[DR. MAYHEW, I’M BEGINNING TO GROW CONCERNED WE’LL MISS THE BANQUET.]
“Just keep working on your project, C.H.A.D.D.” Kyle growled. The sensory overload was bearable when he sat still, but grew progressively more challenging the more he moved. It had been 3 days since he acquired the Synaptic Barbs upgrade, and his progress back toward Torrel was glacial.
Kyle had no doubt the skill would prove useful, even though the timing of the upgrade couldn’t have been more unfortunate. It didn’t exactly offer an entirely new sense, though the degree to which it magnified his feeling of the world around him was massive. Kyle estimated that he could perceive the flow of air nearly 15 meters around him.
He was already dreading his return to the Hub, imagining the sensory overload he had waiting for him. Even the near-emptiness of the caverns was a lot to handle. Of course, he hadn’t been offered the opportunity to just sit in peace to process. C.H.A.D.D. was willing to wait just over a day before beginning an incessant stream of suggestions; asking Kyle to continue his progress toward the other root systems.
They had just left the second, and C.H.A.D.D. was greedily drinking in Kyle’s mana while he walked. Once the drone was done, Kyle was feeling up to using Ignition for a while to make up ground. He’d tested it a few times, and while the migraine was brutal, he could manage. Adaptive Regeneration was already hard at work repairing and enhancing his nerve ganglia, and he hoped that a few more weeks of practice would get him acclimated.
“Any chance you can turn the lights down, just a little bit?”
[CERTAINLY, DR. MAYHEW. I WOULD SUGGEST YOU TRY NOT TO LOSE SIGHT OF YOUR FOOTING, HOWEVER.]
“I don’t think that’s going to be much of an issue anymore, buddy.”
Kyle meant it, too. There was still a lot to learn about the new sense he’d discovered, but he could already make out the physical obstacles around him as though they were in plain daylight. Other than a couple of curious pill bugs, Kyle hadn’t had an opportunity to track other moving creatures, but he hoped it would be just as easy.
Once he adapted to the new sensations provided by Synaptic Barbs, Kyle expected that his reaction speed would be boosted to ridiculous levels. It was as close to a direct combat enhancement as Kyle could hope for, and he was eager to get a chance to test it out.
They had to make the difficult decision not to bring the final styxlion corpse along, as Kyle was concerned it could hamper his understanding of the new abilities if he was carrying the body around the whole time. Already he could feel small pockets of “static” where his clothing and the C.H.A.D.D.pack blocked some of his barbs. He could certainly survive without another 10,000 credits, though part of him stung at leaving money on the table.
“So, are you willing to share what you’ve been working on?”
[THE RESULTS ARE STILL PRELIMINARY; HOWEVER, THEY ARE PROMISING. I’VE MANAGED TO COMPLETE INSCRIPTIONS ON ROUGHLY 3 KILOMETERS OF VINES, WHICH ARE THEN BEING SEALED INSIDE THE WORLD TREE SEED.]
“Wait, 3 kilometers? C.H.A.D.D., isn’t that a little excessive?”
[I WILL NEED TO INSCRIBE FAR MORE THAN THAT, DR. MAYHEW. EARLY ESTIMATES INDICATE 350,000 KILOMETERS TO 400,000 KILOMETERS AS THE FINAL NUMBER. THAT’S ASSUMING WE DON’T COME ACROSS ANY NEW INSIGHTS, OF COURSE.]
Kyle’s head was reeling just trying to take in the sheer numbers. C.H.A.D.D.’s estimates meant the vine could have literally reached the moon from Earth. “What do you expect the vines to do, exactly? This is just for the inscriptions, right?”
[YES, DR. MAYHEW. MODELING THE INSCRIPTIONS FROM THE ORB WE RETRIEVED, IT SHOULD BE THEORETICALLY POSSIBLE TO SUMMON AND STORE DIFFERENT LAYERS OF INSCRIBED VINES TO PRODUCE DIFFERENT EFFECTS.]
“What kind of effects are you thinking?” Kyle asked.
[FOR EXAMPLE, ONE LAYER MAY HAVE THE ABILITY TO ENCOURAGE MANA-ABSORBING PROPERTIES WHEN GROWING PLANTS. ANOTHER MAY IMPOSE THE PREDATORY REACTIONS OF THE SUNDEW PLANTS. THE POTENTIAL APPLICATIONS ARE QUITE BROAD.]
Broad barely describes it, Kyle thought. Kyle definitely wanted to study the orb more closely when he returned. To his recollection, it likely carried several thousand layers with individual inscriptions that could shift up and down to produce the different effects. It was ingenious to try and replicate the effect with vines, although it was prohibitive from a space perspective.
Of course, if Kyle could figure out a method to tap into the space Between, space would be a non-issue. Unfortunately, he had no luck on that front outside of his near-death experience against the Storm. Even though it was only his consciousness that crossed in, Kyle felt strongly that there was a physical space that the seed occupied. Coupled with the vision he saw when he finished his Adaptive Anatomy, Kyle knew that there were beings like the presence that could move through it.
Even if Kyle was a long way from being able to traverse the space, storing thousands of kilometers of inscribed vines could be a possibility. If nothing else, it would give him and C.H.A.D.D. insights into the Between. The more they could understand about the operation of the strange space, the more doors they could open. He couldn’t be completely certain, but Kyle doubted that even Jarberry’s stealth abilities could compete with the World Tree Seed’s security simply being nestled into the strange dimension. What could a skill like Storm Shelter upgrade to, if it borrowed from these concepts? Could Identify eventually pierce through to see the things nestled Between?
Unauthorized duplication: this tale has been taken without consent. Report sightings.
A throb from his headache turned Kyle’s attention back to the present predicament. “How much farther until we reach the chasm, C.H.A.D.D.?”
[AT YOUR CURRENT PACE, ANOTHER 3 HOURS. FROM THERE, I ANTICIPATE THE BETTER PART OF A DAY UNTIL YOU’RE BACK IN TORREL.]
Kyle groaned. That would leave him almost no time before he would have to attend Ma’Sai’s dinner. And there was no doubt in Kyle’s mind, he had to attend. While he didn’t think that Go’Wree and the others would go out of their way to cause physical harm, he fully expected that his reputation around the Ma family would be dragged through the dirt. They were already upset at how many credits he’d cost them, leaving an insult for their young master would be a very unwise idea.
Kyle closed his eyes, taking in a deep breath as he braced himself to activate Ignition. There was no additional sensory input from the skill blooming to life, which was a mercy. “Let me know when we’re getting close.” Each step Kyle took as he accelerated led to a kaleidoscope of sensation; each shift in the cavern’s air detected as his body sped through it.
C.H.A.D.D. kept its map active, though Kyle struggled to keep an eye on it with all the movement he was detecting as he ran. Fortunately, the small glances were enough, as his Sensory Barbs allowed him to navigate the bulk of the twisting tunnels without issue. As expected, the major challenge was the magnifying pain of his headache.
Adaptive Regeneration did its best, but there wasn’t physical damage to heal. Kyle simply had to get used to filtering the information as it flooded his mind. His right foot caught a small rock in his distraction, and he found himself begin to fall; only to feel his left leg move instinctively, darting forward and allowing him to catch his balance.
Kyle knew that to be an effect of Covert Dexterity, and he marveled for a moment at the incredible synergy across the physical components of his Adaptive Anatomy. Exoskeletal Strength and Ceaseless Vitality were the two that he used the least, though each would keep him moving long after a human body would have fallen. The Enhanced Carapace and Ferric Augmentation offered survivability, while Auric Perception and Sensory Barbs offered detection that was supported by Covert Dexterity.
Each component served to support the others, further enhanced by Instinctive Intelligence and Unbreakable Will. In some ways, one of Kyle’s largest unanswered questions was how he wanted to round out his skills. He couldn’t be sure if his Core of the Parasitic Devourer would accept any creature, or if it needed to have some sort of compatibility.
Either way, one thing was certain. Kyle would need to be more careful with the targets he attacked with Parasitic Resonance moving forward, at least until his skills were rounded out. In a worst-case scenario, he would have a hodgepodge of different creatures that his core wanted, and not enough of any of them to actually break the 10% threshold he needed for an upgrade. That wasn’t an outcome he could tolerate.
Kyle felt the air around him shift, and soon he was approaching the mouth of the giant chasm. Kyle deactivated Ignition as he looked out, seeing the walkway of bamboo pitons he secured into the wall. Even now, days later, they thrummed with energy. “Pretty impressive work, C.H.A.D.D.”
[THERE ARE SEVERAL INCONSISTENCIES IN LENGTH AND DIAMETER, THOUGH I SUPPOSE I DID CREATE THEM WHILE I WAS DISTRACTED.]
“Either way, I don’t think we want to leave them here. Is there any way you can absorb the energy back? Maybe seal them up if we need them again?”
The drone was silent for a full minute before responding. [I BELIEVE I CAN DO THAT, DR. MAYHEW. I’LL NEED YOU TO CONNECT ME TO EACH AS WE MOVE PAST IT, IF YOU’RE ABLE.]
“Say no more.” Despite the pounding in his temples, Kyle navigated across the makeshift bridge, grabbing each bamboo spike once he’d gotten past. C.H.A.D.D. drained some of the golden energy from them, and the remaining fibers fell apart in his hands. Kyle didn’t question the methods, finally crossing the final step.
[I APOLOGIZE, DR. MAYHEW. I WAS UNABLE TO SEAL THEM AS EXPECTED.]
“It’s not a big deal. What do you think happened?”
[I’M NOT ENTIRELY SURE. I THEORIZE THAT IT’S A MATTER OF COMPATIBILITY AND POWER, THOUGH FURTHER TESTING IS REQUIRED BEFORE I SPEAK WITH CONFIDENCE.]
Kyle could detect a hint of frustration behind C.H.A.D.D.’s words, an unusual occurrence for the drone. “Don’t worry about it, we didn’t make the pitons with this idea in mind. It’s a learning opportunity one way or another, right?”
[I SUPPOSE YOU’RE CORRECT, DR. MAYHEW.]
Kyle and C.H.A.D.D. spent most of the following day navigating the tunnel system back toward the checkpoint, using Ignition intermittently to accelerate his travel pace as he could. Finally, Kyle turned a corner, seeing the battlement in the distance. The booming voice that rang out told him that Go’Wree spotted him, too.
“I was beginning to think you’d died in those tunnels, Mayhew! And you don’t even have a body to show for it. To think, you nearly missed a feast to return with empty hands.”
Kyle sighed, choosing not to respond until he was closer. When he was a dozen meters away, he shouted back. “It’s good to see you too, Go’Wree. Any chance we can skip the pleasantries? I need to get back and clean up.”
Even from the top of the battlement, he could see the larger man’s nose wrinkle, a mocking smile on his face. “So you do! Come, and hurry. Unless I’m mistaken, your cleaning will take quite a while.”
Kyle walked through the open door, noting far fewer people today. He suspected many would be working security at the banquet, though he supposed he’d find out soon enough. The Sensory Barbs picked up much of the area around him, and Kyle fought to suppress a sigh of relief when the change in environment didn’t lead to a lot of overload.
A car was waiting for him, and soon he found himself walking through the doors to his residence. He was tired, but there wasn’t time to rest. Kyle laid out his formal suit, tailored to fit over his armor. He looked at the dust covering the C.H.A.D.D.pack, and knew he’d need time to clean it. First, however, he needed a shower.
Kyle stepped into his bathroom, closing his eyes as warm water washed over him. It was odd, being able to feel the air around each droplet of water. It was disorienting at first, though he grew more comfortable as the minutes passed by.
Suddenly, he felt a spike through Auric Perception. A presence was in the other room. His room. Kyle burst out of the bathroom, just in time to see a slender man grab the C.H.A.D.D.pack and sprint out of the open front door with speed that only a D Grade could possess.