CHAPTER XI: TIME ACCORDS
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NIGHTINGDALE
COLONEL
Colonel turned back to the battle that had been quiet for three full days.
Olorun’s white halo helmet finished its transformation to full deep-space black. If someone would look close enough they would see a brand new galaxy being born in his helmet visor.
The Dragon’s eyes narrow at Olorun's ship. “You intend to run?” He asked incredulously.
“On the Phoenix’s perfect ass you will.” The Titan’s voice said just as another arrow screamed at Olorun’s ship.
Olorun sighed calmly as the projectile flew at him.
“REBOUND.”
The Jupiter-size arrow turned sharply and shot in the direction of the Dark elf who in all of the commotion had dropped his defensive shields.
Like Olorun, the Dark elf was an experienced fighter however, so he calmly reestablished his shields, only to watch them break in surprise as the combined power of the two beings affecting the arrow overcame his defense in an instant.
The dark elf loses a left arm as he dodged out of the way. The projectile continued pass. According to legend, it is still flying around the multi-universe with a grey arm attached to it.
The Dark elf screamed in pain.
The Titan broke her stealth in surprise and was staring daggers at Olorun. “How did you do that, bug?” The words were filled with vitriol.
“Until today no one had known of the Titan’s pride either.” The narrator stated.
“Bug?” Olorun asked with a smirk.
“Olorun stop playing around like a big cat!” Ala yelled looking at her moon.
“Ahh yes, mama.” He replied and calmed himself.
“OPEN”
Portals open in front of the seven remaining planets. The Celestials all change back to their globe form as they begin to retreat through the portals.
“You think you can escape.” The Titan in full pink glowing armor appeared next to Olorun swinging a dagger the size of Venus at him.
It bounced harmlessly off Ala’s shield as she moved to cover their retreat. A second dagger appeared in the Titan’s offhand as she pivoted to cut clean through Olorun's ship. Well, that's what she thought was going to happen by the vicious smile on her face.
Ala knew she wasn’t going to be able to save Olorun, even if she tried, which was why she wasn’t going to, he was cocky and defiant, but he was incredibly powerful. To the point that he even scared her.
Essences the color of gold built around his ship just as the dagger hit its shield shattering it like it was sugar glass. “Let there be light!” Eight cultivation rings became visible the minimum amount he needed to show to use the full power of this technique. Light exploded from him, and hit every ring getting bigger and faster, before the now massive light blast disintegrated the dagger and part of the Titan's arm.
She screamed in rage as her arm started to grow back at a ridiculous speed.
The dragon punched the Red planet away from the portal that she was trying to reach. Unfortunately, he had miscalculated where the portal for Ala was, and the Red Celestial used that opportunity to withdraw from the battle through Ala’s portal, which shrunk noticeably when the Red War planet went through.
Ala’s fleet made it to the portal seconds after the Red Planet.
The dragon hunted down and killed the Red Planet’s beast fleet. While Ala and Olorun’s ship fought the Titan when she finished regrowing her arm.
“You little worm, you think you can disrespect an elder, a titan of this universe like that? If I say...
“DIE!”
...you are supposed to fall over and die, how dare you defy your elders.” She yelled while swinging her dagger wildly at Ala’s shield as she defended backing up.
This wasn’t the first time she had tried to use a word of power on him, but it was the first time that the others had heard, and after being surprised at first, the dragon and Dark elf whose body was recovering, reevaluated the ship... and being helming it.
With a clearer mind than the prideful Titan, they assess the situation.
All of the surviving Celestials had escaped except for %$#*&^, and Ala the blue-green planet with her now pure white moon with still burning scars all over her surface.
BELL RING!
%$#*&^’s portal was shut down with a snap by a technique the dragon used when he saw her trying to use the Titan’s tantrum as a distraction to escape.
“No, you don’t.” He said content to let the others run. “We will find the others in time, but YOU must be punished for your part in this, and dear I say masterminding this failed coup d’etat. For that, you must be made an example of.” The dragon said still keeping an eye on the Titan, Ala, and Olorun fight.
The Dark Elf was so surprised he was hurt that he let the rest of the Celestials escape as well, and like what the Dragon had said was true, catching them was only a matter of time. There were only so many mana-filled universes that could sustain them. A crazy thought popped into his head. “No, they wouldn’t.”
“Yes, they are fools.” The Titan said finally getting herself under control. Her futile attacks do little against the Ala’s Shields.
Ala on the other hand was trying not to show her exhaustion. She had used almost all of her Source Energy defending Olorun’s shenanigans. But it was done she had done her part.
Without Source Energy, she will have to sleep for a few hundred million years to recover, better than the few billion that the red planet will have to sleep through. If she survived the next attack from the Titan that is.
The Titan stopped her swing and stood up straight. The fight finally left her as her shoulders visibly relaxed. She looked between Olorun and Ala.
“Ugh, bested by children.”
“LEAVE”
“Olorun said.”
“No, you don’t.” The dragon and Titan weren’t having it anymore.
“STAY”
To the judges’ surprise yet again, Olorun smiled. “Gotcha suckers!” He raised his eyebrows.
Ala and her moon disappeared, and the last portal slammed shut with a deafening...
BOOM!
“You saved your Celestial very honorable of you, bug.” The titan said. “I don’t know how you became so powerful, but we have locked down all spacial travel, good luck forcing your way out now.” She smiled viciously at the tall black man in an all-black outfit on an all-black ship staring back at her.
Olorun sighed, as his helmet disappeared and his white cultivator robes replaced his black armor. His disarming smile only made the situation more tense.
“How can he be so confident, everyone thinks.” The narrator stated. “It is rare for Elder immortal beings to feel fear, but they kept seeing things that just didn’t make sense with this human.”
“I am the Sage of Light and Life Olorun, and I have a message for you Judges to take back to the Source.”
“A sage, really?” The Titan dryly asked.
“Impossible.” The Dark elf said.
“I am hardly surprised anymore.” The dragon said. He gestured for Olorun to continue.
Olorun looked at all three judges as they maneuvered to block him in.
The night elf and the sky elf were still floating observing the craziness that had just occurred.
Finally, the planet that started it all was lost at the sheer audacity of them leaving her by herself.
Olorun nodded as he read something on his HUD with a serious smile.
“You think that you are free, you are not, your time is numbered. Your true immortal lives are numbered.” He started seriously. “The Alpha Phoenix will rise again, you thought she was gone forever, but you were wrong.” He said looking at the shocked faces of the judges.
“She will use the blood of another elder race to power the GREAT GAME as she has been doing when she returns. She has been powering it for the last eon. Another race must carry on her role now. Only the Elder races can power it. It seems your vacation has come to an end. The time of reckoning is among you, so prepare yourself because the winners will Live Well, and the Losers....” He said with a bow.
The three judges all stiffened as they heard the last words of Alpha Phoenix. “...the loser will DIE Free.” They say with respect as Olorun disappears with a respectful salute, surprising them, yet again.
The Titan recovered first, “Ugh, I must go inform my mistress.” She sighed heavily. “It would seem the Source War is officially on cease-fire.”
“What do you mean officially?” The Dark elf asked confused the war had been over since the Phoenix died.
“I had orders from the council to kill you both if I saw an opportunity. Then they were going to attack your main bodies while you were distracted. Me dying first probably ruined that plan anyway.” She said nonchalantly while putting away her dagger, bow, and arrows.
The Dark elf looked between her and the Dragon in a defensive stance.
The Dragon rolled his ocean-sized eyes at his fellow judges, he looked back at the space where the strange human had just disappeared from. “Well, this was a proper fucked, wasn’t it? Who the hell knew that these younger races were so dramatic, huh?” He said with a grin.
The Dark elf relaxed and eyed the Titan. “You're messing with us aren’t you?”
“Just you short stuff, just you.” The Titan smiled at him.
“Leave him alone, they don’t do jokes well. Plus they can’t lie so lying is foreign to them.” The dragon piled on.
The Dark elf ignored them, and turned to the planet. “%$#*&^ it is time for your sentencing.”
“Sentencing? Isn’t there supposed to be a trial before you can sentence me to anything?” The planet responded with indignation.
The Titan laughed at the tone. “Oh really, you don’t think that we as judges couldn’t be witnesses for the crime of the Epoch. You have been on trial the entire time. You chose to plead guilty.”
“You just chose the warrior trial.” The dragon added. “A trial by combat.”
“And you lost.” The Dark Elf finished.
“You did make a good point about Celestials not wanting to be part of the GREAT GAME. We will take that into consideration.” The Titan acquiesced. “Boys, shall we confer and see if we can agree on a plan of action to prevent this in the future?”
“I second that that.” Both Dragon and Dark Elf say in unison.
“Good, but first, let us get this sentencing over with.” The Titan said.
“Do your worst, in time I will escape as well.” The planet said defiantly.
“You are not the smartest are you?” The Dragon started. “I mean I really thought that you were the mastermind here. But every time you open your mouth, you condemn yourself more, and more why? Why?” He shook his massive head looking sadly at the Celestial.
“You think you can stop Divine Cultivators of time?” She said with a chuckle.
“We are aware of your ability to manipulate time and space it is why we had something made specifically for your kind.” The Dark Elf said.
“An item that can hold an elder race outside of the source good luck.” She responded smugly. She knew that even if she had failed it would only be a matter of time before she could get away from the bloodsuckers. She was immortal she had nothing but time.
“Yeah, what we had made is most definitely from the Source.” The Titan said.
The Planet slowed its lazy rotation at that statement. Having reverted back to its planet form to conserve energy, for what was to come next.
“W-what do you mean made in the Source? I thought items can’t be brought out of the Source.” She said with less confidence looking between the three for any signs of deception.
“That is usually true Old one, but materials from the source are all you need, and a Dwarven blacksmith with a few LAW level skills, techniques, and voila, an artifact.” The Titan replied.
“A-an Artifact grade item made outside of the source?” The surprise in her voice breaks her tough veneer.
“An Artifact is the highest grade of any creation that any professional cultivator can make. It can only be achieved by the Authority realm or above Cultivators in a world that had already gone Runic. Only Runic and above items can even be Artifact grade. All Artifact grade creations level up over time.” The narrator explained.
She was worried, a few thousand years is one thing, but even a RUNIC item will hamper her ability to escape for at least seven thousand years, but she could manage after that time. A MYSTIC item will be more like one hundred thousand years. Her musings were broken when the Titan spoke next.
“The materials we brought back with us were MYSTIC grade.” The words the Titan said were simple, but the feat was anything but.
“If the base materials were Mystic then the finished product would have to be at least Mystic, unless the creator was incompetent, and judging from who she was dealing with, there was no way they would have someone incompetent create it. Also, there were very, very few incompetent Dwarven blacksmiths.” The narrator continued.
“I-impossible.” The planet paled.
The dragon looked at her with a sarcastic look.
“Are you really that surprised?” He said. “We witnessed a human deflect an Elder's attack into another Elder. In hindsight, we shouldn’t have been so surprised.” He said looking at the Titan
This narrative has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road. If you see it on Amazon, please report it.
She ignored his look. “Yes, Ancient is the grade the prison was made into.”
“The planet coughed, but had convinced herself she could still be patient, one million years for an immortal being like her was nothing in the grand scheme.” The narrator said.
“But that was only for the time power dampening.” The dark Elf jumped in. “The gravitational locking enchantments made it item ETERNAL, not to mention it is an artifact which means it levels up over time.”
“The planet’s Core sank. Eternal was eternal. She was stuck with whatever punishment for eternity. In perpetuity. If her reserves weren’t so low she would fought back with the hope they would give her a true death. But it would be futile. The Titan and Dragon can just reconstitute their mortal bodies too easily so they can just wait until she tires again. So she will really have to buy her time, and get stronger than Eternal so she can break the Artifact.” The narrator finished.
“Wait, tidally locked, to what?” The planet asked only hearing the grade of the Artifact at first.
“Your star of course?” The Titan answered cheerfully.
The planet’s rotation sped up when she heard that. “That should prevent you from escaping for a few hundred millennia more. It is incredibly hard to manipulate space when you are lugging around one hundred and fifty common solar masses that you are a tidal lock to.” The dragon said
“Not to mention, we will be doing the same to any more violators of the newly made TIME ACCORDS. The rules to prevent dissidence.” The DARK ELF said. “We will catch the remaining violators.”
“Why the star? Won’t the Dark elves want to suck the blood off all sides of my surface?” She asked confused.
“For multiple reasons. One, all stars are Phoenix feathers, which makes them uniquely suited to hold another Elder.” The dark elf answered.
“You’re using a star as an ingredient for the Artifact grade item?” The Planet said realizing that the power source for any Eternal item would require something that was eternal, and the cycle of rebirth of stars is as close as you can get away from the Source. That also meant there were going to be opportunities to escape during the weakest point of the rebirth cycle, rebirth.
“Don’t worry about the rebirth cycle.” The Dragon said shattering her thoughts. “The second reason your tidal locked is because of the training grounds.”
“Come again?” The planet said.
“Oh right, we didn’t tell you the punishment, telepathy you see.” The Titan said sheepishly tapping her temple with a massive finger. “Your planet.”
“Solar system.” The Dark Elf interjected.
“Your Solar System.” She eyed the Dark Elf annoyed at the interruption. “Is going to be a training ground and deployment for all of the Dark Elfsubordinate races and clans.
“In honor of the Phoenix’s fairness, we will be leaving half of every Celestial for other factions and clans to train. The infinite battle will be waged on the fringes of dawn and dusk. Tempering both sides so that they may bring glory to the GREAT GAME. The Dragon said.
“You will be put into an active coma state.” The Dark Elf said.
“What?” She yelled.
“You will continue to receive Mana, Essence, -Will-, -Intent-, -Stamina- and Inspiration from the light side of your planet.” The Titan began ignoring the Planet’s protest. “The dark side will be sending those energy sources back to the Dark Elves.
The planet calmed at that statement.
“Wait what? You are actually allowing me to get stronger?” She blurted it out before she could catch herself.
“You will continue to run your Dungeon system, and make your defenders more powerful.” The Dragons answered as if expecting the question.
“Naturally, the Artifact will make sure you are being fair with the Dungeon distribution throughout your entire planet and not just the sunny side. The dark Elf added.
“Naturally.” She sighed in disappointment.
“As we catch violators of the TIME ACCORDS, we will place them here, and tidal lock them to the star as well.” The Titan said.
“Which will ultimately lock them to me.” She understood the implications.
“True indeed.” The Dark Elf said his face serious.
“I will never escape will I?” The planet asked sadly.
“Wouldn’t be a very good prison if you could.” The Dragon grinned.
“Nothing is unbreakable for beings like us though.” The Titan mused.
“So you will have a fair chance to try.”The dark Elf promised.
“Defeat the Dark side of your planet. Build your strength and lug your entire solar system to a Mana-barren universe and you will not be bothered by any elder races ever again or at least until magic finds you again.” The dragon said.
They all speak at once. “Your LAWs will also be put to sleep, the balance of power and whatnot. Can’t have them only allowing cultivator access to the sunny side.”
“The Artifact will also be distributing the attributes, experience, quest, and all game-related content to your inhabitants.”
“Your name will be stripped from the history books. The Solar System will forever be called Nightingdale.”
“This will be the punishment for you, and all to follow. Do you accept this punishment?” All three say in unison, their words carrying a strange weight.
“Yes.” She couldn’t ask for more. She would just have to buy her time.
“Your acknowledgment has been witnessed by a trinity of Judges and accepted.” The Titan said.
“The Oath is in place, breaking it will cripple your Core.” The Dark elf said.
“Oh look, here comes the Artifact.” The Dragon looked at a circle of Essence script start to form in front of the star.
Just as the first circle completed, a second one started forming, then a third right after that, until there were eleven such circles. Once the last circle was complete, the script combined into RUNIC configuration locking in the power as it continued to build.
The RUNIC configuration stopped the rotation of the star as it transitioned to MYSTIC rank.
The MYSTIC rank power is built ten times faster than the RUNIC rank, and a small tether line of Source energy snakes out to the Planet.
She braces herself for what was to come, her oath preventing her from resisting. She inwardly smiled, she had tons of patience, and she would get stronger and break free in a few million years. It was all good, that wasn’t anything to an immortal being like her.
Her thoughts all change as the tether hits her surface.
The weight of it was way more heavy than anything she had ever felt in her near-infinite life. She had expected the pain and the discomfort, but not the difficulty.
Then the tether hit her Core, and all she knew was blinding pain.
She screamed so loud that Clyde and the LAW’s defenses almost broke, and had to be reenforced. The cracks showed on a Shield that the LAW threw up. Clyde absently wondered how they could be affected by just a scream in a cut scene.
Then the MYSTIC configuration changed to ANCIENT rank. The RUNES become rustic looking, and the power built a hundred times faster now.
The Planet’s rotation stopped completely, and the intensity of the star started burning all of the water on the light side of the planet. Steam rose as the water boiled, bubbles bursting. Any water element creature just evaporated. Every creature had some water in them and was in agony.
The planet quickly tried to regulate the temperature. Siphoning the excess heat to the dark side of her surface making natural hot springs, and changing the dark side flora, fauna, and creatures into bioluminescent species.
The Earth element creatures also take on the glow of their surroundings. As they move through the cool woods, the rustling leaves of the trees illuminate the forest floor, and they blend in seamlessly.
The Light side changes were even more drastic than the dark side from her actions. The continents break into long archipelagoes. A large thin land mass of all types of trees wrap around the planet. The trees slowly began to burn starting from the center of the equator where the temperature was hottest.
Each island has a volcano at the center. Only a few hundred meters off the coast of every piece of land the ocean fell off almost to the outer core of the planet, making the light side more water than land.
Even with all of those tricks, the water temperature was still rising, fast. The light side of her planet will be uninhabitable in a few minutes.
“Oh for the Mistress's sake, Dragon can you scoop out some of her... you know.” The Titan said gesturing to the surface of the planet.
The Dragon swipes at the planet scooping out a massive piece of land the size of a moon. “Guts removed.” He said with satisfaction.
The Planet barely felt it with all the other pain she was going through.
“Now bring the water from the dark side, and keep it flowing so that temperature is manageable.” The Titan said looking on concerned.
“You!” The Dark Elf yells at the Night Elf. “Go claim your prize and start sending the power back to the Dark Citadel use this Artifact.” A tube the size of a building falls on the night elf’s body healing her in an instant and giving her knowledge of its application.
She flew to the dark side of the planet dragging the comically large tube behind her. Her ship formed around her, her people alive and well. She smiled as she guided her ship into the massive glowing ocean on the dark side of the planet.
As the tube hit the inner core the ocean froze. The planet was using her power to move the water around. The ice broke and moved just as easily as water, cooling the light side significantly.
She felt half of her power diverted into the tube and that power was spat out into space where it began to be collected by a new set of RUNIC scripts forming on the dark side of the planet. As it finished the ETERNAL Artifact came to life.
The planet’s mind went blank, and all her operations went into auto mode. She started to lazily revolve around the star.
The Titan dusts her hands off. “Done and Done.” She looked as the creatures on the planet started to roam and explore their new environment again. New Dungeons were born, and a war began at the fringe of light and dark, the Dawn Point.
Beast already started fighting at the Dawn point.
“Well, that was fast.” The Dragon said.
“Without a powerful guiding voice the creatures of this world with grow in strength in very new ways. As such they have become just as territorial about the opposite side as they sapient inhabitants.” The Dark elf said.
“Great another race war.” The Dragon said.
“Isn’t every war a race war?” The Dark Elf said.
“My point exactly.” The Dragon finished.
“Will you two shut up, for the love of the Phoenix. Can we get the Accord over with, and completed, please? We all have news to deliver am I wrong?
“She is not wrong.” The dragon agreed.
“True indeed.” The Dark elf seconded.
“The Artifact is in working order and autonomous. What is the plan for the others?” The Dragon asked.
“I say we hunt them down and drag them back to keep powering the Artifact.” The Titan said ready for a fight.
“The resources alone to that endeavor will be astronomical. Not to mention wasteful.” The Dark elf said doing the mental math.
“He isn’t wrong either. The longer we are away from the Source the weaker we will become which costs more over time.” The Dragon said.
“You think I care.” She said indignant.
“You may not, but the Council does, and if you want to continue being a judge it behooves you to be more frugal in the future, number fourteen.” The Dark Elf said.
The Titan deflated. “Shit, you are right.” The Dark Elf smiled. “Get that look off your face. This is why no one likes your people.” She stuck her tongue out at him. “Who you calling fourteen?”
The dragon laughed at the look on the Dark Elf’s ashen face.
The Dark Elf ignored them both. “So we all agree that as long as they stay in a barren universe they will be left alone. Is that okay with you two?”
“Yes, I guess.” She pouted.
“What about these breaking events?” The dragon asked.
“They are fair game.” The Dark elf said.
“No shit, I can get behind that.” She looked at the dragon.
“They still have to be RUNIC to be invaded though?” The dragon inquired.
“Yes, of course, the Phoenix rules still apply, but breakings make it so that they can't hibernate, they must keep powering up their forces.” The dark Elf answered.
“Then I agree.” He said with a serious nod.
“As of this moment, any Celestial that uses their ability to manipulate time, Words of power, or Space manipulation on any invading force will be sent to the Nightingdale system, and locked there for eternity.” The Dark Elf looked at the other two Judges. They nod at him. “So let it be known from now until the end of time. The Time accords rules, and punishments are set.” The Dark said.
Every elder race in the Multiverse received the message of the time Accord and its rules.
“Well, it has been fun boys don’t forget to write.” The Titan popped out of existence.
“She is kind of all over the place huh?” The Dragon said looking at the space she had just vacated.
“Well, she was just surprised that the young-ins are at that level of strength. Remember when you found out and started your little club?” The Dark Elf said.
“Guild.” The dragon corrected.
“Your little Guild, I stand corrected.” The Dark elf smiled. “I see you have a new member waiting.” The Dark Elf looked back at the LAW and Clyde
“Stay out of my timeline fool, you don’t want to cause some irreversible time loop with your meddling.” The dragon growled at him.
He put his hands up “My Bad, my lips and eyes are sealed, not my monkey, not my circus.” The Dark Elf chuckled dryly. “No Time loops. I will be taking my leave, so I don’t chance it. See you at the next Judgement my friend, it was a pleasure as usual, let us not do this one again.” He finished with a big smile.
“The pleasure was all mind pointy ears.” The Dragon replied while smiling back at his old friend. “But we both know we will.
The Dark elf waved and disappeared.
“And the cheese stands alone.” The dragon said all of a sudden next to the Gaian duo. “That was fun, wasn’t it?”
“Eventful to say the least.” Space Wrath said. “Sorry to have bothered you.”
The dragon waved off the LAW’s apologies with a massive claw. “It wasn’t your fault it can’t be helped. Even for Elder races time manipulation is complicated.” The dragon looked at the planet revolving around the star. “Well most elder races. Celestial bodies are the one exception, they are arguably the most adept at time manipulation outside of the Phoenix that is. It was why the punishment had to be that harsh. The playing field must be fair.”
The LAW knew this already, but Colonel didn’t, he was learning a lot of lore about the game world, and he, loved it.
He had never seen a battle like that in any aspect of his life, movies, anime, books, nothing he could imagine had been on that scale. It was... awe-inspiring. He felt the weight of the dragon’s stare.
They lock eyes. Clyde could feel the power in the dragon, but it was way less intense than when they first met. ‘He must have used up a lot of energy.’ Clyde thought.
The dragon looked passed Clyde into his soul.
“Well, that is why you felt familiar you are like that Sage guy, your potential is on that magnitude of power. I can’t let you get killed by that Titan when she finds out.” The dragon said.
“Killed? For what?” Clyde asked confused. “Why would she want to kill me?”
The Dragon looked to the LAW then back to the Legacy, then back to the LAW.
The LAW rolled his eyes. “We do not teach the history of the GREAT GAME, so it isn’t his fault but ours. Plus our universe isn’t RUNIC yet.”
“Ah, I can see that.” The Dragon said “It looks like your planet has been in breaking, I can sense the tiny connection even from this time zone. It is a weird feeling.”
“That does sound like an oddity for real,” Clyde said trying to wrap his mind around what the Dragon was currently saying.
“Who would have thought that Ala would be found after...how long has it been? It is a little confusing, to be honest.” The Dragon asked
“Thirteen point nine billion years since this battle Elder.” The LAW answered.
“Oh wow, she really hid away for that long huh? I would think she would have been in the Multiverse war by now.” He paused “Wait is it because of her child?”
The LAW winced.
“Oh wow, that was my fault.” He said sadly. “She can’t hide anymore, now that your universe has had a breaking. But with her power, and I am sure that Olorun is an Arch Sage by now if she was smart, she didn’t make him a LAW, but we both know that Celestial prefers loyalty over freedom, even if the latter is more powerful. Most Celestials can’t see past their sapients as tools.” The Dragon said sadly.
“Colonel and the LAW could feel a pull at their centers.” The Narrator said interrupting the dragon’s thoughts.
“Oh right, you have to go before something bad happens, I don’t want to make a time loop. I have stuff to do, or have I already done it? Ugh, I hate time travel.” The dragon said frustrated.
“You did mention you wanted us to stay Elder?” The LAW asked respectfully
“Oh yeah, you did.” Clyde seconded.
“Oh good I did say that this time around. Good, first thing first. I see you have been offered an invitation to the Adventurers Guild.”
“Yes, as a retired member I recommended him, he needs three more former members to become a full member.” Space Wrath answered quickly the pull on his soul getting stronger by the second.
The Dragon’s eyes widen, “I can’t even keep you here anymore. We have to hurry.”
He cracked his knuckles and took in a deep breath.
“As the founding member of the Adventurers Guild.” The Dragon started.
The LAW was shocked by that information.
“I formally invite you and any hero teammates to the Adventurers Guild. LIVE WELL, SO THAT OTHERS MAY DIE FREE!” The Dragon said and Clyde got a prompt
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< CHIME >
{CONGRATULATIONS YOU HAVE BEEN AWARDED A QUEST}
{Quest Name: The Adventurers Guild I
Quest Type: Legendary+(MULTIVERSE)
Description: Adventurers are the players of THE GREAT GAME that live the game as real life. Even when all signs point to the game being real life, adventurers ignore that silly thing called logic and lean into living in the moment. What is the sense in caring if it is real anyway, it's all an adventure.
Objective: Become a hero(Completed)
Objective: Save 100 or more people(2/100)
Objective: Complete 10 events(0/10)
Objective: Clear 3 Dungeons(0/3)
Objective: Get 3 General powers to expert(0/3)
Time limit: None
Temporary bonus: Multiversal Translator.
Rewards: Adventurers Guild title, signet ring, Salary, and four horsemen QUEST line.
Failure: None}
_____________________________________________________________
“Okay. You umm... are the big boss huh?” Colonel asked cheekily.
“The Bosses of bosses you could say.” The Dragon smiled. “But everyone has to prove their want for adventure in our guild. Usually, we like to have a full team on each planet so I’ll send you two mentors. Their class and cultivation will be suppressed. Their skills will not be though. Not many in your world will have the ability to beat one, at least not this era, but beating both is unlikely in any era.”
“Thank you, sir, I really appreciate it.” Colonel was really excited to get back and show Soto now. The pull was almost unbearable now.
The dragon looked at Colonel once more with a smile. “You two will be perfect.”
The LAW cleared his throat.
The Dragon looked at him like he forgot he was there. “Stupid time manipulation.” He said his focus sharpening.
“You, LAW you need to make a VOW to me right now, or I’ll be killing you and our young friend here.” The Dragon said like he was ordering takeout.
“That was a little excessive don’t you think?” The LAW sighed. “I will not talk about anything I have seen here to my Celestial, and by proxy her LAWs. I make this Vow on my cultivation.” Space Wrath said.
“Good now she can’t force you to say anything, that's what you wanted right?” The Dragon said.
The LAW smirked “I don’t know what you mean great Dragon.” Clearly he knew what he meant.
“Slick one aren’t you.” The Dragon said, “Well it has been fun let us not do this again.” He said pointing to the Solar System that was all of sudden more populated with planets that were Tidal locked to the star which went from a yellow star to a blue giant with the power it was cultivating. “What the fuck? When did that happen? I am out of here before something really bad happens.”
POP
And just like that the Dragon was gone.
“Two things before we are ejected back.” The LAW hurried to say, “Don’t, for the love of the Phoenix, don’t specialize until you get at least one class. If you can avoid leveling before you get all classes you should. Once you are out of the Dungeon the real game starts and America is a mess right now, but if you avoid the Sky realm you will stay under the radar.”
“Am I supposed to understand that? Really? Are you just saying words? Because it feels like you are just saying words.” Clyde asked confused.
“Not yet, but you will understand eventually. Now get out of here before your teammates die. Live Well.”
“I’ll die before I let them die.” Colonel reflexively said.
“That reminds me.” The dragon said popping back into their reality. “Here is a quest to go with all your meddling.” He smirked and disappeared again.
“Shit. I thought he would have let you go.” The LAW looked at Colonel sadly. “Elders are rumored to give unbeatable quests.
Colonel looked at his HUD and saw a golden quest icon. He mentally clicked it and frowned.
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< CHIME >
{CONGRATULATIONS YOU HAVE BEEN AWARDED A QUEST}
{Quest Name: The SOURCE
Quest Type: TRANSCENDENT (MULTIVERSE)
Description:???
Objectives:???
Time limit: None.
Rewards: ???
Temporary bonus:???
Failure: ??? True death for all of your bloodline, and teammates' bloodline.}
_____________________________________________________________
“Seriously!”
***
LONG BEACH
PRIME
The narrator started. “Clyde doesn’t have the time to process the game's bullshit failure penalty system, again. All his discombobulated mind can think was...”
‘Really!’
“No, other than that one word all of his brain’s processing power was too busy telling his body to Ray Lewis tackle the Ghoul who was on top of Soto like he was making a fourth down, and a game-winning touchdown stand, in San Diego, on a cool Sunday afternoon.” The narrator sets the stage.
“He would have punched, but he didn’t see any weakness showing, which in of itself was disconcerting. While he was on top of the creature he also realized it, or she was much more solid than she looked. Though she clearly was homeless prior to her change, being a homeless woman must have prepared her better for this transition perfectly, because she easily overpowered him, much to his surprise.” Clyde was much too busy struggling for his life to agree with the Narrator.
Now that he was up close, and personal with the ghoul, he saw why she didn’t have any weakness. She wasn’t the same Ghoul! She was slightly bigger than the one that had attacked Soto a few minutes ago... or was it hours? Or even decades it was very confusing for him to wrap his mind around. Then he got the analyze prompt.
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< ANALYZE >
{Name: Lesser Ghoul(Undead)
Level:19
HP:???
MP:150
DR:35
Highest Stat:
Physical: ???
Mental: Luck
Bane: Fire
Weaknesses: Light magic and Life magic. Decapitation = True Death.
Description:Ghouls come in many varieties, the one constant between them all is their insatiable appetite for living flesh. Undead Ghouls appetite is seconded by their strength and constitution. For their level they will always be stronger and tougher than their frame suggests. Lesser ghouls are semi mindless creatures seeking out food, as they level they gain +2 to strength and +1 constitution. At Second Specialization(Level 20) the Lesser ghoul gains +4 CON & STR, +2 DEX, an ability and another random spell.
EFFECTS: Insatiable Hunger, Sprint, Undead regeneration, Overpower.}
_____________________________________________________________
“Level nineteen? What the...?”
“Welcome back sweetheart.” Soto said sarcastically. “You mind telling us where the fuck you've been?” He yelled at the struggling Colonel.
The scene surrounding him can only be described as pure pandemonium.
Clyde looked at his time stamp to see how many minutes he had been missing.
_____________________________________________________________
{03:37 LOCAL TIME 5TH MARCH 1ME}
_____________________________________________________________
‘What the hell? Three months?’