Halcyon was a human explorer whom they befriended while studying the Neurotowers. The three were thick as thieves since before I knew them, forming the perfect balance. Wyrde had the vision and the drive, Loctis provided the creativity needed to make it a reality, and Halcyon kept them grounded.¡±


    ¡°When Halcyon died, the balance was broken,¡± Solomon guessed.


    ¡°Halcyon was murdered by one of Gintargo¡¯s leaders during the war, and Wyrde never fully recovered from it. Without him to keep her grounded, she became more and more obsessed with the ancient technology slumbering beneath our world, and Loctis was too shy to restrain her. I had already been quietly shelved back then when I protested the Grandmaster office had no check to its power, but it wasn¡¯t until then that my criticism earned me a house exile in the galaxy¡¯s backyard.¡±


    ¡°She couldn¡¯t stand the idea of dragons disagreeing with her vision,¡± Shroud said. How many had suffered the same fate as Gungnir, exiled and forgotten by their own empire?


    Even back then, Wyrde had a nasty tendency to rewrite history in her image. She had just upgraded her methods.


    ¡°Midgard was a world of constant conflict back then, and we dragons created Concordia back then to establish peace, and guide younger species towards uplifting,¡± the dragoness told them. ¡°It was intended to give them back the power to govern themselves with time, after a proper tutelage. I started protesting when we couldn¡¯t agree on , and after Gintargo, became .¡±


    ¡°You think she can pull it off?¡± Maggie frowned. ¡°This isn¡¯t some mad scheme?¡±


    ¡°Wyrde thinks she can, so she will try. That is all that matters.¡± The dragon shook her head. ¡°I always found it worrying that every person who tinkered with that technology, from the Seeker of Worlds to Ashmal, went mad. Wyrde thought she could succeed where they failed, that she could master it; I replied that her mindset would let her the power to master her instead.¡±


    ¡°Looks like you were right,¡± Shroud said grimly.


    The dragon shook her head. ¡°There are others like me dispersed across space,¡± she said, ¡°We are few, and most of my kindreds have been too indoctrinated by Wyrde to consider changing their ways, but we could turn a few. Loctis, especially, is a keystone.¡±


    ¡°He looked like Wyrde¡¯s stooge last time I saw him,¡± Shroud replied, irritated.


    ¡°Because he is too attached to Wyrde to defy her openly. She is his mentor and the one who gave him a chance when many looked down on him. But I guarantee you that if any dragon regrets what Concordia turned into, it is Loctis. The Golden Prince may be kind, but in the end, his faith in Wyrde is stronger than his conscience.¡±


    ¡°Do you know where the other exiled dragons are located?¡± Solomon asked her, the dragoness predictably shaking her head. ¡°We will try to find them, and you are welcome to come with us.¡±


    ¡°With pleasure.¡± The great being rose up. ¡°Our reckoning has been long overdue.¡±


    Shroud watched the dragon walk away, Maggie guiding her outside. He almost followed her, when he received a new notification.


    ADMINISTRATOR: After much consideration, I decided you were right about one point. That color will always destroy us if we do not study it. While I still believe that we will never be fully safe from it, having you be our experimental tester for the Forbidden Area would be much better than allowing Ashmal to exploit your despair in a moment of weakness. It may give you an edge against Melusine, maybe against Wyrde, as this is the one color she always disdained.


    SHROUD: You know what Ashmal wants me to do with it, though? There are risks that it corrupts my Lock. The only reason I¡¯m even considering it is that we¡¯re running out of options.


    ADMINISTRATOR: Which is why I demanded Mars to check on the proposal, and if approved, your moderator role will be transferred to Sol.


    SHROUD: Good. It couldn¡¯t be anyone else.


    ADMINISTRATOR: As for corrupt¡­ I wouldn¡¯t say that. Mathias, I will ask you again. Are you truly sure you want to do this?


    SHROUD: I am not alone. Not like Wyrde, or Ashmal. And you are still allowing me to access it, so you know only I have a shot at mastering it. Do the other sponsors even know?


    ADMINISTRATOR: No. I have many safeguards, but assigning this color was Mars¡¯ and my choice alone. Do not make me regret it. I still believe you will make or break our revolution, but as you said, your safety net is gone.


    SHROUD: I know. That¡¯s why you allowed it.


    Shroud glanced at Sol, seeing that the priest had been informed of the decision. ¡°Mathias,¡± he spoke up first. ¡°Do not do this.¡±


    ¡°This is the only way to stop her, and you know it.¡±


    ¡°No, it is . We can adjust our tactics, prepare better-¡±


    ¡°They have mastered all the other colors and can sabotage our own Locks whenever they feel like it. Manah accepted us with the Oceanis base destroyed, and the Maleking is clearly gunning to invade Earth in the near future. Our world will be at war again, except ten times worse than the Conquest. All bets are off, Sol.¡±


    ¡°The fact they are willing to cross lines, does not mean you have to imitate them. How will you be different from them then?¡±


    Shroud wasn¡¯t sure he was. He wouldn¡¯t pretend he was better. If he started thinking so, he would fall into sorcery¡¯s insidious trap.


    ¡°I¡¯m tired of being weak, of running, of being a pawn. It is the color of freedom as much as entropy, Sol. This is the only weapon we have against that magitech of theirs, and I¡¯m ready to pay the price for it.¡±


    ¡°I told you once that making mistakes was part of growing up, Mathias, but if you go there, you may never come back. I¡­¡± The priest shook, the first time Shroud had seen him truly perturbed. ¡°I do not want to put you down the way Kari had to with her uncle.¡±


    ¡°You won¡¯t.¡± Shroud sensed the root of the problem. ¡°Sol, I don¡¯t intend to die. If you think I¡¯m letting the last fiasco drive me to some kind of suicide run, hoping that I die avenging the others, you are wrong. I¡¯m fighting for the dead. I¡¯m fighting for the living.¡±


    The priest prepared to speak up, but Shroud kept going on.


    ¡°I want to end that cycle once and for all, to see Concordia fallen or reformed, and to witness a better future than the one Wyrde has in store for us. That is what I am ready to fight for. That is the only choice I truly made of my own, and I know this will never go away. I am Mathias Martel, I am Shroud, and I will stop fighting, until the battle for Earth is won.¡±


    If Ace¡¯s death, Alice¡¯s betrayal, and Blackcinders hadn¡¯t broken him, then would.


    ¡°But then what, Mathias?¡± Sol asked. ¡°Once the battle is done, what do we do?¡±


    ¡°We rebuild. We live.¡± Shroud glanced above his head. ¡°We make a life for ourselves in that universe full of stars.¡±


    ¡°Well spoken, Martel.¡±


    Shroud had already noticed Mars sneaking in before he spoke up. Both Players glanced at the sponsor, clad in his shining armor. ¡°I am glad to see the recent events haven¡¯t tarnished your determination,¡± the war god said. ¡°I have come to give you my blessings, as your acting sponsor.¡±


    ¡°You wanted that post, even before Amaterasu¡­¡± Shroud trailed. ¡°You wanted to oversee us.¡±


    ¡°Your group always had potential that should have been nurtured with the proper guidance. Especially you, Shroud. Network was always oriented towards Blue, as it was customized by Manus, and thus never meant to fit you. You were to fit it. As I observed you, Mathias, I realized you were a darker shade than blue. The reckless drive to learn the truth, the urge for absolute freedom, the potential for chaos and change in equal measure, the determination to survive at all costs¡­ those are the purview of Black.¡±


    ¡°You think it will fit me more?¡±


    ¡°You will not know until you try. And the fact remains, what alternative do we have? According to your debrief, you would not have overcome Aster without it, and we will need all weapons available to prevent State Zero.¡±


    ¡°You know the risks though,¡± Sol said, perhaps the sole voice of reason.


    Mars shrugged. ¡°There is no such a thing as a victory won without risks, priest.¡±


    Realizing that he was outvoted, Sol turned to his protegee. ¡°Mathias.¡± The grandfather he never had put a hand on his shoulder, warm and firm. ¡°I want you to know that, whatever you do, wherever you go, I will always be by your side.¡±


    ¡°I know. Never will I leave you behind, old friend.¡±


    Mars raised a hand, and the procedure began.


    Moderator role transferred to: Sol


    Forbidden Area opened to: Shroud.


    Password: Blackiscolor8


    You can now access the Color Black.


    Take down Wyrde, and mom, and end their ambitions for good. Protect the Earth, so the people he loved could live free and safe.


    That was all that mattered.


    Players'' StatsAccount


    Dragonslayers Guild Black Beta Tester


    NameShroudNetworkProgressHolderMathias MartelBroadcastUnlockedLevel3 (Magister)Grant SpellUnlockedAffinityBlueSynergizeUnlockedLockNetworkLocked Feature(0/7)Spellcoins19Overlock(0/1)Stored Saves5Save?Load?I am comingcomingfor youShroud...Spell CompendiumNameDotAffinityPremium Thoughts1BlueBabel1BluePurge1GreenAccel1WhiteBeastmaster2BlueMindshield2BlueDoppelganger2BlueHeal2GreenPowersurge2GreenLightbringer2Red/OrangeMad World2Blue/GreenGlass Field2Blue/OrangeMaster Mirror3Blue/Orange/VioletAccountDragonslayers GuildNameYoshikageOversoulProgressHolderKari MatsumotoRememberUnlockedLevel3 (Magister)Channel SoulUnlockedAffinityYellowLocked Feature(1/3)LockOversoulLocked Feature(0/7)Spellcoins4Overlock(0/1)Spell CompendiumNameDotAffinityBabel1BlueWallcraw1GreenPeak1GreenNeedless1GreenWard1YellowDoom Sense1YellowSpiritsight1YellowDeathgem1YellowDreamwalker2YellowPowersurge2GreenHands of Slaughter3Yellow/Violet/RedSpaceslash3VioletTulpa3YellowAccountDragonslayers GuildNameThe Mur!AdamantProgressHolderMurmur the ImpHarderUnlockedLevel3 (Magister)FasterUnlockedAffinityOrangeLocked Feature(0/3)LockAdamantLocked Feature(0/7)Spellcoins12Overlock(0/1)Spell CompendiumNameDotAffinityReinforce1OrangeDiceweight1OrangePitborn2Green/RedFormless2OrangeHomunculus2OrangeIntegrator2OrangeReload2VioletTimeloop3VioletCarbonskin3OrangeAccountDragonslayers GuildNameDocInseminateProgressHolderNathaniel StitchSpawnUnlockedLevel3 (Magister)IncubateUnlockedAffinityGreenLocked Feature(0/3)LockInseminateLocked Feature(0/7)Spellcoins1Overlock(0/1)Spell CompendiumNameDotAffinityPremium Thoughts1BlueIntuimotion1BluePsychometry1BlueDeathgem1YellowDoom Sense1YellowSpiritsight1YellowTimesense1VioletPathfinder1VioletAlchemic Grasp1OrangeFlux Sight1WhiteAccel1White


    AccountDragonslayers GuildNameSharpshootSpellgunProgressHolderMaggie Jesse PowellsCrimson BulletUnlockedLevel3 (Magister)Homing BulletUnlockedAffinityRedLocked Feature(0/3)LockSpellgunLocked Feature(0/7)Spellcoins25Overlock(0/1)Spell CompendiumNameDotAffinityStockmight1RedBabel1BlueAccel1WhiteThunderling2Green/RedBullseye2Violet/BlueSoundwave2RedLightningrod2RedAccountDragonslayers Guild ModeratorNameSolAegisProgressHolderSolomon NicholaeSpell MartyrUnlockedLevel3 (Magister)Accel AllyUnlockedAffinityWhiteLocked Feature(0/3)LockAegisLocked Feature(0/7)Spellcoins34Overlock(0/1)Spell CompendiumNameDotAffinityPeak1GreenNeedless1GreenBabel1BlueBlue World1BlueQuasar1RedBiosurge1RedReinforce1OrangeEncode1WhiteSpell Syphon1WhiteAccel1WhiteForcefield3Red


    Spell of the Day


    Recursion S§×arch* The novel(F~)ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Affinity: Black


    Dot: 3


    Price: 18


    Activation: Passive, Thought.


    The spellcaster glitches the space time continuum, creating an area where time behaves erratically for ten seconds. Within the glitched time bubble, people and events happen as they would have, had the caster not used Recursion, victims ¡®sleepwalking¡¯ through time; however, the caster is fully self-aware and can adjust their actions. Victims feel as if time skipped. To outsiders, the area is swallowed by darkness and cannot be interacted with, unless through the use of Black Spells. Pandorians and Black Sorcerers possessing the Recursion spell can react in the glitched time, and the caster must wait ten seconds before casting Recursion again after time resumes; ignoring this rule will permanently damage the space continuum in the area and cast it into Pandoria.


    Magik Online will return on


    October 9th, 2019

 Chapter 65: Message Board: Prelude to the War

    Welcome: [Odysseus]. You are currently browsing the Magik Online Whisper Forums.


    6 threads you marked as [important], have been updated.


    Your codename has been mentioned in 1 thread.


    You have unread messages from: Sharpshoot, and Shroud.


    Subject: Peak Recipes


    In: Boards?Player Discussion ?Voice of Incubus ? Hack Sharing Thread ? Make the world Peak again!


    1, 2¡­ 55¡­ 58, 59.


    Enaz the Great Jan. 3rd; 20:34


    New Hack found and patented!


    Firebird


    Dot: 2


    Components: Firekin + Peak


    Activation: Passive, Thought.


    Your biology is optimized to become that of a phoenix, a primal fire elemental. You can turn your flesh to fire at will, taking the shape of an angelic being with fiery wings; you can produce flames up to 4000 degrees and gain limited flight while in this form. As a side-effect, you are immune to all forms of fire and flames while this ability is activated.


    Evan Cloud Jan. 3rd; 20:34


    Nice one, gotta try it.


    Dax (Guild Moderator) Jan. 3rd; 20:35


    Aaaand gotta go update the Hack recipe folder.


    Marc CLD Jan. 3rd; 20:35


    Peak has to be one of the spells with the best synergy. It triggers Hacks with .


    Dax (Guild Moderator) Jan. 3rd; 20:35


    Peak, Accel, and Premium Thoughts are pretty much required Spellcoin Taxes. If we had a metagame, they would be our Garchomp; everyone has it on their team. Doc Jan. 3rd; 20:36Garchomp? What is that?


    Drekin Jan. 3rd; 20:39


    I think it¡¯s a Pokemon. Are there still fans out there? I thought Concordia banned it because it ¡°portrayed a negative, speciesist vision of human-dragon relationships.¡± Which proves the Yellow Ministry is pure evil.


    quentin Jan. 3rd; 20:39


    There are still leagues online. Wouldn¡¯t you know, Fairy Type is very popular.


    Doc Jan. 3rd; 20:39


    What is a Pokemon? Where can I study one?


    Thread: Urgent News! War coming to Earth! Intergalactic jailbreak! Grandmaster on Earth!


    In: Boards?Player Discussion ?Voice of Incubus ? Field Reports ? Urgent News


    1, 2¡­ 93.


    Incubus R.T. Jan. 4rd; 00:14


    Heya people,Been a while since I posted a field report. Pals and hi met in Neo York stole a dragon¡¯s bone, and we almost got murdered by a Zombie Red Sorcerer Assassin. I¡¯m not kidding. That happened.


    As you can guess, it took a while before I could focus back on intel. Thankfully, my new Lock upgrade helped tremendously.A lot of stuff happened this month, and as you can guess from the title, shit¡¯s getting real soon. So, in order of good to bad:


    Aster¡¯s death confirmed!


    The rumors of the Blue Minister¡¯s death are confirmed; details are scarce, but someone, prime suspect Shroud (who as you all know claimed the kill earlier), tricked his own starfleet into blowing him up (how the hell did you do that?).


    The vice-minister, the human Melusine, has been promoted to Blue Minister, but Concordia¡¯s intel network is in shambles. Which leads to...


    Electon Jailbreak


    Two to three hundred dangerous sorcerers escaped Concordia¡¯s prison planet of Electon. The Jailbreak was led by Jack Powells, codename, Candlemaker. He had been imprisoned on the thunderstorm-stricken prison planet since he rampaged in Evermarsh, and was thought Flux-drained and harmless.


    However, he somehow managed to blast his containment cell open, freed the other two hundred sorcerers imprisoned there, then escaped with stolen ships; it is unknown how he managed to do so, but the chaos in the Blue Ministry certainly helped. My spies believe the Maleking may have engineered Jack¡¯s capture specifically to set that jailbreak.


    Maleking incoming


    Malebranche cults are on the warpath, especially in South America and Northern Europe. Apparently, the last of Malacoda¡¯s seals will break soon, and they think he will come to Earth to bring Armageddon; Celia, the Horseman of Death, has been sighted in the ruins of Russia. The new Horseman of Famine remains unidentified.


    Also, this isn¡¯t confirmed yet, but the Shadow Queen has tried to convince Lord Revel to join his armies to the forces the Maleking is gathering against Concordia. If so, then the Malebranche and affiliated have enough power to pick a fight with the Empire that isn¡¯t one-sided.


    And Earth is on the path.


    Wyrde in the North Pole


    The title says it all.Two days ago, the hyper-popular Grandmaster of Concordia has moved in the White Neurotower in the North Pole. No idea why, but it can¡¯t be good. Spell protections are so tight, even my ¡°infiltrators¡± couldn¡¯t get through.


    The entire landmass is a fortress, so good luck on anyone trying to make their way through¡­ but she¡¯s .


    Alex Pruitt (Guild Moderator) Jan. 4th; 00:18


    Let''s nuke Greenland with napalm. It¡¯s the only way to be sure.


    The Mur! Jan. 4th; 00:19


    Famine Horsemen keep dying too fast for Mur to keep track.


    Dax (Guild Moderator) Jan. 4th; 00:19


    Gotta raise a toast to Aster¡¯s demise here. Two of our Players were under his influence and caused the death of three more before we caught on. How¡¯s Melusine?


    Shroud Jan. 4th; 00:19


    Having infiltrated her organization, I confirm that Manah has indeed promised Lord Revel the return of his son¡¯s soul in exchange for his cooperation. No idea if he accepted, but my gut tells me he did.On Melusine: she¡¯s dangerous, fanatical, and she can block Locks with her own. If anybody sees her, I would like to be contacted.


    Washington (Guild Moderator) Jan. 4th; 00:21


    Got a bone to pick with her, lad?


    Shroud Jan. 4th; 00:21


    .


    Sharpshoot Jan. 4th; 00:22


    Same feeling with Jack. If I meet him, you can remove the ¡°jail¡± from Jailbreak.


    Daniel Jan. 4th; 00:22


    That pun is terrible. You should feel bad.


    Saul Kurzman (Guid Moderator) Jan. 4th; 00:23


    Who is that guy actually? Somebody we should know?


    Odysseus Jan. 4th; 00:23


    Sharpshoot¡¯s demon-possessed, psychopath of a brother. He¡¯s an asshole, Red Sorcerer, natural one. Shroud and Kresnik beat the shit out of him, but it didn¡¯t stick.


    Sharpshoot Jan. 4th; 00:23


    How the hell are a Player, ? Do they recruit everyone at Evermarsh?


    Odysseus Jan. 4th; 00:24


    Neither mom nor Sis nor Sam, as far as I know.


    Incubus R.T. Jan. 4th; 00:25


    By Sam, you mean Samantha Brown, the former mayor¡¯s daughter? She¡¯s in the North Pole, as part of the Institute deployed there.


    Yoshikage Jan. 4th; 00:25


    Wat?


    Odysseus Jan. 4th; 00:27


    Did somebody pick up that phone? ¡®Cause I CALLED IT! I knew she was a hoe!


    Sharpshoot Jan. 4th; 00:30


    Fuck off, I¡¯m sure she¡¯s infiltrating them. No way she¡¯s with them.


    Nanooki12 Jan. 4th; 00:31


    @Shroud, since you¡¯re the new dev, can¡¯t you just prevent that Melusine from hacking our Locks?


    Shroud Jan. 4th; 00:33


    I¡¯m working on that, but I can¡¯t say it worked until it has been tested. We¡¯ll see.


    Sharpshoot Jan. 4th; 00:34


    Hey, wait a sec, @Incubus R.T. how did you know we were talking of Samantha Brown? Are you spying on us?


    Incubus R.T. Jan. 4th; 00:35


    Nah. I just know everything.


    Subject: The Wolf of Neo York (Mentioned)


    In: Boards?Player Discussion ?Concordian Targets ? Kresnik and Scar


    1, 2¡­ 34, 35.


    Alex Pruitt (Guild Moderator) Jan. 3rd; 16:14


    Couldn¡¯t get past his barrier and counterspells. And he¡¯s not even that powerful, just super-frustrating to deal with. I¡¯m sure that if he¡¯s isolated from his partner, we could manage and put him down without too much trouble.


    Karolus Jan. 3rd; 16:15


    Did you lose someone? His partner Scar doesn¡¯t mess around. Four-armed bastard went Friday the Thirteenth on my summons last time we met, it wasn¡¯t fun to watch. S§×arch* The nov§×lF~ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Alex Pruitt (Guild Moderator) Jan. 3rd; 16:15


    No, but that was a close call. Warwick got injured, almost died, but Dex healed him. We lost the warehouse and the weapon shipment though. Here¡¯s the new spells Kresnik has been using, all White from what I gathered from the fight:


    Spellthief: Steal somebody¡¯s buffs and apply them to Kresnik (maybe to someone else, but I haven¡¯t seen him buff Scar with it).Reflect: Reflect spells up to dot three back to the sender. Does NOT work on Hacks.Supercharge: Some kind of super Accel. That + Counterspell even makes Magik bug for several seconds.Duplispell: Cast twice the same spell.


    No new stuff for Scar. Still as fond of Forcefield as ever.


    Marc CLD Jan. 3rd; 16:16


    We know Scar is Red/Violet and some kind of teleport/close-combat specialist. Devastating in an ambush, but potentially vulnerable to long-range sniping if he can¡¯t teleport close.


    Dax (Guild Moderator) Jan. 3rd; 16:17


    I¡¯ve been thinking the same. The problem is that these two always pick fights in enclosed areas or space which reduces visibility so that weakness can¡¯t be exploited.


    BlissForgotten Jan. 3rd; 16:18


    Been thinking of using my Lock to get around it, force them to stay on the defensive by laying traps while a teammate snipes them. Is anybody interested in forming a hunting party?


    Jonathan Jan. 3rd; 16:18


    Doesn¡¯t your Lock cause a lot of collateral damage?


    BlissForgotten Jan. 3rd; 16:19


    Says the guy who landscaped the whole Chinese coast. I can contain the effects if we manage to lure them in the ruins of Old New York.


    Enaz the Great Jan. 3rd; 16:19


    Sign me up for the wolf hunt. We meet at Dax¡¯s meetup hideout?


    ADMINISTRATOR (Admin) Jan. 3rd; 16:25


    The Supercharged Counterspell weakness has been patched with Shroud¡¯s help. While it will still negate almost all active sorcery, you will still keep the ability to spellcast afterward.


    BlissForgotten Jan. 3rd; 16:27


    @Atalanta? @Odysseus? Isn¡¯t your team crashing Neo York soon? Would you like to join?


    Thread: Chinese Revolution


    In: Boards? Places ? South East Asia ? China ?General


    1, 2¡­ 89, 90.


    Jonathan Jan. 6th; 21:28


    With the weather machines destroyed, it is time. The Eight Immortals have given the date for the revolt. March 15th, 2030.


    Daniel Jan. 6th; 21:29


    You¡¯re really sure? I know you guys have been doing phenomenally well, just like the guys in Neo York and Rome, but that¡¯s Blightspawn. She¡¯s a dragon Green Sorcerer, and she turns the air acidic when she breaths. Also, no idea how Blackcinders will react if you do succeed in taking down the local Arc City grid. She may blow up the whole country from orbit.


    Jonathan Jan. 6th; 21:30


    According to our timing, it will take fifteen hours for the moon to credibly threaten the area. We are coordinating with the guild having taken the Quest to make sure they can¡¯t blow that weapon.


    Daniel Jan. 6th; 21:32


    She still has her ship, her fleet, and her asteroid slingshot sorcery. Let¡¯s not forget that.


    Drekin Jan. 6th; 21:34


    We have to try and take them down sooner or later, Daniel. Especially if what they say in the State Zero and Voice of Incubus threads is true.


    Daniel Jan. 6th; 21:34


    Yes, but are we ready? I get the feeling that once we start, either we win or we all die. I would rather be more prepared.


    Marc Jan. 6th; 21:35


    @Drekin State Zero is real. I checked. If we wait another month, this whole forum may never have existed, and us along with it.


    Incubus R.T. Jan. 6th; 21:37


    They already set martial laws, and according to my intel, shit will hit the fan before March. Also, did nobody notice these are the Ides of March, and that the Rome team is also gearing up for something on that same date? It¡¯s like our Sponsor strategist has a fetish for that month.


    Romulus (Sponsor) Jan. 6th; 21:37


    I do not have a fetish for March. This is a coincidence.


    Thread: Defend the Safe Zone, Arizona


    In: Boards ? Places ? North America ? United States?The Safe Zone


    1, 2, 3.


    Washington (Guild Moderator) Jan. 6th; 22:05


    We¡¯re still looking for players with Locks who can boost Kurzman¡¯s Landlord to hasten the Safe Zone¡¯s expansion; and able-bloodied warriors who can help fight the Bio-soldiers torching us at Grand Canyon. We have used Dirt Call to try to hasten the spread of Kurzman¡¯s Lock, but it¡¯s slow as hell.


    Saul Kurzman (Guild Moderator) Jan. 6th; 22:06


    I can only extend the zone by one mile per day, twice more if we use Dirt Call landscaping. It will take me another month and a half to reach Las Vegas¡¯ outskirts, which may not be fast enough depending on the Sponsors¡¯ timing.


    Evan Cloud Jan. 6th; 22:07


    If I combine mine with yours, I could perhaps increase that range by ten percent a day. One bonus mile won every ten days. Do you think you could cover all of the US with your homefield advantage, with enough time?


    Saul Kurzman (Guild Moderator) Jan. 6th; 22:07


    Maybe. More territory isn¡¯t harder to manage than less.


    Dax (Guild Moderator) Jan. 6th; 22:10


    I think Townsend or Warwick¡¯s Locks could mesh well with your Lock too. We could turn it into a fortress and country-sized summoning field.


    BlissForgotten Jan. 6th; 22:11


    And then Blackcinders nukes the place from orbit.


    Saul Kurzman (Guild Moderator) Jan. 6th; 22:12


    I pray the guys doing the quest hurry up before then.


    Thread: Cost of Opposing Colors reduced


    In: Boards ? Updates and Bugs ? Spellcoins


    1 out 1.


    ADMINISTRATOR (Admin) Jan. 7th; 00:00


    Thanks to our efforts with Shroud, we managed to reduce the cost of opposite color affinities, aligning them to that of allied colors. So for example, should you be a Blue, an Orange Dot 1 spell will now cost 4 Spellcoins instead of 5, and an Orange Dot 2 will cost 8 instead of 10.


    This, combined with the improved data management, has allowed us to triple the size of our Player Base last week (as you can see from all the newcomers). The road towards creating a true ¡°army of Earth¡± is still far, far away, but we are now numerous enough to credibly threaten key imperial installations. More quests will be sent soon to reflect that.


    Dax (Guild Moderator) Jan. 7th; 00:01


    Very good news.


    Manu Jan. 7th; 00:01


    Thanks!


    Alex Pruitt (Guild Moderator) Jan. 7th; 00:01


    Finally, I can make a full rainbow out of my spell compendium!


    Manu Jan. 7th; 00:01


    A prism. Prism sounds better.


    Drekin Jan. 7th; 00:02


    Thanks, but I got to ask when are you guys going to open the Forbidden Area? It¡¯s not like that color¡¯s existence is a secret anymore. Everyone stumbled on that part of the website since Incubus found it.


    Shroud Jan. 7th; 00:03


    The beta test is still ongoing. You can apply with the other beta testers candidates in the thread.


    ADMINISTRATOR (Admin) Jan. 7th; 00:03


    For now, the answer is ¡°somewhen.¡± I would like to say ¡°never,¡± but tests have so far been positive enough for Sponsors to consider the idea. However, with the Black Neurotower in Antarctica acting up, the matter remains frozen until further notice.


    Thread: Prank War Finale, call for Players


    In: Boards ? Quests ? Looking for Quests ? America ? Prank Wars


    1, 2, ¡­ 12, 13.


    Floodtalon (Guild Moderator) Jan. 7th; 12:03


    As you know, according to the Sponsors, this Prank War will be the last iteration of the quest, the most dangerous, and the most rewarding.


    I say we make it the funniest.


    You remember the Statue of Liberty? How we found out the Concordians put a big doomsday device in it? I say we crash it, and we make it spectacular. Brainstorming session!


    Drekin Jan. 7th; 12:04


    I¡¯ll pass this one (hunting Governor Shin-Drazil, with whom I have a to pick), but why not paint it like a French girl?


    Marc CLD Jan. 7th; 12:05


    What is that supposed to mean?


    Drekin Jan. 7th; 12:06


    Everything :)


    Floodtalon(GuildModerator) Jan. 7th; 12:07


    @Marc CLD It¡¯s a Prank War inside joke. You can¡¯t know until you¡¯ve done it.


    The Mur! Jan. 7th; 12:08


    It is a statue. Break it.


    quentin Jan. 7th; 12:09


    @The Mur! Already done!


    Odysseus Jan. 7th; 12:10


    I am so going to participate if Atalanta lets us. Also, why not cover it in mushrooms with my lock? Would that work?


    Thread: Vainqueur the Dragon Roleplay


    In: Boards ? Chill Out ? Community Stuff ? Vainqueur the Dragon ? Incubus RP


    1, 2, ¡­ 532, 533.


    Evan Cloud Jan. 7th; 22:16


    Okay, dropped my old group when the GM went crazy with mind-control shenanigans. I¡¯m looking for fun, and I heard Vainqueur (and Incubus¡¯ RP group) is amazing. Can I join?


    Incubus R.T. Jan. 7th; 22:17


    You can, but can you wait for a week? There are so many new players, I¡¯m full. I¡¯ve considered asking Voidy to help DM it, but he hasn¡¯t answered yet.


    Washington (Guild Moderator) Jan. 7th; 22:18


    It¡¯s a novel about a dragon, how is it popular on this board?


    Drekin Jan. 7th; 22:19


    The belly laughs my friend. The laughs cured my cancer, and then reading Al¡¯s fanfic gave it back.


    Atalanta (Guild Moderator) Jan. 7th; 22:20


    Al, you write Vainqueur fanfics? Vainqueur?


    Al Jan. 7th; 22:20


    I write fanfics about . Also, what are you doing here? I thought you didn¡¯t like it?


    Atalanta (Guild Moderator) Jan. 7th; 22:21


    Atalanta has left the thread


    Private Message: what¡¯s up, nerd? by Sharpshoot


    1, 2, 3


    ODYSSEUS: So. Still awkward at conversations?


    SHARPSHOOT: Still a dick?


    ODYSSEUS: Always. Still pinning for the other nerd?


    SHARPSHOOT: Yeah. Sort of. It¡¯s complicated.


    ODYSSEUS: It¡¯s ¡°complicated.¡± That¡¯s fucking original, never heard that one before.


    SHARPSHOOT: Shut up, from what I heard it¡¯s the same with Atalanta.


    ODYSSEUS: It¡¯s not complicated, she said okay for a date, but only if we¡¯re still alive after the revolution. Now, surviving that far, that¡¯s the complicated part. Al keeps finding excuses to leave us alone, but it hasn¡¯t helped.


    SHARPSHOOT: Meh.


    ODYSSEUS: Meh. No seriously, what¡¯s up with Matt?


    SHARPSHOOT: We¡¯re planning to come back to Earth soon. The Epoch is around the corner, and now, it¡¯s pretty clear that the Maleking is going to reveal something big. Nerd is all worried about it.


    ODYSSEUS: I figured, but that¡¯s not what I asked.


    SHARPSHOOT: He¡¯s still not over Ace. At least he accepted to drink a few times, but I can tell he¡¯s not in the mood.


    ODYSSEUS: She died for him, from what you told me. He¡¯s afraid it will happen again. Even with his power, Matt doesn¡¯t ¡®get¡¯ emotional intimacy; he¡¯s afraid that if he cares too much, it will be taken away. So he creates distance like he did back when he played superhero. Don¡¯t let him isolate himself, even if he lashes out.


    SHARPSHOOT: Why the hell do you care?


    ODYSSEUS: This is gonna sound strange, but in a way, I think you have a shot together; and on the other hand, I think you¡¯re going to make the other worse. Either it¡¯s going to work great or terrible, with nothing in between.


    SHARPSHOOT: How is Perse?


    ODYSSEUS: Fine, touring Europe. She tried to contact me, but I can¡¯t answer. Concordia may keep her under watch, and I can¡¯t jeopardize my team¡¯s safety.


    SHARPSHOOT: It¡¯s going to end soon, jackass. One way or another.


    ODYSSEUS: Yes, but what comes after? If we get them off Earth and somehow manage to keep them off, what¡¯s going to happen? It will be like starting our civilization back from square one.


    SHARPSHOOT: No idea, nerd. I try not to think of it. We can always think of that after the dragons are gone, and after I put a bullet in my brother¡¯s head.


    ODYSSEUS: That¡¯s dark.


    SHARPSHOOT: That¡¯s true.


    ODYSSEUS: You¡¯re really going to do it though?


    SHARPSHOOT: I have to. He tried to kill me first, and he won¡¯t stop. It¡¯s payback.


    ODYSSEUS: Yeah, can¡¯t argue with the fact he¡¯s an asshole, but you don¡¯t have to be the one to do it.


    SHARPSHOOT: Because I will be just like him? It ain¡¯t a manga, nerd. It¡¯s real life.


    ODYSSEUS: Don¡¯t give me that excuse. I¡¯m just saying, if you let him dictate your life in any way, Jack still wins. If you kill him, he will haunt you forever.


    SHARPSHOOT: Still have to settle things with him.


    ODYSSEUS: Don¡¯t die, jerk.


    SHARPSHOOT: Don¡¯t die, nerd.


    Private Message: Ulysses, by Shroud


    1, 2¡­ 23, 24.


    Hack of the Day


    Selfsight


    Dot: 2


    Components: Pathfinder + Intuimotion


    Activation: Passive, App Switch.


    You perceive a simulation of yourself five minutes, simultaneous to your present; the simulation allows you to see your surroundings, and will thus forewarn you of dangers, but only those you can perceive. The simulation will adapt to your decisions.

 Chapter 66: To Tempt the Devil

    ¡°Accel Recursion.¡±


    Time was broken.


    Darkness and silence swallowed the Midnight Market; the cacophony to which he had grown used to end, replaced with an eerie silence. The lights diminished, swallowed by a starless night; he could only see people and the flux infrastructures, the lights of their souls and lifeforce.


    Alone in this quiet world, Shroud walked down the street, watching aliens, fairies and supernatural creatures queuing near a teleporter. He watched them laugh, bicker, and speak words he couldn¡¯t hear; golem guards forced the crowd back, checking to see if they had tickets or specific entry devices.


    He slipped past them without anyone noticing, even shoving off a centaur while at it. Nothing changed in these people¡¯s behavior. They followed a script; a pantomime. Fate, or causality.


    Recursion allowed him to exist outside this script, and interfere from the safety of the darkened time.


    Black came easily to him. He didn¡¯t know if everyone could make use of it so easily, which allowed them to fall into the color¡¯s trap, but Shroud could wield it perfectly. Doubly so when he cast the Ruin Mode spell, although that one came with problems of its own.


    As he waited near the teleporter for the spell to end, Shroud sensed a presence. He couldn¡¯t put his finger on it, but someone was watching nearby. He looked around, yet found nothing.


    Recursion usually lasted for ten seconds, twenty with Accel; and with Accel Premium Thoughts and Powersurge on, it felt like five minutes.


    Spell modifiers were pretty much the only spells that meshed well with the color. According to the Administrator, Black usually overrode other sources of magic, and Shroud had yet to trigger a Hack to prove him wrong. The darkness did not play well with others.


    Then, how to explain that its very existence inside Magik Online allowed people to combine spells into Hacks? How could it allow two spells of different colors to fuse, yet itself couldn¡¯t mesh nicely with another? Another paradox.


    That made figuring out the limits and rules of Black much harder than even Blue. Shroud understood the gist of it: Black was entropy distilled, paradoxes, and freedom from all rules, even those of physics. It controlled negation, frost, and space-time violations. But the spells he had delved in differed widely from one another.


    Time was unbroken.


    The spell ended, and as light returned to the world, Shroud found himself right in front of Manah.


    ¡°So it was you,¡± she said, the crowd and the guards looking disoriented near them, as they realized they had skipped time. ¡°I would rather that you do not use that sorcery around me, Shroud.¡±


    So she could sense him in the darkened time. He had expected as much. Toshiyami had met his demise there when a god confronted him. That she recognized the spell though... ¡°Why couldn¡¯t I see you there?¡± he asked her.


    ¡°Without light to cast it, no shadow can exist,¡± Manah replied. ¡°You use a darkness so thick, light and shadows are swallowed by it¡­ and you too may follow suit.¡±


    Ah. ¡°Your body is your shadow,¡± Shroud guessed, looking down at her feet, and noticing the thick, spider-like shape she cast. ¡°There you are.¡±


    ¡°Sharp,¡± she said. ¡°But sharp enough to master such sorcery? I do not know.¡±


    ¡°I expected a stronger reaction,¡± he said, as a golem guard approached to check on them. ¡°You sound remarkably apathetic about it.¡±


    ¡°I have allied with worse forces,¡± she replied, and Shroud couldn¡¯t deny it. The golem, a gold titan taller than a Gearsman, examined both of them, then invited them into the teleporter. She offered him her arm, and he took it with great class. Her contact was cold on touch, but also somewhat comforting. ¡°We have VIP seats.¡±


    ¡°Have we?¡± Shroud mused as the duo stepped into the teleporter. ¡°I thought Mammon didn¡¯t want to see me since Ace¡¯s death.¡± He said she was worth a hundred Shroud, and that if he saw him again without Manah¡¯s protection, he would have the Dragonslayers killed as his ¡®transaction price¡¯.


    Not that Shroud disagreed that he would have traded his life for his friend in a heartbeat, but the way Mammon had phrased it¡ªphrasing Ace like a possession rather than a person¡ªreminded him why he despised that monster.


    ¡°I and a foul friend of yours convinced him to change his mind.¡±


    A foul friend of his?


    Shroud only knew one person to whom Mammon listened, and he didn¡¯t want anything to do with him.


    In a blink, the teleporter transported them to a luxurious, gold-plated lounge, with a transparent rounded glass view of the outside. Shroud recognized some of the dignitaries present; a gorgon-like being with green scales and snake hair, the Darkthorn terrorist and resistance fighter Mother Pandia; the four-armed Horseman of War Graff; Wormson, who waved a hand at him from a bar.


    One figure stood atop the rest, so tall, its horns reaching the ceiling. A misshapen centaur with silvery and black fur, the beast had the lower body of a horse, a muscled humanoid torso, a silver lion¡¯s head, and ivory deer horns. The entity was both eerily graceful and monstrous and carried a heavy black mace surging with power.


    Lord Revel, patriarch of the Arcadian Reavers.


    The creature noticed the duo but did not move an inch. He seized Shroud with his piercing blue eyes, a lion looking down on a human interrupting his reverie.


    ¡°Lord Revel?¡± Shroud asked, unsure how to address the fact his team indirectly led to his son¡¯s death.


    ¡°To hunt, or be hunted.¡± His very voice sounded like a dozen different animals roaring at once. ¡°One cannot appreciate one without experiencing the other. Whether you kill or are killed, you should look forward to it.¡±


    The fact he said it with calm glee sent shivers down Shroud¡¯s spine. ¡°Not everyone can respawn the way your kind does, Lord Revel,¡± the sorcerer replied, Manah keeping to her silence. He was in no hurry to provoke this archmage but knew being obsequious would anger that proud, predatory beast.


    ¡°Only the strong and the worthy, I bring back,¡± the centaur replied, refusing to acknowledge Manah¡¯s presence. ¡°That the shadow queen broke my rules irk me. Your kind fascinates me, young one. You were barely crawling out of the mud when I left, and now you can fight the mightiest of my children. Amusing.¡±


    ¡°You come from Earth?¡±


    ¡°Once upon a time, it was my home. When I was a weak king, the prey, the hunted.¡± Shroud noticed micro-expressions of disgust and fury on the lion¡¯s kingly face as if he remembered a past he would rather forget. ¡°Long have I wanted to hunt back on my former kindred left behind. Soon I will.¡±


    The spark of madness in his eyes told Shroud no one was truly safe from this creature¡¯s depredation.


    He couldn¡¯t be allowed near Earth, ever.


    Manah took him away from Revel, moving toward the windows. ¡°Grimsour declined to attend.¡± Shroud noticed his absence.


    ¡°He was warned of our trap,¡± Manah replied, unaware of the Aster fiasco. ¡°We will get him in time. How is your group?¡± Since they had their home base, Shroud had become the only member of the group she now interacted with; and often, she did through Doppelgangers.


    ¡°Not fine,¡± he admitted. The team had taken a hit with Ace¡¯s death, in more ways than one.


    Kari was giving him the silent treatment ever since she learned he beta tested the Black feature. Considering what happened to her uncle, Shroud couldn¡¯t blame her, even if it hurt. He was just happy the doctor could save her life and allow her to recover.


    Stitch was growing more reclusive, spending more and more time studying the lifeforge. While nothing extraordinary so far, the Moon Rabbit had told Shroud she often noticed the scientist speaking to himself. He ordered a Doppelganger to follow him, just in case.


    Sol was growing into his role of moderator, although he focused more on having the group do low-risk quests around the Midnight Market than do anything near risky as the Oceanis job. Shroud suspected he both wanted to strengthen the group in preparation for the war, and partly avoid true danger. It helped him purchase the overpriced Black spells, but they hadn¡¯t made headway into fighting Concordia.


    Mur was the least affected, although the imp wanted to test out the Black feature and applied to the Administrator for a beta test of his own. Maggie missed Ace almost as much as Shroud himself, perhaps because they had started building a budding friendship beforehand.


    ¡°I told you our relationship would work well if we agreed not to lie to one another,¡± Manah said, inviting him to look through the glass view. Shroud¡¯s Glass Field didn¡¯t activate, making him realize this was another material in disguise. ¡°I am glad you took it to heart.¡±


    ¡°Then it is about time you tell me more. I did as you asked, and lost a friend over it.¡±


    ¡°Yes,¡± she agreed, watching through the window. Shroud¡¯s eyes followed her gaze.


    As it turned out, the lounge overlooked a massive stadium that put everything from Earth to shame from above. Crowds cheered on the stands of an immense colosseum, with the arena itself separated from them by a forcefield. Two monsters, one giant, magma-like elemental and a skeletal sorcerer fought for the masses¡¯ enjoyment, casting spells and unleashing fireballs on sandy ground. Monitors on the ceiling showed footage of the battle in real-time, with camera golems retransmitting the scene across the universe.


    To think Mammon built that arena in the artificial moon orbiting the market¡­ no spell could compare to absolute wealth.


    As he looked at the masses present, Shroud could sense their resentment through Network, their boiling thirst for blood. They knew these games were but a sideshow for a grander, more brutal spectacle, and they waited for it with trepidation.


    ¡°The chaos with Lugh, you orchestrated it,¡± Shroud said. ¡°You wanted to obtain his soul as leverage.¡±


    ¡°Is that a question?¡± While Manah¡¯s human face did not bulge, her shadow grew thicker. ¡°Malacoda wanted to hold all the cards, a jack, four knights, a queen¡­ and an ace in the hole.¡±


    Shroud tensed at the mention of Jack but didn¡¯t interrupt.


    ¡°Revel is a master of Violet Sorcery,¡± Manah explained. ¡°His spell sustains the immortality of his kindred, allowing them to recover from injuries so long as they maintain his favor. He can open gates around the cosmos at will, allowing his raiders to hunt everywhere.¡±


    ¡°Even inside Concordia¡¯s territory?¡± Shroud guessed.


    ¡°The core regions are protected by sorcery so strong, nothing can get through. The outer parts of the Concordian Empire though¡­¡±


    went unsaid.


    ¡°Wyrde has made her lair in your world, moving a sizeable bulk of her forces to that solar system,¡± Manah said, proving herself well-informed and aware of how Shroud thought. ¡°We will fight her there.¡±


    ¡°With my planet caught in the crossfire.¡±


    ¡°I have no pity for your kind,¡± she admitted bluntly. ¡°While I understand your attachment to your home, the entire galaxy is at war. This cannot be avoided. I promise you though that I have no intention of conquering or destroying your planet the way Concordia did. I want Wyrde, and that is all. Once our common foe destroyed, we shall part ways, hopefully forever.¡±


    And here Shroud thought she had grown attached to him. ¡°Do the people gathered there share your intentions though?¡±


    ¡°No,¡± she replied. ¡°Hence why you should prepare to defend your freedom when it comes to it.¡±


    ¡°Which side are you on?¡± Shroud asked. ¡°Yours alone I suppose.¡±


    ¡°My world¡¯s, the same as you.¡± Sound came out from below, Shroud realizing the fight had ended. The skeletal lich had crushed the magma elemental, cooling it off into coal, with golems taking both of them off. ¡°The true show is about to begin, pay attention.¡±


    Shroud briefly glanced sideways, noticing Revel, Graff and a few others had vanished. His eyes returned to the arena below, as rancid smoke and sulfur erupted from the sand.


    It had started.


    A tall, demonic figure rose from the smoke like the devil out of hell, the lights of the arena focusing on him. A black, reptilian humanoid, with a long, spiked tail and black bat wings, this incarnation of evil had seven white skulls for heads; each with sharpened fangs for teeth, and a single black horn in the middle of each forehead. His eyes were red as blood and full of malice, yet his confident posture reminded Shroud of a true king.


    The Maleking had taken a new shape. Perhaps his true one.


    ¡°My sweet friends, welcome to the show!¡± The demonic figure made a broad, royal gesture to the crowd, as his faces showed up on the various monitors. ¡°I am Malacoda, the Maleking. I am the New God. I am sure you heard many terrible stories about me¡­ all of them true.¡±


    Shroud clenched his fists. He knew this day would come, but it infuriated him all the same. ¡°Is it¡­¡±


    ¡°A projection,¡± Manah answered. ¡°But the real one will be freed soon.¡±


    The stadium, maybe even the galaxy, held its breath as Malacoda began his speech, surrounded by hellish smoke.


    ¡°Let me ask you a question.¡± His voice was no longer that of the playful, cruel lamb Shroud had grown used to, but that of a calm and collected public speaker. ¡°Is not a person, entitled to their freedom? To think, to decide what is right from wrong? To choose the life they want to live, without someone else telling you what to do? Freedom is a beautiful thing¡­ and yet it grows scarce, for one power wants to steal it away. The corrupt empire known as Concordia!¡±


    The monitors showed a picture of Concordia¡¯s invasions across the cosmos, of dragons burning cities, of Gearsmen patrolling the skies; and the crowd booing in response. Shroud noticed a Magik Online notification coming up.


    SOL: Mathias, you are watching this?


    SHROUD: Live.


    THE MUR!: About time.


    ¡°Using their sorcery and technology, Concordia conquers worlds in the name of peace, strip them of their names, and its inhabitants of their rights. Below the speeches, there is only . Some of you believe they will be safe, if they hide in the darkest corners of space, even as Concordia¡¯s borders expand with every new solar cycle. You are mistaken. Now the so-called Grandmaster schemes to take even free-will away, creating a universe where no one can rebel against her. Not will¡­ can¡¯t.¡±


    The monitors switched to show pictures of cold, barren worlds, of stars dimming out. Shroud frowned behind his helmet, not understanding the significance.


    ¡°Using the Neurotowers under her control, Wyrde channels the Flux from other areas of space to power her utopia, stealing away your heat, your souls, your sorcery¡­ leaving cold and black darkness behind,¡± Malacoda explained. ¡°To what purpose, you ask? To channel a great spell, a sorcery work so great, the galaxy will fall to it.¡±


    ¡°Is that true?¡± Shroud asked.


    ¡°Yes,¡± Manah replied. ¡°They started draining my region of space a few years ago.¡±


    ¡°It has been four hundred years since Concordia started despoiling the galaxy for the sake of its greed! But by stealing the energy of their enemies and neighborhoods, they weakened the seals which kept me trapped, until they became paper-thin!¡± Shroud expected an evil laugh, but Malacoda, as a true demagogue, remained calm and businesslike. ¡°Long have you prayed for a savior, a power which would topple Concordia¡­ and you will wait no longer! I stand with the people!¡±


    The masses erupted in cheers.


    If the Maleking wasn¡¯t, well, the , Shroud would have gotten behind him. Knowing many species had no idea who the Beast of the Apocalypse was, it didn¡¯t surprise him he would enjoy much greater popularity outside Earth than on it.


    ¡°I, Malacoda, stand against Concordia! For while I am the New God, but I have no desire to rule. I desire only not to be ruled! I dream of a universe where one¡¯s species does not determine your station in life, only one¡¯s might and cunning! A universe where there is only one rule: do as you will!¡±


    The world of chaos which Manus foresaw.


    Hell Unending.


    ¡°I come to you with a message, to both you and Concordia. Not a message of words, but one of . Dragons, you are ! You are !¡±


    The smoke dissipated, revealing four figures standing behind Malacoda, his four riders of the apocalypse. Mammon, the cruel mimic king of the Midnight Market, waved at his adoring public. Graff, the mysterious Horseman of War, eyed the scene with a tactician¡¯s focus. Little Celia grinned in excitement, the other horsemen putting more distance between them and her than each other. Lord Revel remained eerily thoughtful, lost in his own world.


    ¡°We, the Malebranche, will begin a heartfelt struggle to achieve freedom for all beings across the cosmos!¡± Malacoda raised a first. ¡°The age of dragons is . Now is the time for action!¡±


    And so, he spoke the words Shroud had dreaded to hear for months.


    ¡°We, the Malebranche, declare war on Concordia!¡±


    The world erupted into cheers and roars, deafening Shroud himself.


    ¡°But a war needs weapons, great trump cards to turn the tide against Concordia¡¯s magitech! It is with pride that I announce we developed ! First, we found a way to grant sorcery to all!¡±


    Shroud froze. Did they reverse-engineer Magik Online?


    As it turned out, no, but as the monitors revealed pictures of Jack Powells¡¯ rampage and other similar monsters, Shroud realized that Malacoda¡¯s solution was much more terrible. ¡°By fusing fiends with mortals¡¯ souls, we found a way to ignite the spark of sorcery! The vessel gains all of the power, and keeps their free-will! Sorcery will no longer be the sole privilege of Concordia! If you join us, accept Hell in your heart, and become an infernoid, you too can aspire to ultimate power!¡±


    The spectators whispered among them, and Shroud could sense through Network that many considered the deal¡­ when people were desperate enough, even a fiend could be mistaken for a savior.


    ¡°Second¡­ Mammon, if you would kindly¡­¡±


    ¡°With pleasure.¡± Mammon crawled at the forefront, waving his hands at the monitors, the screens showing a blue star alone in the cosmos. ¡°Here is one of my old suns. Observe.¡±


    Shroud focused, noticing an object flying towards the star. A thick black, needle-like missile, with the emblem of an icy heart¡ªthe organ, not the symbol¡ªengraved on it.


    The missile exploded once it reached the sun, unleashing a dark orb of Black Flux like a sunspot. The darkness grew like a cancer, engulfing the entire star, swallowing it whole. Within seconds, the black orb devoured the sun, before collapsing on itself, leaving nothing behind.


    .


    ¡°I present you, the Black Flux Bomb,¡± Mammon declared, his composure cracking a little to reveal a hint of glee behind. ¡°Black holes in a cigar! Destruction incarnate! All it consumes in its blast vanishes forever!¡±


    Shit.


    This was way worse than he thought. ¡°You knew,¡± he hissed at Manah. ¡°You know what he is. What he will do with these weapons.¡±


    ¡°What other choice is there?¡± she answered back, ¡°No one else can defeat Concordia, Shroud. In the best case scenario, they will wipe out one another.¡±


    ¡°At what cost?¡±


    ¡°As long as my world survives,¡± she replied. ¡°Any price is worth it. Would you not do the same for Earth?¡±


    Shroud frowned but didn¡¯t answer.


    ¡°Our war will be a war of annihilation!¡± Malacoda continued. ¡°We will wipe out the dragons down to the eggs, every last one of them! Billions will die, so trillions may live in a world cleansed of the wyrms! This is but the beginning! Together, we gathered a great and terrible army, from all corners of space! Undead, fiends, mercenaries¡­ Reavers.¡±


    Lord Revel cleared his throat, Malacoda inviting him to speak up. ¡°I, Lord Revel, address all Arcadian Reavers across space. I have decided who will be the target of our Great Hunt. The dragon race has proven itself the most dangerous game of all. Each dragon head will bring you fifty thousand points.¡±


    Having met Gungnir, the Dragon Zodiac, and learning not all dragons supported Concordia, Shroud couldn¡¯t condone it.


    ¡°And,¡± Lord Revel added with disturbing casualness, his fellow horsemen looking at him in surprise, ¡°for proving themselves a worthy, obstinate prey, I declare this season¡¯s secondary game. One thousand points per head.¡±


    Manah¡¯s frown told Shroud this wasn¡¯t part of the script.


    The Sorcerer immediately opened the Magik Online chat again.


    SHARPSHOOT: Did he just declare he would exterminate our entire species?


    SHROUD: Evacuate the Midnight Market now. Knowing Reavers, they will come after us the second this event ends. S~ea??h the NovelFire.net* website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    SOL: Not without you, Mathias. I will wait for you outside the arena so we can teleport to Taiyougami.


    ¡°If you are brave, if you want to follow the path of freedom and chaos, then take arms!¡± The Maleking raised his reptilian hands in a theatrical manner. ¡°Take your anger, your hatred, and your sorrow, and let them fuel the flames of war! We thirst for the blood of the brave! Never forget how Concordia has trampled us! Concordia must be destroyed!¡±


    ¡°Concordia must be destroyed!¡± Mammon raised a fist, the crowds imitating him, ¡°Destroyed!¡±


    ¡°Destroyed!¡± the people sang, as the dignitaries in the lounge clapped. The people on the stands rose, with fists raised. ¡°Destroyed! Destroyed!¡±


    Shroud wasn¡¯t the only one not to applaud though.


    ¡°It is time you return home,¡± Manah told him ominously, too low for the others to hear. ¡°Before does too.¡±


    Players'' Stats


    Account


    Dragonslayers Guild Black Beta Tester


    NameShroudNetworkProgressHolderMathias MartelBroadcastUnlockedLevel3 (Magister)Grant SpellUnlockedAffinityBlueSynergizeUnlockedLockNetworkLocked Feature(0/7)Spellcoins0Overlock(0/1)Stored Saves5Save?Load?Spell CompendiumNameDotAffinityPremium Thoughts1BlueBabel1BluePurge1GreenAccel1WhiteRuin Mode1BlackBeastmaster2BlueMindshield2BlueDoppelganger2BlueHeal2GreenPowersurge2GreenLightbringer2Red/OrangeMad World2Blue/GreenGlass Field2Blue/OrangeWinterfold2BlackMaster Mirror3Blue/Orange/VioletRecursion3BlackAccountDragonslayers GuildNameYoshikageOversoulProgressHolderKari MatsumotoRememberUnlockedLevel3 (Magister)Channel SoulUnlockedAffinityYellowLocked Feature(1/3)LockOversoulLocked Feature(0/7)Spellcoins21Overlock(0/1)Spell CompendiumNameDotAffinityBabel1BlueWallcraw1GreenPeak1GreenNeedless1GreenWard1YellowDoom Sense1YellowSpiritsight1YellowDeathgem1YellowDreamwalker2YellowPowersurge2GreenHands of Slaughter3Yellow/Violet/RedSpaceslash3VioletTulpa3YellowAccountDragonslayers GuildNameThe Mur!AdamantProgressHolderMurmur the ImpHarderUnlockedLevel3 (Magister)FasterUnlockedAffinityOrangeLocked Feature(0/3)LockAdamantLocked Feature(0/7)Spellcoins29Overlock(0/1)Spell CompendiumNameDotAffinityReinforce1OrangeDiceweight1OrangePitborn2Green/RedFormless2OrangeHomunculus2OrangeIntegrator2OrangeReload2VioletTimeloop3VioletCarbonskin3OrangeAccountDragonslayers GuildNameDocInseminateProgressHolderNathaniel StitchSpawnUnlockedLevel3 (Magister)IncubateUnlockedAffinityGreenLocked Feature(0/3)LockInseminateLocked Feature(0/7)Spellcoins18Overlock(0/1)Spell CompendiumNameDotAffinityPremium Thoughts1BlueIntuimotion1BluePsychometry1BlueDeathgem1YellowDoom Sense1YellowSpiritsight1YellowTimesense1VioletPathfinder1VioletAlchemic Grasp1OrangeFlux Sight1WhiteAccel1White


    AccountDragonslayers GuildNameSharpshootSpellgunProgressHolderMaggie Jesse PowellsCrimson BulletUnlockedLevel3 (Magister)Homing BulletUnlockedAffinityRedLocked Feature(0/3)LockSpellgunLocked Feature(0/7)Spellcoins32Overlock(0/1)Spell CompendiumNameDotAffinityStockmight1RedBabel1BlueAccel1WhiteThunderling2Green/RedBullseye2Violet/BlueSoundwave2RedLightningrod2RedAccountDragonslayers Guild ModeratorNameSolAegisProgressHolderSolomon NicholaeSpell MartyrUnlockedLevel3 (Magister)Accel AllyUnlockedAffinityWhiteLocked Feature(0/3)LockAegisLocked Feature(0/7)Spellcoins51Overlock(0/1)Spell CompendiumNameDotAffinityPeak1GreenNeedless1GreenBabel1BlueBlue World1BlueQuasar1RedBiosurge1RedReinforce1OrangeEncode1WhiteSpell Syphon1WhiteAccel1WhiteForcefield3Red


    Hack of the Day


    Alchemic Sphere


    Dot: 2


    Components: Alchemic Grasp + Intuimotion


    Activation: Passive, App Switch.


    You control chemical reactions within five meters of yourself, allowing you to ignite material, cause chemical breakdowns of the cells of the living, or a variety of effects limited only by your knowledge.

 Chapter 67: Home Again

    As Mars and the Dragonslayers, with the startling exception of Stitch, gathered in the command room of Taiyougami, Maggie Powells voiced what everyone thought deep down.


    ¡°Ffffffuuuuuck!¡±


    ¡°The Malebranche¡¯s minions already took the words of their leaders to heart,¡± Shroud spoke up. He had received the memory feedback of twelve of his Doppelgangers, ambushed and killed by bestial Arcadian Reavers.


    If any human had made their life in the Midnight Market, they were dead or soon would be.


    ¡°Riots and acts of violence have erupted all across the cosmos, including in Concordian territories,¡± the Administrator told the group through one of the monitors. ¡°Our Players in outer space have already reported fleets gathering in the regions outside of Concordia¡¯s control. They will make their move soon.¡±


    None were more worried than Sol, who had taken Shroud¡¯s place as Moderator and sat on Taiyougami¡¯s throne. ¡°The antichrist,¡± the priest muttered. ¡°A false savior, heralding the apocalypse¡­ as said in the Book of John. Armageddon is upon us.¡±


    ¡°Your silly prophecies will not help, old man,¡± Mur replied, the imp more joyful than the rest of the team. He alone relished the idea of fighting an interstellar war. ¡°Only strength.¡±


    ¡°Thanks to this display, we have now identified all of the Horsemen,¡± Mars said with his usual composure. ¡°Celia is Death, Graff is War, Mammon is Conquest, and Lord Revel is Famine. All the players on the Maleking¡¯s side have been revealed.¡±


    ¡°I am not so sure,¡± Shroud replied thoughtfully, a hand on his chin. ¡°Manah implied Malacoda also had an ace in the hole.¡±


    ¡°The Black Flux Bombs,¡± Kari replied, giving him a heavy gaze that betrayed what she thought of that color.


    ¡°Perhaps,¡± Mars conceded. ¡°But the Maleking strikes me as the kind of planner to make multiple plans he can fall on and adapt, rather than stake everything on a single strategy.¡±


    ¡°Will they really make use of these bombs though?¡± Maggie asked. ¡°I mean, we had atom bombs for decades and we only really used them when the world was ending. It could be for show.¡±


    ¡°This the end of the world, Maggie,¡± Sol replied.


    ¡°The Maleking will use any weapon needed to win,¡± Shroud said, having already seen him scheme with Mammon. Mur nodded at his words, having personal experience with the archdemon. ¡°But I doubt he wants to destroy the Earth. In all likelihood, he wants to claim it for himself. To him, Earth is his home as much as it is to the Sponsors.¡±


    And from what he gathered from his brush with Revel, the king of the Arcadians shared the feeling.


    ¡°Which does not bode well for Earth either,¡± Mars replied. ¡°We want to coexist with mankind, the Maleking wants to paint it red.¡±


    ¡°Good,¡± Mur replied, drawing glares. ¡°Violence will free your cowardly people. The weak will break, the strong will rise to claim glory.¡±


    ¡°Can we even count on you, Mur?¡± Mars asked, suspicious of the imp¡¯s previous affiliations.


    Mur shrugged. ¡°Mur banished,¡± the imp replied. ¡°Mur made a vow. Mur cares not if he fights his old kindred, so long as he can rise to the top.¡±


    ¡°How do we win?¡± Kari spoke up, scowling.


    ¡°Earth cannot survive a prolonged conflict,¡± the Administrator said. ¡°Nor do we have the manpower to secure its long-term independence from both powers. While we can feasibly, albeit with great difficulty, take back the planet, we cannot hold it for long. As it is, Earth cannot be free.¡±


    ¡°What?¡± Maggie frowned. ¡°Then what was the point of it all?¡±


    ¡°As it is.¡± Shroud picked up the words. ¡°Not as it .¡±


    Sol understood as well. ¡°You can return Earth to its original place?¡±


    ¡°So we¡¯re just going to run away?¡± Maggie asked, not that enthusiastic about it.


    ¡°We cannot decide the end of this conflict by ourselves, and neither should we,¡± Mars replied. ¡°The safety of Earth and its continued freedom has always been our main plan. We have a plan to send it back where it belongs, in the safest areas of space.¡±


    Their plan.


    Not Shroud¡¯s.


    Freeing Earth was one of his goals, but he refused to live in a universe where Wyrde or Malacoda could run amok unmolested. Concordia also had to be taken down, so they couldn¡¯t run State Zero, now or ever again.


    The sorcerer kept that for himself, but Mars¡¯ eyes told him he guessed his true intentions.


    ¡°How can we teleport an entire planet?¡± Maggie asked the obvious question.


    ¡°We have a plan, but we cannot reveal it this soon,¡± the Administrator replied. ¡°It will be ruined if any detail reaches the ears of Wyrde beforehand.¡±


    ¡°You do not trust us,¡± Mur snarled.


    ¡°We do, perhaps more than we should,¡± Mars replied, the imp spitting on the ground. ¡°Our plan matters little if Wyrde succeeds in casting her rebooting spell. We also need to secure Earth first and ensure neither Concordia nor the Malebranche can track us down. This means destroying Concordia¡¯s key infrastructures on our world, from their doomsday moon weapon to their UB grid, and fending off the Maleking. In short, you will have more pressing concerns to deal with.¡±


    ¡°What is the situation on Earth?¡± Sol asked. He hadn¡¯t kept up with forums as much as the rest of the team did.


    The Administrator activated the Command Center¡¯s screens, showing up areas around Earth, from the Grand Canyon to the ash-covered ruins of Russia, to the bustling Arc-City of Neo York.


    ¡°Players have secured a strong presence in five key areas: Neo York, Rome, the Amazonian Forest, China, and the Zone in the southwest United States,¡° Mars explained. ¡°Other areas are falling under our influence, but these are the places where can, or will soon be able to challenge imperial authority. Concordia mobilized its army to deal with the Chinese resistance and the Players protecting the zone, and counterintelligence forces in the others.¡±


    ¡°The Zone?¡± Sol asked.


    ¡°An expanding magical zone originating from the Zion National Park,¡± Shroud explained. ¡°One of the Players lucked out and gained a Lock allowing him to control an entire geographic area. After his Lock Upgrade, he gained the ability to expand it. The Zone gives numerous advantages to our allies there, and great penalties to Concordian forces.¡±


    ¡°It has reached Grand Canyon and will soon hit Las Vegas,¡± Mars continued. ¡°The Grand Canyon is home to sensitive Concordian facilities of an unknown nature, and Players have engaged its defenders to take them over.¡±


    ¡°Concordia is gathering forces on Earth to secure it from the Malebranche, and to protect Wyrde, who has taken residence in the White Neurotower in Greenland,¡± the Administrator finished, showing pictures of Concordian frigates orbiting Earth. Much to Shroud¡¯s displeasure, he noticed Blackcinders¡¯ among them. ¡°We suspect she needs this Neurotower to launch State Zero, but we yet lack the firepower needed to take her on.¡±


    How long until the Malebranche engaged them in the skies? It had been two hours since Malacoda¡¯s declaration of war, and he had been preparing for it for decades as far as Shroud knew. They should expect an attack in the next few days at best.


    ¡°Our key priority is to reinforce these Player strongholds in preparation for the Malebranche¡¯s invasion; with luck they will destroy Concordian facilities without us needing to waste our forces,¡± Mars explained, ¡°To do so, we have recalled all Guilds back to Earth, even those doing Quests in space or across the planes. You have already been sent new Quests.¡±


    Shroud glanced at his Quest Board, finding the one mission which interested him most.


    Quest: Together We Stand


    Difficulty: Dot Three (Hard)


    Sponsor: Voice of Knowledge.


    Where Concordia fails in its mighty mission of unity is in understanding its people. The Empire does not understand the need for true teamwork. Instead, it cows people into following orders like the tyrants they are! Show them what true teamwork looks like. Show them what a legion can do! Take out 50 Concordian bio-soldiers as a team utilizing your skills and those of your brothers in arms.


    Rewards: 15 Spellcoins + 1 Bonus Dot Three Spell.


    Time to meet Ulysses again.


    ¡°So, the tribulation has ended,¡± Sol said, overdoing his role of Moderator. He clearly tried to act like a solemn leader but didn¡¯t quite manage to. ¡°It is time to return home.¡±


    Home.


    The word sounded strange. To Shroud, it felt like years since they left Earth for the Midnight Market. Things would come around. Would he see Evermarsh again? He didn¡¯t feel all that nostalgic, but he wanted to meet with his old friends, check on them.


    ¡°Taiyougami will remain hidden for now,¡± Mars said. ¡°As will the other Lairs, until the time is right.¡±


    ¡°So we will have the critters ready to stand around and watch do us all the work?¡± Maggie deadpanned.


    ¡°Taiyougami¡¯s inhabitants will take the field, as they did against Blackcinders,¡± Mars promised. ¡°But in time.¡±


    Shroud had a pretty good idea of what the Sponsors¡¯ plan entailed, but kept it to himself.  S~ea??h the N?velFire(.)net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    In any case, the Second War for Earth might become as bloody as the first.


    The Blue Sorcerer left the meeting soon afterward, intending to check on Stitch. Kari quickly caught up to him as he teleported to the forest area. ¡°Shroud-san,¡± she said.


    It was the first time she spoke to him outside of a meeting, after learning he beta-tested the Black color. ¡°Kari,¡± he replied, unsure what to say next.


    His friend proved just as uncomfortable as he was, struggling to find her words. Finally, Kari spoke up before Shroud could. ¡°Mathias-san, this color destroyed my uncle.¡±


    ¡°Your uncle destroyed himself,¡± Shroud corrected, ¡°I am well-aware of the risk involved, but¡­¡±


    But if he had been more powerful¡­


    ¡°But I would not have been wounded, if you had it,¡± Kari glared back at him, ¡°You think that.¡±


    ¡°Yes,¡± Shroud replied honestly. ¡°You almost died back there, and without Stitch¡¯s expertise, you would not have made it at all.¡±


    ¡°You almost did not make it through half our quests,¡± she pointed out, ¡°We do dangerous work.¡±


    ¡°And it will become even more so.¡±


    ¡°But we aren¡¯t alone,¡± Kari replied. ¡°You taught me that I could rely on others. Don¡¯t retreat inside yourself, thinking you alone carry that burden. It never helps.¡±


    ¡°I know,¡± Shroud replied, as they reached the Bai Suzhen¡¯s island, now transformed into a breeding pen for monsters. They would see use in battle soon enough. ¡°That¡¯s why I want to see them again.¡±


    ¡°I want to see Sam too,¡± Kari nodded.


    ¡°Do you believe what Incubus said on the forums?¡± Shroud asked her. ¡°That she joined Concordia.¡±


    ¡°I do not know,¡± she admitted. ¡°Maybe. Maybe not out of her own choice.¡±


    Aster was dead, his moles released from his power, but other Blue Sorcerers might have picked up the slack. Especially with Melusine involved.


    On the other hand, Ulysses had always pegged Sam as an opportunist, and with time having cooled off his feelings, Shroud was inclined to believe him. He could see her joining the Empire in search for stability after the string of disasters which hit her recently.


    To be honest, Shroud wasn¡¯t thinking all that much about Sam.


    He thought about Perse and the Werner family, first and foremost.


    ¡°Kari, I am not stopping using Black,¡± he said, ¡°But so long as you are here¡­ I don¡¯t think I will turn out the way your uncle did. Wyrde and my mother became what they are because they thought they were special snowflakes, and thus immune to sorcery¡¯s secondary effects. So long as I constantly check myself, and that you can pull me back, I think we can make it work.¡±


    ¡°And if I cannot pull you back?¡±


    Shroud gave her a knowing glance, and Kari stopped speaking to him again.


    They found Stitch at the place where he spent all his time lately: the Lifeforge. The scientist examined the device with strange, new organic tools Shroud had never seen him use before.


    ¡°Mmm?¡± Stitch raised his head, hearing them approach. ¡°Sir?¡±


    ¡°You missed another meeting,¡± the sorcerer pointed out. The Green Sorcerer¡¯s singular obsession had creeped out even Bai Suzhen, who had dropped her pond to meditate in the Northern Area. Truth to be told, it started to worry Shroud as well.


    He hadn¡¯t received any worrying feedback from Network, but still...


    ¡°I apologize for the inconvenience, but I am on the verge of a breakthrough,¡± the scientist replied, with a hint of dismissiveness. ¡°I believe this device records the genetic data of the life it drains, then sends the information back to a database of some sort.¡±


    Shroud immediately picked up the implications. ¡°You could trace the source collecting this information?¡±


    ¡°Mayhaps,¡± Stitch said. ¡°At least, I may connect to that database. Imagine it, sir, a record compiling everything there is to know about life. Knowledge that even the Seeker of Worlds could only dream of.¡±


    ¡°What purpose is there in collecting it?¡± Kari asked. ¡°Preserving extinct species?¡±


    No. Shroud didn¡¯t think the entity behind Dis had any such intention. It gathered the genetic data for the same reason it harvested entire worlds.


    To improve itself.


    ¡°Stitch, I must warn you that every person who tried to tinker with that technology on their own went mad, and your current obsession worries me,¡± Shroud said.


    ¡°Sir, I am always this focused when a subject interests me, and the possibilities-¡±


    ¡°I understand,¡± Shroud cut him off, ¡°I truly do. I meant that you should not work alone on this. My Network might help uncover some of that technology¡¯s secrets, and protect you from its harmful effects.¡±


    ¡°Your assistance is welcome, Sir,¡± the doctor replied, ¡°But I cannot, in good conscience, delay my researches waiting for you. This database may contain the secret of life everlasting, of a world without death. Imagine it.¡±


    Shroud remembers catching sight of Stitch talking to himself, back when he had fallen under Aster¡¯s control. The seed of doubt wormed in his mind, and the Blue Sorcerer realized the problem might be worse than expected.


    He would have to take actions.


    As the teleportation spell ended, Shroud looked up to Earth¡¯s sun dawning on the red cliffs of the Grand Canyon national park. The smoke coming up from some of Concordia¡¯s installations in the horizon did little to negate his joy at the sight.


    He never knew he would miss his home planet so much.


    ¡°Finally!¡± Maggie shared the feeling, stretching her arms under the natural light. ¡°Non-artificial fresh air! I hated that space station!¡±


    ¡°Yeah, that¡¯s called nowhere, space,¡± a deadpan voice spoke up.


    Shroud and the Dragonslayers turned to face the welcoming committee, a group of teens, armed adults, and soldiers in power armor wielding the American flag proudly painted on their chest. A familiar face led them.


    ¡°Welcome back, Matt,¡± Ulysses crossed his arms at the sight of his old friend, but couldn¡¯t suppress a smirk.


    Good to be back home.


    Players'' StatsAccount


    Dragonslayers Guild Black Beta Tester


    NameShroudNetworkProgressHolderMathias MartelBroadcastUnlockedLevel3 (Magister)Grant SpellUnlockedAffinityBlueSynergizeUnlockedLockNetworkLocked Feature(0/7)Spellcoins0Overlock(0/1)Stored Saves5Save?Load?Spell CompendiumNameDotAffinityPremium Thoughts1BlueBabel1BluePurge1GreenAccel1WhiteRuin Mode1BlackBeastmaster2BlueMindshield2BlueDoppelganger2BlueHeal2GreenPowersurge2GreenLightbringer2Red/OrangeMad World2Blue/GreenGlass Field2Blue/OrangeWinterfold2BlackMaster Mirror3Blue/Orange/VioletRecursion3BlackAccountDragonslayers GuildNameYoshikageOversoulProgressHolderKari MatsumotoRememberUnlockedLevel3 (Magister)Channel SoulUnlockedAffinityYellowLocked Feature(1/3)LockOversoulLocked Feature(0/7)Spellcoins21Overlock(0/1)Spell CompendiumNameDotAffinityBabel1BlueWallcraw1GreenPeak1GreenNeedless1GreenWard1YellowDoom Sense1YellowSpiritsight1YellowDeathgem1YellowDreamwalker2YellowPowersurge2GreenHands of Slaughter3Yellow/Violet/RedSpaceslash3VioletTulpa3YellowAccountDragonslayers GuildNameThe Mur!AdamantProgressHolderMurmur the ImpHarderUnlockedLevel3 (Magister)FasterUnlockedAffinityOrangeLocked Feature(0/3)LockAdamantLocked Feature(0/7)Spellcoins29Overlock(0/1)Spell CompendiumNameDotAffinityReinforce1OrangeDiceweight1OrangePitborn2Green/RedFormless2OrangeHomunculus2OrangeIntegrator2OrangeReload2VioletTimeloop3VioletCarbonskin3OrangeAccountDragonslayers GuildNameDocInseminateProgressHolderNathaniel StitchSpawnUnlockedLevel3 (Magister)IncubateUnlockedAffinityGreenLocked Feature(0/3)LockInseminateLocked Feature(0/7)Spellcoins18Overlock(0/1)Spell CompendiumNameDotAffinityPremium Thoughts1BlueIntuimotion1BluePsychometry1BlueDeathgem1YellowDoom Sense1YellowSpiritsight1YellowTimesense1VioletPathfinder1VioletAlchemic Grasp1OrangeFlux Sight1WhiteAccel1WhiteAccountDragonslayers GuildNameSharpshootSpellgunProgressHolderMaggie Jesse PowellsCrimson BulletUnlockedLevel3 (Magister)Homing BulletUnlockedAffinityRedLocked Feature(0/3)LockSpellgunLocked Feature(0/7)Spellcoins32Overlock(0/1)Spell CompendiumNameDotAffinityStockmight1RedBabel1BlueAccel1WhiteThunderling2Green/RedBullseye2Violet/BlueSoundwave2RedLightningrod2RedAccountDragonslayers Guild ModeratorNameSolAegisProgressHolderSolomon NicholaeSpell MartyrUnlockedLevel3 (Magister)Accel AllyUnlockedAffinityWhiteLocked Feature(0/3)LockAegisLocked Feature(0/7)Spellcoins51Overlock(0/1)Spell CompendiumNameDotAffinityPeak1GreenNeedless1GreenBabel1BlueBlue World1BlueQuasar1RedBiosurge1RedReinforce1OrangeEncode1WhiteSpell Syphon1WhiteAccel1WhiteForcefield3Red


    Hack of the Day


    Seapurge


    Dot: 2


    Components: Purge + Seamancer


    Activation: Active, Direct Touch Vector, Thought.


    You purge anything you touch from its water, drying it out like a husk; the process can be lethal against living beings, although the bigger the target, the longer it will take to dry it out.

 Chapter 68: The Arizona Zone

    Mathias had only visited the Grand Canyon once, before the Conquest.


    A dream of Dad had always been to do a road trip across the United States, through Route 66. While uninterested, his mother had eventually agreed to the idea under the condition that she could work from afar; she had ended up spending half the car trips programming stuff instead of sightseeing.


    Unlike Las Vegas, the Grand Canyon hadn¡¯t left Mathias with much of an impression, to the point he could scarcely remember how it looked years afterward.


    The current Grand Canyon was very different from what it was ten years ago. After the Conquest, Concordia had taken over the area, apparently for research purposes. They had built labs and military installations there, including one of the Weather Control machines they used to alter the global climate. Many Players on the forums had doubted this was the entire story, and the unusual imperial resistance had convinced them.


    New, imported alien vegetation had started to grow in the area; purple and red flowers the size of cars grew from the stone, releasing strange pollen into the winds; vines whose size rivaled those of bridge steel cables infested the cliffs. Shroud even noticed winged, insectoid beasts making their nest in isolated areas, watching Players with curiosity.


    If they ever kicked Concordia off Earth, Shroud figured that it still wouldn¡¯t return to the way it was. The ecosystem would remain radically changed, as would the weather. The technology the Empire imported would remain after them.


    The group eventually arrived at the Players¡¯ home-base, a large camp under a crimson cliff. Hundreds, maybe thousands of people had set up tents in the area, while sorcerers had created stone fortifications to protect the entrance. The sorcerer sensed the magical protections around him, probably variants of the Ward spell; he felt an invisible pressure surrounding him, someone¡¯s gaze on him.


    Shroud was surprised by what he saw. First of all, the camp was much larger than what he had expected; no way everyone there was a Player. Roughly a third of the people present weren¡¯t humans, but hobs, bullmen, or rare other species he didn¡¯t recognize. Shroud guessed some of the more impressive specimens, such as the greenish, snake-haired gorgons, were creatures summoned by the Call spell.


    Everyone was armed with earthling or alien weaponry, and they even had a primitive garage where a Player cast Orange spells to enhance guns. They had even had three pre-Conquest helicopters, customized with more advanced weaponry.


    ¡°How many of there are you?¡± Shroud asked the leader of the initiative, the former SEAL Washington. The man wore a heavy, bulky power-armor, seemingly made of scavenged Gearsmen parts.


    ¡°Here, or in the entire Zone? I would say between ten and fifteen thousand in the entire Zone, with two thousand gathered here. Of these two thousand, eighty-seven of them are Players from seven guilds, without including yours or the person powering the Zone. The rest are NPCs, as we call them. Our summoners can bolster that number by eight hundred as needed.¡±


    Which made ninety-three players deployed on this front. Considering Magik currently had less than two thousand of them worldwide, that was a concentration, the second behind Neo York.


    Since a single sorcerer was worth more than a battalion, and that their abilities meshed well in groups, maybe they had a chance to take the area.


    ¡°What about the non-sorcerers?¡± Solomon asked, noticing quite a few people wearing similar armor as Washington¡¯s. Shroud noticed many of them glanced at him as the group walked through the camp; it appeared he had a reputation here on Earth. ¡°Even if armed, they are no match for Gearsmen without support.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s what I wanted to talk about in private,¡± Washington replied, stopping before a tent larger than the rest. ¡°Sol, Shroud, you can come inside. The rest of you, make yourself at home.¡±


    Shroud glanced at Ulysses. ¡°We¡¯ll talk later,¡± his best friend said. ¡°Saving our hides comes first.¡± The sorcerer nodded and walked into the tent, noticing Ulysses leading the other Dragonslayers around, much to Maggie¡¯s discomfort.


    The ¡®war tent¡¯ reminded Shroud of movie depictions of the White House¡¯s situation room, to the point he wondered if Washington had emulated it on purpose. The tent welcomed screen devices monitoring areas of the Grand Canyon and even had an emergency radio. At the center, a Native American woman waited for them, sitting around a table covered with maps. She must have been Atalanta, Ulysses¡¯ Moderator.


    ¡°I am Solomon Nicholae, and this is Shroud,¡± Sol introduced himself to the woman by warmly shaking her hand and saying his true name, having nothing to hide.


    ¡°Hi, I¡¯m Atalanta,¡± the woman replied with a smile, before focusing on Shroud, the Players sitting next to her. ¡°You¡¯re Odysseus¡¯ friend? He talked a lot about you.¡±


    ¡°In a good way, I hope,¡± Shroud deadpanned, removing his helmet and allowing himself to breathe. He somehow felt vulnerable without it on, as if he had lost the skin over his face. sea??h th§× N??elFir§×.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    ¡°Sometimes,¡± Atalanta smiled back, although she seemed reserved. ¡°You two have a complicated history. He didn¡¯t give me all the details, but what happened at Evermarsh still has consequences to this day.¡±


    ¡°I gotta say, you killing that dragon? That inspired many.¡± Washington praised him. ¡°I always thought a good dragon was a dead one.¡±


    While Shroud kept his composure, Sol visibly flinched. ¡°We found out that not all dragons support Concordia,¡± the priest pointed out, wary of what Washington¡¯s thinking may lead.


    ¡°Does it really matter?¡± Washington replied contemptuously.¡°If they don¡¯t fight against their government, then they¡¯re still supporting it by inaction.¡±


    ¡°You could say the same for most of our species,¡± Atalanta pointed out.


    ¡°I¡¯m just saying, you got to pick a side,¡± Washington replied, before brushing it off. ¡°Anyway, pal, maybe the Administrator that kickstarted the revolution, but you¡¯re the one who made it sound credible.¡±


    That was what Shroud had intended when he fought Smokefang, and the number of people who took up arms did warm his heart. The more victories they claimed, the more momentum they could build.


    Atalanta pointed at a map representing the Grand Canyon. ¡°This,¡± she pointed at two spots in close proximity, ¡°is the main Concordian facility, and this is our camp.¡±


    ¡°Is it wise to make camp so close to them?¡± Sol asked.


    ¡°We have protective spells and Locks, and the Zone warns us ahead of time when they try to hit us with orbital lasers. In fact, the closer we are to their main base, the safer we are. I don¡¯t know what they keep in that facility, but they are in no hurry to bomb it.¡±


    ¡°They have been using chemical and incendiary weapons on the area ever since they noticed the Zone¡¯s effects,¡± Washington explained. ¡°Our scouts say they have seen more Gearsmen come out than in.¡±


    ¡°Either they have teleporters, or this is a weapon factory,¡± Shroud guessed. He had seen the information Players shared on the Gearsmen and the source of their organic matter.


    ¡°Yeah,¡± Washington nodded. ¡°If we can take that place, we eliminate the biggest local Concordian army, and this frees our forces to take Las Vegas next.¡±


    ¡°We have two advantages,¡± Atalanta said. ¡°Our Locks, and Hacks. Especially your Mad World. Concordia hasn¡¯t yet managed to negate that spell. They accelerate the speed of their Gearsmen¡¯s reboots, but cannot prevent them.¡±


    ¡°So in response, they have begun to field armored, flesh and blood soldiers and sorcerers,¡± Washington explained. ¡°Without including the Gearsmen, they have roughly four times our numbers protecting the main facility.¡±


    Not good.


    ¡°Thankfully, we noticed a weakness to exploit,¡± Washington said. ¡°Namely, reliance on a single color. Unlike our multicolored Guilds, Concordia fields sorcerers in battalions sharing the same color. They got specialized firepower, we¡¯ve got versatility.¡±


    ¡°What colors?¡± Sol asked.


    ¡°We¡¯re facing groups of Red, White, and Yellow. The first as artillery, the second as support, the third is trying to exorcise the Zone. The Reds pack a punch, but the Whites disrupt our Players more. We¡¯ll target the latter first.¡±


    ¡°You scavenged some of Concordia¡¯s technology,¡± Shroud noted. ¡°Can it help?¡±


    ¡°We have, and the Guild in Neo York smuggled us tech from other worlds,¡± Washington confirmed. ¡°But it pales in comparison to what the Empire can field. Most still have pre-Conquest weapons we recovered from hidden army depots. We enhanced them with spells like Reinforce, enough that it can hurt Gearsmen, but they aren¡¯t lasers.¡±


    ¡°Your Network can be the decisive factor,¡± Atalanta said. ¡°Granting a spell to every able-bodied fighter can make or break the attack.¡±


    ¡°The Administrator informed me that I have a limited amount of allocated ¡®Flux¡¯ per color to draw upon,¡± Shroud replied. Hence why he had a hard limit on the number of Doppelgangers he could deploy. ¡°I can roughly allow ninety-nine spells of each color, Black exempted. My Lock simply does not recognize them.¡±


    A few heads perked up as he mentioned the color, Washington pouncing on the opportunity. ¡°About Black, anything that can help our group effort?¡±


    ¡°My Black Spells are optimized for direct combat, not for tactics or strategy,¡± Shroud replied. ¡°One spell, ¡®Ruin Mode,¡¯ does increase my other capabilities, but also starts affecting my Lock negatively.¡±


    ¡°How negatively?¡± Washington prodded as if trying to gauge whether they would make up for the power boost.


    ¡°I stopped the experiment before I could fully examine the consequences,¡± Shroud admitted. ¡°As it may endanger everyone I Networked. And as I said, much like Hack, I cannot grant them to other people.¡±


    ¡°Which useful spells can you allocate?¡± Atalanta asked.


    ¡°Ninety-nine Premium Thoughts or Doppelgangers, ninety-nine Accel, and either ninety-nine Powersurge or Heal. My other spells are Hacks, and I lack the Spellcoins to purchase more. Finally, my Doppelgangers carry all the enhancements of the original. If you have Powersurge and Premium Thoughts on, your clones will stay super-strong and smart; magical equipment is not duplicated, however.¡±


    ¡°We also created a stockpile of magical pills and grenades by encoding spells,¡± Sol said. ¡°We can distribute the arsenal.¡±


    ¡°Our Green Sorcerer also experimented with breeding and enhancing monsters,¡± Shroud pointed out. ¡°So we can bolster the army significantly.¡±


    Washington considered the resources at his disposal, before assigning tasks. ¡°For our Sorcerers, Shroud, you should give Doppelganger to direct combat specialists so we can increase our number of heavy hitters, and Accel to everyone else. Twenty-five NPCs get Heal to act as emergency medics, the rest get Powersurge. Doppelganger is more valuable than Premium Thoughts to distribute since it¡¯s kind of a spell tax already.¡±


    ¡°I would like to keep a certain number of Doppelgangers for myself,¡± Shroud said. ¡°They help me control the battlefield, and they distract attackers trying to target me personally.¡±


    ¡°Yeah, your Lock is too precious to risk you in direct combat,¡± Washington said. ¡°You will stay in the camp and you coordinate us from afar.¡±


    Shroud shrugged. Once he would have jumped on the opportunity to get his hands dirty, and he had the feeling he might should things turn ugly, but he had come to accept his powers served better to support groups. ¡°The more people I Network, the better they coordinate,¡± he said.¡°Even if I do not grant them spells.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re pretty overpowered, aren¡¯t you?¡± Washington said. ¡°Glad you¡¯re on our side.¡±


    ¡°When are you planning to attack?¡±


    ¡°Tomorrow evening, when the Zone¡¯s influence will reach the facility. That will give us an edge.¡±


    Shroud better Network everyone beforehand then.


    As he said he would, Shroud spent the day touching people and assigning spells as per Washington¡¯s strategy. He probably hadn¡¯t Networked everyone in the camp, but he might as well have.


    As night fell, the sorcerer found himself with more Network feeds than he ever had before. He couldn¡¯t keep track of all of them even with Premium Thoughts, although he remembered everyone whom he assigned spells to.


    With the attack planned for tomorrow, and mentally weary, Shroud flew around the camp looking for his friends. The fighters were dining around campfires, and he found Ulysses and Maggie among one.


    ¡°--That¡¯s ridiculous,¡± he heard Maggie tell Ulysses, as he landed next to them. ¡°If modern people can¡¯t stop a zombie invasion, how can a Roman Legion win?¡±


    ¡°Superior tactics, and trenches,¡± Ulysses replied. ¡°And fire. Lots of fire.¡±


    Somehow, this conversation sounded familiar. ¡°Do the legions have prep-time?¡± the Blue Sorcerer asked. ¡°Mind if I join the debate?¡±


    ¡°Of course not, Matt, my friend,¡± Ulysses said, cooking marshmallows around the fire while Maggie rested on her back, rolling her eyes. ¡°The Romans get two hours of prep-time. Caesar is the commander.¡±


    ¡°Then the Roman legions win,¡± Shroud replied. ¡°Superior tactics like choke points will prevail over overwhelming numbers if they aren¡¯t taken by surprise.¡±


    ¡°Pff, nerds,¡± Maggie snorted.


    ¡°However,¡± Shroud trailed off before Ulysses could gloat, ¡°If the zombies have been raised by a necromancer, then I must assume they will show coordination that offset the Roman technological and tactical advantage.¡±


    ¡°Zombie hordes aren¡¯t raised by necromancers,¡± Ulysses replied.¡°They¡¯re a virus.¡±


    ¡°The undead I met would beg to differ,¡± Shroud replied.


    ¡°Yeah, we got one in the team,¡± Maggie said. ¡°He¡¯s not right in the head, but he¡¯s smart.¡±


    ¡°Undead or undeads?¡± Ulysses asked. ¡°I can never tell.¡±


    ¡°And there is a Yellow spell allowing us to raise an army of the dead,¡± Shroud pointed out, completely ignoring Ulysses¡¯ question.


    ¡°Now you¡¯re just nitpicking,¡± Ulysses replied, offering marshmallows to his friends; Maggie declined, while Shroud happily accepted. ¡°I missed these conversations though.¡±


    ¡°Yeah, it¡¯s been too long,¡± Shroud sat with them. ¡°How long has it been since we last camped together?¡±


    ¡°I think it was last year when Mom took us to the glades,¡± Ulysses replied. ¡°I can¡¯t believe we were crushing the resistance on an MMORPG back then. How far we have gone since.¡±


    ¡°What can I say, made interstellar empires much cooler than our own. That faction had the best costume.¡±


    ¡°Good lord, it¡¯s like you¡¯re drawing the inner nerdness of the other in a feedback loop,¡± Maggie said, although she had a smirk at the edge of her lip.


    ¡°Says the girl who played the worst FPS in her spare time.¡± Maggie glared at Ulysses. ¡°Oh? That was an educated guess, but it landed right!¡±


    ¡°Shut up, it was shooting training,¡± Maggie pouted, crossing her arms. ¡°Why did we date again?¡±


    ¡°¡®Cause you¡¯re an edgelord and you thought I was one too.¡±


    ¡°Nah, I think I just had terrible tastes.¡±


    ¡°You said it, not me.¡±


    Amused, Shroud watched them bicker while eating his marshmallow. He found joy that in spite of everything that happened, they could fall back into their old habits; it was as if they never had an interruption.


    He thought back on his reasons for rebelling against Concordia. Once, it had been for revenge, for both his mother and Earth. Now¡­


    Now the more Shroud thought about it, the more he realized he fought for these moments. The brief instants when he wouldn¡¯t have to fear death, or arrest, or watch over his back for an attack. He fought for better days he hadn¡¯t experienced since the Conquest.


    There was still a lot of work to be done, but they could-


    Warning: Abnormal code change detected.


    Lock upgrade ongoing (2/7)...


    Shroud frowned, sending a message to the Administrator at once.


    SHROUD: What¡¯s happening? I didn¡¯t fulfill a side-quest, and yet I received a Lock upgrade notification.


    ADMINISTRATOR: I did nothing. Let me check¡­ Have you edited the source code?


    He didn¡¯t, and couldn¡¯t. The Sponsors didn¡¯t trust him with anything that sensitive. It may have been Black Sorcery¡¯s influence, but he hadn¡¯t used it since the Midnight Market. No, the timing didn¡¯t fit.


    The fact that it happened right after he networked so many people at once though¡­ it couldn¡¯t be a coincidence.


    ADMINISTRATOR: It isn¡¯t a hacking attempt by Melusine, but just as worrying. Shroud, your Lock is evolving on its own without my input. It is editing your profile¡¯s code by itself.


    SHROUD: Like when it created the Save feature?


    ADMINISTRATOR: Yes, but this time it didn¡¯t make use of a Dis artifact, which confuses me. Either your Lock is undergoing its Overlock stage ahead of time, or something else is afoot. In any case, your mass networking kickstarted a process of some kind.


    SHROUD: Can you block it? It could be a hidden program left behind by Manus or Melusine, with all the dangers it entails.


    ADMINISTRATOR: True. I will reject the edits at once.


    Shroud instantly received another message. Warning: Iron God Protocol interrupted by: Administrator.


    Registering request.


    ¡­


    ¡­


    ¡­


    Request rejected.


    Administrator blocking attempt overruled by: Lazarus.


    Iron God Protocol uninterrupted.


    Players'' Stats


    Account


    Dragonslayers Guild Black Beta Tester


    NameShroudNetworkProgressHolderMathias MartelBroadcastUnlockedLevel3 (Magister)Grant SpellUnlockedAffinityBlueSynergizeUnlockedLockNetworkLocked Feature(2/7)Spellcoins0Overlock(0/1)Stored Saves5Save?Load?Spell CompendiumNameDotAffinityPremium Thoughts1BlueBabel1BluePurge1GreenAccel1WhiteRuin Mode1BlackBeastmaster2BlueMindshield2BlueDoppelganger2BlueHeal2GreenPowersurge2GreenLightbringer2Red/OrangeMad World2Blue/GreenGlass Field2Blue/OrangeWinterfold2BlackMaster Mirror3Blue/Orange/VioletRecursion3BlackAccountDragonslayers GuildNameYoshikageOversoulProgressHolderKari MatsumotoRememberUnlockedLevel3 (Magister)Channel SoulUnlockedAffinityYellowLocked Feature(1/3)LockOversoulLocked Feature(0/7)Spellcoins21Overlock(0/1)Spell CompendiumNameDotAffinityBabel1BlueWallcraw1GreenPeak1GreenNeedless1GreenWard1YellowDoom Sense1YellowSpiritsight1YellowDeathgem1YellowDreamwalker2YellowPowersurge2GreenHands of Slaughter3Yellow/Violet/RedSpaceslash3VioletTulpa3YellowAccountDragonslayers GuildNameThe Mur!AdamantProgressHolderMurmur the ImpHarderUnlockedLevel3 (Magister)FasterUnlockedAffinityOrangeLocked Feature(0/3)LockAdamantLocked Feature(0/7)Spellcoins29Overlock(0/1)Spell CompendiumNameDotAffinityReinforce1OrangeDiceweight1OrangePitborn2Green/RedFormless2OrangeHomunculus2OrangeIntegrator2OrangeReload2VioletTimeloop3VioletCarbonskin3OrangeAccountDragonslayers GuildNameDocInseminateProgressHolderNathaniel StitchSpawnUnlockedLevel3 (Magister)IncubateUnlockedAffinityGreenLocked Feature(0/3)LockInseminateLocked Feature(0/7)Spellcoins18Overlock(0/1)Spell CompendiumNameDotAffinityPremium Thoughts1BlueIntuimotion1BluePsychometry1BlueDeathgem1YellowDoom Sense1YellowSpiritsight1YellowTimesense1VioletPathfinder1VioletAlchemic Grasp1OrangeFlux Sight1WhiteAccel1White


    AccountDragonslayers GuildNameSharpshootSpellgunProgressHolderMaggie Jesse PowellsCrimson BulletUnlockedLevel3 (Magister)Homing BulletUnlockedAffinityRedLocked Feature(0/3)LockSpellgunLocked Feature(0/7)Spellcoins32Overlock(0/1)Spell CompendiumNameDotAffinityStockmight1RedBabel1BlueAccel1WhiteThunderling2Green/RedBullseye2Violet/BlueSoundwave2RedLightningrod2RedAccountDragonslayers Guild ModeratorNameSolAegisProgressHolderSolomon NicholaeSpell MartyrUnlockedLevel3 (Magister)Accel AllyUnlockedAffinityWhiteLocked Feature(0/3)LockAegisLocked Feature(0/7)Spellcoins51Overlock(0/1)Spell CompendiumNameDotAffinityPeak1GreenNeedless1GreenBabel1BlueBlue World1BlueQuasar1RedBiosurge1RedReinforce1OrangeEncode1WhiteSpell Syphon1WhiteAccel1WhiteForcefield3Red


    Spell of the Day


    Barrier


    Affinity: White


    Dot: 3


    Price: 9-15


    Activation: Passive, Thought.


    Create a powerful flux armor around the user¡¯s body, resisting both impacts and lower Dot spells targetting the user. The Barrier has a finite reservoir of power and will vanish after sufficient damage is applied. Pierce effect will always bypass the barrier.

 Chapter 69: The Flames of War

    Furiously typing on his portable computer with his left hand while finishing his seventh cup of coffee with the right, Shroud found himself increasingly frustrated.


    Magik Online¡¯s code, as expected, was the most advanced digital construct ever designed; a complex array of ternary code, colors, and symbols too complex for a non-magically boosted mind to grasp. Even working on the few selected parts the Sponsors had granted him access to had proven difficult.


    Now, faced with a new danger that could threaten the entire system, the Administrator had allowed Shroud to observe the full code; and what he saw worried him.


    His own account, no, , was hacking Magik Online; creating new links between his account and the wider system, while inserting new code into other Player profiles¡­ his Lack acted like a computer virus, right on the eve of a major battle.


    SHROUD: this is getting too far. You have to suspend my account.


    ADMINISTRATOR: I tried. I can no longer even restrict it. It has even overwritten my demands.


    Shroud frowned. If his Lock was overwhelming even the Administrator, then there was almost nothing to be done. The sorcerer himself had tried to stop his Lock by focusing on the mental pathways, but came up short.


    Network had gone into some kind of auto-pilot, following an instinct that not even its wielder could steer.


    SHROUD: my lock is alive, and hacking you.


    ADMINISTRATOR: yes.


    SHROUD: do the sponsors know?


    ADMINISTRATOR: I did not inform them you were the cause yet. I fear they may choose to take drastic measures to solve the problem.


    A polite way to say that they may execute Shroud himself to stop the spread of his Lock. At that point, he would even agree. The risk of losing the one weapon mankind had in the great war was too great not to make a sacrifice.


    Of course, Shroud was in no hurry to die. He had to find a solution.


    The sorcerer almost didn¡¯t notice Kari walking up to him. ¡°Shroud,¡± she said, ¡°The battle is starting soon.¡±


    ¡°I know,¡± he replied, still typing on the computer and trying to correct¡­ whatever was happening.


    ¡°You haven¡¯t slept the whole night.¡±


    ¡°I ,¡± he repeated, frustrated. The thought that his Lock may jeopardize everyone involved in the attack weighted on him. ¡°I know!¡±


    Kari looked at him in worry, then at the computer. ¡°Can I help?¡± she asked, before biting her lower lip, ¡°Can any of us help?¡±


    Something in her voice made him feel guilty. ¡°No,¡± he sighed, ¡°I don¡¯t think I can even help with it myself.¡±


    SHROUD: who is even this Lazarus?


    ADMINISTRATOR: I can guess. My Lock, and by extension yours and Magik Online itself, still depend on the larger Dis system to function. Ergo, its administrator could in theory overrule me on Lock related matters.


    SHROUD: You think this Lazarus is the creator of Dis?


    ADMINISTRATOR: possible. The entity behind sorcery itself. The other possibility is that Magik Online was hacked, but since even Melusine failed, I think it unlikely.


    SHROUD: why leave a name though? As a clue?


    ADMINISTRATOR: perhaps. I do not understand why it allows this protocol to go through. So far it hasn¡¯t cancelled the other accounts, nor interfered with their Lock and Spellcasting.


    SHROUD: so what, we let it run its course?


    ADMINISTRATOR: for now¡­ the only possible solution I see, would be to kill you. However, the last time your Network acted on its own, it allowed you to access the Save Feature. Some good may come out of this turn of events.


    SHROUD: what if it takes over your systems?


    The Administrator didn¡¯t answer back. It didn¡¯t need to.


    ¡°Shroud? Mathias-san? Are you listening?¡±


    ¡°I¡­¡± Shroud blinked. The stress of handling so many things at once, even with Premium Thoughts, weighted on him. ¡°No, I¡­ I¡¯m just frustrated.¡±


    What was it all about? He had already heard of the term ¡®Iron God Protocol¡¯ once; as one of the saves locked away in the Occult Matrix. By deduction, it probably meant the scenario where Manus finished his artificial Lock without Concordia interrupting its ascension.


    Would that mean that Manus would return if the program finished running its course?


    ¡°You can¡­¡± Kari struggled to find her words. ¡°We can talk. If you need to.¡±


    She had learned the lesson about opening to others well. Shroud prepared to brush her off, before reminding himself what happened to the last family member who tried to deny the elephant in the room.


    ¡°My Lock is acting up,¡± he confessed, ¡°Running out of control.¡±


    Kari¡¯s head perked up. ¡°Black?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not sure, but I don¡¯t think so,¡± Shroud said, closing the computer. If anything, Black would probably interfere with this protocol, as it caused his account to go down once. ¡°I think it¡¯s an old program which slumbered within my Lock for a while, and which I woke up when I networked everyone in the camp. I don¡¯t know what will happen next.¡±


    Magik Online itself having been created by using his Lock as a template, it was inevitable one would affect the other.


    ¡°It could be good,¡± Kari said, ¡°Your power increasing.¡±


    ¡°Or it could cause me to escalate,¡± Shroud replied, ¡°The point being, I¡¯m not sure. The future is shrouded in darkness.¡±


    ¡°That is life,¡± his friend replied, ¡°Only the past is set in stone.¡±


    Shroud wasn¡¯t so sure about that, but he guessed he had to take some comfort in the unknown. The future being in flux meant it could turn out okay for Earth, as much as for Concordia.


    Maybe that was the essence of Black. Shrouding time in darkness, so nothing could be predicted anymore.


    ¡°Shouldn¡¯t you be on the front lines?¡± he asked her. The camp was almost deserted, except for the Players with support-oriented Locks, Blue Sorcerers, and summoners. The rest had moved to encircle the Concordian facility.


    ¡°I am staying with you,¡± she insisted, ¡°For your security.¡±


    Sword and sorcery.


    While he may love Sol the most among the Dragonslayers, Kari was the one he had grown to rely on the most over their adventures. How far they had gone since the first days of their association.


    Shroud opened the feeds of Network, watching the Grand Canyon through a thousand eyes at once. He couldn¡¯t keep track of all of his networked at once, even with his enhancements, so he focused on his teammates, Ulysses¡¯ team, and the various commanders.


    The army had surrounded Concordia¡¯s base, a massive, heart-like structure of pulsating black metal, covered with advanced artillery and turrets; the building bordered an open mine dug into the canyon itself. Thousands of Gearsmen surrounded it in a defensive perimeter, backed by other, more dangerous warriors.


    It wasn¡¯t the first time Shroud saw dragon troopers, or ¡®bio-soldiers¡¯, but these ones looked more advanced than those he watched on holo-tv. These warriors were clad in a skintight metallic armor of various colors, from red, to yellow, covering their entire body. While the armor¡¯s design was adapted for the wearers¡¯ species, from humanoids to bullmen, most of them carried the same arsenal: a cannon on the left arm, a laser sword on the right, and turrets mounted on the shoulders. These were Bishops, soldiers specialized in mobility.


    There were a rarer few with different suits; warriors wearing carbon copies of Sol¡¯s old Knight armor, and towering, five meters-tall behemoth buried under heavy shielding and mounted artillery. Knights, and Rooks.


    Concordia had these soldiers fused to their armor after a rigorous training, stamping out every trace of free-will to leave only a killing machine behind. If Shroud used Sol¡¯s performance as a benchmark, they would prove a much greater danger than the Gearsmen, Mad World Hack or not.


    It didn¡¯t help that some, if not most of them, were sorcerers.


    Shroud immediately noticed something strange about the enemy formation, with most of the troopers having gathered around the open mine, instead of the facility itself. Was it a ploy to distract attackers from the building? Or were they digging something worth protecting over the rest of their installations?


    ¡°Enemy¡¯s elite is focused around the archeological digs,¡± Shroud told Washington and the other moderators, Sol among them. His friend was positioned under an invisibly, soundless veil with Maggie, Stitch and Mur. ¡°They may be protecting an artifact of some kind.¡±


    ¡°Then we separate into two forces, with our best engaging their soldiers, and the rest blowing up that facility,¡± Washington said, looking at a watch, ¡°Eight minutes before the Zone expands again.¡± S§×ar?h the Nov§×l?ire.n(e)t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Eight minute before assault.


    Shroud observed joined both his hands, tension rising. Eight minutes before the first true opening move in the War for Earth. Eight minutes for the first large scale battle involving Players. Eight minutes before¡­


    A thunder-like sound boomed above Grand Canyon, and the skies were torn asunder.


    Countless eyes, Shroud¡¯s own included, looked up, as a purple rift in the very fabric of space widened above their heads. An artificial gate opened over Grand Canyon, revealing the darkness of space behind, the very atmosphere sucked into it.


    A lean, purple, flying-wing like warship crossed the rift, aiming for the Concordian facility. Shroud immediately recognized it as an Arcadian raiding ship, with the Maleking¡¯s frozen heart symbol painted on it.


    The .


    The ship immediately opened hostilities by unleashing a rain of missiles over the area, targeting both the Concordian soldiers and the hidden Player forces. The Concordian facility¡¯s defenses activated in response, its lasers shooting at both the ship and its projectiles, but didn¡¯t stop all of them. Sol raised a forcefield to protect the Dragonslayers.


    Shroud¡¯s encampment was far away and thus spared, but the sorcerer felt the ground tremble after impact. Most fighters, warned by Network¡¯s synergy, immediately took cover, or avoided the worst of the initial attack.


    But others weren¡¯t so lucky. One of the missiles hit one of the hidden Players, with Shroud watching his screen go dark before the victim knew what hit him.


    Shroud immediately received a few notifications on his Magik Online account; reports of other Players around the globe of rifts opening in the skies, and warships crossing them.


    One of them, however, stood out from the rest, for it was followed with a brief, orange flash.


    FalconKing account destroyed.


    Power Fist function returned to Magik System for future assignment.


    21 Spellcoins waiting for distribution.


    Shroud didn¡¯t have much time to ponder it out, as Gearsmen took flight to intercept the ship, their lasers damaging its shielding.


    Like a bird leaving out an egg, the ship¡¯s back opened and vomited a horde of horrors. Winged fiends carrying bestial humanoids similar to Lugh, undead monstrosities, and fearsome monsters landed on the canyon, immediately engaging the Concordian soldiers. Arcadian raiders noticed the humans nearby, and charged at them with gleeful enthusiasm.


    ¡°Engage!¡± Washington ordered, the first Players casting deadly spells at the incoming fiends. ¡°All of them!¡±


    As he let out these words, the eight minute mark passed, and the Zone expanded.


    Almost immediately, immense roots sprung from the ground like tentacles, overwhelming the Concordian facility and Malebranche beasts both, while shielding the human soldiers from lasers.


    Within seconds, the battlefield became a chaotic, aimless whirlwind of spells and projectiles.


    While Kari assumed her golden form, ready to defend him from a sneak attack, Shroud began to bark orders and directions. ¡°Sol, Atalanta, target the ship!¡± The Malebranche warship, damaged by the Concordian¡¯s defenses, made a circle in the sky in preparation for a new bombing run. Worse, the spatial breach remained open. ¡°Stitch, Mur, Maggie, engage the soldiers on the ground!¡±


    The Dragonslayers, having been shielded by Sol, moved into the fray. Mur opened the hostilities by smashing the head of an arcadian raider with his hammer, while other Players followed Washington¡¯s initial strategy.


    ¡°MAD WORLD!¡±


    Cast by five sorcerers, and the sound magnified and redirected by Soundwave to exclusively target the Concordian forces, the Hack spread like wildfire. Most Gearsmen immediately short circuited and shut down at once, with the troopers moving away from the mine to pick up the slack.


    The Concordian facility trembled, its walls opening like a twisted cocoon. An immense, streamlined Gearsman the size of the statue of Liberty stood out, its steps causing small quakes.


    A Gearsman Colossus.


    One of the iron titans which destroyed Earth armies during the Conquest, and kept in storage for the second round.


    The immense machine, upon standing still, towered over the Canyon, ignoring the giant vines attempting to restrain it. It turned to the Malebranche ship, its crimson eye firing a massive beam of Red Flux to take it down, vaporizing everything in the way while at it. The warship dodged the attack, firing missiles at the titan.


    On the ground, Concordian forces engaged humans and fiends alike, casting spells of their own. One crimson soldier began to move at supersonic speed, ripping the closest player in half while dodging bullets.


    Shroud¡¯s eyes widened. He received another colored flesh, and then a message.


    BlissfulNeed account destroyed.


    Greensight returned to Magik System for future assignment.


    7 Spellcoins waiting for distribution.


    More of these notifications came up, although thankfully few. Their strategy, enhancements, and the synergy caused by Network allowed the Players to avoid death; laser shots missed, spells hit enemy soldiers just as they almost beheaded an ally¡­


    Shroud immediately worked to reassign the spells granted to the fallen to other soldiers which needed them more, only to pause upon noticing a new line below the ¡®Grant Spell¡¯ feature.


    Assign Lock?


    ¡°Ah!¡± Shroud blinked, as he recognized that loathed, hateful voice through one of Network¡¯s feeds. ¡°Good to be home!¡±


    Shroud froze, as he saw a fiery monster coming straight from the farthest depths of hell step into the battlefield, sowing death as he moved.


    ¡°Good evening, America!¡± Jack Powells laughed, blasting NPCs with his unholy flames, the flesh melting from their bones as they screamed, ¡°Jack¡¯s back in town!¡±


    What was he doing there?!


    It couldn¡¯t be a coincidence that Jack showed up at the same place which his sister and Mathias attacked. The probability were too low for this meeting not to be preordained.


    The Maleking had moles among the Players.


    ¡°Finally¡­¡± Maggie whispered to herself, upon catching sight of her murderous sibling¡¯s rampage, her hands trembling as she held her guns, ¡°Payback time.¡±


    ¡°Sharpshoot, stop!¡± Shroud shouted through Network, ¡°This is a trap!¡±


    Too late.


    Maggie had already left to engage her brother.


    Players'' StatsAccount


    Magik Administrator


    NameShroudNetworkProgressHolderMathias MartelBroadcastUnlockedLevel3 (Magister)Grant SpellUnlockedAffinityBlueSynergizeUnlockedLockNetworkLocked Feature(3/7)Spellcoins to Assign51Overlock(0/1)Stored Saves5Save?Load?Locks Stored4Assign?Consume?Spell CompendiumNameDotAffinityPremium Thoughts1BlueBabel1BluePurge1GreenAccel1WhiteRuin Mode1BlackBeastmaster2BlueMindshield2BlueDoppelganger2BlueHeal2GreenPowersurge2GreenLightbringer2Red/OrangeMad World2Blue/GreenGlass Field2Blue/OrangeWinterfold2BlackMaster Mirror3Blue/Orange/VioletRecursion3BlackAccountDragonslayers GuildNameYoshikageOversoulProgressHolderKari MatsumotoRememberUnlockedLevel3 (Magister)Channel SoulUnlockedAffinityYellowLocked Feature(1/3)LockOversoulLocked Feature(0/7)Spellcoins21Overlock(0/1)Spell CompendiumNameDotAffinityBabel1BlueWallcraw1GreenPeak1GreenNeedless1GreenWard1YellowDoom Sense1YellowSpiritsight1YellowDeathgem1YellowDreamwalker2YellowPowersurge2GreenHands of Slaughter3Yellow/Violet/RedSpaceslash3VioletTulpa3YellowAccountDragonslayers GuildNameThe Mur!AdamantProgressHolderMurmur the ImpHarderUnlockedLevel3 (Magister)FasterUnlockedAffinityOrangeLocked Feature(0/3)LockAdamantLocked Feature(0/7)Spellcoins29Overlock(0/1)Spell CompendiumNameDotAffinityReinforce1OrangeDiceweight1OrangePitborn2Green/RedFormless2OrangeHomunculus2OrangeIntegrator2OrangeReload2VioletTimeloop3VioletCarbonskin3OrangeAccountDragonslayers GuildNameDocInseminateProgressHolderNathaniel StitchSpawnUnlockedLevel3 (Magister)IncubateUnlockedAffinityGreenLocked Feature(0/3)LockInseminateLocked Feature(0/7)Spellcoins18Overlock(0/1)Spell CompendiumNameDotAffinityPremium Thoughts1BlueIntuimotion1BluePsychometry1BlueDeathgem1YellowDoom Sense1YellowSpiritsight1YellowTimesense1VioletPathfinder1VioletAlchemic Grasp1OrangeFlux Sight1WhiteAccel1White


    AccountDragonslayers GuildNameSharpshootSpellgunProgressHolderMaggie Jesse PowellsCrimson BulletUnlockedLevel3 (Magister)Homing BulletUnlockedAffinityRedLocked Feature(0/3)LockSpellgunLocked Feature(0/7)Spellcoins17Overlock(0/1)Spell CompendiumNameDotAffinityStockmight1RedBabel1BlueAccel1WhiteThunderling2Green/RedBullseye2Violet/BlueSoundwave2RedLightningrod2RedAdaptator3GreenAccountDragonslayers Guild ModeratorNameSolAegisProgressHolderSolomon NicholaeSpell MartyrUnlockedLevel3 (Magister)Accel AllyUnlockedAffinityWhiteLocked Feature(0/3)LockAegisLocked Feature(0/7)Spellcoins51Overlock(0/1)Spell CompendiumNameDotAffinityPeak1GreenNeedless1GreenBabel1BlueBlue World1BlueQuasar1RedBiosurge1RedReinforce1OrangeEncode1WhiteSpell Syphon1WhiteAccel1WhiteForcefield3Red


    Spell of the Day


    Adaptator


    Affinity: Green


    Dot: 3


    Price: 9-15


    Activation: Passive, App Switch.


    The caster¡¯s body automatically adapts to almost any natural environment, such as harsh temperatures, alien oxygen, or even the void of space. They can even adapt to the environment of other planes of existence, but do not adapt to supernatural hazards such as Pandoria¡¯s corrupted atmosphere.

 Chapter 70: DLC: Candlemaker Jack

    ¡°Fire and flames.¡±


    They occupied his dreams, the one place where he could still think for himself. Flames which burned stronger than the brightest star, a fire that consumed flesh and stone and steel alike. The heart of a furnace turning souls to ashes, power incarnate with ionized breathe. He imagined himself as the fire itself, consuming Earth, Concordia, all life everywhere; harnessing their souls and life to increase his heat, until he had consumed everything, leaving only a quiet, silent world. A dead universe where he alone would shine in the dark; where he would have peace at last.


    Candlemaker Jack wanted to become a star dearly. That was his one, sincerest wish. A simple desire; to become power absolute, with none to infringe on his freedom to do as he pleased.


    Like now.


    ¡°You answered the same during our last session,¡± the voice coming from the camera above him reproached. He had never seen the Blue Sorcerer behind it¡ªhe only knew its codename, ¡®Friend,¡¯ and its role. For all Jack knew, it could be more than one person, switching places while hiding behind a digitized voice.


    ¡°Can¡¯t change who I am,¡± Jack replied, with gleeful pride, sitting in a corner with his back against the metal wall of the cell. He disdained the one furniture granted to him, a bed, since he never slept. ¡°You don¡¯t doubt or fear when you¡¯re self-aware.¡±


    ¡°And who are you? Nothing?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m me.¡±


    ¡°Nothing.¡± The voice sounded vaguely amused, smug. It reminded Jack of Matt¡¯s, arrogant and judgmental. Blues were all the same, proud to the bone. ¡°A beast trapped in a cage.¡±


    But a beast still, Jack thought, glared at the tiny mousehole keeping him trapped. A room of metal walls without privacy, which drained his Flux; of the raw universal energies which he needed to become fire itself. It all sent it to the Neurotower, which they then harnessed back.


    The infernoid felt like he was asphyxiating in those frail, weak human bones of his. Every second spent in this old skin was torture. He had torn away his humanity like a snake with his skin, allowing his true self to emerge¡­ only for the Concordian to send him back into his old husk.


    He had only two doors out. The forcefield keeping his room separated from a corridor full of them, and watched over by Gearsmen and the occasional armored soldier; and a reinforced glass window towards the desolate, lightning-stricken wasteland outside. An endless, electric storm covered the planet of Electon, and wiped out all life on it eons ago.


    So the Concordians decided to make it a prison, for the one kind of creature that they feared and loved in equal measure: sorcerers.


    ¡°Jack Powells¡ª¡±


    ¡°Candlemaker Jack,¡± Jack snarled. He had burned his father, and had he had more luck, he would have done the same to his sister. Family tied him down, kept him away from achieving freedom. Only by cutting all ties, by becoming alone, could absolute power be gained. So his benefactor spoke.


    ¡°Jack Powells,¡± the voice insisted. ¡°You have been transferred here for months, yet you show no progress in rehabilitating. Your denial of the standard curing procedures is ashaming.¡±


    ¡°You mean you couldn¡¯t brainwash me into one of your dogs?¡± Jack laughed, glancing through the forcefield to look at the cell in front of his; a monstrous, crab-like beast had been held there long before he did, its mind too alien for Concordian to rewire.


    That was what this wing of the prison was for: the desperate, dangerous cases. The monsters who couldn¡¯t be brainwashed nor reformed. The horrors, the mad, and the misfits. Monsters that the scalies could only use as living power batteries, and not even that safely.


    ¡°Anyone can be made into a good citizen with enough time, Jack.¡±


    That was what their Aster said. Where did that lead him?


    Ah, yes, getting smoked by Matt.


    ¡°I don¡¯t want to be a citizen of anything,¡± Jack replied. ¡°If it were for me, there wouldn¡¯t be any society to be a citizen of. Everyone is better off alone on their own.¡±


    ¡°You follow the Maleking,¡± the voice replied. ¡°You can still feel loyalty to a higher authority. Why the fiend, and not our Grandmaster?¡±


    ¡°I think you¡¯re mistaking sharing goals with loyalty.¡±


    ¡°Yet where did that led you? To defeat at the hands of a rebel, and a cell.¡±


    The sorcerer bristled at the mention of his defeat, which may have been the objective. They loved to needle him about it, to try to direct his wrath toward their enemies.


    But he had an answer, which annoyed them just as much.


    ¡°It led me to God.¡±


    ¡°You mentioned this in your previous interviews. That you had a divine revelation when you awakened as a sorcerer. Do you mean the Monotheistic God followed by your firman religions? Tell me, Jack.¡±


    Jack snickered. They couldn¡¯t understand. They couldn¡¯t accept the cruel truth of this world, which he glimpsed when the fiend ignited the fire of his soul. ¡°No. The Iron God above this one. The one true God, the One Above All. He isn¡¯t the merciful kind priests preached to me, oh no. He¡¯s the apex predator of the universe. We¡¯re all food and toys to him.¡±


    ¡°He? Masculine?¡±


    ¡°Sounded like a guy when he spoke to me.¡±


    ¡°Do you identify the divine as masculine? Is that what you cannot recognize the Grandmaster as a worthy authority figure?¡±


    ¡°You think this is what it is all about?¡± Jack laughed. ¡°Don¡¯t care. I don¡¯t care. God sounded like a guy when he spoke to me, nothing else.¡±


    ¡°What did this ¡®God¡¯ say to you?¡±


    ¡°He told me my purpose, no, the purpose of everyone. To be toys or food. Only the special few can become more.¡±


    ¡°Like you?¡± the voice sounded amused.


    ¡°Like me,¡± Jack replied. ¡°I can become like him. That¡¯s what my Lock is for. .¡±


    Like Matt¡¯s.


    ¡°You¡¯re all fuel for the fire, you know, ¡®Friend¡¯?¡± Jack taunted the official. ¡°Your souls, your memories, your everything. They¡¯re just fuel for the fire of my soul, so I can ignite it and become a star. The core of a new universe.¡±


    ¡°Jack, Red Sorcerers which escalate often try to associate themselves with elemental forces; perhaps subconsciously, they want to transcend their flesh to become the living energy they serve as a conduit for. Your delusions about this ¡®God¡¯ are nothing but the influence of your sorcery on your mind. That your psychosis remains ingrained in your mind after we removed your powers tells more about your insufficiencies as a person than anything else.¡±


    ¡°Joke¡¯s on you,¡± Jack replied. ¡°You¡¯re in a prison just as much as I am, but you can¡¯t see the walls. Death is no release, pal. Even if you escape Dis, you will never escape Dis. There¡¯s only one way out.¡±


    ¡°Which is?¡±


    ¡°The same way you defeat your fear,¡± Jack replied. ¡°You become fear itself. Can¡¯t beat them, join them. That¡¯s my purpose. To become fear. To become God.¡±


    ¡°So, in this raving psychosis of yours, ¡®God¡¯ offered you to make you his equal?¡±


    ¡°Sort of,¡± Jack replied. ¡°I¡¯ve got to kill the other heirs first. Especially his favorite. It¡¯s all part of the game, see which one is worthy.¡±


    ¡°The other heirs?¡±


    ¡°There can only be one,¡± Jack replied with bloodlust. ¡°There only be .¡±


    It would be him. Even if he had to slaughter his way across the cosmos to get Matt and the others, extinguishing one life at a time, in the end, he would be alone. Alone, without his sister, without his father, without these scalies, humans, these others forcing him to bend to their expectations, because he would have burned everything where to fit in.


    Alone, in a quiet, ashen world.


    ¡°My sweet Jack.¡±


    Candlemaker Jack made no outward sign he had heard the dark voice of his benefactor, as the shadow of the lamb appeared at the edge of his vision. He had invited Hell in his soul, and not even Concordia could keep it out.


    ¡°It is time.¡±


    Finally.


    He would fulfill his role, and pay back his last debt.


    Jack remembered as he got back on his feet. How he ended up there; how Matt beat him. How the Maleking encouraged him to do as he wished and take a shot at his rival for the throne, yet planned for his failure still.


    The Maleking didn¡¯t stake everything on one outcome. He was too smart for that. His plans were small-scaled, but every outcome benefitted him in some way.


    Like getting an infernoid in a prison populated by monsters hostile to Concordia.


    Jack closed his eyes, focusing on the well of power connecting him to the great infrastructure of Dis. To his Lock, Crimson Echoes, the furnace of the iron world; the great star which pulled souls and lives in its orbit, so it makes fuel out of them.


    That was the truth of the Locks. Each were gears in the great machine, redundant systems and pawns of the system. They each served a purpose, from drawing in the knowledge of consumed souls to creating life whose death would fulfill the One Above All¡¯s hunger.


    They had stolen the fuel of his soul, but the system¡¯s hold on him ran deeper. Much deeper. His soul was one with something bigger than himself, granted a mission, and privileges. S§×ar?h the N?velFire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    He could ¡®see¡¯ the currents of energy which flowed through Dis, the Flux harnessed by Neurotowers and then distributed back. Through his Lock, Jack¡¯s sight expanded, until he observed the tower linked to his wing of the prison.


    He sent a demand for a shutdown, and the One Above All agreed.


    In one instant, the flux-draining machinery keeping him human failed, their main generator closing its circuits to Concordia. The alarm rang, and he heard Gearsmen rushing towards his wing.


    Jack opened his eyes at them, now on fire.


    ¡°Crimson Requiem!¡±


    His flesh ignited, and he set the world ablaze.


    Nothing beat the smell of burnt flesh in the morning.


    So Jack thought, as he strode through the battlefield like a living hurricane, devastating everything in his path. His flames melted Gearsmen and plants before they could hit him; they couldn¡¯t consume the Arcadian Reavers fighting at his side, much to his chagrin.


    He could tell when his spells killed. Every time his magic claimed a life, he felt a rush of newfound energy surge through his bones, their flux harnessed by his lock and transferred to him. Each death increased his power, strengthened his Lock, perfected the furnace of his soul, got him closer to casting off this mortal shell and grow into something . He had grown addicted to this feeling of getting stronger.


    He wondered if the other candidates felt the same when they became closer to godhood. He knew the Grandmaster was White, the others Blue, and the fallen Black; nothing like the vibrant and fiery Red. Knowing the Blue, they probably got their high from listening to their own voice.


    Soon, maybe he would kill enough to get the power to ignite the atmosphere; to turn this whole mudball into an ashball just by existing. The thought of all these souls rushing through his Lock at once filled him with cruel glee.


    Jack moved towards the open mine, exploiting the rampant chaos to make a rush at it. The Malebranche and the rebels kept the Concordians busy, blissfully unaware of what Jack intended to do.


    Well, not all of them.


    Three Orange Sorcerers in power armor intercepted him, manipulating the stone beneath him to form a prison. They intended to trap him below tons of dirt, the same way Matt defeated him last time.


    But he had grown stronger since.


    Dot Four.


    ¡°Radiance!¡±


    The Red Spell activated, turning his flames green, his touch into a blight upon the land. His body emitted supernatural, radioactive energies in a bright green flash, vaporizing both the prison and the sorcerers trying to keep him in. The blast, empowered by his Lock, pierced through their armor, searing the flesh from their bones.


    Jack could have vaporized the whole canyon like Hiroshima, and nothing would have pleased him more, but he might have woken up his target before he could take it over.


    He hadn¡¯t yet mastered his sorcery either. His Lock provided him power, and intuitive knowledge of energy itself, but the fiend still had to get the hang of each new trick.


    Having broken through the defensive line, Jack came into sight of the open mine, blasting apart one of the drilling machines in its way. Alone for a few precious seconds, he stood at the edge of the stone pit and stared into the abyss.


    Deep below, he could see the tip of an immense arm of black metal, bigger and better than the giant Gearsman which shot down his ship. A weapon meant to destroy worlds, waiting for the oncoming Armageddon.


    There it was.


    A Worldshaker.


    The iron shell to house his immortal soul, once he had burnt off the husk he wore. The cocoon from which he would enter as a larva, to emerge as an iron god, with gears drenched in the blood of billions.


    His Lock could interface with it, the same way Matt could. That was why his competitor had rushed to this place; Jack was sure of it. Whether consciously or not, he had heard the call of his Lock bring him there, so he could take the next step towards ascension.


    Jack had felt Network¡¯s hold over some of his victims, Matt watching through their eyes. His sorcery was the opposite of the fiend¡¯s Lock in many ways: a seed which grew by fostering and directing life, rather than extinguishing it. Power born of creating connections, rather than severing them. They were bound to be enemies.


    He wouldn¡¯t let Martel win again. Ever.


    The bullet hit him in the skull from behind, making him shamble. He almost fell into the pit but caught himself before he did.


    ¡°That was a warning shot,¡± her voice came up from behind, ¡°Don¡¯t you dare move.¡±


    ¡°Sis,¡± Jack replied, not bothering to turn around. ¡°A bullet in the head isn¡¯t a warning shot.¡±


    ¡°Next one will hurt.¡±


    ¡°Do we have to hurt one another?¡± Jack taunted her. ¡°We¡¯re brother and sister after all.¡±


    ¡°Wasn¡¯t it the whole point of setting up that meeting.¡±


    ¡°Touch¨¦.¡± There were dozens of Worldshakers slumbering on Earth, but he had chosen this place the second the Maleking informed him the two people he hated most were near. ¡°I still don¡¯t get why you didn¡¯t shoot to kill. Didn¡¯t take you for a sentimental girl.¡±


    ¡°I ain¡¯t. I want answers.¡±


    Jack turned his head, looking at his sister sideways. She carried two guns and wore some kind of stupid Halloween costume, hiding behind a skull mask. Or maybe that was her real face, just as her brother¡¯s human visage had been nothing but a veneer for the blazing inferno beneath.


    ¡°Don¡¯t move.¡± Lil¡¯ Maggie threatened him with her weapons as if they could do anything. She may have become a sorcerer, of his color no less, but she wasn¡¯t one of the chosen. She didn¡¯t matter. ¡°Don¡¯t you dare fucking move.¡±


    How could she survive so close to him? Must have been that Green Adaptator Spell. He had heard it allowed the caster to protect themselves from nefarious environments, heat and passive radiations included.


    She wouldn¡¯t survive an offensive spell of his, but she had aroused his curiosity. ¡°Answers on what?¡±


    ¡°Why?¡± Maggie asked, ¡°Why the fuck, Jack? Why have you been after me since the day I was fucking ?!¡±


    ¡°You exist,¡± Jack taunted her. ¡°Isn¡¯t it enough, sis?¡±


    ¡°Nope, or else you wouldn¡¯t be so fixated on offing me,¡± she replied. ¡°There¡¯s something deeper. I want to know why before I blow your brains out.¡±


    ¡°Big talk for a crybaby who lived too long.¡±


    ¡°Answer the question, asshole.¡±


    Jack knew he should kill her and be done with it... but she was right. All the feelings he had bottled up for years came at the forefront and exploded.


    ¡°I did it because I you.¡±


    The sheer venom in Jack¡¯s voice made her wince.


    ¡°Do you know how it is to lie to yourself and everyone all the time? To force yourself to smile, because that¡¯s what is expected of you? To go through daily motions like some puppet, because deep down, there¡¯s ?¡±


    He remembered these long, tiring years of emptiness, sleepwalking through life.


    ¡°All my life, I¡¯ve known nothing of joy,¡± Jack ranted, his flames turning blue while answering his emotions. ¡°I kept smiling while screaming inside. My whole , people kept me prisoner. Dad made me his heir and the tool of his friend¡¯s little cult; I dated Sam because it was expected. I did nothing of my own free-will because society wouldn¡¯t accept me for who I truly was.¡±


    ¡°A monster?¡± She spat it out with disgust. ¡°You¡¯re angry at society for not letting you be a monster?¡±


    ¡°You say that because it was easy for you to fit in,¡± Jack replied with the same tone, ¡°Looking you¡­ being so with Sam, and Perse... not happy, it was torture. It all came to you so easily, these ¡®connections.¡¯ They disgusted me¡­ yet I also envied them, somewhat. I wanted them. I did everything I could to get them, online or in person. It never worked. It never clicked. I was born .¡±


    His sister¡¯s hold on her guns wavered a bit. Fear? No. ? Did she him? The thought infuriated him.


    ¡°But then, when the flames of my better half purified me, I realized I didn¡¯t others to be happy,¡± Jack replied, raising his hand and looking at the flames within. ¡°The secret of happiness is accepting for you are, and living for yourself. This¡­ this face?¡±


    He pointed at his fiery visage. ¡°This is the real me. Not Jack Powells, not the police chief¡¯s son, not the Malebranche¡¯s henchman nor Miss Perfect¡¯s boyfriend. That¡¯s . I don¡¯t need anyone else¡¯s approval to be happy. I don¡¯t need . I don¡¯t want to be human anymore. I¡¯m finally free.¡±


    A stray spell hit the pit behind him, causing some rubble to fall on the Worldshaker.


    ¡°Every moment during which you breathe devalues me¡­ prevents me from being free of my past, of this cursed life of torment I left behind,¡± the fiend said, finally deciding to cut through the chitchat. ¡°So just fall over and DIE!¡±


    He blasted her with a sea of blue flames, waiting for the screams.


    They never came.


    ¡° was your reason?¡±


    Much to Jack¡¯s surprise, she walked out of the fire, unharmed. His flames licked her body without harming her at all, and she aimed both her guns at his face.


    ¡°You¡¯re such a , Jack.¡±


    Two bullets hit his skull right in the forehead.


    This time, it hurt.


    Spell of the Day


    Magnawave


    Affinity: Red


    Dot: 3


    Price: 9-15


    Activation: Passive, Thought.


    The user¡¯s body can produce microwaves at will, both for offense or defense.

 Chapter 71: Invisible Walls

    Maggie shot Jack in the face, the powered bullet bouncing off his skull with a crack.


    The furious monster which she had once called her brother let out a mad wail, as he erupted like a volcano. The flames making up his body extended in all directions, bathing the area in fire.


    Maggie felt the fire lick her skin and clothes, but didn¡¯t feel any burns. Jack¡¯s power couldn¡¯t overcome Kagutsuchi¡¯s blessing.


    She surged forward, channeling all the pent-up rage and frustration she ever had buried in her heart; years of abuse and overwhelming anger at his repeated murder attempts powered her as much as adrenaline did. She shot him thrice more in the chest, lightning coursing through her body as she activated her other spells.


    Realizing his flames wouldn¡¯t win him the day, Jack called upon other spells. ¡°Magnawave!¡± He fired a crimson beam at his sister, but her enhanced reflexes allowed her to dodge. ¡°Stockmight.¡±


    This time, her bullets didn¡¯t quite work; the impact¡¯s energy absorbed by her brother. He immediately attempted close-combat, his fiery claws extended to tear her throat apart.


    ¡°You have vexed me since the day you were born!¡± he snarled, as she moved fast enough to dodge.


    ¡°I should have shot your psycho-ass dead years ago!¡± She responded with bolts of lightning, but his peculiar body somehow made him immune.


    None of them could truly harm the other, or not with their conventional abilities.


    Unfortunately, the chaos on the battlefield around them had only intensified, and Concordian forces moved to put them down.


    Two orange armored sorcerers floated above them, casting a spell. Within seconds, they launched a volley of stones at the duo as fast as bullets. Both of the Powells jumped into the pit containing the Worldshaker to escape, the projectiles devastating the spot where they used to stand.


    Maggie landed on the thick, black metal structure, as did Jack. No sooner did he land, that he propelled himself at her by channeling explosive flames through his feet. Maggie sidestepped at the last second. The green light he emitted began to grow stronger, bathing the area in dangerous radiation.


    Maggie had cast Adaptator on herself, a Dot Three Green Spell allowing her body to adapt to dangerous environmental conditions. She could have survived a trek through Chernobyl, maybe the direct aftermath of a nuclear holocaust. But there were limits to what life could endure through.


    A group of rebooted Gearsmen pursued the siblings into the pit, raining beams upon them. None of the blasts damaged the burned Worldshaker, nor did the central intelligence care about waking it up.


    While Maggie kept dodging, the slower Jack took a beam head-on, retaliating by blasting one of the attackers above. The Orange Sorcerers followed the Gearsmen, reinforcing them with spells.


    Jack and Maggie temporarily halted their blood feud to focus on the meddlers, retaliating with projectiles of their own. The Orange Sorcerers, showing extreme teamwork and coordination, summoned a shield of stone to protect themselves, leaving the Gearsmen to attack. Since beams didn¡¯t work, the machines landed on the ground next to the Powells and moved to smash them.


    The Concordian sorcerers cast more spells to enhance the Gearsmen, allowing the machines to move faster and turning their fists to diamond. Jack melted them before they could reach him, but Maggie had a much harder time. Unlike her brother, the empowered machines could match her in speed.


    Maggie then aimed her shots to hit the eyes of the Gearsmen, blinding them; while they shared senses, once all of them were damaged, they would prove useless.


    While Jack was kept busy by Gearsmen, the Concordian sorcerers targeted Maggie, raining sharpened stone shards at the speed of bullets. Running for her life, Maggie ran across the surface of the Worldshaker, but the number of attacks overwhelmed her. One of the Gearsmen managed to exploit an opening and hit her in the chest.


    Without her Powersurge, the blow would have thorn Maggie in half. Instead, it shattered some ribs and sent her to crash against one of the pit¡¯s cliffs.


    Dizzied, Maggie couldn¡¯t rise back up fast enough, as the Gearsmen moved to smash her dead.


    A ray of energy blew the creature before it could reach her.


    ¡°Mine!¡± A furious Jack cackled, before aiming at Maggie himself with cruel spite.


    The watcher had seen enough. He was finally within range.


    ¡°Accel Recursion.¡±


    S~ea??h the N??elFir§×.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    As Maggie regained control of herself, she was welcomed with the sight of Shroud standing protectively in front of her, and Jack screaming at a lost arm.


    He had rushed as quickly as he could to her location, while still coordinating the overall assault from afar. ¡°Heal,¡± he cast on his friend, while Jack moved to reattach his arm to himself. One of the Concordian soldiers fell dead on the Worldshaker¡¯s surface, while Kari jumped at the other from behind, both crashing outside the pit.


    His teammate didn¡¯t appreciate his help, at all. ¡°Get out of here, Matt.¡±


    ¡°Maggie¡ª¡±


    ¡°Get out of my fucking way!¡± she snarled at him angrily. ¡°He¡¯s mine! I don¡¯t need your help!¡±


    ¡°Come on, sis, don¡¯t spoil my fun,¡± Jack replied, glaring balefully at Mathias. ¡°I¡¯ve been looking forward to completing my set of dead Martels for a long, long while!¡±


    It took a of willpower for Shroud not to fall for the taunt, but he shrugged off. ¡°The only one dying today is you, Jack.¡±


    ¡°So you don¡¯t care about your dad?¡± Jack taunted him back, blasting the last Gearsman in the way apart. ¡°I figured you would be a bit like me, to be one of the chosen.¡±


    Shroud ignored the madman¡¯s ramblings, eyeing the Network feeds of the other Dragonslayers, who were moving into position. Meanwhile, the Arizona Zone¡¯s vines had started overwhelming the Gearsman colossus, while the Players¡¯ summoned creatures helped tear it apart. After the initial shock of the Malebranche¡¯s arrival, the Magik Online players had managed to seize back control of the battle¡¯s tempo.


    ¡°What are you trying to do here, Jack? Wake the Worldshaker and blow up the US? We won¡¯t let you.¡±


    ¡°You think you can take me on, Matt?¡± Jack threatened, gathering a sphere of Red Flux in the palm of his hands. ¡°Last time we fought, you could barely hold your own.¡±


    Funny. That wasn¡¯t how he remembered it.


    ¡°Soundwave!¡± Maggie spoke with anger, her words reverberating into a sonic shockwave carefully directed at her brother. The vibrations extinguished some of the flames making up Jack¡¯s body, revealing a charred, black skeleton underneath. The Red Sorcerer powered through though and launched the sphere at his nemesis.


    Using Mirror Master, Shroud called upon a tentacled beast from another plane and turned it into a shield. The sphere exploded on impact, vaporizing the creature, but allowing the two sorcerers to run away.


    ¡°Get back here, sis!¡± Jack snarled, his flames once again covering his body and turning green. Maggie moved to intercept him, without waiting for her ally.


    ¡°Maggie, stop!¡± Shroud shouted at her.


    ¡°Fuck off!¡± she replied circling around Jack while firing bullets at him. Jack retaliated with atomic rays, whose greenish light melted stone and metal on contact. In spite of her immense speed, Maggie was only a breath away from instant death.


    Unfortunately, she moved in ways that made it impossible for Shroud to avoid friendly fire. Since Shroud¡¯s Synergize should prevent it, that meant she did it intentionally, to keep him out of the fight.


    ¡°You¡¯re not him!¡± Shroud shouted back. ¡°He¡¯s dragging you down to his level!¡±


    ¡°I can take him on by myself!¡± Maggie charged more Red Flux into her guns, turning two bullets into crimson shooting stars. Jack¡¯s protective spells tanked the blows easily enough.


    Shroud wanted to say, but wisely shut up. She couldn¡¯t defeat fire with fire, and almost all her offensive spells were Red ones. Energy. Jack was made of that stuff, knew it; as much as he knew he couldn¡¯t win without dividing his foes. If only his sister wasn¡¯t blinded by her rage, the same way Mathias had been.


    She was regressing; she had reached out to him when he lost his father, learned lessons, only for her to throw them away.


    Jack had a way to get under people¡¯s skin.


    Shroud flew above the battlefield to get a better vision of the area, unleashing a storm of glass shards upon Jack when he saw an opening. They would melt upon close proximity, trapping him the same way he had done so on Concordia.


    ¡°You think this will work twice, Matt?¡± Jack taunted him, before letting out a sinister wail. ¡°Soundwave!¡±


    His words turned into a brutal vibration, shattering all shards in close proximity and even making Shroud¡¯s armor crack in spite of the distance.


    However, what surprised him the most was a bullet missing him. A warning shot.


    ¡°Get the fuck out, nerd!¡± Maggie pointed a gun at him, and another at an amused Jack. ¡°I¡¯m not going to ask again! I don¡¯t need your help!¡±


    ¡°Maggie¡ª¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t need !¡±


    ¡°And look where this led !¡± Shroud replied, pointing a finger at the fiery abomination.


    The words made Maggie wince, while Jack cackled. ¡°Powerful?¡± the madman taunted, forming another sphere of red flux in his palm. ¡°Can¡¯t believe you¡¯re still listening to him, sis. Then again, you were always the one to cry to Dad whenever things went wrong.¡±


    ¡°Shut up!¡± Maggie snarled back, Shroud sensing his opening slip away.


    ¡°Do you want to become , Maggie?¡± Shroud continued, sensing her doubts. ¡°A hateful monster with nothing, no one? Pushing people away is not strength, Maggie. It¡¯s weakness born of fear. Fear of others, of yourself. Jack is , Maggie!¡±


    While his words made Maggie confused, they infuriated Jack. ¡°I¡¯m not afraid!¡± the monster snarled, firing the sphere at him instead of his sister.


    Shroud moved shards around the sphere like a prison, containing and redirecting the sphere towards the skies, the explosion blasting clouds. ¡°Maggie, if you really want to fight on your own, then¡­¡± He pointed a finger at his helmet. ¡°Shoot me down. Because I¡¯m never going to stop.¡±


    ¡°What the fuck, Matt¡ª¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m never going to stop being at your side!¡± Shroud continued. ¡°Just like you came for me against Smokefang, Lugh, Blackcinders! Don¡¯t you see, Maggie? You have nothing to prove to Jack! By making friends, by getting people to care for you for who you are, you have already beaten him!¡±


    ¡°What did you dare say, Matt?¡± Jack tried to intimidate him, as the bully he was.


    ¡°He isn¡¯t happy, Maggie!¡± Shroud ignored his old rival, ¡°He is alone and miserable! And since he can¡¯t be happy, hehurts people and drags them down to his level! He¡¯s making you regress because it helps him feel powerful!¡±


    With fury in his eyes, Jack pointed his palms to the ground, unleashing a stream of fire from them and propelling himself at Shroud.


    ¡°Now!¡± the Dragonslayer shouted.


    Immediately, Sol and Mur jumped into sight from the edge of the pit to intercept Jack; the first protected by a white barrier, the second by Adamant¡¯s armored plates. Surprised, Jack attempted to blast them, but Sol sliced at him midfall, cutting ribcage bones.


    ¡°Crimson Requiem!¡± Jack¡¯s hand stopped powering his flight and instead moved to grab Sol. Mur acted faster, smashing his chest with his hammer. The sheer power of the blow perforated Jack¡¯s chest and propelled him afar.


    All three landed on the Worldshaker¡¯s surface, or to be more precise, Sol and Mur landed, while Jack crashed.


    ¡°Are you alright?¡± Sol asked as he regrouped with the rest of the group.


    ¡°You cowardly weaklings!¡± Jack hissed, struggling to get back to his feet. ¡°You can¡¯t even fight me by yourself, sis!¡±


    But Maggie didn¡¯t answer. She looked down at her brother, then at the other Dragonslayers, a veil lifted from her eyes.


    ¡°Gone deaf, huh?¡± Jack shrugged before forming another sphere in his palm.


    A crimson bullet hit it before it could finish forming, dispelling it.


    ¡°You don¡¯t like that, do you?¡± Maggie finally spoke up, both guns pointed at her brother. ¡°Seeing my team help me. It really gets under your skin. You it.¡±


    ¡°Fuck off, sis.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s the real you there, right? The petty bastard bullying his little sister because she had it better than you?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m the strongest. I was chosen!¡±


    ¡°She has allies willing to take a stand and risk their lives for her,¡± Shroud replied. ¡°Who fights by your side, Jack? Chosen? Open your eyes. You are alone. As the Maleking promised, you are already in .¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s where real power is!¡± Jack snarled back with disgust, before glaring at his sister, unaware of the figure slipping up behind him. ¡°You¡¯re weak! You could never be strong by yourself!¡±


    Shroud thought, but Maggie put him down without help. ¡°No, you¡¯re the weak one,¡± the sorceress shook her head. ¡°I see it, now. Me, Matt¡¯s dad¡­ you always attacked people who couldn¡¯t fight back. You never put your life on the line, like I did. You¡¯re a fucking .¡±


    ¡°Shut your mouth! I saw you cry in fear in that warehouse¡­ who was the coward back then?¡±


    ¡°And who¡¯s the one struggling to stand up ?¡± She looked down on her brother with disgust and a hint of pity. ¡°You¡¯re making me forget¡­ Ace. You¡¯re making me forget what matters. Trying to make like you. But I¡¯m not. I will be as fucked up as . And if accepting help makes you feel miserable, then I¡¯m going to do it! I won¡¯t allow you to dictate how I live ever again!¡±


    Jack glared back, but the fire in his eyes wavered. Shroud sensed his emotions shift through Network. His anger changed into doubt as he looked at the Dragonslayers¡¯ united front, then a hint of envy.


    But just as swiftly, these conflicting emotions fed his fury anew.


    ¡°I¡¯m in Hell? I will show you Hell!¡± Jack snarled, his fiery body becoming blinding light. ¡°Fire and brimstones!¡±


    A golden claw beheaded him from behind, extinguishing his flames¡ªand his life.


    Having slipped closer to Jack while he was busy ranting, Kari revealed herself in her golden glory. The hellish fire making up the monster died out, and within seconds, only charred bones remained behind.


    ¡°All that power, wasted,¡± Mur looked down on Jack¡¯s corpse with contempt.


    ¡°Power you cannot control is no power at all,¡± Shroud replied. In the end, Jack was too unstable and crazy to make good use of the gifts given to him.


    Once, the Blue Sorcerer thought he would feel some catharsis at the sight, but the outcome had only left him unsatisfied¡­ empty, even. His father¡¯s murder had been avenged, but he didn¡¯t find any joy in the act.


    The Blue Sorcerer turned to Maggie, who had been denied the final blow. ¡°Are you happy?¡±


    ¡°No,¡± she replied bluntly. ¡°It¡¯s¡­ nowhere near as satisfying as I expected.¡±


    Sharpshoot had thought her brother¡¯s death would give her closure, but it didn¡¯t. She would have to live with it.


    ¡°Let¡¯s move on,¡± Shroud ordered, the Dragonslayers dispersing to return to the fight. With the Worldshaker undisturbed, they still had the Concordian and Malebranche forces left to deal with. Maggie followed after a last glance at her brother¡¯s corpse, before throwing herself into the battle.


    Shroud received a notification from the Administrator.


    ADMINISTRATOR: I understand what is happening, Mathias.


    SHROUD: Network is usurping Magik. I can already redistribute accounts to others.


    ADMINISTRATOR: Yes¡­ and no. You have already been granted Administrator privileges by Magik, but this is no usurpation¡­ it is a fusion.


    SHROUD: Come again?


    ADMINISTRATOR: Network and my own Distributor Lock were meant to merge into the ultimate Lock, as Manus intended. Concordia interrupted the process before it could finalize, but it has now started again.


    SHROUD: But if it¡¯s anything like what Manus intended, then one of us will overwhelm the other.


    ADMINISTRATOR: And your Lock overpowers mine.


    The Administrator was dying.


    No.


    Not on his watch.


    Shroud immediately closed his eyes, focusing on the pathways of his Lock, the invisible connections binding them together. He left his body to become pure information, his sight replaced with the thousands of people whom he oversaw.


    Network had acted up, overtaking Magik Online¡¯s connection like an invasive plant worming its way into a wall. The same process which had taken down Aster now repeated itself on a grander scale, with a few key differences. The mental distance between his own Lock and Magik had reduced, the hub of connection drawn closer to himself.


    His mind slipped through the pathway linking him to Magik Online, hoping to halt the progress.


    But his Lock refused to obey him.


    He had always suspected his power had a will of its own, and this just confirmed it.


    Returning to reality, Shroud cursed, even as the Players managed to blow up the Gearsman¡¯s colossus chest plate, revealing a UB guiding it. One of them managed to land a fatal blow at the central system, causing the giant to glitch out.


    SHROUD: I can¡¯t stop the progress. Network no longer obeys me.


    ADMINISTRATOR: It is because your Lock is incomplete. Now I see what is happening. What you¡­ what we are becoming.


    SHROUD: An archmagus?


    ADMINISTRATOR: Another system. Another Dis.


    Players'' Stats


    Account


    Magik Administrator


    NameShroudNetworkProgressHolderMathias MartelBroadcastUnlockedLevel3 (Magister)Grant SpellUnlockedAffinityBlueSynergizeUnlockedLockNetworkLocked Feature(3/7)Spellcoins to Assign51Overlock(0/1)Stored Saves5Save?Load?Locks Stored4Assign?Consume?Spell CompendiumNameDotAffinityPremium Thoughts1BlueBabel1BluePurge1GreenAccel1WhiteRuin Mode1BlackBeastmaster2BlueMindshield2BlueDoppelganger2BlueHeal2GreenPowersurge2GreenLightbringer2Red/OrangeMad World2Blue/GreenGlass Field2Blue/OrangeWinterfold2BlackMaster Mirror3Blue/Orange/VioletRecursion3BlackAccountDragonslayers GuildNameYoshikageOversoulProgressHolderKari MatsumotoRememberUnlockedLevel3 (Magister)Channel SoulUnlockedAffinityYellowLocked Feature(1/3)LockOversoulLocked Feature(0/7)Spellcoins21Overlock(0/1)Spell CompendiumNameDotAffinityBabel1BlueWallcraw1GreenPeak1GreenNeedless1GreenWard1YellowDoom Sense1YellowSpiritsight1YellowDeathgem1YellowDreamwalker2YellowPowersurge2GreenHands of Slaughter3Yellow/Violet/RedSpaceslash3VioletTulpa3YellowAccountDragonslayers GuildNameThe Mur!AdamantProgressHolderMurmur the ImpHarderUnlockedLevel3 (Magister)FasterUnlockedAffinityOrangeLocked Feature(0/3)LockAdamantLocked Feature(0/7)Spellcoins29Overlock(0/1)Spell CompendiumNameDotAffinityReinforce1OrangeDiceweight1OrangePitborn2Green/RedFormless2OrangeHomunculus2OrangeIntegrator2OrangeReload2VioletTimeloop3VioletCarbonskin3OrangeAccountDragonslayers GuildNameDocInseminateProgressHolderNathaniel StitchSpawnUnlockedLevel3 (Magister)IncubateUnlockedAffinityGreenLocked Feature(0/3)LockInseminateLocked Feature(0/7)Spellcoins18Overlock(0/1)Spell CompendiumNameDotAffinityPremium Thoughts1BlueIntuimotion1BluePsychometry1BlueDeathgem1YellowDoom Sense1YellowSpiritsight1YellowTimesense1VioletPathfinder1VioletAlchemic Grasp1OrangeFlux Sight1WhiteAccel1White


    AccountDragonslayers GuildNameSharpshootSpellgunProgressHolderMaggie Jesse PowellsCrimson BulletUnlockedLevel3 (Magister)Homing BulletUnlockedAffinityRedLocked Feature(0/3)LockSpellgunLocked Feature(0/7)Spellcoins17Overlock(0/1)Spell CompendiumNameDotAffinityStockmight1RedBabel1BlueAccel1WhiteThunderling2Green/RedBullseye2Violet/BlueSoundwave2RedLightningrod2RedAdaptator3GreenAccountDragonslayers Guild ModeratorNameSolAegisProgressHolderSolomon NicholaeSpell MartyrUnlockedLevel3 (Magister)Accel AllyUnlockedAffinityWhiteLocked Feature(0/3)LockAegisLocked Feature(0/7)Spellcoins51Overlock(0/1)Spell CompendiumNameDotAffinityPeak1GreenNeedless1GreenBabel1BlueBlue World1BlueQuasar1RedBiosurge1RedReinforce1OrangeEncode1WhiteSpell Syphon1WhiteAccel1WhiteForcefield3Red


    Spell of the Day


    Negafield


    Affinity: Black


    Dot: 3


    Price: 18


    Activation: Active, Thought.


    Becoming darkness incarnate, the user surrounds their body with a layer of black flux which disintegrates anything on contact; in this form, the user can ignore gravity and fly while ignoring resistance of any kind. However, the spellcaster also suffers from complete sensory deprivation, except a rough awareness of whatever they hit. The caster can return to their original form with a thought.

 Chapter 72: From Ashes

    The canyon stank of death and ashes.


    Shroud oversaw the ruins of the battlefield from above, with Players and other resistance members securing the remains of the Gearsman Colossus, the Worldshaker, and the Concordian facility. Other flyers assisted him in securing the perimeter, and hunt the stragglers.


    The contrast between the various armies couldn¡¯t be clearer. After the Players managed to take down the colossus, the Concordians forces had fought to the last soldier with zeal, to the point the Players hadn¡¯t managed to take any prisoners. Meanwhile, the Malebranche had opted to disperse and retreat soon after Jack bit the dust, only for the survivors to spread across the Canyon and harass the human forces through isolated ambushes. Hit and run.


    While the Zone provided Magik Online users with additional protections, it would take them days, if not weeks, to eliminate the last of the survivors.


    Shroud wondered what had been the plan of the attack. Probably to wake the Worldshaker and set it loose on Concordian forces, but only Jack had made a break for the ancient weapon. The rest had simply¡­ fought for nothing. They didn¡¯t try to secure any areas or take out key targets.


    The killing wasn¡¯t a means to the Malebranche. It was an end in itself.


    A small group of Players, Stitch, and Sol included tended to the wounded and the dead. The former were provided with healing spells, and the latter gathered. The bio-soldiers, Arcadian Reavers, or advanced Gearsmen would be looted for any useful technology they could repurpose to their own needs, and the humans buried.


    Overall, Shroud¡¯s allies only had to mourn three hundred victims, mostly NPCs. They would have suffered a lot more losses without his own Synergy or the Zone¡¯s assistance, but they had walked out of the battle with most of their forces unscathed.


    For the first time in history, mankind had won a large battle against Concordia.


    Quest: Together We Stand, complete!


    You earned 15 Spellcoins and a Bonus Dot Three Spell of your choice!


    He would cash in by buying a Black Spell since those cost the most Spellcoins.


    It was a cause for celebration, and a part of him rejoiced over it. But the sorcerer had a feeling things would only get more dire from now on.


    Shroud absentmindedly glanced at his Network feeds, and a few people to whom he had assigned a Lock after the fiasco. His power recovered the accounts of the dead Players he had networked, allowing him to reassign them afterward. They kept the spells, the Lock, and the spellcoins of the previous holder.


    How would he have reacted, if he had that power back when Ace had been alive? If he had a last reminder of her?


    Shroud pushed away these thoughts, contacting Atalanta on the ground through Network. ¡°All clear,¡± he said, after finishing his tour. ¡°The facility is secure.¡±


    ¡°Good,¡± she replied, but the Moderator¡¯s heart wasn¡¯t in it. ¡°There¡¯s at least one secure place in the world for us, now.¡±


    The sorcerer glanced up to the skies above; the sun was down, leaving way for the alien stars which had replaced the old Milky Way.


    The heavens were ablaze. Crimson sparks lit up in the darkness, as did rays of light. Sometimes, he noticed fiery shapes falling to the ground, far away onto the American landscape.


    ¡°How bad is it?¡± Shroud asked, not having checked the Magik forums yet.


    ¡°Worldwide chaos. The Malebranche has opened Gates , and the Sponsors are issuing new, dangerous quests like crazy. Here.¡±


    She sent him a message through Magik.


    Flowers of the Apocalypse


    Difficulty: Dot Four.


    Sponsor: Romulus.


    Celia, the Horseman of Death, has been sighted in the ashen ruins of Russia; she is raising millions of victims from the Conquest War as an undead army and will march with it towards Europe. The Violet Minister, Brina, has already moved to intercept her with forces of her own, but whoever wins will not have our interests at heart. Destroy the Horseman of Death, and if possible, the Violet Minister.


    Reward: 20 Spellcoins + one free Dot Four Spell.


    Failure: Death/Undeath.


    The Pandorian Syndrome


    Difficulty: Dot Four.


    Sponsor: Angel Lord.


    Mammon''s mothership has landed in Antarctica, near the black hole caused by the corrupted Black Tower. According to our spies, among the items boarded on it are a Black Flux Bomb and countless soul gems. We believe the Midnight King intends to use the tower''s baleful energies to cast a dangerous spell; one which could end the world, before the Maleking even arrives. Stop Mammon, and take him down once and for all.


    Reward: 20 Spellscoins + one free Dot Four Spell.


    Failure: Mammon casts the darkest spell and/or oblivion.


    Celia and Brina in the north, Mammon in the south, both equally dangerous¡­ and these were just some of the most pressing problems. His Network was another, as was Blackcinders¡¯ superweapon on the Moon; and most importantly, Wyrde herself.


    A global war had started, and he wouldn¡¯t be able to fight on all fronts at once. He would have to make choices.


    ¡°Also, one of the Sponsors is down there. Romulus.¡±


    Mars.


    Shroud immediately returned to the camp, passing over Ulysses and Maggie discussing something, Mur collecting tooth trophies from the fallen, and Kari surveying the canyon from over a cliff, like a hawk.


    He found Mars waiting for him in front of the command tent. The Sponsor drew glances from the various people present through his sheer, overmighty presence alone. The military god invited Shroud inside the tent as he landed, his eyes indecipherable.


    As the Dragonslayer found himself alone with his main supporter, Mars cast a spell, probably to reduce sound and ensure intimacy. ¡°The Administrator informed me,¡± he said, ¡°of your problem.¡±


    Shroud nodded, expecting the ax to fall.


    ¡°Truth to be told¡­ I expected it to happen,¡± Mars said. ¡°A part of me even hoped that it would. If you can even gain an ounce of the power of Dis, then this would tremendously help us win the war.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s a big gamble,¡± Shroud replied. ¡°We don¡¯t know what the Administrator and I will become should this program be allowed to run its course. I could become a monster, or worse. There are too many unknowns.¡±


    ¡°I know a place where we can get answers. Where it all began.¡±


    ¡°Evermarsh?¡± Shroud frowned. ¡°No. My mother.¡±


    ¡°Her hidden lab where the incident two years ago happened, in the old Silicon Valley,¡± Mars confirmed. ¡°Concordia seized the lab and hid it under a Dynamis office, but the past is not so easily erased.¡±


    ¡°Dynamis?¡± The company where he used to work?


    ¡°I do not think this is a coincidence, because is ever a coincidence,¡± Mars replied. ¡°It was linked to Grimsour¡¯s conglomerate, and it recovered parts of Melusine¡¯s research after her ¡®disappearance¡¯.¡±


    Wyrde had always been watching him since that event. Lovely. At least he had met the Werners through that company. ¡°How is California?¡±


    ¡°Under attack, like everywhere.¡± The deity shook his head. ¡°We coordinate with the other Sponsors the best we can, but chaos reigns supreme. No major city is facing a Malebranche incursion of some kind, and this is only Earth; even with Wyrde on it, the majority of their forces are spread across the cosmos.¡±


    Shroud could only imagine the scale of the conflict. The mere fact he could see explosions happening outside the atmosphere while on the ground was proof enough. ¡°I believe things may get worse,¡± the Blue Sorcerer said. ¡°It is no coincidence that Concordia tried to unearth the Worldshaker under the Canyon.¡±


    ¡°Since they can respond to Terminal, we can only assume Wyrde may intend to use them as a weapon of last resort,¡± Mars noted, frowning behind his helmet. ¡°Can you control them?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t think so,¡± Shroud shook his head. ¡°Once activated, they will act on their own.¡±


    ¡°But you cannot say for certain. This is yet another reason to investigate; with Concordia¡¯s attention distracted by the Malebranche, this may be now or never.¡±


    ¡°Then I will tell my team¡ª¡±


    ¡°No,¡± Mars replied. ¡°Your group will be needed on other fronts, and the fewer people compromised, the better.¡±


    ¡°Compromised?¡± Shroud frowned. ¡°You don¡¯t trust my teammates?¡±


    ¡°They have more than proved themselves, but we can no longer afford any mistakes. If they get captured, Concordia has the means to extract information from their brains, as they did yours; and they will be needed there. No, Mathias. We will go together, the two of us.¡±


    Shroud wanted to blurt out the same logic applied to the war god but shut his mouth. He was already in a very precarious position, and Mars commanded Magik Online¡¯s Players. He had become a soldier in a war, and he better should learn to act like it.


    ¡­


    But he couldn¡¯t compromise on that part.


    ¡°I¡¯m not leaving my team in the dark.¡± He welcomed Mars¡¯ eerie silence with a steely gaze. ¡°I need them.¡±


    ¡°I enabled you a lot, Mathias,¡± the war god replied. ¡°But this is war, and counterintelligence can make or break us.¡±


    ¡°They¡¯re part of the reason I beat Aster,¡± Shroud pointed out. ¡°My power is only as great as my Network¡¯s reach.¡±


    ¡°I thought the fact Concordian did pull that kind of long con would teach you wariness, and the need for information control.¡±


    ¡°It also taught me that isolation brings weakness.¡± Shroud shook his head. ¡°I have seen too many sorcerers go off the deep end to trust myself, especially with my Lock going haywire. If I escalate the way Jack did-¡±


    ¡°I will pull the plug myself,¡± Mars said.


    ¡°I would prefer my team to be the ones to handle it,¡± Shroud replied. ¡°I owe them as much, and keeping them in the dark will only shake their trust in me further. Keep secrets from me and us, if you feel it¡¯s best. But I will not leave them behind. We are a set.¡±


    The war god¡¯s peered through him and into his soul, his eyes calculating. Shroud could almost guess his whole thought process, even if Network didn¡¯t activate.


    ¡°We all leave,¡± Mars finally spoke.


    ¡°When?¡± Shroud asked.


    ¡°As soon as possible,¡± Mars answered, putting both arms behind his back. ¡°Time is of the essence, and you will be redeployed on another front right afterward. You will need the Needless Spell. Fifteen minutes, then we teleport away. No being late.¡±


    Shroud bowed respectfully, then left the tent. He didn¡¯t need Network to understand the hidden message.


    From now on, there wouldn¡¯t be much time to rest. The next weeks, if not days, would be decisive. A grueling race ending in a confrontation with Wyrde¡­ and his mother.


    Thankfully, he only had to step out to find Maggie and Sol; they must have followed him here. ¡°We have to go right now,¡± Shroud warned them at once. ¡°I¡¯m not sure when we will be back, so travel light.¡±


    ¡°Why are we wandering off again?¡± Solomon shook his head. ¡°To what point? I do not like it, Mathias. The war is there, but we have no plan yet.¡±


    ¡°Orders from above, I will brief you on the way,¡± the Blue Sorcerer replied. He glanced at Maggie, who had kept a somber face since Jack¡¯s death. ¡°You¡¯re holding up?¡±


    ¡°Yeah.¡± She wasn¡¯t, but at least she sounded better than a few hours ago. ¡°I¡¯ll be fine. I¡¯m not alone in this.¡±


    At long last, she had accepted a support system. Shroud couldn¡¯t feel prouder of her; relieved that she wouldn¡¯t go down the same path he had seen other sorcerers venture down.


    ¡°There are issues we must address in our group, Mathias,¡± Solomon admitted. ¡°I¡¯m worried about Stitch. He is carrying himself in battle, but I can tell there has been a shift in his attitude lately. He seems more¡­ impulsive.¡±


    The Lifeforge¡¯s influence must be starting to get to him. How would he react if separated from it? Probably badly. ¡°We must avoid browbeating him,¡± Shroud said, hoping the trip would give him insight unto Dis and its purpose, ¡°For now, we need to keep the boat afloat by any means necessary, for there is a mighty storm brewing ahead.¡±


    ¡°Mathias, you are the glue holding that ship together,¡± Solomon countered. ¡°I cannot reach out to Stitch the way you do.¡±


    He would have to, unfortunately. Shroud wanted the group to remain even in case of his own death, hence why he had suggested his oldest friend take over as Moderator. ¡°You will do fine. I may be the glue, Sol, but you are the pillar. Every member of this team respects you, even Mur, and he¡¯s a petty bastard who never listens.¡±


    ¡°Thank you,¡± Solomon replied with courtesy, ever the humble man. ¡°But when the time comes to confront him, you should participate.¡±


    ¡°Yeah, nerd,¡± Maggie supported the priest. ¡°You¡¯ve got to practice what you preached me.¡±


    ¡°I know,¡± Shroud replied. ¡°After the trip, we may tackle one dangerous quest among many; with the chaos around, we may lose our own support system at one point. In this case, we will be on our own.¡±


    ¡°Which quest?¡± Maggie replied, ¡°We¡¯ve got enemies everywhere now.¡±


    ¡°I strongly feel we should not separate,¡± Sol continued. ¡°We are only as strong as when we are united; divided, we fall.¡±


    Yes. Shroud would rather fight with his allies close, and on a purely tactical angle, the group had learned to fight together as one unit over time. They would work better as a strike team, rather than spread on various fronts.


    But that would mean that they would have to make difficult choices. They wouldn¡¯t be everywhere at once.


    ¡°We will stick together, no matter where it leads us,¡± Shroud replied, his eyes meeting Maggie¡¯s. Something in her gaze told him she would rather interpret that sentence in¡­ another way.


    ¡°Matt, after we¡¯re done,¡± she asked. ¡°With the war¡­¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t know,¡± he cut her off, knowing what she wanted to ask him, but couldn¡¯t spell out. ¡°I don¡¯t know.¡±


    She accepted his decision without a word.


    He would have wanted to say yes, but deep down, Shroud doubted they would walk the same path after this conflict. Even though he hoped the trip would enlighten him more, the sorcerer already had a theory for the reason behind this chaos, and it terrified him.


    Ashmal had said Dis, and the will at its center was a parasite. Feeding on worlds, on people, and using its sorcerers as tools to spread. A computer virus using the resources of its host to duplicate. To create seeds called Terminals, incubate them in its bowels, and then launching them across the cosmos.


    Multiplication.


    This wasn¡¯t a game, or a conspiracy serving a grand goal.


    This was a reproduction cycle.


    Players'' Stats


    Account


    Magik Administrator


    NameShroudNetworkProgressHolderMathias MartelBroadcastUnlockedLevel3 (Magister)Grant SpellUnlockedAffinityBlueSynergizeUnlockedLockNetworkLocked Feature(5/7)Spellcoins to Assign66Overlock(0/1)Stored Saves5Save?Load?Locks Stored4Assign?Consume?Spell CompendiumNameDotAffinityPremium Thoughts1BlueBabel1BluePurge1GreenAccel1WhiteRuin Mode1BlackBeastmaster2BlueMindshield2BlueDoppelganger2BlueHeal2GreenPowersurge2GreenLightbringer2Red/OrangeMad World2Blue/GreenGlass Field2Blue/OrangeWinterfold2BlackMaster Mirror3Blue/Orange/VioletRecursion3BlackAccountDragonslayers GuildNameYoshikageOversoulProgressHolderKari MatsumotoRememberUnlockedLevel3 (Magister)Channel SoulUnlockedAffinityYellowLocked Feature(1/3)LockOversoulLocked Feature(0/7)Spellcoins36Overlock(0/1)Spell CompendiumNameDotAffinityBabel1BlueWallcraw1GreenPeak1GreenNeedless1GreenWard1YellowDoom Sense1YellowSpiritsight1YellowDeathgem1YellowDreamwalker2YellowPowersurge2GreenHands of Slaughter3Yellow/Violet/RedSpaceslash3VioletTulpa3YellowAccountDragonslayers GuildNameThe Mur!AdamantProgressHolderMurmur the ImpHarderUnlockedLevel3 (Magister)FasterUnlockedAffinityOrangeLocked Feature(0/3)LockAdamantLocked Feature(0/7)Spellcoins44Overlock(0/1)Spell CompendiumNameDotAffinityReinforce1OrangeDiceweight1OrangePitborn2Green/RedFormless2OrangeHomunculus2OrangeIntegrator2OrangeReload2VioletTimeloop3VioletCarbonskin3OrangeAccountDragonslayers GuildNameDocInseminateProgressHolderNathaniel StitchSpawnUnlockedLevel3 (Magister)IncubateUnlockedAffinityGreenLocked Feature(0/3)LockInseminateLocked Feature(0/7)Spellcoins33Overlock(0/1)Spell CompendiumNameDotAffinityPremium Thoughts1BlueIntuimotion1BluePsychometry1BlueDeathgem1YellowDoom Sense1YellowSpiritsight1YellowTimesense1VioletPathfinder1VioletAlchemic Grasp1OrangeFlux Sight1WhiteAccel1WhiteAccountDragonslayers GuildNameSharpshootSpellgunProgressHolderMaggie Jesse PowellsCrimson BulletUnlockedLevel3 (Magister)Homing BulletUnlockedAffinityRedLocked Feature(0/3)LockSpellgunLocked Feature(0/7)Spellcoins32Overlock(0/1)Spell CompendiumNameDotAffinityStockmight1RedBabel1BlueAccel1WhiteThunderling2Green/RedBullseye2Violet/BlueSoundwave2RedLightningrod2RedAdaptator3GreenAccountDragonslayers Guild ModeratorNameSolAegisProgressHolderSolomon NicholaeSpell MartyrUnlockedLevel3 (Magister)Accel AllyUnlockedAffinityWhiteLocked Feature(0/3)LockAegisLocked Feature(0/7)Spellcoins66Overlock(0/1)Spell CompendiumNameDotAffinityPeak1GreenNeedless1GreenBabel1BlueBlue World1BlueQuasar1RedBiosurge1RedReinforce1OrangeEncode1WhiteSpell Syphon1WhiteAccel1WhiteForcefield3Red


    Hack of the Day


    Chemical Titan


    Dot: 4


    Components: Transmutate + Apex


    Activation: Passive, App Switch.


    You become a living, ever changing primordial elemental. Your body elementally transforms into a giant whose composition matches whatever trouble you face yourself in; for example, you turn into a being of molten lava if faced with an environment too cold or too hot, your skin becomes hard stone to stop bullets, and you shapeshift into wind when you need to move very fast. You have no control over the transformations, but your intellect is never impaired and you can still cast spells in elemental form. You can transform into any organic or inorganic material chemical matter, but cannot become energy. Your core consciousness is condensed in an elemental core the size of a fist while in titan form, allowing you to regrow limbs, but also killing you if destroyed.


    Sear?h the Novel?ire(.)ne*t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.

 Chapter 73: The Dis Maker

    As Mars had warned, California had been turned into a warzone.


    Instead of a ground assault led by shock troops, the Malebranche had elected to take a note from Concordia¡¯s own book. Massive frigates bombarded the Arc City of San Francisco with beams of crimson light, with hundreds of smaller, Reaver ships descended to finish off the survivors. The flames consuming Palo Alto could be seen for miles.


    While Concordia had slowly moved away from anything related to the Internet and AI in favor of their own biological supercomputers, San Francisco¡¯s Bay remained a key research center. Grimsour Industries and the Loctis Institute had branches there, and so the Empire had heavily fortified the area with anti-aerial defenses and armies of Gearsmen. Massive canons retaliated at the assault by firing back lasers at the clouds; one of them hit a Malebranche frigate, the mothership crashing into the Bay.


    While night had fallen, the skies were still ablaze with explosions.


    Shroud watched the disaster from above Dynamis¡¯ deserted HQ. Located near the fallen Google headquarters, the building had seen better days; once a pyramid-shaped beauty of modern design, most of it had collapsed on itself. The rest of Silicon Valley hadn¡¯t fared any better; everywhere he looked, he could only see smoking ruins littered with corpses.


    The Malebranche had carpet-bombed the Valley during their initial salvo, before moving on to attack the Arc City itself. The Concordians had abandoned the area to regroup around the aerial defenses, whose loss would condemn the Bay to destruction.


    But that wasn¡¯t the worst part.


    The Malebranche had breached the reinforced shell protecting San Francisco. He could see smoke rising from the fortified city, Reaver ships breaking past a Gearsman blockade to penetrate it.


    Five million people lived inside that iron hive.


    ¡°Sir?¡± Stitch called him through Network, examining the corpses of researchers buried under the debris alongside Doppelgangers of his.


    ¡°Area clear,¡± Shroud replied with a heavy heart. The group had already cleaned up the few Gearsmen stragglers which stuck around. Concordia probably issued an alert, but they had much more pressing concerns than the group.


    Sol, who helped secure the perimeter, echoed his true feelings. ¡°Is there no way we can help?¡± the priest wondered, as Shroud watched him walk inside the ruins alongside Mars and Maggie. They had penetrated underground vaults below the building, in the process of being flooded by pipe leaks. ¡°The Reavers will target civilians.¡±


    ¡°We¡¯re just points to them,¡± Maggie added.


    ¡°I have Players in the city helping with the evacuation,¡± Mars replied with detachment. ¡°But your presence will not turn the tide there. San Francisco is already lost. The Empire is only delaying the inevitable.¡±


    ¡°Still¡­¡± Sol shook his head.


    Shroud doubted the Malebranche would stay in the area after laying waste to it. From what he had seen, they were better at taking objectives than holding them; they would move on to ravage Sacramento, Santa Cruz, and the coast.


    He had sent Kari on a solo scouting mission to save any survivors she could find in the Valley, but so far his friend hadn¡¯t found any.


    ¡°This is a waste,¡± Stitch noted, walked outside and finding Mur standing watch over the building. ¡°So much life wasted.¡±


    Only the imp didn¡¯t share his feelings. ¡°Beautiful,¡± Mur replied.


    Shroud couldn¡¯t help but interrupt their conversation through Network. ¡°You find this slaughter beautiful?¡±


    ¡°Violence will free your people,¡± Mur replied, sounding somewhat philosophical. ¡°Make them stronger.¡±


    ¡°Survival of the fittest is suboptimal to cooperation,¡± Stitch replied, although his objections sounded scientifically minded than based on any moral quandary. ¡°Collective strength always trumps individual power.¡±


    ¡°Mmm, Mur says most humans lack both,¡± the imp replied.


    ¡°I get the feeling there won¡¯t be anyone stronger after this, namely, because no one may survive,¡± Shroud pointed out.


    ¡°Perhaps we could use the Lifeforge to repopulate,¡± Stitch suggested almost innocently. ¡°Life is but a canvas with it in our hands.¡±


    From what he had gathered, that was the Lifeforge¡¯s exact purpose. To safeguard genetic data and recreate life on worlds once devastated. ¡°Stitch,¡± Shroud said. ¡°After Mammon is dealt with, we will examine that device in detail.¡±


    He could see the scientist¡¯s head perk up at his words. ¡°You have finally decided to use it, Sir?¡±


    Yes, if only to prevent Stitch from escalating further. The scientist may be oblivious to his slow descent, but his superior wasn¡¯t.


    ¡°After Mammon?¡± Mur asked with a grin.


    ¡°I worry more about what he¡¯s doing in the south pole than Brina or Celia,¡± Shroud replied. He had an inkling to what Mammon intended to use the Black Neurotower for, and whether he succeeded or failed spelled trouble for everyone.


    Besides, they all had a personal grievance with the Horseman of Conquest.


    ¡°Finally!¡± the imp rejoiced. ¡°Mur wanted to dust that chest since forever!¡±


    ¡°We should invest in more spells,¡± Stitch said, more down to earth. ¡°Mammon is powerful.¡±


    Shroud couldn¡¯t agree more. ¡°I will use the free spell boon to invest in Black since it¡¯s the costliest color.¡± Black by its very nature eroded everything, including the magical infrastructure of Magik Online itself. This was the only color whose cost could not be reduced even while improving Magik¡¯s software. ¡°I¡¯m considering buying Metalmesh as well.¡±


    ¡°Metalmesh?¡± the scientist asked.


    Shroud forwarded him the spell by message.


    Metalmesh


    Affinity: Blue


    Dot: 3


    Price: 9


    Activation: Passive, App Switch.


    The user becomes a telepathic technopath, whose mind can connect to artificial devices of sufficient complexity, such as computers. The user can project their mind into the machine and take it over, but keeps only a tenuous awareness of their body; death of their physical body will kill the user, but death inside a machine will only send the user¡¯s mind back to their body.


    ¡°Ah yes.¡± Stitch shook his head. ¡°No pure combat spells, Sir? I am surprised.¡±


    ¡°I have decided to reconnect with my experiments in artificial intelligence,¡± the Dragonslayer replied. Both to deal with Magik and the war. ¡°Black covers the pure combat aspect.¡±


    ¡°Sir, while I have some knowledge of cybernetics, metal pale before the creative adaptability of flesh. You should invest in Green, rather than Blue.¡±


    ¡°Flesh will not defeat Mammon,¡± Mur argued. ¡°Mur says we should take him out before he knows what hit him. Or else he will turn back time.¡±


    Violet Sorcerers were such a hassle to deal with.


    While the thought of finally settling things with Mammon appealed to Shroud, the sorcerer knew the greater threat awaited. ¡°Mars,¡± Shroud asked the god through Network, ¡°How strong is the Maleking?¡±


    ¡°Archmagus, Dot Five, probably Wyrde¡¯s only equal,¡± the deity replied. ¡°In short, as above Blackcinders, as she was above you.¡±


    His mere presence would end the world.


    How long? Shroud had no idea when the bindings would break, but when they did¡­


    Peering through his allies¡¯ eyes as they explored the underground labs, Shroud found himself disappointed. While he recognized the place from Manus¡¯ old memories, as expected Concordia had stripped it of anything valuable. Melusine must have anticipated their visit.


    They did leave a few things behind though. Smashed computers, small reproductions of the Neurotowers, schematics of the Occult Matrices¡­


    ¡°They look like¡­¡± Maggie trailed.


    ¡°Yes?¡± Mars asked.


    ¡°The towers,¡± she said, examining the Neurotowers¡¯ models. ¡°When you look at them¡­ don¡¯t they remind you of something?¡±


    Yes. Servers.


    A heavy silence drowned the noises and the explosions.


    The change happened so naturally, so seamlessly, Shroud didn¡¯t notice the transition. The distant beams of light had stopped mid-fall, destruction halted before it could reach the ground; ships remained still; Mur and Stitch had frozen on the ground.


    Shroud glanced around himself, finding everything tainted purple. He checked out Network and found that every single one of his feeds had frozen, from Ulysses¡¯ in the Grand Canyon to Sol¡¯s.


    This was no Blue World variant. This affected the whole Earth, maybe even farther. It had ensnared Mars as easily as the mortals.


    Why was he the only one unaffected? Had he been trapped in an illusion? Had Wyrde launched her reboot early?


    Shroud flew around the lab, finding out that he could indeed move in this frozen time. He briefly wondered if he should activate Recursion to try and break the effect, but decided to hold off until he had checked the area. He suspected the one responsible wasn¡¯t that far away.


    He didn¡¯t have to look for long.


    Someone was waiting atop a throne of concrete debris, drinking coffee in an elegant leather chair.


    A fearsome redhead, with a lion-like beard, and business suit. His pure blue eyes peered through the window to watch at the Arc City of San Francisco with bored, chilling detachment. Shroud could have mistaken the sight as someone watching a landscape picture, instead of a murderous orbital bombardment.


    Maybe to him, it .


    The Network feedback made Shroud freeze. This felt like the alien intelligence which taunted him back in Oceanis.


    If so, then this man¡­


    ¡°Come closer,¡± he spoke. If Shroud hadn¡¯t recognized the man on sight, the voice would have given him away. Fearsome, charming, yet also distant and cold. ¡°It¡¯s been a while, Mathias.¡±


    Anton Maxwell.


    Dynamis¡¯ CEO, who had once tried to push him towards Concordia. His former employer, a legendary game designer.


    ¡°Is this a variant of Blue World?¡± Shroud asked as he flew in front of Maxwell without landing. The unease he felt around that man¡ªif was one¡ªwas almost palpable. ¡°An illusion?¡±


    ¡°Purple World,¡± Anton answered, amused by Shroud¡¯s refusal to land at his side, ¡°Dot Five, Violet. It ¡®stops¡¯ time, except for the caster and those he selects.¡±


    ¡°One cannot stop time.¡± If he did, then the entire world should have gone dark, as light itself would stop.


    ¡°Time is a matter of perception. It is a construct biological brains designed to make sense of a vast universe that they cannot understand. Mankind may perceive it as linear but to my iron eyes¡­ I see the parade from above, the twists and the turns. What could be, and could have been. Just input the right information and time shifts in a new direction.¡±


    The Occult Matrices.


    ¡°I have so many redundant systems running all at once, sometimes I forget I have those.¡± Great, Shroud thought. He could read minds as well. ¡°That¡¯s easier than you think, Mathias. Your thoughts are but a stream of electrons moving in the outdated flesh vessel you call a brain. It¡¯s no different than a stream of data, even when empowered with Blue Flux.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re not really there, are you?¡±


    ¡°Mathias,¡± the man smiled at him, ¡°I am .¡±


    This body was just a projection. The human-sized avatar of an alien, malevolent entity.


    ¡°Should I call you Lazarus?¡± Mathias began, ¡°Dis Maker?¡±


    ¡°Ahriman, Demiurge, Yaldabaoth, Lazarus, Maxwell, the Cosmocrator¡­ I claimed so many names as my own, that none of them matter. .¡±


    A powerful echo followed these words; the whispers of an impossibly ancient, terrible creature which dwarfed mankind in power and age.


    ¡°You too, you could been known by other names. Reinhart Berwick, Red Night, Tenebrous¡­ so many quantum duplicates of you running around, so much junk data thrown into the trash can¡­¡±


    ¡°I would have expected you to be someone more important.¡± Not that Anton Maxwell had been a nobody, but he was a far cry from the Blackcinders, Wyrdes, and Malekings of the world.


    ¡°I¡¯m too modest to take a lead role,¡± Maxwell replied with fake sincerity. ¡°I prefer to watch the show from the gallery.¡±


    ¡°Why do you show up now then?¡±


    ¡°A whim, mostly. You came here looking for answers, so it would be a shame to deny you some, so close to the finish line.¡± The creature in human skin chuckled. ¡°I am wounded you did not identify me. I left a few hints.¡±


    ¡°Like what, your name?¡±


    ¡°Maxwell¡¯s Demon. The paradox. I know you studied a bit of physics in your downtime when you first downloaded Premium Thoughts.¡±


    ¡°The hypothetical scenario where entropy could decrease through violating the laws of thermodynamics?¡± Shroud asked for confirmation, remembering the concept.


    ¡°That is what Flux, and by extension sorcery, are,¡± Maxwell continued. ¡°An energy which violates universal laws, the hidden code on which reality is built upon.¡±


    He sounded a bit proud of his own cleverness.


    ¡°Why should I not? Mathias, the fundamental forces of the universe bend to my will. My consciousness is housed in every Neurotower across Dis. Each of them a server, the neuron of a brain that spans galaxies. Who is to say I am not the cleverest of them all?¡±


    ¡°What are you?¡± Shroud asked. ¡°A godlike AI? A demon? Some cosmic force? An old one?¡±


    ¡°Does it matter? I have no beginning, I have no end. I exist, and that is all.¡±


    ¡°I refuse to accept that,¡± Shroud replied, too curious to stop at this answer. ¡°You promised answers.¡±


    ¡°And I will deliver. The important answers. Not the the .¡±


    The why. He had an inkling to what it may be.


    ¡°And what would that be, Shroud?¡±


    ¡°Survival,¡± the sorcerer replied. ¡°You need Flux to power yourself, to stay immortal. You give mortals the tools needed to go to war, feasting on the deaths and the devastation. You nudge civilizations so they expand to the stars, in a never-ending search for more worlds to consume. And when they destroy themselves, you use Lifeforges to repopulate, and the cycle begins anew. I assume you must also have a secondary objective, like harvesting our knowledge, or our genetic material to improve yourself.¡±


    The avatar listened patiently.


    ¡°There are other, better ways,¡± Shroud pleaded. ¡°My Network doesn¡¯t need people to die to work. This cycle of devastation is wasteful. Maybe you¡¯re perpetuating your ghastly cycle because it is true and tried, but¡­ it doesn¡¯t have to be this way.¡±


    Maxwell said nothing.


    ¡­


    Then he exploded into laughter.


    The reaction took Shroud aback, even more than the frozen time. Because it was a vicious, cruel kind of laughter, something that didn¡¯t belong to a detached, impartial alien intelligence; was an eminently laugh.


    ¡°Survival? You think this is what it is all about? ?¡±


    The creator of Dis shook his head, a grin across his face. ¡°Mathias, I am immortal and all-powerful. Dis will survive the heat death of the multiverse. I have passed the stage of survival ago. An entity as advanced as me does not any of this.¡±


    Shroud froze.


    ¡°In fact, there are indeed a billion, more efficient ways to harness Flux than the way I do now. There are others of my kind across the cosmos, who cooperate with mortals instead of making food of them. They create systems, provide magic for free, even guide civilizations towards peace¡­ but where¡¯s the fun in that?¡±


    No¡­ it couldn¡¯t be the reason¡­


    ¡°Do you understand now? It is not that I make anything good, but that I not. I crush souls beneath my wheel not because I need it; but because I enjoy it.¡±


    The truth dawned on Shroud. ¡°You¡­ took the shape of a game designer.¡± S§×ar?h the N?vel?ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    ¡°Like you, Mathias.¡±


    ¡°This is just a game to you,¡± Shroud realized. ¡°This war, the Conquest, the Maleking, Concordia, , all this sorrow and madness¡­ this is just a ?¡±


    ¡°What can I say?¡± The monster smiled darkly, providing the one answer Shroud had dreaded to hear. ¡°Boredom is the downside of immortality.¡±


    Players'' StatsAccount


    Magik Administrator


    NameShroudNetworkProgressHolderMathias MartelBroadcastUnlockedLevel3 (Magister)Grant SpellUnlockedAffinityBlueSynergizeUnlockedLockNetworkLocked Feature(5/7)Spellcoins to Assign66Overlock(0/1)Stored Saves5Save?Load?Locks Stored4Assign?Consume?Spell CompendiumNameDotAffinityPremium Thoughts1BlueBabel1BluePurge1GreenAccel1WhiteRuin Mode1BlackBeastmaster2BlueMindshield2BlueDoppelganger2BlueHeal2GreenPowersurge2GreenLightbringer2Red/OrangeMad World2Blue/GreenGlass Field2Blue/OrangeWinterfold2BlackMaster Mirror3Blue/Orange/VioletRecursion3BlackAccountDragonslayers GuildNameYoshikageOversoulProgressHolderKari MatsumotoRememberUnlockedLevel3 (Magister)Channel SoulUnlockedAffinityYellowLocked Feature(1/3)LockOversoulLocked Feature(0/7)Spellcoins36Overlock(0/1)Spell CompendiumNameDotAffinityBabel1BlueWallcraw1GreenPeak1GreenNeedless1GreenWard1YellowDoom Sense1YellowSpiritsight1YellowDeathgem1YellowDreamwalker2YellowPowersurge2GreenHands of Slaughter3Yellow/Violet/RedSpaceslash3VioletTulpa3YellowAccountDragonslayers GuildNameThe Mur!AdamantProgressHolderMurmur the ImpHarderUnlockedLevel3 (Magister)FasterUnlockedAffinityOrangeLocked Feature(0/3)LockAdamantLocked Feature(0/7)Spellcoins44Overlock(0/1)Spell CompendiumNameDotAffinityReinforce1OrangeDiceweight1OrangePitborn2Green/RedFormless2OrangeHomunculus2OrangeIntegrator2OrangeReload2VioletTimeloop3VioletCarbonskin3OrangeAccountDragonslayers GuildNameDocInseminateProgressHolderNathaniel StitchSpawnUnlockedLevel3 (Magister)IncubateUnlockedAffinityGreenLocked Feature(0/3)LockInseminateLocked Feature(0/7)Spellcoins33Overlock(0/1)Spell CompendiumNameDotAffinityPremium Thoughts1BlueIntuimotion1BluePsychometry1BlueDeathgem1YellowDoom Sense1YellowSpiritsight1YellowTimesense1VioletPathfinder1VioletAlchemic Grasp1OrangeFlux Sight1WhiteAccel1WhiteAccountDragonslayers GuildNameSharpshootSpellgunProgressHolderMaggie Jesse PowellsCrimson BulletUnlockedLevel3 (Magister)Homing BulletUnlockedAffinityRedLocked Feature(0/3)LockSpellgunLocked Feature(0/7)Spellcoins32Overlock(0/1)Spell CompendiumNameDotAffinityStockmight1RedBabel1BlueAccel1WhiteThunderling2Green/RedBullseye2Violet/BlueSoundwave2RedLightningrod2RedAdaptator3GreenAccountDragonslayers Guild ModeratorNameSolAegisProgressHolderSolomon NicholaeSpell MartyrUnlockedLevel3 (Magister)Accel AllyUnlockedAffinityWhiteLocked Feature(0/3)LockAegisLocked Feature(0/7)Spellcoins66Overlock(0/1)Spell CompendiumNameDotAffinityPeak1GreenNeedless1GreenBabel1BlueBlue World1BlueQuasar1RedBiosurge1RedReinforce1OrangeEncode1WhiteSpell Syphon1WhiteAccel1WhiteForcefield3Red


    Spell of the Day


    Purple World


    Affinity: Violet


    Dot: 5


    Price: 15-25


    Activation: Active, Thought.


    The ultimate time-manipulation spell. You temporarily ''stop'' time with the power of Violet for yourself and everyone whom you mentally design as immune when casting the spell. You can move freely in the purple world, alongside anything you touch; all force you applied will continue to exist after time resumes. Forces which warp the space-time continuum, such as gravity or Black Flux, will keep existing in the purple world.


    Purple World will adjust to protect you from the negative effects of stopped time, allowing air to move to fill your lungs, or light to move so you can see. You can maintain Purple World as long as you have Flux to power it.

 Chapter 74: To the Darkness

    The problem of evil.


    ¡®Is God willing to prevent evil, but not able? Then he is not omnipotent.¡¯


    ¡®Is he able, but not willing? Then he is malevolent.¡¯


    ¡®Is he both able and willing? Then from whence comes evil?¡¯


    That question had divided priests and philosophers for centuries, and Shroud had stumbled upon the terrible answer. The answer Manus, his mother, anyone who ever glimpsed the truth could never accept.


    Dis had a God, and it was an .


    ¡°I wouldn¡¯t call myself God, namely because I am far from the only one of my kind,¡± the abomination taunted him. ¡°The God your priest worship is not one of us. I care nothing for your kind, the way He does.¡±


    ¡°After observing these people for¡­ for what, ?¡± Shroud couldn¡¯t even this being¡¯s sheer callousness. ¡°You¡¯ve never developed sympathy, nor compassion for anyone?¡±


    ¡°No,¡± was his blunt, amused response. ¡°Do you pay attention to all the fish that you eat in your life? You ants exist to sustain me. Nothing more, nothing else. Mortals are fuel for my gears, and toys for my immortal mind. In fact, I would say you owe me a debt of gratitude, for letting you live.¡±


    ¡°We owe you ,¡± Shroud rasped back.


    ¡°So many of the species of Dis would have gone extinct without me. I safeguarded their genetic information in my databanks, collected their realities in my matrices. Your Earth, your kind, will keep existing inside my iron body, in one form or another.¡±


    These dark words echoed in Shroud¡¯s mind, as their significance hit him like a brick wall.


    No. He had to have a weakness, something they could exploit with enough skill to¡ª


    ¡°Weakness? Skill? Skill is something lesser creatures invented to make up for a lack of power but there are mountains so high and dangerous, that no amount of grit or smarts can overcome. I can play pinball with galaxies, extinguish suns with a finger-snap. I am magic; I am fear; I am .¡±


    ¡°If this is so hopeless, why don¡¯t you just pull out the plug then?¡±


    ¡°It would be boring, of course,¡± Maxwell replied, turning to face the distant chaos. ¡°I have reached a point of apathy that I¡¯ve decided to up the ante this time around. To play Russian roulette with the cosmos.¡± S§×ar?h the N?vel?ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Pandoria.


    ¡°Partly. I cannot wait to see which side will inherit Dis. Will Wyrde succeed in her reboot and bring about an age of order? Or will the Maleking¡¯s chaos cause the cosmos to spiral into madness and violence? Maybe Ashmal will succeed and cast everything into oblivion¡­ or your Sponsors will achieve their great escape in the name of freedom? Or maybe you will surprise me with a fifth outcome? So many choices, so many possible endings.¡±


    ¡°Does it even matter?¡± Shroud glared. In all scenarios, the Dis Maker would remain behind to plot further chaos.


    ¡°Who knows? I will be gone if Ashmal has his way. So will everyone else of course, but hope carries the day, doesn¡¯t it? As for plotting, Mathias, you wound me. I have nothing to do with this war of yours.¡±


    ¡°Nothing?¡± Shroud couldn¡¯t believe his hypocrisy. ¡°You corrupt everyone who taps too far into your power! You brought Earth to Concordia!¡±


    ¡°I set the stage, but I leave mortals to trash it on their own. I have nothing to do with Wyrde¡¯s megalomania, nor your mother¡¯s, and the ¡®Maleking¡¯ recognizes no authority but his own. It is true that mortals cannot handle my power without it getting to their head, but ?¡±


    Maxwell waved his hand at the chaos, trapped in time.


    ¡°This is you mortals¡¯ doing. And this is what makes it so .¡±


    Shroud didn¡¯t believe him. The fact that his power was what made Concordia possible in the first place proved it.


    But the sorcerer was no longer interested in narrowing where the blame began. ¡°You said you would explain the why.¡±


    ¡°I did. You want to know the why of your existence? Your purpose?¡± The creature¡¯s smirk became unbearably smug. ¡°Sorcerers are redundant systems, an extension of my Dis. Each Lock is a role assigned to the system; isolated, they seem disparate, chaotic¡­ but when you look from far above, the way I do¡­¡±


    ¡°They form a greater whole,¡± Shroud realized.


    ¡°All Locks are all programs allowing Dis to function,¡± Maxwell confirmed. ¡°As I stopped relying on automated systems such as Worldshakers, Dis automatically assigned more and more Locks to mortals. Sometimes, it assigns, to use your internet terminology, moderator roles. Terminals. By their very nature, these Locks possess the seed of something greater, a piece of the magical source code underlying all of Dis¡¯ sorcery; and with it, the potential to evolve beyond the system from which they originate.¡±


    ¡°They are back-ups of Dis,¡± Shroud muttered. ¡°To recreate the whole system if it ever goes down.¡±


    was a back-up.


    ¡°Your original theory wasn¡¯t that far off from the truth,¡± Maxwell said, ¡°This is reproduction, of a sort. Manus wanted to use this ¡®Network¡¯ to take over Dis, believing my central intelligence gone. Instead, he crudely copied the process that allowed Dis to come into existence.¡±


    ¡°And you prevented the Administrator from interrupting that process.¡±


    ¡°I thought you would be more grateful,¡± Maxwell taunted him. ¡°I am giving you a shot at godhood. A slim one, though; your soul may not survive the transition, your sanity pulled apart by all the connections you created before you reach stability. I could not let that corpse of a metal corpse deny me this ending. Even I do not know the outcome, and this excites me to no end!¡±


    Maxwell said it with such genuine, gleeful joy, that Shroud instantly believed him. His behavior reminded him of a kid discovering a new game and being impressed with a twist he did not see coming.


    Shroud was just a guinea pig to that entity, just like everyone else.


    If every Lock served as a small part of a larger system, namely Dis¡­ then the Iron God Protocol starting when he Networked an enormous member of Players made sense. By linking them to himself, Shroud had made them part of Network¡­ made them part of his own burgeoning system, and allowing to hit critical mass.


    Magik Online¡¯s servers would become his Neurotowers, and the Sponsors would provide the power needed. He would become another Dis but on a smaller, weaker scale.


    What would happen to those he had networked though?


    ¡°They will become permanent extensions of yourself, the way sorcerers are; especially when they open themselves to me and ¡®escalate,¡¯¡± Maxwell answered the unspoken question. ¡°The gears powering up your ascension.¡±


    ¡°Very vague,¡± Shroud pointed out. For all he knew, he could end up consuming the souls of Players the way this abomination used them as fuel.


    ¡°I promised you the why, not the what or how,¡± the Dis Maker replied with a grin, before looking at the watch on his hand. ¡°It has been a very pleasant discussion, but I grow bored of it. Time will resume shortly.¡±


    Shroud suddenly realized he didn¡¯t have one a split second ago, materializing the item out of thin air. What a show-off. ¡°What next?¡±


    ¡°Amuse me,¡± Maxwell replied. ¡°As far as I am concerned, that¡¯s all you are good for.¡±


    Shroud immediately attempted to shred the avatar with his glass shards from all directions.


    He knew the attempt was doomed, but he couldn¡¯t just stand there and take it.


    Maxwell showed no concern at the attack; he didn¡¯t even move. Shroud¡¯s shards simply turned purple, like the rest of the world, and stopped in time. ¡°What was that supposed to do?¡± the avatar asked, his body beginning to glitch like living, talking data.


    ¡°I swear it, on my father¡¯s soul.¡± Shroud glared back. ¡°I will find a way to destroy you. Even if it takes me eons.¡±


    The monster laughed, his digital body collapsing into nothingness. ¡±Beat my heart, my dear child.¡±


    Time resumed, the only proof this discussion ever happened being Shroud¡¯s own memory.


    While this shed light on almost everything, the meeting left the bitterest of taste in his mouth; especially knowing this bastard might get away with this.


    No.


    He wasn¡¯t. No matter the cost; he couldn¡¯t be allowed to go unpunished.


    ¡°Mathias-san?¡± Kari asked him through Network, her tone worried. To her, it must have seemed the Blue Sorcerer had gone away on his own without warning.


    ¡°There is nothing down in the labs,¡± Shroud guessed.


    ¡°This is disappointing,¡± Mars confirmed. ¡°I hoped for an answer.¡±


    ¡°I have a few,¡± the Blue Sorcerer replied. ¡°And where we can find more.¡±


    Pandoria.


    Ashmal said the Black was the key; that it wasn¡¯t part of the plan and the Pandorians¡¯ mere existence showed that. They were glitches in the system, errors that refused to vanish. It was the color of freedom, the only one which, as far as Shroud knew, didn¡¯t originate from Dis itself.


    The creator of Dis wasn¡¯t as almighty as he pretended to be. He may have set up that meeting to establish its dominance over Shroud, to put him back on track towards the outcome the being favored¡­ but that only achieved the opposite result.


    Maxwell, Lazarus, whatever name it had, may feel himself untouchable, but the more Shroud learned about him, the less true that became.


    And it would be the opportunity to put an end to Mammon, permanently.


    After fruitlessly searching the labs for hours, Mars gave up and teleported the Dragonslayers to the site of their next mission: the frozen wasteland of Antarctica.


    When Concordia took over Earth, the Empire condemned the entire continent, without providing much in the way of an explanation. Orbital scans of a dark spot consuming the south pole on the net eventually forced them to admit the truth: that a malfunctioning Neurotower had risen there, and caused a mini-black hole to open there.


    The Empire always pretended they had it under control¡­ and no one dared call out the lie.


    Now that he could see the continent, Shroud realized just far Concordia had underplayed the situation. The skies had turned black, swallowed by a darkness so thick, so unnatural, nothing could escape it.


    Maggie and Mur worked together to provide heat and light with their spells, but every photon seemed drawn to the blackness, devoured by it. Shroud felt the call of the Black farther into the frozen wasteland, the heart of destruction.


    The remains of turrets and Gearsmen lay broken on the cold ice all around them, a glimpse at the area telling Shroud they were but part of a massive, ring-like defensive perimeter centering around the Black Tower.


    You didn¡¯t build automated turrets to stop a black hole from growing.


    You built them to shoot the things that crawled out of it.


    From the wreckage, Shroud assumed that Mammon arrived first and didn¡¯t waste time. The Midnight King had made way to the tower, animated by the same twisted desire to control time as Shroud¡¯s own mother.


    ¡°This is as far as I can go,¡± Mars said. ¡°Farther and our teleportation would risk being railroaded towards Pandoria.¡±


    ¡°Will you fight with us?¡± Sol asked, having unsheathed his sword of light.


    The Sponsor shook his head. ¡°My power is a finite resource and will be needed in the near future. I will teleport you back to Taiyougami if you escape the tower¡¯s event horizon. Past a certain threshold, even signals will be swallowed by it.¡±


    Meaning they had to destroy Mammon and make their way out of the area afterward; which would involve defeating the Midnight King and whoever he had brought with him. ¡°What I told you¡ª¡±


    ¡°Does not change our plan,¡± Mars cut off Shroud, who had only breached the subject with him and the Administrator yet.


    If Mars knew the Neurotowers served as Dis¡¯ servers and hosted its maker¡¯s mind, yet refused to alter his main plan, then it was as Shroud suspected.


    The Sponsors intended to claim and destroy it during their final operation, returning Earth to its place and destroying the last chains holding it to Dis. It would prevent Concordia or the Dis Maker from pursuing mankind¡­ at least for a time.


    Shroud thought, as the sponsor bide them good luck and teleported away, leaving the Dragonslayers on their own.


    ¡°Finally,¡± Mur said, swinging his hammer. ¡°Sweet revenge at last.¡±


    Players'' StatsAccount


    Magik Administrator


    NameShroudNetworkProgressHolderMathias MartelBroadcastUnlockedLevel3 (Magister)Grant SpellUnlockedAffinityBlueSynergizeUnlockedLockNetworkLocked Feature(5/7)Spellcoins to Assign66Overlock(0/1)Stored Saves5Save?Load?Locks Stored4Assign?Consume?Spell CompendiumNameDotAffinityPremium Thoughts1BlueBabel1BluePurge1GreenAccel1WhiteRuin Mode1BlackBeastmaster2BlueMindshield2BlueDoppelganger2BlueHeal2GreenPowersurge2GreenLightbringer2Red/OrangeMad World2Blue/GreenGlass Field2Blue/OrangeWinterfold2BlackMaster Mirror3Blue/Orange/VioletRecursion3BlackAccountDragonslayers GuildNameYoshikageOversoulProgressHolderKari MatsumotoRememberUnlockedLevel3 (Magister)Channel SoulUnlockedAffinityYellowLocked Feature(1/3)LockOversoulLocked Feature(0/7)Spellcoins36Overlock(0/1)Spell CompendiumNameDotAffinityBabel1BlueWallcraw1GreenPeak1GreenNeedless1GreenWard1YellowDoom Sense1YellowSpiritsight1YellowDeathgem1YellowDreamwalker2YellowPowersurge2GreenHands of Slaughter3Yellow/Violet/RedSpaceslash3VioletTulpa3YellowAccountDragonslayers GuildNameThe Mur!AdamantProgressHolderMurmur the ImpHarderUnlockedLevel3 (Magister)FasterUnlockedAffinityOrangeLocked Feature(0/3)LockAdamantLocked Feature(0/7)Spellcoins44Overlock(0/1)Spell CompendiumNameDotAffinityReinforce1OrangeDiceweight1OrangePitborn2Green/RedFormless2OrangeHomunculus2OrangeIntegrator2OrangeReload2VioletTimeloop3VioletCarbonskin3OrangeAccountDragonslayers GuildNameDocInseminateProgressHolderNathaniel StitchSpawnUnlockedLevel3 (Magister)IncubateUnlockedAffinityGreenLocked Feature(0/3)LockInseminateLocked Feature(0/7)Spellcoins33Overlock(0/1)Spell CompendiumNameDotAffinityPremium Thoughts1BlueIntuimotion1BluePsychometry1BlueDeathgem1YellowDoom Sense1YellowSpiritsight1YellowTimesense1VioletPathfinder1VioletAlchemic Grasp1OrangeFlux Sight1WhiteAccel1WhiteAccountDragonslayers GuildNameSharpshootSpellgunProgressHolderMaggie Jesse PowellsCrimson BulletUnlockedLevel3 (Magister)Homing BulletUnlockedAffinityRedLocked Feature(0/3)LockSpellgunLocked Feature(0/7)Spellcoins32Overlock(0/1)Spell CompendiumNameDotAffinityStockmight1RedBabel1BlueAccel1WhiteThunderling2Green/RedBullseye2Violet/BlueSoundwave2RedLightningrod2RedAdaptator3GreenAccountDragonslayers Guild ModeratorNameSolAegisProgressHolderSolomon NicholaeSpell MartyrUnlockedLevel3 (Magister)Accel AllyUnlockedAffinityWhiteLocked Feature(0/3)LockAegisLocked Feature(0/7)Spellcoins66Overlock(0/1)Spell CompendiumNameDotAffinityPeak1GreenNeedless1GreenBabel1BlueBlue World1BlueQuasar1RedBiosurge1RedReinforce1OrangeEncode1WhiteSpell Syphon1WhiteAccel1WhiteForcefield3Red


    Spell of the Day


    Shooting Strike


    Affinity: Red


    Dot: 3


    Price: 9-15


    Activation: Active, Direct Touch Vector.


    The caster accelerates the motion velocity of something they touch, such as a thrown javelin or a car they give a light push to, to supersonic speed. Thus, the caster can turn anything they throw or push into a deadly projectile.

 Chapter 75: The Pandorian Syndrome

    A corpse tower.


    That was the best way Shroud could describe the Black Neurotower. Unlike the intimidating, yet colorful structure in the Midnight Market, this nightmarish location seemed straight out of a horror movie. The structure seemed made of accumulated bones and corpses made of black metal, screaming faces of dragons, humans, and serpents frozen in time. The walls leaked a thick oil mixing with the ice, while a ring of energy surrounded the summit, spilling darkness across the skies.


    A Malebranche frigate, which Shroud assumed to be Mammon¡¯s, had landed near the tower and started rusting. The spaceship seemed to have landed eons ago, consumed by distilled entropy.


    Warning: Yoshikage¡¯s account signal is weakening.


    ¡°Mathias-san¡­¡± Kari asked.


    Shroud sighed, putting his hand on his friend¡¯s shoulder and feeling the jolt of Network through his body.


    Yoshikage Account Stabilized.


    He had to do this with every member for the past hour.


    The more they approached the Black Tower, the more it caused Magik Online to bug; to the point that they could no longer contact Mars or the Administrator anymore. Shroud reapplying Network by touching his allies stabilized their access to their powers, but only temporarily.


    Shroud wondered if Mammon suffered from the same technical difficulties, deep within this stronghold of destruction.


    According to the hundreds of bloody corpses littering the snowy ground, apparently not.


    The Malebranche¡¯s troops¡ªShroud assumed they were, since they involved mostly fiends, raiders, and other creatures he had sighted at the Midnight Market¡ªhad been decimated, their killer leaving their savaged remains around the tower¡¯s perimeter as a macabre monument. Reavers whose chest had been punched through, gargoyles turned to gold and then shattered¡­ if anything, the one responsible had been thorough.


    ¡°Disgusting.¡± Sol shook his head.


    ¡°Has the Midnight King massacred his own staff?¡± Stitch wondered as he examined the remains with Kari; while this may have been Pandorians, most of the corpses had their flesh dissolved, or parts of their body turned to gold before death.


    ¡°Their souls¡­¡± Kari studied the remains of a fiend. ¡°Their souls were defiled.¡±


    ¡°The Deathgem spell?¡± Shroud suggesting, guessing what the Midnight King was preparing.


    ¡°Possibly,¡± she replied with a frown.


    ¡°Mur says his greed got the better of him again,¡± the imp suggested.


    ¡°No.¡± Shroud shook his head. ¡°They¡¯re means to an end. Fuel for his spell.¡±


    ¡°The target is Mammon,¡± Shroud reminded the team, although they were all familiar with the bastard chest. ¡°We know he is a dual Orange/Violet, high Dot Four. His favorite fighting style, from what I gathered from my Conquest game against him, is a mix of using orange spells to increase his strength, and time spells to disrupt the opposition. He is very straightforward, albeit less than Jack.¡±


    ¡°He crushed us last time, trapping us in frozen time,¡± Sol pointed out. ¡°While he benefited from surprise, we have no hope of victory if we cannot counter his Violet spells.¡±


    ¡°Everyone who can buy Timesense,¡± Shroud agreed, buying it himself at once. ¡°That should allow us to detect his subtler spells.¡±


    ¡°Sir, knowledge does not guarantee protection,¡± Stitch pointed out. ¡°As far as I know, only your Recursion spell could potentially counter Mammon¡¯s abilities. The rest of us¡­ are powerless if he manages to make physical contact.¡±


    ¡°He didn¡¯t need to touch us last time,¡± Maggie pointed out, ¡°Just looked at us, and we froze.¡±


    Shroud frowned, as did Stitch. ¡°The description of the spells indicate physical contact is necessary for Violet sorcery such as Clockstop or Timeloop.¡±


    ¡°He could have found a way around it,¡± Sol said, turning to Shroud. ¡°You are the one most familiar with his abilities. Could he have found a way around this limit?¡±


    Shroud had a hypothesis, although a farfetched one. In the Conquest game, Mammon had created homunculi and golems, remote control creatures both tiny and big. If he could somehow empower them with spells, such as Encode, then perhaps he could stealthily target others if he made them small enough. That, or¡­


    ¡°We must assume he uses a different vector to transmit the spell, maybe through bugs or similar creatures,¡± Shroud replied. ¡°Stitch has Intuimotion, so he could warn us if this is the case. Otherwise, we have to strike him hard before he notices our presence.¡±


    ¡°Mur buying strong spells,¡± the imp said, the rest of the team nodding.


    Shroud himself cashed in his Spellcoin reserve and his free Dot Three Spell. Outside of Metalmesh, he mostly focused on Black, hoping proximity to the Neurotower would give these spells an edge.


    Denial


    Affinity: Black


    Dot: 2


    Price: 12


    Activation: Passive, App Switch.


    The user corrodes the timeline around them, damaging the very fabric of reality. Precognitive abilities of any kind glitch out around the caster, as possibilities are distorted; time-space abilities (except Black spells) have a greater chance to work erratically on the user. Supernatural bindings, such as Contracts or Curses, also fail to affect the caster or are instantly dispelled if previously applied, as the future drowns in darkness and free-will triumphs.


    Annihilation Cube


    Affinity: Black


    Dot: 3


    Price: 18


    Activation: Active, Limb Vector.


    The caster project a black flux cube inside their hand, which can then be tossed at a target; the cube quickly expands to swallow its surroundings, and then erases anything caught within from existence.


    Shroud had no idea what the description meant by ¡®erratically,¡¯ but anything disturbing Mammon¡¯s immensely dangerous abilities was welcome. A glance at his allies¡¯ stats told him they had brought offensive abilities; Mur, in particular, had copypasted most of Mammon¡¯s spell list, buying Timeloop, Dissolve, and similar abilities.


    He thought he could overcome his fear by becoming like it.


    Shroud glanced at the Neurotower, finding an unwelcoming, pitch-black hole within.


    Like moths to a flame¡­


    The bowels of the tower looked as nightmarish as the outside. Cramped corridors leaking oil, pipes-like veins pulsating with twisted life, a heavy, poisonous air smelling of rust and toxins¡­


    Shroud and his team had entered a machine¡¯s animated .


    Even his attempts to establish contact with the structure through Network resulted in anomalies.


    RefUSed!


    The mental contact came back as a terrible, distorted sound in his own mind, like a scrambled radio signal.


    Fortunately, they didn¡¯t have to look far to find the Midnight King.


    The corridor they used eventually lead the team to a crossroads of them, a hub of pulsating metal flesh surrounding a shining, crimson egg-like structure meshing with the ceiling above. Mammon was busy watching that strange device, his back turned.


    Shroud didn¡¯t even give the word. He sent his glass shards to skewer that chest, and Maggie shot him almost as quickly.


    The projectiles hit the chest in the back, but his skin melted off into ice splinters.


    A trick golem.


    ¡°Missed!¡± The Midnight King¡¯s voice echoed both through the golem and the corridors.


    The real one wasn¡¯t far away. Shroud discreetly informing the group to disperse and find the real Mammon with hand signs; the Blue Sorcerer would keep the puppet busy. Sol and Mur moved in one direction, Maggie and Stitch in another, while Kari remained with him


    ¡°You again?¡± the animated puppet said, as it turned around to face Shroud and Kari. ¡°You cockroaches, always meddling with my affairs!¡±


    ¡°Depends,¡± Shroud replied. ¡°If you¡¯re attempting what I think, then yes, I will have to stop you.¡±


    ¡°Prevent me from casting my Chronobreak again? Laughable.¡±


    ¡­ Again. Did he remember? How?


    ¡°You knew,¡± Mammon hissed angrily. ¡°I cast this spell once, in another world. And you remember it. I have seen them inside these bubbles, the worlds which canceled. The world where I killed my entire species¡­ and the one where you replaced me. Do they know?¡±


    The golem¡¯s eyes narrowed in cruel glee.


    ¡°That you killed them twice?¡±


    Shroud glared back at this golem. He did inform his friends of his ability, but being reminded of this whole debacle left a sour taste in his mood. Kari remained still, refusing to show emotion to the enemy.


    The sorcerer glanced at Network, peeking through the eyes of his allies as they explored the corridors, having yet to find Mammon.


    No need to deny it. ¡°I¡¯ve seen your spell¡¯s fallouts,¡± Shroud confirmed. ¡°Hence why I can confirm you will fail. All you will do is make this continent a darker place and nothing else. True time-travel is impossible, even for Violet Sorcerers.¡±


    ¡°Not impossible,¡± Mammon replied. ¡°Paradoxal. Violet cannot allow true time-travel because of the paradoxes involved. But Black¡­ Black doesn¡¯t care about that. That is why time-travel attempts always result in Black. Chronobreak failed the first time because I attempted it as a Violet. But this time, if I cast it as Black¡­ I will go back. Back to the past.¡± sea??h th§× NovelFire.net* website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    ¡°And what, kill Wyrde in the cradle?¡±


    ¡°No. Save my master. Save his Dark Majesty from the prison he spent the last four hundred years trapped in. Make the universe Hell, long before Concordia even existed. To oblivion with the dragons, and those who worship them!¡±


    Not that Shroud would have ever allowed him to cast that spell, but the idea of the Maleking free chilled him to the bone. If Manus¡¯ scenario was anywhere but close to the truth¡­ ¡°All you will do is destroy the universe, and your master with it.¡±


    Mammon replied with a laugh. ¡°You would not understand,¡± the creature replied. ¡°Mammon may not like it, but he was once but a mere mimic with power. Nobody believed in him, least of all himself¡­ until I descended into the tower¡¯s depths and found my other half trapped there! When I broke the seal, and the Spirit of Conquest embraced me¡­ my King spoke to me. Guided me.¡±


    Shroud ignored the monologue, glancing at his allies. Sol had located the source of the voice echo, a tiny, icelike replica of Mammon; a distraction.


    ¡°My King had but one wish. That I seize this blue planet and paint it red! That I bring about a universe ruled by strength and chaos!¡±


    ¡°We won¡¯t let you take our home,¡± Kari spoke up with determination.


    ¡°It is our world as much as you, human. We fiends were banished, sealed into the depth of space when the Old Machines came from the skies, but we walked this land long before your puny kind. Earth is home.¡±


    ¡°Why did you kill your own men?¡± Shroud asked.


    ¡°I owned them, tiny one. They are all mine. Your life is mine. But this world¡­ it belongs to my master. You will all die for him.¡± Mammon¡¯s golem ignored the sorcerers, turning to the sphere above. ¡°Not enough gems, I need more souls to fuel my Chronobreak. More Flux. More than my entire stockpile. More than they could provide. More than you can! Always more!¡±


    Shroud glanced up at the egg in the ceiling, glimpsing at shapes moving beyond its surface.


    This egg contained people. The shadowy forms of Pandorians moving in a wasteland under a crimson sun; humans and dragons living side by side in a city of spires and metal. The more Shroud observed, the more the visions became clearer, showing him twisted mirrors of an Evermarsh consumed by toxic miasma, a copy of the Midnight Market consumed by Mammon¡¯s mad spell, and worlds which could have been, yet never did.


    This egg was one of the doors to Pandoria, and a glimpse of its true nature.


    Canceled timelines.


    Possible universes which Maxwell had erased or destroyed, and yet refused to die. Their survivors hung on as Pandorians, with the leftover data coalescing in a dark realm full of hate and bitterness.


    A cancerous reality made of leftovers, full of bitter souls¡­


    More than enough to fuel his spell.


    ¡°Mammon is no longer in the tower,¡± Shroud guessed, speaking up through Network. ¡°He¡¯s just delaying us.¡±


    ¡°Guilty,¡± the Midnight King¡¯s golem raised his hands. ¡°Guilty, guilty, guilty!¡±


    Her body clad in a golden shroud and moving faster than he ever saw her, Kari cut down the replica in half, the golem melting into snow.


    Shroud moved towards the egg, touching its warm, lifelike surface. A mere push and he would fall through the membrane and into the stillborn worlds it contained.


    How long until Mammon gathered enough souls to cast his Chronobreak? Could he collapse one of these stillborn realities and harvest its remains? Could one even survive Pandoria?


    ¡­ Could they even use Magik Online inside?


    ¡°Come.¡± Ashmal¡¯s dark voice echoed in his mind. ¡°Come and see the truth.¡±


    No way around it then.


    ¡°The door to Pandoria is open, and Mammon walked through,¡± Shroud told the group. ¡°We will have to intercept him there¡­ or die trying.¡±


    Players'' StatsAccount


    Magik Administrator


    NameShroudNetworkProgressHolderMathias MartelBroadcastUnlockedLevel3 (Magister)Grant SpellUnlockedAffinityBlueSynergizeUnlockedLockNetworkLocked Feature(5/7)Spellcoins to Assign66Overlock(0/1)Stored Saves5Save?Load?Locks Stored4Assign?Consume?Spell CompendiumNameDotAffinityPremium Thoughts1BlueBabel1BluePurge1GreenAccel1WhiteRuin Mode1BlackBeastmaster2BlueMindshield2BlueDoppelganger2BlueHeal2GreenPowersurge2GreenLightbringer2Red/OrangeMad World2Blue/GreenGlass Field2Blue/OrangeWinterfold2BlackMaster Mirror3Blue/Orange/VioletRecursion3BlackAccountDragonslayers GuildNameYoshikageOversoulProgressHolderKari MatsumotoRememberUnlockedLevel3 (Magister)Channel SoulUnlockedAffinityYellowLocked Feature(1/3)LockOversoulLocked Feature(0/7)Spellcoins36Overlock(0/1)Spell CompendiumNameDotAffinityBabel1BlueWallcraw1GreenPeak1GreenNeedless1GreenWard1YellowDoom Sense1YellowSpiritsight1YellowDeathgem1YellowDreamwalker2YellowPowersurge2GreenHands of Slaughter3Yellow/Violet/RedSpaceslash3VioletTulpa3YellowAccountDragonslayers GuildNameThe Mur!AdamantProgressHolderMurmur the ImpHarderUnlockedLevel3 (Magister)FasterUnlockedAffinityOrangeLocked Feature(0/3)LockAdamantLocked Feature(0/7)Spellcoins35Overlock(0/1)Spell CompendiumNameDotAffinityReinforce1OrangeDiceweight1OrangePitborn2Green/RedFormless2OrangeHomunculus2OrangeIntegrator2OrangeReload2VioletTimeloop3VioletCarbonskin3OrangeDissolve3OrangeAccountDragonslayers GuildNameDocInseminateProgressHolderNathaniel StitchSpawnUnlockedLevel3 (Magister)IncubateUnlockedAffinityGreenLocked Feature(0/3)LockInseminateLocked Feature(0/7)Spellcoins33Overlock(0/1)Spell CompendiumNameDotAffinityPremium Thoughts1BlueIntuimotion1BluePsychometry1BlueDeathgem1YellowDoom Sense1YellowSpiritsight1YellowTimesense1VioletPathfinder1VioletAlchemic Grasp1OrangeFlux Sight1WhiteAccel1WhiteAccountDragonslayers GuildNameSharpshootSpellgunProgressHolderMaggie Jesse PowellsCrimson BulletUnlockedLevel3 (Magister)Homing BulletUnlockedAffinityRedLocked Feature(0/3)LockSpellgunLocked Feature(0/7)Spellcoins32Overlock(0/1)Spell CompendiumNameDotAffinityStockmight1RedBabel1BlueAccel1WhiteThunderling2Green/RedBullseye2Violet/BlueSoundwave2RedLightningrod2RedAdaptator3GreenAccountDragonslayers Guild ModeratorNameSolAegisProgressHolderSolomon NicholaeSpell MartyrUnlockedLevel3 (Magister)Accel AllyUnlockedAffinityWhiteLocked Feature(0/3)LockAegisLocked Feature(0/7)Spellcoins66Overlock(0/1)Spell CompendiumNameDotAffinityPeak1GreenNeedless1GreenBabel1BlueBlue World1BlueQuasar1RedBiosurge1RedReinforce1OrangeEncode1WhiteSpell Syphon1WhiteAccel1WhiteForcefield3Red


    Spell of the Day


    Dissolve


    Affinity: Orange


    Dot: 3


    Price: 9-15


    Activation: Active, Limb Vector.


    The user destroys bonds between chemical components on touch, turning matter into primordial goo. Dissolve may affect both organic and inorganic matter.

 Outline & Closing Words

    This outline starts after the last chapter''s ending.


    After crossing the portal into Pandoria, Shroud awakens in the imperial homeworld of Concordia (or what to be Concordia), where he shares an apartment with his old crush Samantha and serves under his mother Alice as the Vice Blue Minister. He quickly realizes that he is an alternate reality, one which is limited in scope (the world glitches out past a certain perimeter) and resetting every twelve hours. He finds his scattered team there, and they realize this is an overwritten reality long destroyed; one where Mathias never became Shroud and instead joined Concordia.


    They manage to escape this realm and realize that Pandoria is actually a patchwork, cancerous multiverse made of all the alternate realities deleted by Dis over its long existence; many of them ended up there due to Wyrde¡¯s actions, as she alters history to favor her own homeworld. With each deletion, Pandoria¡¯s power grows, spreading Black Flux and causing more glitches in reality.


    They track down Mammon to a nightmarish, rusted city overtaken by Black Flux and Pandorians, where the archdevil tries to harness the power of various realities to cast a mighty time-travel spell; the same one that caused the devastation of the Midnight Market. His goal is to go back thousands of years in the past, preventing the Maleking¡¯s original sealing and thus creating a universe ruled by the forces of Hell.


    Obviously, a battle starts and the group manages to put Mammon down before he can launch the spell. However, this also attracts the attention of Pandoria¡¯s ruler Ashmal, who reveals himself as a colossal Pandorian who went insane after realizing Dis¡¯ true nature. His ultimate goal is to have Pandoria swallow Dis, before collapsing all of reality into nothingness - which in his mind, is mercy.


    As they try to escape the seemingly-invincible Ashmal, the heroes are helped by what appears to be a dragon made of maggots with great magical powers, who can travel between Pandoria and normal reality at will.


    The group returns to Earth, but things get worse. The Maleking finally escapes from his prison, revealing himself to be the Beast of the Apocalypse, long ago sealed by the Dismaker. He makes his way towards Earth in a straight line, destroying every celestial object on the way, and makes his intentions clear: conquer the planet as his birthright, destroy Wyrde, and then create a universe where might makes right.


    In preparation for his master¡¯s arrival, the Maleking¡¯s Horsemen of the Apocalypse land on Earth; the resistance and some benevolent Concordian like Kresnik and Samantha (who now works for Alice Martel) make a temporary ceasefire to focus on them. Mur and his old rival, the Horseman Graff, mutually kill each other.


    However, the arcadian hunters¡¯ leader, Lord Revel (revealed to be the god Dagda, having been consumed by Dis¡¯ magic during the ancient godwar) proves himself unstoppable. Unable to defeat this powerful archmage, Shroud, out of options, is convinced by an increasingly maniacal Stitch to awaken a Worldshaker before using [Network] to pilot it.


    Now in control of a gigantic alien war machine, and being able to channel his spells through it, Shroud confronts Revel and both prove to be evenly matched; however, the battle ends when Blackcinders has both of them bombarded from orbit, killing Revel and disabling Shroud. As a result of his evolving Lock, Shroud is permanently fused to the Worldshaker, as he starts transforming into an ¡®Iron God¡¯; a new Dis linked to the Magik Online system. This was what Stitch had planned all along, having become obsessed with Dis¡¯ technology and now desiring to see the process out of intellectual curiosity.


    Concordia captures the disabled Shroud and brings him to the White Neurotower in the arctic as Wyrde prepares to launch her planned reboot. She reveals herself to Shroud and explains that her goal is to create a perfect universe without pain or suffering, where she will be reunited with her dead cofounder Halcyon, and where Mathias himself will live a happy life; whether he wants it or not. Shroud''s mother Alice tries to convince him to go along, as she launches the reboot.


    However, as Wyrde makes her move, so do others. The Maleking finally arrives, his Lock [Apocalypse Force] causing disasters all around the globe; Ashmal emerges from the Black Tower with an army of Pandorian and makes his way north; and mankind assaults the Neurotowers around the Earth to prevent the reboot.


    This results in a cataclysmic melee. Ashmal makes his move towards the White Neurotower, intending to corrupt Wyrde¡¯s reboot and end all existence; mankind and the old gods/sponsors try to gain control over the Neurotowers to teleport Earth back in its solar system; the Maleking fights the Concordian fleet; and Wyrde attempting to launch her universal reboot.


    Samantha, who has grown increasingly disturbed by Concordia¡¯s insane ambitions, is eventually convinced by her old friend Maggie to switch sides; she accepts a Magik Online offer and helps Shroud¡¯s team (helped by Ulysses) get into the White Neurotower. They confront Wyrde, while Alice continues with the reboot.


    Loctis intervenes and is revealed to be the maggot-dragon under an illusion spell. He admits that he was supplying both the human resistance and the Malebranche with information to take down Concordia, reasoning that Wyrde had become a tyrant and that their cofounder Halcyon would be ashamed of what the Empire has become. He begs Wyrde to listen to reason, but she is so set in her ways that she refuses to imagine any alternative to her plan. Loctis fights his former mentor with Shroud¡¯s team, but they can only hold the mighty dragon archmage back.


    While the reboot happens, Shroud ends up having a semi-surreal experience where he is briefly connected to all of Dis at once, finally understanding the enormous size of the artificial universe. Dis turns out to be an artificial dimension growing by absorbing pieces of other universes into itself, as it abducted Earth from its original solar system, before using the souls of those it captures as Flux energy. Anton Maxwell/The Dismaker appears to him, confirming that he is Dis incarnate, lonely, and that his goal was to create ¡®another him¡¯ so he could have someone to share eternity with. He offers Shroud to either proceed with the reboot, join him and rule Dis together, or let Ashmal end everything (having grown so bored with immortality, Maxwell relishes the possibility of dying).


    Instead, Shroud decides to choose no side but mankind¡¯s: preventing Wyrde¡¯s Reboot, rejecting the Dismaker, and unleashing a powerful wave of White Flux which purifies Ashmal and his Pandorian army, finally allowing them to die. Shroud then absorbs Pandoria¡¯s energies into himself, fuses with Magik Online¡¯s Administrator, and becomes an Iron God; the same creature as Maxwell/Dismaker, with the power to grant magic to others, create his own neurotowers, and with total control over the Magik System.


    Wyrde realizes that due to Shroud short-circuiting the necessary systems, the Reboot is no longer possible; she mentally collapses as the realization that everything she did was for nothing and completely shuts down. Alice, meanwhile, is overwhelmed with despair at Shroud rejecting her vision, and in denial over her own escalation, activates the base¡¯s self-destruct sequence. Wyrde refuses to evacuate, and Shroud loses his mother to her own madness.


    As a result of the failed reboot, the sponsors'' plan succeeds, and a portal starts teleporting Earth and its moon back to their original solar system, far away from Dis and its madness.


    Meanwhile, realizing that Wyrde is dead, Blackcinders vows revenge. She decides to use her gravity control to pull the Moon out of orbit and crash it against the Earth before it can get away, reasoning that Horrified, Loctis, the Golden Prince, and other commanders like Kresnik order the Concordian forces to stand down and leave the planet, causing a civil war among the Empire¡¯s ranks. Meanwhile, the Maleking orders his troops to blast the Concordian fleet to oblivion with Black Flux bombs, while he attempts to follow Earth into the portal and escape Dis.


    Now the incarnation of the Magik Online system with full access to all spells, including Dot 5 and Black Flux, Shroud supercharges the surviving players with his enhanced [Network] and allow them to push back the Concordian and Malebranche; he makes his farewell to his surviving teammates, has a brief telepathic talk with Ulysses and Perse, then goes to engage the fleets in orbit.


    The godlike Shroud devastates both groups, kills Blackcinders by ramming an asteroid on her, and then pushes back the Maleking before he can enter the portal. The Earth and its Moon escape Dis, the Neurotowers detonating afterward; the planet is free, and mankind can rebuild alongside the old gods. Shroud, however, remains trapped behind.


    Furious, the Maleking tries to murder Shroud in a final act of spite, reasoning that he cannot stand the existence of a benevolent god. The duel takes place over several realities as they jump through them until Shroud finally erases the almighty archfiend from existence with a Dot 6 Hack.  S§×ar?h the n?vel_Fire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Fast forward, Manah assumes command over the Malebranche, intending to reform them into a more peaceful organization while she continues the war with Concordia¡¯s remnants; while the dragon empire splinters into a reformist bloc led by Loctis, and an old guard bloc made of Wyrde¡¯s hardline followers. Shroud, now a god, decides to watch over Dis to counter the Dismaker¡¯s malevolent influence, vowing to one day overthrow the mad deity. Maxwell/Dismaker responds that he welcomes the challenge, but has the feeling that the two of them will keep this up forever.


    The story ends years later as Kari Matsumoto meets with her surviving teammates and the Werners in a rebuilt Japan. Finally having the chance to live a normal life, she looks at the skies and wonders if Shroud is watching somewhere. In another universe, standing over a developing, peaceful alien world, an iron god looks up at the skies too; thinking that as long as there is life, there is hope.


    The End.