The first queued notification had to do with Jade's accidental, and quite literal, brush with death.

System Warning:

* You have absorbed 'Essence of Death'. 'Essence of Death' is incompatible with your physiology. You will take ongoing damage until it is expelled. You should probably do that quickly.

System Warning:

* You have exceeded your body's maximum mana capacity by 856%. You will take ongoing damage until excess mana is expelled.

Jade grunted. Apparently, the cosmic essence she had absorbed could also be used as mana to fuel her spells. Did that mean that divine shards could be used as magical batteries? Was that why people were interested in them? The power seemed far too volatile for that to be safe. She was lucky to be alive, and all she'd done was touch the damn thing.

That wasn't to say there weren't benefits to almost dying, as the next message conveyed.

* System Message

* You have been awarded a new title!

* Title: Cosmic Conduit

* Awarded for channeling pure essence of the cosmos, and living to tell the tale.

* Since you chose the second most difficult type of essence to acquire this title with you have been awarded an additional stat point on top of the upgrade point. Really, this one is much less painful to acquire with 'Life' essence.

* Reward: One upgrade point.

* Bonus Reward: One additional stat point.

Jade sucked in a breath, quickly checking her quest log. This was title number four, which meant…

* Quest Complete: Path to Power

* Objective: Obtain four titles. Current progress: Four of Four.

* Reward: Large experience gain.

* Reward: Unlock your 'Advanced Class'.

The influx of experience was enough to push Jade over the threshold for level 17, but she hardly noticed. She was already searching for an 'advanced class' menu in her interface. Nothing was there, and she soon discovered why.

* New Quest: Path to Power: Part 2

* Your soul currently lacks the capacity to contain the power of an advanced class. For being an overachiever, you get… another quest!

* Objective: Reach Level 20.

* Objective: Raise three talents and/or spells to 'C' rank.

* Reward: Unlock your advanced class.

* Reward: Medium experience gain.

It can never be that easy. Jade grumbled to herself.

Still, level 20 was only three levels away. It wouldn't be long now. Luis caught sight of her grin and raised a questioning eyebrow.

"I got my fourth title." Jade explained. "Once I hit level twenty, I'll have my advanced class."

Aylin looked over her shoulder to regard Jade with interest.

"You have four titles already?" The mage asked, impressed. "Of those who seek their advanced classes, most don't obtain that many until they're well into C rank. How did you pick which titles to aim for?"

Jade blinked at her, confused.

"I… Just got them."

"You acquired that many without knowing what any of the requirements were?" Now it was Aylin's turn to look surprised. "Most are quite difficult. The Mystic Order keeps a list of them, and most target the easier ones. 'Easy' being a relative term, of course."

"Jade does a lot of crazy shit." Naomi piped up. "I think the Voice of the Labyrinth likes her."

"If it does, it has a funny way of showing it." Jade muttered, thinking about the options she kept being given for her racial levels.

"In any case, congratulations are in order." Aylin continued. "Many wayfarers eventually unlock their advanced classes, but it usually takes far longer. Once you hit level twenty, you'll have a good head start on the rest."

"Will I get to pick one, or will it be assigned to me?"

"You should be presented with a few options. They'll be based on your skills and the magic you're best with. An advanced class generally gives you access to more potent versions of abilities you already possess. You'll get stronger, but don't expect it to shore up any of your weaknesses."

"Good to know. Thanks."

Stolen story; please report.

She glanced at her map. The sanctuary was showing up on the edge of it now. Exhaustion weighed down on her like a physical burden, making her feet drag and her steps heavy. Aftershocks of lingering pain tingled through her body like arcing currents of electricity, faint but noticeable. Aylin had said something about how her internal magical conduits had been overcharged, possibly damaged, by the infusion of power that had run through them. She'd advised Jade to stay away from using magic for a day or two until she healed, advice that Jade was all too happy to take. The last time she'd ignored medical advice from people who knew what they were talking about, she'd screwed up her ankle for life. Only happenstance had given her a reprieve on that front, and she wasn't going to make the same mistake again.

Returning her attention to her queued messages, Jade saw that there were only two left. One was a level up notification. Level 17 didn't come with any features, only two stat points, so Jade dismissed that one. The other was more interesting.

* System Notice

* Your 'Kiss of Night' spell has absorbed a stat point from 'Ves Nightshade'. Your intelligence score has increased by one. Current stat boost from 'Kiss of Night': One of Ten.

After reaching 'C' rank, 'Kiss of Night' had gained a chance to drain a stat point, but this was the first time the effect had triggered. Jade hadn't noticed a difference when casting the spell, but she'd been a little preoccupied with not dying. After she allocated her two new ability points from the level up, plus the additional one granted by her newest title, her new stat array was:

* Base Stat Scores (Human)-(Succubus) (Level 17)

* Strength: 9-11

* Agility: 20-24

* Fortitude: 13-16

* Intelligence: 16-19

* Willpower: 13-8

Even after her ordeal the infusion of four stat points in such a short amount of time gave Jade a welcome rush of energy. She smiled, closing out the last of the windows. There was still an upgrade point to spend, but she wanted to save that one. Once she hit level 20 she'd be able to use it to boost one of her spells or talents towards 'B' rank.

All that left was the dagger she had swiped from Ves's corpse, or rather the pile of dust that was all that remained of it. She held up the dark blade, examining it.

"Wow." Luis whistled, stepping beside Jade and looking over the weapon with her. "That's a creepy weapon."

Jade couldn't disagree. The dark metal blade was set into a polished bone handle, one edge serrated with curved teeth. It looked unnecessarily vicious, as if inflicting pain were a higher priority than effectively wounding a foe.

* Item: Fang

* Rarity: Rare

* Effect: Successful strikes against living creatures with this weapon that draw blood have a moderate chance to trigger a short-lived, low intensity healing effect in the wielder.

"Useful, though." Jade commented, sliding the weapon into one of her belt sheaths. It wasn't a perfect fit, but it would do for now. The weapon was simple but effective, although she'd need to gauge the strength of its restorative power before she made a final judgement. "A little on the nose for a vampire, don't you think?"

Luis snorted in amusement. His armor bore a few new scratches, but otherwise he had made it through their most recent battle unscathed. The ambush could have gone much worse, and Jade had no intention of letting another group sneak up on them. Now that she was finished sifting through her notifications she expanded her senses once again, monitoring their surroundings for other threats. Around her the others were doing the same, keeping a watchful eye out while Fenrin's familiar scouted ahead of their path.

A short while later, after ascending an especially steep slope of loose rock that had them half-walking, half-climbing, they caught sight of the sanctuary door.

"About time." Naomi said, relieved. "I need to sleep."

Jade felt as tired as Naomi looked, but she wasn't ready to end the day yet. Memories of the strange visions she'd experienced continued to drift through her mind like half-remembered dreams. The emotions stuck out more than the images. The loss, pain, and determination connected to the relic lingering in her thoughts.

"Aylin?" She asked, following the rest of them through the portal. "I'd like a word."

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

The mage listened closely as Jade explained the visions she'd experienced. She didn't remember all the details, and felt like she wasn't doing a great job of describing what she did recall, but she did her best. This sanctuary took the form of a small tropical island, complete with palm trees and sandy shores. It was night time, and a series of round huts provided shelter and sleeping quarters. The remainder of the group was settling in to get some rest. Jade wanted to join them but she was worried that if she didn't get this out now, she wouldn't be able to remember it later.

"It sounds like you had visions of the cataclysm." Aylin said, looking at Jade thoughtfully. She took the relic off her belt and examined it through the arcane seal encapsulating it, which took the form of a faintly shimmering screen of translucent energy.

"That was the war against the demons, right?"

"Correct." The mage gently set the crystal aside, returning her attention to Jade. "I've never heard of anyone having that experience when exposed to divine relics."

"You've come across others?" Jade asked.

"Not personally, but I've read accounts. I'm not aware of any as stable as this one." The mage pointed at the death fragment. "But it's far from unique."

"If that one is stable, I'd hate to see what 'unstable' looks like." Jade muttered. Her body still buzzed with lingering pain, although it was continuing to fade as the hours slipped by.

"According to legend, the deities that once drove the forces of the cosmos disappeared after the war. No one knows what happened to them, only that they destroyed the demon armies."

"Do you think that's what I felt?" Jade asked, her mouth suddenly dry. "The will of a… of a god?"

Was that even possible?

"I'm not sure anyone can say for certain." Aylin shrugged. "These are uncharted waters. But what you described lines up with what I've read of those events."

One aspect of the visions stood out from the rest. The self-righteous wrath of the shadow-clad figure, with eyes like burning coals. Jade shuddered.

"I don't think as many of the demons were destroyed as your records say." Jade said, shaking her head. Despite the tropical warmth of the moonlit island, she felt cold. "I saw…"

She didn't know how to describe it. Couldn't. How did you put a rush of feelings, sensations, sights, and confusing sounds into words? Even if she tried, it would be a pale imitation of what she'd witnessed.

"I don't know, Aylin. But I don’t like this."

"Something happened to the demon armies." Aylin pointed out. "But there is something strange going on. First that succubus in Lysara, now a vampire acting like she was almost expecting you…" She grimaced. "And the Labyrinth has been acting unusual for months. I feel like I'm missing the piece that puts it all together."

"What should we do?" Jade asked, watching Fenrin help Luis get out of his heavier armor.

"You found out there are demons in Estelhelm. We'll be there tomorrow. We can start with some digging there. If there's some sort of demonic plot to uncover, that's the best place to start."

Malice had found Jade in Lysara. Demons were on the move in the Labyrinth, and apparently on Earth, although she'd seen no sign of them herself. Now these visions, on top of everything else. Jade's eyes fell on the relic, resting in the sand beside Aylin. If she touched it again, would it show her more?

Stop it. She admonished herself. It almost killed you the first time.

If they wanted to learn more, it'd have to be in the city. Jade felt a flash of irritation at the mess they found themselves in. The Labyrinth was a problem of Earth shaking magnitude on its own, the last thing they needed was to get involved in another crisis. But she couldn't help but feel that the two issues were somehow related. Jade couldn't explain the inkling, it was just there in the back of her mind, nagging at her.

"Fine." she grunted, wearily rising to her feet. "We'll see what we can find there."

But first, it was time to sleep. Fatigue pulled at Jade's limbs like physical weights. Even her enhanced body couldn't just shake off the trauma it had been put through today without rest. She found that Luis had prepared some food from a combination of the sanctuary's usual non-perishables and supplies he'd brought from Lysara. Jade joined her friends for the meal, content to listen to the usual evening banter. Afterwards, Naomi shooed her away when she tried to help pack away their gear for the night, insisting that she needed to recover. Too tired to argue, Jade found the closest shack and dropped onto the waiting cot.

Sleep took her the instant her head hit the pillow.