He watched his father’s caravan leave from the palace promenade, his heart aching. It had been a bittersweet night, filled with laughter, tears, and a shouting match over who had won monopoly after a three-hour marathon.
But despite the pain in his chest, he felt lighter than he had in months. Him and his father had finally drained the poison from their relationship, laying the groundwork for a long-distance healing process that would admittedly take time, but was poised for success.
Tania stood at his side, turning her body away to hide the tears streaking down her face. He caught glimpses of her hand flashing up to clear the evidence before she turned back as if nothing had happened.
As for him, there were no more tears to spill. In fact, he was surprised by the fact that he wasn’t even sad. He would miss his father—that was undeniable—but the marked improvement in their relationship was too much for him to feel anything but overwhelming joy and contentment.
What was there to be sad about? His team was assembled, his warehouse farm finally getting off the ground. He had portal magic waiting to be explored, an E-Grade Skill that he would catalog with a few days of work, and Physical Attributes ready to push into the next stage. Though his father was disappearing into the distance, the yawning void that had once existed between them now felt filled with love and understanding.
The only thing that ate at him, the one aching pain he couldn’t shake no matter how strong or skilled he became, was the question of his mother.
But even that problem had a clear path to a solution; he simply had to find and decode her roses. Perhaps his catharsis wasn’t around the corner, perhaps it was even months or years away. He would learn patience—had to. If he remained patient, diligent in his cataloging, and stayed true to his Quests, eventually he would learn the truth.
These thoughts steadied him as his father disappeared into the distance and a soft smile touched his lips.
“You okay?” Tania whispered, leaning into him.
He glanced down at her, his smile widening.
“I am. For the first time in a long time, I feel…okay.” He felt the pull of his magic, the sensation that with a twist of his aura, he could part space. The power of that potential thrilled him. His eyes traced up to the horizon, feeling the limitless possibilities at his fingertips. “I’m more than okay, I think.”
He felt her eyes on him and he looked back down. She was searching his face, her brow furrowed—perhaps unconsciously.
“What?” he prompted, lightly bumping her arm. “You look like I just told you I’m about to jump over this railing.”
She snorted, looking off. “I’ve half a mind to throw you over myself.”
He didn’t take her words to heart, recognizing something churning underneath the surface of her brash exterior. Rather than fill the silence, he waited for her to say what she was really thinking. He could see her chewing her inner cheek, her jaw muscles clenching and unclenching fitfully. After a handful of seconds, she looked up at him.
“It’s just not fair.” Her tone was all fire. “You just get your dad back and before you even blink, he’s gone again.” Softer, laced with pain now. “He should’ve fought harder to stay.”
Terry settled back, everything making sense. She was projecting, in a way. Her parents were gone by no choice of their own, dead and buried after saving her life. While Terry’s parents had both seemingly made a conscious choice to leave him. He had come to terms with his father’s reasoning—Wichita’s people hung in the balance. And though he didn’t understand what had happened to his mother, he wasn’t willing to write her off without all the facts.
His reconciliation with this must have seemed so alien to Tania, too understanding, perhaps.
“Tania.” She looked away and he knew she was fighting back more tears. “Hey, come on, now.” He put an arm over her shoulders, pulling her in tight. “We’ve got each other, yeah?” She glanced up at him, rolling her eyes. “That’s the spirit.” He gave her a light hip bump, which she returned twice as hard. With a laugh, he shook his head. “Come on, let’s go. I have something I want to show you.”
Her head cut back toward him, but he purposefully ignored her questioning look, turning to leave the promenade. Crunch was waiting by the palace entrance and Terry waved toward the ghoul.
“Prince okay?”
He nodded, affecting a smile. “I’m good, Crunch. You okay?”
Crunch’s single eye blinked a few times, a look of confusion perhaps. “Prince okay, Crunch okay.”
Terry slapped the ghoul’s shoulder and turned to see Tania following with a confused look. “Both of you come with me. I have a little secret I want to share.”
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“What in the Underworld.”
Tania gasped as they entered the warehouse. Dalton had dropped them off a few blocks away at Terry’s behest and the three of them had entered from the side door. Crunch remained stoic at his side, but Tania was twirling in a quick circles, taking in the wide open space with a disbelieving expression.
She did another spin, then whirled on Terry.
“What is this?”
Terry laughed at her open-mouthed surprise. “This? This is my hydroponic farm.” He looked over to where Flore and her people were hard at work. “And there’s my team.”
“Wha-how?”
Before he could answer, Flore noticed them and her eyes lit up. She signaled the others and they all glanced over with various expressions. Despite his open smile and easy demeanor, he couldn’t help but notice some of them cast Crunch terrified looks.
“Hey all, come meet my friends,” Terry called out.
They approached cautiously, clearly waiting for Flore to take the lead. Vladimir was behind a set of racks and Terry noticed him watching through the metal girders.
“You, too, Vladimir.” Terry tried to keep his tone light—less commanding and more invitational. The man hesitated a moment, then put down the tools in his hand and approached.
Flore cast Tania and Crunch a friendly smile. “Hi, Terry. Who are your friends?”
“Crunch here has been my shadow for pretty much my whole life.” He couldn’t miss the wary glances the others cast the ghoul. His melted over eye and missing arm cast a terrifying visage he was sure. But the ghoul would win them over in time. It was Tania’s prickly nature that concerned him more. “And this is Tania. She’s a friend. She lives in the palace.”
Flore’s smile was in sharp contrast to Tania’s skeptical look. “Nice to meet you both! I’m Flore!” She indicated the others, pointing to each of them in turn. “This is Alan, Peter, Katie, Vlad, and Tristan.” Most of them waved shyly, though Vladimir just crossed his arms and set his lips. She turned back to Terry. “Are they joining the team?”
Tania cut across his forming reply. “Team?” Her gaze flicked across them before turning back to Terry. “What team? What is this, Terry?”
“It’s just what I said, Tania. This is a farm. Our mission and our name is Feed Wichita.” He waved toward the six Elementalists. “These are all specialists in light, plants, earth, or water. Silver helped me gather them and together we’re going to feed the city.”
She wrinkled her nose, obviously not quite buying the situation. Before she could speak though, Crunch’s grating voice echoed.
“Honorable. Wichita is hungry.” He turned toward Terry, his eye piercing. “Crunch is proud, my prince.”
An embarrassed smile touched his lips. “Thanks, Crunch. But it’ll have to be a team effort. I don’t know much about farming, so I’ll have to lean on the team for that—”
“I’ll say,” Tania interrupted. She waved a hand to encompass the space. “How long have you been at this? There’s no water system installed, rafters for lamps, a processing space, filtration system, or any of the basic infrastructure you’ll need to feed an entire city.” She nodded toward the Elementalists. “And where will they be sleeping, hm? How about a break room? Meals? Have you formed a shift sheet yet?”
The more Tania talked, the more shocked Terry became, his mouth hanging open.
“Well?” she asked sternly when he didn’t answer immediately.
“Uh, no, actually, I haven’t, uh—”
She nodded stiffly. “Okay, thank the Emperor you brought me in. I’ll help get you started—” She held up a finger in front of his face. “—but you’re gonna learn logistics if it’s the last thing you do.”
Flore snorted humorously and Tania turned to regard her with arched brow. She held up her hands under Tania’s piercing stare.
“Hey, keep doing your thing. I was gonna ask the prince much of the same. Was just waiting until things had settled a bit first.”
Tania shook her head, her lips pursed tight. “Planning isn’t Terry’s strong suit,” she said definitively. Her face softened a bit and she bit her lip. “Shoot, I’m sorry, Terry. I didn’t mean to take over like an ass. If you want me to step back—”
Terry shook his head violently. “No! Please, help me! I’m completely out of my depth.”
Vladimir scoffed at that, drawing Tania’s dark gaze like a crashing whip.
“Oh, and who are you, mister dark and brooding. Hm? Come on, step forward, show some balls.”
A condescending smirk crossed his face and he pushed past Tristan to approach Tania. Terry felt Crunch’s aura ask a question and he sent back a negative reply.
Ripping out the spine of their strongest Earth Elementalist on day two wasn’t exactly a formula for success…
“I am Vladimir Petronovich. But all you need know is I am a C-ranked Elementalist.” His chin reached up as he looked down on Tania. “From your aura, I determine you are—”
Tania cut across him with a dismissive wave. “Yeah, yeah, settle down sparky. Nobody cares. All we care about is what you can do. Okay, give me your names once more, followed by your specialty.” She pointed toward Flore. “Flore, right? What’s your—”
This story originates from Royal Road. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there.
Aura flexed among the group and Terry startled as the floor began to tremble. A quick opening of his senses led back to Vladimir and he felt his breath catch.
“How dare you disrespect me!” the man cried out. “You are nothing to me! I could bury you in a mile of stone while you wept for your mother!”
Crunch tensed at Terry’s side, preparing to lunge, his bone-claws extended like daggers. But as he prepared to leap, Tania put a hand on his arm, her expression unconcerned.
“My mother’s dead. So’s my father.” She eyed him casually. “Just as you’re about to be if you don’t smarten up. Release your magic or my undead friend here will fillet you like this morning’s catch of the day.”
Terry marveled at her steady tone, the steely look in her eyes. He turned back to Vlad to gauge the man’s reaction. He too appeared shocked by the girl’s words, his eyes flicking toward Crunch, his mouth trembling as if he were looking for the proper response.
Tania didn’t give him the respite he needed to think. She stepped forward until she was right before him, her posture rigid and controlled.
“I said drop your magic. Now.” Vladimir glared down at her, his aura still flexing around them. Without looking back, Tania addressed Crunch. “If he doesn’t release his magic in three seconds, please deal with him.”
“Of course, Tania.” Crunch’s voice was like two blades clashing, the impending violence palpable.
Tania arched her brow expectantly, her arms crossed, patient, unyielding.
Vladimir spluttered, his face contorting in rage.
“Three. Two…”
He growled in defiance, his eyes boring into her.
“One—”
“Fine!” The aura seeped back into his being, recalled in an instant. Before anyone could speak, he turned his back and marched off.
Tania watched him go with pursed lips, then turned to the other Elementalists.
“He always wound so tight?” she asked, her tone slightly mocking.
The group shared a nervous chuckle; they’d felt the power brewing beneath their feet. Vladimir was the strongest among them besides Flore and they clearly didn’t have any intention of challenging that fact.
Flore clicked her tongue in displeasure, turning toward Terry.
“That’s not the best way to handle him. He doesn’t respond well to being forced into submission.”
Terry couldn’t disagree, but the man had pushed the limits multiple times now. Before he could come to Tania’s defense, she was shaking her head.
“No, you’re right. He won’t respond well to anything.” She turned toward Terry. “We should cut him loose if we can. He’ll just start trouble and Crunch won’t always be here.”
“I can manage him,” Flore said. “But we shouldn’t push him like that unless we want trouble.”
“Ain’t gonna get walked over here neither,” Tania shot back. “He wants to try and flex on me, he better be the strongest person in the room, ya hear?”
Flore sighed, watching Vladimir in the distance. “I hear you. Let’s just…try not to antagonize him. Please?”
Tania’s tone softened and she cast Terry a regretful look. “Ain’t gonna pick no fights neither.”
He looked between Flore, Tania, the others, and forced on a cheer he didn’t feel.
“Come on, guys. Let’s not get down. Looks like we just acquired our new logistics manager.” He indicated Tania with a nod. “She’s a go-getter, so rest assured you’re in good hands.”
“What about you, Pri—er, Terry?” Alan asked.
“Me? I’m afraid I’m useless when it comes to this stuff. I’ll be in the office practicing my Skills. But come find me if there’s anything you need that Tania can’t help with.”
She cast him an annoyed look. “Excuse me? When did I sign up as office manager, hm?”
Terry gave her a chagrined smile. “I mean, I could do it. But you’re just so much more qualified and—”
“Save the shit.” She rolled her eyes and cracked her neck. “Go, then. I’ll make sure they’re in good hands.”
Before he could respond, she was already indicating the others and demanding their powersets. Terry hesitated a moment, wondering if he should give any parting words, but Tania was already full steam ahead. Flore gave him a soft shrug, which he returned with a smile.
Crunch followed him toward the office and his aura preceded him. He’d taken to questing his aura around himself when he moved, using it like a sixth sense to feel around corners, identify other’s emotions, and just improve his use of it overall.
Still, he hadn’t expected the notification that rolled into view as he crested the stairs leading up to the office.
Aura Projection: E6 → E7
Aura Control: E7
Aura Perception: E8
Presence Average: E7
He paused, his foot stopped in midair.
“My prince?” Crunch asked softly.
“Nothing.” Then louder. “Nothing, Crunch. Just an aura thing.”
I can’t believe it. Just exercising my aura has me leveling it up.
He was marveling at that fact, his attention pulled to the notification as he opened the office door. So he didn’t notice Silver lounging back on the couch at first. It was Crunch’s subtle twitching of his aura that pulled Terry’s eyes up.
“Hey, kid.” Silver sat up, a soft smile on his face. “Heard your dad left already.”
The reality of that statement would have rattled him earlier, sent him into a sad place that he would have been forced to crawl out of. But now, it was just a fact he had to deal with.
“Yeah, he did. It’s what’s best for Wichita.”
Silver nodded slowly. “That’s a very mature outlook.”
He shrugged. “Is what it is, you know? We lose Topeka and all of this is for nothing. People will be starving before we even get off the ground floor.”
“Very true,” Silver said. The corner of his lip turned up coyly. “So…interested in picking up where we left off?”
Terry tilted his head in surprise. He’d been distracted enough not to be constantly thinking about hitting the E-rank. But he couldn’t say it wasn’t near the top of his list either.
“I would love to, but…you sure you have the time?”
Silver chuckled. “For my only grandson? If I ain’t got time for you, then who do I got time for?” He stood up, approaching Terry and Crunch. “Plus, I want you stronger. I’ll have to come and go, and knowing you’re just that much stronger will help put me at ease a bit.”
Terry considered that point. Hitting the E-grade, being able to move metal with his aura, expanding on his portal Skill—it was all so much to do and yet…there was also so much potential, too.
“Hell yeah, let’s do it then!”
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Days went by and without his father around, he quickly discovered that other than Crunch, Silver, and Whipvine, there weren’t many people concerned with his day-to-day affairs. So long as he hit his daily physical training with Whipvine, no one bothered him about where he was or what he was doing.
There was the looming session with the Iron Maiden next week, but even that didn’t trouble him much.
He was able to pit his entire focus on solving Silver’s Metal Telekinesis Skill, running his mind over the dizzying layers until he was dreaming about them in the scant few hours his grandpa forced him to sleep.
On the fifth day after his Awakening, it all clicked into place, the complicated symbols of his grandpa’s genetic material slotting into the Skill’s mold with practiced ease.
Genetic-Metaphysical component cataloged…
New Skill Cataloged: Metal Telekinesis (E)
Error. No appropriate Affixation slots available.
Quest Complete: [Assimilate Powers]
Catalog and assimilate an E-grade or higher Skill
Reward: E-rank
E-rank achieved! Status Sheet updated!
He was practically holding his breath as the notifications rolled in. With a thought, he opened his Status Sheet, focusing only on the parts that had changed since he last looked, including the Physical gains he’d acquired from body tempering with Silver when he was taking a mental break from cataloging.
Status Sheet
Class
Alterant (F → E)
Skills
Metaphysical Analysis (F → E)
Genetic Analysis (F → E)
Genetic-Metaphysical Affixation (F → E)
Affixation Slots
Slots: 1 → 2 (F)
Slot 1: High-Efficiency Matter Transportation
Slot 2: Free
Slots: 1 (E)
Slot 1: Free
Attribute Ranks
Physical Average: F4 → F5
Strength: F4 → F5
Speed: F5
Toughness: F4 → F6
Perception: F3 → F5
Presence Average: E7 → E8
Aura Projection: E7 → E8
Aura Control: E7 → E8
Aura Perception: E8
Mental Average: F1 → F2
Chronoception: F1 → F2
Visual Processing: F1 → F3
Auditory Processing: F1 → F2
Public Information
Name: Terry
Class: Alterant (Hidden)
Overall Rank: F → E (Hidden)
Attribute Ranks: (Hidden)
He didn’t feel a rush of power enter his body or some demarcation to indicate that he’d just ranked up. But he did feel the Affixation slots that came with the E-rank and he marveled at the sensation.
His portal Skill had shifted, focusing down into his left hand, creating a miniature form of the aura Affixation there. With a flex of that particular section of aura, he could feel his control over space and manipulate it with just his hand. His other hand felt bare, like a blank slate ready to be written upon.
And somehow, he knew that the center of his being, the bulk of his aura, was reserved for that E-grade Skill. The more he focused on it, the more clear the arrangement became.
My aura isn’t enough to accommodate all three slots across my entire body. The System arranged my hands for the F-grade Skills and the rest of my aura for the much more intensive E-grade Skill.
“You did it, didn’t you?” Silver asked beside him on the couch. “Your aura feels different—sharper, more refined.”
A big grin filled Terry’s face. “I did it.”
Silver’s own matching smile formed. “Well, don’t leave me hanging, kid! Let’s see what you can do!”
He focused his intent on his cataloged Skills, feeling the configuration of their specific auras like a template in his mind.
Affixation available. Affix?
He confirmed the prompt with a thought and a jolt of electricity coursed through his body. His aura shifted and bucked and twisted against his will, causing a burning pain that sucked the breath from him. Arching his back, he let out a wordless cry, the pain flashing nearly as bright as when he had done his first body tempering session.
Then, only a few minutes later, it was done. He felt the change in his aura, subtle, but powerful. He looked over to see Silver’s eyes narrowed in concern. Smiling, he stretched his muscles and focused his mind. With a thought, his aura reached out and snatched the metal pen from the desk. The effort to lift it was easier than he had thought and he zipped it through the air like a hummingbird. But as it reached across the room, the strain grew to match the distance. He brought it back with a full-throated laugh, reveling in the newfound power.
“It’s intoxicating, isn’t it?” Silver asked.
Terry didn’t respond right away; there was something niggling at the back of his mind, some untapped potential waiting to be unleashed. With a concentration of will, he split his attention, lifting his left hand to coax space apart. Slowly, gently, a gap appeared, followed shortly by a second portal across the room. Keeping his attention tight, he angled the pen with his mind, throwing it across open air until it flew into the first portal. The pull on his aura intensified as the mass entered, then released once it exited out of the second portal.
The pen crashed against the far wall, transporting thirty feet across the room in a blink.
Silver’s eyes were wide, staring at the still open portals, then down where the pen lay inert against the floor.
“Oh, hell, son. You’re going to be a goddamned force of nature.”
Terry could only laugh, reveling in the power and potential.
There was so much to learn, so much I still needed to explore. But the future looked bright, my power growing steadily. And the possibilities…well, they appeared endless.
End of Part Two