Far away from the lava pool and the devastation wrought by the named Calamities, in a region festering with plant-like anomalies similar to cactus, a blackened shadow manifested, ejecting several figures from its depths. Scott surveyed his new surroundings, the fresh scent of pines filling his nose. The skies above were turbid but calm, and he couldn’t sense any tremors.
“We should be safe here for now,” he muttered, turning toward his companions who lay motionless on the ground, their visages twisted in horror. The voidweaver averted his gaze from his companions, focusing on Plume, who had yet to regain consciousness.
Scott casually approached the Trisos, his frame looming over hers. “Get up. I know you’re awake already,” he said, his voice impassive.
Plume shuddered softly, opening her eyes to meet the voidweaver's. The yellow sign flickered nonstop, but her vision maintained its clarity. “Who are…” Plume paused, shaking her head. “What are you?” she asked, fear etched in her voice.
Before Scott could respond, his companions stirred, with Orion and Ember awakening first. Slim and Zara lingered a couple of seconds longer, the quartet visibly disoriented and shocked. They turned toward Scott, their eyes narrowing, especially after noticing the unfamiliar creature.
“Hmm… Trisos, huh?” Orion said with a smile as he shot to his feet. He observed the plant humanoid for a moment before focusing on Scott. “So, what did we miss?”
“Check the system notifications,” Scott said casually.
Wasting no time, the champions summoned their status screens, reading the slew of system notifications. Their countenances darkened with each passing moment, their expressions echoing their surprise and annoyance the further they read. A moment later, silence loomed over the group, punctuated only by Slim’s resigned sigh. “I knew there was no way those gods would make things easy for us,” he muttered.
“It’s quite fascinating, though,” Orion said, a hint of amusement in his eyes. “We are tasked with eliminating the champions and other calamities from other areas, and we also must be wary of named calamities too.” Orion chuckled. “Something tells me this is just the tip of the iceberg. I can’t wait to see what else they have in store for us.”
Zara resisted the urge to berate the data-obsessed mage and instead turned toward Scott. “Who is this?” she asked, staring at Plume, who silently remained on the ground.
“We need information about this place, and she’s going to provide it,” Scott said.
The attention of the hound extermination crew fell on the Trisos, and she could feel the weight of their gazes. The thought of fleeing didn’t even cross her mind. She didn’t know why or how, but she couldn’t explain why her main body hadn’t dissolved her form yet. Here she was, captured by her enemies, and potentially facing torture for information, yet her main body hadn’t intervened.
“Will she talk?” Ember asked coolly, locking eyes with the Trisos.
“It’s not left to her to decide,” Scott began, taking a step forward. He stretched out his right hand, and Plume turned to face him against her will. “Tell us everything you know pertaining to the mission,” Scott declared, the yellow sign flickering in the eyes of both calamities.
Plume nodded absently and began recounting all the knowledge she had amassed over her three years within Infernia’s treacherous habitats. Apart from Orion, who wore a whimsical smile, and Scott, who remained emotionless, the expressions of the other champions darkened as Plume spoke.
Champions seeking to best the calamities and leave the planet via the portals were a common theme. It wasn’t unusual for champions to forge massive alliances to complete the trial quickly since the unforgiving planet lacked the resources to sustain life for an extended period. Calamities who fell while contending with the champions were swiftly replaced, but their portals were permanently closed, and new portals opened in random locations. This ensured the search for a specific area was arduous for both champions and calamities alike. However, the arrival of new calamities was marked by activity in the skies, making it easy for most to trace where the new arrivals crashed.
“Three years in this place,” Slim whistled while putting on his clothes. He had assumed it would be easy for most groups to complete the mission within the allotted time or a month or two afterward, but he never expected the mission to be fraught with so many uncertainties.
Zara, massaging her temples, stared at the seemingly hypnotized Trisos and sighed audibly. “Ignoring potential alliances from the champions, I hate the fact that the named calamities can randomly pop up anytime, regardless of the mission we are taking part in.” She raised her head, focusing on Scott as she continued, “You’re the only one who saw them in action. Can we take them?”
The curious gazes of the champions fell on the voidweaver, patiently awaiting his response. Scott sighed softly, shaking his head. “We are nowhere close to being able to stand in their presence, let alone fight them.”
“They’re that powerful?” Ember interjected; shock evident on her face.
“Yes. Certain death awaits us if we encounter one of them,” Scott declared. “Those creatures are simply out of our reach for the time being.” He didn’t say it out loud, but the named calamities exuded the same aura as the Son of Light and Alex before he was banished by the administrator for attempting to use his authority.
“I’m still a little confused,” Ember said, focusing on the Trisos. “Why would you be defending the portal for three years now?” she asked, recalling the system tasked them with defending theirs for a minimum of ninety days only.
“Answer the question,” Scott instructed.
Plume turned toward the dragonkin. “My mission is to defend this place for ten years,” she declared solemnly.
Scott’s brows shot up, while shock covered the faces of his companions. The champions exchanged glances, noting the absurdity of the mission.
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“She’s not from Godsfall Island, by the way,” Scott said after a long pause, and all eyes fell on him.
“Wait, what?” Zara blurted out. “There are other prisons too?” she asked, uncertainty in her voice.
“How did you know that?” Orion asked, his interest piqued. “Never mind that, where was she supposed to be incarcerated?”
“A place called Blight Domain,” Scott said.
Ember, Zara, and Orion frowned, unfamiliar with the name. Slim, on the other hand, wore a stunned expression—one that didn’t go unnoticed by the group.
“What’s the matter? Do you know that place?” Zara asked, curiously staring at the necromancer.
“You guys aren’t going to believe this, but that’s where Marrow is from,” Slim said, still visibly stunned by the coincidence.
Scott and Zara’s expressions stirred; shock evident in their eyes. Meanwhile, Ember and Orion exchanged glances, unfamiliar with who Slim referred to.
“Slim, can you summon Marrow here?” Zara asked.
“I can, but there’s no need. We are both connected, so you can ask me anything you need to know about the place. I know everything Marrow does,” Slim said.
“So, what kind of place is it?” Orion interjected before Zara could. “What region is it located in? How did Marrow leave that place? How is the weather there, and were other champions present too? What about the wardens? Is it a place anyone can freely leave and enter?”
Scott placed his right hand on Orion’s shoulder. “I think we should go one question at a time.”
Slim prepared to speak when a new system notification appeared in front of the champions.
Your outstanding rewards have been calculated! Congratulations! You have received 100,000 Experience Points! Your Rank has increased! Rank: 1! Congratulations! You’ve attained the highest rank possible! Congratulations! You have leveled up! Level: 67! Experience Points: 2700/6800! You’re approaching the stage of completion! Your domain expansion is being nurtured!
Scott stared at the flashing panels, a hint of surprise lingering in his eyes. He felt no different from before, yet somewhat more powerful than ever. The formless mass whirling within his chest stirred, seemingly excited with his advancement. Scott turned toward his companions, and he narrowed his gaze. Unlike himself, Zara and Slim’s advancement visibly affected the surrounding plants. The bones of the skeleton turned lilac for a moment, with snaking crimson lines across them. Nearby vegetation decayed, and the ground itself darkened, as if stripped of its life by the necromancer’s presence. At that same moment, the pungent stench of fresh blood filled the air, as bloody tendrils seeped out from Zara’s back in copious amounts. They enveloped the surrounding vegetation, stripping them of their essence. Some tendrils snaked toward the other champions but halted in their advance. Fearing the deathly zone enveloping Slim, and Ember exuded an oppressive aura akin to a roaring dragon. The dragonkin’s skin shimmered with lightning while arcane tribal runes manifested below her eyes, knuckles, and ankles. Orion, on the other hand, stood still like a statue, his face frozen in time.
Scott stared at the champion interfaces of both Slim and Zara, noting that the duo had reached levels 62 and 63 respectively. A massive jump from their previous levels, he couldn’t help but wonder how many experience points they had both received. He turned toward Ember and Orion but found he couldn’t access their interfaces.
I wonder what’s going through their minds right now, Scott thought, averting his gaze. His companions all experienced subtle and obvious transformations, but he felt no different from before. He turned his attention toward Plume, the Trisos still under the influence of his mental manipulation. “How far away is your area?” he questioned.
“It should take roughly five days to reach it from D-15,” Plume said.
Scott’s brows creased, doubt evident in his eyes. “How did you reach us so quickly?” he quizzed.
“I have scattered my spores over a vast area during the last three years. Calamities from other areas also have their own means of covering the distance,” she explained absentmindedly.
Scott’s tensed brows relaxed. Her ability might even be more ludicrous than Orion’s. Who knows what grounds her spores have covered over the last couple of years, he thought. At that same moment, a sudden thought filled Scott’s mind. “So, do you know where the other calamities are located?”
Plume nodded, “Yes.”
A smile parted Scott’s lips. “Do you know where we are?”
Once again, Plume nodded, “Yes.”
“Good. I want a detailed list of all the neighboring areas closest to us,” Scott said. “Have you probed the calamities there to test their strength?”
Plume nodded for a third time, and before she could speak, Scott ordered new commands. “List them based on how difficult it would be to take over, starting with the weakest at the top.”
Without delay, the Trisos mentally relayed the information Scott requested, her features a picture of anguish as she visibly withered. The strange phenomena elicited by Slim and Zara’s advancements slowly subsided until it completely disappeared. The duo snapped back to reality, confused, excited, and relishing their newfound strength. Ember regained consciousness a minute later, but Orion remained rooted on the spot, unblinking but smiling.
Meanwhile, Scott had successfully attained the information he needed from Plume, and the prisoner teetered on the edge of destruction. Her once healthy, fibrous body had turned into a withered heap, on the verge of decay.
“Buddy, I feel really good right now,” Slim declared, staring at his marked bones. The crimson lines remained, and the skeleton’s body seemed to shimmer under the sunlight.
Zara, on the other hand, had the same disposition as a bloodthirsty maniac, seemingly restraining the urge to unleash her primal desires. Ember exuded an overbearing aura, lightning sparks occasionally dancing off her body.
“Congratulations on leveling up,” Scott said with a smile. “I’ve gotten the locations of other areas closest to us and the strength of the calamities defending them. We can make a concrete strategy once Orion wakes up,” Scott said, glancing at the motionless mage.
“How long has he been like that?” Zara asked, folding her arms across her chest.
“Not too long, but I’m hoping he wakes up soon,” Scott replied.
“Unfortunately, that’s not going to happen unless I allow it,” a familiar voice responded, but it didn’t come from a familiar face.
Scott, Ember, Zara, and Slim froze in their positions, unable to move. They stared at a man with silvery hair leaning against Orion. Apart from their hair colors and attires, both men were completely identical. While the petrified Orion wore glasses, the other had an eye-patch covering his right eye, but both men wore the same delirious smile.
“It’s odd,” the man began, tilting his head to the side. “Why is a clone of my variant all the way out here?” he pondered out loud, standing upright. “Which of you is going to tell me?”
The implication of the variant’s words rang out in the minds of the prisoners; however, their eyes lingered on the system notification in front of them.
The Calamity of Inquisition has descended!