Chapter 52: I’ve Got This |
As the crowd roared their approval of the performance, the fingers of Hiral’s right hand shook beside his guitar, while sweat ran down his face. A-Rank body or not, that had been a workout, somehow drawing their power out directly to fuel the show. But, standing there on planes from Path of Butterflies above the crowd, he could only smile.
They’d done it.
They’d beaten the Infested in the second-to-last trial. More than that, they’d put on one hell of a concert. Maybe the crowd wasn’t real – maybe it was? Who knew with Tomorrow – but they’d clearly enjoyed themselves. And, as for the party, Hiral could feel a stronger connection to his Primal Chord. He would definitely be unlocking a new movement when he had the time to reflect on the changes. He wasn’t the only one, either.
Seena’s Chord had brought Li’l Ur into it, somehow incorporating his Blight. Seeyela’s had expanded past just the moon, so somehow encompass the entire starry sky. What did Tomorrow call it? Space. And, as for Yanily, it had done the opposite of the others. Instead of expanding its scope, Yanily’s Chord sounded as if it had focused even more on what it meant to be a storm. Then there was Gran and Romin.
Through his connection with the Edicts, Hiral could feel the two had found their own Primal Chords. He had an idea what they might be, but he’d have to wait for them to confirm it. Victory in the trial aside, it had been a beneficial event for all of them. They’d…
Hiral’s thoughts trailed off as his eyes spotted something within the falling sparks of red from the broken avatar. With flames, lightning, and void-venom energy still pulsing around the arena before the Progenitors faded, the combination of lights was creating a pattern that drew his eyes. No, that wasn’t quite right. It wasn’t just the light. Actually, it wasn’t the light at all!
That was only how his senses were interpreting what he felt.
It was the applause of the crowd reaching for the heavens. The echo of the music coming from their chants. The pounding of their feet echoing in his chest along with his own heartbeat. He wasn’t really seeing anything. He was hearing it. Feeling it.
Not it.
And as those falling sparkles lined up just right, he understood. Rules. Laws of the universe. Two new runes, exposed by his link to the very Edicts they represented.
Hiral didn’t need the PIMP to learn new runes anymore. At A-Rank, with his connection to the Edicts, the world itself would introduce him, like it was doing right now, when the time was right.
Solar energy sparked within his channels as the understanding of what he was looking at began to burrow its way into his PIM. One look at the Infested glowering on the other stage put a stop to the dual epiphanies, though.
They had death matches coming up, and no telling how long until those started. Hiral couldn’t afford to be bottomed out on solar energy – or worse – when those began. He’d wait until after he dealt with the Infested. Which – letting the lingering intent of the runes tickle his understanding – was too bad, considering he could’ve used the new runes in the upcoming battle.
Still, he knew what they were, now. What they meant. Any time he was ready, he could trigger his body’s response. With that decision, the falling sparkles lost their meaning, while spotlights clunked off, one after another.
The far stage – the one with the Infested – disappeared into darkness first. The avatar above the party looked down at them, a smile on its face, before it vanished next. The echoes of the Progenitors took a few seconds longer, like they wanted to gaze at their disciples, before they too faded. Next went the crowd, their adoration and cheering winking out so suddenly, it felt like a vacuum pulling Hiral forward a step.
That just left the party standing there, instruments in hand. Well, everybody except Yanily, who was standing where his drums had been.
“Yan?” Seeyela asked. “Where’d…?”
“Interspatial Ring,” Yanily said. “No way I’m leaving those behind.”
Hiral looked down at the guitar in his hands. Viewdidn’t want to seem to activate, but if Yanily could take his drums…
A thought pulled the guitar into his Arsenal of Amin Thett – and a few seconds let him fantasize how that might work with Emperor’s Decree – before he dropped down to the stage with the others. Everybody had likewise stowed their instruments, and all that was left to do was wait for the…
Tower of Dynamic Trials – Eleventh Floor
Challenge – Battle of the Bands!
Victory!
Note: Reward will be announced on the twelfth floor prior to commencement of the death match.
“Not bad, team,” Seena said. “Nine wins, two losses.” She looked over at Right. “Guess the two of us have something to prove in the coming death match.”
“Do you think it actually will be a death match?” Romin asked. “Given these other trials, could that be some kind of metaphor?”
“The majority of this tower hasn’t been what I expected,” Seeyela said.
“It’s a death match,” Gran said. “Not a metaphor, a simile, or a euphemism.”
“What could death match even be a euphemism for?” Yanily asked, slightly horrified.
“Why do you say that?” Seena asked Gran, well-practiced at ignoring Yanily.
“Two reasons,” Gran said. “First, Fenil wouldn’t know a metaphor if he dropped face-first on one. Second, this is the Custodian of Tomorrow we’re talking about here. Wasn’t her whole thing survival of the stronger race? If this wasn’t set up for us to kill each other at the end, then I’m an exotic dancer on the strangest road trip ever.” She paused, looked around, then gave an oddly resigned cackle.
“What about all these other trials we’ve done, then?” Seeyela said.
“Tomorrow said it herself,” Gran said. “One-on-one strength isn’t always the most important thing. Not when it comes to a whole race. If you ask me – and you did, so you’re going to listen – these rewards we’re getting, they aren’t like the stuff from the other trials. They aren’t items or abilities. They’re buffs or debuffs.
“All these floors, with different challenges, they’re setting it up so a race with a variety of skills or a focus on intelligence has a better chance against a race of pure fighters.”
“To give the rabbits a chance against the wolves,” Yanily said sagely.
“No idea where that came from, knucklehead,” Gran said. “But you ain’t wrong. At least not if I’m right.”
“So,” Right said. “The Infested are going to have some kind of handicap against us? That’s not going to go well for them. Given what we saw, do we even need it?”
“No,” Yanily said. “We probably don’t, but we’re going to take it.”
Seena and Seeyela – one sister standing on either side of Yanily paused, looking at him, then raised what had to be a hereditary eyebrow at the spearman between them.
“That doesn’t sound like our usual Yanily,” Seena said. “I almost thought you’d ask if we could turn it down to make for a better fight.”
“Pretty sure we’ll still get a hell of a fight even with them having debuffs,” Yanily said. “But, that’s not the point here. They’re dangerous and I don’t want anything to happen to you guys. I’ll take all the advantages we can get.”
Seena and Seeyela shared a look at the same time the other eyebrows went up, before both punched the spearman gently in the shoulders from either side.
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“Good for you, being all mature,” Seeyela said, then her face turned a bit more serious. “Like us, they were hiding their real strength in those trials. Regardless of what we saw – of our wins – they’re dangerous.”
“Very dangerous,” Seena said. “That said, we’re winning this. Not a single doubt of it in my mind. Whatever format this death match takes, I know we can do it.”
“Rah rah,” Hiral said, just before a new notification window popped up in front of him.
Announcement
Teleportation to twelfth floor will commence in 1 minute.
00:59
“Huh, that’s a little different,” Hiral said.
“It might drop us straight into a fight,” Seena said. “Everybody good on cooldowns and solar energy?”
“Ready here,” Yanily said, spear back in his hand and helm on his head.
The others likewise signalled they were in top shape.
“Defensive positions when we appear,” Seena said. “Sis, get set up for an ambush. Hiral and Yan, if you see those Infested coming our way, ranged attacks. Romin, Right, and Wallop, watch out for anybody getting in close. Especially that sickle lady. Gran, Left, get ready with buffs and healing if we need it quickly.
“No long-cooldown buffs or debuffs until we know it’s a fight right off. This could drop us into an arena or a couch, for all we know.”
“Got it,” the rest of the party said.
RHCs came out in Hiral’s hands as he watched the timer tick down the last few seconds to zero, then the familiar teleportation sparkles took him away again. When he reappeared this time, it wasn’t in spectator seating, or even an arena floor.
All around him was… nothing. Kind of like when Tomorrow had projected them into space, but without the planets or the stars. It was just empty. Even the rest of the party was missing, and his sensory domain didn’t touch a single thing as it spread out.
No Infested either.
A second of this – just long enough to wonder what the hell was going on – and a notification came up.
Tower of Dynamic Trials – Twelfth Floor
Challenge – Death Matches!
Sometimes, direct confrontation is a necessary step in the path for survival. Prove you’re fit to continue the journey.
Based on the results of the previous eleven floors, the following conditions have been put in place for the battles.
Note: Having won 9 of 11 trials, you have been declared the “winning faction”, and will receive the most advantages.
Note (2): The “losing faction” received only one advantage, choosing the format of the coming trial, and they have selected individual battles over a group battle.
Note (3): For being the “winning faction” you will receive: favorable terrain for battle, solar energy types of arenas in line with your own, a 1-minute advance preparation period, a doubling of buff durations, and the ability to select opponents.
Time to select opponents: 3 minutes
2:59
As soon as the timer appeared, so too did images of the six Infested and Possessed, hanging semi-transparent in the darkness. Hiral’s sensory domain confirmed it wasn’t actually them, but he could feel another matrix of energy hovering in front of each of them.
“Can you all hear me?” Seena asked through the party chat.
“We can,” Hiral said, suddenly feeling a little guilty he hadn’t even tried before. Had it been blocked?
“You all saw the message,” Seena continued, getting right down to business. “Looks like we’ve got to do this one-on-one. That’s not ideal.”
“Probably why the Infested chose it,” Seeyela said.
“You better not be saying all this cause you’re worried about little old me,” Gran said. “I can take care of myself.”
“I can too,” Romin said. “We may not be as strong as the rest of you, but we’ll do our part. You don’t have to be concerned.” Somehow a snuff even came through the party chat after the Bonder finished speaking, reiterating the point.
Romin, Wallop, and Gran had gotten stronger in their time with the party. More gear, advanced classes, A-Rank, and everything that came with all that. And it wasn’t like Hiral and the others had just carried them through it all. The three had more than proved their worth in the battle against The Archwizard. They could do this.
“No, I know that,” Seena said. “I know you’re strong enough – you all are – to win these duels, but we’re all stronger together. That’s all. Which, like Seeyela said, the Infested know. They think this gives them a chance.”
“It doesn’t,” Yanily said.
“No, it doesn’t,” Seena agreed. “Looks like I need to pick our opponents. Anybody got any preferences? I have some ideas, but we have two minutes if you’d like to share your thoughts.”
“Give me that big boy,” Gran said. “The same one from the Field Medic trial.”
“That seems like a less-than-ideal match up for you,” Seena said slowly, echoing Hiral’s own thoughts. The towering Possessed was clearly a tank role of some kind, meaning Gran’s abilities would have a hard time picking away at him. On the other hand, he had to be immensely strong, and if he caught her…
“Less than ideal for him, you mean,” Gran said. “I know what you’re all thinking. I have a harder time with high-defense targets. It’s true. But that’s why he needs to be my opponent. It’s a weakness I need to get by, and this big, slow, oaf is the perfect opportunity for that.”
“Are you spending too much time around Yanily?” Seeyela asked in what had to be her ‘mom’ voice.
“Even the knucklehead has the right of it sometimes,” Gran said. “So, you going to let me do this or what?”
One second of silence over the party chat turned into three, then five, while Seena considered. It was risky for the group’s healer, but if Gran was sure she could win…
The vampire’s image – cloak and all – appeared in front of representation of the towering Possessed.
“He’s all yours,” Seena said. “I can’t wait to see how strong you come out of this fight.”
“Thanks, girlie,” Gran said. “Just you watch.”
“Leaves us with five more choices,” Seena continued.
“You know it has to be me to deal with the snakeskin Infested,” Seeyela said. “She’s too dangerous for the rest of you with her ability to hide.”
“And that’s not dangerous for you?” Seena said.
“Little Shadow’s Cloak can sense blood, apparently,” Seeyela said. “If this really is favorable terrain – like the last arena was – there won’t be anything else alive in there. Or nothing too big. Makes her easy to find.”
“Just how scary is your cloak?” Yanily asked. “And how alive?”
“The sky’s the limit on both those questions,” Seeyela said. “So, Seena, lock me in.”
“Just be careful in there,” Seena said as her sister’s image appeared in front of the snakeskin Infested. Floating there in the otherwise empty space, the two shapes seemed to be absolutely glaring at each other.
“As careful as I can be to get it done,” Seeyela said.
“Now who sounds like they’ve been spending too much time with Yanily?” Gran asked with a cackle.
“Hey now…” Yanily started at the same time Hiral spoke.
“Seena, you’re taking the ice guy, aren’t you?” he said. “Favorable terrain and solar energy type? Plus, a hint of revenge.”
“I do like some good revenge,” Seena said. “And, it was what I was thinking. Unless anybody else wants a shot at him? Romin? Yan?”
“Nah,” Yanily said. “You, ice guy. Me, Mr. Beard. Romin, the other Possessed. Hiral, Mr. I-can’t-decide-what-color-I-want-to-wear-today.”
“You’ve got it all figured out, just like that?” Seena asked him.
“It’s pretty obvious, isn’t it?” Yanily said. “You and Li’l Ur have been staring daggers at that ice guy since your trial. If you don’t get a chance to fight him, you’re always going to wonder if you should’ve won. Lingering doubt and questions like that aren’t good for you. Here’s your chance to get over it and move on.
“Go burn him – and his house, if you can find it – to the ground.”
Another few seconds of silence. “You’re not wrong,” Seena said quietly. “I should’ve won that, and it is bothering me.”
“Put us in, Mistress,” Li’l Ur said. “Let us show him he is nothing more than a meager ice cube before the inferno of your glory as you burn your way to becoming queen of this world!”
“Nice imagery there,” Yanily said.
“You’re right,” Seena said. “I need to do this.”
The next second, her burning form appeared in front of the stoic, ice Infested.
“What about you and Mr. Beard?” Seena asked after that was done.
“Easy, I’m the best match up for him,” Yanily said. “We don’t know what other tricks he has, but if he just goes back to a giant made of water, I can counter that all day long.”
“Lightning does seem like an excellent way to deal with the ability,” Hiral said. “And, anything else the Infested shows, I’m sure Yan can take care of it.”
“Just, watch out with this guy,” Seena said. “More than the others, he seems like he’s hiding something.”
“Oh, I guarantee he is,” Yanily said. “And I’ll handle it.”
“And that makes Wallop and me the best counter for the Possessed,” Romin said. “He is clearly a damager dealer, with a very powerful single-target attack – that breath. It also has a clear tell, not just physically, but the flow of his solar energy. As long as we watch out for that, I believe we can tank anything else he throws our way.”
Snuff.
“Correct,” Romin said. “And, even if he does hit us, that will only make it worse for him, thanks to The Best Defense.”
Hiral nodded to himself at the tank’s line of thought – and the notes he’d taken throughout all the matches. That was a very potent class-ability for Romin to have against a pure damager dealer.
Class Ability (Passive): The Best Defense… – Hit it hard enough and it can’t hurt your friends.
Damage you take or would’ve taken – before the effects of any mitigation, shielding, or defensive abilities – increases your own physical damage done for a short period of time.
Note: Duration of increased damage is 30 seconds, refreshed every time you take damage.
The more the Possessed hit him, the more he’d regret it.
“As for the last one,” Yanily went on. “Despite his fashion sense, the Infested with the scrolls, I think he’s the most unpredictable. The most dangerous. It needs to be Hiral. If there’s anybody who can deal with unpredictable, it’s him, along with Left and Right.”
“I wouldn’t mind the rematch, either,” Hiral said, remembering the gestures the Infested had made toward Seena.
“It’s sound thinking,” Seeyela said, when Seena didn’t immediately respond. “I agree with Yan.”
“So do I,” Seena finally said. “I don’t think I could’ve chosen better match ups. Last chance for objections before I lock these in.”
Nobody said anything, so a few seconds later, one after another, each of the party-member’s images appeared in front of their opponents.
“I’ll see all of you on the other side,” Seena said.
“Even you, would-be apprentice,” Li’l Ur said. “The Mistress would be very upset if you died. Don’t.”
Hiral lifted his hands and clenched his fists in front of him – his RHCs had appeared back on his thighs as he’d appeared from the teleportation – and stared at the image of the Infested he’d fight. Yanily was right. The only thing they’d seen from this opponent was his ability to summon flying daggers from a scroll, but there had to be more to it than that.
And Hiral would draw it all out… before crushing it.
“You don’t have to worry,” Hiral replied to Li’l Ur as the teleportation sparkles rose around him. “I’ve got this.”