The time of the next invasion was coming closer, and so far, there was no word from Ashley on her being able to replicate the memetic security device that I saw on Bellarose’s trade list. According to her, she just didn’t have enough information about the structure of memes to get something that could so accurately detect and censor memes without itself risking corruption, or without blocking completely unrelated information like a random tissue commercial. Even Chelsea was interested in the system, because it seemed that the designer had more knowledge on memetic powers than she herself did.
Because of this, I ultimately made the decision to make the trade. A hundred thousand points was a lot, but it would ultimately be worth it if we were to get a way to prevent further contaminated information from spreading in the world.
Bellarose’s visit to the Admin Room was rather short, only showing up long enough to do the trade, with both of us notifying a member of the Gilded Branch as insurance. Naturally, the person I used as a contact was Balu, as she was the one I knew best from the guild.
After he was done with the trade, he thanked me and left, not seeing much sense in staying around any longer. Just from looking at him, you could tell that he was a rather casual old man, having been in this game for far too long at this point.
Still, I was able to make the purchase, and we would be able to get the system in just over two more weeks when the invasion happened.
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Within the Temple of Fate of Earth, atop a high tower, Keenan sat with his foot bouncing impatiently against the floor. His eyes were locked on the sky above, as if peering out beyond the clouds.
Behind him, a figure with a wooden staff walked over, smiling slightly. “Still wanting to rush out there?” Jace asked in a knowing tone.
Keenan let out a long sigh, nodding his head. “That’s right. I’ve already conferred with the Goddess Leowynn, and confirmed that the abilities I set in my domain should render me immune to most memetic influences.”
“Most, but not all.” Jace pointed out, lightly spinning the staff in his hand. Even now, he kept his eyes closed, only opening them when a dire situation struck. On average, it was decades between each instance of his eyes opening, so his luck was always increasing. Furthermore, his high luck had made it easier for him to acquire levels in luck-related classes like Gambler, or earn similar titles. Even without Terra’s old blessing, he could be considered one of the luckiest people alive.
“Is that what your instinct is telling you?” Keenan asked, showing genuine concern for his oldest friend’s opinion. He learned long ago to trust Jace’s gut, because going against it would inevitably invite disaster.
“No, just common sense.” Jace chuckled. “I don’t like to gamble with the life of a friend. Besides, even if you did clear out every monster attacking the barrier around this system, more would come, and there are still infinitely more around every other protected planet. Your actions would do little beside soothing your anxiety.”
“Maybe that wouldn’t be so bad…” Keenan muttered under his breath. “What does your instinct tell you about the situation?”
The Felyn God of Sight tilted his head with a smile, twirling his staff. “Wait.” He said, twirling it again. “Three.” And again. “Months.” Every time he stopped twirling his staff, his finger landed on one of the many engraved words written along the staff.
“Three months… So ,something will happen then?” Keenan asked, eyes wide as he was given a timeframe to look forward to.
“I don’t know.” Jace shrugged his shoulders. “It could be good, it could be bad, it could be nothing. Using luck to predict the future has never been certain.”
“Says the Fate Seer…” Keenan muttered under his breath, Jace laughing at the mention of his Gambler legend.
“I always wondered why it gave me that title when the whole point is not to see anything. Regardless… if you’re going to fight, wait.” Saying that, he sighed, spinning the staff idly in his hand. “There are a great many minds smarter than the two of us combined working on this project. We will do what we can do, and leave the rest to those with the power to create change.”
Keenan nodded, sighing to himself and standing up. As he did, Jace grabbed his staff again to prepare to walk with Keenan, only to stiffen, his ears and tail standing straight. “What?”
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Jace’s head turned towards his staff, where his finger had landed on the word ‘Danger’. “We need to move.” He said urgently, tossing the staff and quickly catching it. “Above. Danger coming from above… but it told you to wait three months to fight.”
Keenan furrowed his brow, before his eyes went wide. “Is it possible that it is a danger unrelated to the memetic monsters?” He asked, to which Jace nodded his head.
“That must be it.” Jace closed his eyes, hand folded in prayer. Lady Terra, I request an audience.
Yes? What is it, Jace? Terra had always been rather warm towards Jace. He was by far one of her oldest priests at this point, and had truly been the most devout when carrying out a trial personally assigned by him.
My fortune is speaking to me of imminent danger from beyond the sky, likely unrelated to the beasts plaguing the barrier. This narrows the possible causes down considerably, leading me to believe that there is an asteroid inbound. With all of our long-range monitoring disabled to avoid memetic contamination, we would have no way of discerning that such an event was occurring.
Jace… Terra seemed somewhat exasperated. You’re a god. A meteor would not count as any form of danger for you. Even if the planet was destroyed, you would survive relatively unharmed.
Jace almost opened his eyes when he heard that, realizing that she was right. If that’s the case… what danger did my fortune foresee?
This might have been a false alarm, but let me look at your fate. Terra said, before falling silent. Jace felt as if he was being put under a microscope, knowing that this should be the sensation of having his fate observed by Terra. Jace, open your eyes, now!
Hearing Terra’s almost panicked shout, Jace immediately opened his eyes. As he did so, the world around him seemed to go black, the sky darkening. This was the divine power that he cultivated, which consisted of a simple rule. He could see with his eyes closed, but opening his eyes would deprive the sight of all around him.
“Jace?” Keenan sounded alarmed when he saw Jace’s eyes open suddenly, his own vision going black.
“Give me a moment, Keenan.” Jace spoke nervously, focusing. Lady Terra?
A void monster snuck through the barrier around Earth. Its law allows it to invert the fortune of others. However, with all of the defenses in place, it can only invert the fortune of the one with the highest Luck stat.
Jace nodded his head, closing his eyes once again. And I was the one chosen, not Empress Elisae? Although Jace was incredibly fortunate, he could not compare to the true child of fortune, Empress Elisae. For the most part, her fortune was derived from her karma, but it in turn influenced her luck stat.
Ironically, it’s likely her good karma that made her decide to take a diplomatic journey to Fyor. Terra said with a self-deprecating tone. It will take about ten minutes before that monster is able to find the next target.
Jace gave another nod, turning his head towards Keenan. “You wanted a fight, right?” He asked with a small smirk. “What if I told you that a void monster snuck into the realm barrier, and just tried to assassinate me?” That wasn’t the whole truth, but it was essentially what the outcome would have been without Terra’s warning.
Keenan’s eyes went wide, a murderous look on his face. A black spear appeared in his right hand, and he tore open a rift in space. Since he was found in the woods as a child, Jace had been his emotional support, his anchor. Even though he had gotten his Chaos domain under control and wasn’t a threat to those around him, he knew that it was only Jace that had been with him from the beginning.
“Tell Sam not to worry.” He said, remembering his half-sister, the Goddess of Family, and more recently Jace’s wife. After becoming involved with the rest of his family, he felt that there was nobody in the world he could trust with his younger sister than Jace.
Jace simply chuckled, nodding his head as Keenan stepped through the rift in space. Almost immediately, an anxious voice spoke into his mind. Jace? Where did Keenan go? I just sensed something, and he disappeared. Don’t tell me he went outside the barrier?
It’s fine, Sammy, don’t worry. Jace consoled the worried sister. A void monster snuck through the realm barrier and tried to hurt me, so Keenan is going to take care of it.
I’m sorry… Suddenly, Sam’s voice turned a bit darker. Something tried to do what now? Earth’s realm barrier, right?
Jace’s brow twitched, realizing that the two siblings were more alike than either of them realized. It’ll be fine, Sammy. You’re more oriented for support than frontal combat. Besides, have some faith in your brother.
There was a small huff from the other end of the connection. Fine… I expect you to give me the full story when you get back later.
Jace sighed, nodding his head. He mentally said a prayer to Terra, thanking her for the timely intervention. At the same time, he could only imagine the horrors being unleashed on the void monster outside of the realm barrier.