Chapter 56: The Chaos Sorceress
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Chapter 56: The Chaos Sorceress
Alberto Boss was sipping his coffee, watching the Cathedral of the Revenants tremble. He had started work on the Champion's outfit as soon as he had left his workshop. The old man had always had good instincts. This time, it whispered to him not to disappoint his new client.
The tailor looked down at his coffee. Black and sugarless, it reminded him of Anatole. The master of the Revenants was not a man to be crossed lightly. Alberto didn't consider himself a coward, but rather a pragmatist. Yet he had to face the truth: he was afraid of Anatole. The man was crazy, and you didn't negotiate with the mad. You didn't try to understand them. You ran away from them.
The craftsman had almost succumbed to his fear. He had thought of running away from Viracocha - he was rich enough for that - and then waiting for the end of the Reunion, in hiding. His instincts had prevented him from doing so, and Alberto now understood why. Priam was fighting to be the sole master of his destiny.
The old man wasn't that ambitious. But if he had to be a piece on the chessboard, he might as well not be a pawn.
A new tremor shook the Revenants' lair. So violent was the shock that the craftsman thought for a moment the cathedral was about to collapse. The stained glass windows at the cathedral's base glowed red before exploding. Alberto realized why he had decided to create the outfit in the first place. Anatole was a fool, but Priam was a dreamer. He wouldn't let anything come between him and his dreams.
"You can kill a madman," he muttered. "But you can't kill a dream."
"... Meaning?"
Alberto Boss turned back to the woman who had come to disrupt his work. "Meaning I'll deal with your King's request when I've finished the Champion's."
"You would put a Baron before my King?" asked the assassin in a neutral voice.
"A Viscount."
"He draws light to himself. He'll burn his wings in the end. We can kill dreams now, Master Boss."
"With the System, maybe. But I doubt you could kill the Viscount so easily," Alberto smiled. "That said, I'd be honored to take care of your Kings request as soon as possible."
The tailor had rubbed shoulders with enough dangerous characters to know when to back off. Besides, the work promised to be interesting. Whoever this Prometheus was, he'd gathered an impressive amount of different materials. Nothing Viscount-level, of course, but the amount of resources from Barons was truly mind-boggling. Faced with the assassin's silence, Alberto continued.
"It'll be ready before the end of the Reunion, don't worry. Your King won't have any complaints about the quality of his attire."
The assassin nodded. Alberto blinked as he felt a draft around his neck. A warm sensation made him frown. Did I drink my coffee wrong? He touched his neck for a moment before checking his hand. It was blood-red. Alberto looked up at the assassin, but she had disappeared. A voice rang out in the workshop.
"He's also your King. Prometheus is the only one who will save us. You have until the end of the week."
Alberto gritted his teeth. Outside, the cathedral trembled. In his hand, his coffee was getting cold. Its surface was agitated.
Congratulations! Improved title: [Infantile Phoenix - Silver].
[Infantile Phoenix - Silver] - All that was left of you was ashes. Yet here you are. It's not the first time you've cheated death - something you have in common with the Phoenix.
The Tear of the Phoenix, purified by [Essence of Abomination], flowed through your veins. Your reconstitution and the synergies of your various Titles have integrated it into your ethereal code. You're not quite human anymore.
It's almost impossible to become - even partially - a Phoenix. This proud race leaves only two choices for half-bloods. Bend down and rejoin the clan, or die.
You control some fires. Flames naturally temper you. Being on the verge of death has a tiny chance of triggering Nirvana.
VIT +20%
As Priam's eyes finally focused, and even before the immediate aftermath of the explosions had subsided, [Soul Mirror] reacted.
Priam blinked and found himself back in his mental lair. It was the first time he'd been forcibly drawn there, and he had a bad feeling about it.
His soul pond was boiling. Priam's reflection was blurred by the bubbles, and the heat was terrifying. Priam looked up for a second, then looked away instantly. In the skylessness of his mental space laid a Phoenix.
Priam had never seen a Phoenix, of course, but not for a moment could he have been mistaken. The creature was as sublime as it was deadly. A golden-tinted flame had taken on the appearance of a legendary bird. Two piercing sapphire eyes gazed majestically out over the world. Priam had not looked away out of fear but out of instinct. He was facing a force of nature. The mythical creature standing before him was no mortal and deserved his respect.
Sphinx's existence had alerted Priam, but the Phoenix was shaking him. Despite his best efforts, he was nothing compared to this creature.
His mere presence gave off a terrifying heat. The water in his pond was infused with a fragment of the Concept of Purity. Upon detecting a stranger in its mental space, the fragment would burn itself away, trying to chase the intruder away.
However, Priam was no fool. The Phoenix was far more powerful than the fragment and wouldn't harm it - the council of surviving Priams wouldn't put it at risk. With a thought, Priam calmed [Soul Mirror] and inclined his head towards the Phoenix.
How can we get the most out of this meeting?
According to his analysis, it was in his interest to ask vague questions to give his clones a chance to interpret his words.
Answer: Accept politely, swear on your last feather, and ask for an Apprenticeship.
Priam wanted to smile. The sentence was so cryptic that it was bound to contain an exciting reward. The last feather... I suppose alopecia is a serious matter among Phoenixes. Although it's probably called something else in the bird world.
"O Phoenix, what can I do for you?" Priam asked.
He was pragmatic enough to be humble when the situation called for it. Perhaps one day, he would be powerful and famous enough to avoid bowing to any tyrant. On that day, his pride would no longer suffer. Until then, he would do his best to stay alive. I didn't suffer a dozen horrible deaths to die now.
As the silence stretched on, Priam remained inclined, patient. He knew nothing about his interlocutor. Perhaps the Phoenix were accustomed to observing a minute's silence before speaking, and Priam had no intention of inadvertently breaking a tradition. It was, after all, the fourth time he had communicated with an alien. The first two had tried to kill him - and Arnold had somehow succeeded. The third worked for the System and had learned about human customs.
Almost a minute later, Priam was still bowing. At least I'm still alive... That's good progress. Dad was right, you should always be polite.
The Phoenix drew him out of his thoughts.
"Who are you?"
The Phoenix spoke in a strange, musical language that Priams soul instinctively understood.
"I'm a human. My name is Priam Azura. I used your Tear when I died, and its corruption was drained by an Essence of Abomination - given by the System as a reward for a quest."
A brief but fair and complete answer, followed by a summary of events. Priam could have tried to partly answer to gain information by analyzing the Phoenix's words, but he wasn't stupid. The Phoenix's first question could indicate two things.
The first was that the legendary beast had no idea what was happening. By presenting the facts succinctly and dismissing all the damning evidence against him, Priam presented himself in a good light. Above all, he wanted to avoid the Phoenix deciding to attack him by finding him in possession of an Abomination Essence. After all, only two kinds of people carried such trinkets in their pockets. Terrorists working with the Depths and kind heroes trying to free poor Phoenixes trapped in those same Depths...
The second hypothesis was more disturbing. The Phoenix knew what was happening and tried to analyze Priam's character. In this case, it was better to appear honest and fair. Few people liked a liar.
"Pleased to meet you, Priam," replied the Phoenix. "I'm... My name doesn't matter anymore. I am a small fragment of a vast consciousness corrupted by the Depths."
The legendary bird paused, and Priam remained silent. After a few seconds, he resumed.
Priam grinned, then felt a wave of heat warm his face.
"Concentrate on the present. This Anatole must be complicated to kill for the difficulty to be so high. For now, learn. My technique is called [Earth of Ash, Sea of Steam, Infinite Firmament, Phoenix pierces all Tribulations]."
The Phoenix laughed at Priam's stunned gaze.
"We Phoenix like long sentences. My people would capture you if they found you, so I permit you to rename it. Don't worry, this attack complements your current skills. Now, watch and learn."
Priam opened his eyes. The explosions had stopped, and the cathedral was no longer shaking. His haze told him that he had dropped one level. He was now in the treasure room. The thought made him smile, but not as much as his last notification.
You have gained the skill: [Tribulation Piercing spear - Rare].
He had named the attack himself. Right now, it was a little presumptuous, but Priam knew he wouldn't always be this weak. If he didn't die on the way, he'd eventually reach the Zenith.
Claire was running through the alleyways of the Dome. She had managed to escape Mercury by using her Potential to strengthen her mental skills. It hadn't been easy, and when she arrived in front of the hotel housing her little sister, she had smiled in spite of herself. All the sacrifices had been worth it.
Unfortunately, the reunion hadn't gone as planned. No sooner had she knocked on the door than men appeared in the alley. Claire had hesitated: should she flee or protect her sister under unfavorable circumstances?
As she hesitated, she recognized one of them. It was Mercury's sommelier, and Claire realized she'd never escaped.
Five minutes later, a dozen men were after her, and her sister had surely been captured. I led them to her, she cursed herself.
Eyes glistening with tears and anger, Claire arrived at a marketplace. The Market. A few meters away stood the pyramid she had left after betraying Priam. A plan began to form in her head. The only way to get her sister back was a hostage exchange. Mercury might not love anyone, but Priam wanted his family back.
"But first, I've got to get away."
Mercury's men were just a few yards away, and Claire knew she couldn't escape them without a fight. She dashed into the crowd. Thousands of men, women, and children were trying to buy and sell their goods. They were all trying to adapt to this cruel new world. These poor people will die in the war that's coming soon.
The guards were almost close enough to touch her, and Claire made a decision.
[Bloodthirsty madness]
The crowd fell silent before shouting. The gold of the Dome turned red. The chaos sorceress had a plan.
Status: (Average value for a Homo sapiens male before integration: PHY 10 / MEN 10 / META 0)
PHYSICAL:
Strength 148 (+1)
Constitution 245
Agility 153 (+1)
Vitality 273 (+19)
Perception 286
MENTAL:
Vivacity 172
Dexterity 168 (+1)
Memory 39
Willpower 251
Charisma 138
META:
Meta-affinity 126
Meta-focus 94
Meta-endurance 80
Meta-perception 26
Meta-chance 114
Potential: 1091
Tier 0
[He Who Eludes Death] charge OFF. Reloaded in 18 hours 8 min 42s
[Tribulation]: Tribulations are coming.
Time: 22 hours 28 minutes 36 seconds.
Please report us if you find any errors so we can fix it asap!
Chapter 56: The Chaos Sorceress
Alberto Boss was sipping his coffee, watching the Cathedral of the Revenants tremble. He had started work on the Champion's outfit as soon as he had left his workshop. The old man had always had good instincts. This time, it whispered to him not to disappoint his new client.
The tailor looked down at his coffee. Black and sugarless, it reminded him of Anatole. The master of the Revenants was not a man to be crossed lightly. Alberto didn't consider himself a coward, but rather a pragmatist. Yet he had to face the truth: he was afraid of Anatole. The man was crazy, and you didn't negotiate with the mad. You didn't try to understand them. You ran away from them.
The craftsman had almost succumbed to his fear. He had thought of running away from Viracocha - he was rich enough for that - and then waiting for the end of the Reunion, in hiding. His instincts had prevented him from doing so, and Alberto now understood why. Priam was fighting to be the sole master of his destiny.
The old man wasn't that ambitious. But if he had to be a piece on the chessboard, he might as well not be a pawn.
A new tremor shook the Revenants' lair. So violent was the shock that the craftsman thought for a moment the cathedral was about to collapse. The stained glass windows at the cathedral's base glowed red before exploding. Alberto realized why he had decided to create the outfit in the first place. Anatole was a fool, but Priam was a dreamer. He wouldn't let anything come between him and his dreams.
"You can kill a madman," he muttered. "But you can't kill a dream."
"... Meaning?"
Alberto Boss turned back to the woman who had come to disrupt his work. "Meaning I'll deal with your King's request when I've finished the Champion's."
"You would put a Baron before my King?" asked the assassin in a neutral voice.
"A Viscount."
"He draws light to himself. He'll burn his wings in the end. We can kill dreams now, Master Boss."
"With the System, maybe. But I doubt you could kill the Viscount so easily," Alberto smiled. "That said, I'd be honored to take care of your Kings request as soon as possible."
The tailor had rubbed shoulders with enough dangerous characters to know when to back off. Besides, the work promised to be interesting. Whoever this Prometheus was, he'd gathered an impressive amount of different materials. Nothing Viscount-level, of course, but the amount of resources from Barons was truly mind-boggling. Faced with the assassin's silence, Alberto continued.
"It'll be ready before the end of the Reunion, don't worry. Your King won't have any complaints about the quality of his attire."
The assassin nodded. Alberto blinked as he felt a draft around his neck. A warm sensation made him frown. Did I drink my coffee wrong? He touched his neck for a moment before checking his hand. It was blood-red. Alberto looked up at the assassin, but she had disappeared. A voice rang out in the workshop.
"He's also your King. Prometheus is the only one who will save us. You have until the end of the week."
Alberto gritted his teeth. Outside, the cathedral trembled. In his hand, his coffee was getting cold. Its surface was agitated.
Congratulations! Improved title: [Infantile Phoenix - Silver].
[Infantile Phoenix - Silver] - All that was left of you was ashes. Yet here you are. It's not the first time you've cheated death - something you have in common with the Phoenix.
The Tear of the Phoenix, purified by [Essence of Abomination], flowed through your veins. Your reconstitution and the synergies of your various Titles have integrated it into your ethereal code. You're not quite human anymore.
It's almost impossible to become - even partially - a Phoenix. This proud race leaves only two choices for half-bloods. Bend down and rejoin the clan, or die.
You control some fires. Flames naturally temper you. Being on the verge of death has a tiny chance of triggering Nirvana.
VIT +20%
As Priam's eyes finally focused, and even before the immediate aftermath of the explosions had subsided, [Soul Mirror] reacted.
Priam blinked and found himself back in his mental lair. It was the first time he'd been forcibly drawn there, and he had a bad feeling about it.
His soul pond was boiling. Priam's reflection was blurred by the bubbles, and the heat was terrifying. Priam looked up for a second, then looked away instantly. In the skylessness of his mental space laid a Phoenix.
Priam had never seen a Phoenix, of course, but not for a moment could he have been mistaken. The creature was as sublime as it was deadly. A golden-tinted flame had taken on the appearance of a legendary bird. Two piercing sapphire eyes gazed majestically out over the world. Priam had not looked away out of fear but out of instinct. He was facing a force of nature. The mythical creature standing before him was no mortal and deserved his respect.
Sphinx's existence had alerted Priam, but the Phoenix was shaking him. Despite his best efforts, he was nothing compared to this creature.
His mere presence gave off a terrifying heat. The water in his pond was infused with a fragment of the Concept of Purity. Upon detecting a stranger in its mental space, the fragment would burn itself away, trying to chase the intruder away.
However, Priam was no fool. The Phoenix was far more powerful than the fragment and wouldn't harm it - the council of surviving Priams wouldn't put it at risk. With a thought, Priam calmed [Soul Mirror] and inclined his head towards the Phoenix.
How can we get the most out of this meeting?
According to his analysis, it was in his interest to ask vague questions to give his clones a chance to interpret his words.
Answer: Accept politely, swear on your last feather, and ask for an Apprenticeship.
Priam wanted to smile. The sentence was so cryptic that it was bound to contain an exciting reward. The last feather... I suppose alopecia is a serious matter among Phoenixes. Although it's probably called something else in the bird world.
"O Phoenix, what can I do for you?" Priam asked.
He was pragmatic enough to be humble when the situation called for it. Perhaps one day, he would be powerful and famous enough to avoid bowing to any tyrant. On that day, his pride would no longer suffer. Until then, he would do his best to stay alive. I didn't suffer a dozen horrible deaths to die now.
As the silence stretched on, Priam remained inclined, patient. He knew nothing about his interlocutor. Perhaps the Phoenix were accustomed to observing a minute's silence before speaking, and Priam had no intention of inadvertently breaking a tradition. It was, after all, the fourth time he had communicated with an alien. The first two had tried to kill him - and Arnold had somehow succeeded. The third worked for the System and had learned about human customs.
Almost a minute later, Priam was still bowing. At least I'm still alive... That's good progress. Dad was right, you should always be polite.
The Phoenix drew him out of his thoughts.
"Who are you?"
The Phoenix spoke in a strange, musical language that Priams soul instinctively understood.
"I'm a human. My name is Priam Azura. I used your Tear when I died, and its corruption was drained by an Essence of Abomination - given by the System as a reward for a quest."
A brief but fair and complete answer, followed by a summary of events. Priam could have tried to partly answer to gain information by analyzing the Phoenix's words, but he wasn't stupid. The Phoenix's first question could indicate two things.
The first was that the legendary beast had no idea what was happening. By presenting the facts succinctly and dismissing all the damning evidence against him, Priam presented himself in a good light. Above all, he wanted to avoid the Phoenix deciding to attack him by finding him in possession of an Abomination Essence. After all, only two kinds of people carried such trinkets in their pockets. Terrorists working with the Depths and kind heroes trying to free poor Phoenixes trapped in those same Depths...
The second hypothesis was more disturbing. The Phoenix knew what was happening and tried to analyze Priam's character. In this case, it was better to appear honest and fair. Few people liked a liar.
"Pleased to meet you, Priam," replied the Phoenix. "I'm... My name doesn't matter anymore. I am a small fragment of a vast consciousness corrupted by the Depths."
The legendary bird paused, and Priam remained silent. After a few seconds, he resumed.
Priam grinned, then felt a wave of heat warm his face.
"Concentrate on the present. This Anatole must be complicated to kill for the difficulty to be so high. For now, learn. My technique is called [Earth of Ash, Sea of Steam, Infinite Firmament, Phoenix pierces all Tribulations]."
The Phoenix laughed at Priam's stunned gaze.
"We Phoenix like long sentences. My people would capture you if they found you, so I permit you to rename it. Don't worry, this attack complements your current skills. Now, watch and learn."
Priam opened his eyes. The explosions had stopped, and the cathedral was no longer shaking. His haze told him that he had dropped one level. He was now in the treasure room. The thought made him smile, but not as much as his last notification.
You have gained the skill: [Tribulation Piercing spear - Rare].
He had named the attack himself. Right now, it was a little presumptuous, but Priam knew he wouldn't always be this weak. If he didn't die on the way, he'd eventually reach the Zenith.
Claire was running through the alleyways of the Dome. She had managed to escape Mercury by using her Potential to strengthen her mental skills. It hadn't been easy, and when she arrived in front of the hotel housing her little sister, she had smiled in spite of herself. All the sacrifices had been worth it.
Unfortunately, the reunion hadn't gone as planned. No sooner had she knocked on the door than men appeared in the alley. Claire had hesitated: should she flee or protect her sister under unfavorable circumstances?
As she hesitated, she recognized one of them. It was Mercury's sommelier, and Claire realized she'd never escaped.
Five minutes later, a dozen men were after her, and her sister had surely been captured. I led them to her, she cursed herself.
Eyes glistening with tears and anger, Claire arrived at a marketplace. The Market. A few meters away stood the pyramid she had left after betraying Priam. A plan began to form in her head. The only way to get her sister back was a hostage exchange. Mercury might not love anyone, but Priam wanted his family back.
"But first, I've got to get away."
Mercury's men were just a few yards away, and Claire knew she couldn't escape them without a fight. She dashed into the crowd. Thousands of men, women, and children were trying to buy and sell their goods. They were all trying to adapt to this cruel new world. These poor people will die in the war that's coming soon.
The guards were almost close enough to touch her, and Claire made a decision.
[Bloodthirsty madness]
The crowd fell silent before shouting. The gold of the Dome turned red. The chaos sorceress had a plan.
Status: (Average value for a Homo sapiens male before integration: PHY 10 / MEN 10 / META 0)
PHYSICAL:
Strength 148 (+1)
Constitution 245
Agility 153 (+1)
Vitality 273 (+19)
Perception 286
MENTAL:
Vivacity 172
Dexterity 168 (+1)
Memory 39
Willpower 251
Charisma 138
META:
Meta-affinity 126
Meta-focus 94
Meta-endurance 80
Meta-perception 26
Meta-chance 114
Potential: 1091
Tier 0
[He Who Eludes Death] charge OFF. Reloaded in 18 hours 8 min 42s
[Tribulation]: Tribulations are coming.
Time: 22 hours 28 minutes 36 seconds.
Chapter 56: The Chaos SorceressAlberto Boss was sipping his coffee, watching the Cathedral of the Revenants tremble. He had started work on the Champion's outfit as soon as he had left his workshop. The old man had always had good instincts. This time, it whispered to him not to disappoint his new client. The tailor looked down at his coffee. Black and sugarless, it reminded him of Anatole. The master of the Revenants was not a man to be crossed lightly. Alberto didn't consider himself a coward, but rather a pragmatist. Yet he had to face the truth: he was afraid of Anatole. The man was crazy, and you didn't negotiate with the mad. You didn't try to understand them. You ran away from them. The craftsman had almost succumbed to his fear. He had thought of running away from Viracocha - he was rich enough for that - and then waiting for the end of the Reunion, in hiding. His instincts had prevented him from doing so, and Alberto now understood why. Priam was fighting to be the sole master of his destiny.The old man wasn't that ambitious. But if he had to be a piece on the chessboard, he might as well not be a pawn.A new tremor shook the Revenants' lair. So violent was the shock that the craftsman thought for a moment the cathedral was about to collapse. The stained glass windows at the cathedral's base glowed red before exploding. Alberto realized why he had decided to create the outfit in the first place. Anatole was a fool, but Priam was a dreamer. He wouldn't let anything come between him and his dreams."You can kill a madman," he muttered. "But you can't kill a dream.""... Meaning?" Alberto Boss turned back to the woman who had come to disrupt his work. "Meaning I'll deal with your King's request when I've finished the Champion's.""You would put a Baron before my King?" asked the assassin in a neutral voice."A Viscount.""He draws light to himself. He'll burn his wings in the end. We can kill dreams now, Master Boss.""With the System, maybe. But I doubt you could kill the Viscount so easily," Alberto smiled. "That said, I'd be honored to take care of your Kings request as soon as possible."The tailor had rubbed shoulders with enough dangerous characters to know when to back off. Besides, the work promised to be interesting. Whoever this Prometheus was, he'd gathered an impressive amount of different materials. Nothing Viscount-level, of course, but the amount of resources from Barons was truly mind-boggling. Faced with the assassin's silence, Alberto continued."It'll be ready before the end of the Reunion, don't worry. Your King won't have any complaints about the quality of his attire."The assassin nodded. Alberto blinked as he felt a draft around his neck. A warm sensation made him frown. Did I drink my coffee wrong? He touched his neck for a moment before checking his hand. It was blood-red. Alberto looked up at the assassin, but she had disappeared. A voice rang out in the workshop. "He's also your King. Prometheus is the only one who will save us. You have until the end of the week." Alberto gritted his teeth. Outside, the cathedral trembled. In his hand, his coffee was getting cold. Its surface was agitated. Congratulations! Improved title: Infantile Phoenix - Silver.Infantile Phoenix - Silver - All that was left of you was ashes. Yet here you are. It's not the first time you've cheated death - something you have in common with the Phoenix.The Tear of the Phoenix, purified by Essence of Abomination, flowed through your veins. Your reconstitution and the synergies of your various Titles have integrated it into your ethereal code. You're not quite human anymore.It's almost impossible to become - even partially - a Phoenix. This proud race leaves only two choices for half-bloods. Bend down and rejoin the clan, or die.You control some fires. Flames naturally temper you. Being on the verge of death has a tiny chance of triggering Nirvana. VIT +20%As Priam's eyes finally focused, and even before the immediate aftermath of the explosions had subsided, Soul Mirror reacted. Priam blinked and found himself back in his mental lair. It was the first time he'd been forcibly drawn there, and he had a bad feeling about it.His soul pond was boiling. Priam's reflection was blurred by the bubbles, and the heat was terrifying. Priam looked up for a second, then looked away instantly. In the skylessness of his mental space laid a Phoenix.Priam had never seen a Phoenix, of course, but not for a moment could he have been mistaken. The creature was as sublime as it was deadly. A golden-tinted flame had taken on the appearance of a legendary bird. Two piercing sapphire eyes gazed majestically out over the world. Priam had not looked away out of fear but out of instinct. He was facing a force of nature. The mythical creature standing before him was no mortal and deserved his respect. Sphinx's existence had alerted Priam, but the Phoenix was shaking him. Despite his best efforts, he was nothing compared to this creature. His mere presence gave off a terrifying heat. The water in his pond was infused with a fragment of the Concept of Purity. Upon detecting a stranger in its mental space, the fragment would burn itself away, trying to chase the intruder away.However, Priam was no fool. The Phoenix was far more powerful than the fragment and wouldn't harm it - the council of surviving Priams wouldn't put it at risk. With a thought, Priam calmed Soul Mirror and inclined his head towards the Phoenix.How can we get the most out of this meeting?According to his analysis, it was in his interest to ask vague questions to give his clones a chance to interpret his words.Answer: Accept politely, swear on your last feather, and ask for an Apprenticeship. Priam wanted to smile. The sentence was so cryptic that it was bound to contain an exciting reward. The last feather... I suppose alopecia is a serious matter among Phoenixes. Although it's probably called something else in the bird world."O Phoenix, what can I do for you?" Priam asked.He was pragmatic enough to be humble when the situation called for it. Perhaps one day, he would be powerful and famous enough to avoid bowing to any tyrant. On that day, his pride would no longer suffer. Until then, he would do his best to stay alive. I didn't suffer a dozen horrible deaths to die now.As the silence stretched on, Priam remained inclined, patient. He knew nothing about his interlocutor. Perhaps the Phoenix were accustomed to observing a minute's silence before speaking, and Priam had no intention of inadvertently breaking a tradition. It was, after all, the fourth time he had communicated with an alien. The first two had tried to kill him - and Arnold had somehow succeeded. The third worked for the System and had learned about human customs.Almost a minute later, Priam was still bowing. At least I'm still alive... That's good progress. Dad was right, you should always be polite. The Phoenix drew him out of his thoughts. "Who are you?" The Phoenix spoke in a strange, musical language that Priams soul instinctively understood."I'm a human. My name is Priam Azura. I used your Tear when I died, and its corruption was drained by an Essence of Abomination - given by the System as a reward for a quest." A brief but fair and complete answer, followed by a summary of events. Priam could have tried to partly answer to gain information by analyzing the Phoenix's words, but he wasn't stupid. The Phoenix's first question could indicate two things.The first was that the legendary beast had no idea what was happening. By presenting the facts succinctly and dismissing all the damning evidence against him, Priam presented himself in a good light. Above all, he wanted to avoid the Phoenix deciding to attack him by finding him in possession of an Abomination Essence. After all, only two kinds of people carried such trinkets in their pockets. Terrorists working with the Depths and kind heroes trying to free poor Phoenixes trapped in those same Depths...The second hypothesis was more disturbing. The Phoenix knew what was happening and tried to analyze Priam's character. In this case, it was better to appear honest and fair. Few people liked a liar."Pleased to meet you, Priam," replied the Phoenix. "I'm... My name doesn't matter anymore. I am a small fragment of a vast consciousness corrupted by the Depths."The legendary bird paused, and Priam remained silent. After a few seconds, he resumed.Priam grinned, then felt a wave of heat warm his face. "Concentrate on the present. This Anatole must be complicated to kill for the difficulty to be so high. For now, learn. My technique is called Earth of Ash, Sea of Steam, Infinite Firmament, Phoenix pierces all Tribulations."The Phoenix laughed at Priam's stunned gaze."We Phoenix like long sentences. My people would capture you if they found you, so I permit you to rename it. Don't worry, this attack complements your current skills. Now, watch and learn."Priam opened his eyes. The explosions had stopped, and the cathedral was no longer shaking. His haze told him that he had dropped one level. He was now in the treasure room. The thought made him smile, but not as much as his last notification.You have gained the skill: Tribulation Piercing spear - Rare.He had named the attack himself. Right now, it was a little presumptuous, but Priam knew he wouldn't always be this weak. If he didn't die on the way, he'd eventually reach the Zenith.Claire was running through the alleyways of the Dome. She had managed to escape Mercury by using her Potential to strengthen her mental skills. It hadn't been easy, and when she arrived in front of the hotel housing her little sister, she had smiled in spite of herself. All the sacrifices had been worth it. Unfortunately, the reunion hadn't gone as planned. No sooner had she knocked on the door than men appeared in the alley. Claire had hesitated: should she flee or protect her sister under unfavorable circumstances?As she hesitated, she recognized one of them. It was Mercury's sommelier, and Claire realized she'd never escaped. Five minutes later, a dozen men were after her, and her sister had surely been captured. I led them to her, she cursed herself. Eyes glistening with tears and anger, Claire arrived at a marketplace. The Market. A few meters away stood the pyramid she had left after betraying Priam. A plan began to form in her head. The only way to get her sister back was a hostage exchange. Mercury might not love anyone, but Priam wanted his family back."But first, I've got to get away."Mercury's men were just a few yards away, and Claire knew she couldn't escape them without a fight. She dashed into the crowd. Thousands of men, women, and children were trying to buy and sell their goods. They were all trying to adapt to this cruel new world. These poor people will die in the war that's coming soon. The guards were almost close enough to touch her, and Claire made a decision. Bloodthirsty madnessThe crowd fell silent before shouting. The gold of the Dome turned red. The chaos sorceress had a plan.Status: Average value for a Homo sapiens male before integration: PHY 10 / MEN 10 / META 0PHYSICAL:Strength 148 +1 Constitution 245 Agility 153 +1 Vitality 273 +19Perception 286 MENTAL:Vivacity 172 Dexterity 168 +1 Memory 39Willpower 251 Charisma 138META:Meta-affinity 126 Meta-focus 94 Meta-endurance 80 Meta-perception 26Meta-chance 114Potential: 1091 Tier 0He Who Eludes Death charge OFF. Reloaded in 18 hours 8 min 42sTribulation: Tribulations are coming.Time: 22 hours 28 minutes 36 seconds.
