Chapter 150
Meeting Magdala
Woosh.
Alexa was a dual classer; her first choice of class was fully accepted. She was a level 38 Absorber, with a sudden increase of 1,140, for 1,290 overall, Willpower her class’s Primary Attribute, while she also received a surge of 760 Perception, for a total of 910, in her class’s secondary attribute. In her mind she could just feel that power unlocked, it was as if the power had always been there, and now her body was fully able to claim the Attributes and display them proudly. Regardless of the exact cause, she knew beyond the shadow of a doubt that her choice of choosing to be an Absorber was without question accepted.
There was of course just one slight problem, namely that the fifth option, the one that was completely grayed out and unable to be accessed or manipulated by her in any meaningful way was her confirmed second class.
This was both confirmed by her initial status page, but also the fact that the hidden details of the class were now fully open and available to read from her status menu.
Precursor Sage (Apex) Level 1
Class: Precursor Sage, you have been chosen to be the human representative. Primary Attribute: N/A. Secondary Attribute: N/A
Passive Class Perks: Unhidden: Passive Attribute Accumulation. For every hour spent within a dungeon, all your Attributes increase by one.
Active Available Class Perk: Unhidden: Dungeon Translocation. You can use the dungeon network as your own transportation network. Primary resting spot must be chosen.
Then as if to accentuate the claims of the Active class perk, she had a list of every dungeon she ever went to appear before her mind. Mentally she saw the name she associated with each dungeon automatically replace the real designation, there at the top of the list was the answer she wanted, and the only one that made sense to her.
Would you like to establish: Bottomless Gorge as your primary dungeon?
“Yes.”
Whoom.
There was a swell and a surge of energy as she could feel her mind reach out and synchronize with Bottomless Gorge.
Just as she was mentally feeling that connection, she felt the moment her ending destination point shifted. To be more accurate, she felt the moment a destination point was finally established, as she had just been free floating in that realm between dungeons, as either the dungeons, or the system they helped to implement had let her remain stationary, while her mind adjusted to the fact that she was no longer a slotted class user, but she was a fully awakened Super.
Mentally she checked her Status page, to see the recent changes, as her body hurdled through space.
Name:
Alexa Thyme
Status:
Awakened
Primary Class:
Absorber (A) Level: 38
Secondary Class:
Precursor Sage (A) Level: 1
Trials Completed:
31 of 10 (0 Remaining)
Dragon Trials Completed:
30 of 10 (0 Remaining)
Rank
Bonuses
Countess
+35% All Attributes, Skills, Psychic Powers, Magic Aptitudes, Fast Travel Times, and Title Bonuses.
Physical Attributes
Rating
Strength
150
Agility
150
Endurance
150
Mental Attributes
Rating
Intelligence
150
Perception
910
Willpower
1,290
Free Points 760
The first thing that Alexa noted as having changed was that her (Max) tag that had been tied to her Attributes for years now, was suddenly gone. Even her Willpower Attribute was missing the (Max) rating, and that Attribute had clearly received a 30-point bonus per level had it missing. She was about to wonder why, when she realized that her secondary class didn’t offer anything towards Attributes while leveling, well she assumed they did at the very least increase the number of Attributes she could have in each Attribute by 30 per level, meaning that right now her maximum Willpower, well the maximum for all her Attributes really was 1,320.
With a start, she realized that her new class meant that she would be maxed out in her Willpower if she just stayed inside a dungeon for thirty hours. She wouldn’t even have to hunt, just go to a dungeon and rest in a safe spot, and her Attributes would gradually improve. Seeing her new Secondary Class, Alexa felt it was the most overpowered class there was. Not only did it allow her to effectively travel to any interconnected dungeon, but it also made it so she would gradually gain more power by just being inside a dungeon. Mentally she knew that she was the exception to the rule, that most people would feel confined in possible death traps, but for her, she loved the idea of being able to just stay inside a dungeon and grow stronger. It was what she had done her entire life to get to this point, and it was what she would apparently do to continue gaining strength.
Alexa also now knew that this was a special time, that she was being taken somewhere different, away from her home planet Earth. In a way, she knew and understood why this was, as this was the last time, she would be allowed to leave her planet via the dungeon network until her planet was fully integrated. Even now, the only reason she had been allowed to leave, and experience the mysteries of the universe at all were due to the Trials of Ascension, well and her Dragon Trials, both of which she had completed.
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Thinking of the Dragon Trials, reminded Alexa that it wasn’t until she completed her last Dragon Trial, that she had felt something change. It was around that point that the dungeons seemed to listen to her requests. Before that point she had been relegated to asking her brother for help, but after that last trial, she noticed that more and more dungeons came alive at her mere presence, meaning she was somehow branded, or chosen by the very dungeons she tried to protect. Her mind whirled with so many different thoughts that she didn’t even question the familiarity of the dungeon she was going to.
Then as soon as she appeared, she instantly knew the dungeon for what it was, better still, she knew the dungeon for what had happened to her the last time she was here.
A shiver of revulsion arose in Alexa, as her survival instincts warned her that this place was not where she wanted to be. The last time she was here, she had been betrayed by the dungeon, the very entity that she herself had wished to help. Only afterwards did she realize the folly of her idea, there was no helping this dungeon, as this dungeon was willingly being controlled by Magdala.
Whoom.
Alexa appeared in the very heart of the dungeon’s lair, not at the starting point, not separated from traps that the dungeon might provide, but at the very heart and soul of the dungeon, right in the middle of its diabolical clutches.
Being as this was the dungeon that housed Magdala, the massive blue dragon, was sitting down, staring imperiously at Alexa.
Alexa instantly saw and registered the threat, and began reacting accordingly. Within seconds she began pulling forth power in waves and torrents as she desperately fought to defend herself.
“Freeze!” Magdala said, and Alexa froze.
Her body stiffened as she felt an aching coldness fill her body and lock everyone of her muscles in place.
“See, I told you we should have had the entry way. That way she wouldn’t feel so threatened.” Magdala said, raising her head and speaking to the air.
Flash.
“Yes, she is a stubborn one.” The Old Orcish Crone said, as she moved forward, appearing in Alexa’s locked field of vision.
Seeing the Old Crone, the dragon Magdala, and the dungeon that nearly killed her for trying to free it, Alexa felt a surge of fear rise up in her, as she began channeling more and more mana. Just because her body was frozen didn’t mean she couldn’t cast her own magic. If she was held hostage, then she would at least go down with a bang.
Frightened flash.
“Well, yes, of course she is casting. She is a caster class after all, and once again you gave her no time to mentally adjust.” Magdala said.
“Wait, Alexa, right?” A familiar voice called out. “Alexa, I am down here. Look at me. I’ve seen you. We merged our minds, remember?” A voice called out, desperately trying to get Alexa to look.
“Oh, it is no use, she is stuck in place, and you are too small. Very well unfreeze.” Magdala said a note of annoyance in her voice as she released the icy cold that had permeated Alexa’s body.
With her body released, Alexa began to stagger slightly, as her muscles were not prepared to hold her bodyweight up at that exact moment.
“Good, Alexa, look it is me, Arthur.” The warm voice said, then with that Alexa looked down and saw the person that had a familiar voice, that she knew so well, but couldn’t quite place for the life of her.
Average Dwarf: Arthur Tide: Level 97: Status: Healthy, Disposition: Friendly. Other: One of the Chosen.
Seeing the scan, Alexa felt her jaw drop, this was Arthur Tide, not his summoned aspect, but the real Arthur. Seeing him, and his status as One of the Chosen, Alexa felt confusion roll through her mind. Realizing that new portion to his scan that seemed to have appeared out of nowhere, Alexa felt a question form in her mind.
Mentally she paused to see the old orcish crone and just like the last time she scanned her, her status remained the same.
Old, withered Orc: The Old Crone: Level ??? Oracle, Status: Healthy, Disposition: Nurturing. Other: One of the Chosen.
That was when Alexa turned her eyes to Magdala, but this time rather than seeing the giant predator that she had fought with almost a month ago. This time, she saw her status, but once again noticed something different at the end of her information bar.
Large Elder Matriarch Dragon: Queen Magdala: Level 197: Status: Healthy, Emotional State: Confident. Other: One of the Chosen.
Once again, Alexa’s powerful mind turned through everything and kept coming up with more and more questions. Finally, she found herself asking the somewhat obvious question, “what is going on?”
Alexa, through her mind-meld with Arthur felt like she knew him, well the part of him that had been in the dungeon with her. But that was just a Summoned Aspect, meaning that for Arthur to know what the Summoned Aspect knew, that Summoned Aspect would have had to die or be dismissed to allow consciousness to merge with the real Arthur. While enough time had passed by for that to happen, as they had met all the way back on the fifth stage of the Trials of Ascension, Alexa couldn’t help but feel that she was missing something here, something vital.
Sigh.
Magdala let out a long sigh as she seemed that she needed to do something to break up the tension that was filling the room.
“I was hoping that we would have someone else here, but it seems that your planet is still not fully Integrated, meaning we are having to make a few workarounds. Unfortunately, those workarounds are rather noisy for people who know what to look for, meaning we will have to cut this meeting short.”
Whoosh!
There was a sudden burst of displaced air, and right next to Alexa appeared the last person she would have ever expected to randomly appear in a dungeon filled with the people that tried to kill her, question her, or knew every one of her personal secrets.
“Gina?” Alexa asked, but a quick scan showed that the statement was more for show than anything.
Small Energetic Teenage Female: Gina Rojas: Level 32 Predictive Oracle, Status: Healthy, Disposition: Excited. Other: One of the Chosen.
“What the?” Gina asked, as she suddenly found herself surrounded by so many different races and creatures of unimaginably high levels. Gina did a quick scan of the room, but then her face burst into life as she locked eyes with Alexa. “Oh, my gods.”
Then Gina lunged forward and hugged Alexa, and for a moment, everything was right in the universe. Everything was calm, the mounting tension that had been building with Alexa suddenly stopped.
Then the next minute she opened her eyes and realized that they were still surrounded by enemies. “Step back, I’ll get us out.” Alexa said.
“Alexa, can’t you see.” Gina said, her words calm and warm. “They are like us.”
“Like us?” Alexa asked.
“Yes, haven’t you noticed, everyone here is One of the Chosen? Don’t you realize what that means?” Gina asked, her words calming.
“I, no.” Alexa said, staring at Gina.
With their eyes locked, Gina was able to just understand so much of what happened, what Alexa was feeling. So many data points were shared, without Alexa ever having to say a word. “Oh,” Gina said, as she once again hugged Alexa, tears forming in her eyes.
Finally, after a second, she turned and looked around the room. Alexa too followed her eyes. Gina looked at the way Alexa looked with apprehension with at everyone, well everyone except Arthur.
“All right, I think we need an explanation.” Gina began.
“Well, we have gathered you here to tell you about…” Magdala began but was quickly cut off.
“Not you, she will not trust what you say.” Gina said, cutting off the giant dragon, something that would normally be unthinkable, but was somehow just accepted by Gina. Seeing the way Magdala retracted and was willing to cede the floor to Arthur made Alexa wonder what exactly Gina was able to see or understand with her class.
“Hello Alexa, and Gina, nice to finally meet you two in person. I feel that I know a lot about Alexa, but I can see why you would be the second.” Arthur said to Gina. Then with that introduction out of the way, the dwarf turned his attention to Alexa.
“Alexa, we all have been tested and judged not only by the dungeons, but by each other. You were put through a series of tests by us, tests which you passed.” Arthur amended realizing that his comment could come across as a bit rude otherwise.
“Every planet has the chance to submit one person for being a chosen.” He says pointing to himself and then gesturing to those behind him. “Our goal is to make sure the dungeons are maintained, that if there is a surge on our planet that we take care of it, either directly or by making sure relevant sources go to the overflowing dungeon in question.”
“Additionally, it is our job to be the protectors of our planet from demonic incursions. In all a planet has two chosen, one a fighter.” He said, gesturing towards Alexa. “The other is the analyst, oracle, or what have you that helps drive the warrior correctly.”
With this last statement he gestures first to Gina, then to himself and the others.
“You passed our tests. In fact, you met Magdala our spy master far before you were supposed to.” Arthur began.
“Spy master?” Alexa asked.
“Yes, as you can see, she is both a dragon, but still has been chosen by the dungeons to be the one representative. Normally it is her and Ilsop’s job to watch the enemy movements and to work with us, to help make sure everything goes smoothly.” The Dwarf gestured towards the dungeon when he mentioned Ilsop, meaning the two were linked in some way. This was something Alexa had already known, given the way Ilsop had almost killed her, the last time they met.
“Thoughts?” The old crone asked.
At that Alexa nodded, “yes, I think I’d like for both of us to go home, now.”
Flash.
“Oh you might as well do it. I told you this was not the way. Who could blame her. We hijack her right as she tries to leave, then we get her mate here as a sign of good will, but she only takes that as a further threat. I mean, come on what did you expect would happen?” Magdala said.
It was only at this point that Alexa realized something odd, everyone here was talking and could clearly understand everyone else. Realizing this, Alexa turned to Gina, “when did you learn to speak Precursor?”
“It’s a new thing, came about when I was marked as One of the Chosen.” Gina said in a stage whisper.
Alexa nodded.
Fwoom.
A portal opened up before Alexa and Gina, in the background Alexa could clearly see the destination of the portal being Bottomless Gorge. Through the link she could see her brother was there and casually talking to Kelvin.
Seeing the portal, Alexa took a step forward.
“Wait, this is the last time we can talk before your planet is fully Integrated. After this, all connections to us will be severed.” The Old Crone said.
Alexa staring at the Old Crone just answered honestly, “good.”
At that the old crone nodded her acceptance. “So you are still mad over what happened?”
“You tried to get me to eat a demon soul, then you tried to let me get blown up by a Void bomb.” Alexa said.
At that Gina raised her hand to her mouth, as realization struck her.
Magdala was the only one to notice the deeper meaning of Gina’s gesture, as Arthur and the Old Crone both stared at Alexa.
“Something happened with Void magic?” Magdala asked.
Gina nodded, “her father was killed by a Void bomb that was detonated by runes.”
Tsss.
Hearing that, the Old Crone winced, as the full realization of what had happened came to life.
“Come on.” Alexa said, holding out her hand for Gina.
Gina was about to protest, but then her eyes locked on the hand and all it implied. Realizing this was an important point for Alexa, Gina surged forward and grabbed the offered hand. The next thing Gina knew, she was being pulled forward through the portal, going back home.
***
The minute the two humans left; a somber mood filled the dungeon.
Flash.
“No, we should still have a chance to fix this. But it will be hard to work back her trust in us.” Magdala said, clearly answering the question the dungeon had asked.
With that the three remaining Chosen ones looked at each other, each trying to find a way to change the inevitable future that would come, if they did nothing to change the way things were currently going.