CHAPTER 64: The Fourth Rift
The army medic with a healing [Support] class was shivering, his body in shock from the vibrations of the feral behemoths and blood loss. Yet a new shaking came over him as he saw a brown sludge covered Adam, eyes practically on fire with intensity striding towards him.
Adam stood before him. The man tried to back up, unsure of Adam’s intention and already freaked out from when he saw Adam treat his fellow soldier as a beverage, to be opened and consumed. Unfortunately, the man’s muscles were too ruptured to move on his own. He had no way to prevent Adam from lifting him onto Adam’s shoulders.
Then Adam walked to the next healer and easily heaved him onto his other shoulder. He carried the two of them to the side of one of the whining behemoths. The third healer was also retrieved and brought over. Adam pulled out a sword from one of their belts and then cut a triangular piece of skin off the feral behemoth, nodding in appreciation to the sharpness of the new swords.
“W-what…?” one of the soldiers tried to ask, his question interrupted by choking on the blood in his throat.
“I’ll lift you three. Use whatever strength you have to jam the sword into where I cut the skin away.”
The man just stared, unsure of the point of that.
As Adam had said, he lifted each man, one at a time, and held the man’s arm and hand, so that the sword didn’t fall out of it. The man very feebly put the sword in, with Adam gently pushing on his elbow to allow it to go deep enough to cause a bit more bleeding. Then he repeated it with the other two men.
They watched as Adam walked to the head of the beast. Adam’s hands glowed and then he punched the creature’s jaw with enough force to topple a building. The behemoth’s ear membrane popped causing purple gray fluid and tubes to burst from the side of its head.
Terrenidon “Feral Behemoth [12]” has been slain. 80,327 shared XP has been gained.
“Level your class as far as it can go and then heal yourselves enough to be stable. Then we’ll heal everyone else that you can,” Adam commanded as he came back. “Everyone else needs heals, so use just enough mana to keep them stable. We can take care of non-fatal injuries later.”
It took a few minutes for the healers to be back on their feet and moving around. They were still weak, but had enough vitality left to get to the other soldiers with Adam’s help. Blood loss was a significant problem for the soldiers, but they were healed enough not to bleed out. Broken bones were left, including the captain whose shoulder and collarbone had been broken when Adam pushed him out of the way of the wicked sword claw.
“That was terrible,” the captain said as he approached, limping and holding his shoulder even after receiving healing.
“Sorry about hitting you. My teleport step required me to use a real attack. That was the gentlest I could hit you in the situation.”
“I understand why, and know it saved my life, but it still sucks.” Adam nodded in understanding. The captain then stared at the still breathing behemoth that they were standing in front of. “What now?”
“You each get a hit on this beast and I kill it. Make sure your men all take at least two body levels and throw the stats into Vitality. It’ll make sure everyone survives for now. Then I take control of the rift and we go home. I had to let the healers level using the first behemoth to increase their mana pools and healing power, or we wouldn’t have been able to heal everyone else.”
“I’m not sure I would have thought of all that, Adam,” admitted captain Krysti. “We have three dead. The soldier you attacked is alive, though quite frankly, pissed at and terrified of you. Why did you do that to him?”
“I was too injured when I got stabbed to fight them, and their skin was too tough for me to get blood from it without my full strength. I tried to regenerate from an ally’s blood without killing him. It was the only way for me to keep fighting, as crappy as it was to do.”
“That makes sense, though that doesn’t make it any less terrifying. Even if it is blood, being able to regenerate must be supremely helpful.”
“Oh, it is,” Adam answered, not sure how well he would sleep tonight while thinking about what he had done.
***
With the death of the Feral Behemoths, Adam searched through the corpses looking for the rift control crystal. The longer he spent the more anxious he felt. The question of whether he could even destroy a rift started to matter, and the unknown of what happens when a rift is destroyed.
Once enough time passed that Adam gave up on finding it, doing everything short of cutting open the creatures’ stomachs, he went back to his pack to clean off the crusted blood and throw on spare t-shirt and gym shorts. Then he headed to the crystal pillar with his war hammer.
This Dimensional Convergence Rift has a controller. Have the controller attribute permission to use the Rift Menu.
“Damn,” Adam swore, “guess destruction is the way to go.”
He lifted the hammer overhead, ready to bring it down when he noticed another ripple in the air next to him. Reality shifted, though no bigger than his hand. Instantly he readied his stance, ready to smash whatever came out of it.
Instead of a creature, a plain white envelope slid out of the ripple and fell to the ground. It landed with the blank side up. Written on it was “To my dearest Adam,” and included a lips imprint made from lip stick. Adam frowned at it. There was also a bulge in the envelop, indicating something that wasn’t flat was in it.
Careful not to let the other soldiers see what he was doing, Adam picked up the envelope and turned it over. He was very aware that there could be anything in it, but without a way to check or remotely open it he decided to just get it over with.
A brown rift control crystal slid into his hand after he tore the top open. He tossed it up and down, feeling the weight. Then he reached up and touched the crystal pillar.
Owner of Dimensional Convergence Rift has relinquished control of this Dimensional Convergence Rift.
Ownership presented to possessor of Control Node.
Would you like to take Ownership of this Dimensional Convergence Rift?
[ Yes / No ]
“Yes,” Adam said, familiar with this message.
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Ownership of Dimensional Convergence Rift has been taken by a native.
Invasion ended.
Rewards pending. …
Dimensional Convergence Rift network has been found.
Connect to current network? Permissions and controls will be taken from existing Control Nodes.
“Yes,” Adam said.
Rewards ready for natives who ended an invasion.
Release rewards?
[ Yes / No ]
Adam selected Yes once more.
…All natives included in Dimensional Convergence Rift will receive the title “Invasion Conqueror”.
Invasion Conqueror
For defeating an enemy of your planet and preventing their rampage from continuing you will receive +2 to all stats. Claiming more Dimensional Convergence Rifts will increase this title.
Adam heard some gasps from the soldiers, back at the entrance to the cavern, then some cheering. He wanted to smile, to take part in the celebration, but he couldn’t. Instead, he took a folded paper out of the envelope.
To my dearest Adam,
I’m sorry we can’t meet in person quite yet. Thank you for letting me watch your battles. You have an interesting, though undeveloped, fighting style. I just wanted to make sure all was ready for when we do meet in person. While you have interfered with my goals more than once, I have been tasked with things more urgent than meeting with you right now. But don’t fret. Soon we’ll be meeting. You can look forward to it.
In the meantime, feel free to use this Dimensional Convergence Rift as you want. It has finished serving my purposes.
When we next meet, we’ll be getting to know each other quite intimately. Until then…
Love,
Cruxannith’cz’Jurzax
***
The Rift base was a hive of activity. Trucks were driving supplies to various points. More buildings had been created. Areas where volunteers cooked or organized items were set up all over. Businesses were establishing warehouses and offices in the base. Even children could be heard from the play areas that had been set up.
Silence fell and motion stopped as the soldiers marched through the entrance with Adam at the lead. Everyone was filthy. Their clothes were covered in their own blood, many cut and ripped. Adam had dried and scraped off most of the Terrenidon blood, but the sweat, dirt, and muck still on his skin stood out against his white t-shirt and the gym shorts he wore.
In half a day the tags of the soldiers had risen to almost level 15, with the healers having evolved their classes. Quiet muttering and comments filled the air as the soldiers split from Adam to stoicly march to their barracks. Adam ignored everything around him, walking with a silent fury that had people scrambling to get out of the way before they even needed to.
Adam walked towards the Sentinel Army’s building. Colonel Davian hurried out from the building and made a line towards him. While the Colonel walked with a disciplined stride, he still barely caught up before Adam arrived at the statue in front of the building.
“Adam, I know you just got back but can I have some of your time?” the Colonel asked. Adam turned intense eyes towards him, causing him to wince. Without responding, Adam pulled out one of the elf daggers.
The statue was mostly him, standing in a ridiculous heroic pose. Originally the statue had been only him, but he had insisted on changing it to include all his friends. He was most prominent on it, but the rest all stood with him, an example of heroes, ready to save the day. His figure on the statue was 10 feet tall, standing on a five-foot-tall dais. A large plaque on the front had etched into it, “Sentinel Army.” It was a thing of pride and inspiration. People often passed by and took time to marvel at them.
Just below the plaque, Adam took his knife to the smooth area. The Colonel watched with a frown that only deepened the more carving Adam did. A crowd had gathered and were respectfully watching from a good distance as Adam dragged his knife along the stone of the dais.
After five minutes, Adam stood, looked at what he had done with an expressionless face. Then he nodded to the Colonel and the two silently walked to the building. The people pushed forward to see what Adam had carved into the statue.
Everyone read the words, “Earth’s Heroes,” followed by three names: Lonzo Henderson, Michael Ferdinan, Erwin Swain. Then they bowed their heads and gave their respects.
***
The Colonel led Adam through the crowds in the reception room of the building, down a hall, and into one of the smaller waiting rooms. Inside was a woman in her 60s, who stood up. She eyed Adam up and down, lingering on his clothes, then sniffing the air and scrunching her nose in disgust. In return, Adam eyed her up and down, then seemed to dismiss her and turn towards the Colonel.
“Adam, this is Elouise Gervin,” the Colonel introduced, as if there was more importance to the name and the woman than Adam could conceive.
Without bothering with the gravitas that the Colonel had used, Adam simply nodded to her and said his name, “Adam Clemens.” Then turning back to the Colonel he asked, “General Gervin’s wife?”
“Ah, yes,” the Colonel said with surprise. “The General sent her here to…”
“Doesn’t matter. She can have a double unit on the fifth floor. I’m not going to play politics or bother with people judging or observing me. If she is here to help, or looking for protection, then she can check with Ron, my mom, or any of the leaders of the volunteers to see what she can do to help. I’m sure she has loads of useful experience as long as she doesn’t throw her weight around.”
“Quite the irreverent boy,” Elouise critiqued.
Adam stared blankly at her and then opened the door to the room. Sticking his head out he yelled to the crowds in the reception area, most of which he had met several times already, “Hey! Would you guys describe me as irreverent?”
Laughter and leg slapping sounded out.
“Of course.”
“You’re a teenager, goes with the territory.”
“Less than others.”
“Especially when you barely put on clothes.”
More laughter came from all the jokes that were shouted.
“Thanks!” Adam yelled back and closed the door. Addressing Elouise he said, “it seems that I am irreverent.” She could only smirk at that.
“Jordan!” Adam then yelled, startling both Elouise and the Colonel.
“Yes, Adam?” a voice called from right next to him, once more startling Elouise.
“I’m tapped out. I need food and juice right now.”
“Rough trip?” Jordan asked, the trepidation in his voice was noticeable.
“Do you have access to the other rift?”
“Y-yes.”
“Then I know you’ve already watched the fights. I need food. Then coordinate with the Colonel on what to do with the bodies. Also, see if you can find someone to make leather out of the Terrenidon skins. They might be fire resistant enough for me, and the big ones will be tough enough for other people’s armor. Finally, assign Mrs. Gervin a double on floor five.”
“Yes, Adam,” Jordan said, sounding sympathetic. Then the air above the meeting table shimmered and all kinds of food appeared on it. Boxes of cereal, a dozen hot dogs in buns with toppings, fresh fruit, leftover pasta and Chinese dishes, a jug of milk and orange juice all appeared. Apparently, his fridge was being restocked daily by others.
“That is a lot of food,” Elouise commented as she saw Adam drop into a chair and begin chugging the milk.
“He’ll eat it all,” said the Colonel. “His abilities require more fuel than other people.”
“I must say, I’m used to a bit more interest when people meet me.”
“I doubt he really understands the position and prestige of higher military ranks. Plus, considering he’s stronger than an army by himself and is truly giving everything he must protecting people, it’s better not to burden him with it. Let him focus on his pursuits since they might be what stands between us and the invaders.”
“Is it really that dire? My husband is torn between not believing it and doing everything he’s able to, just in case.”
“I guess we’ll know in a few days,” the Colonel answered. “Adam, how bad was today?”
Adam didn’t acknowledge them, attention seeming focused on his food, but then four screens appeared in the air. They each showed Adam and the soldiers entering the final cavern from different angles. Their fight with the 50 Terrenidons went by easily and then the Feral Behemoths came out.
Elouise and the Colonel gasped as they watched the soldiers thrown around and Adam struggle at the beginning of the fight. Elouise looked at Adam with horror when she saw the claw stab through him and almost cheered as he fought his way off it. The Colonel made a retching noise when Adam drank the blood of one of his soldiers, an angry glare directed at Adam.
They had gotten to the part where Adam was carrying the healers when suddenly the images cut out. Adam stopped eating and looked at the door right as it snapped open. His mom rushed through it and ran to Adam. She ignored all the filth on him and hugged his head, tears in her eyes.
“Adam, are you ok?”