You have upgraded Ghost’s draining bite ability to improved draining bite. The second tier of this ability allows your familiar to leech 30% of the damage she inflicts from a single bite attack, restoring her own health in the process. You and Ghost have 59 of 65 Magic ability slots remaining.

Upgrade complete. Class points remaining: 5.

Ghost’s Class has advanced to rank 9.

After advancing Ghost’s death magic ability, I turned my attention to my own progression. The first order of business was spending the six attribute points I had accrued over the last few days.

Your Dexterity has increased to rank 116. Other modifiers: +24 from items.

Your Mind has increased to rank 126. Other modifiers: +12 from items.

I split the points evenly between Mind and Dexterity, not-so-coincidentally increasing my available slots in each to fifteen—the exact number needed to advance a master-tiered ability to elite.

So… am I ready for more elite abilities?

To answer the question, I called up the relevant extracts from my player profile.

Status of Dexterity abilities (101 of 116 slots used)

Elite abilities (not eligible for upgrade): backstab, vanish.

Master abilities (not eligible for upgrade): whirlwind.

Expert abilities: set trap.

Advanced abilities: piercing strike, trap disarm, lockpicking.

Basic abilities: crippling strike (can’t be upgraded).

Status of Mind abilities (111 of 126 slots used)

Master abilities (not eligible for upgrade): windborne, enhanced reflexes, shadow blink, quick mend.

Master abilities (eligible for upgrade): mass charm, astral shurikens, fortified mind.

Basic abilities: stunning slap (can’t be upgraded).

I sighed. Sadly, my sole master-tiered Dexterity ability—whirlwind—couldn’t be advanced, since its governing skill—two weapon fighting—hadn’t reached tier five yet. Nonetheless, I had another Dexterity ability in urgent need of attention: set trap.

The scoundrel wristband I’d looted from the Blade Haiken was able to deploy tier four traps, something I myself was incapable of doing just yet. If I wanted to utilize the item properly, improving set trap was necessary.

Taking an upgrade gem in hand, I did just that.

You have upgraded your set trap ability to greater set trap. This ability allows you to deploy tier 4 traps. Additionally, it increases the effectiveness of your traps, enhancing their range, strength, and concealment. You and Ghost have 10 of 116 Dexterity ability slots remaining.

That takes care of Dexterity.

Turning my attention to Mind, I considered the three abilities ready for improvement: mass charm, astral shurikens, and fortified mind. Which to advance?

Not mass charm, I decided immediately.

Given my recent acquisition of blood puppet, I had an overabundance of mental domination abilities right now, which meant mass charm could wait. And as much as I wanted to upgrade astral shurikens, tending to my mental defenses had to be my first priority. Especially, considering that I would soon be facing a telepathic stygian Power in the form of a void tree.

Crushing another upgrade gem in my hand, I saw to the ability’s advancement.

You have upgraded your fortified mind ability to impregnable mind, transforming your consciousness into a veritable fortress. The fifth tier of this spell is a passive variant that requires no active intervention on your part and ensures your consciousness is always protected, even when you are asleep. It consumes no psi except when repelling hostile attacks.

You have 0 of 126 Mind ability slots remaining.

A slow grin spread across my face as I felt the new spell take effect. It required no casting and felt less like a spell and more like a… permanent buff.

Impregnable mind is active.

“Excellent,” I murmured as I rose to my feet. I was ready as I could be for the next few weeks. It would not be easy, I knew. Not only would I be entering Nexus, the beating heart of the Game, but I’d also be going up against five stygian Powers.

If I succeed though…

If I succeeded, if I somehow managed to do everything needed—without suffering any misadventures, I thought wryly—then the future of the Forerunners would be secured, and come what may, the faction’s people, my people, would be safe.

Swinging around, I turned my back on the tundra and headed into the den. It was time to rouse the others and get started.

Support the author by searching for the original publication of this novel.

✵ ✵ ✵

You have lost a Blood Talisman and a small bag of hiding containing 100 possessed finger bones.

A few hours later, my human companions, Ghost, and I were gathered at the portal to the nether-infested sector. The wolves had opted to stay at the den where it was warm, and I didn’t blame them. I had made sure to leave the House’s most prized possessions in their keeping as well.

“You three ready?” I asked.

Nyra, Terence, and Teresa nodded, the latter two bouncing on their feet.

Ignoring the twins’ excitement, I performed one last check on the trio’s gear. Nyra had the longbow quaker strapped across her back and the elite poisoning kit concealed somewhere about her person.

Terence was in his old armor. Malikor’s legendary armor was too distinctive to wear around other players, and the young swordsman had wisely left it behind. He had, however, seen fit to bring along the mirror shield.

Teresa’s garb was just as subdued as her brother’s. She carried two rank six items on her person—icefang and healer’s friend—but I could see no sign of either.

“Perfect,” I pronounced. “You three look like just about any other party of young players I’ve come across.”

“Not quite,” Safyre murmured, her gaze resting on quaker and the mirror shield. “It’ll be clear to anyone who thinks to look that you three have powerful backers, but that’s not a bad thing.”

Terence smirked. “Little do they know how powerful.”

“Still, it’s best you don’t attract any undue attention,” Adriel warned. “Most players are opportunistic by nature and absent benefactors—no matter how powerful—will not stop them from taking advantage of any weakness they sense.”

“Adriel’s advice is sound,” I added. “Make sure you heed it.”

The trio nodded again, more grimly this time.

“Good. Then there are just two last things to see to,” I said and waved Nyra forward.

Looking puzzled, my apprentice approached slowly.

“I have one more gift for you,” I said by way of explanation as I laid my hand on her shoulder. Closing my eyes, I willed my intent to the Game.

Commander ability triggered.

Do you wish to pass on the blood puppet memory to your follower, Nyra?

“Yes,” I said aloud.

Analyzing player…

…

…

Analysis complete.

Nyra carries a major wolf bloodline strain that is as yet unawakened, and you may bequeath her with a less powerful variant of the blood memory. Do you still wish to proceed?

Willing my answer to the Game’s query, I waited.

Nyra has been awarded the ability: enslave (lesser). As a weaker variant of blood puppet, this blood memory will allow your follower to permanently enslave a single non-player subject whose level is equal to or lower than her own. This spell will only remain active while your follower and the dominated subject remain in the same sector.

Note, in the event that your follower binds herself to a bloodline other than Wolf, she will lose access to this blood memory.

I released my apprentice’s shoulder, and she staggered back, her eyes wide with shock.

“Use it wisely,” I replied in response to her look. “The blood spell should benefit you greatly in the dungeon, especially if you dominate the right creature.”

“Thank you,” she murmured.

“Now for the last thing,” I said. Retreating a few steps, I nodded jerkily in Adriel and Safyre’s direction. “Hit me.”

Adriel’s lips twitched. “You’re going to have to step further back than that.”

“Give him some space,” Safyre said, addressing the others.

The rest of my companions backed away hastily.

Adriel looked me questioningly. “Ready?”

I braced myself. “Go for it.”

The lich gestured to Safyre. “You first.”

“I’ve been dying to see how this works,” the aetherist murmured. Before I could reply, she flung up her wands then brought them crashing down.

Safyre has cast furious storm.

In response, the clouds roiled into sudden turmoil, the air crackled with static, and flashes of light rent the darkening sky. Then a bolt sizzled downward, striking the ground mere inches away.

You have passed a magical resistance check! Safyre has failed to stun you.

A lightning bolt has injured you.

I flew backward, my limbs trembling, and my thoughts befuddled as a result of the violent charge coursing through me. The bolt, though, was only the first of many.

A second, a third, and a fourth followed in its wake. Then dozens more.

A lightning bolt has injured you.

A lightning bolt has injured you.

…

Void thief triggered!

You have acquired the area-of-effect spell furious storm (stolen) and will retain memory of it for the next 16 hours.

Furious storm (stolen) is a tier 5 spell that rains down destruction in a circle 50 yards in diameter for 30 seconds. All entities in the target area will be randomly struck by lightning, and may be stunned, dazed, or killed outright.

Void negate activated! You are immune to furious storm for the next 16 hours.

Gingerly, I picked myself up, ignoring the lightning still falling all around me.

“Impressive,” Safyre murmured, watching me dusting myself off.

“Wild,” Terence yelled, his eyes shining.

“Wow,” Teresa exclaimed, for once at a loss for words.

“Psychotic,” Anriq murmured under his breath. “That’s what it is.”

I threw them a lopsided grin. “It’s all that and more, but believe me, it still hurts. I feel like I’ve been stomped on—repeatedly.”

“A small price to pay for such a powerful ability,” Adriel rejoined unsympathetically.

I chuckled. “Perhaps.”

Adriel raised her arm. “My turn.”

I held up my hand. “One second, let me secure the spell.”

You have successfully stored the furious storm spell in the ring, mage’s surprise.

You have fully restored yourself with quick mend.

I straightened. “I’m ready.”

I barely got the words out before streams of black smoke spewed out of Adriel’s mouth to envelope me in their dark embrace.

A noxious vapors spell has injured you.

You have failed a magical resistance check! You are rotting (health decaying at 10% per second). Duration: 5 seconds.

“Wow,” I muttered. I’d suffered under the effect of the selfsame spell the first time Adriel and I had met. Only then, it had just grazed me. This time, the damage was much worse, and in no time at all, my mana pool shrank as it fought to protect me.

Void thief triggered!

You have acquired the channeled spell noxious vapors (stolen) and will retain memory of it for the next 16 hours.

Noxious vapors (stolen) is a tier 6 spell that decays the flesh of all living entities to feel its touch. The health of every target subjected to the spell will decay at a rate of 10% per second for 5 seconds. Note, each subsequent touch from the vapors will increase the duration of the spell’s debuff.

Void negate activated! You are immune to noxious vapors for the next 16 hours.

Stolen spell limit reached. You have lost knowledge of the tier 5 spell, furious storm.

“Well,” I remarked as nonchalantly as I could while still reeling on my feet. “Now, I’m ready.”

Adriel rolled her eyes, not impressed by my bravado. “Heal up and follow us through.” Marching forward, she entered the portal.