---James---
James listened to the story this other ‘earthling’ or whatever they were calling themselves said – ‘travelers?’ that seemed dumb.
It started off with an introduction and brief description of commitment – Ralph claimed he was the strongest earthling he had met so far, because of one simple reason. Ralph managed to get nearly every single stat concentrated into one of his hands. His thumb and index finger had nearly 100 power stats on just them alone – when you considered the amount of strength a single power stat gave and then figured out what percentage of the body those fingers were and multiplied the stats effectiveness by that concentration percentage…
Committing like that and specializing to that degree came with a lot of firepower.
Ralph’s flicks were stronger than gun shots. He could flick pebbles that broke the sound barrier – the array of bodies in front of him were ‘proof’ of his strength.
After introducing himself, the main description started. James hadn’t asked for it, he didn’t want the help, but Ralph was here to do so anyways.
Apparently on one side of the ‘badlands’ – about fifteen miles in ‘that direction’ – there was a massive technological city. Steampunk and safe enough so long as you followed the laws and had money – even if you didn’t have money, if you had a decent amount of stats and could delve the dungeons it was a good place to go.
On the other side there was dozens of pocket territories – small villages of 30-3000 each led by a ‘mage king’. Safe so long as you followed the laws and didn’t antagonize their leaders.
And, ‘apparently’, breaking your skill – you know, the thing James hadn’t done yet – involved picking one of those two ‘sides’.
Breaking his skill by using ‘speed’ to make fire, or move light, or ‘something’…breaking his affinity by turning the energy that made up ‘speed’ into a different form or type of energy. That was the sort of break that would set him off on the ‘science side’.
Once he broke his skill, Aether would let him grow simply by pushing himself. It would be like working out – like turning his skill into a muscle in his body. Additionally it would let him use his ‘aether’ with items just so long as he did it right…not that James was sold on using anything but his own body to survive and fight. He wanted to be the weapon.
Breaking his skill by using ‘speed’ to slow down as the opposite…that would let him subscribe to the ‘magic side’. This side would let him grow by understanding his skill and himself. It would let him break physics easier if that’s what he cared about… but it would also restrict him in arbitrary ways.
This book is hosted on another platform. Read the official version and support the author's work.
“Okay, and tell me again why I can’t just pick both? This ‘picking a side’ isn’t really something I want to do. I don’t want to join a faction, I don’t want to belong to a group. How do I know you’re telling me the truth? How do you even know this? How long have you even been here and why do you know so much about two widely different areas?” James shot his questions one after another trying to pick Ralph apart. Trying to make him slip up.
“I’ve been here five days now – First off, the two sides are relatively close on this ‘side’ of the zone we are in – you just have to cross this badlands to reach the areas and not many can or are willing to risk it. The other direction is a long walk all the way around the ring – this ‘zone’ is shaped like a doughnut after all.”
…I think I remember seeing the edges of a curve on the map…that might check out.
…I still don’t know if I trust him. He’s being too nice – too helpful to a stranger. But maybe? No. definitely suspicious.
“And focusing on your first question. As far as I know you ‘have’ to pick a side. It's like your foundation – wide or tall, you have to pick one because picking both means you pick neither…”
“And if I don’t want to pick either side? Neither faction? You’ve only been here five days – are you really an expert?” James found himself responding then clamped his mouth shut.
The man paused then nodded.
“If you have a quest board free you can ask that I guess? Doesn’t hurt just to ask – see if you get a quest to pick both and not cripple yourself somehow.” He replied and James could tell he was making fun of him.
“I don’t – I used it back in the tutorial and we have to wait three weeks.”
Definitely just messing with me. I should go.
“Have you tried? How do you know three weeks hasn’t passed already? How long did you spend in the liminal space between the tutorial and here?” Ralph asked.
…was that possible? Was time just off?
“Quest: Break both factions” James tried.
There was a pause – he was nearly positive Ralph just wanted to make him look stupid and then suddenly the board shimmered into place.
Quest board: 'Break both factions'
Destroy what both sides have built up – smash everything in the science and magic sides of the zone. Reward: variable.
----------------------------------------
Aether spells and mana slots. Beat a true dragon to achieve your desired results.
----------------------------------------
Path of the paradox: Part (1). Learn exactly what it is you want. Requirements: Two unbroken skills. No broken skills. Knowledge of what Aether and Mana are. A push. Reward: Part (2).
James stared at the board. Dimly he could hear the man across from him talking. Asking if it had worked? Explaining what the options were again?
James was tired of being told what he ‘had’ to do. He was tired of being told what he ‘could’ or ‘couldn’t’ do. He had already gone over this – its why he was in the wilds alone. James wanted to stand on his own two feet. He wanted to be self-sufficient and never again rely on anyone else to exist.
…he was also, he had to admit. Curious.
James clicked the second option before the quest board disappeared and it was lost forever. His panel disappeared and with it the world around him shifted. In the moment everything blurred, James was nearly certain he saw Ralphs's face twist into an unnaturally big grin – his arm waving goodbye as he faded away.
…but the trees also appeared to have eyes and the sky was painted by a child, so it was all probably a hallucination.
…
James was going off to fight a dragon.