"Come out. We have the strange woman. You have five seconds before she dies." A deep male voice says calmly.
I stand up. I hear a few people gasp.
"It can't be..." An older soldier says.
"Jax Stone? Is that really you?" A huge man asks, he is the one holding Sarvina, a knife to her throat. He is probably in his sixties, has a mane of crazy gray hair, and smile lines adorn his calm face.
I feel and see red beginning to take over my vision. "Who are you?" I ask the man.
The man’s face hardens, "Why have you attacked us?"
"I asked you who you are, and how do you know me?" I ask, wondering if I should just Portal out of here and leave the woman. She will just be reborn if she dies.
A flurry of emotions play across the man’s face, "Jax...I was your daughter’s Godfather. Commander Orthnal. Do you not remember me?"
I take a step forward and receive an arrow in the leg. I make no sound, just pull the arrow out.
"Dammit! Hold your fire. Jax, please, tell me why are you attacking us?" Orthnal asks me.
Soldiers are still coming out of the underground stone barracks.
I take another step forward. Orthnal flicks his hand towards me and it feels like all of the air has been sucked out of my lungs. Every second my health goes down a percentage point. So I activate Active Death. Whatever had been affecting me disappears.
"I will kill you all." I say.
Sarvina grins at me.
"Take him down." Orthnal says in a stoic voice.
Arrows strike me, bringing me down to 12% health, and making me look like a pincushion.
I let the red overtake me.
I am awake. It has been too long. I look around, what has this fool gotten into now. I stand up and look at my body, arrows are sticking out of me everywhere.
"No..." I hear a man say.
"Ah, Orthnal. You have gotten old." I say, looking at the terrified man.
"Dammit you fools, I said take him down." Orthnal yells.
About 20 arrows race towards me. I wave my hand, activating Ashes to Ashes, the arrows turn to dust in the air. I look inwards for a moment and then I sigh. "What has this idiot done to my body? Something is inhibiting my emotions. Interesting. Corruption. Maybe he is not such a fool after all, I don't feel him squirming around trying to get back out." I realize Orthnal had been talking this whole time.
"Hush." I say and the courtyard becomes instantly quiet. "So, it seems I have a quest to kill you all. Hmm, and a quest to kill all of The Caste? Genocide Perk? That sounds promising."
I look over at the blue skinned woman that Orthnal is holding with a knife to her throat. "Wow. After almost a thousand years I am truly surprised. Kala is not my companion? And another Progenitor?"
I release my hold on everyone. "Anything interesting to be said before I end your lives?"
"How...? How did you go from level 15 to level 300?" A whimpering soldier asks.
"Blood Storm." I mutter and the soldier bursts like a blood-filled balloon. "I said anything interesting." Putting emphasis on the last word.
"Why are you doing this? What happened to Jax?" Orthnal asks, his voice cracking.
"That is mildly interesting. Jax is incapable of handling situations like this. I was born when his parents were killed, he needs me to take care of the things he is unable to. As to why I'm doing this? Do you have any idea how boring living in this weak, foolish man's body is? For a thousand years I have been a prisoner, only released once in a great while. Jax pushed all the things he was too weak to handle onto me. Hundreds of times over of his body dying, I remember them all. Do you know what that does to a mind? No, of course you don't. When I awaken I need things to be interesting, and it seems that things are different this time, I just need to sort out the mess in my mind." I say, growing bored.
I activate Phase for a moment and the arrows fall out of my body. I roll my shoulders and crack my neck. "That's better, those silly arrows were annoying. Where were we?"
"Max was right, you are a monster." Orthnal spits the words out.
I laugh, but feel no real mirth, "Ah, my grandson is still alive? Is he still angry about his parents?"
"Your own daughter? How could…" Orthnal stops mid-sentence.
I hold his head in my hands after activating Teleportation, I watch the last spark leave his eyes and then I toss his head on the ground. "Is no one going to stop me? It's going to be so boring if you all just stand there. Tell you what, the first one to attack me will get to live."
A man only just outside of childhood screams, his fists covered in flames leaps forward.
I let the flaming fist hit me in the face. The young man's hand breaks and he falls to the ground cradling his wounded paw to his chest.
"I admire your courage. I will reward you." I activate Skill Entomb, pressing my finger to my head I draw out a shimmering orb that swirls with colors. "This is a powerful skill that will fit well with your path." I hand him the Skill Orb. He looks at me with confusion. "Go, run away child. Become stronger and then find me and challenge me to a Death Duel." The man stares at me not moving, hate and fear fill his eyes. I sigh, "You have ten seconds." The man glances back at his fellow countrymen, then scampers away like mouse.
Everyone is watching me, even the strange blue skinned woman. I activate Teleportation and bring the woman named Sarvina to my side. "I will change the party rules so that you receive all of the experience. These people will only give me 3% towards level 301. You will need to be much stronger if you are my companion."
"Yes, Master." Sarvina says.
"Tell you what, I'll even let you do the honors. Give me your hand." I say to my interesting new companion.
I notice some soldiers are trying to sneak off. I activate Ball and Chain, tendrils of energy shoot out of my body and latch onto all of the human lifeforms in a 300 ft radius. I anchor the bind point in the center of the courtyard and draw everyone in. People scream and try to hold onto whatever is near them. A few try different skills to escape, but nothing works. After a few minutes all 87 remaining soldiers are screaming or crying all grouped together.
Holding Sarvina's hand I look at her. "Let's see, you have fairly limited offensive skills. Lasso of Pain will have to do." I feed her mass amounts of power.
Sarvina gasps, "Such power." Her eyes glow.
"Now use your skill." I tell her.
Sarvina activates Lasso of Pain, a green rope with a lasso flies and encircles the group of soldiers. The rope blazes with my channeled energy.
"Do it." I say.
"Yes, Master." She constricts the lasso. It is over in a matter of seconds. She leans her head back as she levels up 16 times.
"This is interesting. I'm still here. Finally, my time has come." I look at the dead bodies and then activate Mass Loot, pulling everything from the bodies and setting it to the side. All the bodies absorb into the earth. I turn around to see my companion talking to The Administrator.
"Master, may I choose my two Focus skills? I am now level 31." The woman looks quite excited.
I smirk at the buzzing mass of gray, "I don't play for you anymore. Seems the Silver Mother has taken an interest in me."
"Master?" Sarvina looks at me in confusion.
I wave my hand at her dismissively and walk towards the steps leading up the wall. I could have used a skill to get up there instantly, but sometimes it is more interesting to do things the hard way. After I reach the top I look over the expansive view. I use Greater Sight, and look 100 miles away. "An army approaches." I mumble to myself. "The Caste, and what is this? The Blind, finally a real challenge. Yes...truly a unique and creative opponent." I turn around to face my companion stepping up the stairs. "To answer your question, I am not a god."
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Her face is stunned for a moment before she regains her composure. "Did you just read my mind?"
"For a member of such an advanced race I would think notions of gods would not exist." I say to Sarvina.
Anger flashes across her face, "Do you understand everything in the universe?"
"I plan to." I say. "You have many locked away memories and skills. The X-unit calling itself The Watcher gave a quest to reach Facility Zero. It said that it has a fix for immortality. We should investigate these claims."
"Yes, Master. I would like to question the X-unit and see if it knows what happened the Progenitors." Sarvina says to me.
I swipe through my quest log, "So much is different with this iteration. Hmm, a World Quest to restore the Ceanla."
"What? No..." Sarvina's face turns pale. She looks at me, "They predate even the Progenitors...Master, please, promise me we will stop them from returning?"
I study her face for a moment, "I will promise you nothing."
"Master, look." Sarvina points in the direction opposite of the army of The Caste.
"Ah... yes. I could not have asked for a better time to have awoken. Two armies converging on this location." I say, feeling the Thrall Conditioning working to suppress my emotions. I know it is because of this conditioning I am able to maintain control over Jax. Yet, I grow angry, anything having control over me is unacceptable. I will need to figure out how to regain my emotions while still preventing Jax from exerting himself.
"I have a bit of work to do. Seems that I have a Focus called Ameliorater and it is currently going haywire. All of my skills are needing an upgrade or empowerment. Why don't you go and look through the loot pile over there and search inside the buildings here for anything useful. We could both use an equipment upgrade." I say looking over her rough cotton skirt. She is rather attractive. "Do a good job and I will show you what it is like to join our bodies under the influence of Mind Share." I feel her lust through our connection. "Oh, and bring a few Radiant Cores."
"Yes, Master."
Once I am holding two Radiant Cores in my hands I open my Flux Inventory. "I can't believe it's still there." I say looking at the shimmering inventory slot that seems to hold nothing. I mentally click on the spot.
Molecularly Bound Pattern Detected! Do you wish to reconstruct? Y/N
I select yes. The energy from the two Radiant Cores is drained and then my inventory holds a new item.
Mantel of the Wanderer
Rarity: Relic
Quality: Divine
Durability: 4,231/5,000
Adaptive Armor: Level 110, 22% to Next Level
Armor Rating: 253
Effect One: +15% Experience Boost
Effect Two: +50 to All Attributes
-Crafted by the being called The Wanderer. This armor will adapt to any type of damage.
I equip my old friend. The cape-like item shimmers with an unnatural light and seems to change color every time you look at it. It flaps in the wind one moment and the next is hugging my body, even though there is still a breeze, seeming to defy physics.
I wave away a notification that keeps popping up asking if I wish to claim Land's Wound and become the Commander of this location. I don't. I have been a prisoner too long. Besides, this place is only a small piece in a much larger puzzle.
Pain rocks me to me core and I fall to my knees. Memories rush forth, like an angry ocean trying to pull me under and claim me to its watery depths. I fall to the ground and scream.
"Master! What is wrong?" Sarvina is rushing towards me.
I wave her off, "Stay back."
I don't understand what is happening. I always held Jax's memories, but they were like watching another person's life from afar, and they were always jumbled and hard to follow. Another wave of memories hit me, the ground cracks underneath me, and for a moment I long for the earth to swallow me, just so this pain would end. My hand feels like it is on fire, I look down to see the tattoo on my hand, The Mark of the Watcher, flash brilliantly.
The pain recedes, the tattoo is gone from my hand.
"Your name, it has changed again. Jax the Wanderer? What is happening?" Sarvina says to me.
"Sarvina?" I say, my voice comes out as if two people are speaking. My world spins and I lean over and empty my stomach. Then something rises from deep within me. Sadness. It's a feeling I hadn't felt for many months, ever since I inadvertently underwent Thrall Conditioning. I pull up my information, Thrall Conditioning is still there, but now has the prefix Corrupted.
My body shakes and I realize that tears are streaming down my face. "What have I done? I...I am a monster." I hold my head, as hundreds of years of memories jockey to be forefront in my mind. I feel arms surround me and hold my shaking body.
"You are not alone, we will be monsters together."
I open my eyes and embrace my companion back, the simple touch of another can be so powerful at the right moment. Her hand slides down and grips my manhood, and I let her. I lay down and I let her have her way with me. Her touch is a needed distraction from the turmoil that rages within me.
After we are done I sit up, "Thank you. I needed that. Things are clearer now."
"Have our goals changed?"
"No, nothing has changed. The only thing that is different is that I must live with the pain of my actions. There is no longer Jax Stone, or The Wanderer, there is only Jax the Wanderer. The Caste will never stop, we must end them." I say, anger and resolve building in me again. "Gather all of the best items." I hand her my bag. "Use this, fill it up."
"Are we leaving?"
"You are. I will Portal you to where we met in the woods. Wait for me there." I tell her.
"Master, let me stay with you, I can help." She pleads with me.
"No... this is something I must do alone."
"But…" She begins to protest.
I grip her wrist and twist, she yells out in pain.
"Yes, Master."
Anger, lust, pain, and joy flash across her face, and then she runs off to collect the loot. A few minutes later she comes back. I open a Portal. She looks at my face, like she is looking for something, then leans in and kisses me passionately and ends the kiss with a painful nip of my bottom lip. Then she walks through the Portal and disappears.
I climb the wall facing the direction of the Tola'Val army, they will arrive a few hours before The Caste army does. I sit down and cross my legs and Meditate. I am able to feel a portion of the peace that comes from the skill, but it is still muted. Over an hour passes and then I stand up just as there is a loud roar and a black dragon lands outside of the gate to Land's Wound. My sister jumps off of the dragon and roars back at the dragon, she seems to be communicating with the huge mythical beast. Then Aurelia comes riding in on top of a much larger Thunder. Finally, Kala approaches on some type of beast, she is flanked by a horned woman and a man in glimmering armor.
"Jax?" Jill steps forward.
I hear the man in the armor yell and see Kala and the horned woman holding him back.
My heart sits heavily in my chest. "I'm... sorry." I say, barely loud enough for them to hear. "In seeking to become strong enough to protect the ones I love, I became something else."
Jill takes another step forward. "Jax, what have you done? Max told me so much, I can't believe it. Tell me it's not true."
"Or maybe I was always broken." I mutter, not answering Jill's questions.
A huge hammer flies at my head. I Phase and the hammer flies right through me. Max, the memory surfaces, my grandson. I make eye contact with him and I'm met with fury. Max screams and knocks Kala and the horned woman down and activates a skill that sends him flying towards me.
"Max, no!" Kala yells.
"Be Still, My Beating Heart" I say the words to activate the skill. Max falls to the ground as well as everyone else. The marching army is still about half an hour away. I jump down from the wall. "I don't wish to kill any of you." I notice movement and turn to see Aurelia struggling to break from my skill. "You are so strong. Maybe you will be the one?"
I walk towards Kala and stand in front of her. I place a hand on her face, a tear drops from her eye. "My counterpart. My love. I think you were supposed to fix me, to make me whole. But that can never happen. There is no going back from what I have done. Know that you will always be with me." I linger in front of her, our eyes locked.
Then I walk in front of Max, he is laying on his side, still frozen from my skill. "I'm sorry. I know these words are empty to you. There is nothing I can do to change what has happened. Maybe I should let you kill me? But, that will accomplish nothing, I will be reborn. Maybe I can do some good? This army that approaches is but only a small part of a much larger force that wishes to destroy all humans. I will end them in their home."
I stop in front of my sister. "The bigger the asshole, the harder they fall." I say our old inside joke, I search her face. "I'm so happy you are back. Watching you die... it changed me. It is because of that I was compelled to find power, to get stronger, so I wouldn't have to watch someone I love die again. But... I was careless, impatient, and I released the monster in me. I've had a monster living in me ever since our parents died, and it is a part of me now. I'd ask you to join me, but I know you always choose the 'good' faction in those games you used to play." I look around at the people around me. "These are good people. You have done well to join their ranks. I don't... know what I am. Maybe I am just a different type of evil?" I look Jill up and down. "Dragon Kin? Impressive, little sis." I glance over at the black dragon, the huge beast manages to puff out a plume of smoke. "I'm lucky it's only a baby, even with my power and level a full-grown dragon would be tricky to dance with." I turn back to my sister, her eyes glimmer with tears. "You finally got the tattoos I never wanted you to get. I like them." I lean in and hug my sister and then whisper in her ear. "He is still alive, he escaped before I could end him. I'm sorry. But, I think he won't be so lucky if he runs into one of us again."
Chrysalis: The Crucible of Immortality Book 2 Page 25
