Jjhutto_Son of Flame
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B3. Ch. 9 Interlude
🕑 Added 2024-06-06 14:30:47 +0000 UTCBrokenridge Heartsflame Dragon
His claws clicked deliciously against the stone floor as he fought to keep from outright laughing. Such luck! He had been prepared to risk much on the Fatewatcher’s plan, his timeline having been set back astronomically. After all, what was boldness if not to fully extend your own neck to lunge at your enemy’s exposed throat?
But this was beyond his wildest expectations. Even now, his Dragon’s Soul Binding continued to expand as he moved down the tunnel to what had once been his pitifully small treasure chamber.
‘Now I have an entire nation as my own!’ he snarled internally in triumph.
He was still acclimating to this entirely new configuration of Scorch Binding, but he could already tell that everything within the boundary of this Faction’s influence was his to draw on. It was a strange strength to be sure, but its bounty was undeniable.
The thought of filling this mountain to bursting with treasure, and having an entire army to protect it while he went and obtained more was absolutely delightful. Laughter again began to rumble in his belly, starting to bubble up, before being cut off painfully at his chest, where that peculiar human had struck him a mighty blow, barely missing his heart…
Yes, seven days would be enough to fully establish a connection to his strength here and restore this insignificant wound. Then it would be time to multiply his strength and take what was his by right. He would rend old long tooth's neck-
An aura of old exploded in his Domain and Brokenridge’s eyes dilated in sudden shock as he whipped his head around to charge back out a defend his treasure Horde from the interloper.
Endless seas of burning black corpses,
Raging hatred,
Roaring determination.
‘How had they already found him?’ He thundered internally as fire poured freely from between his clenched jaws. He took in a long breath through his nostrils and sensed…
Nothing
No other dragons, just the same little two legs he had left behind. The Aura persisted for another few moments before withdrawing slowly, leaving that same peculiar human at its center. Yes, he would serve well as a chief servant…
What had it said its name was?
‘Ah, yes...Tibby’ He thought to himself as the fire slowly died back down eliciting another twinge in his chest. He turned and continued down the tunnel at an easy pace. The next few months were going to be Glorious.
…
Cog level 7 Thaumic Munitions Specialist
One Hour Earlier
A smile that had already threatened to crack his face in half ratcheted up several notches at his most recent notification. He had no clue where the rest of the Originals had gone, but that was their business. Personally, he couldn’t stand the idea of wasting another moment now that they were adults.
He dismissed the level-up notification and carefully placed the stoppered vial on the work surface next to his other creations. After he nestled this one like a baby bird in its nest of dirty cloth to make sure it did not clink with the others or roll away, he stroked his mustache in satisfaction…
Well, there was still a lot more lip than mustache, but his uncle had always claimed that stroking a beard helps it grow, and he was sure the rough patch forming under his nose was the beginning of a glorious display of mature facial hair.
He still couldn’t believe it had worked! Just like Aurelia, they had all been offered a chance to finally do something and Cog pulled his notification log back up, to double-check that it was all still real.
The others had mentioned something about class options, but Cog hadn’t really been listening at the time. Instead, his body had shed its childish weakness and supernaturally matured into its current manly state, he had received an incredible notification… His very first, to be exact.
Congratulations! Due to your participation in the deity quest to obtain the patronage of an Origin Facet, and your successful completion of multiple hidden prerequisites, you have received access to a completely novel Class. Thaumic Munitions Specialist [Epic]
Thaumic Munitions Specialist
You have been handling mildly incendiary agents since you could walk, and have shown a deep fascination for the art of alchemy. This has been paired with your rewards from a Primal source of both Nature and Fire Mana. You will have access to the typical skills and Abilities of an alchemist, but any alchemical product or enchantment you produce that does not produce an incendiary effect will spontaneously combust. However, you will receive a 200% bonus to any Skill or Ability when handling Flame-related agents or producing novel items. +2 Intelligence and +1 Constitution every other level. Starting Abilities: Flame Eater, Pyro-savant, Tinkerer.
The others had started exclaiming loudly in shock as they had each been transformed, quickly moving to Aurelia to ask her questions, but not him. Even with his extraordinarily well-aged physique, he only had eyes for the new plant life bursting up all around the central chamber of the Temple.
He had immediately gotten on his hands and knees to examine the extraordinary array of wildflowers and grasses that were bursting up through the cracks in the stone of the mountain. He could sense aspects of growth, change, and… fire being woven harmoniously in each plant he examined. His mind started racing with the possibilities some of these plants could have when used in conjunction with a few other re-agents in the workshop.
Then, for the second time in his life, he had felt the mental buzz of a notification, and in wonder, he had opened the screen back up.
Congratulations! You have discovered a new valid entry into the Herb Lore Codex. Notify any qualified Alchemist or Herbalist to add it to the Codex. You have learned the skill Herb Lore by discovering a new previously unknown use for a piece of flora on Nephesh.
Herb Lore - Mana infuses everything on Nephesh, you have become a student of the unique effects this has on its plant life.
That was when the crazed smile had started. He immediately identified and picked Fire Lilies, Flame Thistle, Spark Mustard, and more. For the first time truly appreciating Mrs. Cooper's awesome jacket as his pitifully typical pockets became full to bursting.
Then, while the others were distracted, he had snuck out of the chamber, absolutely sure someone would try and stop him to make him “sleep” or “recover”... that stuff didn’t apply to him anymore. It wasn’t like he was a kid anymore and it was finally time to start leveling.
The trip down from the mountain had been easy, Aurelia’s healing and his subsequent transformation making it so that he felt like he might never be tired again. Occasionally he could hear the sounds of distant battle, but he was sure that with Mr. Tillman and Mrs. Cooper back with whatever they had just brought to the Temple, they were going to win.
Besides, what better way to help than to make something awesome for the soldiers to throw over the wall at all those weird monster things?
By the time he was moving through the camps, most people were up and about, rumors of a victory in the night already circulating through the population. Cog ignored them all and slipped up to the Alchemist's workshop.
The three Class holders and their hopeful assistants were passed out in the bunk room attached to the building, so it was easy for Cog to sneek in and lay out his materials. He ignored the huge new feature adorning one wall of the workshop, choosing instead to focus on the task before him.
His mind was whirling with ideas as he thought back to the recipe his uncle had entrusted to him so many months ago. He was sure that the ingredients he had just brought down would be the key to taking that recipe to the next level.
Then followed the three most explosive hours of Cog’s short life. The noise had awoken the others at some point, and they had barged in demanding explanations. But once they saw his new class, and whatever the new thing in the workshop was, they left just as quickly. Not that Cog paid much attention, he was too busy Inventing.
“Level 7 already!” he whispered to himself excitedly… doing his best to resist the urge to fiddle with the concoctions he had created. Each recipe had been derived in some way from his uncle's, but they were all untried. He had gotten system confirmation that they qualified as workable alchemical creations… but they needed to be tested.
He started to carefully wrap up the vials, wracking his brain for a private place where he could test them when a deep rumble reverberated through the ground, shaking everything not held in place.
…
Azurel Level 113 Demonic Seer.
Finally, it spoke…
Agony racked her lithe form, followed by intense waves of almost unbearable pleasure. The now familiar trickles of dark liquid ran in rivulets from each of her orifices as she screeched, attempting in vain to release the unimaginable pressure building up inside her soul.
Almost too late, she remembered to bend the entirety of her Class Abilities to pull herself back from the brink. Communion, Astral VIsion, Demonic Insight, and Mental Regeneration activated almost simultaneously as she fought to maintain her sanity.
Many misunderstood this power… Azurel wasn’t sure she understood much of it herself, but there was one thing that was clearer to her than her scrying crystal; Nothing about it was new.
Perhaps it was older than the Plane itself. Some thought it was the chaos from which all of creation rose, calling us back to our original, freedom from the tyranny of form. The older demonic scholars advocated that it was simply the unavoidable entropy that unraveled all things.
The Princes themselves, both old and new didn’t seem to care one way or another.
Corruption had crashed into the Plane like an unexpected tide, destabilizing everything and if there was one thing the Pits thrived on, it was Chaos. Most had embraced the new source of power, drinking it in merrily and soaring to new heights of power, whose only price was to give in to their more base natures.
Even those who seemed to be in complete control, leaned forward eagerly, waiting for Azurel to finish her reading of the vast sea of chaos. They did not truly understand…
This thing had no mind, no will to enact. It ravaged her mind, seeing the world through her eyes and many others, only seeking to orient its hunger. It desired only to destroy, unravel, Coerce, Corrupt.
Panting with the effort of sorting through the vast ravings that attempted to shatter her mind every time she touched that outer darkness, the High Priestess of the Pits straightened her shoulders until she stood tall before the six Thrones. Only four of which were currently occupied.
“...A champion remains unchosen…
We are to participate in the Cursed System’s final game
Moving our full strength to these Contested Lands,
But we will send our most fleet of foot as harbingers of our coming,
To plunder the prizes of the First Beasts.
Only once Your Majesties stand as triumphant Conquerors at the edge of this Epoch
Will one of you be chosen to rule.”
Her pronouncement produced a predictable variety of displeasure. Bezzelbubs entire hive buzzed discordantly at the news. Magog’s building-sized fist pounded against the arm of his throne, somehow shaking the foundations of the Mythic chamber. Asteroth leaned back in his cowl, the ram’s skull face of his current lich form as inscrutable as ever.
These were the ones that Azurel was confident posed no risk to her continued position. They were known elements, as predictable as any demonic power could be. The others… were something different altogether.
The one they now referred to as Asmodeus was absent. Of course, he had hardly been seen since he ascended to the throne, seemingly on a whim, a few thousand years ago. Lilith likewise was also absent, her machinations ever a mystery to the other Princes. These were the only two that held no forces in the demonic army and had ascended thrones on the basis of personal power alone.
Then there was the last throne, the one most recently ascended and the clearest sign of the changes sweeping across the plane. The newest of the Princes maintained his smugly superior smile throughout the whole of her proclamation, as if she were a jester there for his entertainment.
“Well then, I think it is undeniable that I am the fleetest of foot here… It seems I have some hunting to do.”
He declared nonchalantly, the haunting melody of his voice having no effect on her but ringing out all the same. Completely black eyes seemed to sparkle with an incongruent twinkle as he stood from his throne, and reached for a horn at his belt that radiated power, even here in this more profane of chambers.
Comments
Wyatt Hilbert
Thanks for the chapter
