by Atlas Kane
“Well done! Step One out of the way. Let’s move on to choosing your skills. Each Trait you choose represents a passive benefit, in the case of your Lycan Metabolism, an increase in Constitution, Dexterity, and certain resistances, as you should remember. It is important to note that future traits will be more specific than this one. That is because the source of your power, your metabolism, changes the way your entire body and mind work.
“That said, now that you have your first trait, you can choose one of two Active Trait Skills to go with it.”
The demon’s voice cut off and a description of the skills floated before Cade’s eyes.
Lupine Strike: With incredible power, you lash out with your weapon, causing significantly increased damage on a single attack. 30-second Cooldown.
Culling the Pack: By aiming critically, your attack damages a vital area on your enemy’s body, reducing its movement speed by 20%. 30-second Duration. 2-minute Cooldown.
The second skill had the longest cooldown, which could change the outcome of a battle significantly; however, it also seemed to have the most impact in a fight. Making an enemy move slower would assist in avoiding damage greatly. He selected Culling the Pack, knowing it might help his cause the most at level one.
“Alright, buddy. What’s next?”
“Now it is time to choose a weapon. In Antinium, every individual is granted the incredible boon of a soul weapon. These items gain power and abilities each time you level up. Choose wisely, for it is the only soul weapon you will receive in this world!”
When the demon’s words faded, three more racks of weapons ran before Cade’s eyes, melee, ranged, and caster weapons from the look of it. “Hold your fucking horses, demon. I thought I chose a warrior class. Shouldn’t there only be melee weapons available?”
The demon puffed out another gout of smoke. “The Chimera Lord is a diverse class, and though considered a warrior, may choose any weapon. Is this not a good thing?”
Cade felt his impatience with the process boil over. He closed his eyes, breathing for a few moments. This was a good thing. He just had to take his time.
Again, he dismissed the ranged and caster weapons. He was left with variations of polearms, swords, axes, hammers, and maces. No doubt, there would be dozens of other less common items, but whoever organized this system focused on popular weapons.
Swords seemed too cliché, and Cade had no experience wielding one. A spear or other polearm would be a lot less likely to chop his own leg off, but he didn’t like that idea either. The hammer and axes appealed to him most, but ultimately he chose the axe as it could be useful as a tool as well. Though not efficiently, a rock could replace a hammer. It was much harder to make an axe.
Cade dismissed all but the axes and spun through the variations before him. Yet even as he marveled at the elegance of so many of the weapons, he couldn’t help but feel defeated. He sighed in frustration and rubbed his head.
“What is wrong, Caderick? Are these weapons not superb?”
“They’re great. Sorry. I just hate the idea of being stuck with one weapon. I wish I had something more diverse is all.”
“The Custom Weapon is an option of course. You can select two weapons and combine their qualities and attributes.”
Well suck my thumb and call me daddy. I just need to start using this little windbag more, Cade realized. And his mood began to brighten.
“Okay, so I want to do that. For now, just go with a basic battle axe. For the other one, is there anything that can be fired from a distance? Preferably without an arrow or dart to reload?”
“If you mean a rifle or pistol, no. All advanced technology is strictly forbidden in Antinium. There are several caster’s staffs or wands that have mana-based projectiles though.”
“Yes. I want the other weapon to be a staff that… shoots mana-based projectiles,” Cade finished awkwardly. He didn’t care what the hell they called it here, he wanted a gun.
Suddenly, a single-sided battle axe and a wooden staff with a silver fixture on one end floated before him. With the demon’s guidance, he managed to combine the two weapons, the axe head at the top, the silver fixture at the butt of the axe.
“The potential axe and staff-related skills have been minimized, as has their damage output, but if you would like to accept this weapon, it is ready for approval.”
Cade looked at his creation and was in love. “I want it. Yes, do it, demon.”
“And what would you like to call this creation?”
“Boom stick’s too cheesy, and besides, it’s taken. No, let’s go with Mr. McGregor the Blast-Axe.”
“Mr. McGregor Blast-Axe, it is! You will be able to upgrade the weapon with custom qualities as soon as you level up. For now, here is your weapon’s basic stat configuration.” When the demon stopped talking, a screen of information popped up before Cade’s face. On it, he read:
Mr. McGregor Blast-Axe Level 1
Primary Weapon System - Battle Axe
Base Damage - 25% of Max Damage
Damage Type - Slashing
Attack Speed - Medium
Secondary Weapon System - Blast Staff
Base Damage - 25% of Max Damage
Damage Type - Ether Blast
Attack Speed - Instant
Recharge Rate: 43 seconds (Intelligence 12)
“Savage. Okay, wish it did more damage, but who knows what 25% of Max Damage means anyway. It could be a ton for all I know.”
The demon puffed out smoke, pinkish this time, and replied, “No, it isn’t. You’ll need to use your wits, though if you increase your Attributes greatly, the damage output will increase.
“Which brings us to our final task. Ordinarily, travelers receive five additional Attribute Points to allocate before resurrection occurs. However, I am going to give you ten. For one thing, your base stats are somewhat lacking. I’m sure once you were a fit model of a homo sapien, but you are no longer. Another, your patron deity, one of the Council’s most notable members, has taken a personal liking to you. Finally, you were kind to me when it was obvious you thought my handwriting was terrible. It is impossibly difficult to write letters when you have no true hands as I do.”
Cade squinted his eyes, staring at the little demon beast before him. It was a hard compliment to take, but he pushed aside his thoughts of bursting the bubble and focused on his final task. “Thank you, demon helper. Now, what is it you were saying about a patron deity?”
The demon shuddered briefly before dismissing the matter. “It’s nothing. Nothing that I can tell you at least. Take it on good faith that you have at least one fan in the cosmos.”
The explanation bothered Cade. If there was some god or distant entity trying to help him, it seemed reasonable to ask who. Yet he had the feeling he could push all he liked and not get an answer.
Moving forward, he asked, “How do I allocate my Attribute Points? Can you tell me that much?”
“Everything so far has functioned on your mental commands,” the demon lectured, relief obvious in its tone. “Even when you’ve asked for my help, it was your mental impulse that propelled the world around you to respond. Simply think Character Status, and you will see what I mean. Oh, and remember, your Constitution and Dexterity have been raised due to your chosen trait, and your Wisdom lowered.”
Thinking Character Status, Cade was rewarded with another screen filled with information.
Name: Cade
Level: 1
Strength: 11
Constitution: 8
Dexterity: 9
Intelligence: 12
Wisdom: 8
Charisma: 11
Traits: Lycan Metabolism
Skills: Culling the Pack
Available Attribute Points: 10
Cade winced, seeing his shoddy Constitution and Dexterity. They were below average even after his trait kicked in. Embarrassing, to say the least, he thought.
He had never been very nimble, but his lack of consistent exercise and poor
diet had really caught up to him in the last few years. The Wisdom stung too, though he doubted the Attribute would affect him as much in the beginning of his travels. Well, at least the purple stink cloud was hooking him up with extra points.
He assigned three points to Constitution, two to Strength, and three to Dexterity. Those Attributes would keep him alive. They were also pretty straightforward, at least if his interpretation of the metabolism choices had been correct. Strength was power, Dexterity speed, and Constitution health and maybe stamina. No doubt there was some crossover effect between the Attributes, but he needed to be sure about something before he continued.
“I’ve always been unsure about this. Please give me the rundown on Intelligence, Wisdom, and Charisma.”
“Of course. Intelligence has a direct correlation to critical thinking skills, mana pool size, and regeneration. Wisdom links to perception, artistic and creative potential, and mana conservation. Finally, high Charisma increases the likelihood of others perceiving you in a positive way. The world of Antinium is by and large a social construct. Those who band together increase their chances of survival. It is an undervalued Attribute that benefits trade, negotiation, leadership skills, morale, and sexual attraction.”
Cade choked a bit on this last. “Sexual attraction? Okay, well I was wondering but didn’t think it proper to ask. So that’s a thing in Antinium?”
“Coitus is practiced all across the stars and in nearly every dimension. Even demons make love, to pass the time if nothing else. So yes, Cade, it is.”
The man chewed his lip, considering. He wanted to have a powerful weapon, and Intelligence would increase his weapon’s potential, but Charisma was tempting. In the long run, he knew in a strange world filled with dangers valid enough to warrant a blast axe, he couldn’t kill his problems away. Not all of them at least. He placed his final points into Charisma.
Cade’s upgraded Attributes looked much better:
Strength: 13
Constitution: 11
Dexterity: 12
Intelligence: 12
Wisdom: 8
Charisma: 13
“Finalize my decisions, please. I’m happy with what I’ve got,” Cade said, dismissing the screen with a thought. As soon as his words left his mouth, Cade’s body transformed.
It wasn’t a painless process by any means as years of neglect and more than a little genetic deficiency burned away. The demon’s voice filled his mind as the world began to fade to black around him. “It is typical to send you through the resurrection portal at this point in time. Neither process is very comfortable, Caderick, so I am very sorry. You can contact me at any time by calling my name aloud, which is, as you forgot to ask, Pablo. Good bye for now. Be careful, and do remember, the world of Antinium is not called Last World for no reason. Further resurrection is not possible for any reason. Guard yourself and find allies as soon as you can. You will need all the help you can get.”
Cade’s mind spun as the demon’s voice faded. Wait! He wanted to shout. Where are you sending me? What is happening to my body? But the pain burned his thoughts and body away like a torch in the wind.
3
Somewhere Between Atrocious and Gaudy
The pain didn’t cease until Cade had cursed every man, woman, and child he’d ever known. But eventually, it did go away. Not all at once, but more like a mist evaporating. The discomfort and burning sensation left his body, and he found himself in a puddle of his own filth, face pressed against cold stone.
“What kind of cock-shaking bullshit was that?!” he growled, pushing himself off the ground. A bout of vertigo swept over him, and he bent his knees, clutching a stick that was somehow in his hand. He glanced down and smiled despite his nausea as he saw his new best friend, McGregor.
Cade held the axe up, inspecting it in the sunlight. His vision was blurry around the edges still, but he could see the pristine beauty of the axe well enough. It was a simple thing though, just a three-and-a-half-foot length of dark wood, the axe head weighing little more than a pound or two, a single curving half-moon that flashed dangerously. It will kill though, won’t it? Cade surmised, then flipped it over and inspected the metal fitting at the butt end.
It was rounded, a smooth piece of metal that looked like little more than the polished cap on a gentleman’s cane, if not a bit thicker. On the very bottom, however, was an etched rune, circular with a single line spiraling into a point at the middle. An inch up, and from the side, however, Cade saw a white crystal embedded in the metal. Even as he looked in it, he noticed a sliver of cobalt blue forming at the bottom. I guess it’s recharging. Hopefully. I can’t wait to see what kind of damage it can do.
The ex-soldier realized he was standing, half naked, only a pair of canvas trousers clasped around his waist with a single cord of thick leather, in the middle of a strange city. The place was all but silent, and all he could smell was a pervasive freshness, as if the air were more pure than any he’d breathed before.
Glancing around him, Cade squinted to take in the exotic sights. The buildings looked metallic, yet their surfaces did not reflect the light as they should have. The whole place was cast in gold hues, like some gaudy old lady’s fantasy pad. It was in terrible taste, but he couldn’t help but admire the intricacy of the structures. Platforms of stone hovered in the air, somehow defying physics without a problem. Towers rose around him, somehow seeming both ancient and yet infinitely advanced in their construction.
Where is everyone? he thought, disturbed by the grandeur of the city and its utter lack of occupants. Confusion set in, a roiling sense of vertigo not helping his transition in the least. Anger followed, at himself for not asking more questions and at whatever twisted gods had set up this strange world. What am I supposed to do now?
What caught his breath, however, were the three pyramids thrusting up from the middle of the city, the one in the center rising so high it cut across the path of the sun.
“Shave my bush and call me a plucked chicken. This place is insane!” Cade exclaimed. His voice was still raw, from screaming presumably, and yet, the rest of his body felt amazing. A cool breeze ran over his skin and he looked down at his hands and arms.
Cade gaped. Who has a Band-Aid? Cause this bro is cut. His arms corded around with taut muscle, more than he’d ever had in his life. His stomach didn’t sag, not even a little. His abs protruded from his body in a rippling display of power, his arms and legs heavy with bulky muscle. Then he looked up and saw the shimmering portal. Its flat surface was like a plate of polished silver.
Within the portal, Cade saw his face. A thick, brown beard grew where once it had been patchy and blonde. His cheekbones, jawline, eyes, all looked like his own, but more elegant, stronger, and more perfectly made than ever before. He looked like a damned prince. Hell, he looked like a king.
Cade set down his axe and groped and prodded at his body like a fool. He didn’t care if anyone saw him doing so, doubted anyone was close by in this eerie city. For the first time in his life, he felt truly comfortable in his skin.
Another thought occurred to him. His mind felt clear, unimpeded by the doubts, the fog, the perpetual darkness that threatened to consume him. Not since before his tour of duty, and the violence he and his brothers doled out there so readily, had he been so free. Not since childhood.
Staring at his visage in the mirrored face of the portal, Cade watched tears fall down his face, and he did not care to wipe them away.
“You are not the only one who has wept so. It is a sign of your good nature, a lack of presumption and conceit,” a voice called from behind him. He spun around on his heels, gaping at the girl who stood there.
What in the seven rings of hell? Cade turned again and saw nothing in the mirror but himself. Then he looked back again and there she was.
She noticed his confusion and explained, “Naught but the image of your true self will you see in the portal. It is that way with everyone.”
Cade nodded, more than a
little dumbfounded, his eyes taking in the girl’s features for the first time. Not a girl, but a woman, pristine in feature and in form. Her face was round, as was her ample figure. A gleaming gold breastplate covered her breasts but did nothing to hide their ample size.
More striking and immediate though was her dusky blue skin, the color of midnight in a starlit sky. Who thinks like that? Now I’m a poet? Cade shook his head, trying to recover himself.
“I…” Cade groped for words, trying not to think of groping anything else. “I’m sorry, I just didn’t see you, and…” Suddenly his trousers did not seem armor enough against such a creature.
Her own outfit was all glinting armor and leather, the skin of her arms and legs exposed along with her midriff. A hood wrapped around her face, hiding her hair and forehead; attached was a cloak of fine material that shimmered like silk.
She smiled, a thin and sad thing, not at all from the heart. “You seem short of words, sir. Do you have a name or have you lost that as well?”
Come on, Cade. Your brain is up there. Just gotta turn it back on. “Caderick. Cade, that is. My name is Cade. Nice to meet you.”
“And you. I am Ketzal, a warden of this city. It is called Tanrial, and though it is not as populous as it once was, you are welcome.” When the woman spoke, her eyes strayed, never quite focusing on his own. And though her posture was strong, she seemed somehow subdued.
Cade nodded, showing his teeth in a nervous smile. “Thank you. Are you in charge then?”
Ketzal laughed bitterly, her voice echoing off the walls in an eerie way, lingering in the air just a bit too long to be natural. “No. That honor lies with Vormer.” When she said the name, her voice shifted slightly, betraying some emotion he could not yet identify.