Looking up at the Raptor to James it seemed that the odds were ever stacked against them, around every corner there was always a surprise they were not prepared for even when they had done everything they could.
………
James, Lucy, Theodore and Kyra had been stood in front of the temple of Hero. They were tired, dirty and footsore. Their journey across the delta from the field in which they first appeared had been gruelling. Each of them only had one essence, they had only been in the world for two weeks. The only thing they had been told by the mysterious wraith man who had landed in their field was to head south to a city called Greenstone an go straight to the temple of Hero.
“Probably should’ve found a shower first.” Teddy muttered and looked up at the large face of the temple.
The marble temple had large doors which were a rich dark wood. They were flanked either side by a sword behind a shield with a spartan style helmet resting on the hilt. It wasn’t the largest temple in the divine square and they were not the dirtiest or most desperate looking people around. The large doors opened inwards, the mysterious wraith man gliding towards them. As he stopped he seemed to concentrate and the wraithlike quality about him disappeared.
“Welcome Mitchells. Welcome to the temple of Hero. We’re glad that you made it, he is very pleased with you.”
He beckoned them inside, the doors shutting on their own behind them. As they crossed the threshold they felt the same domineering feeling they had felt in the field and knew this place was attached to the same thing who had spoken over the air to them. They all looked to each other with mild concern, they had all felt the power of that voice and were now walking voluntarily into its lair. As far as lairs went it was very nice, comfortably outfitted in dark wood, hunting trophies were here and there, bookshelves with leather bound books, display cases with ornate weapons or even very plain weapons but thrummed with power. Side rooms off the main corridor had fireplaces with high back chairs surrounding them and various warrior looking people were here and there chatting or looking over papers and maps. The most captivating decoration were the murals, paintings and carvings decorated the walls, showing depictions of fights and battles against terrible monsters or innumerable odds. The displays seemed to almost be alive, you could feel what they must have been feeling in the battles, the power, the danger. They were led deep into the temple, to a top floor office. The wraith man still in physical form sat at a circle of chairs, a large statue of what looked like a Greek soldier in kilt and armour was in the corner imposed on the room.
“Is this Hero?” James asked “I thought you were taking us to see him.”
The acolyte smiled and calmly gestured to the other seats in the circle.
“Please sit, Hero will come to you in time, for now he is content to watch and direct me to assist you.”
He waited patiently for them all to take a seat. As they did he stood and went to a cabinet, opening it and taking out a tray of drinks and a tray of open sandwiches. He placed each on the table in the middle and sat down.
“I understand you will have a lot of questions, you were purposely not given much information when we first met. My lord revels in the struggle of adventure and the pursuit of greatness, what you have demonstrated to him is what he needed to make sure you are fit for the purpose he has for you.”
“Hold up.” Lucy leaned forward aggressively. “Are you telling us there was an easy way to get back here but you thought we should almost die, several times to get here?”
The wraith man flickered a little, the surprise making him lose some of his concentration.
“The gods have a unique place in this world, we are not to question what makes them so. One of the absolutes that we hold are that they are so far above us that their power is that of a sun to our candles, but as far as that light may reach there are some things it cannot effect. If the gods gave everything that was needed at all times then what would be the point in being?”
Lucy looked a little stunned.
“So there was?! We woke up in the middle of nowhere with no idea what was going on! Then we found out quite suddenly that magic was real, you insisted we shoved some of it in us then you told us to head here then buggered off! We’re not asking for a gold plated helicopter ride powered by fairy dust but a ride would’ve been nice when we have no idea what’s going on!”
James put his hand on her knee keeping her from rising. The acolyte spread his hands in an apologetic gesture.
“What is done is done, I am not forced to do my gods will but I saw his purpose in this.”
Teddy looked at James and shrugged. Reaching forward almost at the same time they both went for the sandwiches.
“Ok mystery man.” Said Kyra “How about we start with some obvious questions, we know this place is called Greenstone and we came through a place called the delta but where are we?”
“You are not on your world.”
He paused for a moment to let that sink in, a sandwich paused halfway to James mouth.
“You’ve got a magical power and you’re shocked by that? When did you see or hear of a magic power on earth?” Teddy said, trying to sound relaxed while his face had gone white, the braggadocio hiding his shock.
“You fell out of your world by means beyond your current comprehension. You were attracted to this world by forces that are also currently beyond your comprehension. My lord has seen fit to cushion your arrival and in so will guide you for a bargain.”
“So we’re too thick to understand what has happened to us and your god is running a scam to take advantage of us while we’re down?” Kyra said to the acolyte.
The room seemed to shake, not in an overly threatening way but rooms were not meant to shake when someone said something they didn’t like.
“Whilst my god is not the most easily brought to rage over blasphemy it’s a different matter when someone is disrespectful in the centre of your own home.”
Kyra went white and shuffled deeper into her chair.
“Ok so we’re on a different world, what’s the deal with the magic?” Teddy asked.
“I am not a magic society member,” the acolyte started but Lucy interrupted.
“There’s a magic society? I have a magic, ‘magic’ power, does that mean I can join?”
The acolyte smiled at her.
“Anyone with essences can join the magic society, you having the magic essence will certainly give you more of a precedence to be attractive to them and the great work they do.”
“Right, essences and abilities, we woke with the cubes and they said five powers per cube?” Said Teddy.
This book was originally published on Royal Road. Check it out there for the real experience.
“Indeed, each person is capable of absorbing four essences, giving a total of twenty powers they can have. Powers are achieved by using awakening stones. You must have a complete set of essences to advance to iron rank and develop all twenty abilities to advance beyond iron.”
“How do we get more of these essences then? We just woke up with ours.” James asked.
The acolyte got up and walked to the heavy desk in the room taking a key from around his neck.
“Yes, as I said, my god has seen fit to guide you but he will not give more aid until a bargain has been struck.”
He pulled four narrow wooden boxes from a draw on the desk. Bringing them over to the table they all saw the engravings on them. The first was carved with dozens of animals, half of which the four Mitchells didn’t recognise. The second box was a crossed wand and staff, with complicated diagrams and pentagrams around it. The third box was engraved with constellations and the shapes of galaxies, emphasising the empty swirling space in between. The fourth was polished so smooth it was reflective, with facets cut into the border like gems. He slid the lids open to show them two essences in each box and closed them again.
“A god can give divine essences to their followers, recognising your vulnerable position.” He paused, looking at Lucy pointedly. “He is not offering you these, suborned service is not true service. What he offers instead are true essences. He has curated these essences and their use is none negotiable if you choose to accept.”
“We can say no to a god?” Teddy asked.
The acolyte smiled.
“It is not the wisest course of action. The gods rarely take such close interest in mortal individuals but free will is a core tenant of every gods involvement in mortal affairs. My god has seen what you may be capable of and now you have shown yourselves what you are capable with very little. There is a danger coming, one that the Hero cannot let be met unprepared and he looks to arm you for the fight. He offers these essences and some guidance, in return he asks a task of you, it will be dangerous and he cannot give you all the answers you wish.”
The four of them looked at each other. The little that they had learnt on their way was that essences were a big deal, they had often been asked if they were adventurers, apparently an organisation of monster hunters and peacekeepers.
“I think what we need is more answers than we currently have, answers to questions we don’t necessarily know to ask yet. Is this going to get us closer to that?” Teddy asked
“The first thing you need, as I’m sure you have seen is power. For the task my god has you will not stand a chance unless you are silver rank. At silver rank other doors will start to open and you will know those questions that need asking.”
“Silver rank? I assume thats a few above iron?” James asked
“Every essence user start their journey as an iron ranker with four essences, then progress to bronze, silver and eventually gold rank few of us mortals will every see the rank of diamond.”
The four looked at each other again, they knew from their short time how rare this opportunity must be, the villages and settlements they travelled through to get here they had seen only one or two essence users, only ever with one power and not knowing enough to teach them anything valuable about being essence users.
“We need some time to talk about this, and to shower.” Lucy said
“Of course, we have a villa just outside the walls for you, a carriage is waiting out front to take you, but please, before you go, have a look at these essences to inform you of your decisions.”
They each leaned forward to the box that had been placed in front of them.
Teddy’s box read:
Item: [Swift Essence] (unranked, legendary)
Manifested essence of Swiftness (consumable, essence).
Requirements: Less than 4 absorbed essences
Effect: Imbues 1 awakened Swift essence ability and 4 unawakened Swift essence abilities.
You have absorbed 0/4 essences. Once absorbed, an essence cannot be relinquished or replaced.
You are able to absorb [Swift Essence]
Absorb Y/N?
Item: [Dark Essence] (unranked, legendary)
Manifested essence of Darkness (consumable, essence).
Requirements: Less than 4 absorbed essences
Effect: Imbues 1 awakened Dark essence ability and 4 unawakened Dark essence abilities.
You have absorbed 0/4 essences. Once absorbed, an essence cannot be relinquished or replaced.
You are able to absorb [Dark Essence]
Absorb Y/N?
James’ box read:
Item: [Rat Essence] (unranked, legendary)
Manifested essence of Rat (consumable, essence).
Requirements: Less than 4 absorbed essences
Effect: Imbues 1 awakened Rat essence ability and 4 unawakened Rat essence abilities.
You have absorbed 0/4 essences. Once absorbed, an essence cannot be relinquished or replaced.
You are able to absorb [Rat Essence]
Absorb Y/N?
Item: [Bear Essence] (unranked, legendary)
Manifested essence of Bear (consumable, essence).
Requirements: Less than 4 absorbed essences
Effect: Imbues 1 awakened Bear essence ability and 4 unawakened Bear essence abilities.
You have absorbed 0/4 essences. Once absorbed, an essence cannot be relinquished or replaced.
You are able to absorb [Bear Essence]
Absorb Y/N?
Lucy’s box read:
Item: [Mind Essence] (unranked, legendary)
Manifested essence of Mental power (consumable, essence).
Requirements: Less than 4 absorbed essences
Effect: Imbues 1 awakened Mind essence ability and 4 unawakened Mind essence abilities.
You have absorbed 0/4 essences. Once absorbed, an essence cannot be relinquished or replaced.
You are able to absorb [Mind Essence]
Absorb Y/N?
Item: [Vision Essence] (unranked, legendary)
Manifested essence of Vision (consumable, essence).
Requirements: Less than 4 absorbed essences
Effect: Imbues 1 awakened vision essence ability and 4 unawakened vision essence abilities.
You have absorbed 0/4 essences. Once absorbed, an essence cannot be relinquished or replaced.
You are able to absorb [vision Essence]
Absorb Y/N?
And finally when touched Kyra’s box read
Item: [Earth Essence] (unranked, legendary)
Manifested essence of Earth (consumable, essence).
Requirements: Less than 4 absorbed essences
Effect: Imbues 1 awakened Earth essence ability and 4 unawakened Earth essence abilities.
You have absorbed 0/4 essences. Once absorbed, an essence cannot be relinquished or replaced.
You are able to absorb [Earth Essence]
Absorb Y/N?
Item: [Mirror Essence] (unranked, legendary)
Manifested essence of Mirror (consumable, essence).
Requirements: Less than 4 absorbed essences
Effect: Imbues 1 awakened Mirror essence ability and 4 unawakened Mirror essence abilities.
You have absorbed 0/4 essences. Once absorbed, an essence cannot be relinquished or replaced.
You are able to absorb [Mirror Essence]
Absorb Y/N?
Seeing that they had all investigated their essences the acolyte took them back.
“Essence users that do not use divine essences benefit from only having to source three essences, they will then form what is called the confluence essence, my lord has told me that for you Theodore will have the Void essence, Lucy the Illusion essence, James the Animagus and Kyra the Diamond essence.”
They left the temple and found the carriage as promised outside, they clambered in and were taken away, all four were fast asleep before they passed the city gates.
………
A long time from then In the canyon Kyra thrust both hands up, wrists together, a boulder hurtling at the raptor blowing chunks of the wall off and the monster flying. She then raised her arms either side of her, an earth wall rising from one side of the canyon funnelling the approaching Sicklecrows to the left. Teddy was quick to throw one of his conjured black hole hand grenades over the conjured wall near the right hand edge of the canyon. The first Sicklecrow was comically yanked back as it rounded the corner of the wall. Kyra’s summoned golem walked just past the edge of the wall and faced where the monsters had approached from. The grenade finished its black hole effect and exploded, throwing the monsters towards the golem. It brutally smashed them down as they flew towards it. More and more of the monsters appeared though, jumping on the golem with leaping claw attacks, bearing it to the ground.
The time it had taken for this to happen was enough for James to cast his Ursa Family on each of them including Koda. Kyra stood at the back, James and Koda forming a line in front of her, Lucky between her and them. Teddy had disappeared into the shadow at the canyons edge. The first Sicklecrows grew bored with the Golem lying on the floor and were stalking towards Koda and James. Kyra snapped her fingers the fallen golem behind them exploded into thousands of tiny diamond fragments. The effect was the same after Teddy’s grenade exploded, as well as being shredded from behind the monsters were thrown forward at Koda and James who pummelled them out of the air and into the ground. The remaining Sicklecrows rounded the corner. They didn’t last long, with a combination of Kyra launching boulders, mirror shards and earth spikes, and James and Koda bodily ripping them apart saw the last of them. When it had all settled Kyra concentrated, she could no longer feel any movement other than her party.
“James, anything?”
“I can’t sense anything, no idea.”
As they stood still a shimmering ring appeared around them, Teddy had whipped around them and formed a dimension rift in a circle just as they had stopped talking. He had done it just in time, there was a flash of light and the Raptor that none of them had been able to sense rushing at them had crashed into it and bounced back.
Teddy started whistling the Jurassic park theme tune as they turned to face their first bronze rank monster.