Thunder blasted almost harmlessly in the black-and-white expanse as Eli weaved through the salvo of five lightning fast spears. Exhaustion would have threatened to drag him into unconsciousness if he hadn't flared Hyper-Regeneration, Lumencloud Fortification, and Body of Light to their limits. A typhoon of power rocketed through his radiant body as he reacted to the slightest twitch in voidspace to dodge her constant artillery.

Copies of lumencloud constructs flew out as decoys to detonate her spears while he stayed back and watched.

Maeve's attacks were instant and without a shred of mercy. Once she got a feel for how well he could heal, she bumped up the volatile power of her storm arsenal so that a single hit would be devastating. Two would send him reeling into shock and unconsciousness. Three would be on the cusp of being lethal.

Eli loosed a gale of lumencloud beneath him so he could bound over the next volley. Five spears whizzed under him before they spun to flash toward him again. He layered a spatial bubble between himself and his armor while he prepared a teleport above Maeve. Five spears pierced through his armor with a deafening crash as tendrils of lightning rattled through his dispersing cloud.

"Eli!" Maeve called as she stepped forward to check on him while he slipped through voidspace as he charged as much of his solid radiance as he could into a blade of compact lumencloud until it bristled with power. Eli charged into her shield with a sharp jab as he used Body of Light to fire all the contained light. A high-powered cutting beam of incandescence drilled into her storm shield with a crack of thunder as it shattered. Shockwaves blasted out with condensed storm shrapnel. Eli sat up with a wince as the swathes of horrific burns and gashes all over his arm, chest, and face healed. Scabs hurriedly formed, then flaked off after he swapped out Avaricious Vault for Hyper-Regeneration again.

"Impressive." Maeve muttered as she rubbed her face where a shard of solid radiance had scored a groove in her cheek. Crimson stained her fingertips as they reappeared in the normal world on the rooftop under the night sky. He blinked at the sudden disorientation as they tore through planes of reality. The transition seemed to heal Maeve entirely as she straightened with newfound power. "I didn't think you'd actually hurt me."

"I didn't think breaking your shield would hurt so much, either." Eli coughed as his ribs grated back into proper alignment with a quick flex of Hyper-Regeneration, Lumencloud Fortification, and Body of Light.

"Sorry. I tried to contain it, but I'm glad you could take as much as you did." Maeve held her hand out for him to clasp before she pulled him up. "You've certainly improved quite a bit by the end. Ready to eat before we head back? We can talk over your build and any other questions you might have."

"Sure," Eli nodded as the black-and-white smeared across the world before she teleported them down to street level. While Eli teleported through space, she popped them out of their plane of reality where she could teleport them elsewhere back to normal reality. It was similar, but still vastly different. They appeared in an alleyway next to a crowded sidewalk full of flashing storefronts, street lamps, and street food vendors.

"So, do you know how we normally do stat allocation here?" Maeve asked while she marched through the press of people with ease.

"It seems like there's a massive focus on specialized synergy." He had read about it on the first night Sandra stranded them there, and then again for Power Crafting I.

People preferred either a vertical or horizontal strategy. Vertical being a heavy focus, an entire cycle or process like if someone had a general earth power, something more focused like minerals or ore, and then a capstone power only for metal or crystals. While a horizontal approach would be like if someone had a fire power, got an ignition or combustion power, and then focused on heat, smoke, or ash.

"Right. That's what people normally do. Herbert is planning a bit of both. He slotted Hydro Authority in his Body stat at evo-1, evolved Icewraith Metamorphosis, the power he got from slotting his Body stat which turns him into a spectral being of ice. Once it reached evo-2, he slotted that into his Mind slot so it would synergize with his Body and his use of an ice armory power and the cold tempest power he crafted from the Stormshrine Dungeon. Last I heard, his plan was to slot the storm power into his Will slot while he used his free equipped powers to synergize and make up for any additional gaps. I know he got a freezing plasma power too, but I'm not sure what his plan was for it."

Eli frowned while she led him down the street. In comparison, his build was a mess. If he continued with his original plan, he'd have a decent build, but whatever spatial power he put into Will would be a mismatch next to Photon Shot and whatever Lumencloud Fortification became. Unless if he incorporated light into it for real.

Maeve stepped into another alleyway with a nod at him so they could cut through a couple of blocks.

"My three stats for comparison are: Body of Transcendence, Mind of Clarity, and Planar Will. My build is a bit more lopsided than most, but I chose two stats that would boost and synergize Planeshift after I slotted it into Will. Recursive Stockpile constantly improves any growth or progress I have physically, while Insightful Perception helps me keep up up with the complexities of Planeshift and Body of Transcendence."

"Yeah, but... Isn't that kind of a bad build?" Eli glanced at her sly smirk with a frown. That was pretty similar to what he had planned in some ways, but he had actual synergy other than Voidspace Horizon and his suite of other spatial powers.

"Probably." She shrugged with a widening grin. "But my powers fold into each other just like a vertical build except it works on me and then Planeshift. Not to mention that my Class Power is Planar Ascension. Every time I Planeshift, I reach the apex of what I can do, including the rest of my standard equipped powers."

"Class Power?" Eli asked while he remembered his debate with Lacey and how she'd hinted at how a poor build would ruin the rest of someone's build forever. "How does that work? And that's how you were able to heal? And break into Avaricious Vault?"

"Yep. Class Power." She winked at him. "Just so you can understand how well my build actually works, I work as a freelancer with the Delver's Regulation Committee. I'm constantly on call to handle dungeon breaks, delve new dungeons to assess them, and to handle any resurgences of sys-spawn outside of civ zones."

"Okay." Eli shrugged. That sounded impressive and all, but he didn't really know much about dungeons still other than how the Tri-Delve Cup was a huge international sport competition where a team cleared them as fast as possible. How different would a regular dungeon be compared to the Crucible?

"Pfft. Whatever." She scoffed. "Once you slot your final stat, you'll get a choice of three different powers to choose to be your class. They'll all be based on your stats, and that's why it's heavily encouraged for people to specialize their stats as much as possible."

"Why is it taboo to talk about it, then?"

"It's more that it's discouraged to bring up so people don't rush it and slot a bunch of different evo-1 powers. Especially since once you choose a class, you won't be able to easily get any powers unrelated to your stats or Class Power. There's also a bit of a leveling penalty for unafilliated powers, but by then most people use spawn experience for it."

"Oh. Fuck." Eli's mind raced while they entered a courtyard hidden next to a bar and grill restaurant. A brick wall with a tree painted on it stood as a backdrop for a stage where a man danced amidst a quartet of spectral musicians and other shadowy dancers that echoed his movements. His heart ached a bit while he wondered what he was going to do. Eli had grown to love Body of Light and what Photon Shot had turned into, and he couldn't wait to see what Lumencloud Fortification would become after he merged it with Hyper-Regeneration and evolved it.

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But he didn't want to trap himself from a decision he made out of fear on the heels of losing his arm.

Eli followed Maeve mute while she led him over to the counter. His hearing buzzed while she ordered them something to eat, accompanied by the dancer's haunting music. Avaricious Vault and Enchanter's Dominion had to be merged, but he'd either need to find a way to make his spatial powers incorporate light or for Lumencloud Fortification to involve space.

The song ended while Eli scraped his nail against some letters carved into the counter.

Maeve nudged him while the dancer joined them. He blinked at the man, whose eyes glowed with an imperious light as he studied him. Shadows shifted beneath his skin as he sidled up next to Maeve.

"It's been a while since I've seen you here, Starbreaker." His grin showed far too many of his teeth. "Looking to offload another dungeon haul?"

"Zach, this is Eli." Maeve clapped her hand on Eli's shoulder as she leaned back. "We're wondering if you have any perks, powers, or specific spawn for sale?"

"Of course, anything for my favorite seller." He leaned forward as he took a deep whiff of Eli. Chills danced across Eli's skin as his hair rose on his arms. "Interesting shade you have there, friend."

"He's not your friend." Maeve glowered at him as a knife of lightning appeared in her hand.

"Yes, yes. Still so mistrusting." Zach rolled his eyes while he ignored her to focus on him. "Tell me what you're looking for. I doubt you'll find a void in my wares."

"What do you have for high-end thermal or spectral powers?" Maeve asked with a quirked brow.

"That's it?" He sighed dramatically. "I have Smoldering Gale evo-1 on hand, but I doubt you'd want that. The boy doesn't have much fire to him. No. You want something cold, don't you? Soulfrost evo-2?"

Maeve shook her head with a frown.

"Fine. What do you want? Describe what power you want and ol' Zach will do his best."

Eli opened, then closed his mouth while his mind spun. What did he want and what did he mean by interesting shade? Were they really here just for him to get some powers from a back alley trader? Maeve had mentioned that Herbert had an Icewraith power. So was she trying to push him to turn Lumencloud Fortification into something similar for cover? He didn't even know if he wanted a power like that.

He needed something with light for Voidspace Horizon or whatever Avaricious Vault and Enchanter's Dominion would become. Eli didn't want to mess with Lumencloud Fortification that much, since it was mostly done.

"What do you have for stars?" Eli leaned forward as possibilities shone in his mind's eye as he imagined turning Voidspace Horizon into something more.

"Ah, I see." Zach beamed as he rapped his knuckles on the counter. "I have Starbolt evo-1 and Solarflare evo-2, but those are top of the line powers. Your sister's credit isn't high enough, and I have something a bit better."

"What's that?" Maeve grimaced as if she'd eaten a lemon.

"I have a Starwraith and a need for entertainment." He smirked while Maeve glanced at Eli with a wince.

"One moment." Maeve demanded while the world blurred black-and-white around them. Everyone was reduced to silhouettes almost frozen in time before everything shifted around them again until there was nothing but perpetual dark around them.

"What's a Starwraith?" Eli asked while she paced.

"It's a type of spectral spawn." She frowned. "I don't like this. It'd be a perfect fit though, if you can defeat it."

"So, what's the big deal?"

"They're ephemeral and almost impossible to kill. I already killed a Greater Starwraith though, so I won't be able to get a power from it." Maeve pressed her hands against her face. "You'll have to fight it. Best-case scenario would be you getting a tie with it, so he'll give you one of the other powers so you can dismantle it."

"Okay. Let's do this." Eli smiled as radiance flared throughout his body as he prepared himself to fight.

"Merge your powers first."

"Are you sure?"

"Yes. You need every bit of edge you can get, but put [Proprioception] on Lumencloud Fortification instead. While we're here, time dilates quite a bit too, so you'll be able to experiment a bit. Zach will probably want you to fight almost right away."

Eli nodded while he prompted, then accepted a series of merges.

Eli shivered as torrents of lumencloud seeped through his body before it seemed to crystallize as the Hyper-Regeneration turned his lumencloud into a true vital part of his physiology. Muscles and tendons twitched as they were reforged into a vessel of luminescent power. His knees buckled as space bent and beckoned him toward the massively expanding vault that became a part of him, even as it solidified into a real place.

His powers settled while he straightened and studied his deceptively normal hands before he willed out a simple breeze. A blinding gust burst from his palm to tear through the stillness of planar void with a violent howl. Lumencloud Revivification seemed to ask him a question to which he accepted with a smirk as he transformed into opulent radiance. Eli's old wells of Strength, Stamina, and Perception expanded to new vast depths.

Shifting plates of improved lumencloud armor clasped around him as enchantments flooded into their structure. Jagged claws and blades shone as they froze across his armor. Staggering heaps of power mounted in his body and mind as he absorbed the armor and weapons at the same time he stored them with Warlock's Sanctum. They seemed to stretch and warp as they became a paradox as he summoned and reabsorbed them over and over.

Eli opened his eyes as he turned toward Maeve with a triumphant smile.

"I'm ready."

"Holy shit." Maeve blinked at the deep grating rumble of his voice before he transformed himself back into his mundane flesh and blood form. Color bloomed throughout the world as they slipped back into place in their original plane of existence. Eli pushed himself off his stool with a rising surge of power that threatened to fracture the enchantment structures on the counter and stool to prevent them from breaking.

"I'm ready to kill a star." Eli smiled as Zach raised a half-full glass of whiskey at him.

"Let's get you up on that stage then."

Eli followed Zach as he shadows unwound from his shoulder to drip onto the ground. Tendrils of night lashed the air as a sludgy humanoid climbed out of the puddle. Shimmering liquid tightened as it clapped its hands to get the attention of everyone eating and drinking. They reached the stage.

Zach gestured for Eli to stay while he ascended the steps with a twirl. "Tonight, ladies and gentlemen, I have a treat planned for you all. Starbreaker's younger brother has declared himself a challenger!"

A few scant cheers broke from the crowd as people turned toward the stage while the humanoid continued to make its way through the crowd to pull the attention of anyone too focused on their food, drinks, or company.

"He's an unknown, but his opponent certainly isn't! The challenged was captured from the Astrorro Outbreak in Western Europe three years ago! That's right... It's a Starwraith!" Zach pumped his arms at the crowd while his summoned humanoid rushed back to the stage for its summoner to plunge his hand into its chest with a wet squelch. Bubbles writhed under its skin before the whole thing popped with a flood of ink. Blobs of ink rolled across the stage as it turned the pale wood as dark as night.

The crowd let out a collective gasp as a faint mist rose from the borders of the stage to form a barrier before it faded from view.

"Come up here. Hurry!" Zach hissed when Eli didn't climb up fast enough. Sound echoed with his every thumping footstep as he joined Zach in the center of the stage in front of the mural of a tree on the brick wall. "Last chance! Are you sure you want to fight this?"

"Positive." Eli nodded while he shook the tension out of his hands while he prepared to summon his enchanted lumencloud equipment at a moment's notice.

"Alright. If you change your mind, you'll need to verbally surrender." Zach brushed his fingers in a specific pattern across the painted bark of the tree. Wood creaked as a rustling branch full of verdant foliage swung out of the painting with a small crystal suspended on the outermost leaf. He plucked it from the manifested tree with a resonant whine that drove the air out of Eli's lungs. "Ready?"

Eli nodded while his lumencloud armor fitted itself to him with a series of clicks as he flexed the tips of his fingers where barbed claws strobed with dazzling light. A menacing axe with twin crescent blades fell into his eager hands. Enchanted spikes bristled across his chest, shoulders, and arms as he prepared them to loose on command.

"Break a leg." Zach threw the crystal down as he vanished off the stage. The bead shattered with a shattering crash as a geyser of ink sprayed out of it to reveal a towering skeleton with molten bones encased in brilliance. Galaxies swirled in its eye sockets where stars were born and died with miniature flashes of light. Voidspace bloomed inside of its ribcage with an unfathomable amount of space. A flail flashed into its hands once it noticed Eli. Each link in its weapons chain glittered with strands of tiny stars like bands of constellations.

They moved at the same time.

Eli teleported behind it while he swung his axe-transformed-into-a-mace down on its head. Meanwhile, the Starwraith flicked its flail out while space shifted and twisted back on itself so that Eli's attack missed. Starmetal pounded into Eli's chest with a crunch as a whole section of plate crumpled around the wraith's flail. He blasted back while his voidspace flickered around him as he teleported back on the stage with his armor repaired.

He smiled at the Starwraith while it raised its flail and roared with an ungodly screech that made his ears bleed radiant lumencloud vapor.

Eli howled with glee as he teleported back into the fight.