Eyes thinned, the golden woman appeared to be concentrating on nothing, only for a silky, silver cloak to appear seconds later. “Were you planning on telling me your name? Or do manners not exist in your culture?” She asked, taking the cloak, and looking up at the eyes that watched her.
The duo had decided to seclude themselves inside the main, atrium-like room of the temple. A large, heavy door sealed the entrance, and they were able to lock it in place with a beam. An open-air skylight bought illumination into the chamber, and the two of them had worked at making a fire beneath it, which now billowed smoke up and out through the hole like a chimney. Some supplies had been hastily looted from the village, and now they roasted whole fish against the crackling fire, its flames creating dancing images against the moist, moss-covered stone walls around them.
“Wait, how are we even speaking? Aren’t some kind of alien?” No wait, Vern’s thoughts raced. He had been given countless race choices, maybe he was speaking to a human, one who had just chosen to live in a new skin.
“It’s a passive mental ability of mine, it allows us to understand one another. In fact, everyone within about ten feet of me will be able to understand one another, like an aura, regardless of the language they speak. Name’s Dédreza Za’palxia of the Lorekeepers, by the way.” She added with a dull look in her eye.
“Oh, yes,” Vern hurried, forgetting the previous request. “Vern,” he added with an overbearing smile.
“That’s it? Vern?”
“Well, no. My full name is Vern Hunt, or if you’re my mother, Vernard Hunt. And you’re not a human, right?” Vern said, swirling a pointed finger at Dédreza.
“No,” came a flat response. “Do you not recognize your own mother from me, humaloid?”
“Humaloid?” Vern repeated, did she just make that up? “No, it’s an expression. Like, that’s what my mom calls me. I wasn’t actually wondering whether or not you were my mother.”
“Curious but reassuring. I had seen how your eyes followed my body. When you made mention that you believed I could be your mother - it was a somewhat disturbing revelation.”
“What? No, whatever you’re suggesting, no. I’m not like that. I’m confused, just confused, understand?”
“Do not worry, humaloid, your confusion is evident to all.”
Was that better? “What about your skill, I mean abilities, what’s with all that?” Vern said with a grin, eager to change subjects.
“You mean my Mental Bond? Or Mind Blast?”
“Both?”
Dédreza raised a suspicious brow. “I’m not certain discussing my abilities with someone I just met is wise. However, had you wanted me dead, you could have done so, and so I shall share what I know. Mental Bond is simple enough, I can form links and talk telepathically with people I have seen. If they are willing, I can increase the strength of that link. When I separated your consciousness from your body, that was essentially me focusing my entire energy on the mental bond between us and was only possible because you allowed it. As for Mind Blast, it was the ability I purchased at level ten. Like with Mental Bond, I can focus my energy and increase the power of Mind Blast. Unfortunately, I was unable to restore my mana reserves earlier, that and Mind Blast doesn’t seem to really be designed for use against multiple enemies, or at least not as many as we faced when fighting the pygmies, and so when I attacked their army, it drained me. In fact, I wasn’t sure I would even be capable of that second blast against the Chieftain.” Dédreza tenderly rubbed at her forehead. “It drained me in a way time might not heal. But enough of that, I’m more interested in how you work.”
“Oh, about that… Apparently, I’m some kind of Blood Devil. Though if I’m entirely honest, I’m still not sure how a lot of it works.”
“Neither am I nor are most I’d hazard a guess, assuming we’re not the only two affected by whatever this is. But those powers of yours, they were quite impressive. In all honesty, I thought you going to get yourself killed.”
“They definitely seem pretty good at getting me out of difficult situations. But those mind blasts seemed pretty powerful in their own right.” Vern continued with an explanation of his powers and how he believed they worked, much to Dédreza's amusement.
“If you don’t mind me asking, what tier was your class ranked?”
“Superior B.”
“Interesting, perhaps that’s why.”
“Why what exactly?”
“I confess, I had assumed that inferior letters represented inferior classes when reading the descriptions. I tried many combinations myself, settling for Mind Mage when this system thing offered it to me after asking for the most intelligent class. It also just so happened to have the highest rank available to me, at Standard C tier. I had wondered what the limitations were, but it seems whatever they are, they are dependent on the individual.”
If you spot this story on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation.
“Right,” Vern nodded, trying to hide his grin. His suspicions seemed like they might be correct, and it sounded like he was overpowered after all. And hopefully, he wouldn’t just be stuck using his powers on this desolate planet. “You never actually mentioned your race, or anything about yourself really. Something about a Lorekeeper?”
“Right… Well, there are four main fractions of the Del’azza Ka’darn. The Lorekeepers are one of them. The others are Battlekeepers, Craftkeepers, and Worldkeepers. We are, or perhaps were, the intellects of our race and empire. By ancient creed, our peoples created the fractions to ease tensions and dissolve the independent Queendoms that ruled prior and end the wars that savaged our lands.”
“Queendoms?” Vern questioned.
“Unfamiliar with the term?” Dédreza eyed with suspicion. “Males of the Del’azza Ka’darn are a simple bunch. They lust for only war and reproduction, with no mind for politics or intrigue. They have always accepted their place as warriors, fighting for honor and the chance to earn a mate. But never as leaders. And as such, are only represented by the Battlekeepers fraction.” Dédreza eyes studied Vern a moment. “Physically, they are far more endowed than what you male humaloids appear, but with that comes a certain lack of sense.”
Forcing an indignant smile, Vern nodded.
“So, as you can imagine, it made sense to lean on my natural strengths and select a class that would benefit my superior intellect.”
Learning about an alien species was beyond interesting, and Vern found himself enthralled learning about how the sexes of the Del’azza Ka’darn were segregated. How their race sounded to be in some ways far more advanced than Earth, possessing advanced alloys and technologies that Earth’s greatest nations would no doubt fight tooth and nail over. Not only that, but they traveled in spaceships that sounded like a page out of science fiction, hopping through the local solar systems surrounding their home system. On the other hand, the concept of a nuclear weapon and many other Earth inventions were entirely foreign to Dédreza, who explained that their world possessed energy crystals called Kyrals, which seemed to exert almost endless energy – which didn’t make any sense to Vern of course, but he didn’t believe Dédreza lied about anything.
“Dee-Dédreza,” Vern shook his head. “Mind if I just call you Dez?”
“If it helps,” Dédreza replied with a tilted head, and Vern got the impression she saw him as simple, in a similar way to how she did males back home.
“So, Dez, do you think this happened to everyone?”
Head sunken, Dez seemed to contemplate for a moment before replying. “I was present during a council of Lorekeepers, reviewing procedures important for categorizing new discoveries. It was then that everything started to change. I saw several of my colleagues disappear before my eyes, then a moment later I found myself here, on this forsaken planet. Further research is required for a definitive answer, but from what I’ve seen, it seems likely.”
“So, what, you appeared here? I thought you were on the ship.”
“Ship? Oh, so that’s what that ball of fire crashing through the atmosphere was. Rather primitive.”
Primitive? How advanced was Del’azza Ka’darn space travel, Vern wondered. “So, I guess that means there could be others on this planet, even if I was the only survivor aboard the ship.”
“Plausible. But there are countless planets in the universe, and we have no idea how people have been dispersed, or even how any of this works. What of the pygmies? They possessed tools and weapons, built a village, and even appear to have religion. Why are they all here, in one place and undisturbed?”
She was right and the thought had already crossed Vern’s mind. He had wondered if perhaps it was sentient beings at first, but the existence of the pygmies had refuted that. Then he had considered the possibility that he alone had been transported away from Earth. But now meeting Dez, that theory too had been dispelled.
“What are you suggesting?” Vern asked as he poked a stick at the fire.
“I’m not sure. We have too little information to make educated conclusions, I don’t like it. But I suppose, finding out if there is any more advanced life on this planet might be our best bet for now.”
“Yeah,” Vern soberly nodded.
----------------------------------------
“Ranger, report.”
“Still no signs of survivors.”
“The brass is wanting a detailed debriefing shortly. If there are any signs this is related to the disturbances reported across the sector, report in immediately, okay?”
“Acknowledged, commander.”
“Commander Fais out.”
“Ranger Kuul out.” “Ranger Odis out.”
A second of silence followed as the small, two-man vessel hummed across the marbled, violet landscape. Flicking several switches, then adjusting a circular dial – Ranger Odis calibrated the scanner. “What do you think of all this?” He asked over the empty line as he pushed down on a red button, engaging the scan.
Ranger Kuul sighed as he pulled on the control stick, steering the sleek scout ship to the right as they prepared to make another pass for a stronger scan. “They’re scared. And nothing good comes when Central is scared.”
“Don’t think they should be?”
“Well, I can’t blame them for being concerned, if that’s what you’re asking. It’s the paranoid behavior I worry about, no good comes from chasing your tail like this.”
“BEEP BEEP BEEP!”
“I’m picking something here. Two irregular life forms. They match the anomaly readings almost perfectly.”
“Can you see them?”
“That’s a negative. Signal’s strong though, coming from down there somewhere, in the forest.” Ranger Odis replied, lighting up a marker on the pilot’s screen.
“Central isn’t going to be satisfied with just readings. Looks like we’re going to have to land.”
"What about the commander? He did ask for an immediate report."
"You want to dial back in, tell the commander we have a reading but no sighting? Be my guest, but I'm going down there."
Sighing, Ranger Odis dropped his finger away from the call button. Kuul was right.
----------------------------------------
Dungeon quest discovered: Temple of the Sun God; Search the hidden crypt. Find the Sun God Rai-dul Or’s artifact and avoid the traps that will lock it away for eternity.
Rewards:
Map of Urdal IV
1 silver and 500 coppers
Bonus experience
“Oh,” Vern said, looking up to catch Dez’s eyes staring back at him with what looked like a spark of excitement.