My entire body aches and my movements are sluggish despite having stamina that fully regenerates in two minutes. I resist the urge to fall asleep as we make our way home.

...Okay, as the cubs make their way home. I'm lying face-to-the-sky on the back of the larger of my tusked companions, leaden limbs spread to the side, lungs pumping in ragged satisfaction. All while letting them carry me back.

I attempted to refuse the ride when offered but couldn't put up very much of a fight with how bone-tired I've been. Nor did I really want to if I'm being completely honest.

The cubs make their way languidly through the Battlefield while gathering those that broke off earlier. At this point the area looks significantly more empty than when we arrived and I assume the pitch of battle waxes and wanes over the course of the day. As each cub returns it makes its way toward me and I spend a good couple minutes scratching and petting my furry friends.

I still have no idea what the not-electricity is sparking from the tusks of my mount, despite watching the cub battle for hours. I honestly think it didn't even use whatever energy is contained within seeing as how both cubs spent most of their time improving defence, not offence. I tilt my head to the side to get a better look and realize it doesn't look entirely like sparks or anything of that nature. Instead, it seems like bits of pitch black and fuzzy white travel up, down, and around the tusks in a haphazard, twitchy manner. It reminds me of staring too closely and for too long at the static channel on an old television.

I do think I've figured out the smaller cubs schtick, however. It is harder to make out at first, but it uses some form of Earth and Water magic to boost its defense as well as to occasionally attack. I have no idea how powerful the magic really is given the weak nature of the opponents we faced today, but I suspect it is quite a bit more potent than I saw earlier.

I settle back and stare at the sky in awe. As it turns out, there isn't a sun in the strictest sense of the word. Sure, there's something in the sky which radiates light, but it acts far too differently from our original Sun for that to even remotely be the case. As the day progresses it grows in size and darkens in shade and hue. It looks nothing more than the dilating iris of a crazed god watching us with cosmic disappointment. It is beautiful and completely unnerving. It has also led me to be absolutely unsure of how long I've been awake or even how long a day is here.

I look over my skill gains in an attempt to shake the uneasy feeling radiating from the sky. I gained three levels in Battle Dance bringing it to five, nine levels in Rapid Strike bringing it to 12, two additional levels in Fear Resistance bringing it to 36, eight levels in Reckless bringing it to 19, four levels in Savage Instincts bringing it to eight, two additional levels in Fear Manipulation bringing it to five, three levels in Reflex Control bringing it to four, and one in Stride of the Persistence Hunter bringing it to two.

It feels like a good haul, yet if I earned skill levels as quickly as I did earlier, it seems like I would have more. I gained fewer levels overall earlier, however, I did it in a considerably shorter amount of time. It's clear that intent, time, and effort all go into leveling skills. It also seems that nearly dying greatly decreases the time needed to level a skill.

I was finally able to earn the skill Dodge and level it to nine, which is self-explanatory. What I'm more impressed with is the skill Dodge Sense [lvl 6], which gives me a feeling of the most opportune time to dodge as well as a lesser feeling for when my opponent would most benefit from dodging. It can be extremely helpful yet it is still a lot of information to parse. It activates as a resonance in my chest that changes based on the circumstances in which I find myself, and while simple enough to understand, it is far from simple to act on that information. It's another layer of complexity to a dance for which I have barely learned the first steps.

I finally earn the skill Pain Resistance [lvl 2] after getting stabbed through the arm by the flaming horn of some type of half-Bull, and while not nearly perfect, the skill is absolutely glorious to have. I also earn the skill Fire Resistance at the same time and spark a plan after removing my perforated arm from the bull.

Well, the original plan after having a hole torn through my arm was to give up and run away while crying and screaming my rage and pain at the world. After the wound started to heal, however, was when the real plan began.

I decide to see if I can farm resistances and it turns out I am able. I spend as much time as possible practicing Dodge and Dodge Sense while training Pain Resistance by default. Moving from one type of beast to another and during failed dodge attempts, I am able to gain Lightning Resistance, Ice Resistance, Acid Resistance, Wind Resistance, Poison Resistance, and finally Stab Resistance. I'm so tired I can't actually remember from which wound I gained Stab Resistance, but oddly enough, I didn't get it from the half-Bull goring my arm.

All told I have 59 AC to spend. I know I'm going to finish the Path of Reflex, but I can't help looking at the new Paths I've earned.

Paths: Path of Grit (0/33), Path of Resistance (0/50)

Only two new Paths, huh? Well, resistance makes a lot of sense though I don't know what I'll earn from it. Grit seems a bit more on the nebulous side, though I do like the sound of it immensely.

Remembering what happened to Seph after she finished her reward Path, I do my best to communicate with the cubs that I might be unconscious for a while. I think they get the gist of it between my simple rambling and gesticulations, but If that's the case, I'm surrounded by beings that are actually stronger and smarter than I am. I thank whatever iota of luck remains to me that the Matriarch and cubs seem to find me amusing.

The author's content has been appropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon.

The 50th point gives me five free stat points instead of a skill and while it is certainly useful, I was still kind of hoping for another skill. I continue and am rewarded with three points each into the same rotation as before; Perception, Reaction, Agility, and Endurance. The 75th point brings up a message which causes my face to split from ear to ear in a massive smile.

Congratulations! You have earned the skill Danger Sense!

Danger Sense: Gain a vastly improved ability to sense imminent danger beyond the normal limits of your Perception.

I begin to chuckle until tears of mirth roll down my cheeks. My laughter eventually dies down and I can't help but sigh in joy. I officially have a Spidey-Sense skill! This would be fun as hell to play with in the normal world, here it will undoubtedly be a lifesaver, especially when the effects are combined with Dodge and Dodge sense. Anything that allows me to reduce the number or times or severity with which I get hit is an absolute wonder.

I begin placing the rest of the points into the path and frown in consternation; I don't get any rewards between the 76th and 99th point.

I sigh in resignation and place the final point into the Path of Reflex before my vision goes black and I'm hit with the most uncomfortably dizzying sensation I've ever experienced in my life.

----------------------------------------

The disorientation ends abruptly and I'm left reeling on the floor of an area in shades of black and grey. I take a few deep breaths and tense my core to hold back the gut-wrenching sensation of nausea.

I look around and find nothing except for black-and-grey space that sprawls endlessly toward a grey horizon on every side.

This doesn't seem at all like what Seph experienced. Did something go wrong? Is the God or Goddess of Reflex a hermit?

...Can Gods die?

"Hello?" I whisper our meekly.

I hear a faint scraping behind me in the distance and instinctively whip myself around to find the culprit but am left with the same exact view of nothingness and the perpetual horizon. Completely unnerving and disorienting. There is no change whatsoever in the scenery or lack thereof. I see the same exact view in front of me as I do directly behind me. I wouldn't even know I'm looking at a different area if I hadn't felt myself turn.

It's giving me a massive headache.

"Hello?" I say with slightly more confidence than I'm feeling.

Another faint scraping behind me and I turn around again expecting the same empty view. A form of blackness rushes me and fills my vision before I can even blink. I attempt to move but am locked in place, unable to so much as look away from the nebulous form emenating vitriol before me. My heart pounds away in my chest and I lose my ability to hear, see, or even think clearly from the fear. My breath hitches in my chest and the form sways menacingly before me.

I feel Savage Instincs kick into overdrive and am mentally slammed with the sensation of murderous intent.

"Hhhellllllllooooooooo," the form rasps directly into my face. "How bold of you to show yourself, hmm?"

I have no idea what the thing is talking about and I say so. Or, I would if I actually could.

Sensing my struggles, the form lessens its hold over me and I'm able to sputter out a few words before needing to gasp for breath.

"Bold? ...Path? Earn."

"Oh is that what you think, eh? That you dodged that Venom Ape by instinct and reflex alone?"

I sense the leading question but, well, yes, I did think that. I nod my head a hairs breadth toward the form. The blackness pulses and a violent, cold wind whips at my face causing me to painfully blink away tears before it settles back down.

"No, you most certainly did not."

Each word spoken feels like an assault on my senses. As the shrouded form grates out the last word, it feels as if the entirety of my being is ground between two slabs of concrete. It lasts no more than a second, yet leaves me violently shaking more than anything else in my time on Crucible. If I'm even on Crucible right now. My own weakness almost makes me wish the pressure were back so I could have a better excuse for how terrified I currently am. Almost.

I try to speak again but nothing comes out, the weight of fear hanging heavy in my mind.

The form shifts slightly and I hear a deep, weary sigh. A chilly breeze rolls over me and sends a shiver down my spine.

"You did overcome the Ape with help from your above-average reflexes, but your survival at that point depended mostly upon luck. You entered The Totality and the slew of visual and auditory information caused you a great deal of pain, leading you to collapse to your knees and dodge the lethal blow, partially by happenstance."

The restrictive bonds of fear begin to lessen ever so slightly and I take a full, deep breath to steady myself before the being continues.

"Now my Prime Initiate is lacking the best path I have to offer and instead it goes to a middling initiate with what should be a middling path. What should have been a safe investment in the future of Crucible is now anything but. I am sure you can see how this is upsetting to me."

An investment in the future of Crucible?

I suddenly find the pressure gone and collapse to the ground. The grey slowly bleeds from the edges of my vision as normal color begins its return. I steady myself and take a large number of ragged, deep breaths before looking up to meet the gaze of a wrathful god, fully prepared to be struck down or sentenced to live in blinding fear for eternity.

...And instead meet the gaze of a small, blond boy with bright, golden eyes.

"Look, sorry about that," he begins sheepishly while rubbing the back of his head. "I've just been stewing about that since all this began and I took it out on you despite not being your fault. Sure, you definitely didn't earn that specific Path, but you didn't fuck with my parameters to get it. I may not know for sure who did, but I have my suspicions."

He lets out a grunt and sits with his legs crossed while facing me. "It's just so absolutely, infuriatingly, frustrating. An expenditure of power on that level, requiring that level of focus, intent, and effort? Anything less than a perfectly ideal outcome feels almost like a waste when you're dealing with that much energy, y'know?"

What. The. Fuck?

He throws his small arms in the air and uses the momentum to fall onto his back while staring up at the sky. Minutes pass in silence and I think to myself that I might be off the hook after his little temper tantrum. It's bad enough when one is thrown by an actual child, but one thrown by a frustrated, irate God? Soul-crushingly mortifying to say the least.

As if in response to my thoughts, the God of Reflex continues.

"In the meantime, whaddaya say we make the best out of a shit situation and figure out what the bloody fucking hell to do with you and your lucky ass, hmm? Despite not being your fault, you are still wrapped up in this and I might as well make as much use of you as I can."

He releases another sigh, only this time it causes the ground to rumble and the air to hum violently. Cracks in space spread forth from his being and he shoots upright before focusing the weight of his immense gaze upon me.

"Shit do you need a lot of work though."