Exploration- Chapter 30

I'm sorry. As the poll indicated, I needed to think through this somewhat. The poll results were fairly conclusive. So I'm going to tell this story as it unfolds, and worry about how I have to make it work for Magic Eater 5 after this.

Chapter 30- Decisions to Make

When we teleported we went straight to Samvek’s room. From there it was a simple matter to reach out to Selena via group chat. “Where are you at?”

There was a tension in her voice as she said, “Wait, is that the kind of husband you’re going to be? Are you always going to be checking up on me? Controlling?”

“Uh, who are you, and what did you do with Selena?”

The tension faded to laughter, “Ah, you’re no fun if you’re not going to react. Isn’t that the way that women from your world used to speak. While you and Lana were at the Bazaar, I binged a bunch of something called Lifetime movies…”

          I could only shake my head. “The only reason that I’m not seriously concerned now is that I know you’re messing with me. But seriously, we encountered some powerful members of the Order and ended up killing two of them but one got away. We just teleported upstairs, and the first thing I wanted to know was if you’re okay.”

“I guess I could get used to you being concerned about me. But, yes, I’m okay, although we’re hearing about all of this now. Clay and a mage named Oliver showed up today. They are trying to get Tad to leave Basetown, but he’s being stubborn for some reason.”

“We’ll be right down. I have something to add to this conversation.”

We ended up taking up a private room that the inn had off of the main hall. It was small enough that it got crowded quickly, but everyone deserved to hear this. Once the door was closed, it was my party of three, Tad, Fara, five elves, and two humans. Tad was the first to speak. “Oliver, let me introduce our new friends. You already met Selena, but this is Silas, and Samvek.” Then he looked at me. “And Silas, this is Oliver. He's a grand mage from the human empire, but he’s thrown in his lot with us for the most part.”

“I won’t betray my nation, but I don’t see Tad’s efforts to be in conflict with the empire. In fact, after learning about awakening and what it really entails, I’m more than certain that the Order has been actively working against our people.”

Clay stood next to him knocking.

Selena added, “Oliver is also that other party member that Clay was talking about. Unless he has some hidden power, I’m confident that we can trust him.”

Clay chuckled. “I told you that she could be blunt. She’s also more powerful than any of us from Aerth. I’d even include Tad in that despite what you’ve said he’s done in the past.”

I didn’t want this to get sidetracked. “We aren’t here to compare power levels, although, as it stands, yes, the three of us are more powerful than any of you. Samvek and I just fought a trio from the Order who were all in the mid 300’s for levels. We killed two of them and drove off the other.

“Before you say it, yes, they out-leveled us significantly, but we are quite strong for our levels. I already explained to Tad what it means to be a Forerunner where we come from as well as the advantages that Samvek and Selena had, so I won’t go into it. I can also say that I’m pretty good at sensing potential in people, and Tad definitely is stronger than his level would suggest as well. None of that matters though if we don’t come up with a plan.”

With that, Samvek and I went into details about what we’d been up to inside the dungeon. I talked about how the process had taken inspiration from the awakening that I’d witnessed but was different. “Two things were true both times though. It took an extraordinary amount of power kickstart the changes and a connection between us was required. Our connection was one of friendship rather than prince and subject, but I don’t know if that can work in your system or if the Fey System requires something different from the Heavens System required.”

Oliver shook his head. “All this talk about different systems has my head spinning. I trust Tad and he trusts you, not to mention that everything you say has the ring of truth, but it’s still a lot to take in.”

“Trust me, I get it. When I learned about the Heaven’s System, I didn’t even believe that magic was real or that anyone on my world could practice magic. Ironically, I discovered later that in the past there had been practitioners of magic, but they had drawn their power from the mother of dragons. It’s odd how all of the myths seem to have some basis in truth, somewhere in the multiverse.”

“Priest Bahran would say that was the infinite finding expression in the finite,” Samvek said.

“All of that said, I can say that the ones we fought were stronger than those that you fought while we watched, Tad. One of them was a Dreadnought like your two but the others were a Law Warden, and an Inquisitor. She was the one that got away.”

Oliver looked at Tad. “That unfortunate. If she got away she will tell the others who have arrived and then their seers will find us wherever we are.”

“You’re forgetting about how things obscure around me. The system itself is hiding me, and apparently something about my nature makes me difficult to find. I don’t dispute that eventually they’ll find us, but I’ve been running for the past few months. If our new friends will help us, then I want to make a stand.”

The impulse in me to immediately agree was instinctive, but I was trying to be better. So I looked at Samvek and Selena. “I can’t make that decision on my own. We’ll need to talk about it, but I first I’ve been thinking. There are two ways that we could help you and in fact help ourselves.

“The first, is that I think if we work together we might be able to supply Tad with enough power to awaken more of you. Then we could help you gain rapid levels in the dungeon at least up to level 200 or so. That might not make you a match for the Order but it would at least make you not a liability. Along with that we could help Tad gain more levels, but again our power-leveling will start to slow in the 200’s. I don’t know if it will be 200 or 250 but somewhere in there it will become harder. At least that’s what logic says.

“The second thing that we can help with is in the creation of golems. My time in the dungeon with Samvek has given me new insights into how that part of my class works so I think I can contribute more now.”

Fara asked, “And what do you get out of this?”

“Fair question. We’ll probably end up gaining a level from all the power-leveling. Hopefully, acting as batteries will provide us with some more insights into how to manage our power as well as helping me fulfill a quest. I need to borrow elements from four different systems. So far, I have significant elements from two of them, but the Fey and Dragon Systems remain.

“As far as the crafting, there is something different about your enchantments here. The sprites that Tad mentioned aren’t used in our system, but I can’t help but wonder if I wouldn’t be able to create more powerful items if I was able to imbue spiritual energy into them. Then there is the fact, that if Tad and I manage to create golems, then I’ll have that knowledge to take back with me. My world is always in need of more protectors.”

Fara seemed satisfied with that as did the others.

Tad said, “I won’t lie. I was also hoping that you’d fight along side us. No matter if we create golems and awaken all of these others. It still won’t be an easy fight. If what we’ve heard is true then there are 100 as powerful as the three that you fought. Would you have been able to take on 100 of them.”

Samvek and I looked at one another. I wanted to say yes, but knew that was foolish. “I don’t know how many we could have taken, and we were fighting with limitations there, but I don’t want to minimize how good of warriors they were. As for fighting with you. That’s part of what I need to discuss with my team.”

“There’s one problem with your suggestions that you haven’t considered. Or actually there are two. The first is that even if Tad’s presence distorts their ability to find us that still means that we all have to stay near him. More pressing though is that accessing the Endless Dungeon again is going to be impossible without a battle.”

Tad grinned. “Don’t worry about the dungeon. I’ve got a solution for that.” Then he pulled out the small sphere that he carried with him. He’s already identified it as a dungeon core and named it Spot. I found the name to be odd, but what in my life wasn’t odd.”

“This is Spot. We talked a bit about what it means that I have the Dungeon Master title and I’m sure that I mentioned Spot is a fragment of the Endless Dungeon, but there was a lot going on. What Spot needs is power. He gains that power from the environment, from his connection to me, but also from spells that are cast and people who die within his dungeon.

“I’m hardly a military genius, but it seems that we might be able to use Spot to our advantage. We simply need to lure some of the Order, a manageable chunk into the dungeon that Spot creates. Then we would have the advantage or terrain and if Spot didn’t have to help us too much, then he would grow stronger by absorbing the enemies we kill there.”

I grinned at the idea. There were details that still needed to be worked out, but it was promising. “One question though, once you Spot creates a dungeon won’t everyone get a notification about it. At least back home that’s how it works whenever a new dungeon is formed.”

He shook his head. “From what Oliver and I have been able to figure out only fey get the notification. The Lawgiver might, but he is also being obscured. So, I suppose there is some risk but there’s always risk.”

“Two more things. One of the adventurers mentioned that the leader of the group that came from the Order was far more powerful than these. They didn’t seem to have any direct information and admitted that it could be just gossip, but in our universe, we are what is called legendary tier and beyond that is ascendant tier, those are beings who are no longer mortal. Is it possible that one of those came to Aerth? Do you have such things?”

Some silent communication passed between Tad and his party. I knew the tell-tale signs too well. Finally, he replied. “We also have something called ascendant, although all the information on this world has been destroyed or hidden as apparently the Lawgiver didn’t want people here learning about it. I’ve spoken to Oliver, Fara, and both Arbormaris and Spot. What I’m able to piece together is that the traditionally only fey could become ascendants and even then it was mostly only the royals from each court.

“Dungeons or seedlings could become powerful enough to be equal to ascendants, but they are already immortal through their connection to the ways. Apparently, though, the Lawgiver was a human who somehow discovered a way to ascend. I don’t know how that was achieved. It’s possible that once he reached divine tier that he might have raised some of his followers to ascendant tier.”

Selena said, “That could complicate things.”

Tad nodded but then locked eyes with me, “Indeed, but what was your second question?”

“I assume you’ll be willing, but I’ve been thinking about what you told me about the Ways having been a path to travel the multiverse. Do you think that it will be able to free us to return home or even to go and help my friend?”

“No promises, but if you help us, then I’ll give my all to help you get home.”