"Our world is caged, to break loose we look for answers. One, two, three thy answers won't be. Four is the only key."
________________________________________________________
Skill List:
Kanji (lv0): Aspect of Energy: Electric, Thermal.
{Skill points: 2}
[Full destructive power limit: Village]
1. Infuse/Absorb
2. Energy travel
Inventory: Geographic sphere, spyware device, tungsten-infused nanotech silver chain, multi-device pad (Hide,???, ???, ???, ???. ???. ???).
Claire (lv0): Aspect of Creation
1. Create (Slots: 5)
Inventory: Black cloak, crossbow, crossbow bolts, ammo pouch, fanfics.
David(lv0): Aspect of Form
{Skill points: 2}
[Range limit: Self]
1. Expand (x2)
2. Spikefacation
3. Delay (1-10s)
Inventory: Iron bat, AK-47.
________________________________________________________
?? "Oh no!"
The graceful young woman let out a piercing scream, her disheveled locks and weary eyes betraying her restless night.
Nonetheless, she springs from her bed in a frenzy and quickly consults her clock. The digits read 8:00 am.
?? "I have to be ready."
In a flurry, she darts towards her armoire, taking a cursory glance at her extensive collection of opulent and refined attire, all crafted from the most luxurious silk in the realm.
Yet, with the urgency of the moment, she hastily makes her selection and seizes it from within.
?? "Fine! Blue, it shall be!"
With haste, she dons the chosen ensemble, deftly securing her hair as she descends the staircase. She nearly stumbles on the last step but manages to regain her footing just in time.
Making her way to the exquisite kitchen, she scans her cookware and utensils with a practiced eye, ensuring everything is in order.
?? "Good, everything seems nice and tidy."
She retrieves a checklist from her pocket and meticulously goes over each item as she strides towards a bag of groceries resting on a cutting board.
?? "Sausages. Check! Potatoes. Check! Peas. Check! Gravy. Check! Tea. Check! Crumpets. Check! Great! Everything is in bloody good order!"
As she focuses on the task at hand, she suddenly hears a low barking sound emanating from beyond her front door.
?? "Oi, Mr.Pokey sure is hungry pooch ain't he."
Quickly grabbing one of the sausages from the bag, she heads out to her lawn to attend to her barking dog. With tender care, she feeds the furry companion the savory treat and tidies his little top hat.
As she looks up, she notices a couple of people from across the street giving her a curious stare. Undeterred, she smiles and waves at them, but they quickly avert their gaze and continue on their way.
Were they weirded by the fact she was tidying the dog's hat?
Or
Were they weirded out because a girl of noble blood is doing it?
In the small, man-made island of Great Britain, south of Ireland called "Newshire", it's widely known that the elegant young woman is the Duke's heiress.
However, few know the reason why she lives a simple life, without the aid of servants or guards.
The Duke's family wants to set themselves apart from other nobles, which is why she lives this way. And to this day, it's surprising that she's never been the target of any kidnapping or harm. It's a mystery whether it's due to respect or disinterest.
?? "Same usual lads with the same usual expressions. Seems like nothing is new today. Ain't that right, bud?"
The young lady pays no mind to the passersby and carries her barking dog, Mr. Pokey, back inside. She places him on a soft pillow by the entrance and returns to the kitchen, where she dons a pristine white apron and readies herself.
She knows that a few friends are coming over soon.
?? "Time to get cooking!"
________________________________________________________
As the sun begins to rise, the hotel room of the three warriors gradually becomes visible. Kanji awakens, his vision slightly blurry as he takes in his surroundings.
On the sofa across from him, Dave lies unconscious, surrounded by empty beer bottles scattered haphazardly on the floor beneath his feet.
Kanji "Jesus Christ, Dave."
Turning his attention towards the edge of the bed, Kanji checks his left leg and notices that it has healed. Testing its mobility, he finds that he has about 80 percent control over it.
In the meantime, he hears a soft murmuring sound coming from the bed next to the window. There, he sees Claire huddled up in a fetal position, with red and puffy eyes. Without hesitation, he scoots closer to her.
Kanji "Hey. What's wrong Claire."
Claire "Aah!"
Claire suddenly snaps out of her position and looks at him.
Claire "Kaney!! Don't scare me like that!"
Kanji ["Sshhhh, sorry. We should whisper. Dave is sleeping."]
Claire ["Ok, so what is it?"]
Kanji ["Why are you like this? Did you get any sleep at all?"]
For a brief moment, Claire pauses, her eyes divert from Kanji.
Claire ["No..... No, I did not."]
Kanji reaches out and gently places his hand on Claire's shoulder.
Kanji ["Tell me... it's ok."]
Taking a deep breath, Claire gives Kanji a serious look.
Claire ["You know I'm not really that much of a fighter. So when the enemy approached us yesterday, I was scared and nervous, I was afraid about losing you guys. This is also the real reason why I didn't want us to fight the enemy when we first met. So yesterday, I took a dangerous gamble and wore the hood of the cloak over my head."]
Kanji ["I saw that. You were different yesterday, quite scary even."]
Claire ["I know and I don't like it. I don't know what it is. I don't if it's an alternate personality or some innate desire buried within me to hunt down and slaughter my enemies. All I remember when it last happened was on that bloody day."]
Kanji ["What bloody day?"]
Claire ["I mean it literally. When I was around 7 years old, I joined the girl scouts through my aunt's recommendation. It was fun and exciting, It was the only time I made lots of friends and learn many things. One day, We were being taught how to hunt foxes using crossbows. This was legal of course since foxes during that time were overpopulated. Everything was normal until I stumbled upon a tethered cloak along the path on our way back to the camp and I naively took it. The next day, I wore it without a care in the world, and during the second hunt, I shot a fox clean through its chest. Then something awakened in me after that. The attire. The weapon. The prey. It felt sooo good. After that, I didn't remember much of what I was doing and I woke up. That Scene..."]
Suddenly, Claire vomits, causing Kanji to quickly react and soothe her.
Claire "My cloak was drenched in red and those... those poor foxes. Their...their bodies, hundreds of them were mangled underneath me. I was so afraid and confused, so I ran and ran. Leaving my crossbow and cloak behind. I never spoke to anyone of this nor did I return to the camp ever since."
Kanji "Wait. How did you get away with all of this?"
Claire "I don't know. All I remembered from the news was that the camp mysteriously shut down and no one even bothered trying to look for the culprit."
Kanji "Maybe they didn't find the bodies and didn't expect a culprit to begin with."
Claire "Maybe...maybe. Kaney if they do..."
Kanji "Don't worry. I'll make sure they won't arrest you, especially for something you have no control over. And about your combat... if you still think that you aren't confident with fighting, I'll guide your way."
Claire embraces Kanji's left arm in a hug.
Claire "Thanks, Kaney!"
Kanji "I guess me getting hurt didn't help with that huh."
Claire "...Yeah."
Kanji "It seems I have to be a lot more careful next time. I forget that we are fighting aliens, not humans. Their tactics are different and strange as well as their weapons, so I must adapt and lead us forward."
For a moment, the room is filled with silence as the two warriors remain locked in their embrace.
Kanji "Sooooo. AN. Does this have anything to do with her aspect?"
AN "What? Gosh, no! Normally the aspect of the creation tends to be quite happy and enthusiastic. This is definitely out of her nature."
Kanji "I guess there is no point worrying about it. Let's focus on who we are going to get next?"
Claire "Who?"
Ka: "Amelia."
Claire "Omg! Nice! I can't wait to talk to her about her cooking. I'm sort of in need of a tutor lol, two chefs are better than one."
Kanji "I'm not sure if we have the time for lessons, considering our current circumstances."
Dave "Can you guys lower your damn VOICE?!"
Breaking their embrace, both Kanji and Claire turn their heads to find Dave wide awake and standing in front of the sofa.
Kanji "Was he already awake? Damn, he is one sneaky motherfucker."
Dave "I heard everything..."
He takes a seat back on the sofa.
Dave "....but I didn't see... anything. Wait, on second thought, I... I... Err... fuckin heard or saw nothing. Man, these vodkas are strong dudes. Anyway, I think Claire bro has some demons inside her or something."
Dave reaches for the closest bottle within his reach, only to find it empty. In frustration, he hurls it to the ground.
Dave "I wonder why the enemy didn't find and attack us."
Kanji "My spyware device detects and jams any suspicious recording or spying devices. However, using my mind I allowed your recording drone to not be disabled. I was careless, yesterday the enemy found us through your stream."
Kanji tosses the drone to Dave.
Kanji "So I made a couple of changes. I banned every new viewer that day and installed a special code into your stream. Your stream now distorts parts of the screen that may reveal our location like addresses or unique details like names. I also disabled your donations."
Dave "Dude, what the fuck man?! My stream quality. MY SUBS!!"
Kanji "Get over it. Our safety takes priority. You can't have a stage without the performer."
Dave nods in sadness, stands up, and does a wide stretch.
Dave "We should really get going dudes. We are going to meet my buddy, Amber, right?"
Claire "Aww! Dave did you just give her a nickname?!"
Dave "Oops. I mean... err... you guys heard nothing."
As Kanji eyes Dave with suspicion, he turns away, avoiding his gaze and heading towards the doorway.
Dave "Before we go off dudes. Let's get some more Beeeer!"
After packing their belongings, the trio departs from the hotel and ventures out into New York to purchase an extensive variety of alcoholic beverages, a total of six packs. Eventually, they board another private plane for their next destination.
This trip is not as uneventful as their previous one, mainly because Dave attempts to spout off Meme Economy Propaganda to Kanji and Claire. Despite this, Claire is able to block out most of his nonsense by listening to her extensive music archive. However, Kanji seems to be more receptive to Dave's ideas...
Kanji ".....No. Dave. Stop. An economy based solely only on memes won't sustain itself."
Dave "Dude, I thought you are more in on this man. What the fuck?!"
Kanji "If games, commercials, and news networks use only memes to promote themselves. Two simple outcomes may occur, one is that all of those things would become silly and no one would be taking them seriously. The other outcome would be that memes will become serious which diminishes its initial purpose of simply being funny jokes and lead to a bunch of law regulations."
Dave "Dude, you're missing the point. I'm talking about dem success rate, many articles show that companies that are using memes have a better chance of making dough. So successful in fact, my proud country already implemented Mememology as an essential subject in schools and universities."
Kanji "Dave, you idiot. People would most likely want to be a mememologist than a regular job causing fewer workers in all other industries and can lead to the downfall of modern society. You're literally sending us back to the dark ages!"
Dave "Damn, that's... that is a good fucking argument, dude. Let me think of a comeback."
Kanji "You don't have time, Dave. We're here."
Exiting the plane, the trio steps onto the fresh soil of Newshire near the shore, where they can see the bustling docks, numerous ships, and a small fishing village in the distance.
Dave "Where to go, dude?"
Kanji "She said to go to 21 Crowbert Street, her house is a large white villa."
Kanji consults his map, while Dave and Claire lean over to get a closer look at its contents.
Dave "Cool shungite ball, dude."
Kanji "It isn't made of shungite, you dingus! Also, that's a dead meme."
Dave "Nah, man. No meme is truly dead, Kanbro."
Claire "Oh god! Are you seriously starting to create weird nicknames for everyone Dave?!"
Dave "You're next, Claire."
This content has been misappropriated from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.
She gulps and quickly hides behind Kanji.
Kanji "Guys, let's move it."
As they travel north from the airport, the people of the state stare at them with amazement, as tourists rarely visit this part of Britain.
Feeling curious, Claire turns to Kanji and Dave and asks them a question.
Claire "Anyway, Kaney. Dave. How did you guys meet? I mean Kaney, I kinda remembered how you met each of one us except for how you met Dave."
Kanji "Well, it's complicated-
Dave "We trash-talk each other over COD."
Claire "What?"
Kanji "Basically, the rundown is that Dave and I were on a random match. WE both did very badly and started flaming each other. Although our ways are quite different. He insulted calmly with a prideful smug while I barraged him with words that I'm pretty sure he didn't know existed. Strangely, that made us respect each other and we became friends."
Claire "I see, that's kinda... sweet. Not wholesome. But sweet nonetheless."
AN "I find that a most interesting tale of friendship."
Kanji "AN. You're awake."
AN "My species don't sleep, we meditate when we are stressed or tired. In my case, having thousands of soldiers waiting beyond this room is enough consolidation for meditation. Anyway, You appear to be at your destination."
As the group looks to their right, they see Amelia's villa, which is exactly what they expected but taller than they had imagined. The exterior is made of polished marble, with some portions accented in pure gold, especially the front door.
?? "Oh no no no no!"
Suddenly, a young lady rushes out of the house, struggling to hold onto a flaming pan. She stumbles and accidentally flings the pan toward Dave.
?? "Watch out!"
Reacting quickly, Kanji blocks the flying cookware with his right hand, absorbing the roaring heat.
After the commotion subsides, the trio looks down at the fallen girl. Other than the fancy blue garment she wears, she has on a pair of red slippers and red ribbons around her wrists. Her blonde hair is styled in a neat bun.
They kneel down to check on her.
?? "I'm sorry guys. This is awful... this is just bloody awful...I..."
Dave leans lower to her level.
Dave "Amelia, dude. Buddy. Gal pal. We are your friends. Not the Queen of England."
Amelia "Ha ha. You're right. This isn't how I should act!... Maybe my troublesome heritage got something to do with this."
The fallen noble stands up and regains her composure.
Feeling puzzled yet curious, Claire posters Amelia.
Claire "What do you mean, Amelia?"
Amelia "I mean because knowing the fact that I'm the heiress to the Lane family, it sort of built into my nature to be super formal toward guesses. I guess must learn to be more informal in my quest of being a noble commoner. I know how to live like a common folk but I don't know how to speak like one. Well in person that is, on the program I usually type using emotes except for some rare occasions."
Kanji "Yeah, you and Dave suuure communicate with each other a lot that way,"
Kanji said as he desperately sought an explanation
Meanwhile, Dave moves closer to her, examining her garment with a curious eye.
Dave "But you don't dress like one dude?"
Amelia "Well, how can I show everybody that I'm of noble heritage."
She feels a twinge of embarrassment and discomfort as Dave draws near. Stepping back, she composes herself and greets them with a welcoming gesture.
Amelia "Anyway, you guys should come in. I made some bangers and mash, and prepared some tea and crumpets."
As they enter her home, Mr. Pokey jumps up and down excitedly, grabbing onto Claire's skirt.
Claire "Awwwwwww. He's so cuuuute!"
Claire scoops up the tiny Pomeranian and embraces him, relishing his affectionate licks before he nods off in her arms. She gently sets him down and covers him with a small blanket, tucking him in for a nap.
Amelia "He seems to really like you, Claire. Maybe we can take him for a walk later."
Claire "That would be great!"
Dave and Kanji maintain their stoic expressions, fighting the urge to succumb to the adorable charm of Mr. Pokey.
The aroma that greets them in the dining room is nothing short of heavenly, with a delectable mix of savory and sweet scents that tantalize their senses. Unable to resist any longer, they eagerly dig into the main dish, devouring it with gusto like a swarm of ants at a summer picnic.
Dave "Man, that was delish. But you know what would be awesome to go with this, dudes."
Dave slams the six packs of alcohol onto the table.
Dave "Alchohol, bitches!!"
Kanji "Jesus, Dave. Are you sure you're not an alcoholic?"
Claire "Yay! More drunk dreams for me. It gets weirder each time lol."
Amelia "Uh... Umm... I don't think. Now is the time-
Dave hovers a bottle in front of Amelia.
Da: "Are you suuuuure?"
Despite her initial resistance, she eventually succumbs to temptation...
Amelia "Fine, but..."
With a nervous glance at Kanji and Claire, she leans in and whispers to Dave.
Amelia ["...If only they get drunk first."]
Dave "Fine by me. Let's get THIS PARTY STARTED!"
Dave cracks open a cold one, and the resulting chaos ensues.
Hours later, Dave awakens feeling dizzy as fuck.
Dave "Whoa, dude! What happened lmao?!"
His head throbs with pain, and he realizes he's got one hell of a hangover. Dave looks across the couch to see Kanji and Claire, sound asleep with their heads resting on each other's shoulders, having passed out after just six bottles.
Dave "Aww man, damn that's wholesome as fuck."
David turns on his recording drone.
Dave "Sorry dudes. A bit late today. You know having friends and all that."
|His chat spams "It's okay" and some trolls spam Kkona "Fake news. They're not real."|
He hears the sound of shattering glass emanating from the kitchen. Curious, he rises from the couch to investigate the source of the noise.
|His chat spams MonkaW|
Upon arriving in the kitchen, Dave finds the floor strewn with shards of broken glass, and a disheveled woman standing on the counter. Her long, matted, greasy orange hair hangs in tangles around her face, and she wears nothing but a torn bra and shorts. Though he's not entirely surprised by the scene, Dave approaches her cautiously, taking care not to startle her.
|His chat spams (Kreygasm)|
Dave "Yo! Amber!"
She turns to face Dave.
Amber "JaCKASs, iS ThaT yOu?"
She springs off the counter, landing gracefully in front of him and standing tall, towering over him.
Amber "CoME hErE!"
She embraces him tightly, with a grip as strong as a gorilla's. David is inexplicably aroused by the physical contact, which the woman seems to sense, as she gives him a devilish grin and says...
Amber "WE aRe TAkiNg tHiS pARtY uP sTAIrS."
Without hesitation, she pulls Dave up the stairs and into Amelia's bedroom. But before anything can happen, she violently throws a handful of towels at David's recording drone, causing the stream to abruptly cut off.
|His chat screams with HyperDansGame "Let us see" and some replied to this by typing WeirdChamp "chat let him be"|
What unfolds in the bedroom is best left to everyone's imagination.
After a short while, Kanji and Claire awaken from their drunken stupor.
Claire "Kanji, where's Dave and Amelia?"
Kanji "I have no clue."
After rising to their feet, Kanji and Claire begin to search the lower level of the villa, but all they can find is a kitchen strewn with shards of broken glass.
Claire "Holy shit, who did this?!"
Kanji "I bet you. 1000 percent chance that Dave did this."
Claire "True lmao."
Continuing their search, they notice a trail of beer stains leading up to the upper floors. In haste, they climb the stairs and barge into a particular room.
?? "Ahhhhh!!!"
Claire and Kanji are taken aback, stunned by what they see before them.
On the soft and spacious bed, they find their two friends, naked and perspiring. Dave and Amelia scramble to cover themselves up as quickly as they can.
Dave "Dudes! Fucking knock man! That's not cool!"
Kanji "You guys better have a good explanation for this."
Amelia "Sure. But please... get out of my room!"
Kanji and Claire exit the room, leaving Dave and Amelia behind. A few moments later, Dave emerges from the room wearing the same clothes as before, while Amelia is dressed in a light red garment.
The group reconvenes in the living room, where an air of tension hangs heavy in the air. Amelia is beet red with embarrassment, while Dave... he's... Dave. Seemingly unbothered by the situation and displaying no sense of shame whatsoever.
Kanji "Well, go on Dave."
Dave "Whoa. Kanji. Dude, we were just wrestling."
He casually man spreads on the couch as he said that.
|His chat Spams Kappa|
Kanji "While being naked, really now? Face it, Dave. Let it all out."
Dave "Fine, so the jiz of it is that me and Amber have been online dating for about six years."
Kanji "First of all gross that you used the word "jiz" and secondly huh, and how?!"
Claire "Yeah, Dave. I am pretty sure we would have noticed any messages that were about calling someone to a different chatting site."
David turns to Amelia.
Dave "You can show them."
Amelia pulls out her phone and shows everyone a series of old text messages between her and Dave, filled with emoticons and playful banter.
Kanji "Wait. I thought guys were just being weird, so I didn't go through the effort of deciphering those messages. Damn, I was fooled!"
|His chat spams LUL|
Dave gives Kanji and Claire a cheeky wink and a finger-gun gesture
Dave "Gotcha! But this doesn't count as us being traitors since this doesn't go against TOS."
Claire "Nice, Twitchnet joke, Dave."
Dave "Thanks, Clairebro."
Kanji takes a moment to reflect on the situation, determined to prevent any future conflicts within the group.
Kanji "Dave. Amelia. I'll accept this as not a breach of the group's rules. But I don't know if the others would take kindly to it, so I suggest you tell them that you guys knew each other before knowing me."
Dave "Alright, time to spread fake news."
|His chat spams Kkona|
Amelia "Ummm. What if your chat spills the beans, love."
Dave "Don't worry, Amber. They are royal, ain't no one gonna snitch.."
Dave sees Kanji still eyeing him.
Dave "Dude. What? I told you everything."
Kanji "I still don't believe Amelia to be the type of person who is willing to do it with you so casually. There's gonna be more to this."
Dave ~sighs~
Dave "Fine. She has a double personality disorder, dude. Fancy princess while sober, and crazy party girl while drunk."
Kanji and Claire exchange a look, both struggling to come to terms with what they heard.
Amelia "It's true mates. And I have long since embraced it because if I could be a smidgen like her, I would be more confident, cool, and act exactly what my family wanted."
Amber "WrONg dUMbASs!"
Amber speaks from within Amelia's subconsciousness.
Amelia "What? Why? You are so cool, and I want to be like you."
Amber "No. I NeED yOu tO bE wHo yOU aRe. I KNow tHAt YoU thINk I'M CoOl aND aLL is flATTerINg, bUT yOUR eLEGAnce kEEp mE fROM goING fuLL criMINal aNd dOINg sOMe bATSHite ilLEGal stUFF. So bALAnce aNd ALl."
Amelia "So I should be myself. But that's a bit hard to do mate."
Amber "Ye should fukin stop worrying and just do it, that's one step to be more confident."
Amelia "You're not drunk anymore."
Amber "Nah. I was never drunk, sister. I just choose to sound drunk. Take notes, dude."
Amelia breaks out of her dormant state.
Amelia "Guys, I'll just be myself that's what Amber said at least."
With a gentle smile, Dave reaches out and gives her head a pat.
Dave "Awesome! Let's go outside for a walk dudes. Trust me, man. It will make you dudes feel better after getting wasted."
Amelia's home fades into the distance as they step out into the open air, venturing towards the nearby park. The atmosphere is alive with the freshness of nature, enveloping them in a sense of rejuvenation. As they stroll toward the center of the park, a towering oak tree catches their eye. Its broad, sturdy trunk beckons to them, and they gladly make their way toward it. Weary from their travels, the four warriors decide to rest beneath its welcoming shade, their heads finding solace against the solid support of the tree.
Dave "Peace and harmony dudes."
Kanji "Dave, don't jinx us."
RAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAARRRRRRRRRRRRRWWWWRRRRRRRRRR!!!!!!!
The tranquil air is shattered by the sudden, mysterious roar that reverberates through the sky.
A burst of wind pushes against the four weary wielders. Desperately, they cling to the sturdy oak tree, their muscles tensed with effort. As the gust subsides, a figure emerges from the chaos - a massive creature, its imposing form slowly making its way toward them.
Dave "Holy shit! Dudes. What the hell is that?!"
Kanji "Dave! I told you not to jinx it."
With a powerful swing of its tail, the massive creature sends the group jumping and dodging out of harm's way.
The tail collides with the sturdy oak tree, sending splinters of timber flying in all directions. Unfortunately, Kanji is caught in the midst of the debris, and several fragments strike his right arm. With quick reflexes, he swiftly pulls them out, then turns his attention towards the creature.
As he takes in its appearance, he notices a curious mixture of mechanical and alchemic parts, evident in its tail, head, and wings.
Kanji "AN, your planet has robot dragons!"
AN "Yes. Acid-breathing ones, but they aren't supposed to be mechanical at all! Something's wrong!"
Claire/Amelia "What? Acid!"
The group sprints towards a different tree, taking cover behind it as they glance back at the massive creature. AN watches on...
AN "Poor thing. It's suffering. That green claw mark on its neck, it's a product of being a Bioforger's lab rat!"
Kanji "What's a bioforger? No. Never mind, this isn't the time. AN activate Amelia's powers."
AN "Should I explain to her?"
Amelia "Wait, wh-who i-is AN?"
Amelia shields her head, bewildered and frightened.
Dave violently shakes her.
Dave "Keep it together Amelia. Do you think Amber would expect to see you like this bro?!"
Amelia "N-No... No! She wouldn't. You're right!"
Her gaze fixates on Dave and Kanji, a newfound determination to listen etched onto her face.
Dave "So basically. AN is an alien and he or she needs our help, bro."
Kanji "Never mind about AN's gender. The point is that AN grants us powers and in return, we help achieve AN's goal."
Amelia nods calmly.
Amelia "AN you can start at any time, mate."
AN rolls the dice, and a blinding white glow emanates from the newly revealed symbol - a square box with three lines. With a forceful motion, AN slams down on the relic, channeling a surge of energy through Amelia's body and into her eyes, leaving them blank yet unaffected.
As if in response, the panel beside Dave's lights up, displaying a live feed of Amelia's view.
AN "Amelia, you are now /The Aspect of Reality\."
Claire looks at her with shock.
Claire "Oh god! Amelia, you look like that one ghost drawing I made three months ago."
Kanji "Claire, not now!"
Amelia "AN... dear, what do my powers do?"
AN "I'll keep it brief. At this stage, you can only manipulate the way people see reality, think of it like illusions. When you target someone, they see into a separate reality where your illusions take place. For Example, creating a falling meteor. Only you and the specific target can see the meteor. You can also choose not to see your own illusions."
Dave "Just like when we played DnD, bro. Remember, "Minor illusion"."
Amelia "Alright, Let's see what I can do!"
Standing up, Amelia centers herself and takes stock of her surroundings. As she does...
The world around her suddenly seems to open up and become clearer, as if a veil has been lifted.
Amelia now knows:
1.|Third person vision|
2. |Blurring mirage|
3. |Double|
4. |Connect|
AN "Wow. She used up all of her skill points."
Dave "Alright, dude. Give us the rundown."
Amelia "Wait before that...."
Locking onto the dragon as her target, Amelia taps on the tree behind which they are hiding. With a focused gaze, she visualizes a new tree appearing near the dragon, and in an instant, it materializes before her eyes. Enraged, the dragon begins lashing out with its powerful tail, but it passes straight through the illusionary tree. Confused, it continues to attack, using both its tail and frontal limbs in a frenzied assault.
Amelia "...That will keep him a tad busy."
Clair/Kanji/Dave: "What was that?!"
Amelia "One of my powers allowing to create a fake double, and another power is..."
She touches all her friends.
Amelia ".....Connect, you can now see the fake tree. But watch this!"
For a moment, everyone's vision blurs, but then they each see themselves with a newfound perspective.
Dave "No way. This is lit."
Claire "Guys, I'm feeling a bit dizzy. But this is awesome!"
Kanji "Third-person vision, this will be quite useful for searching an arena, but it is a bit hard for us to control ourselves."
Amelia "Yeah, You can just leave the scouting to me, lads and lass."
Amelia disconnects the connection and applies a blur effect to both herself and her friends.
Amelia "There, I made you guys blurry. It would be harder for that thing to hit you now."
Dave "Yo! Let's do this! Dudes!"
Kanji walks close to Claire.
Kanji "I'll tell you where to aim. Okay. You don't have to worry."
Claire "Ok."
Placing her trust in Kanji, Claire readies her crossbow and summons several bolts, using up four slots of her powers in the process. Meanwhile, Kanji and Dave move in closer to the dragon.
The beast takes notice of their approach and responds by launching a volley of acidic projectiles.
Dave "Time to test our new skills, dudes!"
Dave learns
4.|Shieldfacation|
Dave's bat transforms into a shield, effectively blocking the corrosive acid as he continues to move forward.
However, just as a glob of acid appears to be headed straight for Kanji, something strange happens - he suddenly finds himself a few steps back, out of harm's way.
Kanji learns 3.|Energy trail|
Kanji combo: 3. |Energy trail| + 2.|Energy travel|
Kanji had transformed himself into electrical energy, allowing him to travel back through the static trail he had left behind.
Some of the acidic projectiles miss the warriors and land behind them, creating a wide puddle that, unfortunately, blocks Claire's path.
Claire "Shoot! I can't get closer!"
Kanji advances closer to the dragon before abruptly turning around and shouting out.
Kanji "CLAIRE! AIM FOR THE JOINTS!!"
Claire "OK!"
Claire unleashes all of her ammunition towards its knees and elbows, piercing deep into its flesh and eliciting a piercing scream of pain. Dave then follows up with a fierce strike towards its legs, nimbly dodging its tail before landing a heavy blow on its forearms.
The force of the attack causes the forearms to shatter, sending a deluge of blood gushing onto the grassy terrain. Finally, with a thunderous crash, the dragon falls to the ground, defeated.
|His Chat spams Pogchamp|
David cautiously approaches the dragon's chest, his bat growing deadly spikes as he prepares to strike. With a swift and powerful blow, he pierces through the dragon's outer flesh and scales, revealing a metallic core inside.
Suddenly, a countdown begins, ticking down.
Dave "Holy Shit!"
David quickly retreats, bypassing Kanji who is moving forward towards the dragon.
Dave "Dude. What are you doing?! It's gonna blow!"
Kanji "We don't know how large the explosion might be! We need to find another way!"
With determination etched on his face, Kanji focuses his mind and extends his right hand forward, unleashing a bolt of sparks that hits the mechanical core. He then charges his chain with electricity and throws it toward the core. The chain flies out like a harpoon, gravitating forward toward its target, and pierces the core with a resounding crack.
Kanji learns
4.|Energy bolt|
Kanji "Got it!"
Kanji pulls back with all his might, using his strength to dislodge the core from the dragon's chest. As he does, the timer on the core abruptly stops, signaling the end.
Dave "Whew. We did it, man!"
Dave turns to Kanji and Claire, a triumphant grin on his face, and proceeds to give them both a high-five.
"AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHH!"
Turning their attention towards Amelia. Their eyes widen in horror at the sight before them. They see a short alien figure, adorned with a red cape, viciously gouging out both of Amelia's eyes, causing them to fall to the ground like a pair of golf balls. The once vibrant green grass is now stained a deep red, as is Amelia's dress. She screams out in agony, writhing in pain as she covers her face. Suddenly... she collapses to the ground, with streams of blood pouring from her eye sockets and through the gap in her hands, leaving a pool of blood on the grass.
KARNAT "HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAAHAHAHAHAHAAAAH! I TOLD EVERYONE I WOULD WIN THIS TIME! MY EMPRESS WILL BE PLEASED!....... wait. What's in the...."
The alien general turns to face the two furious humans, seeing the burning rage and murderous intent in their eyes as they brandish their weapons. With a sense of urgency, Karnat taps his watch and disappears in a flash of light, teleporting back to his spaceship just in time to avoid their attack.
Overcome with rage and frustration, Dave pounds his fist into the ground with a ferocity that he has never felt before in his life.
|His chat spam Claps, oblivious to the fact that everything that happened is real and they all think this is just an act.|
Dave "DAMMIT!"
Kanji "Dave focus! We need to help Amelia. Claire! AN! Create a boosted anesthetic!"
AN approaches Claire's skill menu, and boosts her last remaining creation slot for the day.
AN: "Ready, Claire!"
Claire acknowledges the boost with a quick thumbs up before conjuring a strange-looking needle and inserting it into Amelia's neck. Almost immediately, the flow of blood from her eye sockets begins to slow, and her wounds begin to heal.
However, despite this, Amelia's screams of pain do not subside.
Dave "What the hell guys?! Shouldn't she feel no pain?!"
Kanji "Chill Dave! Complaining won't help. Let's bring her back to her villa."
The group does their best to clean the blood from Amelia's clothing, all while unaware of the dragon's corpse mysteriously vanishing behind them. Covering her eyes and mouth with her red ribbons, they carry her screaming body back to the villa, hoping to avoid being seen by anyone in the park.
Once they arrive, they lay her on her bed, closing the door behind them and waiting patiently outside. Hours pass with nothing but the sound of Amelia's agonized screams emanating from the room. Finally, as time drags on, her cries begin to subside, eventually giving way to silence.
With a sense of trepidation, they slowly open the door to her room, looking around to see if anything is amiss. But to their surprise, they find nothing out of the ordinary.
Claire "Where is she, Kaney?"
Kanji "I don't know, Claire."
Dave "There."
Dave motions towards a corner of the room, indicating that Amelia is curled up and shaking uncontrollably, her face as pale as snow and tears streaming down her cheeks. Approaching her cautiously, Dave reaches out to her, causing her to startle momentarily before leaping up and throwing herself into his arms, sobbing more uncontrollably.
Amelia "O-o-oh D-D-Dave. Is it re-really yo-you??"
Dave "What's wrong? Please tell me, man."
Amelia "E-e-e-ey-ey-eyes to-too ma-ma-many ey-eyes, lim-limbs t-t-too many l-limbs. Wh-where is th-that bre-breathing co-co-com-coming fr-from."
Dave "Calm down, Amelia. I'm here. We're here. There's no need to worry."
She becomes silent, smiles, and falls asleep.
Claire "We should give her some rest."
Kanji "AN. Any explanation for this maybe?"
AN stands frozen in place, overcome with fear as a chill runs down their spine.
AN "Lots of eyes, limbs, and a loud breathing sound that seem to come from nowhere. I only heard of this place in legends, it is called Abyssal Earth. I can go over it tomorrow. For now, you guys should just clear your heads."
With a nod of agreement, the group prepares to rest and take turns keeping watch for potential threats, but to their relief, no one approaches them that day.
________________________________________________________________________________________
General Karnat's arrogance and overconfidence get the better of him, causing him to miss a crucial opportunity to launch an attack on the group. Instead, he spends his time boasting about his actions to The Empress, oblivious to the potential consequences of his inaction.
KARNAT ".....so I was like sneaky and I shank the bitch in the eye! Despite the loss of Goliath, I have permanently blinded one of the wielders! Your majesty!"
"A monumental achievement....but WHY did you run?!"
KARNAT "Pa-Pardon me, y-your highness."
He cowers under her voice.
"That's a sign of cowardice dear general. DON'T show it again!"
KARNAT "Ye-YES! My Empress!"
"Good. As punishment, you must finish the job using only soldiers and cultists, no more biological weapons."
The transmission abruptly cuts off, leaving General Karnat alone with his thoughts