The first title he had already seen, but the details surprised him. It seemed he had been granted multiple titles which had folded into one. Hopefully that was a good thing. Interestingly, focusing on the title to bring up its details also brought forward memories associated with the title in question. Blake caught flashes of his encounter with the wormhole, his fortnight spent lost in the Chocó wilderness, a memory from a blistering day spent waiting for a target in Mozambique. The system seemed to drag parts of his past up with perfect clarity.
Edgewalker
[- Created from: Transmigrator, Pathfinder, Veteran of a Hundred Fields -]
You have been pulled across the veil between worlds, leaving behind everything familiar. For many, this would break them. For some, it would serve as a crucible to see them reforged. Due to your unique training and experiences, you simply see a new path forward. You stand on the edge of the unknown, navigating the treacherous boundary between worlds and thriving in uncertainty.
May opportunity and challenge find you in equal measure, Edgewalker.
Effect:
- +10% Agility, Alacrity, Resonance.
- +5% Perception, Awareness, Affinity, Vitality, Adaptability, Resilience
Corebound was another familiar title, and the description confirmed what he had gathered from the status screen initially.
Corebound
You are bound, core-to-core, with another being. This bond is incredibly difficult to break without causing damage to both parties. While bound, each of the bound entities shares features of their cultivation base with the other.
You are bound to [- Biomorph Leviathan: Chimera -].
Blake ran his fingers through his hair, considering the implications. "So being an Edgewalker affects my base attributes. And being Corebound means we share... what exactly?"
[Our cultivation bases interlink,]
Chimera's avatar flickered.
[But the specifics are complex.]
"Try me. I've dealt with complex before."
[And you will again. But first, there's more about you we should review.]
The avatar's form rippled like disturbed water.
[Understanding your own parameters will help you better grasp our connection later.]
Blake frowned. "You're being evasive."
[I prefer 'methodical.'] A touch of humor colored the her text. [You'd be lying if you said you understood your own status at the moment. Trust me when I say it gets worse when there's two of us.]
"Fair enough." Blake leaned back against the wall. Battlewright was next. Blake found himself cringing as he read, a kaleidoscope of memories showing him fighting with everything from standard knives and guns to weapons of convenience like a cast iron pan, a fireplace poke, and even an antique rapier ripped from a wall sconce.
Battlewright
You view violence as a craft, and you ply your trade with workmanlike dedication. The Battlewright is a master of all tools of war, able to make effective use of anything and everything at their disposal to continue to employ their craft.
Effect:
Skill Gained: Battlewright
--
Battlewright
[- Replaces existing weapon skills -]
Minimal proficiency with all tools of war based on skill level.
Grants basic instinctual knowledge of freeform mana manipulation as it applies with weaponry.
Increased effect of all Mental and Spiritual attributes when wielding weapons or manipulating weapons with mana. Efficacy of Mental and Spiritual attributes increases with skill level.
Blake's brow furrowed as he read the description again. "So my mental and spiritual attributes affect my weapons. Why would I want that?"
[Think of it this way:]
Chimera's avatar shifted.
[When you fought before, you used your body. Your muscles. Your reflexes.]
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"Right."
[But your mind calculated trajectories. Analyzed weak points. Anticipated moves. Your spirit drove you forward. Gave you the will to continue. The determination to succeed.]
Blake nodded slowly. "And now those aspects actually enhance the weapons themselves?"
[Correct. As you grow stronger in those attributes, you'll be able to affect weapons with mana more effectively. Channel more power. Execute more complex techniques.]
"Like Eland moving that debris earlier."
[Similar, yes. Though your application will be more focused on enhancing the weapons you wield.]
[You're already used to bringing your whole being into a fight. Now, you'll be able to manifest that dedication physically through your weapons.]
Deadeye
You have honed your skills with firearms and mastered the art of long-range precision. Now that you have access to magic, there is no reason not to extend your mastery beyond mortal limits.
Effect:
+2 Perception, +2 Alacrity
Skill Gained: Deadeye
--
Deadeye
Allows for the manipulation of projectiles in flight. Precision of manipulation and mana consumed scale with skill level.
Deadeye didn't require a lot of explanation. Nor did the memory it evoked. His finest work with a rifle, 1,402 meters. It would be in the top 20 of the record sniper shots on Wikipedia if the kill had been publicly confirmed. Or strictly legal.
Still, it didn't take a lot of imagination to see how being able to correct a bad shot mid-flight might be useful. That felt like genuine honest-to-god magic, finally.
The next memory was also a straightforward one. A montage of him doing simple sapper work to disrupt supply lines, foul pipelines, even a brief glimpse of him pouring hydrogen peroxide into a gas tank.
Sand in the Gears
Your history is defined by your ability to disrupt enemy operations and create chaos within their ranks. The Sand in the Gears title represents your expertise in finding and exploiting vulnerabilities in complex systems, grinding them to a halt.
Effect:
+1 Perception, +1 Awareness, +1 Alacrity
Increases the effectiveness of Perception, Awareness, and Alacrity when analyzing and identifying weak points in enemy structures, operations, or systems.
"Okay," Blake said, querying Chimera again. "So I'm good at figuring out how to take stuff down. That makes sense. Is this just… doubling down on that?"
[This is a common type of passive effect, especially where knowledge or expertise are concerned. The increased efficacy of your attributes will help you continue to leverage the instincts you've already developed, even in situations where you don't have all the knowledge you might need, such as looking at unfamiliar tech.]
"Hrm," Blake grunted. "Basically just helping nudge me along? Make it easier to perform leaps of reasoning and the like?"
[Pretty much that, yeah. You can still develop specific skills to specialize, but this is a blanket boost to your ability to create chaos.]
Blake sat a moment, just processing that. He still had a lot of questions about Attributes. And Skills. And everything else. He sighed and mentally brought up the final title. It stopped him cold.
Gravedigger
Your path is littered with the graves of both enemies and allies. You have seen the toll of war and the cost of survival, burying friends and foes alike as you press on. The Gravedigger title represents the grim determination that comes from living with the ghosts of those who fell behind. What will you learn from the lessons of the dead?
Effect:
[-- Title Locked --]
[-- Increase your level to access more Title benefits. --]
Ignoring the fact that the effect was locked, Blake was still shaken. Most of those memories weren't pleasant to relive, but a few… His breath shuddered as he heaved a sigh, trying to banish the image of that poor girl as it once again battered his psyche.
[I'm sorry, Blake.]
"Not your sin to bear," he forced out bleakly.
[But I am at least partially responsible for how strongly you're feeling.]
"How?" Blake's head snapped up. If he found out Chimera was messing with his memories he would rip her out of his chest himself, damn the consequences.
[I rewired your brain, obviously. You've taken a lot of hits to the head over the years, Blake. Brain injuries are no joke. So I set about restoring the damaged tissue and ensuring continuity of your neural pathways. The result is that your memory is far better than it was when I first met you.]
Chimera paused, waiting to see if Blake would say anything. He held his tongue, and she continued.
[I failed to anticipate that certain memories with deep significance might become a bit overwhelming when freshly restored. My previous host didn't have the same sorts of traumas that you did. I'm sorry.]
Blake closed his eyes and focused on his breath, drawing it in through his nose and releasing it through his mouth. In through the nose. Out through the mouth. His hands unclenched. The memories remained, but the sharp edge of panic dulled. The girl's face faded back into that dark corner of his mind where he kept such things.
"You're right about the TBI." Blake's voice came out steadier than he expected. "Took more than my share of hits. A couple IEDs. Lots of near misses with explosives. Plain old getting knocked around."
He rubbed his temples, considering the implications. Having his brain repaired should have felt more invasive, but after everything else that had happened, it seemed almost mundane. Still, the sharper memories cut deep. The restored neural pathways meant reliving trauma with perfect clarity.
"Makes sense that fixing my brain would mean dealing with some... uncomfortable side effects. Maybe it will be good for me in the long run. I forgive you."
Chimera was silent for a few seconds. Her avatar looked timid.
[Thank you for that, Blake.]
"Yeah, yeah… Let's talk about why that last title is locked. Why do I need levels for that one and not the others?"
[It seems likely that the benefits would have crossed some threshold of acceptability for the Archon reviewing your file. Too many benefits stacked on someone too early. So they left it locked until you level up and earn some additional real estate for buffs.]
Blake grunted in acknowledgment. It made sense. Now, however, it was time to dig into how exactly his metaphysical roommate was going to affect him moving forward.
"So, I think it's time we start talking about the Leviathan in the room."