Hark!
Let it be known throughout all Realms and Demiplanes of Fate that a momentous event has transpired. An Awakened has achieved the feat of evolving to become the first High Human. Through the pathways of Quintarchy and the mastery of Aethermancy, a human male has transcended human limitations, ascending to a rank that surpasses his peers. Henceforth, he shall be recognised as the Progenitor of High Humanity and Human Aethermancy. Mark this day as the commencement of a new age and a reminder that even across the entirety of Fate, the accomplishments of individuals can irrevocably alter the status quo.
After re-reading the message for the tenth time, Ori stared at Freya's sleeping form as he cast Lesser Restoration. Seconds had passed since leaving the Library of Fates, and Ori itched to fill out his character sheet by selecting classes and tweaking his characteristic values, but a tiny ticking clock reminded him otherwise.
> Curse: Graceless Infernal Deathclock
>
> Rank: Divine
>
> Description: This curse feeds upon the Grace you accumulate.
>
> Notes: You have [fifty-seven minutes, thirty-nine seconds] to live. Extend this time by avenging the god you killed. For every infernal slain with a level disparity greater than one, gain an hour of life. Additionally, gain one hour of life for each level the infernal slain is above your own.
Fifty-seven minutes to live, fifty-seven minutes to find infernals to kill.
He stood, surveying his immediate surroundings. Beyond the hefty chunk of Quintessence beside his feet, all that remained of Tekrakathune and the Ocean of Peritia was a smudge mark on the ground and the gently steaming rock surrounding him. He felt full, energised and restless as if this quiet moment of stillness was an unnatural, temporary state of being.
But he knew this to be false. He could feel the foreign urges of his curse, his inherent flux affinity, and accolades that had transmogrified into something more, pushing him, urging him. They meant well, but as Ori clenched and squeezed hard upon his right fist, he bent his will towards silencing the rowdy collection of instincts.
Freya gasped awake. “Ori!?” she said with her next breath, darting eyes, wild and on the verge of panic.
“Shush. It’s okay,” Ori comforted, as her pixie form leapt off his hand into a fierce hug, her head buried in the crook of his shoulder as she shuddered.
“That was really the Library of Fates, wasn’t it?” she asked after a few seconds.
“Yeah, I think so. Anyway, change to your sprite form, we need to go.” Ori said, before storing the crystal of Quintessence in his void ring and leaving the cavern.
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Ori ran at a dead sprint.
It was the type of sprint a normal human could sustain for only seven seconds on perfectly flat ground, perfectly rested and hydrated. Yet the High Human ran like this through a darkened cave, upon rocky uneven ground, his body a tortured cobbled together thing absent the rest or nourishment of sleep, food or water for optimal function. And yet, he ran.
Freya had been silent as the clock counted down to fifteen minutes remaining. Following the direction back towards the lower reaches to enact his prior, and now vastly revised plan, a plan that had all the same major elements, but with more intel and specifics than before.
Split Mind focused on his footing, the details provided to him by the Librarian, and the upcoming conflicts. Modern Warfare had little to say upon his particular situation, despite images of drive-by shootings, the sudden and unprovoked violence of insurgents and how retreat was more important than any particular objective beyond violence, at least in this case.
‘Ori, what’s your plan? And have you managed to select your classes yet?’ Freya asked internally, her sprite form hidden within Ori’s body.
‘Haven’t exactly had time, in fact the current plan is to kill a few demons, fall back and spend a few quiet hours doing the whole Page of Fates thing in peace.’
‘Have you even looked at your Page?’
‘Yeah, a little.’ Ori said
‘How much Peritia do you have left? Could you evolve or rank up again if you needed to?’
‘I have something like eight hundred million Peritia, need over one point one billion to evolve again, twenty thousand to the next level, but I have no plans on levelling up any time soon.’
‘Over a billion!?’ Freya gasped. ‘I fear for the rest of fate, how many devils and gods you may have to kill to evolve once more? How much for your next characteristic point?’
‘A hundred,’ Ori thought back.
‘Good. They often recommend increasing your body only after strenuous exercises and tonics have pushed your base characteristics as far as they’d go, but just like the dragon recommended, spend your Peritia now, raising every characteristic until they cap or the cost of upgrades goes over a million - that should help you survive long enough to pick a class.’
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‘Alright,’ Ori did so, noting that the cost of characteristic upgrades increased twenty per cent each time he spent Peritia increasing each one. To his surprise, he was unable to directly increase the base values for his unified characteristics, but it was then when he truly understood just how powerful and broken having such characteristics were. Not only did he save on Peritia costs as he had fewer characteristics to upgrade, for Polydexterity, each point spent was equivalent to ten spent on both Perception and Dexterity. This effect was magnified another order of magnitude for Domain.
With fifty-two upgrade points driving the cost per upgrade to one point three million Peritia, Ori spent forty-nine points, spread equally between Domain, Intelligence, Polydexterity, Strength, Toughness, Vitality and Wisdom giving seven to each, then spent the remaining three points bringing vitality to ten, the limit of the Awakened rank and increasing Polydexerity by a further one.
Ori cast Lesser Restoration and Purifying Light on himself. The feeling of being whole and refreshed was a minor but welcomed sensation, soothing ragged breathing and cooling flushed skin. Vision of the Progenitor flared, his senses picking up sounds and scents of demons beyond the entrance of his current cave which was just as well.
> Curse: Graceless Infernal Deathclock
>
> Rank: Divine
>
> Description: This curse feeds upon the Grace you accumulate.
>
> Notes: You have [four minutes, nineteen seconds] to live. Extend this time by avenging the god you killed. For every slain infernal with a level disparity greater than one, gain an hour of life. Additionally, gain one hour of life for each level the slain infernal is above your own.
‘Freya, I’m going to need you to hide in the rocks. Project yourself back to me if you wish, when the fighting starts. But I don’t have any real way to keep you safe.’ Ori asked, silence was his only response. ‘Freya, please!’ Ori pleaded.
‘Ori, do you remember what I said, back before the trials? About what those infernals are, how they always win, in the end?’ Freya asked.
‘You said, they gain power even when they are slain, when they can make you strong enough in your hate, you’ll eventually become like them without even realising it.’
‘Yes, that Divine Curse, upon reflection, I’ve come to consider it more insidious than I first believed. That god fell, not because the Aether warped it, or its will was eroded by time, it fell because it became consumed with hate, it could no longer see its enemy as anything but. Listen to me.” Freya’s tone was suddenly urgent. “You MUST be mindful of your lack of remorse, and ensure it doesn’t erode your will—your sense of who you are, who you need to become.’ She finished, before zipping out of his skull to phase through the rock.
‘Alright.’ Ori sighed, unsure of how to do as she asked as he watched her go.
He walked up to the cave entrance. Despite an urgency tugging on him to go faster than he’d like to, Ori stood tall, his steps measured and unhurried despite his disregard for stealth. He bore in mind that avatar of the High Human he saw during evolution and replicated its aura of challenge, dissatisfaction and menace and found it suited his mood.
Will of the High Human activated without conscious thought as if it were part of the natural progression of his current energy, his right hand found itself summoning Seraphine’s Beacon to his grip just as his Arcane Hands emerged from the ether.
A burning cloak coated his skin as the entirety of his mind, his intellect and will, bent itself to violence. As he stepped out beyond the lip of the cave into the space near the bowl, Ori had a new found confidence that he could face all likely challengers, and perhaps a few unlikely ones too. His eyes lit up as he surveyed his harvest.
“It’s him!” One of the bovine demons yelled as Ori’s light show caught its attention. It, along with over three dozen Awakened and Nascent infernals were caught, moving bodies and body parts, mounds of dirt and rock and open pits signifying graves for the victims of his last raid.
“A level one Awakened? That scrawny little thing killed Korrent?”
“Demon bain!? Run!” Screamed an Imp no doubt more attuned to the arcane pressure Ori exuded.
“Level one… human? Could it be—”
A cord of brilliant prismatic lightning lashed out from Ori’s wand before the last demon could complete its thought, its length spanned the hundred feet between him and the fleeing Imp. The creature managed three steps before its glowing ashes drifted up as if carried by an unseen draft. Ori's strides continued as his Channel Lightning surged, its chaotic beam dancing across the cave, its tip scoring a jagged path between bodies that were fried and burned away. Freya's projection appeared over Ori's head, casting Font of Wisdom and Beacon of Wisdom, as Ori continued his massacre, his baleful aura now incorporating the idle snapping sparks from his spells.
An Arcane Hand materialised within the pack, Ori's mana regeneration now sufficient to spare for a second channelled spell as his split mind devoted another part of itself to the onslaught.
The ionising light filled the air with the distinct smell of ozone, while roiling, subdued thunder sent vibrations through Ori’s chest. One by one, creatures ignited into glowing ashes.
Physical shields raised in defence, disintegrated under the relentless strike of the spell, as Ori’s Cosmic affinity amplified his intent to annihilate. His power had grown stronger. The continuous channel of the spell forced the enemy monsters to scatter and seek cover.
Even a Greater-ranked demon, caught out in the open and unprepared, succumbed as easily as the Imp. Its nerves jammed, its eyeballs boiling then exploding into steam before it evaporated into dust.
After Freya’s reminder, there was no malice in his actions, his remaining split mind doing its best to analyse and filter his emotions and intent, doing its best to scrub them clean of the kind of taint that could one day corrupt his soul. The problem was, he felt nothing for these sentient creatures, even his white mage who’s instincts should have been shouting in warning or remorse stood silent amidst the throngs of shared clothing and armour, burning dust and smoke.
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An errant thought wanted to experiment with his magic and saw them as the perfect test subjects, another wondered how much death and misery must each have caused to be so far along his inner pacifist's shit list. He swashed those thoughts, as he ceased his casting, running out of targets to kill after the first fifteen seconds of combat.
Still, his stride was unchanged, his gaze surveying his destruction as he reached the end of the clearing before the descent into the bowl. The wisps of Peritia now seemed insubstantial when compared to the soup that surrounded him during his quickening, Fate no doubt dialling down the value of his accomplishments now that he was Awakened.
Unworried by the shouts and calls of alarm below, Ori marched onwards as he checked his Deathclock.
> Curse: Graceless Infernal Deathclock
>
> Rank: Divine
>
> Description: This curse feeds upon the Grace you accumulate.
>
> Notes: You have [fifty days, twelve hours and twenty one minutes] to live. Extend this time by avenging the god you killed. For every infernal slain with a level disparity greater than one, gain an hour of life. Additionally, gain one hour of life for each level the infernal slain is above your own.
‘How much time?’ Freya asked.
‘Fifty days. For forty or fifty infernals. It seems like I need to kill one infernal an entire rank above me or more, to live an extra day, Freya.’ Ori said, troubled by the conclusion as his quick calculation brought with it a dread future of hunting monsters he no longer cared to hate.
A ball of fire smacked Ori across the face. It clung, melting his skin and hair under the sudden heat. The jelly-coated fire insidiously roasted his brain through his skull even as he cast Lesser Restoration as if it were a channelling spell. Just before panic could set in, Purifying Light cast with his Cosmic affinity destroyed the spell construct long enough for Ori to heal himself. Will of the High Human turned the weak healing spell into something that completely restored his Awakened constitution. Meanwhile, unknown to Ori at this time, his Aetheric heart pulsed with chimeric energies, restoring devastating lifeforce damage almost as quickly as he sustained it.
Another fireball of magical napalm splashed upon his chest and face. Purifying Light cleared the debilitating burning before he stood, Vision of the Progenitor like white holes in the gloom of the cavern, outshining the spell fire, their lights like two fixed points, the focus of their attentions only now beginning to understand.
“What the fuck are you?” A man—no, not a man, too pretty with red eyes and bat wings—stood before him. He was shirtless, with dark hair framing a well-proportioned face with a strong, heroic jawline, but his personality was all wrong. It was greasy and cruel, his confident swagger now slipping into angered caution, his voice that of a long island street thug as Ori assessed the creature’s strength and tactics.
Had this been the Ori from yesterday, he would have died without even realising how. Before him stood a Greater Incubus, a Greater-ranked, evolved demon far stronger than all but the infernal warden he’d nearly died to send down a cliff. And yet, here he was, his characteristic points in toughness and vitality increasing his resilience, his Awakened lifeforce turning life-threatening wounds into glancing or less threatening blows. Even his brain, which should have cooked, still functioned despite the thousand-degree heat, made all the worse by the inflammatory jelly that allowed it to cling to his skin even as he healed himself. However, if it weren’t for a rare spell taught to him on a whim by a woman he might never get a chance to thank, used mostly for utility, all of those advantages might have been all for nought.
“Demon bane, huh? You think you’re all that, bitch? Come’re and let me slap that cockiness right out of you.”
Shadows enveloped the demon and before he could blink, daggers whistled towards Ori, their smoky forms signalling danger to his Duælist instincts. A dome appeared as Ori instinctively reached for Purifying Light in the shape of a shield, the daggers plinking off the semi-translucent surface before disappearing into smoke. The Incubus appeared just behind Ori, and while he hadn’t been expecting the demon to appear so close, it made little difference to his transcendent senses. An Arcane Hand wielding Flenser materialised into reality and drove into the demon's back, his intent, reinforced by Will of the High Human compounded the estoc’s void-piercing enchantment and allowed the blade to plunge deep into the exposed back of the creature before its claws raked Ori’s chest open.
The demon’s spine arched in pain, giving Ori just enough time to turn and cast a flux-aspected, point-blank, Channel Lightning to the demon’s face. Ultra-hard gamma rays caused Ori’s hand to blister and his exposed skin to instantly sunburn before he was knocked off his feet by the concussive snap of air molecules annihilating. Meanwhile, the beam of anti-protons made contact, exploding the demon’s all-too-pretty face like a shotgun cartridge to a watermelon.
The headless body of the bat-winged infernal stood there long enough for Ori to fear it wasn’t dead. It crumpled to the ground, the sound of the heap thudding to the floor was the only noise Ori’s ringing ears could make out. Using that variant of the spell so close forced him to cast Lesser Restoration before the effects of radiation poisoning took hold. Still, despite the unlikelihood of the Incubus having magic resistances, Ori had deemed the drawbacks worth a more certain, killing blow.
‘What in Titania’s tits was that?’ Freya asked in the silent aftermath.
‘The Incubus? Maybe another warden? Thraxis said they’d soon send another down to inspect what’s going on.’
‘No, Ori, that spell? What was it? Is that your flux affinity?’ Freya asked with obvious concern.
‘Kinda? Seems like if I have the right conceptualising and the right affinities with high enough comprehension, I can just create antimatter.’
‘What’s antimatter?’
‘One of the most dangerous things known in existence. It’s the only thing I can come up with that has a chance of dealing with magic resistance. Pray that I never figure out how to store it, or make lots more of it. A cup of the stuff would leave a crater the size of a mountain range and ground the soil for hundreds of years,’ Ori said, his gaze fixed on the headless demon as he confirmed its death via the addition of two more days of life in his Deathclock. Freya didn’t respond. Leaving her to her thoughts, he stood and then rifled through the demon’s belongings, which weren’t much and left.
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The bowl was empty as any activity that existed before had evacuated after the sounds of spellfire and thunder reverberated through the caves. Making his way through passages he had fled from the previous day, Ori turned away from the celestial prisons towards a location specified by Thraxis as his next port of call.
It was another armoury, one he could secure and hide away in for several hours of self-care.
‘Freya, try and make your way back to me. We’re close to that second armoury, there shouldn’t be anyone between us, but be safe.’
‘I’ll be fine, you be safe too,’ Freya said as her sprite form buzzed around him in a circle before disappearing in a puff of sparks. Ori smiled at the sight and continued his grim march.
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“It’s the demon bane—”
A massive ogre, at least nine feet tall, glowed as a branch of prismatic lightning made contact, its words forever lost to time and thunder as its green bulk turned into scintillating motes of evaporating ash. Freya had just joined him in her more vulnerable sprite form, so Ori took no chances and eliminated demons as soon as he saw them.
He was at his goal. The death of the fallen god and his consumption of the Primordial Aether Rift had depowered many of the enchantments and wards that would have blocked his path. Instead, Ori picked up a key ring, and after a few attempts, found the key for the heavy steel-reinforced door, unlocked it, and stepped inside.
A Light Orb illuminated a far larger, older armoury. Many of its wares were in poor condition, with bins of un-scabbarded swords and crates of assorted, unlabelled magical artefacts. He would spend some time rifling through these items. He needed a source, or at least a mana battery, to re-summon Lysara, and he wanted to attempt to reshape his ward, though he was uncertain he’d have the time, even hidden away in a forgotten space under their noses.
Before any of that could commence, Ori found the primary reason for holing up in this room instead of somewhere else. He opened crates of musty grains and jerky and found flagons of water; all of it looked suspect.
‘What do you think? Is any of this safe to eat?’ Ori asked
‘You can ensure it is by using that purifying light spell.’
‘Oh yeah, what a lifesaver,’ Ori said, before casting Purifying Light at full blast, aiming to purify the lot. The nearest crate was turned into a smoking cinder while the nearest flagons burst. Ori scratched his head. ‘Oops.’
After more attempts to modulate his power, Ori sat, handing over to Freya a piece of tough, god-knew-how-old jerky that he was moderately confident was edible. She sat on his shoulder in her Pixie form, her bare feet swinging off his shoulder.
“For my first ever experience of food, I must say, this is disappointing,” Freya said into the quiet armoury as he drank his fill of stale but purified water.
“Yeah, I apologise. I don’t think any of the grain was edible in the end. When we get out of here, I’ll find you somewhere nice. Though right now, I’m a bit jealous that you don’t need food to survive.”
“I suspect I might when I evolve to fairy.”
“It’s a when now?”
Freya shrugged. “I… almost have the Peritia… from Tekrakathune’s death and accompanying you to the library. A few more accolades and the right ritual under the right sky and…” She trailed off.
“That’s awesome, that’s really good news, isn’t it?”
“Mhmmm,” Freya agreed, though Ori detected some reticence on her part.
“What is it?”
She sighed. “It’s nothing to worry about right now.”
“You sure?” Ori pressed.
“I’m sure. You need to do what you need to do. Show me your options; I’m curious to see what these unique accolades and class options look like.”
Ori opened his Page of Fates, his mind going towards the class and spell list that would define him for the foreseeable future. Firstly, he saw that Harriet had shrouded his titles. Beneath, were his list of accolades, with his unique accolades first catching his eye.
> Accolade: "Bondweaver"
>
> Type: Unique, Significant, Merged, Evolving, Titled, Ability, Trait, Class, Entity
>
> Legend: As named by Harriet, Anoriel Thalionwen Luinilthar, "Bondweaver" is a unique, titled accolade bestowed by the Library of Fates for exceptional demonstrations of soul crafting and the weaving of soul bonds.
>
> This accolade honours the first mortal human to form a familiar pact with a wild fae in over seven thousand years. It also acknowledges the extraordinary feat of soul bonding with an Immortal-ranked artefact and its lich spirit, while being mortal, as well as being the first human to form Taurna'diem with a High Elf. The recipient of this title has not only formed two such bonds in rapid succession but has also used these connections to perform feats of high magic, such as dreamwalking across demiplanes and ages, successfully retrieving a soul fragment from the ethereal void and the assistance of a racial evolution that resulted in a new minor evolutionary branch.
>
> Further, by surviving a soulcrafting and enhancing their Soulcraft affinity comprehension to the level of Immersion, re-enchanting and reshaping a soul-bound artefact to exceed its original rank, and bonding their soul to more beings or entities than any other mortal man has done so before, "Bondweaver" has consistently reshaped bonds with expertise that surpasses their rank by levels never before seen in fate.
>
> Due to the uniqueness of this accolade and the benefits Fate has bestowed upon him through his legend, the Library of Fates now recognises The Bondweaver as an Entity. This recognition brings unique class options upon awakening, reflecting his exceptional abilities and legendary status.
>
> Note: Upon naming, this accolade merged various lesser accolades into one, granting the unified Trait, Ability and Title of “Bondweaver”. Further achievements related to souls and bonding will instead enhance the legend of “Bondweaver” and evolve its aspects.
>
> Trait: Once per day, while bonded are under threat or duress, enhances spiritual and mental characteristics of the user and all bonded by 100% for the duration of the circumstance.
>
> Ability: Through an intimate act, weave bonds with those who desire you and are desired by you in return. Enables user the Soulcrafting of bonded without duress.
> Accolade: "Duælist"
>
> Type: Unique, Significant, Combat, Evolving, Titled, Ability, Trait, Class, Entity
>
> Legend: As named by the Library of Fates, "Duælist" is a unique, titled accolade bestowed for exceptional demonstrations of dual-wielding mastery and duelling prowess.
>
> While records exist of mortals defeating Greater-ranked foes in single combat, none have done so armed with as little as a shiv and a poisoned tooth. The Duælist extended his legend by vanquishing multiple Awakened and Nascent-ranked opponents while dual-wielding wands. His legend was solidified when he faced his greatest adversary, a Sovereign-ranked lich, in a battle of wills, leading to the total destruction of his foe's mind, body, and soul. Remarkably, he repeated this feat by defeating a Sovereign-ranked demon and, soon after, a fallen divinity while still mortal, using only his limited understanding of arcana and a handful of soul-bound artefacts.
>
> The recipient of this title has demonstrated supreme skill and exceptional mental resilience, enabling adaptation and success in the most challenging combat scenarios. By unifying Perception and Dexterity into Polydexterity, by winning countless battles of wills, and by having a willingness to use any and every compatible tool at his disposal, the Duælist consistently utilised his dual-wielding abilities to perform feats of high combat, combining magic and melee with an expertise that surpasses his rank by levels never before seen in Fate.
>
> Due to the uniqueness of this accolade and the benefits Fate has bestowed upon him through his legend, the Library of Fates now recognises the Duælist as an Entity. This recognition brings unique class options upon awakening, reflecting his exceptional abilities and legendary status.
>
> Trait: When outnumbered, fighting alone or with bonded; Increases combat speed and damage inflicted by 100%, per additional weapon wielded.
> Accolade: "Progenitor"
>
> Type: Unique, Significant, Titled, Ability, Trait, Class, Entity
>
> Legend: As named by the Library of Fates, "Progenitor" is a unique, titled accolade bestowed for groundbreaking achievements in human evolution and Aethermancy.
>
> This accolade honours the first individual to evolve into a High Human, thereby becoming the architect of High Human racial traits and bonuses. This accolade also acknowledges the first human to master Aethermancy by reaching Integration in their affinity with Aether, beneficially Aether Warping core aspects of their nature, and using Quintessence to rewrite the fundamental laws of Fate. By demonstrating a process for germinating a seed of Aether into an Aetheric Heart, the Progenitor has better enabled the practice of Aethermancy for all across Fate.
>
> Due to the uniqueness of this accolade and the benefits Fate has bestowed upon him through his legend, the Library of Fates now recognises the Progenitor as an Entity. This recognition brings unique class options upon awakening, reflecting his exceptional abilities and legendary status.
>
> Trait: Progenitor abilities may be subconsciously empowered by Aethermancy during moments of duress by up to 500%.
>
> Abilities: Vision of the Progenitor, Reach of the Progenitor, Aura of the Progenitor