Chapter 110: See you soon

More than 4k words... It's almost twice the size of a normal chapter, but I promised it would be the last in Elysium!

Enjoy!

*

"My name is Priam Azura. I will be designated as the Champion of humanity by the System after the Reunion."

The vast crowd before him fell into a hushed silence. Despite the distance, Priam's enhanced eyes allowed him to discern the features of each spectator. They numbered over a million, gathered in the square of the Ducal Palace. According to Mercury, his speech was being broadcast directly in seven other domes and delayed in all the rest. No pressure...

Taking a deep breath to ensure he'd be heard, he continued.

"You've followed my Achievements. Lately, you must have heard rumors about me. Let me tell you the unvarnished truth."

Priam locked eyes with an elderly woman standing alone in the midst of the crowd. Her physical frailty was offset by a noble presence. She stood tall, and instinctively, Priam straightened.

"During my quadruple Tribulation, the System forced me to take refuge in a dome to survive. I saved as many people as I could, but there were hundreds of casualties. I don't entirely blame the System. I accept my share of responsibility in this tragedy and intend to pay the price for my mistake."

Priam paused, surveying the attentive crowd. The old lady looked at him with eyes full of sadness. She nodded imperceptibly, as if encouraging him to continue.

"However, there is a fundamental difference between me and the Revenants," Priam continued. "The System offered them the choice to kill other humans to resurrect. That very System forced me to enter the dome to stay alive. They chose to kill, I chose to survive."

The Dome's crowd was utterly silent. Mercury had advised him against this statement, but Priam wanted to be honest. He hadn't killed anyone with his own hands, nor had he sought to face divine wrath. He hadn't triggered a quadruple Tribulation by choice.

Priam wasn't a saint, but he was far from being a demon ready to sacrifice innocent lives for power.

Despite the world, there was not a sound in the square. His stomach knotted under the judgment of millions of his peers. Priam straightened and resumed.

"Despite this difference, I do not deny the blood on my hands. I want to atone for this fault. I hereby promise to fight all external threats to humanity." The sentence was a bit demagogic, but the crowd leaned in. They could feel the sincerity of their Champion.

"The Reunion is just the beginning. Great trials await our race. Alien bureaucrats are thinking about the next tax they'll impose on you. Factions are preparing exploitative contracts. Slave traders are putting a price on your head. Terrible wars are approaching." Fear and fury rumbled through the crowd.

Many had already grasped humanity's place in this new universe. A tiny one.

Priam made a slight pause, letting his Charisma radiate. He didn't want to manipulate the crowd, but rather project his feelings.

"Faced with all these horrors threatening humanity, I intend to take responsibility. For the dead, but especially for the living. Until now, I've been labeled as a Champion. Today, before you, I accept this title. I will be humanity's spear!"

The dome's brightness dimmed, and a faint pillar of light highlighted Priam's silhouette. Seems like Sphinx is having fun.

"I won't lie to you: this new world is unforgiving, and the next few years will be tough. However, I want everyone to know that the Champion of humanity will not abandon his race. I will fight by your side and won't let anyone enslave humanity!"

This was the moment to capture the audience's hearts. In a second, [Moon Mist] conjured the silhouette of a wyvern. Two additional Phoenix wings adorned its back. Infused with Priam's charismatic aura, the ephemeral creation was a marvel of power and majesty. Not a single human could divert their gaze from the creature.

Priam's skill pulsed, and the wyvern roared. "Today, humanity takes up arms!"

Cheers erupted. Hesitating for a moment, Priam raised his fist. Despite his confessions, he received an ovation. The dead were far, and the Champion was with them. As they beheld the draconic species summoned by their Champion, heard his words, and felt his power, the spectators felt hope for the first time in weeks.

CHAR +1

The golden wyvern, soaring to the top of the dome, was the symbol of their Champion's might. By extension, many felt it as the power of humanity.

CHAR +1

The crowd's enthusiasm fueled Priam. Breathing forcefully, he smiled at them. This confession lifted a weight off his chest and allowed him to face the truth: he had made mistakes. Some could have been avoided, and others... others might have been necessary. Priam accepted it, as he accepted his responsibilities in the deaths of New Earth.

CHAR +1

In the face of over a million people, Priam was beginning to feel the weight of his new title. He was the Champion of humanity. It might not bring him any immediate perks, but it offered him a chance at redemption.

CHAR +1

With a final roar, the wyvern dissipated above the crowd. The guardian had turned into golden snow, and many tried to catch a few flakes.

About fifty yards in front of Priam, amid the crowd, a little girl on her father's shoulders had tears in her eyes. Her mother was nowhere to be seen, and Priam looked at her.

"We've all lost loved ones," he continued gently. "I'll fight to make sure it doesn't happen again."

The little girl was crying heartily, her eyes shining with hope that Priam didn't want to disappoint.

The cheers grew softer as the memories of the lost ones pressed in. Paradoxically, the bond between the crowd and Priam grew stronger. He understood them, and in return, they understood him. His Charisma whispered to him the concern of a million humans, but another emotion was slowly emerging. Hope.

Priam partly accepted the mantle of Champion because he wanted to repay the debt he owed to the dead. A debt was an unbearable chain for Priam.

As the crowd quieted, Priam felt like a weight was lifted from his chest. He would never be the guardian of humanity. He didn't want to be, and he was too selfish for that. However, he refused to watch men, women, and children die if he could save them.

He wouldn't be the guardian of humanity. He would be its spear.

Priam raised his hand and used his aura to silence the crowd. Two female guards stepped forward, lifting Claire's body between them. It was a show to prevent the public from pitying the young Revenant.

[Kinetic Control] prevented Claire from speaking or struggling. For Priam, this speech was just another battle, and he had no intention of losing. He needed the support of the crowd to be a true Champion.

In a deep voice, Priam spoke again. "This young woman is named Claire. She's a Revenant officer who has killed many humans. Some of you may not be familiar with them. One day, some men and women cast aside their humanity. In order to have a chance at a longer life, they accepted to kill or corrupt other humans. Faced with them, you have only one choice: become a murderer in turn, or die. They are Revenants."

Priam let his sentence hang for a moment before pointing at Claire.

"Beneath her innocent appearance lies a Trojan horse. The Revenants bear our faces, our memories, but they are monsters. I personally killed their generals and their leader."

Almost instinctively, Priam's aura transmitted to the crowd the pain, the hatred, the fear, and the despair he had felt during the betrayal. Thousands of dirty looks turned on Claire, who trembled.

"The apocalypse overturned governments and laws. It's hard to know what to do with these Revenants and the other threats that weigh on humanity. Exceptionally, an assembly of men and women from multiple factions, of all ages and backgrounds, discussed the case of this threat," Priam said, pointing to those with him on the stage.

Mercury, Maya, Mirscella, and Prometheus had spent nearly ten hours negotiating with dozens of other representatives. All of them wanted to condemn Claire, but many feared potential abuses if the Champion played both judge and executioner. No one wanted to give him political power, but no one could stop him from taking it.

To speed up the process and limit friction, Priam had stayed away from the negotiations - knowing that Claire would die in the end.

"In less than a week, the Revenants have killed over fifty thousand humans," he revealed. "Each Revenant must convert or kill a human every three days. In light of this information, it was decided that accepting to become a Revenant was a crime against humanity. The penalty is death."

For the first time, the crowd seemed divided. Some expressed their encouragement. Others fidgeted, disapproving of the sentence. For those who hadn't seen the dead or left the dome, the death penalty was hard to understand. Many countries abolished it, and not all humans had accepted the civilizational change.

"If we don't cut off the root of this evil, humanity will perish. Our old laws are now obsolete. Our customs and traditions must adapt for humanity to survive," explained Priam. He raised his hand, and one of Prometheus' men created an illusion.

The first rows of the crowd recoiled, panicked. An Abomination about thirty meters tall now loomed over the square.

"Here is the kind of chimera created by the Revenants. You'll notice the ingredients: human bodies. Terrible as it is, here's worse. The spiritual cement of this creature is made from human spirits. Believe me, the death penalty is deserved."

His aura sensed the emotions of the crowd. The Abomination had made its impact: no one wanted to be merged into a monster of flesh and blood. Claire's defenders fell silent before the horror of the Depths. Priam continued.

"I am one of those who condemned the Revenants in general, and Claire in particular. To show you my resolution, I’ll take responsibility for carrying out the sentence. Know that the hand of your Champion will not tremble against those who threaten you."

Priam turned to Claire and lifted her paralysis. "Before all of humanity, do you have anything to say in your defense?"

Forced by a contract, Claire couldn't lie. Shining with rage, her eyes locked onto Priam's calm and peaceful gaze. He didn't feel much for the Revenant anymore.

"Big words to mask a personal vendetta," she spat.

Truth was a powerful weapon. After a speech where he had confessed everything, Priam felt light. He turned to the crowd.

"I'm not afraid of the truth. Claire betrayed me, poisoned me, and killed me after gaining my trust. Yet, her condemnation has little to do with that. I would have executed her as a Revenant without even knowing her. I swear it on my Potential."

POT -50

In the sky, thunder rumbled without lightning, confirming Priam's words. There must be no doubt in the minds of the public.

Disregarding the crowd, Claire fixed her gaze on Priam.

"We're the same. You would have made the same choice as me."

Priam closed his eyes. A memory from the Tutorial resurfaced. Henri...

A few seconds later, he shook his head, allowing a smile to spread across his lips. Claire didn't know him very well.

"I would have accepted becoming a Revenant, that's true," Priam admitted. "I respect the desire to want to live. However, the System is always fair: it's possible to become human again by earning an Achievement. I would have staked my life on becoming human again, without killing anyone. I'm not a hero, but I bear my mistakes alone."

"Only three Revenants have become human again. Do you think you're so special? You would have abandoned your ideals. The fear of death does that to people," Claire sneered.

Priam smiled. "True. During my Tutorial, I had the choice between assassinating one of my comrades or risking my life in a grotesque situation. I didn't succumb to the easy way out. That's what allows me to stand here today. We're different."

Claire began to tremble, and Priam's Domain caught the beginnings of tears. An execution was never beautiful, but Priam didn't want the entire humanity to witness an emotional breakdown. [Kinetic Control] froze the Revenant.

Raising his spear, Priam pronounced the sentence. "By becoming an officer of the Revenants and committing multiple homicides, you have betrayed humanity. Claire, I condemn you to death."

With a fluid motion, Promesse pierced Claire's heart. For the second and final time, the young woman died.

Part of the audience applauded, and Priam shivered. His revenge was neither sweet nor bitter, but he didn't want the crowd to lose its humanity.

A ruby-colored drop burst on the ground.

How many other humans will die by my hand?

*

Mercury grimaced at the crowd's applause. Priam had turned Claire into a symbol of the hardships raining down on them. Most were thrilled to see humanity striking back. Even if it meant taking the life of a young woman, he lamented.

Mercury's perspective was more nuanced, understanding that certain deeds were necessary. Claire's death was a grim necessity, but rejoicing in it? That was a different matter.

His gaze shifted to Priam. The Champion was undeniably strong and charismatic and vowed to slay their enemies. How could they not be enamored by him? Had they even realized that he never promised to shield them? They revered the Spear for its strength, but they'd need a Shield. Priam would never allow himself to be bound in such a way...

From the corner of his eye, Mercury noticed the Champion's somber expression. A man who was both strong and honest, who took no pleasure in killing or manipulating his kin? That was a pleasant surprise.

Despite his flaws, I've bet on the right horse.

*

When Priam swung open the infirmary door, he was greeted by the sight of Sphinx hopping about on Blueberry's belly. The colossal bear had been laid out across two rows of five beds each. It was the only way to let him lie other than having him sprawl on the floor.

Sphinx's leaps seemed to tickle Blueberry. Despite the latter's flailing, the beds held firm. A few planks creaked from time to time, but one thing was for sure: the System churned out quality.

"Sphinx, give him a break, he's convalescing," Priam said, shutting the door behind him.

"He's not convalescing, he's just too lazy to get up!" Sphinx exclaimed, bounding onto the ursine's muzzle.

"I specialize in strength, not vitality," grumbled Blueberry, shoving the tyrannical Lord aside. "Do you realize how much energy I need to rebuild my muscles? If only I could nibble on some fire-roasted wyvern..." he said, giving Priam puppy-dog eyes.

A bear wasn't built for puppy-dog eyes. "If I didn't know you better, I'd say you want to eat me," Priam said.

"I am actually quite hungry."

"You'll taste my spear if you keep it up."

Promesse hummed in recognition of the word.

"You know what, I'll stick with the wyvern," Blueberry relented, eyeing the weapon with concern. Was Promesse old enough to grasp sarcasm? Blueberry didn't want to bet on it.

"Only the Earls are entitled to this delicious dish, you commoner," Sphinx declared, leaping into Priam's arms.

"I'm a Viscount, as you were yesterday!"

"Commoner, commoner, commoner!"

Priam burst into laughter.

"She just wants to humiliate me, and you're encouraging her," Blueberry grumbled.

Priam stopped laughing and wiped his eyes. "Forgive me, Blueberry."

Positioning Sphinx in front of him, he pinched her cheeks. "I'm proud of you for your promotion, Sphinx! But we mustn't be mean to our friends, okay?"

Nodding weakly, Sphinx mewed. Priam's eyes widened in surprise.

"You... You meowed?"

"Rose told me that if I was cute, you'd forget about my mischief..." Sphinx meowed again, and Priam held her tightly. Her fur was so soft…

Well played, Rose! Priam was aware he was being manipulated, but he accepted his fate.

Blueberry grumbled as he watched the scene. Sphinx meowed again upon seeing the bear roll his eyes.

"Can I keep bothering him?" she whispered.

"Later," Priam replied, straightening up. "Let's head to the garden; I have a proposition for you."

"Awesome!"

Blueberry didn't respond. The bear sulked in silence, and Priam decided to give him some motivation. "Shall we discuss this over a wyvern barbecue?"

A mass of fur leaped towards the nearest window, shattering it along with the wall it was set in. Priam laughed before following suit.

*

To cook a wyvern by the book, hot embers was needed. Blueberry had laboriously stacked a few branches of greenwood twenty minutes earlier. The pile resembled a giant game of pickup sticks that Blueberry struggled to ignite. Sphinx's advice didn't seem to be helping him.

Priam shook his head, refocusing on Louis. The spirited old man regaled them with his surfing experience, shooting glances towards Mirscella every ten seconds.

"...riding a wave single-handed. When you're upside down, the connection with the water is incredible. You feel like you're merging with the wave. Once, when I was vacationing near Sumatra..."

Mirscella cleared her throat. "I'm sure we all love Sumatra, Louis, but I have a question for Priam."

Louis blinked before breaking into a wide smile. Hearing his name from his sweetheart's lips was enough to make him look like a fool. For a moment, Priam wondered if Mirscella had hypnotized him. Unlikely, unless she brewed a love potion and he chugged the whole cauldron...

The loverboy playfully bowed, flexing his muscles in the process. For his age, the old fellow was in good shape. Priam then widened his eyes. Don't tell me... Does he have so much Vitality that his body's producing teenage hormones again?

The explanation seemed absurd, but Priam couldn't outright dismiss it. He was interrupted in his thoughts by Mirscella.

"I'm always ready for some wyvern. Well, as long as we can cook it before the end of the Reunion," she said, turning to Blueberry. "But I was wondering why you've gathered us here?"

"I have... an opportunity to offer you," Priam informed them. "Originally, I was only thinking about my father, but I believe it might interest all of you as well."

"I'm listening," Mirscella sounded intrigued. Priam's uncertain smile and the Champion's hesitation piqued her curiosity.

"In a few hours, we'll be sent back to the world that welcomed us at the end of our Tutorial." All the humans present nodded, and Priam continued.

"I have the ability to invite you into the world that welcomed me. I'd like you to come with me, Dad," Priam asked, looking at his father. "When I find Eliza, she'll need you too."

Alain smiled. "I had a hunch, son. Of course, I'll come! Despite all your powers, I'm pretty sure you're sleeping in a sorry excuse for a cabin. Together, we'll build ourselves a decent dwelling!"

Priam grimaced, remembering his early days in Elysium. He had to dig into the ground to sleep. It was more fun in Minecraft.

"Your father could build an airplane with a spoon and pieces of flint," Louis confirmed.

"I won't be getting on that plane," clarified Mirscella.

"With no pilot or fuel, there's relatively little danger," Alain pointed out.

"I can pilot. In Argentina, I rented a sort of little..."

Mirscella cleared her throat, magically silencing Louis.

Alain turned to the old lady. He knew who to persuade. "I'd appreciate it if you came too. You're my friends now, and I'm sure it's a nice world. Isn't that right, Priam?"

"Well..."

Mirscella raised an eyebrow. “Well ?"

"Elysium is one of the most dangerous worlds in this Universe," Priam admitted. "Your chances of survival are slim if you stray far from me. Any animal is monstrously powerful, and dangers abound. The reason is simple: the density of aether is so high that natural treasures are extremely abundant. However, if you come... we'll have no rivals in the next Reunion."

Silence greeted his words. Priam grimaced, contemplating his proposition. Louis and Mirscella were already among the most powerful humans. More importantly, they were alive, a significant advantage in harnessing power. Who would risk their life for...

"Okay."

"Count me in!"

Priam looked up at the two. "...Great. But why?"

"Weren't you wanting us to come?" Mirscella asked, raising an eyebrow.

"Not at all. It's just that... you don't need to?"

Louis laughed. "We're like you, Priam. You didn't become the Champion by cultivating caution."

"It's the Achilles' dilemma," added Mirscella. "To live passionately for a few years or cautiously for a long time. No one reaches the top without being passionate. If you try to dissuade us now, I'll take it as an insult."

"I wouldn't want to offend you," Priam smiled. "That settles it then. Let's go help them start this fire."

*

Sphinx and Blueberry had looked at Priam strangely when he posed the question. Sphinx simply replied that if he decided to leave without her, she'd meow like an abandoned kitten. The image broke Priam's heart.

Meanwhile, Blueberry calmly explained that the Crimson Fruit he had brought Priam was a kind of admission ticket.

"I hope Air Priam serves hors d'oeuvres during the transport..."

"Best I can do is magic water."

"Hum… By the way, are you aware that Sphinx will want to bring Rose?"

Priam wasn't. He hesitated for a few minutes before discussing it with his father.

"If she wants to come... She's a brave girl who doesn't have any family left. She doesn't even have a world to return to, so I suppose she'll have to spend several months alone on the Moon?"

Priam wasn't ready to abandon a teenager. In the end, he simply asked the interested party for her opinion. Sphinx found and brought Rose to the barbecue in less than five minutes. The teenager immediately accepted the invitation.

"I want to be with you and Sphinx! Elysium sounds incredible, I could get strong enough to bring back Mom..."

The sentence hung in the air, but Priam was almost sure Rose also wanted to bring her father back. That's a problem for my future self.

In the end, it took Blueberry over an hour to light the fire.

*

From the window of his suite, Bechar watched the humans in the Dome frantically bustling about. With a thought, he could have observed the other domes. It was of little use; he'd have witnessed the same spectacle. Merchants packed their goods, artisans stowed their tools, and parents sought their children.

In the Colosseum - or rather, the Colosseums - some warriors attempted to surpass their limits. All hoped to level up one more time just before the end of the Reunion.

It was a bit too late. The portals would open in a few seconds. A final glance at Priam made him smile. He had figured out how to create a passage between his inner world and the outer world, but the path was too narrow for Blueberry.

The poor bear was trying to make himself as small as possible while Priam spent Potential to widen the passage. Sphinx, three elderly individuals, and a teenager were pushing the bear into the bluish portal. The upper body went in easily, but the hips were stuck.

Suddenly, Sphinx returned to her true size and gave the bear a paw swipe, sending him through the passage in one go. Bechar winced. She must have broken two or three of his bones...

A few moments later, only Priam remained in the garden.

Simultaneously, billions of portals opened on the surface of the Moon. Taking a deep breath, Priam stepped into the closing passage.

See you soon…

*

Status: (Average value for a Homo sapiens male before integration: PHY 10 / MEN 10 / META 0)

PHYSICAL:
Strength 317
Constitution 448
Agility 304
Vitality 465
Perception 521

MENTAL:
Vivacity 282
Dexterity 345
Memory 72
Willpower 464
Charisma 384 (+6)

META:
Meta-affinity 249
Meta-focus 183
Meta-endurance 161
Meta-perception 77
Meta-chance 207
Meta-authority 12

Potential: 779 (-50)
Tier 0

[He Who Eludes Death] charge: PRIMED.

[Tribulation]: One Tribulation pending.
Future Tribulations delayed until:
Time: 180 days 0 hour 38 minutes 12 seconds.

*

Back to Elysium! A bit of a long chapter, but at least we've closed all the brackets that were open! It's quite catartic...
See you tomorrow (well, today but late!)