I pushed through the double wooden doors on the far end of the skywalk. I let Tala and Theo walk ahead of me and as I stepped through the threshold I received a notification.
[Event Completed: Transcendence of Self]
[Experience Points Earned: 120]
[Codex Feature Unlocked: Titles]
[Title Unlocked: Transcendent]
I got my first title and I knew from the lessons of the First Unlocked that titles came with special bonuses. I turned to ask if Theo and Tala also received the title but from the lack of surprise on their faces and that their stride hadn’t slowed down it was best to assume they didn’t. I decided to keep the notification to myself. As I walked behind Tala I pulled up my Codex and swiped to my character statistics. I selected my title, which was still set as [Starter], and found my new title listed below it. Pressing my consciousness on the title brought forth another screen of information.
Title: Transcendent
Unlocked Conditions: Complete Event - Transcendence of Self
Stat Bonus
◈ +1 Spirit
I applied the title to my Codex and felt a new rush of energy pulse through my veins. It was different from when I increased my Body stat or even my Mind stat. It wasn’t so much a rush of adrenaline or a clearing of a foggy memory. No, it was more of a warm embrace of my emotions. I was filled with purpose, drive and a new sense of self worth. I felt good about myself. Reinvigorated on my path forward and my desire to create a better world. But even with all these new sensations there was something beyond that filling my chest. Power. Pure undiluted power filled me. I knew I could use that power for magic. To cast abilities, perform rituals, and unlock new skills. I just needed to unlock my Class Pathway and so many more things would become available to me.
“Ward, you coming?” Tala asked as she held open a new door. I hadn’t realized that I stopped walking. I was so enthralled with receiving my first title and feeling the energy flowing through me that I froze in place.
"Yeah, sorry," I stepped through the door and found myself standing before a towering wall of shattered glass floating in the air. The entire northern side of the Crumbling Tower seemed to have imploded in a scattering of time-frozen shards of glittering light. The red hues of the sky splattered the dusty air in a cascade of prismatic showers as the beams stretched from broken glass to broken glass. It was beautiful. I stood in awe at the majesty of such a wonder. I had no idea how the glass floated still in the air or how it came to shatter. All I knew was it was the most awe inspiring sight I had ever beheld.
"Would you look at that," Theo spoke in a reverent tone. His eyes were fixed upon the tapestry of sparkling glass. A smile held at the corner of his lips.
"I guess there is still beauty in this world," Tala acknowledged. She was transfixed on the sight before us as was I. I watched as the floating glass seemed to twist in the air as if buoyed in invisible waves. As they twisted back and forth they carried the light with them. Pulling shades of crimson into emerald and emerald into sapphire.
The ground trembled as if a great giant sighed in its slumber deep below. The floor shook and the ceiling above us released it's coating of dust. The metal railing that protected us from the sheer drop to a wide, tiled courtyard below, fell loose from its fittings. The top bar of the railing splintered outward and tumbled away. Moments later a loud clanging of metal on stone broke through the air. Even the floating glass shards above shook in fear.
The pillars of chromatic lights faded into a wave of shadows and a rush of window. Something with massive oily black wings, a long tail like a stream of darkness, and exhuming an aura of madness streaked past the open windows. A familiar sense of dread clutched at my spine, twisting it in an unimaginable feeling of terror. My hands shook, my shoulders ached and I had to stop myself from biting my lip.
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As quickly as the monstrosity appeared it vanished. Though I couldn't see it anymore, it's presence was still left lingering in the air. A tingling sensation like static clung to every part of my body causing a rush of nausea and dizziness to strike me. I caught myself on my knees and forced myself not to throw up. Luckily my stomach was empty and I only felt acid in my throat. Tala had wavered over to a nearby wall and slouched down into a seated position. She laid her head in her arms and I could hear her gagging. Theo walked over to the broken railing and let spit fall from his lips. He stepped back, wiped his mouth and turned to me.
“I… I don’t feel good. What do you think that was?” Theo asked. I tried to respond but Tala beat me to the punch.
“We’ve seen it before,” She let out a deep breath, stood on wobbly legs, and wrapped her arms around her chest. “At least I think so. Ward?”
“You know what that… thing was Pierce?” Theo asked.
“Maybe. Well not really but Tala and I did see something like that before. On a lower level, something flew past the windows. Everything shook. Everything felt wrong,” I tried to swallow but my throat was dry. The sudden feeling of almost throwing up made my stomach hurt and feel hollow. “Let’s keep moving. I need something to eat.”
The three of us turned from the tall, shattered windows and down a long empty hallway. We all agreed to take some time to scavenge and look for food. It was one of the key skills of surviving in the Fallen States. One of the main objectives of the Outriders was to find supplies, medicine and food for the colony. This would be a good moment to find something useful. Whatever had flown by the windows, that was outside the Tower and we were safe inside. For now at least. Though I did realize that things this high up the building were far more empty of monsters. Many of the hallways we walked through were long, dusty and hidden in fragments of shadows and crimson light from outside. Not a lot of furniture, paintings, or fake plants to be found. In fact a lot of the area seemed to be unfinished.
We found our way through a series of doorways that opened up to several office suites and meeting rooms. At least what I assumed the rooms were meant to be used for. They were mainly empty and after almost two hours of searching we found no supplies or food.
“We have to find something and soon. I’m not feeling good,” Tala said. She decided to sit down on the hard matted carpet of another empty room. She let her head rest against the yellow stained wall below an open ceiling that had wires hanging loose. There was no power in these higher rooms after we attempted to try a few of the lights to no avail. I could see sweat beading on Tala’s forehead and her breathing had become quick and shallow. Even her tan skin seemed pale in the harsh light of the afternoon sun.
“We should head up a few more flights. This whole area is useless,” Theo said.
“Yeah sounds good,” I agreed. “Let’s take a break for a second. We’ve been going all day.” Tala gave me a smile and then let her eyes close. Theo let out a gruff sigh and stepped out of the room. He walked back and forth for a minute before eventually sitting down with his back against a large window. Theo was bigger than I was, with larger muscles and a fitter build but even I could tell he was struggling to keep going. Even I was having a hard time putting one foot in front of the other. My stomach hurt and I kept feeling waves of dizziness hit me. We needed to eat soon or else we would be in trouble.
I sat down on the hard carpet and let my arms rest on my knees. Then when another dizzy fit hit me I laid down and closed my eyes. It didn’t take long for the dreams to come and take me. I saw the strange eclipse creature from the dark hallway. He stood in a wide lake of oily liquid, his form fading into the pool like shadowy fog. In the distance was the Great Fallen God watching over everything. It’s domain, our world. It’s focus, me. I turned from its awful gaze and was met with the curdling scent of the Abomination. It’s foul breath falling down my eyes and mouth. Sending bile leaking from my teeth. Not bile, blood. Blood seeping from my lips, and tearing down my cheeks.
The Abomination coiled its pale flesh around me, pulling me into a greater depth of sleep. I fell far into that slumber, deeper and deeper. All around me the squeaking of scuttling rats, and the distant calls of my father. “Promise me. Promise me.” I landed on the dirt covered floor of my room. The same broken lamp laid out before me and the presence of the Trinity flooding my senses. I was a strange memory. Pulled from only days before but somehow a lifetime. I pressed my hand firmly on the ground, forced myself up and stared up at the ceiling where the force of the Trinity fell from.
The ceiling broke away, falling upward and dissipating into nothing. The cement walls crumbled and dropped into a vast world of stars and planets. All that was left to me was the floor keeping me standing firm among the cosmos. The sensation of the Trinity engulfed everything about me. A red, black and gray triangle that was flat yet somehow held a whole universe within it. The Trinity imprinted itself within my entire vision as it loomed over me. Massive in size and power. It spoke no words only pressed its will into my mind. Its will full of power and desire. A desire for humans to grow and survive. To learn and dominate this new world. That’s how it spoke to me. Through emotions rather than words. Emotions that communicated deeper and wider than any conversation a normal human could have. But I understood. It wanted to give me power. To give me the Class Pathway and to see us succeed.
I woke in a fit of sweat and energy. An energy of excitement that filled me with more drive and inspiration. I rolled to my side and saw that Theo had also woken up. He was on his hands and knees. His eyes were wide open and sweat dripped from his nose. I heard Tala let out a moan as her eyes burst alive with tears. She was whimpering to herself and staring up at the ceiling.
“Tala? Tala look at me,” I called out to her. “It’s alright. Everything will be fine.”
“The Trinity. The Trinity came to me,” Tala said, her eyes still frozen in fear.
Theo stumbled into the door way, his left hand out in front of him. He was looking at his palm. “It happened.”
“What happened?” Tala asked.
“The Trinity is giving us power,” Theo smiled.