Nathen groaned as he slowly returned to consciousness, acutely aware of the chill in the air and the hard ground beneath him. For a moment he wondered why he wasn’t waking up in his apartment, that thought ended the moment his eyes opened, and he saw the earthen huts surrounding him. In an instant everything came rushing back to him, out of everything he’d been through, the fights, searching for food and water, trekking through the unknown landscape he had only one question for himself: how did he ever think it was all just a game? He’d never even stopped to question his situation, it was like he’d been blind to things that, in retrospect, seemed obvious. When he first met that girl, whose name he’d forgotten, he’d noticed how attractive she was, how her dress hung on her figure. But he’d completely missed the look of fear and confusion in her eyes, the desperation to escape from whoever had been chasing her.
When he’d fought the men chasing her he’d seen the way they hold their weapons, the gaps in their armor and the way they moved, but he hadn’t seen them as people. It was like he was completely blind to the look of shock as he knocked their weapons aside and cut them down. Like they hadn’t been people to him, just targets. He groaned again, lifting his hands to press against his eyes, desperately trying to push the look of fear they’d had as their lives left. He somehow knew he’d see those faces in his dreams for the rest of his life, but they weren’t what truly scared him. What he feared wasn’t their expressions, it was his. He’d been smiling as he slashed at them, it had been fun. He’d enjoyed killing them, it had been easy.
“How do you feel?”
“Foolish,” Nathen answered, allowing his arms to fall to the ground, “pathetic.”
“You aren’t going to attack us, are you?”
Nathen turned his head to see Gregory leaning against one of the earthen huts near him, spear at his side. Out of everyone he’d encountered, Nathen realized, he’d only seen Gregory as human. Was that because he’d been an Ascender? Neither of them truly fit in this world, so his mind had decided he was another player, not a simple NPC, and thus was worthy of being human. Even then, however, he’d still felt at a remove from the other man, like there was something between them despite seeing him as real.
“No,” Nathen answered after a moment, returning his gaze to the darkening sky.
“What are you going to do now then?” Gregory asked.
“I…” Nathen started only to pause, considering the question. For a long moment he simply stared at the sky, wondering what he could do, only for his thoughts to drift once more to the men he’d killed. He felt his eyes grow wet as he took a breath to continue, “I’ll plead guilty and accept whatever sentence I’m given.”
“What are you talking about?”
“I killed people,” Nathen answered softly.
“And?” Gregory asked, seeing the confusion on Nathen’s face he continued, “this isn’t the world we came from, there are no police here. Yes you killed people, sadly that is quite common in this world. Fortunately for you there is also no central legal system, and those you killed were, from what I understand, soldiers and knights.”
“So it’s okay to kill them?”
“No, but neither is there anyone who will fault you for it. Hell, the first time we met, it was my side that attacked you. You were protecting that woman.”
“I didn’t fight because I wanted to protect her,” Nathen mumbled, “I fought because I wanted to fight.”
“Again, and? There are no police here, the Count is more likely to come after you because you thwarted him than because you killed one of his knights.”
Nathen didn’t respond, looking at the sky once more, it had grown darker as they’d spoken, the sun was setting. Was that really how this world worked? Those in power cared more for their agendas than for the lives of those under them?
“If you’re up for it, we could use your help in the morning,” Gregory said as the silence drug on, “the Mutts have surrounded this town and we’re going to try and lead them away at first light. Another Ascender would be a big help.”
Before Nathen could respond Gregory had walked off.
\*\*\*\*
“Do you really think it’s a good idea to ask him for help?” Lex asked as Gregory returned to the small fire she had started.
“You saw him, he’s a strong fighter,” Gregory replied, “the knights say he took out almost an entire pack of Mutts by himself, we could use that kind of power.”
“Would depend on the benefits of the Facet that shattered,” Kyle spoke up, causing both Lex and Gregory to jump as neither had noticed him approaching and, despite his assurances, the aura of danger around him hadn’t faded, “it could have had no impact on his fighting ability, or he could be as weak as a kitten right now.”
“You’re the expert at these things,” Lex pointed out, “do you think he’s strong enough to help?”
“I think he’s the strongest of you three,” Kyle said with a smirk, sitting down at their fire, “quite often when people have a facet shatter it will spread to their other facets in a chain reaction, as it is common for beliefs to be built upon one another, break one and they all come tumbling down. The fact that he didn’t go through that indicates that many of his beliefs are still intact and solid. If he can recover from this, he’ll become quite the powerhouse.”
“Is that all there is to becoming a strong Ascender?” Gregory asked, “belief?”
“It sure helps,” Kyle chuckled, “but, as with anything, there’s more to it than that. For example, all good Ascenders have an aura, I can sense yours, Master Greg, very… domineering.”
“It’s Gregory, for one, and I don’t feel your aura.”
“There are three main things Aura’s can do,” Kyle continued, ignoring Gregory’s comment, “first off they do whatever the ability that spawned them can do, that varies from person to person so you’re on your own with that one. Second they act as a sixth sense, based on their ability every aura allows a person to sense something they wouldn’t be able to normally. Take mine for example, Prey’s Trace, its main ability allows me to sense tracks left by those I’ve met before. As an added benefit I am instantly aware of movement within the aura, this is the extra sense it grants me. Even though the main effect enhances my senses it doesn’t let me detect anything I couldn’t with my normal senses, it just makes it easier. But the extra sense extends beyond my line of sight, around corners, through walls, and so on. Anything that moves within it I can feel.
“Finally, there is a third aspect to every aura. Specifically any ability you have can originate from any point within your aura, though it is more taxing. Imagine you could summon a ball of fire, normally you create it by your hand and throw it. You could, instead, create it anywhere within your aura and launch it from there. If your aura has enough reach that means you could attack someone from out of their sight.”
Find this and other great novels on the author's preferred platform. Support original creators!
“I still don’t get what you mean by aura,” Lex admitted, “but what’s your point?”
“I’m just explaining how Ascenders can be strong,” Kyle replied, holding his hands up defensively, “Mr. Greg’s aura seems quite strong, if he has any other abilities he could use them in tandem with it.”
“Don’t you already do that?” Lex asked, looking at Gregory, “making objects stop in place.”
“That’s the function of my aura, not a separate ability,” Gregory replied, “and the extra sense allows me to feel anything solid within it.”
“So you’re following this?” she gestured to Kyle skeptically.
“More or less,” he shrugged.
“Ah, a telekinetic?” Kyle asked, “it is said that using abilities that are ‘in tune’ with an aura can become more effective, lessening the strain of remote usage.”
“Unless you know an easy way to learn new abilities…”
“Best way is to find a teacher,” Kyle said thoughtfully, “second best is combat, push yourself to the limit and hope. Finally, there’s meditation, sometimes you can create abilities through visualization and focus.”
“So I need an aura to Ascend?” Lex asked.
“It would help,” Kyle laughed and pushed himself to his feet, “anyways, it’s getting late, we’ve got an early morning tomorrow so I’m going to turn in for the night.”
\*\*\*\*
“Have you seen Nathen?” Gregory asked the next morning as the Slayer Knights got ready for combat.
“You mean that other Ascender? The one you fought?” Lex asked, “Not since yesterday.”
“I can’t find him.”
“He probably left in the night,” Kyle said with a yawn, walking up to the pair, “There are some new tracks in the dirt headed that way.”
“He left, by himself? At night!” Gregory asked, looking surprised.
“He’s an Ascender, he’ll be fine,” Kyle dismissed.
“I had hoped he would help out today.”
“I imagine he’s lost after having a facet shatter, and is in need of guidance.”
“We’ll be fine without him,” Lex shrugged, adjusting her armor, “don’t suppose either of you have something to break my fast.”
Gregory pointed her in the direction of one of the Knights who was handing out hard bread and smoke meats to everyone. In truth he was confused about Nathen, why leave in the night by himself? Was he just running away? Or was he hoping to find some way to punish himself for his perceived crimes? Gregory shuddered at the thought, hoping he hadn’t driven the lost man to suicide. Despite everything he felt some level of kinship with Nathen, sure they’d fought but they’d both gone through hell and arrived in a strange world. And Nathen couldn’t help but think about how close he’d come to being the same way, it might not have taken much and he might have believed this was all a game too. One or two changes and maybe their places would have been switched? It was a frightening thought, but only fueled his desire to help the other Ascender. So why would he run away like that?
He shook the thoughts from his mind, for now he had to focus on the mission. In theory it was quite simple, Kyle would use his bow to pick off eight to ten mutts, enough that he could be tracked, and then they’d flee south-east towards Templeholm. With any luck that would spare the small village and help draw the Mutts into a more open fight away from civilians. The temple city should have a large number of Slayer Knights by now, with more arriving daily.
The sun was only just peaking above the horizon as he walked out through the ‘gates’ of the small village along with a dozen knights, Lex and Kyle.
“Alright,” Kyle came to a stop less than a mile from the town, pulling out a large bow, “time for me to earn my keep.”
“Shouldn’t we find some Mutts first?” Lex asked, looking around at the gentle hills covered in brown grasses.
“It’s about time I show you what a true Ascender can do,” Kyle smirked, pulling four arrows from his quiver, holding them between each of the fingers of his right hand while his left held the bow, “remember what I taught you last night?”
“About auras?” Gregory asked.
“Correct,” Kyle nodded, lifting the bow and nocking the first arrow, “I can feel the movements of a pack of Mutts to the north.”
Gregory reached out with his own aura, still unable to feel Kyle’s, but also unable to reach that far, at most he could get the aura to go forty or fifty feet, and that was if he focused it in one direction and really strained. To be able to sense a pack of mutts so far out meant his aura must have some serious range, all without being detectable.
His thoughts were interrupted as Kyle drew his first arrow, aiming to the north. After a moment he raised his aim till he was at nearly 45 degrees and fired. He quickly nocked, drew and fired the next three arrows in sequence, lowering his aim slightly each time. In the morning light it was easy to track as the cluster of arrows somehow all managed to arrive over the target at the same time, at which point they all seemed to accelerate, darting downwards into unseen enemies in the distance. Distant, echoing howls of pain and anger confirmed that he’d hit something, and before Gregory could comment Kyle was launching another barrage into the sky.
“Seems like they figured out where we are,” Kyle said as he finished the second set of arrows, “I’ve four dead… make that five, so far. I might just be able to pick off enough before the reach us, so you all might want to mount up.”
Gregory could only watch, stunned at the skill on display, as Kyle prepared and fired off a third barrage. It took Lex nudging him towards his horse to get him moving once more. Were all Ascenders that strong? Would he eventually become that strong? He shook the thoughts from his head and mounted up.
\*\*\*\*
Nathen was in a daze as he arrived in Templeholm shortly after the sun rose, he’d left in the night and wasn’t sure if he could find his way back, thankfully the grand city was easily seen from a great distance. Even still he’d alternated between running and walking, uncertain where he was going, his only guide a gentle breeze that seemed to carry him on. No beasts bothered him during the trip, even still he was surprised at how quickly he’d made it back to the city. It had taken three days for him to reach the mountains north of the city, yet he made it from the town in the northwest to here in one night? He couldn’t help but feel something was guiding him, speeding his trip and safeguarding him, but what it was he didn’t know.
Following the gentle breeze he found his way to an elevator that carried him to the top of the god stone where the temples rested, and from there he stumbled into the Temple of Kalasen. Without saying anything he collapsed in one of the frontmost pews, barely noticing the priestess next to him.
“So, you’re back,” she said simply, somehow recognizing him despite him having not said anything.
“I didn’t know where else to go,” Nathen admitted.
“A church isn’t a bad place to end up when lost,” she replied, “though, admittedly, you could have chosen better than this one.”
For a long moment the two sat in silence, Nathen simply staring at the ground, unsure what to say. The temple didn’t look any better than it had when he’d last been here, just as dark and unkempt as it had been. Yet, despite that, a calming breeze blew through the building, partly lifting the dark mood inflicted by the grimy windows and poor lighting.
“The old man said you’d return,” the priestess said after a few moments, “I’ll admit I was more skeptical. You seemed lost before.”
“I feel lost now.”
“Knowing you’re lost is a significant improvement over being lost and not realizing it,” she chuckled, “you going to take the old man’s offer?”
“His blessing? I don’t know, I’m not sure I deserve it.”
“Seems like that is for him to decide,” the woman countered, “unless you trust your judgement more than the gods.”
“I killed people,” Nathen said softly.
“And?”
“Where I come from that’s a crime, it’s considered evil.”
“Sounds like a peaceful place,” the priestess commented.
“That’s all you have to say?” Nathen asked, looking up.
“Do you want me to condemn you for violating the sanctity of human life?” she asked, her empty gaze fixed straight ahead, staring into the infinite distance, “or perhaps you want me to declare you a sinner and give you acts of absolution?”
“I don’t know,” Nathen admitted angrily, standing up and beginning to pace, “I’m a murderer, a killer, a monster. Yet everyone in this world just shrugs when I say that, like it’s normal.”
“In this world it is normal,” she replied, just as calm as ever, “the Church of guidance says that the reason humanity hasn’t expanded is because it’s harder to conceive children in this world, and there’s some truth to that. But the other big reason is because of monsters. They kill more people than any disease, war or famine.”
“And that makes it okay for me to kill people?” Nathen demanded.
“In many cases, yes,” the priestess replied, “you have to defend yourself and those you care about, humans are one of the eighteen great threats to humanity after all.”
“I just… I don’t understand,” Nathen stuttered, his anger running its course and leaving him to collapse once more into a pew.