Arriving on Floor 7
Scanning
0/1 Enemies Defeated
Fight!
System Balance
Attribute Evolution
Gazing into the Abyss has altered Volcanic Resonance, causing an Evolution to occur prematurely
Volcanic Resonance (passive): A strong connection to the colossal power boiling below the crust of the Earth allows the Fire Warrior to channel Volcanic Resonance through the blade of a melee weapon. While in the body of an enemy the blade acts as a conduit, dealing burst fire damage. This Ability benefits from damage modifiers from all other abilities. Long encounters can open fissures in the Earth's crust, exposing the surface to the magma below.
Becomes
Volcanic Essence (passive): The deep connection to volcanic energy is enhanced after gazing upon the Abyss, widely considered to be the domain of the System and anathema to Human life
Volcanic Essence enhances both offensive firepower and safeguards against invasive forces
In the midst of combat, an impenetrable internal barrier manifests within the warrior's body, preventing any hostile entity from invading or taking control. This barrier is a direct extension of the connection between the warrior and the immense power concealed beneath the surface of an Earth
Note: The barrier does not provide defence from physical attacks
This connection also extends to melee weapons used in combat, transforming them into conduits that unleash burst fire damage while within the body of an enemy
This Ability benefits from damage modifiers from all other abilities
"Thoughts professor?"
"Another example of preferential treatment."
"I get the feeling that I would've gone mad and we would've died if the Evolution hadn't occurred."
"True. Still, the System seems oddly invested in you Alex. Something you should worry about."
"True. It's like having a rich stalker, eventually they go crazy and try to sell your kidneys."
"Try to… what? Who taught you about stalkers?"
"Maddy. The real, my Maddy. Not that Maddy," Alex indicated the figure standing at the other end of the Floor.
"That makes more sense. I'm in no position to disagree with Maddy Santiago."
"Is that not what happens?"
"It can happen."
"Anyway, we like this Ability… right?"
"What's not to like? Protection from mind control and internal attacks. Plus it retains all of the old benefits. Except the fissures that expose the surface to magma, which you have access to with Volcanic Eruption. A great upgrade that should not have happened till at least level 100."
"The Abyss Effect."
"The Alex Till Conundrum."
"Rude."
"Accurate."
"Hello Alex."
"Other Maddy."
"Long time no see."
"We've never met."
"Don't be like that. I can smell the longing coming from you. It can go back to how it was before, just the two of us. Together forever. Don't you want that?"
"No."
"No? But Alex-"
"Don't. We both know you aren't my Maddy. You're just something the Chanka thought would break me."
Alex heard Maddy start walking towards him.
"Alex-"
"No. Just… please. Don't do this."
Her footsteps halted.
"Don't do what?"
"My memories-" he stopped and released a shuddering breath. "My memories of Maddy, from before the fire, they're all I have. Please don't do this. Killing you would destroy the last good thing I have in this world."
Maddy started to laugh and the sound made Alex flinch.
"Honey, they're paying me far too much to walk away. Plus, breaking you will be fun. The emotion, everything about this is delicious."
"They paid you?"
"A lot."
"I didn’t think they’d resort to paying people, but still, how much?"
"Planning to match it?"
"Not at all, I just want to know how much they wasted."
"Arrogance."
"6 Floors down, what makes you think I won't make it 7?"
Maddy laughed and blurred forwards and gripped Alex by the chin.
"Because you won't even look at me."
Alex jerked backwards, grimacing as Maddy's fingernails tore against his face. Alex looked up and made eye contact.
Name: Maddy Khan
Floor 7 Boss
Race: Human (Earth 101)
Class: Blighted Lycanthrope
Title: Planetary Forerunner 100
Core Pantheon: Onix Trono
Guild(s): n/a
Level: 99
"Blighted Lycanthrope?"
Maddy growled, it came from low in her throat and reminded Alex of large predators, predators from before the Initiation.
"You'll start to feel the effects of the Blight soon enough, lover."
Alex shuddered at the pet name then reached up to where she had scratched him.
"You mean this?" He turned his face from side to side revealing 4 deep scratches that seemed to be glowing with an internal fire.
"Enough!" Maddy started to growl and dropped to her knees. "I wanted to stretch this out but the Chanka told me not to play with my food."
"Professor, what's a Lycanthrope?"
"Are you serious?"
"Very."
"A Werewolf."
"Why not just call her that?"
"The System-"
"That's actually an accurate answer. Holy shit, is she doing to… Oh. My. God!"
Alex and the professor watched as Maddy crunched, cracked and snapped her way from being a 5'5" woman, to a beast well over a foot taller. Maddy stood, a pool of blood had formed around her during the change, mostly from serious compound fractures and other horrific injuries that all seemed to be part of the transformation process.
"I've read about the change, but seeing it. That was impressive."
"Impressive? That was, I don't even, her bones, they came out in places, then sucked back in."
"Most impressive. Dodge."
Alex jumped backwards as a large fist slammed down where he'd been standing. Looked up he could see a wolf's head with Maddy's approximate features, large green eyes and a mouth full of what he was sure were very sharp teeth, all of which seemed to be dripping a liquid that was a mixture of purple and green. He withdrew his axe and went to work. Swinging up he expected to take a large arm off at the elbow but Maddy moved slightly and deflected the axe with a deft application of pressure from a hand that ended in an impressive set of claws.
“Wow. There was something intense about her before, but now… fuck me she’s just scary.”
“She is a werewolf, scariness is implied, Till.”
“Still, why couldn’t she just be a basic bitch wolf like the ones from that movie… you know, the one with the werewolves and the vampires.”
“Twilight?”
“I don’t know. Shit, she’s quick.” Alex dove to the side but still felt Other Maddy’s claws rake against him. “I really need to stop chatting with you while in fights…”
“I’m sure I’ve suggested something similar, Till. Still, kill this Fake Maddy.”
Alex nodded to himself, trying to subdue the violent storm of emotions that crashed around inside his body. Killing the Synthmage had been one thing, she had just been screwing with his mind. Killing a real Maddy, even if she was from another Earth… and a bit of a bitch, that was different. Alex dove again, narrowly avoiding the enraged werewolf.
“Fight me!”
“Fuck it. You were already dead. Volcanic Fury, Primal Fury.”
Other Maddy smiled and showed far too many teeth as Alex buffed himself.
“Blight’s Hunger.”
Alex shuddered. It felt like thousands of bugs were crawling over his body. Then he saw the message in his HUD.
Volcanic Fury II locked for the duration of this battle
Primal Fury II locked for the duration of this battle
“Locked?”
Other Maddy chuckled, it was either that or she had rocks in her throat.
“You’re very predictable, lover. You always start a big fight the same way… you use your powerful Buffs then get to it. Now, you can use those Abilities until they run out, then they’ll be locked from use.”
Alex just stared at the message in his HUD, the words flashing over and over again.
“Shit.”
Without warning Alex lept into action, swinging down to create a Firestorm which just resulted in Other Maddy laughing harder.
“So predictable. A Firestorm? Really?.
“Flame Manipulation.”
Jumping to small panels made of the fire created by controlling his storm and the freshly formed Smouldering Embers Alex moved towards the werewolf as quickly as possible. Each step created a new panel of fire and caused the vacated ones to fire at Other Maddy like small blades of condensed fire. The werewolf dodged or deflected each time, summoning nebulous green gauntlets which weren’t affected by the fire.
“Alex, sweet little Alex. I’ve watched every fight you’ve had since the System took an interest in you and devoted a Feed to your progress. I know your tricks and habits. As I said, I was paid well. On my Earth besting Adventurers is a job, so, you’re nothing more than a side project, a labour of love.”
The genuine version of this novel can be found on another site. Support the author by reading it there.
Alex winced as the werewolf’s guttural growl made a mockery of his Maddy’s voice.
“Molten Fortress perhaps? That’s new. Maybe I don’t have a defence for that…”
Alex would never admit it out loud, especially not to this version of Maddy, or the professor, but that had been his next option. Grinding his teeth he took a step backwards and watched the werewolf. Green armour materialised erratically over the werewolf’s body showing that should Alex attack very few would actually get through. With a laugh he rolled his shoulders, set his feet and waited.
“Fight me then.”
Other Maddy tilted her head to the side and watched the Fire Warrior before advancing slowly.
“You’d back your unbuffed strength against the might of a Lycan?”
“I’d back my unbuffed strength against anything. Honestly though I just found out what a Lycan… professor, that’s just short for Lycanthrope right?” The professor nodded. “Good. So I just found out what a Lycan is so I don’t really have much idea what you can do. Other than…” he waved a hand in her direction, “all that.”
Fake Maddy continued to move towards him as she looked down at her body; a humanoid wolf form with overly pronounced muscle, then smiled.
“Just die.”
Fake Maddy launched into action, a blur of fangs, claws and flashing green power. Alex’s sleeves were shredded within moments and the skin on his arms didn’t fare much better. Before long Alex’s blood was dripping from him arms and Fake Maddy’s claws into the fire at their feet. Fake Maddy slowed slightly as Smouldering Embers burnt away at her resistances.
“Standing in my fire is different to watching others fall.”
Fake Maddy snarled and pushed harder.
“My God’s won’t allow me to fall. Not in this Dungeon and definitely not to you!”
“Your God’s? The God’s that say back and allowed Varkarakos to be stropping of her divinity? The Onix Trono won’t protect you, you were sent to stop me, not to survive. You’re nothing to them.”
With a bestial roar Fake Maddy sped up again, fighting harder and more wildly. Alex took the hits to his arms but deflected the attacks to his body using his axe and. Using a similar method to Fake Maddy, by creating small shields of fire to block or deflect bites and slashes. Alex felt the speed and strength of the attacks on his arms decrease and swung, slamming his axe into her left arm just below the shoulder with an audible snap of breaking bone.
“Morsulith…”
Alex stumbled backwards as his axe was pushed from her arm and the wound filled with the same green power that had deflected his attacks.
Morsulith, Dread God of the Chanka, God of Blight and Putrefaction has Blessed Maddy Khan, Blighted Lycanthrope granting her the title of Lesser Champion of Morsulith, imbuing her with enhanced Blight damage
“Well, that hardly seems fair.”
With a smile that showed green stained fangs Maddy started to laugh again then stopped as her wounded arm erupted with green power. Fake Maddy’s arm snapped multiple times, extended fully then returned to its normal state except for the sickly green fluid that dripped from the limb. Alex stumbled again as Fake Maddy came at him with a ferocity she hadn’t previously displayed. Green power flashed against fire as Alex was pressed to limit the amount of damage done to him. Fake Maddy's face pulled into a snarl that promised death and pain as soon as he slipped and let multiple attacks through.
"Just give in, lover. Why fight? Why struggle. Submit to the Blight."
Alex was pushed backwards as a message flashed on his HUD.
Blight - All Damage Taken Increased By 10%
Seeing that the image that represented humans his health looked to be inflected by a sickly green colour he missed a strike, Fake Maddy's enhanced arm slashed across his chest.
Blight - All Damage Taken Increased By 12%
"Volcanic Eruption."
Fake Maddy set her jaw and growled low in her throat. Finally smiling Alex read over the important line in Volcanic Eruption's description, 'Increased damage is done to enemies caught in the ring of fire caused by Smouldering Embers'. Fake Maddy had been taking damage and stacking damage Increases while fighting within Smouldering Embers, her constant psycholohical pressure had been intentional.
"You can't last."
"Just because uour Maddy didn’t last, doesn’t mean I’m that weak.."
Alex and Maddy fought as the flames around them grew hotter and rose higher, matching Alex’s anger and sorrow at Maddy’s last comment. With a slight shake of his head the threw off his reaction, physically he felt fine, save for the debilitating Blight that was acting like an acid on his skin instead of going deeper like it had tried earlier. Mentally… not so much. The benefit of Volcanic Essence was shining through, removing the chance of him losing himself to the Blight, but it couldn’t change how he felt. Fake Maddy on the other hand was wavering, her resistance was at its limit and the fur in her werewolf form was all but burnt away from the waist down. The chains formed out of the Embers coiled around her calves restricting her movement and pulling her down, closer to the fire, closer to death.
"Don't make me kill you, Maddy. Give up."
Fake Maddy growled, bloody foam mixed with Blight on her muzzle, colouring her fangs further.
"Please, Maddy. Don’t do this."
Fake Maddy spat as she sagged to one knee, screaming as she sank to the burning floor. With a surge of power from deep inside she rose up again.
"Xolothuitl…"
"Come on. Really?"
Fake Maddy glowed with a pale light which seemed to fill her. The light took on an physical presence which h pushed Alex away leaving Fake Maddy on her knees glowing from within.
"You have got to be fuc-"
Xolothuitl, Lunar God of the Chanka, Lord of Lycans, Duke of Change, Sanguine Father has blessed Maddy Khan, Blighted Lycanthrope granting her the title of Lesser Champion of Xolothuitl, imbuing her with enhanced resistance to bladed weapon damage
"...king kidding me. Wait, bladed weapons? That's it?"
Alex threw his axe to the side and looked down at the glowing werewolf.
"Will you watch me die, Alex? Like you watched your Maddy. Will you listen to me scream your name as the fire takes me? You know I won't be the last. You know the System gave you this power to control you, you know the Chanka won't stop until you're dead and they will corrupt every Maddy from every Multiverse to break you down until you beg for-"
Alex stepped forward and drove the Skillet Handle into one of Fake Maddy's eye sockets with his right hand, then dropped to his knees as a wrenching sob tore from him.
"Till…"
Looking down at his hands he saw one of the Tokens he'd collected as tears dropped freely.
"They don't have to break me, losing my Maddy did that long before the System came. But, the thing about being broken…" Alex took a deep breath and slid closer, "the thing about being broken is the world, the Multiverse stops hearing your scream, the stop seeing your tears," he slid closer again, "they stop seeing the bloody you spill and they under you. Do you know what that means Maddy, do you?"
Fake Maddy looked up and stared into Alex's eyes and for the first time saw the flames burning within, then struck, driving both set of claws deep into his chest. Alex barely flinched.
"They underestimate you and God's fall."
Alex reached out as blood ran freely from the massive wounds in his chest and touched the exposed section of the Skillet Handle.
Use 1x Weapon Repair Token to repair Skillet
Yes/No
Alex mentally selected 'Yes' as he closed his eyes before blood and other things rained down on him. Then he knelt in the fire as his blood drained out of him.
"Till?"
"Yes professor?"
"Are you going to get up?"
"No. I'm just going to stay here until my Embers go out."
"OK. If you need me, I'll be right here."
"Thank you professor."
Alex stayed in place until he felt Fake Maddy's body shift, instead of the auditory experience her previous change had been, changing back to human while dead was done in silence. He grunted as her claws withdrew from his chest followed by great gouts of blood. But still he stayed on his knees, eyes closed, coated in the blood of a Multiverse variant of his former partner.
"Fuck you System," he whispered, "and fuck you Onix Trono!"
"Till…?"
"Let's get out of here."
Alex stood, brushed a foot against the charred and headless body at his feet then staggered as he tried to walk.
43,760 experience Gained
Loot Received:
967 B-Grade Credits
250 A-Grade Credits
Ability Upgrade Tome
Select one Ability and Upgrade it to the next tier of power
NOTE: This may change the Ability completely
Pantheon Quest
Defeat the Multiverse Dungeon Floor Bosses
7/7
Pantheon Quest Completed
Quest Rewards
100 S-Grade Credits
784,000 experience gained
Reputation with Coricancha increased from Acolyte to Initiate
Reputation with Viracocha increased from Devotee to Follower
Multiverse Dungeon Token
3x Attribute Token (A-Grade)
2x Information Broker Token
Experience Limiter Removed from Earth 0
Title Earned - Varkarakos' Bane
Earned for directly contributing to the System stripping a Goddess of her divinity
Permanent increase of 20 to both Inner Fire and Constitution
Level Up
Level Up
Level Up
Level Up
Level Up
Name: Alex Till
Race: Human (Earth 0)
Class: Fire Warrior
Titles: Planetary Forerunner 100, Multiverse Forerunner, Multiverse Dungeon Diver, Multiverse Elite, Initiation Perfectionist, Varkarakos' Bane
Faction: Clark County Resistance
Sponsors: (2 of 3) Bio-Evolutionary Laboratories, Teacher of the Worlds Society
Core Pantheon: Coricancha
Level: 57
Attributes:
Strength: 268*
Inner Fire: 199*
Constitution: 189*
Agility: 75
Wisdom: 22
Charisma: 21
Stat Points from Buffs or Items are not shown on this screen.
Available Stat Points - 25
Alex pushed 6 points into both Inner Fire and Constitution, then the remaining 13 into Strength.
Strength: 281*
Inner Fire: 205*
Constitution: 195*
Alex then activated the 3 A-Grade Attribute Tokens.
Available Stat Points - 60
Taking a moment to think he made his decision.
Strength: 321*
Inner Fire: 225*
Alex released a shaky breath as his Strength exceeded 300 and had to steady himself.
"Now, an Ability Upgrade Token, that's new."
Activate Ability Upgrade Token
Yes/No
Alex selected Yes
Choose Ability to Upgrade
Primal Fury II
Volcanic Fury II
Smouldering Embers
Flame Whirlwind
Ember Walk
Flame Manipulation
Blazing Hurl
Volcanic Essence
Volcanic Eruption
Molten Fortress
Alex waited… then waited some more.
"Honestly, fuck you System! I get to Upgrade an Ability, but it's a lucky dip? I don't get to see what each Ability will look like. Why are you always so on brand?"
"I think a better question is, why are you always surprised?"
"That's remarkably unhelpful, but accurate. Thoughts?"
"I can't help with this. All I can say is, all of your Abilities are useful, some a lot more than others. The choice should be either, which of my main Abilities should I Upgrade, or which or my lesser Abilities should I Upgrade so it is more necessary? However, as the System is being-"
The professor stopped speaker, Alex made eye contact with her then nodded.
Choose Ability to Upgrade
"Yes, yes. I'm thinking."
Token Activation Will Elapse in 5
4
3
"Jesus, I'm sorry System. Damn it! Um, Flame Whirlwind."
Upgrade Ability Flame Whirlwind
Yes/No
Alex selected Yes and waited without breathing.
Upgrade Complete
Flame Whirlwind: Spin rapidly, creating a whirlwind of fire that damages all nearby enemies over time. Increased damage to enemies afflicted by Smouldering Embers
Becomes
Flame Whirlwind II: The Warrior spins at an astonishing speed, creating a colossal and unrelenting whirlwind of fire that inflicts massive damage over time to all nearby enemies.
Enemies caught in the Flame Whirlwind are engulfed in searing flames, causing them to take significantly increased damage.
The whirlwind is so intense that it has a chance to leave a residual trail of Smouldering Embers in its wake, further amplifying the damage inflicted and making the area dangerous for foes even after the ability has concluded.
If Flame Manipulation is active the whirlwind creates blades of fire within itself inflicting slashing and searing damage
"Well… that'll do. Thanks System."
"Maybe don't antagonise the System all the time."
"I just thanked it."
"Now, after giving you that."
"True… I'll try to be nicer. Now, let's get out of here. It's time to see the Information Broker.
Alex and the professor walked through the flickering wall.
Exit The Necropolis
Alex selected Yes.
Now Entering The InfoDome
"That's a little on the nose."
Alex started coughing as he entered an open area full of smoke. So full of smoke that he couldn't see the huge windows that circled the new room.
"Professor?"
"I have no idea, this is not what I expected."
"Who you talking to, buddy? Are you wired up? Are you... DEA? I know my rights, I've been watching this Earth's Feed, I know about The Man, I know he's always watching. You look cool though... got any Ramen?"
"Ramen? What?"
Alex peered into the smoke as his eyes watered.
"Ramen bro. It's like, the most chillaxed of food."
Alex walked forwards until a figure doing what looked to be yoga materialised out of the smoke.
"I don't have Ramen. Sorry. I'm Alex, an Adventurer. Are you the Information Broker?"
"Broooo, I thought you'd never get here. I'm just, ya know, thinking about the world and shit."
Alex waved a hand in front of his face then crouched down to avoid some of the smoke.
"Woah, not cool bro, how do I know you're not a nark?" He took a large drag on a joint that appeared in his mouth then disappeared as he blew smoke out. "Na you're cool," he then performed a karate move, "or are you?"
"Are you a turtle, high on Earth 0 weed, doing yoga?"
"Broooo, I thought you were cool. A turtle? That's Shellist man."
"Shellist?"
"Yea, but, yea I'm a turtle."
"How?" Alex pinched the bridge of his nose and slumped down. "OK. What now?"
"Now? Now we become one with the Multiverse, my man."
"Turtle, I don't have time to get high with you."
"You're cracking my vibe man."
"Cracking your… anyway-"
Alex passed out in the Skypod surrounded by smoke and watched by a turtle wearing gym shorts doing yoga.
"Welcome to the Multiverse, my man."