I send Vua a party invite. She (yeah, I guess I'll refer to them as a she), looks over at me, smiles and then presses an invisible accept button. On a whim I pull out my Awakened Branch of the Midnight Tree Staff. I walk over and hand it to Vua. I haven't been using it very much lately and I'd rather not leave her unarmed.
Warning! You are trying to give away a Core Bound Object. Do you wish to sever your connection? Y/N
I stare at the notification for a moment, torn. This staff was my first weapon from this planet, it saved my life a number of times. I shake my head at myself and select yes. Now it can save Vua's life. She takes the staff in her hands and bows her head.
"From one soul, a shattering, to be born. The great speaker from the dark, worthiness flutters." Vua holds the staff back out to me.
"Uh, no it's okay. It is yours now." I say.
Vua looks at me for a moment than bows her head again. She sits cross-legged, closes her eyes, and holds the staff in front of her with both hands. Then she begins to sing, none of the words translate and the melody invokes a strange feeling in me. I can't place what I am feeling, but I begin to sense a presence manifesting. I hear a snap, like a gunshot. The staff has snapped in half, and then it begins to flow up her hands to form gloves.
She opens her eyes, says something that does not translate and bows her head. But, I know she is not speaking to us. I have a feeling she just thanked a being from another realm. Maybe the same being I felt when I communed with dark energy. I try to Analyze her new gloves, but all I get is question marks. They fit her hands, well, like gloves. It looks like her hands have black bark on them, yet her hands have full movement. There is a black aura that emanates from the gloves. I wouldn't like to be touched by that dark energy. I shudder and momentarily question whether or not I made the right choice trusting this alien so quickly.
"That was amazing. There is so much we do not know about this world, or how powers work." Kala says with an amazed look on her face.
We head back to the center of the facility. Only one door remains. I have a feeling that what comes next is going to hard. I turn to Vua, "We are trying to clear this facility of any hostile monsters. Will you help us?" I send her the quest, so she is up-to-date.
She nods to me, but does not say anything. I walk up to the door and focus on the red light above it.
I think about asking Doc about the resurrection net, but for some reason I don't. I step through the doorway and the space begins to illuminate. There are five doors in a hallway, two on the left, two on the right, and one straight ahead. The doors on the left and right are open. I listen and watch for a good two minutes, but nothing jumps out and attacks me. We explore the rooms, taking anything not nailed down. We will go over the stuff later. Some of it looks very interesting. I even catch Doc absorbing some metal that was kept in a silver case. I put a pin in that to ask him later.
We walk into the last room on the right side. It looks to be where the person in charge worked. On the wall is a large glass case with a number of objects hanging.
"Jax, are those weapons?" Kala asks me.
I look closer and then touch the glass. A display pops up on the glass, it's like a large touchscreen. It gives a description of each weapon and a star-map as to where in the galaxy it was found.
"Holy shit, they are all epic class weapons or better!" I almost shout. I quickly look around for a way to open it. On the side I find a red light, I press it with my finger.
I slam my fist into the glass to no effect.
"Fuck. Doc, can you get this open?" I ask him.
"Please back away." He says calmly.
We all get to the sides of the room. Doc forms his hand into a large hammer. He then takes a running leap and slams it into the glass case. Nothing happens, not even a scratch. He tries a few more times, each with the same effect.
"Okay, my turn." I say.
Facing the case, I raise my hand and begin building up power for a charged version of my Laser Beam skill. I feel a headache coming on as a substantial amount of my mental energy is channeled.
"Jax...what…" Kala starts to say.
Gritting my teeth, I release the energy from my hand. A blinding beam of energy slams into the case, causing a shockwave and thunder to boom in the small room. We are all thrown back a few feet onto our backs.
I rub my eyes, trying to regain my vision. Everything is muffled and a loud ringing sounds around me. Looking over at Kala she has some blood around her ears.
A soft melody begins to reach me and then I feel my wounds healing. Vua is singing, a blue glow emanates from around her body.
"Fuck, Jax." Kala, she does not look happy.
"I'm really sorry guys." I look at the weapons case. "Are you kidding me?" The case is still intact. Vua stops singing and looks at me. She doesn't say anything, but I feel like I'm being silently scolded. "Thank you Vua. That is a very useful skill you have. It heals everyone in the group?"
Ignoring me, she walks over and helps Kala to her feet. I smile at Kala, but she just calmly walks up to me and then slaps me, hard. She actually does 12 points of damage to me.
"That was so stupid. You risked our lives, for what? For some fucking loot?" She raises her hand again and I flinch.
"But...you love loot." I say to her.
"No. I love you. I love being alive. Do you understand what happens if you die? You lose all your memories from our time here and you end up in a random location. Same for me. That would suck. But, what about Doc? Or Vua? Just because you are immortal, does not mean that everyone else is. You need to think before you act. You need to be the scientist that you are supposed to be. These powers can make you...us careless." She walks off with tears in her eyes.
"Kala...I..." I stop myself, not really knowing what I want to say. I feel angry for a moment, at Kala, and then at myself. Her anger seems to stem from more than just what happened. Kala leaves the room and stands in the hall, Vua follows her and hums a lullaby like tune next to her. The song visibly has an effect on Kala, the tension leaves her body.
I turn back to the case, sighing. I'll leave her alone for a few minutes. Doc and I walk back to the case. "Is there a way to break a Core Binding? Shouldn't it already be broken? I mean this Hver' Watu, First Chosen of the Red Legion, has been dead for a few million years, right? Do Core Bindings still work after the person is dead?" I ask him.
"There is no way to break a Core Binding, that I know of. Yes, a binding will be severed if the person is truly dead." He looks at me.
My eyes widen, "Wait. Are you saying he is still alive? Where are the Progenitors, Doc? What happened to them?"
"I don't know." Is all he says.
Frustration begins to build in me, "Dammit, Doc. What did the Watcher do to you? I feel like you are different. Are you keeping stuff from us?" I say all of this a bit too loud. Kala is standing in the doorway with red eyes and confusion on her face.
"I am different. My mind has gone through 32 million iterations since you freed me from the confines of my own mind. Every situation is now played out before me almost instantaneously. I may form my body into the shape of a human and I may speak your language, but I am not like you. I am still learning what life means, what my place in this world means. I am growing, changing, adapting. What drives you is not what drives me." He states very calmly.
I stare at him. Why the hell is everyone choosing this moment to give me shit? Rubbing my eyes with my hands I deflate. "I'm sorry. I know I can be self-absorbed sometimes." Kala chooses this moment to clear her throat. "Okay, I can be self-absorbed more than sometimes. I spent most of my time on Earth studying, my face stuck in a book
or telescope. I paid most people almost no attention, even my sister fell victim to my self-absorbed nature. She was hurt and maybe I could have prevented it if I had been paying attention." My eyes are now closed, feeling my chest start to hurt with memories.
I feel a hand on my shoulder, "Jax...it’s okay. You just need to realize that you are not alone anymore. There are people that are counting on you. There are people who love you. This planet in some ways is much more dangerous than Earth ever was. But, it is also a place where almost anything can happen. We need to think outside of our own needs and wants, we have the power to make change, to help people. There is actual evil on this planet, evil that is marching to this very village to kill everyone. We need to work together." She says with steel in her voice.
I feel guilty for a moment, because a part of me misses the giggling ball of energy she used to be. I push that feeling away. Kala is so much more now, complex.
"You are right. Everyone has been changing around me, and I have stayed the same. I need to grow. I need break the mold that is Jax Stone." I look Kala in her piercing green eyes, her red hair a mess from being thrown about. I squeeze her hand, and she squeezes back.
"Can I try one more thing? These weapons can help us protect everyone." I say to her, hoping she doesn't slap me again.
She sighs, "Okay. Everyone out." She says, and then turns back to me "If you do something stupid I will kill you, literally."
I search her face for a joke, but she seems completely serious.
"I'm just going to try Teleportation." I say. Kala nods to me and then walks into the hall.
I close my eyes and Meditate for a few minutes, gaining peace and regenerating my mental energy. Focusing on a random weapon in the case I channel my skill into moving it from the case to the floor outside of it. The back of my eyes begin to hurt and I feel like I might pass out, but I keep trying. My mental energy almost falls to zero, but then I deactivate the skill. Nothing. I could not get past the barrier that protects the weapons.
I walk up to the case and press the glass to bring up info on a weapon that looks amazing.
Eye of Galcuos, Orb of the Broken Worlds
Rarity: Legendary
Quality: Divine
Durability: Indestructible
Weapon Type: Leach/Burst
Damage: 0 - 100,000 Raw Energy
Current Charge: 0/100,000
Effect 1: Mental and Health Regeneration increased by 100%
Effect 2: All stats increased by 25%
Effect 3: Grants the Perk Overlord
-Galcuos was the Overlord of the Tela-ra, a race of beings on the planet Vula-3. Galcuos conquered entire planets by leaching the energy directly out of his enemies. Once enough power was stored he would release devastation. He was finally defeated by Hver' Watu, First Chosen of the Red Legion.
"Fuck me." I say under my breath. This isn't just a case of exotic weapons, it’s a trophy case of conquest. My inner greed is screaming. Nothing would stand in my way with this weapon. I exhale and back away, I don't like the thoughts I am having. I just want to have a safe home for the people I care about. Walking out of the room I stop and look back at the case. I'm not finished with this, I will find a way to open it.
We all stand in front of the closed door. A queasiness is working its way through my body. "Whatever is in the next room is more dangerous than anything we have ever faced." My hand shakes as I hand out health, mental and hybrid orbs. We then all take a moment to drink some water and eat a little food. The buffs from the food and water may make the difference between life and death. Impulsively, I take Kala’s face in my hands and kiss her.
"Okay, here is the plan. Doc will draw the attention of whatever is in there. Kala and Vua will stay back and provide healing and ranged damage. I will stay moving and attack it with all of my skills. Sound good?"
Kala and Doc nod their approval. Vua places her hand on my arm stopping me.
"Glory of the heart, glory of the soul, glory of the mind." She sings. An aura surrounds everyone and then I notice that I have a buff to my health, mental energy, and stamina. They are all increased by 15% and regenerate 15% faster for ten minutes.
"Thank you, Vua." I say to her. She closes two of her eyes, her third eye remains open, and she bows her head to me.
"Let’s all enter in Stealth. I know it hasn't been much help, but it’s worth a try." I tell everyone.
The door swishes open and the room illuminates. In the center of the room is a large circular glowing pad. From the ceiling hang four-foot long red glowing crystals. Standing in the middle of the pad is a woman. She kind of looks like the Watcher, or what he said the original Progenitors looked like. She has blueish skin and is completely hairless. She is about six feet tall, her body toned and perfect. Blue-black veins spider across her breasts and arms. Her eyes had been closed, but she opens them. Blackness is all the exists where her eyeballs should be. A dark energy wafts from the voids of her eyes.
"My brothers have finally released me? How long has it been?" She asks.
I Analyze her.
Name: Sarvina Uils
Title: The Cursed
Level: 1
Synthesis: 100%
Health: ????
Mental: ????
Stamina: ????
Focus: ????
Race: Corrupted Progenitor
Disposition: ????
Skills: ????
Loot: ????
"Sarvina?" I say, dropping out my useless Stealth. Her name sounds delicate and is at odds with her appearance.
She laughs, "Sarvina? Yes, I think that is me...or no. She is dead. I am only The Cursed now." She laughs again. "Why have you awoken me brother?" She cocks her head and looks at me. "No. You are not one of my brothers. You are something else. Where is Hver' Watu?"
"I..." I try to say.
She laughs again, sending shivers down my spine, "Wait, you do look a little familiar. You are one of our little experiments. From the Terran planet? Yes. Class one species." She laughs even harder. "Did our little babies learn to fly? So interesting."
"What are..." Kala starts to say.
The Cursed waves her hand and Kala grabs her throat, unable to speak. "Ahh, this gets more interesting. You have the markings of one of our inventions, yet someone modified you." She says to Kala. Her face contorts as she looks at Kala more. "You...there is power, incredible power. Who created you? I must study you." Then she looks at Doc. "An X unit. Wonderful. Command code Zero-Seven-One-Alpha." She says to Doc. When Doc does not move she frowns. "You have been freed?" She turns her head to me. "Did you do this pretender? How dare you. You have no idea what you have done."
Kala falls to the ground, still holding her throat.
"Let her go!" I yell at The Cursed. At the same moment a Mind Fury moves to the side of The Cursed to attack. She turns and waves her hand at it dismissively. When her gesture has no effect on the monster she turns to face it. This is when I hit her with my Laser Beam. Channeling the energy, I glance down, Kala is breathing and getting up. Doc leaps to strike her with a sword arm, but she casually swipes her hand in the air and he is slammed against the wall. My Mind Fury illusion has disappeared.
My Laser Beam has taken 9% of her health. She looks at me and sneers, then a field of energy surrounds her, blocking my attack.
She laughs, which turns into a cackle. "So, you are here to destroy me? How...cute. How do intend to kill me, pretender? You must know that all Progenitors can never truly die. Unless...no." She studies me for a moment. "You do not have it."
I am confused, and then my face pales. She is right. If we kill her she will just resurrect somewhere else.
The Cursed watches my face. "Yes. Now you understand. Why don't you kneel and I may spare your life."
Suddenly a large ball of pure darkness races towards her. She snaps her head in the direction of the attack.
"NO!" She yells, raising her arms.
The dark energy passes right through her prote
ction barrier and hits her in the ribs. The attack takes 18% of her health and leaves a gaping wound. Vua stands to the side, her hands held in front of her. Dark energy forms in the space between her Midnight Tree Gloves.
Kala is now standing and fires an energy arrow from her bow. All of this happens within 30 seconds. Activating Shockwave, I sail through the air and land in front of her, doing minimal damage. Before she can act I use the temporal ability of my short sword. Time stops around me, using all of my strength I slice one of her hands off. Oddly enough, the hand remains in place because of the time effects of my sword. Then I stab her in the stomach. She has lost 61% of her health. Time regains its normal speed. Her hand falls to the ground and blood spurts from her handless arm.
The Cursed screams and moves her remaining hand in a gesture in the air. A rift forms where her hand moved and a thin line of red light hits my whole body. The attack causes me to be thrown across the room and slams me into the wall. Barely able to stay conscious, 92% of my health is gone. I have multiple broken bones and third-degree burns, inflicting debuffs on me.
I get out a health orb and smash it in my hand, restoring some of my health. I feel bones knit back together. But the burn does not seem to be healing.
I get up and see The Cursed pick up my sword that I dropped.
"You have a Royal Sword? Impossible...how long was I asleep?" She says with fury in her voice.
She moves a step and disappears, only to reappear right in front of me. She looks at the shock on my face. "What? You thought your Teleportation skill was unique? Our children could use this skill." She grins at me. How can she see my skills? I had made it so they were hidden. Just then an arrow of energy hits her in the back. I grit my teeth and Morph my hands and arms into bone spikes and stab her calves, she screams. Then Doc is there, behind her. He wraps his arms around her then he melts. His body flows around her, covering all of her. She tries to scream again, but he flows into her mouth. She tries to grip him, but he flows between her fingers. She makes a choking sound as Doc flows his whole body inside of her. She falls to the ground convulsing. I'm not sure if I should stab her, not wanting to hurt Doc. Her face gains clarity for a moment and she looks at me, pure hate radiates from her.
Chrysalis: The Crucible of Immortality Book 2 Page 8
