Deep beneath the earth, thinly veiled veins of blue stretched throughout the entire world. Glowing brighter and brighter with every minute that passed. Only weeks ago this same process had repeated itself, the mana deep within the land having dimmed before rebounding ever more brightly. Now the same thing happened once more, only much more explosively.
Far beneath even the veins of mana themselves fought powerful beasts, ever struggling to grow above the stagnancy of their fellow ilk. Roused from the bowls of the earth by the potent energy that suffused the surface, they had begun to climb. Where there was once stagnant, peaceful life, the hordes rose. Sweeping through the land that rested just above their place of rest. The great change that the Monstrous gods so awaited had at last started to arrive. What happened from here on would no longer be up to them, outside of petty influence and intervention they contented themselves with the knowledge that their work had been done.
Yet, what happened miles and miles beneath the planets crust would hold no meaning for a very long time. What was more currently pressing, were the issues those who dwelled upon the surface faced.
...
"Your majesty, the court mages have returned with conclusive evidence."
Deep within the halls of the seat of his power sat Alexarius Calibure VIII, the opulent halls of the castle of his prosperous nation practically glistened, sunlight bringing a radiant glow to the well polished pillars and shimmering floor. At the peak of the nation was his throne, and by extension, the man himself. It was both a display of power and an excellent stronghold. His throne built upon the very peak of the tallest mountain within his land.
"Hm. What news do you bring before me, Ajaran Romwell?" The king of the Utorian kingdom sat upon his throne, staring down at the man who kneeled at his feet. Waiting for the information he had asked his subordinates to research
"The mages predict... That the average tier will increase by two..."
Alexarius sighed openly, before raising a hand to his chin. "This will be a problem. Assistance may need to be called in from the adventurers guild. I am not worried about the quality of our soldiers, but we are already stretched thin as is. Casualties may begin to mount without assistance. Inform the local guild that the capital is willing to personally reward adventurers based on their contribution to the defense of the kingdom."
"But-your majesty! We may not be able to-"
Before he could even finish speaking Alexarius quickly cut his subordinate off. "I care not for the cost Romwell, the lives of men hold more importance then the abundance of coin. The kingdom exists for the common man, not the other way around. Our people do not pay tax for it to not be used in interest of their own needs." The king spoke with finality and firmness. Unmoving on his views. "Inform the officials lest I must descend from this castle myself, my words are final."
This content has been misappropriated from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.
After a long silence, Ajaran nodded, before standing to his full height. "As you will it your majesty."
...
One of the first nations to fall had been Mallacia, a fairly new kingdom that had built itself off of commerce and trade. When the rising flux had begun, they'd had very little to defend themselves with. In the end, they had to rely on the adventurers guild in order to acquire protection. When the adventurers simply decided to cut their losses, monsters overran the capital within days.
This was becoming more and more of a common story the longer the flux went on. Settlements, congregations of people, entire kingdoms falling to the ever present horde of monsters. Ironically enough, more of the ladder then the former. Fluxes drew monsters towards the nearest largest source of mana. Meaning that the more people who existed in one place, regardless of if they were combatants or not, the more monsters that would attack them.
This gave smaller settlements of people far fewer attackers to deal with, while conversely giving large nations an almost impossible task. In every way conceivable the flux that was coming was sure to rock the world in it's entirety. Through the strife powerful monsters and individuals would be born, nations would fall and many new ones would rise. The course of history was laid like tracks, leading to an inevitable conclusion nudged along by the efforts of forces beyond the mortal realm. Whether this trail would lead to what they wished for, there was no way to know for sure until it had reached it's conclusion, but regardless, it would be sure to entertain.
...
Jason sat peacefully within a grove underneath the troubles of it all, a safe haven constructed just for people like him. The human, now reincarnated spider, rested on one of his own webs, far above the white grass below him. Waiting out the flux that had long since surpassed tier seven.
Blue veins stretched throughout the peaceful land, glowing with a blinding light as they emanated raw magical power. Along with Jason, at least eleven other Riftwalkers such as himself waited within the magically protected location. A beautifully white tree standing within the center of it all. An enchantment casted by the wolf so that none of them may have to brave the impossibility of such a flux.
Here they were safe, free to make their own choices independent of the pull of the world. While freedom to the outside world was always available, leaving would mean giving oneself over to the flux whenever it was active. Everybody chose to stay in the safe haven that had been built for them, simply waiting out their days for when the flux may finally end. Which in truth, may not have been far. The tiers of the flux could only climb ever so high after all.
But until then, they would wait. Wait for a long time. It was the better alternative.