Mathew
Piece by piece, he pulled his mind together. With a nearly thoughtless stumble, he moved away from the setting sun.
Go home. A slice of Mathew's mind ordered his body.
Passing progressively smaller plants of the frozen black dunes, Mathew regained awareness.
What is going on? With tendrils of will, he tried sweeping the fog from his mind. Accidentally he brushed up against another slice of his mind. His memory pulled together, slotting into place. Along with a restored memory, his will expanded and the fog of his mind lessened.
This was the catalyst to a chain reaction where he reached out and pulled the slices of his mind back together. Faster and faster, each integration sped the process.
[Alpha Field Cat
Mentally attuned variant, attacks may cause mental damage. Alpha predator uses mental masking to enhance its stealth. Excels at coordinated pack tactics. Relatively low Endurance
Increase skill to learn more]
Mathew remembered it attacked him. A moving wall kept him safe. No, it wasn't a moving wall. But something had defended him at first.
"Run, you fool."
The thought wasn't his but he agreed, and so he ran. He remembered a woman lost her weapon. A slice of mind clicked into place.
[Clare ~ Tutor
Otherworld Human/Blood Spider Queen
Duelist level 14]
Fully aware, he stopped walking and evaluated his situation. He'd survived the Alpha Field Cat attack. Blocking an attack with both arms, he managed to steal enough force from the slash that his chest held up under the assault.
It was the mental attack that caught him off guard. Somehow empowered by the sharp edge of the physical blade, the mental attack carried a focused edge that split the tangle of thoughts that made up his mind. One cut may have been manageable, but the cat's mind was true to its nature it would not let go. Along with the first cut, claws latched into his mind. Follow up attacks used that connection and further separated his mind.
If it hadn't also launched him through the air like a wiffle ball, he probably would've been in a lot more danger. As it was, he managed to keep adding distance from the battleground that was above his current ability. It was a fight to keep his mind together as he retreated. Eventually, the distance broke the connection and saved him further harm.
The final loose segment of his mind snapped into place.
[Mental Resistance perk discovered: Sovereign Minds]
Willing his menus to appear and shift around caused him a painful discomfort along with reducing his motivation. Pushing past the twinges of pain, Mathew analyzed the Mental Resistance perk options.
[Mental Resistance ~ Perk Tier One
Defiance - 50% more benefit from the mind stat resistance
Deception - Cloak your mind and your will from perception
Perk Tier Two
Feel the Eyes - Recognize when you are being scanned and intercept the message
Teirless
Sovereign Minds - All fractions of your mind remain connected to your core and can not be forcefully influenced individually]
Mathew had two unspent perks. An oversight on his part that he was lucky didn't cost him his life. After digging into his notifications, he realized he'd gained five skill levels during the short conflict. So one he could have spent ahead of time. Oh well. He'd lived to learn the lesson.
While Feel the Eyes felt socially powerful, Mathew wasn't concerned with any social problems. He hoped that Deception would let him level up the ability and gather more perk points. Selecting Deception and Sovereign Minds, Mathew closed his menus.
While he'd never been that great at navigation, the Night Stalker spire was a pretty good landmark. What Mathew saw resembled a volcano more than a familiar tooth jutting into the sky. But it was still home. The Hybrid within him zeroed in on it like a compass.
Did it blow like a volcano? Maybe some compressed gas event typical to this alien world.
Following the monster within his mind, he leaned forward into a jog. He'd been in pretty good shape before arriving in the tutorial. Since then, his Endurance had grown to Olympic levels. Without anyone else slowing him down or a cart to push, he let loose and jogged. Mathew effortlessly maintained the pace.
As the Night Stalker spire grew in his vision, he began to see movement across its top edge. The scale was too big. Something on the size of a semi-truck and trailer rose into the fading light. Mathew recognized it as a beak when it split open.
"CAW"
A memory of this happening during his mindless walk was driven away by the power of the moment. Sure foot held him to the ground as a wave of force washed over the land. Through the Alpha spectrum, he heard the Territory of the spire being declared.
As he watched the enormous beak thrust into the sky, followed by the head and neck of a gargantuan bird. Scan.
[The Night Staker - Sovereign of the Divide - Tyrant of the Sky - Apex Alpha - Progenitor of the Endless - Ender of Armies - Living Calamity
The Night Stalker is one of the Great Divide Beasts. Separating the Eastern Kingdoms from the Western Sects, the Night Stalker awaits prey worth the effort of consuming. Aggressively attacking beasts and men that take to the sky over its domain, this monster is the most absolute of Great Divide Beasts.
Increase skill to learn more]
[New skill awarded: Scan level 9. Scan level 9 overrides scan level 8]
[New skill awarded: Scan level 10. Scan level 10 overrides scan level 9]
[New skill awarded: Scan level 11. Scan level 11 overrides scan level 10]
Its body rose out the hole in the top of the spire. Mathew's only reference for scale was his trip to Chicago and seeing how tall the Sears tower was. This monster was nearly half its height. Every part of its body radiated daunting power.
Spreading its wings out generated winds that lifted trees away. Blocking out half of the sky with its wings alone, The Night Stalker fought back the day and won. Bringing darkness early to almost all of Mathew's vision.
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Dropping its wings, Mathew dared to say gingerly, The Night Stalker whipped up tornadoes which raced down the spire and wreaked havoc on neighboring territories.
Taking off, The Night Stalker winged away. More flaps of its wings could be heard in the distance. Petrified still, his heart drummed away and a shallow breath were the only signs he was alive. Instinct told him to hide away, to dig deep and only surface when he had enough power to fight a living mountain.
As the ripples in the Alpha spectrum settled, he felt hungry eyes turn on him. There was also a link, a reminder to the Hub and his people.
Picking up to his jogging speed, he soon crossed over into the grey stone of the shattered spire. Like a wall of dread, the Alpha spectrum pressed a primal fear into his mind.
Stepping into the fear, Mathew embraced his salvation. For whatever reason, Alphas found him a tasty treat, and this terrifying Territory would be his refuge. His Carrion Beast side whimpered and pulled away from the land that was not his own.
Forcing his mind to focus on each step, he spoke of all the things that made him confident. "I am still alive. The Night Stalker flew away. Outside this border, all that waits for me is a long, drawn-out death as a chew toy. My people are this way." When Mathew ran out of new things to say, he'd repeat himself.
[New skill awarded: Mental resistance 16. Mental resistance 16 overrides mental resistance 15]
[New skill awarded: Mental resistance 17. Mental resistance 17 overrides mental resistance 16]
As he persisted, the Alpha spectrum pressed on him less. Accepting him within the domain, less willpower was needed to withstand the imprinted influence.
Light from the open door of the Hub reflected off the cracked stone and guided Mathew in like a beacon. Relief flooded his shot nerves. Silhouetted in the doorway, a tall thin figure stepped out, followed shortly after by a shorter shadow with a bulge on its back.
"Here," Mathew bellowed as he climbed to the Hub.
They ran downhill towards him, resolving into Ben and Amber. Mathew stopped his jog soon enough to take the tackle from Amber without hurting her.
"I'm so glad you're okay." Amber squeezed Mathew.
"You're not, though." Mathew rebuked. "I'll be just as fine without your hurting yourself more. But uh. Thank you."
Ben clapped him on the shoulder as they climbed the hill together.
"Good job, Ben." Mathew nodded. "Thank you."
"Oh! Don't you thank that wannabe Neanderthal!" Amber groused.
Looking over her head, Ben and Mathew shared a bro nod she didn't look up to see.
Entering the Hub, Mathew finished his headcount with Grant. Bloodied and broken, but we all made it.
"Did you guys see that monster?" Mathew asked.
"What monster?" Ben asked.
"That giant crow," Mathew answered. "Made some Territory renovations recently."
"No, we had no idea what it was. We just hunkered down," Ben shook his head. "How big was it?"
"Bigger than a sports stadium," Mathew nodded. "I've only seen skyscrapers taller than it is... and not all of them, just the big ones are taller."
Ben whistled. "We are so fucked."
"I'm not sure about that. It flew away over the horizon. Not that it couldn't come back, but the way it claimed this Territory before it left... it feels as though it was putting up a warning sign. Why would it need to scare off others if it's staying around?" Mathew said.
"Feelings aren't a lot go on." Harper shot him a worried stare.
Mathew looked at Amber. "Did you tell her?"
"Tell me what?" Harper asked.
"I uh, pushed Mathew further into being a monster. It was not on purpose but putting Freedom over him to get him out of the Knight's chains let him break through something he wasn't meant to." Amber rambled.
"What Knight, and chains." Harper put up her hand. "Nope. How about from the beginning?"
So they narrated the last half-day to Harper so she would be up to speed. Grant stayed quiet. Mathew's Mental Attack skill told him that Grant was trying to find direction after learning that the artifact was a lie. Mathew himself slowly started to feel off or ill. Ignoring it, he stepped into the conversation.
"The secret to civilization was someone's magic. He's long gone, dead probably. Also, it looks like I'm destined to go crazy." Mathew's grim smile was hidden by his exoskull. "Sorry about that, guys."
"No," Amber growled. "How much time do we have?"
The feeling of being ill ramped up. It was similar to being tipsy and off-balanced. Something was influencing him. Bringing up his status fixture, he had a guess.
[Alpha ascension 99.99%]
"No more time," Mathew braced against a wall. "If I lose my mind, just know that I've only ever wanted the best for you guys. Even you, Grant. Harper, keep healing. Ben, stand up for yourself. Grant, find something worth dying for. Amber, keep on being you." Mathew closed his eyes.
[Alpha ascension 100%]
Mathew felt the Alpha spectrum that built up within the core of his health collapse inward. Like the kindling of a star, the Alpha spectrum condensed within his core and began to radiate power.
[Alpha ascension processing...
Individual authorized for ascension...
Territory title found: General of Texas
Knighthood generated: Carrion Knights
Class upgraded: Carrion Knight replaces Carrion Soldier]
[New Class: Carrion Knight
This class is yours to craft a legacy to.
.3 per level stat progression rate
+4 durability
Living Skeleton Weapon replaced with new skill Living Skeleton Armament
Mental Attack, Mental Resistance and Mental Support provide enhanced skill synergy to each other.
Digestion Magic restrictions removed
Adjacent magic slot (1/2) unlocked
Controlled evolution replaced by Class Construction skill
New menu Territory management
New title unlocked Carrion Knight]
New strength rocked through his body. The dizziness fled as his further enhanced cognition adjusted him to the recent changes. "It worked," Mathew whispered. The journal was wrong. Humans could complete ascension.
Over the broken window to the Alpha spectrum, a console grew together. The flat plane had roots seeping into the invisible structure of the wall between him and the unfiltered Alpha spectrum. Gaps existed between the roots so he could still access the raw spectrum, but it had a plug over much of the hole.
Mathew drew up his status. The work that had once robbed him of his drive was now as effortless as breathing. The fixture intelectus showed Mathew his status.
[Mathew Gains Starling ~ Fate Breaker
Otherworld Human/Carrion Beast Hybrid
Carrion Knight 63% to level 5*
Health 767/910
Reserves 10,239
Magic digestion:
Digestion points 738/890
Body Total 62
Strength 17.5
Agility 13.7
Durability 26.6
Endurance 18.2
Mind Total 58
Willpower 13.8
Cognition 11.6
Resistance 18.6
Resilience 13.5
Combat skills
Living skeleton Armorment 26
Bone regeneration 9
Mental resistance 17
Conditional Ambush 14
Mental attack 18
Mental support 8
Crafting skills
Living skeleton Armorment 26
Utility skills
Digestion 35
Class Construction (Locked)
Scan 11]
This was too good. Mathew quickly skimmed the new skills and menus to find the drawback. Locked skill Class Construction felt tied to the Territory menu.
[Territory Management
Status contested - Night Stalker Alpha]
Making an intelectus to decipher that simple menu, Mathew understood that he wouldn't be able to use his menu correctly until he owned the Territory uncontested or had remaining fortification. If he held a Territory, he could have it build resistance to others taking ownership. The Territory wouldn't be contested until that resistance was overridden.
That didn't make sense The Night Stalker had plenty of time to fortify how was he contesting the Territory now?
This Night Stalker isn't The Night Stalker. Mathew thought.
It made sense. Not only was he able to contest, the rest of the behavior made sense too. Secluding itself under the spire and announcing its Territory to scare away Alphas while it withdrew. The Night Stalker was making room for a new Night Stalker.
Viewing through his window to the Alpha spectrum, he saw it. Deep inside the well of the spire, a baby Apex Alpha glared at him.
Mathew looked at the survivors of the hub. "I was wrong about everything. We have the answer to surviving this world, and there is a chance I won't go crazy. But none of you are going to like what I have to say next."