Hopelessness is a tricky thing, at times heavier than a mountain, yet at others, something which can be defeated by the stroke of a pen… Not, that I’m currently feeling hopeless, despite all the world’s, and all of the death I’ve already seen since I’ve been back.
If anything, I’m just feeling a bit nostalgic, reading my old words, and then going out to the cosmos where everything is different, yet at the same time, almost exactly what I remember.
Filled with gods, mortals, both playing their silly little games, the endless grind for power, for control, and for what?
What would they, I… even do if we “won?”
Ugh, not feeling hopeless or depressed, this is just the way existence is, and it’s not like I’ve not seen countless beings enjoying their lives.
Both mortals, and gods alike, in their lavish palaces enjoying everything existence has to offer, it all just seems so mundane.
A thought that’s perhaps a tad ironic coming from someone who spent literal eons doing absolutely nothing, and sat still for so long that crystal formed over their body like some kind of a cocoon, but
The destroyer of worlds taps their pen against an aged desk, that’s currently floating in space, above a drab little planet.
Where every few minutes there are eruptions of mana, power reaching into the stratosphere.
“Maybe, I need to go explore a bit, and live a little?”
I can’t help, but wonder what the point of it all is.
I don’t know, this whole journaling thing is harder than I remember, and I’m starting to think or rather intend to experience a bit of life.
To try an embrace the madness that is existence, which might get me back in the swing of things, and what better place is there to start things off than a world currently filled with “Gods” trying to kill each other?
A smile grows across the destroyer of worlds face, and a shiver runs down the spine of every being on the planet, who have any kind of danger sense ability.
The only question is who should I play with first, the would be gods or the mortals?
Hmm, I guess you’ll find out next time, dear journal of mine.
His items then disappear with a flash, and he falls to the planet like a shining meteor.
____________________________________________
Raging red fire with black streaks is weaving inside of a molten blob of metal, stone, and faint white shards, which are possibly pieces of bone that somehow managed to survive… The aftermath or rather the answer to a question I had oh so long ago.
When minions meet a force, which would otherwise kill them, well assuming they’re not just outright disintegrated, which seems to be a loophole to the whole not able to be killed thing.
They’re laid prone, unable to move, and then, well this part is probably only due to the heat, any materials touching them are then fused to their bodies like their melted armor or apparently hell fire, tier twenty hell fire, which is having an interesting result to the undead.
You know, the hell fire trying to consume them, my magic along with the various other healers constantly restoring them, and my ability not allowing them to die.
In fact, if they had vocal cords I imagine they would all be screaming, at least, if all of the thrashing they’re doing is any indication, but is pain worse than just letting them die?
Then again, if they die we could just bring them back, but when they’re rapidly going up in tier, and they’ve already suffered so much, is that the right call or… would that be disregarding their struggle, life itself, and their very will to live?
Ten minutes or a couple of hours pass in a blur, it’s amazing how time seems to stand still when one’s working through a crysis, but after a while they do stop burning.
____________________________________________
Veronica stands by the portal with a list of names grasped in one of her hands.
The names of the missing undead, more than a hundred, and given the soul mages only managed to secure a few dozen, countless names will need to be engraved onto the wall.
Irreplaceable people who gave their lives for something greater than themselves, but as she looks at the hundreds of cots filling the courtyard.
Some of which still have squirming undead, the sinking feeling that it all could have been so much worse fills her bones, and she can’t help, but wonder how many more would have died, if not for one Thomas Desmond?
An uncomfortable thought, but also a ringing example of what a single feat can accomplish, and the only way for the armies to unlock them on scale is to keep pushing.
Meaning, even if this definitely wasn’t exactly the best first run, it won’t be the last, but at least Thomas proved his worth, and the resources, along with the levels gained certainly are a step forward.
“If only, it didn’t have to come at such a high cost, but,” Veronica looks to the sky, it’s cloudy, grey, and looks to be on the verge of erupting into rain.
“If we want to keep progressing, no if we want to survive, what other choice do we have?”
____________________________________________
I look at Veronica who is muttering to herself while I’m laid out on one of the cots, before turning, and watching the rest of the undead who are still swarming around the materials we extracted.
Apparently tier five to ten hell hounds, all of the uncommon variety, and each of their bodies representing thousands of mana, even if we just burned them.
The larger ones even being around the amount of mana I regenerate over the course of an entire day, and we killed at least a couple of hundred of these things.
Equalling, on the low end, more than three hundred thousand mana, and if not for the big one could have been a venture netting millions, but instead we all almost died, because we are weak, I’m still so weak.
Veronica walks over to me, her light green eyes are glowing with an intensity that’s hard to miss, and she has faint green streams of mana dancing around her body.
“The realm was more than we expected, but not an insurmountable one.” The image of the mountain sized hell hound fills my mind, and somehow I can feel the heat of its hell fire, before with a shake of my head it fades.
“It’s hard to say, when that one hell hound tore through us, and who knows how many more or if there are worse things in there.” She turns towards the portal “You might not have been able to notice with all of the chaos, but the mages strike did manage to hurt it, and if we were just a bit more prepared, just a bit stronger that hell hound would have fallen just like all of the others.” The two of us stand there in silence for a moment, both looking at the sea of injured, before a certain necromancer appears.
Tides is pawing through the pile of materials, before quickly gathering a medium sized boulder of materials made up of only the highest quality ones.
He then wanders away with his loot without even sparing a glance to the injured or really anyone else.
We both narrow our eyes at him, but in the end let him go, without saying a word.
Some battles simply aren’t worth fighting or at least not when a busy body in a crisp black suit suddenly appears, and erupts in an endless stream of words.
“The preliminary assessment has been completed, first we need stronger focused weapons or linked magic to take out any stronger foes, secondly enhanced enchantments for fortifications, and lastly an increase in gear quality or a focus in fire resistance. With those three things we could claim the immediate area, but if the readings our scouts were able to retrieve are accurate, then there are almost certainly far stronger beings within the realm, and it’s almost certainly not a death realm.” Veronica hesitates, tapping her foot in thought, and is watching the undead going about their duties, before she turns towards this manager.
“Adding in recovery time, and weapon development, it will be at least months until we are capable of taking that realm, forcing us to focus on the lower realms, but if we can’t even take a tier five realm…”
The manager tilts their head as a wave of faint grey mana begins to web around them, and split into the surrounding arcane crystal.
“An acceptable plan, although it’s unlikely that we’ll be able to find a lower realm that will give us access to fire or hell fire resistant materials, which will force us to materialize a variety of test materials.” Veronica’s eyes roll, before she says “I’m glad that you approve.” In what could only be taken as a sarcastic tone, yet one that seems completely lost on the manager, but after the exchange, they do simply walk away without saying a word, so maybe not.
“I’m kind of surprised you don’t just want to go right back in.” She tilts her head at me, and one of her eyebrows is raised questioningly “You are?”
I look at the realm breacher, little more than a metal rod in the ground covered in engravings.
“On one hand, no of course not, it’s so dangerous over there, but on the other… After one trip there’s enough mana here to create an epic grade undead, and if we didn’t get pushed out, we would probably already have enough to push multiple people to epic grade.” Veronica looks to the sky “But at what cost, how many of us would die in the pursuit of power?” A grimace quickly finds its way to my face “A fair question to ask, but don’t you feel it?” She turns to me, looking into my eyes, which aren’t filled with panic, or dread, instead they’re heavy like sands of time slowly ticking down, and she sighs.
“It, of course being how we are a single day away from everything falling apart?” “Yes which m-” She smiles, before interrupting me “That we shouldn’t just throw our lives away, all we can do is prepare, and make sure that we’re ready for the day when the sky inevitably comes crashing down on all of us. Speaking of, you more than played your part, and as your share, we would like to help you reach rare grade.”
Unease worms through me “That is,” Certainly a step forward, but is it enough, will anything ever be enough in a reality filled with monsters?
“Thanks, I guess I’ll do that, and level my abilities, until we’re ready to go again.” I then stumble to my feet, and start making my way to the evolution chamber, while Veronica stands watching.
____________________________________________
Thomas cuts through the crowd, like a man on a mission, and they seem so distant from everything, as if their feet can make everything just disappear if they move fast enough.
A reaction that’s a bit of a mixed bag, not quite facing the dangers they’ve experienced, but also not completely running away from it, which if not good, is at least better than Tides… Who only sees themselves, and what they can take, but in the end they’re just two among thousands who are lost or questioning what the point of it all is.
Veronica taps her foot, watching as the last of the undead shuffle to their feet, before becoming lost in thought as she begins heading back to her citadel.
How could she blame them though, when in Renata, in this city.
No one wants for anything, there is no danger or monsters creeping through the night.
Why wouldn’t they simply want to hide behind these walls that seem so impenetrable, and simply live their lives, instead of this?
Death, destruction, ruin, screams, and pain, but that’s the ugly truth of life.
Someone will always try to take from others, and if they’re more powerful there’s absolutely nothing anyone can do to stop them.
Before she knows it, she’s back at her desk where a mountain of paper work awaits.
Authorization forms, for everything the eye can see, and with a sigh she begins her own battle of progress, the city moving by her very will.
____________________________________________
Approval, ever sweet approval Bartholomew The Second, dismisses the notification, and makes it reappear to ensure that this time!
It’s actually real, and not just his mind trying to will it into existence again, but this time it comes back!
Moments later a ghost even appears… A strange looking ghost, whose body for some reason is made of a black mist, but a detail that’s irrelevant to the plan they’ve quickly laid out on Bartholomew The Second’s table.
A glorious plan, one embodying the heart of consumption filled with stores, hotels, bars, food, venues for art, music, and more exotic tastes.
“It’s perfect!” A tear rolls out of one of Bartholomew The Second’s eyes, before he makes one slight alteration, under the glare of some uppity ghost… He places his shop in the center of it all, and then hits the approval button.
Two entire miles, where if one has enough mana they can do just about anything.
Managers, then begin to round up the hundreds of draugr who were otherwise wilting away with classes, which until now were worthless.
Construction workers, masons, artists, among countless others who were just wasting their time away, but now they will have PURPOSE, DIRECTION, and SHOULD be eager to WORK!
____________________________________________
“You know, seeing a bunch of our boys who just had their teeth kicked in is concerning, but being told we’re up next is worse.” Issec says to his fellow mighty ant slayers who mostly just laugh him off, and one of them even has the nerve to thump him on his shoulder, while practically shouting “Don’t worry squishy, we’ll keep you safe.” As if he hasn’t saved the lives of these jar heads countless times, but before they can get into it, something disturbing happens.
“Ha, ha, ha.” A manager begins to laugh?
It’s a cold robotic tone, that unsettles every single last person in an instant, given humor from one of them is never a good sign.
“We are aware that some of you may have concerns, after the last expedition encountered unexpected difficulties, but I’m here to assure you all that the next trip should in fact be around the same difficulty if not easier than the hive.” Issec stares at the manager “should” “around” “if” such encouraging words.
“You will be breaching a tier three realm, with not only the best crafted gear we have ever created! But, will be under the protection of countless breaking new methods, which should ensure your safety from even death itself! Not that they should be needed, particularly when you’re going to be breaching the realm under the aegis, the protection of our engineers who have been pushed to new heights in defensive construction.”
The undead are non pulsed, not really saying anything, and it stretches into an awkward silence, until the manager continues.
“This of course will take at least a day or two to organize, and until then you all are free to do as you will.” The company then erupts in cheers, shouts of finally some time off, and the clanging of metal rings out, while the manager shakes their head before muttering.
“Bloody lazy undead.” Words that Issec, and a few of the smarter undead use as motivation to slip away a bit more quickly, before those monsters think of something “productive” for them to do.
They hit the town, and make sure to not waste even a second of their free time.
____________________________________________
“Yeah, you’re not opening the arcane realm.” Vie’s eyes remain narrowed, as she flutters up to be eye level with Sarah.
“How dare you tell me what to do, after abandoning me, and leaving me alone to face unimaginable horrors!” Sarah snorts “You mean the creatures you’re literally able to tear apart with your bare hands?” Sarah flips through the little book, while a bit of the fire raging through Vie dims.
“You could probably handle up to a tier three realm, but the arcane one is significantly higher than that, and at minimum has beings at the same grade as you. It might even have mythic grade beings or at the very least ones significantly higher tier than yourself, particularly given your still tier one, and haven’t come even remotely close to maxing your attributes.” Vie flutters down to her table, and begins to pout.
Sarah places the book down “In my experience necromancers tend to be one of the classes with the highest concentration of attributes, for whatever reason.” She then pauses in thought, before giving Vie a bored stare.
“Hmm, I could assist you, then again, maybe you should actually figure out your own abilities, regardless.” The book disappears, and a small wave of mana pulses, before forming into a large metal spike.
“No arcane realm, until you’re at least mythic grade, with maxed abilities, and have a significant amount of legendary minions, but until then, feel free to explore the other realms.”
Sarah then disappears in a green mist that quickly spirals up to her home, and she completely ignores Vie yelling off in the distance.
About unimportant things, like how they’re not done talking, to move her house, calling her a thief, blah, blah.
So noisy, but exactly what one should expect from something that’s little better than a pixie… Still, as she wraps herself in a blanket, it’s finally the start of her vacation, a few years or at worst decades of nothing, but sleeping, drinking, and reading.
With ABSOLUTELY nothing else which could possibly go wrong, well, at least until the arcane realm, but that should at least be interesting.
____________________________________________
“Stupid bloody elf! Stealing my things! Who does she think she is! Pointy eared little welp, and daring to squat on my tower! I should light her house on fire!” A mad gleam fills Vie’s eyes, fire is practically dancing behind those violet eyes.
“Grumble” “Right… She did kill a dragon.” “Grumble” “FINE, beheaded it in a single strike! I won’t light her house on fire, yet.” Vie then begins to examine the spike, which apparently is a tier three realm breacher.
It’s a thick metal rod absolutely covered in glowing engravings, and instead of simply activating it, shockingly enough she does the responsible thing.
She buys a book from the system store titled The Realms, before quickly flipping through the pages, and barely even seems to read more than a couple of words on each page.
“Hmm, at the very least with the right realm, this certainly could be a way for a dungeon to get some trial runs.” “Grumble” She then floats over to the pedestal, and begins to read the book to her dungeon core.
Her small voice echoing throughout the chamber, and on occasion being answered with a questioning grumble.
____________________________________________
In the end, bodies are just bodies, regardless of where they come from, but these remains do have at least one interesting thing in their composition.
How the hell fire flows through them, an energy that moved through channels in their flesh similarly to how blood does, but with their own set of unique veins that instead of flesh were made of crystal or maybe some kind of bone?
Tides taps his desk, before slamming down a fist.
“Why couldn’t those incompetent fools capture even a single living test subject.” He then leans back, poking the meat a few times, which still has trace amounts of the hell fire, but most of it seems to have lost to the ether, because some fools apparently don’t know how to gather valuable materials!
Then with a shrug, he begins to bring life to the pile, all of the ten tier materials sliding into a mold, before forming into a single undead that’s bound to the floor.
A sharp smile begins to grow across Tide’s face “Now let’s see, exactly what you’re going to give me.”
____________________________________________
The boys are back in town, a place where things are now so different, filled with light, and not just from the shining arcane crystal or the rage of work shop fires.
There are countless stores, shops, and venues each with their own unique flare.
Lights in various colors that are all trying to catch the attention of those endlessly passing by.
Music is playing in the street, while undead are running around seeing shows, drinking, and eating.
Issec is sucking it all in, this is what they’re fighting for, this freedom, laughter, and joy.
The crafting district has transformed into a place filled with people pushing themselves to their limit or just enjoying their day walking around picking up any knick knacks that catch their eyes for a bit of mana.
Issec though, is wandering around like a lost little sheep, going over to the different venues, but not quite taking part.
A stranger lost in a world that he can’t quite understand, when a laugh enters his ears.
A sound that makes his core ache, and when he turns, there she is.
She’s like the wind, a force of nature moving through the crowd, and drawing the eyes of all she passes with her very presence.
She is life itself, her eyes are like pink shining stars, and she has a warmth, which just pulls everyone in.
“Now who exactly might you be?” and Issec is helplessly dragged into her grasp.
____________________________________________
A brand new, well not world or even world’s in this case, given the Salazar are still on the same world, yet the sense of wonder, of endless possibility still fills them, as they stare up at their changed skyline.
Where three massive planets have appeared, the smallest of which, is around two thirds the size of the largest, and has countless glowing rings that block even the most perceptive from gleaming more.
Then there’s the green world, a planet with trees that rival mountains, and every inch or at least what the Salazar can currently see is green.
The largest world is rugged, covered in white mountains, and deep splotches of blue covering its surface.
Every single one of the planets is at least sixteen times larger than Hesto, making it seem like it’s possible to just reach up, and grab them.
A sight that fills so many of the Salazar with joy, but not all of them are happy, in fact one group is absolutely outraged.
The nobles, for a number of reasons, like wanting revenge on the Nelka, or a desire to be in a more important part of the cosmos, rather than the far reaches of the dead zone, but almost every single last one of them can’t accept how they weren’t even asked.
Weren’t even informed before the planet disappeared, and reformed in some new far off place.
A decision that will forever shape the future of the Salazar, and it was made without the input of even a single noble.
Leaving every single last one of them wondering, what their positions are even worth, if they have any real power under this new regime, or what else Aurisa is capable of doing without even consulting them.
Silence, the twelve seats are filled by young Salazar, and three older ones who managed to survive the purge.
The oldest surviving noble, Xen, who isn’t even past forty, is tapping her claws, and the razor sharp edges are slowly digging in the wood.
“We have to answer this insult!” Grumbles fill the chamber, but one voice stands out from the rest.
A Salazar whose golden scales gleam under the yellow mana lights.
“I have known Aurisa for years, she’s hard headed, unwilling to compromise, and maybe most importantly of all, powerful. Any response we give has to keep things in mind, but… realistically, when the decision has already been made, what can we even really do about it now?”
Xens tapping stops, and she gives a sharp smile that accentuates her pointed white teeth.
“To think, the spawn of Yensen is sounding so helpless, and pathetic, as if the nobility are little more than servants. Then again…” Ava’s eyes grow cold, before she smiles, and leans towards Xen.
“Ah yes, most of us were little more than servants, and pray tell how exactly did you survive the purge Xen? I’m sure it’s nothing like those rumors of Salazar swimming through sewage, right?” Xen’s claws dig into the table, and rage pulses behind her eyes, until a warm yellow light washes over the room.
Serena, another one of the older nobles, is covered in golden flames, before they wink out.
“Now that I have your attention, maybe we can get back on track.” Felix, the last of the old guard snorts “Please, it’s only a matter of time, until this once again falls to childish squabbling.” Drawing a lot of glares, and causing Sarina to roll her eyes before she responds with “Which of course is something you would never engage in.” “I’ll have yo-” “Regardless! Let’s actually go over the options, unless everyone truly wants to spend all day in this chamber.” More grumbling, but no one speaks up so Sarina keeps speaking.
“We could simply make our displeasure known, and inform Aurisa that we will not stand by, while she does whatever she wants without even consulting us.” The chamber fills with collective yawns, before Felix’s voice fills the chamber “Or we could take a more direct action, like asking Aurisa to step down.” “Which she won’t.” Ava says, before Xen jumps back in “Leaving, breaking apart the Salazar empire or removing Aurisa.”
The chamber grows quiet as they collectively mull over their opinions, Sarina though doesn’t give them too much time to think.
“The thing about most of these options, is that in the end, most of them result in the same problem, unless of course I’m mistaken, and there is someone here, who we all believe would be fit to lead us?” Felix preens “I would be more than happy to-” Scoffs, and even chuckles quickly fills the room, while Felix begins to turn red.
“As I thought, leaving three real options, confronting Aurisa, breaking into our own factions, or taking those loyal to us, and returning to civilization.”Ava nods along “Well, there is no reason to not at least try the first option.” Xen glares at her “And that’s exactly what one of her handmaidens would say.” Sarina tilts her head “Xen may be over zealous in her accusations, but she does raise an interesting point. No matter what we decide here, it will most likely inevitably get back to Aurisa. So, before we leave here, we all need to decide what’s going to be done.”
The chamber then fills with talking, and arguing long into the night, until they finally come to a decision.
____________________________________________
I sit in the middle of the circle as mana washes over me like waves on a beach, but instead of water it brings pressure.
My body is being crushed, and then reborn.
An endless cycle, until something clicks, and energy rushes through my body.
Leaving me feeling far more capable, which is frankly something that I didn’t even think was possible.
These shifts are so extreme they’re almost like a child discovering the difference between crawling, and sprinting.
At first, something that seems impossible, magical even, but as one grows, and becomes more capable, it quickly becomes something natural.
The lights in the chamber fade away, and I instantly pull up my status screen.
Notifications
Evolution
Rare Grade
Experience Earned
Combat: Fighting with the troops this time, in fact you joined your faction in a full on invasion or at least a sortie into a whole other plane of existence!
Where you not only slew foes far above you in tier with your very own hands, but we’re also the linch pin, which saved the lives of potentially hundreds.
A battle that ultimately ended in a loss, yet as the saying goes they may have won the battle, but that doesn’t mean they’ve won the war!
Particularly, when you now know for a fact, that your enemies can bleed.
Class: Honestly, you’re kind of stalling out here, I mean where’s the passion?
The grave robbing!
The hunt for buried bones of questionable circumstances?!
Still your abilities are going up, but being a necromancer is so much more than just numbers on a page.
Profession: Also… making some shades, a single weapon, and a single shard of soul, before not really interacting with your profession is certainly a choice.
Then again, your little excursion did give you plenty of souls to use in your craft, so maybe that will soon change?
Level up +5
Health Restored
Mana Restored
Stamina Restored
Attributes Increased
Charisma +1
Constitution +1 This story is hosted at g.com.
Dexterity +1
Intelligence +2
Strength +2
Spell Gained
Heal The Dead
Spells Leveled Up
Heal The Dead +9
Mana Bolt +2
Mana Manipulation +3
Soul Shape +2
Skill Gained
Cliff Notes
Skills Leveled Up
Analyze +3
Anatomy of The Risen +2
Athletics +2
Cliff Notes +2
Engraving +2
Meditation +1
Sense Mana +1
Swordsmanship +2
Milestones
Analyze – Sense
Athletics – Body
Mana Manipulation – Creation
New Spell
Heal The Dead – The healing beam of death!
A bit of an oxymoron, at least until one remembers, that holy beams are not only quite damaging to certain groups, but in a high enough concentration they too can be harmful to just about anything.
Death beams are the same just you know, harmful to more things, but sometimes that’s just the way the dice rolls when existence for whatever reason seems to favor the “living.”
New Skill
Cliff Notes – Reading is for suckers, like imagine for a moment that you actually have to sit down, and spend literal hours of your life to consume some tome or book, which you might not even find remotely interesting.
Talk about a waste of time, but you have wisely decided to outsource this labor, and now while your minions slave away, you can actually enjoy your life, and the higher this ability raises, the more you’ll understand all without even having to lift a single page.
Milestone Reached
Analyze – I See Everything is now taking effect
Milestone Reached
Athletics has unlocked the level twenty five body pathway choice.
(Warning! Pathways impact all branches of their related abilities, and this choice will be the first step in determining how all core pathway abilities grow, after all, pathways are a lifestyle, and not an arbitrary choice!)
Team Effort!
– Some believe that they’re capable of doing everything themselves, but you… But Bro, you have stumbled upon the truth!
One might be capable of accomplishing great things, but one will always be capable of accomplishing more when they have great people by their side who are pushing them!
To do MORE!
And now, whenever you’re a part of a team, everyone’s gains will be improved.
The Great Escape – Speed, you’re hunted, beings across multiple realms would like nothing better than to see you buried in the dirt.
Are you going to give them what they want, or leave those hunting you with the bitter taste of being just a little too late?
Whenever something is hunting you or your minions you all will enjoy a flat three percent speed increase in whatever you’re doing.
Only one choice can be made, what shall it be?
(Note the only way you can currently change this decision is by resetting or changing your class)
Milestone Reached
Mana Manipulation has unlocked the level twenty five creation pathway choice.
(Warning! Pathways impact all branches of their related abilities, and this choice will be the first step in determining how all core pathway abilities grow, after all, pathways are a lifestyle, and not an arbitrary choice!)
Living Mana – Too many forgot that mana is not the arcane crystal it so often embodies, but something more… This is the second step to discovering exactly what its true potential is.
Will you be bold enough to keep walking along this path, even if at this point you’re not directly rewarded?
Concentration of Mana – The arcane pulses through everything that you create, increasing the rate at which they naturally evolve, and absorb mana from their environments.
Only one choice can be made, what shall it be?
(Note the only way you can currently change this decision is by resetting or changing your class)
Status Page1
21
“Oi! This isn’t a sauna, your evolution is done, clear the room!” A familiar annoying voice echoes throughout the chamber, and disrupts the sweet taste of progress.
In the end though, they’re right, and I find my way to my feet, but I’m still glued to my status screen as my feet practically glide outside under the effects of my attributes effectively doubling.
I then plop against the wall under the judgmental glare of the doorman, but I’ll wait no longer!
Even if my abilities might not have gone up as much, partially due to so many of my shades dying… Apparently many of them saw a giant glowing beam of death, and for some reason failed to dodge it, but at least it put to bed the fear that the attributes they take would be permanently lost.
Leaving me with more than two thousand mana at the tip of my fingers, my stamina almost as endless, and the only question being what on Earth am I going to do with it all?
Well, after settling what to do with my milestones, which are interesting, and then there’s all of these souls that are absolutely souls brimming with power.
Potentially hundreds of hell hounds who could all be grinded into attribute points or made into something new.
I touch the phylactery, where a sea of fiery souls rage, but dozens of them are cold, standing together, and just patiently waiting there.
“Hmm, maybe our adventure to hell went a bit better than we thought. Just wait a little longer, before we run off to find Veronica who’ll help you lot back to the land of the living.”
Now!
Time for the milestones, a choice that’s slightly more difficult to make this time given the whole running for my life while hell fire rained behind me thing, but… the simple truth, is that against monsters like that a little bit of speed wouldn’t, well certainly could be the difference between life or death.
In reality though, it would really only matter when there’s a conveniently placed portal mere feet away, and one that’s capable of preventing the threat from following behind.
Which, isn’t exactly something that one can depend on, and, what’s a flat three percent vs a nebulous increase in the gains for not only myself, but also everyone I’m working with?
Then again, there are certainly caps, on not only abilities, but attributes themselves, and something like this milestone could allow me to go beyond them.
The future though, is something, I have to actually live long enough to reach, and it’s not like I even reached the cap of uncommon grade, let alone rare grade.
Team Effort is chosen, and I’m left feeling rather normal.
Maybe, the streams of soul connecting me to my shades, and the countless undead I’ve created have become a bit thicker.
It’s all just so intangible though, and should drive me towards my next milestone that has such a clear benefit right?
Concentration of Mana, something that literally improves everything I create vs Living Mana, which doesn’t even come with a benefit, yet for some reason my mind refuses to just pass over it.
Maybe, it has something to do with how the previous choice didn’t truly cost anything or at least either choice would result in benefits.
Living Mana though?
It represents something more!
It could be absolutely everything or nothing.
Two breaths is how long the choice paralyzes me, but life is far too short to obsess over what ifs.
Living Mana is chosen, and for a moment, the world comes to a crawl.
I can feel the mana that has imbued every single ounce of my body, from my eye balls to the very blood running through my veins, and then there’s a push.
I feel weightless, everything, the world itself flows through me, so much mana, endless power, yet it hits a void.
An endless darkness, yet in the distance like a sun shining in the sky, there’s a sea of mana glowing ever so far away.
So much mana that it rivals the void itself, and then everything goes dark. https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!esAF!,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F29ea74e2-78c7-4a8c-964d-6881933de7cc_666x734.jpeghttps://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!xtLV!,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F07f2e401-913a-4889-8703-eebc6b2789cb_673x688.jpeg
Due to formating issues this story doesn’t quite look the way it’s supposed to 0_o and you can read an updated version on Kobo, or other platforms. https://litrpgandpolitics.wordpress.com The story is also at around chapter 60 with around 400,000 words, and will posted once per day, until it’s caught up.
Then it will either be weekly, or twice a week, with that being said, I still welcome any feedback, after all I’m still editing everything 0_0 and different perspectives can so often help one see the things we take for granted.
Thanks for reading, and I hope that you have a great day!