Another day of battling beasts, I thought tiredly, trying not to wake Mia. Looking at our Statuses, I sighed.
Status
Name : Jason Andromeda (Bonded)
Level 60 | Tier 3
Race : Voidborn Abyssal
Health : 152800/152800 (7640 Health/Min | 127.33/s)
Mana : 152800/152800 (11460 Mana/Min | 191/s)
Class : Voidborn Abyssal Prince II (Unique)
Bond : Miana Andromeda
Stats
Strength : 955 (Base : 382 Effectiveness : 250%)
Dexterity : 955 (Base : 382 Effectiveness : 250%)
Endurance : 955 (Base : 382 Effectiveness : 250%)
Vitality : 955 (Base : 382 Effectiveness : 250%)
Mana : 955 (Base : 382 Effectiveness : 250%)
Intelligence : 955 (Base : 382 Effectiveness : 250%)
Free Points : 54
Skills : All Seeing Eye of the Abyss - Level 22 | Tier 0, Abyss Touch - Level 40 | Tier 1, Void Armor - Level 30 | Tier 1, Wreath of Destruction - Level 27 | Tier 1, Void Manipulation - Level 24 | Tier 0, Avatar of Destruction - Tier 3, Void Rip (Portal) - Level 13 | Tier 0, Partial Draconic Form - Tier 3
Bond : Status
Name : Miana Andromeda (Bonded)
Level 60 | Tier 3
Race : Abyss Blizzard Serpent (Lightning Attuned) (Humanoid Form)
Health : 244480/244480 (12224 Health/Min | 203.73/s)
Mana : 122240/122240 (9168 Mana/Min | 152.8/s)
Bond : Jason Andromeda
Stats
Strength : 764
Dexterity : 764
Endurance : 1528 (Base : 764 Effectiveness : 200%)
Vitality : 1528 (Base : 764 Effectiveness : 200%)
Mana : 764
Intelligence : 764
Skills : Lightning Manipulation - Level 40 | Tier 1, Ice Manipulation - Level 47 | Tier 1, Electrical Freeze - Level 37 | Tier 1, Domain of Ice and Lightning - Level 31 | Tier 1, Draconic Form - Tier 3, Glacier Fall - Level 13 | Tier 0
I stretched, sitting up while holding Mia delicately. She shifted slightly and I sent her comforting emotions, causing her to let out a long satisfied hiss, which I assumed was a sigh. After laying her back down I checked for any messages from Treia. Strangely though, there were none.
For the past two weeks or so (Weeks here were 9 days with a month being 5 weeks… Well speaking of weeks, days were 28 hours long… so, in all, everything was a lot longer than before. Except for hours. Dunno why), we’d been fighting off the hoards of monsters that never stopped. Treia had reached Tier 2 at some point, though I never really saw her except when she was fighting on the battlefield or in meetings, where I had to keep her from snapping at the Commander and Co. I understood that she was exhausted, but it was kind of like looking at myself sometimes. I’d reflected for a long time after seeing her every time.
Damn, if I’m getting tired while fighting, I can only imagine how tired she must be from all of this, I thought. I know Mia’s tired too, even if she’s too proud to admit it.
“I’ll see you soon, Mia,” I whispered to her, kissing her forehead.
She whimpered happily, clearly having a nice dream. I didn’t intrude upon her and I smiled as I left to change into my cloak and clothing. I internally blessed [Void Armor] since it meant I didn’t have to clean or repair my armor everyday, unlike Treia, who complained about it occasionally. Adjusting my charm that kept my horns hidden, I quietly left the room, closing the door quietly behind me. Looking down the hall to Treia’s room, I shrugged before running down to the kitchen in a blur, appearing in front of the stove.
Cooking in a cloak… I thought, chuckling. My sisters would kill me if they saw this.
Stoves here were pretty different. They used Mana Crystals that were slotted in to create Fire. It drew it through Mana channels and powered Fire Runes that had a slight touch of Wind to keep the Fire from going everywhere. As I cooked, I muttered under my breath.
“...But they don’t draw the latent Fire Mana… instead they convert Neutral Mana to whatever Element they need it with. In theory, you could make a heat rune by combining the ideas of a Fire rune and the subElement of Metal… but no, that might overheat. You may also need Ice to keep it from-”
“Jason, are you talking to a stove?”
I yelped and spun around to see Harrier Kia, Treia’s father, giving me a suspicious look. Strangely enough, he looked nothing like his daughters, except for the way he held himself. Like Xaila and Treia, he always stood straight up like he was constantly trying to be imposing. Well, Treia and Xaila seemed to try to be imposing, but ended up looking like they were just faking it. Him, however, had the full kit mastered, looking very imposing towards anyone… but me.
“Uh, I was just thinking about how the oven and stove work-”
“You can stop there, young boy,” he interrupted me, sighing. “Last time I let you talk, you went on for half an hour about how these could be made differently. And, somehow, you made sense, even though I could feel my brain glazing over.”
I shrugged. “Your loss,” I responded, blowing my black hair out my face. “Damn, I need a haircut…”
~~~
I looked over the walls at the burning bodies of dead beasts disdainfully. I’d grown numb to seeing this sight by this point. I’d sometimes be the one lighting it. I lifted up the slip of paper with a Lightning Mana Gathering Runescript and began to channel Mia’s [Lightning Manipulation]. Once I’d put in only a thousand Mana, the paper began to smoke, crackling with Lightning. Frowning, I lifted the Ice Mana Gathering Runescript and channeled [Ice Manipulation]. Once I hit 1000 Mana with that one, I put a Binding Runescript between them and put in a little Mana-
“Oh shit,” I said as it began to crackle with Lightning and Ice ominously. “I put an Enhancement Rune on the back of these ones, didn’t I?”
Flipping the paper over, I saw the Intermediate Enhancement rune. Quickly opening a portal, I sent it above some of the monsters about a kilometer away and-
BOOM!
An explosion of Ice and Lightning flashed above them with 5 times the force 2000 Mana worth of Ice and Lightning should’ve made, ripping through weaker monsters with ease while incapacitating the stronger ones.
Watching the destruction from next to me, Treia sighed. “Why did I give you those books on Runescripts?”
I turned over to her, grinning. “To become a menace, duh. I’m getting the hang of it, don’t worry.”
She shook her head and turned to me. “You know, it’s risky to open portals up. People could see you and think-”
“That I’m a tri-affinity powerhouse?”
“-that you’re some sort of freak,” she finished, ignoring my quip.
I gave Treia a sad look. “Y’know, Treia, you don’t have to fight so hard-”
She silenced me with a glare. “I can’t ever get as strong as you without training, Jason. I have to be strong. I can’t fail the Kingdom that I have to inherit, Jason-”
“Oh, shove it, Treia. There’s obviously something else you want. What is it?” I said, my jaw clicking in annoyance.
Her scowl deepened. “Like you’d care. The only thing you think about are Runes, Mia, and the money to feed said Mia.”
The narrative has been taken without permission. Report any sightings.
I was about to snap back when I realized she was right. But then I sighed.
“Well, there’s not much else to think about. I don’t see why you’re so worked up about me thinking about those things,” I responded.
“Jason, how do you see me?” she asked, her voice quiet.
I froze in place, my legs dangling over the side of the wall. “I-”
“Ah, shit, I didn’t wake up Mia,” I grumbled.
She was silent for a few seconds before I heard the crackling of lightning in the air behind me and the shouts of surprise of people on the walls. Sighing, I hopped off the side of the wall as Mia barreled towards me, shifting mid-flight and crashing into me like a homing missile.
“Oof!” I grunted as I slid back and hit the side of the wall. “Jesus, Mia, no need to do that.”
Mia’s light hair moved to reveal the glaring face that belonged to her.
“I, uh-” When did she start speaking in normal sentences?!
Nevermind.
***
Treia was exhausted. Though, that may have been an understatement. After another four hours of fighting on and off, she fell to the ground next to Jason, who was letting Mia eat on his lap and looked at him discontentedly.
She knew she shouldn’t be venting her frustration at him, but she just was tired of his idiocy. How could he not understand why she was doing what she was doing; she brought herself to the brink of death every damn day so she could get stronger so that, one day, she can stand with him instead of being pushed further and further away by the chasm known as Levels that separated them.
They were both royalty, so he, of all people, should understand what that meant. There was the possibility that they could marry one day and-
She pushed those thoughts out of her head. Right now, she should be focusing on how to get it through his thick-ass skull that she had feelings for him without publicly saying that she loved him. ‘Cause that would go well. But, of course, he had such a dense noggin, she’d probably have to strip down and beg him to love her back for him to understand even a bit of the words, “I love you.”
She closed her eyes and pretended to fall asleep, leaning on his shoulder while actually wanting to take in his scent, since it was the only good smelling thing in these times. He stopped his conversation with Mia and she assumed that he looked down at her curiously.
He sighed.
“Yeah, you get your rest, Treia,” he muttered, and she felt something wrap around her. “You must be exhausted after all of this fighting.”
Trying to keep herself from sniffing, she pressed herself closer to him as he wrapped his arm and cloak around her to keep her comfortable. Little did he know, she’d been doing this every single day, pretending to be asleep so he’d hold her.
He sighed. “I really don’t know what to do about you. You’re just so… determined. But for what? What in the hell could you possibly want to be working this hard?”
I want… a lot, Jason. Mostly, I want you to love me like I love you- she internally slapped herself. What the HELL am I thinking? Have I been thinking about this the entire time?
Internally cursing her Race, she forced all thoughts of Jason out of her mind, though she knew that it would be impossible to do that since she was already nearly asleep against him. He was just so warm… she was so warm.
Wondering how nice it would be to cuddle with him, she felt herself drift off, falling into dreams.
I love you far too much for my own good, Jason, was the last coherent thought she had.
***
I glared at the oversized, Level 43 bear that bore down upon me. I simply dodged its paw and leapt at it, ripping its throat out with my talons. Ignoring the heavy blood on my armor, I cut off the foot of another while Mia drove a spike of ice into its skull. Nowadays, Levels were few and far between, but I didn’t really care much about it.
As Mia and I carved a path of destruction to the Dungeon, I tried to think on Treia’s words.
“How do you see me?” She’d asked.
How did I see her? My first answer was that she was a friend, but honestly? It didn’t feel like I was her friend. And, while I’m on that topic, I probably didn’t seem like Leah’s friend either. I’d left her without any regard to how she’d feel about it.
Stopping in my tracks, I furrowed my eyebrows, ignoring the Stone Bear clawing at my armor. Absentmindedly slashing at it, I tried to understand why I’d felt the way I did. Before the Integration, I would’ve never left her the way I had. What had changed that I’d feel different towards people?
You became an Abyssal, a small voice said. You learned what Humans did to your Race and are taking it out on them.
I froze in horror. That can’t be right. I’d always been an Abyssal… right? Even before I was Integrated. I just was never able to physically show it. But, why did Mom hide it from me? And why only me? My sisters definitely knew. Why…
As I mulled, I stabbed a spear of Ice through what looked like an oversized earthworm with some wicked teeth. Mia looked at me in confusion, not understanding what I was conflicted about. I shook my head and kept fighting.
~~~
A week later, I kicked Treia’s boot as I recognized the telltale signs of her getting ready to yell at someone. She turned her glare onto me and I gave her a flat look back. For a few moments, we stared at one another, both of us trying to get the edge on another. Eventually, Treia gave up and took a breath, closing her eyes.
Opening her eyes after breathing out, she looked back over to her father and the other Governors. “I disagree with waiting it out. Just because the Valkyries are willing to help doesn’t mean that it’ll be good help. We still have to fight ourselves,” she retorted to the woman who suggested we wait.
Instead of getting mad, the other woman, who looked just as tired as Treia, deflated. “You’re right. But between Sir Jason, Madam Mia, and whoever they’re sending, we shouldn’t have to lose anyone else.”
Mia sat straighter at her name. I held back a snort.
I scowled at her, trying to decide whether or not to suffocate her with her pillows tonight. As I concluded that it could wait, Treia continued.
“There’s no way that they could hold back a entire Dungeon on their own,” she said. “Plus, he can’t get many more Levels from this, he’s Stagnating.”
“Mhm,” I grumbled, stretching. “I’ve only gotten a single Level this entire week compared to the 3 I got last week. I don’t think I can get much stronger from this.”
As I spoke, I again looked at my upgraded [Void Manipulation].
Void Manipulation - Tier 1
A manipulation Skill that allows you to draw on the Void Element and use it in a variety of ways. Can be used to develop new Skills. Now afflicts the Affliction : Tainted for 3 min | 2 days when damage dealt with this skill at a 5% + (5%/stack) chance (Max stacks : 4) (Additive/Exponential).
Damage : 110 Void Damage/s
Cost : 50 Mana and 10 Health/s
*Your Race : Voidborn Abyssal negates Self-damage dealt by this skill
Tainted : Take 8% (Additive) more Void Damage per stack (Lasts 3 min and refreshes each time a new stack is applied) , and take 10^(Stacks) (Exponetial) Void Damage per hour/stack. Cannot naturally heal this damage.
It was a game changer, to say the least. I could inflict something and run off while they slowly died from the affliction. Not the most honorable, but who cares? This was a Dungeon Break.
Blinking, I listened to Treia once more.
“-cording to the message sent by the Valkyries, they’ll be sending a Leah and a Char, one who is focused on pugilism and another who’s a healer-”
I felt my blood run cold. Why in the heavenly fucks did Leah join the Valkyries? She was supposed to stay away from them!
Gulping, I stayed silent, Mia a statue on my lap.
“They should arrive in two days.”
***
“So, a Dungeon Break,” Leah muttered. “Could you give me a rundown of that, love?”
Char nodded while watching her Leah read the message they’d both gotten. “A Dungeon Break is when a Dungeon… well breaks. The amount of beasts in the Dungeon become too many for the Dungeon to handle, so it’s Ambient Mana rises to dangerous Levels before bursting out, letting loose hundreds, sometimes thousands of beasts. They’re ranked in three categories : Minor, Intermediate, and Major-”
Leah snorted. “Surprise, surprise. Who would’ve guessed?”
“Lee…” Char chided, twirling Leah’s hair in her fingers.
“Okay, okay. Continue, please,” she said, raising her hands in defeat.
Char giggled and snuggled closer to Leah. “As I was saying-” She gave Leah a peck on the cheek. “-Breaks are ranked as Minor, Intermediate, and Major. Minor ones have between 500-1000 Beasts, which is most common. Intermediate Breaks have 1000-6000 Beasts, which normally need the teamwork of multiple cities. They also usually have a Boss or a Juggernaut Beast, which I’ll get to later.. Major ones can have up to 20 thousand Beasts with a few Bosses and/or Juggernauts, with an Orchestrator leading them, which I’ll get to now.
“Bosses and Juggernauts are exactly what they sound like, powerful, deadly, and, in a Juggernauts case, gigantic. However, Orchestators are a bit different. They’re always the highest Level, with a powerful aura. They can command the Beasts, Bosses, and Juggernauts and, as their name suggests, orchestrate attacks on cities. The one we’ll be going to is a low-Major Rank Break, with a estimated 13 thousand Beasts. However, it’s a bit different, since there seem to be more Beast pouring out the Dungeon, bringing the estimated total to nearly double that.
“Strangely enough, they’re somehow holding out, which means that they either have some high-Level combatants, or some secret weapon, likely a mix of both. Got all of that?”
Leah nodded, a small frown on her face. “Yeah, got it. I’m just wondering… I may have an idea of who this high-Level combatant is, though I can’t be sure. I won’t say who I think it is, but I’ll let you know if it’s them.”
Char looked up at Leah suspiciously before sighing and closing her eyes, pressing her face on Leah’s chest. “Let’s get some rest. Big day tomorrow.”
Leah hummed in agreement, holding Char a bit closer and kissing her forehead.
***
I watched the water boil for a good twenty minutes before Xaila interrupted me.
“Jason, what are you doing?” she asked in an exasperated tone.
I gave her a sly grin. “I’m making holy water.”
She gave me a flat look. “How is that making holy water?”
“I’m boiling the hell out of it,” I responded, earning myself a weary slap on the back of the head by Treia, who was walking by.
“Just make us something to eat; I’m tired of eating while fighting. The ration bars taste like shit,” she grumbled.
I raised a brow. “You’re cursing today, huh? You’re even more exhausted then usual, aren’t you?”
Treia glared at me. “Food. Now.”
Shrugging, I began to boil some of the things they called “yupotos”, which were like potatoes with shells. The shells were mildly poisonous and the yupoto itself had to be washed to remove any residual shell.
After a bit of seasoning (thank the gods they have salt and pepper), I mashed them in a bowl before splitting it in four bowls and pouring some gravy on each. After topping them each with a biscuit (which aren’t cookies, by the way) and passing two of them to Treia and Xaila. I gave the largest bowl to Mia and sat down with my bowl, Mia drooling as she climbed onto her chair next to me.
As we ate, Xaila and I watched with mild amusement as Mia and Treia seemed to race each other to see who could finish their bowls first, Mia placing first, a few seconds faster than Treia, while we had only finished half of ours.
After eating, I brought all of the dishes to the sink, planning on cleaning them tomorrow. Sighing, I lifted up the half-asleep Mia from her chair and bid the other two goodnight, already mentally preparing myself.