Chapter Three Hundred And Ninety Two – 392
Felix blinked blearily into a beam of golden sunlight. He groaned.
"Not nearly enough sleep," he muttered. "Pit?"
Beside him, the large bed was empty. It was also fully on the floor, the mattress perched precariously on the shattered remnants of the overstressed bedframe. Across their bond, Felix sensed his Companion somewhere close by, eating. Felix grunted and swung his legs over to the side. He scrubbed at his face, briefly blocking the lancing streams of light from the tall windows all around the master suite. Judging by the angle of those beams, it was mid-morning.
I was more tired than I thought. Not too much time left before we meet the Council. He stood, feeling his muscles stretch pleasantly. Rest had been good for him. That deep ache in his Body had faded to a dull buzz, no longer strained so much as just a touch weary. That Behemoth was strong. On top of everything else, my Body wasn't ready to contest it directly. Maybe with my Skills, but...
...how many of those could the Primordial summon?
His master suite was a wide room filled with windows and two doors. There weren't any sharp angles in the place, with walls and ceiling all meeting together in curving, organic shapes. The main door itself was rounded, large, and made of ornately carved stone flecked with shiny crystals. Felix's Eye found those flecks and confirmed what he suspected: they were tiny, minute pieces of Mana crystals. They barely held a smidgen of potency, but it was a display of opulence and power that wasn't wasted on Felix.
The secondary door was more modest, but still carved into curved, organic shapes. It, he discovered, led into a bathroom. A real, honest-to-goodness bathroom. A shallow washbasin sat in a corner, along with a sort of proto-toilet. All of that would have been wonderful enough, but there was also a huge bathtub that dominated the space. Linking it all together were a series of pipes and valves that made a little part in Felix almost scream in excitement.
They have running water? He flipped open the valves and watched in amazement as various temperature waters poured into the deep tub. They have plumbing?
Felix had no clue how plumbing worked back on Earth, but here there seemed to be sigaldry etched into the pipes where they met the valves and again at the ground. They were modified force sigils, along with a slew of secondary modifiers that he technically understood, but didn't care to investigate. Simply put, they pulled water up from somewhere below when the valve was turned. Easy enough to understand. A thumbnail-sized faceted crystaldeep blue water typewas set into each valve, and clearly powered the whole assembly.
He let the tub fill up until it was visibly steaming, and then stripped off his Garment, vambraces, and greaves before stepping in. It felt glorious. Felix had been making do with rivers and lakes recently, and even if he could ignore the cold it was still a far cry from a real bath. He groaned in relief as he settled into the scalding, almost boiling water. He could feel it soothing his muscles already.
A benefit of his high resistances, Felix could ignore a high degree of heat and cold, but it never reduced his ability to feel it. Just as with pain, he could stop it from affecting him, but the knowledge that he was in pain was still very much there. In battle, that was something he had learned to ignore, but here he let his awareness sink into the tub with him. Heat became his world for a little bit, as Felix soaked and merely existed.
He'd overslept and was short on time, but this was something he was determined to enjoy. The hot water, the old ritual of bathing, all of it conspired to make Felix feel more normal than he had in a while. His Body was too heavy to float, so Felix simply let himself drift below, until he settled at the bottom of the wide tub.
It was wonderfully quiet.
By the time he resurfaced, the sun in the windows had shifted its angle again, now pushing into midday. He regarded the light, playing off the walls and ceiling. The ceiling was tiled with wide panels of tin, each stamped with a swirling design. The decor of the room was the same, flames and fluid lines. Even the windows weren't straight, forming teardrop shapes of various sizes. It was something he had seen during their walk through the Risen Ward, but Felix hadn't really paid attention to: the predominant style in Ahkestria was this flowing, organic construction. As if every building was very slightly distorted through a haze of heat.
Magical construction. Like the Henaari, maybe. The use of Mana crystals set Ahkestria apart, however. If they're so expensive and rare, where did they get them all?
His thoughts drifted in lazy, relaxing circles. Karys is probably done in my Bastion by now. A quick pulse of his awareness and Felix confirmed it. His Bastion was empty. After he had stopped consciously keeping the connection between them going, it had been on Karys' shoulders. Keeping up the connection was hard work on his Chancellor's part, costing an exorbitant amount of Mana, and was only worsened by the distance. Probably couldn't maintain the connection for too long alone. Ah, we'll figure a way around that. If nothing else, its nice to have someone in my Bastion that doesn't want to kill me.
A faint indignation drifted across his bond, and Felix snorted, then coughed the water out of his nose and mouth. Gah. You know I don't mean you.
Satisfied amusement answered him back.
Ha. Ha. He leaned into the water again, still thinking on his Bastion, and this time with a faint excitement. Together, Karys and Felix had completed his Skill Array, connecting a full seven Skills to it. Previously it had contained Relentless Resolution, Deep Mind, and Meditation on each wall of the tower, with Oathbinding up on top. Utilizing his Affinity, Intent, Willpower, and his Fiendforge, Felix had sought out the remaining three that would fit the Array best. Just as he did when combining Skills, he listened to their patterns and searched out compatible vibrations. Sometimes they shared a sort of melody, while others it was simply the beat at their core, but always they complimented the Array and his Bastion in some way. Connecting them, in the end, had required less effort than combining Skills; Felix had simply engaged his Fiendforge and they smoothly integrated into the Array. Conversely, finding and identifying the Skill had taken Felix longer than he had expected and tired him the hell out. Yet by the end of it, he had added Voracious Eye, Aria of the Green Wilds, and Chthonic Tribute into the Array.
Fiendforge is level 12!
Fiendforge is level 13!
Voracious Eye is level 81!
Aria of the Green Wilds is level 86!
Chthonic Tribute is level 85!
Now the tower blazed with etched light and tumbling sounds.
It had made a world of difference. His Bastion was now...he smirked, thinking of it. Of the changes. Still, Relentless Resolution remained firmly at level 74. He hoped that it would level faster now that the Array was full up, but Felix would have to wait and see.
No observable benefits yet, Felix thought with a sigh. He sank, just a big more into the hot water. The sound of the Array is...evocative though.
The completed Skill Array filled Felix with a strident song, just at the edge of normal hearing. Threaded through the chaotic interplay of his dual cores, of Harmony and Dissonance, the Array's voice was influenced by the Skills within it. Felix heard the song like golden sunlight through verdant boughs, heating the surface of a blue-black stone wall and sending trilling gusts of wild wind through the leaves. And buried within it all, hidden in the folds of emerald junglesthe distant bellow of a beast.
It felt...good. Ominous and powerful.
With the promise of higher leveling speeds for associated Skills and a variety of benefits, Felix couldn't help but wonder if his people could benefit from something like it. He'd asked Karys about it, but his Chancellor was cautious.
"It could prove beneficial, that is certain," he had said. "But your allies are not as durable as you are, Felix. If they encounter problems, then their Arrays would degrade and severely harm them."
It was a viable way forward, though. Karys had admitted that much. Felix had to give it some more thought and ask Harn and Zara about it. Maybe even Darius. That guy's been doing high level training for a long time. He has to know more secrets about advancing, right?
Given the right knowledge, Felix was excited to see what his Fiendforge could provide to them all.
Finally, he climbed out of the tub and let water stream off his lean frame. The tiled floors were tilted and set with a drain, which was wise considering Felix didn't see a towel anywhere nearby. Did they not use them? He sighed.
Mantle of the Infinite Revolution!
Mana flowed from his channels and around his form, spinning tightly and burning bright. Heat seared his skin and hair, roasting his Body and drying him in a single second. Felix released the Skill, but not before he caught sight of another unique feature in the room.
Mantle of the Infinite Revolution is level 51!
A full length mirror dominated one of the walls, and for the first time in a long while Felix got a full view of himself. He had grown older in many ways, which was almost a relief. His face was youthful, but hard. The baby fat he remembered carrying at this age on Earth wasn't present. Everything about him was angular too, from his cheekbones and jawline to the shape of his shoulders and hips.
You need a fucking haircut though.
He thought of putting it up in a hair tie or something, but immediately shot the idea down. Felix found the idea of a pony tail...kind of embarrassing. No, he would rather have it hang loose around his ears and neck, at least until he could get it trimmed.
Sovereign of Flesh.
His eyes pulsed, igniting like sapphire flares. Dark scales crept over every inch of his body, and from his forearms, elbows, and knees spikes of ivory bone erupted outward. It hurt, same as always, but Felix buried the pain beneath his resistances. Only his face remained the same, the scales merely framing his otherwise human features. With an experimental effort of Will, he managed to stop his teeth from changing. That had always unnerved him.
"I still look like a monster though," he whispered. "No wonder she flinched."
The thought of Vess was like touching a hot stovetop in his brain. He flinched away from the memory, and focused on his Skill. If I can keep my teeth from turning, and if I can flare this to double in size, then what else can it do?
Sovereign of Flesh was even more hellishly complex than Relentless Resolution, being an entire rarity higher. The Skill was of Transcendent rarity, which meant the vibrational pattern was larger than many others in his core space, and the intricacy of its composition was something that completely befuddled him. He had only briefly perused the Skill the night before, and hadn't the mental energy to delve further.
A Primordial Skill. Transformation and...control. When he used the Skill he was stronger and more vital and durable, his Body turned into a weapon. Claws, spines and spikes, even growing wings so long as Pit was Converged within his Spirit. It was a shaping Skill, of that he was certain, but the medium wasn't some Mana type but very specifically his own flesh. Essence fueled it. Was that because the Maw operated on a diet of Essence?
With an annoyed grunt, Felix let his scales dissolve into dark smoke. Figure it out later. You have things to do, now.
Felix quickly left his rooms, transforming his Garment into a long coat split at the tail with a loose white shirt underneath. The heat of the desert made his choice on the shirt, but he wasn't about to abandon his jackets. Being all but immune to the dry, baking heat had its advantages. Pants too, though he kept the green material loose and thin like cotton, and tucked in at the knees into his silver metal greaves. He strode through the hallways of the estate, following the sound of clattering wood and steel to the courtyard.
Ah. Excellent.
The sun was bright and shining from a blindingly blue sky, and his people were sparring. Squads were paired off against one another, attacking with controlled bursts as Harn and a still-bandaged Darius walked among them, shouting instructions and insults.
Felix stepped into the sun, enjoying the warmth of it. He tried to push down the sensation that he was exposed to enemy eyes. After fighting monsters for a week, it was a hard habit to shake...and he wasn't entirely sure he should. Felix's Perception quested outward, rolling along the battlements where Humans in gold and orange armor stood guard. His Affinity snaked after his Perception, pulling in the ambient noises of their Spirits. They were all curious and a little contemptuous of the Claw's abilities, but that was strangely directed. It took him a moment to realize they were sneering specifically at the Giants, Henaari, Gnomes, and Goblins; essentially anyone that wasn't Human earned a little burst of derision from the Knights.
Great. More fantasy racism bullshit.
Felix shook them off and refocused, watching the squads for a time. As a whole, they had improved drastically since the oasis. A woman with a sword was teaching a man with a mace how to use the bladed weapon. Another group was demonstrating a spell, and a woman with heavy gauntlets was listening intently. These examples were few and far between, but the lines were blurring. Clashes of personality and bickering still happened, and divisions clearly existed between the Legion societies, but seeing them fight together began to assuage his worries. Maybe they'll actually be worth something in combat soon.
"Felix!" Vess called. She was wearing her armor as usual, and was soaked in sweat. "Did you sleep well?"
"Better than I have in a while," Felix admitted. He scratched his neck and frowned at his long hair again. "Even had a bath."
"Oh that sounds wonderful right now," Vess groaned. She leaned against one of the pillars on the portico behind them, planting her spear and wiping her forehead. "I have been helping the Blades with their sword forms, which soon ended with me helping the Bone and Fist Legionnaires as well. Even a few of the Arclight mages joined in." She laughed. "Not for long though. This heat is brutal. It feels a good deal greater than the desert floor."
Felix smiled. "That's great. I didn't know you knew the sword."
"I was raised by a warrior, for all that he carries the title of duke." Vess shrugged a single shoulder. "I would have had to been blind not to pick up a little. And a little is far more than any of your followers know, sorry to say."
"They're rough," Felix agreed. "Getting better though."
"Oh I agree. Our training led to this," she gestured to the intermingling squads. "They're learning from each other. Only a little and only some of them, but it's a start."
Felix watched the squads sparring, clashing over and over in the rising temperatures. "I don't know where they got the idea of separate weapon-based societies from, honestly. They want to follow in my footsteps, but I don't lean on any one style over the others. I'm kind of a mess, technique-wise."
"Oh, I am aware," Vess said with a small smile. "They, however, know you're strong. That encourages them, even if they haven't the talent or..." she shrugged. "They aren't you, and they know it. Better to specialize than attempt your mad rush at general mastery."
"Jack of all trades is a master of none," Felix said. The full phrase came to him, unbidden from some decades old vault of memory. "But oftentimes better than a master of one."
Vess tilted her head and her loosened hair fell in a curtain over her high cheekbones. "The System does not encourage that outlook."
Felix shrugged. "I don't think the System wants anything, really, only giving everyone the power to Choose for themselves. If they want to specialize, then so be it. But like you did, we can show them other paths, other viewpoints to better themselves."
Vess regarded him for a few silent moments, a small smile never leaving her face. "You are getting better at that."
"What?"
"Leading." She stood up straight again and reached out to squeeze his shoulder. "I'll go help our Legion some more. What is your plan?"
"Well, Fiammetta said the Council won't convene until later this afternoon, so I had planned to take a look around the city." Felix sighed. "But I suppose I slept in too much."
"Zara beat you to it anyway," Vess said.
"What?"
"She took off shortly after we settled in, said she was going to search for an old friend," Vess said, giving Felix a look. It was a look that tried very hard to be casual. She means Isla. The other Chanter.
"Hope she finds her friend, then. At least one of us get to see the city. That...puts me at ease," Felix said. Vess nodded agreeing with his unspoken words.
"She said to head to the Council even if she has not yet returned," Vess said.
"Hm. Then there's not much else to do but train. Or..." He shifted his attention. "How close are you to Tempering?"
Vess blinked at the shift in topic. "Close, a few levels off in most of my Skills. Frustratingly so, I will admit."
"Glad it's not just me," Felix said with a grin. "After helping Evie Temper her Body, I've got...questions, I suppose, about other people's core spaces. Do you mind if I see yours?"
"Um," Vess blushed and sat back down. "I suppose not. Evie mentioned that you helped herbut she was Tempering. Why do you need to see my core space?"
"A comparison. Karys brought something to my attention thatwell, if I can make sense of it all then I might be able to help everyone grow."
Vess pursed her lips and looked to the courtyard. Harn and Dariusthe latter looking much better nowwere drilling the Claw in basic maneuvers again. She nodded, decisively.
"Alright."
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