Before entering the quadrant, Bobby looked like a five-year-old about to get a DTaP booster shot. But Alan was looking forward to the nightmarish landscape that promised thrilling challenges. Their blue companion, however, didn’t seem to care at all about the environment.
Luméos didn’t kill the spiders.
Seriously, it was an awkward scene. Alan had hoped that the god would intervene at some point given the overwhelming number of creepy crawlers. Worst of all, they seemed to completely ignore him.
Most were weak, TC 3, webweaver spiders. They were easy to kill. They were not a challenge. But they were slowing them down. Luméos at least reluctantly explained that TC stood for trait count; the sum of a being’s boons and aptitudes.
At least they learned something.
But even though he didn’t kill the spiders, Luméos’s presence helped. While they were smaller and easier to deal with than the shadowpelt wolves, the arachnids left nearly invisible traps, that only his faint blue glow revealed. Neither Alan nor Bobby tested the traps to see what their effects were.
A couple of hours later, webweaver spiders were replaced by venomfang spiders.
And if the god showed little concern for the small creatures…well, he seemed even less interested in their larger cousins. On the bright side, these didn't swarm in hordes and offered Alan a greater challenge. It was a welcomed change of pace from fighting the wolves.
He had to avoid their bite. The first time he got bit the poison ate half of his health in a minute. Bobby threw another health potion at him. The ‘alchemystic’ made the wise decision to continue training his latest boon.
Neither of them had gained any new aptitudes or boons from all of the spider carnage.
In a small clearing, Alan and Bobby swept away the last of the creatures, creating a comfortable place to take a break and eat the remnants of their wolf meat.
“You know,’ said Bobby, while Alan took his enchanted boots off, “I don’t think I can completely avoid fighting…not in this place. One day you might not be there…and have you seen the tutorial panel?”
Time Remaining: 23 days
Cosmic Vanguard Candidates: 8,978,281
Cordalum: 0/1
“How’s that possible?”
Bobby looked uncomfortably solemn. A lot of humans had died and Alan was responsible for two of those deaths, but it was self-defense, he reassured himself.
“Oh… so you weren’t joking,” said Luméos. “This is your planet’s integration. I am utterly doomed.”
Alan inspected his weapon. His falchion was starting to lose its edge. “We still don’t know anything about you.” He tried not to sound nonchalant. “There’s so much about the universe that we would like to learn, but you’ve just been complaining all the time. Why are you doomed?”
“Let me see that,” said Luméos.
“Okay, what’s the plan?” Alan handed over his sword to the god. “Please be very careful. I really need that.”
“Silence. Or I might change my mind. Just watch.”
Wisps of celestial light danced across the god’s fingertips. With a flash of radiance, a gem began to morph, facets carving themselves into the swirling white stone. Luméos smiled as he beheld the now finely cut moonstone.
Gripping the dilapidated falchion in both hands, he pressed the gem against the pommel. Ancient runes shone along the blade as Luméos imbued the moonstone; the blade cleaned and sharpened itself simultaneously.
[Moon Falchion (Uncommon): A finely honed, one-edged, curved sword. Known for its elevated slashing capabilities. +2 Mana Regeneration, Self-Repair.]
“Wow. Thanks,” said Alan, admiring his brand new sword. “I didn’t expect that. At all. You might actually be a benevolent god after all.” Alan regretted those words as soon as they came out of his mouth.
"Benevolent? You dare define me by your limited understanding of morality? Oh, I have crafted jewels that sing, gems that hold the dreams of ancient civilizations, stones that can tear the very fabric of reality! And you call me benevolent? I am Luméos, Beacon of Brilliance, God of Jewel-crafting! I hold the essences of stars within my palms, and I have molded the luster of galaxies into trinkets! Benevolence is for those who have time to care for each and every whimper in the dark. For me, each stone I craft is a cry into the universe—a testament to existence! You should consider yourself fortunate, Alan, that your falchion now carries a fragment of my artistry. Benevolent indeed!"
“Sorry…I didn’t mean to offend you,” Alan said apologetically.
Alan and Bobby tended to their usual night encampment procedures. It was the first time Alan took care of the raised platform by himself, but he was feeling confident in the lessons that Bobby had imparted.
In the meantime, Bobby gathered materials around the area and made the fire.
While Alan made himself comfortable on the platform, succumbing to the fatigue that had finally caught up to him, Bobby kept watch accompanied by the god of jewelcrafting; They didn’t trust Luméos with watch duty.
Stolen from Royal Road, this story should be reported if encountered on Amazon.
Before they knew it their fourth day in Verdenterra began, and with it, Alan’s new morning regime.
Squats and pushups, done! Time for planks.
Ouch. He had to be very careful. Sprains. Spasms. He knew he couldn’t push himself to the point where he would be sore in front of an enemy. It was difficult not to overdo it.
My strength and endurance have finally gone up to four. When I activate my boon I should be twice as strong as the strongest human. Pull-ups!
“...damn is it morning already?” Bobby asked from above.
He accidentally woke up Bobby by doing pull-ups on the tree under which Bobby had been sleeping.
“Sorry…I guess we should probably start moving soon.” They ate some mirabanis fructus and departed the clearing.
Fantastic! According to the map, creatures are finally supposed to get stronger from here on out.
It would take approximately six days to reach the next quadrant.
Alan and Bobby learned that gods didn’t need sleep. Luméos explained that though gods didn’t require traditional rest, they used meditation to replenish their mana. He went over the many details of meditation, but the concept was foreign. And very, very complicated.
Soon after they commenced their day’s hike Alan’s resonance reveal picked up a faint, but particularly different mana signature; it seemed dormant.
It's certainly a spider, but something is off. Why is it different?
Alan had learned to distinguish ‘Human mana’ from ‘monster mana.’ He found it remarkably useful. Remarkably valuable for his needs.
Perfect for finding new and exciting challenges.
Alan really, really wanted to investigate the intriguing mana.
He sensed that Bobby wasn’t fond of his obsession, but at least he didn’t fight it. He didn’t discourage it. At some point he started supporting it. Embracing it. Facilitating it. Bobby seemed to have found value in the compulsion.
Alan couldn’t have asked for a better partner.
They soon reached the source that called out to him, a sight that made their skin crawl. The creepy ritualistic arrangement consisted of large ancient stones forming a circular pattern against the bare ground.
The mana emanated from the object in the middle. “Luméos, do you know what that is? Should we open it or something?”
“Should you?,” Luméos retorted. “I certainly don’t care what you do…I’ll tell you what. Look closely, what do you see?”
He decided to move closer to the artifact. What was the worst that could happen?
He stood inches away. He was staring at a large lavender-colored, egg-shaped shell that had a gossamer quality. It was a cocoon crafted from spiderwebs that had been made to contain someone or something, but it had a small crack at the top that seemed to be what allowed the mana to escape.
In the moment he touched the cocoon, two robust, stocky venomfang spiders leapt down from the trees, landing on either side of him with their elongated, venom-dripping fangs, ready to attack.
[Venomfang Spider - tc 13]
[Venomfang Spider - tc 13]
Alan couldn't afford the mana to keep his Boon of Augmentation engaged at all times; but thanks to his upgraded falchion, he could now keep Resonance Reveal always active—almost always.
He should have been able to detect the spiders up on the trees. He didn’t. Which meant that he summoned them by touching the cocoon.
Are they protecting it or guarding it? Now I really need to know what’s inside. He hadn’t fought two of these at the same time yet. Defeating one was manageable if he was careful to avoid every attack, but two...
I can do it. I’ll slay them. He leapt back as hard as he could, landing painfully on his back. He had dodged the spiders' first attacks by a hair.
They bit. He dodged. After much effort, Alan was able to sever one of its legs, but the creature barely flinched.
Luméos yawned on the sidelines, seemingly bored out of his mind.
Bobby involuntarily swayed left and right as if he were in the fight himself.
With his mana half-full, He feinted left then darted right, slashing at the nearest spider's abdomen.
His blade sliced deep, spilling entrails onto the jungle floor. The spider screeched and recoiled. Alan hacked off another leg in a spray of ichor.
The second spider lunged at Alan's back. He whirled, blade singing through the air in a wide arc. With a wet thunk the spider's head went flying. Its body crumpled, legs twitching.
It was over.
The maimed arachnid scuttled toward him, hindered by its missing limbs. He waited until it drew close then brought his falchion down, cleaving the spider in two.
You have vanquished [Venomfang Spider - tc 13] — Myst has been assimilated.
You have vanquished [Venomfang Spider - tc 13] — Myst has been assimilated.
Panting, Alan flicked the gore from his blade and marveled as it cleaned and resharpened itself.
The man stood victorious on the ground, soaked in viscera and surrounded by spider pieces. The adrenaline had been replaced by a wave of uncontrollable laughter. The angry red welts on his arms—where the spiders' venom had sprayed him—morphed into agonizing pain as the toxins ate into his flesh.
But Alan’s pain didn’t evoke emotion. He knew why. It wasn’t even close to the pain that he had felt in the past.
His health hovered dangerously in the red, and seeing it decrease one digit at a time, he grinned as he made his way to Bobby.
“We only have two health potions left. We have four mana potions. Here, take one of each,” Bobby advised, as he rummaged through their supplies.
He fumbled for the health potion, downing it in one gulp. Alan directed his attention back to the cocoon lay in the middle of the stone circle.
Alan poised to strike, then hesitated, quickly downing a mana potion before making his move.
The falchion came down onto the hard shell, it bounced off and a large piece chipped away from its edge. Shit! at least there were no more spiders. Alan turned to Luméos.
“Look carefully. Pay attention to the mana.”
The god of jewelcrafting appeared genuinely trying to be helpful. But was he? That sounded like something a wise and mysterious mentor would say in a martial arts movie.
His senses followed the mana. It was tightly compacted around the shell's surface—except at the crack at the top. The residual energy flowed along the right edge of the crevice, while the left side was…unprotected.
He slashed the crack’s left face.
Interesting.