by Aaron Oster
“Did you bring me here?” Morgan asked as he approached the table.
Dabu jumped in surprise and looked up at Morgan with a slightly confused expression.
“Morgan, what are you doing here?”
Just like the last time, Dabu’s rich voice and powerful aura washed over him, making Morgan relax his shoulders and feel oddly at peace.
“I have no idea,” he replied, walking to the other side of the table and taking a seat. “I remember being stuck in a Beast Zone with Sarah for the last few days, but everything else is kind of hazy.”
Dabu closed his book with a snap, looking concerned for a moment. His eyes then seemed to gaze off into the distance, and after a few seconds, he relaxed.
“It looks as though you bit off more than you could chew and were nearly killed as a result,” the omniscient supermage said, giving him an admonishing look.
“Why on earth would you attack a rank 24 intermediate beast while still at rank 18?”
Morgan’s eyes widened when he heard this.
He’d nearly died attacking a rank 24 beast?
“Is Sarah okay?” he quickly asked, and let out a sigh of relief when Dabu nodded.
They sat in silence for the next few minutes, Morgan fidgeting uncomfortably in his seat, while Dabu stared at him, unblinkingly.
He didn’t know why, but he sensed that Dabu was disappointed in him somehow.
“You are lucky to be alive,” Dabu finally said and Morgan winced at the harsh rebuke in his tone.
“Do you have any idea what kind of disaster you could have brought on this world, just because you wanted to fight a strong opponent?”
His voice cracked out like a whip, and Morgan looked down.
Why did this man have the power to make him feel so ashamed? He’d never felt shame before, but he was sure that this was what it felt like.
“And what about your friend? She very nearly let herself be killed when she thought you were dead!”
Morgan’s head shot up when he heard this and he met Dabu’s steely gaze with his own uncertain one.
“I didn’t mean for it to happen,” he said, feeling very strange. His chest was constricting very tightly and his heart was thumping erratically.
Dabu’s tone softened slightly when he saw that he was getting through to him.
“I know what fighting does to you,” he said, surprising Morgan even more with his seemingly limitless knowledge.
“How?” he asked, feeling the tightness in his chest slowly easing. He already knew the answer and it was only confirmed a moment later.
“I know what was done to you and how it had affected your mind,” he said with a sigh. “I was hoping to keep it a secret until I had permission to fix you, but I can see Samuel’s mark on your aura, so I can guess that he’s offered you some sort of deal.”
Morgan blew out a long breath and leaned forward, placing his chin on his palms.
Every time Dabu answered a question, he just had more questions.
“Can you please explain exactly what’s been done to me and why? Can you tell me who did this to me and can you explain what you meant by ‘Samuel’s mark on my aura’?”
Dabu actually smiled and Morgan felt some of his tensions ease.
“I cannot tell you who did this to you, as there are certain rules I must adhere to. Breaking them would be bad, for you and I both.”
Morgan grimaced at that.
Again with these damn rules. Whose rules?
“I can see that you’ve heard this before, but I cannot tell you more. All I can say is that you will understand one day. For now, I’ll answer all the questions I can. We do have some time, as I’m guessing your mind fled here in order to escape the pain of your physical body. Since you are in a comatose state, there should be no damage to your mind from staying here until your body heals itself.”
Morgan blew out a long breath, but nodded in agreement.
Dabu may not have answered his question about these so-called ‘rules’, but he had learned one thing at least. There was a being out there who could control omniscient ranked supermages that resided in other worlds. A being with the power to control even a god.
Morgan shivered despite the warmth of the clearing.
Whoever this being was, he hoped to never meet them.
“To answer your first question,” Dabu said, snapping Morgan from his thoughts. “Your body was modified in a way so as to produce the perfect warrior. Feelings like desire, or passion, were repurposed to fuel your desire for battle. You feel good when you fight, alive in a way that you cannot describe. On the other hand, when there is no fighting to be done, you feel empty inside. Am I correct?”
Morgan nodded, both horrified and fascinated at the same time.
“There were several chemicals in your body that were repurposed for the task of keeping your mind clear so that even through the lust of battle, you would still be able to think tactically. There were some other small changes as well, but you get the picture,” Dabu finished.
“Is there any way I can stop myself from doing it again?” Morgan asked after a few moments of silence.
Dabu smiled at that.
“Through self-control and discipline. You must be stronger than your desires if you wish to be victorious. You went into that battle on a high, without giving yourself time to cool down from the day’s fighting. Your body was flush with endorphins and all you wanted to do was keep that feeling.
“You also need to remember, that should you complete whatever task Samuel has set you, you will be cured. When that happens, your body and mind will be flooded with a slew of new emotions and feelings. It is important to train your mind as well as your body. That is the only advice I can offer.”
Morgan nodded, feeling as though a great weight had been lifted from his shoulders. He’d been afraid that there would be nothing he could do and until Samuel fixed him, he’d be stuck at the whims of his battle-hungry mind.
“Now, to answer your second question. Everyone who has an ability, be they human or beast, exudes an aura. When someone interacts with an especially powerful being, it leaves a very distinct mark. The mark will fade over time, but judging from what I can see, yours will stick around for at least another week.”
“What exactly is an aura, and how can you see them?” Morgan asked, wondering if this would be against the rules. He really hoped it wasn’t.
“Ah, now there’s something I can help you with,” Dabu replied. “An aura is the residual energy from your heart made manifest and those with the knowledge to see them can learn quite a bit about someone’s power.”
Morgan’s heart skipped a beat.
“So what you’re saying is that you can tell what someone’s rank is, just by looking at them?” he excitedly asked.
“That, and a few other things,” Dabu replied.
“Can you teach me?” Morgan asked, leaning forward across the table.
If he could see someone’s rank before a fight, it would make everything so much easier.
Dabu thought about it for a few seconds, before slowly nodding.
“Very well. It has been a few centuries since I’ve taught someone, but I believe imparting this skill to you would be beneficial to your growth.”
Morgan nodded excitedly, expecting him to begin instructing him. What Dabu did instead was place his hand on the table, facing palm up.
“Place your hand on mine.”
Morgan gave him a slightly confused look, but did as he was instructed. Dabu’s hand wrapped around his and a purple sphere of light appeared around their clasped hands. Morgan’s eyes widened as a warm tingling sensation seemed to flow out of Dabu and into him. The sensation only intensified the longer it went on and he soon felt as though every cell in his body was shaking itself apart.
Just when he thought he wouldn’t be able to take any more, the sensation vanished. Morgan blew out a shaky breath as Dabu removed his hand.
“What was that?” he asked, rubbing a
t his still tingling hand and finding that he was a bit out of breath.
“Open your status and see,” Dabu said with a grin.
Morgan shrugged and did as he was told, streaming a flow of reiki up to his eyes and viewing his status.
Name: Morgan
Supermage: Rank - 18
Energy to next rank - 176,917/380,000
Ability - Divine Gravity & Air
RP - 920/920 (Regen - 9.1 per second)
Strength - 87
Agility - 100
Constitution - 91
Intelligence - 92
Wisdom - 91
Skills - Enhanced flight, Heavy impact, Gale force, Condensed wind blade
Traits - Gravity field, Recovery, Aura sense (inherited)
Extra - Gravity storm
Morgan excitedly selected the new skill, as his eyes fell upon it and a new window opened.
Aura Sense (inherited) - You have been bestowed the gift of sight by an omniscient. By concentrating on a target and thinking the word ‘sense,’ you will be able to view the target’s aura. The aura will currently reveal the target’s name, rank and ability type; provided that they are no more than nine ranks above your own.
Morgan closed his status and looked to Dabu with wide eyes.
“I had no idea that skills could be taught!” he exclaimed.
“They can’t,” he replied, instantly squashing Morgan’s excitement. “If you look carefully at the skill, you will see the word ‘inherited’ next to the skill name. Inherited skills are a special type of skill that cannot be learned through any means. The only way to learn this skill is to have someone who has reached the omniscient rank teach it to you.”
“That’s ridiculous,” Morgan deadpanned. “Why even have a skill like that if only one in a billion could ever have a chance of possibly learning to use it?”
Dabu laughed then, white teeth contrasting with his dark skin and his rich voice rolling out over the clearing. Morgan could feel that sense of peace again and his shoulders relaxed as the annoyance leaked out of him.
“Yes, it is quite ridiculous, but that is just the way of things,” Dabu said, still chuckling.
A thought struck Morgan then and he felt his heart skip a beat in excitement.
“Are there any others?” he asked, leaning forward eagerly.
“There are,” Dabu replied, “and before you ask, no; your rank isn’t sufficiently high enough for me to teach you anything else.”
Morgan sat back slightly disappointed, but at the same time, excited about the possibilities. He was about to ask Dabu another question, when a sharp pain shot through his head, making him wince.
“It would appear that our time together has come to an end,” Dabu said.
“Wait, that’s impossible! There’s no way that I’ve been here for twenty-four hours,” Morgan replied.
“Ah, but it is entirely possible. Time runs differently here than in the mortal realms. What feels like a minute here, can translate to decades in another world.”
Morgan just shook his head in amazement. He winced again, suddenly feeling a light tugging at the center of his chest. He knew that he likely only had a minute or two left, and he needed some more questions answered.
“Do you have any advice for me before I go?” he asked, feeling the tugging sensation increasing.
“The difference in strength between ranks 18 and 19 is the largest out of any of the breakthrough ranks. Once you rank up, you will have a massive increase to all your attributes. Your body will grow stronger and your life expectancy will go up. Do not fight that beast before you reach rank 19.”
“And another thing, before you go. You’d better apologize to your friend when you get back. She looks terrible and hasn’t slept a wink since she dragged you from that battle.”
Morgan nodded quickly, feeling that his time was running out.
“Samuel said something about stopping King Edmund before the Pinnacle Kings wake. Can you tell me anything about them?”
For the first time ever, he saw Dabu look completely stunned.
“Dabu?” Morgan prodded, already feeling his mind fading from the clearing.
Dabu looked up at him and began to say something, then the clearing abruptly vanished.
32
Morgan’s eyes opened and he blinked a few times as they adjusted to the dim lighting of the tunnel. He knew that he hadn’t physically visited Dabu, so his eyes shouldn’t need to adjust, but the mind was a funny thing.
Then the air was knocked from his lungs as Sarah slammed into him, wrapping him up in a crushing hug. He gasped, forcing himself into a sitting position and feeling her shaking against him with great, wracking sobs. Had this been a few weeks ago, Morgan would just have sat there and waited for her to finish. Now, however, he understood the concept of offering comfort to others in their time of need.
He brought his arms up and hugged her back, being careful not to squeeze too tightly. He hoped he was doing it right. He sat there for the next twenty minutes, holding his friend while she shook against him. Eventually, he felt her body beginning to relax as her sobs subsided and after a few more minutes heard the slow deep breathing that indicated sleep.
Dabu really hadn’t been kidding about her not sleeping, Morgan thought as he gently eased her off himself and onto the ground.
Looking her over, he could see that she didn’t look nearly as put together as she normally did. Her hair was disheveled, her face was smeared with dirt and there were heavy bags under her eyes.
He let out a soft sigh, knowing that he had a lot to make up for when she woke up. He pulled a shirt from their pack and rolled it up, placing it under her head. Then he pulled one of their coats from the bag and draped it over her sleeping form. Morgan froze when he was halfway through the motion, wondering what had prompted him to do it.
Shaking his head, Morgan straightened up and began checking himself. His armor was whole and undamaged, meaning it must have cleaned and mended itself while he was unconscious.
Good, he thought. He wouldn’t need to change.
He looked down both sides of the tunnel before heading down the one leading back to the fifth stage.
He had some training to do.
***
Six years ago…
Morgan landed with a splash in the foul-smelling sewer water, hearing Sarah let out a loud scream before she landed as well. He continued running, half carrying, half dragging the girl behind him as he wove a familiar path through the dark tunnels.
A few seconds later, he heard the telltale splash as the men followed them in. He could hear their shouts echoing off the tunnel walls, but he was fairly confident he could get away from them. He came up to an intersection and took a hard right, hearing Sarah’s labored breathing as he dragged her along with him.
He didn’t know why, but he felt a bit guilty for pushing her so hard. They were running for their lives though, and he wasn’t about to spare her the discomfort if it was a difference between life and death. He stumbled and almost fell when it finally caught up with him.
He felt bad about something.
He grinned to himself, despite their predicament and pulled a hard left, doubling back into a second sewer pipe that would lead into the city proper. He was almost beside himself with excitement, another emotion he was just feeling now.
They all seemed to be coming back at once. He could hardly believe it. It was almost worth the hell he’d been through, just to be feeling something again.
“How… Much… Further?” Sarah wheezed from behind him and Morgan snapped back to reality.
He quickly looked up as they passed another grate and he got a quick flash of the streets above.
“Almost there. Just keep going,” he said.
He could still hear the echoing bangs as the men shoved their way clumsily through the sewers after them and didn’t want to slow down for fear of being caught.
He was pretty sure they were already safe, but disaster often
struck when one dropped their guard.
“There,” Morgan said, pointing to a ladder up ahead.
He came to a skidding halt, the sewer muck sloshing around him as he began climbing up. Reaching the top he gave a mighty shove, knocking the grate free and climbing out into the open air.
He took a deep breath of the fresh night air, glad to be out of the sewers. Then he turned back and held his hand out to help Sarah up. She came out, wheezing so hard that he thought she may very well pass out. Her face was beet red and she pulled in the air with huge, heaving gasps.
Morgan took a quick look around the moonlit main street but didn’t see any sign of pursuit, so he decided that they could take it a little easier on the few blocks they had left to the Lord’s manor. He didn’t want to think what he would do once they reached the manor and just had to hope that they would let him shelter there until they took care of Kook and his goons.
“We’re almost there,” he said, watching as Sarah leaned over, heaving for air.
He should probably help her. She wouldn’t make it back otherwise.
He leaned down and pulled one of her arms over his shoulder.
Sarah gave him a grateful look and the two of them set off at a light jog, with Morgan taking most of her weight as they went.
Morgan took a left into the first alley he saw, heading further in and emerging on the other side. He stopped for a moment, looking around for the narrow street that connected the city to the open courtyard before the Lord’s manor. He spotted it after a few seconds and dragged Sarah over in that direction.
They had nearly made it to the alley entrance when a man stepped from the deep shadows of a nearby building, thrown by the moon overhead. He heard Sarah let out a gasp of recognition, and Morgan couldn’t blame her.
Kook stood in their path, the only thing standing between them and freedom. Morgan stopped, his eyes flicking down to the man’s side, where his shirt was stained red from where Sarah had stabbed him. The man looked pale and unsteady on his feet, but the longsword he held clutched in one hand was steady and unwavering.