Chapter Ten
“Never presume to know what the system has planned for you.” - Codex, Former Champion.
Level Five
Would you like to continue to Level Four of the Quantum Games?
"Yes"
image [https://imgur.com/EITY9kj.png]
As the grey haze lifted from the heroes’ vision, a vast grassy plain unfurled before them, stretching endlessly under a scarlet sky. The gentle rustling of the tall grass was accompanied by the distant murmur of rushing water behind them, creating a serene yet mysterious ambiance. A northern wind, carrying a peculiar warmth, swept across the field as if the cool air had been stirred awake by the breath of boiling water.
In the distance to the north, a majestic mountain loomed, its snow-capped peak piercing the heavens and casting a long shadow over the land. The mountain stood as a silent sentinel, its presence both awe-inspiring and foreboding. To the southeast, a range of smaller mountains framed the horizon, their rugged silhouettes adding to the landscape’s grandeur and hinting at the untamed wilderness beyond.
A riverfront divided the grassy field, its crystal-clear waters flowing with a gentle yet persistent current towards a large lakebed behind them. The lake’s surface shimmered like a giant mirror, reflecting the sky and the surrounding scenery in perfect clarity. The air was thick with the scent of wildflowers and sagebrush, carrying the early smells of spring as the heroes took in this new unknown land's breathtaking beauty and mystery.
“Are we in Wyoming?” Will asked the broader group, their eyes wide with wonder at the unexpected sights.
“Well, this sure as heck isn’t the Hangar,” a familiar voice said from behind the heroes, prompting the team to jump and turn immediately.
“Frank?” James was the first to realize, turning around. “And Trish? What are you both doing here?”
The two stared at the group of five original heroes with blank expressions, their bodies frozen as if afraid to make any unwelcome movements.
“You think we know?” Trish spoke, unable to keep the shock off her face. “I planned on returning to my studying when I just appeared here.”
“There are two things I know for sure right now,” Frank said, building on Trish’s comments. “First, this is definitely not the Hangar; second, this is not Wyoming. The Teton Mountains are beautiful, but that thing out there is definitely not one of them.”
“Frank’s right,” James added. “I’ve been to most ski resorts in Wyoming, and I don’t think any of these mountains look familiar.”
“Frank, Trish, check your Nex. Can you see a Mission log in your status?” Emy asked the two newcomers.
Frank and Trish paused, navigating to the proposed section in communication with their Nexabot devices. “You mean, this one?” Trish said, her voice hushed as she recognized the implications.
Level Five Mission: Choose Your Allegiance. Shape the Fate.
You find yourself in uncharted lands, a world shattered by the absence of a true Champion. A realm frozen in time, trapped by its stagnation. Objective: Neutralize the Intruders OR Eradicate the Fallen Primordials.
Timeframe: 180 Days
Note: Both paths offer unique opportunities for advancement.
“I could be wrong, but I think Earth is fully charted,” Will joked, though his usual upbeat demeanor was missing.
“Another world?” James murmured as a powerful gust of wind swept over him, causing a resounding rattle and an energy burst in his Tactical Sling.
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“Rose!” he called out, frantically reaching into his bag to retrieve the large egg from one of the void slots. Holding it close, he felt the energy surge, pushing outward as a large crack spread across the egg’s surface.
The entire group edged closer, their eyes wide with anticipation, as the egg continued to crack, releasing waves of almost invisible energy that enveloped the team and kept growing.
“Put it down, James!” Trish urged, her voice tinged with urgency, as the egg rattled in his hands. James gently placed it on a flat rock in the middle of the green valley, and the team circled the marvelous sight.
The energy expanded, surpassing even Will’s vast essence and power. The egg rattled again, and a large crack split open, revealing a white head with a golden beak. The creature’s eyes, dark and filled with a hint of fear, quickly scanned those around it.
“Rose,” James called out. The eagle turned her head sharply, sensing him as a secondary burst of energy erupted from her.
“SQUAWK!” Rose cried, her wings thrusting through the remnants of the ruptured egg. Within moments, she leaped and spread her young wings, each spanning about a meter. A powerful gust of wind surged from her wings as Rose launched into the air.
Navigating the sky with ease, the young eagle stayed within sight of the group yet soared to the edges of her original boundaries. As she explored the open environment, the team continued to hear more chirping sounds in the distance.
“She’s beautiful, James,” Trish said as they watched Rose stretch and fly. Trish was right. Rose resembled a traditional bald eagle with a white head, golden beak, and brown body, but her feathers shimmered almost ethereal, as if infused with energy.
“Should we feed her? I’ve brought some bird feed just in case,” James mentioned, holding out the food. The eagle glanced down at James, bypassed the team, and soared to the lake. She dove into the water in a fierce downward plunge and re-emerged seconds later with a long snake in her beak. With a flap of her wings, she landed on James’s shoulder, chomping down on her new catch.
“Rose, that’s disgusting... We don’t even know what those are,” Will said to the young bird, who responded with a huff, lifted her head, and swallowed the snake in one gulp.
James smiled at the interaction and gently stroked the top of Rose’s head. “Glad you finally decided to show up,” he said with a soft chuckle. “Welcome to the team.”
***
The Hangar
Coach Williams
Coach Williams stood alone in the Hangar, the vast space echoing with silence. Trish and Frank were nowhere to be seen. He had heard of this happening before but never with a team he had coached. The System plays by its own rules. If it deems even the Artisan classes could benefit from a level, or better yet, help the Champions, the standard “rules” wouldn’t apply. Williams sighed, realizing that his often tension-filled recaps with the team might now be filled with even more assumptions about him not sharing everything. He considered once again bringing up the vast number of permutations that could happen in the Games, but his new team never seemed to buy into that statement. This group was good—filled with raw strength, compassion, teamwork, friendship, and stubbornness.
“Nex, bets on who you think I will hear it from the most when they get back? Emy or Trish?” Williams directed a thought to his trusted companion.
Instead of the normal upbeat voice that most Champions heard through their Nexabots, Williams had directed his Nex’s presence to be that of a wise older man. He wasn’t sure if all the years had slowly pushed his connection to lead that way or if, one day, it just changed. All he knew was that after so many years, a bright and peppy Nex voice just never quite felt right, especially with everything they had seen over the years.
“Ah, now there’s the betting man I know. Quite the moment of control to not play into Will’s bets earlier. That said, I think Frank is the one to watch out for. It’s the joyful ones you need to watch out for; they are the ones you least expect a bad outcome from,” Nex spoke.
“Well, Nex, we have some time to kill. Any suggestions on spending it before diving back into training?”
It was then that multiple figures formed in the room behind Williams. He turned slowly, his face a knowing smile.
“I was wondering if you’d show up,” Williams said, a hint of a smile playing on his lips. “Impeccable timing. I appreciate that.”
“Excuse me?” The taller of the two shorter men, each a little over a meter tall, spoke as if caught by surprise. Both humanoid figures wore their formal military blues of the CNC Games Division, traditionally used only in the presence of foreign leadership of newly integrated worlds.
“Thalorian, right? I think that means you easily heard me,” Williams answered the indirect question. In addition to their greenish-hued skin, almond-shaped eyes, and elongated ears, typically covered in silver hair, which showcased the traditionalist population of the race, Thalorians had delicate membranes in their ears capable of hearing frequencies beyond that of most species.
“Well, yes, of course I did. I was merely asking how you would think to know we were coming,” the leader of the two continued to speak.
“I’d imagine the Games Division would be interested in the coach of the top Earthian team, especially with the impending conflict with the royalty of the Astral Dominion. Not to mention elements of my past and the rather interesting shifts in the void as of late,” the now professor couldn’t help but smile as the reaction of the two standing before him told him all he needed to know. Morgrax was royalty, and they had searched his profile. Most importantly, his calculations were correct.
“I won’t go into details.” The man straightened up. “Yes, as you know, the Astral Dominion has integrated with Earth. The Stellar Ascendancy showcased that to everyone. This is also why we need to bring you in for questioning.”
“If you don’t mind, Shakur here is going to…” The man looked back at his companion and grunted, prompting the other man to quickly reach inside his jacket. “Provide you a wristband for travel and, well, security purposes.” The second Thalorian, dressed in the same formal attire despite an outstretched pocket in his right vest from pulling out the device, strode towards Williams with a grimacing smile.
“Do I get to at least know the name of the person capturing me?” Williams asked, his tone edged with curiosity.
“Oh no, Mr. Williams, we are not taking you prisoner. We are merely having a conversation,” the taller Thalorian replied with a reassuring smile. “But you should know that my name is Viggo. I work for the CNC and am the Director of the Quantum Games Division.”