Chapter Four

Diegen woke up in a dimly lit room that reeked of medicinal herbs and disinfectant. He groaned, disoriented and unsure of where he was. As he rubbed his eyes, he felt a foreign sensation on his face - something smooth instead of the usual fur. Had the doctors put a bandage on his paw?

Memories of the portal, the monster, and the dreamlike state flooded his mind, along with the realization that he had lost one of his forelimbs. But when he lifted his left forelimb, he was surprised to see a slender, four-fingered hand with a thumb in front of him. He flexed his hand, and the hand did the same - it was his own.

“What the hell?” he muttered under his breath.

“Huh? Oh, Dieg? Dieg!” Holdar exclaimed, stumbling out of the chair he had been sleeping in. He rubbed his eyes, then stared at Diegen in awe. “Wow. Holy shit.”

“Am I-”

“An Astral? Yeah,” Holdar interrupted.

“But how-”

“I don't know. The Boss said you were transforming or ascending or something after that monster attack, but this is weird.”

“What is?”

“The Boss said you'd be out for days or weeks.”

“How long have I been asleep?”

“Just a few hours.”

Diegen breathed a sigh of relief and flexed his hand again. It felt strange - more dexterous and flexible than before, but also a little naked without his claws. He realized he was also naked and confirmed the presence of two legs and a smooth, hairless body.

“So, how does it feel?” Holdar asked eagerly.

“Smooth,” Diegen replied.

“What?”

“My body - it's so smooth.”

“Let me look,” Holdar said, pulling off the sheets covering Diegen.

Just then, the door swung open, and Asmophel walked in. The three of them froze in silence, staring at each other.

“Should I come back later?” Asmophel asked.

“No!” Diegen and Holdar said in unison. Diegen covered himself quickly while Holdar looked away.

Asmophel placed two cups of tea on the bedside table and said, “This is incredible. I've never seen an ascension happen so quickly. How do you feel?”

“I feel fine,” Diegen replied. “Better than ever, actually.”

Asmophel beamed at Diegen, his eyes alight with excitement. "Excellent. Quite excellent, Diegen Faerfeld. Did you know that you made history today? You are not only the first regular Sa'nasi I know of to have taken down a monster with just their teeth and their claws, but you even lived to tell the tale. I imagine the media will want to interview you, especially now that you are an Astral. They absolutely love stories like this."

Diegen felt a sense of pride well up inside him at Asmophel's words. He had always wanted to make a difference in the world, and now it seemed like he might have a chance. "I'm still not exactly sure how I did that myself," he admitted.

Asmophel's eyebrows shot up in surprise. "Interesting," he said. "Very interesting."

"Er… so, what happened after the monster was slain?" Diegen asked, eager to change the subject.

"Well, we brought you back here, and we were about to move you to a hospital when you started to turn into… that," Holdar said, gesturing to Diegen's new Astral form.

"I also explained the whole situation to the local authorities already," Asmophel added. "They will want to talk to you too, now that you're awake, but that can wait till later. They were quite curious about the portal that you spoke of, which no longer seems to be around."

"Are they suspecting that our portal story is fake? They couldn't be thinking that we let the monster inside the district, right?" Diegen asked, feeling a sense of unease.

"Oh no, definitely not. For one, I believe you boys about the portal, even if the Army might not. There are about as many shimmer abilities as there are stars in the sky. Speaking of which, which one did you end up meeting?" Asmophel suddenly asked, looking at Diegen.

"Who?"

"Gula? Avaritia? Luxuria?"

Diegen racked his brain, trying to remember the strange dream he had experienced. "It was Avaritia. Hold on… you can meet other Goddesses?"

"Yes, every Astral meets a different God or Goddess when they ascend for the first time."

"What am I missing here?" Holdar asked, looking from Diegen to Asmophel and then back to Diegen. "You met a goddess? When did you meet a goddess?"

"While I was sleeping, I guess," Diegen said, still trying to make sense of it all.

"No way. What was she like?"

"She was... nice, I guess," Diegen said hesitantly. "We only really talked for a little bit."

"And? C’mon man, spill the beans. What did you talk about?" Holdar pressed.

Diegen tried to recount the conversation, but stumbled when he reached the part about his Path selection. Asmophel's burst of laughter didn't help either.

“Let me get this straight. You tried to choose both the Way of the Mind and the Way of the Body, but ended up with the Way of the Soul?” Asmophel asked, trying to stifle his amusement.

Diegen nodded, looking down in embarrassment. "I didn't know what else to do," he admitted. "Was selecting nothing an option?"

Asmophel shook his head, "No, you couldn't have selected nothing. But don't worry, it's not every day we see a Path combination like yours."

"But what about skills? I won't be able to learn them like the other Paths," Diegen said, worry etched on his face.

Asmophel smiled reassuringly. "Learning skills manually is almost always better than automatically. You'll have to work harder, but you'll understand them fully and be able to master them better."

Diegen sighed with relief. "The Goddess didn't tell me that," he said.

Asmophel chuckled. "The deities rarely tell us everything. We have to figure most of it out for ourselves."

Diegen nodded. "I do remember the Goddess telling me to go outside when I woke up."

Asmophel nodded. "Then that's where you should go."

Diegen looked around for his PPC to check the time but couldn't find it in his vision. Panic set in until Holdar spoke up.

"Looking for your PPC? It's on your bedside table," he said.

Diegen turned to see the device and quickly picked it up, relieved that it synced with his body. He brought up the time.

---

6:00 AM.

---

“Oh crap. Did you guys stay up all night? I’m so sorry,” Diegen said.

“I’m a light sleeper,” Asmophel said, shaking his head. “There’s no need to worry about me.”

“And I got some shut eye before you woke up,” Holdar said. “Besides, if you’re going out, I wanna go with ya.”

“As do I,” Asmophel said. “I’m curious as to why the Goddess might have been inclined to tell you to go outside when you woke up. It seems like such a mundane request. Perhaps there is a surprise waiting for us.”

“Alright. But before that, do you happen to have a change of clothes I could borrow?” Diegen asked, blushing.

“I think I have a spare change of clothes in my office. Give me a second,” Asmophel said, stepping out of the room.

Asmophel returned and tossed clothes at Diegen. After some struggle, Diegen managed to dress himself in a simple t-shirt, black trousers, and brown shoes. As he tied his shoes, he marveled at the dexterity of his thumbs.

Together, the three of them made their way outside, but Diegen's unaccustomed body slowed them down. Despite this, his Sa'nasi balance helped him adjust to two legs quickly. By the time they reached the building's exit, he had only a slight hobble.

Diegen felt empowered in his Astral body and was eager to tackle his first task from the Goddess. Little did he know the consequences of his thoughts.

Unbeknownst to him, Diegen had triggered a series of events that would come to be known as the beginning of the fall of the Harenasian Empire.

✾✾✾

As the three Sa’nasi stepped into the courtyard, the brilliance of the twin suns of Harenasa flooded the sky with a fiery orange hue. The air was thick with the scent of smoke and charred meat from the monster rotisserie sticks outside. The sticks towered over them, casting long, ominous shadows that stretched across the bloody ground.

If it weren't for the Goddess's words, Diegen might have missed the small figure lying collapsed in the shadow of a pile of monster carcasses. He pointed to it, and the group approached cautiously.

Diegen noticed the blood-soaked cloak draped over the figure, but then he saw a small, furry ear poking out from under the hood. He sprinted over to the collapsed Sa'nasi as quickly as he could. "Oi, help! She's hurt," he shouted at Holdar and Asmophel.

Flipping the Sa'nasi over, Diegen discovered a dagger embedded in her stomach. "Oh my God. Call a healer," he said.

"I'm on it," Holdar replied.

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Asmophel knelt beside the girl. "Oh no, Mitz! How did this happen?"

"You know her?" Diegen asked.

"Yes, she's one of us."

Mitz mumbled softly, "Gotta... tell... Boss..."

"What do you want me to know?" Asmophel leaned in closer.

"Boss? Is that... you?" Mitz asked, her eyes opening a crack. She struggled to breathe, taking shallow breaths.

"Yes. It's me, Asmophel."

"B-Boss, I have... something... to tell you," she said weakly, looking up at him with fearful eyes. "Gulatroxians... in the Crystal Forest."

Asmophel's frown deepened as he contemplated the presence of the Gulatroxians, their devilish features etched in his mind. The scaly, leathery heads with up to three horns and six holes for eyes, noses, and ears. He knew them as one of the least peaceful races in history, notorious for their taste for exotic meats, including those of intelligent races. But he also knew that modern-day Gulatroxians were more peace-loving, and it was odd that they were on a desert planet like Harenasa, outside their planetary cluster.

Mitz's trembling voice interrupted his thoughts, and he turned his attention to her, holding her hand reassuringly. But her words chilled him to the bone. Mitz's eyes brimmed with tears as she trailed off, her breathing becoming shallow.

Asmophel's grip on her hand tightened, his concern growing. "We'll get you the help you need, Mitz. Just hold on."

But Mitz had more to say, and her words became a jumble of unintelligible murmurs as she slipped into unconsciousness.

Asmophel checked her pulse, relieved to find she was still alive, but her condition was critical. He turned to Holdar, only to be met with more bad news. The emergency department and the army station were not responding.

“What? That never happens,” Diegen said, frowning.

“In that case, we need to get her inside, and quickly,” Asmophel said, lifting Mitz up into his arms. “I’ll put her in my office. I have a stasis pod there, which should keep her stable until we can transport her into a hospital. Can you boys go down to the nearest station and try to inform someone about the situation? Tell them to contact Asmophel of Heisenken if they have any doubts about what you tell them.”

“Of course we can, Boss,” Holdar said, and Diegen nodded seriously.

“Thank you,” Asmophel said, and went back inside the building.

Diegen and Holdar bolted down the narrow and winding alley, their footsteps echoing against the hard concrete. The sun had set, and the alley was bathed in an eerie orange glow from the streetlamps overhead. They weaved between the trash cans and boxes that littered the alleyway, their hearts pounding in their chests.

“Do you figure she was talking about portals when she was talking about them transporting monsters into the district?” Holdar asked, his breaths coming in ragged gasps.

Diegen nodded, sweat beading on his forehead. “Must be. It’s too much of a coincidence for the two things to not be related, right?”

The scent of rotten garbage and stagnant water filled their noses as they ran. Suddenly, their PPC feeds started buzzing with breaking news alerts. Diegen slowed down, his eyes scanning the device's screen.

“Are you seeing what I’m seeing?” Holdar asked, his voice laced with panic.

Diegen grimaced. “Yeah, it doesn’t look like we have to tell the Army at all.”

He watched a shaky video that someone had recorded of a lizard-like monster emerging from a portal, and an Astral rushing forward to attack it. The feed crackled with static, and in the next scene, the Astral was seen crashing through a nearby window. The video cut out completely, leaving the air thick with tension. A sudden gust of wind sent a chill down their spines, and they shivered involuntarily.

“What do you think we should do?” Holdar asked, his voice barely above a whisper.

“I think we should go back and warn the Boss about what’s happening,” Diegen said, his eyes darting around the alleyway.

The sound of rustling garbage made them both jump. They turned around, their hands reaching for their weapons, but there was no one there. Suddenly, a snarl echoed through the alley, followed by a bloodcurdling scream.

“Help!” A voice cried. “Help, please! Someone! N-n-no, s-stay back! No-!”

As the screams grew louder, the hairs on Holdar's arms stood on end, and a cold sweat broke out on his forehead. Diegen's attention was suddenly drawn to the sky, and he squinted at it in confusion. The blazing red sunrise cast an eerie glow over everything, but something felt off to Diegen. His senses were blaring alarms at him to run away, and he looked around frantically, searching for a place to hide. Spotting a door with a window, he charged at it and slammed into it with all his might.

“Oi, what are you doing?” Holdar hissed, startled by Diegen's sudden burst of energy. On the third try, Diegen successfully broke through the door, and he motioned for Holdar to hurry inside. Once they were both inside, Diegen crouched under the window, pressing his back against the door.

“What are we doing here? You're the one who said we should warn the Boss,” Holdar whispered, confused. Diegen silenced him with a finger to his lips and pointed up. Holdar peered through the window and saw nothing, but Diegen's expression made him uneasy.

Suddenly, a loud crash shook the ground, and debris flew everywhere. A black object had fallen from the sky and landed in the street with a thud. Holdar's eyes widened in horror as he realized it was a monster. Its limbs were too long and spindly to be anything else, and the back of its head was a smooth, black shell that extended down to the middle of its back.

“That's a monster!” Holdar exclaimed, his voice barely above a whisper.

“Yeah, no shit,” Diegen replied, his eyes fixed on the monster.

“I've never seen one that small before,” Holdar said, peering out the window again. “Do you think it's weak enough that we can take it on?”

Diegen shook his head. “No, I'm pretty sure that thing is more dangerous than the monster we saw last night.”

“How do you know that?” Holdar asked, his voice trembling.

“I'm not sure. I just have this feeling in the pit of my gut. It might have to do with the innate ability I have called the ‘Sixth Sense’. Supposedly, it makes me good at sensing shimmer.”

Holdar looked at him incredulously. “If you can sense it, how come it can't sense you?”

Diegen's face turned grim. “That's actually a very good question. I guess we just have to hope and pray that it doesn't have a sensing ability like I do.” He could feel black tendril-like shimmers whipping against the windows above them, and he knew they were in grave danger.

The room was suffused with a golden light that glinted off the polished brass candelabras and ornate furnishings. The silence was thick, punctuated only by the sound of their breathing and the pounding of Diegen's heart. As the old woman appeared in the doorway, she was backlit by the bright morning sun, casting a halo of light around her wrinkled face.

The peace was shattered by the sound of shattering glass as black tendrils burst through the window, snaking around the old woman's neck like a deadly noose. Diegen reacted in a flash, grabbing the tendrils with both hands and digging his feet into the ground. He could feel the tendrils pulsing with a malevolent energy, as if they were alive.

With a fierce growl, Diegen bit down on the tendrils, tearing through the thick, black flesh with ease. The tendrils turned to a viscous liquid in his mouth, leaving a bitter taste that made him want to retch. But there was no time for that.

Diegen's heart was pounding in his chest as he scooped up the old woman, telling her to hold on tight as they raced towards the back of the house. The sound of crashing glass echoed behind them, and Diegen knew that the creature was following them.

As they burst through the back door, Diegen heard the sound of the creature launching itself off the balcony. He turned just in time to see it hurtling towards him, its smooth black carapace glinting in the sunlight.

With a sickening thud, the creature collided with Diegen's back, sending him flying forward onto the cobblestones. Pain radiated through his body as he skidded to a stop, his back raw and scraped. The old woman was torn from his grasp, tumbling down the street in a crumpled heap.

As Holdar ran towards him, concern etched on his face, Diegen knew what he had to do. He couldn't let the creature harm anyone else.

"Get back!" he yelled, his voice raw with pain. "Grab the granny and run! I'll hold it off somehow."

As Diegen ducked to avoid the tendril, he could feel the rush of wind from its near miss on his neck. He could hear the sound of its movement as it cut through the air with a sinister hiss. The cobblestones beneath him were slick with moisture, and he could feel the dampness seeping through his clothes.

As he leaped to the side, his feet skidded on the wet stones, making it difficult to maintain his balance. He could feel the ground vibrating beneath him as the black spikes emerged with a sickening squelch. The sharp tips were inches away from his face, and he could see the glint of light reflecting off their slimy surface.

Diegen's heart was pounding in his chest, and his ears were ringing with the sound of his own pulse. The adrenaline coursing through his veins made his body feel both heavy and light at the same time. He could feel the heat of his own fear rising in his chest, making it difficult to breathe.

He knew he had to do something, but he was at a loss for what that something might be. The Path he had chosen had left him without any real skills to fight this creature. He could feel the frustration building within him, along with the pain of the wound on his shoulder.

As the monster charged at him, Diegen could see the glint of its razor-sharp teeth and the black tendrils writhing in its mouth. He could smell the metallic tang of blood in the air, mixed with the musty odor of the creature's breath.

Diegen's eyes widened as he saw the tendrils wrap around the monster's limbs. He could hear the sound of the creature's bones cracking as it contorted itself into a more agile form. He could feel the ground shaking as it charged towards him on all fours, the sound of its movement echoing in his ears.

As the tendril pierced his arm, Diegen could feel the hot pain of the wound searing through his flesh. He could see the blood spurting out in a crimson arc, mixing with the black ichor of the tendril. The wet squelch of the tendril withdrawing from his arm made him want to retch.

Diegen gritted his teeth and clenched his fist, determined to fight back.

Diegen heard a familiar voice shouting, "Hold on, kid! I'm coming!"

The monster looked around for the source of the noise and narrowed its eyes when it detected Asmophel, who was sprinting towards them at top speed, chainsaw in hand. The monster barked and growled, wrapping its arms and legs in black tendrils once again. It charged at the Astral, who met its lunge with an overhead swing of his huge, glowing weapon.

With a loud clang, carapace met metal and sparks flew as the two were pushed back by the force of the blow.

The monster recovered quickly and lunged once again at the exposed Asmophel, but Asmophel had too many decades of combat experience against monsters under his belt to be defeated so easily. He grunted with effort as he lowered his body and used his backwards momentum to build friction against the ground, holding his chainsaw in front of him like a horn. He used the friction to launch himself forwards with a burst of speed, but the monster dodged Asmophel's sudden thrust in a panic, hopping from one wall to the other to get behind the Astral.

Asmophel stood calmly and swung his chainsaw over his shoulder. Without looking away from the monster, he shouted a question at Diegen, "How you feelin', kid?"

"Alive, I guess," Diegen replied, wincing as he looked at the hole in his arm.

"That's just how it is sometimes," Asmophel chuckled. "Where's your friend? Is he okay?"

"He must've escaped with the old woman we came across. But wait, how did you know to come here? What about the girl from the courtyard?" Diegen asked, confused.

"I put her in stasis like I said I would, and I came because I figured something must be wrong when you two didn't show up," Asmophel replied, unclasping something from his waist and tossing it towards Diegen. It clattered to the ground in front of him.

"Wanna help me take down this bastard?" Asmophel asked, his chainsaw revving up.

The monster seemed to be a little more wary after seeing Asmophel’s skillful movements. It stood at the other end of the alleyway, hissing and sizing them up. This gave Diegen time to look at the object Asmophel had tossed him.

It wasn’t a weapon like any Diegen had seen before. The typical weapon used by Astrals in these parts was the Hinoken, a longsword with a standard handle and crossguard. The one Asmophel had thrown at him was a shorter blade of crimson red. A notification popped into his vision.

—-

Dagger of Ire (Rare)

Artifact - One-handed weapon

This dagger is said to contain the wrath of the 39th Great Monstral, Malphas, who was a brutal conqueror during the Age of Sanctum. This dagger has degraded in strength over the centuries but remains a reliable weapon that draws strength from its wielder’s wrath.

—-

Sixth Sense (Basic) has revealed hidden properties!

—-

Dagger of Ire (Rare+)

Artifact - One-handed growth-type* weapon

This dagger is said to contain the wrath of the 39th Great Monstral, Malphas, who was a brutal conqueror during the Age of Sanctum. This dagger has degraded in strength over the centuries but remains a reliable weapon that draws strength from its wielder’s wrath.

*Its strength can be enhanced by feeding on the blood of its enemies.

—-

Diegen's heart was pounding in his chest as he ripped off a piece of his dress-shirt and tied it tightly around his left forearm to stem the bleeding. The pain was sharp and intense, but he tried to focus on the task at hand. As he bent down to grab the dagger, his hands were shaking with adrenaline and fear.

The cold metal of the blade felt heavy in his hand, but it also brought him a sense of comfort. It was like a lifeline in this chaotic and dangerous situation. Diegen took a deep breath and steadied himself before swinging the blade in a beautiful, overhead arc. The motion felt almost fluid, like he had been trained in this art for years.

With each swing, he felt a rush of emotion. A sense of nostalgia flooded his mind. The dagger was like an old friend, and holding it made him feel connected to a different time and place. Despite the fear and pain, Diegen felt a sense of exhilaration as he repeated the motion four more times, each time from a different direction. It was like a dance, and he was the performer. For a moment, he forgot about the monster and the danger they were in.

But then a blue notification popped up in his vision, bringing him back to reality.

—-

New skill obtained through repeated action: Slash.

Slash (Basic)

A well-executed blade attack, no matter how basic the movement, can be deadly.

—-

Asmophel whistled, glancing at Diegen even while keeping his attention trained on the monster. “Did you study dagger techniques before?”

“Uh… yeah,” Diegen lied. It was a weird situation, and he wasn’t sure how else to explain his sudden prowess with the dagger.

“Well, I’m glad for it. I’m about 60% sure that we can take this monster down together now.”

“60%?” Diegen asked, startled. He didn’t expect their chances to be so low. “What were our chances if I didn’t know how to use a dagger?”

“Probably around 40%.”

“And you still wanted to fight?”

“That’s what it means to be an Astral, my boy,” Asmophel said, beaming. “Now, that’s enough banter. We Astrals hold conversations with our fists and our shimmer.”