Thirty-One and Ghost Ears had taken their leave, headed to Anna’s place to collect Vivi. This left Ben and Short Bus and Frankie alone, standing in line. Frankie had stood in line for about two minutes before vanishing into the Utility Pocket, likely to take a nap. The lucky little traitor.
There’s just not a whole damn lot to do when you’re standing in line except look around and stare, both at your surroundings and at the other people standing in line. So that’s exactly what Ben did. First, he stared at his surroundings, which were interesting enough on their own. The platform he was standing on was made of what looked like solid gold, or at least close enough to solid gold that Ben wanted to start scraping pieces off. The platform was also, much to Ben’s displeasure, floating in midair. In addition to that, to Ben’s greater displeasure, the platform was that grid pattern, the kind that while stable, was full of little holes you could see through.
It was a very, very long way down.
Ben stopped looking down, and instead focused on looking around. One thing he noticed was a sudden uptick in the number of Sunlets walking around, making him realize there had been a dearth of them in the Outer Ring.
“Must be some kind of super ghetto,” Ben said out loud, but quietly, to himself. Nobody responded, because everybody else in Ben’s party was also looking around and having their own moments of mental solitude.
The Sunlets came in every color, and in many patterns. Some were gemstones, like Anna, and some looked like how a polished and cut geode did. A few, Ben noted, looked like really expensive granite countertop material, the kind with all the little crystals and all the interesting striations and patterns in the rock.
Despite his best efforts to project it onto their society, Ben was unable to spot any significant degree of discrimination or social castes based on what the Sunlets looked like. Hooray for the cause of equality, and good for them!
The social castes and discrimination was, however, clearly visible as a line among species. Sunlets were on top, based on how people were acting around them. Next was a second place platform with two species on it, both cyborgs and elemental beings, who seemed to be closely allied with the Sunlets. In third place seemed to be everybody else, who more or less had the social status of ‘Not Elite’.
Then, way at the bottom, were humans. Whereas other species approached the Capital Crystal in groups, either surrounded by family, friends or teammates, the few humans Ben could spot waited to approach the crystal alone, or with other humans. Ben saw it in the way the aliens would shift and move, the way they did everything in their power to put as much distance between the humans, and themselves.
“Hmmm,” Ben said, looking at his own group and feeling fortunate. Human groups, when they weren’t by themselves, seemed to be organized like this: a few fairies flitting about, they were always the majority. Then, a fewer number of Leap-Rechauns. Finally, at least one full blooded, fully grown human being, around which their group seemed to orbit.
Ben had to admit that the fully grown humans he’d seen so far made the [Evolution] required to get there seem very rewarding. Each and every one of them, regardless of race or gender, seemed to be a genetically perfected version of themselves. They looked strong, smart, energetic and beautiful or dangerous, often times both. They also looked dead-ass broke compared to everyone else around them.
It was kind of funny, like seeing a bunch of Glam-Barbarians in a Sci-Fi novel, a bunch of Conans running around in furs and leathers with metal swords on a space station full of exasperated looking aliens in silver jumpsuits.
There were also animals. Yes, Ben saw them now, now that he was looking. Nearly every group of humans, except the groups of Void Souls, had one or more Earth animals with them in some capacity or another. Ben looked over at Short Bus, who was glaring up a storm at a man-dolfin and a man-orca, who were likewise giving Short Bus the stink eye.
“Not in front of the police,” Ben said forcefully out of the corner of his mouth, “I’m not getting arrested three times this week.” Short Bus gave them the ‘I’m watching you’ gesture with his hands, pointing at his chest with one finger, then at his eyes with two fingers, then pointing his whole hand at his hated oceanic rivals. They, likewise, let Short Bus know that they were watching him, and Ben and the unknown human in that other group shared an apologetic look. Then, Ben noticed they had a giant, arrogant looking snail with them and determined that his full party and their full party could never meet, under any circumstances. It was fortunate that the group in question had already concluded their business with the Capital Crystal and were leaving. Once they were gone, Ben turned his attention back to his surroundings once again.
The skyline was beautiful at this height in the heart of Solas, the enormous trees having no top or bottom in his field of vision. He could see the vastness of the Overcavern Forest in one direction. In another direction, he saw an endless valley that got deeper and deeper, a valley that shone with raw and dangerous magic. It was all exposed rock and wild riots of colors, like a rainbow of paint that wouldn’t mix at all.
In another direction, Ben could see what looked like relatively normal land. It was flat and grassy, green and interspersed with boulders and other assorted terrain. But, just peaking over the horizon, Ben could make out a structure of some kind. A tower made of greenstone. The longer he stared at it, the larger it seemed, like it was drawing him towards it.
Ben looked away from the Ultima Tower, though he didn’t know it was called that, and instead looked at the final bit of horizon. Opposite direction of the tower was an endless grassland, flat and unbroken except for a single road that extended all the way to the horizon. Way, way off in the distance, moving very slowly, he could see a procession of dark wagons crawling towards Solas. Just at the edge of his perception, it was as though he could hear music, like the unexperienced memory of a circus.
That was the first five minutes of standing in line. Ben had already looked at everything obvious to look at. So, he repeated the process, taking a second look and learning nothing new. The line was moving slowly, and because of that, Ben was able to appreciate just how large the platform they were on really was, and how many aliens were packed onto it.
The important thing about that was that it was so packed Ben couldn’t see what was going on, on the other side of the platform. Between the thickness of the crowd, the general enormity of some of the aliens, his own diminished stature and the Capital Crystal blocking things, his field of vision was terrible.
Which was really unfortunate, because Red was just on the other side of the platform, completely nude, and impatiently awaiting her turn to use the Capital Crystal.
They’ll meet up, don’t worry, this isn’t going to be one of those really frustrating missed connections things.
The other person Ben completely missed was a plain looking human man, clearly un-evolved, holding an extremely suspicious book. Except, if anyone who had a problem with extremely suspicious books full of instructions on the demonic magic of Illusions was to look in his direction, the book was invisible. Owing to the fact that it was a legendary, semi-sentient book of illusion magic, that made total sense.
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So it was that Ben and Short Bus, Red and the amnesiac Inevitable of Humanity were all waiting in line to touch the Capital Crystal of Solas, moving at approximately the same pace, and set to get to the Capital Crystal at approximately the same time. Ben was fighting the urge to pick his nose, Short Bus was actively and openly picking his nose, Red was about cause a fucking scene, and the Inevitable was wondering why so many people were looking at him and snickering. They were snickering because they expected him to turn into a fairy when he touched the Capital Crystal.
Some people just found that sort of thing funny, and surprise surprise, none of those people were humans.
Ben looked up, the one direction he’d not yet looked. Up, straight at the blue, cloudless sky peeking through the gigantic canopy city of Solas. Apparently Anna lived up there, high above the world. Ben wasn’t concerned about people looking at him like he was strange, or whispering behind his back about his behavior. He looked straight up, letting his head fall back and almost rest on his back, exposing his throat, staring at the sky.
He felt a wave of. . . something. It was like a tired, old emotion, like a feeling of age, like the feeling of karma and reincarnation and forgetfulness, like he’d done this an endless number of times, and he’d do it an endless number of times again. It wasn’t a feeling unique to The World, Ben distinctly remembered feeling this way on Earth as well. He’d always chalked it up to-
“Ah,” Ben said or sighed, “what does it matter.” It wasn’t a question, because it didn’t matter. He felt some music come over him, a song from Earth. “I can feel it coming in the air tonight,” Ben sung in a whisper, “oh no.”
He couldn’t have known, but among the crowd were a few Higher Music Elementals, like Dryst. As he sang, from the second the feeling came over him, they felt it too. How could they not? They understood music in the intimate and intuitive way Frankie understood how to make space itself do his bidding.
So of course they started to play the song. As they did, another strange thing happened. The World, being as thoroughly saturated with mana as it was, tended to be extremely reactive to either very powerful souls, or very powerful emotional events. As he sang, the mana in the air was able to cling to the moment, to the song, and several Lesser Music Elementals formed, taking the shapes of musical notes of various colors. They accompanied the song, filling in the gaps and making the music complete.
Ben, caught up in his moment as he was, didn’t even notice. He couldn’t see how the magic of the Music Elementals drew voice and volume out of him, putting him in a fugue of song, blind to the world as he sang that old Phil Collins song, but in the style of The Protomen.
The song put everyone into a trance, locking them into their patterns of behavior. They walked forward and touched the crystal and finished their business, at least their bodies did. But their minds were elsewhere, remembering old grudges. Old scores to settle. Old sins they were still running from. The Solas PD officers were the only ones who even stood a chance to resist the song, but they didn’t even try.
And Ben? He just thought about that sky he was looking at, and how mediocre it was compared to home. He thought about the sons of bitches who stole him and his entire planet away to this nightmare of a world, though he didn’t know who they were, yet. He felt the immutable, inevitable confrontation between mankind and those who wronged them so deeply, more deeply than he even knew.
He could feel it coming in the air, so he sang. Red listened, an endless number of grudges and vengencences available to her, but only a single being worthy of consideration for her total contempt. ‘Till the end of time,’ she thought, reaffirming her vow of eternal defiance.
The Inevitable of Humanity, with no memories save the scant few he’d managed to create since coming to The World, was yet able to feel the song. He felt in himself a grudge of which Ben’s was a mere shadow, something deep and powerfully dark, a specter sitting quietly awaiting it’s moment in the dread depth of night.
The song ended, as all songs do, and Ben’s eyes once again saw the world around him, a changed world, yet still the same as it ever was. He didn’t know it, but there were many who saw his face and would remember it. There were still more who had heard his voice, and would never forget it. The thing that really concerned the cyborgs and Solas PD was that the Capital Crystal was. . . well, normally, it sat there like a tree, right? People look at trees all the time and it’s just a tree.
It was like the tree was suddenly looking right back at them, lucid and full of memory. Like it was suddenly a person, and no longer just a thing.
Ben wasn’t aware of the difference, and neither was Red, and neither was the Inevitable of Humanity. While everyone else was arrested by the sudden change, by the silence that followed the song, by their own memories and feelings, the destined three stepped forward and placed their hands on the Capital Crystal.
To outside observers, the process was the same as had been done countless times before it. Nothing out of the ordinary at all, except for the weird feeling like the crystal was looking at them all.
[You have received Chained God’s Favor]
[A quest has been issued to the Royal Sage of Solas, he will find you.]
[You have been issued a Quest by the Capital Crystal of Solas: A Song For My Brothers]
[Find the Capital Crystals of the Aeon Slugs and the Enelim and sing a song for them, as you did for me. Reward: Unknown]
[Your Questor Class has been fully unlocked. Due to Chained God’s Favor, you may choose to seek a Sage and choose an enhanced ability.]
[You previously chose to utilize the Ring of Sacrifice for the good of your species, however, you were not allowed to follow through with your decision. This event has imbued you with Holy energy, which you are currently unable to detect or utilize. Unacceptable.]
[You have gained the skill: Holy Energy]
[Take care, young Prince, for there are many beings in The World who will be drawn to you now, some seeking comfort in your presence and some seeking to extinguish your light. Go forth with honor, and remember this: You have already paid the price of Sacrifice.]
Ben was silent. He felt a new strength inside of him, something bright, beautiful and powerful. It suffused his every cell, his [Magical] body, it rushed through his mind and seeped into his soul like water on dry paper. It-
“Hey! Look, that guy’s glowing!” someone, Ben didn’t know who, shouted.
“Oh no,” Ben said, and then realized nobody was looking at him. They were looking at the really plain human who had just touched the Capital Crystal, and was currently both glowing, and not a fairy.
Short Bus glanced over at the glowing human, rolled his eyes, and then touched the Capital Crystal. He paused a moment, like he was reading something, laughed a little, and then slapped Ben on the back.
“Well, that was fun,” he said, “let’s get out of here. Oh, I found Red. She’s right over there, about to kill that guy.” Ben snapped out of whatever weird mental state he’d been in, shaking his head in a tight, rapid shake. Rather than say something like “What!” or “Where?”, he just followed Short Bus when the man-shark started to move.
Sure enough, right around the corner, was Red, in all her bare-ass naked glory. She was crouched down a little, her hands clenched like claws, her eyes glowing spheres of fury caged inside the antlers atop her head. Standing across from her was a human male in black armor with white highlights around the collar, wearing a white blindfold. His armor was thick plate and had a white cross painted on the breastplate. His hair was salt-and-pepper, leaning heavier on the salt than the pepper. He was standing calmly, confidently, his hands folded in front of him, resting on the pommel of his large two handed sword.
“Oh shit,” Ben said, immediately putting a scene together in his brain, “that’s a fucking priest isn’t it.”
Red looked like a demon. The man was clearly a priest of some kind. It didn’t take a genius to figure out what was going to happen next.