“Now, tell me, what is a man without a Class, doing with a Queen of the Orange Tier, a Kitsune of Myth, and a Mighty young Pygmaleon with a Rare typing combination?”
“That’s why I’m going south! Apparently the Capital has a place for me to get a Class.”
“And what path has been set before you?”
“None. I can choose them all, though I know which I want.” Myron flashed a smile and cracked his knuckles.
“Ts, younguns and their hot headed-ness. Don’t go killing yourself in a battle that doesn’t matter.”
“Don’t plan to old man.” Myron chuckled. With a cup of cold Milk set back down in front of him Myron felt the brain juices flowing. “What do you know about Type Energy.”
“? That’s a broad and advanced topic to be asking a farmer don’t you think?”
“If I can understand it as I have in the past week, then surely, you’ll know more. Sunika can surely help. I’m certain Psychic Aimon know a lot more than they let on.” That caught both of them by surprise, just a little bit. The fact that Myron could tell her Type.
“It’s not too difficult to tell. I’ve met one more, and I’d say… They have similar Posture? It’s something about Psychic Aimon that stands out.” Myron noticed though and didn’t let it pass unmentioned. “Anyway, Type Energy.”
“Myron! Come on! Tell us more about your World and leave the Type Energy stuff alone for now. Enough thinking for today. Tell us something cool!” Dakini stopped Myron from speaking.
He stopped, laughed at himself and then sighed. “Yeahp, Good on you Dakini for speaking your mind. Very well. I’ll tell you about how man conquered the skies.”
“What?!”
“Conquered the skies?” Syl asked after question had been asked in unison. Myron laughed at the distinct image of Aimon shooting Ability up at the sky, who was pouting and raining down fists of fury upon the earth. The Sky in her imagination died and they placed a Flag atop the the wind, its body, just floating atop nothing visible.
“No, what I mean is that in my World Humans could fly.”
“That’s even more shocking.” Syl’s brows disappeared into her head and her antennae twitched repeatedly. “Considering you’ve told me if I remember that there is no Magic on earth, no Aimon, No System, no Aether.”
“And that is True! What is also true Syl, and everyone, is that my world because it lacked all those things, had disease, war, and diversity amongst its people like you wouldn’t believe, and a drive for innovation. There was a beautiful little saying I got to Hear once and this explains quite intimately to my opinion the Nature of Humanity on Earth born from a necessity of Evolution, not Evolution like you know it, but over Millions and billions of years.”
‘Tiger got to Hunt, Bird Got to fly’
‘Man got to sit and wonder Why?’
‘Tiger got to sleep, bird got to Land’
‘Man got to say he understand.’
“It’s poetic, its genius and it is true. It speaks both to the good and the bad in humans. It leads to false realities that break people, or it leads to great discoveries that uplift. So we saw birds fly and wondered, until finally we figured something out. We built machines of metal and sent them forth with engines that burned fuel and used that heat to move some parts like a bird eats food and has the energy to beat its wings. And Humanity took flight.”
“How far did you go?” Mery asked stars in her eyes. “How Fast?”
“With commercial aircraft I would have been able to travel the world, at a price, in 30 hours? 40? There were faster flying machines but those where used by the military for war. To get you to understand… Like, explain to me this world a bit, so I can actually have a frame of reference.”
Sunika spoke up. “Well, you are currently in the Shinka Empire, Ruled by the similarly named Dynasty for the past five hundred years. This Duchy is relatively north-east in the Empire’s territory. To the South the Blue Valley Mountain range cuts the empire almost in half and leads into wild territory where small communities of Humans lead tribal lifestyles, primitive things that have no central government. Barbarians they are called. South of the Mountain range the borders of the Shinka Empire touch the Norther-western border of the Empire of Jupiter. An Empire much more strict and far gone down the path of Aimon hate and enslavement, people, form what I have seen, with little honor as they don’t even treat the weapons that protect them with respect, Some of the Lord Clans in this place at least have the decency to be proud of their Aimon, even if they are tools.”
Syl continued. “From the scrolls and maps of My former Trainer in the Jeweler Clan I know that the Empire of Jupiter spreads south, surrounded by two seas that pierce into the land, making it a large peninsula with a tendency to fear Eastwards. The Islands sprouting at the tail end of the peninsula are also owned by them, and are the actual place of Origins of the first conquering emperors. Within their territory there is not a single place that is not a Dead Zone.”
“Here it’s different?”
“It is,” Farmer Keegs nodded. “If slightly, but we ought to not get stuck in the mire right now, we were talking about wondrous discoveries and the Spirit of Humanity in an entirely different world. To the East of the Empire of Jupiter stands the Champion’s Empire. They spread further east, easter than any island and any Human has ventured. They have taken the weirdest route, when it comes to their culture and treatment of Aimon, and Aether as a whole, but that is for another time.
The distance from the Western most point of Shinka to the Easter most point of Champion’s Empire has to be…. Some hundred Leagues, little over 500? In a Straight line of course. If strapped to a Zephalas with minimal supplies that could run non-stop, which is a stretch even for those hardy and swift Aimon, then it would take a little more than… 30 hours?”
“Isn’t that too little, dear?” Sunika questioned.
“But it’s a straight line.” Keegs answered. “We can’t underestimate how much distance the bends of actual travel add to the time it takes, as well as rest and such. If it rode with rest for 8 hours a day, it would take nearly 4 days of travel. Once again. In an absolutely straight line.
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“I bet, an aircraft could cover that distance, given no harsh conditions in the air, and no attacks by Aimon… in Hours? A 3 hours? 4 if we account for landing and take off, and some change.”
“Incredible!” Dakini shouted, standing. Mery was a bit dumbfounded by all the calculations and such. She wasn’t stupid obviously so she understood the difference in the numbers but she had gotten lost along the way and zoned out of the conversation struggling with the words.
“That’s unbelievable, I can’t Teleport there is such a short amount of time.” Sunika supplied, her eyes wide. Keegs was laughing his ass off, nearly falling off his chair. “You come from an amazing place then, boy!”
“You have such amazing machines and power, and yet you are wowed by the pitiful Petal Blizzard I summon?” Syl asked, actual confusion and worry in her voice.
“Syl, you don’t get it. It’s a different thing entirely. You guys, Aimon, are just straight out of a Story, a Dream, a Childish Fantasy. I can’t get enough of talking with you, learning about you, being with you. It’s been an amazing experience for every step of the way, and I would never take back my actions. In fact. I would have Killed Choro for making you suffer like that Dakini, and I am not joking, having never fought or touched another person to hurt them in my Life! I gave everything up and took a chance, and here I am, thankful every waking and sleeping moment that I took it.” Myron looked Syl into her Eyes, into her Soul. Those emerald grids shone in the soft light of the moons and the stars, which were beautiful - and actually visible - at night, they shone with colors and that was new too.
“I think, it’s about time to go to bed.” Myron said, draining a third cup of milk that had somehow found its way into his hands, this one warm. It hit just right, and soon enough, with thanks, and a payment for the beds, which was promptly denied and thrown back into Myron’s face, the group was huddled up in their own little straw beds, under covers and warm.
“Myron.” Syl whispered to him, when the other two girls where clearly passed out, snoring like trains.
“I’m glad you saved me.”
“I’m glad you asked for help.”
Sleep took him not much later, his soul bursting at the seams with Aether, pulsing with the Gold liquid, all warm and fuzzy.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
The morning came with a bird of yellow feathers and a blue triangle at its head singing its tune. The sun was up, the roosters had crowed but Myron and his team had ignored them. So he opened his eyes to the chirp with delight like he’d never felt before.
He almost felt ready to jump and skip into a dance. What a magical day!
No. Instead he pulled up his Status.
Myron’s Status
Tier: Unearned
Level: 7!
Distributable Points -> 6
Path: None
Aether: 34/34
Bonds
Syl - Level 30, Emeramantis Queen - Plant/Metal Type
Mery - Level 8, Pygmaleon - Fighting/Water Type
Dakini - Level 9, Kitsune - Dark/Fairy Type
Attributes
Explosiveness - 5
Might - 4!
Tenacity - 7!
Instinct - 7!
Focus - 10
Impact - 8
Spirit - 7!
Clarity - 10
Skills
{P} Heart of Purpose (lv8)!
{P} Mind of Intent (Lv3)!
His Skills had once again grown dramatically, at least in his mind, any growth was dramatic as he could feel the chugging along, becoming ever more efficient and capable. Myron didn’t think there would ever be a time where his mental state would go unaffected by all things, for there would be no reason for such a skill. How can one be unbothered - infinite clarity - and still have any purpose at all? It’s a paradox in his mind. Thus that is not the direction is going towards. He also doesn’t thing he will be able to wish items into existence as this world isn’t one with that type of magic but he shall wait and see where Mind of Intent takes him.
He contemplated whether he should try and invest some of his Aether into his Clarity on focus, but saw no reason to do so. Simply put, he had other things to focus on, like getting his other attributes to increase. All the walking and running was helping his Tenacity but the sore spot for him had to be his Might and Explosiveness. ‘We can’t have that.’
He decided to get up, and do some push-ups, not in the room of course as that would disturb the Aimon, but out by the front porch.
Bonded of Myron
Name: Mery
Level: 8 Pygmaleon
Tier - First
Type: Fighting/Water
Attributes
Aether: 28/28
Shield: 42/42
Strength: 13
Agility: 13
Intelligence: 8
Control: 10
Abilities
Surge
Water Whip
Healing Soak
Aqua Bullet
Hard Right
Headbutt
Karate Chop
From Mery, to Dakini.
Bonded of Myron
Name: Dakini
Level 9 Kitsune
Tier - First
Type: Dark/Fairy
Attributes
Aether: 29/29
Shield: 52/52
Strength: 10
Agility: 13
Intelligence: 10
Control: 16
Abilities
Terrorizing Howl
Astonish
Crunch
Dreamy Gaze
Body Morph
Energy Drain
It was nice to see yet again. The Second Ability for Mery and the First for Dakini. They were well on the way of having an infallable arsenal of moves that could be tapped into for every potential situation. Versatility and power, that is what every Aimon could be. An elegance like no other, a complete battle package. All they needed was proper emotional support and guidance, and a good bit of creativity, drive, effort, diet, and of course, life and death situations.
He sent Syl’s Status a quick once over before heading out.
Bonded of Myron
Name: Syl
Level 30! Emeramantis Queen
Tier - Second
Type: Plant/Metal
Attributes
Aether: 84/84
Shield: 210/210
Strength: 53
Agility: 44
Intelligence: 19
Control: 34
Abilities
Tremor Sense {P}
Sprout *
Leech Seed
Shrieking Mandrake
Bind
Petal Blizzard *
Steel Claw
Bullet Kick
Alloy Body *
Polished Sheen
Wind Cutter **
It was interesting enough to see her grow. Myron wondered if there was any meaning behind trying to maximize the growth of an Aimon. In Orange Tier… Syl was already so strong and fast that with proper Ability utilization and teamwork she had managed to bring down an opponent they thought to be close to Level 50 and to the Third Tier. (Wild Aimon are weaker than Trained Aimon) but still. Was it worth the immense effort it would take to be so selective about the experiences of an Aimon for every level until it reach the Third Tier or higher? Would it give such an advantage.
Syl clearly hadn’t fought through her levels with single minded dedication. Clearly she had filled more than one roll in the party, if he were to judge from her pretty enormous shield. Though that could also be a result of her Metal Type. He hasn’t seen the Status of another so he wouldn’t know. Add to that the fact that she is a Queen Aimon and nearly everything he could assume goes out the window. Still what he can tell is that she wasn’t the main damage dealer for magical attacks. She could have been with a bow and arrow but seeing as how she hasn’t been inclined to ask for one or hasn’t even mentioned one, that theory is dead. She has good Control, but its her Physical Attributes that shine the most.
Myron has to wonder then, what is that she wants to follow, for the next good bit at least. Should he focus more on [Wind Cutter]? He could potentially create a whole assortment of moves with the Wind Type when she gets more of a hang on it. Or he could focus some more in the Plant type. It’s a shame to have only Petal Blizzard as a damaging move. It takes a long to set up and occupies her for a long time, and has a big upkeep. He will need to talk with her about it.