“What do we have?”
“Oh, so you are talking to me?”
“Professor…”
“Fine, fine. It's just-”
“Professor.”
The professor huffed softly and Alex smiled. The noise reminded him of all the times Old Ben had done something that distracted her on a Dig. Not enough to yell at him but just enough to make her react.
“Fine. There's a lot,” she waved a hand and a screen appeared in front of him.
“This is new.”
“Party benefit.”
Alex checked his HUD and saw his name beside the usual outline of a human, then looking past it he saw a smaller human outline with New Ben’s details beside it. Tucked under his info was the professor's name and a bar.
“Resource?”
“Consider it… energy. It isn't energy but that's easier that giving you more-”
“Maypi.”
“Your grasp of Quechua still amazes me. But, why pulse?”
“Other cultures call in mana, but the Incas don't have a word for that. I always thought of it as maypi, like the heart beat or pulse of the world.”
“That's… wow. Anyway…”
Alex looked at the screen, noticing out of the corner of his eye that Maypi appeared in the resource bar for the professor.
Kyrn Elite Royal Guard (Level 88) x55
Kyrn Lesser King Ropyut (Level 95)
Kyrn High King Raqqer (Level 101)
“Alex? Is this really the time for a chat?”
“New Ben-”
“What?
“That's what the professor and I are calling you. So we don't get muddled.”
“I'd be lying if I said I was OK with that, but it makes a delusional kind of sense. Anyway, can we fight?”
“Yes. I like to talk, right up to the last-”
Alex swung his large axe, watching as fire ran down the shaft, filling the Volcanic rock blade. The axe tore through a Royal Guard but wedged against something in its body.
“That's new.”
Gripping the axe tighter Alex sent a burst of Volcanic Essence into the Kyrn watching as the body started to melt from the inside out.
“And that's disgusting.”
Both of New Ben's blades descended, disappearing into the melting Kyrn's body making it jerk once before it collapsed to the ground, slowly liquefying.
“What did you…?”
“Filled it with shadow, crushing its organs, killing it almost instantly. Better than slowly dying as your body liquefies.”
“Chosen of Shadow…”
“Means a bit more when you get a proper look at what I can do.”
New Ben stepped back, disappearing again.
“Volcanic Fury.”
“Yeah, get angry.”
Shaking his head at New Ben's unnecessary commentary Alex clenched his fist, watching chains fall through his hand. With a wide smile he swung the chains at the closest Kyrn while panning his eyes over the other rats. His smile grew as he made eye contact with the two named Kyrn. Pulling with his chained fist he also stamped down, releasing fire into the ground. Then he went on the offensive, after another rough tug on the chains he threw his axe straight at Lesser King Ropyut.
“Blazing Hurl!”
Watching he saw shadow wrap around the axe's shaft but thought nothing of it. Landing in a group of Royal Guard he reached out with arms wrapped in fiery chains and gripped two Guards. The rats screamed and hissed at him as he brought them together with all his Strength. The hissing stopped as rat blood erupted from their bodies, coating him and most of the surrounding rats and ground. Spitting blood from his mouth as he felt his fire intensify, filling his eyes and running over his shoulders, burning away most of the liquefied rat.
“Primal Fury!”
“Yes, more anger!”
Alex swung his fists, revelling in the chance to fight without his axe, regardless of his lack of ability in hand to hand combat.
“No axe?”
“Wanted to mix it up.”
“With brains?”
“Are you judging me professor?”
“Yes. A lot. You had rat brains in your mouth.”
“That reminds me, how do rats that are plants have brains?”
“Brains? Oh. Oh! I lied about that. Kyrn are all rat. I honestly thought you'd look what I said up with your fancy Equilibrium Abulity.”
Alex froze slightly with his left fist in the skull of a Guard. Shaking his arm while pulsing Essence caused the creature to slip off with a very unpleasant slurping noise.
“You lied?”
“Yes. You needed me to.”
Thinking about it Alex shrugged then nodded, catching sight of Ben appearing then disappearing. Any glimpse of him led to the death of at least one Kyrn.
“Is that the first time you've lied to me?”
“Since the Initiation?”
“Yes…”
“No.”
Sighing Alex resigned himself to working with someone who would test him constantly.
“A little help, Alex?”
“You're fine, New Ben. They're slow… and slowly burning to death from the ground up.”
“Lovely.”
Smouldering Embers has started its lethal march of inevitability. Looking down Alex could see the Kyrn's legs had started to blacken and sections of fur and flesh was sloughing away.
The moon shifted behind a large, dense cloud and the area was bathed in darkness that was only lit by Alex's flames. New Ben seemed to dance through the flickering shadows, his blades leaving rats screaming in his wake. Smiling, Alex clenched his fist and all his flames sank into the ground. It was like someone had turned out the lights, leaving everyone in pitch darkness. Then two flaming orbs scanned the battlefield, this was followed by a dark laugh. Fire glinted off something silver, there was a low whistling sound, followed by a dull thud.
“Die.”
The Kyrn, creatures used to the dark hissed as they looked frantically into the darkness. Alex allowed his vision to be modified by Eternal Equilibrium and he leaped forwards, leaving a spray of burnt dirt behind him. Knowing he shouldn't didn't stop him.
“Volcanic Fury!”
The blade of the Volcanic Axe glinted darkly as it reflected the fire in Alex's eyes, until it was too coated in Kyrn viscera to do anything other than drip. The Fire Warrior stumbled as the mound of Kyrn corpses shifted slightly then he jumped as he felt a hand on his shoulder.
“They're dead Alex. You can stop.”
“They're all… all dead?”
New Ben nodded while giving Alex a wary look.
“Are you…-”
“I'm fine.”
“Alex, that was intense. You're allowed to not be-”
“I said I'm fine.”
New Ben stepped back with has hands raised in a quiet surrender while Alex stepped down from the pile of corpse offcuts breathing hard. The darkness, the lack of fire.
“Professor, that's the first time I've fought without fire right?”
“If you mean with nothing other than the fire contained in your axe, Volcanic Fury and the Integration given stats, then yes.”
“The first time with no fire present. One I created or a natural fire.”
“Yes.”
“I feel drained.”
“Interesting.”
New Ben coughed softly causing both Alex and the professor to turn.
“You're tired? More than usual?”
Alex just nodded.
“It shouldn't be happening, I don't understand. You aren't level 100 yet.”
“What?”
“It shounds like your body is trying to use your Primal Element, which will allow you to go through the Attunement. But that's a Level 100 quest.”
All three were interrupted by a hissing munching noise, they turned to see High King Raqqer.
“Is it-”
“No.”
“Yes.”
Three mouths dropped open as the sole surviving Kryn started to change. As the party members watched the High King shovelled more of the Lesser King into its gaping maw.
“It's eating…”
“I've never seen a rat eat a dead rat. How did Ropyut die?”
“My axe.”
“You were never near it.”
“I threw it. Ropyut never moved, my axe went through its chest.”
“Of course it did. That doesn't explain why that one is eating it.”
“No. It really doesn't.”
Name: Raqqer
Enemy Combatant
Race: Kyrn (Earth 39)
Class: High King
Title: Dominion's Devourer
Faction: The Kyrn Dominion
Pantheon: Onix Trono
Deity: Mama Samaq
Level: 101
“Mama Samaq?”
“A lesser Goddess who has stepped into the space left by Varkarakos. After… you know?”
“After she killed me. Yes professor, it isn't something I'm likely to forget. What is her domain?”
“Blood.”
“What? Just blood?”
“And cannibalism.”
Alex and Ben turned to the professor then looked at each other.
“That explains why he's eating the rat you killed, but… I'm sorry, blood and cannibalism? Are you sure Professor Ladere?”
The professor smiled at New Ben and nodded.
“I like New Ben more than Old Ben.”
“Of course you do.”
“Thank you… I think. Did you like Old Ben?”
“No.”
“Oh. Ah, anyway. Blood and cannibalism?”
“The Chanka were known as the ‘Vampires of the Andes’. So for them, this is normal. He might’ve been a rival.”
Ben walked forwards while spinning a blade on the palm of his hand. Before he could reach out and touch the hungry rat he stopped as an impenetrable blood barrier shimmered into place.
“That makes a cruel sort of sense. After what we did to his troops and… that guy, he would've been an idiot to leave himself vulnerable.”
“So we need to wait for him to finish bulking?”
“I'm stuck in combat, what about you Ben?”
“The same.”
A tearing sound pulled their attention back to Raqqer. His back had split down the middle and more flesh was forcing itself into the gap. As they watched the Kyrn High King doubled in width and increased in height. Black plates tore through his flesh and his flexible tail thickened, growing what looked to be chitinous plates. It then curled up over his head like a scorpions stinger. The tip sharpened, a black spike tore through the end, a spike that even dripped a yellowish liquid. His jaw elongated further to accommodate more teeth, which unsurprisingly included two very sharp and pronounced canines.
“So, he's a Vampire Rat now? With a scorpion tail… and natural armour?”
“Till, come on, that isn't a scorpion tail.”
Alex turned to look at the professor then back to Raqqer.
“Anyway, what's the plan?”
Ben looked between the two, a smile twitching at the corners of his mouth, then he threw both blades in the air and caught them before they came back down.
“I've got this.”
With that Ben walked forwards, ran a blade down the outside of the shield then disappeared.
“Where…?”
The professor pointed up. Ben was standing in the air above and behind Raqqer.
“How-”
The shield broke releasing a wash of blood over Alex and through the professor. Then Ben dropped, his left blade slid into one of Zaqqer’s ears, the other slipped into the back of it’s neck. Ben rode the rat to the ground, rolled to give himself distance then popped up to walk back to Alex.
“That was pretty awesome, Till.”
“Agreed. New Ben, was that an Alchemy Ability or something from your Class?”
“Assassin Profession Ability, well, Abilities. My blades, when I ‘threw’ them… the Ability lets me fix them in place, another Ability teleports me so I can use them as a perch.”
“That must be handy at work. I was a firefighter, now I start fires and kill rats.”
Ben laughed then shook his head before darting a look at the professor who just nodded.
“I think your profession gave you someone a lot of Adventurers would kill for. Especially solos like you.”
Alex looked at the professor and nodded.
“Agre-”
Alex was interrupted by a hissing noise, like someone had left an old kettle on the stove. Looking around he watched in horrified fascination as several of the partially burned Kyrn corpses seemed to boil, their bodies shrivelling until they released a ball of what looked to be blood. Then the bodies flopped back, looking like empty skin sacks.
“That's new. New Ben?”
Looking over Alex saw Ben’s mouth moving like he was trying to speak.
“New Ben?”
With a shake New Ben seemed to come back to himself.
“Sorry. That was-”
“Odd?”
“Sickening.”
The balls of blood roiled and flowed like mercury, if mercury came in a diseased hue of red and black. Reqqer’s lifeless body twitched as the first ball connected with his face, it then forced itself into the ear that Ben had impaled. The next oozed over the back of his neck, again forcing itself into the wound. Then…
“No. That's… it's forcing itself into. Well, that explains the lack of clothing. I'm not going to be able to unsee that,” New Ben looked off to the side, seemingly contemplating something, “unless, maybe a Healing Potion, mixed with a Mindless Elixer and Kyrn spinal fluid. Alex, I need to collect some spinal flu-”
“I heard. Just…”
Alex waved his hand at the dead Kyrn and New Ben moved away at a run. Alex shook his head and headed towards to twitching Kyrn High King.
“Kyrn spinal fluid? Alchemy is messed up, professor.”
“It doesn't have the elegance of archaeology.”
“Exactly. Now, this bloke looks, oh, that's interesting. Any suggestions?”
“What would you do if New Ben wasn't here… oh, Till, he's draining that rat’s spine. That's, do we need to keep him? Till, he's tasting the spinal fluid. Till! He’s tasting it. With his mouth.”
The professor dry retched but didn't stop watching the Chosen of Shadow.
“Burn him.”
“New Ben? Oh, the rat. Another gloriously detailed plan. Till, come on, you can do better.”
Alex allowed Eternal Equilibrium to enhance his vision. More clusters than he expected to see were exceptionally close with several more coming closer like the System was interested. Reqqer was connected to the dead Kyrn by frayed red lines that looked like bloody tendons. As he watched New Ben walked through one without being effected. Looking closer Alex could see that the most severely damaged rats didn't have bloody tendons connecting them to the Dominion's Devourer. Looking down he saw that both he and New Ben were also connected with very faint tendons
Stolen novel; please report.
“The blood…”
“Yes?”
“It's like Reqqer is siphoning the blood from the dead Kyrn to get more powerful and heal.”
“So?”
Alex looked off to the side then nodded slowly.
“It's a multi-phase fight. Kill the Guards, the Lesser King, then fight Reqqer as he gradually increases in strength using their blood. I can only imagine what would happen if a Party fought him and one died. That would give him a huge power up.”
“That Ability is just cheating.”
Alex shook his head returning his vision to normal and shrugged.
“I didn't even choose it.”
“Viracocha…”
A very happy New Ben returned.
“The rats are a goldmine of materials. Anyway, mullti-phase fight? Keep killing him till his resources are depleted, then fight some kind of UberKyrn that'll be fully juiced up?”
Alex and the professor turned to stare at the Assassin-Alchemist-Chosen of Shadow.
“What?”
“How did you know that?”
New Ben shrugged.
“Multi-phase fights are pretty common in Dungeons and with some Earth Bosses. I was thinking about it while draining some of those poor bastards, seemed to be the most likely explanation.”
“Any suggestions?”
“Keep killing him till he's dead.”
The professor groaned.
“Yip, he's Ben. I'm flashing back to all the times dealing with the two of you nearly killed me… or drove me to murder Ben.”
“Just… damn it, just Old Ben? Not Alex?”
“Old Ben was a special case. Alex was just along for the ride. Plus, Maddy was a good influence. Old Ben… he-”
“Loved pushing your buttons.”
The professor smiled then shook her head and looked annoyed.
“Yes he did.”
Alex turned to New Ben with a grin.
“The professor doesn't like to admit it but she and Old Ben were basically the same person, that's why they aggrevated each other so much.”
The professor frowned but looked away.
“Now, you got first shot at him, New Ben, can I get in on this one? He's almost finished brewing.”
They all turned to watch as Reqqer's body shifted and grew, the blood that had forced its way into him was working Mama Samaq's magic. With a wave of his hand a chair appeared behind Ben who proceeded to sit. Taking notice the professor followed suit pulling her Etheral Thinking Chair from their Inventory. Shaking his head Alex moved forwards while gripping the head of his axe, pretending he couldn't hear the conversation behind him.
“It took be 2 strikes to take down Phase 1 Reqqer, how many do you think it'll take Alex?”
“Reqqer has been powered up, but your level is a lot higher.”
“True, but Alex isn't the usual E-Grade Adventurer.”
“E-Grade?”
“That's what my Earth calls Adventurers between Level 50 and 99.”
“Oh, So F-Grade is 0 to 49. Which means you're D-Grade?”
“Yes and no. Usually you'd be right, but because I went through my final Class Upgrade and I've been blessed by a Deity I'm considered C-Grade.”
“So Adventurers with a Class that looks like a title, they're C-Grade? Like Chosen of Shadow?”
New Ben wiggled his hand in the air.
“Usually. They also need a deity. They don't need to be a Chosen, just acknowledged or blessed. Not every Adventurer becomes a Chosen, but most will have a Core Pantheon and the System will assign a deity based on who you are. It's a complicated process, frought with favouritism, nepotism, intended and unintended slights, War, peace and location thrown in the mix. Amongst other things.”
The professor nodded her head and seemed to be typing notes with the hand furthest away from New Ben.
“How will you become a B-Grade Adventurer?”
“Level 300, there are other requirements but they're very unique and specific.”
“Dare I ask?”
“Level 500 and a very, very, very long list of extra requirements. I've only met two A-Grades.”
“Interesting. Very few Earths record this information, apparently everyone knows it so they don't need to write it down. At least not on the Earth's I have access to. S-Grade?”
“Honestly, no idea. I’m sure it’s possible though. Level 1000? More importantly, he has a Class Upgrade Token, right?”
“Yes.”
“Good. He needs to be C-Grade as soon as possible. They're all going to come for him, Professor Ladere. All of them. He needs to improve his Faction, they'll be his only line of defence. Though… some of them will turn when they lose someone. He isn't the easiest person to like.”
The professor shook her head.
“No he isn't. It's worth it in the end. Maddy was testament to that. So was Old Ben, and you I guess.”
Alex shook his head and kept walking forwards. Reqqer was on his feet, his skin was raw and the overly pronounced musculature was coated in a pinkish fluid. With a deranged hiss the large rat hefted an impressive wooden club.
Without warning the large rat lunged forward, extended its tail to divert Alex’s axe then slammed the head of wooden club into his side. With an unexpected scream Alex was knocked to the side while a terrible pain tore through his body.
“Fuck! He's quick.”
Spitting blood to the side Alex rolled off his back and gingerly rose up to his knees.
“Shi-”
Alex’s body ragdolled as Raqqer hit him in the chest. With a groan Alex pushed himself off the ground like he was doing a push up, spat more blood then stood slowly. Wincing he pressed his right hand to his chest while extending the left one. The Volcanic Axe spun up and landed in his grip making him smile.
“My turn.”
Raqqer stood with his large head tilted to the slide. The Kyrn Dominion High King sniffed the air three times then settled into a more stable stance.
Jumping forward Alex pulled his arm back before launching the axe away.
“Blazing Hurl.”
Raqqer, New Ben and the professor all watched as Alex's only melee weapon missed completely and sped away.
“Did he just miss?”
“We shouldn't talk about it, New Ben.”
“But… he missed. I didn't think that was possible.”
“For Alex to miss?”
“For anyone to miss with an Ability.”
The professor just shrugged then focused back on the fight just in time to see light shimmer off something at Alex's wrist.
Raqqer and Alex swung at each other, Alex with his fists, Raqqer with the unnecessarily large club. Both dished out damage and took it in return. With a guttural raw that turned unto a whimper Raqqer staggered back dripping blood from a gruesome wound. Looking down the rat wheezed as he took in the damage the Earth 0 Adventurer had done. Sinking to his knees was followed by a flood of blood rushing from his maw. With a final breathy noise Raqqer died in pain.
New Ben jogged over and looked down.
“Alex, that's… really disgusting.”
“This definitely isn't a kill I'm proud of.”
“How… what… you… I don't even know. That's really-”
New Ben moved to the side and retched as the professor drifted closer.
“What did you do to it?”
“I was angry, I haven't been hurt that badly for a while.”
“You're OK now?”
Alex lifted an arm, shook it so the sleeve fell back and exposed his bracelet.
“I'm fine.”
“I thought so. Now, how did you do…”
The professor indicated Raqqer whose body was already twitching as it prepared to take in more blood for the next phase.
“That… it didn't happen straight away, it was, well, I think I had a plan. I'm a little hazy on the details, but, I slowly sliced into his tail. At the same time I made multiple deep incisions at different points over his body.”
Alex knelt down and indicated multiple deep wounds that had already stopped bleeding.
“Then I tore his tail free and slapped him with it. That wasn't planned, it was more of a spur of the moment, I'm really angry, kind of thing.”
“Right… that all makes sense and its all relatively understandable if a little worrying. But Till… you know that not what I'm referring to.”
“Right, right, I know. Then while he was dealing with the amputation of his tail I… skewered him with it.”
“Till.”
“Fine. I methodically impaled him with his tail, using his poison to carve a channel through him entire body untill the tail impaled all of him major internal organs. Then I channelled Volcanic Essence into the tail so he melted from the inside out.”
“Then…”
“Then I cut off his head and impaled it on the tip of his tail where it emerged from his heart.”
Alex got the last out in a rush while he looked down at Raqqer's head, taking in the expression of shock that was coupled with the eyes that had melted due to the extreme heat pulsing from the tail spike that had first stewed the rats brains then the eyes then caused both liquids to merge with superheated blood.
“There we go.”
“It's not a good look is it?”
“For him or you, Till?”
“Me. That very clearly isn't a good look for him… not that he can see.”
“No. No it isn't a good look for you. You toyed with him, letting Raqqer hit you multiple times while you were working on a step by step skewering puzzle. That's-”
“Unhinged?”
“Yeahhhh.”
Alex released his breath in a rush then turned his back on Raqqer.
“New Ben? Ready?”
“No.”
“You need to be. Raqqer is changing.”
Alex and the professor watched as the large Kyrn eat absorbed more blood, thrn his body seemed to collapse in itself.
“Have you seen anything like this before New Ben.”
“No… it's like he's evolving. Most multo-phase bosses stat the same but get stronger, have more health or get a new Ability. Not this complete mutation.”
Alex nodded slowly. Raqqer was shrinking and the coarse hair that covered most Kyrn was being absorbed back into his body then it was replaced by a shiny black layer. New Ben walked forward and hammered the hilt of his blade against the Blood Shield but was knocked back.
“I guess we wait.”
“Each phase needs to complete. At least the blood syphoning is speeding up, look, it's done.”
Alex nodded slowly, the syphoning and partial evolution was indeed faster. What had previously been a large, roided gym-bro rat was now a compact creature covered in thick black plates. The tail was gone, presumably absorbed into the body. Extending from each paw were claws that looked to be made of the same black material. As the tip of the tail had, the claws also dripped a noxious fluid.
“This is going to take a while.”
New Ben nodded then took a half step backwards as the shield shattered.
“Together?”
New Ben nodded again then spun both blades around on his palms.
“Follow my lead, new guy.”
“New guy?”
“New Fire Guy? Alex, you aren't even Level 100, you're new.”
Alex opened his mouth to retort, saw the professor trying, poorly, to hide her laughter at his expense and decided to accept Ben's assessment.
“This fight is going to get progressively harder, Raqqer will evolve after each death. You… made a mockery of him in the last phase, piercing, slashing and fire damage… that makes this harder.”
“Why?”
“Why? Because this evolution will've been made to cover up those weaknesses.”
“Well, shit.”
“Yes. That makes this harder. This time, we need to do this fast and, because you're you, brutal.”
“I can do brutal.”
New Ben snorted, then waved a wand In apology.
“Sorry, sorry. I just didn't think you had another setting.”
“He's an Ambassador now.”
Alex turned to look at the professor and shook his head, then turned back to New Ben who had a look of shock written over his face.
“New Ben?”
“You're an Ambassador? Why?”
“For the Faction. I didn't want the job.”
“Bloody hell, your lot are desperate.”
Alex said nothing and tried not to show that he could see the professor's frantic head nodding and New Ben's smirk.
Raqqer struck hard but New Ben was faster. Stepping to the side the Chosen dropped into his own shadow before appearing from behind Raqqer. The agile Kyrn paused, sniffed the air three times, then spun to face New Ben. The sides of his maw pulled back to reveal a double row of sharp teeth. With a smile New Ben dropped back into his shadow but didn't reappear. After again sniffing three times Raqqer turned to Alex and advanced slowly, his claws elongated until they looked more like four black machetes jutting out of each paw.
“Fast and brutal.”
“Faster and more brutal than usual. Don't play with him again.”
Alex nodded, pulled out his axe and clenched both fists so chains coiled around each arm.
“Primal Fury, Volcanic Fury, Flame Manipulation!”
Alex's mouth opened slightly as the raw power coursed through him, he took one step forward while staring Raqqer in the eyes. The Kyrn High King hissed in defiance and challenge then growled as Alex stepped forward again. Without warning Alex slammed the blade of his axe into the ground, took control of the flames using Manipulation forcing them to spiral around the rat, then used Ember Walk to appear behind the distracted creature. Frim his new position he wrapped the Kyrn with chains imbued with Volcanic Resonance, then swinging down with every scrap of power that 1356 Strength gave him.
Raqqer exploded and a micro fissure was torn in the Earth allowing magma to be released.
“Alex… what did you do?”
New Ben re-emerged from shadow and looked down at the twitching mess of blood and armoured flesh.
“Just hit him with my axe.”
“Just hit him… Alex, this isn't normal. What is your Strength stat?”
“Base? 503.”
“503!? Wait, that's the base stat? This is going to be disgusting… what was it when you,” Ben coughed into his hand, “hit him with your axe?”
“1356.”
“How…? Professor Ladere? Help?”
The professor looked up from where she had been examining Raqqer's body.
“He's the System's special boy. I think it feels sorry for him.”
“You think the System-”
New Ben staggered slightly and had to crouch down. Alex and the professor looked at each other then back at their party member.
“New Ben? Are you ok?”
New Ben nodded slowly before standing up.
“Yes. I just, that's… I don't… your stats shouldn't be possible. How did your Strength more than double?”
“Gear and Primal Fury increased it, then Volcanic Fury doubled it.”
“Doubled? That can't be right.”
Alex pulled open his Abilities screen then shared Volcanic Fury with New Ben.
Volcanic Fury II: Channel your Inner Fire doubling your attack speed, Strength, Inner Fire and fire damage output. Every attack opens micro fissures in the Earth increasing the Warriors connection to the magma within, greatly enhancing every Fire and Lava based ability, these fissures release lava that will rapidly cool on contact with enemies, trapping them in igneous rock and restricting their movement.
“The Ability evolved?”
“A while ago.”
New Ben stared into space then moved a hand around.
“Have many of your Abilities have evolved?”
“Some. Others have just changed or… there was a Symbiosis thing-” New Ben grunted like he'd been hit, causing Alex to continue quickly. “That was only once though.”
“Only once… the System's Special Boy.”
“Come on, I can't be that different to other Forerunners. Right? New Ben?”
New Ben just stared at Alex while shaking his head, then he was shoved when Raqqer's Blood Shield snapped into place.
“This guy. You're right, I think. Forerunners do get access to enhanced Abilities… you do seem wildly powerful though. You're not even Level 100. That Ability, there is no way it gets left that powerful. The next evolution, it has to be nerfed, surely.”
As the party watched on Raqqer reformed inside his Blood Shield. Then New Ben started to laugh.
“New Ben?”
“Sorry, two things. I'm alive, you really could've killed me, and, look at Raqqer. He's gone all in on armour so the plates are thick, but they're segmented so he can-”
New Ben moved, Alex and the professor were watching but he seemed to disappear due to moving so quickly Their attention was pulled back to Raqqer when the rat collapsed, sounding like a rock slide.
“-move.”
Alex's mouth dropped open as New Ben pulled a dagger from between armour plates covering the back of Raqqer's head and the top of his spine
“That seems too easy.”
“It is. You being overpowered has meant that Raqqer needs to over-defend. He's protecting himself from you, at least the last 2 evolutions were. So this was easy. The next one should be interesting. Even this… a multi-phase Elite mob. This should be an Earth Boss, something for a full party or raid to kill.”
Alex shrugged.
“I just follow the quests.”
“You got a Quest for this?”
“Of course.”
“Of course… can you share it?”
“I thought you got it as well, when you mentioned your experience bonuses.”
“That was all that popped up.”
Alex pulled up his active quests, scrolled to the current one and shared it to New Ben.
Sharing Quest with Ben de'Vries
Elite Hunting Quest
An Elite Raiding Party of Kyrn Rats have Invaded Earth 0 through a Multiversal Tear from Earth 39.
Eeradicate these pests before they reproduce
95%
This is a Faction Quest due to your War with The Kyrn Dominion
War and Faction Buffs Apply
“Fascinating. This just came from the System?”
Alex started to answer but the professor jumped in.
“I can't let Alex or the Sytem take the blame for this. I've been looking into Integrated Earths and the changes they go through. Until someone, probably Alex, reaches Level 100 the System generates organic quests related the current situation on Earth. As the Kyrn are invading for the Onix Trono, quests related to them are generated. That, plus the lure you created…”
“Truly fascinating.” New Ben bowed at the professor again. “We're at 95% so I'm expecting this to be the final evolution, let's kill him and close this battle off.”
“Agreed. What do you think he'll do?”
Ben crouched down to stare at the rapidly mutating rat then shuddered.
“It looks like he's going for a multi-layered approach. So my blades can't get through, and your axe wouldn't penetrate all the way. It's smart, but limited.”
Alex's eyes lit up revealing his Inner Fire.
"So he'll burn.”
New Ben looked over then took a step back.
“Yes. Slowly, well have to keep him in your fire, ramping up your damage, reducing his resistance… I think I have a…”
New Ben started moving his hand then a small vial appeared in it which he proceeded to throw to Alex.
Potion of Fire Resistance Nullification
Crafted by Ben de'Vries
This vial contains a Potion that reduces the target’s Fire Resistance to 1.
Note: it doesn't deal fire damage
Note: please return this vial to your local Alchemy Guild, “a clean Multiverse is a better Multiverse”
“What's with the little message at the end.”
“My Guild is still working on our, what did you call it? Multiverse Recycling Initiative.”
“That's right, how's it going.”
“Good, the major Factions on my Earth got involved. I think it's actually making a difference.”
The Blood Shield shattered and Raqqer roared.
“That's impressive. I can't see that working here.”
Alex threw the vial which shattered on Raqqers's chest.
“Not with that attitude it won't. I'll work it into the agreement I write up with you lot. If it's there from the start, that'll help. Bloody-”
New Ben cut himself off as Alex went all out, triggering every Ability and absolutely destroying Raqqer in less than two minutes. Lava erupted from the Earth and the flames from Smouldering Embers coursed over Raqqer's fallen body.
Alex walked back breathing hard then tossed his axe into the air before stretching his back.
“That was fun. I haven't gone all out for a while.”
New Ben muttered to himself as he walked over to the burning corpse anf tapped it with the toe of one of his boots.
“Completely broken.”
Elite Hunting Quest Completed
An Elite Raiding Party of Kyrn Rats have Invaded Earth 0 through a Multiversal Tear from Earth 39.
Eeradicate these pests before they reproduce
100%
This is a Faction Quest due to your War with The Kyrn Dominion
War and Faction Buffs Apply
Your party has defeated:
Kyrn Elite Royal Guard (Level 88) x55
Kyrn Lesser King Ropyut (Level 95)
Kyrn High King Raqqer (Level 101
New Ben froze after Alex looted the corpse of Raqqer.
Level Up
Level Up
Ben de'Vries has Levelled up to Level 110
“I levelled up…”
“We completed a Quest and killed a few Kyrn. What did you expect?”
“You don't understand, I levelled up recently, I wasn't even close. Plus, your Earth isn't even fully Integrated.”
“You're welcome. You'll probably level again it we head to 39. That place is an experience goldmine.”
You are now Level 88
Name: Alex Till
Level: 88
Strength: 515
Inner Fire: 330
Constitution: 261
Party Loot:
Alex Till
Earth 39 Specific Title
Royal Bane
All Damage done to Kyrn Royalty increased by 20%
Only applies on Earth 39
Awarded for unmatched ferocity in battle with an enemy
Ben de'Vries
Wartime Title
Specialist
All Damage increased by 20% while in a party led by a Faction War Leader
The title is not Earth, Faction or Guild specific
The benefits of this title apply at all times while in a party if the party leader is a Faction War Leader
Pantheon Award
Erebosian Favor
This Token of Appreciation is bestowed upon Ben de'Vries by the Nox Diva
The Bearer may select one item from either the Shadowsong Laboratory, the Ebonfire Foundry or the Lumina Arcanum Library
Access to Erebosia, realm of the Nox Diva is only possible for 5 minutes
4.59
4.58
“Erebosia?”
“What? Oh, you can see that? Erebosia, that's Nox's…” New Ben cleared his throat, “a shadowy realm where darkness reigns eternal, populated by mysterious creatures and shrouded in the secrets of the night. Honestly though, it's basically a large estate where it's always night. Because… goddess?”
“Does Viracocha have… odd, I expected Eternal Equilibrium to kick in with the answer. Does Viracocha have a realm?”
New Ben just stared at Alex then shook his head.
“You're serious?”
“Yes…”
“Of course he does. Alex, he made everything, you don't think he would've had his own realm?”
“Did he make the UnderVerse?”
New Ben just shook his head then spun a small leaf shaped black gem on his palm.
“I'm just going to go, you can either sit here and think about what Viracocha did or didn't make… when he made everything. Or, and I suggest doing this, carry on down the river, a river that Viracocha made, sensing a theme? I'll catch up.”
“Point made. Jerk."
“Jerk? You haven't insulted anyone for a while have you?”
“No.”
“Because you're terrible at it. As in, the worst. Honestly, I've never been more poorly insulted. You're a disgrace, I can't believe we're mates.”
Alex froze then looked at the professor as New Ben crushed the gem in his fist then blew out the dust and stepped through what looked to be a shadow portal.
“Bye.”
“You're making it weird.”
“No I'm not.”
“You really are. A Multiverse variant of your dead best mate said you were mates and you freaked out.”
“I didn't freak out.”
The professor snorted with laughter.
“Till you froze, then stared at me until he left… through a shadow portal that he created by crushing a shadow gem and blowing the dust onto the ground. Which, if you'd been watching, you would've thought was pretty cool.”
“Jerk.”
“Yea, it's still bad. You need to be better at insults.”
“At insults?”
“Etcetera.”