Just be safe, Felix thought as he activated Ghostwalk.
image [https://i.postimg.cc/JRwdmGSC/Ghostwalk-WEBP.webp]
He led the way as he went along the enormous expanse. They had to climb over several crashed vehicles that blocked the path, and as Felix climbed atop an overturned delivery van he ducked his head back down, gesturing for Tinuriel and Reth to stop behind him. “There’s something there,” Felix whispered back to them.
An ancient military checkpoint – large, razor-wire topped fences, sandbags piled high, and an odd, metallic contraption comprised of three metal crossbars that had been welded together – was being patrolled by some type of humanoid creature. Their skin was mottled grey, they had gaunt appearances, and they wore a variety of scrapped-together outfits. But that wasn’t the most concerning issue to Felix.
They all had firearms.
He pulled his head back and felt his heart race. I’ve never fought people with guns before. He looked at Tinuriel and could see her eagerness to rush into a fight. A single lucky headshot could kill any one of us. He knew that from experience when a lucky crossbolt bolt killed him – only to be saved by (P) Final Stand.
“What is it?” Reth whispered.
Felix described the scene beyond the vehicle, and Tinuriel must have picked up on his fear, because she came over and put a hand on his shoulder. “Calm. Down.” She put her hand to the Berserker Collar on her neck, and it shrunk to the size of a choker. Tapping a concealed button on the inside of her armor’s neck, a helmet rose from it and encased her fully. “I’m going to be fine.”
Reth shook his head, “I don’t have head armor, but, magic is better. Affinity Amplification. Earth Shield.”
image [https://i.postimg.cc/FvpPq87V/Earth-Shield.webp] image [https://i.postimg.cc/np8pHNvm/85-1.webp]
The floating particles of rock and dust in the air around the trio coalesced into a barrier that protected them. Reth smiled and pulled up his armored hood. “At least, if they shoot me in the back of the head, I shouldn’t die instantly.”
Felix nodded and pulled up his own hood and mask. I hope dragonscales can take a bullet.
They can. It’ll bruise like a bitch though, and still cause Hit Point damage.
Well. Let’s kick things off, then. Undetectable Step, Affinity Amplification, Detect Weakness.
image [https://i.postimg.cc/z5skH47n/Undetectable-Step-WEBP.webp]
image [https://i.postimg.cc/MwDkDbNM/Affinity-Amplification-WEBP.webp]image [https://i.postimg.cc/qJcZzjTc/Detect-Weakness.webp] image [https://i.postimg.cc/gdLGbG6d/85-2.webp]
“Wait for me to take some of the ones up high out,” Felix whispered as he vaulted over the truck.
And right onto a mine. Fu-
The explosion rocked the bridge and he felt the horrible, burning and crunching pain in his legs as the world went white. He came to a moment later, the wind rushing past his face. He was blown right off the bridge and began a horrific fall. As he fell into the shadow of the bridge, he teleported. Shadestep!
image [https://i.postimg.cc/fw8K3LqL/Shadestep-WEBP.webp] image [https://i.postimg.cc/92nckD0J/85-3.webp]
He appeared atop the bridge – behind the barricade, and breathed a sigh of relief. His legs weren’t very injured – the enhanced armor and Reth's effect taking the hit – but he knew the shockwave must’ve damaged him internally. Felix heard Tinuriel’s battle cry from the far end of the bridge, saw an enormous blast of flames, and heard the sound of gunshots ringing out. He saw his allies’ bars deplete and shift as Reth used more defensive and healing Magic/Power effects, and Tinuriel had activated several tank-style Skills.
image [https://i.postimg.cc/RSN4FBs7/85-4.webp] image [https://i.postimg.cc/hD6gQ56H/85-5.webp]
Looking down, Felix saw to his dismay that there were more landmines placed around the area. The only clear way would be to jump from car to car – and despite being invisible and undetectable, that would make noise. But there wasn’t enough shadow to allow for teleportation again. Fallen Flight.
image [https://i.postimg.cc/CSn6WjP4/Fallen-Flight-WEBP.webp] image [https://i.postimg.cc/2mhgxyZq/85-6.webp]
The spectral wings lifted him up and he dashed toward the sounds of combat. One of the humanoids with the guns was firing at Tinuriel – who was engaged in melee combat down below with some type of hulking brute wearing metal armor pieces that looked like they were scrapped from some type of military-grade power armor. Turn off (P) Killing Intent. Felix stabbed into the weak spot marker on the shooter’s neck, dropping them instantly as they gurgled. Felix flew to the next one atop the embrasure, stabbing them in the weak spot along the throat. It just left the few on the ground – three behind the cover, and the one in the makeshift armor fighting Tinuriel.
Reth was hiding behind a car behind Tinuriel, and he stood up for a moment as he raised his staff. He activated Affinity Amplification and used Screaming Skull.
image [https://i.postimg.cc/MwDkDbNM/Affinity-Amplification-WEBP.webp]image [https://i.postimg.cc/Frn9DcBv/Screaming-Skull.webp]
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image [https://i.postimg.cc/QDRR51HG/85-7.webp]
Four spectral, white-purple skulls shot out from the staff and impacted each of the enemy combatants. They seized up, and the one fighting Tinuriel raised his rusted, shaped piece of a car bumper into a defensive posture. The ones shooting at her screamed and ran the opposite way – their voices hoarse and grating. Felix used the opportunity to dash behind each of them, slit their throats along the weak spot, and then dash back to see Tinuriel activate several Skills. Execution, Eviscerator, Obliterate.
image [https://i.postimg.cc/Yk9PxcQZ/Execution-WEBP.webp]image [https://i.postimg.cc/rTgbWyR5/Eviscerator-WEBP.webp]image [https://i.postimg.cc/VmtD7zvG/Obliterate-WEBP.webp]image [https://i.postimg.cc/T2MF6MZY/85-8.webp]
Her sword blazed with it’s signature blue light and she brought it crashing down, through the large foe’s weapon, and into the armor at the shoulder. The blade carved down into the middle of the chest, and she kicked them off of her weapon.
[Experience Awarded = 125]
[Experience Bonus from Execution alike Stacking Skills = 30]
[Congratulations! You have reached the Experience threshold to level up! Speak with your Versewalker Core when you are ready to Choose your next Class.]
Felix peered at the ground and scanned for landmines, spotting several. “That explosion will attract something,” he said. “We need to get out of here and into the city. We’re sitting ducks on the bridge.”
“Level up first? You all are looking pretty low on your bars. You’ve got two levels banked.”
“Yeah, lets level up.” But first, For the Hoard!
image [https://i.postimg.cc/ZZMM7fcR/For-the-Hoard-WEBP.webp]
[Loot Obtained]
· Makeshift Rifle (x3)
· Makeshift Pistol (x2)
[Loot Bonus from Execution alike Stacking Skills]
· Landmine (x5)
[Loot Bonus from For the Hoard!]
· 1000 VC
“Okay, time to level up. More Whisperfang for me, Paladin for Tinuriel, and Omnimancer for Reth.”
[You now have access to several Class Skills]
image [https://i.postimg.cc/HYrLVRkg/Holy-Smite.webp]image [https://i.postimg.cc/4JLd4sZP/Radiant-Shield.webp]image [https://i.postimg.cc/Fh5CqvQf/Affinity-Perfection.webp]image [https://i.postimg.cc/B41wM6R9/Anima-Barrier.webp]
image [https://i.postimg.cc/1mWnkJkX/Felix-ch-85.webp]image [https://i.postimg.cc/gY71g6sh/85-9.webp]image [https://i.postimg.cc/yVHZcJh1/Tinuriel-ch-85.webp] image [https://i.postimg.cc/FrJ88sCB/85-10.webp]
image [https://i.postimg.cc/L2Gf4QnZ/Reth-ch-85.webp]image [https://i.postimg.cc/Cwm3f2fm/85-11.webp]
Felix felt the rush of heat in his body and sighed with relief as his wounds were cured. “We need to either retreat and think of another way to get there, or retreat. I don’t want to give us all wings, because you two will be spotted.”
Tinuriel nodded, “Let’s go back. I know a way we can cross to the city without traversing this dangerous span.
----------------------------------------
They descended from the far side of the bridge to the waterline. The seas were a scummy-blue color. Tinuriel held her hand up, “Frozen Path.”
image [https://i.postimg.cc/PhZKgrQf/Frozen-Path.webp]
The ground under her feet crackled and turned into ice. Stepping forward onto the water, it immediately froze in a ten-foot-wide patch. “Perfect, follow me,” she said as she continued to stride across the water.
Ghostwalk just in case.
image [https://i.postimg.cc/JRwdmGSC/Ghostwalk-WEBP.webp]
Felix followed, and Reth was a step behind as they walked under the bridge, making for one of the support struts that extended down into the waters below. The cement had worn away in places, but the metal was still holding strong. “This is a marvel of engineering,” Reth muttered as they walked in silence. Not even the sound of animals was present. Just the lapping of water and waves.
“It was made almost a hundred years before I was ripped from my ‘Verse,” Felix replied. “Really incredible. There are all types of buildings across the world – well, at least, my Earth, that were made in the same era. They’re all amazing.”
Reth nodded as he looked up to the underside of the bridge, “That is interesting. I would very much like to see this world in its prime.”
“Well, when we get to my home ‘Verse, you’ll see it. Heck, this is an infinite Multiverse. There’s probably even cooler, futuristic versions of Earth we can visit.”
“That would be a correct assumption.”
Tinuriel reached the support tower and stopped. “Wait…I smell something.” She pulled her blade out and got onto the support tower. Felix got right behind her and peeked over her shoulder. There was some type of cluster of black, spiky shells on the other side of the support tower. “We could go around whatever it is.”
“Let’s see what it is. Detect Substance.”
image [https://i.postimg.cc/pWM6W3gX/Detect-Substance.webp]
image [https://i.postimg.cc/TR1ZjcVG/85-12.webp]
“They’re eggs of some creature that was mutated by the psychic warfare from ‘Verse #4004. A Sea Lion.”
Felix looked around and activated Undetectable Step.
image [https://i.postimg.cc/z5skH47n/Undetectable-Step-WEBP.webp]
image [https://i.postimg.cc/k7JrGCD2/85-13.webp]
Reth got up behind the two, “Interesting. I wonder if they’re something we could take back to the VBV?”
“You could, but they are psychic in some way. I wouldn’t risk harming the eggs in any way – they could probably call out to the parents somehow using mental something-or-other.”
Reth winced and covered his ears. Tinuriel bent over and leaned against the pillar. “What’s happening?” Felix asked.
“They’re being attacked by psychic waves of mental energy. These eggs must have detected your presence, and are trying to push you away with a mental attack.”
“Why isn’t it hurting me?”
“Those Warding Bracers from way back on Invictus? The ones that block Anima effects that are fairly weak?”
Well, those are finally becoming useful.
Very. It’s great for a bunch of small, low-powered effects at once. Right now, Tinuriel and Reth are both experiencing very bad migraines.
Felix grabbed Tinuriel and walked her back onto the water, reaching back to Reth and pulling him along as they walked away from the underside of the bridge and into the more open water. The two seemed to relax and regain their faculties once they were a good hundred feet into the surf. “You both good?”
Tinuriel groaned, “I feel like the morning after a night of victory drinking.”
Reth also groaned in sympathy, “It feels like my head is going to explode.”
[Experience Awarded = 10]
Look at that. Experience for avoiding an encounter.
“I don’t like being out on the open water. Let’s get to the city and some solid ground.” Felix deactivated Undetectable Step.
Tinuriel stood upright and nodded, leading them across the waters and to the familiar-to-Felix wharves of San Fransisco.