Dante was drifting through the darkness of his dreamless sleep. His eyes closed and his mind unaware of its surroundings, that was until he heard Virgil.
"Wake up..." Dante opened his eyes expecting many things but what greeted him was something new and unexpected.
He had found himself sitting upon a grassy hill under a shade of lush tree. In the distance before him, he saw a multicolored, multi tiered tower, along with several forests and lakes.
Everywhere he looked the air was filled with floating motes of light dancing in the wind.
He felt that wind upon his face, closing his eyes he took deep breaths of the fresh air. He knew it would be rational to be concerned by his situation, but with what the world had become, he had already experienced similar things several times. He was just emotionally tired.
"Yeah sure this is cool and all, but for fucks sake man can a guy just sleep in a magical world!" He exclaimed to no one in particular whilst raising his fists. Taking another deep breath he lowered his hands and continued to inspect his surroundings.
The air surrounding the large tower seemed to emanate lines of mana in varying colors. These bands of mana reached up to form an aurora that danced across the sky. That was when he first noticed it. The bands of light didn't seem to go as high as they could have.
"Is that Aurora's Light?" He mused.
The more he looked the more he noticed that something was certainly wrong with the sky and the horizons. The sky seemed to almost curve around this valley as if forming a dome. Gazing behind him he saw what seemed to be more grassy hills but as he walked towards them he was met with an invisible wall.
He felt around but the invisible wall barred his advance away from the tower.
He turned back and watched as a dozen motes of light had begun approaching him.
When they arrived he felt no hostility from them, instead he felt their joy and amusement. Some slowly and others quickly danced in the air around him. Dante smiled as he watched them race each other, dancing and playing at their own rates.
He extended his hand trying to touch one of the motes of light. Though he found little success as it darted away. Then he had an idea.
He held out his hands cupping them and spoke, "Light!"
The air around his hands vibrated as liquid light formed in his cupped hands. When the spell was completed the air ceased to vibrate. A few motes of light made their way to the small pool of golden light in his cupped hands. Some dipped themselves into the light while others sat at its edge dipping down and almost seeming to drink in the light.
He spoke again, "Dancing light." The pool of liquid light began acting as if gravity had been inverted. The liquid light dripped upward to form several torch sized globules of golden light. Dante watched as the lights began to dance around what they perceived to be new friends.
He smiled as he reshaped the four lights into the crude forms of fairies. Willing them to dance about the air before him. As he had done in the Mages Guild a few hours ago.
Mana Manipulation has leveled up! Lvl. 7…
"Interesting..." His words suddenly cut off.
He felt something in the world shift, and he lost his grip upon the cantrip but to his surprise the “fairies” made from light remained.
Slowly he reached out to touch one. The second his finger touched one it darted away, coming to a stop several feet from him. Several of the light motes began to encircle and dance around the now "free, light fairies”.
Slowly as he watched the “fairies” made from light began to move on their own instead of as a reaction to him. He watched as they began to dance and race their smaller, more colorful siblings.
One by one they raced up into the sky to find more lights. Each took a number of light motes with them when they left. They raced away until only a single “fairy” of golden light remained. This orb had yet to move.
As he approached it, he felt the cool green grass and the soft soil beneath his feet. When he was before the still “fairy” made from golden light, he could feel what it felt. Curiosity. Worry. Fear. These emotions all too new to it caused it to freeze. It was unable to make a choice for itself.
Reaching up his hand he palmed the orb of light. Though it didn't resist he could still feel its fear. "Fear not little one. The world is bright, and you have nothing to fear of me." Slowly it lifted from his palm its sense of worry fading as it slowly began to orbit him. Faster and faster it raced until it shot forward at great speed racing through the air to rejoin its siblings.
Dante smiled as a sound greeted his ears. Something all encompassing and yet seeming to be right in his ears. The metallic chirping sound of a system notice.
Inner World Tutorial will now begun
Nothing happened at first so he waited only to jump and yelp as someone tapped him on the shoulder. he spun around to find the familiar Black clade pale figure of Virgil standing there with a warming smile. "I see you have reached this point in the tutorial. Shall we go then?" Virgil asked.
"Go where?" Dante replied. Instead of answering Virgil simply stepped aside and pointed toward the large tower that stood in the distance.
'It will take an hour to get...' his train of thought was interrupted as the tower that has once been so far away rapidly began to advance toward them. He looked toward Virgil and then to the ground only to find it racing by beneath them. No sooner had he looked back up had they arrived at the base of the tower.
Dante looked around at the grasslands that came up to the base of the tower. About 100 meters from the base of the tower where they stood was the beginning of a forest. The tree's seemed unremarkable, and just like any other tree you could find on earth. He turned back to Virgil and asked, "What is this place?"
"This is your class tower. You might call it your tower of Babel. As for where we are currently this is your soul space. You can also call it your inner world." Virgil said with his near trademark smile. Instead of immediately responding Dante elected to look back towards the direction they had come from. There in the distance he could barely make out the siloet of the tree he had been standing under just the moment prior.
"All the soul stuff aside, why call it Babel?" He asked with a tilted head.
"You remember the story of the tower of Babel do you not?" Virgil asked innocently.
Dante's expression becoming somewhat disgruntled. "Of course. A bunch of guys a long, long, time ago tried to build a tower to get to heaven. God looked at it, and not appreciating their desire knocked it over. Then he made everyone speak a different language so they couldn't coordinate themselves and try again. Why name this tower after that? It's not like..." He paused as he thought that through.
"It's not like this tower can let me get to heaven right?" He asked, his face becoming one of uncertainty. Virgil's smile grew ever wider as he spread out his arms, as if to indicate toward the entirety of the massive tower.
"You are correct this tower doesn't allow one to reach heaven. However, it's the means by which one may reach Ascension. Which means to become a god of your own making!" Virgil declared with great enthusiasm.
He opened his mouth to speak but found he had not the words. 'Upward bound system sure seems like an apt name now.' he thought as he began to look over the tower.
Then a detail struck him, "You said this is my class tower, my Babel? Does that mean that there's a floor to this tower for every one of my level's?" He asked Virgil.
"That is correct. You may have also noticed that the base of the tower is considerably larger than its top. Any guesses why, other than the obvious?" Virgil asked almost teasingly as he closed his eyes and grinned almost ear to ear.
Though the top of the tower was hundreds of feet above him preventing a more thorough inspection it did seem to him that the base was indeed considerably bigger than the top. The base and first several floors of the tower seemed to be made from some form of white marble. This marble however had a mix of crimson and gold colored materials mixed into it. After those floors the rest seemed to be made of more muted colored materials, with the primary color being grey.
'My class levels...'Dante thought for a moment as he rubbed his chin.
"It's not like this tower actually represents my classes. For that to be it would have to be..." Dante paused as the realization hit him. Off to the side Virgil patiently waited for him to speak knowing he had realized the answer.
"The top of this tower is my first level, and the base is my most recent. There are 26 floors. One for each of my level's going in reverse order of obtainment." he stated as he looked upon Virgil who was beaming with joy.
"You did it, that's the answer. Now here is a hard question: How many floors do you think this tower will need to be before you can ascend?" Virgil asked as he held up one of his golden index finger's.
"100?" he asked, taking a shot in the dark only to elicit laughter from Virgil.
"No it is much higher than that i'm afraid. While that point varies from person to person and race to race, the average for this galaxy is about level 467." Virgil stated as he mimed wiping away tears.
His jaw nearly hit the floor. "I can't live long enough to get that many levels!" He declared, holding his hands out in front of him trying to emphasize his point. Virgil looked at him quizzically for a moment, his arms outward with his palms up, before nodding his head as if he had remembered something.
"Please take a look at your status." Virgil stated, taking him aback. He did so anyway wondering where this was going.
Dante A. Stone
Race: Human
Class: Cleric (B,L)
LVl. 26
EXP: 3,639/5,300
Gold: 1088.5 Large gold
Stats
Resources
Total
Regen.
Strength 54
Health
1,833
(69.3x2=138.6/min)
Constitution/Vitality 69
Mana
2,740
(75.3/min)
Endurance 50
Stamina
1,379
(63.3x2=126.6/min)
Dexterity 38
Road Points
36
Willpower 70
Stat Points
1
Intellect 62 Luck 60 Wisdom 105 Perception 60 Charisma 55 Spirit 90
"You see that your Con is a respectable 69..." Virgil paused as Dante put his one spare point into Con to get it to 70.
"...While the exact amount differs from one race to another, each point in the Constitution stat increases a person's life span by anywhere from a few weeks, to a few months, to even a year or more. Though in the case of humans I think it's somewhere in the range of several weeks per point of Con. So, you have likely already increased your lifespan by a year or two. All that aside you have forgotten something." Virgil stated plainly this time.
"What did I forget?" He asked worriedly.
Virgil approached him and placed his hands upon Dante's shoulders.
"You forgot you have a robe that gives you everlasting life!" Virgil declared practically screaming in his ears while shaking him vigorusly. He covered his ears as Virgil released him. He began fidgeting with his ear trying to alleviate the ringing in them. If his hands weren't busy with his ears he would have probably face palmed.
The more he thought about it he remembered he had the road of everlasting life. 'Though now that I think about it, that road might close to me if I lose the robe.' Dante's gaze found its way to the ground as he began weighing the pros and cons of everlasting life.
He stood in silence for a moment before Virgil once more placed a hand upon one of his shoulders. He looked up to meet VIrgil's gaze.
"Don't worry so much about your life span now. Both you and your parents have plenty of time." Virgil stated, with a reassuring smile.
"Alright but what's that over there?" Dante asked as he pointed toward the large mechanism that seemed to have been built into the ground floor of his tower.
"That Dante is the manifestation of one of your skills. Fate's Clockwork to be exact." Virgil said as he grabbed Dante's shoulder and in a second they stood before the great mechanism.
It was 10 feet tall from the floor to the ceiling. Made of hundreds, thousands of gears.
"This is that broken skill the system gave me?" He asked as he began to inspect the clockwork mechanism.
Not a single gear moved in the entire mechanism.
After several minutes of inspection he found something most interesting.
On the "back" of the somewhat cylindrical mechanism was a section where four gears came together. Each was parallel against the side of the mechanism but were separated such that none could touch the other three. In the middle of all of them, at the dead center of the wall of clockwork was a spot large enough to fit one more gear. He was about to cry out before he noticed a hole in the metal in the shape of a gear that seemed to lead into the mechanism.
"I guess a level in some kind of clockwork understanding was too much to hope for." He said before he decided to turn on the skill for a moment.
As he did so the gears of the mechanism whirled to life.
Slowly he watched the gears turn and something began moving out from the middle of the four gears.
Slowly, a plate sized piece of mostly flat metal moved forward to become flush with the exterior of the mechanism.
The only distinguishing detail of it being the palm sized shaft that emerged from the center of the plate.
The shaft itself was in the shape of a gear.
Did you know this story is from Royal Road? Read the official version for free and support the author.
The small part in the metal at its base told Dante that this was supposed to spin. However, there was no gear to connect this "central shaft" to the four surrounding gears.
+1 Int...
"For Fucks sake! System! I think you missed a piece! No wonder the damn thing doesn't do anything, it's missing a gear!" He exclaimed as he made the discovery.
"The mechanism on the outside must feed into these four gears which would turn the central one but since there's no gear it doesn't work." He said as an obvious idea dawned on him.
+1 Wis...
He grabbed the gear shaped rod and tried to turn it but even with all his might, with all his will, the rod would not turn.
Virgil stood in front of him and held him like a caring father would.
Dante held his head in his hands, "I appreciate an easy way to farm experience, but it would be more rewarding if this fucking thing actually worked!" He shouted as he kicked the mechanism.
In that second several things occurred. The first was a system notice that cut off abruptly.
Divin...
For but a single second the central shaft turned a quarter of a full revolution, and as it turned, the world was golden to his eyes.
Time seemed to stretch that moment on and on. He looked at Virgil whose eyes were slowly widening in shock.
Virgil was covered by an aura of gold, but that wasn't all that was to be seen in that long moment.
A small band of colorful light, that connected Virgil and him.
The light reminded him of his spell, Aurora's light.
Then the moment passed and things were as they had been.
Dante slowly began to back away from the mechanism as he cut the skill, watching as the gears came to a sudden halt.
"I guess hit it till it works, even applies to skills." He said before laughing nervously at what he had just seen.
Virgil gave off nervous laughter as he too backed away.
"Anything else I should see?" He asked as he began walking out from under the tower.
Virgil didn't speak but even he eyed the mechanism with more caution than he had prior. He moved without walking and nearly instantly was by Dante's side.
A second later they were out from under the floors of the tower.
Then Virgil looked up and the soft ground and grass retreated beneath them as they quickly moved to the top of the tower granting them an excellent view of the entire valley below them.
What caught his attention however was that the top of the tower was colorfully painted. It looked like a map of the entire valley spread over the entirety of this circular top of the tower. It had to be no less than 20 feet in diameter. The map was actually rather poor for detail but served well as a rough map.
Dante looked up to the sky seeing that it still didn't look right. So, he reached up and to his great surprise his hand brushed the top of the invisible dome that created the illusion of a sky.
'WTF!' He thought as he began looking off in one direction trying to take his mind off the shallow sky.
Down standing near the edge of the tower could see it's base on the side opposite where they had arrived.
He saw a small orderly fenced field with what could have been small trees growing in it, an orchard. Right next to the orchard he could see what appeared to be a small log cabin with a chimney trailing white fluffy clouds. He could even see what appeared to be a small garden in the front yard.
The Farm house and Orchard surrounded on all sides by grassy plains.
"Is that a house, a farm? Is that yours Virgil?" He asked Virgil.
"Yes and no. I do find myself resting there often, helping a little to maintain the area. But it's not mine, it's yours. That area is the manifestation of several of your skills. Farming, Horticulture, Vines of the Blood Rose, and the Burning Heart." Virgil said while smiling. Seeming to regard the place with warm feelings.
"Can we go there?" he asked with an excited smile, eliciting a further smile from Virgil.
"Certainly but first we must finish here." Virgil said, motioning to the floor around and behind them.
Dante looked down at the map that had been painted upon the top of the tower. "Is this an accurate map and why does it look like such a shabby piece of work?" He asked.
Virgil turned before responding. "This map is only as accurate as someone of your skills could make it. Why it is of less than ideal quality is due to the level of your cartography and drawing skills." Virgil stated whilst indicating downward to the crude map.
"I don't have a drawing skill though." He stated, eliciting a chuckle from Virgil.
"That's right you don't. You would have it, however, if you took the time to make even a crude map with your cartography skill." Virgil stated, still chuckling a bit.
Dante put forth his hand about to speak, he had this enormous canvas why not just draw here? No sooner had he thought of this did a piece of chalk appear in his outstretched palm. He looked upon it with mild confusion and awe. Turning to Virgil he said nothing, only giving Virgil a questioning look.
"You wanted to improve the map and so your cartography skill activated. Here your skills can be made manifest and as so, chalk." Virgil stated as he pointed toward the large stick of chalk currently clutched in Dante's hand.
For a moment he pondered this new information before he acted. He reached out his other hand and with a small exertion of will several sunflower seeds appeared in his hand. 'This place is awesome!' Dante thought as his face became one of appreciation.
Slowly he looked back and forth between the area around the tower and the depiction on the floor.
Slowly he used the chalk to make mild corrections to the drawing.
What amazed him was that the chalk was changing colors at his will. Whatever color he needed the chalk changed to be that color.
Congratulations! You have obtained the Common sub skill, Drawing Lvl. 1...
"Can I come back here anytime or just when I'm sleeping?" Dante asked, hopeful as to the answer. Virgil smiled.
"You can come back here anytime all you need to do is look inward. It would help if you used meditation to get back here, but that is not a necessity, only an aid. As for leaving this place. Like many other things here you need only will it. So you can leave now if you wish." Virgil stated as he took a step back.
"Nah, Let's go check out that farm house." He said with a smile. Virgil smiled as well but didn't move.
"Then you will now learn to move as I do in this place. Come." He said as he walked to the edge of the top of the tower, looking down on the small farm.
Dante walked to the edge and Virgil pointed towards the farm house.
"You only need to will it, and you will move." He said simply before he vanished.
Looking down he saw Virgil stepping down in front of the house before looking back up at him, waving for him to come down.
So he took a breath and willed himself to move.
Willed himself to be there.
The world raced by and for a moment he was in the air, then he was back on the ground.
Standing next to Virgil, in front of the farm house.
"Shall we go inside?" Virgil asked as he walked towards the door.
Pausing for a moment Dante turned around and looked back up to the top of the tower where they had just been.
'Fuck that's far...' He chuckled a bit to himself before he turned. He saw that on either side of the small yard were small fenced areas of what looked to be freshly turned soil in which grew a bounty of crimson roses.
He smiled and entered the small house with Virgil.
What greeted him was a sparsely decorated one room house.
There were two glass windows on either side of the doorway.
To the right of the door next to the window was a simple wooden table in the corner with four wooden chairs.
Both the table and the chairs looked crudely made.
They wouldn't win any wood working competitions but they seemed functional.
There was even a bed in the corner opposite the table, back left.
The frame was of a similar shabby quality as the table and chairs. Though it had a cushion, it felt like it was filled with straw when he laid on it.
The last thing in the house was the fireplace.
It was made with red bricks and seemed actually well made.
Save for a chip here, a bit of missing brick there.
It had a hearth made from the same red bricks at its front and sides.
But what really caught his interest was the pale blue flame that burned in the fireplace.
"So would this place look better if I raised my farming level?" Dante asked Virgil.
"Very likely. It would depend on what you want this place to become." said Virgil.
He considered that for a moment but then his eyes were drawn once more to the crackling blue flames.
He noticed something after a moment and gave a visual inspection of the fireplace.
"What are you looking for Dante?" Asked Virgil.
"There's no ash...It..It's not burning anything. It's just a flame. There's not even any smoke, where's the smoke from the chimney coming from?" He asked and Virgil simply smiled as he shook his head.
As he did his inspection he watched that small blue flame that lazily flickered and danced in the fireplace.
It almost seemed to pulse, to beat, and flickered in time with every beat of his heart.
"So you're my Burning Heart?" Dante asked the flame with a smile, and to his surprise it responded.
The dancing of the flame seemed to grow more excited for a moment before settling back down.
He felt the warmth of the fire.
Heard it's gentle roar.
It was a comfort that reminded him of home.
Then he noticed the fire was warm, but not hot.
Not as hot as one would expect such a flame to be.
Slowly he reached out, touching the flames that almost seemed to try and wrap around his hand.
Instinctively he recoiled from the fire, which almost seemed sad as the sudden refusal. The light and size of the flame diminished a little.
He blinked several times, trying to process what had just happened. Then he spoke.
"It...It doesn't burn..." He said in disbelief as once more he slowly reached out to touch the fire.
Slowly the flames reached up to touch his hand, and indeed it was warm but it didn't burn as most flames do.
No, it was a comfort to him.
The flame lifted from the ground and almost seemed to use itself to climb upon his hand.
Slowly he pulled back his hand, turning it over to be palm up.
The small blue flame flowed like water around his hand coming to rest in his palm.
Now he felt something, several things. Relief, Joy, Contentment, Hope.
He slowly moved his hand back into the fireplace, resting it upon the floor to allow the flame to depart.
Then came the notices.
With every beat of your heart you feel its warmth growing. Those who stand in your presence feel that warmth radiating out from your kind heart and soul. The warmth of your presence lingers with those you hold dear, even long after you're gone. +3 Cha...
The world had sought to make you cold and bitter, and it worked for a time. Now that anger has turned to passion that burns in your heart, driving you to be better than you were before! +50 health, mana, and stamina!...
The fire in your heart burns such that even the cold of winter has trouble finding purchase upon your skin. You have acquired the Common Passive skill, Cold resistance!...
Cold resistance- Increased tolerance for temperatures tending towards freezing and below per level of the skill.
You have unlocked the Affinity, Fire!...
Your heart knows the flame and though the touch of true flame you should still fear, your body grows ever more accustomed to the summer's heat. You have acquired the Common Passive skill, Heat resistance!...
Heat resistance- Increased tolerance for temperatures tending towards boiling and above per level of the skill.
You have unlocked the Affinity Ice!...
Congratulations! You have acquired the beginnings of the Endure Elements, Skill set!...
Congratulations! You have completed the Road of the Burning Heart! +10 Will...
Burning Heart has leveled up! Lvl. 5...
Dante felt his feet moving, he felt the summer's heat and the biting chill of winter which made him shiver. Yet, he looked down at that small blue flame dancing in the fireplace, its size seemed to bolster as it "rose" to meet the challenge.
He smiled as he watched the small flame.
He thought for a moment and asked the air, "Status?"
To his surprise his status popped up and so he decided he was going to distribute his Rp then his stat points.
"Roads." he said and was greeted by a familiar blue box.
Road of Blood
0/25
Road of Earth II
5/25
Road of Water II
0/25
Road of Family
0/100
Road of the Unyielding Will
0/50
Road to Everlasting Life
0/1,000
Road of Courage II
0/50
Road of New Beginnings
0/20
Road of Radiance I
0/50
Road of Light II
0/50
Road of the Tireless I
0/50
Wizard's Road III 0/50
"No Road of the Burning Heart II yet?" Dante asked the small flame with a raised eyebrow but it merely crackled in reply.
"I have 20 free stat points...Must have come from completing the Road of the Burning Heart. Let's bump up Dex. 19 to Dex, and 1 to End. Now let's walk some roads." He said as he put 20 points into the Road of New Beginnings.
Some are reluctant to begin anew, this is only natural. For others like yourself, new beginnings are thrust upon you. Here is to better times to come! +3 Luck...
Your feet are in motion as you race to embrace what you have once resisted! The long night is over and the morning light has come. +2 Dex, End, and Con...
In the light of day you find new friends, and relish the time you have with those you love! +3 Wis...
Time Sense has leveled up! Lvl. 2...
Together you journey onward with friends and family alike. May your arms be hearty, that you may alway protect those you love! +3 Str...
You look to the future and see it's bright. Your feet carry you ever onward toward a bright and shining future. +2 Luck...
Congratulations! You have completed the Road of New Beginnings!...
For you who was dealt a bad hand early in life, but Fate's Clockwork has shifted, a new hand is dealt, and you have come out a winner! +10 Luck...
His feet were in motion slowly at first but then beginning to speed up. He felt the tick, tick, ticking of a clock somewhere but couldn't discern its source.
The light from the windows cut out as he looked outside only to find darkness.
The only things left giving this room any light were his burning heart that rested in the fireplace and Virgil.
Though each was merely a dim light.
"Spooky...Been a while since I've seen you Time sense." Dante chuckled to himself.
He felt his parents were there with him, as was Virgil, and...other's.
Who were they?
Dante watched as several shadowed humanoid figures appeared about the small room.
Two figures sat at the table having a meal.
Their forms were bright and clear to him.
They were his parents, and seemed to be having breakfast.
'How long have I been here?' He wondered growing slightly concerned.
Virgil watched in silent amazement at what was unfolding.
No figure appeared to represent him, for he was already here, truly here.
The figures looked to him and in the distance he heard something.
Error!...
The sound of ticking grew louder, and he felt Fate's Clockwork turn on.
Error!...
One of the shadowed figures reached out to him. Its mouth moved and he heard the voice of a woman that couldn't be much older than him.
"Please...she says you can help me." she spoke, her voice weak.
Suddenly light poured forth from the windows and he could see who these figures were.
There were 6 men and 5 women.
He saw bands of light spread like a complex web amongst them all.
The bands connecting everyone to everyone else.
He looked over the woman before him as he could see her now.
She was pale and gaunt. Her hair was brownish red and perfect.
Too perfect, too stiff. It didn't move properly when she did.
Her eyes however, were a beautiful blue, and yet it felt they could have been so much brighter.
He saw something more.
Light seemed to emanate from her chest.
This didn't happen for any of the other's, not even his parents.
Something flashed across his eyes before completely taking over his vision.
'What's happening?' he questioned in his mind.
Not bothering to ask aloud, for he doubted anyone who would answer would know.
He saw himself standing next to her on open plains, with a large bowl filled with some colorful fluid in his hands.
She placed her hands into the strange waters of the bowl.
She looked nearly the same except there was somethign different about her eyes.
In her eyes, he saw there was hope.
Then he heard himself speak.
"Lesser Restoration." He saw himself say before the vision ended.
The world rocked beneath them and yet the those looking at him were uneffected, only he and Virgil were.
Dante stood as the rocking ceased, taking two steps forward and took the pale woman's hands in his.
"I will..." he said before he was blinded by the light.
Error!...
The light pouring through the windows became all encompassing before he startled awake.
--------------------
The road ran on and the light became darkness.
The stars came out but they gave off little light.
Error!...
Fate's Clockwork turned on.
Compelled by something to activate...
Error!...
Tick, Tick, Tick...
Went the gears of the clockwork.
Slowly, as Dante spoke in that small house about half a mile, 805 meters, away the clockwork ticked on.
Tick, Tick, Tick...
Something he was doing had to be causing this.
It had to be the answer!
Then came the morning light.
The light was brilliant as the sun rose upon this sunless place.
Dante spoke and he moved.
Slowly the gear shaped rod turned, something greater forcing its movement.
Something not of this world changed and yet it rocked the clockwork mechanism.
Rocked this whole space.
Dante stood and took the pale woman's hands.
"I will..." he said before he was blinded by the light.
Error!...
It shouldn't have been possible and yet it was happening.
Ten gears fired off from the mechanism.
2 was copper. 1 was silver. Most were wood.
Save for a single golden gear among them.
The gears held in the air for a moment before they changed.
4 were copper, 3 were silver, 2 were gold, and 1 was platinum.
Like a slingshot the gears bounced back into their proper places, and resuming their work.
Tick, Tick, Tick, Tick...
Something forced the rod to turn even further.
Then it clicked.
---------------------
Dante awoke, greeted by a few notices.
A promise has been made...
Fate's Clockwork has leveled up! Lvl. 2!...
You have leveled up!...
He quickly decided to disable Fate's Clockwork, again.
Even with all that had just happened, all he had seen.
He had but one thing to say.
"...Damn I'm hungry."