Chapter 22 - Through The Fire And Metals - The Unforgettables: A ZeroYear litRPG

The Dragon, inexorably flying in its path, approached the vanguard for a definitive attack. Meanwhile, oblivious to what was happening, the portal continued to spew superheated metal, permanently impacting the frozen landscape as a window bleeding a star hearth. At super speed, Liora flooded the communication channels, trying to organize some reaction. In a fraction of a second, before the apocalyptical beast reached Petra and Frank, who bravely tried to position themselves at the front line, Liora, in an overlapped voice, telepathically spoke: "This is far worse than a dragon! It's an ancient wyrm and a big one. They usually hibernate beneath Gate's eternal ice, and this one seems to be sleeping since before the cataclysm. We'd better think about how we're going to escape because one of these alone once brought down an Old Metropolis destroyer. I'll try to hit it before it gets here."

Liora, with no time to think better, immediately fired half a dozen accurate shots at the flying serpent, which didn't even bother trying to dodge. The antimatter exploded, causing visible damage to its skin, which seemed to be made of stone scales. The creature's defenses were brutal; any injury it sustained began to regenerate promptly. The serpent, accepting the invitation to a dance of death, changed its trajectory toward Liora.

Petra, who had jumped from the aircar to the ravine with Frank, saw this situation and mentally said, "Frank, let's jump again, but on top of this beast. I'm going to need a little push!"

Frank, also using his super speed, replied, "Right, Petra. I'll try using mana in my blow, and you test without. Let's jump!" He leaped, carrying Petra to intercept the creature in its trajectory. They jumped with such violence that it caused an avalanche on the other side of the ravine.

Like a bullet, Petra and Frank, acting together, intercepted the wyrm in an incredible counterattack. It was as if the creature's colossal force encountered an insurmountable wall concentrated at the tip of Petra's Flexoclava, which shattered the serpent's head, immediately interrupting its trajectory. Frank used Petra's impact against the enemy to gain even more momentum, positioning himself above the creature, completing a trajectory in a blazing arc, and striking it again on the back of what remained of its head with his Flexoclava—a top-down blow that sent the flying colossus toward the ground, opening a massive crater as if it were a meteor. Those were perfect blows that connected without the creature even attempting to defend itself. Petra and Frank watched incredulously as their opponent on the ground continued to move wildly while they fell toward it.

The wyrm, in its impact crater, realized it had received devastating blows; it survived because of its fabulous defenses while its head regenerated in a tangle of bone, stone, and blood that resembled the molten metal continuing to pour from the portal. The creature was visibly injured and had difficulty standing. Reaching a critical situation, the serpent didn't cower but let out a long scream in a crescendo of fury that shook Petra's and Frank's hearts as they fell. There were no signs of fear or restraint from the enemy, even after the heavy blows. On the contrary, the wyrm entered a state of frenzy and didn't even wait for its opponents to fall. It opened its wings again and charged at Frank and Petra with even more resolve, with no time to worry about its completely shattered head.

Silas and Liora watched, surprised by the effectiveness of Frank and Petra's combined moves and even more impressed that the serpent had resisted and survived. Amanda appeared beside Silas without him noticing how it happened. She said in a very high-pitched voice, "I came here to help Petra, but it seems she doesn't need help. How is she managing to enter such brutal combat after spending hours performing her magic? She should be exhausted!"

Silas now noticed that Amanda was really beside him—a fragile and small-looking figure. He asked, "Did you use magic to teleport here? Maybe we should prepare to escape!"

Amanda replied quickly, without taking her eyes off the serpent, "No, no basic transport magic could bring me here. I had to resurrect myself in Gate directly from the City of the Dead, but that doesn't matter now. I can get all of you out of here if things get complicated, but maybe I was hasty."

Frank perceived Amanda through Silas's eyes and, without wasting time, enchanted her with the telepathy enchantment. She noticed the type of magic being used and thanked him, immediately using the ease of communication. Frank mentally said, "Welcome to the team, Amanda! The situation's a bit complicated for proper introductions!"

Petra: "Thank you for coming to help, Amanda! We hit that beast hard, but this thing is still alive." Liora, her eyes emitting a green light: "Attention, team! The serpent has become much more nervous, faster, and stronger. Careful!" Amanda: "Petra and Frank, I'm going to teleport you to the enemy's back, using the speed of the fall to your advantage! Get ready!"

The wyrm soared at high speed and prepared to receive the two falling prey with its claws. Fire tongues could also be seen gushing from its still-regenerating jaw. But at the moment of the attack that was going to consume Petra and Frank, both disappeared and reappeared immediately on the serpent's back. Frank landed another blow at maximum power. The serpent reflexively contorted itself; feeling Frank's impact, it responded with its claws without even seeing what had hit it. But Petra positioned herself in front, deflecting the blow and assimilating all the impact. Everything worked perfectly. However, the creature had colossal strength, and Petra was shot against the ground, opening a long trench in the middle of the rock. Amanda still managed to teleport Petra back to the surface in a horizontal momentum vector, canceling out part of the impact as Petra bounced off the ground. Even so, Petra was injured because the serpent's immense claws managed to tear her skin.

Petra, mentally: "Team, I can take a few more hits from this beast; if things stay like this, I think we're good!"

Liora frantically fired more shots at the creature at her maximum speed, hitting it at various points and causing considerable damage, yet it remained alive. "I'm giving it all! It's no wonder this destroyed an elite ship. My goodness!" Liora considered changing her strategy; she interrupted her cadence of opportunistic shots and prepared her aim to fire in combination with the other attacks from Frank and Petra.

The wounded creature, instead of retreating, continued its blind fury; it let out another scream that echoed throughout the region and charged at Frank, who had just landed near the base of the ravine. The serpent wasted no time on complex strategies and attacked whoever was closest.

Frank: "Team, help!" Amanda: "Jump! Quick!" Frank saw the colossal creature grow on all sides; if he jumped, he wouldn't escape. But Frank took a leap of faith and crouched in preparation for a mighty leap. As soon as his feet left the ground, another crater opened behind him as he jumped. Amanda immediately teleported him some distance above the creature in a diagonal trajectory of impact. In his brief flight, he saw that the ground resembled a Swiss cheese with so many holes, illuminated by the light and heat of the molten metal cataclysm that continued to gush freely from Petra's portal in the background, producing ominous gigantic shadows as the light sources are near the ground.

Petra mentally said, "Amanda, put me between the beast and Frank on the underside!" With no time for a response, Petra disappeared and reappeared in the exact position she had thought of. Silas observed Amanda sweating profusely, completely exhausted from the magic; around her, an immense quantity of lights formed like ethereal fabrics dancing around her. He realizes real physical injuries upon her as Amanda exhausts her fragile body doing her magic.

Silas mentally: "Everything okay, Amanda? Did you get hurt?" Amanda: "In short, when we're in the world of the living, our bodies and mana are the same thing; if I continue like this for much longer, I could kill myself, but I'm still fine. Let's go!"

At that moment, Frank lands another direct hit on the back of the serpent. The enemy is madly furious with its targets popping up from one place to another. As soon as Frank connected his Flexoclava to the monster's back, ending his diagonal trajectory, the serpent turned against Frank once again, already prepared, with claws and jaws thirsty for blood. Instead of Frank, however, the serpent found only Petra, appearing out of nowhere to deliver an unexpected uppercut as a counterstrike. Liora took advantage of the open guard to fire several shots at the serpent's chest in sync with Frank and Petra's blows, making the combination attack even more devastating this time. The wyrm finally fell on its back to the ground, suffering from the coordinated attack of the entire group.

But the battle wasn't over. Due to the massive number of injuries, everyone expected the enemy to be dead, but it wasn't. Fury ended up consuming the creature completely. The serpent rose from the ground with a sudden start. It exploded as if it were a phoenix, spreading its stone skin throughout the region and rising to the sky again as if it were another creature carrying an expression of insanity. It grew in flames, becoming a skinless silhouette of the once-before wyrm but now composed only of fire and fury.

Liora: "It´s insane! This thing is much stronger and faster than before. It seems its skin contained its true strength; I only hope that without its armor, it's also more vulnerable."

It was difficult to contain the fear in the face of the fire wyrm's brutal movements, now increasing in speed. The combat continued at a frenetic pace, hoping that the fire that burned brightest would also extinguish the fastest. Frank considered teleporting to the transfigured creature's back again, and Amanda made Frank's wish come true. However, his blow, once accurate, missed the creature, which, despite its colossal size, could now move much more freely and was prepared to answer this trick. It not only dodged but also attacked Frank at the same time. Petra, who was paying attention, managed to interpose herself to deflect the blow, but this time, she could barely defend herself, with the creature's claws connecting with Petra's body. Immediately, a blast of fire breath followed before there was any time to react; the blast created a spiral tube of fire that enveloped Petra and hurled her back downward, her body carving a path through solid rock as it dragged her across the ground. If it weren't for Amanda's providential teleport to remove her from the inferno of flames created by the monster, she would be dead. Petra appeared beside Amanda and Silas, unconscious, the fire that was burning her now-motionless body extinguished in the snow. Even in critical conditions after that brutal attack, she was still breathing and regenerating.

The creature was so fast that it still managed to attack Frank before he hit the ground. Realizing that if Petra weren't beside him, he wouldn't withstand any attack like that, Frank tried to deliver a final blow in complete desperation, using his extraordinary willpower to focus on a final strike. He managed to connect his perfect Flexoclava blow to the serpent's right arm at the same time that a claw of fire ripped him apart. Amanda teleported him before the beast could hit him again and placed him next to Petra. Even receiving only one of the claw blows, Frank is even closer to death than Petra; he is completely knocked out but still alive.

The creature suffered Frank's blow, completely shattering one of its sides. The arm of fire fell to the ground like a lizard's tail, thrashing wildly and then extinguishing into ashes. Then, another claw emerged from a bubble of fire in its place, regenerating quickly. Still in blind fury, the serpent now turned to Liora in her aircar, the last bastion.

"Let's get out of here, Amanda!" Liora said desperately, realizing the fire wyrm was almost as fast as she was while she continued to fire, hitting her target with shot after shot and causing considerable damage as the beast came closer and closer. Even so, Liora, now alone, couldn't bring down her opponent but tried to distance herself as much as possible. The serpent, in its fury, accelerated toward Liora, preparing one final blast.

Silas: "Amanda, teleport me near Liora so I'm between the serpent and Petra's portal!" Amanda, realizing Silas's idea, teleported him close to the combat while she prepared a second portal magic to a safe place, which would take a matter of seconds to open fully. Amanda said, "I'm opening the last portals; you have one more chance before I get everyone out of here!"

The wyrm continued to advance toward Liora, keeping its jaws open in fire and fury. Liora used all her speed to buy some distance while continuing to shoot in despair, seeing her end drawing near. Silas took advantage of the fact that the serpent was completely ignoring him as he was out of the combat so far to use all his energy cells at the same time and, with one opportunistic shot, moved the serpent slightly to the side—just enough to push it inside Petra's portal against the metal flow, making the danger disappear, at least momentarily.

Without wasting any time, Amanda interrupted her portal magic. Instead, she teleported to the cold side of the portal near the ravine, a location relatively safe against the river of molten metal that incessantly gushed. She then opened her fast portal magic on top of Petra's open portal.

Amanda, calmer now, mentally said: "Good idea sending the serpent inside, Silas. This portal I'm making now is one-way; I don't know if the creature will survive, but assuming it does, it should take some time to figure out how to return here—enough for me to finish opening the portal to an empty place upon Petra´s portal."

Now relieved, Liora went to where Petra and Frank were to take care of them while mentally asking Amanda, "But doesn't your portal to other universes take hours?"

Amanda: "Yes, but I also have a fast portal inside my universes, as Petra thought of doing. It won't be the perfect size as it is smaller, but let us see what I can do." Amanda opened the largest Vo portal she could; even without using energy in this magic, her body was already covered with her blood from using several magics in sequence. Even so, her portal was much smaller than Petra's, covering less than half of the hot side, which continued to pour molten metal, only slightly reducing the ongoing flow. She spoke telepathically, exhausted. It's 50/50. If the wyrm survives inside and manages to cross the portal back, it might stop here in front of us or enter my portal trap and end up in the middle of nowhere. I made my smaller portal upon Petra´s portal in a way that things can only enter it, and nothing leaves."

When Liora reached Petra and Frank, she found Petra waking up with a start, trying to figure out where the danger was.

Liora said quickly, "Calm down, Petra! The serpent's gone! Or almost."

Petra perceived the situation around her—with Frank fallen and Liora beside her. Still breathless, she tried to calm herself while her regeneration continued to act on her numerous wounds. She asked, "Did we manage to kill it?"

By telepathy, Silas's reassuring voice: "We don't know for sure; I threw the thing inside your portal. If it survives this, it will be enjoying a bath of molten metal."

Petra smiled in relief while helping Liora take care of Frank, who was in much worse condition, still lying in the snow. After looking at him with her sensors, Liora said, "Frank's going to need medical attention; let's take him to the ship!"

Petra snapped her fingers, and a small blue portal appeared beside her. She said, "I placed one of my stones on the ship's cargo door before coming here. You guys can go back with Frank; I'll stay here to clean up this mess as quickly as possible!"

Amanda spoke telepathically, "I'll stay with you, Petra! But you should rest tonight."

Petra: "I appreciate the help, Amanda, but the wyrm could reappear at any moment! I see that you need medical attention, too!"

Amanda shook her head. "Petra, don't forget that I'm not alive like you; my physical body won't recover on its own, not even with medical devices. A few more magics, and I'll return to the World of the Dead. I can take care of my wounds to improve my appearance, but it will only be a palliative."

While Petra and Amanda went to the ravine with the intention of closing the portal immediately, Silas and Liora put Frank in the aircar. They entered Petra's portal, which transported them to the ship's cargo hold. Liora's copy was already waiting for them with the medical devices prepared. Silas telepathically said: "Well, Amanda, thank you so much for coming. If it weren't for your help, the result would have been catastrophic! Let's put the ship in a safer location. Petra, can you keep your portal open while closing the other one?"

Petra replied, "Yes, Silas. I'll leave it open. All these portals open and close like doors that only I can change. If something happens to me now, for example, they would remain open forever; that's why I enchanted the ship's cargo door. In an emergency, if you need to get rid of the portal, just rip the door off."

Silas responded telepathically while his mind handled several things simultaneously on the ship. "Okay, Frank's receiving care, and it seems his regeneration has stabilized him. In a matter of minutes, he should regain consciousness. The ship is moving away with camouflage always active, and I'll send the drone through your blue portal to scan the region while you close your lava river." At that moment, the ship's drone passed through Petra's portal and began to hover around the sea of metal that was forming and illuminating the region.

Liora interrupted the conversation, returning through the portal with the aircar as fast as she could after leaving Frank on the ship: "Guys, the area affected by the lava is too large for the drone alone; I'll try to help with the aircar and my sensors."

Amanda said, returning to her usual soft voice: "Liora, I'm going to use transport magic to increase your speed substantially. I'll do the same with the aircar and the drone. It will last about a day, and I won't be using any additional energy in these magics, so it won't worsen my physical condition. See if that helps!"

Before any response, the speed and maneuverability of all the vehicles increased tens of times. Now, all the devices also responded via the group telepathic link, allowing Silas to control all the movements with extreme precision.

Liora realized she was floating inside the aircar. She put her copy on the wheels while testing her new flight capacity outside. After a few seconds, she said, "Wow, Amanda, this is wonderful! At this speed and with this level of control, we'll be able to cover a much larger perimeter than necessary!"

And Amanda responded promptly: "Excellent. Petra will learn all these things someday, and from what I've seen, she'll be much more powerful than I am when that day comes."

"I just hope I don't put anyone else at risk in the process," Petra lamented. She continued. "Silas, take the ship far away. The biggest danger is the wyrm managing to return before I close this thing, and it will remain open for a long time. If that happens, we'll have to leave here immediately."

Teacher and apprentice sat on makeshift stone benches in the ravine, closing the portal—probably the hottest and most illuminated place in all of Gate at that moment. After long minutes of tension with no sign of the wyrm, Liora and Silas finished mapping the entire expanded affected region and identified no more dangers. Despite the underlying anxiety, the four regrouped in the ravine to plan what to do. Frank is still recovering inside the ship in a restless, marginally rational sleep. He is desperate, trying to wake up, as he still doesn't fully know what has happened.

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Name: Silas "Archon" Cade Species: Ebex XP: 62+2 / 6 Powers Super-Life Magnitude 1 Super-Energy Magnitude 5 Super-Resistance (ebex) Magnitude 1 Super-Technique Magnitude 24 Unknowledge (ebex) Magnitude 2 Superior Technology: Architect Magnitude 25 Natural Combined Armor (ebex) - Know it all (party) - Skills Traditional Dancing (Dex) +2 Mathematics (Int) +4 Computer Engineering (Tech) +4 Kung fu (Res) +4 (fixed - know it all) - - Essence: Reality +4 Days: 9222(0) Equipment Superior safety clothes (AC 3) Northern Valley Shielded Bracers (1 parry), resized Silas´ Flexoclava, Damage: d12, melee, Hit: Dex, consumes 1TP / successful hit, produces 1TP / turn (quirk: Silas got +3 hit bonus when using it) Other 3 credits on Paradiso account 11375 spirit credits on PCU City of the Dead revival service insurance 1x Survival kit (food cube, shelter cube) Flight surveillance drones (1x, normal tech) Airbike, speed +4 (boosted), flight (normal tech): Following 4 Golens Aircar, perception +4 (boosted), flight (normal tech)

Schrogae 5-engine cargo airship: life support +4, capacity +7, maneuver +7, speed up +7, flight (.01c normal tech), space flight (.5c sub-light, normal tech), stealth +3(superior tech 1000/1000), inertial stabilizer +4, gravity engine +7, Energy cells battery x10 (superior tech, 10 TP charge, 100/100), Advanced Auto-Repair (superior tech, prototype bonus+, 20/20, consume 2 TP to regen 20 HP, or make 2 rolls to repair devices except for berserker mode+), Double-layered full armor (superior tech, AC 4, 200/200), 2x Energy positional shields (superior tech, 2 parry, 500/500), Structures (superior tech, 2000/2000 HP, 2000/2000), long-range scan +2 (superior tech, 1000/1000), short-range communicators +2(superior tech, 100/100),

2x turret 9th sentinel artillery/ranged (2/2) (superior tech, 120 fixed, Art.Rng., Hit: Dex/Tech, infinite ammo, 5000/5000),

Main gun - plasma cannon 5th generation shooter x4 (1/4) (superior tech, 10, Rng., Hit: Dex, infinite ammo, 6400/6400),

*berserker mode[*non-newtonian liquid atmosphere +4 (10000/10000), *tech meld interface 4x Tech/Dex/Str/Res (160000/160000), *8th circle retro-plasma saber x4 (2d12+1, Mle., Hit: Dex, infinite ammo, 10000/10000), *Avatar AI (superior tech, all Atts+4, 90000/90000)]

Name: Liora “Stardust” Gorgath Species: Oioioi XP: 61+2 / 6 Powers Super-Life Magnitude 2 Super-Energy Magnitude 5 Super-Dexterity Magnitude 49 Shardify (oioioi) Magnitude 1 Superior Technology Network (oioioi) - Structural (oioioi) - Know it all (party) - Skills Aerolito´s Dojo Training (Dex) +4 Informatics (Wis) +4 Streetwise (Cha) +4 Kung fu (Res) +4 (fixed - know it all) - - Essence: Reality +4 Days: 8667 (0) Equipment Double-trouble (5), ranged, hit: Dex, 2TP\turn, prototype (quirk: +3 hit when shooting twice a turn) Other Secure private network nano-connector Mk1: enables connection with Mag1 safety 2 credits on Paradiso account 11375 spirit credits on PCU City of the Dead revival service insurance 1x Survival kit (fuel cube, shelter cube)

The narrative has been illicitly obtained; should you discover it on Amazon, report the violation.

Name: Petra "Warden" Somerson Species: Human XP: 60+2 / 6 Powers Super-Life Magnitude 10 Super-Mana Magnitude 4 Super-Strength Magnitude 1 Super-Resistance Magnitude 28 Super-Wisdom Magnitude 5 Super-Constitution Magnitude 4 Spellcasting Magnitude 4 Skills Aerolito´s Dojo Training (Res) +4 Shooting (Dex) +4 Military Discipline (Mor) +4 Tang Soo Do (Str) +4 (fixed - know it all) School of Transport(v_) (Wis) +2 33/100 - Essence: Reality +4 Days: 5336 (0) Equipment 11375 spirit credits on PCU City of the Dead revival service insurance 1x Flexoclava, Damage: d12, melee, Hit: Dex, consumes 1TP / successful hit, produce 1TP / turn Sci-lab jacket (AC 3), regen, prototype (quirk: AC 2 to magical defense) Northern Valley Shielded Bracers (1 parry) Other Survival kit (food cube, shelter cube) Trained Magic (vo) The Door of Returning: Enchant a stone to serve as an anchor; a mage can have up to Mag stones enchanted at the same time. After being enchanted, at any time, the mage can open or close a flat circular immobile portal of up to Mag Km in radius at a distance of ~10 meters from this stone; the mage chooses, for each portal entry, if the portal is one-way, two-ways, one-side, or both-sides at will, need 1 action to change those parameters. When the portal near the stone opens, at the same time, this spell also opens an identical-sized portal at a distance of ~10 meters from the mage who cast this; those portals are spatial distortions and connect the two places; this effect ignores everything. The portal takes approximately 1 minute to open or close entirely for each Km in radius (minimum of 5 seconds or 1 action); the spell consumes mana (Mag MP) only to enchant the stone, and only actions are spent to open or close each of the portals. For 1 MP cost, the mage can make the stone ethereal and meld it with any inanimate object or terrain, permanently placing the stone anchor on its melded target. Each portal pair can have different colors, chosen by the mage at the casting time. If the mage tries to force a closing door upon an object/target crossing the portals to damage it (the mage can always bring some stones already enchanted and open/close local portal pairs at will, both at ~10 meters from the mage, on melee range), it must roll Wis(or Tech) vs. Dex to hit the target; on a successful hit, the portal grapples the target (Str vs. Wis roll to break free, grappled targets must expend one action for each try to fight the portal). The portal does Mag+Wis, crushing magical damage each turn until it breaks the grappled target and closes. If the mage uses any number of portals at the same time, puts one portal inside another, opens portals crossing entry and exit points, or makes any creative combination of portals to split or smash targets, the result may change, but hit rolls and damage totals caused solely by the portals apply the same way and do not stack. Range: You must touch the stone to enchant it; after that, ~10 meters to open/close portals. The distance between paired portals is infinite (the distance between the mage and the anchor). Target: One stone, or at an extra 1MP cost, any inanimate object or location melding the stone into it. Duration: Infinite on every instance, even in extreme cases where the mage dies, the portals remain in the last state forever since no mana is needed to maintain those (the portals may remain opened forever), but only the mage can modify them (including opening/closing). Tags: Enchantment, Disenchant (Mag MP, must touch the stone or place)

(va) Fiat Lux: Every time this magic spell is cast, one pocket universe is accessed by the mage over an infinite range of options. One and only one mage may first access each of those pocket universes using this spell, and any other power could not first access those universes in any other way nor even gather any information about them. Still, after the link is made, other forms of contact could be implemented using any other power or tool available for such things, but only after the first contact (after the spell is cast successfully). All rational beings, dead or alive, that ever existed in that pocket universe are linked to Gate and Umbra after the first contact and could be brought back to life as usual. This means that if the pocket universe once supported rational life, access to this pocket universe could leak in spite of the mage that first opens a portal to it. To define the overall parameters of each universe, 3 rolls will be made: the first roll is entirely random, a chaos roll (d20) that modifies the rolled entry every time this spell is cast. The second roll is a Luck roll for control (the mage's overall intention with that spell), and usually, this is the most crucial roll for this spell. The third and last roll is another chaos roll (d20) that modifies the entry when it is cast, but this time, it improves or modifies the universe parameters based on Magnitude. As this magic nature is a mix of balance and chaos essences, the effects could never be controlled the way most of the other spells are. A mage can only open such portals up to Wisdom's different universes, and once the connection is made the first time, it is perpetual and permanent; this effect ignores everything, so if the mage wants to open portals to new universes and is already at its limits, the mage needs to train Wisdom before doing so. To open a single portal, the mage needs to spend the total mana cost (Mag) at the casting start, and it takes at least 8 hours to finish casting it. During all this time, the mage can do nothing else and must always be touching the portal; failing to do so makes the spell fail, and the mage must restart it all over again; the mage may need a Constitution roll vs. Mag to not fall unconscious after each casting. The portal is a perfect circle of (Magnitude + Wisdom) Kilometers radius that the mage positions at the start of the casting (usually, the mage sits on a wide-open area, and the portal starts to grow in size upwards, it reaches maximum size in minutes, shortly afterward wild magic effects and visuals start to react with the portal during the entire process making an ominous view, giving faint hints of what the results may be when it is finished). It is always a one-side portal (hot face always facing the mage to open, and the cold face to close) and a two-way (mage universe and pocket universe in-out connection). Besides the fantastic visual effects, the portal does not interact with reality in both universes until the casting ends. The cold side of the portal is inert on both openings (mages universe and new universe openings). Suppose a strong force starts to do significant damage to the cold side (more than 10 x Mag damage). In that case, it starts to bend the portal, making bubbles of space that, when collapsed, lead to the other side of the portal, but inside the same universe, any universe travel may be done only through the hot side. When the spellcasting finishes, it opens on both universes on an explosion of magic (and maybe an explosion of something else). If the mage remains conscious, it has 1 turn (5~6 seconds) after the casting ends to do something before it takes effect and the portal opens on an explosion. The mage has only this time to figure out what happens (Wis roll vs. Mag) and react somehow, but the mage may not undo this spell at that point. To close the portal, the mage must spend mana and time and do the same ritual, touching the portal from the other inactive side to close it. While this spell is being cast to close the portal (at least 8 hours), the portal remains fully open, connecting the two universes; even after closing the portal, the Umbra and any other kind of interaction cannot be undone. Every time the mage casts this magic, it needs to choose to open the portal to any previous universe he opened before or open it to a new universe, if it is possible. The minimum space size of each universe accessed with this spell is ~(Mag + Wis) Light-Gate-Years. Range: Melee, the mage must touch the portal all the time. Duration: Infinite (can be closed and opened again to the same universe). Tags: Permanent effect, chaos magic, ignore all.

Spell Complements

(vo) Light Green - Space observatory near the Tempus Mountain.

(vo) Fire-red - Heavy Metal Infinity Universe, near the entry point.

(vo) Pinky-red - with Petra

(vo) Deep-blue - cargo door of The Unforgettables schrogae ship.

(va) Heavy Metal Infinity, Magnitude 1: An utterly inhabitable universe with tilted physics and very weak gravity force, it is filled with an infinite quantity of heavy metal(primarily liquid and vapor steel, but very rich in Tungsten, Osmiun, and Iridium) lava and vapor at 2100K..4200K temperature range. When the portal is open, a constant flow of hot lava jets out of the portal in a dozen-kilometers-long gush until it eventually jams, which may take years and may make the process of closing it complex because the jam could disrupt the other side if the mage remains near the ground. The lava deals (1d12+1)x3 physical damage on everything it touches in a wide area, raising the damage dice by "1" every turn up to the maximum damage (39 damage every turn). Anyone caught by the lava needs to roll Str vs. 3 to take any physical action (swimming is possible for Str 6+, if solidified digging is possible at Str 21+). 1st roll: "6": Fire, heat and metal, wild elemental universe, thermodynamics, and gravity may differ. 2nd roll: "roll result -17": (double critical failure, a mage could not control anything, the effect is dangerous, extra dangerous side effects at first time casting). 3rd roll: "19" The universe is infinite in size. Any effects related to this universe cause +1(Mag) base damage (weapons done with this metal have this extraordinary bonus and the weapon uses heat to cause damage). And any physical, earth, fire, or heat effects deal an additional +30 Damage only when inside the Heavy Metal Infinity universe (base: 30 x Mag damage).

Name: Frank "Firebreaker" Summers Species: Human XP: 60+2 / 6 Powers Super-Life Magnitude 3 Super-Mana Magnitude 2 Super-Willpower Magnitude 2 Super-Strength Magnitude 27 Super-Dexterity Magnitude 12 Super-Intelligence Magnitude 5 Super-Charisma Magnitude 1 Super-Constitution Magnitude 2 Spellcasting Magnitude 2 Skills Aerolito´s Dojo Training (Dex) +4 Bar Politics (Int) +4 Power Drinking (Res) +4 Drunken Fighting (Str) +4 (fixed - know it all) School of Communication (l_) (Int) +2 54/100 - Essence: Balance +4 Days: 5051 (0) Equipment 11375 spirit credits on PCU City of the Dead revival service insurance 1x Dual-ray trigger happy riffle (5), ranged, hit: Dex, 2TP\turn Ebexian Flexoclava (d12), melee, hit:Dex Other Survival kit (food cube, shelter cube) Vabala, complete, open Northern Valley Shielded Bracers (1 parry) 2x Northern Valley Guard Armor (AC 2) 2x Northern Valley Stun Rifle (2), hit: Dex, dam: Dex, ranged, non-lethal option, unlimited ammo 4x Trained Magic

(lu) Unforgettables, Assemble! Enchant with telepathy and sharing perception up to Int targets (Int+1 for the Unforgettables party only) simultaneously, enchanted beings opt to turn on and off this power at will at no cost or to filter it as desired. Grants a circumstantial bonus of +Mag on mobility rolls and can share skills to make rolls using the highest within the group. Targets: Mag targets each casting. Range: Indirect perception (only for enchanting or disenchanting; after that, the range is infinite and ignores all). Duration: infinite. Tags: Enchantment, Disenchant (no cost, at will)

(lo) Pub Proxy Projection: Enchant one location so that you can hear/see/taste and speak/be seen as if you were present. You can keep enchanted up to Mag locations simultaneously. You make an Int roll for accuracy (with a +3 bonus for any pub). Range: Knowledge. Targets: A point in relative space and maximum radius of (Int + Mag) meters, expend mana to cast and expand radius if needed. Duration: infinite Tags: Enchantment, Disenchant (no cost, at will) Spell Complements (lu) Self (Frank): Str +4, Res + 4, Dex + 4, Int +4

(lu) Liora: Wis +4, Cha +4

(lu) Silas: Tech +4

(lu) Petra: Mor +4

(lo) Rokatrista Bar "Taco´Bout Trouble Tavern" aka "Triple Ts," Gate, Northern Edge Region

(lo) Petra´s Heat Cliffs, still have no Bars, Gate, North region of the Kings Mountain

Superior Technology projects People on development Silas 25 research/day People on prototyping Silas 49 research/day People on production Silas, Liora (1 copy) 50 research/day Repair rate 500 / day Blueprints Flexoclava Foundation melee weapon + 1x internal energy generator 20 / 20 Research Sci-lab jacket Foundation main protector + regeneration 20 / 20 Research Dual-ray trigger happy riffle Foundation ranged weapon + energy(2) 30 / 30 Research Mister Snoop-Sentry, the 1st Network sentinel of 1st anti-horror 10 / 10 Research Mister Snoop-Sentry, the 2nd Network sentinel of 2nd anti-horror 9 / 20 Research Prototype Silas´ Flexoclava Damage: d12, melee, Hit: Dex, consumes 1TP / successful hit, produce 1TP / turn (quirk: Silas got +3 hit bonus when using it) 20 / 20 Research Sci-lab jacket of disbelief AC:3, regenerate (quirk: AC:2 for magical defense) 20 / 20 Research Double-trouble Damage: 5, ranged, Hit: Dex, consumes 1TP / successful hit, produces 2TP\turn (quirk: +3 hit when shooting twice a turn) 30 / 30 Research Mister Snoop-Sentry, the 1st Nullify: hacking mag 1, bonus roll: +3 (quirk: on single failure, delay hacking in 1 turn and warns on comlink) 10 / 10 Research Mister Snoop-Sentry, the 2nd Nullify: hacking mag 2, bonus roll: +6 (quirk: on single failure, delay hacking in 1 turn and warns on comlink) 0 / 20 Research Production Flexoclava (complete: 2x) Damage: d12, melee, Hit: Dex, consumes 1TP / successful hit, produce 1TP / turn 20 / 40 Research Dual-ray trigger happy riffle (complete: 1x) Damage: 5, ranged, Hit: Dex, consumes 1TP / successful hit, produce 2TP\turn 30 / 30 Research

The Unforgettables Assembly (Milestones 5/3) Maneuver: 27+6 (condition: Firebreaker on vanguard) Perception: 5+4 (condition: Warden on perception range) Tactical Insight: 5+4 (condition: Firebreaker on perception range) Hacking defense: 24 + 7 Vanguard: Firebreaker, Warden Ranged: Stardust Artillery: Archon Combat Totals Char-action life aural hit dam def mdef dodge TP cost extra Warden 100 / 100

Umbra: -40 MP 4/4 84 10 0+4 regen 4/t War - melee 0+4 1(d12) War - parry 28+4 28(d12+1) X-1 X hit/t Firebreaker 30 / 30

Umbra: -20 WP 2/2

MP 2/2 0 0 12+4 regen 2/t Fir - melee 12+4 27(d12) X-1 X hit/t Fir - melee TF2 2+4 27(d12) X-1 X hit/t Fir - brawl 27+4 27(d4) bare hands Fir - brawl TF2 17+4 27(d4) bare hands Fir - ranged 12+4 60 X-2 X hit/t Fir - ranged TF2 2+4 60 X-2 X hit/t Stardust 20 / 20

Umbra: -1 TP 5/5 0 0 45+4 Stardust (self) +10X X reaction Star - ranged 49+4 245 X-2 X hit/t Star - ranged TF2 39+7 245 X-2 X hit/t Star - ranged TF3 29+4 245 X-2 X hit/t Star - ranged TF4 19+4 245 X-2 X hit/t Star - ranged TF5 9+4 245 X-2 X hit/t Star - Blast (rng) 49+4 X(d6) X push Archon 10 / 10

Umbra: -1 TP 5/5 5 0 0+4 Arch - melee 0+7 1 X-1 X hit/t Arch - parry 1+7 1(d12+1) X-1 X hit/t Arch - Blast(art) 24+4 X(d6) X push Arch - Nova(mle) 24+4 2X X all targets