On July 12th, 2007, over four hundred thousand objects from the far reaches of the Kuiper belt crossed into Earth’s orbit. The debris cluster ranged in objects from several meters in diameter to asteroids over 100 meters in diameter. Under most circumstances, such a sudden introduction of new objects to the inner solar system would be detected immediately. However, the events leading up to a world-shaking cataclysm are never ordinary or commonplace. Many events with very small likelihoods had to coincide in a specific order one after another. On June 28th, 2007, Earth experienced a moderately severe flare. While there was only moderate damage caused to most of the global electronic infrastructure, the sensitive instruments used for monitoring the heavens did not fare so well. The solar event poked countless holes in Earth's asteroid detection measures. In addition, the debris field was filled with objects composed of an extremely porous mineral with a very low albedo. In other words, they absorbed light extremely well, and their irregular shapes helped scatter light. Not only were they hard to see, the objects were very fast, which made them even harder to notice. By the time any organization with any power noticed the debris, it was too late. The debris field collided with Earth on July 29th. For several hours, Earth was bombarded by space rocks. The initial impacts killed nearly a million, becoming one of the worst natural disasters in modern history. Never in history had so many humans ceased existing in such a short period. There were an estimated 70 impacts from asteroids over 20 meters in diameter. Of the worst were LA, and Beijing.
The core of every asteroid contained a single egg. The eggs hatched when blasted with enough kinetic energy, and infrared radiation. From the eggs hatched the first scourge. They started from the size of a cockroach but were able to absorb the energy from any carbon-based life form. With biological technology far beyond anything described by science, the first scourge tore holes in reality. And for some reason, humanity collectively agreed to call these reality tears Gates. The first scourge was eventually called the Originals. Only the originals could self-replicate, create gates, and absorb life force itself. From within the smoldering craters, the originals created the first gates. The hellish creatures released were incredibly resilient. Modern weaponry was very inefficient at overcoming the regeneration of the scourge. As long as there was living tissue to consume nearby, the scourge could regenerate. In just under two weeks, nearly 130 million were wiped out. California was reduced to a dead wasteland, while Beijing became a rubble pile. The meteor shower that besieged Earth was fittingly named Pandora’s Rain.
On the 16th day, the UN was approached by seven deities. They oddly named themselves the Languor Pantheon. Each deity possessed immense power but refused to use it to directly fix the problem because of some divine regulation bullshit. Instead, they offered to give select humans a minuscule fragment of their divinity to create heroes. The US government offered to help develop a more efficient way to harness the immense power of divinity, but the gods immediately refused, stating, “Nah, this shit is way more badass bruh.” The deities allied themselves with various countries to create as much strife as possible because they’re assholes. The first humans blessed by the gods received the most power and were named The Seven. But quickly had to change it after receiving a complaint from Dynamite Entertainment. All seven members died heroically in one cool battle or another and might be referenced later in the story.
After signing some last-minute paperwork, Steve left with Randal to the coast. One of the main hubs of para-human activity on the West Coast was a small coastal town called Seabrook. There was nothing remarkable about the town itself. It just happened to be the closest settlement on the West Coast to Citadel Horizon. Citadel Horizon, also simply known as The Island, was an artificial island built immediately after Pandora’s Rain as the potential last bastion of humanity. Most paragons preferred to live off-island. Instead, opting to live close by, or near other hubs. Randal was the same, simply stating that it was “Fuckin’ ugly”.
Steve stepped out of Randal’s 1986 Camaro that was parked in the driveway. The drive from the Para-Human Medical Center in Seattle to Seabrook had taken over four hours. Steve was ready to stretch his legs. In front of him loomed an old two-story house. Its pea-green paint was peeling from the salty breeze of the ocean, while brown wood peered through the gaps in the paint, like mange. There were several cars parked in front of the house, as well as a bike leaning on the front porch railing. It looked like an old farmhouse that never got renovated. Steve liked it.
“Welcome. Welcome to the Sea Men den,” Randal exclaimed jovially as they walked up the front steps. Randal said it so proudly that Steve wondered if he operated several levels of irony above him in a world where it was funny. It was that, or Randal was an idiot and had no idea. Steve couldn’t tell sometimes. Randal opened the door and Steve followed him inside. Steve was expecting a frat house but was pleasantly surprised by the orderliness of the interior. While it was clear that much of the interior furnishings were over a few decades old, it was charming and clean. On his right was the living area, with two couches arranged in an L shape and a TV. Straight ahead of him was an old wooden staircase that led to the second floor. To his left was the dining area and kitchen where someone was washing dishes.
“It’s… surprisingly clean…” Steve muttered.
“You betchyor ass it is!” A female voice shouted from the kitchen. Steve was taken aback, surprised at how she was able to hear him over the sound of the sink and the low volume of his voice. “I’m the only one who does any dishes around here,” She said begrudgingly, still scrubbing a plate in her hand. Cupboards opened with invisible hands, while the clean plates neatly stacked themselves.
“We appreciate your contributions immensely,” Randal said with a rehearsed corporate tone. It seemed he knew what to say. Steve was going to learn a lot from him. “That’s Rachel by the way. I’m going to have her teach you,” Randal said as he led Steve up the stairs.
“She seems… passionate,” Steve commented.
“Let me show you your room,” Randal said as he pointed down the hallway at the top of the stairs. The floor was bare hardwood that whined under the slightest pressure. Covering the walls of the hallway were dozens of pictures, mostly unframed. All of them included Randal, and a few other people Steve didn’t recognize. Randal opened the very last door in the hallway, revealing a bedroom. It was certainly bigger than the closet Steve was provided in Seattle. There was a proper queen-sized bed with actual bed covers, a closet, and a desk. The walls were plain white and all the furniture was a raw wood color. Steve held back tears of joy. He wasn’t paying $1500 a month for this, it was free. The westward window had a direct view of the ocean, although the beach was across the road.
“This is great, thanks a lot,” Steve said as he slung his backpack off his shoulder and onto the bed. He shoved his duffel bag into the closet to deal with later.
“Welcome to the team. I have a briefing. If you need anything, ask Rachel or something. Anyway, make yourself at home and explore the town’s rich culture,” Randal waved goodbye and swiftly left. “Also, dinner’s at 7!” Randal yelled down the hall.
For the first time in what felt like a while, Steve had time to do nothing. In reality, it had only been two days since he left the Yakima gate. Still, it felt like a lot had happened. Steve flopped backward onto the bed and sank into the soft duvet. The covers smelled clean and fresh, without the chemical scent of most detergents. Steve felt that he could eventually call this place home, unlike his Seattle penthouse. The team house had a cozy atmosphere, despite only two members being present. A sense of excitement for the future filled Steve, replacing his usual apathy and indifference. Steve cracked the window open and fell asleep to the sound of crashing waves.
Steve awoke to the boom of laughter in the dining room. The sun had set, and the sky was now a deep indigo. He opened his bedroom door and was immediately greeted by the fragrance of freshly baked bread. As the teens said, the vibes were immaculate. Steve descended the creaky stairs and found Randal chatting with another man on the bottom step. The two quickly turned around.
“Ayyy, Steeeeve. This is my boy, Mateusz,” Randal exclaimed as he slapped the other man on the back. Mateusz was a serious-looking man. He looked to be in his late twenties but had salt-and-pepper hair. It was no doubt from the extreme stress of his occupation. The corners of his mouth were turned up in a slight smile, but Steve could see the hardness of battle in the man’s eyes. This guy fucks. Steve made a mental note to not mess with him. Steve introduced himself to Mateusz and quickly found out he was from Poland. He only had a very slight Polish accent that sounded quite badass in Steve’s opinion. They seemed to get along pretty well.
“Rach, you know where Keith is?” Randal shouted to Rachel who was impressively still in the kitchen. She was currently levitating a pot, while a floating spoon mixed its contents. All the while she was measuring what looked to be vanilla extract.
“No idea. Shut up, I’m busy,” She shouted back tensely. Steve noted she must be using a ton of concentration to perform all three tasks at once. Steve watched in awe from the stairs as she perfectly multi-tasked. She could no doubt multi-cast. Steve was beginning to get the impression that despite being the same age as her housemates, she was the caretaker of all the bachelors. He decided that he would help her out as much as he could to get on her good side. Being on the good side of a powerful mage was never a bad idea.
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The front door was flung open and a large man burst in carrying four six-packs of beers. He had short brown hair and the build of a lineman.
“Guess who got BEER!” He roared. While he was no Kingsley, the man had a massive presence. A spoon shot across the kitchen, over the dining table, before whacking the beer guy in the head.
“Inside voice, Keith!” Rachel shouted. Yep, she’s the caretaker. Randal and Mateusz snickered as Keith wiped the sticky dough from the spoon off of his forehead.
“I got BEER!” Keith said in an exaggerated whisper as he began to hand out cans to Randal and Mateusz. “This the new guy?” Keith asked.
“Keith, meet Steve. Steve, this is Keith. He’s our tank. You can hit him as hard as you want,” Randal added.
“Just not the balls,” Keith corrected. Keith had to weigh almost 160kg, and he looked to be over two meters tall.
“I thought your team had five members?” Steve asked. All the pictures had five members, and it was also the standard for a party.
“Oh, Penny is overseas right now,” Keith said. “She’s got giant knockers,” Keith giggled as he whispered into Steve’s ear. It seemed evident that Keith had consumed a beer or three on his way back from the store.
“Hey!” Randal shouted playfully.
“Randal and Penny are dating,” Keith whispered again, like a gossiping middle-schooler. Steve already felt like he fit in. Keith handed Steve a beer, but he declined.
“Can’t drink yet, only 20,” Steve said regretfully.
“Hm, good point,” Keith disappeared down the downstairs hallway and reappeared a few moments later with a sharpie in his hand. He walked back up to Steve and wrote ROOT in big bold letters with Sharpie above the word Beer on the can. “Ok, should be good now,” Keith said as he stared shrewdly at the ceiling, and handed Steve the Root beer. Keith knew about them. The true gods didn’t like the glorification of drug use. Or encouraging underage drinking. Or any mentions of underage intercourse. Keith knew. Steve wasn’t one to question and took the root beer and shotgunned it with practiced form.
“Yeaaaah, Steve,” Keith shouted.
By the time dinner was ready, all four boys were thoroughly buzzed (Steve only drank root beer). Steve was happily talking Mateusz’s ear off about the origins of fractional reserve banking, and its influence on the modern global society. Mateusz nodded politely and interjected when appropriate. Meanwhile, Randal and Keith were having a heated 1v1 on the TV playing Smash Bros.
“Dinner!” Rachel called from the kitchen. Everyone suddenly snapped to attention and walked to the kitchen in an orderly manner. Steve followed suit. Rachel was the caretaker, which meant she was also at the top of the hierarchy. No one fucks with Rachel, got it. Dinner was a creamy beef and vegetable stew with freshly baked bread. The pot looked big enough to serve at least 15 people. Steve knew that paragons weren’t normal people though. Keith probably ate more than a horse, but everyone else was probably a little freaky in their ways.
Steve sat between Randal and Mateusz, while Keith and Rachel sat together alone on the other side of the table. He quickly found out that Keith and Rachel were together. From what he’d seen so far, she was the caretaker. But their dynamic was much different when they were sitting next to each other at the dinner table. They were high school sweethearts who had been stuck in the honeymoon phase for the better part of a decade. Keith’s rowdy behavior was neutralized by her presence. They took turns feeding each other, and all in all, were a wholesome couple. They were in their world together, despite the presence of three other people. Watching the two love birds made Steve a little happy. I gave up a long time ago, Steve thought to himself as he failed to recognize the fact he barely wasn’t a child anymore and didn’t have the life experience to comment on anything.
“What does this [Level up Available] thing mean?” Steve asked. “It’s been in the corner of my vision for two days, but I only remembered it just now.”
“Is that your first one?” Randal asked, surprisingly coherent. Six beers in, Randal’s cheeks were flushed, but he was able to keep it together at the table.
“Yeah, I got it after I killed those gray fuckers,” Steve responded, a bit tipsy himself (from root beer).
“Guys, hear this! Our recruit brutally killed three thrall with his bare hands at level 0! And then nabbed the gate crystal and saved his friend,” Randal almost bragged as he slapped Steve’s shoulder with the force of a sledgehammer.
“Damnnn, duude,” Keith said, impressed. Steve didn’t do well with attention and awkwardly chuckled. His question still hadn’t been answered.
“Do we finally have another frontliner?” Rachel asked neutrally. Steve didn’t get a good look at her until now. She had shoulder-length blonde hair and the muscular build of a UFC fighter. Her eyes were a dull turquoise like the ocean outside a hundred meters across the road. They held a calculating clarity with a commanding aura behind them that Steve had never seen before.
“He’s more of a mage type. Like you,” Randal said as he opened another beer. Steve stayed perceptive to Rachel’s demeanor towards him. “I was hoping you could take him under your wing,” Randal added. While Rachel was the commander of the house, Randal called the shots when it came to combat and teamwork. She nodded slowly, while in thought. She didn’t look opposed, but a little hesitant.
“Sure, why not,” Rachel smiled slightly.
“Steve, from now on, you must refer to Rachel as Her Supreme Highness,” Randal joked before taking another swig.
“Shut up, Randy,” Rachel retorted, “You can just call me Rach—,” Steve suddenly jumped up from his seat and bowed deeply. The root beer must’ve loosened some of his inhibitions.
“I am humbly honored to be allowed the opportunity to become your apprentice, Your Supreme Highness,” Steve said as seriously as he could. He was only half joking. He wanted to be on her good side after all. His performance garnered a laugh from the guys. Rachel sighed.
“Aha, the newbie has already figured out the hierarchy around here,” Mateusz laughed.
“Hey Randal, you never answered my question,” Steve noted. Perhaps now wasn’t the best time to ask technical questions.
“My bad, my bad. So, basically, uhh— blurrrrrrrrrrg,” Randal let out a herculean belch that shook the table. “Hey, how about you explain, Rach. You’re our magic nerd,” Randal said with slurred words. Rachel pinched her brow and sighed again.
“Do you remember getting a tattoo on your back when you became a paragon?” Rachel asked Steve.
“Yuh.”
“What am I saying, of course you do. So do you want the full explanation?” Rachel asked for confirmation. Steve sensed he was going get a wall of text thrown at his head.
“Yuh.”
“What makes us paragons special is the blessing we receive. The blessing makes us more resilient, stronger, faster, etc. It also attracts live mana. Whenever you kill anything alive, the mana in its system loses its anchor and dissipates. The GateOS system that comes with the blessing calls this energy XP,” Rachel explained. She talked at 500 words per minute and Steve could barely follow. She paused for a moment, letting it sink in.
“If I stab a squirrel, will I get XP?” Steve asked the most brain-dead question off the top of his head.
“Short answer, no,” Rachel answered curtly before continuing, “Anyway, your tattoo absorbs the mana from the scourge you’ve killed. It gets stored there like a battery. Your body doesn’t integrate it immediately. After you’ve accumulated a certain amount, GateOS gives you the option to [Level Up]. Basically, the system takes the accumulated mana you’ve absorbed and then blasts you with it. Each level-up guarantees a certain amount of enhancement to your body and mana circuits. But, it’s not very efficient. You end up losing quite a bit of mana, simply because you can’t absorb it quick enough,” Rachel almost sounded like an animal crossing character to Steve.
“So, should I hold off on ‘Leveling up’?” Steve asked. He still had no idea what to do, and he didn’t know how much more he could take.
“I’m getting there. Leveling up guarantees a 5-10% stat increase, which is pretty insane. We can somewhat rationalize how magic works, but this is even beyond that. The level-up is available once you’ve reached the XP threshold for your level. Over time, you’ll notice that your XP bar will go down, but the level-up option will still be there,” Rachel continued. Steve silently opened his status. She was right.
XP: 41/51
[Level Up Available]
Despite missing over ten XP, the option was still available. He was sure that he was over-leveled a couple of days ago too. If he remembered correctly, each thrall gave around 20 XP. And he killed three of them.
“Yeah, I’m missing 10 points. I thought I was over-leveled too,” Steve nodded.
“Over-leveled?” Rachel asked.
“My XP says 41 out of 51, but I’m pretty sure I got over 60 from the gate,” Steve explained, hoping he didn’t sound like a total noob.
“Christ, you’re a freak,” Rachel exclaimed. Steve raised an eyebrow at her remark. Meanwhile, the other guys were congregated around the TV playing Smash Bros. Steve didn’t know when they left, but it must’ve been when Rachel talked for several minutes straight without taking a breath.
“Your absorption rate is abnormally high. As you’ve correctly guessed, your tattoo doesn’t have a fixed capacity. GateOS won’t tell you how much you have in storage if it's over your level limit, but it’s still there. By the way, everything I’ve told you so far is common knowledge. I’m surprised no one has,” Rachel chuckled. Steve cursed Bernard and Weasel Guy. He hoped something bad would happen to them.
“What’s happening is you’re absorbing the mana surplus that’s stored in your tattoo. It’s very gradual, unlike leveling up, but you lose way less mana in the process. For most people, it’s so gradual it's not worth waiting longer than half a year. When I was level 0, it took me a week just to absorb 1 XP. From what you’ve told me, you’ve absorbed around 20 XP in two days,” Rachel nodded impressed. Steve pretended to understand.
“Can I still level up once the bar reaches 0 XP?” Steve asked. He still didn’t understand any of the significance of it. It seemed like not leveling up was usually better.
“Yes. GateOS deducts what’s essentially a tax on every unit of mana. This ‘tax’ is stored separately from everything else, so you can still level up even if you’ve absorbed your entire XP bar,” Rachel answered. She was indeed a magic nerd as Randal described. “It depends on the person, but about every 100 XP absorbed is the equivalent to a 0.5% increase in stats,” She continued. Steve was intrigued but also regretted taking the long version.
“So, there’s not enough increase that staying level 0 forever is more efficient, right?” Steve’s head spun.
“Correct. The level-up process is a kind of magic we human mages cannot comprehend. We have no idea how it provides such a rapid increase,” Rachel sighed. Steve sighed deeply inside. The pages and pages of info dumping were boring his brain to death. “What we’ve been talking about is one of the main reasons there are so few slayers. The line between wasting your time and rushing is very thin,” Rachel finished. She looked over to Steve, only to find him snoring while face down in a puddle of root beer.