Epigenesis
“Best that you wait for us here, Graham,” Kaladrian said, waving his arm. A brief surge of mana lit up symbols on his armor like Idris had seen before and, bizarrely, his father nodded and returned to the relative safety of the Inn.
Idris was about to ask what had just happened but Kaladrian was already far ahead of him on the road toward… his house? He hurried to catch up.
“Where are we going?” he asked, falling into a light jog next to Kaladrian.
“You see the energy tracing through the dome of the node?” Kaladrian responded.
Idris looked up but to him it just looked like bolts of lightning reflected off a lake in a storm. There was nothing he could glean from it beyond the ominous sense that something, everything, was going wrong.
Kaladrian explained, “It’s all originating from a single point. It’s difficult to see at first, but watch long enough and it becomes clear. And that point is this way.”
“My house is out here - but what makes you so sure this is where she is?” Idris asked.
“I’ve told you, Light Bringer, Eana’s strange abilities feel like a pattern I’ve seen before. It isn’t the same, but it fits.”
Off to their sides and around them the sounds of the hive monsters clicking rose and fell. Then, much closer, a scream rang out down an alleyway between buildings. Idris stopped, his hammer manifesting in his hand.
“We need to help them. Get them to the Inn where the adventurers can protect them,” he said. To Idris’ shock, Kaladrian had not even slowed. He continued jogging ahead, lead once again growing on Idris. Down the alleyway Idris could hear the echoes of clicking, but no more screams.
With an effort of will he ran after Kaladrian. Idris hoped, despite the small size of Irondale, that the person he had just left to die was not somebody he knew.
Kaladrian spoke when Idris caught up, voice unhurried and unaffected by the pace he had set and the iron in it clear, “Order seeks to put you back on its path. Will you be so easily moved?”
He heard the words, he knew Kaladrian was right. They had set out to save Eana not whoever else might be in trouble. Who knew what kind of time they had before it might be too late?
Still, right or not, it didn’t feel good leaving the town to fend for itself.
Around them, the clicking continued and the screams of hiding townspeople, found by the creatures of the hive, were silenced immediately or faded slowly as the less fortunate among them were dragged into the night. Idris felt only relief as the town transitioned to fields and lone houses on the outskirts.
Not far ahead was his family’s small home, and like a bloodhound Kaladrian was taking them right to it.
What they saw when they got there wasn’t anything like what Idris had expected.
The house didn’t have a window left on it - the drones had clearly tried to break in - but hanging limply on a sill or visible just inside was always a dead drone. On the ground littering the area were more of them. Dozens.
And running around, half bent over like she was trying not to be seen, was Eana.
As bizarre as the behavior looked on the outside Idris had to concede that maybe she was onto something. The drones that remained in the area were looking around intently but didn’t seem able to find her.
She ran up behind one and imbued her staff. It perked up and turned immediately, but not quickly enough to avoid getting its head smashed in. Others turned to converge on the location but suddenly, like before, were unable to find Eana at all.
“Yahn!” Idris called out, and immediately the drones in the area perked up and turned to him.
Eana looked up, but instead of the relief Idris expected to see on her face she immediately raised her hand in a shushing gesture and looked frantic.
“We can handle a few drones, come on!” Idris called out.
Kaladrian put a hand on his shoulder and whispered, “Perhaps she knows something we don’t.”
The wall of the house burst apart as a Hive Soldier came charging out. Eana dove to the side and out of its path as it came hurtling toward Idris.
“Shit!” he said, hurriedly taking up a fighting stance.
As the Soldier closed Idris invoked Adrenaline Rush and cast Radiance. He sent the ball of light zipping toward the drone which instinctively dodged. This gave him an idea. As it was recovering its stride he sent the light ball again. And again. Forcing the soldier to dodge imaginary attacks one after another.
While it was off balance Idris closed the gap and imbued his hammer. He thought of how Conrad and the Seekers had done two things to take one of these hulking creatures down. And the first was to attack its joints.
His hammer slammed into the armored knee, the red light of his imbued attack exploding into motes of energy. Staggered and with cracks appearing in its armor, the thing clicked menacingly as it turned its attention to him and, still off balance, swung one of its deadly armored limbs in an effort to damage Idris.
He dodged it easily. In the slowed time of Adrenaline Rush it was as if the Soldier were fighting underwater while Idris could move freely. He attacked again using his second stored charge of Imbued Strike, cracking the other knee.
And then Eana was there, yelling incoherently as she used Psych Up and imbued her staff over and over, hitting the Soldier anywhere it was open.
Caught in the heat of the moment, feeling the thrill of the fight and swelling with growing certainty of their victory, Idris began to wonder why they had ever feared this creature. With how far they had progressed, it wouldn’t be long before these fights were over as quickly as they were with the drones.
Then, as the Soldier reared back its arm for a haymaker that could take Idris’s head off if it weren’t for skill enhanced speed and perception, Idris felt the elation drain out of him. The arm pulled back, the wicked spike on the cocked elbow, completely unintentionally, was heading straight for Eana’s neck.
Enhanced speed or no there was nothing he could do but try to call out. The words hadn’t had time to form in his throat when suddenly the arm diverted. The movement was so forced and unnatural that the Soldier spun slightly, completely off balance.
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Idris didn’t hesitate. He didn’t have a shield or an ability to put extra bashing power into it like Karno did, but he could throw his whole body and strength into a tackle. With the Soldier still reeling from whatever had just happened, Idris plowed into its body and took it to the ground.
It extended its fingers, claws like blades reaching in to grapple and tear, but whenever it swung it hit nothing but air. Every blow or attempt to grab seemed to glance off of nothing, as if Idris were surrounded in an invisible shield.
He extracted himself and began swinging his hammer, years of mining experience making his blows from this angle precise and powerful. Eana got a few more hits in but it was already over.
They stood over the fallen creature and Idris took in the results of the fight. 100 XP reward for the kill. It was a staggering number for a single opponent, but seeing how things could have gone so wrong in a moment made Idris question just what had happened to make things turn out the way they had.
“Who are you?” Eana asked.
Idris turned, realizing he hadn’t had time to think about let alone introduce Kaladrian during the previous fight. Kaladrian was supposed to be an experienced… something. And he hadn’t even helped.
“Where were you during that fight?” Idris asked.
Kaladrian raised his eyebrows as if urging Idris to think harder before he said, “Call me Kal. You’re Eana. And Idris took a small wound there on his leg,” he indicated a cut Idris hadn’t realized he had, “Must have done it to himself though. I was sure I stopped all of the Soldier’s attacks from landing.”
Idris’s mouth fell open in shock. All of that “luck” had been Kaladrian? What was this guy?
“Hold still,” Eana said as she cast Minor Heal on his cut.
The sense of wrongness that accompanied her use of the power hit Idris like a wave, and despite being an old hand at managing it he found himself momentarily taken off guard.
The wound vanished and he came back to his senses, aware enough now to see how Kaladrian had taken it.
The man was slowly opening his eyes, as if having closed them in concentration. One hand gently relaxed from a tightly held fist.
He looked up at the walls of the node. It was still rippling, but above where they stood the lightning flashes of energy had exploded in activity.
“Truly remarkable,” Kaladrian said.
“You didn’t..” Eana began, hesitatingly, “Didn’t feel anything weird when I healed Idris?”
Kaladrian laughed. It wasn’t mirth, but the deep richness of it held a sense of relief.
“Felt it? Oh yes. But not just me,” Kaladrian said, indicating the storm on the node.
“Gonna do something about it then?” Eana said, holding her staff at the ready.
“What? Yahn! It’s OK! He’s here to help,” Idris said.
Kaladrian held out empty hands to Eana, “I’m a friend.”
Eana seemed satisfied and lowered her staff. A flash of purple energy radiated over her body and, suddenly, the storm above them dwindled to nothing.
Seeing the looks from both Idris and Kaladrian, Eana said, “It’s one of my skills. The thing that happens when I use magic, this sort of covers it up. But it takes mana to use. Not sure how long I can keep it going…”
“I may be able to help you with that. Can you use it while you use your other skills?” Kaladrian asked.
Eana shook her head.
“Still, that’s great!” Idris said, excited, “Maybe we can fix the node somehow? Or if we can’t, keep it going till we can get you out for a bit.”
“Get me out of the node?” Eana asked. Idris noticed her grip on her staff tighten.
“The monsters are getting in. If we stay here, they’ll keep getting in. People are getting killed, Yahn,” Idris said.
“Do you have any idea what it took for me to get back here?” Eana asked, voice tight, “Has a single other person made it back? Anybody to tell you what happened out there at the Hive? And you want me to go back out?”
“No. And no, Yahn, it’s not like that. I’ll be with you. And Kalad… Kal too. We can even meet up with the Seekers. It’ll be safe,” Idris said.
Eana squinted her eyes and bent her head closer to Idris giving him a look that made him feel as though somehow his younger sister might be seeing something he wasn’t. Was he being stupid? She pointed out to the edge of the wall of energy that formed the edge of the node.
Beyond it, through the shimmering blue energy of the barrier Idris realized what he had taken for the edge of the forest wasn’t that at all. It was too close. And it was moving. As he stared the shapes resolved into hundreds, maybe thousands of monsters. Drones, Soldiers, and some others Idris didn’t recognize. But it was clear in an instant they wouldn’t be leaving that direction.
“Sounds good, Idris. You and your friend can go first. Be right behind you,” Eana said.
“We have to try,” Idris said, unable to muster the conviction he had had moments before, “Going deeper into the node means this gets worse. For everybody, Yahn.”
Eana stared him right in the eyes and said, “Every time I choose them it ends up hurting me. So you know what? This time? I choose me.”
Idris was about to retort when Kaladrian interposed himself.
“We’ve come at this all wrong,” Kaladrian said, “Your brother and I believed we were coming here to rescue you. As it turns out, you may have a better picture of what faces us than we do.”
“Which is exactly why I’m not going back out there,” Eana scoffed.
“You’re the only one who has made it back from the expedition to the dungeon. But you can see what is happening to the node. You don’t need rescuing, that’s clear enough. But perhaps companions?” Kaladrian said.
Idris nodded in full agreement and he could see Eana was softening as well. Kaladrian had a way with words. Good man.
“Together we may be able to break out of the node,” Kaladrian continued, “But I expect the node itself is in part what makes it difficult for the Hive to find you. And unless you have more new information, I think it’s clear that finding you is exactly what the Hive wants.”
“You think it wants Eana?” Idris asked, uncomfortable. It was too much like Shimmer.
Eana looked torn, “Let’s say you’re right. What can we do about it?”
Kaladrian held up a finger, “We can try to hide out here, see if the Hive gives up - but at this rate I don’t know how long the node will hold up. Every creature of Chaos that enters is counterbalancing the influence Order requires to maintain the node. If we go deeper and you can’t manage this power of yours, I believe the node will continue to deteriorate.”
“Even if she uses this new skill of hers?” Idris asked.
Eana shrugged, unsure.
Kaladrian continued, “The last option we have is to regroup at the inn, cross the river, and leave the node before it becomes encircled. Dungeons can only exert influence over their minions out to a certain distance, and I expect the dungeon has put a good deal of its newly acquired XP into improving its influence just to follow you. But if we can get beyond its limits we will have gained time. Time for me to help you understand and shape this power.”
“Why do you want to help me? And what even makes you think you can?” Eana asked.
“You can’t know this, and I only knew it in concept, but,” Kaladrians said, “I have been searching for you my entire life.”
Eana rolled her eyes, “Tada! Found me!”
Idris smiled, “Good enough for you then? Sound like a plan?”
Eana nodded then gave Idris a small smile, “Oh, one more thing.”
She held her hand out and a ball of twisting energy formed in it. Idris was reminded of the multi-colored prismatic energy of the chaos storm.
“What is it?” he asked.
“It’s a new skill I got. It’s called Epigenesis. It’s supposed to help you awaken powers or give you access to skills based on your experiences,” Eana said.
Kaladrian pointed to the node above them, which had begun to crackle and roil like never before, then held a hand out in forbearance, “We’ll need to study it, it’s too risky to cast now. In fact try not to use any magic.”
Idris didn’t need to look. The increase in bug clicking around them was enough to know that the magic had signaled to the creatures to come running.
Eana shrugged, looking vaguely disappointed before dismissing the magical energy.
They both turned to follow Kaladrian who was backing away and gesturing for them to get moving.
Eana’s body flashed purple again as she cast her spell for hiding from the monsters.
“What’s that skill called?” Kaladrian asked.
Eana looked a little sheepish and replied, “Innocence Protected.”
Laughing, Idris said, “And it works on you?”
She hit him in the arm and they all continued forward. It was good to have his sister back, good to joke and feel normal for even a second.
But as they approached the town the good cheer they had managed vanished, replaced by the tension and fear of what lay ahead. The darkening sky no longer held the twinkling and inviting lights of a town not ready to sleep, but instead was lit red with fire while the air filled with the cracking of burning timber, the clicking of searching bug men, and the screams of the people no longer able to hide.