Chapter Six Hundred And Fifty Four – 654
Felix was jolted awake by a familiar combination: searing pain and a flood of notifications.
Ah, Jesus, he hissed, pressing a hand to his chest. It was bare and hot to the touch, but the pain soon faded. He blinked. Naked, save for the blanket pooled around his hips, he sat atop a mound of soft furs next to a banked fire and the still-dripping remains of a beast on a spit above the coals. Where? Hssh!
Etheric Concordance is level 97!
Etheric Concordance is level 98!
Deep Mind is level 94!
Deep Mind is level 97!
Void Sanctuary is level 103!
Void Sanctuary is level 108!
Wild Threnody is level 96!
Sovereign of Flesh is level 98!
Stone Shaping is level 100!
Master Tier!
You Gain:
+100 INT
+100 DEX
+100 END
Felix gritted his teeth against the surge of colorless System energy as it poured into his core space. It flooded his dual cores before it was regurgitated back out, now blue-white and red-gold comets that speared into his specific Skills. The spherical worlds within his strange, conical solar system ignited one after the other, absorbing the comets of potency and growing brighter and more complex with every impact.
The greatest jump of all was Stone Shaping, as the muddy brown world gained a new, undefinable sense of weight and complexity. It was as if a two dimensional drawing suddenly became three dimensional, all at once, and it felt like a spear had been shoved from Felixs teeth down to his heel.
He choked back a scream and simply endured the agony. Soon it faded and was masked entirely by The Song of Absolution, until he felt nothing more than a buzzing sensation across his body. Then even that was gone.
Stone Shaping.
Felix gestured and Mana poured from his hand. In less than an instant, it formed a cube of gray-brown stone. He stared at it, considering its angles and the firmness of its structure. He flared the Skill again. The cube became an orb, then a rod, then a cutlass with a handguard and curved blade. It morphed with the merest flicker of his Will and the barest touch of additional Mana each time, far more responsive than ever before.
Another Master Tier Skill. He dismissed the shaping entirely. The benefits of facing down a god, I guess.
Thats not to say he wasnt excited about raising another Skill to Master; Felix was just a touch overwhelmed. It had been a wild few days.
He looked around. At first blush it appeared they were in a cave, and Felixs stomach twisted at the thought. Theyd only just left the caves behind, and nowhe paused, looking again. Not a cave. That sheenis this made of chitin?
Voracious Eye.
Name: Hut v. 2.1
Type: Structure (Chitin)
Lore: Made by Beefhammer via his Keratin Conception Skill, the Hut v. 2.1 is the latest iteration of Beefs continued efforts to master his Skill. It was designed with the intent to house a large creature and ventilate a central firepit.
Huh. Good job, Beef. The kid was really getting good at making things. All of that time hed spent training his Shipwright Skill had paid off. Now that he was looking, Felix spotted the joists in the wavering shadows.
Felix leaned back, letting his body rest against the fire-warmed furs. His thoughts, however, were not so idle. They wrestled with recent eventsnamely, what Avet had done to Pit. Felix wasnt sure if it was because of how exhausted he was from the fight and the rush of System energy, but he had been furiousand now he was mostly just confused.
The two of them had just had a fairly positive interaction in the Shrine, even if Felix had initially been pretty hostile. Avet wasnt exactly an ally, but hed made it clear that he wasnt working against them either.
Then he did this.
Avet had said it was to help, but surely the guy knew Felix and Pits opinions on the gods and their interference. They didnt want his help.
That, of course, forced them to fight. To press against a gods influence and the mote itself. ToFelixs thoughts stuttered to a stop.
If Avet hadnt intervenedwould Pit have ever managed to Evolve?
Maybe. Maybe Felix could have pushed through the molten barrier around his friends core space and checkedor maybe Pit would have died there, ripped apart from within.
Damn it.
Felix wasnt sure what frustrated him more, the fact that Avet had involved himself or the fact that it might have actually helped.
He gave us an enemy. And Pit For the first time, Felix looked for his friend. He knew he was closehe could feel him through their bond.
Only after a second of panicking did Felix realize that the massive mound of furs he was laid atop was breathing. Pit was right next to him, but he was changed.
Thatsthats a big bird, Felix managed. Pit was curled up, but even so he was roughly the size of a city bus. He was way bigger than he had been even before his First Evolution. The Chimera was, however, still clearly a tenku: big bushy fox tail, black and russet body topped with glossy black feathers, and a head plucked straight from a raven. The real differences, apart from size, was the small crest of feathers that stuck out above his tufted earsand his wings.
Felix sat down, suddenly overcome. His insides felt like jelly and his throat hurt as tears stung his eyes. His wings
Since the High Guard had cut off his wings and inflicted the Curse of Flame on him, his wings remained a constant injury. Unable to regrow or even scab over the raw wound, it had left his friend in ceaseless pain.
Now, there they were, in all their glory. Felix could barely form coherent thoughts through the immensity of his relief, but one did manage to sneak through: they seemed a lot bigger than before. Broader, for sure, with primary flight feathers the size of greatswords. The feathers were mostly glossy black, but a hint of cyan, russet red, and even a muted sort of gold were present.
Due To Your Evolution, The Mote Of Frenzy, Synergy Among Your Titles, And The Influence Of The Mantle Of The Stormlord, Hurricane Rasp (E) Has Evolved!
Hurricane Rasp (E) Has Become Talon of Tumult (Legendary)
Level Is Maintained!
Talon of Tumult (Legendary), Level 86!
Your very strikes are at the center of the storm, and imbued with a dizzying potency. Each attack inflicts an instance of Confusion on your target, decreasing their ability to recognize friend from foe. Instances of Confusion stack. Number and effect of instances increases with Skill level.
Due To Your Evolution, The Mote Of Frenzy, Synergy Among Your Titles, And The Influence Of The Mantle Of The Stormlord, Bloody Gnaw (E) Has Evolved!
Bloody Gnaw (E) Has Become Maelstroms Maw (Legendary)
Level Is Maintained!
Maelstroms Maw (Legendary), Level 85!
Your simple bite has become a savage frenzy. Targets are drawn toward your open maw by dire winds, all but delivering themselves to you. Contact with your beak drives a current of lightning Mana through your target, further debilitating them. Pull increases with Skill level. Damage from lightning Mana increases with Skill level.
Due To Your Evolution, The Mote Of Frenzy, Synergy Among Your Titles, And The Influence Of The Mantle Of The Stormlord, Long Blade Mastery (C) Has Evolved!
Long Blade Mastery (C) Has Become Executioners Stormblade (Epic)!
Level Is Maintained!
Executioners Stormblade (Epic), Level 48!
As your power and significance grows, so too does the weight of your blade. Gone is the aimlessness of your previous masterynow you wield your weapon with Intent and Will as much as Strength and Dexterity. Any long blade you wield with this Skill gains a shroud of wind and lightning around its edge, increasing the damage and speed of each strike based on the sharpness of your Intent and the weight of your Will. Consumes Mana.
Pit whistled. Whoa, this Mantle isnt kidding around!
A new Skill and three evolutions all in one. I figured the Mote of Frenzy would affect things for you, but this is way more than I expected. Felix ran his hand over Pits fur, letting the Mantle spark off his scales. It dropped his Health slightly, but didnt hurt much at all. That sense of comfort only increased when he made contact with it. Strong too, despite its low level. Wonder how hard itll be to raise up through Adept and into Master Tier?
I think Pit large beak opened, but the sound cut off and his eyes bulged.
Another notification.
Due To The Mote Of Frenzy, Your Skill Thunderwing (Legendary) Has Evolved Into Ouranic Dominion (Divine)!
Level Is Maintained!
Ouranic Dominion (D), Level 73!
During the War, the gods once claimed the very skies as their own, forbidding even elementals of the air to climb higher than the meanest of foothills. You, who have rejected their authority, now rise upon the winds and your own might. The skies are yours.
Ouranic. That word again. Felix wracked his brain for its meaning, but it was basically Greek to him. His skin prickled. Greek. Thats how I know it. Hed spent an inordinate amount of time reading up on Greek mythology when he was a kid, and some of it rushed back as if hed only just closed the wiki article. Felix put his hands on his hips and started pacing. Ouranos was the Greek god of the sky. Ouranic was used as a general term for the gods in the heavensjust like Chthonic was used to describe the gods beneath the earth. ItOuranic law means Divine law.That means they have rules. Boundaries.
He stopped, mid-step. Is that how they got chained up?
Felix!
Wha? The shaking of the earth tore Felix from his musing, as did Pits shocked squawking. What is it?
Pits eyes were bulging again but this time his entire body was shuddering. His beak was chattering, and it was all he could do to swipe his head, sending an ominously colored notification rotating toward Felix.
It looked like a slab of obsidian carved with gold and crimson letters that changed shape whenever Felix wasnt looking directly at them. As he read, however, they morphed into legibility.
Congratulations, Mortal!
You Have Received A Special Title!
Pretty Good Job (Unique)
Not bad, little tenku. Not bad at all. Here, a final gift, devoid of any strings or influence. They should shore up the stats your other bonuses didnt cover. Use them well.
+300 VIT
+200 PER
+500 To All Harmonic Stats
Avet.
Why would he give me this? Pit finally asked. He worked his jaw, which had finally stopped jittering up and down. That was so many stat points.
I dont know.
Pit was silent for a moment. Do you think Avet is our enemy?
I dont know. I hope not. We have enough.
Pit nodded. I hope so too. But if he is, he lifted a dark paw and flexed it, extending a set of crystalline claws as long as any dagger. Hell regret it.
Damn straight. Felix reached over and grabbed the ten-foot spit off the fire. It was red hot from the renewed flame and the beast meat was starting to char. Eat something. Youve been through a lot of changes.
The enormous tenku turned around, his movements graceful even though his Body bumped into the side of the hut more than once. But I wanna go out and try these new Skills.
Well have time for that later. Eat first. Felix took a bit himself, and the rough but bold flavors of the monster meat assaulted his senses. It tasted amazing. Okay, were gonna need way more of this.
Mm. Yes.
