Yggdrasil Fallen, LitRPG Series
Book 1, Part 1 Obsidian
Chapter 13: Lost
“These two are absolute idiots. They better count themselves lucky Curt has been the perfect little pawn so far.” Silderson stood staring through the open front door of his cabin, seething as he watched Curt’s two underlings talk to the bomb squad tech left after an all clear was issued. He had rushed to the cabin that afternoon after getting a call from Curt, who had been admitted to the ER earlier that day with severe burns across his arms and face and splinters of wood imbedded across his body. Apparently after an accident at the cabin he and Andre had rushed in, only Andre had seemingly vanished between when Curt left the property and arrived at the hospital. When he failed to show up, Curt in his injured daze had called the guys he’d sent the day before to check for him along the way and to make sure Andre wasn’t still there. Upon arriving they found his van, but no sign of him.
They’d taken it upon themselves to quickly assemble a search and rescue team at the cabin, all of whom were already spreading out in a tight spiral pattern, searching high and low taking care on the steep slopes. From where he stood, he could hear their concerned shouts rising in pitch as time passed, as it was important that they find him before the sun set. The nights were still too cold for someone to survive an unsheltered night alone without the proper supplies. Especially if they were injured or had anything wrong with them. The primary concern was that the blast had given Andre a concussion that was causing confusion or disorientation or worse: internal bleeding.
“If I’m right on my thoughts, it’s in everyone’s best interest if that fuck doesn’t show up until AFTER these uniforms pack it in.” Silderson thought to himself as the squad tech in the house wrapped up his conversation with Curts’ guys and politely moved past him, making his way to his captain at the truck behind him. The two inside the house shifted about uneasily for a while, intermittently casting suspicious gazes in his direction before the taller of the two finally broke away and approached him:
“Hey man, I’m sorry for all the trouble we’ve seemed to cause you. That tech dude we were just talking with just wanted to know if we saw or heard anything while we were working here yesterday.” He almost squeaked.
“It’s fine, my biggest concern now is that Andre is found. I know just how dangerous these hills can be.” Silderson lied through a plastered on sad smile.
“Yeah man, we called the local SaR team as soon as we got here, found his van and could find no trace of him. That fuckin guy is always getting up to crazy shit. I wouldn’t be surprised if his van is actually dead and he just decided to walk down the mountain side into town.” He said with a shrug.
“We can only hope that is the case. Do you have protocol for if the individual is found by someone not on the team outside the search zone?”
“I really dunno man, I’m not part of the squad. I just knew who to call to get em up here.” The dimwit answered.
“Interesting.” Silderson replied curtly, a heavy tense quiet falling between them.
“Well… uh… we… uh have another place to be now… so… uh… were like… gonna go.” He stammered out. Silderson watched as the morons, whom he could only guess were high as kites meandered towards their beat-up truck and climbed in to leave. That idiot demolition guy was the least of his concern at this time, upon examining Curt’s injuries and hearing his story the hospital staff had been required to call the police, who subsequently called in a bomb squad. He was now having to deal with the local police department and the aftermath of the full sweep from the legitimate bomb squad that had been called up out of Denver. The heavily clad officers had swept through the cabin, the bomb sniffing dog taking point doing his duty to alert them if he detected anything. He sighed with some relief as he watched them begin to load their gear into the truck, one of the techs passing a biscuit to the shockingly gorgeous German Shepherd.
“Mr. Silderson I presume?” Came a deep, almost husky voice from behind him.
“Yes, that is me.” He answered, his thoughts interrupted. He turned around to face a well-built, grizzled old man who’d approached him with the stealth of a cat stalking its prey.
“Do you have a moment to discuss the events that transpired here today?”
“Of course.” He answered, reserving his words.
“We have completed a full investigation of the property and have found no additional explosive devices present.” His steely eyes fixed on Silderson.
“I am quite gladdened to hear that. With this all clear, will we be able to resume construction processes?”
“I do not see any problem with that. Though our initial findings are quite… unusual.” He answered, almost guarded. When Silderson didn’t reply he continued:
“You see, when dealing with explosions we expect to see burn scarring from the initial detonation and in a building like this: fires. In addition, there is an expectation for blast wave damage to the surroundings: stress cracks/fractures, material stippling and material dispersion in circular patterns from the central point. We could not discern any of that. In fact, if it weren’t for the wooden shrapnel dispersed in a Conal pattern from the designated central point and the burns/injuries sustained by Curt, we couldn’t actually be certain an explosive was in fact detonated.”
“So, what are you trying to say here.” Silderson asked, having let the captain’s words hang in the air for several minutes.
“While I can’t be certain as to the reason, I feel this has been a ploy to divert our attention from something else and if I could turn up any evidence to prove as such…”
“Are you trying to accuse me of something? I JUST purchased this property, and work started yesterday.” Silderson barked at the man, cutting him off. Much to his surprise, the captain started laughing:
“No no, its nothing like that. There have been a bout of drug labs popping up in remote locations such as this. With those labs come incompetent, strung-out addicts desperate for their next fix. What I had been going to say is if we had evidence this was such a location, we would have had to call in another investigation team, delaying your construction. But that does not appear to be the case here, I was merely trying to affirm your question about continuing with your projects.” He answered, eyeing Silderson suspiciously.
“Oh, I see. I apologize for my outburst. This has been quite the stressful day.”
“I understand fully sir. When we get back to the department I’ll be writing up a full report with all of our findings, if you need to submit anything to insurance or have any further questions.”
“Thank you, officer, I really appreciate your haste in getting here today. It would have been an absolute tragedy if anything else had been buried here. I will swing by the department within the next couple of days for a copy of that report.”
“It’s my job, sir.” He answered before returning to the transport to bark orders at his underlings to get ready to move out.
“This day…” Silderson grumbled as he pulled out his phone to check the time only to notice a pair of missed calls.
“Shit, I was supposed to check in almost an hour. This isn’t going to be good.” He thought as he quickly dialed a number and held the phone to his ear.
“Yes?” Came a short, annoyed answer after a couple rings.
“I apologize for the delay in reporting in. It seems we have found the right place, but things have gotten complicated. I’m working on cleaning it all up.” Looking around to make sure no one had approached him, or could overhear his conversation he continued:
“Sorry, I needed to make sure there were no eavesdroppers before I could continue. It appears that idiot of interest we hired to clean out the cabin accidentally triggered a section of living wall that still had elemental charge in it.”
“I see, yes. That would cause quite a stir. Is it safe to assume you have this bit of trouble well in hand or do I need to dispatch a team better suited to clean things up.”
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“Once I speak with the remainder of the local PD things should settle out just nicely.” Silderson answered.
“I am very glad to hear.”
“Yes, is The Architect ready?”
“He is ready and waiting for you to give me the word. Though why you felt it necessary to sell this whole “remodel” schtick is beyond me. You’ve only brought trouble with it.”
“I apologize sir, but the real estate agent took it upon herself to call Curt before I was able to dissuade the idea. It seemed to me an opportune move to explain the purchase and activity on the property without drawing additional attention from the nosey locals.” Silderson hurriedly explained.
“I see. Next time be sure to run this type of idea by me. While the expenditures are within reason, the headache is not. Just let me know when you feel its time to dispatch The Architect.”
“Understood, I’ll make the required arrangements.”
There was a soft click as the phone went dead. Slipping it back in his pocket Silderson grimaced:
“Things are about to get interesting. If only I can get to that point…”
A shrill whistle rang out, diverting his attention.
“HEY! WE FOUND HIM! WE NEED HANDS AND A STRETCHER!” HE’S NOT LOOKING TOO HOT!” Voices quickly following the shrill whistle.
“Really interesting indeed.” Silderson turned his back on the scenic overlook and chaos that had erupted nearby. Striding back to his car, he started it up and slowly pulled down the drive; ignoring the officers attempts to stop him while watching in his rearview mirror as an extremely pale, dirty and very much so unconscious Andre was carried up the hillside and loaded onto a stretcher.
Andre awoke, curled in the fetal position neither in the acrid, dank cave, nor the floor of the cabin but surrounded by lush clover.
“Yay, naked as always. Where am I this time… I thought Phione’s realm burned?” Sitting up and looking around he found himself in a small clearing surrounded by dense vegetation, the canopy overhead blocking out the sky yet allowing just enough light to filter through for him to make out his surroundings.
“So, you’ve finally awakened, young Andre.” A sharp, yet feminine voice spoke as a woman who very much so could have been Phiones’ twin materialized in front of him. She wore the same garments and had similar tattoos in the same place, only hers had a faint lilac hue to them and Her eyes a vibrant amethyst.
“As you’ve no doubt surmised, I am one of the sisters of Yggdrasil, Tione. I am the guardian of the Volt elemental aspect, and should you wish it, I will grant you my mark, unsealing your innate capacity to process and handle the Volt aspect. This will further your conversion, bringing you one step closer to a true ascended state.”
“How do you know who I am, we only just met… and did you call yourself a Guardian?”
“All the sisters know who you are, you’ve become quite the hot topic of conversation since your initial meeting with Sister Phione. Her discovery of the scar being such a unique thing, we are all quite eager to have a look and to form our own conjectures on the matter.” She paused a moment, eyeing him carefully, considering his second question.
“Did Phione not inform you as to our true purposes?”
“She taught me a whole lot of things, but she never did explain much about herself.” He muttered.
“Very well. The role of the sisters is to guide their respective aspected energies throughout the entirety of creation; influencing their natural ebbs and flows through the innumerable realities. It is our job to make sure they are not allowed to stagnate, constantly flowing, fulfilling their respective roles. Granting our marks to Ascending is just a very small role of our jobs.”
“What if an aspected energy is allowed to stagnate?” Andre inquired, taking a moment to understand her words.
“If any of the aspected energies were allowed to stagnate, that world would quickly begin to decay, expediting stagnation of all other aspects. Ultimately causing the entire reality to crumble. Once that process begins, there is little chance for that reality to recover as everything must exist within a balance. If this were to happen, and if balance is not restored in a timely manner every living thing residing within it would cease to exist.”
“So, that would equate to innumerable lives being snuffed out…”
“That is correct.”
“Hoooooo boy, that’s a heavy weight to carry.”
“It is our job nothing more, nothing less.”
“I know, but if you and your sisters handle all of that, what is the purpose of people like myself?
“Once a world has reached a certain threshold of stagnation we can no longer intervene, historically that is when individuals such as yourself have arisen. A sort of last gasp of hope to save a dying reality.”
“Well alrighty then.”
If there is nothing more; do you wish to receive my mark?”
Andre absentmindedly nodded to Tione, thinking about the true gravity and absurd power they had to bear. She crossed the grove, as her sister did, making slashing movements across her right hand with her left; a violet liquid seeping out. Upon pressing her hand to his chest, Andre felt as though she touched him with a hot electric cable. He jolted, the current flooding through him and to the ground below. Withdrawing her hand he saw her eyes filled with a look of curiosity, confusion and… was that fear? He began to speak, but after a moment chose to remain silent, as the familiar ache began throbbing in his head.
“Volt Acclimation has been initialized, recalibrating cognitive processes….”
“Volt acclimatization complete, Primal Volt aspect has been correlated to your “DEXTERITY” statistic, improving VOLT Aspect Rank will improve “DEXTERITY” stat, as well as improve and/or Modify ALL Volt aspected abilities and gifts. “DEXTERITY” Statistic: Augments speed of correlated aspected energy conversion and recovery, increased “DEXTERITY” Statistic may have additional effects on learned Skills. Effects may change with Volt aspect rank up. Further changes may occur under UNITY effect.”
“Volt Ability Unlocked: “Imbue”: Infuse your currently equipped weapon with compatible aspected energy. Effects Change based on which elemental aspect currently infused into equipped weapon. This is a single cast effect with a 10 second cooldown. Effect lasts until canceled or a new aspect is applied. Volt energy cost: Low. Currently available Aspects: Volt
“Volt Ability Unlocked: “Strike”: Discharge a Large quantity of Volt aspected energy in a focused or unfocused bolt to strike an enemy or object. Focused bolt will strike within a range of 25 feet, unfocused bolt will discharge a sphere of volt aspected energy around damaging everything within a 10 foot radius. Secondary Effect: Biological targets hit by either an unfocused or focused bolt will receive a stun effect for 0-3 seconds depending on their resistances. Non-Biological targets effects will vary.
“Volt Aspect Rune Growth”: Through use of Volt Aspected Abilities, or channeling Volt energy, you have a chance to learn new abilities, or accelerate the growth of your Volt Aspected Rune.”
“Well hot damn! These are some absolute amazing new abilities, Electric Machete… YES PLEASE! Wait, Does this mean I can pull a Zeus and hurl some lightning bolts?!” Tione had taken several steps back as ALIAS ran through his most recent gains and changes.
“What are you.”
As his headache began to fade Andre turned his attention back to Tione.
“What exactly do you mean?”
“I stated exactly what I meant. What are you.”
His confusion and panic mounting; Andre froze, completely rooted to the spot.
“I really, truly don’t know what you mean. As far as I know I’m human… I was born to human parents on earth?”
“While that may be true, the very core of your existence is not as you describe. What Phione described as a scar of Yggdrasil is not that. At least not anymore.” Holding up the hand she had just placed upon his chest she continued “When I marked you just now, I felt something vast burning within your soul; a potential like we have never seen before. Something so powerful that upon burning my mark upon you I was burned in return.” In the dim light Andre could see the hand she held had blackened, heavily burned by something he could not rationalize.
“You have been branded in a manner that has interconnected all of your runic seals, to include those broken by both mine and my sisters’ marks. The very nature of your conversion, I cannot say. This is something I must confer with my sisters upon.
Andre blinked as several boxes popped into his view, ALIAS reading them out to him:
“Alert: A recent traumatic event coinciding with the unsealing of your “Volt Aspect” has forcibly changed the very nature of your ability to process and handle Aspected energy:
“Multi-Aspect gift unlocked: “Brand of Yggdrasil”: ??????????”
“Alert: an unknown Multi-aspected gift has forced a change to one of your Unaspected abilities:
“Unaspected Ability “Convergence” has evolved: the unique state of your being has changed the very fundamental nature of aspected energies you control. Any two aspected energies you can currently channel may be fused to entirely new effects. Abilities may change dependent on their use in conjunction with this ability.”
“In the meantime, you must continue to explore your world, seeking out elemental aspect charged zones, facing down their Alphas to grow your abilities, find Artefact equipment to further strengthen yourself and above all else, ready yourself for what is to come.” She continued speaking even as ALIAS rang out the further changes he had experienced.
“Do you have any other questions for me?”
Andre stood completely overwhelmed by everything that had just transpired. He knew this had to be a dream state, his body still back in the ritual chamber where he had fallen unconscious in the wake of the battle against the Zombified Hellborne, and whatever it was that had happened with the root-looking artefact. Yet it all felt so real to him: from the soft clover under his feet, to the gentle breeze flowing over his naked form carrying the rich smell of oaken woods, even to what was happening now with Tione. He was exhausted, every part of him ached from it all and he just wanted to sleep; hopefully waking up back in his bed having all this been just another absurd dream.
“I really don’t think there is anything else that can be said at this moment.” He said, as though to definitively end their conversation.
“Very well, be on your way. My sisters and I will reach out to you when the time is right, unless you find yourself in one of their presences before such a time should occur. Should you have questions that require answers, just request your alter-ego to help you return. Until then, take care of yourself Andre, survive and may Yggdrasil fuel your future.” As she finished speaking Tione faded away, vanishing into the wooded surroundings.
“HOLD ON! What do you mean by “Alter-Ego”!?!” He shouted to the void.
“Initiating cognitive transference, it is recommended you lay yourself down to avoid any unwanted side effects.” ALIAS spoke to him, with what; if Andre didn’t know any better could be described as mild panic.
“Wait! What did Tione mean?!!”
“…. We can discuss this matter when you are better able to grasp the information… idiot” ALIAS seemed to mutter. Exhausted, Andre accepted the words and complied by laying down, steadying his breathing and clearing his mind/senses of everything around him, quickly losing consciousness.