“Julie Rinn, I will start with you, Dojigui the ogre slayer and Oni Maru, also an ogre slayer. These mighty Katanas will grow as you do and for every soul taken, the pair will grow more powerful and will gain the ability to stand up to any foe the cosmos has to offer. These swords are aptly suited to you based on your attributes and your unique bloodline. I am going to upgrade your Smith and Wesson M&P Shield 9mm, it will now fire Aether bullets, since gunpowder has been rendered useless and will also be quite volatile, I have also upgraded your magazines to carry 36 rounds each. The power of your new Aether rounds will be equal to the 9mm powder rounds you are accustomed to.” Flex said proudly.

“Next, we have a Nanotech, carbon fiber, Stealth Shinobi Personal Armor Package. It will cover you in a matte black carbon fiber unitard with boots, it also becomes hardened armor plating if attacked, it is called responsive armor which also amplifies your stealth abilities by 10x. We also have a Nanotech helm that also works in conjunction with your user interface, it also amplifies your examine skill by 100x. The helm goes on like a necklace and upon activation it will cover your head everywhere except your mouth area. Your bodysuit goes on like a belt and upon activation expands to cover the entire body and feet with a flexible and silent carbon fiber armor, it is both self-cleaning and self-repairing.” Beamed Flex.

“This next part is an item worthy of a Matron Mother, the Bandolier of Eternal Night. A Legendary item, which holds the Shuriken of Infinite Darkness, no matter how quickly you throw the shuriken’s they will never be depleted, a fresh supply awaiting you forever more. When the magickal shuriken make contact, they generate a 3-foot square area of pitch-black darkness (that the thrower can see into but the victim cannot see out) for 3 min, these items will grow and gain levels as you do, and the area and lenght of effect will as well, making these invaluable tools indeed. I am giving you three skill crystals (Stealth, Dark Elemental Magick, & Dark Senses), and three spell scrolls(Shroud of Darkness, Whisper Step, & Dark Vision), I have also included the following conveyances we discussed earlier. I have given all of you an Aether Bike. The Aether Bike is stored in its own spatial ring, it’s the green one. All of your other gear will be inside of this blue ring. All of the armor was procured from a gnomish workshop on their mother planet, during the time of the last Tribulation. You can trust they are top quality and will serve you well.” Flex finished. “Flex what is an Aether Bike?” Julie asked.

“I apologize for my forgetfulness Julie Rinn, Aether Bikes are made for one person to ride at a time, they are powered using a combination of ambient Aether and H2O, as fuel sources. They travel about 1.5 feet off of the surface they are riding on. An Aether bike operates much like your terrestrial motorcycle as far as ease of use. The Aether bikes have a top speed of 260 miles per hour and they can travel over most any surface found on Terra. Your conveyance will be stored in your green spatial ring.” Flex finished.

"Will the Aether Bike drive over water, Flex?" Julie inquired.

"Yes Mrs. Rinn, your Aether bike will move over the water just as well as any other surface you will find here on Terra. They are not however for use in off world travel." Flex informed.

Dojigui: This Katana is what is known around the universe as an Ogre Slayer. Dojigui will inject fire infused Aether into the wounds its causes. The fire infused Aether inhibits the species’ regenerative properties, and also inhibits cellular regrowth. This swords use of Aether also allows it to extract any unused Aether from its victim.

Oni Maru: This Katana is what is known around the universe as an Ogre Slayer. Oni Maru will inject light infused Aether into the wounds its causes. The light infused Aether inhibits the species’ regenerative properties, and also inhibits cellular regrowth. This swords use of Aether also allows it to extract any unused Aether from its victim. Oni Maru is also a very effective weapon when battling forces of darkness as it is a weapon of light.

Bandolier of Eternal Night / Shuriken of Infinite Darkness: This combination of a spatial replicator and replicating magickal weapons. The bandolier was made to replicate the Shuriken of infinite darkness. With this combination the owner will have the ability to infinitely throw magickal darkness inducing shuriken. As the bonded user grows in levels so will this combination of artifacts. Impenetrable Darkness is cast in a 3 foot square area around the contact point, for approximately 90 seconds.

“Hillary Rinn, are you ready to begin?” Flex asked my daughter courteously. “Yes, Flex I am, thank you what do you have for me?” My daughter replied.

SCANNING>>>>>>SCANNING>>>>>…. “Hillary Rinn, I have selected something very special for you, very special indeed. I have selected for you a staff that was created over one hundred and fifty thousand Atlantean years ago (300k Terran years) by a master craftsman who came from the first Terran, Atlantean Settlement, New Atlantis. Kerzes Bagozath was the craftsman who created this wonder, he created this artifact to draw in just a touch of each spell cast using this mighty Staff. In this way the staff grows with the wielder, it is at its very base strength as it has sat dormant for untold generations. This is the Staff of Terrestrial Inspiration!! This staff has access to an almost infinite number of buffs and healing spells, they are locked inside for you to discover as you grow in Intelligence, Wisdom, and Perception. I’m sure with the gains you’ve made thus far, you will have already unlocked some very valuable tools and some early spells. As you grow in power, so shall this legendary staff. Like your mother, I upgraded your beautiful Magnum Research Desert Eagle 1911 G 45, equipped with Aether rounds, expanded magazines and, special for you, a holographic sight.” Flex reported.

“I have also gathered you the Robe of the Master and some Nanotech boots. The robes are lined with various precious stones to help in the transmission of Magick, and the boots are much like your mother’s. They do not however have any armor component, carbon fiber, or metal that will interfere with the transmission of Healing Magick, or I should say stable Healing Magick. They just come up to cover up to the waist in a nanotech fiber that is neutral and causes no interference whatsoever. I’ve also included the same Aether Bike I provided your mother. I have also procured you 2 skill crystals (Light Elemental Magick & Druidic Magick), and 3 spell scrolls (Healing Hands, Aetheric Sheild, & Physical Cleanse) for you. Everything is located in the rings you find before you.” Flex finished. “Thank you Flex, I will do my best to put them to good use. Once I am sure this isn’t all a bad dream.” Hillary said with a smirk as she equipped her new outfit.

Staff of Terrestrial Inspiration: This Staff is a legendary staff created by a Grand Sage Artificer, there is no equal in this realm. Due to the length of disuse most all of the spells, buffs, and techniques are locked inside waiting to gain experience so as to reveal its myriad of secrets to its new owner. Utilize this staff as a conduit to amplify your spells, circulate Aether though this tool and in return the staff will reward you with access to its secrets.

Robe of the Master: These robes are made of celestial linen. Created from celestial golden flax, grown in the celestial realm, and blessed by a priest of light. There are millions of microscopic gemstones attuned to light magick embedded into the weave, these specific stones amplify and purify light magick.

“Mr. Derrik Rinn!” Flex boomed. “Derrik, Derrik, Derrik, of course I have a Legendary Warhammer here in my collection. But the question is, are you worthy of wielding the most sought-after weapon ever created in this universe? I guess we shall see, go over to the gold box, and try to pick up the hammer you find inside. If it allows you to become its master, it will bind itself to you for all time.” Flex said.

I went over to the gold box Flex mentioned, I lifted the lid off and set it aside. The box itself was the most ornate beautiful thing I had ever seen. When I looked inside, I saw a hammer that looked like it was made from an amalgamation of every precious metal in the universe and the handle is made of the bark of the tree of life? Extremely shiny silver metal, it looked like Platinum but was obviously much stronger than any alloy I had ever seen. I examined it and sure as shit the thing had components made of fucking mithril, like from the legends of dwarves and dragons. I said a small prayer to no one in particular and reached down into the breathtaking box and wrapped my hand around the handle of the hammer, as I did, it almost morphed its size just a bit to make it fit perfectly in my grip. I pulled on the grip and the hammer came out of the box and was as light as a feather. While light as a feather if I dropped it on the ground, it left an enormous gash in the flooring of the vault.

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“Flex, this is crazy. This thing doesn’t even weigh more than two pounds, yet I feel like I could smash through a granite boulder as if it was made of glass.” I said astounded.

“This Hammer is known as “Imtharraingt” or in the kings English, “Gravitas” it is known as such due to its ability to exert great gravitational waves at targets, is also able to change the density and weight of itself at the will of its user. Some of the components and the body of Gravitas are crafted from the only known source of Gravitonium in the known universe. Mined from the core of the universes’ cosmic center. Constructed for the First of the First ones…… AZOR of ARCTUARIA!!” Flex boomed.

“I will add, mastery of this weapon includes the ability to fly, to levitate any object, and an entire list of things yet to be discovered. Grand Sage Azor left this Artifact on the surface of a star in the Orion constellation after a great battle with the forces of darkness over 1.5 billion years ago. It was then discovered by an influential family of gnomish traders millions of years later after the star it rested upon went super nova and shot it across the galaxy. It took 130 Gnomish trading barges to tow this artifact through zero gravity space, after they had constructed a dampening field that lessened the weight of the hammer by 99%!” flex conveyed to us.

“I was honestly surprised they were even able to move it an inch. I was contacted by the head of the Gnomish Trading Consortium, and we arranged for a specific Dwarven Grand Master to construct the gorgeous golden box that has held that artifact for over 362 million Terran years. This is an artifact that has the ability to change the course of human history. No one entity has been able to lift it from its resting place since it came into my possession.” Flex finished exasperated.

“Yeah so, Flex? I have something to confess…. I think I may be the direct descendant of Azor, he is my ancestral guide, and now that we are officially in the re-integration process I think, I can communicate with him.” I noted.

“Are you being honest, Derrik Rinn?” Flex asked utterly amazed.

“Derrik, I don’t think you are talking about the same entity. Azor the First, was and by all probability still is the most powerful being in the known history of the universe. If this entity truly is your ancestral guide, please tell me something only Azor would know?” Flex finished. I went into my head and tried to communicate with Azor, only to hear …….

“Azor! Hello? Are you still here with me or have you left?” I asked sarcastically.

“Where would I go? I am a part of you now, there is nowhere for me to go. We are in this for the long haul. Tell Flex, the hammer in question was left on that star by accident, I was so concerned with returning to the planet below to save my people. I simply left the hammer because I didn’t value it as much as I did the lives of my people. Tell him that.” Azor growled.

“Also thank him for keeping an artifact so potent and deadly safe for the millions of years it has been in his possession. Zolzon did an amazing job when he created Flex, and humanity is better for having him here.” Azor finished with a humble smile.

I conveyed the message to Flex, he was beside himself apologizing for doubting me and also for the state of the Armory, as this was in fact an Arcturian facility. He bade me to take the hammer and use it to take Terra back and destroy the Dark Alliance once and for all, freeing trillions of sentient lifeforms all around the universe, it was amazing how much he believed I could do the things he was saying, even if I was not so sure.

So, I took the hammer, sliced my finger along the sharp pointed top cap and bonded myself to Gravitas.

-Notification-

{You have bonded your soul to a legendary artifact billions of years old}

{Gravitas has opened your path to master Gravitational Magick}

~You have gained 50 points in Strength

~You have gained 50 points in Constitution

~You have gained 50 points in Dexterity

~You have gained 90 points in Agility

~You have gained 140 points in Wisdom

~You have gained 160 points in Intelligence

~You have gained 180 points in Perception

“Azor, I just got way more Attribute points than I can probably handle at once!! Please, what should I do?” I asked urgently. “Derrik, relax, you have undergone the first step in your genetic reawakening. Your body and mind have been altered to be more resilient to the changes brought on by the progression through the . You need not worry about passing out every time you get a positive boost in your attribute points. Granted, this is going to be a large amount compared to what you have experienced in the past. I have every confidence you will not black….” Was the last thing I heard from Azor.

I surely did pass out, if only for a brief period. When I woke up, I had such a large Intelligence / Wisdom / Perception bump, I almost didn’t feel like myself. I was having thoughts and thinking about things I hadn’t ever even considered before. Honestly, at first it was very overwhelming, and I thought I might lose my sanity. Just then I heard a voice, small in the back of all of the noise my mind was now making. “Derrik! Focus on my voice. Focus on my face. Block out the noise. Focus on my voice alone.”

I did what the voice said, and I realized it was Azor.

“Azor, what is happening? I can’t seem to get it together, so many things are not what I thought them to be, and others are just lies.” I screamed. “Derrik, listen to me, you are fine, you got a large dose of Intel and Wisdom, you are going to be fine, your mind will acclimate soon, just hang in there my child.” Azor reassured.

“I am slowly blocking out the noise thank you, thank you for recognizing what was happening and being here for me. WOW, this is intense, honestly, I think I prefer to pass out for a while and let my body and mind do their thing without my conciseness.” I cried.

“You will become more in control of yourself and your process of advancing through the will become easier as you become stronger. You were granted the points you needed to properly wield my old hammer. What you just experienced, a handful of ancient beings have experienced, having been granted such a high number of attribute points at once and not experienced some discomfort. Consider yourself in esteemed company, now quit being a baby. Shall we move on with our journey?” Azor finished.

I was having this inner discussion with Azor, and Julie was looking at me as if I were a cookaroo. I’m sure at some point she realized I was communicating with Azor, I still probably looked insane.

“I also took the time to upgrade all three of your firearms Mr. Rinn. They are all switched to a comparable caliber of Aether round, I’ve extended the magazines and improved the accuracy of the two rifles and added explosive rounds to the gold hand cannon you seem to be so fond of, as well as your giant rifle. I have also found you a light weight, Nanotech, Carbon Fiber / Mithril armored body suit, it can withstand kinetic damage as well as elemental attacks. Kinetic gun fire, plasma rounds, and Melee weapons are all reasonably deflected depending on a number of factors. Along with a Nanotech Helm much like your wife’s in appearance and function.” Flex explained.

“As I have with your family, I have also rounded you up ten each health potion and ten stamina potion, three skill crystals (Warhammer, Gravitational Manipulation, & Aetheric Manipulation), and finally two spell scrolls (Physical Advancement, & Gravity Bomb). I have also included 22000 Medium sized Aether crystals, 20000 large Aether crystals, and of course, some rope!” Flex said with a loud booming laugh.

He went on to say, “With your new transports and your new gear, your journey back to Talos should be much safer. As I’m sure you all remember all of your Terran Tech will be fried or will have exploded in a violent manner. I assume the boat you came here on as well as the automobile you drove here in, have both met such a fate. The Aether Bikes will serve you well. I have had the opportunity to turn on the teleport pad here in this facility though it is not connected to any other operating arrays. I’m sure once you power up the central hub at Talos you will have the ability to access this facility. Could you please walk over to the main teleport array and place your hand palm side down on the intake panel?” Flex asked politely.

I did as he asked and all five of my fingertips were pricked and blood was taken in, and I was given sole access to the facility. The facility then went on to ask me if I would authorize anyone else to access the teleport array here in the gold vault. I granted access to Julie, Hillary, and then tried to give access to Adam and Evelyn but they were not allowed. “That’s weird, the system won’t allow me to grant access to the portal network to either Adam or Evelyn. Isn’t that weird?” I asked.

“Yeah, I guess. We are kind of in “what the fuck?” territory no matter which way we turn. Maybe it’s better that only we can get in here. At least there is one for sure safe place for us that is secure.” Julie answered. “I agree with mom. No matter how nice Adam and Evelyn are, we need to be looking out for each other first and foremost. Flex doesn’t seem to be aligned to anyone but you dad. So, I think this is a great place to be if we need somewhere safe.” Hillary added, and then asked, “Flex can we come back here whenever we want to?”

“Yes Miss Rinn, Derrik, Julie, and Hillary Rinn are the only sapient life forms on Terra allowed access to Gold Armory Terra 1. Any and all Arcturians are always allowed access to any of their sites, but no one has seen an Arcturian in millions of years. Well, until you were discovered Mr. Rinn, and by proxy Miss Hillary as well. The two of you should have absolutely no problem accessing all Training Halls, Planetary Archives, and Armories. You will find guides such as myself in most armories, you will find the soul and mind of a person of great knowledge who is known to your world taking care of the archives, you will find heroes of old as trainers at most training halls. Be wary, as some are controlled by the Draco Empire, and they will lure you into their pocket dimension where their power is multiple times greater than it is on this planet to gain vast amounts of experience, as killing a fellow sapient creature nets large rewards for the darker aligned species.” Flex said angrily.

“If you can get the teleport network restarted at Talos you will have the ability to teleport all over Terra. Your genetic code is attuned to this portal making you three the only people on Terra who will have access. If you repeat this process at each facility that you encounter, you will help to ensure none of this technology, any of these sacred artifacts, skill crystals, or spell scrolls are found and destroyed by the evil Draco Empire.”

At this point we looked into our UI and found the locations for the training halls, the archives, and the armories to see if we could stop anywhere on the way back up to Talos, while we smoked a few joints....