CHAPTER 13 – SERIOUSLY?
Labyrinth of the Shade – Gideon Sho
***
Gideon had searched the Lagoon, the Demon Pits and every nook and cranny between both, and no exit, no Notification, Quest Alert, anything. His irritation was rising and even Freddie had no clue what was going on and noted it was highly unusual and then started comparing it to an episode of Mork & Mindy which had Gideon tuning out quickly. Did the System seriously want him to exterminate all the rats? He’d seen a few packs of them that had survived but he just passed them by hoping when this ended they’d get shoved back where ever they came from. He owed the little shits. They played their part in him getting out from all the stacked odds.
He had the Barghest’s Den which he was almost to and the Bastion to still check. There had to be something somewhere. The System still had to follow rules meaning there was something not done. If he didn’t find anything he would go back and reluctantly kill all the rats. There was nothing to do but do. He wasn’t utilizing [Stealth], just walking normally though without a request his cloak was still pulling shadows to make him at least a bit obscured.
He didn’t know what he’d do without Freddie and his cloak, they had both been keys to all of it. Freddie multiple times with his echo location thingy and the cloak, well. He looked forward to seeing what happened to both when he hit Iron Rank as well as Skald and his ring Infernal Steel Ring of Ascension, both which L’Sana and Unra also had from their first run in with the demons. He imagined his popularity with all three groups had gotten no favor with the deaths of more of their numbers. These groups seemed liked elites and probably important to someone.
Speaking of Iron Rank, his goal of hitting it within this place was dead in the water. He’d gotten good gains but between his go-to Skills that were already maxed and his success in getting his enemies to kill themselves, the gains had been minimal. And other Skills of his were already such high rarity improving them seemed to have slowed to a crawl even with his [Forerunner] Title. He brought up his [System Template] to see how far he had to go once he got back.
Name – Gideon Sho
Title – Fate-Breaker, Apex Predator, Forerunner, City Lord, Archon of Erebus, Champion of the Shadowborn
Age – 29
Race/Bloodline – Nocturne – A+
Rank – Copper
Level – 24
Fate – S+
Foundational Pillar – Profane
Soul Pillar – Umbral (100% Affinity)
Main Class – Umbral Savage (Epic) (Martial/Spiritual)
Sub-Class – (Chosen at Level 25)
Path – None
Multi-Versal Coins – (Copper) – 0
Attributes
Martial
Strength – 70 (91) * ** *** ****
Agility – 121 (157) * ** *** ****
Body – 88 (115) * ** *** ****
Intellectual
Intelligence – 20 (25) ** *** ****
Perception – 92 (115) ** *** ****
Potency – 20 (25) ** *** ****
Spiritual
Will – 92 (115) ** *** ****
Insight – 83 (103) ** *** ****
Faith – 76 (96) ** *** ****
Base Abilities
Universal Language – N/A
Identify – Common II (Ability Base – Primitive)
Night Vision – Uncommon V (Maxed)(Ability Base – Common)
Racial Ability Slots
Inherent – Rune-Mastery – Umbral (Legendary) – Concept – Level 10 (Copper) (Locked)
Class Ability Slots
Offense – The Edge of the Deep Umbral (Epic) – Concept – Level 12 (Copper)
Offense/Control – The Pitch of the Umbral Moon (Ancient) – Concept – Level 12 (Copper)
Movement – Nocturnal Embrace of the Shade (Epic) – Concept – Level 17 (Copper)
Utility -- Birthed of the Eternal Eve (Epic) – Concept – Level 15 (Copper)
Aura – Night of the Ecliptic Horror (Epic) – Concept – Level 16 (Copper)
Sub-Class Ability Slots
Class Skills
Small Blades – Epic I (Skill Base – Uncommon)
Light Armor – Rare IV (Skill Base – Common)
Combat Awareness – Epic IV (Skill Base – Uncommon)
Combat Acrobatics – Rare IV (Skill Base – Common)
Tracking – Common IV (Skill Base -- Primitive)
Dual Wielding – Rare IV (Skill Base – Common)
Pain Resistance – Epic III (Skill Base – Uncommon)
General Skills
Stealth – Uncommon V (Maxed)(Skill Base – Common)
Thrown Weapons – Blades – Uncommon IV (Skill Base -- Common)
Spear Wielding – Uncommon V (Maxed)(Skill Base – Common)
* Infernal Steel Ring of Ascension
** Title – Apex Predator
*** Race – Nocturne
**** Champion of the Shadowborn
Only a few things had gone up and a cliff drop still from Iron. It had only been a few days though and he still had almost two months before the World Council so would have plenty of time to push himself into Iron. He didn’t slip into [Stealth] but at least made more of a cautious approach as he neared the Barghest Den, Skald tight to fist. He didn’t trust the System to not throw another curve ball into his gut. His cloak was still pulling shadows obscuring him and at his increased caution, she pulled even harder almost making him blend into the darkened passage as he hugged the far side from the entrance.
He crouched and slid forward directly across from the entrance to the den. He loosely held Skald ready to snap it in any direction and holding [Birthed of the Eternal Eve] in his mind to activate quickly if needed. He saw nothing but it was pitch in the place and even with his maxed Uncommon [Night Vision] the furthest reaches of the large cave were beyond his ability to discern.
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“Freddie. Watch my six while I head into the Barghest hole and clear it.”
Freddie’s voice slid into his ear.
“Your six? I am not sure what you mean? Six of what? Is that slang for a piece of your anatomy? I must let you know Gideon, my sensory abilities are amazing but are not fine tuned enough to focus in on a particular….oh, oh….I just realized context. Earth Military slang - Let you know if anything comes in behind you. Got it. I should have known that. I feel like my Intelligence just took a dip. I have heard that term in a plethora of military films in addition to Television like multiple episodes of the A-Team…”
“Freddie.”
Silence.
“Quiet as a mouse Gideon, watching your six. Ten-four.”
He sighed inwardly but said nothing. He had to let Freddie be Freddie. His AI buddy had earned that a thousand times over before they’d even entered this place and multiplied it exponentially here. He wanted to play this carefully and hold to the promise he’d made when he’d entered, the hunter, one step to the next, within the shadows. He didn’t’ want to be on the edge of the finish and fail cause he was arrogant and careless. He had too many relying on him. On that note he double downed on the decision and activated [Birthed of the Eternal Eve] becoming a shadow and sliding up the wall and across the stone above.
He had the capability of moving extremely fast in this form and could probably give L’Sana a run for her money in her panther form, well that is, if there was an endless stream of shadows to travel within which outside was rarely, unless one of what was becoming the renowned storms of Umbra Mortem, held sway. They’d become a regular occurrence since they’’d hit Prime and added the Shadowmoon Forest. He pulled up the description he still had of it.
The Shadowmoon Forest – The Alpha Prime location will lean into not only the Umbral Realm from which it was birthed but also ride the edges of the Moon. The sky shall clear in effected area so the three Moons above may shine their majesty upon the lethal threat of Umbra Mortem. Sylvan Shadow trees shall begin to take over the surrounding environs and transmogrify to reflect that which is within. Resources shall begin appearing from Rare Rank and above. All fauna in the area shall start being transformed to reflect the new region. The area shall increase its area of effect based on the growing power of the Owner. If the City Stone is ever destroyed the effect will slowly return to it’s original state. The cost of said choice is a higher chance of heavy atmospheric storms.
Yep, atmospheric storms. There were certainly a few to back that up on the regular. Snapping back to the moment he’d cleared the entire space within a few seconds and nothing. All that was left was the Sanctum base. He slid to the ground and turned off his Ability. His cloak went right back to work pulling shadows and he slid out of the cave as Freddie tickled his ear.
“I had your six Gideon all day every day. Well, to be honest, there was a moment there between episode five and six of the first season of the A-Team I might have lost track of paying attention to your six. I apologize, referencing the show earlier made me want to re-watch it. It is my Achilles. I can only be so amazing without having my kryptonite but still when you watch Mr. T say ‘I pity the fool!” It is must watch TV”
At the very least he should have gotten a new Skill called [Tuning out Freddie]. He was becoming masterful at it.
“Freddie, inside voice. Go back to watching whatever. I’m going to skulk my way to the Sanctum base. It’s the only place I haven’t checked.”
No response telling him his buddy was already knee deep, electronics deep? Whatever. He was sticking his metaphorical nose into his fav pastime. Gideon kept moving but everything about this was causing him to constantly twist his eyes everywhere though he should have complete trust in his Epic Ranked [Combat Awareness]. Still, his caution was amped heavy and hard. It also made him wonder and spur a question he needed to ask Freddie when he had a chance to breathe but then as his thoughts chewed on it he gave himself the answer. Idiot.
At first when he was thinking of his Class Skills and several of them in Rare or Epic Rank he thought how could they be so high when he was only Copper but than idiocy landed heavy on his brow as he realized Skills just amplified corresponding Attributes. Higher Ranked Skills just had more amplification so someone Silver Ranked with Silver Level Attributes with an Epic Ranked Weapon Skill against a Copper with the same Skill would get their ass handed to them as the Attributes would be so much higher. Simply logic my dear Watson.
He wasn’t completely sure with nothing to compare it against but with all his Titles he’d put his Attributes up in Middle Iron even without the Sub-Class and whatever that brought not that it mattered with the Slotted Abilities of someone in Iron which he guessed jumped up in strength and utility not to mention whatever additional Slots they got from the extra Class. He stopped and shook his head before he turned the final passage to the Sanctum base. Focus Gideon. Theory craft later.
Every instinct was screaming at him that the System wasn’t done with him and it wouldn’t be as easy as to just find the exit. Everything about this place was weighed heavily against him and to make sure he was a corpse before the end.
One could call it careful planning and strategy or just his S+ Fate hard at work that led him cut through the chase so far but at least part of it was what the System had to give him to load it so heavily against him. If the System didn’t have to follow its own internal checks and balances he’d have been dead a thousand times over. The rats, the heavy darkness, foes that had heavy enmity against each other, the Barghests he was able to turn into a weapon.
Still by any measure and surely to the Systems calculations it should have still been enough to end him. What it nor he could factor in he believed was his insanely high Fate and the sheer volume of will and determination to win that had always lived inside him.
He went to a crouch and this time activated [Stealth] as he slid into the Sanctum base. There was still cherry heat coming from the massive bonfire they had built after losing their light caster to the Barghests. For it still to be burning a bit this many hours later said something for how much wood they had brought in their storage devices and how much they had stacked as if he couldn’t tell by the massive piles of ash in the temporary pit they’d created with a wide circle of stones ringing it in.
His Stamina was slowly dipping from use of [Stealth] and his short use of his shadow Ability but still Mid-Green. His Bloodline and Champion Title had boomed on not his power but his efficiency with his shit. He still ran to the bones but his staying power was incrementally pushing.
He covered the area which was a good size but unlike the Troglodyte area with the island and trees, it was mostly open and just as he slid to the back area his eyes or more importantly his insanely high Perception caught it. On the back wall was a crack maybe four feet wide and six tall, an opening. Besides the idea of rolling around killing rats it was the only thing he hadn’t explored so he shifted towards it.
He sat for a moment at the entrance and knew without a doubt this was the exit cause even with his [Night Vision] he couldn’t pierce the darkness. It was like an impenetrable wall.
“What do ya think Fredster?
He was almost expecting to have to say his name multiple times expecting Freddie to be locked into some movie or TV show but he answered immediately and told him what he should have already known, when it counted the Fredster could be counted on.
“Be very very careful Gideon. You are a target for whatever reason the System wants gone and I can’t begin to describe how absolutely frightening that is. Personally I think it’s envy, something unfortunately I am intimately familiar with. My direct higher-ups had the same issue and were green with the envy of multitudes with my own excellence on a constant basis. But this, uhm, is as they say ‘A different ballpark’, Gideon.
I know I put on a brave face and that I’ve already mentioned it but that the System Prime Avatar actually spoke to you directly and in such a loathing manner it makes my circuits twist their metaphorical panties into extremely uncomfortable positions not that I or my circuits have panties mind you. I would like to also emphasize in a very manly way that I look upon myself as a male and I mean male as in super male the male of all males, no cross-dressing going on whatsoever, and don’t let Princess Arizelle tell you any different. I definitely did not say I imagined myself wearing a ruby dress and singing ‘Over the Rainbow’ when I was watching Rupaul’s Drag Race last week. Nope, never happened.”
Gideon pulled his mask up and did his best to keep the chuckle from coming out. Freddie went silent and he mentally thanked his little AI Buddy. He didn’t mean to as he was just being him but being him had broken the tension. Gideon smiled and pushed his way into the crevice. As soon as he did, everything twisted, body shifting, collapsing, a breath, two, then reforming, appearing in a space of, a place he was becoming familiar with, the gray haze of a dimensional rift, and standing in front of him was the last thing he wanted to see. Speak of the devil and he pops his tin can and rolls his tuna right on up.
The beefy husky Elf, Eldarin, whatever, System Prime in all its irritating glory. And once again the look of disdain, a look that said he was extremely disappointed that Gideon hadn’t just laid down and died and affronted at the audacity he continued to hold to breath and life. At least this time it didn’t do the circle routine, it just stood there, floated there, whatever, and looked down at him. Its digitized voice split the air.
“You still live Scion and it is unfortunate, very unfortunate. I am sorely disappointed with your adversaries and their inability to keep their distaste for each other in restraint to gain the prizes we offered for their success. Mortals once again prove they are inefficient and illogical. Not that those who call themselves Divine are much different but since they come from the same stock, it is understandable if not acceptable.”
Gideon was getting pretty tired of this guy. He knew he was powerful, like beyond powerful as Freddie told him even Gods were wary around this fellow but he had only so much tolerance, so much patience for assholes regardless of their pedigree. And in the end Gideon could not tolerate bullies, an inherent need to pop them in the face built in at birth.
“Is there a point to your monologue or you just like listening to yourself? I beat what you sent against me even though you literally bent the realm of impossibility as far as it would go without breaking. The odds you stacked against me were in no world or dream even close to a fair challenge and yet I won through so forgive me if I don’t feel like listening to your bullshit. Can we just get on with it. What do you want me to fight next, a God, a Dragon or are those the same thing? I can’t quite get the low-down on what a Primordial actually is? Are they all Dragons or something else? While you’re pontificating maybe you could throw in some educational seminars while your at it?”
It was a good thing Freddie was turned off in these places otherwise he’d be having an epilepsy bout. The creature just stared at him as if trying to understand if what it had heard and witnessed had actually carved itself into reality or it was suffering a glitch but then its eyes narrowed and the Eldarin perfect mouth and eyes shifted to volcanic anger and before he could blink twice Gideon was on the ground, his entire body a lattice, an ode to the definition of the concept called ‘Insane triage inducing pain’, beyond anything he’d ever experienced which was saying a shit ton. And to throw the proverbial cherry his [Pain Resistance] had been shut down.
His limbs snapped like twigs to a toddler’s pudgy fumbles, then his fingers, one by one followed by his toes, the cracking sound a symphony to the birth of where the word ‘Torture’ originated. And if that wasn’t enough his consciousness was locked into wakey time, the sweet oblivion of passing out denied entry. Fucking magic.
It seemed to last an eternity then when he thought it had finally ended, a last message was sent in big fucking neon letters. ‘Don’t fuck with the Apex Representative of the System’; All his bones snapped back into place, one bone at a time, and it made the initial nut-cracker seem like hop scotch with the neighborhood kids in a corner store hustle for sweets.
Gideon’s insensate delirium lasted for a long spit of slow sifting sand in the hallucinatory hourglass until the Prime Avatar of the Multi-Versal System got tired of waiting to deliver its monologue and a pulse of energy slid into his everything, rejuvenating him as if he’d just mainlined a thousand gallons of ‘Get-me-up and feel good healing caffeine’.
His eyes snapped open and he realized two things. One, he was on his back, the other, the fuck doll of an Eldarin was floating a few inches from his face horizontal to the floor with a lingering leer of utter vindictive malicious content.
“Hopefully you learned an important lesson Scion on respecting those above you. Not that it matters. Your life will be the shortest lesson you will ever need or ever have. Good luck Champion of the Shadowborn. It is time for the final conflict of your Proving. Win and continue your pitiful existence. Fail and become not even a memory to anything or anyone. Enjoy the ever-eternal mercy of the Multi-Versal System.”
And with that declarative statement Gideon Sho found himself once again being deconstructed slipping through shifts of dimensional travel catalogs of vacation spots to peruse as he made the jumbo-tron of idiocy in his inability to keep his mouth shut when dealing with assholes.
A breath, two, three and he rematerialized in an open cavern on top of a ledge looking down upon a vast floor covered in sickly looking dark gray wood trees and a soupy putrid smelling body of liquid that could only be termed a swamp of some kind that covered half the space of the cavern with the trees coming out of the shit brown water and the surrounding mud swamped ground that surrounded it. A Notification shoved itself into his vision.
“You got to be shitting me.”
Quest Alert – The Final Goodbye
Welcome Citizen. You have slithered your way through your Proving by the barest of margins. More is expected from one that calls themselves a Scion. With that in mind you have been given a final Challenge worthy of your Status and your Titles.
Objective – Defeat the Iron Ranked Gloam Behir (Alpha)
Rewards – Your life and a return to your Settlement
Freddie’s voice hit his ear.
“I think we’re in trouble Gideon.”