The first thing Priam heard as he emerged from Log-a-rhythm were Sphinx's sobs. His friend curled up in the grass at the base of the tree, tears streaming down her face. Looking up, Priam spotted Kazuki training near the river. His graceful movements resembled a blend of katas and shadow boxing, but with a spear.
Clearly, the hoplite hadn't informed Sphinx of the operation's success. Not surprising, considering they didn't share a common language. I wonder how long she'll take to learn the hoplite language.
Feeling the grass tickling his bare feet, Priam sat down beside Sphinx.
"He's going to live."
Her sobs quieted.
"It's all my fault," she said before breaking down again.
Priam pulled her close.
"It's both your faults. You should have waited for my approval, and my father shouldn't have followed you."
Priam didn't want to absolve her of all responsibility. Friends should be honest with each other.
If Sphinx had barged into the middle of a battle, it could have seriously hindered Priam. Worse, it could have put everyone else in danger. The enemy could have crossed the portal.
Sphinx weakly nodded, and Priam sighed. The incident reminded him that she was still just a kid. Sure, she seemed wise and mature, but it was mostly a facade. Behind the mask, Sphinx was a carefree child who wanted to play with her friends. She had never faced difficulties or failures, and that was becoming a problem.
"So far, you've always won and can be proud of that. I'm proud of you," Priam added. "However, if you make mistakes, you'll eventually lose. That day, you'll have to face the consequences. And you know what's worse?"
Sphinx, previously buried in her paws, looked up. "What?"
"The worst part is when your mistakes cost your friends."
Sphinx's eyes widened in horror. "Even if they're my mistakes?"
"Life isn't always fair. So even though I know it's not reasonable, I'm asking you." Priam locked eyes with Sphinx. "Don't make any more mistakes. Always win. As you told Kazuki: become strong. Can you promise me that?"
"I promise," she said, her eyes brimming with tears.
"I promise too," Priam smiled, fist-bumping her. Sphinx nuzzled against him. Priam continued to scratch her head while he thought. It's my responsibility to teach her. When a team loses, it's the players' and the coach's fault...
Sphinx had no one else but him. He could abandon her, or he could take up his responsibilities. The answer was obvious.
Now, onto the others.
At the protective barrier, Blueberry pretended to bask in the sun. Priam had noticed a twitch when he announced that Alain would be fine. The big bear was listening intently. Raising his voice, Priam called out to him.
"Blueberry, please come here!"
It was time to set clear rules for their stay in Elysium.
The bear stretched and got up before grumbling. He approached in a zigzagging manner. The gait made Priam smile before he understood. Illusions confuse him. Mentally, Priam added his entire group to Log-a-rhythm's whitelist. Surprised, Blueberry looked around before walking towards Priam. It took more than that to astonish a bear.
Meanwhile, Priam connected to his internal world. Mirscella and Louis waited in silence, their weapons ready. Unlike Alain, they were professionals. Priam opened a portal for them.
"You can come, but be mindful of the gravity. It's stronger here," he warned from the other side.
Louis went first. The nimble old man instantly adapted to the change in gravity. Mirscella followed. The two veterans quickly sat down while keeping a watchful eye on their surroundings. Some take my warnings seriously.
"Where's Alain?" Louis asked.
Priam pointed to Log-a-rhythm. "Inside, resting. He had a stroke from the fall. He's fine now," he hastened to add.
Louis's breath intensified, and Mirscella covered her mouth. "Oh my god... I'm sorry, I should have stopped him from coming through. I..."
"You have nothing to blame yourself for," Priam interrupted. "It's... it's his fault. He shouldn't have gone through the Sphinx portal before we tested him. He shouldn't have crossed before my green light.”
His voice wavered at the end and Priam took a few breaths to calm himself.
“My father always thinks he knows best. At the time, I was terrified, but he's fine now. The System declared him healed. What matters is that we learn from this."
The transition was a bit too swift for Louis and Mirscella, who remained silent, processing the information. Blueberry, undoubtedly thanks to his previous wild life, was a bear of action.
"What now?" he asked.
After this incident, Priam was aware that things needed to change. He was just hesitant about how to phrase it.
"Speak up. My self-preservation is even greater than my pride," Mirscella finally encouraged. "If we're too weak to fend for ourselves, tell us."
Sphinx meowed in agreement, and Priam thanked them with a glance. "Elysium is a dangerous world. According to Kazuki - whom I'll introduce you to soon - some of the monsters lurking here can kill you with a single slash. It's not like the Reunion where the monsters' power was limited. This is the real world. A mistake from any of us will have dramatic consequences. For everyone."
Louis, in a thinker's posture, asked, "What do you suggest?"
"We'll spend at least six months here, and my father almost died on day one," Priam summarized. "If we want to survive, we need to establish rules."
Everyone nodded, and Sphinx licked his hand to express her agreement.
"I'm with you on this. Before we set them, can you tell us about the risks?" Mirscella asked.
"Of course."
Priam took a few minutes to detail his experience in Elysium. He then added Kazuki's warnings, which were to be taken with a grain of salt. At the end of his account, everyone took a few seconds to digest the information.
"Maybe I should have said all of this earlier," Priam admitted with a sheepish look.
Louis shrugged. "Not really. Alain and Sphinx would have followed you to hell."
"Not me," Blueberry said.
Louis continued. "Personally... I like this kind of world. I suspected I was in for quite a journey. As long as the rewards match the dangers, there's no problem."
"It's not a paradise, but I signed up for this," added Mirscella. "I've known distress since I was a child. Never again. I've always lived dangerously, and that won't change today." Seeing Priam about to speak, she continued. "You're the strongest but also the youngest. These are our choices, and we'll accept their consequences. We are grown-ups, so don't see yourself as a hero; you're not one. That's perfectly fine."
"I'm the youngest!" Sphinx exclaimed.
"That's true, Sphinx, I'm sorry," Mirscella smiled. "Alright, let's agree on some rules. What do you propose?"
Priam nodded. "Except for myself, no one leaves the Log-a-rhythm perimeter alone. Everyone will train here until I map out the surroundings and identify threats. We'll train here for the first few weeks, then reassess."
Louis nodded. "This clearing looks nice, I'm in. But are you sure everyone will obey?" he said, gesturing towards Sphinx.
Sphinx curled up even tighter, and Priam stroked her. "I think she understands that she made a mistake," Priam replied.
He turned to the group. "All in?"
Blueberry growled, Louis smiled, and Mirscella nodded.
"Perfect. Then let me introduce you to Kazuki."
As he stood up, Priam sensed a strange smell. [Eidetic Memory] and [Sense of Smell] activated to pinpoint its origin. Blood?!
"Everyone inside the base!"
Sphinx hesitated for a fraction of a second before leaping, disappearing into the trunk of Log-a-rhythm. Without a moment's hesitation, Louis and Mirscella followed suit. Blueberry was the last to take cover. And Rose? Priam hadn't sensed her in his world. Shit.
Did you know this story is from Royal Road? Read the official version for free and support the author.
At the same moment, a dull thud sounded. Priam, hand on his spear, swallowed hard as he saw a monstrous wolf-like creature appear just at the edge of the barrier. He hadn't even seen it move, suggesting its speed was terrifying. The invisible protection was still quivering severely.
"This thing is going to break through the barrier," Kazuki said. The hoplite had taken cover beside Priam, adopting a defensive stance.
[Identification]
[NecroMoon Wolf - Tier 2] - A NecroMoon Wolf. Probably.
I'd tell you to run, but... I don't think that's an option.
Priam paled as he read the monster's description. It was so unfair, why did this kind of creature come to plague them?
"I'm not even sure Log-a-rhythm can hold it," he murmured. The tree was sturdy, but a Tier 2 elysian beast promised to be terrifying.
A scary sound echoed beneath the barrier as the wolf dealt it a second blow.
"What do we do?"
Priam gave a quick glance to the warrior. Kazuki knew they stood no chance, but he was in a fighting stance. A hoplite faces death head-on, right?
"You go inside Log-a-rhythm; I'll lure it away," Priam decided.
"I won’t let you die alone, and I won’t flee."
"It's the second time you're underestimating me. Please, trust me."
"... I hope. I'll keep your Kzutal safe. May your fight be glorious." With those words, Kazuki entered Log-a-rhythm. The soldier knew how to put his honor aside for the greater good.
A third paw strike cracked the barrier, and the wolf howled. It could already sense its prey.
Without wasting more time, Priam sprinted backward and crossed through Log-a-rhythm. Secret Passage allowed him to reappear a hundred meters behind the wolf. From the forest, Priam hurled Promesse, charging it with all his kinetic energy. Anything less wouldn't even scratch the monster before him.
Sensing the attack, the necrotic beast smoothly turned around. A dark red aura masked its true appearance. As it moved, the crimson cloud rippled, revealing a half-rotted carcass. In places, the skeleton supported only shreds of putrefied flesh.
With a disdainful swipe, it blocked Promesse.
Priam hadn't seen any of this. He'd bolted as soon as he'd thrown it, hoping to draw the monster away. After all, he held no illusions. Someone had to die, and it had better be him. Preferably far from Log-a-rhythm.
A second into his sprint, he detected movement to his right. Twenty meters away, the wolf was running on a parallel trajectory to his. Priam roared and began to gather a Breath.
Suddenly, the sky fell to the ground. No, it was his perspective that had changed. Domain informed him: the wolf had just decapitated him. I didn't even see it move...
The power gap was ridiculous.
Priam’s mind took over, leaving his body and focusing on the beast. It had started tearing into his body. Despite his constitution, the wolf's fangs were easily crushing Priam’s bones. It's disgusting to watch...
Priam began to channel a second Breath. The aether gathered, destroying his spiritual body in the process. What did it matter when he was going to die anyway?
The wolf raised lifeless eyes and looked at his spirit. Shit.
Congratulations, you are dead!
[https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/pw/ADCreHe-VDvVNooY-CjCTx95D8D_RUn9rz7oFWsQL4yjepeKtJK3hIxWrXMJJFjsyXIg7k5foKGYLiiBeueoRifa5JCVygDmrczn6BdLDh8qGLFKkcFknHdjXunPVbkXLHP9Xd8BTq30WLyonWE8fPlkW9I=w1181-h295-s-no?authuser=0]Dishnu touched the corrupted ground. In a circle about two meters in radius, the vegetation had lost its vitality. Worse, while the grass had simply turned gray, the tree branches continued to sway. Yet, there was no wind.
It was the fiftieth mark Dishnu had spotted. The circles were arranged in an almost straight line at regular intervals. This was bad news. Someone was spreading this curse, and that someone was capable of leaping over two hundred meters. At least, that's what the distance between the circles suggested.
The beast tracks at the center of each cursed area also corroborated this.
Kneeling, Dishnu clasped his hands and prayed to the forest. It took only a few seconds to persuade the surrounding trees to give up some of their vitality to combat the corruption. Left unattended, it would eventually destroy the younger trees, spreading like a disease. But it's far worse than that...
A few seconds later, the vitality had dispelled the evil influence. But at what cost? Dishnu opened two sad eyes on the circle of blackened vegetation. Once corrupted, only death could purge the curse.
As he made his way to the next circle, Dishnu heard a distant howl. The necro-beast seemed to have found prey. The Drya Champion knew he couldn't stop it from feasting.
"But I could free its captive from claws worse than death..."
Merging with a tree, his spirit quickly traveled through the plant network.
The Forest Guardian was on the move.
[https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/pw/ADCreHe-VDvVNooY-CjCTx95D8D_RUn9rz7oFWsQL4yjepeKtJK3hIxWrXMJJFjsyXIg7k5foKGYLiiBeueoRifa5JCVygDmrczn6BdLDh8qGLFKkcFknHdjXunPVbkXLHP9Xd8BTq30WLyonWE8fPlkW9I=w1181-h295-s-no?authuser=0]Alain blinked rapidly. A flurry of notifications assaulted him, making him grimace.
You have gained the skill: [Gravity Resistance - Rare].
[Gravity Resistance] - Gravity is one of the fundamental interactions responsible for the attraction of massive bodies.
Given the troubles you bring upon your son, you must be quite the expert.
Your body now resists the effects of gravity.
CONST +3
You have gained the skill: [Hemorrhage Resistance - Common].
[Hemorrhage Resistance - Common] - When you lose blood, it's best to patch up the wound. Too bad it was in your head. Literally.
Your high vitality makes you almost hemophilic. This resistance counteracts that effect.
This passive skill slows your heart rate when your wounds are severe. Your blood will clot faster in the open air.
VIT +1
Lvl Up: [Hemorrhage Resistance] lvl 2,3,4,5
VIT +4
You have gained the skill: [Perforation Resistance - Common].
[Perforation Resistance] - Are you accustomed to breaking down walls? Well, your son did the same. But with your head. Don't judge him too quickly; he did it out of love!
Spoiler: you're not as headstrong as you think.
Thanks to this skill, the next one who tries to lobotomize you will have a harder time.
CONST +1
Lvl Up: [Perforation Resistance] lvl 2
CONST +1
What...? The last thing Alain remembered was trying to go through Sphinx's portal. Or rather, attempting to. The portal had closed on him and pushed him forward. He'd fallen and... he was now taking a bath?
"Did I black out?"
"Alain?!"
Sitting up, Alain watched Mirscella rush to his side. "Are you okay?"
"Yeah? I have this unpleasant feeling of clothes sticking to my skin, but otherwise, I'm fine. Why am I lying in maple syrup, by the way?"
It tasted delicious but was terrible for his diabetes.
"You had a stroke. Priam saved you," Louis summarized.
That was quite a summary, and Alain blinked. "What? But I feel fine!"
Actually, he was feeling better than fine. Two of his attributes had been boosted by almost twenty percent.
"Where's Priam, anyway?"
Alain couldn't see his son, and they didn't have many places to hide. After all, six people were crammed into a windowless cabin. And who is this strange man?
Mirscella and then Louis looked away. When Blueberry followed suit, Alain had a bad feeling.
"Where's Priam?"
[https://cdn.discordapp.com/attachments/1091812795361787904/1100186018969292830/SymboleFin_NB.png]Status: (Average value for a Homo sapiens male before integration: PHY 10 / MEN 10 / META 0)
PHYSICAL:
Strength 320
Constitution 451
Agility 309
Vitality 469
Perception 538
MENTAL:
Vivacity 294
Dexterity 365
Memory 99
Willpower 488
Charisma 414
META:
Meta-affinity 262
Meta-focus 213
Meta-endurance 165
Meta-perception 81
Meta-chance 213
Meta-authority 12
Potential: 1003
Tier 0
[He Who Eludes Death] charge: OFF. Reloaded in 22 hours 14 minutes 1 second.
[Tribulation]: Two Tribulations pending.
Future Tribulations delayed until:
Time: 179 days 22 hours 47 minutes 14 seconds.