by A F Kay
The “only needing something” statement confused Ruwen, too. Hamma acted like she didn’t want to talk to him, but that comment made him think she’d wanted him to come here for some other reason.
All this swirled in his head, and he decided on what he hoped was a safe answer. “Yes, I’m sorry for all that.”
Hamma stared at him for a few seconds, looked up at the ceiling, and then walked to her bed. She sat down and put her head in her hands.
Ruwen sat next to Hamma and put his arm around her. They sat that way for a few minutes.
“I’m sorry, too,” Hamma said. “Your time is your own. I’m not usually passive aggressive. It’s just—”
Ruwen remained quiet, giving Hamma time to get her thoughts out.
Hamma looked up at Ruwen. “Niall isn’t who I thought he was. Or, if he is and is just lying, he’s not someone I want in my life.”
“What happened?” Ruwen asked.
Hamma shrugged, and tears filled her eyes. Ruwen pulled her close.
“He said he doesn’t have a family,” Hamma said. “He isn’t my dad.”
Ruwen’s shirt absorbed Hamma’s tears.
Lir, do you have access to your sibling’s records?
I do, Architect Starfield.
Maybe there were two people with the same name. How many Niall Blakrock, living, queued, or dead, exist.
One.
That was quick, are you sure?
The only Niall Blakrock in birth or Ascension records is the male revived here earlier today.
The birth reference gave Ruwen an idea. Can you tell if two people are related?
I can.
Ruwen didn’t ask the obvious question immediately. He had become leery of secrets and information he might not be ready for. Everyone had made it clear this wasn’t his business. But if they weren’t related, he could give Hamma immediate relief.
Is Niall Blakrock Hamma’s father?
A moment later, Lir responded. Yes.
Ruwen’s hopes fell. How could Niall lie to Hamma? Could he really be such a monster he’d deny the existence of his wife and daughter? The man seemed genuinely nice and sincere. Maybe his Charisma was high enough to fool Ruwen, but that didn’t seem likely. Something didn’t feel right about this.
Hamma wiped her face and looked up at Ruwen. “Maybe he isn’t my dad. When he told me he didn’t have a family, I kind of went into shock. I never asked him any questions. He doesn’t even know our last names are the same.”
Ruwen bit his cheek. He knew that wasn’t the case, and it felt like lying to not tell Hamma. But he just couldn’t bring himself to tell her the truth. At least not right now. He gave a tiny nod.
“I feel better,” Hamma said. “Thanks for listening.”
Ruwen felt terrible for giving Hamma false hope. His stomach filled with acid, but he still couldn’t bring himself to say anything. He nodded again.
Hamma kissed Ruwen. “I missed you. I went to your room and saw the portal. What did you do in Blapy?”
Ruwen took a moment to try and sum up that experience. “I worked on the library and Sift’s parents made me do some Bamboo Viper Clan stuff. Believe me, I wish I’d been here with you instead.”
“That sounds more exciting than kneeling in the chapel for hours at a time. I don’t feel any closer to activating my Sub Class. You’re so lucky not having to do this.”
Ruwen had wondered the same thing. He squeezed Hamma’s hand. “That sucks. I’m sorry.”
Rami, do you know why everything Class related comes so easy to me?
It’s because you’re a Champion. Champions are an exception in the Pact to the agreed upon leveling delays.
Wait. Are you telling me abilities, spells, Classes, and all that is being artificially postponed?
Yes. After a minimum threshold, a random value is assigned. When the required spiritual focus is met, the capability is unlocked.
That’s stupid.
It’s just one way the gods use to limit how fast power scales.
The Pact is dumb.
It ended an incredibly destructive era. This world would not have survived without almost all the gods signing it.
Who didn’t sign it?
Lalquinrial is the only one I know for sure. Rami paused and then added with a little emphasis. And you of course.
The change in Rami’s tone made Ruwen focus intently on her statement, and understanding hit him like an avalanche. He had been given Divine power with the Architect Role, but he hadn’t signed the Pact. Which meant he wasn’t bound by it.
Rami continued. Of course, Lalquinrial must be very careful. He has survived because he stayed away from this planet and doesn’t abuse his freedom from the Pact. Rami paused again before resuming. If he did, the gods would band together and destroy him. Because the rules only work when everyone abides by them.
Uru had told Ruwen the gods would band against him, eventually. This revelation would require some more thought. It gave him a dangerous advantage over the other gods.
“Starfield?” Hamma asked.
Ruwen focused back on Hamma. “Sorry. I just drifted off for a second.”
Hamma shook her head. “If I had a copper for every time your thoughts wandered, I’d be rich.”
“You are rich,” Ruwen said with a smile.
Hamma returned the smile. “That’s true.”
Ruwen felt happy that Hamma’s mood had improved, even if he’d sort of lied to her. “Speaking of that. I need one of the terium coins.”
Hamma reached into the Dimensional Bag at her waist, removed a coin, and handed it to Ruwen. “Why?”
“I used up the last of the Temple’s terium reviving some city Elders.”
“And?”
Ruwen bit his lip. “There was a misunderstanding.”
“Okay, what does that mean?”
Ruwen winced. “I tried to keep them in their recovery beds, but they wouldn’t listen.”
Hamma frowned. “What aren’t you telling me?”
“I warned them, but they ignored me. And I might have overreacted.”
“Is that what that loud boom was? The walls shook.”
“Yes, part of it. They started casting spells, so I applied some pressure of my own.”
“And what happened?”
“Things fell apart.”
Chapter 43
Hamma stared at the bloody floor of the recovery room. “You literally meant they fell apart.”
Ruwen winced again.
Niall had opened a hole in the floor and had pushed most of the chunks into it. He continually prayed as he worked, and Ruwen felt a little guilty for making the Priest clean up by himself.
“Is there something I can do?” Ruwen asked.
Niall looked at them. “Did you find more terium?”
Ruwen nodded.
“Sister Hamma, can you please add it to the temple,” Niall said.
Hamma turned without responding and went back into the revival room. She walked to the far side and pulled a long drawer from the wall. “You told me you had a misunderstanding with them, well it’s the most expensive one in history. Put your coin in here.”
Ruwen added the coin and Hamma slid the drawer closed. She walked to a display and swiped her finger across it. “You want to revive the same six?”
Ruwen sighed. “Yes, and as fast as we can.”
“They’ll be thrilled to see you again so soon.”
Ruwen smiled. “I have that effect on people. But it’s not me they’ll fear, but my totem.”
Hamma narrowed her eyes at Ruwen. “Is that some ridiculous innuendo?”
While camping with Big D, Ruwen had spent hours practicing controlling the band balls Bliz had given him. He used those skills now to shoot the Stuffed Centipede of Solace out of his Void Band and into his other hand. He held the small stuffed animal toward Hamma. “Fear it!”
Hamma smiled, and it warmed Ruwen’s chest.
“You’re so stupid,” Hamm
a said, and returned to her work.
Ruwen opened his eyes wide. “Blasphemy, woman. You are lucky Scos has recently fed on the wicked or you would surely suffer for such words.”
“Scos?”
“Stuffed Centipede of Solace.”
“You should really leave the naming to Sift.”
“That hurts, Hamma. Truly, you are an evil woman.”
Hamma laughed. “Leave me alone so I can get these six cooking.”
Ruwen put Scos away and paced around the room, juggling the band balls Bliz had given him. His quest, A Wasted Youth, required him to compete against Bliz in a game of Band Ball, and he wanted to beat the old man.
“Quit goofing off, they’re almost done,” Hamma said.
With Gold Fortified reflexes and the recent Attribute increases, Ruwen’s control had vastly improved. He let the six band balls fall into his Void Band one by one. He didn’t have the skill of Ahvy and her Shooters, who had made loading Ruwen’s Void Band for the entire camping trip back in Deepwell look trivial, but he’d made progress.
“I’m working on a quest,” Ruwen said.
Hamma rolled her eyes. “You have a juggling quest?”
Actually, since the quest involved spiked void cider, it was probably more of a drinking quest. That didn’t help his case, however. “Kind of.”
Niall entered the revival room, his clothes covered in blood. “I’m going to cleanup and change clothes. I’ll return as quickly as possible.”
Hamma acted like she hadn’t heard, so Ruwen answered. “Great, thank you for your help.”
Niall headed for an exit and then stopped. “Sister Hamma, can you remain with the revived? I want to guard against another accident.”
“Sure,” Hamma said, not looking at Niall.
“Thank you, Sister,” Niall said.
“Stop calling me that!” Hamma yelled.
Niall’s eyes grew large, and he nodded. “As you wish. I’ll be back shortly.”
Hamma stared into the revival bath, her knuckles white. Ruwen remained still and quiet. After a moment, her body relaxed, and she lifted the lid. Ruwen helped her move the body, and then the five others, in silence.
They sat together on an empty bed by the door, holding hands, and waiting for the six Elders to move. When they did, Hamma moved to each one, gently speaking to them in a reassuring voice. Elder Vachyl sat up, but when he caught sight of Ruwen, he laid back down.
Niall arrived with water and helped Hamma ease the Elders back into the living. When all six were sitting up in bed, Hamma returned to Ruwen.
“You weren’t this gentle with me,” Ruwen said. “If I remember correctly, you slapped me.”
“Knowing what I know now, I didn’t slap you hard enough,” Hamma said with a small smile. “Plus, you wouldn’t stop screaming.”
The six Elders didn’t move from their beds, but Ruwen could feel their stares. He sighed, pushed himself off the bed, and walked a few steps toward them. “I’m sorry for before. You have all been through a traumatic experience and I wish circumstances allowed me to be more sympathetic. But your past must remain there, for now.”
The Priestess Gabryel cleared her throat. “Who are you?”
Ruwen spread his hands. “I am ignorant, naive, unprepared, and responsible for the safety of this city and Uru’s southern border. My name is Ruwen.”
“How did you kill me?” Elder Vachyl asked.
Ruwen gave a small bow. “Again, my apologies. But it is important that you all know I’m serious.”
Elder Vachyl narrowed his eyes. “Threats are a sign of weakness, boy. And your apology demonstrates softness. I liked you better before you opened your mouth.”
Ruwen smiled. “Believe me, there are far better reasons to dislike me.”
“You didn’t answer my question,” Elder Vachyl said.
“For Eiru’s sake, Vachyl, let it go,” Elder Gabryel said. “We’re all embarrassed by what this child did.”
Elder Vachyl scowled and pointed a finger at Elder Gabryel. Before he could speak, Ruwen stepped forward and the six Elders tensed.
“I tried to explain before,” Ruwen said, taking Scos from his Void Band. He handed the stuffed centipede to Elder Vachyl. “This totem’s power can only be wielded by Eiru’s chosen. I am that servant, and I speak with her voice.”
Elder Vachyl took Scos and jammed it at Ruwen, as if casting a spell. Nothing happened. The Fighter turned and studied the stuffed animal. “This is just a cure poison item.”
“An illusion to hide its power,” Ruwen said.
Ruwen had given Vachyl Scos so the man would know the totem wouldn’t work for him. While juggling the band balls earlier, Ruwen had thought about what the Elders might do. He had told them the totem was his source of power, so it was likely they would try and take it from him. By giving it to them, and nothing happening, it would cement his position as the only one able to wield its power.
“A power only I control,” Ruwen said in a serious tone.
Rami, ten Mana to the Gravitational Role please.
The blankets on the Elders all pressed downward and Elder Vachyl’s hands dropped. With an effort he raised them, continuing to study Scos.
This had gone exactly like Ruwen imagined. Now the Elders wouldn’t waste time trying to depose him, and they could focus on the enormous problems facing them.
“I wonder what happens if I destroy your totem?” Elder Vachyl asked and then twisted the centipede’s head off.
Small beads fell from Scos’s neck and head. They sounded like tiny hail as they struck the floor. Ruwen stared in disbelief. He hadn’t anticipated them destroying Scos, who only had a durability of ten.
Ruwen’s chest froze in place and breathing took all his strength. The others he could see appeared to have the same difficulty. The beads stopped falling, hundreds of them hanging in mid-air. The sudden silence felt just as oppressive as the thousand-pound weight crushing his lungs.
Is this you? Ruwen asked Rami.
Rami vibrated behind Ruwen’s right ear, and her mirth felt like a cool mist in his brain. No, but I know who it is.
The beads rose back toward Scos, as if time itself had reversed. Vachyl’s hands, each with a piece of Scos, smoked, and the smell of burned skin filled the room. Ruwen knew the pain must be horrific, but Vachyl only pressed his lips together, not making a sound.
Vachyl finally found the strength to open his hands, but the two pieces of Scos didn’t fall. Instead, they hovered in the air, moving to the center of the room. Stuffing beads trailed behind Scos like a wake of blood. Scos spun, the beads twirling around it like a grey cloud.
Mom lost her family shortly after she was born, Rami said. The Universe is a perilous place for baby wyrms. There is a balance the Universe keeps. The more dangerous something is as an adult, the weaker it is as an infant. A nest of centipedes adopted her, kept her safe, and loved her. She has never forgotten. Using Scos as the symbol of your power, with Mom so close, was genius.
It literally was that or a band ball.
How long did you consider using the band ball?
Honestly, it was close.
Rami laughed again.
A woman appeared behind the spinning Scos. She looked like an older version of what Rami appeared like in Ruwen’s mind, but with blonde hair. Black wings were folded behind her, the scales tinged in gold.
The woman grabbed the spinning stuffed centipede and cupped it in her hands. Ruwen squinted as the woman’s hands blazed with light, and then she strode to Ruwen.
The pressure surrounding Ruwen lessened and when the woman held out Scos he could lift his hands to accept the stuffed centipede. Without a word, the woman opened her wings and with a powerful thrust shot into the ceiling, disappearing from sight. The pressure from the wings, even with his Gold Fortified body, made him stumble. The sound of snapping bones echoed from where the Elder’s sat.
Then the pressure vanished.
Ruwen almost dropped Scos wh
en he looked at his hands. What had been a stuffed centipede before, now looked like an actual centipede. It had the sick green color of mucus and its black eyes seemed to bore into his brain. It had bile colored wings that were spread, giving it the shape of a cross. It took all his willpower to not fling it away.
A notification appeared and Ruwen opened it.
Tring!
You have been gifted…
Name: Sublime Centipede of Solace
Quality: Epic
Durability: Indestructible
Weight: 2.0 lbs.
Effect: 100% effective against nonfatal poisons.
Effect: 50% chance to cure fatal poison damage.
Effect: Mana bank. Capacity 5,000 Mana.
Restriction: Cures poison only when placed against the lips.
Restriction: Charging Mana bank requires rubbing the totem’s head.
Description: Bile colored infant centipede. Totem capable of channeling divine abilities. Gently clean with warm water, as scrubbing causes damage.
Not only had Blapy fixed the stuffed centipede Ruwen had earned on his first night in the Black Pyramid, but she had significantly upgraded it. She had enhanced its cure poison abilities, and it now acted as a Mana bank. That meant he could use more of his Architect Roles without tapping the Spirit in his Core and revealing his Aspect of the Scarecrow. She really had turned it into a divine totem.
Blapy had kept the scrubbing reference in the description. Ruwen had used his Scrub ability to clean the centipedes to death on his first night of fighting in the pyramid, something he felt like doing to Scos right now. A flying centipede made him shiver with horror.
And of course, Blapy had forced her affection for these disturbing creatures into the item restrictions. Ruwen dreaded how long he’d have to scratch Scos between the eyes while he fed it Mana.
Ruwen looked up from Scos to see the six Elders standing in front of him, their arms crossed on their chests.
